Evening star., 1917-03-04

of the press pegged at a column OF
mighty fine stuff that was going to be
cut down to a stickful.
"Whata YOU bid me. gents"
There were no bidders For once in
the history of this world Venus was
not a popular lady. She was eclipsed
by a brighter Evening Star.
The peddler, with a fine sense of pre-
paredness, kept his basket on his arm.
but ventured a Few more inches into
the danger zone.
"Maka the offer. gents.
There were NO offers. Nobody had
time to bother with the goddess OF
the thing that makes the world go
round.
The peddler. inspired with the cour-
age of ono who has not been ordered
out. sidled into what one might call
a spotlight position, and in Italian
in behalf of his work, which. for
some iuscrutable reason. had gone up
on account OF the war. The statue
was really worth all of So. but he was
willing for the gents TO fix the price.
a chuckle bubbled up from behind a
typewriter. Two telephones jingled to-
gether like two hearts that beat as
one, but nobody made an offer for
Venus.
Say. gents, what'l you give for this
Veenus folda here in my hapds %
Only one man showed symptoms of
interest. He was generally supposed
10 De Il klnuiy Soul, Dut ne Cluh 10 4
thing but go over to the peddler and
tell him to quit. The peddler paid no
attention.
"Maka an offer. gents----'
The man of symptoms Interrupted
with the deep impressiveness Of one
who has taken course by mail:
This is no place for you--so.'
The peddler twirled his Venus aloft
To show her lines. which were out of
drawing:
INA you won't siva three, maka
two fiftee-'
The upholder of law (see Office rule
as to agents. etc.) was at him again
with deeper impressiveness and more
"say. son. this office IS getting a pa
per on the street. You toddle out
quick
The peddler man who, obviously. had
worse than his bite, struck n louder
key:
.'Maka the offer, gents. ,naka the
Then a copy reader did d rash thing.
just To show the boys how really easy
ii was TO get rid of nuisance like
that lie draHled out. with derisiye non
chalauce:
Fifty cents"
The peddler pounced down on the
proposition with suddenneSs indica-
tive Of victory. and the artiess patron
handed over the money with n counte-
nance that might have been more
blythe. Scientists who make q life
long study of face culture might have
classed it as stung.
And Michaelangelo went down the
seven flights-in an elevator-to come
back later by the stairs.
This touching incident was written
and sent to The Star by the gentleman
who witnessed 1t:
only a Dog.-Residents of the local
ity of Dupont Circle will no longer see
Il familiar sight-that of an old lady
walking with her exceptionally pretty
Maltese terrier. Strangers often stopped
to admire the little white doggie, so
like j silky pom-pom. To the chauf-
feur whose machine tossed the little
crushed form into the gutter it was
nothing to stop for-only a dog-but
to the trembling old mistress who
gathered into her arms that bit of fluff
that tiny body full of love and 10y
alty--it was Il tragedy
Out Georgetown way there is another
old gentlewoman, whose tragedy is also
of little count, except to the few who
She has lived for many years in the
small brick home, set in a box-hedged
yard, where her husband died and
where she reared her son. who married
a few years ago. He wanted her to live
with him, but she preferred the old
house with it's memories: she couldn't
sleep restfully except In her own four
poster: she had pieced her own quilts,
and picked the live feathers for her
pillows, and she had bit of story for