Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-06

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truth, even down to the social
minutiae thereof, and of how greatly dis
liked he got himself while making that
attempt.
Recently forgetting his former discour-
agements, he tried it again. You shall
know the result.
On the morning of the day which he
had chosen for another trial at literal
truth-telling he met a neighbor walking
along with his somewhat .spindly-legged
little boy of four
''Top O. the morning, shipmate" cheer
ily called out the neighbor. Seen this
boy o. mine lately? Buster, amt he?"
The truth-tel!er mumbled something
evasive.
Looks like prize fighter. don't he" in
sistently pursued the father of the spi-
derry kid "D'jevver see such chunks o
legs in your life on tyke of his age?
How do you mean-chunks?' inquired
the truth-teller, cornered.
Why said the neighbor, cycling the
truth-teller somewhat askanceiy. mean
big. round. chubby. muscular legs-for a
kid of four, of course, l mean. Djevver
see such dandy legs on shaver OF that
age?"
Yes" replied the truth-teller, Il have
frequently seen far better and more pro-
portionately developed legs on boys of
that age
The neighbor stared at him, and red
dened angrily. He gasped inefectually
for words several times before he was
able to calculate:
Say. look a-here. am l to understand
that you are trying to throw mud on this
kid o. mine?''
Certainly mott should hate to have
you understand anything Of the sort.
replied the man bent upon cleaVlng unto
the entire. nude truth.
Then what the dickens dye mean by
dishing out that deliberate walop about
my boys legs?" demanded the irate
neighbor.
Il stated what 1 knew to be the truth
that I had frequently seen what 1 con-
sidered better legs attached to boys OF
that age replied the truth-teller.
We'll. l tell you one thing" gurgled
the hoarse-voiced neighbor. the veins on
whose forehead now were stand ng out
alphabetically. You're getting to be
about the grouchiest crab in Washington.
that's what you're getting to be, and
pretty soon you'll be counting yourself
lucky if anybody SO much as bothers to
speak with you,'' whereupon the het-up
neighbor grabbed his first-born string
beanish progeny by the nigh mitt and
pounded toward the car mutter.ng
hoarsely in his throat as he went.
Entering the downtown car. the truth
teller found himself seat alongside a
very old and decidedly decrepit man, a
member of the Oldest Inhabitants Asso-
citation of the District of Columbia; the
truth-teller was very we'll acquainted with
him.
Good morning-kind of sharp morn
ing for YOU old fellows. eh?''
Heb heh-heh"' greeted the aged one.
topping off with a cracking, senile laugh.
But us youngsters like the sharp
mathematics us feel brisk and alive
heh-heh heb, The autumns are nothing
like as cold in Washington as they used
to be, anyhow. Now. 4 racklackt the
fall of '43-you wouldn't think I'm an old
enough man to racklackt the fall of 1S43.
would your"
The truth-teller, willing to spare the
aged If he were given the chance, num-
bled something inconsequent.
II said" shrilled the ancient party.
raising his voice. you'd never suppose
me to be old enough to remember the
sharp fall of 1S43 now would your"
Yes replied the truth-teller. corralled:
II would"
"How's that?' inquired the antique one,