Evening Star Newspaper, June 27, 1891, Page 12

12 AN OUTCASTS STORY. The Strange Character That Figures in a Yarn by Lieut. Shufeldt. RINALDO, THE STOWAWAY. A Tale of Adventure in Madagascar—The Queer Little Man From Mauritius and the Part He Took ina Perilous Journey Across the African Island. ‘Written for The Evening Star. R THREE THOUSAND TRACKLESS miles the vast expanse of the Indian ocean sweeps from the narrow Sunda straits to where, green hilled, the lonely island of Mauri tius rises from unfathomed depths. No ocean in the world presents to the mariner such an equal stretch of havenless water. In the crowded channels of the stormy Atlantic the companionship of another, and often many sail in sight, is of daily occurrence to the traveler across the ocean. In the great Pacific, too, the surface of the peaceful sea is dotted with countless isles and archipelagoes and crossed by the great highways of commerce to the orient and to Australia. A glance at amap of the eastern world will show the Indian sea can claim no such advantages as are possessed by its two big brothers. If a straight course be drawn from the southern extremity of Java to Mauritius in the East Indian ocean between Is of about5 degrees to 20 degrees south, Iatiad tance of 3,000 miles, it will Intersects no land of any character (save the rocky uninhabi ak 0 Sodvique)’ till the Sugar Island of Engiand stands solitary sentinel off the coast of Great x ar. %4 isadreary, lonely voyage to those to whom the novelty of ocean travel has long since lost its freshness. But withal a voyage, with steady warm winds of opie trades; with blue and cloudless skies and Diuer, almost unruffled water. It was my for- tune once, some half dozen years ago, to fiud myself stranded and almost pennile-s in that hot and dusty outpost of the British East Indian ire—B8is e. I was endeavoring in some way toreach the const. of “distant Mada- guecar, without money and friendless. Absolute necessity and the daily inroads that the ex- penses of the meanest of sailor bourding houses inade upon my scanty purse at last drove me te wandering hour after hour about the ship- ing wharves and to sit in gloomy dejection in Scteccaegeaacs ip chandler shops. At last a little luck came to me in the shape of e hairy, Scottish skipper, who com- manded’a little Australian brig, then lying in the outer harbor and loading for Mauritius. We soon struck a bargain; he wanted a mate to his 300-ton ship, and to his crew of seven men, exe Lascar and one Chinaman cook, and i wanted 8 cheap passage somehow across the Indiam ocean to funds and to friends. So one brilliant tropical day we got up our rusty an- chors and steered down and along the high ver- e-clad dur: shore of Sumatra, through the Banca and the Sunda straits, and hauled up to the eastward and across the Indian sea Fifty-eight days after this, one dark and stormy night, for the south- west monsoon was freshly blowing, the little vessel rushed by the rocky peak of the Rodrique and steered away for Mauritius. In three days more there rose from out the ocean before our weary eyes the green and lovely hills of that fairest gem on the bosom of any sea, Maaritins. It is a queer place this Port Louis, the capital. Nestled in the lap of lofty moun- tains towering cloud-capped on every side, it sleeps in hot and lazy peace. Yellow, green- blind houses glare in the tropic sun st one another across narrow and crooked streets. Dusty statues of long since dead French digni- taries stand mutely protesting here and there at british occupation; bronze fountains, long since dry, with dusty mermaids gazing down atempty basins in the parks. Long rows of fumble-down vebicles of every shape and make in the public squares. Now and then a iofty, pretentious building, with many people coming sud out—sugar warehouses. Now and then a bttle bustle on where some new arrival “hauls in,” and with much shouting and profanity, im all manner of languages, is finaliy lashed to her sisters at the docks. But above ail a relentless sun by day and a sultry starlit sky by night. IN THE ISLES OF MAURITICS. But in the country up the mountain sides end on the great estates of the sugar planters all the surroundings of the musty, sleepy town arechanged Here are great one-story ram- houses built at the end of broad lanes on both sides by the giant trunks of the Mauritius palm. Here are great piazzas whose are entwined by thick and sweet-smeli- vines. Here are glorious lawns blushing in tho thousand glows of tropical flowers. Here in the ds and woody rambles, the traveler feels no sense of the heat of the sun overhead, nor at night, when the mountain winds come med rustling through thick foliage. A life of ease, of comfort, of rest and indolence. Six weeks of it almost tanght me to forget and to repent of the object I had in view and that had drawn me to the beautiful faland. Day by day the difficulties increased as to reaching Madagascar. The French had long since bombarded Tamatan and taken possession of thet seaport. Their naval force on the west- ern coast had been largely augmented and their eraisare strictly blockaced all the small Mala- gasy trading ports fo: miles. Trade wit the great isiund and Mauritius was practically dea; all communication had ceased except ry Occasionally, when some daring dealer in cotion goods risked a schooner load to som more southern post. In all the difficulties that @ncountered me from the first moment of my landing at Port Louis there was none that con- ‘me more than securing the help of some able-bodied companion—one to whom I could talk and who could converse with me and the Malagasy as well: some one who knew something of Madagascar, of the country peopie and how best to avoid all those ¢ With which my ears had been filled mace known iy design y tised in the little French weekly paper pub- ebot in Port Louix My host’ in’ the country, too, had let it be widely known about the island. The natural consequence fol- Jowed. I bad for the first few days a days a host of appli. And such applicants. Adven- turers, broken-down speculators, cnstaway from ships and the riff-raff of a floating half-cre ole balf-Exglish population. None suited me. I did not me » single face that 1 felt. 1 could trust in eo long and dangerous an adventure. Finally [gave it up and decided to alore. Meanwhile I had arranged by half ebarter with » French gentleman on the island to Madagasear and he! Zo i which a little vessel he owned mg been loaded. The day came at last for her sailing, and having all my goods aboard, I bid farewell to my kind friends in Macritius and set sail for the coast of the great African island. ALONE IN & CROWD. . I was practically alone. I knew no one in the motley crowd that peopled the deck of the ntenance. He spoke a little broken English. but was surly, overbearing aud cruel. The crew consisted of four men, all crooles, dozen. passengers all French people of the lowest caste, taking their chance agatn in a country from which they had been driven by twe Malagasy. In the week's @ to the coast I wouid sit for hours ou the roof of the little low house on deck buried in my own re- flections; talking, for days, to no one and find- ing no soluce in the certainty now of the des- erate adventure I had One morning I beard a shout from forward and ew some of the crew ing ver the schooner's rail and pointing eagerly down at the sea. I walked forward and looked over. A large school of dolphins were sporting iz the foam that the biuff Lows of the Yous! made. Two or three of the mes got who spoke oniy bad French. The | lines and commenced to fish with hooks baited with pieces of rag. Presently one of them crawled out on the short bowsprit to get a bet- THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, UNCLE SAWS ORDERS. one to, escape suppression, by Joseph Boos ter chance. The jib had been hauled down, as order chose for its badge the schooner was sailing “‘wing in wing” before | party. ‘There were twenty fires burning in the material of the staple manufac- the wind. The sail lay in a tumbled heap upon | clearing. How many ? Oh, where fie Confers Some Occasionally, but fare of the county of St Andrew the spar. The sailor reached it and sat down. | was Ki he was only 1 What n ’ tee which wns the fleece. He commenced to unwind his line, when sud-| should I do? I to the fire. Sud- Th ight Be It is obligatory for a candidate to be of the denly Le gave a shriek, tackle in | denly there was a stir about it and «figure ey Might Be Improved. lic faith. For the admission of « Prot- the sea and sprang up the stay. He pointed | joined the group of natives. My eyes estan: tanction of the pope must be tains “My friend withthe villaisoue face Sint | to flowing Spo ah ag Another ise Lees onder fe that of the tain. My wit conse my veins. oe ” let looses Tolley (of horrible profanity af the | vision al had given me, for there in the light RIBBONS AND GOLD STARS. | ‘iron Grown.” ‘The decotetion ie secon ot ightened sailor, then jot over wa | of the early dawn stood lo; me “stow- himself and climbed out on the bowsprit. The | away” Rinaldo that I had rescued and be- In Hungary, included in the Austro-Hun- sailor joined him and they both begin to loose | friended, but the dark and naked Hinaldo—the | tis Suggested That a System of Decorations Sarian empire, is also the Order of St. Stephen, the jib. Presently there was a shout and #|Sckalara’ He was talking vehemently to the| wright Contribute to the Efficiency of the | COD erred only for the most dist ure and from out the folds of the sails the | excited natives about him in the native tongue, | 4,5, ana Navy—Some Foreign Orders and serriges, The granting of the decora lon pore two men dragged and held between them the | the one he had sworn to me he did not know rai mits the recipient to choose whether he will be oxdest specimen of living humanity Ihad ever | syllable of. In a whirlof surprise, ofhorror, of | the Conditions on Which They Are Granted. {count or a baron, and he furthermore becomes veen. They pulled him over the bows and let | fear, I knew not what, I got back to my tent pS pag facto a privy councilor. him drop heavily on the deck. Alljand fell heavily on the blankets. When I cine Bustiad orders confer upo the crew and passengers crowded | aroused myself the sun was up, the bustle of Y baa PROPOSITION HAS BEEN OFTEN — 1e1 te ae tae around, myself with the foremost. The | early tion for the march was in the! I avanced that the United States ought to | *i# reason is that, an as often been said, a - a a Naim to his ormy tnt Pomaerd frie sbi eaberten de a have some such orders of merit as are symbol- | nobleman eg prcoet a) One 4 ‘a uae ao - ” “ = feet and looked about | to do. Tetepped over him and out into the | ized abroad by “decorations” of honor, which fOrder of © Bt. Andrew,” greated by him. His face was open air. Rapidly I mustered a dozen of the | their owners are proud to wear in public. | Pe ster the Great, which is v face of a full-grown man | most trusty of those who had come all the way | against this idea it has been urged that dis- peer ly = ane of the = ee of forty; his body and | from the east coast with me. One or two of tinetions of this sort are unrepublican, though | £oT*&% po tea, and other high functiona- limbs those of a boy of fifteen. His hair was thick, black and curly; his complexion very dark and swarthy and his eyes black as a coal. His face was devoid of any hair, but with many wrinkles around the mouth and forehead. He wore a dirty shirt of blue flannel thet hung in wrinkles about his diminutive figure. He was not more than five feet in height. He glanced at us all. and smiled blankly. “Who are you? Where do you come from, you dog?” LA sputtered out the cap- SEM tain, shaking him ‘roughly. He turned his eyes toward him and a a7 with the same bland tmile answered in the purest French, “From Mauritius, captain; I am going to Madagascar; my parents are there at Mahanoro. = will tars Coe you—if—if, but alas Tam hungry, if you will plessoggt pomyfeapal tag gral om questions followed, and the fierce captain had snatched up a piece of rope to strike with, shouting at him, “You viper! You stowaway! I'll teach yous better trick than that!” To all of which this odd being only answered with his black eyes and bland smile and re- peating gently: “Alas, if but you would give me to ea! I put ont my hand and touched him on the shoulder. “Come aft, lad. I'll see what I can do for you.” So I was introduced to my future friend, guide snd interpreter. I took him down into the little cabin and got out some potted meat and crackers, with » lump of cheese. I told him kindly to pitch in. He did Without a word and ate with the voracity of a hungry animal. I waited patiently till he had finisued. He stood more steadily on his feet then and gazed long at me wonderingly with his black eves. I waited for him to speak. He did presently ina voice as deep as thatof a grown person, but to my utter astonishment in most excellent English. RINALDO's STORY. “Thank you, sir; you are very, very good and kind. Iwill serve you.” And he quickly put away the tins of meat and bread from whence he had seen me take them. After that our ac- quaintance ripened rapidly. In the few days iat remained before’ our schooner dropped anchor off the little Malagasy village of Mahon- oro in southeastern Madagascar I had learned much of the story of his life, at least as much as he may have deemed advisable to tell me. He was born, so be said, in Port Louis of a French creole father and an English mother. The former was the overseer of a large sugar plantation in Mauritius and the latter the gov- erness of the several children of an English of- ficer stationed on the island. He had been the only child when his English mother died of the fever ten years ago. He had been sent first to a French school in Port Louis for_a while and afterward to a Jesuit college at Bourbon, the adjacent French island. His father had re- married and gone with his creole wife to Mad- agascar to start sugar plantation. He soon learned that he had been purposely deserted by his father, so he had worked his way in « little coasting ’ vessel from Bourbon to Mau- ritius, and had lived, God knows iow” (for he only ‘came out at night, he said) for eight months in the streets of Mauritius. Hearing of our schooner he had stowed himself away the night before we sailed ‘tnd had eaten nothing till _he had been found. ‘That was all his story. So he went with me through the vast, dim forests of eastern Mada- gascar toward the capital of the queen. In the middle of the year 1854 I reached with my rty Autanarivo, the capital city of interior Madagascar, and for six following weeks I re- mained the guest of the Hova queen, Ranavo- Jona ill. In all those many dreary days, made often the eudder still by the deaths or deser- tion of my party, by forest fever, by long posure and the innumerable disheartening in deuts of travel in an unkuown and barvaro country, from the far coast to the upland i terior, “Rinaldo” (as I called him),the castaway, was my ever faithful companion. He followed my every action, every look, every gesture. He paid me the most implicit obedience always, and forestalled my every unexpressed wish. His oldish wrinkled face lit up always with the same bright smile when I addressed lim. His cheery voice in good old English came to my ears amid the jibbering of halfa thousand naked men like cool water to the thirsty palate. His devotion to me was the blind devotion of animal to human. He would sleep nowhere but in front of my tent at night or trot by my side the long weary way through the forest belt. He exercised a pecu- liar sway with natives who accompanied us, though he spoke not their language. Heex- cited @ certain awe among them as much by his peculiar physical appearance as anything elee. We were traveling in the country of the Heteimasaraka, a degraded and vindictive race, and steeped in all the lowest beliefs of savag- and fetishness. I often, at sly moments, udied this peculiar creature's face. When in repose it expressed little, and I have tried to ure to myself how such s head would look — upon another body cr such a body with younger bi ‘Then the combination in Ri- naldo would suddenly force itself upon me again, and Lcould have shouted with laughter at the oddity of the thing if it were not for the earnest, honest look of love and reverence for me I could see creep into his black eves when he caught my glance at him. At the eud of our stay at the capital, in the full of 1884, I started at the head of a native expedition of nearly 400 souls to reach the west coast of Madagascar. Rinaldo accompanied me. His devotion for me became more and more marked each day, both while we were in Antanarivo and the terrible journey toward the sea. In somewhat over a month our party found ourselves in the heart of the western or Sakalara district, the country ofa totally barbarous, cruel and savage race. By constant desertions and deaths our once small army had dwindled toa handful of men and women, and food was scarce. We were many, many miles from the coast. Our situa~ tuou grew daily more hopeless, and I was fall of dull foreboding and anxiety. Little by little Lnoticed, too, that the natives about me showed in mauy ways discontent and insubordination. READY TO ATTACK. Slowly I began to understand that for some unknown reason they had lost both fear and respect for me. The crisia came rapidly. One morning I rose much earlier than was my cus- tom. Tcame out from my tent in the very early morning light. To astonishment I did not find Kinaldo at my door,as had been his invariable custom, and IT saw ‘thet the camp fires that generally died out during the night were all burning brightly and surrounded by groups of natives. knew both the value of as well as of action with the rude nded I went thet pe pene pm Pa went back into the tent these understood little English and had always been faithful and true. I harangued them ex- citedly of the Sakalara and of the certainties that Thad of an attack thisday. Soon them as oxcited as myself, and by a hundred native ways they tried to convince mo of their valor and integrity. Ihad to trust them and I gath- ered them in @ knot near my tent. ‘The rost of my party collected in groups about, wonderin and chattering as only the Malagasy can. 01 Rinaldo I had said nothing. I intended to see him. I threw back the flap of my tent and touched him lightly as I entered. I sat down on the grassy floor as he came in. ‘Sit down, Rinaldo,” I tried to say calmly. fe did it won- deringly. “Rinaldo,” i said, ‘we have been long friends. Ifoundyous waif an outcast — astowaway. I fed you, clothed you, cared for you, You know the story—I do. ‘This early morning I not Rinaldo, the outcast, but who? the Sakal: He said nothing, but rose slowly to his feet. “Open that tent, sir!” He did so. I raised my hand slowly. “Go! I said. The same wrinkled, oldish face. The same soft, pleading look in the coal-black eyes, the same bland ani childish smleupon his lipst he turned but an mstant to me, then dropped the flap, walked slowly across the forest oper, and was lost forever in the gloom of the mighty wi Inever saw himagain. But one of the great- est puzzles of my varied life still remains un- answered in my brain. Who was this oddest of odd creatures, and what the fate of this Inst of “outcaste?” Masox W. Suvuretpr, Lieutenant U. 8. N. ——+o+ —_, —_ NONE BUT HEALTHY HOGs, One Hundred Microscopes Trained Upon Chicago Porkers. “Ne MORE TRICHINZ WILL TAKE paesage abroad in the American hog,” said Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Willits to Stan reporter. ‘From now on for an in- definite period every porker that leaves Chi- cago for a foreign market will be subjected to special and particular examination. Already in that city 100 microscopes are trained upon the product of the slaughter houses with such scientific accuracy that no disease gorm can possibly escape unnoticed. An expert corps of operators is distributed among the abattoirs, where, in the very midst of gore and mutila~ tion, these sharp-sighted persons inspect the inward parts of the animals as thy are killed. wickly as Mr. Pig has béen dispatched by the deft butcher's Knife the microscopist runs a sort of gauge into ite still warm and bleeding carcass, just asthe butter man dues to try a sample from anew tub. The instrument is ploughed into the diaphragm, because that is the part which, for some reason not altogether understood, is’ first entered by the trichinwe. Having thus secured a bit of the beast the ex- pert cutsa very thin slice off it with a knife made for the purpose and places the slice upon aglass microscope slid puts under his instrument, and it is the work of buta moment to determine whether any diseased germs are present in it or not. When the specimen was taken it was numbered, and a number corresponding was attached to the hog it came from. So when the sample is found to be all right the porker is tagged with A certificate in due form guaranteeing that the creature is entirely healthy and suitable for human consumption. Nota pig is permitted to be shipped for foreign parts without this guarantee attached toit, This department is ietermined that the prejudice at present ex- isting in some countries abroad against Amcri- can meats shall be doze away with. No Euro- pean case of trichiniasis shad in future bo traceable to pork from the United States if we can help it. "This method of inspection is to be adopted in other cities vory soon, and 1 expect that before long 1,000 microscopes will be em- ployed in the work all over the country.” Tichine are very minute worms, measuring when fully grown not more than one-sixteenth of an inch in length. They do not attain de- velopment in the body of the hog, which ecrves as what is called an “intermediate host.” Upon securing a lodgment in the porcine corpus the worms become encysted in the muscular tissue s0a8 to do no harm. But when this flesh is eaten by man without being sufticiently cooked to destroy the animals the cysts enveloping them are dissolved by the gustrie juices and the worms make their way through the mus- cles, causing the most intense agony and fre- quently death. While in the human body, which is thus the final “host” or entertainer of the creatures, they lay eggs which pass out with the discharges. Hooting about, another pig con- sumes some of these eggs, which are sub- sequently hatched, thus completing the life cycle of the trichinw. A similar parasitic worm attacks the cat, a mouse eaten by the pussy being the “intermediate host” in this Likewise it is with the trout of certain lakes in the Yellowstone Park, the meat of which is filled with worms as to be worthless. Pelie eat the fish, the worm eggs in the fish hatched in the birds’ bodies and the parasites thus brought forth, being deposited in the water with the exctement of the fowls, are eaten by the fish, thus completing the lifo cycle. If it were not for the pelicans, which aro the “intermediate hosts” in this instance, there would be no worms in the Yellowstone trout, and for that reason it has been suggested that it would be well to dostroy the birds, theugi: they are so picturesque that it would be a pity. Smaart A Confusion of Names. From the Chicago Herald. f Mise Jennie Yeamans, a bright actress, has apartments at the Leland. The number of her parlor door is 146. In room 246 is Mrs. Yea- mans,a member of the Woman's Christian ‘Temperance Union from Boston. She lectures upon the evils of intemperance now and then. Friday evening a South Side minister called upon Mrs. Yeamans to aek if she would occupy his pulpit on Sunday evening. ‘The bell boy who took his card upstairs also took one to Miss Yeamans from an interviewer. Miss Yeamans told the reporter to step. up. Mrs. Yeamans was out. The bell boy got his dates mixed up and told the preacher to step up to 146. ‘To the reporter he conveyed the word that the lady was out. “This is Mrs. Yeamans?” asked the preacher, ashe was adthitted to the parlor of the actress. “Yes,” was the answer. “I was glad to re- ceive your card.” “You are very kind. Ihave never had the pleasure of mecting you, though I've been do- ighted with you on the stage.” “You flatter me, sir. “Not at all. You have dont deal of good in the east, and I hope you will reap a glorious harvest here. Have you any engagement for Sunday night?” “May Task why?” * ought you would like to portray to my tion the horrors of looking on the wine when it is red. We have not had a good temperance talk in our church since Francis Murphy was here. “Pardon me, sir, but while I practice temper- ance I do not preach it.” What dol know about the remorse of a "ad At the word jaz the minister jumped to his feet and asked whom he was talking to. When he was informed that Miss Yeamans was not Mrs. Yeamans, the temperance lecturer, he went out of the room as if the cry of fire had been ell iH i i i i E ; i J I this assertion has never been backed up with any very tangible reasons. Most other repub- lics confer them. Orders of merit are insti- tuted in Peru, Chili, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nica- Fagua and other South American countries. France has the famous Legion of Honor, and that most unmonarchical of all republics, Sen Marino, in the mountains of north Italy, with its twenty-four square miles of territory and its independence guaranteed so long as it does not keeps printing press in its dominions, possesses its own system of glorious awards for virtue or eminence. MEDALS DURING THE WAR. But, in fact, the United States has itself had such a system for ever so long. It was insti- tuted during the war, when Congress provided, inan “act to promote the efficiency of the navy,” that “‘petty officers, seamen, landsmen and marines” should receive medals for gal- luntry in action. ‘That was in 1861, and in 1864 a further recolution was passed decreeing that in such cases the recipient of the award, on recommendation by his commanding ofticer, shou!d be promoted to the post of a warrant officer with commission from the President, and should draw $100 in cash compensation from the treasury. Iso during the war Congress two res- olutfons appropriating $10,000 ra $20,000, re- spectively, for medals to’ be conferred upon nlisted men who have distinguished or ma} distinguish thomselves in the rebellion.” Bo this law and that quoted above relating to the uavy were afterward extended so as to include in their provisio man in either service who should render himself at any time con- spicuous for zeal or courage. The army m are still conferred from time to time, but the ities have not given one for a long while, because in the latter department these rewards are usually bestowed for saving lives from drowning, and this purpose is covered by the silver treasury medals of the life saving service. ‘The war and navy medals are very much alike—bronze stars with ribbons of red, white and blue. Paper certiticates for meritorious performance of duty are likewise given in both services. Furthermore, when citizens of the United States are rescued from watery grav. by foreign sailors it is customary for tl lutter to receive from the President a silver watch apiece, worth $10 each wholesale, per- haps. A DIFFERENT 6YSTEM SUGGESTED. Now, it is seriously suggested that the United States might, with proper regard for demo- cratic institutions, adopt different system, modeled in some measure after the practices of other free nations. Cheap silver watches are not the most dignified gifts for a great country like this to bestow upon foreigners. Paper certificates are of no i use a soldicr or whose mess chest they are stowed’ away to yellow. The bronze iaedals referred to outrageously cheap looking affairs, fit to wear as decorations. From to time Congress has granted big gold meduls weighing & pound apiece to distinguished persons. Where are these medals now? In the National Museum or other such repositories exhibited as curios. The owners have no real use for them. How should they? The articles cannot be worn, and they are only fit to be shown on a f. “What a man wants who has done a distin- uished actic said a general in the army toa TAR Writer, “is to be able to wear where all men can tee it the token of hisfexts performed. ‘You may call that vanity if you will, but glory in this world is sought for the purpose of ex- citing the admiration of one’s fellow-men—and women. Even the untutored North American savage displays his feats of arms in the paint on body and the markings of his feathers. Human nature is the same all the world over. If fame is the incite- ment to achievement, as may as well be ad- mitted without argument, no sort of encour- agement can be #0 appropriately bestowed upon American soldiers and sailors, and even civilians, as the promise of reward in the shapo of an advertisement of past meritorious per- formance that may be worn on the lapel of a coat within sight of all mankind. A LEGION OF HONOR. “Why then should there not be in this coun- try a legion of honor such as exists in France? Just for suggestion’s sake, let there be a gold star of three clusses—the first class a star with ra to be worn on the breast, with a broad ribb: across the chest. The second-class decoration might be a similar star without rays, attached to the left breast by a smail strip of ri mn with a rosette. For the third class might be chosen asmaller star, with similar strip of ribbon without any rosette. ‘These would be ap- propriate for officers in thearmy and navy who performed services. of distinction, "A great general might wear the star of the first class, a colonel who had turned the future of a battle a star of the second class, while a captain of a troop, who had done service of conspicuous gallantry, might well meritthe star of the third lass. el “Supplementary to these, for petty officers and suilors or enlisted men, silver and brouze medals might be awarded. ' The colors of the ribbons would be important. For army men they might be red, with a margin of white and an outer line of blue. For the navy blue would serve, with a white border ‘edged with Civilians who received medals for serv- ices to the government, to science or to humanity, would be appropriately adorned with ribbons of white silk with red and blue margins. Such decorations would be for dress, of course, corresponding ribbons in the button hole being worn on ordinary occasions. Of necessity, laws would have to be passed, such as exist in other countries, forbidding the wear- ing of the insignia by persons not entitled to them, under penalty of finos and imprison- ment.” ORDERS OF MERIT IN THE WORLD. About 300 orders of merit exist in the world. ‘Many of them possess much interest relative to their history or otherwise. A famous Ameri- can order is that of the Cincinnati, instituted in 1788 for the purpose of “perpetuating friend ship and to raise o fund for the widows and orphans of those who had fallen” in the revolu- tionary war. On the ground that right to membership was made hereditary—in the male line—the society was violently opposed as “foreign to repubtican equality.” Crosses of the Legion of Honor, which were established by the great Napoleon in 1902, are worn today by 60,000 persons. There are’ five classes— cross, grand officer, commander, officer and chevalier. The decoration is of gold, save for tho chevalier, which is of silver. ‘The Order of the ‘Thistle of Great Britain in- cludes only the sovereign and sixteen knights. It is reserved chiefly for the Scottish nobility, was cstablished by Jumes II and was re-estab- lished by Queen Anne. ‘The Order of the Garter was instituted b; Edward III in 1848. Tho origin is refe: though not with any dogree of certainty, toa court ball, coe the Countess of row bury dro) garter. ing picked it Upand returned if to eae oes 2 scrigul soit qui mal y pense." This order ‘ sover ‘and twenty-five knights. giinong other British orders is that of the th,” conferred for civil or militury merit. Another is that of the “Indian Empire,” con- ferred only for service in India, lished by Victoria in 1878. ” Yet another is that of “St. Michael and St. George,” insti- Il in 1817 to commemorate the acquisition the Island of Malta. guished service of any kind, larly in the Meditterancan, is the requisite. Still another in the Order of St. Patri including sovereign and twenty-two knights. The lord lieutenant 1d master ex GERMAN ORDERS. ries. At the nomination of a knight he at the same time becomes a Knight of St. Alexander sil favor shove the her Sos ts aoe cial favors in briiliants, isa = ss ‘The Order of Alcantara in Spain, founded in 1777, is limited to those who can prove noble descent through four generations. ‘Three req- uisites wer8 formerly necessary to become @ Knight of 8t.James of the Sword in Portugal — to be of noble birth, to profess the Catholic faith, and to ved in wars inst the Moslems—but the distinction since 1789 has been conferred generally for nallitary of, civil merit SASS of arles in Spain is conferred uj tho nobility. An’ important Iishan order is that of St. Maurice, which was founded by the Duke Emmanuel Philibert in Savoy for the urpose of arrcsti uence vin- fesie doctrines nS ORDERS BY THE POPE. Four great orders there are conferred by the Pope. One is that of Gregory the Great, insti- tuted by Pope Gregory XVI, which is divided into three classes—namely, thirty knights of the first, seventy of the second and three hun- dred of the third, exclusive of foreigners. Another is the Order of Christ, conferred only on the most exalted ‘personages. Yet another is the Order of St. John, instituted during the crusades and about the your 1056. I+ is seldom given, but formerly Conterred also the dignity of Count of the Se. ered Palace. Still another is the Order of the Golden Spur, granted for civil or military serv- ice to the pontiff. The Swedish Order of the Polar Star dates from 1748, and is termed frequently the “Black Cordon,” on account of the color of the ribbon worn. On gala days members wear the na- tional costume in velvet. One of the most ancient institutions of this sort is that of the Dannebrog in Denmark, established in 1219. There is a tradition in’ that country to the effect that during a battle between the Danes and pagan Russians when the former thought truction imminent a red banner marked with a white cross fell from the clear sky, which in- spired the Danes to victory. Hence the em- blem adopted. One of the most distinguished of existing orders is that of the Elephant in Denmark. It is usually conferred only upon sovereigns and princes of friendly nations and the reigning king is always grand master. ———_+e-—___ WEDDED A DESERT BRIDE. An Interesting Account of a Marriage Among the Wandering Bedouins. From the London Queen. A Bedouin wedding, which I lately had the oceasion to witness, took place in Ramleh—a seaside resort near Alexandria—where many houses havea Bedouin ghafir, who pitches his tent near his master’s house and lives thero with his family and cattle, if he has any. The bridegroom was the son of a friend’s ghafir. Previous to theengagement the father had obtained three days’ leave on the plea of his going down to Alexandria for the choice of a daughter-in-law. On the eveningof thothird day several shots fired successively announced to the native Bedouins the ghafir's return and the happy result of his mission. The wedding ‘was fixed for that day week. Groups of Bedouins hastened to answer to the invitation, and, after some talking and shouting, the men soon formed a ring and be- gan clapping hands, the body keeping time to the movements of the hands by going upward and downward. Now and then one of the fel- lows wailed forth a Bedouin song while the others chorused. The women sat chatting be- fore the tent and occasionally filled the air with the shrill sound of the ziraleet. No re- freshment was offered and their sole eclairage was the moon, whose silvery light gave a weird aspect to the whole scene. After an hour's amusement the guests retired. The next evening the firing brought forth all the company of the preceding night. This time the great attraction was two dancing Fromen,, very pioturesquely dressed and their faces covered with a soft black muslin. ‘They entered the ring formed by the men, each of them holding a long staff—an adjunct to the various movements of their figures. They went round and round, shaking their hips and leaning at different intervals on their Staffs, while the clapping of hands redoubled in whichever purt of the ring the women a proached. I observed a young enthusiast take S handful of suud from where ne of the wore had trodden and kiss it repeatedly. I noticed that the bridegroom was absent, and, asking for the cause, was informed that he was too bashful to appear. Two hours later the com- any dispersed, to begin afresh at iptervals uring the short engagement. At last the eventful morning dawned. A new tent had been pitched for the young couple, while in that of the old ones severa! cauldrons full of rice and water were boiling. When the rice was done some oil was poured over it, and then very large wooden bowls were brought forward to receive the contents of the caul- drons. ‘This formed the whole menu of the wedding breakfast and was attended to by the bridegroom's mother, aided by some other ma- trons. The ghafir and the young people had gone to fetch the bride. They had taken with them one of the ghafir's camels, which they had gayly decorated with red and blue cloth, and erected a canopy on its back to receive the bride. A large procession was formed, headed b: horsemen and other ‘bedouins armed with guns. which they fired frequently. ‘Ihe bride, completely hidden from sight by the curtains of the canopy, and followed by the women, brought up therear. ‘They went all over Ram- Ich, ‘stopping before every friend's tent. to dance, fire and sing. At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon the merry party arrived at the bride- groom’s place. ‘The latter had remained at home. ‘The father, who was holding the camel's bridle, handed it over to his wife, who led the animal seveh times around the bridal tent, each time accompanied by shots, which are the chicf feature in a Bedotin wedding. Finally the camel stopped before the entrance of the tent, aud the bride was carried in by her mother-in-law. Iwas curious to see her face, and, as I was asked to go in, gladly accepted. ‘The tent had two compartments, and was quite devoid of furniture, except some rugs and straw mat- tings, on one of which the bride sat, surrounded by other women. She was a girl of fourteen, with regular features, beautiful black eyes and tattooed chin—a most prevalent fash‘on among Bedouin womens She wore a long.dark- chemise, caught up at the waist with a deep sash. On her lead sho wore a dirk blue veil, tied with a red silk handkerchief, beneath which very fine plaits of jet black hair came down in two bandeaux over her temples. After exchanging s few complimentary words with her, I withdrew, glad to escape the stifling at- — of the tent. D.C, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1891-SIXTEEN PAGES. CHINESE FESTIVALS. The Number of Holidays in the Land of the Celestials, THE FEAST OF LANTERNS. Celebrated With Great Hilarity by Every Family—Pursles and Riddles and the muse- ment They Afford—The Great Procession and the Manner in Which It is Made Up. ‘Written for The Evening Star. EW PEOPLE IN THE world have as many fee. tivals as the Chinese. About three days out of nine are holidays in their country and the beginning of every sea- son is celebrated with great festivity. Probably the greatest of these festivals occurs about the 15th of the first Chinese month and is called the “Feast of Lanterns.” The sale of fancy paper lanterns, preceding the feast of lanterns, com- mences about the 10th or 11th and continues up to the 15th. Nearly every respectable family celebrates it in some way and it is an occasion of great hilarity and gladness. There isan amusement which is practiced during the “Feast of Lanterns” as well as on other evenings during the New Year. Thiscon- | la) sists in writing various puzzles or riddles on slips of paper. which are then'pasted on the squares of a four-sided lantern suspended in front of the owner's house. Those who can guces the answer are rewarded on the spot with & small parcel of tea, a bundle of firecrackers, fan or a quantity of lee-chee nuts. * GUESSING THE RIDDLES. Sometimes several literary men combine in the amusement. ‘They compose the riddles, agreeing upon the reward which shall be given upon the discovery of the answez. It is not an uncommon thing on a pleasant night in the first month to see a group of these men of Ta Kung gazing at the riddles attached to some lantern on the streets, talking and gesticulating about them in their eager desire to solve them, not for the reward promised, but for the sport afforded. Not long after New Year's festivities the be- ginning of spring is celebrated, for the Chinese months blend into one another in a most frightful manner. At the head of the procession which marches through the different parts of the cities in honor of spring are about a dozen men hold- ing in their hands bouquets of tinseled paper flowers. These are offerings to express a wish that the following year will productive. After these " come many other mea in strange costumes, but by far the oddest thing in the procession is the paper image of a buffalo as large as in life. he framework is made out of bamboo splits. ‘The paper which is pasted upon this framework is made usually of five different colors, repre- senting the five elements of nature—white (metal), green (wood), black (water), red (fire) and yellow (earth). ‘These five kinds of paper are stuck on the bamboo by means of paste by a blind man. A quantity of the five different kinds of paper are provided for him, which he pastes on as h> pleases. The predominant color used is looked upon by many asa kind of omen in regard to the weather and state of things during the ap- prouching year. If, for instance, there is more red than any other color, the coming year will be very hot or fires are liable to break out. If the prevailing color be yellow the year will be remarkable for winds or earthquakes. If black, for rains and deluges, and #0 on. THE FEAST OF LANTERNS. At Shanghai malarious diseascs prevail during the summer mouths, fevers are fre- quent and cholera sometimes makes frightfal ravages. Foreigners who can get away run over to Japan or up the hills of Cheefoo, in northern China. The Chinese have a very singular way of gotting rid of these diseases. These epidemics are believed to be under the control of the five emperors, whose temple can be seen at Canton. These emperors are devil deities, who send forth their messengers in various forms to poison the air. To ward off such calamity it is necessary to promote their good will. There are two cl whose favor must be won—the white and lofty and the black and dumpy ones. They are hollow figures, The first named are twelve to fifteen feet high, with tall hate and white robes. They are carried by men who walk in them wholly hid from view. demons of darkness are borne by boys, who, like their fellow spirits in white, are con- cealed within the hideous figures. The procession passes through the streets, fields and gardens, and the emperors thus honored are supposed to withdraw their mee sengers of evil. * { iff j i E i HE HH ! i | j racing of the dragon boats during the first five days of the fifth month. T wail conclude by saying that in the west end of the National Muscam can be found numer- our models of Chinamen in different costumes, besides many flags, and other ornaments Used at their festivals, and that it will pay auy one interested in the subject to visit them. —_— BEAUTY aT THE BELL PUNCH. A Chicago Girl Serves as = Car Conductor During Mer Lover's Iiness. From the Chicago Herald. Some employes introduced an innovation in conductors on the Madison street cable line on Wednesday. Passengers on one car were not asked the question, “Fare, please,” in the or dinary masculine voice, but duinty, dulcet, feminine tones propounded it ina hesitating Voice, accompanied by a dainty tap on the arm or shoulder, which made the men want to pay more than once. She wasa perfect vision of loveliness. A dainty, fair complexion of a healthy pink tinge was beautifully shaded from the red rose of the checks to the clear alabaster of the temples. Pretty dimples broke the roundness of the cheeks, and large, blue eyes, shielded by long, curving lashes, modest in « half-piti- ful, half-defiant manner passengers. A Jeunty conductor's cap was saucily set ona tightly curling mass of golden hair. She was evidently new hand at the business. The gripman confidentially told a knot of young men tshe was a “stunner,” d had just come to work that morning. When she would catch the eye of one of her evidently admiring up from her neck and down the dainty color in her cheeks with its flood of crimson. She was evidently full of business, however. One young man who got on the car sat in speechless amazement at the vision which approached him for his fare, but he wae awakened from bis day dreams by the demand, vouched in business-like tones. fe puiled outa nickel, which he dropped into the extended paim of the conductress and re- into his dream. < Every young man on the car—and it was crowded, too—rode clear around the loop ‘again and back to the West Side. They were still on the car paying fares wheu the reporter Jumped off. | Inquiries developed the following Story as to the presence of this vision on the car. The conductor, who was her sweetheart, suddenly ill while on the car, and The woman t, ¥, in addition to being familiar with the duties of @ conductor from frequent rides on the car with her fiance. Afriend assisted him trom the car, and she donned his cap and took his place so that he Would not be compelled to continue the trip While ill. She made one round trip, when her betrothed rejoined the ear and relieved her of the unpleasant duties. ‘They were afraid if he reported sick the time would be lost, and his standing as an employe would be impaired. She expressed a strong dislike for the work and deciared she would never again accept such & position under any circumstances, but when she accepted the undertaking she’ wus bound to remain at the post of duty. If her conductor lover hus ever entertained auy doubts as to her affection for him he is now completely satisfied, ince the has sufficiently proved it. From the way nickels poared in on that trip it looks as if President Yerkes could make a paying investment by hiring several lady conductors—of course, exercising a due regard for beauty. 4 MODEEN DRUMMER, He Finds the Telegraph Useful in Communi- cating With His Wives. From the Chicago Mail. “No one who has ever been a telegraph oper- ator in a large hotel doubts the entire truthful- ness of the old saying that all men are liars,” he remarked, as he finished sending # dispatch and added theereceiver's check to it. “I wish you could see the sort of business that gocs ‘over my wire here day after day. It is enough to establish beyond doubt the theory of the total depravity of man. “Last summer a drummer stayed at this hotel foz a couple of months and every morn- ing he received a dispatch from fe in Rochester and answered by a dispatch every night, in which he gave a complete account of his doings during the day. After this tele- graphic bombardment had been kept up for three or four weeks the fellow came into the office here one morning and hanced me a £20 bill. | ‘I'm going up to Waukesha for a week,’ said he, ‘and I want you to look after my busi- ness here. You understand about how my af- fairs have been running, I gcse, and you can handle them just as well without me for a few days. Remember, { am hard at work here. Don't let me stay out too late at night, know, or do anything that a sober, industrior ‘and devcted husband ought not to do.’ “Well, I became that Rochester woman's bus- band by proxy. Every morning I received a dispatch from her, and every evening J an- swered it. I sent the truant husband tochurch twice on Sunday and permitted him to go to the theater twice during the week. Upon his return from tory dispatches to a woman at that point. One morning be handed in a dispatch to be sent in duplicate to his wife in Rochester and to a wo- man in Cincinnati. I noticed that the message ended. ‘Your own loving husband, Bert,’ and immediately called his attention ‘to the slip. ‘Do you want the word “husband” to go to Cincinnati also?’ I asked. ‘Oh, yes,’ he replied, as he lighted a cigar, ‘make it a double-header. If my last week's work pans out well, I'l soon give youa chance to ® little’ work by sending triple-headers.’ —+e-—____ Kindly Treated by the Queen. From the New York Recorder. Mrs. O'Shea, who is about to legalize her re- lations with Mr. Pgrnell by becoming his wife, is not unknown to the queen, who at any rate up to a few years ago was wont to treat her with much consideration and affection. These sentiments on the part of her majesty were due to the fact that Mrs. O'Shea’s grandfather, Sir Matthew Wood, was one of the most generous and kind friends of the Duke of Kent, the queen's father. The duke was hard pressed for money all through his life, aud especially in his declining years, so much so, indeed, that he was forced to live @ good deal abroad for the sake of economy. In each of his many finan- cial crises, however, the purse of Sir Matthew Wood was opened to him in the most munifi- cent manner, and it was solely due toa loan from this source that the Duke and Duchess of Kent were able to proceed to England a few weeks before the birth of their child, Queen Victoria. Had it, therefore, not been for Sir Matthew Wood's generosity her majesty would have been born in Germany instead of in Eng- land, an event which would have vastly facili= tated the notorious designs of the Duke of Cumberland to obtain ion of the throne in her stead. Imay add that one of the very firet acts of the queen on her accession was to confer ® baronetcy and other honors on Mra. O'Shea’sgrandfather. Manquise ve Foxrexor. —-eo_____. No Seat, No Sermon. From London Truth. Once having to preach at a church in Regent street, on arriving at the door Bishop Wilber- force encountered his friend Mrs. Arnold in the act of returning to her carriage. “What, going away?” “Only because I can't get in.” “Do you mean that you really wish to stop?” “TI cume on purpose.” “Then take my arm.” ret Seems the door was excessive. At to whom in his blandest se-onar euad: id “You will be so good as to give this lady the beat seat in the check Se The" biaop”camiy Sat TA capa, ve “Quite impossible !” repeated the beadle. tell you, sir, the church is quite full.” is “Gn, but,” was the Fejoiner, “ won't preach gf ee alarming threat at once opened Bumble's nd he deposited Mrs. Arnold in the church wardens’ luxurious empty pew under the pulpit. ‘Their Bridal Trip. ‘From Judge. Ho—“They put off their bridal trip until two months after they were married.” She—“Where did they go then.” He—“He went to the Yosemite valley and she to the White mountains.” Edith—“You can't imagine how Mr. Bulfinch Edith—“Yes; he said simply heavenly.” saa ukesha he began sending ama- | WHERE WOMEN KUN THINGS Am Interesting Picture of Life in Parc Sumatra. From the San Francisco Exe iner. Acountry where the women own the houses and lands, where gold and silver are common ae the flowers in the epring. where everybody is happy and nobody does wrong, is the burden of the story that W. J. Shaw brings from far-, off Sumatra. 4 W. J. Shaw is one of the men who modeled ‘things in this country when it was young and pliable. He came from New York in 1849 and was about the first man to hang out a lawyer's ign in San Francisco, He won the cases that settled the validity of settlers’ titles and re- sulted in the Van Ness ordinance; and be served ase state senator in 1834, when it waa more of an honor to be a legisietor than it is now. “In all my years of travel,” he said - day, “I never found a happier people than those who live in Sumatra, ig the midile part of the island. The peopie all over Sumatra are belicvers in the Mohammedan religion, but the peculiar customs which make this particu- lar people unique and different trom all others Te confined to one commu: “It would not be correct to term this branch of the Sumatra people a tribe, for they do not live in tribai relations at ail, although there is © chief and under chieftains. These rulers, however, are not despots, and if the people do not like the way in which they manage things they dispose of them very shortly and put other men in their places. “Although men are the ostensible chicftaina, the women are the real rulers. custome of the country forbid the giving of a man's property to his children after bis death. If a ian dies, the property he owns is given to bis f-ther and mother. The woman's property, on the contrary, is given to the children. Probably that is the custom that is responsible for the turning over of ail the wealth of the country to en. “It is the constant aim of the men to enrich their wives. Each man has but one wife, and ¢ach wife one husband, and they live « per- | fectly moral life. The teachings of Moham- medaniem are followed upon the question of divorce. The husband has the right to divorce | bis wife whenever he chooses, but must allow ber to retain the property in bi | Divorces are not frequ lieve that in proportio: lation di- vorces in this part of Sumatra are not one im xteen compared to the number in California. ‘The people are bappy there happy as they can be. The children live at bome with their mother—the boys until they are thirteen er fourteen and the girls until they marry. “When the daughter gets married she does not leave her mother's house. An addition is built on—a new roof as they call it—and the newly married girl makes her home there and brings up her children. This custom, of course, results in forming quite large commu- nities where there are many children. “I know one of there communities where there were a mother and several daughters living with their children. The original house had grown with each marriage until it spread over « large piece of ground. “When the boys get old enough to leave home they are taken to @ compartment house le bome for them until they wish to marry. The girl has the right to choose whom «he will wed, « priviloge dele- gated to her in few Mohammedan countries. “Once married, the husband for the rest of his Lite is his wife's lover. hor and visits his home chat vith her and the chi ren. Ail the ney he gets —and there is plenty of money of Dutch coinag» there- he turns over to bis eotheart. She dresses herself and the children and shoul- | ders all the petty family cares. “He is bothered only to earn the money to Pay tor the things they eat and wear. “To get things for them to eat need not worry lim much. The portion of Sumatra in which these strange people live is very fertile end productive. It is @ fine country, with beutiful mountains and streams and magni cent scenery. All sorts of fruits are grown and in the higher altitudes many of the grains. “To find dresses for the family must be a aif- ficult matter, for I never saw such elegantly attired women as in these communities. They are very beautiful, bousting the fairest and finest complexions and the brightest eves. “I have seen women there w re in Sumatra, the natives possess sufficient knowledge of arts to smelt and form the ingots into wire. The weaving of these handsome and costly cloths is quite the principal occupation of both the women and the men. “Never in Christian countries do women dress as extravagantly. “I remember that once the chicf told me be would have two pretty maidens dress as they would on their marriage. The two brigh girls were gone some time and came back wear- ing, ong adress of gold end the other one of silver. "They bad bracelets, one above an- other, from the hands and above the elbows. At the elbows they wore peculiar bracelets, jointed to permit easily moving the joint. In rief, their arms were armored with’ prectons i necklaces of geuns and other is ents, and the cloth-of-gold and joth-oi-silver dresses were made loosely fit- above the waist and the tkirts in flounces, They are not an ignorant people, for the children are taught in their homes, and many learn to read the Koran. They observe the propricties, too, asis apparent from the rule as to lows. hen a woman's husband dies she plants a post in front of her parcicular door in the fam- ily house and hangs # flag upon it, While that flag waves she may not marry again, Butwhen the winds, blowing softly off the sea, have tora it into shreds and scattered the bite on the ground her term of mourning is over, and she ay accept a second lover's proffer. ———+ee Made Useful. From Judge. “Your father requests me to give you a posi- tion in my establishmest. You know nothing of commercial transactions: vou have « thor- ough college education, and I see you smoke cigarettes. Well, I can use you as—