The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-10
IN THE BoWERY.
Types of Its Ancient style by No
Means ObIiterated.

IIr.m fUt NfH York tUUmgT,fl. AlFtTtI-fTl
some New Yorkers by birth. who had
lived in the West for many years visited
their native city recently. and one Of them
on returning home. wrote To a local news
paper about the contrasts between the Now
York VI his youth and the greater city OF
TODAY. What impressed him most was the
change in Bowery life. Ways ana means
in that classic precinct Of the tough seemed
so wicked yet so settled and assured with
al that he didn't recognize the type OF
turbulent character and resort so notorious
in the old days. a stroll up the BpW-ry
wouldn't give exactly that impression 20
New Yorker who had always lived no~e
bur he Isn't looking for milestones OF prog
res What impressed the returned West
Cruer was the B1wrTy tone and manner. az
final and distinctive i'm it's way as IN cd
French salon OF the learned serenity ci
Harvard
d We only know IT, the BOwery has an
ari-toglaCy With q binding force OF con-
veutiou ADJ It's own. and Is in the race G.;
progress with other more pFergnuOus SO
cieties u Is interesting 10 observe. fJc
instance O small BOweTy boy issuing in
strucciCus for attack on q fruit pCIllGr
NCu feel that he speaks 90 be ObeyeI. ha.-
ing wen -ES bad little Cmluen-e by native
force and shTewduCss. Promotion goes here
by personal merit and no blue ribbons are
His orders 90 the boys have the curt GER
taiutv OF uueh experience, and. whatever
the system that produced him, IL has made
an effective orator and given the little
COMPANY the right sort OF captain for the
work in hand He states bis plan, the boys
obey with the instructive confidence thaJ
knows q leader and almost on the SEIZED
uIe minute a debris Of apples. peanuts, and
various saccharine compounds attests the
success Of the expedition. while the boot
less rage Of the fruit peddler and the futile
pursuit OF a policeman suggest the STRAIT
eEv that provided for those iittle contiu-
qcncies The type OF stern. well-disCi-
pIiued. and self-reliant little tough is al
too common iu that part Of the city. but in
his way ne is as finished a product as can
be seen anywhere. The stamp Of Bowery
culture is upon him. He represents a
standard set for regulation Of some Joyous
activities in that district He and other
leading spirits there have no raw sense Of
elevation but the seasoned quality Of COM
mand. They are on familiar terms with
exciting events in their line, and have the
poise that results when action and reac-
tion are equal
tive on d larger scale, visit Everett Han,
or. il the function is a really grand one,
Tammauy Hall. which has close afihation
with this phase Of city life There Is no
court chamberlain OF goldstick in waiting
there but somebody who knows his busi-
ness lust as well and just as expressive Of
the distilled amenities. Any sophomore
from Columbia who went there TO criticise,
armed with a few notions on social science,
would better checir h.s faculty. Ten to
one he would go there on hunt for crude
oddities % illustrate some principle he
thought himself possessed Of but instead
OF that he would be more hkely to find
settled arrangements, mastery Of detail
and absence of fuss. Pressure upon his
pity for tire unwashed and unregenerate
would be relieved by the novel interest Of
the situation. II he asked too many ques-
tions he would be met with a smile. and If
he became patroniZing il would be lost
upon the careless assurance Of masters Of
a social art.
Plainly. YOU could not joke with this en-
vironment which expresses the organizing
| genius o. Chuck Connors and two or
three generations of Bowery life behind
him. Phrases Of invitation, forms Of
compliment. and the chatter Of the ball
room may not be your style. but you
/ couldn't poke fun at them as you felt
/ YOU would like to do when you came in.
| Gu couldn't. that is to say, if you were
] capable of interest in homogeneous social
! type which has the same note and accent
/ wherever you meet with it, 1t is true, ali
| the same that the BOwery can teach the
J cleverest Of US force and brevity Of speech
! which, after a little polish, TeappeaTs in
/ drawing rooms and conversation at large
| and that alone shows the vitality OF this
! little social underworld, Thus far it has
been too strong TO be Merged in any Other
social type. The Bowery may be always
| with us