Evening star., 1918-05-26

1t was q big moment for that vast
congregation OF Red Cross buttons,
pledge cards and blue wells. and when
Lucien Muratore sang the Mar
its turn earlier on the program wasn't
q circumstance to the greater furor
Of exultation that vented itself in
shouts. wavings. French vtvas and
ono lone but lively rebel yell. No
an ovation like that. Yes. sir; Lib
annals that French night-never
mind delayed trains and transforms.
She was q salloW little girl In q
white froce and blue sash. Her hair
was curled in sleek tubes. and from
her lace-insert yoke was suspended
gold medals were pinned.
Four gold medals. Big ones. And
shiny.
The little girl wore her honors with
q primness that suggested the fear
that she had swallowed q ramrod
which she couldn't digest. but NAM
ma. on the side. frankly revslet In
the attention which her child was at
tracing from each passenger in the
car.
Everybody knows about mammas.
She was affably alive to the sur
ate medals with honors fought Tor
and won. And whom . passenger
would look, turn away ana look
again. she obviously basked In the
rays OF her child's importance ~ .
lizard basks In the sun.
Won could fairly rnfnA.pnnA ~hst
was going on inside those passengers.
as each wondered what 80 tiny q
child could have done to merit such
rewards. even granting her the mir
acle of genius.
A medal on a soldiers uniform, or
a life savers shirt. or q students
fob. tells. without words, its story Of
valor or sacrifice or steadfast study,
but-a small girl, with eyes as In.
tellectual as q baby kittens; with
that are going to take her to . spe-
cialist II she doesn't look out. What
on earth could . crumb OF . human
like that do to earn Q gold medal
four Of them. Gold and big. And
shiny.
A dear digniflsd old gsntienaa, who
couldn't stand the mystery smother SEC
ond. leaned across from his straight-line
seat opposite. and said. with . win
ming deference that NO chiid's mann
ma could resist:
What a wonderful little lady you
when most Of us have to get along
The ramroddy little girl smirksd
Importantly. but she didn't answer
for the very good reason that man.
Tell the gentleman. darling
everybody says she's 30 modest about
it-go on. darling. tell the gentle"
And darling told.
"T wonnem in q ticket contest I
this year. and thenner sold
Mamma had to cut in. She Just
couldn't help herself:
"She takes the medal every year
selling tickets for the annual festival
at school. you know. OF course. pa
friends. and the stores where / deal
at regular-they always like to
oblige their steady customers, you
know. and they are 50 ip-trusted In
Dottie- Her papa was sort OF op-
posed to her going in. but when Dot
you can't stop her-and really sle did
most Of the work herself. this
And IL you win kindly take the
trouble to consider the difficulties of
ticket selling. you will agree that
with the soldier man. the life-ssvsr
and the student addicted to midnight
ofl-That is:
II you have ever sold tickets your
self.
He was going to market with .
basket on his arm. -
His steps were slow without being
sure. and his shoulders were 30 bent
that his face all but touched the
hand that held his cane.
Having come, to the Avenue At 7th
street he stood at the curb waiting
his chance to venture across, when
another mantle merest everyday
sort of person-guided him over. and
in leaving. cautioned him not to try
to recross at 80 congested q section.
The old man gave q birdlike twist
to his neck 80 that he looked side
wise at his good samaritan, and
chuckled out assurance:
+ 'I won't be going back before dusk.
I stay in the Smithsonian grounds all
day, in weather like this, so ehat I
ers. you know. ana grass, ana little
children - ana sparrows hopping
around-and Squirrels"
The everyday man paused to in
dorse the statement with a nod. and
the other seemed glad to have a
listener:
when you can sec all the sky you
want, and the tops Of trees and other
high up things over your head, you
sort of take the world as a matter
of course, and keep on without pay
ing much attention. But when you
have to keep looking at the small
things under your eyes they get to
be lots Of company-friendlyl like. you
know. My granddaughter puts me up
a lunch and I buy a bag OF peanuts
for the squirrels and some animal
crackers for the children. and we
have q pretty good time. all to-
gether-"
That's a fine scheme Of yours. sir.
I think TIL look into 1t, myself. Also,
it's a pretty good sermon"
Then the everyday man went his
way, and after q while be told II to .
person who tabled 1t down-like this.
It is worth the telling. because to
make the best of ones disabilities is
a splendid thing. And q splendid thing
is worth passing on.
Also, the old man wasn't going to
market. Which shows what appear
ance amounts to.
NANNIE LANCASTER.