Evening Star Newspaper, November 21, 1891, Page 12

12 “fire EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D. ¢. SATURDAY NO MORNING AT THE Z00. How Breakfast is Served to Keeper Blackburn’s Pets. MONKEYS AND THEIR WAYS Seenes in the Avimal House at Feeding ‘Time—The African Lion and His Beefsteak— ‘The Boa Constrictor’s Long Time Between ‘Meals— Elephants and Buffaloes. rT WAS BREAKFAST TIME AT THE ZOO ‘The animals were pacing restlessly up and down the narrow confines of their cages, halt- ing every now and then as the step of some one approaching fell upon their quick, sensitive ears. The halt was only momentary, however. ‘The visitor was not the one they were expecting and they took up the regular pace again, #0 regular, in fect, that it seemed as if they were Propelled by some hidden mechanism. Atlength the keeper, Mr. W. H. Blackburn, made his ap- pearance, followed by two attendants carrying aw meat, bread and other edibles. The bean- tifnl macaws near the door were the first to spy him and they gave notice to the other oc- cupants of the main building that breakfast was ready by a» series of loud, harsh cries. ‘The glad tidings spreid like light- ning and soon there was a grand chorus, every animal joining in, from the high treble of the spider monkey to the deep bass of the African lion. It was indeed a royal con and an expressive oue, for even Keeper Bls barn, who has devoted much time to the study of the Jan; of animals, declared ae he passed along the aisle, “The boys say they are very hungry this morning.” lost of the animals are fed twice a day— breakfast at 7 and dinner at 4 77 BEEPER vi fhe macaws, with their brilliant pluaage. were the first to be served. Some warm bread soaked in milk and about half a pint of boiled corn made up their Dill of fare. They seemed to relish yg, however, for scarcely bad the table been set Before they pitched in, hanging from the top of the cage by their feet and eating in this position. And then came the monkeys. There's a perfect colony of these interesting little cren- tures, and as the keeper passed to their cage there appeared a dozen or more tiny hands ished out as far as the arms would allow. Kaa such a chattering! Every one seemed to have something to say, and, as the keeper remarked: “They remind me of so many old maids talking about each other.” Bananas, bread. apples and a little chewing tobacco was what the monkeys had for break- fast. And it suited them entirely, especially the chewing tobacco, which they ate wit apparent relish. Each one would grab as_ much as both bands and mouth could hold and then = A SICK PET. seamper away into some remote corner and de- your it. Then came the fun, for the first one to finish would pester the others and steal the food whenever an opportunity presented itself. ‘The smaller ones suffered the for the stronger ones would steal everything in sight d then poke their fingers in ‘the mouths of the vietims and haul out anything that might be there. It was pure “cussedness” on their Part, for there was an abundance of food for While there area number of mouker em- bracing several different species the majority belong to that claas with. 2 prehensile teil oc ag it has more appropriately been dominated, © fifth hand. This tail is 2 wonderful adjunct and the power it possesses is marvelous. For several inches from its extremity it strongly resembles the inside of a man's finger, en- tirely denuded of hair, and jointed at each half inch or thereabout. With this prebensile tail the monkey is capable of supporting its own weight, and cases are reported where tray- elers bave seen half a hundred of them joined by their tails extending over a creek or river, forming a perfect bridge for the others to cross. One gets an excellent idea of the use of this tail at the zoo and the pranks played with it are Indicrous. As the reporter was watching the antics of the monkeys one daring fellow backed up before him, and, reaching out his tail, seized the flower from the scribe’s Duttonhole and scampered away to the top of the cage with the rest of them at his heels. ‘Next to the monkeys’ cage is the temporary abode of a lynx, or, more commonly, a wild eat. The animal, which is about the size of a has a sweet face and a very pretty coat of fur. But appearances are deceitful, for that Sweet face possesses a full set of sharp teeth end that beautiful fur hides a vicious disposi- tion. She looks like a big, good-natured pussy eat BEFORE A cacr. A whole family of American badgers are the Bearest neighbors to the Ivnx. and curious lit. te fellows they are, with sharp black eves and flat bodies. They are the carly risers of the “200” snd wake the other animals up as soon ae the sun makes his appearance. They were contented with a bit of meat and some F came a cage occupied by five “agouti,” whose color and shape make them strongly re- semble an abbreviated edition of a kangaroo. are shek looking chaps and as clean and as is possible. ‘They have a dangerous Relgubor, for next door to them in French.” the African lion. imal 200 basa personal grudge against “French,” for he is the keeper's pet, and to use the latte own ex} is as gentle asalamb. Poor feliow, he is unused to freedom and was born « slave.’ The only jungle he ever saw was some pine trees in West Virginia, where he was raised by 4 lady who’ procured him from & circus He was born in while the circus was on one occupied by the “crested poren- pines” with their ‘murderous-looking ‘quills, which some say they shoot at their enemice. A short distance away from these ungainly looking creatures you will notice « pair of “kinkajous,” with long fat bodies like those of weasels and heads like those of rats. They are quite docile and affectionate and delight to nestle in Keeper Blackburn's arms. ‘A curious animal is the coati mungi, and the z00 possesses two varieties of this peculiar uadruped Then comes the much-talked-of Gila monster, secured in acage with a dozen or more fat’ froggies, which it is sup to devour. Much has been said and written of this poisonous beast. It bas a scaly black coat and yellow lines, and looks like a big lizard. It seems to intimidate the frogs, for they were all huddled | together in one corner of the cage. Apparently the monster's sppet is bad, for ap. to. dato. the for have not suffered, and they have been there ‘THE POUCUPINES. these two weeks. Ina little wooden box with a fine wire screen over it there is a deadly taran- . the largest and most poisonous of the spider tribe. It is a curious little fellow, and ata glance you would mistake it for « bat although upon closer examination you woul discover its murderons-looking face and its long slender legs. It has recently commenced to weave a web and has about half completed the job. ‘The keeper says it never stirs during the day, but at night is quite livel ‘A couple of big, fat, lazy boa constrictors sleep away mogt of the time in a box near the stove. Kecenfly one of these big fellows got | bungry and a fine large rabbit was served to | kim alive. Poot bunny gave one hop and the; | Laven't seen lum. since. The boa constrictor’ appetite ix azsuaged, however, for be has gone to sleep again antil bunny has a chance to d gest. One of the peculiarties of this snake 1s that it will not eat anything unless it catches it ative ‘The latest arrival ie a genuine North Amert- can otter, and his fine coat of fur is the envy of every’ lady who visite the zoo there ¢ ia . After the animals had been fed the doors were opened and the taxpayers and visitors given a chance to see what kind of azoo Wash- ington was building up. Among the earliest arrivals was an aged col- ored “uncle” in town from a remote corner of Ole Virginny. He stood surveying the mon- keys for a long time and then finally said to IN THE ELEPHANT HOUSE. the Keeper: “Ig all dem monkeys?" “Yes, sii but dey is like folks. Look yonder “Glor; at day brack one. ‘Pears to me he’s got sense, ‘ou and me he's de and “deed, "eter Brown.” rikin’ image ob Uncle ‘Yonder’s my fren’s,” called out the old man after he had heard all about the lion and the Gila monster. ‘The reporter looked and saw the old man before the ‘possum cage. “Yas, indeed. I knows all "bout dese hyar boys, but dey’s in bad company. Truf is, sir, T'se more giad to look dese ‘possums in de face dan all de odder beastes inde show. Dese hyar odder fellows don't b’long in dis country, but all Mr. ‘Possum was bornand raised in 'Merika. Many has been de night Ise hunted him, an’ when Franksgiven comes round dere am one at home gittin’ fat fer dinner dat day.” But all of the animals of the zoo are not con- fined in the main bu‘iding by any means. Out- side are foxes, peccaries, coyotes, prairie dogs, deer, buffaloes, bears, elephants and elk. ‘The buffaloes, and there are seven in the herd, including the baby, which was born at | the Smithsonian last year, occupy a large yard adjoining the elk, which latter were presented by “Buffalo Bill.” Every one is familiar with the elephants, Gold Dust and Dunk. ‘They are nicely located in a large building near the buffaloes and hold receptions with the little folks every day, Dur- ing the warm weather they were taken to a deep place in the creek and allowed to bathe, but ‘since the cool weather this has been abandoned. Doas, reads a sign at the head of » narrow path. A | short distance from the main road you come | to the village of this diminutive, wild western | animal. The village consists of a good piece of land, walled up all around and below the sur- | face to a considerable extent to prevent these | little diggers from leaving the inclosure. There are a number of small mounds all over the ground, with holes in the middle. These are the entrances to the prairie dog’shome. A peculiar whistle from the keeper brought a dozen curious little fellows to the surface, and they seated themselves upon their haunches at the entrance and ran in at the clap of the hands as though shot. Way down the valley far away from the other animals lives the arctic fox. Generally he makes himself scarce, but on this morning he was enjoying a nap upon the ice which had formed upon his bath tu ~TYY The most interesting of the outdoor animals are the bears. They are nicely loceted at the 16th street entrance to the park and have real dens in the side of the hill. The col- lection embraces varieties, fiicluding the , grizzly, black, and the ant eater fs taken to the spot and put down. It is the work of a moment for the ani- mal to ahoot outalong, fine, needle-like tongue, which he runs into the ant hole, and hauls it out with hundreds of tho insects sticking to it. A short time ago, one sunny afternoon, Blackburn thought that the ant eater would on- Joy abath. Accordingly he took him to the greek.and put him gently down onthe bank. Ina iach the ant eater jumped overboard and ‘wam down tho creek. There was nothing to ‘THE ANT RATER. do but to follow him. and the keeper had to go in swimming after him. It was a long chase, but the truant was finally captured, and now he takes his baths in a cage. pa > WHY THEY DO NOT MARRY. One Young Woman Who Thinks Tobacco is Responsible for It. A pretty young woman, with a ruddy bloom Produced by the crisp November air on her cheeks and an carnestessin her manner that showed she meant just what she wrote, left the following at Tux Star office: “Several papers inquire in alarm,’ How is it that there are so many nice young girls in our cities unmarried and likely to remain so?” Our answer is comprised in one word—tobacco. In old times, when you could approach a young man within whispering distance without being nauseated by his breath, he used—when his day's work was over—to spend his evenings with some food girl, or girls, either around the family hearth, or in pleasant walks, or at some innocent place of amusement. The young man of the present day takes his cigar and puffs away his vitality till he is as stupid as an oys- and then goes to some saloon to quench the thirst created by smoking, and sheds croco- dile tears every time his stockings are out at the toes that girls nowadays are so extravagant that a fellow can’t afford to get married. Nine young men out of ten deliberately give up re spectablo female society to indulge the solitary, enervating habit of smoking until heir broken: down constitutions clamor for careful nursing! then they coolly ask some nice girl to exchange her health, strength, beauty and unimpaired intellect for their sallow face, tainted blood and breath and irritable temper and mental imbecility. Women may well bate smoking and smokers. We have known the most gentle and refined men to grow harsh in temper and uncleanly in their sonal habits under the thralidom of a tyranny which they had not love nor respect enough for women to break through.” Hyattsville’s Wicked Neighbors. ‘To the Editor of The Evening Star: Hyarrsvittz, Mp., Nov. 20, 1891. Doubtless your readers will be glad to know more about the condition which has so aroused the better class of citizens im the Bladensburg district, and caused so vigorous a demand for the maintenance of the law. ‘The center of in- terest is the little village of Bladensburg, once & prosperous place, possessed of commerce and wealth, but now an almost forgotten relic of the past With its commerce reduced to the floating of cracker crumbs down the humay throat upon tiny streams of beer and whisky. The bibulous wants of the citizens of this little hamlet are supplied by no less than fire saloons. Two are located south of the river on the road to Washington, while three are centers of attraction upon the village street. There seems to be some subtle charm about five mile distance from the Capitol. In the olden time men were wont to go to Bladens- burg to settle little affairs of honor, and it be- came a celebrated dueling ground. ‘Now, men without any honor in particular go there to get drunk, especially on, Sunday, and there is Tather more than a suspicion that a more de- grading vice is fairly well established. The most of this business is done on Sunday, and this it is that has aroused the opposition. It is bad enongh to have the work of the saloon in contemplation six days in the week without having a double dose on the Sabbath. The thirsty people of Bladensburg, whose wants cannot be relieved by the spa spring, are not very pumerous, and it would worl them pretty ha¥d to support one saloon, or at most two, and it cannot be doubted that this man-destroying industry is mainly supported by the Sunday patronage of people from the city. ‘The movement that has been atarted is not temperance movement, although the temperance people are’ in it; it is not @ religious movement, although religious people are in ‘it; it is the united effort of all those who hate vice and iniguity to stay the ravages of a moral plague that threatens the destruction of all that is most precious in society. ‘The same Maryland law that licenses man's destruction of his fellows and the general propagation of brutality during six days in the week denies the exercise of this priviloge on the Sabbath, and here the people have taten their stand and have determined to enforce the law. Written for The Evening Star. ‘Washington: ‘THE CITY OF FLOWERS. 1 Beautiful City!—of “Magnificent Distances” thou no more shalt titled be, ‘Though grand are thy long avenues, all agree, Scanned from the top of thy tall monument; Nor “City of Parks,” though hundreds thine, be- sprent ‘With many a native, many an alien tree; Nor yet of “Statues”—raised in memory Of admirals and soldiers eminent. No; thou, that ‘tween the orange and the pine, Breathest a temperate air nigh all the year, Whose chilliest winters have mild, May-like hours; Favored of Flora, fitter name be thine ‘Whose people hold her lovely darlings dear — Let Washington becalled the City of Flowerst 1 ‘Thy lawny squares’ and circles’ ample room, Thon, rich in gardeners of learned taste and skill, And forethought of wise Verulam,’ dost tll ‘With beauty of shrub, gay leaf, and varied bloom, From whence the hardy crocuses assume ‘Their golden, white, or purple robes, untih ‘The favorites of Japan ft is thy will ‘With color and scent shall cheer November's gloom. Besides, the vicinage of thy winding creek, ‘Thy storied rivers, hills, vales, meads, woods, all Fair Flora’s hand munificently dowers;t And rathe arbutus and late aster speak, Red-bud and laurel, and tree of tulips tall: Let Washington be called the City of Flowers! Thee Bacon's Essay on Gardens. viceny 's Guide to the Fiora of Washington and November 17, '91. —W. L. Stoemaken. eta Ss Saat ‘To Celebrate the Marseiliaise. Paris Dispatch to the London Daily Telecraph. Another effort is being made by the inhab- itants of Choisy-le-Roi, outside Paris, to ob- serve with much solemnity and ceremonial what is vaguely called the “Centenary of the Marseil- laise.” ‘Choisy-le-Roi claims to possess the dust of Rouget de I'lsle, the composer of the hymn, who was buried there in 1836, his birth- being Lons-le-Saunier, in the depart ment of the Jura. On this account the mem- ders of the borough council consider that they have the right to take the initiative in organ- izing a right republican festival this year, as the iliaise, under the title of “Chant de Guerre de I’ Armeo du Rhin,” was first heard in 1792. President Carnot is to be asked to be- come honorary president of the committee of the fete, and appeals for funds will be. made to all the cities, and also to communes which pos- sess more than 4,000 inhabitants. No date as yet has been fixed for the celebration of the centenary, to which it is P umed that every patriotic Frenchman will give his sentimental ‘and pecyni- and sympathetic, if not practical ary, support, She Preferred = Burglar, Theodore Hallam once defended » burglar, saya the San Francisco Siar. The burglar's wife was on the witness stand and the prose- euting attorney was conducting = vigorous cross-examination. “Madam, you are the wife of this man?” “Yea.” “You knew he was a burglar when you mar- ——— “Yeu.” “How did you come to contract@ matrimo- alliance with such aman?” “Well,” the witness sarcastically, said, , “Twas ‘old and had tc choose between » law- | Then lator the mayors of THANKSGIVING DAY. Thousands of Turkeys Will Be Eaten Here Next Thursday. THE NATIONAL BIRD. Ite Origin and Ite Value to the Table—When the Thankegiving Custom Was First Insti- tuted—A National Institution Only Since 1862—Poor Fellows Who Have No Home. Written for The Evening Star. UST THINK OF THE TURKEYS THAT will be eaten next Thursday! For some reason or other the turkey and Thanksgiving day go together. There will be ducks and geese and roast beef and chicken consumed on the 26th, but they will be the exceptions hit prove the rule that everybody should feast off of turkey. The mind's eye can sce them, all brown and bursting with juice, stuffed them- selves and soon to be the cause of at least 76,000 people in the city of Washington stuffing themselves. Just think of 50,000 drumsticks sticking up in the air on 15,000 different tables about 6 o'clock next Thureday. Just think of 50,000 children wrestling with the 50,000 drumsticks, being assured by 30,000 parents or guardians that they are eating the “best part of the turkey,” and just think of the 50,000 youth- ful reflections: “Why on earth are we so highly favored all of a sudden?” The drumstick, a many epicures think, is the best part of the turkey in reality, but when the parent or guar- dian Joves drumstick you may be sure the chil- dren don't get it. The self- of the master of the house in giving the children “the best part of the turkey” would be very commend: able if it were not that he really prefers some other part bimeelf. WHERE THE TURKEY ORIGINATED. Now, the institution ofa national Thanksgiving is not old, but the turkey is as old as America herself, but no older. Never did the epicures of Europe taste a turkey, or know that such a bird existed, until after ‘the glorious state of ginia had been discovered. All those graind feasts of ancient Rome were really barren events, for they had no turkey. ‘They had pea- cocks and fine fish and game, but they had never heard of a turkey, and when Alexandria— not Alexandria, Virginia, but Alexandria, Egypt—wae in the height of her splendor and the feasting was carried on to @ great extent there-was@he same trouble. Then after Rome had fallen and those jolly monks had such fine cooks and ate such fine dinners in the mon- asterics—really, one cannot but pity them. Few people will be as unfortunate on Thurs- day, 1891, as they were until about the year 1691, for it was then that the turkey was first introduced te the European world. Christopher Columbus, as the people of Chi- cago now stoutly declare, discovered America in 1492, but he was down’ in the more tropical partsandhe never got anywhere near Wash- ington, although he did get nearer to Washing- ton than to Chicago. But nearly one hundred years after Columbus had come there arrived @ number of hardy adventurers down on the Atlantic coast. It was the year 1584 and they dropped anchor off Axacan.” Here is a fine de- scription of the scene that met their eyes: FIRST MENTION OF THE BIRD. “The voyagers were amazed at the beanty of the country. The time was midsummer and before them was a long island fringed with ver- dure. Above the undergrowth rose ‘the high- est and reddest cedars of the world;’ the wild vines were so full of grape bunches that ‘the very surf overflowed them,’ and deer, turkeys d snow-white cranes were ‘in indescribable abundance.’ * * * The name of the imme- diate region was Wingandacoa, which seems to have signified ‘The Good Land,’ and the En- glishmen found it ‘most beautiful, sweet, whole- some and fruitful of all other.’ At last the western paradise so long dreamed of seemed to have been discovered, and when the ships went back to England at the approach of winter the commanders gave such glowing accounts of what they had seen that Elizabeth called the country Virginia, the virgin land.” Yes, turkeys for the first time were seen in what is now North Carolina, but what was for many years apart of the Old Dominion. But they were not carried over to Europe until a century later. There they were hailed with delight and to this day are considered as “the most beautiful present made by the new world to the old.” In the face of these facts it is strange that Dr. Samuel Johnson in his diction- ary should define the turkey as ‘a large do- mestick fowl supposed to be brought from Turkey!” There must have been some strange mistake surrounding the bird in the beginning and it got confounded with some inferior ori- ental fowl. ‘The name is all that remains of this error; the American origin of the turkey has been admitted for many years. ‘Therefore it is that we in Wachington can boldly declare that the essential feature of American Thanksgiving, the great and glorious turkey—“s fine bird, handsome, golden, done toaturn and scenting the room enough to tempt a saint,” as the great French epicure, Brillat-Savarin, describes it—theretore, Wash- ingtonians can congratulate themselves because the turkey was discovered in this part of the worl THE PURITAN CUSTOMS. But the Thankegiving day in America was started in New England. It is a Puritan cus- tom, it is true, but the first Thanksgiving day was celebrated by men of the Church of Eng- land. Can the readersof Tur Star carry them- selves in imagination up to the frigid Innd of Maine in winter and throw the hands of time back to the year 1607? Can they imagine a poor chaplain newly arrived from England “gyving God thanks for our happy metinge and saffe aryvall into the country?" ‘The place was Monhegan, near Kennebec, and the chap- Jain was one Seymour, and’ this was the first Thanksgiving day that there is any record of. Afterward the day became quite a regular annual observance, butit was celebrated at different times, in different places. It included a tremendously long. ser- mon listened to im a church that was unheated; then a walk back to the house; then eating, eating. Who/can wonder at the New England appetite in those days after the long hours in the frosty church? Let us see what they used to eat. They had, as an important feature of the feast, a huge chicken pie and as a little relish a few roast chickens be- sides; there were enormous roasts of beef, and, of course, turkeys; they had a number of smaller dishes that are too numerous to be mentioned; then, as a desert, although everything was on the table at the same time, there were pumpkin pies, mince pies and apple pies, to say nothing of puddings, and nuts. If they had cider that was all they drank besides water. imagination of the poor weak American of the present day stands aghast at tie contemplation of one of these old-time New England feasts. Dyspepsia, gastritis, to say nothing ofexcruciat- ing cramps, wouldgurely be the lot of the man who played such internal gymnastics with him- self nowadays. ‘THE DAY IN 1661. There is a record of an early Puritan thanks- giving in Plymouth colony in 1661, when the governor “sent four men on fowling, that so we might, after a special manner, rejoice to- gether.” What they got is not recorded, but ame was plentiful in those days and New Eng- nd Puritans were good shots. This thanks- giving was for three days and beside what the “four men on fowling” brought back there was a contribution from King Massasoit of “five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor and upon the cap- tain (Myles Standish) and others.” Massasoit and ninety friendly Indians participated in the feastin, New York has claimed the honor of inaug- urating the custom of holding thanksgiving i the fail of the year. After the revolution John Jay, then governor of the state. in 1794, ap- i. November ll asa day for thanksgiv- ing. The day was celebrated, but Get. tay. with the church. w York city used to issue thanksgiving proclamations every year, and still later, after this century had be- gun, Gov. Clinton appointed each year some day’ late in the like Jay, got into trouble in the beginning, for he selected a day that clashed with the day that for a long time had been observed for thanksgiving on Long Island. It may be that the collision which oc- curred in New York was the cause of the ap- ointment of the national ving day. A NATIONAL INSTITUTION IN 1862. was accused of ever d ie) proclamation— VEMBER 21, -1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. very long since Thanksgivi: was a de Cidedly unimportant evext south ot Pennay?- vania. mation came from Wi 1789 and set the very same day that will beob- served this year, viz, Thursday, November 26. We havea great deal to be thankful for now, ‘His benefits, and, therefore, he asked them to thank Him for His kind care during the revolutionary warand for the rational man- ner in which, under His the Consti- tution Lad ‘beer. formed. Surely, if © Thatkagiving day was right and proper it was right and proper then! Washington issued no further thanksgiving proclamation until 1795, hen he selected February 194s an appropriate 7. PRESIDEST LINCOLN'S PROCLAMATION 1% 1861. Our Presidents have not always called upon the people to give thanks, but have on several occasions asked them to fast, humiliate them- selves beforo a higher power and pray for belp in 4 time of national distress. In 1861, when a deep gloom was over all America, Abrabam Lincoin spoke out in those solemn words: “Our own beloved country, once by the bless- ing of God united. prosperous, and happy, is now afflicted with faction and civil war. It is culiarly fit for us to recognize the hand of in this terrible visitation, and in sorrow- ing remembrance of our own faults and crimes asa nation and as individuals to humble our- selves before Him and to pray for His merey— to pray that we may be spared further punish- ment, though most justly deserved; that our arms may be blessed and made effectual for the re-establishment of law, order and peace throughout the wide extent of our country, and that the inestimable boon of civil and re- ligious liberty earned under His guidance and blessing by the labors and sufferings of our fathers may be restored in all its original excel- ence.” : Before this, when Jokn Adams was Presi- dent, when a ‘war with France seemed almost certain, when parties in the country were fight- ing and abusing one another as they bad never done before and have hardly ever done Since, in the wonderful year of 1798, in fact, a proclamation was issued which said that ‘in view of “the unfriendly disposition, conduct and demands of a foreign power, evinced by repeated refusals to receive our messengers of reconciliation and peace,” therefore a day was set apar* for fasting, humiliation and prayer. THE FELLOWS WHO HAVE Xo HOME. But all this is gloomy, ani it is far pleas anter to think of our Thankegiving and its ac- companying bird, the turkey. To return to this noble fowl, it will be remembered that it is 80 essentially a national belonging that Ben- jamin Franklin favored its adoption as the national bird instead of the eagle. There is noted. restaurant keeper in Washington who says the canvas back duck would serve well for this purpose, but the proposition is not feasible, ‘as canvas backs ‘are’ not. plentiful enough. Whether the turkey figures on our coins or not we all think of it as something dis- tinctively American, and at the seme time it is associated in our minds with thoughts of cheerfulness and home. Stop, you who rend this and are going to feast roy- ally next Thursday, and think whether you have not some acquaintance who has no home and will have to dine at his boarding house or at a restaurant by himself, without relatives or friends. Poor, poor fellow! Run, good reader of Tux Stak, and ask this man to dine with you, for heaven's sake. Put yourself in his place and think of the suicidal humor you yourself would be in if you bad to dine on Thanksgiving day ata restaurant or boarding house. ‘The poor solitary fellow, whether he be bachelor or married man or’ widower, is most to be pitied when the holidays come. When he looks at the turkeys hanging up on hooks in market, white, fat, delicious, he may think of his own hard’ lot if he bas to eat one by himself. ‘There are two days in the year when solitude, especially if it be the solitude of the boarding house, restaurant or elub, is most dis ble, and they are Thankegiving day and Christmas. These days more. iy others have been set apart as home days. As it has been shown the observance of the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving day all over the country is comparatively a re~ cent custom, but it has become firmly rooted everywhere. Itisnotalaw and no state is bound to follow the President's lead in select- ing theday. The President issues his procla- mation and the governors issue theirs, but if all the governors forgot about it, as well as the President, if there were no proclamations at all, the people would celebrate just the same. This year, in fact, President Harrison was 80 slow in sending ont his proclamation that sev- eral governors anticipated him and sent out theirs before his had appeared. It doesn't make any difference. | Everybody will et din- ner and be merry on the 26th. —— THE SEVEN WONDERS. Great Works of Man Which Have Vanished From the Earth. From the St. Louis Republic. Different authors disagree in describing the seven popular wonders of olden times. At present the pyramids, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Diana, the Mausoleum, the statue of Jupiter Olympus, the hanging gar- dens of Babylon and the Pharos, or watch tower of Alexandria, are *usually reckoned as the “original seven wonders.” With the single exception of the pyramids all of the above have disappeared. One, two and threo thousand years ago, according to traditions and authentic history, some of them were wonders indeed. ‘The first of the wonders, the great pyramid of Cheops, is situated seven miles from the banks of the Nile and twelve miles from Cairo, Egypt. It was built in the childhood of the human race, long before history began, yet it stands today a monument to the memory’ of & wonderful people. The ‘great pyramid of Cheops" is believed to have been built by the monarch whose: name it bears, about three thousand years B.C. Its height is 480 feet 9 inches and its base 764 feet square. Many of the monster blocks of granite used in ¢on- structing it weigh thousands of tons. ‘Tradi- tion tells us that 100,000 men were employed fora period of thirty years in constructing it. The Colossus of Rhodes, the second in the list of ancient wonders, wasa great brazen statue of Apollo, which stretched its huge legs across the harbor of Rhodes, and was so large that shipsin full sail passed between. It was 105 feet high and of most exact proportion: ‘The erection of the colossus was begun in the year 3700 B. C., but was not finished for nearly 200 years. It was of brass, cast in sections, €nd was overthrowh by an eurthquake in the year 224 B. C. It weighed 720,900 pounds, ‘The Temple of Diana is another of the seven wonders of the world which has entirely disap- peared. It wasa magnificent structure, situ- ated upon the Evantine at Ephesus, and was constructed at the common cost of all Asiatic countries. ‘The lofty domed roof was supported by 127 monster columns of Parian marble—the tribute to Diana of 127 kings. ‘The facade of the temple occupied 200 fect upon the Evan- tine and the walls stretched back 425 feet, all glittering with gems and precious stones. Fourth in order of prominence was the mausoleum—the tomb of Mausolus, the first king of Caria. According to Pliny it had a total height of 140 feet. It was erected by Arte- mivia, the widow of Mansolus, about 353 B.C. It consisted of a basement sixty-five feet high, on which stood an Ionic colonnade twenty: three and one-half feet high, surmounted by a pyramid rising in steps to's similar height, and on the x of the pyramid a colossal group of Mausolueand wife Ina chariot drawn by four horses of heroic size. ‘The mausoleum endured until about the year 1404 A. D., when it was tially destroyed by an earthquake, and Bnally torn dowa by the Knights of Bt Sohn. ‘The fifth wonder, the Olympin Zeus, was a statue of Jupiter Giympus, said to have been sixty feet high and chiefly composed of ivory and gold. It is located at Elis, but nothing certain is known of its location or of its reputed builder, If posmble; tradition and. history have told Se naping pardacsiot Depa sneer aaa Dg n- ey have of the fifth, Herodotus does not mention them; Pliny only casually alludes to their ex- istence, and the scriptural account of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar the subject alto- Poplar accounts of ‘the gar- el a eee huge baskets of brass d iron, feet s and iro1 toot square, swung stone arcl GIANT BEES OF INDIA. ‘The Stock to Be Imported by the Department of Agriculture. HET BUILD COMBS 48 B16 AS HOUSE POORS— PROSPECTS FOR INTRODUCING TEEM TO THE FORESTS OF THE SOUTH—BUMBLE BEES FOR AUSTEALIA—WHAT THEY ARE GOOD FoR. HE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is about to send an expedition to India for the purpose of procuring certain giant bees which are wild in that country. They are the biggest species known in the world, and they build combs in the forests as large as ordinary bousedoors. These huge combs, hanging from the limbs of lofty trees or from projecting ledges of rock at a high altitude, give enor- mous quantities of wax. Bee hunting is a pro- fession in India. The bee hurters wear no clothing save breechclouts. They have a superstitious fear of the insects, Though dreading to encounter them on fair terms they are very skillful in at tacking their nests by stratagem. Their usual method is to climb the tree from s high limb of which thecomb depends, swinging below the hive a long stick with a bunch of ignited leaves on the end of it, until the bees are driven out, many of them falling with singed wings to the ground, but the majority ascending into the air above thecomb and hovering in a cloud. This opportunity is taken by the seeker after spoil to cut away the great comb, which he ger jowers by means of a rope to the ground below One gets a notion of the vast quantities of honey and wax collected in this manner from the stores of the latter ma- terial to be seen in the ware houses and sho} of the cities, tons upon tons of it together. At is an article of extensive export from India, TO DOMESTICATE THEM HERE. The proposition ts to fetch these bees to this | country and domesticate them here if possible. If they could spread their swarms in the «emi- tropical forests of the United States they might be made to supply considerable crops of the finest and most valuable wax. Curiously enough, the drones of this species are no larger than ordinary bees, and this fact a’ forda reason for hoping that they will mate with the females of stocks already imated here. These wonderful insects tongues th are possessed by other bees, the belief entertained that they could secure from many kinds of flowers honey which now goes to waste. Dreadful stories are told in the country where they belong of their extraordinnry fer city and of attacks which they have made upon whole villages of people with fata. rosulis, but the fact has been demonstrated that capable bee keepers can handle them easily and safely" Considerable numbe: recently been imported from tralia and New Zealand. rope in to Aus- Hitherto growers of red clover in those countries have been obliged to obtainseed for planting each year from England, because this crop produced no seed, for lack of bumble bees to fertilize the blos- soms. Bumble bees find inred clover their fa- vorite dict, and without their aid in. distribut- ing pollen this plant would soon perish off the face of the earth. Finding it very expensive to import their red clover seed annually, the farmers of the countries mentioned decided to rocure bumble bees for themselves. Accord- ingly a lot Were taken while in the hibernating stage, during cold weather, packed in moss and carried over the ocean in the refrigerator compartment of aship. They were set loose on arrival and already they have multiplied so numerousiy in that part of the world. that it is feared they will become a nuisance by con- suming all the flower juices which the honey require for their own purposes. It seems to be the same way with every sort of animal that is introduced to Australia. Invariably the beast, bird or insect proceeds at once to flour- ish to such an extent as to upset the normal nce of creation. USE OF BUMBLE BEES. . Bumble bees are generally supposed to be of no particular use in the world. It is not their fault. They are active and industrious honey gatherers, but there are never enough of them in one colony to make a store that is worth ing. When winter comes the queen bumble bee seeks a place in the ground for hiding fely during the cold months. She finds such spot beneath moss, or perbaps in a heap of leaves, There she hibernates comfortably, re- maining fast asleep until spring arrives. The warm sun of approaching summer awakens her and she crawls out. Immediately #he looks about her foranest suitable to breed in. An old nest vacated by field mice serves her pur- poseadmirably. | Having settled upon quarters, begins collecting pollen from the flowers, storing it away in two pockets which she carries on her hind legs. Into the nest chosen she puts the pollen and goes for more, fetching load after load until she has formed a ball of pollen perhapsas much as an inch in diameter. In the bail of pollen she lays her eggs, and after a few days they are hatched, bringing forth little worm-like larve. The larvie hatched in the mase of pollen feed Upon the nutritious material, consuming the portions nearest at hand, until each one has cleared a little room. ‘Then it proceeds to spin a cocoon around itself, and after a little while it comes out of this chrsyalis a full-fledged worker bee. Almost immediately these new- fledged bees begin gathering —_polien, which they continually add to the origi- nal lump, making it bigger and bigger, while the queen goes on laying eggs in it as long as warm weather lasts. Perhaps before winter arrives the mass will have grown to the size of one's two fists. It is literally honey- combed with cells from which the young bees have made their escape, and these empty cham- bers are used for the storing of honey. Most of the honey gathered by bumble bees is ob- tained from red clover. BOGS LAID BY THE QUEEX. Up to nearly the end of the summer the queen lays only worker eggs—that is to say, eggs which produce females which are undevel- oped sexually. They are the honey-gathering and comb-building class. When autumn is coming on, however, she produces males— called drones. At the same period also she lays eggs which give birth to fully de- veloped” females, ‘all. of ‘which are’ des- tined to be queens the following year. These females mate with drones and thus are ren- dered uble to_reproduce their species in the next season. From six to twelve of the future queens are turned ont by each hive. When coid weather arrives they crawl into snug places, where they hibernate during the winter, gatb- eriug pollen in the spring and laying their eggs init. ‘Thus is completed the cycle of their species. Only the queens survive, all the workers and drones dying. Thus it may be said that every bumble bee hive is wiped out each autui Here is one of the reasons why this genus of apide is not use- ful to mankind. They do not gather in num- bers sufficient to accumulate large stores of honey, notwithstanding their industry. Ordi- ily'a single colony will not number more than thirty or forty individuals. Another cause for their worthlessness is that their cells, being | formed in the mauner described, are huddled together without order, so thut the honey can- not well be obtained from the combs in a clear state. BEES THAT ARE COUSINS. The bumble bee and the honey-making bee proper are cousins Scientifically speaking they are families belonging to the same order. Four species of honey bees are known. Three of them are indigenous to India and are found nowhere save in that part of the world. The foorth, known as the “Mellifica,” is distributed all over the globe. it includes « number of: varieties, all’ of which were very bogiuning. ‘Bees, ike ratn have spread with jnning. ce rat ve aa though from « different cause! They have accom] ied the humar race as servants. nut as scavengers. It is well known that the ancients business of raising pure-bred Italian or other gqotens for market. In each hive are engen- lered from a dozen to 300 queen bees, depend ing upon the race. If left alone nearly all be killed by being stu! their celis, because @ bee house: would to death in can never have more than one mistress; but the breeder Temoves the portion of the comb which con- tains these queen cells before their occupants vats one of joney, into each are ready to and he with s bit of comb. and of @ number for the purpose, each. Thus many thousands of " may (be produced in a season and, inasmuch ax well bred ones sell for from $3 to $5 each, the business is lucrative. For some #0-called Punic queens, of an alleged new stock, as much as $80 apiece has recently been asked. In fact, however, theso are merely of th Tunisian variety from Africa, figuring under afresh name. When the young queens are ready to mate the breeders shut ap the drones | inall the hives save those containing t stock, thus securing the most desirable off spring. A queen, to fetch a good price, must have already produced satisfactory progeny, #0 that the mating shail have been proved all right. — A DYING TRADE, ‘The Art of Weaving Kag Carpets Fast Dis- appearing. MONG THE LOST ARTS, SUCH AS THE tempering of bronze, making flexible glass | and the manufacture of Tyrian purple, we will soon have to number another, namely, ti Weaving of rag carpets. To be sure, you can Still buy the factory-made article, but that is not the sort that we associate with recollections ter evenings, and often the carpet was woven on the old wooden loom up garret, but usually the material was sent to the old town weaver, who was as important a personage as citber the butcher, the baker or the candiestick maker. THE WRAVERS DISAPPEARING. The old weavers are dying out through lack of patronage, but the other day a Stan re- porter found where one still works down the waterside. It is a queer old one-story hot with squares and panels of carpet hu trywise over the [ ment. The propr withered specime: y over his loom. He came from the low | tries in Holland nearly fifty years ago. There he was a flax weaver by trade, but American machinery threw him out of work years ago, and he hax been carpet weaving ever since. It used to be a good trade, he said to Tne Stan man, but now it is dying out. He still hax work enough to keep him, but Americans not Use Many rag carpets now; he sells the m to his own countrymen. He works twelve bi # day, winter and summer, and turns out about ‘sixteen yards a day. Weaving costs twenty-five vents a yard, and he furnishes the warp. If he furnishes the rage, t it costs about twice that. Bags of rags were standing around under the shelves, and in one corner was a pile of balls, made from strips h and children sewed at night. The loom was the most primitive model yet on one but little rude: make their famous waterproof blank upon one but little better the Hind "I the famous “woven wind” of India. It was really 80 ancient looking that it was dis to find that it was built as late as 1855. ing parts, from much oil and handling, hi schaum and the rest was smoke browned to a deep ‘sienna. With the background of dark shadows and the bright warp threads running throngh the center it made a study worthy of an artist. There are no longer any apprentices at the trade. Noone wants to learn hand weaving now. The old man said the last pupil he had was during the spinning-wheel craze several years ago. One society girl came down and insisted on Jearning to weave, but her enthus- iasm soon gave out,and since then the old man has had his trade to himself, —_——— ‘Why He Had Heard No Complaints. From the Chicago Tribune. The head of the firm had his fect on the desk and was puffing a cigar when the young man entered his office in response to his call. “I've been thinking of you for a day or two, Edward,” he said, as he blew a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling. “I think you are the only employe in the office that I have not heard complaint of.” “Well, sir, I've tried —” The old gentleman held up his band and stopped him. Then be took a couple of puts at his cigar and went on: “When Bilkins was twenty minutes late one morning I heard of it promptly. When Jenks was out balf an hour over time at noon I was told ot it.” “Ves, sir, I" I know,” interrupted the old gentleman. ve been informed of the shortcomings of ry one, with @ single exception, and I've been rather figuring the matter out.”” live tried to be faithful and true to my em- P wer,” said the clerk, record is without ® stain should be rewarded for it.” “Thank you, sir. vancement.”” “I know it,” said the old gentleman, * T've sometimes wondered at the contrast bi tween the reports I hear of your work and that of others in the office.” “It is gratifying, #i The old gentleman stopped him again. “I have never heard a word said against you,” he said. T've worked hard for ad- ‘And I find there is an excellent reason for it,” continued the old gentleman, as he took his feet down from the desk and smiled pleas- antly at the clerk. “I was not told of the day Jones did your work for you.” “Why, sir—" “I discovered it accidentally, and it gave me aciue. The contrast in records, Edward, I find arises from the fact that you are the only tale bearer in the office. off, Edward. Good-day.” a Asking Too Much. From theChicago Tribune. Photographer—“‘A little more cbeerfulness of expression, if you please.” Savage-looking sitter—"Will you please re- qnest your assistant on the other side of the screen to quit whistling ‘Comrades’ for about fourteen seconds?” cc As to the Maid of Ratisbon. From the London Daily News. Another political legend is gone. In France the Maid of Ratisbon, wh» by her intrepidity saved s whole French army from destruction during the Napoleonic wars, has long been be- Jeanne Hachette of Beauvais, or the Mai Saragossa. Gen. Marbot, in his memoirs, ¢i the true version of the story. After the assault upon Ratisbon,she says, he was in command of a column which was ordered to occupy a bridge of | 1g my way amy the streets of | he goes on to say, “I suddenly sawa young woman spring up before me crying. ‘Save me. Tama French woman.’ She was a dressmaker established in business at Ratisbon. of an old-fashioned room, with its high-post | bedstead, whitewashed walls, diamond-paned windows and a claw-foo cheval glass | in the corner. In those days the rags were ent and sewed by the fire in the long win- The work- | taken on the rich tints of seasoned meer- | “Yes, of course, and the man whose office | ‘The cashier will pay you | lieved in no leas implicity than Joan of Arc. or | sale affording the only line of retreat for the Aus- | th STORIES FROM GOTHAM. Party Leaders Who Have Visited Now York Thit Week, WKINLEY AXD FOSTER —THE PLANS OF peo CRATS—HOW A FAMOUS MEPRITOPEELS® Pmo- TECTED 4 CHORUS GRETCREN—a STORY Pa: THU OPERATIC STAGE DK. BRIGGS’ SERMON. Correspondence of the Fvenine Star UR New York, Now. 19, 18% ( MOST DISTINGUISHED Vist during the week has been Maj. Mek Nowhere ts this re with more pronounced love and ¢ this city, and bis recent success has mare b once more the central figure of interest im He was the le war business metropolis. recipient of attention by the } Moat including many of th . ore among the tical: managers, book upon him as a very I .e Mf, for any reason, Pre i not Tenominated and if Blaine is out of the field, he and highest am Everybody remark of wear and tear in his appearance and ‘The terrible «train of the past three y left its mark in whitened hairs and in der furrows h still on the sunny #ide of look like « veteran {t *he impression of great stren great aims. Maj. Mchiniey “hhas atraightfe td bearing that comm Shine: fm thie veal cably weretary Wind However, why will haves p m the mm | for | just wih | the etrany t has been arrang Haut i a few mon patient, t 2 and we shail all know v mapped out fron et possibly a happen that the found consultations wail come to naught. Such things have happen aud moy ag must be confessed that the gre ie mtied wey Chto ispossible. One may hear in many querters talk abs wer for President. This wee wtate vitable after bis viet 1 | those who are only stitute for Cleveland. Bat the pon of Madison me has «till j track, and rat is to o¢ }the "White for the next years from the spring of 2, and all goes we With the Cleveland baby in the meanwhile, thet iy d Kaby Meter non of the nate inflexible re “handle holds a first tarifl as ma } that MEVHISTOPUPLES PROTECTING ORETCHER. The song birds are nearly due in town and S happened to be chatting about them with M Lorettus 8 Metcalf of Forum fame, whew 1 of anecdotes atic artista, the ce marvelous’ bass is | silent here. J wish I could quote Mr. 3 language, for he is of the best story tell in New York: but here itisin a crade para from m y: “Wears ago I toc some other young fellows in Boston, to get om the stage with Formes a or whatever the chorus a i ten within 8 active in his perforn ally was stage manager. He would go frou the rear of the stage to the footlights singing hts role, and, pausing for an interval, be would then turn and stride majestically up the jawing” right and left at the other per- different strain trot before been singing. his partand w e manager he 4 hum the wh to keep insympathy w own part at his best. opera through wo « h it and be able to till his ut one nigh an act of his accustomed routine to d ness which touched me, and others whe not it, as catraordinary for tuct and te He was playing Mephistaphelrs, U | it all the striking. Barty e he that ® pretty yo Het was atiended the stage, by a y got belind t b ° scenes. Forswes * but kept nis eye ou Greichen behind th ws rather than Marguerite at her wheel, and his brow ders ened as he saw the intri lite getting. more and more serious. Finally be felt tt was tume for him to sO at the first op portunity he left alking straaght stage and up tothe couple he, with all the grace of a king, asked if the young lady would favor bim with'a promevade. The chorus girl bi with joy and pride at this im ment and dismissing the with a acanty courtesy took the p od ever trod the spaces behind the scenes. The incideut was, uf course, ebserved, and the pair were closely watched by many eyes. Formes evi erted himself to entertain her and th firl was in the seventh heaven of bay But we noticed that little ' grew more sober and pureutal @ girl's face became that when Formes finally left he n the stage the young girl hid he d. Andthe ‘masher couldn't catch o smile or so much a8 @ glance from ber the fest of that night. STILL DRIPPING FROM THE WRECK. Here is an awfully good etory, and whatés rare with these good rtoFies it is perfectly true A charitable lady, whose labors take ber iwie the most ignorant and degraded parts of the city, noticed ina tenement which she was ¥ iting some cheap cotton cloth, dripping and hung before the fire to dry. She ashed tw an explanation and was told that it was secured at a great bargain at a “slupwreck b: e.”” Her curiosity be ised mle waited to know the particulars. es, ma'am,” sued girl, with a true ans gi of triumph in ber eyes, “Them's slupwre goods, and Igot ‘em f don't remember where these came from. wreck right in the harbor.” Alittle further a- quiry on the lady's part convinced ber th new kink existed on “the bargain counter, She found that the prices paid by the poor vie- tims were not much, if any, below what goods Of the quality and style should bring anywhere, and it appeared that the dealer would simp); arn the bove on his unealeable stock and then azzle the East Side with another “shipwreck sacrifice scle!” Idon't know us the lady ay lied the test, but it would be interesting Enow whether the shipwrecked stock dripped {iy centurion before Cleopatra reigned they | Gremmaker and comriimentod her upon the [sit water or fro were cultivated on a very Thaw | service she the army. was . pent ted with hives were | te origin of the 1egend. John Milton wrote “Paradise Lost” and De floated up and down the Nile in order to afford Mille wrote or adapted from the German “The the insects pasture on the flowers along the ‘Telephonic Complications. Lon Fersdien.” | Without going tnto the eee of superiority it is certain that just now ‘There were no bees in America until the sev- | Fo™ Brookiyn Lite. - 4 mon black ‘One of the young ladies at the telephone | +The Lost Paradise” enjoys the larger poy cea emsed [lore streaaueae It is | contral office has a pleasing voice, | ularity in New York, at least among ite theater that kind which swarms all over the United | and it is just possible that her features match Se. nly Red inn ceed recent gare bee | it. It is just as well right bere to give the | Thaac nn electric succes. Oncrarcly hearssuck Hee ne is ih hhae beck, sought ee erate | render to understand that no names are to be ‘ut om a “hretwaghi unleant be at Harr breeds. Important among fan's. It ts indeed « wonderfully clever melo- pees tains shah ae hed to this country to eee a 4 ere eens o> sane pay ea adgsteial a viet, They | usually 7 superficial but eaptivating way with the labor aot they ‘Protect their hi fog tad galery gods and has plenty of “thrill” for every Prete — but the tan ie universal and will carry the black ones do from the ravages of the un, Sah cn San & Snivoeet mothe. These moths lay their eggs piece boxes orchestra Ia the combe, and the larva teed upon the ee Rights widiout ond.” "Cyniers ne airenty chal and pollen, destroying the cells. “In 1861 Mr. the telephone in person. Central aS “ Benton, a well-known went abroad and atariey. brought hither ‘other Tcholcs breeds from DIDN'T MENTION PENNSYLVANIA. and Palestine. These, particu- Rev. Dr. Briggs Sundey night ow the are all very handsome and “The Middle State.” Of course there was ax Vieng ® Stree immense crowd and the doctor's views were difficult to handle, listened to with the closest attention. But = the audience ‘was dispersing "ove of ‘i worshipers, bard-beaded e... turned to neighbor in the aisle and suid eelect their stock as “Well, that was » good sermon, but I don't sep Hundreds of like thas!” | os he said snything about the middle states.” ‘profitable Haoar B Eisen