Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-24
SUNDAY IN THE PARK.

L
SUNDAY IN THE PARK.
Morning Scenes Under the Trees in the
Smithsonian.
The grass is long and the trees are thick Just
now in the shadows of the Smithsonian Park
and the settees are in great demand on the rap
| idly summering days when the asphalt in the
| heart OF the city reeks with its hot breath. 1t
| is, perhaps, the coolest spot in the city during
| the warm weather, but now, when we are near
| the line, so broad and vague, that divides the
spring from the summer, the atmosphere that
| prevails in these leafy precincts is more than
| cool. 1t is languid and restful and as conse-
| quence stroller through the park has resist
| less temptation to sit down on one of the unin-
viting-looking bepches which line the walks on
| either hand.
AT ITS BEST SUNDAY MORNING.
Sunday mornings, when the skies are clear
and the air is still and rather suggestive of
church, the park is at its best Sunday last
was such day and it was scene OF the
greatest attractiveness that greeted STAR re-
porter, who happened to find his way into the
green-shaded walks at about noon. 1t was like
going from one climate into another to step
| suddenly from the sultry streets into the park
or just on the verge. man reading a huge
newspaper, part of which he had scattered
around him on all sides, was nodding and bob
bling as he tried to struggle through an edi-
torial on the tariff, or else it was account Of
base ball game the stroller could not see
which. 1t looked more like the editorial to
judge from the effects. He tried as hard as he
could for a while to keep his head erect, but
finally he gave up the effort and cast the re-
naming sheet OF the paper to one side and in
ranth 30 ~ L. -
| while the little birds chirped and quarreled
| and some OF them came down to the bench to
| see If he had been eating lunch and had left
any crumbs in sight.
THE CROW AND THE CHILDREN.
A large crow, that had evidently taken up its
abode in one of the tall trees, began to send
| forth his coarse cry to tell the world that he
was around. He came hopping down, branch
at a time, until he was almost within reach, and
| then he tossed his head and blinked his eyes
| and flew off to find June bug. In the high
grass, which waved with the slight wind like a
wheat field, some little children were playing,
picking clover tops and buttercups that they
found hiding amidst the long blades that tow
cred above them. All at once a child would
disappear from view, as though it had stepped
on the top of ptfall, but in minute up it would
come with its hands full of bright blossoms
| and happy little laugh that told of nothing
| any more dangerous than turf stains or grass
marks.
| TALKING POLITICS.
A couple of old men sat with their hats off
in the shade Of huge tree, talking politics in
a subdued tone Of voice, as if they recognized
the fact that such turbulent topic as that had
no place in so peaceful spot. So impressed
| indeed were they of this that they lowered
their voices as the stroller went along and
| began to speak of last Sundays sermon
| 1t was all sermon, there in the park with
| the great trees as arches and the birds as con-
| gregation, listening to the voice of nature at
| her best There were spots where the mower
had spoiled the peacefulness Of the scene by
| sweeping down tracts of the long grass and
making things look too formal for perfect har-
mony with the unrestrained breath that came
from every surrounding. The keep of the
grass" signs were hidden from sight until the
scythe had discovered them near the build
| ings and they stood forth as il half ashamed
| Of their missions.
| GLIMPSE THROUGH THE TREES.
| Occasional breaks through the thick foliage
revealed the glazing white dome of the Capt.
toll, standing out in dazzling clearness. One
could almost imagine that the Goddess Of Lib
| erty whose back is always turned on all this
loneliness, was signing for a chance to get down
| from her shadeless perch into the cool green
behind her back. One almost felt sorry for the
poor thing. The dark brown of the old Smith
| sonan building made a peculiarly restful i'm
| preston upon the atmosphere. The high tur-
rets and the castellated walls lent lust the lack
| ing elements to complete the beauty of the
park. But the observer of this did well to
| avoid getting any sort of a view of the newer
| buildings that have made inroads upon the pre-
cincts sacred to age and beauty. Their bright
| red bricks and their square, solid, Unconditional
| walls. unstained by time and fresh from the
| hands OF the mason, comparatively, formed a
| discordant presence that it was well to hide.
THE YOUNG MAN WITHOUT HIS GIRL
| The traditional young man with his Sunday
girl was in a conspicuous minority. The young
man was there, in spots but without the girl,
for she was at home getting dinner, or else, il
is to be hoped, at church. Later in the day
| they were there, in combination, in all the
glory OF spring clothes and all the happiness OF
Sunday counting. The park was given up in
the earlier hours to the older generations,
with their maps and their reading and their
politics, to the girlless young men and the
| children with their grass stains and posies, and
| 1t was all the better for it
NINE DOLLARS TO PIrTsBuRa VIA. PENNsYr.-
| WANNA RAII.RoAD.-On May "a, rs and g. 1890.
| the Pennsylvania Railroad Company will sell
excursion tickets to Pittsburg at 80 for the
round trip, with return coupons valid until
May 81, $780, Proportionately low rates will
prevail from other stations-Adrt
A Quick Barber.
From the Boston Herald