Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-04
THINGS HEARD
~ndSEEN


| being made with the call. One OF them
| said that there were a number OF cans
ahead of mine and that 1t would be prac-
| ticaIy impossible for anything to be done
| for some time. 1 explained in rather earn
est way to the young lady who was talk
ing with me that my call was an urgent
| one and that I would very much appreciate
anything that she might do to facilitate
| it. She very courteously answered that If
| it was possible to place it ahead of some
of the other. calls in view of the cfrcum-
stances. she would do So In a few min
utes she made the connection with New
York, and I was able to talk to the people
there on a matter of some financial impor-
lance to them. The next day 1 undertook
to find out who the young lady was, that
might express my thanks. 1t was impos-
sible to secure the name of any one, and In
a diplomatic way one Of the young lady
operators explained that the telephone girls
have to be very cautious In matters of this
kind. inasmuch as there were occasionally
persons bent on Irritation other mischief
that they did not desire to come in contact
with, either through the telephone or out
side after office hours. For that reason
all of them refrained from claiming any
credit for the courtesy they had extended
me. The chief operator however. received
the thanks that I asked to be extended to
the other operators who said she would
! make it known to them, but under the cir
cumstances it would be impossible for her
| to give the name or the names of the opera
| tors who had had anything to do with han
| QllnS the call. from Otner sources AFTER
ward learned that there are good many
| smart ducks who are continually trying to
| find some opening to f1irt with the tele-
| phone girls, and occasionally impose upon
them to an unbearable extent For that rea-
son the young ladies never divulge their
names to patrons of the Office who would
like to know something about them, no
| matter If the man who is seeking the infor-
nation desires to present a check or other
substantial gift
x y X * X
Here's yer nice, fresh hoot-ta -loots'
cried an old colored man the other evening
on 7th street "Git EN- while dey's hot.
Good and fresh. Dey's good fob de young,
and dey's good fob de old. Only three mo-
lef'; yer las chance foh fine hoot-ta-loot.'
What are you selling, uncle?" inquired
Star reporter.
"Hoot-ta-loots, honey" replied the old
man.
What's hoot-ta-loot?''
Well, dey's somethfn' like pie, only dey
isn't"
Where did you get the manner?
We'll. 1t 'riginated during Camp Alger,
over in Virginny; l used to sell pies to de
soldiers over dab, but day order
cum stoppin all de people from selling EN-.
So when 1 went home one day wild my
baskit full stead o empty my OIL oman
said she'd fix sum thin sos deyd not know
| what dey wus, an she up and made desc
ere things, and toe me to go back to
camp wild 'em. an | did De fus' pusson
l met when l got dar wus 'er doctor frum
one OBJ de Pennsylvania rigimints. He say,
'Jaspar. what yer got dar? 1 tole him
hoot-ta-lootS.
" 'Hoot-to-what?' he said.
Hoot-ta-loots. boss
"'Whats dey? he said.
% I doan' know zactly, sir. tJes try one
He did so. and den he say day wus all
right. an he up an tole me to go to de
cunnel fob a pass. which | did, but befo
Cn vi I-frx, a. ~ IL
wanted to tas 'em. an after he dore tas
EN-. he said, 'Yo kin hab de pass uncle
an after dat I wus in de camp every day
It'll de boys went away. Den l 'ceived de
idea of comm to de city an 'sposin' of desc
things. I calls em 'hoot-ta-loots. and ever
sence Sc been in business here l sells bout
five dozen mos every night. Yo wants
one? Yes, sir. Thank yo', sir. Good night,
honey
And the old man wandered along. crying:
Here dey is-nice fresh hoot-ta-loo.s
Only two mo- lef. Git EN- while dey' 3
hot"
at would seem that the Police Court is a
| strange place to go a matter of choice,
| and yet nearly every morning in both
branches of that tribunal in Washing on
| one will find almost all the seats outside
| the cage and railing filled with curious
| spectators"
| The speaker was well-known local at
| torney, whose practice is chiefly before the
| higher courts. but who nevertheless is fire.
quentIy seen at the building where persons
charged with the less crimes and mis-
| dcmeanors are brought for ju igment. Con-
| tinu,ng. he said:
| Evidently these curious spectators take
| a PECULIAR delight in listening to the testi-
! mCny presonted in the cases The STOKES
| that are told by the prisoners, relating how
| and why they came to be br 5ugat before
| boz t1rct u, 70, 81;
! lar attraction for great many idle people
| who put in a large share of he time on
| the blnches at the Pol CO Court.
! LAS a rule, these spectators are p rsons
| with a morbid curiosity which seems to
! sat ate itself with the ia es of how othe. s
were unable to Withstand the Temptations
| dent to an ordinary condition of life.
| For it is a fact that a large majority of
| the crimes alleged are committed in the
| ordinary course Of the prisoners lives. The
/ charges which culprits are arraigned are
| those of being drunk and disorierly quar-
| relng and raising a distu bance. fight g,
occasional petty It allng, and various VIC
| fations OF municipal regulations, all of
! which are inc dent to the average life. I
| mean that nearly every one is almost daily
| tempted has the opportunity, to commit
| a greater or less number of the Cffenses
| indicated. Every one do snt have a chance
| to steal a thousand dollars every day, but
J he dos have an opportunity to become t.
| toXicated, or get mixed up in fisticuff or
| to raise a disturbance, and not infrequently
| 1t is necessary for men of even great in
! tellgence and in high positions to ref ain
| from taking the law in their own hands to
| punish ano her, and thus lay the m civ 8
! liable to accusation before the pol .ce
| judge.
at is not for me to say that these NOR
| bidly curious people who, almost daily. are
| seen Occupying seats among the sp cctators
| at the Police Court are / cking II intelli-
| gence or are attracted to the scene of an
| others Judgment b. cause of their own
| criminal instincts or tendencies. But I am
| told by those who have given attention to a
| study of similar people that it is not in
| frequently the case that persons w a e
| seen regularly ou,sid the railing eventually
| find occasion to stand behind the grating.
and in turn defend themselves against
! charges similar to those preferred ainss
| other persons whom they were wont to
| watch from the outside in days one by.
| There is certainly nothing elevating to
| an individuals moral sense to sit and listen
| to the monotonous stories of another per-
| sons downfall, and why people persist I
| doing so Is a strange freak CT nature to
| me-"