Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-23

the corner and out Of hearing. One result
is that invariably the boys let loose theil
pent-up selves of earlier morning, and he
who is not engaged III wrestling in the
street. diligently shooting craps in a shell
tered spot between two tenement stoops OF
chasing some fellow in and out among
the streets distractions. or playing cat, OF
delVlng In the garbage and waste cans as
II they were gold mines. Is not to be found
This last occupation is a fascinating one
1t Is not uncommon to see a half dozen
boys grouped around one can industriously
examining its contents. with a boy every
once in while pulling out some treasure
and announcing mis- good fortune with q
whoop that is sure cure for the blues
Doubly joyful is the yell If the find hap
pens to be the comic section of some news
paper. Waste paper is religiously searched
daily FOR discarded comics. and one
brought to light, the finder and his partner
SIT themselves down. gloat over every word
ana color and line for an unconscionably
long time. and then pass 1t on to their
playmates. The comic sup" is one of the
chief latter-day joys of the street young
ster. and If you have beheld the mlrth
awakened in his face thereby you will not
rail to bless the man who first invented it,
A Great Find.
Blest Is the youngster who delves so sue
cessfully in the waste paper bag, but
doubly blest is he who Is the possessor of
a toy such as you do not expect to see in
a quarter where the stress of life Is so
great. Run across a youngster astride a
Veloclpede held together with strings and
YOU are race to face with an occupant of
the seventh heaven. Rather two for there
Is always another who has got on behind
ana whose smile is every bit as broad as
that OF the little fellow in the seat. Or it
may be bicycle. In that case you are
treated to trick riding, and the way the
boys who take turns on the dila pida ted
machine do their stunts make YOU wonder
Whether all the famous acrobats were re-
Z uteo from Just such material. Many of
them are, by the way.
Thus while not a few of the hove ara
unconsciously working out their future ca
reers at the same time they are having
tnelr nun and making the street forget
ome harshness or poverty in its merriment
over thelr antics, the little girls, from the
toddIers up, are enjoying themselves in
way that persons who picture every girl
OF me Sums as little mother could
scarcely believe possible
Many girl has a dolly-no matter what
KIND, 1t is a doll-and she croons # tn
sIeep as she sways back and forth IN a
rocking chair just her size Turn where
s.t pu VIII You cannot miss seeing a doll or
me chlio who has her eyes glued To some
enid story book. while hand nnacbari
caiIy moves back and forth a carriage CON
tanning a younger sister. And as for
me sewing party, wherever there is an
closed ,anY
uoor OF an otherwise unoccupied space he
tween protruding store windows there yo,,
Will find one 'eie soo
A Knitting Party.
Sometimes there is an older girl instruct
ing half dozen younger ones IN COW.
particular knitting stitch. Or # ,n., he
cfochetlng party. with afghans as the work
the girls are very fond of MAKING tba,,
oiICy work OF the more delicate sort Is
popular; group of four girls of ahout
We've years of age was seen evolving
what 10 the masculine eye looked like
dainty lace collars. Often the work IN band
is more practical, taking the form of slins
iot some member of the family; and for the
sIlIs OF SIX or seven the hours pass rapidly.
I PIE me heaVy neat. as they la boriously
put none the less enthusiastically. fashion
a dress for dolly. Even a mere man csnnot
neip leeIinS an interest in the work as he
beholds half dozen little girls seated on
.nt hird pavement, measuring and fitting
and sending the needles flying the while
their voices not infrequently hum snatches
OF songs picked up from passing hurdy-
gurdy or musical street show
But let an ice cream man heave in sight
and half-fnished afghan and doll dress
and dolly herself are thrown aside and for
gotten In the lusty scramble for the wagon.
and more cents are brought to view and
held up before the peddler's eyes than it
would be possible for equal number of
girls in far more comfortable circumstances
TO produce on the spur of the moment
Rare. indeed. is the girl of the tenements
who does not start summers day with
at least a penny for ice cream; and the
joy she gets out of bit of cream far tran
sends that contained in 40-cent order in
some fashionable hotel. to Judge by the
iong-drawn-out smacking of the lips follow
ing every lick of the tongue over the dimin-
utive cold surface. Evidently its delights
are comparable only to those contained in
a good ducking before a spouting fire plug
Is Real Bliss.
Here is joint bliss for boy and girl in
equal measure They swoop down upon a
street cleaner whenever he puts in an APP
pearance. as If he were their fairy god
father. They haunt the fire house In droves
stand outside the chain and keep up their
chorus of please, mister, won't you turn
on the water?" until some big biue-trouser-
ed fellow gets out of his chair, makes be-
?ieve he is ferociously charging his tor
mentors. next moment does their bidding,
and the moment after that finds himself in
terestedly watching the antics of a half
hundred or more youngsters they get
sopping wet from head to foot, accomplish
ing the feat to the accompaniment of yells
that attract the attention of the entire
block. causing even the bargainers to pause
I'm their wranglas with the sellers.
With equal impartiality the ecstasy of
the free bath falls to boy and girl. OF
late years the free bath has come to be
looked upon by the children as one of the
greatest summer treats in store for them.
Let the day roll around when a bath is
open for girls. and an hour or more before
the appointed time hundreds of them will
put In an appearance, each with
little bundle of towels, and wait expect
antly in line. their faces already illumined
with thoughts of the foreshadowed treat.
And as they cling to the fence, their eyes
every now and then peering anxiously for
ward to see whether the doors are about
to be swung open. and their ga!ly multi
colored slips relieving the dun of the sur
rounding. they present picturesque and
pleasing sight as could be found among
childhood In any portion of the city
Impatient for Their Chance.