Evening Star Newspaper, March 7, 1896, Page 20

20 -THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1896-TWENTY-FOUR PAGE Ie everybody bought cheap shoes all the time the people would soon be a lot of acrobats, walking sm thelr hands, holding their crippled, tortured fect high im the afr to give them little rest. COMPORT 18 OUR HOBBY. Strange after talk- fng so much against cheap shoes that we would turn around and offer you a good, reliable Shoo for $8.50. Not strange, either, for it’s a $5 Shoe. $5.50 ts our price. Wilson, 929 F St. —tis up to date. He is, perhaps, avail- ing himself of all the modern improve- ments. His store is lighted by electric ity and yours by gas. How can you ex- pect to compete with him? Every live, Progressive store is lighted by electricity. Look into it. U. S. Electric Lighting Co., 214 14th st. "Phone 77. fe29-20d a Gray Hair A thing uf the covery is used. past when Nattan’s Crystal Dis- Guaranteed to restore grar or faded hair to tts natural color in 3 to 19 day. — positively rot a dye. Stops the hair from falling out, arrest dandruff and makes the nicest dressing for the — one can be Ne PHARMAC Sent. express prepa’ on receipt of pri SURE TO ison. No sedinent. Soe ROLE Thousands of Washing- In the next two weeks, a led by La itles of Cold, Consumption, ‘They can surely be “shown out’ ihe, prompt use of Trinclea CREAM Emulsion. Physicians prescribe it, patients are cured ides md it never makes you sick or the throat."" No Cod Liver Oil. Most druggists Keller Pharmacal Co., Sell Trinolea. Baltimore, Md. fe22-Im ‘comes Up cXxueeEeE EOS PIECES OF 0 D D FURNITURE —Several Parlor Suites—and Bed Room Suites—China Closets—Rockers; &c., re- maining from our great clearing sale will be sold to first comers this week BELOW COST AND ON . CREDIT! When these are GONE— the sacrifice is at an end. 250 of the newest and hand- somest spring patterns in Baby Carriages have just ar- rived—patent wheel brakes —metal or rubber tires—all prices—from $5 to $50. Your credit is good—ALWAYS —no notes or interest. Car- pets made and laid free— no charge for waste in matching figures. Grogan’s MAMMOTH CREDIT HOUSE, 819-821-823 7TH STREET N.W., mb2-Sid EET. H AND I STS. SITS le fe le, is, \e le, le oS le f . eeeeseseeeee OO TITTT SST TTS TS xm3 To the Capital Visitor. Particular, and for sale by John C. Parker, 617-19 7th St. N. W. sa-168 Why do you employ a guide by the day, when for 23 cents you xan get the Standard Guide to Washington? Complete in eve:y to obtain foot ease is e the cause by wearing Georg s’ Pat. Shields. At leading druggists and PROF. J. J. GEORGES & SON, Chiropodists 1115 Pa. ave. 8 to 6 p.m. Sundays, 9 to 12, fe27-1d NOLA Se. CIGAR. THERE IS by every first cliss desler. XRD & €0.. 25 Pa. ave. Bw, Wholesale Depot. Rosemary Balm cts Quickly. Doesn't take long to make the skin soft-and white, no matter how badly it may be chapped. It’s sooth- ing and healing—and delightful article to use. ONLY 25e. BOTTLE. (‘Scheller & Stevens, fom", {COR_ 9TH_AND PENNA. AVE. inh6-200 ed wines. the plain juice of ripe “‘imuseat"’ grape — a marvelous ton- Grape ce Juice," wiseé SOC. TO-KALON Wine 614 14th St. *Phone 998. Co., mb6-20d Great Reduction In Hair. Switches, $2.50, formerly $5.00. Switches, 00, ee! 00. Switches » 00, rly fuey Switches ye $150. 16.30. i © in Hair tof purest 0 unferment- ust mn'S. HELLER’S, 220 7th Street N. W. We Want Buyers oe SWITCHES. REAT REDUCTIONS: Switches at $150. 1.00 Switches at Eo .00 Switches at a SICCARDI’S, Til ITH ST. N.W. Next door to Palais Royal 0¢12-Gm, 14 Pa eee woe LUCK OF THIRTEEN Opinions of Police Officers, Fire Fighters and Railroad Men. COMFORT FOR THE SOPERSTITIOUS Some Curious Stories, Which May Be Believed or Not. 2 AS ANY OTHER NUMBER S THIRTEEN AN unlucky number? This question was lately addressed to a large number_of railroad, army, navy, police and fire de- partment authorities, and many replies have been received and classified. Al- though several in- stances of apparent: fil-luck following the number when it ap- Pea:s In a street number or on a police- man’s or fireman's badge are reported, the net result of the inquiry is a black eye for superstition. ry Only one man confesses to any belief in it himself, and very few report. instances of such belief on the part of subordinates. In several cases thirteen seems to have been unlucky, but in at least as many the number is regarded as a lucky one—which is a counter superstition with a vengeance! A fair sample of the letters received is *hat of Melvin Beal, chief engineer of the Lawrence, Mass., fire department, who writes: “I was about twenty-seven years in the military service of the state and nation, over sixteen years as colonel of the sixth Massachusetts regiment, and I have been connected nearly forty years with the Lawrence fire department, and I recall only one case where No. 13, or any man or thing connected with that number, could be mentioned. In this case No. 13 man got his foot cut by an ax falling on. it, but I have had other men having other numbers hurt, and one man killed that was No. 81. To my mind, all such talk {s simple folly, and the myre any one indulges himself in it the more he thinks there is something to it. I can find enough to do where I know there ts some good to come from it, without troubling myself with anything of that kind.” The president of B. Fire Company of Richmond, Va., declares that, as he is “‘the recognized ‘crank’ on such matters as you refer to, I will answer with the latest co- incidence. “My board were to assemble on the 13th day of November, 1895, to purchase a hook and ladder, which cost $1,300. An alarm of fire interrupted us from box 39, which, di- vided by the ominous number 3, makes 13. The fire—the most disastrous of the year— was the Randolph box factory, Nos. 1313 and 1315 Franklin street. The building was exactly thirteen years old, and it re- quired thirteen pieces of apparatus thirteen hours to extinguish said fire. The alarm box was on the corner of 13th and Frank- In streets, and across the street two large windows, Nos. 1321 and 1323, were located, and the great heat destroyed every num- ber by melting the glass except the num- bers 13, which defiantly remained.” What the Record Shows. B. J. Dov.ning, fire cbief of Buffalo, re- ports four disastrous fires in that city on the thirtecnth day cf the month—November 13, 1887; November, 13, 1888; July 13, 1890, and April 13, 1893. If in nine years Buffalo has not had 120 fires, thirteen would seem to have had more than its share. But may- be it has. Chief Downing of Lyrn writes: “We had @ fire the 13th of last February, at which three men were killed and one died seventy- two hour: afterward from his injuries, and twelve were injured; but it would have been just che same if the fire had taken place on the 12th or 1th.” Chief Randlett of Newton, Mass, ex- presses a willingness to receive a check for $13 at any time. Fire Marshal Dennin of Grand Rapids has “no patience with the whim,” and has never observed that thirteen is unlucky. Chief Engineer Guthrie of Sacramento finds from his records that badge 13 is ap- parently a hoodoo, with a record of sus- pension, illness, and, in one case, a fatal shooting, for those who wore it. Engine company No. 13 of San Francisco lost three men by a fallirg ‘chimney at a fire two ,ears ago. Engine company No. 13 of New Orleans has been, according to Chief O'Connor, one of the luck-est and most efficient in the city for more than half a century. Mr. O'Con- nor has noticed that marriages solemnized on the 13th of the month have turned out well. Chief Mullin of the Birmingham, Ala., fire department lives in a house numbered 1913, has fire horses weighing as near 1,300 pounds as possible, and regards alarm box 132, from its location and record, as the Jonah. Mr. Mullins adds: “No; I am not superstitiovs about thirteen, but will not start on a trip on Friday.” Superintendent C. C. Starkweather of De- troit gives this interesting bit of history: “In looking up badge No 13 we find that it has had the following history since 1882: On January 10, 1882, it was given to a new patrolman, who gave it up September 3, 1883, being requested to resign for making an improrer arrest. He had been three times on trial before the board of commis- sloners for drunkenness and other offenses for which he had to be disciplined. We next find it in commission October 17, 1883, when it was carried just thirteen days, and agair turned in by the officer, who re- signed November 1. From November 30 of the same year until May 19, 1886, it was carried by a patrolman who only turned it in on being premoted. The patrolman who carries it now was appointed June 29, 1886, and while he has been involved in no very serious trcuble, he has been in ‘hot water’ nearly all the time. One or two officers have paled waen presented with the badge, and cn one or two occasions it has been exchanged for another on request of the recipient.” Chief N. N. Murphy of Bay City, Mich., reports that “Patrolman No. 13 of our city was very unlucky, was befdre the board twice, and was at last dismissed. And the house at the corner of 13th and Frazer Streets has always been a-scurce of trouble to the department for the last eighteen years, no matter who lived there.” «Very curious is the report of Chief Kel- logg of Sioux City: “I have never had any unusual experience with No. 13, although the man who used to wear badge No. 13 got into several little scrapes, and finally wanted me to let him wear a badge of an- other number, and he is now getting along all right.” Tale of a Hoodoo Star. The most startling story of the lot is that of Marshal of Police Morgan of Dubuque, Towa. In that city it seems there are some curious facts connected with number thir- teen. tar No. 13 was worn by Officer Dan McClain, who was drowned in March, 1895, while trying to save a team that broke through the‘ice. His body was recovered late in the fall and identified by a fisherman near Belview, thirteen miles south of this city by star No. 13, which was on the badge. This star was given to Officer Talcott, who was murdered in the Cc. M. and St. P. yards along with his part- ner, Frith, by Robert and Haley, now serv- ing life sentences. The star was given to Officer Samuel Elmer, who died from can- ‘cer on his lip. It was then given to Officer John Hoffman, and on July 13, 1895, while attempting to board an electric car, he slipped and fell, the car mangling his arm so badly that it was amputated. This star has been called the hoodoo star, and when mayor appoints a new man who I think will not fill the bill I present him ii? star No. 13 and he resigns immediate- Even this star is a lucky one for the marshal, if he’ can scare off incompetent men with it! Shocking is the tale of badge 13 of Scran- ton, Pa., as briefly reiated by Chief 8{mp- scn. One officer who wore It only two years and a half was so formed (by its ma- died, 6 W. Buckley wee tha frst men to 4 ~ Bu was irst man to Wear star No. 18. He was discharged June 18, 1892, for neglect of duty. The star then passed to Jim Edwards, who was clubbed and nearly killed on election day. Jim Nes- bit then wore the star, and on November 1892, was dismissed for cause. The star was taken by Osmond Olson, but he re- signed because of ill fortune. George Wulf then pinned the star on, and his revolver Went off and removed a section of his heel. Wulf turned in the star. Jim Salmond took it, and his hand was so badly hurt he had to lay off, but he stuck to the star. When he returned to work he fell from a car and |* ‘was compelled to lie on his back for days. Railroad Men Laugh at It: There is little trace of the thirteen super- stition to be found among the railroad men. ‘The Poughkeepsie bridge route. had some trouble with engine 13 on the 13th day of the month, but it frightened no one. A. J. Cross, general manager of the C., B. and Q., cheerfully responds: “I was born on the thirteenth day of the month, am over half a hundred years old, alive and well. When a creditor owes me $12 I am always ready to accept thirteen in full payment, or match thirteen men till I win $13. Vice President and General Manager Morsewate of the Arkansas Pass, recalls that when a boy he was one of thirteen to divide twelve oranges with disastrous re- sults to the* thirteenth, but the number is gcod enough for railroading. Genera®Man- ager Stickney of the Chicago Great West- ern writes: “We have an engine 13, which hus been in the service several years and also a train 13. I have never heard any ecmplaints regarding the engine that are different from any of the other engines; while the train is an exceptionally good paying one.” W. J. Murphy, superintendent of the Cin- cinnati division of the Cincinnati, New Or- leans and Texas Pacific, writes, however, as follows: “Locomotive engineers, as a class, are superstitious with reference to number 13; but in talking this matter over with some cf the men, not one knew of anything that had ever occurred upon which to base his notion of bad luck in this connection. My attention has just been called to the fact that engine 548 broke a side rod on the 13th of February, and I am told that on the Same date there were seven wrecks on the Norfolk and Western.” J. P. McCuen, superintendent of motive pewer on the same line, calls attention to the accident which befell engine 313, which broke loose from her fastenings while being transfezred to the Louisiana side of the Mississippi river, and landed in forty feet of water. ————._—__ AVAL HOUSEKEEPING. When Jack Tar Isn't Drilling He's Often Cleaning Ship. From the Philadelphia Ledger. The cleaning and scrubbing necessary to keep our men-of-war in the beautiful con- dition one always finds them is done ac- cerding to a regular routine, only broken into by freezing weather or when coal is being taken on board. Five o’clock is the usual hour at which Jacky is roused from his slumbers, though it is sometimes half an hour earlier and sometimes half an hour later. At the stroke of the hour for “reveille’ the cheery notes of the bugle may be heard, and the stentorian voices of the masters-at-arms yelling In melodious cadence, “Turn out here, sleepers,” “Rise and shine,’ “Lash and carry,” or some other pet phrase calcu- lated to pierce the dull ear of the sleeping bluejacket. The men turn out of their hammocks, lash them up and stow them in the nettings where they belong. Twelve minutes are allowed for this. Eighteen minutes more are allowed for hot coffee and a smoxe, and then the pipe and voice of the boatswain's mate are heard in ‘Turn to,” at which smoking is stopped, and all hands proceed to carry out the morning orders, which are given by the officer of the Jeck. Monday morning the men scrub “clothes and “‘stop’’ or tie them on the clothes lines, running them from mast head ebliqucly to the deck. Blue clothes are put on one line and white on another. All must scrub and all must stop their clothes on the lines pro- vided. After clothes are scrubbed, the decks are scrubbed down, ladd=re and grat- ings scrubted and the dirty spots on the paint work washed off. i without much spare time up to 7:15, when “mess gear” is piped and the breakfast ta- bles are set. At 7:20 Jacky is piped to breakfast, and at 8:15 that everlasting “turn to” is heard again and more cleaning is immediately started. The brass work about the decks and forming part of the gun mounts fs all shined up until you could see your face, and tuen the decks finaly swept and cleared up for quarters at 9:40. This finishes the general cleaning, though the decks are swept about every two hours throughout the day. Where the dust and dirt comes from no one ever discovered, even on the old vessels which had no steam, but there it is and it must be swept away. Tuesday the decks are washed and the same general cleaning routine gone through, except that, on thg first and third Tues- days, the hammocks are scrubbed. Ham- . mocks are pieces of canvas about six feet by three, in which Jacky puts his mattress, pil- low and blanket, and hangs himself up to sleep. Wednesday clothes are scrubbed again, and on the first and third Wednesdays inat- tress covers are scrubbed, also the white bags in which the -lothes are kept. Thursday the boats are scrubbed ins:de and out, and all the oars, gratings, hooks, ete., are taken out and. th scrubbed. Friday clothes are again scrubbed, and then wind sails, sail covers and all adds and ends of canvas used iwhout the ship are scrubbed. A wind sail is a wide-mouthed canvas fun- nel used for throwing fresh air down cnto the lower deck. It is one of the few Liess- ings of life aboard ship. Saturday is the grand cleining day of the week. Every day the decks a: rubbed, sometimes with sand and some out, after the regular routine of scrubbing clothes, etc.; but on Saturday previous ef- forts at cleaning are outdone. ‘The decks are sprinkled with sand after being wet down, and then “‘holystoned.’” Each man takes a bottomed stcne, with a small hole in the top, and, jutting a gtick in the hole, monotonously pushes the stone back and forth over the deck. This produces a smooth, white surface. At the same time every bit of woodwork and paintwork is mercilessly scrubbed un- ul_not a speck of dirt appears arywhere. Every day, too, as a part of the regular cleaning, men ‘wash off any spots on the outside surface of the ship, touching up spots with white paint where ni and producing that effect by which our men-of-war are justly called “white ships.”” Sunday morning decks are wash: and everything polished up for the captain’s in- spection. This is a :inal culmination of the pent-up cleanliness of the ship, when ship and men, in all repects, look as if they had just come out of the bandbox to be looked at and admired. Jacky likes his housekeeping duties, too, and is as anxiovs as any one to see the ship clean in all its parts; and, as a ton- sequence, in spite of their crowded state, our men-of-war are exceptionally healthy. ——_~-e-+___ THE PRECISE MAN. He Advises His S. as to the Manner of Patt! on a Postage Stamp. From the New York Sun. “When you put a postage stamp on an envelope,” said a precise man to his son, “you should put it on square and true, in the upper right-hand corner, and as near as possible to the margin of the envelope. ‘You put it on at the right-hand corner for the convenience of the stampers in the Post office, so that it may be uniform in lo- cation with the stamps on other envelopes, and so more conveniently and expeditiously stamped; you should study the comfort of others as well as yourself. You should put it as near as possible to the corner, so that the canceling stamp will be less likely to deface, and so perhaps to obscure the ad- dress on the envelope. “You should put it on square and true because that is the methodical and proper way to do. Many persons are disturbed by the appearance of a stamp put on in a careless al iod manner. And I can easily imagine such a practice might work positive injury to you. You might have occasion to write to a man on a mat- ter of business that was of importance to you. You might compose and write this letter with faithful care, and set forth what you had to with commendable clearness and precision, and yet by ig on @ stamp carelessly; the recipient might judge you by the one slight act done naturally rather than by the Seer a ae “My son, ¥ 3 put stamp on color will grace envelo; face it.” Pe IN MUSICAL CIRCLES — Mra, Hearat’s Generpus Offer to Aid the Choral ‘Society. —* - —t—— Mr. Wm. B, King’ Now on the Board of Directors—Coming Concert of © the Capita} Glee Club. > The Choral Society: board of directors, at the regular meeting’ fast Wednesday even- ing felt much encouraged when Mr. Paul read a letter from Mrs. Heerst, in which she stated that she fully sympathized with the society in the misfortunes that had re- sulted from the two concerts this season, and offered to assist it to the extent of $260, provided the amount necessary to liquidate the present indebtedness, and to secure the performance of “Elijah,” which 1s now under rehearsal, can be raised by the soctety. The generous affer by Mrs. Hearst was fully appreciated, and it is be- Keved that the additional amount can be raised. Already subscriptions have been received from Mr. Wm. B. King, Mr. Gar- diner G. Hubbard, Rev. Dr. Garrigan, Mr. James M. Johnston and others, all of whom have, in forwarding their contribu- tions, expressed a warm interest in the so- ciety’s welfare and the objects which form the basis of its organization. These en- couraging expressions warrant the belief that all the assistance needed will be forth- coming. « M1. W. B. King, who is well known in musical circles, and who was connected with the- Choral Society us an honorary member ever since. its organization, has changed his form of membership to asso- ciate, and will hereafter take a more active interést in the affairs of the society. He has heen elected a member of the board of irectors, and his advice and business ex- perience will be of valuable essistance to} his associates. ‘The next concert to be given by the New Washington Military and Concert Band, of which Mr. Will Haley is the director, will take place at Allen’s Grand Opera House about the middle of April. Mr. Haley ex- pects to make this the crowning event of the season, A big concert is in preparation for the benefit of the Cathglic Church at Tenley- town, which will take place at the Lafay- ette Square Opera House April i2. The af- fair is under the control of Prof. Mariano Maina, who will be assisted by the choir of St. Patrick's Church, of which he is the director, and by other well-known singers. The first of the series cf concerts this searon by the Capital Glee Club will take place néxt Tuesday evening. The club will sing on that occasion seven numbers, as fcllows: Blie Bells of Scotland, by Coe; Kathleen Mayourneen, by Vogrich; Home, Sweet Home, Dudley Buck; Pilgrim Chorus, Wagner; Schubert Serenade; See Saw, E Cutter, jr.; The Mill Wheel, Macy. Mrs. Gardner end Prof. Cloward will sing solos, and a ladies’ quartet from the Rubinstein Club will assist, as will also a sextet from both clubs. This club, under the direction of Prof. Cloward, has done some good work in the past, and an enjoyable entertainment at the coming concert is anticipated. Mr. T. Williams-Pearman, the English tenor, who is the precentor at the Church of the Covenant, will, in conjunction with Miss Jean Wilson of New York, give a dramatic and musical recital at Masonic Temple the 27th instant. Miss Wilson has quite a reputation as'a dramatic reader, and Mr. Pearman’s ability as a singer well known. Mr. B. Frank Gebest will b the pianist on that occasion. The excellent werk which this gentleman did at Miss Cluss’ recital stamped him as a thorough artist, and he wilf always receive a warin welcome. The musicale by ‘Prof. H. C. Rakemann’s pupils will be held at the Universalist Church next Friday evening. There will be three numbers for string orchestra, one quartet for violins, and several solo num- bers. Altogether the program will be ex- tremely interesting, Mr. Rakemann played in Richmond Thursilay night for the Mozart Association and scored an instantaneous Success. His reception was enthusiastic, and the press comments were flattering in a high degree. He gays that Prof. Leo Wheat is as popular as ever in that city, and that a number of His new compositions are’ quite the rage there. = Prof. Fanciulli has’ written a march wich he calls the Florida Special that is having quite a run, and a new song, entitled “Lil- lian’s Bye-Bye,” the words and music by John H. Clarke,and arranged by Emile Mori, is meeting with good success. yee ae PHYSICIAN AND BUCCANEER. Dr. Dover of Powder Fame Discovered the Original of Robinson Cruxce. From the Medical Record. In an address delivered before the His- terical Club of Johns Hopkins University Dr. Wiliiam Osler gives an account of Dr. Thomas Dover, whose name has passed down to posterity in connection with pulvis ipecacuanhae compositus. There are few physicians who have not prescribed Dover Powders, but there aré, we think, still few- er who know much, about Dr. Dover, and, especially, who know that he was at one time a successful buccaneer and discov: Alexander Selkirk of “Robinson Crusoe fame. Dr. Dover was born in Warw shire, about 1660, and was probably a stu- dent of Sydenham's. After taking his de- gree, he settled in Bristol, and, having made some money, joined with some other merchants in a_privateering expedition. Two ships were fitted out, and Dover went as third in command, being styled ‘Capt. Dover.” He sailed to the Spanish Main, and in 1709 arrived at the island of Juan Fernandez. There Capi. Dover went ashore, and discovered. the sole occupant of the island to be a Scottish sallor named Alex- ander Selkirk, who had been left there alone four years and four months before. Selkirk was taken off and made an officer on one of the ships. ‘The expedition after- ward sacked the two cities of Guayaquil, Dover leading in the assault. They took a number of prizes, and cruised about the coast from Peru to California. They then sailed across the Pacific and reached Eng- land in 1711. The expedition was very suc- cessful, realizing the enormous sum of $850,000, of which Dr. Dover received a con- siderable part. After his return home Do- ver traveled again somewhat, but finally went to London. His most famous book is one known as “The Ancient Physician’s Legacy,” published in 1733. ‘This was a popular treatise on medicine, and was in- tended, apparently, to get practice for the author. ——__+e+___ JOSEPHINE’S EXTRAVAGANCE. Even the Emperor Napoleon Was Bothered by Dressmakers’ Bills. From the Century. = On his return Napoleon had found Jose- phine’s extravagance to be as unbounded as ever; but he couldenot well complain, because, although for the most part frugal himself, he had this time encouraged lay- ishness in his family. Still, it was not agreeable to have dressmakers’ bills flung Into his carriage when driving in state with his consort, and’ on .one occasion he sent an unprincipled but clever milliner to the prison of Bicetre for having disobeyed his orders in furnishing her wares to the empress at exorbitant prices. The person was so indispensable to the court ladies, however, that they crowded htr cell, and she was soon released. ' ces. Heresy in Chicago. From the Indianapolis Journal. The Studious Son—“Daddy, did you know the sun rises about'an hour earlier in Phila- delphia than it does here The Chicago Fatker-“How did you git that fool notion?” “Learnt it at school.” “If they are teaching at school that Philadelphia is an hour ahead of Chicago, I guess it is time you were took out of there and put in the store.” ee. Seemed Sufficient. Frpm the Philadelphia Record. Mrs. Tono—‘So you're going to send your Gaughter to Wesleyan. Why not Vassar?” Mrs. Update—“The Vassar colors don’t become her. Dangerous, From the Detroit News. Daughter (home from boarding school)— “Say, maw, city arrays “their table i mn > Sa ae kell I Set mk Gag, be afeared of cuttin’ their mouths.” ~~ ~~ CURIOUS FIGURES. Some Ingenious Methods of Making Remarkable Calculations, From the New York Herald. Are you a bookkeeper or a bank clerk? If you are, it is ten to one that you don’t know the peculiarities of those things with which you juggle daily in your business— namely, numbers. They are certainly very “freaky” things, and the average lay math- ematician knows not half the mysteries of which they are possessed, although amus- ing dissertations concerning them are seem- ingly without end. To begin, there is a method of subtracting the sum of several numbers from the sum of several other numbers without adding each sum separately. First make this table: 162,003, Let it he supposed to suntract all the amounts below the iine at B from all those above it at A. Add all the figures in the first lower column B, which will make 14, and subtract their sum from the next hig! er number of tens, or 20. Add the remain- der, 6. to the corresponding column above at A, and the total will be 23. Write down at the bottom, and because there were here two tens, as before, there is nothing to he reserved or carried. In a like manner add the figures of the second column in B, which will amount to 9, and this taken from 10 will leave 1; add 1, therefore, to the sec- ond column of the upper numbers, the sum of which will be 20; write down a cipher at the bottom, and because there were here two tens, while in the lower column there | was but one, reserve the difference and subtract it from the next column of num- bers, marked B, before you begin to add. In the contrary case--that is, when there are more tens in any one of the columns mark@ B than in the corresponding col- umn above it—the difference must be added. | In the last place, when tt happens that the difference cannot be taken from the next column below for want of more significant figures, as the case here in the fifth column, it must added to the upper one and the whole sum written below the line. By pro- } ceed:ng in this manner the above result 5s | obtained, and it will be found invariably correct. Any schoolboy who has passed multiplica- tion in his arithmetic knows that to multi- | ply a number by ten it is only necessary to | add a ciphers by one hundred, two cipher and so on. Hence it follows that to mul ply by five itds only necessary to suppose a cipher added and divide by two. Thus, if P it were required to multiply 127 by five, with a cipher added you have 1,270, which, divided by two, equals 635, the product re- quired. In a like manner, to multiply any number by twenty-five, two ciphers must be added, or first assume that the: number has been muit plied by 100, then divide by four. Ac- cording to the same principle, to multiply by 125 it will be necessary to add three ciphers and divide by eight. The multiplication of any number by eleven may be reduced to simple addition. Let the number to be multiplied by eleven be 67,583. The whole process may be re- duced to the following few strokes of the pencil: 67,583 743,413 Just say three and cipher make three; write down three in the units’ place; then add eight and three, which make eleven; write down one in tens’ place and carry one; then add five, and e‘ght and one car ried make fourteen; write down four in hundreds’ place, and carry one. Continue adding every figure to the next following ore, until the operation is finished. ‘The same number may be multiplied in a like manner by 111 by first writing down the three, then the sum of eight and add three, and so on. Multiplying by niae may be reduced to simple subtraction. Take, for example, the Same number—7,583. The orly figures nec- essary are these: 67,583 (608,247 After a cipher is added to the end, sub- tract each figure from that which precedes it, commencing at the right. Continue in this manner, taking care to borrow ten when the right-hand figure is too small. These are some of the tricks of lightning calculators. It is not hard to learn these various systems, and the peculiarities of each number, and when a man gets them thoroughly iuto his head, he is able to do scme things apparently marvelous. To determine the divisibility of numbers is perhaps one of the tantalizing things mathematicians have to deal with. The fol- lowing properties are useful: Any number is exactly divisible by four if its two right-hand figures are exactly divis- ible by four. When the sum of the digits of any num- ber is exactly divisible by three, so is the number itself. Any even number is exactly divisibie by six which is exactly divisible by three. If the last three figures of a number are exactly divisible by eight, so is the number itself. Any rumber is divisible by twelve which is divisible by three and four. A SCARED POLITICIAN. Congress Did Not Take Him Into Its Confidence. From the New York Recorder. George Drake, the well-known mountain detective, who has spent much of his time in the mountains of eastern Kentucky on missions attending his profession, is au- thority for the following amusing story, which he claims was an actual occurrenc “In Letcher county,” says Captain Drake, “there is a stretch of country about fifteen miles square where the ignorance of the natives is astonishing. In the winter of '94 I had occasion to travel through this coun- try, being on the lookout for moonshiners. Riding along one afternoon I chanced to stop in a blacksmith shop—the only one for miles around—to have a thrown shoe re- placed. The blacksmith who fitted the shoe, I learned later, was the intellectual giant of that section. His fame among his fel- lows was due to the fact that he could read a newspaper. As he hammered away at the horseshoe a lanky specimen of the mountain type rede up, and, after greeting us with ‘evenin’,’ secured his horse, and took a seat upon a broken plowshare in the shop. After sitting in ‘silence for some minutes chewing a ponderous quid of to- bacco, spitting at intervals and eyeing me the meanwhile, he offered the question: “‘Sam, have yer paper cum yit?’ ‘ome yisterday,’ replied Sam. ‘Is them fellers still up ter Congress? “Yes.” “Wut hev they er dun this trip, Sam?’ “A few moments’ hesitation, and then, with a wink over his shoulder at me, Sam responded: ““Why, Iry, they dum fools hes made tew more months ter ther year, and them tew is winter months.’ ““By durn!’ ejaculated Iry, ‘en me en Hirum is a both short er fodder, tew.’” —-+e+—_____ On Sale in the Vestry. From the Westminster Gazette. A curate once was intrusted by his vicar, who was rather deaf, with the delivery of two notices, which were to be given out in | @ certain order. -Unfortunately, the curate forgot what he had been told, and reversed the notices, which related to baptism and new hymn books. The curate began on the hymn books, stating that in future a new form of hymn book would be used in the service of the church. He then passed on to baptism, and said that the clergy had noticed with sorrow that more parents did not bring their children to be baptized. All parents should bring their babies to church to be baptized at the earliest opportunity. “And for the benefit of those who have none,” remarked the vicar, who thought the notice just given out referred to the hymn boc! “I may mention that they may be purchased in the vestry after backs, 1s. 6d.; limp backs, 1s.” ————_+es. Well Described. From the Chicago Post. 3 “Do you know Bilk?” a “Know the infernal scoundrel! Why Bervice—stift “Ah! I-see you dc know him.” Evidence. From Trath. Husband (in the early dawn)—“It-must be time to get up." : : ‘Husband—“Baby has just fallen asteep. * 2 Ps Spring Suits To Order, S20. The spring season opens here Monday by the offering of a special lot of New En-+ glish Suitings to order at the “special price” of... 3 $25 You know our Tailoring. The equal of these ~:___Suits would cost you $30 and $35 elsewhere! G. Warfield Simpson, Merchant Tailor, 12th & F Sts. Stee WOLF CHILDREN, How They Come to Live Jungle. From the Badminton Magazine. A jemadar told me that when he was a} lad he remembered going, with others, to see a wolf child which had been netted. | Some time after this, while staying at an up-country place called Shaporeooundie, in | East Bengal, it was my fortune to meet an old Angio-Indian gentleman who had been in the Indian civil service for upward of thirty years, and had traveled about during | most of that time, and from him I learned all I wanted to know of wolf children, for. | he not only knew of several cases, but had actually seen and examined near Agra al child which had been recovered from the wolves. The story of Romulus and Remus, which all schoolboys and the vast majority ‘of grown-up people regard as a myth, ap-| pears in a different light when one stutlies the question of wolf children and ascertains how it comes to pass that boys are found living on the very best terms with such | treacherous and rapacious animals as | wolves, sleeping with them in their dens, | sharing thé raw flesh of deer and kids | which the she-wolf provides, and, in fact, leading in all essentials the actual life of a wolf. A young she-wolf has a litter of cubs, and | after a time her instinct tells her that they will reauire flesh food. She steals out at | night in quest of prey. Soon she espice a weak place in the fence (generally con- | structed of thatching grass and bamboos) | which incloses the compound, or “unguah,” | of a poor villager. She enters, doubtless in the hope of securing a kid; and while prowl- ing about inside looks into a hut where a woman and infant are soundly sleeping. In a moment she has pounced on the child, | and is out of reach before its cries can at- tract the villagers. Arriving safely at her den under the rocks, she drops the Little one among her cubs. At this critical time the fate of the child hangs in the balance. Either it will be immediately torn to picces | ard devoured, or in a most wonderful way | remain in the cave unharmed. In the event of escape, the fact may be accounted for in several ways. Perhaps the cubs are already | gorged when the child is thrown before them, or are being supplied with solid food before the!r carnivorous instinct is awaken: ed, so they amuse themselves by simply Hcking the sleek, oily body (Hindoo moth- ers daily rub their boy babies with some native vegetable oil) of the infant, and thus | it Mes in the nest, by degrees getting the odor of the wolf cubs, after which the mother wolf will nct molest it. In a little | time the infant begins to feel the pangs of hunger, and, hearing the cubs sucking, soon | follows their example. Now the adoption is complete, all fear of harm to the child | from wolves has gone, and the foster-moth- | er will guard and protect it as though it | were of her own flesh and blood. | Their mode of progression is on all fours —not, as a rule, on the hands and fect, but on the knees and elbows. The reason the | knees are used is to be accounted for by the fact that, owing to the great length of the | human leg and thigh, in proportion to the | length of the arm, the knee would natural- | ly be brought to the ground, and the instep and top of the toes would be used, instcad of the sole and heel of the almost inflexible | foot. Why the elbow should be employed instead of the hand is less easy to under- stand, but probably it is better suited to give support to the head and fore part of the boay. An interesting case of a wolf child was reported many years ago in “Chambers* Journal.” In the Etwah district, near the banks of the river Jumna, a bi as cap- tured from the wolves. This child was. af- ter a time, restored to his parents, who, however, “found him very difficult to man- age, for he was most fractious and troulsle- some—in fact, just a caged wild bea&t. Of- ten during the night fur hours together he would give vent to most unearthly yells and moans, destroying the rest and irritating the tempers of his neighbors, and generally making night hideous. On one occasion his people chained him by the waist to a tree on the outskirts of the village. Then a rather curious incident occurred. It was a bright moonlight night, and two wolf cubs (undoubtedly those In whose companionship he had been captured), attracted by his cries while on the prowl, came to him, and were distinctly seen to gambol round him with as much familiarity and affection as if they considered him quite one of them- selves. They only left him on the approach of morning, when movement and stir again arose in the village. This boy did not sur- vive long. He never spoke, nor did a single ray cf human intell’gence ever shed its re- fining light over his debased features.” Some 0: these poor waifs have been re- covered after spending ten or more years in the fellowship of wolves, and, though wild and savage at first, have in time be- come tractable in some degree. They are rarely seen to stand upright, unless to look around, and they gnaw bones in the man- ner of a dog, holding one end between the forearms and hands, while snarling and snapping at everybody who approaches too near. The woif child has little except its outward form to show that it fs a human being with a soul. It is a fearful and ter- rible thing, and hard to understand, that the mere fact of a child’s complete isolation from its own kind should bring it to such a state. of absolute degradation. Of course, they speak no language, though some, in time, have-learned to make known their wants by a few signs. When first taken they fear the approach of adults, and, if possible, will slink out of sight: but should @ child of their own size, or smaller, come near, they will growl, and even snap and bite.at it. On the other hand, the close proximity of “pariah” dogs or jackals is unresented, in some cases welcomed; for I we heard of them sharing their food with these animals, and even petting and fon- dling them. They have in time been brought on to a cooked-meat diet, but would always prefer raw flesh. Some have been kept alive after being reclaimed for as long as two years, but for some reason or other they all sicken and die, generally long before that time. One would think, how- ever, that, having undoubtedly robust con- stitutions, they might be saved if treated in a scientific manner and properly man- — A Wish. From Trath, After years of application, ‘With a master! touch acquired, 1 ) eastern shore Quakers. COURTING A QUAKER MAID. The xreement Entered Into by Twe Ardent Maryland B: The later assemblies of Annapolis, Marl- lorough and Chestertown were hardly more “In vogue” than the yearly meetings of the Their = curi quaintness, and the picturesgue contrast they presented to the radiant attire and Hie ertine manners of the world’s pe ople, who ininuetted and coquetted in manor houses, and caroused and ruffied in cockpits and bowling courts, drew Romanists and “Eng- lish Catholics” to the doors of their sober | conventicle, and filled its leafy approaches with profane chariots and chairs, and prance ing steeplechasers, and side-saddled pale freys. So it happened that to the yearly meeting held at Third Haven, near Talbot Court-house, in the year 1700, there came by opposite ways, through groups of booths erected by the graceless and irreverent for the sale of trumpery and tipple, a Quaker matden mounted on a pillion behind ker father, and two plumed and rapiered cava- ers gaily curveting. The wimpled maid, whose overcoming charms still bloom in tradition, was Sarah Covington of Somer- set, and the prancing cavaliers were the brothers Edward and Philemon Lloyd, sons of Madam Henrietta Maria aforesaid. Im- mediately the pretty lads, with a sudden equal passion, loved the wimpled maid, and yearned for her; and each conceived a cun- ring purpose, proper to the country and the time, and shrewdly held his peace. When the meeting was over, the brothers, each taking his cunning scheme in hand. mounted and galloped away, taking diffe ent ways; and they rode hard, laughing a they rode, for joy at their boyish artifice. After lingering for a while in places remote from the highway, where was no fear of discovery by any chance acquaintance, and So that the slower Quaker folk might have time to regain their homes, they rode on into Somerset—and met at their charmer'sa gate. First they swore, then they blush: sar then they laughed loud and long. -Phi “Let her be for whichever, you or L ae see her first,” and Ned, the elder and heir, assented. Then said Phil: vet “No sooner had I taken my place in the meeting than I beheld the girl, and loved er.” “I passed the night before the meeting at the ‘Peach-Blossom’ farm, and at the fcot of the hill, turning into the Sate at the water mill, I saw this girl on a pillion behind her father, and they inquired = way to the meeting house; and I ioved er.” Then Phil rode back to Talbot, and Ne@ dismounted at the ee, ge! Jed his horse to the porch. Thus, in }, Sarah Covington became the wife of the heir, and mistress of Wye House. She it was who, in 17 3, built with “English” brick the house of “Readbourne” in Queen Anne's county, that typical colonial mansion, still in excellent preservation, and showing an imposing pile. fitted with materials brought over from Engiand, where the noble hall and the broid stairway of the period confer a char- acteristic distinction. —_-e-+___ He Saw His Duty. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Mizzle—“How did you happen to join th Independent Rifles?” Fizzle—“To avoid jury duty.” Mizzie—“They tell me you resigned just as _200n ar there was a prospect of war.” Fizzle—"That was because I felt con= vineed no good citizen should shirk the de- mands of the jury box.” THE MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK RICHARD A. MCCURDY Presipent STATEMENT For the year ending December 31 1895 Asets i = $899,074,453 78 Net gain in 1895 - $61,647,645 36 Notr—Insurance merely written is discarded from this Statement as wholly misleading, and only insurance actually ‘issued and paid for in is included. I have carefully examined the foregoing States ment and find the same to be correct = = ‘Cuances A. Pretier Auditor From the Surplus a dividend will be apportioned 9s usual Report of the Examining Committee (Office of The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York & February 12, 1896 At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of this ‘Company, held on the r&th day of December last, the undersigned were appointed a Committee to system, order, and accuracy with which the ac- counts and vouchers have been kept, and the business in general transacted. ROBERT A. GRANNISS Vict-Preowext ‘Warrez R. Guerre General Manages Isaac F. Luov> ad Vice-President Freperic Cromwett ‘Treasurer Bory McCunrrock Actuary 0. F. BRESEE & SONS, Branch Office, Pca F St. N.W., Washington, D.C,