Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-12
Around the City


A horse fell by the wayside the other
morning. He was a bony old bay. SEEM
ingly too weak from age and its infirmi-
ties to haul the country wagon and the
three country women who were inside.
They were women of the gingham-ap-on
type, with bulky contours that showed
for hog and corn pone every day, and
chicken on Sunday. The two who sat be-
| hind on sacks had their heads swathed in
wooden nubias faded into the ghosts of
pink and blue. The woman who was
driving wore sailor hat that was law
fully intended for boy of six.
1t was the sailor woman who jumped
! out on the asphalt when the horse fell.
The other big. brown. helpless, wrapped
up creatures remained on the sacks and
helped things along by giving advice.
which the sailor woman knew better than
to follow. Many people crossed the
| asphalt, but no one offered helping
hand. Most Of the men We're on their
way to the post office-and no clerk wants
to get himself locked. The crowd just
swarmed around the old horse ard watch
ed to see what the woman would 10
She could do nothing. The bony old bay
lay like dead thing. his eyes showing
white under half-cloSed lids and his ex-
posed teeth, hard and yellow like winter
corn. Just as 1t seemed to be the right
moment for a policeman to saunter along
and do things with pistol. a man came
across from the south side, halted, LAID
down a hammer he was carrying, I'M
buckled some harness, untangled the reins
from an off hoof, helped the animal to his
feet and buckled him between the sha1ts.
! tossed the lines to the sailor woman. who
was back in the wagon, waved hand In
kindly fashion as if warding off her
jubilation of gratitude and then bolted
over toward the sidewalk, as If hurrying
to make up lost time.
He was smoking cigarette and ne
looked as il he meant to have a beer
later on with his lunch. His earth, earthy
appearance would have served In every
point as a terrible example for those Or
ganizations founded to free the world
from sin, but
A woman who was standing on the
steps of The Star building wondered just
how the man and his nature would stand
In the eyes of Hin "ho said long time
ago.; a., laos. 90 NV
little ones, ye do 1t unto Me-.
will you please remove your hat?"
No, the lady would not remove her hat.
The usher was politely insistent.
The hat lady was adamant-of, maybe,
braSa-accOrd1ng to the view OF the duol-
ence- In the rear
Her companion, tall. gentle and with
splendid red hair. whispered a remon-
STRANGE, probably in behalf of the people
behind. The hat lady was perfectly sat
isfied with her own view Of the stage
lie.
ITS all very we'll for you to take on
your hat, because it gives you a chance
to show your hair. but I'm not Dragging
on mine-heres that usher coming back.
No tell you I won't do 1t; II he comes
to ci1 a
my mind. This hats all right. II this
is the way I've got to he bothered at pic
ture shows my first visit Is going to be
my last-say, what made them turn down
the lights? Why-er-those are not pic
lures! They are real people: Don
laugh at me like that, and don't tell me
to hush, for l won't. OF course. they are
not pictures-look at that dust In the
road: tell me that isn't real smoke and
dust! You can't fool me. I'm an intelli-
gent woman. I'm teacher in the Blank
Seminary, and that proves I know what
real actors fighting like that? They are
behind a curtain. That's all. Listen at
that cannon, will you? And just watch
that flag waving over there. or course,
l know it's the battle of Waterloo. Sup
pose 1 don't know Napoleon when l see
him."
The woman with the splendid red hair
whispered.
"Oh, is it the Duke of wellington?
thought it was Napoleon. Getting real
exciting, isn't it? I wonder If the duke
gets killed. :.
The teacher of the Blank Seminary had
budded from a nuisance to full-blown
Joke The men and women walled in be-
hind her millinery Gibraltar were hav-
ing their entertainment, though it wasn't
what they had paid to see And further
prospect OF joy was added by the usher.
who was coming up for the third time to
ask:
will you please remove your hat?'
A woman, alert of figure and attract
lively groomed, was having her eyes
tested. And while the oculist was treat
ing her at the little side table in the big
store she seemed to think 1t necessary to
explain her condition.
Maybe it isn't the fault of my glasses.
I'm afraid / overtaxed my eyes / use
| them all day and read half the night"
The oculist interrupted her to contrib
ute his share of sociability.
Nothing to worry over. The eyes
always need stronger glasses as one gets
along In years.
For the flash of second the woman
had the appearance OF one who has re-
ceived an unexpected shock. Then she
| took another turn at the conversation.
"Of course. that must be the reason.
I never thought OF that. / really ought to
| write: II am Old on placard and hang
1t around my neck so that won't forget.
I feel SO young-inside.
| And to the customer who was near by
oculist would be in a bad way if his
al on 1oyo1 u-if3, ,ic taet