Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
AROUND THE CITY

Christmas eve was a merry hustling time
at the general post office. but there was
one Young man who wasn't joining in the
fun He wasn't in line with a package to
be registered He didn't help to block up
the way to the moner-order division. He
wasn't waiting his turn to get to the stamp
window and he wasn't scribbling hasty ad-
dresses on one of the lodges where the
government provides ink and pens.
The only thing he did do was to stand in
the one spot in all the square of corridors
that was not occupied by others and stare
at the advertisement for soldiers which the
War Department keeps posted near the
door.
He had trig figure for khaki, and a
square chin that would follow wherever a
flag led the way. But ne didn't look as if
patriotism kept him staring there. He ap-
peared as if he had come face to face with
his last resort at a time when he ought to
be where there were young laughter and
mistletoe. And he looked it with such a
disregard to his surroundings that many
noticed him, in passing, and one youngish
man with gray hair and a voice as jolly as
a Christmas horn, went up to him and
asked
Are you a stenographer?"
Work the typewriter
No
write fair sort of hand, don't you?"
Nothing to brag of"
Honest. I'll bet dollar
so far
That's enough for me- 1 want a clerk
Want a jOb?
Apparently the young man wanted job
for he turned from the big sign and the
Two went off together.
And that is how the United States army
lost one soldier who had trig figure for
Khaki and a square chin that would follow
wherever a flag led the way.
They were at the silk counter and the
one who was buying held some folds of
pink taffeta under her chin
Honest, Name, is 1t really becoming?'
Indeed it is: 1 wouldn't say SO If L
didn't think it,"
well. then I'll take it. Give me four
yards, please"
make the change, Name reached down the
counter bit and pulled toward her bolt
of delicate blue satin chiffon
This Is what you ought to have had.
When I wear this shade of blue my eyes
are the color of the sky. You know your
eyes always take on the color you wear
you say so before 1 went and bought the
other? You don't suppose 1 want to look
as if 1 had pink eyes, do your
You silly, you! Pink's the very color
TO warm you up after being in mourning
all these years, and isn't this broken
plaid lovely! You'd of looked sweet in
waist like this
Maybe it would have made me look
cross eyed. l declare. Name Blank, I'm
just so mad at you advising me to get
that hateful old taffeta that I've half a
mind never to speak to you again. L"
Then she stopped suddenly to look at a
third woman. elegantly dressed who mad
hustled to the counter with sample OF
the taffeta in her hand.
Have you any more of this Roosevelt
pink? My dressmaker has just phoned
me that 1 need another yard"
Ill va no
Welt pink" said the taffeta waist woman,
as she took her change and bundle.
And the situation was saved.
As they passed:
Here's another cute thing she did. The
other day l went to the nursery where she
was playing by herself with her dolls and
when ! opened the door she put her
finger TO her lips and whispered:
"Sh-h-h, mamma. Don't make any
noise. My foot's asleep
A fat dog was waddling along at the end
OF a leash held by a woman with goosequlls
in her hat. Every time they came to a
shop window the woman stopped and the
dog shut his eyes.
While the woman was paying homage to
wax model in a tea gown and the fat
dog was doing, another dog-a black-and-
tan tcrrier-bounded up with a snappy lit
Tie bark that made the fat dog open his
eyes and set his tail to wagging
The terrier free air-and as
fresh; he danced on his slim legs with the
lightness of a thistle in a summer wind
Amy one could tell he was laughing by the
wet sparkles in his eyes, and when he
shifted at the fat dog he said, as plain as
talking.
Shake old goosequills and let's have a
nun
The fat dog tugged at his leash and lifted
impiortng eyes TO the woman at the other
end Of IL, but she was too busy with tx be-
fuzzled wax lady on the inside OF the glass
To heed the living thing on her string. Then
the fat dog sighed sigh that fairly bent
him double, gave another hopeless look up
at the goosequills and shook his head.
And the shake meant mo CO."
The terrier shrugged his shoulders and
twirled around few times to show how
fine a thing IL is for q dog to be free and
happy and young in the January sunshine
Then he scampered around the corner in
search of better fun.
And doubtless there are learned gentle
men writing books this very minute to
prove that animals lack intelligence