The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-07
o IN BOSTON.
Sufrerlngs of a Thirsty and Il~literate
New Yorker.

To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: My
knowledge of Boston has been derived here
tofore from the editorials in The Sun de-
pioting the manners and morals OF that
town. They encoura ged me TO make per-
sonal Investigation
l reached Boston from New York at 3 p. NJ.
Upon arrival l walked from the Back Bay
station to Copley square; thence down Boyl-
ston street. En- route l saw what / suspect ed
was a ~cafe-they pronounce it can" in Boston;
the use Of the accent di0u is considered I'M
moral there. I entered. / discovered a
solitary bespectacled barkeeper, deeply alb
sorbed in a book. | asked for a cocktail.
He shook his head sadly. Sorry" he said.
Il cawn't oblige you" "Why2" I asked.
It's a public holiday. The seventy-hfth
anniversary of the marriage of a 'ormer
Chlef of Police" My hopeless expression
aroused his sympathy. An | can venture
is to give you a bottle of sarspariler."
| declined the r~efreshment | conversed
with the barkeeper. You appear TO be
greatly Interested in your book" Yes" he
replied it's a very fine copy of Omar
Khayyam. There's to be a debate tonight
at the annual literary banquet of the Boston
Society Of Chiro podists in regard to the
comparative merits of the Persian poets,
Omar Kh&yyam and Hunyady Janos. Which
do you prefer, This was a poser TO Il man
from New York. but with the presence Of
mind that never forsakes a either, Of that
town / said, with the seriousness %befittinG so
grave u subject. II prefer Hunyady Janos.
He appears to inspire keener inner conscious
ness, gum That's a good idea" eX-
claimed the barkeeper. I'm make a note of
it for discussion at the banquet tonight
l presume you're a Harvard mani"
The conversation hating for a moment
! looked about me, l noticed that the bur
Was in plain sight from the street. asked
the reason. That's our anti-screen law :"
wss the reply is there no way, to eyade
see that a view of the bar is unobstructed.
If there's any drinkin' going on, by gum they
want to know who's doing il. | was about
to ask some more questions. when the man
ager Of the hotel to which. the bar belongs
came in 10. arrange with the barkeeper for
the c%hiropodists; The talk was apparently
confidential, so / went out.
Never had | had such a feeling ~of'lone-
illness, The narrow brick sidewalk was de-
with 'knotted brows, absorbed in thought and
muttering technical words strange 10 me.
SO different from the gay, surGing crowds OF
New York. where life seems TO take OF at every
moment renewed impulse TO enjoyment.
| returned 10 the Back Bay station, 10
wait for the Merchants Limited" leaving
for New York at ) p. NJ. Altogether ! was
absent twelve hours. two being passed in
Boston. Now, MIR. Editor. do you think |
have done we'll or i'll in going TO that town?
editorials eNtolling the delights that greet
the stranger viz ing there? The only thing
that SOS ne for the journey Is the
thought that by chance have suggested II
new point of view in the. pu2Hling problem
now convulsing literary Boston: The COM
parative merits Of the Persian poets, Omar
khayydm and lIunyady Janos. NAlyETE.
NEW YORK. March O.