Evening Star Newspaper, July 26, 1890, Page 12

12 THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, JULY 26. 1890-SIXTREN PAGES, THE FOOT FOR SPEED. How Mr. Bonner Made His Horses World Beaters. SUNOL A PERFECT HORSE. A Practica} Study of the Equine Hooft— Recollections of Great Horsemen— Gen. Grant and Senator Stanferd— Practical Hints to Horse Owners. ‘Written for Tae Evexrxe Stan. {Copyrighted} HILE the love of thé horse is universal, PAL, the trotting horse is probably more a | “characteristic of Americans than of any jother people under the sun. This be- ing the case, it is remarkable how few there are who make the horse a scientific study. Oneresult of this partial knowledge ig the popular idea that illustrious pedigree exclusively confers speed. While it brings in- | dispensable qualities, still the purse has often | been accorded to the horse whose feet were in | the best condition—as it ia said, “no foot no horse.” There are so many differences in the formation of the equine foot that it would be impossible in a single article even to enumerate them. The perfect foot is symmetrical and well balanced in all its parts. so that it gives no unequal strain to the horse, the hoof being in a straight line from the coronet to its base, and the “coffin” joint, which forms the center of the foot, leg so placed that there is no ex- cess of boof on either side to unbalance it or to disturb the perfect equipoise. CHANGES IN THE HOOF. Yet a perfect foot is only perfect so long as the owner of the animal keeps it so, There is nothing more changeable. The slightest neg- lect will permit the growth of an excess of | hoof, with the most unwished-for results, as far as the comfort and speed of the horse are con- cerned. With the center of gravity unsettled | by an excess of hoof bebind, which causes con- traction, the forward portion of the hoof will enrve and assume a concave shape that weakens the whole foot and distresses the animal. Again, with an excess of hoof in front, the wall of hoof will assume a convex curve, the forward portion bulging outward. Both these abnormal formations strain the ankles and dis- tress the horse, the first causing concussion, the second by throwing the weight on the back tendon. THE GROWTH OF THE HOOF is rapid and its symmetry should be kept in- tact. When reduced to its proper size its base resembles a straight line from toe to hee!— the coronary bone, coiin bone and coffin joint weil balanced on a perpendicular basis of ‘sup- port that gives no undue strain to any ligament or muscle, and this is the true position of the | hoof. When an excess of hoof accumulates on either side of the foot the balance is unsettled, a@strain comes on the part affected and the grain of the hoof is subjected to such pressure at certain points that split-hoof frequently 1s | the result, if the neglect be persisted in. The remedy is to trim the hoof closely to natural lines and not to permit it to grow to excess either at the toe or the heel. Few reasons ex- ist for lameness when the foot is so treated. The malformation that arises from an excess of hoof at the heel, causing an inward or con- cave curve of the hoof in front, is frequently found m low-bred horses. The still greater déformity which arises from an excess of hoof in front. causing a displacement of the center of gravity toward the heel, sometimes begins soon after a colt is foaled and can be avoided by expanding the heel and reducing the sur- Plus of hoof. ‘MR. BONNER's KNOWLEDGE. It is not to the man who is merely fond of & good horse that the best results come, but to him who makes the horse a scientific study. There is the widest possible difference among owners in this respect. I think the man above sil others who makes the horse a study is Rob- ert Bonner. It has been a valuable lesson to me tobe present when Mr. Bonner’s horses were shod and I am familiar with many of their ‘HE CROSSED HIS HIND FreT. peculiarties. Maud S. has a very pure gait and Wears alight shoe, Hor forward shoes weigh from ten to twelve ounces and the hind shoes from six toeight ouuces. She could wear a six- ounce shoe better than any other if it would resist her weight and stay together. Before he bought Maud 8. Mr. Bonner knew that one of ker hind feet had given her trouble; but he ‘Was not concerned about Itheugh those who had been with her for years said it could not be removed. It was supposed that no doc- tor could be found to remove it. The trouble in the foot looked serious, vet it was almost in- stantly removed by Mr. Bonner himself when the mare came into his stable. ‘Twenty-three years ago I was in Montreal when I heard that Dexter had gone lame. I lett that city and came to New York to cure him if ‘ible, but before I arrived Mr. Bon- ner had cured the great horse himself. After that we frequently consulted about him, as well as about his other horses. Among them { now recall Pocahontas, Bruno, one of the flightiest of the stable; Flatbush Maid, Peer- Lady Palmer, Startle, Maud Mason, May- bird, Weilesiey Boy, Taylor, Grafton, Herrick, Forrest. Karus and the Queen herself, besides others who became famous. A GREAT ANIMAL. Late!y I accompanied Mr. Bonner when he went to Indiana to see Sunol, the wonderful California three-year-old. Ithink she is the greatest animal living today, without excey- tion. Her equal has probably never been born. ‘The formation is faultless—tiner than anything Tever saw. It must be so, since she has trotted a mile in 2 10%” as @ three-year-old. Formed as she is, it would be a discredit to hier not to go fast, for she more closely resembles a hound than any horse Lever saw. Her foot is per- fection itself. We have many trotters that never show any ability in the field, to the great disappointment of their owners, and too often the reason is that their fect are misunderstood. There aresome people who claim that the California youngsters are trained too soon, but Taee no reason why a horse should not, under \ iy L The perfect foot. 2 Excess of hoof at heel, causing deformity. 3. Excess of hoof at toe, causing deformity. | certain conditions, reach his fullest speed at | three or four years, instead of five or six. A colt will run just as fast ashe ever will when matured; we find this in the case of a runner, and it is the same, too, with a trotting gait; when the gift of bore is present and training is weil done and feet properly attended to, ‘We can commence quite early. I believe the time is Will be so thi ave only one lam lovers of horses is hes the man ly that aires his —- inv and ready made. I don’t think the of Vanderbilts take as keen aoq sn interest in horve flesh as did the old c modore, GEN, GRANT AND HIS HORSES, Irecall with a good deal of interest my ac- quaintance with Gen. Grant and how it began about horses. It was about twenty-two years o thet he made an appointment with me at ashington. We met there three times alto- gether, and the general proved himself not only a lover of the horse, but to have a pretty good understanding of the subject. He brought out a saddle bay—one of his army chargers—to be shod and treated for « habit of crossing his hind legs while in action, and also when stand- ing. ‘is was quickly redreased, to the great delight of the general, who, although he owned horses all his life, had never supposed that the formation of the fect was the cause of standing in this manner, A HORSE. IfI wore asked to furnish a practical ghint tothose whoown good horses as to the best method of caring for their feet, I would say: Trim them early, justas you would trim a young tree to make it grow right, Cultivate the hoof if you want it tobe perfect. Shoo them when they are from six months to a year old, once a month if you work them, with the assurance that you can get the foot in better shape when it rests on « metal plate as a base and support than without it. Some have said that the foot of very few horses are porfect and my experience goes to show that a great number of those I encounter are so. Feet like those of Dexter and Sunol are rare exceptions; but there is little reason why a horse should suffer with his feet, if his owner knows how to take care of them and does it. There are many differences in horses in this respect. The weak. spongy hoof that afilicts some that aro pastured on low ground, giving rise to curves and malformations, needs ial attention in young Norses. The hoof of the thorougbred, and, indeed, of any well-cared-for horse, when trimmed pro) zy, is in straight lines, equally balanced and weil proportio For this rea- son horses that are pastured on high and dry lands have more uniform feet. The rule that applies to the horses of the same formation of feet ~oue to thorough- breds as well as others. It should always be kept in view, in the training of a young horse, that a great deal really depends upon feet as well as pedigree. The soundness ot the animal is very largely due to the management of his feet. for even with well-formed feet he may go lame unless properly cared for. A young colt should have shoes a3 soon as he is required to travel over hurd roads, His feet must be pro- tected, for a horse's foot shod can better b preserved than bare. At one year there is enough hoof to keep it properly in place and to the proper size. . Yet, even with all the care that is usually be- stowed on young horses, I have seen many cases of foot distortion, Of two brothers of the same breed. one will have a rigid hoof and that of the other will be arched. Then, again, there will be differences in the feet of the same horse; indeed all are niore or less peculiar that way. ‘This is natural enough, for the feet grow like tour different trees, some of them straight, oth- ers seemingly curved naturally. In a forma- tion of this description the treatment is to make them grow alike and this can only be done by trimming the hoof scieutifically, so as to restore the balance of the foot and ‘relieve the part on which an unusual strain has been imposed, HOW HORS¥S SHOULD RE SHOD. A rangy horse, if he be tidy in his gait, should be shod like another horse of the same gait. When too long in his gait he should be shod as lightly as possible. In this way, in the matter of shoeing, the gait and other pecul- iarities of the animal should be studied and everything done to secure his perfect freedom and comfort. When we come to shoe a horse for speed at trotting there is no absolute rule as to the weight of the shoes, which must be adapted to the horse's requirements. On the other hand, when a horse is to be shod to work at aslow gait his shoes should be of uniform weight for such purpose, but it sometimes hap- pens that a horse intended for racing has to be shod differently on each foot, according to the condition of those members. _ In other words, the weight and form of the shoes must be d termined by circumstances and by the condi- tion of the horse, and particularly of his legs and feet. It is not too much to say that a horse whose feet are imperfect from any of the causes just named need never be expected to make a con- sistently notable record. ‘The lasting quality 18 often impaired by the condition of the feet, and only those horses that have been either natur- ally endowed with perfect feet, kept in that condition by an intelligent care, or those whose imperfections have been remedied by the ap- plication of scientific principles to oo treat- ment of the hoof, have succeeded in achieving great things. It is through the mastery of the science of the foot that Mr. Bonner has caused many of his famous horses to improve. The day is coming wien this science will be gener- ally recognized among horsemen everywhere. Davip Ronrror. TAKING PART IN A FEUD. The Melancholy Adventure That Befel a Passenger on a Bobtail Car. NE solitary passenger with the gig- lamps and bright yellow necktie was somewhat surprised to see the driver ‘of the bobtail car crouch down sud- denly behind his cage in front, at the same time letting fly the brake, and administer- ing a thwack with his whip to the remains of what was once a horse, while the vehicle was il at ance assailed with a perfect fusiliade of strange missiles, such as over-ripe tomatoes, potatoes, onions and so forth, some of which came through the open windows and squashed here and there. It was the passenger's first impulse to avoid the storm by ducking his head, and by the time he ventured to raise it again to find out what as the matter the car had got more than half @ block away, and it was not apparent from whence the attack had proceeded. Being naturally a taciturn man and devoid of curi- osityhe refrained from saying anything or asking for any explanation, contenting him- self with readjusting his hat upon his’ head, whereupon he immediately became absorbed once more in his afternoon Stan. He took tea with a friend and it so chanced that he started home again immediately after, while it was still daylight, and found jimself, by a coincidence, once more a solitary passen- ger on the same bobtail car with the same driver, going the other way, He was finishing his reading of the same newspaper with a se- rious attention characteristic of him, when he felt a sudden acceleration of the car's speed and was simultaneonsly struck with some vio- lence in the back of the neck by a large and squashy object that distributed itself pretty much all over his person, liquid from it drip- ping in streams over his clothes and down hia shirt collar, while the pulpy portion adhered to his garments everwhere in unpleasant gobs, As he rose hastily to his feet the driver rushed back into the car and cried out: “Were you bi “Do I not look like it?” respondgd the soli- tary passenger, gravely, as he took off his silk hat und attempted to remove from the back of it = adherent mass of something moist and yellow. “It was a muskmelon,” eaid the driver, pathetically. “It doubtiess was.” repliod the passenger, fetching away from the back of his neck « con- siderable agglommeration of the sceds of that vegetable. “And a bad one,” added the driver, with ear- nest conviction. “Very.” admitted the passenger, as he extri- cated a portion of it from his left hand coat pocket. “He always saves that kind for me,” said the driver. sym- sorry that he did not pursue his habit in this case,” rejoined the nger, as the driver began te wipe him off with his news- ask who the person is to “It's red-headed Moloney, none else,” replied the driver. “He keeps a grocery shop on this street. An old feud it is between him and me. ‘The way it began was this: Moloney came to a party at my flat with a brand new silk tilo on that he had bought the same mornin’, and Mrs. O’Hara—me wife that is—sat down on it by ac- cident and smashed it as flat as a pancake, When he saw the dam Moloney was mad, cussed and swore and said that Mrs. O'Hara was ® hippopotamus, referrin’ to her bein’ an Unusually heavy woman, and things like that.” “And what did Mrs. O'Hara do?” inquired e passenger. “She did the only thing a bap (Mateng do under the circumstances,” said the driver, still continuing the wip ocess. “She went around the next day a nocked the stufting out of red-headed Mol: 's sister. And ever ince then Moloney and _ have been out. A ago I was put on this route, and every he happens to see my car his aeons" with any secon oe have saved Last 5 t half a pumpkin in tho bar, Moloney is a od ots — But I'm sorry for that muskmelon, “Tm not so sorry for the muskmelon as I am re myself,” d the solitary “4 BOON TO HUMANITY. Erythroxylon Coca, From Which Co- caine is Extracted. CULTIVATING THE PLANT. —————.__ A South American stry—Strange Effects of Chewing the Leaves—Food and Drink for the Natives—Terraces of Growing Shrubs. ——$ From Tux Stan's Traveling Commissioner. La Paz, Boxrvia, May 90, NE of the most important industries of Bolivia, as wellas of Peru and Ecuador, is the cultivation of the plant known to ‘ience as erythroxylon coca, For many years past Bolivia's crop of dried coca leaves has averaged a trifle over 7,500,000 pounds, Of this vast amonnt fully 55 per cent is consumed at home by the native Indians, About 30 per cent of the remainder is divided equally between Chili and the Argentine Re- public, Peru gets 10 per cent of it, Europe 6 per cent and the United States none at all, Since alkaloid cocaine has lately come into general use for producing local anesthesia the demand for the coca leaves from which it is made has greatly increased, though without sensibly affecting the markets of South America, Soon as the application of cocaine to surgical uses became common the British government sent out a com- mission to collect the plants and transfer them to India, and already the plantations of those far-off colonies are yielding so profusely that they furnish plenty of leaves for the Ger- man manufacturer who supplies the world with most of the cocaine that is used, THE COCA SHRUB. It must be remembered that the cocoa palm, the seeds of which furnish the chocolate of commerce, and the coca plant, from which cocaine is made, are not reiated to one another in any way, but belong to different branches of the vegetable family. Erythroxylon coca is not a tree, but a small shrub, growing from two to five feet high. It flourishes best at an alti- tude between 3.000 and 6,000 feet above the sea in sheltered places where the climate is warm and moist without excessive heat, In this coun- try it attains its greatest perfection in the province of Yungas, where the mountain ridges, crossing in every direction, leave deep hollows and narrow valieys between, giving all varicties of climate with the productions pe- culiar toeach, That section not only produces the best coca in tie world, but vanilla and chocolate beans, sarsaparilla, coffee, quinine, oranges, figs, bananas, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, quinces.cherries, e mangoes, apricow, sugar cane, and barley are gathered from the cooler heights, the sunny hillsides and the lower villages, A good deal deal of coca is also grown in Peru in the neighborhood of Cuz; but it is of inferior quality, as the hot, dry atmosphere thickens the loaves and de- stroys,their delicate flavor. COCA TERRACES, The lower mountain sides of the Yungas and other valleys are laid out in terraces, each ter- race about a yard wide and well supported by a wall of stones. in which fhe little coca bushes, closely resembling tea plants, are set at regular distances. The seeds are first sown in beds, and when the plants are a few inches high they are transferred to the terraces. No fertilizers are used, but great care is taken that no grasses or other growths are allowed to spring up with the coca. Each bush yields three generous crops of leaves in a year and sometimes four, where the conditions of soil and climate are peculiarly favorable, Each crop is called a mita. The first, known as the “Marzo mita” (March crop), is gencrally picked in January; the second, or “St. John’s mita,” is gathered in May, and the third, or ‘‘All Saints’ mita,” in October. The harvest time, however, is by no meaus uniform, depending greatly on the weather, the rain and other accidents, HOW THE CROP 18 GATHERED. The crop is gathered by Indian women, who pick it leaf by life, squatted upon the ground in front of a bush. It is slow work, because the tiny leaves must not be broken or the central fiber torn; and it is believed that if the apex ofthe plant is touched, or if any animal brushes against it, all the leaves will instantly wither. Following the women come men with large sacke, who collect the gathered leaves and carry them to the cachi or coca yard to be dried. The cachi is inclosed by a wall, and paved with flatstones that are kept perfectly clean, ‘The morning sun striking down on these stones heats them so that when the leaves are spread smoothly over the surface they become perfectly dry ina few hours. Then they aro re-collected, more carefully than ever, having now become somewhat brittle, and carried to the press, the latter being a primitive machine, with a crossbeam made of the hard wood of the country. When com- pletely dry the leaves still retain their bright green color, even after having been packed for months, The press has a box which Nolds pre- cisely 25 pounds. A lining of dried banana leaves, soft as silk yet strong as leather, ix put into the box before the coca is poured in. When turned out of the press the package is called a certa; and two certas, 50 pounds, when lashed together, form a tambo or “drum.” The latter is wrapped in coarse sacking and more banana leaves, and makes a bundle which measures about three cubic fect. In this shape it is toted over the mountains to La Paz, oa mule or Ian back, to be deposited in the adriano de coca or coca custom house, TRANSPORTING THE CROP, After a picking season the roads leading out of the valleys are literally filled with beasts of burden laden with coca and troops of Indians on their way to town to sell the fruit of their labors, or on the way home. generally empty- handed but in a state of jolly intoxication, the women outdoing the men in their enjoyment of the spree—singing, dancing, howling like so magy lunatics, but always docile and re- spectful to the superior race, though they oc- casionally indulge in a little hair pulling among themselves. ‘Thus the whole coca crop grown in tho low- lands must pass over the great Cordillera, to a height of nearly 17,000 fect, before it can reach the market. A good deal is ruined in transit, when not sufti- ciently protected, as ‘the least moisture, such as the usual snowstorm tobe encountered in the upper heights, rots the delicate leaves and destroys their cocaine properties. ‘That which is exported from Bolivia is rewrapped at the adriano in bales of 150 pounds each, cov- ered first with rawhide, then with strong cloth andathick coating added of some rcainous gum. Two of these bales or 300 pounds is con- sidered a male load for the long hard journey between La Paz and the sea, The average price of coca to the producer is 22 cents (gold) Per pound; but out of this he has to pay a tax of 24 centavos (about 13 cents gold) on every pound. Think of cultivating, picking, drying and packing the tiny leaves’ for thut small profit, to say nothing of carrying them several days’ journey over the mountains! THE GOVERNMENT'S TAXES, Tho government derives no small share of its revenue from the coca business. The right to collect the tax is “farmed out,” or sold to the highest bidder,sealed proposals being re- ceived for the privilege. The contracts are given for one year only, running from the 11th of June to the 10th of the following June. A greater part of the tax goes into the public treasury und the balance is used for improving the rough roads over the heights and down into the valleys where coca —_— A late contract was bid in for 235,880 boliviannas, of which sum 215,500 will go to the government. leaving for tho road commissioners $20,520 of the country. At least 75 per cent of all the coca that is raised in Boliva is brought to La Paz under these contracts, the remainder being sold by middle- men to the residents of adjacent villages on the ‘eat Andean plateau. The manner of tax col- ing in Yungas is a fair sample of the mode et the country. Tanacachi, a village near the western terminus of the valley, lies in & narrow canyon between impassable moun- tains, through which there is but one road. All the streets of the town except that one into the canyon road are securel; Up just outside the suburbs, so that all cargo must gory by way of the custom house, which stands at the head of the canyon, THE CUSTOM HOUSE. Whenever an Indian passes with a pack on Bis beck oe ® load on his male, if he does not a w what he carries, or the tax if it be coca, he uickly tinds himse. troul Out rushes a comme ne ne asmall quantity of coca leaves, together with an earthern vase or jar that once held lime or potash. To this day potash is eaton with the coca. Itis made by incinerating the root of a weed which is indigeneous to the soil where the coda grows, or from the bark of a species 2 — bean, of which the Indians are very fon ‘The whites and cholos (half-breeds) seldom ‘use coca at all, except sometimes as an infusion in cases of debility. The infusion is made in the same manner as ten, except that the first water is thrown away, being too strong and bitter. The second steeping is not disagree- able to the taste and is extremely exhilarating. A species of wine is also being made for medici- nal purposes—comparatively a new invention, whose beneficent effects remain to be proved. EFFECT OF COCA LEAVES. The increase of one's powers of endurance by the use of coca leaves, especially in the higher altitudes, is something marvelous. Aside from relieving sirrocho, the distressing dificulty of breathing incident to exercise in the thin air of the Andes, it is said to com- pletely abolish allsense of ‘hunger or fatigue. ‘tis an undoubted fact that an Indian, when well supplied with coca, will travel from fifty to seventy-five miles a day, carrying on his back the load of a llama, almost without food for day's together. Indced he considers food as of secondary importance, or rather as tl on his list of necessities, diluted alcoho! co ing next to coca. All the Aymaras and Quichuas, male and female, use incredible juantities fof both alcohol and coca, while their allowance of food is ene small, the menu being limited to but two or three edibles from ono year’s end to another. That the women consume even more than the men is perhaps no more than fair, since the former do all the hardest work and earn most of the money. The inborers of this country aro universally Indians, and all employers must furnish a cer- tain amount of coca to each man or he will not work at all. In the mines the least allow- ance per diem is five ounces for every man and eight ounces is sometimes given. Thus sup- phed an Indian will work willingly and well from 4 o'clock in the morning until7 p.m., taking nothing to eat in the meantime. He gencrally has food of some sort before begin- ning his labors, and after 7 in the evening he eats whatever he can get. THE INDIAN'S THREE cups. His first cud is accumulated in about two hours, from 4 to 6 o'clock, taking it leaf by leaf. stripping the central stem between his teeth, and from time to time adding afew graius of potash. ‘This alkali causes a buraing sensation on the lips, but is soon incorporated with tho cud, serving to neutralize the acidity of the leaves and at the same timo aiding di- gestion by provoking an increased flow of sal- ava. At 10 o'clock a.m. the employer gives him half an hour of rest. He then throws away the morning's chew, rinses his mouth with alcohol, and industriously begins the accumulation of a second cud. Again, at 1:30 o'clock, another rest is given, which the employs in ‘making a third chew, At 8:30 the same performance is repeated, He still has a little coca left for the evening, and if the day’s allowance has been genero' enough he will keep himself awake and garru- lous all night. Many Indians get credit against coming wages tor a greater amount of coca than the employer feels disposed to furnish gratis, and if they can add to it some 40 per cent of alcohol their bliss is complete, COCA INTOXICATION, Strange to say, the most inordinate use of coca is not followed by delirium tremens, nervousness or any other effect that mi be noticeable on an Indian, even aiter he has lived on it for two or three di aking little or no food and enduring excessive fatigne. When- ever opportunity offers he will eat the back numbers of omitted meals in one gigantic beap, thus showing that no serious disturbance of the stomach has arisen from his coca intoxication, Neither does its habitual uso scem to affect longevity unless it may be to prolong it. One never meets a toothless or bald-headed Indian, though 100 years is here considered their average span of life. There is a choer- ful Methuselah in Chuquibambilia who claims to have just turned his one hundred and forty- second year, and the parish pricst supports his statement by the church record of births, ‘This aged Indian does not look any older than his great-grandchildren, and declares that for more than ninety years he has not tasted water or any liquid whatsoever but chicha, the native intoxicant made from fermeuted corn; that he has eaten coca three times a day ever since he was ten years old, and has seldom had animal food except on Sundays, sometimes having no meat at ali for months together, but subsisting entirely on corn, barley and quinua, ANTIQUITIES, On this subject Mr. Stevenson writes n= stauces are not rare of Indians who attain 130 and even more years of age, yet retaining full possession of the bodily and mental powers, On examining the church register of Barranca I found that within an_ interval of seven years eleven Indians had dicd whose united ages amounted to 1,707 years, or an average of 109 years each, The Indians retain their teeth and hair toextreme old age, and it is remarkable that the latter never becomes white and seldom gray. In the year of 1839 there was living in she valley of Jauja an Indian who, according to the baptismal register, was 147 years old.” No doubt the aperient qualities of coca tend to prevent disease, and are most usefui in counteracting the obstructions caused by dict of farinaceous food alone. One cannot id an Indian anywhere in Bolivia or Peru who has not his hualiqui, or pouch, of coca, The leaves are retailed in eve little tienda in quantities to suit the purse of the rehaser, and on “beggar’s day” (Saturday) a handful of coca is more gratefully reccived by the poorest mondicant than if every leaf were silver coin, Paxsiz B. Wann. Nor As the president still maintains firm hold of the telegraph wires and newspaners it is impossible to get any accurate news of the revolutionary movements, ‘That the situation is not growing loss grave may be inferred from the fact that La Paz, as well as the rest of Bolivia, is now placed under military rule—a rather unpleasant state of affairs for travelers and strangers, to say nothing of peaceful citizens. A battle is known to have occurred within the week near the southern border of the republic instead of in the north as expected, the rebels carrying on operations in both ends of the country at once. . Be ° — MUFTI IS, Anybody Can Buy it, but Nobody but a Warrior Can Wear It. From the San Francisco Chronicle. What does ‘mufti” mean? Is it an Ameri- canism, an Anglicism, a Gallicism, or pure, un- adulterated slang? In the days of spelling and definition bees, fifteen years ago, it would have been selected as a good word to torture aspir- ants for prizes, Briefly expressed, mufti is a military term largely used in Europe and in a less degree in this country for the use of civil dress or plain clothes by aregular military or naval officer entitled to wear uniforms at all times, as was actually done by officers in the army or navy of the great nations up to the close of the last century, In the present day there seems to be sucha burning desire on the part of officers in the army and navy of the United States to get rid of the evidences of their presumably honorable calling that the wearing of mufti, or plain clothes, is an almost universal’ practice, Whether it is for the good of the country that the objection to wearing uniforms on the streets, outside of parades or public proces- sions, 1s extending to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the regular service is a question that is just now receiving consider- able aia tion tran thoughtful citizen: ‘Turning for a moment to tho philological is- sue involved in the word ‘mufti,” it appears that the term is of Arabic origin, and. was adopted into the Hindoostanic tongue to ex- press tho assumption of plain clothes by the officers in the service of the old East India Company, which was a commercial corpora- tion invested with military power. In the original Arabic “mutfti” indicated a person, nota thing, namely, a doctor or a teacher of religions or Mohammedan law, which is its resent primary interpretation in Turkey. The er spoak of an officer “in mufti” as “en Pekin,” thus again recognizing tho oriental origin of the word. The German army uses “mufti” to hey de the assumption of civilian clothes after being in uniform, and the Rus- sians recognize the term in the same sense, A Low-Down Trick. From the Detroit Free Press, The other day when seven or eight men were lounging in a saloon in Brush street a stranger entered. It was plain that he was dry. It was also plain that he was a man who didn’t have the moral courage to stand at the’ bar and drink alone before a crowd, The crowd stood up. The advanced ‘to the bar and the crowd moved with him. “Weil?” asked the r carefully down on the boned ud edly acid wn on 3 BE iad a renee ode was ven » glass, charged usual price of a beer, and as drained his glass and Picked up his he said: “1 But that the spot, I'd have asked MAKING DAY OF NIGHT some Negatives Suddenly Developed by Pilot Ross’ Search Light, PICTURES FROM THE RIVER. Lovers Whe S! the Electric Glare— Roosters and Farmers Deceived by a cidents of a Trip With the Macalester. ——__. LL the young folks who have patron- ized the moonlight excursions on the river this season have learned to know that “river chills” are dangerous, and that if they are not caroful the search light on the steamer Charles Macalester, which is handled by Capt. Tom Ross, the popular pilot, is suro to find them out. For that reason there are not so many cases of that sort of chills among excursionists asin former seasons, although the shady side of the boat still gives young lovers a chance to steal asly kiss with- out much fear of being detected. When the National Guard camp at Fort Washington opened Capt. Ross received the short but stern message, “If you throw the light on us we will load our guns.” NIGHT SCENES AT CAMP. The captain felt a little uncasiness at first, because he knew that the members of the Dis- trict militia were brave soldiers and would carry out instructions even at the risk of swamping a steamer, For that reason he wasa little careful at first, but soon he picked up courage enough and turned the thumb screw when the he: reflector was turned toward the fort, All hands on shore seemed bewil- dered, Presentiy he lowered the light, when there was brought within the brilliantly illu- minated field a soidier boy, who looked as though he was asking, “What are the wild waves saying, sister?” Whether sister's hearing was defective or not their heads were close to- gether and the scene presented was interest- ing. On the wharf when the light was focused there the men on guard duty could be plainly seen. In front of the electric search light four of them presented arms. The hour was late, but along the front line of the wharf was a string of biuecoats, and ea of them held a fishing line in his hand. ‘The: were fishing for cels on suspicion that the com- ing breakfast would run short. All along the river in front of the fort were many small row- boats and sailboats, while along the beach strolled soldier boys with their sweethearts, Up on the hill only the top of the canvas city could be seen above the trees, THE SEARCH LIGHT. Capt. Ross is proud of his search light, and to use his own words he is like a spoiled child over it, and would feel lost on the river if he had to do without it. The search light is run by the same motor that lights the boat. Although the light isa powerful one the draught it makes on the mo- tor does not materially affect the incandescerit lights which are on ail parts of the boat. The light when thrown into the air above, it is cal- culated, reaches halfa mile, while when throw: across the land it can be scen as far as ten or twelve miles. On the downward trip the search light is never used, nor is it put in operation uutil the time for leaving Marshall Hall ar- rives. The men employed on the boat have become accustomed to the light, but those who are not well posted are apt to be caught in its rays sometimes. When Capt. Ross pulls the rope to open the whistle and sweeps the ground with the light he never fails to arouse enthusiasm enough to getashout or hurrah from those on the boat or wharf. “5 EXCURSIONISTS AVOID IT, When the procession of white dresses and blazers and white flannel suits and black straw hats reaches the boat it heads toward the stern, for there the search light cannot shed its rays and young lovers can spoon without fear of a sudden bath of light, Those who take advan- tage of the soft cushions in the saloon likewise have nothing to dread, but those on the bow have to be careful aud are in constant fear lest the good-natured pilot should turn his reflector upon them, The other night thore was a jolly, good- natured party ou the bow and one man was en- tertaining the entire party. party called out, “Break aw: what Capt. Tom is called by many, and almost instantly the pilot flashed the light on the group in the bow, “Ob, Iam all right, cap- tain,” shouted the man who had entertained the party solong. “I've got my wife with me tonigit.” “Lhat's all right,” responded Capt, Tom, who had never seen either the man or his wife before, “but it wasn’t your wife with you last night.” Everybody enjoyed the pilot's joke except the couple, and the pilot was afterward told that the husband has been trying ever since to expiain where he was the night before the ex- cursion. A FALSE DAWN. “Of course Iam never on shore to see the light,” remarked the pilot to a Srar reporter who had been watching operations from the hurricane deck, and I can’t say exactly what it looks like from a distance, but I do know that it is like carrying your own daylight or sunshine with you, “Why, the other night when I threw the light into afarmer’s yard the chickens began to leave the house and the roosters crowed so loudly that the farmer, like the chickens, thought it was daybreak and got up.” The buoys and other channel marks and ull boats could be seen far in the distance yy the hight being thrown upon them, and on more than one occasion smail boats were scen directly in the steamer’s path and had to be whistled out of the way. Sergeant Joyce's honse at Fort Washington shows up nicely under the light, as does the naval mi Not far from the latter place is an opening through the trees to a house, and the sight presented there when the light is projected in that direction isa picturesque one, Frequently two or three cows aro seen on the lawn and the light so bewilders them that they remain perfectly still, ALEXANDRIA IN THE GLARE. When Alexandria was reached by the boat there was a gathering on Tunnel Hill and their shouts could be heard clear owt in the middle of the river, Just around three or four old buildings and lumber piles another scene was brought into view by the light, but it was a different one from the scene on the hill. There were nearly two dozen boys on the wharf ready to go in swimming. and when the light struck them they rolled off into the water like frogs, ‘There was one boy in the crowd who was not quite prepared for a ducking. He was only about fifteen years old, but he did not want to spoil the only garment that he did not get off. He tried to got out of the garment, but failed, and so he contented himseif with burying his face in his hands, STROLLING ON THE RIVER BANK, Along the arsenal wall there were a number of young couples enjoying the cool breezes from the river. Their feet were dangling down the wall toward the water's edge and several of them had their arms about each other as a pro- tection, itis supposed, from the damp air. Tho pilot tooted the whistle and such scrambling to get from in front of the light was never seen be- fore, FQUAL TO THE OCCASION. But Capt. Tom met his match. The boat was making its way over the water at twenty knots an hour and he was amusing the passengers, who were laughing and shouting at the differ- ent sights, The light was turned onand thrown ashore, It fell upon acouple who were strolling over the lawn. In a sort of a “‘no-you-don’t” fashion the man hoisted his umbreila and went along uv- Janene amid the cheers and applause of those on deck. When the excursionists have been so well en- tertained during an evening and the boat is nearing the wharf everybody wants to know who the stout man is who made all the fun for them and Capt. Ross is now one of the most popular men on the river. hen the landing is reached, at the foot of ‘7th street, the whistle is blown and the light is turned skyward, streaming ard in the heavens, where it can be seen from all parts of foley. It is asignal to those waiting at home that excursionists have arrived safely, a ATTRACTIVE HOMES, rating the House, A PRETTY TABLE COVER TO MATCH A ROOM IN BLUE—WHAT ONE MAT DOIN & TERRACOTTA ROOM—MARVELS OF BEAUTY MADE OF CRE- TOXNE—CONCEALING UNSIGHTLY CORNERS, EQUESTS have been made to me to give advice or suggestions for three different articles, all in the line of bouse decoration. The first is how to make @ suitable and pretty table cover for a young girl's room, which is furnished in blue. A blue room is always a delicate, dainty ‘partment in appearance, and whatever is to be placed in it shoula partake of the same character if possible. There are two styles at least that could be used here—both equally suitable and durable—according to fancy. The first is a square cover of heavy white linen which will just fit the top of the table exclusive of the fringe which should hang down for six | inches on all sides, and be knotted several times for a heading, Having nothing but the fringe to overhang isa rather more novel way than to have the embroidery falling below the table top. The design on tho one suggested should be all on the table top itself, just inside the edge, border inclosed with lines being very good. A pattern of leaves or a scroll or arabesque of | any kind 1s good, allto be worked in heavy | white linen floss, This will give a cover that endless washings cannot hurt and that will give the regaisite dainty look by its pure white tont. If wash cold thread were added | to the design or, indeed, only to the border lines, _ just ‘so much more effect of richness would be obtained, The other style | is also of linen. but of a tiner quality. This may be fringed also, but with fine linen a lace is much handsomer, The size to this mi regulated by the depth of lace used. | If wide ace, say five to seven! inches, is chosem the linen cover will be prettiest to only cover the table top with the lace as @ fall, being slightly pulled on so as to fall gracefully. The linen should hare a hemstitched hem im this case, and just inside in each corner have three corn flowers with stems but no lea’ tied together with a bow knot and ends of ribbon, all to be worked in different shades of blue silk, the ribbon being lighter in color than the blossoms. The flow- ers should be toward the center of the cloth with the bowsin the corners, Another way to use the same idea is to have the cloth larger, | with fringed edges some two inches wide, and the flowers worked in the same way, but hang- ing in the folds of the corners of the larger spread, will give it quite a different look. ‘There is still another choice which comes to me as I write. That is to embroider a spread in the ever popular powdered effect, with either corn flowers—single flowers with tiny leaf and different tones, This is the special province of a young girl also, _It must not be too deli- cate or elaborate for daily use, and yet as it 1s cover is desirable. Very pretty and inexpen- sive covers for pillows are to be found ready on for everyday wear to be of much Away to overcome this, however, to cover the background with lace stitch in a color—a deep shade of old pink in this case would be the right thing. ‘Then embroider the pattern in a lighter shade of pink with long and short stitch worked so heavily as to cover as much of the white ground as possible, The prettiest finish to this would bea puff or double ruffle all around three inches wide of mull in old pink or India silk if the right shade of mull could not be found, the lining to be of the silk in either c. This wouid be found not too deli- cate in color or material to be used for a long time without spoiling its prettiness, if handsomer materials are wanted there is the always beautiful satin sheeting, in either cream or ecru, embroidered with pink or pink embroidered with different shades of the same color, or with cream, OF CREAM SHEETING, A charming treatment for a piliow of cream sheeting is to work it in empire style. From corner to corner on each of the four sides draw a line curving in festoon shape. At the middle of each curve—where the festoon hangs | lowest—draw a bunch of flowers of any simple design. ‘The wild rose is as good a shape as any to use, and a few leaves and buds should be added to maka a graceful cluster—trailing along the festoon each way for a little space. The festoon can be made by couching the very heavy gold thread in several strands to 1aake a band nearly a quarter of an inch wide, or gold braid can be applied directly. The only objection to the braid is that it tarnishes much sooner than the Japanese thread. The flowers and leaves are then to be worked half solidly with the shades of pink silk to har- monize with the room. A plain pink lining of silk and heavy cream cord put on plainly is as good a finish ‘as anything. The festoons do not want to curve too much and vet enough to bring the flowers sufficiently near the center of the pillow so as not to leave it looking bare at all, FOR A TERRA COTTA ROOM. Question number three is about some pretty and attractive gift for still another bed room, which has terra cotta as its special hue. As no particular thing is distingushed I would sug- geste small chair, with its cushion to be hand- decorated in some way. For the hard use a chair “seat receives something substantial is needed, and the color, terra cotta, enriches the material, whatever it may be. In the wool damasks are many good designs, self colored, such as princes’ feather and other set figures. Apretty cushion might be made by tuking some of this damask in terra cotta and em- broidering the design in filoselle silk, the dull lusterless finish being better than the more glossy rope silk. Use the figure like a stamped pattern, taking shades of silk which contrast with the ground. A dark ground and light silks would maybe have the prettier effect. A | little corner chair painted white would be as ape as any. The cushion should | have a straight piece set in the side to have it set up well, and tied to such a chair with terra cotta bows would be an extremely pretty piece of furniture. WORKED ON CRETONNE. Another style of cushion might be preferred and quite a different effect obtained. Among the French cretonnes are lovely floral designs | of all kinds. One of these in very large flowers could be taken and the flowers worked over with the filoselles, carrying out the same color | scheme of course. This would make much | more of the design, of course, than leaving it flat and give a much lighter tone to the chair. The ground of the cretonnes is generally cream, and cream and terra cotta ribbons couid | be used in tying the cushion oa, While this would be more striking than the other, it would scarcely be as durable. If none of these ideas are quite what is desired they may at | least suggest something which can be carried attractiveness of one of the handsome new homes of Washington. CUTTING OFF CORNERS, One of the tendencies of the times in house- angularity from a room. For a dining room a board across it, and from the ceiling, reach: down to the sideboard, having a framework 01 wood effectually concealed by cloth draped in scant folds. Against this background plates can be hung with good effect, treating it as » continua- background of this kind can be made a pictar- esque feature of an unpretentious dining room, Helpful Suggestions About Deco- | (‘#ESAPEAKE AND O10 RaILWax, Trains leave Union m. for BAlt More, AxD 0 im for a giftsomething more unique and repre- | 1 ; senting more labor than asimple India silk | M. st ences by Luton Tranete 1 out suitably and acceptably and will add to the | as “"[raius on Washington and Ohio division leave Washe - 7 burg at 2°30 corner can be cut off by putting a low side-| Bie S08 Dp aud 6-53.am. Strasburg local at 10-4 furnish Sylvania ave. and at passenger station, Ponusyivaus® RAILROADS. Sehodule in ECect Mas 18. Depot. 6th apd B streets, 10-57 port News, Old Point Comfort and Arrive at Old Point 10y 40 pom ‘Am. for Norfols daily ule Slecper for Lea> " Pullman Care are open to Dasscugers at 9 pr 13 Pennsylvania avenue H.W. FULLER, General Passenger Agent Tee Oftice: 5! ayl2at Schedule in eave Washingt 83 Stations between Washinston ay 0, 3h. 220, 3:25, 4-5 am, 12 Suudaya 5°30" am a Sundays, Branch, 16.39, al Statious oui vaathersbure aud 1 141-00 am, th 00. $1200 ptm Boya’s anu intermediate stat hureu wo ions, * Branc, pnts ami St. J. 2:05 pan, from Jitisbune + 3 YORK AND PHTLAY stem of olive siik—or forget-me-nots in little 00 nom, bunches all over it, This is perhaps the most resins Ss work of any, but is always charming with these : Has ae | particular flowers, For. thtermediate Bointe_between Ba! ro and AN ESTHETIC SOFA PILLOW. Philadelphia, 16:00 ‘and 47:20 a.m., 12:0, 8 The next question is in regard to a sofa pil- - Traine leave New York for Wash low fora bed room furnished in old pink in | {24:80 &™. *2:00. *3:20, *S.00'p. leave Philadelphia for Washio, % "1139 am, Td, car ru Porwh| and 10 am, 1 noon and 10-.idg.mn, 00 noon. stamped in the shops on white cotton momie | week days, 9:15 sn hd cloth. Both the designs and material are ex- | 9:39 a.m, 1:30, vm. iy te ground. This soils ax Po ore eek days, 6:30, 8.30 p. Except Suuday. "Dally. §S axe called for and checke f Con Lcket oflices, 619 au CBAS. 0. SCULL, Ge J.T. ODELL, Gen. Manaser. HE GREAT S¥LVANIA ROUT! E 1 TO THE NOKTH, WEST AND HOt DOUBLE 1 RACK. Fr. BELEADID MEME PLENDID SC ENA BYEEL BAILS.” | MAGNIFICENT Ql ce In effect Yay 1.1. 180 TRAINS LFAVL WASMINGIUN, E CORNER OF OTH AND BSTAEEL For Pitsburg and the West, Chicago Lantos of Pulau Vestal Ki MENT, neato, "St. Ls its, Ch ati Express, 33:30pm. daily a to Murrisburg, aud Slect to St. Lows, Chica me Car B asburg - Lo cy a0. Western xpress, at 7 4) with Sloep ing Cars Washington to Chic Louis, connes\ing daily at Berrisburs with for Louisville and Memphis. i AND POTOMAC bandage ua, Koches:e: w na hington to ox For Willianspert, Lock liaven and Eli 1. « ly, except Sunday dow xpress with Inning Caro 00 yn FOR PHILADELPIA ONLY. Fast express $-10 a.m. week days aua 4-00 p.m. daily. Express, Sunday ouly, 9:40 For Boston witiont Cisne For Brooklyn, N.¥.. ali hork city am, week days, 1190p 1:00 am. 1 except Suuday, Sandi mm. Pam. daily, and 4-200. WASHINGTON SOT IN EFFECT M. For Alexandria, 4:30, 10:57 ain., 12 and 10-00 p.m Accommosth ok Pl. Ww For ducks ‘dail ccouunodatic ve Alexancdiis ior Wash ig 1 5 ‘Trams Je Be General Mauace: D AND DANVILLE RAILNOAD Co. dule in effect JULY 13 Statious vetween ‘Alexandria and ‘ly? Atlanta, Bristol, Auoxsalle, Ch: his. Pullman Sleeper Wartingt } am.—Fust Mail daiy tor « lottesvalle, Stutions Chesapeake aud Lynchburg, Kocky Mount, Danville and sta ween Lynchburg and Dati re rt ¢ Ashevili anid Pullman Siec imau Sleeper Deny wan Siccpers Washington tw Koute. lay, for Manasseg Bristol aud Chate Vestibule sleepers Wasi all Arkansas git mu ™ , Staunton dat man Vestibule Tran Washiceten with a Pullinan sleejer tor Louisville. 1:00 p.m.—Southern Express aa Danville, “Kaleuh, « Auvusta, Acauta, “Mou fitting is to conceal or cut off the corners Of | ington 9-00 min. daily, 1-59 y-10 nip cept sunday square rooms, Allsorts of devices are em- | sn44:49 p.m: daily srrive found 11:30 omy ployed for it, Thecorner seat helps to this | 6-00 am. and 5- pam. dailj end ifa rod is put across and drapery hung just Sar. ge aa a Washington _ below the ceiling. Large pieces Ly Ph pope aM i tratie from the south, via Chariotte, Dam ood deal of the | villeaud arrive in Washington 6:03 ame set across corners take away ag Pilleand, Loneliburg urrive tn Washing m. und 7:10 p.ru.; Charlottesville at Neketa: aleepiug car reservation aud jutoriuatiom and baggage checked at office, 1300 Penne Bats, JAS. L. TAYLOR, Gen. Pars. Agent. OCEAN STEAMERS. _ myl0 SPORT wourE TO LONDO! z X,, Any handy woman couid the framework ae 1 ——1 +> sae and group the china after the carpenter thamyron Havre, Bremen. made the necessary beginning. The nails or| | Trave, Wed., July 2, 10 um. But Je hooks are put through 1 Of course, | ihn it Betaus: 2 730 ens.» allel Wed. nus. 610 in fastening them to the woo am: Eider Mat. Aw. 2 noon. Indians Out of Meat. cr, Prices: ist A dispatch from Chamberlain, 8. D.,