The Washington herald., 1917-01-08
Tabloid Tales
BY THE OBSERVER

A crowd OF goodly proportions had
gathered on the street corner at the even
ing rush hour. There were tired bust
ness men and equally tired business
women, shoppers, young things OF both
sexes from the matinees. and the usual
street fiotsam which heeds the psychologi-
cal message of the crowd Passing auto
mobiles slowed up while their occupant
turned to stare and several empty taxi
cabs and their drivers Joined the throng
Street cars passed unimpeded, but their
passengers half rose in their seats and
turned to crane.
Mott wasn't an accident, or a FIRE or
shoplifter. or heart failure, or even
disorderly holiday. celebrant-none OF
the things that human nature dotes on
Just mild, unassuming little man with
sparse gray hair and shabby overcoat
mounting his skipmobile for a swift spin
homeward from the Office.
They belonged to two worlds.
She sat on the first of the little side
seats at the front OF the street car and
she looked as though her limousine had
become suddenly indisposed and had put
in to the nearest garage. Her velvet
gown was of the richest texture and her
furs were no less genuine than the goura
on her smart little hat. Nesting against
her shoulder and surveying the car with
wide, solemn eyes was a regular Christ
mas card baby dressed in the softest OF
silks and embroideries with a frilIy lace
and-blue-rtbbon confection framing its
chubby face.
A woman in last years black serge
| that was showing green at the seams sa,
in the seat directly behind the velvet
lady. The ghost of a once fourishine
ostrich feather stood up bravely on a
hat of undated origin and there were
three holes in the fingers Of her black
cotton gloves. The chubby little young
ster in serviceable gray flannel on her
lap was obviously "grandchild" and her
first
The silk-and-lace baby stared at tbs
gray-flannel baby-then 1t leaned over
stretched out two white-mittened hand.
and said, 600" which, interpreted from
baby language means, 'T'm for you"
The velvet lady turned around and me-
the eyes of the black-serge woman-anc
one observer held her breath.
A great philosopher said something
once about a touch of nature, and mayb,
the velvet lady felt 1t. Anyway, she
smiled quite frankly at the black-serg,
woman, who was emboldened to lear
forward and ask confidentially,
How old's yours-
Eight months"
SOS this one-eight months day be.
fore yesterday. Got any teeth yet"
The velvet lady was forced to admit the
delinquency of the silk-and-lace baby
This ones got two," proudly. "Oper
ooes mouf. baby, and show ooes toofes
Tha-a-t's the boy. show ooes booful
, toofes."
And condolences were stil flourishinr
when one observer reached her corner
and ahshted quoting the Bible and Kip
ling and several other authorities to her.
self.
Ever think about the Psychology of d
joke? Several eminent gentlemen have
devoted chapter or two of their learned
works to the subject. but the question
still stands-whsre lies the punch" witt
the Joker or the 1okeef
Somebody called up . well-known ciut
the other evening and asked to speal
with Mr.. Washington. The boy who
/ PACED the gentleman with the illustrioui
name was intercepted by wag who gave
the man at the other end of the wire the
telephone number Of Mount Vernon, and
added for his further Information tina,
HI. Washinston was not In town, having
run up 10 Trenton for . iittle trip acrosl
the Delaware.