The Washington herald., 1919-06-24

New York, June 23--The nights are
hot on the Bowery these days. and
so the merchants sit out in front of
their shops-smoking and reading Rus
sian and Yiddish newspapers-while
their wives knit and gossip across the
pave The children play in the street.
and at 9 o'clock is great treat. SO
many strip naked to have the city
street nushers play the great streams
of water from the fire hose upon them.
In the cheap lodging houses the
guests remain out on the sidewalk as
long as possible before retiring to
their stall-like rooms. where they
must suffer through the long hours
of the morning. The hurdyNgurdy man
grinds out his tunes for the children
to dance, and seems so tired that he
Is unnrindful OF reward.
The little photo shops on the Bow
cry are always packed-even in hot
weather. The photo man Is the mas
ter psychologist. Many strange vis-
itors come There Is the young man
in the very rented appearing even
ing suit The aspiring amateur boxer.
In position, with his sparring trunks
on and an American flag around his
waist The colored beau. heavy
swell, IN spats and n Van Bibber over
coat The gay groups-a devilish fel-
low holding aloft a bottle Of beer!
In the sodden rum shops where
whisky now sells at the high price
Tof Is cents a glass poured by
the bartender) the human wrecks are
awaiting the coming of April In a
stupefying haze of alcohol. Very lit
tie beer Is sold on the Bowery. the
last haven OF the down-and-outer. 1t
Is the "third-rail" shocks they want
whisky and gin. Two exclusively
beer saloons have opened on the
Bowery-and failed for want Of pa
tronage. ;,
Overhead the elevated trains keep
up their continuous rumble. In front
of the pawnshops the bells tinkle-
for the Bowery is dark, and the bells
guide unsteady feet to a helping hand,
On the window OF one pawnshop Is
a sign: I'VE do not take gold crowns
unless removed by your dentist" On
another pawnshop window Is a sign :;
NO charge for relievers when you
pawn your shoes" That means that
they give an old. worn-out pair for
the new.
Up near the Bowery Savings Bank
one OF the richest banks In the coun-
try, by the way-the young Bowery
girls are squirrel by youths in fashily
cheap clothes. The boys all wear
caps. The girls go hatless and chew
gum, and their life seems to center
around hero worshipping the stars Of
~ he l. a
at night as any other street in town.
Even down at Chatham Square, the
entrance to Chinatown's. narrow
streets. there are seldom any crimes.
Roy L. McCardell was in Maine
fishing last week, and tells Of an
amusing incident in a little seaport
town. where life centers about the
general store. The old residents are
a crusty lot and resent any newcomer.
A bright-face young man In a. trinle-
tone suit and swagger hat blew
into the store during a discussion.
Everybody closed up Immediately.
Looks like rain," said the young
man, breezily. opening conversation.
There was q chill silence. and finally
one old codger astride the cracker
barrel snapped: ''It won't RAIN" The
young man was undaunted and kept
up a running FIRE conversation for sew
eral moments but no one answered
him. Finally he started for the door,
saying: Think I'll look about the
town. I used to live here" Every
body sat up.
The cracker barrel orator ventured:
who be you?'
I'm DR.. Lem Hooper's SON.
Not Dr. Hooper who came from
Castine and settled hereT'
THE same was the reply.
There was another long silence. Then
said the cracker barrel sitter: 1T
might rain!''