Evening Star Newspaper, June 10, 1893, Page 12

THE EVENING STAR: GRAND FOUNTAIN OF APOLLO. FOLLY OF LOUIS XIV. The Fountains at Versailles and How They Were Built. WHERE GREAT WATERS PLAY. ‘The Impressive Sight on the First Sunday of Every Month—Gardeps and Valace—Tho ‘Work of Three Monarchs—Fabulous Cost of Secaring the Water Supply — The Fountains. —— ‘Bpecial Correspondence of The Evening Star. Panis, May 16, 1893. OWARD THE FIRST Sunday of each month, from May to October. foreigners in Paris and many of the natives be- gin to ask each other, “Are you going to Ver- sailles?” It is to see the great fountains playing, the fountains built by Louis XIV, who became so alarmed at their fabulous cost es that he burned all ‘the accounts before the work was finished. At the present day it costs #2,000 toturn the water on for a singleafternoon. ‘Versailles is a town of 50,000 inhabitants. It Ties about twelve miles to the southeast of Parts ‘and is the capital of the Seine-et-Oise Depart- ment,one of the sleepiest and sweetest country- sides in France, for ail it is so near to the great capital. From Paris to Versailles is a region of suburban proprietors exulting beneath their vines, if not their fig trees. It is a region of business men who travel daily on the cars, or school children who are also commuters, of bi- eyele riders, of cierks who flee the bonlevard, of amateur chicken farmers, of chateaux and little country boxes and the stone cottages of peasants. GARDENS AND PALACE. At Versaiiles the town is passed through by a short walk leading to the palace; and those who come must make their choice—the palace or the There is no time in ono short afternoon to see the two. Gardens and Doth speak with no uncertain voice of ir originator. The rococo style in building and decoration is found in all its spreading glory here in the Versailles of Louis XIV. The Pure rococo, it is true, did uot reach its height Until his «uccessor’s reign, but this 1s also the Palace of Louis Quinze, and what one genera- tion began the other carried to completion. The Fococe sisle is always essentially the same——a decorative style in harmony with the bewigged and rapiered courtiers of a great monazch who had nothing to do but idle away refined and ‘vyoluptuous lives with the court ladies like those who surrounded Madame de Pompadour. In such a court life all things center in the mon- arch’s making war or love. Louis XIV had said, “The stato, it is I:” and he was never seen, even by bis valet, without his wig. It is Fight that he and his wig should have started the rococo style of architeeture and decoration. The idea was to surpass the great Roman emperors iz their palaces and gardens; the Fevult was the establishment by Louis himself of the Grand Trianon, a villa in these very 2 grounds, to which he was wont to flee m the frightful inconvenience of his im- Posing palace. SIMILAMITY OF WIG AND AncHTTECTURE. Tt bas been said it was Louis XIV's pompous peruke, with its even parting inthe middle and ite long massive curls at the sides, which gave the idea to the architecture of his time— the peruckenstill, as the Germans derisively all it—and the first view of this great palace Indicrously enough suggests the wig. ‘The main building is like the head piece and the two wings that start at right angles from each ‘end of it are like the long curls that rolled down on his shoulders. The carefully tended nds bebind it have the same air of regular iy and decent tameness. . The gardens with their small park and ornamental sheets of water remain very much in the same condi- tion as when first laid out by Le Notre, the famous landscape gardener of Louts XiV's time. A more artificial stvle than that of Le Notte can hardy be imagined. His chief ‘object seems to have been to subject nature to the laws of architecture and to practice geometry and sculpture upon lawns, trees and ponda. GEOMETRICAL LANDSCAPE GARDESING. ‘Trees and shrubs are clipped to resemble obelisks and pyramids; others stand straight and preternaturally slender. like soldiers on ; an alley running to theright is balanced yy an alley running to the left; a sheet of water ‘whose outlines arc as unyteldingly rectangular as thote of a swimming bath is “sustained” by smaller but no less rectangular sheets of water planted at its front and back. A stone bench on one side of an avenue is matched by a stone Dench on the other side, and among them all, strung in an exact order like surveyor's poles, are rows of marble statnes that have no ex- on their faces and no speculation in Er yes Viewed merely as a matter of luxury one eannot help thinking it was a losing speculation to build these grounds and this great palace. ‘Twelve hundred orange trees, growing in great Doxea, are still “dispersed” over the grounds in summer time ;their potted arsiticiality THE FOUNTAIN OF THE DRAGONS. fs sign of the whole undertaking. Although Louis XIV burned the accounts, he is known to have expended on the vark and palace over one thousand million of franca. The details that are known seem almost fabulous. No fewer than 36,000 meu and 6,000 horses were employed at one time in forming the terraces aad leveling the park. ‘The whole soil of the garden is simply a layer under which there are subterranean vaults; sometimes fifteen fect high, filled with storage tanks for the fountains, water pipes and other complications, WATER WOULD NoT RISE. After they had made the alleys and built the basins they found the situation was too high. ‘The water of the neighborhood would not rise in the fountains. After a deal of projecting it was decided to have water drawn up from the Seine, and an immense machine, putting into | lay 220 pumps, was cstablished ata place on e river called Marly. was to be led to the park by an aqueduct. took seven years to do all this and the machi ‘was a partial success; but with From there the water It idea of what fountains rea'ly ought to an attempt was made to di the © the river Eure. Then an aqueduct four miles Jong was begun from the vailey of Maintenon. | ‘The soldiers employed in the digging died off | fm great numbers and discontent followed be- cause the work was said to be unhealthy. In the year 1683, after the revocation of the edict of Nantes. war stopped the enterprise. SUBTERRANEAN NET WORK OF WIRES. Later on a highly complicated ayst pipes, reservoirs and connected basins gun to kelp out th pumping machine. ‘These still exist and form pte an net Work all about Versailles. The couduits lead Marl: | from many a high platean, gathering up rain wator and melting snow into ponds to receive them. The average quantity of water in tho Versailles reservoir is 5,500,000 cubic yards, of which the city with its 50,000 inhabitants only uses 2,000,000, helping itself for whatever else it needs from the old pump- ing machine at Marly, which has been per- fected in Inte years. Ail the rest of the water, and there is not too much of it, is for these fountains, and the fountains, it’ must be re- membered, only play one Sunday in each month. WHEN THZ WATERS PLAY. On the days when these great waters play few people waste time in the historical museums of the palace. Each fountain must be identified beforehand and the grounds inspected, even to the “hamlet” where Marie Antoinette played the dairymaid. Then the anxious tourist must be back to the right place and on the qui vive tostart with the first fountain, rush with the crowd to each succeeding one and so miss noth- ing of these precious spurts and cascades, great blowing mouths of iron, bronze and lead giants, mythological beasts and trickling nymphs and Capids. - Traly all. you seo is water going up and coming down, but it is fascinating. GREAT AND LITTLE WATERS. Of the fountains there are two sets, which go respectively by the names of the Great and Little Waters. It is only these latter which play regularly once s month. The Great Waters are irregular in their performances and are announced ia the newspapers long before- hand and atiract enormous crowds. Tne Little Waters are ordinary fountains of every de- scription, spouting their white columns all along the broad open avenue that leads down from the facade of the palace and in many a quict nook and, unexpected: circular clearing where alleys in the tall trees meet. The chie! ¢ them is their number, but the ‘atera aro almost architectural in their size and grandness of design. The great fountains are three—tho Allee @Eau or Water Lane, the Dragon basin and the Basin of Neptune. THE WATER LANE consists of twenty-two separate large fountains, each a group of three children supporting gob- lets. From these the water rises to the height of seventy-four fect, forming arches and struc- tures of water that can only be compared to the fleeting beauty of set pieces of fireworks; only all this goes on under the bright sunshine, framed by green groves, with films of spray to cool the air and show a hundred rainbews. All the water from the Water Lane flows into the Dragon basin and contributes to its lavishness, and from tho Dragon basin it flows, now doubled in volume, to the last and greatest piece. ‘THE NEPTUNE BASIN, Here, in the center of a semi-circle cut down the side of a hill, like an amphitheater, a colossal metal figure of Neptune rears his back against the wall and faces a great round lake. He is not alone, for he has Amphitrite with im, and fur other metal groups, which he reviews—the Ocean. Proteus guarding the flocks, and two Dragons, each bearing a Cupid. Allare alive with water, spurts and rockets of water, lofty and straight-shooting columns. trickling fount teps down which the water undulates in wave-like rolis, cascades and mighty falls. The noise is like the crackling of a house on fire. AN IMPRESSIVE SIGHT. All of this is too soon ended. Each of these great fountains plays but twenty minutes. The crowd, some 10,000 scrong, has arranged itself along the tiers of an amphitheater opposite the semi-cjrele of the Neptune fountain. The writer has seen an audience of 18,000 arrayed like this round a Spanish bull ring. There was the same expectant silence, the same shont at the commencement and the same silent gaping for five minutes afterward before the buzz of conversation could commence again. And, after all, the interest is very much the same to thrill’one’s nerves with the sight of invin- cible strength in action, grace and agility, to be in the presence of something able to rob life for a moment of its commonplaceness. 18 IT A PAYING INVESTMENT? If the present administration can stand the expense, perhaps the three great monarchs who built and maintained this show did wisely enough after all. Their great extravagances, like the enormous expenses of the modern re~ iblie in beautifying Paris and all France, Pring in return an incalculable shower of gold thrown back upon this land by sightseers from all parts of the world, just aa the water spart- ing from the fountains returns with preciseness to their basins. The proverb says that there is he that seattereth and still increaseth, which may be applied to fountains as to other thought- fal investinents, Sterurxe Hera. ———+e+ How a Tongue-Tied Barber Talks. From the Philadelphia Cal An uptown barber haa arranged a unique contrivance. by which he is not only enabled to save himeelf considerable annoyance, but also turns the tables on some of his customers who have been “quying” him at a tremendous rate. Strange as it may seom this barber is tongne-tied. Some of his old customers tormented him to such an extent that last week he determined to geteven. Right in front of the chairs he bas arranged a number of wooden s ‘One side w perfeotly plain, but when a jolly customer comes in for his shave and tries to work off some of his fun at the expense of the knight of the razor he finds that ‘he’s not in it.” Here is one of the conversations which oc- Mr. Barber never said a word, but he pulled astring. one of tho siats revolved, and the word “Great” stared the questioner in the face. The latter was stumped, and he kept quiet for awhile. He eyed the slats and then ventured the query: “How's trade?” Another string was pulled and another slat showed the word “Tough.” “Well, that beats me,” said the customer. He was a regular and paid the tonsorial artist once in two weeks, every pay day, and started to leave the shop.’ Then he was tapped on the | shoulder, another string was pulled and the nition, or command, rather, “Pay up,” | looked at him. He did ao, but he says he won’t try to “guy” that barber any more. ++ —__—_. ‘The Perils of Frontier Life. From Life. | No Ant!-Pyrine in Bromo-Seltzer. ‘Cares all headaches—trial bottle 10 eta, WHEN TYLER RULED. Recollections of White House Life in the Forties TOLD BY HIS DAUGHTER. An Interesting Pen Picture of Henry Clay— A Significant Visit to the White House— Society in Washington at That Day — A Memorabie Trip to Boston. —_+___ Written for The Evening Star. RAW UP YOUR chair, Polly, and set your cup here,” said my cousin Letitia, pointing to an ol@-fash- ioned, time-blackened mahogany table, which stood by her chair near the window. “You shall drink tea this afternoon from an old, old teacup, on an old, old table, with an old, old Indy!” And she touched her coronet of snow white curls with a smile. “This is an historic table, child,” she went on; “around it some of the famous men and women of two distinct periods of American history have sat and chatted over their tea, just as we are doing this afternoon.” “Whose table was it, and where did it come from?” I asked, examining the stiff, queer- looking legs with awakened interest. “It came from Shropshire, England, and it was brought to Virginia in the year 1620 by Heury Tyler, the founder of our family in America. ‘Then it descended to your great-great-great grand- father (here I became Yaguely conscious of an impression of unmoasurable time, and space, and distance), who was the last royal marshal of the colony, and who was the father af John, the Patriot, and the grandfather of my father who became President of the United States in 1841. So you see this table has been in good company. It has been the silent witness of stirring scenes long ago forgotten by all eaye the antiquarian or the historian. Just think how many talks it must have heard; how many state secrets were whispered; how many po- litical rumors were discussed; how many bits of London gossip, brought over by the last new- comer to the colony, were served here with tea and biscuits a century and a half ago. “Cannot one imagine bow tho family would gather around this table in the old house at the Middle plantations and talk over the strange, thrilling events at the time? What consterne- tion there must have been when the news came that Madam Page, with three other ladies, had been taken prisoners by the hery dauntless Nathaniel Bacon. One of your grandmothers was a Page, so, of course, there was much alarm felt: You sce, our people were all stanch to the royal government then, Polly, and tho motto, ‘I strike for the le, which, later on, John, the Patriot, was proud to claim, was not yet inscribed upen the family eseutcheon of the king-loving cavalier ances- tors. As you sit by this old bit of furniture think of the men who have doubtless sat around it—Lord Dunmore, Sir Wiilfam Berkely, Nich- olson, Drummond, Bacon and a host of ‘others whose names are famuliar in our national his- tory. It was this same marshal and lord of the ‘admiralty court who helped Sir Francis Nicholson lay off the city of Williamsburg. And now, Polly, I wish you to comember thi for it brings our table to the second epoch of its checkered story. It was here that John, the Patriot, framed the resolutions for the confer- ence at Annapolis which led to the Declaration of American Independence “Did ke write the resolutions on this?” I cried, quite forgetting my manners and leaning both elbows heavily on my ancestor's mahogany tal am entirely satisfied in my mind that he did so, though some of the family seem to doubt it. Atall events, he framed the docu- ment, my dear. But you want to hear about the White Houso when I lived there, you LIFE IN THE WHITE MOUSE. My cousin Letitia pushed the gingerbread closer to me, set her teacup down and sat for a moment in deep thought. “Well, dear, I wns | quite a young woman when my mother’s death | made it necessary for me to assume the social duties of mistress at the Executive Mansion, It seems but yesterday, and yot I have outlived home, friends, kindred and most of life's hopes. “Tis a dreary thing to be alone—a dreary thing but I am rambling off, as old women always do! As Twas saying: My father said to me when I came to him from my home at Annapolis, ‘Ro- member this, my daughter (and I tried to fol- low his counsel), yoa can have no favorites, show no favors here. Every American citizen has an equal claim upon you.’ Our life was ordered in the same simple way asit had been theretofore. We breakfasted at 8:30 and dined at o'clock (except on state occasions, of course), and hada tea served after our daily drive. ‘Ab, those drives! Those happy drives! ‘This part of the city was a forest fifty years ago, Polly, and it was along here that my father and I used to drive in the sunny spring and autumn afternoons, glad to escape from all the environments of oo and social cares and duties, for, in spite of the compara- tively quiet life at the White House, my father's time was rarely ever his own. Now, sing, Letty,’ he would say when wo found onrgelves “far from the madding crowd, enjoying the quiet of some country road. Anil then I would sing his favorite séngs, the old Scotch ballads we both loved so well. Yes, people said I had a voice, dear, and I believe it was true. Nobody sings ‘Barbara Allen’ and "Ye Banks and Braes’ these days—the present taste prefers something quite different, 1 am told.” At this moment an organ grinder struck up “Ta-ra-ra,” and I felt that the popular taste was indeed degenerate. “Will you close the door, dear?” she said gently as she drew a little crocheted cape about her shoulders. ‘Ihave been very sensitive to draughts since my last attack of grip, and that reminds me that I must tell you about the “Tyler grip’ that was un epidemic nearly «a half century ago. It was during my father’s admin- istration that the Bunker ifiil monument was completed, and the President was invited to at- tend the ‘unveiling,’ as itis now ealled. The cabinet and the ladies of the White House were included im the party, and a merry journey it was, to besure. Ail’ along the r there were toasts and speeches and ‘Log Cabin’ songs. revived for the occasion, and burrabing and handshaking. THE PRINCETON CAVALRY. “But at Princeton quite a magnificent wel- come awaited the presidential party. Capt. Stockton, who was a very dear friend of my father, had ordered salutes to be fired froma number of guns which had been placed ai venient distance, while an escort of fifty college in companies of twenty- five, on either side of the coach containing tie President and the ladies. . northern boys were not more famous for their horsemanship in those times than they are now, and on this particular occasion they did not ‘win their spurs,’ 40 to speak. At each satute of the guns from the bill- side the horses, which had been restive from the first, grew more and more unmanageable, until at last they plunged, kicked, reared and broke ranks, darting off hither and thither in various directions, while their riders made re- | peated efforts to turn them back into the | ‘straight and narrow way’ of the atvect. In spite of the danger the scene was ludicrous, and the ‘Princeton cavairy’ was greeted by shouts of derision from the unsympathetic mob. All this time the ladies were in a very great fright,and my father afterward confessed he was never before 20 glad when a drive came to an end. “Upon. the arrival of the Washingtonians in Boston they found an immense concourse of people already gathered from all parts of the country, for monuments were not as plentiful as mile posts in those days, and Americans were a trifie more patriotic, or it is just an old wo- man's fancy, perhaps. d en there was more toasting (dry toasts, juleps or eggnogs in the grim Fathers) and more speech-making. Ah! Polly, there were orators in the world then—Webster, Clay nnd the incomparable Calhoun. I knew them all, child, and looking back upon those sons of Anak I feel like erying aloud ‘Ichabod, Ichabod! “We have some brilli ventured, “there ar “There were giants in those days,” quoth my cousin Letitia, and I did not ‘think it the proper time for any display of my own views on the subject. THE TYLER GRIP. “But,” ehe continued, “I must tell you about the “Tyler grip.’ Well, during the ceremonies of the dedication of the monument a northeast wind swept up from the bay and blew unceas- ingly. But national ardor is not easily chilled, aud even a Boston northeaster does not take all it men today, too," I the stiffening out of American patriotism on dress parade. The nextday, however, it seemed as if every man, woman and child in America had been simultaneously stricken by a violent influenza, The epidemic was universal and malignant. My father, who had been particu- larly exposed the day before, was ill; the mem- bers of the cabinet were all ill; the ladies were ill—lawyers, doctors, editors, clerks, chamber- maids—everybody was ill! What a droll sight it must have been! Belles and beaux with red noses and watery eyes, ‘silver-tongued’ orators as hoarse as crows, middle-aged gentlemen and gray-haired dames, all blowing their noses violently and vowing never again to leave the land of quinine and cocktails! “Somebody asked a wag how he had caught such a cold. He replied he ‘guessed be caught it shaking hands with the President,’ and thus it was that the sneezing, wheezing ‘malady be- came, in popular vernacular, the eg “Who were the most beautiful women in Washington then?” I inquired. the question rompted by the allusion to belles and beaux, uy She reflected a moment. “The two who were to my mind the most beautiful were Mrs. William ©. Preston and Virginia Timberlake. The latter was a daugh- ter of the famous wit and beauty, Mrs, Eaton, who married her granddaughter’s dancing master, who in his turn ran off with her grand- shter; but that is nota pleasant reminis- conce, dear. Ihad rather you should forget Now, I did not think it likely that I would forget such an unusual bit of social history, but I said nothing. “Yes, dear, the women were beautiful in those good old days and t mn were clever, ‘The word ‘dude’ had no place in the vocabulary then and ‘swell gowns,’ ‘best girls,’ ‘thanks awfully’ and other fashionable expressions of the present period would not have been ad- missible in good society fifty years ago. “The whole tone of society in Washington was more dignified. No rushing to and fro, no dancing of germans and the like at the White House when I was young! Not that 1 know what they do there now, Polly. Iam speaking of a past and gone generation,remember. It was during the fourteenth administration that Texas ‘was annexed and that miserable trouble about ‘& United States bank began, which was a source of such misery to my father. You see, Polly, this bank was Mr. Clay's pet hobby, and his in- fluence was potent north and south. “My father’s objection ‘to the measure was Yased upon constitutional grounds, and he de- termined, in spite of the disapprobation of the people, for this was the popular issue of the day, to oppose it to the last. CLAY'S VISIT TO THE WHITE HOUSE. “I remember one afternoon Mr. Clay came to the White House in a very disturbed condition. He was rather a plain-looking person in spite of his intellectual gifts, and on this afternoon he was actually untidy; his linen was very much crumpled and his clothing disordered. I recol- lect he stayed to tea and afterward sat on the south porch and talked ina very animated, brilliant way, as was his wont. “ ‘Let that drop, Clay,’ said my father, as they parted. ‘You know my position.’ 1 did not know then, but I knew Inter what that con- Yersation meant. The vext day the bank bill as presented to the House. That bill was, as the world knows, vetoed by my father, who knew that by so doing he would render himself extremely unpopular, but who felt there was no other course to pursue asa man of honest conviction and conscientious purpose. “Well, a a matter of course, Mr. Clay was nominated for presidential eandidate by the whig convention, which mot in Baltimore May 1, 164. Twenty-six days later the democratic convention met in the same city and nominated Polk and Dallas. “Just before this some very fine plows had been sent to the White House for my father's approval, and they had been set down in the hall. As the returning delegates passed through Washington many of them stopped to pay their respects at the Executive Mansion, and all of | the gentlemen farmers were greatly interested | in the new agricultural impletheuts which oc- eupied such an unusual vantage ground. ‘Wel,’ said one gentleman as he surveyed the cumbrous thing critically, ‘this isa fine plow, no doubt, but it will take a better one than this to turn Clay over,’ which sally caused great merriment among the bystanders. it seemed to me, Polly, that all the relations who came to call were ardent whiga, but the Virginia delega- tion was staunch to. my futher. It was the knowledge of his state's loyaity to him that made ail the thorny places easier. “Who was elected?” queried the old lady sharply repeating my question with a con- temptuous glance at me, while I felt my cheeks color hotly and was miserably conscious of supine ignorance. “A great many people were asking that question forty-nine years ago. You must remember there were only three ways of geiting into Washington then. By the stazo coach line over the National road, by steam- boats coming up Aquia creek and by the rail- road from Baltimore. You can easily imagine how eagerly uews was looked for when it came so slowly, and how especially anxious every- body was at election times. “My father had at the last moment withdrawn | in order to throw his influence 1m Mr. Polk's favor. “Well, my dear, when the 4th of November came there were crow4s of people all along the roadside stations waiting to hear the news. On | ‘a gceat placard swung up in front of the engine thoy read these words as the tr ‘itenry M. Ch ority, whigs rent the air with triumphantacclamations. But a curious thing happened now. Just as the train puffed into Washington, and while | cheer after cheer was going up for Clay, a hand turned the placard and on the reversed side ran this legend: ‘James K. Polk 20,000 ahead!” Faney how chagrined they were,” and the dear old iady laughed gleefully at the recollec- tion. “So democracy was trinmphaut,” I said, battoning my mackintosh about me, for a driz~ zling rain had begun to full. “Oh, di the fiscal bank Dillon the mahoga: had almost forgotten the dear old thin “Don't ask téo many question Cousin Letitia slyly ——— Did He Live in Vain? From the Cleveland Pisin pal Annid all the freaks who are walking to Chi- cago, the wheelbarrow idiot and the flag-carry- ing idiot have not shown up, Is the spirit of Sergt. Bates dead? said my P.O, —s Love's Footsteps; or, Asking Papa. From Pas. 3 Iv. > FS while riding at 2 rapid pace through the streets, Written for the Evening Star. BOOTS AND PARASOLS. What Are the Latest Fashions in These for Ladies, DAINTY FOOTGEAR FOR TINY FEMININE FEET— THE CORRECT THING FOR STREET AND HOUSE WEAR—A FORTUNE CAN BE SPENT ON PARA- SOLS—THE STYLE IN VEILS. “Her little feet, like mice, stole in and out,” but no mouse was ever so gorgeously decked as “her little feet” nowadays, especially at balls snd receptions, where they are covered with low shoes made of kid embroidered with tiny round beads over the instep—not toe—and with slippers of satin matching in color the gown worn. Sometimes they aro heavily worked in flowers made of glass jewels. A pair recently seen at a swell wedding was of white eatin worked in blue forget-me-nots made of bits of stone and with such exquisite work- manship that it seemed a shame to catch only & glimpse of them as they “‘stole in and out” be- neath » gown of white satin and biue velvet. For demi-toilets gray, black and tan suede are worn either in ‘shape of slipper or tie. ‘The former have slides sparkling with steel, gilt, thinestones or other jewels. Some are shown with two slides, one on the vamp, the other over the instep. ‘The soles of slippers, ties and boots are now colored black, with the idea of making the foot look smaller. The hand- somest house slipper i have seen is of bronze, with the shamrock fashioned from emeralds on it. The one in which the foot looks the daintiest and smallest is of black velvet, with a cluster of rhinestones on it. CORRECT THING IN STREET WEAR. The most correct thing for street wear isa patent leather Oxford tie with an attenuated toe, the flerce fight which has been waged against the small too having gained absolutely nothing. It is necessary for every woman who withes to be comfortable as well as fashionable, to purchase her shoes a size larger than if they were made with square toes, for every one knows that ne woman living could get one toe, let alone five, into that ridiculous point. ‘The fashion is, of course, out of all nature, but Dame Fashion has demon- strated too ‘often her antagonism to Dame Nature for us to make any remarks on that subject, therefore, as I before said, the one hope in being comfortable is to get these shoes and boots large enough to give the toes sufti- cient room, irrespective of the point. Over the Oxford at present are worn the gaiter, which gives the ankle an extromely pretty appearance. For those who prefér the high boot, the buttoned ones are first in favor, made of kid with patent leather vamps, of cloth and patent leather or entirely of kid. Made of American kid and not hand-sewed they are Tesonablein price, bub of on seer ean cost 10 a pair und yet be very plain in appear- ance, Later tha tan shoe, ‘made elther Oxford or blucher, will supersede the black. Tan stockings will have to be worn with them. $One often seesan advertisement of “French kid boots at half for what they may be bought else- where.” Be it known that the highest priced kid is taken from the animal when it is very young, that the skin becomes coarser with age and canbe procured much cheaper. It wears quite as well if not better than the you kid, but is not as soft, flexible or pretty. Strict attention will have to be given to shoeing the feot at least neatly since the much shortened skirts show the eatire foot to the ankle. A dainty gift toa lady is a pair of the lovely bed room slippers, made of quilted satin, lined with fur. For warmer weather they come lined with silk of contrasting color, and are es- pecially lovely in baby blue lined with shrimp ink ‘or heliotrope lined with tender lime green. FASHIONS IX PARASOLS. A fortune in itself may be speut on parasols. Imagife one mede of bolting cloth, the ribs covered with satin and all covered with one piece of reai point dalencon lace, with handle of carved mother-of-pearl set with precious stones, yet 1 saw one exactly like ine rousseau yesterday, The same bride ing parasol in helitrope bengaline, with white enameled crook stick. ft the uew empire cases in which to slip it; this was also of hehotrope, and was finished with a drawn puff at either end, completed with inch wide pale green ribbons ‘to be slung over the arm; a «mall sachet of heliotrope and green satin dangles from the ribbon, adding to the olegance of the affair. Another’ parasol. is pink chiffon over thin pink silk, with Ue, while a black gros grain, edged with lace and finished with bundle ‘of jot, seeined the most sensible and the handsomest in the collection. Parasols are shown in flow- cred grenadines, plaid and. striped gauze, one especially benutiful one being of black gauze, striped with gold over black having black ebony stick inlaid with gold. For peopl? with small purses and who desire parasols suitable for either rain or sun, they are shown in dark, plain or satin striped taffeta. Pretty and ine xpenaive para- sols come in navy blue, chocolate and golden brown armure silk with handles entireiy of wood, with wood and bone or woven wood and straw. Black and colored satin parasols are also shown, and in, fact, every kind, class and description of woman aud purse can be suited this year with a parasol. It doesn't matter what a woman has on as Jong as she wears a veil, bata veil she must wear morning, noon and night, themost becom- ing of whieh she will find is the Tuxedo. It comes in single and double mesh and is dotted with chenille. Care should be used in adjusting this veil that no dot comes just within the range of vision as it isa well-known fact spotied veils are apt to injure the ‘The Tuxedo cost from 25 cents to $5 n yard. few veils of silk net with a border of three rows of narrow ribbon are shown: the ribbon may be Mack or of any color preferred; they fall below the chin and are tied in a bow in the back. Sensible people never wear a heavy crepo it over the face, not even in widow's mourn- ing: instead a fine piain crepe with a border of heavy crepe is uecd; for lighter mourning the border is of dend sitk. White veils of Brussels net are being brought out for white hata. Driving and traveling veils are in thick silk tis- sues, either plain or of iridescent shades. eae ATE WHY THERE AKE ACCIDENTS. Bicycle Riders Travel Too Fast for the Safety of Themsolves and Others. From the Boston Transcript, The alarming increase of accidents to bicycle riders this season has been a subject of con- siderabie comment, Last yeas and the year before there were accidents to riders and to those with whom they happened to collide, but this season one can hardly glance over the columns of a newspaper without reading ac- counts of several of those mishaps, It almost secms that the wheelmen had entered in a com- pact to injure themselves and others as often as an opportunity presented itse!f. The reasons for the increase in the bicycle accident list are in the first place that there are more wheels than ever before, and, in the second place, that the alleged improvements in construction’ tend toaccitents. The new style wheels, with their pneumatic tires, are without brakes, #0 that the rider cannot stop as readily as formerly when ho sees that he is approaching danger. The construction of the tire is such that, were it supplied with a brake, the sudden and deter- mined use of that articie would burst the tire, ailowing the air to escape. Tho new style wheels ran over the pavements so much more easily than the old style ones that when a vigorous young man gets astride of one of them he 1s seized with a desire to go like a race horse, and Lo dogs. The combination of swift riding and no brakes is responsible for probably 50 per cent of the accidents to the wheelmen and the mortals who happen to get in their way. It might not be a bad idea to regulate their speed by law, especially through the crowded parts of the streets. My Lord Buys a Bell, From the Cincim Enquirer, Among the distinguished arrivals at the Bur- net House the past week was a titled English- man, Lord William Brooke, With Lady Brooks and valet and maid accompaniment, the Briton was “doing Hamerica” in great style. He is reputed to be very wealthy and eccentric, and on his way from Washington, where he spent some time, came via the Chesapeake and Ohio line, While en route the bell on the locomotive that drew his train attracted his attention, owing to the peculiar sweetness of its tone, and wheu the train reached the: Central n hin valet was commanded to go to the engineer and, ascertain the price of tho bell and buy it. Of course the engineer had no voice in the matter, and so informed the lackey, who reported to his lordship. Determined to have tho bell, the eccentric lord visited the Chesapeake and Ohio officials, and after quite alot of dickering the railway men put a good price on the bell and sold it. The coveted piece of brass was se- Bit II Sai ANNTRTTISORIUA LATA From the BRIO AMAA the and great tempe nently a home quisite—made WATCHES GO INSANE. What Close Inspection of Active Dynamos Does for Visitors to Exposition Buildings. ‘From the Chicego Herald. When Franklin sent his kite sloft and drew lightning from the clouds and Morse harnessed it and made it obedient to the commands of man they doubtless had no idea of the mischief they were making for succeeding generations. But here the law of compensation comes in, for had nature's greatest force not been captured by these estimable gentlemen it is doubtful if frictional electricity would have been developed to ite present perfection. If nature imakes the only genuine lightning, man manufactures a very clever imitation. Unlike lightning, it is not referred to ns a “fluid,” but as a “force.” Manufactures hall and electricity building are fall of the machines by which this suptle force is turned out in quantities to suit, and in both those great buildings it is used for a multi- plicity of purposes. Transmitted from a dy- namo toa motor it furnishes motive power to run machinery of all imaginable kinds, and, taken direct from the machine where it is made, it heats the filaments in the electric light bulbs up to the incandescent point and makes the ex- Position buildings a blaze of glory three nights a weel But the dynamos which’ perform this ex- cellent service also do a lot of damage. They ruin by magnetization « good many valuable watches, Since the exposition opened more than one costly timepiece has been carried into electricity building a thing of beauty and usefulness, and, after even a brief stay, hasbeen brought out a total wreck so far as its timekeeping qualities are concerned. DEATH TO HAIR SPRINGS. i The disturbing element works noiselessiy, but ina most insidious manner. Whenever a dynamo is running an invisible quantity known as the magnetic fluid is reaching out after hair- springs, and once the electric demon has fas- tened ite fangs on the delicate bit of coiled steel the latter is worthless as a regulating medium. A magnetized watch, like a dead man, tells no taies, There are methods of demagnetizing, but they are only partially effective. The best method, if you wear an expensive watch, is to examine dynamos when they are not running. An electrical expert wasasked yesterday a to the probable number of watches which had been ruined in the exposition grounds by being brought into close proximity to active dynamos. “It would be impossible to approximate the damage,” he replied, “but I have no doubt that it has been considerable. And it is strange that in this day of general information people are not better posted on the evil effects of inspect- ing these powerful dynamos at too close Tange. The damage is done before they know oo “Just how do dynamos effect watches?” “In the first place it isa mistake to su that all dynamos have a disastrous effect on watches. It depends entirely on the construc- tion of the machine. In what is known as the ron-clad’ dynamos the strength of the mag- netic field js reduced to the minimum and the machine in action may be approached by the wearer of the most delicate watch with com- parative safety. By ‘iron cled’ is meant an armature and field entirely surrounded by a solid cast iron covering or armor. This gives no chance for the diffusion of lines of force, which, from an unprotecied maguet, describe a semi-circle renching out ten or fifteen feet, WORST DYNAMOS FOR WATCH:'S. “A dynamo having a horseshoe magnet—and there are a good many of this pattern in both electricity aud machinery hall—is particularly bad in its effect on watches. A straight mag- net ix equally fatal to timepieces brought within the influence of ite lines of magnetic | fy. point by wasing | 5 force. I can beat illustrate the that, from a solid ring, if such could be used asan armature for a dynamo, there would be no danger, because the lines of force would closeiy follow the ring. Ona straight bar they describe a circle because they must go some- where in order to get back to the other pole of tho armature. Thus, the more intense the stray field the greater the a “This reminds me that the most astonished man [ever ray was a workman who was pass- ing by one of fhe enormous dymamos in ma- chinery ball shortly after they were put in operation. He hada dinner pail in his hand, but it was suddenly jerked away from him by an invisible force, and quicker than his dazed eres could trace its flight it was sucked up against the dynamo.” How does « magnetized watch act?” “It simply fails to record time. It rans ‘crazy;" sometimes fast and again slow, always in an erratic and unreliable manuer. ADVICE TO WATCH WEARERS. “Can they be demagnetized?” “Only partialty. Machines are made for that purpose, but in my opinion they never restore Bwatch to its condition prior to contact with ‘the magnetic lines of force." “Are there any safeguards?” “The only one I know of is to keep away from dynamos. ‘There are non-magnetic watches. in which the hair spring is made of platinum, palladium, iridium or silver alloy. ‘These hai springs have practically no magnetic qualities lynamic and are, therefore, not susceptible to influence. Magnetic shields I consider a farce. To properly protect a watch the soft iron ring sarrounding it should be half an inch thick. “My advice to exposition sightecers who have a leaning toward mechanics, but an imperfect knowledge of clectrical effects, would be not to stand within ten feet of an active dynamo. If ther must make a closer inspection they should wear a Waterbury watch.” -—s00. A Stickler for Etiquette. From the Bu“ aio Quipa Dr. Thompson, master of Trinity College, Cambridge, was an exceedingly cold and austere man, never taking much notice of the undergraduates under his care. On one acca- sion a Trinity man happened to be out walking and was caught inastorm. He ran across | field and toek shelter beneath a large tree. When he arrived there he found to his horror that Dr. Thompson was beneath it, seeking protection from the rain. For some time both stood silent, watching the ciouds, till at last the undergraduate, growing desperate, ven- tured to remark that he thought it was clearing up a little, “Sir,” said the doctor haughtily, frowning upon the wretched youth, “all communications to the master of Trinity must be made through the tutors.” ———+e-____ Many a Truth Told in a Joke. From the Chicago Inter-Ocean. First world’s fair visitor—“Then there are Places where you can get 25-cent Innches?” * curelo packed and sent to hislordship's English address, Second world’s fair visitor—“‘Yes: you can get them all ‘round here by paying « dollar.” | | ; Was sunk at the mouth of the River Des Peres WHERE THE BEST WHISKY IS, At the Bottom of the Missouri, and There's Mighty Little Show of Getting It. From the St. Louis Giobe-Democrat. ‘The fact that a party of Texas people recently located and dng into a wrecked steamer, reaping a rich harvest of gold and old whisky, has caused a revival of talk of some old Mis- souri river wrecks. There's millions in the bottom of the Missouri, or somewhere near it, but the trouble is to find it. Some of it may be found some time, but that some time is very apt to be when present generations have passed away and the wrecks and con- tents of the steamers exist only in tradition. Exploring companies have been formed in the past, a number of them, but they have all been without reward, none of them ever having found even a trace of the prizes sought. Other companies are now talked of, and « number of St. Louisans stand ready to gam- ble a stake with any one who takes a lead in organizing. The whisky buried in the sand and bars, if it is ever recovered. will produce a iod of tie rarest intoxication to the table- Spoonful. ‘There could be no better process of curing it than by burying it in the damp sand of the river bed or bars. Then, too, the whisky of those days was real whisky, and bad age and body at the time it was lost, and if it was on } sale now it would have a market all its own, and it wouldn't be at twenty cents or twenty five cents.a drink, either. The chances would be, rather, that it would go into private cellars, wo be handed out enly on rare occasions. The oldest wreck of which there is now any knowledge, and it is as nearly traditional as anything could be. is of a Spanish boat that in South St, Louis. The year in which it went down, the character of the boat, the nature of the cargo, allis traditional. But it is. said among the oldest of the old river men that a boat did go down there “in the early years,” CURA AUCH UL 9 to the grand parents, derive comfort, health, Hires’ Rootbeer. at home. Its delicious flavor; its sparkling effervescence and its remarkable health-giving qualities make it invaluable as a refresh- ment for the children and the grown up folks. It is not only a strictly temperance beverage, but a drink that satisfies every thirst; toning the stomach, building up the system and creating an appetite for good healthful food. There is only one genuine — ires’ Rootbeer and everybody is warned against accepting any of the mixtures of essential oils, coloring matter, and flavoring extracts instead of the honest, pure and health-giving extract of nature’s best Roots, Barks and Herbs—Hires’ Rootbeer. A asc. package of extract makes 5 gallons of this delicious drink. Made only py the CHARLES E. HIRES CO., Philadelphia. UIT NT | whole family can happiness from the rance beverage, It is pre-emi- comfort, a home re- at home and drank less by far than it really is. Green shades are once more securing the patronage they deserve. | No for subduing the glare of ui dovised and no better color than nature chooses can well be found. the sun passed through that of luxuriant foliage, is at useful, and now that fashion sanctions color we may hope for rooms in which pleasure to live. The dainty lace and muslin curtains that were charming duri winter, when we longed for all the warmth all the brightness the sun had to give, mean gisre and discomfort now that June is really here, and it is refreshing to see the simple green shades appearing upon every side. Graceful draperies for the windows and doors Promixe to be much used and to greatly relieve the baldness felt when the heavy hangings are removed. They are of Madras muslin, of of silkoline, or of simple cotton stuffs, as | case may be, but the material be | and costly or only effective and low priced result is much the same. A length of yards or more, as the width of the demands, is on and from the forms a sort of valance or from free. hides ugly straight lines Chinese ‘and Japanese rugs of & 7 xact spot at which she sank is not known. “In the early years,” also, it is said that efforts were made to locate the wreck, but without success. It is also said, by the way, that the Spanish vessel had on board « goodly stock of ors. © oldest wreck of which there is any ieee or knowledge with people now living ix that of a government steamer whith sank in the early thirties at Arrow Rock Ieland, near Booneville. It was on its way up the river to pay off the soldiers, and had on board a large amount of Gold and & considerable quantity of whisky. Vhen it went down it was tostay. Efforts were made at the time to recover a portion of the cargo, but the condition of the river was such that this was impossible. It has been a fascinating hidden treasure for the people of Booneville, and dozens of companies have been organized to search for it. So far as known, however, none of them has ever succeeded in getting any trace of it. The Arabia is still another steamer went down and was broken up, with a consid- erable amount of gold and several hundred barrels of whisky on board. The Arabia went down ir, 1854 below Parkville. She was a fine sidewhee! boat, aud her loss was a considerable one. Efforts were made to save her cargo, but it was practically a complete loss. There have been a number of searching parties who were filled with the idea of locating and digging up the treasure, but.so far as known, they have never hac any trace of it, As in the case of the government boat, there is a story that some of the plunder was recovered, but in this case it was of the whisky instead of the gokl. The place where the Arabia went down is now solid ground, grown over with timber and grass, me of the timber being two and three feet rough. That is, this is the condition of the lace pointed out as the Arabia's grave, though there is no such thing asachart to show it conclusively. A couple of years after the Arabia went down the Ogden found a resting place on the bottom, @ few miles above Jefferson City. The Ogden hadon board alarge amount of gold and a considerable cargo of good old whisky. It was likewise found impossible to recover any of the earge, and in the natural run of things search- ing parties have found it impossibie to reach it, ‘The location at which the Ogden went down is said to be a sandbar, which would be very easily worked at low water. For this reason the Ogden is said to be the most promising of all_the old wrecks for searchers after wealth carried down by the treacherous Missouri. There is understood to be a very fair work- ing capital who available for anybody feasible plan of two years went the Twilight,"a side wheeler, went down. The Twilight found bottom near Sibley, above Fishing river. She bad on board & cargo of between 200 and 300 barrels of whisky,"bound for the mountains. ‘The point at which she went down is something like a mile inland now, and is a very inviting field for exploration, A number of companies have been organized to prospect for the buried whisky. but the attempts made to locate it have ail been futile. Capt, George Keith of . running between St. Louis has been at the head of a couple of companies and has not yet given up the idea of locating it. Another attempt will probably be made this coming summer. Those 800 barrels of good oid Bourbon would pay a big dividend on any reasonable sapital em- ployed in drilling and excavating. by poramviee Seca eae A Hotel Chicken, Jeaves the passageway quite Pontire cotton and jute ane, sho ing colors and designs. they are delightful for the center floor or for use over matting of and of smaller dimensions piazza cushions on which a j “Hi H 2 i th i alll i i theless, still seen. They can never butabhorrent to seeing eyes, is how they became the vogue. At « ing, where one small room by their aid, every man withia its doors i i t | i iI att to realize that tixe them of all human coloring looker on of certain scenes fiourish and dark, cold-blooded planned. Very charming even city homes are edged with deep full frills, expensive, 15 and 20 cents « of the best that eagerly ats worth. old pink it seems e: room, and in tts with the more subdued i it 5 i i i i fil ‘The fashion of hanging the lace window tains fiat against the glass without break the straight, To ra 80 shutting out all poamble view was never a good one, and we ever gained so firm a hold us it of some of onr West End hoi fashion is most generally followed, is that of an importer's show window, unconsciously one marvels that the is not attached. Surely these not need to exploit their fine wares, and their rooms must suffer, so that there seems to be but one reason for the fashion’s existence. Yet house after house mikes the display, and window after window is usclews to those within. Delighiful little lawn stools that can be carried about are seen in a variety of and painted in a variety of colors, for not more than $4 and €5 each, additions to the piazza of any sturdy and strong, despite their and can be utilized asseats, either ‘out cushions, besides being available to.rest the work or the eup afterhoon thus serving a double earning their right to be. rn ORbsieneniis Jnuperial Improvement. From the Pall Mall Gazette. We are pleased to be able to ‘Teport a slight improvement in Kaiser Wilhelm’s condition. At Gorlitz yesterday there was much reason to fear © dangerous outbreak. He might have recommended all opponents of the army bill to emigrate or commit suicide; he might have stood up, Micaw! . cried: “ never will desert God—and Germany!” He did none of these things, but uttered. temperate, somewhat platitudinarian on unity and nationality. With dedaction for chrouic egotism and allowances for the un- English spectacle of a monarch on a stump at & general cloction he could not have kept ou of = re better. Inacase like hisare- ypse is, of course, always possible, but we hope for the best.” —_——+2+___ In Search of Accent, From Brooklyn Life “Those Germans surely are not ordinary im- migrants?” ; they are students who have been ver here to acquire the Milwaukee ao is at te ti! i it ti ge i if a; of F i E ll