midnight
Within view were Americans of all kinds , French and Germans , Italians and Austrians , Spaniards and Moors , Scandinavians and negroes , born New Yorkers and born citizens of most of the capitals of civilisation and semi-barbarism . There were actresses , dancers , shop girls , cocottes ; touts , thieves , confidence-men , mission workers ; artists and students from the musty University building , tramps and drunkards from the `` barrel-houses '' and `` stale-beer shops ; '' and , across the square to the north , representatives of New York 's oldest and most noted families . To the west were apartment houses whence stiff , prim bookkeepers , floor-walkers , clerks and small shop-keepers issued with their families on Sundays , bound for church . There were other apartment houses -- the most of them to the south -- whence in the midnight hours came slattern servants and reckless looking girls in loose wrappers and high-heeled slippers , pitcher in hand , bound for the nearest saloon . After dusk from early spring until late fall a multitude of interesting sounds mingled with the roar of the elevated trains to the west and south and the rumble of carriages in `` the Avenue '' to the north . Howard , reading or writing at his window on his leisure days , heard the young men and young women laughing and shouting and making love under the trees where the Washington Arch glistened in the twilight . Later came the songs -- `` I want you , my honey , yes I do , '' or `` Lu , Lu , how I love my Lu ! ''