The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-03
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

"A book with any other smell might be
just as interesting, but you could never
make that woman believe co. said the
librarian, pointing to a reader who was
literally nosing around among the book
shelves. Her criterion for Judging a book
is the smell of tobacco. Before l learned Of
that eccentricity l frequently recommended
accepting my advice she shifted at the books
suspiciously.
.tI don't want this she said one day.
1T smells Of perfume. means that 1t
is popular with women, consequently IL is
not a strong book. The best books are
read by men and invariably are redolent
of tobacco. None but a tobacco book for
me-
-The bulwark Of the American republic
is the dictionary" said a visiting German.
Il never saw so many dictionaries in my
life in any language as I have seen right
here in New York. In homes the dictionary
occupies a prominent place on the library
or sitting room table, and In offices It is
frequently the only literature in sight.
When I first began to make my acquaint-
ance with the business life of the metropolis
/ considered it a reflection on my ability
As a linguist when the Office boy handed
NE a dictionary with which to while away
the time while waiting for his employer;
Later / found that Americans born and
bred improved the fleeing moments In the
same manner. With the dictionary thus
literally flung into my teeth in social and
commercial life l thought the limit In en-
forced culture had been reached, but yester-
day I found the national reverence Tor the
book carried still further. was waiting
in a drug store for a prescription and while
nosinp around / found on q rack evidently
intended to hold a directory, not a directory
but a dictionary. Great ScottI just think
Of that. A dictionary in a rus store,
distributed in street cars for perusal on
the daily trips up and down town.
In a recent case Of some n~otoriety that
was tried before United States Commits
sioner Shields a lawyer who 10 noted Tor
his fiowery oratory was defending the &C.
cused. Wishing to emphasize the tender
relation tina had existed between his client
and the complainant he exclaimed, in the
middle of an impassioned speech:
aWhat does Omar say on this subJecty
"A dog and a bone and a hank of hair, and
thou singing beside me in the wilderness.
And 10 this day he doesn't understand
why his respectfully attentive audiencs
laughed.
Lima Cavalierii is the only primadonna who
ever came to New York who had aprince
for a press agent. When the reporters
call to see her they are always received
by a young Italian of title who acts as hter-
prefer for the prima donna and translates
her Italian speeches. This titled press
agent did not accompany Mile. Cavaheri
TO this country, but has resided Tor several
winters in New York.
The newest hotel in the Tenderloin boasts
one feature which the sophisticated guests
regard with suspicion. In every room
n : - .-.uH nl0aat With fUn doors. On6
opens into the room and the other on the
hall To this outside door the valet pos
aesses the key. The inside door Is locked
Nv the guest after he has put his clothes
into the little closet in order to have them
pressed and cleaned before the next morn
ing; Lo,.o 10 rs.nonsible for the
clothes II they are lost, said n guest VINO
had refused to avail himself OF the new
con venience, -but it makes a man very
uncomfortable to feel that he has locked
his clothes out and that another has a KEY
10 them. Then the fellow with only one
anti would have to wait a long time before
| the proprietor sent out to buy him another
.If YOU ever hear a person Dragging
| about his knowledge OF New York Streets
inst AJAX him to tell you where odd Broad
wav' ia and see what he says said a man
about town. I've tried IL for the last year
and ~ninetv-nine out OF every hundred Will
Loolx nj YOU In amazement and think you've
lost your senses. When I tell them there
| really is such a street they Degln 10 guess
md every guess is in the downtown dis
| trict and generally in the vicinity OF west
when / tell them that Old Broadway
begins at Manhattan street and runs north
for Ave blocks, stopping at 1891 street, they
living within a few blocks of this street
and the name is just as much a surprise
70 them as il is TO others. Every one seems
to think old Broadway Is simply, a New
Workers. aff~ectionate way OF speaking OF
his famous street and can't believe that the
name really appears on any street corner
The proprietor Of a large Sixth avenue
retail butcher shop said the other day;
Thanksgiving business for US isn't h
II was five or ten years ago Then there
was n tremendous rush for two or three
davs. now the business which we do on
the day before Thanksgiving is consider
ably less than that done on an ordinary
saturday: It's the same way a., aIs3 Cb wsn
mas the old time trade keeps up. Inc
exclamation Is easy enough-one has only
10 look at the innumerable hotel dining
rooms and restaurants. New YORK peoPI
turn out TO them for their Thanksgiving
| mo new LC0
it does away with all.troubIe but because
it's cheaper
A stately patrolman was appealed TO TN
other day by a large, rubberless woman
who wanted assistance in crossing uppe
Broadway through ankle-deep mud. In,
woman had an escort. put he was a small
man and didn't seem equal to the emer
gency.
you've got on rubbers," said the woma,
to the officer. What is the matter will
your taking them of and lending them Z
me till l get acrossr They're pretty Dig
but / guess / can keep them on"
The oflc er demurred at first, but n
finally took OF his rubbers, put them on tn
Woman's feet and helped her across tn
street.
Now she said sweetly. when the tril
was accomplished, If o will only g
back and get Henry"
sOh, Henry" said the policeman. 'Henr.
be-!"
"Sirl" interrupt cd the m
Excuse me-" said the policeman.
He picked his way back through tn
----l-- a.. -.kkAHa int