Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15
Heard and Seen

How long does q woodpecker peck
Up in an old tree In the Mall Just
north OF sth and B streets southwest,
east Of the Arts and Industries build
ing. sat a woodpecker, industriously
plying his bill.
Thump-thump-th
The stacoato rap Of the birds beak
was a true message OF spring. Like
a typewriter under the hands of an
expert. the machine-gun rattle of the
woodpecker's bill filled the air.
But it was noticeable that the bird
as he chung to the side of the tree
trunk, bit into the wood only. at I'm
tervals. After every period OF peck
ing he would rest up a bit
Then, to the watcher on the ground.
came the following thought:
Here, amid buildings dedicated to
science. where every feather on that
bird Is described and catalogued. I'll
bet there isn't a man who has timed
the woodpecker In his peckingi
will be the first man in tho history
on one!"
Taking out his watch. the man care
luhy tlIhCo laC WOOOpcChST 1t IES
task. making many observations
From the results Of his watching and
timins he Is able to announce to an
expectant world tho following:
The xoodpecker pecks two seconds
He .hsts four to eight seconds be-
tween rounds.
AND now about tho statue of Samuel
D. Gross-do you know where that is?
Well. the tree the woodpecker was
tearing up Is just bit south OF the
Gross statue. A few feet away is the
statue to Daguerre, the patron saint
Of photography. The latter Is an in
teresting thing, a globe with, the con-
tinents in relief, and to one side q
bronze statue of woman, holding UP
a bas relief of the great Frenchman,
as IL looking at q photograph.
But 1t Is OF Samuel D. Gross we
were speaking. His statue is OF
bronze. and beneath. on the stone
base, are the following words:
American physicians have erected
this statue to commemorate tho great
deeds OF q man who made such an
impress upon American surgery that
medicine"
oGAo~ 40 Iu0 0dI0 1874.
DR.. Gross was q Pennsylvania
born in July. 1905. died May, 1884. He
delivered the first systematic course
OF lectures on morbid anatomy in this
country. He was president Of the
American Medical Association in 1855
gical Association In 1889.
/ * 4
In tho middle Of the night-which
expression Is used to denote q time
we'll after midnight-the small child
Of the colored tanitor Of an apart
ment in northwest Washington be-
came ill.
He telephoned for doctors. but to
no avail, he said. AS the child grew
worse, in despair he went upstairs
and rang tho bell Of the apartment
Of retired clerk Of one of the gov
The lady answered the bell, and
was told that the child was dying
would she como and baptize 1t?
The woman went down with the
janitor, and there, at 2 o'clock In the
tized. Undoubtedly. it was the most
unusual rite OF its kind performed in
tho National Capital in a long time.
Yes. the baby got we'll.
Three-count 'em-three!
Warrington has the distinction OF
being the only city in tho United
States with three postmasters.
There il Merritt o. Chance, now on
vacation, whose resignation does not
take effect until April 80: there is
william M. Mooney, chief clerk of the
Post ONCE Department, tho postmas-
ter-elect, whose appointment becomes
effective May l., and there Is William
II. Haycock, assistant city postmaster,
who Is acting postmaster OF Washing.
ton.
Three-cotlnt 'em-three!
= CHARLES e. TRACEwELL.