Evening Star Newspaper, May 16, 1896, Page 16

lu T HE EVEN NG STAR, SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1896-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. BRADDOCK" KEY OF ALL KEYS Mr. Hugh T. Taggart Dissects the Tradition of Braddock’s Rock. ASSERTS THAT HE DID NOPLAND THERE Shows Where the Troops Probabl Disembarked. OF HISTORIC INTEREST N THE YEAR 1791, when the surveys were being made for the plan of the pro- d federal capi- a luge rock rmed t of the ore the Poto- id stood pa of mae rive! about midway be- 21 the points re 23d and 25tn i$ met its wa- ters. ‘This rock was of considerable length, and it rose sufficiently kigh above the surface of the river to make it a pic- turesque and lands: One able distance in portion of it extended out into the river, present the appearance of a wharf lanain place; to this cireumstan to the further that there y reat depth of water at fact that the rock, must be attributed the it received from the first set- Uuers the name of “The Key of all Keys,” th: the quay of all quays, or the greai- est of all landing places. By that name it had t me known soon after the arrival of the first Maryland colonists in the year Ui by whom it was christened we know not, and history also leaves us tu inferen¢ and conjecture as to the extent to which i $ use or the purposes of which its ive. neiently t is, described as “a large at and in the river Potomak, called the Key of ail Keys, arded as an imnerisha it lecame an important boun- ¥ mark for lands in its vicinity. One of the earliest grants made by colonial s of “The Mite,” which was patented in the year 1685 to William Langworth, as the son and heir of John Langworth, upon a certificate dated as early as the year 1661. This certificate states that a survey nad Leen made of the tract, and both it and the atent give a “cedar tree” as its beginnin in after years, however, it seems to have been settled that the tract had for its b ginning the rock known as “The Key of all Ke and this w: accepted starting point in the year 1 It was doubtless in- tended to grant to Langworth, senior, tract of land in this vicinity, but ft is im- pessible to read the ridiculous errors of geography perpetrated in the description of the land given in the so-called certif of survey without coming to the conclu that the lines of the tract were not run on the grouad at all. Peter's Hill. A large portion of the 600 acres included in the grant for “the Widow's Mite’ fell within the limits of the city of Washington; the tract extended from the river side in the form a parallelogram in a north- the in this section is that westerly direction beyond the present northern boundary of the city, and the western boundary line of the tract nearly bisected one of the reservations made for public purposes by the government author- ities, of land within the limits of the c namely, the reservation bet E ts, having E street for a nor and the river for the south; this space, calle -eter’s Hill,” was inte by the founders of the city the site of fort and barracks; it ¥ later determined to locate upon it tiocal university, toward which President Washington contributed w ered to be a “liberal pecuniary donation, vf fifty shares in the Potomac Company, ged in an effort (which proini of the rive (and co’ throug the v By the r to a point far above the city lent to the western wa construction of canals around , the remeval of rocks, etc. ent it was expected that the rising empire west of the would be attracted to the Po- During the war of 1S12 the militia ped upon it, and Gen. Williams had hi adquarters, from which it be- known as “Camp Hill.” A naval ob- vatory rected upon the site. ‘The “Key of all Keys” had an undisturbe itil the year 1794; the comm f the city, who were then engag. ion of the Capitol and other ldings, were embarrassed in that at would be called in this day a in foundation stone; they say in er to the President, dated December the price was risen upon us, nor could we lal orm a new contract or get an ola one renewed to our satisfaction.” They were indebted apparently to the “Key of all Keys” for relief, for in the game letter they announce “a discovery of found: stone” at that place which they expected would prove to be valuable, and say that they had I who was then exten iy engaged in building on his own account, have the use of a part of It. The quarry was w the corner” a let ed at their joint ex- of stone for the Capitol hecame inst through the neglect of its managers upon Cornelius McDeriott Roe,under whom the work at the Capitol was progressing, took charge of the quacry and thereafter operated it upon the public account alone. The Rock of Today. The opening of this quarry no doubt re- sulted in the disfigurement of the appear- ance of the ancieat .ock, and by the con- struction of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, in 1882 and 18%3, it was completely demol- ished. The tow path of the canal was con- structed beyond the line of the rock, and in the channel of the river. This left the rock in the bed of the canal, and its removal was accomplished by blasting. The only ves- tiges of it now remaining are thred small ledges, which are still visible on what was formerly the berm bank of the canal. The place is now a dumping ground, filled with ashes, tin cans, broken glass, mounds of dirt everywhere and other unspeakable de- bris and refuse of a highly civilized com- munity. On the occasion of a visit to the spot by the writer a few days ago a greatly inebriated individual was stretched at length upon one of the ledges of the historic rock. profoundly engaged in slesping off the ef. fect of his potations. The continued use of the spot as a dumping ground will in a very short time result in the total obliteration of even the remnants of the rock which are now visible. The construction of the canal, followed by the reclamation of the flats, ef. fected an extraordinary change in the original shore of the river at this point. The t was consid- | 'S ROCK. shore line is now upward of a quarter of a | mile distant from the spot where the tide formerly ebbed and flowed. Interest In the old rock has been revived recently through the action of the local society of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. It has long been a tradition in this community that the army of General Braddock, to which the father of his country in his youth was attached as an aid-de-camp to the general, landed there and encamped on the Observatory It was adverted to by so eminent an authority in matters of history as the late Peter Force; and George W. Hughes, civil engineer and superintendent of the Long bridge, in a report to the Secretary of the Treasury, dated January 30, 185, makes this statement: “It is matter of history that General Braddock disembarked at a rock, which still bears his name, near the glass house, from a sloop-of-war, on his unfor- tunate expedition against the French and Indians in 1755." Only a Tradition. Upon the assumption that such was the faci, the society determined that it would be proper to mark the spot in a way to commemorate the event. The assertion or assumption that Braddock and his army landed on this rock in their progress west- ward from Alexandria can be established by no contemporary record and has to sus- tain it ro basis of authentic fact; it has not the force even of probability to support it. The rock was undoubtedly there at the time, and might have been utilized by the expe- dition as a landing place had it been re- quired by the necessities of the occasion. It is a graceless task to destroy the ro. mantic legend, but the undoubted facts of history are utterly incons'stent with such a movement by Braddock’s army, as will be readily seen from a review of the local Situation at that time and of certain facts connected with the army which have been preserved. In the valuable contribution to the hi tory of the Potomac valley by our fellow townsman, William H. Lowdermilk, en- Utled “The History of Cumberland,” and in another work by Winthrop Sargent, en- titled “The History of Braddock’s Expedi- tion,” will be found all the information extant in re; to the causes which led up to the expedition and of its movements on this continent. Mr. Lowdermilk’s work contains the “Orderly book" of Gen. Brad- dock, printed from the originals in Wash- ington's handwriting, which are in tl Library of Congress; and that of Mr. Sai gent contains the journals of Capt. Orme, and of the seamen detailed by the Bri admiral to accompany the expedition. The story of the expedition, apart from local incic and associations, is one of the most interesting chapters In American history. The French being in possession of Canada and of the country at the mouth of the Mississsipp!, and claiming the intervening territory by right of discovery, began the struggle “for the mastery of the continent,” by establishing forts at Niagara and Crown Poini, and attempting to establish a chain of posts along the Ohio and Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Their aggressive move- ments were viewed with alarm by the British colonists aloug the Atlantic sea- board, by whom the French pretentions were denied, but the efforts of the colonists at resistance were feeble and without su: cess; the French reached the junction of the Ohio and Mononganela, the site of the present city of Pittsburg, and captured a small detachment of Virginians, who were engaged there in the erection of a fort; they then erected a fort at the spot, to which was given the name Du Quesne, in honor of the governor general of Canada. A movement under the command of Wash- ingtcn culminated in disaster, and after the British flag was struck at Fort Neces- sity, and Washington's Ittle army retired, “the lilies of France floated over every fort, military post and mission from the Alleghanies to the Mississippi.” The English Aroused. ‘The government of Great Britain became aroused, and money was appropriated by parliament to defray the expenses of an expedition having for its object the restora- tion of English power on the continent. On September 24, 1754, Sir Edward Br: dock was commissioned by King George as general of all the troops to be sent to North America or raised there; under date of No- vember, 4, he received his instruc- tions from the king, which read in part as follo . We having taken under our Royal & serious corsideration the Representations of our subjects in North America, & ye present state of our colonies, in order to vindicate our just Rights and Possessions from all ercroachments, & to secure ye Commerce of our subjects, We have given direction yt Two of our Regiments of Foot now in Ireland, commanded by Sir Peter Halket & Col. Dunbar, & likewise a suita- ble ‘Train of Artillery, Transports and | Store Ships, together with a certain num- ber of our Ships of War, to convey the same, shall forthwith repair to North America. “2d. You shall immediately upon the re- ceipt of these our instructions embark on board of one of our Ships of War, and you shall proceed to North America, where you will take our said force under your command. And We having appointed Aug. Keppel, Esqr., to command ye Squad- ron of our Ships of War on ye American Station, we do hereby require & enjoin you to cultivate a good understanding & cor- respondence with ye sd Commander of our Squadron during your continuance upon ye Service with which you are now en- trusted. We having given directions ef ye like nature to ye sd Commander cf our Squadron with regard to his conduet & cor- respondence with you.” Braddock in Command. The king further directed that the com- plements of the two regiments of foot should be increased from 500 to 700 men each, by recruits to be enlisted in America, end that two other regiments of foot of 1,000 men each should be raised in the colonies, one of which should be under the command of Governor Shirley of Massa- chusetts, and the other cf Sir William Pepperill. Sir John St. Clair was ap- pointed deputy quartermaster general of the forces. Braddock was given the chief command in America upon the recommendation of the Duke of Cumberland, the British com- mander-in-chief, from whom he received further instructions enjoining him among other things, to constantly observe strict discipline in the troops, “and to be par- ticularly careful that they be not thrown into a panic by the Indians, with whom they are yet unacquainted and whom the French will certainly employ to frighten them.’ As shown by the sequel, this in- junction was not regarded by Braddock, for he was ambushed by the French and Indians on July 9, 1755, and his army de- stroyed. Walpole describes Braddock as a man “desperate in fortune, brutal in his be- havior and obstinate in his sentiments,” but “intrepid and capable.” Shirley de- scribed him as “‘a general most judiciously chosen for being disqualified for the service he is embarked in, in every respect.” Lowdermilk, in a review of his character, states that “he was fond of high living, convivial and prone to the laxity of morals that usually follows excess in those par- uculars. The ‘gaming table had its fa: cinations for him, and he was arrogant, unforgiving and intemperate. He was haughty, severe, reserved and full of self- importance, which qualities served on many occasions to make him greatly dis- liked. There was little of refinement in his nature, and he was brutal in hig treat- ment of those who invoked his resentment or dislike.” Landed at Alexandria. Braddock left England on the 2ist of De- cember, 1754, on the Norwich, Capt. Bar- rington, accompanied by the Centurion, the flagship of Commodore Keppel, and the Syren, Capt. Proby. The fleet which trans- ported the expedition to America consisted of the transports Anna, Halifax, Osgood, London, Industry, Isabel and Mary, Ter- rible, Fame, Concord, ‘Prince Frederick, Fishburn, Molly and Severn. There were also two ordnance ships, the Whiting and the Newall, the whole under convoy of two men-of-war, the Seahorse and Nightingale. Upon the arrival of the vessels in Hamp- ton Roads they were directed to proceed to Alexandria or Belhaven, where the troops disembarked and went into camp. . Sir John Sinclair advised the general that by making two divisfons of the troops Fort Cumberland on Willis creek (the site of the present city of Cumberland) might be reached with more ease and expedition. He proposed that one regiment with all the powder and ordnance should go by way of Winchester and the other regiment, with the ammunition, military and hospital stores, by way of Frederick, Md., and he assured the general that boats, batteaux, canoes and wagons were prepared for the service and also that provisions were laid in at Frederick for the troops. ‘These recommendations were approved and acted upon, and on the 9th of April, 1755, Sir Peter Halket, with six companies of the forty-fourth regiment, marched to Winchester, leaving Lieut. Col Gage with the other four companies to escort the artillery. Capt. Orme states that boats were not provided for conveying the stores to Rock creek and the general was obliged to press vessels and to apply to the commo- dore for seamen to navigate them, and that finally and with the greatest difficulty they were all sent up to Rock creek and an offi- cer with thirty men of the forty-eighth regiment was sent thither with orders to load and dispatch all the wagons as fast as they came in. At Rock Creek. The officer was directed to send a party with every division and to apply for more men as the others marched, “and all the boats from that part of the river” were ordered “‘to assist in transporting over the Potomack the forty-eighth regiment.” On the 14th a council was held at Alexandria, at which were present Gen. Braddock, Commodore Keppel, Gov. Shirley of Massa- chusetts, Lieut. Gov. Delancy of New York, Lieut. Gov. Dinwiddie of Virginia, Lieut. Gov. Sharp of Maryland and Lieut. Gov. Morris of Pennsyivania. On the 18th the forty-elghth regiment marched to Freder- ick, leaving thirty additional men with the officer at Rock creek. The business of the council being over, Capt. Orme states that the general would have set out for Frederick, but few wagons or teams were yet come to remove the ar- tillery. Of this he advised Sir John Sin- clair, and a few days thereafter set out for Frederick, leaving Lieut. Col. Gage and the four companies of the forty-fourth regi- ment with orders to dispatch the powder and artillery as fast as horses and wagons should arrive. At Rock creek the general called for a return of the stores and gave orders that such as were most necessary should be first transported. On April 11 a detachment of thirty sea- men from the fleet were provided with eight days’ provisions and ordered to pro- Appropriation, wt 4 eced on the morrow to Rock creek, eight miles, in the boats of the Sea Horse and Nightingale; in their journal it is recorded that they arrived at the creek at 10 a.m. of the 12th, and, finding Col. Dunbar there, | placed themselves under his orders; on the 18th they were employed in getting the regimental stores into wagons; the sltua- tion is said to have been pleasant, “but provisions and everything dear;” they be- gan the march at 6 a.m. of the 14th, and camped at 2 o'clock in the afternoon at the ordinary of Lawrence Owens, “fifteen miles from Rock creek and eight miles from the upper falls of the Potomack;” on the 17th they arrived at Frederick, which, although “rot settled above seven years,” it is said, bad “about 200 houses and two churches, one English and one Dutch,” and that the inhabitants, chiefly Dutch, were an “in- dustrious but imposing people.” Route of the Expedition. From the ‘Orderly Book” it appears that on April 7, 1755, Col. Dunbar’s regiment (the forty-eighth) was directed “to March at 6 o’clock on Saturday morning for Rock creek,” and “‘all boats on that part of the river near Rock creek are ordered to at- tend to carry the troops over.” The route of march was prescribed: To Rock creek, eight miles; to Owen’s Ordinary, fifteen miles; to Dowden’s Ordinary, fifteen miles; to Frederick, fifteen miles. It further appears from the “Orderly Book” that on April 8 an officer and thirty men were directed to remain at Rock creek “till all the stores of the train and hospital are put into the wagons,” and then ‘‘to march and form a rear guard for the whole,” that on April 9 two sergeants end twerty men were ordered to the creel “to reinforce the officer there;” on the 11th the fact is noted that boats had been pro- vided “to carry Col. Dunbar’s regiment's beggage to Rock creek;” the time of the march was postponed, and by the orders of April 25 the regiment were directed “to hold themselves in readiness to march by the 29th;” there is no entry for the 29th, but doubtless the regiment marched on that day agreeably to the orders; under Gate of the 28th are entered the final or- ders to Ensign French, the officer at Rock creek. Washington seems to have had no con- nection with the expedition, and did not accompany either of the columns on their march from Alexandria; his name is first mentioned in the orderly book on May 10, 155, at which time the army was encamp- ed at Fort Cumberland. The entry is as follows: “Mr. Washington is appointed aid-de-camp to his excellency General Braddock;” it was evidently after this that he entered the orders of a previous dato. The journals of Capt. Orme and the sea- men show that Braddcck did not accom- pany Col. Dunbar’s regiment when it marched to Rock creek, and, as has been indicated, Washington only became con- rected with the expedition after its ar- rival at Fort Cumberland, and was not with it on the march from Alexandria to Rock creek; they further show that the movement of the regiment was overland from Alexandria to a point somewhere on the Virginia side of the river nearly oppo- site Rock creek, from which it was trans- ported in boats to the Maryland side, and that the baggage was transported to Rock creek by water. Where the Landing Was Ma: It only remains to be determined whether the landing upon the latter side of the river of either baggage or men or both was made at “The Key of all Keys.” There is historical evidence, the authen- ticity of which is beyond dispute, and by which the question is settled conclusively in the negative, as to both baggage and men. By The act of the Maryland assembly which provided for the laying out of Georgetown was passed {In December of the year 1751; it recites that several inhabitants had rep- resented to the legislature that there was @ convenient place for a town on the Po- tomac river, above the mouth of Rock creek and “adjacent. to the inspection house.” As early as the year 1640 the colony had by its legislation provided for the inspec- tion of tobacco, and forbidden its export until it had been “viewed and inspected; the vestries of the different parishes were authorized to appoint the inspectors, and humerous warehouses were erected by in- dividuals near navigation, at which the to- bacco was collected and the inspections made. é On October 4, 1748, the vestry of Prince George's parish appointed Capt. Alexander Magruder, Messrs. Josiah Beall, John Clagett and Alexander Beall as the in- spectors for “George Gordon's warehouse at the mouth of Rock creek.” Georgetown was laid out around this warehouse; its site was known as the “Warehouse lot,” and upon it now stand the buildings of the Capital Traction Company, formerly the Washington and Georgetown city rail- road, which front on the south side of Bridge street near High street. These in- spection houses, at or near shipping points, became centers of trade, and the principal roads in their vicinity led to them and to the landing places. Went of the Creek. In 1751 the main roads leading to the site of the town-and Gordon’s warehouse were the road to Frederick and the road to Bla- densburg, the latter of which crossed Rock creek at the ford and just beyond the pres- ent P street bridge. The road to Frederick followed the river for some distance above the town, and vestiges of it seem still to re- main along the canal, near the present Cabin John bridge. The objective point being Frederick, it was along this road that the forty-eighth regiment of Foot merched; it could not be reached by any road from “The Key of all Keys” without ferriage over Rock creek, or by a circuitous route by way of the ford. It must, therefore, be assumed that the regiment crossed the river west of the creek, Since 1751 a great space has been reclaim- ed from the water on the Georgetown side of the creek, but when the town was laid out in that year its southeastern corner or boundary was very near the creek, and at a place called “Saw Pit Landing.” In when Braddock’s regiment passed, this land ing was still in existence. The map of Jefferson and Fry, published in 1777, was based on surveys made between 1748 and 1755; it shows Rock creek and a place on the Maryland side, about opposite the western end of Analostan Island, which bears the name of ‘“Magee's Ferry. All indications point to the road to the fer- ry landing on the Virginia side as the one traveled by the regiment in its march from Alexandria, from which transportation di- rectly across the river alone was needed to reach the road to Frederick; this road no doubt extended easterly to Saw Pit landing, which point would have been the most con- venient one for the landing of the baggage, and for this reason it may have been used for that purpose. Washington Landed There. It Is quite likely that Washington used this rock as a landing place while pursuing the occupation of his youth, in making sur- veys of lands along the Potomac for Lord Fairfax and others, er upon the occasion of a friendly visit to a Maryland neighber during the early days of his residence a Mount Vernon, but “The Key of all Keys’ had no assoctation with Braddock's exn dition beyond that of propinquity to one of its lines of march. Independently of this, however, the an- cient rock was a historic spot for the rea- sons which have been stated, and for the further reason that it became one of th boundary marks of a town laid out in 17¢ by Jacob Funk, under the name of Ham- burg. but which was more generally known as Funkstown, and which lost its identity When the federal capital was established, within whose limits the town was included. Although in the work of reclaiming the flats the shore ha’ been pushed far away from Its formertocation at this point, a pond has formed in a depression along the ledge of rocks, whfch constitute all that re- mains of “The Key of all Keys; the pond is mostly given over to such uses as frogs and small boys find for it; the writer recently observed one of the latter launch a toy boat Into this pond from one of the remnanis of the rock; the boat moved over the surface of the water in the most ap- Proved propeller fashion. Closer examina- tion of the boat showed it to be about twenty-two inches in length, of graceful outline, and that it was provided with a rudder and screw, which latter was worked by machinery; and inquiry developed the fact that the small boy, Master Willie Srib- ner, who owned it, was an exceedingly bright and intelligent specimen of his class, and that he was withal of an ingenious turn of mind; that he had cut the boat out of a@ solid block of wood, and supplied it With a rudder and screw, also of his- own manufacture, and that its motive power Was due to the works of a clock, which he had adapted to the purpose and introduced into its hold. The observer could not help making a mental contrast between the pastime of this boy and that of his pre- ecessor, the Indian small boy of the re- mote past, whose lessons in the art of nav- igation began and ended with his bark canoe; and a cogent reason for the failure of the latter to maintain himself in the struggle for existence, which was precipi- tated upon him by his white brother, was apparent. It is thought that the foregoing furnishes considerations of sufficient importance, even in this utititarian age, to require that the destructive hand of man be stayed, and that the remnants of the ancient and historic rock should be rescued from the oblivion with which they are threatened and their existence perpstuated as a me- morial of the past, and it 1s to be hoped that the city fathers may take this view and at once adopt such measures as may be necessary in the premises. If anything 1s to be done circumstances demand that it be done quickly, in order to save from an ashy grave what remains of “The Key of all Keys. HUGH T. TAGGART. —.+__ THE INSPIRED CAMP COOK. Things He Must Know to Make Life Pleasant for His Comrades. Outing tells about camp cookery, includ- ing the cook. The genuine camp cook is an artist in his way. The musician makes men hear things entrancing and the painter brings tears to the eyes, if inspired. The camp cook genius, by the very way in which he does his work, makes ten hun- ery. “The camp cook,” says the writer, “should take pride in the artistic handling of his utensils, particularly in the ability to keep half a dozen things going at once; he must keep already cooked things hot, and cook the uncooked things meantime. To do this he has got to understand the kinds of fire to have, whether large or small blaze, hot ashes or red-hot embers. He should also know how to get the most work at the least expenditure, of labor from his com- rades. Something, many cooks are lacking in is the way, to,keep camp dishes clean for cooking. An unwashed apple saucepan will serve to fry trout in, and give them a pleasant taste, but.an unwashed fish spider will scarcely serve to cook apple sauce in. In other words, the cook should know when and what to wash. —__— ++ Crookes Tabes on the Market. After a long series of careful observations, one of the principal electrical companies in the United States has decided to put Crookes tubes on the market, and tubes of approved sizes an® types may now be pur- chased. “It i¢ sald,” says The Electrical Review, “that very successful results have been obtained” with the tubes already fur- nished. Experiments are being continued, in order that the most improved forms may be within reach of the public continually.” “Ma! Ma! I've swallered a hairpin.”—Truth. FRENCH HOME LIFE Espeeially Among the Olass of Daily Workers, MOTHERS GIVE UP THER BABES Husband and Wife Obliged to Work for the Family Support. Es EVENINGS AT THE CAFE —_ ESIRING TO SEE something of the home life of French rvomen of the wage- earning class I se- jected as my hostess a@ bright, vivacious voung matron, and persuaded her not to ary her ordinary ‘outine, but to make me one of the family for a day or two. I had easily ac- cepted the comfort- able middle class habit of breakfasting at 9 or 10 in the morning. It was not a joy- ful experience, therefore, to be coused at 6 a.m., nor was it pleasant to dress in a rcor the cold stone oor and damp walis of which suggested some ancient dungeon. However, I had earnestly sought this very privilege, so I wrapped myself in discreet silence and a thick steamer rug, and strove to appear cheerful. In the kitchen I found madame prepar- ing coffee over a tiny alcohol stove. Mon- sleur, a cooper by trade, was arrayed in his working blouse and just going out to the bakery. Extreme simplicity characterized alike the table service and the breakfast. Three earthen ware bowls and a loaf of ccarse bread were set on the bare table. I can still taste that bowl of black coffee. I had readily adopted the custom of drinking a tiny glass of “cafe noir’ after dinner, but it tastes very differently in the morn: ing. I thought it worse than the cheapest brand used in the United States, nd dnere was heither milk nor sugar availavle to modify the flavor. However, I managed to take my bowl with due politeness, and rur- tlvely looked around for som2 butter to make the bread more palatable. But there wasn't any. The loaf was broken in three portions, and we breakfasted by dipping the bread in the coffee. Madame disposed of the kitchen work Ly simply rinsing the bowls and coffee pot in cold water. She said we would “make” the chambers at the noon intermission. As we Were clearing the table I said to madame: “Don’t you like coffee with milk and sugar?” “Oh, yt yt it is very good,” she said, quickly, “but we cannot afford it. Sugar ccsts twelve cents a pound and milk four cents a pint. Coffee alone is very dear. We pay sixty cents a pound.” I simply gasped when she mentioned the price; but I afterward paid $1 a pound myself, in a vain attempt to duplicate the quality sold in the United States for thirty- five and forty cents. Sensible Working Dress. Madame had no coquetry about her per- ‘onal appearance on working days. The severely plain dress of common, dark cot- top was made with a loose jacket and skirt. The small, tight sleev-s were ex- plained thus by madame: “I have balloon sleeves in the latest mode for my best dress; but they take too muh cloth for a working costume.” She made so much noise clattering over the stone floor that I was curious about her shoes. Truth ccmpels me to say that they were not entirely of wood. Leather tops and wood soles made a durable though not an elegant foot covering. Shoes of this sort cost $1.40 a pair. My friend wast- ed no money on headgear for every-day wear. A sort of woolen hood was put on the head, and the ends fastened about the waist. Yet, madame, being y ung, pretty and tolerably neat, looked rat attractive in this coarse attire. Everybody takes two hours at midday foe “dejeuner,” and the family returned at a.m. My friend’s flat consisted of three tiny rooms on the fourth floor. There was neither city water nor sewerage. The nar- row streets and tall houses effectually shut out the sunshine, but madame did not seem to care about that. The house seemed rather lonesome, and I remarked to madame: “You have no children?” “Oh, yes; a little boy, two years old.” I hadn't seen or heard him anywhere, so I said tentatively: “He is not here?” “No, no; he is at a village in the Mari- time Alps.” “On a visit to some relatives, perhaps?” With an impatient shrug at my stupia- ity, madame explained: “It’s the custom to send our children away to be reared di- rectly afler birth. Almost the only ex- ception 1s when one has to support an aged mother at home. In that case she may care for the child.” It took me some time to fully assimilate this remarkable piece of information. “You see the baby often?” I ventured. “No,” said the mother, briskly. “Once, maybe twice, a year. It is expensive to go so far.” “Are you not lonely for him?” American Home Life. Madame assured me placidly that she was not lonely, and found her factory companions more interesting than a tiny child. It cost $7 a month for the child's care; and while this was a heavy expense in proportion to the wages earned by the couple, they evidently never questioned the wisdom of the plan. Madame grew hilari- ous when I tried to describe American home life. “So droll! So very extraordinary,” she exclaimed, “for a married woman to stay at home with her children, instead of earning wares to help her husband. Any- how, it would be impossible here, for a man does not earn enough to keep a wife and children.” The latter remark really explained the custom. It is an absolute necessity for the wife to work every day and supple- ment the husband's earning: The fami- lies are usually very small, one or two children is the usual number. Of course there are exceptions. One woman in the tobacco factory had six children, the eldest only seven years old; yet she had never been absent from the factory more than seven weeks at any one time. The women regarded that matron and her family with stern disapproval. “Why do you marry when you have neither home life nor the companionship of your children?’s I asked. ‘it is the custom to marr: replied madame. “An unmarried woman over twenty years of age is not well regarded.” She either could or would not give any further explanation of the marriage cus- tom, I was now getting too hungry to con- tinue inquiries about domestic life, and madame invited me to go shopping with her. : We bought a quart of “vin ordinaire” for eight cents, a loaf of bread at the Boulangerie for four cents, a quart of bouillon at the Boucherie for ten cents, and a plate of hot spinach at the Char- cuterie for six cents. The bouillon, heated over the alcohol stove, formed, with bread, the first course. The tiny bowiful of soup merely whetted my appetite. The plate of spinach made about two bites apiece. A glass of wine finished the meal. Madame and her husband had evidently made a very satisfactory meal, and were quite unconscious that I had not done like- wise. As a sacrifice to politeness I said that I had an excellent meal and that everything tasted very good. So it did. My mental reservation was that I hed only had a taste. The Absinthe Habit. Tre working day closes ‘at 6 o'clock. Before going home we stepped into a cafe, where mensieur and madame had their evening glass of absinthe. A spoonful is diluted with a glass of water and the mix- ture sweetened. The cafe was crowded with people, all of whom ordered absinthe, It is very cheap, costing only three cents a glass. I did not like the stuff; it re- minded me of a cheap soda fountain mjx- ture. It has no alcoholic flavor. For dinner we purchased a little plate Highest of all in Leavening Power— Latest U.S. Gov't Report Real Baking Powder of boiled beef for fifteen cents, another loaf of bread and Gruyere cheese for four cents, The latter is twenty-five cents a povnd. I quite agreed with the shopkeeper, who called our purchase a “petite morsel.” TI could have eaten the bread, cheese and meat mysglf; likewise the dandelion salad which followed, but it was supposed to make a meal for three. Madame generously offered to “encore” my portion of meat, and thereby deprive herself, but I heroically refused. I wanted to live for one day as they did always. The French are accustomed to scant food and small variety. This family’s bill of fare varies very little from week to week. It is a good illustration of the standard of ving among the best-paid workers; there are many forced to exist on much less. I estimated the day's living expenses for three thus: Breakfast, 6 cents; dejeuner, 28 cents; dinner, 26 cents, making 20 cents for each, or 40 cents for the usual family. | To monsteur's and madame'’s daily ex- penses were added absinthe, 6 cents; alco- hol (for fuel), 5 cents, and 15 cents for wine | and cigarettes in the evening at the cafe, | giving a dally total of 66 cents for living expenses. Madame was a very acute little person and managed to see my calculation. I fear- ed that I had given offense. On the con- trary, she kindly showed me her account of Income and expenditures for the previous month, EXPENSE. Meals and wine. Rent ..... Care of chila Child's clothing. Washing .... INCOME. Madame, 70c. per day Monsieur, S0c. per day. Monsieur sometimes earned $1 a day, but had so many idle days that the da‘ly wages that month only averaged 80 cents. So they had ing and incid cents a month for cloth- | ntal expenses. H At the Cafe. i We adjourned to the cafe after dinner | and passed the evening there. It was tore comfortable than the home, being warm | and well lighted. All the friends and ac- quaintances gathered there. ‘The alr was soon thick with smoke, and there was a | perfect babel of tongues. The women drink | wine, but do not smoke. There was much hilarity and animated con tion, yet xo | approach to intoxication. The common wine of the country contains little alcohol, and a glass or two suffices for the whole evening. They*thoroughly enjoyed the re- laxation from the sterner realities of life All their evenings are spent at the cafe. | Often there music or amateur theatri- | cals. The cafe is the one bright spot in the | worker's narrow life; and with their viva- | cious and pleasure-loving temperament | usement and social diversion is a real To them the cafe atones for ivation A cY 'S OPEN MOUTH. He Began the Study of Natural His- tory in the Wrong Way. From the New York San. Wheelmen do not begin the study of nat- ural history like crdinary people. Dowr. on the Brocklyn cycle path on Tuesday night, rather late, a waite sweater scorcher came whooping along. It was a few minutes after 10, rather dark in spots, more es- pecially just beyond the graveyard where the woods are thick. There was one re- deeming feature about the scorcher’s out- fit. He had a very bright light, and his mouth was wide open ready to yell. There were a lot of insects in the air over the path, among them several large and hard- shelled beetles. These insects, on perceiving the scorcher's light a-coming, flew toward it at good speed to investigate. One of them, an especially large and strong-winged beetle, flew about eight inches higher than the lamp, and the cyclist began his study of the entomolog- ical branch of natural history on that one. There is no pl where insects, birds’ eggs and other specimens may be put for temporary security more conveniently than the mouth, but it is usually advisable to kill the specimen first, nor is it a good plan to close one’s teeth onto it, since that ruins the specimen irretrievably. Not knowing this the cycling amateur naturalist spoiled a fine specimen of a night-ilying carrion beetle. A good many wheel folk have begun the study of natural history in this inadvi able way, using their open mouths as land- ing nets with which to capture lured by their lamps. Such a method of procedure is almost sure to cause the be- sinner to give up the study entirely, even to the extent of wearing mosquito net veils to shield the lips. The mouth receptacle is better left to the more experiencd natural- ist. insects | coo Books for Invalids. From the Critic. It is said that a novelty in books is to be issued under the title of the Invalids’ Li- brary. Each volume is “to be printed on a long strip of paper covered muslin, so that a patient can comfortably unroll it and read in bed, thus dispensing with the attendant fatigue of holding a heavy book.” Why go to all this trouble and expense? Why not buy from the publisher a copy of a book be- fore it 1s stitched for binding? In this way a handful of pages can be taken up at a time, and they are so light that it would be no effort for the weakest invalid to hold them. Another advantage of these un- stitched sheets is that all the family can read the book at the same time. Let one get the start, and the others can follow on. I gave some of these unstitched pages to a friend once, and she was delighted with the arrangement. The pages open out readily, and have little or no weight; and then, she said, “It is so amusing for all of us to be reading the same book at the same tim The suggested Invalids’ Library would be expensive. and I do not think that it would | the be as practical as the plan that I propose. ATHLETICS AND CHARACTER. No Proof That Sports Make a Nation of Heroes. From the Spectator. One would like to know, if it were possible to find out, what the precise effect of their devotion to gymnastics was upon the Hel- lenic people. It may be reasonably doubted whether It enlarged their mental powers, for all Greece shared in this passion, and the triumphs of Greek thought and art are al- most confined to Attica. One does not even owe intellectual gratitude to Spartans or Boeotians. It did not make them exception- ally heroic, for the Macedonians, who con- quered them and the worll, were not spe- cially devoted to sport, and were, we fancy, till the time of Philip at all events, excluded from the contests at Olympia. It did not save the nation, for Greece was utterly sub- dued by the Romans, who gained their physical prowess in another way, and it did not keep them alive, for, although the Greek may fairly be held to have survived the Roman, whom he indeed in a way absorbed, the Jew, who abhorred and still abhors gym- | nastic training, survived both Roman and Greek. Except an extraordinary feeling for form, we cannot trace any result from the games upon the Greek character, and it ig doubtful whether this was universal or con- fined to a few rich citizens in Greece gen- erally, and the 40,00) slaveholders of At- tica, who, for most purposes, are to modern Europeans “the Greeks.” That question of the influence of these games on character has some importance for the modern world, for the passion for com- petitive athletics has caught hold of it, and everywhere, especially in England, France, the United States and the great coloni they begin to play a more important part in life. Fifty thousand JEnglishmen go at a time to see a foot hall match, cricketers are watched as carefully as international running match exci interest of a battle. The everywhere crammed with the reports of athletics, and a n who can make a “record” is as much honored among the younger generation as ever he was in Greece, It is probable, as prosperity increases and the workers gain more leisure, t at the pas- sion will develop further, and we shall be curious to see what influ it has upon the national sentiment. It need not be a bad one, for we suspect that a certain barbari- cism—we want that word greatly, as distin- guished from barbarism—is essential to the vitality and fighting prowess of any race that dwells in cities, but we can see no reason for believing that it will be specially good. One can hardly firm that the games preserved the manliness of the Greeks, and they certainly did not preserve them from incessant internal war. International ath- letics, we see in newspapers, are to furnish “new bonds to bind together the nations,” but if ty are only bound as the Greek states were the advantage will not be con- spicuous. The probability is that Olymple games, ancient and modern, had and will have the effect of games merely, that is, of distractions, innocent or otherwise, accord- ing to circumstances, from the peremptory work of the world. They are not worse than other amusements, and, being enjoy open air and under thousands of , they are probably better than some of them. Rather a population of foot ball players than @ population devoted, like the Chinese, to cards, or, like the Bengalese, to gossip, but that is ab: fiable to s —~r-e-_- Father Mathew's Mission. From the National Review. The accounts of Father Mathew's mis- sion from 1838 to 1842 read like a fable. He made teetotalers as the great powers make soldiers—by the million, only much faster; and, if there had been any staying power in the business, the liquor question would have been settled out of hand. Wherever he went a veritable fury of sacrifice ap- pears to have seized the people of Ireland, though the estimated number of converts must be discounted by the equal fury of exaggeration which seized the chroniclers of his progress. Thus in i839 he is said to have administered 30,000 pledges in one day at Clonmel, and from 100,000 to 150,000 in two days at Limerick. Unless pledges were taken by acclamation, it would be physical- ly impossible to administer one-quarter the number stated. In 184 he ig said to have added 748,000 to the ranks, or an average of over 2,000 per diem for every day in the year, and by 1841 the number of total absiainers in Ireland was reckoned at 4.6 . or con- siderably more than the entire adult pop- ulation. Any one may believe it who Likes, Lut, whatever the exact truth may be, it | 1s certain that this homely village priest did for a time meet with a success besides which the united efforts of all ‘he other advocates of temperance before and after him fade into insignificance. In three years he actually reduced the consumption of | spirits in Ireland from 10,817,000 gallons to 5,200,000 gallons, and practically abol- ished drunken: An elderly scribed to me the other day how sh eled through Ireland about that time with- out seeing a single drunken man, 2nd how striking was the contrast be! the per- fect sobriety of Cork and the rolling irtox- ication of Bristol, which met her eye on landing. It Meant Everything. From the Chicago Post. The man in the bicycle suit laughed heartily ‘Very firny,” he said. “What?” asked the man with a large sec- tion of shin gone from his nose. “Why, these ‘Don'ts’ for- bics plied the man in the bicycle suit. “Let's sce them,” said the man who was short of skin. The man in the bicycle suit handed him the paper ‘The best one isn’t there,” said the man with the fentastic nose, shortly. “If It was the rest wouldn't be necessary. “What do you consider the best one?” asked the man with the bicycle suit. ‘Don’t ride,” answered the man whose nose stood in need of grafting, and then he carefully put a large piece of court plaster where it would do the most good sts,” re- —= Paris at Night.—Sketoh,