Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21
sTUDI0US GAZE OF CATERS
Running Fire of Cheerful Comment
From Facetious Ones.
POSSESSED BY PEEvIsHNEss
Surprise Of the Gay Youth-Fined in
the Police Court for "Fak-
ing Life Guards"

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. j.. Juy 20. 1905
This 2lO-pound man-not such a distant
connection of ours. either-was riding In
rolling chair on, the WITHDRAWING plank
parade last evening
lie was endeavoring, without erring on
the side of a too obvious sangfroid. to
exhibit as little seIf-consciousness as pos
sible in the circumstances.
This is not to say that he felt at his ease.
No naturally shrinking individual Weighing
30 pounds could possibly feel at his ease
in a rolling chair. We are perfectly con-
WINGED Of this.
But he tried, by his general aspect and
manner, to cast forth the impression that
he had been propelled in rolling chair on
several previous occasions. Nor was this
any mere frivolous ake-believe-he had
quite frequently been trundled in 'em.
He tried to sit In the rolling chair In such
a way not to suggest to the pedestrian
beholder the slightest affectation of lordll-
ness or pomposity. In reality he felt
neither pompous nor IordIy merely because
he happened to have in his clothing the
price of a little ride up and down the board
walk in a rolling chair. But, apprehending
now jealousy some boardwalk pedestrians
look upon riders in rolling chairs and de-
appearance of arrogance or wholly unfelt
disdain, he actually scroonched forward IN
the rolling chair in an earnest effort to
look just as humble as possible.
But, despite his carefully assumed at
titude of humility. not to say of contrition.
In the rolling chair, the blow fell.
There came a blockade, with long line
of the rolling chairs halted in the fierce
light in front of one of the piers.
Two blithe, merry-eyed, but quite proper
seeming young women stopped directly In
front of the 210-pound man in the rolling
chair and gazed at him with great APP
parent earnestness and never smile on
their features, though 1t may be that their
eyes twinkled bit. They Just looked and
looked and looked at the wriggling stout
man. Then one OF them nudged the other
and made some inaudible remark to which
the other assented with a nod. Then. with
their arms about each others waist and
continuing to stand directly In front OF the
squlrmfng adipose man In the chair, they
turned their studlous gaze upon him again
for quite a little while.
Large. isn't he?" one of them said to
the other, finally. in clear, silvern tone.
Quite was the reply.
And robust-looking.'
VARY"
Doesn't seem to be anything the mat
ter with him, do you think?''
Looks shamefully healthy"
Quite coat of tan. too. Probably goes
in bathing every day."
"Um-ye-e -
Then" said the girl who had opened the
conversation, taking great pains not to
catch the eye of the worried-looking stout
man In the chair, but addressing her re-
marks to her companion, isn't 1t really a
wonder that he wouldn't walk?"
Most mysterious, really" replied the
other, and then they passed on, leaving
behind them on the salty air a peal of
slightly muffied girlish laughter
The fat man mopped his perspiring brow
for half minute after the pair of girls
had disappeared in the crowd. Then he
turned to the man pushing the rolling
chair.
'This'n be about ALL" he said "Lemme
out o. this" and he climbed out. How
much?' and he paid his reckoning for tho
chair and got himself lost in the swirlng
crowd as soon as possible.
81 always felt like a fool in a rolling
chair" he growied to himself as he trudged
on. "but now, demmit, 1 know that I look
like one. too"
Another Kind Of Rider.
The fat man, it will be observed was
one of those invertebrates not able to
stand the gafr which, sooner or later, is the
portion of all rolling chair riders Allan
tic City's boardwalk. But there are roll
ing chair riders and then some others.
One of the others was riding in a chair.
up toward the inlet. on Sunday evening
last. A trim-looking young woman was
With him. SHS WORE nice CiOCnSS- Ills
somewhat understood but sinewy form was
swathed In a suit of clothes commonly
called Tuxedo" This fact-that they were
an extremely tdy-appearing couple and
wore seemly clothing-may have constitut-
ed an offense in the eyes of the somewhat
taddy and mixed lot of over-Sunday ex-
cursionists patrolling the boardwalk up the
inlet way Certainly the young man and
woman did nothing to excite laughter or
ridicule. They were not ostentatious. They
were minding their own business. They
were riding in public rolling chair be-
cause the young man had the price of the
ride, obviously. and because they wanted
to-ample reasons. one would suppose.
But as their chair was wheeled up to-
ward one of the comparatively dark spots
on the plank parade, they found them
party of three, who followed along after
them. The jaundiced trio consisted of
bulky young man with staggering gait
and a cap over one ear, and a couple of
robust and red-faced female persons who
had chambermaidish suggestion not to be
erased by any amount of Sunday might of
over-investiture of ornate clothing
'Heh-heh," cackled one of the female
persons strolling with the staggering bulky
youth, 'lookit Willie-off' n-the- Pickle Boat
and his goil." pointing gay. fat, red hand
opposite side of the board walk.
Policy, va mean." suggested the bulky
youth. Purity Policy am his doll. Must
be tired. them two. hey. Pigs2"
walk an stretch emselveS some" derisiye-
ly put In the second female to give full vol
ume to the chorus.
Neither the young man nor the young
woman in the rolling chair seemed to pay
the slightest attention to this running fire
Of cheerful comment from the three face
tious ones, who deliberately kept step with
the man pushing the chair SO as to protract
their enjoyment of roasting the occupants
of the boardwalk vehicle.
He's got cute hair. little Sunlocks In tn
skidoo wagon. hain't her" was the next
observation of the first of the squat-look-
ing females to begin the thing.
''Ye-eh, an his skoit Is there with a cum
min bunch o. hemp herself. amt she?' re-
marked the bulky young man.
Il guess them two's dreamin' they're
maxim all kinds OF hit heyr suggested
the second female. raising her voice so
that the couple In the chair would be per-
fectly sure to hear.
The young man In the chair turned his
head slightly to the rear and said to his
ehair-pusher.
chair-pusher:
Stop a minute"
Then he got out of the chair and walked
over to the bulky youth. who, with his pair
OF loose-tongued females. stared wonder
ingiy.
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