The Washington bee., 1912-02-17
Public Men And ThinDs
(By the Sage of the Potomac.)

sence OF cafe de liquor or a speak
easy out in the classic, maladorous,
and Cullyflower atmosphere precincts
OF LeDrOit Park, and the presence Of
North Pole weather made things
rather dull in the vicinity of Fourth
and Elm, where we citizenry made
the American eagle scream by voting,
allie same people in the States. But
say, coming down TO this voting busi-
ness, II we had suffrage in this here
District of Columbia the Bureau of
Printing and Engraving would have
to run overtime, the day before,
printing dollar bills. | never saw
such demand for those beautiful bits
OF green paper bearing Napier's name,
and never saw SO few of them in ex-
lstence as on last Saturday From a
financial standpoint, it was a quiet
election, The Money Trust. which
the Democrats propose to investi-
gate, was as elusive around the vot
ing places as an active MOSQUITO in
August. Everybody was on a still.
active, persistent and eager hunt for
the sight of legal tender and a
whole lot of uucOrruptible mahOgan-
ties were just signing for a bit OF
that had the aroma OF
Mount Vernon rye One fellow said
to me, said it pathetiCallv, and with
tears streaming down his dark yisage.
1 dun walk clear here from South
to vote, and now [ got
to walk clear back again wild out a |
peek at even two-bits, and wild out a |
smell of a little gin, and even wild out
being lowed to vote. Why, 'lectiOns
we have in our lodge IS moa lection
like den dis lection" | asked him
what lodge he belonged to, and he re-
piled, de Knights of Gessemane."
But getting back to the election, if |
who has been known to
lump overheard in the ocean to save
4 tItty-Cent polo hat, ever runs for |
delegate in this district his spending
will make this election show up like a |
-aded memory. There Just was no /
money to be had, and that is a pretty |
good sign that it was a fair, square !
yoX populi. l had one awfully bad |
'two-fOr' cigar, and a dozen prom
ses given me, and that's all"
x X
l ran into Bob Douglas the other
evening over at Jones Havana re-
reat, where l stopped to buy me a /
lor del fuma of the five-cent variety,
md had a little chat with him-ain'tI |
seen Bob for several weeks. When |
ooked at that base-drum he is de-
JelOping, those puffed out cheeks,
md that double-jointed chin, II
couldn't help but recall that about a
rear ago we were taking up collec-
ion to have money ready to buy flow
RS to lay on Bob's grave At that
ime he looked like a minute man on
hurry run to leave us, but now he
OOhs like permanent man on the
OBJ. figuring out how many will be
lere with him fifty years hence.
speaking about Bob, reminds me that
n his day. and he sure had some
lays, 1t took a royal flush to beat him
With the ladies, he was Mr.. Ilikem
With the boys he was Bob GoodOld-
COut," If Bob Douglas wasn't in it,
ne thing was a failure Talk about
.ettlng up a dance, or any affair, at
which the wee bits of feminine sweets
we're expected, without Bob Douglas
icing the high Monkdeuonk and you
night just as well talk about making
Goat alley belle queen OF May at a
euuiOn Of WashingtOn's negrOites'
pper four hundred But the old
Cout Is getting very blase now, and
as banished society to the limbo Of
he past ! remember at one of our
ssemblies when | had just finished
yaltzing with humming bird (and I
Sc to think myself some more waltz
r too, she said to me, in skiddO tone
+ voice, don't Bob Douglas waltz
ivinely?' A few moments later
Sob walked over to where we were
with all the pomp of Abe
iummel before his conviction, and
said to my humming bird.
How for the next waltz Well, sir,
he grabbed his arm, shot a sisterly
mile over her left shoulder to me.
nd remarked in d deviled crab tone
t voice. MIR. Humpty Dumpty,
ant you to watch how Bob and
-altz.' Well. to be candid, for two
lOnths you would have thought
al the mumps every time Bob and
met. My feelings we're wounded,
nd my pride outraged. / knew Bob Y
as a bear at dancing. but didn't [
mink he had anything on me. And '
knew that he was candy and peaches
nd ice cream with the ladies, but / I
lOught ! was some confectionery {
18th them myself-me and Sum
yormley. And this particular hum |
ing bird had charm for me, and {
ct right on the ball room floor she c
ave me a plate of slaw and handed J
OBJ a velvet look But those old 4
avs have gone now. Bob's a little u
le worse for wear, and bone SPAWN J
bOthering me a little That hum @
ing bird, who had a form like the c
ueen OF Sheba, liquid eyes that I
adc 4 fellow buy American beauty /
nd mermet roses when selling at 5
re dollars for a sight at six. and c
hose COquettish voice dumped into I
fellows ears made him think he had c
ticket that would draw the grand C
-ize in the Louisiana lottery, now n
IS a form something on the order OF /
gorge Cooks; has a smile that Is s
lot to pieces with wrinkles, and G.
me heirs to an estate that's not
t formed that look like entries in n
free-for-all They say of some that ,
hey all look good when far away" L
It of some Of the dreams of lowell d
IS that Bob and / use to waltz with,
It'll time to 90 home for breakfast,
e have to say: they use to look
,od at time that's far away" Bob
ID It on me d little, in addition to '