Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1892, Page 8

: ° Pf THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON. D. C. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3. 1892—SIXTEEN PAGES. Pare: ‘TEA GOWN OF ROSE-COLORED CH DRESS OF LACE-PRNDANT SLEEVES OF LACE AND COLLAR OF GOLD WROUGHT EM- BROIDERY. EPE ON SILK—FRONT OPEN SHOWING UNDER FOR STYLISH WOMEN. Some of Fashion's Latest Decrees in Bonnets and Coiffures. TRAITOROUS ACCESSORIES. Glove Buttons and Button Holes Always Causing Troable—The Chignon Coming in Style Again, but It Must Be Worn Low— Bridesmaids’ Presents. New Yona, December 2, 1892. ILLINERY FOR THE early winter is variously novel and beautiful. This initial hat, with a velvet crown, is suitable for a little gir The brim ix white felt,and the crown may be black, blue or orange velvet. Running around it is a white silk cord, which forms orna- ments on one side, hold™ ‘ing three white quills’ the tops of which are shaded to the color of the velvet. The bonnet fm the second picture has a raised border, trimmed with six roses placed at equal distance from each other, and the front is ornamented by @ butterfly bow of lace, from which a jet aigrette starts. The strings are of narrow vel- vet. The third bounet is composed of black velvet and jet, with almond greeu and old rose reversible ribbon. It makes a really charming setting toa youthful face. It has and straw border and is tnmmed the almond green and old gold or rose color re- versible ribbon. There are, also, black jetted lace pompons. A LOVE OF & BONNET. Veils are being worn as much as ever, with some are still seen with heavy spots and a kind of border, which is not becoming to any face. the way. if you are nota girl, but a grown well started toward matronliness, per- me to advise you to have your bonnets ‘There is nothing more unbecom- too small for ite wearer or in_ being relegated to the thehead. Jet or steel coron suiteweet matronly faces. A fold of velvet ora quilling ot lace or good rib- . Such a bordering forms a worthy frame to the face. If you want particularly to eves jetrim blend it with gold. if vou ar: and it will prove a satisfactory com- ii é Saye a . THE TRArTOROUS Gloves. Of all traitorous accessories a woman's gloves are the worst; you simply cannot trust them. Better start out in a hurry and trust to “fixing } fashion is rapidly making all this obligatory. color or length will be startling when you come toget them both on. Then. perhaps, if the pair is all right you will find you have lost the other one when ¥ou come to put it on. That is one of the micest accidents that can happen, and gloves just love to do that way. As to litting! | new you de- | cide to “put on in the carriage,” split away up | the palms when you pull them the least bit. | Buttons are always perfidious. Unless you actually button to the last button before léay- | ing the house they are sure to fly off. Also buttonholes have a way of bursting if | ou depend on them the least bit. The only | safe way is not to repose a bit of confidence in a glove. No matter what else you slij matter what else you ‘do on the wa your gloves before leaving the house, ni before leaving your room. Have both care- | fully pulled on and ali buttoned. That is the only safe way. Eveu then don’t fancy you are | safe. If there is any real good chance the { glove will burst or the buttons will ff As to the minor weaknesses of glov we all know how the pair that exactly matched the sample of rour dress proves not a bit like the dress; they get quite « different | color when on the hand. Nothing soils as do | gloves. You may sit with your hands on your outspread handkerchief in vour lap. You need not move them once, and still when the carriage gets thereand you are in the dressing room your gloves are “perfect sights.” ‘very one knows that the brand-new | A NEW COIFFURE. The styles in hair dressing are slowly but surely changing. True, the hair is still waved from the roots, but it is drawn into a soft knot toward the nape of the neck—a style eminently becoming to women with pure oval faces and | regular features, but exceedingly trying to every onc else.’ The bandeaux, which have been worn #o long, are not suitable to this style | of coiffare, but probably before long the double | Roman fillet will be seen once more. These prove peculiarly becoming to those who are the happy Pometsors of abundant hair. In a picture herewith I give a view of a new arrange- ment of a woman's hair. This style, for which it is not necessary to have much hair, can be done, too, with false hair, which has'the ad- vantages of being easily frizzed and of not being necessary to spoil one’s own locks. When the hair has been parted in front it ie tied behind the head. ‘The ends are frizzed and the head arranged in light puffs, as indicated in the engraving. The front part is then curled and the ends turned | back and passed into the chignon. Let me add, | sentimentally, that the hair should be as fra-| grantas pine needles or sea salt. And from cleanliness, indeed,only so can such a fragrance | come. So with every part of the sweet woman | herself; so with every detail of her wear; and | | THE CHIGNON | is coming in. I wrote that fact in these letters | recently. An amusing letter has reached me | from a despairing correspondent, who, on read- ing that news, she says, arranged her hair ina your bat as you go” than to trust to “putting * the same In the first theugh you selected your gloves with care, when you get half way on your jour- ‘and have come to the other glove you will you have taken both for the same hand. May know positively that you started with @econd but when it comes to putting on the you will find you had two lefts, have been better to have two Then, at least, your right hand would been covered and rou could have per- PRINCESS MAUD OF WALES. “buge lump in the middle of her head.” This enthusiastic but impuisive votary of fashion has since discovered tha‘ the revised chignon is worn ; low in the neck, and +he implores me to make this known at’ once, in order to save women trom di-figuring themselves more than is neces- sary im their well-meant efforts to be “in the | fashion.” the final sketch is not an original study of fashion, but a copy of a photograph of Princess | Maud of Wales. taken withina month and show- ing her as dressed for an evening occasion. You willsee that there is not much “style” about her. Among the different styles of overcoverin; the military cape seems safe forall. It come to the knee or just above it. The correct [cape should be cut «circular piece. Get @ look at an army friend. It fits over the shoulders snd has no fullness at the collar, but hangs as it will from the shouldera. The so- called military, however, is shirred about the swell be arrayed in military cloak just as it 01 be and lined with fur. She swept into » le restaurant for lunch, ate a ‘hasty prepared to sweep out, She did, only through. I made up my mind to warn you at once. PRESENTS FOR BRIDESMAIDS. Isthere an organized strike among bridegrooms? I note that it is becoming the usage at preten- tious weddings for brides to give the presents to their bridesmaids. Once the bridegroom would as little have expected to escape buying the half dozen bangles or initial brooches, y shite of the attendan damsels, as he would have dreamt of failing to present the bride with her bouquet. But the young man of today has carefully weighed all these expenses, and rg as far as possi- ble the bevy of maids with whom brides love to surround themselves, and the latter some- times find that if they are to go to the altar with the regulation number of damsels in their train they must th mselves provide the customary gifts, Now, if bridegroome are on astrike, I move that brides declare out. It won't do to e1 dependence in weddings, and no gen minded bridegrooms would attempt to shir! the shower of bangles or brooches if he goes in for = swell wedding at all. I do not believe either that bridesmaid believe in or care for gifts from the bride half as much as if they are presented by the happy benedict. The total abolition of bridesmaids will inevitably result, moreover, if the fashion grows. eee MAKES A MISTAKE. His Efforts to ccor # Sick Man Prove ‘profitable, OODLES SPEAKS OF IT AS THE MOST surprising adventure he ever had in his life. He brought an acquaintance into the Platypus Club the other afternoon—a msn from Balti- more—whom he had met only once or twice before. They sat down in a cozy corner for a chat, and,as s matter of course, drinks and cigars were ordered. They talked about the Prospects of the coming administration, moist- ening the conversation with a couple of Scotch whiskies apiece. Though Mr. Jones—which was not his name, but it will do as well as another—had spoken of having missed his luncheon and of a doubt about the propriety of imbibing even such mild stimulants as Scotch whiskies on an empty stomach, the first one encouraged him to take the secoud. Noodles was in the midst of some eloquent remarks respecting the iniquities of the McKinley tariff wien he noticed that Mr. Jones was exhibiting symptoms of physical dis- comfort. Tn faot he acted as if he were going to be sick, and Noodles asked if be felt bad. Instead of replying Mr. Jones sat in his c without saying « word, gasping and very red in the face. “My dear fellow, must be really ill. Mr. Jones nothing, but continned to gasp, his symptoms becoming yet more pro- said Noodles, “I fear you | nounced. “Can I not do something for you?” asked Noodles anxiously. Mr. Jones evidently did not say anything, but there was no room for doubt that he was | steadily feeling worse. Noodles looked around him for aid and sum- moned one of the serving men by touching a bell close at hand. “John,” he said. “this gentleman is feeling bud. 1 fear he is going to be sick. Feteb & cuspidor at once.” The cuspidor was promptly brought and placed near Mr. Jones, #0 us to be accessible in should arise. Mr. Jones, though g. seemed to be in much distress, Noodies was at his wits’ end. “Bring two or three more euspidors, John,” he said to the servant. John fetched ull that were in the room, about half a dozen, and arranged them in asemi-circle about Mr. Jones, The latter still continued to gasp. “Now, John,” said Noodles, “bring a towel quickly.” ‘The man brought the towel and Noodles spread it across Mr. Jones’ chest, tucking it carefully into his collar. ‘Then he tried to think of something else to do, but nothing further suggested itself to his mind as suitable for such au emergen’y.- Mr. Jones, surrounded by the constellation of cuspidorsand provided with the towel, was.as well prepared for sudden illness 6 was practicable under the circumstances. Mr. Jones gave another gasp or two and then i e. see obliged to you, Mr. oodles,” he said in acalm tone, his features Teassuming their ordinary placidity. ‘There is nothing the matter with me, except that I have an impediment in my speech. It attacks once ina while in that way, being purely jervous trouble, and I cannot say a word, no tter how hard i try. I have been doing my best to tell you that your alarm on my account was groundiess, but in vain. [assure you that Iam feeling perfectly well With these remarks Mr. Jones quietly un- tucked the towel from his collar and handed it over to the servant who stood by. ‘The latter sajd respecttull “shall [remove the cuspidors, Mr. Noodles?” “Hang it, yes,” replied Mr. Noodles angrily. “Pras have another drink with me, Mr. Jones, in token that you accept my most humble apologies.” —— ee THE GAMBLER’S DEBT. A Game of Life and Death in Which the Miner Won. From Short Stories. Sixteen months of hard tunneling and he had reached the bonanza. Ashe stood gloat- ing over the richest ore his eyes had ever feasted on he became conscious of a presence and turning saw the tall form of “Long Brown,” the gambler. He was about to speak when a dull rumble was borne on their ears and a tremor shook the earth as pieces of loosened rock fell at their feet. Both knew whaf it meant. Brown went back a few rods with his lantern and returned with » blanched face. eare shut in by acaveand it may take days to dig us out.” After a pause he con- tinued: “How long will your provisions last?” ‘our days—for one.” Il be the one.” The click of his weapon sounded through the drift as he covered his old enemy. “Have you a pack of cards?” said the other, quietly. “If so, let’s play a game of draw, with the gun for the stakes.” ‘They gazed in each other's eyes for a few mo- ments. Brown had never taken advantage of mortal man. He would not do it now. He produced apack of cards from his pocket. He always carried them. “Cut.” “Deal.” ‘The gambler drew three cards; so did the miner. “Queens. “Aces.” ‘The gambler looked a secondat hixopponent’s hand as it was inid down, “You win,” he said quietly, and he lifted the weapon. Click, click. Bang! His body lurched forward, sprawling over the cards, ‘after the smothered report. The miner, with a look of horror on his face, lifted the lantern and held it over the body. As he shook his sleeve four cards fluttered down on rostrate figure. was a close shave,” he said, “but Idowned | collar and hangs without any. fitting over the shoulders, Very stu ones reat military, gotten up in black or PERIL OF THE NATION. Dangers of Importing Pauperism, rime and Disease From Abroad. THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. ‘Millions of Pauper Russian Hebrews—How England Ships Her Convicts to America— One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Italian Immigrants Annually—What Will Con- gress Do? Seren ene t eoeiccieanety HIS COUNTRY HAS been used long enough as a dumping ground for the refuse popula people demand an im- mediate remedy for the evil and Congress will devote ite first attention during the coming ses- sion to framing a law restricting im migra- tion. A few carefully gathered facts will serve to illustrate the dangers threatening from the present system of gathering the poverty- stricken, the diseased and the criminal of for eign nations for shipment to America. During the fear 1891 twice as many Hebrews as are now in the Holy Land disembarked at the port of New York. Practically all of them Fire Peupers and 0,000 of them came from Russia. There are 3,500,000 more of them in Russia and they are ail coming over. The fund of $10,000,000 given by Baron Hirsch will suffice tofetch them all to America within a few years. They Innd without » penny in their pockets and the only industry they ever under- take isa kind of peddling which is semi- mendicancy. The Hirsch fund provides each of them with a few dollars wherewith to pay for a stock of shoestrings, collar buttons, sus- Ponders or other such merchandise, lebrew venders of this description average eight toa block in New York city. The Rus- sian government desire to get rid of them, as they never produce anything. If land in given them they farm it out to others and live on the rent. Nevertheless it is not apparent why the czar should be permitted to shift this burden off on the United States. CONVICT memtoRANTs. In 1890 there were 25,000 convicts in prison and on tickets-of-leave in England. At present there are less than 12,000in all. This reduction has been accomplished by shipping British criminals to this country. It is a most profit- able system, relieving England of dangerous citizens and signifying a saving of $170 a year foreach person thus transported. Ther: about ninety ro-called discharged prisoners’ aid societies in Great Britain. While nominally private benevolent organizations, they are in reality agents of the government. Before a convict is discharged an officer from one of the societies visits him in prison and arranges with him that he shall go to the United States. He nearly always assents, because he is only too glad to escape police surveillance and to get away from the record which faces him in every court whenever he commits a new crime. If he accepts the proporition the government hands him over to the society, paying to the so- ciety at the same time $30. Out of this sum the society pays $17.50 for the convict's ticket to America. An official accompanies him to the port, buys his ticket, furnishes him with clothes. bedding and other necessaries and hands him the balance of $12.50 on the depart- ure of the ship. SHORT IMPRISONMENT AND LONG SURVEILLANCE. With a view to getting rid of as many crimi- nals as possible in this way the British govern- ment has adopted a system of imposing a short term of imprisonment anda long term of sur- Veillance on offenders against the laws. Thus after a brief time the convicts can be released and have every inducement to get out of the country. Not infrequently a judge will actually witbhold punishment on condition that the in- dividual shall consent to goto the United States, Thousands on thousands of Englishmen, de- clared guilty of the gravest crimes and: released in the manner described, are now in this country, most of them continuing to prosecute their professional warfare against society. On arriving here the deported criminal promptly changes his name and begins a new career un- embarrassed by past misdoings. It is positively known that in very many instances such per- sonsreceive pecuniary aid from the British water, such assistance being transmitted in the shape of postal orders, ENGLISH PAUPERS. In 1865 the paupersin England and Wales numbered 47 in every 1,000 of population. At present they are counted xt pnly 23 in 1,000. This reduction of more than one-half has been accomplished by sending persons of this clavs to the United States, Obviously when a charge on the community can be got rid of forever at a cost of only $17.50 to $20 for a passage across the ocean it is much cheapet than to support that individual for the rest of his or her life. Lord Derby says: “With a population already congested and growing at the rate of 1,500,000a year, England must be an emigrating country. ‘To dispose of the growing swarms of the poorer classes is not only a matter of humanity, but one also of public #afet Safety, that ‘is to say, for Engiand, but certainly » peril for the United States. Cardinal Manning says that “one of England's greatest blessings is her auilits to get rid of her pauper classes through emigration.” America, of course, can be reached far more cheaply than any other coun- try available for the purpose. Thus it is that homeless chiRiren are gathered by thousands from the streets of Liverpool and other cities and sent hither. Likewise nearly 100 charita. | ble shelters for fallen women in Great Britain ship their more or less reclaimed unfortunates tous, The Russian Hebrews now pouring into England are passed on to America, because it is cheaper to pay their fare than to keep them. FOREIGNERS IX OUR JAILS. Under these circumstances it is not sur- at present confined in the jails and asylums of the United States are foreigners. In New England the percentage rises to 75 per cent. During the Year 1891 th re. were Afty-cight homicides in’ Allegheny county, Pa. All of them were comnfitted by aliens or naturalized foreigners. Italy contributes number of immigrants to our shores. Five thousand murders occur annually in that country. These people bring hither their secret society organizations, such as the Mafia, | the objects of which are murder, highway rob- More than 150,000 of them come over yearly. Great numbers of them return to Italy every aucumn and come back again in the spring. They can pay fares both ways, spend four months in idieness at home, and yet earnin the season they spend in the United States more than double what they could if they worked in their native land all the year around. There are 22,000,000 of these undesir- able foreigners in Italy now, who may be said to be on the point of emigration to the’ United States. They take nearly all of their earnings back home with them, being content to live while here in the meanest and most fashion. They do not even take the trouble to learn our language. Let anybody who wants to see how this sort of thing works go to the coal fields of Pennsylvania and see the towns and Villages w horde were inhabited by American workingmen and their families incomfortable circumstances. Today all is changed. The American citizen is gone, and the home of his family is the shelter of from ten to twenty men, with one or two women to cook for them. ‘These foreiguers have driven out the Americans because their labor is cheaper. ‘They work under the ‘‘store" ery will have to be content with one room for family, and will be compelled to live under the same poverty-stricken circumstances as govern the condition of labor in foreign countries. THE TRANSPORTATION OF EMIGRANTS. Because the steamship lines have found the tion of Europe. The | their societies after their arrival on this side of the | prising to learn that 40 per cent of the persons | the greatest | bery. blackmail, theft and all other crimes. | ich before the advent of this alien | his sit down in the be able to get to America, The more hope- lessly poverty stricken he is the more inclned poor houses and asylums on the shores of the United States. Sucha system is one of the greatest economy from their point of view. The fares of Italian immigrants are very commonly paid by their relatives and friends in this country,who,if they have not the money, can obtain it readily without security from any one of the numerous Italian banks in Ameri- can cities. There are dozens of these instit- tions in New York which lend money in this way at 100 or 200 per cent, getting it back from the first earnings of the imported immigrant. ‘The banks also do a great business in contract labor, fetching over men by thousands to work onrailways,in the mines orelsewhere. Of course, this is against the law, but it is extremely difl cult of detection. It was ascertained not long ‘ago that the steamship lines employ person nominally as stewards, whose actual duty it is to instruct immigrants on board ship as to the answers they are to give to inquiries put to them by our immigration official STARVATION IN EUROPE. The lower classes of Hungarians, Italians, Bobemians, Slavs and other peoples in southern Europe have been reduced to the starvation line. Of all of them who come to this country it is reckoned that 50 per cent have their Passages prepaid for the purpose of getting rid of them. They are dumped as paupers pure and simple on the free soil of America. By similar “charitable” means they are conveyed by rail to whatever seaport may be nearest their homes. This does not cost very much, because they travel fourth class, Fourth-class railway cars in Europe are somewhat less luxu- rious than our cattle cars. They have no seats, and the passengers stand up or sit on their boxes. They are so closely packed that the traffic is exceedingly profitable, although the fares are lews thanacenta mile. On arrivin, at the seaport the wretched people are place: in so-called emigrant boarding houses, com- ate with which the meanest tenement houees | in the slums of New York are palatial. These boarding houses are owned by the steam- | ship lines and the emigrants are crowded into them as thickly as possible to await the | departure of the steamer. ‘They sleep on straw, and the dirtand squalor of the accommodations | are indescribable. On the voyage much more attention is paid to the welfare of beasts than to that of these human beings. For example, the juckasses imported to the United States from Italy are quartered always on the top deck of the vessel, while the emigrants are placed in the hold below. ‘The avowed reason for this is that some of the jackasses would be likely to die if they were put in the hold for lack of fresh air, and they are worth $600 apiece. They are bronght to this country to serve as sites for mules, because no such big ones can be raised here. ‘If many of them die the traflic, which is asource of large gain to the steamship com- panies, would necessarily be discontinued. But with an immigrant it is different. If he dies he ix simply tied in a bag with some coal and thrown overboard. His fare has been paid in advance, and his death will have no influence on business, ‘THE CAUSES. ‘These troubles which European governments are trying to shift off on the United States by sending hither their poverty-stricken and dis ed people are caused wholly by the twin evils of landlordiem and militarism. Nearly all of the land being in the hands of a few the many have been growing steadily poorer, op- pressed as they are by taxes for the support of great armies and navies. Consider, if you lease, that the Russian army has « peace foot- Ing of 974,000 men and ® war footing of 2,733,000 men, costing 138,000,000 annually. | Pauper Italy has an army comprising 736,000 men in time of peace, 1,718,000 men in war, | and costing €43.000,000 a year. ‘The German | army has a pence footing of 445,500 men. a war | footing of 1,492,000 men and costs $98,000,000 | annually. The army of France has 503,000 | men in peace, 3,753,000 men in war and costs $14,000,000 a year. Compare with the above statement the fact that the army of the United | States numbers only 25,745 in peace, including officers, with a war footing of 3,165,000 and costing’ #40,466,000 annually. These ‘reckon- ings do not include the navies of the various | countries mentioned. Of course exch soldier must wear good clothes and be well fed for years, during which he produces nothing, being supported by the industrial people. THE ALARMING SITUATIO! These causes have so impoverished Europe that the situation there is becorhung exceedingly alarming. In London the fear of an uprising by the very poor has become so great that mer- chants along the Strand and other great shop- ing streets have their windows protected by iron shutters. Europe has reached the starva- tion line, which cannot be passed without a tre- mendous social convulsion. Those who have every reason to know best respecting this mat- ter declare it an absolute certainty that within three years from now there must be either a general war in Europe ora general disarma- ment by mutual consent of the powers. Should the latter expedient be resorted to an imme- diate alteration in the condition of the toiling millions would be brought about and their con- dition would be so vastly improved by the re- | moval of oppressive taxos that the stream of | emigration to America would almost cease to flow. For it must be understood that these wretched foreigners are not anxious to leave their native countries. Patriotism is universal | among them, and nothing but sheer necessity | could force them to emigrate. Even the op- pressed Russian peasants love their native land | 8o dearly that very few of them are induced to goaway. They regard the czar not only with reverence as their emperor, but with a reli- gious adoration also, because he is the pope of their church. Let starvation cease to look the people of Europe in the face and they will no longer care to come to this country. At present the number of immigrants who come to the United States from abroad is reckoned officially at 600,000 annually. | In reslity it is nearly 1,000,000. When it is con- sidered that two children are commonly counted as one person; that the steamers bring many people over and above their lawful complement who are not put down inthe manifests; that | the companies land large forces of men who are designated for the sake of convenience as stewards or employes; that tramp steamers fetch thousands to smaller ports whose arrival , 4s never counted; that great numbers come in the second cabin and are not reckoned as im- migrants on that account, and finally that as- sisted paupers sent via Canada are continually | swarming over the border into the United a] States—when all these unquestioned facts are taken into account, it will be seen that the maximum estimate is not too large. ‘THE AMERICAN LAkps. ‘The notion popularly entertained that there is an almost unlimited ares of unoccupied lands snd Mesian frontiers 11s furthernrged tat | : ve er capita tax chould be on immigrants, and certain reforms be made in the regulations governing the trans. ecb name sph em el megteg 7m against immorality, will in ‘steamship be in le at the same time tor be equally profitable pauper and crim- —— on our Bacue. ——.__ AUNT TABITHA’S LEGACIES. How She Disposed of Them While et in the Land of the Living. iA TABITHA BOBBINS HAD ALWAYS said that she didn’t approve of the con- ventional method of giving legacies. “My dear,” she used to say to one intimate friend or another, “I can assure you that I will never give people an opportunity to fight for my little possessions after Iam dead. In nine cases out of ten when anybody dies there is more or less of a struggle among the surviving relatives for whatever personal belongings may be left behind to be divided up. And inas- much as the claimant with the least delicacy of feeling makes the first grab, the consequence usually is that whatever is best falls into the hands of the individual whom the defunct would least have cared to benefit. My obser- vation has been that in such a case there is al- ways a grabber at hand to gobble things, and the others are obliged to be content with what- ever may be left. In my own family there is a woman who has always made a business of grabbing in this fashion whenever a relation Bave up the ghost. On such occasions she has made it a rule to be first on the scene, assisting with the last ceremonies and incidentally gathering in whatever was most valuable. As ® result she now owns practically all of the Jewelry and old silverware that has come down through the inheritance of generations of our kinsfolk.” . Aunt Tabitha’s plan for preventing such a thing from happening in her own case was a very simple one. “‘When my time comes to die,” she was ac- customed to remark, “I propose to arrange things in a sensible manner ‘beforehand, unless I should be taken away #o suddenly as to render Preparation impossibl Procisely what method she intended to adopt for accomplishing this end nobody was told, | but the nature of it was recently revealed. About a month ago Bobbins fell ill. She did not take kindly to being sick, having always man unusually healthy woman. To her bysician she said indignantly: ‘Here I hare jived for more than seventy years with hardiy a sick day that Ican remember, and to be osition progressed so alarm- down in this w: ertheloss her indisp ingly that at length the conviction forced itself upon her that she was on her death bed. So she summoned all her relatives, and, after de- ing to them a short lecture ‘on the brevity of life and the vanity of human efforts after happiness, she proceeded to divide her personal belongings among them, “In this way,” she said, “there can be no dispute among you as to who shall have what. |My nephew George can bave my silver tea- | pot, sugar bowl and milk jug. They are coin, | not sterling. Tomy niece Eliza I give my | hand-painted tea cups and eleven silver tea- | spoons. One of the teaspoons was lost some | time ago, and I have always suspected that | hussy named Jones who was my maid last | winter of appropriating it. To my cousin | William bequeath my portrait of my dear father, which is a most admirable likeness and accurate in every particular, even to the wart on his nose. My seble cape and muff, which are as good as new except for one tail on the cape, which a nasty dog chewed off, I give to my cousin Maria. My cap with the violet rib- bons and real Ince my niece Belinda can bave. T advise her to begin wearing it at once and to give up pretending to be twenty years younger than she looks.” Following out this plan Aunt Tabitha gave away all her personal possessions of value, | sisting at the same time that the recipients of | the gifts should carry them away with them. In | response to protests more or less perfunctory she declared with some asperity that she had @ | right to have her wishes obeyed when she was ou her deathbed at all events. She did not pro- powo to have any squabbling over her things after her demise. was her notion of mak-. ing a will and being sure that it was fulfilled. ‘There was nothing to do but to acquiesce, and the heirs finally took their departure with their newly ac propérty. Now, all this would have been entirely satis- factory if what'was expected had come to pass. Bat, much to her own astonishment. Miss Bob- bins suddenty began toconvalesce, and a fort- night ago she was out of bed and on the hich road to recovery. Her physician said that she could have tea. "So she wrote to her nephew: “My dear George: Kindly return my silver tea pot, sugar bowl and milk jug at once. | have decided to stay in this wickedest of all | possible worlds a little longer. Your affection- ate aunt, Tanrrua.” To her niece she wrote by the same mail: “My Dearest Eliza: Please return to me by | bearer my teacups and teaspoons. Now that I | am going to get well I shall need them again | immediately. Your affectionate aunt, “Tanita.” | George promptly sent the articles required, but Eliza responded with a rather formal note, saying: 2 “Dearest Aunt Tabitha: I am sorry not to be able to obey your wishes in relation to the tea- cnps and teaspoons which you gave tome. They ‘were a freo gift on your part to myself and I do not feel inclined to relinquish what must always be to me so agreeable a memento of you. Your affectionate niece, “Exiza.” The rage of Aunt Tabitha on receiving this note nearly occasioned a relapse. At the same time it prepared her toacertain extent for other experiences of asimilar nature. Niece Belinda promptly returned the cap with violet Pibbous and real lace, declaring with emphasis that she had no use forit, but Cousin Maria neglected to answer the application for the sable cape and muff. Though Cousin William sent back the portrait which had fallen to his lot several other articles of furniture and ap- parel were retained gently yet firmly by those to whom they had been given. Some of these Were very essential to the every-day comfort of Miss Bobbins. Taking everything together she did not get back quite two-thirds of the prop- erty sho bad so thoughtfully bestowed. " Her rage has not yet abat “My dear,” said she to an intimate friend yesterday, “I give you my word that on the next occasion when I find myself on my death- bed, after making perfectly sure that my case is hopeless, I will have all of my personal pos- sessions carefully burned before my eyes.”” Girls and Boys, Their Weights and Growths. From Statistics. The year of greatest growth in boys is the seventeenth, in girls the fourteenth. While girls reach full height in their fifteenth year, they acquire full weight at the age of twenty. Boys are stronger than girls from birth to the eleventh year, then girls become physically superior until the seventeenth year, when the tables are again turned and remain so. From November to April children grow Tory, Ute and gain no weight; from April to July they in height, but lose in weight, and from ‘uly to November they increase ‘greatly in weight, but not in height. in this country for immigrants to make their garding the foment ction of tee sally thefors yy the few. | B'true that rs people ot the United Staten on | port no great army and navy, but they actually | pay more money annually for war than does Hur the pension list an expenditure amounting to ,000,000 = year. Because the rs cannot pay for lands they indastrial centers and that is ruinous with Te- It in @ manner ‘bor. 5 | WHEN CONGRESS MEETS. As soon as Congress convenes a flood of bills | will be offered for the restriction of this evil. The commissioners of immigration have recom- mended in their report the tment by the (i tated of eves They that SSS A WINTER HAT. From the Philadelphia Times THIS CHARMING HAT, THE WORK OF A MAS BLACK OSTRICH FEATHERS. (ILLINER, 18 IN PRUNE VELVET WITH A Sort INDENTED CROWN OF CHAMOIS CLOTH-THE POMPON AND NARROW BANDING ARE OP PHILADELPHIA'S CITY BUILDING. Council's Refuse to Make Any Appropria- tion For It. Philadelphia city councils have refused to make any appropriation to the public building commission for next year unless the latter body shall submit a detailed statement of the uses to be made of the money and also an estimate of the entire cost of the building. President Perkins declared a fow days ago that he could not furnish either estimate. The city hall is not only an extraordinary building, but has been built under extraordinary conditions, The public building commission was created by act of the legislature in 1870. The original com- missioners were named inthe act and they were empowered to fill vacancies. They were empowered to erect the building on the site chosen by public vote and to make requisition on councils from year to year for the money required. Councils were required to lay a special tax for the sums required or to take it out of the tax levy. ‘The four squares at Broad and Market streets were selected as the site. At that time it was expected that four build- ings would be erected, one on each square. Instead of that the commission decided to erect the building on the intersection of the streets, Up to 1576 special taxes were inid for the con- struction. Since that time the money has been taken out of the general tax. One year the commission got nothing and generally its demands have been greatly cut down, but the courte have decided that it bas authority to carry on the work in ite own way and that councils must «upply the funds. Fre- ently when appropriations are insufficient the money is taken ont of the treasury by mandamus. Nothing was expended for the site, but $15,000,000 bave been spent on the building. ‘The interior finish on half the rooms remains tobe done and the great iron tower supporting the «tatue of William Penn remains to be completed. Work on the tower is now being done under a curious contract with the Tacony Iron Company. No specific sum for the work is named. The commission furnishes the capital, tools, &c., pays the wages and for materials, and provides the engineer and superintendent’ The Tacony Iron Company receives 15 per cent on the en- tire cost. Wager, &c., are not to exceed cur- rent rates for similar work, but where there is no guide to current rates (as there will not be on such a structure) the rates are to be reason- able. With such a contract it is of course im- possible to tell what the building will cost. The building covers an area of 184,231 square feet and stories high. It is built entirely of marbie, a great interior court, also The woods. One suspended stairway of granite ‘cost $100,000 and there are to be four such. The feature of the building is the great tower surmounted by the colossal bronze figure of William Penn, the crown of whose hat will be 547 feet 334 inches above the pavement. The marble work of the tower-has been completed and the iron tower is now being erected. It will be covered with plates of aluminum bronze, ‘The figure of William Penn has been completed and is now en exhibition in the court yard. It is of aluminum bronze and is 36 feet 8 inches high. Four other figures, each 24 feet high, ill decorate the corners of the tower and there will be four aluminum bronze eagles as center pieces at the buse of the dome. The metal work, exclusive of the figure of Penn, will be 172 feet igh. ye building is 486 by 470 feet and contains 750 rooms, with a floor space of 1435 acres. It will be the highest building in the world. Washington monument will be 8%; inches higher. Not more than one-half of the interior of the building has been completed, and the fore the com- mission lets go its hold upon the city’s purse. The building is not imposing in It isdwarfed bya mansard roof with heavy cornice, 80 that experienced men guess that the cornice is fifty feet from the ground, when in reality it is ninety fect. The building con- tains an unusual amount of sculpture, both on the outside andin the highly decorated hall- ways. The details are generally good, but the building asa whole is disappointing. Since its construction towering office gs 200 or more feot high have been built around it and it will soon look like a diminutive structure sunk in awell. The refusal of councils to appro- priate money may give some trouble, but the courts have sustained the commission in its right to on its work and compel the city torpay the bille. PRESIDENT DIAZ INAUGURATED. Congratulated by Senators, Deputies, Diplo- mats and Other Dignitaries. the presidency of Mexico for another term, was formally inaugurated on Thursday. Both houses of congress assembled in the chamber of deputies at 9a.m., and at 10 o'clock composed of members of both houses advanced to meet the president-elect, and the president of the house of deputies then administered the oath, Gen. Diaz being sworn standing. Immediately after the conclusion of the ceremony the president National Palace, where he con- from members of the house of When inaugurated in the chamber of deputies Gen, Diaz said to the chairman of the congres- sional committees which greeted him: “I will Tork for the prosperity of Mexico, but I need ‘There was an inaugural banquet at night, jowed by » display of froworka. President Dias is the recipient of many hearty congratulations venate elected Pedro Diaz ite Peon Contreeras for THE TOPCOAT OF THE PERIOD, It ts @ Cape Which Droops Gracefully From the Shoulders of Its Swell Wearer. From the New York Sun The only real innovation in men's evening dress which has made its appearance in yeare is the new overcoat, if it may be so called, of which a picture is here given. The overcoat for evening dress for the Inst decade has been the Inverness, so easily slipped on or off, with ite graceful capes to throw back over the shoulders, with its handsome lining of satin or silk. The new coat, which is an adaptation of the military cape to civilian uses, is @ retura to the formiess graces of Isst century cloake, It is made of smooth black goods, and hangs from the shoulders to the tips of the tails of the dress coat. It basa wide high velvet collar, and it is lined through with silk or satin. Ite fastened in front with oxidized silver claspa, oF with a button, or with silk cord aud tassela. Ih Ti be onay to one that the no tection to chest, clades of the Inverness. i mere cover for neath, so that the white front curipusly cut garments may not spicuously in evidence. Furthermore, it te convenient if one wishes to give hie erm te woman. All it probability have little pone wh this where a carriage fs not absolutely necessary ‘one is FoinE about alone or with » woman after dart. in London, where every one takes a cab, the coat will be popular, as it has been announced tailors as the garment, Most Americans will cling to the Inverness in the spring, eummer and early fail, when only @ light covering is needed. 208 - DREADFULLY DEMORALIZING. § ef i & i F ! SEBe Fitk dreds of missionary women in this country have f j i z La