Evening star., 1922-10-01
Heard and Seen

AHs emily DAYS OF the past week.
nrst OF the season. have made more
trouble for the local dealers In coal
than even the bitter weather of a
Few years ago, when the winter
broke records for severity and when
fuel was scarce. For while coal is
coming in, II 10 in such small lots
that when apportioned. 1t gives each
dealer less than enough to satisfy
any OF his regular customers. Waiting
lists govern deliveries, orders being
booked according to dates. Yet IL
each customer were served from each
lot the dealer gets he would receive
only fraction Of . ton.
Diplomacy. therefore. prevails in
smooth brand II Is at that. when the
coal dealers get through this coming
winter they will have been fitted for
foreign service.
One of the local fuel merchants
the other day tried persifiage in re-
sisting the opportunities Of an old
had a standing order for twelve tons
each winter, and that II was not
fequisition.
Why" he said. "1 am one of your
or'tinal or yanr pat patrons one of the very first
YES" sadly replied the coal man,
but you know the Bible says some :
the last first."
IT does. indeed" quickly and dis
eontentedly answered the customer.
,sne sne !. .I Also says somewhere in Isaiah
that There shall not be coal to
warm At nor fire to sit before 1t.
Do eualify?"
Fuel is the universal topic Of con-
versation at present in circles COM
prising those who are responsible for
| the heating Of their own premises
| which excludes the apartmenteers
Everybody is talking coal or it's sub
stitutes. While a short time ago radio
amplfflers and wave lengths, con-
densers. antennae and variome tiers were
| the leading subjects Of discourse. now
the talk is chiefly Of heat units. splint
coke. gas heaters, electric stoves and
| tisanship runs high at times, and
proud indeed is ne who finds a novel
way TO make and keep a fire.
One ingenious householder. living
In the southwestern section Of the
city. thinks he has the prize solution
summer he saved the newspapers that
came into his home. and as his is a
| reading family they made a big pile
in his cellar. Recently he had bee -
and, pressing his household into serv-
ice. he soaked up the accumulated pa
perS in the domestic washtubs, and
when they were in semi-pulp state
| they were pressed in an diversified
Lemon squeeGer" that he had impro-
vised and turned out in the form of
balls about four or FIVE inches in d.
ameter. These were then stacked and
| dried. Now they make a fine fire in
the livfng-room CRATE during the nip
py nights, and the print of yesterday
warns the family quite satisfactorily.
The idea has spread until the small
boys who have heretofore made pocket
money by collecting and selling old
| newspapers are finding lean pickings
in that neighborhood.
= ::
Two little\boys. perhaps ten years
old. stood in the big crowd watching
! the pageant of Virginia history rem
dered recently in Alexandria. They
were keenly interested and closely
| observant Of details. When The scene
! men was given the brilliant uniforms
| of the officers and soldiers fascinated
| the younGsters. They did not know
that much pains and money had been
spent in providing historically correct
costumes, but the effect impressed
them.
where d. you think they got them
suits?' asked one as the scene closed.
"Oh." said the other. II think myself
It's just some goods sewed a little"
Later came the episode of the meet
ing at Richmond. where Patrick
Henry delivered his impassioned plea
for liberty. The boys were thrilled.
The familiar words came ringtngly
from the skilled performer. and when
,, he had reached his great climax one
! of the lads exclaimed:
Gee, that's great-just like Patrick
Henry"