Evening star., 1928-12-09
WORLD FIGURES PASS m PARADE
BEFORE D. C.. TRAFFIC POLICE
Men Who Direct Flow of Autos Here Get
First-Hand Opportunity to See Notables
From All Countries.

the truck, which had blocked their
vision, moved forward. One of these
cars, which bore an Iowa license num-
ber. was forced to halt parallel and
slightly in advance of the Presidents
car. The Iowa car WIS occupied by
a man and woman in the front seat
and by small boy and girl in the
rear seat In the midst of my efforts
to untangle the jam I glanced up at
the Presidents car, expecting to en-
counter a pair of stern glances, but
instead I was to observe an incident
which shall treasure in my memory
always.
Mrs. Coolidge, apparently oblivious
of the traffic delay, Was leaning out
the window on her side OF the car, en-
gagged in animated conversation with
the two children in the Iowa car. The
little girl was busy showing her some
picture post cards, evidently depicting
scenes in and around Washington,
while the little boy questioned her
eagerly about the beautiful white dog
in her car. Meanwhile the father and
mother up front remained in ignorance
of their childrens famous acquaintance.
The man was busily blowing his horn
and glaring at me, while the mother
was engaged in beseeching her husband
to please be calm. Evidently she was
afraid I might arrest him. Anyway,
she entirely diSregarded her small sons
entreatieS to please Look in the next
car at the beautiful white dog the nice
lady had" The President seemed to
be regarding the whole situation, 1
thought rather quiZzically. imagine
that secretly he got quite "kick" out
of it. Probably the well oiled smooth
ness with which the White House car
Y1I1 4rax els 0nc
sort of monotonouS after while.
Wonderful Opportunity Lost.
The Iowa car drove off without the
two in the front seat ever looking back,
and no doubt to this day the occupants
remain unaware of the identity of the
lady who seemed so friendly to the
children. What a choice opportunity
they missed of having magnificent
tale to carry back to the neighbors in
Iowa of how their little Betty and
Junior had talked with the First Lady
of the Land.
Names, famous names. which are to
be seen on the front page" almost
daily, their owners world figures, are
but dim unrealities to people who have
never seen them in the flesh.
We are prone to surround famous
people, whom we have never seen, with
all sorts of fanciful qualities. Even
though we see their pictures often, we
nevertheless may visualize their appear
ance as something entirely different
from what it actually is. I was reared
in a very quiet locality, where famous
people rarely penetrated. I still never
fail to get a thrill upon seeing some
great person come riding past my COR
ner when I am directing traffic.
That spirit which prompts small boys
to run after fire engines and chase
down to the circus lot to see the
elephants unloaded is still strong within
most of us. Like the tourists from
out West, I, too, scan each passing car,
and loiter In front OF famous old
houses, dreaming and visualizing in my
minds eye, the many great social func-
tons held there in the days gone by
love to watch for candy" Melons
car when he comes to the Office in