Evening star., 1903-10-24
HERE A ND TIER E

Yesterday afternoon two clerks from tho
War Department were swinging along tho
avenue at a school scout gait. As they
passed the White House one of them waved
his hand toward the new driveway, which
had taken on an inky tinge from a recent
watering.
Pretty soon somebody is going to work
Off a campaign thriller about Roosevelt's
black road to the White House-but IL
won't be me. / recognize the raw material
for a slogan, but l can't lick the idea into
shape
Don't worry. old man. advised his un-
ambitious comrade; ''let history take its
course; and tell your wife to sew that but
ton on your coat before you lose it."
1t was raining and the car was stuffy and
damp. Two men. huddled together in far
corner. nondescript woman and a girl
with stack of school books had the car
to themselves, except for a crumb of a
child near the door She was pretty little
thing in snug coat, and she held her
bre!la carefully, so that ii wouldn't drip
on her frock. AS she sat she sang aloud
children do, apparently unconscious OF
her surroundings as If she We're a robin on
a bough. Her piping soprano went up and
down in a ceaseless. babyish treble. and it
was plain that both tune and words were
made up she went along
The conductor ignored the tiny offender.
the woman looked at her with a smile
which seemed to have a memory at the
back of it, the school girl grinned and
looked around to see how the others took it
and the huddled-up men had their say.
II suppose mumbled the who had
the velvet collar of his new oyercoat sop
ping wet, that l ought to be touched
by this innocent little sunbeam as to at
once repent my evil ways and go and do
something noble-but she doesn't happen
to affect me that way"
Just how does she make you feel?'
apin cd h..n nf hnr A'narn ~ fh.afi, coll
We'll to put it mildly, I'll second a vote
to chuck her out of the win in4ow--"
Me, too" said the other.
And the little child sang on.
They were strangers. and he was direct
ing her attention to the new executive
building. The small white ventilators at
tached to the windows Immediately caught
her eye.
why. Dixie, all the rooms are for rent.
aren't they?"
Dixie. who knew a thing or two. had "A
superior laugh at the small womans
pense: then wisely admitted that the ven-
tilatorS did suggest "landlady cards from
the avenue-as. i'll truth. they do.
shopworn saleslady was talking over
the counter to fine customer while she
fitted on her gloves.
Yes, | like my wOrn. she said. ir The
burst of confidential talk that glove fitting
often entails. THE hours are long. the pay
is small and shoppers are often trying. but
at least it is better than having To ring
door bells like canvassers and newspaper
women, or facing crowds and riSking my
womanhood, as poor actresses do"
The fine customer said something gra cious
about the satisfaction Of doing congeniaI
work, kept on chatting while her so bill
was being changed then swished her Paris
demitrain to her carriage and was driven
to the National Theater to attend a morn
ing rehearsal.
A stylish young woman in an ankle skirt
and smart little coat and hat fell off her
wheel in front OF a barber shop on + street.
A white jacketed emplOye darted TO the
rescue, and having helped the fallen to
her feet righted her wheel against the curb.
BY that time two other young women,
equally stylish stopped to inquire IL they
could be of use. The wheelwoman with a
rod of thanks to the barber turned her at
tentiun to the newcomers while they helped
her to brush the dust from her frock. Two
men on The opposite pavement stopped talk
ing stocks long enough to take the incident
IN
There goes another illustration to prove
my theory that women meaner than
men," said one. IF YOU or / had come IA
cropper like that our hands would have
gone into our pockets for a smile more
S:imula ting to the barber than the he
got from her"
Anybody to hear you talk would take
you for q cynical misanthrope Instead OF
the possessor of a charming wife and
dauS hter
That's it, old man. get my knowledge
from life
A small girl in a white frock. with half
yard of golden hair crirkling doT!n her
back, perched on the big green cannon
which guards the west entrance to the War
Department She was watching a process
sion march down the avenue. and uncou-
sciously made a pretty picture of herself
for two passersby to admire.
IF | was kodak fend." said the elderly
man. II would snap that young to IL
lustrate the attitude of this country to-
wards the nations of the world There sits
Columbia, ready to greet her sister nations
with the frank friendliness of a III i child.
but prepared to annihilate them in war
fare"
81 am thankful. interrupted his compan-
ion. that you are not a kodak hend
The ever busy switchman at the avenue
and 18th street who has been at h post,
winter and summer. rain and shine for the
last twelve years, was approached by wo-
man yesterday afternoon.
Every time l pass i want to thank you
for saving me from being run over u rev
months ago"
The switcnmans eyes Frightened. and he
touched his hat.
Thank you. ma'anl, that's one Of the
things I'm here for" and he darted to the
track and prodded the steel rod betw cen the
rails The woman Joined her companion.
i've tried to thank that man n dozen
times. and this is the best Job ever made
of it-I suppose even life-saving is all in