Evening Star Newspaper, June 27, 1896, Page 14

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1896—TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. ——— “The crabman’s business is now at its height,” said one of the crabmen who nightly wander aout the city with their Stock of crabs, hard, soft and deviled. “The most of our money comes from the sale of deviled crabs, for somehow people prefer to eat deviled crabs at night time. Our colcred customers always want the hard-shelled crabs, and will take no other. There are hundreds of crabmen who have night routes in various parts of the city, and many have regular customers for every viled crab that they make. The can fakirs, who push apout their little carts of clams, generally 3ell their goods during the day time, k ing the fleld open for the crabman at night. -Yes, I must confess that ail that are sold as deviled crabs are not entirely er for some crab- men have a way of using fish to help cut. there is seareeiy any one who can tell wnere fish is used, especially if well mixed and properly peppered. But those who have regular customers cannot affcrd to use fish, for if they did so they would lose their business.”” x * e * * have five houses to look after now,” explained a well-known care-taker of houses, “and as soon as I can get some more dogs I will have some more hcvses. We formerly devoted our entire time to one he That was all right as long as people would pay enough money, but it won't do any more where care-takers have to run into competition with the’ electric wire service. My plan of operating now is to get houses as close together as I can,and to put one of my dogs in each house. I visit house two or three times during every day and night, inspect them thoroughly and feed and water my dogs. The dogs like fre- quent visits, for it takes the lonesome feel- ing away. I'll guarantee that if any one en- f my houses. day or night, the dogs will give them such a lively reception that they will not take the time to leave their cards so that I can return the visits. my dogs-to be uncivjl. There is one ure, and that is the a¥erage man ‘ould like to enter and clean out a house has great fear of a savage dog.” xe ee “All sorts of stories have been told and printed about the old clock in the man- * explained one of the guides at Mount Vernon, “but the real fact is there {s noth- ing peculiar or interesting about it except its loug connection with Mount Vernon. The story which received thé most extend- ed circulation was started some years ago. It was to the effect that on certain ee) of certain months the clock would strike the hour, though it had not been wound up for As nonsensical as this story | was I found many believers, and there is seldom a week that some Visitor does not ask about it. t winter Henry Irving came down here with several members of his company. As | soon as they reached the door, Mr. Irving | ‘ow, I hope to have the chance | e the old clock, for I fancy it must » yet." Of course he saw the clock, and he asked, as if he believed It, ‘Does it | keep up its old habits yet?” We explained that the only habit it had was to stand there in the hall; that the key had been lost, and that it had not run for many years. “That's a disappointment for me,’ said Irving. ‘for I read in one of our English Papers that the clock was rather errgti-* at times, and somehow I believed i “ng came here more to see the clock 7 oy any- thing else." ” _ x: xe ey “Fish can and ? | manage to pass up Stream over $2 sety feet in height,” ob- Faker Investigator of the subject. =: are hundreds of well-authenticated -}*.ances of this In the Columbia river, In Oregon, where salmon, which fs a salt water fish, is found above the falls In the fresh water. There is no other way for them to get up the river except to use the falls as a kind of ladder, and they have been seen while making the ascent. By this I do not mean abrupt falls, but the kind of falls kenerally seen on the western rivers. The Great Falls of the Potomac are an fllustra- tion. Though there ia an attificial fishway there now, millions of fish -managed to get Into the upper Potomac during their spawn- on before the fishway was con- ed xk ke & One of the sights of Washington’s Wall street. 15th street, facing the Treasury De- partment, every afternoon ts the gather- ing of the watchmen of the department. There are many more watchmen employ- |. ed at the Treasury Department than is generally suppesed. It is their habit to begin as:embling at the basement door immediately north of the main door on 15th street about 3:30 o'clock every afternoon. By five minutes of 4 they disappear to their various posts throughout the building to relieve those whose tour of duty expires at that hour. A similar gathering takes Pisce at midnight, and again at 8 o'clock in the morning. A portion of the watch force sleep in the building as a reserve shculd they bé needed when their trick of duty expires at midnight. s the habit of many of the watchmen » on duty at 4 o'clock to carry a which contains their dinner me of the lunch boxes are usually large size, so that when hmen are Waiting around the out- r they have the appearance to the ated of a party of tourists. One of rnoons of this week, the building m, the watchmen refrained from entering until the last zaoment. The crowd | refore unusually large, so much so rsons standing in the corridors of ss House opposite asked who they eee * ‘oal contracts are awarded by the gov- ernment,” said en official of the quarter- mester general's office of the War Depart- ment, “on the basis of the evaporating ca- pacity of the same, the standard being a cord of oak wood. We have ascertained ex- actly how much water a cord of wood will evaporate. From this we make tests in re- gard to the evaporating quality of the vari- ous coals that are offered. In the far west and for the various posts on the Pacific coast it is found to be better to use the coals that are mined in that section than to ship anthracites from Pennsylvania and other | states, for the expense of transportation would more than consume the difference im price. There is considerable coal mined | im Oregon and Washington, the mines near Coos bay, in Oregon, being the best. The coals there, however, are by no means as g0od as the anthracites of the east, tor one ton of Pennsylvania or other hard coal will | evaporate nearly as much water as three | tons of the Oregon coals. The western | cals are more of the lignite or bituminous | order. The Pacific coast is also supplied by | fereign coals from Vancouver's Island, Brit- ish Columbia and from Wales. Strange as it may appear, coal is brought from Wales st at a less expense than {t can pped from Pennsylvania by rail or by gerding around the Horn in ships. ‘The British ships that bring over Welsh coal depend upon other freight back so as to jake the trip pay both ways. The Navy Department make the same character of tests in awarding their contracts for the coal used by the Pacific squadron.” *e KK * Some of the terms used by editors in re- gard to “copy” or manuscript are peculiar to the trade. and when applied in particu- Jer cases would, to the uninitiated, appear to be of a violent and criminal character. The order to “ ‘Kill’ Cleveland,” for in- stance, would, on its face, seem to partake of treason. The murderous expression, however, would simply signify that the | editor desired that an article in regard to the chief executive should be destroyed. The direction to “boil down the Senate” STEEL VS. DIRT ROADS A Talk With Gen. Stone, Obief of the Road Inquiry Office Advantages of Steel Tracks for Ordi- mary Wagon Transportation—Plans of the State Comm: loners. “I believe that the ultimate solution of our g00d roads problem for all great thor- oughfares lies in tke steel highway,” said Gen. Roy Stone, who is in charge of the road inquiry office, Agricultural Depart- ART AND ARTISTS|HORSES IN DEMAND a == Mr. U. 8. J. Dunbér {§ putting the finish- ing touches to hig byst of Mr. T. E. Roegsle, and the clay ;model will be com- pleted in a very féw ‘days, The head is quite an impressfve “one and strongly modeled, as it is, tnakés a very striking Plece of work. Mri‘ Dihbar is making a medalion of Mr. Ftusd@ll, the father of Phillip G. Russell, #nd"fs also at work on @ bust of Miss Edna’ Yates. € Miss Alice arent Séwall, whose mural designs attracted such, favorable comment at the exhibition of the New York Archi- tectural League, hag received a commission through a prominent firm of New York architects for the decoration of a private would not mean that the reporter was to| Ment, to the writer a few days ago. Gen-| residence in that city. She will plan the concoct a congressional consomme, but that the bulk of the report of the proceed- ings of the Senate should be reduced. “Cut Hoke Smith in half. We want only the meat.” That forcible, restrictive meas- ures should be used in connection with the person issuing such a mandate would seem only proper. But the anarchistic expres- sion is understood by the newspaper man to signify that an interview with the Sec- retary of the Interior shall be reduced one- half of its original length, as the editor wants only th essential points. eK KR “The mest musical people I ever met,” eral Stone ts probably the best authority on the road question in this country. His office bears an advisory or educational re- lation to the road commissioners of all of the states and territories. ndoubtedly, the wearing surfaces of all highways connecting our great cities and traversed by wagons and light vehicles are to be flat steel rails,” General Stone con- tinued. “There is no greater propriety or economy in running a wagon than there would be in running a railroad train over @ rough surface of earth or stone. Horse- said the fertilizer agent, “was a family up | less vehicles will undoubtedly develop metal in Loudoun county. I was up there last fall and stayed with them one night. Din- ner was cn the table when I arrived, and as I had business with the old gentleman, reads. The cost, to begin with, wil! be higher than taat of stone or concrete roads, but with the present low price of steel the saving in wear would much more than compensate for the difference in cost. At a seat was provided for me. Right there] the same time the saving in the expense something seemed to be wrong with the people. It puzzled me for some time, and then I discovered that they were keeping time to an imaginary tune When the youngest child forked a pickle it did it in a two-four movement, you know, and they all swayed and worked thelr jaws to a waltz measure. “When the meal was finished the men folks sat on the porch, and every one of them grabted a musical irstrument on the way out and began to tune it. The concert continued until a late hour. At 11 o’c'ock I went to my room, and I could hear the family chasseing into their beds, whers they whistled end hummed themselves to sleep. Then it was quiet for a time. “The night was still, but I couldn’t sleep, ; and as f looked out throvgh the window toward the Blue Ridge, with the moonlight shining on it, the daughter began to snore in fifths, key of C. The pitch was perfect and the tone clear. I became accustomed to the freak at length. Then the old wo- mana started up her exhibition of snores. Her specialty was running the scale of B flat very fast up and down at intervals of about three minutes. She could make one and a half octaves, as close as I could gauge it. “The masterpiece of the evening, though, was executed by the old man and three boys, who slept in the room below me. One of them started in with a good, long snore, and the others took their notes from him. After a prelude by what you would call the tenor, they got away in a bunch, and I'll be blamed if they didn’t snore ‘There's a Land That is Fairer Than Day.’ The old man’s bass was remarkable, and the way in which the notes blended and rose and sank together was wonderful. I se- cured several hours’ sleep on top of the wood shed outside my window,” concluded the man, who represented himself to be a Christian Endeavor delegate. x KKK * The clerks employed in the uptown de- partments often see in the morning when going to work a cripple seated near the edge of the sidewalk in front of the White House. Generally the workers for the govern- ment leave him a sum, which in the aggre- gate probably goes far toward his suport. One day last week, however, the crowd had passed, and not so much as a copper had been deposited in the hat. ‘Then a country- man came driving past with a spay} horse and riding in a vehicle the w>~¢), co which presented a variety of 3-14 (et horizon as they revolved, *". ¢: Hs ane farmer saw she mendicant, and, b-“xoning to him, gave an vin when he had hobbled up to the ¢z: Tage. r-, * ke Kk * ~ don't wish to be thought a ‘kicker, said a visitor who had been seeing the city, “but it appears to me that the government does not take sufficient care of its prop- erty. In one place, in particular, I noticed this. Near the Agricultural Department buitding there stands a portion of the big California redwood tree, ‘Gen. Noble,’ which was exhibited at the world’s fair. It is hol- lowed and contains a staircase, which en- ables persons to ascend to @ platform. I found it totally unguarded, and that, as usual, vandals had taken advantage of the fect. Around all sides of the tree these vis- itors have engraved their initials, which, cut into the wood, appear like red chalk marks. Another and more noticeable de- fect was a sickening odor which prevalled. Indeed it requires some resolution to ex- plore the hollow of the tree on this ac- count.” —>—_ How the Day Was Won. From the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. . “Sire,” quoth the chief of staff, “the Amazons are assembling on the right wing and evidently intend to turn our left with a vigorous charge.” “Do you mean the Amazonian wheel corps?” “Yes, sire, and they are a gallant sight. Their wheels have all been renickeled, and they have donned their new ashes-of-roses bloomers for the first time. What shall we do to avert the danger?” “Order out the royal sprinkling carts.” “Yes, sire.” “Let them make the battle ground in front of our left wing as muddy as pos- sible.” “Yes, sire.” “Just as soon as the charging Amazons in their new silk bloomers strike that mud the will whirl about and ride back as fast as they can pedal.” “For what, sire?” ‘or their mudguards, stupid. Then, if we advance rapidly enough to. surprise them before they can get their helmets on straight, the day is ours!” And it was even 5 oo —____ Sal Made of Rubber. From London Invention. A proposition is at present in the wind to make the sails of ships of rubber in- stead of canvas. It is supposed that if roped strongly along foot, luff and leach, the result will be superior to the canvas sails. Surely, however, a sudden increase of wind power would expand the sail too much and cause some d'fficulty in govern- ing the course of the boat. Paper pulp is again suggested as being an adequate sub- stitute for canvas. When pressed into sheets and stitched together it would make a light and very effective sail. An Unfortunate Pose. From Fiegende Blatter. of hauling would be from fifty to eighty per cent.” “What is your idea as to the way such a steel highway should be built?’ “It should consist of a double line of track, with a carriage road at either side. Wagons with heavy loads could follow one another upon it in a straight line either way, while lighter and faster vehicles could bess them by turning out occasionally into the side roads. Flat rails laid upop string- ers should be the style of track used. They should be laid level with the roadway, so that whcels might pass onto or off them without difficulty. ‘The general form of the rail shcuid be a shallow trough with fiat bottom, ard outer edges raised only enough to give a gentle guidance to the wheels. The width should be suited to the gauges of all vehicles. I find that in New York and vicinity, where there is perhaps the greatest variety of road vehicles, the gauges of wagons and carriages range from four feet ten inches to six feet. A rail ten inches wide would therefore be necessary to accommodate all of these gauges comfortably. Once Used in Scotland. “Have steel rails ever been used on high- ways?” “Yes. In Glasgow about fifty years ago flat rails eight inches wide were used in this way. They were very successful :n diminishing traction. The only objection to them was that horsesssometimes slipped and fell when stepping upon the smooth surface of the rails. Such a danger will be avolded if rails are rolled with inden- tations every few inches below the general sprface. As long as our highways are to be used by horses this will be necessary, and it will not roughen the track for Wheels. Deep web rails, similar to those now used on the best street car tracks, could not be rolled with such indentations. The deep web rails will, however, make much the better roadway when they can be used. “These steel highways will connect all our large cities. They will be crowded with Vehicles, such as are now seen cnly in ex- hibitions or in trial trips. In the recs» trials of hors:less vehicles those grie7, by electricity have been at a 6 advantage for the want of facilitie Yor techary : ‘ing their storage batt <8. My idea is that more ectrical “orseless carricge will be Othe: 22 nical and satisfactory than the varieties when the storage battery 7» lightened and improved to the extent that it probably will be. The trolley could not well be used upon the steel highway. Track for Bicyclists. “Its difficulty would be that one vehicle could not be passed by another except upon sidings. A flat or slightly concave steel rail only a small fraction of an inch Lelow the general surface of the highway would be the perfect track for bicyclists. ‘They could easily follow a rail of this kind ten inches wide. If not they would have no difficulty in turning off. Many of the riders in the city prefer to ride over the slot of the cable cars. There would be no Tecessity fur switches if each carriage had its independent motor. The heavy wag- ons would have wide tires and could safe- ly turn out into the stone road for passing slower vehicles, especially on down grades.” Gen. Stone showed the writer scme inter- esting suggestions for steel road building received from road authorities in differ- ent siates. Mr. Martin Dodge, state high- way commissioner of Ohio, proposes to lay rails for the use, both of ordinary ve- hicles and electric railways, and to let every man run his own private trolley car on these lines. He says that it will cost one-fifth as much per ton per mile to transport over steel rails as it would over the best macadamized road that could be built. He further states that a combined wagon road and railway is to be put in practice in the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio, to test the merits of the system. The tim- bers holding the rails in place will afford a beard walk for the horses. It is clatmed that the cost will be about one-half that of @ macadamized road. Construction of the Road. The state road commissioner of New Jersey, Mr. Henry I. Budd, proposes to lay steel rails about the thickness of ordinary boiler plate, rolled in the shape of a gutter five inches wide, with a square perpendic- ular rim one-half inch high. It is ar- ranged to forth a conduit for water and makes it casy for wheels to enter or leave the track. Mr. Budd says that one horse will draw on a steel track twenty times as. much as on a dirt road, and five times as much as on macadam. A double track steel highway of his design, he says, would cost a thousand dollars less per mile than one of macadam the same size, while a rural one-track road would cost five thou- sand dollars less, or two thousand dollars per mile. Mr. John O'Donnell, ex-member of the New York railroad commission, proposes the use of gutter-shaped rails, spiked to timbers running the same length as the rails, the heads of the spikes being below the ground surface. He also prescribes cheaper steel highways, which may be used for branch lines connecting the main highway with the residences or barns of farmers along the way. Steel highways, he says, would be well adapted to light steam engines or horseless motors. For ten dollars a trip, he estimates, a steam motor could be run for 100 miles, carrying from 50 to 100 tons burden. ——— Sulking in His Tent. From the New York World. Teller—“I have just been reading of a man who never leaves his house, by day or right, but sits all day, or sleeps all night, in a double-locked room, with a revolver, a razor, a stick of dynamite, a bottle ‘of vitriol, an ax, a shotgun and a sword with- in constant reach.” Askins—“H’'m! I should think he'd find it more convenient to pay for the various volumes of the encyclopedia, as they are presented, and thus keep off the agent with- out trouble. ees Lack of -Realt: From the Indtanapolis Journal. Mr. Wickwire—What ridiculous, impos- sible things these fashion plates are.” Mrs. Wickwire—“I know they used to be, but most of them*are engraved from pho- tcgraphs nowadays.” Mr. Wickwire—This one can’t be. Here are two women going in opposite directions, both with brand new gowns on and neither leoking back at the other.” ———__-e- —____ Her Idea of It. From the Woonsocket Reporter. Professor in English (to young man): “How would you punctuate the following: ‘The beautiful girl, for such she was, was passing down the street?’ " Student: “I think, professor, I would make a dash after the beautiful girl cars . By Ne Means Behina. From the Yonkers Statesman. Yeast—“Your landindy says you are be- hind with your board.” Crimsonbeak—“Well, she’s dead Tm ahead. I owe her $45." general color scheme of the interior, and design end paint a series of lunettes for the salon and also a decoration for a large brary window. The specimens of her decorative work which have been exhibit- ed here show such decided ability in that direction that all who have secn them look for very satisfactory resulis from her work in New York. A series, of clever illustra- tions made by Miss Sewali to accompany o falry story have appeared in recent num- bers of the St. Nicholas. In July she will joln her father’s family-at their summer home in York Village, Me., where she will spend the warm weather. * * One of the most delightful places for summer work is the studio of Mrs. Mary M. Hyde, situated in the picturesque stone tower at the entrance of the old Chautauqua Srounds at Glen Echo. Not only is it a very pleasant place to work in, but her atelier has the advantage of being in the very heart of as picturesque a region as can bo found in the vicinity of the national capital. A few minutes’ walk will bring her to any number of interesting spots, and she has already transferred many of them to canvas. She is also within easy Feach of all kinds of wild flowers, ayd has been devoting considerable attention this Summer to painting that class of subjects. Mrs. Hyde has made a number of studies cf such flowers as the red clover which people are wort to thi 5 people hink plebian and in. e * ** Mr. EB. H. Miller returned a short time ago from = trip to Paxton, Va., a favorite Place with artists: He has made a prelim- inary drawing in charcoal of a group of children watching the progress of a game, for an etching he is about to undertake. * * ok Mr. F. J. Fisher has been busy with sev- eral portraits in oil and pastel, and expects to take up work on some more important canvases during the summer. Mrs. Fisher has been occupying herself with still life, and was particularly successful in a recent study of some ripe strawberries. They are treated in a very realistic manner, look as if they had just come from the vines. Miss Bell, one of Mr. Fisher's Pupils, has recently completed a full length portrait in pastel of Mrs. Cornelius ¢¢™ Mrs. Hicklin has also done a good $-,,,10 * eqn ieee >Zures loaned for’ exhi- ane 2D° Torcoran Gallery 1s a por- mr”. Miss Cecelia Beaux. It is of a *uling elderly lady, and is treated in a somewhat impressionistic manner. A por- trait by Miss A. M. Reading ‘is also ex- hibited. It 1s a likeness of a girl in a dark- plumed hat. Mr. Charles Ayer Whipple's half-length portrait. of Gen. Nelson A. Miles is’ now on exhibition in the gallery. Gen. Miles stands in a commanding pose, one hand resting upon his hip, the erect military attitude giving strength and vigor to the portrait. The bright coloring of the uniform also aids in making the subject a more pictorial one than usual. Two strong portraits b, Jerome, Uhl are hung, one of Secretary Herbert, and the other of Mr. S. H. Kauffmann, both canvases execut in Mr. Uhl's best vein. «There 1s one landscape recently placed there, an evening scene, by Adrien De- mont, showing a bleak stretch of hilly country where the only sign of Mfe Is a Peasant’s thatched cottage, from the win- dow of which streams a ray of ruddy light Suggesting the warmth and comfort wit ip, Half hidden. by the clouds with which the sky is partly overcast is a crescent moon. and both the sky and the dreary country beneath are painted with deep artistic feeling. The Corcoran Gallery will not be closed on the 15th of July, as had been planned, because it has heen’ thought best, taking into consideration the fact that the public will be deprived of. the Erivileges of the gallery for several months in the fall while the pictures are being transterred'.to the mew building, to give art lovers the benefit of the collection for @ longer time during the summer. * x * Mrs. 8. M. Fassett has recently finished & small portrait in water color of Miss Richardson, which is as dainty in coloring and as minutely worked out as anything she has done for some time. The good coloring Mrs. Fassett succeeds in getting, and her faculty for fine delicate work stand her in good stead in her miniature painting, and she arriyes at very good re- sults m that branch of portraiture. She is now at work on a tiny miniature of a fair- haired little girl, which promizes to make a beautiful little portrait on ivory. Dur- ing the summer Mrs. Fassett expects to be at work on some historical subjects, which she has been planning, and also upon some illustrations. ——__. No Wonder. From th: Fllegende Blatter. i Miss Nelly saw tis Ifeutenant daily from her window. 3 ‘Today she saw him with Mizi, and hair stood on end. Buyers From Enzland Are Seouring Amer- ican Stock, Shipments This Year Are Likely to Amount to 25,000—Good Horses Still Bring Good Prices. A year ago those farmers-—and there were thousands of them—who had been making most of their money raising common or “railroad” horses—were about the bhuest class of men in the United States. Today they are again in good heart. Then they were convinced that the industry in which their capital was invested, and from which they had won their profits for years, was doomed; that they must abandon forever the one business to which they had devoted their lives and with which they were fa- miliar, and seek other ways to make their farms productive. Many of them, indeed, sold their horses at big sacrifice and closed out without ceremony. Now they are be- ginning to go into business again, their pastures and paddocks are once more being brought into use, and they are satisfied that the outlook is full of promise. This most desirable change in the status of a great industry has been brought about So gradually that few persons not directly engaged in the hoi business know any- thing about it. Its cause, according to Mr. William F. Deerr, one of the best-known horse dealers in the United States, has been the apprehension—somewhat tarfily shown, to be sure—by the English, of the facts with regard to the horse market in the United States. “It was some time last year,” said Mr. Doerr, in conversation with the writer a day or two ago, “that our friends on the other side began to send their buyers over here. They had never done so to any ex- tent bef Possibly this was in some de- gree because they did not favor American horses, but chiefly for the excellent reason that American horses could never before be bought nearly so cheaply as those of for- eign breeding. ‘The first English agent went at his buying, perhaps, with some hesita- tion. But he soon became confident, for he fovnd not only that the prices at which he could buy here were much below the current prices abroad, but also that the American horses were hardier, more en- during, grade for grade, better looking than the English animals. he first shipment of consequence was sent over rather early last year, and as soon as the horses were seen and tested there a rush of English buyers to the states began. Ever since then the shipments have been constantly increasing. I do not believe the traffic has even yet reached its height, since there are at least a hundred English buyers now in the land, picking up horses wherever they may. Seven or eight hundred horses are now being sent over every week, and I should say the total ship- ments of railroad horses to Engiand this year are likely to reach 25,000 or more, U on Tram Lipes, “How do they use those 'To hau! tram cars with, not yet adopted Yors%s over there? 3 The English have electricity on their tram lines to Siiy extent. Their adoption of sit cars in the first place was slow, and, although they are now using them more freely, they are still behind as to the method of hauling them. Some American horses are being used for other purposes, I sup: pose, but not many. The rs of horses which we formerly called ‘railroaders’ are so much better adapted to tram work than any other sort that they are practically all snapped up for that purpo: oe Well, the an_ railroad . delivered re, from $125 and ortation cost nd the ocean freight. No; of railroaders have not gone up on ie. for the reason that there is now not much demand here. “Although the breeders of horses have be- gun again in .” continued Mr. Doerr in his talk, “it will be four years at least before the effect will be much felt on the market here. In the meantime prices will g0 up—they will be higher, in my opinion, than they ever have been.’ I do not mean that ‘railroad’ horses will bring much high- er prices for reasons which you already un- derstand. In fact, in a few years there will be no ‘railroad’ horses to speak of for sale here, since the new horse-breeding era is to be conducted along other lines. Ameri- can breeders are at last finding out what horse shows, whose fifluence has eedingly far-reaching. They have been learning, too, from bitter experience. “When the trolley came, and with it the yele, and with them both the slump in 8 of the cheaper grades of horses, the prices of first-class horses never wavered, In fact, handsome, sound carriage and coach horses were never so high as now in They are almost impossible to get. This is because the folks who have money to spend use horses now just as much as they ever did. They may have their ‘wheel,’ all right, for fun, but they want their horses and carriages for solid show all the same, and they want better ones than they ever wanted before. Why, there are plenty of beasts going abroad now to haul tram cars that would have been thought elegant carriage horses ten years ago. “Good coach horses range now from $890 to $2,500 the pair. Those that can he bought for the lowest of these figures are not con- sidered of much account, either, and there is no lack of buyers for any that may be offered at more than the highest rate named “Five-thousind-dollar carriage teams are snapped up without delay, whenever they that there are are offered; the trouble is so few that are really of this grade to be offered. No; there are not many sales of high-grade horses in England. They are worth more here than they are there; and, in my opinion, that, and the fact that they are not plentiful here, are the reasons — English coach horses are so often sold ere. “In spite of the high prices commanded by coach horses, I can hardly say that it is a surely profitable business as yet. It often happens that a colt is bred and reared with the-greatest care, only to turn out practically worthless as a coach horse, to the great disappointment and damage of the breeder.” ne JOKING A SPANIARD. He Was Told That Bull Fighting Was. Child’s Play to a Cow Puncher. From the New York Herald. There is a Spanish gentleman and scholar who finds it more to his comfort during the strike in Cuba and army drafts .in Spain to carry cocktails around the Marl- borough bar. Incidentally he keeps right up to date on the internecine strife and continues to have a child-like faith in the greatness and goodness of his native land. As a sort of a privileged character he joined in a general discussion of the merits of bull fighting as a civilizer the other day, and finally became considerably wrought up by a declaration from one of the party to the effect that the ancient sport wasn’t half so dangerous as it appeared to be. Some pictures were displayed by way of illustration. “We've got a thousand cowboys out west,”’ said the gentleman. “who could go into the bull ring of Madrid single handed with a lariat and rope any Spanish bull that ever pawed up the earth. “But these are not ordinary bulls,” pro- tested the Spaniard, “and are born and tred fighters. They raise them just as you raise game cocks and breed rat terriers. They are not afraid of anything or any- body. It takes the ‘bravest men, who get erormous salaries, to meet them in the arena, where from fifty to seventy-five thousand people pay for the privilege of seeing the sport.” “Yes; and it takes half a dozen men with red blankets and lancets to stir the bull up to business,” continued the westerner, “and it anybody is killed it is usually the ‘horse. Now, if one of our little bronchos and an ordinary cow puncher were to tackle such an animal they’d down him and tie his legs tegether before he knew where he w: I tell you, they’re dead slow over ther: “That's right,” put in a man who had an arm in splints; “‘we may be a little short cn bulls, but we've got the bicycle.” The Spaniard walked away without a word more. —— ee Hadn’t the Nerve. From the Dallas Iron News. Harrie—“I can never marry Maud.” Carrie—‘Why not?” Harrie—‘‘She has just graduated from a cooking school.” ee FROM THE ARIZONA KICKER|DAINTY DRESSING TABLES Selections Made for The Star by M. Quad. The position of horse editor on the edi- torial staff of this paper is vacant. The salary is $7 per week and the duties lignt. Tt is not necessary that a horse editor should be at the top notch in orthography and grammar, and he will never be called upon to make a Fourth of July speech or a New Year's zddress. He may be crosseyed, part his hair in the middle and limp in both legs, and we shan’t inquire whether he has had a religious training or been brought up in the arms of vice. We want @ man who can shoot two handed and has got the sand to face anything tn this lo- cality on legs. Our last horse editor was Supposed to be a tip-topper with the gun, but the other day he backed water before an empty pistol in the hands of a half- breed and thus disgraced the whole staff. We gave him just five minutes to get out of the office, and we understand he has gone east to work in a soap factory for the season. No man who mistrusts his sand should apply for the position. He has got to haye at least @ barrel of it in bis craw to Hold the place for a single week. Clearing Up Day. Last Monday we started out to clear the docket of the circuit court of various libel suits instituted against the Kicker. There were thirteen suits altogether, aggregating $400,000,000, and they were all in the hands of four lawyers. When our guns had been freshly cleaned and loaded, we made a cal on the genial and whole-souled Bob Wat- kins. Robert mad2 a jump for his shotgun a8 we entered, but we got the drop on him and were only three minutes in gctting his four of the suits withdrawn. That thorough paccd, big-hearted Jim Kelso was No. 2 on our list. Jim hud been warned of our coming and tried to knock us down stairs with an ax helve, but we slipped under his arm and soon had things all our own way. Inside of an hour the docket was clear and nobody hurt. We think our way of dealing with libel suits much the best. We never worry over them until the grand total is about a hundred million dollars, and then we call upon the lawyers and make it a personal matter. Their readiness to owlige us is very grati- fying. Now that the docket is clear there is opportunity for ten or fifteen more suits to be entered. A Shabby Trick. Wednesday evening at about 7 o'clock a stranger appeared at the Root-Hog-or-Die Hotel and inquired if it was supplied with gas. Being answered in the negative, he explained that he wanted to commit sul- cide and thought the gas route would be the easiest. He walked straight down to the river and jumped in, and though bev- eral persons were close g* Shand, thé fian was not seen after the first splash. It has been weeks gingo the vigilant committee hung any one. The members are languish- ing ipr packs social. Here was a critter WBe had travel re perhaps fifty miles to die. if the matter had been put to him Suey Just as soon have been hung 9 drown, and perhaps sooner, a8 fe Would have besH given a big drink when the noose was slipped over his head. The hotel proprietor is not an enterprising man—neither has he the best interests of this town at heart. The stranger cannot be blamed, as he knew no one in town and was anxious to commit suicide at once so as to save iodg- ing and breakfast, Poor Old Man. The other day, when we received from Chicago a whole keg of ink at once, our esteemed contemporary down the street al- most went crazy. He was so mad that he fell down in a fit, and the foreman of the office had to pour water in his ears. When he got over the fit he sent us word that he would shoot us on sight, but we gave his messenger a dime for beer money and for- got all about the terrible threat. Friday evening, as we were strolling along Co- chise place to enjoy the evening and a geod cigar, Mr. Richard Hope overtook us and inquired if we were aware of the fact that we had been shot at. We were not. He then went on to explain that our es- teemed contemporary had turned in behind us at Pawnee street and fired at us six times and then run away. We never even heard the report of his gun, much less the sign of the bullets. Poor old man! This is his thirty-eighth attempt to assassinate us, but it makes us laugh. We told him long, long ago that he couldn't shoot any better than he could edit, and the day will come when he will take our advice and go off into the woods somewhere and run a cider mill. Who Was Itt At midnight on Wednésday night some one threw a stone against the front door of the Kicker office. We turned out of bed in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of a man and fired six shots at him. We thought we saw him turn a back handspring, but owing to the darkness could not be sure. Next morning we found many biloodstains on the spot where he stood, and nothing is surer than that the stranger was nit. Who he was, or why he should want to damage our door is a mystery, but it is our opinion that he won't try it again. We are a wakeful cuss, and the man who can heave rocks and get away scot free ts welcome to the fun. —_——.___ THE POWER OF SPAGHETTI, A story of an Italian dinner table. Luxurions Bondoirs of Well-Known Ameri- can Belles, A Fad Among the Swell Set—Lady Beresford Started the Fi With a $2,000 Mirror. Lady Beresford set the fashion for elab- orate dressing tables when she recently Paid over $2,000 for a narrow strip of flaw- less crystal In which to regard her perfect face and form during the progress of her toilet. The dainty accessories for this luxurious table are all in the finest of cut glass, and the table itself stands in a gorgeous room which is entirely draped in scarlet, her ladyship’s favorite color. The candles at the sides of the unique mirror are cardinal color, and stand in rich brass candelabr: All the bottles and boxes of perfumes, powders and unguents which adorn the dressing shelf are also of cut glass touch- ed with gold. Mics Virginia Fair, the California heiress, in whose honor the Countess of Castellane fave a superb dinner not so very long ago, has a dressing table at once interesting, quaint and old-fashioned. It is a long. shallow table with the entire top inlaid ith mother of pearl. The mirror, as wide as the table and reaching nearly to the ceiling, stands flat against the wall, and is lavishly draped with folds of pink silk. All the brushes, combs, boxes, etc., are finished in mother of pearl, exactly match- ing the table top. These very long tables are growing stead- ily in favor. They afford so much space for every variety of toilet accessory. There is @ place for the paraphernalia of man!- curing, for the delicate cosmetics, hair Gressing, etc. And really well-groomed Women enter into the detail of dressing nowadays as seriously as they do into for- eign matrimonial ventures or into the new fad of being politicians. Mrs. Adolph Ladenburg, a woman who follows the hounds with the ease of a pink- coated English squire, has one of the most perfectly-equipped dressing tables in this country. The table is divided into two sec- tions by 4 pier mirror which reaches from the floor to the celling. Over the dressers on either side are shelves and smaller mir- rors. The toilet appointments are all solid silver and the draperics of blue. iss Edith Sheppard, who is -4 = known through her drawing room “fore! talks, oi baci et table that is un- equaled in gorgeous coloring and richness of effect. The table, which is square and entirely covered with cloth-of-gold, stands in the middle of the room. The mirror, which is also square and festooned with cloth-of- gold, is supported by two large gold claws. All the toilet pieces are mounted in gold and rest on gold cloth mats. The manicure set is placed at one end of the table mat- ting, arranged jn a white lined gold box. nis cloth-of-gold drapery very beau- tiful and woven to order at an expense of about $120 per yard. The pattern selected by Miss Sheppard is the sparsely scattered fleur de lis, the eeffct produced being very rich, almost ecclesiastical in design and coloring. At one side of the dressing table is a cloth-of-gold cushion and over the cuspion a narrow shelf holding a prayer ook. But the popular use of the dressing table is by no means limited to the wealthy maid of high degree. Their convenience and gineral utility are appreciated all the way down from the mother of pearl table to the tiny oval of white enamel and even to the ary goods box set with shelves, covered with Japanese blue and white cotton and surmounted with a ninety-eight-cent mir- ror with a “hand-painted” frame of white ard blue enamel. The toilet accessories for the dry goods box are of inexpensive cellu- loid; the candle sticks are of German delft and the pin cushion is of old blue silk em- broidered in white wind mills. Such # dressing table complete in every detail would not cost to exceed $5. —_—- POINTS ON BASS FISHING. As Saggested in Extract from a letter received by a Wash- ington girl from her brother in West Vir- ginia, giving instructions on fishing: “So you are going to be a Mrs. Isaac Walton on the Fourth of July, are you, and want a few ‘pinters.’ It is not often that I expose the secrets of successful bass fishing, but here goes. irst, last rnd alwars, good bait. ‘Second, last and always, good tackle. ‘Third, last and always, good looks. “Fourth, last and always, good place. “Fifth, last and always, good luck. “Result—Tackle busted; face and hands sunburnt; minnow bucket sunk; four small bass, that small boy stole; boat upset; re- grets when you fell in that you had not fished in your bathing suit, ss it would have been more ay-propriate; $1.50 paid to boy for fish to take home, and a lie re- corded against you in heaven when you said, “Oh, we had such a lovely time.” “Ah! experience teaches us that in going fishing, it is always best to take twenty- three hooks along, so that if you lose twen- ty-two you will still have one left to fish With. It also teaches that over one billion fish are lost every year by pul?ing too soon. It is a well-known fact among fishermen that you can’t run a bass until he breaks into a sweat and then get him to bite. Bass are so social, that you cen drop your min- now bucket into the water with a splash, stamp your feet on the bottom of the boat, hang your tootsie-wooties out in the water, and carry a white parasol and wear bloom- ers, and they just think ft is for their emusement and gather around the boat in large numbers. Then the sport begins— trying to get them to bite. “Now, in case you are apprehensive that you will fall in, I will advise you as fol- lows: Buy a Wheeling stogie cigar and smoke it. Your head will ‘swim,’ and as Icng as it does your body will be in no im- mediate danger of drowning. “If your neighbors are catching more fish than you are, go over to them and throw your line as close to theirs as you can, and if the lines become tangled to- gether, holler—first get your knife and cut thunder out of their line. Don’t admire any catch made by others, as it shows ig- norance on your part, but offer them 10 cents more for them than they paid. And one thing more; if your neighbor tries to crowd you and gets too familiar, just slam yeur line in the water and make as much fuss as possible, so that a double number of fish will come around and you can catch as many as you had previously, and still give your neighbor some pleasure, too. Don't tell of the ‘big "un’ you lost, as that story is getting old and stale. “The anticipation is always greater than the realization, so get all of the first part you can, and then the last will be accord- irely. “If you fish in a small stream select a group of logs where there is good deep water, six feet or more; use minnows, three inches tong, or any live bait that is good, but don’t fail to try other bait if the kind ycu are using does not take. Around rocks, if there are any, is also a good place. es- pecially if the water is swift above them and eddies below them. A bass on taking a bait always catches it cross-ways and runs a short distance, say five or six feet, and stops, munches it and then swallows it, and starts off; then allcw him to go a few feet and pull, or rather give it a quick ierk, just enough to hcok him, and then hold a stiff line and fight it out: but don’t try to pull it right In until tt fs worn out and gives up. Bring it to the side of the boat or bank, and allow (if it is a large one) some one else to get a hold of the fish (not the line, as the chances are that it will break its hold and get away), and drag him in. {Ain't he a_ beaut thoug! Twenty-five yards of line will make two good lines for you. This is lesson No. 1. I wish you good luck. — Why ts Itt From the Chicago Record “Men are so conceited; when a man gets to be forty he thinks that every woman that looks at him is in love with him.” “Yes, but not because he is conceited; tt is because he knows how irrational wo- men are.” From the Chicago Tribune. “It seems to me,” shouted Uncle Allen Sparks to the fleeing bloomer girl, whose bicycle had given him a@ severe jolt at a crossing, “you might stop a second or at least look around to see whether you've knocked anybody down or not. That would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”