Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-12
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| Boston. IN all probability, On long ago
as 1887, but their counterparts are to be
found on the streets of washington
today. Tor no Elore trouble than the
| looking.
He who has this artistic sense-and
most people have 1t. it is nothing to get
| pulled up over-will find a great deal of
entertainment in the simple enjoyment
Of watching the people as they go along.
Let US say again that there is moth
| ing at all remarkable about this.
Ninety-ntne out of every hundred per-
sons do it without thinking about it.
| Perhaps a thought about it, now and
then, as here, will add to its pleasure,
that is all.
y X
In downtown Washington there is a
slab OF stone at a certain corner form
ing the single step to a doorway.
Some people call it the Touchstone.
and believe that in finding it thew have
discovered what the ancients sought.
They call it the Touchstone. because
if one stands on it for any length of
time he is almost sure to be touched
for loan, or hand-out, more properly
speaking.
INDECENT men, seeing one on that
stone, in a slightly elevated position,
find 1t easy to ask him for a dime to
get something 10 eat.
There is something about the Touch
stone which makes susceptible the per-
son inhabiting it for the time being.
Almost invariably he feels in his
change pocket, pulls out its contents,
and divides it with the begger.
A Washingtonian was standing there
the other afternoon when a red-headed
young fellow, of perhaps Is years, came
along. He was hatlesS.
Stopping in front of the Touchstone,
he began to murmur the usual apologies,
coupled with q request for an I'M
specified sum.
The Washingtonian fished forth two
dimes. and asked, "Will that help any?"
The red-haired one pocketed it with
a smile.
Thanks" he said, at will help a
lot"
Something there was about the
simple, direct way he said 1t, and the
smile which accompanied it which
quite went home to the heart Of the
Washingtonian.
Yes, that red-headed one was q
youngster we'll worth seeing in the days
work. His features were good. and his
bearing manly. Although he begged, he
did It with a certain grace.
beg the beggers in certain foreign cities,
il one can believe the movies.
The Washingtonian thought the
touch" of the red-headed boy was
much less theatrical and much more
effective He felt sorry that he had
kept any for himself. The kid deserved
more.
The streets are forever alive with va
riety and color, If one will do himself
the Justice to see 1t. One cannot stop
for a few seconds on any downtown
corner without being In fair danger of
being swept away by interesting human
beings.
Often eyes win answer to eyes, as II
to say, Eyes, you interest me, too" But
the ethics of which Emerson spoke,
the manners, or department, Of civilized
beings, will not permit the answer to
be made, except through the eyes.
Thus 1t comes about that the person
interested in his fellow human beings
seldom steps onto the sidewalk with
out seeing one or more persons he feels
quite sure he would find congenial, II
only he could get to know them.
This mute interchange Of greetings.
now and then, infuses q certain pleas
ure into life. undoubtedly. 1t cannot
go for nothing or be wasted. It has
little, II anything to do with romance,
as the young think. but goes back to
the elemental interest of human beings
in their kind. Others charm us, though
strangers, and we cannot say so or look
at them but for q moment.