Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
" III
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W ~sexsssxx
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'.,ThoSe three gilded balls make me think
of a pawnshop every time see them was
the facetious remark of a man passing the
W hit. House the other day He referred
To- the three gilied balls at the top OF the
iron ornaments between the large northern
posts of the White House portico Many
questions have been asked about these
balls with the object of aseertaining why
they We're placed in that position There
was no particular reason said an official
Of the Executive Mansion to a Star report
err They were put there since the war and
have no meaning in the world Ihey are
simply cannon balls brought over from the
War Department and gilded to make them
look pretty Without them the three pieces
of iron running up from the little IRON
fencing would look bare.
1t is said To be the intention of Colonel
Bingham. superintendent of public build
inzs and grounds. to some time replace
these balls with pretty vari-colored electric
lights which will look we'll in the daytime
and attract much attention at night
* *
You may talk all you want. said an
old steady theatergoer to Star reporter
recently, about the inconvenience and an
noyance Of sitting behind woman topped
off by a five-story hd-piece, but I have
found recently a new cause for complaint
one that, In my opinion, is more liable to
damage good resolutions in the matter Of
swear words than all the high hats in crea-
tinn. II ~ nothing more nor less than the
thoughtless-I wouldn't like to use
stronger adjective-man or woman who sits
behind you and INDUCES in the pleasant
pastine of making foot ball out of your
hat. that is innocently and restfully re-
posing In the rack underneath your seat.
IL it happens to be nice new silk hat,
then il is all the better, for silk hat at
ord in or a
speak. To get down to concrete facts. i
occupied seat in theater this week that
did not have the customary footbOard along
the baSs line of the seats. To my sorrow
l wore new silk hat. Just behind me sat
lady. She was with party, and, much
TO my annoya nce, not only fixed my hat so
that 1 was ashamed to put it on my head
until ] WAS entirely out of the theater and
had reached the friendly shelter of a dark
corner. but INDUCED in senseless criticisms
of the play in so loud tone to disturb
all within a radius of at least ten feet.
But the latter part Of that assertion.
friend Rudyard Kipling would say. is
another story Now, a little common sense
On the part of that unsuspecting female
would have told her that man puts his
hat under the seat In the rack provided for
the same: and, further. that she had per-
fe,t right to all the space under her own
chair for her feet but not the smallest iota
NJ right To occupy the space under mine. I
don't blame the lady If she didn't think.
but | do hope that the next syndicate that
erects a playhouse in this city will have
footboards along the base line of the rows
II seats
x
''rhe late Cen Lawton, vino was killed in
the Philippines. was we'll known in the War
Department. where he served as inspector
general for several years. said a we'll
known War Department official to a Star
reporter. ''and to that extent. If none other,
he is regarded as a personal loss. Outside
of ord Sob III 1;,.l;x
and courtly gentleman, he has in the War
Department a record as an inspector second
to none. Besides inspecting that which was
on hand, he had way of seeing that which
was needed and supplying it. He had a hor-
Tor OF old and worn-out stuff or junk as he
termed IT. and he consigned It to oblivion as
fast as he could. and never lost an oppor-
t1ldty to condemn while he was on his in
sp~cting tours when the circumstances war
rtn'ed it. Much Of the furniture and fix
ings Of the War Department had seen ser
vice in the old War Department building,
ana was removed to the new building under
the idea that it would be used but for a
short time A number of years have passed
ana much "f it is still in use though it
should have been condemned long since
pelES out Of date and in many instances a
hiHdranCe rather than assistance The re-
suit of it is that there Is quantity of fur
IIture desks and accessories in use today
- .'Vp,tI 'lhell anu lne same can
T." said Of the Navy Department that is
from fifty To sixty-ive years old. Necessa-
Fly II Is behind the times. No one knew of
th!S better than Gen. LAYTON, and had 1t
not been FOR him or some other progressive
nfh'tr but little of the old stuff would have
been sent to the junk room and sold at
auction, for it Is rather Ia rd 70 cast aside
AL SentiInentality in such matters and pitch
out furniture simply because it IS OUT of
date and announcement. i remember during
one of Gen. Lawtons last inspection tours
through the department. for l accompan MED
MIN and made note and record of his in
Specuon and recommendations, as we were
leaving one of the lower rooms of the build
Ing the gentleman in charge of the ROOM
an official who had served thirty-five years