Evening star., 1923-05-06

Il squirrel was caught in
the storm. With the streets
running deep enough for
ripples and the park n Sargasso sea
of matted grass, the small thing was
shivering on a coping of the Capitol
grounds until he took a chance and
nopDed Oh man who came sop
ping by.
Naturally. no human feels at his
rest while his new suit is being
dcluged and his shoes are ankle
deep, but, on the other hand, the
appeal of helplessness is such a fine
tribute 10 mans Lower-and will
to protect, that he cEuckled a wei
come and the squirrel made for his
pocket, as If familiar with the lOca +
;Ion. But there was no pretense of
hunting for nuts. as Is the custom Of
II squirrel with men who carry pea
ruts in bag. He just crept in
sanctuary. The man put his hand
on The drerchcd thing and the
warmth of his hand appa rently sent
ii to sleep.
He took the squirrel to his room
GEd ferreted out 1t sCppcr-a sugar
cube, a bit of apple and some rolled
cats from the Janitors wife.
After he was dry, the man got to
work at ruling red lines on a sheet
fnd while he was doing it the visitor
sCampered around, hopping to the
window to Sc that the rain was still
downrushing and then jumping all
over the rran until. with a switch Of
its tail, over went the ink bottle,
running the paper and splattering the
little creatures fur n vivid red.
The man hasn't revealed what hap
rcned after that, but. anyhow, he
opened his window, that, in turn.
opened on porch, turned ou thts
light and retired. Next morning the
,uirrel had gone.
And that would have been all there
was TO a kindly incident, except that
Il day or two later the man was
crossing through the Capitol grounds
v'her a squirrel hoped en- him and,
with fondest familiarity, climbed TO
his pocket-a gay little squirrel.
splashed with red.
IL you walk to me corner and turn
L down the other side you Will come
To a little shop with bench by the
door. \ muslin -Curtained window
with lilacs on the sill conveys d
feminine touch, but this is contra
dicted by prints of public men, car
toons and Shriners' fez tack ed
around the walls. Ma gazines thar
range from household hints to big
game add to the sex puzzle. but ii
is the bench that settles the myster.-.
Any business man can put bench
outside his store door, but only a
woman can give it a social turn.
When the hot days come. and
passers-by halt for Il rest. there will
be offers of a glass of water, a fan
or a newspaper, regardless OF mer-
camille outcome; the owner getting
her pay, each summer, in bits of talk
that break the isolation of d life that
is lived alone. Her counter is her
business plant: the bench her outside
world. Between the two she downs
the wolf and keeps her philosophy
in training. She was telling about
it, like this:
MY funniest experience was an ole
lady who came along Iast July, SpIs"o
out her satchel, 3. paper bag and q
sun umbrella on the rest Of the bench
and settled herself as if she intended
to cali it a day. After an hour
! took out bunch of grapes somebody
had brought me. and hoped Sh" was
feeling rested-and. my dear. she
! bristled uu like II human porcupine
with her anger-quills spread.
Rested. I'm not tired. I'm just
! watching Washington city people 20
| by. I'd thank You to know that I'm
from New York state. and L came
here by myself to see the sights
I've got my teeth and my eyes. anc
I'm going IN ninety years-Gon't YOU
think | am old enough to trave
without a nurse?
Il told her that. seeing she hat
asked ne. ! thought She was ole
! enough to need one, but she sc"rnct
| the idea:
| I'm Independent of all of them
eleven GrandnieCcs and grand
nephews and a grandson--an of then
we'll fixed and acting as if they
meant we'll by me, hut you can
count on relations. As long as ] car