The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-14
1--we TOPIos ABOUT TOWN.

one OF the young women accustomed
TO the gayeties Of New York suddenly found
herself compelled to spend the winter and
last summer at her fathers country house
IL happened to be situated at Ossining.
LIE was not very gay there. but she was
ape ape 70 take Philosophical view Of the
asked her what attractions the place had
h quiet, TO be sure" she said, "but
Still there's certain satisfaction In merely
being In place where there are FIVE hum
ored men who can't possibly get away"
Poor old Forty-second street was no
sooner restored to It's former condition
OF order and level than 1t was suddenly
bereft Of half its trolley cars. The change
IN the Bouley ard and Broadway line re-
moved from Forty-second street the cars
Wh ich formerly constituted its service.
owadays car passes at rare intervals
compared with the .old-time frequency,
that they have missed their trains at the
Grand Central Station, are taken aboard
always In crowd, The hanson drivers
at broadway have no reason to complain
OF the change sa 1s They Pick up many dis-
at the last minute or lose train.
One OF the many odd characters who ride
regularly on the elevated trains il a good
looking old man whom the elevated guards
have dubbed "Bluebeard" from the fact that
his beard is dyed BLUSH black, although his
hair remains white. He wears frock coat
days, but still lend an air of gentility to the
wearer. His shoes are always polished
and his hat neatly brushed.
What attracts attention to the old man
il his habit Of collecting abandoned news
papers and his manner of doing 30. When
m m mar hn Ia fnrti oil u
around, and when he thinks no one is watch
ing him selves the paper and thrlsts 1t
under the long coat. This man9uvre liz
repeated until he is portly with newspapers
When he can get no more under his coat
he leaves the train. The railroad guards are
not sure whether he IL a half -demented
creature with q hobby or newsdealer
seeking to acquire stock at small expense.
The Chief Of the New York Fire Depart
ment has a glittering white official helmet
for fires. so that his subordinates may know
instantly that orders coming from the
man with that helmet are authoritative.
Chief Croker, however prefers a disrepu-
table brown felt hat, with a high, I'M
creased crown and its brim bent any old
way. The distinctive outlines Of this
peculiar headgear, even when seen through
the smoky glare OF a night fire. point out
the Chief even more surely than white
helmet. for the battalion chiefs wear white
helmets, too.
1t is only at very big fires where Croker
intends to plunge into the thick Of the
fight and needs the protection of the neck
guard that he dons the official headpiece
His estimate Of the condition Of a fire and
OF the time when 1t becomes under con-
troll" may be inferred from whether he
puts on the helmet and when he takes it
Of again. He does this last at the earliest
possible opportunity.
Orthodox Jewish rabbis are complaining
that more and more East Side stor es owned
by Hebrews are kept open on Saturdays,
Many OF the shopkeepers who break the
religious rules in this manner salve their
conscience by handling neither goods nor
money-especially money. The customer
enters, makes his own selection, finds the
price marked on the article and, under the
eye OF the proprietor, puts the money on
a pile on the counter, making change for
himself. When sunset brings the end
OF the, Sabbath the shopkeeper rakes his
pile into the cash drawer.
One OF the oldest restaur ants In town is
one at the end of Lenox avenue, run by an
old man In three disusod horse cars. One
OF them he uses as kitchen and the other
two as dining rooms. The place Is patron
lied chiefly by conductors and motormen
for whom II Is conveniently situated at the
end Of a trip from downtown.