Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1890, Page 7

vy = THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1890—-TWELVE PAGES. SIXTY YEARS AGO. How Christmas Was Celebrated at That Distant Date. EVERYBODY DRANK EGG-NOG. Old snd Young Fillea U: on the Frothy Bev- erage—Sunday School Celebrations Were Rare—Some Stories About Them—The Oys- termen Suffered From Mischievous Boys. 66QVHRISTMAS times in many respects are not what thoy were sixty years ago,” said an old timer tos Stan reporter a few days | ago, snd be continued, “there was fun in those days. The city when I wasa boy was indeed through the wild growth of brush, tree and vine meandered « single wagon track. Even 7th, F and other leading streets were but sparsely built up. There were less than adozen ehurehes here in all and they were usually in pairs, like the public schools, each denomiva- | tion having one in the eastern section and one in the western—St. Peter's and St. Matthew's. Catholic: Christand St. John’s, Episcopal; First and Second Baptist; First and Second Presby- terian; Foundry, Ebenezer (Fourth Street) and Weasley, Methodist. The only Lutheran church then was the Concordia, in the first ward. ‘TRE CHRISTMAS STOCKING. “Then the hanging up of the Christmas stock- ing was well nigh universal, and in many familics it was not only the children’s hosiery which on Christmas was found filled hanging at the mantel, but parents kept them company. As to what there was pat in them: Well, toys were in less variety and were less elaborate than now, and for that matter so were the cakes and pies, candies, &c. ‘The gir! children came in for the dolly and the boy for the wooden horse or tin horn and in the stockings were usually placed an apple, some raisins, nuts and candies, with the doll or horse on top. But all did not fare thusly, for in the cases of those who did not behave well or who showed an ugly disporition their stock- ings would show on Christmas morning a switch, which they were taught had been placed there by ‘Bell Snickle,’ as Santa Claus Kris Kingle was then called, and the children all firmly believing that “Bell Snickle,” was a real person and their parents would take the hint the reformation of the youthful delin- quent wse often accomplished. CHRISTHAS EGG-NOG. “I have said that the toys were leas elaborate | than now, but not so was that decoction known as egg-nog. We made it in those days and it was something to hanker after. Every knew it was comi © ri aid the and was its fr Many a time for the fi mas se How did z and pie baking, thi Such pics! meat then. As soon es half dressed we discussing the con- ce for the boiling ket ct f the egg-nog. serybods di e of our best peo- ple,striet bers of the church, thought it the proper thing to fec! the eifects of liquor on that day. THE RELIGIOUS ONSERVANCE. “How was the religious observance? Well, I ‘was not old enough to be interested that way sixty years ago, but some having no money and not being able “to keep up With tee procession” withthe boys, I went to ehureh, for I had no other place to go. the proper thing then for the sparking young maz toring the door bell of his best. girl i an early hour end go to the early services at church. Breakfast was of little account that morning. A cup or two of egg-nog, wi acted as @ starter and then the ma the family would h: go through the f NOK. It was Christmas’ and sam: , and when full they would, if they could, return to find the stay-at-home part of the family equally full. There is one thing that the present gen- eration would not now enjoy. “Christmas holidays were of twenty-four hours duration, sometimes thirty-six. The govern- ment employes were sometimes allowed to leave at an hour or two earlier on the 24th and were expected back on the 26th. Even on New Year's dav the clerks worked up to noon and then called on the President. So it was 1 children as to the holidays. that the most unhealti: noticeabl spectable showing. Headaches and pains from over-eating kept most of the pupils at home. “The colored oystermen suffered at the hands of the boys in those days, expecially about Christmas times. You are doubtless aware of the fact that the police did not amount tomach and the poor colored man, slave or free, could not give testimony against a white person, little or big. Weil. the oysterman about Christmas wou cheerfully answer the call of a crowd of and thinking they had chipped in their ‘tips’ and ‘levys,” would measure out @ pint or a quart as might be called. As each one of the crowd gulped down his twoor three mouth- fals they would suddenly remember an errand or that it was time to be in and run off, and whea the cup mpty it would be handed back and the young scapegrace would take to his heels. When, however, the oysterman would chase the boy and the latter be in dan- ger of being caught the bucket would be at- tacked and rather than lose all he would give up the chase. If, however, he still continued the pursulg some little devel would overturn the bucket. I upset a bucket, kicked it over once and when I saw how hard the man took it I was cut, and afterward we never lost a chance of pursuading our parents to buy from him. BUT FEW CHRITMAS TREES. “I have said that there were no Christmas en- tertainments given by Sunday schools then and there were but few Christmas trees in private houses. These were almost entirely confined to our German citizens then. Lager was then Unknown and the light beverages were ale and at the houses where the Germans and lish congregated, and ‘old rye’ the favor- the resorts of our Srish friends. I re- member one resort kept by a German not half amile from the court house. He married a widow with grown children and she was a vet woman and her daughters as hand- some a6 she was. She was quite close in money matters and when bebind the bar ip’ (6% cents) for a drink, wi the old man would ‘charge but 5 cents. IY, the barrel pumping ale and the to; gave way, letting her fal i there was hituesyor pathy felt for her. r and years after his marriage he that when he married her she was the legal wife of another man. Her husttnd came along one day and when our German friend learned that he had another man’s wife on his hands he quietly tulked the matter over to both, snd finally of- fered the busband €100 for a quit claim. ‘This the husband accepted and left. i SUNDAY SCHOOL CELESEATIONS. “Ithirk I have said that there were but few lebrations by Sunday schools. The vather exhibitions for the benefit of ~carch and the first was held about fifty years go. was one at which a Tather peculiar scene was enacted and occa- Sioned much talk. The Sabbath school of a ehufth in the upper part of the city had, dur- ing the preceding summer, held a picnic not » great distance from the church. It so happened that about noon Johuny K., one of the small boos, started home, and seeing » handsomely vund bytn book lving loose carried it home. When he returned the owner of the book had been informed that Johnny was seen with the book and be was terribly put out, for besides its value it being handsome! name sppearing on it in gilt letters—it wae Prized asa gift. As soon ashe saw Johnny he called cut, “Go straight home and fetch me the book you stole,’ and Johnny left. informed his mother what placed the book in her ‘A STI¥?-SECKED CHRISTIAN. “The old gentleman plead for its re one of magnificent distances—like hamlets or neighborhoods located in the vicinity of good | water from spring or pump and between them | stockings of our | iy | on D street. years after, when, | ould silvers x u one day whe was standing on | tarn, but being a stiff-necked Christian, he obstinately refused to acknowledge his error, and the result was that Aunt Kitty returned to her home with the book. This incident made bad feeling, but finally the old gentleman, | under the advice of the , offered to | apologize. This offer the old lady repelled, saying: ‘No, sir; the accusation was made in the presence of ‘a crowd, and an apology will only be accepted when made before a crowd equally as large.” “Thus the matter stood until the Sunday school Christmas entertainment took place, when the church was filled in every nook and | The opening piece had been sung and th your chance,’ he at once walked out on the latform, made a little address on the use of asty words and the evil results, closing by re- ing the incident and doing what he could to ecall the words. Justas he closed lady called little Johnny, gave him the book id he at once ran to the platform and placed in the hands of the old gentleman. To say wt the applause was deafening is drawing i mildly, ancl for a time the many friends of the 3felt more like rejoicing aloud than etly sitting in their seats, for it was the end of what seemed at one time to be irrecon- cilable. CATTAIL Row. “They tell me that I first saw the light of day and the old corporation oil lamps on Lot avenue near 7th, and when I look back it seems | almost impossible that Lonce knew the heart | of the city within a few yards of real country | morass and swamp. Right on the corner of 7th street and Louisiana avenue there was a | two-story and attic brick where a Quaker | named Hosier kept a sort of Noah's ark kind of grocery, and it was there thatIapent my | pennies and ‘fips’ for cakes, &c. At the Ameri- can House corner the Becons ran the same kind of a store, and adjoining on the avenue 9 tavern. South of Bacor on 7th street was what was known as Clarvoes. lived. th side of the ave- nue on the rite of the Metropolitan was the old Indian Queen Hotel, « three-story brick, and adjoining on the west the hat store of Wm. B. | Todd, while further down toward 6th street was | Sam Handy’s bat store. RIVAL HATTERS. “There was at times much rivalry between the hatters, each making his own hats and endeav- | oring in the finishing to surpass the work of his |. Handy always believed in fur hats, the | Teal beaver, and was loath to adopt the silk hat, and the consequence was that Todd led in the | trade. Hats in those days were hats and there was no necessity to cover them to keep the rain off. The fur hats cost all the way from #5 to $15 according to the material used, and when you bought one it would last for years. Then | the fashions did not change as frequently as now and the wearer would sometimes tire of his hat before there was a change of style. FORMER LANDMARKS BROUGHT To ZIOHT. C. Grammer kept a grocery on the site of | the Central National Bank. On Saks’ corner a man named Jacobs kept wine store and Ben and Walter Brook succeeded him. Michael | Talty, Feeny and Crane lived north, and at D street, the site of the National Bank of the Re- publi Bank, the entrance was the old P: John Do | Robinson, Parker & nt site and south | avenue, 1 was the theater. THE OLD BANK OF WASHINGTON was on its present site and Gen. Weightman | lived in the rooms above, and I remember on one oceasion the general gave there a fancy | dress ball which ec! jing of the kind | seen here befor ligencer_was then at 7th and D streets and the Post Office Depart- | ment with the patent office and city post office | were all there in the building on E_ street be- tween 7th and Sth streets, while on the F street side lived the Birches and the Lalunds close by Jimmy Caden’s school house. On 7th street be- tween E and F was a fire engine, owned by the government, in a frame building, the upper portion of which was used as the armory of Col. Seaton’s company—the Washi Guards. PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE A DIRT ROAD. ‘The avenue was then a dirt road with two rows of poplars int the middle from the Capitol | to 15th street. ‘There were in this distance two wooden bridges, one the well-known Tiber bridge at 2d ‘street, which was replaced by a brick and stone arch a few years before the war, and the other 2 wooden structure over thi ran between 9th and 10th streets. This ran, which had its source at the springs in Franklin Square, coursed down between %b and i streets aud emptied into the canal. It was about 1833 the avenne was macadamized and to this work is the District indebted for a num. ber of our German families who came here to work and settled. NOT MUCH OF A MARKET. The Center Market was then a shed set on | 8th streets, and I should judge about on the | line of the wholesale stores. “There were no | commission men or produce dealers then, and | aside from the butchers and bakers the country | people came direct from their farms and sold [to the consumer. Most of the produce was | brought in wagons or on sled in winter, bnt | from farms skirting the Potomac boats trans- | ported the produce, fanding just south of the | market near the fish market, just south of the ! sheds on the line of 8th street. * You may jndge that living was not extra high then, for good solid board could be had for +3 per week. Wages were for carpenters from #1 to $1.50 per day, working from sun to sun. In winter the wi much more revere than now, and frequently the snow ground for weeks and all the travel was by sleds, and it was common experignce for a white Christmas to betoken a lean graveyard. GREENS FOR CHRISTMAS, Where Washington Gets Its Supplies of Such ‘Things for the | Holiday: Center Market this morning was fringed with old colored women, all very nearly buried in holiday greens. One of them, who wore a ban- dana handkerchief for a turban, was completel shut in by heaps of holly, laurel, running cedar, ferns and otker things suggestive of the lous prices, a small branch of holly with a few red berries on it bringing 15 cents, 3 wreath of the same 25 cents, a handful of ferns 20 cents, and so on. “Christmas is great times fo’ de po’ cullud. ." said she to # Srar writer. “Dar \in't be much funfor us, nor money to spend on de merrymakin,’ ef it wasn’t fer what we earn by sellin” greens in de week befo' de buffday ob de Lawd. Yes, good bit dese days: but dey's lots in de business an’ we have ter look sharp fer de nickels. Whar do we git em? Why mos'ly ober in Mon'gom- ery an St. George counties. All de greens you want kin be picked up dar fer jus’ de wuk ob cuttin’ em. be bes’ ones come from Mon'gom- ery county, an’ de jud isdies wot git em mos'ly lib ober dar an’ fo,into de woods an’ pick ‘em fer demselves. ain't no trouble recurin’ #8 many as you like ter have, ‘cause de first big holly bush you come ’cross will gib : mly has berries once in two Y'ars. ‘So, ef you want de berries, you must look fer de holly bush dat hasn't had any de las’ Christmas time. Makin’ holly wreaths am sumpin’ ob an art; it ain't ebery no-account nigger dat can do ‘em. “And ? Vhy, sab, " cedar,” though some say it's ‘crow's foot.’ It jest runs along the ground an’ we cut as much ob it as we want. It's sorter i from de woods, but we rid twirfe so's to mek it close an’ pretty. Offen it's berry hard ter git. I tell you, its no fun fer a lads wo be wadin’ around in de swamps ober in de Maryland woods early dese winter mornin’s, an’ de runnin’ cedar grows a good deal in de swampy parts.” “Do the ferns also?” ss “No; de ferns mos'ly grows on de sunny side ob de ‘cliffs war dey is kep’ warm in de cold wedder. Dey is plentiful enough, an’ de moxs dat we sell fer goin’ "round Christmas trees is easy ter git too: you find lots ob de moss in among de pine trees. Dis pretty laurel grows in big bushes like de holly. An’ de white moss in dis big pile you kin dig up acres ob. i stars hangin’ on de fence dar behind me am lady having told the owner, ‘Now is! the old | Row, where the Glacor, Sheckells. Laskeys and | brick piers extending not quite from 7th to | on the | season over which Santa Claus presides. She | was disposing of her decorative wares at fabu- | like as it comes winl it around a string | ‘2% WHY CHICKENS ROOST HIGH. How Expert Chicken Thieves Steal and Avold Detection, HEN ROOSTS AND THE WAY THEY ARE DESPOTLED— ALL MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION EASILY AND QUICKLY DESTROYED—THE WAYS OF SOME FOXY OLD MARAUDERS. “ THIS IS A GOOD SEASON of the year for chicken thieves,” echoed De- tective Block the other day, when a Star re- porter spoke to him about that class_of crimi- nals. “But,” he added, “there hasn't been so many cases of chicken stealing lately as there used to be. Reports of that particular sort of stealing are few and far between. Now and then, however, three or four jobs are done in as many nights and then nothing is heard from the chicken man for along time. This is just the time of the year for them to operate, but this year there seems to be a scarcity of such thieves or else chickens are not so plentiful. Those whoare called chicken thieves do not confine themselves to robbing chicken houses, but they steal all sorts of fowls, turkeys, ducks or chickens. And, strange to say, this class of offenders confine their stealing chiefly to fowls. Seldom do they steal other articles, and very few of them, indeed, areall-round thieves.” SILENCING THE FOWLS. “How do they manage to rob a house of all ite fowls without making noise enough to arouse the owner of the fowls?” the reporter inquired. “Easy enough,” was his reply. “To nse their lanj , they ‘charm’ the fowls before they attempt to leave the premises witl»them, even if their heads have to be taken off. The thieves who are classed among the good ones, or those | who thoronghly understand their business, seldom take away alive chicken unless the number captured is very small. Sometimes, continued the detective, “the thieves use sul phur to strangle the fowls with, and it acts like a charm. They use a box of blue-head matches, which they dampen and rub against their hand so that the fumes of sulphur that arise get into the lungs of the fowls and prevent then: from crowing or cackling or giving any alarm what- ever. the burglar stretches in his arm and collects the fowis one by one. ‘TRICKS OF THE CALLING. “Everybody,” said the detective, “can’t steal chickens. There seem to be some peculiar qualifications necessary to make » man an ex- pert at the business, Anexpert thief knows well the necessity of always keeping a pot of | scalding water on the stove at home, so that | when he returns hla plunder he can get feathers off them and Prepare them for | tl stroyed. Often when au mitted early in the morning the chickens are ona bench in market before they are cold. ‘Many a night on my tours through the city I have smelled smoke from burning feathers and been satisfied that the feathers were picked from stolen fowls and were being burned to de- stroy their value as evidence. DIFFICULT 0 CONVICT. “In order to convicta chicken thief itis! necessary to catch him almost in the act or else catch him a few minutes after he has committed the theft, He has an advantage over all other classes of thiev being able to destroy the evidence against himseif in a very few minutes, | And they are harder to catch. When th | out to make a haul they alwa; cer on the beat and the sergeant on d Boing and they can pretty, well judge of the officers’ whereabouts when their job is tinished. AN OLD Fox. “There was a noted chicken thief here once | who operated a long time before he was caught, and be did his stealing in such a systematic | manner that it's a wonder he ever did get caught. But he was often suspected and watched. He kept clear of the oificers fora! he was captured. After locating the he intended to rob he would remain in some | secluded place until he heard the serges the beat blow and the officer answ way he could easily locate both m: he would make a break for the pl | chickens were. After getting them in his bag | jhe would remain there until the hour of inid- | | night, when le knew the officers were changing at the station, and then he would ran home. UGHT AT LAST. “But one night we had his house watched | and he came running along. Over the fence into his yard he threw a large bundle and then |he went ‘in the house. When one of the officers | questioned him as to what he threw into the the house and that he hud been working all the | j evening. He was a shoemaker by trade and | was hammering away ata pair of shoes when we entered. ‘The bundie he had thrown over the of chickens. here w fond of chic | with bim s ked that if he | bag chickens would walk into it. GREAT RISKS FOR SMALL “It's singular,” concluded the officer, “that | people will take such desperate chances for a | small amount of plunder and with the possi- | bility of along term of imprisonment. That | sort of stealing in the night tine is covered by | the housebreaking law, and the maximum pen- alty is seven years.” nother old colored mi ways carried a bag | a IONAL SANTA CLAUS. Many Little Gifts That Congressmen Get Just Before Christmas, The Christmas contents of a Congressman’s mail box would shame the traditional small boy's pocket. A curious thing about the remembrance of a Congressman is that it uw ly comes a little | THE CONGREs the theory that his holiday begins a day or two | | earlier and he might not get his mail mas morning. But it ia susceptible | other explanation. A few years’ experience in | | public life ieads the average statesmun to con- | clude that he is not the object of unsclfish ad- miration and that the attenti long time, but a job was finally put up on him | * | those who paid their 25 cents would not open | yard he declared that he had not been out of | li fence was examined and it proved to be a bag | chan who was | '! before Christmas. This might be explained by | 8" {and appreciate than the Celts, Parnell, with {the cheers that rend the Fakirs Who Hold Forth on the Street Cor- ners. THE MAN WHO OFFERS GREAT TEMPTATIONS IX THE WAY OP JEWELRY—HOW 804P I$ MADE TO SLIDE OFF EASILY—THE PUSH CART MEN WHO ARE KEPT MOVING ALONG. JFPAEERS HAVE TAKEN possession of the street corners and their silvery tongues and glaring lights never fail to draw a crowd. The small reservation at Pennsylvania avenue and cannot all get there, however, and the conse- | quence is that they scatter along the avenue and 7th street. Many of them have no difficulty in putting off snide jewelry, common soap or | some other cheap article for ten times their | value. ‘THE CHEAP JEWELRY MAN. The fakir who sells cheap jewelry in the | vicinity of the markets never fails to gather an | appreciative and paying audience. “My dear friends,” said one of those orators, | “T am not out here tonight for the purpose of making money, but simply to put on the mar- | Tam ason of only want to ad- | vertise my wares.” After ielling » funny story | and showing the latest trick he takes up a large | ins puiting in the jewelry. | . “is a gold chain that you | orth several dollara, but, as I | y ject and so in it vill put in a pair of gold-plated sleeve butions, which will make a handsome present if vou do not wan: to wear them your- self. A gold bracelet or lo i id your sweetheart will surely kiss you if’ yon ake her a present of it. And here isa din pin that will dazzie your aweetheart's eyes. Several othe 8 of jewelry are inserted and then it i: twenty-five cents?” Everybody wants the first because it is generally feared he will not uplieate the bargain, and for a moment there is a rush. Package after package is sold until there is lull in business. Then the fakir revives in- terest by pane ina “gold watch,” and asks: ho will have this lot for a dollar?” Just as in the case of the first iot offered everybody wants it, and when three or four victims gt such packages the light is extinguished and fakir disappears. THE SOAP MAN. The man who cells patent soap to take out grease spots, paint or any other stains from clothing is out in full force and, like the jewelry | man, he catches many persons. ‘The soap man | sella his packages for a dime and also gives | lis jewelry is worth ten times the | of course, but then he tells the unsus- pecting crowd that he does that sort of busi- ness only to advertise his soap. Tho small of money asked for his packages makes more customers, and in the end his profits are greater than those of the twenty-five-cent man. THE PATENT MEDICINE MAN. The man who sells patent medicine also shouts aloud from a dry goods box ona street corner the superior quality of the contents of @ little bottle of liver regulator, consumption cure or mixture that will cure any disease known to the medical fraternity. He docs not always give away gold or silver, but he demonstrates to his listeners and purchasers the harmless nature of the mixture by taking a drink of it every time business gets dull. TO CATCH SMALL ONES. The combination man got in his work on the small triangle the other night. His envelopes were larger than those of his competitors, and to swell them he put in a Christmas toy first, but he did not always call attention to that article. One by one he put in pieces of jewelry, and then he told his hearers that they’ wanted ing for the ladies. The le he ‘Then he : “Here is a large thing to eatch the small ones.” This article was done up in a} iece of colored paj -ybody won- ed what it was. the ‘only way they” could find out was to make a purchase. Most of the mysterious package to gratify the curiosity of the others. There was one big colored man who made a purchase who cow Hi opened the package in his env surprise found that it containe comb. PUSH CART MERCHANTS ‘The street arabs or push cart merchants mo- nopolize a lerge part of the carriageway along 7th street, from Pennsylvania avenue te the Boundat them have large head or gasoline lampson their carts. Most ¢ Italians or Greeks, while some few are native Americans. ‘They large mount of p fruits and candies. | ‘Their presence is a constant is, Who complain d fi Every hes 7th street the word goes along the line and the carta can be seen on ri moving out from the curb- stone and continuing along the street or turn- ing a corner and getting out of sight entirely. ‘Lhese men as a rule rem out until after all the stores are closed and some of them are out until long after miduigh Zag ee LL's CHARM. time a policeman re: PAK! His Demeanor is Cold, but He Exercises a Spell Over the Irish People. From the Chicago Herald. Utterly without any of the attractions of specch that characterize the orator, Purnell’s appearance alofle on an Irish platform exer- ci AW over the people. Cold and calm as grace and charm of | manner that no people are quicker to observe smile and @ dignitied the homage of his subjects in skies when he While by no means an cloquent speaker, Parnell has the knack bow, re- speaks to the people. upon him are not altogether disinter- ested im every instance. He learns that | the persons who place flowers on his desk | honor of his birthday, or on the occasion of | his making a speech, or in congratulation. for | his re-election, are usually those who have | some favors to ask. Ifa dainty Christinase: a cheap home-mi re case, a tie, or “worked” initials for the inside of hi | hat, is in his post-office box two or three dzys before Christmas, accompanied by the card, say, of—-of some lady he hax not known | long, it places him under some sort of ob- | ligation, especially if the giver is u xhe and she in good looking and young. Unually « present received two d fore Christmas leaves | abundance of time for a return present before | Christmas night, and if a Congressman makes a present he cannot afford to let it be conspicu- | ous for cheapness. So it happens that the Congressmen usually receive a great many little remembrances dur- ing the several days just before Christmas. ‘The number of lady visitors in the galleries in- creases just before the holidxy recess. It used to be, before the sale of fancy articles in the stationery room was stopped, that the room would be crowded with members accompanied by appreciative and greatly interested friends. A whole year’s allowance for stationery could easily be consumed in two days. But that was in the days gone by. If Congressmen send out Presents now they must pay for them, caeh out of hand, and the old and experienced are slow | to take hints unless there is something pecu- liarly attractive about them. The size of the outgoing mail from the House and Senate t offices. is not materially increased. t is chiefly the incoming that is burdened, not Congressmen aro made the recipients of nu- merous and valuable presents, but besides the delicately scented reminders many of them re- ceive there is hardly « faney advertising card, a of using phrases which live and are treasured as watchwords by the people. It would be hard to find an Irish peasant's cabin | whose walls are not decorated with the mottoes, “Hold the harvest!” “No mun has a right to fixa boundary to the msrch of a nation.” “Keep a firm grip of your holding!” and such like. This strikingly accurate description of Parnell was written Some ten years ago, when the policy of obstruction began to exasperate | the English people and the English house of | commons. z ‘What the Black Douglas was in ancient Scotch history—u name to frighten children with—Charles Stewart Parnell’ has in some | measnre become here in England, whilo in Ire- | Innd he has become the most popular and most powerful public man in Irish polisies for a oen- tury. And yet not only does he lack qualities previously thought essential to such popularity, Eat to an slmostinconcoivable degres be aval or scorns all arts or efforts to attractit. In | everything but convictions and resolutions &| more un-Iriah—that is to say, un-Celtic—man it would be rare to meet. Calin, reserved, pas- sionless, unmoved alike by praise or blame, by flattery or execration, a stranger to personal attachments, careless as to the reciprocation of | personal regard oF the recognition of personal hevotion, is the very antithesis of the emotional and impulsive Celt, whose heart divides with his head the direction of his move- ent and the course of his policy. Many glishmen would doubtless expect to see in him a burly, brawling, fierce, wild Irishman. Instead of t they would seo u rather pale- faced and thoughtful but handsome and well- built young gentleman, quict, undemonstrative and refined. In person pearance, ners, voice and accent he is English, tinge of the American. A stranger would judge him to be» qullivatod Ameriean who had re- sided a great in England, or a cultivated resided good deal in 7th strect ie the favorite piace for them. They | | has never fail Who will have this for only ¥ Comparative Sociology in Street Cars. ‘To the Raitor of The Evening Star: For several years the street car customs of Washington have been to me a subject of in- ‘teresting speculation and have furnished ma- terial for study of @ sort of comparative so- ciology. In my own particular part of the country every woman entering a street car casts her eye upon the first seated man she encounters and silently conveys to him the intimation that she expects him, the car being crowded, tosur- render his seat to her. In response ‘to this glance of expectation the man invariably sur- renders his seat. If the woman isa lady, in the conventional social sense, she modestl; thanks the man who gives up the seat. If she is equally respectable, but not #0 well versed in the conventional ways of formal society, she takes the seat without taking any notice of the man whatever. Possibly she is equally grate- ful, but apparently her rule of decorum does not permit her, under any circumstances, to notice 2 man with whom she is not acquainted. In Washington men do not so readily give up their seats. In several years of street car ing here I cannot recall a single instance where any woman intimated to me by any glance or action that she thought I should offer her my seat. But when Ihave given up Ty seat on my own motion the woman to whom it is surrendered, be she lady in the conventional social sense or respectable with- out the polished wave of formal society, she n d to thank me. If expression of gratitude is grateful to the recipient the Wash- ington custom gives the most, because more frequent, pleasure to the man. A DIFFICULT QUESTION. But, considering only scli-gratification, these compared customs presenta very difficult prob- Jem to tho man with a seat in an overcrowded strect car. When in my native wilds is it better to sit still and enjoy physical comfort or stand 1 and preserve my mental and moral composure? ‘or there no man can retain his seat and feel happy. There the question is between com- fort and relief from unhappiness. When in Washington shall I, without this moral compulsion, preserve my comfort or, in recompense for its surrender, enjoy the pleas- ure of-receiving expression of gratitude? Here the question is between comfort and a positive happiness. i apologetic terms of thankfulness lady in @ Washington street said to @ colored gentle- man who gave her his seat: “I do not like to iy And ho, with courteous intention of exactness of speech, tly responded: “No depravit: m2." But he let his politeness get the better of his truthfulness; for it is a depriyation to any man Tiding in a street car to give up his seat and cling to a strap overhead for a mile or more of jolting. Indeed, sometimes the inconvenience to a tired or an ill man does bring his amiabil- ity to a state of absolute depravity. With the custom prevailing in my native wilds there is an absence of one displeasing mental condition that often occurs in Washing- ton. There the man clinging to the overhead strap never feels within him rising a fecling of resentment against a lubberly lout, a pretty young fellow,ora stout, ill-mannered old part: who calmly retains his seat and stares at stand- ing women who can not reach the straps, or reaching them heve not the trick of thereby preserving their balance. ways it sometimes makes me sick at heart, to say nothing of stomach, to see such things. My comparative studies of this subject lead me fo this conclusior ‘The way, in this regard, of the men of my native wilds might better than the way of men in Washington be called the custom of gentle- men. Both here and there the lady trained in focial convention ix the same—and probably in this and in all characterizing things she is the same the world over. And yet if this last gencralization be true and_ the lady is every: where the same by reason of the identity of the i-cult force, why should gentlemen differ according to their latitude und longitude in street cars more than in drawing rooms? But in the general custom of Washington of all women, whether simply respectable and to or polished ladies of xpressing their gratitude of personal comfort every man. makes who surrenders his street car seat to a woman, it seems tome is founda trait that would become woman everywhere. AndI am inclined to confess that here in Washington, so far at least as. the st reveals character, women, apart from all social distinctions, are gentler, more grateful for courtesy and more appreciative of kindness than may be found some eleewhere Suapow. December 20, 1890, anc sein inntett Sey The True Christmas Spirit. frwa the Ladies’ Home Jourmi. Has the spirit of Christmas come to you? I do not mean the spirit of Christmas as evi- denced by the dainty things from the Christ- mas tree, the plums in the pudding or the rich juice of the gravy, but I do mean are you ready to put out your hand to her whom you have thought did you an unkindness? Are you ready to ask forgiveness for the thoughtless word spoken? Are you ready to overlook what seemed to youa slight? And are you ready to ask that each one near and dear to you may be joyfu and happy and that the stranger at the gates) may not be forgotter’ Unless you can do all this the Christmas spirit is not in you. And if itis not, then, my dear woman, get down on your knees and pray to that little Child who came on earth so many years ago that He might bring to it light and joy and ask Him to open your heart to the light and love of kindness. Do you want to make a happy Christmas for yourself and for other people? Then give and royally. Royal giving means generous of the best that you have to those least used to possessing. Your royal gift may be but a loving message, but be sure if it is given in the name of that little Child it will bring happiness wherever it goes and, like the water of th fountain, it will return to you with its virtues a thousand times greater and you will be made better and younger by it. In your joy remember the children, not just your own—they have you to jook after them—but think of the little ones | whose homes are bare, where life is like a tose ing sea. Remember the sick children. Think of the {oy & beautiful toy, a great round orange, a = le ones whose limbs are tied Think of the great picture which the eyes will open Wwide— es, my friend, that will soon be closed for- itd of the great and intense | delight felt when a wonderful tree is recog- nized or a bird's name is known to the lithe boy whose life has been spent in the close strects. These are gifts that you will never regret. Give of them—give of your plent and from yonr heart, aud be sure that to eaci little one of your own will come special hap- pines because you havo remembered the. wuf- ferers among the babies. When that Divine Baby slept so quictly in the stable the great kings of the earth thought it worth while to bring prosents to Him, and surely, as you consider the least among these, He will re- member you. Let the bells ring out, then, on Christmas morning and let your heart beat in unison, as you know that you have brought joy unto His little ones, ildren are God's own angels sent by Him to brighten our world and what we do for these messengers from the sky, especially at that tire of the year which to them, will come back to us threefold, unto bread cast upon the waters. ber, the first Chri Isid at the feet of a child—a humble parents. Give humble, to the poor, to will your own Christmas be Englishman who bad pore Accustomed to other | AT THE BOOK COUNTER. How a Chicago Man Perplexed the Girl ‘Who Was Temporarily in Charge. ‘From the Chicago Tribune. Some of the down town merchants put in a stock of books just before the holiday season and sell the volumes at way-down prices that would make the authors groan. Sometimes these book counters or stalls are placed in charge of a young lady who bas all the neces- sary qualifications for making one buy, but is utterly destitute of the sort of information the buyer sometimes wants before he makes a pur- iy | chase. It isn't the fault of the young lady. AUCTION SALES. THIS EVENING. RATurre, DaRe & co. D.. Auctioneers, ‘Pennsylvania ave. 0.9% UNREDEEMED PLEDGES AT AUCTION, ‘CONSIST! wer st RATCLIFFE. T OF DAYS. rn oF AN! JEWEL} AND. TWEN: She conld puzzle a man very quickly if she Were over in the embroidery department and ® man went there to purchase. But she is sent to the book stall by the manager, who Sie at ees Renee any’ an as often quizzed in a way that gentleman said he had seen the adver- tisement, but not the books, “Indeed,” the you lady replied. they are here. “Heve fou seen bur, beantif ‘Romeo and Juliet?’ “Here it is. Only 83"— and the odd c®nts, whatever they were. The gentleman concluded he would have some fan quietly, 0 he looked over his glasses at the young lady and asked: “Who is the painter of this Romeo and Juliet?” ‘Painter! exclaimed the “It isn't a painting, it's a book.’ age ‘Ah, I beg your pardon. Who is the author— I didn’t mean painter—I meant author?” ‘The Foung lady blushed and then rallied. “Well,” she said, “#f you don't know who wrote ‘Iomeo and Juliet’ I don't think there is much use showing you the book. “Possibly not,” the gentleman replied. “But I am a stranger in_the city and I have been fooled so much since I cam fhicago that I thought I might venture to ask who wrote the beautiful book which you have advertised. This was along speech. The gentleman in- tended it should be, for during its delivery the young lady peeped into the front of the book, and, shutting it quickly, said in a decided wa; WALTER B. WILLIAMS & 00., Auctioneers, MINETEENTH ANNUAL SALE BY ORDER OF TAUNTON SILVER-PLATE COMPANY BREW AND BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS, ROGER’S TABLE CUTLERY, CLOCKS, BRONZES AND MANTEL ORNAMENTS. reatly to their advantage to attend this eale, which ‘Will continue DAILY at the ealesroom,corner 10th and D otreets,facing Pennsylvania avenue northwest, until |! ceatire stock it cold. at ELEVEN O'CLOCK a.M., RICH AND ELEGANT SILVER-PLATED WARE, | itl tood hotels, churches, schoo Parties looking for Christmas presente will dnd it | Kans City via Union Pacific railroad. Low rate WALTER B. WILLIAMS & CO., Auctioneers. “Mr. Shakespeare wrote it. Maybe you ha heard of him. She uttered the Inst sentence in » mean way—the way in which only a woman can utter @ mean sentence. It was scorn and hateful- ness and trinmph all ina heap. The gentleman replied: “1 have. “Have you his other worke? There was no impropriety in the query, and | seen s to me I atthe manas if she could kill him. Then a light broke over her face and the look of | triumph came back to her eyes—the look which | comes into the cat'¢ eyes when it discovers that the canary is asleep. “I will see,” she said, and in her face was a you-haven't-got-me-yet expression. Then she | flied to the end of the counter where the airless-headed floor walker was posing in his | She whispered to him and he shook his head. She glided back to the | place of beginning and said in a firm, you-are- | a-wretch tone of voice: “No, sir; we had his other works,but they have m sold.” ‘Tam sorry to annoy you,” said the gentle you tell me where I could ‘Shakespeare's Hiawatha’ in the same bin ing as this? The publisher's list must be in your house.” ‘The young lady bit her under lip until all the blood in her beautful face—for she is a beau- ful girl—rushed to the place of attack. 4 woman's intuition is quick. She knew this get | in les UST SALE REAL ESTATEIN yet the young lady blushed again and looked | pay iat certain tract OF land, 4 acres of Te oor in t PRINCE G pare ind “ac Jorn em sud. “the soutnorn side by th dria Ferry rowd on the More! imwton and Piwataway my the OF ‘ou W. Bayne Lest "Mo of 2 lorze rick house, 2d lal! cutuanidinen re of Lance im equal conths, inter- | UL be required to rwasose tad DON, Truster, 3580-430 st, thw. man was intent upon mischief and yet there was nothing in his speech or manner to which she could take exeeptio: é She again had recourse to the pious-looking | | floor walker, who said something and smiled. | She returned to confront the man whom she now hated. She informed. him i way that this “Romeo and Juliet” one of Mr. Shakespeare's works in the house, | and that the house had no publisher's list. i “Very ” said the gentleman, “I will | look at ‘this, if you please, and see whose ver- ion it is, if you have no objection.” ‘tainly,” she replied. And the way she said it! He looked at the copy forahalf hour. It seemed a whole afternoon to the young lady. Then he raid to her: ¢ “Ot course it is not your fault. Idon't blame you or your house. “You could not have known this, of course. You will pardon me, of | course.” ‘This was one time when she had nothing to say. She stood like a piece of statuary that is to be railed off for a fair. ‘The gentleman seeing her position continu “According to this edition of ‘Rome and Julie’ Jalict kills herself, when the truth is she was smothered to death by Othello with a pillow. The book is a fraud. “I had not read it,” the young lady answered i bdued manner. “I am here to sell books to read them,” she concluded. “Of course not,” the gentleman replied, re- lenting. ‘Have you Mother Browning's Melo- dies?” he asked. ‘Mother Goose?” ‘No; I mean Mother Browning. She used to be Mother Goose, but she is married.” ‘ou m The young lady put a pir iv her hair and | said something about “high time she was.” “Where is the soap counter?” asked the | wretch. “Second aisle to the right. That way.” The young lady felt relieved when he ask her for the soap counter. It was an indica that he was going: but he lingered. “Maybe you have it here,” he eaid. “I want a book of poetical quotations. I have made a bet with a friend of mine that Campbell is the mn om 200 Will be remands inet th ie ler of ron. in thy ne followin: same at the h req) the cash of district i inetes and bounds: ree: 8 im such thine sam On defeuit of the perty to be resold at Jou 'F. ENNIS, Lraster HUGH T. TAGGART, Trustee, OF UNIMPRO' joneer. VALUABLE IMPROVED ETOWX, D.C. appear Pea ur naser OF risk amd ave. ‘ony Han. Grorom—Aranama INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CO, GEN. BEN. F. BUTLER, President, HON, JAS. W. HYATT, Treasurer. ALTHOUGH THIS COMPANY HAS AD- VANCED THE PRICE OF TTS SHARES TO 2.58 (PAR VALUE #10), INVESTORS WILL STILL FIND THIS THE REST THING THE MAREET HAS TO OFFER. INVESTIGATE THIS, FULL PARTICULARS FURNISHED BY THE COMPANY'S AGENT. asm Beavret HELENA, MONTANA. The City of Helena is locates! in the beautiful Prickly Pear Valiey ; is substantially built of stone amd tick, snd all modern convenionces of life. The society is exceptionally bis class, caving more than the average Dumber of edue cated and inteliisent people, Asa piace of residence it is unequaled. Itcan be reached by Inxurious trains daily, with through dim- Northera Pacific and Creat Nortbera raul St, Paui and Minnespolis, oF from round trip trobeta Montana Las dozens of broad valleys so fertile with the deposits of ages thet fanwers find in theme pare dise of productiveness and a howe market for ail yiedd. 6 ail advantages of Montana in the womder- ‘The warm winds of the Pacific coma moulify the temperatur to the decree which affords so exiilarating im ite effects that the eom- tinue! existence of dissase is an tnaprobabtiity. Consumptives find 1 the @ bright eunshiny dave return oy health For full information address 1. G. PHELPS, Secretary Citizens’ Committes, O-wesly Helena, Montana. neha oRDERS PxEC TT oS a OUR OWN DEPOSITS RECEIVE aac CHECK AT PRE PaLApeL siGut days will receive. us. + W Broadway, N.Y. Member Washington Stock Eachamge. LEWIS G. TEWKSBURY & ©0., EWIS G. TEWKSBURY x ‘Banker, JX0- W. CORSON. No. W MACARTREE Member N. 2. Steck CORSON & MACARTNEY, GLOVER BULLDING, 14h: oY. Sw, Bankers apd Dealers in Governinent Bonds. Deponita. | Rxchanss ; Railroad Mocks gind Bowis an? all mecurtties tiated fheexchancre of New Yorks Huuladelpinns Boston aaa Baitiiiore towsht amd wold Divestwent scuritien. District road, aus, Anwurence aud ete: ‘evhone Stock bomeht and sd.378 —_—__———_—E—_—_—E—E— PIANOS AND ORGANS. ABLAs, GOS PIANOS, LOF amie or rent. ieee Loans, | Collections DLOOP'S Mumic Store, _ntotr Se Pa. ave. “NEW SCALE” KIMBALL Pianos, IN NS ee ee ea and Ube leading attints of mT MEDZEROI 8 OOO Fame. ete cD PROP- yT BETWEEN C AND the rit 1 ost of defaulting purchaser after five days’ went of such resace, |. HOLDSWORTH DN BIKOS., Aucti GORDON, Trustee. adds author of the line -Whilo there's life there | Soap’ and it occurred to me I might ii the soap counter, but maybe you bs redial 0,” she shrieked, “the soap!” And she left him standing there while she went to wait on an old gentleman who was looking at the juvenile prinis of Noah's ark at the far end of the counter. “Will Christmas ever come this year?” she | murmured as she went away. a THE MATERNAL PARADISE. Eloquent Words in One of DeQuincy’s Re- cently Discovered Manuscripts. One of tho recently discovered DeQuincy MSS. printed in the London New Review say: I will tell you a result of my own observations of no slight importance to women. It ie this: Nineteen times out of twenty I have remarked that the true paradise of a female life, in all ranks not too elevated for constant intercourse with the children, is by no means the years of courtship, nor the earliest period of marriage, but that scquestered chamber of her experi- ence in which @ mother is left alone through the day with servants, perhaps ina distant part of the house, and (God be thanked) chiefly where there are no servants at all; she is at- tended by one sole companion, her little first- born angel, as yet clinging to her robe, imper- fectly able to walk. still more imperfect in its ttling: i it the clinging to Erw, betaling ier aacover tie "poer"aat her shadow, cat from her eye the total inspira- tion of its little —— — a thrill of secret = i 5, i i dit at | Xx (rH), vision fs _a17-coakas PUNCANSON BROS., Auctionsors, AND 0 8: i), im th recone. with the improvements, sale: One-t ay 7 Je: of ti be paid :n cash end residue in twelve LE in bool &e the purchase money and exchieen ‘ent per ab 13, ax (6) ‘white RICK HOUSE oF Bi AND-A-HALF STREET BETWEEN TREETS SOUTHWEST. y Virtue of ‘deed of trust, F E B i (01 ‘OBT: 2 i i i 4 Sheet tatasc ant avs took SOHN F. ELLIS & 00., 1257 Petsusylvania See Nears AHICKERING Piaxos. THE GREAT STANDARD INSTRUMENTS THE WORLD. = Have taken the hishest premium everywhere. and complete stock of Grand and Upmaeht Manse tor fale or rent at fair prices and on nagy tern JOUN F. ELLIS & 00. _al2-10t 7 Pu, ave, ewe 10th K“AKS0ER PIANOS ARE THE DELIGHT OF ie eicwn at TEMPLE OF MUSIC im Goat oe 317-3 at TE! HORUHN, Practical Pino Maker SANDERS & STAYMAM. ‘Frank Butler, Manager, 04 F ST. NW. 13 N. Charles st., Balttmere;