Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-02-17
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wonder if you have, any idea of
the army of night workers this city
supports. Few cities have so many
in the whole population. There are
more than Is, OO0 of them. was
talking with Londoner the other day
who could not seem to understand the
situation. "Why," he said, 'Iestau-
rants and ice cream saloons are open
all night and leJple saunter about at
= O'clock in the morning rs they do
Mt 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Night
is only subdued edition of the day.
And that is so. Fifty per cent. of the
police force or more than 1000 men
patrol the streets at night, bakers
and watchmen and telegraph OPP
orators, railroad men and BARRIERS,
newspaper men, of course, dentists
and doctors and hundred others turn
night into day. Why even whole
families adjust their lives to that OF
the head of the family and scarcely
know what daylight looks like. On
the other hand, the cashier of a well
known cafe told me the other day that
he hadn't spent an hour with his chill
dren for years. They are abel when
he gets home and at school when he
goes away, and they stiHe their noise
and their play when they are all in
the house together that they may not
disturb him. And yet this man says
life is worth living. .
1t will cost fully $l,0O0,00 to re-
construct the Dewey arch and colon
made here in permanent form, and
after weeks OF earnest canvassing,
the committee in charge is able to re-
port the subscription Of less than
5000, 600. Several wealthy men who
had promised substantial contributions
are not coming forward as expected,
and in the matter of collecting small
sums the work drags. 1t is beginning
to be felt that the task will be hard
one, and that its success is far from
assured. If this were national, in.
stead of New York enterprise, it
might fare better, but it is to be feared
that American worship, which
lacks nothing in effusiveness when
the subject is fresh, is not deep and
strong enough to stand much OF
strain upon the pocket.
I do not need to tell you that
man to be Tammanys man is closely
watched. Some of them start in with
good intentions, but they quickly
backslide. l attended the funeral OF
such man the other day, for had
known him long time and liked him,
for he was really a likable fellow. He
was James Mccartney, the lamented
Colonel Warnings successor as street
cleaning commissioner. When he was
appointed he honestly intended, so he
told me, to follow closely in the steps
of his distinguished predecessor.
Colonel Waring believed thathe would
do it, too, for he said the people had
had taste of something good aud
would not 60 back to the old way. He
would have been disappointed, how
ever, for Mccartney saw his interests
in Tammany.
You have heard of the ratcatchers
of Paris, but one need not 60 to Paris
for there are many Of them here, and
they make "oig money" too. Some
of them make as much as 50 night.
One of these men comes and looks
over all afflicted or infected house in
the daytime and returns at night,
when the house isturnel over to him.
His ears are trained to supernatural
delicacy. The ratcatcher takes his
dark lantern and lies down on the
floor. The little animal runs out,
sits in the glare that is turned upon
him and falls victim before he can
adjust his eyes to the new conditions.
1t is a queer business, VIII ich l do not
believe hourishes to such an extent in
any other city.
One of the most criticized women in
the world is Lilly Langtry, but when
she does anything it is not by halves.
She sold several hundred tickets at
the Stock Exchange one day this
week for the entertainment to be held
for the benefit Of the English hospital
ship Maine. Most OF the tickets
brought 50 apiece, but some few were
sold for $50 each. The actress was
given big reception in the private
lobby, and was cheered, business
being suspended for few minutes.
We have got lovely, wicked play
here, so wicked that people are pay
ing Sl2. 50 seat and the company
is playing to standing room only"
every night. I would discourse of the
wickedness of New York if l hadn't
been boy in the country at the time
the Beecher trial was in progress, and
did not have vivid recollection of
the way the papers used to be fought
for and how we'll posted the mater