Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21
Around the City
She was telling him all about II.

She was telling him ali about It.
The trip up the mountain-the quaint
viliase-the houses decorated outside
with sacred plctures-the waysde shrines
the wonderful carvings-the sweet
seriousness Of the natives contrasting
| with the ciamorous noises of the crowds
the play
You were fortunate" he remarked,
when he got his chance to wedge in a
| word-'I've never been able to attend the
Passion Play
why, that's funny. It's been here
twice. saw 1t first on Capitol Hill and
then down here on the Avenue-you
ought to have gone,
| And yet there are people who deny
the educational value of moving picture
| shows.
An ancient colored woman of the
''aunty" type stood in line at a train
gate.
/ She had on purple calico frock faded
at the belt gathers and so stiff with
starch that it stood out like a brocade.
Her long white apron and neck handker-
chief were OF spick span cotton and a
turban was deftly tucked around her
head after the fashion Of the slave days
OF her youth. In Difference to the TWEEN
tieth century the turban was black in
stead or bandana and topping it was
| shameless straw sailor that tried to be-
! little the dignity of the fine old face-and
| failed. AS her turn came to move
through the gate she blocked the passage
long enough to call back to younger
! woman:
Goodbye. honey. I'll be speckin' you
down to de chuch picnic, eff you kin git
OF fun 20 survice place
Honey was human cartoon. in
narrow skirt, yellow pumps that suggest
dirty white chiffon. She posed with her
| stomach caved in and her hustle bumped
| out In exaRgeration of some admired
| model. doubtless the first owner of the
| wrecked hat
Huh. service place. nothin'. When l
get good an ready to come I'm a comm
see. boz
Honey" had graduated from cornield
| dialect to the choicest slang OF the tough
and was plainly proud of her polish. She
| also took particular pains to let the sur
| rounding congregation see that she was
| ashamed Of her countrif1ed nanny.
And the congregation could see for itself
that the mother was proud of her child.
| bunch OF small boys were playing
| base ball on common. The catcher had
taken his stand on the pavement, batter
| stood in place. and the pitcher after go
| Ing through contortions suggestive of the
ache that comes from green apples. de-
| livered the ball. 1t went wild and struck
passing woman. The woman gaSped
and reached out for the support of a
provtdential tree box. An elderly samar-
| itan who had paused to watch the game
| went to her assistance and the boys
some Of them-took to their bare heels. A
ball In the back is only ball in the
back, and the woman was about to go her
way when the captain Of the team, ap-
parently feeling that 1t was up to him to
do something, came forward with an
apologize look on his honest, ugly little
face:
Lady I'm sorry you got hit, but 1t
| wasn't a batted ball.
The explanation settled things all
around. The woman and the samaritan
piled that boys will be boys; the bare
heels came sprtnting back and the cap
tain resumed his duties with the strut
! Of one who has done himself proud.
.1'm Just so mad don't know what to
do!-and I don't suppose they'll take it
back
The woman who had walled paused for
| sympathy. She got 1t:
''Of course, they won't take it back
L
the stuff. knowing, beforehand. that you
are too chunky for checks"
I'm no such thing. I'm just the same
size OF the Venus de Milo, except In
height OF course. stripes make me look
| taller. but 1t was such lovely blue cross
bar that ] couldn't help myself-and now
I've got to wear tt
You might give it away" suggested
| the sympathizer. who was just the right
build for checks
Il see myself! j take notice nobody
| tumbles over themselves in their hurry
| to give me anything. The trouble with
| me is I'm too generous. Don't you know
l gave my sister that black silk that
could just we'll a-made over as not"
What, that old foulard? What did
| she want with it?''
We'll. like your nerve: That was
| dandy piece of goods. The buttons alone
were worth. Come along over to the
The Venus de Milo, except in height.
| piloted the way over to the clerk who
was clipping soda coupons Being SO
| seriously troubled with generosty-to say
nothing of her implied invitation to the
other woman to partake-one would have
| supposed she would have paid for both
sodas, but she didn't.
The treat was strictly Dutch.
4 man was staggering along in the
| dark AS he lurched from one side of the
pavement to the other his lips were
pouched out as II to whistle, but he
| wasn't whistling.
| He was mumbliIxy a tune with appa-
| rently no consciousness Of what he was
doing.
And the tune was Home, Sweet Home
Must Return Presents.
|