Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-04
SUMMER CITY DIVERSIONS
treasures Near at Hsnd-The Parks and the
River.

N'HAT SHALL I DO2 WHERE CAN
go this evening? It's very slow, pom
my word" The wall came from 9 young fell
low who had walked up Connecticut avenue
four times and had walked down again four
times. and yet he did not feel that the diversion
was sufficiently exciting for . hot summer
evening.
TO and soak your head" This exceedingly
rude remark proceeded from passer-by who
had overheard the young mans complaint
Ah, but there's no good place, don't you
know" replied the other
But there was q drinking fountain in the
square near by and he might have soaked his
head II he had tried hard enough.
nevertheless leaving the soaking Of ones
head ont of the question. it must be confessed
that many men in the city in summer find il
pretty hard to kill time after the sun has gone
down. and especially is this true of truly good
men, who fancy that most worldly diversions
are wicked, but if You are only an average
mortal ana don't pretend to be better than
every one else you can find plenty to do in the
city In summer. You can. il you choose. 60 to
summer garden, listen to music and absorb
vast quantities of beer. Even without being q
roundef you can go to q summer garden and
enjoy yourself soberly and decoronsly.
THE MONUMENT By MooNLIoHf.
1t happened that the writer went up on the
roof OF one Of the high buildings here last
week when the moon was shining carrying with
him stranger, to show him the sight. The
fotomac was visible in the dim distance. so
were the banks of the Virginia shore, and the
washington monument lowered above every
thing. 1t was a truly captivating scene and the
stranger was obliged to confess that in all his
WIDE travels he had seldom seen anything more
DGan.liui. Does any one with poetic accom-
pishments read this? II So here is q subject
Tor poem. Let him call il the Monument BY
moonlight, and if the poem 10 half as fine 90
the subject of it, it will be great indeed. Talk
about the Eiffel tower at the Paris exposition
Why. 1t can't compare with our monument
The truth is that Eiffel had no business
putting up that tower. He only did il
TO see the monument and 60 1t one
better, If phrase that smacks rather
strongly of the Prince of Wales set NAV
De used. All the time that the curious iron
structure was being put up Paris kept congrat-
uiatlng Itself that II would have something
higher than the Washington monument. which,
up to the time that the tower completed, was
the tailest thing ever put up Dy man. Well,
Paris has got its tower, and now what will il do
with il? Is it to be a sort of elongated TOW res
taurant forever 1t is at present nothing in the
world but curious toy. 1t doesn't mean any,
thing. There is no sentiment or grand idea
connected with 1t. 1t cannot be denied that we
Americans were little put out and vexed when
we first heard Of the tower, but We can reas-
sure ourselves Frenchmen, and especially
Parlslans, grow tired OF their playthings soon
and they will soon be weary of their tower:
whereas We have become prouder each year of
the monument 1t has already passed regularly
into the speech of the people of the United
States. and Is used thousands of times q day
to illustrate great height and beautiful sim
plicity.
What has the monument to do with summer
diversions! may be asked. 1t has this to do
with II: 1t is a diversion that is worth taking
trouble for to see it on a summers night. Poo
pie go away for the summer to enioy good
scenery, while some Of the very best scenery
Is overlooked because it is literally at their
DOORS
UNDER THE TREES N THE PARKS.
There is another pleasure that is overlooked,
too. and that is the comfort of the public parks.
How strange it all is. A man will pay railroad
fare and submit to all sorts of bodily discom-
forts to get into the country, and will spend
his days with book sitting under the trees
and imagine himself having an ideal time.
But the chances are that he will not have as
comfortable a seat, will not be under as fine
trees Will not have much shade as he can
get at any hour OF the day if he will stroll into
one OF his own parks in Washington and make
himself at home. We do not appreciate our
blessings until We have lost them, and WASH
ingtonian never fully realizes what advantages
he enjoys In summer until he goes to live in
some other large city whose parks are few and
1t was happy description Of the capital that
was given by distinguished English duke,
who said it was not a city, but magnificent
park full of handsome residences.
PLEASURES on THE RIVER.
1t is only to silly fellows who five on abnor-
NAL excitement that it is slow here in summer.
Is it slow on the river in the evening? No, no.
II you are Of athletic tastes you can row a boat
as rapidly as you choose, and you can reflect
while you are doing it that you are pulling over
one OF the best rowing courses in the country.
After the race between Hanlon and Courtney
on the Potomac someE years ago Mr. Blake.
who ranks high as authority on such SUBJ
Jects. said that this ought to be the national
course for all great rowing contests. But il
you don wish to row you can sit still aud en-
Joy the lively water promenade that is going OF
about you. The time is surely coming and is not
far distant, either when the upper part Of the
Potomac will be as gay with barges and rowing
parties as are the water streets of Venice.
The simple pleasures that have been men.
toned here it must be remembered. are those
that come to the phiiosophic individual who
stays where he is and doesn think it paws to
spend money and time i'll going around the
country trying to enjoy himself. For the trav-
eler there are uncertainties. but the stay-at-
home knows just what he can do, and if he is
not happy it is his own fault.
Pretty Girls Church Ushers
From the Detroit Free Press.
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