Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

ten years. muttered Spuds as We ascend
ed the steps. Its the same old gag
Freight trains. handouts. starvation. jails,
warehouses;, going fgom bad to worse and
from worse to worSer. Then the finish.
buns grave on some hillside, while
back at the other end of the game there s
an old woman with a sorrowful face and
I've been there. No, I won't tell you
the history of my past tonight. but some
times when I see something like that
down stairs / get kind of mushy and
feel like cussing. Come on: 1 guess this
is where We hang out
He paused in front Of the entrance of
large room. j stopped at the door a
second or two and peered into the dis
NAL interior. A Pickering light suspended
from the ceiling in the center of the
room was waging an unequal battle
against the darkness and gloom. AS my
eyes became accustomed to the darkness
made out rows upon rows of narrow
cots. Many of them were occupied, while
others were still empty, waiting for the
outcastS who were now out on the
streets touching the generous citizen.
Come on. Here's yer bed, over here
next to mine" 1t was Spuds voice that
broke the stiffness, and L stumbled in
his direction.
We're lucky" he said. as my hand
touched him. I'VE drew a couple OF hunks
next to the window. Let's turn in
sat down on the edge Of the hard
cot and drew off my shoes. Al! about
me 1 could hear sounds testifying to the
fact that sleep brought little comfort to
these men who played a hopeless game.
Signs. groans muttered OathS and rest
less tossing tended to invest the room
and its inmates with uncanny weirdness.
Over in the far corner some one was
coughing. A hard, hacking cough it was
that seemed to tear the sufferers chest
with pain. A harsh voice yelled out
protest against the noise. The cough
was silent for moment and then broke
out again. This time the sound was muf-
fled as if the sufferer was trying to
there was A loud crash as boot or shoe
or some heavy weapon struck against
the wall over the sufferers head.
Get out of here cried a voice. What
dye want to do. keep us awake all night?
If you can't shut Off that cough you had
better get a move on you. We want TO
go to Sleep.
There was a feeble protest from the
corner and a few moments later bowed
form coughing violently stumbled past
us and went out to the bright lights OF
Christmas eve.
x !:
Silence once more brOoded over the out
casts. Somewhere far out in the night
the bells of a church were ringing their
chimes. The sweet sound of
the bells battered against the dust-cOv-
cred windows and struggled into the
world of outcasts. The street, which
had been somewhat silent now broke out
hi
and bells were ushering in the Christmas
of 1910 with joyous welcome.
L could stand it MO longer. i got up
and threw on my clothes. Leaning over,
j shook Spuds by the shoulder He SAT-
up in bed startled.
What's the row." he asked
I'm going out on the street for
awhile / answered. Want 10 Gomez"
Il might as well. This bed amt my
size. anyhow. Waltz put on my
Clothes
We felt our way out through the sea
of cots and down the stairs. The night
clerk looked al US curiously as we passed
but said nothing Once on the street il
seemed like another world. Here the air
was pure and fresh. and I drank in great
gulpS of it. The crowd was greater than
ever over on Market space and i'm this
direction we went.
The department stores were closing, and
the army of tired little workers began TO
pour Out mo the nlSnt. Inelr pincned Ill
tie faces expressed no enthusiasm as they
mingled with the crowd of merry Christ
mas jewellers. Many of them were chill
1ren--children with the faces of women.
The great crowds of happy Christmas
shoppers had brought nothing but extra
toll into their Christmas eve. They drew
heir shabby coats tighter about them.
and with dropping heads and tagging
steps wandered off TO their own little
worlds of lights and shadows.
hapnn}nQ
Christmas eve was thing of the past.
The Christmas shoppers We're home with
st. Nicholas and the little ones. The
night birds of the city held the boards.
Gay little punches of men. who had
Ieen celebrating unwisely and too well.