Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-29
YOURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE U.s."



Rush, hurry, traffic, crowds characterize them
ALL fn larger or lesser degree but all Is distinct
and In contrast when the capital Is touched
more sky, for over Washington the sky seems
to open, and at night the planets and con
stellatlons show themselves as I'm some open
field one may study them In any street but
did any one ever Try TO do this In Boston or
New York? Spacious stately seem 10 be the
words that best befit the place.
TO those who feel little crushed by BOStonese
croWds, rural and suburban and civilian it is q
Joy unSpeakable TO discover place where there
Is room enough for all, and place like what
washington has grown to be In the last ten
years is In Calm contrast to the Compact
(packed( city OF Boston.
Nervous excitement Is SOOthed by the calm
that issues from silent. peaceful spaces where
men walk at their ease, where women push
not, nor are pushed, where youth and children
slip surreptillously by on bicycles, nolselessly
Boz ton is a Lice, pleasant. cultivated and
nnlShe0 city, but the comforts OF human pe,1es-
trlanlsm are more severely taxed here than In
any other city ia the United States Ir any one
feels disposed TO refute this statement lef him
start next Saturday afternoon, If the day he
hne, and go west from the Boston Museum to
foylston street, and he will fad himself so en-
tangled by animal life masculine feminine and
equine, that he viii have as much as he can do
to recognize his own individuality But In
washington, place, too OF some pressure +
Am quite sure that in the most crowded thor
ought res not garment so much as grazes an
other In walking. How odd it seems not to be
sidewalk for woman with a basket, or a man
with portmanteau; not to be obliged to cross a
street d1agonaliy to escape a crowd advancing.
not TO be Wedged Into shop through a row OF h1
mankind, ana light sort of social battle 20 get a
pair OF gloves. One begins to feel thai. given
ample room aid verge enough, cities are not 40
oda aIter an IN spite OF the great and rapid
Changes the last few years have made In the
capital. II Is yet great rural city and IT, will
from the Character Of1tS situation long continue
o oi,;o One cannot he!p getting little entnusi
that soCthe one TO ride over that seem ike vel
vet under the carriage wheels Were / ever
sieepiess at night here, / should arise, call
coach, and ride over the smooth square. lam
sure the motion would SoOthe and calm every
IeDt llious nerve In my body. 1t Is the next best
tnlIg 10 venice: Who ever connects Washing
ION Win great calm? Who ever told us or the
IepOSe and peace Spr1ngtng up as it were out of
the very stoHes OF the street? one NAV be Ont
shopping ana PICK dandelions jasmine violets.
y, trade. IL is thou that art the unbeauttfer,
" is You that we get away from In Washington
IIose rivers OF lradesrnen, those commercial
princes, those princes clerks, and merchants
and Spectators, that flow down the streets of a
morning are all useless, idle beinps here. and In
the affairs or state and national concern there
Is no apparent rush or fever. The day begins
10 all outward appearances, lei5urely. whatever
the fever may be In mems minds II fS the |
klngoon OF hubla Khan, and a stately plea
The private residences that have been butlt |
here within the last five or ten years are mar |
elegance DOmpS-
ne afchitecture tn Washington is truly ideal:
mere Is variety, Character. an individuality |
ABOUT IL that awakenS a constant and ever |
G Go Sb interest Ior the stranger One sees
MONIES, elsewhere. One likes house to be in |
diVldual, as we'll as its owner In New York or |
B6 ston the houses do not seem to bespeak at |
al the taste of the men who occupy them.
Ihey represent a job, or long line OF iobs.
But In Washington (Which perhaps made
the Ga has ane he hlsas@mest v city n
word unseen p a mans house appears
to be literally his castle. It can ns
H walked a;ound- There are gaps between the |
houses. Ihere are scarcely two alike They
are inviting, OF various combinations, plain or |
ornate, massive or light, but each seems a |
s Saoa study. so there is no opportunity
lineS OF duplicated dwelling houses awaken In |
The sensitive mind OF the observer Has NOT
Inackeray taugat US to feel homesick at row
OF houses stuck together for miles each the
image or Its Leighton. where a man may as
easily stumble into his neghbor'S as his own. |
sll OF lacle, go To Oed get up, take his bath and
lot nnd out MS mistake, feeling that he Is at
the head or In the middle or the end OF long
row OF men ali doing the same thing at the same |
tl 10 similar houses? After living in blocks
Tor lifetime, the men and women Who occuoy
them all seem alike, and mentally blocked
This mingling OF the elegant and artistic
and the rural and simple gives to Washington |
upon broad, open spaces, parks and squares |
and circles, and little grassy grounds adjoining |
great nc, houses. hotels and public buildings; the |
the clafnbering English Ivy, covering whole |
sides or Offices. Is a refreSnment TO the eve |
that makes one constantly see something that |
belongs TO the beautiful Flowers find their |
way so cur1nusly through the bricks OF the |
streets, and Nature seems constantly reminding
us That she Is ready to wait upon us every |
where, How these little touches OF her pres |
ence serve 10 brighten up existence and ami. /
mate human lie In great city! We boat |
Y very nan Hlucn o, our common; and indeed
one spot But a constant repetition of parks, |
openings, fountains. though small like frenneof |
oas. s In great desert, help to smooth the way |
OF the plodding pedestrian greatly In a large |
place: And not only the pedestrian, but the |
DIZZY cier. How he enjoys them Washington |
must have been made for bicyclers. 1t seems |
{ust tnt next best thing 10 being butterfly to |
De DlcJ cler. IL Is an exhilaratfng sight TO BE-
hold rows CT these eXcursion1StS setting out To- |
gelner nom some uptown square OF fine after |
moons on their machines Attired In a sort OF |
II alher armor these members OF the jr,lnesse
dOree seem to have the word all before them "a |
they glide down the broad avenues and cut the |
grassy circles so Boiselessly and swiftly. For !
the development and exhibition OF manly grace |
there Is nothing like the bicycle
ana Wlat universal courtesy is openly showed |
10 women In the Washington street cars, What |
a cont ast In manners TO Boston! There rows |
OF women may stand while men sit I'm their
seat; In Washington, the moment a woman
moment II there is no seat, a masculine move.
nent Is made and the woman is seated. I have
never Gen man permit woman or child 10
stand In car. | have heard much Comment
made upon ir by BOStonians. as II it were some
lhlng very striking, and indeed it is Surprise |
10 all who have been habitually accustomed
10 the way women arc made to stand In our
cars they say that women's rights has some
thing TO do with IL up north, that women have
taken SO much upon themselves that men rather
shrink 1rom Offering helping hand. Whatever
may ne the cause, the effect Is a very Tnarked
one. street manners are not on a very htoh
grade. strange as IL may seem for a cuiffyated |
city Ike Boston. There Is q courtesy wanted |
IN external things In Washington TO tnOutre
the way Ter a street Is to have a guide accom-
pany you nearly TO the spot gentleman
VINO dropped one glove In lobby OF the canitnl
had 10 thank no less than six different indi
v1duals who turned to tell him OF n. More
over, gentlemen do not smoke I'm elevators
ore question and have done Is Bos-
ION Destined 10 be burnt up7 Is it practtctnp |
Tor future confiagrationS? Else why are fires
RuDnc nres. kindled there every day7 / left |
BOSTON one morning while the fire bells were |
Lneing. returned TO fr two months after AT |
evening and the fire bells were ringing AZ |
Noon the next day the Tire bells BEGAN 10 ring.
starting westward I went into the conntrY
The moment entered the city three DAYS after.
wards, the fire steamers were rushing thrnn0h
tne strets In the Afternoon. At eleven
O'Clock that evening the FIRE bells hepan To rtnr
G0ntrast: During the course OF two months In |
washington there was one fire. It was In the |
upper story OF popular hotel IN the dayt1maS
The excitement over that IRE was Something
prOd1g1ouS. Every child In every mark svarSS
ra11n N - and uuh