Evening Star Newspaper, December 6, 1890, Page 13

al j THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, REALM OF FASHION. Quite the Latest in Lingerie and Hosiery. INTERESTING TO THE LADIES. Chemises Out of Date—Biack Silk Tights for Stout Ladies—Something New in Tea Gowns —For Full Dress the Hosiery and Slippers ‘Must Match the Gown. Written for The Evening Star. ALL remember the the condition of Dickie Dilner’s wife, who had Fine shoes, fine yellow hair, Doubled ruffle round her they pay more attention to their double ruffles and tine shoes than they do to their undergar- ments. For those who indulge luxurious fan- cies in this direction, however, linen has become much more costly than is generally supposed, and every article put on underneath the dress is a matter of as great importance as the gloves or bonnet. The shapes of dresses during recent years have necessi- tated something like a correspondence in the fitting of undergarments, while certain preju- dices concerning climate have introduced silk as a material to be worn next the person. Such garments are becoming morein general use, and are found in combinations and divided skirts. ‘THE DIVIDED SKIRT. The bifurcated or divided skirt did not at- tain the favor that was anticipated for it. and many improvements have been attempted since its tirst introduction. The really only proper ere for the bifurcated skirt is for cycling, then it is desirable. The skirts or petti- coats worn at the present time are of three kinds, the dress skirt, generally made of India silk or surah , the street skirt of silk mohair or enand ti rskirt. Skirts included in outfits are of the most elaborate na- ude of white silk and massed with lace ‘oide flounces in French handwork. ‘n with street costumes are not plain, +s elaborately trimed than those worn exclusively indoors. Under petticoats are gei erally gored to the figure over the hips, or else are placed upon a yoke: frequently they are combined with the corset cover, and when troussean are trimmed to match the arments. Chemises are now rarely but when they are it is generally the French d universally sacque shaped— which is chosen, and are either hand embroid- ered or lace trimmed. SILK NIGHT DRESS. Lace is more admired than ever, a prefer- ence being given to platte Valenciennes, al- though torchon is popular. Night dresses are very commonly made in the sack form, and yokes are simulated in the tucking and trim- ming, the form of the yoke being outlined in the “back. or else there are three box pleats. Night dress yokes ore frequently most elabor- ate with insertions of lace and embroidery, and full jabots of wide lace down the front. Bows of ribbon or narrow velvet are added with a pretty effect. All of the handsomest under garments have velvet ribbon in art colors run through the meshes of the insertion. Many stout ladies wear black silk tights and dispense with skirts altogether, except in the collest weather. A troussean’ recently fur- nished included some beautiful silk combina- tion garments made with very slender shapel waists. They were low cut and trimmed wit rows of Valenciennes insertion, having ribbon run through them and edged with wider lace of the same kind. Some of them had only lace sleeves, while others had longer ones of the woven silk, and all had the monogram em- broidered on one side. NOVELTY IN NIGHT DRESSES. A novelty in night dresses was made of the finest Japancee silk, trimmed with bands of the same material, embroidered and mach Valen- ciennes lace forming frilling round the neck and down the front, while the embroidery was placed diagonally.” Colored bows made the germent look more dainty. and the monogram was introduced at one Some white flannel petticoats are embroid- ered in white silk to the depth of half a yard. A pink silk petticoat lined with flan: baa ‘an accordeon-pleated flounce, with rows of insertion set in, and many’ French muslin dremes, large in folded like a book of quilted satin, with & pocket on one side. The ontside is covered with Swiss muslin, edged with adeep frilling of Valenciennes, headed by rows of narrow in- sertion, with baby ribbon threaded throngh them. "In the center the monogram is em broidered in the finest stitching and most e: quisite pa. Accompan; trinket tray intended to table to hold jewels covered witb quilted satin an: square of ‘monogram and is bordered with the insertion, size and oblong in over! muslin, upon which is wrought the lace and ribbon A handkerchief case is made fm a similar fashion to the one for the night fiannel with flowing oblong bine flannel ones bordered with A tea gown of heliotrope crepe de chine has a front breadth of white embroidered lisse drawn into the waist by ners of ribbon, the sides bordered by excep- tionally fine Venetian point. TEA ows. There re full onter sleeves of the crepe de chine and ander ones of the lisse drawn in with ribbons. There are several rows of gathering at the top of the sleeves, the back is cut in prin cesse form and the high collar is lined with lace. NEW HOSIERY. Fancy has run riot in the new hosiery this fall and black silk stockings are embroidered in various colors. The most showy stockings brought out this fall are of cream-colored silk, with a seed-pearl beading of palm leaves on the instep and part of the ankle on a point lace ap- plique. Dark green stockings are novelties Indeed and have pink, yellow ‘or orange lines to add to their odd effect. A new stocking | ¢, which comes in brick-dust color has black lines up the front. Shades of brown and also of gray are admired this season, and violet, dove- color and silver gray are much sought after in ribbed hosiery. Plaids and shaded effects are again displayed and black «ilk hose, with an applique of creamy silk net, wrought with stars composed of water- colored erystal beads, are new and showy. Hosiery worn for full dress must exactly match the gown and the slippers are made of brocaded or plain satin, ako matching. in shade. Satin for slippers is much preferred to suede or ooze leather, but the silver or gilt is chosen for most elaborate occasions, The high- est novelty of all are slippers made to resembig eryetal. and which are called the “Cinderella. ving the sachet is a | Yaar‘t dressing | LErone. — Gen. Alger’s Benefactor. From The Chicayo Mail. “Years ago,” said a man at the fat stock show the other night, “Gen. Russell A. Alger of De+ troit, lately the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, was a youngster Without a cent and with but one suit of clothes. He wanted to attend school and went to a phy- sician who lived in the village to ask for a chance to work for his board. The doctor did not need. the services of a boy, bat he was so much im- ressed with young Alger’s earnestness that he Uok’him ines hie family circle and sent hi through school. Alger did no work except to take care of the doctor's horse and cow. “But time has wrought great changes. Alger is now a millionaire, while his benefactor is an old man in straitened financial circumstances. One by one his children have died, until he and his old wife have been left alone. All offers of assistance by Gen. Alger have been re- fused, for the old man isas proud as Lucifer him- self. ‘Tn consequence Alger has been forced to bestow his charities in many little roundabout Ways, so that their source could not be guessed. Recently he visited his old friend, determined to comp: acceptance of more substantial aid than he had been rec “Why, Alger, you don't o the old’ man said, ‘and Iw ing. me anything,’ "t accept any- “But owe my education to you.’ “*Bosh! You owe that to yourself.’ “But L caused you trouble and expense, for which I want to repay you.’ “The trouble needn't trouble you, and there wasn't mach expense to speak of. In fact, the only expense that you caused me, so far'as I ¢an recollect, is the loss of a cow. Do you know. Alger, when you came to live with me I had the best cow in these parte, and that your awkwardness ¢omplotely spoiled her? Well, it im, | many practical jokes did. Within three weeks you had made her so skittish that no one could go near her and I had to sell her for beef.’ “ ‘Well. then, Iowe you for that cow, don’t I? And I'm going to pay you for her and will add alittle interest for the use of the money for about forty g “After a course of argument the old gentleman finally consented, very reluctantly, {0 accept pay for his cow. And the price for that ordis cow is sufficient to support her former owner in fair circumstances during the remainder of his lifetime. She was & very expensive cow.” te “Good Night! Not Good-By.” J gay my lady die: And he, who ofttimes cruel is, dark Death, ‘Was so «icep sorrowful to stay her breath, He came, all clemency: He would not let her know; Go weil he loved the bright soul he must take, or our grieving aud her own fair sake He hid his shaft and bow: Upon her iips he laid Rem ‘of Gods which tilts fut does fot harm; render message, bre: no alarm, He said, “Be unafraid” Sorrow grew almost glad, Pain half forgiven, parting well-nigh kind, Tomark how as y my Lady's mind ‘Consent Ready clad Tn robes of unseen light Her willing soul spread wing; and, whilé she “Darling” good-by!” we moaned—uat she, at last, Murmured, “No! but good night!” Good night, then! Sweetheart! Wife! It this world ve the dark time and its morrow Day-Jawn of Paradise, dispelling sorrow, ing our starless Good night?—and not Good-by? Goer Rant: and beat “Good inotrow!” if we wake; et why so quickly tired? | Well, we must make ‘Haste to be done, and diet For dying has grown dear Row you are who tarned all things to grace; We see Death pale slumber on your face: Good night!—But is Dawn near? wwe Fomers rich of scent and hue aa e laid upon your sleeping place. these Fiowers or vere, which once had gift to Being your own—take, too! —EDWit ARNOLD. —roo—--—- A Miserly Prince. of the Chicago News. ‘The Prince de Joinville is said to be the parsimonious man in Europe. He is enormously rich and is quite as mean as he is rich, | He has a eplendid mansion in Paris and THE GHASTLY CLUB. ONE'S CREDULITY TESTED. A Ghost on the Stalrease—A Medical Student's Revenge—A Mild Man From Maine Tells = Tale—Likewise a Bad Man From the State of Texas. —_——___. Written for The Evening Star, A) AN OBTON has had her 80- Z ) ciety of Psychical Re- \ search, and Philadel- ===" phia has recently come tothe front witha select little private circle of people who have organ- ized the Ghastly Club. ‘There was something undefined and misty in the purposes, as they were originally Inid down, of the Boston so- ciety. To investigate phenomena of the soul was a thing which few people who were not of German extraction would care todo, but the metaphywicul find- ings of the society nally resolved themselves into little better than ghost stories, and pretty tough old ghost stories some of them were, too. Especi- ally in the summer sefson, when the “gentle hermits of Cambridge” leave their retreats and go forth on their vacations by the seashore or in the mountains and indulge in the wild dissi- pations of New England summer hotels, did they gather in thisextraordinary psychical data. ‘Then these gentlemen, whom Senator Hoar has described as those who are “born on Beacon street, educated at Harvard and buried at Mount Auburn,” three classic spots situated within five miles of one another, heard of thiny and saw things which mortals before had hardly dared todream of. The following incident is said to have occurred while one of the younger psy- chologists was at a hotel in the White mount- ains: A GHOST ON THE STAIRCASE. At the breakfast tabie one morning one lady remarked to another across the table that she had just passed Mr. —— on the stairs and that she had never seen a man who looked more like a corpse. Immediately the other lady fainted, and well she might faint, for Mr. — had died some months before and she had at- tended his funeral. ‘The lady who had met him, upon being questioned further, described his appearance precisely. for, indeed, she had known him for years, although she had been absent in Europe when he had died and had not heard of his death. ‘The register of the hotel was iuxpected and showed Mr. ——~'s sig. natnre in pale ink, but the clerk of the hotel conld not recall having seen him, or havin, seen him register, nor hud any one in the hotel seen him, save the lady who had passed him on the staircase and who waid he bad looked liken se. It was clearly Mr. ——'s ghost that had registered and gone upstairs and then dis- appeared. The above is sample of the Psychical Re- search Society's stories, but the Philadelphia Ghastly Club devotes ite energien to the collec. tion of more reasonable yarns, although equally terrible ones. The club has ‘« small and select library, consisting of Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre," Edgar Allen Poe's works, several of Wil- kie Collins’ novels and more literature of a imilar style, and on the wall is a fine drawing, imaginative member of the club, of Jack per, as he might be supposed to look-—a horrible, grinning devil of a man. When the club meets for the purpose for which it wae formed the gas is turned down low and the members sit crouching around the embers of the fire and tell their stories. The rules of the club prohibit the use of ghosts or dreams, Here is a story told at a recent meeting, and it will be told in the language of the narrator, who is a physician: A MEDICAL STUDENT'S REVENGE. “About ten years ago,” he said, in the sepul- chral tones which the members of the Ghastly Club always assume when they wish to strike terror into the souls of one another, “I was staying with a party of young peoplo ata country-house just ottside of Harrisburg We were a very jolly crowd. and, as young people will do at country houses, we played a great m ‘one another, and in this way kept things lively all day long and for a large portion of each night. There was one young girl in particular who was especially the delight of everybody, because of her light- hearted gayety. “She came down to breakfast every moruing with a laugh on her lips, and she always retired. night with some light joke leveled at the young men. She was especially the leader in‘ the practical jokes that were played and had succeeded in frightening a young medical student who was in our party nearly out of .his wits by bribing one of the servants to toss upon his bed. during the dead of the night, a wild old pussy cat. ‘The howls of the young man when he was rudely awakened by tabby's unceremonious visit and the chasing of the cat when people had come to his rescue had caused agreat deal of merriment at his ex- pense. He vowed revenge. How he got it, I now going to tell you. ‘Thave said he was a medical student, and, most of his class, he carried about’ with & few odd bones as pleasant reminders of his profession. In his trunk he had the skele- ton ofahuman hand. (The speaker's voice here sank into an awful whisper. The fire burned low and the members of the club gazed atthe speaker with white countenances that bespoke « delicious #ense of terror.) There lay in the bottom of his trunk,” he went on, “the skeleton of a human hand.’ Garefully taking it out, when no one was near him, he wrapped it in thin tissne paper and made the servant place the parcel, ignorant ax he was of ‘ite contents, in the bed of the girl whose practical joke with the cat‘had so covered him with ridicule. We had been out on a long ride that afternoon and in the evening, being pretty well tired out, we all went to bed earlier than sual. “About tald- night, when the house was wrapped in d lence and when every one had’ sunk into pro- found slumber, we wore awakened by a strange and startling noise. Some one in’ the house was singing, but such a strange, unearthly surely never was heard before. It grew and louder until it reached the itch of a wild howl. There was no mis cing from whence it came. The room that ‘was occupied by the sweet, light- who was always laughing and play- front of the second story, being opened, for the weather ‘floated out upon woke the echoes of the sur- got, ai hearted gir ing jokes, was in the and the windo : t of my bed in acold Perspirations my Bed onend and I was rembling like an aspen leaf. ‘The singing now sank into a doleful wail. I hastil ‘on some ally the young medical student wasin a pi state. The singing still continued and had become hoarse and husky. We proceeded in a body to the room from whence burst open the door and A new member of th Soeetly Club here ut- tered a suppressed shrie ere was a look of ecstatic ‘deudietness Tae the face of the speaker. He paused with open mouth. The rest of the members bent forward in happy ex- pectancy of ghastly horrors. There was a dead and solemn silence, broken only by the sup- Premed nofses made, by the new member, who ‘was evidently upon the point of having hyster- fos. Then the epeaker epoke again: “And there——" Every one shuddered and he did so himself and then paused 5 “Well, and What was there?” sid the founder of the club, who was old and case hardened were how me and tissue for an \paniment. servant hed given the joke awed aud the. Indice had turned the tables on us—that was all.” AMILD YOUNG MAN FROM MAINE. hardened president to get up » more blood- eurdling story for the next general meeting the club. The next speaker mild young 2 from Maine.» pont! . onan arm of the sea near ‘There ‘was another ‘with him at the same time, pep mates | sit Mae at miata oie snd rete Hee one, ee dealing ec Be sod takng bed, My hous nate own is, ad i et, strange to say, the sound was long and re was nO splashing. “‘Tam hurt, Hello-o-o! Hello-o-o!” came the voice aguin. “ZI rushed out of my room. Tom was there before me and looks of cold fear aj through the vaseline, for he too had heurd the sounds. We went for Harry, whose room was at the other end of the house. He had heard nothing, but he came with us, for we hastily decided to take a boat and go to the resens, Aswe passed burriedly through the dini room, where we had been sitting, we heard again, lower than before, but more distinct. “Hello-o-o! Hello-o-o! — I—am—being— murdered!" “We hastily seized weapons. Tom an empty bottle on the table, Harry possesecd himself of a silver fork (he, strange to say, had as yet heard nothing) and I picked up a cor screw. We rushed down to the sea. The moon as shining. brightly, the waves wore lazily licking the shore, there was nota sign of life here, there was hardly a sound to be ‘Are you sure it wasn't a cat, Tom? said 22 “Of course it wasn't. Ask Dick. ‘And then we took a boat, and although we rowed all around the shore until daybreak, never & soul did we see and never a cry did wo hear. Nor was any one ever able to account for the singular call for help that came to us from over the sea that night.” There was considerable discussion amang the members of the Ghastly Club over the ad mistibility of this story under the rules, it being held that it was either a ghost story or a dream, but the matter was finally arranged b’ the offender promising toread “Poe's Black Cat” for a week in order to understand perfectly what a ghastly story should be like. SQUEEZED THE PANTHER TO DRATH. The next person called upon for a story was a heavily bearded western man, who bad hith- erto sat impassive, apparently unsatisfied with the mildness of the narratives he bad heard. He began by saying in basso profundo that his story vas about wild beasts. ‘Down in Texas,” he went on, ‘where I live, there are quantities of them—lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and panthers. When I first went down there I had awifeand three children. I am alone now. When T was absent from my cabin one day a mountain lion came along and ate up the whole family. I found portions of | then when Ishothim in his lair the next day. Iam going to toll you how near I came to being devoured by huge panther a few days later. Iwas riding along the woods about dusk. I was entirely unarmed. I was making my way ata jog trot along the path. In a few moments I would be home and safe. "Suddenly my horse stopped short, paralyzed with terror. Tlooked around me and before me and behind me; but I could see nothing. Then I looked above me, and two glittering eyeballs peered from out the folinge of a tree. The mar- row froze in my bones, for it was a panther in the act of springing. I put the spurs into my horse, but he was too frightened to move. Just then the panther sprang. Iam a man of quick resolution and I determined in a flash what I would do. The huge brute landed fquarely on ray bead. Iam a pretty good ath- leto and in an instant, while he clung to me, I turned myself upside down and stood upon my head in the saddle. Grasping the two sides of the girths with my hands Thad the panther be- tween my head and the saddle and I squeezed him to death. Iwasa little scratched about the face and I strained my horse's back; other- wise there was no damage done—except to the panther.” ‘This is a mere sample meeting of tho Ghastly fhe nights upon Club and one of their mildest. which the members distinguish themselves stories are told which are too terrible to print. A few days ago they had a picnic and, after visiting the hospitals, they had a pleasant time sitting in the morgue. eo A PARROT IN A DENTIST'S ROOMS. Ho Proves a Valuable Assistant to the Knight of the Forceps. Wilkesbarre Special to the New York Sun. Atthe Albany dental rooms in this city they have a parrot who greatly assists in the work of extracting teeth. The parrot’s name is Crsar. He is a fine specimen of his species, his intelligence being something marvelous. Dr. Weller, who has charge of the rooms, says he would not part with the bird for any money. And no wonder; the parrot brings grist to his mill. The bird does its work this way: Aman comes to have his tooth pulled. He gets into the chair and then his courage fails him. He tells the dentist that the pain has gone away and that he will postpone the operation until the next day. In nine cases out of ten the dentist is unuble to persuade the patient that it will be to his bodily comfort to have the molar extracted. Then, when the man gets up ont of his chair, the parrot, who has been watching him all the time, takes him in charge. “Oh, coward,” yells the parrot; “you haven't the nerve of a chicken.” The man looks around in consternation. The parrot is partly hidden in his big cage behind ascreen. The man with the toothache turns around to the knight of the forceps and in- quires: “What remarks were those you just made?” “L suid nothing,” replies’ the dentist. “It was the Parrot who was speaking.” ‘The gentleman is then introduced to the par- Tot. A pleasunt conversation ensues. “Nice morning,” says the parrot; “tooth No? You better; you catch cold when you go ot etter have it out and be done with it; lots people had teeth pulled this morning.” The man with the toothache ix #0 dumb- founded over the parrot's talk that he hardiy knows what way to turnfor the time being. Then the parrot urges him on again, aayi “Go on, it will only take a minute; the do tor is waiting for you.” ‘This is too much for the man. He goes back to the chair and has the tooth removed. Then the parrot jamps all around his cage and sm “Oh, ain't I happy; I feel so happy with my dig tooth out.” “That parrot,” said the den- tist, “‘can_talk anybody into getting a tooth pulled. We had a farmer in the other day. He wanted all his teeth taken out and a new set made. We wanted him to take ‘The old man said: ‘Well, now, by gosh, I don't know about that. I often ‘heard of people blowin, out gam and then dying; I don’t think Twill risk it’ ‘Good boy,’ shouted the parrot, ‘sen- sible man; don't you take gas; just sit down there and’ palling your, tecth ’ will be just as easy as husking corn.’ When the farmer looked aronnd and saw the parrot he said: ‘Well, T declare; why, that ‘bird talked like» man. Iguews L'il take his advice and let you crack away at my chewers.’ There was’ no trouble inv pulling the old man's first_ two teeth, but when the third one camo he jumped twofeotinthechair, “That wana nerveclinche said the parrot. ‘It won't haj again; Keep nice and quiet now and toon your igen will be out.’ This soothing advice had a calm- ing effect on the farmer and he sank back into the chair, perfectly satisfied with what had taken place and what was to come. When the Job was through the parrot mid: ‘Well done; there isn't one man ina thousand who could go through such an ordeal: you must have a wonderful constitution!” ‘The farmer smiled ‘and said ‘he guessed he had.’” An Expensive Nibble. From the New York Times. A certain young man in New York went out to call the other evening upon a young woman of his acquaintance whom he especially delighted tohonor. He was quite s young man and his experience with florists had beon neither deep nor varied. It occurred to him, however, on this particular ev: to a flower mer- chant’s and choose some way. =| THE VALLEY OF DEATH cning. | Purposes of the Government in In- sound was , 1890—SIXTEEN PAGES. 13 vestigating Its Horrors. THE EXPLORING PARTY. ‘What It is Proposed to Accomplish—Some Descriptions of Death Valley and Its Néigh- Long before a white | Pod: man ever looked upon the direful spot the Indians of California ‘and Nevada knew it by that name. It having been announced that an exploring expedi- ———— — tion is about to be sent thither a representative of Tae Stan set about finding out just what the purposes of this ex- Ploration are and the manner in which it is to be conducted. One point worth mentioning, to begin with, is that it will be made by the best-equipped biological party that ever started out upon #ecientific enterprise, including an unparalleled number of distinguished experts in ornithology, mammalogy, botany, entomol- ‘ogy, and so forth. Tt may be well to give some general descrip- tion of the extraordinary region which these men are about to investigate. From the Nasatch mountains to the Sierra Nevada extends a desert, nearly all of its area in the state of California, though to the east it reaches over the ne into Nevada. is frightful waste is intersected by a series of high mountain ranges running parallel north and south, with valleys betwoen.- A bi ‘s-eye view of the landscape’ shows three principal ranges, the Inyo and Argus mountains forming the most westerly one, the Paramint being the next range to the east, and the Amargoxa the third still more easterly. East of the Amargosa range is the Amargosa desert, and betweea the id the Paramint ranges is what is ul so called because of death and despair it is the very abode, the like of which is not to be found elsewhere in the world. WHAT THE VALLEY 18 LIKE. Imagine a narrow strip of arid plain shut in between two mighty mountain walls, the peaks stretching up 10,000 feet into the burning sky. 80 precipitous are these rocky barriers that in a journey of fourteen miles you pass froman emi- nence of two miles above sea level to the plain 175 feet below the ocean tide mark. The sur- face of this plain is composed of ealt and alkali, and it is impossible to go over it on horseback, because it is a mere crust, through which the animal vou ride breaks up to his knees into a thick alkali paste which eats both hair and hide. ‘There are paths by which one may make one’s way across, if one knows where to find water on the opposite side. ‘There is something unearthly about the whole appearance of things in the valley—the two ranges of gigantic p tween them looking It couple of monstrous beasts and a gray haze ‘that never lifta making everything indistinct to the view. No vegetation is to be seen, save a very scanty sage brush, with leaves that are not reen, but gray, with here and there a tall cac- iit, which fooks in the ‘might like = dead. man standing erect, with arma extended. But the supreme horror of the place is the heat, which is unspeakable. There is a breeze, which, in- stead of being cool, is #0 scorching hot as to blistez your face.’ Into this natural furnace the sun pours its ray never a cloud in- terrupting, from one year’s end to another. When the famous geologist, Prof. Gilbert, suc- coeded in crossing the valley, nearly twenty fonts ago, barely escaping death from thiet, the thermometer inside his saddle bag went up to 180 degrees and then burst. A suggestive fenture of the Death valley land- scape 1s the color of the mountain rocks, which are actually sunburnt to an iron-brown hue. Chip,off a little flake and you find the stone of ite “natural lighter hue undernegth. Streams flow from mountain springs down toward the valley, but never reach it because the heat dries them up on the way. Once in a great while there is a tremendous storm in the Am- argosa desert,to the eastward,and a rivera mile in width flows from the desert around the south end of the Amargosa range and northward through the valley. Does it flow out again at the other end? Not much. It is dried up and lost before it gets that far. OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION. ‘The object of the government in exploring it is simply to learn what kinds of animals live there. This enterprise is part of a great work which the Department of Agriculture has been for some time carrying on, the purpose of which is to map out ‘the’ whole United States into what are called “faunal areas.” For ex- ample, suppose it is determined what are pre- cisely the limits of the area occupied by the jack rabbit. When that much is known it must necessarily be true that any plant that thrives in one part of that area will do well in any other part. ‘There is such an intimate felation between animal life and plant life in this world that, having found ont the varions areas inhabited by different birds and mam- mals, you have learned just where each form of vegetable growth can be produced to advantage. When the government has com- pleted this important task the farmers of the country will have placed before them maps outlining with the closest accuracy the regions within which each kind of vegetable or fruit is susceptible of profitable cultivation. ‘Thus the ricultarist, whesgver he may be located. will know with certaifty what he ought to plant. But the work 07 outlining the areas occupied by the animals of the United States will not be complete until the fauna of every part of the country, even of the highest mountains and most hopeless deserts, have been investigated. LAST YEAR'S EXPLORATIONS. Last year an expedition was sent out to the astonishing San Francisco mountain, which up- lifts ite gigantic peak three miles high from the burning plains of Arizona, its top covered with perennial snows. Ascending its rocky preci- pices the explorers passed from, a semi-tropical foan arctic clime, ust as they would have done if they had traveled northward a few thousand miles. Each zone had its own vegetation and forms of animal life suitable to the tempera- ture. The same party that visited this moun- tain also explored the famous “Painted desert” near by, which gets its name from the fact that the queer-looking hills scattered all over the plain where the sea, which once was there, bas washed their sides away are of all the colors of the rainbow, with heaps of fossil wood on their summits. PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY. The man who conducted these explorations will likewise have charge of the Death valley expedition. He is Dr. C. Hart Merriam, chief of the division of mammalogy in the Depart- ment of Agriculture, With him will be Dr. Vernon Bayley, who ranks as the best collector of mammals in the world. Also in the party will bo the eminent naturalist, Prof. T. 8. Palmer, likewise Dr. A. K. Fisher, assistant ornithologist of the department; F.’V. Coville, assistant botanist; E. W. Nelson, a well-known naturalist and to} and Prof. Stephens, 4 distinguished expert in mammalogy and desert work. ‘There will also be two or threo other assistants with the Petty tl toward whowo home he was wending i Bayley ay oven asec coentcy with suc! sack of flour, a chest of drawers nk of alcobol, » couple ofbeds ‘WATER inst. The first thing done will be to locate all the Places where water is tobe found. Hundreds of people have lost their lives in Death valley through starting off in the morning with knowing where were going to find water that indulged in by the expeditions With overt indulged in by ion. With eve ution a sufficient amount of suffering wih Gf necessity ave to be undergone. Wi the great desideratum in that horrible place, where the air is much drier than that of the Sahara, and the heat isso great as to put the through « sort of evaporating process such as that to which a dried apple is artificially sub} So rapid is this evaporation of the bodily moisture that thi : day are absolutely necessary for each individ- instead of the three pinta one ordinarily consumes. If one were to sit down in the desert all day long and do nothing but Grink water he would still feel thirsty. “Even with a rein of three gallons a day the blood of the traveler across the waste becomes thick- ened, the features grow thin and. | peaked, dread- fal constipation sets in and fever threatens madness. In ¢ the valley one cannot very well carry with him more than enough Water for one day'e supply. ‘The only way to do is to hurry over and try to reach the oiher side—only about fifteen miles distant—before one succumbs for want of drink. If itis known precisely in whieh of the gorges of the moun- ains springs are to be found it is well enough, but if the explorer is not certain on this point ¢ is likely to become so exhausted after trayel- ing up to the heads of one or two gorges fru: lessly as to find nothing better to do than to down and die the most horrible deaths. body will not decay, but will simply’ be shri eled up toa mummy and lie there in the val- y of death to all eternity, imperishable, star i up at the burning sky. ' Here and there, over the awful plain of salt and alkali, are sca tered and dried bodies of men and animals pre- served for all ages to come. During the min- ing fever in that neighborhood, from 1872 to 1878, hundreds of people were lost in trying to getacross. You may have heard of an “alkali sink.” That is what Death valley is. As has been said, the plain of the valley is below the level of the sea. and the alkaline river flowing into it at certain seasons from the Amargosa desert deposits its alkali in the crust, through which ‘the foot in. stepping breaks into the abominable paste beneath. THE WORK OF THE EXPEDITION. It will be the work of the expedition to kill | and capture every sort of living creature that | can be found in Death valley and its surround- ing region. Every specimen of animal life to be discovered there will be represented by from a dozen toa score of specimens in the collec- tion which will be brought back to Washington. Mammals, birds, reptiles and batrachias will all be grist to the mill of the naturalists. It is ex- | pected that many new species will be secured, | such as are not at present know to science. ‘The birds will be shot and the mammals will be | trapped at night. All of the men engaged in this exploration are most expert trappers and they will carry with them many dozens of smell | steel wire contrivances of a sort that are found most effective in the capture of all kinds of little quadrupeds. It is not anticipated chat the valley itgelf will! afford many examples of animal life, save for reptiles and insects, but in the mountains and around about the case will | be different. As for the reptiles they will be | caught with the hand or by throwing something over them. Doubtless a valuable assortment will be secured of lizards of different colors and of the peculiar rattlesnakes with horns over their eyes, which belong There are no frogs there, it is suy there are some queer desert tonds | Sw where ti water for part of each | year. When the water up the creatures | bore their way down into the mud deeper and deeper and when it hardens over them, like so ch brick, they simply stay there buried alive until the water comes afew months later to release them from their baked prisons. ‘The | entomologist of the expedition will devote his attention to gathering the desert beetles, ante, scorpions, centipedes and the like. WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH BIRDS AND MANDAL. Very particular attention will be paid to the | 8, which, as soon as shot, will be carefully measured in the flesh, skinned and stuffed on the spot. After being stuffed they will be packed in the chest of drawers, which are very Einrd to carry on muleback, until they are dre, ‘Then they will be put into small boxes with cotton wool and sent to Washington whenever @ chance offers. Necessarily communication will have to be constantly kept up with civiliza- tion, inasmuch as enough carried along at a load in t the entire season. Owen's lake, will be the intermediate point utilized between the expedition and the world. All the mammals captured will be treated just like the birds. The reptiles wil! be pu into alcohol. Greatest interest will be felt in discovering what forms of life are able to exist in so mada country, Such vegetable life as is found there will afford the botanist material for his collection. Incidentally the mountains will be explored and covered by the operat of the parties. It is very likely that the plorers in crossing the alkali crust will be obliged to resort to.an expedient adopted be- fore for the purpose, namely, that of improvis- ing snow upon the feet. THE FIRST WHITE VISITOR. The first white man who ever visited Death valley was Capt. Bendire,who told Tue Star man yesterday that on the occasion referred to in 1869 he did not attempt to cross the valley, but sim- ply skirted around its edge, as he expressed it, ‘ike a ent on the edge of a plate of hot mush.” The captain is now connected with the Smith- sonian Institution. Notwithstanding his expe- rience he expresses a regret that he was not going to accompany the expedition, which, he thought, promised such interesting results.” In the course of the exploration, by the way, the ascent is to be of Mt. Whitney. west of Owen's lake, which ix nearly three miles high, being the highest peak of the Sierra Nevada 1¢ wagons to last for its lora and fauna. "Capt. Bendire, while do- ing the act of the cat on the edge of the plate of mush, came across only three dried mum- mies of men in Death valley. STRANGE FISHES. Investigation will be made by the expedition of the strange fishes that inhabit certain springs at the south end of Death valley. These are deep pools and in them are found fish unknown elsewhere in the world, which have no eyes. The whole country thereabout is certainly a | f°" Wil] recet He will not need burial, for his |)", . provisions carnot be | ‘The town called Keeler, at | ion: ex- | A range, and a thorough study will be made of wei IN WASHINGTON. FAR MASSA: Mime ‘de ‘teachers train ‘@rewing, music Primary” on PURITY OF To si OF FLEXIBILI REN t | Conk: BREATHERG | Vor SATIS. Ret Mire. ECT Ty. ‘a6-In* NST. THE PARISIAN SCHOOL POR Ai clasarcal studies tn French” Xo other lanewace Sorat And MME. P. DES GARENNES, Principals. 1232 MASS. AVE; DRAWING AND Pater. D2 io eich after metho HELEN A HARTNETT asm" SHor AND. ography in sixteen easy lessons. Pro- fence i fireementee Seni for einer aralente Leiped to obtain positions rap ead School Acme Phongraphy. #2] F stn. w. asim nd es LUKE? AE INSTRUCTION THE GHEATENI “OhrOn tunity ever offered to Parents, Chalaren, Teachers Designers, Decorators or Artists to learn to’ ara asat ferieetiy est gach and stati rears with the most celebrated artis’s in’ E 720,000 worth of paintin tio ingeforeaie. National Academy of Pine Att st (CBARLES 7" cor (Organist, and TE: ECTOR, CULTURE on and ase addreds cary 0 WSL GAILLARD SCHOOL. 0} 1017 Connecti ANGUAGES, t ave. Sub Fe NCH, SSICK wuages: Prot. H. Lar d highly cultured lingurst . st. nw. 1223" ‘The Misses Kerr's Home School for Young Ladies ind Little Children. C [HE COL “The Propara The Coruna ABS AG will mail’ care HY, Ih, (Si) DIED AUROAD | ARtIN T Primary—4 n. orth west section, Capito: Hill and lat sheect reading taught th MYELS’ BOARDING AND DAY sciic Young Ladies and Lite Giris, Full nd Thorough instraction im ali de arly N UNIVERSITY, pared tor collee and ctyil ni ‘OR T . LOUISE and Miss SUS umber of Kindergarteners will soon be ib For particulars spply at the National Kind TO Tock stor tae Proevet stitute." iT MELE. Vv, PRUD HOMME Sound. For particuls cular cular m10-tmn ACHER OF ition to private typewriting. Accuracy and sjveed sted to positions. 40 b st nw. ne. 363 aE nee = ant a0-ii LbTaces sx, ls, viz. School of Busine . Accomm ish. ool of Preparatory English and Elementary keeping. inorthana,, ZxPewritine and Phonograph. pets eral Pras EX'S SCHOOL, iat oliere and Civil Service Examination, "Private pupils received at any time. LAURA 0. TALBOTT. es sim" ~ INL tS LOCUTION, ORATORY, Er’ fires complete courses. Di Decrees and Teachers’ Certificates con- erred, the maccoos of our pradtniea lee heveesseS el on. % MARTYN COLLEGE OF ELOCUTION, o23-tr 614 12th stn! ‘ORWOOD INSTITUT! unl Day School for Young Ladies fod rears Fucaity of twenty ve Girls for college or most extraordinary one. Seventy miles south grou Paasiigl accesincoer enon sary jesert acrous which a Wind like a farnace blast continually blows, the Diack lavaand hot sand of ite great plain radinting back the sun's heat so that the whole landscape is tremulous’ to the eye. Southeast of Death valley 100 miles, is “Dead mountain,” on the side of which thermometers have regis- tered 140 degrees in the ahade. On the cast side the precipitous rocks are much broken u and the sun shining on their white pointe angles makes the mountain look from «distance as if whole conventions of ghosts were as- sembled upon it. ‘The Indians believe, on this account, that the mountain is the abode of cir ors. Hence the name. gaglbowecdes A Warning to Women, From the New York Herald. be earl C. Messer ; iy, Dr. ivetzner. . pnlikespeire and Study of Del Sarte, Miss Mary ‘Modern Literature and Current Topics, Mrs. Don P. Haley, French Elocution and scientific metiiod, Prof. J. D. = 10a, : German and Povsche; Standoling utare snd fendoar A. Vi Hokaes** ‘Prof. J. B. Corres Mr. A. DeC. Mueller; Lypewriting taught zree to | 7 The usnal drudery replaced by the culture akine ‘Voice, gesture, expression, } MS23, Ais ERM ” Seas Mammach WASHINGTON. ___ SIMPSON oF 1618 MT, ain yr ~{ will educate: ah ae tae ftac'end Art. Statue ro THe x pOURLE TRACK. AFUE Sri . Ala it Nov. TRAINS Leave WASHING: 7 wear mm . dakly, withs Sleepinet and St. Louis, con: ith tra conve and Elmira at 20:50 a.m. houch trains: Brookiyn Annex, Paiton st For Atlantic City, ‘daity For ial Vand 113% Dam. “an! 9:00 a.m., 12-05 0nd 4: Sutidag’s, 8:00 a.m. HINGTON SOUTHERN RATLWAl EFEDCE NOV. 23, 1800. HG, 745, B90, ® ‘Sunday oul, 8 1K am, 1210 and 4:25, ve AnnEpo- ys Sundays, 5.0 pain ; fe ntations, *7 p.m. : tom ca day at 4.8 sori at all stations eB $8.30, $9.30, 711:300.m., ‘ho p. . 1000 pan Cie a dgom ¢ a. nid 3:0 pm. Dom. daliy ROYAL BLUE a fant, * 2 SSab'amd AS me sig” trains, "Sleeping Oar om jfullman Butiet Sleep. nm without riage, landing Passengers tm ‘of intermediate points _ between ladeiphia, 15:00 and {7:20 a. and “on order left at ta ICHMOND AND DANVILLE Ral ‘Schedule in effect NOVEMBER 2, Fast Tennessee Mail, dail Fast Mail afi > > Chae ilie, tations “Chesapeake and Opto owes, {een Egchurg tat Dilemma Baa grlotte, Columbia, A * ree i Historical and Political Toples of Modern | Danville, OTndividal iamtraction in Voice Caltane, Brot. Otto Prof. oABeLI abr yusotts ave. Washington, B.C. VI AND ‘AL EXAMI- re fen Fe ations Boge Wey matte sw: Sor’ oth and’ K sa. FOxEIGNERS DESIRING ExPERD of English ‘Miss ‘On the Pi ‘And in the. bras ee and 6.35 0.m. ‘from. [>