The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-08


little shops from morning till night
nearly every day Of the week.
The hats and cloaks offered on "the
row. are sold exclusively by women,
though every shop has one or two
burly men in evidence, all ready to
help in case of disturbance.
From their nationality the sales
women are colloquially known as
Rachels." Like the old-time second
hand clothing statesmen of Baxter
street, they do most of their work on
the sidewalks in front of their shops.
AS 'pullers in," the "Rachels" are
quite the equal of the Baxter street
men in their palmiest days. There
was time when it was almost i'm
possible for a sightseeing" woman
to walk through "the row" even when
well escorted, without being hustled
inside by one or more husky "Rachels, "
who would almost force her to buy.
Many and serious complaints were
made on this score, and for two or
three years the "Rachels" conducted
themselves with greater reserve than
formerly. This. of course, made the
street more desirable as a show and
the sightseeing visitors there have been
increasing for long time. Recently,
both the "Rachels" and all the other
denizens of 1.-The Row" have been
growing FESTIVE under the idle eyes of
their non-purchasing women visitors.
More than one of the latter has been
led hastily away by her male escort
within the past month on account of
the unprintable epithets with which
they have been assailed.
In a way it is easy to sympathize
with the "Rachels." They are car
rying on a business that is quite legiti-
big shops. Given an opportunity to
try to make sales to all women visit
ors they care not how many of the
latter inspect their little shops. Grant
ed this liberty they can have just as
much fun with the visitors as the Wis
itors can have with them. Without
1t they become at once "nothin' but
so many wild animals fer de swel1s an
de farmers to gawp at an guy" as
one of the "Rachels" put it the other
day, IAN bein' gawped at an guyed,
she went on. lis just what we won't
stand fer. Seer"
The musical season has begun. Patti
is here. some of the new song birds of
Mr.. Conried's opera company have mr.
| rived. and the local papers are begin
| ming to bristle with musical interviews,
musical essays and musical news
items.
Despite the fact that some of the
new people are wonderful singers, Patti
| is herself easily the most interesting
| of all the "musickers" now before the
public. She was so early in the pres
ent year, having been born in Madrid
| in 1S43. She made her debut in this
town when only 16. and her last per-
| Torrance here previous to this year
was nine years ago, in 1894. Though
all her faculties are marvclously pre-
| served, even her voice, 1t would be
nonsense to say that the people who
go to hear her are attracted primarily
| by the same reasons that draw them
TO hear the other singers. Perhaps 81
per cent. go because they were fasci-
mated by her in the past. Perhaps 4C
per cent. are actuated mainly by curl
osity. Probably 10 per cent. are moved
by the Home, Sweet Home" legend
They have heard that her rendition
of this old song is such as to make
| the listeners cry and they desire might
| lily to cry-they have reservoirs of un-
shed tears on hand which they want
her to tap.
Nine. Patti was Madame Nicolini in
private life when here nine years ago;
now she is the Baroness Cedarstrom
Otherwise herself unchanged, she will
| find the New Worlds metropolis much
changed, especially in its musical judg-
ment, since her last visit, providing
she shows herself anywhere outside hel
own concert rooms. If she remains
secluded from all save those who seek
her out, however, she will observe nc
change at all, for the atmosphere In
which she will move will be as 1t al
ways has been here-purely one OF
adulation, not to say almost idolatrous
worship.