Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-11

There Is a street which runs dlrectiy
east and west, but it doesn't know ex-
actly where it is going. and Tor tnat
reason 1t should interest most OF US,
who are more or less in the same ooat.
1t Is an old street. once cntireiy resi-
Dental, but now succumbing plt py
bit to that strange, profitable disease
of modernity known as business. Dul-
ing its present transition period IL Is
in some doubt whether to call itself
a residence or a business thoroughiare.
The street seems very heSltant about
proclaiming its status. Here is an old
house. still with lace curtains at the
windows, indicating that human beings
live there day and night
Next door is home Of exactly the
same type, but the window curtains are
gone, and in their stead appear Moth
ing but green blinds, while over the
front door fiauntS a great sign telling
the uassing world that real estate
firm does business there
Along this way, for 10 blocks or more.
much the same conditions exist. Old
houses are being torn down, new ones
nut up; elderly structures, that years
ago saw the flashing lights OF balls and
receptions. from now on Will see only
the executives green-Shaded desk lamp,
and at night. a glttering row OF bare
electric bulbs over the big sign out
front.
In certain moods the street strikes
the passer-by as pathetic. Perhaps all
transition periods hold something OF
this quality. The little boy. at the age
of years. is not quite boy. although
he certainly is baby no longer. A
Cd CHI
the picture of such lad. and beneath
it was the interesting slogan. He thinks
he is so big" and beneath. in italics
But you know he isn't" This strikes
a responsive chord
The state of boys and girls at adde's
cence is no less poignant. causing their
elders. who have been through the same
thing. to use all the resources at their
command to help the youngsters. The
promises are splendid. If the lnimical
factors can be held in allegiance.
So it is with this street. Ring out
the old, ring in the new" so goes the
song: and 1t has been sung here with
the clang of hammer. and the rap of
riveters, and the whole busy conelom-
Grafton of sounds accompanying the
wrecking company and the builder.
Still. however. the spirits of time past
will not give in to the evident destiny
of the street but insist on firmly buck
ing the whole industrial and CONNER
cial aspects of America. and OF the
United States as represented by the Ma
tional Capital.
Here the spectator of things in fux
sees an apartment house fianked by
a market and a laundry branch, while
across the street an artists studio holds
forth a tempting view through the
arched gate in a vari-colored stone wall.
There is not in this block or in any
other along this way. set building
line to which the houses have con-
formed. but everywhere they run in
and out. one 20 feet from the side
walk. the next so feet. one IS or more
In Spring and Summer the pedes-
trian gets tantaliZing viStas OF MOWERS
shrubs and grass as he peers through
the gate in the studio wall and looks
back at the studio building itself.
Then. If this strikes him as too ultra,
all he has to do is 10 turn on his heel
and look across the street. There are