Evening Star Newspaper, June 21, 1890, Page 7

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1890—-SIXTEEN PAGEs, * 7 EUROPEAN CAUSERIE. Max O’Rell’s Chat About People and Customs on the Other Side. OLD AND NEW BOHEMIANS. ‘The French Society of Men of Letters and Its Object—Old Cheerfulness aud Modern Sadness of Society— Women in Germany. ——_—-__. Special Correspondence of the Evexrxe Stan. Loxpox, June 10. ARIS “Society of Men of Letters” has just given, for the benefit of its relief fund, a huge entertainment in which the stars of all the principal theaters have taken part. ‘This society is scarcely known outside of France, but it is the largest and richest of the kind in the world. With such a prop at his back, the man of letters is almost as safely provided against the proverbial rainy day as the economical bourgeois, who puts his small savings in the 3 per centa, But what a practical world it is getting! What is to become of that picturesque figure, the Bohemian? He must shortly disappear from off the face of the earth. The Society of Men of Letters is doing its best toward that end, for it steps in and does for its proteges the only thing that they could not do for themselves— take a little thought tor the morrow. It was often not difficult for the writer to earn by his pen enough to have kept him in comfort; but he was weak in finance and of comfort he got very Little for his money. Bat we are fast changing allthat. “The man of letters eats.” said Alphonse Karr many years ago. Nowadays he dines and often exceedingly well. He is getting to be quite of the opinion of artes. A noble friend, finding that sage one day ted before « luxurious repast, re- marked: ‘Well, Descartes, for a philosopher youseem about to dine very well.” Said Des- cartes: “My lord, do you think good things were only made for fools?” Time was when, the poor scrivener’s funds being low, he was content to take a cheap meal in a cheap restau- rant, consoling himself with the thought that be was getting local color for bis next story. Then there were haunts sacred to the frater- nity, where the absence of luxury was com- pensated for by the absence of profane out- siders and where he could exchange flashes of wit with his brethren over a bottle of wine and @savory stew or an omelet. Today the regen- erate creature goes to the Maison Doree, There are even to be found in these latter days writers who do not disdain to own # banking account. MILLIONS IN ITS COFFERS. The society which has done and is doing so much for the craft was founded forty years ago by Baron Taylgr, a rich philanthropist, and, so much has it been appreciated, that it counts today among its members almost every French- men who lives by his pen. The society has millions in its coffers. The annual subscrip- tion is but twelve francs. Every year the gov- ernment allows the secretary to issue two mil- lion tickets at one franc each for a great lot- tery. and from time to time balls and enter- tainments swell the revenues of the society, What does it do with this money? It comes to the aid of any member who may be in temporary distress, and this without letting its left hand know what its right hand is doing; besides which it grants pensions of from 500 to 1,200 francs, members commencing to enjoy the smaller sum after twenty-five years of membership. ‘These, however, are not the only inducements to men of letters to joim the ranks. Perhaps the most interesting features of the society's work 18 that it syndicates to newspapers and magazines the writings of any members, and charges a merely nominal fee for so doing. It also keeps a staff of clerks on purpose to look after their interests by pouncing upon the slightest literary piracy of their work and forcing the offender to make payment for it, which he generally does rather than go to law With an association known to be in a flourish- ing Gnancial condition, AUTHORS OF YORE, It is curious to speculate whether some of the old Parisian Bohemians would have im- bibed a little of the spirit of this practical age if they had lived in the latter end of this nine- teenth century instead of the early part of it. Would the elder Dumas, who had made about £34,000 by his pen, have died thousands in debt? Or would Henri Murger, the author of the “Vie de Bohemo,” have been a better financier? Iam inelined to think that a young boulevar- dier of today, who had borrowed a hundred franes and received with it a present of a game pie, would not reward the maid servant, who carried the savory dish downstairs to the cat, so munificently as did Alexander Dumas when he handed the girl the lump sum that his friend had just lent him. And it strikes me that the Murger of 189 would manage to dine a few days more in every month than did the Murger of 1830. Poor Henri’s monthly budget was a curious one; three days of enjoyment at the rate of 200 francs a day; twenty-seven days of hard work and short commons at the of four francs a day. Such a finaucier he that when the month happened to have a one days he haa to borrow a few francs a friend to meet the difficulty. FULL LARDERS. It is pleasant to think that this generation is not likely to see a Chatterton wrapping his grief about him and hiding his misery in a self- sought grave; nor a pathetic figure like that of Gerard de l, the French Chatterton, hanging in a sordid tavern with a few sous in his pocket. When the larder of one of the fraternity of letters is empty nowadays it is more likely to mean want of thought than want of money. There ig no pathos, but a true pe about an episode of today as told me ¥ one of the actors in it. A flourishing young forealiot found on rising one morning not long ago that his appetite was more than a match for the contents of his larder, so he sent Scross the way to & young artist friend invit- ing him to breakfast, but suggesting the ad- Visability of his bringing whatever rations he might happen to have handy. The description of the merry breakfast that those two en’ joyed sounded hike a passage out of the old Bohemian ballud with the sad note left out. ‘The Societe des Gens de Letters is doing its best to prevent that note from being heard again. LONDON SOCIETY OF TODAY, Now that the Loudon season is once more in full swing one cannot help remarking how little pleasure most of the habitues of society appear to get out of the luxurious modern life, to judge by their faces, With the spread of comfort and luxury in the world has come a curious affectation of sadness, There is less and less real sadness, but more and more of the spurious article. Society loves sad plays and ks, sad songs, loves to talk of ite pleasures as a weary round of gayety, &c. That world of 1830, what a sunny, warm, light-hearted world it w: Romanticism was in its infancy, and young and old steeped themselves in the spirit of chivalry that breathed from such works as Hugo's “Hernani,” Alexandre Dumas’ “Trois Mousquetaires” ‘and numbers of kindred books. The youth of Paris walked home along the boulevards at midnight, after the opera. gaily hamming the sweet, fresb, dainty melodies of “La Dame Blanche,” ‘Le Chalet,” “Le Prex aux Cleres.” Life was all golden and rosy, and if the purse was something light, why the heart was light, too, in those days no querulous, piaintive query “Is life worth living?” was echoed from pampered youth to worid- weary veterans all along the ranks of society. What joyous days the poor student of the Lat quarter managed to spend with his grisette,who Wanted no costly diamonds to brighten ‘her, but merrily plied her needle and brought grist to the mill. From castle nae cot the note that went Up was a gay one, wi went v well with theme . aie THE LOVE-SICK GIRL. Now we revel in the morbid self-dissection of slove-sick girl The realist is abroad in the earth. He writes books full of the sad, sickening details of life as he sees it. We sit and shiver at the woes and wails of “Fedora” and watch the piled-up agony of “La Tosca.” Our song writers have almost forgotten the way to write a chausonette. Shade of Beran- ger, that it should be so! What we like now is the sad, passionate strain. The greater part of the modern day song music in England and France is one long wail after a lost love. Go into any drawing room of today where there is a “little music’ pe SS ee e is not true. funny part be thet #0 i the gi'e he cng, them. The pretty dears come forward one after another, aud in various keys and manners sing each @ little Se is meant a quite tic, but always suggests Sreuic tome. Sianetimes iss in Breoshyathene- times in English, but that is a detail; the den of it is generally the same: “4 Robin! You used to be very nice tome . little time back, and now you area very berg.” Very funny it is to see ited young dresse!” One feela inclined to take her aside and say to her something of this kind: “My dear, men are deceivers ever and marriage is sometimes @ failure. Be a brave girl, leave Robis to his new love or his ciub or ci as case may be, and go and try typewriting or mltioery or something.” HOUSED FOR THIRTY YEARS. At Olen, in Hungary, curious figure has just faded out of existence, Fraulein Lina, a maiden lady, who for more than thirty years had not been out of doors, has lately left the house for the churchyard. Disease killed her, but it was not disease which had kept her at home. On the eve of a feast day, thirty years ago, when she was a young and pretty ge her lover extracted from her a promise that she would not walk abroad to see or take part in the approaching fete. The account says that the embryo home ruler did this to try her love and obedience; the italics are our own. The day came, and the girl broke her promise. Straightway the offended swain called upon her, remarking that « lady who could not make so smalla sacrifice was quite unsuitable % be his wife, and released her from her engagement. ‘Thereupon Fraulein Lina vowed never to leav the house so long as she lived. And sne kept her word this time. That young woman was born before her day; the times were not ripe for her. The one poor little thrust of man’s unreasonable tyranny was premature. It is hard to see what e thonght to gain by it. She had all the womankind of tee country before her eyes, placid creatures for the most part, submissive, obedient, as well-bred fraus should be. Who could hope to sow in such the seeds of revolt? That daring ire per! of England, the wife of Prince Fritz, had not yet made her influence feltin Germany, and even now, after her many years of work for thesocial emancipation of the women of her adopted country, they are hardly beginning to realize that there are such things as women's rights, even with a small r. WOMEN IN GERMANY. Did Franlein Lina’s faded face light up some- times, I wonder, as she read or heard of the schemes of the Empress Frederick for break- ing the lethargic bondage of the German woman? What time she must have had for re- flection in the long evening hours, which in earlier days were sped with happy lover talks and projects of what they two would make of life together. Perhaps in the first months she hoped he would come back. She looked at her still pretty face in the glass and wondered if memories of its charms would haunt the of- fended one and whether the report of her self- imposed imprisonment would touch him. But there was no softness in him. What, go back and let her think he could not live without her! Ach, himmel! what would be- come of the dignity of the Fatherland if such things were! He saw visions of wives going out and com- ing in at hours of their own choosing, daring to bave a mind of their own; and far away in the distance the figure of the woman's righter loomed. Sucha step was not to be thought of. sce! pee must be maintained!” Had not the fraus of Ofen food in plenty and beer in reason, clothes to clothe themselves withal and roofs to shelter them? And should it be said of him that he knew not how to ex- act obedience in return for similar blessings? St. Joseph forbid! Death was the only bride- groom that came to fetch the poor fraulein, and she waited for him many years. ILLUSTRATIONS OF OBEDIENCE. In a country soaked with militarism it is nat- ural that obedience should be reckoned one of the most necessary and exalted of virtues. Two illustrations of this remain to me as souvenirs of prison days spent in a German fortress in 1870. The chief of the fortress had a way of calling his wife, which, novel as it seemed to me, was clearly quite effective. When he wanted her, if she was within hearing, he sim- ply whistled and she came. The first time I was a witness of this little Teutonic scene I ‘started im amazement; the second and third times it still interested me; but the novelty ‘wore off, ag novelties will, and I ceased to won- der why the good frau did not slap her hus- band’s face. The second illustration may be called lit- erally a striking one. A company of land- webr were being drilled in the fortress and up and down the line went the officer command- ing. Among the rest was one good round- about fellow, whose circumference near the waist’ line was not much under two yards, He had ranged himself well in line in front, and was oblivious of the back view. Presently the officer passed along the rear and quick as lightning the protuberance there caught his eye. He hesitates not an instant, no super- fluous words does he trouble himself to utter, but bang! comes a neat application of the sole of his foot which promptly brings the too luxu- tiant form of Fritz into line with the others! A French soldier so treated would have turned and knocked his superior down, even if he had to die for it. The good fellow neither turned nor showcd signs of turuing. And these were no raw re- cruits, fresh from school either, but middle- aged men. fathers of families, men of standing very likely in their own town. Looking at them thus reduced toa mass of machinery Isaid to my fellow prisoner, a captain of my regiment: ‘The sooner France concludes peaco the better. With our regular army im prison, our young levied masses can never hope to compete with this.” Max O'Rei. How it Happens. From the New York Ledger. Alittle man asking how it happened that many beautiful ladies took up with but in- different husbands, after many fine offers, was answered by a mountain maiden: 4§ friend of hers, during a walk, ro- ir to go into a delightful canebrake and there'get him the handsomest reed. She must gebit in once going through without turning, She went, and coming out brought him quite a mean reed, when he asked if that was the ha mest oue she saw. ‘Oh, no,” replied she; “I saw many finer as I went along, but I kept on in ae of # much better, until I had gotten nearly through and then was obliged to select the best that was left.” unui gatiaeal vos Muste That Touched the Heart. From the New York Times. An incident of a peculiarly touching charac- ter occurred yesterday in one of the elevated railroad trains that brought tears to the eyes of the passengers. The train had just left 125th street when the passengers saw entering the cara little boy about six years old, being half pushed and half carried by an older boy, evidently his brother. At the first glance it was seen that the little fellow was blind and his eyelids had almost grown together. He had @ pale wan face, but was smiling. A quick look of sympathy passed over the faces of the pas- sengers and an old gray-baired gentleman got upand gave his seat to the two. The “big brother,” who was about eleven years old, ten- derly lifted up the little blind boy and placed him on ‘Nice,” said the lit — ; ‘is puzzled some of the passengers, and sev- eral turned to see what the child meant, But the “big brother” knew, and immediately drew out @ small mouth harmonicon and Vso it in the little fellow’s hands. Both ys were well dressed. The little fellow took the instrument into his thin hands, ran it across his lips, and began to play, softly, “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” Tears came into the eyes of the old gentleman who had given up his seat, and as the little fellow played on, run- ning into ‘Rock of Ages” and “Abide with Me,” there were many moist eyes in the car. The little player seemed to have a remarkably true ear and occasionaily, when the instrument would rasp, he would turn sadly to his “big broth and say, ‘Don't whistle.” The train rushed along, the “page lis- tened and the little fellow played on tirelessly, never missing a note from “Annie Laurie” or “Home, Sweet Hom: Finally the “big brother” leaned down and told the little one to get ready to leave, as the train was approach- ing their station. Then, as if he knew he had won a whole carload of friends, the blind boy quickly changed “The Suwance River” into “Auld — Syne,” and with one accord the passengers burst into a round of applause, while the “big brother” carried the littie one out of the car. tie chap. “Where's my How a Charge of Shot Travels. From Frank Leslie's Iustrated Newspaper. When standing within a few yards of the gun's muzzle at the time of discharge a person would be amazingly astonished were he only able to see the shot as they go whizzing by. Experiments in instantaneous photography have proved to us that the shot not only spread out, comet-like, as they fly, but they string out one behind the other toa much greater dis- tance than they spread. Thus, with a cylinder gun, when the first shot of a charge reaches a target that is forty yards away the dagging UNCLE SAM’S LETTER MAIL. The Trouble He Has in Delivering It for Careless People. ‘THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO PATIEXCE WITH MATRI- MONIAL AGENCIES—QUEER WAYS PEOPLE HAVE OF SENDING MONEY BY POST~—HOW DEAD LET- TERS ARE DISPOSED OF—POSTAGE STAMPS, ORE than two hundred letters from all parts of the United States, and not a few of them from Europe, lay on the desk of an official in the Gov- ernment Post Office building yesterday when a Stan reporter called. All of them were addressed to the ‘Pacific Matrimonial Bureau, San Francisco, al.” They were broken open and each one contained an inclosure of 10 cents in postage stamps or in silver. Without exception they were answers to a circular issued a while ago by the said bureau in behalf of alady of wealth embarrassed by an infant not properly accounted for on the paternal side, who desired to share a considerable fortune with any good and honorable man who was willing to give her his name. As a token of good faith it was requested that any one responding should accompany his reply with 10 cents. It is astonishing how many and honor- able men have been found willing to give their names to this unfortunate lady in exchange for © moiety of her wealth. The 200 letters in the batch referred to were only a few of the thou- sands that have reached the San Francisco post office in response to the circular, each in- closing the requisite dime. Unfortunately recent developments have shown up the matri- monial bureau in an unfavorable light and xreat quantities of missives addressed to it through the maiis heve been confiscated by the authorities, Big bundles of correspondence on topics hymeneal have reached the depart- ment from this source every few days, and in every case the letters are returned to the writers with any money they may contain, ILLEGITIMATE MAIL. When the post office officials have reason to suspect anybody of using the mails for illegiti- mate purposes, it is customary to permit the suspicious letters to accumulate for a while, and then to notify the addressee that a quan- tity of matter is awaiting delivery, but that the person to whom itis delivered must first call and identify himself. If there is really any- thing wrong no such application will evor be made, and the letters are seat on to Uncle Sam at Washington. -That is what is done with communications regarding ‘‘green goods,” lottery mail, and whatever immoral is found traveling by post. MONEY SENT BY PosT. The carelessness of people who inclose money in letters is most surprising. Probably the most flagrant case of it was that of a Chicago man who mailed an envelope with $4,000 in it and forgot to put any writing on the inside or any address on the outside. He got the sum back by application to headquarters at Wash- ington, after having much troublo in proving his claim, Money is sent by post in all sorts of queer ways, the notion being usually to dis guise it as much ;as possible, At Christmas time particularly such tricks are practiced as poking bills in the fingers of gloves or of mit- tens knit by affectionate old relatives for little ones far away, Small sums of cash are con- cealed for similar purposes in candy boxes and secreted with merchandise in every conceiva- ble fashion. Coin is very apt to be dispatched between two pieces of pasteboard, perhaps glued on, It is always mailed in that manner abroad, for the reason that it is against the law in Europe to send anything made of gold or silver by post. Other means are provided for transporting such precious things and it is not thought desirable to put temptation in the way of the postal clerks, Probably the safest way to inclose a greenback in a letter is to roll it up tightly be- tween the hands like a small lamp-lighter and lay it in the fold of the paper. Very few peo- ple try that method; if more did so less money would be Jost in the mails. A note so treated is not readily dotected by holding the envelope containing it up to the light, and the expert postal thief who is able to tell a letter that has money in it by the peculiar feel is stumped by the lamp-lighter. Coin lost in the mail mostly meets its fate by slipping out of the envelopes, When that happens it is found in the letter sack and forwarded to the department here with an accompanying description of any let- ters or packages in the same #ack which look as if such money might possibly have escaped from them, The number of the mail and the place it came from, together with the number of the sack, are also recorded. It the owner communicates his loss to the authorities he can get the money back by giving data properly corresponding with ail these details of memo- randa. Bank notes are not infrequently in- closed innewspapers for mailing. An Ohio postmaster sent in a €20 bill which he found put up this way in a paper without address the other day. From $00 to $1,500 is turned in as found in dead letters and uncalled for to the ‘Treasury every month, though many times as much is successfully conveyed to owners each thirty days by the industrious experts, who spare no effort to accomplish this end. PUZZLING OVER DEFECTIVE ADDRESSES. The skill and intelligence utilized in making up for letter writers’ carelessness are marvel- ous. Three young women of long experience in such work are exclusively employed six days in every week in practicing the science of guessing. It is their duty to find out the mean- ing of defective addresses. For instance, what is to be done with an address like this, which was on a letter that came in the other day? It read: ‘Sarahville, Ohio. Dr. the owner of a large bay horse with stripe and 2 white ankles behind.” The postmaster at Sarahville had not taken the trouble to find out who the doctor was in that town that had a horse of such a de- scription for sale. ‘The writer said in his letter that he would buy it. But the department wrote to him to make inquiries, and the mis- sive was forwarded yesterday to the right per- n. Queerest of all addresses ever investigated by the Dead Letter Office is one that now hangs ina frame with other strange speci- mens in the superintendent’s room. It is written ona big envelope, and consists of a few bars of music with words beneath the notes as follows: “There is a young man in Brooklyn, sea, Far away io fe OB, ali him, O, Le rrier, find hii for me.” The letter carrier did not find him, but the Dead Letter Office did, The envelope also bore the words “St. Mark’s avenue,” One of the three clever young women here looked up St. Mark’s avenue in a Brooklyn elite directory and sent a circular to every person named Rob- ert mentioned as living there. The result was that the right one applied tor the letter and gotit. It was written by the author of ‘Good- bye, Sweetheart.” IN THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE. During the last year no less than 6,000,000 letters and packages reached the Dead Letter Office. Of this number 500,000 were never called for at the post oflices to which they were addressed; 400,000 more were erroneously or illegibly addressed; 150,000 were forwarded by hotel keepers because the persons addressed had gone away; 120,000 had not suiticient post- age, and 17,000 had no address whatever. Eigh- teen thousand contained money—$35,000 in all—and 22,000 inclosed checks and drafts amounting to €1,600,000, Dead letters are sent in bundles from the Post offices all over the country to the depart- ment here. Upon their arrival they are duly receipted for in books and put up in packages of 100, Then they go toa long table, where ten clerks open them one after another. If a letter is found to contain money a note of the amount is made on the envelope and the cash is put aside to be turned over to the clerk of the money division. All lottery tickets, deeds and mortgages are transferred to another clerk, while checks and drafts are passed over toa third. ‘The letters found to contain such inclosures are filed and all the rest are trans- mitted to the returning division. There skilled experts in chirography decipher bad writing, the three young women who do the gnessing exert their imaginations upon the defective addresses, and all the clues afforded by what is iside and outside the envelopes are put to- gether in the effort to get at the facts in as many cases as possible. Such efforts, however, are directed usually to discovering the writers of the letters rather than the persons for whom they are intended. ‘This is for the very obvious reason that the finding of the addresses has al- ready been proved difficult before the missives reached thé Dead Letter Office. All letters that cannot | be satisfactorily disposed of are de- stroye ‘A good doal éf undelivered matter reaches the Letter Office every year that is classed as of an immoral tendency—such as “flash” books or pamphlets, photo; ‘aphs of what are called the “fancy” sort, ankec forth, All such material is laid aside at the opening table, put in bundles by the clerk in charge of the division and burned in the furnace, UNCLE SAM'S POSTAGE STAMPS, Some people imagine that Uncle Sam's post- mat stamps are printed in Washington, but such is not the fact. They are all made by the American Bank Note Company in ‘New York city, which has the contract from the ment. Uncle Sam pays, @ small fraction ‘7 cents a thousand for them, and their manu- Seotare ts a pretty big job, for during ths last year eleven hundred millions of them were used—representing s value of $27,996,000. Of this enormous number 1,412,000,000 and odd were 2-cent stamps. The stamps are printed from engraved steel plates big enough to strike off 400 of them ona sheet with a single stroke of the press. being struck off in this way, the sheet passes beneath a revolving brush carrying a by which the back of the sheet isgummed. sheet is then dried and flattened under an hy- draulic press, Next it is ran through a perfor- ating machine, which is an arrangement of little wheels revolving parallel to each other, and just far enough apart to make the perfora- tions as one sees them inasheet of finished stamps fresh bought at the post office. After the perforations have been made across the sheet one way by one machine, the sheet must pass through a second perforated machine for ihe cross-perforations, the stamps being thus outiined so as to be readily torn apart. In the middie of each machine, however, is a knife which cuts the sheet in two so that the sheet of 400 comes out of machine No, 1 in two sheets of 200 each, and these are divided into four sheets of 100 each by the knife in machine No. 2, Allstamps come in sheets of 100 for sale, ‘The stamps are now done, and only remain to be gone over, inspected, counted and tagged in packages of 100 sheets before being sent out. ‘As they are printed the sheets of stamps are carefully counted and if one is ever 80 clightiy defective, though but one stamp is injured or imperfect, the sheet is destroyed and carefully accounted for, It is anold story, by the way, that when the English government wished to discover a way to tear stamps apart readily it offered $50,000 for an acceptable suggestion. A overty-stricken but ingenious Britisher prof- fered the notion of perforating the ip sheets and received the fortune, HOW STAMPS ARD DISTRIBUTED. When a postmaster wants stamps he makes outa blank requisition upon the Post Office Department here. But the department does not send back the stamps in return, It simply communicates with the governmeut stamp agent in New York city, who has charge of the business of distributing all Uncle Sam's stam The stamp agent drawa every day upon the American Rank Note Company for as many stam#s as he requires to fill the orders trans- mitted to him from Washington, He receives the stamps—so many million 2-cent, so many million 1-cent and so on—from the bank note company in bulk, and it is his business to see that they are done up in packages according to orders and mailed to the postmasters requiring them. Postal cards are distributed in like | manner by an agent at Birmingham, Conn., where they are manufactured by the firm which has the contract. Another agent at Hartford distributes the stamped envelopes, which are made in that city. Uncle Sam's stamps are just about the ugliest in the world, because cheapness is made a great object in their production, Somewhat over twenty years ago the United States had by far the most beautiful stamps in existence, This de- cadence must be regarded as a melancholy symptom by those who consider that postage stumps as well as coins should be expressive of nation’s artistic development, —————d WHERE FOLKS EAT CORN. The Favorite Food of Southern People and How They Live Upon It. “One reason why I spend my summers in the south is that things are so much cheaper down there,” said a Washington lady to a writer for Tue Star the other day. “Last season I spent in a delightful Virginia valley, where I rented alittle house for myself and family at almost nothing a month, and supplied myself with necessaries from what the natives had to sell, Being 10 miles from a rail- way was an inconvenience; but thanks to this very fact, there being no mar- ket within reach, I was able to buy a dozen plump spring chickens for $1.25, and other edibles at proportionate prices, Ihave found it so all over the south, where the people have no ready way of disposing of their produce, and a little money goes astonishingly far, For instance, last summer I paid 12 conte a pound for the finest butter. Cooking butter was only 8 to 10 cents a pound; I used no lard, because butter was cheaper.’ Eggs were 10 cents a dozen and vegetables and fruits cost hardly anything. “Having been born in New England I can- not get over my amazement at the extravagant fondness people in the south exhibit for corn in every shape. In Massachusetts no one ever thinks of eating corn bread; they do not know how to cook it there and they would not like itifthey did. Down south, on the other hand, every one must have corn bread three times a day every day in the week. Also what seems tome a horrible mess of corn meal boiled into ‘mush’ and eaten in that shape must appear on the table twice each day and ia consumed in large quantities by every- body. Besides there are many cx- traordinary preparations of corn altogether unfamiliar to the inhabitants of the eastern states, where beans and brown bread go so far to satisfy corresponding appetites. The eating of corn seems fairly to be a race habit. In Germany and in anxope generally it is not con- sidered fit food for human beings, and yet pence economists say that the condition of undreds of millions of poor people over there would be vastly improved if they could only be taught to like the vegetable. Efforts in that direction have been made, but in vain. Cer- tainly their passion for corn has been @ God- send to southern folks. It is the cheapest food in the world, with the exception of beans and peas, WHITE CORN MEAL. “In the south every one eats white corn meal in preference to yellow. Northern peo- ple, even in the middle states, do not like the white meal as a rule, and almost always make their corn bread of yellow meal. This is be- cause they do not get white meal fresh when they buy it. If they could goto a mill near s is done in the south, and get their white m™ ground within twenty-four hgurs, or at most forty-eight hours, they would realize how much better than the yellow meal it is, But the white meal will not keep at all and loses its quality within five or sx days. “If things to eat are cheaper in the south than in Washington, such necessaries of life are considerable more costly in Boston than they are here. Marketing in general is much dearer there. For example, the best cut from the tender part of the round costs at most 15 cents x pound in Washington, while in Boston the price is 25 cents, “Speaking of corn reminds me of a very charming young woman from Virginia who made me a fortnight’s visit here this spring. I used to have lots of such things as I thought people where she lived liked, but evidently she sighed for her accustomed home diet. At all events she chanced to be uot very well during the latter part of her stay at my house, and, when Lasked her if I could provide anything for her that she was especially fond of, she replied that she rather craved the ‘delicacies with which her grandmother provided her at home.’ But of course, she added, she could not expect to find them in Washington. “Such delicacies as what do you mean?’ I asked somewhat wonderingly. “Well, such as ash cake, for instance. One makes up corn meal into a cone shape of dough with water and salt, ‘Then the cone is wrapped in a cabbage leaf and put into the hot. ashes of an open fire tocook. Oh, it is so good!’” soe Strength of the Limpet. Some interesting results of a naturalist’s in- quiries are sent to the London Duily News by Mr. J. Lawrence Hamilton, M.R.C.S., Brighton, who says that, in proportion to its size, the limpet is probably the strongest of known ani- mals, excepting the Mediterranean Venus ver- rucosa, a cockle-like creature, which pulls 2,071 times its own weight when out of its shell “At Folkestone, by means of accurate bn gearirs says Mr. Law- rence Hamilton, “I found that the common weashore limpet, which, deprived of its shell, weighed a minute fraction less than half an ounce, required, when pulled according to its plane of adhesion, @ force exceeding 62 pounds to remove it from its powerful grip upon the local littoral low tide rock, or upward of 1,984 times its own dead weight. @ superficial area of the base of this individual limpet measured 24 square inches, { Taking the atmospheric pressure at 14.7 pounds to the square inch, this would even only account for 35.28 pounds, or little more than half the power exercised in the air by this sea snail, which, acting upon immet ob- jects in the water, would, of course, have pulled a much greater weight than that of 62 pounds. Thus, in the air, a limpet pulled up to $2 pounds, but subsequently, spe of its revious fatigue, when covered by incom- P ing tile, it then took upward of 54 pounds to it. [doubt whether the limpet's ad- hesive force has anything to do with the ques- tion of atmospheric pressure. In other ex- — even bits of rock came sway stick- to the limpet’s embrace.” ‘Written for Tax Evextxo Stan. ATTRACTIVE HOMES. Some Decorative Ideas for the Summer Season. FANS FOR USE AXD ORNAMENT—THE POPULAR ‘TAN KEE FAN AXD WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH IT— RIBBON AND NET FOR MAKING LAMP SHADES—ARTISTIC SUGGESTIONS. T SEEMS almost incredible that there are any fields left to conquer in the range lof decorative art Wherever one turns, however, it is tobe met with fresh evi- fences of inventive genius as applied to this subject. Although this is supposed to be the duil season in a commercial way, one is gener- ally able to find attractive and novel things by looking around a little, and sometimes in out- of-the-way and unexpected places. Some articles especially suited to warm weather are fresh with this summer, while others have been seen before, maybe in other styles or forms, but with enough variation so that they seem new with the present season. TAN KEE FANS. Fans always appear in shoals with warm weather, and while the same kinds flourish Year after year, some novelties are here to bid for popularity. One of the fans that is notice- able for its oddity and attracts by its capacity for creating a breeze on a sultry day is the tan kee, is comes in quite a variety of colors and black. The shape is nearly square, with no handle, but one of the longer sides is woven thicker than the opposite edge. and that is grasped in the wand to wave it with. It is very convenient to use, and for church is likely to be a favorite. The weaving is fine and the colors pretty. They are quite susceptible of of ornamentation with ribbons. Number one ribbon can be run in and out, as the weaving is loose enough for it, and very pretty effects are obtained in this way. Another use made of these fans,which diverts them from their proper calling, is to take two of them and lace them together on the three thin edges by this narrow ribbon, leaving them hand at the “=p, thus forming a flat basket. or if hung on the wall » newspaper or letter holder. The dull yellow and the citron yellow ones are the prettiest for this purpose and very easily arranged RIBBONS AND NET FOR DECORATING. ‘The narrowest of ribbonsare made much of in decorating many things, and they are a dainty finish wherever applied. The black and white and colored large-meshed net, which has been worn for several seasons as dress material, has proved a delusion and » snare—especially the latter, as wrecks and ruins of such go abounding in many honseholds can testify. Now decorative art comes in to use the net where it will prove effective and give more sat- isfaction than in dress drapery. Charming ip shades are made of this lace with 80 little labor that one may well undertake the task, for the result is more than worth the effort. A piece of the net of any shade may be chosen—black or yellow bein| very good. We will say black for instance,an the size depends on the lamp it is for. It wants to be fullas it falis over the shade or form, have a double rufile as heading and be long enough to allow a two-inch fall of the rib- bon below to make it gracefully deep. The narrow picot-edged ribbon in this case is @ deep cream color, almost fawn, and a quantity is cut into four-inch lengths, which are doubled and sewed closely around the lower edge of the lace, hanging like a fringe below it. Conceal- ing the place where this is sewed are rows of ribbon run around the shade, woven into the meshes of the net as many rows deep as one fancies—say half a dozen. After the top is shirred to fit the lamp long loops of the ribbon are bunched together and sewed on close enough together to meet all around the top, and asthe shade spreads over the globe or frame it covers the long loops are numerous enough to nearly cover the lace foundation in ea profusion. The weaving of the rib- ou takes such a little time and there is so little sewing that probably these shudes will become quite popular. Remnants of lace gowns in this way might attair to more useful- ness than in their first estate, while lovely com- binations of color can easily be obtained. ENAMELED FURNITURE. Almost every week one is able to find some- thing new and attractive in the enameled fur- niture which isnow so much in demand. The coloring of the pink, pale blue and white bed room sets is so dainty that to even see it makes one long to possess it. The shapes are soplain and commodious that to use such a set is a pleasure. As accessories are the charming little work tables in the always favorite style, with drawers and little leaves that hang at the sides when not inuse. There are other pretty tables also for bed rooms to go with these delicate colorings, Some are oval topped with a shelf below also and slender rods of the wood connecting the two. These are lovely and hard to resist, even if unsuited to anything else one may have already. The most bewitching piece of fur- niture in this style, though, is the slender writing desk of white or pale blue enameled wood. They are in the form so popular for some years past, in oak and cherry colonial, and are large enough to suffice for all the ordinary purposes of correspondence. When one sees them displayed in the shops ono wishes to turn fairy godmother onthe spot and make some young girl happy by a touch of the wand that will transport one at once to her sanc- tum, Only a neat, dainty girl deserves one, however, for any carelessness in the | use of it would too soon mar its beauty. If I were the fairy godmother aforesaid I should myself attend to the fitting up of the charming gift for the mere pleasure it would give my sense of appropriateness and love of beauty. I would lay a large blotter with silver corners on | the shelf itself to protect the shining white surface. Then I shouid have the inkstand forthcoming, of fanciful shape in Dresden china, and beside ita long narrow pen tray | painted in the same lovely style. ‘The pen— the first use for which should be to write a note of thanks to the donor—might have ae silver handle, as that is both pretty and substantial, The tiny stamp box must be of Dresden, and I should adda pen wiper of that old style re~ vived—a little cup or vase (of Dresden) with a stiff little brush holding up its bristles on which to make the pen clean after using. A soft plush, mat of old pink set under the inkstand and large enough to accum- modate some of the other smaller articles also will bring out beautifully the exquisite coloring of the gay little bouquets on the china, whtle it protects the enamel. Against the side of the desk should hang a triangular letter basket of pale pink color, with ribbons adorning it. I would not dictate what the upper shelf should contain, though a silver photograph frame could be set on top to enshrine whomsvever the maiden willed. Her girlish fancy would soon fill = the shelf with pretty and suitable ornaments doubtless, THE CHEVAL GLASSES and chiffoniers in pale plush or blue are as lovely as possible, and many a young house- wife will regret that already her quota is filled and no room exists to be fitted and furnished in this distractingly pretty manner, A pink set fora bed room could be set off most ap- propriately with pink cretonne, or buff with pink garlands and bouquets, tied with ribbons in bows and ends, few water- color pictures or the pretty repro- ductions would be the (pees best adapted to it. A big bowl of pink peonies—Percy Mo- ran’s “Maiden Wandering Among the Flowers,” and his tea-table picture, raised by another of a tall slender vase holding a few chrysan- themums, would be quite enough for effect. Either in white, pink or silver frames they would look well, while silver sconces should light by night this “airy, fairy,” apart- ment, EDUCATING TASTE, It seems almost wicked to be untasteful in these days when good things .of all kinds abound on every hand and at prices that make retty. pope tinal the portend all—as cheap, ings, ani ere are le oo blinds th doliberstely. thoves’ the hidovas when the lovely is equally before their eyes. However, the magazines and newspapers with ail their aids to clearer vision in this matter of stands it, and is not likely at present to die out ireatack of beatae, ———— ee —____ A Joint Congressional Caucus. New York Mail and Express printa Brel REE! 4 THE PRINTERS’ HOME. North America at its thirty-eighth annual ses- sion, which has just adjourned at Atlanta, Ga, has determined to take s new departure in trade unionism. It has resolved no longer to be satisfied with securing, so far as it has power, to its members living wages while in the vigor of manhood, but it proposes to erect and maintain an asylum which shall offer to the invalid printer a refuge until he recovers bealth and strength, which shall give to the veteran, whose days of useful endeavor are past, a pleasant home where he may spend the evening of his days in peace and plenty. The vim and enthusiasm with which the work bas been begun augurs a sure success. Perhaps it would not be strictly correct to say that this great work began at the conven- tion which met last year. It started a few rears ago. In June, 1886, when the International Typographical Union was assembled at Pitts- burg, among the problems of standard type, plate matter and other conundrums appeared the somewhat novel puzzle what should be done with a present of €10,000 which had just been tendered, without condition of any sort, by George W, Childs and Anthony J. Drexel of Philadelphia, Now, journeymen printers, as arule,do not deal with ten-thousand-dollar checks as an every-day affair, and the conclu- sion reached was the determination to hold on to the generous gift ax a nest egg, add to it for five years by the contribution, annually, of the value of a thousand ems by each member and then make definite disposition of the sum then on hand, The fund thus begun was placed in the custody of August Donath of Washington, James J. Dailey of Phiiadelphia and F. 8. Pel- ton of Chicago—three gentlemen whose stand- ing in the craft is sufficiently attested by their selection for this important trust. The latter was given the appropriate name of “The Childs- Drexel Fund,” and four times, on the anni- versary of the birth of George W. Childs, have the printers east of the Mississippi added their one thousand ems each, while the typos on its western shores celebrated Mr. Drexel's natal day in a similar manner, swelling the total to something over $26,000. A SITE DONATED. A year ago, at the Denver session, the board of trade of Colorado Springs offered to donate to the International Typographical Union a plat of ground comprising a beautiful site of 80 acres, on the condition that within two years, by June, 1891, a building fora home to cost not less than $20,000 be begun, the same to be completed one year thereafter. The offer was enthusiastically accepted, but printer-like no steps whatever were taken to carry out the conditions with which the gift was coupled, and hence the convention of 1890 found itself face to face with the problem whether the home should be erected and the valuable gift secured or whether a property now worth not less than $80,000 shouid be declined because the craft lacked the means, or the courage, or the heart necessary for the undertaking. The trustees of the Childs-Drexel fund were confi- dent that all the requisites were present, and in their report strong ground was taken for the erection of a building to cost not less than 240,000. ‘The delegates promptly yesponded and the home was determined upon, full power being given a board of thirteen directors, the former Childs-Drexel trustees being given the right of the line with a five-year term, while the remainder of the board serve from one to four years. The president of the old board, Mr. August Donath, was assigned toa like posi- tion on the new, while its treasurer, Mr. James J. Dailey, was similarly honored, THE DIRECTORS. The thirteen directors were chosen with due regard to locality, and all are men whose stand- ing iu the craft is high. It is composed as follows: August Donath, Washington, D.C., president; John D. Vaughn. Denver, Col, vice resident; W. 8. McClevey, Chicago, secretary; james J.’ Dailey, Philadelphic, treasurer; Jas. G, Woodward, Atlanta, Ga.; Geo, W. Morgan, Bellingham Bay, state of Wash.; Edward T. Plank, San Francisco; Amos J. Cummings, New York city; Wm. Aimison, Nashville, Tenn.; W. H. Parr, Toronto, Canada; Columbus Hall, Washington city; Frank S. Pelton, Chicago; Wii Lambert, Austin, Tex. arding the means required to build the nearly enough is now on hand for the purpose, aud an assessment of #1 per member, which was determined on, will leave a hand- some sum on hand for running expenses. Craft pride will maintain the institution when once in operation, for craft pride will cause the necessary dollars to come forth, even if stronger and more creditable reasons were not present. anything was lacking to make feeling for the home among the typos e happy name selected for it would have re- moved it, The representatives in convention assembled determined that *‘The Childs-Drexel Home for Union Printers” should be the name and title of this monument of the printers’ thoughtful care of worthy comrades. cos er SNAKES HER ONLY FRIENDS. A Female Hermit Who Died Sur- rounded by Reptiles. A Salem (Va.) correspondent of the Philadel- phia Times writes: A singular character, by name Martha Ann Tillson and who was known as the “snake woman,” died near here re- cently. She lived in a little cabin at the foot of Twelve O'Clock Knob, and led a hermit’s life, having no one to share her abode ex- cept snakes. By the few who were ever allowed to see the interior of her cabin it is said to hav: literally swarmed with her strange companions. with which she ate and slept and which were to be seen lying in her bosom and coiled about her neck, body and limbs when- ever she was caught sight of. Her extraordinary predilection for these un- pleasant creatures is supposed to have arisen from a morbid feeling that she was like them, hated of men, for naturally deformed, she re~ ceived in addition an injury to the spine while an infant, and, though perfectly sound in mind, Was of so sensitive nature as to ren- der her miserable and uneasy in the presence of eny but her parents, as she imagined herself _an object of loath’ and hatred to them. This she seemed to fee while still a littie child, for her peculiar friendship began then, She was observed to steal away every day with a pan of milk, and on being followed Was found to be caressing a dozen or so hideous rattlesnakes, while they drank from the vessel which she held in her lap. Horrified, her parents tried to reason with her, then to punish and finally to confine her in an endeavor to break her of her fonduess for the reptiles, but she pined so for her pets that they feared she would dic if kept from them. She evinced even stronger distaste for human society as she grew older, and since the death of her parents has with- drawn entirely from any association with her kind, living wholly on the product of a small garden cultivated by herself and of half adozen chickens, which the snakes seem to know were not legitimate prey and left unmolested. She was a little fair woman of about forty- five, with sandy hair, very abundant and long, which she wore ina ‘number of tight plaits, which, combined with her deformity and the odd, misceiluneous style of dressing, the result of her refusal to hold any communication with a feliow-being,served to make her a most remark- able-looking object. She was looked upon as a witch by the negroes about, who declared her to be possessed of the evil eye, and hated and feared her accordingly, though her life was @ most harmless, quiet one. She had been dead some days when discovered and her dead body was literaily covered by a writhing mass of snakes, which had to be killed before it could be removed, for the reptiles turned viciously on all approaching the remains. On her heart was found coiled a huge rat dead. ‘The inquest proved that the woman's was a natural death py it is probable that the snake died of grief for its mistress, See left no heirs, anda few nights after her burial the house was burned down, it is supposed by some of her neighbors, as the greatest horror Sroxexeerens: Srorexerrens: CANDY! FIREWORES! GEORGE J. MUELLER, WHOLESALE CONFECTIONER, 314 PENN. AVE. 5.W, Has now in stores laree stock of CANDIES that will keep nice and fresh during the warm weatber, and is constantly receiving all the LATEST NOVELTIES im CANDLES, such as PENNY GOODS. Will receive this Week a number of new articles Something new Always in store, Agent for the Tutti Fratti Automatic Vending Com- Peny of Brooklyn, N.Y. Agent for the Automatic Chocolate Selling Company of Boston, Mass. Several machines are now idie, waiting for positions Can be obtained by applying at store or notifying the city of country salesmen. FIREWORKS, FIRE AND CANNON CRACKERS, TORPEDOES, CAPS, PISTOLS, BOMBS, ETc,, ETc. ‘The largest stock of FIREWORKS ever brought to this city. Storekeepers intending to buy are requested to order early Goods are delivered. PRICES a8 LOW 48 ANE DEALER. wT TREWORKS, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, = MRD ALIEN ALE LEEDS Roeveex In ‘Redeem what you have lost by not giving us yout trade sooner, GET BACK Some of your hard-earned dollars. Don't be always, “There is s tide in the afairsof men wi taken at the flood,” leads on TO PROSPERITY. If you want to take the road which leads to ftcome Tight now, Be wise and call to see our display of PRINCE ALBERT COATS AND VESTS, Strictly All-wool Silk Facing, serge lined, fiat bound, AT 12.75. CUTAWAY SUITS, Eight different styles and textures, strictly All-wool opby aud eat, AT 88.75. SACK SUITS, Neat mixtures, serge lined, double stitch e@ AT e462. BLUE SACK SUITS, Sister's Flannel, fadeless color, strictly All-wook Grand Army ryulations, two sets of buttons, AT 89.50. . SACK SUITS, Blue Serge, fadcless color, strictly all wool, sergé lined, double stitched, AT #1160, PONGEE COATS AND VESTS, AT 85. ALPACA COATS—81.50 .€1.75, 82, $2.50 and $3, New invoice of CHILDREN'S PANTS, ages 4 to 19 years, AT 330. Only a few SAILOR SUITS, ayes 3 to 10 years, AT 75c, AND 6L TEN PER CENT CLOTHING BOUSR BATS and GENTLEMEN'S FURNISHING GOODS 927 AND 929 7TH ST. BW, Corner Massachusetta Avenue, STRICTLY ONE PRICK Open Saturday until 11 p.m Ovex Ax Nioxt, Our prices for prescriptions have been portion tocther goods. We use only the purest ‘and chemicals from the most reliable manufec- turers. We cheerfully invite careful inapection of ‘this department by physicians, Red. Allcock’s Porous Plasters. Ss German Porous Plasters, 3 20 Sursapariila. ov Vigo: 3 sm lanwe size, ang Bron Fellow's Sirup Hypopho Willams’ Com, sirup Mypophe Hop bitters, per bottle, Hustetter’s Bitte Hozstora’s Acid Puosphater, Ho's Malt Extract Tarrat Hoff's Malt Extract (Ese Williatus’ Malt Extract, the et Mellin’s Food, per b | Nestie's Milk Food. z's Soap, per | Poud’s Extract, pe Piso's Cough sirup | Proswan Cough > | Parker's Hair tai Pierce's Goldeu M. ‘Onl ap > kmulsion, the Wu Williams’ Phosphat best (fresh) in punt bottles. Water of Ammonis, Full stre Willaans’ Comp, sarsaparsila. Williams’ Rose Tooth Powder Willaims’ Quinine aud Kum Hair Tonic Handoline is unequaled as a beautifier of the com- picgn Su jhamepenmable reduiate to. tbe aches alet i 2, ato ‘work ud wing. bvery indy should wwe it Yer QUININE So. 100 2raiu Capyul oes 2 “apnales Gozeu S-araint Cape M3 > bbe. aze. Boa, 20c. Don't mistake the place THE TEMPLE DRU@ STOKE, under Masonic Temple, cor. Oth and F va. apli-eod =F. 8. WILLIAMS & ©O., Propriswwra, | 2, 18,9,4,1, 12 22,5,9,22. 6.12,15,21, 18 ‘These figures are the numbers of the alphabet witich: spell out the name of the VERY HIGHEST GRADE SPRING WHEAT PATENT FLOUR Manufactured in the world, the justly Oclebrate® was felt for the place, which was still infested | 414 sor sale by the following First-class Grocers: with anaes coe Written for the EVENING STAR. The Sweet June Days. The summer's reign has begun again, With s pageant of sunshine, in glittering rays, And roses follow in a crimson train ‘The steps of the sweet June days, And the fire in the pale nasturtium vines Is lit by the sweet June days. Now, soft and still, over sky and bill, A warning finger the summer lays, And the silence throbs with In the hush of the sweet June days, And love in an hour, like a tropical flower, ‘The call of her magic voice obeys, CHARLES 1. KELLOGG, Masouic Temple. W. E. ABBOTT, 1721 Peunsyivanis ave. andcor. 12 ‘and H sts. ‘Pennsylvania ave. G.G. CORNWELL & SON, 1412 Pennaylvanis sve, C. C. BRYAN, 1413 New York ave. BAKER, 456 Penusylvaniaavea, E. E. WHITE, 635 Louisiana ave. 8. KR WATERS, 1342 7th st. A. O. WRIGHT, 1632 14th st. now, BURCHAKD & CO., 354 Peupsylvania ave. W. T. GIVEN, cor 3d and H st. aw. w2t-wi passionate tari, | Dnrvx HiRES-= 2 EVERY BOTTLE GUARANTEED. No Trouble. aioe | ~i 1-1 1.) too