The Washington herald., 1918-03-22

New York, March 2l-A dog fight on
bring everybody to the door. Even
the postmaster would quit sorting the
o'clock mail to be an eye witness.
That was in the targon Of New York
Small Town Stuff.
1t was o'clock on Fifth avenue,
one OF the show streets of the world.
Fifth avenue is peopled with the blase,
the world weary and the thrill proof.
And yet
A small gray mouse ran out from a
coal chute. II sought to dodge death
under the stream of northbound and
southbound wheels. Just before the
ira ffic semaphores changed, the reports
seemed TO indicate he was crushed
under the omnibus tire.
The mouse ignored every sort Of
rule and counsel. from the precepts
of the police to the admonitions Of
Magistrate House. who fines every
auto violator who comes before him.
He doubled and twisted on his
course. The crowds stopped. From
all the windows heads appeared. Sales
women came to the streets in their
aprons. Doorways were jammed as
well as the streets. Business was
suspended.
Squadrons of traffic cops from near
by stations came on the run and made
a flying wedge into the crowds. Sew
eral fire boxes were pulled. Engines
snorted to the scene. Finally came
the double riot call from general head
quarters.
Women tainted. men had their
| clothes torn. pickpockets made some
fine collections. There was a period
Of pandemonium. One big plate glass
window was pushed in by the crush.
The mouse escaped somehow. All
| of this is New York stuff
Near the hat checkroom in a GER
tain Broadway cafe is a little box.
| 1t is fastened to the wall In il those
| who come to eat wartime fare at war
time prices are invited 10 drop only
| a mite for the men who have given
the sight OF their eyes for democracy.
After one has eaten a meal he is
supposed TO give the hat check boy 10
| cents or more for putting his hat and
| coat on hook. Sometimes it looks
! as though the contribution box wore
sardonic and disillusioned air.
A little touch of war. The cabaret
place was near Forty-second and
Broadway. She came in alone. dress
! ed modestly and did not look about.
The orchestra played when I'm
Through with the Arms of the Army,
I'll Come Back to the Arms of You"
Tears glistened in her eyes. She paid
her check later and left. From the
! waiter: She used TO dance here. So
did her husband. They were high
| flyers in the fast and loose crowd. He
| used to have pockets lined with fish
hooks. He never bought. They both
Just songed. He got caught in the
| draft. He's over there now. She 5
| quit dancing. l hear she's working in
a 10-cent store. Now and then she
comes back and the orchestra plays
some sentimental tune. She has a
little cry and goes out and seems to
feel better. War has done lot 10
make the Broadway idlers find them
selves, SIR"
Gott. SO often mentioned by the kai-
ser as his subordinate, is at the Wal
dorS and he hopes William Hohenzol-
lern chokes. All of this bunk about
Me and Gott" he fatty denies.
Hub" quoth the clerk as he regis
tered III. ii. Gott, Pittsburgh, Pa.
You're the person who -"
Yes, yes" the other replied testify.
| Il know. They've been pulling that
Joke in Pittsburgh ever since the war
began. 1 hope the Kaiser chokes."
! With this benediction he lighted a
Pareses IL cigarette, ambled over TO
the elevator and was gone. Then the
press agent slid down his brass pole
and called up all the city editors.