Evening Star Newspaper, January 17, 1891, Page 11

FASHION AND FISHES. Well-Known Society Women Who Go to the Fish Market. TREASURES OF THESEA. Washington Market Supplied With Dell- cacies From Every Part of the World—The nd the Potomac and the Dain- thes They Provide for the Table. HF PORTION of the Center Market given up to the fish lealets is enter of interest toevery housewife who visits it, whether she be in the city or one of the hundreds who daily spend an hour or twothere. In fact, between the boure of 10 and 1 o'clock it looks as though ital were holding ight in visiting society people of the cx a reception there. Many d the Washington markets. It's not i¢ that takes them there, but the desire to provide nicely for their tables and at the same time meeting and chatting in a delightfully informal way with their acquaintances bound to the market on similar errands. The B strect aisle, where most of the dealers are to be found, is redolent with the peculiar ‘odor that is bound to exist wherever fish are to be found, but still the fish market is as neat a8 a pin and kept in the very best of order. No other fish market in the ¢ .in the opinion of men who are acqnainted with them all, cels that of W s# and for the infinite variety of fish and game offered for sale. During the visit of the Cow the city he visited the Center Market and to one-of the dealers that he considered it the best in the world, in point of variety and abundance of products. A/SCENE IN THE MARKET. One of the first things remarked upon by strangers visiting the market is the number of distinguished people who attend to the pur- chase of their own supplies. In other cities it is rarely one sees ladies and gentlemen of wealth and prominence attending to «uch household duties. ‘The ladies, however, are better mark- eters than the men. Bright eyes sparkle over the odoriferous piles of fish, dainty fingers gingerly raise the gills to see if the intended purchase is quite fresh, and voices which the Right before passed the compliments of the season in crowded drawing rooms bargain fru- gally with the dealers. y have a varied collection to select from. On Washington dining tables fieh is second only to the roast, and this important fact is recognized by the housewives and the dealers who thrive by their patronage. Every stream Of any consequence in every state between the two oceans contributes, and the result is what is claimed to be tha best market of any city. But the dealers do not by any means confine themselves to the supply afforded by this coun- try. Other countries across the ocean con- tribute, and the result is a complete market. Probably the most popular of the foreign fish sold here is the famous “white bait” of the river mes. The majority of housekeepers are satisfied with the product of the waters of our own country, but we have nothing to compete with the peculiar and delicious flavor of “white bait,” the smallest of the finny tribe. Mra. Senator Mitchell is particularly fond of the tiny morsels and it is more often found on her hospitable board than on any other in the city. Mrs. Mitchell always buys in person and seems to take great delight in marketing. ‘THE CHESAPEAKE AND THE POTOMAC. But though the enterprising dealers search every available stream they depend toa very great extent on our own Potomac and Chesa- bay for their supplies. In no otuer waters and in no other country can such a de- licious variety be found as here right on the very threshhold of the city. The fisheries of the river and bay are known the world over and the tables of Washington get the very pick of the abundant suppl: “Right here in Washington,” said Mr. Walter Moreland, the well-known game and fish ex- rt, toa StaR reporter yesterday. “we have Wee eset varied and abundant supply of fish of any market in the country. The feson why the fish of the Potomac are so much esteemed for their delicious flavor is easily explained. im into the fresh waters of the river When they leave the briny deep they are coarse, but the fresh water seems to purge all the bitter sea food and salty flavor from them and the large and varied assortment of food found in the Potomac gives them the fine flavor for which chey are noted. This, I think, accounts for their great popularity, combining as they do the best qualities of the fresh ani salt water fish.” “How do fish keep this weather?” asked the reporter. “It's @ strange fact, but nevertheless a true one, that fish keep better in summer than im winter. How's that? I'll tell you. In wi ter when it's so cold thet ice won't x fish spoil easily. It's a woll know. fact tha after a fish stands a short while a slime accumu- lates over it. If the weather ix so cold that the ice which is packed about them does not melt that slime remains ani eventually spoils the uriosity | | originaity it comes from Tampa bay. The meat is very delicious, breaking off in white layers, and there arefew bones. The flavor is very similar to that of acrab, and it is best broiled. Senator McMillan is very fond of this fish, as is also Gen. Albert Pike, the venerable another of our Potomac fish. It is called by many pike, on account of similar- ity with the St. Lawrence river variety. It is much abused fish and but little used. © The Vice President, however, buys » good many of them. FROM THE GREAT LAKES. While not a habitat of any of the waters of the surrounding states, the white fish of the great lakes is very popular in this city. It fure nishes more meat than any fish of its size known in the market, having the smallest head and the fewest bones of any of them. The immense popularity of this fish all over the country has made it exceedingly scarce, and the prices brought now were beyond the wild- jest dreams of dealers a few yearaago. Mrs, . Sheridan is one of the many Indies whoare | regular purchasers of this fish. Another very popular fish, and one which is | distinctively a breakfast fish, is the smelt. | They are shipped from the north in ice and are | very delicious. Mrs. Tiffany of New York has standing order for these fieh. Halibut ina | prime favorite here and finds « ready sale. he capture of this fish is accompanied with | great danger, and not long ago the entire coun- | try was startled by the dreadful news that twelve fishing smacks, with all on board, had | gone down off the coast of Massachusetts and forty widows were added to the already lon; list “that live in the quaint old fishing town of Gloucester. Little do the people who sit over | their table delicacies know with what danger to life these delicious morsels are procured. It ss the favorite fish of the late W. W. Corcoran and during his last illness it was one of the | few things for which be retained an appetite. Cod comes from about the same locality. ORIENTAL CUSTOMERS. But to return to Potomac river fish, and that, too, to the most important and delicious of them all.the famous Potomac shad. This fish enjoys the greatest popularity of any brought toour markets. There are few shad in market now, and those you find come from the coast of Florida and do not compare with the catch of the Potomac. ‘These latter will commence torun about the middle of April, and for a time other varieties of the dinny tribe will sink into compa: obscurity. The best shad are caught at the Great and Little Falls of the Po- tomac, for only the strong, healthy ones are able to fight the swiftly flying waters of that portion of the river. Shad have been caught there weighing from seven to eight pounds. Perch are found in abundance in the of the Potomac and are greatly estee breakfast or frying fish. ‘The white perch the best. A favorite fish for big dinners is the red snap- per of Florida. It makes a capital baking fh and when served whole presents @ beautiful appearance. Its color fs a beautiful red. ‘The other fish tobe found in our markets are the blue tish, which may be had at 15 centa per pound; carp, at the same price; spots, at 50 cents per dozen; brook and lake trout, sea base, Potomac black bass, slrimps, herring, catfish and eels. asa are TERRAPIN. While not distinctively a fish, it swims, and is found in the raarkets of Washington better than anywhere else. Reference is made to the famous diamond-back terrapin. More of them are consumed in this city than anywhere else. It is emphatically the statesman’s dish and the ¥ery name suggests bills, speeches and appro- priations. Ex-Sceretary Bayard was one of the Sreatest authorities on diamond-back terrapin ever known in Washington, and it is said of him that he would often go into his kitchen and prepare the dich himself, whenever he had one of his famous dinners. So much greater is the demand than the supply that the prices con- tinue to climb up until they have reached the enormous figure of $60 per dozen for fine ones. They are sold by inches. A substitute is the slider, which bring from fifty centa to €1.50 eac! As Tae Stan reporter was leaving the market he saw among the prominent people there Mrs. Senator Mitchell, Mrs. Commotiore Me- Calla, Mrs, Secretary Ilaine, Mrs. Gen. Sheri- dan, Mrs. Commodore Skerritt, Miss Mitchell, Mrs. Wilmerding, Mrs. McLean, Mrs. Lieut. Andrews, Airs. “Senator Wolcott, Mrs. Bu- chanan, Mrs. Gen. Logan, ex-Marshal Wilson, Gen. Nick Anderson, Gen. Vincent aud Ad- ——_——— UNNECESSARY PRECAUTIONS. The Misery Which a» Picture Smuggler Brought Upon Himself, From the New York Telezram. Kenneth Atkinson, the insurance man, tells a good story abou: howa countryman of his who tried to smuggle a valuable little painting, and having brought it in successfully found that there wasn’t any duty on it, and had his picture ruined beside. The country- man in question bad a very valuable Cuyp, about sit by eight inches, which he thought was amenable to very heavy duty. He was a big, sqaare-shouldered man, and for lack of a better scheme carefully bung the pic- ture under the back of his overcoat by a cord running around his shoulder, and fastened below the upper button of the coat, with the Picture over his back like a sandwich man. By maintainis listinetly militas 'Y carriage the Englishman strode down the gangway and fot into an elevated train. To bis intense horror he saw sitting opposite him a custom house official. Thinking to ride out the cus toms man, the Englisman went down to fish, whereas if the weathe: is warm the melt- ing ice cuts this slime off and prevents it from eccumulating.” SOME OF THE YISHES. At this season of the year rock fish, or as they are called hereabouts, striped bass, are Great favorites. Little need be said of this fish so general is its use. It is mid by compe- tent chefs and a number of noted epicures to be the very best of boiling fish and ite com- Parative cheapness brings it within the reach Of all. Rock was always a favorite fish of ex- President Cleveland and Vice President Morton never gives dinner at which the gamey fish does uot piay » prominent part. But of all the fish which comes to our mar- ket none can compare with the salmon. There are two varieties to be found in season, the Kennebec and the Chinook. ‘The Kennebec sal- won does not come in season until about the middle of March, and then brings anywhere from 75 cents ‘The prices re- ound uj iain high for the dst few fw as the river 0] Just now the C ks, but as soon BS well the prices go down. inook salmon has the pull and many re that it is superior to its Maine relative. The fahing gre nde are on the Columbia river, an-l althouzh over 2.060 miles away, when they are unpacked here they are as ‘as the fish cangbt on the Potomac river and shipped the same day. is early explained. The fish are eaught and ked in ice while they are kicking and shipped Kntmediately. President Harriss, the Eat and the Mexican minister are especially fond of this tisa. ‘There is a Ssh from the south but little known outside of a xmail circle of lovers of good eat- in this ety, known ss the yamnpano, but. it fa daily growing in favor. While not @ Poto- mae and itis Seema cate South Ferry, and so did the official. The Englishman got off and went down to Staten Island and when in a cold sweat he landed at St. George he found the custom house man still with him. At Brighton Sta- tion the Englishman was met by a friend, who, with hearty effasiveness, promptly pounded him on the back as an exhibition of joy at his return. After that the Englishman didn’t care whether the custom house oficial was around or not, because there wasn't anything left of the picture. He went home, and, stirred up by bis late experiences, hunted’ up customs laws and found that after ail the picture was not dutiable. ——~e-_____ Curiosity Aroused. ‘From the Chicago Tribune. “Goin’ fur, mister?” ‘The question was asked by along-nosed, thin- lipped man with pointed chin whiskers, a slouch hat and a bungry expression of countenance. He was resting his elbows on the seat in front of him, which seat was occupied by » passenger in a gray check suit. The passenger addressed turned partly around, took « look at hit questioner, and sized him up at once. “Yes, Lam going to Nashville,” he “down in Tennessee. My business there is to | seli four shares of bank stock, dispose of my | interest in a form of eighty acres, ten miles | from the city, and invest the —— ine | clothing establishment on North street. Tam from Beardstown, Cass county, Ill. I got on the train there at 9:35 this - It was forty-tive monutes behind time. My ticket cost me $11.65. I the sun goes down. Had my dinner aboat an hour ago. ity-five cents for it. ‘This cigar cost me ten cents. I have beens smoker for about years. My name is Chauncey MeBonuell. Iam thirty-nine yearsold, | have a wife and four children, ‘came from Harrodsburg, Ky., and ama member of the Congregational Charch. I was formerly a | draggist, but sold out tos man named Tread- way, and Lam notin any business now. Lam. worth perhaps $10, My father was a cooper and my grandfather was a sea | My wife's name was Carr before her. | Her father wasa surveyor. That's all I know | about her fumily. We live ina two-story frame | house and the iidren have il ed tho mumps, | chicken-pox and measles, When I oe I expect to stop at the Maxwell He stopped. The long-nosed man him‘ moment with prep a wy *Ttnet aid. yer pron gicadiatber do fee a } JOHN MORRISSEY. Some Incidents in the Life of That Well-Known Character. HIS POLITICAL SAGACITY. He Knew His District Thoroughly and En- Joyed the Confidence of the Greatest Lights 4m the Demecratic Party—The Tweed Ring— ‘The Late Senator Barnum. ‘Written for the Evening Star. 1866 I WAS in New York ss one of the ex- ecutive committee appointed by the Union convention, which was held at Philadelphia on the 1ith of August, the first democratic con- vention held after the war, with Messrs. Charles Knap and Cornelius Wendell. Our headquar- ters were at the Astor House, and meetings were held nightly at the Manhattan Club. We there met the political magnates of that state and it was determined to make an ardent cam- paign. At one of these meetings, after dining with Richard Schell, Samnel L. M. Barlow, John T. Hoffman and Judge Sanford E. Church, the nominations for Congress were discussed, and that of John Morrissey it was feared would take some strength from the state ticket. Morrissey had been a very liberal con- tributor to the democratic party and an inde- fatigable worker, with a very strong fol- lowing, and his nomination was demanded by his many friends, and as I had no particular interest in the local canvaas, I was requested to see Mr. Morrissey and to lay before him the views expressed by these gentlemen in the hope that he would be impressed by their opinionsand defer his nomi- ion until the next term. The following ben § I met John Morrissey for the first time ai ‘was most favorably impressed with him. His pees and unassuming manner and gentlemanly portment surprised me, as from all I had heard of him I expected to find hima rough and uncouth man. I feared my mission would not be agreeable to him and waa, therefore, the more astonished at the attention he gave to all Thad to say and after hearing me one he if, Mr. Coyle, you can spare answered briefly: the time to accompany me through the di will add ta the strength of the ticket rather than take from it.” I think Ican convince you that I IS STREXOTH RECOGNIZED. ‘Willing to give him an impartial opportunity to demonstrate his strength, and from bis evident sincerity and confident of his assurance that he wonld then leave to my decision whether he should be # candidate we took a carriage and went from one end of the district to the other, taking in our route Wall and Broad streets, where we saw bankers and brokers and merchants. I was astonished at this manifesta- tion of his strength. “The Journey occupied several hours, as the district embraced 24th street to the Battery and on the east side nearly to Canal street. On our return to the Astor House he asked my opinion of his strength, and I told him I thought he ought to take the nomination and should so bee gan the gentlemen whom I represented that night at the Manhattan Club. He thanked me and said: “For myself I have no ambition, but I have asonand I am unwilling he should re- member me only as a prize fighter and s gam- bler, and therefore I desire ination. ‘That night I reported what I had seen and said I had told Mr. Morrissey I thought be ought to be the candidate. “These gentlemen, with one exception. acquiesced in the opinion and Morrissey was nominated and elected. The gentleman objecting to his nominstion was john T. Hoffman, whom Morrissey had ardent supported for mayor of the city of New Yor! and governor of the state, and to whose election as mayor he had contributed $16,000. When Morrissey came to Washington as member of Congress the 0] ition press teemed with articles denouncing the democratic party for sending such a representative, but referring to Barrington memoirs I din the National Intetigencer the fact that a prize fg Gulley, sat in the British house o for twenty years with credit to and great advantage to his constituents. Mr. Morrissey became very popular with both si of the House, and arrayed himself in’ oppost- tion to claims of a doubtful character, voting only when assured of the justice of bills pre- sented. When the Tweed ring was reveling in the plenitude of their power, which afterward became @ great abuse and scandal, Morrissey was in the legislature and took strong grounds against them and thus incurred the bitter enmity of Tweed and his followers. ‘They sub- sequently caused his arrest upon the charge of Keeping e gambling house, and it, wae, detcr- mined to disgrace sending him to Blackwell's frfand. if ‘The mi papers teemed with the accounts of hisarrest. Meeting him accidently in front of the Astor House I expremed my sympathy for him, when he said, “You are the first man, Mr. Coyle, who has given me one word of sympa- phe replied, “I think I can serve you.” He went into Mr. Thurlow Weed’s room, where for thirty years he had dispensed | raaeal nage and and unmade men. No. 11 was acubalistic ward. I suggested there the name of an old friend of Dick Connelly’s, whom I hoped to influence through him and Morrissey, knowing their relations, was elated at the sug- gestion, I went to Fordhan, where my friend re- sided, and made an engagement to meet him at Connelly’s house the next morni When we saw Connelly, whom I had known for years, said to him, “Your power is absolute here. Of course you can send Morrissey to the island and -_ him in stripes, but if you do his friends will y shells. around bim'and crush you men like egg You are standing on the brink of a voleano; you won't admit it, but it is true.” He replied, “It is a personal affair of Tweed’s, and I do not like to interfere.” L urged upon him that he should interfere for his own protection. He informed me that he would meet Tweed and Oakey Hall at 12 o'clock that day and see what could be done.” “Come to my office,” he said, “at 1 o'clock and I will inform you what has been done.” Having pressing business which detained me beyond the hour, uently learned through our mutual friend that the result was an aban- ment of proceedings against Morrissey, which tfter calm reflection “and ‘consultation’ they were induced to take'my view, as expressed to Connelly, of self pro * THE CRUSADE ON THE TWEED RING. But through the influence of Dick Con- nolly they called » halt Not long after this Gov. Tilden began his crussde against Sia eee eoet jo; governor's lence yeuign and leave toe" county bet F wve the count fore rested. Ihad known Tweed member of Con; at Z 6 2 B i i 5a Hl 4, Z E py: F EA ok i id 2g . et sf He free Ay 4 Bees i i i i. Fa i i 4 Hl fF 5 F f i TE FE it i i E ia i - “a 4 THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C, SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1891-SIXTEEN PAGES. impossible and improbable event. His of the voters of the state and city was almost unerring. In a contest he made against John Fox, a man, the powers of Tammany were arrayed against him, but he said woeks before the election he would beat Fox at least 3,000, and as the time of election drew near he told me his majority ‘would be near 4,000. On the night of the eleo- tion John Kelly announced from the stage at ry Hali that Fox was elected by 4,000 majority, and the shonts which followed could be heard at the Battery. I heard it and hastened to Morrissey’s headquarters and found great crowd boiling over with excite- ment. only cool and undisturbed man was Morrissey himself. I told him what I had heard and expressed my regret, and he said, “Don't be worried, I will have 3.500 majority,” and by midnight his judgment was confirmed. TEE FIGHT WITH TAMMANY. The fight between Morrissey and his friends and Tammany was continued and Morrissey changed his residence into the Murray Hill dis- trict, the aristocratic quarter of New York, and when the Hon. Augustus Schell was nominated for the state senate by Tammany he took the nomination of the opposition. I was in Wash- ington at the time, and when I saw by the New York press he had been nominated and had ac- gepted the nomination I thought he had lost re wi him. urging him to with- w. He hed. “Don't worry; will beat him sure.® I went to New York a day or two after, and whenT saw him said I thought he was crazy that Mr. Schell was one of the best and stron; est men in the city of New York and deservedly 80, and that he could not be beaten in that dis- trict. He heard me in his quiet and imperturb- able manner and smiling said, Mir. Schell is one of the best men in the city, bu nominated by Tammany and I will beat him.’ I tried to argue him out of his confidence, but he only smiled and said: “IfI am well enough to make the canvass I will beat him abont 4,000; anyhow my majority will be about 3,000. Unconvinced I waited the result very anxiously, and sure enough he won by some- thing over 3,000. When I saw him afterward he said: “I was not allowed to go out at night or my majority would have been larger. ‘The illness under which he was then suffer- ing ca is death a year or two after. John Morrissey was one of the most remarkable men Lever met. He enjoyed the confidence of such men as Gov. Tilden, Judge Sanford E. Church and Richard and Augustus Schell and the mag- nates of the democratic party throughout the country. Commodore Vanderbilt esteemed him very highly and aided him in making the large fortune he at one time possessed. As long as I knew Morrissey I never saw him at the card table or heard him speak of gambling. He talked politics with a knowledge anda memory of political events that was remark: able. ‘BIS POLITICAL SAGACITY. On one occasion during the canvass of 1876, at a meeting held at Governor Tilden’s house, where some twenty gentlcmen were invited for consultation—Messrs. Belmont, Ang. Schell, Barlow, Agnew, Edw. Cooper, Smith Weed and other called on Morrissey to give his vie ad spoken. He’ did’ so concisely and to the point and his views were adopted. Some one remarked that, right after Morrissey had left, what a pity he was not an educated man, when Governor Tilden replied, “Not at all, sir; education would have spoiled that great and ‘unerring judgment and. con- tracted that broad common sense.” His word was his bond. He was ineapable of falsehood and deceit, and both friends and enemies knew just where to find him. In the campaign of 1872, when Horace Greeley was the candidate of the democratic party, Morrissey was one of his most earnest supporters and thought success might be won by that nomina- tion. He contributed very liberally himself and raised considerable money for the cam- paign. During the campaign a committee of which Mr. Samuel J. Randall, Hon. Richard Vaux, Lewis Cassidy and others were members came to New York for the purpose of obtaining a considerable sum, with which they felt sure they could carry the state of Pennsylvania. Mr. Greeley’s opinions on the tariff and labor and kindred questions, it was thought, would ob- tain for him the vote of the laboring men. The meeting, held at the Spingler House, now de- molished, was one full of enthusiasm, but confidence was sadly needed. At that meeting Morrisey contributed two thou- sand dollars, but without a hope of carrying the state. Mr. Greeley was then in the west and had made those marvelous speeches which sur- If | prised even those who were familiar with his almost universal knowledge. Ihad been sent on @ financial mission to the Hon. Asa Packer at Manch Chunk and we were informed Mr. Greeley would arrive that evening, and a large crowd gathered to greet him. He inquired what industry was pursued there. Informed that there were lary te quarries worked there, he addressed ple on the subject they were most interested in with a knowledge which they admitted to be full of instruction. In about an hour he addressed a very large and enthusiastic meeting numbering ‘thousands. His defeat was his death, as we all know. Mr. Schell, who was the chairman of the national committee, was filled with hope, and up to the last moment of the canvass honored every de- mand made upon him from bis own means. The contributions were limited except in the case of euch men as Erastus Corning, Mr. Bar- num, Morrissey, Tilden and a few others. THE LATE SENATOR BARNUM. What a loss to the democratic party Barnum will be in the coming presidential election. He was a man of rare political judgment and un- derstood so well the conduct of a campaign. However he might disagree in the use to be made of money he never refused the demand made on him. During this campaign of which am speaking, when Mr. Greeley was the didate, I was sent to him for @ considerable sum, stating the use for which it was needed. I am not sure it was for Pennsylvania. I found him out of the beaten track of travel, in the mountains of Connecticut, whero he had large coal and iron mines, furnaces, &c. demand and made known the object for raisin, the sum I asked for, and he said, “Of course, will give you the money, but it will be wasted; there is ‘no chance of carrying Pennsylvania, and for the good it will do I might as well throw it in that furnace. You cannot return until tomorrow. I will leave here in a little while. Come home with me and I will five you a check and you can take the train the morning.” I have been with Mr. Barnum in every canvass since 1868 and never knew him to be wrong in his estimate of the result. In the last canvass he never for @ moment thought Cleveland could be elected, but he la- as though confident of success and only through bis personal efforts was Connooticut saved to the Democratic party. Not long be- fore the day of election he said_to his friend, Mr. McBride of the Cincinnati Enquirer, “Mac, if Iam found dead in my bed in the morning after the election, don't you bewspaper men say I died from grief at ‘the defeat of Cleve- va Poor Barnum! What he said in jest was soon iter realized. His death is the severest blow the democratic party haa received since its defeat in 1888, and its effect in the coming presidential canvass will be severly felt. I forgot to say that visiting Messrs. Corning, Packer, Rich- mond and others, whom I saw on my financial pilgrimage, they were not impressed with the confidence expressed in the letter of which I was the bearer, and appealed to me for my opinion, but as I laughingly told them my mission’ was to gbtain the money to the effort, not to express an opinion. Mr. Corning, handing me hia check for som r “Now, Mr. Coyle, give me your opinion, You are with the committee; tell Py can carry Pennevlvanin?” ‘Idon’t think we have any more chance Pennsylvania than for New Hamp- », but Mr. Randall and the delegation from shire, Philadelphia say they can, and, tneref tnnst Delleve them.""7 “A Andy Meretore, we ‘MR. LEO P. WHEAT. Some days agoI received from for carr & sat aft 28 it eit f i i a] Tc i FE 5 rf § 2. = £3 cer ; z & ; is : Bet fl i i | i li ik HF i I made my | added, taki was of a very high order, and after two years’ study at iaipaie be returned t> delight “those who hed watched with interest the musical talent he displayed at an early age. DAVIS AND BENJAMIN. An incident, which had escaped my memory, ‘was recalled by a gentleman who through some years of that past {am rescuing from oblivion was one of those who added to the social life of Washington by his talents and le man- ner. Abont 1858 Jefferson Davis was in the Senate from Mississippi and J; P. Benjamin from Louisiana, Mr. Davis, had charge of the making a) tions for joint and Mr. Benjamin opposed the billin a very earnest manner, and di his h Mr. Davis in- terrupted him several times and go anno} him that at last he (Mr. Benjamin) said is enough, sir,” and waving his hand he took his seat. Mr. Davis espoused the bill with great power, of which I believe he was the suthor. Some hours after Mr. Davis was waited on by @ friend of Mr. Benjami lenge. This fact, when it became known, was the exciting to ric of the hour. Mutual friends iterposed uel was prevented. Joux F. Com. —$_<>——____ HOME MATTERS. Seasonable Suggestions and Every-Day Hints to Practical Housekeepers. Hanps May Br Kerr Suoors in cold weather by avoiding the use of warm water. Wash them with cold water and soap. Sun Cuorues Taat Pape overnight in water, in which has been dissolved one ounce of s of lead to a pailful of rain water. Eel, Warn Axr Oxe Rows a nail or «wire in the flesh hold the wound over burning as soon as possible and it will prevent soreness. Procure Frou Yous Davacrer a small bottle of tincture of benzoin and apply to any sesh wound. It will heal immediately and not get sore. Soax rmx Fart and bind on baking soda dampened, and in the morning you will be sur- prised to find the soreness all out of corns. To Taxe tae Rust Ovr or Srxxt, rub the steel with sweet oil; in aday or two rub with finely powdered unslacked lime until the rust all disappears, then oil again, roll in woolen and put in s dry place, especially if it be table cutlery. Scrunpixo Bavsnes should be kept with the bristles down and they will last twice as long; common sense will tell you if you stand them the other way the water will run down and soak into the back, loosening the bristles, whether they be glued or wired. Toota Wase.—Take one and one-half fluid ounces of tincture of myrrh, one-half ounce of thick mucilage, eight ounces of cold water and one-fourth of an ounce of powdered borax. Mix this well before using. It is very good to use when the teeth are decayed or for spongy or ulcerated gums. Steam Huar 18 Samp to Be the worst for a piano, and in time shrinks both case and action, 8o that the former cracks and the latter rattles. When one lives where that handy mode of heat- ing a room obtains, a dish of water should be kept constantly upon the radiator: it increases humidity and in a measure prevents shrinking. Axmoxp Tarry 1s THE Lavest “Sweet.” —Boil together half a pint of water and a pound of brown sugar for tenminutes. Blanch and slice through the middle one and one-half ounces of almonds. Stir them in the syrup with two ounces of butter. Let it boil hard for ten min- utes. Pour on a well-buttered dish to the thickness of half an inch. Mx oF Roses.—The following formula for an excellent preparation for the complexion is credited to Schubarth. It makes the skin soft, fair and clear and gives it s natural flush which is very attractive. Take three drachms of almond paxte, one half-pint of rose water and one half-fluid ounce of tincture of benzoin. Make it in emulsion. Haxpeour Taste Crorns in damask linen that by long wear are cut in the seams can be made into carving napkins or serving cloths by cutting them into squares for putting under the meat platter to preserve the dinner cloth from gravy splashes. They may be either hemmed of fringed and they will also serve to cover a large luncheon tray. ‘Very Paerrr SHADES FoR THE CANDLES on the table are of white Ince over silk the color of the flowers used in decorating and having a spray of the flowers trailing over them. Some are made of colored silk in, shape of flower , Poppies looking espec: wi Others are of lace, edged” with’s garland of flowers. Tae Fortowie Remepy ror Rurvmatism is given in the English Mechanic: One quart of milk, quite hot, into which stir one ounce of alum—this will make curds and whey. Bathe part affected with the whey until too cold. In the meantime keep the curds hot, and, after bathing, put them on as a poultice, wrap in flannel, and go to sleep (you can.) Three ap- plications should be a perfect cure even in ag- gravated cases, Wuex tue Face 1 Usvarzx Pare bathe it in tepid water, rubbing briskly with a Turkish towel. Then apply every day the following preparation: Four ounces of rose water, two ounces of glycerine and one ounce of diluted liquid ammonie, Rub it well into the skin for about three minutes and then wipe off with a soft towel. If any irritation is felt add a little more glycerine to the preparation. Tonxer Dagssrxo Cuoquertes.—There is 80 much richness and lasting material left over in the cold scraps from turkey dinners that it may as well be utilized for croquettes. Stira beaten egg into the dressing, mould into oval shapes, dust with bread crumbs and fry. Any morsel of the fow! left over can be minced finely and . taking some of : complete the ‘rich dish. The “csrosee of ail fowls or game pounded ina mortar helps to make a black gravy or a soup. Wixrza Hints yon Suoz Leataen.—Patent leather is very delicate, more especially when new; in cold weather, just. slight pressure will crack it, and for this reason the wearers of it should always put_new patent leather boots or shoes before th mly for a ehort time, efi and not too clove. pliant and prev the foot for the first time patent leather boots should be rubbed to the shape of the foot with the hand; this will block the leather, and it is not so likely to wrinkle and crack’in wear. When patent lenthe: boots and shoes are get- fing dull, white of egg will be found best for em. Tar Saxv Bac 1s Ixvatvanie in the sick room. Get some clean, fine sand, dry it thor- oughly ina kettle on the stove. Makes bag about eight inches square, of flannel, fill it with dry sand, sew the opening careful and cover the bag wi will prevent the sand from sifting also enable yon to heat the oven or even on 4 “ Rough on the Young Couple. From the New York Times. The desire of young married people to pre- vent the traveling public from They Teed, “Just married," Yuk married. Sora ria oblged to foin_ They did not laugh, however, they their hotel in the city, as their trunks were brought to thelr rooms with printed = Seren over thems Deane Hf i He ! E yy] njamin bearing a chal- | i ‘Written for The Evening Star. PRECOCITY AND ITS RESULTS. Some E doomed to a future the reverse of what their early brilliancy presages. Exactly howe belief so at variance with fact has gained credence is not readily explicable. The bright- est stars that have fllumined the musical world are those that displayed a meteoric youth. Mendelssohn, prior to his sixth birthday, had, by his powerful memory, sensitive ear and delicateconception won for himself the admire Dream,” was written when he was little beyond seventeen, and this, together with the songsand the oratorios of St. Paul and Elijah, constitute 2 heritage. Meyverbeer is ths be sg : fe his initial and by his ninth year bad national fame and Was rega Pianist in musical Berlin. 0 could extem} play at sight. His aa oper operas, & purely technical basis, met favor. His muccess as “tates jor to his journey we Efved''s love for the Tulina forward imitated it lozart sprang from a musical cet tenderness was the predominant feature his mind and his heart seems to have embodiment and incarnation of pathos. Mozart the elder wag, in fion,.* Figlintst of distinction. t the tender eral tuneful minuets which, have beew served in the music books of his sister Maria. tity ball his matlve Satsburg during hie Sh sity hall of his native Year. The accounts of thi dwell Ailtongh feted and lonised by royalty'ais tf jongh feted and lions 10) ‘was a pecuniary le and oft wrought with penury and want. After composing the re- Quiem he died at the premature age of thirt ix and was buried in @ paw Ni ing can exceed in sadness manand nocareer could bea more caustic commentary upon the vaunted of Bo ciety. Ludwig von Beethoven was born at Bonn in 1770. His father wasa musical mediocrist of dissolute habits. Young Ludi though the glorious promise 5 blurred by deafness in 1802, but he continued to compose till his death in'1827 at Vienna. In 1845 a statue was erected to himin the Munster- platz, but his “Fidelis” and “Mount of Olives” are more enduring monuments than piles of stone. Schumann, Haydn and Handel merit con- spicuous places in the category of { phenomens. Adclo aus der Ohe, Patti, ‘Sembrich, Salebl, Sontag and Gerster were ocions, bt space prevents due tribute to their genius. The triumphs of little Hoffman are still in the minds of news readers, but whether the extraordinary promise of this wonder will be substantiated remains for time to determine. Jeanne Douste at the age of five ands half was famed for her interpretation of the mas ters and her piano skill. father of Italian opera, i 3 I 3 3 1 : f 5 7, 5 i j E: { a ii Metastasio, the ex- temporized poetry at ten, as did Adam Oeblen- sclaeger, the laureate of the Scandinavian ton ‘Theodore Hook produced his well-nigh in- a fo ee ae seventeen; John foward Payne ‘Thespian, with marked eos at thirteen, while John O’Keef inaugurated his career as dramatist at fifteen by writing most le comedy. The statue of Joan d’Arc in the museum of Versailles, sculptured by the Prin: Marie of Orleans before ber twentieth year, proves her to have been a marvel of high degree. Lander, the animal painter; Turner, the portrayor of the London fog; Stevens, the creator of the Wellington monument im St. Paul s, and Maria Shurmun, the artist, linguist and musician, were noted p1 Francis Bacon at eleven was the laws of the it tion; criticising the Aristotilian deduc formulating his inductive Se een’s counsel extraordinary at. twenty-eight is essays, “Novum Orgarum” and the “"Ad- vancement of Learning,” testify that the rose made good the pledges of the bud. Grotious edited **! .” at four- with Pli ns teen, thus displaying familiarity ny, Euclid, Strobs and Aristotle; began his diplo- matic life at sixteen and at an early age was ac- cepted a6 authority on int w. His definition of equity, “that wherein the reason of its universality is deficient, itself an immortellant. Pascol published a tractate on conic sections at sixteen, at seventeen anticipated Torricelli in hydraulics and at twenty-four wasa Napoleon of the higher mathematics. bon wasa Latin schola: at seven. I sub- is history as evidence, nay, a8 proof, that his was not an abortive life. Jobn Barratier, a Frenchman, wrote learnedly i ted Hebrew at the age of ten. Dorothy Scholozer of Hanover was s geome- trician, mineralogist and walking pollyglot at nine and doctor of philosophy niver- “Familton, Bie, my Agassiz, WhitGeld, milton, Pitt, i Cowley, Pope, Master Betty and Buxton are en- titled to consideration in any column dedicated to precocity. eee SOME FACTS ABOUT SNAKES, ww by is of Skeletons Are 667J\HE FUNNIES? SNAKE I know any- thing about is one found in Africa, which lives upon eggs,” said Osteologist Lucas toa Stan reporter. “It has a curious projec- tion downward from its back bone, just behind the head, which is like a tooth, the extremity being actually tipped with enamel. This tooth- like appendage has a most important function with relation to the creature's method of ting a living, and it would be difficult to find more astonishing illustration in nature of the adaptation of structure to necessity. “When this snake swallows an egg the latter is passed down throngh the gullet until it en- counters the sharp tooth I have spoken of, which breaks the shell. Thus, not only is the food rendered ready for immediate digestion, but no portion of the fluid contents is lost, as Funniest Serpent in the World—How Snake Prepared. ROOSEVELT TALKS ABOUT INDIANS. Squaws Killed Hardly Deserve Pity. UR TROUBLES with the Indians seem gf to arise pure and simple,” said Mr. Theodore Roose- Velt to a Stax reporter yesterday. “The whiter, onthe one hand, make no distinction worth ones, while the Indians themeelves are appar- ently as little inclined With regard to the pale faces. ‘For example, ifa white man has his horse stolen by @ thieving savage he considers him- self warranted in exacting reparation from the first friendly and honest Indian he meets. I have known a bunting score of horses bya raid froma predatory band of Sioux, by which occurrence the losers considered themselves least as many of their from one white Ishould thing fag ith much emphasis, fd that i that the a t to 4 mc! awe sere are. I the better y in connection wi! Ih lice §overament should one who were killed, as well as reward the My own experience of Indians bas Very limited. They were always treated white on my ranch, and the same cannot be said of many other ranches, I regret to say.” Said an old soldier who bas fi survivors. been Indians with Custer, ‘Treasury Department: ILLING “This talk that has Killing of the Indian When fighting is going on the squaws usually fre on hand to take pact in the sirimnm, their side is victorious and often do a good deal of execut ‘this ride _ descent upon the nearest village of innocen red men of another tribe and driving off at known Indians who had suffered depredations at the hands of lawless white ruffians to attack ‘® cow boy camp in search of revenge. Indian nees an indignity or outrage | man he will kill the next white man he comes acrons, th; entirely inoffensive: and so it goes. whites all Indians are the same. and vice versa. during the recent difficult; from race antagonism, to draw like distinctions party of whites to lose a warranted in making « animale Again, I have Tf an jongh the latter may be | To the like to be quoted assay \ In the recen: skirmish ht the now employed at the OF SQUAWS. been made about the women by the troops altogether unfatr. me. 2 they rash in with Lnives | They | the men, and it is apt to be h them in the fray from they keep in the rear rtunity arrives. It is not the if'a few of them get shot, people would not feel so much like thizing with their fate the fact that it is the of the bodies of their fallen foes. BLOODTHIRSTY WOMEN. “On an occasion when the troops may chance to be driven back the their knives to mur: mutilate the bodie: inable. If possible dismembered corpses for hold fresh | jollifications over afterward. As for the war- rarely do though frequently they will take more froma single person. The chief honor, of course, attaches to him who cuts off the dise- shaped jiece of flesh the even @ fourth seal; skull. Campbell-Praed and brilliant exceptions. gowns are cut in always rather severe. She does not fashion. Mrs. Stannard is fond of quiet shades and in the evening general; ‘Anything in the she detests. Her day dresses are alwa} made—well built, without a crease or a wave anywhere. Mrs. Stannard does not waste money on clothes. She is not ashamed to ad- preference. ‘mit that a few seasons Marie Corelli dresses fairly well. mag Y= A she lue and well. She bor y fond of laying law. She believes thoroughl: sleep,” and nothing on earth out of bed after 12 o'clock. son-Burnett wears dresses that look Mrs. He too youthful for her. Salmon, pink, white, bled and eoft yellow are the ‘shease thet ken, Burnett favors most. Literary women have mostly somethirg char- acteristic about their clothes. Some of them go in heavily for jeweiry, one iality for old lace, and one lady is renowned for wearing loud colors. At private views and generall; other shows she herself. Mrs. Lynn-Linton gown and a white weare rich stuffs would be the case if the snake were obliged to | wears bite into the egg with its mouth “Tt seems surp how many snakes are able to swallow ai diameter until it is well natare has i it i i i l i Pi $ > aa a cj & F F their ponies and dismounting proceed with 3 in every fiendish way im- from with the tuft of hair attached, but it isalso honorable to take a second, a third or | Star. Nearly all literary women dress badly. Mrs. of the most recherche description. In the evening she affects rich, delicate brocades. Her ‘® simple fashion, but they are decollete. dresses are modest and ladylike in tone. Mrs. Stannard dresses smartly. Her style is a trifle oes in for simple dresses. pink are colors that become her if they were aware jaws whodo the mu- ‘squawe dash forward on ‘der the wounded and to they take away parts of ing horrible more than take scalps, ‘than one the very crown of Mrs. Stannard are two Mrs. Praed wears gowns Mrs. “Praed’s day follow all the flight» of ves black the of flummery tailor- (before she was as did eighty parties in aie bt and sometimes comes little white hand wn the in the “beauty two show a ly makes a target of always has on a black she is at home. Hii iF 52F a i WE FER ial HIS FIRST ICE CREAM. Abner Thought the Podding Was Really Touched by the Prost. Frot the New York Laser Abner Dungrass, from away up berond the White mountains, had penetrated to the Hal It was Abner's first visit to the eity—in fact, his frst trip away from b A relative doing business in the metropolis had spent the previous summer with Abner « Parents and in return for many kindnesses be his friends of ghe country farm te ced to be in Boston and was now dining at » hotel with his host. At firet our countryman hardly knew what to do with himself at the wondronrdy laden His relative observing his hesitation 4 to him, a, Abner; help yourself te fast what you like.” By and by a gentleman sitting opposite directed a waiter to bring him « plate of tes cream. The cream was brought and the gentleman eet it down before him while he finished a dish of eeallops. Abner looked up and saw the deli cate-looking mass in the plate not faraway. I Wes tempting and he reached for b and took it He bad put aspoonful of the frozen mixture into bis mouth and was Lesitating between eur ight when the gentleman Powite rather abruptly and not very pleasantly * my friend, that's what I should call cool ! ." responded Abner, innocently, when ewallowod a frigid morsel, “it's about lest padd'n’ I ever tasted. I swan te {1 don't believe it's really teched with - coe A FRENCHMAN'’S QUEER HDEA, He Proposes to Drop Peopls Safely From the Eitel Tower. From the New York Tin A French inventor, baving in mina people who dote upon the particular sensation that one fecls on a high «wing, on the edge of steep declivities or inany place where there ix = rapid descent, proposes to give to the public the fecling of » vertical fall of several hund: meters into space. Tohim a jump from the top of the highest stec mere bagaiclle; it requires the the Eiffel Tower to satisfy is height lis a ot of 300 meters it will per second. The 1 make about thirty then, hi ved trains rs per second. Never we experienced 80. high ei NOt Ko eaKy to pick and sound. This is the scheme inventor. He builds a cage a shell fora eh with noon pers vented in he to hold fifteen arm chairs. height of the cage is t tons. From the top ot a with its load without injury inventor has hollowed out alarge basin filled with water, shaped like the bowl of a The shell is received in ion and dieplaces about thirty tons of wate och that the voyagers would otherwise fee ts pan entirely deadened. The bu ne abe causes it to rise to the surface and the bol experimenters can then get ont. The shi then to be lifted up by an elevator to the top of the tower, where everything is ready to begit again. The price for this venturesome journey walrendy fixed at 20f. a person. This might be recommended as a new idea to the directors of the Chicago expositio: 2 Navajo Suake Dance From the Chicago Tribune. Benjamin Brink, Mogni, Arizona,” was Written on the register at the Palmer House yesterday by @ robust-looking man of sixty, Somewhat stoop-shouldered. Mr. Brink is an Indian trader, and, as Mogui is nincty miles om the Pacific railroad, he says he did about the trouble among the Indians northwest until four di what Ihave said Mr. Brink, r up such a row. ten times more exciting, and the ajo and Moqui Indians on the my home work themselves into a perfect frenzy during its progress, but never think of molesting the whites. ‘It ix part of their religion, though, and if it were made to stop it I believe there ploodshed, ‘The dance takes place vears. The last one was cclebrated parations were made several weeks me off, and I was as anxious to be a spectator as they we ” ceremony [never saw. Ihope I shall never see it again. ‘The dance took place just before sundown, and I got up on a high ledge, where I could get a good view. The space allowed for the dancers was not large and was inclosed. Fifteen fine-looking Indians began to walk, rather slowly at first, around a huge stone in the center of the inclosure. They were almost naked, and every part of their bodies, their feet, was smnesred wil red d green it. Each man bad afox's scalp dangling From his waist, and in each bend’ carried © dead. “The snakes to be used in the dance had been caught several days before the fete and just before the dance had been placed in a cluster of trees beneath where i stood. After the men had yelled till they were hoarse and had made ves tired with stamping on the ground fifty more painted redskins came rusbing down a hill, filed into the inclosure and then began sucha tumultss [never want tober ag At agiven signal the sixty-five now thoroug! frantic men made « rush for the grove where the were hidden. man came rushing back with a wriggling and squirming snake, its neck between his teeti, 80 it could not bite him, re-entered the ring and « slow walk around the center stone. country. | It fee wonder all of the performe: were not bitten. Two of them = ing sufficient to draw out the poison. Sitter ‘the ceremony each man snatched his snake from his mouth, ran down into the valley below and there the reptiles were set free. The Indians were thoroughly exhausted after their violent exercise and could scarcely crawl back up the bill. From what I could learn such ceremonies as the ‘snake dance’ have been held for centuries.