Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-06-23
IN THE GHETTO.

Twelfth and Halsted streets vie with
the incandescent lamps in the show
windows TO contribute a greater share
Of the gayety of the evening. Both
seem aware that II is Saturday night
pay highland accordingly cast their
light upon the scene with BETTING bril-
liancy. And it is lively spot, this
busy corner of the Chicago ghetto. To
stand there of a Saturday evening is
to feel the heart beats Of that strange
product Of our times, an American
ghetto.
AS you turn the corner you perhaps
collide with some one, and as you raise
your eyes the conventional beg par
don" that has come to your lips is stitied
on your tongue, for you feel instinct
lively that the expression will be mean
ingless to the person to whom you
would address 1t. You are little sur
prised at first because the bent figure
shrinking in the old great coat does not
quite seem to belong here.
A derby hath the heyday of its
youth Of an honest black, but now
turned a shabby green, is pushed low
down over the forehead, almost to the
ears. At each ear bangles screw curl
"paya" The rest of the face is almost
covered with q beard OF dirty gray.
But the eyes, as they look at you In
mild inquiry, AFFORD you another sur
prise. For weary though they are,
they are good to look at. They are
clear, straightforward, honest eyes, and,
II you follow the stopped figure as II
moves quietly on, you will soon dis
cover why the eyes seem 30 out OF
keeping with the rest Of the old man
You will see him enter a synagogue
block beyond and greet group OF old
men strangely like him You will see
him light a wax candle, take down ten
DERBY a massive volume, and then you
will see the old man vanish into world
far away from Twelfth street.-The the
world of Talmudic lore and its scribes
He is the spirit of the old Judaism, this
old man.
But your meditations about the Ole
man are rudely interrupted by loud talk
in which are mingled such expressions
as upper cut" left jab,' and similar
nueilistic technicalities. You turn anc
behold two young men In heavily pad
ded overcoats. Their stylish derbie:
are set jauntily on the side OF the
head. On their faces are erupuons
During the day these young bloods are
probably bent over bench rolling
cigars. but in the evening, especial!
of q Saturday evening. they are no more
cigar makers, not they; they are sports
These are the spirits Of the new Juoa
ism-the American variety.
But fortunately they are not the onl!
representatives Of the new spirit. Iher'
behind you is another and more grau
fying one. This is young man. IN
like the other two, he is rather mod
estly dressed, but neatly. His face II
smooth; his appearance that Of stu
dent. Under his arm is thickish vol
ume. 1t would perhaps surprise yo'
| to find on It's title page: Herbert Spen
GERS First Principles but 1t wouI'
very likely be that or something OF
similar nature. For he is serious, thi
earnest young man, and he is hurry
ing to Join a little reading circle
boys who. like himself, are educating
themselves in the hours saved from tn
shon. SO that some golden day the,
may leave the shop behind them-an'
they will, ~. Mksg, q s.jif.a
Next S6u feel yourself slightly jostle
by three bright-eyed girls, and one Q
them giggles joyful excuse me-" =
the great delight Of her companions
Arm in arm they swing along with
ught. free step of girlhood, turnin
their rayen-crowned heads now to gus
gleefully at a jacket or hat dispiaye
in a shop window, now to nudge eac
other as they cast sly glances from IN
corners Of their black eyes upon tire
jauntily swinging SWANS who are con
ing from the opposite direction. On
: Of these will perhaps remark, as the
pass the girls, upon the "larseness
the evening" which witty sally wi
, bet the young ladies into paroxysms
+ joyous laughter, for they are free an
J light hearted tonight, having shake
. OF all care and WEAKNESS at the ringir
+ of the six o'clock bell at the neckt
B factory. - .-'-
{ AS you turn away you can hear u
swish Of silk petticoats and see comif
toward you a gayly dressed pair II
girl grasps tightly the voluminous foi'
: of a light blue party dress. She Wears
hat. but has thrown over her head al
shoulders a blue shawl-fascinator 81
4 would call it. The rest OF her for
D is inclosed in loose coat Of tan. II
young man Is respondent in a ne
overcoat, pearl gray gloves and br
liant cravat of Turkish pattern, set
with a sparkling scarf pin. He su
ports HIS lady very CALAMITY by b
disengaged arm, and they rush alo
flushed with anticipation Of the gre
time" they are to have at the annual b
of the Violet Pleasure club. A lit