Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACERELL.

These conditions might not prevail, Of
course, II Dogvillians were polite, but
they are terribly rude when It comes to
gettin~ up and giving ladies their seats.
No one does 1t, especially to the young
ones. What Is the use of getting seat
| If one cannot keep it? Male inhabitants
feel, too, that they are doing public
service by remaining steadfastly (espe-
cially faStly) in their seats, since the
aisles are so narrow that standees find
themselves very uncomfortable as they
are. While it might be said that q
change of places would not crowd the
aisles any more than before, on the
other hand 1t Is true that male paSsen-
gers weigh more than female, and
therefore would take up more room. All
male passengers believing in the truth
of this statement will say "Aye!" The
"ayeS" have 1t and we will remain
seated.
Over there Is the old gentleman who
insists on talking politics. If he cannot
spot friend he will talk to a foe, be-
cause talk he must. His views are so
we'll known by all riders that each and
every one shrinkS from seating himself
beside him, for to do so simply puts one
under the torture of listening for sew
eral miles to old stuff. Tw1 or three
miles of this fellow is enough-once.
More than once, the thing becomes I'M
bearable. His accents, however, are
clear and ringing, and no matter where
one sits he Is forced to assimilate some
chatter. Some riders have given m
this particular bus, taking to the next
one until after election.
Our buses are very chummy. One
thing that adds to this feeling of good
will Is the way the wheels come up into
the riding surface, or what you will, so
that several of the passengers must sit
with their feet two feet aloft. Ones air
of dignity vanishes instantly when he
places himself in this position. He feels
as silly as the man In the rumble seat
looks. Sweet young things look very
fetching so, 1t must be admitted. All
passengers steer clear of these seats II
they can, but often the thing is impos-
sible. Gentlemen are very gallant in
allowing ladies to sit by the windows
and thus receive the full benefit Of the
wheels.
= There is so much conversation in
the Dogville bus, ordinarily, that one
forgets to look at the ads ranged In a
row above the windows. Upon occasion,
however. one will get aboard a bus
filed with strangers. Then the ads
come in handy. There Is the one about
soup, favorite Of ours. One time 1t is
red soup, another time green, but In
each and every case the steam arising
from the plate looks very natural and
very appetizing. Then there is the
bright young lady showing all her
teeth in a beautiful smile, which says
as plain as day, use Foama Tooth
Paste and Be Happy" Some wag, how
ever, has added a rnuStache to the
lady, so that she appears rather silly
this trip. No doubt the makers Of
Foama will send mental aloft with
big eraser at the next stop and rub out
that felonious adornment. Why do
wags insist on adding muStaches to the
ad girls? There ought to be some sort
of law against 1t.
Yes, the bus Socializes even more
than the street car. The latter con-
tains oceans of room, compared with
the small bus, in which every dimen-
sion was skimped Then, too, one
never gets on a street car where he Is
able to recognize nearly all the riders.
Every carful is car of strangers
While the feeling of being with human
beings is intense in the car, 1t is in
tensified In the bus. In the street car,
for instance, If neighbor sneezes IN
your direction you may flee to the other
end of the vehicle, but In the bus you
can do nothing but sit and take II.