Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11

joined the other woman, but l was right,
after all. You know Paas invented the
Easter egg dyes l sent you, and oh, II
here isn't Alice Roosevelts portrait paint
ed in Philippine costume. Isn't she Just
perfectly gra-and?"
The egg-dye man only partial suc-
cess, but at the magic name of Alice the
tired-out look in the visitors eye gave way
to eagerness, and she planted herself greed
lily before the Chinese carved wood frame
She had an honest, expressive face, and
every line of 1t showed that she was taking
a keen inventory of the portrait-the pink
and yellowish cheeks and slightly slant
eyes, the coal-black hair, the over-jeweled
hands with their claw-like nails, the gor-
geously colored brocades, the gay lanterns
and entire oriental environment, to retail
later for the benefit of her folks at home.
And, really, 1t was just as well. When
you take friend to see the sights the
naturally, the lady from the land of bus
ties got more satisfaction out of the belief
that she had seen portraits of the chemist
who mixed the dyes that colored her chill
dren's eggs and of the young daughter OF
the White House than If she had been sub
jected to the cold facts that one was Gen.
Jose Antonio Paez, patriot of Venezuela.
and the other the Empress of China.
A maiden lady was blowing around the
market house on the last windy day. AS
she turned into 9th street she saw an an
Client colored woman sitting behind plank
stand underline shelter of the market caves.
On the stand were some badly frost-bitten
cabbage heads, a few sprigs of herbs and
a twist or two of tobacco. The woman be-
hind this layout was huddled in what had
been blanket shawl in its prime, and
woody something was wound around her
head.
Mice cabbages, lady"
They were abominable cabbages, but the
too generous description, so pathetic when
told by very old and forlorn creature to
entice a few cents her way, caused the
ITS dreadfully cold for you out here
she said. you must be nearly frozen"
"Yas'm. It's right tollable cold, but got
my laigs kivered wfv a quilt an my shawls
right smart comf'ble; some nice tobacco
twisses, LADY,"
No genteeI maiden lady wants tobacco
twisses.''
why don't you go home? / see there are
no other hueksters around" And, indeed,
the street was deserted except for the
wind, which had the edge of razor.
Nom. Dey amt nobody feah but me.
OATS kase I amt sold out. Got some nice
verbs, lady
But you ought to have cup of good,
hot coffee. You'll catch your death of
cold,
"Yas'm. Cawfee's suttin'ly warmin', but
| amt sold nothin yet Time sells
little surnpin' I'm gwine inside de mawket
an git me cup
The maiden lady opened her purse and
laid coin On the stand. The old woman
beaned and chuckled with open, child-like
delight; then her voice deepeRed into the
mystic melody that seems to be the general
heritage of her race, and she almost chant
ed with seer-like solenlnity--or was 1t just
everyday jollying-"Gawd in helm bless
YER lady, an may you git fine husb'n an
a whole passle 'er chillen to rise up an call
you blessed.
Then the maiden lady blew away.
Somebody had dropped rose
As IL lay, fresh and pink and beautiful,
on tho slushy pavement woman moved 1t
gently with her foot until 1t lay close to a
wall While she was doing Ii a younger
woman, who was with her, exclaimed with
a small laugh that had big streak of an
noyance In II:
II m positively getting aahamed To ha