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

knew it.
In the street crowd Thursday night was
a countrfied old colored woman. to"eu
by a custard yellow young woman anu
her seal brown young man.
There was a daze Of rapt wonder on
the old souls face and at every step she
cried out her bewildered emotions. I'M
noticed by her companions, who were en-
tirely taken up with each other ana
with the hilarious excitement or the
night And this was what the old woman
was monologuing in every tone OF voice:
MY Lawd In Helm. whar did all desc
lights cum fun, An how did dey git
EN- fixed up yander high in de air whar
nobody on nth kin cline. Look like de
good Lawd done let Gown de stahs-it
shorely does. How did dey git dem
little teency. tinecy flames shet up IN
dem glass balls-an make EN- burn thout
no taller. nor oil. nor wicks. nor hrewood,
nor nuthin. How you spose dey got
some of 'em yaller an some blue an
some ever which color?-an' oh. my
Lawd. look at dat ball on dat roof all
quivery blood red. Jes look at dem
blazin strings festerooned round dem
| stores an nair one cotchin fire. It's like
we was Dan'l in de fiery furnace an
scapin' widout singin' a hair. It's like
Judgment day done come. an everybody
all desc lights blazn' all round ever
which way. Oh, my Lawd. dem boys
skeetin out dar in de main road gwine
be trompled down an stomped on eff dey
don't look out. Sair Jane, chile
"Aw gramma hold your huth-'
EFF YOU don't keep quiet. Miss Tawmp-
son. me an Miss Sadie will run off an
| leave you. Then how you gOin' to find
your way back to Prince Gawge county
huh?'
Sair Jane Sadie laughed sushingly at
her young mans jocoseness, but gramma
was too literal to take a joke-of that
particular sort.
II amt feared De One dat sont a
| stab ahead for dem shepherd men amt
| likely to leave a old oman lax me to
stumble alone N de night-n0t on night
all spanged up like this one, nohow.
An futhermo' you bofe's tive sot on my
chickens to be quittin' ole Luce Tawmp-
SIN in hurry. Vas. indeed. honey. LOOK
at dat wheel a spinnin rOun, all gold
lights, like de wheels Of de sweet chahfot
dat swings low. 1t sholy is a kingdom
| come night. but it amt hOldin' a candle
to de everlastin' mawnin' OATS comm at
de end of de worr. An look. Oh, my
Lawd, look at all desc rassel err people
trapesin up an down, an in an out-an'
stoppin' to steddy whar dey gwine when
dey die. Gawd in Helm take care of
EN-
Hardly worth writing about, was it?
JUST tnc unreStralneO OaDDlc Oh a CIllu-
like old creature of the pines and fields.
Just darkest ignorance wanting TO
know of science, the why of electricity
just one simple soul asking God to bless
it's kind
Just one among the thousands who
were on the Avenue taking in the sights
of Christmas week.
sandwiched between a voice behind and
a man on the seat in front. The mans
face, turned back, was politely attentive.
The voice was young, jubilantly as
I'm going to give Daisy gold
watch. She's crazy for one, and, as I
say, it's false economy to buy cheap
things-Tve decided on blue evening
believe she ever had a real evening
gown in her life, and she certainly de-
serves it. Blue is awfully becoming to
Gert-Id get chiffon. except that 1T re-
maybe I may make up. my mind to
voile-it hangs so gracefullywand SILK
is lovely, too-but, I guess I'll end up
with the chiffon-nothing is too good
Mabel. That girl positively suffers for
want of real Oh, of course, she's
got warm clothes, and all that-but L
wish you'd see that mangey little tip
for SIS. OF course, it's steep. but. as 1
say, cheap things aren't worth buying.
I've already got a lace waist for Aunt
Annie and a. manicure set for. =.
The man wedged in Suggestion:
aren't you going rather deep in your
Christmas-giving. Those things will
cost a lot Of
"Why, the idea: What is tho use Of
to ones friends? besides. you don't
have to pay all down at once. and. now
that I've got such splendid ONCE
Good gracious. I was going By
Press the button, please. Merry Christ
mas
The sandwiched passenger naturally
desired to lay eyes on such glver OF
gifts So she looked out Of the wdn nd0o;c
young woman. rather shabby; no furs.
thin slippers and a hole in her stocking.
She couldn't help seeing the hole be-
cause its wearer-granting one may wear
holes-was obliged to hike her skirts
while wading over the slush to the CEN
sus Office door.
There was a woman. And she walked
alone in the night. There were many
lights and a band was playing down the
street. At one house the holiy-wreatneo
window showed room full OF children,
dancing A man and woman. locked
armed, and talking in the chummy way
| of people who are growing old together
passed so close that she caught a cheer
| full word or two. Another woman and
| q bow DruSneQ Dy WITH d AudIACl pftHhcS
whose cooked lid showed stiff poultry
| legs and frizzled celery tips. The woman
had a wreath swung on her arm and the
bow carried a package tied with red RIO
| bon.
| And the woman who was walking alone
| i'm the night said to One who was near:
.'They brought You frankincense and
myrrh / offer to You my empty arms.
| She had bought her choicest young man
| Christmas gift, and was still unde-
| cided whether to have it engraved with
! his first name or monogram when she
CHANGED to meet him on the street. In
| lawful attempt to wheedle him into
confession of preference as to name or
monogram she began with the tragedy
| of friend Nell:
zone has to use real judgment in select
| ing glfts-to get what you know will be
| appreciated. Now, Nell was certain Mr.
| Blank would like a blotter. one with
| silver back. Providentially. she waited
| to find out just how he wanted 1t ell
| graved; with his name or his monogram
YOU know; so after she had bought 1t she
| had to tell him about ton account OF
the engraving, you know-and Mr.. Blank
! said think it was real mean of him:
| ".Of all fool things for woman to
give man at Christmas, or any other
II don't know" interrupted the choicest
ANYHOW. She might have been fool
| enough to give him a match safe or
| uhar che Wondered if the ieweler " oud