Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03
AROUND THE CITY

Two women were waiting to go down.
AS the elevator man opened the wire screen
each stepped back to allow the other to
enter. The man waited.
The woman with the white plumed nat
and blue velvet suit smiled deferentially
and took step backward.
The woman with the notebook under her
arm took two steps backward.
The man waited.
II don't know that I'm the older, but
and plumes and velvet entered the car with
n nagging smile on her face and a naggins
twitch to her shoulders.
The woman with a notebook followed and
said nothing.
The man started down.
Il say, 1 don't know that I'm the older, u
repeated pumes and velvet, changing her
smile to q smoker.
who said you were, madam
why you implied it, waiting for me to
get In the elevator first. as if | were the
older of the two, and, as 1 said, / don't
know that am"
The man stopped to let in a gentleman,
who took his hat off.
I'VE are both old enough, madam, to have
common sense.
You may think so, because my hair is
gray, but I've been gray ever since l was
nineteen. 1t runs In our family. My mother
had a single white lock over her forehead
The elevator stopped to let in another
gentleman, who kept his hat on.
married. and that was before her six
teenth birthday"
The elevator man stopped to let the first
gentleman out.
$50 may be younger than you think
II haven't the least idea what you mean,
madam" said the woman with notebook.
''Of course, If 1 have unwittingly offended
you am sorry"
But I'm not offended. 1 just wanted to
say that don't know that I'm even as old
as you are
T,La .IaI,otor ,,or otonna5 OF apofber door
to tell the young woman who had pressed
the button that he was sorry, he didn't
have knife about him
You certainly must have thought was,
10 wait until I got in first Some women
would have taken 1t as an insult, but
don't. 1 just want you to know that don't
, consider myself the elder. even IL l did
3 have the politeness to get in first"
The man stopped to let in furiously
busy-looking person with blue penciled
copy in both hands.
"But, If 1 was in your place, I would be
more careful next time not to hurt a per-
sons feelings just because her hairs lit
tie gray"
The elevator man stopped, opened his
wire gate and called out: Down."
Then the woman with a note book said
TO plumes and velvet, as they got outside
the elevator:
This seems right funny to me. but I
can't afford to have any woman think I
would Intentionally hurt her feelings
seat in car to another woman, no mat
ter how tired she looks, for fear she will
tell me that she's as young and able to
stand as / am but I didn't think the same
rule applied to elevators. You may be sure
III be more careful next time. I'll rush
ahead of everybody after this. Now, be-
cause you are really and truly in earnest
about this thing, I'll tell you something
Otherwise, my head would be the color of
a rats back. I'll tell you another thing.
For twenty years / had for my companion
one who will walk with me no more. She
was small and fragile. and you see how
big I am. Well. twenty-odd years Is a
long time, and the habit of caring for one
woman some way makes me want to care
for all. Good day"
How sweet Of you-and you don't turn
gray. Why, when my hair first began to
change, / positively
"Oh, 1 wouldn't mind. The youngest
kind of people are gray these days, and
even babies are bald. Good morning
Then plumes and velvet left the building
through the revolving door and the other
woman went over to a side wall and wrote
something in her note look.
A little old gentleman in a snug overcoat.
n well-brushed derby and warm gloves
stood at the crossing that divides the White
House from the treasury grounds. He was
not standing, either. for he swayed from
side TO side with his arms outstretched and
with his feet lettering as If he wanted to
-
Many people passed him. All stared
some grinned and a few stopped to see
what was going to happen
Waltz me again. Willie" sang out one
exceedingly facetious young gentleman.
Wheels remarked another
Guess he's sorry he took that last glass"
said the first young man, who was plainly
determined to be the humorist of the stua-
ton. Doubtless he would have captured
the laurels. for the crowd was already be-
ginning to smoker when another man came
along. He, too was elderly, but he stepped
along vigorously until he came to the
clump of men half surrounding the little
gentleman of the lettering feet and out
stretched arms. Then he stopped
can / be of any service to you. sir?' he
asked.
The little gentleman stood sti1f and lower
ed his arms.
'.If you will be so rlind. sir I am able to
Gus when come to a crossing. as I cannot
see objects at any distance and am afraid
OF being run over. My eyes are worse than
usual today. suppose it must be the glare
And as the new man plotted the blind
one over the crossing the crowd looked on
with a cheated look in its eyes.
Two women came together on a side
street.
I'm just feeling too scared for any
thing" burst out the one in brown. 81
was looking 3 particularly wen that
had to tell her so. She said yes. she was
disgustingly healthy, and as that seemed
10 express MY own condition said tina!
j was disgustingly healthy also-and now
I'm so sorry 7 said it."
why, yes" replied the one in black, 81,
was ungratefuB In both of you to complain
of being disgsstingly' healthy. when mil
lions OF poor invalids would call health
the greatest blessing in the world. But now
that it's said and you are sorry, why are
you worrying?"
nei.her OF US rapaed wood,'
AS they passed:
"Neighbors who want to consider them
selves humane dump sheir surplus kittens
on my steps. because they know I'm good
20 our old Tom. My life Is just one con-
t.nuation OF sickness. poverty and cats.
tu. don't crush. don't crowd"