Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-16
The
Rambler
1t Happens in
The Best Company
By JACK JONAS

q century ago.
Any boy knows that a model
train will stall once In a while,
or Jump the track. But when
it happens during a big party
put on by the Association Of
American r ailroa DIS, It's
downright embarrassing.
This particular model train
was smack in the middle Of
the Associations party the
other night at the Carlton. It
was a nice centerpiece for the
big buffet table, and went
around and around In fine
shape as the talk about rail-
road efficiency went In the
same fashion.
But the model suddenly de-
veloped a devilish streak, and
jumped the track.
"oops," q public relations
man said. He not only said
1t - he looked it. It seemed
loud in the sudden CONVEX
sational lull. i
As the National Geographic
Society pointed out In q news
release quite coincidentaily in
the mail the next day, there
are some 10000 model rail-
road lobbyists in the Nation.
A goodly representation SEEM
ed to be present. There was q
furry of activity to set the
model right, and an equal
furry Of advice.
Careful, now"
"Set all the wheels on at
once"
'Be sure the cars aren't Of.
too"
Ought to slow it down a
little"
They got the train back on
all right, but by then it had
become cantankerous, and
kept stalling and piling up
again.
This model train, an Associ-
alton man said the next day
In q tone, that indicated he
would as soon forget the Incl
dent, is q ''real antique"
He discIaimed Association
ownership, and said it had be-
longed to Joe Hess. the Maitre
d. at the Carlton, for IS or 80
years. Mr.. Hess dug 1t out Of
his basement or somewhere, "
the Association man said, as Q
fitting centerpiece for the
party.
Mr.. Hess said 1t seemed to
him the least he could DO.
After all, what would q rail-
road party be without a train?
Kosher
A man we know took his
daughter to see Santa Claus
in . downtown department
store.
"And what do you want
for Christmas, little girl?"
Santa asked, when she had
seated herself on His knee.
Il don't want anything
for Christmas" she told
him, "but I'd like q doll for
Chanukah."
Santa, patting her fondly,
replied, "Gesundte define
kopf."
Which, in rough transla-
ton, Is blessings on your
head"
Legend
A caller said he'd heard the
Army once had a former Ma
rine named Ichabod Crane.
That would be Col. Ichabod
Bennett Crane, who at about
the time Washington Irving
was writing that particular
sketch Book" which contain
ed "The Legend Of Sleepy
Hollow" and the schoolmaster
namesake of the colonel,
would have been . captain in
the 12th Artillery.
The Archives found him in
"Heitman's," the Bible on
Army personnel from 1889 to
1903. Col. Crane served here a
brief spell while he was a
lieutenant in the Marines
from 1909 to 1912.
Timepiece
II a mans kind enough to
give You the time of day,
don't be too trusting.
At about 6:25 pm. the
other evening, q m0torist
turned from Calvert street
down the Shoreham Hill
toward Rock Creek Park
way, one Of those thorough
fares that's one-way north
from 4 to $3.50 pm.
Four other motorists, APP
parently trusting the solid
citizenship and timepiece Of
the first, followed. At the
bottom Of the hill was a
traffic policeman, wearing a
watch with the correct time.
Result: Five traffic tickets
for going the wrong way on
q one-way street.
Rambling -.
Bremen Photo, q camera