Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04
Tie NAN Of Tie Ups AND DOWNS"

in somewhat vicious discussion of the
shortcomings of the elevator man. and
had repeatedly remarked that "Cy'' would
be a more desirable official without even
explaining to the elevator man whom
''Cy' is.
And then there was the old lady who
had gotten halfway up to discover that
she had lost something and who had
turned icily upon the man of the ups
and downs and remarked. freeZingly:
Take me back" and upon being refused
had threatened the unfortunate officia
with about nineteen forms Of punishment
most of them capital In character.
1t subsequently developed that the old
lady had dropped her back hair "a most
unwise proceeding). and had found it
resting gently upon the elevator floor.
three long. heart-rending rides up and
down, and had informed the elevator
man seventy-six times that he was no
gentleman.
The elevator man continued to rub his
chin as though he mOmentari1y expected
to find something ON 1t that wasn't at
home there.
Tell me-" he resumed. plaintively.
why is 1t that people always get foolish
when they ride in the Monument? They
seem to get giddy and silly. and they gig
gle and smoker as though riding 800 feet
in the air was funny joke. Makes me
SICK
In spite Of his pessimism the man of
the ups and downs was more or less
right. For some unaccountable reason.
either because of the Xhilaration of being
high in air. or because of the gentle rise
of the elevator most of those who an
nually visit the white fngerlike Monu-
ment become possessed of a poignant
sense of humor and an unconquarable de-
sire to laugh at everything they see and
hear. Most of them say they Just can't
help it." This remark is varied to the
lies cuyan't hep it. or the "supin can't
stop of the esOutherner, or the "gee! I
feel like I was f1oatin' on a barrel of
suds" Of the conventional Boweryite.
The Elevator Mans Viewpoint.
The man of the ups and downs notes
these phenomena only because they annoy
and render less peaceful his happy and
blameless life. He is prone to regard all
noises as useless. and when persons are
of the opinion that they should giggle and
Shrek and talk loudly and romp up and
down steps to show their appreciation of
the monument dedicated to the Father of
his Country. the elevator man feels
panied and grieved
If all of the queer antics of those who
have visited the Monument were pub
lished it would make interesting reading
for a specialist in mental diseases. OF
the many who visit the place daily fully
one-fifth have mapped out some little
frivolity in anticipation Of the event The
stiffness runs all the way from dropping a
sheet of paper out of window when the
guard isn't looking to running down
stairs at the imminent danger of being
arrested.
Conventional and highly respectable old
ladies have been known to sing shrilly
Love Me and the World is Mine" while
wandering around in the top of the build
ing. College youths have several times
sought to throw their hats to the lawn
below and to cut their initials in the
marble walls Base balls have been
thrown from the windows 10 be caught
below !.
Why the people who visit the Monu-
ment always want to do the unusual is a
psychological problem for a scientist 1t
is an Understandable something: an exhilar.
ating feeling of being above all else 1t is
the air. the height and the wondrous view
spread out before the eye. One feels that
ones fellow men are mere pygmies and