Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20
Around the City

I lOullQ Ill6 N4Iy
It was a small, clean cafe. with bare
tables, shining china and a full view
Of a steam table, where pots were lined
with porcelain white as snow.
At the tables sat a half-doZen or more
men and women, who ate sedately and
then got up, paid their bills and went
away to make room for as many others.
They were such a prosaic lot of people
and so centered on their own affairs that
one rather rakish-looking young woman
who had come as the guest of another
woman. who was older and palmer, felt
called upon to make a comparison.
Every time / come in one of these
cafes at home here I can't help think
ing of that dear old Latin Quarter! Why.
you couldn't go in single one there with
out seeing people who were really worth
wilhelm art. you know, and music and
literature. and all that sort Of thing
Now. if this little place was in the quar-
ter you would coma across all sorts of
clever men and women. who would come
here on account of it's simplicity
Il like mine well done, and she wants
hers rare"
The interruption had come from the
plain woman, who. having finished giving
her order, went on, in voice that might
have been sympathetic or mildly severe:
It's a great pity you had to come back
home, honey. You and your violin should
have remained in Paris. Still. We are not
so ordinary here in this little place. See
that quiet-looking young woman over
there in the corner? Well, she's making
money hand-Over-fist designing post
cards. Last August she was filling orders
for Christmas and now she's rushing for
the Easter trade. The woman in front
of her has made good in the newspaper
field, and the man across from us-not
with his hair cut like any every day man;
well, he's making a fortune in portraits.
The girl with him draws fashion plates
for a syndicate. No. I'm not making it all
up as I go along. either And that batch
Of youngsters sitting together are report
ers. except the one with the red checks
and black eyes, and he's staff artist
who does magazine covers on the side.
oh. there's lots of them, day In and
OUT
We'll. for goodness sake. why do
they act so--you know-prosy? Why, If
they were In the Quarter they would be
doing all sorts of odd, daring things;
singing, you know. and calling to each
other, and making snappy speeches"
That's all right for your folks in the
Quarter, honey. But these men and
women don't need to label their gifts for
fear they won't be known. Each is MAX
ing good living. There's a difference.
you know: the difference between the
ambitious amateur and the tried profess
sonal: the difference between expecta-
tons and a bank account"
There certainly Is a difference" snap
ped the rakish-looking young woman.
"Glad You see 1t. You'll appreciate 1t
more when You get paid for your con-
certs and the pupils begin to come in.
Also. there's another great difference-the
hpfyV h.. Lot Hin, n Il
Washington, u. c.
There may have been differences of
other kinds, but the woman at the next
table had no time 10 listen longer. She
had to go to her office to turn in her
book reviews.
THE people of Washington never use
the left side of their stairways.'
This assertion was made by one man
tourist to another as they were descend
Tuesday afternoon. The other tourist
may or may not have been named Wat
son; but he looked at his companion with
the admiration thai the Baker street doc
tor always beStowS upon his book-re-
noWned room mate
How do you make that out?"
Use your eyes. man. Can't you see
that the paint is entirely worn off the
right side Of these steps and that It is
barely scratched on the lefR"
The Watson-man surveyed the wooden
flight which has probably coated the
granite stairway for more winters than
one. And he saw that the gray paint
next the bronze railing is almost worn
away, and that the left side, supported
by a slender strip of wood, is in good con-
dition. Then he suggested, modestly:
Il wouldn't judge the whole population
by these steps. / suppose the thousands
of people who go up and down prefer to
catch hold of the substantial metal rail-
&C I a md
WaShingtonians.
1t was an exceedingly tame deduction, to
which the Holmes-tourist paid no atten-
ton.
A bay horse hitched to a buggy stood
before a bank. He wasn't standing.
either. for he pranced and paved and
dragged at the iron weight that held him
until the buggy rocked like a skif in a
storm.
A pair Of heavier bays drawn up be-
fore the same bank stood motionless
as bronze and looked at their capering
brother as if In disapproval of such horse
play during business hours. And the
usual crowd began to gather.
Just as the fiery. untamed one was ar
ranging to push his buggy wheels on the
car track a bulky, jolly-faced man came
out of the bank and caught him by the
name.
Cool down, SON." coaxed the man. in
What you want is a spanking. And If
you don't stop cutting up your didoes
spanking is what you are going to get.
The bay toned down enough to lay his
nose on his masters shoulder, and while
the man was patting it he said to the
driver of the team that was behaving:
This youngsters mad because he has
on a blanket and your horses haven't
He's such a flyer that 1 cover him when
he stands on these cold days, and he re-
sents it-just like a woman hates to be
bundled in furs because 1t makes her
look as If her blood was thin and she
was getting old. They're a heap alike
horses and women. Now, then, sir
The man got in his buggy and the bay
was tearing down the street.
A woman tainted at a theater not so
long ago AS she lay back In the arms
of a woman friend. with another woman
her and third rubbing her
hands. she furnished a free show for other
women near by. who had apparently moth
ing better to do with their time between
the acts than to stare and wink and say