The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-12

W charitable lady,
 personally de-.
 < nvering some
 IN; recessaries for
 I| 8 new baby in 8 poor family.
 her well-train- ed cauffeur knew better than to offer to carry the basket. He sat in his place, staring stifly ahead. In the rear seat the only oc- cupant now remaining was . ht- tie boy of about eight years. Light wavy hair, fair skin, delicately moulded features, ti1nid blue eyes. Neatly dressed in a blue suit, open overcoat, blue cap.
 He was fascinated by the play of little group of boys who were about his own age. These young sters, native to the neighborhood, were skillfully lodging motor traf- fic while carrying on a rollsing game of shinny.
 The players were dirty, and an occasional tumble into the slushy street didn't improve their ap- pearance. They shouted, laughed, whacked one another on the shins, picked themselves up after falls that seemed perilously close to the heavy wheels of grinding trucks.
 The little boy in the big limou- sine watched with increasing ex- citement. A wild blow from the opposite curb sent the battered tin can hurtling against the highly polished door of the limousine.
 The chauffeur uttered some pro- test; the players ignored him. Lit- tie Rich Boy could resist no long CT. He opened the door, jumped out, picked up the muddy tin can and tossed it back toward the players, with 8 friendly smile.
 There was no response from the players, Hesitating Q moment, Little Rich Boy returned quickly to the limousine; reappeared with his dads shining mashie, extract ed hurriedly from 8 leather golf bag that lay on the floor.
 Again he hesitated. Then, in piping voice: Gan play too?"
 The chauffeur's horror was un- necessary. The players suddenly saw 8 more attractive playing field in the next block. They dropped away silently.
 Last saw of the volunteer, he was tearfully fighting the chauf- feur, who was trying as gently as possible to get the golf club away from him and save his job.
 Heart-to-heart: More than a thousand greeting cards and spe- cial messages of holiday cheer have come to me since just be- fore Christmas from readers of this column in every state. I am trying conscientiously to answer each of them personally. If some acknowledgements are 8 little late, please forgive me.
 Bernie Angus (Mrs. Howard Angus) is young woman from Judsonia, Ark, who has made reputation in etching and paint ing in oils in New York. Judsonia Is 18 miles from Little Rock, and not the biggest town in the world. But it was there that O. Henry did some of his most notable writing. ..
 Mrs. Angus tells how her mo- ther, a playwright, unaccustomed to the western hill country, want ed her child to be born in Ten nessee. The father didn't think he could afford a special trip for that purpose, so the child was born in Arkansas. The mother, in later years, often told of her early prej- udice against Arkansas, which changed with the years to an in- tense love for the picturesque countryside and friendly neigh bors.
 Some of the best etchings by Mrs. Angus are scenes of New York.
 Antonio Lombardo is 8 good taxi driver, but I can tell him something very important about taxi driving.I I took his name from his identification card, post ed in the cab, the other day, be- cause he's typical of thousands of cabmen in our town. He drove carefully and as rapidly as traf- fic would allow. But when I (ex- travagantly and unjustifiably) gave him a 15-cent tip on a 35- cent ride, he didn't even grunt his thanks. Many riders are entirely weaned from tipping by this stu pidly impolite attitude of drivers.
 Taxi drivers are not overpaid in New York, but I've met many pleasant ones who have told me they considered they were doing well. Gifts from customers are all right where giving gifts is the custom, as 1t is here. But drivers who deserve to get along have sense enough to- know that 6 gift is 8 free-will offering, and at least deserves a polite acknowledge ment.
 Frank, my Times Square barber, gave me 8 thought on this sub- ject. Tt never has cost me a nickel to be polite to my cus- toner's he says, land it's made me most of the trade I have. Po- liteness is part of good barber ing
 Copyright 1889, McNaught Syndicate)
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