The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-02
How a Balloon Mar Came to Grief.

How a Balloon Mar Came to Grlef.
Last Monday morning, shortly after the
parade attending the arrival of Prince
Henry of Prussia was over, crowd OF
High School cadets were sauntering down
Pennsylvania Avenue, looking for amuse-
ment. Near tie corner OF Ninth Street
they encountered an Italian balloon
man." The old man had thirty of the
little colored spheres, attached to as many
fine strings. The balloons were bobbing
and swaying about over the old fellows
head and he had the bunch of strings
wound about his hand to hold them.
One of the cadets spied the Italian,
and stopped his companions. hasty
conversation followed. Finally one Of the
boys drew out his pocket knife and held
it concealed in his hand.
The crowds in the neighborhocd of the
tradesman were particularly thick, and
were pushing and swaying against him
as they passed. The cadets Joined the
throng and worked up to the Italian
When they were opposite him the boy
with the knife reached out and quickly
cut the bunch Of strings.
Executed a War Dance.
The balloons were fully a hundred feet
in the air before the old man realized
what had happened. He suddenly uttered
ii FltIEllE HlAil Zen anu ~ dAls mum Aht
pavement as though there were a possi-
bility of clutching his fast retreating
stock in trade. Then he proceeded to eX-
ecute war dance upon the sidewalk,
wringing his hands and hurting maledic
tions IN his native tongue upon the per-
son who had been the cause of all his
woe. For several minutes he kept this
up, greatly TO the satisfaction of the
cadets and the throngs of others who
ctr n the Md fcilNW
Finally. when the boys decided that
they had enjoyed their prank sufficiently,
they took up a collection for the Italian.
The amount raised was fully as much as
he would have obtained from the sale Of
his property. The tradesman was highly
pleased with the muniacence of the young
"Signors,' and promptly ceased his la
mentations.
Considerable difficulty was experienced
last Monday in keeping the schools in
session owing to the tendency of the
pupils to play truant." Crowds of the
cadets and other boy pupils, besides a
large number of girls, formed the notion
that they desired to see Prince Henry,
and remained away from the schools.
Consequently the classes were somewhat
depleted. Tho teachers and principals
pretended TO be very, very wrathful over
the matter, but out OF the hearing Of their
pupils they admitted that had they been
young they would have played truant"
too
The following letter was received from
a young Washington school girl one day
last week :
editor Of The Times:
81 want to tell you something. I'm a
school girl, and papa and mamma say /
don't observe anything, but just go about
with my head in the air and don't learn
in school or out by using my eyes or my
puf 7 fn a III the and | don't
talk blue streak without any commas
or semicolons or periods, either, as my
brother Phil says.
THE funniest thing happened to me
the other day that you ever heard OF. !
was standing in crowded CIR and every
woman in the aisle was hanging on like
pitch. There was only one man in the
car, and he sat there like a China doll
and never even looked up, but kept twist
ing around and looking out of the win
dow, and bowling and smiling at men as
they got on and stood on the platform. ]
bumped up against his striped trousers
until my face was az red as an auction
flag and / stood on his toes and elbowed
and punched his silk hat, but he never
looked up to see me laughing,
He had peachy cheeks, parrot nose
mouth shut worry tight, and he looked SO
happy. Papa told me one day since when
we met this funny man that he was a
Senator and that he was bis colleague Il
believe that Is what he called III in Con-
gress. I've looked that word up in the
Century Dictionary, SO / know 1t is all
right, He got off the car (the peachy
mani away up on Connecticut Avenue at
\ Street, and just dropped into his seat
and took oil my gloves and counted six
blisters on my right hand, where / had
hung onto the strap as the car swung
around the corners.
II hope dear little Mrs. Senator will
have to stand as long some day when my
papa has seat, and she is hanging onto
q leather strap.
"Gocd-by, dear Editor. School girl.
"BLUET BYRNES."
Longing for Approach of Easten
The pupils of the rapIlo schools
throughout the entire city are looking
forward with tie Greatest expectancy to
the long ysrGtion at Easter, The holt
days Is tlat time will begin March n,
S4Q"wiil cpntinpe until April z, This rest
from Study and school worries comes
Just at the tipe that It is most desired by
the pupils. and they invariably begin to
leek forward TO the Esster holidays as
souh as the Christmas vacation is ever,
Many Of the pupils leave the city for a