Evening Star Newspaper, August 22, 1891, Page 11

CRANKS AND BEGGARS The Peculiar Correspondence Found in a Cabinet Minister's Mail. MODERN VIDOCQS AT LARGE. Detective Talent Running to Waste—The Mail Bag of the Secret Service—Postmaster General Wanamaker the Prey for Begging Correspondents. Written for The Evening Star. ME RECENT LETTER FROM THE PRAC- tical joker or crank addressed to the Sec- Tetary of the Treasury, warning him that = “strong and determined band of men.” led by the “King of the Tramps,” had determined to raid the treasury, was regarded seriously, because it was referred through the official Channels to the eaptain of the watch of the Treasury Department and the letter made pub- lic, but as. general thing such letters receive very little attention and the general public never hear of them. F “Crank letters” areas much a part of the Tegular routine of every department as are the Printed forms and blanks which are necessary for properly carrying on the business. Every cabinet minister, head of bureau and chief clerk finds them in his mail. So do the Presi- | dent and other prominent publie men. But heads of departments aro the shining marks at | which these people mostly level their artillery | and of all departments the treasury receives | the largest share. The treasury, of course. | always suggests money, and there is something | very attractive tothe ordinary crank about vast and untold wealth. WHERE CRANK MISGIVES GRAVITATE. And there is one office in the treasury to which the majority of all these missives either | come in the first instance or else are referred | to it by other bureaus after the receiver has struggied to try and make out what the corre- ndent is driving at, for it is one of the pecu- Hrities of that versatile genius, the crank,that | he writes an almost undecipherable hand, and he is supremely indifferent to the rules of or- thography and syntax, for which the ordi mortal has a deferential respect. This of- fice is that of the secret service. If only a very ‘small percentage of the letters are to be relied upon, there is more detective talent running to waste. especially in the west and south, than is possessed by the detective forces of all the great cities, and the amount of criminality which evades the vigilance of the paid officers of the law is appalling to think of. + A representative of Tue Star spent an hour or so the other day in looking over the crank file in the secret service office. It is an amus- ing collection. There ia one individual who is & frequent corresponde™ of the office, although be receives no encouragement, but it’ is one of the peculiarities of the class that they thrive without encouragement, and the fact that their letters are never answered makes no difference to them. This ingenious personage has a habit of sending to the office at almost regular inter- vals telegrams reading something like this: Chief Secret Service, Washington, D. C. 29, 3, 45, 7, , 2, 10. Operator 39. These dispatches come from various towns in the south, and so far he has never considered it necessary to send the office a key of his re- Is “operator 39° @ crank? and yet he may be before markabie cypher. Most people would say he i ® man who has @ weakness for posin, certain people as a detective, and who impress his greatness on his ‘neighbors quaintances. It is wonderful how many men thereare who have a fancy for this sort of thing. There are scoreaof letters from men who write to the office saying the: know of a great plot to flood the country with counterfeit money or commit some other spe- cies of villainy. they will expose if the office will reud them a commission and badge as a secret service officer. Every crank wants ® badge. In the proper dime novel at the crit- ical juncture the detective always throws back his coat when he has caught the villain red- handed and exposes his badge. Evidently these people think that no man is properly equipped as a detective unless he has a badge. eof these letters appear to be gen' and at times the office spends more or less time in investigating to ascertain whether the ama- teur detective really has any evidence relating toeriminals in his possession. Never within the memory of the oldest clerk in the office has the game been worth the candle. These would- be Vidocqs are gifted with a great and luxu- Fiant imagination, but they are not equal to sustained efforts A MODERN ViD0CQ. Another curious form of crankism is shown by one individual, whose imaginative powers must certainly be abnormally developed. has trick of writing letters to the office, which read something like this: Carer oF tux Srcner Seavicz, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: arrived here this a m. Iam now very re, elose up to my man. I find traces of him he and it is evident that he must have a partner somewhere in this neighborhood. I have two men under suspicion and I shall watch both of them very closely. I think you had better send another operator here to help me. Let him leave at once. Tell him to inquire for Richard White, as I y that name. Iwanta man who has nerve, ma; have some hot work. This iv s big thing and T have got the dots dead to rights. spectfully yours, Joux Surrs. U. S. Secret Service Detective No. This letter might be written b; secret service man. There have genuine yD several letters written from this man, all in about the | P%% same strain. When received they ai and laid to rest in the crank fi Smith is not even honored with reply to | reward him for his disinterested services, but as he is perfectly satistied to carry on one- sided correspondence the fact, thet, his co Munications go unanswered is apparently a mater of small moment to him. — - MR. WANAMAKER'S BEGOING CORRESPONDENTS. But if the crank letters are numerous the bexging letters are legion. Appeals for money are what every public man expects. He is the legitimate prey of the striker, but of all of | ‘al Wanamaker, because atation he has of being the richest man in the cabinet, receives more than his share. There is one striking thing about nearly all of these letters. They are full of cant. Neariy every writer tells the Postmaster Gen- eral that if he will give him the loan for which he asks the Lord will pay it back to him, as if Mr. Wanamaker was expected to be charitable with the expectation of its paying a dividend. Here is a sample letter from a woman in Penn- sylvania, with the spelling somewhat altered. im deference to s majority of Tux Stan’ readers: “Parxp Waxamaken: “I thought I would sit down to let you know that Iam destitate. I have no place to move. Ihave five little children. I would be than! ful for a little assistance. I hope the Lord will reward you for it. He knows best. So now I will conclude, hoping to hear from you.” From reading letters you are forced to conelusion that we are a nation of beggars. Even the children have learned the art, and hey employ just ae much cant as their sen- iors. This letter speaks for itself: “Ma. WaNAMaxen: “Dear Sir—I am a boy fourteen living in the country and am goi Academy and have to walk four m: morning and noon or eight miles « school. I want to buy a Bicycle but haven't the money enough myself and I thought I would write to you and see what you would think about it 1. know you ‘are ® charitable man and would not miss money enough to buy « bicycle like the one I want. Now wont you please send. about $45and then I can buy the bicycle and Fide to school. Your money will not be lost for old years to to God will biess you. My « is @ staunch ican and Presbyterian }d_superintend- ut of Sabbath schools’ Please answer this immediately whether favorable to me or not." PRANK 45D TO THE POINT. While the raison d'etre of these letters is always the seame—money—they vary occasion- ally in the way the application is couched. The following. for instance, is refreshingly frank end right to the point: “Mr. Waxamaxe: “pean Sin: I want to embark in the Clothing business am a young man twenty-five years oli married am head salesman here and Fecommendates as to honesty of m 5 recommen: | them to keepers of gardens, and thus they are guarantee can make come for both of us nest. he fo getting the goods you can Bake \e to a can Mi"the arraugemesis Juerenlt nd cay time you see that it isnot going you can same down. Mr. Wanamaker if you can give 8 will come to, ste you with iron clad recommendates and references. Tam no fake but mean business aad would like to have an intervie OX FROM MARYLAND. But perbaps the following. which dates from Maryland, is as characteristic as any. With the exception of a few liberties taken with the ling the letter appears as written: ‘Pour John Wanauaker, dear ait 1 take the time and pleasure to write you a few lines stating that I am well at this and hoping that when these few lines find you that they may find you the same “Mr. Wanamaker I have met with had lack this year. I thonght that I was to be lucky this time in paying for my land. I man- to sell a piece iis and ge and got the promise of longer Sua ong eaten 9100 in strawberry that time I thought I conld do that with ure to look at my chances of berries but the frost came and killed my berries and I must have the hundred and they say they must have 1e Money. “Mr. Wanamaker I guess that it is nseless to "pproach you on any terms of borrowing any money fer this cause. Ihave approached you before on the same subject and never received any reply at all. And Ihave also written to President Harrison for the same and Mr. Mor- ton and Mr. James G. Blaine and no reply from 1 would re from F either one of them. been lad to have received from Eenjamin Harrison and also either one of you gentlemen but I don’t aq] I will for this cause yon can’t risk it. re- minds me of the old man Johnny Rourtis at home, the people always called him Uncle Johnny. He was a good old man I think for this cause: he told his folks when he was going to die and also shrouded bimself and died in prayer at his chair. a Reread “He was in Salisbury one day not fore he died and cbed s man to trust him for a pound of coffee and the man said that he could not do that and the old man said: ‘How is it that you are afraid to trust me fora pound of coffee, while Iam not afraid to trust God for anything in this world.’ aie 8 “That is the great trouble they cannot if they could they would be blest » many time in the sight of the God. I have no doubt of that indeed. “I am unlucky it seems to me in beg oye undertake. I have studied history aud ficians for fourteen — and never have been honored on the ticket yet, but Iam going to approach our convention this time if nothing happens tome. I ama republican and noth- ing else, but a poor man is nothing in politics in this country. “Mr. Wanamaker, give my love to President Harrison and to Uncle James G. Blaine as we republicans call him here, we always call him Uncle Jim. This is all it I can say at this time. only I hope that you will answer this without fail Py daughter that was born May 4 and twelve pounds before she was dressed. answer this. Yours truly, —— It is such letters as these which are the com- Pensating joys of a cabinet minister's life. ae WHAT WEEDS ARE LIKE. Why They Are Called Such and Mow It Is ‘That They Come to Grow. “ AT IS A WEED?” “It isa plant that man hes found no Usefor. Ifheshould find use for it then it would bea weed no longer.” This was the answer given toa Stan reporter by a wise man in the Agricultural Depart ment. Many a weed of past times has risen to the dig- nity of a usefal vegetable . There is no telling thaythe most seemingly good-for-noth- ing sprout may not some day become « valued addition to the garden. When man first began to till the soil he encountered obnoxious growths which did their best to crowd out what he de- sired to cultivate. Unfortunately such native enemies were not the only ones with which bis crops were obliged to contend. In the process of exchanging commodities, such as grain, pests from other districts were imported and took accidental root. This is one of the penal- ties of the mutual intercourse of nations, that, just as there is an interchange of good things, #0 also bad things are intercommunicated. It may be asserted with confidence thata majority of the worst weeds known to the United States have been brought hither from abroad. They came in freight and otherwise, and took root along the Atlantic coast. Ascivilizationmoved westward the weeds followed, reinforced by those indigenous to the localities reached, while the latter ran back on the trail and contributed whatever ill they could do to the older acres, SPREADING OF WEEDS. The conditions favorable for the spreading of weeds have increased with the development of the country. Some have been distributed by the breezes that carry seeds, others have been conveyed by streams, others have been carried hither and thither in the stomachs of migrating birds, and in countless ways besides they have been scattered broadcast over the land. Their germs come and go inall directions like tramps catching rides on passing trains and in cher- ished bouquets gathered by the wayside and tenderly cared for by transcontinental tourists. In these and a thousand other ways varieties have been differentiated and distribated, the mere naming of which would occupy many columns of this newspaper. Their history is that of the wandering of innumerable plant offspring from their birthplaces. Those of them which excite attention are the ones that are so sturdy and prolific as to successful warfare against the plants for which man finds & profitable use. USEFUL FRIENDS AND BITTER FORS. Many plants are useful friends under some circumstances and the bitterest of foes in others. Alfalfa, so valuable for forage plr- is in some parts of the country = most annoying pest. Japan clover, accidentally in- troduced into South Carolina with imported goods, has become one of the most aggressive weeds of Florida. In the middle states the wild carrot and wild parsnip are well nigh irre- pressible. Both, escaping from the garden, occasion the greatest bother. They travel in baled hay and take root anywhere. A danger- ous weed has appeared lately in the west, which “ is readily domesticated in neglected ‘streets and grounds of cities, thus keeping close to the lines of railway, by which it travels. Another vile plant bas been spread widely in Michi by theitinerant threshing machine. Unhappily, many weeds, dangerous to the farmer's in- dustry, beauties which a Propagated most dangerously. Ordinarily, plants of ail sorte 4 upon winds and the appetite of birds for distri bution. An exception to this rule is found in the “tumble weeds” of the west, which dry up into Lo — are a hither and hase across the ities. One said to have been brougnt into Dakota by the’ hnealons ena for that reason known as “Hosein cactus,” is reported to form balls as large as houses, which roll before the storm for long distancesand thus distribute their kind. Wonderful accounts are given of the langere encountered by prairie travelers in trying to avoid these rolling vege- table masees. Famous for an Hour. From the London Globe. It ia not often that # nonentity is mistaken for a notability for several days. Yet that is what happened quite recently at a small water- ing place in upper Austria. Allof » sudden the town was convuleed with the delightful in- telligence that Girardi, the famous Vi comedian, was in its midst. A charity concert ‘was in process of organization, and forthwith a foe: Maited on the great man to soliett ‘assistance. It was acoorded the deputies withdrew in high Teather, ancl them remarking how strange it was that an actor should have so fine a beard. “| you know,” rej “that actors f co: to suffocation and « vigorous round applause ‘the ap) totems actor. it follor may best be de- scribed in the words of the Vienna News: “In. stead of the exeruciatingly ny song ex; by the public Horr Girardi boguus esptinenes ditty in a very bowrse tone of ¥. rather astonished i Parsox ie Pu befare the fortp-ahh f Renewer the scalp wo Keep also send me a name for my | $% THE EVENING STAR: STORIES OF THE WEST Experiences in New Mexioo. HAVING His EYE TEETH CUT. Prisoner—Resorting to Severe Treatment— ‘We Weald Play Poker—Bill Skeggs on Top— Piaying Billiards With aa Expert. oa ws ONLY NINETEEN YEARS OF ‘age and held a lieutenant’s commission in the fifth infantry when an event occurred ‘which gave me a great deal of unsought noto- Fiety,” said a department official at the Press Club one evening this week. “Not only was the notoriety unsought, butit was exceedingly Undesirable,” he added, “for it almost made en old man of moinasingle day. It was an experience calculated to try the discipline and determination of character of any young officer.” “What kind of am experience did you have?” * “I bad merely routine duty to perform, but it was exciting. The regiment was stationed at Sante Fe, N. M., and the department was under martial law. ‘The war had just commonced and people were averse to obeying military orders, but they learned obedience very soon. It was ordered that no person should enter the city of Santa Fe nor depart from it without register- his name with the provost marshal; the was positive and was rigidly enforced. One afternoon, when I was officer of the day, and, after having attended to my duties, was ying down in, my tent reading , 8 OF- ly reported that there waa a man in the cus- tody of the provost marshal who refused to his name. Putting aside my book I ned my uniform and sash and proceeded to the guard house. ‘& DISTINGUISHED LOOKING STRANGER. ‘There, in the midst of as tough e looking gangasone ever saw, stood a well-dressed. distinguished looking gentleman. When I asked him why he was in custody he informed me that he was under arrest because he had re- fused to give his name or to register with the Prevost marshal. When I politely requested im to go with me and register he responded: ‘You know me well enough and do not need to ask my name.’ When I assured him that I had never seen him before and requested him to comply with the order under which I was acting he refused indignantly to do I then ordered the guards to take him to the parade ground and tie him to the aff. Upon arriving thero I in him to be rensonable and give for three minutes he was let down and again remained obstinately silent. Ho was drawn up again, and after leaving him in that painful sition nearly ten minutes he was let down, Eat scorataliy. “declined to answer my Rolite Tequest to give me his begged him to relieve me of tho ecessity of resorting to more force and to ré- Keve himself of further humiliation and physi- eal pain, but he scorned me. There I was on the parade ground with that gentleman, who was manifestly of more than ordinary ability and page 2a tee. worlds, and inthe presence of the regimental staff, I, young Officer, a mere strippling, and yet tho officer of the day, was tr: ‘to compel him to give his name {i nce with the order of the com- manding officer of the department. ‘HEROIC TREATMENT. “Ho remained stolidly silent, and then I or- dered tho guards to buck and gag him. It was apainfal scene, which I shall never forget. The soldiers did their duty, bound him in an uncomfortable position and gagged him so ightly that jood ran from his mouth. twas more than I had intended to be done the first time, was more than I could bear to release. As he stood up, trembling with pain, passion” and hu. miliation, he said: “I am Joseph G. Knapp, ‘chief justice of the supre: territory of New Mexico.” I y most name. ne tely ordered his relense from cus! and he returned to the Hotel Fonda, where he had tered upon his arrival. His presence in Sante Fe was no secret and nearly every- body knew him. Therefore he may have rea- soned that I knew him and was merely making of my authority neadlesely in asking for his name and compelling him to give it. You may be very sure that I regretted the occurrence when I heard him announce his name, his title and his official standing, as, i deed, 'I had sincerely regretted the entire sce: from the first.” “Did not your provost marshal know the Justice?” jo, he did not; otherwise the judge would never have been taken tothe guard house, and Ishould not have had that disagreeable duty to Perform. I have never been able to understand what motives actuated him in his obstinate re- fusal to give his name when such humiliation and Peinfal punishment resulted from that refusal. it has always been something of a mystery to me.” “What did you think when he finally gave bis name?” 4 TREMENDOUS ROW. “What did I think? Why, I thought there would bea tremendous row about it and that I should be fauled over the coals for having done my duty. My soldiers of the guard were frightened well nigh to death when that dis- tinguished and dignified man finally submitted toforce and gave his name. Although they bad only been doing their duty, under my or- dere, they feared they knew not what.” “Was anything done about it officially?” “Well, I should say so. Col. Carleton, com- manding the post, wrote a report of the affair, which he characterized as brutal, and recom- mended proceedings against me, although he knew that I had only done my duty in the premises. If an obscure citizen had refused to = his name, as Judge = had done, Col. “arleton would have commended my course. it was Judge Knapp and Col. Carleton were bosom friends and been for years; there- fore he was biased in the matter. were finally laid before President Lincol: who told him thetrue story of the affair, and the President wrote upon the back of Col. Carle- ton’s report: “This young man has simply don. his duty, and ia toleseed from arrests A. ane a. IN DANGER OF COURT-MARTIAL. “Had youreally been under arrest inthe meantime?” “Certainly Thad been. That very evening I was deprived of my sword and placed under arrest. Carleton never eaked an explanee tion from me, nor gave me an opportunity to file any papers in the case, refore I was under arrest for a month. It took about two weeks in thow days for a report to go from Santa Fe to Washington and two weeks for the return of an answer. Had it not been for the presence of friends in Ws Timight have beon put to con- ‘nconvenionce, but have no doubt voter or for having done my duty; just me my du! com! ving y duty; J Ded you over mest with Jadge Knopp after. “‘Saveral times, but we were never on epesking terms. Great Jurist and ‘was also one of the Republican, n0W . Sremeiitak Gisreren nae ence aaaee to i even cor who hed thus ‘humiliated bite.” Bet 1 ha Deen informed that several years afterward told an intimate friend that the fault was his own and done right, under the cir: ry tors of the St. Louis The Republic. His in- i : Rg ‘3 ot if I F 5 t i j i [ f E 3 s é 5 i het Mite geal et “ak Cae ca] ‘A Government Official’s Interesting : ‘The Officer of the Day and His Distinguished, ‘He was not only a prominent oft! 4 rman, but be | Be WASHINGTON. D.C. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. seemed to take a more hope! w of hie holding and put up another twenty. I ex- citedly covered it and put up my entire pile. winnings and all. Mr. saw me and called me. Ishowed up my four kings queen and reached for that pretty little pile, when Mr. Skeggs calmly shoved four aces be- fore me and said: ‘Young man, for once in my life I have held ® good hand, and I'm a winner. But this game is too uncertain for me, and I shall never play again as long as I live.’ CAUGRT A SUCKER. “So saying, Mr. Skeggs arose, potred my good gold into his pocket and strolled toward the coach. I also strolled. The conductor came to me and said: ‘Lieutenant, how much did you win?’ When I told him that I had lost my entire fifty he smiled, walked over to Mr. Skeggs, then returned to’ mg and handed back my money, saying: ‘You're entirely too fresh and want to play cards entirely too much. That gentleman over there is Bill Skeggs, the most notorious gambler in this country travels about over the various trails looking for suckers; and he generally catches them, too.’ “I played no more poker’ on thattrip. I learned that my fellow-passengers had steadily to play poker during the first four days because they all knew Bill Skegge and would not sit ina game with him. But, as we rolled away over the prairie toward Leaven- worth, the gentlemen played poker nearly all the time, but I would not play with them for fear of finding another Skeggs in their number. ‘One real good lesson is enough in that country, if it is hammered into a fellow hard and deep enough.” RUNNING UP AGAINST A BILLIARD BEPERT. “The first week I spent in Santa Fe I learned something about billiards. I used to beat all the boys in our eastern town and was con- sidered quite a billiard shi Well, of course I found a billiard room in Santa Fe, and also found a nice, oasant, quiet-looking young man to play with me. I could beat hit, aa was soon apparent, and then I discounted him. ‘That was easy, too. As the crowd stood around the table applauding my bril- liant plays double discounted = my By thin time the entire room was interested in my phenomenal game, and I felt that I was makin, an impression. And I was. We started a fift game, when the young man played it out with- out giving mea shot. We commenced another me and then I saw that I was not init, Col. {it Carson took sae by the arm and said: “My boy, you've been trying to play billiards with Charlie ‘Thayor, the champion billiardist of the west, and you wil> immediately proceed to order the champagne.’ And I paid for several quarts that night for my brother officers of the {th infantry. “It was a great country in those days, and every waya young man would turn he was liable to learn something. I learned a rent deal in a short space of time. Everybody seemod bent upon educating me. ‘The united efforts of the entire community resulted in success. When I came east, toward the close of the war, my eye teeth were cut.” es 1 young antagonist, and again won. Written for The Evening Star, ‘The Fifes at Brandywine. (Most Cordially Inscribed to the Daughters of the Revolation.) ‘The British and Continentals met On the banks of the Brandywine, And our Sifes’ firm rally inspires me yet, ‘The boldest and flercest mine; We ffers nine At the Brandywine. ‘The battle rages in dreams again, ‘The waters their music hush At the tides of blood that the greensward stain As they into the torrent rush, While we fife to our line At the Brandywine, ‘The redcoats charge on our patriot ranks, Our biuecoats hold their own; ‘The wrath of strife by the river's banks Turns the softest heart to stone, As we fife so fine At the Brandywine. ‘The dutlets fy Itke a summer storm ‘To the rattle and roar of fight, And quick into line our infantry form, ‘Their muskets a blaze of light, As our fifes combine At the Brandywine, Our chief with wounds in his saddle reels As he brings up our heavy guns, ‘The enemies’ cavalry mounts and wheels While the scarlet colamn runs, ‘To our fifes’ shrill whine At the Brandywine. At the close of day, when the shadows fall And the din of war is done, ‘The fifes that our heroes to quarters call Play a dirge for our brave ones gone, Fiftng “Auld Lang Syne” At the Brandywine. —Davip GRanaM ADRE. Yarrow Fafm, Laurel, Md., August 16, 1901. ————-ree—_ They Handle Their Watches With Care. From the St. Louts Globe-Democrat. One of the stories of the rapid riso and de- cline of the cow baron owes authorship to Col. Jim Britton. In the days when Texas had « railroad commissionership, with only orna- mental functions, Col. Britton was appointed to fill it. He discovered the lack of law to make the office in any way efficient and sent in his resignation, saying that he did not care to draw a salary for doing nothing There is not another instance of this kind of conscientions- ness in the latter years of pic-eating in Texas. But while he was commissioner Col. Britton went out to Abilene. ‘The time was the flush period of the cattlemen. Millionaires were thick. At one of the “Exchanges” of Abilene Col. Britton was a witness to a controversy be- tween tWo of the new millionaires. These cat- tle barons had just returned from their first trips to New York, where they had gore, t2 set rid of some of the cumbersome préiits and to have a royal time. “Jim,” said Jake, ‘that’s a pretty fine watch Toulve got there’ Yee," replied Jim; “ fellow fa NewYork. “I reckon § the ticker of a the fineg in continued Jake, drawing one from ‘ket, “here's a better one. on not,” said Jim. ‘What'd yours cost?” “Paid $925 for her,” said Jake. “What'd you give for yours?” “Cost me €350,” answered Jim, with a triam- phant grim. Jake was blue over the discovery that he didn't own the costliest wetch in Abliene, He stood holding the now despised chronometer in his hand and looking at it, Bracing up after « few moments ho said: “There ain't much difference between ‘em. But I'll bet I can throw mine further than you ean yours.” Everybody laughed and looked at Jim. ‘The latter was not to be bluffed. Quick ass fixah he replied ou one on that.” tch was drawn. It was agreed that the man who threw his watch furthest should have what was left of both watches. They threw, and the fellow who won led the way back into the exchange and set up the drinks, “A fow months afterward,” said Col. Britton, on the floor and get hurt.” One Effect of the Russet Shoe, From the New York Thnee. “These loose-fitting russet leather shoes that are now worn so generally in summer timo cause us lots of trouble,” said a shoe clerk ine big up-town store the other day. “You see, the er shi ‘so much summ ce are £0 mush more roomy than the : just g: ‘he crowd Line pty the rocky street. A | size, ATTRACTIVE HOMES. Getting Ready for the Fall and Win- ter Decorations, AN AIR OF NEWNESS. ‘This Can Be Secured by the Exercise of Ia- genuity and Without Great Expense—Some Practical Suggestions in This Direction Which May Be Utilized With Good Results. _——__—__ ‘Written for The Evening Star. ANY PEOPLE ARE PLANNING, AND. others already doing, the work that the eutumn ¢eason generally makes neces- sary in every house—that is, repairs end little alterations. Anew paper on one tvom, fresh curtains in another, a chair recovered in a third, are some of the things in almost every housekeeper's outlook at this time. Although still rather early for the new styles in such matters, One often has ideas best Suited to individual needs, regardless of par- ticular fnshions, so that waiting is not @ necessity, and time may be saved by having things done now. Almost every room in a house may have some little touch of newness which will make it moreigviting whon wintry weather confines people more closely indoors, and often it is the inexpensive addi- tions which add most to the attractiveness of home life. A GUEST Room. Some years ago I sawa guest room which was ‘Srranged with moro individual taste than was very generally displayed at that time and with excellent results. The house was one which was tarnished with white marble mantels throughout, and as they were obnoxious to the lady, who had not had the pleasure of building her ‘own house, ehe had tuken advantage of various devices’ to conceal or otherwise miti- te them. In theroom I speak of she had had & wide board laid over the shelf, covered with acretonne of olive and duli bine with very large design, but also very conventional and #0 aubdued. A twelve-inch valance hung from this, edged with wide white linen lace in'a bold, open pattern. Underneath the valance hn: curtains, the floor, creton which were run’ on wire, and so easily pulled back and forth. Or- dinarily these fell in full folds straight down, of but when a fire was lighted in thegrate beneath the mantel the curtains were slipped back a little and then looped with bands of the exme to hooks set on at the sideof thechimney. They were caught far enough back eo that there was no danger of their catching fire, and the ap- pearance was very pretty whether they were looped or hanging. The brass bed—much more of a novelty then than now—had a valence of the cretonne, and Hes an Took wet cdgsa site hoo tase Mee and foot, was th linen that on the mantel. TREATMENT OF THE WINDOWS. The windows were very high, as was the Foom itself, and to give the effect of less height a valance twenty-seven inches wide, of lace-edged cretonne,hung. straightacross the top in long plaite. Under this were iong muslin cur- tains embroidered in tambour work which had been brogght from Switzerland, for it was sev- oral years earlier than tamboured muslin had made its reappearance in our shops. The long Curtains were tied back with woven bands of white work, which were a novelty also. A wicker table, wicker chairsand footetools, in all of which peacock blue ribbons were ran, mace light and suitable furniture. while the carpet @ good of peacock blue in it likewise. Peacock blue, I remember, was the opular color for furnishings and decorations ast then, and every house with any pretensions to taste had it in at least one room. TRE Most UNIQUE THXG. The most unique thing in the room was the chiffonior, which, with the mirror above it, had been designed by an artist and made to order. The wood of the chiffonier was apple wood, very light, with scarcely any yellow ane to it; the shape and height were like a m@ium high, broad and deep bureau. Two small @ receptacles nearest the top; then came doors, filling the space to the floor. A little good carving was on each door, which when opened showed shelves that drew out, 60 that the contents were easily brought into view and as easily rearranged. Above this on the wall hung beveled glass mirror as large juare as the chiffonier was wide, and set in a wide open-work frame of brass. This was very handsome, and the brass work raile sht that and the chiffonier, with its brase- top,into harmony with the bed, and they jorent from anything I have ever seen here. A small dressing room opened out with's stationary‘waoh aiends 90 “the need ct ‘that piece of furniture was obviated in the bed Foom—a great advantage in the looks of a room gouerally. SEVERAL DEVICES EMPLOYED. AsTssid before, several devices had been brought into use for the concealing of the white marble mantels, which the generosity of the builder had put into every room, so there was no escaping them—one could only deal with them. In one room, where an open fire was never used, a book case was made, low enough to fit in below the mantel shelf, and at ench side mantel was covered with a painted panel on black ground, which was a favorite background then for flower pieces. One of the first over- mantels I ever saw surmounted this rather complicated arrangement of ebonized wood like the book shelves, and on its irregular shelves were many beautiful ornaments and ob- jects of ifiterest y geo) in travels abroad, one thing I admired especially being two small groups of pillars, fac-similes of the columns of the Roman forum, in yellow marble. with black imarble bases.” 1 ave wondered why more people do not bring such from Rome. MOTHER-OF-PEARL NOW POPULAR. After some years of disfavor mother-of-pearl seems likely to be popular gain in a way. Now, with the numerous little objects in silver which have been the rage so long one may see many pearl articles so pretty in design that the material is made very attractive. Especially is this true of writ accessories; letter ners of scimiter shape, looking as if the pearl were naturally of that curve, for no chasing is seen on these newer designs, book marks, miniature trowels in form, with ‘silver mountings, and other equally novel and pretty articles. Mothor- of-pearl is so attractive to look at and pleasant to handle that one wonders at its riodical disuse, when nothing is more out n, and probably upon its revival it will be quite rival to silver, which #0 and with such vigor. 4 PRETTY PHOTOGRAPH FRAME. A pretty photograph frame has lately been designed which might be easily copied or adapted by other hands. A wooden frame was made at the picture framer’s,the inner opening large enough to show the photograph well, which in this case was rather ‘WHEELING IN ENGLAND, ‘What o Washington Bicydlist Saw on the Way Frem London to the Continent. LONDON THEATERS OF TODAT—a VISIT TO ASTRAND ESTAURANT—FROM LOXDON TO PORTSMOUTH ‘Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. St. Maro, Faaxce, August 1, AMERICAN, WHEN HE ‘broad, is prone to brag of his own cou try, ite superiorities and the advantages there, and it is seldom he sees elsewhere anything that cannot be equaled by something in his Americans have acquired such a reputation with Englishmen that every story that is re- garded as of abnormal proportions is dubbed “an American tale.” Yet we are appreciated. The fanny things our humorists give to the World are treasured up and, in spite of the Englishman's proverbial want of acumen, are laughed over as heartily in England as in our own country. In a recent num- ber of & popular English weekly we noticed = column of scraps of witticisms, scarcely one of which but was credited to some well-known American journal or ieal. Onur biack-face instrelay introduced by toe old Christy's minstrels of years ago “‘afoh de wah,” survives in the troupes of fantastically arrayed Britishers, who with abroad English accent and bixckened faces sing plantation melodies and topical songs in the back streets of London to the accompaniment of banjos and bones and tambourines. LOXDON THEATERS. When you goto the London theaters you no- tice that everybody in what we would term the orchestra and the balcony or dress circle is in full dress:and that it is only in the pit, the seats under the balcony or dress circle and in tho gallery that ladies are privileged to = their ——. 4 Bae dies are privilege in respect the men are vaually so, and the lords of creation may wear their hexd covering or remove it, as they please. Exclamations of “Bravo! bravo!” are seldom or never heard from an American audience, but it is a common form of applause in the English theaters. There is usually a chi 2 pence for a copy of the prog ‘our seat bya pink-cheoke: in a well-fitted black dress, wit! apron and just the cutest @ cap resting among . fee system in the London theaters received a death stab when Henry Irving, upon his return from his American tour a few his foot down on it as it ¢ Theater. We noticed that a number of other theaters, among them the Guiety, the Opera Comique and Terry's. are following suit, fur- nishing the programs free and by printed no- tices in the programs and by placards on the Malls informing their patrons that there are “no fees.” mand probably yon will be hoon young, girl clad a dainty white IN A STRAND RESTAURANT. Let us look into a Strand restaurant fore moment. After studying the bill of fare bul- letined outside we venture in. The establish- ment, with frescoed walls, pillars, mirrors, &c., and so on, make considerable pretensions to elegance. Selecting a table in a retired por- tion of the room, we await the approach of an oily waiter, who seems to have noticed our en- trance. With our initial orders Charlie 5—— orders @ cup of chocolate. “And say, let it come right lease,” he says. Charlie dislikes any lying. ‘The soup comes, but not the chocolate. ‘How abont that chocolate?” queries Charlie. “Chocolat Ye sir,” and he majestically beckons to oil boy, bearing « towel on his arm, loitering in the rear of the apartment. Ah! This is the key to the situation. It is not Oily’s function to serve liquid refreshments. “A cup of choco- so age ng Firgction to the | reminiscence of one of the Cole family. West- | Drought and the minutes slip by. “How | moreland was the first home of the Coles on about that chocolate? Has” that boy | this continent. The first mention of West- fallen in somewhere?” Charlie is grow-|moreland county is an act of the grand as Inked "Yeo dat Contings ele tnd the Loe'gne | oY Of Virwinia held in July, 1653, by which heaves in bight throngs swinging dos, The | “It is ordered that the bounds of the county chocolate is delive ‘our pence, please.” | of Westmoreland be as followette (vizt) from You are assessed for your liquid refreshments | Machoactoke river where Mr. Cole lives: And You ai expected to subsidize Charlie didn’t. “I wonder if we It was George Aa— napkin, please.” “Ser- Serviette! Oh, yes! but this was” an separately. the boy, but are to have napkins.” who wondered.“ viette, sir? Yes, sir.” French for napkin; English don, and we could not be expected to know ‘servidtte” went for a napkin there. As in all the affairs of men, so with meals there comes a time of reckoning, mental arithmetic to task ascer- taining our indebtedness. His result is four pence greater than ours. “Where does that extra four pence come iny we make bold to ask. ‘‘Serviette, sir, a penny each,” is the answer. Leaving a penny or two all around for Oily’s personal benefit, with the hilanthropic hope that it will enable him to fave nis shirt renovated—for, thanks to the Prevalent custom, he receives no wages for his servioes, only his board, perhaps—we speedily mingle with the throng for the rect eet It bs remembered that we have rendered no com- pensation for the table cloth. WHEELING FROM LOXDON TO PORTSMOUTH. The ride by wheel from London te Ports- mouth, England's great naval station, was not especially inspiring. We crossed what we be- The. are called “the “Sout Downs, though strictly a tney have ups as well. most vivid recollections are of hills and dust, = ie re er ee e histo: of ex] ition, yt odak, and for five Jong miles perepired nd said words which could here be repre- sented only by heavy dashes were we to repeat wi he journeyed back to repair his ‘Where we now rode the silent steel horse a half century go stage couches, as many as twenty-five a Gay, lumbered, to "and ftp between ‘the metropolis and the channel, and where the coach passenger was once the prey of the inns along the route, we now see “The Good Intent.” “The Jovial Sailor” and “The Joliy Drover’ i all the rest striving to catch the cyclist’s eve with “Accommodations for Cyclists,” “Refreshments for Cyclists,” Cyclists’ Headquarters,” Cycliste’ Rest" or “Ginger Beer,” the pet beverage of the English wheelman, ‘all displayed in con- spicuous places where he who rides may read. TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT. From Portsmouth’s suburb, Southsea, we de- termined to pay a flying visit to the Isle of Wight by crossing by steamer to Ryde. The English railway or steamer ticket agent sells not one-way tickets or round-trip tickets, but “single” or “double” tickets. There barking and landing passengers, in the coast- wise trafic of Great Britain includes, in some instances, the exacting of « pier toll of « penny or twe from each P to on the pier to embark, the steamer éarties hin to his destination or, rather, dumps him on an- other pier and leaves him to pay to get ashore. And we cyelity ate. sbliged' 0 pay ‘pie we ¢! are tolls for our wheels as well. It seems dificult for the Englishman and his continental neighbors to combine several items into one charge. The ticket agents, both Southeea and at Bindly advised us, when we undertook ts 00% ba ty Sey cy ee gat ‘trees form @ complete arch, ite little delle, linea with wild ——, and mentors ia faiber slow ooh ot i E i i AI i fr s F } i ik ij the | tablishment in the city of Lon- ‘and Oily applies his the of tongue rusted abd silent. "No'more it tells the Village of bedtime. No more it rings of war or wedding. Instead of men-at-arms, knights &nd ladies, it now looks down upon the who, laden with lunch. basket mn shade, climbs the path to the | the paved incline to the in- ner gate, and Stone steps innumerable to the battlements overlooking the sea about it no more the implements of war—only the green tur! and the wild flowers which grow rankly where in the good old dare they duret not intrude. Truly time has wrought great changes, sighs the curfew Dell of Sloat Orgneil. MISTAKEN FOR DEVONSHIRENEN. We distinguish nationalities by their epeech, by what they wear, or by their habits, perhaps, but to be mistaken for Englishtnen because we asked for bread and milk at a St. Helier's hotel Was more than we expected. It was the land- Indy herself and she received us with open arme at the mention of bread andimifk. “You're from Devonshire, know. Let's shake ‘ands on it. That's my own native ‘shire.” Then she whisked off and on the strength of our supposed nativity brought in and introduced two young Englieh Indies, while we stood around and biushed all the shades of red. At length we | managed to explain that we were not Deron- shiremen, nor, indeed shiremen, but Americans, and our hostess charged us a shal- ling apiece for our bread and milk. She said it was very aling aud just the thing for ays- lists, as che termed our genus. Portanately it didn't matter to the young Englinh tadies whether we were Fnglishmen or | not. They were possessed of American spirits i were Ont on» two-weeks’ tour by wheel, | safety bicycles, alone and unattended: and as we all were bound for the same French port, jand cepecially as they were members of the | Cyolists’ Touring Club, of which we are also | members, we felt it our duty to take charge of them, in whieh arrangement they gracefully acquiesced. And ¢o, band in band, we de- scended upon France. EES — AMONG MUSTY RECORDS. Curious Will and “Epitaph of Famous Dick ‘Cole. Correspondence of The Evening Star. Cotostat Bracn, Wasrwoneiaxp Covxtt, Va., Angust 19, 1891. “Old King Cole was a merry old soul. A merry old soul was he. [SDE®D. IT SEEMS THAT ALL THE COLE family were a jolly set, and for that matter now are, when we come to think of those we | know. One of the pleasant jaunts from this interesting and popular summer resort is by | steamer down the broad Potomac to Nominy river; a few hours’ trip, cool and refreshing | on @ hot day as we could wish. From | the placid waters, picturesque and classic shores of Nominy to Montrose, the county seat of Westmoreland is a short drive over a smooth road. Here among the moth-eaten and | musty records of the county, among the oldest in the commonwealth, through the courtesy of the venerable clerk we were permitted to see a | 80 vpwards to the ffalls of the great river Paw- tomake above the Necostins towne.”—ist Hen- county, but bard to decipher owing to the yuaint old English stylein which it was written, shows that he’ possessed the : but religious with all. Extracts will are not unin’ showing the manner and customs earlier colonists, and that this testator was @ true representative of the “old King Cole” family, humorous and fond of good living. After the usual commencement his ceeds. “I give and bequenthe, or rather render up my soule unto ye most merciful and gracious God who hath created it and my body to ye garth to be christianly buried ‘as folls, opeing in and, through ye meritorious death “of his dare son and or most blessed savior both body and soule at ye inst trumpe will meet againe and be reunited and etcrnally glorified.” Then after bequeathing all his large landed estates and personal effects to his “well be- loved wife,” among which he enumerates “all my servants, Negroes and English of which the family, from this Our | shall be possessed with atye time of my death,” he proceeds as follows: —— It is my _ a I may be in uppon_ Poynt uppon m: lantacon where I now live in a neate coffin of lack walnutt if conveniently to be had and ytagrave stone of Black Marble be with all convenient speed sent for out of England with my coate armour engraven in brasse and under it this epitaph: CURIOUS EPITAPH. “Here lies Dick Cole a grievous sinner, ‘That died a little before dinner, ‘Yet hopes in heaven to find a place, ‘To satiate bis soul with grace. grave to and rails of locust and white oak boards of a double substanceand undr ym Locust ground sills.” He further provides that if his wife sells the lands that the vendee il ROUSE PECORATIONS. Some Interesting Information About Colores end Curtains, From the Upholsterer It was a great month-last month—for the decorative traders of America. The importers showed all their new fabrics from the European and American workshops and the immense variety was eomething bewildering to the eye of the average man,who, ins vague way, eapposes ‘that there are two Kinds of ince curtains— Nottingham for the poor and Brussels for the ich. Maslin covers and bed rets are being brought ‘out embroidered in white, red and blue eord- like figures. These sete include enrtains, ‘epreads, pillow shams, bed Iambreqaing, bureaa tidies and mats. A novel thing introduced recently in lace curtains is Brossele of an amber hue, the broidering being done in meh brown «ilk. This i ily difierent from the ordinary Brus sels with white net and white embros 4 CuRVER SOnEME. For yearsand years we have been hanging our curtains over poles fixed at the top of a window on brackets. Aciever scheme now ie to put the pole about a foot below the top of the window and fill in the corners above with brasework. WALI-PAPER rurere. We saw the other day an exceedingly good thing in wall-paper frieze. The design showed © shelf effect with a little colonial rating about it, relieved here and there oF placque pattern on the shelf. This came in an ee inch wide frieze and in # variety of colorings, so that it could be applied to almost any wall pa Nothing i esses unsightly than the gaping recess beneath a bed. In some houses they drape the bed clothes down to the floor, but this is not always practical. A clever arrange- ment can be accomplished by looping along Upon a curtain rod, benewth the bed, any light fabric like a cotton pongee. COLOMS THAT GO WELL TooETHER. There is nothing that is so confusing as the selection of colors for » room. We havea room with red revaling color and we are urzled to know what are the combining in- juences. There is no scheme devised as yet to definitely dictate color combinations, #0 the nearest thing we can do ix to thet amber, cream and blue or silver, lavender and emerald are happy harmonies, and if you are quick enough to see in your mind's eye the ex- look well we will act shading that would go ahead , blue » olive green; brick red, indigo and sea green; leaf green, puce (deep) and rose gray; terra cotta, maroon and sage green: ma- roon, bronze yellow and olive green (dark); bluish violet and red-ochre; leaf-green, violet jmon; apricot, crimson and gold- brown; red (normal), gold and biue (normal); lavender, turquoise and blue (deep). CONVENIENT WINDOW SHADES. Every woman, when she wishes to haracteristics of | the ae the cardboardend one-eighth 0” an inch thick,run- ning the full fangs tack one end of ene’ piece of tape ; one ei ‘one te the extreme left of the wooden roller and carry lown on @ slight angie fasten to the top of the shade; to this thin, firm top bar ata point about five inches from the left hand just the other bye tack at the extreme right hand of roller and carry it to the shade bar below, pestiane So ms i The shade th the roller. i f | uu i al | | ! i if ey Et H fa ik & li tt 4 i i H li i H if ij HS ; it 1 i if i ij f fi if Hl an ‘I fH iets