Evening Star Newspaper, July 20, 1889, Page 8

ma CONCERNING PEACHES. The Outlook For Washington’s Supply and Trade This Season. YHE ORIGIN OF THE PEACH—DTFFERENT VARTE- Tiks OF THE FRUIT—TRE PEACH GROWING DIB- TRICTS—ABOUT MARYLAND AND NORTH CARO- LiNA PEACHES—THE LOCAL SUPPLY AND PRICES. The peach is a fruit that needs no advocacy, requires no defense. But for the fact that it would so soon be victimized by some tempted gourmand a plump and perfect specimen could travel further on its merits, perhaps, than any similar product of tree or vine. We have but to think of them arranged with vicious and ex- asperating beauty by vendersor grocers, when, the imagination working upon the nerves and the nerves acting upon the glands of taste, pro- duce that pecular watering of the mouth—the evidence of something wished for, the mani- festation of something unseen. It is the farmers’ happy privilege to have this luscious fruit hanging upon the trees until it is at its best, while the city folk must take it as they can get it. To eata peach in the acme ©f its lusciousness is to go into the orchard, and, plucking the soft melting fruit from the tree, press out the juicy, delicious pulp from each haif into the mouth, retaining the rough scab- rous skin between the fingers. It is then only that all the richness of taste and delicacy of flavor are obtained and the palate of the hap, individual treated beyond compare. A peac! taken from the tree when hard—to ripen en route to market—is better than no peach, but is not to be mentioned in the same list with those gathered fresh and ripe from the parent stem. “In Eden's grove, six thousand years ago, pinepgle brought the world to serious gost ve's fully—Adai's, too—we ceusi Yet might forgive them had it been a peach.” ANTIQUITY OF THE PEACH. The peach is an ancient fruit, and it seems singular that no mention is made of it in the Bibie, for it known to have been introduced into Italy as early at least as the time of Cladius, A.D. 60. It was known then as the persiche, owing doubtless to importation from Persia. ‘There is a difference of opinion as to whether its origin belongs to Persia or China, Under the name of “lo,” or “tao,” it was discussed by Confucius five centuries before the Christian era. Much later Virgil spoke of it, saying: “Myseif will search our planted grounds at home For downy peaches and the glossy plum.” The peach was not known in England or Frauce until about the middie of the sixteenth century. Its French name is péche, from which is probably derived our English word each. Its cultivation has never been a success in either of these countries, while in China, all probability its original home, every con- dition is admirably fitted for it,e@nd there it reaches its highest degree of perfection, those oun fn and about Feain being the ‘finest, rgest and most delicious the world can pro- duce. It was not until the close of the seventeenth century (1680) that the peach was introduced into this country, where it can be given any latitude to suit its fancy, humored with any sort of climate or soil it may demand. 178 FAMILY RELATIVES. Through the nectarine the peach is closely connected to the almond and by the almond to the apricot, plum and cherry. The French draw no distinction between the peach and nectarine other than to regard the one asmooth and the other a downy fruit. Their affinity is roved by the fact that both have been frequent- £ grown not only from the same tree but from the same branch, and, what is more, it has been known to grow and mature with one of its sides smooth and the other covered with the ordinary fuzz. The kernel has the strong flavor of the bitter almond. which is due, as in the almond, to the presence of Prussic acid. In ancient times the peach was Tegarded as poisonous, and it is a tradition that a king of Persia once sent a quantity of them into Egypt for the purpose of poisoning the inhabitants. Perhaps in those days the seed contained a sufficiency of this deadly acid to permeate the fruit and render it unfit and too dangerous for tse, and that in the course of cultivation it has lostall of it except the little it now contains, and to which in a degree it owes its exquisite flavor. One thing is indisputable—the ingenuity and industry of man is ever ready to undertake the improving of what he thinks nature has badly done, and his success is nowhere more evident than in the matter of fruits. Whether the peach does owe its existence to the almond, or whether it had a little privete beginning of its own, or whether Chinese or Persian industry or Yankee ingenuity or all had a hand in its de- velopment,we should be—indeed, are willing to take it as it is, be thankful for the original gift and pray for—an abundant season of the im- proved article and many happy returns, . CULTIVATING THE TREE. ‘The peach tree is a quick bearer, three years only being required from the planting of the seed. Instances have been quoted where trees sixteen months old have borne fruit. A stone planted in autumn will vegetate in the follow- ing spring. grow three or four feet high, and may be budded in August or September. Two d, it will be ears thence, if left undistur! Iixely to produce a small crop, and the ensuing season bear abundantly if weather favored. The tree, as in the case of all fruit trees that have been long undér cultivation, cannot be depended upon to produce a fruit from the seedling like that which distinguished its par- ent tree, though there are occasional exceptions, A few of our standard varieties may boast of English origin, if there be any credit in that, but the most of them, and the best by far, we can claim as our own, and the rich, ripe article fresh from its native —_ will lay mighty close up to the reputation of oriental Pekin's level best, leaving its British cousin a long way down the list. The peach tree has the reputation of being short lived, the growers in some countries be- ing compelled to renew their orchards ever few years. Yet there is evidence that it will live to atolerably good age if conditions are propitious. In inia there are trees over seventy years old and still ina fairly flourieh- ing condition, and there is one in France which is said to have been standing now more than a century. DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF PEACHES. The different varieties of peaches now grown in this country run up among the hundreds, the number being about equally divided be- tween the white and yellow-fleshed. The stones differ in their relative length and breadth, and the suture or line where the halves of the stone join varies in prominence, and the markings or furrowings are deeper in some varieties than in others. This would indicate the degree removed by cultivation from the almond its genera. THE PEACH-GROWING DISTRICTS. ‘The great peach-growing region of the east- ern portion of our country includes pretty much all of the state of Delaware, and that is Bot saying a great deal so far as the area is concerned, those counties of Maryland and Vir- ginia which border on the Chesapeake bay, the lower Piedmont and tide-water sections of Virginia and a portion of North Carolina. Traf- fic in the Georgia peach is growing, too, and annually more attention is being given to the peaches from that state. Butthe center and most flourishing portion of the peach. rowing | ered. district is Keut county, Delaware and Kent, bens Anne and Wicomico counties, ae. ese four counties generally furnish ee- fourths of the peninsula crop. New Jersey, in former years, wasa noted roa eoins coun- try, but from some cause, possibly from the exhaustion of certain needed elements im the soil, the growing ceased to yield sufficient remu- neration as a crop and but few, comparatively speaking, are now grown in that state. There ‘king those who are illnatured or vast bodies of fresh water. and other large western cities that section. Sections jissouri and especially ‘Obioy ins grow fine THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES. Generally the first peaches we have here are the Alexandre, grown mostly south of Norfolk sod in i seats Wad prefer hive tockach ed pw beens ments, w jer eccoun' . in this country number many hi Graft- Shsntatae sree sk. "Se pr ge A ene > fame naming hence, “Smith's Delight,”- “Jink’s Pride,* “Sampson's Own,” &c. POOR PROSPECTS THIS YEAR. Those who have set their hearts upon a large peach yield this year may as weil remove them at once and place them upon something dively promising. The peach crop is com; vel a failure. Here and 2 = rotated spots good results are reported, bat count jacent to Washington, and. from which it ncapeliy ———= supply, Leaman". _— of # crop can be expected—possibly muc —— oo ———_ sensitive bg od s peach is when ¥ cond about the middle of April the bloom was at ita height and the trees heavily The frost on April 20 and the heavy rains which followed a week or so later in May, and at short inter- vals ever since, played havoc with the = in_every direction. Many also fell in june. The ‘‘yellows,” against which the state of Maryland has legislated in vain, was the cause of the “June drop.” This disease is a wth that covers and saps the very life out of the tree, and the fruit, too, for they become kuotty if they do not shrivel and drop off. In Kent county, Md., where usually aches grow in the very quintessence of per- fection and abundance, the shortage is dis- astrous, Last year from that county alone over one and a-half million baskets were shipped, and many thousands of baskets were lost be- cause they could not be handied; this year it is estimated that not more than 150,000 baskets all told cau be gathered. In Queen Anne county the pi ts are better—about one- fourth of a crop will be gathered. In Wicomico county the yield isa fair one. Upon the whole no one concedes more than a one-fourth crop. ‘The only hope even for those now left on the trees depends upon a dry August, the latter part of which the gathering is at its best. WASHINGTON’S SUPPLY AND TRADE. Happily Washington is within easy reach of a fine peach district in North Carolina and is now receiving some good stock from that sec- tion. Peaches, however, are coming in from as far down as Florida and Georgia, The best fruit on the market at present is from North Carolina, The early ‘Tillotson, the Lady Ingold and the President are the best stock now to be had, and very fine, delicious ones they are too, when in good condition, The bulk of peaches come by express. Those com- ing from North Carolina appear to be freshest, as they are gathered at 7 to 10 o'clock pms and reach Washington for market the following faunal abont 7 to 8 o'clock. There is a fast freight line which brings large quantities, de- livering them in about twenty-four hours after being gathered. The most of the North Caro- lina peaches come from Guilford, Forayth and Davidson counties, those grown in Guilford being especially choice and finely flavored. Greensboro’, Winston, Salem. High Point, Lex- ington, Pomona and Salisbury are the largest shipping points and are now sending some fine fruit to Washington. The demand this week has been very active and large quantities have been sold. The wholesale price is about $1 per crate of % bushel. for ordinary grades. Good stock brought $1.75, and extra nice $2 per crate. THE RETAIL MARKET. ‘The retail people assort their purchases, pile up the prettiest in tempting pyramids and size the buyer's pocket book in regulating retail prices, Some of the retailers complain bitterly that well-to-do —_ come to market in shabbily-arranged attire and rob them of their privilege of sticking on the fancy prices that fall to the lot of well-dressed individuals, “ At present the supply of peaches is very fair in Washington, perhaps much better than will be later on, though the retail prices are some- what stiff. The near-by yield will not materialize before the middle or latter part of August, and the prospects for a good crop are not very promising. Great complaint is made of the “June drop.”- Conduciag weather from this time until they ripen may save those now on the trees, but nothing great may expected. It is probable that the sections of North Carolina alluded to and the peach-growing portions of Virginia will furnish the most of the Washing- ton trade throughout this season, at any rate will divide honors With the near-by ion. The canning interests will be considerably crippled this year, and possibly the canned article scarce and high next winter. Other fruits for canning, however, will be plentiful, and the practical housekeeper and kindly boarding-house matron need not be discon- solate or inconsolabl ARTISTIC TABLE WARE. What an Englishman Saw in a Corner of the Paris Exhibition. From the London Telegraph. The cases around it contain, among other “things of beauty,” some fifty enamel paint- ings, executed on vases, plaques and dessert plates, displaying figure subjects executed on bleu de roi ground, many of them perfect mas- terpieces of drawing and color. The enameling process is here worked in oils, instead of in water color, and has at least one advantage over the pate sur pate method—to wit, that it cannot even be scraped., The shadow effects are given by the blue fond showing through the enamel, deeper or fainter in proportion to the thickness of the white surtace; peculiar softness of tone and delicacy of nuances are thus obtained. Several of these beautiful paintings are the creations of Mr. Bott's geuius. Among the fanci- ful subjects treated by that accomplished artist are “Winter,” “Night,” “Leda and the Swan,” ‘An Amazon and Panther,” “Loreley, ev Yazagensn \ the lovely kelpie perched upon & golden rock; “Sleeping Bachantes,” with an extraordinarily fine ya) ‘Love the Pilot” and “Love at it." Messrs. Brown-Westhead & Co, also show an exceptionally fine collection of china fruit-dishes, painted by masters of the decorative ty such as Boullemier, Bernard, ‘Mussill, Ellis, Pope and Hillman, A remarka- ble feature of these chefs-d'auore is their elab- oratel; forated edges, one dish-rim in par- Sowiar fae ierced with 660 several and dis- tinct holes. sorrowful —_cupids; oups of flowers and fruit jirds and rare orchids; Mussill’ ‘arrangements” of seaweed and and lake plants; Ellis’ admirable English land- scapes, or Steele's inimitably-drawn and painted rose sprays and baskets of fresh-cut garden flowers, ere isa je dessert plate upon which the master hand of Boullemier has sketched a group of happy children at the sea- Lewd ne on the sands and attended bya wise but bland donkey, the contemplation of which is quite incompatible with a strict and literal observance of the tenth commandment. Hard by are some fairy-like teacups and coffce- cups, the “bodies” of which, to use a technical term, signifying the clay in which they are shaped before ungergoing the g! and bak- ing processes, are so thin as to weigh actually less than the glaze by which they are coy- ——~or-—____. HOW MIND RULES MATTER. Hypnotic Promptings to the Commis- sion of Great Crimes, ‘From the Chicago Tribune, ‘M. Liegeosis, professor of law at Nancy, has made s special gestion in sults in @ recent memoir, He has made a large number of experiments to establish the t il wef | & Ha if i HF fi ile ts eq MY FIRST TIGER. ASuccessful Hunt for “Mr. Stripes” in Cochin China. SCARCITY OF THE GAME—THE RAPH COLONY AT CAPE ST. JAMES—ALL NIGHT IN A MIRADOR— AGLEAM IN THE DARKNESS—a LUCKY sHOT— HOW THE TIGER WAS DONE Fon. From Tue Stan's Traveling Commissioner. Care St. James, Cocurx, Onrxa, June 15, ‘89. When I left home I promised to bring back anecklace of tiger claws of my own shooting. This was the result of a conversation about “Mr. Isaace,” It is just as easy to promise one thing as another, and when you are handling a brand-new Express rifle in your den at home you positively ache for the moment which shall bring you face to face with the sportaman’s king of beasts, When the moment really comes the ache is apt to be of a different kind. But this is to anticipate. At any rate, I prom- ised the claws. I bore the promise constantly in mind, and I looked upon the moose and bears and wolves which fell to that rifle merely as training for its fulfillment. SOARCE GAME. ButIsoon found that even in tiger lands tigers are not 80 common as one’s intagination at Lome pictures them. And, moreover, when- ever there is a tiger there are a huhdred men of his locality bent on trapping him, or poison- ing him, or snaring him with ‘bird lime, or, if needs must, on shooting him. My first hopes were set on Viadivostock. There are the wool- liest tigers in the world, and before reaching there Twas full of stories of how they were in the habit of coming into the back yard for the scraps, and how men never walked abroad at night in parties of less than a dozen, all armed to the teeth, But, once in Russian Tartary, I found the tiger was a tradition, and the lead- ing merchant told me he had standing orders from three different high officials to buy any tiger skin that came into the market at almost any price. IN COREA. So I transferred my hopes to Corea, Was not the tiger a sort of national emblem of the ner- mit kingdom? And is there not a special caste of tiger hunters—the very men who ones gave such a thrashing to a French landing party? In a ride acroes the country, therefore, I might well hope for a chance. From sea to sea. how- ever, I never caught sight of even the hunter; only with much difficulty did I succeed in find- ing and buying one poor skin, and the most sat- isfactory response T could get to my earnest in- quiries was the information, “There are two seasons in Corea—one in which the man hunts the tiger and the other in which the tiger hunts the man, Itis now the latter; therefore you must come at another time.” So in Northern China; so, too, in Tonquin, though there I once actgally saw a tiger's footprint at the entrance toacoalmine, There remained, as I thought, only Java and India between me and the un- pleasant results of a broken promise. «A HOPE IN COCHIN CHINA. At the entrance to the river of Saigon, tho French capital of Cochin China, and forty miles from the city, there is a lonely telegraph station, where the English cable from Hong Kong and Singapore and the French cable to Tonquin touch ground. As I am much interested in telegraphy and I have a circular letter of introduction from Sir James Ander- son, the managing director of the Eastern and Eastern Extension telegraph company, L determined to pay these exiled electricians a visit. And then I learned that twelve years ago an operator had shot a tiger that came on the veranda and looked in at the window while he was at work, and that three months ago another had been killed in a more orthodox way. So when the next steamer of the Messageries Maritimes picked up her pilot at4a.m. off Cape St. James I tumbled with my things into his boat and was rowed ashore as the ship’s side lights disappeared. in the distance and the light house began to grow pale in the sunrise. The fellow-passengers of the Iraoueddy rose from their mattresses on deck to wish me good luck, but they looked upon me asa more than usually mad English- man to go on such a fool's errand, and my jovial friend, Captain Bretel, said just before I got over the side, “There are no tigers here, mon ami.” “But,” I expostulated, ‘there was one shot there the other day.” but that was the last!” A CURIOUS COLONY. It is a curious littlt colony at Cape St. James— a dozen Englishmen for the service of the English cable, three or four Frenchmen for the French cable, half a dozen pilots, and a hotel or sanitarium where nobody comes. The elec- tricans get their supplies in a launch from Saigon every Sunday morning and for the rest of the week their only communication with the great world is by the zig-zag line which trickles interminably out of the tiny siphon of Sir William Thompson’s record And this tells them little, for even news sages here come in code. The great French mail steamers pass them twice a week and the few other steamers which ply to Saigon for rice pick up a pilot. The company kee them well supplied with newspapers an they have an excellent billiard table, but their life is not a happy one. On Sundays, when the fresh supplies are in, they feast. On Monday they feast again, for all meat must be cooked at once. On Tuesday cold meat. On Wednesday hash. On Thursday back to tinned by Friday there is probably neither cape. Then, too, it is a terrible climate and fever makes its regular round among them. Their pale faces, scarred with prickly heat and other physical nuisances of a damp tropical climate, are u painful re- minder that our convenient telegr: like everything else that we enjoy, mean sacrifices on everybody's part, But they are transferred sooner or later and their very lonliness makes them extremely hospitable, BUT THE TIGERS. * To return, however, to the tigers. The chance of one I found was decidedly slim. The local Nimrod, Mr. Self, had spent nearly all his spare time for two years in trying to get one; had built innumerable ‘tua lors” and sacrificed dozens of buffaloes, dogs, goats and igs. And two months ago he had had his Rest and. only success, shooting a splendid beast. Except the one killed by accident twelve years before no other tiger had ever been shot here by a European. [ had come to try, however, and next morning an Annamito hunter who had been sent out by Mr. Lang- don, the superintendent of the station, to loo! for tracks, returned and reported that he had built a “‘mirador” and we were to make our first attempt that evening. Whether there was any like! ofa tiger or not he de- clined to say, and conversation with him was a difficult privilege, first, because he only spoke a few words of English and a few words of French, and second, because he was stone deaf. Then he went away to sleep, I looked over my rifle and tried to do the same, and at 5:30 that afternoon we started, Mitt (that was his name or nickname) walking and running ahead and I following him on a pony. READY FOR A LONG. WATCH. Foratime we followed aroadthrough the woods and then struck off into the bush. An hour later Mitt laid down his rifle and motioned me to dismount. A coolie waiting for us jumped into the saddle and nye ore off. We were on esmall rising tted i “Parfaitement, eryw! rador,” not it, I yelled an inquir: into Mitts car Ho powsted to tree ity Sar away and I saw how marvelo he had con- cealed it. He had chosen two slim trees grow- ing four feet apart, behind these he had planted “773 P bamboos at the other corners of the square, and then he had led two or three thickly-Ieaved creepers from the ground and wound them in and around and over a little platform and roof growed | eve two till he had made a perfect nest of live ‘The floor was about 20 feet from the and it looked perilously fragile to men, butitwas ~ 4& MASTERPIECE OF HUNTING CRAFT. if F if i woke me and immediately fe! fast asleep. The rest, and the consciousness that I had no longer the panion to rely upon, made me and I watched every twig. It had been moon- ht, but the moon was now hidden behind $ oe Her the — Fg me Ao ashes of summer tni were ing. There was a chorus of frogs in the distance, night birds were calling to one another, the great lizards were making extraordinary grotesque noises, and it was so dark that Icould no longer discern the black patch of the pig's body on the ground twenty yards away. Nota single glimmer was reflected on the diamond sights, and I could scarcely see the chalked rib of my barrels, But I stared all around into the darkness till my eyes stuck out of my head, AT Last. Suddenly, in perfect silence and without the slightest warning, a big black object flashed by the far side of the little pool, It was like the swoop past of an owl in the starlight, like the shadow of a passing bird, utterly noiseless and instantaneous. Every nerve in my body was athrill, every muscle stiff with excitement. Slowly I put out my left hand and Gasped my ores 3 companion hard by the leg. If he made the slightest noise we were lost. Like a trained hunter he woke and lifted himself into a sitting position without a sound. Rifle to shoulder we peered through our peep holes. A moment later a blood-curdling scream broke the stillness, followed by yell after yell of utter terror, It was the wretched pig who had woke to find himself in tl lutches of the tiger, and the effect on nerves strained in silence to their utmost tension was electrical, I shall never forget that moment, THE TIGER WAS THERE before me; he had the pig in his grasp; in an- other second he would probably be gone. And I could see nothing, absolutely nothing. It was pitch dark in the depression where he was standing, and I might as well have fired with eyes shut. Stareas I would, I could not distinguish the least thing at which to aim, Andallthe time the pig was yelling loud enough to wake the dead. Suddenly I saw the same black shadow pass up the little incline for a dozen yards. The pig's screams dropped into along howl. My heart sank. Had the tiger gohe? No, for an instant afterward the shadow shot down the slope again and the yells broke out afresh, THE SITUATION WAS AGONIZING, Icould hardly resist the temptation to fire both barrels at random into the darkness. Do Isee something? Yes, the black mass of the pig, spinning head over heels on his ropes like a butterfly on @ pin. And just above hima very pale, faint curved line of white. It is the white horseshoe of the tiger's chest and the in- side'of his forelegs, as he has turned for a mo- ment in my direction. Now or never. A last glance down the almost indistinguishable bar- rels and I press the trigger. The blinding flash leaps out, the answering roar scares even the terrified pig into silence, and a blue veil of smoke, hiding everything, hangs before us, Mitt turned toward me with interrogation or Be ae in his eyes and shook his head doubt- ‘ally. A SWEET SOUND, For two minutes we sat and listened, Then along, hard-drawn breath, expelled in a pain- ful heavy sigh, came out of the bushes op our right. Inever heard a sweeter sound in my lite. It meant that the tiger was hit so badly that he could not get away at once, and evi- dently hit somewhere about the lungs. Ever two minutes for half an hour this sovbing sig! was audible. Then it ceased; but no matter, If he was hurt as badly as that we should get him for certain, So I lighted my pipe and tried to wait patiently for dayli he ie was so long in coming that I began fo think the sun had overslept itself, but at last at 5 o'clock we | climbed down and stretched our cramped limbs; the coolie arrived at almost the same minute with his pony, the two natives returned with their pole, and we started out to recon- noiter, Xo SIGNS, First, as to the pig. Instead of being half eaten, a8 we supposed, he was all right except for five long scratches down one side, where the tiger had evidently put out his paw and felt of him with a natur curiosity as to what he was doing there. Just behind him were two deep foot prints. That was all. No blood, no tracks, and we looked cautiously round without seeing asign. Fifty yards away there was a stretch of grass 3 feet high, where he was very likely to be hidden, But I knew from books that to walk upon a wounded tiger, practically single handed, for I could not tell how far the Annamite could be depended upon at a critical moment, would be for an inexperienced man an act of unpardonable folly. So, recollecting that two or res men from the telegraph sta- tion had spent the night a mile away, I sent the coolie to fetch them. He returned, saying they had gone home. This was annoying, for the sun was already hot, and to send back for help meant a delay of several hours. Where could the tiger be, any way? Mitt and I walked over to the edge of the grass and ooked carefully along it for tracks, A NARROW. ESCAPE. That moment came very near being the last for one of us. While we were peering about the tiger suddenly sat up in the grass not ten feet from us and, with a tremendous roar, ony | clean out into the o He was 20 near that it was out of the question to shoot, If I had thrown my rifle forward it would have fallen on him. I could see his white teeth dis- tinetly and the red gap of his throat. I remem- = ane moment page= how he could poss! open bis mouth so wi andI were perhaps = yards apart and the tiger leaped out midway between us. Instinct- ively the Annamite made a wild rush away on his side and I on mine, The tiger had evi- Ce walked far enough into the grass to be hidden and had then lain down, pres- ence there took usso completely by surprise that we were helpless. I may as well confess that my state of mind at that moment was one of dreadful funk. If the tiger had been slightly less wounded than he was it is perfectly certain that in another instant he would have killed beprlied the heap of us. Li nog aglaw motest chance of escaping him by running a But his firet spring was evidently all he col e, for he turned immediately and sneaked into the cover. HOW MR, STRIPES WAS KILLED, Mitt fired into the moving grass after him in spite of my shouted protests, tearing a piece of skin off his flank, as we afterward discovered. We took.five minutes to recover from our scare, and then, as the beast we followed him throug! poe EE RE el Up mysel after In, and there T cou fi distinotly see the tiger about sevent 's haunoches with his ine EF < iit - tlt ey SF a ih Rg which is one of the greatest events in English tennis circles. I was especially struck by the superior condition of the courte, Good turf in Englnd seems to be the rule rather than the exception, The climate is especially favorable for grass-growing, and then, too, the greatest care is taken of the sward. It is nurtured and “coached” until it attains almost con- dition. The turf at Manchester was as level as & floor, and showed few sunspots. Twenty courts were constantly in use during the entire week, there being over one hundred and fifty e WASHINGTON REPRESENTED. Simply to have America represented, I en- tered this tournament, but of course was de- feated as expected, only succeeding in getting four games out of sixteen from my opponent, a young collegian from Cambridge at Man- chester. Mr. Hamilton, the young Irish cham- pion, succeeded in hol on to his trophy won the previous year, while in the doubles the Renshaw Brothers (whose tennis star has eaeneg Ed lost their ¢ pionship prize to Messrs, Hillyard and Mahony, who played a remarkably strong game. The Bay of the ladies was especially fine. Mrs. Hill- yard, who bas gained even greater prominence than her husband, carried off the single prize (bracelets), but after winning one set from Miss Lottie Dod (English champion) for the chal- Lom cup, lost the deciding set, and the latter still remains the lady champion of England, AMERICA BEHIND ENGLAND. There is no doubt that America is far behind England and Ireland in its tennis players of both sexes. Here the game is many years old, | and nearly every suburban home has a tennis ground, Then, too, the English devote more time to athletic sports than Americans. This seems to be a necessary adjunct of English life. Even the working classes devote their leisure to some form of athletic sport. Racing, cricket, racquets, lawn tennis, boat- ing and “golph,” are discussed in the clubs, theaters, shops, trains, busses, on the streets, and indeed, where not? That the athletic spirit pervades the gentler sex in England to a large degrce is evident from the number of superior lady tennis players in the kingdom. THE PHYSICAL SUPERIORITY OF THE ENGLISH ‘WOMAN to those of most other nations is well known to be due to the greater amount of exercise which they take, and the English girl plays lawn ten- nis better than the American because she is | physically her superior and can thus more | easily handle a racquet. Miss Lottie Dod and Mitt |W. 1. at least a dozen other ladies whom I have }seen at the net can easily defeat most of ; the men Sag in Washington. Miss | Dod is only eighteen years of age, yet |her playing is really ~ wonderful. | Her | Service counts for nothing, being under- hand, and consequently easily returned, She relies for the strength of her game upon accu- rate placing, and her long and swift drives from the base line to the further end of her opponent's court, the ball having a downward ourve and being impelled so swiftly as to make it almost impossible of return. Mrs. Hillyard’s game is similar, except in an overhand swift serve which often scores. Among the best lady | players may be mentioned, also, the Misses Studman (Ireland), Miss Longrishe, Miss Rice orpeatd Miss Butler (Scotland), Miss Martin, iss Stannel, Miss Hill, Miss Dod (sister of Miss Lottie Dod), and Miss Pick. INTEREST IN TENNIS IN ENGLAND. Asan evidence of the intense interest felt here in tennis it is sufficient to state that from May 1to September 17 no less than seventy- five open tournaments are played every year. Nor does this include the large number of club tournaments held during the tenuis sea- son, which are simply illimitable. It is thus evident, that the English tennis devotee is affor every opportunity to re ly meet “foemen worthy of his rth gee) hence it is that he is enabled to keep in constant practice and to improve his game correspond- ingly. Every town and village has its clubs, larger cities being the centers of tennis asso- ciations, notably London, Dublin, Bath, Man- chester and fon gan The London lawn- tennis season, which culminates next week at Wimbledon, is now in full swing, and it is sur- prising to note the immense advance which the game has made in the metropolis, from tite success of the great suburban meetings, The entries for the Kent county tournaments were two hundred and fourteen in number, counting each pair as a single unit. So numer- ous were the entries in the gentlemen's handi- cap, one hundred and nine, that it was neces- ary to divide the players into three classes. During the week over two hundred matches were played, twenty courts being constantly in use by the contestants. The London public show @ deeper interest in the game this year than ever before. Hitherto Dublin, Buth, Liverpool, and other populous cities and water- places have been far ahead of the capital in this respect, but now London has only Dublin as a hie for the title of the metropolis of lawn- HANDICAP TOURNAMENTS are nowhere more popular than in the London district, although they are made features in other places. At Manchester about forty players met in handicaps, There is a fast growing multitude of players who have emerged from the ‘‘garden party” stage of de- velopment and have become respectable play- ers in handicaps, At present there are only two men in Great Britain who know the merits ofthe respective players sufficiently well to serve as official handi rs. They are Mr. ‘astime (the | tain), ans a weekly pub- lication devoted to country gentlemen's sports. These handicap tournaments must soon be inaugurated in America, but it is doubtful if jovi is any one now sufficiently acquainted our Bally e = ty, the sporting worl: ber of Papers of this class is astonishing, and many pul three daily editions, POPULARITY OF THE DOUBLE GAME, Another feature in the tennis play of Eng- lishmen is the popularity of the double game. The ee for doubles in the tournaments this ve Z 3 Esd i 4 i i f i A le ‘at FH vfgi HE : G Hs } Hi i Fe i i 5 : if ll Dovrie Casrmene is again coming into favor as a dress fabric. Batt Farvoe appears as a garniture upon Many of the light summer gowns. Carsrie Emsnorpentss are used as a border on dresses made of cotton Sarva Suors are worn with empire and directoire gowns on the other side. axp Onrertat Desions are the correct thing in embroideries just now. ‘Tas Stairxn Rowan Suawis worn as theater wraps last winter are now worn as sashes. Haxpsome Corps with tassels are used on the {ticks of many new parasols in place of ribbon we, Fox Dressy Arrenxoox, ball and evening toi- lets the stockings must match the gown in color, Punce Lace in Mra designs has gone out of fashion; geometric patterns have taken their Dixxer Gowxs for midsummer are made With short skirts that escape the fir, or with narrow falling demi-trains, Some or raz Darnrrest Parasors of not and tulle are fringed all around with the petals of roses, poppies, lilies, or ferns. A Parrrr Heapixo ror Frovxces or Lack or of the dress fabric is a ruche made of little butterfly bows which nearly meet. Tur Stupiest, most quict and tnostentatious models should be selected for mourning outfits, and no ornaments of any sort should be worn, Comsrxatiox Toiers of milk-white Indie muslin, exquisitely embroidered, and plain white crepe de chine appear among the lovely gowns of the season. Leonorx Fiats are more liked for children than ever, especially for dressy occasions. They are usually trimmed with rosettes of ribbon and floating ends, or with half-garlands of fine white flowers, A Noverty rm Consacr decoration is to make asmall shirred band of silk or of the dress material to connect the puff at the top of the sleeve with the collar, thas covering the seam on the shoulder, Exrie Gxesx is likely to continue in popu- larity for some time, as it harmonizes perfectly with many tints of pink, red, cream and even gray. It is also po sore a background to gold, silver and colored embroideries, Very Paerry Sxrrvs for evening dresses euit- able for the country and seaside are composed of broad bands of tulle or net ran in vertical tucks, through which black velvet ribbon is run, divided by Valenciennes insertions, New Summer Dnivixe OxoAxs are made with very large sleeves, recalling the fashion of our grandmothers’ days. Light taffeta silk is usually employed for these cloaks, with trim- mings of oriental or metallic embroideries, Aw Ines Summer Bart Gown is made of golden-green crepe de chine, garnitured with pale-pink roses and leaves, with a misty drapery above of faintest amber-brown silk tulle falling over the creamy petals and sprays of foliage. Taere 18 a Revivat of the softest lawn, silk batiste, or transparent India muslin, hung over a dominant color or a delicately suggestive one, with ribbon trimmings on bodice, and skirt matching the shade of the low underwaist and underskirt. For Frtes axp Garpen Parties pompadour muslins are exceedingly popular with young girls, flowered over with pink roses and tender green foliage. Lace berthas, with flapping leg- horn hats ornamented with roses ana leaves, accompany these gowns, Tae ALt-Ksitrep or stockinet suits, both for ladies and children, are liked for all out-door exercises, and they are certainly most com- fortable if not quite so individual as the flan- nel, tennis cloth or serge suits made according to the fancy of the wearer. AnTIQUE SLEEVEs and Marie Antoinette fichus are added to many of the tea gowns and evening toilets of crepe de chine, China crape and China silk, with unique and picturesque effect. The sleeves are usually of face match- ing that forming the fichu. Movusse.ines pg Larxe are quite as much worn this season as foulards and surahs, and they generally copy these silk gowns in style, with long Grecian draperies, fancy bodices, and artistic sleeves and collars. Lace and rib- bon decorations are also used. Lrrrue Ausatian Caps and Greek and prin- cesse toques for summer evening wear are made of crepe lisse, China crape, lace tulle, net and India silk muslin. Peachbiow, tea rose, anemone pink, rose, white, strawberry and reseda are among the tints. Tea Gowns in new fashion, after the style of the Egyptian “abaya,” are made of open-work Hindu cloth, with embroidered yokes and sleeves long and flowing. They are open down the front over soft India silk petticoats, and are held i in lightly at the waist with girdles of silk cor Lovers or Fivz Eaprorpentes will appreciate the new Richelieu embroideries on ecru or biseuit-colored batiste. These are intended for summer dresses, and are wrought in open wheel and star designs all over the breadths, each selvage being done in deep Vandyke points for trimming. A Nove. Trxxis Brovse is made of a very peculiar shade of terra cotta embroidered in black silk, with black velvet collar and girdle, Another model is of ripe cherry wool crepe, with cuffs and collar of biscuit-colored lik brier-stitched with red. There is a sailor tie of the silk to match, and a cap of red silk, banded with pale gold galloon. Bowrxets ror Mipscamsr are small toques of |, Where he bas been ordered to report From the Baltimore News. “Yes, Lam glad to get back again, experience in a genuine Pasific cyclone gratified my curiosity to know what like.” The speaker was Lieut, 8. L. U.S.N., who was an officer on the Which was wrecked at Samosa last was at the Hotel Rennert this morning, panied by his wife, on bis way to Washi g 8 { vii j & if Secretary of the Navy. “There was only man—s servant—who lost his life om the ton,” continued Lieut. Grabam, “and killed bya sper. I was detained at yoo , When I left for the Sen officers and men on the ception of the Italian bandsmen, were cool an: pore at yt earnestly any iy, and, judging from their actions, they were wealy? mountainous waves put out Trenton, and their tremendous force rendered if tain Farq ng oficer, by his judgment and skill, succeeded ia the inner reef. Had the vessel atruck on one of the outer reefs she would have beeu battered to pieces and her death list would have exceeded that of the Vandalia, as the force of the waves there was terrific. When the reef was neared Lieut.-Com. Lyon and Lieut. Rittenbouse attempted to fasten a life- ‘er on the admiral. He cast it from hima the deck, saying: ‘Let some of the men take it. I can stand my chances without assist- ance.’ He was finally induced to have rope fastened about his ly, 80 that if the capsized he might use it to advantage by tyi: it to a piece of wreckage, The Trenton struc! the reef at 8 o'clock at night, and all hands were busily employed at the pumps yntil 10 the next mornmg. At that time a ike had been extended from shore to the ship and the admiral ordered all hands to abandon her, The men were quattered in hastily-crected barracks on shore and were fed by contract by an American named Moors, With Yankee in- genuity he did not hesitate to make it # profit- able transaction, as he charged each man @1.10 r= in gold) Admiral Kimberly is now at go-Pago, where he will locate the cosling wharves und coal sbeds. Everything is quict there, the armies of Tamasese aud Mataafa having disbanded, and the soldiers are indus- triously at work cultivating the land.” — CARING FOR CHILDREN, How to Keep Them From Sickness in Hot Weather. From the Pittsburg Commercial Gazette. Overfeeding does more harm than anything else; nurse an infant a month or two old every two or three hours, Nurse an infant of six months and over five times in twenty-four hours, and mo more. If an infant is thirsty give it pure water or barley water; no sugar. On the hottest days a few drops of whisky may be added to either water or food, the whisky not to exceed a teaspoonful in twenty- four hours, Boil a teaspoonful of powdered barley (ground in coffee-grinder) and half a pint of milk, with @ little salt, for fifteen minutes; strain; then mix it with half as much boiled milk; adda lump of white suger the size of « walnut, and give it lukewarm from a nursing bottle, Keep bottle and mouthpiece in a bow! of water when not in use, to which a little soda may be added. For infants five or six months oid give half barley water and half boiled milk with salt and a lump of sugar. For older infants give more milk than barley water. For infants very costive give oatmeal instead of barley. Cook and strain as before. ‘When your breast milk is only balf enough change off between breast milk aud this pre- pared food. In hot weather if blne litmus paper applied to the food turns red the food is too acid, and you must make afresh mess or add « small pinch of baking powder. Infante of six months may have beef tea or beef soup once aday, by itself or mixed with other food, and when ten or twelve months old acrust of bread anda piece of rare beef to suck. No child under two years ought to eat at your table. Give no candies, in fact, nothing that is not contained in these rules, without a doctor's orders. Serious compliant comes from overfeeding and hot and foul air. Keep doorsand windows open. Wash yonr well children with cool water twice « day or oftener in the hot seaso Never neglect looseness of the bowels in an | infant; consult the family or dispensary phy- | sician at once, and he wiil give you rules about what it should take and how ut should be nursed, Keep your rooms as cool as possible, have them well ventilated and do not allow any bad smell to come from sink, garbage- boxes or gutters about the house Eames you live. Where an infant is cross and irritable in the hot weather a trip on the waters will do it a great deal of good (ferryboat or steamboat) | and may prevent cholera infantum, see CURRENT LITERATURE OF TO-DAY An Assertion that It Is Absolutely De- void of Originality. From the Edinburgh Review. If we had to speak at large of the current literature of the age we should be obliged to confess that there has not been for many years a period more absolutely devoid of originality and; u‘us. The fire which colored tulle, sometimes shirred on gilded wires, trimmed with a pompon of flowers in front, and trailing of foliage encircli: tin cigs sa weeath 4 ere are ao tirely of flowers arranged on a silk-covered wire frame (which is not visible), and often so sparsely set that the hair is seen, —— +00 _-__ The Whistler. From the Chicogo Inter-Ocean. “A good whistler is,as a rule, the best of good fellows,” said the colonel. Ye had one fellow in our regiment who could whistle any- we great comfort. ““Atter the. battl F i ; Hieitt slit 5 i i i Hi itil i i of burned with such -itensity in the earlier half of the present century is in ite ashes. That astonishing array of writers of the first rank in poetry, in fiction, in history, in philosophy—writers so eminent and so original that their fame went forth into all lands and secured them « place in the records of all time—is extinct. Perhaps in science and in his- tory some exceptions may still be found, but even in these branches the most eminent names belong rather to the than to the present, In the myriad of which are forth in ever. num-