Evening star., 1925-09-13

When 1t came time to write this
weeks ramble pushed aside
other work and asked Memory to bring
to me an old musician who had not
had place in these stories. / filed
my pipe-with tobacco of course
and lighted 1.-THE tObacco-and park
ed my feet on my desk I do not in
sist that this is the best posture To
take when one bids the mind to fetch
him a basket of recollections. but it Is
the best plan l have. ] believe that
the important part of the formula is
the pipe, and while / was smoking a
man came into the Office to talk to me
about something I know not a thing
about-there are one or two such
things-and after doing his worst he
said: Il wish l could take that pipe
away from you. Tobacco is harmful
10 the human system, stunts the mind
brings on early death and is offensive
to many persons" l refilled the pipe
and liter up again. That man is a
vegetarian, teetotaler, president of the
anti-cussing society and probably
wears horse-blinkers when he walks
on F street. He has never made a
drop Of anything in his cellar. never
bought chance in Il turkey rattle and
looks on a drink of vanilla soda water
as wild spree Absolutely perfect,
Memory brought three men from
some cupboard in the mind and led
them across my desk One was a
short. fat. chubby little fellow with
bushy, reddish-blond hair. He wore
knee breeches and worsted stockings
and was riding a bicycle. His name
was Prof. Walters, as Memory told
me. / knew him years ago in an off
hand way, but his first name would
not come to me. I will look him up
and tell you in another ramble what !
ly,I II, j. i
across my desk was thin man with
black hair, worn long and careless
He was pianist and composer. He
was a genial man. talented and bright.
a man of sympathy and with that
charm one calls soul" He said:
Rambler, in the long ago we took
many drinks together in Shoomaker's.
and the bars of the National. Metro
politan, Willard and the Ebbitt."
Yes 7 said. Il remember you. Leo
Wheat The third shade to come
upon my desk was that of John w
Bischoff and / decided TO put him IN
these rambles before writing of Prof.
Walters and Leo Wheat.
Then I told Memory to wait while
I called Experience as to how to get
enough facts-and get EN- right-to
make a story about the blind musician.
! called Congre gational Church on the
phone, and a young lady with a de
lightful speaking voice-and sweet. of
Star-or a small part of it-the
Rambler-ever hear of the Rambler"
Yes" with hesitation and doubt.
and then she said, Did YOU say The
Star?"
Yes. miss want 10 find out the
date, or near the date. of DR.. Bis
choff's DEATH
Call Mr.. Fishback, Main 772."
Thank you"
Central, Main ~"
Line is busy"
Later / got Frederick L. F'ishback
on the wire in his Office in Ed Stel-
wagons building. site of Worm1eys
Hotel, Fifteenth and II. where my bal
week overdrawn. Mr.. Fishhack has
gational Church since November, 1855.
I find that in a booklet. The Fiftieth
Anniversary of the Founding of the
First Congregational Church. printed
in November. 1915. Mr.. Fishback is
the author OF pamphlet, Washing
tor City. Its Founding and Develop
ment," read before the Columbia His
torical Society November 16, 1916. It
is a valuable work on a subject that
lawyer. but 7 forgive him. It might
be worse. He might have been
doctor, banker or real estate agent
Mr.. Fishback gave me the date of DR..
Bischoff's death and 1 turned to The
Evening Star file of May and June.
1909. Then I called on Memory and
Imagination to help me out. / also
asked knowledge to aid me with this
ramble, but she did not hear me.