Evening star., 1923-09-08
Washington Sketches
a Duck That Limps.

| When he came here four years ago
his distinguishing characteristic was
wide eyes and gaping mouth-fig-
uratively. OF course, he knew
| enough about cities to restrain
physical reactions upon the spirit.
Wherefore. when the spirit gasped
at structures of architectural ele-
| gance he closed his lips tightly in
fear of casual observer detecting
provincial tendencies.
Politics had written his destiny in
luminous scroll. Actuality during
four years had tarnished the writing
! on the wall of his achievement
The town that he came from had
Its own country club. it's three ho-
tells. its leading forty" its fash
lonable church. it's demi-risque rem
devious. He had entertained lavish
ly there. But for some reason ex-
or $4,000 mark annually. There were
not so many to dine at one time
and not so many times to dine
guests. His income easily took cars
OF his automobiles and his preten-
tious little home. Everything was
Elysian.
He came here with his wife and
two debutante daughters. They need
ed a new automobile or two. The
apartment in which they lived took
figures out of his bank and placed
1t in the bank of the landlord. He
had to join three clubs. He had to
repay invitations. He learned the
maxim of a call for a call, lunch
con for luncheon. a party for a
party"
The check for expenses which the
New Year regularly presented for
entertaining the Old Year mounted
to the five figure column and wrin-
kles began their inroads on placid
brow.
There were coming out" parties.
theater parties, country club parties,
dinner parties, and they followed
one another so swiftly that the poor
man feared for his political life. II
his constituents learned what had
been happening.
Washington had been the goal of
his dreams. the peak of his heaped-
up ambitions. 1t was the Mecca of
of this twentieth century crusade.
Washington Is strange city. 1t
takes some into its arms and cuddles
them and sends them forth with a
hundred-fold more than they brought
here. Especially during war time,
when contracts for government sup
plies are in the air.) 1t takes others
and makes automatons of them, men
who sell their bodies, and minds for
governmental service. 1t takes others
when the bubble is largest and Gost
iridescent the city takes needle
from it's neat little chocheted bag
and-laughs. mockingly, at the be-
wildered expression on the face of
the bubble blower. 1t is different
from all other cities. 1t is a city
of strangers. 1t is a mystic city
which hides beneath thick incrusta-
ton of ice-like veneer. its heart and
! its natives. 1t is a provincial city
which paradoxically delights in
breaking the successes Of the prov
inces.
For four years our friend saw his
opinions quoted, his wife's and
daughters photographs reproduced
in the graphic and society sections.
parties, apparent respect paid his
wishes and homage paid him by
toadies.
The blow FELL 1t was the luckiest
happening OF his life. He was placed
outside the realms of constituents
and politics. He was no longer an
officeholder. Fifty tons were lifted
from his shoulders and dry sponge
dipped into the worry-pool of his
brain. drawn out dripping and
thrown away.
He looked at his bank account 1t
had dwindled to three figures. He
looked over his first-of -the-month
mail and found the numbers of open
window envelopes, with single slips
-harbingers of Your note Tor -
due and payable" He saw the
gIum look on the face of his wife; he
noted the detached air of his daugh-
ters. He found trends less re-
sponsive. And he smiled with final
relief.
1t was all over. He was going
back to the provinces. The city had
gripped him and squeezed him and
pampered him hypocritically. but had
averted the tragedy in his case she
wrought in others. He was badly
bent-not broken.
He's a type of the Washingtonian
one is apt to, rub elbows with. A
type that is not SO numerous as
others, but one of the tragedic types
of this many-sided city.