The times., 1900-12-25
LINING UP FOR BREAD.
Hungry Men Awaiting Midnight
Free Ration Delivery.

fErom the New York Commercial Advertiser.)
Just off the corner OF Broadway. where
it bends at Grace Church, dozen men
stood on the eurbstone OF the side street
facing the opposite building. One or two
had overcoats; most OF them had only
their jackets buttoned tight. 1t was 1880
in the evening As the bread at the bakery
there would not be given away until mid
night, the men stood on the curb and
waited, all with their hands stuck deep in
their pockets. all with shoulders hunched
forward. all shifting back and forth inces-
sanity from one foot to another. while the
night wind blew cold down the side street
Then another man Joined the lire. He
came noiselessly from somewhere out of
the darkness of the city His hands were
In his pockets, his shoulders hunched for
ward
Lines formin' early he said in a low
voice. About what time is 1t gettin to
be-"
Don't know"
Got your bed all right?'
Yes got bed"
You're in luck, then. / got a bed for
tonight. 3ut damned if / know where
she's comm from tomorrow. I've been
hangin' onto a nickel all day. an then a
feller over to the house gave me dime
for somethin to eat. an / went out fur a
bluff, an come back in twenty minutes,
an give the clerk the 10 cents fur the
bed. Last thing | eat was at o'clock. /
wish / had some of that bread in my
belly But I'd rather have the bed.
cause when ye walk the streets ye don't
feel good in the mornin' When | got
bed l generally lay there till about noon
to pass the time. an then go downstairs
an read the papers. But | wish | had a
Job Maybe / wouldn't jump on it. How
did ye get wind of this line?"
"A feller up the street put me on
We'll. these re about the best people
in New York I'm bashful man myself.
I'm kind O. skttish about strikin' people
in the street"
The time passed on slowly. One by one
men OF all sizes and faces-all with their
hands in their pockets-appeared silently
from somewhere, and stood at the end of
the line on the curbstone. Two of he
later arrivals further down began talking
quietly They had met once in Chicago
and had not seen each other since.
Broadway became practically deserted
Only one or two persons passed from time
to time. Their footballs sounded clear on
the sidewalk. Now and again parcel
delivery wagon drove by in a hurry. with
a great rafting of wheels over the cob
blestones: now and again an empty cable
car rushed around the curve in a blaze of
yellow light, and always the wind blew
cold down the side street, and the men in
line on the curb shifted back and forth
from one foot to another.
They'll begin soon now" said the man
who was bashful. You see, they've lit
up. Say, but you're in luck to have that
coat
ITS good plan to hang on to your
coat"
You're right it is. There's nothin' like
a good front When We got a good front
We can carry your nerve right with ye-
amt so bashful then, an when git
started / can hand 'em the talk in fine
shape. But had to put my Overcoat away
its overdue month, an there's only
the uppeTs on my feet But it wasn't so
before. / used to sell New Year cards.
There was big money in IL. But there's
no money in that stuff now"
Then the latch of the bakery door rat
tied
Put out your pipe" whispered the bash
full man. Don't let him catch you smokin'
Looks too Independent"
A fat German came out of the door and
waddled toward the line with his arms
swinging from his shoulders and his wide
trouser legs blowing in the wind. The
head OF the line had been formed at re-
spectacle distance from the bakery, and
now with one accord each man faced to
the left and each man looked out over the
next mans shoulder toward the door.
Hes cOuntin' the heads" said the bash
ful man. Then the line was motioned to
come on, and the men in turn passed by a
huge box filled with cut loaves of bread
No word was spoken. The German stood
by the box, keenly examining the faces.
Each man in turn took his allotted chunk,
hid it under his jacket. and then. as he
had come there. he disappeared nolselessly
into the darkness which overhung the
aft