The sun., 1908-06-28
RAMBLES IN THE CITY.

If you have been along the Bowery lately
you must have noticed the changes in the
sidewalk signs to catch trade. Some years
ago these signs almost invariably invited
customers to inspect bargains damaged by
fire. An these have disappeared. What you
now see are placards announcing that owing
to the recent panic great reductions In prices
are offered
One foxy merchant who had been on the
Bowery forty years hung out O sign some
thing like this Don't be misled by calamity
signs of other houses. Come here for bar
gains" '.". .,r ufs.rasrr-f "A
The policeman on post said: "Iie always
waits TO see what the other merchants do
and then he takes the other chute"
Over the platform Of some X. T. stations
are glass signs. On one side are the words,
Trains from the City" Two minutes before
the train comes in this sign is electrically
illuminated and rattle Is turned on that
would put an alarm clock out Of business.
Which cieyP" asked waiting patron Of a
platform man.
New York of course the man replied
with bit of u sneer
"Isn I Brooklyn regarded as a city?"
Depends where you're at. Express for
Coney and Brighton Beach. All aboard"
II you can't get to the country and long to
hear something that will remind you Of
ruralites. especially the lowing Of the kline,
the bleating Of sheep and the sauealng Of
porkers, take a sesta after sunset on River
side Drive. All loaded cattle cars stop at
the base of the bluffs between the Soldiers
and Sailors Monument and Seventy second
street. Sometimes these trains are held for
three quarters Of an hour. II you shut your
eyes you will think you're on farm.
"who is that fellow you spoke to on the
80 H..
after they got of.
Don't know. Never saw him before"
Then why did you ask him about the
cotton crop in Texas? How did you know
he was from TeSas2"
Because / saw him expectorate through
his teeth. and that is the only State in the
Union that retains that habit"
A business man in Cliff street-if you are
new in the city, look 1t up-left the car late
in the afternoon to do some shopping in a
quiet store In a side etreet. To his friend
who asked why he went to such place ne
said:
There are several salesmen In the place
who have been with the concern since 1t
started. I don't know the name of any
But I've an idea that q concern that keeps
it's help a long time is worth patronizing.
Nothing gives a business more character
than to have a contentcd looking old man
around. All things being equal. L give such
a place the preference.
Maybe the sunshine OF q June day had
something to do with It, No matter. The
crowd In lower Broadway stopped and listen cd,
Bunches and rows of faces looked down from
the windows In the tall office buildings.
An itnerant vender Of that cheapest OF
musical instruments the mouth organ, merely
q bit Of tin. had been whistling modern airs
that one hears from the orchestras. Some-
how they hadn't made hit. The yender,
tall. lank young man, ceased whistling.
The crowd kept on it's restless way.
After short wait the vender placed the
tin again between his lips and tried another
air. Here and there people fell out of the
crowd, stopped and listened. First one and
then another, and then more, handed out a
nickel apiece. The fellow had played Cav
alleria Rusticana," After he had sold n
number Of his tins the crowd began moyin q
again. Business for the vender was running z
down.
He placed a little instrument once more
between his lips. The sound emitted flled
the street. 1t rose to the tops of the sky
sorapers. 1t stopped the crowd on either
side Of the thoroughfare. People In the pass
ing open cars turned and peered. The vender
was surrounded by crowd which purchased
all his stock. The music was written in this
generation, but 1t took hold upon the mass
Of humanity and brought II to a standstill
In the busiest street In the world-the old air
your grandfather heard when he was court
ing. How Can 1 Bear To Leave Thee?"