Evening Star Newspaper, October 12, 1889, Page 7

Written for Tax Evento Stan. A ROUNDABOUT VOYAGE. From Brooklyn to Montevideo By Way of the African Coast. ‘THE FINE HARBOR OF PORTO ORANDE—AN APRICAN ISLAND AND ITS LAZY INHABITANTS—THE CAPI- TaL OF CRUGUAY—AN ITALIAN CITY IN SOUTH AMERICA—A DANCE HOUSE IN FULL BLAST. On o bright day in January, amid the cheers of the gullant tars swarming the rigging of the various men-of-war then lying at the Brooklyn navy yard, the band of the flag- ship playing ~-Auid Lang $yne,” and the waving of handkerchiefs and hats by friends congregated oa the wharf, we steamed slowly out upon our long voyage. Wives, cnildren, sweethearts and friends were momentarily forgotten in the ex- citement of departur@. and only when we were fairly upon our way did we realize that we were bidding farewell to all we held dear, and that it might be for some of us an eternal farewell to our native land and to them. AS soon as we lost sight of Scotland light ship the sky beeame overcast and snow com- menced to fall, while long, heavy seas came roll- ing after us from the northward. For some days we were rendered about as uncomfortable by wind and weather as mortals could well be. The rolling and plunging ship, creaking timbers and howling winds continued until the monot- ony of the thing became almost unbearable. To add to the misery of many. were terribly seu sick. Only those who have experienced this ing malady can enter into any kiud of Sympathy with these poor unfortunate ones. It is amusing, however, to see the VARIOUS EFFECTS SEA SICKNESS PRODUCES upon different individuals. Some are plucky enough te continue on their feet and soon find their “sea legs.” Others are rendered quite helpless, and even the grave matter of life and death becomes of little importance to them Some avain imagine that ove part.cular spot in the ship tends to alleviate their sutferings, al- though it may be a position where the motion of the vessel will be feit the most; here they take Up a temporary residence and nothing can in- duce them to move away, not even meals or sleep. With the return of fine weather the spirits of the meu returned likewis-, and the days were spent in getting acquainted with their various duties on board and with each other. Our crew embraced almost every nationality, from the almond-eyed celestial to the taikative Frenchman; from the phiegmatie Teuton to the demonstrative African; Poles. Danes, Swedes, Italians, scoteh,Japanese and Americans mingled touether in seeming harmony and fraternity. When the tropics were reached and the crew were allowed to go bareiovted a cause for gen- eral remark was the number of bad and dis- torted tret to be found among them. Herea chiropodist could have fouud innumerable suv- Jects worthy of bis skill. One German particu- larly possessed a pair of feet so remarkavly dis- torted as to have a peculiar fascination to the beholder, and throughout the cruise he never passed but the eyes wandered inadvertently to his feet to see if they had altered or possibly iupproved in any respect. PORTO GRANDE. At daybreak on the 15th of February the wel- come cry of “land ho” resounded through the ship, and soon the dark, high peaks of San An- tonio loomed against the brightening southern @iy. After twenty-eight days passed monot- Ouously at sea the prospect oi a run ashore was very refreshing. Steaming quickly past Anto- niv we entered the eastern passaze to Porto Grande, and were soon at anchor in the harbor. Here we found the German men-ot-war Stein, Moltke, Prince Adelbert and Gueisenau swing- ing at their cables, and our German friends watched us with curiosity depicted upon their faces as we anchored in their midst. The harbor of Porto Grande liarly adapted by nature for commerce, presents tothe storm-tossed mariner a snug haven of safety. It is semi-circular in form and is sur- rounded by high peaks and crags of voleanic formation, sparsely covered by scrubby vegeta- tion. Across the opening of this horse shoe basin nature bas placed the Island of San Anto- nio, thus forming a completely landlocked har- bor of good depth and with twoentrances. Near the center of the harbor stands Bird Island, on whose summit is a light house that may be seen at sea by vessels coming in either entrance. The towa of Porto Grande is devoid of interest, and contains the usual amalgamation of Portuguese and nezroes to be found in all of the African coast islands. The principal buildings are the custom house, jail and hospital. ASUNIQUE SYSTEM OF TAXATION isin vogue. Taxes are levied upon a merchant at‘a rate corresponding to the extent of his business and the advantageous location of his property. It is almost impossible for a foreigner to get a business roothold, as he is soon taxed 80 severely that if he is near the center of the city he is compelled either to move to the out- skirts or abandon his business entirely. The utmost attention is to the sanitary condi- tion of the town. The police department seems “to be in excellent condition, and the uniform of its members is neat and in good taste. Its ef- fectiveness was fully tested upon the occasion of the first liberty our crew received. They soon came m contact with these blue-coated guardi- ans of the law, and that these encounters were entertaining may be inferred from the expres- sion of more than one ‘old salt” on the follow- ing morning. when they thickly declared through the space lately occupied by their now missing molars, “that thith wath the flaeth place they werth ever in.” Opposite the town, on the west side of the Day, rises a high peak whose summit presents a renowned freak of nature. Clearly delineated against the sky may be seen the features of a human face, looking upward, Wud which ail Americans call WASHINGTON'S FACE. To people of other nationalities possibly a resemblance could also be traced to some promi- nent historical personage of their country. At any rate, if it was a peculiarity of the immortal George to possess a pimply nose, then the re- semblance would be startling, for the rocky tn- dividual gazing so solemnly up into space possesses the “rammiest” nose ever seen on any port-hardened sinner. White good bread and meat are scarce. nature seems to have otherwise fully provided for the indolent inhabitants of this saluorious group. Oranges, bananas and yams may be had in abundance, while the harbor 1s literally filled With fishes, which are caught in great numbers. Asa coaling station the importance of Porto Grande is great. The wages of a lsborer for — coal in bays ready for transportation y lighter to the numerous vessels constantly calling after this valuable commodity is from 15 to 20 shillings per day, but owing to their con- stitutional lack of energy, they only work about one day in the week. preferring to spend the balance of their time in the numerous drink- ing resorts and in fishing, the prolific waters furnishing an infinite amount of sport for the angler. Lite with them is almost a perpetual boilday. On the 6th of March we left Porto Grande, and after an uneventful trip of thirty days we steamed into the harbor of MONTEVIDEO, anchoring off the custom house, just ahead of H. B. M. S. “Ruby.” In 1724 orders were issued by the court of Spain for the foundation of Montevideo, and its settlement was commenced in 1726. About twenty families were in this year brought trom Paima, one of the Canary Islands, by Don Bruno de Zabala, after whom one of the princi- pal plazas of the city takes its name, and who ‘Was them governor of the province of Rio de la Plata. The motives of the Spanish government in making this settiement were to anticipate the Portuguese, whe had manifested an intention to take ‘ion of the whole north bank of the Rio de la Piata. Aware of the importance of the place, the Spaniards carefully and strongly fortified it. Bulit upon a promontory, it is en- tirely surrounded by the sea, excepting the nar- row isthmus connecting It with the main land, and across which the Spaniards carried a wall and ditch. On the rising ground in the center of the isthmus a fort is erected, with tour bas- tions, and which commands the approach by harbor, but its guns are unable to throw shelis over the city. Oa the opposite side of the har- bor rises Montevideo, from which the city de- Fives its name, and which is also strongly forti- fled. The Rio de la Plata is 50 miles wide at this = in a direct line to Point Indio onthe west - ‘The water is brackish, and in no part of distance exceeds fiye fathoms in depth. ITALIAN IMMIGRATION Montevideo is probably greater than to any part of the world. It has stamped its characteristics upon nearly everything pertain- the city. Did the narbor i g g i t i i fi - 'S ail THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1889—TWELVE PAGES, fountain to their otherwise inviting luxurious- A™ ARMY OF BEGGARS. Here, also, one meets with the same class of mendicants that are to be found In every Italian city, which is another characteristic of Italian Imm! The blind, the lame and ble place, but especlaliyat the doorsof churches, place, but especially at joors of where their doleful, whining supplications for alma, * amor de ” are distract- is also a religious society which sul by contributions levied on the public, and who proceed from house to house with a sack slung over the shoulders soliciting dona- tions also “tor the love of God.” These people depart empty handed. Buk, porbaps, the most depart empty han it. per! most curious individual of this mendicant fraternity to an American is TRE “BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK.” There is quite s number of this class on the out- skirts of the city. They solicit any kind of con- tributions, but prefer “rials” with which to buy the native drink “canna.” One little fellow, mounted on an antiquated steed, particulari attracted attention. His manner was very dit- ferent from that of his humble brothers in dis- tress. He you with the utmost assur- ance, and with a good-humored grin; joked about the topics of the day, about his horse, which he sa:d was getting too old to walk, and finally wished that you might live a thousand years, There is comparatively little else that is strange to American eyes here, the influx of foreigners being large and embracing nearly every nation- ality, bringing with them the latest improve- meats and inventions ot their respective eoun- tries. Even the five-cent weighing machine has invaded Montevideo, altered and adjusted to weigh when a rial is placed in the slot instead of a nickel, The streets are generally named after some important historical event, or after some prom- inent person connected with the country, as Calle 25 de Mayo, Calle 18 d’ Augusto, &c., which, ifnot euphonious, at least possesses the advantage of fixin the historical dates of im- portant events ae the juvenile mind. One street is called *-Washington” in honor of our country. A MONTEVIDEO DANCE HOUSE. A few days after our arrival a friend and my- self made a visit to one of these celebrated halls. We found it almost impossible to trace our way, owing to the neglect of our Spanish education and a corresponding deficiency in a knowledge of the English tongue on t! Banat of the citizens, and consequently had considerable difficulty in discovering the location of this palace of Terp- Sichore. After many blind wanderings and fruit- less inquiries we entered a convenient drug store, and In our politest manner inquired of the smiling proprietor if he could speak French. He admitted that he could. “Then where is thi- im ernal dance house?” was the relieved in- quiry that fell from our lips, ‘“Tenez, senor.” We “tenezed” accordingly, while with solemnly uplifted dager he came from behind the prescrip- tion case and proceeded to overhaul all of his stock of patent medicines; boxes, bottles and packages were all examined, while we looked on in breathless expectation. This search prov- ing fruitless, he walked quickly back to the prescription case and after a diligent search came smilingly and triumphantly forth hold- ing « cigarette toward us with the bland inquiry, “Cigarros?” With grooping heads we shook a negative reply, and again a doubting look stole over the handsome countenance of the druggist, only to be replaced by a bright smile, as seizing a pencil and paper he ejacu- lated, “Eerire.” We wrote the question in French, and after a moment's study, the whole physiognomy of this good-looking Spaniard as- sumed an expression of disgust impossible to describe. From good prospective customers we had dwindled to commonplace inquirers after a dance house of somewhat dubious reputation. Seizing us by the arm he hoarsely said in mixed Spanish and French, “Three blocks down and one to the right.” No further trouble was ex- pertenced, and soon we found the dance house, at the door of which we were promptly SEARCHED FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS by a policeman on duty, which proceeding some- what collided with our republican ideas; how- ever it is the custom, and probably a judicious one. No entrance tee is charged. We found ourselves in @ large room shaped like a letter L. On the longer side was the bar, and numer- ous chairs and tables, which were occupied by persons drinking, smoking and singing, while the bar itself was full of people. The shorter end of the room was devoted to the ball. Thi iment was divided near the cig a railing, while at the right, arran; in tiers, was a small gallery for spec- tators. On the opposite side, seated on a singie board ranged along the wall were the women Who wished to dance. A small table stood near these presided over by the cashier, while the orchestra filled the end of the room. The women were a promiscuous grouping of nationality and color, black. yellow and white. No formalities were indulged in or ex- changed. You selected your partner by simply helping her to an upright positon and proceed- ing to dance. The dances are all round dances, and are difficuit for a novice accustomed to waltzes and polkas. They consist of a slow, solemn step, accompa- nied at intervals by a little wriggle trom the hips downward, the upper part of the body be- ing held rigid. Atthe conclusion of the dance you go to the cashier's table and pay four or six cents, as the case may be, according to the length and style of the dance. A proportion ot this fee is credited to your partner, who receives it at the close of the ball. It was surprising to see the VARIOUS NATIONALITIES AND COSTUMES present on this occasion, and one might readily fancy himself at a “bal masque” where each different character was dressed and acted to perfection. Old men, young men, merchants, sailors, clerks, women seemingly reputable and those of the lowest order ali mingle promiscu- ously. As the hour grows later the noise and confusion waxes greater; songs are shouted in every conceivable tonzue in one end of the room, while the orchestra clashed away in the other end. In a smail room partitioned off from the main apartment we found a game of keno in full blast. Some thirty men were seated at a long table with their cards before them, entirely engrossed with their game and heedless of the noise in the other room, At a late hour, or rather an early one, we left, and such an imme- diate sense of relief was experienced when we came out into the quiet deserted street as to be delightful. J.C. M. —————e@e—______ A WONDERFUL SPRING. Cures the Drinking Habit in Three Days. From the Atlanta Constitution, Cured of intemperance in three days! How many people know that the state of Georgia owns a natural inebriate asylum? And, nevertheless, such is the fact. “It is the most wonderful spring in the United States,” said Special Officer Broderick, of the Atlanta police force, last night. “To what spring do you reter?” “Indian spring. I have taken three men to that spring who were so far gone on the liquor habit that it looked as if it was impossible for them to quit, and every one of them were cured immediately. One of them had been practically drunk for four months. I took i supply of whisky, as people said it would him to quit off too suddenly.” “Did he taper off ?” «He took one drink after he got to Indian ing, and after that declined to touch a drop. e said he did not want it at all. He remained there three days and you never saw sucha trans- formation. He was as sober as a judge, his face was cleared of its bloat and the red liquor look, and he was himself again. Since that time he a drop. to effectually settle the ter. “Does it prove equally efficacious on “I have tried three & = “Well, not now; but it used to when I tas =. small boy, for then I had to sweep them up. He—‘Darling, will you love me when I'm it are not tov far el She—“Yes, if you gone. Written for Tar Evesrxo Stan. THE FIGURES OF OUR GIRLS. of) Here is a Wicked Dressmaker Who Says They Are Not Good at All. “TI particularly want you to cut the dress so that it will make my waist look as long as pos- sible,” said the plump young damsel, as she threw over her head and dimpled shoulders the skirt of her walking costume. “It has always been my greatest grief that nearly all the girls I know have longer waists than L” “By ‘always,'” interposed her mother, “my means the two years since she has been out in society. Of course, long waists have been very much in fashion of late and she has come to have a notion that her figure, which both her father and myself consider ex- quisite, is defective in that respect.” “Oh, mammal!” exclaimed the maiden, and was going on with a speech of protest, when the dress maker interrupted her. “Why, madam,” said the latter as she folded the airy fabric of silk and lace just tried on, ere is not, necessarily, any relation between the ideal in female development and the fashion that clothes it, The former can never alter, while the latter is the very type of change. What we call the ‘mode’ is perpetually trying to modify the figure by flattening it out, swell- ing it up likea loon, or throwing in a hump here and there to render it more symmetrical; butit is not to be supposed on that account that the ideal is subject to alteration.” “And one is to find the ideal, I suppose, in what the artists, who are such awful bores, as ® rule, call the ‘antique.’ ” THE FUNCTION OF FASHION. “Better there than anywhere else, madam. The Frenchman who instructed me in my art used to say that the function of fashion was rather to improve upon nature than to follow ber—to pursue fancy rather than reality. A woman with nothing on or draped after the manner of classical Venuses was not anything like so attractive as the same creature in & nineteenth century frock. And therefore, he argued. fashion is an improvement upon ‘na- ture. But even he admitted that the type to build upon was not found attired in a modern ball dress, but in the marble of the old Greek sculptors, ‘There is the beauty that is abso- lute,’ he would confess; ‘the rest is but a pass- ing seduction to the eye, to please which inces- sant change is necessary.’ ” “But if one’s figure not the fashion,” pouted the young girl, ‘it is none the less dis- tressing.” “I don’t know about that,” rejoined the dressmaker. ‘I will venture the liberty of say- ing that I agree with your mother and father in thinking that your figure is admirable. You have the length of limb which so many women lack, although you are not very tall; perhaps for the reason that you are short you are well developed, as few tall women in this country are; your arms are long and straight, aud the line from the back of your neck to your heels isa perpendicular, so that you carry yourself gracefully. Best of all you do not exhibit the great and almost universal defect of the female igure in America—your waist is not too — “So you actually regard a long waist as a fect!” exclaimed the elder lady in surprise. TOO LONG WAISTED. “From the point of view of art, yes, madam, The American woman is nearly always too long waisted, and for that reason chiefly, her figure is the worst in the world today, while her face is the prettiest. American girls are the most beautiful on earth. so far as features and complexion go, and yet how few of them are well developed. Asan evidence of their structural deficiency you ma’ bserve their surprising want of health. A w: that is over- long, like a neck of the ‘awan-like’ variety, ia a symptom of constitutional weakness,” ‘And the Greek— “Greek women. madam, used to make the waist appear as high as possible by passing a girdle around just beneatl the bust. This gave the utmost appearance of length to the limbs, and the lines of the chiton were made as flow- ing as practicable. No costume was ever more becoming—its seductiveness used to be referred toin those times by advocates of moral purity as its chief drawback—and it has remained for 2,500 years the ideal female dress,” “I must confess, I'm sorry that it should be no longer the mode.” “Asa dressmaker, madam,I can hardly re- gret it. The Greek style of garment was too simple to afford much possibility for big bills for cutting, fitting and trimming. In those days the making of a dress did not cost $10 for every one dollar's worth of material. And +e must remember that the costume of today has this great advantage, that every woman can look well in it if her dressmaker is a gvod one, whereas it was not so with the classical attire, Your daughter here would appear admirably a ja Grecque, while very many of her friends would not look so well. The figures of the ancient Greek women were somewhat better than those of American girls in the year 1889.” “And is the Greek costume never likely to come back?” UNDER THE DIRECTORY. “Scarcely. The question of climate would have some influence. The nearest approach to a revival of itin modern times was seen in France under the directory. The most in- tensely Greek young woman of the later centuries was the ultra-fashionable ‘Merveil- lense,’ or female dude of that epoch, who wore # modified Athenian costume, very low in the neck and diaphanous as to the skirts. Her male contemporary prototype, termed the ‘Incroyable,’ corresponded to the ‘Gommeux’ of Paris today. you “rT paune so, And so fashion is hopeless, you think, esthetically speaking?” “Altogether so. She cannot be driven, you know, and the fancies she adopts are the purest freaks. Itis not more than a couple of hun- dred years, you will remember, since ladies of fashion in France wore metal apparatus to pre- vent the development of the bust from girlhood. The enormous hoopskirts of fifty years ago, which made the wearers look like perambulat- ing balloons, were not more absurd than the bustles so recently in style, that seemed to aim at the ideal of beauty popular in Abyssinia, where a female, who is so over developed in that ' direction as not to be able to get up without assistance after having sat down is regarded as the highest type of physical perfection. Nor are any of these insanities more unreasonable than the notion of unnaturally elongating the waist. And there isone thing worth saying— namely, that the men are, as a rule, very far from iring these ingenious deformities adopted by the other sex; women may to please the male of her species, perhaps, but the creature in pantaloons is far to the from Sopeeens, her sacri mode. If this fact were realized women might adopt fewer humps and hoopskirts to enhance hac beaniy thun is now the case.” Measure of Translucency. From the Scientific American. Some interesting experiments have been un- dertaken by Herr Herzberg, with the co-opera- tion of Herr G. Schulze, chief engineer of the Berlin works of Messrs. Frederick Siemens & Co., for the purpose of ascertaining the loss of light in passing through window glass of vari- ous kinds in general use. The experiments were conducted with a Bunsen photometer, in which two argand gas burners of equal illumi- nating power were placed at the two ends of the graduated bar. After equality ot illumina- tion of the screen had been established a plate of the glass to be tested was interpo: be- tween one of the end lights and the screen, and the extent uf the displacement of the latter thus necessitated tor the re-establishment of equality of illumination on both sides gave the measyre of the opacity of the glass. A simple transiu- cent but not t: nt glass showed a loss of 27 percent of light, Cathedral glass, such as is used In stained-glass work as a basis, being clear but with a slight ground tint, showed a loss of 123 per cent. Plain cathedral glass with ‘a white tint also showed a loss of 123¢ per cen! Plain white Rhenisb ‘double glass” gave a loss | ag ot 10 per cent, Plain thin mirror glass ob- structed 10 per cent uf light. The two last. to- gether with an of six centimeters A PROSPEROUS COUNTRY. The Growth and Development of South- ‘western Virginia. PICTURESQUE MOUNTAINS AND FERTILE VAl- LETS—VAST MINERAL RESOURCES—THE POLITI- CAL COMPLEXION OF THE SECTION—THE TOPOG- RaPBY. Correspondenceof Tre Evertne Stan. ABINGDON, Va., Oct. 8, 1889. {n & previous communication I stated that the section known as southwestern Virginia was worth a chapter devoted to it alone, It isarich and beantiful country, high up in the mountains with splendid water ways and vast areas of roll- ing arable land and tertile valleys, Just at this time it is attracting a good deal of attention from two classes of individuals, Politicians and capitalists. The former are now swarming over the country like a roaming col- ony ot bees, the latter are quietly waiting until after the 5th of November when the swarm will have been hived and business resumed its sway. Politically the southwest is known as the white democratic stronghoid. Tt could just as well be called the white republican stronghold for the strenzth of the white republican vote is in this section, though it is in the minority. The large influx of immigrants, chiefly capitalists, skilled workmen and miners mostly from the republican districts of Pennsylvania led to avery natural conclusion that the political complexion would soon be transposed, But itis a strange and sinzular fact that when the new element has remained In the state the required two years to be entitled to suffrage a majority of them vote the democratic ticket In state elections. Possi- bly there Is a reason for this In the appearance some years ago of a new party headed by Gen- eral Mahone, known as the “readjusters” who favored a scaling of the state debt without per- mission of the bondholders between whom and the republicans of that day a coalition was formed to oppose the regular democratic organi- =o who favored the payment in full of the lebt. This forcible scaling business was something strange and repuznant to the new-comers, and @ current in favor of the democratic view in state matters’ was inaugurated, which has not been abated, ic seems. Ard this.state of affairs, doubtless, has prompted Gen. Mahone to come forward with a scheme to settle the debt ina way agreeable to the bondholders. The result Temains to ve seen. ATTRACTIONS OTHER THAN POLITICAL, But southwest Virginia has attractions of far more importance than politics. It is the devel- opient of its immense mineral resources. Much has been hvard recently about the competition of Alabaina with the Pennsylvania productions. It looks very much now as if the day is not rar off when the Virginia product will have the right of wayand provea dangerous rival to both. Millions of acresaleng the mountain ranges trom West Virginia to the Tennessee line are teeming with inexhaustible strata of coal, iron, copper, lead and zine, and its transporting lines reach- ing out in every direction, with new ones ander constructionand some nearing completion. The finest ores and largest deposits are found in the southwest. and it is toward this section shrewd eyes are turning and capital seeking investment. It is one vast field of progress and improvement, retarded only by the too-frequent political strugzles, which, like the present one, tend to distract business and check the progress of de- velopment. Trains loaded with its pig iron are steaithily creeeping into eastern mills, while Virginia coal is being dumped into Norfolk and Newport News ina perpetual stream for the coastwise trade—a branch of traffic entirely un- known a tew years ago. Machine shops, car and locomotive works ot the highest order right upon the ground are turning out work compar- able to any in the Union, and various manufac- turing industrious are planting themselves here and there like squatters on a newly-discovered Eldorado. There is no reason why its coal will not come to Washington some day. The cost of transportation to Nortolk would put it into the very heart of the capital city. If tt pays to ship it to Norfolk, thence up and down the coast, why not to Washington? TOPOGRAPHY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. Southwestern Virginia proper comprises all that portion ot the state running down wedge- shaped between Kentucky on the north and North Carolina and Tennessee on the south, reaching from the Alleghanies in the east to Cumberland Gap on the west. This area is about 230 miles and embraces fifteen counties, beginning with Montgomery on the east and terminating with Lee county In the west. Of the counties included, Montgomery, Pulaski, Giles, Grayson and Wythe are in what is known as the valley of New river; Smyth and Washing- ton in the valley of the Holston; Russell and Scott in-Clinch valley, and Lee in Powell's val- ley. The others are peculiarly mountain coun- ties loterspersed with irregular hills and nar- row vaileys. J THE RESOURCES OF THE SOUTHWEST. This section is an empire in all the natural resources that any people could or ought to de- sire to make them independent, prosperous and happy. Every county in the limits named has coal and iron, some of them in inexhaustible beds, and the most of them a great variety of other valuable deposits. Could it be utilized, Montgomery and Pulaski counties have water power sufficient to propel all the machinery in the New England states. The mountains of Car- roll and Grayson are literally loaded down with copper: Smyth and Washington could glut half the markets of the country with salt and gyp- sum, Bluegrass grows everywhere, and no finer cattle are raised than grow in this section. Large numbers are shipped annually direct to Europe from this, Washington county. With rare exceptions the whole country abounds with limestone, and much of it of that desirable char- acter that Is constantly decomposing and keep- ing the soil perpetually fertile. Few countries are blessed with a more genial summer climate, purer water or grander scenery. ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY. Washington county is belted from east to west by a succession of ridges and valleys. Three rivers wind their way westward, the North Fort, Middle Fork and South Fork of the Hol- ston, which becomes the Tennessee T pass- log into that state, All the smaller streams flow at right angles, with the three longer ones, and It is a remarkable feature that not one of them flows along the valleys or parallel with the ridges, but dash straight across, seemingly, to have cut or worn gapsfor themselvesthrough interprising barriers at some period in the far ast. le It is not to be understood that, because the country {s scarred and belted by somany ridges itis not arable, On the contrary, a very large portion ot it is, the virgin soil of the hills being equal to that of the valleys. Many of the bills are too steep to till conveniently, but blue grass springs up spontaneously wherever the under- growth is removed and the hills are among the most valuable grazing lands. ANOTHER PECULIAR FEATURE of the country here isthat there are but few gullies or old fleld pines, so It would be about as hard to find a camel-leopard as a tick, such as the militia boys discovered at Camp Ordway last summer. It is said that Dr. Franklin remarked, after he had traveled through the state in its early settlement, that he saw little else than “hogs, dogs fleas and democrats,” and it may be sald now that these are still indigenous and abundant. WHITE TOP MOUNTAIN. In the very southeastern corner of Washing- ton county is a towering peak known as White Top, near which the three states of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee unite at a com- mon corner, Until within comparatively a few years ago, owing to Its inaccessibility, it was almost in its primitive state and visited only by hunters trappers, with here and there a “squatter” who eked out a very lonely exist- ence. White Top is a peak in the Ap ian range ana is some 5. feet high from base to summit and more than 6,000 feet above the level ot the sea. Its summit is a vast fel growth ee eet ee ee avidity by vast herds of now taken there to and a i reel Hil are limbless to the height of thii intermingling and megs bao scarcel) reaching out for, having it nearly within wrasp. There is much to be said of the way the devel- opment of this section is progressing, of which I will write a letter later, H. = =~ ¢ee——___ THE ART STUDENTS’ LEAGUE. An Organization of Earnest Workers— The Fifth Session Opened. The Art students’ league of Washington has Opened its fitth session. This league. which is modeled on the plan of the Art students’ league of New York, is the outgrowth of a sketch class, whose moving spirit was Jno. M. Burnett, brother of Dr. Burnett, the eminent oculist and physician, and brother-in-law of Frances Hodg- son Burnett. His sketcnes in oi! and water color gave promise of a brilliant future, but not very long after the organization of the league his health failed and he went to a pre- mature grave at the early age ot twenty-five. Many ot his sketches adorn the homes of Dr. Burnett and Dr. Gallaudet. Mr. Burnett gathered about him a band of ten zealous and enthusiastic students, who determined to create for themselves what was then wanting in Wash- ington, a school of art. Tne members of the league were not artists, but art students, and so they at the outset pro- cured the services of Mr. J. M. Burnett, and Messrs. R. ON. Brooke, S. Gerome Uhl and A. G. Heaton as instructors durin, the first year. Mr. Heaton continu his connection with the league until the present winter, and haying seen it perma- nently established felt at liberty to retire and devote himself more to his own work. Mr. Brooke's connection with the league has been interrupted from time to time by absence abroad, but his interest has been hearty and his co-operation most valuable. The meinbers of the league are much encouraged by his inten- tion to resume his old connection with them during the coming winter. Since its orzaniza- tion the number has been augmented by the procuring of the services of Messrs. Holmes, Messer and Gill. Mr, W. H, Holmes is equally well known in art circles for his water colors, and among sci- entists as an authority on pottery. THE MEMBERSHIP. The members of the leazue are modest enough to say that the original members were selected for their enthusiasm rather than for their capa- bility, but they have been very chary of making additions since, and election to membership is now given only to those who offer promise of genius. The league was not, however, a selfish orzan- ization. Following the example of its sister so- ciety in New York, beside providing for the im- provement of its own members, it has offered classes for all grades of art students, and during the five years of its existence has had under in- straction more than two hundred students, The league numbers among its members some who have already received recognition abroad— Miss Tiers, Miss Perrie and Mr. Hatch, one of the most noted young engravers of the United States. Modesty, as was said above, isa distin- guishing characteristic of the league, and there are many sketches lying in studios which would attract considerable attention if their makers had sufficient confidence in themselves to allow others than their intimates to look upon them. In the art exhibition of the Cosmos club spe- cial space was marked off for the league, and the exhibitions and public lectures at the rooms of the league were numerously attended, and favorably commented upon. IN NEW QUARTERS. The league has established itself in new quar- ters, 609 F street. A member, speaking to a Srar reporter, said: “With so great sn art gal- lery as Mr. Corcoran gave to the city, and the presence of so many art lovers, it seems strange that the perpetuation of art ability should be left to a tew devoted students. The time may and probably will come when the capital city will have a national gallery of art joined toa national academy of art. Till then the credit of keeping the flame alive must be awarded to the art league of Washington.” ‘oo —_—____ ABOUT CREAM OF TARTAR. The Large Amount of the Adulterated Stuff Sold for the Pure Article. “(A lady friend of mine asked me the other day,” said a Washington druggist to a Star re- porter, “if cream of tartar was a product strictly pertaling to or originating in Tartary, and being in powdered form, why it is called cream. 1 was somewhat surprised and no littleamused,” said he, ‘for the inquirer seemed to be in earn- est, and if I am not mistaken will soon be a K street house keeper. After I had explained, she was as candid about and as much amused at her erroneous idea as I was.” “The trath is,” continued the druggist, “thousands of people use cream of tartar with- out knownlng what it is, and ajlarge percentage ot those using it are ignorant of the fact that they get the benefit of very little cream of tartar, but the use ofa good deal of somethingelse. En- deed much of the alleged cream of tartar used, is a fraud, pure and simple, being made from ‘tar- taric acid, and this accounts tor frequent fail- ures in preparing especially desirable dainty dishes Just at a time when a failure is most em- barrassing. Housekeepers can trace many dis- appointing results to this frandulent stuff or its step-cousin—the adultered article.” WHAT IT 18. “What is cream of tarter then,” asked the re- porter. “Now, see here, you are anewspaper man and on one of the best local Py pa in America, ut yourself to work and find out and I shall look tor the result in THe Star. It isa matter of much importance to housewives to know something about this much-used article,” and with that parting injunction he went on his way. Taking the cue from the Inquisitiveness ofthe prospective housekeeper the reporter studied up all the different creams knowr—except ice cream, of course, of which every masculine in- dividual in Washington has practical annual ob- Ject lessons as certain as the summer comes— without obtaining the desired information. The word ‘ tartar,” however, opened the avenue which led to what he wanted and it is indeed a matter of some interest to housekeepers to know something about—this common cooking article. Cream of tartar. THE ACID PRINCIPLE OF GRAPES, and it Is obtained chiefly from them. It accu- mulates in crystals on the sides of wine vats or settles tothe bottom with the lees, it being insolu- ble in alcohol and so forsaking the grape juice soon as it begins to be converted into alcohol. There are 1 or 2 pounds of it in a ton of grapes, and it is extracted from the SOMETIMES THE HALF-REFINED ‘“‘aRGOLS” are put on the market as pure cream of tartar. H 8 vi BE Hi cit 7 H i i ) HH 3 7 FOOD THAT COMES IN CANS, Delicacies Brought to Washington from Far Corners of the Earth. Surely there is nothing so highly calculated to make one’s mouth water as a tiptoed inspec- tion of that portion of a big grocer’s stock in trade which is tuund seductively displayed in cans and hermetically seaied bottles upon rows of shelves, each receptacle advertising itself by label to contain this or that rare delicacy, usually imported from some distant part of the world and put up by secret recipe. ASrtar reporter, as he permitted himself to gloat over an assemblage of such mummified luxuries, took particular notice how many far- off corners of the earth were drawn upon for appetizing suppiies of the kind. For instance, there was preserved ginger from China—the small green tender shoots, put up in jars with Sugar syrup to keep them. Then there was curry. of mysterious manutacture, from India, and Russian caviare—abominable to the un- educated palate and suggestive of rancid fish oil—of sturgeon’s roe, though not the Known here as the sturgeon. — Another fame fish, the tunny of the Mediterrane rm Tesented in little bottles, tit also the smoked sar nm Norw Germany from Stavanger, tributed strawberries | and other fruits of wondrous beauty in eyrup, as well as Frankfurter sau: ze, in cans, tha ewhat, but fin herbs and spice and every little giris in the rhyme. From se. marmalade, so delicious for br oranges minced up with som boiled down with saza of iutensity.asto flavor: most of th Dundee, while Aberdeen produce brated canned Digby chicks, or Newioundiand herrings, known as Digby chicks on that coast, broiled and sauced. By far the greater part of these imported les, however, BORE FRENCH LABELS. To begin with, there was paste of chestnuts & new and most palatable conserve, by powdering the big French marrons and m’ in sugar and other ingredients; the paste is u for flavoring sauces and ail ot h Then there were larks, one roasted or stuffed, or bx truffles. Also nice, like the nd there was eof f the peel and quisite point and olives stuffed with anchovies, a within a delicacy, reminding one of the gourmet’s recipe. rst iake an olive, he said, and put it in an ortolaa, the ortolan in a quai the quail in pheasant, the pleas antin a capon. and the capon ther, with fr of gravy and incessant turnings of the spit.until the whole is thoroughly cooked; then remove it trom the fire, take the capon out of the tur- key, the pheasaut out of the capon, the quail out of the pheaeant, the ort a out of the quail, and the olive out of the ortolan, Now eat the olive, and you will find it su licious to warrant the trouble you have taken in preparing it. FRENCH MUSHROOMS AND TRUFF France, too, sends mu<hrooms fr and cellars, wnere they are artificially produced on beds of mavnre in yast quantities, though never of a quality equal to that of the natu- ral feld-zrown funsus. It is a mysterious, un- canny sort of thin his champignon. No one can tell exactly how or why it grows, only that it springs up in the night from some sort of web-like network that makes what might be termed its roots beneath the surface, and that it is constituted more like meat than like a vegetable, with a great percentage of nitro- gen, its manner o being in accord with this fact. sus from France, is the truill Truffles, you lug from underne: the ground, r head, trained dogs bein: i} out. Pigs, which are very fond of truflles, used to do this work, and the discovery of the deli- cacy is, in fact, due to the: All sorts of veze- tables are brought from France by ands of botties and cans, as well as figs and other fruits, brandied, trom Bordeaux. PREPARIN( Sardines of many sorts, from France, the STAR man saw on the grocer’s sheives. Some were of the ordinary sort, in oil; others were bone- less, and others yet were in tomato sauce, or with truffles. You have heard how sardines are prepared for canning, perhaps—taken fresh- caught from the nets, cleaned and thrown into great pots of burning olive oll, to be taken out with big skimmers when done to the right point. But they are sadly dear nowadays, since the fish took to sheering off in their shoalin; seasons from the coast of France, on their wa: northward to goodness knows where. Maine herrings. which supply the market cheaply with 80 many counterfeit sardiaes in cotton-seed oil, are a very poor imitation of the luscious originals, As another important French prod- uct, paté de foie gras, made from the enlarged livers of tortured geese, sould not be left out of the list. Nor should it be forgotten to mention Eng- land’s contribution to the crocer’s stock. In the shape of Yarmouth bloater, shrimp paste, an- chovy paste, little truffles. and all sorts of potted things too numerous to mention, AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS. And America was largely represented. too. The natives here are beginning to do this sort of thing themselyes, you know. York there was nearly pheasant, snipe, woodcock, wild duck, grouse, plover and hare—in paté or trafiled. Delaware exhibit was boned chicken and tarkey of equalled quality, and traffled chicken livers. Chicago supplied boneless hams compressed whole into tin cans. as wel! as canned meaés of all descriptions, and the ancieut Mexican dish, chili-con-carne, prepared peppers. Cincinnati offered bologna sausage, in cans instead of skins; Maryland deviled ctab meat, for salads, shells or soups. and Long Island little-neck clams. There were oysters, too, trom New York, preserved in botties like natural history specimens in a museum; but very good, especially when contemporaneous oysters are not edible during the summer months, and especially useful for picnic pur- poses, Boston's contribution was of roast turkey, chicken and beef, broiled mackerel in tomato sauce, herrings, brown bread, and, last but not least—beans, COOKED IN CANS. AS a rule, nowadays, the great canning con- cerns make their own cans. Most of the things canned, also, are cooked in the cans—as is the case with fish, clams, brown bread and lobsters. The filled cans are placed in huge iron retorts, after being hermetically sealed, where they are subjected to the action of steam for the requisite period. Then they are taken out and ajowed to cool, a little venthole being punched in each and afterwards filled up with solder. This is to let out any particle of air that remains to cause decay. Finally the labels are pasted on and the provisions ure ready for market, capabie of last- ing fresh for years. But you must never buy a can that shows any symptoms of duiging; for that is a sign of gases developed by decomposi- tion inside, owing to improper packing. If the stuff to be canned has to be cooked before it is packed in the cans, a final touch of the oven is given to the cans after they are filled, and the rest of the process is as in the other case. Much of the filling of cens—as in the instance of beans—is done with incredible rapidity by ma- chine, and without the intervention of human hands. very kind of game— CHLORIDE OF ZIXC. Nothing seems to have been heard lately of the awful scare that was stirred ap three or four years ago about chloride of zinc, an appreciable quantity of which poison gets into every can “Aa wonderful thing is clover. It means honey ‘and cream; that is to say, industry and content- ment, that is to say, the happy bees In perfumed fields, and at the cottaze gate old Boss, the satisfaction’s cud, im that e é EE Hal i u | ey i Ey meat, carelully prepared with | vent baptisms | atly de- | the thous- | The | From New | with beef ond red | RECEPTION, The True Account of a Nocturnal Epi+ soce on a Washington Back Fence. There are five of them altogether. One is @ tabby, and the four male cats are perched around her at the intersection of the fences. To an un observant person there would be no meaning Ip the situation described, notwithstanding the fact that it is between midnight and 1 o'clock in the morning; !t requires an adept versed in the mysteries of feline wooing to comprehend whag is going on. Listen! Do you bear that plaintive err, more like that of a young baby than any other sound in nature? How wonderfully alike are the Infant's whine and the pussy’s miaouw at a ‘little distance, by the way! It is the appeal with which the youth- fal Thomas, newly introduced, addresses the furry mistress of his heart. He says: “Marianmnr, it is true that 1am but a fledgling, and that is the on why 1, not called upon you ere mother, you know, has objected to m, evenings, because she did Vate diss pated habits, like some Besides, the fei are often so quar- Telsome that she feared lest my beautiful ears might be torn or glossy Maltese fur thinned out in spots, or my lovely song tall chewed off Bat 1 have long adored you trom area railiag, and, now that l old and nearly growa up, I've ° to offer my compliments and devotion, MISTRESS TABBY'S ch it is tobe correctly inferred it cats, like youths of the human g in self-appreciation. if any night when puss is OU Will perceive readily that be is talking about bimseif is Mistress Tabby herself with- t her own Charms. yawns, behind ber little have so many admirers Ty night until daybreak on this fene it wust be that 1 am very pretty, and, to tell the truth, it has frequentiy been re marked in my hearing that my coat was a most | You will pay att | xiving voce in so H the ton tingly exquisite Lortoise shell, my eyes of real emerald | and my mittens like Of my own beaaty, howev occurs tome to think, thoug! of cours Mr. Grimaikin, how dare y Spt! sj THAT INVETERATE TABBY-KILLER, Mr. G., seated on the fence-section opposite that occupied by young Thomas, has impudently | attempted to imprint a sandpapery kiss upon | one ot the velvet mittens referred to, and has got his ears boxed for his pains. The other fel- lows s: a poses as a masher; but as notion arises merely from the fact ty isalways so immaculately attired | and Idoks so particularly well in the evening with his biack coat and becoming white waist- | coat. In this tr at all events, he is suf™- apses at once into the ie Couversation is resumed tact- n Mr. Y. Topaz, No. 3, among ase first nome has always been a though the envious as- t the rt his color. “Fatrest Mariar-rr golden huelam. I beard mine host at my cings say today that I weuld pan out 2 carats at the assay office. Bethink you of the advantages of weaith and aristocratic surround- ings. I have always slept on a ded of down, | lived in that superb corner house, with servants to wait and had the cream off the milk he was fonnd on a snow bank in De- radely interrupts the disgruntied “with his eves scarcely open and his i he sits oa the stump of e deficiency, w-wow liar!” responds Mr, Grimalkin, tail so badly fre hide t it now b Topaz, indigna MR. ALL “Come oif the n joins Mr. Grim, little bailad ot n | Tabby here, and the ke Did you listen now “1 st ATE HEARD FROM. old Cholera Morbus,” re- ‘and be quiet while I sing@ y own composition for Mistress scalled “Over the Fence is Out,” isahigh C from the chest. hear me strike it? Well, Just not 1 be charmed, Mr. Grimalkin,” says i tries to look enraptured, as an ear- riek vibrates upon the still night air pace of three or four seconds. is the ke remarks Mr. G.. pans: ithout noticing the appearance of @ min white at the second-story win- d wer 4 i, i's quite enough!” exclaims Mr. Topaz. I shouid say so!" joins in young Mr. Thomas, “If he tries any more of it on us Clt‘ump him inthe neck and bespangle his dude waistcoat wid mu adds the une-eyea cat with the tera ears and raged fur, who has not joined in the conversation since the cther three wooers ar- rived, “Why, Mr. Alleygate—how can you!” “Dat's my size. 1 ain't no lah-de-dah, but I can kuock the stuffin’ out o’ dese chumps, an* I'm goin’ ter do it right now. Takedat!” Biff! Mow-wow! Spt! Spt! Wow-ow-ow-ow! Spt! | Cw-wow-miaouw! The air is fail of flying fur and feline cuss- words fora minute or two, Thea there is an | appail yell in choras, and Mistrets Tabby and | her four levers are suddenly thrown, kicking | and biting, into the air by some tremendous in- | visivle force. It is a Star reporter in his night- | gown at the second-story window who has | closed the circuit of his electric cat-disperser by | Joining two wires that connect with a zinc plage } at the in ction of the fences. The concert is daished in that back yard for the night, coe MEALS AT SECOND-HAND, How A Washington Woman Puts Broken Victuals to Profitable Use. “I haven't the slightest objection to giving you the waste food from my house,” said the lady to the old beggar woman, “but my servant telis me that you come for it every morning with the big market basket you have now on your arm filled to the brim with all sorts of broken provender, and 1 am puzzied to know what you do with it all. Let me see what you have in there now. Why, there's a day's pro- Visions in it for three or four families! And yet you are begging for more. Surely you cannot sell the stuff? “No, ma'am,” replied the mendicant. “Since yez are a rale leddy,I don't moind tellin’ yez that I kape a boardin’ house.” “A boarding house!” “Yis, ma'am; for colored gintlemen that worruks about the wharves. It's not the Job at all fer meself, that was widdy to @ bharrad wurrikin’ man; but, sure, he lay down ina mud puddie wan night, whin comin’ home from a wake, and was drownded in six inches of wather. So here | am, tryin’ to make a dacint livin’ by feedin’ a lot ay cannibals at @ dollar and twinty-foive cints a week, wid lunches ex- try; an’ tl “That is to say, house every until you have filled this huge market basket——” “and that's me supply av pervisions fer twinty-four hours, If me marnin's foragin’ is poor, it's a slim day wid the boarders; I can't go to fill up me =, at the Cinter market wid porterhouse steak an’ peratees, at wan-twinty- five a week. Th’ cannibals is in luck that I don't fail back on the swill bar'l.” aye afterall, you must get not a little really food?” “Pilnty ay It, ma'am. Me boarders live on the fat av the land. It's only in the fash'nable part av the city that Ido me fo f vittles that’s i gx i a beefsteak just a two baker's loaves, in the winter, whin et ig i E I k 5 if ni fe i z 4 i