The Washington herald., 1921-07-13
|NeAporkcity
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NEW YORK. July 13.-Coney
Island-reasonabie in price and gem
erous in provisions the stamping
ground these hot days for the city
workers seeking relief from the en-
nervating heat. Coney is the giori-
fed county fair. Il is blatant.
tawdry. the apotheosis of the ridic-
ulous, but Is essentially America At
play.
1t affords the young clerk. the
factory worker and tired mothers
with children in arms a few hours
OF make-believe. for at Coney there
is no tomorrow. Surf avenue Is
Coney's Bowery, filled with an army
OF jostiing folk of the slums, cheap
tenements and modest homes.
There is a roar of band cafes, side
show bally-hoos. ,squawking street
vendors, the popcorn and hot-doe
sellers and the clip of the rifle
shots in the shooting galleries.
Little cold drink stands and tafYy
booths are one every hand for those
who 60 to Coney go to gorge. Down
on the beach ribbon counter clerks
masquerade as a young Vanderbilt
taking a dip. And Min of the Drap-
cries drops her RS" and wonders II
her chauffeur Is standing close by
her Limousine. So many auto
thefts, you know.
The roller coasters, the chained
balloon, the Dip-of-Death, the Sub
marine, the Cave OF the Monsters,
the San Francisco Fire, the Pueblo
Fire and Thousand and one other
attractions are there to tempt va
grant nickles and dimes.
Outside the Congress of Freaks
tent, two Of the fat boys were get
ting a Dit Of air. why don't you
boobs go on away" they whined as
the curious crowded around them.
I'VE are trying to cool off," And
! pretty soon an attendant was play
ing a hose upon their perspiring
bulky bodies.
Many sleep on the beach all night,
going down in the afternoon and
getting back to work early in the
| morning. Coney is to New York's
poor what Newport is to the rich.
And a thousand times more inter-
esting. 1t used to be the hang-out
of the gangsters. Louis the Lump,
Jack Sirroco. Handsome Ike. Gen
tleman Harry. Big Jack Zelig and
the rest used to enliven Surf ave-
nue. with a bullet battle now and
then.
But in the warm darkness, the
hundreds of lovemakers turning
| cityward furnish a never to be for
gotten sight. Girls sleep with their
! heads resting frankly upon mascu-
line shoulders. Spooners care moth
ing for watching eyes. They kiss
| and hug unashamed. Many fall
asleep in a tight clinch during the
long ride to Brooklyn Bridge. "Aw-
out-fer N'Yawkw growls the train
guards--and a collective sigh of
merry makers leaving make-be-
lieve for stark reality may almost
be heard above the din of bridge
traffic.
Park Row news hounds were al
most rocked out of their. usual
ennui one day last week. News
trickled into a news agency and was
flashed to all the morning journals
that a certain great man was to be
given a coat OF tar and after the
feathers had been applied he was to
be galloped by a certain young
girls home on a rail. 1t came from
such an authentic source that a
bunch of hand-picked men were sent
by city editors. Nothing happened.
There was a keg of cold tar in
front Of the mans house. but IL had
been left there by a street repair
| gang.
Broadway is laying big odds that
! George NJ. Cohan will not retire
permanently from the theatrical
game. 1t is said that many men,
bers of his personal stan are ION
call" and are still being paid sal
aries although his offices are closed
as tight as a drum and George has
put the old American flag in the
moth balls and Is off on a motor
trip. He has many enemies, but his
friends outnumber them two to one
and whatever may be said of him he
has proved himself to be one of the
best friends the actor ever had. And
in these days the actor is needing
the friendly hand.