Evening star., 1927-11-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

, young men, old women and young
women, gay boys and solemn boys,
loafers and hustlers. There is more
life here than in a jungle. They are
specimens of life as manifest in
human beings.
Take this large and flamboyant gen.
| tleman in light gray suit, strutting
along over there by the curb. He is
type of the egotist, man who
| thinks pretty well of himself, and. GU.
| riously enough. he is right about it..
He is a success. as the world esteems
success. HumbIencss plays no part in
his life. He may listen respectfully
when that virtue Is preached. but by
some strange alchemy of the mind
he does not feel that it applies to him
in any way.
His is rather the breezy personality
of the "go-getter," as the jargon of
| the day describes a business man of "A
certain intense type. He exudes self
esteem, even in SO common an action
! as walking.
| The more sedate person is repelled
at the sight of him, he Is so pleased
with himself, so confident, SO sur
charged with sefrespect. One Won
ders if a sudden uppercut to the jaw
would jolt him any? Probably not.
He exists because he is not easily
| jolted.
| No description of F street would
be true without mention Of the elder
| ly shopping lady, the mother whose
children have grown up and gone
away to homes of their own.
See her there in her neat black fur
and matronly hat, the roses faded
ph lo hYit 1ivinp n
heart. She is interested in life, that
is why she is here. She had made
list of what she intends to buy,
and now she hurries along in search
| of it. In the stores she is known to
the clerks as shrewd, discriminating
| purchaser. They greet her with a
smile, because it is a pleasure to
wait upon her.
The infinite variety Of costume
strikes the beholder. Surely, no two
people on the street wear exactly the
same thing. No like suits are seen
on the men. and. certainly, no two
women are in similar dresses.
Women supply the color note,
especially the young girls. yet the
| total effect of it all is one of drabness,
| when one considers the effect that
might be secured if board of artists
were in control of the thoroughfare
No color scheme has been worked
out for + street. in costume, any more
| than municipality has instituted a
plan for uniform business buildings.
| The famous skyline Of New York. re-
garded from the viewpoint of angels,
must look decidedly jagged.
| SO the pageant of + street strikes
the sensitive beholder as lacking in
color, despite the infinite care that has
been put upon dress by most of the
paraders. Even the women wear less
colorfui coats over their brighter
dresses skins Of various animals do
not lend the note desired. A leopard
is out Of place on + street.
| Is life, then. tawdry, when viewed
dispassionately? Are all our fine
feathers. when seen en- masse, merged
into ore uniform shade of gray or
duh brown, as colors whirled together
resolve into A neutral shade?
The answer is. Life was not made
to be viewed, but to be lived Leave
your post on the corner, where the
sergeant looks suspiciously in your
direction. and plunge into the current
of the sidewalk. Now the street he
comes colorful. alive, interesting, Life
! moves, and one must move with it.