Evening star., 1896-01-11

handsome couple they made-he, a we'll
groomed, white-haired gentleman Of per-
haps fifty, with laughing brown eyes and
a nigh-bred air-she, white-haired, too, but
with such a pretty young face-when an
interruption occurred in the form Of the
conductor asking for her ticket l noticed
that her color rose bit and was surprised
to see her turn her back on the friend and
bend over evidently struggling with some
thing. He looked in startled way at
her, ther his glance wandered nervously
to the conductor, tt ence to the ceiling and
finally settled on the landscape without.
Presently the lady came up bringing the
ticket. but looking red and embarrassed.
Her long astrakhan cape and the chair
back covered her so well that where she
was bunting for her ticket I could not
determine. but have been wondering if
she is a follower of faA1s as it has oc-
Cured to me that. If so. she must have had
pocket in her stocking"
X X X
Referring to an article which he saw in
The Star few days ago, relative to the
singular occurrence Of two new moons ap-
pearing during the past month, gentle
man from Loudoun county, Va, said:
"The colored people up in our section
have been greatly exercised over the matter
and many of them are convinced that 1t
portends the end Of the world.
Though the almanacs all noted the fact,
] think the colored people got their infor-
tlOh lTOuu dCtCd dl observation the
moon itself, and as they had heard no talk
about two moons being due, they natur-
ally concluded 1t was unexpected and
supernatural The matter is commonly
referred to as the two moons And there
are many who believe that there are real
ly two moons revolving about the earth
now, both OF which can be seen at certain
times, and that the appearance Of the Sec
ond one is the precursor of some terrible
disaster to come"
X u u
A cynic from the west Is in our midst,
and, like everything f1n-de-siecle, 1t is a
feminine follower of Diogenes that launches
her critical comments at our heads. Her
special text just at present Is reception
manners"
When you enter the drawing room on
one of the days." she descants, "you are
confronted by a long line of hostesses, So
called, at whose head stands the mistress
Of the house. Your name having been an
nounced to her, she greets you In man
ner perfunctory or otherwise, but, being
pressed by others in the rear, there is only
time for the merest exchange of civllities
That is the one bright spot in your call, if
you are stranger; for, in spite of the fact
that the rooms are throrged with assist
ants, not one comes forward to address
you or see that you are shown the hospi-
around there Is a buzz of conversation be-
tween people who are we'll known to each
other, but such a thing as an introduction
seems never to occur to them, while dotted
around here and there are other unfortu-
mates like yourself, gazing wistfully at the
inner set.
Another point that you may set down as
true Is that II any one makes break and
IL a novice herself, and that after she has
been more fully initiated she will stand
and stare superAliously at newcomers
just as the rest dor'
telling her that next year would find her oc-
cupying the vantage ground and surveying
with chilly glance through lOrgnette q
new crop of cynics from the north, east,
south and west, and though she declared
that her experience had taught her con-
sideration for others, she felt she might
be caught on the wheel of progress as 1t
revolved, and in its whirl turn her back on
this years bitter teachings.
X X
Eavesdropping at the theaters is not the
most delightful occupation in the world,
but sometimes 1t is unavoidable, as one
young woman in Washington knows full
well. A few nights since she was at the
play, absorbed in its details, when pres
emily in the conversation that was being
carried on behind her she heard her name
mentioned. Instantly, as the voice was a
strange one her curiosity was aroused,
and she had the pleasure of hearing nu-
merous details concerning herself. relatives
and home served up to her by a new ac-
quaintance, who had not recognized the
back of her head.
AS it happened, nothing very dreadful
was said, but the poor girl said her hair
stood on end till the subject was changed
lest she should be forced to hear unpleas-
ant truths and she left the theater that
night firmly resolved never to mention
anybody's name in public place, not
caring to figure in a reversal Of the Incl
dent.
Men are only boys grown TALL" runs the
pretty poem, and Senators in Congress are
no exception to this universal rule, If Sen
ator Hawley can be accepted as an Illus
tration. I saw him just about Christmas
time, with two or three equally sedate
graybeards. all clustering around a music
box, which played what seemed to be the
most ravishing melodies on the insertion of
g. penny in the slot. All went well for q
while, and, in obedience to a persuasive
tip, the music went on but presently there
was hitch in the mechanism, and,
though the pennies continued to be swal-
lowed with unfailing regularity, not a
sound came forth in response.
Then these Wiseacres waxed wroth, and
demanded either the return of their PEN
nies or a guarantee that the music box
should render an equivalent, and the last
saw of them tney were all poking at the
receptacle for their wealth with the eager
ness of boys who had dropped their pennies
in dust heap, and were determined to get
them back at any expenditure of time and
energy.
X X
A woman got into an F street car one
day last week holding by the hand a
sturdy-looking youngster, about five years
old. After the pair were comfortably
seated. the mother drew from the recesses
of a huge pocket an MISUNDERSTANDING
purse, from whose depth a solitary dime
was extracted. Thinking to please her
hearts idol, as the young man evidently
was, size tucked it into his chubby fist,
that he might have the pleasure Of giving
1t to the conductor. The gift evidently gave
great pleasure, as his hand closed tight
over it, and when the fares were collected
no powers of persuasion or force could
make him yield up his treasure.
The mother coaxed, wheedled, threatened
and finally slapped the little money box.
but in vain. The infant Rothschild held on
with all his might, and at the first show of
force set up heartrending howl. 1t was
evidently all the available cash of the pair,
and when the incident became embarrass-
ing to the whole carful through the moth
ers distress, a tender-hearted spectator
produced a duplicate coin, and when the
mother and son left the car the triumph
ant youngster made his exit, with his fist
still clinched around his money and de-