Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-02
AT THE SEVENTH sTREET CORNER
Sunday Scenes Around the Granite
FOuntain.

Sunday Scenes Around the Granite
Fountain.
THE SALVATION ARMY AND THE TRAVELLING
MISSIONARY wA0oN-rHE HABrTUAL LoAFER
AND THE BoorBLACKs-How A CROWD WAS
GATHERED.
As the sun slanted low towards the west,
marking the turn of evening, the habituai
ioafer iounged iazily up the avenue. He cast a
! longing look at the closed shutters of the
saloons as he passed between the lower streets
where they are clustered close together. "a
bother on Sunday" he mnttered, as he thrust a
chew OF tobacco in his mouth and passed on.
In front of the National hotel he stopped and
| leaned against the pillar. watching two little
bootbacks matching pennies on the curb.
'Shinumup boss" called out one of the ur-
chins, and the two suddenly stopped their
chance speculation and painted their boxes at
! his feet, while they tried which could get out
his carpet and backing and brushes first. SSH,
boss? s1ie" Both kneeled on their carpets with
brush in one hand and backing In the other,
and their white eyes rolled up in to his face with
expression OF eager rivalry. "Get out the
way he saiu gruffiy, as he kicked one OF the
boxes across the pavement. Then he limped Off
up the street muttering imprecatiOns, while the
boot blacks got behind the big lanp.post 10
laugh and make faces at him: While the little
urchin picked up his box a big policeman tap
ped him tenderiy over the head with his stick
TO remind him that he must not Obstruct the
rail on the corner to look into saloon In the
cellar. No one WAS there, and he walked
| slowly on, stopping now and then to look for
some companion.
AT THE FOUNTAIN.
At Louisiana avenue he leaned against the
! shady side Of the granite fountain and spat
tobacco juice at its base The fat boy sat asleep
At his fruit stand over the way, the hacks were
all gone from the stand, the broad space at the
junction was clear and the asphalt blocks had
been swept clean for Sunday. The fat boy at
the fruit stand nodded lower in his sleep, and
the habitual ioafer walked quietly towards the
hpgers pressed close to big yellow pear the
fat boy jumped up, and he walk ed back iowa DIS
from "Nikado." The Tat boy looked suspicious
and kept awake after tnis. The habituai ioafsr
Chew and spit, meditativeiy. Presently a boy
with bundle of tweniy-six-page papers came
and sat on the other side OF the fountain.
Il say, the ii be comm long dlreekty, won't
theye he said, as he sat on his papers to keep
the wind away. The habituat ioafer took
another chew OF tobacco and SAID nothing. II
say, continued the boy, "are you Il saliva
tioner?' The chewer made no reply. BECAUSE
If you are. persisted the urehin. you've lost
your hymn book" just then ii stray breeze
took one OF the supplements of Il "twenty-si y
pager" into the street and the boy ran ',fter IT,,
while the rest OF the papers went scraInbling
promiscuousiy about the street
CoLORED EXPORTER.
"An' he let all the res go, dat ne might skure
the black sheep dat had gone stray" quoth a
clerical-iooking coIored man who stepped out
into tine open space and placed his beaver on
the ground, rolling his ey es up heavenward.
Tine Lord am ightier tuan the sword.
ain got no college iearnin, but rs come all the
way from India to teach salvation. Wen sing
the 220th hymn" Saying this he took Il book
out OF his beaver, polished bis shiny black face
with a red hand kerchie,, ran his fingers through
his wool until II stood straight back from his
forehead, and, opening the Oook, began to sing
psaim 10 pOpnIar tunes At the top OF dis voice.
The newsboy gathered up lis papers and the
naDltuai loaler ofaced himself against the cor
ner Oh the fountain com piacently, as ii waiting
for something.
The salvationist sang on, and when he
reached the secopd verse the fat Iruit hoy had
assumed ivelier attitude, as Ii he expected
something, and the two boOtolacks came run
ming around the corner.
''Irs only him T. said the bigger one in dis
gust II thought they'd done coine?'
THE CROWD GATHERS.
The salvationist sang on, and as he sang
people began TO stop on the pavement Tor
a moment TO listen. Men came over from
across the street and gathered about the
fountain. Two or three 3outg men without
boards. who wore striped Calico shirts and big
pins and SNOWY finger rings, joineu the ha Oituai
ioaier. The bootbiacks Lesan To make Jun OF
the black exhorter, and Other bootbIacks and
newsboys gathered around to hear 1t. Then
the passers-by began TO stop TO sec what was
the matter. Soon "A crowd asSein bled.
Then two or three sun-burnt men, with shabby
clothes and dusty shoes, ana SOME with blue
flannel shirts with s.Ss'' on the collar began TO
push through the crowd. The saiva,ionisi then
laid aside his hymn book, and taking
up the Bible began 10 exhort. The SUN
burnt men with "Ss'' on their collars got TO the
il ner midst and placed their hats ON the pave
ment as the black preacher had zone before
them. When the exhorter took to psalms :s ain
they Joined i'll the chorus. Presently the black
preacher Picked up MS hat aud stepped back
into the crowd. Teen q short, thick-set maj H.,
with close cut hair and ed Nose, took his
place aud began to shout Violently ana sing
alternately, moving in the circle Oi the
crowd with violent gestures. the crowd
grew larger until nearly all The space was
niied. People going 10 the post office to
gel their sunday evening mail stopped. A
tootLless old man, with howing gray locks,
stuOd his beaver within In the ring, and tting
behind the eXhorler danced about, iOliOw1ng
hin, In every gesture. Presently the old man
took the ring In his own right, aud danced
about, ses ticu1ating violently While he shouted
III a Voice no one could understand.
The man with the shaved heao and crooked
nose continued TO TAX Oh salvation, and the
habitual ioaier leaned against the fountain
then he would mount higneg On the fountain
steps and LOOK up the street
THE MISSION WAGON.
Suddenly he jumped IRON the granite steps
aud rushed out into the open space. All the
crowd followed, leaving the exhOrters alone TO
gather up their hats aud Bibles. The sound of
many voices sinsing-nI st Ut them female
volces-came n,,ating through the air, and lour
horses dasned in tue SPACE drawing i'm
nense wagon full OF meu and women, old anu
young.
In the midst OF the crowd the horses were
hauled up, the wagon stopped, IA red-whiskered
man jumped OuL and scatiefed printed cifcu-
lars with ny III ms on them AMONG the asseiIl-
bied multitude. Every one i'll the wagon Was
singing. The habituai lUaier rushed .,nead oI
ine rest, anu got close to the wagon. Al first
ne stood on Ills tptOeS. Then tie got tine
wheel, and his eyes rested young Singer,
VINO sang very loud aud with her uer
book Whine his gaze WAS upon her, but stopped
singing and followed his every movement
when ne turned away ior momenL some
times their eyes met. They all sang: "IItory,
how the IA nxpl ~ linz
And the young man on the wheel joined in:
allow the angel singsr'
Then they AL sang:
Where the night dissolyes away
Into pure anu Perfect day,
am going home TO stay,
Meet me there.
By the river sparkling bright,
In the city oi delight,
Where our faith Is lost In sight
Meet me there.
The habitual loafer joined in, singing with
the rest, aud keeping his eye on the "angel"
When he reached That sweet passage
Where In sweet communion blend
Heart with heart, anu friend with
he sang with peculiar impressiveness The
singing ceased The boy at the organ in the
back end Oh the Wagon leaned his eluuw on the
Keys, and the reu-W hiskered mau began TO adj
dress the people. Tue habilual iua,er stood
watching the angel who peeped AT him from
behind her book.
| As the sun threw one last blush over the
maiden's cheek and dropped down behind Ar
| lingtOn the Jour horses were whipped up and
Inc wagon, glorious ia song. passed out oil sight