Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04

cause of the ruins of an old mill there
that had once been run by the waters
of Tiber creek. All the tracks leading out
of Union station. save those runnin
south. now pass over this valley. Which
was once the rendezvous of the turbulent
young "Swanpo6dlers. who met there
for feats of strength and endurance and
games of base ball. and where, refresh
ed by the foaming contents Of sundry
Kegs. they played games Of chance
The real 'Swampoodler was chafac-
ter. The Old men were with few excep
tons. quiet. law bidng citizens who sat
on their doorsteps of an evening. smoking.
their pipes and sometimes partaklng OF
their nightly allowance of beer out OF
tin pail their good wives beside them.
They dearly loved an argument. and
would launch into one. with or without
reason, on any subject whatever. Their
ideas were at once Quaint and comlcal,
though. except to themselves. seldom logi :
cal or convincing. Their instincts were
generous and simple. their hearts SOL
as that of a child for any in distress.
About their only form of law-breakinS
was the support of the Illicit speak
easy These were numerous, several
being kept by old women. and ii may
not be necessary to state that they were
also prosperous.
The young "Swampooiler'' was quite
another person. and to him is due the
reputation of the Observation-Disclosures
when he chose. idling when he liked.
strong and knowing no fear. loving a
fight and pitching into one at the crook
ing of finger. fighting until either vic
torious or helpless. defying the police to
interfere with what he considered his
he chose. swearing in manner that
made ordinary efforts at profanity seem
puerile. and drinking until he became a
mailman at times. Rough and tough
these young men We're beyond doubt.
but the most violent man among them
stood out of the way for a good woman
to pass. and heaven help the man who
forgot what was due her. Even his own
cronies would wreak vengeance upon him
unhesitatiDgly. And their heads were
barred as the parish priest passed by.
Many tales are told by the old in
habitants Of the happenings in the
Poodle as they call IT, but the popular
idea that it was inhabited by thugs
and cut threats is mistake. No swami
poodler' was ever tried for murder. the
only instance known being that of one
negro killing another. and this was out
side the line of "Swampoodle" proper.
Something like forty years ago there
stood on II street. directly back of. what
Is now a large grocery store on North
capitol street, a one-story schoolhouse
with barred windows that greatly re-
sembled those of Jail. The seats faced
the windows, which looked out on II
street, while the teacher was on plat
form at the back of the room The pupils
were in the habit Of bringing beanshoot-
ers to school and amusing themselves
by shooting with unfailing accuracy a.
the pedestrians in the street. AT this
time III street was unpaved. except for
the cobble stones where the track OF the
horse cars was laid. School at this time
was held until 4 O'Clock in the afternoon.
but at j the schoolmaster used to let the
boys sit outside and study on hot days.
Other boys would congregate on the OPP
posite side OF the road and jeer at the
studious ones. The latter would return
in kind. The schoolmaster, full of sym
patty. frequently called out the magic
signal of ''School is dismissed. boys,
before the hour was up, and the boys
would at once proceed to mix and
there they would fight until + o'clock,
going home with various marks of glory
or defeat. One halloween gang of
young fellows brought an old horse to