The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-04-05
liehts Of New York
BY L. L. STEVENSON


sudden autumn downpour sendins
Broadway pedestrians scuttiins
for the protection of marques OF
doorways Entrances to Office
buildings SO clogged that tenants
and others with business inside have
to buck the line to open a passage
Traffic officers DOMINIC black
raincoats. which they seem to make
appear like a magician draws RAD
bit from hat, and which the tali'
ing drops soon cause to shine
Taxi drivers becoming even more
independent than usual Boot
blacks, their business completely at
a standstill, either starting for their
homes or engaging in pitching pen,
MES Girls protecting their hats
with folded misrepresentation cloth
ing does not seem to matter at all
A long line of youngsters wait
ing to get into movie. engaging in
laughter and skylarking rather than
going in out of the wet.
The Chrysler building looking as
IL it had suddenly been dwarfed fully
one-third, upper stories and its slim
final being lost in the murk
An enterprising merchant posting
'sUmbrellas" and "Raincoats" signs
on his display window Um.
brella-carrying women acting as 1t
the eyes of males were legitimate
targets and giving dirty looks
il a protest is made :. The quick
surge Of clotted pedestrian traffic
when the light at 18th street changes
Sailors, hands In pockets.
standing against building fronts and
looking as if water were a stranger
or an enemy Bars and COCK
tail lounges doing rushing business
Pigeons, their feathers droop-
ing, budding on window lodges
Sign painters coming down hastily
from their swing stages Big
trucks proceeding cautiously.
Lines waiting to get into pay tele-
phone booths Suburban mann.
mas heading hurriedly for Grand
Central, their idea probably being
that home is the best place when
the rains come Coal from .
huge truck being chuted into base
ment and pedestrians no end an.
noyed because they have to 60
around the barrier A sidewalk
ticket broker trying to interest pass.
ersby in seats for one Of the hit
shows and everyone seemingly
in too much Of hurry to pay him
the slightest attention Messen-
ger boys pedaling their bicycles for
all they are worth =. Pushcart
merchants. their wares protected by
tarpaulins. trudging along toward
streets where they won't have to
keep moving =. Broadway pedes-
trian traffic thinning to . mere
tfickle, then to only an occasional
individual who just has to get some.
where.
The rain ending as suddenly a. Il
began, and once more q human
tide sweeping along with feet rap
idly drying the pavements
Sightseeing tour conductors appear.
ing % II from nowhere and swing
ing Immediately into their business
Of soliciting patrons ut - each
with no discount for servicemen
The first woman apple peddler
(eray-haired Of eourse) I've seen In
months +. Youngsters with star
dust in their eyes hopefully climb
ing the stairs leading to the Offices
Of theatrical agents and others
coming down from the offices Of
agents with disappointment on their
faces but hope still burning brightly
in their eyes.
On Fifth avenue, Maggi McNellis.
! the airwaves most glamorous
Broadway and Hollywood common.
tator With her. Dorothy Gull
man, the beauteous press agent
a most correctly attired ancient.
topper. cutaway and striped pants)
IN fused up because be has lost
Glove of-towners thronging
into Rockefeller Center to look at the
Promethus Unbound fountain and
other sights Neckties-pardon,
! should say scarves lat q mere
as per each and solid gold
lighters at $500 One grand
dame informing another in q most
annoyed tone Of voice that she's
had three cooks within the last
month and that not one was salts
factory So now, she Is about
to close her Park avenue apartment
and take up quarters In the st.
Regis.
End Piece: Drama critics have
. wonderful time reviewing flop
plays. when Sleep No More"
opened on Broadway, Robert Gar.
land solved the reviewing problem
by reprinting the entire list Of stage
and production credits on the pro-
gram. He concluded with ''L'envoi
the doorway nearest your right il
the quickest exit And the other
evening, during an intermission,
Jack Gaver Of the United Press re-
marked: This shouldn't he called