Evening Star Newspaper, November 18, 1893, Page 15

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1893—TWENTY PAGES. STORY OF THE MUFF. An Article That Has Been in Use for Centuries. MENTION OF IT IN LITERATURE. Men Used to Use It as Well as Women. THE FURS OF OTHER DAYS. Mritten for The Evening Star. ASHION HAS DE- creed that the com- ing season shall bring a return in furs to the once fashionable er- mine. Trade and com- merce, with the con- stantly accelerating speed of ships and railway trains, trans- port the products of every clime at such rapid pace that noth- ing is rare, or be- yond the reach of the man of wealth, and the vast heap of furs and skins that may be seen in every town make it difficult to realize that to be arrayed in .rich furs was once a luxury confined only to kings and queens, noble knights and their ladies, and occasionally @ wealthy merchant and his wife, «nti! certain kings of France, England and Ger- many enacted several sumptuary laws for- bidding the use of ermine and marten anf other rich skins to the middle classes. Furs frequently occur in the old wardrobe @ccounts of famous people, and from them We learn that sables, beavers, foxes, cats end lambs were the first in use and after- ward ermines, squirrels, martens, rabbits and goats. In the thirteenth century sheep and lamb skins were used by the poor ¢lasses, while the rich appropriated ermine, vair, miniver, and gris of which we so often read in the old romances, when knights and ladies meet in forests, at tournaments, and feasts, dressed in velvets of purple, crimson, green or cloth of gold, and rare silks of strange names like cendal, bande- kyn, paduasoy, that sound so sumptuous, Dorder2d with these rich furs. ‘The vair, which was a kind of squirrel @tay on the back and white on the throat and belly, was imported from Hungary at great cost, and is especially interesting as its name has given rise to a strange con- ception of the glass slipper of Cinderella. In the old French version the transformed heroine wears slippers of vair, but the French for glass, (verre) pronounced like this word has occasioned the translation of glass slipper, and it is pleasant to think that the charming Cinderella wore dainty slippers of warm gray fur rather than brit- tle ones of hard unpjeasant glass. The fur of the gris, or gray, was that of the m: but Chaucer and others use it to « y kid of valuable fur. The ermine which still is used to border roves of state came originally from Armenia, written Hermin- ia in the middle ages, whence the name was derived. Now Standing the use of fur, which trimmed and lined ea: every winter gar- find no notice of the muff until eenth century. Whether it origi- nated in France or in Italy, which was the home for nearly every fashion ia toilet ap- Pliance, dress, and apparel, or in Engiand We know not, but it first appears in a 3aspar Rutz of ain English n Ben Jonson's 1) one char- of another * h, that the muff was new poken of and that hits at hion were general in Bess as now. The price rned] from the wardrobe ac- ce Henry in 1608, where one counts of Pr’ entry reads: “Embroidering two muffs, viz. one of cloth’ of silver, embroidered with purles, plates, and Venice twists of silver and gold. the other of black Satin, embroidered with black silk and bugles @beads) viz, for the one, £7 G35), the ocher, That they were perfumed with the fashionable scents of the day—musk. eivet and ambergris—we leara from Deck- *s “Match Me in London” (1631), where s ered muife lady?" In®Devenants Thwack says: “I will first wedding sm . her vo muffs uf this period have been pre- served: One of yellow silk, edged with Dlack fur, the second of white fur, deco- Fated with black tails and ornament-1 with @ bow. They were not contined to the v ities of the fair sex, but as early were worn by gentlemen. Panying illustration shows a courtier the reign of Louis XIV, of when effeminacy in men’s attire and habit reached its high water mark and they spent hours in roug- ing and patching their faces, powdering their curled wigs, perfuming their gar- ments, and scolding their valets. The muffs were hung around the neck by @ silken ribbon and though they were usually small, occasionally a dramatist mentions a large one. Dryden speaks of a beau of 169% wearing a “monstrous muff.” The famous Admiral Byng is represented with a muff in a caricature of 176. For nearly a century they were worn by men as weil as women, and even the dignified barrisiers did not scorn thet One of these is spoken of in 1683 as “a spark of the bar with his cane and his muff. Other Names for the Muff. This article of attire was often called snuftkin, or snoskyn, and sometimes care- lessly snuffieskin, and we learn from Nich- oll’s “Progresses of Elizabeth” that on New Year day 16% the queen received a present of “one snoskyn of crimson satin, “1800.” laid upon with perfumed leather, cut and embroidered with Venice gold, silver and silk.” Feathered muffs became fashionable in the reign of George III, and like that just mentioned as belonging to Queen Eliz- abeth muffs richly decorated with needle work were introduced in 179. Two hundred years ago the leo, skin muff was considered very cachet, as the Paris milliner would tell you, and then it disappeared from sight and is mentioned by Malcolm in his “Anecdotes of the Man- ners and Customs of London,” printed in the early part of the present century as Yery extraordinary. He says: “Muffs were in use before the year 1700, but very differ- ent in shape and material from the present day. What would a fashionable belle say to a furrier who should offer her one for sale made of leopard skin! Yet such were worn in 1702!" In just two hundred years it has become so fashionable that a belle of today will spend half her substance to obtain one with the correct markings, and not only this, but will buy solid skins and have them cut to adorn her evening wraps and sealskin jacket: In the “Spectator” Addison speaks satiri- cally of the “little muff” that was in fash- ion in his day. What would he have said regarding the muffs that came into use about the period that we are so danger- ously near in fashion? the directoire, After the absurdities of when the people had recovered from the and were imitating clas- French revolution worn at evenin; receptions, white satin lin pent et eS with swans down or shag- Sy goat, and always white to accord with the toilet of some light color. They were also worn in the late spring with the newly invented straw hat and the open-throated gown. Ge Uses of This Article. | The uninitiated who know nothing of the wiles of the coquette can form little con- ception of the possibilities of the muff in her graceful hands. Just as the fan is cap- able of expressing the emotions of its pos- sessor, moving with an angry flutter, a modest flutter, a confused flutter, a merry flutter, and an amorous flutter if properly disciplined, the muff may express interest, indifference, nonchalance, or serve as an/ excellent means of diverting embarrass- ment. Ladies have as many ways of smoothing the skin or patting the fur as they have in moving a fan, each way be- ing Indicative of the feelings of that mo- ment. Then there are various modes of nes ell George II, 1730. carrying it: Some hold the muff high; oth- ers low; some women almost to the knees, others almost to the chin; some tuck their hands in tightly and hold the muff close, others gently touch it with the gloved fin- ger tips and bear it loosely in front of them. Others again warm first one hand and then the next, while a frequent atti- tude commonly practiced is to thrust one hand in as far as the first joint of the wrist and swing the muff with the motion of walking. We need another Addison to explain all the varied meanings of the muff. The dimensions of the muff of 1821 will hardly be reached, though the enthusiasts for crinoline may try their hand on the muff, which fashion threatens to increase in size. This style of muff shows it to us with a fresh possibility. The ladies of this period found it a convenient receptacle for all kinds of articles when on their shopping expeditions, its ample center being able to accommodate several yards of dress mate- rial, toilet articles, household lnen, kitchen utensils and provisions for the family table. It was put to still another use, for there is a story about a woman, who, when trav- eling, was about to enter a stage-coach, and, being laden with many traps, a gentle- man went to assist her, picking up her enormous muff. He looked very much sur- prised when she exclaimed: “Take care of the baby!” which was hidden in the furry nest. ——_—>—__ Passing of the Burlesquers. From Frank Leslie's Weekly. i saw two women on Broadway recently who passed unnoticed in the crowds, but who in their brief day were queens in Bo- hemia. One was Lydia Thompson, she of the blonde hair, sparkling eyes and shapely limbs. The other was the once beautiful Pauline Markham, whose voice was describ- ed as vocal velvet, and whose admirers were as many as the men who saw her—admirers who passed away as the years rolled on like the sighing of the summer wind. Once both were wealthy, petted and loved. Both are now toiling in the glare of the foot- lights, old, wrinkled and forgotten, thank- ful even for the opportunity to earn daily bread THE WHITE METAL. Many Novel Uses Found for Alumi- num, SUPPLANTING SILVER IN THE ARTS, Will Soon Be Used in Making Kitchen Utensils. BOTH LIGHT AND STRONG. a al *\ HERE IS BIG NEWS to be told about alu- minum. It is now on the market at 6 cents @ pound, and a thou- sand fresh uses for it have been discovered. Already it has driven silver out of the arts to some extent. It has almost supersed- ed the latter metal as foil for “gilt” work, because it is quite as beautiful and can be beaten into leaf nearly as thin as gold leaf. The production of it has surpassed that of nickel, and will soon exceed that of copper and lead. In fact, aluminum ts destined soon to take the place of lead and copper to a large de- Gree, as well as that of iron when it be- comes cheap enough. Economical processes for its reduction alone are needed. unere {s more of it in the world than there is of fron. It forms 7 per cent of the material of the earth’s crust. Every clay bank is a mine of it, and nearly all rocks sre Kiter- ally ore beds of it. At present it is com- Paratively dear because no method has, as yet, been discovered for obtaining it at small cost from common clays. The min- erals from which it is now derived are com- paratively rare. This country produced eighty-three pounds of aluminum in 1883. In 1892 the output of the United States was 260,000 pounds. Lust year one concern in Germany, at the falls of the Rhine, turned out 720,000 pounds of it. The domestic production is to be largely increased by works at Niagara Falls, which will utilize the power of the Niagara tunnel. Up to January 1, 189%, the total world’s out- Put of the metal has been only about 1,000 tons. But it is not long since aluminum Was regarded only as a curious ex1e"imen- tal creation of the laboratory. Its history is all before it. Some Uses of the Metal. Slate pencils are among the novelties made of it. The soft aluminum wire, with sharpened point, works admirably upon School slates. Such pencils are much more durable than the old-fashioned kind, suf- fering less wear and tear. Shoes of this metal are now employed for race horses. Not only do they possess the advantage of lightness, but they are said to preserve the feet of the animals remarkavly, Racing shells are formed of single sheets of alu- minum, one-nineteenth ®f an inch thick, weighing less than cedar. One such boat, for four oarsmen, lowered the mile record nine seconds on the Schuylkill river last summer. Aluminum is beginning to be utilized for roofing in sheets like tin, the cost of it for that purpose being about the same as cop- per. It may be rolled down to a thickness of 5-10,000 of an inch. The beaten “leaf” is now employed to a considerable extent in decoration. It is thus used in leading hotels of New York and other cities. All the ornamental work of the transporta- tion building at the world’s Columbian ex- Position was on a base of thin aluminum foil. The metal “tak: oil colors well and sheets and plaques of it are being manu- ctured in great quantities for artists, One of the most important of future uses of aluminum is for kitchen utensils. The heavy iron pot, which the cook can scarce- ly lift off the fire, will be superseded by @ vessel of the white metal that, while equal in capacity and strength, may be raised with a finger. This new material, remember, is as light as chalk. At the same time it fs so strong that any kind of hollow ware formed of it may be knock- about to any extent and bent into all sorts of shapes without breaking. An alu- minum rot costs no more than a copper one, and, unlike the latter, it does not have to be lined with tin for culinary em- ployment, because it does not corrode. For tea kettles, coffee pots and covered dishes = to retain heat it serves admira- y- Various accouterments for German and French soldiers are now made of aluminum. such as breast plates, helmets, belts and buckles. m the military point of view in these days It !s of the utmost import- ance to save every possible ounce of weiht in equipment, in order that the fighting ™man may carry the maximym quantity of ammunition. Even cartridge shells are being turned out in the same metal. The latter fs drawn down to the finest’ sizes of wire. The adiition ef a small nercent. age of It to type metal makes the tyne far more durable. The remarkable develan. ment of the last few vears in the anality of steel castines is due to an admixture of aluminum, which renders the steel mare fluid. Even ordinary stoves now contain somewhat of the same ingredient. Aluminum in Art Castings. A new and beautiful alloy ts produced by mixing 22 parts of aluminum with 78 Parts of gold, the result being a rich ruby tint. The white metal ts also plated with gold, silver and nickel. It is employed in making the finest kind of art castings by @ company at Passaic, N. J., engraved, chased and repousse work being brought out with as much perfection of detail and finish as ts exhibited by electrotypes. The concern referred to turns out thousands of medallions and groups of human figures and animals in “relief, using molds of sand and plaster of paris, These articles may be thrown across the room and will not break, as would iron castings similarly treated. They look like silver, Sounding-boards and of various kirds are aluminum, which is vibrations through pitch. stringed instruments now being made of elastic and capable of a wide range of tone- The material has the great advan- er since the new metal became available at a moderate price it has been utilized by experimenters in flying machines. Before long it will be extensively used for bridges, because it is so light and strong. It is the substance from which the new Diana of the Madison Square Garden, New York, is cast. Other uses to which it is being put are for propellers for ships, valves for air- brakes, opera glasses, picture frames, cigar cases, medal: es, salvers, watches, bi- cycles, brushes and combs, and forks and Spoons. For these table utensils it has the disadvantage that a slight coating of its own oxide always gives it a greasy feel, so that ft 1s never likely to supersede silver in way. Aluminum has a number of wonderful pro} ies. Most striking among these is its lightness. Ten cubic inches of it weigh less than a pound. Iron is nearly four times as heavy, gold nearly eight times. It is not acted upon by organic secretions. Hence it is most serviceable for surgical instruments, for wires to sew up wounds, ete. It is almost absolutely proof against sea- water and in that respect is much better than copper for sheathing the bottom of vessels. Unfortunately. those pernicious mollusks, barnacles. seem to thrive on it, as they do on steel. But an aluminum bronze, made by mixing a small percentage of the white metal with copper, is free from this objection and serves admirably for the purpose. Aluminum is only exceeded in malleabil- ity by gold and silver. In point of ductility it is seventh among the metals, ranking af- ter copper in that respect. It is equal to silver in taking and retaining a very high polish. Fine effects are produced by first burnishing and then stamping it so as to show unpolished figures in relief. It is absolutely non-magnetic. and for this reason is largely employed for electrical appliances. A small percentage of silver mixed with it hardens and strengthens it, making it most suitable for many kinds of engineering and other scientific apparatus. The demand for it in astronomical and other instruments of physical science is wing. _ eae Excellent Conductor. It is a remarkably good conductor of heat and of electricity. On the latter account it was selected as the material of the pyram!- dal cap which now forms the apex of the Washington monument. This cap excited great interest in 1885, when it was put on, the metal being at that time worth $8 a pound. The monument has been struck by lightning several times, but the dangerous fluid has been carried from the aluminum cap down the lightning rod 550 feet into the ground. Perhaps if it had not been for the safeguard thus provided the huge obelisk might even now be in ruins. Aluminum was first isolated in 1827 by Wohler, who had previously discovered the metals barium, magnesium and calcium, ob- taining them from alkaline earths by means of electricity. Calcium is sold at this day for $300 an ounce, owing to the difficulty of separating tt from the eléments with which it is ordinarily found combined, though it is reckoned that the skeleton of a man con- tains $18,000 worth of it. That some of the existing metals remain as yet unknown is quite certain. For a long time this white metal was man- ufactured only in the laboratory of the chemist, for the sake of experiment. Only half a dozen years ago melancholy notices were printed in the newspapers reporting the death of “the only man who possessed the secret of producing it in large quantities on an economical basis.” Nevertheless, it can now be obtained in amounts practically unlimited for 65 cents a pound. It ts on the market In the form of ingots, plates, sheets, bars, wires, castings, foil, &c. Its property of strength without weight renders it far more serviceable for mechanical purposes in general than any other known substance. It can be dissolved out of any clay bank by the use of concentrated sulphuric acid, but the process is too costly. Sooner or later a methed will be found for producing it as cheaply as iron. Senator Peffer has already suggested its employment as money. In the halcyon days of aluninum currency everybody will have unlimited cash and poverty may be permanently abolished. Until recently the only mat known to be available for supplying aluminum was “cryolite,” a mineral obtained in Greenland, which is the only place where it can be mined in paying quantities. A Pennsylvania company, which is engaged in the manufac- ture of sodium salts and other salts for chemical purposes, imports this stuff in enormous quantities, The residue left from its operations is oxide of alumina. This material is sold in bulk to a concern in Pittsburg, which now produces all of the metal turned out in the United States, A powerful current of electricity is passed through the ore, heating it to an enormously high temperature, driving off the oxygen and leaving behind the pure aluminum. Fortunately, within a short time an in- exhaustible supply of available ore has been discovered in great beds of bauxite, which run through eight counties of Georgia and Alabama, the deposit forming a belt sev- enty miles long by ten miles in width. This source is already being largely drawn upon, much of it containing as high as 48 per cent of the wonderful metal. The material is found in “pockets” and enough of it is read- ily accessible to furnish the world with aluminum for centuries to come. a LIFE ON THE PLANET VENUS. Speculations in the Light of Science as to What Sort of a Time They Have. From the Youth’s Companion. It will be remembered that about two years ago the famous Italian «stronomer, Schiaparelli, annovnced that he had dis- covered that Venus, which is a world very slightly smaller than ours, makes only one turn on its axis in going once around the sun. It would follow from this that on Ve- nus there is no succession of Jays and nights as upon the earth, but that perpet- ual day reigns on one side of the planet and perpetual night on the other. In other words, if Schiaparelli is right, Venus clways presents the same face to the sun, just a: the moon forever turns the same bemis. phere toward the earth. The inhabitants of the sunward side of Venus, then—if there be any—never se the in set, while the inhabitants of the other side never see the sun at all, uniess they visit the opposite hemisphere of their globe, Of course, no one knows whether thete are inhabitants upon Venus or not, but we do know that Venus has an atmospnere, and that in this atmosphere watery vapor ex- ists and clouds float, and that upon the sur- face of the planet the force of gravitation is not very different from that which it manifests on the surface of the earth. Ac- cordingly, there are some reasons to be urged in behalf of the opinion that Venus may be an inhabited world, But if one half of Venus be buried in ed- less night while the other half ties glaring beneath a never-setting sun, it is evident that the inhabitants of that planet must have experiences that would be most strange and trying to us. So the question whether Venus really does rotate on its axis once in 225 days, the period of i:s rev- olution around the sun, derives an added interest from the consideration that the planet possibly has inhabitants. The older observations indicated that Ve- nus rotated in between twenty-three and twenty-four hours, giving it days and nights about equal to those of the earth. In order to settle the question it has recently been proposed to apply the spectroscope. It is known that in the spectrum of a celestial body which is rapidly approaching the earth the spectroscopic lines are shifted toward the blue, while in the spectrum of a fast retreating body the lines are shifted toward the red. The principle has been used in measuring the rate of the sun’s rotation. The lines are shifted toward the blue on the eastern and toward the red’on the western edge of the sun, and by measuring the amount of shift- ing the rate of rotation is found. It is easy to see that the same method may Le ap- plied to find out how fast Venus revolves on its axis, Every one who watches the glorius even- ing star growing brighter and brighter in the sunset sky during the coming months will certainly be eager to hear the latest news from the astronomers who are trying to find out whether Venus has successive days and nights like the earth ur has ouly a day side and a night side. +oo—___ The Night Wind. Eugene Field in Chicago Record. (To Mistress Annie Evans.) Have you ever heard the wind go “Yooo00" ? "Tis ‘a pitiful sound to bea: It seems to chill you through and through With a strange ‘and speechless fear. It's the voice of the night that brovds outside When folk should be as! cep. And many and many’s the time I’ve erled To the darkness that brooded far and wide Over the land and deep: “Whom do you want, O lonely night, * That you wall the long hours through ?* And the night would say In its ghostly way: **¥00000000 Y00000000 ‘00000000 ! My mdther told me long ago (Whdén I was a little tad) That When the night went wailing so, Somebody had been bad: And then, when I was snug in bed Whither I had been sent, With the blankets drawn up round my head, I'd think of what my mother'd said And wonder what boy she ! And “‘Who's been bad today?’ I'd ask Of the wind that hoarsely blew, And that voice would say in its awful way: **¥00000000! 1s was true I must allow— not believe tt, though! jough I'm quite’a model now, not always so. And if you doubt what things I say, gaiuppore you make the test: i ppose, when you've been bad some And up to bed are sent away am! From mother and the rest— Suppose you ask ‘Who has been bad?” nd then you'll hear what's true: For the wind will moan in its ruefulest tone— **Yooo00000! Y00000000 ‘Yoooooooe! ———+o+—____ “There’s Many a Slip,” ete. From Puck. Policeman Fogarty—“It’s jist about my toime fer a few roasted chisnuts!"" BEAUTIFUL AMAPALA.| Honduras as Seen Through a Wash- ington Man’s Eyes. —— eee A RECEPTION BY THE PRESIDENT. —_—_+_—— Interesting Phases of Life on Fon- seca Bay. ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. Written for The Evening Star. ATE IN JUN last year we sailed into the magnificent “Bay of Fonseca” at early daylight of a lovely morning. We were sixteen days out from New York, and six from famous old Panama. The voyage had been extremely agreeable, cvery hour a pleasure. The steamer, the “Costa Rica” (the one re- cently in controversy at Amapala, and un- der the same excellent officer, Capt. Doyle), was new, fresh and thoroughly comfortable in all that adds a charm to traveling. The Pacific was on its most placid behavior, literally rocking us in the gentlest cradle of the deep. Each day after leaving Panama we had entered a new and beautiful port, and when this happened to be at the earli- est streak of daylight, and sailing steadily into the very teeth of some of the most in- describably magnificent sunrises ever tempting a Christian from the true faith to the worship of the “God of Day,” one was vneonsciously impelled to breathe his nat- ural gratitude for life amd the power of such enjoyment. Punta Arenas in Costa Rica, San Juan del Sur and Corinto in Nicaragua were suc- cessively visited, enjoyed and left behind us, and at last we were within sight and an hour's sail of our first objective point, Tigre Island, in the splendid harbor ef Fonseca Bay. The entrance to the bay is marked upon the right and left by the giant ward- ders, Conchagua and Conseguina, two ex- tinct volcanoes towering thousands of feet to the skies, vivid Jandmarks for the navi- gator. Surrounding us in the harbor as we slowly steamed northward to our destina- tion were the beautiful islands dotting it in every direction, and we could but think that even if so fair a picture might exist elsewhere on earth it could not possibly surpass in beauty the one around us. Such scenes, no doubt, are measurable by metes and bounds, but here and later I de- cline to submit to the control or even the slightest interference of statistics of any kind. Distances, colors, climate and their consequent emotions or sentiments were just as I felt them, and so shall they ap- pear—let others as they please bind them to the exactness of rod and scale. Three Central American republics touch upon Fonseca Bay, San Salvador on the left or west, Nicaragua on the east (both slight- ly), while Honduras, to the north and cen- ter, has far more important frontage, in- cluding the rare old town of Amapala on Tigre Island, her only outlet on the Pacific coast. Right ahead of us was this romantic spot, famous in olden times as the resort of Drake and other savage buccaneers of the days when “a confused noise and garments rolled in blood” were the dreaded penalties of all exposed towns on the Spanish main and Indian ocean frontiers. Tigre Island is a perfect cone some 3,000 feet high, its sea or south front a perpen- dicular precipice, and as we steamed slowly around its western point the pretty town of Amapala lay dis ‘osed before us ‘strung along its north and shelving front a dis- tance of a couple of miles. In front of it, a few hundred feet from its clean, bright- colored houses, we slowly stopped, com- mands were quietly given, chains rattled, the anchor plunged, motion ceased, silence ensued and hese we were at last, “as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean.” A Surprise in Store. I had started on this somewhat unusual trip partly for health, partly for pleasure, partly for business; expected to be a stranger in a strange land, had but vague ideas of what was before me, but fntended to make the best of all there was and thor- oughly enjoy things as they existed. Ana although thus prepared for almost any fate, I confess that I was staggered by what just then did happen. Leaning with Capt. Doyle lazily over the rail discussing the situation, he advised his willing listener not to leave him until he sailed several hours later, that it was hot on shore, no ice, etc., etc., and we started in to “chum” it’ most lovingly in contemplation of the deferred separation. And so, when with startling flourish and salute, the. official boats at that moment came off filled with gaily uniformed officers, asking if “General So and So” from the United States was on board, the astonished captain answered “Yes, here he {: and then when the message was loudly pro- claimed that the president of the republic had ordered for him every public honor and attention, and that therefore they had now come for him, bag and baggage, scrip and scrippage, poor Doyle could only whisper reproachfully to his equally astonished com- panion, “Why didn’t you tell me you were a h—1 of a fellow?” To which was the in- nocent response, “I didn’t know it!" And so I left the gallant “Costa Rica” and her staunch commander, and “vowing oft to meet again,” we separated for our different destinies Fair Amapaia, ‘The friends thus providentially furnished made the few days’ stay in Amapala exceed- ingly pleasant. Our two-story hotel, the only one in the place, was within a few yards of the water's edge, and as I had a large upper room on the western corner, with the usual tropical balconies, such slight breezes as were not too lazy to stir out in the sun and were otherwise unclaim- ed drifted in to see me. The town is very pretty, of about one thousand or so in- habitants, and sustaining a number of able nd prosperous merchants, importers and exporters. A considerable garrison of the regular army is of course stationed here, and after a close intimacy for weelfs with some of its soldiers and many of its officers of all ranks it is pleasant towbe able to mention them in high terms of commenda- tion. The latter I found to be much like our own officers at home, handsome, well uniformed, intelligent and gentlemanly, comparing favorably in general appearance and soldierly conduct with any in my ex- perience. The men were usually of a poorer peasantry than we are familiar with, but quiet, orderly and obedient. Their common uniform is very cheap and simple, but well adapted to both men and climate. One thing is unmistakable, and that is, that they are brave to rashness, and cannot easily be disposed of in battle short of actual killing, mere wounding being void and of no effect. Their guns are used for the first few volleys, then tossed aside and the “pre- vious question” promptly called with the deadly “machete,” the sharp sword-like knife universally carried by Central Ameri. can and Mexican peasants. Familiarity has bred indifference to the comparatively small holes made by the ordinary bullet of com- merce, but the large vivid gash of the machete gladdens the martiai heart of the perpetrator with a distinct satisfaction. As a result of such encounters but few pris. oners are taken, a ghastly reducer of popu- lation in the course of time, though a sure preventive of large pension rolls. These Honduranian soldiers are also in- credible marchers as well as deadly fight- ers, and I would not lightly care to risk my life 6n their failure to march in force 100 miles in twenty-four hours to take it. Nice- ties of drill and parade are unknown, but as said above, they can march and fight as well as any men alive, which, after all, seems to be the chief use of soldiers even under more enlightened conditions. We were several miles from the mainland and a few days were spent arranging by telegraph for the necessary outfit of mules and road appliances with which to visit the inland capital, Tegucigalpa, near the center of the republic. made; 15 ——— Meanwhile the local 5. interest was not allowed to flag, kindly RAILROADS. _ eae followed each other from the CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILWAY. presiden wi grateful responses were ~— Sted ant visits were exchanged and| 9... Schedule tn effect November 15, 1808. my limited assortment of Spanish scoured and polished up to the very danger point; serenades were given by the surprisingly good military band of the post and their individual musical whistles riately moistened by the recipient, as is the cus- tom among all clvilized people sii exposed. Gen. Ordonez, the soldierly com- mandante; Gen. Alvarado, the customs offi- cer, and Col.. Brannon, an American, who had lived many years in these countries, and is one of the most brilliant and enter- taining talkers I ever met, were untiring in their pleasant attentions, and all went merry. The first night on shore I am sure will never be forgotten by mining engineer who shared my me in the hotel. I gave him what I con- sidered to be a fairly correct description of the “mosquito,” as promised to us in Amapala, and of which he had never heard before, but I failed to impress him and dis- missing the trifling matter with a wave of his hand, he assured me “he would sleep soundly as he was very tired. Poor fellow! not one wink did He sleep the long, long weary night, nor did I fare much better. Once, as he lighted the candle and tried to arrange @ novel combination of under- clothing and rubber overcoat so as to breathe through the sleeve (a very sultry night!), I asked him kindly, “how goes it?” but he only sighed, blew out the light and silently submitted himself again to the tor- ture. I had him at a disadvantage—he was a church member and couldn’t swear, but he hadn’t the heart to rebuke me for cer- tain things I said for both of us that pain- ful night. Dangers of the Trip. We learned some interesting things of the trip yet to be made to the capital; it was the rainy season, the roads, rivers and mountain streams almost impassable, if not dangerous, accommodations poor, and considerable doubt as to the procurement of good mules! Well! the capital would not come to Amapala, I must visit it, and so I persisted with a calm assumption of in- difference well calculated to deceive. A charming ride around among the near- est islands was given me in the government steam yacht, exhibiting in all its magnifi- cence the grandeur of this noble harbor, a delightful memory never to be effaced. All was at last in readiness, we mude up our road party, and after “adios” visits upon our many ‘generous friends, officers, con- suls, and merchants, we embarked our- selves and “impedimenta” in the same lit- Ue steamer, to take us to San nzo, the rendezvous on the mainland. A crowd of jolly gentlemen were on the little pier to see us off, embracings followed, cautions, instructions, and advice were given, boxes of “nourishment” (wet and dry) were put on board, a farewell telegram from the president gave us “God speed,” a party of merchants presented us with a huge bun- dle closely rolled and tied, “not to be open- ed till on shore at San Lorenzo,” the big whistle (out of all proportion to the boat or the occasion) jerked us violently on board, we cast off at noon of a perfect day, and away we went from as pleasant a party of companionable gentlemen as it was ever my good fortune to meet. But not all of them remained behind! Oh, no! A large and active “committee on good cheer” accom- panied us on the steamer. Officers who car- Med corkscrews and knew their use, citi- zens who knew the exact location of every Kind of supply on board,—gentlemen who knew how to eat and drink and persuade their neighbors, foreign and domestic, to stay right up with the head of the proces- sion, and “deuce take the hindmost!” The trip on this little steamer was sur- Passingly lovely! Running east awhile, and then north among the many “Isles cf Beauty,” we passed one famous as the re- sort of myriads of a peculiar kind of bird, and a shot being fired into its dense fo- liage the air was fairly darkened with clouds of its startled residents. We passed the telegraph wire connecting Amapala with the mainland, and there was quite an embarrassing uncertainty to whether we should go o or under it, but we in- cluded it in our . stem of “salutes,” and Satan-like, it quickly got behind us. San Lorenzo, some thirty miles away, was reached a little after 4 o'clock that’ after- noon just in the nick of time, as the sup- plies wouldn't have lasted half an hour longer without drawing on the road re- serves. We quickly disembarked that the steamer might at once return to Amapala with as much daylight as possible (dreading another tussle in the dark with the telegraph wire), and depositing the mysterious bun- die on the ground in the center of our cir- cle, it was opened with the “usual cere- monies.” A piece of ice!—positively ice! A piece about the size of my fist, the last in the republic of Honduras, procured from the “Costa Rica,” and religiously nursed and saved in anticipation of this supreme moment! There wasn't enough of it to go round, the natives didn’t care much for it, anyway, and so we joined hands and danced a wild farewell around it and its like for many a drouthy day! As it rapidly yielded its luscious cooiness to the tropical sun, there was a fond and final touching of glasses, tin cups, and gourds, “Adios! Adios! Compadres!” and the bustling little steamer folded to its bosom the Hondu- ranian “committee on hilarity” as a hen gathereth her chickens, and they passed away like a tale that is told. And this was San renzo! Surely he was but an amateur saint who loaned so much holy name to so small a place! One residence occupied by an Englishman with his native wife and babies, several native huts, an old abandoned salt works, and two large ware- houses for the storing of mining supplies for the interior, only this and nothing more! Large pieces of mining machinery were scattered about, but how they got them up country was far more surprising later when I knew what the roads were. A little supper, an interview with mules and men and baggage, and I took a stroll around to view the lonely yet romantic Place. The low trees around us were oc. cupied by scores ‘of chattering parrots, wasting far better Spanish than I could talk, a hanging bird’s nest was on the porch filled with complaining little orphans, the solemnity of great mountains surround- ed us on every side, and the silence became all the more distinct for the few voices dis- turbing it. Daylight faded and the day end- ed shortly as if, like a minor tune, it was bitten off ® the middie, and with a com- passionate thought of tomorrow's mule, I stretched myself on a bed harder than the Way of at least an ordinary transgressor, for my first night's sieep on the real, sure- enough mainland of historic Honduras, the storied land of dept DANIEL MACAULEY, 22 —___ Made Her Money Fly, From the Philade:phia Telegraph. The Prine:ss Ypsilanti, who died in Vi- enna a few days ago, beloaged to one cf the oldest families in Austria, and w born in Vienna on March 12, 185. Her father was the late Baron Sina von Hodos und Kizdia, and her mother a member of the famous Roumanian family of Ghika. Buron Sina was the son of George Sina, the weaithiest banker in Vienna. Baron Sina received on his father’s death 90,000,000 florins, or $45,- 000,000. This immense sum was divided on the death of Baron Sina between his three daughters, each receiving nearly $15,000,000. One of the daughters married George Mav- rocordato, a member of one of the noblest families of Greece. The second married the spendthrift Duc de Castries, a relative of the late Marshal MacMahon of France. The third daughter, Helene, on November 1962, when she was about seventeen years old, married Prince Gregory Ypsil- anti, a native of Epirus, and son of De- metrius Ypsilanti, whose valorous deeds during the Greek revolution made the name of Ypsilanti famous throughout the world. During the siege of the City of Nauplia De- metrius, with a small body of Greeks, one night sallied forth and attacked the enemy, creating such terror among the Turks that they raised the siege the next day. Prince Gregory Ypsilanti was the Greek envoy in Vienna for many years, He was a man of independent means aside from the great fortune brought to him by his wife, end served his country for honor alone, re- fusing all compensation for his duties as its diplomatic representative in Austria. Prince Gregory Ypsilanti died in Paris on February 20, 1886, and was succeeded as head of his family by his eldest son, Prince Emmanuel, who is now a lad of six- teen. Three weeks after his death the bankruptcy of the princess was announced, to the amazement of the aristocratic cir- cles of Vienna and Athens. Prince Gregory had been a man of apparently quiet and retiring disposition, but he and his wife had managed to get rid of $25,900,000 in ten years, and the widowed princess found herrelf $4,000,000 in debt. ———_+e+_____ Alarming at His Time of Life. From Vogue. Elderly Fiance—“I hope you are not im- pressed by the silly sentimentalists who hold that because you've been married once you ought not to marry again.” Pretty Widow—“Don't let that worry you, dear. mother was married three times, and I only hope that in all thipes I may follow her ex- ample.” ickets on T've no such prejudice. My own dear | syivania ave. and 615 15th *, ~~ daily from Union station @. an@ Sch and "Bate, P. the 1. Pa. DAILY—The A solid Ae A in with dining car Cactasatt, Lei L ited. Grouch conches “for rong tions and information leeping Car reserra’ at etices, Bi and 1300 Washington. D.C. . Ww. + GREEN, Gen. Man, ah Fee SO oe PENNSYLVANIA RAILRO, STATION CORNER OF erie AND 8 ses pig NOVEMBER 19, 1893, x "AST LINE.—1 ittsburg, Cars to Pittsburg, SE For 11:05 AM. PENNSYLVANIA Drawing and State Koom, ing and Observation th, ‘lana po! Cars Harrisburg Parlor Car to rg. 3:15 P.M. CHICAGO AND ST. Pullwan Buffet Parlor Car to Harrisbarg. bead rim Ca 7 Seionatl and Cacags, TUM 20 PM. WESTERN EXPRESS.—Puliman ing Cars to Chi Harrisburg to Cleveland. 7 Dining Car to Chicago. 3 P.M. SOUTH-WESTERN EXPRESS.—Pullman Sleeping Car to St. Louis Sleeping: ‘Dining Cars Harrisburg to Gaeta san 10:40 P.M. PACIFIC EXPRESS. Sleep- tng Car 12 Eittsburg and Buffet Sleeping Car Har to Chicago. 7:50 A.M. for Kane, Cana Rochester Niagara Falis daily, except 3 ae 11:95 A.M. for Williamsport, Renovo and Eimirs Sailr, queen Sunday. For W: daily, 7:10 P.M. for Williamsport, Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls daily, except Saturday, with ing Car Washington to Buttale. a" “ie Sleep- 340 PM. for Canandaigua and Rochester daily; for Buffalo and Niagara Falls daily, ex. cept Saturday, with Sleeping Car Washington to Rochester. FOR FHILADELPHIA. XEW YORK AND THR ST. 4:00 P.M. “CONGRESSIONAL LIMITED,” all Par- lor Cars, with Dining Car from Baltimore, New York daily. for Philadelphia week days. 7:20, 9:00, 9:40 (Dining Car) and 11:00 A.M. 12:18, Fast yy Keo MN and 5:40 P.M. change, 7:50 A.M. week days ry. ‘ton, without 215 P.M. dail Itimore, 6:25, 11:00, and 11:50 A. 1 3:15 Limited), 4:20, 4:36. 5:40, 6:14. 7:10, 10:00, ) 11:15 and 11:35 PM. ‘7:20, 200, 9:05, 11:00, 11:05 AM.. 12:15, 1:15, 2:01, {4:00 Limited), 4:20, 5:40, 6:14, 7:10, AM. and 4:96 PM, For Richmond and the South, 4:30 and 10:37 A.M., 3:46 P.M. daily. For Richmond only, 7:10 P.M. week days. M. week days. For Alexandria, 4:30, @:25, 7:45, 8-40, 9:45, 10:45 A.M., 12:01 noon. 1-00, 2:11." 8:28, 4:28. 5-90, 5:37, @:15. 8:02. 10:05 and 11:39 P.M. On Son- day at 4:30, 7:45, 9:45, 10:45 A.M, 1:00, 2:48, 6:15, 8:02 and 10:05 P.M. Leave Alexandria for Washington, 6:05, 7-05, 8:00, 9:10, 10-15, 11:17, 11:44 AM. 1:09. 2:08. 3:90, $205, 5:45. 6:13, 7:00, 7:20. 9:15, 10:52 and 11:08 P.M. On Sonday nt 9:10. 10:15 and 11-17 AM, 2:08, 5:08, 7:00, 7:20. 9:15 and 10:82 P.M. Ticket offices, northeast comer of 18th street anf Pennerivania avenne and at the station, 6th and B streets, where orders can be left for the checking of bareage to destination from hotels sf resi- hedinle tn effect July 9, 1893. corner of New street. Be Leave Washincton from station Jersey avenne and C For Chicago and_ Northwest, Express trains 11.35 a.m., 6.15, Richt. Sleening car open for ‘Cincinnati, St. Louis @ay trains. with Pullman Boston, *2.40 p.m., Rottet Sleeping Car ronning yo to Boston without change via je bridge, Passengers in_B. and M station at For Atlantic City, 10.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon. . 12.00 noon. nda " = iy. "Dally. ‘Sunday only. neat nd erkeed a orand. from, hotele Ph fg Oe ticket offices: _ and 1351 Ps sve. ant st depot. av. A, cA. 0. CULL. Gen. Manager. (Je10) Gen. Pas. Ac*t. POTOMAC RIVER BOATS:_ WASHINGTON STEAMBOAT ©O., “LIMITED.” From 7th st. “ferry wharf.” Steamer Wakefleld on MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS at 7 a.m. for Némini creek, Va, and intermediate landings. Retnrning TUFSDAYS, THURSDAYS and SUNDAYS. (See schedule.) Steamer T. V. Arrowsmith on MONDAYS and WEDNESDAYS at 8:60 p.m. for Alexandria, Colo- nial Beach and all lower river landings: returning leaves Kinsale TUESDAYS an? THURSDAYS. for return landing?, arriving at Washington WED. NESDAY and FRIDAY MORNTNGS. On SATUR- DAYS at 5:20 p.m. for Colonial Beach, Golton's, Leonanitown, St. George's Island, Smith creek. Goan and Yeocomico; returning leaves Kinsale, ar- riving at Washington SUNDAYS boat 10 (See schedule.) c, WwW. ystt General Manager. “EW PALACE STEAMER HARRY RANDALL Laaves River. View whar, Tth street ‘Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday at 7 a.m. Landing at all wharves as far down as Maddox creek. Returning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridovs, 8 p.m. Pas- senger accommodations first-class. Freight received until bour ce igo age — REED & ©0., Agents, Alexandria. sper FE. 8. RANDALL, ap2T-te jetor and Manager. NORFOLK AND WASHINGTON STEAMBOAT 00. BETWEEN WASHINGTON, D. Cy conan UT ORTRESS a oe va NORFOLK, ‘The new and powerful Iron Palace Steamers. WASHINGTON AYD NORFOLK—SOUTH BOUND, . Arrive at Norfolk at 7: connections are made for all south and southwest. ee ee ee Norfolk daily at 6:10 p.m. Leave Pg ye ee 6:30 a.m. next day. 7 Je et BIR, 61 1351 and 1421 Penn. ‘Ask for tickets via the new ‘Telephone 750. ™XO. CALLARAN, Gen. aplett ‘Supt.