Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-22
WiIdey Street

T SET out for a stroll with the mounta ineer,
/ who knows more about Philadelphia than
any one l ever heard Of. He is long and
lean and has a flashing eye: his swinging
easy stride betrays the blood of southern
highlands He tracks down distant streets
and ieafy glimpses with all the grim passion
of a Kentucky scout on the trail of a lynx
or some other varmint. No old house, no
picturesque corner elbow alley escapes
his penetrant gaze He has secret trails and
caches scattered through the great forests of
Philadelphia. known to none but himself.
With such woodsman for guide good hunt
ing was matter of course.
FTNHE first game we bagged was a tattoong
i studio at Sl4 Summer street. Let no one
say that war means a decline OF the fne
arts. for to judge by the photographs in the
window there are many who pine to have the
Stars and Stripes, the American eagle and
the shield of the food administration fres-
coed on their broad chests. Professor Al +.
Walters the craftsman proclaims himself ar
tstic and reliable in this form of embroidery.
and the sitter has 1900 up-to-date designs
to choose from" The mountaineer and !
peered through the window and were inter-
ested to the professors array OF tools
laid out on his operating table.
DASSING by an imposing bust of Homer,
/ which we found in front of junk shop
at 52S Noble street, the mountaineer ied
me to see the old Hoboe's Union head
quarters at Fifth and Buronwood streets
The war may have given tattooing hlip,
but It seems that it has been the decline and
fail Of philosophc hob9ism, for the vagrants
clubhouse Is dusty and void. now used as
some sort of warehouse. Work or night ana
high wages have done for romantic loanns
The mountaineer pointed out to me the
kitchen In which the boes held their
evening symposia kettle of hot
stew The house donated through the
muniicence of J. Eads Howe. the famous
millionaire hobo. and the mountaineer al
mitted that he had spent many an entertain
ing evening there discussing matters OF In
tellectual Importance. How did you get the
entree to such an exclusive circie? asked
enyiousy II was a member or the union,
he said. with just the least touch OF vain
glory.
yT1HE mountaineer led me north on Fourth
street to where Wildey street begins its
zigzag career. We found that the strip
between Germantown avenue and Front
street was buzzing with prepara,ions
for a block party" in honor and benefit OF
its boys in service. All down the gay little
vista fags were hanging out. Chinese lanterns
had been strung on wires across the street'
shop windows were criss-crossed win req,
white and blue streamers and booths were
going up OH the pavement swathed In tricol-
ored tissue paper. At one end OF the plock
the curbstones had been whitewashed. We
stopped to ask an elderly lady when the fun
would begin.
..rNoNIGHT and tomorrow night" she
said. Ut was then Friday afternoon.)
"Our boys are fighting for us and we want
to do everything can to help. l was at
my summer residence when ! heard about
this party, and I came back at once We've
got to help best we cam
THE sky was clouding over and the noun
taineer and / expressed the hope that rain