Evening Star Newspaper, March 26, 1892, Page 8

; : PLAZA, MONTEVIDEO, DURING A FESTIVAL. A SUNDAY VIEW. Montevideo and Its Amusements in the Evening After Vespers. LAST DAY IN URUGUAY. ‘The Parks and Their Crowds—An Aristocratic Suburb—Primitive Way of Making Batter— -w Newspapers Are Run and Why There Are $o Many of Them. ‘From The Star's Traveling Commissioner. Mowtevipgo, February 14, 1892. UR Last DAYIN Uruguay—and Sunday atthat! I wonder why it is that short trips of especial interest, such as this between Monte- videoand Buenos Asres, must always be made at night the world over, despite the protests of disappointed travelers, who thus find them- selves deprived of views they came far to obtain? Is it from philanthropic motives on the part of Steamship companies to spare pasrengets the pangs of seasickness by sending them straight Yo bed, or on grounds of economy ¢on- erning meals, or is darkness preferred be- ¢ause “deeds are evil?” Whatever the reason prevails in these countries as universally at ourown. The steamer that is to convey us ferous the brond mouth of La Plata to Argen- fine’s cxpital lies waiting in the harbor, but Bot a wheel will she move until nightfall. Let us “kill time” in the intermm by gathering the scattered crumbs of information we med from many sources concerning this interesting Little repablic and serve them fms Sunday ollapodrida. From the aspect of festive Montevideo you would never dream that this is the Lord's day, for a wider contrast from quiet, church-going yeat home could hardiy be imagined. re everybody goes to church most relig- pa but after mass in the morning and ves- Fore ie the evening they consider their daty to heaven and proceed to enjoy the bless- {ngs of this world a‘ter their own fashion. The Plazas are thronged with smiling people, prom- fing to the music of military bands. The i saloons, &c., ure open all day and rgely patronized. ‘The race course is in full last, with its gambling booths and other ac- eessories. Tonight the theaters will contain the largest and most fashionable audiences and Present the best performances of the week, fei there will be public balis and private par and other social gatherings all over the ountry. The customs of Spanish America, as ‘of nearly all the countries of Europe, in regard to Sabbath keeping are very different from our pwn, Which are still somewhat burdened by the of our Puritan ancestors, who fined a man @5 for the unbecoming levity of kissing Bis wife on thet stern and awful day and con pees the love of God to mean relentless per- "ution of all who held other opinions. EL PRADO AXD ITS CROWDS. Acting upon the advice of a dear old lady I knew in New England—“My child, when you are in Turkey do as the turkeys do”—we will this beautiful summer Sunday a la Uru- @uayan and follow the crowd in the sunshin: After a few turns in the plaza most of the Mon- tevidean world hies to El Prado, an extensive Pleasure garden about three miles from the | ity, reached by tramway through the fashion- bie residence suburb kuowa as Paso dol Molino. The prado, belonging to the munici- ity, is the park of the common people, not the queen or the Prince of Wales, the midnight tranquility is disturbed by loyal Britons wind- ing rail-fence fashion home from their club, making the welkin ring with songs of borrowed patriotism, such as ‘John Brown's Body” and 'Marching Through Georgia.” THE ARISTOCRATIO SUBURB. Paso del Molino, the aristocratic suburb, is distant sbout halfan hour's ride by tramway from the central cathedral and has a splendid avenue skirting the bay. Here are the quintas or country homes of Montevideo's wealthiest merchants and officials, amid a display of lux- urious extravagance akin to that of the Roman Villas of the goiden age, as described by Horace. ‘The casas are mostly one-storied, of quaintest architecture and gaudiest paint, each appear- g to ont-Herod its neighbors’ in grotesque effects. The styles of architecture include severest Moorish and florid Gothic, Chinese, Indian, Hindoo, and some present rare combi- nations of ali known styles with a good deal of originality thrown in. All are surrounded by statues, fountains, gravel paths and marble benches embowered mid fiowersand fruit trees, and so genial is the climate that the flowers preserve their color and fragrance from year to year, making the Paso a coutinuous garden of perpetual spring. Ir the way, one of the handsomest of these ideal homes’ is owned by a former Philadel- phian, Mr. W. D. Evans, whose romantic story is worth telling. Nearly forty years ago he shipped from the United States on board a sail- ing vessel bound for Uraguay. Just above Montevideo be was wrecked by « pampero, es many another seaman hasbeen before and since, and cast ashore penniless, a stranger ina strange land, whose language even he did not understand.” His whole earthly possessions were the water-soaked clothes upon his buck and & battered boat, which he had managed to save from the wreck. But he was rich in brawn and courage, and having patched up the boat, began life anew as a cargador, conveying pass- engers and their luggage to and from vessels in the hardor. He got on famously for about a week, when another evil-disposed pampero caught him outside the harbor, overturned the boat and left him for drowned. For hours he floated around, clinging to the keel, till rescued by the crew of a passing steamer. ‘The officers of the vessel, pleased with the man’s evident pluck, offered bim « good place in their employ; but he respectfully declined it, asking only for assistance to right his boat that he might sail back totown. ‘They told him the old tub was good for nothing and would better be left to drift, but he replied with tears in his eyes that while she was not retty te look at, she was very dear to him, Baving twice saved bis life cod being all bo THE GOVERNUNT HOUSE. owned in the world. So they helped him to jet her right end up again and he sailed to Secestiaeente ctu: tnjthe eutnet his private park, which is said to_be the finest in sli South Am @ magnificent bronze fountain and in the basin thereof, among gold fish and speckled trout, floats the old boat, still as well proserved owner. The mil- lionaii that she is his most precious id, rain or shine, he goes to visit day. When showing her to visitors we: “She never was much of a boat in the way of beauty, but to me she is the most beau- tiful object under the sun. Twice she saved my life and when I was dead broke she was my only friend and a faithful one, too.” PRIMITIVE WAY OF MAKING BUTTER. Do you see that man galloping pellmell with infinite clatter down the etrect dragging a much for style and show ax those down town, Dut patronized to some extent by the swellest | Of the swells, in elegant carriages with liveried €oachmen and footmen and on horseback, Bek gem ote and silver stirrups, who facinde a few moments here in the course of their daily airing. A gay little river dances lined with willows and the trees of | nd four rows of tall eucalyptus | trees are planted at the entrance. From end | to end the lovely garden is filled with rustic | fountains, flower beds. rockeries, statuary—| But bas never the sign so fomiliar at home, | “Keep off the - within the | enclosure i fo trip the light fantastic toe to the music of Grams and fageolets. Fantastic indeed are their national dances, which seem to consist mainly in posturing to the slow, plaintive | Rational aire. There is also a Freveh restau | Rant, Spanish billiard rooms, German beer | Yankee shooting galleries, no e1 | ths where the native cana is sold, and all manner of apparatus for outdoor games, which the young aud giddy indulge in, while their @lders loaf piscidly upon benches under the trees. Many families bring their lunch baskets ypared to spend the entire day and camp in Expey fanbion. EVERYBODY WARMLESSLY WAPPT. Notwithstanding the nuriber of cana stalls We are surprised to see that there is no intoxi- eation and everybody is harmlessly happy, ap- tly ss much at peace with the world to ome; according to their lights, as with this life | Bere below. One thing may Le truly said of our @asy going southern neighbors, that though everybody, toa man, woman and child, imbibes Sreely of wing, chica, cana or some other form ef “the rosy," and almost everybody gambles With a recklessness and persistency that would tonish # northern blackleg, yet nobody gets Paigeriy drank and the gaming vice is not strange brown bundle behind that bumps over the stones like a buge rubber ball? You would hardly imagine that he is making butter, now would you? but such is the case. All the butter that is eaten in Uruguay is made in that same primitive manner. ‘The modus operandi is as follows: The dairyman pours the milk (warm from the cow, without straining) into an in- finted sheepskin, which has the wool side turned in. He ties it securely, hitches it to his saddle by a good strong lasso and gallops off to town, ethape five or ten miles away, with the sack Pamping slong bebind him. Of course the churning 1 thorough, end by the time his destination is reached the butter is made. Then he has only to go from door to door among his patrons, ladeling out desired quantities with a wooden dipper. To be sure it does not taste much like the lubricator we are accustomed to at home, being white as snow and resembling curd cheese, but it has the merit of being sweet and without the abomination of salt, which Las no business in civilized butter. ‘Though the better class of Uruguayan farmers have ail manner of modern agricultural imple- ments, they cannot be persuaded to try churns. ‘They say that Yankee butter tastes only of sait, and maybe it does lack the flavor of sheep's wool. Another noteworthy thing about Montevideo is the fact that sho has twice as many daily papers in proportion to the number of inhab- stants as New York, London, Paris or Lerlin, for she boasts of twenty-three. with a popula: tion of barely 125,000. Mr. William E. Curtiss, the well-known author, who has written the best articles extant on Uruguay. will pardon me, Tam sure, for quoting him as authority for the following statements in his excellent book, “The Capitals of Spanish America.” He tells us that in these southern countries papers are not published so much for the dissemination of news as for the propagation of ideas, and there- fore they give about six columns of editorial to ff i trom the public tens: eee on minister, 4 z f i ; E veces, ry Fi . NO REGULAR HOURS FOR PUBLICATION. INDIANS AS SOLDIERS. Bios Ghat aire trees How Le Looks aad Acts fn.un Aimy Uniform. Except ins few of the larger and moreen-| A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT. terprising cities there ere no regular of publication, but papers are issued at any time, seems paper delivered to y¥, but it often ship builders choose tim! fough. | Compositors are not. paid b sand ms, as fa the United States, but receive weekly wages, seldom more than $8 or $10. ‘The printers are mostly natives, although a few aes ne eee thee eee eer cal unions or trade ——— South ‘America. In the larger cities RO. papers xe delivered by carriers.and sold by newsboys on the streeta; but in emailer towns _ to the post office, to be called soriber as regular mail. The su} boasted | tration, Prior to that time Indians had been ower today may be out of power tomorrow End the editors. who supported it be clapped into prison. fh case im port was that of the editor of El Can in Lima, Peru, who, a few years ago, published an attack upon the con; of thst sepublic, which wes very miid compared with articles that are fre- quently directed at our lawmakers, but he was imprisoned six months for it, and his ma- chinery, type, &c., confiscated and sold for the benefit of the government. DESCRIPTION OF A STREET FIGHT. A street fight is the editor's delight, and although an account of it may not appear for several days after the occurrence the writer ives his whole soul to its description, The Following is literal translation of the ‘open- ing of one of those articles: “A personal en- counter of the most transcendent and painful interest ocourred day before yesterday on thi street of the Twenty-fifth of May near the palatial residence of the most exalted and il- justrious Senor Don Comana and was wit- ssed by a grand concourse of people, whose excitement and demonstrations it is impossible to adequately describe.” A dog fight would be treated in precisely the same manner. Everything is ‘surpassing,” “transcendent.” The grandiloquent style is not confined to news writers, nor to or- ators, but crops up in the most unex; places. ‘For example,” says Mr. Curtiss, “I once saw in a hotel bath room the following aviso: ‘In conseque! of distinguished guests th in the morning, and with the profound consider- ation for the convenience of all, it ia humbly and respectfully requested by the management that the gentlemen will be so courteous and urbane as to occupy the smallest possible time for their ablutions, and that they will be so condescending as to remove the piug while re- suming their garments’ A North American landlord, with characteristic bluntness, would . | have come to the point in six words: ‘Hurry, and pull out the plug.’ ” . Fae B. Warp. Lord Brassey’s Yacht. The English jack floated from the masthead ofa yacht that anchored off the wharf Thurs- day evening. The new arrival is the Sun- beam, owned by Lord Brassey, who is & great authority iz English naval circles. The vessel left Liverpool a year ago, touching at various porte in Italy, Trinidad and the West Indies before sailing for America. Admiral Sir Houston Stewart and Dr. de Jersey accompany Lord Brassey, who ay here to meet Lady Brassey. They will for England next Thursday. ee a, An Evening With the Bells. “an Evening With the Bells” was the subject of an entertainment given Thursday evening by Union M. E Sunday school. The foliowing program was rendered: Piano solo, “Monastery Bells,” Miss Logan; quartet, “Bweet Chiming Bells,” Misses Ross and Ashley and Messrs. Stuard and Meany; reading, “Bells of Atrie,” Miss Ashley; solo, “Bells of Shandon,” Miss Meany; reading, “The Bella of Zanora,” Mr. Fernandez; violin solo, Miss Wescott. A’ pleas- ant feature of the evening was the presentation of a large floral bell s. the superintendent, Mr. E. 8. Wescott, and a handsome bouquet to the pastor, Rev. Joel Brown. rege The Death Record. During the twenty-four hours ending at noon yesterday burial permite were issued from the health office for the following: White—Jno. Wilder, 76 years, pulmonary congestion; Thos. J. Luxen, sr., 66 years, pul- monary congestion; Emeline Martin, 62 years, has. J. Beers, 56 years, cyr- hos. Shea, 52 years, cancer; Wm. F. Colored—Edw. Taliaferro, 60 yours, monia; Orlando Evans, 58 years, nephritis; Wm. Washington, 51 years, heart failure; David Lane, 47 years,’ pneumonia; Lula Mann, 23 years, pneumonia; Mary E, Williams, 16 years, pueumonia, —_—— ‘Why Sheriff Dunn Was Murdered. A special from Garden City, Kan., says: Recent information indicates that Sheriff Dunn of Seward county was not mar- dered by & mob organized to kill Judge Botkin, as was reported and as Botkin believed. but that he was mar- dered by his own deputies, and for money and notes he possessed. ‘This information was given out here by W. B. Orner, Seward Co., who was accused of being the principal conspirator to assassinate the judge. The evidence he has is the testimony of a woman who was an intimate friend of Sheriff Dunn, and whoknows better than any one else of his finances. The county ia 0 sparsely settled that everybody is acquainted with the murder and it is feared « jury cannot be impen All those that Bot- kin had arrested have been released because of the law which doos not allow the state to one of intelligence, publish all sorts of com- munications on politica! subjects, and often ran THE SCHOOL OF A made a secret one, to be stealthily ind Grading the law in darkened corners, sinners, pets and ladies of hig! gree, Slike take a’ hand at beccarst, roulette and other games of chance as undisgaisediy as they take their dinners, quite asa matter of course: end very much astonished would they be should missionary come along and inti- t there is wickedness in the eards and glass @ serpent that stingeth like an have never heard such (to them) doctrines in all their lives and could induced to believe them. The aristo- of course, drink only imported at table, and the custom that so largely obtains in the United States of serving coffee with the soup and ice water all through is a barbarism unknown in Spanish America. Cana, pronounced .can-yab, the national Doverage of Uruguay, is the fermented juice of sugar cane, and sells at .the rate of two cents the goblet. As the (podlets are the size of a German “schooner,” and the stuff contains about 90 cent alcohol, a spree is within of the t Yet the fact remains hat there ig abcolutely no intemperance com- pared with what may be found ia oar own country, bad whisky sbounds and well- meaning organizations have bestowed upon it the fictitious allurement of Serbidave: frait On ordinary days drunken men are seldom ret on the streets of Slontevideo. Theexceptions—by RO means numerous—may be found on the by ests, E i i of patriotic or us fiestas, when puch momenivus Gccasions aa the birthday to RTS, MONTEVIDEO. historien and biographies as serials. One fre- ently takes up a daily paper and finds ' thing in it but the newer a that last week's issue is as good reading as today's WHY THERE ARE s0 MANY NEWSPAPERS. ‘The reason for having #0 many newspapers is because every public man requires an organ in order to get his views before the public. ‘The editors are ordinarily politicians who de- Vote their entire time to the discassion of political questions and expect the faction to | hich they belong to furnish them the means of living while so employed. Each paper has & director, who bolds the relation of editor-in~ chief, while « subeditor is » mau of all work. edits’ copy, looks after the news, reads proot | and stays around the place to keep the printers busy. is never a staff of editors or re- porters, ax in the U more than two men in the office; in fact, there is uo such thing asa reporter in all Spanish America, what little news there is being gath- F g i ered by the editors. The director generally haa some other occupation. He may be « law. Zor oF » Judge or & member of co ‘and is political to ansist take @ change of venue. ————+e+-_____. Singular Interruption of = Performance. A singular scene took place during the performance of a theatrical troupe in Tal- botton, Georgia, Thursday night The opera house had been used for = court room during the day and the jury entered the opera house during the performance to be‘ instructed on some pomts which they could not agree upon. Judge Martin took his seat on the stage in the micst of the burnt cork artists and recharged the jury, after which they filed back to the jury room. Turned the Tables. Yesterday afternoon Joseph Myereck shot and instantly killed Thos. Edwards at Sims’ Mills, Mo. Edwards was a desperate character and while drunk went to the home of old man Sims, who was Myereck’s grandfather. Draw- ing bis gan be made Mr. and Mrs, Sims dance, ws, dn. Gu. tee OA soma tamnree. Encsted. “Myereck was ‘unarmed and power: Jess, but after Edwards left he secured a shot- gan and following him emptied ite contents into the back of his head. aoe A Preacher Sentenced for Manslaughter. ‘At Evansville, Ind., yesterday Rev. John Temple was sentenced to serve seventeen in the penitentiary for mansianghter. He billed ‘Worren Gray, who wae acting ab peacemaker between Temple and his wife. ——+o John B. Colahan of Philadelphia Dead. John B Colaban, a prominent member of the Philadelphia ber, is dead, aged seventy-seven years. He was born in Bal- linasloe, Irelend.’ He came to this coun- try when a young man, settling first at Alexandria, Va. He was one of the engineers employed by the United States government in the of the boundary line between Louis- inna and Teaes when the letter yes coguive’, He assisted in the construction of the Eastern Shore Maryland. One of his sons is Lisut ©: Colahaof the Bevington. Editors Mellon and Porter Pardoned. ‘The retommendation of the board of pardons that Edito rs Melion and Porter of the Beaver, Pa., Slar, sentenced to six months imprisonment for Benator: be. bas been > Se bem iee wistke at wes Tesee ‘The First Troop of Indian Soldiers and How ‘They Improved—TheirObedicnce and Clean- Mnese—Orderly and Obedient—The Civiliza- E WAS A SHREWD general who insugu- rated the practice of figlting Indians with Indians, but it is ex. } tremely improbable that even that military genius figured on the organization of Ir- dian companies in the army. The idea of making loyal soldiers out of discon- tented and hostile “reds” first made its appearance in the War De- partment during Secretary Proctor's adminis- ny 2 listed as scouts, but their duty had always been temporary in its nature. When the Sioux campaign of 1890-91 came to an ond it was suggested that many of the dis- tarbed and disturbing Brules could be made eer poeta citizens by en! They could then no longer tion. So it came to pass that on April 6, 1891, Lieut. E. E. Dravo of tho sixth United States cavalry proceeded from Fort Niobrara, Neb. agency, South Dakota. Two weeks ravo returned to Niobrara at the head of fifty-four Brule soldiers, all duly sworn to serve this government as cavalryms Within ort time there were fifty- men in the troop, for an Apache was enlisted at Car- lisle and sent to Niobrara todo the troop tailor- ing. Taken altogether it was an unpromising lot of material out of which to shape something that should look like other subdivisions of the sixth cavalry. Some of the men. five—spoke reasonably good English; the re- mainder could converse only in the Dakota tongue, A few had farmed in that casual and Unsatisfactory way which ts prescribed for the disappointment of those who are bold enough to practice it; they heddone the best they could with the opportunities and implements within theirreach. But the main body of the com- mand were simply Indians, Their condition could not be made more plain; they were just— ‘THE INDIANS WERE PLEASED, “They were a joyful lot of recruits,” said Lieut. Dravo to a Sranreporter the other even- ing. “They journeyed to the post in wagons, and when we arrived were standing up exprese- ing their delight in song of the most vociferous description. Assoon as they took possession of their quarters I: told them that every man would have to take # bath and undergo hair cut before he could be permitted to clothe himself in uniform. The next day was Sun- day, and they were five or six deep in the bath room getting ready for the suits of blue and ‘ellow. Within two or thr lays all were uni- formed and happy. On May 4 we commenced squad drill, and’ the rapidity with which those men took thoroagh hold of the was astounding. The words of command were always given in English. An interpreter explained, in Sioux, the mo’ ent which followed éach command, but he was never permitted to repeat the ‘command in anything but the language Provided for in the regulations. The Brules took to drill naturally and learned with evident pride. RAPID IMPROVEMENT. the middle of July they were as well drilled as any organization at the post; in fact they exeelled all companies in the manual. Then we took up mounted drill—green men and green horses—and yet by August 27 the troop was in such satisfactory shupe that we marched up to Rosebud agency, forty miles distant. The Iudian Episcopal convocation of South Dakota was in session there and we wanted the Indians from other agencies to sce what had been accomplished in so short a time. That march had a wonderfully good effect on the enlistment at agencies where proceedings had dragged" some- what. Returning from the. reservation troop L joined the sixth cavalry battalion in {tsuutumn maneuvers near the Niobrara river and participated with credit in the pro- gram—did just as any white troop did.’ Ia November we made s tour of the reservation and it would have been the easiest kind of « job to enlist another company of cavairy. There was a positive clamor. I suggested the possibility that they might become infantry- men, but the idea was not popular. OBEDIENCE AND CLEANLINESS. “Are the Indians obedient? They try harder to learn what they are told to learn and todo what they are required todo than any crowd of men lever saw. While waiting for the new drill regulations—last November—I started a school. On February 15, when I left Niobrara, there were seventeen men in the company who could read anything I wrote on the blackboard. “Then I showed the would-be recruits that they could learn to ‘walk in the white man's road’ just as well in the infantry asin the cav- alry—Rosebud agency could’ not two troops. The young fellows then decided to Join the infantry. Capt. Clapp of the sixteenth went up to the agency January 12 and on the 15th completed the enlistment of a company of fifty-five men. That company—stationed at Fort Douglas, Utah—is a success, “Their personal cleanliness is another of the things which surprise people. Their quarters are as orderly and neat as any at the post, and the manner in which they prepare and serve their food is unexceptionable. They bad a white cook s8 an instructor for just one month. When his time was up they took possession of the kitchen and dining room and have attended to both ever since. [tis true that they have not learned to economize as bave the white cooks, but yet they are generally ahead, so that there is a surplus which can be sold to provide the mess with afewextras, All the ‘trimmings’ which made the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners so attractive came out of the company fund. They had pies at Thanksgiving, and when Christmas came around I purchased a lot of mincemeat, intending to have it made up, as bad been the Thanksgiving pies, by the post baker. WhenI made my next visit to the kitchen I found three Indians baking miuce pies; and good ones, too. Those boys had watched the baker at Thanksgiving and had caught on. Oh, yes, they eat beans. They never would while they lived on the reserva- tion, probably because the beans wero never cooked rly. Now it isimpossible to save any of an ration. THE CANTEEN PRIVILEGE. “Do any of the men getdrunk? Very rarely. ‘They have had the privilege of the canteen from the time of their arrival at Niobrara, but the privilege bas never been abused. They drank beer, but never to excess. There was but one mas arrested for ‘drunk’ on the three last pay days. Niobrara is the soberest post I ever saw, yet no white troop can equal that record. Indian has to meet civilization somehow: they caunot meet it with greater safety to theniselves than under the guidance of an army officer who has the welfare FO} of his men at heart, The meu can get liquor at Valentine or anywhere else within reach, but the looked-for intoxication but rarely puts _in an appearance. One of the strange effects of uniform and dis- cipline is ween whenever one of the Brules does getdrank. In bis would produce the ated misbebavior; cigarettes—prefer them to any other kind of a smoke—but the number of those who incline toward a steady use of the pipe is increasing. “Many of the men are members of the dit ferent churches; very alosely—eape- cially the Catholics—to the forms of selig ae buta gue of ‘shinny’ will keep the most eu: thusiastic away from muss or otuer service. ROONOMY PRACTICED. ’s hands when [ left. The company shrewd Apache, who is most Sith the Brulee bee paid for his ie D.C, SATURDAY e ‘The others will continue to reside at Rosebud. CARELESS A8 TO CLOTHING. “One of the most difficult things we had to encounter was the Indian’s carelessness as to unit a particular as worn now es the average soldien ‘Their carelessness in this on matter was not sostrange when we consider how they had been accustomed to rolling around in the dirt. They don't equat around on the ground now; they sit on chairs and boxes. ‘Al mon! went shoes or boots ac- cording to the duty they are on. Moccasins are furnished by the squaws for wear at odd Asarule the Brules do not associate auch with the white soldiers. They generally Mek ow Epa hnard from he comoany. “Afew re I 1e r. The new tactioe are now being studied, and Lieut. Rhodes - commands during my sbvonce) writes that the instraction is being rapidly and profitably absor BLets thats year ago sroop L of the sixth was composed of fifty-four wild Indians (many of them just in from sn outbreak against the United States; today the troop is @ perfect military organization of loyal men.” a ‘Written for The Evening Star. SHE LEFT A CONVENT. 4 Sensational Incident of Over Sixty Years Ago Recalled. THE WILL OF A RELATIVE OF GEN. VAN NESS BRINGS UP 4 TRAIN OF REMINISCENCES—SHE FIRST TOOK REFUGE WITE THE WIDOW OF TER ‘MEXICAN ExpzaoR. ‘ANY YEARS AGO THE CITY OF WASH- ington was startled by the announcement that the superior of the Convent of the Visita tion of Georgetown had withdrawn from the religious order of which she had been for many years s member and had returned to the world, relinquishing the name of Sister Gertrude, as she was known in the community, and assum- ing her own name of Miss Ann G. Wightt. For years thereafter she resided at the Van Ness family mansion, now, alas! in ruin, and became @ very conspicuous member of society, enter- ing into all the gayeties of the fashionable world. There was a relationship, it was un- derstood, existing betwoen the Van Ness fam- ily and Miss Wightt,and though she is not men- tioned as a relative, the heirs of General Van Ness provided for Miss Wightt very liberally, it was understood, as General Van Ness left no ‘This incident of the long ago was re- called to my me ing in the office of a momber of the Wasblogvon bar ‘the will of Miss Wightt, executed in Rochester, in 1865. The amounts devised by the ‘will are quite considerable and the parties benefited by the will are some of them prominent in social and political life here and elsewhere. The only relative men- tioned in the will is cousin, Dr. William Queen of Charles county, Md., to whom she bequeaths $3,000 of St. Louis city bonds, yield- ing 6 percent. The other tees are Charles W. Van Ness of New York, her goddaughter, Ann Gertrude Wightt Van Ness, daughter of Col Eugene Van Ness of Baltimore; three other children of Col. Van Ness, Mrs. Britan- nia W. Kennon, Martha C. Kennon, her daugh- ter; Martha C. Williams and Columbia Wit- tins, Mary and Elien Peter, daughters of Maj. Geo, W. Peter; Kate and Gertrude Upshur, daughters of Capt. J. B. Upshur; W. Carroll and John Mercer, sons of Dr. Thos. 8. Mer- cer, Louis and Sidney Henop and Richard eden. She makes Mrs. Britannia W. Kennon her residuary legatee and appoints F. L. Henop of New York her executor, to whom sho allows 10 er cent commission, and 68; ‘No one is to ind fault with it, It’ is no one’s business but mine.” To the will is attached a couicil giving a description of her personal property, “trinkets, books, apparel, &c.” She wishes Mra. Kennon to take charge of her personal effects and to distribute them according to in- structions. Then foliows a list of dresses, laces, ry, books and paintings, &c. WER DEPARTURE FROM THE CONVENT. The rapid flight of time is again illustrated asIfind on inquiry that Miss Wightt left the Convent cei the Visitation in 1831, sixty-one years ago. She had been an inmate of the con- vent aboat fitteen years and held the position of directress. On the advent of a new superior another member of the order was appointed in her pice, and soon after she left the convent while the community were at dinner, and the first intimation the superior had of her ab- sence was when the late Father Lucas came to the convent and said he had met heron the street. From the convent she went to the house of Mudame Iturbide, the widow of the late Emperor of Mexico, then residing in Georgetown, and afterward took up her resi- dence at the mansion of Gen. Van Ness. Her will, made in 1865, was probated in 1968 at Rochester, where she died at about the age of seventy. The will was witnessed by only two persons, which would convey the porson- ality, but uot the real estate she died possessed of, and under the law that would go to her father's heirs, of which as yet none have beon found. The dis- tribution of the personal effects named in the will was duly made it is presumed. Our city sixty years ago was bute very small placeand the intense excitement this affair created can hardly be imagined now. Gen. Van Ness left no will and the bulk of the estate went to his brother, Cor- nelius P. Van News, who was atone time col- lector of the port of New York and minister to Spain, where he married. During Gen, Van Ness’ life be gave the ground upon which Tem- rance Hall (now Marini’s Hail) was built. The ball was used for other purposes and the ground and building reverted to the heirs of Gen. Van N gen. Van Ness made many do- nations of land to churches, somo of which, in- deod all of which, has since become very valua- ‘THE OLD VAN NESS MANSION. The mansion where he lived in grand style becoming his wealth is now in state of dilapi- dation and the resort of negroes, and the cot- tage of David Burns, the original proprietor of much of the land upon which our city is built, has been allowed to fall into ruins. The old general, could ho come back and see the dese- eration of the home upon which be lavished expense and care, would lament the mutability of fortune. I remember the general very weil. He drove a coach and four and the cape of his long blue broadcloth cloak he wore in winter was bordered with gold lace. Mr. Thomas Green resided in the old mansion after the death of General Nan Ness, and it will hardly be credited now that he was charged with being concerned in a sche! to abduct Mr. Lincoin and confine him in the cellars of the old man- sion, and the story was told of chains being found there, and Mr. Green, then » man of seventy, ut least, was arrested and confined in the old Capitol. ‘The Col. Eugene Van Ness of Baltimore men- tioned sensational poisoning case which occurred in Baltimore some years ago and for which Mra. Wharton was tried at Annapolis. Joux F. Core. —__ Love is Enough. What tho’ the Skyes be graye, And dark the air, Sullen the Daye, . So that my Love be tayre? What tho’ the Daye be brief And long the Night, Withered the leaf, So that my Love be bryghte? What tho’ the Wind be lond, And rouga the sea, ‘Threat’ning the cloud, fo that my Love luve me? ‘What tho’ the Sunne be fayro, And soft the Wind, Buxorm the air, So that my Love's unkind? ‘What tho’ the Daye be long id brief the Night, Ure & KONE, So that my Love be lignt? ‘What tho’ the And eth auspices, Mrs. Grover Cleveland gave a dramatic en- tertainment at the Lakewood, N. J., Hotel yes- terday afternoon for the benefit of the Kinder- garten Society, of which she is vice president. The attraction was “Caste,” performed by a gompany of New York artiste, Miss Marguerite St. John impersonating Polly Eocics and super- iBtending the production. As train y Mrs. Cleveland ut her cottage ry to the event of the day. the will was one of the victims of the | MARCH 26, 1892-SIXTEEN PAGES. BURTON'S BOZ NIGHTS. Charles Dickens at the Old Chambers Jearned Street. Theater, AN ENGLISH ATMOSPHERE When the Works of the Great Novelist Were Produced in True English Style—David Copperfield” and “Pickwick Papers"—The Actors and Their Rolee—Lester Wallack as “Bteerforth.” —_—_—__—_. ‘Written for The Evening Star, ICKENS NIGHTS at the old Chambers Street Theater in New York were genial and memorable occasions. The “Pickwick Club,” “Oliver Twist,” “Nich- olas Nickleby,” “Dom- bey and Son” and “Da- vid Copperfield” were then the talk and fash- ion of the tows. Let us glance in retrospect atthe old theater itself on @ frosty winter evening when the snow is falling and the winds are whirling wildly. Taking an omnibus and riding down to the corner of Proadway and Chambers street, we there alight, and, facing east, walk half a block or so toward Center street, till we are stopped by ® pushing crowd upon the sidewalk making its straggling way up a few wide steps into the ing the ferule of a stout gentle with -pprohensi for the safety of our eyes pipe, we finally succeed in gain- ing the ticket office, and, after handing 50 cents in silver to the urbane treasurer in charge of the box office, pass unruftied inside the house. When we are soated in the pit (par- quet being s new-fledged name at that time and not as yet quite strong of wing) we leisurely proceed to take ® survey of the house. It must be con- fessed that the place is —— dingy and rather too much scented with gas and stale orange peel for onr fastidious liking. ‘The Paint, too, from the ceiling shows a disposition to flake off and summarily scatter itself over the floor like seed in a ploughed field; the Wooden benches are without cushions and in- f recent thorough holystoning, and the are low, their woodwork dark with d accumulated dust. There are no orchestra stalls as in the more modern play houses, and the niusicians sit in a cramped up little crib lower down in front of the stagethan now. THE PLAY BILL. While the audience is congregating and making itself comfortably at, home we look carefully over the strip of play bill. It is nota miniature newspaper devoted to society gossip, conundrums and advertisements such as ie the program of a later day, but a modest slip of Paper printed on one side with the title of the Piece to be performed and the names of the actors to take part therein in ink that evinces @ tremendous tendency to come off on the gloves. On this occasion we note with satisfaction the play or dramatized novel of “David Copper- eld,” Charles Dickens’ latest, together with « laughable adaptation of “The Pickwick Papers” to mind up. Ihe stout gentleman with the ag- gressive umbrella, now our next neigb- bor on the left, evidently che: vivid impressions of the great novelist and his works, and scans the bill with breathless interest and lively anticipations of pleasure in consequence. He satisfies bims that the name of his favorite characters, epparentiy Micawber and Uriah Heep, are all set down an correctly spelled, and then wonders in an audi- ble tone whether David will make his first ra pearance before the audience in » caul as in book. ‘The orchestra now begins to arrive in separate detachments and speedily and briskly applies itself to the usual process of stretching and stramming upon strings aud blowing into brass mouthpieces, thus tuning up as if the very mischief were in it, ‘THE HOUSE. At this promising symptom the house, which has now become packed, applauds a little and whistles by way of encouragement, while the family circle (happy and cosy as if seated around the domestic fireside) makes # playful but futile effort to Lum a familiar air to the somewhat marked accompaniment of its boots. A bell rings, the musicians suddenly seize their respective instruments, the leader waves his magic wand and away they go to » glorious overture of English airs, among which we readily recognize “Sally in Our Alloy” and that rare old plant “The Ivy Green.” A LONDON ATMOSPHERE. A special wind seems to waft us ina twinkling to London. Fogs and roast beef, and Barclay and Perkins’ Entire, and Day and Martin's best blacking, and cockney sights and sounds, and pium puddings and sea-coal fires all come up about us ina breath and we begin to feel Charles Dickensy and “very human, indeed.” Another tinkie of the bell and twinkle of the "gas and up goes the country as the orchestra tenderly plays ‘Rule Britannia” to more fully awaken our national sympathies. This tune ripples turough the play with a persistency which would delight the heart of even the author of “Martin Chuzzlewit” hi NOW FOR THE PLAY. David grown to early manhood and in Lon- don. George Jordan takes the partof David. He is too tall and mature for the,character, but afair actor and handsome man. Onee, on his benefit night, he essayed Hamlet and carried it through respectably. Aunt Trotwood is played by that matronly painstaking actress Mrs. Hughes, and scrupulous she is in person, dress and manner. Whether Uriah Heep 18 Mr. Johnston, or Johnston Heep, some- what puzzles us; but this we know, that he cringesand writhes in such very humble con- tortions that it makes the toe of our boots fairly ache tolock at him. And there is Wi- kins Micawber, untaistakably hard up, in his tight trousers, buttoned gaiters and seedy frock frost. with eyeglass on breast for the sake of respectability of appearance, and with the noble expanse of forebead, broad froal, swelling bearing, pompous tone and prow want of principle ever indicative of the crushed yet hopefulgeutleman. Who but Burton could do justice to so immense a personage? THE OLD BOAT AND THE BEACH. David's doings in London are far too inti- mately known to need description, and we are glad to take the stage coach and find ourselves among the hard-banded, honest-hearted, homely headed boatmen on the sands by the blue sea. itulc Britannia” again, so soft and sike the sighing of the wind in the shrouds that we feel sailor-like and fisherman-like for the nonce, and even think wo smell the salt sea breeze blowing through the litte ploy house. |The interior of the old boat on the beach—a boat converted into a boat house—and Little Emil with hor uncle, stanch, true Mr. Peqgoty, ex gaged in pleasant chat. Can we ever forget the warm and generous rendering of this part by Mr. Blake, pea jacket, tarpaulin, sou'wester and ali! And Ham (Mz. Bland), with David's faithful nurse, now become Mrs. Barkis, and grumbling Mr's, Gummudge badly laboring under the influence of the “old un.” What a cheerful, homelike scene it is, there in that old boat's cabin tarned upside down, with its good feel- ing,kindly affections and lowly integrity of pur- pose beaming on ail sides, DAVID AND STEERFORTH. Asharp knock at the door, and to the burst of music, “Rule Britannia” still, in coftes David with his dazzling friend, James Steerforth. The very picture of a dashing, handsome, reckless young Englishman is Secrforth as bo steps in boldly and heartily greet the grinning boatmen and women; and one no longer won- ders that trusting Little Kyily falls in love with him at sight, for the part is played to the ite by Lester Wallack, the John Lester of forty years ago—manly me | Lod Apolo, Count D Orsay or any ‘ether fine pene tileman of either it or modern times. And i & Upon the shore and of faces of its various inmates. ik Charies I, are well before thos Seadly da.tine Toowighe. TRE YLIONT oF EMILY. Another strain of ‘Rule Britannia,” and the oat house by the sea again—the innocent home During the Past Week ts @e in consternation; the flight of Zmily; poor | TWO REMARKABLE EXKIRITIONS OF TaE LaTex? bad that lucky opportunity—e tribute to "Tor fully Siteca minewe afterward, uring ‘or fully minutes aft an see fhe roast beet, and brown stout, and plum pudding, and dense fog, and busy Bireets, and sea-coal, fires subside and stow themselves away in memory's recesses, we are unmindful of surrounding objects and f ful of the fact that we are still within the ater and waiting for the aftorpiece. We are deeply thinking how good writing and good acting can lend a charm to the most common- ‘occurrences of life and that their mission ies deeper than the surface if they but serve to teach us that the smiles and tears of “that sort of people” are as holy and human es our own. ‘TUR PICKWICK CLUB. The prompter’s bell soon breaks upon our senses, and, as the music ceases, now a melange of popular English airs, “The British Grena- diers,” “The Roast Beef of Old England,” “Wapping Old Statrs” and “The Bay o' Biscay, ©,” (for this isa Boz and London night, and British to the core) the curtain ries on “The Pickwiek Club.” Blake is the immortal Pichcick, Burton Tony Weller, Johnston his hopeful son Samuel an Miss Hill Mary, the housemaid. Tracy Tup- man, the sportaman Snodgrass and the poet Winkle Stly appear amid great delight and hilarity. Aunt Kachel duly elopes with Alfred Jingie. Messrs. Dodson and Fogg and # together with the bligited plaintiff in the famous breach of promise suit, the Widow Bardeli,and her cherished little boy,are seen in that remarkable trial brought against the be- nign and astonished /ckirick. The whole winds up with a merry Christmas scene at Mr. Wardle’'s country seat, with plenty of dancing, carol singing, kissing ander the mistletoe and generous good cheer on the part of the jolly company and the worthy old host himself. We allare better and brighter for enjoying that jovial Christmas eve vo deftly drawn from one of Dickens’ books, And now the green baie falls, the garish lights grow dim in the old theater, and as the spectral groups fade one by one’ the clouds gather around the picture and we wake as from s dream to the > many of the people and we tried to paint bave changed or passed awa: ever busy with his work of scattering the leaves and crumbling the stones and making new things old. Davin Guasax ADEs. And thought the front was best for The work that the man on top was “Ho!” said the rer kgueeen be boss fun To see those sawed-off legiets run, New Yous, March 24, 1892 TRING THE WEEK WE HAVE gap two remarkable exhibitions of the latent Power of public opinion, both going to show how strong the people are in this country, eves in communities where boss rule is eapposed te be supreme. The first is the extraordinary up- Tising in defense of the rights and privileges of the people in Central Park. As I wrote last week the race track bill slipped throngh the legisiatare by arts of political legerdemain, oo that before the people knew it they were con- fronted by «fait accompli. But oven thie aid not deter them from making such a demonstre- tion, or in shorter Saxon phrase, euch » kick, ‘that the bosses have virtually thrown up the sponge. The whole incident has been very en- couraging, inasmuch es tt appears that under- neath the seeming indifference with which New York allows itself to be despoiied by the pothouse politicians there isa Istent strength which in a crisis can assert itself and obtain ite hte. “mionbtedly now the race track project is scotched if not killed. and I fancy the club will be applied on the wriggling snake till it is dead beyond guivanism. The essential victory was won when it was officially announced that tbe act was permissive and not mandatory, as all in authority had claimed it was at first. thus leaving upon the park commissioners the fall responsibility of any action. - There is to bem tremendous indignation meeting tomorrew night, and already the astonishing number of 83,000 signatures (to give yesterday's figures) have been sent in, with scarcely any canvass ing, by citizens who protest against the track. And the chief power of the whole movement ie its entire spontaneity, which gives threefold emphasis to every protest. Of course it ix al- wayaensy to get signatures to. anything. b when they come pouring in in whole mail bage full on an extemporised committee, accom- Pamed by vehement letters anda shower of checks, the people mean mischief and the bosses’ find it convenient to ter minds. ‘TEE CASE OF JUDGE MAYNARD. The other significant incident was the prae- tically unanimous condemnation of Judge May- The Bar nard by the entire bar of this city. Association's committe in charge, made a una’ censuring the judge. There was some effort by = fow Tammany lawyers to break the force of this report, but the meeting, which was attended by nearly 500 lawyers, adopted with only « few dissent voices this scathing reproot. The general fecling is that this action makes it impossible for Judge Maynard to stay on the bene, though I sce that already bis frionds are trying to persuade people that it is @ partisan move. Thm is absurd, however, in view of the fast that the bar committee ‘was made up abot equally of democrats and republicans. There has been no such emplitic censure of jeage in this state since the most desperate days the Tweed ring. AND NOW THE LIOx Growss. ‘The barnacles have just begun to grow on the keels of the men-o'-war when, lo and bebold, it now appears that we shall have to scrub them off again and hold ourselves in readiness for @ scrimimage with England. Such would be the logic of recent events, but for the tact that no one pretends to consider that there will be anything likes serious tura giv ent diplomatic deadi WHAT AILS THE YOUXG EMPEROR. A gentleman who has just returned frome trip through Germany tells me that the busi- ‘ness and eolid elements of German life are e1 ceedingly anxious over the condition of the emperor and apprehend critical times in the near future. Everything is vague, but for that very reason the nervousness is the 5 The t& is that the emperor is ore actionary turn of mind even if he is sane, and there is more than # suspicion that he is in @ morbid state mentally. Als recont utterances, in which he has put Limeelt athwart the desires of liberal Germany for # constitutional govern- ment bave made him an object of dread, nob merely to the more advanced radicals, but te the great body of reasonable people, Germany istoday perhaps the nation of the bighost erage intelligence in Europe, and it is in Bo ood to accept a government so medieval fa ideas as the young emperor would carry om HUMBLE HEROES OF REAL LIFE. The world would have shard time to cet along without its unknown heroes and here ines. The typhus scare here has really been quite a serious thing, as it was impossible to be certain that no infected person was at large. Not only the stricken immigrants succumbed to the fever, but the reporter who took the discase in visiting the infected house eud the policeman who had charge of it have both died. ere ore still forty-six cases in the hospital, most of them, bowever, convalescent, but we have heard little of the attendants who in great peril took care of these sufferers. Miss Kate Holden, the matron of the ward, has been undauntedly faithful through the whole siege and deserves to be remembered. The bealth board has recognized ber services by raising her salary from $60 to €75a month. ©. B. POTTER SPARES THOSE TREES. New York as never been accused of having too much sentiment. One by one her relics of an eventful past have vanisbed, and the traces of the much-talked-of kuickerbocker ancestors have disappeared. The old manor houses lower Hudson bave falle: was usually exultant remark on the march of improvements, Gradually in ite ‘nore Progress the city crept ther and “further up the river sill i has reached Hamilton Grange. avenues of fine residences are cut through the grounds where Alexander ton used to walk, and this week at the real ex hands as original states. Even business-like New York hated to see them cut down to be replaced by bricks aud mortar. The ground is bought by Oriande 2 Potter, who says the trees shall be Em pect MUCH ADO AnOUT NOTHING. Of all silly performances of “eu journalism” the climax was the fitting out of @ ficet of tugs to waylay the incoming Majestic cosine SCREAMED aT THE BURGLARS, ‘They Thereupon Stabbed Mary Taylor she is Likely to Die. Mary Teylor, daughter of James of McKeesport, Pa, was awakened Thursday morning by @ noise In room and found three masked men ermed