Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-07

A big real estate man-"big stands for
business-called on an old colored woman
who was behind in her rent.
He went instead of sending. because
but maybe we ought not to peek into his
reason. If every business man in Wash
ington was to let on to the world what
his Bible left hand was doing it might
jar that adage about corporations having
no souls. And a fine old adage, like the
fine old Union, must be preserved.
though, confidentially. NOSE adages ought
to be canned.
SO. to begin again, big real estate man
called on an old colored woman who'was
behind in her rent She was affably
apologize and rich in promises to pay up
as soon as she could get another dollar.
Il has de roster de rent, boss. but
cordin' to nah Pigment, de las dollah is
alters de hardes to cotch; jes' as
soon
But you know you are way behind.
and if YOU don't pay, the collector will
come and put you out.
''Yess;h, boss, dat's all right, 1 gwine
pay dat rent money soon's l collar dat
las dollah-'deed / is, boss
Now. | doi. want to see you turned
out in the street. s.unty. Suppose l give
you that last doilar-will you call at the
office in the morning and pay your
rent?"
Aunty was deightedly sure so the boss
gave her a doliar-God love him-and
went his way. The next morning the old
woman failed TO show up. She was
And on the day after that. Then the
boss. in a ferment of righteous wrath,
made a second visit. And again the old
colored woman received him with affable
apologies.
Why didn't you come to the office and
promised % the
business man inquired.
Deed, boss, chile. 1 gwine glitter roun'
soon's l gifts nah rent money t'guther. l
got all of it cep'n one doilah-
But l gave you that dollar
Il knows you did. boss. You suttinly
did gimme dat dollah, an it suttinly did
hep out handy too. Y'know dat dress
maker dat made me my silk dress? Well,
| done pay dat CONAN all to de las dollah
an fore ] could git up to de office wifi
NAH rent money, she comes stawmpin.
in on me an low eff / don't ginner dat
dollah she gwine tooken my silk dresser
way. An so o 'cose | halter letter have
1t. but jes' as soon l gifts me dat las
dollah / gwine troteroun' an pay dat
rent-deed | is. boss
And what did the boss do? Well, ii
isn't In the story. but as the old woman
still occupies the house one might guess.
A man ard woman were getting into
an automobile that stood IN front of an
Avenue hotel. When the woman was
seated both noticed the .Larade of auto
mobiles filed with orphan children. For
q half minute they watched the line of
laughing, fag-waving youngsters, then
the man said a strong and exceedingly
satisfactory cuSS word
Il promised to lend the machine to
help along the fun. and then forgot all
about it-blank it"'
The woman must have had the soothing
temperament of a poultice. for she turn
cd to him indulgentiy.
Don't worry, dear; your intention was
good
1t apparently didn't occur to her that
good intentions are the official paving
stones in place that polite people never
mention.
That's no excuse. If every other fell
low had forgotten. same as I did, what
would those poor kinds have done--blank
itr'
The woman patted him assuringiy on
the arm as he got in beside her, but as
the man started the car there was the
look on his face that each OF us wears
when we feel that we might have done
a helpful thing
And did not.
This is what she was telling another
woman:
"A tall, sick-looking man. whose clothes
simply hung on him, got aboard at Bal
timore. His wife. who was plump to the
ready-to-burst point. was dressed in
mourning, with her hat awry. veil up on
one side of her face and down on the
other. and hair that looked as il she had
been shedding hairpins all the way from
Richmond, where. Ii appeared she hailed
from. In addition to the sick husband
she was hampercd with the usual country
woman's array of boxes. satches and
bundles, but none of these handicaps
c:ouded the friendliness of her face, or
interfered with her landing the outfit on
the train.
After we got out into the country and
the motorman had let go. l heard the
sick man cough and saw him spring up
and grab the motorman by the coat-tail
The car stopped and before Mrs. Hayseed
could gather her wits. her husband. with
the motorman and the conductor behind
him, We're tearing down the track. Then