Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-25
A Graphic Sketch Of Saturday
Night Along Seventh Street.
BUSFLING FHRONGS OF BUSY PEOPLE
Fun, Business and Pathos BIendec
in the Shifting Scenes.
UNDER ELECTRIC LIGHTS

1t is Saturday night. The last strains
of After the Balr'-maybe you have heard
it-are dying away on the hot air.
Seventh street. from Boundary to Center
Market, Is full of bustling humanity. most Of
whom are carrying baskets. boxes or bags.
and many are laboring under the weight of
all. Everybody seems to be going south
yet. but judging from the frequent collisions
many are going north. The colored man,
with his wife, his children land his sisters
and his cousins and his aunts," make up the
better portion of the crowd In the upper
part Of the city, near the o street market,
though the white man. with his relatives
and friends. are by no means scarce.
Every once in a while one is forced to
take a farewell glance at ones companion,
for the blockade Of human beings is dense
before some ''anything-in-this-wi window To-
cents store. and you may never see your
friend again. But IL one holds on to his hat
and grits his teeth he is pretty sure to come
out alive. If rather the worse for wear and
tear. Where there's a will there's always a
way even to get through a crowd on eth
street Saturday night.
A procession of banana carts comes up the
street at a pretty lively pace. Anxious
glances are cast backward by Italy's solemn
sons. while man with badge. club and po-
licemany tread brings up In the distance. A
philanthropist, in the form of an intoXi-
Gated man. Is casting dimes to everybody
and insists upon embracing every man,
woman and child that passes. This takes up
the policeman's attention. SO that the ba-
mana men cease their fight and resume
their call-'Banan tame cent a doz
Lights and shadows.
The barber shops are full of men anxious
ly waiting for the next" while the ice
cream saloons are doing a rushing business
off the young man and his lady friend"
who partake to the music of his weeks
wages. which he cannot resist jingling in
his pocket. There are other saloons, too.
The people about these often represent a
stage little farther along in rfe where the
LADY friend" has become a wife and a
n other. Outsile Of these doors she waits
for him to lead him home. Look for them;
count them: how many there are! Colored
and white play this sad part. There is a
little boy now waiting to plead with papa to
come home"
The Indian in trent of the cigar store is
the center Of a group of men enjoying the
weed in some shape fashion, while
they discuss Cleveland" "Eill" "Gorman'
and "Corea," 20 the jispleasure of a man
who Is trying to tell them a joke which
every one of them have read in the papers.
A man drops a watermelon dangerously
near baby carriage. The yell from the
little dark occupant attracts the attention
of every body but its mamma, who is absorbed
In making contracts at the. bargain counter
In a store. 1t does not seem necessary to
state that the watermelon was not entirely
lest, for male quartet Of pickaninnies that
have been amusing the neigbborhood with
dancing in the moonlight" remove all
traces Of the late departed fruit.
The vicinity of 7th and X streets echoes
with the yell OF a soap vender. He holds
his audience entranced while he recounts
the wonders of his soap. His harangue
brings in history. travel and strange and
awful truths. Time is too precious to wait
for the business part Of the operation, but
one thing Is sure, and that is, IL he sells to
all IN that crowd who need cleansing
SOAP" his is lucrative employment On
the next corner a hundred or more sinners
big and little. black and white are listening
to sermon by some good man.
Tonight the dollar mark is conspicuous by
It's absence. Shoes. hats, skirts, ties. and
shoppers are out to get, all bear the cents
mark. 1t may be Reduced to 40 cts"
Only 63 cts. :" Selling Out at IS cts" AT
Any Figure,
PEE The Babies Are There.
Each square contains three or four baby
carriages standing near the shop windows.
These carriages contain one and sometimes
two or three laughing, sleeping. crying or
kicking babies. Now. the mothers of these
tiny people have either to bring them along
to howl In public, or leave them home to
wall In private. They choose the less of
the two evils. hence the pity of passing
fathers and mothers or the INDIGNATION of
bachelors and maiden ladies'. .
A mob of slouchy men and a barefoot
dirty-faced boy escorts a policeman and an
unfortunate man to the patrol box. Some
observers SMILE some frown, few take the
interest to pity. How many are looking in
to that mans heart? Is he Jean Vatican
or a Bill Sykes? Have circumstances thrust
this. his first offense upon him, or is he
again frustrated in carrying out the in
clinations of innate vice?
That poisonous weed, jealousy, fiourlshes
in this street tonight. Jack and IAze Sam
Shorts best girl, saunter along arm in arm