New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-13

the belief that Saturday night is the
best time to shop. In spite Of the
fact that efforts have been made 10
change the shopping night. the
stores still do big business on that
evening. ..H.
While many people 90 down
town" or uptown" just to see other
folks, most Of them have business
which takes them to the CONNER
cial center Of the city.
Regardless Of whether or not the
stores are AZ busy, the crowds are
just as large, II not larger. In Pro-
portion to those OF the old days.
1t will be remembered by many
when the farmers used to come into
town on aSturday night, hitch their
horses to convenient hitching posts
and spend the evening shopping and
mingling with the residents OF the
big town" Those days have long
sincge gone. Horses are rarity on
the streets nowadays and nova
nights. The last hitching post. of
which there were fdnnerly several,
has been removed from the center
Of the town. The city is growing.
But 1t is still small town in that
it regards its Saturday night very
highly.
The farmers come to town in
their cars now. The, streets are
jammed with automobiles. Parking
places are at a premium. Compare
lively dreamy was the New Britain
of even ten years ago on Saturday
nights. One wonders where all the
autom obiles come from. One
stands on the street and wonders IL
it can be possible that New Britain
has a population of only slightly
more than 10000 people.
People don't have to come to
town on Saturday nights (speaking
Of those from the rural districts.)
They have their cars and they can
do their shopping almost any time
they so desire. It's just that they
want to see all that's going on, want
to mingle with the crowds.
Times Square has nothing on
New Britain when Saturday night
comes around. There's a hustle and
hustle that is truly thrilling at times.
But when o'clock comes and the
stores close the streets clear very
quickly. BY the time 10 o'clock
has arrived New Britain is once
again New Britain.
We love to ask people things. es-
pecially strangers. When we are In
a station we Invariably go up to the
train announcer and ask him when
our train is due. They are so polite.
Train announcers have never been
known to actually hit a person who
was engaged in making request for
some information True, they glare
a bit, but then. what are a few
glares to the thrill that comes with
a conversation with the portly men
in blue serge and silver buttons"
We generally approach that august
individual warily. as if expecting him
to suddenly shoot out a left to the
button. He is invaria bly, in CONVEX
sation with some other blue clad Of
fetal but the wait occasioned by that
conference is seldom longer than
half an hour. Finally we summon
up enough courage to pluck his
sleeve. Why do they make train an
nouncers SO high?
WELL"
Ow! We feel that we have either
Just poisoned his faithful dog or
have burned down his garage. We
try to look important and self-con-
tanned.
when does the next train leave
for New Haven?"
We almost whisper the words
one always docs, for some reason.
when one speaks to a train an
nouncer. Perhaps it's because one's
throat is always dry from the nerv-
Gus tension.
"WHERE?" The words boom out
and reverberate about the marble
waiting room. Two or three thou
sand occupants of the room gaze at
US curiously and we feel ourselves
Flushing. We put the question
little louder.
when does the next train leave
for New Haven?"
He gazes over us in pitiful glance
that puts one down on the same
level of the ordinary angle worm.
New Haven" A short tense 81
lence as he sneers at US Trains
LEFT"
when is the next one?"
WHAT" Several thousand more
people crane their necks to look us
over
'When's the n-n-next one?"
-Four fift.' three" The tones I'M
ply that a train announcer's life Is
a dreary affair where one must an
swer questions put by morons and
imbeciles. We sneak away feeling
like an escaped forger.
We like to ask questions of train
announcers. It's good for our su-
periority complex.
Vast Libel Suits Hold
rT.:kl Cls A. n