Evening Star Newspaper, October 14, 1882, Page 2

{Warrren von Tae Evexra Stan, The Comet (Interviewed). We rise at early dawn to greet ‘The wanderer of the skies, And gaze upon its shaft of light With awe and glad surprise. A fairy crescent, too, appears, The moon, with one bright star, While dawn with rosy finger draws The golden gates ajar. Ob! tell us, champion travelert Bohemian, Starry Tramp! What regions have rejoiced to see Thy radiant sityer lamp? What worlds are tn the Milky Way? That gieam tn misty ght? Disclose thy orbit’s wending path,— ‘The secret of thy fist! Where fs the star that gu!ded once The Wise Men of the East? And do its riys still shine on all Who seek the Prince of Peace? Sweet toflucnce of th Ts tea balm for tears? And what grand harmontes ring out In muste of tae spheres? What tele; Orion, am from Sirius, ni the . ing in the radiant ght jorning alr? Do spirits In thelr starry home Respond to e y lov? Or cast one Hazering look below From thetr bright realm a} Comet! Thou sta tale That mortals may not ‘Til in the mansions of the skles ‘They read thelr titles clear. The Power that es the water fowl Upon tts airy Might, Will lead thee, oa thy mystie path, it Meteor of the night! who marks the sparrow’s fall” our devious Way, T lights are merged veu's eternal day. Sysrn. —<e>___ OLD BOOK STORES. Washington as a Center of Trade in Old Hovks—Wh2t Dealers Told a Star Reporter—The Fine L terary ‘Taste of Washingtonians — Growing Interest in Foreiga Lanzaag-s—Antiquarian Book Muniers and Their Ways—The Demand for Departmeatal Publica- tiens. An old book store is a literary grave yard. As men go to the grave, so books, no matter bow highly they may ve valued by the owner while living, after his death nearly alwavs find their way to the shelves of the anti- ‘quarian book store. Sometimes straitened cir- cumstances necessitate the sale of the highly prized collection, and sometimes those who come after do not appreciate such treas- Gres and much prefer the ready cash, no matter how little it is. to the appareatly worthless rub- bish. A reporter of Tue Star dropped into a well-known old book store the other day, and Was amazed at the long'rows of volumes, reach- ing from fluor to ceiling and from one end of the long store-room to the other. WHERE THE OLD BOOKS COME FROM. “Where in the world do all these old books @ome from ?” he asked the proprietor. “Well,” replied the proprietor, “by far the ity of them I buy at public sales, while the Buinber of books brought « for sale are comparatively few. 1 buy trom sales in Lon- . New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and. oc- easionally, from the western cities. You have to know yourself what books you want.” “How can you nasace toattend thesesales?” qQueried the reporter. “Idon't attempt to attend them. I know from the catalocues what books I want, and how much I want to pay for them. I send my bid to the auctioneer if I Know him, or, if not, to some friend. You see, the catalogue is an important feature in this business. When I commenced it, ten years azo, I read nothing but eatalogues of public and private sales for two yeurs, and now I would alinost as suon read @ Catalocue asa novel. But then, you see. 1 have te. aster.” “But are you not often called upon to cata- logue libraries which are to be sold?” “Oh yes,” said the dealer, ‘and it very fre- quently happens that there are diiferent editions of the same book, ying greatly in value, and I must be able to describe the differences. Of course,I am paid for the work, but I would much prefer to bid on a library that I have not eatalozued. I could frequently buy these books for less if I hadn't catalocued them.” “How do you keep supplied with cata- Jogues ? ” “Oh, they find out very soon where and to Whom it is worth while to send catalogues.” “Do you have many orders for books from ether cities?" “A great many. My orders are from ocean to ocean. You see Washington's population is hanging all the time, thousands of people who €ome and go hear of my old bookstore, and when at howe avain they hear of somebody who wants a particular book, my name is suzvested, @nd along comes an inquiry, often follywed by an order. WHAT WASHINGTON PEOPLE NEED. “What do you think of the literary taste of the citizens of Washington?” asked the re- porter. “It is very elevated, sir,” said the old book man. “The vast majority of our people are fallgabreast with the times; they want the best and the latest. The higher elass of literature, xt in order are works on ‘trave discoveries. Then the professions, law first, fol- lowed by medicine.and then way behind theology. We are very weak on theolozy, | am sorry to say. Of late the better class of government qoications are very much in d acing government surv md re ditions, the publications of the Smithsonian institation, inciuding their strictly technical cvntributions to knowledge; and then fuliow the more popular annual reports. Very vaiuable Works are those of the mechanical and scieatifie bureaus of the War and Navy departments, in which they are doing some of the finest work in the world in connection with the subjects of = torpedoes, testing of metals, &c. Among he series of publications called ordnance notes and papers of the War and Navy departments are some of the latest and highest of taat class of inquiry.” word you have trouble In obtaining these aucmes “Frequently I do, but I am nearly always able to supply some in exchange wich would be more valuable to them, and in that way I get ‘What I want.” you do much in fiction?” . 4 fair trade. Fiction is an item, but not. important.” “Isee you have quite a number of old en- gravings on band; do you make their collection ‘au object?” “No, I get hold of them only by accident. I find that the lexitimate book business ts all that Tean attend to. But, by the way, I forgot to Say that aremarkable interest is taken by the People of Washington in works in foreign Ian- guages. Freuch, of se, takes the lead; but there is a much great, and of late for works in Span v. | suppose it is on account of t intercourse with Mexico. In no city in the country are there so Many lineuists as in Washinton. You would be surprised at the number of our ladies who are desirous of gaining a knowledge of foreign waxes, and who agquire more than a smat- tering of them too, as their inquiries for the best works of the day will attest.” PECULIAR CUSTOMERS. “I presume,” said the reporter, “that you have some peculiar customers, who are regular eld book worms?” “Yea! men have hobbies in literature as well as anything else,” he reptied. “They are gen- erally men who possess libraries, and valuable ‘ones, too. and are continually on the lookout for valuable additions. They come here as a ‘matter of habit or taste and look over the books. They meet congenial friends and discuss their favorite authors. When they find a book that they want they don’t hagyie over the price at lL They know when it is valuable and are generally willing to pay for it. Now there is one ofmy regular customers,” pointing to an old gen- tleman standing on the top step of the iadder, and carefully examining a sheif of books, “he is man of national reputation. He drops in just as Oaleb Cushing used to, who would climb ladders and jook over books by the hour. jertectly re- of time Or anythiag else but the books The reporter stepped aside to watch the old large cotton unbrella held under his arm. In’ a few minutes he descended with a musty book in his hand. “How much is it?” he asked, pulling out a pocketbook that looked as if it were made of pasteboard. covered with wall paper. He didn't ask for a reduction in the price, but paid it, and remarked, “Your store is not nearly so dusty asthe other old book store I just left, but still I guess I had bet- ter go down stairs and wash my hands.” The umbrella went, too. Doesn't it often happen,” said the reporter, turning again to the proprietor, “that a valua- ble book is sometimes brought to yon for sale by some one who doesn't know that it is rare?” “Yes, that happens. I have bought a book for 25 cents that I afterwards sold for $25; but I paid for it the price asked. Speaking of valu- able books, It is only of late years that the vaiue of departmental publications has been realized. In forming a library now, one of the first wants is government publications. Ihave just eom- pleted an order for department books fora library in Hartford. Conn. I buy these books when I can and store them away until they are wanted. It was only the other day I bought a lot of Treasury department reports froma lady whose father Was Secretary of the Treasury fifty years ago. “Now let me show you where I put the books when I buy.” The repeter fol- lowed him down stairs into a large store room, every nook and corner of which was filled with miscellaneous old books. “When I buy a lot of books,” continued the proprietor, “I damp them right on the floor, and then when the business of the day is over I come down here and sort them. When I come to a book that is a duplicate of one up stairs, I put it a = until wanted, and when I find one of whic! there is no copy on hand, it goes on the proper shelf up stairs. Nobody can do the work but myself, and I have to know just what is on hand and what is wanted.” WHAT ANOTHER DEALER SAID. Another dealer in secondhand books had something interesting to say about the trade. His manner of making purchases was similar to that described above. There is a great demand, he said, for books on the history of the United States, particularly with regard to the rebellion, and also to the Indian question. He also does a flourishing trade in school books. Pupils, as they are promoted to a higher grade, bring their books to him for sale, and when the text books are not changed too often, they are rapidly dis- posed of to younger children following. DEPARTMENTAL PUBLICATIONS. “We have a great many calls for depart- mental documents,” said the proprietor. Last summer a gentleman called here who said he had come from California for the purpose of completing a set of the reports of the Smith- soniun Institution, and I sold him fifteen yol- umes. How do we get hold of these govern- ment reports? People get tired of having them knocking about the house, where they were brought perhaps by some member of the family occupying formerly a prominent official position. The oid rag man with the push cart gets them for little or nothing. If he can’t dispose of them to the junk dealers he brings them here. If they are worth anything we buy them, if not the covers are torn off by the rag man, and they find their way finally to the paper mill.” “Do you have many calls trom regular antl- ian bock hunters?” asked the reporter. es. there are a number of well known citi- zens who make it a habit to come here every little while and overhaul our books, and they gene- rally find something they want. It was only the other day that one of our rezulars came ac- companied bya stranger from New York, who was in search of some revolutionary prints. He picked out about fifteen that suited, and then asked to be shown some of our rare books. I pointed out the shelf to him, and he made that big hole you see there. He bought nine volumes of the ‘Transactions of the London Society instituted for the encouragement of arts, manu- factures and commerce, London, 1787.” He will have them rebound and put in his library. Some of our customers think that we don’t know the value of a book, and are always en- deavoring to get rare books very cheap. Now there isa gentleman well known in this city who came repeatedly and tried to buy for 25 cents a volume the same books sold to the New York man for $2.50 per volume. When he saw little chance of getting them for that price, he would call just to see if we had them still. He hasn’t been in since they were soid, and I don’t know how he will take it to find them gone.” FICTION AND RELIGION. “I suppose books of fiction are in great de- mand?” said the reporter. “Yes, fiction reading Is on the increase, but the trade is almost ruined by the cheap seaside novels and fireside library.” “Well, how about books of a religious nature?” “To tell the truth. we don't do much with books on religion; piety is at the low ebb. The only demand for that class is from colored preachers, or trom young colored men who ho; to become preachers. They will stay here by the hour hunting over all kinds of books on religion.” ee LIQUOR LICENSES. Ne Attempt Made by the Temperance Peeple to Renew their Old Fight. The time for issuing Ncenses for the next year is nearly at hand, and there has been no intimation on the part of the temperance people of their intention totake any active stepstowards securing a strict enforcement of therezulations. Two years ago the subject was agitated, and there was considerable discussion about the law and its execution. Since then nothing has been said or attempted in this direction. A re- porter of THe Star this morning called on one of the clerical leaders in the movement of two years azo, and asked whether anything was being done about licenses this year. Not that I have heard of,” was the reply. “Idon’t believe that any thing has been at- tempted so far.” *: What is the reason,” asked the reporter. “Well, L suppose because nothing was done last year. You know that our efforts two years ago accomplished very little. and we agreed that nothing could be done unless there was a change in the personnel of the board of Com- missioners. Last fall the board was the same, and we made no effort to secure enforcement of the law, because we knew that it was of no use.” “But now there has been a change in the board?” said the reporter. “Yes, I know, and I have heard that Gen. West is favora'le to the temperance cause, but Ido not know him personally and can’t say what his position is on this question. But stil no renewal of the fight has been attempted and I don't know that there willbe. If there is I will let you know.” ———————EE Slander Upon the Swamp Employes. THEY HAVE NO SYMPATHY WITH THE STAR ROUTE BANDITS. To the Editor of Tax Eveyino Srar. A few weeks ago, on reading acommuniecation in Tue Star signed ‘Maker-up,” I wrote a re- ply defending the employes of the Government Printing Office (of whom I happen to be one) frou the charge of sympathizing with the star route bandits. On refleetion, however, I tore it up. I will only refer to it now by saying that the charge was unjust, so far as it affected the large body of the men and women in this busy hive. It is but fair to admit, however, that some basis for the accusation exists, for is not the business manager of the organ of these men —Mr. M. D. Helm—the man who really rung this office from top to bottom, from Mr. Rounds to the laborer in the stable? He is, sir, and all the interviews with and all the denials from Mr. Rounds will not change the fact patent to all. Mr. Helm is a gentleman against whom I have no personal grievance in the world. put it cer- tainly seems wrong. is wrong, that the Pproprie- tor of a newspaper should hold at the same time prominent position in the national printing office. Our law-makers evidently thought so when they framed_ the law prohibiting the fore- maa of printing from being interested in a pri- vate establishment of the kind. Nothing was said about the foreman of the Record, for the with poor Mr. Rounds. bape Lecreepqerriy spacer Previously made, im aceot ith a sealed and now faithfully delivered, and dances obediently when the foreman of the Record pulls denied tnangther “interview previously Bre nied in ano’ - by Helm and meekly assented to yr unds. It’s the truth, tl T have said nothing about bad taste of the public printer choosing as his chief adviser 9 landerers of the man 80 Cay! identified with, the ii Seria y Oba touanting the =e e impropriety of thus count ‘a880- ciate and ‘hired man” of these modern waymen, I will, with your give Rounds another round. Awan. gentieman. He wore an ok %)) ol beaver, Somewhat the worse for Md Figure! spectactes, and ~ ' PRET ans BENE SE hat Cheek: Beauty and bashfulness are often united. Yet the prettiest maiden is admired for her cheek.— News-Letter. {Warren vor Taz Evexiva Sram. Twilight Masings. A DREAM, Bend thy sweet head low, my darling, Place It here, upon my breast; While my loving clasp enfolds it To its longed-for rightrul rest. Dost not feel my fond lins pressing *@ainst thy pure and tend-r cheek? ‘Does this tell thee that I love thee? Raise thine eyes to mine and speak. Read what in my heart ts written; Dost thou know its secret now? Is thy yearning heart contented— Touch thy lips upon my brow. AN INVOCATION. Goi keep thee, In the busy day, And in night’s lonely hour, ‘Though storms may gather round thy way, *Neath His protecting Power. God guide thee! May His Wisdom shine Unclonted o’eF thy soul, And lead thee, by its ight divine, To an eternal goal! God biess thee! On this earth below, And In the world above Arich inheritance bestiow— His everlasting Love. EDNA. A winsome little fay, Halt sober and half gay; Brimful of guileless arts, ‘To charm away our hearts, ee THE CITY MARKETS. IRENE, Abundant Supplies of Vegetables—New Products Appearing—Continacd Scar- city of Geod Grades of Butter—Other Features of the Week, Trade In the markets during the past week has been brisk and buoyant. ‘The prices for meats, breadstuffs and everything in the vege- table line are at reasonable figares, compared with the markets elsewhere. Some of the vegetable crops have been very abundant and of excellent quality. This is particularly noticeable of tomatoes, corn, melons and sweet potatoes. Some new products have appeared during the week, among which may be men- tioned chestnuts. Several lots of these have arrived from Virginia and North Carolina, and the crop promises to be one of great abundance. At present the priceis fluctuating. but will soon find its level; buyers are purchasing sparingly at_$4 per bushel. The weather is favorable for apples, and good, sound fruit moves lively at advanced prices. Peaches are virtually out of the market, thouzh some of the late varieties are yet to be had at et to $2.50 per box. Onions are scarce and igh. ‘The flour trade Is quiet, whegt Is more active, corn and oats steady. Quotations at wholesale are: Minnesota patent process, $7,75a8.25; ba- ker’s brand, $6 2546.50; Family, patent process, $6.25a6.50, standard brands, $5 25a5.50; trade brands, 25.00a5. extra, $4.25a4.50; sup 5a3.75; tine, 50a3 00; middling. 2 25a 2 50; rye, $3 50a4.00; buckwheat, N.Y.. per ew 3.50a4.00; Virginia, Maryland and Pennsyl hia, $3 50a4.00; corn meal, bulted, white, 75a76: unbolted, yellow, 75a76. BUTTER. There {s no perceptible change in butter since last quotations. There is a continued scarcity of good grades and a tendency towards higher prices. The lower grades are plentiful and at reasonable rates. Tne jobbingrates are: 35a36c. per pound for fancy creamery: for good do., B2adte.; finest New York tubs, 33a3ic: good do., 29a8ic.; Pennsylvania glades, 25u30c., ac- cording to quality. The receipts of eggs have been more plenti- ful, and they are now quoted wholesale at 24 cents per dozea for both the near by and west- ern supplies. Cheese—New York state factory. new, fine, 12!gal3; do. fair to good, 111412; western fac- tory, new, choice, 10a11; do. fair to good, 9al0. VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. The supply of country vegetables has been liberal and of good quality. The best early rose Potatoes are quoted from ‘75 to 8 cts. pér bushel; Burbanks are worth a little less, and Peerless are sold by some for less; sweet pota- toes sell for $1.50 to $2 per barrel; cabbages, $3 to &4 per hundred; cauliflower, $4 to &6 per barrel; tomatoes, 40 cts, per box of one bushel; turnips, 75 cts. per box; onions, 80 to 90 cts. per bushel. or $2.25 to $2.50 per barrel; Hubbard squash, $25 per ton; marrow do., $20 per ton; apples, $2.50 to €3.50 per barrel; fancy stock. #4 per barrel; catawba grapes, 8 cts. per pound in large quantities; Concords, 5 cts.: onions, 86 r barrel for No. 1; #3 for No. 2: cranberries, $325 per bushel box; lemons, 3.50 to $4.50 per x. POULTRY AND FRESH MEATS. There has been a decline in prices for poultry to present quotations, at which the market is steady. Live turkeys bring from 8 to 10 cents per pound. Old fowls 10ali cents. Spring chickens, 11ai2; ducks, 10al1, and geese, 40 to 70 each. The fresh meat Sobbing market is about the same as last week, with exception of dressed lambs, which are 1 cent hizher. The prices are— Choice hind quarters of beef sell at 9 to 10c. per 1b.; common do., 7 to 8c.; choice fore quarters do., 6 to 7e.; common do., 4 to 5c.; choice dressed veal, 11 to 12c.; common do., 9 to 10c.: choice dressed mutton, 7 to 8c.; common do., 5. to 6c.; choice dressed lambs, 11 to 12c.; common So to 10c. Veal is scarce and the trade sk. CURED MEATS. In cured bulk meats there have been some advance in wholesale. prices, with tair trade. Smoked sugar-cured hams are 17}4al8; sugar- cured shoulders, 133(a143¢; breakfast bacon, 18; dried beef, 17a18; beaf tonzues, #6 per dozen; jJowls, Siga9e. per Ib; lard, 1dal4ige. per 1b; western bulk sides,173(a173¢;bulk shoulders, 123¢ a5; sausage is quoted 14ai5; pork loins, 15. LIVE STOCK. Receipts have been large, with active mar- ket; prices 3 lower than last week for beef, higher for sheep and lambs and demand for calves. The quotations, wholesale, are as follows: Cattle, extra, per cwt., $5a5.50; do., butchers, per ewt., $4.50a85; do., common, per cwt.,$3a%3.50. Hogs,fair, per cwt.,net, $10a 310.50; do., ordinary, per cwt., net, €9a39 50. Sheep, sheared, per cwt.. $3.50a%5. | amba, spring, choice, per ewt., $6a%6.50; do., common, per cwt., $4.50a%5. Calves, prime. per cwt., 37.50a88; do., common, per cwt., 85.50a86.50. Cows, prime, each, $40a%55; do., common, each, The offeri of hay the past week have been liberal and sales brisk. Timothy !s worth $16a 318 per ton; mixed, $13a815; clover, $10a312, Rye straw $9a310 He ton. Old corn in ear, 4.5085; per barrel; new, do., $2.50a%3. Net That Kind of a Man. The seventh passenger was a lady. There was an abundance of room in the cat, but as she entered an elderly man rose up with a great flourish and called out: ‘Take my seat.madam. Tam not the kind of aman to keepa seat in the street car and oblige a lady to stand up.” She sank down witha half-bow inacknowledg- ment, and he held out nis hand for her fare with the remark: “Some men are brutal enough to rmit alady to stumble to the fare box and kK, but that isn’t me.” He took her ticket and deposited it, and then hung to the stra) 3 and continued: ‘And I know men wi think that passing a lady’s fare to the box gives them the privilege conversation with her about ie HG i 4 RE : He g a] ies ‘That Congacied it School Appropria= ti To the Editor of the Evexixo Stam: - In answer tayourcinquiry as to whether the District ever. recei its share of the proceeds of the sale of public lands, as provided for in the act of 1841, 1 would say that on page 255 of part 4 of Ex. Dooo4?, Forty-sixth third session, i a stafement of the ceePee ot the net a ig he moneys arising from the sales orp tig Iabas under ection 2of the et of September ty 1841, as follows: From this it would appear that. the District did not receive its share. But section 4 of the same act provides that any money due the states orthe District under the act *‘shall first be applied to the payment of any debt due and payable from said state or District to the United States,” &c. And it may be that the relation of the District to the general government at that time was such that it was not entitled to re- ceive it. That isa pointon which some of our old citizens can perhaps give us some light. In any event, it woud seem to be a matter that the District authorities should investigate, so that if the District is entitled to it, steps may be taken to secure it, although I imagine the amount coming to the District would be small. In this connection the following statement of what Congress has done for the states and ter- Titories may be ot interest. GRANTS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. From 1803 to 1848 the 16th section ot each township, and from 1848 to date the 16th and 36th sections in each township is given to each state, when admitted, for common school pur- poses. Under these provisions there has been given to the states ana territories— Inall ..:..... + 67,803,919 acres. For university funds. For agricultural colle; Total for educational purposes For railroads. 1 TIP" 20/104 Washington Territory 290/215 2,818,393 acres. Total... 237,342,826 acres. This at $1.25 per acre amounts to $26,680,282. In reality its value to the states and railroad companies is many times that amount, as the states have sold their school lands at prices Tanging all the way from $1.25 to $160 per acre, while the railroads are realizing like amounts from their enormous donations. So I think the statement that the general government has not made any appropriation for public schools in the District of Columbia ‘was practically true; and, moreover, that the above statemeuts from its own records shows a most unjust discrimination against this District from the very beginning. October 12, 1883. Doves. AN ENGLISHMAN IN FIRANCE. Comforts of French Travel. L, J. Jennings’ Letter in New York World. Those who have only seen French hotels of the better class:have no idea of what hotel life in France generally really is like. In Paris, for instance, the hotels are good, thouzh extrava- gantly dear,—almost ds dear, some ot them, ag the cafes, which are becoming little better for the inexperienced stranzer than so many ban- dits’ cay The recklessness with which too many visitors spend their money, and the ease with which they submit to imposition have de- moralized the cafe fraternity to that extent that they are now relactantto let any Ameri- can or Englishman go until they haye rifled him of his last centime. The most sensible thing a visitor ¢an dots never to go inside one of the wrand cafes on or near the boulevards; he may sit outside and take his cup of coffee if he likes, but let him once pass over the futal threshold and his pockets will be turned in- side out. Thatis how the cafe keeper lives; on the custom of his own countrymen he could tok pay the wages of his servants, to say nothing ofhis rent, It must be admitted that in all these places hotels as well as cates something fit to eat may generally be obtained, althouch French cooking asa rule has been very much over praised. What a French dinner (unless very judiciously ordered) means is—a large sup- piy of grease, more or less disguised, rich sauces, such as not one human being in a thousand could take without injury, an almost utter absence of good potatoes and a fit of in- dizestion the next morning. It is not worth while to pay quite so much for these pleasures as the restaurant keepers charge. In provincial France the fare is a trifle less unwholesome, but unfortunately there Is oo variety in It. The same knife and fork have to do duty throughout the meal; neither is ever chanyed. The salt (there is but one saltcellar to a dozen persons,) is fished out with the end of your knife, for such an article as a salt spoons un- known. The coffee is three parts chicory, as Its smell clearly reveals, and it is given to you ina long tumbler, or in a basin which is barely a size smaller than the wash hand-basin in your bed- room. The whole of the appliances for the table are about as bad as they can be; and yet no Ameri or Englishman | must mention the ine of his native land, at the risk of being informed that he is a mere barbarian, and that taste and skill in culi- nary matters are confined to France. We have all been told this so often, and on such high au- thority, that most of us come to believe at last that it must be so, and if we do not like the dish set before us it is becanse our tastes are depraved and vulgar. The truth is, that on no subject in the world has so much humbug been written as upon that of French cookery. Peo- ple profess to admire it, even when it makes them sick. As for the common form of French cookery—a few shreds of vegetables thrown into some hot water, with bread and garlic, stirred round with a tallow candle—it may suit the French people, but you could not get the work of America or Engiand done upon that. Did the reader ever see the garcon washing up the plates ina French hotel? I have; and it was twenty-four-hours afterward before I touched anything but bread and butter. I will not describe how the plate-wash'ng was done, because the reader may happen to think of it some day when he ts in France, and it would poison his peace of mind. That water is not wasted in ordinary French hotels may be inferred from a ice at the size of the wash-bowl jugs; here at Nevers, the Jug will assuredly not hold more than a couple of quarts at the very out- siae. And with this the whole toilet must be made, for there is no bath of any kind in the honse. large or small. Now, Nevers Is alargish town—It has about 21,000 inhabitants, and yet at the “Hotel de la Paix” the wash hand basin isno larger than a size slop basin, and there is nota bath if the pisos. As for slop- basins, who ever saw one in France, even in Paris? The dregs of 'your tea or coffee must be thrown upon the floor.or into the street. 4 Then with regard what we will call the offices of a French provincial hotel—no: doubt the traveled reader has seen them. What dell- cacy, what sentiment Of decency éven, can there be among a people who can tolerate the exist- ence of such places, and who are unable to see anything objectionable in them? Where the English and Americans go some little regard is paid to what a Frenchman would perhaps call Anglo-Saxon eccentricity, like the desire to get @ good wash every morning; but beyond the beaten track or tourists all the arrangements ot public inns are simply revolting. How it may be in private pou I know not; doubt- less there tsa.nothing complain of In them. The traveler, however, is never likely‘to be- come the guest ot a man unless he has more time to spare than ordinarily falls to the lot ofthe summer holiday-maker. I only wish that I couldtell you some anecdotes of my re- tre limits which one Coma pass, and without im pet it would be impossible todo Jus- cathe ealaeos. One can only hope that it ia only the commis v0; jo Hives an poopie ae compoliod (0 lve in provin- peopié in Europe—for so the French call themeeives, and very, likely they are right, They ought, in consideration of the pretensions whi they set up, to get rid of some of the otal (on ropmesanted: la thelr poring tsar, n ‘as represented In popul ture) must remain unchanged. - A: u it stand. traveling in the rural cannot = be recutinended ty lade They Go, sweet breezes of the Autumn, . . Lightly over hill and tea, ‘Tell my darling I am coming,— At her side ere long I'll be. Well I know that she ts waiting Fair from other fair apart; ‘Tell her she is not forgotten, ‘That I kiss her in my heart. Soon, I'll meet her, and forever Cage my bird before ‘tis own; Whisper softly that I love her More than life, my sweet! my ownl » Ab, how proud within my bosom Swells my heart that she ts mine; Fair and pure as are the heavens Or the stars that o’er her shinet ‘Soon, my darling, I am coming, How my pulses thrill and start? ‘Tell her, breezes, that I love her, And I kiss her in my heart! ALDEN ASPINWALI The Time for Building. The most reliable among the builders, archi- tects and deaiers in building material in this District say that this is the season to start ‘buildings, and those who contemplate erecting dwellings should have their plans made, work contracted for and thelr buildings put under roof before cold weather commences. They state that brick will be $2 per thousand higher in the spring than at the present time, and all other material in proportion. As a proof of this they point to-the fact that in addition to the ordinary building of private dwellings, &c., will be the extension of the conduit, requiring millions of the best arch brick; erection of the new Pension office, and other public improve- ments; then there is to be opened up the work of improving the navigation and river front, which will require a small army of laborers, making laborers and mechanics scarce and wages high. Phere is also a large amount of unfinished work which, for different causes, will necessarily go over until next season. The capacity of our brick yards will hardly be suffi- cient to meet the demands for brick, and the same is applicable to the lumber yards and iron workers. Mest of these gentlemen say that all kinds of material entering into the construction of buildings is, on an average, twenty-five per cent cheaper at the present time than when the season opened last spring. They also state that labor is cheaper now than it will be next year. oe Stories About Animals. SOME QUEER PRANKS. A gray horse used by the St. Louis transfer company in one of its teams is an habitual to- bacco chewer. A terrier dogat Americus, Ga., has forsaken his home and taken up his lot with a herd of goats, refusing to associate with other canines. Jealousy recently induced a large Berlin dog to attack a five-year old boy. The boy was pet- ting a new lap dog when the big dog jumped upon him and threw him down. The lap dog, going to the boy’s assistance, was killed, A novel fight occurred in a stable in Council Bluffs between a stallion anda bulldog. The fight lasted more than an hour, and was so furi- ous that no one dared enter to interfere. After fatally bruising the dog the horse threw it out- side the stall with his teeth. . B. F. Daniel, of Dublin, Ga., was deer hunting recently. His dog caught a fawn. Daniel attempted to secure it, and the dog came to the rescue. He dropped the fawn to catch the mother, but after a desperate struggle she slipped from his grasp and got away. A lady at Branchville, N. J., one day fed a common brook turtle that had approached her door. Thereafter the turtle paid trequent visits. This season the animal brought a mate with it, and the two make frequent excursions from the brook to the house to obtain food. A fight between toad and a large black spi- der was recently witnessed at Merrick, L. I. After each round the toad hopped to aplan- tain leaf, bit off a piece, and then returned to the fray. After this had occurred several times the leaf was taken away, and the toad, failing to find the leaf, soon rolled over and died. The distasteful odor of asafctida that a Vir- ginia lady had placed under the eaves of the porch as a disinfectant drove away a wren that had Just gone to housekeeping. For some days the bird and her mate were observed to be very busy, and it was soon discovered that. they had moved thelr nest twig by twig to the oppo- site side of the portico. At a wayside inn in the south of France isa roasting jack moved by animal power. Two dogs turn the machine, working alternately. One day the dog whose proper turn it was being absent, the other was caught and put on the wheel. He flatly refused, however, to work, and neither coaxing, threats nor chastisement produced any effect. After some delay the missing dog was found and set to the task. After he had nearly completed the job he was released and the first tried again, and the animal so lately recusant now offered no opposition, and made the wheel revolve with ahearty good will till the roast was finished. The blue jay is the boidest and most mischie- vous of wild birds. Near Knoxville, Tenn., re- cently, one was seen to fly a number of times to a high picket fence to attract a pair of kittens playing on the lawn. The kittens finally mount- ed the fence and began a cautious approach from picket to picket. The Jay let the first get to within eighteen inches, then hopped over be- tween the two. The second kitten approached; the bird ..opped over it. It turned, and the jay hopped back and between. The first kitten ap- proached and the jay hopped back over it, and so kept it up till one kitten got disgusted and left, and the other followed soon after. Once or twice after, the jay tried to inveigle the kit- tens to another frolic, but tailed. Abe Simmons, of Rosendale, N.Y., has a won- derful dog named Jack. Jack used to toss a silver piece placed upon his nose, and turn around once and catch it in his mouth, but some one put a hot penny on his nose one day and that spoiled the trick. In the winter time he is the dread of all the school children who have sleighs, tor he will rush out when a boy is going along, grab the rope of the sleigh, pull it loose from the boy and run off with it as fast as he can go. Finally the boys combined azainst him. When Jack decides that he wants a sleigh they let him have the rope, but five or six boys jump on the sleigh, and Jack very soon tires of drawing them. k, when a cork is thrown up in the air, will jump up, turn a somersault and catch it in his mouth. An interesting account of the affectionate at- tentions of a hen for a brood of kittens is given in the Scotsman, In'two adjoining nests, ina THE CITY CHURCHES—SUCCESSFUL REVIVALS— GENERAL NEWS—THINGS DISCUSSED. —On Sunday last at Hamline M. B. church, in this city fifty-three probationers were received into full membership. —Rev. Father Mageveney, assistant pastor of St. Aloysius Catholic church, commenced a series of lectures there at vespers Sunday eve- ning, and will continue them for some months on Sunday afternoons. —There ts in this District a society of ladies of the Catholic faith of which Mrs. Gen. Sherman Is President and Miss Fannie Whalen secretary, known as the “Tabernacle society,” the object of which is the furnishing of poor parishes with vestments for the altars, etc. —The funeral of Rev. E. W. Fort, a promising minister of the M. E. church, who died at For- estville, P. G. county, Md., while in charge of Forestville circuit, took place on Thursday, the services being conducted by Rev. Dr. J. 8. Deale, presiding elder, and Rev. W.T. L.Weech, RB. Norris, Wilfred Downs, and W. I. McKenney, all of this city, acting as pall-bearers. The in- terment was at the sressional cemetery in this city. —A recent revival at Israel, colored M. E. church (near the Capitol), resulted in 77 conver- sions. Rev. Harry Boggs has closed a four weeks revival at Mt. Washington M. E. churen, near Baltimore, in which there were 47 converts 32 of whom joined the church. There have been several converts at meetings at New Windsor (Md.) circuit, M.E. Church. Ten conversions have taken place at Union Square M. E. church, Baltimore, recently. — Somebody has discovered that cats are no- where mentioned in the Bibl — Special religious services for policemen are held in Manchester, England. — “Alas! that so many people look upon re- ligion simply ag afire-escape!” exclaimsasouth- ern preacher. — “A grab-bag,” says Prof. Sherwin, “is the worst thing ever hitched to a church—except a drunken organist,” —During the past century the population of the United States has increased eleven-fold and the churches have increased thirty-seven-fold. — The average salary of Baptist ministers in this country is said, by a writer Inthe National Baptist, to be about four hundred dollars per annum. —The Churchman proposes that the coming centennial year of the Episcopal church in this country be observed by removing all debt from 8,000 parishes. — The Independent saya that “the best reason yet advanced for having Monday washing-day, the next day after Sunday, is because cleanli ness is next to godliness.” — It Is estimated that there are in the differ- ent Protestant Sunday schools in the world thir- teen million pupils, and a million and a half of teachers Nearly one-half of these are in the United States. — Deacon Pilkins said to himself: “ Falstaff asks ‘What's honor?’ As though it was hard to tell. But let my wife sit behind another wo- man in church and she'll tell what's on her in less than two minutes.” — The New Jerusalem Messenger discusses the miraculous: “The claim of anything to be called a miracle issimply based upon our unfa- millarity with the law, of which it is the ex- pression.” —The editor of the New York Evening Post says: We are acquainted with a minister of moderate salary whose family consumed 2.500 eggs laid by his own hens in one year. Thus he Was enahled to live and preach the gospel. —“I think it 1s a bad plan always to preach to sinners at the end of a sermon. They duck their heads when they know the shot is coming. Give a bit to the sinner just when he thinks you are going to talk to the saints.”—Spurgeon. —“Woman has too long been a mere hanger- on—a camp follower of the Christian host,” says Mrs. Melissa A. Stanley, who favors a wider field of work for her sex in connection with the church. —Mr. Von Schluembach, who was successful as an evangelist among the Germansin New York and other American cities, is on a tour of evangelization among the lower classes in Germany. y — The Chinese mission in New York, in charge of Rev. J. Jackson, formerly a missionary to Canton, is highly successful. In the Sunday echools of New York and Brooklyn there are 610 Chinese, and 40 are professors of religion. —“Often you may get hold of some people with a serious thought by prefacing it with a joke. I have tried to tickle an oyster, until he Teally thought I was laughing at him,’ Then he ened his mouth to laugh, and I put a knife — The latest Ritualistic development is that the vicar of a leading London West-end Ritual- istic church informs all who care to look at his notice-boards that “announcements of marri- ages and of deaths to be ,prayed Sor should be given to the vestry clerk. —The Churchman, in noticing that a church in Michigan, when their minister became a D. D., increased his salary $500, observes “that was a proot of their good will, but showed a want of familiarity with numerals—D. stands for $500, and D. D. naturally should mean $1,000. —The refusal of the archbishop of Paris to allow the body of a man killed in a duel to be taken into any Roman Catholic church, or to let priest conduct the funeral rites anywhere, is regarded in Pgris as an important religious blow at dueling. —‘‘There is nothing in the Scriptures,” says the Certral Baptist, ‘that can be claimed as a foundation for the preaching of funeral ser- mons or the wearing of mourning apparel by Christians. What justification is there forthese customs?” — During the century Just passed the popula- tion of the United States has increased eleven- fold and churches have increased thirty-seven- fold, and while a hundred years ago there was one church to every 1,700 inhabitants, there is now one for every 529. —Rev. Dr. Chamberlain says: “There is a tremendous upheaval going on all through In- dia at the present time, and I fear that Hindu- loft, in Tayinloan Inn, Kintyre, were five. kit- tens and asitting hen. A day or two after the kittens were born the hen removed from the nest in which she wasand took possession of them, but the cat removed the kittens from = loft to a small enclosure in another house. The hen soontound out the place to which her adopted family had been carried. and took to nursing them as before. On this an under- standing was come to between the real and the foster mother. The hen allowed the cat to come at intervalsand nurse them. The hen has never left the kittens. but devotes to them her whole time, and bas always trusted to food being brought to her. She takes them under her wings, clacks to them, and works about them with her bill, and now, when they are beginning to move about, she permits them to climb on her and amuse themselves, as kittens will. On the other hand, the kittens return to the hen with the greatest fondness, and seem to regara thelrreal mother as nothing more than a crea- ture to supply them with food. October. All day the south wind nestled in the trees The Jeaven drooned aly nutter etn ine breeze, “And felt om moan and ‘The golen rod has lost its crown of flame, =e “the Allis the trost ki came wR: And through thelr brightness, ts gayest ‘The sparkling river plays, ‘The birds that winter in our pa Gone with the passing year. ave no fear, and He who rules the Tey anaes storm ism is going to fall to pleces before the Church of Christ is ready to seize the fragments of the ruins and build up the temple of the Lord.” —Now the vexed question is whether John Bunyan was descended from Scotchmen, Ital- lans, or Gypsies. It 1s claimed that the first Bunyan in the British Islands was an Italian mason who came to labor on Melrose A! le In the Melrose Abbey graveyard the tombstone has on it the name of Bunyan. —One of the speakers of the recent Free Thinkers’ convention took for his motto: “The devil is dead,” anda New York religious jour- nal says: ‘In the famous words of the old Puri- tan divine, when some graceless youths accosted him with the same announcement, we can onl: ut our hands and say: ‘Poor, fatheriess —‘What salary ao de Lord call you from, Mars'r?” asked a ciergman’s colored seryant. “I get a thousand dollars here,”said the clergy- mae ens ly. og how much de es call ou was next question. “I ex Atarer,” saidthe ed de Lord call — ‘The borderiand of the creeds is widening every day,” says the Jewish Messenger. “It is beginning tobe understood that the univer- sals of more army sad kindly taba te soonest eet doctrine and litany, which drive men apart and misinterpretation Bible cari- catare of the Divine.” — Dr. Tresson, a Roman Catholic, ried in St. Louis to Miss Duncan, a ‘was mar- ian, and, in order to orcas ready for use. HOME MATTERS. PICKLING, MENDING, COOKING—SICK ROOM CON VENIENCES—THE SAND BAG—HOW TO REMOVE SPACKS FROM THE EYES. OrsTER axp Maccaftont.—Lay some stewed maccaroni in a deep dish; put upon it a thick layer of oysters, seasoned with cayenne pepper and grated lemon rind; add a small teacupful of cream; strew bread crumbs over the top, and brown Itina pretty quick oven. Serve hot, with a piquante sauce. Fe.t Lapsoarp.—A light and conventent artt- cle ts a lapboard of stiffened felt, with yard measurement and inches clearly marked on one side. The edges are bound with brass. It serves all urposes of the old-fashioned wooden | except that of wearying the user by its weight. ScramBiep Eoos.—Heat one cup of milk fn a spider with a piece of butter, a little salt and white pepper; beat five eggs, pour in, set over a very slow fire, and keep scraping from the bot- tom with a spoon until very little remains thin; then scrape intoa dish without delay, as allow- ing it to harden with whey spoils it. EXTeruinatixa Rep AntTs.—Red ante are said to like lard better even than sugar; for this reason, if the red aunts are troublesome in kitchen or store-room, set a plate well greased with lard in the room. It will soon be covered Pog evaspdirnes you ‘roel dispose of them: put he plate back, and keep on doing so uatil they are exterminated. . PICKLING VeGrTABLES.—If vegetables that are to be picked are pnt into cold salt ané water, and are gradually brought to the boll- ing point, It is not necessary to let them Ne the customary three days in cold salt and water, ‘The right proportion to use is one-quarter of pound of salt to one quart of water. It is Sometimes a great convenience to be able to do up the pickles in one day. Mewnpive Lace Curtarys.—Old lace curtains that have little holes in the netting can be mad to appear whole when they are laundered. Take a piece of lace, or very thin muslin, and when the curtain is ‘starched starch this ‘piece also and put it over the spot which needs mend- ing. It will show ver ittle at all, and the starch will keep it in place. Wuarre Canpy.—White candy made from this recipe hag the merit of being pure: One pound of sugar, two-thirds of a tumbler of water, one teaspoonful of vinegar, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar; boil for twenty minutes, without atir- ring. Pour on buttered plates to cool, then butter your hands and pull; have a little va- nilla or lemon in a rauce plate aud wet your hands with it occasionally. Castor For Bowina Eoos.—For breakfast boiled eggs, little wire stands are now sold. The are the shape of a tiny castor, with sockets for three, four or six eggs; in the middie is a handle—a long wire loop. Place the eggs in their sockets and stand the egg-castor in a saucepan of boiling water. The castor can then be lifted out, wiped dry and placed on the breakfast table, when the required number of minutes have elapsed. ALMonp JumBLESs are made of one pound of sugar, half@ pound of butter, one pound of almonds, blanched and chopped fue, two ecen, flour enough to mix stiff; roll them thin, put io fancy shapes; put them in ting, and just’ before setting them {n the oven rub the tops with the white of an egg, and sprinkle granulated sugar This recipe answers nicely for cara by omitting the almonds. The cara- mixed with the dough or scate over the top of the cakes. Basement Wixpows.—It is sometimes hard to know just what to put at the windows in a basement dining-room; shades make the room too dark, and much drapery has the same bad effect. For this purpose one satisfactory way is to get two breadths of dotted white muslin for each window, make box-pleats at the top, have the muslin about thi juarters of a y deep, and let it hang loosely at the botiom. They look very pretty from the street, and there is no objection to them in the house. Grare Dis.—An excellent stand for grapes or chestnuts—any fruit with a tendency toroll— is a fruit dish that defles the principles or cen- tritugal attraction. A majolica plate with slight raised rim is mounted upon a wire pediment; around the plate rim is a. ea fence ot twi: wire ornament, in “hilf-fhoo! es. The dish handles are wire hoops placed at the aides, not sipige manner of Fer egrargianend cake Knew on op, apparently for the purpose of = ing off the contents of the dish. CuICKEN SaLap.—Provide two pounds boiled chicken chopped fine, the yolks of four eggs boiled hard, nalf a bottle of salad oil, four bunches of celery, a small tabl ful or mus- tard, a pinch of salt, three nfuls of vinegar, the yolk of one raw egg. if the mix- tare is not thick enough add the yolk of another raw egg. The chicken meat should be chopped and stirred into the celery. Make ® mayon- naise or dressing of the other 11 stir- ring all the time. When the dressing is smooth mix with the chicken and celery. ALL Lear Vecetas.es.—Thereason for wash- ing well all lettuces, cabbages for “‘alaw,” and other edible leaves thet are to beeaten uncooked, is not merely to remove the grit and sand of the beds where they grew, but because of grubs and the eggs of certain insects and tiny worms that may be found hidden away at the core, or may be there too small to be seen. These are kilied by bolling, it is to be supposed; still it is safest, in a compact cauliflower or cabbage, to open the head well with the fingers down towards thevstalk, and let the cabbage or caulifiower lie with head downwards in salt and water for two hours before cooking them. This will effectu- ally remove all insects, with which cauliflower is frequently infested. To Make Cuow-Cuow.—Half a bushel of green tomatoes, one dozen medium-sized onions, one dozen green peppers with the seeds taken out, and one small head of cabbage. Sprinkle over a pint of salt, mix and let stand until morning. Drain, cover with mild vinegar, and cook slow- ly one hour. Again dram and pack in jars or crocks. Put into your kettle one pound of brown sugar, four tabi nfuls of whit tard seed, two of ground cloves. two of ground cinnamon, half a teacupful of ground mustard, a pint of grated horseradish, and two quarts of strong vinegar. Boil half an hour and pour over the pickle. Cover tightly and keep in a cool place. Tue CoxvENIENT Saxp BaG.—One of the most convenient articles to be used ina sick together, and cover nen cloth. This will prevent the sand from sifting out, and will also enable you to heat the quickly by placing it in the oven or even topof the stove. After once using this y attempt to warm the feet with a bottle of hot a up out hurting the Invalid. It is a good make two or three of the bags and keep oH sfseg i i f ; F s : To Remove 4 SPeck on ax EYeLasn From THE Eye.—This, we all know, requires the aid of a looking-glass or the kindly hand of a friend, capable of containing tant too o'net the watbantl on: ot yard. “<j