Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-19
JUST A BIT STUBBORN


than in any other American city or capital.
Pedestrian rule-of-th e-road cranks, that
is.
Technically. legally, morally and in some
other respects the walking rule-of-the-road
crank is right. He is also very pig-headed
and infiexible. He has little or no saving
sense OF humor. And his keep-to-the-right
hobby grows upon him until at length he
loses all the fun and benefit of his walks In
his invincible determination that nobody
coming from the opposite direction is going
to be allowed to pass on the wrong-of.
rather, the right-side of him.
At about a quarter of 8 yesterday morn
ing big. square-chinned man swung along
Pennsylvania avenue in front of the White
House. He was walking toward the east
1t was obvious. from the closeness with
which he stuck to the coping of the White
House fence that he was keeper-to-the-
right stickler. And he looked like one of
'em who would maintain his rule-of-the-
road prerogative with the last drop OF blood
in his veins.
Approaching him from the opposite drec
ton. and therefore walking toward the
west. was another broad-shOuldered man,
with ruggedly set jaw.
Now, 1t was OF course up to this man
going west to pass to the right, and to per-
nit the man going east to retain the rail-
the coping, that Is to say.
But he didn't.
He gave no indca ton whatever that he
was going to do any such thing as he
bore down upon the rule-of-the -road crank
He was close to the fence coping himself.
and his whole attitude as he approached
the man walking east was that he intended
to stick to the coping, rule the-road or
any other old rule.
The two big men came to a standstiil
within two feet of each other.
The keep-to-the- right crank indicated by
a gesture that the other man was to pass
on the outside of him.
The man going west set his jaw hard and
shook his head stubbornly.
The two men glared at each other for
fully a minute Then each sat back in
leaning posture against the coping and
gaZed over at the verdigris- afflicted statue
of Gen. Jackson in Lafayette Square.
There was no chance, of course, for them
to perceive apprehend how utterly silly
and childish they looked to outsiders who
were watching the situation. Otherwise
enc of them might have yielded to the
other.
After scowling for some time at the balky
charger of the hero of New Orleans, the
rule-of-the-road crank turned his head
about and essayed to shrivel the other man
with an impaling look.
Say, you,' he inquired did you ever
hear of that rule which requires civilized
human beings, walking on civilized thor
oughfares, to keep to the right?'
"Uh-huh," coolly replied the man who was
in the wrong. Been hearing of that rule
for about thirty years now
You have, hey?' said the keep-to-the-
right precisian. We'll. why don't you abide
by the rule and play the game, then?
Haven't 1 got the right to walk to the
right of your
Yep" replied the other man. Sure
thing. You've got the right to do any old
thing you can get by with"
Dye mean to say that I can't walk to
the right of your snapped the keep-to-
the-right man, beginning to look threaten
ing.
''Well. it does look like it. doesn't it?"
was the calm response of the other man.
as he pulled a cigar out of his waistcoat
pocket. examined it carefully for points,
and then lighted it.
The going-east man who was technically
in the right looked very ferocious for about
half minute and then he cooled out
bit and lighted cigar himself.
Then he went the other man one better
by pulling morning paper from his over
coat pocket and beginning to read the front
page with every evidence of absorbing and
acute interest.
However, that move was called imme-
diately by the other man. who himself pull
ed a newspaper from his topcoat pocket
and started in to read the news of the day
with palpable absorption and enjoyment
Thus these two grown men, both of them
Weli-appareled and of quite apparent san
ity. went on acting like a pair Of I-do,lble-
dog-dare-you youngsters.
They smoked and they read with we'll
simulated ease. Yet close observer might
have perceived that the rule-of-the-road
crank was. for all of his artfully-a ssumed
insouciance. boiling internally.
AT length he remarked, he turned over
page of his newspaper:
spose you work for a living don't
you?'
Bright guess" replied the other fiicking
the ashes from his cigar
sume?"
''Uh-huh-when 1 can make IT" ren,,ad
the other. turning to the Benning entries.
pose you know it's now"
wen. l figured 1t might be getting along
toward something like g."
Then they went on reading and smoking
each occasionally shooting glance at the
other out Of the tail of his eye.
never heard much about sense of COM
ed the rule-of-the-road precisian, after quite
pause
Heard about 'em both lots of times" re-
piled the other But l don't stand for
having 1t pumped into me on the kings
highday. 1t wouldn't kill you to go to the
outside of me. nor. would it bust me UP In
business II 1 gave you the coping But
l saw that you were just too blasted de-
term1ned to make me take the outside
which Is why I didn't do it-see?"
The keep-to- the-right crank had no fitting
words at hand to reply to this, So with a
scowl, he again applied himself to his news
paper.
They read and smoked, leaning there
against the coping of the White House
renee, Tor ABOUT ten minutes longer.
Then the man who was technically in the
right gave the first evidence of crawfishing
by glancing nervously at his watch.
3 Say" he growled at the other man, pull
ing a quarter out of his change pocket,
1--WE got a family to take care of, and I've
got to work TO take care of 'em. I'm TWEEN
ty-five minutes overdue at my office now.
So I'll match you for it,
You're on" replied the other man, fold
Ing up his newspaper and prod icing his
quarter. who's matching me or YOU"
You" replied the keep-to-the-right
crank
They matched. The man who was tech
nically in the wrong won, and he grinned in
a Machiavellian manner at the rule-of-the-
road man, who looked daggers out of his
wrathful eyes as he restored his two-bit
piece to his pocket
"You win all right" he muttered, hoarse
ly. swallowing a lump and moving out to
let the winner pass him alongside the
coping but If I'd ha' had the time I'd
never have let it get to matching for what
belonged to me by right. I'd have had
caterer serve my meals right here, and
I'd have bunked here, and I'd have smoked
You out If 1t took me four billion years.
.l Censorship at the Front. 5AIe