The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-26
SWELLING IT AWAY FROM HOME.
How Some Men "Carry On" When Wis
itinE the Big City

New York Sun.
Il got the man I was looking for" said
detective from a small city near New York,
but the way he was done up was surprise
to me. have since learned that there are
any number of young and middle-aged men
who are straight and orderly at home, and
sort of masquerade. 1 was told to-day of
one young business man. He dresses very
plainly at home. AS soon as he strikes the
city he goes to barber shop and has his
hair parted in the middle and his mustache
waxed. Then he puts on half dozen snowy
rings and a snowy necktie, and the plain,
everyday country business man becomes a
sort of city swell. Now, the man l arrested
was just that pattern He told me. after 1
had jolled him on his changed appearance
that he always made a parade like that
every time he came TO New York on busi-
ness or pleasure. He said it was good deal
OF sport to him to go into an uptown saloon,
the higher up the better, and swell about
for an afternoon or evening, to enjoy the
sensation of being considered a high-fyer
by the walters or others he might chance to
meet. OF course, he knew no one. He liked
to go into a cafe sparkling with his gems,
barbered and polished and perfumed and Or
der scent beer and tip the waiter with
Il asked him where the sport of it came
in. He told me that he had a quarters
worth of fun in watching the waiter carry
the news to the other walters and the man.
ager. until finally he was an object of curl
OSity and was passing current as a high
roller blowing in a fortune. Then he'd order
another beer. and once more tip the waiter
malt liquors best suited his stomach: that
cocktails irritated or upset his digestion
He'd dazzle the surroundings with his spark
lers and have a glorious time in noting the
effect. He could easily pick up acquaint-
ances, but this was not desired. He had the
most fun in going about alone from cafe to
cafe, especially at night. He told me that
there were hundreds of such cases. | again
asked my man to tell me what the pleasure
was in it. He told me it was better than
circus to be cautiously gaZed at by. strangers
who thought him a millionaire or one who
had just come into the possession OF a Tor
tune.
During my visit to New York." continued
the country detective, Il asked the proprl-
etor of a cafe whether he had ever run up
against any young masqueraders of that
class He told of two recent visitors to his
place who strolled in and asked whether
they could have Venison steaks with currant
jelly. The manager told them venson was
not then in season. The two bloOdS just had
taste for venison. The manager thought
he might find saddle of deer in some cold
storage plant. He telephoned to a number
and finally found what he wanted. The two
high rollers were told to come in in two
hours, but that the price would be rather
high. That didn't matter, of course. They
came, dined on venison. they themselves
prepared on a chafing dish in the dining
room, spread on the currant jelly thick and
had good time Their bill was SIS, which
they paid cheerfully and adjourned to the
smokeroom, where they ordered their cof-
fee. OF course it was soon noised around
that the house was entertaining two young
millionaires from the Colorado silver mines.
they had awakened. The manager after
ward learned that they were not rich at all,
but had come to New York from a Pennsyl-
vania coal city where they had made money
and were willing to give up some of it for
just such time as they were having.
Not long ago l ran across a fellow from
my city. His father is rich. At home the
young man is in a bank and does well. He
was having quiet time in New York and
was so glad to meet some one he knew from
home that he asked me to swell restaur-
ant for dinner He ordered dinner for two.
/ did not hear his order. We were to come
in at D. m. We strolled around until that
time, then went to dine. and you may be-
leve not, when that dinner was
served a ten-pound turkey hen. steaming
hot. brown as a chestnut. was brought in
for us two OF course. | was amazed !
told him two portions of turkey could just
as well have been ordered. He smiled good
naturally and simply answered that he liked
his meals fresh made and that he wanted
practice at carving because he expected TO
all the points ! knew about carving and we
had jolly time. He tipped the waiter with
q s. note and paid the dinner bill very cheer
fully. ] think II was $50, because we had a
variety of other things. all of the best.
was told before we left that we were the
first pair that ever dined on a whole turkey
In the history of the house. which informa-
ton amply rewarded my friend for al his
In large city like New York you can
make up your mind that very many of the
men you see strolling around alone dazzling
with gems and made up in the latest style,
are fellows who are out for quiet lark.
who weary of home restraint. who read
great deal of swell men and who have a
desire to live in THAI atmosphere for only
q little while and TO crafty their desire In
that line they come 10 New York where
they not likely 10 run up against anyone
| they know. and then they indulge in high
rolling 10 their hearts content, no matter
what 1t costs. For q few hundred dollars
| they can carry on for week. Then they