Evening star., 1901-06-29

:9,('}ii|rI'I:,!H'||
What has become of the button hook
asked a man in a downtown business
building the other day. Once upon
time every other man you met would have
a button hook on his key ring, and few
careful chaps would have one in some
handy place in his desk for emergencies.
That was because men were wearing but
ton shoes. But that day is past and the
button hook has vanished, presumably be-
cause button shoes are no longer popular.
The other day l happened to find an old
pair of shoes in my closet at home with
small hole in the upper of one of them.
They We're good shoes otherwise, and l
remembered that they had been particular
" comfortable. So l decided to have them
repaired and keep them at my office for an
occasional change 1 did so, and a few
days later. when my pedal barOmeters were
emphatiCally announcing the approach of
storm. / thought to change shoes When L
had removed the ones l was wearing and
had fished the old ones out of the cup
board 1 IpunQ tnaC the ldIIer were
tons | tried to fasten them with my nm
gers and failed. a matter of course. L
had no hairpins with me. as 1t happened,
and after some Intellectual searching
around my desk for belated button hook,
l started my office boy hunt for one
of those implements of antiquity He ask
ed every man on our floor, and even foraged
above and below me- Finally he thought
Of young woman typewriter in one OF
the offices several stories below and got
from her-a glove buttoner- l managed to
make il go. but under such circumstances
that i have sworn never henCeforth to Ven-
ture from home without a button hook
hitChed to my hardware equipment /
do not wonder at all that men do not want
To carry the things around if they have no
immediate use for them, because they are
perverse in their habits. catching into the
cloth of the pockets and causing many
loss OF cOir and small articles such as
every grown-up boy carries around with
him. But what / do wonder at is the
Whereabouts of all the hundreds of thou
sands of old steel wire button hooks that
used to rest in our desks?
Laura has gone away. Her absence is a
matter of regret to most of the employees of
the State. War and Navy Departments,
with whom she was a general favorite. She
is a slender girl, about ten years of age,
with an honest freckled face and wondering
blue eyes of great depth and beauty. Her
calico frock was always clean and she had
a bright smile for everybody. For many
months past she kept small stand Tor the
sale of apples, oranges, nuts, etc. at the
basement entrance of the War Department
on 18th street Nearly all the clerks pat
ronzed her at lunchtime and pit~d her
hardshipS during the winter, when was
exposed to the snow and the rain aGd the
chilling winds from the north. But she
smiled through it all and never uttered a
r.farr, ord dow
two ago, when she was missing from
her accustomed place, that it was learned
what a sterling good girl she was. Her
parents are poor and her father, being an
invalid is unable to work. There are two
other girls younger than Laura, and it fell
to her lot to provide the principal means
for the support of the entire family. How
Wei she succeeded is shown by the fact
that they have all gone to Colorado in the
hope that the father may regain his
strength and health in the dry. warm at
mosphere of that state Laura made from
81 To 81 a day at her humble stand and
saved enough out OF 1t to defray the ex-
penses of the trip. Many have marked
her absence. but few knew what a real
heroine that little bIue-eyed girl was
y New York man, who has written a
book. was telling about it the other day to
friend who had once done him a ser
vice
BY the way" said the author, Il would
be delighted to give you a copy of my
work if You care for it"
Il should be more than pleased to have
Il. was the reply. especially if you will
write your name IN 1t"
'AH right There is a book store lust
around the corner If you will accompany
me We Will 20 there and get it 1 don't
happen To have a copy in my office just
Row
After they had stopped to glance at some
"i lhe NV things in the book store the
author hailed a C.erk. and. pushing his
chest out very far. asked for the novel
that ne had written
Yes. sir" the clerk said I'VE have 1t
around here somewhere, | believe but
YOU are the first cne who has ever asked
Tor q copy, and IL may take me some time
10 hnd IL Wouldn't something else do
Just as Well? We have a great nany bet
Ter books at the same price"
Generally Speaking. said a weIl-known
resident of the West End to a Star re-
porter. I do not like to see one person re-
buked before others. no matter how great
the orense, but / must say that 1 thor
oughly enjoyed the outcome of a little in
cident Of this sort which 1 witnessed in an
F street a few nights ago.
Down toward the middle of the car
there sat good-looking youngster. about
HS'eI-tteh' ShouIa say with STEADY eyes
and chin that appealed to me. Behind
him were a whole bevy OF young girls
about his own age. At Vermont avenue
fine-looking man got IN and with a con-
descending nod greeted the younger fellow
and sat down beside him. Now 1 hatter
myself that I know cad when l see one.
and l had sized the big fellow up instanter
Why. Bobby. he said. isn't 1t rather late
Tor a little fellow TO be out% 1t was a