Smyrna times., 1938-05-12
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told By L. L. Stevenson in
His Own Immical Way
of DOings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES

Proud though they may be OF II,
New Workers are-if they can af-
ford it-continually awaiting them
selves of means Of escape from
their city. Those means are avail
able all year around. During the
winter there are snow trains which
take ski enthusiasts up into the
Berkshires. Or passengers may be
just plain snow lovers tired of the
dirty samples or bare streets of the
town. Fishing boats over at Sleeps
head bay go out all winter though
their patrons are not so numerous.
Some seashore hotels remain open
the year around. Likewise mountain
hotels and boarding houses. Winter
sports are the lure to the nearby or
even PARKWAY hills. There are
cruises to warmer chimes. They fit
almost any pocketbook. Then too
there is Florida, only few hours
away by air. Or Southern Califor-
MIA if a longer trip can be taken. I
still get a kick out of thinking of
dinner in New York and luncheon
in Hollywood, though because air
travel is so common now. that is
old stuff.
Escape from New York either
winter or summer is possible for
those without means or leisure. A
nickel will take a city sick man or
woman up into the open spaces of
the Bronx. The ferry fare across
to Interstate park on the Jersey side
of the Hudson is also only five cents.
On the high cliffs, there is real
freedom from the confines Of stone
and steel. A friend told me Of
meeting a deer while wandering
along one of the less frequented
paths. Fort Washington park, in
uptown Manhattan, is another ref
uge for the city weary. Il has been
spoiled somewhat by improvements.
But at that, a rabbit bounds across
path now and then and there are
many squirrels. But it was lot
better when those paths were mere
ly trails. Inwood park has also been
improved. But there is still bit
of the wild about it.
The sight of lad with a pair of
skis, riding downtown in the sub
way this morning caused me to re-
member slide took some years
ago. West One Hundred and Eighty
first street had not been built up
as it is now, especially on the up
town side of that hill. which is
young Alp. On the way home one
cold winter night, I stopped at
Broadway and bought a peck of po-
tatoes. Then I began the trek to
Riverside drive with the wind whis-
ting about my ears. Not knowing
that youngsters had iced the side
walk for coasting purposes, start
ed confidently down the hill When
I reached the bottom, with my feet
in the air, the sack held only one
potato. The rest had arrived ahead
of me though 1 did make excellent
time.
In some sections Of the city,
youngsters climb onto the back of
a car when it stops for a light, and
at the next stop run around and
grab purse or any valuables lying
on the seat beside the driver. They
vanish before an alarm can be CIV
en-. Their victims are almost in
variably women. So now many
women drive with locked doors and
windows shut. Closed windows are
rather unhandy for signalling. But
they afford protection.
Weather always being more or
less under discussion, at this point
I'll introduce that topic. At the
opening of a new midtown restau-
rant William Keighley. Hollywood
director, who was on his way to
Florida for a vacation, chided
friends about the New York eli
mate. During the conversation, a
telegram was delivered to him. 1t
read: please give permission to
shoot bathing scenes in your SWIM
ming pool. It's the only heated one
in Hollywood and it's freezing out
here"
Noticing a crowd in front of a
ritzy restaurant, elbowed my way
forward filed with the hope that
l might see a couple of bluebloods
exchanging socks, something which
happens on occasions in this town.
But when l finally, after no end of
trouble, reached the front rank all
l saw was newspaper photogra-
pher making shots of a couple of
grinning newlyweds.
Walking away hurriedly, my mind
went back to a cafe of the Hotel
du la Place in the little town of
neutrality-suspicious. in France years
ago. Villagers were engaged in a
heated war of words and so loud
were voices and so violent the ges.
lures it looked like bloodshed at any
moment. Suddenly the clamor died
down and everybody had a book.
AZ