Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1891, Page 9

= THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. TO SUIT THE SEASON. Becoming Adornments for Lovely Women. EARLY SPRING COSTUMES. Original and Startling Novelties in Dress—A Stylish Mantle—A Spring Jacket That Will Attract Attention—Becoming Costume for an Afternoon Fete—Fancy Blouse Bo:lices. ‘Written for The Evening Star. (Copyrighted. ATHER THAN AT- tempt to shine resplen- dent in complete cos- tumes during a brief half season, such as often intervenes be- tween a late «spring and an early sum- mer, some Indies con- tend that the proper thing to do is to acknowledge the pres- ence of the season by one or two charming novelties, such, for in- stance, as hats and wraps. Here any wo- man of refined taste will find that she has latitude enough to gratify her esthetic in- Stincts, as well as to preserve her reputa- tion as a well-dressed lady. When we say hats and wraps it is saying a great deal. A becoming hat and an elegant and _ stylish < wrap almost make uj stume of themselves alone. An‘ a complete mselv : then. again, a spring hat with its bright floral garniture is so pre-eminently the proper thin, with which to welcome these ‘irst fitful gleamso! sunshine that, to use a Dundrearyism, « spring hat is the proper thing for spring, not only on account of the flowers which enter 0 largely into its garniture, but also because the season seome to call for 8 change in one's headgear on mneral principles, just as in nature the spring- eo aliaaes ae retar's recat ton doores red, gives the deer new antlers and enlarges the crest of the wax wing and blue jay. ‘A LOVELY MANTLE. In the initial illustration is represented a lovely mantle, a combination of pale cachou cloth with dark chestuut faille and dark chest- nut buttons. This wrap is extremely stvlish in cut and design, having a very high Medicis col- lar and very bouffant effects on the shoulders, thus lending a commanding dignity to the fig- ure, particularly when tall and slender. This style of loose wrap may be varied in several v8 and its general effects be preserved. For may be made with accordion ing upon an embroidered yoke, round in front, but V-shaped at the back and reaching quite to the edge of the garment. Or it may be made up in some cloth. same material as the dress or in harmonious tone, with a pointed yoke front and back, set high on the shoulders and joining the yoke in large full gathers of equal size all round. The lower edge of this wrap, as well as the outline of the yoke and the straight stand- ing collar, may be finely set off with a narrow band of feather trimming. This wrap should be lined with silk, reach somewhat below the waist and be held in to the figure by a ribbon ceinture. ‘The dress worn with the exquisite wrap shown in the initial ent is a pale mauve faille, with designs in darker hue, while the dainty bit of spring headgear is in’ pale mauve velvet with a dark mauve silk ruche, surmounted by a black Jet diadem and aigrette. ORIGINAL IN DRESS. ‘Many women prefer to be original in dress rather than slavishly fashionable, and they are right, for fashions assume that all people are cast in the same physical mold, just as laws assume that they are ail of the same mental cast. Of course this is ridiculous in both cases, but confectioners of costumes and makers of laws would have their hands full if they should attempt to make provision for all the excep- tions which refuse to come under their general rules. For instance, in reviving the Medicis collar fashion assumes that all women bave longisn necks. when, in reality, many women we no neck at all. ‘But there is this difference tween the decrees of fashion and the enact- ments of law-givers, we may, with impunity. modify the former to suit our sweet wills, but must obey the latter, no matter how they vex and gall ua. A STARTLING JACKET. For those who like something in the line of the eccentric I call their attention to the jacket picture: in the second illustration. It will be sure to delight the heart of any woman who prefers to be startling rather than stylixh. for the eccentric can never be stylish, than the commonplace can be stril ae to this very combination of d: maave cloth, whi ng. inal spring jacket. It ia 3 k manve faille and very pale latter is prettily embroid- ered with jet desig: indicated in the draw- ing. The buckles, are prominent acces- Sories to this garment, are in old silver euri- ously stamped, to be in perfect keeping with the quaint character of this garment. The is in chestnut and white-striped bengaline, ard the stylish little turban bat is saffron velvet, garnitured with gold trellis and set off with a cluster of mause overs At this seasow to seee many very pale drab, very pale gray aud even many White jackets." These colorless garments serveadmirably to heighten the effect of a brilliant spring bonnet, with flower or gold trimming, and they have an extremely refined air about them and chime equally well with a dull olive or » brilliant pink and white color- ing. They are usually made tight fitting and pening on vests or fitted with piastrons. WHITE CLOTH SPRING JACKET. Bush aspring jacket in white cloth you will | of cirt | the year one is always sure | li find pictured in my third illustrative cut; = very pretty garment, indeed, trimmed wit jet designs and stylish black velvet appliques. The pointed plastron front, like a waistcoat, is ina faille. having a fine dark and pale stripe and is very tastefully embroi daisies and green leaves. You will see at a Glance what an extremely stylish coat this is. ith it are worn a gray faille dress, with a chichoree ruche all around the bottom and a white felt lined with violet silk and trimmed with white gauze and nails. The pale gray felt that was so fashionable last season will now be rendcred in straw, with flat brims turned up at the buck, in some cases being at- tached to the crown by a knot of velvet rib- bon, with = wreath of small ostrich tips en- circling the crown, the correct thing keep both bow and feathers all in the delicate tint of gray. ing to same ‘The last illustration portrays a really charm- ing costume in pale blue crepe de chine, suita- ble for an afternoot. fete, the jacket bodice opening over a blue gauze vest, and the hat, being a Tuscan straw of the shell shape, which romises to be so modish, ornamented with nots of black velvet, making up an ensemble of great beauty and delicacy. fancy blouse bodices, which wore so pular last season, will reappear this summer, Eat in far more elaborate sipies, almoet start: ling at times in color and combination, and it need hardly be added not so cheap as those smocked or plaited surahs which enabled the summer girl to make such astonishingly rapid changes in her costumes. For instance, a very stylish blouse bodice may be made up in red satin and black lace as follows: The sleeves, collar, yoke and ribbon sash being in red satin and the blouse effect in black lace over a red silk foundation. Such a garment is quite retty and stylish enough for theater or small Sinner and any evening feto at hotel or cot- tage. Auother style of blouse may be made up in pongee silk or a silver gray faille or cream serge, with a vest of @ bright and contrasting | color. Or something still more stylish may be in black surah, with collar, cuffs and vest in black braided with gold. For thin, willowy figures velvet corsclets will be very popular, encircling full and baggy blouse waists. Some will prefer to have them made of the same materia) as the dress skirt. n jackets will be much worn with plain blouses, having loose fronts formed by simple gathers at neck and waist and finished with Pointed belts of the sane material as the skirt. | LACE PARASOLS. The season has already called forth a display of some very handsome !ace parasols. One black gauze and lace insertion, the gauze hav- ing, hand-painted red and white pinks, yellow id white roses and lilac chrysanthemums; no ining; stick in ebonized wood, carved, with bunch of gauze and ribbon at handle and tip. Another was of white surah covered with white illusion. Still another was in heliotrope satin brocaded with white, with white lace trimming; and still another in lilac satin merveilleux cov- ered with alternats bands of black gauze and point d’esprit lace. The handles are in fanc woods, ornamentea with silver, mother of pearh, ivory or gilt. Those who pretend to be cheek by jowl with the powers behind the throne of Queen Fashion assure us that the coming season is destined to witness some really startling innovations. The command, so cae say, has gone forth. Be | natural if you would be thought to belong to uppertendom. No eking out nature's scant supply of beauty by means of false hair, cos- metics, perfumes, powders, mianicuring and the like. Atlast the plain girl is to have her re- venge. She will be fashionable. ‘Her wnat tractive face, guiltless of rice powder, will be hez passport to the most eminent respectability. She will awake to find herself famous, to feel upon her cheek, for the first time in her life, warmth of genuine social succes. A DETROIT INDIAN LEGEND, The Story of “She-Who-Climbs” and Her Unfortunate Love Affair. ‘From the Detroit Free Press. Several years ago, when Detroit was a mere trading post and one coon skin would buy a quart of whisky on any day in the week except Sunday, a tribe of Chippewa Indians had their camp on the Cass farm. The most friendly feeling prevailed between white man and Indian at the time, chiefly because the white man was planning to skin the Indian out of all he possessed and then order him to move on. The chief of the tribe was named “He-who- Dosses-the-job.” He was a great warrior, a famous hunter and had been known to eat a whole dog at a single meal. By some unac- countable accident this chief had a daughter— s beautiful maiden, who had out-jumped her eighteenth birthday by three or four months. She had the grace of an antelope, the step of arabbit, the voice of # nightingale and the sition of a woodchuck. She loved her ma and pa up to 100 cents on the dollar i at Christmas time she hung up both stock- ings to have them filled to the brim. Her name was ‘‘She-who-climbs-a-tree- i ‘a g was going well in the camp of pewas until the Indian waiden happened into a store on Jefferson avenue one day to buy herself a bear trap. ‘There she en- countered a youngwhite man named “He-who- ar ts-his-hair-in-the-middie,” and he waited on er with such a charming grace and paid so high for her muskrat furs that she fell in love with him and vowed that she woald make him her provision provider or never marry any one. He also seemed to be considerably gone on | her, but, alas! it was only his way of encourag- ing Injun trade and earning his salary of ¥9 per month and found. The maiden called again and again to inspect | the bear traps and to look the love burning in | her bosom, and nowand then, to help trade | over a dull’ week, the young man went to her | camp and sat in ber tent ai ad to her from | Shakspeare, Milton and other standard author. ities. He saw that she loved him, but he did not recip. He could not. He was engaged to the | daughter of a widow who, was keeping | fifty-two boarders at $4 per week, aud was sat- istied with a good thing. “She-who-climbs” | did not know this and continued to think of | him by day and dream of him by night until }au Indian known as “He-who-catches-on” finally gave her a pointer. She would not be- e it, of course, replying to him: Go to Pontiac, base calumniator! My heart tells me that He-who-parte-bis-hair-in-the- | middle is no deceiver” A “Ican prove it for @ quarter!” he angril exclaimed. “Tonight at bhe will mest ‘mercy the usual trysting place—the big beech tree on what the white man calls Adams avenue. Be there before them. Ensconce yourself in the umbrageous umbrageousness, and I'll bet m: last coon skin against a deer’s track you will hear something drop !” The dusky maiden attempted to follow his advice, and & quarter to 8 o'ciock she was up a treo. He-who-parts and his girl met at the usual hour and talked of love, maple sugar, molas- ses candy and other sweetness, and She-who- climbs heard every word from her perch over- head. ‘The young man had just remarked that he would like the marriage day set for the 15th of next month, when the Indian maiden's heart, which bad becn swelling for the last hour, suddemily burst @ loud “kerwhang!” and down she fell, a lifeless thing. In her fall she struck and killed both the He was the nephew of his uncle, just home from Europe for s visit. At dinner he said lan- guidly: “Ah've heard, don’t you know, that isn’t healthy—ab, has the twyphoid in it, you know.” which pleased me greatly was made of bands of | GETTING MARRIED. The Customs at Weddings in Polite Society Described. THE WEDDING BREAKFAST. Its Difference in England and America—How to Announce the Engagement, Issue the In- vitations and Conduct the Ceremony—The Bridesmaids and the Honeymoon. Written for The Evening Star. “Rice and told (Copyrighted. eat With's honeymoon ate ining, A world where the birds keep jionse by twos the ring dove call ind the stock dove coos, maids are many and men may choose, ‘And never shall love wo pining!” THERE WERE NO WEDDINGS THERE would be no “art of entertaining.” It i® the key note, the initial letter, the open ses- ame of the great business of society. Therefore, certain general and very, per- haps, unnecessary hints as to the conduct of weddings in all countries may not be out of place here. In London a wedding in high life, or, as the French call it, “hilif,” isa very sweeping affair. If we wore to read alone the descriptions in the Court Journal of one wedding trousseau fur- nished to a royal princess or to Lady Gertrude Somebody we should say with Fielding that “Dress is the principal accomplishment of men and women,” and as for the wedding cake which is built at Gunters it isa sight to see, almost as big as Mount Blanc. IMPORTANCE OF “GUNTER.” The importance of “Gunter” is assured by the “Epicure’s Almanac” published in 1815, and for many years this firm supplied the royal family. When George III was king the royal dukes stopped to eat his pies in gratitude for the sweet repasts furnished them in childhood, but now the Buzzards of 197 Oxford street also are specialists for wedding cakes. Leigh Hunt, nriting one of his pretty little essays, described one Trumbull Walker as the “artist who confined himself to that denomi- nation,” meaning wedding cake. His mantle fell onthe Buzzards. This enormous cake and the equally enor- mous bouquet are the chief distinctive marks in which a London wedding differs from ours. MUST BE CELEBRATED BRFORE NOON. To be legal, unless by special license of the archbishop of York, weddings in England must be celebrated before 12 o'clock. The reason given for this law is that before 1820 gentlemen were supposed to be drunk after that hour and not responsible for their own romise and expression made at the altar. In nce asingular difference of dress on the art of the groom exists. He wears always a iress coat anda white cravat, asdo all his ushers and immediate friends. It looks very strange to English and American eyes. THE WEDDING BREAKFAST. ‘The wedding breakfast in England is often o sit-down affair with speeches, It is not followed in our country often; per- haps it is well to omit the speeches. And now, how does a wedding begin? As for the premoni- tory symptoms, they are in the air for several weeks. is whispered about among tho bridesmaids, it gets into the papers. It would easy to write a volume, and it would be a useful volume if it brought conviction to the hearts of the offenders on the wrong done to young ladies by newspapers who assume with. out authority to publish the news of an engage- ment. Many a match has been broken off by such a premature surmise on the part of some not well-informed person and the happiness of one or more persons injured for life. Young people like to approach this most im- portant event of their lives in a great mutual confidence and secrecy, consequently society newspapers should be very careful how they either report an engagement or declare that it is “off.” " Sometimes rumors prejudicial to the gentleman are circulated without snfiicient rea~ son, and of course much ill feeling is engen- dered. ‘The first intimation of an engagement should come from the bride's mother. aud tie young bride fixes the day of her wedding hersel:. WEDDING PRELIMINARIEA. Then the father and mother or guardians of the young lady issue cards, naming the day and hour of the wedding. Brides often give the attendant maidens their dresses. or if they do not do this they suggest what they shall wear. ‘The groom gives the bridesmaids lockete, bracelets or rings, and presents each of his ushers with scarf pins or studs, something by which he shall remember the day. The fashion of groomsmen has passed away and the happy man is only attended by a “best man,” one dat the altar who holds his hat and otherwise sustains him. The bridesmaids still hold their own, al- though a pretty fashion has been introduced of a “lady of honor,” who precedes the bridal procession into the church. and rice! ‘that's nice ragar and spice, Six ushers generally precede the party into the church, after having seated the guests. ‘These are generully followed by six bridesimai who walk two and two. No one wears a ¥ but the bride herself, who enters on her father's rm. ‘The bridal dress is of white with long train: the veil of tulle or real lace must be fastened with orange blossoms. But all this may be varied if the bride chooses, and a traveling dress and bonnet sub. stituted. Young widows who marry a second time must not wear white or veils. The fact that the bride is in white satin and often with low neck and short sleeves, and. the groom in full morning costume, is much criti. cised in France. THE INVITATIONS. The invitations to the wedding are very sim- ple and explicit ‘D MRS. CHAPMAN Request the pleasure of your com; at the marriage of their daughter” Esciainmonps to ‘Mx. Gznatp Firz Gzraxp, on ‘Thursday, June 16, at Twelve O'Clock. St. Peter's Church. : lowed to those who aro ion. After these cards are out the fiancee must not appear at the opera. the theater or balls. in asking a young lady to be her bridesmaid the bride is supposed to be actuated by feelings of relationship or friendship, although fashion and wealth and other considerations often in- fluence these invitations. Each bridesmaid. is expected to give a handsome present. The groom asks men of his own age and of “his in- timate acquaintances. ‘They must be unmarried men and are ex- pected to manage all matters at the church. ENTERING THE CHURCH. MR. AN is asked to the rece] Music should play softly through the pre- | di paratory entrance of the family. ‘The mother of the bride and her nearest relatives precede her into the church and are seated before she enters, unless the mother be a widow and give the bride away, a very touching and beautiful ceremony. After the ceremony, which should be conducted with great dignity and composure on all sides, for exhibitions of feeling in pub- lic are in the worst possible taste, the officiat- ing clergyman shakes hands with the young couple and congratulates them. The bride takes her husband's right arm and they walk down the broad aisle, without recognizing any one in the church, to their carriage at the door, foliowed by the bridesmaids, tho ushers, the family, and drive home to stand under & floral bell and to be congratulated. ‘The bride’s mother yields her place as hostess for tho nonce, and ia addressed after the bride. After two hours of ‘receiving. the bride re- tires to change her dress for a traveling # which may be of any color but black. ‘2 She comes down with hor mother and sisters, meets the groom in the hall, and dispenses the flowers of her bouquet to the smiling maidens, cach of whom struggles for a flower. Then occurs the farewell, a scene of mingled ‘and smiles. THE HONEYMOON. In England the happy pair spend the honey- moon at some house, a friend's house presum- celery | abiy lent for the océasion. However, in this land of comfortable His uncle looked at him ment, then him the “Have some?” savagely for « mo- |" by card of the days on which ‘To persons not invited to the wedding the should | allowed to parents of the bride send announcement cards. Dinners to the young pair succeed each other in rapid succession. For the first three months the art of entertaining is stretched to its uttermost. the wedding occurs in the evening then groom must wear the dress coat and white IN THE CASE OF A WIDOW. Awidow in marrying again should not use the name or initials of her late husband. If she was Mary Steward and had married Mr. Hamilton and, being his widow, wishes to marry Mr. James Constable her cards should Mn. axp Mus. Srewarp Request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter, Many Stewarp Hasuztox, to Mn. James Coxsraste. Or, if she is alone, she can invite in her own name as Mrs. Mary Steward Hamilton, or, better still, a friend sends out the cards in her own name, with simply the cards of Mrs. Mary Steward Hamilton and of the gentleman whom she is to marry. If 8 wedding is to be celebrated at home the space where the bridal party is to stand is usually marked off by aribbon. The clergy- man comes down in his robes before the bridal Pair. they face him and ho faces the company. Hassocks are prepared for them to knecl upon. After the ceremony the clergyman re- tires from his coigne of vantage and the bridal party takes his place, standing to receive theit riends’ congratulations. Should there be danc- ing at a wedding, and it is not a badold custom, particularly in ‘the country, the bride must open the first quadrille, dancing with the best man, while the groom’ takes out the first bridesmaid. WEDDING orFTs. As for showing the wedding gifts, that must be left to individual taste. No friend should be deterred from sending = small present, one not representing » money value, " because other and. richer ie can senda more expensive gift. Of humble offering is a much more enduring and useful souvenir. Any gift which betokens a long and predetermined interest in the bride is the most flattering. The custom of giving bridal gifts has become an outrageous abuse of a good thing. From being a very pretty custom, one which had as ite base the good reason of helping the youn couple to begin housekeeping, which is stil observed in Holland and the north by presents of bed and table linen and the neccessary furniture of the house, it has become but another form of ostentation. ‘There gets to be a rivalry between the families; the publicity of the whole thing, the notoriety and extravaganée could well be rebuked. IX THIS COUNTRY. ‘The wedding breakfast in America is a stand- up affair, and it is proper to serve every deli- cacy, such as salads of chicken and lobster, boned and truffled turkey and pheasants, pati of game, cold partridge, pate de foie gras, ter rapin and oysters, ices, creams, jellies and fruits, champagne, claret and punch. ‘The bride sometimes cuts the cake and allows the young people to search for a ring. The prettiest wedding is one in June at a country house, particularly if the bride can walk to church over flowers and under the blo soming trees. ‘The massing of a single flower, the yellow daffodil or the pink and white apple blossom, is a very good idea. If choir boys could sing a wedding choral outside the windows it would be a happy thought, and it is a pleasant feature of a coun- try wedding that the faithful domestics who have loved the bride from childhood can assis:. In England they count on each wenring a favor made by the bride herselt. The cook, the maid, the nurses and the men servants in Eny land always expect a wedding favor and a smal gratuity, and in this co@itry all expect a box of wedding cako. A COUNTRY WEDDING. Ata country wedding, if the day is fine, little tables are set out on the lawn. The ladies seat themselves around, the gentlemen carry re- freshments to them. The piazzas can be deco- rated with autumn boughs, evergreens and flowers; the whole thing becomes a garden party, and even the family dogs should have & wreath of white flowers around their good old necks. Many brides of today leavo the bouquet at home ‘and carry an ivory prayer book to church. The term honeymoon ix derived from the German, who drank metheglin, a beverage made of honey, for thirty days after the wed- ding. The bride cake is not so universally sent about as formerly, but still one finds the little narrow box of cake near the door for each to take. As the ring is the expressive embiem of the perpetuity of the compact, und as the bride cake and libations form significant sym- bols of the nectar sweets of matrimony, it will not do to banish the cake altogether, although few people eat it and few with to carry it away. Brides should send their future address, if possible, with the wedding cards, else if one is Invited only to a church wedding no one knows when or where to call. CARDS FOR RECEPTION Daye. It is a convenient and pleasant custom for the bridal pair to send out after their arriage cards having the date of two or more reception days at their new residence. Quiet weddings, either at home or in church, are very much preferred by some families, ‘The bride is married in traveling dress and bonnet and drives off in the groom's carriage from a quict wedding to the honeymoon. People with a large acquaintance cannot al- ways invite all their friends, of course, toa wedding reception, therefore only ask them to the church. ‘These invitations require no answer, but peo- ple being at a distance, who cannot attend the wedding, should send’ their cards by mail to assure their hosts that the invitation bas been received. Much ill feeling is apt to be engendered by the distinction which is inevitably made in ing out the friends who feel thut they were entitied to an invitation to the house. it is better to offend no one on so important an oc- casion. Wedding cards and wedding stationery should be simple, white without glaze and with no ornamentation at all. It is proper for the bride to have her lefthand bare as she walks to the altar, as it saves her the trouble of taking off a long’ glove. CHILD BRIDESMAIDS. Child bridesmaids are very pretty and very much in favor. These charming children coy- ered .with flowers, looking very grave and solemn, are the sweetest of heralda for a wed- ding procession. The signing of the register in the vestry is not an American necessity, as it is in England, but it is now the fashion to have a highly illuminated parchmentcertificate signed by the newly married pair, with two or three wit- nesses; the bridesmaid, the best man, the father and mother, and so on being the attest~ ing parties. ‘he horseshoe is a favorite emblem for wed- ding presents, the shape of the table for a wed- ‘ding breakfast and for. floral ‘emblems on thet day. June end October are pro-eminently fa- vorite months. May iss very unlucky month for weddings. It is very troublesome to be married in France, especially if one of the high contract- ing parties be a foreigner. A certificate of bap- tism is required, together with that of the mar- riage of the father and mother and a written consent off the grandfather and grandmother, ifeither isalive and tho parents dead. Th names of the partics aro then put up on the door of the marrie, or mayor's office, for eleven ry FOUR WAYS IN ENGLAND. In England there are four ways of getting married. The first is by special license, which costs £50. There is then tho ordinary license, which can be procured either at doctor's com- mous or through a clergyman, who must also be a surrogate and resident of the diocese where the marriage is to take place. Both the Parties must swear that they are of age, or, if minors, that they have the consent of’ their ents. Piput to be married by banns is considered the most orthodox as well as most economical way of proceeding. ‘The banng must be published in the churcl of the parish in which the Indy lives for three consecutive Sundays prior to the marriage; also the same law 00d for the gentleman, and the parties niust hotel, or relax any of those rigid rules which ‘© Spanish duenna would enforce. NO BONNETS IN THE EVENTNO. If an evening wedding takes place in a church those who are asked to the house afterward should go without bonnets. Catholic Indies, however, must always cover their heads in church, so’ they throw a light Ince or mantilla over the head. Should there be dancing at a wedding it is Btarsuewe Sate wit frst bridemaid. It is not often that the bride dances at her own wedding, but there is no reason why she It is considered very unlucky in Italy to wear black to a wedding. Even the family in which thero has been a recent death discard their mourning for that day, and in England deep red is worn by even a wido' other, who gives her girl away. Red is considered cere- monious mourning on these occasions. M. E. W. Suzawoop. A Typical American, From the Kansas City Times. John Plankinton was @ millionaire, and that is as definite as his wealth can be estimated, although a man in position to know says it will exceed $10,000,000. His interests were almost ntirely in Milwaukee. Mr. Plankinton came to Milwaukee in 1844 at the age of twenty-four years, and the charac- teristics which made him famous as a business man and a citizen were brought into action within @ fortnight after his arrival. A native of Delaware, he removed with his parents to Pittsburg at the age of twelve, received a scanty education, and in 1844 came to th city ‘of bricks before the utility of the mud been discovered. When he reached the village, eprectical, youn butcher, he found. thi friend wit whom he was to bave formed a copartner- ship had made better arrangements with an- other, and made the excuse that young Plank- inton’s capital was inadequate to the enterprise designed. Angry at the betrayal of confidence, ® business failing which he never forgave in any one during his long career afterward, he resolved to start in opposition. Possessin, $420, he rented a house to shelter his wife an child at $8 month, bought a cow for €9 and turned her out to’ pasture and fatten on the open wild land where his palatial house now siands on Grand avenue, while he rented land and proceeded to erecta butcher shop. which cost him 108. Fourteen days after his arrival he was retailing his meate. Industrious, honest, economical, he became the leading butcher of the town and his busi- ness the first year averaged nearly $1,000 per month. His ‘increasing business demanded new quarters and he moved, but it was a pe- culiarity of his life to retain the title to all realty which he had once occupied, and at the time of hie death the land upon which he first founda home in Milwaukee was in his name. In 1850 he entered into « partnership with Frederick Leyton and the new firm began the cking business, which at the time of disso- jution in 1861 had rezched proportions equal toany house west of Cincinnati. For three years Mr. Plankinton continued alone, and in 1864 united with P. D. Armour, under the firm name of Plankinton & Armou:. ‘The business was extended to cover the now famous estab- lishments of Chicago, New York, Kansas City and elsewhere. In 1884 the firm’ divided, Mr. Plankinton retaining the Milwaukee house and continuing the business here till 1858, when tailing health and increasing business responsibilities impelled him to dispose of is packing house. ——__+e--___—_ A Hustling Girl. From the Waterbury Aiserican. AColumbus (Obio) mise of sixteen was re- cently legally possessed of three names within the space of twelve hours. She started in the morning with Ryder; then in order to marry she required a guardian who would consent to the ceremony and a friend by the name of Osborn adopted her. After this the minister and lover stepped inand she becamo Mra. Travener. —_—-+e+- ____ Some Spring Styles, From the Philadelphia Times. Fashionable jacket and bonnet. « The Pau costume. oe SNOW WATER FOR A VERMIFUOB—TIOERS’ BONES FOR AGUR—FOSSIL CRABS AND IVORT—GOLD- LEAF FOR SUICIDE—DRIED SCORPIONS, axT- RATERS’ SCALES AXD ASHES OF PAPER. UEEREST OF ALL medical systems is that of the Chinese. The imaginable curiosity, vegetable, animal and mineral. With many of the remedies included in it interesting and re- markable legendsare as- sociated. For example, rain at particular seasons of theyear is believed in that country to have medicinal properties. That which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month, when the dragon-boat festival occurs, is called “Holy water” and is used for a sedative. Rain water falling during the night is deemed ex- cellent for worms. If rain water be collected in the spring and drunk out of one cup by man and wife they will have many children. Storm water is good for fevers, snow water is a vermi- fage and hail water is inclined to be poisonous. ts, very common in China, are believed to convey their extreme longevity and excep- tional sight to those persons who consume the disgusting preparations made from various rts of their bodies. One interesting remedy for exe troubles is the excrement of bats, in which'the doctors pretend to detect the eyes of the mosquitoes on which the creatures feed. A favorite tonic is a reddish glue, known com- mercially as ‘asses’ glue,” though it is in reality obtained by boiling down the water of a cele- brated well, which contains a gelatinous prin- ciple. USES OF ARSENIC. If a prescription for arsenic kills the patient both the seller of the drug and the buyer are decapitated. Chinese firecrackers containing 8 portion ofsublimate of arsenic are said to be louder. A considerable portion of arsenic is contained in an alloy of copper, of which much of the women’s jewelry is made, and a favorite mode of com- mitting suicide adopted by females in China is to swallow their head ornaments. The horns of a kind of deer which is said to hang iteelf up in trees by its horns at night are recommended for apoplexy. There is a plant called the ‘san-tsih,” the root of which is believed by soldiers to promote bravery, and its reputation is so great among them that it sells for 3 an ounce. Amber is given as a nervine, pieces containing insects being held at a high value. A certain perennial water plant is said to cure dropay and to confer the power of walking upon water. One kind of fungus resembling the trufile is thought to have the power both to destroy worms and to cast out devila. Licorice root is deemed to have the property of renew- ing youth. Ink is recommended as a diuretic and gunpowder is put down ase vermifuge. Round concretions of iron peroxide are used in powder for fevers. A legend connects them with the great god Yuand they are alleged to be crumbs from his table. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE COW. The cow is recommended in the Chinese pharmacopeia in the shape of beef tea. This animal has a distinct name for each year of its growth up to the seventh. It is said to be deaf in ite ears, but to hear in ite nose. Bones of the tiger. which is accounted the king of beasts, are highly valued for ague and general debility. In fact every part of the animal is catalogued as having medicinal properties. Facts known about it are that its victims be- come devils after being digested, but the flesh of a dog makes the creature intoxicated. Bad smells, such as burnt horn, scare it away, and the hedgehog can get the better of it. The tiger turns gray at the close of the first 500 years of its life. The wood of ‘the box treo is supposed to ense the pains of labor and for this purpose women often chop up their toilet combs, which arecom- monly made of the material. Benzoin is sup- posed to be good for stomach ache. It is much adulterated, but there is a sure test. If real its fumes will’ charm rats out of their holes. Wheaten bread is much prescribed for various complaints and bread pills are an old remedy with Chinese doctors. CINNABAR AND COSMETIC POWDER. Cinnabar, an ore of mercury, is placed at the head of all minerals and metals, being capable of transforming itself, in equal periods of two hundred years, into each of the five principal metals suecestively, finally becoming gold. Worn in bags by children it warns off wicked spirits and St. Vitus dance. Verdigris from old copper coins is thought first-rate for skin trou- bles. For cosmetic powders used by the women of the flowery kingdom the shells of various mollusks are scraped, burned and refined, scenting ingredients being added. Fossil crabs, powdered, are used to nentralize all kinds of poisons. ‘Pieces of fossil ivory are also sold in stamped packages, to be prepared and given in cases of fever. Ambergris is declared excellent for its healing properties; 1t is coughed up by dragons. Fossil teeth of extinct mastodons are of great service for their action on the liver. VARIOUS REMEDIES. A fangus which grows out of a caterpillar as 8 disease of the insect and transforms it intoa plant is good for jaundice. The excrement of the common eparrow, of the magpie and of the wild pigeon is prescribed for various com- | at plaints. Extract of dandelion youth, hair and teeth of old men. elephant’s hide are sold for wounds that heal with difficulty. There is an inju is fungus that is said to cause irrepressible laughter, the patient who has eaten of it being unable to re- strain the cacchinatory muscles. GOLD For suIcIDE. Gold leaf is much used, by swallowing, for suicidal purposes, the metal producing irrite- tion and death; solid gold is employed similarly. Ahot gold needle is thrust into the gums to relieve toothache. The most common and con- venient poison used in China is opium, a dr always at hand. Mandarins of high ran! usually wear on their persons a small bead filled with what is called peacock’s blood. This they are said to take when they desire to destroy themselves suddenly. Every part of the pig is believed to have some special medici- nal property. Dried scorpions are much em- ployed in the treatment of very many diseases, Pad aod pearls likewise. WATER AS A MEDICINE. Water among the @lestials stands in the fore- front of all medicinal agents. It is the first of the sixteen great classes of all known sub- stances and is divided into the heavenly and the terrestial descriptions; of the former there are thirteen sorts and of the latter thirty.” The hydropathic system is very ancient in that country. Water in which the “five precious metals"—gold. silver, copper, iron and tin— renews the Plasters of NEWS FROM NICARAGUA. STORY OF THEIR SHIPWRECK AND EXPERIENCE OX BONCADOR ISLAND—A NARROW ESCAPE FROM SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES—RESCUR BT THE Correspondence of The Evening Star. ‘Sax Juan vex Norte (Grerrows), Nicanaova, April 3, 1891. Hon. Warner Miller, president of the Nicars- gua Canal Construction Company, and party ery | Sftived here yesterday after an experience in being shipwrecked that will long remain in the Temembrance of all who were on the steamship Aguan when she ran on Roncador reef on the 26th of March, being out of her course, when about 270 miles from this place. The party, and to inspect the work done, left New York on March 14 and consisted of the following, who accompanied Mr. Miller: @. Stanton Sickles, a Watrous, Hon. C. L. Merriam, Maj. joseph. Kirkland, dent Chicago Tri- E. Simmons. New York Elbert Rap Be weely mp peg ng Spears, ‘Sun; Bocock, New York Press; H. F. Donaldson, C. E. and H. F Gooch, representatives of an English syndicate; Ya J Macrin of New, York, Hon. CI, Mac- ur, N.Y.) Busiget; be ton Scribner and. Mie Scribne Lieut. Guy How- ard, U.S.A; aleo the following passengers: F. A. Pellas, Mr. W. M. Rankine, owner of the Honduras and Central American ip Dine, and wife, the English bishop for Hon- duras and others. THE DAXOEROUS CORAL REEFS. The voyage had been a pleasant one and at the time of the accident the sea was perfectly smooth and the sky clear, the moon shining brightly. It was 1:30 a.m. when the steamer, ate of eleven knots an hour, came toe standstill with a shock and ina few min- utes the paseo reand crew rushed on deck. They could only see the calm sea on all sides, but those who were acquainted with those wa- ters well knew that beneath the surface were rous coral reefs. Roncador reefs are £0 well known and so dangerous that navigat- ors always calculate to go fifty miles from them 86a security against being drifted in their v cinity by the currents which are here quite It was supposed that this precaution been taken, so that the captain believed | that the reefs struck were those known to exist some seventy miles to the southward. Further investigation, however, showed the true posi- tion of the ship and it was decided to go to Old Providence Island, eighty miles away, but when daylight came the northern part of Ron- cador Island. eight miles off, was seen and the party determined to seek refuge there, where the coral reef, about five feet above the water's face, was covered with sand, though other- wise desolate refuge for the wrecked party. OX RONCADOR ISLAND. As the boats proved leaky it is doubtful whether they could ever have reached the more distant point. The had grounded on the reef in fourteen feet of sea, and though taking in water wasin no immediate danger. ‘The party safe on the island, preparations were made in order to secure such comfort as could be had. Provisions were brought und the ship's sails were used as material tor tents, but no better beds were Cbtainable than the sand. which formed a pretty hard resti: place, as it constantly shifted from under the bodies of the castaways as they lay upon it and so exposed their flesh to the sharp surface of the coral. The accident was generally met coolly, and once on the island with their baggage there was not an entire lack of merry making, resorted to in order to while away the days until assist- ance could arrive. The little colony there and ther established a republic, selecting one of | their number to preside over the affairs of the island as president, which official had special charge of all provisions of liquid na- ture, they being regarded as a temptation to some of the crew of the ship. RESCUED BY THE CARAZO. A boat with sails was rigged up and the first officer of the Aguan was dispatched to Corn Island, less than 100 miles off, where it was be- lieved’ the coasting steamer President Carazo could be found, and on the day of the arrival of the boat the Carazo made its appearance and at once steamed to Roncador, taking off the shipwrecked colony justfive days after they had taken up a residence on the island. Dur- ing that time, fortunately, there had been no fain and as fresh water was obtained by digging on the island the party did not suffer great hard- ship. The water tanks on the Aguan had been {ubmerged, which rendered thei: contonte use- Upon the news of the shipwreck Greytown Capt. Brownson of the U. 8.5 Petra at once started for the scene of the disaster to ALL RIGHT Now. Upon the arrival of the party here they were met by Chief Engineer A. G. Menocal, Division Engineer F. P. Davis, Hon. H. C. Hall, the company’s agent at Managua; Mr. Louis Chable, its representative at San Jose, Costa Rica, and others. Although the experience of being shipwrecked proved rather exhausting to many of the members of the party they soon recovered and began the work of looking over the place at once. They will be in Nicaragua about three weeks, visiting all the line of the canal and work that has been done, also calling Managua, the capital, to pay their respects to the president. a QUEER THINGS IN COFFINS, Eccentricities That Make Even the Under- . takers Laugh. From the New York Tribune. “What is the last curious thing you have met in your lugubrious business?” asked « reporter of an undertaker the other day. The undertaker opened the lid of @ coffin near his elbow and replied: “Do you see that satin lining?” “Yes. What's odd about that?” “Yellow.” “Yellow is a common enough color.” “Not for coffin linings, my boy. They're generally white. But this coffin was made for & woman whose main ambition in life was to look well, and her last dying request was that her coffin be lined with old evenly divided between the support have been boiied is a popular remedy for do- | family and the decoration of his person. mestic emergencies, snch as faintness and ac- | family the smaller cidents of any kind. Personal ornaments and | expensive clothes at 4 medley of articles generally make up the re- | Al diamonds from his quired combination of materials. ‘and his big. red There isacertain kind of anteater, it zled the beholder. two feet long, whose body is covered with | came he had very little movable It lives on ts by catching | to leave behind them upon fs tongue, bat sometimes ft lies | queathing the tte he had to hie down as if dead, and as the flies collect upon | dition that she dressed his its body it closes its scales suddenly upon | suit of clothes, decked i them and entering the water feasts upon the | and buried wg des with prey which floats drowned to the surface. ‘The | wise his whole estate, Including triangular scales of this animal were formerly | was to go to charity. rescribed for every imaginal but| “The Rleir principal Use at present is to scratch | his every wish, but i itching ew for wi they are | that she it out fixed upon a length of bamboo. aa. kind of | corpee in. It wan of& currycom! you PAPER AND PAPER MAKING. Sas = Ashes of paper are given as an astring- | ¢Ted over with ent, and tho paper of an old book, after | Sith’ hie big the printed characters held in such veneration | him, made. have been cut out, iss remedy for barrenness. (nr maa agg eggeerod Paper is used in various other ways for pur- poses medicinal Nowhere in the world inthis | obliged to bury all those, diamonds, and — Binlae aecteely eames Lene ered 28 | Som which ioopt ier freon sveraa Se Sw Aon vary “But the twas uo fool. She buried the upon, and this material still [ce gn A mye ge i a EE Pas empty f again. The cofin was opened, and Spied She ey the widow took the diamonds from the old of the Emperor Ho-ti the bark to mente Sos game into tne for paper ‘making: ei Sermudgeen's shirt tront with her own hand, ge Spel d “I beard of another strange case,” con- Si aainy Sere tinued the undertaker, “which, though it did gen Preheat not come undar my own observation, yet ber have ever sinco continued "to excel, ovata fy Ele SS Zany, colon, howp, te tase "ik neon | ies provision whew et bg ove of {ie bark of the ailanthus and several other | chloroform wae, to, be pat in the cofin with ies * hammer was tobe put in his hand so that if be came to lif under Ground he could smash the Just What He Wanted. bottle at « blow and fill the coffin with fumes From the Yale Record. ‘that would kill him instantly and painlessly.” Jack Hardup—O, Miss Ploutot! may I hope <a ‘Miss Ploutot—“No, Mr. Hardup, this must go | From the Epoch. no further; but I will be sister to you.” Tack jell, then, Miss Ploutot, remind the ontlonan that Pm bis tony Yen afraid he might forget me in his will.” which came to look over the line of the canal | Wisenrcrox 18 THE GREATEST TOWN for ghoste in this country. The city is dotted all over with haunted houses which re- ‘main unrented year after year on account of the spooks that are supposed to inhabit them, all the way from the great empty Tayloe mansion at the corner of 17th street and New York avenne to the humble and deserted negro hut in Swampoodle, regarded by neighborhood superstition as the abode of bogies most horrible and frightening. But perbaps the most thoroughly original of Washington ghosts is located ina bouse on ith street northwest between E and R. The dwell- ing has been for rent and unoccupied nearly all of the time for several years past, notwithstand- ing its situation in the fashionable quarter. ‘The last tenante were induced to take it by the extremely low rent, although the real estate agent, for security's sake, would only let them | have it on a year's lease. "How they got out the bargain I don’t know, but they moved away at the end of the fifth week. That was six months ago. It seems that eight rears ago aman com- mitted suicide in this house with a razor. The deed was done in cold blood apparently. He stood in front of the mirror which overhung the marble mantelpiece and deliberately cut | his throat from car toear. Then, as appeared | from the condition in which things were subse- quently found, be clung with one hand to the mantelpiece, while his biood poured out upon the bearth, until he fell and died. That was the story, as the tenants here re- ferred to understood it afterward. Their no- tion of the ghost when they took the house was altogether indefinite, and they only laughed at it, considering it rather in the light of a joke than otherwise. Itso chanced that what, as ay Soot ont later, was reputed to in the it haunted chamber was occuj v the two daughters of the family—fifteen and sightcon years of age respectively. rom first to last there wasno such thing ob- served as an apparition. The girls slept well, save for the fact that they were annoyed on oc= casions by a sound of dripping, which they at first supposed was caused ‘by a leak of some sort, Bat their surprise wae awakened by the continuance of this dripping during a of dry weather, and more particulsriy dil they find Teason at length for wonderment in the circumstance that the oes began invari- ably at about 11:15 p. m. and lasted for perhaps twenty minutes, but not longer. The dripping sound seemed to come from mantelpiece and they carefully investigated that fixture and its surroundings, but without result, eave for the discovery of « slightly bol- lowed area in the stone underneath, which had rently been made by scraping away its substance. Inquiry developed the fact that the stone had scraped away for the purpose of elimi- ating the spot wherea pool of the suiciie's blood had formed. Also it was learned that th hour at which he kilied himself was about 11:15 pm. The tenants moved out. The residence on the north side of K streets is supposed to be inhabited by the spook of @ certain Col. Lindsay, who died before the war aud has since then been seen at various times in the act of wandering about the mansion. On the south side of H street, east of 18th street, is a house concern- ing which stories are told of « very extraordi- nary nature. One of the most urpriing of them relates to an old colored woman, who, the present occupant states, appeared to him and his family several times for the purpose, Which was finally accomplished, of revealing whereabouts of some money. The mystery of the old Tayloe house, already referred to, at 17th street and New York avenue, has never been unraveled yet. The «pectral goings om there are so extraordinary that no one will live in the house, although the United States gorera~ ment once occupied it for awhile in the daytune &s the war record office, and previously to that, during the war, sisters of charity lived there, after purifying’ it from top to bottom with holy water.” ‘The tale is that the former pro- prietor of the establishment cither whipped one of his negroes to death in the garret or tortured his human chattel to death in the cel- = Shae ca nag were te 9 windows empty dwelling by passers-by. night. Much superstition is connected with Secretary Biaine's house opposite Lafayette Square, in which Secretary Seward was #0 nearly killed by an assassin, and in front of which Gen. Killed bis wife's lover, Bar- ton Key. ny HOW THE ANIMALS SLEEP. A Midnight Visit to the Central Park Menag- erte. From the New York Tribune. An interesting study to any one fond of natu- ral history is to note the different positions in which animals and birds rest. A visit to the Central Park menagerie late at night, allowed be: | by the kind courtesy of Superintendent Conk- lin, revealed some curious sights. The elephants were no longer looking for pea nuts, but lay stretched out on the floor of their cages, their huge legs lying out at full length and the trunk curved under the body. They were all resting on their right side. Near by in the deer house the different deer bad all crouched down for their rest with their forelegs bent under them and the hind ones drawn up, while the head was turned to the right and rested awa: and the horns making an over the shoulders. The alpacka simply looked like a ball of black wool. Jack, the don- key that draws the cart with the comminsariat of the menagerie, was lying down and only deigned to blink revealed im e iy aD “| i ue ae i 1 £ ay F i f 8 2 i i ‘fi Fea abit ef +h gf atrilt eb i if HY it i l a H i L 44 8 Ls i i fF i i i if iy ne tre fii i j et Socten, Te ait, you non, BET PS *"SGertinly; ft hurts you. I have always told amin rte 2 a en Lg ta a