Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-26
you gray-headed old rascal Then the enraged

you gray-headed old rascal" Then the enraged
female bolted through an aperture in the fence
into the ward where the inspector and reporter
were, ana ran into the house screaming out her
rage at every step She, was light coiored and
disslpateo looking mulatto woman. with the
dfshgurement of the lover lip that comes from
an indulgence In the vice Of snuf-dipping. She
mad been on a hostile visit to the adjoining
house The reporter peered in there, expecting
to see some white haired old sinner The gray
headed old devil'' had, however. been metamor
phosed into black young carpenter, whose eyes
We're rolling. and whose mouth was stretched
from ear to ear with merrlment as he indus
triously piled his saw.
BOY WITH KNIFE AND FORK.
Coming to another house, the only occupant
was found to be a strengthening, sore-eyed
child. tied up In a bundle of rags. The shape
OF the garments give noS clue to the sex of the
infant, but neigisbor youched for its being a
BOY. This creature. who had most serious
cast OF countenance was wandering glOOmfy
about the house with broken three-tined fork
ana rusty knife in his hand. He had evidently
been on an unsuccessful and hopeless search for
something on which to exercise his skill with
these implements. He continued to hold the
knife and fork in his hands. as if he derived
some satisfaction from the mere empty form
i mere was pile OF dirt and offal in the yard
=" men the inspector inquired of the luSubriOus
youth with the knife. and fork about this pile of
art. ne replied with a most eXasperating DELHI
eratlon, as II he were stopping between each
word to make mental excursion through the
mousse 10 see if he had forgotten any Granny
where piece OF meat or bread might be hidden:
e-peopie-leave-this -drt-here-when
Observation-Disclosures"
who is u.s." asked the inspector.
My-mottler-and-me
Inc woman in the next house said that the
ooy mother went out to work during the day,
that his father was temporarily absent on ac-
count OF having received sentence of six
montnS In jail. and the boy was lett In charge of
the family mansion. The inspector passed on.
leaving the boy still tightly grasping his knife
and fork and moving slowly and aimlessly about
the house.
NARROW ESCAPE OF BAR OF SOAP.
Nearby was house where lived thin, worn
looking German woman. The house seemed
more wretched and cherries than those where
the colored families lived. because it lacked any
attempt at ornamentatiOn. There was a cruel
NIX on shelf, and long Dutch pipe was hung
from nail on the smoky wall. Half dozen
dirty curly headed children hung to the oman's
skirts. She did not know how soon the yard
could De Cleaned because she Gid not know
where the money was to come from. Her hus-
band had no work and had done nothing all
winter except now and then to saw wood for
some persons AS the reporter was leaving one
OF the older children rushed frantcally to his
mother with the startling information that his
half-naked little brother was eating SOAP The
chlld mad evidently not been enlightened as to
the uses OF soap. The mother rescued the bar
OF soap from the dangerit was in OF being as
simulated into the system Of the young Teuton,
and the howl of disappointment set up by the
latter made itself heard for some time above
the parking OF the dogs in the alley.
DEAD PET.
In another house lived a young white woman,
who seemed scarcely more than girl, and who
was surrounded by a family of little children
Gut In the shed on an ash pile lay the dead body
OF little goat, still tied to post. It's shrunken
form suggested the idea that after vainly striv-
Ing to derive from the ash pile the nutriment
necessary to sustain life, 1t had quietly lain
down on the top OF the pile and given up the
ghost. 1t had evidently been a pet of the child
rem, and they stood about it now with sorrow
fuleyes. The situation was quite pathetic The
inspector, however, took an official view of It,
How long has that dead goat been there2"
he asked with some severity.
since last Saturday, said the woman.
The inspector said she would have to have it
removed speedily, and this the woman promised
to do.
THE BUSINESS HOUSES OF JACKSON ALLEY
There are several little stores in the alley.
The front window is converted into show win
dow by placing some shelving against it. On
these shelves are displayed bar or two of
soap, few sticks, of candy and other deicacies
likely to tempt the paates of the inhabitants of
the alley. Inside short counter the half of pie,
few bags OF salt and further display of candy
and the luxury known as ''horse cake" COM
pletes the outfit of these mercantile establish
ments, sign in sprawling letters reading
NO credit, notifies the public that business in
Jackson alley is conducted on the cash basis
THESE stores are run by white women. One OF
the stOrekeepers, a white-haired old woman,
told the reporter that business was not very
Dfisk: IT'S only two pennies or penny at q
time, she said, land oftenest only penny"
In some houses great louis of men were lott
ering about while the women worked. Every
where was the Inevitable dog, and the progress
OF the two visitors along the alley was marked
by the yelping OF each new dog aroused success
slvely from his reVerles by the intrusion of the
Inspector.
1here were evidences everywhere in the alley
OF the light, irrepressble gayety of the colored
people. Carcatures were chalked on the walls
ana FENCES. On the door of one howell were
painted the words:
''THEATER BOX NO. CO."
As the inspector and reporter were leaving the
alley half dozen tattered urchins congregated
at the cross roads in the center and began a
game OF ball with ball as ragged as themselves.
and bat made of barrel .stave. Their sport
was genuine, and their laughter boisterous and
hilarious,
From JacksOn's alley the reporter accompa-
MED the Inspector on trip to make number
of special inspections Finally they came to
Prather's alley where the scenes were similar to
those OF Jackson alley. A conspicuous sign on
one of the stores in the alley reads: Groceries
and Cooked Vittles." Cooked '.vittles" are eyi-
IDENTITY considered a luxury Emerging from
Prathers alley the inspector announced his tour
of inspection over for the day, and repaired to
the health office, where such incidents of the
morning trip as are regarded as of official inn
pOrtance can be found duly entered in the in
teresting records Of the office. under the heads
''nusances reported" 'nuisances inspected. ~
and 'nuSances abated"
Goodnight.
Written for THE EVENING STAR:
Goodnight, beloved! the tender night is falling