The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-21

town departments tells good story at
the expense of a prominent attorney of
this city Both OF these gentlemen are
suburbauites residing in Maryland. Dur
ing the last session Of the Legislature
of thar state = DfI1 was passed author
izing the commissioners Of Prince George
County to offer q bounty Of 80 cents for
each chicken hawk slaughtered within
the bounds Of the county. The heads OF
these ferocious birds of Frey were to be
presented TO the county treasurer and
exchanged for the coin of the realm
This disciple OF Blackstone is quite q
sportsman. and one morsing while max
ing the rounds OF his country estate he
discovered a pair OF hawks perched upon
a tree near the barnyard apparently hold
ing council of war preparatory 70 a
descent upon a brood Of prospective broiI-
ers feeding below.
1t was only question of a few minutes
for the lawyer to secure his t-usty fowl
ing piece and with a couple of we'll
directed shots bring the uarauders to
the ground
Remembering the bounty act just
county soloBs. and happening to have
business at Upper Marlboro that day. he
wrung of the heads Of the hawks and
dropped them in the pocket of his over
coat, intending to claim the reward Of
81 for the mornings work
Reaching the county seat. other BUSH
ness claimed his attention 10 such an ex-
tent that he failed 10 call upon the coun-
u treasurer, and by the time he reached
home that evening the matter had been
forgotten entirely. It happened that his
wife vas away on a visit and the attorney
had been suffering for some time with q
very severe cold, which circumstances.
seemingly irrelevant to the story at this
time, had a marked bearing later on. \
few days later the attorney donned his
oyercOat and boarded the train for the
city. On the train he met several ac-
quaintances, and he could not help but
notice that after a few moments chat
with him they would move to another
part Of the car.
The next day this strange conduct on
the part of his fellow passengers was. if
anything more marked. and upon the
day following group of commuters in
the waiting room of the station made
hasty exit to the platform as soon as he
popped his head in the door
He began TO be worried. What had he
been doing to be Stunned in This man
ner2 He made mental survey Of his
conduct during the past few weeks. and
could find no justification for this grow
ing eoldness on the part of his one-time
bosom friends. The train rolled up to the
station and the waiting crowd piled
aboard
Just as he placed his foot upon the
step Of the car the conductor took him BY
the arm. and saying very politely. This
way, please, Nj Blank, showed him into
an extra coach attached to the train.
Although he could see there were plenty
OF vacant seats in the coach ahead he
was the only occupant of the extra"
Another enigma. When the conductor
came in to punch his ticket he left both
doors open. and began 10 talk about the
recent decision Of the Board of Health Of
Louisville condemning the sale Of IimblIr-
ger On account Of the ptomaines found
therein. The attorney wondered what the
devil the ticket punCher was driving at.
day or two more passed, and driven
to desperation by the strange conduct Of
those around him he shut himself up IN
the secIusion Of his castle, and wired for
his wife to come home. That night the
riddle would be solved At dusk she ar
xived With fond embrace, she asked
If his cold was better. With a negative
answer he usheTed her into the house
As she crossed the threshold she gave a
gasp and with a prolonged -'p-h-e-w,''
began to open windows and doors.
There must be dead rat somewhere"
She knew there must be"
After moments pause. with a WON
ans intuition. she waIkei over to the hall
rack. and taking down the lord and mas
ter's overcoat gave it a vigorous shake
Out rolled the heads of the two barnyard
robbers. slain some four weeks before.
After day or so Of disinfection the law
yer was again persona grata with his
feIIow-pa passengers. but the State OF Mary
land IS one dollar richer by reason OF his
failure to claim a certaia bounty.
There was an interesting meeting at a
local restaurant recently and the attend
anee was at first confined tc g Capitol
guide. Library Waterman and Treasury
guide There were no casualties. much 20
the wonder Of the involuntary spectators
Not many understood that il was an old
dispute and not zow-fangled insurrec-
tlon
More people just getting to Washing
ton messy up TO the Capitol the first thing
than anywhere else said the man who
knows everything under the dome. 1T
not. where else do they go? The school
marin from New Hampshire. the postmas-
ter at Gum Log. Ga. and the young miss
from Chicago and the Christian Endeavor
delegate from Texas. ali pull up The front
steps half an hour after they arrive in
town It's habit all the folks have got
The first thing school boy seas in the
book is the picture Of the dome and the
annual almanacs all have it. The Con
gressional Record is supposed TO be the
official organ OF the American eagle and
all patriotic Americans believe the Capt.
toll Is the greatest thing IN the world On
course they are going 10 see It first"
The Library man was not dismayed but
rose up and remarked that man had TO
stay In town a day or two before be. could
find the way into the Capitol: that every
citizen who came could read and write and
loved organized scenery: that the library
was the best advertised IN the country and
the newest He knew the fresh pilgrims