Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12
Around the City

| The Capitol grounds were rain-soaked,
| with more rain coming down. A storm
| coated woman with an umbrella had the
wet greenery all to herself, except for
slver-gray pigeon under a judas tree
talking to squirrel. The pigeon shelter
ed herself close to the bole of the tree
and the squirrel sat upright in the grass.
The woman tipped by lightly, so as not
to disturb their conversatio and then
paused a bit down the path to see what
would happen next.
While she waited an old cOlored man
shambled along and remarked with smil
ing affability: Them two sholy is
cotin couple-else theys monty good
frens! Every time it rains L sees EN-
keepin' company like that, fus' under one
tree an then another-but i amt never
laid eyes on that pigeon round here nary
time when it's clear"
knowledge always comes In handy. The
woman asked why the difference in
weather.
"Lor' knows, lady, less'n its because
the rain keeps us humans away. I've
always noticed that animals don't talk
much when ives arOun'."
The woman sent out second query.
"Why, yes'm, animals is real sociable.
Amt you ever took notice of how horses
will put their haids together when they's
standin' nigh = Horses is pow'ful gossips,
an tnere ain nOtHln BOlH tNdC OOSS
don't know. / used to pasture sheep in
slave days, an them sheep got so they
could read my innermost inside thoughts.
When 1 went thoO de fiel' to count 'em
up they was monty sociable an frisky,
but de minute l was ready to pick one
out for a KILN every last one Of EN-
turned tail and hudded up in heap at
de far end of the pasture-yessum Hogs
is powf'l gabbers when they's to their
Sev'S, an you take rooster an some
faverite hen and he suttinly does convuS
caution. Yes, indeedum, animals talks,
an 1 spects snakes and insecs does the
same. We all humans amt KNOWN
| evything that goes on in this world. no.
| indeedum. Thanky, lady, 1 suttinly will
buy mahsef a little DRAM.
The ancient colored man and the rain
coated woman parted, each the richer
for their meeting, but the pigeon and
the squirrel kept up their hobnobbing
under the judas tree.
And the rain came down.
youngster with more than his fair
share of bones was walking with an
oldsh jocund man. The youngster
talked and the man listened with a
whimsical Indulgence that gave evidence
that he remembered his own period
of knowing more than the rest of the
world, and allowed for it in his boy
That's the trouble with you old fogeys,
dad. You will insist upon your ruts.
same old cut and dried way. Now. I'm
going to be different. I'm going to get
at treasures that you men let slip be-
cause they're hidden bit out OF your
| road"
FOR instance?" suggested the dad
man.
well sir. look at the millions fell
| low could make in fruit that falls to the
| flowers that bloom unseen when they
| might just as well be marketed, and at
| the oyster beds that never get tonged.
and the mineral waters that never get
bottled. and at the fallen trees that no
one troubles to sell for kindlings--and at
| the mountains choked with gold. and the
beds of the seas paved with pritae loot,
| and
Eyes. son, but how are you going to
| get at them?"
"Hunt for them, sir. Hunt for them.
and put them on the market"
The dad man laid his arm across the
lads shoulders, but he did not laugh
| at him.
| Maybe fathers know why.
| An automobile stood at curb. 1t was
an imposing machine. all red leather and
FURNISHED brass, and its owner looked like
so much sporting goods as he stepped out
| of a store and proceeded to start the car
| going. Two children who were dawdling
at the curb called out to him with the
| confidence or maybe impudence - that
goes with innocence and bare legs:
| Say, mister drive us round the square,
won't you? We amt never been in a
| nauty-mobile."
The man whizzed away without paying
| attention OF course. kids are a nuis-
| ance - everybody knows that still, 1t
| would have been worth while. maybe. to
/ give two small girls a memory to last
| them lifetime.
| Maybe, again, he might have got hlm-
| self arrested for kidnapping.
| You never can tell
| sudden report like the song OF a
bullet asserted itself above the 7th street