Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-28
Around the City

Two men Zisza sged out OF saloon
They were not young reprobates out for
the time of their lives. but sober-no, not
| sober iddle-aged gentlemen with the
dress and general appearance that should
go with the dignity of years. Each labor
| ed under the happy delus-on that he was
doing the samaritan act for his less tenn
perate companion. And the soothing way
| in which each told the other that he
would see him home all right would have
| been hilarious If 1t had not been pathetic.
But it was pathetic.
! A batch of men on the curb in front
Of the saloon chucked over the free show
and one of them made himself popular
by furnishing story to go with what in
| truth was moving picture.
| Say, fellows. the old chap on the out
| side used to be the representative from
my district. Got me my office. Funny
| thing about Old Blank is that when he's
sober You can't. to save you, make him
| believe he ever gets baled. Proud as
Lucifer. Gee. if l only could go for him
with a camera
Each man must have pictured the effect
of a disreputable snap shot on the nerves
or sensitive sinner. for the chuckeS
broadened into general laugh. And the
office holder wore the triumphant express
sion Of one who is receiving bouquets.
1t didn't seem 10 occur to any of them
that II would be trifia more grateful
In the man who had been given an office
II he were to go for the ex-rcpresenta-
tive with a cab.
Once on a time a great master created
with his pen child whose back was bad
and whose legs We're queer.
And the world loved Jennie Wren be-
cause of her sorrowful kinship TO other
children created by the greatest of all
Masters. whose Affections arc shut in be
tween the walls of home or hospital in
stead Of between the covers of book.
For instance: There Is little Tom.
In big room bright with sunshine and
gay with toys a woman found him perch
ed on one chair and driving another IN
front of him with a harness of Irvine.
For salutation he called out in voice OF
jubilant excitement:
ME playin' race horse. an me beats
all the time
It was blissful condition
The woman has happy way with chill
own.
Your horse will run away If you don't
look OUT she warned him gravely.
''He tan't wun away. tause Teddy will
make him 'top-twick. See what nice legs
Teddy got?''
He held up spraying plush bear and
then with heart-breaking chuckle of
Importance:
ME tan't walk-see?'
He lifted his white slip to show his
wrhered legs, and then looked at the
woman for the sympathy experience had
taught him to expect.
ME tan twawl, though. Watch me
twawl.
He wriggled to the floor and in flash
was flying across the carpet on his hands
and knees.
You tan't twawl, tan you? Not like
me?''
"No--indeed." answered the woman.
Instantly the baby face couded over
and hand caught at the hem Of her
dress.
Don't ivy. Toms SO sorry YOU tan't
twawl."
And the woman went out of that room
feeling that old Sterne knew what he was
about when lie wrote that God tempers
the wind TO the shorn lamb.
They met on a back street.
The guinea-black woman carried bas-
ket of wash"
The younger, yellow woman fat. vi
vacious and dirty. had a shawl over her
head. a bandage across one eye and red
scratches on both swelled out cheeks.
Hi. Mis- Tawmps'n. How you do dis
ma wnin?''
why. Susan Guarner. dat amt you?
Why. gal huccome you all butchered up
like dat. huh?'
The yellow woman laughed with a
heartiness that shook her like much
jelly and showed the front gap in other
wise splendid teeth.
"Oh. jes' ben skylarkin; muffin to hurt.
You sholy amt keepin' up washin' all
dis time. Mis- Tawmps'n. l got man
to wuk foh me-
Il got a man. too. but he's down wiv
a misery in his jints. an I got to keep
de rent goin' an de chillern fed
Il reckon yoh chillern's right smart
grown now, amt dey. Mis- Tawmps'
"Pritty nigh. Mandy's got two washes
Of her own. an Sarah's got SO now she
kin rub out towels peart as anybody
The yellow woman interrupted to give
the talk a social turn:
THE siety l b'longs to give pahlor
social las night. You don't b'long to de
Ladies Of de Babylonian Fishermen. do
yon?''
The guinea black woman grunted and
shifted her basket to the other arm:
mo. Nuther do / spec to. l got my
house to ten to- an six header chillern
to riz.''
why, you shoy is behine de times.
Mos In gennel ev'y lady b'longs to s'iety
BENEFITS an berryin's, wifi excursions on
de Feather July. an pahlor socials all
thoo de winter. You better jine, or send
Mandy. I'll see she has a good time"
Huh, gal, you better go back to de
woods whar you cum fun an leave dem
pahlor socials alone. IF yoUs patron
of de Babbleonion Ladies-GaWd hep de
mem
Then the guinea-black woman hustled
off. leaving the yellow woman laughing
socially alone.
A countrified old couple was dawdling
through a park. He looked as if his
stopped shoulders had come from life
time OF hoeing and wedding, and her bluff,
weather-beaten face gave token OF out
door contests with generations of hens.
AS they reached circle, newly. set out
with hyacinths, the man paused to say
with a chuckle that matched the twinkle
in his eyes:
when I get down home I'm going 10
tell the folks that here in Washington
YOU can pass dug-up bed in the morning
and come back in the afternoon and find
bushels OF posies in full bloom. won't
let on about their being set out in
grown plants. but kinder allow that its
on account of quick-srown government
seeds. What do YOU reckon they'll say
to that, ma?
Ma was apparently one of those plain,
unyarnished natures that likes to call
every card in the pack Il spade
They'll say what they've been sayin
about YOU, to your face and behind your
back. ever since l married you. What else
could you expect 'em to say?
Pa accepted his reproof with a meek
ness that must have come from long
habit, and as the two passed on a woman
on bench near the hyacinths said to
sparrow on the walk:
Il wonder what the home folks think