Evening star., 1920-02-22
HEARDAND SEEN

Two men who had been overseas in
the world war were standing ae the
corner Of Connecticut avenue and L
street, looking out, ever the waste Of
brick that had once been the vista
ton Convent before It fell iuto the
hands Of wfeckirs. '.--'
'It looks like France" said one at
last. Those who had not been in
France were forced to take the SOL
disrs word for II. but the scene last
week certainly presented striking
likeness to pictures Of the devastated
regions Of France.
GREAT holes, like shell holes, with
piles Of brick and broken mortar.
fallen beams and wrecked staircases,
met the eye over the whole block. The
.wan which surrounded the old con-
vent building and gardens was crum-
bling ana broken in many places;
Ruin and estruction-carefuIiy
'wrousht-wers everywhere. II a Sec
ton Of . city Of France which had
been subjected to the fire Of the en-
eny until total ruin resulted had been
set down in the middle Of the north
west section facing on Connecticut
noshSs nos Ssv. 'nS BEEN much disrsn, n from
the real picture presented By the
wrscking operations
IS
It 10 o curious thing that colony
of people who came from far across
the western sea to live In the Ma
'tional Capital should have taken up
their residence almost within the very
shadow Of the Capitol dome.
l Yet that Is the fact, as q short visit
TO Washington's Chinatown" located
on Pennsylvania avenue between %
and ~ streets, will attest. - - :.
But II. m American wants to "do"
the Chinese colony here, he had better
get some one who knows the Chinese
intimately to be his personal guide, as
without such an Acquaintance to voueh
Tor one. . sightseer 10 not apt to get
/ was indebted to. Detective Harry
X. Wilson Of the sixth precinct, and
to Capt Lord Of that precinct, for q
pleastrsble visit 70 these people. whom
We are 20 likely to term -snsious
from us. -
Il was on the, occasion Of the Chi
nese New Year eve, just after the Chi.
nese storekeepers had finished put
ns sp wiz se Il. pSsT Ss1s s.a .S1s soss
which persons going along in the
Avenue cars doubtless observed.
. These new signs were duplicated
within the storts. usually on the hack
Mali OF the front room. Above each
tion made Of tinsel. shaped somswhat
like Q very small Christmas tree, and
surmounted By couple Of peacock
feathers. In some OF these decorations
were nxed two small dolls. but just
who or what these dolls represented
was beyond our power to ind out. ),
found the Chinese were keen on
eating oranges, munching them with
great relish, and also were devoted
70. e c,acrs % s1m. ssmokinHg nH only the best: BY
Chinese kept to their pipes, long bam-
boo specimens, through which smoke
made ieisurely journey.
What pleased me was the custom
OF the Chinese in placing In the dis
durinE the past year and bringing
out for personal use entirely new
dishes. This might be q trifie ex-
pensfve. but is entirely symbolicaI Of
clean plate and . new deal for the
Then that other custom which the
Chinese observe on their New Year
10 undoubtedly . good one, and that
10 their payment OF all debts con.
tracted during the old year. The
Gnins,s Saa. S..H.,x are notsH for their scrTpa-
debts by midnight on their January
1, even II they have to 70 and con-
tract Z new debt to do It. This cus-
tom among Americans would be q
boon to scores who have lent money.
and would make certain that man
would get his dollars back in a year.
at least.
Up in northwest Washington, on a
nice street, there is q small apart
ment house, the colored jsnitor Of
which has an eye to business.
4. This janitor is an expert paper
e who took s.., up the S
self. But he has determined not to
lose OUT on the proposition. evi-
IDENTIFY, for he has taken steps that
made some Of the people Of TIE apart
imasins the surprise Of one woman
in the apartment the other day. when
plotting to her home an acquaintance
upon whom she desired to make an
Impression. to see q large sign placed
in the baseunene window. 20 cnat all
.fas Paper ' sansins done. painting.
decorating. Inquire within"
How to get Q reputation tor keen
eyesight was demonstrated on the
Mount Pleasant car line one morning
last week BY . young man who Is
really 70 neAr-sighted that he couldn't
see . street car q block on.
A jocular old gentleman, coming into
Q large group who were hoping down.
town car would come along before long,
pointed up the track and cried:
Here comes . car! Who can tell
me what 1t is,"
Everybody pesred up the track. but
an intelligent eagle couldn't have seen
what the sign on the car said.
What do you say 1t isr' insisted the
old fellow.
The young man addressed took long
look up the track, and then calmly an
nounced: Lincoln Park"
The whole crowd watched the ap-
preaching car. Finally. when II did
come within reading distance. sure
enough, 1t was Lincoln Park car.
All looked admiriugly at the young
man. But his brains, not his eyes, saw
the sign. He had been able to detect
what they all saw, smaller sign down
by the notorman, and had taken o
chance on a choice Of two designations.
That was all.
CHARLES E. tTRAcEwELL.