Evening Star Newspaper, October 15, 1892, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTO ‘ ih D. C, SATURDAY, @CTOBER 15, — 1892—SIXTEEN PAGES. THE BRAZILIAN FESTIVALS Holy Days That Are a Mixture of ~ Fun and Religion. PIREWORKS AND PROCESSIONS Fanny Ward Tolls 1 Celebrate Nearly Eve! the People of Brazil Day tn the Yearin Spe@al Correspondence of The Evening Star. Pana, Baaztt., September 3, 1892. VISITOR TO BRAZIL is apt to be seriously startled on the day of his arrival by the vio- lent ringing of bells, as if the whole city were on fire. He soon learns, however, that the noisy demonstration does not indicate a general con- fiagration, as might well be supposed, but is only the call to regular oF to those of some especial flesta—the ‘sweet bells jangled out of tone” by boys hired for the purpose, who go up into the belfries and beat pen them with might and main, according to instructions. They begin at the first peep of dawning and keep rt up at intervals throughout the day till far into the night, and on saints’ hich are almostas many as the days in the year, there islittle cessation of the ear-splitting Tacket. But one gets used to it in time, as to most things in this weary world, and even comes to miss the accustomed din with a v sense of “something gone which should be nigh” when returned to his own quieter coun- try ‘One of the things that a traveler in Brazil can- uot get “used to” withany degree of satisfaction is the surprising frequency of festivals, which in- convenience him at every turn; for none of the Inboring classes will work one saint's day if they can pomibly help it, and only those who are in debt to thair employers can be legally compelied to do so. It is the rule to close government offices on all those days, so that no business of an official character can be trans- acted. Ships cannot get their clearance papers, and if you want to embark there is no office open at which to buy your ticket, nobody to tbe your passport—not oven @ money changer to convert your Bragilian coin into the currency of the country to which you are going ors eargador to transport your lnggage. In moat te the festivals of all the saints are alike, universally announced on the preced- ing day by « discharge of fireworks at noon and of bells in the evening. During the . Whether it continues one diy or a week, incessant bell ringing and discharge of rockets fo bept up. The Brazilians eppesr to be excessively fond of pyrotechnics. If you give a wee brown-skinned toddler a medio, in- stead of investing it in candy or chewing gum. asanorthern urchin w. do, he rashes to the nearest shop and buys torpedoes or fire- crackers. And men are but children of larger growth, whether found in this country or an- other. "The sending up of rockets is made the most prominent feature of religious celebra- tions under the belief that prayers may be thas carried to heaven. Whether the idea was handed down from their Indian fire-worshiping ancestors, or was borrowed from the Chinese or Turks, I cannot tell you; but it certainly prevails throughout all of Span- isb-America, from Mexico to Cape Horn, in- cluding the islands of the sea: and is particu- larly ind) in by the poorest classes, bo can least afford to burn up their scanty " Strange to say the favorite spots for letting off these religions pyrotechnics are the cemeteries and church tops and funerals. All Soul's day and Easter especially demand them. The mis- siles are constructed so as to explode high up in the air with a crackling sound, after which hey descend in beautiful wreaths of white smoke if im the daytime, or like metoric showers in the darkness. It "looks very odd to us to see & prodigious lot of fireworks let eff from the cathedral top in the glaring noonday sunshine, but bere it is a mat- ter of nearly every-day occurrence. I am told that at least €75,000 is annually expended in Fara alone for fireworks and was, the latter substance beig consumed in incredible num- ders of candles, which are kept burning on the altars, before the abrines and around the un- buried dead. RELIGION ASD TRADE. Not only large sums of money, but great care and taste are bestowed upon the adornment of the churches for these fiestas. Sometimes rows | of blaging tapers are arranged in front of the altars from to look lixe huge pyra- light, sometimes in» th lettered texts, and | or is lined with what ap- | curtains on flame, le from w table and beeswax imported from the coast of Africa for this express purpose, and highly perfumed. Neanimai oils are ever used in the poorest churches of Brazil, that which supplies the lamps being made frou the olive or palm nut. Natural Sowers enter largely into the decorn- | tions, and the floors ere strewn with sweet- wented leaves. « PSTRUDO restrvrries. All the im; t church Gestas are advertised Deforeband in the daily papers. The following , fs @ fair sample of what may be found any day im the journals of Para.“ Brotherhood of | the Divine Holy Ghost will hold the feast of the | Holy Ghost on the ist instant with all possil splendor. Devout persons are inv: ve greater pomp to this act of re- | ligton. the Ist proximo there will be the feast of the Most Holy Sacrament, wi ceesion in the evening, a Te Deum mon. On the 2d the feast of San Goncalo, wer- and 8 3}.m. there will be brilliant horse racing, | to after which a Te Deum and magnificent fire- works” ‘One not only meets these church advertise- Wents in ali the papers, but also those of | ‘rifty tradesmen, who, with an PARA CATHEDRAL. services of the church | (' 40 cents. Silver Holy Ghosts, with glories, 96.50 per hundred; ditto, without glories, $8.50. Holy Ghosts of tin, resembling silver, 75 cents per hundred.” Often on the occasion of these festivals a stage is erected in the church, or in the open air close by, and a species of dramatic repre- sentation is enacted for the amusement of the spectators. At other times an auction is held, st which a great variety of objects which have been provided for the purpose by, gift or per chase are sold to the highest bidders, the auc- tioneer being chosen for his power of hewping the crowd ina roar of laughter. Epiphany is celebrated in January, and as in Pera is called “The day of the three kings.” St. Sebastian's day follows immedintely after and is made a civil as well as a religious feast, because it was under the protection of this ‘glorious patri- arch” that the aborigines were conquered and the French driven ont of Brazil and the foun- dations of Rio de Janeiro were laid. For this reason the governors and members of the local municipal chambers take promi- nent part in the celebration and are allowed, foatend of the priests, to carry the image of the saint in procession through tho streets. Then comes the Intrado, or carnival time. which ex- tends through the three days preceding Lent in which everybody jclpates with the ap- parent determination to crowd enough amuse- ment into that short time to atone for the restraint anticipated. Men, women and chil- Gren, in high life to it with an abandon in striking contrast to their usual activity. aseing the streets are saluted Bye! ferme 4 showers of waxen balls, made in the shape of eggs and oranges and filled with colored water, bespattering, as with es, whatever they hit. When the waxen balls, which are for sale basins syringes, pelle, water are brought into use, and not only pedes- trians are drenched, but people in their houses in playful combats with one another. The In- trado is no respecter of persons, and ladies, riests and strangers are as sure to get a duck- ig if they venture abroad as tho veriest strect in. Such great excesses grew out of this wrt that it was prohibited by law in the prin- cities some years ago. Nowadays in Rioand Pars it is conducted more in the dry and hu- morous style of New Orleans, Rome and Pari with bon-bons, flowers. fine cut tinsel and col- ored powder for missiles, but in the rural dis- trlcts it remains unabated a porfect saturnalia of water. st important days in the Brazilian calendar, in which scores of images are borne about the streets in solemn rocessions, attended by the populace bearing lighted candles, those who are honored by be- ing permitted to march single file alougside the images carrying waxen torches several feet long. Each group of images is led by a priest anda number of little girls dressed to repre- sent anjinhos (angels), with gauze wings and coment skirts extended over enormous hoops and on each little head a wonderful tiara of plomes and ribbons, scattering roses upon the pathway. Companies of soldiers and bands of martial music lead and close the processions, and frequont pauses are made in the slow and measured march to give people in the baiconies and on the housetops opportunities to mire and shower the images and angels with flowers. HOLY WEEK. Palm Sunday is worth coming all the way to Brazil to see, on account of the magnificent display of real palm branches. Holy week, by which Lent is terminated, is here designated as “Wednesday of Darkness,” “Thursday of An- guish,” “Friday of Passion” and ‘Hallelujah Saturday.” Thursday of Anguish begins om the noon of that day and euds the following noon, and during that time the ringing of bells and explosion of rockets are suspended. The light of day is excluded from all the churches and their interiors illuminated by millions of candies, in the midst of which, on the chief altars, the Host is exposed, guarded by two men clad in scarlet and purple silk. Anda figure of the body of Christ is laid under a small cloister, with one hand extended, which the crowd press to kiss, at the same time de- positing money on asilver dish beside it. At night people promenade the streets and make the round of the churches, in each of which the same scene is enacted. Friday continues silent os the grave, and a funeral proces- sion, bearing a representation of the cof- fined Savior, slowly through the streets. At night is another procession, in phich brightly decked anjinhos figure largely, bearing emblematic devices pertaining to the crucifixion. One carries the nails, another the hammer, the third the sponge, the fourth a . , the fifth a miniature ler, sixth cock that gave warning to Peter, the sev- entb the dice box with which His garments were raffled, and so on. Every window and balcony ts crowded with deeply oe peciay ane the scene is indeed imposing. ine ‘long lines of gowned men, causeniig uitan band an immense torch and in the other leading an “angel; soldiers with helmets in hand and arms reversed, marching with measured tread pehind the sacred coffin; the solemn chanting of priests and children and the majestic minor strains of the marche funebre wailed on the ing air, semi-darknoss added to the weird effect. Hallelujah Saturday, or “Judas day,” -atest contrast. Preparations have been made | oe shaper) at « particular stage in the morning services rockets are let off in front of the churches, the explosion’ indicating that hal- lelujabs are’ now being chanted in heaven. ‘Then the fun begins, and the vengeance of the ‘ople is wrecked upon that inglorious apostle, Emigice of poor Judas, in every part-of tho town, ure made to suffer every species of shame and torment. The traitor is hong, strangled, drowned, burned; he is shown up in fire works and fantastic figures of every ption, in company with devile, dragons, serpents and namolces creatures of imagination wl upon and devour him. Even the negroes and small boys have thetr Judases, which they drag about with ropes and bang, stone, beat, punch, ¢@rown and burn to their hearts’ content. AFTER LENT, JOT. Lent being safely over, Easter Sunday te ushered in Ly joyous strains of music from the and low, give themselves up | the panniers are fe Teception of pigs, hens, vegeta- tables, household furniture of whatever len # be iven them. Travelers state that when ing buy provisions they are frequently refused by the Indians under the plea,‘that pig belongs to the Holy Ghost,” or “Those are {to Banto hens.” ‘TRE HOLY onost. A Mr. Ewbsnk, a noted traveler in Brazil, de- scribes his experience, which is by no means a novel one, as follows: “While engaged this morning in writing Dona H—— came running Ving mé to descend ‘Quick! Here's Holy Ghost coming up the street. Don't ya want to see him?’ Iam sure no one could more startled at such an announcement than Iwas, nor at the unaffected simplicity with which it was made. I went down and looking out of the open window asked, ‘Where?’ ‘Gone into that venda (« grocery half a biock off), but will be out directly,” replied a dozen voices. Soon a negro band consisting of two Fronch horns, three drums, « clarionet and a fife emerged and commenced a waltzing air in the middle of the street. Next appeared four white men, wearing albs over their or- dinary drets. Two had crimson banners, on each of which was the figure of a dove in a triangle. Another bore a little silver bird ona stand resembling a chamber eandle- stick. Like the banner men, he also carried an alms box. The fourth bore a capacious . Yonder @ lady is back «pair of latticed blinds, a banner man flies over and, burying her face fora moment in the flag, she ad@s a contribution to the dish. Next door « cluster of girls have got the litile bird amon them and return it vith vintems (coins). neighbor now takes flag indoors that every member of his family may perform an ect of devotion by kissing it, and there a Mozambique fering, two oranges, are into ; the receptacle of donations oller than money” no, not for all such, for the musicians have now come up, and, as I live, the clarionet player carries alive rooster under bis arm, the gift probably from some dealer in poultry. Of course it would not do to put it among eggs, dread, fruit and kindred quiet things. Nothing is refused from bank bills to. a banana or s balf yard of ribbon as a streamer for a banner staff. * © © ‘troop now Passed on. ‘The minstrels struck up a freah air t set young feet atripping. The rooster ac- tually crowed an acco: iment. Independ- ent of the exhilarating fife and rousing trum- pets the scene is astirring one. The collectors, with their banners fluttering over their heads and their albs streaming behind them, are run- ning hither and thither, crossing and recross- ing the street as devotees appear at the win- dows and door hatches, while their brethren with the little bird and bag are busy answering calls made on them. The procession of Corpus Christi is different in Brazil from any of tne othera. ‘The only exposed is that of Saint Georgo, who is set down in the calendar as ‘the defender of the empire.” How this came about I do not know, but his festival, fallmg as it does on Corpus Christi day, is ‘celebrated with extra- ordinary pomp. It’ is a daylight affair and tho fey, saint of oe locia is carried around on jorseback. He is represented as ruddy and fair of countenance, with flaxen hair floating inecarls to his shoulders, dressed in armor, with a red velvet mantle. in the recent days of the empire Dom Pedro used to walk bare headed in Saint George's train, carrying o candle, in imitation of the piety of his an- cestors, and all the court and naval heroes, cavalheiras (knights of the military order) and other dignitaries in full dress, with their jewels | and msignia of ofilce, followed in procession, | while every house was hung with silken ban- | ners, inhonor of the emperor as well as of the | saint that conquered the dragon. Faxsiz B. Wann. ——~+e-- A Child’s Wonderful Memory. An infant phenomenon has been discovered at Plaisance, a suburb of Paris, in the person of & little girl, called Jeanuo Eugenie Moreau, | aged only five, but endowed with a most extra-| ordinary memory, says a Paris correspondent | of the London Telegraph. She is a walking en- | eyclopedia on all matters appertaining to the history of France, and especially of the great | revolution; is an adept also in natural history, | and at the same time answers without hesita- | tion or error practical questions about cooking, gardening and houvehold manzgement. The youthful prodigy was born in Paris in January, 1887. her father, Philippe Moreau, being humble laborer, but descended froin ‘a revolu- | tionary hero whose name figures in the annals | of 1799. and who was decorated by Gen. de Lafavette after the taking of the Bastile. Owing to the poverty of her progenitor Engenie Moreau was adopted by a widow—Mudamo Cal- lay—who, noticing the retentive faculties of the child, cultivated and developed them with assiduity until the phenomenon has become | capable of passing a stiff competitive examina- tion and of puiting to shame many ® school boy or school girl of maturer years and more expensive education. The fate of Eugenie | Moreau will no donbt be that reserved for all intellectual prodigics of tender years. She will be exhibited to scientific men and reported upon; she will probably receive an offer from enterprising showman, and in ail likelihood | ne, shoufd sho survive academical testings E and public examinations, will eventually settle down to the life of a schoolmistress—a calling | for which her marvelous memory will pre- eminently fit her. a Written for The Evening Star. The Light Departed. ‘Tne world’s merry langh and the sumbeams clear ‘That ripple the infinite sea Are the echo sad and the shadows drear Of a day that has gone from For then we were four upon life's bright shore— Tonight we are only three. Fond memortes come and memories go Like the dreams of a troubled sleep— Like the shadows wandering to and fro On the sands of the ebbing heap, And the forms unreal that allently steal Far out o'er the measureless deep. ‘The chilitng winds moan ‘mid the breakers roar And again through the mist I see A life that goes out from the Itves on shore And I hear a voice calling to me While slowly the light fades into the night Far out o'er the infinite sea. And never again will the light returo— ‘The light of a Iife that has fown— ‘Though the heart may call and the spirit yearn For the soul that drifted alone To the endless rest on the luring breast Of the dark and cold uuknown. While the lips may smile and the cheeks may glow As if the sad heart were free, ‘The Joys of the days of the long ago Wii never come back to me; For then we were four upon life's brigat shore— ‘Tonight we are only three. October 15, 1808. —CuirrorD Howanp. Croquet Hules. He—“Yo" mus’ bit me befo’ yo' kin git an- udder go, Miss Linda.” | the shadow of which she A Subject for Silly and Groundless Jest by English Newspapers. KIND OF MAN HE REALLY IS. ‘The American at Home Largely Responsible —Interesting Gossip From Abroad—George Comn’s Pistol Pockets—A Fake Remedy for Sea Sickness—Notes. Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. Loxpox, September —, 1892. HE AMERICAN Abroad” is a perennial subject for coarse, silly end groundless jest. The ‘‘American at Home” is to blame. One or two humorists began by making this kind of easy wit their playful and money- making and therefore successful occupation without any unneces- sary waste of gray mat- ter. Then the vast army of alleged fanny men followed suit, and aimed their shafts of satire at their traveling fellow-countrymen when not engaged in merry-making at the expense of the summer girl. It became, in a way, the fashion todo this kind of thing until “the American abroad” himself on returning home began to feel that his “stories of travel” would not be complete unless they included a number of anecdotes about the boorishness of the Ameri- cans he met on his tour. This estimate of “tho American abroad” by “the American at home” was accepted as entirely correct by Europeans, and today the joke at his expense and the libel on his intelligence—only more poverty-stricken in the matter of ideas, more stupid in construc- tion and more malicious in purpose—is a regu- lar feature of a certain portion of English jour- READY POR THE PREYS. At that time of tip year when everybody “ is anybody” leaves London with nobody in it except about four millions or so Americans swarm in by the thousand. It is then the hotel keeper smiles as he brings out his revised list of “extras,” the shopkeeper “turns to tho wall” the picture Ge togend “Twenty-five Ber cent off for cash and that the Church of ingland makes provision for tho rainy day of disestablishment by playing the brigand at every turn in St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey and elsewhere. It is then, too (as well as at other times), that the smart English reporter goes on his rounds oblivious to the scores of delicious news items strewn in his path and brings back to his editor the “fake” about ‘the American Abroad” as he is alleged to have been seen in the great public show places. These Yankees—all Americans are Yankees here—with big watch chains and big months, big pocket books and big desires to make big asses of themselves he assures you are to be ween every- where. This is no exaggeration—I mean my statement of the case {s not, Of course all in- i glihmen know the typical or what he is—the most courteous, discriminating and knowledge- laden of ‘travelers. He goes into West- minster Abbey or any English cathedral and he knows more ubout its history than the majority of all those of other nationalities present. He goes thore to see what he knows abont, and he #ees more than any one else. The captain of the Tower of London said recently that the knowledge of Americans about everything con- nected with the famous old place was a moxt surprising thing to him until he got used to it. Just inside Christ Church gate, in the cathe- dral precincts at Cunt t le souvenir shop, pres gent lady, whose pleasant fc Will recall. Thad a talk with her a few days ago and, without letting her know who I was, drew her into a conversation about American | visitora, She waxed enthusiastic instantly and produced a lot of visiting cards left there by people whose names are well known to ever) ier of Tux Stan. She told me Americans were the only people who shared her enthusi- asm abont the sacred and magni‘icent fane, in . They spent lots of moncy with her, she said, but they it intelligently, When she showed an Amer & fac simile of St. Ethelbert’s font in ol Martin's Church and told him the font was Saxon, but the cai was Norman, she had not to draw a diagram of her meaning. ‘Thisis how the American is regarded wherever he is known away from home. So it is time the silly nonsense about him in his own country ceased. Then we could complain with more justice of what other people say. GEORGE COFFIN’S PISTOL POCKETS.” One of the most intelligent Americans I know, one George Y. Coffin of Washington, D.C., hada practical lesson in the ordinary view of America entertained by ordinary En- glishmen. By this time a picturesque suit of | clothes built around his expansive and graceful anatomy has cost him some “drinks” at the Press Club and sleepless nights at home and elsewhere. I was present during the trying-on corge said something about pistol ‘Ab, yes,” snid the tape man sadly, ‘you need one for a pistol out there in America, don't George said he wanted two ’ pistol The tailor,gasped for breath. What se of going’ to seo Buffalo Bill’s show when he had a wild American right there. “On, you must live in the wild part of it.” he ex: claimed, He promised to send the clothes home by 8 o'clock. They were sent promptly on time. An American with two pistol pockets occasion the sea was more than usually rough. A young woman, pretty and nicely dressed, ap- peared to be suddenly taken very ill with ‘sea- sickness and groaned and ecreamed in apparent agony for some little time. At length a gentle- man, who appeared to be « stranger to her. a] proached and asked ber whether she would like to take a lozenge, which he guaranteed would ease her of her The young dady demurred a little at frst, but finally accepted the offer. Never was cure so instantaneous. Some pas- sengers were so struck with the incident that they inquired what was the remedy that had — such a wonderful effect,and the gentleman, who, ashe said, was the agent for the sale of the lozenges, to which ho gave a French name, disposed of 8 considerable number of boxes at 10 francs each. An hour later I saw the young lady and her preserver arm-in-arm on the beach at Folkestone, and I subsequentiy learned from one of the victime-that the lozenges were com- mon jujubes. A MEANLY THRIFTY DUKE. The Duke of Argyll, with whom Mr. Glad- stone has just been amusing himself in the pages of the North American Review, is a very thrifty nodleman. Scotchmen are proverbially thrifty, but a particular example of that quality in his grace of Argyll is enough to make even Judge Holman blush. A gentleman in Johauneeburg, South Africa, says a paper from that place which I have just’ seen, wrote to the duke Ca attention to the neglected con- dition of the grave of his son, taxa Walter Campbell, in the Johannesburg cemetery. His grace was much obliged for the letter and went ontosay: “It is impossible for those on this side of the globe to do more than trust to the common interest of the whole local community to look after the scemly custody of the gravee of those who dic and are ete among them. Possibly the surrounding of my son's grave with a permanent iron railing would effect all that can be effected by instructions from home. Could this be done at a moderate cost? If 80, I wrould be greatly obliged if you could arrange for its being done.” Naturally the recipient was astonished, for the duke, as you know, is one of tho wealthiest men in the united kingdom. TRANSFORMATION OF A HISTORIO SPOT. American visitors to London hereafter ill have to revise their guide books and the intel- ligent guide will have to make a material alter- ation in his parrot-like recitation. Whitehall, or Parliament street, is to be enriched with an- other conspicuons building and a famous En- glish institution will, as the result, find a home more worthy of ‘ts’ treasures and ite natioual purpose. The banqueting hall in Whitcball has experienced many vicissitudes and been wit- ness to many historical events. There was for- merly o palace there, which was built in the early part of the thirteenth century. In 1590 it became the residence of the court and in 1697 it was, with the exception of the banquetin hall, destroyed by fire. This hall was adde: by Jamos I from designs by and under the di- rection of the celebrated tect Inigo Jones. Tho magnificent paintings attached to the cei'y, ing of the hall wero executed by Rubens anc are almost as bright and perfect as when they left the hand of the great master. It was from one of the windows of the banqueting ball that Charles I walked to the place of his execution near by. Oliver Cromwell lived and died in Whitehall palace. For a while the hall was used asa royal church, but for some reason or other religious services were discontinued and the place closed. Now it is about to undergo another transformation. The queen has os- signed the banqueting hall to the use of the Royal United Service Institution, which, with ite unique and interesting museum, has long | struggled against most inadequate accommoda- tion.” It is now proposed to build a new insti- tute by the side of the banqueting hall and util- ize the latter for museum purposes. PUNISHMENT FOR LITERARY LARCENY. The proprietor of Illustrated Bits bas just escaped a danger int which not a few newspa- pers, both English and American, have fallen victims. He received a manuscript which he discovered in time was an almost verbal copy of an alrendy published novel, He demanded an apology end a subscription of £5 for a trade fund, or in default threatened to inetitute pro- ceedings. The apology and the £5 were both promptly forthcoming, although innocence of the piracy was strenuously pleaded. The money has becn handed to the organizing fund of the News Agents’ Union. About two years agoa young lady not then unknown to Wash- ington newspaper readers sent to a well-known paper achort story so interest g as to receive immediate publication, Sho received a check with equal promptness. and everybody scemed | satisfied. A month or #0 later, however, the newspaper editor received a note from’ the editor of the Century Magazine calling at- tention to the fact that the story, with the ex- ception of the introductory part. was taken al- most bodily from an issue of that publication of about a year previous. ‘The news explained matters to the Century man and wrote a sharp note to the young lady, who, in- stead of returning the check and apologizing, became highly indignant. The. thereafter excluded her from is columns, but had he been less good-natured, and taken nc- | tion somewhat like that of the Londoner, it | might have had a more far-reaching eff Health Alone. From the Chicago News-Reccrd. Ellen—“Grace is very persistent in taking her morning constitutional down the boulevard. | Does it do her any good?” Marie—“No, but she mects any number of men going down to their offices.” Hie Interpretation. From the New Yori: Herald. Johnny —‘‘Mamma thinks I should live among deaf people.” Papa—“Is that 60?” Johnny—“Yes. She thinks I should be seen, not heard. One Tarn Too Many. From Life. ‘was not to be trifled with. & PRACTICAL QUESTION. (In Canterbury Cathedral.) Guid his ‘ere nave was burned down in 1175, and——" Well-dressed Visitor (not from America)— “How much was it insured for?” ALARMING MORTALITY AMONG INFANTS. Infant mortality in this country has reached such startling proportions of Inte that many leading newspapers are demanding an inquiry into the cause. In Liverpool alone it totalled 46 per ceut of all deaths. One paper asked: “Can sctentific men explain why a larger pro- portion of children survive their first year of existence in Dublin than in the twenty-cight large towns of England and Wales?” I thought I would have this query answered for Tue Stax, so I sent it toa medical fricnd in the Irich’capital, His reply 1s interesting. After dwelling on the climatic and other advantages of Dublin as bearing on the health of the people nerally, he says: “In Dublin mothers have not forgotten yet to do their duty toward their in- fants and their country to the same shocking extent, as this is, alas! the case in portions of England and Wales. Whereas, in the twenty- eight large English and Welsh towns scarcely 25 per cent of the infants born are suckled uj tothe sixth month of their lives by their mothers. This is done yet in Dublin to the ex- tent of nearly 85 per cent—a most creditable and honorable fact for all Dublin mothers,” adds my friend, who is a Scotchman. “Every doctor, every mother, overy father knows, or ought to know,” he ‘continues, “that infants reared on condensed, unskimmed, sugared milk, pappy rubbish and patent foods have not half the chance to overcome the dangers of in- fantile Lis up $0 the first year of age thata naturally fed infant has, If fathe:s, particu larly of the younger generation, would only half appreciate the fatal effect of this ev wing of ‘rearing their infants by hand’ on the most unwholesome and unnatural substances infant mortality would not be so alarming in extent" Of course, not knowing any’ about such «@ subj if, I cannot vetar tees akes 4 ee that merican a; 10 THREE POUNDS FOR TRIPLETS. Apropos of babies, a curious practice obtains in these parte of her majesty’s dominions, which, I have never seen mentioned inan American THE HOSPITAL FOR CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. e Hospital is Now Ready to Receive Patients. At Inst Washington has a hospital for con- tagious diseases. For years Congress bas been urged to appropriate sufficient funds to build such an institution, and its needs have been manifest on more than one occasion. It was not until the recent cholera scare in New York, ter into their own hands and directed the in- spector of buildings to put the old smallpox hospital in thorough repair. As one of them said, “It is well to be pro- Pared at all times.” DR NeviTT, The emergency fund was drawn upon, the old building overhauled, and today Dr. James R. Nevitt, the physician in charge, notified the Commissioners that it was ready for patients. THE mosPITAL is a large roomy frame building located ona small bill just back of the jail. It overlooks the erratic course of the Eastern branch and the urrounding country. fering the door one is struck with the on all sides. The first door to the left is the doctor's room. It is a cheery place, with a large stove and a hundred or more vol umes con the tugious diseases. various kinds of — con The outlook, however, not particularly attractive. On ove side the | looms up and the other window looks out upon | potter’s field, the pauper burying ground. A Teporter of Tae Star found vit at work with his microscope endeavoring to find bacilli He greeted the scribe cordially and proceeded to show him the place where contagious dis eases of all kinds are to be treated. Opposite the doctor's room is the laboratory and drug room, with the shelves full of bottles with mys- terious names, THE Doctor is a graduate of chemistry and puts up all pre- scriptions. It would be a difficult matter to bire a druggist to do the work when the hos- Pital is occupied. “During the smallpox epi- | domic here,” said the doctor, “a carpenter was employed to do some repairing. He did the work und then caught the discase and died here. It shows how scared people are of a con- tagious disease hospital. Why, even now I have difficulty in getting any one to come out here. To give you an idea of how fearful they used to be of this place Just look at phat tele- You see it is one of the first made. When that was put in here the authorit y it outright. broke its rule an The telephone company refused to rent it.”” THE WARDS. At the head of the hall which leads from the main entrance there is another hallway running LESS THAN TWO MINUTES. How Johnson Made the Great Bicycle Record on the New Wheel. The fast records made by John 8. Johnson, the Minneapolis bicyclist, at the Chicago bi- cycle races have been discussed in the bicycle Papers at length. The official records of his races are given as follows: Flying start—Thursday, Sept. 15. Quarter, -27 1-2; half, .55 1-2; quarter, .26 3-& Judges, J. RB. Chesbrow, Waterloo, Towa; Chas. A. Rosemond, city; F. S. Hillsinger, referee. Timers. 0. O. Tibbetts, city; John Hussy, city; B.W. Tabor, city; C. A. LaDue, LuVerne, Minn.; J. L. Dougherty, Clinton, Ont. Standing start—Saturday, September 17. Quarter, .81; oue mile, 2.04 3-5. Judges, John W. Evang, city; W. 8. Tidball, city; Dr. 8. B. fe ding. Starter for one mile, W. C. Little- John; starter for quarter mile, ©. F. Tucker, ref. ‘Timers, Fred Seacord, Judd Seacord, Galesburg, Ti; Sam Coton, Frank D. Stout, Dubuque, fowa; J. F. Martindale, C. A. Thomp- son, city; C. M. LaDue, LuVerne, Minn. Wednesday, September 21, standing start— Half mile, .583-5. Quarter flying start, .26 1-5. Judges, N. Frank, city; Chas. A. Rosemond, city; John W. Evans, city; C. F. Tucker, referee,city. Timers,Sam Caton, Dubuque,lowa; C. A. Thompson, city; J. L. ty, Clin- ton, Ontario; H.’E. Bail, A ; Charles Thursday, September 22 flying start—Q ‘ursday, September 22, flying st juar- ter, .29%; (; three-fourths, 1.2834; , 58% 35. St city; John W. Evans, cit, city. Timers, Sam Caton, A. Thompson, cit; W._C, Littlejohn, ‘Dubuque, Iowa; C. 0. 0.'Tibbets, city; Judd Seacord, city;J. F. Martindale, Galesburg, Dll; J. L. Dougherty, Clinton, Ont. THE GREAT RECORD. é The L. A. W. Bulletin in its issue this week prints the following: Er sustained in place attached # canvas screen, the seat to within four 2 © Itwas however, that the Commissioners took the mat- | ONE OF THE s had | | east and west. It lef into the big warda. The same cleanliness which was marked on all cides | alo pervades here and the floors and. windows | are as clean as soap and water can make them. fevitt is a great believer in cleanliness “In this age of antiseptice and arseptics,” be said, “the sick room cannot be too clean. I | have instructed the help to use the utmost care in the preparation of food, and to muke clean- |liness paramount to everything | Will all be emptied into « large’) after being treated with chemicals will be burned. T'think this is tho safest plan, as mors | sickness comes from defective sewerage thas jeny other cause, Then again sewage is liable to contain germs and the pollution of the East- ern branch might breed an epidemic. TRY FAST WARD is a large and commodious room. Around the room the cots are arranged’ and the spotless linen and warm blankets are tempting. In the center of the room a large stove gives the place & homelike appearance, and the window cur- tains are bright and neat. There is no gas at the hospital, and a scgre of oil lamps furnishes the light, THE USES oF THE Mosrrrar. It is not the intention of the Commissioners to limit the use of the hospital to cholera and smallpox. AJl_ dependent persons suffering from contagious diseases will be received and cared for, and the rich alike can be treated if they are unable to receive proper treatment at home. There are several small rooms throughout the building to be used in case isolation ix nec- essary inany case, Everything is in readinoss for patients and the health officer has been notified. He in turn has given his mi structions to report any case of contagio ease that comes to their attention. The ho pits! not as complete, however, as it should 9 Our sewage basin and dis- A NEW HOSPITAL NEEDED. It is understood that the Commissioners will ask Congress to provide a new hospital for the treatment of contagious diseases. The medical fraternity in this city is unit in indorsing this plan. One of the prominent physicians said toa Stag reporter: “Every one is aware of the RDs. WA urgent necessity for a hospital where ntagions diseases may bé treated. Washington is grow- ing, and it ina disgrace that we have no com- plete hospital here to treat infectious and con- tagious diseases. The Commi mere have done their utmost, I know, to secure the desired legislation. | “O2 July 14 they recomn propriation for the hospita | to the sundrr civil bill, b ference committee, as th public health and saf ated that the absen frequently jeopardiz, measure was one In that letter they of such a hospital had the health of this entire community and they urged the paseage of the bill. But it fared the fate of other de serving bills and Mr. Holman killed it.” wheelman 6a; “The sprocket wheel in geared to seventy-two inches on one side and to sixty-two inches upon the other. The force is applied when the pedal is at the lowest point and the wheel is geared to its highest. he momentum naturally carries tho wheel its center and past the shorter gearing, reliev- ing the rider of a big burden in the way of continual propulsion,” The owners of the elliptical wheel state that they have found it is of great advantage in climbing hills. The prime object of its con- struction was to overcome the dead center as much as possible. They diccovered that the Teadiest way to do this was to contract the dead center and expand the working surface, and it was from this idea that the elliptical wheel originated. It is asserted that with a given surface in the elliptical form a rider has more | surface to work upon and more time in which | to do his work than is afforded in the same sur- face on around wheel. It is further claimed that there is a double gain in the application of the elliptical sprocket, including an advantage | in the speed of the machine during the down | strokes of the pedal, and also a gain of epeed as it crosses the dead center. Consequently the pedal operates moze effectively when at work, and loses less time from its work than when a circular wheel is used. » see Saved by Their Horses’ Intelligence. From the Grant's Pass Observer. Messrs. Bliss and Chapman of Williams Creek started to go through the mountains to Happy Camp, a mining camp fourteen miles south of Waldo, on bunting and prospecting tour. After crossing the high range known as “Old Grayback” they lost theircourse and wandered around in canons and gulches until their sup- ply of provisions was exhausted. Ther were driven to such extremity by hunger that on the fifth day they killed one of the horses for food. The; ot Uy ridge and concluded pp Ag a a they chose to go, as the nmoke was so dense they could not see any distance, and they rightly concluded the instinet of a horse was better than to grope around blindly in an atm where objects could not be dis- 200 yards distant. The horses piloted them tos settlement on the head of Applegate known as Steamboat. The men were to mountain life and attributed their mistake to the smoke. They will long remember the week which they spent while around in the vast forests at the foot of Grayback living on horse meat. | ri 7A. OF THE 19TH CENTURE. Coxer ERs Ixsowxta. Cones Dysrersta, Assists Dhorsrion. A Solvent Remady for General Debiitty, Counteracta the Ifects of Alcoholic Stim Jante and a Great Boon to Nursing Mothers, Srarcry Pear Superior to any Imported. Recommended by the Medical Faculty. FOR SALE BY THE LEADING DRUGOISTS, PREPARED ONLY BY Tar Rovert Sinra LP. A. Brewrso Comraxr, 38TH STREET AND GIRARD AVENUR, PHILADELPHIA. seco.1m Tre Coxsewens Or Faxcr Frovr Can buy our “Cream Blend” Flovr of the followin grocers. It is the only ecogniznd Blended Flour on the market snd a trial will con- Vince the most skeptical that it ts the very best in use: Wholewle by BB EARNSHAW & BhO, Washington, D.C, J. E. CONNELLY, 96 ist nw. KL. MAIN, 14th nw. H. B. DULEY, 1800 15th nw. ©. ©. McKINN SON, 170017 aw, @. W. GOLDEN, 104 2th now. K. P. WHITE, 1138 120) nw 3. L. HAMMACK, S00dth nw. F.M. DAVIS, 730 6th nw RYON & SUITE, cor. NJ. ave and Raw Airs, M.O°TOOLP, 1113 14th nw. ROBERT WHITE, 9r., 009th now. A.C. KAMMERER, 130 st nw WM. F. AUTH & BKO, Hand Ind ave ow R. A. CLAYTON, 1 F. A. NEWMAN & BKO. 3. C. DE ATLEY, 70s 7 DE ATLEY & SANDE Mrs. A. BURKE, EMIL SPAIN, cor. 6e A. 3. SANPORD & BRO., 8. L. DENTY, 120034 8.6. THOS. HAWKINS, cor. 44 and Maw. J. B. PROUT, 411 436 5.6 ©. V. WOODBRIDG: m1 Baw. d0aw. Ir 1S EASY TO FURNISH YOUR HOUSE IF YOU KNOW How. Mh a carers fc ERR, ERE ppp on Tir PC RR E DD t RRR KE OD D TT EE Eee Bo? HT RM Eee DoD it IS A GREAT HELP AND Groaaws Maxworn Cxeprr Hover, 819, 821 AND 823 7TH ST. N.W., Is helping more peopie tuday than ever before im ft history. Its credit system is the cesiost and mos: Mheral over devised, and difers materially from any ever oper ated in th EASY WEEKLY OR MONTHLY PAYMENTS, NO NOTES TO SIG) And6per cent discount on al! bills paid within thirty days. Everything sold on credit at cash prices. THAT PARLOR SUITE In plush or hatr cloth for @3 well worth seving before yo Washington - Brocatelle—Tapestry— Wilton Rug, &e., and we are selling them on credit for less money than, ‘other people demand for “‘epot cash.” THAT BED ROOM In solidosk for $17 cash, or 828 ie pet at Sc. ver yard cash, or All carpet made and laid free of extra eost. for waste in Rgures THAT OAK EXTENSION TABLE CRG 218, O21. BS Ths aw, Bet Hand Ista