Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19
THINGS HEARD AND SEEN


Yes" said a man in q shoe store the
other day. Il like that shoe first-rate; 1t fits
well, it feels well and it looks well, but I
don't think 1t will do me-"
why not? asked the clerk, somewhat
surprised at the mans apparent contra
dictory statement
Because. replied the customer "the toe
Is too long. 1t looks very nice now but l
nave a short foot and in a week or so the
TOE VIII nave wrinkled and caved in, and II
VIII not only look shabby, but win wear
out much sooner. I like the looks of a long
toe-fact is. / hate globe toe or anything
t esse IN the stubby line. but have to wear
49,, Beg your pardon, but you DON'T" said
,, This time It was the buyers turn to be
quiringly. ~ q 70
Because It is just as easy to fix a long
zoe II your foot don't fill 1t out as to take q
the end Of the toe with q sufficient aGfount
OF cotton and the shoe will preserve its
shape perfectly. See my shoe? Now, I'll
wager dollars to toothpicks that I've got as
short a foot as yours, but nv shoe looks ali
rlsht because 1t has cotton In the end of It,
gu say you have a short foot. Well, so do
naiI the people that walk this earth, but
they either don't know this simple trick or
are TOO lazy to try it, and so buy shoes that
tney don't like or go around with q shoe
all creased and broken in at the toe. Not
shoe. but it's a good thing to have in them.
anyway. 1t keeps your foot from getting
cha1ed from too much crowding into a mar
row point and. besides it saves to a great
uesree the wear on your stocking right at
the place where the holes usually come. YOU
know, or. rather, your wife does Yes
sir, cotton In ones shoe is a big scheme-it's
big racket"
als,d.
There were knot Of men standing on n
street corner. One of them had Just nm
ished relating some experiences of a hunt
ing excursion which he had taken the day
previous down the river
SO you're sporting man. are you, Jack?
I never knew that before, really" said one
OF his companions. .
No. sir" said the first speaker. I am
I no, sporting man; l am sportsman. but
l am neither a sporting man nor a sport"
encew S"'' - 'i'e uine
The difference? Why. great Scott. man.
there is as much distinction between a
sportsman, sporting man and a sport as
there Is between a doctor, a cannibal and
q thief" The speaker glared at the Others,
put TIE nrst man still looked blank.
pause.
ITO be sure. It's something that every.
oody ought to know. but unfortunately lots
things. A sportsman is a man who loves
sport In its truest sense. At least l so con-
slider 1t. He Is a man who enjoys hur ting
nsning. camping out. and is commonly fond
OF otner athletic amusements in the way OF
noating, swimming, riding and the like.
he Is, pardon my opinion, apt to be a man
OF gentlemanly instincts and brains.
sporting man is an entirely different sort
OF Fellow. He is one who takes an In
terest In sports Of different sorts, although,
ne may not engage In any OF them at ali.
ne probably plays the races drinks hard.
takes In all the prize fights and spends
evenings w
ing else on hand playing cards and whoop-
ing things up. But sport Is on q still
lower scale. He is fellow who thinks
but runt He need not know anything
ABOUT sports or engage In them either. His
reputation will be won chiefly by his loud
dress: his hirtations with the girls, his
hanging round saloons and his general
worthlessness No, sir; there are a good
many persons who are proud to be called
sporting men or sports. but to call q true
sportsman by such a term Is little short OF
an insult Ia. ta."
1T. Is surprising how unkind ones friends
can be on occasions" remarked young Mrs.
Nfblets. 1T seems as IL they really exer-
cised wonderful ingenuity to make them
selves disagreeable at times and weddings
seem to bring them out in full force"
A murmur Of sympathy was heard from
the other ladies, who were drinking tea in
afternoon. Some Of them looked as IL they
too. had many grievances of the sort IL they
cared to tell of them; but Mrs Niblets had
the floor and proceeded:
Mr.. Niblets, as some of you know, is a
very shy man. and so afraid were we of be-
Ing recognized as a newly married couple
that We neither of US wore any new clothes
when we started off on our wedding journey.
Even our gloves were old, and am con-
WINGED now that We rather overacted the
Indifference OF old married folks
I'VE were married at noon and started off
on an afternoon train bound for New York
The parlor car was crowded and Mr. Niblets
congratulated himself on having secured
seats In advance. Just as the train was
about to start the porter brought in to me a
rather large box of flowers. knew IL con-
tanned flowers, for the florists name was on
the lid. put the box down beside me-not
for the world would 1 have worn flowers on
that occasion. for they might have attracted
attention. you know. By and by began to
wonder who 1t was who had been so at
tentive and decided that I would unite the
ribbon with which the box was fastened and
just peep inside. wanted to see the card
inclosed.
II took the box on my lap and undid the
ribbon. had no chance to do more for the
cover was 1erked from my hand and out
Jumped a Cupid about twelve inches high.
holding an arrow which pierced two large
red hearts! You can imagine our horrori
The whole car guffawed as with one accord
and all eyes were Immediately fixed upon
US. To add to the unpleasantness the box
was filled with orange blossoms, which fell
on all sides
How was it arranged? Oh, very simply
The little god of love was attached to
strong wire spring, such as Is used for an
ordinary .jack-in-the-boX The ribbon loos-
ened, Of course, he jumped out. Just think
Of the trouble and ingenuity displayed in
ranging it, Poor Mr.. Niblets turned per-
fectly crimson and know l blushed up to
the roots of my hair. The whole car was
so much amused that both men and women
stared at US continuously. We stood 1t
until We reached Baltimore, because we had
to. 1t was an express train. At Baltimore
we got out and postponed our visit to New
York until the next day. Who sent 1t?
Why, it was to my brother and to a wicked
cousin of mine that / was indebted for that
little surprise. But let them beware-I shall
get even with them somehow when their
turn comes"