Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-24

Peaceful PhiladeIphian's Penchan,
for priyacy

A Washington physician who recently re-
| moved from the capital to the sacred pre-
] cincts of Rittenhouse square, Philadelphia
! was relating in an uptown hotel last even
Ing his experiences in the quiet city found
! ed by William Penn during the first few
| weeks Of his residence there.
'Of course" he said, II naturally found
the change very marked in many ways
especially as to breadth of streets and
breathing space, for the streets are very
narrow, and the contrast with Washing
tons broad thoroughfares is most decided.
Il rented house in a fashionable neigh
borhood just off Chestnut street-a three
story house, three windows to a story and
two heavy, solid board shutters to a win
dow. eighteen in all. OF course We all
know how tenaciously Philadelphians cling
to these barricades. originally intended as
protection from prowling bands OF Indians
when the city was founded and maintained
to this day as a silent but effective evil
dence of the existence of grandfathers.
1T is high crime and misdemeanor for
one to dispense with these solid board
shutters a Philadelphian would no moro
remove them from his house than Turk
ish prophet would shave his beard. They
are as individual to Philadelphia as mag
nifcent Vistas are to Washington. They
shut out the light and the air today as
they shut out the arrows Of the savages
two hundred years ago, but tradition and
grandfathers are all-powerful
Il resolved to become a criminal.
II gave a master builder an order to
remove them and to place In their stead
shutters with blinds that opened and clos
ed. He gave a gasp and looked at me as
though l were mad.
What, he cried, when he recovered
his breath, take off the wooden shutters?
Every one I answered courageously.
Where are you from?
Voc II: ycrt an 4 lfaI 49,, T 1@I.
You seem to be agitated. What is the
matter; I'm doctor.
The builder wiped the perspiration from
his forehead and turned deadly pale
MY poor friend he said. and he gave
me a look which was intended for kindly
one. my good friend, the house you have
| rented is in the best part OF the city.
work for those people. II they saw my
men at work on the front of that house
taking down those shutters they would
never employ me again. and my business
would be ruined. You would merit the
punishment you would receive. Your old
patients would desert you and new ones
wouldn't come inside Of your portals
II confess that I WAS forced to admit
that it was indeed a dreadful picture, but
was undismayed / went over to Camden
hired a carpenter who didn't take such a
fatherly interest in my welfare. had the
big heavy shutters taken off and the reg
ulation blinds put in their place.
"An ever-changing crowd stood in front
Of my house during the operation. The
people talked among themselves, and all
sorts of questions We're asked. / mingled
in the throng that / might overhear their
remarks. The words idiot fool stranger
New Yorker 'Philistfne,' lunatic' and
other expressive adjectives convinced me
that 1t was good thing did not reveal
my identity.
THE druggist on the corner, who wished
to continue to fill my prescriptions, gave
me confidential advice to replace the shut
tiers at night and then 1t would all blow
over. Ny rival practitioners gioated in the
security Of their own wooden shutters 1t
was a cinch to them that I would quit the
town in month. The grocer mixed sand
In my sugar and lima beans In my coffee
and sent his cashier to tell me that was
crazy The butcher served me rump steak
for tenderloin to impress upon me the
enormity Of my offense. The plumber
charged me $50 for repairing leak in the
bath tub and SO for putting a new tip on
gas get. The coal dealer sent me a ton
Of slate and green kindling wood. The ice
man. however, was my friend. He said his
grandfathers never worried him, and that
he liked my nerve. He gave me an extra
regard. My near neighbors elevated their
aristocratic noses at an angle OF forty
five degrees when they met me on the
street and looked over my head.
well, I stood 1t for time. Then I read
the riot act to my tradesmen. My oldest
boy thrashed all the other boys on the block
one after the other. Ny wife soon made
around that though she had lived else
where most OF her life her mothers peo-
pie were Philadelphians. with q list Of
grandfathers a. long as the Atlantic cable.
That settled It. We at once developed sud-
den and unexpected virtues. My desire for