Evening star., 1902-03-22

Secretary Root is generally recognized as
one of the hard-working members of the
cabinet. Indeed some of his friends have
felt called upon to warn him that his exer-
tions in the interests of the War Depart
ment often carry him past the line of pru-
dence But the Secretary has been known
to rest his brain when the fact is entirely
unSuspectod A short time ago a delegation
from one of the southern states called upon
him to urge the establishment of a large
camp in a certain part of their state. AL
most Immediately after they had left the
department a newspaper man saw the Sec
retary and asked: Mr.. Secretary, In what
part of - did they want the camp locat-
ed?" Mr. Root looked lust the tinieSt bit
embarrassed Then he came out with it.
Honest | do not know he said.
They had talked it to him for nearly half
an hour, and he had not heard it.
'I don't carry a watch" said a newspaper
man who works on afternoon paper,
but / can always tell whether l am on
,ime with my work or behind. Every
morning, for instance. one of the big Iron
vans of the Treasury Department. covered
with armed guards and filled inside with
valuables of the government, drives up
Pennsylvania avenue on its way to the
treasury. l suppose 1t comes from the de-
pots down town At any rate, if | am on
time meet that van on the avenue on my
way to work but If | am late notice from
my car either the big van nearing the
treasury see it backing up to the doors
to unload. So l hustle to get to the office.
The van is nearly always regular
Another incident occurring each morn
ing tells me whether or not | time.
] live out at Mt. Pleasant, and when | am
on time | meet a mail car on its way west
on Pennsylvania avenue about 11th or 18th
streets. This car is always on time and
passes these two points about $40 each
morning If l find the car stopped at the
corner of and 18th streets putting off
mail for the subpost office F street l
know that l am late. | ought to be
further down the avenue at that time in
the morning. Thus can judge time by
the regularity of animate and inanimate
beings that required to be time. l
don't know what / would do without the
treasury van or the mail car my time
piece. Without these suppose would be
put to the heavy expense of buying a dollar
watch"
Some queer things come under the OBJ
servation of street car conductors. l assure
you" said one of the conductors of the
City and Suburban line. Il know that
there is always something being said about
how women do street cars: the reason
men don't get up and give their seats to
women: the fact that women seldom move
to furnish seats to men. &c, but none of
these is half so funny to my mind as
watching the movements Of women In pass
ing in and out of the front doors of cars in
the winter time. 1t is almost the invarahle
rule with man to close the door after him
If he gets out the front of coming
into the city. Many people do go out the
front door. and men rarely fail to remem-
Der that there are passengers inside the
no. a f,,1 fl,o 1vn,. .rvI,k
able Not one woman in a hundred will
pull the door to as she goes to leave the
car She either doesn't think about 1t at
all. is careless OF the passengers left be-
hind or thinks the business of the mot or
man is to reach behind him and close the
door each time. Well. the motorman doesn't
always do so. and the brief remarks of
some of the men sitting near the door are
warmer than the cold air flowing in through
the door. / never know how to account for
these things. woman Is supposed to be
the most thoughtful and considerate Of the
two sexes the one most careful of the feel
j say to you and see how many women you
will notice do as / tell you
THE good old days" observed the quiet
man who generally constituted the audi
ence when all the members were present
of the loquaciou group that met at lea st
once week in a certain corner Of the
club.
One of the irrepressibles was just then
reminded OF an incident that occurred some
thirty years ago and felt that 1t was his
duty to at once communicate it to a wait
ing world. While a quiet man the first
speaker is a person of decision and fixing
a steady gaze upon this bold invader of
his conversational rights. the threatened
interruption died away
"As l was saying" he continued calmly