Evening Star Newspaper, June 27, 1891, Page 8

BUTTERF LY TRIMMING. It is to Be Seen on All Styles of Sammer Fashions, SHORT WAISTS COMING. ‘The Louts XV Style to Be Abandoned, Prob- sbty, in the Fall--Some Pretty Costumes for the Races and Athletic Games Described — Pretty lvdividaal Creations, ——-=+- Bpectal Cor-empontence of The Frening Star New Yorn, June 2, 18%. UMMET FASHIONS have brough: with them Ro prettier, no more poetic bit of garniture than the butterfly. Ove sees it every where. from the sleeves and back of | a gros grain mantelet, where I lately «aw but- tertles em! red im Jet, to the real diamond or rhinestone butter- fies setting off a Greek coiffure and the gold and silver butterflies which seem to have alighted upon the deli- cate textnre of bonnets and hats. Butterflies in ali colors, someti ‘even natural ones.areal- most an essential garni- ture of the summer toilet. A carping critic | hes asser:~i that we women either wear ser- pents or butterthes as ornaments, the result of aa innate love for embiems which sccurately symbolize our weaknesses. The plain English Of which is that we women have the subtlety of the serpent combined with the unsteadsness and changeabieness of the buttertt | I bear «his of coming change te the} Txv epchestiotiees| Louis XV epoch. ani OE esastncs Teme at meantime. ues are at the very height of their larity, erenelated, split ow the ~ides, aes of lace, double yues fitted with | ta, pleated’ basques, red basques, | Toys kort and tong. : Tior one shall be sorry to see the beautiful | Greek comture go, sccentuating as it does the almost ever-present clelicacy of the female head. And as for the plain, tight-fitting skirt, cut on the crom, while it possesses muci of the charm of classic arapery. it ie often apt to accentuate too sharply the figure inclined to embonpoint, but. all in all, it is sach an improvement upon Pasiers and puils, that Isay long may it abide with us and upon us! COmTUMES AT THE RACES. In carly summer the woman of fashion is often called upou to answer two very important questions: “What shall I wear to the races?” and “What shell I wear to tie gemes:” For this season athletics Lave not been # simple fad, Dat rather the rage. the craze of the day. the Berkeley Ova: Manhattan Field and on Traver's bdund summer toilets have blazed out in # glory that makes the season of "9 orable one. Dat think not that this isa mere whim of the fasniouable world. Far from it. Another season will outsirip this and #o shall We go on croseem io wmtil the athletic games of the fuwure tuke place in the midst of more mng- nificence of costume than ever filled the Colli- foum in it palmeent days ‘Une unataal wears one of those charm- ostumes so popular this season, a gray woolen anf, the gloves are d speck ing Of jet math wtinh Ubes are. ou ewe ee, mantios aud hate Althe y they look very pretty on vo atraw bate A manve oapote with jot embroidery and white satin strings struck me us being €4- Wemely stylish. ‘Ume of the most striking coxtnmes w mew at the races Was ma ehirt, figured with heli» terful how ywhere on u rather yellow oF u vabedt with the sboukler to the elbow. A large straw bat. immed with white plumes, was Work with tus striking costume. A PLEASING OTTDO >2 COSTUME. fou will find another very pleasing. if some- | what it. ottoor costume pictured in my | second tiustration. The oven jacket is a check | failie (pale gray and black stripe: squares on a | steel gray foandation ). Tt ix bordered w white quiloon and caught together at the fr: t! with broad b f pale gray and black check velvet with nge. There isa steel pon- | Fee chemisette very fully pleated. The skirt is | in white w with a spiler-web design in | steel beads “The hat & im stect white velvet ribl joves are pale gray and the White striped straw. with mand bunches of forget-me- note. Ihave already 9 f the great vogue en- | Jovet by jet cabcehons, which are used to Make plain fabrice spotted. Velvet spots are alee appliqued apom plain «tutte. fren-colone! samet «ha, Binee. The | fitting skirt is not always above the weeknens of | quintte sense of becominguess , INDIVIDUAL FASHION. We often hear the question asked: Can s young woman afford to despise the prevailing modes and set up a fashion of ber own? My iden is that it alldepends upon the girl. The Parisian woman-—cupposed to be ‘the most fashionable woman in the worll—is never a slavish devotee to prevailing modes. If she has ‘a long thin neck she is very careful to have her dresses made with straight high collars and not to accentuate her defect by wearing » Medici collar, flaring boldly away from her slender, pipe-stemmy neck. Vanity often leads a woman n,@ very pardonable | when she is thaw enabled to make | the most of the one point of beauty in her pos- | ‘The fashionable Greek coiffure ‘was | cievised, 60 tt ia said, for the purpose of doing | away with the necewity of wearing false hair; that is to may. to help out women with scant growths of hnir, who, by the way, are largely in the majority. The iwsthetic mise who de- | spives or affects to despise the plain tight- dancing. True, she ix somewhat of an anach- | ronism in her full skirts, plain bodice and | style of her own in arranging ber hair. | My last illustration wets forth the wethetic | mins whose cheeks are guiltless of rice powder | and whose gowns are usnally her own creation. She would asseon think of piercing her deli | cate nose and suspending an ivory ring from it a» to puncture tho cartileges of her tiny, shell- | like ears for the purpose of displaying « pair | of those tiny solitaire dinmondr which good | usage permits to the young girl. The esthetic | miss makes strange selections na to the colors of her gowns. Sulphur, shrimp and salmon are favorites, but #0, too, are the delicate shades, such as mauves, pinks and blaes, which seem to hesitate between staying in or fading out. For garden parties mousseline delaines stamped with | ower patterns will be much affected, the sleeves Leing made of plain mate- rial, very bouffant, aud bonded their fuil length ribbons. La he skirt between ribl@) or faille. T is filed in with a Ince chemivette bordered with narrow ribbon. us make np weil for the seaside. weliy have m trimmed with whit choose from for Fdresses, such us org: dies, eretonnes, t Ines, jaconets, gauzes open work bordersand satines mouselines. But these materials must be richly and ele- gently trim and made up with that ex. the woman of ith w a fancy leather belt, which you wear a jacket cuat with white faille revera. | A lawn tennis xnit is absolutely necessary for & young girts eummer outtit, though #he never | handles “a racket. Choose « zephyr. plain fer the blouse and with flower the skirt, which you make without Hming, gathering it at the waist, bat taking | are to bunch moxt of the pl The t hos a ssilor on the bottom | Lbattons. she blouse ix mace with tthe bottom so hs to fall belt. The sleeves are leg-of-mutton, culls of the asthe collar.’ The jockey eap ix likewive of the same striped staff. This also be made up very tastefully in wvol crepon, with a flower figure either in ik. ‘The ekirt i# then ornamented | with three triple rows of velvet ribbou, collar, and plastron also being ernamented in | the same way. You may chooce black velvet of of the color of the flower design. —— see A Slave of the Zodiac, From the Cuicae Herald There nsed to be « curions character named | Vellet down in Fulton county, Ind. He was | noted over his whole section us the greatest | eater and the firmest believer in “sigan” that | ever sat on the banks of Eel river and angted for bass. He planted bis corn in the dark of the moon and laid rail fence in the He sheared bi “wign”” was in the head and laid bare his own neck from the winter's growth of beard when the roxdiae pomted to Taurus He shingled his bara in the moon's first quarter and guthered | bis seed corn Cancer was king. He | wouldn't ride belund a horse that hadu t been | broken in the sign of the reins, and when Seor- pio ruled he considered « secret mfe. ‘There wor nothing on earth he didn't believe couki be property done in the signs, and nothing that | diein't threaten destruction if the signs were | disregarded. He hada neighbor named Isnne Br eat joker. who grew rici: in spite of the fact t he paid re attention to the signs, Which were so large a part of Vellet's ecoaomy. | than he did to the color of the clouds at mid: | night. Finally Veliet died, as eccentric me sometines will, and the assessor came around m the epring and mised him. “What was the matter with him?" asked the official of Ixaae Brown. you see,” said the skeptical farmer, | home one night along in December | and told him [had a next year s almanac, and | id @ man hid ign | of the virgin. jou! | Tean't go without meat till next Sey ! «be. And Til be darned if he didn't Iny down and die. 1 feel mighty bad about it, for be always paid his debts in the sign of the crab, and he owed me €15."" Frow the Boston tlerald. Aman went into a crowded store to bay some T want striped ones,” ‘Then he leaned over the counter and shouted customer; “give me piain colors.” ——roo One Advantage of Bank! From the New York Weekly. cas carne me, deck, change mec ive, won't your” Jack —“T haven't more than enough for lunch and car fare in my pocket. Pact is, I don't carry money loose in my Lol 1 put iin the bank and pay by check re “I don't care to bother with checks. I always carry money in my pockets, and I never miss a een —e—#, but you are not married.” 2. Where There's a Will There's a Contest. Prom Late “Paps, you were in consultation with your lawyer this morning, were you not?” "Yes, little one, I made my will, and amply provided for you and your mother with ® thousand or tro cach. The rest my ESSE Renate St eee lg SSR RSD oh es ng et mandae here wi te Creating | times bold more than « quarter of a pint each | without botheri jpureuing his leisnrely | the purpose of attracting the gay butterflies | butterfly | little tunnel, and to get at the honey a bee ’ ’ - THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. FREAKS IN PLANTS. Wonders That May Be Seen in the National Botanic Garden. FLOWERS THAT TRAP BUGS. A New Kind of Vegetable Whisky Shop That Captures and Eate Frogs—Other Plants With Carnivorous Tastes—insects Used As Sorvante—Imitative Orchids—The Cacti. NEW SPECIES OF VEGETABLE whisky shop has been added to the col- lection of plant curiosities at the Botanical Garden. The liqnor it distills in the pitcher shaped receptacles that hang from its stems is especially liked by frogs, which hop into these traps for the parpose of drinking it. Although the aweetish fluid is a powerful intoxicant the batrachian customer, however wildly over- stimulated, would certainly jump out again Were it not that two very sharp dagger-like thorns project downward from the lip of the Yeesel in such a manner that Mr. Frog in try- ing to escape is thrust through the body by them at every leap until presently he falls ead in the “liquid refreshment”—an appro- printe object lesson to all intemperate crea- tures—-whereupon the plant absorbs his sub- stance, asthe ordinary whisky shop consumes that of its frequenter, and is thus supported. This species is tropica} and has to be kept in the green house devoted to plants of the equa- torial belt. Naturally there are no frogs in the conservatory, and so. Superintendent Smith is obliged to feed this cecentric vegetable with raw meat cl 4 fine, on which it thrives ex- celiently. For lack of ‘insects likewire he su plies with the same artificial sustenance the other sorts of whisky shops that find in bugs of various descriptions their chosen prev. ‘They will nll ent det, although each yaricty seems to have in nature ite particular line of cms- tomers, one capturing cockroaches, another ents, end so on. Doubtless they all could live onany animal food, but there scems to be a ifference of taste among the insects to the liquors. One species will only touch the drink served by a certain representative of this carnivorous plant family; another selects by ference a different brew, and soon. ‘Thus at one sort of bug is ordinarily found in each set of pitchers, those designed for the nc- commodation of’ large beetles and cockrouches being as Lig as small shoes. It is very curious to cut open one of these vessels after it has be- | come withered and dead, being merely formed | at one end of the leaf, and to find what a woa- | derful collection of victims it has gathered in | and not finally digested, often numbering | many hundreds, if the prey is small. The whole | structure of each trup is beyond measure curi- | ous, the inner surface of home coated with little bristies that project downward and pre- vent the guest so hospitably received from walking out again. ‘This is particularly a fext- ure of whxt the superintendent calls the vege- table lager beer saloons, which prepare uliquor of much less intoxicating quality in tall chalice- shaped vessels instead of pitchers, depending upon drowning their customers, rather than upon making them so drank that they cannot | getaway. Adeplorable thing it seems, by the way, to find such bad habits prevalent among bugs, the opinion having been always held | that ouly man, the most noble of snimale, had aright to indulgein vices to the claboration and invention of which he bas given so much | attention. ‘A Q00D DRAL. OF ALcomOL. So far as can be ascertained no analysis has ever been made of the liquors dispensed by these vegetabie gin mills, chiefly owing to the fact that such an experiment would involve a very difficuit problem in organic chemistry. It isknown, however, that the strongest of them | congain # large proportion of alcohol. Persons hard up for stimulants have often achicved a maximum of intoxication by swallowing the contents of a few of the pitchers, which some about the inseetsin the tuid: this origin the How appropri- pted to the con- | ical tramp, who, while travels, can literally | Why may it not tern vivial pluck his ér A novelty at the Botanic Garden is a plant | whose leaf bears a remazkubly well-executed | caricature of the Duke of Wellington, all done in the veining: but in the interest of Visitors it docs not ser.ousiy rival either the “mother-in- rap of which swells up your we so that you cannot speak for di ¢ pla upon the sweetich er plant, whic in the world save in the vicinity of Wilmington, r ite carnivorous habits, bein, Each ston any pairs seet venturing be- a chronic vi trop, having used up most of the gastric | Which if secretes iu digesting the firat living | prey caught, usually fads the second victina | it captures disagree with it, and the third it is | mnable to assimilate aatisiactoriiy. ‘Ihen the trap turns from green to brown and dies, like any leaf, other fresh ones developing me wuile to tke up the work of gobbling. After all, this greedy tegetable is not nearly so bad "as it is cull whose capture unsuspecting bi it to wip honey, and hold them until they are dead, when the grasp of. the | ruthiews petals is relinquished and the luckless | visitor is dropped on the ground. It ts astonishing what intelligence many veg- etables exhibit. Naturalists have come to be much inclined toward thinking that » plant really has thoughts. Its mind, us they ceive, is situated in the rovilet, which knows ell always what path to pursue through the i of water. EMPLOYING INSECTS AS SERVANTS. Plants even employ insects as their servants, in the work of reproducing their species, pay- ing them wages in honey. Most vegetables | combine the two sexes in one flower: but breeding “iu and in” is no more healthy for them than it is for animals. One blossom must marry with auother if the species is to be con- tinued ina healthy way. So young Mr. Honcy- suckle dresses hiwe! ving suit of Lrigitt | yellow and perfumes himself deliciously for | that utter around. He alxo provides » small | store of nectar in a golden cup to offe~ uy in- sect guest that may come his way. Presently a uses to take a sip of the swect liquor, but in doing #0 she caunot avoid get- ting some of the pollen on her head, and this she cazties to another houeywuckle, where she stops for a second bit of refreshment, and in- cidentally rubs off some of the pollen ‘upon its stigma. “Thus is accomplished the marriage of | the flowers. But the bee is the cupid of the vegetable world, to whom is assiguesd most of this marry- ing and giving in marriage among the blow soma. There is one kind of orchid that de- pends altogether for the continuance of its species upon fights among bees. ‘To a moral delinquency on their part it may be wid to owe its survival entirely. The petala of ench of ts flowers ure so bent as to form « sort of must go in at oneend or the other. if noth- iug imterferes it will never come in contact with any of the pollen, but now and then it that it meets another bee which has entered from the other ride. Then there is a fight, aud in the scrimmage the com- batants get bounced around and are cor ered with the reproductive powder. However, in lish saything one of these beos } would fain bel | Italian opera. without leaves ar stem, which Tho strong odor Iteuhales = resem Mimbo that of ‘de- Pee it Ary Nd, tarough specimens triton tirictor my =3 Known sea. the “aslo limber," trees and fants ana set off it explodes with a lond report. The familiar “Brazil nut” grows in hard _opherieal each of which contains from eighteen to y-four of the tria: seeds that come to market. 80 benutifal they packed by nature that no man yet has ever been able to at them back in their receptacle after once Eocy have been taten out fa South tence also ther® isa “cow tree,” which gives milk that is shown by chemical analysis to be of almost exactly the same com- sition ae that of the cow, which it revembles perfection in appearance ani lity, tast- ing like sweet cream. Deep in the swamps and forests of the Island of Formosa grows a plant the stems of which are filled with a fine white pith is cut by the Chinese into thin strips and is called “rice paper.” Bodies of the dead suspended within hollows of the “baobab” tree that grows in Africa are trans- formed into mummies for all eternity without further process of embalment. On the ele- vated barren plains west of the Volga grows a plant closoly resembling a lamb, which was Said by travelers of old to bend from the stalk upon which it could turn and feed upon the herbage about it, but when the. gram died “it perished” from hunger. The likeness referred to is not to be denied, though its death when the grass dries up is dae to the same canse that kills th other vegetation, nainely, drought. has heard of the’ famons “deadly 1 Java, which was declared to grow in a desert all | alone—-no other plants around it, nor fish in the waters, nor animals of any sort, since even the birds flying over it wore killed by its eftluyium. Criminals condemned to die, according to the story, were offered the chance to escape execu- tion by going to the tree and collecting some of its powon. About two out of every score re- turned, and they re} having found the ground strewn with bones of their predeces- ¥ors. Subsequent investigation has discovered a certain basis of trath in the tule, which lies im the fact that these upas trees grow in low volcanic valleys, rendered nnwholesome by the sulphurous fumes escaping from crevices in the earth. Streams in such neighborhoods are 60 impregnated with sulphuric acid that no fish can live in them. ‘The tree's juice is very poisonous, but otherwise it is harmless. GROTESQUE CACTI. ‘Most strange and grotesque of the plants at the Botanic Garden are the ercti. They would appear to have been created by nature ina freakish and irresponsible mood. One might imagine them to properly belong in some other world than this, only halt alive as they seem and assuming such extraordinary and even absurd forms. Certain naturalists have imagined that they must be relies of a vegetu- tion belonging to a period long prior to the devolopment of the piant life familiar to the present generation. ‘Their characteristic spines, ontitiing them to the name of vege- table hedgehogs, accentuate their imposeibil- ity as contemporary species. ‘ihe larger forms, some towering to fifty feet in height and other individuals) weighing a ton or more, plentifully adorn the Mexican landscape, which in many perts obtain an aepect extremely weird from these astonishing growths, ‘That country, in fact, contains three= fourths of the entire’ number of varieties known. Nature provides the cacti with spines in order to save them from being eaten by animals. Horses are very fond of them and Will frequently devour them, after kicking off the prickly surface with their hoots. There are few known plants which afford such beautiful examples of symmetrical atruct- ure ns the “‘mammillaria” group of cacti, many of which resembie exquisite pieces of mechan- ism finished with the utmost minuteness and accuracy. Others might be imuzined fo bi undergone a kind of crystallization, their whole surface being frosted over in geometrical pat- terns. Of them the eclebrated botanist. Lind- ley, said: “Gentle reader, haet thou ever seen in a dixplay of fireworks'n crowd of wheels all in motion at once, crossing cach other inevery direction, and canst thou fancy those wheels arrested by some mazic power, their rays re- tained, but their fires: extingni-bedy Then mayest thon conceive the curious beauty of this littie herb, a plant so unlike all others that we ¢ it the reanimated spirit of a race that flourished in former ages with those hideous monsters whore bones alone remain to tell the history of their existence in the quar- ries of our saidstone, slate and clay.” It is from a species of cactus that cochineal is obtained, and for the purpose of gathering ym it the insects so valunble in commerce Eteat estates are planted with atin the West ludies, Algeria, the Canary Islands and India. ‘The pints are set out in rows, trimmed to the height of four or five feet. In August or Sep- tember of each year is the season for what is called the “row when the field hands attach vo the by means of thorns leaves covered with female Uuge, which are thus left inorder that they may produce their you latter quickly swarm over the plants, from which they are removed four months later with blunt knives. This process is a tedious one, 70,000 being required to make a pound. Finaliy the insects wre killed by im- | mersion in boiling water and dried in the sun, th ex. being the condition iu whieh wey of the most surprising eur bof the vegetable hingde: Mau Cactus,” which derives its 1 siisery white bairs that cover t its stem, giving it a the huary head of an in reality sott, weak spines. When the jlint is growa in the house itis best accommodated in & glass case, inasmuch as dust will Otherwice render the hairs dingy und impart to the old gentlemen a very disreputable appearance. To sities in this is the “Ol are NTERTA Arranging for the Reception of Emperor Willhun tn ‘The arrangements for the reception and en- | tertninment of the German cimperor and em- press in England are now ue tended by Gen. von Huhnke, Gen. von Wit Lavon Lueanus, Count rg, Baron von Marrhalt aud Countess Brockdor®, th will arrive inthe Thaines on board the im- perial yacht Hehenzollern on Saturday, July 4, and will be met by some members of the royal femily. sor, Where several apartments have been pre- pared for them in the castle. The queen h deputed Maj. Gens. Sir John Mecneil Henry Ewart and Col. the Hon. W to attend them during their stay in England. On the following Monday the queen, the kaiser and the kaiserin, the Prince and Prin- cess of Wales, Prince and Princess Christian snd other members of the royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Anhalt will attend the marriage of Prince Aribert and P Lonise of Schleswig-Hols place nt St. George's Chapel, and in the even- ing there will be a dinner party in the palace. A UNIQUE SPECTACLE, On Wednes:lay, July 8 the royal visitors will attend Prince Christian's garden party at Cum- berland Lodge, thence proceeding to London for the “command” performance at the Royal Mr. Harris, the manager, in- tends this to be an tmique spectacle, surpassing anything before seen at Covent Garden. The central boxes in the grand tier will be thrown into one, the raloon converted into an ante- chamber and the stairease und corridors ined with yoemen of the guard and soldiers. Carte blanche has been given to numerous West End florists, andthe whole honse will be one mass of flowers, with ice blocks to enhance the ef- fect. ‘The subscription list will be suspended, and the best boxes will cost twenty guineas, stalls, six guiners, and other scats in proportion, Levee dress will be de riguer in Loxesand stalls. Mrriv proposes, should the queen and the Prince of Wales approve, to invest the program with a symabelical character appropriate to the event. opening item will most likely be y completed. ‘Thus, the n the first act of “Lohengrin.” which includes a ualcome to the, German bing on a visit to for. eign shores, while the conclading selection robably be the last act of “Die Sleistorsinger,” {ypitying the crowning ard gloritieation of Ger- mun art. Tickets, despite the high prices, are already ata premiam. ‘On Paureday, the th, their imperial tice will hear the “Golden bert Hall, as already announi bbe devoted to the v x is een will not accompany her guests on & her desire being that the rece) ‘this ition ma- will, GREAT MILITARY DISPLAY. =~ On Saturday morning, the 11th, great mili- j j E F i i i ii t at i a ro ‘ d if ‘| this branch of his profe ‘They will at once Le eseoried to Wind- | MR. RIGGS’ GENEROSITY The Handsome Library Hall He Has Given to Georgetown University. A FITTING HOME FOR BOOKS. Some Rare Volumes in the Collection—Bits of Interesting Information Calied From a Newspaper Published in This City by Col. Peter Force in 1825, ‘Written for The Evening Star. VISITING THE VENERAELE GEORGE- town College, as it was called for many Years, but now raised to the dignity of » uni- versity and installed in a building proportion- ate to its elevation, I was shown the Riggs Me- morial Library, which is just finished and been removed. The old library was the | Wonder and admiration of my boyhood, und wes supposed to be ample for the accommodation of the collection, then looked upon as complete. ,The need of more space became apparent, as additions were being constantly made. and in the magnificent pile in which the university will find “ample space large enough” for some years to come pro- vision was made for a library commensurate with the growth of the institution. Mr. Peltz when he designed the university building made special provision for this grent need, and in the | southeast corner of the third story a hall was provided for this storehouse of knowl- edge, but the straitened circumstances of the college when this great building was com- pleted rendered delay in the prepaiation of the library aluost indetinite. At the eclebra- tion of the centennial of the c her Richards, the rector, announced that Mr. E. Francis tiggs had volunteered to provide the |funds to iit up the library in the most approved — manner memory of his fathi brother. ‘the elder Mr. Higgs was a lover. of books and a man of extensive reading. from the Spanish rome rare manuscripts he had obtained rela- tive to the early history of this country. The brother of Mr. Riggs was a scholar and Mr. E. Francis Riggs is a gentleman of thorough scholarly attainments. ‘Chis appropriate me- morial is now finished, at a cost of $27,000, and a more beautiful ii -y cannot be -found any- where. More elaborate there may be, but for the purposes of a library, embellished with taste and skill, I do’ not think — the Riggs library ‘can be excelled. ‘the plas for "the exccution of this work was submitted by My. Paul J. Peltz, the architect of the national congressional library. He proceeded with the work, and aftersome de- , incident to the prosecution of suck an un- ertaking, after two years’ labor it was com- pleted, and now contains the eollection of rare and valued works which has been from ume to time accumulating during the long years of the coliege’s existence. A VAST HALL OF MAGNIVICENT DIMENSIOSS. The library is a vast hall of magnificent dimensions, forty feet wide by sixty feet long and thiriy-two feet high from floor to ceiling. The center portion, or readiag room, is open aud unobstructed, aifording a full view of the sixteen columnal uprights. Out trom the cen- ter of the livrary there are twelve alcove spaces, and these tweive spaces are subdivided into four stories, thus creating forty-cight Jalcoves. Stairczses lead up and connect with | these upper gall Above the top alcoves | there is a cornice, which terminates with a gluss ceiling. Two skylights supply amplest light for all the upper alcoves, the eight large windows, divided into wishes by muilions aud transoms, re in geometrical igus. All the poste and oprights and 7 floors are of ironand the floors ure of slave slabs. ‘The shelves are of Culitornia redwood. In the | cornice eight of the columnal uprights carry | coats-of-arms, the Rigzs family arms, the col- ege shicld and the shicld of the Society of shield and coat-of- “E plaribns unum.” The ting in heraldic colors Las ne under the supervision of experts in ldry. the United Siates shieid being kindly | furnished by Mr. Sevellon H. Brown of the De- partinent of State, an alumnus of the college. There are many points of artistic interest im this beautiful hall. ‘The grotesque figures from the wuimal kingdom ornanenting the window muitions are by Mr. Henry J. Kilicott, | sculptor, and the exp) by Mr. Moreau. ‘The charm of tse whole is the exquisite decoration, which is a masterpiece of its kind, the tones so blended that, rich as are the |tinishings, they do not dazzle, but satisty the | a e library ins a shelf capacity + 109,000 bouks, and ‘ifthe friends of th | university will emulate the liberality of Mr. 24g8 these shelves will not long rem: y. ‘She whole of the work has been | eainirably executed, and the plans of the ac- | complisie chitec: fully carried to comple- tion by our own citizens. “The iron work ix by M Dent, carpenter work by Mr. J. H. Kid Well, skeet metal work by Whyte Bros., tile floor- ing by 4! they ‘have excelled. —‘Throug! generosity of Mr. E. Fraueis i to the memory of his father anu brot Venerable institution of learnin; wood & Hutchinson, in all the of the post of the most beautiful, repositories of buoks in the e: Mr. Mulvaney, the librariny, extend to all’ who visit th a cordiai Welcome to the library. ‘Too much praise can- not be bestowed on Sir, Peltz, whose study of ion will be dem library oF 1825. new home for books I came across two volumes of the tonal Journal, publi: of the years 1 Line Rev. 1 be pleased to strated in the great nations THE NATIONAL 301 | Enjoying the beauty of thi stain Clarke to compel the prize of $100,000 he drew i 7 chartered by Congress for the purpose of build- ing a “Lancastrian school house, peniten tia and town ball.” ‘Ihe case was re:uoved to Alexandria and the am Wirt j and Mr, Swana appeared for plaintiff and Gen. Walter Jones for the defendant, the defense being that the corporation had sold all their rights toa Mr. Gillespie for $10,000, who aa sumed ell risks, ‘The Jowrnal appears to have been the organ of Mr. John Quiney Adams administration, and the editoriais are full of commendation of and the President. Much space is devoted to the defense of Mr. Clay, then Secretary of State, from the charge of bargain and corruption made against him for having voted for Ads, i then accepted office under him. Gourze Kremer of Pennsylvania, the tool, aa Mr. tay atwaye charged, of Mr. Buchanan, is here staied to Ave itten a letter to Sir. Clay withdrawing the charge and apologizing for it, which letter, the Jownat | says, MrJugham, Member of Congress.of Penn yivanis obtamed and suppressed: and in a later Journal a reply appears trom Mir. Inj admitting he had the letter, but mislaid it. Mr. Giay always regarded Mr. Buchanan as tho author of the charge, and refused to ize him ever afterwards; wnd in the correspondence which Dr. Given showed me just before his death in New York, between himself and Gen- eral Jackson, the old hero before joining the church’ in which he en- merating the enemies he had forgiven, said he forgave James Buchanan for having caused him to treat Mr. Clay with such injustice. SOME ITEMS OF NEWS THES. Journal of that year announces the acquittal of Warren Hastings and the defeat of the Cathohic emancipation bill. ‘The May ball of Lewis Carusi is advertised to commence at 7:30 o'clock. How long before that Mr. Carusi had been teaching dancing the building known as Carusi’s Saloon I do not know, but he surely continued there up to my manhood and long after. into which the collection of rare books has | He _ translated | seizure and sale of the books of the “Historical Society of New York” for a debt of $7,000. and an urgent appeal is made to prevent the sale. ADVERTISEMENTS THEN AND NOW. ‘The advertisements in the New York papers the Inst seven days to be, of the whole city ress. 1,115, of which the Gazete claims the gest nuniber, 213, and publishes from the London Times, the number in one day, 650 ad- Yertisements; making, as they say, 81,300. How does this compare with the adi ‘of the present day and especially of Tur Evexixo ° Gen. Weightman was then mayor of Washing- Seepeh (rarey ype igh Brown, Yachard Wallach, Andrew Coyle, Waiker Clarke, Teter Lenox and other commissioners for im- ee SS ‘of those to whom they are almost ye Gen. Cass, itis announced, has left the Distric! for the far west to make treaties with the In- dians. The names of the visitors to West Point are published officially and them Mr. Van Huren, Rov. and Prof. Edward Everitt, George | Bancroft, | Rev. Obediah Brows of Washington, John T. Skinner, Gen. Hugh Mercer, John Forsyth and Rev. Dr. Dewey. Proposals for th building of the Co- lumbian Museum is advertised, with Peter, Lenox, John P. Ingle and Hanson Gassaway as | commissioners. 1 cannot recall that museum. If it wax built it has entircly escaped my mom- cry. Tho only museum I remember was | Pauley's, and that I think was in a wooden | bailding‘on tho reservation on 13th street, | built by Mr.Vanderlyn, ihe painter of the em- j barkation of the Puritans in the rotunda of the } Capitol for a panorama. At this early day the | project of a canal to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific was — being @ixcussed in Europe, and a movement fora | joiutsnrvey was inaugurated. One of the most conspicuous merchants at that, time and for, years before was Mr. Raphael Jones. He was | aman of very | extensive learning and universally esteemed. He wasa daily visitor to the office of the National Inteltigencer and a friend of Ma. Gales, who regarded bit as a very extraordin- ary man. Not long since a gentleman in- {quired of me if | Tomembered = person jzmmed Raphacl Jones, as be said hii family, making some repaivs to the family yault, found in ita coffin with that name upon | and none of them could remember any rela- | tive or friend of that name. 1 cannot remem- ber when he died, but it must have been fort: ¥ Years ago. The remains were in the vault of the Kesworth family and Ihave no doubt Mr. Keyworth and Mr. Jones were fer private distribution | friends, as they were contemporaries in busi- ness, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. There are several advertisements inviting proposals for building sections of the national road, the project which was one of Mr. Clay's advancement and upon which he delivered several speeches in advocating the measures of internal improvements by the general govern- ment. The Chesapeake and Ohio canal was then being pushed, and the commissioners were Samuel Harrison ‘Smith, the president of the branch Bank of the United States and the orig- inal proprictor of the National Intelligencer, Anthony C. Casanove of Alexandria and Clem ent Smith of Georgetown. Li. the 99th June, 1825, the theater, then on | Louisiana avenue near 6th strect, was opened for a brief season with the grand spectacular and musical drama of “Der Freyschutz,” with selections from grand opera. “The prices of admission being: Boxes, $1; pit, 50 cents. The Management was under Mr. Joseph Jefferson, and subsequently I tind abillannouncing the | comieduetof “Polly Hopkins.” Master Thomp- kins, Mr. Jefferson, sr., Polly Hopkins, Mr. J. | Jefferson, and the bill for tke celebration of the Fourth of July, 1825, was the fairy spectacle | of “Cherry and Fairstar,” the scenery painted ir. J. Jetferson, the father of the present ‘Sailors’ Hornpipe,” by Mr. Home, Sweet Home,” “Clati, the Maid of Milan,” by Mrs. son, and a military gan hy | actor of a Washington G: company), by Miss Hathwell. Over acolumn in the National Journal is occupied with an account of the presentation by the state of Virginia of a sword to Gen. Scott at the state capitol with imposing parade and ceremonies, and the trial of Commodore Davie Porter, the father of the late admiral, for some interference with the local authorities at Porte Rico in violation of inter- [national Jaw. A letter dated from | Meridian Hill, where Commodore Porter Fesided, having built the old mansion of which but fittle remains, asked a suspension of public opinion until he bas been heard, through his counsel, Gen, Walter Jones, There were innumerable lotteries in those days, and Yates & Meintire, who were wuc- ceeded in business by Mr. John W. Maury, ad- vertised “the Washington Canal Lottery.” In one of these lotteries the lite Dr. John b. sluke drew a prize of 10,00), and it was for some years before the courts here, the doctor having sued the corporation for that sum. Joux F. Corte. —— WRITTE: BY WASHINGTON. Whereabouts of a Volume of Letters Once the Object of a Lawsuit, Now Unknown, The Historical Maguzine, August 1861, page 256, says: “The curious case of Eyre against Higbee is again brought into the sapreme court of New York. This . ersy grows out of a claim toa volume of original letters and papers written by Gen. George Washing- ton to Col. Tobias Lear, who for many years the general's private secretary. Col Gear died intestate and the lettors passed tohis von Genjaimin, who died in 1832, leaving a widow. A posthumous child, Louis, who married i Eyre, in 1536, was the sole heir and next to Benjamin. "From the decease of Col. until some time during the last } ot his widow. who died in De- H the widow, Lela, had re- tained possession o6 the papers in controversy. During her iliness the detendant, Mrs. Higbee, took them in custody, aud the defendants have vince retained them. "Tite defendants claim the Gitle to the papers as the legal representatives of the writer. ‘Lhe main question involved in the case is wheiher the weiter of a letter has property in itafter he has seut it. ‘The case was referred to a reteree, who reported in favor of the plaintifl, from which the defendant a ‘The appel- lants « property in respondents, on the other hand, insist that the receiver of the letters has aright to their possession against the world and has a property in them, the only limita- tion being the rights of the writer to publish and to restrain the publication of them by the receiver orothers, ‘lise decision was reserved.” ‘The reporter of the supreme court of New York as an introduction makes the following synopest letters are not assets in the hands Privay of the receiver's administrator. And not be- ing assets they cannot be sold by him im the course of administration to pay debts, Where letters wero at the time of the re- ceivcr’s death in is house, and they remained thereaiter during the life of his widow in her possession, she having the custody of the same, and exercising acts of ownership over them fur a period of forty years, with the kuowledgeund assent of B. (Lear), the only son and heir of the receiver, it wus livid that as against 1. and his personal representatives a grant of the let- ters from B. to the widow would, after so great « lapso of time, be presumed, and that she thus became the legal owner vf them. Held also, that the plaintiffs, claiming such lotters under a salo thereof made by tho nd- ministrator of the receiver, acquired nu title to the eame by their purchase, the ad- ministrator had nv authority to ell them. Itis that these were the letters of Gen. bye me jm to Col. Tobias Lear from which Ric ——e | . made extracts for his ogy. enti! “Washington in Domestic fe, from Letters sud Manuscripts,” published by him in 1857. The following ei} i g8 s a Es Ez ver, E He 3 j ! ii H i # in BE if ii H } i i fit it g A I £ t i E ad i ? H i i f i if i g 2 are announced from the New York Gaatte for | Some Hints in the Matter of Summer | ever has space for sach things must enjoy see- | ATTRACTIVE HOMES. Gardening. FERNS AND BALCONY PLANTS ‘They WIN Grow Rapidly With Only a Mod- | erate Amount of Attention—Embroidery | Work That te kastly Done During the Long, | Warm Days at Houe orin the Country. | ‘Weitten for The Evening Star. NE HAS OUR CITY LOOKED greener or prettier than now at this time of year. The frequent rains have made all shrubs and plants grow luxuriantly, and who- ing them thrive we they have of late. Where | no room exists for anything like @ lawn or | garden one may still keep a few plants ona window sill if nothing better offors, and with a | balcony to fill it is remarkable what a pretty showing one may have with jnst potted Plants if one does not care to go mto boxes @r any; special preparation. Where there isa shale part of the day, and by keeping plants | woll watered, they will grow astonishingly fast, and well repay the very little care they require. | All the foliage pinnts, palms, ferns and half a | dozen kinds, in fact, do well ona balcony. I| have seen one filled with « varied collection, | which has already so early in the season given | any amount of plearure to the oue who dil sits by the wide window which opens onto the balcony. The almost rank growth of the plants shows that the situation is favorable, and when it docs not rain they are showered twice dail; ‘As potted plants dry so quickly. RAPIDLY GROWING PLANTA. The most noticosble plant isa fern, which ‘was taken from the woods some weeks ago and planted im an ornamental jar. The giaze on such jars is said not to suit most plants if set airectlw in them, instead of being in an inner red clay’ pot. Certainly nothing | could be more ‘satisfactory or rapid than the growth of this fern, however, for in addi- tion to the big graceful leaves already on it when it left its forest home, several new fronds have burst through the ¢arth and shot up in these few weeks, the tallest being. thirty inches high siready and still spreading higher. | OTHER WILD FERNS AND VINES. There are two or three other wild ferns in with the green hoase plants, all different and Growing well. The little green watering pot and tins spade, trowel and rake which come in sets for window gardenmg make it fascinating work, too, to cater to the needs of such @ little | greenery. In each outer angle of the balcony | rail of which I speak an iron bracket with rim to hold « flower pot is put, and here are vines drooping in their natural gracefulness, while all the other jars are set on the floor of the | balcony, which is almost on a level of the | window sill, and an arm outstretched from the window can minister to all their wants and rearrange them at pleasure. There are novel- ties in the way of placing and combining cat | flowers which once would have looked odd enough asa choice, though necessity might have suggested some of the effects. STOXE JARS FOR DECORATION. Indeed, the necessity which is the mother of invention has been more than once the orig- inator of what has quickly been appropriated by those whom no necessity binds, and 0 it probably comes about that at Lenox this year it is said that common stone jars for household use have been made into decorative objects for the piazzas of the beautiful «uimmer homes and ‘are kept filled with fresh ficld flowers or the larger garden flowers, like peonies. Such masses of any one flower as would be necessary to fill one of these “‘crocks” are lovely to wee anywhere and must be orna- mental. Certainly a jar filled with such clover as 1 picked lately in the country near here would be simply charming. It grew on the edge of some woods and seemed fully twice as large as any I had ever seen before, and the stems were as long as the blossoms were large, and the color was deeper, too, for the pariial shade in which it grew. A PRETTY SUMMER COUNTERPANE. A pretty summer counterpane lins been made for one of the white and brass bedsteads so muck used. In winter a colored fancy cover is | put on it, but now something light in weight,| and washable was wanted. One of the new French dining spreads was bought, which only comes in one size, I believe, that for a three J election sin: erect or PARNELLS MARRIAGE. It May Restore Him to the Leadership—A Religions Ceremony Probable. Mr. Parnell, during an interview at Brighton Festerday upon his martinge to Mra. O'Shea, said that he found it impossible to procure « marriage license for any country church, and in order to prevent delay he thought it bast to Lave the ceremony performed at the registry ‘Office at Steyning, near . Mr. Parnell added that the church ceremony would be cele- brated fn London so soon as tke amd New Par- neil were able to put in a fortnight's residence there, This would probably be after the elec- ons at Carlow for @ successor in parliament to the late O'Gorman Mahon. Mr. Parnell also, referring to the religious ceremony, which is % take place in London, maid that even tm this gaee he would lo his best to prevent outsiders from being present, * iy ml tierra Asked if be mtended to take an active part in the Carlow election, Mr. Parvell replied: “I shall certainly go to Carlow. In fact, I start tomorrow night if Tcan pomubls manage to do so. am confident thet we shall win.” This election, it may be stated, is the only the O'Shea divorce’ proceedings which Mr. Parnell bas had a chance of winning. | He wall toke Mrs. Parneli with him to Carlow if y Poribly do so, but Mra Parnell ix known to be a bad sailor, and on the otber hand «be is compelled Co reniain neat her lawyers owing to the coming trial of the will snit im which she and her brothers are interested in respect to the Eltham property. Mr. Parnell intends im the fature to devate special attention to the Irish imdustrial que. tion, im which he is more interested than in any other question at present. Recently Mr. Parnell hax given general support to Mr. Balfour's Irish land bik, believing that it tea well-conceived measure and that it will be well carried ‘out. Mr. Parnell beltewes that | the measure referred to will greatly bemetit both the Irish tenants and the Irish land owners, MS TRIP TO AMERICA. In conclusion Mr. Parnell seid that be in- tends, if possible, to visit the United States during the coming Autumn, being of the opin- ion that the sentiment of the Irivh and Iriah- Americans on the other side of the Atlantic ix in his favor. Consequently, Mr. Parnell will try to attend the Irish national convention to be held at Baltimore, Md., during the fall. When Mr. Parneli was asked what be thought wonld Le the political effect of hie to Triage Mrs. O'Shea he said that he had not given that qhestion & thought and that be did not intend to think of what the effect of his marriage would be. He and his wife, Mr. Parnell ex- 6 greater happiness than ever pre- Miously during the entire course of his life. __ The reporier with whom Mr. Parnell had this interview adds: “I never saw Mr. Parnell in « more healthy condition or in better spirits.” EXPECTS TO BE LEADER AGAIN. Mr. and Mra Parnell entertained eome friends Thursday evening at Walsingham Ter- race and received yesterday several intimates. Mr, Parnell has sent greetings toa pumber of adberents in the house of commons pleasure that revails in the of commons in spite of the knowledge of the fact that the Catholic clergy will net accept the marriage as condoning hie offense. liberals are ready to hail him asa man Lis best to atone for his fault, Parnellites did not have to sound the opinion of, members on the marriage. From every side congratulations poured them unso- licited on their chief's moral rebabilitation, Friends in the house of commons have sent to Brighton en invitation to Mr. Parnell to make an early appearance in the house ef commons, when hjs re-entree is likely to be greeted witli cheers. If the feeling in parliament reflects the sentiment of the country the marriage will become a big political event. No immediate Testoration of confidence between Parnell and the liberal leaders is pomdble, nor is ft ble that the faction fend will end without bong | opposition from some of his now irreconcila- ble enemies, but the marriage hea deprived bis foes of one of their most potent weapons of attack. Raed moral position asared, pelitioal restoration, it is generally believed, becomes a matter of time. MR. PARNELL'S AMBITION, ‘The future plans of Mr. an@ Mrs. Parnell indicate that after a period of seclusion it is their intention to enlarge their social fife | Mrs. Parnell talks of leaving Brighton end | taking » large house in London. If she wins the probate suit she will be rich and able quarter bed. These spreads are a little different from the Allendale and rather prettier, having center of quite fine dimity stripes, with a border all widths. ‘This «spread was laid on the bed small corner cut out to accommodate enc! leg at the foot of the bed andastrip cat off at each side so that the spread just came over the nd a edge on sides and foot, while a half yard nearly | was cut eff at the top. Then a wide ruffle or valance of dimity in the usual cordlike stripe was gathered and sewed on to sides and across the foot. This makes a simple, cool loosing, light and pretiy spread at little ‘cost, the dim- ity spread being inexpensive like ‘the Allen- | disles so popular for summer use. The strips that were cut from the sides had one selvedge, the other side was hemmed, end these were cut into suitable lengths und sewed to each side of the cutfing at the foot and tied in bows to hold it together around the legs. BOOK COVERS AND PILLOWS. Book covers and pillows or cushions are both things that are being made for gifts just now more than anything else. Friends departing on their summer outings appreciate a little remembrance of this kind, and both can be made without much expenditure of time or labor —two goo things to economize. A pretty book cover of simple design lus been made of duil olive green satin with four-leaved clovers put on in applique work. ‘These were cut from | the top of a wornout suede glove of tn color, three of them Leing carelessly grouped on each side of the cover. A paper pattern was first cut, then the kid cut by that and the leaves pasted to the satin. An outlining and veining of gold thread made a pretty finish to what proved a very showy bit of work, and a pretty and acceptable gift for a departing frien CUSHIONS FoR TRAVELING. Cushions of all sizes are need iér traveling presents, the best cover being one of wash mn- teriul with a little work on it and always a loop to hang it to the arm for easy transportation. | Clover leaves—three-lenved—make a pretty decoration also for linen work, a small’ table gover having them ase border. The eige of the spread, instead of being fringed or with hemstitched hem, has been furnished with | featherstitch in white linen floss, and above | this is a border of a single row of clover leaves, one turning a little to the left and tho next little to the right, with a short stem to each. ‘These are worked iu long and short stitches in the same white linen floss as the feather edge. and is particularly effective, considering the emonnt of work bestower upon it, Clover leaves in twos, threes and singly scattcred over a vofa pillowand worked in the same way would be very pretty, say on w killen of linen | or linen duck, cad doen outline of gold thread and edge the pillow with the white cot- ton cords and tassels, which are a new finish, one being sewed on each side and the two ends being tied at each corner. SANE Young Brown's Abstract. From The Youth's Companion. A teacher in a suburban school not long ago gave her pupils twelve minutes in which to write an “abstract.” her, ‘ound of stripes of graduated | | to avoia | entertain. Those knowing her best ny she | aims to form a political and artistic elon, to create which she has capacities to her ambition. It hae long known that she | has been a valuable political ally of Mr. Par- | nell, with whom she has discussed turn | of affairs more intimately than any of | his party. |, It can be predicted with certainty that under | her open guidance Mr. Parnell will immedi- ately modity his tactics. In the fight with the McCarthyites reconciliation will be the watch- word. ‘The first contest, Carlow, will be fought on the Parnellite side with grenter attention to rsonal amenities. A letter from Mr. E. | Dwyer Gray indicates this change. He renews his appeal for a reconciliation und urges that the Corlow contest be fought on both sides in such 2 way as will not be used hereafter asa argument against the capacity of Irishmen to adjust their own domesue nationsl affairs. Mr. McCarthy hns practically withdrawn from the leadership of his party. He suffers from an internal complaint, which developed years ago, but which was after a time subdued. “The trou. ble reappeare? recently through an attack of influcuza. Mr. MeCarthy tried to recruit at Bournemouth, and bis physicians warning him xcitement, he intimated to his that he would be unable to continue as Guaik- man. He consented, however, nominally to re- tain the chairmanship until ‘the i settled on the liberation of Messrs. Dillon and O'Brien. VIEWS OF A BALTIMORE CLERGYMAN. A Baltimore dispatch says: A clergyman eminent in the councils of te American episcopacy and who is very near to Cardinal Gibbons, was shown today this sage in the eable story of the of Mr. in Parnell and Mrs. O'Shea: “It is announced that a second religious marringe will take London immediately ao as to satisty The gentleman referred to said that he had already read the paragraph, and added these cant words: the stetement ie inasmuch as ‘no series of subsequent ceremonies could render valid the marriage of Mr. Parnell, which was invalidly contracted to the teachings and ‘practices of the Catholic burch.” world will end within the present decade has alresdy taken root with » disastrous result, Today the Rev. Frank L. Stevens, who has ‘been taking a post-graduate couree at the Yale Divinity School, was committed to the Hart- ford Insane Retreat a hopeless meniac. Mr. Stevens was the most brilliant man in his class in the Theological School, and won e scholarship which entitled him to a long course of study in Europe. Before going he deter- mined to take» iH i zt i lf i | f if LE tite | i i i i if ii | Hi i # ; [i