Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-12

them something to eat without charging
them for 1t.
On California day. when the commission
ers from that state distributed free fruits
to all corners, there was scarcely a person
among the vast throng that had been COM
PEELED to go without breakfast. With pos
'sibly a few exceptions. every man, woman
and child had enjoyed three square meals
day for their entire life, and were as
sured of regular rations for the future, and
80 per cent of them were we'll dressed,
Well-to-do, educated people-and yet the
famine-stricken Hindus of India could not
have struggled more fercely for food. and
II the man In the moon had dropped down
at that time he would have had a right to
infer that the entire crowd was dying of
starvation.
Far From the Madding Crowd.
spectator tells of seeing an elderly
woman Of respectable appearance whom she
saw sitting on the grass outside the build
ing an hour or two after the grand rush.
She had two small punches of grapes and
two oranges, which she had thrown care
lessly on the turf, while she contempla ted
a black silk dress that was torn almost to
tatters and the ruins of what had once been
g. straw hat trimmed with lace. A man sit
ting beside her was bemoaning the fact
that he had lost a pair Of SIS eyeglasses,
and as he did not bring a duplicate pair
with him he feared that he would not be
able to see anything more of the eXposi-
ton. He said he intended to go downtown
Immediately to see if he could buy a new
pair of glasses to fit him, but he feared
they would have to be made, and he would
have to wait for them three or four days
without being able to read the newspapers
or see a thing.
81 had an awful time the woman said
Il don't know what possessed me to get
into that mob. and 1 am thanful to have
got out of 1t without being hurt, although
my dress and my hat are ruined and have
lost five-dollar shell comb that my daugh-
ter gave me for Christmas present. Lots
of people were actually fighting for that
fruit. and woman near me had a fit of
Mysteries. L tried to quiet her, and told her
to keep hold of my arm and l would get
her through, but they damned us nearly to
1 didn't know what would happen. But
could not get out or turn back. and so 4
just fought my way through. dragging that
woman after me-.
Such scenes occur every time anything is
given away, and the damage done to cloth
ing In these rushes is always greater than
the value of the fruit and other articles
distributed.
The Men From Missouri.
AS rule, however. the crowds are very
we'll behaved and. take an intelligent inter-
est in everything. You can tell a Missou-
rian as far as you can see him by the air
of superiority and proprietorship that he
assumes. He seems to feel that he has
rights and privileges at the exposition to
which ordinary people are not entitled, and
he walks boldly up to the men in charge
of the exhibits and he says:
I'm from Mizzoory, and I want to be
showed"
He takes it all in, and his wife and daugh-
tiers and little boys and sometimes a baby,
to thn of
their personal responsibility.
THE airs them MiZZoorians put on is
perfectly awful said girl who was at
tending machine which makes spun
candy. Dye see that great big old gawk
goin' along there? He actu'lly got mad
when 1 wouldn't give his children some of
this spun sugar without his payin' for it.
He said he wuz from Mizzoory, and If
gave him any back talk he'd report me to
the officials. Them Mizzoorians act as if
they own the EARTH
1t is interesting to watch people going
around with their hands and arms full of
souvenirs, and they seem to be indignant
and feel injured when they reach an eX
hibitor who has not anything to give away.
Most of them carry big pasteboard boxes,
in which sandwiches are packed by some of
the restaurant people. You can buy them
at several stands in different parts of the
grounds, and they serve a double purpose,
for, after the lunch is eaten, the box makes
a convenient receptacle for the souvenirs.
A Ways Joke.
The other afternoon a typical Missourian
with his wife and fifteen-year-old daugh-
ter were gazing at the diamonds, pearls and
other jewels in the mining building, when
a wag walked up and stood beside them.
He watched their eager eyes and the adj
miration that was expressed in every line
upon their faces, and then, taking his watch
from his pocket, glanced at the time and
remarked quietly:
They're goin' to give em away at 3
O. o'clock"
the woman edged up a little nearer and
gasped:
What's that?"
Coin ter give 'em away at o'clock
Them diamonds and rubies!" exclaimed
the astonished woman. They're worth
millions"
mo they amt" returned the wag; they
are fakes, and they give EN- away for 500
veneers at o'clock every Thursday after
noon and put in a new lot the next morn
in.'
Then looking at his watch again he OBJ
served:
II amt got much time, but I don't want
to miss it. l got pair of dandy diamonds
last week, and I'm goin' to have 'em set
for sleeve buttons. I'll jest step out and
ask the guard when it's goin' to begin,"
and with that he walked away.
Then ensued heated controversy be-
tween husband and wife. He did not be-
lieve a word of the story, but she was con-
WINGED of it's truth, and the daughter sup
ported her with convincing arguments and
references to the other beautiful things they
had seen distributed among the crowds.
Finally the man got mad and went away,
leaving the woman and the girl waiting in
an anxious but determined mood. The wag
did not reappear. but / am sure he must
have watched his victims from some place
of concealment, and wonder If he realizes
how near he came to breaking up happy
family.
George Gould in Train Wreck.
A dispatch from Little Rock, Ark, last
night SAYS: A report was received here to-