Evening Star Newspaper, November 28, 1891, Page 12

12 THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D SILVER HILL. ROADSIDE SKETCHES. A Ramble in the Region Back of Anacostia. THE OLD YOUNG MANSI ON. Bultland and Silver Hill and the Surround- ing Country—Historic Spots Not Often Vis- ited—The Walk Home by the Old Kace ‘Track—St. Elizabeth's Hospital Grounds. UR TRAMP THIS WEEK WILL TAKE im the interesting stretch of country back of Anacostia and Good Hope, a growing section that is not as familiar to Washingtonians as it ‘ought to be. ‘Taking the Suitland road, about a quarter of amile cast of Good Hope (which may be reached by way of either Twinipg or Good Hope), scarcely an eighth of a mile is traveled defore the ancient and historic Young mansion is observed on the left. This is one of the oldest country seats in the District and sn inspection of the building and surroundings will prove interesting. ‘The house was built a century ago (in to be | exact) by Nicholas Young, the grandfather of Mr. Joseph N. Young of Sth street northwest, the present proprietor. The estate had been im possession of the Young family for genera- tions previous to this. The house was built of solid logs hewn out of trees that were up- rooted on the place by a severe hurricane quite similar to the one that did so much damage in ‘this vicinity recently. The old structure looks jidated today, but there is every evidence about it of former grandeur. Tho porch or Balcony that extends along its entire front, shaded by giant old oaks, bespeaks comfort. | It stands upon an elevated knoll, tine dandseape | views being furnished from it in every direc- tion. In the rear are a number of oli slave cabins, for in the days of slavery there were usually thirty or forty slaves employed on place. The estate originally contained 625 acres. The cleared part of it when cultivated by the present owner, from_ 1851 to 1858, was regarded asa model farm. There was no un- derbrush or weeds on any part of it, and the land was remarkably fertile. Indeed, 80 excel~ Jent was it in every particular that the place was given the name of “Nonesuch,” which it still bears. The old mansion and 108 acres now comprise what is left of the old estate. Acolored man named West now has charge of the place. ‘THE OLD YOUNG MANSION. Much of the timber used in the construction of the forts over on the Bowen road came from ‘this estate, for witch Mr. Young now has » claim before Congress. The Youngs were cultivated. hospitable peo- ple, and their house was the resort of promi- Rent men in the ola days. Henry Clay and other celebritic® of his time were frequent Visitors. An eccentric character named Tom Law, whose place, called “Retreat,” was_near Silver Hill, used to meet Mr. Clay here. Many anec- dotes are related of Law, who seems to have been an odd genius. He was interested i many patent schemes. Forgetfulness was one | of his characteristics. It was no uncommon thing for him to run over to Young's in the dead of night for pen and ink with which to record some new idea that had flitted across his mental vision. It is told of him that upon one occasion, when he appeared at the post office and asked for his mail. he had forgotten his nate when interrogated by the clerk and left the building Greatly embarrassed. A friend meeting him eutside refreshed his memory by ealling bis name and he was thus enabled to secure his mail. The pleasant-looking house on the opposite west side of the road was built by M George Washington Young (Mr. Joseph N. when he removed te the latter place wing been taken possession of by the govern- ment. Itisnow the property of Col. H. B Denman. Advancing, the District line is soon crossed, three-fourths of a mile beyond being Oxon Fun, which is spanned by a wooden bridge. The stream hass pebbly bottom and at this point Funs through meadow land. West of the stream you ascend « hill well covered with timber. Reaching the tableland beyond, a pleasing | but contracted view greets the vision. Thrifty- looking farms and cheerful dwellings abound. SUITLAND. Arriving at Suitland, which is the center of a | Ficb agricultural section, you turn to the right | ea Oxon Hill road, tarrying a moment, how- ever, to take in the situation and gatker facts about the place. The village comprises one house, dilapidated one-story frame. which w, cross-roads store and tavern (a beer sign is yet ever one of the doors), but Uncle ma" post | oftice is now the sole occupant of the premises. & short distance southwest of this building, in neat inclosure, is the residence of the late S. ‘Taylor Suit, after whom the villagetis named. | Jand around here was originally owned by the Barry family and was then known as “Starvation Farm. | Suitland is about two and three-fourths miles from Anacostia bridge by the Suitland Toad and about three and one-fourth miles by Way of Silver Hill. Suitland road, which was opened by the late S. Taylor Suit in 1873, has « good, bard sur- » and though there are no far-reac! Views along its course, the surrounding generally of a pleasing description, the land- scape being diversified SILVER MILT. One mile isthe distance from Suitland to Silver Hill, by way of Oxon Hill road. This foad bas a soft clay surface, and is usually rough. The scenery along its course is Yery attractive as a general thing, but ai few points interesting views are presented. Leaching Silver Hill you are pleased with the thrifty appearance of things. ‘This 1s a village of a dozen houses and the population is exelu- = white. There are two stores, two black- & rather | tances and make meas- im the vicinity. “At this period in our the knee breeches and low-cut shoes buckles were the prevailing style. in the work of surveying one of one of his shoe buckles.” It was ‘& somewhat protracted search om near the spot where a kilometer stake driven in the ground by the party. christened “Silver Hill,” a retained to this day. itis referred to stood AE E E gE eit sf i $ a 1 i first established here in the of the late a Hi} right. s once a| cows supply all the mi | males and 334 females. Maggie Havenner, who held it for some three years, when the office was discontinued. It was re-established in 1887, Mr. W. H. Sim; be- coming postmaster. ‘He has held the office ever since. Now, as you advance along the Silver Hill road a'fine oak grove is observed on the right, while Berkeley Grove, a pretty country place owned by Mr. Jesse Dunbar, is passed on the left just outside of the village. A quarter of a mille from here, as the bill is nied, @ beautiful Isndseape view is pre- sen ‘Three-quarters of « mile more and you are again at Oxon run, a little north of which is the District line. George W. Knox's attractive country place is passed on the left near here. Another mile of interesting road brings you to the negro village of Chichester, the humble cabins of which dot the hillside. Silver Spring road has a fairly good surface, the section of country penetrated by it being decidedly picturesque. Kenching Good Hope, turn to the left on the Hamilton road, passing in succession through Chichester and Garfield, the Chichester and Garfield roads being passed on the right. In the field to the right as you turn into the Hamilton road, stood old Fort Wagner, but the works are now obliterated. CHICHESTER AND GARFIELD. The villages of Chichester and Garfield occupy @ handsome ridge, from which far- reaching views are obtained. The average elevation is 290 feet above tide level. ‘The village of Chichester gets ite name from the “Chichester tract,” a name by which a large area of land in this vicinity was known in old times. Advancing along the ridge and noticmg the tidy, thrifty appearance of the houses and lots that’ dot these beautiful, health-giving bills, one cannot but contrast in his mind the condi- tion of the occupants with the squalor of the multitude that crowd the city alleys. The wisdom of their choice is at once apparent. Most of them raise their own vegetables, and many of them have a respectable ‘surplus that is readily turned into cash. REMAINS OF OLD FORTS. Old Fort Ricketts stood on the ground now oceupied by the Methodist church at the north- east corner of the Hamilton and Chichester roads, but there is very little of the old works left to remind one of the historic fact. At the western outskirts of Garfield you wild notice earthworks to the north, which are the remains of old Fort Stanton. Anew subdivision called Buena Vista will oc- cupy the ground south of the old works. ‘The straggling settlement in the vicinity is called Stanlentown. Machpelah Hebrew cemetery at this place is worth a visit. The grounds are handsomely laid out and contain some fine monuments, upon which re noticed the names of some prominent Hebrew fami ft Washington. Many of the epitaphs appear {n both Hebrew and English characters. Half a mile west of the cemetery Wheeler road is passed on the left, while on the right is the government farm and old National race course. Arriving at the triangular school house lot atthe junction of the Hamilton road and Nichols avenue, turn to the right on School lane, a short piece of roadway which takes you to the avenue Qust mentioned, which is an ex- cellent thoroughfare. The Hamilton road hasa first-rate surface, and being elevated presents some charming views. Houses dot its sides at short intervals, nd while no woodland is encountered there are an abundance of shade trees, shrubs and dowers. THE OLD BACE COURSE. Now moving along Nichols avenue to the right, with a fine grove of forest oaks on the left, you soon pass on the right the dilapi- dated “grand stand” of the old race course. The old building. now almost a ruin, was once the scene of many an excited gathering of sports and lovers of the turf. Government ground is on either side as you Progress, the stone wall on the left hiding from view the attractive grounds of the Hos. pital for the Insane. The farm is on the ‘This institution, which was founded in 1855, is commonly called “St. Elizabeth,” the name of the original grant of land which it occupies. ‘The bospital stands on a conspicuous site at the confluence of the Potomee and Aneceati rifers, commanding extensive and cl ing views. A stroll through the grounds will be en- joyed, rebearsing the while leading facts con- cerning the institution. ylum was originally intended for the accommodation of the insane of the army and navy and the District of Columbia. It is sup- ported by the government, Congress bestowing upon it liberal appropriations of money. The annual expenditure is about #250.000. There are always a few paving patients, but most of the inmates are indigent. It is well managed and has a bigh reputation among institutions of the kind. The home tract contains 185 acres, but the entire estate, including the farm, embraces nearly 420 acres. farm is cultivated for the benefit of the ospital. A fine herd of nd butter required. As you move through the grounds and notice the many extensive buildings and the little army of employes required to run the institu- tion you must be impressed with its magnitude. Mr Walter, the architect of the Capitol, de- signed the main building, which is of Gothic style, after plans suggested by Dr. C. H. Nichols, the first superintendent. It is 750 feet ong, 200 feet deep in the center and contains 550 ‘single rooms. The center contains the of the superintendent and staff off- sary, chapel, billiard rooms, &c. m and store rooms are in’ the cers, ‘The kit basement. ‘The large building sonth of the main strac- ture was erected quite recently and is used for special classes of patients. ‘a ‘The capacity of the institution is ovértaxed. Although act more than 1,000 can be properly accomodated there are nearly 1,500 now on the rolls. The actual number in the institution on June 30, 1890, was 1,470, of whom 1,136 were Of these 224 are col- ored—123 males and 101 females. Three bun- dred and thirty of the males are charged to the District of Columbia, as well as all of the 34 females, excepting 1, who isan Indian woman. During the thirty-five years of the ssylum’s| Tare bee existence there n within ite wajls 7,511 patients, of whom 4,264 were natives of the United States and 2,975 were the latter representing nearly every nation on the known earth. Ireland leads Tish tls, Germany coming’ next with 953. Of ‘the na: tives thirty-nine states and territories are resented. The Dis@ict of Columbia leads with 900, Virginia coming next with 637. tivity of 272 was unknown. 5 it ought to be stated in justice to proper! to the states, they having Parte " here from time to time. a ‘The na- Congress annually aj 000 for the support We W. Godding the present superintendent of the asylum. etracing stop fo Nichole avenue, and Washington, “he "Sry "Waray xg sented. ane Monroe street, Anacostia, is en- takes you to the Navy Yard bridge Gronor Smcxons. YE ART NOTES. As was anticipated by those who had given the matter consideration, the sale of the Ve- restehagin collection of paintings, which took place in New York last week, produced a sum far below the value placed upon itby theartist. ‘This result was due not to want of merit in the paintings themselves, for not a few of them were of a high order, but mainly to the great size of many of the canvases and the subjects chosen for representation, which rendered them unavailable for private’ collections. Among the buyers were three Washington gentlemen— Messrs. J. M. Bonham, William Brough and 8. H. Kauffmann,—but it is understood that neither of them cared to acquire any of the ples offered. ‘The sum real: intings alone wasa trifle over (is amount was increased con: erably by the proceeds of the sale of rugs, tapestries, carios, ete. which followed. —Afterasix months’ sojournamong the Rocky mountains, Mr. W. T. Matthews has returned to Washington, and will shortly occupy s studio in the Corcoran Building. While in Colorado, Mr. Matthews made a number of sketches a1 careful studies of the attractive mountain scenery of that section, and comes back also much improved in health, so that he considers the summer in every way well spent. — One of the latest additions to Mr, Wagga- man’s collection of paintings is a highly artistic water color by Mauve, purchased at Fischer's, where are always to be found choice specimens in both oils and aquarelles. At present Mr. Fischer has some charming examples by several of the le Dutch water colorists, whose works are in great demand by collectors just now. Among these are drawings by Poggen- beck, Kever, Volckenburgh, and others hardly lees popular. ‘The pretty little fine art gallery in the rear of Mr. Fischer's main room is temi- rarily occupied by a collection of artistic anese objects, the property of a gentleman of this city, to be sold shortly, so that water colors can only be seen for the present in port- folios, but to connoisseurs this is no serious objection. . —Mr. Franklin Simmons, the well known American sculptor, so long resident in Rome, is making a couple of weeks’ visit to Washing- ton—domiciled at the Ebbitt. ' Since he made the Peace Monument, which stands at the foot of the Capitol grounds in this city, Mr. Sim- mons has executed several notable commis- sions, two of the most conspicuous being a sitting statue of Longfellow and a Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, both in Portland, Me., Mr. Simmons’ old home. ‘The latter is especially fine, and justly takes rank with the most i portant and successful works of its clase in this country. A superbly modeled ideal figure of the Republic, colossal in size, is the crowning figure of the group, while on cither side of the are placed @ soldier and sailor, a little above life size, as appropriate accessories. Mr. Simmons is thinking some of giving up his studio in Rome and permanently locating in one of our principal cities, but will prob- ably be deterred trom doing so by the cost, trouble and risk of removing hither all his casts, models, etc., and the difficulty of finding anywhere in this country such ample and con- venient studio facilities as are afforded by the art centers of the old world. —— An addition has recently been made to the list of Washington artists in the person of Mr. William Graham, who has established a studio at 728 13th street. Mr. Graham has passed the last twelve years in Rome and Venice, and brings with him a number of interesting sketches, studies and finished paintings illus- trating fe and scenery of those attractive laces and their vicinities. Before coming to Vashington Mr. Graham spent vome time i Boston. His work was well received by artists there, and a number of his paintings are owned and highly prized by collectors and connois- seurs of that city. — A bronze statue of Washington is shortly to be set up in the village park at Methuen, Mass. It is the work 6f Thomas Ball, the well- known American sculptor in Florence, and is being made under a commission from Mr. Ed- rd F. Searles, who intends it as a gift to bis ‘thplace. When complete the head of Wash- |} ington will stand about fifty feet above the ground, upon an elaborate foundation, orna- mented with smaller allegorical figures. ‘It will be one of the finest statues of Washington in America. The main figure is now being cast in Munich. —Mr. Heaton shows at Fischer's « lately completed portrait of a young lady of this city, which attracts favorable attention, as well for the careful and successful treatment of the ac- cessories as for the striking type of beauty por- trayed. —The members of the Society of Washington Artists are nearly all busily engaged just now on something to be shown in their second ex- hibition, which opens in the Woodward & Lo- throp galleries on the 7th of December coming. It is understood that the representation will be quite general, and every effort will be made to have the exhibition in ‘all respects worthy the organization. —Late advices from Colorado represent Mr. Walter Paris as having spent the summer among the mountains of that state, and now exhibit- ing the satisfactory results of his outing in Denver. The drawings are attracting the at- tention not only of the public generally but of the state authorities and representatives of the different railroad systems of the state, and ic is understood that an effort will be made on their Ft to secure @ large representation of Mr. Paris’ work at the coming Columbian Exposi- tion,for the purpose of bringing to the notice of visitors there the scenic wondersand beauties of Colorado. Should this purpose be carried out Mr. Paris will notreturn to Washington for the winter, as be had intended to do. —At his studio, corner H and 19th streets, Mr. J. Ellicott is hard at work on the model of his equestrian statue of General McClellan, which is to occupy a place in front of the new city bujlding in Philadelphia. The group is intended to be of bronze, one-half size larger than life, and will stand on a massive pedestal of granite, handsomely enriched with appro- priate bas reliefs in bronze. In general effect the McClellan, as shown in the sketch model in Mr. Ellicott’s audio, will probably recall Ward's Thomas, in this city, but it is unjust to Mr. Ellicott to speak of his work, as some have oken of it, as n mere copy of that statue. Since the attitudes in which a horse may be placed and the positions in which a rider can Properly mounted are few, it may be said that all equestrian grogps iately executed resemble in some degrcé one or the other of many erected before; but Mr. llicott’s con- ception has a strong individuality of its own, and promises to be, withal, a spirited and im- posing production. ' The horse in the size to be cast is nearly completed, and the artist will soon begin on the figure of the rider. The intention is to have the group completed in time to be formally inaugurated on tho 17th of September next, which will be the thirtieth anniversary of the battle of Antietam. —Mr. F. L. Montague, whose pictures are well known to Washington connoisseurs, has returned to the city, and is quartered at 938 F street, where, between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m., may be seen some of the results of his summer labors. Mr. Montague does not paint many pictures, but his work is done with great cure, and what he has to show is always worth exam: ng. ———_+2+ —___ Exchanging Notes, O'Beese—‘‘Say, Raysredge, how did you man- ‘age to get so thin?” Raysredge—“Helping dad test his ‘Fat Pre- Yentive.' How did you manage toget so stout?" “Have we any special reason to give thanks?” asked Mra, Boneset, as her husband packed his ourziesl ese co Thankegiving day. “We have,” the doctor, i extra rol of plaster: “we should Es ag sna for the invention of foot ball. Mrs. BT tulate I suppose vi gab ln our elo RE “Mr. 105, wyer going to take his.” lige ‘ —+or Hardly Equal to It, ‘From the Chicago Tribune. “The malady is trifling ono,” said the phy- sician. oo nin cemnreneel A is geting faltered the woman, “can’t yea 1 remsedy 0 litte los heroic?” THE WEEK IN GOTHAM Interesting Gossip About Theatrical People and Stage Matters, TWO INTERESTING EVENTS. A High Kicker and a Calf Loser—Reminis- Daughter by » First Husband—An Unres- sonable Woman at the Box Office. Special Correspondence of The Kvening Star. New You, Nov. 27.—Two things that have happened this week in thoatricals are more in- teresting than important. One of them is the unprecedented achievement in high kicking by &woman on the stage. Literally, she kicks clear over the top of her own head and stirs up her back hair with her toes. She doesn't look 4s though she could or would do such a thing as that, but a doubtless big salary incites her. She is one figure in partioularly resplendent holiday spectacle and pantomime. The con- ventional ballets aro numerous and grand, the assemblages of variously garbed women are gorgeous, but nothing excites the spectators so much as the feat, or feet, or shonld we say foot, of this kicker. She comes out on thestage just after a premier danseuse of the old-fashioned sort, with short gauzy skirts, has gyrated on her toes in the well-known fashion. She steps out from among the horde of other women and is at once all, slender and handsome creature, with exactly’ the face and general air attributed by novelists to high-bornand exquis- itely sensitive heroines. Gentle dignity and refined grace are suggested by a sightof her. She dances @ little bit ofa while like a ball room waltzer, undemonstratively, and then she be- gins to kick. Her feet tly up, one after another, a8 high as her knees; then they reach the level of her waist; next her toes go up to the el tion of her shgniders, and the beholder thinks that she has kicked her utmost; but it is not so, for her right foot here develops its ‘superiority her foot, for with it she kicks, several tim higher than her head. ‘Then comes the climax. Facing the auditorium, and close to the foot- lights, she gives one mighty kick that carries her foot clear over her head from the front. At the same instant she flops up the fluff of back hair, and that triumphant big toe stirs for an instant among the hirsute mass. All this is done with perfect modesty, so far as any display of aught else than unconventional agility is concerned, Neither Sarah Bernhardt nor Mary Anderson ever got more rapturous plause for five minutes of histrionic exertion than is given to this queen of the kickers. FRE OTHER EVENT was one of msingle night, and not likely to be repeated. It was something which your corre- spondent has waited for, with mingled dread and hope, during all the years of his acquaint- ance with theatrical performances. As a bo! he coupled another great expectation with this one. He had an idea that some time or other he would see an athlete fall from a trapeze, and he watched daring feats of the air until’ one night, while a trapeze man was hanging head downward, with a trapeze woman gripped by the hands, he slipped from the bar, and the two performers fell like lead to the floor. But this happened in a low-ceilinged variety hall, and although the. unfortunates were stunned to insensibility they were not seriously injured. ‘Then a lapse of many years, until the correspondent chanced to be in the Academy of Music when one of the Han- Jons fell fifty feet from the lofty dome toa net which barely impeded his velocity, and he was so nearly killed that it took him months to re- cover in shospital. ‘Thus trapeze expectation was satisfied DID SHE FAINT? The other anticipation was that sooner or later this writer would see an actress with a false calf slipped down into a bunch that would etray ber falsity to cruel publicity. Well, just that thing was the cecond interesting but not important chrious event of this week on the stage. It happened in a farce comedy then presented tor the first tiie in a Broadway theater. The actress sang and danced. When the time came for her “specialty” she tripped neatly forward to the footlights, clad in a dainty dress that reached just below her knees, and from thence downward she showed as fine a taper of limbs and flesh- colored tights as were ever displayed, except that one calf seemed to have collapsed from symmetrical similarity to its fellow and its substance was massed just above the ankle, Unconscious of the mishap, she began sentimental song, but the people in the au- dience began, one after another, to discover the abnormal condition of that leg, and from titters the merriment grew into laughter. The actress bravely forced her way to the end of the song, quite unconscious of the cause of the Jaughter, and doubtless attributing it to the impromptu antics of some comedian behind her on the stage. But she did not return for an encore, and the theory of at least one ob- server was that she had fainted in her dressing room. “BILLY” FLORENCE’s WIDOW. It is. matter of open comment in theatrical circles this week that the widow of poor “Billy” Florence has not hastened her departure from England upon news of her loss. At first sho cabled over word that she would leave on the 2ist, but now it appears that she postponed sailing until today. The unquestioned expla- nation is that her grief overcame her, and that prudence forbade her departure until she should have become in a measure reconciled to her loss. Mrs. Florence, it may be said, is not in good health. Her husband was over sixty-one at his death. His widow is nearly sixty-six, though that fact will doubtless surprise most persons who last saw Mrs. Gen. Gilflory in “The Mighty Dol- Florence did not begin to act even as an amateur until 1848, yet three years prior to that date Malvina Pray was dancing at Brougham’s Lyceum in this city, and sbe was already a well-developed woman, and a fascinating one, too, #0 some of her old beaus declare to this day. The fact that Florence fell in love with her at first sight has often been related by her to her intimates: but the younger ones have never heard her tell that she was thufearly a wife, and a very unhappy one. Nay, more than that, she was a mother when Billy Florence be- gan to court her. Their wooing was essentially romantic. None of Florence's obit-biograj have told about it, yet it had many of the ele- ments of the love tales of novelists. THE STORY OF HER FIRST MARRIAGE. A little old lady, rather shabbily dressed and with bead-like eyes, set m a wrinkled face, passed your correspondent in the Broadway throng the other day and set him to thinking of Malvina Pray Florence. ‘The little old lady used to be Kate Ludlow when the stage knew her. She was petite, pretty and sprightly. She could act with charming vivacity, and she ran in her day the range of all the footlight heroines, from Shakespeare's to Boucicault’s. There was a time when Kate Ludlow was the rage, but that was forty years ago. Mrs. Flor- ence will recall _her, for Kate Ludlow was the second wife of Malvina Pray's first husband. ‘That husband, who had taken to wife a brace of actresses so clever as these, was Joe Littell. He was an actor, of course, and he was once a good one, for he was a Bowery idol, and that emi- ceuces of Mrs. Florence's Career—Her | J nence required a great deal of force, some points of manly beauty, and a profound sym- thy with the multitude, Littell dilled the Bill.” He was handsome and he stood over vit feet in his shocs. He might, indeed, have become famous had he been good to himeelf; but he bad plenty of faults along with his merite, and the faults in time killed him. ‘They ump and gay, he debounair and thoughtless; both wei ular and both a were too, were admired. and world in which stage sta of love and happiness. A daughter was born to them. Then the clouds began to gather. Littell may have been to-blame. He ‘was undoubtedly reskless, but there are toda} friends who vi she fiercely denied the imputation of the visible and cireumstantial Seoss Satna wit the actors’ fund ber, she or ial Bette her im At fifteen Florence brought his step-daughter back to this country. She has since been farried, and her husband's name is that which she has assumed on the stege; and it is worthy of notice that in due course Josephine Shepherd made grand- Bother of Mra. W, J. Florence, The deed rings its ghosts always. Josephine Shep- hord's best friend in life was her stepfather. He was kinder to her even than her husband, who was a bitter disappointment to the young actress, for she divorced him before long; but between Mrs. Florence and her daughter there has been a void in latter years that may be passed over lightly, for it is not pleasant to think about. 4 SCENE AT THE BOX OFFICE. Three men bought seats over a woman's shoulder at the box office of a theater last even- ing. It was about 8:15 o'cluck. The woman had pushed herself along the line and at last had reached the window. “I want those seats I looked at this mornin, she aaid. “Which are they?” the seller asked. 5 “Why, you showed them to me, Oh, no, it [aes you. It was a gentleman with light “He isn’t on duty now, madam.” “Well, I should like the same seats.” “Which were they, madam?” “Oh, yes. Will you show me the diagram? Oh, here it is—these—no—dear me. Whieh way does this look? Oh, that's the stage. How it mixes one, doesn’t it? They weren't behind a pillar, were they?” “Which were they, madam?” “Now, I can’t seem to remember. those, I'am almost sure. “Those are gone, madam.” “Oh, dear!” Now, what shall Ido? I said ticularly I wanted those. Don’t suppose he as saved them somewhere?” “I sold them myself a few minutes ago. How would these do?” “Ob, dear! If you had only spoken. Who got them, anyhow?” ese are good Bente.” ‘Haven't you the same upsteirs?” ‘The same as these?” ‘No, as the ones you sold.” ‘They were orchestra, madam.” “Yes, I know. Haven't you the same up- stairs?’ Sir! My bonnet!” This was to the man who reached over her shoulder with a $2-bill, asked for “un orches- tra,” got it and departed. ‘Dear me, how rude people are. I will take them please. How much are they?” “A dollar and a-half apiece.” “Up in the balcony?” ‘No, in the orchestra.” ‘I wanted the balcony ones.” “These are good ones in the balcony, jam.”” Ob, yes— ‘Orchestra! and another two-dollar bill passed back. Well, please give them to me quick—people are waiting. é ‘The seller selected two balcony seats at ran- jom. ‘Where are these?” Fourth row, side, madam.” “Oh, dear! ‘Aiste?" Yes.” ‘Well, I would rather not have aisle seats. Show me some others.” “Orchestra, two,” and a five-dollar bill flipped over her should “What are people thinking of,” she protested to the wretched box-office man angrily. Then, iy. sir. you are so slow I can't she said, wait. Iwill go to some other theater.” Yet such women are not murdered. — ALASKA’S HETIY GREEN, The Interesting and @heckered Career of the Wealthy Princess Thom. Sitka Correspondence of the Chicago Times, The millionaire of the Indian village is “Princess Thom—Emeline Baker,” asshe styles herself in the double name over her door. ‘The “princess” is not of royal blood, but because of her riches and marriage in a high-caste fam- ily she wears the title. She is the richest woman in southeastern Alaska and in her own tight, for she bas made from $10,000 to $15,- 000 herself. Part of her wealth was made in legitimate trade, buying furs and curios by wholesale and selling at retail to tourists at enormous profits. Tho “princess” is a char- acter—in two parts. One is the shrewd, clever, bargaining woman of business and the other is the smooth, wily “‘serpent of the Nile.” a mod- ern Cleopatra, whose fascinating arts have played havoc with the hearts of her dusky nd- mirers. She is no longer youthful, but, like tractive women of the civilized “princess” is still powerful with her charms. Her married life includes several hus- bands and considerable romance. A few years ago she married the elder of two | brothers of a high-caste family by the name of Thom. He was many years her junior, but for a time she seemed pleased with her choice. The younger brother was the handsomest young In- dian in the village, 60 handsome that even the white people regarded him aean Adonis. Pretty soon the “princess” decided that she would set her affections on the young Adonis. ‘Though twice his age, strangely enough the young man yielded as completely to the fascinations of this middle-aged charmer as did ever Mare Antony to Cleopatra. The “princess” at this time was amember of the Greek church and could not be a polygamist. But she was s cunning, clever woman, and teking her husband, the elder Thom, she made. a visit to Yakutat and there had him married to her sister. Then she returned to Sitka and married the hand- some young Thom. Of course, she had gone through with some form of separation to enable her to carry out her wishes. She lavished her wealth on the bandsome young husband in fine clothes, gold watches, chains and other presents and spent moncy extrava- gantly on eupensive hunting outfits. But her gold and her wiles could not hold the young man. He was too handsome’and attractive not to have numerous admirers among the young Indian maidens, and they took great delight in giving the middle-aged wife good grounds for Jealousy, They made the “princess” very wretched in mind and very furious in temper. She doubled her lavish gifts to young Thom, whose toilets were the envy of the other young men in the village. But the gay and ungrate. ful young husband went on with his flirtations and would not bo faithful. ‘Things went from bad to worse until young Thom left the “princess” and took up his abode in another part of the village. Before she could persuade him to return he became ‘ill and di ‘Then she had him brought home and gave him a great funeral in the Greek Church. His death left the “‘princess” a sadder but wiser woman. She now made a second C.. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER/ 28, 1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. ‘THE CHESS WORLD. Problems, Games, Solutions, Solvers. WASHINGTON CHESS CLUB MEETS every evening at 910 F street. Visitors always welcome. PROBLEM By F. A COOLEY, ‘No. 48 (Tourney Problem No. 17). ‘Washington. D.C. Dedicated to A. V. GISIGER. (Composed for The Evening 8 wi : ‘White to play and mate in three moves, PROBLEM No. 49 (Tourney Problem No. 18). By 8. C. DUNHAM, Washineton, D.C. (Composed for The Evening Star.) Biack—3 pieces snd mate in two moves. PROBLEM No. 50 (Tourney Problem No. 19). By EVERETT DAVIS, Washington, D. The three following poxiti fone of our most valted corres flipped over her shoulder and a ticket was | to witha (Composed for The Evening Star.) Black—9 pieces. White—t meces, ‘White to play and mate in two moves. nt dents us exceptions rule agaiust problews commencing PROBLEM No. 51. general check: By A. V. BOATRITE, Columbus, Ga, wAA s 3 AtKKIS KKt QB4 QKtG KE Q7 & 4G&naaii AtKR2 KR KB KE KK KK:3 White to play and PROBLEM No. 52. By 8. LOYD. By HENSING. & AQR From Loya’s Tourney. @®w ek 4 AtQBG QKt KKtS KB AtKKt7 KRt6 KES ‘White to play and mate in three moves. PROBLEM No. 53. wi ZA QB4 KKS QHS KEG QKI7 @® we i AtQB3, KKt KBS Q2 ‘wnitoto play and mate in two'soven, PROBLEM No. 54. AtQR7T QKtS KR¢ KS ati KB RKtS > white to play ona GAME No. 21. (0. 21. Fifth game of the match between Schallopp and Walbroat. White—E. Schalloi White. Biack- -K. RUY LOPEZ. Dp. Bisck—A. Wa'broat. rhite. Black. 23. P- ROR ch + -Ktach 43. Bad) 44. 4)-3 Kts (a) Loses thie and weakens ‘the: kid These open fies Played. very ingenious. sudden! He shouid ha effort. (a icky steadf who sh move, ‘Necessary. as white Problem solutions to this problem. found Morrison, it. i. E -K3 found by Geo. Heintz, **very good Ration rect, visit to Yakutat, and while there the wife of | week. her former husband, the elder Thom, died. There was a rumor of sudden death, but no questions were asked. The “ ” re turned with her former husband to Sitka. y were married again, and are now living together in the village, apparently us hay as if the gay young brother had never rupted the frst marriage. ‘Wanted—Room for Single Gentleman, From Life. ter~ Detroit Free Press. “Mr. Blank of Blankville.” single?” “Well, bie new minister at last, re- marked an up-town tonnother. Eee “No, you don't say? Who is he?" was the in- Accordit chee Uast erat recommen ‘first-rate players, howe es will be very Uset cd) White's tnaneny (e) Another Ty reameinbers that he. i ved Oxi, wing. 1ul later on. ‘this @ Ww ‘(Notes by Mr. Greenwell.) inc to Steimitz, who on ius point pro- Tollower of Anderssen, the Ruy Loper at- a treatment muniat tot maine, © fual development on the ould be content with the advantuse of the het ‘and accor Holy 4, BG ver, prefet a more ‘eat, hnove or G4 <b SOLUTIONS AND SOLVERS. No, 36 (Tourney No. *). There are two KSand Q-Qich. Bore Dunhaia, Mise HC. arising out of the threaten by I. ¥. ht, 8. C. vi 3, Ren 0. L. Molstaa, (Tourney No. 9). Solution next io. 38. (Tourney No. 10). by LY. Knicht, F. i. ry Miss Sadie E. L., EntrikiD, 0 Probiew No.3 Found 1¥. Bye ieee :: i ‘ng | of Christmas gifts in prospect it is not surpris- te/some sum from this investment, but it REAL ESTATE GOSSIP, COAL A POLLAR a TON. ‘The Supply and Demand for Store Rooms | So Says MMiclmann, a Polish Inventor, After im the Business Section. Years of Earnest itesearch. From the New York Herald. SOME COMMENTS THAT ARE HEARD IX REGARD Edison and bring to mankind generally « de- gree of benefit which will be in direct inverse Proportion to the woe inflicted upon the indi viduals commonly known as the coal barons What be has to offer is no less than a scheme to mannfacture a coal which will be superior im its results to either bituminous or anthracite coal, to which the world his been #0 long ac- customed to look for its chief supply of fuel. So many vast conceptions hive been already brought to the attention of the public only te end in disappointing failures that every new demanded. In fact some have maintained that in the recent development of the business sec- tion the progress has been too rapid. An in- teresting contribution to the discussion of this question was furnished in the Metzerott Music Hall disaster. Several business men found Shenshsives enddenly withouta place to do busi- | Srost echems te apt 40 be fenurded ‘eve ness in, and the necessity wasan urgent one to | picion We bavenot euflere? trom o secure at once some kind of quarters where | motor project aud the many plans for their goods taken from the mass of brick | ing the air, oar oo gh eubmani without ha’ cnt snecter could be stared. endl where | Go tn ccs cunbeee ear ioutly impaired. they could carry om their business. “amacrine ‘The experience of one man in bis search for a. * peck pasen Perioee euecniocaearinee upon | , The new aspirant for undying fame, and inc the ‘present conditions resource | dentally for the m f money that are at- business section which is bounded by tendant upon great discoveries which are world streets, 9th and 15th streets. He made a care im their uses, has at least the courage of ful canvass of the entire section and he natu- 4 entitled to raily thought that as he merely wanted « she ter that there would be no trouble in satisfying such a very simple need. To his surprise he made the discovery that in the entire section there were only two stores vacant and one of those was the ground floor of a four-story building, which was only for rent asa whole. The other was a small place. There was, how- ever, another vacant ore, but it had been leased and the new tenant had not yet taken posses. | sion. There was not much choice, and under such circumstances he did not try to have an choice, but merely took what he could ge For the past year and a half there has been all through this part of the city « great deal done in the way of basiness improvements. G strect, pness of the new article Mr. Edi to the extent that it is now taken up with busi- | claims for it the merit of being abe ness places, was transformed within that period | odorless and. c of being burned with: from a residence to a business stroct. ‘The | smoke and of being consumed so utterly that i same changes have been going on along the side | but 1 per cent of ashes. streets. and alterations in old buiidings that have been made were not, | in 182: . of course,entirely for the accommodation of new | Dorpat, one of the provinces of firms or new lines of business. ‘There are lines | Baltic sea. He graduated the of trade wnich were formerly departments of | some large business, but are now carried on by independent firms. "There have been entirely new branches of business esta! while = existing lines of trade have been enlarged an the voltme of business transacted his if many |, 28 Australia, Mr. Edelmann devoted himself cases grown to proportions that even excite | t Lis profession and spent his time in building the wonder of those who are most familiar with | railroads and in other enginoering enterprises the commercial resources of the city. The | In 1 fi dis business expansion about which so much has | al, and since then he box been said is therefore quite a substantial to that pursuit factor in the prosperity and growth of the city. he argued that it was a well THE OPINION OF 4 Crriz 1 there existe upon the surface The general lesson that is drawn from the | ie anes oa hacen Ae i ich ts commor d Metzerott disaster, however, has no reference |} acdinnd, Sigedinion eoliamennd tothe expansion of the business interests of | later period than either bituminous the city. It relates more particularly to the | or anthracite nd therefore without those methods aud the manner of ‘the construction | chemical propertics which would enable it to of buildings intended for the use of the public. | burn well as cither of them, and which, Without expressing any opinion the char- ers it practically useless for ecter of the music ball, a prominent citizen or other purposes. Was talking the other day aboutpublic opinion. | | That this lignite would, in centuries to come, He said: “There is always a g: develop into a fuel which might be utilized ex- terest manifested in a building a5 Weil as that which was aire dent. People want to know all al it was built, the kind of materials use many to @ personal i ‘0 this purp. mann, sailed nop | upon the steamer Teutonic. |. Mr. Edetmann asa civil Sineer, and then made the grand to Tope. "In 1852 he went to from London to T INSPIRATION. of pain and vexation to Mr. Edelmann. conld not sb study of the problem. he says himself, to thin! pection. Perhaps no one, however, had gjven a thought to the matter prior to that time, and although passing it each day ‘they have hardly giv it a glance, much les a thought. Public opinion, however, could be effective in a preventive sense if only a small degree of the interest could be displayed in buildings intended for public use before an ac- cident occurs as is exhibited to such a large de- ree after the accident. It is common enough to Beer mon say after a disaster that they could sce that such a result was inevitable. If what they say is true then some share of the respou- sibility falls upon them for not having exer- cised their privilege as citizens in making com- plaint to the proper authorities and insisting that some steps be taken to correct the evil. In this city, where the direction of @ affairs of the local government | is practically free from political influence, there is less reason for failure in the proper enforcement of municipal regulations than in other cities @here the conditions are not so favorable. The existing building regulations form an adequate protection for the public against defective and insufficient construction in buildings, providing, of course, that they are followed with reasonable faithfulness.” ‘THE TAXPAYER'S MONTH. During the present month the property own- ers of the District have paid into the public treasury over a million of dollars. This large sum represents half of the tax upon real estate which is paid each year. The total revenue derived from this tax is about €2,104,645. Nearly the entire revenue derived from the cit- izens of the District is the product of the tax on realty. There is in fact only about $700,000 of th public receipts collected from other sources, so that the entire revenue of the District from taxes last year was $2,816,288. The assessed value of the real estate which pays this tax is €141,609,891. Ten years ago the value of real estate in the District as assessed for taxation was $88,953,078, which shows an increase in the valuation of some 60 per cent. The withdrawal from general circulation of such a large sum of money natarally is felt in many ways, although it may be said that the money 1s constantly being restored to a certain extent by the expenditures which are being made for municipal improvemehts and other expenses, It always requires time for money to get around, and so the individual who “has just paid his half yearly taxes realizes very forcibly that’ his bank account is diminished and for the time being he is apt to reduce his expenditures and to try to get along without some things which other wise he might feel disposed to purchase. Then the hosiday season is at hand, and with the pay- ment of taxes in retrospect and the purchase He was actually jealous, k that ple a thou- ea vars hence would themselves of that which the world might use today could he but solve the problem of effecting by chemical processes thai for which nature would take cen- turies, A GLEAM OF LioHT. After a study of many weary years Mr. Edel- mann believes that he has solved the problem whose solution he so faithfully sought end is satisfied that he has found a process for trans- forming this worthless lignite into eoal, which for all purposes is equal and, in many i stances, superior to either anthracite or bi- tuminous coal. Jn other words, the inventor believes that by the mixture with’ lignite of certain themical 4 coal is produced which is as perfect as mined, and this lignite, he wed to remain in the earth, would require a thousand years for its trans- mation into perfect coal. eR, wa u his technical description luded to the inventor aa} ie “To accomplish this result the certain chemical bodies (which have first been reduced toa powdered condition in order to permit of th ) are placed in molds aud tubjosted to great, preve- Ure in machinery expressly constructed for the purpose, and from which the mass comes in the shape of what are termed, for want of a better name, “brickets.’ ‘These brickets can be made of any size or shape, in order that they may suit different conditions, as, for instance, if the tuaterial is to be used for furnaces they ‘would be in the neighborhood of eight incbes in size (cither square or oblong), whereas for stoves they would be made correspondingly smaller. A great advantage about having them made into this shape (square or oblong) is that they will not chip off or become broken in any manner like ordinary coal; in fact, the immense press- ure exerted in forming them tends to make them even harder thau ordinary lump coal. desideratum about lignite is that it te found near the surface of the earth, and con- sequently the cost of mining it is reduced, and at the same time the supply is ly inex- haustible. The chemical oaks unet coseen comparatively inexpensive, so that this coal | (lor this composition is coal in every sense of e word) can be manufactured more cheaply than either bituminous or anthracite coal cam be produced. MORE PLAINLY DESCRIBED. engineer I am « skillfal chemist, and long years ago I noticed that all coal is formed largely of vegetable matter and that the soil has a magnetic power which draws Having come to this conclusion, I rs in traveling all over the rch of plants which contained ements of heat, gas and fire to the great- gree. cee investigations I conducted principally in the forests of Russia, Germany and in other European countries, as well as in Africa and South America. When I had satisfied myself as to the plants which would best serve my pur- pose I made a study of them uutil able to ex- tract from them the vers qualities I desired. No sooner had I done #0, and made an effort to combine the various results obtained, when, presto! all disappeared together. RE STUDIES NATURE. “My next labor was to discover some system of preventives which would obviate this inex- plicable and disastrous evaporation of that which I had obtained from my plante with such Uunremittent toil. One year and « half ago I succeeded in this endeavor. Now I have enough of this powder obtained from my plants erly mixed with the lignite to produce a ion tons of coal at an average cost of Ge “The matter I obtain from the plants I re- duce toa pulp, which, after baving had all the moisture extracted from it.by being placed ina number of revolving boilers, is again taken im hand, and, after being hardened, is reduced to the powder and mixed with the powdered nite. The process includes a method by the chemical compound and the ‘are sub- mitted to a process of 150 degrees in large room. Mr. Eselmann claims to have alresdy chasod a large tract of land in Texas, comy 600 acres, which, he says, is rich im lignite, to have received ax offer for hisinvention from one corporation there- wi agrees to take 300,000 tons of coal a year off his hands. ing that the average citizen is inclined just at ol time to regard himeelf as being somewhat rt. ACTORS AS REAL ESTATE OWNERS. Aggreat deal has been written in regard to Mr. Florence, the actor, who recently died, but no mention has been as yet made of the business sagacity which led him some fiv [erage to purchase a good sized block of id in the residence section of this city. This, perhaps, 18 of no great importance now ex- cept to his heirs, who will realize a hand- only goes to show that even # man like Mr. Florence, who was engrossed in his profession, realized the advantages that Warh- ington real estate offered as an investment. During his constant travels he visited every section of the country, but this city as the place to invest @ portion of his earnings. Other men promizent in the same Profession followed bis example. The late wrence Barrett, about the date of Mr. Fio- rence’s purchase, also invested in real estate here. Lotta also had quite large property m- terests which che has disposed of, and no doubt ‘8 good profit. ———<2. —___ Yankee Ingenuity Active From the New York Herald. Pp mi ton. From Life. ES, & He 4 *