Evening star., 1921-03-06
HEARD AND SEEN


low many people there were on Penn
sylvania avenue last Friday who
fondly expected TO witness the old
time inaugural parade.
From casual remarks heard in the
crowd it was evident the number was
not inconsiderable. Although the pa
pers for weeks had told the facts as
to the coming ceremony. many in the
crowds March 4 were looking for the
usual sort of thing.
The imagination of the crowd was
demonstrated by the number of times
people heard a band playing. when, as
a matter of fact, there was no band
playing except at the Capitol. and il
could not possibly have been heard at
l4th street and Pennsylvania avenue.
Yer at that corner very positive
woman Kept repeating: Il hear a
| band. Don't You hear it?' When as
sured by companions that they did
not, the woman would he silenced for
a lew minutes, only to break out aft
er while with. There. Don't you
hear it now"
Gen. Harding was coined during
the inaugural parade" by small boys
selling canes
The boys were especially busy about
1850 o clock, walking along Pennsyl-
vania avenue with bundles of small
canes. and loudly proclaiming them
as Senator Harding canes"
Most of the boys. however. in their
hurry, pronounced the phrase some
thing like this. sen Harding canes 4"
To the average person this sounded
ilke nothing so much as 'Genl Hard
ing canes
when did President Harding get
to be general" was the remark
often heard. One gentleman went so
/ far rs to reprove one of the cane
| selling boys for his careless pro-
| nunciation. But he merely wasted his
time.
A strange thing happened in a
newspaper office when Champ Clark,
that sturdy American. went to his
rest. Newspaper Offices do not often
divulge their happenings. but this
one shall have publicity.
The head of the copy desk re-
ceived word that Representative
Clark was likely to die at any mo-
ment. Then for an hour and a half
the copy editor did not have time to
recall the matter.
About . o'clock. when the rush of
denly remembered Champ Clark.
Vividly, almost like fash, the
thought of Champ Clark came over
him.
He meditated upon the life and
works of the dying ex-Speaker of the
minent death of this man. just as
new President of the United States
was about to be inaugurated.
Then, as if moved by other will
than his own, the chief copy editor
held out his hand under the mouth
of the pneumatic tube up which
come dispatches from the Associated
Press. No carrier had come up that
tube for a full ten minutes.
AS his hand was extended under
the mouth of the tube there was a
rumble, the cover opened, and a
The editor opened a folded sheet and
read aloud the flash" as follows:
Champ Clark dead
Retiring officials of the government
last week exemplified Longfellow's
well known lines:
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs.
And silently steal away"
1t was something marvellous to wit
ness, especially to those not familiar
with the end of administrations, the
way those officials faded away from
their old familiar haunts.
Here. where but few days ago
they had been all-powerful. they had
become no more than the veriest
clerk-in fact, scarcely held his pow
er. since he was to stay. while they
were on their way"
There's a colored cook in this town
who is fond of using big words" She
has the right idea. but not always the
correct word.
Recently she was telling about her
mistress love for the only child OF
the family. What she wanted to use
was "idoliZe," Of course, but what she
said was:
"She just analyses that child"
CHARLES f. TRACEWELL.