Evening Star Newspaper, December 4, 1895, Page 12

EVENING STAR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1895-SIXTEEN PAGES, eae ain eal otherwise? not do them. ‘Phone 1092. Plant, 43 G st. =] for a week or so and see how you like us. z our wagons will call.” < F. H. Walker & Co., 514 10th Street and 1104 14th Street: Tale YALE. ~ “Say, mister, we're going to take our hands out of the soap suds to ask you something, if you've a minute to spare. Where do you have your laundry washed? Does your laundryman al- ii ways deliver your bundle on the day promised? Does he finish your laundry with a bright, neat polish that does not collect the dye and dirt from your clothes? Does he guarantee not to fade your colored neglige shirts? Can he wash duck trousers with- out shrinking them? Is he responsible for all losses by fire or Does he use filtered artesian well water? pass your clothes through nine waters? Does he use the very best quality of nonpariel tar soap? : things he falls short of what the Yale guarantees to do. And there’s anether point. He may promise to do these things and Better try the Yale : Drop a postal and = What we promise we do. If he does not doallof these Does he Steam i Laundry, : a The Journeys, Adventures and Obser- vations of Mrs. Bishop. John A. Cockerill in New York Herb. : On my way to Nagasaki I fell In with Mme. Isabella Bird Bishop, the famous traveler, who was a fellow-passenger on the steamer through the ever beautiful Inland Sea—the finest, I think, of all Japan’s physical exhibits. Mme. Bishop has three times circumnavigated the globe. She is now sixty-fonr yeafs of age, and for years she has been something of an in- valid, but she finds little happiness. she informs me, outside of travel and study. She fs a native of Yorkshire, England. Her voice 1s soft and well marked with the broad dialect of her native district. Her conversation Is always instructive, for she is a woman who travels to observe, ex- plore and investigeee. She always travels alone, save when a guide or interpreter may be Indispensable, and she loves tent life and rugged contact with the varied as- pects of strange countries. Mrs. Bishop made her first trip abroad In 1855, when she visited Prince Edward's Island and the United States. She wrote a book about us in 1866, and her last visit was made in 1879 She gave much attention to the Rocky mountains, and subsequently wrote a book on them. She has spent much time in Japan. Her ‘book on Japan, entitled ‘Unbeaten Tracks, appeared in 1880. She has seen much of he interior of China, following the great rs hundreds of miles. Her visit to sia five years aga and her writings thereon attracted great attention. Her “Among the Thibetans'’ appeared last year. Her favorite field is western Asia. S spent four months among the nomad’ races of that great and almost unexplored section of the world, facing many dangers and narrowly escaping death more than once. Having devoted herself to hospital work considerably and having a fair knowl- edge of surgery and medicine, she has frequently resorted to these arts In In- gratiating herself with savages. One of the wild tribes of Asia, she told me, in Persia had offered to enrich her if she would settle among them and look after . their sick. She is an excellent photog- rapher and she has a collection of the rarest pletures In the world, She told me that in interior China she had great difficulty In securing photographs of the natives. They nad a belief that in taking their pictures she gained great power over them and could cavse them to wither at will. Mme. Bishop told me a story about the Coreans which leads me to believe that they can possibly be regenerated. She says that while in eastern Siberia she found a section of the country, back of Viadisvostock, peopled with Coreans to the number of sixteen thousand. They had migrated thither some years ago, dur- ing a famine in northern Corea, and hav- inj squatted upon the land, inoffensively and rather pathetically, had been permit- ted by the Rusians to remain. As the country began filling up with Russian farmers there was some dispute about the land, and the authorities had finally given to each head ef a Corean family a deed to forty acres of good tillable land. With an Incentive and something to live for these poor Coreans took on new char- acteristi No longer oppressed and rebbed of the little that they could ecen- mulate they became energetic, frugal and actually ambitious. Mme. Bishop found them cleanly in their homes and _ premises, industrious and prosperous. They had changed for the better in character, until they were no more like the poverty-strick- en, sodden, helpless citizen of Corea than the student of thé Hampton Indian School is like the degraded Digger of the south- west. She was astonished. She could not believe the Corean capable of such transformation. Her narrative convinced at there was hope for the degenerate n when even Russia could improve ondition and uplift him. Mme. Bishop, however, agrees with most intelligent ob- that Japan is better able to es- ish law and just rule in Corea than any other nation, and she regrets that a people who have done so much for them- selves in the past twenty-five years cannot take the distressed Coreans under their protection, JOLLYING A HAUGHTY SOUTHERNER. The Repartce of a Hotel Clerk Silenc- ed an Adanta Visitor. From the Philade Record, Quite funny are some of the experiences narrated by persons returning from the Atlanta exposition. A local newspaper man who got back from the south on Menday tells this one on himself. Upon arriving at Atlanta he chartered a hack, and with that fine scorn of pecuniary considerations charactertstic of his profession, ordered the driver to convey him to the “best hotel in town.” Entering the really gorgeous cara- vansary, he dropped his grip before the desk, held a pen poised above the register and inquired: “What Kind of a room can you give me, and how much?” The clerk, a typical southerrer, with sal- low complexion, drooping mustache and long goatee, replied in an indifferent sort of ton “Well, suh, Ah ken give yo" a fo'th flo’ room foh fo" dollahs a day, suh.” “Fo'th flo’, fo" de lah: peated the visi- tor, facetiously mimicking the soft south- ern accent; “then I presume you can give me a first-floor room for $1, eh?” “N-o-0, suh,” drawled the haughty Geor- gian. h kain't give yo" a fust flo’ room foh one dollah, suh; but Ah ken give y room without any flo’ at all foh nothin suh. Jest go down thar to the bahn and Inqul’ foh the mewel apahtments.” The Philadelphian made no further at- tempt to have fun with the natives during his stay in Atlanta. 1OWA’S OLD PERSONS. Twenty-one of Them Who Are Over 100 and 508 Who Are Over 90. From the Chieago Record. There are 50S reople in Iowa who aie more than ninety years of age. There are twenty-one who are more than one hundred years old. One person is one hundred and fifteen years old; two are one hundred and fourteen years old and the remaining eighteen are from one hundred to one hun- dred and seven. These facts are revealed by the report of tHe state census depart- ment of the office of secretary of state. Below is given the complete list of persons in Iowa who are shown by the official cen- sus returns to be more than one hundred years of age: Christian Conrad, hundred and fifteen. Delaware county, one John Williams, Dunlap, aged one hun- dred and fourteen. Benjamin Votaw, Oskaloosa, aged one hundred and fourteen. Lydia Fisher, Dubuque, aged one hundred and seven. Catharine Barrett, Blackhawk county, one hundred and six. James Robinson, hundred and six. Lucy Sykes, Wapello county, hunderd and five. A. Leeper, Henry county, aged one hun- dred and five. Mary Flannery, Independence, Buchanan county, aged on? hundred and four. Margaret Kelley, Carrol county,” aged ene hundred and four. Polly Kizire, Decatur county, aged one hundred and four. John Montgomery,Pottawattamie county, aged one hundred and four. Booker Fox, Ottumwa, Wapelle county, iced one hundred and two. Elizabeth Poulson, Allamakee county, aged one hundred and two. Mary Dugan, Iowa county, aged one hun- dred and one. Jared Ferguson, Decorah, aged one hun- dred and one. Mary Lianane, Madison county, aged one hundred. Jefferson county, one aged one Nancy Craughan, Monroe county, aged ene hundred. John Bush, Council Bluffs, Pottawatta- mie county, aged one hundred. Samuel Wiscarver, Grinnell, Poweshick county, aged one hundred. Maria Kearn»y, Franklin county, aged one hundred. Christian Conrad has been known for many years to oe the oldest resident of the stats. The Record recently printed a sketch of his life. He was “discovered,” so to speak, by Ben. Blanchard, formerly the manager and editor of the Dubuque Times, who visited the old man at his home in Coftin Grove township, Delaware county, six years ago, publishing an extended his- tory of his {lfe, which was republished all over the country. Mr. Blanchard lives in Des Moines now, and his attention was called to the report of the state census bureau. He declares that he gave the mat- ter a_full investigation and is convinced that Conrad is the oldest living person in Towa. John Williams of Dunlap had not report- ed to the census department before. Ben- jamin Votaw, however, has ample proofs of his one hundred and fourteen years of Ufe. He is a negro; the other two are white men. Mrs. Fisher is also abundantly able to substantiate her claim to being the oldest woman living in Iowa, The city of Council Bluffs claims two of these centenarians. Polk county, which is the langest county in the state, can claim none of them, but does t lay claim to fifteen residents more 2n ninety years old. Four of these are ety-six years of age. ART OF BED MAKING. About Arranging a Place for Slumber. vrom the Neg York Herald. How few persons there are who really know how to make a bed well. Out of one hundred housemaids, ninety- nine will throw the bedclothes down over the foot of the bed, then throw them up again in a few minutes. This should never be permitted. Every article should be taken off and laid separately over a chair, and a sirong current of air should be allow- ed to circulate through the room before the clothes are replaced. The mattress should be turned daily and from end to end, as this insures it being worn more evenly, and they will rot sink in the middle, which spoils the looks of any bed, no matter how beautiful its cover. The new fashion of steel chain springs Is a great improvement over the heavy old style spring, which, when once taken up- stairs, was bound to remain there a long time. The careful housewife will cover the springs of her bed with linen, so that it may be taken off and washed. This saves the mattress all chance of rust marks from the metal. Clean newspapers will answer the same purpose. It {s only the hardiest sleepers who can enjoy their slumbers when, by a scanty supply of sheet, the blanket scratches face and neck. Narrow bedclothing fis even worse, especially where the barbarous cus- tom of sleeping two in a bed holds good. One drags the clothes one way, the other exhausts strength in clinging to them for dear life, and neither is comfortable. A simple remedy for this discomfort is to place one blanket lengthwise across the bed. In this way there is a double advan- Some Points tage—less weight on the shoulders and | plenty of chance for a firm tucking up. Good housemaids are quite liable, in plac- ing three blankets on a bed, to turn down a great piece, giving you six on your shoul- ders and not one sufficiently tucked in on the sides. - A restless child might be prevented from many a cold if blankets were placed across the bed. It is the careful watch of detail in home life that makes it differ from a hotel, and nothing is more satisfactory than a well-made bed. GENERALS, But It Excites the Envy of Younger Men Always, From the Minneapolis (Minu.) Times. Great men have their peculiarities—usual- ly accepted as the eccentricities and weak- nesses inseparable from genius. One of these peculiarities is the fondness which many of the great men have for kissing. Recently a dispatch in the daily press an> nounced the fact that Prince Bismarck was enjoying himself at Kissingen, adding that he had kissed a young lady. The young lady in question desired, it appears, to kiss his hand, but the man of “blood and iron” was too gallant for that. He seized her and kissed her ruby lips with all the ardor of his seventy-nine years, ending with a good squeeze by way of making the oscula- tion more impressive. The incident is suggestive not only of the fact that pretty girls like to be kissed— provided the other party is a famous man and of discreet age—but the more instruct- ive truth that kissing pretty girls has been a favorite occupation of nearly all great men of mature age, military men being particularly given to it. Gen. Grant was perhaps the notable exception. This re- calls an incident which came under the ob- servation of the writer at Galena, IIL, sh ly after the close of the war. Gen. Grant had returned on a short visit to his old home. A great crowd was assembled at the railway station to welcome him. As the general alighted from the train, he was greeted by a procession of a dozen or more young ladies. As the first blooming miss grasped the hand of the hero, she held up her ruby lips—the lips of brave and tender girls like this are always ruby—with the firm but inexpressibly sweet compression which every experienced osculator recog- nizes at a glance as meaning business. The general seemed surprised, flushed slightly, glanced down the line of waiting beauties, drew a long breath, and then, with the reso- lute look of a man determined to fight it out on that line if it took all summer, he deliberately and with praiseworthy impar- tiality kissed every girl in the procession. The general was a modest man, but he was never known to flinch in the face of his duty to his countrymen—or country women. Gen. R. Lee, notwithstanding the staid decorum his ordinary demeanor, was o! ever ready, it is stated, to face an emer- gency of this kind. At Lexington, Va., in the closing years of his life, there were many pretty girls and many osculatory en- counters, the girls being quite willing to “have it to say’ that they had been so distinguished by the great commander. The college boys heard of it with mingled feel: ings of envy and emulation. To this day, it is said, the visitor at Lexington will be stopped at this or that turn of the road by his guide, with the remark: ‘Here, in 1:60, I saw Gen. Lee kiss Miss So-and-So. They met; they chatted. At parting the dzmsel would say, ‘Why, general, aren't you going to kiss me?’ and thereupon the general would respond with evident anima- tion.” A great number of spots at the scuthern Mecca are decorated with similar legends—so many, in fact, that the tourist is inspired with regrets that he, too, was not a great general and strategist. Gen, Sherman's exploits in this attractive field are more wiaely known. Indeed, they were extended over a wider area and were performed with, perhaps, a trifle less dis- crimination. At every Grand Army re- union there would be found a number of tlooming misses who aspired to kiss the general. Being a gallant man—every sol- dier must be gallant—Gen. Sherman re- spcnded to the seductive challenges with exemplary alacrity, to the sorrow of young cilicers, who thought such sweetness wasted on an old man, and a married man at that. It does seem hard. Gen. Joseph E. John- ston, who opposed Gen. Sherman on so many fields, was in this line of operations also, a rival worthy of his steel. It was not the good fortune of Gen. John- ston to attend Grand Army reunions to any considerable extent, but in his unlimited sphere Gen. Johnston had in his last years a great many confederate admirers of the charming sex, who, with his ready sanc- tion, testified their cordiality in the char- acteristic and always pleasant feminine manner. He was a handsome man, even in extreme old age, so that there was no drawback to chill the fluttering heart of the impulsive feminine patriot. it must not be assumed that the generals that have been named are the only ones who have had the courage to meet their feminine admirers of the third generation half way. Their name is legion, so far, at least, as appreciation goes. It is noticeable, however, tha. the girls draw the osculatory line at major generals. They are severe in their requirements, exacting rank, fame and an age few ordinary mortals can at- tain without falsifying the family records. The kissing of great generals is to be dis. tinguished from that of great politicians. President Buchanan, it is true, was a truly fortunate man in this regard, but he was a President and a bachelor. He was, in fact, wholiy outside of the category of ordinary politicians, whose kissing is com- monly restricted to children and babies. Such’ osculation fs useful in a campaign, but it Is sald not to be exhilarating. —+e<—____ Miss Nightingnle’s Good Work. , From the London News. The now venerable Miss Nightingale, whose state of health did not permit her acceptance of the invitation to be present at the dinner to the Balaklava veterans, has devoted much of her time and energy for some years past to the promotion of sani- tation in North Bucks, where she has heen accustomed to spend much of her later li She has been the life and soul of a move- ment for bririging intelligence to bear on the gement of the home, and sanitary ma ters generally, in a district where such a movement was greatly needed. It has been carried on by the technical education com- mittee of the Bucks county council, but Miss Nightingale has been the moving spirit, and very unostentatiously has, in her declining years, been continuing in this way the prac- tical benevolence which so endeared her to all English hearts in the Crimean war. HIGHWAY ‘EXTENSION st Phases of the Law Now Under Dis- cussiofii ———— CONFLICTING VIEWS 70 BE RECONCILED Puzz'es to Be Solved*in Any New Legis'ation. THE COMMISSIONERS’ TASK From the Finauclal Review. The highway extension law is rapidly becoming a Chinese puzzle. The Commis- sioners have consumed more than two years in studying its provisions. They have so far proceeded with its administration as to have filed and recorded with the sur- veyor of the District the finally approved map of street extensions over all that sec- tion of the city situate between Rock creek and North Capitol street extended, and be- en Florida avenue and the Maryland ne. It has thereby been made unlawful for owners of land therein to record any subdivision not in conformity with said map, and equally unlawful for any officer of the United States or of the District “to accept, improve, repair or assume any re- sponsibility” in regard to any highway in such area, whether abandoned, or whether proposed to be laid out or established by y owner, but not in conformity with said recorded map. Within all existing subdi- sions in the area included in said map the Commissioners have petitioned for the condemnation of an indefinite area cf land, equalirg probably several million square feet, and have exhausted the full period of the putlic notice prescribed by the statute. Cendemnation proceedings as to highwa: and reservations not within existing sub- divisions in the area of such map may be initiated at any time in the mere disc tion cf the Commissioners. A speedy ex- eicise of such discretion will become indis- pensable in many Irstances, unless the public will be content with fragments of streets and avenues, sometimes commenc- ing nowhere, going nowhere, and broken eff in the middle here and there by reason of the crossing of non-existing subdivis- tons. It is currently reported that the plats of the remaining street extension sections for the residu> of the District are in a state of great forwardness, and that they could soon be filed for approval and record. After then, the lapse of more than two years, the admin:stration of this law as amendatory of and supplemental to the prior law of August 27, 1888, has _practi- cally suspended “betwixt heaven and ezrth’’ the complete rights of ownership in the largest and most valuable sectton of the suburban District. The ability of own- ers therein to sell, or to mortgage, or to construct, or to subdivide are, for the time being, seriously impaired. A similar condi- tion of affairs may at any time be created as to the residue of the suburban District at the will of the Commissioners, by their similar recording of maps and petitioning for condemnation. At this point the Commi: loners have ap- parently discovered defects in the law. The proceeding is In rem, and.so far as the condemnation of the jury is concerned, the verdict runs for or against the property. The proceeding is also complete and dis- tinct as to each lot or separate parcel of ground. The owners have come into court, ready and anxious to proceed and to there- by rid their property of the, pending cloud. They vere brought into court by the Dis- triet, at whese hands they had a just righ’ to expect prompt action. On the ¢ the District counsel, both general cial, have simply interposed technical ple for delay The attorney of the Unit States, present in court afd willing to pro- ceed, must forscoth govcut and await a formal notice to come in again. An imac- inary army of ron-present parties in int est must be specially served with perso: rotice to come into court. That will time. Indeed ke if such citation at this point 1 service by ‘ite marshal infants,. femmes coverts, s ond the seas, ete., the t'tle companies should have a rich harvest, and the present generation may not wit- ness the tmpaneling of 1 condemnation jury. Time seems now to be the object of the proceeding. Time to amend the law; time to better define or to repeal the pro- vision for assessing supposed benetit to secure appropriations to pay damages; time to get money to pay jury fees, and time to induce the United States to bear its share of the costs. It even been hinted that the aggregate of such damages now in prophetic sight is so great as to suggest the wisdom of asking nov for only a part of the money which will ultimately be necessary to carry the law into effect. The principle of two or three bites at the congressional cherry has been stggested as the- prudent and probably successful course. It must of course be frankly conceded that tre Commissioners have pursued such a conservative and cautious policy that their real plans are largely a matter of conjecture to the general public. At some tage or other, as, for instance, upon their submission of any measure to Congress, we shall better understand their intentions, ard then be in fairer condition to defend or to criticise them. In the meantime, however, the formulation of public opinion is going forward, and parties in actual property interests are taking such course as they are advised by counsel will best preserve their rights. It is probably cor- rect to say that thus far three general lines of thought are being discussed by our citizens. . 1st. Enforce the law precisely as it stands upon the statute book, promptly and vig- orcusly. Abandon all Feblan tactics. Let defects in the law, if any there are, be de- veloped in the orderly cause of the pre- scribed judicial procedyre. When so devel. oped, it will be quite time enough to seck legislative relief. The cecasion for it in any considerable way will probably be then i the question dissipated. For illustration, of the validity of the pro ing benefits will most taken care of by judicial decree, in the Rock Creek Park case, and with no more inconvenient results in the one than fes of condemnation in_mo- Hurry along to their verdicts. Get a upon the entire proceeding toward tion. move relievirgz our property from the mortr which has been laid upon it. Proceed with the law in hand, and don't wait for the doubtful and certainly slow pessage by Congress of arother law, which may easily to be even worse than the present tnder the best law that human in- genuity can frame, individual rights will necessarily be sacrificed and trampled up- on, and hence no law which affects private ts in such a sweeping and wholesale ‘ay will or should escape the test of ju- dicial construction. Ask Congress immediatety for the neces- sery approvriations. Ask for an elastic ap- propriation sufficient to pay all verdicts, and so as to pay each verdict @ rendered. Such verdicts will be separate as to each lot or parcel. The exact aggregate sum re- quired cannot possibly be calculated until the last verdict has been entered. In one ease the verdict will be speedily rendered, because the owner does not contest. In an- other the contest will be bitter, every point will be fought out, and firal judgment will be postponed for years. There will be many thousands of these condemnation proceed- ings, and the final results in each will be strung along at all sorts of dates during a long period of time. Hence, no fixed sum can be now estimated fer which will exe- cute the law. An elastic apprcpriation is indispensable, if the law ts to be carried out fairly and justly to all owners affected by its condemnation mi&chinery. That is the more apparent, as the present con- demnation suits are only under the man- datory previsions of the law. The discre- tienary provisions will for many years and frem time to time affect other lands. Let the treasurer of the United States be au- thorized to issue bonds of the District to each verdict of the condemnation ju- r same becomes final. Let these bonds run for fifty years, so that posterity may bear Its share ef the burden, and let the rate of interest not exceed two and a half or, at the most, three per cent. No owner would object to receive payment of a verdict in his favor in such bonds. They could easily be paid out in this District. No one would refuse them. because they carried interest. If deemed nece a maximum limitation could be placed upon the amount of this hond issue, which at three per cent interest would carry a pre- mium. No special commissioners are nec- essary to take charge of their issue. The treasurer of the United States can do it. He has no judgments to render and no amounts to ascertain. All that is done by the juries of condemnation, This is the logical and fair way of exe- cuting this street extension law. Let us have ao sticking of the ostrich head under a stone and deluding ourselves with the be- lief that the whole of the big bird is hid- den. If our e:tizens on the one hand or Congress on the other hand are unwilling to face the logical consequences of the law, because of the large appropriations proba- bly so carried, then the law should be promptly repealed. Any lesser or partial appropriation would only pay out the early judgments, and leave the later judgmen‘s unsatisfied. One set of men would thus be paid and the rest, perhaps, go empty han ed. One set of lots scattered here and there would be condemned, and the bal- ance would revert to the owners. A series of fragmentary highways and reservations would thus result, not only without public | benefit,-but plainly to the great injury of the public interest. 2. Amend the law so as to materially re- strict its scope. Limit its operation to the narrow belt immediately surrounding the old city limits, over which the rew Wash- ington has really extended or is liable to extend for many years to come. Possibly extend a few main avenues to the Mary. land line, so as to open convenient an1 modern lines of communication to the ad- ent country. This is the view favored many good and wise citizens, who be- by lieve there is no sufficient reason to sub- divide into city blocks and lets, and to ex- tend streets and alleys over farms that for to come will grow cabbages pasture cows. Even Major L'Enfant not lay out hole District. Gov. Shepherd did not scek to improve it all. 3. Repeal the law. It is idle to say that this does not represent the views of many citizens of good judgment, who maintain that street extensions should be cared for by each annual District appropriation Will. and only as the necessities of each year arise, The District Commissioners will have a hard task to reconcile these conflicting views if they undertake any new lexisla- tion. Their safety clearly lies in the prompt administration of the existing law, leaving its defects to the test of judicial investiga- tian, and leaving any relief so demonstrat- ed to be proper and necessary .to the future action of Congres —— ses A GOLD MINIWN Some Phases of Life Where the Pre- sioux Metal is Obtained. From the € 0 Times-Herald. Many years from now, when the Cripple Creek, Col., country has been turned inside cut and all this beautiful scenery and this lovely landscape have been concentrated and smelted and treated with acid; in short, when Cripple, Creek as a mining camp has seen its day, the railway com- pany can more than recover its original in- vestment by smelting its right of way. As to the streets, they are worth $10.75 per cubic yard this minute. ‘At one stage of the literary development of the world it was quite popular for writ- ers to dvscribe a place in which residence was particularly desirable as being paved with gold. Of Cripple Creek this Is lit- erally true, and yet, so far from being a comfortable place of abode, it may be said dispassionately and without bias or preju- dice that a man who lives here is entitled to all he gets, There is no luck too good, no strike too rich for him. Whether it is 310 or $10,000,000, it is the person's just due. It is evident that many are willing to undertake a residence here, in view of the yellow possibilities. Ten days ago in the camp of Cripple Creek proper were about S00 persons, Now the population will reach w0, and in the twenty-five y comprehended in the Crip- *k district the number has grown in two weeks from 0) to fully The ticket pts show it. This caused largely by arrivals ‘om the siiver camps, which have in a great measure gone out of business, and by the shutting down of the western and scuthwestern gold camps. At many of these work cannot be conducted in the winter, and the miners are here for the $3 which xoes with every eight hours of honest effort with pick and drill. The camps are so crowded that hundreds have tg sleep standing. This is no easy task, nor can it be said to be refreshing, but it may be accomplished In three nights’ try- ing. Rooms at the hotels must be engaged two days in advance, and when procured a shotgun guard is necessary to hold the i All means of obtaining a place to at Cripple Creek failing, the stranger go over to Victor, at the other end the district. One night's experience at the hotel there will satisfy the most en- thusiastic and hopeful. The next day early, the guest registers off and seeks a abandoned prospect hole. PROFIT IN RUNNING STREET CARS. Toronto Makes 2 Good Thing by Her System of Controlling the Companies. From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. ‘The city engineer of Toronto, Ont., E. H. Keating, is authority for the statement that the street railway company in that place paid $1 § to the city under the terms of its franchise, and that since the present or- ganization has been in control $424,606 have been received all told for the privilege of operating the rcad. The recent history of street railway matters in Toronto is an in- teresting chapter in municipal government. Four years ago the city bought all the lines 3,788, and prac within the limits for §1,453,7S§ tically sold out to the present owners after operating the system for a few months. The company recei' year franchise, to be extended to thirty years if authority for the step could be secured. Under the terms of this franchise the com- pany pays to the city annually $800 per mile of single track operated and a percentage of the gr annual receipts, ranging from 8 to 20 pe t, according to the total amount of the: ipts. The franchise also con- tains unusual number of restrictive clauses. It prohibits the operation of the lines on Sundays until a popular vote has been giver favorable to this course, and it stricts the hours of labor to ten. Free transfers are given to all parts of the city. ‘The fare is 5 cents, except from midnight to 5:20 a.m., when it is 10 cents. Workingmen's ts, good between 5:30 and 8 a.m. and 5 : id at the rate of eight for tickets, good any time the day, are sold for the same sum There are also school tickets at ten for cents, which are good between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. s soo MR. JEFFERSON'S LIMITATIONS. It Was Cerinin That He Could Not Act in a Circus. From the Grand Rapids Herald. The amusing ignorance ef some people, whose lives are spent away from cities, in regard to the duties of an actor can be illus- trated by one little incident told by Joseph Jefferson, which occurred while he was living on his plantation in Louisiana. “I had been out duck shooting,” said Mr. Jefferson, “ard was being paddled slowly along the bayou in a canoe by my man Fri- day, a colored boy about eighteen years old. ‘Mr. Jos., will you be mad if I ax you somu fin?’ said John, the colored lad referred to. “No, John; what 1s it?’ said I. “What does you do in a show?’ “I told him it would be rather difficult for me to explain what my particular line of business was. ““Well,” said John, knives? told him I had no talent in that way. “Well, your son told me that you swal- lowed knives and forks and fire, and de Lord knows what all, and I believe he was just foolin’ me." “I agreed with him, saying he was quite capable of it. “Well, dere’s one thing certain,’ John. ‘You Gon’t act in the circus." “I asked him how he could be certain of that. John burst into an immoderate fit of laughter, almost tipping the canoe over in his violent mirth. ‘Oh, no, oh, no, sah! you can’t fool me t. I've seen.you get on your horse; you 20 circus rider.’ an —— Refore and After. From Brwklyn Life. “For goodness sake, Fannie, how long are ycu going to keep me waiting while you fuss over your hair; we're late now.” Fannie (sweetly)—“Not nearly so long, 'd to keep other people wait- we were married while you fussed ‘does you swallow said on ¢ ain't over it.” THINGS HEARD AND SEEN/AUSTRIA’S EMPEROR. There Is a good story as to how a local accident insurance agent won a reputation in his profession. One night when he was working fcr another man, before he ob- tained an agency for himself, he was held up by- two robbers» He~had $10 in his pocket, for which he had worked a whole week. This he gave to the robbers, and by the time they had searched him he began to recover his usual composure. When they had compléted ‘thefr investigations, he began a speech, reminding them of the dan- ger attached to their calling, and how very necessary in such hazardous work for them to have accident insurance policies. He warmed to the theme, and soon had them interested. He had blank applications in his pocket, and they could not excuse themselves with the plea that they had no money, for he had just given them the price of two policies. In a few minutes the trade was concluded, the agent again had his money and the robbers had paid the fee on two accident insurance appiications. As this first payment belonged to the solici- ter, he was exactly even. This stroke of business won for him his first advance- ment. + * * There is a sign on 12th street which tes without explauation or punctuation, hoes shined iasid I was passing it, companied by a traveling man, who said here could be a book written on signs and names. Now that one there; no one Wants his shoes shined inside. There are some peculiar combinations of names and words in signs. I notice that a man named rden is a gardner here in Washingtom Frey used to be in the hotel busi- hville, Congressman Steele ef Indiana formerly had a law partner named Robb at Marion, Ind.; Hoss & Harness ure copartners at Kokomo, Ind.; Day & Knigat are leadiug grocers of Keokuk, lowa; Gan- der deals in corn at St. Louis, and it is said that I. Ketcham, for.many years a ieading lawyer of Jacksonville, IIL, had U. Cheatham for a partner, although the lat- ter, since 1 have known him, has been a farmer in that county, and a client of Judge iSetcham's. At Paxton, HL, Alex. Sample has a sign without punctuation which reads, “A Sample Lawyer,” while at Mt. Vernon, in the same state, an undertaker named Fly announces his business with a sign reading, ‘Fly Coffin Shop.” Near the Untow depot in Kansas City Mrs. Murphy has succeeded her deceased husband in the ownership of a sagy filing shop, and an- nounces the fact by her sign, “Mrs. Mur- phy, Saw Dentist.” x KK KOK One of the most scathing criticisms 1 ever heard was at a literary elub meeting a few nights ago. A young man whose friends refer to him as “a rising author’ read one of his stories. It was listened to with great attention by all present, among whom was a lady who is a successful writer. She was asked how e liked the story, to which her reply was: “I have been informed that he ts a rising author, and I do not donbt it. If my life is prolonged until he has arisen, I will be glad then to hear his latest story.” ee RK * I was amused one day last week. It was cold and the drizzling rain chilled the pe- destrians as they faced the cutting wind. A tramp stopped a gentleman on Pennsyl- vania avenue and began the old, old stor: “Excuse me, sir,” he said; “I have seen bet- ter days. Indeed I have, sir.” “Well, I don't doubt it,” was the cheerful response. “You were certainly alive yes- terday. In fact, I hope you will see a bet- ter one tomorrow. If you have any sug- gestions to make about improving the weather, hurry up. If not, you will ‘ex- cuse me,” and the gentleman passed on, the tramp watching him as far as he cold see him, unable to make any response whatever. When he stopped the next man he changed his story and asked for aims in the shortest possible way. x RK KK There was an interesting episode yester- day in a well-known Washington cafe. The proprietor has a French chef in his em- ploy, and the result is that the menu cards can be guaranteed to puzzle ‘any Ameri- can. Yesterday two gentlemen sat at a table. One was from the , and his French education had been Blected. The other had but recenUy come to Washington from Paris. After reading the menu the westerner said to the waiter: “I can't read French. Bring me a good dinner.” Meanwhile the nehman was trying to figure out the words. “Pardon, monseer,” be said. “eet ees not ze Francais. Eet ees not ze Eenglish. I know not what cet ees. Zere ees ze soup. Zat ees French for ue rat. I want not ze rat soup. Let ees hor- reeble. The proprietor heard it, and upon inves- tigation found that his guest was correct. There will now be a new Frenen chef, who understands the French language. xe KO x Tommy is a five-year-old boy. He has a dog Tippie. A few aeys ago his mother sent him after a bucket of milk, and upon his return he said: “Mamma, you needn't give Tippie and me any. We've had our share.” ‘Well, you and Tippie can have " she said. Tommy had very long He hasn't now. His sister is an and Temmy found some nish and ran it through his hair to per- fume it. Then it had te be cut. Tommy has a pet pigeon; he thought it was cold and put it in the oven to warm it. It was rescued in time to save its life, but all of its feathers came cut. Now Tommy has no hair and his pi i has no feathers. eR KK OK M. E, Young, who has made electricity a study for some years past, believes that he has finally discovered a small and inex- pensive dynamo and means of generating power that will work a genuine revolution. The first use to which he intends its appli- cation is for lanterns. A man can carry one of these lanterns in his hand or it ean be fastened to his coat lapel, throwing a stream of light in frent that will enable bim to walk with perfect safety on the darkest nights. While somewhat more pens've tian the ordirery oil lantern, th portable electric lights will be cheap enough to enable men of small means to purchase them. x ee eK The friends of an artist whose reputation is national are having; a good deal of fun at his expense, A stranger in Washington recently built a house, and inquiring of a friend for a good painter was directed to the artist. “You are a painter, T believe, " said the Ueman, entering the studi. . sir? “Well, I want you to come out to my house and figure on sume work,’) said the caller. “Yes, but you are mistaken. I am not that kind of a painter.” “Oh, I guess you will do. You was recommended to me.” and the man was gone before the astonished artist could make any reply. He did not go, but some of his friends heard of it, and are not dis- posed to let him forget it. * kk kK * Mr. H. is the coroner in a thriving town not a thousand miles from Washington, and he frequently runs in to put in-a day with his friends at the capital. Saturday night he dropped in at an uptown cafe, and in a private room found a couple of friends seat- ed at a smal: table. “Join us in a glass of claret,” said one of the party. “Claret is not just the drink for my bus- iness,” replied H. “How's that?” asked his friend. “Nebody in f said H. He got whisky. xe ROR OK Jimmy is clerk in a store up 7th street, ard his best girl lives in Brooklyn. That is, he had a best girl living in that city, Wut he hasn't heard from her since July, and he mourns. ‘The girl's mother was an invalid, and in May last, by advice of her doctor, had gone to North Carolina. Late in July she died, but Jimmy didn’t know of it, and the first week in August he had written his sweet- heart a long, loving letter, closing with: “Your poor, dear mother must be suffer- ing terribly with the heat down where she is now.” And Jimmy wonders why his girl doesn’t write! ——+e0e—______ The Small Girl's Definition, From the Indianapolis Journal. ‘Teacher—"‘And what is meant by. keeping the Sabbath holy?” Ethel—“It means—it means to think of something you would like to do, oh, ever a0 much, and then not doing It ‘cause it’s Sun- lay.” Francis Joseph, One of the Crowned Heads, a Great, Good Man. Takes Particular Pleasure in Hon- oring Others. His Royal Words in Decorating a Fa- Vorite. Among all the crowned heads of Europe, not even excepting Eng- land's queen, no one has a warmer place in the hearts of the ‘people than Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria. A thorough gentleman, one of God’s noblemen, who, whatever he may think as to the divine right of kings, is himself, first of all* and above all a man, with all the principles, all the virtues of manhood. He is never so much at home, never so com- pletely satisfied as when participat- ing in some fete or festival of his subjects, or else distributing royal favors. It would be impossible to find a ruler more thoroughly _ patriotic, more perfectly alive to and anxious for the public weal, or one who. is more of a patron of science, educa- tion and the arts. Some idea of his generous interest as well as of Jhis profound knowl- edge in this respect, for, in the dis- tribution of royal favors, the em- peror of Austria does nothing by proxy, was recently afforded, when in consideration of the benefits de- rived by himself personally, and in the imperia! household from the use of the GENUINE JOHANN HOFF’S MALT EXTRACT, he decorated JOHANN HOFF with the Cross and Crown of Merit. The precise words of the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria on con- ferring the royal favor were as fol- lows: “It affords me great pleasure to decorate you with the Cross of Merit with the Crown.” Ask for the GENUINE JOHANN HOFF’S MALT EXTRACT. Avoid substitutes. A CURIOUS INDIAN CUSTOM. What is Meant by “Smoking Horses” Among Some Western Tribes, From the Philadelphia Times. A curious method of obtaining horses Is practiced by some of the Indian tribes. It is called on the plains “smoking horses.” If a tribe dec‘des to sead out a war party, the first thing to be thorght of is whciher there are enough horses at hand to inount the warriors. If, as is often the caso, the horses of the tribe have been stolen by other Indians, they decide to “smoke” er ough horses for present needs and to steal a supply from their enemies at the first op- portunity. When this decision is reached a runner is dispatched to the nearest friendly tribe with the message that on a certain day they will be visited by a namber of young men, form- ing a war party from his tribe, who require herses. On the appointed day the warriors appear, stripped to the waist. They march silently to the village of their friends, seat themselves in a circle, light their pipes and begin to smoke, at the same time making their wishes known in a sort of droning chant. Presently there is seen, far out on the plain, a band of horsemen riding gayiy caparisoned steeds fully equipped for war. These horsemen dash up to the village and wheel about the band of beggars sitting on the ground,in circles which constantly grow smailer, until at last they are as close as they can get to the smokers without riding over them. Then each rider selects the man to whom he intends to present his pony, ard, as he rides around, singing and yeiling, he lashes the bare back of the man he has selected with the heavy rawhide whip until the blpod is seen to trickle down. If one of the smokers should flinch under the blows, he wculd not get his horse, but would be sent home on foot and in disgrace. At last, when the horsemen think their friends have been made to pay enough in suffering for their ponies, each dismounts, places the bridie in the hand of the smoker he has selected, and at the same time hands him the whip, saying: “Here, beggar, is a pony for you to ride, for which I have left my mark.” After all the ponies have been presented the “beggars” are invited to a grand feast, during which they are treated with every consideration by their hosts, who also load them with food sufficient for their home- ward journey. The braves depart with full stomachs and smarting backs, but happy in the possession of their ponies and in aiitici- pation of the time when their friends shall be im distress and shall come to smoke horses with them. —_—__+e+____ SPIDER SILK. Nearly Two Centuries Since Attempts Were Made to Utilize It. From the Philadelphia ‘Times. It was reported some time ago -hat at a ball in South America the mistress of the house wore a dress made of spider silk. It is nearly two centuries since a French scientist made the first attempt to utilize this silk. A certain Monsieur Bon sent to the Academy of Sciences some mittens and socks of spider silk, and Reaumur was re- quested to examine these articles and make a report. There was no disputing the fact that the articles were genuine, but Reau- mur showed conclusively that “the game was not worth the candle.” It toek ninety spider threads to equal in strength one silk thread, and 180 to make a thread strong enough for sewing purposes. Moreover, it took twice as many spiders to produce a given quantity of silk. And to produce one pound of silk 28,000 cocoons would have been required. Reaumur recommended that spiders in warmer countries could be experimented on. This suggestion was carried out by the Abbe de Termeyer, in Brazil; he pursued his object for thirty-four years, but with very poor results. A few years ago an English manufacturer obtained some large tropical spiders, and kept them ip a room heated to a tempera- ture of 60 degrees; into this room he caused to slowly evaporate a liquid composed of chloroform, ether and alcohol. The result was far more favorable than that hitherto obtained, hut as the cost of the silk was nearly $150 per pound, it cannot be said that a spider silk dress is within the reach of all. —_—__-+ e+ —____ Stories of the Stage. From A. Chevalier's Memoirs, I will call him Brown—a great transpon- tine favorite, who sought fresh woods and pasture new in a West End theater. The night he parted from his old associates a call v.as posted on the notice board for .he entire company to 2ttend rehearsal the fol- lcwing morning. Next day the actors met, and forming a circle round the center of the stage, they all knelt down and respect- fully kissed the hallowed spot. No one had ever been able to get near it during Brown's engagement! The following anecdote has, we believe, been published before, but it may bear repetition: Encouraging—During my engagement at the old Court Theate7, a budding dramatist submitted to the late John Clayton a very, very bad play for persual. Clayton read, and returned it, with the following chare acteristic letter: ¥ y dear sir— ‘I have read your play— “Oh, my dear sir. “Yours truly, “JOHN CLAYTON.”