The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-22
. FREDERICK TOWNSEND MAR
- TIN may write all he wishes
about snobs Of the upper class,

but the fulI extent Oh bnouUeTy
will never be known until some Balzac
penetrates down into the lowest depths
OF the social strata and works his way
up to the top, infinitely recording his
observations en- route.
Isn't Wilkesbarre John Jay Butch"
McDevitt to be catalogued with the
snobs? He acquired some dollars and
came to New York to spend them. In
doing this ne made enough noise for a
dozen real millionaires. And the chances
are he'll spend the rest Of his days
Dragging Of how he pulled OF the stunt.
Who cares? There was Coal Oil
Johnny" now destitute, they say. There
was Scotty, who came tin horning and
brass bugling 1t from Death Valley.
The three are In the same class. They
showed the innate human snObbishness.
The snob is the one who affects gen.
tility, and the woods are full OF them.
I would offer the suggestion that the
modern Balzac stand at the Manhattan
end Of the Brooklyn Bridge with a
thick notebook In his hand. for there
humanity Of every description is to be
met. What In the world does a man
want to travel away from New York
for when he can see all the sights by
standing for fifteen minutes at the
bridge entrance in a rush hour? It's
an education in itself. One glimpses
all lands. sees beauty and sees freaks
ntrhaa and thnro And
snobs!
You wouldn't think to look at them
that the newsboys who yell out their
extras are snobs, but they are. Notice
the way they pick their customers You
would imagine a cent from one man
was as good as cent from another, but
II doesns seem to be with them. When
one Of them sells a paper to a woman
who obviously halls from Millionaire
row the newsboy chortles in his glory
and yells to a brother boy: "Chee. see
the swell dame what bought me
poiper?" I have noticed during my
observations q woman who evidently
came from the lower East Side. She
asked for q certain paper. The boy
didn't have II.
Don't bother me-" ne told her. That's
where he showed his snobbishness.
Take the bootblacks. They make q
grand to do when . man with a top
hat who has just got q splotch Of mud
thrown on his shoes by passing auto
mobile steps up and puts his foot on
the little box. They don't give a con-
tinental for the tip he's likely to throw
at them. 1t Ii the class they are shining
for that tickles them. They are in the
list with the small salesman who un-
expectedly finds the King Of England
buying a handkerchief OF him. He nm
mediately wants to put on such label
as Salesman extraordinary to the
King"
A few years asosone organ srinde,
pulled of this snob stunt. 1t was IL
the days when Sousas Washington
Post March" was popular. and he stooe
on corner grinding 1t out. Alont
came John Philip himself, and not lik
ing the time in which the tune wal
organ grinder how fast to turn It IL
order to render the march effective
Then he went on his way. Returning
later he discovered a large crowd aroun'
the street organ and a big notice nike,
on cardboard: THE Washington Pos
March AZ played on this organ by Johl
Philip Sousa, the composer"
Have look at the street takers. Loo
ct any Of them. don't just pick out one
they are all alike. They have the jump
ing toys and somersaulting things o.
the walks; they have telephones they
sell for a nickel; they have fruit; the
have glass diamonds 10. 20 and 3
cents throw: they have the very lat
est things In science before those thing
get to the stores: they have everythin
imaginable under the sun-but they ar
all alike. Let a crowd OF men who loo
as IL they haven't q cent In the
clothes get near them and they'll shO
them away as II they were playa
stricken.
Don't touch" they yell, just becaus
they who own these things and are s
much richer think they can't sell thel
to those other men.
Just left his Wall Street office con
along and stand there, hypnotized
the goods. and they will break the
necks trying to get him to examir
what they have to offer. He can hand
the toys all he wants to; he can pre-
holes In the bananas without havir
the vender tell him to press on II
cOcOanuts instead; he can take Il
at the telephone; he can do anythir
he wants to. He looks rich. Notice Il
faker while he Is there. He's all grim
he is being patronized by the upp
crust; he Is a little bit better and bigg
than the next man to be chased aws
by the club swinging cop.
And speaking Of policemen. I've n
ticed the snob In the ranks. Perha
IL was unintentional, but right there
the bridge / had a chance to see Il
spirit.
Wagons, trucks and autos were cor
ing pretty thick. The man In unifor
would i,uii UP HAND when the crov
on the sidewalk got TOO bulky and &
vehicles would have to stop. That's Z
traffic law. Naturally. sometimes son
one would start to cross the road I