The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-03
TYPES OF TIE GREAT CITY.
NEW YORK A FIELD YET UNEX-
PLOR ED.
The Boy who VIII he n Tattooed Man
The Poet of the Dime Museum.

The Poet of the Dime Museum.
Innumerable odd types of men, ole
houses and quaint streets, each with c
picturesqueness and charm Of its owl
the passing" of which was lamented
recently, in certain communications tC
this newspaper-are still to be found
not only in the city's obscure places, but
i'll some of it's busy thoroughfares
Some are so stimulating to the fancy
that they supply the observer with q
choice of stories ion the spot-plot, in
cldent and situation complete, and such
as never were invented before. 1t is
true of the types in particular, that
they do not disclose themselves to the
observer who chances to pass through
out-of-the-way corners, but never fire.
quents them; they are to be known only
through a friendship craftily estab-
lished and foStered honestly, and with
painstaking care. Outwardly in APP
pearanee and situa ton, they may be no
more interesting than the thousand and
one people passed in the street en- every
five minutes of the day.
The young man who "hangs out" in
the Studio" of "tattooing artist"
near Chatham square (Which one might
think had been swept clean of 'charac-
tersO Is good example. He looks like
bartender and talks like a prize
fighter, that is to say, he wears paste
diamonds and fashy clothes of a GER
tain character, and speaks of his
shape" and muscle and "chest
II I,
tender nor a prize-fighter. He is a
"tattooed man. three-quarters done"
and he hopes to be done all over" some
day. That is why he talks about
shape" and chest measurement; these
are essential to his artistic success. He
has well-defined views on art from the
tattooing ptandpoint, and he rather
thinks he is getting the worth of his
money from the professor" who is
strong on line and Designing This
Is interesting; but his ambitions are
more so. He looks forward to the day
when he will be 'done all over ana
have an engagement in museum at
eight dollars a week. To hurry the
coming of this day, he works hard in
an electrical place." and spends his
earnings Qess what he deducts for his
1nother) in the professors studio
When he shows you some part of the
work already done, you observe that his
barrel pink shirt is a ten-cent "dickie."
There is an old man in one of the
muses." who styles himself 1.-THE poet
ical orator" He has been a lecturer"
there for many years; and he is now al
most worn out. 1t is his duty, every
day in the week, from eleven o'clock in
the morning until half-past ten at
night, to introduce the various
freaks" He chooses to do this in
rhyme-which he extemporizes-and he
has been so long engaged in the work
that he cant talk prose"-he talks
poetry all the time, right along down
the line; no trouble at all, just like a
ball rolling down the hail. He thinks
himself a famous man: and he is a
dOmineering one in the little world of
that particular ''musee"-a stern, I'M
compromising old fellow, with a sharp
tongue and a sharp voice. But every
night, when he covers his bald head
with heavy cap and takes his cane in
his shriveled old hand to help himself
home, a great change comes over him.
His step grows slower, his conversation
distracted. 1t may be that his invita-
ton to you has been pressing; it is now
half-hearted. And when he opens the
door and whispers to you to enter, he
is all of a tremble. Then a frosty voice
calls from up stairs: Is that you,
John?" He shutters, and makes an APP
pointment for tomorrow night; ex-
planning, with a tired smile
'Tis washing day,
And my wife amt never gay
on that day. Never! Go out softly. |
III meet you tomorrow at half-past |
ten and tell you why I'm the oldest liv- |
ing Shakespearean actor"
Here is an example Of the Poetical
Orators poetical' oratory, which ap-
pears in book printed for private cir
culation. 1t Introduces the elastic
man." as follows:
Somewhat fantastic
Gentleman, plastic;
Not at all bombastic,
Always elastic.
An example Of one of the quiet
streets, different from all other streets
which the wanderer seldom chances to
ind-is certain terrace" overlook
ng, almost overhanging, the East river
at Blackwells island. 1t is row of
,rown-stOne houses, each like its neigh
)or, with the exception of one, which
S proud in the possession Of bay Win
low This street is one block long and
les between two cross streets on the
rink of the bluff. 1t has a narrow
obble-stone pavement, which is, appa-
emily, private property, for iron gates
hut 1t off from the cross streets at u
ach end. 1t is reserved and quiet
lere; the noise of the city is not heard '
It all, and strangers never come, be- /
ause the terrace is at the end of things {
utterly out Of the way. There is a t
lew of the river, which is always busy, &
light and day-a fine, broad, lively t
utlook for the people who live in the '
ouses Children play on the street; '
hey are quite safe there there are no /
rolley care, no wagons, and a high t
ron fence runs along the bluff All in i
II, this terrace Is quite in class by l
self-and it is distinguished above it's I
Opposite in character is the now di- L
,pidated and deserted Mullins alley. c
his is on Cherry hill. Not long ago L
he front and rear tenements which 5
)rned the 'single" and the double" q
lleys We're condemned ana torn down; :
49,. L.. -