The Washington herald., 1920-12-01
NIGHT BUZZEC
ON PARK ROW
Mcintyre Says Movies Stay
Open All Night and Life
Is Thrilling.
BY O. O. M,INTYRE.

NEW YORK. Nov. 30.-The night
life of Park Row is brimming with
human interest. Moving picture
palaces are open all night. There
is the sharp click of billiard balls
In basement places. One big candy
store does its biggest trade around
midnight.
The great --<owering buildings
agieam with light. the rumble and
roar of, newspaper trucks, raucous
shouts of early editions. grind of
giant presses, and general atmos-
phere OF hurry lend distinct atmos-
phere to the section between Brook
lyn Bridge on the north and around
west on Broadway to Dey street on
the south.
Park Row Is peopled by blurry
fgures-reporters rushing from the
subway kiosks to their desks, uni
formed messengers. printers who
even carry their canes TO the mid
night lunch. pressmen, newsies of
all ages, stolfd looking accountants
who seem never to smile. and a
sprinkling OF women who look
neither to the right or left.
AT midnight a handful of serious
looking fellows in evening clothes
arrive. They are the dramatic
critics and are unmindful apparently
of the fact that tired and feverish
producers and players are awaiting
their opinions with dread.
The cafeterias and restaurants Of
Park Row have discovered the
psychology of light as applied to
| night workers. They try to outdo
each other in the matter of garfsh
electrical display. The most popu-
lar eating place is the one that fair
ly blinds with dazzling white lights.
After the midnight meal the dis
trict takes on. a small town flavor
Workers stand around the restau-
rant entrances to smoke the pipe,
cigarette and cigar. There Is good
natured scuffiing by young huskles.
Editorial executives come and go
| with familiar waves of their hands.
Queer characters are drawn to
night life like. the moth to the
Name. At the midnight hour Of re-
taxation on they come-Dusty the
Coke, who will dash off a poem for
the asking: Mrs beavers. who looks
every morning for some news OF
her boy who went TO sea IL years
ago: Stubby. the legless, who sells
papers and writes jingle books for
children; Ghost Fitzpatrick. who will
point out shades Of the historical
great in City Hall Park and Tiny
Tim. who leaves the Greenwich
Village coffee houses to. sell Park
Row his soul candy.
One might well think that almost
everyone had read Mark Twain and
yet I have it from reliable author
ity that the royalties on his books
which go to his daughter-amounte
to more than $4,000 last year. This
year it is believed they will go
higher. Ii was not SO many years
ago that o. Henry was sending let
ters to editors in New York begging
them to hurry his monthly check and
stay the mighty hand Of the sher-
If. His book royalties are said to
have been nearly S50,000 last year.
On Park avenue there Is a deli
catessea shop whose proprietor must
have the soul of the true artist.
Nothing is on display-save a few
truly fine paintings. A little brass
plate at the door gives his name
and the title "Epieure." One makes
ones wants known and then edibles
brought from all corners of the
world are brought out one at a time
Russian caviar. marrons glace.
anchovies, French snails. biscuits
from Honolulu. jellies from private
homes in the Middle West, etc, etc.
He is said to have opened his place
year ago and made snug little
fortune already. His prices are be-
yond the reach of the average man.