Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-01
".
A Family Reunion.

A Family Reunion.
| Warburton had not been in the city of
Washington within twelve years. In the
| past his furloughs had been spent at his
brothers country home in Barchmont, out
of New York city. Thus. wfen he left the
train at the Baltimore and Potomac sta
| ton he hadn't the slightest idea where
Scott Circle was. He looked around in vain
for the smart cab of tie northern metrop-
| oils. All he saw a line of omnibuses
and a few ramshackle vehicles that twenty
years back might very we'll have passed
| for victorias. A grizzled old negro, in COM
| mand of one of these seagoine conveyances,
| caught Warburton's eye and hailed jovial-
| ly. Our hero (as the gbod noveliStS of the
past generation would say, taking their
| readers into their innermost confidences)
| handed hin. his travelling case and stepped
\ in.
''Whar to, subj asked the commodore.
Scott Circle and don't pofnmel that old
| nag's bones in trying to get there. I've
plenty of time
II reckon 1 won't pommel him, sub. ski!
skt' And the vehicle ratified out into
| broad Pennsylvania avenue, but for the
| confusion and absurdity of it's architectural
| structures. the handsomest thOroughfare in
| America. Some day l going to carry
bill into Congress and read it, and be.
| come famous as having been the means of
| making Pennsylvania avenue the hand
soonest highway in the worldly
| Warburton leaned back luxurously
| against the faded horsehair cushion and
| lighted cigar, which he smoked with rel
ish having had a hearty breakfast on the
| train. 1t was not quite 8 o'clock. and a
| warm October haze lay on the peaceful
| city. Here were people who did not rush
| madly about il the pursuit of riches
| Rather they proceeded along soberly, even
| leisurely, as if they knew what the days
work was and the rewards attendant, and
| were content. Trucks those formidable
| engines of commerce, neither rumbled nor
! Numbered along the pavements nor con-
gested the thoroughfares. Nobody hurried
| into the shops. nobody hurried out. There
were no scampering, yelling news
boys. Instead, along the curbs Of
the market sat barelegged negro
boys, some of them selling papers to those
who wanted them, and some sandwiched in
| There was marked scarcity of the pro-
gressive, intrusive white boy. Old negro
mammies passed to and fro with the days
provisions.
CHANGING over his shoulder, Warburton
saw the Capitol, shining in the sun like
some enchanted palace out of Wonderland
He touched his cap conscious of a thrill in
| his spine. And there. far to his left, doomed
shaft of opals. Some orderlies dashed by on
handsome bays. How splendidly they
looked. with their blue trousers and broad
yellow stripes! This was before the army
duck. How he longed to throw leg over
the back of a good horse and gallop away
into the great green country beyond!
In every extraordinary looking gentleman
he saw some famed sena tor or representa-
tive diplomat. He almost positive
that he saw the Secretary of War drive by
in a neat brougham. The only things which
moved with the hustling spirit, of the times
were the cables. and doubtless these would
have gone slower but for the invisible and
immutable power which propelled them. On
arriving In New York ones first thought is
of riches; in Washington, of glory. What
difference between this capital and those he
had seen abroad There was no militarsm
here no CONSUMPTION. no governmental op-
preston, no signs of discomfort no officers
| treading on the rights and the toes Of
civilians.
But now he was passing the huge and
dingy magic treasury building round past
the Executive Mansion, with its spotIess
white stone, it's stately portico and its plush
lawns.
Go slow, uncle; haven't seen this place
since / was boy
Yes, sub. How d. y like it? Wouldn y
like t live in dat house, suh?" The COM
modore grinned.
"One can't stay there long enough to
please me, uncle. 1t takes four years to get
used to it; and then. when You begin to like
it, you have to pack up and clear out"
ITS de way dey goes, sub. We go eroun
Lafayette, er do yuh want t see de Wa
Depa' tment, subj"
Never mind now. uncle; Scott Circle
Scott circle she am, sun
The old ark wheeled round Lafayette
Square and finally rolled into 10Th street
When at length it came to stand in front
of beautiful house. Warburton evinced
his surprise openly He knew that his
brothers wife had plenty of money, but
not such plenty as to afford house like
this.
Are you sure, uncle that this is the
placer"
'Deres de circle, suh an yuh can see de
| numbuh To- y'sef sun
How much do l owe your"
II reckon bout fifty. cents1 make It,
sun"
Warburton gave him dollar, marveling
at the difference between the cab hire here
and in New York. He grasped his case
| and leaped up the steps two at a bound.
and pressed the bell. A prim little maid
answered the call.
Does Mr.. John Warburton live here!'
he asked, breathlessly.
Yes, sir
Fortunate john he cried. pushing past
the maid and standing in the hall of his
brothers household, unheralded and unan-
nounced Jack" he bawled.
The maid eyed the handsome Intruder
her face expressing the utmost astonish-
ment. She touched his arm.
Sir" she began.
IT'S all right my dear" he interrupted
She stepped back. wondering whether to
Hi, Jack! I say, you old henpecked
where are you?
The dining-room door slid back and
| tall. misunderstanding gentleman, rather
plain than otherwise, stood on the thresh-
old. WI, ~, ~
"Jane, what is all this Why, Bob, you
scalawagr and in a moment they We're
humping hands al a great rate. me httle
maid leaned weakly against the balustrade.
Kit. Kit! I say, Kit, come and see VINO
herev cried John. ,,.., $4,000,
An extraordinarily pretty little woman
| whose pallor any woman would nave I'M
| derstood but no man on earth, ana VINO
| was dressed in a charming pi,ih heshso
| morning gown, hurried into the hail.
| .sWhy. it's Bob!' She flung her arms
around the prodigal and KISSED MN
| heartily held him away at arm
| length. and Rugged and Kissed !, nm
| 80 I'm not sure that Mr.. Robert didn
| like it. ;,h oP starcbed
| skirts on the stairs. and the most peaulllui
| woman in all the world tand am Always
| ready to back this statement with apu IN
| dant proofsD rushed down ana hteraly
threw herself into Mr.. Roberts eager out
| stretched arms.
| Nancy
Bob! Bob! you wicked boy; You almost
| break our hearts. Not a line In Two
| months How could you?- You might
| have been dead and we not know it!-and
4 - .riaa an bic shOulder