The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-14
Where can you find air any fresher or
purer than this'" Il asked. as we sped into
Centrars boskiest dell.

Centrars boskiest dell.
'Airl" said North. contemptuously. DO
you call this airP-this muggy vapor, smelling
of garbage and gasoline smoke. Man. | wish
you could get one sniff of the real Adirondack
article in the pine woods at daylight"
81 have heard of it" said !. !" But for
fragrance and tang and a JOY in the nostrils |
would not give one puff of sea breeze across
the bay. down on my little boat dock on Long
Island, for ten of your turpentine-scented tor
nadoes."' -
Then why" asked North. little curiously.
don't you go there instead of staying cooped
up in this Greater Bakey2"
Because" said |. dosgedy. 81 have discov-
cred that New York is the greatest summer"
Don't say that again, interrupted North,
unless you've actually got job as General
Passenger Agent of the Subway. You can't
really believe it.
went to some trouble to try to prove my
theory to my friend The Weather Bureau and
the season had conspired to make the argument
worthy of an able advocate
The city seemed stretched on a broiler d.
rectly above the furnaces of Avernus. There
was kind of tepid gayety afoot and awheel in
the bouleyards, mainly evinced by languid men
strolIing about in straw hats and evening
clothes, and rows of idle taxicabs with their
flags up. looking like blockaded Fourth of
July procession. The hotels kept up a specious
brilliancy and hospitable outlook. but inside
one saw vast empty caverns. and the footballs
at the bars cleaned brightly from long dis
acquaintance with the sole-leather Of customers.
In the cross-town streets the steps of the old
brownstone houses were swarmmg with "stoop-
ers," that motley race hailing from skylight
room and basement, bringing out their straw
doorstep mats to sit and fill the air with strange
noises and opinions.
North and dined on the top of hotel
and here. for few minutes. | thought had
made score An east wind, almost cool, blew
across the roofless roof A capable orchestra
concealed in bower of wistaria played with
sufficient judgment to make the art of music
probable and the art of conversation possible
Some ladies in reproachless summer gowns
at other tables gave animation and color to the
scene And an excellent dinner, mainly from
the refrigerator, seemed to successfully back
my Judgment as to summer resorts. But North
grumbled all during the meal. and cursed his
lawyers and prated so of his COMPOUNDED camp
in the woods that began to wish he would go
back there and leave me in my peaceful city
retreat
After dining we went to roof-garden
vaudeville that was being much praised There
we found good bill. an artificialy cooled at
mosphere, cold drinks, prompt service. and
gay, well-dressed audience North was bored
IF this isn't comfortable enough for you
on the hottest August night for five years" |
said. little sarcastically. you might think
about the kids down in Delaney and Hester
streets lying out on the hre-escapes with their
tongues hanging out. trying to get breath of
air that hasn't been fried on both sides. The
contrast might increase your enjoyment"
Don't talk Socialism, said North. 81 gave
five hundred dollars to the free ice fund on the
first of May. I'm contrasting these stale, arti-
fetal, hollow, wearisome amusements' with the