Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
AROUND THE CITY

was tilted back on hair that still re-
tained CLEAN of childish yellow, and
/ his hand-knitted tie Of green silk was
fastened with June bug pin. And he
| was saying to an everyday young fell
low In at sack suit that needed pressing:
Yes. sir. I'm sick of the whole blamed
grind and I've q great mind to pull up
and get. There's nothing to keep me
| here"
"Whew! Haven't lost your Job. have
you?"
"'Course not, but job isn't the whole
| thing I can always catch on-and
there's nothing to hold me down here
Daisy hasn't gone back on you. has
she?''
"'Course not but she isn't the only girl
| in the world. Tell you what. old man.
I'm sick Of being staked down to one
| pokey town. l want to get out and do
things. like other fellows. Yes, sir. I've
a great mind"
"A great mind. huh! Where do you
keep h?'
| 'Oh. cut 1t out and come have one on
| me-"
NO. son. you've no great mind. You've
| got dyspepsia. And you don't want an
other drink. What you most need when
you get to a convenient spot Is to go
down on your marrowbones and thank
| God and Uncle Sam for that good berth
of yours. Why. man, If l had a steady
| job like that. with regular pay"
| 1t isn't much of an incident to tell, OF
course. Just the world-old story of
strutting young barnyard fowl giving
| himself the airs Of an eagle. But it seemed
| to the woman who overheard that II
| ever one especial candy boy Of this town
develops into good citizen and family
man he will owe his blessings to an
everyday young fellow in sack suit that
needed pressing.
A woman stood at 18th and G streets
and played tunes on a fiddle. 1t was a
squeaky fiddle and the bow called for
more rosin but the little blue bag strung
gave substantial evidence that the public
was an audience that paid. Perhaps 1t
was the exhilaration Of success that made
| the performer put such a rollicking zest
to one of her old-time tunes that man
who was crossing the street caught the
| infection and cut a pigeon wing as he
| struck the curb.
He had reached the dubious age when a
| mans friends tell him how young he is
looking. and his jolly face was set on
short. thick neck that made you know
he had a doctor who ordered him to do
| nothing exciting that would bring on
II must give that little woman dime
for reminding me of my dancing days"
| he chuckled to his companion as he
fumbled in his vest pocket. Here
where you don't have to feel charitable.
don't believe you ever had dancing day
| in your life. you old prig. you"
"Oh. 1 might as well chip in. The poor
thing looks as If she never had any dane
| ing days. either"
| And the prig dropped a quarter In the
little blue bag.
Two women happened in building
where woman's organization was hold
! ing a convention. They slipped into bench
| seats near the door and remained there
long enough to discern that they wanted
to go right out again. AS they rose to
| leave they noticed that several members
down front were beginning to pass trays
around. This must have had a social at
| traction for the two, for they sat down
again.
Il guess It's refreshments" whispered
the hopeful one with two chins.
More like they're taking up a collec-
| tion.'' responded the other, who doubtless
had experiences to go by.
| They sat quietly until one of the MEM
bers. who was passing tray of white
slips in their vicinity. ignored them and
| passed on. Then they got up and went
out. And when they were in the lobby
the one with the two chins observed:
1T warn't nothin' but votes.
"Still. it was better than a collection"
answered the woman OF experience.
And a person who overheard wished
that she were q political Culver, so that
she could size up from these comments
women of the District Of Columbia.
A plain old woman who wanted to be
comfortable went to market the other
morning in kimono dressing sacque. 1t
was made of pale green outing cloth
| striped with an insane outbreak of colors
| that go by the name Of Persian--and the
| stripes were wide
| It wasn't OF course, the sort of wrap
| to be caught in on the street unless
turned loose by fashion. but 1t was plain
| to see that the old lady gave herself no
| frills. and that all she required Of any
comfy-and paid for. So. except for
many humorous glances that were always
| kindly-she was such cheerful-faced.
sturdy old soul and SO obviously satisfied
| with life and her share in it-nobody felt
| called on to rfdfcule the kimono, until
two young women came by.
| AS they approached its wearer they
giggIed outright in her face. and when
| they had passed her each stopped to gig
| gle at the green and Persian back.
Guess she must have escaped from her
cage" gtggled the one with the Eliza
bethan run and Salome French wolfe.
| The one with the Pocahontas hat and
Robespierre pockets went the giggle one
better:
Crazy old thing! II I had mother
| like that I'd chain her,
| They were pretty girls, and of course.
they were warm-hearted and didn't mean
the first word they said. They were
simply at the age when girls must g1ggie
or desc they giggled.
And if any defender of the kimono
dressing sacque had undertaken to de-
ride the ruff and Salome girl for COM
bining Queen Elizabeth and Herod in one
toilet, or the Pocahontas-R obespierre girl
for her sartorial mixup of the arrow and
the guillotine they would probably have
giggled just the same.
And kept on giggling.
There were few passengers In the car.
and as 1t whizzed along the dusky quiet
of an uptown track the conductor knelt
on a seat and kept the position for sew
eral squares.
Two women in a far corner were greatly
exercised at his rather unusual proceed
ing and talked 1t over between them
selves. loud enough for the woman across
to hear:
His feet must be sore. Maybe he's
subject to foot cramps
Cramps nothing! Bet It's tight shoes"
Amt you ashamed, Annie! You can
see he's suffering. He ought to battle his
feet in hot mustard water-hot mustard's
grand"
Maybe he's saying his prayers" sug
| gested the volatile Annie. Don't he look
| cute kneelin' up that aWay?"
Just you wait till you get a bunion
once. and you won't think it SO funny.
| You can see he's suferin. and II I was
| sure 1t was a bunion-Ive got a remedy
that never fails; It's grand
! Why don't you go and ask him?"
Il don't like to-uness / was sure 1t
| was a hIniOn Saw I ALWAYS feel awful