Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-14

eyed social life, its old darby servants, its
Potomac and it's terrapin-who has not felt
at times longing to be President or a
congressman or sonnet hing, even q senator.
that one might bask in the atmosphere OF
gold lace and foreign embassies?
Washington has the home pride more vir-
ulcntly than any other American city ex-
cHpt Baltimore. 1t is positively SnobbiSh in
its perfection, and those who come and go
on the political waves may be reeking with
dollars, but they remain outsiders unless
they have something else quite different,
to recommend them.
And the Bostonian in his intellectual SUI
perlority. his good English, his Henry
Jamesy way of viewing the universe from
a mountain top-he cannot be accused Of
lacking local pride. Not only is he 1t, ne
can give you the reasons for it,
The west may send us song and story and
beef and great waves of atmospheric vir1Iity
that seem to stand for what is strongest
and fittest of US as a nation, but cultured
Boston smiles inscrutabiy through her
lergnette. She is the wise virgin Of cap
itals; her lamps always filled and trimmed,
waiting the coming of the bridegroom, who
will crown her with laurels instead of Or
apge blossoms.
So each city has its crown, invisible often
to all but those who dwell among them.
feeding on their dishes, their beans their
swordfish, their scrappfe and their scrod,
their condensed milk and their canned
honey.
And it gets to be part of us-the same
thing that calls the sailor TO the sea and the
fisherman to his nets-the zone clear call''
that comes up from the ocean to ears train
stronger as the spirit leans to the infinite.
We cannot fail to recognize this feeling and
respect 1t alike in the hearts of dweliers en-
mountain tops and in valleys.
n..Ixv =
chorus-the "Come-on" chorus it might be
called IL we dealt In slang-that chants the
city's praise morning and night and shuts
on all other countries, cities or towns from
the right to an existence that is anything
but mean and inferior.
learned physician once wrote a book
dealing with this phase of modern life and
he classed 1t as a disease and called 1t
"Newyorkitis.' 1t has not, however, the
dignity or danger of a disease; it is merely
a rash entirely ON the surface and perfect
ly harmless.
The distinguished author of "Newyork-
it's failed to note the fact that the chorus
of New York, whose endless and unmuscai
reeitative is always well. there's no
place like New York;" is never composed
of New Workers. that Is. IL there are any
real New Workers. Some one has said that
the only man born in New York since the
war is kept in alcohol in dime museum.
1t is always the camper-out in town.
whether he be staying at the Waldorf or at
the Mills, who is fnsistent on Manhattan
as the only place on earth where existence
is possible. New York for him every time!
He calls the waiter and orders tremendous
drinks, although the money he spends so
earnestly has probably been sent him from
out home-a home he never mentions ex-
eept in terms of plying contempt Whether
he is, as Mr.. Dunno expresses 1t In regard
to Mr.. Odell. lobster la Newburg" or
a native of Cohoes. there is not one memory
that has kept sweet enough to make him
speak good word for his home town. He
eonceals it like guilty secret. just as some
creatures hide their nationality and religion
The chorus of New York is always like
this. Whether man or woman you can
never drag the type away from some board
ng-house table or favorite seat In a cafe
where the monoiogues on New York are
constantly chanted.
ST. Petersburg? Bah! The Riviera? Rot!
Virginia? Pooh! San Frapciscog Tushi
The whole gamut of wonderful and beauti-
full places the world over meets only one re-.
frain: I tell you there's no pace like
New York ~
In your desire TO draw out the lonely