Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
IN FRONT OF A STORE

| "A great white light suddenly broke upon
me the other afternoon said dressy but
| bashful young married man, land when
| got out Of its rays formed this unalterab BILE
resolution: That the next time make a
date with my wife to meet her in front OF
| department store-well. I won't.
Before left home for the office the
| other morning my wife directed me to be
sure to meet her at a certain corner. in
front OF certain big department store. at
o'clock that afternoon, in order to try on
the dressing gown that she'd selected as
Christmas gift for me.
And ple-e-e--ease be on time she add
ed. as went out the door. You're such
forgetful old poke that want to impress
tne nour upon you-t-w-o, two o'-c-l-o-c-k,
o'clock. two o'clock-now will you be sure
to be there within at least half an hour OF
| that timer
Il promised. and bolted for the office.
got every man in the Office to scrawl two
O'Clock on his blotting pad SO that one of
them at least would remind me that had
date at that hour. and promptly at ten
minutes to two they all formed a semi
circle around my desk and bawled. You've
OF their lungs
i was on the corner. in front of the big
department store, on the minute My wife.
OF course, wasn't. As hadn't expected her
A1mlessly, to put in the time, and with
out really seeing with the eyes of under
standing any Of the details of the gar
ments was looking at, began to gaze In
10 window cluttered with a tasteful array
OF muslin. linen and lawn garments, with
trimmings OF ribbons and lace and fluffy
stun.
II didn't know that 1 was doing any
tning wrong you know. in standing there
and casting an unseeing. mountaineering eye
over those things-but 1t seemed that
was. all the same.
II first became aware Of my bold and un-
three middle-aged shopping women ranged
themselves in front of the lingerie window,
near where 1 stood. and began to hurl
dagger glances in my direction.
Common creature! heard one Of them
say:
IT s'pose he thinks he's a gentlemanr
said No. 2.
50 It's wonder he wouldn't tend to his
own business! remarked the third.
1t was only then that became aware
distinctly aware. that is-of the nature OF
tne window display toward which / had
been directing my obtrusive and impudent
glances. l could feel myself getting red,
and hurried away from that window In
my confusion. and utterly without any ma
hcious intent, I halted before the hosiery
window display, in which were exhibited
many seemingly correct models of the
female le-er-limb. I Just stopped there
Tor the purpose of gathering myself to-
6CtAOl dHu " lake a peek at my WaCcn, and
L solemnly asseverate that didn't rubber
at those hosierydraped lmb-models even
out of the tail of my eye.
But 1t soon appeared that had no right
IN front OF that window at ALL I noticed
three or four parties of shopping women
staring pretty hard at me as they passed
l saw their stares in the mirror back OF
the show window-but couldn't make out
what Id done to earn those glares of dis
approval until three blowsy-looking young
women with large picture hats covered with
imitation feathers lined up at the window
sinister dislike.
Il went right anyway from there. Imade
up my mind that If I wanted to keep myself
from being disliked by the feminine element
of the populace pa ssing by that store I'd
better not take chance on looking inro
any OF the windows, much less those in
which exclusively feminine apparel was dis
played.
$50 I trekked away from the windows
and took UP position on the corner, SO
that could command a view of the main
entrance to the store, in case that my wife
should, after while. remember that she
was standing me up on an appointment
Il hadn't been standing there long before
became vaguely aware that something
was wrong. 1 observed that large numbers
or the men and women passing by-partic-
ularly the women-Scowled most ferociously
at me. With some little ALARM I noticed
too. that the huge cop on the corner was
bestowing decidedly vindictive glances upon
me.
Il took furtive look over my clothes to
see If everything was all right, and 1 found
that no placard had been pinned on to me
calculated to arouse the disesteem of the
passing folks.
when looked up from this inspection
happened to catch couple of liveried foot
men. both with fur robes hanging oyer
their arms. pointing at me- and was ner-
fectly astonished to note that there were
sneers on the faces Of both of thom
The situation was becoming serious
And l was becoming sore.
what the dickens have done, or am
doing, to these people, that they should
appear to detest me SOP began to inquire
of myself
There was no making it out. I looked
around to see If any universally despised
character happened to be standing near
me- But no.. l was soon disabused of the
notion that the expressions of dislike were
intended for anybody but myself
Il caught four nice-looking young wo-
men twisting their heads about to cast the
most extraordinarily vindictive glances at
me. BY this time there was a lump of
wrath In my throat, but pretended to
swing my cane jauntily and to hum an air
in order to keep myself from running
amuck and Strengthening a few of those
folks who appeared to hate me utterly
without sense reason
But swinging my cane and humminp an
air didn't appear to mend matters any. The
passersby seemed to hate me worse than
ever for that. If any thing. A bunch of five
SouiS CHAPS SuOucQ by, ana they all
looked at me, positively, as If they felt
like punching me.
Huh! Thinks he's winner, heyY I
heard one of the young chaps say to the
others, nodding his head back In my di-
rection. But even then 1 couldn't make out
what allied me. After they passed the big
corner cop began to slowly edge over in
my direction. regarding me darkly, and as
he drew near to where 1 stood he several
times opened his mouth as If to address
me. But he didn't say anything content
ing himself with keeping a lowering eye
upon me all the time.
II was Just about to open up and ask him
what the deuce he meant by staring at me
in that queer manner when three jaunty-
looking girls swung by. / had seen them
approaching from a distance They had
been laughing and chatting merrily, but
when one Of them. in passing me, nudged
the others their faces froze instantly, and
they all looked at me with that cutting
maidenly disapproval that sinks so deep.
And in passing SO close to me that she |
could have knocked my hat OF had she |
wanted to one of those girls made a re-
mark. obviously intended for my hearing,
that Illuminated me with that great white |
oP