The Washington herald., 1908-03-01
CAPITAL SIDELICHTS.
STORIES OF PEOPLE AND THINGS
By ONE WHO KNOWS

tho steerage. and the landed proprietor Of
-'before-the-war" days has often 10 take
orders from the son Of his former serv-
ant Although meek in their suffering.
the noblesse do not take kindly 70 their
state OF subserviency. and now and then
there IS a scene enacted between an arls-
tocrat OF the old regime and an upstart
of to-day that deserves 10 be remembered.
In one Of the departments there IS a
young and promising upper clerk. who re-
signed his trade Of measuring and laying
carpets to accept his present position.
Unhappliy, he IS placed in room where
many representatives, OF the old families
work for their daily bread. and. having
had but little intercourse with the class
they represent, he has succeeded by his
smartness and high-handed methods IN
making himself very obnoxious TO his
felioW-labOrers. who cOveTtIy rejoice when
confusion Overtakes him.
But the attitude OF his associates has
little effect upon the thick skin OF the
youngster promoted from a carpet shop.
and he goes about quite satisfied, and
blindly tries TO adjust the world accord
ing 10 his own standard. The other day
he entered the elevator with two or three
woman clerks, and as many men. one OF
them the son OF a noted old family and
a real Col Newcorss in his gentle dis
position. breeding. and perennial courtesy.
But he is an old gentleman with rheu-
matte elbows and knees 20 remind him OF
the fact and since the slightest physical
exertion has become a labor and discom-
fort he no longer removes mis- hat IL the
elevator. even though ladies are present.
This offense against what the former
layer OF carpets regards as good form"
was promptly noticed by that worthy on
the day In question. and. reaching across
the lady standing next 10 him. he logged
the delinquent's elbow. saying:
Ladies present Hats of. colonel"
The colonel glared savagely al his
prompter. but took no further notice.
This angered the smart clerk
Ladies present. Hats OF. I say. col
onel"' he cried out in a sharp voice.
The colonel glared again. and then de-
liberately turned his back on the ex-
carpet layer. who finally reached over,
with malicious grin. and. with what he
intended 10 be playful manner. raised
The old gentleman's derby from his head
whereupon the colonel turned sharply
around and despite his rheumatism.
dealt the offender a blow ia the face
which stung his cheek. and would have
stung his pride had he possessed any.
You. YOU. you'-he could find no word
IN his vocabulary strong enough-'yOu
dare 10 attempt 20 teach me manners,
Why even the general couldn't do that
with impunty. sir. And you-you-you-'
Words failed him. and. giving d con-
telnptuOus glance at the olTcious crea-
ture, he strOde out Of the elevator with a
high-tragedy stride.
'AH right. colonel" cried the little
clerk. in humble tones. after the retreat
ing figure: Just as you feel about it. just
as you feel" and he slunk of 70 his par
ticUlar room
An hour or so later the colonel went to
the desk of one Of the young ladies wh1
had witnessed the performance ans con-
tritely begged her pardon for my mex
cusabie-inexcusable az least in the pres
ence Of ladies-coaduct Of this morning.
but. my dear madam. I was so surprised.
so insulted, that for moment I forgoi
myself You are "onet Of US" so YOU
viii understand. Now I am going home
for things that would only have inspired
laughter fifty years ago are more serious
now. and I am spent by the encounter
with that little plebeian
The gin arose from her chair. and. tax.
ing the colonel's slender. old hand in her
strong young one. said Please don't
beg my pardon. colonel 1 have been re.
joicing ever the incidert ever since II
happened, and I wish there were more
men ike you. who would now and ther
give the same wholesome medicine tc
some Of the insufTerable young upstairs
here
When I first came to Washington. "
-
lions this winter. 7 heard constantly Of
those bad Garfield boys and their doings
until I came to think they must have
been the most mischievous boys ever
known
They seemed 10 have bravely OutgrOWn
their boyish prOpensities. remarked one
Of her callers. who had been neighbor
OF the GarieldS when they lived on the
corner of Thirteenth and 7 streets. but
I can remember when they were the ter
rOF OF the neighbOThoOd. not that they
were really naughty. but they were I'd
70 every boyish prank gncwE 10 the juve-
nile masculine mind. Their eyes shown
with mischief and their cheeks glowed
with health. and il was a sight. can
tell you. 70 see them coaSting 'belly-bus-
ter down Thirteenth street hill"
I went 70 school with them. chimed
IN q matrOn whose hair is beginning 10
show gray at the temples at a kinder
garten in X street, kept by a dear old
German lady. who was an enthusiastic
follower Of Frobel. with whom she had
AZ one time studied Play she thought
proper and wholesome. but she had never
met among the White-faced youth OF her
own country such vigorous play as these
bad Garfield boys INDUCED in. They were
sehr lustig. and she thought and said
that if all the energy they possessed was
turned in the right direction they would
eventually become -beruhmt
And they have, indeed, fulfilled the
prophecy of their old teacher. Jimmie
holding one OF the most important port
foli0s in the Cabinet and Harry" who
was the more mischievOus of the two.
formerly a Staid professor at Princeton.
and now President OF Williams College
The third OF the Garfield trio OF children
was Mollie. who joined in her brothers
sports as fully as a girl could, and who
married. while she was still in her teens.
her fathers secretary. J. Stanley-Brown.
and is now mistress OF a large estate on
Long Island. a model place. with the
most attractive OF houses set IN charm
ing surroundings Here Mr.. and Mrs
StanIey-BroWn are bringing 40 tb4ir
children, who have as much pride in their
farming as they do in their books. Mrs.
Garfield. the widow Of President Garfield
and mother OF those bad Garfield boys. ."
passes the greater part Of her time in
Lower California, the climate Of which
she tnds more congenial than that Of
her Ohio home
II am glad TO hear" said a venerable
citizen OF Boston, at present visiting
town. that WI Ting-fang is coming back
to this country as minister. for he is not
only a scholar and q statesman, but a
gentleman keen Of Wit brilliant AZ ranar-