Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1883, Page 2

2 RUE CITY AND DISTRICT. On my return from New York my brother ama Bee LINCOLN IN WASHINGTON. commissioners gave me an account of an inter- view they had had with Mr. Lincoln during my absence. They called to thank Mr. Lincoln for the honor he had conferred upon them. They found him in a pleasant humor, and he addressed them as follows: ‘Mr. Bowen, I appointed you to please my friend Montgomery wort Reb sppol ou el RECOLLECTIONS OF ONE WHO KNEW a master .] Mr. Brown, I appoint to please my friend Cale Smith, [Caleb B. Smith, NEW AND INTERESTING DETAILS. | Secretary of the Interior] Mr. Addison, I ie —— ye to please my friend “. ir. -}] Tenny, I appointed you to please my friend Lincoln’s Steamboat Patent—Hew a But, gentlemen, I wish you to under- Piet to Capture Presi t Lincelm | stand that I appointed Mr. Robbins to please xtem was | myself.’ This I give merely for the of Attempt to Shoot Lincoin— | showing the position that I then held in Mr. Why Silence was Maintained About | Lncoin's esteem. At the meeting of the Board ‘These Plots—Mew Lincoln was Lec- | °f Police Commissioners, when the particulars tured by Horace Grecley—A Striking | °! the above stated interview with the President | Ep a ona eee "Andrew Curtin’s | *¢Te Darrated to me, one of the commences minutes on importaat business.’ ean I do; I am afraid of ‘Stanton myself.’ Ado said Judge Casey, ‘Just write on your Casey; for five Mr. Lincoln did so. Judge Casey was recelved “Please see my friend, Judge cordially and politely by Mr. Stanton and when the Judge explain his business Stanton turned fairly pale. He saw the great danger that they were in. He was satisfled that Curtin’s influence was sufficient to carry Pennsylvaula whichever way he chose, and he said to Judge Casey: ‘My God! I would lie down on'that floor ‘and let Andrew Curtin dance a hornpipe on’ me, if necessary, to save this country. What shall I do?’ Casey sald: ‘Just send a telegram request- ing Gov. Curtin’s immediate presence in Wash- Ington, saying that you wish to see him to con- sult with him on important public business.’ Stanton then lived in the War department. He slept there. The next morning, by the first train, . said to me: ‘Mr. Robbins, if I He | Curtin arrived in Washington ‘and presented Maff—How He was Prevented from | Lincoln's friendship and confidence to the ex- himeelf at the War di eh le was re- Going Over to YicClellan. tent that tyon do, it would be worth to me mil- | ceived in such a cordial and ftattering manner lions of dollars." With a feeling of some indig- | that sll wrath and malice disap, ‘and be nation I replied that my ideas of patriotism and The recollections of few of the old citizens Propriety would not permit me to make any - of Washington have such arichatore of reminis- | Such use of. Lincoln's friendship: and confi- eences as of Mr. Zenas C. Robbins, whose official | dence in me. ‘ and social relations with some of the great men} #0W 4 FLOT TO CAPTURE WASHINGTON was of the nation duriag a critical period of our| FRUSTRATED. Bational history made him famillar with themo-| “Sometime in the month of June, 1861,” tivesand circumstances Influencing momentous | Mr. Robbins continued: “before our armies public events. Mr. Robbins, anginally from New | took possession of -Alexandria and Aring- Hampshire, came here from St. Louts nearly {ton Heights, the chaplain of a New York reg- forty years ago, and began practice az a patent | ‘ment, then stationed at the Long bridge, attorney. He is now by right of long service | Called upon me early one morning for the pur- the dean of his profession. He enjoyed an in- | P08e of procuring my assistance in obtaining an timate social acquaintance with Mr. Lincoln, arising partly, at least, from political sympathy, a8 Mr. Ropbins was one of theorigina? abolition- sts here. During President Lincoln’s first term Mr. Robbins held the office of register of wills, and was also a member of the tirst board of metropolitan police. Mr. Robbins has spent most ofhis time during the past ten years trav- eling in Europe for the benefit of his health, and has returned to his home much refreshed in health and spirits. Bo aStar reporter who @pplied to Mr. Robbins for some of his recollec— tions of events in this city preceding and at- tending the war of the rebeilion, he gave the following interesting details: DR. BAILEY AND THE NATIONAL ERA. “The first anti-slavery paper in this city,” said Mr. Robbins, “was established by Dr. Bailey, one of the bravest, wisest afld most loveable men lever knew. After having two or three Presses thrown into the Ohio river at Cinein- mati. he came here and started an anti-slavery mew ‘ational Era. Dr. Bailey con- mned slavery for the reason that it was op- posed to the Christian religion, to civilization and the material prosperity and progress of any ple. A few years after he started the paper Bepeaia Drayton—I think that was the name— came here with a schooner loaded with of some kind. When he went away he sailedin the pareue thing. asker filled with Lt ‘most un' aS depended ‘uncert: udu acd tetas, OC eomeen ho had the mouth of the —_ be- ain [ aotrmege pathname he was arrested and brought i ‘Then they started to Dr. Bailey’s house. He lived then with his family, in a house, not standing now, which adjoined the Seaton made war upon slavery by such means; that he had not advocated the running-off of slaves or the underground railroad. If was a very furi- ous crowd, and this speech did not seem to make any impression. At that instant Dan Radcliffe, a leading lawyer. and a man of dem- cratic sympathies. jumped up and made a most thrilling, splendid —— under the influence @fwhich the crowd slowly and reluctantly re- That, I think, was the only time that an @ecault was eyer made, either upon the printing ‘“Giice or Dr. Batley. A feature of the National Era was that Dr. Bailey never permitted it to be -ased to fe the selfish interest or ag- grandizement of any politician or man. About one-haif of Uacie Tom’s Cabin came out in the Era, and then the public became so impatient they could not wait for it to come out in that } slow way, and it was published at once in book form. It must have been not far from 1850 i that Dr. Bailey started the paper. Icame here in 184, and that was betore the establishment of the National Era. There were not a dozen abolitionists here when Dr. Bailegcame. Dr, Bailey was an able writer, but he ever kept | Bimself within the Constitution. He did not | @pprove at all of using unlawful means.” LENCOLS'S SHOAL-WATER STEAMBOAT. “How did you first become acquainted with Mr. Lincoln?” asked Tue Star reporter. “I met with Mr. Lincoln first in 1847, at which time he was in Congress,” sald Mr. Rob- bins. “Mr. E. B. Washburne brought him to Mrs. Janney’s boarding house, where myself and family boarded, and they spent the evening with us. A few days-afterwards, when I was sitting in my office, corner of F 7th streets, the door opened and Mr. Lincoln's tall form marched into the room. He had under his arm a model of a western steamboat. He placed the model on the table and said he had made an im- vement in the western steamboat that might valhable. At that time there were no rail- roads in the west. Most of the population was located on or near the banks of the rivers, and i almost the only means of conveyance they had was by steamboat. The Illinois river, near which ‘Mr. Lincoln lived, and the Oblo river used { to get distressingly low in the summer. A steamboat would run on toa sand bar and be kept there perhaps two weeks, until the pas- sengers had gatbered and consumed all the pro- | visions for twenty miles around. Mr. Lineoin’s invention provided for placing under the guards of the boat, buoyant chathbers, expansible buoy- ant chambers, made of some water-proof ma- terial, with the parts so arranged and con- nected with the engines. that when the boat got aground the whole power of the boilers could be exerted to depress these chambers, and more than double the width of the boat, and of course Faise the boat in tie water. Then the power would be applied. to the wheels and the boat could again go on its way rejoicing. I told Mr. Lincoln that his device was novel, prepared the pers, and in due time obtained a patent. patent ean be seen now at the Patent Office, where the model is kept in a case by itself. The invention never was introduced, for the reason that Mr. Lincoin’s time was taken up with more tmportant matters. had the largest legal practice in the west, and shortly after the time of which I speak entered upon his great debate with Dougiass.” OLD ABE AND THE GENTEEL MR. WINTHROP. “In Congress with Mr. Lincoln,” continued Mr. Robbins, ‘was Robert C. Winthrop, of Bos- ton, a very dressy, very prim, proud specimen immediate interview with Mr. Lincoln. Finding that his business was very importgnt, I pro- ceeded with him at once to the White House, and promptly obtained an interview with the President. After I had introduced the chaplain and vouched for his reliability, he stated to Mr. Lincoln that the night before, whilst in htstent, immediately contiguous to the tent occupied by the colonel of the reximent, he overheard a con- versation between the colonel and parties, who, he supposed, were rebel emissaries. The sub- Ject of their conversation was a plan of opera- tions by which the rebels should be permitted to pass over the-Long bridge into Washington the next night, for the purpose of cap- turing Mr. inceln and Sere the city. All the arrangements to accomplish this plan were entered into and agreed upon. This colonel was to make such a disposition of his regiment that the rebels would meet with no obstruction in passing into Washington. When the chaplain had got through with his state- ment Mr. Lincoln remarked to him that he need not give himself any more unhappiness, for the matter would be promptly attended to, and the safety of Washington assured. hepsi Jind) were immediately given to the suspected regi- ment, and reliable troops were sent to take its A plot was thus frustrated which might otherwise have placed the rebels im possession of the Capital, and ‘given them a great tempo- eal _aarentase. Irthey had succeeded then ta possession of the National Cap! President Lincoln, probably the con- fe leracy would at once have been recognized in hy,” asked the reporter, “were not some taken to bring the unfaithful colonel to punishment fortreason?” “For the same reason,” said Mr. Robbins, “that no notice was taken of an ATTEMPT: TO'RHOOT MR. LINCOLN at about thesamefime. Because it might have suggested treachery to some other disloyal of- ficer. It was deemed best not to make any public exhibition of the attempted treason. I presume the general or corps commander knew of the matter and made such disposition of the regiment that it could do no harm. There were in those many cases where it was deemed best not to expose a crime. Mr. Lin- coln, in his prudence, thought it best not to make any trouble at that critical time. That was the most critical period of the war, and the President was overwhelmed with vast cares and Tesponsibilities, That-was no time for holding courts-martial.” “THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOT RESPON- SIBLE.” “The ‘autumn after the inauguration of Mr, Lincoln,” said Mr. Robbins, “Mr. Lewis Cle- phane, Rey. John Pierpont, myself and perhaps adozen other abolitionists met in consultation and resolved that it was high time for free speech to be established in Washington, and we then and there formed the ‘Washington Lec- ture Association.’ of which Rey. John Pierpout was elected president. and I was elected treas- urer. The only good lecture room then in Wash- ington was the lecture room in the Smithsonian Institution. We applied for and received from the regents permission to have a course of lec- tures delivered there, and we gave them strong meat. Among our lecturers were Wendell Phil- lips, Horace Greeley, Orestes A. Brownson, Daniel Dickinson, Bayard Taylor, Dr. Holland, and Rev. John Pierpont. On the evening of our first lecture, just be- fore our president was to introduce the lecturer of the evening, Prof. Heury surprised us by walking on to the platform and requesting the crowded audience ‘to particularly understand that the Smithsonian Institution must not be held responsible for the sentiments that would be uttered in that course of lectures. At allthe succeeding lectures of the course our president, desiring to relieve the Smithsonian Institution ofall responsibility for the sentiments uttered our lecturers, invariably opened the proceed- Ings of the evening by giving, in the most son- erous and emphatic manner, the following notice: ‘Ladies and gentlemen: I wish you all to partic understand that the Smithsonian Institution is not responaible for sentiments uttered in this course of lectures.” LINCOLN AND GREELEY. “The evening that Greeley lectured, as I en- tered the door of the institution, the janitor came to me and said there were.two gentlemen in his room who had requested to see me as soon as I arrived. I went into the room and there found Mr. Lincoln and his private secre- tary, Nicolay. Mr, Lincoln sald, ‘I heard that my ‘friend, Greeley, was going to lecture to- night. and I thought I would come down to hear him.’ I should say, parenthetically, that Greeley during the war was angry with Mr Lin- coin about half ‘the time because: he wouldn't Tun the war to suit him, and he wasin a huff with Mr. Lincoln at this very time. He had been here for several days without calling upon Mr. Lincoln, but Mr. Lincoln nevertheless came downto hear him lecture. Well, I took Mr. Lincoln np-on the-platform, and sat beside hin juring the lecture, Grecley’éJectuze was al most & rebuke to te Heath wor tue course ho Was pursuing at that tie. The subject ot the lecture was the Heaps) Hae He) ined s>mé pretty sharp ctiticisms ogress that was being made. It savored: strongly of the ‘On to Richmond’ policy that. was then advoca- ted in the Tribune. After Greeley got through, Mr. Lincoln said that it was an admirable léc- ture, and he would like to have a copy of it to look over at his leisure. When this request was made known to Greeley he at once said, ‘He. shall havea copy, and one written in a plain hand, too.” PIERPONT, BRONSON AND DICKINSON. “Our prosident, Rev. John Pierpont, was a very witty man. One of our lecturers, I have stated, was Orestes A. Brownson. He had.heen of the high Boston aristocracy, very cold, very | a member and a clergyman of nearly every sect formal, very polite. In the Senate was a very | of the Christian religion. At that time he was Gifferent character of Massachusetts man—/@ Catholic. When Mr. Pierpont introduced him that was ‘honest John Davis,’ a plain, strong, | he did it in this way: “Ladies and gentlemen: ical, fal old gentleman. He sp- | take pleasure in introducing to you the lec- | preciated Mr. Lincoln, and did him the honor | turer of the evening, Rev. 0. A. Brownson, a to invite him to go on and deliver a political} gentleman who has seen many sides of many speech in old Faneuil hall, the Cradle of Lib-| subjects.” Mr. Brownson in reply said the only erty. At New York, when he entered the cars for Boston. Mr. Lincoln found himself seated ty the side of one of the solid men of Boston, of the leading. merchants of that city. He, course, was delighted with Mr. Lincoin’s con- Yersation, and suet the bay —— in the Journey very agreeably. Just fore they ar- tived in —— Mr. Lincoln's fellow-traveler with our resentative, Mr. sid’ in. his pecul ‘Winthrop issuch avery one | mense force and power. way to understand a subject was to go Into it and become part of it. He was a man of im- remember when Mr. of| Pierpont introduced Dickinson. Dickinson was characterized by buoyancy of spirits and boy-like enthusiasm. Mr. Pierpont let him off by saying: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I take in introducing to you the Hon. Daniel ncoln, I suppose you} 5. Dickinson, a good specimen of young Amer- ica.” ‘THE LINCOLN-STANTON-CUBTIN EPISODE. On the eve of the opening of the Lincoln and man, that I haven't been able to make | MoCiellan presidential campaign my opposite ‘ecquaintance."” neighbor, Judge Joseph Casey—formerly a ‘ENE ORIGIN OF OUR METROPOLITAN PoLIce. | prominent member ot Congress from Pennsy!- “When Mr. Lincoln arrived here, after hiseleo- | vamia, a splendid man everyway, and then Chief tien te the Presidency,” said Mr. Robbins, “‘the | Justice of the Court of Claims, learned from a thoroughly loyal element of this city was decid- | reliable source that Mr.:Stanton had in some edly in the . Consequently, one of the | Way 80 Outrageously offended first acts of Congress was to pass slaw estab- Hshing the board of Metropolitan the ia Tee! was a3 good a republican asever. He took the next train to Philadelphia, and that night he ad- dressed 20,000 people at a Lincoln meeting in Philadetphia,in nis grandest strain of eloquence. He went on thro the state and carried it by an overwhelming majority for Lincoln.” THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. “It Is hard to believe now,” said the speaker, “that very nearly half of the republicans were opposed to the issue of Lincoln's proclamation of freedom, and that half embraced the most active’ politicians. Ap enormous effort was made to induce Mr. Lincoln to withdraw that proclamation. It was issued in the summer of 1862, and was to take effect the 1st of January, 1863—provided the rebels didnot in the meantime lay down their arms.. I never felt more anxious during the war, than at that time, for fear Mr. Lincoln would-be persuaded to recall that proclamation. About Christmas time, 1862, a week before the lamation was to take effect, if not recalled, I called on Private Secretary Nicolay, in his room, adjoining the President’s room. We were sitting conversing before the fire, when Mr. Lincoln's door opened. He walked into the room and took a seat betore the fire, at my right hand. He slapped me on the shoulder and said: ‘Well, my friend, the important day draws near.’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘and I hope there will be no backing out or backing down.’ ‘Well,’ he says, ‘I don’t know | about fhat. Peter thought he would not deny his master, but he did.’ I replied, ‘I think you will do better than Peter did.’ That was Satur- day evening, I think. DR. SUNDERLAND AND THE PRESIDENT. “I met Dr. Sunderland the next day and in- formed him of what Mr. Lincoln had sald about the proclamation. Well, the doctor said, ‘I re- gard thisasthe most important crisis of the war. I have not called on Mr. Lincoln because I know he has been overwhelmed with the cares and responsibilities of his great office, but I must call and see him.’ I told him I pete up with him that night and introduce him. e accordingly went up and fortunately found Mr. Lincoln alone in his office. When we entered I introduced the doctor and he accosted Mr. Lin- coin in his enthusiastic manner, in this way: ‘Well, Mr. Ereaest, knowing how you have been overwhelmed with care and sibility, Thave not heretofore troubled you by calling, but, beileving as I do, that this:la the most im- portant crisis of the war, I called to see if any- thing I can say would strengthen you in the per- formance of what I to be your duty.’ ‘Go ahead, doctor,’ said Mr. Lincoln. ‘Ev. little he * The Doctor and Mr. Lincoln hai 8 very Interesting conversation. I remember that Mr. Lincoln eaid to the Doctor, ‘Doctor, it is my most earnest prayer to know which way Providence directs. But, Doctor, it is not an easy matter to always know which way Provi- dence does direct. Providence has avery dif- ferent way of doing business from what you and Ihave. ‘If we had our way we would not have this war, and more than that, we would not have had the cause ofthe war. Now men and women down south pray as earnestly as you and I do, and believe thelr prayers are ri hiecnn? ‘Yes,’ answered the doctor, ‘but the Lord has given them over to believe a lie.’ Atter an every way pleasant interview we left the White House feeling confident that in the approaching to humanity,—that he would do better than Peter did in his great crisis.” THE SECRET OF MR. LINCOLN’S LITTLE STORIES. “Where and how,” asked the reporter, “did President Lincoln accumulate sucha store of anecdotes and stories?” ‘ “The bar of Miinols,” suid Mr. Robbing, “at- | tended the courts in every county of the state. The lawyers generally stopped at the hotel or tavern at the county seat, and their evenings were spent together in the public room of the hotel, and there was a competition among them as to who could tel} the most original story. I imagine that in such an experience a man would gathera vast store of anecdotes and stories. There was a secret about the little stories Mr. Lincoln told when President. You witl readily understand that every governor of a state, every legislator, every man who came to Washington, considered it necessary to give the President his ideas as to how the war should be conducted. Overwhelmed as he was Le could not go into particulars with every one who called on him, and therefore he would tell one of his little stories, which took only two or three minutes, and would satisfythe caller that Mr. Lincoln understood affairs better than he did; and in this way he avoided wounding the feelings of his most sensitive visitors.” SOME OF MR. LINCOLN’S CHARACTERISTICS. “I would like,” said the reporter, “to hear sémething about Mr. Lincoln’s manner and his personal characteristics.” “He was very cordial in manner,” said Mr. Robbins. “His common greeting was, ‘ How are you, my friend?’ uttered in a hearty way, that showed that he meant what he said. had splendid eyes—I never saw in any man’s head so fine anveye as he had. [had many op- portunities to see how greatly he excelled all that approached’ him in practical wisdom, sa- gacity and statesmanship. He knew the people thoroughly, and also knew that when he came to Washington the people had not had much opportunity to know Aim, and therefore it was necessary that he should go slow at first, until ike people understood him. much that he was raised up by the Almighty to do the great work that he was called upon to do, as that Moses was called upon and endowed with wisdom to do the work that he did. I neyer have known of any human being that pos- sessed the qualities that he did—a most wonder- ful astuteness, sharpness of intellect that might sometimes be caled cunning,combined with the most transparent purity and honesty, He was also one of the shrewdest judges of human na- ture, and a braver man never lived; he never knew what fear was.” AN ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE MR. LINCOLN. “He received cords of letters threatening his life,” sald Mr. Robbins. “During the first sum- mer of the war he lived out at the Soldiers’ Home, and was in the habit of riding out there alone, about sundown or a little after sundown. Stanton remonstrated with him and insisted upon his having a guard. He told him how dangerous it was, and that some assassin might shoot him. But Mr. Lincoln could not be made to see it, and refused until one evening, in going out as usual, while he was passing throuzh a little thicket, a ball came out of the thicket and nearly severed one of his bridle reins. He con- sentea then to have the cavalry guard that went with him to the close of the war. The affair was not published tor the reason that I have stated before, that it would suggest to other villains to make a similar, and perhaps more successful attempt, at assassination, One cause ot Mr. Lincoln's strength was that he never acted under the influence of prejudice, selfish- ness or passion. He was always Cool, calm and deliberate. His speech at Gettysburg is a beau- tital illustration of the character of the man.” Here Mr. Robbins paused and recited from memory this Gettysburg speech with much en- thusiasm, ‘MR. LINCOLN AS A SPEAKER. “He hada tenor volce,” he continued, “clear and penetrating. He rather leaned forward as he spoke, and spoke with great earnestness and few gestures. I heard him speak at the Capitol once. Idonot remember what the occasion was, but tt was at the time when McClellan was onthe Peninsula, and a very bitter strife was going on between McCiellan’s friends and the earnest friends of the government. I remember that several wi pl Pression of his face was sad, except when It was “Sey his winning smile. His hazel eyes the whole of his face. His manner ‘was always easy. The descriptions or Ts representing him.as awk: and ungainly are toagreat extent exaggerations. The moment one came within the influence of his eyes and smile all Sons apne seemed to rs prin erowded Tooeption, when thousands google He | I belteve just as | had shaken-his-haad,-Iasked him: ‘Does it not make your hand very lame to shake hands with two or three thousand people in an. evening?’ ‘No,’ he ‘not jn the slightest di ." One cae nat reo fe that'would be a le strain, le are cordial in thelr greetings?) PP rs A: DANCE: IN THE EAST ROOM, “I have heard ali the inaugurals from Polk's up to Grant's fst,” said Mr. Robbins: | “My first winter:dn Washington was Mr. Tyler's last winter, in the winter of.'44'45, the winter that Mr. Tyler’s. beantiful and gracefal second wife was the lady-.of:;the Executive Mansion. I remember. one little incident that occurred there. at that time. The Polka dance had just been introduced inte this country. A Pew d married couple, named Bergh, who were friends of Mrs. ‘Tyler’s, and who had just returned trom Europe, consented, after a deal of persuasion, to: give the guests present at one of Mra. Tyler's receptions an idea of the dance. “They danced: the Polka in the center of the East Room. In those days there were nothing like ‘the crowds that came there afterwards to attend receptions. I would not be surprised if Bergh is the same man who has since made himself famous as the originator of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ie couple were K graceful and handsome. That was the only I ever witnessed in the White House. The house then was large enough for the nation; now the nation has greatly outgrown it.” “What do you think of our city now?” asked the reporter. “I have seen the handsomest capitals in pe.” answered Mr. Kobbins, “and I can assure you that Washington ranks among the handsomest cities inthe:world. In.one partio- ular it is unlike any other city, and that isin the great and wonderful variety of street archi- tecture. Even in Paris there is a wearisome sameness, but in Washington the eye is pleased with the wonderful variety in the styles of resi- dences and the taste displayed, especially in the = houses in the northwestern part of the yo ——-2-_____ A GERMAN ON THE BOB-TAIL, Pleasant Discourse with the Poct Driver. POETRY AND PROSE, WIT AND WISDOM, TEUTONIO PHILOSOPHY AND YANKEE SHREWDNESS COM- BINE TO THROW LIGHT ON THE GAS QUESTION— THE POET'S TRIBUTE TO ‘‘ GENTLE SPRING.” Grim bricks and mortar, and*the crowded thoroughfares of a great city, grow attractive when joyous spring spreads her bright colors over the face of nature. The saucy sparrow, with dusty brown wing, Skimming along the curb, 18 no longer abuged; the bob-tall merrily swinging on the turn-table In a coat of fresh paint becomes a thing of beauty. All the world is glad. Under the magic spell of this swaken- ing it was the good fortune of a street-car pas- senger to find himeelf, one day this week, on bob-tall No. 488, whose poet driver, or driver |" poet, THE Sra has made famons. This rugged, Pes gifted, child of nature, stood at his post as t aes Beis men requested his patrons “to up a “Mr. Poet,” thutaly ventured the platform traveler, ‘‘hiow dées this beautiful day affect your temperament 7” With face aglow the poet happily replied: “When swallows, in their Aight, are Pictured on the sky, When purpie violets‘lift their heads, and bioom is on rye, "Tis on the festive William Goat, with vigor in wi bared a temptieg circus bill to butt a barber's All’aboard! Get up, sir!” The passenger was charmed by this pretty bric-a-braz, 80 easy and graceful in its descrip- tion of natural beadty and so apt in its illustra— tion of the habits of the brute creation. How often the hungry goat is seen to leave his meal of paste and .paper, so. bountifully spread upon the board by the humane bill-poster, to test his strength wit) a telegraph pole or barber's sign? The car had gone but a few yards when “Gen- crisis Mr. Lincoln would be true to himself and | 16 Spring” was again served ‘up by the poet in this style: “Tis now the busy bee begins his dally sips, And turns his bitter end to med.iling finger Lh "Lis now the nimble cat, perched ‘high upon the fence, Sings songs of love and war in barytone immense.” “‘Holdt on dere zait dot gar,” excitedty called: a fat vender of distilled hops, as he ambled along inarace with the horse. This prosaic command, delivered in a high key, checked the flow of rythm and the weary horse “in one mo- tion,” and as the car came to a stop the rotund son of the “Faderland” plunged forward into the presence of the poet. The Teuton was agi- tated, and gave vent to his feelings-in this out- burst: “So helb me grashus, der hors gars und der gas bilds yas der gratist frawds oof der goondree! Vy dond you sthop der gar ven you sve dot a ceetezin vould took a leetle ridt? “Vy dond you gota horse vat knowdt der human voise frum der soundt oot der drombone, so dot ven 3 man caldt owt he vont dink it vas a brass bandt und dry to rundt avay? ind it?” The poet cooled his irate passenger off with the following: “ My German friend, I heard you call, And stopping quick, took tn the bawl; You mentioned gas bills asa fraud, Now that is where we both accord. Ride? Change or tickets? Whoa!” “Is dot so?” said the late arrival. “Vell, I forgeef you, und I toldt you how dot gas goom- bany vas blaying It on der beeples. In der saloon vere I geef a bretzel mit efery glass oof beer T haf a gas fixins mit tour burners on heem. Now vat I do? In der mont pefore last vat shoost gondt ahedt oof Abril 1 burndt all der lights und der bildt vas swancy dollar. Dot vas ail righdt, und I saidt nodding ven I geef der greenback bildts of der Treshury fyr der yaller- back bildts oof der gas-howse. But vait, und I showdt you der drick vat I blay on der gas goombany und how I loosed money on dot drick. I toldt mein frau dot egonomy vas welt, und I geet dot weit in dees vay: I saldt dot I knowdt der fife cent beese frum der shleeve button shoost as goot mit two lighdts as four, und I dond yas ligdt but two righdt away dot mont; but so helb me yaweub dot skheem dond vurk vurt a cent, for der bildt vat I got dees veek saldt dot I owedt der gas beedles shoost der same trendy dollar 2” ‘The thread of the discourse was snapped short at this point by the sharp, cutting voice of. | a female passenger, who called out to the poet: “Shut that door, and keep that vile tobacco smoke out of this car. It’s worse than a rail- rod train going through a tunnel!” The driver gallantly carried out the orders; but murmured this on the outside: “ How very strange, how very queer, Some women act who ride in here— They puff themselves in every style, Yet a puff of smoke seems very vile t Ride? Change. Whoa!” - Having passed through the tunnel the German threw away his stub, and once more strazgled with the. gas question. Said he: “I like to geef dot gas goombany smhoke. I vunder oof dees mont I vurndt a kercaeendt lamp dot meedcr vould toldt der man dot I owedt shoost der same twendy dollar? Py sheeminy! -I dry.dot und see vot der gasclock saidt. Der gas goombany vould soldt out der wholdt peesnis oof der saloon oot I hadt two oof dem lying medersin qer blace! Vat you tink oof dot medgr pecans?” asked he of the tram- way minstrel. Eyer ready with keen sarcasin tocut cancerous spots from the body pulitic, our Burns flaghed out this in reply: “The modest ittle meter In the corner stants; Pointing to its feet wilh tts pretty hands. Precious Uttle-bobtath, So honest and so plain, Without a driver or p horse you rake the golden grain! t Tickets or change? Whoa!” “ Dot is drue,” said the German citizen; “ dot vas shoost as goot poedry as Hans Breitman’s little poim oof der ‘ Bicycle und der milk vagon.’ You knowdt: vat Lido oof I vas der Goomis- shuner oof der Deesdrik? Vell I tell you vat I vould do: I'vould toldt dot gas beebles you go straight avay owt now; Hie dond dug any mo holdts in der sthreet till you put goot new- monia in der gas und dook avay trum der howses dot meeserayvble stoof dot vink und blink, und sthart und shoomp shoost like a cat mit pebber in hees eyes.” Just here the silént passenger was shunted. $e ____ Why a Little Lad Gave it Up. ‘From the Boston Globe, A boy was making «@ great racket on his dram in front of a housein Somerville. “Little boy,” sald e lady, “you musa'tdrum here; there ts a lady sick in this house.” “Well, I don't know where I am gels to drum then; there's one dead in our house,” was the mournful reply. - Vetvet Rissox 1s brought into use again for trimming cashmeres and silks. It is used in great quantities on the box plaited skirts, being sometimes placed in three parallel rows down each broad box plait and laid in loops that over- lap each other at the end, while on simpler aoross the box plaits near kind of border of three or THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON: SATURDAY.” MAY 12, 1883—DOUBLE SHEET. ART NOTES. The Vienna Museum has acquired the cele- brated statue of Hans Vischer, which was cast at Nuremberg in 1552. — Miss Bertha von Hillern, the artist ex-pe- destrian, has started on a sketching tour along tile Baltimore and Ohio railroad. — At the Paris Salon this year no less than sixty lady artists are represented. This is a marked increase on former years, and their work is also said to be better than heretofore. = Mr. Daniel Huntington, who 1s now in Al- giers, was this week re-elected president of the National Academy of Design. He has very ac- ceptably filled the position for many years. — We hear from Boston that Ross Turner ex- pects to leave that city about May 23, to spend @ month In Maine. He gatls for Europe on the last ot June, and will be in Venice for the most of the time till his return in November. — Seeing the representations of the statue of Lord Beaconsfield,lately unveiled in London,as furnished by the English fllustrated papers, tends to reconcile the American mind with a font deal that we have to bear in the way of sculpture in this country. S -— Mr. E. F. Andrews expects to sail for Eu- rope on the 9th- of June, accompanicd by Mrs. Andrews, and to be absent until about the mid- dle of October. They intend to go out and re- turn with Capt. Neynaber, ofthe North German Lloyd line, with whom they have crossed the Ocean many times. — Ten models were last week submitted to and examined by the committee of selection for the statne of Theodore Parker, proposed to be erected in Boston. So li acollection pre- sented of course considerable variety, but none of the designs sent in were considered satis- factory, and still others are invited. — The American artists in Paris have elected the following Jury-to select works for the annual exhibition, to be held next fall, of the Pennsyl- vania Academy of Fine Arts: Charles Sprague Pearce, Alexander Harrison, F. A. Bridgman, John 8. Sargent, E. b. Weeks, F. M. Boggs and Gaines R. Donohg D. B. Knight and C. 8. Relnhiart were elected supplementary Jurors. —The art sensation in New York for the present week has been the sale, for $16,000, of an oll painting by Rosa Bonheur, which cost its owner €24,000. The works of this famous artist may be less in demand and command smaller prices than formerly, but the shrinkage of 33 per cent in this particular case cannot be accepted as conclusive evidence on that point, since the sale appears to have beena very quietly managed saat between ree Wall stron ponultors, _ apparently for the purpose money without attracting attention. The seller was Mr. James R. Keene, the buyer Mr. Jay Gould. —The Washington Art Clob held its annual election of officers last Monday evening, with the following result: President,—W. W. Corcoran. Vice President, WN. Brooke ‘Treasurer, w. Newton. Executive "Commitee, —E. F, Andrewa, Vinnie Ream Horie, SH. Kenffmenn, E. i. Miler, Damvitice on Art § —R. N. Brooke, Max Weyl, W.G. Newton, Helen Colburn, C. Adele Fassett. —The fifty-eighth spring exhibition of the Natlonal Academy of Design closes this evening, with fair financial results, though the recgipts fall a littieunder those of last year. There were a large number of good and representative works shown by men who never fall below a not very high but yet very creditable standard, though the exhibition contained nothing partic- ularly brilliant or striking; and while there was little to be enthusiastic over, there was on the other hand a good" deal to be satisfied with,— unless great advance be demanded. This was not apparent. The most progress shown is in the direction of genre painting,—a field in which American artists as a rule have heretofore shown very little proficiency. Some of the ex- amples shown in this line were very creditable. — In referring the other day to the portrait of Chief Justice Marshall, on view at Brentano's, an error was madein ascribing the work, through 8 momentary confusion of names, to Peale the younger, instead of Sully the younger, by whom it was painted. Although a mistake in names | as printed, it could not be misleading, since the subject of the painting and its merits as a work of art constitute its chief attraction, rather than the name of the artist: and both the style of the work and the statement of its owner would correct the typographical error. If may, how- ever, be added here that the portrait in es tion was painted from life, in Richmond, in 1828, by Mr. Robert Sully, the nephew and pu- pilof Thomas Sully, the celebrated historical and portrait painter, and was pronounced by those famillar with its subject a most faithful likeness as well as a meritorious work of art. — Shortly after Dr. J. M. Toner,-of this city, gave his extensive and valuable collection of medical books to the Congressional Library for the use of the public, a year or so ago, the joint committee on the Library conceived the idea that it would be a graceful and proper act on the part of the government to secure a memorial portrait of the donor, to be added to the other | works of art belonging to or connected with that institution. Subsequently it was thought that a bust would be more appropriate for the purpose, all things considered, than a painting, and, thereupon, ‘measures were taken and cor- respondence was entered upon to carry the pro- Ject into effect. These measures have been con- summated, and the commission to execute the bust has been given to Mr. J.Q. A. Ward, the well-known sculptor, who will, in a few days,en- ter upon the work of modeling the head, which will be put in warble at aseariy a date as practi- cable. “A fine piece of seulpture ts expected. Thesubject is a most excellent one for a work ot the kind, andin the hands of so accomplished and successful an artist as Mr. Ward a failure may be regarded if not impossible, as at least extremely improbable. Dr. Toner will go to New York next week, and remain there fortwo weeks or more, in order to give the necessary sittings. Faneral Reforms. ‘The cause of public health demands, says the Chicago Tribune, some radical reforms in burial usages. The first step should be taken by the companies owning or controlling cemeteries, and an excellent model is furnished by the prin- cipal cemetery in Utica, N.Y., which is provided with two capacions chapels. One ts of stone, where funeral services are’ neld in summer, and the -other of iron and glass, where they are held during the rest of the year. The chapel is described as a sort of con- servatory, full of tropical verdure, the faneral train passes through a covered car- riageway, and the services are conducted in Nght and warmth, among trailing vines and blooming shrubs. At the conclusion of the ser- vices the corpse is surrendered to keepers, who bestow it in a vault to await interment in the grave under the supervision of one or more of the immediate family or friends of the deceased. {In this manner the large number of persons frequently in attendance at funeralsare saved rils of exposure in inclement weather. Every cemetery should be provided with simi- lar appointments; and it would be well if the Illinois legislature, now in session, would pass a lew requiring at least one such chapel for every burying-ground of larger dimensions than the village churchyard. There are other reforms which may be established speedily by example. The most impertant of these is to make private funerals fashionable. Let the usual services be held in church or at the residence, to which friends shall be invited, with a notice that at the termination thereof the friends are desired to leave the remains In charge of the family and pall-bearers to be taken to their last resting place. By this means a large part of the expense attached to the faneral may be saved to families who cannot afford to e! a score or more of car- tiages, the friends will not be pted to risk a dangerous ure in order tdshew thelr re- spect.for the deceased or friendship for his fam- ily, and the privacy of the last rites will add to their solemnity. The cué%Si of promiscu floral offerings would also be the breach than ‘vogue. nae se eee =o pais for the personal exposure and ips inel- LETTER FROM NEW YORK. The Broeklyn Bridge—Advice to Van- derbilt—The Sale of The World—A Picture of Pulitzer—A Strange Fune- ral—No Top. Coatw—Simpson & Son— Salmi Morse Agaim—Death of Crema- tion—Madame Borry—Mrs. Potter, etc. Brecial Correspondence of Taz Evextra Stan. New York, May 11, 1883. The sensation of the week has been the Brooklyn bridge. Parties have been made up every night of people from all parts of the city, who went down and crossed the briage to Brooklyn, came back in the ferry boats, ate oysters at Dorlon’s and went up again on the elevated roads. It is a trip of about eight miles from the 5th Avenue Hotel, and can be comfostably done in three hours. There ts no use Intrying to describe the bridge. So many men have rhapsodied over it thaf out of town it must be as great a bore as it is here. Every- body knows that it is a superb structure, but nobody appreciates its vastness till he walks across. The most remarkable sensation is that felt when you reach the middle of the bridge. The towers seem a mile away on either side, and there is nothing to support you except the wire Topes, which stretch away apparently into in- finity oneither end. Below it is a vast distance to the water. The steamers look like row boats and the le one-tenth their size. The abso- lute solidity of the bridge surprises one, for when. you stand in the middle it seems as firm as earth. There is absolutely no movement or tremor to the structure. ADVICE TO VANDERBILT. All of the New York dailies have been giving William H. Vanderbilt good advice ever since his retirement from the control of the New York Central and active participation in the stock market, The advice all runs in one way. The two-hundred millionaire is urged to give up all idea of future pelf, to cease hoarding his money, and to make his name great by some noble work of charity. He is informed—as though he did not know it himself—that he is worth several hundred millions , and that each of his sons is end with an enor- fo work on someting philanthropte on 8 gizane work on - tic scale. I prgsume this amuses Vanderbilt. He is the sort of & millionaire who always who’ approached im for charity's elke, as 8 who approac! im rale, got. beautifully left. There is no doubt that he is glad to get out of the stock market and Nadie the financial world. He is not 2 ‘lh i E ri HEE very and station appointments have been without regard doubt that it ts the most formidable Kill the Central. "Possibly the Central. if It does William H. V. is well it may not kill the Central, but decrease the price ot Central stock. liam H. V. is weil out from under. THE SALE OF THE “WORLD.” When Gould declared some weeks azo he would get rid of all of his interests here except those in railroads and telegraph wires people began to look curiously at the World. Gould had sunk, it is sald, $5,000 a week in it ever since he had started, and he had decided to get rid of the paper. The only question was to whom would he sell it? John McLean was known to be in negotiation for it, as he wished to start another Cincinnati! Inquirer in New York,and Thomas Kinsella, of the Brooklyn Eagle, thought of buying it. Butthe man who decided to buy the World inthe first place was the man to whom the sale was completed last Wed- nesday. Joseph Pulitzer, of the St. Louis Post- Dispaich, is the man who decided to buy the World when he started the Morning Journal for his brother some months ago. The Journal is a seven column penny paper, and has already attained a circulation of 50,000, but it does not pay. How can you print a seven column paper of city news, employ a big staff of and compete with the great NewYork dailies forone cent? The Pulitzerbrothers—for the brother of Joseph, of St. Louls, runs the Journal—have | claimed ail along that their paper was making money. The general impression among news- paper men is that it has already sunk 850,000 at least. Itisa fact that they have within the last week issued fifty new- shares of the was making money they would not have done this. J, will and or things up in New wo language York.” —- He is a tall man with a Jewish cast of features, a protrudi nose and chin, such as we see in the pictures witches In children’s books, and a thin and strugyling red beard. He stoops in the shoul- ders and dresses expensively. His manner is extremely pleasant and affable, and he has the genuine “go” about nim that is usnaliy met in western men who have realized large fortunes in alittle time. Pulitzer’s career has been ex- traordinary. He has been a coachman, a day laborer, a deck hand and a gravedigger.’ Dur- ing the cholera epidemic In St. Louis he per- formed the ghoulist task of ing the dead at night. When he started the Post-Dispatch he received more kicks and cufis than most men would stand, but he stuck to his work likea Trojan, and now the paper brings him in about $30,000 a year. His career with the World will be watched with interest. I am told on excel- jent authority that the World and Journal will now be joined. Great prominence will be given to city news, and there is no doubt but they will push the regular New York dailies pretty hard in the race for the biggest circulation. A STRANGE FUNERAL. Two mornings ago, as 1 was going down Broadway In a stage, I passed a funeral proces- sion, the like of which I have seldom seen be- fore. The hearse, which was without plumes, had plain biack cloths stretched across the side windows, drawn by a pair of black horses, and driven by a couple of solema and grave yoang wk ay perfectly fitting black livery. ‘Behind it came six or eight and each equip- age was perfect in all its appointments. The horses were perfectly groomed, and the footman and coachman weil trained and stylish in ap- pearance. Each of them had black crape on his arm, and there was crape on the horses harness. On every carriage was a crest. It was the fune- ral of Louis C. Hammersly, who was, perhaps, one of the best known young society men in New York. His father died five months ago. and it is sald that the son actually grieved him- self todeath for his father. For many years the pairwere inseparable. They went everywhere together. They were not apart five minutes in the day, and were the warmest of companiona, Both the father and the son were worth several millions aplece, and they lived in quiet luxury. The son’s grief over his father’s death was very fine, healthytooking man in New Yurk, as she inherits the wealth of both her husband and his father. ‘NO TOP CoaTs. It has been the fashion for the last two months 4 g ° i i SALMI MORSE AGAIN. Salmi Morse can never be crushed. being sat upon by the culire press of America, scorned by citizens, beaten by the law and held ‘under by legislation, he arises in his might and speaks as follows: ‘Where are the cranks whe objected to the production of the ‘Passion? Om i i i ! i i H f g ih j i Fi 7 fi : ! J F i if I i i i] ri [ i BB z i | 3 | g r ' te actress who comes to America now-a-days. The Imperial Theater, St. Pets 4 rently an inexhaustible mine of e1 matic talent. After her on Mon- will ~ Bussia, and let New York alone. She spoke English vi but si iy indifcreataceeous” Shem ave society, and is very successful in eutertainmente for charity. The last was the Bartboldi statue. Her husband, Mr. Howard Potter, of the firm ot Browa Brothers and Company, takes the utmost delight in his wife's talent. She 1s a charming woman, and she certainly carried 's “Princess” om ‘ennyson’ If| her shoulders during the performance at the Madison Square Seg Her taste for dress is particular!; becoming. ey I unbecoming. It quite excusable in Mrs. Potter to wish to show her shapely feet and ankles, but after all it is sary to keep the couventionalities in view. play did not cali for a dress of quite the that Mra. Potter gave ft. This isthe lightful of inaccuracies inan actress i really pretty and it strikes me that nobod, find fault with it so long as the costume absolutely indelicate, unless he is a prig But the world is full’ of just such people, as evinced by the enormous amount of talk has been circulated by Mrs. Potter's now almost famous Princess dress, é Saturday Smiles. Says Sydney Smith, ~I believe one reason why women are generally so much more cheer- ful than men is because they can work with the needle.” This is the oidest satire upon the sew- Boston ph. Wei t ezs shee z It is sald a young woman forgot to taxe off ber bonnet the iain never noticed the oversight. certain that she did not apend the even! ' atheater. A woman couldn't wear her theater bonnet to bed without knowing it.— Waif. that’s my wife."—San Fran- The latest novelty among dameels in New York 18 “complexion foes No will now appear on the street with a dog does not match her complexion. This fashion will make a great sale ink-white Italian eigeoeael in Boston, while the yellow and — pug will prevail in New York.—Boston Post.