Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-23
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

with the ideals Of the past. One tries
to break the intangible, but all toe
evident, chain which binds one to past
ages, only to find IL flung out as ar
octopus would its tentacles. The victim
squirns, tries to stink back, retreats q
bit, gives 1t up. He listens as politely
as he may. breaking in with "Oh, yes!'
every now and then, but all the time
his mind is q perfect weller Of words
one tumbling In on the other.
And as he listens, fairly gasping
comes to him there vision of himself
few years later, when he, too. shall
be interested mostly in what has gone
before, not In what Is or what will be
He sees himself catching a remark as
starting place for a trip into the past
and then pursuing an idea down misty
paths OF memory. And he sees that in
that now. In that future, he has forgot
ten his dislike OF old times and willingly
bores others with what delights him.
Time seems to do that to q man!
+
Ask any business girl If she likes to
have an elderly worker hold her hand
or rumple her bobbed hair, and, II she
is honest and not afraid, she will tell
you mol"
1t seems that many Of the Grand
father Williams Of the business world
particularly like to squeeze the gals
hands. This, they imagine, Is a per-
mitted caress, one which shows their
animated but kindly nature.
1t is permitted, according to what
the girls tell us. because most women
are good-natufed creatures and do not
willingly hurt others feelings. Men.
as every one knows. rather specialize
Oh hurting others. But women, whether
In the mode or out OF 1t, whether old
or young. have some consideration for
their fellow humans.
Hence, when blithesome stenog-
rapher finds gay old blade wants to
pet her to the extent of shaking hands
with her every morning, she willingly
complies because she doesn't want to
hurt the old fellows feelings. Many
gay dog, however. would be hurt IL
lie could know that she washes her
hands The moment he Is gone.
~ ~
There Is no real reason why happily
married man shullld not eat lunch with
some beautiful creature Of the business
world, but II he is past certain age
1t looks better II he doesn't make q
custom Of it.
Custom Is tyrant, certainly; the
looks" of things perhaps ought not to
count. but they do, and one can never
be sure whether this Victorian atti-
tude is not better, after all. than the
more tolerant ways Of regarding platonic
friendships which came in with bobbed
hair and short skirts.
What an older man should realize.
it seems to a younger one, is that the
girls would rather be eating with young
men, and you can't blame them for
that. Youth calls to youth.
Some may say that this IS Vic
torian viewpoint, and we admit it
gladly. We believe that the charm of
women IS such that 1t IS impossible
for any man. young or old. to be with
them without aspiring to be romantic.
The ancient church fathers were not
such fools as they sometimes are
thought to have been.
Our personal luminosity goes out to
the elderly wight who insists on seek
ing a seat beside young feminine &C
ouaintances in public vehicles 1t would
be more seemly in him to take a seat
by himself and devote his passing mo-
ments to a perusal of his newspaper.