Evening Star Newspaper, August 1, 1896, Page 16

. THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1896-—TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. “I picked up a new thing for riders of the wheel in New York a few days ago.” sug- ge a popular wheelsman, “and would like to give it publicity through The Star. Those who have had troubte in finding small punctures will appreciate It. You know the customary way te locate a puncture is to immerse the wheel in a tub of water. Wherever the air bubbles there will be found the puncture. In some cases, however, the air pressure is not sufficient to make th bubbles. In cases of this kind lather s soap and smear ft over the tire. A s bubble will form then over every puncture, it matters not how small it fs. Once lo- cated, near’ ery rider knows what to do, or thinks bh which is about the same thing. for the great majority send them to the s! to be repatred, anyhow.” see * “Thermometers are being frequently read in the departments this week,” remarked the watchman at the main dvor of the pen- sion office, “and there is the us' iscus- sion about the wracy of their reading. Now, in the pension eftice this is no new thing, for in summer, as well as in winter, there will often be a ef four or tive rees at the west and east ends of the buil In the morning the ¢ end of the building catches it. As midday fs reached it is even all around. But when the sun er to west there is music in the entire west end of the butlding, and it keeps up until the hour of closing arrives. thing happens but as th not lepartm: the stone rks are also more sensi- for in proportion there are and intirm clerks in the pension office than any other.” x * * * never been calied to pull a dog’s volunteered a well-known dentist. “Had I known for what purpose I was ld not have responded, but being on the ground I was too nervy to refuse. that of a dog be- Michigan Senator. had several nice dogs of fancy breeds ed that one of them acted ‘The telephone directory of that name well up on top in the and I presume that was catled. It is no unusual thing 3 to be called to the houses of ts who are sick or otherwise unable » to the dentist, and T packed up a cessuries and Started. I was met at or by the lady, who spoke of the suf- of Mad I took it that Madge her a child or a favored servant 1 as oftly as I could upstairs to to which I was directed. I no- rangely. had m: were two or three little pug | } the room, put did net dream that; s one of them. In a few mo- ly came up and picking up the upathetieally of Madge’s suf- I was in for ft and in a short time 2 to w she was three as asked my fee, but as I performed such a service for did not know exactly what to I made it $3, and was paid. Since 1 am called by telephone I ask thing about the work to be done, for, ss it is my own dog, I prefer to be used from the work.” podoo which lingers about certain ves and street cars, has a marked some bleycles, served a dealer . “and we have frequent evidence ‘Two years ago I sold a wheel to a the State Department. He had a of sensations on it, but wound up ing it off the car bridge at George- king his rib and otherwise in- j melt. When he recovered he tackied the wheel again and landed under a@ stfeet car at the corner of 9th street and “The come rasp whe of it cleric i om Pennsylvania avenue. He left the wheel with us for repair, but before it was fixed up he left the country and wrote us to sei it, w hh we did, a clergyman becoming the owner. He, too, had a string of bad luck exchange. far we. positively know of six persons who have been injured while | riding it. IT am rot superstitious in such matter ut unless some one wants that particular wheel very bad, it will never go out of our show room again. I certainly vuld not sell It to any one unless I thor- ly informed chem of its record. I know of another case almost as bad. The wheel Is a ladies’ wheel and {t has caused a great deal of trouble, besides injuring eral persons. The most careful riders with disaster on it. this wheel is on the stocks and is being thoroughly overhauled, but the owner hesi- ties to use it again in view of its record. a the other hand other machines have ood records. Of the first lot of six safeties 1 and used in this city, one of them [ ersonally know to be still in use. Of course the owner is a careful rider and <ives the wheel attention. He ts a clerk in the on office and he’s ridden back and forth hat office every day since he has “ned it. Two years ago we put new tres on it, but otherwise it is the original whee hav I know of a wheel which has ridden four persens into the Police Court. im th They have aggregate paid $40, besides lawyers’ nthe way of fines. ‘There ts no doubt hoodoo on some of them.” ese 8 eX ‘Though there are preparations adver- tised to force the growth of the beard and musiache,” remarked a druggist, “we sel- dom have to handle such things, and never touch them If we can avoid them, for they all frauds and deceptions. Still there Sees el Ued in Madge’s mouth and | and we again became its owners by ! are a class of persons who sell them, but | generally through the mail by the aid of | advertising. A druggist who has a repu- | tation to maintain can not afford to sell many of the articles which are sold | through the mail, for the goods thus put upon the market are known as irregular in every respect. They claim to do im- possible things. The most surprising thing nbout the matter is that there are many purchasers for these irregular goods. The idea _of forcing a beard or mustache in six weeks as one of the ncstrums advertised claims can be done by its aid is nonsensi- cal, but you would be surprised how many victims it catches. With a certain class of young men a mustache is very desirable, while with a number who have mustaches they are wild for a beard. They are the buyers. They can not raise any row over being swindled, for the reason that to do it would expose themselves and their weak- ness. “There is another class of young men and young women, too, who are very anx- fous that their hair should be curly. They are the victims of the hair curler. They think that it is possible to buy a vial of some wonderful fluid and that the simple application of it will change their hair into curly locks. Of course they seldom buy more than one bottle, for they realize before it is used that they had been taken in. These rostrums are not recognized by what is known as the patent medicine trade, and are never handled in the regu- lar way. Recently a thing had a good run in the scuth, whicn it was claimed would straighte~ out the hair of colored people. Like the hair curler it was a fraud, though it found many victims.” eek et “The wishing tree is just now much asked | for,” answered one of the employes of La- fayette Park, “and to us, as well as others, this tree has a peculiar influence. Now, I dv not mean to say that every wish made under it comes true. Far from it, for 1 know of hundreds of wishes that panned out the opposite way, but It is a fact that many persons, especially ladies and young girls, find not only pleasure, but absolute satisfaction in making their wishes under it. Some refrain from going up to it, and make their wish from a distance, though in sight of the tree, but the majority go up under its foliage, and place their hands in the hole near the body of the tree. They are more liable, they say, to get their wish if they do this. Personally I have not had much luck with it, though I know of hun- dreds who have the greatest confidence in the wishing tree. The tree stands exactly on the meridian line, and to many it is known as the meridian tree, but it is best known as the wishing tree. It has been in the park since it laid out, and is about ihe only chestnut tree in any of the parks. As you see, it is a stunted chestnut, and is orly about one-half the height of the average full grown chestnut in this section of the country. How did it get its name and fame? Oh, that is too much for me, for I heard of it as the wishing trees over twenty years ago, and long before I was employed in the park. Colored people, especially the nurse girls, are the greatest ievers in it, though as I have stated, the ; believers in it are not confined to colored people by any means, for only this after- | noon I saw a couple of the most fashionable ; ycung ladies of the West End go under it. | Wishers must always remember, however, that to have their wishes gratified they must not divulge them to any other person. Of course I have heard many stories told about the wishes made under the tree, but I can't think of any of them just now. This, however, I do know, and that is, the people who do the wishing are sure to come bet From this I suppose they are satis- The wishing tree is the handsome chest- nut Immediately on the west of the Jack- son statue, and now that it is filled with burrs, wiéch will ripen in October, is one of the most attractive trees to children of any in the park. ee ee “There are more interesting money stories told by the clerks in the sedemption divis- ion of the Treasury Department than any other branch of the department,” remark- ed a gentleman who is very prominent in the literary world, “and I have secured there some of the facts upon which I have based my most striking chapters. I was there a few days ago, and was told of a miser who came there from Ohio to be re- deemed, for there was more meney about him than anything else. It appears he be- gan by stitching every note that he got in his clothing. As time progressed, his cloth- ing was lined with notes three or four thick. It then began to get through his bead that he had injured the money, and he came on here for advice and redemption. On his arrival at the treasury, and though, as it was afterward ascertained, he had ové ten thousand dollars stitched up in his clothing, he walked most of the dis- tance from Ohio to save his mcney, he was turned over to the agent of the express ecmpany In a lower room. There he was stripped of his clothing and another suit furnished him. The money-lined sult was then taken to the clerks in the redemption division, the threads all carefully cut and the money counted in the presence of the old man. Over ten thousand dollars were found sewed up in his clothing. It was re- | deemed and new money given him, only, j however, on his promise that he would de- posit it in a bank or invest it. While the | ladies were counting up his’ money, he cpened his heart enough to have brought in to them twenty cents’ worth of fruit. | The whole thing was kept a secret until a few days ago, and Is only divulged now be- icause word has been received here that the old man died last week.” —>—__ No Chance to Explain. Frem Judge. “What was the cause of the trouble in the Woman's Club?” “The majority adopted a resolution Itmit- ing the time of each woman for speaking on any one question to three hours.” HER CHANCE. from Life. —= =— “My husband's sight was peor before I married him.” “I suppose 50.” ART AND ARTISTS Mr. L. 8. Brumidi has been devoting him- self largely to figure studies dome in the open air and has been working around near the ponds by the monument. Mr. Brumidi has just received from London a copy of a book about Parisian life, for which he made a series of illustrations a short time ago. The notes about the Paris stage are illustrated by sketches of the loges of some of the famous actreeses in the Comedie Francaise. One of Mr. Bru- ‘midi's illustrations {s a picture of the bath. ers in the surf at Dieppe, and anot shows the famous painter, Rochegrosse, at work in his atelier. All the drawings are very cleverly done. Mr. Brumidi is at work on another series of {illustrations of some- what the same character. * * Mr. Richard N. Brooke left for Warren- ton, Va., on Monday. He intends to make quite a protracted stay there, working in the localities with which he is already so familiar. * * * Miss B. E. Perrie has of late taken up sketching: in gouache on gray paper for her outdoor work, and has arrived at some very good results. A sketch looking west up the Georgetown canal, executed in this manner, is particularly strong and effect- ive. It was made on a gray day, but the sky, Instead of being heavy and leaden, had a bright, luminous look, which makes it seem ready at any moment to break away and reveal the blue heavens. The reflection of the clouds in the water is given by a few crisp touches, which con- trast sharply with the cool shadow or the stone bridge, the arch of which frames a lovely bit of distance up the canal. This method of working gives the strength of an oil, but retains the special qualities of work in water color, as is shown in another study in which some shocks of yellow corn standing in a bristling field of stubble are relieved by the dark green of a row of trees bordcring the field. Miss Perrie and Miss Aline Solomons plan to have a joint studio next winter, and in a couple of months will install themselves in one of the studio buildings down town, where the artists congregate. x * * Miss Mathilde Mueden,who achieved such success at Julien’s in the winter, has now Jeft Paris and is taking a well-earned rest in London. Luter in the summer she ex- pects to visit Germany and to go through the galleries there, learning as much as possible from the observation of the old masters. ** S ‘ Mr. Lewis Chew has been spendiig his spare moments on a carefully studied oil painting which he is making for the next exhibition. It fs an interior scene, showing @ woman seated at a piano, and Mr. © has been lavishing much pains upor deeming it one of the most important can- vases that he has ever undertaken. * * Miss Grace Lincoln Temple has been quite busy lately with the interior decora- tion of a number of handsome houses in the city. Her work consists in planning the color scheme for the walls, making the designs for decoration, and often when this part of the work is not mechanical enough to be intrusted to others, executing the designs with her own hand. She also brings her artistic judgment and experi- ence to bear on the selection of banzings, and endeavors to make the entire interior of the house harmonious. This work nat- urally requires an extensive knowledge of the styles of decoration of all periods and a facility for original designing. There {3 a wide field for this branch of art, and it has an important educational mission in that it brings. the influence of art upon people through the surroundings in their homes. It is to be hoped that the school of decorative art which is to be established here under the auspices of the Art Stu- dents’ League will be a success. * * * Mr. Macdonald and Mr. W. H. Chandlee go today for a short season of sketching around picturesque Gunston Hall. ‘There is any amount of good material in that neighborhood, and they will, no doubt, re- turn with many good studies. * * A week ago Max Weyl left with his fam- fly for Paxton, Va., where a number of other artists are staying. Mr. Weyl plans to stay at least six weeks, and the beauti- ful scenery in the Blue Ridge will probably figure prominently in his next exhibition. He has taken up water color to some ex- tent and expects to be represented at the exhibit of the Water Color Club, whish is to be held in December. * * * The artist Horace Bradley, who died in Denver last week, was well known in this city, and his death brings a feeling of per- sonal loss to many. He was a close friend of Mr. J. H. Moser, who Is so well known here. ———~._—_. NOT THE SAME. The Army Officer's Cook Thought She Knew Ducks. An army officer stationed in Washington is a summer widower just now, as his bet- ter half and the children are enjoying the heated term at a watering place. The officer, notwithstanding his enforced term of bereavement, dresses as immaculately as ever and is very fond of appearing in spotless linen, particularly in the evening. ‘When he came home from his éaily labor the other afternoon the colored cook, for he keeps bachelor hall, approached him deferentially and said: “Cap'n, does ye want de ducks fer brekfus, an’ how does ye want ’em cook- ed—roas’ed or how?” “Ducks,” exclaimed the master of the house, in surprise. “I dor’t want any ducks this time of year and I didn’t order any.” “Well, dey 1s heah jes de same. A man brung ‘em dis mawnin’, and I said, ‘wat’s dem? and de man said, ‘ducks fer de cap’n.’ An’ I tuk 'em and put ’em on de ice terectly, for dis hot spell don’t do no kind o' poultry no good. An’ I kep ‘em right on de ice all day.” Thereupon the captain was escorted to the refrigerator and saw a very limp but care- fully tied bundle containing his new white duck suit, in which he intended to appear that evening. He didn’t say much. ——.—_—_. Long Drawn Out. From Puck. Caddington—“So sorry, me*deah fellah, you, have to go abroad. You'll miss the cricket game; it commences today, y’ know.” Faddington—“Ya-as, {t's too beastly bad, me boy! Say, telegraph me on my arrival in Lunnon how the game is progressing— will you?” ~eee. His Exeu: From the Indianapolis Journal. Mrs. Farmer—“Why do you walk the roads in this aimless manner year in and year out?” Weary Watkins—“Because I ain't got no bicycle.” ————cee. An Unpromising Match. From the New York Weekly. Mrs» Henpeck—“My dear, you will make @ great mistake if you marry Mr. Meak. He has no beard, end he wears a wig.” Daughter—“What difference does that make?” “Huh! You try managing a husband with no hair of his own, and you'll find out.” ———_+e+___ Had Something to Say. From ‘Trath. Mrs. Mamma—“If Lord Forgivus asks you to marry him you tell him to speak to me.” Ethel—“Yes, mamma—but if he doesn’t?” Mrs. Mamma—“Then tell him that I want to speak to him." —se+___ All Through, From Life. “Well, old man, I've spent every cent of money I have in the world on my doctor.” “Does he know it?” “I guess he does. He has pronounced me @ well man.” DAN, THE?BARKEEPERIBOWSER ON res 3 sf He Bxpatiates‘on the Prevalence of Financial ies A Plaintive Wail From a Man Who bet Believes He is Being Driven to St. GHizabeth’s. 1 a a Dan, the barkeepex at the Oft and Early, wiped the glass defely and then set it down on the shelf with’an expert tap that made it ring like a bell, ” “I never see anythin’ itke it,” he remark- ed, tossing the towel under the bar, ‘an’ T ain't given’ you no cat hop deal neider. De hull town is gone clear crazy, er I hopes ter never drink anything but worter s'long ez I live. Crazy bout wot? Say, youse ez crazy ez de rest ob ‘em, axin’ any sech Queschun ez dat. Crazy bout wot? crazy bout dis yere silver bizniss an’ bizniss. I'm gitten’ off meself lis’nin’ ter de tawk an’ gab about it. De reglars is bad an’ de drop-ins is wuss. Men dats bin gittin deir booze here sence Noah wuz er gole baby an’ keepin’ erlong on er even keel ithout makin’ any outen-de-way tacks {3 dun got de fever an’ got reglar daffy on silver an’ gole. Dat is, sum of em’s got de silver kind an’ sum of em’s got de gole. Fellers whut useter stan’ up at de bar an’ tell funny stor an’ laff au’ ‘ha ha’ till dey got deir tanks full, tawk silver an’ tawk gole an’ nothin’ else, an’ evry dern wun of 'em’s loaded to de guards wid noos- paper clippin’s an’ leetle bocks an’ them scrt o" printed things till dey luks like cir- kerlatin’ Itb'aries. An’, sa: dey tawks each other blind, an’ Gen reads dese printed pleces I tells you ‘bout, an’ den dey leaves it all ter me ter say w'ich dub ts right. An’ wen 1 say tell wid de whole Dizniss; dat dey might ez well ax me wot's de best lick- er 48 wot's de best munny, w’en it’s all de same ter me over de bar, dey calls me er ig’rant chump, au’ both of ’em jumps me that a wey at wunst.” He Won the Bet. Dan paused for a moment to draw two glasses of beer for a couple of serious- looking custome Then he came back and lowered his voice. “I'll bet de drinks,” he whispered, ‘dat dem two dubs gits ter tawkin’ silver before de frof gits off de beer.” Synchrcnously with his offer the voice of the smaller man of the two arose: “But gold is the money of the classes, of the plutocrats, of the nabobs and ceniral- izers of power and government, while sil- ver—" “Oh, silves be damned!” ejaculated the other. “With free silver you'd have to take a wheelbarrow full to get a pair of low-auarter shoes!” “Didn't I tell yer?” whispered Dan. “W'y it's er hundred to one, a stack to er split dat I win every time two dubs comes in. Dey may be bofe'fur silver or bofe fur but dey’ll tawk erbout it all de same. ou know ole man Miggs wot uset; tank up in here?” ‘he continued. “He don’t come here no mofe.' He got a steer last month dat gin wtiz a good game fur his system, an’ he sawed off bn red Hcker an’ went up agin gin. He tuk it Straight fur awhile, but de taste stalled him, I reckon, so de udder day he called fur a gin fizz. I made him a reglar fizz, an’ w’en I put It on de bar an grabbed de selger siphon, he look at me sollum like an’ say, Ain't dis yere a silver fizz,” an I say it were. He throwed down fifteen cents, an’ pushed de glass back. “I drinks no more in dis dive,’ he says. ‘Wen a place's got a barkeep wot don't krow enuff ter give er intel’gent bizniss man a gole fizz, it don’t git my custom!’ “Say, I hope I may choke ef dat ain't straight, an’ I ain't seen ole Migesey sence. “Ef dey don’t git sumpin’ else ter tawk erbout soon I'll go up ter de big brick erbove Annycosty, dat’s wot I'll do, "cause I'm gittin’ daffy meself, an’ dern ef I ain’t dreemin’ erbout silver an’ gole every night. Better jine me while you kin, fur ef it keeps up I'l be givin’ Dr. Goddin more trouble dan he ever had before.” a eee For Early Rising. From the Athens Banner. The lark was up to meet the sun and carol for his lay; the farmer's son took down his gun and at him blezed away. ‘The busy bee arose at 5 and buzzed the meadows o'er; the farmer's wife went for his hive and robbed him of his store. The ant rose early, his labors to begin: the greedy swal'ows flew that way and took his lordship tn. Oh, bee, birds and ants, be wise; in proverbs take no stock. Like me, refuse to rise until half-past § o'clock. ae ag eas A Misnomer. From Life. rs “And thou canst crawn this brow of mine with columbine.”" But the columbine happened to be just plain poison ivy, and now they do not speak as they pass by. By M. Quad. “Mrs. Bowser!” gata he the other day, with gréat dignity, “do you know that 1 ust do something fot myself or dic Within @ year? Plougking ahd mowirg are all right, but they don’t seem to give me strength.” “Nonsense! You are a strong end healthy man. “I may seem to be, but alss! I am not. I have no more muscle than a baby, and I can’t walk a little without feeling faint.” “And you want some more Indian clubs or ancther punching bag?” “No, ma’am, I don’t. The doctor has recommended a different sort cf exercise. Mr. Kane, our neighbor, will bring his bicycle here this evening, and I intend to take it cut in the road and learn to ride.” “You—cn—a—bicy¢le!” she gasped. “Why not? Why shouldn’t I ride a bicy- cle as well as any one else? You are op- posed to it, of course, but I’m going to fol- low the doctor's advice. If I can lengthen n.y life by twenty years it’s my duty to do so. There comes Kane. It will not be necessary for you to come and help us,” Mrs. Bowser realized that arguments Were useless, and she had nothing more to sey. The two men led the bike down the rcad and Mr. Bowser rubbed his hands and smiled and said: “By George! but I know it's going to rake a new man of me! I'll buy one. be- {cre ncon tomorrow, and we'll take a ten- mile spin, eh?” “You can hardly expect to learn to ride this evening,” replied the neighbor. “Why not? Say, Kane, I'll be circling around this house’ inside of ten minutes! When I know that it’s life or death with me I’m bound not to lose a second. I s'pose I want to peel right down to shirt ard trousers? All right. Fetch ‘er up here. Makes me hungry just having the Vike about the place. Now, then, the first thing is to mount, isi’t it? : you iake hold of the handles—so, and you make a spring into the saddle—so, and away you go. Think you can do it? “Of course I can. ‘The old gal is opposed te my learning how to ride, but—" Mr. Vowser seized the handles and sprang for the saddle. When he recovered con- sclousness he was on the broad of his back in the dust, aud Mr. Kane was fanning him with an old washboard which he hai found in the grass. “Has anything happened?” asked Mr. Bowser as he looked around. “Nothing in particular. You were tired lay down to rest.”” yes—I kno I suppose you used Seen anything of Mrs. ‘0. Then trot up the health restorer again. T'll put a littie more spring into my legs this ume.” Mr. Kane held the bike this time and helped Mr. Bowser to mount. He also suggested that he walk alongside the ma- chine until the novice had got his nerve, but Mr. Bowser replied: When we get around to that window ycu give me a shove down the slope and let go. I see how she works and I'll sur- prise you. After I've made about three cireuits you can call Mrs. Bowser up and I'll show her a scorch. They call it ‘scorch- rg’ when you beat greased lightning, don’t the; 'Ye§, I believe they do. going to let go.” “Let 'er go—rah—whoop—” When Mr. Bowser woke up this time he was in his bed, while Mrs. Bowser sat holding his hand end trying to look very sympathetic. “This—this isn’t pered, as he looked around. “Oh, no, dear,” replied Mrs. Bowser, as @ smoothed back his hair. “You are still arth. How do you feel?” Who hit me with a house?” No one. You were learning to ride a bike to lengthen out your days, you know.” “And what—what—? You got what I believe they call a double wobble, followed by a header. Mr. Kane got a neighbor to help bring you down here. The doctor has been here and gone. He said your neck wasn’t broken, but it would probably be four weeks before you got outdoors again. Do you feel that your appetite has improv. Mr. Bowser closed his € “The doctor s: to it you years old! Mr. Bowser opened his cyes and after glaring around him minute, he shouted: “Woman, I understand! It is anothei attempt to assassinate me! Let the law- yers come the first thing in the morning and draw up the necessary papers, and by evening all can be settled.” * “There—there, dear, don’t talk too much,” she safd, as she forced him back on the pillow. “I will hold your hand and hum to Now, then, I'm heaven, fs it?” he whis- on Ss and groaned. if you would only stick vould surely live to be a hundred and sat up, for half a you, and do try and go to sleep. Close your eyes, now, and forget all about the double wobble, which has done so much to nm your chest. S-s-s-h! “ht ————+ e+ HIS REMEDY, How a Tennesxeean Would Make England Take Our Silver. One of the best instances illustrating the peculiar ideas some people have on the sil- ver question was related to a Star reporter by J. D. Cowan, a prominent attorney of Nashville, Tenn. “At a barbecue during the last congressional campaign two proml- nent politicians discussed the silver ques- tion. After the speaking was over, a tall, strapping fellow accosted the advocate of a gold standard. “ ‘Judge,’ he said, ‘don’t yo’ think England ke our silver?" No.” ““‘Didn’ we lick England onct.’” “a¥es, but we don’t want another war.’ ““T ain't sayin’ nothin’ "bout wah. What I war gittin’ at is this: We licked her onct, an’ if Congress passed a law for free silver, an’ the people thar got unctious, I don’ see why we couldn’ sen’ the gov'm’nt sheriff an’ a posse, an’ make her ‘bey the laws of Con- gress. Ef they kick agin the law, sock ’em in jail jess like yo’ do other folks.’ * _— MAKING MONEY. "a The Orator Received an Answer Sooner Than He Expected. “Judge Denny of Lexington had a pecullar experience In Menifee county, Ky. man from the blue grass state to a Star re- porter. “The judge is one of the most elo- quent stump speakers in the republican party, and no one can make a stronger tariff argument. He was charging the demo- cratic administration with the financial de- pression in an outdoor meeting near French- burg. ‘Who,’ he asked, ‘is making any money? If any one is I’ would like to see him.’ “After the meeting closed, a man came up, and, taking the judge to one side, said: ‘I'm the man yo’ 2xed for in meetin’. ‘Course I couldn’ make no sign in thet crowd, but I am ready to do business.’ “You are what man? asked the aston- ished orator. “The man that’s makin’ th’ money out hyar you talked “bout.” ““‘Oh,’ replied the judge. you making?’ ““Nothin’ but half dollars, but I hey a brother in Bell county who makes dollars, an’ I reckon I could git yo’ some. Yo' hev a pow'ful chance ter pass ‘em goin’ ‘roun’, but I never would a thought to spoke if yo" hadn't axed fer me.” “The rather startled statesman could do nothing but make an appointment with the man, and then leave the county as quickly as possible.” : ‘Well, what are —_—-._ BIG FISHING, He Only Caught Three in a Day, but It Was n Good Day. They were telling fish stories at the Eb- bitt House last night. The usual yarns were spun and every one tried to outdo the others, except one old man, who took no part. “Didn't you ever fish?” asked one. “Was raised on the Kennebec river, up in Maine, and never did much but fish,” was the quiet reply. “What was the most fish you ever caught in a day “Three. “Three? Oh, you are joking.” ‘No, I ain’t. It was near the mouth of the Kennebec river. There was a storm at sea, and the fish were driven into the river. Then the water went down and they couldn't get back, and I got some log chains, hitched mules to them and dragged them out.” “What kind of fish were they?” “Whales.” And the old man shifted his tobacco to the other cheek and looked truthful, A BIKEJIN HOTEL CORRIDORS “I have heard a good deal of complaint of the heat since I have been in Washing- ten,” said R. A. Reynolds of Yuma, Ariz., at the St. James. “The people of this city cannot realize how hot it gets in southwest- ern Arizona. Cattle die in great numbers, and it is almost impossible for human be- ings to live there during the summer months. Some extravagant stories are told about the effects of the heat, and I have read of frying eggs in the sand out there. Of course, they do nothing of the kind, but I know an egg story that is true that is nearly as remarkable. I was camping out on the desert not very far from where those two men died, an account of which 1 read in The Star, and among our provis- fons were some eggs. Being suspicious of their condition, we did not cook them and did not happen to throw them away. Just left them in the tent. One day I heard a chirping, and upon investigation found that more than half the eggs had natend.” “The ugtiest and yet most useful things in California are horned toads,” said A. L. Mason of Los Angeles at the Shoreham. “They are by no means pleasant to look at, and the Indians formerly held them in sacred veneration. The people of Califor- nia do not regard them very highly, and they are killed whenever found by many who imagine that they are venomous, which is not the case. The Hawaiians, however, know thetr value, and President Dole has written to different sections of California to arrange for having several thousand sent to Hawaii for the purpose of destroying certain insects. Careful inves- tigation has shown that they are exceed- ingly valuable for this purpose, and there 1s now a good deal of talk about preserving trem more carefully in Caiifornia. “Confidence men have adopted new tac- tics,” said A. R. Henrickson of New York, at the Raleigh, “and the old-time stories of countrymen being accosted by name have become obsolete, but there was a time when this trick was common. I Myed in New York, but was running a truck farm in Orange county, and frequently came into the city in my working garb. I had a good deal of fun with the confidence men. I was accosted several times, and cach time knowledged to the name by which I was called, instead of correcting them and (ell- ing my name. In this way I had no trou- bie getting rid of the fellows. 1 was asked if my name was not Warren. I replied that it was, and was rather star- tled by the questioner seizing my arm and saying: “You are under arrest I wes taken to Central station, and it was several hours before I could prove I was not War- ren, since which time I have never an- swered to any name but my own." “Street vendors ilways adopt a tune,” sald C. D. Arnold of St. Louis at the Ar- Ungton. “It is remarkable how many dif- ferent inflections can be used in calling the names of vegetables or fruits, I have noted the cries in different cities, and they are wholly unlike, except that of the char- coal men, same everywhere. It is sald that no one can stand to continuously say a word in a monotone, and I have certainly never heard a huckster who had been in the business long who did not possess a tune for every article he ever sold, which wouid seem to bear’out the assertion that a con- stant monotone is impossible, and the only way for a man to continuously call out an article is to set it to a sort of rude mus’ 2 “I was on a trip through Cabunus county, North Carolina,” said T. L. Kennedy, a Richmond traveling salesman at the Mez- repolitan, “and had to stay all night at a cabin composed of two rooms dowistatrs and a loft above to accommodate a family of eight people. All they had to eat for supper and breakfast was cornbread and black coffee of the cheapest grade. My hest, in the morning, apologized for not having more, and particularly for not being able to fe down my horse. “it's the hardest times I ever seed, stranger,” he said. “I haven't had a cent in money for a year. Las’ crap war a plum failure. I reckon I'll git a little so’n an’ a few stan's "bacey this yar. But mebbe not.” “I should think you would move,” I sug- gested. “Wa’al, yo’ see, I hev the bes’ show for a gold mine in No'th Ca'liny. I'ma tryin’ ter sell it fer a hundred thousan’ dollars, an’ ivs dirt cheap at that. But ef times gets much wuss, I'm agoin’ ter git shut of the Ung fer fifty thousan’, but derned ef I want ter.” “They tell a story on Judge Bryan, father of the democratic nominee for the pres- idency,” said C. R. Allen of St. Louts at the Howard. “The Star has already mentioned the fact that he opened court with prayer ard frequently implored divine guidance in important cases that came before him. Mr. ‘T. E. Merritt, who has probably had longer legislative experience than any man in Iillnois, 1s a leading lawyer at Salem, the home of Judge Bryan. Merritt devended a man charged with burglary, but Judge Bry- en sentenced him to the full limit of the 1 The next morning Merritt presented a motion for a new trial, the principal point in which was that his client nad not a con- stitutional trial because subjected to ‘cruel and unusual punishment, consisting of a sermon and a prayer, neither of which are provided for in the statutes governing the offense of which the defendant is charged.’ ” “Just before I left home a man was caught and put in jail for buncoing the miners at Cook's Inlet, Alaska,” said E. F. Titlow of Seattle, Wash., at the Regent. “A number of the miners have ret:rned from there, and a great many more would get back if they could. It is one of the most colossal frauds ever perpetrated in the mining regions. There is considerable gold in the field, but very litue placer gold, Almost all of it is quartz that must be milled or smelted. Two or three men went to Alaska and sent back most slowing ac- But one day | which seems to be nearly the | ——— counts to the Pacific coast papers, holding forth that there was room in the new field for thousands of miners. Those who were operating mines were making money, s0 there was enough trath in the reports to attract a large number of men. Then those who had sent out the accoun:s bought mer- chandise and opened the only stores and hotels there, charging four prices for ev- erything. All of the field was taken up in claims, there was absolutely nothing for prospectors, and a very lim amovnt of work for miners. Two of the schemers were run out of Alaska and one is now in jail, but this ts but smail satisfaction, as reports say that hundreds of victims are entirely destitute and threatened with actual starvation, “Almost every traveling salesman has some superstition,” said L. B. Faulkner of Cricago at the Riggs. “It is remarkable how many carry rabbits’ feet, potatoes or buckeyes, and every hotel man knows that the people who will not take a room numbered 13 are not scarce—in fact, some hotels have no room with that number on account of the superstition aginst it. But my luck runs in clothes. I have had lucky neckties and unlucky ones. I gave away the finest scarfpin I ever owned because I could not sell goods when I wore it. If I buy @ new suit and business is dull when I first wear ft, I send it home and try an- other. All of my friends call it supersti- ticn, but I think there is a philosophy in it. If any article of dress attracts the attention of a customer he is not going to give his undivided consideration to the goods I sell. I must therefore wear noth- ing that is especially noticeable anyway. Sull, it may be only a superstition of mine.’ “One of the best judges Indiana ever had was Silas Ramsey of Corydon,” said J. K. Helton, a prominent lawyer of In- dianapolis at the Cochran. “And yet his election was a joke. A very able but up- popular lewyer received the judicial nomi- nation, aad in order to humiliate him Ramsey was induced to run against him, Ramsey was a blacksmith and had proba- ply never opened a law book in his life. He was a bail fellow well met and had an extensive acquaintance, but, of course, had ao i of being elected. When the votes were counted he had a majority and it was feared that the joke would prove a very serious one, but he at once took a course at a law school, and during the first two or ttree years on the bench conferred with able lawyers, reserving de- cisions in close cises until he could fully study them and be advised upon them, and by the close of his term he had ac- quired an enviable reputation. The black- smith’s decisions were very rarely revers- ed by the supreme court.” a friend with an inventive turn L. Broderick of Kansas City at itt. “The last thing he devised was a sort of burglar alarm for his safe. It consisted of an electric bat- tery with a strorg current so placed that when any one touched the knob of the cash drawer to open it he would receive the full force of the battery. He called up bis office force and told them what he had done and to be careful not to touch the ‘awer until he came down. The next morning he reached the office earlier than any one else, proceeded as usual to unlock the safe, forgot all about his invention and went to open the cash drawer. His cashier entered just as he turned a backward somersault and sent for a doctor. After reviving him ft was discovered that no way had been devised for getting into the drawer without being knocked down, and an electrician had to be sent for to get the drawer open. The burglar preventer has now been discarded. ee INSULAR NEW YORKERS. Clerks Shied, When Offered a New fiver Certificate. “While New York is generally regarded as the American metropolis, and looked upon by New Yorkers as containing every thing to be desired in a moral, material and mental sense,” said a well-known Washingtonian to a Star reporter yester- day, “I never go over there without being Struck by the insularity of Manhattan Island when it comes to the people who re- side on it. Their exposition of the ‘know-it all’ streak in their characters would be an- noying if it wasn’t so amusing. The aver- age New Yorker firmly believes that the sun rises in East river and sets in the North, while the south pole is Just off the Battery, with the north pole at Harlem. I was given a charming incid=nt of the haughty ignorance that this sort of en- vironment begets while in New York yes- terday. 1 presented one of the new dollar sil- ver ccrtificates at two of the biggest stores there, and at each it was refused. It struck me that the clerks who declined to take Uncle Sam’s money must depend on ocular practice for the determining of what constituted the securities of the reaim, be- cause a mere reading of the note would have shown what it was. _ TAUGHT THEM. Even if He Occastonally Lost a Boy in the River. I was riding along a mountain stream in eastern Kentucky when I saw a man throw three boys, one after the other, into the water from rather a steep bank. The little fellows swam to the other shore as though they were adapted to the water by nature. “Pretty good swimmers,” I remarked. “Ya'as, I allus said a boy that couldn't swim wan't no “count,” answered the mountaineer. “I jess throw my boys in an’ make ‘em swim, soon’s they git big enough.” “But what if they can’t swim out?” I suggested. “The bank is pretty high for you to get to them in time.” “Ya’as, that’s so. But I've hed nin they all larned all right, ‘ceptin’ two. What became of them?” “Oh, they never comed up arter I throw- ed ‘em in. an’ From Life. A POOR RULE TO FOLLOW. “So you've lost all your marbles, eh? Well, it serves you rigit. Boys always lcse who play on Sundays.” “But how about the other feller who won all my marbles?”