The Washington herald., 1920-10-28
CAREFREE LIFE
ON AVENUE "a
Folk Very Fat or Very Lean
In Famous Section Of
New York.
By o. o. M'INTYRE.
special Correspondent of Tho waxhingto
Herald.)

NSPcc1aA SorttspoHuout ot Inc WAAoloG Son
Herald.)
New York, Oct. 27.-It was Ellie
Fay who sang of the joys of Ave-
nue. A back in the days when a cut
Of pie was a nickel and simple folk
believed ball games could not be
fixed. Things have not changed
much on Avenue A, which winds its
way along the East Side, gaudy
with wet wash from rusty nre es-
capes and bearing the unmistak-
able stamp of poverty.
A few short blocks west and one
may ring at great oaken doors to
be met by the buffers polite in
quiry: Did you ring, sirr On
Avenue A a ring at the door brings
a frowzy head which snarls What
tell do youse want" At least that
was my experience in the forlorn
and hopeless quest of a laundress.
Folk seem to be either very fat
or very lean on Avenue A and few
attain that happy medium the Ia
dies tailor calls svelte. Imposing
triple chins loom from doorways
and lean chalk-pale faces line the
windows. There are gaudy youths
in checkered vests and tinted shirts
but no women with flushed faces
surrounded by sables.
Men on Avenue A may lead a
care-free life but the women bring
home kipling's line that it is the
woman who pays and pays and
pays. They appear to be washed
cut and faded in their loose hang
ing wrappers. The young girls
wear Tams and are not to be out
done by their more prosperous sis
ters in the matter of abbreviated
skirts.
Out of a window one tired mother
called, 20! Lizzie" Lizzie appeared
across the court way to see what
was wanted. ''Gertie got the Job at
the Ave and ten. Twelve a week.
Gertie's success Travelled fast for at
a corner grocery where l stopped
ten minutes later the red headed
clerk told a customer that Gertie
McCluskey had Job and he guessed
Old Mike would quit work now.
Along the curbs are charcoal
braziers glowing with roasted
chestnuts. Terrible thrillers may
be seen at the movies If the posters
and banners out front are TO be be-
lieved. Pool halls are fiIled from
morning until night. The talk is
the East Side argot. Bird is bold"
the Evening journal is the Eve
ming Choinal' and dirty is "deity."
The racing forms have a large sale
~ Ava
lived lightly.
Women Not Buying.
Exclusive shops catering TO
Miladys wardrobe lay off almost
one-third of their stan of sales
women in the summer and take
them back in the fall. This year 1t
is reported the lay-off is permanent
Women are noe buying with the
rush that CharacteriZes the rush
back to town from the country.
Last years togs are going to be
worn. The milliners are showing
Only simple and inexpensive mod
els. The average price is $50. Last
season they were showing many
S400 and $500. hats.
Life After Death.
At a banquet attended the
other evening group of fifteen
men collected in smoking room
and the subject of Edison's an
nounced intention to communicate
with the other world. if possible,
came up. There were writer's, bUsI-
ness men and playwrights present.
Most of them thinkers. Thirteen
believed that eventually communi-
cation would be established. Each
believed firmly in the continuity of
life after what is called death.
Booze ~ Quart.
The expose in New York of the
fact that the mayor had attended
a dinner where liquors of all kinds
are served was not much of a sur
prise to the average New Yorker,
who sees liquor sold openly in
nearly all the cafes. Whisky incl
dentally is reaching the pre-war
price and rye and bourbon is being
sold for 81 bottle-the same
brands that were selling for SIS
and $40 d bottle not so long ago.