The Washington herald., 1920-05-04
New York City
By o. o. Mcintyre

chology in the busy sections Of the
metropolis offers diverfing moments
to the unhurryins pedestrian. News
that something interesting IL to Be
seen travels as mysteriousiy a. the
fash Of the wireless. II was =
bright summer afternoon and Fifth
avenue was ciogsed with shoppers
and paraders.
/ A few blocks below ne Public
Library the passing throngs began
to slow up Something at the curb
In front OF a smart French gown
shop was the attraction. Faces were
pressed to windows on the upper
hoors on either side OF the street
Bus passengers were standing up
and peering down over the sides.
! Even the trafic ofiicer seemed to
be drawn to the spot by curiosity
alone. When u edged my way
through the tightly packed mass .
circle had formed around group
OF magnthcently dressed young
women who were awaiting the APP
proach Of q limousine.
In the center-apparently unmind-
full of 1t all-was the once feted
idol of the town. Irene Castle; but
what appeared to be an even great
er attraction was the very short
skirt she wore revealing her shape
ly ankles. She wore extremely light
tan stockings with shoes to match.
The contrast with her blue tailor
made suit was very noticeable.
Finally one of those imported
chauffeurs with q ats per cent
! mustache drew q limousine up t.
the curb. the young woman stepped
in and soon the tide of traffic re-
sumed its natural course.
Over on Broadway one noon q
delapidated wreck who crept In
from a side street suddenly fell in
the middle OF the thoroughfare
with q seizure of some sort. The
traffic cop walked over. picked him
up by the collar and shouted:
whats eatin' you, You can't have
a fit here. You'll tie up the traffic." I"
And true to his word Broadway
was blocked inside of five minutes
and only the arrival of the am
bulance restored normality to the
street so great is the curious bump
on the collective head of the Man
hattanese.
An enterprising Gotham florist in
vented a catchy advertising line
which read: Say IL with fiowers?'
1t had it's appeal to the young beaux
OF the town. and he did a thriving
business. other florists took 1t up
and II was soon seen In almost ev-
cry florist shop in town. The other
day, down in Fulton street market,
a romantic fish dealer had this sign
up over his stall: Say 1t with shad!"
There is a quiet serenity to Brook
lyn that seems almost inexplicable
when one considers that 1t Is q part
of the greater city, and one of the
largest sections. A five-minute walk
from the heart of the city and there
are placid stretches Of streets with
baby carriages simmaring in the
sun. There are solid and coniforta-
BILE brown-stone houses exhsling a
prosperous condition of life. tran
quill old-fashioned apothecaries'
shops without sodagfountains where
one peers in and sees only a soli-
tary customer turning over the
pages of a telephone book. People
stand about on the corners lost in a
pleasant browse. There are trees
bustling with new leaves. under
meath which hucksters sing a per-
suasive madrigal. Brooklyn seems
to be trying to hide some terrible
secret from strangers. and when a
stranger enters the gates the city
becomes silent and watchful. /
once went into the Chinese quarter
with a detective after a criminal
All was babel and confusion before
the door opened, and the sleuth en-
tered the low-ceilinged room. Then
II was like a graveyard at midnight.
That is the effect one gets in Brook
lyn.