The evening world., 1905-12-28
Mr.. and Mrs. Asher Bring
Unaccustomed Tears to
Bowery Eyes.
CHUCK is A PESSlMlSJ,
Chinatown Characters Estimate
May Be Wrong, Though, for
Effects Were Shown.
By Irwin S. Cobb.

While the ReN. Nllllam Asner hn'
his plump pretty wife were preaching
ses slns!aS--he preaching and she sing
ing-to the crowd in Gawge Gallagher
back room, at No, 100 Bowery, last
night, Chuck Connors, the prose-poe'
Of Chinatown, stood Just outside catch
ing the services in broken doses when
ever the swinging doors swung
Nav, / amt goin IN none said
Chuck, replying 10 an INVITATION
'Deres guy behind de bar inside
dae ain't no friend of mine and be-
sides. ] don't know about dis mere
gospel game. Coin TO a preachin IN
a ginmill down here Is Ike watchin
de devil skate; it's llttle bit unoom-
mon; and l aint lcokln' for no novel;
Ties.
"De guy wots runnin' dis Layout
wots a. noime, Asher?-he seen me-
de other day, in Beefsteak JOINS,
where I'd been wearin' de feedbag, ana
he asks me to go wild his outfit t'ro de
Bowery, and interiuce him around. My
friend, / rays, 'dere's nothln' doing
II aia't In my purfession, and | amt
de one 10 scab on annudder mans JOB
At dat, / guess he's on de level, and
! wish him well.
"Say, does de preacher pass de hatf
No? Well. It's a good thing, Dere's
places IN dis neighborhood where he
vouIdn't cit do hat back"
Guests from Dime St. Reglses.
Gallagher's place is a branch Of Bar
ney Films, under separate manage
ment. 1t lies fairly in the midriff Of bhe
lO-cent-ho.el district. Quests from every
dime St. Regis for a half mile up and
down the street were In the bar last
night heaving In the hops from glass
shells the size and shape OF goldhsh
globes, when the saloon evangelists'
came in. with them came Mrs. Bird
whfte-haired. motherly woman, VINO
runs a snission in the edge Of Ohina-
town. The Bvangelistic Union is paying
thelr way for them, Just as It did lately
infAatshson and Jersey City
"Boys," said little Mr.. Asher, Il want
you all to come into the back room
There'll be no hammer throwing, and
amt going to pass out any roasts
But we're going to have little mee'ing.
and you're all in on the deal"
The head barkeep mopped the stopping
board with a veteran towel.
"All bets of until the dominic gets
through" he announced mo drinks
served while he's here. Boss's orders"
So everybody went back TO where a
goodsiEed crowd was waiting for the
corning OF the missioners, In the main.
the service ran along pretty much as It
ala IN the Cob Dock saloon, at No. -
tho night before,
INe piano player doused his cigarette
closed down the lid Of his plano End
gave his yellowed fingers a vacation
from work, moving his stool back 10
make room for Mrs. Asher's tiny capsule
Of an organ. She sang a hymn OF
hofnely words In a clear, sweet soprano
When she got TO the chorus half
dozen quaveripg voices chimed In with
her.
Preached Street vernaeular.
Mr.. Asher stood upon a chair and
using the vernacular OF the street.
talked twenty minutes from the text
"what shall It profit a man9"
II was straightout appeal for liv-
ing cleaner lives. Then Mrs. Asher sang
agaIn-a song about mother and a
wandering son--and lot Of the women
and two or three men began TO smile,
and some even 10 sob aloud, Mrs, Bird
knelt on the floor ana prayed a little
prayer "for these boys and girls" as
she called them. Mr.. Asher announced
a service for tonight at seotty Lavelle's
place, in Chatham Square, and the meet
ing was over. The preacher Aood at
the door shaking hands with everybody
going out, About half Of his audience
kdt when he did.
The service was commonplace enough
You can hear the same thing any night
In any one OF a dozen slum missions in
this town. II was the surroundings and
the crowd that made 1t a thang not to
be forgotten very soon. The room was
long, with ceiling which threatened
every tall mans brains, and the walls
were covered with gauly paper and
dotted with framed llkenesses OF dog
faced pugilists and runty Jockeys,
There was stove in the middle. going
like a well-stoked furnace. The air was
druggy With smells Of stale beer and
cheap cologne, and the heat Of the
stove helped to boil all the strength out
OF the smells. Men and women sat, four
OF five In group, at every table, and
fully 200 others, all men, stood in ranks
al the back and front
There was fringe Of walters against