Evening Star Newspaper, December 20, 1890, Page 14

_—_— THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C, SATURDAY. IN A FEW CENTURIES. on This Continent is Doomed. THE DECLINE OF NEVADA. ‘The Westeru Hemisphere Adapted to Sustain Vegetable and Not Animal Life—Some Points From Natural History—Life Main- tained at « Fearful Cost. OW SOON WILL Nevada Ibe dropped from the list of states in the Union? ‘The returns of the re- ‘cent census have pro- yoked some discussion of this question. Up to the present time such a thing has not been an imagined possibility that ‘any one of the United States could be deprived lof its status. But what ean prevent this from happening eventually? So rapidly has Nevada jbeen undergoing the b process of depopulation that it has now fewer people in it than ordinarily goto make up a good-sized town. That is to say, it contains fewer than 90,000 souls all told, and this number is fast diminishing. At the same time it is represented in Congress today by two Senators, who have as much control in that body as the Senators from New York, as wall as one member in the lower house. Nevada's resources are of a mineral nature, and they have been exhausted almost. Soon they will be entirely gone and people will be unable to Inve there, In this connection it fe interesting to note that some scientists predict for our whole continent # fate similar to that of Nevada, and that within a few centuries civil- ized man will have been wiped off the face of this continent, for the simple rpason that it will no longer support bis being. AN INFERIOR CONTINENT. “Tn order that this may be understood,” said Prof. Otis Mason, in explaining the subject to a Srar writer, it is first necessary to explain that this western part of the world, known as North and South America, is from the scientific point of view an inferior continent as compared with the land masses of the other hemispheres. By that is meant that while superior to Europe, Asia or Africa, in point of vegetable productive- ness, it is less adapted for the support of ani- mal life. To show that this is so, make a little comparison for yourself between the beasts of this hemisphere and those of the other. The elephant of the old world is represented here by the tapir. What we have as a substitute for the camel is the llama. which is just big enongh and strong enough to carry what would bea load fora man. The lion and tiger of Asia and Africa are represented on this side of the earth by what are little more than eats. But to arrive at the most marked exhi tion of this contrast you cannot do better than consider the monkeys which are most highly developed of ail beasts, approaching very pearly to man. What is there to be found in ‘the Americas to correspond with the anthro- oid apes of the old world? The gorilla, which Uses a club, the chimpanzee, which is easily tanght to wait upon the table and to perform other domestic duties, and the ourang, which presents so many likenesses to the human being. are represented on this side of the world by miserable little monkeys with tails. Tlaus it is that this part of the earth is termed an inferior continent. because it is not able to produce or support such high developments of animal life as are found in the other part. Civilized man exists here today not as a natural product, but as an importation. LITTLE DONE BY NATURE. “When the first explorers came to America they found here peoples in a savage condition, althuugh some approaches had been made to- ward civilization in Central America, Mexico 3 re had done so little for man on this hemisphere that he would undoubtedly have remained forever a savage if the immigrant had notcame from abroad. To prove howill he was supplied on this continent with means of getting ahead. consider how few useful were provided for his aid. On the east- ern continent his brethren found themselves supplied with the horse, the cow, the ass, the joat, the camel, the elephant and the chicken. What did the native American possess against this list? He had a small beast known nowa- days as the Indian dog, which was capable of | doing & smali amount of work in harness. Also he found at his disposal the bison, an intractable creature that no man has ever been able to tame, and which, like the Indian himself, would Father die than work. In South America there Was the little Il.ma. and there was also a wild turkey. which might eventually have been sud- cessfiilly domesticated. To all intents and urposes the primitive natives of the Americas their work unaided by beasts of the field. Everything that the Indian had to carry he was obliged to transport upon his own back. All the structures which he erected of stone sad other materials in Peru. Central America, Mex- ico and elsewhere were built from what he was able by his own unaided efforts to quarry out and fetch together. ‘Thus far did those whom we call the aborigines advance, but by the time this point was reached they bad got to the end of their rope, and conditions as they are found here would never have permitted them to ad- vance any farther. DEAWING UPON RESOURCES. “How is this country run and made a busi- mess and therefore an economic success? Simply by drawing upon the resources which will necessarily come to an end before long. In the old world civilization grew up around the Mediterranean, where a land-locked sea Teaches out by innumerable arms into the land, ‘%o that commerce and intercommunication are made easy and inexpensive. In America what have we? A solid block of land with some magnificent rivera. But the means of trafic here are so defective naturally that in order to carry it on profitably the coal mines are being to their deepest, the iron-produci are being exhausted of their resource: sums almost fabulous are being expended yearly in the construction and running of Tailways. Sooner or later these resources will give out, and what will happen then? People ‘talk of the inexhaustible productivencss of Prairies, but there are men living now who Temember when the Genessee valley in New York was the wheat-growing arca of United States. What is that area mow? The Genessee valley has been so ex- bausted agriculturally that it is ‘no longer ¢apable of producing wheat, and within the Tecollection of the present generation the wheat area has gone as far westward as Dakota. It cannot | 2 Much farther, because beyond there is great desert.” With a rapidity simply frightening to think of the fields have been exhausted, the mines have been worked out, the forests have been destroyed, and what- ever resources nature has bestowed upon this @ontinent have been for years past in rapid Process of destruction. The country fuing an existence like that of the pi yout 0 come. who mistakes his principal for ‘THE POPULATION. “There has got to be an end to this at some time; but for the moment it iseven more inter- ‘ting to consider not vegetation nor beasts, but the animal who calls himself man. Within the last few years the ratio of increase in the Bative-born ‘population of the United States markedly and Biogremively diminished. steady has been the decline that were it not = the American would most cer- unquestionably disappear from the United States before the 1a) taries. “At this mome Poe area ether source of has been discovered. ope By Sp, 20 that now the waste from their former operation is being refined for what may re- main im the dirt; but more gold has been found in the Black Hills and elsewhere. How- this sort of thing cannot continue alway rather sooner than later the onpital pens and the people on this cous nent will be obliged to depend for their support upon what it is able annually to produce. How serious this problem will be is to be faintly takee™that this continent being’ edapind to es—that this continent, to the vegetable rather than (hyn og » inca- pable of supporting civilized man. VEGETABLE AGAINST ANTMAL- “There is in America a tremendous contest between the vegetable and the animal. Most People imagine that where the soil is best man can make the best living. But this is very far from being true. Many s person has gone. to Brazil, saying that it could only be necessary to tickle the soil there in order to make it laug! with a harvest, inasmuch as the loam is twenty feet thick, so that generations might cultivate it without needing to put on a particle of ma- nure. But the agriculturist in that region guickly finds that the vegetation is too much for him. The grows thirty feet high and so rapidly that he cannot keep it down. In order that his corn may prosper he has to hoe it two or three times © Gay, lest it. be stifled; the very vines develop with astounding rapid- ity, reaching 150 feet in length. us the farmer discovers that the very su — = the soil for growing p ves his living. four-Afths of Brasil e not suscep tible of cultivation, and, therefore, of support- ing man, because of its too great fertility. Ashas been said before, this is a vegetable and not an animal continent. “On the other hand the vegetable resources of the soil in the United States are being ex- hausted with frightful rapidity. The eastern states have begun to be unproductive agricul- turally, Thousands of acres in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and the southern border states have been deserted by the farmers. In order to make once fertile acres of Pennsyl- vania and New York still productive, millior of dollars have to be spent annually ia fetching guano from the islands off the coast of Sou! America. This reproductive supply ie a tem- porary one. It cannot last very long, because the deposits of this bird manure are limited in amount and have already diminished much in | quality. But it is readily seen that even those | formerly rich tracts in the districts mentioned are absolutely dependent for their productive- ness upon resources other than their own. Aud yet farming has only been an industry in this country to an extent which would imply exhaustion of the soil for less then 200 years. Ohio, Indiana, and sections thereabout were settled at first within the recollection of sons uow alive, and yet they are com to depend today upon imported fertilizers. PRODIGAL WASTE. “To put it plainly the so-called American people have ramped over this continent regard- less of their future. They have delved into the soil, chopped into the mountains and used up the land until there stares them in the face the almost immediate prospect of starvation. As for the state of Nevada, we have not been there twenty-five years and its resources have been exhausted. “In other words, it will almost im- mediately be unable to support a population. The people who inhabit it are obliged to go be- cause they can no longer make their living there, ard it is simply a question of a short time when it will become a dead state and so lapse into the condition of a territory as im- possible to revive into the living condition of a state as if it were a district on the moon. ‘MAY FOLLOW NEVADA. “The painful reflection incidental to the sub- ject is that other states, if not all of them, are destined sooner or later to follow Nevada's ex- ample. The population on this continent can- not necessarily survive the means of sub- sistence afforded it by the country. If what science says is true, the white man has To togo. There has been talk to the effect that the Chinese must vanish, but it must be con- fessed that they are very much better adapted to continue existence on this hemisphere than ourselves, for the obvious reason that they will survive us here and that they will continue in their own manner the civilization which we have made anattempt tostart. But the Cau- casian, if the scientific men are to be believed, will not be able to support existence on this hemisphere after the capital in the way of agri- cultural and mineral resources has been ex- hausted, as it must be soon. He will disappear. ‘The natural question is by what process? It is very evident. When a superior race becomes poor and thereby unable to maintain its superiority, it lapses into the condition of the ‘poor white.’ If you will journey through the south and take notice of the manner in which such conditions as those have become opera- tive, you will perceive that the Caucasian does in this way become thriftlers, incapable of ex- ertion and eventually approaching in Speto the savage. In other words, he loses his status in the scale of creation. Z “Through the progressive exhaustion of the resources of the country one state after an- other will necessarily become uninhabitable be- cause it will be incapable of supporting a popu- lation. Thus will come aboat the depopulation of one state after another—of course by a slow process through many years—and there will be presented the remarkable phenomenon of the dropping from the Union of one state after an- other because they have come to be no longer entitled to representation under the law by Senators and Representatives. Nevada will simply be the first state to succumb to the operation of this inevitable law. “The outlook is melancholy. That is not to be denied. It is not pleasant to consider the frame of mind of the last civilized man on this continent a very few centuries hence standing on a sand hill where once the maize luxuriantly grew and shedding asilent tear of reflection on the past of a conti i hich is given up to In the Hall With sweet flushed face upturned to mine, she Stoo A question ‘shining in her soft brown eyes— ‘Those eves whose glance had never failed to charm, And whose great power most willingly T own, Since in them such a tender lovelignt les. ‘She stood beside me, gentle, pure and swoet, ‘Ai lald her hand detaining om my arm, Half hesitating, as if loath to speak, And yet as if compelled to voice her mind. Her rounded figure, full of supple grace, Her soft, ir, low on her gentle brow, Her fait, flushed’ cheeks, her dainty morning gown, Impressed me with her girlish loveliness. Swayed by her charm, into her eyes I gazed, As if to read the secret half disclosed, Which yet she was reluctant to reveal. Silent, she stood 4 moment, ten with voice As sweet as rippling music from a flute, With gentle dignity, she said: “My dear, Five dollars, ‘please: the children eed some oes. —Somerville Journal. ——e. _____ The Evolution of the Mud Race Horse. From Judge. LO’S SIDE OF THE ACCOUNT. Various Transactions in Which Uncle Sam Has Got the Best of Him. UNREQUITED CLAIMS NOW PIGEON-HOLED AT THE CAPITOL—TREATIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CAR- RIED OUT—THE PRESENT COMPLAINT OF THE SIOUX—LANDS TAKEN WITHOUT RECOMPENSE. ATIES WITH INDIANS have been of common occurrence in the history of this country. Congressional files are loaded with papers in connection with agreements that wait for congressional action; that have been waiting many years. Now for a few hard facts: On August 10, 1866, a treaty between the United States and the Indians of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes was ratified and proclaimed. This treaty provided for the cession of a large tract of land, for which the nation was to pay the Indians the sum of $6,211,714.65. The In- diansno longer possess the land nor do they possess the six millions of dollars. Numerous reports have been made on bills which pro- vided for the payment of the claim. On the 11th day of August, 1866, a treaty was entered into with the Creek Indians, and there is now a bill pending which appropriates the sam of $400,000 to carry out the treaty provi- sions made, signed, sealed and delivered, so far as the Indians were concerned, twenty-four years ago. ‘THE MINNESOTA CASE. Old-time settlers in the northwest have not forgotten the bloody splash on the first page of their history—that awful Minnesota massacre. Congress made immediate financial reprisal by cutting off the payment of annuities to Sioux Indiang, and in so doing unintentionally became unjust.’ There were many members of the Sisseton. Wahpeton, Medawakanton and Wau- ‘oota bands, who, in the war which followed fhe outbreak, remained loyal to the authorities. Many of them enlisted as scouts and serve inst the hostile portions of their own tribes; others enlisted in the United States army and fought bravely. Committee after committee has reported favorably on the proposition to pay these loyal Indians the annuities due them, amounting in all to $305,938.38, but nothing practical has been done. NORTH DAKOTA AND COLORADO. In December, 1836, a treaty was entered into with the Fort Berthold Indians by which a great tract of the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota was ceded to the United States, and the price which representatives of the United States agreed to pay for the land was $800,000, in ten annual installments. The Gros Ventres, Mandans and Arickarces, who sold the land, are waiting patiently for the first install- ment of that £800,000, now two years overdue. The southern Ute Indians—the Weeminuches, Moaches and Capotes of southern Colorado— have a little account they would like the United States to settle. The recompense due these Indians for the lands ceded_ to the nation was fixed at $50,000, payable in five annual install- ments and to be divided per capita. In addi- tion to the cash ment the government was to give the Utes $20,000 worth of sheep, to be divided equally among the members of the bands, irrespective of age or sex. THE CQUR D'ALENE INDIANS. If any tribe of red men has a grievance against the United States it is that branch of the new Messiah’s family known as the Cour Alene Indians, now located on a little reser- vation in northern Idaho. ‘Time was, and not 80 long ago, when these Indians were the pos- sessing occupants of a magnificent tract of territory, but now they have nothing left but their reservation, the other lands having been seized by whites ‘without remuneration or in- demnity. ‘A thousand fortunes have been made out of this vast estate, yet the rightful owners have never received one cent of recompense. When Chief Joseph, with his wrathful Nez Perces, swept through Idaho the Cour d’Alenes de- fended white settlers, their homes and families, the Cour d’Alene chief, Soltise, rendering especially valiant service. A treaty was made with these Indians on May 15, 1886, by the terms of which they ceded to the United States every foot of land except that which composed their reservation, and in re- turn were to receive £150,000. ” Since that date another commission secured for the govern- ment other rights and promised to pay for the same the sum of $500,000. The bargain was a good one so far as the government was con- cerned, for, says a report made by Representa- tive Wilson, “the total area acquired by the United States under these two treaties, pro- owed and agreed to be ceded by the Ciour ’Alene Indians, aggregates about 3,000,060 acres, more or less, secured ata total cost of $650,000, making an average cost of about 22 cents, more or less, per acre.” But there is no appropriation as yet. . THE COMPLAINT OF THE SIOUX. Let the Indian himself give a fairly good sic- cession of reasons for the present disconteat among the Sioux. American Horse is doing the talking and he is directly addressing Indian Agent Royer at Pine Ridge. It happened three weeks ago. “I think,” said American Horse, “the late Sioux commissioners (Gen. Crook, Maj. War- ner and Gov. Foster) had something to do with starting this trouble. I was speaker for the whole tribe. Ina general council I signed the bill (the late Sioux bill), and 580 me igned with ; the other members of my band drew out it divided us, and ever since these two par- ties have been divided. The non-progrestive started the ghost dances to draw from us. We were made many promises, but have never heard from them sine: ‘The Great Father says if we do what he directs it will be to our bene- fit, but instead of this they are every year eut- ting down our rations, and we do not get enough to keep us from suffering. Gen. Crook talked nice to us, and after we signed the bill they took our land and cut down our allow- ance of food. ‘The commission made us believe that we would get full sucks if we signed the bill, but insteadef that our sacks are empty. We lost considerable property by being here with the commissioners last year and have never got anything for it. Our chickens were all stolen; our cattle some of them were killed. Our crops were entirely lost by us being absent here with the Sioux commission and we have never been benefited one bit by the bill, and in fact we are Forwe off we were before we signed the bill. “We are told if we doas white men we will be better off, but we are getting worse off every ear. . “The commissioners promised the Indians living on Black Pipe and Pass crecks that if they signed the bill they could remain where they were and draw their rations at this agency, showing them on the map the line, and our people want them here, but they have been or- lered to move back to Rosebud agency. Th is one of the broken promises. The commi sion promised to survey the boundary line an appropriate $1,000 for the purpose, but it has notbeen done. When we were at Washington the President, the Secretary of the Interior und the commissioner all promised us that we would get the 1,000,000 pounds of beef that was taken from us and I heard the bill appropriating the money Congress, but we never got the beef. 16 commissioner refused to give it to us. American Horse, Fast Thunder and Spotted Horse were all promised a spring wagon each, but they have never heard unything of it. This is another broken promise.” THE TASK OF THE COMMISSION. The treaty negotiated by that commission opened to settlement 9,000,000 acres of land. Much of that = tract has been surveyed and a great deal of it is now held by white settlers, although the Indians hfive not received o1 cent of the money promised them. For th Congress only can be held responsible, for the report of the Sioux commission was approved by the President and the Sepretary of the In- terior on January 30 of this year. The com- mission had a of extraordinary difteulty. Usually it takes two or more parties to muke an ment, but in this matter Congress de- cided that it’ knew better what the Indian wanted and ought to have than did the Indian himself. So the terms of the agreement were inion of an Indian if Hi EF Z He materially than the sections sacred to other bands; another was that $100,000 should be ap- plied to the purchase of ' beef in lieu of he aching void caused bysmall appropristions $200,000 dhouid be pata to Strain it ,f id to Stan Cheyenne River Indians, whose had been taken from them by U.8. army. Thanks to Senator Dawes, chair- man of the Senate committee on Indian was ise was Rock and E SANTA AT THE WHITE HOUSE. How the President and the Babies Will 4 SPECIAL LOT OF BEAR STORIES IN READINESS— WHAT BABY M'KEER WILL FIND IX HIS STOCE- ING—THE FAMILY PaRrr. RESIDENT HARRISON has been devoting his leisure for some time past to the concoction of an entirely new lot of bear Pictures and figures cut out of the comic and other illustrated papers. When Baby McKee and Mary were in Indianapolis recently the chief executive, acting not in an official but in a grandparential capacity, forwarded for. their delectation several batches of such thrilling tales. On Christmas day, however, the batch of bear stories now in readiness will be related orally to a small listener on each knee. Itis p by the President to give up the day altogether to the amusement of Baby McKee and his sister. On the night before the biggest Christmas tree that can be found and purchased by the steward of the Executive Mansion will be set up in the library of the White House, which now is used by Mrs. Har- rison and Mrs. McKee for a sitting room. Mr. Arthur, when he was President, devoted this room to official purposes exclusively, receiving there the Senators and Representatives. When Mr. Clevelend came in he continued to so util- ize the apartment, even after his marriage. But Mrs. Harrison having a considerable family and very little space to crowd it into, immedi ately took Bosseasion of the library’ for the pur- pose méntioned, which is the same that it served during the Garfield administration and before. It isa very handsome room, indeed, sur- rounded on all sides with shelves full of books, and the ladies as well as the babics find ita most comfortable placo to spend the mornings in. THE CHRISTMAS TREF. Here the tree will be. It is unfortunate that no Christmas tree that ever grew could possi: bly sustain upon its loaded branches more than asmall portion of the toys and other things which Baby McKee and Mary will receive se gifts. There will be presents sent to them from all parts of the country, so that the playthings they get will be enough in number to supply liberally a small town full of children. Hut many of the giftsof the smailer sort as the tree will hold ‘will be attached to the boughs by Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. McK» and the Presi- dent, all of whom will participate in this im- Portant ceremony. ‘There will be candles, as Yell as plenty of spangles aud other such orna~ ments, of which Mrs. Harrison has a large eu ly left over from former years. Some candy xy will likewise have a part in the festooning. THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Mrs. McKee is going to buy a copy of that famous old poem, “The Night Before Christ- mas,” to read to the children before they go to bed on Christmas eve. They have been taught to believe firmly in Santa Claus, though they are toolittle as yet to be very much excited about the approaching festival. “There seems to be a notion in the public mind that they are de- cidedly older and bigger than is in truth the case. Benjamin Harrison McKee—known to fame as “Baby McKee"—is barely three years old, while his sister Mary is only two years of age. "Benjamin is. sweet little fellow, blonde, with very light yellow hair. “Usually he wears white kilted skirts of simple muslin, with shirt waists to which the skirt is buttoned on. le i i i he picture of himself printed in a magazine and en from a photograph that was made about @ year ago. He looked at it attentively for a few minutes awd then remarked, with much gravity: “ me, grandma, when I was Baby McKee ! Evidently he considers that he is quite | dail up now and regards the epithet as no longer Giger irs. MeKee does not believe much in candy for babies, and the children will not be allowed much more than a gumdrop or two and maybe ® very few marshmallows, which little Mary Lodge McKee thinks are her own appropriate sugar plums. She always calls them “marsh- marys.” ; WHAT SANTA WILL BRING. Some things the children have been already promised by Santa Claus, in response to their own particular requests. Mrs. Harrison is go- ing to give little Benjamin a tricycle. The child is remarkably fond of machinery and de- lights in nothing else so much as going to ma- chine shops and being shown around. Another present for Benjamin from his grandmother will besome building blocks of a new kind. His sister Mary ix to have several dolls, es ially a rag doll, with which she can bang ier brother playfully over the head if she likes without injury to Benjamin. Also, she will get a pretty doll dressed like a milkmaid, as well as @ tin cow that nods with its head. Both Benjamin and Mary will hang up their stockings for Santa Claus to fill. The rest of the family will not go through the formality of hanging their stockings up, but those of the two children will be suspended alongside the chimney in the nursery, which is the north. west corner room of the White House on the second floor. President Arthur used this room fora dressing room. When Mr. Claveland married it was transformed into a boudoir for bis bride. Now the babies have it. They are cared for there by a German nurse maid, and incidentally they are learning to talk the ‘Ger- man language. THE WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS PARTY. The President and his family will take break- fast at about 8:30 o'clock on Christmas morn- ing. The Christmas party will consist of Mr. and Mrs, Harrison, Mra. McKee, little Benja- min, little Mary. Private Secretary Halford and the President's father-in-law, Dr. Scott. After breakfast the President will devote himself to aromp with his grandchildren. He will assist with the building blocks, have som wginary dainties cooked for him ‘in the toy kitchen, ad. mire the dolls and assist in dismantling the tree. When these resources for amusement ave been temporarily exhausted he will relate ome of his new bear stories. The family will not go to church and Mr. Harrison will give up the day entirely to fun. At2 o'clock lunch will be served and after that it is likely that the sports will take the form of pillow fights between the President and the children, this being a favorite form of di- yersion at the White House. Incidentally, Mrs. McKee will probably read some small’ selec- tions from James Whitcomb Riley’s poems, of which Benjamin and Mary are extravagantly _— one entitled “The Ragetty lan.” Before dinner, weather permitting, the fam- ily will take a drive or a sleigh ride. Dinner will be at 7 o'clock and will be quite en famille, Cope invitations may be extended to a very few old friends who are staying in town. For dinner, Mrs. Harrison says, they will have turkey. with vegetables, and plum pudding and pie for dessert, with some fruit. at may be regarded as an example of republican sim- licity, since the President will dine Christmas lay on’ what every one else in the country has toeat. After dinner the tired babies will be taken in charge by the German nurse maid and the rest of the family will be likely to go to bed rather a. Inasmuch as they, too, vill presumably be somewhat fatigued’ with play. ‘The Queen's Prize Heifer. Cablegram to the New York Sun. The great annual exhibition of fine cattle, sheep and pigs, known as the Smithfield Club cattle show, has been attended this week by a vast number of farmers and others, a fact which is held to confirm the alleged revival of agricultural prosperity in this country. " Queen Victoria was an unusually successful exhibitor, having won about a dozen prizes, including the champion plate for the best beast in the ‘This animal, which fitting) ow. 5 ee lungs. Seon Josephine aed sold on Zeestey $0 ens: Jones, om enthusiastic butcher from Wales, for £160, asum valent to 3 shillings per HOLIDAY SHOPPING, That Do Not Perplex Women Folk and Some That Do. AT A RUSH there is now to buy some- thing for Christmas and what a puzzle it is to decide what to get! How many are there of the throng who are pushing and squeezing through the surging crowds in the stores, fairly climbing over one another to get at a something they are not altogether certain whether they want or not, who passed through the very same ordeal last year and the year be- fore and so on for years back, and declared Positively on every occasion‘if they lived to see another Christmas they would most certainly select and buy what they needed weeks before- hand and be ready to laugh at others who did not when the supreme rush came on? It is the same old story—putting off the evil hour—and now Christmas day pops right up for the eighteen hundred and ninctieth time and catches them all at sea as before. IN SHOPPING WOMEN LEAD, though men probably spend more money’dur- ing the holiday season. A pretty liberal- minded man, for instance, will give his wife, to may nothing of what he gives the other mem- fami bers of the a hai expensive dress pattern, something that will pull him for a good round sum. In return he will get. in all probability, a “duck of a pair of gloves,” a cravat or a razor strop, at which he is, of course, expected to be delightfally surprised, cheerfully thankful and altogether supremely satisfied. He buys things for other members of his own family, gives his wife the money to buy something for the chil- dren and members of her family and then lets her look out herself for the money to get him a present with. She invariably does the “look out” business with serene neatness and dis- ee Of course he knows a thing or two, but ie has got to pretend like he don’t. If he isa strict accountant and finds by an algebraic equation that hia PP, which was at a certain time = to a given quantity of GB, is soon afterward — X or — XV+X, he understands that it would be in bad form to say ‘thing: about it to anybody or io let on like anything was missing, so he just smiles blandly and won- ders whether ft will be a Chines silk handker- chief or a Japanese pocket match box or simply a necktie. A PERPLEXING QUESTION. A matter of much worry to a woman and amazement to bystanders when out shopping is the location of and the inaccessibility to the back breadth pocket,which, as Mr. Howell says, is reached by “accidental’ discovery.” It is generally relegated to the rear portions of the skirt and so enveloped in masses of folds and furbelows that it is necessary fora woman to get herself into the shape of the letter Z to fer- Tetit out and get into it. In the crush of a shopping crowd no one can tell when she is be- ing robbed—as she often is—about the only question arising being whether the pickpocket has been sufiiciently paid or not for the great trouble he had in finding it. This accounts for many women carrying their pocket books in their hands, the principal object. of which method it appears is to afford a labor-saving device to snatchers, to say nothing of their frequently laying them on the counter or table for the sole benefit of some poor but fortunate thief. Others in a spirit of over precaution use the bosom of their dress as a banking establish- ment. Whez. they make a purchase they have to unbutton a few buttons, turn their elbows toward the sky and delve down. among strings and things and fish out the monetary recepta- cle, pay the bill, get the change, return the package to its haven of safety and rearrange the dress—all while the clerks are annoyed, other women mad and the men aroun winking and blinking at each other IN A GREAT STATE OF HILARITY. Others still stuff small bits of change, car tickets, &c., in the port-hole opening of the left-hand glove, where it rests between the palm of the hand and glove until she forgets it, when it drops out and gets lost. A lady in a herdic recently found upon getting in that she had neither money nor tickets and she vowed she put them in her glove but a few moments before. She got out to hunt them up and found, just as the herdic got out of hearing and too far to be stopped, that she had put them in the glove of her right hand invtead of the left, as usual—and then the alleged “March hare” was a model of meakness in comparison. . If her husband did not get rubbed over the coals that night on general principles he did not know what a streak of blind luck he was play- ing in. WHAT WILL THEY DO ABOUT IT? ‘The old-fashioned way of carrying a chopping bag or reticule has come in again, and in that some carry a little leather or plush bag and inside of that their pocket book. They open the draw strings of the reticnle and take out the bag. close the reticule and open the bag, take out the pocket book, close the bag, open the reticule, return the bag, close the reticule, open the pocket book, take out the money, close the pocket book, pay the bill and wait for the change. They get that and open the pocket book, put in the change, close the poekt book, open the reticule, take out the bag, close the reticule, open the bag, put in the pocket book, close the bag, open the reticule, put in the bag, close the 'reticule and then, when they reach home at night all worn out, wonder what in the world they could have béen doing all day not to have done more than they did do. WOMEN AND CRAVATS. A cravat, of all things, is one thiag a woman cannot buy to suit a man—that is, the men think so. Nevertheless, it is her “sine qua non” when she gets rattled over what she shall give him—and that happens nine times out of ten. If she is wrestling with a doubt between a be: ful gold-headed cane and an elegant chinchilla overcoat she will cut the Gordian knot by lighting upon a last year's cravat. He accepts it, of course, like a’ lamb led to the slaughter, without a word, notwithstanding it may*be exactly the thing he would not have chosen himself, Most men are very vain about such things and keep their ideas cut closely to acertain line in style, finish and shade. Their tastes differ as widely'as one star differeth from another star in glory, but a woman would give aman the same kind six times in succession, no matter if his complexion is as sallow as a sweet potato and the cravat a deep purple hue. If he is fond of wearing subdued shades, she will be sure to select one with all the brilliant effects of a crazy quilt—if his tastes run to something light and lively he will be apt_to re- ceive one of & somber black that he could only year with becoming propricty at, funeral But he puts it on, all the same, and wears it. It is the thing to do without fail’ and he knows it. ——__—_+e2e—____ A Lovers’ Quarrel. Scene: The Library. ‘Time: Christmas Eve: Guy ‘entreating)y): my sweet Marie? cht pee ees Miss Marston, {f you please—do not forget. Guy (bitteriy): "Twere better far if we had tfever met! ‘Marie (cuttingly): Quite true—we need not meet Guy (stridii rea, yaa Gea ue rr , when eve she was “] _— “Guy (turn toward her): T did not mean it, dear—I much Marie (moving a1 regret— Why, you are now—I warn you Guy (exultingly): ee) ee minutes: yi nies eer” —Munsey's Weekly. ‘From Puck. " ‘Minister—“Yes, my dear friends, St. Paul ‘was, indeed, a wonderful man, When we con- culture DECEMBER 20, 1890-SIXTEEN PAGES. HERE SHE COMES. You Can Tell That It is Christmas by the Dull Thuds in Your Breast. ‘From the New York Herald. Now is the time when the weary husband- man—by which I mean the man who isa hus- band—coming home from his daily endeavor to pick up enough of this world’s goods to keep the baker from uprising and the landlord from riotous proceedings and the butcher from steeping his cleaver in your gore, or at least Your credit, is greeted by conundrums , which make him bedew his midnight pillow with many tears. “My dear, what are you going to do for Christmas?” “Don't know, I'm sure.” “But you ought to know. Don’t you realize that the time is flying, and if you wait. till the last “minute you will have to pay double for SERt Paiaeaian. beanns’ “Yes, I su 80. way, I got my life insurance; ‘noti today’ 850 vast 4 paid. Where in thunder am T going to get $50 before “Carrie told me today that she was just ach- ing fora handsome bronze clock. {found = “Seed one at Tick & Sounders for thirty- ae “Why not buy her a house and lot and be done with it?” He does not say this very loud. stcctlly, don't know what to give your mother. Ihave looked everywhere. The only thing I'can think of is gloves, and wehave given her those two years in sucession. Come, give me some idea. - You never do help.” “Humph! " Why don’t you make it mittens for a change?” “Oh, Charley, you are so unkind. Yon act this way every Christmas. You never help me at all. “Bother Christmas.” “Yes, that’s what you always say. I think aman is the most aggravating thing in the world.” “Seems tome aman has his hands full try- ing to earn money without trying to think You know business up ways of squandering it. has been bad lately and am d keep from going to the wall and You are badgering me as to what we ick and Polly and the twins and triplets and my brothers and your sisters and all the moth- ers-in-law and four grandfat and a whole caboodle of nieces and nephews. other take it, I never did see such a multitudinous family One born every minute and none ever dies.” “But my déar, you would not want to have Christmas go by without doing anything?” “Don't care if we did—why no, I suppose we have got to do something. There, for heaven's sake, don’t begin to cry. Why’ is it that we can’t have a quict little family discussion but you have got to snort and snufiie about it? Here, what is it you want of me? 1 will do any ‘ing—anything to keep peace in the family iter Half, tmollifiad) Vell, there's Aunt fe ought to send her a remem- ig all Tcan to the time shall give “And why Aunt Jane any more than Aunt Kate and Aunt Tabitha and the two Aunt Liz- zies and the three Aunt Sophies!” “Why, we spent a whole month at Aunt Jane's last summer, and may want—’ “That'sso. We ought to give Aunt Jane something bang up. I would spend at least &3 on Aunt Jane. Send her some of that cheap Japanese stuff vou can geton 14th street—make it big and flaring—and I know a place where you can get bully candy (for the country) at 10 cents a pound. "I'll get a five-pound box of it and we can make up agrand Christmas box— worth a month next summer at the very least.” “I suppose we have got to give something to Carrie's young ones?” “I suppose so—drat ‘em. But make it light, sweetheart. You know there is the office boy and the janitor’s turkey, and something pretty for my little typewriter—won't do to forget her, you know, ‘cause I have so much extra work for her to do evenings. These things I look on in the light of investments, not as presents.” ‘There is a long pause after this and husband- man wonders what ife is thinking of — hopes it is not of typewriters. She puts him to the blush a monient later by saying: “And now, darling, what about you? I want 0 you something real elegant this year. You always put me off and persuade me’ in buying something real mean and small and then give me something awfully extravagant. It's my turn now. What do you want?” “What do I want?—nothing.” “Oh, but you mus’ say something.” “What do I want? A suit of clothes, a new overcoat, a hat, flannels, a dozer handker- chiefs, a pair of real choes—I've got tired of uppers—a cravat, some socka, a pot of mon an unbalanced bank book; hang it, all the bank books I ever had balance so nicely, each page d its opposite.” arles G. Pomegranite, you are too aggravating for anything. As soon as daylight comes I shall pack up and go to my mother! “Go to H—ackensack—I don’t care On the day before Christmas,when little Mrs. Pomegranite, after intinite pains and trouble, multitudinous shopping and the exercise of real genius in the way of getting bargains, timidly asks Charley if he does not want to look at the presents she has secured, he suddenly wakes w to the spirit of the occasion and says yes wit astrong gleam of interest. She brings them out and he looks them over with his nose in the air. “Well, that's what I call the most measly lot_of presents I ever saw in my life,” be saya. “Oh, Charley!” _ “Why, I should be ashamed to look my rela- tivesin the face if we didn’t get them some- thing better than that.” “But you said you could not afford—and you would ot give me the slightest suggestion —" “You know you did.” “Bah! Send them to an orphan asylum. Give ‘em to the janitor’s wife.” He slams on his hat and slams out of the house. All the rest of the day and far into the night when Charley gets home somewhat. the worse for Christmas eve good wishes the door bell is rung by delivery mea from various stores bringing articles which fairly take Mr. P.'s breath away, and in the morning when he spanks the boys.and kisses the girls and sends 30 down to the janitor she opens a little store containing six pairs of socks, a dozen new handkerchiefs and a cravat, and he, gaily sing- ing, “Christmas comes but once’a year, and when it comes let's have good cheer,” produces a little jeweled gold watch and chain with the name of Mrs. Pomegranite neatly traced in miniature diamonds. 7 . * * On the 18th dar of January following the newspapers annoinced the failure of the firm of Pomegranite & Periwinkle, dealers in relig- ious art materials, and the curtain drops ona drama which; with some variations, will be rec ognized by about 200,000 readers of the Herald as the merry season draws near. Tess One Bride at the Capitol. “These brides make me tired,” said a guide at the Capitol toa Stan reporter yesterday. “I don’t mind the grooms at all. Though they are as a rule so spooney, they often give me tips in addition to the dollar I charge for serv- ices. But it is the questions the brides ask that givemeapain. Why,doyouknow, a young thing in a poke bonnet and fur cape was talkin’ to me one day this week about her impressions of Washington. Says she: “The Capitol’s a beautiful buildin’, ain't it? ‘Well, rather !” I replied. e rooms are loveiy and big.” ‘Somewhat,’ I admitted. ? she said. ‘But the front “What's the matter with them?’ I asked. “ It’s not them I was thinkin’ about so much as the back steps,’ she rerponded, self. ‘And why don’t they suit you, ma'am? “They're pooty enough,’ she said witha sigh. “But just think what « taak it mast hate JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER BEGAN OX NOTHING AXD NOW LEADS THEM ALI—PRATT, CARNEGIE AXD BRICE—THE ASTORS, JAY GOULD, THE VAXDER- BILTS AND OTHERS. . — Surely New York contains more millionaires than any other city in the world, says the New York Journal. And, what is more, the average wealth of the New York millionaire is greater than that possessed by those of Paris, London, Berlin or any of the cities of Asia, Australia or Africa. But this is not all. Gotham has another thing to boast of. *Three-fourths of her rich men have accumulated their wealth by their own energy. Recent statistics taken in Berlin show that that great city, having an equal number of people with New York, has 200 millionaires im its population. The statistician who makes the Teport recites with extreme satisfaction that the figures show an increase of twenty-one mil- Hionairps over 1889 and of ‘fifty millionaires over 1888. Even with her stunted census returns New York can showa millionaire list of over 1,000 names, or five times the number contained by Berlin. To every 1,600 cf its population New York has a millionaire. To every $,000 of its population Berlin has a millionaire. ‘ew York is clearly a city of millionaires. Of course she has not produced or created themall. Fully two-thirds of her rich men have made their money in other quarters of the United States and have come here to enjoy their vast wealth. For New York is a convenient city for people overburdened with an enormous income, which keeps on growing and swelling year after year, until it threatens to engulf the possessor in @ deluge of dollars and coupons. Rents are gigantic, real estate and taxes are monumental in price, and in fact to live on 5th avenue in average style it costs a cool $75,000 a year. ROCKEFELLER'S WEALTH. Although to look at him no one would sus- pect it, John D. Rockefeller, the founder of the Standard Oil Company, is undoubtedly the richest man in New York and all America. He started without a dollar and has now a fortune of $135,000,000. His income is $6,000,000 year and he spends $100,000, so that his wealth keeps piling up at a terrible pace. Mr. Rocke- feller is about fifty-five years of age. If he lives until he is seventy his wealth will be be- tween $250,000,000 and €300,000,000. 'Y years ago Mr. Rockefeller was a poorly ioe clerk in Cleveland, Ohio. He was one of the first to appreciate the Pennsylvania oil fields, and an investment of a few hundred dollars, which he had saved, in the oil lands culminated in the formation of the Standard Oil Company, which is now the richest corpo- ration in the wor! Mr, William Waldorf Astor and Mr. Corne- lus Vanderbilt came into the possession of their millions from their fathers. Jay Gould made his $75,000,000, as all know, in Wall street. At one time he was a carpen- ter's apprentice. and later on @ survi was while following the latter ocer; he gained his practical knowledge railroads, or which has served him abundantly well. Henry M. Flagler made his 260,000,000 by the Standard Oil Company. Previous to his part- nership with Join D. Rockefeller he was a woodsinan in the wilds of Dak cketeller started on a caj PRATT'S LUCKY INVENTION. Charles Pratt also made his millions by the Standard Oil Company. He was a machinist | 3 ina little Massachusetts village. He event- ually drifted to New York, where he entered the = of &Co. It ‘was pan William K. Vanderbilt received his millions from his father, since the latter's deat agement of W. K., doubled. John H. Flagler is a brother of Henry M. Flagler, and it was the latter who placed him in position to heap up the milli Fred W. and George Vanderbilt inherited their millions from their father, William IH. Mr. William Astor also inherited his from his father, John Jacob Astor, the second. Collis P. Huntington had nothing to start on but a little Connecticut farm, which was left him by his father. He sold the farm and in- vested the proceeds in a stock of clocks, which he peddled about the country. Gradually he drifted west, and when the gold fever siurted he and Mark Hopkins opened trading posts in the mining regions, which formed the founda- tion of the fortune he has since built up by lucky speculations, ANDREW CARNEGIE. Andrew Carnegie was penniless and twelve years old when he came to this country from Scotland. He was apprenticed to a mechanic and eventually opened a shop of his own. Then he patented some furnaces, and later intro- duced steel rails and had them ad every road in the country. ‘Thi built up his millions. Mrs. Elliot F. Shepard was a daughter of old Commodore Vanderbilt and inherited her money. Henry Hilton's law practice and for- tunate speculations gave him hix wealth. H. Victor Newcomb started with scarcely a dollar. By fortunate speculations he accumn- lated enough to secure a controlling interest in the Louisville and Nashville road, of which he was made president. Then he came to New York, and since then his millions have doubled and trebled. ONCE A FARMER'S BOY. Stephen Van Cullen White was first a farm- er’s boy. Then he became a school teacher and after that the editor of a country paper. Later he became a lawyer. While practicing his profession he became enfatuated with the speculative fever. He went into Wall street and at first luck wasagainsthim. Later every- thing he touched turned to gold, and his career in the street has been one continuous stream of fortunate ulations. Tague Eeliy's wecunpanbieg exter coats like a romance. He came to this couatry with scarcely a dollar and secured employment in a Bowery furniture house. Some years after he Was sent to St. Louis to open a branch of the New York store. Business did not Prosper and the firm diseolved. At this time the gold fever broke out in California. Mr. Kelly joined the westward moving stream and when he the mining district he opened a small store. The miners found him honest and trnst- worthy and intrusted their gold dust to him. ‘Then he began shipping it to eastern banks inasmall way. From this start a great bank- ing house grew, of which Mr. Kelly was the head. He is now one of the recognized author- ities on financial and railroad matters in the under the skillful man- millions have almost Standard Oil Company. ‘Addison Cammack, who has recently proved such a power in the street during the panicky times, came south. He started his poor Kentucky home on horseback and worked his way to New Orleans. There he be- came a cotton rand some lucky specula- tions furnished him with capital to earry on his operations in New York. Mr. is now on the top wave of good fortune and is making money by the hundreds of thousands. BRICE’S RAPID RISE. scrub ‘em! Don’t you think so, George, dear? | aire. m that no ‘lady from Phila Seas mee from ‘our own marble ae Guarding Against Counterfeit Bills. The Lounger was sitting in a notary’s office the other day when a man came in to make an affidavit to some papers, says the New York Tribune. The notary’s charge was 25 cents, and the man handed him a $2 bill. Portrait on the bill, That = the . cae nee atria, r del; feelin’ distressed at the Htless_prongect oe keeping such flight of in RAILROADS. PRY oREAT Pr: FROM STATION REETS AS FOLLOWS tet Expres ‘of Fast Line. 10 aml St. Louis, with burg, ant sieepine in,” Datta: Tisburg to Nt Wostern Fapress Caw at Soper FPuliman Dawn? and the iy. for per to Pittsburg, amd Pitts heater and Niagara Falte heater daily. for But. « Saturday, 10-00 p. Testneier scare Fails, 7 40 with Meeps car a.» with Niewtv For Wiilanispert th Dining daily except h oniy. Limited Expres with Dining Gar, 1A ONLY. Sand 4 p.m. Aafly. exces For An is, 7 Mand 9:00 am, 1205and « D-m. daily, except Sunday. Sundays, 9:00 a.m. sap ASHINGTON SOUTHERN 1 ERCT NOW 6 RATLWay, 1st. 42, aon in Sunday at . GOl, ro, 7 -45a.m. and 455 p.m. ihdays fi uh, 40 5 pau. uovlation for Quant: 740 am. K. Wood, 24) General Passenucer Xecont. BYE EGE AND ont Febedule in effect daily 3 a pe For Fittsturc ‘und Cleveland, expres, daily 0:39 wi ands 0 pte For 1eauurton and pointe in the Shenandoah Valley, w erand Way Stations, 13.30 p.1m, ma days, 4.05, 5 iS 00, 6% eave Anmapo: Sundays, 50 Branch, 16200, ial stations only, te points, 19:00, ck, SO yel'® and intermedi: <7 pam, MUFCH tra.a leaves Wanbibeton cu Sunday at TAS Sopyie at all stations on the Metropolitan ick, 78:90, $8.30, 60:30, 111.0 am., ‘and Cheater, “5:00, 615 amd ying at Wilt toa rinediate points between Baltimore ani a, 16:00 and STN am, tla, Soe RewoN asv baxve KALLROAD 00. Sy Medien sffoct NOVEMBER =, Inn 30a.m.—Last ‘Tenneree Mall, jor Warren: ton, Gordonsville, Charicttesville, racing Stations between “Alexandria and Lyptivune, = gic, Atlanta, Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanooga aid Mestre. “-mn.—-Fast Mail daily for Culpeper, lie, Stations “Chesapeake manic, Tacky Mount. ‘ yeuvilew Coluaie Sod Aust, Palmas inuton to Cimrannati via. and Q. howte ni.-Daily, eacept ‘Sunday, for Manama, iterinestuate statins iu, "Dally. runs to Grecia, mn Sicohery Wo creer Sleeper to Metaphis via Laynrabube and io Western 11-10 pan Xiross daily for Manamen, Charlottes Toulsville, " Cinciunat: Puliman Vestibule Train Washin ‘to Cuncaunati, With'a Pullman Sleeper tor Louisville. i Southern & Lynchbare, 4 ihe and Lyuchbury arrive is Washinton 4 yilie and Lyuchbure arrive us Wasbltwton 6 3 Sets au. and 7-107 Eamt Sn jmchiars at bsp iat Sind 7-10 p.m-andOsoa.mbtrasvuny luoal at £0.47 “kets, leaping car reservations and furnished and bagiase ChecKed at oft, es 300 Pease siet ed vane Syivenia ave. and st pamenger station, Peunsyl ai JAS. L. TAYLOR, Gen. Pass. Agent ((UESAPEAKE AND OHTO RAILWaY. ‘Schedule in effect May 18. Trains leave Union Depot, 6 B streets, 10: for Newrort New O12 fom mtr aad iolk dvily: Arrive ai Old Pout at 6:10 p-15- and Norfol Pm. 24am., Cr Xpress daily for stations im rs turoigh without change to Ci at ; cars, run through . Vestibule Sleeper for Lax “ile, Fulluan Cars are open to Receive pessenacers a. ceive me at 9. _ iiss at POTOMAC RIVER BOATS._ AC RIVER LANDINGS. STEAMER JOHN W. ‘uesday cinnati, agri 11:20 p.m, FF. trains, "with FAMILY SUPPLIES. 4 LPS, GRANULAT