Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-11
TRAVELS IN PHILADELPHIA
Rv CHRISTOPHER Morley

panse of North Broad street where their
little red stern lights twinkle beneath the row
of silver arcs stretching away into the dis
tance. Broad Street Station is cOmpara-
lively quiet, though there is the usual person
gazing up at the window lettered SCRIP
CLERGY STOpOVERS CONiMUTATION.
He wonders what it means. do not know,
any more than he. Standing ut the corner
of the station the lights of the sky are splen-
did and serene. Over the Finance Building
light wispy plume of steam hovers and
detaChcs itself cleaning in the moonShine
like floating swans feather. The light
catches the curves of the trolley rails like
gibbons of silver.
M1DNlGIIT. The population seems to
AVA have sorted itself into couples. Almost
all the ladies in sight wear silk sports skirts,
and walk with their escorts in n curiously
slow swishing swing. Some of them may
have been dancing all evening. and still pace
with some of the rhythm of the waxed floor.
In darkened banks are little CLEANS of
orange light behind trclises Gf bars, where
watchmen sit and grind away the long hours.
Down the dark narrow channel of SAMSON
street it is very silent. The rear of ten
cent store shows gush of brightness, where
some overhauling of stock il going on The
back door is open, and looking in ! can see
a riotous mouse darting about under the
counters warily watching the men who are
rearranging some display. The jefferson
Hospital is silent, with occasional oblongs of
light in windows. seem to Gctect whiff of
disinfectants and wonder how the engineer
is getting on.
Market street is still lively A dance
orchard emits its patrons down a long stair
to the street. Down they come, gaily laughing.
The male partners are all either gobs who
love dancing even more than ice cream soda;
or youths with tilted straw hats of coarse
weave, with legs that bend backward most
oddly below the knee, very tightly aud briefly
trouscred. Two doughboys with ace of spades
shoulder insignia greet the emerging thro,k,
showing little booklets for sale. They urge
the girls to buy. with various arts of cajolery
and bright-eyed persuasion. Who'll buy
book?" they say, forty short Stories put
out by wounded soldier" The girls all
wear very extensive hats, and are notably
pretty. (which way do we go?' is the
first question on reaching the street. 1t is
usually the way to the nearest soda foun-
tain.
TWELVE FORTY. The watering tank
i roars down Chestnut street, shedding
Kissing tide from curb to curb The feet of
TO Hire night taxis wheel off one by one as
which can be heard approaching far up the
silent street. 1t is getting quiet, save in
the all night lunch rooms, where the fresh
baking of doughnuts and cinnamon buns is
being set out, and the workers of the night
shift are streaming in for their varied and
substantial meals. They cat leisurely, with
loud talk, or reading the morning papers.
NNE FIFTEEN. The population consists
" mostly OF small groups or corners wait
ing patiently for cars, which are rare after
one o'clock Chaufeurs sit in twos gos-
slipping over the fares of the evening Along
the curb of the Federal Building on Ninth
street lnger a few resolute louugers, en-
ioying the calm Of the night. A fruit stall
man is wondering whether to trundle home.
The pile of fresh doughnuts in the lunch
room is rapidly diminishing. Street cleaning
trucks are on their nightly rounds. It's time
to go to bed.