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I6Z
OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK
Masterson-had grabbed Plunkett's collar, a movement had
started toward the exit-toward all exits, in fact. Men be–
gan pouring not only into the extension of Peacock Alley,
but into the Grill Room, and the emergency lavatory at
the southeast corner of the Bar, past which safety could be
gained, was choked by men who merely wanted to find a
quick way out, but missed the door.
Opportunities offered by the assemblage of so many men
who were making easy money in mining, or in "The
Street,'' were too pregnant to be resisted by certain pur–
veyors of luxuries. At least one noted dealer in uncut
precious stones always drifted in to scan those whose
actions or talk indicated they had been lucky in the market,
and he usually did a thriving business because, in those
times, men who had made money on "flyers" were apt to
have their lighter moments. That crafty psychologist de–
rived considerable profit from persuading such that one
way to celebrate their good fortune was to select a costly
trinket for the lady in the uptown flat. And invariably in
the gathering were to be discovered a full half-dozen gen–
tlemen whose specialty in trade was either high-priced art
or antiques. To their activities amid those inspirational
scenes one who used to know most of the local art mer–
chants
and
many of the imported ones has often dated the
rise of the passion for art-collecting which became so wide–
spread and violent during the early years of the century.
More than once, however, the yearning for the acquisition
of "high art" instilled-or distilled-in that impregnated,
if not perfumed, atmosphere, was subjected to check and
revision by experience and acquired knowledge of the sub–
ject; and more than one
nouveau
who used to brag about
the "old masters" he
had
picked up, found excuse later on