The Washington critic., 1889-04-25
THE TOWNS PHOTOGRAPH.


The lawn tennis season has fairly opened
and every vacant lot is in demand by the
young men and women Of the city. The
game is one which embodies the essence OF
true gallantry. The young women who en-
gage in II look exceedingly charming In
their briliantcolored, easy-ntting gar
ments. Every motion is dainty measure
In poem of grace. But the men--surely
the designer Of the lawn-tennis costume
was an implacable foe to manly beauty. The
neglige garb OF the male tennis always sug
gests the thought that he ought to turn out
the gas and pull the covers over him. The
ladies feel their superiority in the game,
and possibly for this reason are extremely
fond OF II. There are numerous tennis
clubs In Washington, and they are sus-
tanned for the most part by the interest
which the ladies take in them. The young
men follow as q matter Of course.
aSs
One Of the most obscure men in the
world is the street-car driver, and yet few
people are more interesting In their con
yersaton. From what he hears discussed
by people riding on the front platform, he
forms good, general idea of current events,
and often he philosophizes on his informa-
tion in manner that would do credit TO
statesman. The fact that he is working
twelve or fourteen hours every day, does
not seem to discourage him, aud he appears
to enjoy life as much as anybody. There is
one old man who devotes his time to max
ing verses, and from time TO time gets of
some remark which is apropos as well as
rythmic.
"Whoa, whoa,
What makes you act so,
don't know,n
is one of his apostrophes to his team when
IL exhibits refractory tendencies.
He makes verses by the yard, and some
Of them are extremely comical. He is an
odd character, and this peculiarity has
made him quite well-known throughout the
city.
"Mandy, jes come hyah to dis front doh
an see what somebody's been tryln' to do
to me,n was the cry in one of the alleys in
South Washington, popu lated principally
by colored people. An old colored woman
herself so that she should not by any mis-
chance step outside. To the casual OBJ
server there was nothing to excite alarm.
'Foh de Lawd,' said Mandy, as she ap-
peared at the door, "Deys gone an put
salt on de doh step. Who dye reckon Is
tryin' to conjur 2"
"iDeed / dunno.n
And after some futher speculation as to
who their mysterious enemy could be, Mandy
went out the back way, came around to
the front door with broom, and swept the
insidious little crystals out into the dust.
There is some subtle baleful power at
tached to salt which makes the average
negro prefer almost any visible peril to
stepping over salt that some one may have
sprinkled IN front of his door. 1t is one
of those superstitions which have existed
for many years, and which are as strong as
they are inexplicable.
ege
There were some funny things at the Ivy
| City races yesterday. When Wild Cherry
| ran away her jockey, who was blacker than
| bucket Of tar, exerted himself in the most
energetic fashion to check his mount. As
he passed the grand stand a man was heard
to remark very quietly; "Watch that boy
pull Blamed If he isn't black in the
face !" The horse editor of the New York
Star was on the spot, as were others, and he
was making note Of distinguished persons
in attendance. In his paper this morning
appeared, among others, this name, "Gen
eral Appahonear." Nobody could have
ever translated that had it not been that thu
reporter who gave the Star man the tip
happened to be on hand when the Star wa;
opened, and he said 1t stood for General
Eppa Hunton. The first straw hat of the
season, and the only one so far, bloomed
out at the races yesterday. A handsome
and elegant member Of the British Legation
was under It. 1t looked a little like 9
| crocus in January