The Washington times., 1934-11-22


probably the
best enter Helen ESsary
tainment the
Capital of the Nation provides.
I always speak first to my
driver If he is slow in beginning
a conversation. This seldom
happens.
| However a beautiful new
sign on the dash board Of taxi
A53 held the plaintive hope that
passengers would not TASK the
driver to take any chance or
talk or break any rules as he
is pledged to obey the law" We
had zigzagged as far as the 30
cent zone before I had the
temerity to ask my usual ques-
ton:
"Have you been driving lOng?"
A soft Southern voice an
swered.
"Just about a week."
Snappy brown eyes appraised
me through the reflecting mir
Sor. The voice continued:
Before that / was a mall
pilot. That sure was drivin.
mo doubt"
| eyes, lady! used to fly over
the Caribbean. But / ended my
flynn days down in Virginia"
"What a pity"
eyes, ma'am, it sure was 3
pity. You see, this was the way
it was. Once / was takin' ten
passengers on a little special
flight. And 1 kinder got the
notion of trying to fly through
one of those narrow streets in
Fredericksburg. Sort Of between
She buildings. Oh, I made it all
right. Just by fitting the wings
completely sideways. Oh, no,
ma'am! Nobody was hurt. But
It like to scared those men to
death. After that the Depart
1nent of Commerce said 1t was
the ground for me-"
Taxi drivers are always
friendly. Generally philosoph'
ical. And always entertained
by life-even when the fares
are slim. They tell me about
the Big Shots from out-of-toWn
they take over to the NRA or
the PwA, "a lot of those PWA
guys come away mad" I under
stand, One driver offered me
cigarettes. Once was signify
startled by this question:
excuse me Ma-am, for being
aort cf-er-personal-but may
7 take the liberty of askin' what
kind of perfume that is you are
using? There's a young lady
I'd like to give nice present TO:
Taxi drivers noses get rlgnt
keen. Yes, ma-am. Their ears
too. Speaking of ears-there's
nothing I'd rather do than list
an to two ladies talking about
~ne that's not present. Gosh,
that's always good"
The weeks choicest observa-
+ion on life came from a taxi
man who was taking me along
Connecticut Avenue at a genteel
pace, A wild car cut in front
n us. The driver shook his
head sadly, and said: .
"Some fellows only think OF
manners when they're In o
drawin' rOOm!"
That part of the State De-
partment closest to Secretary
Hui has been deserted OF its Of
ficials for the last day or so.
Mr.. Hull has been gently IN
disposed. His aides have been
practically camping at the Carl"
ton Hotel. On his recent noun,
tain holiday, Secretary HUI
gained eight and a half pounds.
But when he dashed down 10
warm Springs to see the Presl"
dent, he caught a slight cold.
Yesterday, however, Secretary
and Mrs Hull received some
friends from San Domingo who
came bearing delightful gift
. great box Of papayan pres
ents.
Manv of the Big Houses
about town keep six or eight
suits of their own type OF
livery to supply extra servitors'
Most buffers and footmen
are of a corresponding size
Tallish and slimmish. A lew
of the elder statesmen among
them lose their waist lines
and look like bishops. The
result, no doubt. Of their con-
templative life.
Margaret Banister, daughter
of Mrs. Blair BaniSter and
niece of Miss Meta Glass, is
directing public relations at
Sweet Briar College and try.
ing meanwhile to find out
what sort of interests most OF
the graduates pursue after they
are set loose in the world.
Margaret should interview the
mothers of graduateS-first.
TOc DwOE -