Evening Star Newspaper, April 2, 1892, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR: : “WASHINGTON, D.C, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 1892-SIXTEEN PAGES. ATTRACTIVE HOMES. How Comfort May Be Secured Even on the Water. THE YACHT SUNBEAM. Description of Lord Brassey's Famous Boat, Which Was at the Wharf in This City for Several Days Elegance and Comfort of Its Appointments. Written for The Evening Star. S MANY PEOPLE had thoroughly en- joyed Mrs. Brassey account of “A Voyage 1 the Sunbeam,” it was pleasant news to hear that stanch vessel had navigated the muddy waters of the Potomac and was lying at a shington wharf. It immediately became necessary to the happi- ness of several of those interested readers of the yacht's adventures to visit her and sce for themselves the boat which | has become famous through her voyage round the world and the record of it’ One bright afternoon, therefore, of her few days’ stay here, a small party armed with the necessary permission paid a visit of inspection to the Sunbeam. She looked large as she lay at the wharf, and, as coal was being taken on board, the deck was rather uninviting. The visitors, however, were taken directly to the small ‘THE SUNBEAM AT SEA. cabin, which isa perfect museum of souvenirs of travel, and is arranged most compactly and conveniently for the comfort of the dwellers on the yacht. In one corner,close to the entrance door, is the triangular writing desk, which forms the subject of one of the illustrations in the book, and is an ingenious arrangement well as ‘pretty. Like all the wood of the arniture in this room itis ebonized, and is covered with interesting and curious orna- ments. A HANDSOME CABIN. In the corner opposite the desk, om the left of the door upon entering, is a corner divan, with eretonne in light colors for the seat cover- ing. and plenty of pillows. From the back of the seat to the low ceiling the wall is lined with ictures—all water colors—one a Turner.which still of good coloring, though faded by the sea air, it is said, like many other things on board.’ The two windows opening on deck are draped with lace, like most of the others on the yacht, many strips and scarf-like pieces being A CORNER IN THE CABIN, thus arranged, specimens of different kinds and patterns, all interesting. From the desk im one corner to the other end of one of the longer sides of the cabin ronsa long divan cushioned like the corner one, and a row of photographs, each framed separately, is hung directly above, while still higher and nearly covering the wall are quantities of small pic- tures, mostly of people, the place of honor in the center at the top of the group being a large photograph of Queen Victoria, the frame draped with black velvet, ley agg map! a golden crown embroidered upon it In other places bang photographs of the rest of the royal family. MANY CURIOUS SPECINENS. At one end of the cabin, opposite the en- trance, isadeep niche about three feet from the floor, three sided and° lined with mirrors. In this are many curious specimens from the sea—shells, corals and such things, while the arch of this niche is festooned with pink and TAY sea mosses and strings of email Us. A fick ebony cabinet is between the two windows aud among other things here Iay a copy of “A Voyage im the Sunbeam.” In this Mrs Brassey says of some visitors on board: “They all ad- mired the yacht very much, particularly th and ‘THE COMPANION WAY. various cozy corners in the deck honse.” which fs the name proper of this upper cabin. The companionway just outside the cabin bas two flights of winding steps at the top, converging to exe when half way down, and this leads into & small passage opening into the dining saloon, directly under the deck house. At the head of the steps in the companionway is a high music box, or rather hand organ, which is draped at the back with eastern gauze and silk with bea necklaces intertwined. Every bit of wall spa. here and on the stairways 1s covered with pic. tures or ornaments, even the low ceiling hav- img buuches of ‘rare feathers fastened up against them. The pictures here are most of | them paintings on porcelain, one of Raphael's | Madonnas, « Madonna of Murillo and _Correg- | zio’s Magdalen being amonz them. Where the | down is a smail niche | Michael Augelo's Mores in | . Above this ou the wall, resting on brackets, are two large cylinder vases, evidently | Japanese, of carved wood, resembling a section of # branch of @ tree, with faces and other orna- ments applied in ivory. These are tilled with | great bunches of tropical grassws. | ‘THE DINING SaLoon. { picture gallery, hem. except here | aud there » banging book case takes their ‘There are so many things of interas: Eoveitaes it ie dificult to remember thems all, | there are many water colors of many places | hich the Sunbeam has visited iu #!! parts world. The great rock of Gibraltar up in one, another is a group of siender of aruined temple in Sardinia scene in Tangier, and not far from Of the stately towers of Normanhurst, ‘ehome. Each side of the outer ig a porcelain stove, set under mantel sideboard b: inserted a series of large tiles in pale coloring. representing the “Seven Ages of HOW PEOPLE EAT. The Tastes, Appetites and Customs of Different Nations. FORMS OF ETIQUETTE. When Forks Were First Introduced—What Constitute Delicacies in Various Foreign Lands and in Heathen Countries—Intrica- , P ‘Written for The Evening Star. AK TH THE CORSER OF THE CARH. HAT A DIVERSITY OF Man.” Two long narrow mirrors set in panel opinion and taste ex- have trelli«-like frames, through which vines | are climbing. giving graceful effect and mag- iste among mankind nifying the size of the room. In one corner is when it comes to the |assinall circular divan and over it two book- subject of eating and shelves, following the same curve. drinking. Nearly every PRIVATE CABINS. country, whether civi- Opening directly from this is Lord Brassey's lised i otherwise, has private cabin, small and interesting, with lote its national dish, and of books and lots of pictures, and a long divan, quality 0a well an taror as well as comfortable chair and writing table; | dents, real estate owners and consequent | photographs make up the list of pictures here. the family. Vignette, is on the title ps was at the time she made the “Sumbeam’ well known through her writing, Mrs. Brassey, her husband not being yet even Sir Thomas. ‘Two other large photographs of her hang in this room, as well as those of her children, also of the present Lady Brassey. The sleep- ing cabins are in another part of the yacht, and icame, inclosing haif a dozen small etchings of Heligoland, all made from pen and ink drawings done’ by Lady Brassey. tings of this room are of Japanese lacquer work. The walls of all these cabins are covered with cretonne, while the pasrages connecting them and forming almost a circle around the com- panionway leading up on deck have anaglypte of ivory white, covering walls and doors alike, Pine of a rich, dark color and with a beautiful ‘ain is the wood of the companionway itself. Fro cabins "in the rear of the others, which were the old nurseries of the days when chil- dren made the memorable journey round the world, have the walls covered with Japanese matting paneled with bamboo. All these cabins and the passages are filied witl? pictures like the others, and among them are two water colors of Thunder bay and Lake Superior, the only pictures of American sceuery that were noticed. Comfort must be condensed into small space on board a yacht, but there are many provisions for it on the Sunbeam. and @ Visit to this “Attractive Home” on the watcr isa pleasure not soon to be forgotten, and the old izterest in her, was reawakened by seeing the very places made familiar bydescription, but which to_see in reality had scarcely been thought of. _ It is another verifi- cation of the saying, “Itis the unexpected that pesosonlon fee ‘The Spiritualists’ Anniversary. To the Editor of The Evening Star: Having carefully read the article in your last Saturday's issue, headed “Years of Rappings,” and believing that you would not intentionally do an injustice to any number of your patrons, however small, I venture to send words asa milé and gentle protest 9; general spirit of the article referred to, as it Seems to me, calculated to give a false impr sion, not only of the general subject of spiri ualism and the claims of spiritualists, but of the character of the people in this city, who are organized and incorporated as “The First Spiritualist Association” of Washington. We fear that the article is liable to mislead the public by announcing that at the meeting to celebrate the forty-fourth anniversary of “modern spiritualism” “there will be rap- pings by ghostly hands” and “gruesome sounds and noises” or that there will be anything “‘un- about the exercises. If any one took tement seriously and went to the hail with any expectation of seeing or hearing any: thing “gruesome” or “uncanny” I fear he wa Nery, greatly disappointed, as I am sure nothing of the kind was on the program, and what one did hear were addresses whose object is to give the public an intelligent idea of what modern spiritualism is, Possibly he heard some good music and, if he stopped long enough, had an opportunity to witness or, if so melined, to join in quite an unghostly dance. If the representative of Tux Stax was present it is hoped he will give a careful ac- count of all the horrible and frightful (grue- some) sounds and noises he heard, as well as everything observed that seems “unsafe” or “not neat” (uncanny.) Would it not have been more satisfactory Statement of the facts if after saying “What taatter if one of the active participants in the events of that natal day” (the advent of the demonstrations in the Fox family), “one of the Fox sisters herself, has since adserted that the demonstration wasa fraud, a fake; not spiritual, but entirely physical? ‘The true be- levers say her confession was a lie—and go ahead with their celebrating,” you had added t she herself confesses tliat her former -onfession” was a lie, whose motive it is not necessary now to discuss. Icannot criticise the statement as to the gumber of spiritualists in the country, as the ‘riter of the article has simply quoted from an ‘ofticial” statement of a ceusus bulletin, and I simply allude to it 98 an illustration of the fact that “‘statistics” are often fearfully far from the truth, os : ere was a special inquiry to procure sta- tistics of the several religious bodice of the country. Most of these, like the various Christian churches, are so’ thoroughly organ- ized that it was easily done, aud the results give a fairshowing as to their relative num- bers. But spiritualists are not organized in any way. In many cities and towns a few have banded together for the purpose of supporting public mectings These organizations, if they may be so called, are purely local, having no counection with each other. They are often not even fairly representative of the believers im their own locality. It was these loosely or- ganized bodies alone that the census inquiry could reach, and it surprises no one more than the spiritualists themselves that so large a number was found. The writer was asked to assist in taking the census of the spiritualists, but declined because it could be done in no other way than by asking the question of every person by the enumerator whether ,he or she was a believer. In 186¢ I think it was that the Roman Catholic convocation in the city of Baltimore estimated the spiritualists at 10,000,000 in this country. Hobert Dale Qwen thought this an overestimate and placed the number st 7,500,- 000. ‘There are today doubtless 20,000,000 of people im the United States who not only be- ieve but know they have held communication with friends who have passed through the change called death. ‘Ihere are doubtless twice as many in the city of Boston as the census reporis in the state of Massachusetts. It is frequently the case in that state that two gatherings at the same hour « hundredof miles apart coutain more than are reported for the ole state. It would Lea conservative state ment to place the number of believers at 5,000 in this city. Spiritualists, however, regard it as of very ttle moment whether they are correct ounted or not. What we do object to is such tatements as the following, quoted from the article of last Saturday: “ie ranks of the spinituahsts in Washingion are recruited from the trausient population coming to this city from other states—oftice holders who come and go,” aud “The local spiritualists hold public mectings nearly every Sunday night and some- times oue evening duriag the week.” Tue facts are that for twenty-six years, with but one shght break, such meetings have been held every Sunday, usualiy morning and evening, except during the customary suinmer vacation, and for the past ten years the largest halls in the city bave frequently been found too small | to accommodate those who desired to hear the lectures delivered from their piatforms. About seven years ago the “First Society of | Spiritualists” was regularly incorporated, and large proportion of its members are old resi- tax payers, and among the most prominent busi- hess men of the ci ‘This society not only holds its meet- ings. twice every Sunday, Dut ‘hold tov each audience is limited ouly by the size of the hall. ‘SPIRITUALIST. my dear hearers, look with me for # moment at the character of David. In | for the most part likenesses of the members of lere is the original of the por- trait of the first Lady Brassey, which, as « age of her book; she All the fit-} Count of the riches of Solomon’ is simply a matter of opinion. Forms of etiquette and good man- ners take a wide range also, and it seems strange that two centuries ago the first gentlemen of England habitually wore their hats while eating. Forks were not introauced into England before the reign of James I. The English derived this piece of re- finement from the Italians. ‘The use of forks are quite numerous; that of Lady Brassey 1s | Was at first much ridiculed in England as an commodious, and very interesting on account | ¢ffeminate piece of luxury of the pictures. Among these is one large} occurs only, ‘The word “fork” ‘once or twice in the Bible and mtateuch, where mention is made the other instance is an ac- temple, where, singularly enough, the Vulgate has the word “furea,” which the English translation renders by “spoon.” ‘The Greeks, with ail their ele- ance, were ignorant of the use of forks. FIRST USE OF THE FORK. The first instance that history records of the Uso of forks was at the table of John the Good, duke of Burgundy, and he bad only two. At that period the loaves were made round and they were cut: in slices, which were piled by the side of the carver. He had a pointed carv- ing knife and a skewer of drawn silver or gold, which he stuck into the point. Having cut off 4 slice with the point of his knife he would place it on a slice of bread, which was served the guests. It was customary at one time in France when a gentleman was invited to dinner for him to send his servant with his kmfe, fork 4nd spoon, and the request to do so was almost invariably embodied in all formal and state in- Vitations. The peasantry of the Tyrol and of parts of Germany and Switzerland generally carry a case in their pockets containing a knife, fork and spoon. There 18 considerable interest connected with the word “dip,” which is still used in some parts of the country for ‘‘sauce” aad per- petuates the memory of the days when the sauce was & common dish, into which each per- son at table dipped iis brend or meat. It was this custom that led to the identification of Judas as the one who should betray Christ, for he dipped his sop in the dish with the Master. The habit of pouring « few drops of wine from a freshly opened botile into the host's glass be- fore the guests are served is popularly sup- poeed to be for the purpose of getting rid of small bite of cork that may adhere to the mouth of the bottle, but in reality it is a relic of those uncomfortable days when « host first tasted wine asa guaruntee to his guests that it was not poisoned. ‘The old Virginia custom of drinking the first glass of wine standing is a survival of the same sort. ‘The host held his glass up to the light in the presence of all his guests and then drank ite contents asa guar- Antee of good faith. ‘The Chinese claim to be the original discov- erers of the process of sugar-making, and it is said that sugar was used in China 3,000 yi ago. It was certainly manufactured 200 Ye: before the Christian era begun, Ietiued sugar Ms not made in Europe till 165 Once in the of “flesh forix The costliest dinner set ever made was by Tiffany. Mr. Mackey brought from his mines 975,000 worth of bullion and this the je made up into aservice asking $20,000 for the work, making the cost in. all 195,000, and no sovereign m Europe eats from such a gorgeous plate. An expert who claims to “speak whereof he knows” asserts that wine 1s a good investment, taking the chances of thirsty mobs and carth- quakes and a revolution in public opinion all over the world. A good port of 1815 sold in 1859 for £175 per dozen. Tokay laid down in 1800 sold in 1850 for 180 per dozen, and that imust be considered as paying a fair interest on their cost and keep. ORIGIN OF THE MINCE PIE. Mince pie is emphatically a New England in- stitution, butit conversion to Christianity they used to make a stew or porridge consisting of everything held sacred to their gods, as the flesh of “birds, api- mals, grains and dried herbs which had’ been gathered at the full of the moon. ‘This was partaken of in honor of Woden. With some improvements in the Ways of fruits and tlavors, the Woden pie came to be in the middle ages the great Christmas pie, celebrated in English song and known today ax mince pie. Here is a receipt for mince pies given by one of the best housekeepers in’ New England the writer's wife: “Mince meat for pies: One cupful of chopped meat, one anda halt cup- fuls of raisins, one and a half cupfuls of cur rants, one and a half cupfuls of brown susur, one-third of a cupful of molasses, or one euptl of granulated sugar, three cuptuls of chor ped apples, one cupful of. meat liquor, two spoonfuls of sait, two tezspoonfuls of cinnamon, one half of a teaspoonful of powdered cloves, one lemon, grated rind and juice, one quarter piece of citzon, ome quarter of a cuptul of randy, one quarter of a cupful of wine, three teaspoontuls of rose water.” Another celebrated New England dish is the genuine Nantucket chowder. ‘Ihe dish usually served under that name, a mixture of potatocs, crackers, &c., is more properly a stew or fist fricasse, a palatable compound, but not chow- der. This is the genuine urticie. Geta cod- fish, fresh caught \and weighing about five pounds. Don't buy it unless its eyes are bright and its gillsa bright red. Have it cleaned as for boiling, leaving the head un. Cut it into five pieces, the head forming one; wash clean and leave the pieces in cold water slight) salted. Take three-quarters of a pound of clean, fat salt pork, cut this up into fine dice, the finer the better, and put into a pot over slow fire. While it’ is slowly frying out cut az onion very fine, and when the pork is a rich brown turn in the onion, stirring it frequently and after the onion is cooked lay the fish on it d cover with boiling water. Wet two tablo- spoonsful of corn starch in half a pint of milk and add salt and pepper to taste. When the fish has boiled fifteen minutes add the thick- ened milk. Boil five minutes and serve with pickles, olives or celery. THREE DISHES OF THE QUEF: The three dishes which are invariably to bo found on Queen Victoria's sideboard on Christ- mas day are the royal baron of beef, the boar's head and the woodcock pie. They are always cooked at Windsor Castle and forwarded to Osborne on Christmas eve. The queen usually receives presents of several wild bour’s heads from German relatives. A roast sucking pig which bas been carefully nurtured on nther's milk from the hour of its birth was formerly another royal dish on Christmus day, and George IV was particulariy fond of the head of a sucking pig, split. well seasoned and deviled. ‘The old Duke of Cambridge reveled in pig, and whenever suown the menu for dinner and asked whether there was anything else he fancied would answer: “Yes: a roast pig and an apple dumpling.” The royal baron of beef usually weighs about 300 pounds, cut from » Devon bullock fed on the royal demesne, takes « day to cool and is decorated with the queen's monv- gram formed of shredded horse radish. Emperor William's favorite salad is as fol- lows: From six lettuces remove outer leaves | occasionally mixed with bread. | tribe of 9 in silver, the finest variety selling for $300 pound. 'It closely resem moss, now so largely used for jellies and invalids. In the Chinese supply stores of Shanghai will be found shark's fins, © great delicacy worth 1.75 per pound. ‘Trays of largo black béetles, thoroughly dried, are exposed for sale, and are fried in butter,at the low rate of 5 cents apiece. ‘There are ducks splitdown the back and pressed like Finnan haddock, anointed with oil to ren- der them impervious to the air. aver 40 cents each and make excellent broilers. Oysters are threaded on a thin fiber, and imps are skewered on two wisps of bamboo. ‘The inhabitants of Cochin China have the singular taste of preferring rotten eggs to fresh ones, and they re very fond of a well-fattened dog; a kind of small greyhound is reared especially for the table. Rate and mico may form items of a Chinaman's menu, but, during along expe- rience in China, the writer bas never scen them exposed for sale. Seaweed, pressed into cakes, havo a large sale, and bears’ paws are looked upon asa great dainty. At a state banquet lately given at Peking the bill of fare was as Bird’s nest soup, ham, with honey ail cakes, silver moss, green cucum- id beg crs apples, — chicken, P pater, meat pastry. mussels, green sour milk, roast duck, stuffed cacats ers, sweet oe cakes, baked brown carp, stewed pears, aked fish lips, baked oysters, ham pates, boiled bamboo shoots, with shrimps, rosebud jelly. Among the sweets were oranges, the skins ap- patently unbroken. yet from which the pulp ad been dextcrously removed, half a dozen aan of jeily baving been made to take its place. ‘THE TASTE OF THE FREXcH. Tne French will eat snails, frogs and the diseased liver of geese. A Frenchman once declared in the writer'shearing that daring the siege of Paris he acqnired quite a fondness for the flesh of horses and dogs, habit at length rendering palatable a diet which was first tacon a5 a matter of necessity. The use of horse flesh as au article of food has made great prog- ress in Paris, where about @ thousand horses per week are said to be slaughtered, the animals even being imported for that purpose. The snail is becoming another fashionable article of diet in France. Snails were highly esteemed by the Romans, and in the sixtecath century the Capuchins of Fribourg possessed the art of fattening them, ‘There are now more than fifty restaurants and more than a thousand private tables in Paris where snails are accepted as@ delicacy, the monthly con- sumption of this moliusk ‘being estimated at halt a million. A’ celebrated “French chef is said to have the art of serving eggs in 500 dif- ferentatylen. In Brazil and Spanish America yor monk- eys rousted is the favorite dish. the cook scoops out a hole inthe ground and makes ® smail bake oven, in which the monkey is done toa turn, flavored with various herbs and vege- tables. ‘The writer had an experience with a party of natives on the banks of the Amazon, Where roast monkey was served, and the meat, white and tender, resembled chicken in flavor, REPTILES AB ARTICLES OF FooD. Reptiles figure largely in various portions of the globe as articles of food. The Americans and English make use of the green turtle, but there the lino is drawn. On the west coast of Africa the writer was induced to try amouthful of boaconstrictor steak, greatly relished by the natives. It was served with » rich gravy and ‘d with hot peppers. It resembled in iavor and appearance young veal. In South America the native children will drag huge centipedcs ont of their holes and erunch them up. ‘The negroes of the West Indies cat Yuked snakes and the palm worm fried in fat, but they cannot be induced to cat, stowed rate Lit. Arabsare fond of erockodiles and sume portions of the creature is said to be white and tender when properly served. Crockodile egga are much sough: alter by the natives of Mada- ‘ascar, their flavor closely resembling a mix- ture of rancid oil and mask. In the Pa- cific und West Indian islands lizards and bzardy’ eggs are eaten in a va- nety of styles.” The guana, a species of lizard common to Africa and South America, is considered a great delicacy, tne flesh closely resembling chicken. Some of the North Amer- ican Indians will eat rattlesnakes roasted, but their great dish is boiled and roasted dog, with- out the formality of skinning or otherwise cleaning, aud they regard the intestines as the choicest part of a buffalo or steer. ‘The Pariahs of Hindoos:an have still stronger stomachs, for they contend with the dogs, vultures and kites for putrid carrion. Spiders are a dessert with the New Caledonians and the Chincso will serve tho chirysalis of the silk worm. The octopus, when boiled and then roasted, is eaten am Corsica. ‘The Guachos of the Argentine Re- public will hunt skunks for the sake of their Hesh. The Singalese eat the bees after robbing them» of their honey. Quas, the fermented cabbage water of the itussians, is their favorite tipple. It is described as resembling a mixture of stale fish and soap suds, yet, next to beer, it has more yotaries than any other fermented beverage. In the West Indies alarge cat- crpillar found on the,palm tree is esteemed a luxury, while the edible nests of Java swallows are so rich a dainty that the ingredients of a dish will cost as much as $60. ANTS ARE EATEN BY MANY, Ants are eaten by many nations. In Brazil they are served with a resinous sauce and in Africa they are stewed with butter or grease. Tho East Indians catch them in pits and cure- fully mash them in handfuls, like rasing. In Siain a curry of ant eggs is a costly luxury. In Oriental countries locusts are still utilizel as food. They are sometimes fried and served with rice and dates, sometimes boiled or baxcd, occasionally saited and ground up inte cakes, and frequently boiled in milk. The Digger Int diane rejoiced in tho great swarms of lnnea ot 1875, as dispensation of the Great Spirit, and laid in a store of dried locust powder sufiicient to last them for several years, A curious taste prevails in many parts of the ld for clay. According to Humboldt it is nin all the countries of the torrid zone. ractice is also observed in the north, as hundreds of cart loads of earth contuining infusor‘a are caid to be annually consumed by the country people in the most remote parts of eden, and in Finland a kind of earth i d ‘The Ottomac arth-eating Indians knead the earth into balls of five or six inches in diameter, which they roast by a slow fire until the outside . They remoisten them when they are required as food and, according to a monk who lived twelve years among them, one of them would ent from three-quarters of a pound to a pound of this peculiar food in # day. In Guiana the Indians nx clay their bread, and clay eating to a certain ‘exteut is indulged in by natives of North Cavolina, who are ensily recognized by. their pale and swolien counte- FLOWENS IN THE LISTS OF FOOD. Flowers enter largely into the lists of food for human consumption. Artichokes are im- mature flower heads and caulillowers have a close affinity. Brassels sprouts are buds which have not reached maturity. ‘There is a variety of cabbage known as “brocoli” that has been reclaimed from the sea. Itis distinctively a maritime plant, and to secure for it sustenance as nearly us possible like its natural food star fishes are gathered on the beaches for manure. ihe ‘crop ‘is pat into casks which have con- tained Burgundy or Bordeaux, and brocoli inaliy comes to the table in the form of pickles or chow-chow. Yellow pond lilies make fine preserves. Nasturtium fiowers are often used in salads. The flowers of the caper bush enter largely into sauces, and cloves—used for flavoring—are the unexpanded buds of the clove tree dried in the sun. The flowers of the abatilon eseulentum are commouly used as a vegetable in Brazil. Some North, American Indians regard as a delicacy the cooked flowers of the pumpkin vine. For preserves, violets, jasmines and rose petals are used, both as pre- serves and in the form of confectionery. The seeds of plants xre also largely used in various portions of the globe as articles of food. Among the rivers in Colorado and Arizona grass seeds are a much valued winter food for the Indians. Bunflower seeds aiford a staple article of diet among the In- dints of southern Utah and elsewhere. In southern Califoraia the Iudians make bread from the pods of a plant calied the mesquite. ‘The Chinese carefully dry and prepare wuter- melon seeds for their varied menus. HOURS OF DIXINO. England has always been later in its dining hour than France. Louis XII dined at 9:30 in and strip from remaining ones the good part. ‘hey should be broken up, but not cut; wash and soak half an hour. Kinse and place in napkin and swing till dry. For dressing take yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, crush them to paste, add half tablespoonfui French vine- gar, three of mustard, onesaltspoonful salt, and beat up well together; then udd by degrees six egar, and when thoroughl: mixed, alittle terrigon finely ebopped, a des- sort spoonful coarse white pepper. as pepper in po paldte. When weil mixed place the salad in it snd turn over and over patiently tll there remaine not one drop of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Put the the morning, but at the same period in Eng- land the court hour was 7. Louis XIV dined at 12, while Cromwell and Charles II dined at 1. In Germany 11 and 12 are very usually the hours for dining. In England the court din- ner hour remained at 11 from the reign Edward IV to that of Henry VIL, but the mid- dle or lower classes dined at Yor 10. The fash- ionable bour in Henry VIII's reign came to 12, when Sir- Thomas Moore dined, sad it mained fixed there for many years.’ It is the workingman’s time and is likely to so for centuries, In 1700 the dinner hour rivaled American extravagance. The queen took a pearl ‘worth €50,000, dissolved it in strong acid, and drank the’ liquor to the health of the triumvir, saying, “My dranght to Antony shall exceed in value the whole ban- Queen Elizabeth visited the exchange in London Sir Thomas Gresham pledged her heaith in a cup of wine containing « precious stone crushed to atoms worth $75,000. An Italian entertainment is most fragal: a little wine and water, some very warm aap flower water and a few cakes are offered. T! Germans entertain simply, and one has to be educated up to their aliar cooking. The French, as all the wotld knows, are good livers, but far from lavish in their entertainments. In Spain no one is asked to dinner; there is no en- tertaining at Madrid or the large cities. Span- iards are Polite, but strangers aro seldom aaked to join the family circle. The Russians are very hospiteble and live well, entertaining handsomely. But the Americans lead the world in the sumptuousness of their hospital- ity. &. D. 8. ——— BALLOONS AND PINWHEELS. How They Are Made—More Profit in Them ‘Than in Peanuts, 66Q"LOooNs!" Picturesque, as all children of Italy are, the vender was surrounded by @ vari- colored nimbus of paper whirligigs and toy balloons. A huge bunch of the latter he held attached to the end of @ slender stick, while some hundreds of the former gyrated in unison upon a sort of wooden cross eight feet in height, supported perpendicularly. It was on an F street corner. “Fiveacent!” he said to a Stan writer who paused to ask the price of a pinwheel. “How do you make them?” asked the pur- chaser, “Buys de pape two dollar fifty cent a ream,” roplied the man simply. “Getta de pape from New York, all color—rei, green, blue, yellow. Cut up de pape and maka de pinwheel. Maka one hundred in sixa hour. Fer each pinwheel must be stick. Getta de stick 10 cent a pound from chair factory. Sella de pinwheel with a stick fiveacent. B'loons!” “Do you make your own balloons?” “Si, senor. Me maka de b'loons. Buya de rubber bags from New York—four dollar a gross. Blows dem up with tin machine, tie with a thread and fixa on a stick. All tor’ ten cent. Leetle b'loons with wooda mouthapiece, squawka when air come outa, fivacent Costa two dollar fifty cent a gross.’ “You must be making a fortune. “Me no maka mucha ‘mon’, senor; but not so bad as fraita business.” You formerly kept a fruit stand?” senor. Fruit and peanutta,” “But there must be a big proiit on peanuts.” senor. Me makade mon’ on de peanutta. But,” added the italian, his voice rising toa small shriek of disgust, “alia de mon’ me mak on do peanutia me lose on de damma banan ! —_—_ Written for The Evening Star. ‘The Old Rail Fence, Close in the wake of winter, the spring was coming fast; You could hear astir inthe forest, wherever her footsteps passed; ‘The sap was flowing upward—you could almost hear it sing; And when three times the hylas piped, we knew it was fairly spring. All winter in the clearing [ was busy mauling rails, And litle I cared for driving snow, for blizzards and blasts and gales; Before the orchard trees should bloom into rosy sea, 1 hoped and planned to have ahome for Polly Ann and me. And now you could see on the hill top, whenever the sun was low, A cottage lined om the evening sky, as clear as a cameo; And while in perfumed billows the smoke fled blue and dense Away from a hundred clearing fires, I laid the “worm” of the fence. I never knew what music there was in a jaybird’s note Till then, nor the merry sweetness that came from @ peewee’s throat; Tdlose myself in watching the Might of a blue- bird's wing, And I'd stop my work and whistle the song that I heard him sing. And long before the setting sun poured fame in the budding boughs, Would Polly strike the clearing, on her way to hunt the cows; We'd lean on the fresh, new, fragrant rails until the day was late, And both of us thought it better far than leaning on the gate. Low down in the marshy meadows, along in the edge of night, When the fall spring moon was showing a globe of amber light, And slender golden javelin among the brush-heaps played, We heard the the frogs’ shrill voices in a lively serenade. And Polly said she loved them—she said it seemed to her As {f they were a laughing; and possibly they were, To see us inoving off at last, 60 leisurely and slow, While the cows she had started out to hunt were home au hour ago. ‘Time that Polly's garden bloomed with pinks and hollyhocks, My corntield was a wilderness of green and grace- ful stalks, And high their pointed spears above the strong, straight fence rails grew, And out of thelr misty tassels a dim of gold-dust blew. But the web of summer was done at last, and off of her needles slipped, And next, the tallest hickory tree with s golden flame was tipped; ‘The wahoo blazed in the hollow, where we heard the hylas pipe, And where I had cleft the oaken rails the yellow corn was ripe. . ‘Then into the ranks of winter the sutumn’s march was slow; Ti the wind uprose, impatient, at the soundless tread of the snow. . Atlast a faint, faint breath of spring from sun- steeped lands it brought, And thus was the plan of a twelvemonth in 8 won- derful pattern wrougat. And over and over and over the varying strands Were crossed In the merry gold of the sunshine and allver white of the frost; _ ‘The vines grew thick at the cornfield’s edge asthe Seasons’ flight they traced, And in among the old gray rails their curling threads were laced. ‘The years have given unto me @ frosty-silver crown, And left a few light, scattered pears in Polly's bauds of brown; A line or two of thoughtfulness her placid forehead shows, But from her cheek no paler tint bas swept away the rose. ‘We've learned the lesson given us, of faith and trust and love, ‘To make our earthly dwelling fair, and look for one above Far fairer and far happier, when earth-lignt groweth aim, And the Father sends the summons which shall call us unto Him. ROUND-THE-WORLD HEALTH TRAVEL Mr. C, 8. Noyes at Cairo. PLEASANT EXPERIENCES OF BIS TRIP. Mr. C. 8. Noyes was in Cairo, Egypt, March 10, taking alittle breathing spell after the long round of travel through Japan, China, Ceylon, India and Egypt. With the exception of a slight ill turn in India he had gained all, and more than all, the benefits he had hoped for in this round- the-world health trip. He had just retarned from a trip up the Nile (as far as the first cataract), which proved unexpectedly enjoy- able ana restful. Instead of the anticipated monotony of @ voyage up a tame, muddy river Tuning through dreary sand wastes the jour- ney was found full of interest and incident from the time the boat left the Cairo bridge (with ite big British lions, indicating that John Ball is in Egypt to stay) until it reached Asso- uan, Way up on the borders of Nubia, at the foot of the first cataract. The weather was perfect, the steamer accommodations every- thing that could be desired, and thedable fare good, with the exception of the abominable, sour, heavy, dingy English bread that is in- flioted upon travelers in every English steamer or hotel throughout the world. The scenery while having nothing of the grand was always attractive and had, especially at morning and evening, an exquisite beauty of coloring most fascinating. The band of vivid green vegetation bordering the river is always pleasing to the eye. There is a continued succession of picturesque scenes of native life in the primitive cultivation of the fields with the wooden plough of 4,000 years ago, and the equally primitive mode of raising the water from the river for irrigation; and the swarming population of the mad-hut villages seem to be in manners, dress and mode of liv- ing very much what they were thousands of years ago. ‘The river is also full of life, with numberless native boats of curious rig, with tall masts and wing-and-wing sails that make them look like enormous white-winged birds. ‘These boats are loaded sometimes with great piles of water jars, or great squares of straw or chaff in such sort that the hulls are wholly concealed and nothing is to be seen of the ves- sels but the tall masts. Then there is the swarm of pleasure-sailing dababcahs that make the Nile gay with their presence; and it is de- lightful to see the American flag on many of them. For it is the fad now for rich Ameri- cans to fit out a dahabeah luxuriously and loaf up and down the Nile all through the winter. Luxor (Karnack), where the dababeahs call a good deal, is now quite a winter pleasure re- sort, with three hotels, lawn tennis grounds, races, &c. One of the drollest races possible was that seen at Luxor, m which there was = tremendously exciting camel race, a lively race with buffalo cows, and @ tandem doukey race with gentlemen riders, in which the teams got tangled up in such confusion that there was no telling who was the winner. The Germans are to be seen a good deal as tourists, and there was a German-chartered dahabeah at Luxor one night brilliant with colored lan- terns strung all up and down its tall mast and rigging, and the stout-lunged occupants were singing “Phe Watch on the Rhine” in away that brought out all the echoes of ancient Karnack and its stone Pharaohs, and also of the vocal Memnon on the other side of the river, who thus recovered his lost voice. ‘The Nile trip is now getting to be very much of a piensure ex- cursion. The Nile steamers are fitted up for dancing and various sorts of amusements, and, the land excursions to the antiquities make a pleasant diversion from boat travel, both for the Egyptologists and to those who go just for the fun of the harum-scarum donkey ride. The travel up the Nile this year has been nnprece- dented, a fact partly dueto the cholera quaran- tine on Palestine through the winter. that bas thrown a good deal of the Holy Lau travet in this direction. Now that the quarantine is up there is a great rush to Palestine Cairo, and, indeed, all Exypt, is in n smiling condition just now. ‘There las been “a good Nile” this past season—that is, water enough for irrigation; the crops have been abundant; the national income so much ex- ceeds the expenses that the government is able to reduce the price of salt, which is a govern- ment monopoly. In Cairo the forty days of mourning for the late khedive have expired and the gascties of this most cheerful of cities are again to the front. The young khedive is apparently applying himself to business in an exemplary way. Early every morning ho drives by the hotels to his office to attend to the affairs of state. When he gets there prob- ably ho finds some English advisers on hand to tell him what to do. le PROTECTING TBE BASS. Legislation in Maryland in Which the Dis- trict Anglers Are Interested. Col, James G. Berret, now of the Maryland legislatare, has sent to the city a copy of the act just passed by that body relating to bass fishing, which adds several sections to the ex- isting law. ‘These sections are as follows: “Sec. 46 A. That it shall not be lawfal for any person within this state to take, catch or kill any fresh-water biaék bass of less than one- half pound in weight, and save only with a hook and line, or to have any such black bass in his possession, or to take, catch or kill the same, except during the last fifteen Written for The Evening Star. SALMON PUT UP IN CANS, Cat Up by Chinamen, Who Do the Packing and the Cooking. 7HEN ONE COMES TO TRINK OF IT it seems quite wonderful that one should beable to buy pound of salmon ina can from the Pacific coast for 25 cents. The frozen fish costs 40 cenisa pound at ieast, while the unfrozen article ranges in eastern markets from,$1 up. Besides, the manner in which each can is made to contain @ segment of sal- mon perfectly fitted into it appears most sur- Prising, the bones, even to the larger vertebra, melting in the mouth without requiring #0 Much asacrunch between the teeth and the red flesia separating in beautiful, clean flakes, RESTRICTING THE CATCH. Yet salmon would be very much cheaper than at present were it rot that the great canners of Alaska have formed a combination to restrict the product. This is unfortunate for consum- ers, ‘haps, but lucky certainly for the fish, which would be wiped out altogether within irs at the most if the companies engaged in their capture had a market for all they could Produce at profitable rates. ‘Ihe methods em- S- the most destructive conceivable, inasmuch as the fishermen streich acines across the mouths of the rivers and take the fi THE RALEIGH. Description of the Cruiser Just Laanched at the Norfolk Navy Yard. By act of Congress approved September 7, 1888, the construction of two steel crussers of about 3,000 tons digplacement each, to cost mot more than $1,100,000 each, exclusive of arms. ment and any premiums that might be paid for increased «peed, was authorized. The «peed proscribed was 19 knots, with @ premium of $50,000 for each quarter of aknot additional.and the same deduction for each quarter of a knot deficient. The act authorized the Secretary of the Navy to build the vessels in navy yards it unable tocontract for them at reasonable prices, Proposals were advertised for, bat none within the limit of cost fixed by Congress was received. The Secretary accordingly dirreted that the vessels to be known as cruisers No. 7 and No. 8 should be built at the navy yards at New York and Norfolk, respectively. The chief constructor gave orders to begin work on No. 8 under date of September 26, 1889. ‘The first keel piate was laid December 19, 1889. Since then the work has been carried on as expedi- tiously as possible, against the difticalties of training a new force of workmen and veme- tious delays in the delivery of material In pursuance of the plan of naming second-class shipsafter cities the President deciied that cruiser No. 8 should be called the bh Which are going up the stream to spawn. There is a law against this sort of thing, but it is not enforced. Eventually, doubtless, the sup- ply of this valuable fiuny game will run out aud Artificial propagation will have to be resorted to. ARTIFICIAL BREEDING. Thus far the United States fish commission has not extended its operations with respect to the artificial breeding of salmon into Alaska. Its attempts in this line have been limited to the Columbia and Sacramento rivers. In those streams tho supply has been successfully main- tained, and. when the time arrives, thore is no doubt that similar methods will be applied with equally favorable results to the preservation of the fish in Alaskan territory. The only experi- ments made in this direction up to this present time in Alaska have been conducted by a can- ning company at Kodiak. ‘This concern is placing 5,000,000 young fry in fluvial waters euch year at its own expense, already with markedly satisfactory results. One of the most astonishing discoveries achieved by civilized man is the simple process by which be is able to effectively create myriads of fishes, which otherwise would not have lived, out of «few handfuls of roe. WHEN THE SALMON ARE CAvORT. ‘The salmon caught iu the seines and gill nets are brought to the cannery wharf, counted and thrown into heaps. Chinamen, their labor being cheaper, are mostly employed for subse- quent operations. ‘They take each fish, cut off the head, tail and fins, remove the entrails and throw the rest of the animal into a big tub. Next the fish is washed and piaced in a trough, where several knives, acting after the manner of a feed cutter, slice it into sections exactly as Jong as the height of ‘Tbeve sections are se: on end aud split into three pieces each—one Piece large enough to fill the can, while the others are smaller. ‘he fragments are then placed on tables and the Chinamen fit them into the cans. Next the covers are put on the cans and soldered. IN THE caNs. After being soldered the cans are put into hot water and watched in order tosee if any bubbles rise, indicating ieaks. Those which endure this test successfully are placed in an iron tank and boiled in salt water. Salt water is used in preference to fresh, because it ean Ve raised toa higher temperature. After boil- ing tor one hour and a quarter each canis “vented.” This means that a hole is punched in its top to permit the expanded air to escape. ‘Then the hole is soldered up, and the cooking is finished by further boiling in sult water for an hour andaluif. If they were not “vented” this secoud cooking would burst the cans. Finally, each can is tested by tap head with a big nail. If leaky, 1 give back a“‘tinny” sound. Great care to avoid leaky cans, because any which ure not hermeticaily sealed will inevitably burst. The meat decays, pushing up the top of the can. One so aifected is called a “eweli-head.” If it bursts, 1t is likely to rain the whole ease. ‘Three salmon will ordinarily fill forty-eight onc-ponad cans, mal one Y are made on the premises out of OfL PROM SALMON BEADS. Within the last few years the manufacture of oil from salmon heads has been undertaken with profit. The heads are bought from the canneries at the rate of 1,000 for #1. One fac- tory produces as much as 18,000 gallons a year, worth 24 cents a gulion. ‘The heads are cooked by stcum and the oil is run off the tops of the vats. One thousand heads make from thirty to thirty-five gallons of oi. It is not disposed of Dy itself as a commercial article, but is mixed asanadulterant with other and more costly oils. Salmon intended for smoking are first scrubbed and dried, after whicu they are hung up in the smoke house, where a slow fire is kept burning. One week is required for the ing process. Seals and sea lons are o reat nuisance to the salmon fishermen, At the mouth of tue Columbia river they watch the gill uets and grab the caught salmon by the throats, devouring those parts which they re- gard especially as tidbits: ears are very fond Of saiuion and catch a great many of them in the ‘streams. ‘They eat only the heads De gustibus—you know the rest. Chinamen are forbidden to fish for salmon in the Columbia fiver on penaity of being shoton sight There- fore they do not fish. ° diane ON A MASONEY VIADUCT. How the Reading Kailroad is to Reach Its New Terminus in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is to have in the new terminal depot of the Reading railroad at 12th and Mar- ket streets a structure which will be an orna- ment to that city. The road will reach this depot by an elevated roadway or masonry via- duct. Auenormous amount of money bas been expended by the road to acquire its terminal ugh. The Raleigh has = length of 390 fect on the load-water line, and an catreme breadth of 42 feet. Ather mean normal dranght ot 18 fect of sea water her displacement ts about 8,180 tons, the maximum draught there being about 19 feet. She will have two sets of engines, Working twin screws. It is estimated that her engines will develop 10,000 indicated horse power at full power, with a steam pressure of 160 pounds. ‘This will drive the si1p at twenty knots. Her coal supply at normal drauglt will be 400 tons, the bun! will hold 675 tons, aud with this eupply she cam steam 1,000 miles at full power, or 10,500 at 10 knote—ber moss economical speed. ‘The engines are of the triple expansion verti- cal, inveried, direct acting type, with two low. ressure cylinders. Mer cylindere are 36, 57 and 57 inches an diame stroke of 33 inches, Steam is eupplied by four double-ended boilers and two single-ended ones to be used as auxiliaries, The grate sur- face is 5Y7 equare feet and the heating surface 19,382. ‘The closed axh pit aystem of forced draught will be used. The condensers have each 7,000 square fost of coaling surtace. ‘The Tevolutions at full power will be 166. ‘The main and auxiliai TY engines wecupy four , and the boilers four ends of the ship is very complete. The pro- lective deck is 1 inch thick on the flat, 2 inches ‘on the slopes at the ends and 25 on the slopes amidships. A coffer dat, to be filled with woodite oF cellulose, extends aroand the ship im the wake of the water line,on the protecuve deck. The ship has poop and forecastle decks, with an open gun deck between and bridges extending along the tops of the bammoc’s berthings connecting the poop and forecastle. The rig is that of a two-masted schooner ‘The main armament consists of one six-inch B. L. K.. mounted on the forecastle and having an are of train of 270 degrees from quarver 80 quarter; ten five-inch rapid-fire guus, two Mounted on the poop and the others on the gun deck in «pousons; those on the poop and the after two on the gun deck train from right astern to 60 degrees forward the beam; the two forward ones on the gun deck train from Tight abead to 60 degrees alaft the beam: the others train 72 degrees before and abatt the beam. The auxiliary armament consists of eight six-pounder rapid-fire guns, mounted four over the forward aud after sponsous on forecastie and poop; two ou gun deck forward and two on gun deck amidships; four one pounders, mounted two on gun weok aft (in captain's after cabin) and two on bridges; two gatlings, mounted in the topa ‘The forward, after and midship five-inch guns on the deck are provected by fou other sponsons have one-inch armor plates. ‘The conning tower will be two i thick, as wall the tube leading frou it to the protective deck. ‘There are six above-water t tubes, fixed ones abead and astern and train- ing ones on each bow and quarter, The tubes are of the Howell pattera, using gaupowder te project the torpedo. ‘Lhe whip wil be lighted by electricity, the plant consisting of 2 engines and dy éach with an output of 200 amperes at t potential of 80 volts. iu additior necestary lights for ilumination and sigualing: there wall be 3 Mangin searc! jectore. ‘Yhe lights will be ar on in- dependent conductors, all controlied from & switch board in the dynamo room, #o arranged thateither of the dynamos can be put on any or ail of the are or incandescent circuits. The engine power of the Kaicigh is relatively larger than that of any other vessel im the United States navy, except tie Vesuvius and the torpedo boats, and, occurring as it doce im conjunction with alarger battery com Sitates a larger crew. Tbe complement will be about 820—24 otficers, 34 marines aud a crew of 266. ‘The rudder is partially balanced. Its weight isabout7.5 tons. Ihe ordinary right and left stearing gear is used, actuated by « powertul steam stearing engiue below the protective deck. It is estimated that her cost completed, im- cluding armament and equipment, will be $1042,915.74. ‘Tue actual weight of the ship when launched was 1,140 tons. The Raleigh & the first vessel of the new navy to be built complote by the govcrameni, as the machinery aud boiers are Under construction and now nearly compieted atthe navy yard at New York. Ina few days they will be éhipped to Norfolk to be placed ou board. Lhe Norfolk navy yard hase well-equipped plant for smp buiiding, and with an organized rorce of men is capable of building t advan- tuge one or more of the new battle ships to be authorized by the present Congress. When a man gots religion right his horse soos finds it out.—Kam's Jiorn, British Lion—“My dear Bear, lot me rend ofthe month of June and during the months of July, August, September, October. November aud December, under a penalty of #10 for each and every Diack bass so taken, caugnt or killed or had in his possession,” &c. “Sec. 46 B, That it shall not Le lawful for any person within this stato to take, catch or kill any fresh water black bass at any time ‘in any of the waters of this state by means of trot or out lines, or by any basket, fish pot, seine or seines, wet or nets, frap or traps, or by the use of poison or drug of by the explosion of gunpowder or other material, or with any device or contrivance whatsoever, save as provided in section 46 A of this act, under a penalty of $10 for each and every black bass so taken, caught or killed.” This act does “not apply to Washington county. In acknowledging the colonel’s courtesy the angler to whom he sent the bill drops into ‘potry,” like Silas Wegg, as follows: ‘Tho poet may sing OWwith tatcnsece Partean weal, But his ineasure divine ‘Wil not thrill you like mine, ‘For I sini of the Bass. Hod and Reel. The effect of this legislation is to pro- hibit from the Ist of January until the middle of June any person from, taking black bass of less one-half poun: weight ‘save only with a — heok and line.” The next section prohibite all tish- ing for black bass at any time in any waters in the state and by any means except as above Ergood agi Bitter. Walleragt’ oo io king admitted nig well; Horatio In re Thomas A. ; facilities and to enable it to uxe them, The work has been pushed with great vigor. As soon as the legal obstacles had been surmounted architects and engineers organized their forces, contracts were awarded and the contractors be- gan the work of demolition. Almost like magie row after row of ancient buildings were gazed to the ground. Excavations were pushed day and night aud soon great piles of stone and brick began to mark the course of what when completed, says the Philadelphia be the finest short stretch of elevated the world. ‘The material used for this work is of Conshohocken stone along the entire line route, except at 11th and Callowhill t the point where the roads diverge, ther be a huge bridge, the bases, walls an which are to be built of solid browns of the masonry for, walls, piers a1? comy verging poin wAill, and is not only solid inl, but ornamental. The arches is a g 5. fj one. ee i i BEE Hl : i t i a i : i i i if ir i F Fe i i i f it i Hl Hf FE i | | £ i F E i Ei 4 i ( i | i | i i fr rf i E j ti : m1 these English resolutions «ympatbizing With the unfortanate Jews in Rusia’ Ah, you weep ! Russian Bear—Yes, over the woes of Ireland. Let's mingle our tears.”—Tezas Syftings. “It is usually a man who has a head likee cork who gets along best in the swam,"— Yonkers Gazette. ——— A Lovers’ Sy % 3 Z's