The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26
EAST SIDE TALK RESTAURANTS
TWO QUEER HOMES or POLYGLOT
POLITICAL DEBATES

Talk, Rather Than EatinE or RrinlCing, the
Business OF the House Of Commons"
and House OF LOrds"-WOmAn's Equal
Place in the Gatherings Held in Them.
There are two restaurants In The heart
Of the lower East Side, each Of which re-
joioes in two nioknames, bestowed upon
II by the observing folk Of the neighbor-
hood. One Is called the Socialist restaur-
ant and one the Anarchist restaurant; and
for still further distinction the forrner is
known as the House Of Commons, and the
latter the House Of Lords.
Each IL a centre Of neighborhood life
and gossip, and each, though enjoyinA the
floating patronage Of any eating hoklse
is the accepted meeting place for tkose
Of the way Of thinking indicated by Nts
acquired name. All who gather there aye
not active propagandists, though they
may be socialists and anarchists.
After II O'Clock at night Ia the time TO-
see either the House Of Lords or the HouseI
Of Commons in full blast. The East Side
ever postpones the dread hour OF going
10 bed as long as possible. In summer
the streets swarm till long past midnight.
Every night through the cold weather the
House Of Lords and the House Of Commons
resound with discussion on all known topics
from II p. NJ. to A. NJ. The frequentSrs
who give the places their names begin to
oongreRate after the theatres, clubs and
meetings Of the neighborhood are over,
and In the subject matter Of these funo-
lions the news from Russia and the ques-
tions Of the day are all touched on, along
with the theories Of Darwin, Spencer, Toll
stoi, MARI and Engels.
Appropriately enough, the House Of Com
mons is the larger meeting place. At one
side are Get tables for games at which
chess and domino1s 60 on perennislly.
with q group Of watchers intently follow
ing the game hour after hour. This Is
great chess playing neighborhood, and
chess is played nightly for six or seven
hours.
The House Of Lords, having less space
to spare, offers music instead OF chess tables
for the DEDICATION Of it's guests. A phono-
graph dispenses the mellow tones Of CaTuso,
the dead march from The Prophet the
interrnezDo from @Cavalleria Rusticana,' or
the hsunting strains Of All, che Ia morte.
Only operatio OF classic music is permitted
In the House Of Lords. Coon songs and rag
Itinerant psdlers pass constantly IN and
out Offering oranges and bananas, shos
strings and collar buttons TO the diners
A stout fellow With rosy cheeks and peasant
toys wandered through the other night,
bearing basket Of small and doleful apples
and carrying on a low and distressed con-
versation with himself. His words, being
interpreted, signihed. i am a poor green
me chance, nobody eympathizes with
me-"
One can get delicious Russian tea in
glasses, ruby as wine, hot and Tich with
lemon and sugar. Coffee comes in glasses
also. The sour cabbage soup Of the House
Of Commons can also be recommended
to those who like cabbage. Thu, bread is
very dark, and apparently made mainly
Of seeds, but excellent 10 the taste. The
apple pie comes on in little squares instead
OF the American triangle.
The cakes are many and vurious and
nearly all strange. Some are little sweet
CRACKERS, hard as a rock and jAmmed full
Of black seeds One, covered with chooo-
late, most inviting proved TO be constructed
Of pie crust underneath In place OF cake
dough, GOulash, concession to Hun
garian custom, Is set down by the Anne il
can explorer as the Irish stew Of his in
fancy; q mixture Of boiled potatoes and
boiled beef. A course dinner, sufficiently
good and plentiful TO satisfy hunger, may
be had for Is cents.
Tho place is a centre OF social life. Every
body seems 10 know everybody else. New
oomers are hailed and invited TO the tablea
Of friends. Numerous unmarried persons
OF the. vicinity eat here regularly, women
as we'll ~ men. A frequenter Of the HOUSE
Of Lords Is a woman who has a little shop
for newspapers. writing materials and the
like near Astor place. She retains her early
custom Of going without her hat, but she
IL q keen business woman, decided In her
DO litical opinions.
She comes for her dinner after the days
work is over, at 10 OF II or thereabOuts.
As the men talk all about her abe sometimes
finds Il impossible 10 satisfy her hunger
by reason Of her interest in the discussion.
When the argument runs high she viii
leave her chair and with earnest mien and
gesture set forth her opinions
on the subject In hand. The men listen TO
her with respect and pay her the oompli-
ment OF serious argument, In which abe
IL likely 10 silence all opponents.
A younger sister, also unmarried, IL q
prosperous East Side dentist. She wears
q large and stylish hat, and is also interested
In politics. A feature Of both restaurants
10 the perfectly matter Of fact way In which
women enter Into the life Of the place. A
woman can 60 into either alone. eat, Join
In the discussion II she has anything peril
nent 10 offer. all without attracting the
slightest unpleasant attention.
And 20 they sit and talk hour after hour.
One wonders what profit the proprietors
find In such use Of their tables. but they
seem 70 prosper. Cards are never seen.
Tea and coffee are the universal beverages.
There IL not even very much smoking,
and not an oveTplus Of eating.
Talk 10 the luxury and business Of the
place, and every language in New York
may be heard but English. No one is safe,
however, In talking English with the idea
that he will not be understood. The
hahituss can all speak English perfectly
well II they wish.