Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-29
AROUND THE CITY

For one time In the history OF this
world, Venus was not popular lady.
She was a plaster Venus. dressed in
old ivory glaze and a scarf that didn't
count. and vender had brought her into
a news office to sell to the highest bid
der.
There were no bidders, high nor low,
though the big place was filed with men.
A batch of them were heading up copy
around a half-moon table. with a blue
pencil chief in the inner curve. More
patches were making copy at roll top
desks that were all over everywhere. A
city editor was doing things to still more
copy, abetted by d waste basket big
enough for family wash.
Down by the rear wall an operator was
giving limitations of chain lightning on
typewriter to keep pace with the tele-
graph keys And way over in dark
corner, between the file rack and
tumble of Congressional Records, lone
Cinderella of the Press pegged at a
column Of mighty fine stuff that was go
Ing to be cut down to a stickful.
The entire staff was racing its brains
to get a paper on the street.
The vender took a position that had
all the advantages of spot light, and
started his bid in a voice suggestive OF
ruinous reductions:
"Four-seventy.'
There were no takers. Nobody had
time To bother with the goddess of the
thing that makes the world go round.
Make an Offer gents
The batch around the half-mOon table
took time to grin. A chuckle bubbled
up from behind a typewriter. Two tele-
phones jingled together like two hearts
that beat as one. The city editor called
out for a live wire named "Oh, Mike. :"
But nobody made an offer. for Venus.
She was eclipsed by brighter evening
star.
Say. gents. all. whatn you give?"
Only one man showed symptoms OF
interest. He was a hitherto amiable
desk man, but his sense of dignity must
have been Of the ingrowing sort, for he
walked over to the spot light and gave
the vender man an order to quit.
The vender man paid no attention.
Name price. gents Make an Of"
The upholder Of dignity interrupted with
the deep impressiveness OF one who has
taken course of oratory by mail:
This Is no place for you. Co.
The vender raised his voice and tWirled
his Venus aloft to show her lines, which,
Incidentally were out OF drawing.
IF you won't take her at four-seventy,
name your price"
The upholder OF dignity was at him
again, with deeper impressiveness. and
more of II:
You shall not make a mark Of this
sanctum dedicated 10 intellect and
study"
The vender struck a louder key.
Make an Oner. gents, make an oieT
Then one of the batch at the half
moon table did rash thing. Just to
show the boys generally, and the uphold
er in particular. how really easy it was
TO send the vender about his business,
he drawled with derisive nonchalance:
Fifty cents"
The vender man pounced down on the
proposition.
TN take Your bluff"
He put Venus on the table with a sud-
denness indicative OF relief and extended
Il hand for the money. The artless pa
iron of art dived in a pocket. and on his
fine countenauce was an expression that
might have been more blythe. Scientists
who make lifelong profession of face
culture might have Classed 1t as stung.
But there are always silver Innings.
When the vender man had skipped. re-
porter who probably belonged to some
sunshine society made an optimistic re-
mark
She's a bargain. anyhow-honest, she
is, All that als her is her head ism [
plumb and one arms too long for the
other
And the lone Cinderella who had just
ended her story carefully with a three
en- dash instead of a double-cross. won
dered If the headline man was going to
take HIS Venus home to anybody who
knew anything about casts-and what
she would say.
\ customer sat on perforated bench
in shoe store. heap of pumps and
ties. blacks and tans. that had been
tried and found wanting. testified to the