Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-20
AROUND THE CITY

The old man who asked had a 'lost-child
| quaver in his voice, and his bent shoulders
| showed up shabby in the sun. The citizen
he addressed must have had more than his
fair share of the milk of human kindness,
| unwatered, for he stopped his swinging
stride to say:
'Blest If 1 know, but I'll soon find out for
! you. Here!i to another man who was
rounding the avenue at 18th street, where
they stood: Can you tell me where the
Presidents stables are?"
| No The other man was very sorry. but
he hadn't the faintest idea where the Presi-
| dents stables were. A third man thought
they might be somewhere around the Agri-
cultural Department, but couldn't say for
| certain.
| Il m sorry to bother you, SIR began the
| old man. timdly, but the citizen cut him
/ short.
| Don't you fret. I'll locate those stables
! for you, all right. Here comes an old gen
tleman who looks like he might be grand
| father of the Oldest inhabtant. He'll be
| sure to put US right. Say. sir, we are look
| ing for the Presidents stables VIII you
| kindly tell US where they are?"
| The old gentleman turned a ruminative
| glance on the citizen and answered with
| tranquil pride:
Il used to know. but I've forgotten My
memory isn't as good as it was
|
! Hi, you, Bailey, where in thunder viii l
find the Presidents stables?'
| Sorry old man. but 1 don't know EN-
| from Adam. Gotter hurry. Two minutes to
o." And friend Bailey fairly leaped over to
| the treasury tagging.
| Indeed, sir don't like to put you 10 all
this trouble, began the old man again, to
| De as cordially interrupted as before:
| That's all right. I'm going to find those
stables before 1 get through My education
mas been neglected; Wen try this fellow
town by heart. Say, sir, will you direct me
to the Presidents stables?"
| Inc man who looked if he knew the
| whole town by heart stopped and smiled
| genially.
No. sir. 1 cannot. I'm a stranger. He,
with the piano convention
| Well, blankety, blank, blank" exploded
| the citizen.
| Please don't let me detain Won any long
| err, begged the old man.
| Ihats all right. This thing has got on
| my nerves and I'm going to find those
stables, if l have to go to the White House
and get it out of Roosevelt Say, bub. YOU
don't know where the Presidents stables
| are, do your
Sure: In them trees over yonder on the
| other side of the White lot
Good for you, son, Here's nickel for
1 your information. and here's another n
you pilot this old gentleman. He wants to
| go there ~
The boy took the coins with n grin rae
] old mans lost-child voice took on a tone of
| relief as he made his thanks and the Girl
| zen Iaughed as he patted the bent shoulders
| we?' Gill; uAoi
middle-ased man was walking SLOWLY
through the cool green silence of LAFAYETTE
| square 1t was SO early In the morning that
| the grounds were empty except for the man
| ana person who was coming down the
path toward him, and the same primeval
G. lax-
| for the iconoclastic rattle of an occasional
car.
The man walked slowly because one leg
| was so stiff 1t had to be helped out with a
| cane, and because, again, his architecture
| included bow window style of front in
compatible with speed. He carried a news
paper and was plainly numbering toward
| tree-shaded bench, when something in the
| grass caught his eye. 1t must have been an
| important find, for. stiff and stout as he
| was he made an elaborate attempt To reach
| ened up gave a laborious twist to his body
| and tried to stoop sideways. He failed
| again. BY that time the other person was
| about to pass, but having seen what looked
| TO be painful predicament, volunteered as
! sistance without fear of seeming oficious
| Thank you kindly, madam. 1 would very
much like to have one of those white clover
| blooms, If / may tax you"
| The person gathered exactly one from the
| white powdered grass and handed it to
him.
These little things take me back half
century, he explained, with bubble of
confidence due the occasion. The woman
| smiled her recognition of the sentiment as
| she passed, and the man numbered on until
| he got to his bench.
It wasn't much of an incident but when
| stin, stout man. over fifty, can carry
| about with him enough honest boyhood to
prize clover top for the sake Of It's asso-
| Citations, why. the world can't be half SO
| bad as the cynics would have US believe
| Two young men, dressed stylishIy enough
| to have been among those present" at
| society tea were dawdling along a side
! street when they came across little brown
| foreign man peddling ice cream from a
push cart. A flock of children swarmed
around and each had bought cents worth
Of cream served in dab a bit Of paper.
Here's where you get treated said one
| of the young men, he paused by the
cart, What's your particular flavor?"
| His companion accepted the invitation en-
] Enthusiastically and announced that he al
ways preferred dark meat
Give him Chocolate" ordered the host.
| land let me have pistache."
But the little brown man explained with
| tongue, shoulders and hands, that he had
| only the vanilla and the strawberry Where
| upon the young men decided to take them
mixed.
The cream was served and the young
men Tapped 1t solemnly, while the children
looked on and giggled. BEST ever" ex-
claimed the guest. as he threw his bit Of
paper away.
Great" seconded the host And he
| handed the little brown man dollar BILL
They said 1t seriously, but the children gig
gled louder. and one of them put two fin
gers to his lips and whistled. Then the ice
cream man fished out Of his pocket a sack
of pennies. which he counted slowly. and
carefully intosa pile of ninety-eight These
he scooped up In his two hands and passed
over to his customer.
Perhaps the children realized that the
joke was on the young man who treated.
for to the giggles and cat-calls were added
derisive actions-never mind what they
were-and the stylishly dressed couple
seemed glad to turn the corner.
There Is one young man In this town who
keeps his lamp of conceit trimmed and
burning brightly. He had Witnessed the
dip OF DEATH" and as the circus lady
stepped out OF the automobile he was near
enough to feel the obligation OF saying APP