Evening Star Newspaper, October 18, 1882, Page 2

fh THE DPWs U HAPPY LOT, ‘The Other Side of the Question. ‘Po the Editor of Tax Evesine Stan: In your issue of the 11th of October I read of the groans and tribulations of a midshipman. ‘His argument seems to be that because the gov- ernment has given him an education at tts ex- Pense therefore it must rapidly promote him in Tank and pay. People who pay taxes have an- other song to sing, and have become tired of this everlasting churning out of young men, at ‘the rate of 60-100 per year, into the navy, when there Is absolutely nothing for them to do ex- cept draw their pay. My young friend says “that at the age of thirty-eight having devoted the best years of my life, without pay, without @ny incentive to ambition or desire to attain Saicloacy. since efficiency is not rewarded in any Way, without even being entitled to a salute from a newly enlisted landsman.” So far as I ean see his ambition is simply to get a few more of the almighty dollars, and to have landsmen and sailors old in service doff their hats in lowly obeisance and in ree ition of his superior knowledge in nautical matters. If he repre- sents the ambition ot his classmates Congress has done wisely. As to the clause “without pay,” this ts false. Our young friend is evidently un- der the impression the government is under a serious obligation to him. I will show him the obligation is on his part. By look- ing at the register we see that he was paid while dying at the naval academy at the rate of £500 per year; also a ration allow- ance of 30 cents per diem, making a total ex- penditure on the part of the government ou his account for four years 22,438—an amount more than would be necessary to educate him at any of our best universitie Moreover, it is often the case that a midshipman will fail once or twice in his examinations. If his failure is but little, he will be allowed to go on; if it is great, he is allowed to go over the same course of study another year, thus making him the ex- nsive luxury according as ye takes five o through. Now, and seventeen who entered in 1875, showing the first failed twice, the second fatied once. If these gentle- men had passed theiv etamination, as they ought to have done, in four years, or the gov- eroment had dropped them, as it ought to have done, it would have saved over twenty-five thousand doliars. We see by THe Stan every evening numbers of officers detached and placed on waiting or- ders because there is no place to put them; the shore stations are crowded so that the work of ‘one is split up so that it can be given to three or four and enable them to draw full pay. So jou see, young man, although you may bea Perry a Decatur, er a Paul Jones in embryo, still the country is not under an obligation to you, by alarge majority. Our adolescent salt Fefers to the higher position of the engineer and medical corps; well. political econom the best articles cost the most money and are valued higher. Inthe yearly minations at the naval academy for éntrance. the examina- tions for candidates for the engineer corps is differently conducted from that of the candi- dates for midshipmen, the number of applicants being about the same. The midshipmen candi- dates are examined in June; there certain standard, any one it enters academy; the fe ets another examina | portant papers of The Federalist was written f again he fails he has the in September. The candi- neer corps are all examined in nation i ore difficult the first 25 or 30 being ugh the fiftieth man’s examination may have been satisfactory enough to make him a midshipman, yet he is not an engineer by a cood d or example, the fourth class midshipmen in 1876 numbered 123, the engineer's fourth class, 27. The same is trae of the medical corps; examinations are only held to fill v: and the candidates , hot the government. wishes to know if it is fair to pang men? y he country has given you good, liberal and expensive education, now go ‘and make use of the talents you have received. and don’t bury them in the United States navy, @8 you consider you are doing. Go west, there ou will have full sweep for your insatiable am- Eition. VINCENNES. The Area of the District. Tothe Editor of Tus Evextxc Star: ‘The Scientific American of October 7th says that the area of the District of Columbia is seventy square miles, while “Harper's School Geography” says tiftt it is sixty square miles. Which of the two is the correct statement? By kindly answering this question in Tut EVENING Srar you would greatly obiize me. Very respectfully yours, Washington, October 16, 1882. J. G. H. {The area of the District, according to the @ata in the Commissioners’ office, Is 72 9-100 square miles, to the high water line on the Vir- ginia shore. Of this area 61 22-100 square miles is in land and 10 87-100 is water—the Potomac and Anacostia rivers included.—Ep. Star.] —_—___—-e-________ ARTHUR AND TWO CHILDREN. Tells to Little Girls of ef Making a Good Fhe Preside: the Pleasure Catch. From the Troy Times. Blessed is the man who loves little children, and knows how to talk to them, and win their confidence and affection. They are to him a source of never-ending pleasure. President Arthur seems to be such a man, for on his jour- ney down from Al iria bay the other day he fell in with two little girls on the train, and this is the way he entertained them, as told by the Feporter of the Utica Observer: After leaving Boonville the representative of the Observer presented little Ella and Maggie Storrs, daughters of W. M. Storrs, to the Presi- dent, remarking that they were nieces of his friend, Gen. Daniel Butterfield. “Ah, indeed,” the President said, “I have been trying to have an innocent little flirtation with Miss Ella as she sat with you, but she didn’t deign to notice me.” The reporter sugxested that the little girl was afraid of a “‘live President,” but she had expressed a desire to kiss him. “Presidents, my dear, are no different from other men,” he remarked, as he drew the pretty Uttle one upon his lap, “‘and they must be Judged iike other men—to be loved and re- Spected only when they are good. How old are you, Ella?” Ella—Just ten years old last month, sir. The President —And you, Maggie? Magaie—I am three years older than Ella. ‘The President—My little girl is a little older Ella, but she reminds me of her. Iam “ac eam! Caper m told that the little girls rowed and caucht bass every summer at rites Island, he examined the little one’s hand for callous marks of the oars, and he told them about the glorious Sport of saimon fishing, saying: “How would jou like to catch a fifty pound fish on a light od fod like yours, with a tip almost as slender @sarye straw? That beats bass fishing You have to play with the fish for an hour or two Sometimes and be careful not to allow him to escape or to break your rod. It makes the electricity run throuzh one’s arm, and is very exciting sport, I assure you.” Maggie—aA littie girl up to Cariton caught a four pound bass and broke the pole right off. ‘The President—When she gets older she will soon learn to play a larger fish than that on a light rod. and land him, too. Ah, girls, we incline to think there is a deeper mystery in the remark of the resident than can now understand. By and by you will , =a aps—that is, if ART AT THE CAPITAL. 4 Rapid Growth. Washington Correspondence of the Chicago Times. Washington ts tast becoming one of the most attractive capitals inthe world. The beauty of its streets and the elegance of its public ‘build- ings compel admiration. In an esthetic sense this city has made a prodigious advance since the close of the civil war. This rapid improve- ment has perhapssprung from @ growing con- viction that the seat of the national government -Will not be moved from this point—at least not inourday. It was a pleasure to meet here a gentleman to whose liberality and noble exam- ple the whole country is under obligation. I allude to Mr. W. W. Corcoran, the great banker, who is equally well known as a genereus patron ofart. It would be difficult to estimate at this time the value of this man’s public servic but they certainly exceed that of ascore of our average legislators. Mr. Corcoran is now eighty-four years of 4 but he still looks hale under the load of his many years. The ‘Corcoran Gallery” is hismon- ument, which he has been building for forty years, and upon which be has lavished an incred- ible amount of money. To describe this place I shall make no attempt. A fitting account of its treasures would filla volume, and the end is not yet. An addition to the present spacious edifice is In contemplation, which, when com- pleted, will make this one of the most interest- ing galleries in the world. That the carrying forward of this high and unselfish undertaking has been a joy to Mr. Corcoran there can be no doubt. It has sweetened what might other- wise have been a somewhart hard and lonely life. I write these lines from the home of one of Mr. Corcoran’s most intimate friends, and am penning the words on a table that once be- longed to Gen. Washington himself. * ‘There is probably no private residence in the United States which contains so many rare and estimable objetts as this. It is filled to over- flowing with souvenirs of the past. Every ornament has a story, and every piece of furni- ture, old, carved, and yenerable, is rendered doubly interesting by its associations. In a letter of this kind it would be impossible to give you an adequate idea of the contents of this establishment; but the time will soon come when afi that is here of historic value will be the property of the public, and will constitute a dis- tinct part of THE “CORCORAN GALLERY.” the gift of a widow to the memory of her hus- band. Among the numerous paintings is a por- trait of Washington, by Gilbert Stuart, that ie worth a beter to look upon. It has been pronounced the best original picture of Wash- ington in existence. It is a glorious counte- nance. There is a singular fascination in gazing upon it, and in realizing that it is no mere work of the imagination, but a true and actual reflec- tion of the great original. Strange to think how many hours Washington must have sat “like patience on a monument” while the artist was busy with his brush. There &® something about such a picture that cannot be described, and so it is with all things around which the magie fingers of time have woven a consecrated web. An old mahogany escritolre arrested my attention, more by its expression of antiquity than by its beauty. A simple inscription told that it was the traveling writing-desk ot. Alex- ander Hamilton. What memories are thus con— jured up! It may be that some of the most Im- upon this simple box. Here isa work table which came from Mrs. Hamilton. A large and elegant carved dining table was once owned by Henry Clay, who, in days gone by, was a fre- quent guest at his house. A beautiful wine glass presented to him, and in which he had drank the health of his hostess, was shown to me.as was also a magnificent Seyres plate which belonged to the ill-fated Marie Antoinette. Another equally superb specimen of Sevres workmanship was once the property of the Em- press Josephine. These precious mementoes were obtained in Paris by President Monroa, when he was our representative at the court of France. But there was one plate, less beauti- ful than either of these, that inspired me with a deeper interest, and which any true American would rather possess. It wasa simple white porcelain dish. In the center were the letters “M. W.” (Martha Washington), while around its rim were the armorial emblems of the thir- teen original states. What would you give me, Mr. Editor, for such @ dish as that? I might go on to tell you of a thousand other curious things with which this nouse abounds, but this is not the time to do so, even were you toaccord me the space. All thatI have at tempted in this rough sketch is to give your readers some idea of the general character of MRS. BENJAMIN OGLE TAYLOR’S GIFT to the Corcoran gallery. Its value is beyond estimate. If you have a taste for canes, here is one that was used by Napoleon at St. Helena, and here isanother that belonged to Andrew Jackson and afterward to Abraham Lincoln. There is an infinite number of relics suchas these, but I can not say more about them. Of statuary there are several noble specimens by Thorwaldsen, Greenough, and others, A bust of Byron, by the former, struck me as be- ing one of the most beautiful heads Ihave ever seen, Among the books which form part of the con- tributed collection is one of the most valuable editions of Shakespeare extant, which at auction, I am informed, would bring several thousand dollars. J. EL W. ‘The Little Earth Angel. I used to read of angel But their eyes were always blue, And as mine were black, P’'d wonder 11 I could be one, too. I tried to “hunor my Creator,” “Love my neighbor as myself,” But when people saw my eyes, They sald, “a saucy Ittle elf.” I loved God’s birds and flowers, And the sparkling little springs, Wandering down the mountain side With such sweet murmurings. Tlonged to be an angel, And dwell with God fn Heaven, But feared I never could, because My hair was brown and even. In vain I searched the pictures, Since everywhere I found ‘That angels all were very fatr, While I was tanned and brown, Bur one glad day, when dreaming, Of all earth’s mystery, ‘There came like lightning’s gleaming ‘This hopeful thought to me: Altho’ like angels up in Heaven, I may not ever be, Yet like an angel on the My Father would have me. So kneeling tn the Sunlight, birds, Among the flowers a! Out through the forest’s stillness, ‘There went to God these words: Oh, Father, though I am too brown ‘To dwell with angels fatr, Yet let me be one on the earth, And serve Thee everywhere, And make me live a long, long time, Until my hair turns white, Until in Thy sight I am fatr, And like an angel bright. E.rgasern Boryron HARBERT. English and American Society. From a London Letter. Perhaps the greatest contrast in English so- ciety as compared with American is that in the former @ woman's importance grows with years, whereas in the latter it declines. At a large Englisfi country house some difficulty arose as to making room for all the guests ex- pectedat dinner. “Why, let those girls (indl- eating two pretty young ladies) take their din- ner at luncheon time,” said an old peeress, “and come down to the drawing-room in the evening. We don't want young girls at dinner; we want good talkers.” This old lady was a famous London dinner-giver, feast of reason and a flow ot sou! ou the philosophy of it, you succeed in poste glo arers, —o— “The Early Bird.” ‘From the Texas Siftings. “f tell yer, Sam, dat dars a heap in dat sayin’ ‘about de arly bird cotches de wum. Dis morn- ing I got up jest about day to get mea tonic at ‘@2 saloon, and de fust objec’ I sot eyes on when ‘I got outen in de street was a portmania.” “What new disease am dat ar?” “A portmania, you cussed fool, am a money | puss wid $10 in hit.” supa: — TH squander > Zotous livin.” all I kin Sea, ter help yer outen yer of dat money Sepeeerr, te. Sow reste, is Si - Tareas he THE EVENING STAR: WAS#HINGTON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOB THE. LONDON CAB SYSTEM. ‘The Rates and Distances. ‘From the London Telegraph. The cab rates within the radius, that is, within a circle eight miles wide, of which Char- ing Cross is the center, are 12 cents per mile, but no fare is leas than 24 cents. Every extra Passenger beyond the first two miles pays 12 cents, be the distance long or short. Every cabman !s bound to accept a passenger at any hour of the day or night that he may be plying in the public streets, and it is quite possible to take a cabman at midnight elght miles from his home for the sum of $1. “Cabby” is a much legislated upon individual. and as no class of the community uses the cabs more-than that which makes the laws. the cab-trafficreutations do not err on the side of over-leniency to the cabman. If driver makes a special bargain to take a passenger a certain distance for half the legal fare: the law compels him to carry out the contract; but if, on the other hand, a passenger agrees to pay more than the legal rate, he cannot be compelled to stick to his bar- in. Cabby is fined for driving too fast, fined for loitering In the streets for ‘‘fares,” except on the proper stands, fined for refusing to give his badge number to any one who may demand it, and fined for not driving to the nearest police station, it requested, when there is any dispute about the proper fare. Sn geen RS SHIPPING BEEF EAST. ‘The Increased Operations. INTERVIEW WITH P. D. ARMOUR REGARDING HIS FIRM’S NEW VENTURE—UNDERSELLING NEW YORK BUTCHERS IN THEIR OWN MARKET. From the Chicago Herald. The success Chicago parties have met with in shipping dressed beef to eastern markets has been the subject of frequent comment of late, and it was asserted yesterday that Armour & Co., the heaviest packing concern in the world, were going to commence shipping beef to New York on a very extensive scale. Mr. Philip D. Armour, head of the firm, was yesterday asked by a reporter regarding the rumor. “Yes, we have been shipping more or less meat for a year past, and are now preparing to go into the business on a large scale, We find that the refrigerator beef is meeting with great success among the eastern consumers, and there isevery indication that the time is close at hand when the major part, if not all, of the butchering will be done in the west. The facilities here for slaugh- tering are far superior to those In the east.’ “Why is it that cattle can be killed so much cheaper here than in the east?” “We get $1.50 per bullock more for the offal here, and from 1 to 2 cents more per pound ror the hides, from 4 to 5 cents per pound more for the tallow. In the east there are rings in tal- low, beef and every department of the cattle trade, and it is impossible for the consumer to get his meat until it has passed through the hands of several middlemen. We propose to ship our meat directly to our customers. At. our slaughtering-houses we kill from 800 to 1,000 cattle a day, and we shall enlarge our capacity as fast as the demand increases. A “Has the beef thus shipped been received with lavor?” “Refrigerator beef ts steadily growing in favor, as the people come to have more to do with it. It is true that there has been some op- position from eastern butchers, who fear that their meat will be driven from the market, but the demand cannot now be stopped, as the pub- lic has fully come to appreciate the merits of the refrigerator beef.” “How do you ship it?” “In ice-boxes by express and by refrigerators. We are having a line of cars built for the use of Armour & Co., and we consider them unrivaled. They will cost about $1,300 each and will hold about 20.00 pounds of dressed beef. About six tons of ice is packed in each car, and when it is once packed it needs no turther attention until it arrives at its destination. Some of the cars do not take so much ice at first, but these have to be re-iced in transit. “A firm to conduct the business successfully, must own their own beef cars and they must be of the best construction. Many of the alleged refrigerator cars now in use are little better than old baskets, as far as preserving the meat is concerned. It costs from a quarter to half a million dollars to equip a line of cars of im- proved construction. We always ship a good quality of meat, as poor meat will not stand transportation. ' Meat of good quality always arrives in splendid condition and is all the bet- ter for the time consumed in transit. Many of the cars used in the past were faulty, but by the new and improved method the meat’ arrives in the east In as good condition as when put into the chill house here.” “To what points is the meat shipped?” “Tt goes everywhere east, to all The seaboard cities and towns, and a large number of the big eastern hotels are among our best custome:s,” “Do the railroads give you fair rates?” “We have no special complaint to make of the roads. They cannot but see that the shipment of dressed beef will supersede that of beef on the hoof, and I do not think it will affect their freight revenue to any great extent.” Which are the principal firms interested in shipment of this meat ‘Messrs. Swift & Co.. G. H. Hammond & Co., and Armour & Co. are doing most of the busi- ness. It is only a very large firm that can go into the business and manage it successfully.” “Do you find much sharp competition in the business?” “Yes, the same as in the dry goods or any other. ’ Still, as I said before, the shipping will always be done by a few men. The public has little idea of the immensity of the business, and it has all grown up within the past three years. Quite a furore has been created in New York over the establishment there of a large refriger- ator. Why, the fact is, that there is scarcely a town in all New England where large refriger- ators are not tobe found. The bulk of this meat is shipped to the smaller towns, and it is only recently that the large cities were entered. It has had a hard fight with the butchers in the great cities, but they are commencing to realize that it is inevitable, and are now flocking to Chieago in droves to examine into our method of killing and shipping.” “Is your company building any of these large refrigerators at the different easterncities?” “Yes; we are putting up several, and have plans for more; we fully realize the importance of the business, and see to what an extent it can be built up. _ Shipping meat to the eastern points is more profitable than to Europe; at least we find it so. Wecan sell our beef on the New York market from 1 to 2 cents cheaper per pound than can the New York butchers, and still can make a good profit.” “Iseethe statement is published that Armour’s yellow wagons will soon be delivering Chicago meat at the doors of thelr customers east.” “Wait alittle. I can’t say anything definite about that just fae only the 100 yellow wagons which Armour & Co. have in Chicago, delivering fresh meat each morning {a certainly a success, ore I gon't see why they wouldn’t be else- where. “Do you know anything about this project of starting a great cattle ranche and slaughtering house in Texas, with a capital of $5,000,000, and sending the beef in refrigerator cars ‘from there?’ “T have heard of the project, but do not think it canbe made to pay; in fact, I think Chicago is the only place where the busineascan be car- ret Onsuccessfully. Its location is most cen- Gilg Is the supply Ko cattle now?" 4 , and their condition was neve: better. ane cattle killed for shipment east is usually raised from the west and is Inpetmne con- the Chicago ship} isa feature of the have bee ” BH is me peoator ei i i n a 80] the cara has effected both the aeaiy snd are tity. Pork will rale moderately high the coming takes six to eight months to catch been no corner, low ortor an table-cover ora curtain. Fore sofa pillow the ground might be of and foliage outlin Pink filoselle, 9%4 the background darn with one strand of HISTORICAL COOKERY. ' ‘The “Noble Boke,” Mrs. Napler assigns 1467 as the probable date of the “‘NobleBoke.” There is so great a re- semblance in the receipts, as well as in the words in whith they are expressed, to ‘the Forme of Cury,* compiled about 1390 by the master cooks ef Richard I1., that It may be as old as that composition. The “ Forme of Cury” on a vellum roll, which was presented to Queen Elizabeth in the twenty-eighth year of her reign by Lord Stafford’s heir, eventually cameinto the hands of that Gustavus Brander, of Christ church, whose signal preservation from drown- ing in the Thames in the year 1768 is commem- orated by an annual sermon preached in the beautiful Minster church, near which was his country house, and where he collected * rari- ties.” “Mr. Warner, the incumbent of a Hamp- shire parish, at Mr. Brander’s request, printed the “Forme” in his ‘“Antiquitates Culinarie.” The original, it is said in the intro- duction, was not found at Mr. Brander's death, and there is therefore now no possibility of deciphering in the original the strange words and stranger dishes. In the Holkham “Boke” the first bill of fare is that of “‘a fleste of King Henry the Fourth to the Heraldes and ffrench men when they justed in Smytheffelde.” As Henry died in 1418, this repast was historical at the time assigned to our “Boke.” The mate- rials in the way of poultry and game seem to have been abundant, and they hold Important places in each of the three courses. Fish eaten on fast days, when flesh was not allowed, was sparingly, if at all. served on other days, and the ‘‘Heraldes and ffrench mea” were not offered any fish. But at “the coronacon off King Henry the ffyfte” we read of pike, lamprey, gurnard, trout, roach, shrimps, eels, plaice, conger, bass, mullet, salmon, soles, halibut, sturgeon, tench, flounders, minnows, and porpoise, (we mod- ernize the spellin, Falstaff deplores ‘the many fish meals, which destroy manly vigor. But with so great a variety of sea as well as river fish, there was no lack of nutriment in such a meal. ———_—_-e-_______ Little by Little. Little by little the time goes by— Short 1f you sing through It, long if you sigh; Little by lttie—an hour, a day, Gone with the years that have vanished away; Little by little the race 1s run, ‘Trouble and waiting and toll are donel Little by ttle the sktes grow clear; Little by little the sun comes near; Litule by little the days smile out, Gladder and brighter on pain and doubt; Little by little the seed we sow Into a beautiful yield will grow. Little by little the world grows strong, Fighting the battle of Right and Wrong; Little by Uttle the Wrong gives way, Little by little the Right has sway; Little by little all longing souls Struggle up nearer the shining goals! Little by little the good in men Blossoms to beauty for hum.n ken; Little by little the angels see Prophecies better of good to be; Little by little the God of all Lifts the world nearer his pleading call! ———__-e-______ Embroidery Notes, From the Art Amateur. Embroidery on household linen should be done very smoothly,as each washing eontributes to its roughness if any unevenness is left. For this reason outline stitch is preferred for all work which comes into general use, although the most exquisite silk embroidery is found on crash, and South Kensington work in crewels is common. Toilet covers and tidies are usually done In crewels. Tidies now have the ends finished with bands of drawn work, and the em- broidery is introduced in rows of branches with flowers, as if growing, while sprigs with flowers are scattered over the surface. Toilet covers have bands of drawn work with flowers in sprays between, or a single band of drawn work with the flowers directly above. In either case it is not necessary to embroider the surface. ‘The flowers in use at present are much the same as heretofore. The old-fashioned ones have not yet lost favor. The yellow Maximilian daisy, tne violet, the wild rose, the carnation pink, the buttercup, clematis, fall roses, and many varieties of the aster, and chrysanthemum are seen almost exclusively. Buffet-covers are in linen crash, not too fine, and are done in outline stitch in combination with drawn work. A buffet-cover iately seen was divided into panels, each of which had a spray of fruit done in outline in various artistic Shades, no attempt being made to copy the ac- tual hues. Significant sentences are usually introduced in old text disposed irreguiariy. On the buffet-cover above mentioned was the couplet; **Botter oh: ou Batos with boty hease™ The modern buffet is preferred with a wooden slab, and the cover is needed as a protection to it. Where the slab is marble, the cover is neces- sary as a protection for the giass or china liable be broken if too rudely brought in contact with the hard surface. In any case the buffet- cover 1s now to be found in every well-appointed dining-room. Sofa pillows mtended for actual use are made chiefly of linen; at the same time they are as handsome as their more elaborate and less use- fal kindred intended solely for ornament. The linen, generally yellow, is stamped in an appro- priate design. usually a connected series of scrolls or arabesques about a common center. The outlines are worked in buttonhole stitch with linen thread. Different ornamental stitches are introduced between the lines of buttonholing with the same linen thread, and spaces, repre- senting, for example, the centers of convention- alized flowers, are filled in with a network of the thread. When finished the material outside of the buttonhole work is cut away, and the de- sign is nemmed down dexterously upona colored foundation, This is usually of satin, but may be of any material. Similar sofa cushions are made of much more costly materials, the de- signs being plush couched down or flnished with tinsel braid. Handsome footstools are made in the same way. One of the most recent uses of linen is in pic- ture-frames. This is a common coarse gray linen, and the embroidery is the finest and most delicate silk work. The designs are azalias,dog- wood, or wild roses, and are Introduced in broken sprays. After the linen is embroidered the frame is mounted. This is a very nice kind of work, but many ladies do it successtully. It should be added that such frames are intended for photographs and small pictures. Scarf table-covers are still made chiefly in plush, and finished with handsome fringes that are themselves works of art. A terra cotta table cover has a deep band of plush beneath a row of white lilies worked in siiks, which are not white but indefinite grays and creams. Another cover is In olive greens, with a band of daisies thickly crowded together and showing the flowers in every Position. Some magnificent’ hangings now making for a luxurious New York house exhibit some spe- cially beautiful effects produced by couching. The designs are worked in gold thread on silver cloth. They consist of flowering scrolls formed of the thread which ig couched down with deli- cately tinted silks. In these, blues and pinks revail. Wheri exathined closely the color can Be pat faintly discovered, but seen at the right purples, and tones ineli ing pinks a to hover over the gold thread, com in kind only to the bloom seen on grapes and plums, or the rosy flushes ot the evening sky. The most suitabledesigns for darnéa work are the leafy scrolls which belong to Renaissance decoration, ‘These may be outlined in stem- stitch mpel re loselle onan old-gold diagonal, ‘The surface is then cov- ered with old-gold filoselle in darned stitch. ‘This treatment is desirable in the borders of table-covers, foot the! cross bands ef portigres and lam! “ss bred - The wild rose design is suitable for 2 ofa pil- all-over decoration ip outline one le etive silk, the flowers “with two strands of in The antique Intended for a AN ELECTRIC LAUNCH. How it From the London Times. Prof. Sylvanus P. Thompson furnishes an ac- count of a trip on the Thames in a launch pro- pelled by electricity, He says: ‘At half-past three this afternoon I found myself on board the little vessel Electricity, lying at her mooring off the wharf of the works of the Electrical Power Storage Company at Millwall. The little craft is about 26 feet in length and about 5 feet in the beam, drawing about 2 feet of water and fitted with a 22-Inch propeller screw. On board were stowed away under the flooring and seats, fore and aft, forty-five electric accumulators of the latest type as devised by Messrs. Sellon and Volckmar. Fully charged with electricity by wires leading from the dynamos or generators in the works, they were calculated to supply power for six hours at the rate of four horse power. These storage cells were placed in elec- trical connection with two Slemens dynamos of the size known as D 3, furnished with proper reversing gear and regulators, to serve as engines to drive the bya oS are Either or both of these motors could be ‘switched’ into circuit at will. In charge of the electric engines was Mr. Gustave Phillipart, jr., who has been associated with Mr. Volckmar in the fitting up of the electric launch. Mr. Volckmar himself and an engineer completed, with the writer, the quartette who made the trial trip. After a few minutes’ run down the river and a trial of the powers of the boat to go torward, slacken or go astern at will, her head was turned citywards, and we sped silently along the southern shore, running about eight knots an hour against the tide. At thirty-seven minutes past four London Bridge was reached, where the head of the launch was put about, while a long line of on- lookers from the parapets surveyed the strange eraft that, without steam or visible power, sailed on.” —__++-—____ A 200-MILE RIDE BY THE HEAD-LIGAT. Made. A Ride with An Old Engineer. Correspondence of the Boston Journal. To those never testing it by expertence, the rare exhilaration and complete immunity from cinders and dust attending such a trip as indi- cated by our heading ts quite inappreciable. Having enjoyed such an experience on one of the pleasant days and evenings of tast week, we herewith jot down a few items, premising that the route taken was by the Boston and Albany line from Boston to Springfield, the ma- chine, a 40-ton passenger engine (No. ‘196”), and the engineer, Mr. John Smith, who has been. running over the rails of this line for almost thirty continuous years. And now let the reader fancy himself or her- self perched on the extreme front of this mon- ster of a steam carriage, something like seven feet above the rails, privileged to sit or stand on the narrow ledge, once styled the “‘bunter,” and the situation will be tolerably well taken in. Steam is up for the start, and the surplus accu- mulating during the wait for the conductor's send-off is madly hissing at the safety-valve, as though out of all patience at the delay; but at the wave of the uplifted hand we feel the en- gine fairly jumping to its task, and we are off. The first impression one derives on getting un- der headway is that of the IMMENSITY OF THE POWER which you areconscious is being exerted around and under you. Riding on a nicely-upholstered car seat one can scarce help noticing the gradual change from imertia to motion, but the dynamics involved in the thought are ieft entirely to guess- work. Not so from our standpoint, We know the Instant the engineer touches the throttie. No blood horse responds more promptly tu the spur pressing his flank as he springs to his task than ours does at the bidding of his master in the cab. At first the quivering of the huge frame; trom cow-catcher to footboard, then an ominous grinding of the massive wheels as though in very rage at the terrible strain, espe- cially if the hind feet of our iron horse (as the driving wheels may well be called), touch a “frog” at starting, gives you something of an idea at least of the power re- quisite to move a train of cars as never vefore; and as the machine gets warmed up to its work the feeling is precisely as if the Titians them- selves were pushing mightily from behind. At every opening of the admission parts to the cylinders you feel the throbbing of the vast power within, and the exhausting of the waste steam literally thumps off upon the walls of the vacuum chamber the energy and also the rapid- ity with which the enormous work is being ac- complished. Any uncertainty on this point is dispelled the instant the throttle closes; it goes without saying that the fearful power is withdrawn, and the engine literally seems to exult at the release as it comes to a halt. It is almost strange, but nevertheless un- questionably true, that no adequate idea is usually given to the passengers in the cars ot the actual retarding power exerted by the modern. SYSTEM OF AUTOMATIC BRAKES; and one is almost under the necessity of seeing from such standpoint as that of which we write the really break-neck speed of running to fully appreciate the safecuard against danger thus afforded. On our return trip, and nearly at nightfall, on rounding the curve nearest the Westboro’ Station, a red flag suddenly gleamed out ahead, and ere we were aware that the breaks had been applied the head and upper portion of our bodies were thrown forward at no small angle by the abruptness of the stop to which we were brought. Indeed, one of the brakemen hinted that he had much rather en- counter an actual collision than to endure the shaking up when by the parting of a train the apparatus automatically exerts its maximum force, which it always does in such an emerg- ency, to a degree which the engineer rarely yen- tures to risk. If one wishes to obtain a tolerably clear idea of the capacity of a first-class boiler to generate steam. let snch put himself under the tuition ot one which {s gauged to 160 pounds pressure, like “No. 196.” Kemember it is throughout of standard boiler steel, and one must drop utterly all his notions on this point graduated by the traditional tea-kettle on the kitchen stove. Evidently: provision for the escape of waste steam in all engines must be well cared for, and when we remember that the rapid vibration of the piston of a locomotive making THREE HUNDRED REVOLUTIONS aminute necessitates providing for the escape of 600 cylinder measures of steam in that short time, we have begun to appreciate the gener- ating capacity of the boiler. During our novel ride we were all the time in such Close prox- imity to the exhaust chamber that we could not help being impressed with this fact by the constant hammering of this exhausting process. Or course no sign is given when this well-nigh omnipotent agent enters the cylinder; the dem- onstration of ie fers ante comes only as it escapes, we could not help comparing as to the Feet Gad drum in the haads of an expert wi ram-sticks, so rapid, aa well as distinct, was the report it made of its release from bondage. Another of the revisions imparted to our ideas on railroading was the absolute necessity of the most rigid supervision of the substructure of our iron highways, as well as the construction of and cars. Of the monotonous and somewhat annoying. CLICK-CLACK, CLICK-OLACK of the car wheels in passing from one rail to an- other almost all tavelers are well aware—but to get the full impression of the force with which these apparentiy harmless noises are luced one needs to take an outside berth. ppily in these days of fish-jointing the head and toot of abutting rails has reduced nearly or quite to a minimum this annoyance; but no amount of pre- cautionary iepplinnees has thus far broken the force with which the track wheels of the engine come in contact with the hoery exit: late, which is as though a 1,000 por m0 mer in the hands of a giant had dealt the terri- Tible blow that well-nigh shocked us. AN exchange says: Next tothe tices in the newspapers, the “‘probabili fe the tivehest interest cf the Couldn't let him the city ag said 18, 1882—-DOUBLE SHEET. AMERICANS OVER-DRESSED. Comments on Actresecs. From the London Truth. American ladies must have a very poor opin- fon of English taste if they imagine that the Jewel-case and the milliner's trunk are the necessary passports to popularity In this coun- try and to success upor the stage. Miss Fanny Davenport ts not the first actress who has been under the delusion that the high road to Lon- don esteem ts by Paris and Hatton garden. The cowl does not make the monk, nor will all the mines of Golconda make tne actress. These are truths apparently not easily understood by American actresses. We had ® visit recently from Mra. W. J. Florence, a clever woman in her way, not at all destitute of humor, and-who, if properly fitted, would take the kind of character once associated with that very funny lady, Mrs. Frank Matthews. They belonged to the same school of fun. But, as ill-luck would have it, Mrs. Florence was under the impression that Laferriere, the French mil- liner, could transform her into an artless maid- en, and that Mr. Tiffany, the American jeweler, could change her into a sylph or Kitten. We heard of nothing butthe a eeeeed aitne oom: wspapel phs appeare vi ata ue of her costumes. “She moved about. with the tranks of an empress, and in each pat she played she had a change of dreas for every act. The result was not encouraging, for Mrs. ‘Florence was ridiculously overdressed, and if Paris really counseled all these flounces and fur- belows, these royant colors and bizarre designs, then surely Paris was insincere as the shepherd boy on Mount Ida when he broke the heart of (Enone and coqueted with Venus. I fear that this over-dressing is a constitational defect in America; it is glaringly vulgar when imported to England. When Sarah Bernhardt visited that country, we heard far more about her wardrobe than her talent. All Europe was exercised at the detention of her trunks at the New York cus- tom house, and her interviewers concerned themselves infinitely more with her riviere of diamonds than with her reading of Phedre and Dova Sol. ——____—+9s—_____ CHOKED TO DEATH. Treatment of an Insane Man in the Connecticut State Prison. From the Hartfori Times. A correspondent directs our attention to the recent death ot an Insane man in the state prison, and says that the testimony before the coroner's jury revealed certain facts that ought to be made public, It appears that the crazy fellow created great disturbance by shouting and loud talking, and in order to stop his cries the “gag” was resorted to, and for a week or two previous to his death a gag was kept In his mouth a part of the time. These gags can be made in different ways, and in any case are In- struments of torture. One way is to take a round stick about the size ofabroom handle, and six or seven incheslong, with cords and straps at each end long enough to tie or buckle at the back ofthe head. This is forced into the mouth and secured. Another way is to whittle a block of wood Into something like the shape ot 8 triangle, with holes in two of the corners in which to fasten the cords, and the other end of the triangular piece of wood is forced into the mouth, running well back and resting on the tongue, and is then tied at the back§of the head, asin the other case. Still another way is to make the gag egg shaped, and large enough to well fill the cavity of the mouth, and this is also secured by a string or strap like the others. In the case of-Smith, the insane convict, who was found dead in his cell at the Wethersfield prison on Wednesday morning, testimony at the inquest showed that he died with a strait jacket onanda gag in his mouth. And the further fact was developed that the strap to the gag had been buckled up one hole tighter on the evening ees, to his death than it had been before. When a man is gagged it is necessary to secure his hands so asto prevent him from removing the gag, and this is the reason why Smith was put in a strait jacket. In spite of all he would work the gag out of his mouth, and to stop this the strap was tightened up one hole the last night, and nothing more was ever heard of him. He died that night. The jury returned a ver- dict that he died of “convulsions.” When dis- covered dead his face was black, giving every evidence of strangulation. . rest: “Bo r ——<—_—_oe__ A DISCONTINUED POST OFFICE. Curious Experience of a Special Agent at Iron Hod, Montana Territory. From the Savannah Morning News. The post office at Iron Rod, M. T., has been discontinued, and the explanation is thus given by an officer of the department: “A post office agent, while offictally visiting various offices in Montana Territory for the purpose of correcting any irregularities of postmasters, stopped at Tron Rod. Going into the post office, he found the room divided into three sections—first, a saloon, next the post office, and last afaro bank. The mail bag was brought in; a rough-looking customer opened It and emptied the contents on the floor. The entire crowd at once got down on their hands and commenced overhaul- ing the letters, among which several were — tered, and selected such as they wanted. Ai they were through the remaining letters were shoveled into acand:e box and placed on the bar. The special agent, thinking the office needed a little regulating, asked the barkeeper, who had received and distributed the mail, if he was the postmaster. He answered ‘No.’ ‘Are you the assistant postmaster?’ ‘No,’ ‘Where is the postmaster?’ ‘Out mining.’ -Where is the assistant postmaster?’ ‘Gone to Hell's Canon; and by thunder Bill Jones has got to run this office next week: it’s his turn.’ The govern- ment official then stated who he was and de- manded the keys of the office. The bartender coolly took the candle box from the bar, placed it on the floor, and gave it a kick, sending it out of the door, saying: ‘There's your postoffice, now git.’ The agent says: ‘Knowing the cus- toms of the country, I lost no time in following this advice, and got.’ This is why the post office at Iron Rod was discontinued.’ —$——<—<$_-—___ FASHIONS IN FALL FLOWERS, Demands that Indicate that Estheti- civm Has Left its Mark, From the New York Sun. “ Certain kinds of flowers, like certain kinds of bonnets and silk hate,” a florist sald, “have a season of favor with wealthy and fashionable People, and then they pass away to give place to other favorite blooms. Just now the popu- lar fancy does not confine itself to the sun- flower or the daisy, as ts commonly supposed, but it includes all flowers of that general description. This, as f understand it, means that the recent wave of estheticism has Jeft its mark on the taste for flowers ge perhaps, than on any other accompaniment of polite life. Without insisting that my theory is right, let me point out a few of the blooms which have recently come into favor. You will notice that they are all light and airy. There is an antipathy to all flowers which are doul and therefore heavy in effect. favor om sh le, There ee of a dense purple, ular for young It is — two inches In diameter. from | been LATEST MODES FOR GENTLEMER Haw, Trouscrs and Demi-Drees From the New York Herajd. In silk hats the bell crown ts worn in twa heights, both lower than Inet season, and with heavy rolling brim. For middle-aged and olf men the flat top or square cornered biack Derby will be worn. Derbys for young men areta three heights. The crowns are rounding end the brims curied heavily as in silk hats. In evening dress sults the swallow-tail coat is made from black West of England cloth or fine Wales worsteds. There ts very little change to note in their construction. The oollar and lapels are cut narrower; the roll not quite so extende?: the skirt a little shorter. Both shawi and notc. od collars are worn, and silk facings are decidedly the choice. The vests are cut to button four buttons, with rolling collars. The trousers are cut quite close to the form of the jeg. “Pumps” or low cut shoes, made from patent leather, and colored silk stockings, are sy generally worn for evening parties and weddings. For demi-dress suits the double-breasted frock Coat, or, as it Is sometimes called, the Prince Albert, 1s used in making morning calls, prome- nading, and tn some cases at weddings, cially when the bride is dressed tn travelinys cos- tume. These coats are made in all kinds of cloths and worsteds, with silk facings and edges bound with satin galoon binding. Very many stylish young men wear colored worsteds made into double-breasted frock coate. The colors most In demand are browns, gra) nd olives. Under the head of walking-coat suits come the single-breasted cutaway coats, one, three, four and five buttons, They are made o worsted, cassimere and Scotch suitings. The edges are bound or double-stitched narrow. The waist remains about the same length, but the skirts are longer than last season. Business-suits are also made with the above- mentioned form of coats, but the single-breasted sacque-coat isthe most universally worn. All coats outline the figure closely at the back, ee- — intended for full and half-dresa. he number of buttons is limited to four on most coats. Trousers continue to be cut nearly skin tight, with a tendency to asiight increase at no dis- tant day. Trouserings are mostly fine stripes, with an occasional check or plaid. Dress-trous- ers are finised at the side seams with a fine cord either laid on or simulated. They are cut in about the same proportions as for ordinary wear. Vests are cut straight across at the bottom, quite short, single-breasted, and buttoned up high, without collar or with a small rolling col- lar. Coats and vests are finished with dat bind- ings at the edges. n overcoats the single and double-breasted oversacque, and also single and double-breasted surtouts, will be worn. The coat most gen- erally worn will be the single-breasted sacque. The ‘single-breasted surtout, with very | skirt, will take the piace of the ulster to a degree. At present it is much worn by club men as an evening overgarment. Overcoats for winter will be made from Montagnaa, Sedans, Sardinians, Elysians and fur beavers. QOver- coats for fall will be made from colored worsted Melton and Kersess of medium weight. Plai satin linings for overcoats are among the ex- treme novelties. nah acaeaecesee ‘The Modern School Teacher. From the Chicago Tribune. "Dwas Saturday night, and a teacher sat Alone her task pursuing; She averaged this, and she averaged that, ‘Of all that her class was doing, She reckoned percentage so many boys, And so many girls aif counted, And marked all the tardy and absentees, And to What all the absence amounted. Names and residence wrote in full, Over many columns and pages; Canadian, Teutonic, African, Celt, And averaged all their ages, The date of aduission of every one, And cases of flageliauion; And prepared a lst of graduates For the county examination, Her weary head sapk low on her And her weary heart still lower; For some of her pupils had ttle And she could not furnish more. She slept, she dreamed; it seemed she died, And her spirit went to Had And they met her there with a question fair, “State What the per cent of your grade tsi” had slowly rolled away, Leaving but parulal traces; As jon, —— as the State House dome, and as wide on. ston since annexatl She came to the spot where they buried her bones, And the ground was well built over; But laborers digging threw a skull, neath the clover, A disciple of Galen, wandering by, Paused to look at’ the alggers; And plucking the skull up, look'd through the eye, And saw 1 was ned with Ogures, “Just as I thought,” satd the young M. D.— “How easy it is to kill ‘em! Statistics ossified every fold ‘Of cerebrum and cerebellum.” “Is a great curiosity, sure,” said Pat, “By the bones you Can tell the creatu i strange,” said the aoctor; Was a nineteenth-century teacher. hat ——$_——_ > THE GUARDS IN EGYPT. How the Nobbiest of Her Majesty's Soldiers Carried Themselves im the Land of the Pharachs. From the London World. “A sight for the gods is Sir Henry Havelock Allan driving tandem with a camel and a pony in front of the Ismailia hotel. But, then, Sir Henry is always a sight for the gods, whether he be instructing the admiral in navigation, the commander-in-chief in the art of war, or the hotel cook in the matter ot potatoes. His preparations for the front are something pro- digious; and when thoroughly caparisoned, with his middie-ages helmet and his innumera- ble appendages and ‘first-class dodges, my dear boy,’ he is worthy of a museum. It goes without saying that he is a favorite everywhere, many & youngster at the front having to thank him for a kindly ect; and he received a regular ovation from the Highland- ers he used to command when he went on board the France to welcome them on arrival. It ta not, however, erally credited that Sir Henry silenced one of the enemy's guns in the at Kassasin with his rifle at 2,500 yards. three horses, and # 2&3