The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-06
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York, Sept. 6-Fifth Ave- nue, I suppose, Is the richest street in the world. Yet there scarcely can be a thoroughfare that pro- vides more contrasts.
 On 1t are to be seen the most beautiful women, the swankiest stores, the highest heels, the long est cars, the most pampered dogs and the most celebrated people. True, some of the most exclusive clubs, and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, have moved to Park Ave. nue. But the midtown glory of Fifth Avenue is scarcely dimmed, especially since the coming Of Rockefeller Center.
 And yet, toward its southern terminus are to be found blocks of wholesale houses, factory build ings and dingy offices, cheap res taurants and cheaper stores. Not a few shyster enterprises are headquartered there because Of the prestige involved in a Fifth Avenue address.
 Going Summing
 Again, if you follow it north- ward-past the grand bazaars and uppity little shops with uni- formed doormen, past clubs and hotels and cathedrals, past tho imposing town houses of the rich you find Fifth Avenue becomes an annex of the ghetto-an aris- tocrat flees to the slums. Pohce keep an eye out there for crim- inals in hiding. The fringes or a Spanish quarter touch 1t. There's 6 black belt, too.
 The silk k-and -sable blocks un- dergo a startling transition with the coming of night. Gems are taken from displays and put into vaults; in the windows of the great stores, shades are drawn against fashion pirates who would copy the designs. Genteel stroll CTS tour toward their cozy little twelve-room apartments or the a la carte restaurants of the East Fifties. Life begins at $40 in the r!alto, and Fifth Avenue Is dim and somnolent.
 Vice versa
 Then, from the stili-darker side streets. appear sleek sisters or the sidewalks. Scores of them. To confound the scowling police men, who are foilcd but not fool ed, the women walk briskly on their improper promenade and are furtive in their solicitations. Some lead dogs and pretend to be respectable househQlders out for an airing. A policeman point ed out to me that many of them wear dark glasses; he didn't know why. Said, too, that although he could make plenty of arrests he doubted that any one of them would result in conviction And 50 Fifth Avenue becomes, for awhile, a boulevard of shame.
 Midnight, and the scene chang es again. Now arrive the ghouIs of the gutters--horrid hags who shuttle along, mumbling, gibber- ing, muttering. They search along the curbstones of the rich- est street in the world, and occa- sionally one finds treasure - broken necklace, brooch reflect ing the glow of street lamps, a coin.
 watched one crone. She wore tennis sneakers, many skirts, and a sort of apron made from what seemed to be an old lace curtain. She proceeded methodically, ex- aminipg every vagrant object ia her path, anu even moved pieces of paper to be sure that nothing was concealed by them. Pretty soon she looked at me and spoke in a kindly, reproving way. She said: You better get along now. Everybody will be waiting, and the dinner cold"
 So I got along. pausing farther up the block to lay Q half dollar on the curb while pretending to tie a shoelace. suppose she bought gin with t. or maybe an. other lace curtain to wear as a tippet. But it's no affair of mine how q lady of Fifth Avenue chooses to indulge her whims.