Evening star., 1924-05-25

GERS parents, and in the course of
FANNY small talk the wife spoke of
low she wanted to bob her hair and
ner husband wouldn't let her.
Tne subject kindled another argu-
ment, and while the two were laugh
ing and spatting the grandmother no.
sleo tnat small Harriet was listen
anS with very real anxiety in her
oapy eyes Thereupon she drew the
chid to her and asked:
hair. darling?" =
Harriet's anxiety expressed itsel,
Mono. 1 don't. Because If
mamma bobs her hair us will lose
our husb'n."
The arrow of jest had fallen into
me SEED ground of a child's imagna-
t1on and taken root as threat
a MAN wearing a uniform-wo orld
war khaki-was passing through
the lobby of the post office when his
attention was caught by woman
trying to stamp a letter She couldn't
holsten the envelope with her Iips
Tor the reason that her veil was SO
reefed around her hat that she
couldn't pry it up. There was no
sponge cup around, of course-the
was obviously waiting for an open
raced woman to come along that she
might ask to help out. when he went
over 10 her. reached out for the :et-
appiled the stamp, handed il
PACK and, touching his cap with smil
aEg kindliness, breezed on.
men would be a small matter to
write ABOUT, except that it is the
small Things of life that really count:
and, anyhow, where would Won f1nd'
IN all the country, a greater figure tn
consider than a chap who can lick
everything he comes across, from en-
emies TO stamps?
HERE is tiny shop downtown
that for years has appealed to
the passerby at this season of the
year A muslin curtain with a pot
OF daisies on the sill conveys feminine
possession. but this is contradicted
oy prints of political cartoons tackled
on the bricks outside the door. Maya
7fnes that range from household bints
70 ois game hunting add 10 the sex
puzzle, but it is the green bench that
settles the problem. Any man store
heeper can set bench by his shop
step' out only a woman can give il a
social air.
Many people rest a bit on it in the
c1urse c31Tw OF a,I, a day, ] one Of them, for this
good long stay. Customers came and
went. but she kept her seat. and after
q while the shop owner came to the
dcor and offered her just-out news
But the old lady visitor had no use
see the sights. She had come from up
country for the day. and as it was the
only time she had ever been in Wash
fngton, she wanted to see all she
could. Her neDheW WnnlH he
with the wagon at o'clock sharp,
down at the Peace Monument. and
when 1t came time she was to ask
somebody the way to get there. And
she certainly did miss her cup Of tea.
The shop owner disappeared in
side with customer who wanted
postcards, and while she was picking
them over the owner fused around
IN back room and presently went
TO the door and called the old strang-
er in for lunch. But the old stranger
would rather have it outside where
she could see things. So the shop
owner brought out a taboret with the
tea and some crackers and shavings
Of cold ham. and the visitor from up
country had fine time all to her
self. At the proper time the shop
owner came out with her hat on. And
when she had closed and locked the
door she told her guest that it was
time to be going. if she wanted to
be at the Peace Monument at a. to
meet the wagon. And the visitor re-
marked with obviously injured feel
ings:
ptable-When ladies come TO see
me I always ask them to stay all
night-But if l have got to go, !
would like you to give me a few of
those picture cards to take home with
mel suppose you don't mind doing
that much. They always expect little
presents when folks come home from
town"
The shop owner has red hair-and
you know what that is supposed to
mean. But, also, she has a tender
understanding of the ways of second
childhood. So she went into the
shop, brought out handful of cards,
string of beads and a top. When
they got to the Peace Monument
there was a countryman standing by
his wagon and staring anxiously
around-and when he saw his aunt
she introduced the shop owner as "the
kindest woman" she had ever met
Which seems to bear out the as
sertion Of Confucius, that "man is a
mountain that may be measured from
peak to crevasse. But woman is a
,hartless sea"
THEY were In the self-educated
L class with the job imperfectly
done-or the one with the cane never
would have conf1ded to the one with
an umbrella:
Say. old man, I'm afraid I made a
bad break today. 1 was talking to
n little queen about her brother go
ing in the army and she looked at
me so funny-like that I'm hanged if
] don't believe I used some misfit
lingo. Which had I oughter have
said. Must ring in the army or Must
ring out huh?'
And the umbrella friend would
never have responded as he did, ex-
cept that his knowledge was home
brewed:
particular difference, not SOS
You could tell that they were hon
est. Iovable chaps by the way the
troubled one trusted HIS buddy with
his woe-and by the voice of the 9TH
er that rang as true as minted goid;
f. isn't everything. A man may go
through life without even a bowling
acuuaintance with the trio of RS and
still make a happy home for some
woman and go to heaven wnen ne
There is no denying it is a, great
boon to know. without danger of Of
fending the little queens, whether
fellow ought to say mastering out or
mastering in, or either
CHE was 50 conscious Of her rights
= uber allies. that when showing
.head Of q man on the street she felt
NO need to apologize for almost
knocking him down.
HayinE gained her advantage. she
took of her hat to fuss with her hair,
and after that went In her bag for
eiatS.o. 90 mako up some more before