Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-12

seem absurd TO sentimentaIize over a railway
station less than seventy years old? Well
! think a railway station is one Of the most
romantic places in the world I like to
imagine the old locomotives with their 1aring
stacks. And as crossed Washington avenue
(Which runs just south of the station) !
remembered a hot day in June twenty years
ago when ] tugsed a roll of steamer rugs
down that street from the trolley to the
American Line pier. We were going on board
the old Belgenland, bound for Liverpool.
somewhere along the hot, grimy pavement a
barrel OF nolasses had broken open; recall
the strong sweet smell. Childhood does not
forget such adventures.
DELOW the quartermaster depot OF the
ID marine corps and the Third Regiment
Armory. Broad street recalls its more sober
responsibilities. Suddenly 1t realizes the
feeting uncertainty of life perhaps because
half the houses hereabouts are the Offices of
doctors and undertakers. 1t falls into quiet
residential humor about Wharton street and
lines itself with trees and shady awnings.
IT seemed to me I could discern a breath of
Italy in the air. At an Italian undertaker's
a large and sumptuous coffin was lying on
the pavement without any embarrassment
name-pate and all presumably waiting for
It's silent passenger. Among the womenfolk
white stockings and sparkling black eyes be-
trayed the Latin blood And ] saw that a
church lettered its notice board both in ltal-
ian and English "Ingresso Lbero," il said,
which | take to mean Everybody welcome :"
The same sort of hospitality is evinced by
the doctors and dentists They all have little
notices on their doors: Walk in without
knocking"
IN A quaint effort to retrieve its brief es-
i capade into shabby Bohemianism Broad
street now goes in for an exaggerated mag
nihcence. 1t has a taste for ornate metal
doorknobs and brass handles. U cannot re-
slSt the thDu2hf that ms n No war
caught from the undertakers) Moving
picture theatres are done in Kind of Span
ish stucco. Basement gratings are giIded
parlor windows are banded with strips of
colored glass. The brownstone fronts are
eabled and carved cornices are fret worked
There are plaster statues in the little side
gardens. 1t In the opposite swing of the
architects pendulum from the - plain and
beautiful old houses of Pine and Spruce
streets, where Philadelphia expresses herself
In the lovely simplAty of rich old brick and
white shutters
APPARENTLY Broad street lost hope of
"A gaining salvation by ornamenting its
house fronts, for about Morris and Mifin
streets 1t turns to education and philan-
thropy. 1t puts up large hospitals. and the
vast gray building Of the South Philadelphia
High School, where, reading backward
through the stained glass transom | dis
cerned the grave and very Bostonian motto
NOrK--SeH-relldnCe Bat
more exhilarating to me was the Southern
Home for ,Friendless Children at Morris
street. Its large playground Is surrounded
by high stone wall. could easily have
scaled it and would have loved to smoke a
pipe sitting up there to watch the children
playing inside, t could hear their laughter,
and caught glimpse OF small boy as he
few up in the air on swing) But feared
penalties and embarrassnients. 1t does not
do to love anything too well people natur-
ally are suspicious of you. And though my
heart was warm toward the Southern Home,
I didn't quite like 10 do what l yearned for.
That would have been to ring the door bell
and ask to go in and play in the garden with
the others. Instead / snooped round the wall
until l found a corner WITH glimpse into
busy. One small boy was working in his
garden, others were burning up rubbish and
hanimerns at something along the wall
stood there long time. listening TO the
warm drowsy hum of the afternoon, and
almost wished l were frendess child
AFTER THIS excursion into culture and
"A charity, Broad street feels the need of
one more whistle-wetting before 1t wander,
of onto the vast expanse of sunny pollen
scented meadows that stretch toward the dry
zones OF League Island. For this purpose
exists the cool haven OF Mcbride on the
corner OF Moyamensing avenue. There en-
countered one Of the best beakers of shandy-
gaff in my experisnfe.' And--wonder OF
wonders--it can stili be bought for a nickel.
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