New-York tribune., 1922-08-12

I Street. the home Of Benjamin Gottlieb,
the supervisor Of a host OF neichbor-
/ inc street markets. including Riving-
! ton from the BOwery 20 Lewis Street,
Z a distance Of twenty blocks. Columbia,
Wiliett and Ridge streets. through
which I counted a total OF more than
400 curb stands.
/ Gottlieb was not AZ home. ! pushed
my plums up next 20 huckster selIing
Indian nuts for seven cents a quarter
mound. There were also pumpkin
seeds for sale By the glass. and an
other announced "W onder Plant From
/ Palcstine-Soak in Water Will Grow
I In One Hour" A little, stout old
woman stepped up, and, picking. up
I few Of the Indian nuts % sec n they
would crack between the fingers, be
gan hagghng about the price. The
announcement on the sign was for her
merely a starting. point.
Believe me-" argued my ncighbor,
"it's q bargain. Ask Mrs. Bismarck
/ You know Mrs. Bismarck. All, there IS
woman who knows a bargain when
she sees one. Ask her. ask her he
fairly shouted p Niddish.
a few children stopped 70 purchase
M plums. A woman with bulging
bag asked me II she bought a dozen
would ! help her home with them.
laughed and said | must attend TO my
business. She took four plums and
carried them away in her hand.
where do you get drink when you
are thirsty | asked my neighbor.
There's Yankel over there on the
corner. Sec. he's carrying a big cop
per pitcher around on his shoulder. lts
the best Kvas from Odessa. Go ana
drink"
I tu-' ! my cart around and was
about move toward a drug store
when my seed peddler pointed out
Gottlieb.
Il would like a permit, Mr.. Gottlieb,'
. said.
What are you selling?" he asked.
"plums, bananas. anything
I'VE don't give permits in the miedle
Of the week. Everything starts on
/ Monday here
Bat ! must make a living and must
make some money to-day" / protested.
at makes no difference. | SAID every
I thing starts on Monday. didn't | ," and
with that he waved me aside with n
vigorous push on the chest. followed
/ him a few steps. "Can | pay on Mon
day, too?" I inquired. Il
"We1l see about that on Monday,
/ he replied gruffly. "Hey, you" he
I turned and shouted at a bent old hg-
ure selling sausages from n steaming
/ little boiler. get that damn cart out OF
/ here. Go on; get out Of here"
The thought came into my mind that
/ the poor old fellow probably couldn't
afford the quarter. much less the dol
| lar week eXacted from the other
| hawkers.
escaped the verbal bombardment
/ by keeping on the move. 10 the great
| detrimont Of my business. Despite the
advantage ny product held out for the
\ health Of children, the plums moved
/ but slowly and resorted TO price
slashing almost 10 the losing point.
/ Nevertheless, since ! could not anchor
myself at any spot FOR any length OF
time. my rlums did not 60, demonstrat-
/ ing conclusiyely that the lot Of a
hoatcr was a hard one.
I wondered where the 5000 foaters
were. As appeared to be the only
I transient on the street. | concluded
I that in some mysterious manner these
/ 5000 others must have made their
peace with the golden -badged fellows.
I returned TO RIvington and Suffolk
streets 20 the little woman Of the
/ drum and knick-knack Stand.
What do. you have TO do!" she re-
piled 20 my question. "H-m. have 20
/ laugh | didn't give the man quar-
ter. We will both soon have 20 run.
Why should | give them money! Who
knows where II goes7 | need IL. They
need IL. too. 70 make n million
On my way back TO the stable with
half my stock Of plums still on my
cart, | passed the synagogue Of Beth
Hamedrash Hagodol Anshei Rzeszow-
Korczyn, on Willett Street below Riv-
ington. II was just about sundown and
the orthodox element OF the pcddlers
had brought their carts, many still
loaded with heaps OF fruits and yege-
tables and stacked them in front Of the
building. Soon the whole street was
. chOkcd with the waiting carts while
their owners were within the syna-
goguo saying their Sabbath evening
prayers II was a strange sight.
whole forest Of carts without guardians
and not a child 80 much as casting
mischievous eye upon the heaps OF In
viting edibles spread unguarded be-
fore them.
When ! turned in ny cart for the
day with half my stock o. plums still
thereon. Avrom said, "Well, not such
a good day to-day, en-"
] offered 10 let him have the plums
II he would return my twenty cents
which gave him fer the hire OF the
cart.
"Ah, my friend" he remarked with a
serious shake Of the head. II see you
are beginning 20 appreciate the value
Of money. You will give me half n
pusheart full Of plums for twenty
cents. II the supervisors would only
have 20 peddle a few days, en-! An,
how good IL would be for them. How
much did you make to-day? You lost
money! You didn't have a dollar per-
nit? You didn't give anybody a quar-
teri Well. don't worry, better times