The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-01
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.
Some of the Health Department In
spectorsh have a persistence and overzeal thai
are often as annoying as they are unnec
essary. A woman who has raised a family
Of her own gave recently 10 a day nurs'
cry in which she was interested a hand
some handmade black walnut cradle fol
! which she had no further domestic use
! The inspector who visits the nursery regu.
/ larly has been prosecuting the matron
! with directions TO have the cradle painted
/ white for sanitary reasons. in spite OF heI
/ objection that the very nature Of the wood
/ as well as the construction Of the cradle
! obviously make this order unnecessary.
Jacob Curtis, the night telephone operator
az Bellevue Hospital, has read 5,6s5 books
Of fiction TO say nothing Of magazines and
periodicals, in the thirty-fve years he has
been employed at Bellevue. While he is a
little proud Of this record, he thinks he
might have doubled II N his available sup
ply Of books had held out. Unless the
story il unusually long, he finishes II In one
night. Telephone calls practically cease
at midnight, giving him seven hours OF
uninterrupted reading.
When Richard Strauss was in thisCountry
last year he conducted a concert in a large
department store. The fact attracted a
great deal Of attention in the case of so
noted a composer A colleague Of Herr
~ auss, who came to this country early
this winter, elected the first expression
Of the composers feeling on the subject,
Why, / would conduct on a rubbish pile
II ! got enough money for it., was the
answer Of Richard TO a question about
his New York experience.
There IL one spot in the heart Of New
York 10 which the pigeons flock daily with
certainty Of a square meal and kind treat
ment. There the oats are scattered for
them every day, and the bystanders are
80 much interested in the birds that no
body Ia allowed TO harm them. This spot
Is opposite the Grand Central Station, where
the cabmen wait for trade. So tame are
the hocks Of pigeons that gather there At
midday that they walk between the wheels
Of the cabs even when they are in motion
and have no fear Of the feet Of the horses.
For years they have known that grain was
awaiting them there. The haclmen would
feel that bad luck had come 20 the neigh
borhood II the birds should stay away.
The usual long line Of citizens was wait
ing in the Tax Commissioner office 10
swear OF personal taxes when a clerical
looking individual hurriedly entered
Good morning, your reverence said
Flanagan the COP detailed at the door.
Can be Of any service to your"
L want 70 see the Commissioner. my
good man, re piled the new arrival
Flanagan escorted him 10 Commissioner
ODonnells Office, where he soon trans
L
stepped up TO Flanagan.
sIthank you very much "a id the clerical
looking man, and If you viii let me want
to reward you. Here u an order for
couple Of theatre seats.
Mercy on me, CALCULATED Flanagan.
Il took you for a priest
The clerical looking individual was David
Belasco.
Another clerical looking person whose
a appearance sometimes gives rise 70 a mis-
take il one Of the detectives detailed at the
West Forty-seventh street police station.
He usually wears a high collar and always
a black cravat. The other night he was
standing in front Of the Cadillac cafe when
a well dressed but slightly unsteady in
dividual alighted from a hanson. The
sleuth had his back turned toward the
stranger, and the latter slapping him on
The back. said
SAY, old pal, will you join me in a little
drink? I'm all alone and I like company"
AS the detective faced about, the features
Of the man who had given the invitation
"Oh | beg your pardon, sir, he said.
Believe me, | dldn' I mean 10 offend the
cloth And raising his bat he bowed F..
himself into the cafe.
/
tive Park row must needs Hish a season
ahead. On the first warm day last week
the big lemonade iars appeared along
lower Park row. The prupHetors OF the /.
stands did a thriving business all day, and .
the candy trade fell OF corTespondingly.
A hundred Harlem homes arc upset |
AZ the result Of instructions given 10 her girl |
pupils ny public school teacher 10 com !
pose a piece on the piano. The children /
have been instructed not 10 attempt 70 |
write notes, but just 10 evolve mu , out |
81 their heads and 10 learn il By heart |
The teacher will pass upon the merits Of /
The resulting compositions In a few days I
In the meantime that particular section .
Of Harlem is nearly distracted.
The arniable car conductor Is not 40 rare. I
A silk hated man who had apparently |
reached the sixty year age limit attracted Z.
the attention Of some passengers on
Madison avenue car the other afternoon |
by rendering the conductor two two cent /
STAMPS and a cent for fare. To their sur |
prise the conductor accepted Il without [.
a word further than 10 exchange greetings. /
One curious passenger asked the con- /
ductor why he took the stamps.
Il used 20 be a car conductor in New |
Haven, where that man Is an official in one
Of the biggest banks the conductor said I
He rode with me frequently, and never
gave me anything else but the two stamps
and a cent. / guess it's little ecoentricity
OF his OF oourse whom he handed me
the stamps to-day recognized him. and
I'm not the man 10 turn down an old friend I
| can Tee the stamps myself, anyhow. /
.r...
One ~ the downtown cafes boasts a
dispenser who is qualifying as a successor
10 the only william" Inclining more 10
,oberness Of oompounding, he has created
irinFs of more than passing fame one Of