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

train. after which the girl placed her gum
back in her face, let down her veil ana
went on chewing with the same energy as
displayed before. 1t was a pathetic sight.
but though she had to part with her so der
boy, yet she would not part with her gum.
Il x x X
"Malingering," remarked naval officer
the other day, lis not nearly so common
in the navy as 1t used to be. but every
once in while we have men feign Illness
for the purpose of evading duty or securing
change of station. One of the worst
, cases | ever heard of was that4ef an- cleo
trcian stationed at the Mare Island navy
yard. He had been, court martialed for
, various offenses- and sentenced to be
dshonorably discharged. In order, how
ever to leave the service under more IA
vorable auspices and so obtain pension, he
simulated insanity, and acted the part 10
the queens taste. He said that people were
trying to poison him and went into violent
Contortions when approached As he could
not be held by ropes 1t was necessary 10
put him in irons. In of his paroXySmS
he clamored for a live snake to eat. ana
would be satisfied with nothing else. Sus-
pecting that he was shamming, tame
snake was borrowed and offered to him. but
as he gave every evidence OF eating it.
the owner of the snake refused to allow
the test to go any further and the reptile
was carried away. For the next ten days
ldulcdl dietary tTedllHtHl was
with the result that the patient finally
owned up that he had been shamming. with
the remark that he couldn't stand the
bread and water and salts given him by the
doctor any longer
& $; = * x
Secretary Taft Is so broad of back and
deep of chest that he fails to impress peo-
pie generally with his height. which is above
the average. AS he carries his weight
above the me tacentre;' that is, above the
waist line he is necessarily careful where
he places his feet. Some time ago he start
ed down the western staircase of the State,
War and Navy building, the elevator hay
ing stopped for the day, to take his carriage
at the western entrance. Now, one of the
II ost attractive and architecturally beaWti-
full features of the big building Is the
natchless interlocked granite staircaseS
viii their bronze Dalustrade and pollShed
Spanish mahogany top rail. But the Secre-
tary discovered in the dusky light of the
halls that this beautiful rail fetched a
II an of his height below the thigh at the
turn of the spiral staircase. and he saw In
an instant that here were the possibilities
of dreadful accident So he Immediately
gave orders for a reinforcement, in con-
sequence of which the superintendent of
the building. Capt. Baird. designed and
had placed on top of the mahogany balus-
trade handsome polished brass hand rail
elevated sufficiently to prevent an accident
and easy of hold in ascending and descend
ing the granite steps. 1t was at first fear
ed that any addition to the original rail
would detract from the artistic beauty of
the staircase, but the result is that the
shining brass work has actually added ma
terially to its beauty.
X x x
Il was very mucn impressed with what
Judge Scott said in the Police Court one
day this week respecting the need Of
place where many Of the old women might
be given respectable home, instead of be-
ing sent to The workhouse. remarked
policeman to Star reporter. "The judge
has the right idea about the matter. There
are many elderly women lin this city who
spend most of their time i'm the workhOuSe
because they are unable to control their
appetites for strong drink. These women
are not vicious. and a little missionary
work might do them good. Most of them
have been getting arrested for a number of
years and scarcely know any home otner
than the wOrkhouSe. With a change of
surroundings these poor people might be
brought to realize that life is yet worth
living and be enabled to spend their re-
naming days I'm happiness.
THE case in which the judge remarked
that the District might well invest money
in such a home said the policeman. lis
only one of many such cases in this city.
During the many years l have been con-
nected with the force l have had dealings
with number of these women. and have
frequently heard them say they would
like to do better. but upon being released
from the workhouse nothing iR the nature
of a place with home surroundings was
offered them. and they had to resort to
companionship which did them no good. In
the case before the court this week the wo-
man had applied to several places for shell
ter. but had been told there no room
for her. 1t is true that there was possibly
the odor of liquor about her breath.
Even If she had been drinking the
policeman added, "she certainly should have
been given place to sleep but she found
that nobody would admit her She very
sensibly asked: Where can / go? and
finally found police station. Then she
was charged with being a vagrant. and
Judge Scott could send her to no place
other than the workhouse. There are many
such elderly women in this city, and IL
they were properly provided for there
would be fewer cases for, the police to
make"
IF this city possessed life 1t might truth
fully be declared "a regular 'cut-up.''' re-
marked well-known citizen II do not
remember ever before having seen the
town in such a condition as 1t is in just
now and sincerely hope there will be a
betterment before the arrival of inaugural
visitors.
1T seems to me this most beautiful city
of the world Is at present a series of
bitches. interspersed with piles of lumber
and abundance OF scanolding. Station
airy engines are in position on the principal
thorough fares and locomotive engines,
hauling trains of unsightly dirt cars. are
putting through the streets and even across
the sacred east front plaza of the Capitol,
upon which. ordinarily. a company OF SOL
diers cannot intrude without permit.
AT night any number of torchlight pro-
cessions may be imagined as passing
through the city. OF course, | have refer
ence TO the long lines of lanterns that mark
the distractions"