Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
AROUND THE CITY

TT is great year for frogs" said the
lady with the kind heart, who lives out near
Petworth. I've seen more frogs this sum-
mer than have since l was knee-high to
one myself and played circus with hop
toads and June-bugs."
Il haven't noticed them particularly,
her companion replied. the car swung
into 14th street. 81 suppose. however. 1t Is
not yet the height of the season for bull
frogs and grasshoppers."
That's odd. for they just abound in our
netghborhood. 1 came home from the
Office one afternoon last week and found a
group OF kids tying strings to a frog legs
and playing automobile with it. They had
the strings attached in some diabolical way.
that only boys are master OF, to a small
mustard can. and the mustard can was
filled with old cigar stumps and the refuse
aftermath Of the Fourth of July. This fuel
was giving out an odor that it would be
base f1attery to call unpleasant, and am
sure the frog couldn't have enjoyed It.
delivered little free lecture to the boys,
reminding them of the boy and frog classic.
and politely requested them to let up. But
one of the boys said
Lady, you know the milne can't go of
herself If she is smokin to beat the band
and we have to have the frog to make the
automobile jump
II had to admit the Justice of this, and
paid the ringleader. or suppose l ought to
call him the chauffeur, a nickel to let the
frog go. The next evening | found another
group of kids and frogs. on my front pave
ment- l reduced the tariff to a copper, but
l still find a varied assortment of boys and
frogs before my door every pleasant after
noon
And the young man with commercial In
stincts who sat in the corner of the car and
listened to things didn't wonder that frogs
were plentiful.
Among the many pretty children going
down the river last Monday morning with
the Knights of Columbus and their guests.
the orphan boys of st. Josephs. was tiny
tot who stood quite alone near the railing
on the eastern side of the boat. with wide
open blue eyes, taking in the wonders or
the river banks and landings. She was so
uncommonly beautiful as to attract general
attention although the boat was almost
filled with lovely children of all ages and
| both sexes. and as she stood with her long
golden hair wind-blown back from her rosy
face and splendid little throat one admring
woman said to another:
Just look at that beautiful picture!'
Yes her companion returned Il have
been looking at her for several seconds. She
looks like a lost doll baby. Whose dollie
are you, little girl?''
Use not lost" the little one replied, with
evident scorn for the grown-ups intellect
and lack Of common sense. and Use no
bodys dollie Use papa's sure nough real
little dirl'
Among the little ones on the boat was the
eighteen months-old baby who was knock
ed out by the Laurel car and so heroicaily
| rescued from death by Miss Nelson. told
in the city papers. woman who didn't
know the youngster as the hero of that ex-
citing and strenuous episode, but at
tracted by his amable and cheerful per-
sonality no less than by his battered and
| bruised physical condition. asked him:
Where did you get that black eye.
baby?"
Bad car hit baby he returned with
most cheerful readiness and an engaging
smile.
The woman was charmed by his affability
and lack of baby shyness. and desiring to
continue her conversation with him, after
his mother had enlightened her as to his
history and name, she asked him, for want
of something better:
And where are you going now, John?"
Back, back to Baltimore" was the unex-
pected answer. in a quavering little thread
OF singing voice. Back. back to Ball
more, where car can't hit baby more.
The woman-for women can't resist such
small tots, especially If they are of the
masculine gender-grabbed him in her arms
and kissed his pretty little bruised and dis
colored face. and told him she couldn't
blame him for going back to Baltimore. or
any other old place, after such tragic ad
ventures in Washington.
A man on the pavilion, while the orphans
were still listening to the graphophone and
Just before they began to sing in unison OF
their flag and country, asked one of them
where were the orphan girls One of the
knights told him that the girls were not
coming down that day Whereupon one OF
the smaller orphans, knowing that there
were cakes and ice cream yet to be eaten
and all sorts of wonderful amusements yet
to be enjoyed, said, with great feeling:
I'm glad I'm a boy"
And a listening woman wished to herself.
not for the sake of ice cream and cake.
little rivers and scenic railways, but for
general reasons of joy and hopefulness,
that she, too, was one.
When the foot races were run the young
est wards of the sisters were the stars OF
the background. They were two very lit
tie fellows, dressed alike in brown holland
blouses and with quite a step both in size
and years between themselves and the next
youngest boy in shirt waist and trousers.
They were evidently the favorites of the
crowd on the ground. They were two very
small men, and the smaller one came out
ahead in the race. They were both deco
rated with medals-the winner for being
winner. and the second, presumably, by
way of consolation prize. However, 1t
was not much of a consolation to the loser,
for his bright eyes were raining tears like
July cloud, and his sweet little face was
convulsed with sobs and signs. Some one
asked him why he wept. You have a
medal too" his questioner reminded him.
pointing to the decoration on the breast OF
his Buster Brown.
But he's hitler than me-" he gasped, be-
tween his sobs and tears. Il wouldn't mind
him beatin' me- but he's hitler than me-.
But" said the sister in charge, consol-
ingly "he is a whole year older than you.
Just think of that" said a mpathetic
woman standing near him, "a whole year
older than you are. And. you know, my
little man, somebody has to come out
second
But he's hitler than me- he repeated
His sympathetic listener had no words
for him In his great Woe and could only
fill his small palm with pennies and feel
sorry with him and for him.
ASBURY PARK, N. ].