Evening star., 1923-07-22


who seemed to derive more
personal satisfaction from
the historic exhibits than is usually
associated with a pilgrimage to the
national shrine.
In voices subdued to the key OF
museum-like silence that prevailed
the two Of them tiptoed from one
room TO the next. lingering at each
barred portal to pick and choose what
they would like to own-just as chill
dren do. They must have been fair
minded women, for they divided the
colonial treasures with nice impair
TALLY until the slim one in ready
made gingham tried to induce the one
in homemade lawn to exchange her
clock on the stairway for the Nellie
Custis spinet by the music-room door.
my apartment is only big enough
for a photograph, and your mouse
has room enough for dozen spi-
grandfather clock-the ticks are so
nice and loud"
But this clock Of mine doesn't go
and neither does your spinet.so,
maybe. we better leave both where
they are. There's what I want-that
blu china-
That's what YOU won't get, because
picked that china out hrst You
can have the dining-room table Win
the coffee urn on top
| Not all Of il. I want few OF
the blue dishes. anyhow.
Sorry. honey, but I can't break the
set" And having settled the matter.
the two kept on with their plcklhgs
and choosings till they came to ad-
Joining rooms on the second floor.
rooms,
| white -draped. four-posted beds and
rag carpeting. and over each door was
| a lettered sign. Like all thin people.
gingham pounced on her choice before
| the huikier lawn could put In claim:
When we come to spend the night
| here, I'll take the river room and you
! can have the one Lafayette slept
in
, But the other also preferred the
! river room; she wanted 10 see the
! Potomac at dawn.
! "Why. woman, where is your pa
F.; triotism? Consider Lafayette"-and
they shuttlecocked their discussion IN
| a humorous undercurrent of fussiness,
F; ready made or home grown. makes no
difference-unexpecte wedged into
the argument with a suggestion that
might prove pleasing to both:
why not spend two nights and
change around"'
It was such a helpful idea that after
gingham and lawn had recovered
from the shock, the three had a
| chuckle all the more ENJOYABLE: be-
| cause it had to be choked. Then
NV friend and 1 were just having
fun as we always do when We get
| together in a place like this where
we ought to be properly serious. Aren't
! we two silly old kids
| And the crow-black woman. whose
own "pickings and choosings have
embraced every known thing in the
universe, from stars to tombstones,
\ amended the comment with another
Make it three"
= x =; =
IA. ma and the two childreu-a girl
/ young enough for bare knees be-
tween skirt and stockings, and boy
| in long trousers-were stroliing down
F. street the other afternoon.
The man was sulienly silent while
the woman nagged him off-key. The
youngsters scrapped at each other-as
| If il were a regular thing and they
II was not an ideal family party.
| but with all it's sullen silence. its
naggings and it's scrappings, there
| was one bond of union between them: !:
All four of them were eheWinS gum! /!
| Nothing to mention, of course, un-
| less one might delicately inquirer r.. 4
What is the address of that sci
enlist who has just written q paper
| to demonstrate that gum chewing
produces a sweet disposition"
* r u ,.-,.-...--
! CHE was a vivacious little old lady,
~ whose long stringed memory
! reached back to the Powered mofre
| that Mrs. Grant wore at her second
| inaugural ball. And she was relni-
{ niscing to q friend at a cafe table,
who let her talk because-well,: for
| one reason. she coldnu't help herself.
! Balls are such fascinating things
to remember. You can't judge Mrs.
Cleveland by that e-sprayed gown
worn by her dummy down there at the
| museum. She had such a girlish
| charm that she would have looked as
| lovely in dotted muslin as in the
/ splendid weaves of her White House
| toilets. Never shall I forget the pic
ture she made in that amber satin.
low neck and sweeping train. with
MOUNT VERNON