Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-30
Around the CITY

National Museum halted before a case
containing some cloisonne enanels which
the Chinese Emperor gave to Secretary
Seward way back in II.
Two other women were already there
discussing a pair of dark blue birds with
wing plumage as gay as Joseph's coat.
What are they-hens? Wouldn't mind
if they were alive and belonged to me-
They'd do me more good, with eating as
high as 1t is. Amt it awful the way
things cost? My husband says he's going
TO cut out meat"
The other woman flared up like a struck
match.
Yes. and my husband says IL the boy
colt keeps on his business will go to
smash"
'Oh, l forgot about his keeping store
But. deed. Ella, you know as we'll as
do that it amt right to charge all that
for beef when the farmer only gets 5
cents on the hoof."
That's enough for him to get. AS my
husband says what does the farmer do
anyhow. but let a lot of steers grow up
loose in field until some huckster comes
along and buys 'em off his hands. Look
at the expense of shippin' and slaughter
In. And just see how my poor husband
has to work. from light to dark, weighin
the meat into pounds, and cuttin it into
chops and steaks and things. and then
havin to put everything into paper bags
And bags are awful high! My husband
says the paper trust is shameful
Just difference of opinion. Just the
history of the world.
Then the woman browzer drifted to
another case to look at the silver war
ship on billowy sea Of teakwood,
which the late Dowager Empress Of
China sent to Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt
a man stood at this case; middle
aged. thin. neat man who looked as IL
he had been poor all his life.
He studied with intentness the silver
officers and crew, the silver oars sweep
Ing from the sides OF the hull of shin
ing silver, the three silver sails, full
spread with silver flags flying from sil-
vcr mastheads.
And then he remarked to the broHz-
Mrs Roosevelt must be a very gen.
erous lady to turn this gift over to the
museum. 1t is worth great deal OF
money"
The woman answered, and when the
two had exchanged remarks concerning
the exhibits generally. the man said:
I find il hard to realize that the owners
of II live in the same hard world I've
always had to fight. j live in a part
Of the country, madam, where the land
is poor and the plainest living means
incessapt labor. 1T must be a great
pleasure TO be rich.
1T must be blessed thing" added
Neither of them seemed to remember
that money is the root of all evil.
Then the browsing woman went pas,
George Washngton's old clothes and
camp chest: past Andrew Jackson's coat
that still bulged at the front, as If from
good and gone dinners. and around the
al ,fnss he 1T or
side.
And as she passed the fountain rim q
young woman resting on a bench said
to the man standing by her:
Big place isn't II? What do you sup
pose is the most wonderful thing here?
The water in this pond" answered the
man.
The young woman laughed at the idea
If you stop to consider single drop
oh John. for goodness sake let up or
your science. Look at that loose pile OF
diamonds flashing in That case
The browsing woman changed her MIND
about the mummies and seated herself
on another bench by the stone trimmed
pond She hoped John would continue
about the single drop But he didn't
lie had let UP, and presently the two
went away.
hut the woman kept her seat on the
bench She was looking with the mans
eyes at the most wonderful thing in the
museum--the most wonderful thing in the
world
4 pale moody faced woman had fin
ished her luncheon and was putting on
her coat to leave the cafe. 1t was a fur
coat so long and SO heavy that she was
having a time getting her arm into the
off sleeve, when another woman paused in
passing to help her.
There was nothing to the incident ex-
cept that the pale and moody look in the
womans face gave way TO a brightness
that was downright startling.
She had probably been in the state OF
mind we all know as the dumps; a
gloomy state of mind that makes the
bes. of us feel the world Is an unJus,
place full of ungrateful people. Oh, yes
all of us know about the dumps.
And the small kindness had chased
them away. 1t was an exceedingly small
kindness. indeed. but $didnt a wise mar
say once on time that ii Is the small
things of life that count in eternity?
And surely wise man ought TO know.
4 stylishly dressed woman, who wa
interested in the beautiful newness Of
Union station paused in her inspection
before the standard electric lights JUS
beyond the main entrance. Then shs
asked a nearby guard:
Are these lamps or fire distinguish
srs?'
And the guard being gentleman ex
n:a:ned that they were lamps.