Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18

in front OF my seat, was so thin that
his knuckles showed up white at each
lurch OF the car as 1t curved In spots
on the way around Capitol HILL They
looked like the hands OF an inyaId,
but--a big man ought not to mind 50
small q discomfort as standing In a
car. And then ! noticed that q cane
in his other hand was topped with
a handle that served as crutch.
Then got up. as II to go out, and as
the man sat down the relief on his
face was akin to a prayer.
But didn't go out. 1 said TO q
young mother whose cute bit OF baby
was standing on the seat and btibbling
to itself over sights that Were passing
by:
"She looked at me with q peevish-
ness that was intended to be right
eous pride, and said the seat was
taken. told her to put the baby IN
her lap, and she told me 1t was too
hot to hold the baby. said, all
right. only please move up-and sat
down on the outer edge ana then
showed her up. / wouldn't have acted
like that except knew the man
across wouldn't want me to give up
my place for him. as II he were some
thing helpless-we don't like that
sort of pity--and please believe me,
that kid didn't do q thing but COO at
me and begin to wave friendly arms
as IL IL wanted to come You notice
how car babies take to strangers.
IL I owned that car line, those
placards OF mine would save all such
embarrassing situations. can figure
out a lot OF little inIproy be-
cause I have been going and coming
on those cars for years and years.
II = ~
HERE, is another little something
= to show that kindness is some
times a mistaken yirtue--on the prfn-
ciple that it Is foolish to cast pearls
before swine. It Is TRUE that this has
nothing whatever to do with either
pearls or swine. put anyhow;
There Is little quick-lurlch place
that sparkIes with cleanliness, though
as plain in its appointments as the
pipe-stem that lends itself SO accom-
fl1odatingly for comparative emer.
gencies. Along ABOUT noons say, you
couldn't reach out without touching
some artist, writer or otherwise worth
while professional worker from a big
studio building nearby. The two wom-
en- proprietors are efficient bodies, but
there come times when the run of
customers overtaxes their ability to
serve. as, for one instance, one evening
about dusk after a musical matinee.
u AT one table couple or regulars
were waiting for iced tea and cream
toast-and at least five others phil
osophically bided their time, BUT
there are always others.
Two young women came in with
the air of sailing into Ritz-Carlton
young ladies with
satin cloaks over fluffy frocks, and
with bare heads. silk knees and per-
fune. They wanted coffee and sand
wiches--quicix! They said so-aloud.
The proprietors were rushing their
snnartest, but first Corners had the
right OF way, so-by soothing the
situation
One OF the cream toast women got
up, poured two coffees from the urn,
put a couple Of sandwiches on plates.
took them to the ritzy ladies', and then
returned TO her seat. Whereupon. one
of them said to the other--meaning
the nifty ladies'
Look at that, will you. Sitting
down while customers have to wait.
Waiter. you forgot our napkins and
want some mustard.
Cream toast got up grfnfully,
obeyed orders, and returned to base.
Then her companion had her little
say:
SERVES you right. And it is what
you may expect every time you do a
fool kindness like that I'm not
questioning your good intentions. old
girl, but"
"Oh, they don't cbunt. know Of a
place that is paved with them. L
used TO run true to class in the old
days. but now that walk the world
alone i can afford to make myself
useful My best friend couldn't call
me ornamental"
THAT might be all right. except
that you know as well as do that
society has its unwritten law that OBJ
iigates iis to keep TO a certain stand
ard And you know as well as do
that there is another law. written in
eternal letters, that commands us to
do other things-and you saw how
those she-cads were worrying poor
Miss Smith and Miss Dora.
Then came. the cream toast, and
while the two regulars were busy
over it, up rushed the hamboyant
two.
S"Why, the lunch woman says you
are an awful swell artist. and we
want to thank you for helping us
it was so perfectly sweet of you
and on and on. And when it was over.
the awful successful artist, who had
served. said to, the one who had
scolded:
you are right. Meyer again. Kind.
ness doesn't pay"