Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25

Mrs. Upton If some strangers did look twice
a. the old lady's antiquated dress and smile
at her "My's"' and other ejaculatory COM
ments on what her eyes beheld? Little
Mrs. Upton is far too sensible a body to
be put out by such things. She knows that
raturaness is much more to be valued
than snobbishness. She knows that the
city dweler who has hesitancy about be-
Ing seen in the company of relative not
dressed in the fashion or of acting accord
Ing to the Romans Is always SnOb at
heart.
Many city dwellers who feel this way
about those whom they choose collectively
to call their country cousins are nothing
themselves but country folk with a city
veneer; and sometimes that veneer is
mighty thin and far from becoming.
Transformation Of John.
There is John Jones. He came to the city
three years ago. Before that he was a
teacher in a little town of the middle west.
Then he was natural. Il somewhat unkempt
In dress. John now wears trousers care
fully creased. He carries a cane. He holds
that no gentleman would wear other than
frock coat and a high hat O. Sundays.
don't you know-ah! He has affected gait
that makes his six feet three look like the
letter s out of it's place in the alphabet
for an airing. He says "aw!' with a de-
leotable drawI; and whenever he catches
himself using Il guess instead Of Il pre-
veneer on him is of extremely poor quality;
yet when his brother came to see him last
fall John spent half an hour trying to in
struct the youth in the way he should con-
duct himself while in the corporate limits
The brother listened patiently till John
Jones had finished with his avs" and
don't you knows" Then he gave John a
thorough scrutiny from head to foot. Then
he said like true son of the prairies
We'll. John, if you're what they call a
city man. all I've got to say is, Thank
God, I've stuck by the old farm"
John Jones fancies that he does as the
Romans do, and is of them. VIII Jones
saw at once that his brother does as the
fools do and is one of them. And that per-
son who looks askance at country rela-
tive'S makeup, or the bag he carries, comes
pretty near being in the John Jones class.
for he IS blind to the simple, whole-hear ted
nature Of the man, but fully alive to the
ignominy heaped upon him by increased
trousers and dress hopelessly out Of date
as to STYLE
OF course, went on the Married Man,
there are exceptional cases, where the out
of-town relatives really do things which
give their city relatives good reason for not
looking forward to visit from them with
genuine pleasure.
A Bunch Of Cousins.
Last summer, shortly after Jim Hall had
settled down in a fiat with his bride to live
life of bliss Till next moving day letter
came to hand stating that three Of Mrs
Halls cousins were just dying to see the
new home. and they'd always wanted to
come to the city, but hadn't heretofore had
any relatives there they could visit, but now
all that was changed, and they would take
the train the next day and they hoped their
dear cousin would not be put to any incon-
venence, and they would all have such a
jolly four weeks together.
When the Halls received that epistle they
understood fully why there is joke which
tells about people who keep their names
out of city directories In order that their
homes may not be forever filled with self
invited guests. They welcomed the trio of
young ladies with good grace. nevertheless,
and when, at the dinner table the first
night, the young ladies asked Mr.. Hall when
he was going to begin showing them the
city he had enough grace left to say, ITO
morrow"
At breakfast the next morning Hall, re-
memberng his promise, asked the young Ia
dies what they would like to do first. Well.
they had heard of a great big automobile
which took people around and a man who
told them about all the famous places.
They would dearly love to take that trip.
That trip costs a dollar a head. When
they arrived at the starting point Hall
bought the tickets-fve of them-and the
three cousins were so awfully grateful and
he was so awfully good and just the most
splendid man! In such fashion went one
tenth Of Halls salary for the week.
What Became Of His Salary.
In similar fashion his money was spent
for the better part of two weeks. Then his
anger got the better of him.
They're grafters!" he exploded to his
wife; plain. ordinary, everyday grafters
Here they've invited themselves. they've
asked us to take them around, and not once
have they even offered to pay car fare