New-York tribune., 1907-12-08

waits art. A floor walker with tightly put
toned frock coat and outrageous whiskers receives
me- Why does one feel an instructive aversion 10 a
floor walker? But that question involves "hoie
treatise by itself This floor walker Is real one
1 him:
..I believe YOU carry a complete line OF statuary'
Sure, This way. please. Two aises 20 the r'sh''
and then the door at the end
He follows me thither il being summer ahd
no having anything in particular to DO.
reach the salon. which is draped with crimson
plush. In it is certainly line of statuary. am
convinced that the ItalO American or CROSBY street
School of Sculpture is will represented. Before me
is a emi-translucent figure of a Nenus-tne venus
Uticenss. doubt. She is undraped Now. the
Venus dc Milo is verytslightly draped but she Is
superbly unconscious of II. The Venus de Meuci ls
utterly undra ped she is anxious that you shal.
notice IT, The Venus Uticensls. however, Is un-
draped. and very much perturbed about IT, she may
have been unconventionally bathing - oneida
Lake and may have stolen all - c9otHos
The result is that she feels inwardly horrihed. but
is trying to conceal the fact by an air or brazen
Indifference which deceives no one. Really. size IL
going cry in about half a minute and can some
body mean, horrid thing! as don want 10 De
the person whom she will denounce, turn hastily
away. But / will write 1t down here for record
that Ibeiieve Venus Uticensis to be perfectly
respectable young woman and know that she
makes honest living by working six days every
week In knitting factory
girl with her hair much roughed and rated is
showing stout ladies and thin. straw-coiored
gentleman
the complete line OF statuary. The floor walker
looks on with an Oympian air OF condescension.
Somehow. that floor walker gets upon my nerves
Excuse me-" I say TO the rated one. may ask
where you keep your collection OF dokana?
Il dunno" she replies. Il guess Mr. Higgs can
tell you
Mr. Iiiggs is evidently the floor walker He comes
forward with air OF absolute suficiency re-
peat my question
Those er-objects" he remarks condescendingly
tara NOT Included in our art collection They-they
amt statuary. 1 guess"
They primitive statuary," 1 answer And
/ don't anything Mycenaan."
The floor walker stares with a dawning inso-
Say he CALCULATES What are you giving u.s.
anyhow
And there doesn't seem TO be any statuary which
shows the archaic grim / return placidly. Now
I am rather fond of the archaic grin. And couldn't
you bring out something that was done by Scopas?
The floor walker drops mis- floor walking manner
Look here" says he. IF You think that you can
come in here and guy this place you're in for
jolt: that's all
Pardon me-" says I. in 4 carrying voice You
advertise that YOU carry complete line OF statu-
ary; yet so far as | judge, 1t is very incom-
plete Are you trying to impose upon the public? :
Two two stout ladies and the straw-colored gen
tleman listening intently. Up TO this time
they have examined the various worEs OF art with
admiration But row a doubtful sort OF express
sion steals their faces The floor walker no
tices this with dismay. and does the rated one
Probably these visitors are persons of high degree
The floor walker drops mis- voice to sort OF abject
whine.
NOW look here says he. aside. you don't
want to queer our business. do you? OF course we
ain't got them things you mention. But please
don't talk about them so loud
There is a look of appeal also in the eyes OF the
rated one; and hold my peace and stroll out
into the sunshine and continue on my way
The women are much more attractive than the
men in Utica though the latter are just as much
deserving of your good opinion; for they are kindly
and genuine and honest One could wish that they
would bcstow a little more attention on their clothes
and on matters which have reference to good form
Down by the shore of Oneida Lake there is a place
called Sylvan Beach, which, in its primitive condi-
tion must have been extremely beautiful. with
woods and water and n strip Of strand 1t has
been turned into rather awful conseries Of shoot
the-chutes and merry -go-rounds. and soda water
stands: and the earth Is disgured by empty paper
bags and peanut shells and the remainder OF half
eaten hncheons. II is entirely respectable though
depressing and the advertisements which tell of it
describe II as ''plle Coney Island of Central New
York One ina =inatve journalist of Utica even
writes of 1t by night as The Great White Way"
C'ouJ ANYTHING be pathetic? Here are
dancing pavons. where any one may dance with
anybody else: and 1t touches you TO see the palpi
tatne gratitude with which rather pretty and gen.
e.looking girls accept the attentions OF unshaven
men, who waltz In their shirt sleeves and often
while holding a half-burned 'stogy' between their
yellow teeth.
Here again. however. is another subject that I
cannot now pursue-the generalization which wom-
en- set on men, But said. it is all decorous
to the last degree; and somehow the whole thing
barmonizes This is America 1t used be.
with something of its crudity. with great deal of
,ts bomeliness but with fine simplicity and good
ness and unspoiled faith in what is right. And So
pIease follow me and learn lesson while you re-
celve pleasure as have done. In studying the
ounta essentia of Utica. New York-From The |
Bookman for December