The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
An Idyl of Iabth Street.

1t was last Saturday night In Harlem. and
125th street was a blaze of glory and good fell
lowshlp from the East River to Morningside.
However, it is always that. There is nothing
more refreshing to the weary denizen Of the
high-walled city than a stroll any evening along
this great artery Of Harlem. and notably so on
Saturday evening. There is q rustic sweetness
in the atmosphere Of the street and a cheer
full companlonship among the people that
is positively unique in its delightful eff
feet. owever that Is not quite to tho
purpose OF this article. Last Saturday night
at 10 o'clock. MS the curfew-loving folk were
buying up cheap fruit at the market and col
Letting the children preparatory to getting
them into the fold. a SNOWY Widowed
dry goods store not far from Eighth avenue.
with a moving ship as a window feature. had
drawn a crowd Of curious and happy women
about it. There must have been fifty or moro
and they took up most of tho sidewalk. but no.
body cared for that. He walked out In tho
street pleasantly or bumped up softly against
the yielding and generous proportions of the
plump and plethoric matrons Of Harlem and
pushed his way through the crowd.
That is to say. he did il he wanted to get away
from the window, but most folks did not. The
wanted to see what was going on. Ono OF the
clerks had come out into the window, which
contained. besides the ship. several figures on
which were exhibited hats. shirt waists and
These were to be decked for the Sabbath day. So
would still go on. Thus 1t was that the clerk
was in the window. Then he addressed himself
face. a wooden body and a wire frame, AS he
whirled 1t around and laid over by it, convenient
to his reach. the clothing he was going to put
on It. the women folks on the outside of the
window began to show a sudden and profound
interest in the clerk and his work. Some OF
girl with peach pink cheeks and sunny hair
blushed and tried TO drag the young man with
e osR at coifair oq ten NO i HSHls n FIX e. and ND h he ON was 2 l as
homely as the girl wasn't. The man in the
window. with the businesslike and unconscious
manner OF window trimmers. who are GaZed at
always by. admiring crowds. yanked the wire
works before him around to the front and
and a punch in the Stats and slapped It around
the figure, Then he pulled 1t In at the neck and
he eject Gf.st. m r. reached a nef for or the he's sk sI9oa Gy 10 10 s ali
the actual APPAREL the window lady was to wear
N"HuhW' shifted one fat woman. anybody
could see he was q married man"
That started them. and at the same moment
the trimmer hauled up the skirt and fired It
'""Hee ought to have the job" said another
''"I,,il bet he's a New York man." snickered a
well. don't he know howP" laughed a fourth
as the man gave the train a graceful sling.
NO Harlem, man could. ever learn q thing
baby on her arm. ~
How does he know howp" giggled a girl,
and when II big woman, with a 5-cent box
OF peaches in her hand. looked across her shout
der a, her. the girl lodged and got around to
the other side Of the crowd.
"Hully .gee" pipcd a .newsboy. after he had
crowded in to see what it was all about, and off
he, ran toward Eighth avenue. though Just why
nobody seemed to know.
Wonder what kind, of a wife that mans
got?" said a woman who hadn't said a word
since the man had first appeared In the win
We'll, hasn't he got the nerve?" remarked a
tall girl 70 an elderly person who looked like he
might be her father.
was u, general chorus OF +" OhsI |" and "Ahsi II
had at last begun to notice, and gave to the hal
looked strangely out OF place in Harlem. q
laugh followed. which showed that there was
plenty of humanity in the old town still.
which. caused an unexpected admiration. foI
the crowd had noticed that the figure was with,
out hands, so Interested were they In what she
had on. Such ID womankind even In Harlem,
When the last touch had been added the
trimmer, with a smile and a bow, made his dis.
appearance. and Our Lady of the Window, In heI
dark skirt and pretty shirt waist. surmounteC
by q hat OF the latest in Harlem, stood serene
and straight, and seemed 70 smile a gracious
goodnight on every woman In the street al
she turned and left the front Of the shop.