The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-12
WOMAN'S IMPRESSIONS
 OF NEW YORK ELECTION
BY GRACE NORTON.
A woman's view the morning after the


 battle.
 If a city could be said to relax that is what I should say New York is doing today-the day after election-the morn ing after a din, confusion and strain which l wish I could describe, but have no words for.
 One curious thing about election day. There is a certain turn of the tide in the late afternoon that brings an entirely different quality of feelinng into the att mosphere. While the voting is going on the old tension of many weeks reaches 1 It's height-the whole city is weighed down with the responsibility of choosing it's leaders The vote cast, each mans bur den drops and he gives himself over with positive relief to watching the returns. letting that new excitement carry him highly.
 Night after night for a week and more have made a point of slipping down into the streets to see what was going l on. Such haranguing! Such intensity But last night the same streets, the same crowd, only trebled, an unspeakabe din of horns, fire crackers and shouting but a perfect air of Its all over now and we can't help it. whatever happens, so let's enjoy ourselves" And enjoy themselves they did.
 Thanks be to the womans privilege of changing her mind! Last week I was sure Jerome would not carry this quar- l ter, because there was no street enthusi- | asm. But the grocer and the butcher the druggist and the men who deliver our effects. the landlord and the ice man, each having assured me that he was for I fn hat arr more important than shouts any day which proved to be the case.
 
 The "Hearsters" for some reason have been the peculiar bait for small boys of opposite factions. Hearst men carrying campaign ensignia are followed by mobs of little boys batting them. twitting them, and shouting: "Hearster, Hearsterl Soup. soup!
 squad of boys poured down East l Broadway in the morning distributing Jerome buttons amid praying accom- paniment of horns. The little girl who was with me reached out her hand for some. Before we knew 1t a mob of boys was about us, scrambling for the but tons that fell from her hand We were almost pushed off our feet, but Jose phlna is a born fighter: she held on to her buttons. kept her ground, and the horns and boys soon went surging and shouting onward
 But the evening-that was the greatest spectacle. We started out at seven to see the sights going first to Clinton hall for dinner. Clinton hall Is an East Side pleasure resort, built by the subscriptions of those interested in the social problems of this quarter. It is a really beautiful structure artistically. containing a good and cheap restaurant on the first floor and rooms above which can be rented l dances restaurant is most attractive room, with gray woodwork in straight lines and some fine old pieces of brass and copper on the plate rail In the middle are two deer heads, presented as a copperplate testifes, by that mighty hunter-Theo- dore Roosevelt.
 Our favorite waiter at Clinton hall is man of the character of William In Shaw's play of You Never Can Tell''- a thoroughly delicious mortal, who cares for wants as though we were his children, advises us what to eat and shakes his head reprovngly but mild- at our hilarity.
 We ate and watched the people and the election returns dust beginning to come in and posted on a bulletin board amid cheers) until we could endure the excitement no longer; then took to the street to walk 1t off and see some more. First to the Italian quarter, where the  ready to burn as defeated candidates when the word is given. They were ma rauding about the street all day with hooks. breaking up old boxes and hook ing every bit of wood in sight. An old sofa made a splendid fire-the image of defeat could sit and blaze away so com fortaby in the corner!
 From Little Italy we went to the so- cialist headquarters, and, out of polite ness. furled our Jerome buttons as we entered I was told that I should find idealists here. Well, l think some of them were idealsts-but not all-not all.
 Mother Jones sat on the platform, her back to the crowd below, her eyes fixed on the blackboard where the election re- turns were written. Mother Jones is a great socialist agitator. She was promi- nent during the coal strike of three years ago, and only the other day from my win dow I saw her standing on the back of a wagon addressing crowd in Rutgers square. So l judge she has been as ac- tive as ever during this campaign.
 From socialist headquarters we made our way up Broadway, through Union square to Madison square, and got our selves well packed away In the thick of the crowd in an excellent position to see the several stereopticon screens and the Herald searchlight from Madison Square garden tower. which, according to a pre- announced code, was signalling the news. The din of horns was enough to be heard all over the land, from Labrador to Guadeloupe"- perfect good nature reigned. I thought 1t was remarkable crowd, for during the whole evening I saw but one arrest made and almost no drunkenness. Of course there must have been drunkenness, but I did not see it. only vast crowd on a vast frolic! l
 Between the election returns we were treated to pointed caricatures of reignng political potentates and moving pictures choice bits from the stereopticons French repertoire, ",rhe Arrival of the Diva Be- hind the Scenes" etc., hardly bearing on the case. but hugely appreciated by the good -natured throng.
 We'll the election is over, and though we don't know yet whether it Is to be Mcclellan or Hearst. at least we all are sure of Jerome "Now"-says ten-year- old Josephina-'now-th Investigating will begin" Will Jerome be able to real ize the hope that is implanted even in the minds of the little children?
 It Is borne in upon me that New York is one of the most interesting cities in the world. It contains so many currents it comprehends such novel situations and unprecedented problems. It is unioue in itself and in all 1t has to offer to the spectator who has imagination back of his eyes.
 Then why-oh. why!-do we save un- comfortably and spend reckessly in or der to get to Europe or to send our young people to Europe without ever opening their eyes (and priching up the little bit
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