Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-12

M story are told. Henry VIII
" may establish an alibi OF
two Shylock and the public
school system meet over and melt that
too. too solid pound of flesh. and Kan
tippe, herself the sturdier man than
Socrates, give ready lie to what is
called the shrew in her. Landladies
whole black-bombazine generations OF
them-oh, so long unheard may rise
in one indictment of the boarder: The
SCARED bureau-front and match
scratched wallpaper: the empty trunk
nailed to the floor in security for the
unpaid bill; cigarette-burnt sheets and
the terror of sudden fire the silent new
conner in the third floor back hustled
out one night in handouts the day
long sobs of the blond girl so suddenly
terrified of life-about-to-be and wringing
her ringless hands in the fourth-fioor
ballroom the smell of escaping gas
and the tightly packed keyhole; the un-
suspected flutes that lurk in boarders
trunks; towels, that querulous and end
less paean of the lodger; the high cost
of liver and dried peaches, OF canned
corn and round steak!
Tired bombazine procession, wrapped
in the greasy odors of years OF carpet
sweeping and emptying slops airing the
gassy slit of room after the coroner
and padding from floor to floor on mis-
sion of towels and towels and towels!
Sometimes climbing from floor to
floor, a still warm supply of them
looped over one arm, Mrs. Kaufman.
who wore bombazine, but unspotted and
with crisp net frills at the throat, and
upon whose soft-looking face the years
had written their chirography in invisi-
BILE ink, would sit suddenly. there in the
narrow gloom of her halls head against
the balustrade Oftener than not the
Katz boy from the third floor front
would come lickety-capping down the
states and past her, Jumping the last
four steps OF each night. u,
Irving. quit your noise in the hall
.Ain't you ashamed. a big boy like
you, and Mrs. Suss with her neuralgiaT'
"Aw!"-thte slam Of door clipping
on this insolence.
After a while she would resume her
climb.
And yet in Mrs. Kaufman's private
boarding house in West S9th street,
one of a breastwork Of brownstone
for story. and ashcan for ashcan. there
were few enough greasy odors except
upon the weekly occasion Of Mondays
boiled dinner; and, whatever the status
Oh HVST anu uI1eQ pGdCueSs C1Hucu COIfl
and round steak. her menus remained
static-so static that in the gas-lighted
basement dining room and at q remote
end of the long. we'll surrounded table
Mrs. Katz. with her napkin tucked well
under her third thin, turned soto from
the protruding husband at her right to
her left neighbor, shielding her remark
with her hand.
"Am right. Mrs. Finshriber? Just
said to my husband in the five years
.I.o cI@ v~kF s<rfxx
once a change from Friday night lamb
and noodles"
Say. you should complain yet! With
me it's six and half years day after
tomorrow. Easter day. since asked
myself that question first"
even my Irving says to me tonight
up in the room, jumping up and down
on the hearth like he had four legs"
81 heard him, Mrs. Katz. on my CELL
ing like he had eight legs"
Mamma he says. guess why I feel
like saying 'Baa-
sheep talk. Mrs. Finshriber. B-a-a.
IKE q sheep goes
"''Cause got so many Friday nights
lamb in me, mamma he said. Quick
like flash that child is.
Mrs. FINSHRIBER dipped her head
4Nl and her glance, all her dropping
features pulled even farther down at
their corners. 81 amt the one to COM
plain, Mrs Katz, and I always say.
when you come right down to it maybe
Mrs. Kaufman's house is as good as the
next one, but"
81 wish, though. Mrs. Finshriber. you
would hear what Mrs. Spritz says at her
boarding house they get for breakfast
fried"
"You can imagine, Mrs. Katz, since
my poor husbands death. now mucn
appetite got left; but say. Mrs. .katz.
1ust for the principle Of the thing II
would not hurt once IL Mrs. Kaufman
should give somebody else besides her
own daughter and Vetsburg always the
white meat from eyef f tSs am hoardsrs,
She knows, Mrs. Finshriber. how my
husband likes breast from the chicken
You think once he gets It! NO al
ways tell him, not till chickens come
double-breasted IKE oVerG .n xs can ne
get it in this house: with Vetsoors
such a star boarder:
last nights chicken, let me tell
Won I don't wish 1t to a dog! Such
piece of dark meat with gizzard mad
to swallow"
cnrity the expense of white napkin
across her ample bosom. Gold rings
and Qusrter-inch marriage band
flashed in and out among the litter of
small tub-shaped dishes surrounding
her. and a pouncing fork Of short.
sure stab. Right away my husband
gets mad when l say the same thing.
when we don't like 1t We should move.
he says"
Like moving is so easy. II you got
two chairs and a hair mattress to take
with you. But I always say. Mrs. KATE.
/ don't blame Mrs. kaufman herself
for what goes on; there's one good
'sThey don't come no better or no
bstter looking. my husband always
says. Say I tell him. she can stand
her good looks"
'Its that big-ideaed daughter is
more to blame. Did you see yet her
new white spats tonight? Right away
the minute they come out she has to
have 'em. I'm only surprised she amt
got one of them red hats from Gimp's
what is all the fad. Believe me. II not
for such ideas. her mother could af-
ford something better as succotash
for us for supper"
''It's a shame. let me tell you. that
a woman like Mrs. Kaufman can't see
for herself such things. God forbid
] should ever be so blind to my
Irving. I tell you that Ruby has got
It more like a queen than boarding
housekeeper's daughter. Spats. yeti"
"Rich girls could be glad to have 1t
always SO good"
II don't say nothing how her mother
treats Vetsburg. her oldest boarder.
and for what he pays for that second
floor front and no lunches she can at
ford to cater a little; but that such q
girl shouldn't be made to take UP q
little stenography or help with the
"s-ay. when that girl even turns a