Evening Star Newspaper, April 23, 1892, Page 8

“IN DURANCE VILE. er LAURA E. RICHARDS IN TWO TALES. ——— VERY ONE KNOWS the Island; it is not nee- essary to name it, With its rolling downs, its points, its. ponds, its light-houses, and above all, its towu—who does not know the Island? Some day I shall write astory about the downs, the billowy acres of gold on russet, russet on gold, wonderful to = see—but this story i* about the tow ‘The town has its nominal government, like other towns; its selectmen and its town meet- ing, andother like machinery; but everybody Knows that the real seat of government les in the upper house. The mectings of this repab- lican House of Lords are held in the best room of “Bannister’s,” the one inn of the town. Itis ® pleasant, roomy old structure, built in the Island fashion, with wide windows and plenty of thers, and with a railed platform on. its flat- topped roof, from which in former days the ‘women of the house used to wateh for the com- ing of the whaling fleet. Theres little watching ‘come into tha Tee drenged with oliin, ‘The great wharves Tot silently aud fall apart; a few old hulks rot Guietly beside them. Two or three fishing smacks, a coal schooner or two—these are all now on the Isiand. wonderful harbor, e men who sit together in the upper i look out of the windows great deal, because from them they can see the harbor an: beyond it the sea, and the sea is what they lov st to look at, for the greater part of their s has been spent on it. Oid sea captains— it needs but one glance to tellof what the Upper House is composed: Men with faces that might have been carved out of mahogany, wrinkled and seamed and beaten into strange lines by wind and weather; gray or white hair, for the most part, and shaggy beards, yet bright eyes which are used to look- at is not always the same thing, to seeing what they look at Though most of them go to sea no more, they keep with care their sea-going aspect they wear pea jackets with huge horn button: heavy sea boots and never fail to don their sou'westers in bad weather. The room in which they sit is well suited to them. On the broad window seats lie spy glasses and tele- scopes of ailkinds. The walls are hung with sea trophies. Here is a piece of plank transfixed by the sharp bisde of a sword fish; there. a pair of walrus tusks; there agun, the beautiful horn of the narwhal. like a wonderful lance of ivory, fit weapon for King Olaf or for Eric the Red. Inthe doorway stands le's jaw, a great arch ten feet high, under which all must pass. with thoughts of Jonah. As for corals and shells, there is no end of them, for the upper room is a museum as well as a place of convention, aud here the captains love to bring their choicest treasures. keeping only the second best to adorn the chimuey piece of their home parlor. In a great arm chair, facing a seaward win- dow, sits the patriarch of the Upper House, old Abram Bannister. His grandtather had built ‘the ina himself. his grandsons now keep it. Every morning, winter and summer. Jake and Bill “b’ist” the old captain out of bed, put him | in his chair and wheel him into the great room; then they give him a spy glass to hold in his hand and leave him till dinnertime. The cap- ‘tains begin to straggle in about 8 o'clock, when their morning chores are done. They greet the white. old man with never-failing cordial- ahty. He is the pride of the Upper House. ‘They are never tired of asking him how old he is, nor of hearing him reply in his feeble, cheery pipe: “Ninety-nine year, and risin’ a hundred.” He sleeps a good deal of the day. and in waking never fails to cry out, “Ihar’ she biows!” ’ Whereupon, one of the captains promptly re- plies, “Where away?” and the patriarch says: “Weather bow!” and straightway forgets ail about st and plays with: his spy glass. When the captains are assembled in sufficient number they discuss the affairs of the town. talk over this or that question. ard decide what the “se-leckmen™ ought to do about it. Woe to the selectmen who should dare to op- pose the decision of the Upper House! Some- thing dreadful would happen to them: but, as they never have opposed it, one cannot tell what form the punishment would take. yw it fellon aday that the captains were sitting together spinning yarns, as was their custom when business was over. ‘The present and the immediate future provided for. it was their delight to plunge into the past, and bring up the marvelous treasures hidden in that great sea. Capt. Zeno Pye was telling | sbout the loss of the Sabra in the year 1807. His father bad been on the vessel, and Capt. Zeno sometimes forgot that it was not himself, so often bad he told the story. The other cap tains, sitting like so many veiled prophets, each shrouded in his cloud of smoke, listened with the placid enjoyment of counoisseurs, making a mental note of any slight variation, of word or inflection, in the familiar narrative. Any one of them could have told it im his sleep, but it was Capt. Zeno’s story, and it was one of the unwritten laws of the Upper House that no captain should tell another's story. “So,” said Capt. Zeno—he was a little wal- nut-faced man with sharp black eyes and a dry and rasping utterance—so they was makin’ sain’ with a fair wind. on the Isth day of October, when ail of u suddent the look-out sung out «Thar she blow: hia piping treble “Whore away? broke in Capt. Abram, in responded Capt. Silas Riggs, said the old man, and fell again. All looked at Capt. Zeno, who led appreciatively. S . ain't it?” he said, meditatively. “He knows that pint, Cap'n Abram does, as well as Ido. Wal, as I was sayin’, they struck @ school o” whales ou the weather bow sure enough; sperms they was, and likely lookin’ fur as they could see. Three boats put off, and my father, bein’ mste at that tims, had one of em. He sichted a sixty-barrel bull and ‘was pullin’ for him for dear life, when an old cow come by with her calf, and when she saw ‘the boat she dove, and one eend o' the fluke ck ‘em amidships, and stove « hole in ‘em. Wal! That kerwumpussed "em, ve see. im’ for it but to pull back to ship, and set to work on repairs. My father called the carpenters and give "em their job. an then he looked after the School, and cussed a little, mebbe, for all he Was a perfessor, to think he was losin’ all the fun. Ali of a suddent he seed a whale leave the school, turs round and make straight for the ship. He didn’t think nothin’ of it, ‘cept he see ‘twas the biggest bull his eyes had ever come across. Big’ Wal! “Iwas like av island, father used to say. He'd heerd tell of 230- barrel whales aloug back in the Seventeens, id he cale’lated this might be one of ‘em left er. Hesee the critter was comin’ pooty nigh, aud he sung out for a harpoon, thinki he might git ashy after ail; when, lo ye! that whale took a start an’ come through the water like @ shot out of a gun, and struck the ship Just forrard of the forechains. “Wal, sir,they was knocked consid’able eend- ways, [tell ye. Father was dumfoundered for minute, aid the ship'screw with him, what With the surprise on't, and the everiastin’ shakin’ it giv ‘em, too. But father never let his wits go without string tied to em, and in # minute he ordered all hands to the pumps. to see if she had sprunga leak. She hed, sir; she ‘was sitkin’; and father run up the sign for the boats to come back. He turned round from who was canght stealin’ hens from Palmyry Henshaw last week?” The man nodded. “ po Pmpreb nog wom todo! ho said. “Say: 'd like to do chores round for his victuals, Says he doesn't like victuals.” ns chuckled. Sefami Bunt wasa bachelor and his Lousekeeping was not sup- posed te be of a high order. “Hey ye got himin the jail?" asked Capt. Asy Bean. ‘The luntern-jawed man shifted uneasily to the other foot. “Wal, I hev," he admitted. “But he docsm’tseem to be contented with that.” Then, after a pause, “I brung him with me. 'Twant safe to leave him, for the jail dgor sags solcan'tlock it and’ the chain is bust. So'f you'd hke to see him for yer- selves". “Where is he?” asked the captains in chorus. Sefami Bunt gave a backward jerk with his head. ‘I tied him to the leg 0 the table.” ho said. “The boys is mindin’ of him. Sh'll I fetch him up?” Receiving an affirmative answer, he disay peared: and returned dragging the prisoner by the collar, The latter, the instant he caught sight of the sembly of mariners, shook off his keeper ‘ith a single movement; then, making his obeisance in true seaman fashion, he glanced quickly aronnd the room and stood still. cap in hand, in an attitude of respectful humility, Hie was a short, thick-set man, evidently of great strength, ‘a sailor, every inch of him, from the gold rings in his ears to the way he set his fect down. Jet black curls clustered about his brown, smiling face. His dark eyes Were alive with intelligence and humor. His open shirt di ‘syed a neck elaborately tat- toved. while h... is and wrists were a museum of anchors, hearts and crosses. “Will you speak to him, Cap'n Bean?” one or two of the other captains in iow tone “Wal, I don’t want to be settin’ myself up. replied Capt. Asy, ‘but if it’s the wish”—he glanced around the circle and ascertained that it was the wish. Whereupon. clearing his throat and assuming a quarter-deck frown, he asked in majestic tones, “What is your name, prisoner?” The dark eyes looked mtelligence. “Name, honorable captains? Giorgios Aristides Evan- gelide Paparipapoulos, “Great Andes!” exclaimed Capt. Asy. “We've got the whole archipelago and no mistake. What do they call ye? Hey? “Ab!—the brown face flashed into a bewil- dering smile, an ivory revelation, “Call me? Jim! ‘The captains breathed again, ‘That's more civilized’ said Captain Asy. vw. you Jim, what have you got to say for It appeared that Jim had a great deal to nay for himself. He was not happy, he must in- form the honorable captains. He complained of his quarters, his jailer, of his fare. He had, it was true, stolen ahen, being very hungry and having no money to seek the so honorable hotel. The hen was almost uneatable, but he had stolen her. He had been condemned to three months’ imprisonment in the jail, and it was well. But—lere he waxed eloquent, pa- thetic. “I haf been in jail, honorable cap- tains, before. Never for great offense, but—I have been, But never like zis! Ze rain come in upon my bed. I try to shut ze door, for ze wind blow at me, but he not shut. I sleep, and ze ship come in ze door and eat m “Hold on there’ said Captain A p do you mean by ti Hey? Ship come in the door? “Yes, honorable captain; t'ree gre’t big ship. Thear ‘baa! baa!’ I wake suddainlee, and are eat my foot. heep, be means!” the jailer explained. “The’ warn’t but two, I guess. Fact, they've gota way o’ wand'rin int the jail, but they wouldn't ha’ hurt him any. He's dretful skeered, for one that’s knocked about pooty nigh the world over, from what he says.” “But,” the prisoner maintained, turning a candid face upon the court, “is it a jail—for and eat—what you say neeble— ed captains, en,” re mess! Salted back- of hog—must I eat always zis? Never for 's ozer sing? Honorable captains, I bone “Wal,” said Sefami Bunt, with a hint of bluster in his voice, “I guess if backbone’s good enough for me, it's good enough for him. was a good hawg, and aoy way, I've got to use it.” “Sold the rest and salted down the backbone for yourself and prisoner?” queried Capt. Asy "t seem to put my foot to at Mis’ Brewster's, bo ye?” “No!” with a fiash which illuminated the Kitchen. “Not zere, ‘Where he live? Zp milk? jag wer Miss Palmyra indicated a mee) door, where the yellow pans stood ready and wait ing. She listened keenly for a sound of spilling or aripping, but none came; only a steady, even pouring. “He's a real good hand!” she mur- mure “And now?” the dark eyes smiled on her ee lame, I get your sopper. Wat you : “| ~Oh—no, sir, you can't do that!” cried Miss Palmyra, “I'm jist as obliged, I assure you. but I sban't want nothin’ more tonight, Ihad a good dinner. Well, I'm sure!” She felt utterly helpless when the stranger, with another smile, produced three eggs from his pocket, and, taking » bowl, proceeded break the oggs into it and beat them with right ood will. “When you seeck, then you weak,” ‘plained. lost. eat good sopper! I 1” In the twinkling of an eye the frying pan was on the stove, and while 1t was heating is keen, black eyes spied « tray. Napkin, knife and fork were arranged upon it with swift precision. Setting a plate to warm on the back of the stove, he proceeded to do wonder- ful things with tne beaten eggs, tossing them about with a fork, stirring, seasoning, tasting. Thi: done with the right hand while the loft was toasting a slice of bread. All the time the black eyes were glancing here and there like darting sunbeams. Spying a string of onions the stranger pounced upon them. A morsel was torn off, shredded fine and stirred into the savory mess. In five minutes such an omelette was smok- ing on the hot plate as Miss Palmyra had never even dreamed of; and in one minute more it was beside her on the little hight stand and she was bidden, ‘Eat! I make tea!” Now, Miss Palmyra had not had a good din- ner, and she was desperately hungry, and— ob, how good that ome! did smell! The toust was perfect! Where had Mis’ Brewster's nephew learned all this? And now, to crown all, a cup of tea was set beside her, hot, strong’and fragrant, And then— Please ze lady Ialso have a cup?” asked this astonishing person, The tone was soft and pleading, the dark eyes deprecating. as if he were humble suitor asking a royal boon, “Well, Ishould hope you could!” cried Mi Palmyra hospitably. “the idea! I don’t s what I was thinking of, Mr.—Is your name Brewster?” os i x softly. “Name is per had Giorgios Aristides Evan- ‘ipapoulos, alias Jim, that night! ‘Thete was more omelette than Palmyra could possibly eat, she declared; indeed, Jim had meent ‘that there should’ be. ‘Then she told him where to find a certain loaf of spice cake and a jar of damson jam, and she insisted upon his eating till he could eat no more. After a week of salted backbone of hog Jim’s appetite for these good things was keen enougi He beamed with ee: his smiles made noonday in the darkening kitchen, Mins Pa myra thought him uncommonly handsome. Ouly—it was a pity he wore earrings, And, after all, who was he? She really must find out, “You' id me how you kem to know of my bein’ lame!” she said as her guest was washing the dishes with careful nicety. “You a stranger here, too! Who did send ye, if i'm not takin’ a liberty?” honorable captains send me!” said Jim, with open cheerfulness, “and ze selected gon- tlemen.” “Well, I'm sure!” ejaculated Miss Palmyra. “I steal your hen!” Jim expiained with win- ning grace. very sorry; should not ha done—but! Now I work t’ree mont’; do shor: for ladies; do all works, But tor you I work most, for I steal your hen, Is it uot?” And putting away the cups and saucers, he swept the hearth witb ardor. “Weil, I'm sure!” said Miss Palmyra again; and she really could not think of anything else ay. ak * * . . Every one agreed that it was a special provi- dence that Jim Popples (such being prevehed lar rendering of our hero’s name) had been iy. The jailer nodded, and repeated in an injured tone: “Twas a good hawg! Any body could ha’ seen him fattenin’, any time they mind to kee And I tell Mr. Bont’—Jim resumed the thread of his narrative, smiling apology around “I tell him, ‘Let-a me go! not ron’ avay, of course; I cannot ron avay if I wish. It is island. I tell him -Let-a me go and work! I make ze door good; I mend ze windows; I do for ozer people work, perhaps zey give me js it not?” with asudden flash and gleam of eyes and teeth. ‘There was a short pause. “How did you come ere anyway?” queried Capt. Bije Tarbox. It appeared that Jim had fallen overboard from his vessel. It was night, and his fall had cast away op the island just when there was so much sickness “goin’ about,” and when Aunt Ruhamy Snell, the accredited nurve of the island, was laid up with rheumatism. The quick, active Greek was here, there aud every- where. He split wood, he made fires, he milked cows. Ho mended chairs, and setpanes of glass; he kept all the children bappy by plaiting wonderful things out of twine aud whittling royal navies with his juck knife, He also mended up the jail as well as he could and migit be seen patching the wails of his cell, whistling merrily, while the jailer sat by im ‘moody silence watching him. It was generally felt that Sefami Bunt had not done as he ought by his prisouer, and that he really Was uot fitted for the offices he held of jailer and hog-reeve, but, as Capt. Zeno Pye said: had not been noticed. Fortunately the vessel was, even at the moment, passing the island. He was a good swimmer, used to being in the water for a long time—briefty, behoid him. He stole the hen. He was taken, brought be- fore the “selected gentlemen.” That was his ¢ step outside with Bunt a minute, my man,” said Capt. Asy Bean, “and we'll settie your case.” Then as the door closed behind the smiling criminal and his gloomy guardian turned to the otiers: ‘Gentlemen, this story may or may not be true. It sounds fishy. But anyhow the man somewhere and I'd’no asit matters much s'long as he’s here now. Question is, what todo with him now he is here. Just like them seleckmen, lettin’ the jail go to rack an’ ruin an’ then clappin’ a man in thar for the sheep to nibbie.” aseaman, anyhow,” said Capt. Bije Tarbox. “Ought t ba’ been sent straight to us, hat’s so.” assented the captains all, resumed Capt. Asy, “pears to me the straight thing is for us to send for the seleck- men—they'll be goin’ by to dinner direckly an’ we can toll ‘em in an’ say to “em “Thar she blows!” sang out Capt, Abram. “Where away?” asked Capt. Moses Packard. Weather bow!” was the reply, and then the talk went on again. PART IL Miss Palmyra Henshaw was sitting in her neat kitchen, with folded hands. The kettle was singing cheerfully, the cat was purring contentedly by the stove, but for once Miss Palmyra’s mood did not chime in with the singing or the purring. She had sprained her ankle the day before. and it was now so painful that after dragging it about till her work w. ‘done up” (for. land sakes! she couldn't down in the dirt; and her kitchen had to be cleaned up if she did it om her hands and kuees), she was fain now to sit down and put the offending member up on a chair, She looked at the poor foot with “great dis- pleasure. It was badiy swollen; sho bad had to put on a green carpet slipper, one of an ol pair of ber father aj a ee contrast with her other foot in its trim, well-blacked shoe, was anything but pleasant. ‘As she sat thus in silent discomfort shé heard the round of the pump in the yard, Somebody was working the le up and down with firm, regular strokes, Well, what next?” said Miss Palmyra fret- fully, peering out of the window and frying to pains mghtof the intruder. “I abd like to ‘now who's at that pump, without askin’ lea or license. I left the pail out there, too, didn’t 1? Like as not it'll go, same as the hen did. 1 must get up"—she made a motion to sise, but sank back with a “My Lord! Have I got to sit here and have my things stole with- out liftin’ a tinge At the same moment she heard quick steps rurnin’ up that signal, and you may eall me a Jerseyman, if the whale wasn't comin’ for ’em agin, head on and all sails drawin’. Before father could sing out he struck ‘em again, pooty nigh the same place, with a crash that sent every man-jack sp: on his face. Wal, sir. ‘twas boats then, I can teH ye, and no time to lose neither. ‘Th'other boats kem back ard took "em aboard, and in five minutes time the Sabry down with ber nose and up with her Reels, and down she went to Davy. Yes, sir! what you might call” Atthis moment the captain was interrupted t the door. He looked displeased, aboard!” with as good a grace ashe could; while the otner captains turned cheerfully in the direction of the knocker.who might bring them something new in place of ® many-times-told tale. _A lank, ungainly man entered and stood timidiy on oue ‘foot, with his mouth open, holding the door in his hand. crossing the yard; the door opened, and s man entered carrying a brimming pail of water. Miss Palmyra opened her mouth to shriek, but closed it sgain when the stranger smiled. “Good eve!” said the man, who had black curls, gold rings im his ears, and the brightest yes that ever were seen, “I come to do ze work.” “Work!” ejaculated Miss Palmyra faintly, “Ze shores!” explained the man, with o brilliant flash of eyes and teeth. “You have hurt ze foot? So peety! Look! Ifill ze ket- tel—so! I w "(He was gone, and back again with an armful of wood, before Miss Palmyra couid trust ber be ‘enough to know whether she or dreaming.) “I fll next? It isacow zat “There wa'n't nothing else Sefami could do, and it Kep’ bim off the town. anyway.” But Jim's best work and his longest hours were given to Miss Palmyra Henshaw. She had freely forgiven him his theft of the hen, and in the long period of inactivity to which she was now condemned (for if one trifles with a sprained ankle one is apt to pay for it, and it was a month before she could do more than hobble about with a crutch) she found him an invaluable friend. Morning, noon and ni abe would see him smiling at the door with his cheery “How you do, Mees Palmyra? So better, is it not? Glad I am! Often he brought some little offering—; wooden dish of wild strawberries, a string of fish, gleaming fresh from the water, or it might be half a dozen crabs, which would crawl out of his pockets only to meet a swift death in the kettle of boiling water and be converted into some wonderful dish. Of Jim’s skill in cookery ‘Miss Palmyra spoke with bated breath. Well,” she would say to Mra, Brewster. who, toiling over her own cook stove, sometimes wished she hadasprained ankle and could have Jim Popples to do her work, “that man h. real gift, that's sartin’. Give him anegg and an onion and it does seem as if he could git the flesh pots of Egypt out of ‘em. Jest you step to the cupboard. Miss Brewster. Thar's a cor- ner I left special for yon to taste, a dish o’ to- maytoes and rice he cooked for my dinner yes. terday. Just them anda bit o’ butter and a scrap o’ onion, and—thar! Did you over! Don't that relish good?” Small wonder that Miss Palmyra grow plamp and rosy, in spite of the sprained ankle. Many a housewife wished, like Mrs. Brow- ster, that she also might profit by Jim's gift, but though he did ali kinds of chores for the whole village, he would cook for no one but Miss Palmyra Henshaw. “I steal your hen!” he said to her. “I wish to make you up for zat. Isteal hens at no ozer lad; So Miss Palmyra grew to feel asort of owne: ship of Jim Poppies, which was by no means unpleasant, and she sewed on his buttons (for pleasure, he could do it perfectly well him- self, asshe knew), and mended his clothes, while he, at work’ with broom or mop, oF whittling away at basket splints, told her won- derfal stories of foreisn lands. of apes and pea- cocks, cedars and pomegranates, till the good woman grew to feel that her thie! was a very remarkable and very person. So three months slipped away, as fast as months are apt to do, and a day ‘came when the captains sat all together in the upper house at Bannister's and Ct |< Aristi E ides Paparipapoulos stood before them, C once before, with his jailer glooming beside him. ‘The captains had sent for him, and now, at a murmur from the others, Capt. Zeno Pye took up the word: Pind three months is Ha and I spose you're thinkin’ about goin’ and the captains feel to nay to you that well—real well. Of course you: in mean, and stealin’ ain't right. however you look at it. i've worked and you've worked THE HOST AND HIS GUESTS TRE LATTER MET AT THE DOOR AXD WELCOMED— PERSONALLY SERVED AT DINNER—TUE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF TIBER CREEK—1WO NAMES OF STREETS NOW FORGOTTEN, Written for ‘the Evening Star, EMINISCENCES OF the hotels of the olden time continue to be sent me, and one which very graphically describes the Indian Queen of over fifty Years ago will interest the present generation, who can obtain from it somedidea of the ast, when the stage couch was the only mode of land travel. The writer : ‘ingtom more than sixty years ago, arriving at Brown's Indian Queen Hotel by stage, and says these coaches were always sup- Plied with fine teams of horses and ran in and out of the city at full speed. Arriving at the Indian Queen, which was, he says, designated by a long swinging sign of Pocahontas painted in brilliant colors, the landlord, Mr. Jesse Brown, came to the curbstone to welcome the coming guest. He wasa native ofHavre de Grace, who had served his apprenticeship to tavern Keeping at Hagerstown and Alexandria, A glance ance, Passenkers as they alighted and were | ushered by him into the house enabied him mentally to assign each one aroom, the advant- ages of which he would describe ere sending its destined occupant there under the pilotage of acolored servant. When the vext meal was ready the newly arrived guest was met at the door of the dining room by Mr. Jesse Brown, Wearing alarge white aprou, who escorted him toaseat and then went to the head of the table, where he carved and helped the principal dich. The excellence of this—fish or tlesh or flowl--he would aunounce as he would invite those seated at the table to send up their plates for what he knew to be their favorite portions, and he would also invite attention to the dishes on other portions of the table, which were carved, and helped by the guests, who then knew what was before them without elaborately Printed bills of fare,often containing the names of dishes that have no existence except in the imagiuation of the caterer. TREES ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE. This visitor says: There was a group of small, shabby houses around the navy yard and the mariae barracks, another cluster on the river bank just above the arsenal, which was to have been ‘the business center ‘of the metropolis, and Pennsylvania avenue was lined with hounes, many of them with shops on the grouzd floor. ‘These extended nearly to Georgetown, and on the streets adjacent to the avenue there were some few houses, but scattered and irregularly built} Pennsyivania avenue—the Appian Way of ofr republic—was graded while Jefferson was President at a cost of $14,000, he person- ally superintending the planting of four rows of Lombardy poplirs along that portion of it betwoen the Capitol and the White House, ® row along each curbstone and two equi distant rows in the roadway, which was thus divided into three parts, like Unter der Linden at Berlin. In the winter and spring the driveway woald often be full of mud hoies, some of them axle deep, and some of the cross streets would be almost impassable beds of red clay worked by passing horses and wheels into a thick mor- tar, On one oceasion, he says, Mr, Webster and a friend undertook to go to Gcorgetown in a hackney coach to attend a dinner party and the vehicle got stuck in a mud hole and the driver had to carry bis passengers, one at a time, tothe sidewalk, where they stood until the empty carriage could be pulled out. Mr. Web- ster used to narrate this incident yenrs aft ward and laugh over his fears that his bearer would fall beneath his weight and ruin his dress suit. John Randolph used to call Pennsylvania avenue “the great Serbomian bog,” and des- cant on the dangers of a trip over it to and from the Union Hotel in Georgetown in the large stage with seats on the top, called the “Royal George.” Within my recollection the rows of poplars extended the lenzth of Pennsylvania avenue from the Capitol to the President's grounds, bsfore the Treasury Department was built to the corner, shutting off the entrance to the President's grounds, When the avenue was first improved by being macadamized the trees were cut down and the work of breaking the stone for that pavement was done by many hundred Germans, who bad recently landed in this country and wore their quaint costumes, Men and women did this work and during the cholera many of them died from exposure. TRAVEL BY STAGR. Before the Baltimore and Ohio railroad had entered Washington the rival stage lines of Beltzoover and Stockton and Stokes made a great display in driving up the avenue, and the Passengers were met at the different hotels by the representatives of the hotel. As Lremem- ber, Gadsby'’s representative was Edward Wyer, the Indian Queen was represented by Dr. Haw and Fuller's by Edward Fuller. Edward Wyer was the most successful in his capacity, in obtaining gucsts, as he was uni- versally known, and for years he was resident at Gadsby's as major domo. He was elected sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, and on being congratulated on his success he said he was ruined, as now his creditors would expect to be paid. Before this some friends suggested that apply to Mr. Adams when President for au office, and he did so, and friends waiting his return to learn whut resulted from bis visit to the President, asked if be had seen Mr. Adams and if he had giveu him an office, and were an- wered: “No! He gave to misery all he had —a tear.” Mr. Adams had always weeping yes from some cause. ‘THE TIBER CREEK. I found in an old tract book which was formerly in the possession of Mr. Seaton the origin of the name of “Tiber,” given to the creck flowing through the city. It was thought in vanity when the city was laid out,and Moore made it one of the subjects of his satirical lines on Washington, written in 1804, ‘And what was Goose creek ouce is Tiber now,” and in a foot note informs his readers that it is “a little stream that runs through the city, which, with tolerabie affectation, they have styled the ‘ber. "It was originally called Goose creck.” In this ancient record the surveyor saya: “June the 5tb, 1663, layed-out tor Francis Pope of this province, gentleman, a “parcel of land in Charice county called Room, iying on cast side of the Anacostia river, beginning at a marked oak standing by the riverside, the bounded tree of Captain Robert Troop, and running north by the river for breadth the length of 0 pérches to a bounded oak stauding by the mouth of a bay or inlet called ‘liber.” ‘This deprives ‘Moore's satire of its severity, for it seems for | Dr, Batley Washington, Dr. Wood, Dr. M one hundred and thirty-seven years before this city was occupied by the governwent as its capital the classic namo was given the little stream, ‘NAMES NOW FORGOTTEN, I find inan old directory of fifty years ago, compiled by Anthony Reintzel, that the street from 15th street to 17th street was not always known as Pennsylvania avenue, but he says there were doubts in the minds of the city fathers as to its name; somo said it was G street and others Pennsylvania avenue,and in the un- certainty an was made to the matrons of the city and they deoreed it should be called “Execative way,” and so it appears in this di- . ‘The same con! existed about inh na Mr. James B. list of that have be- few remain with %, it, Gen, John Newton, Gen. John Brannon, Gen. Doubleday, Gen, Auger and Gen. Rufus ingalls, Gen. Grant was then brevetted second lieuten- ant; Gen, Taylor, colonel sixth infantry; Gen. Sherman, second lieutenant artillery; Gen. Lee captain eagincers; Gen. Sleigs, first Lieutenant, with Beat and Isaac J. Stevens and iHal- leck and H. G. Wright and Newton and Rose- crans second lieutenants of engineers. The Hon. Robt. M. McLane, ex- was then second lieutenant topo; gincers; Gens. Jos. E. Johnston, W. H. Emery, J.C. Fremont and George Meade were licu- tenants in the same corps. Gen, Tnomas,Gen. Ord, Gen. Bragg, Gen. Doubleday] were licu- tenants of artillery, as was also Gen.Van Vleit, in the regiment of rifles I ind many familiar uames to Washingtonians. Gen. Twiggs, colo- nel: Gen. Harney, lieutenant colonel; cay a Ben, Beall, Lloyd Beali, Charley Mey jieu- tenants W. J. Hardee, Henry H. Sibiey, Ripley Arnold, Bayarg Clarke, afterward member of Congress from New York city; Pat. Calhoun, son of Jobn C. Calhoun. and Rufus Lugalls, brevet licutenant; Gen, D. H. Hil!, whose mon- ument is to be unveiled in a few weeks,was sec- ond lieutenant of artillery. NAVAL OFFICERS OF THE PAST. The officers of the navy whose names I find in this reminder of the past aud who are yet with us are very few. DuPont and Farragut are here in bronze, but of those who at that time-—1842—ranked with them as commanders I donot recaila single survivor; of the tain—not one. There are many of both grades whose names are so familiar to the older res- dents of hington—Aulick, Bolton, Cassin, Crane, Bladen Dulan Kennon, Latimer, Morris, Parker, Shubrick, Skinner, Smith, Smoot, Stockton, Turner and Warrington, Of the lieutenants I can recall but Com, Thorn- ton A, Jenkins, Admiral Lee aud Wm. D. Por- ter as alive, and the | ii many fa- miliar names-—Almy, Baile; Berryman, Blunt (who married Miss Key), Boutwell, Jun- ius Boyle, Brent, Overton Carr, Craven, Dal : gren, Jack Davis (who lies in old St. Patrick's burial ground), Ben. Dove, Dan Dulany, J. P. and J. M. Giths, John Goldsborough. Herndon. who went down with his ship in the Pacific and whose daughter was the wife of ex-President Arthur, varado), Gus Kelty, the best guitarist I ever heard. I met him atter the war and he had lost a hand and badgrown old. Wm. Ty of Dead sea fame, Matthew F. Maury, Wm. David McDougal, who commanded the Wyo- ming in the fight with the Japanese; Richard W. Ateade, Charies W. Morris of the Cumber- Jand, Carisie Patterson, Charles Poor, Admiral Radford, Wm, Ronckendorff, Admiral Sands, Raphael Semmes, John H. Sherburne, who sled Passed Midshipman Key, brother of Bar- ton Key, in a duel fought near Anacostia; Ad miral St nan and Admiral Alfred Taylor, who died recently; Richard Wainwright, James ‘sou, Max Woodhull, whose nanie always lis Gungi’s Band and the manguration ball 0. Gen, Taylor, The surgeons and passed as- sistant surgeons I cannot recall oue of them as being alive, but fin y familiar names, Dr. Clymer, Dr, Foltz, Dr. Harris, Dr. n servivor. I think, except reat cain ney, Lax well and Dr. Alex. Y. }. Garnett. “The list of the pursers, as they were culled in those day contains only one survivor, Gov, Rodi: Price of New Jersey. 1 sed_midship- men of that period have but few sur- viyors, Gen, Edward Fitzgerald Beale, Ad- mirai Worden and Admiral Ammen being ail I recognize. Among well-remembered names ou that list are Washington A. Bartlett of diamond wedding fame, Ju ir, the brother of Gen. F. P. Blair and Mra, Admiral Catesby Joncs, Lafayette Maynard, Louis d Alexander Murray, Thomas Ii, Pat- torson. M,C. Perry, John B. Randolph, C. R. P. Rodgers, Thoines H. Stevens, Henry 4. Wise, who married a daughter of Edw. Everett, I think, and wrote avery charming book, 03 Gringos (?) The officers of the marine corps, as published at this time, 1842, are ali dead except Algernon 8. Taylor. LATE HONOR TO ENFANT. There has been a movement to repair a neglect which has been allowed to exist too Jong and one evhich cannot be too speedily. re moved. I allude to the utter want of recogui- tion of the services of Maj. Pierre Charle: L’Enfant, the engineer who, under the direc- tion of Gen, Washington, laid ont the city of Washington, and whose plans, with but slight alteration, were exiumed from the du y. under which they were buried i the office of the commissioner of public build- ings and grouzds, by Gov. Alexander R. Shep- herd, and this beatiful city,which is the pride of the country, is the creation of his mind and genius, ‘The remuins of this distinguished off- cer, to whom we are indebted for our fair cu lie with his grave unmarked by even a within a few mi! are in possession of some most valuable and in- teresting papers belonging to the old engi “letters aud other papers which would be a valuabie acquisition to the archives of the Under his directions and plans Fort Washington was built, and after he had been removed, because of some disagreement Ww: the owners of the land upon whichthe city wos built, his plans were carried out by Andrew Ellicott, whose assistant was a colored man named Banenker, whose almanac was regarded in that day as the most reiinble published. Maj. L'Enfant was sent in 1784 to Paris by the Society of the Cincinnati to obtain the en- graving and design of the gold badge of the society, which could not be done here. He sailed on one of Robt. Morris’ ships, and letters from members of the society regretting their inability to pay what was duo him are in this collection. Mr. Monroe appointed him pro- fessor at West Point, but he neither accepted nor declined it, and for years before his death his hfe was one of obscurity from which he never emerged. ‘This cruel and shameful neg- lect of one whose genins has stamped on our city ail ity beauty e1nnot be too soon repaired, His remains should tind a resting place in this city and a monnment raised over them, and his name should be perpetuated in some promi- nent strect or circle or square. OLD TIME AND MODERN FIREMEN, Iwas on my way to the office of Tar Srar on Wednesday morning last and reached there to find it in flames. ‘The conflagration had ob- tained such headway that the destruction of the office of “fue Stan seemed inevitable, The flames were bursting from two or three stories and" aoke and a creeping flame were making their Way tnder the caves along 11th street to the avenue, For a time the firemen did not seem td be making anf progress toward its extinguishment, but as [ watched at I saw wonderful exhibitions of daring as they fought the fierce element in its very stronghold. When the laddors were raised they did not’ wait for thom to rest upon the wall, but man after man rushed up and ob- taining foothold somehow poured streama of water into the vortex of fire and soon the change was apparent—they had conquered, I had never seen the firo department of Washington at work and my idea of putting cut fires dated — from the neriod of the fire bucket and the engine, worked by strong and willing arms. In my salad days I was enamored of the “Franklin,” but my fancy for the life of a fireman received ita death blow by running to Alexandria and pulling the engine all the way. Tho fire began hay press and was a very serious one. We firemen and our apparatus were sent up to Washington on the Joe Johnson and the Sur- prise the next day. I" spent several days in ed, liberally plied with hot drinks and rubbed with opodeldoc, and my ambition to be a fireman was‘squelched. My admiration for the feats of true courage which mastered that terrible fire on Wednesday is unbounded, but I am too old to emulate them, Jou F. Coxnx. “A Clean Sweep.” (AXENT THE REVIVAL OF THE TRAIN.) Emmett Hooe, Charley Hunter (Al- } lay, | THE GENTLE. SPRING. Some Drawbacks to the Perfect En- joyment of the Season. THE EASTER BILLS. THEY COME FOR CLOTHES AND HATS AND CAUSE THE HUSBAND AND FATHER SORE DISTRESS— 4 CALCULATION AS TO LADIES’ EASTER HATS— THE SPRING HOUSE CLEANING. Written for The Evening Star. yp TELL you waar Ir is,” said the father of & family to the writer for Tur Stan a few days ago, ‘the spring is | a terribly hard time of year for me.” ‘ : Why? Isyour health 5 bad? Do you suffer i from spring fever? If a so I would recommend Par i) the judicious use of a little rye whis——” “No, no, “that’s not it. Ican stand the strain on my system, It is the puliing om my purse that grieves me.” He went on to explain that ali the bills fall in the spring, that the repairs on his Iways tobe made in the spring. fildren have to re new clothes, ¢ comes home and spends shad’ an tnlimil to He thought the spring was a bad dhe would like to abolish at if he composed a spring poem it would be en- titled “A Father's Lament.” father of the family the oniy one that laments? 0, there's the bacheio: looks wu ter cloth reaching a very shabl nd retiects upon the and means of ordering before he has paid for the old ones one of these that the writer overh: ion with the collector of his ter had paid him an unwe office and the following colloqu A YOUNG MAN AND HIS TACLOR'S BILL. Young today?” Wy Ni! draw from, institution it was rd in con- ilor, The if you could pay him for those on ordered in February.” he mon “Y. B.—"He expects me to pay his debts for him, then?” 0, sir; he hopes you will pay your —He wants me to pay my debts, so that an pay his, Butif Tran into debt that’s no reason why he should follow suit, Two wrongs don’t make a right.” a San you not let us have something ly friend, those trousers you want for are not yet worn out. Am I to var . (stniling).—"I know, cheek. it some new clothes soon.” it new clothes! Why, man, thos trousers you are dunning me for are the respectable garments huve. Of course y clothes, but I would like to « whether, when yon go in a restaur. for your lunch before you h C.—"No, of course not,” ¥. BL—“And yetyou wa trousers before I T.C. (waxing inyp: my lunch before 1 hi Aud you ought to pay for your trousers they Lave falien to pieces.” ‘The young bachelor acknowledged that the tailor's man was right and paid, MARKED BY BILLS. But it is sad that the beauties of spring should be marred by bills, It is sad, too, that the far- nace. having given out an amount of heat that is simply astonishing on a brig! allowed to goout und 3s abay ing that will no longer be necessary to comiort, The warm weather bas come, you say, aud the colored chore man who ruus the furnace is ion, You reflect thet 5 ager hear him in the morning appar- ently beating tin paus in the cellar, You gloat fact that that monthly coal bill of such astontshing proportions will not bother you any more, and you are pleased to think that there will no longer be any of those family quarrels about the tem- peratare of tlic house. There is your mother in-law who aiways wears a shawi aud who be- gin to sneeze and shiver from the cold while Fou yourself are wiping the perspiratio: from your brow, All of these disagreements disappear when the fire of the furnace goes out, But it invariably happens tha: the day after the furnace fire is allowed to die out there comes a cold snap that,makes you wish for a dozen furnaces, There is nothing so un- certain as the weather. * THE EASTER HAT. Then there is another sad thing about the spring ,and that is the famous Easter hat, Th: 18 no iaw of religion, nor is it written in the Dis trict code, that every woman should mount a fresh new hat on Easter Sunday, but they all do it. An unwritten custom like this is stronger than any iaw. Go to church tomor- row and see them—there will be ha feathers and hats without feathers; hat grapes on them, hats with tufts of wheat and rye; there will ‘be hats with peaks on them and flat hats, narrow inats, broad bats, thick hats, thin hats—in short, every conceivable kind of hat. ‘They cost money, some a great deal and some very little, and that is the rea- son why the spring isa sad time to the hus- band or the father. His old tile will do, but the ladies must ‘have the Easter het. It is an interesting matter of speculation how many new hats will appear in Washington to- morrow. ‘There are im the city at this present day about 100,000 females. Let us suppose a quarter of these too poor to buy or get by any means new hats, that will still leave 75,000 new hats bought for tomorrow. The prices of these huts vary from $100 to 50 cents, but it will be safer to average them all at $3. say. That will make $225,000 spent in Wash- ington on Easter hats! Whew! the amount would found an orphan asylum or en. down a coliege. But there is another interest ing calculation. ‘This Easter hat is a standing American joke. Every newspaper bas jokes on the subject, so have all the periodicals of every description, and every man who sces an Easter hat makes a joke on it. Each new hat is re- sponsible for a number of jokes. Allowing for the jokes in the family, in the press and on the streets aud a conservative computation will accredit each hat with twenty jokes. There- fore in the city of Washington there are 1,500,000 jokes now afloat about the Easter bat! ASONABLE JOKES, This hat joke is in season. Every season has its standing jokes and the changes are rung on them. For the summer there is the bathing dress, varied sometimes by that delightful old vea serpent. The summer girl is anew joke and hasn’t the spectability which age lends © fall of tht year is not fay- ime to pay for my to everything. orable to the growth of po lato in tho fall there is the inevitable, inex- haustible fund of humor about the \v~ ing turkey. ‘This bird has done service how for about 100 years and still holds Bs own. I a colleetiou of all the drawings of , keys were made ther would Ai en te alors con Conta Daten ees study if they wore taken from ning. For the winter ther on “Snow, Beautiful Snow,” the Claus anda whole troop of it season, the about the ing so much spring are now hardly ever seen. . SPRING HOUSE CLEAXING. ‘There is another spring joke that is a: ati i Hi “Well, what do you want | ' | clothes |+ i | j by men who are unable to remember the days when they, too, carried big sticks and had self- conscious struts, Because a boy at college is a dude is no reason for supposing that he will not in the end bea good citizen. Well, well, they are all upon us, the bills, the Easter hats, the house cleaning antl the boys from school, and we can accept them philoro- Phicaliy, considering the repayment that we get in the shape of the time-honored “frag- Fant broath of spring.” LABOR DONE BY LICHENS. How They Begin the World--Curious Pacts i About Seeds. “Among the most curious of the tribes of plants that grow in the world are the lichens,” said abotanist to a Stan writer, “They are the first forms of vegetation which clothe the baro rocks of newly 1 islands in the midst of the ocean, Their uty in the economy of nature is to prepare & soil for fature.plants to grow in, The mauner in which they accomplish this ie most remarkable, While living they manufacture considerable quantities of oxalic acid out of the carbon and oxygen from the atmosphere | service antedated the and this acts chemically upon the rock, espec- ially if it is limestone, cating it away and form- ing holiows which retain the decayed ve; table have died. THEM OWN GRAVE DIOGERA, “Thus tho lichens ms for the reception of th are thus retained an made to form the bexin- ning ofa soil, Successive generations Hf these: vegetable toilers grow and their substan: Lollows until p through the proj is and sufficient thickness soil di of of grad- follow one another until, in tie rock 1s coi the productions, ri and trees, present all the varic tile meadow, the tangled thicket and the forest of lofty trees, VALUABLE] DYes. ant office in the making elichens aro especially account of the valuab) The blue dye called ‘litmus, ged to a bright red by the a . is obtained from several spec lichen growing in the Canary Islands and where. Upon lichens depend for their subsistence, inasmuch as ies called ‘reindeer moss’ suppli leer with tood through tl growth not being checked by the ch it develope, A sort of Arctic lichen has d many adventurous explorers from star- on, In tke realms of perpetual frost the suow which never melts on mountains vaileys is sometimes reddened for mul minute vegetable, formerly imagined to len from the sky and called ‘red snow. also is a sichen, THEY FLOURISH IN ANY CLIMATE. it would secm as if searccly any locality was too hot or too cold for plauts to grow in. Certain vegetable growths fiourish in a hot the Manilla Islands, the tempera- ch is 187 degrees Fahrenheit, Shrubs and trees grow in hot «prings of Louisiana, the d into a ¢: ug fr hb sof U it of certain kinds din boiling geysers Icciand, which will cook an egg in utes. Bulbs have been known t sand that was kept at a heat far of boiling water, Instances are rec: unrolied trom the bandages of Egyptian ies, which sprouted and grew upon being d, butit is probable that such cases were by the natives on credulous travelers, VITALITY OF THE SEEDS, cannot be sa er impossib! ts are wer of preserving their vi mited time under conditions not a cause sprouting mor to occasion Given a moderate temperature, and absence of oxygen there hardiy any limit to the period urng which sced’ may preserve within themselves the clements of life. Several kinds kept in the herbarium of a famous Fre botanist were found to have retained their fe tlity after the lapse of nearly g century. Ver; rouud that is turned up new roduces plants different frou xbborhood, which are derived have lain for along period at such @ distance from as to preveut the access of air and that such a he seeds of remarkable nun most pls spontancou: any in th from sceds embedded PRESERVED FoR AGES. Some years ago in Maine laborers sinkiag a about forty miles from the sea struck a yer of sand at a depth of forty feet. ‘This excited curiosity, because no sand like it was to be found anywhere moarcr than the ocean beach. The suriace of the ground, und from the area cov- ered by it a great number of smail_ trees quickly sprang. They were finaliy ascertained to be -beach p 3 le coral of volcante | ticles ufler the lichens themselves | | been settiea bi 8, the ster- | of th grasses to shrubs | mand of fer- | Hs | | | number of the crew th | before leaving T UNDER THE PIZARRO'S NORE, How the Little Kanans Escorted the Vir- ginius to Sea. A SPANISH MAN-OF-WAR HAD INSTRUCTIONS To PREVENT, BUT THE AMERICAN XAYAL OFFICER WAS TOO DETERMINED AND TOO QUICK FOR Tt. From the New York Times, The naval service is replete with acts of um recorded gallantry and numbers many herocs unhonored and unsung. Nearly every Ameri. can knows of the historical deeds of sach men as Decatur, Perry and Farragut, and there are some who are familiar with the circumstances in which stern old Ingraham, with only a small Vessel, defied aa Austrian naval force. An incident wherein an obscure officer played & part equally heroic bas happencd in recent Years, It is a reminiscence of the year 1873 and was recalled by the spectacle of the Span- ish flag rippling from the gaff of « wian-of-war at anchor off Liberty Island. The man who told it is a naval veteran, whose catry into the complications which threatened to involve this country is a war With Spain, and was an actor im the incidems that he described. It was a preinde to thes tragedy that was enacted Inter on, which lieved to this day, notably abroad. to have an abject apology to Spain. NOW THE KANSAS CAME THERE. Before the capture of the notorious Virginius by a Spanish gunboat and the execution of @ narrator of the eccur- ‘ax serving on board the United States welwas then on the and in the early March was detailed to convey a surve} tion to N rence ot ex- In compliance with called at Key West and ere received on board the members of the ped Which was under the command of Capt.Crossman. In due course of time the ves- sel reached the Nicaraguan coast,but the leadet of the party was drowned at Greytown while en deavoring ta volved npon Commander ansas who was the over the com- ut, Commander E henteuant, with instructions to pinwali for a supply of provisions ied, th The arrival of tho Kansas atthat port was op- portune, as her crew were destined to discover : eleame in at might two large ves. iy be distin- By the light rn they discovered one to © Pizarro and the tlines co: ued in the tre ily armed steam ch was said to transportation of hous of war to the revolutioniste She had put iuto the harbor of As- latter a vessel w! bern engaged in the sd m Cuba. rin | Puwall and had been there blockaded by the by a | Pizarro, whos commander hud his intention of capturing her the moment sh quitted the waters of a neutral port for th h seas, Such was tie condition of affairs the Kansas found oa her arrival an Aspin- it is no § tain of th ius discovered au American man-of. ade known . ting captain of the Kansas was far too conscrvative to give @ hasty inion. He first communicated with tho United States cousular represcutative and then asked to be shown the ship's clearance papers. e were produced and « careful Hion failed to discover any flaw duly considering the case hi tuat no power had the right to the Virginius, and whatever ber past record had been there was no evidence to Warrant her detention by a fore a He had hardly arrived at this conclusion be- fore the captain of the Pizarro came alongside in his gig. He was received with the usual courtesies and shown into the cabin of the Kansas, Capt, Whiteextended the customary me to his visitor, and before departing the latter expressed a desire to make an im- spection of the little gunboat. The request was courteously complied with, and the two com- mandors made a tour of th sunk the iy gun to be mounted on so smalla sbip, and the Spaatsh captain expresged bix astonishment at the fact, It wascarcied on a pivot amidships, ple of being fired from either side, hat isa very formidable piece of ord- nance,” commented the Spantard. “I had no idea that Vessel» of this stuall type could carry such a heavy gyu. Capt. Wine looked at its cavernous muzzle and smilingly admitted that he would rat be some distance from ite Lusivest end when « Yankec ter was holding the lock string. ‘Over a parting giass of wine in the cabimthe irginius was mentioned for the first time. e Spaniard clinked his glass against that of his host aud aid that bis orders were to pre= ud was scattered about on the | Vent that vessel from going to sea, by force if necessary. Capt. White emptied his glass and quietly informed his cuest that it was his in- tention to fire on any vessel that interfered ‘ectually bore | With her. With this pleasaut um us, which had never before been seen | aud mutual good wishes the pair separated, pon the very seashore. It is believed they must have grown from seeds which existed in the stratym of sea sand pierced by the well diggers, By what means they were EXHORTING RUS MEX, Hardly had the Spaniard’s gig left the gang- way before the shrill notes of the boatewain thrown there and how long they had quietly | Were heard calling the crew to muster on the slept beneath the surface of the earth it is | quarter deck, When they bad all assembled aft, hardly possible to guess, Thavs the most remarkable instance on | 9) record giving evidence of the preservation of vitality in seeds for atleast 1,700 years 1s re- lated by Dr. Lindley. He says: ‘Ihave now efore me three plants of raspberries which have been raised in the gardens of the Horti- cultural Society from seeds taken out of the stomach of aman whose skeleton was found thirty feet below the surface of the earth at the bottom of a barrow near Dorches- ter. the Emperor Hadrian.’ These | barrows are cient burial mounds, which were probably erected ou ficlds of battle to contain the bod- ies of the slain, ‘There isa kind of moss na- tive to Pera which often becomes entirely up for lack of water. It then folds up its leaves and contracts its roots so as to form a ball, which ap- parently without life is driven about hither and thither by the wind, As soon, however, it reaches a moist situation it sends down its roots into the soil and unfolds to phere its leaves, which speedily change from a dingy brown to i vegetation. Ear he CANDLES MADE FROM PLANTS. He had been buried with some coms of | a, the bright green of active K ‘apt, White made a brief address telling them t his intention and asking them to stand by him. ‘The crew was very smail and the odds were much against them, but there was craven soul within those rits of oak, and wi the address was finished the captain felt that he could depend upon his small b crow. The captain of the Virginius ally notified that hus vessel would bo to sea the next day at noon sharp, ‘The preparations for wea were quietly con acted. As soon as nightfall concealed the movement the guns of the Kansas were run in, charged with five-secoud shell and ran out again firing. The eleven-inch gun was pivoted so as to bear on the Spaniard, and the pivot ports which masked it were made for knocking aw: moment's notice. All the usual preparations for battle were made and no precautions were neglected. The Span- ish captain had said his orders were to fire om if she attempted to leave the hare the atmos- | e's, ‘On the other hand, the commander of the ansas saw his duty’ plain, ‘This virtually amounted to the sacrifice of his ship and ere for he knew that there would be nothing left above the water line of his little veselafter she had received the Spaniard’s broadside, His Vegetables Which Bear Wax and Tallow—| only chance was to disable her with the first Facts About Camphor. “Several very curious substances of an in- | ready ou board the two Americar shipes shot from the eleven-inch. At 11:30 in the forenoon = flammable nature are produced by plants,” | engineers stood lever in hand, and forward said a naturalist toa Sran writer. “Many vegetable species bear wax, which, in the form of minute scales on the surface of the plum and other stone fruits, makes what is called were a group of men with axes ready to cut the ropes which held the cable, The gun erews were quictly assembied around their respective jeces, prumers placed in the vents, ‘ks thrown back. When all was complete the ‘bloom.’ It exists so abundantly in the | boat was lowered and an officer fruit of a Virginia myrtle that the latter has | the Spanish ship name of ‘candle berry.” seme time giving out a pleasant fragrance. A wax-bearing tree existe in South Africa the of wax, while the trunk of another kiud is cov- ered with the wax as with a varnish. Is curxa, “A substance vory like taliow is yiclded by tree in China, the seed vessels of which Each of them r rate H searEel HG ne abe + i Hi officially to notify her Virginius would go to sea at YUTTING OUT TO SEA, ‘The boat did not delay s moment, and as soon as sho was alongside again she was hooked i Tl ; t if if i Sly Hi f ‘i i i i t