Evening star., 1920-06-20
HEARD AND SEEN

I dent know how the zone man
cars on the Mount Pleasant line are
out, but / know one woman
who hopes they stay In forevermere.
She bearded one of these cars one
day last week, more cut of curiosity
than anything else, hoping that she
could get Down tewn quickly. But
she did not reckon with the long
stretch Of terh-up track along Con-
nectieut avenue.
The ear, under the general man
aEership Of it's combined moterman-
conductor, proudly headed down the
avenue, with Its lone passenger, All
went we'll until several blocks, and
the car stopped.
The rIiotorman dropped the lever
and went Into conference with the
conductor, but neither could start the
car. As the motorman. he pulled the
handle, and as conductor, he rang the
bell for clear track"
But It wasn't any use. The car
wouldn't bulge. The moterman and
conductor pulled on another lever
Open shot the door. Down he stepped
and then. as II to protect his pas
senger. carefully closed the door from
the outside.
The passenger thought nothing of
1t until the motorman and conductor
came back. and began gesticulating
through the glass, After awhile sh {
realised that he, wanted to speak tc
her, 30 she went forward.
I can't get In" cried the motorman.
The lady looked blank.
i've locked myself out" called the
conductor.
II can't help It," called the lady.
Pull that lever pleaded the motor
man-conductor.
The passenger looked at the two
levers before her. She had no idea
which was which. and was afraid to
pun one Tor fear she would start the car
II she did that. she reasoned swiftly,
she would be in danger. since no one
could get in to help her.
She shook her head in despair.
II don't know which one to pull" she
cried.
The motorman heaved a great sigh.
and indicated the proper lever.
1t won't. start" he called "Pull it,
Although she feared to suddenly find
herself and the street car bounding off
merrily down the tracks. the passenger
reached for the fateful lever and gave it
great tug.
Open came the doors.
Thank you, lady" said the conduc-
tor, as the motorman took his place at
the wheel.
How many times can carload of
people sneeze between 18th street and
Columbia road and 11th and F streets?
The humid days Of last week, sand
wiched with cooler evenings due to the
showers, gave excellent opportunity for
the curious to determine the sneeze pos
sibilitieS and powers of the residents en-
masse.
Observations made on one car filled
with the general run" of the citizenry
gave a result of5twenty-six sneezes in
vidual brought up the score by sneezing
seven times all by himself. His sneezes
came in triplets, rounded off at Dupont
Circle with Fesounding sneeZe that
shook the car-or perhaps 1t was some
thing on the track. Any way, it was a
grand sneeze. Ladies' looked aghast and
held their handkerchiefs: in front Of
their faces for six blocks. Even strong
men moved forward.
That car and trip probably held the
champion remained aboard it as far as
the pension Office building it is certain
that he sneezed many times more.
If you were about to retire from
job which you had held for any
period from fifteen to fifty years,
what do you think you would do with
yourself for the remainder OF your
life?
This is the question being faced by
hundreds of employees of Uncle Sam
who come under the provisions of
the recently enacted retirement law
ana will be separated. from the SER
vice they have been in so long.
The question given above is not the
oretica1. It is eminently, practical
Ask any Of the fine old men who have
grown old in the civil service of their
country and you will find that many
of them are up in the air." as the
saying is, as to how to answer it.
Although retirement has been dis
century. Its enactment came sudden
ly. almost dramatically, so that it
caught many Of the old employees
mapping.
They had not made any particular
plans as to retirement. 1t had been
discussed much, but they little
dreamed to- see it in operation. 1t
which are so fine. indeed, that this
hard old world seems to find it diff
ficult to put % much goodness into
SO the employees were at a loss, and
many still are, as to what to do with
themselves when retired. Most of
them. 1t is safe to say. will settle
down to a well-earned rest in the
homes OF their children. With the
consciousness of work well done. and
the esteem and honor of mankind
theirs, they will devote the .halcyon
days" as Walt Whitman called them.
TO the rest which they so well de-
serve CHARLES Il A