Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-21

efforts they make in advertising their own bust
ness. As to the best form Of sign there will al
ways be a wide difference of opinion. One
artist asserts that plain gold letters
on a black ground make the handsomest
and most appropriate signs for almost any
kind of business, and this style seems to be the
favorite here Bnt there are enough of other
sorts TO dispel any appearance Of samenes5 in
the mass of these indispensable adjuncts to
trade that adorn our business thoroughfares
Seventh street has probably the greatest
variety within certain lines. the avenue and
street the highest artistic displays, while
some out-of-the-way streets afford some rare
treats IN the way of originality aud illiteracy
combined,
ODD SIGNS IN THIS CIT.
A unique specimen is the announcement OUT
side of little shop in the extreme end of South
Washington, consisting Of simply three oyster
shells nailed to board-expressiye if simple On
II street not far from 9th dealer. who has also
the courage to operate the paint brush. ex-
presses his contempt for the ordinary rules of
competition in these succilct terms: '.Feed-
wood and coal" Down near the wharves is a
Sign board announcing in bold and irregular
cEarac tiers that Sandwiches and softdrinks''
mag be had within. Another within hailing
distance informs the public that ''cigars and
tobacco confectionery are on sale. Devil
crabs is 30 common tina. it excites no remark
In an alley near the government printing Office
there used TO be board, over the door Of
little tenement, that has acquired quite ma
tonal reputation. 1t bore the simple words
Coin Out Whitewashin' Don Hear" The
printers soon got onto il" and from them it
reached the newspaper men and was made
famous. Away up 9Th street n gentleman in
terested IN wearing apparel displays huge
tin fish in front OF his place with the word
Clothing" painted on it. The natural if
violent inference might be that some kind of
garment for either the finny tribe or anglers
tr-ta fol oh n1 tho<
the proprietor's name is Fish" There used
to be on ] street near the treasury sample
room with the odd name of The Office" en-
blazoned over its portal. 1t was quite,
conysnienee for thirsty clerks, who
been in The Office" even if not at
their desks. 1t seems 10 have been modelled
after famous hostelry in Norwich known as
Nowhere" for the benefit OF laseard hus-
bands in answering their helpmeets inquiries.
The Last Chance saloon that used to flourish
on the avenue at the foot of the Capitol was an
example of the fitness of things TO thirsty souls,
as on the reverse of the sign coming down the
hill appeared the words The First Chance"
1t has disappeared in the march Of improve
ments and has left no successor.
Another old-timer on the avenue was a
picture OF the sun and under it the words
The best Tiquors under the sun" clearly an
importation from England, where devices OF
this kind die hard. The trite announcement
tnat USED 10 De common IN taVernS ana small
shops, pay today: we trust tomorrow" seems
to be Of classic origin, for Fabius relates that
wine shop in Rome bore the device of a cock,
with this inscription beneath it: when the
cock crows credit will be given"
SIGN THAT Used TO BE POPULAR.
The old changeable or dissolving sign that
shows three different pictures or announce
ments according to the point of view, and WINS
considered a wonderful piece of art in our
fathers days. has almost entirely disappeared.
There is but one in this city. Up Sd street there
has stood for these many years over pharmacy
door a sign board inscribed Druggist and
Apothecary." When twitted about the re-
dundancy of this announcement, the pro-
prletor, n well-read man, replied: "A druggist
sells drugs: an apothecary compounds prescrip-
tons. do both and | want the people to
know it
On Louisiana avenue opposite Harris
Jheater Is relic of war times in queer-looh-
ing sign painted on the wall of one of the old
bricks now occupied as commission houses.
The huge letters. blurred and defaced. cover
ing a space OF fully thirty feet. look like a
puzzle from across the street, and
1t requires close examination to decipher them
as proclaiming business that fiourished best
when death reaped his greatest hsrvests. They
have stood there over a quarter OF a century
and thousands of passers-by on the crowded
avenue, from which they are plainly visible
have thought 81 wonder what that is, anyhow"
and gone on and forgotten it. As the inscrip-
ton Is easily decipherable from the sidewalk
beneath it, in all its grisly suggestveness Of the
old days Of bloodshed and slaughter, ii is left
without further explanation for the inspection
of HE STAR readers interested.