Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-19

/ IYy 1fH magazine readers,
Du and she told me that
| l@- she found much of
- her character ma
terial in the street cars and the elevated
trains. Character study has become sci
ence with her. and now she readily detects
| or fancies that she detects-disagreeab
| traits beneath pretty faces, or lovely ma
lures clothed in plain features and shabby
gowns.
| 1T interests me-" she said. yet 1 am
sometimes sorry that have cultivated my
| discernment, because it takes from me
much illusion and, consequently, much
pleasure. Now, l suppose you would call
the girl opposite us, near the other end of
the car, pretty girl d"
| "Oh, decidedly" 1 answered, briskly.
"She has bright black eyes, a good COM
! plexion and a perfectly oval face. Besides,
she is quietly dressed, and that helps to
| make her seem pretty. Her hat is not
| tilted excessively on the side of her head;
| she does not wear pale, lavender or white
kid gloves with striking black stitching on
1.-THE backs and striking soiled spots on the
| knuckles. and she has refrained from dis
| playing a bunch of artificial violets on the
| lapel of her coat. These little straWs are
| waited by a wind that does not blow over
! the average street car passenger girl"
| Il wish I could see no further than that,
I
mentary to my mental optics. But to me
| the bright black eyes set rather close to-
| gether and the lips inclined to curve in
ward indicate a disposition of petty vim
| dictiveness. a nature sensitively alive to
| offense. l think, too that she is not a
very warm-hearted girl. that she would not
| follow a generous impulse, and, therefore.
| she does not seem pretty to me. l would
| rather give my love and trust to the
| freckled, red-haired girl just enterinS-in
| spite Of the scentless cluster of muslin
violets reposing on the revers of her seal
| skin jacket
1t Was the Freckled Girl.
I am always willing to bow to experienced
practical judgment but 1 like better to
have absolute proofs of a theory. How
| ever these came to my friends support
as soon even as she could have desired. AS
the train drew near the shopping and BUSH
ness districts, 1t rapidly filled to stand
| ing room only" At one Of the stations
| little emigrant woman came in with her
| arms full Of baby. 1t Is not at all comfort
| able for an unburdened person to stand in
the crowded aisle of a car, but 1t is quite
| a ceiling strap at the same time. Yet no
| man sprang to the relief Of the little wo-
| man. The freckled girf cast bright look
| up and down the car, as II to say, Il am
ready and glad to give up my seat. but
| perhaps some man claims the privilege"
| But no chivalrous knight came to the res
|
| shawl, motioned the shabby mother into
| her seat seized the swaying strap and
stood during the rest of her journey. she
! had, thereafter, no conscious air OF a good
deed done, only happy, merry look, as II
| thoroughly enjoying her rather unusual
| mode of travel.
| My pretty girl had merged her bright
| black eyes and good complexion" into
contemptuous surprise which corrobCratsd
| my clever friend, who said:
| you see, my dear. that tastes in dress
and tastes in deeds do not always harmon
| lie. But when l made trip recently on
| the Sd avenue line / had the satisfaction
| of seeing beautiful girl. beautiful cos
tune and beautiful soul shine out in
| noon hour. when tired laborers, harassed
| business men and women loaded with shop
| ping bundles were going home-everybody
| engrossed with his own fatigue or haste.
| There was one bright pa ssenger, however,
| blue-eyed, yellow-haired little girl about
| two years old. She laughed into the faces
| nearest her, looking up to them with
| happy confidence rare even in angelic ba-
| bies. The mothers face had look of in
| tense anxiety. which was accounted for
| when city hall was reached and she had to
| make the CHI inge to the bridge car; for,
| burdened with the satchels and incum-
brances of a long journey, in such crowd
| her difficulties were distressing. But. tuck
| ing her child under one arm, like a parcel
| of merchandise, and hugging packages in
| the other, she gained the platform unaided.
| no man offering assistance. Among the
| passengers were two fashionable girls,
| dressed very quietly, but with the expen-
sive simplicity that is the unmistakabIe
| stamp of wealth and cultivation Of long
| standing. One of them stepped up to the
| overloaded, dowdily dressed mother, and
| saying Let me carry the baby for you'
| took the chfld-which was no light one-in
| her arms and carried it down the long
platform into the bridge When mother
| and child had been comfortably settled by
| the lovely henefactress, who had secured
| q seat for Them but none for herself. her
friend said to her as they stood on the
| platform: How could :ou carry that be-
| grimed youngster in your arms?'
| Well" she answered reflectively 81
could not see poor little woman in such
| would rather carry the baby than the
| bags" Then she added, with a self-depre-
| eating lightness which gave just the right
glow to her heroism: Still, if that little
| girl had not had just such a remarkable
| rose l believe ] should have grabbed the
| bags instead. But for the first time in
my life was face to face with baby
that had straight. clear-cut. sensitive.
| exquisite nose, and intended to make the
| most OF my opportunity.
| Masquerade In the Garb of Truth.
'Truthfulness is a very commendable
| trait, but am afraid that white lies must
| be reckoned among my weaknesses-yes
| among my pleasures" said Miss Hazel
Eyes, disconsolately. "Of course 1 would
prefer to tell the truth; it is simpler. Be-
| sides. am almost sure that I would not
utter falsehood to screen myself or in
| dulge in a prevarication from a lack of
| courage to say what 1 know to be right,
| even though it seems very unpalatable at
| the moment. But those girls that plume
themselves on speaking their mind that
are unbendingly severe in their eandor.
| that blurt their strict veracity indiscrim-
| inately, no matter how unkind or how
undesirable it may be, have driven me
| into regarding fibs of courtesy as rather
| admirable little conveniences."
You are not untruthful," replied Aunt
Lois consolingly. Let US say, rather,
| that you have the art of stating the truth
| in such a gentle, agreeable way that it is
somewhat disguised, certainly, but 1t
frees you from the sin of wantonly hurting
sensibilities. That is to say, while having
the instinct to be true you have also an
instinct which I should be glad to see
victorious over truth sometimes-the in
stinct to he kind. The world would be a
very disagreeable place If the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth was
1lxy int tod Fal1o