Evening Star Newspaper, March 15, 1890, Page 8

et =. THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON. D. C., SATURDAY. 15, 1890-TWELVE PAGES. SIDE RIGGED SHELLS. Some Radical Changes in the Methods of Rowing in Regattas. THE SEAT OF THE FUTURE. See ‘The Coming Amcrican Heat te be a Cedar Built Sheli-The Oblique Bell- ing Side Rig and Its Advantages— Hinw to Amateurs. geen Written for Tax Evawree Stam: MERICAN yachts men lead the world. almost uniformly met with defeat. They have en- countered not bet- ter men, but boats built on a different method thatwas far ae abead of our own. ‘This has been all the more apparent from the fact that many of the amateur crews on the Thames showed they were able to give the water to our professionals. Now all this is going to be changed. Qur oarsmen were slow to change their methods. They didn’t want to imitate the Englishshells. They experimented a good deal with different models of boats at home and tried various kinds of rowing gear. The erack professionals were quick to grasp the idea that the lightest and swiftest shells were of cedar and that very much depended upon the rig. Others, principally amateurs, clang to papier-mache boats for singles and doubles. And so the war between paper and wood went on, in an intermittent fashion, each side hav- ing ite advocates. Yule, Harvard and the col- leges generally took a languid interest in it and gave more attention to training than to the material or rig of the boats. A REVOLUTION IN BOATING METHODS. There isa prospect that the coming season will witness a rovolution in American boating methods. Racing clubs everywhere are inter- esting themselves in the new departure, which promises to change not only the rig of our racing shells but the general lines of the boats to some extent. The old-fashioned sliding seat set in grooves has given way to the roller seat which moves on wheels, It is no longer to be in the center of the boat immediatly over the keel, but on the side. and it will have an oblique motion to correspond with the natural motion of the body in the boat. ‘WITH THIS IMPROVED sIDE-nIG, which will be different in many respects from the English, the leading crews will row next summer. Many of the oldest oarsmen opposed the change at first, just as they opposed the introduction of the adjustable rowlock and the sliding seat years ago, but they have come to regard the new rig in a different light since Seeing it in use by experts on the Harlem and by some of the college crews. The sweeps used with the new rig are of the Donohue pat- tern, those for shells being 12 feet long and 22x7 inches at the blade. The blade in the best is ribbed and grooved, so that it may have a better hold of the water. a plain blade often proving too flexible in strong tides, The sweeps for sculls are 9 feet long. the blade be- ing the same as inthe shells. They are all made of spruce. fuily seasoned. These have the largest blades of any oar yet designed, all authorities agreeing that the man with the larger blade has the better leverage. PAPER OR CEDAR BOATS. American oarsmen are still undecided whether paper or cedar is the better material for racing shells. At the present time there is not one eight-oared shell of wood of American make in use in this country. On the other hand very nearly all the sing! nd doubles are of cedar. The great champions, with one exception, have all won their victories mm shells of wood. Haglan, Teemer, O'Connor and Searle wou'd think of using no other kind than eedar-built shells, while Courtney, who clung to the paper boat, has met with very indiffer- ent success, All the championship races are now rowed in wooden boats, * oFig. 1: A—Amidships line; B-Line of bow; C— Stern section; D—Dranch st stern (with ine 180 pounds each): FDraft at the bo conditions). Fa? ‘ction lar boat (showing brace. Fig: 3: Section of paver bot (showing braces). “There have been many drawbacks to the building of wooden eight-oared shells in this country,” said one of the best-known of cedar boat builders yesterday. “In an eight you have so much more length and stiffness to cal- culate on. and itis here where the great dif- ference between the paper and the wooden boat comes in. The papier-mache boat, being differently braced and so much more flexible, gives to the pressure and does not retain in the Water the same form it has when seen on dry Jand. Itrags at every point, and the section, if it could be seen when the crew are aboard, would seem baglike. I might compare it to a bandbox or to india-rubber, as far aa its ability to retain the correct shape ia concerned. Of course this has a great deal to do with retard- ing speed and acts as a handicap on a racing crew.” DEFECTS AND ADVANTAGES, Experienced oarsmen find that the paper shell, being sharp as a knife fore and aft, bur- rows in the water, a peculiarity not found in cedar boats. The sides of has ars of the paper boat are braced from the keel to the gunwale by iron braces, and even these are insufficient to keep it from taking the brine at nose and stern. A boat of cedar gives evenly all around and does not change its shape in the — — teure say that © gigs compare favorably with other teas in thelr racing qualities; but this opinion is not shared by professionals. The ideal English racing shell is of cedar; in- deed no other material is used by the London rowing club, other crack English organizations and the Cambri and Oxford crews in ther annual regattas. Clasper, the most famous boat builder on the globe, makes all his shells of cedar. His eights are the model of the aquatic world and hesends them everywhere. There are afew Clasper-built shells in this country, in ue te all ay om 1 = rowed races mes, such as mn the champion double-team scullers; Bank: man and Palatt. another crack double team; Stevens of the New York Athletics, and David Koach, the veteran instructor of the New York club men in aquatics. | peer oe in remas and —_ with eavy freightage her displacemen! of an inch from oteas to stern Ieee a ir boat. pounds. Her section amidships is the same that of most of lish race boats, ig will be used, ins! ofthe center-rig, as now followed in the American boate, At first she will be tried on the Harlem and then en- tered in some of the big matches of the c season if she fulfills expectations. THE SIDE RIG. The side-rig isa new thing in racing shells. By placing the sliding seats to the sides alter- nately, instead of right above the keel as hitherto, a greater purohase is secured by the oarsmen and the motion is more natural than in the former method. Crack crews like the Gramercys, the Nonpareils, the Atalantas, the New York Athletics and Empires are watching the result of the experiment with much inter- est, andthe general adoption of the side-rig for racing § seems a foregone conclu- sion. It will be some time, however, before it can be taken up by novices for the reason that with the si it isa very delicate matter to trim the boat, and only an expertcrew can work with the steadiness that is essential to racing form, It is an English idea and it has given new wrinkle to American boat uilders.” who are now experi- menting with a rig which has the seats placed on the side and at an angle fifteen de- grees off the straight line of the boat and in- ward, to follow the natural motion of the bod: atthe oar. This innovation is regarded with some hesitation by professional oarsmen; but those who have experimented with it say it is bound to come, and that the racing shell of the future will have the side rig pointing inward and will beat the speed of the present models several seconds to the mile. Today the fastest time in the world is made in English boats, which have beaten the best American shells five seconds on a 4-mile course on the Thames. This was done in a contest between English amateurs and American professionals. But the coming American boat, our oarsmen confi- dently assert, will be able with its oblique side- rig to outswim the English by at least an equal distance, LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN COST. ‘There is little difference in the cost of wooden and paper boats, Every club that now rowson w York, New England and southern waters has shells of both materials, and as far as en- durance, utility and cost for Fepair are con- cerned theyare about equal. The Atalantas, the crack New York club and the amateur champions of the United States, say that the papier-mache craft are more easily,repaired when injured than the cedar boats, * A paper boat can be patched almost anywhere and no one would know that it had been damaged. A wooden boat shows its patches and is always weakest where it has been inended. It is not nearly so liable to injury, however, as the paper shell, which suffers from sbrasions, ex- posure and the action of the water, the latter sometimes reducing parts of the shell to a puipy condition. ait <i > 2 Se 1. Fight-oared wooden shell with side rig; 2. Cedar coaching shell, canvas covered. with four buikheads, “A good cedar eight with full set of sweeps and side-rig will cost 2500,” said a prominent boat builder. “A paper one of the same di- mensions—that is, about sixty feet by twenty- two inches beam—might be had for a little less. I regard the paper boats just as good for all ordinary purposes as the best wooden ones, but for racing it lacks the stiffness necessary to great speed. This defect might be remedied by making the boats of thicker material. They would be heavier, of course, but not a great deal. The thickness of a papier-mache shell and acedar one is about equal—probably an eighth of an inch all around except at the rein- forced parts near the rowlocks.” One of the prettiest little craft shells seen in many a day has just been built for Van Raden, the coach of the Atalanta club, for his own use while instructing his crews next season. She weighs only 35 pounds, is canvas-covered, built of the best cedar, fitted with the English rig and is calculated to carry a weight of 400 pounds in addition to two bulkheads full of water, if necessary. Her length is 36 feet, beam 18 inches. A craftof the same design and by the same builder was built for James J. Tighe, a noted amateur, and on several oc- casions he filled it with water and sat in it, vet it floated. There are four bulkheads in this style of boat. On one occasion Geo. Johnston made a 200-mile Seat on the ovean in Tighe’s boat, and Wallace Ross, the famous oarsman, said he would engage to cross the Atlantic in her if the stakes were big enough. A shell of this miniature would cost one hundred dollars, Georce H. Sanpisox, GAMBLING IN THE CLUBS. Only Play of a Sunday School Descrip- tion Permitted in Washington. “The fashionable clubs of Washington are model schools of morals and deportment for youths and elders,” said a society man to a Stak reporter the other day. ‘Whereas in the clubs of NewYork, Boston and other cities gambling is alarmingly prevalent, being often carried to a dangerous excess, here it is strictly prohibited within the walls of four ex- clusive social establishments for gentlemen. Once upon a time play for money became an abuse in the Metropolitan club and it was found necessary to puta stop to it perempto- rily and finally. Rules in that house now are very strict indeed on the subject, only such harmless games as ‘mumblety peg’ in the back yard and ‘old maid’ in the card room being per- mitted. “How is it at the Cosmos?” “The Cosmos is the only one of the clubs that has no rules against gambling and this is be- cause it doeens need any. Its members are most of them not gay or frivolous youths but rather men of gravity and attainment, who have no natural addiction to sportive enjoy- ments. Whist for moderate points they may indulge in somewhat, but certainly nothing more wicked, You would not surely think it worth while to establish regulations for pro- tecting the virtue of a college of vestals!"* “The same remark would apply also to the Meridian club, I suppose?” “Possibly. "Nevertheless there are very stringent rules in force at the Meridian club against all dangerous games, In this category are definitely enumerated poker, faro, vingt-et- un, rouge-et-noir and baccarat, the notion be- ang to forbid all cumulative betting, or.in other words,the risking of sums not fixed in advance. At the game of hearts, for instance, one may lose thirteen chips and not more on one band, whereas at poker he might Vaghs with $1,000,000 or more on one ‘pot’ if only the betting went on long enough. I myself consider that such regulations are most admirable. Poker—and that is, of course, the most dangerous game aud the one against which the rules ure chiefly aimed—will destroy almost any club within a surprisingly short time. Men are tempted by its seductions to play beyond their means, and that naturally leads to playing on credi Some fellows get hopelessly in debt to othe: credit is injured—debts of honor being found uncoltectable—and breaches of friendship re- sult. Actual squabbles over the game, too, occur from time to time, some men being unable to lose with good temper; players become de- moralized through habitual addiction to the amusement and disaster ensues, Ask any man who has seen unrestricted poker operating in aclub and he will tell you the sume.story. Of course it is one thing to have reguiatious in a club against gambling and quite another thing some: to enfore them; but in Washington clubs they really do enforce them, and mem- bers who want to ‘poke’ must doit outside, The same condition of affairs is found in the Athletic club, So, on the whole, you must admit that W: clubs are very desirable institutions for prudent mammas to place their ‘sons in the care of.” ——__—_. Written for Tax Evexrxe Stan, Villanelle.—No More. ‘The soul is sunk in grief profound By these fow words—their gloomy lore— No more—no more!—how sad the sound! When rent the bonds that closely bound Our hearts to dear ons heretwfore, ‘The sou! is sunk in grief profound. When love grows cold, and, on the ground, Lie dead the flowers for us he bore— ‘No more—no more!—how sad the sound! ‘When youth has flown, and age from ‘round Our brows tears off the wreaths we wore, ‘The soul is sunk in grief profound. ‘When, as life's thorns our bosoms wound, ‘Our hopes wax faint, and joys areo'er— ‘No more—no more!—how sad the sound! THE MAN OF THE MACE The Sergeant-at-Arms of the House and His Duties. “WHIPPING-IN” ABSENTEES. The Officer Who Has to Bring Unraly Membersto Order—Purse Bearer and General Constable—His Office at the Capitol. ——.___ HILE fetichism is not practiced in the House the only thing which com- mands absolute re- spect and obedience is a deco- rated log of wood. The mace is mightier than the gavel. The gavel appeals for order; the mace enforces it, The gavel, unsupported by the mace, isa feeble thing—a mere mallet, which may have its head hammered off in inef- fectual rage without com- manding respect if the carved and eagle-crowned stick of ebony stands not on end at the Speaker's right hand. This symbol of authorty stands on its pedestal with solemn dig- nity during the sessions of the House and when there is an }° adjournment or the House goes into the committee of the whole the sergeant-at-arms carries it carefully out, At the opening of the session in the morning the mace is brought in and placed on its pedestal, Its presence lends dignity to the assem- blage and preserves order and decorum. No member would be guilty of disrespectful de- meanor toward it, however much he might feel at liberty to abuse the Speaker or any other mere man. He might insult the Speaker or other officer of the House with impunity, but any willful disrespect shown toward the mace would at once endanger his seat in the House. When Congress was first created the necessity of having something that all men would hold in awe and reverence was recognized, and this effigy of authority was made of ebony, bound with silver and surmounted by a globe and eagle with spread wings, and it was baptized with authority and made a silent, inanimate ruler of the House, When the Capitol was burned in 1814 one of the greatest losses was of this parliamentary god. A MACE OF PAINTED PINE. When the House was next to meet there was much consternation because it had been de- stroyed and there was no parliamentary god- head of authority. In their exigency they got up a false god, made of nothing more sacred than ordinary pine wood, which they painted and stained to make it look like the real. This fulse god reigned over the House until the one now in power was procured and then the painted one was destroyed. The sergeat-at- arms is a sort of priest in attendance upon this fetich. He guards it with care when it is not performing its functions; he polishes the silver ands that binditand the silver eagle and globe that surmount it, and he carries it around on the floor of the House when its august pres- ence is uecessary to enforce order. He carries it before him with both hands and no member hes the hardihood to atand up be- fore it orto be guilty of indecorous conduct when it commands order. Brought in the midst of excited members, who are casting all thought of rules to the winds, it is like the sound of the Angelus, Members bow their heads before it and drop back into their seats, ‘The sergeant-at-arms of the House, armed with this effigy of authority, is avery important personage, and is mighty When the Speaker is powerless. ‘To call upon him is the last resort of the Speaker when he finds it impossible to preserve order. THE SEARGENT-AT-ARMS’ OFFICE, But the function he is least often called Upon to perform is that of preserver of order in the House. The occasions are rare when the sergeant-at-arms has been called upon to make boisterous members be- have themselves, Tho position in which he is most favorably known and most intimately as- sociated with the mem- bers is as their banker. His office is fitted up as abanking house and is , situated most conven- iently for members on the same floor with the hall of the House in the southeast corner of the building, with the ele- vator passing by the 86T.-AT-ARMS HOLMES, door. In this “bank there is done a business of about $1,650,000 per year. All the members draw their money through this office and the sergeant-at-arms handles that much money in the course of a twelve- month. The office is in the room formerly oceupied by the appropriations committees. It is divided off by a high wire screen, in front of which are the bracket writing desks and racks holding blank checks usual in banks. Be- hind the screen, at the little circular-topped teller's window, with a glass door, let down so as to leave a crack large enough only to hand outa thin package of ‘bills, stand the cashier and paying teller, At their elbows is an im- mense iron safe, whose doors, flung open in the day time, disclose the compartments in which the money is kept. A large amount of money is not usually kept there, for the reason that but s month's pay forall the members is drawn from the treasury usually at one time and comparatively few members are in the habit of Jetting their pay go long uncollected. Mr. sil- cott’s strange disappearance caught a few mem- bers with accumulated accounts there,one or two for even a whole year;but very few members now allow their accounts to accumulate. When the monthly pay of the members falls due this office looks like the office of the disbursing clerk in one of the departments, Members are assembled in groups drawing out their cash, and sometimes, perhaps, their landladies are waiting in the corridors to share in the result of this financial transaction, The members who do not need their montiily allowance as it comes due to meet their running expenses are few. THE SANCTUM. ‘The member’s transaction with the sergeant- at-arm’s office is usually though the teller's window, but back of the inclosure for the money is another wire inclosure where is the desk of the sergeant-at-arms, Within this in- closure is a fireplace where glows a comforta- ble log in winter time and there is room for half a dozen or more members to sit about and talk, Here in times gone by good fellows among the members have sat and told stories while the business dragged in the House, Here shrewd politicians have sat in conference and talked of matters entirely private, It is by the courtesy of the sergeant-at-arms that any one is admitted to this sanctum, but that officer usually has many friends and he is seldom alone. The sergeant-at-arms himself does not handle the money much, but has a cashier who is responsible to him—as Silcott was to Lee- dom—ard he in turn is responsible to the House. As custodian of the funds the sergeant- at-arms gives bonds in $50,000. He requires a similar bond from his cashier anda bond of $25,000 from the paying teller. The defalcation of Silcott has not brought about any change in the system of handling the finances of the House. The members still sign their receipts before they get their pay and draw from the sergeant-at-arms by check, either for the full amount due them at once or a little at a time as they need it, OTHER DUTIES. Besides being guardian of the dignity and decorum of the House the sergeant-at-arms is @ sort of general United States marshal, He issues subpoenas and secures the attendance of witnesses before committees, When special committees go traveling for purposes of inves- tigation or on a “junket,” as is sometimes said, the sergeant-at-arms or his representative ‘oes along as purse bearer, settles all the bills, eeps them su with witnesses and things and himself useful PI e8 When these excursions are “PAIRS” AND ARSENTERS. ‘The deputy has also assumed the duty of keeping absent members “paired,” aud during full. When a font p wanted in the House and is not be found the deputy sergeant-at- arms is supposed to know just where to tind the absentees and is sent out to fetch them from their places of concealment. Mr. A. J. Holmes, the present sergeant-at- arms, took office shortly after the meeting of this Congress and before that was a Represent- ative in the House from Iowa for six years. His predecessor, Mr. Leedom, was also an ex- Representative. —_—_—._____ WITH A CAPITOL ELEVATOR MAN. Queer Traveling Companions on the Up and Down Trips. ALWAYS GOING THE WRONG WAY FOR SOME FOLKS—A GOOD PLACE TO CATCH DODGING MEMBERS—NERVOUS WOMEN AND TIMID BRIDES—OOUPLES FROM THE BACK DISTRICTS. “Up” “Down.” “Up.” “Pshaw!” A tug at the lever and up goes the elevator, while the impatient passenger looks through the fancy iron work and scrapes his feet on the marble floor. “Down?” “Up.” “Down.” “Bah!” ‘The elevator drops down and another disap- Pointed passenger that would be sends a deep- toned muttering down after it. A fat woman with two lean daughters and a small husband comes running along the corri- dor waving an umbrella at the elevator man to stop in his aerial flight. “Stop; I want to go down,” she wheezes between short breaths, “Going up,” saya the elevator man, as he gives the lever a pull, “Be down in a minute, madam.” The little husband looks up into the frowning face of his majority, while the lean daughters peep into the committee room and giggle. ‘Well, Ido declare this is the most pods thing in the worid, to run the way I ad to run with all my weight, and the eleva- tor going the wrong way. I'd discharge that man if I had my way aboutit. I know he does iton purpose. He does itevery time. It is ‘Up’ when I want to go down and ‘Down’ when Iwant to go up. I'll report him to my mem- ber.” And the old lady grinds the point of her umbrella into the joints of the marble floor and thinks ail the othor things she would like to say. THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE ELEVATOR MAN. Through it all the House elevator man smiles and bobs up and down, crying at every landing: “Down? Down? Down?” or “Up? Up? Up?” He takes his ups and downs with a smil- ing philosophy and makes a study of human nature in motion. “Curious people? Well, yes; all sorts of peo- ple, Mr, Sra,” said the elevator man as a STAR cope settled inacorner for a round-trip ride. ‘Lord knows how many ride with me in aweek, They are young and old, men and women, children and young girls, The young girls—well, there are lots of them. Some of them not as young as they look ata distance either, I take people up and I take them down who have come from all parts of the country— from the cities and from the backwoods and I hear them talk—in snatches, Ihave come to the conclusion that there are lots of queer things in human nature—especially in an ele- vator.” 4 POPULAR PLACE FOR FLIRTING. Now, you would not believe it,;but there is no such other place for flirting as in a Capitol ele- vator. Why, I take folks in at the top floor and before they get to the second story down they have become acquainted, and by the time they get to the basement they are ready to take tunch together, Somehow girls seem to like to ride in an elevator. Some of them come here every day that the House is in session and you could not count the times that they ride up and down. And thoy always squeal when the ele- vator starts aud catch their breath when it stops, and say, “Oh, my!” They generally like it best when it is crowded. They will stand at the grating and watch until the elevator is full, Then they will get on and generally find it is going the wrong way after it has ‘started, and they have to ride the roundtrip. Some of them want to go back and forth more particu- larly BETWEEN ONE AND TWO O'CLOCK. Why? I don’t know; but that is the time members are going to their lunch, You see there is this thing about an elevator you may not have thought of before. If some one wants to see a member, whether that some one is a man or a woman and the member will not come out for a card, the elevator is the last resort. If they cap get the member in the elevator he can't get away from them between floors and they can manage on these slow elevators to get in a great many words while the poor man is in the air, Take these ‘old ones,’ who know a thing or two. They will lie in wait for a mem- ber to get in this car and then in they will pile and catch him. He is at the mercy of his tor- mentor until the car strikes bottom. And then he rushes through the corridor, dragging the tormentor at his button hole, BRIDES AND NERVOUS OLD WOMEN. “Brides and gooms? Well, they aren't half as bad as the old women. The bride is apt to do a little squealing when we start, but when they have got crowded back in a corner and he is holding her so she won't fall they are quiet enough and no more trouble than a bundle of rags, The person I never like to see is the nervous old woman who weighs about two hundred and is afraid to step on the car, but is sure she would rather ride than walk up the steps. She steps very carefully on, then jumps back and tells me to be sure not to let it’go till she is well on, Then she tries again and lands in the middle of the elevator with a frightened look on her face, When we get half way down she is sure it is going to give way and wants to gobackat once. When the car stops sho screams, and after two minutes of palpitation discovers that it was up, not down, she wanted to go and she would like me to suspend work long enough to tell her where she is, COUPLES FROM THE COUNTRY. “Some times folks come here and want to know how much we charge for a ride. A young couple from the country stood near the door watehing the elevator go up and down for nearly half an hour, He stood and looked at the thing doubtfully, while she pulled his leove and looked up into his face in a pleading sort of way. Onceas I went down I heard him say “I can’t afford it.” But after awbile her pleading got the best of him and he watched an opportunity to ask how much for a ride one way. I asked him where he was from and he toldme, “Why,” [said, “That 1s Mr. 's district. He never lets us charge any of his constituents, When they found it did not cost anything they rode the round trip twice and she sat close up to him, looking perfectly happy all the while. “I have mever kept an account of the people we carry in a day, but there are lots of them, Ithink, though, that I have nanled more peo- ple up and down ty the galleries and back ‘this session than J ever did in the same length of time before. Ladies? Most of them are ladies, About two to one! reckon. This isan attractive Congress for ladies, somehow. I never saw them come so before.” The Used to Be. Beyond the purple, hazy tree: Of summer's utmost boundar! Beyond the sands—beyond the seas— Beyond the range of eyes like these, And only in the reach of the Enrapwured guze ot Memory, ‘There lies a land, long lost to me,— ‘The land of Used-to-be. A land enchanted—such as swung In golden seas when sirens clung Along their dripping brinks, and sung ‘To Jason in that mystic tongue ‘That dazed men with its melody— Oh, such a land, with such a sea, Kissing its shores eternally, Is the fair Used-to-be. A Jand Whore music over girds ~ Phe air with belts of singing birds, And sows ail sounds with such sweet words, ‘That even in the lowing herds A meaning lives so sweet to me, ergata een negat immed o'er wi e ‘frre old Used-to-be. and the whistled tunes th of crescent and guedunresns mews Sree coolest, greenest say plots isBoesed Ss wits Norget este — And all ye blooms that Litt your taces up to me Out of the kiss in thee ‘The lips of Used-to-be, love and with wet es “a the Aen, perfumes ri Ger my soul a llence Hew IN TROPICAL CLIMES. The Interesting Public Squares in a South American Capital. SAUNTERINGS IN BOGOTA. Streets Without Carriages—Effects of the Climate—Piagns of Historic Inter- est—A Wonderfal Cathedral—Hard- Hearted Women and Their Children, ——_— From Tax St4n’s Traveling Commissioner. Boaora, Corowa, 1890. HIS ancient capital has more than the usual number of plazas, or public squares, and as each one of them plays an important part in the life of the city let us devote this sunny midwinter Morning to visiting them all, I cannot ask you to accompany me en coche, for there are no carriages to be hired in this hilly town, The bishop, Iam told, ownsgne and so do two or three other wealthy citizens, but those ex- pensive vehicles aro kept more for show than for use, as few people are brave enough to risk broken wheels, not to mention broken bones, in being jolted over those irregular streets, whose slippery stones slant to-vard the deep gutters in the middie, into which the wheels are bound to slide, unless one drives pell-mell, regardless of consequences, The horse cars, however, in their devious meanderings through the principal streets, will convey us safely on most ot our sight-sce- ing tour; and a little walking, if taken slowly, will be a pleasure, where every step reveals something new, quaint and picturesque. The spryest pedestrian soon learns to walk leis- urely in these high altitudes of the far south, where rapid exercise is sure to be followed by that distressing complaint called sirroche,which means a violent palpitation of the heart, a rush of blood to the head, inducing dizziness, and often hemorrhage trom the nose and ears, In these equatorial regions, you know, and especially in high places, the winter time of the north is by far the pleasantest season of the year. The air is as balmy as that of a Canadian June, the skies blue as those of “Naples, the beautiful,” refreshing showers fall nearly every night, and fruits and flowers are at their very best. In this delight- ful weather, then, while the friends at home are shivering around their firesides, we ought to enjoy our paseo (as a walk or excursion is here called) among the flowery parks of Bogota, unburdened by wraps and armed with fans and parasols, THE PRINCIPAL PLAZA, named in honor of the patriot, Simon Bolivar, whose statue stands in the middle, comes first in our way, It occupies the exact center of the town and extends eighty meters in every di- rection. The ‘counterfeit presentment” of the liberator, the colossal statue in bronze, is a magnificent work, which was executed by the celebrated sculptor Tenerami and presented to Colombia (then New Granada) by Senor Jose Iguacio Paris, a gentleman prominent in local olitics, who at that time had the presidential ee buzzing loudly in his bonnet. ‘The figure is attired in the alleged military costume which nobody on earth ever wore but statues, its trailing robe, something like that which disfigures the marble caricature of poor Lincoin in the Capitol at Washington, a cross between Roman toga, Spanish cloak and bed sheet, adorned with elaborate embroidery, The head is uncovered, the right hand hoids a rapier, and on the breast is a beautiful medal- lion of George Washington, the father of republics, ™ SoLtvan’s IDEA, The great Bolivar, Colombia’s firstypresident, who did so much toward shaping the destinies of South America, and in whose honor the Re- ublic of Bolivia was named, was a genius in is day. The congress of the nations of the three Americas, which has lately been making the grand tour of the United States, was the outcome of an idea originated by him as far back as the year 1821. At that time the several sections of Spanish America had just achieved their independence and were for the most part organized into republics, but on no substantial basis, and it was justly feared that the freedom they had won at the expense of so much blood- shed might any day be wrested from them, A scheme was even then on foot tor forming a monarchial conspiracy to resubjugate the lately emancipated Spanish colonies, and would doubtless have succeeded had a less powerful man than Bolivar been at the fore. He urged the doctrine of “AMERICA FOR THE AMERICANS” and suggested a conference of all the American powers—North, South and Central—to be held at Panama, the middle point. The proposal found favor in the United States, but there was some hitch in the arrangements made to com- ply with the invitation, For one thing, the lace of meeting was ill-chosen, the climate of ‘unama, though not objectionable to the South and Central Americans, who are accustomed to it, being deadly to those from the far North, ‘Two delegates were sent from the United States to that early congress, but one of them died on the way, and the other, owing to some delay in transit, found on his arrival at Panama that the conference had adjourned some days before. ‘The idea did not die out, however, and after President Gartield’s inauguration it again took definite One of Secretary Blaine’s first acts was to issue invitations to Mexico and the Central and South American governments to meet in Washington, After Garfield’s untimely death Mr, Blaine’s successor recalled the invita- tions and the project again slumbered until a few weeks before the expiration of President Cleveland's term, when Secretary Bayard pre- sented the matter to Congress, the invitations were reissued and the result we know. THIS HISTORIC SPACE, which has rejoiced under various names during the last three centuries and is now most com- monly known as the ‘Plaza de la Constitucion,” has been the scene of many stirring events. From its breast has emanated the growth of art, science, religion and liberty. Most of the wars that have rent the old town, from the time of the conquest down to the latest revolution— each marking an epoch in colonial history, or in that of New Granada, or Colombia—have be- gun and ended here, Here Quesada unfurled, for the first time, the blood-red banner of Spain above the symbol of the cross, During more than two hundred years of vice-regai rule it witnessed the workings of slavery, of the inqui- sition, the stake and the scaffold. Here Bolivar unrolled the flag of freedom; and then followed the troublous times of the New Granadian gov- ernment, out of which, through the sacrifice of many lives, a more definite form of republican- ism was at length evolved. The government “palacio,” which occupies one side of this plaza, is by no’ means so imposing an edifice as its name implies. Indeed, its whitewashed walls could hardly be distinguished from those of ad- jacent private residences were it not for the Colombian colors floating from its roof and s couple of uniformed sentinels pacing before the entrance, THE CATHEDRAL, On another side of the same square is the great cathedral, a wonderful structure as to size but not much to boast of in the line of architectural symmetry. It was begun — after the episcopal see of Bogota was foun in 1563, I believe); but its original buiiders id not seem to understand their business very well, for the whole pile tumbled down, kil scores of people in its fall, on the very’ day is was to have been consecrated. About thirty ears later the work was recommenced under ihe direction of a clever Capuchin monk named Domingo Perez, He died before his designs had been entirely carried out, and, many alter- ations having been made at subsequent riods by as many different architects from signs of their own, the building has a singularly mongrel look. ax opp sTRUcTURE. Its facade rests upon a basement of equare hewn stones, slightly raised above the atrio. basement rise eye for .the side *doora, PY ip ning ay je entrance to the great central door ‘is be- tween two fiuted columns of the Ionic order, Above the first story runs an and immediately beiow the » niches over the side e carved and pe, Oe a stuccoed facade ends in iron cross set upon & end oer as cele towers, divided by a lars on their second story ee tower an aperture for the belis clock. Solin cont dome he’ ontegsl we emblazoned, Inside the old ey is dark, damp and gloomy beyond degree. Down each side runs 4 row of seats, which during service are occu- exclusively by men—all the women kneel- ing to the cold stone floor throughout the most lengthy masses. It is the old story—that females are expected to do all the praying im this wicked world, as if they were guilty of ull the sins thereof, while their male relatives look on complacently, intending to shp into heaven somehow through their intercessions A few of the more Sristocratic ladies bring rags SFoaduares of carpet, on which ther squat a ls Mohammedan when tired of knecling ‘The only remarkable thing about the interior of this cathedral is a really clegant pulpit, inlaid with tortoise shell and pure silver, but sur- rounded by the usual images of wax and wood, gaudy with tinsel and tissue flowers, PLAZA DE LAS ARMAS, Not far away from Bolivar'’s statne is the Plaza de las Armes, one hundred meters long and traversed from east to west by the San Au- "dew river. At each end of this park is a ridge over which runs a busy street, and ex- tending north and south on either side of the river are narrow avenues, always crowded with pedestrians, On the northeru bank is a pretty garden, of irregular shape because following the bends of the river, and on the opposite sides beyond another flowery space, stands the fine old church and former monastery of San Au- austin, Besides its religious history, which tes back nearly three centuries, this church is memorable for having withstood a siege of three days duration in the revolution of IS6L Though the building was mined in three places and the besieged were entirely w.thout foot and water they held out heroically until help came and the day was gained. Searcely second to this in historic interest is the Plagade los Martires (the martyrs)—so P cilors, soldiers and statesmon, shot by the Spaniards during the bitter straggle for inde- pendence, Again and again has it been del- | uged with human biood, which perhaps ac- counts for the fact that grass and tlowers seem to grow more rankly here than elxewhere, It has also been the scene of several autos des fes, | in those earlier days when Romish inquisitors had power to burn alive those who dared to in- eur their displeasure, THE PLAZA DE LA CAPUCHINA is surrounded on three sides by the swellest private residences and flanked onthe other by the College of Merced (“Mercy”) and the ancient church of the Capuchina, Straight through the middle of this plaza runs a river. shaded on both banks by tail, ugly eucalyptus trees, said to be the first ever planted in Co- lombia—imported hy the monks. whose favorite Promenade was aloug this stream atthe sun- set hour, Speaking of churches, one of the most cn- rious in Logota is that which shelters “Our Lady of the Cliff." Like other intensely Cath- oltec communities this has its miraculous virgin | which corresponds to the Mexican Guadalupe, the French Lady of Lourdes, the Spanish Vir- gin de los Remedois, or any other of the nu- merous forms in which the mother of Christ is suid to have re led herself to man. The “Lady of the Cliff” was discovered by an In- dian, carved on the face of an almost inacces- sible pree up in the mountains, With intinite labor and expense the solid rock upon which the miraculous carving appeared was cut away from the peak and carried to Bogota, where a church wa: ected in its honor. ‘Irue, there are heretics who hint that the wily priesthood, desiring to raise money from the poverty-stri 1» people for the building of a hew sanctuary, took this method of imposing upon their dulity and caused the be secretly carved by human banc faithful devoutly believe in its divine origin and prove it by numberless miracles whi “Stone Lady” has performed in curir eases, relieving the people of their disiresses and protecting them iu times of danger. THE ONLY PROTESTANT PLACE OF WORSHIP in Bogota is the Scotch Presbyterian mission house, which occupies a building that was originally constructed for a printing office. There are galleries along both sides and at the farther end are two very high windows above the raised platform which holds the reading desks and a rather squecky harmonium. The services are mostly conducted in Spanish, for the benefit of native converts, of whom, I am told, there are a Cousiderable number. And queer enough it sounds to hear the same old home tunes, endeared by so many associations — “Rock of Ages,” “Old Hundred,” Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” &c.—rendered with words of another tongue, and the Lord’s prayer repeated in concert by the congregation: Dar nos este dia nuestro pan, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Though Protestantism is tolerated in Colom- bia and even protected in a measure, in com- mon with all other forms of religion by the | “Liberal” government, it is regarded with hor- ror by the people at large, who consider souls jiven over to such heretical doctrines as lost yond redemption, DEAD HUMAN INSTINCTS, The maternal instinct is by no means want- ing in the lowest classes of South American women and many beautiful examples are seen of the mother love that will suffer all things for the sake of the helpless little ones; but among the more degraded the poor creatures have 80 many children and are so habitually hungry and hopeless that itis no wonder human instincts nearly die out of them. In some cases infants are utterly neglected and left to shift for themselves soon as able to walk, to live or die, “‘assi Dois quere” (as God wills), as their parents would piously remark if ques- tioned on the subject. An American tells me that he was riding one day in the suburbs when his horse accidentally ran over and killed a child that was lying asleep in the road, its dirty and naked brown body completely hidden in the sand, Of course he was stricken with horror and remorse, and hunting up the mother gave her all the money he happened to have about him (amounting to about $40) as a balm to assuage her grief. SHE WANTED MORE MONEY, A few days later, riding along the same road, he saw ahead of him another child squatted in the sand in precisely the spot where the other was 4illed. Dismounting to investigate he discovered that the little thing could not get out of the way, being securely tied in a flat basket. He did not run over any more babies you may be sure, but again sought the mother, who proved to be the same one to whom he had fetely given €40 and who appeared to be in waiting, and _ proceeded to bless her—back- wards—in good, round Yankee terms, for her relessness, whereupon the creature merely shrugged her shoulders and indicated in the most innocent and businesslike manner im- aginable thas it was more money she wanted, not the baby, amd that there were a number of other olive branches whom she would like to dispose of on similar terms, Throughout all Spanish America the deathof a child seems to be a matter of rejoicing rather than of sorrow—the idea being that the little one, not having arrived at years of discretion, must be without sin, and therefore is in no anger of the torments of purgatory; whereas, had it been permitted to live longer, “quein sabe” (who knows) what might have been its eternal future? The small corpse is spoken of by all as otra angelita, ‘another little angel.” It is decorated gaily with birds’ wings, flowers and bits of gaudy paper, kept in the house as long as possible, often a great deal too long, gad te tatormion’ to colebnaes by livel music, followed by a feast for all concerned and sometimes dancing, Faxxte B, Wap, Her Picture. Thank God, nochange or pain can ever come, ‘To that fair pictured face ou yonder wall, ‘With earnest eyes and lips forever dumb, ‘That loved and trusted me fh wll and all, Full many a time, when filled with deep unrest, 1 watched it in the lamplight’s quis gleam Until my soul with quiet was ‘And then it faded from me ina dream. Sw tly curving mouth, that to me left Tes last smilo in the last Kise that ane gave, ‘Then closed, to leave me utterly bereft, Until we meet again beyond the grave, Soft eyes, within the firelight’s fitful glow, I scarce can see you, sorrowful and deep; Age zor, in darknens, a6 in ight, I know never weary is the Watch you keep. Sweet brown 80 tender and Tdgubeif living epee could ever be uted | A Dissexrarox Ox Axrmoax WINES Tt ts Dow universally conceded by even the most fanatical teetotalers that a glass of thoroughly mea 2200 and 1 207 Penne. ave. aw. WASHINGTON, D. ©, am the sole agent for the Pasadena Wines apd Brandies fud sell at marvelously low prices Ihave received orders from rich and poor alike and all cheerfully ac- ‘Knowledge that the Pasadena Wines and Brandies are by far the best and purest in the District, notwith- standing the fact that my prices are the very lowest. 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