Evening star., 1923-03-25
Heard and Seen

One hundred years is q pretty long
time for one family to hold 4 lock
box at a post Office.
That is the record of the family Of
Thomas Blaeden, which has had a
mail box at the Washington city
post Office for full century. His
father and grandfather before him
had a mall box.
Postmasters may come, and post
mosters may go. but this family is
On the rolls OF the post office, despite
the change of administrations.
Tremendous changes have taken
place since that first box was rented
Through its many changes of loca-
tion the local post office has grown,
grown, grown, keeping pace with the
development Of the city which 1t
serves.
Every one knows the development
Of the National Capital during the
las, hundred years 1t is small but
Interesting fact that one family has
had q lock box at the post office for
! a full century. K is doubtful If there
is another case OF It's kind on record
here.
Have they been driven into the
| street cars?
II would seem that way. Not long
ago the Commissioners issued an
! edict against the selling Of small
| articles on the street Evidently that
| ts responsible for the following street
car happening:
1t was early morning. The car run
ming down from Mount Pleasant was
| not as crowded as some, but pretty
we'll filled up, at that.
| A tall passenger, with his left arm
gone, was standing near the motor
man.
Then the first thing people knew
| through the car, worming his way
| along, distributing small white en-
! velopes. The procedure was 50 un-
! usual that everybody took one.
| The envelope contained an Easter
| card and envelope In which to mail
! it, and bore on the outside, stamped in
/ purple ink, q few sentences informing
| the holder that the distribu was
( a cripple and trying in this way to
| make an honest living. Ten cents
| was the stated price OF the card.
/ It is doubtful IL better time or
! place for conducting such a sale
could have been selected. Every per-
! son present had had a nice warm
! breakfast. everybody could see every
body else. Every one was in good
humor. and every one was looking at
! his neighbor.
So when the cripple began his back
| ward journey the dimes appeared in
every hand IN exchange for Easter
| fore had the slightest desire for
! Thank YOU" the man would say to
one who bought card.
! THANK you just the same" he
| would aver to those who handed cards
| back.
\ His politeness was perfect 7, wac
| impossible to take offense.
How long he can get away with It
| before the company stops him re-
mains to be seen. but all agreed that
II was something new in street cars.
| Wonder how Il feels to be a. beg
gar?
/ Recently, on downtown street
might be seen a rather good-looking
young chap. standing bareheaded in
| the sun. his hat extended.
He had some sort of selling talk,
but most people didn't seem to pay
much attention. Occasionally some
shamefaced manner, and drop a coin
{ into his hat.
! at must take an awful lot Of ner~e
to do that" remarked one passerby
to another. TT seems to me that I
would rather be shot than get liv-
; ing that way"
| Maybe he was shot, and has de-
cided that once was enough" replied
his companion. But, honest. 1 don't
| believe It takes as much nerve as it
seems You see, he is probably the
least observed man on the street. !
have been noticing the people who
passed. and not one in ten look at
! him. AS a matter of fact. they look
| every way but in his direction. I be-
iieve he could wear a bathrobe and
l get away with It"