The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-25
BOWERY PHOTOGRAPHS.
Gao: S;,iv I,-.v iorK LIE :. .Soorded bj
tho Camera

~S PaOeoSAupuCIS sLOW CGSSS
s!oa5 th5 Bowcry are source OF un-
failing interest to strangers in that
locality. AS studies of life they arc
more interesting than any of the
shop windows up town, for they ro-
fleet most Of the important epochs in
the lives of the persons portrayed.
1t is still the fashion i'll this part of
town for tho bride and bridegroom
to be photographed together Not
all tho brides wear wells, and those
that arc seen i'll the photographs in
the show windows are neither rich
nor handsome Most of tho women
can afford no such luxury They
stand awkwardly arm in arm with
the bridegrooms, staring ont of the
pictures with such poorly concealed
interest as to look rs if they really
believed in the infantile fiction that
little bird was to como out of the
camera. The occasional variation
from this pose is not always as sue
cessful as the artist probably intend
ed. In one Of these bride dressed
with unusual elaborateness was
standing few feet in front of her
husband, who was tho only bride
groom between Canal and Houston
streets that boasted q frock coat. He
was holding out to her letter,
which the wife refused to take. The
artist had evidently posed tho two
with tho idea Of lending some vari-
ETY. to the succession of staring cou-
pies that clutched each others arms
desperately, but the most that he
had accomplished was what looked
like scene between tho villain and
the heroine at the Peoples theator
There are groups that express 9th
er emotions than those Of recent
marriage. "reminiscences of east
side balls arc there in the form Of
young couples dressed i'll lie cheap,
fantastic clothes Of the masked balls
that flourish during the winter
months unknown to any but tho
persons who belong to the particu-
lar "club" or association that gives
them. There are many pictures Of
this kind, and among them like
nesscs Of women predominant. Gen
orally they are tricked out in tho
cheapest finery, and somo make
pitiful protense at gayety that ac-
cords poorly with the poverty of
their dress.
In one of the gallery windows is
the photograph of a largo woman
wearing an ordinary waist and a hat
which any woman might wear on
the street, but from the waist down
she is attired in tights. She leans
against fence feebly affecting
ianntiness Of pose such as sho HIS
seen in the picture Of some actress.
There are scores Of short haired
young women in scant skirts Of the
kind seen in the east side concert
halls, and alongside Of them are
photographs of young fellows from
II to 25 dressed for some Of the va
riety acts seen at the museums on
the amateur nights" at which fu-
ture comedians find an opportunity
to exploit their budding talents in
public and are moderately sure Of
protection from th6audienco. These
arc IN pairs-teams they would
doubtless call themselyes-and in
attitude they initiate their more fa-
nous prototypes. 1t would not be
possible to say what budding gen
fuses were among those unpromising
faces. From among such as these
came Weber and Fields, and one re-
minder Of that fact survives today
in faded picture of the two come
dams which hangs in one Of the
BOwery establishments But this
theatrical phase Of tho pictures is
only ugly, cheap and Disseminating.
1t is in the sentimental significance
of the photographs that their chief
interest lies.
Apparently it is the Italians who
form the majority of the patronage
of the shops. They are there in the
uniforms Of their navy as we'll as in
the best Sunday garments of Mul-
berry street. Two or three pictures
OF oId women standing stlffiy by ta-
bles have evidently been taken to
send back home as an evidence Of
prosperity, although there is little
enough of it to be seen, judging by
ordinary standards. In several
places there are pictures of two
friends holding each others hands,
and two or three cooks not ashamed
of their profession have been proud
ly taken wearing every sign of their
calling, from the white cap to the
apron, and doing it so seriously that
there could be no suggestion of their
being on masquerade. Infant prodi-
gies clasping the musical instru-
ments which made them distinguish
ed are abundant, and it is significant
that among these the mandolin is
most frequently seen. Dancing chill
dren i'll fancy costume are common
qnO,IOb fO axD1oin fba ,,rocpor;{,, Df