Evening Star Newspaper, August 29, 1896, Page 16

16 THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1896-TWENTY PAGES. ED ELEVATION OF CAPITOL, THORNTON'S SUPERVISION. NORTH WING, COMPLETED UNDER IN THE EARLY DAYS Interesting Details About the De- signer of the Capitol Building. CITY COMMISSIONERS And Helped Carry Out the Ideas of Washington. —__+—_—_—— AN ARCHITECT =e ALSO ONEOF THE WORK AS nn Brown im the Architectural Record. T= ARCHITECTS connected with the early development of Washington were men of interesting personality and architectural talent. Dr. William Thorn- ton, a West Indian, was one of the first, as well as one of the most interesting, of these picneers of the sion. family were prominent among the Friends gland. His parents moved to the Island of Tortola in the West Indies, i Here Thorn- ten was born May 27 of the s: At this her Thornton's or rnor cf the island. Thornton was sent He studied me year. father reriod unele was & WE -n five years old a to educated. under Dr. Feld, then with the ed Erown of Edinburgh. In that he graduated in medicine in 1784. His studies 4 tinued in Paris. In the latter city an intimate f was formed with the noted Counte h a relative of Empress Jesephine’s first husband. She was an authoress and held a famous salon. Thornton traveled extensively on the con- tiner Europe with Count Audriani, the After which he came to this and formed a temporary residence elphia. iv he mari Ann Brodeau n cits ere € endship s Beau- i the daughter of Mrs. ful school teacher Mrs. Thornton, who wa: ud, Was a lady of culture, of seme ability, which is pre ed by a miniature of her husband in possession of Mrs. Kennon. After their . they returned to Tortola, where an interest in the estate of moved ed unul his death, in i to Washington city, S. He ‘ssary to take a house ergetown. Some years afterward he i to 1851 F street, opposite the pres- ent Ebbitt House. At this place he and James Madison were neighbors for eight years jenj. Ogle Tayloe says: “He had a well- ed reputation for leiters and tast * he was a wit, a painter and a poet. whose work was published only a time after Thornton's death, says Was a scholar and a gentleman, fuli of Dunia; short “He ter, a poet and well acquaint- v ¢ mechi . arts; his company Was a complet+ antidote to duliness.” ‘There are three things that connect Thornton intimately with the history of Washington city and the country, and where the excellent character of his work obligation to him. , for his artistle capacity and skill oducing the best scheme for a capitol, forms the nucleus of the present structure. Second, for his general culture, breath and capacity as one of the Corn- missioners of the District, which is shown in the execution of the ficent ideas of Washington and L'Enfant as to streets, and Hoban's ideas as to public and grounds. ‘Third, for nis me- chanical knowledge and executive ability. The patent office, which has rostered and rouraged the tnventive ability of the try, began under his manazemen he superintendent of public buildings and grounds has quite a number of vol- umes, embracing early letters concerning the formation of the District of Columbia. the laying out of Washington city, and the erection of the federal buildings, as well as a complete record of the proceedings of the Commissioners, from 1702 to 1802. The history of Thornton's connection with the city and public buildings is to be found in these volumes and in letters in the pos- session of private parties. act of Congress, January 4, 1790, the President was authorized to appoint a com. mission to survey the District, purchase. adopt and lay out a plan for the federal city, and prior to the “Ist Monday In De- cember, 1800, they were to provide suitable buildings for the accommodation of Con. gress, the President and the public offices All of the United States government.” niricity, a Quaker, by pro- | i | | } and residences. The interior of Montpelier has been remodeled out of all sembiance to its original self. The Octagon house, Washington city, one of the most interesting old residences in this section of the country, was built by John Tayloe and completed In 1801. Geo. Washington took a lively interest in {is erection, as it was by his advice that the owner of the Octagon selected Washington for his home. Thornton was the architect. ‘The Tudor house, Georgetown, D. C., was built about 1810 by a Mr. Peter. Although an imposing old structure, the work does not compare with that shown in the Octa- gon house. The interest in this house centers in the fact that one of Thornton's original sketches for both plan and elevation are still In existence. The exterior of this house is very nearly in its original condi- tion. Design for the President's House. Among the drawings of Thornton’s which Mr. Edward Clark has loaned me is evi- dently his design for the President's house. Thornton wrote from Tortola to the Com- missioners at that date, 1792, stating that he had made designs in conformity with the advertisements soliciting competitive plans for the President's house and CapIi- tol. In an answer to this letter, November 15, 1792, the Commissioners state that the plan for the President's palace had already been selected. This design of Thornton's conforms with the requirements of the advertisement, which suggests a central building and wings, built of brick and stone. Knowing that Thornton made such a design, It will be readily seen that this could not have been prepared for any other purpose. This sketch shows a well-executed wash drawing of good proportion, dignified and simple in its treatment. Decidedly the most interesting piece of ‘Thornton's architectural work was the suc- cesstul design for the Capitol. An adver- tisement solicited competitive plans for the Capitol and President's house, in March, 1702. During July of the same year plans Were submitted. None was found suitable for the former building. In July Thornton wrote to the Commisstoners that he had not heard of the competition in time to prepare his drawings, but as the first draw- ings submitted would most probably not fill the requirements, he requested that his might be examined. On December 4 the Commissioners requested Thornton to send his plan of the Capitol to the Presi- dent. The period between July and De- cember given by the Commissioners Washington to the consideration of Modifications of the plans submitted, Hallet, whose plan w: success- working under the of the the Mr. ful, mn Dr. Wm. Thornton. Commissioners. They walted three weeks after the expiration of the time Hallet promised his modifications, and requested Thornton to send drawings to the President at the same time. February 7, . the Commissioners state the general satisfac- tion of the President,themselves and others in the plan of Thornton. Washington says: “Grandeur, simplicity and convenience seem so well combined that I do not doubt it will meet the Commissioners’ approba- tien.”* April 15, 1793, Thornton received a formal notice of the acceptance of his plan, for which he received $500 and a pbuilding lot in the city of Washington. Tampering With the Design. Thornton would not agree to devote his whole time to superintending the work, and Stephen Hallet, George Hadfield and James Heban were employed at different periods as superintendents. Hallet, almost as soon as he received his appointment, endeavored to engraft upon the work his own ideas. For this reason he was discharged. To prevent further at- tempts of this kind was probably one of the reasons why President Washington ap- pointed Thornton one of the Commission- ers (September 12, 1794). The Commission- ers had full power over the federal build- ings, and, as Thornton held this position urtil 1802, he was able to prevent further tampering with his design for that length of time. Hadfield was appointed to take Hallet’s place, special note being made of the fact that he was only to act as super- intendent. In spite of this warning, one of his first efforts was to induce President Washington to allow him to change cer- tain features which he considered improper. He was curtly notified to attend to the duties for which he had been employed. As he seems to have been unable to accom- plish this end, he resigned, but was re-em- ployed on making special agreement to con- THORNTON'S COMPETITIVE DESIGN F R WHITE HOUSE, MODIFIED VIEW OF WING. their work was subject to the approval of President Washington. he first_Commissioners appointed, Jan- vary 22, 1. were Thomas Johnson and David Carr of Maryland and David Stuart of Virginia. On September 16, 1794, Thornton recetved this commitssicn from President Washing- * * I hereby appoint said Wm. nton one of the Commisstoners for ving the District of territory accept- * * for the permanent seat of the government of the United States * ¢ * with all authority to proceed according to ae There is nothing in the records to show the time that the Commissioners were ex- pected to devote to their duties. This mat- te as probably left to their own judg- nent. and they must have had considerable time to attend to private business. ‘The salary of a Commissioner was $1,600 fer annum. After Thornton became a mem- ber of the board of Commissioners a de- cided improvement is evident in their writ- ten proceedings and in the business forms and contracts which were introduced in connection with the streets, bridges and buildings that were In their charge. As they appear in the records after his ap- pointment, Thornton should have the credit for the Improvement. Some of Thornton's Work. Washington erected a building on North Capitol street between B and C streets, Washington, D. C., which at the present time is known as the Hillman House. Dr. Thornton was the architect and superin- tendent, as shown by letters of Washing- ton. The exterior of the building has been altered and additional stories have been Some of the interior work still re- intact and shows tke skill and re- ent of the architect In detail. An old sketch gives an idea of the exterior of this building as it appeared in 1793. Montpelier, Orange county, Virginia, the country residence of James Madison, was another piece of Thornton's work, which in dignity, simplicity and refinement compares favorably with some of the best modern fine himself to superintendence. tained the position until 17908. James Hoban was employed as superin- tendent of the Capitol ,in addition to his duties at the President's house, whenever the Capitol was without its separate super- intendent. Hoben and Thornton seem to have been excellent friends, as each at- tended to his proper duties. Hoban’s duties at the White House prevented his employ- ment, except in an emergency. Thornton's actual connection with the Capitol ceased when the office of Commis- sioner was abolished, in 1802. Latrobe was appointed by Jefferson to take charge of the Capitol. Just before Latrobe's appoint- ment, Thornton objected to changes which Jefferson wished to make, saying: “They would not be in accordance with his (Thorn- ton’s) plans of the Capitol." Whether this Persistence in adhering to his own ideas was the cause of his further services in this connection being dispensed with there is nothing to show. Although his advice was not asked in con- nection with changes, he still took a lively interest In the slur Latrobe cast upon the plan. design and workmanship of this build- ing, and wrote an effective answer to La- trobe's private letter to Congressmen (a printed document) in which the facts stated by Thornton are proved either by the docu- ments on file in the office of commission- ers of public buildings and grounds or by letters in the hands of private individuals. What the Documents Show. Government documents prove the follow- ing facts in reference to Thornton's conneg- tion with the Capitol: His design was se- lected in a second competition. This design was modified principally to make it cost less, and use some less daring methods of censtruction than were suggested in Thorn- ton’s original sketches. The modified de- sign made by Thornton was commenced and carried out until the abolition of the board of Commissioners, Practically with- out any change. Many attempts were made to modify this plan. Hallet put in a foun- dation for a square center in place of the contemplated dome. When Thornton was He re- appointed Commissioner Washington re- quested him to see that everything was Tectified, so that the building would con- form to the original plan. Thornton at this time drew another elevation and restored the dome on the plans; he made new sec- tions and other drawings, some of which he thought improved the appearance. When Thornton retired from the work the oid north wing was completed; this is the portion of the buflding in which is sit- uated the Supreme Court. The foundation of the rotunda was nearly, if not complete- ly, laid, and the foundation and basement walls of the old south wing were in place (present Hall of Statuary). s Latrobe complains in his private letter that he must necessarily conform the ex- terior of the (old) south wing with Thorn- ton's (old) north wing. Latrobe made changes in the Hall of Representatives (this 1s neither the present Hall of Statuary or of Representatives), which were decidedly in- terior to form shown in Thornton's plan. ‘This room was destroyed by fire in 1814. The central portion was not completed for years afterward, but from the plans and descriptions extant it must have been large- ly on the lines laid out by Thornton in his accepted plan, with the exception of the semi-circular ‘western porch. Thornton is buried in the Congressional cemetery, under a tomb similar in form to those erected to Senators and Representa- tives. The President of the United States, members of the cabinet and of Congress followed his body to the grave. On his tcmb 1s chiszled his motto, “Deo Spes Meo.” +—____ POOR JILSON’S DREAM He Plans to Strangle All the City’s Chanti- cleers. Easily Loentes the Neighbors’ Birds, but the Far-Away Fowls Puz- zle Him. Washington is a dear, g00d old town, but there are instances where it drops back in to tho yellow past with a great deal of ease, as if it had never emerged from a large straggling village. Now, why is it that people living in a city insist on keep- ing chickens? Why maintain in thickly populated districts the hilarious rooster, the cock that crows in the morn? Why Should the hero of the barnyard interrupt the slumber of the citizen who does not have to “show up” at office until 9 o'clock? Jilson, in our neighborhood, has beea having a very serious time with the fowls, which he deciares are, like Sheridan's In- dians, good only when they are dead. Jii- son 1s a patient man. More than this, he is peaceful and dislikes disturbances. He will almost move before he will make a complaint to a neighbor. If he lived In a rented house he would move. But he owns a house and js tied down. He has many and various kinds of neighbors. Some have liked Jilsen and some Jilson has liked. Some have not liked Jilson, and the a parture of some has caused Jilson to dance for joy. Jilson is patient, but the crowing cock, the red-combed chanticleer, with his clar- ion notes ringing out on the night air from 3 o'clock onward, has a distressing effect upon him. He does not sleep much af the first) bi of eloquence of this back yard spelibinder. He wakes up and won- ders why Brown keeps that rooster in the | back yard, and while he is wondering the and cock crows agair. He tries to slee} is just dosing slightly when the roo few doors further down the street in with a defiant cock-a-doodie-doo. He answered, of course. Then there are crow and counter crows. Finally the roo: run the gamut of thelr voices and are ap- parently tired out. Jilson is now thoroughly awake and tho oughly mad. He makes up his mind to complain about those rocsters as soon as people are up. He is turning this over in his mind when the rooster helonging to the colored people in the alley breaks out, then | another and another farther off; but Jilson has so accustomed himself to it, and knows from wha! direction to expect the differ sounds that he can almest hear rooste} half across the city. The farther away the rooster, the more defiant he fs in voi Jilson’s neighbors’ roosters and the far- away roosters seem to have a special | grudge against each other because they | are never likely to come in close contact. Jilson plans how he can have the nni- sance abated. He can locate his neighbors’ reosters, and could mak> a complaint against them, but he would only offend them and accomplish nothing unless he could suppress the others. He resolves to get up in the morning aad locate the roos- ters end make one general complaint an bring the whole rooster-loving multitude into the Police Court. But how to locate them! His first dimi- culty {s to find out who owns the colored people's birds. Each dweller in the alley denies that he tas any birds. None knows to whom the chickens running around tn the alley belong. Jilson finds it next to tm- possible to locate them. Then he finds great- er difficulty as he goes farther away. The faraway cocks bafile him. He returns from an early morning prowl only sure that his neighbors have roosters, and aware that if he must complain it will be against only a part of the nuisance. So Jilson says nothing, and lies awake every morning exerting his intellect upon a system of machinery which would reach in and strangle a rooster as soon as he at- tempts to crow. He fashions strange de- vices which might be put on the rooster's neck at night, and removed after people have obtained their morning naps. He thinks how as a boy he once heard that if a cow were tied head and foot she could not break through a fence, and how he ap- plied that to a rooster that flew out of the hen yard every day, and how the scheme succeeded in stopping the rooster from crowing ever after. He used a slip-noose, and the rooster soon choked himself to death. Jilson meditates going around and using a similar slip-noose on the roosters that are disturbing him. Then he wages a crusade, in his mind, against the city authorities ‘that will per- mit chickens to be kept in the back yards and skeds in the city, and become a general nuisance. Jilson becomes a seformer. He sees that there can only be a well-regulated city and the average man have comfort when some masterful man—like Jilson, for frstarce—is placed in control, who ‘will, with czar-like rule, make people live as in a city, and not try farming on a small scale in ten feet of back yard. He would have as commissioner one who would bring up all offenders with a short turn and make the laws of the city respected. But it is only an early morning day dream, inter. rupted by the rising bell. AN ODD GAME. Gambling Which the Indian Govern- ment Prohibits Now. Frem the New York World. “Barsa ka Satta” is a peculiar game which Is much played in Hast India, but has recently been prohibited by the gov- ernment. The game consists in bets being made on rainy days whether little or much rain will fall, the quantity of rain being determined by several primitive methods. The most usual method is the following: Upon the terraces or roofs of many houses in India there is a water tank pro- vided with a waste pipe. Through this tube the water escapes {f a certain amount of rain has fallen. The point of the game is to try to guess when a rain storm is ap- proaching, and at what time the rain water in the tank will be so nigh that the wasie water will begin to flow out of the dis- charge pipe. The natives devoted them- selves to this game with such passionate Interest that frequently fights occurred which in some places have even taken the shape of actual riots. As a consequence of these continued difficulties the Indian gov- ernment stopped the trouble by prohibiting the “Barsa ka Satta” altogether. —te+. Amenities of the Future. From the Detroit Tribune. Celler—“Present my compliments to Miss Ariadne, and ask her if it will be conve- nient for her tobe my wife.” Servant (a moment later)—“Miss Ariadne sends her regards, and regrets to say that she will be engaged until 3 o'clock.” eee. e of the Languages. From the Pitsburg Chronicle-Telegraph. “Nature speaks a various language,” quoted Mrs. Hiland, who is of a poetic temperament. “Then I suppose the winds use the Gae- Uc,” replied her Lusband, who likes to get down to details. THE ISLAND CAVE nei By C. B. Lewis (M. Quod). In the morning wajgh, on board the bark Pawnee, bound from, Colombo, Ceylon, to the Cape of Good Hope, we were wash- ing down the decks on the 30th day of Oc- tober, 1866, when a man who had been sent aloft to examine: a sail which had been damaged in a squajl during the pre- vious night shouted dgwn to the mate that he could see a man,on a raft about a mile away and almost, directly in our course. We were then’ midway between Ceylon and the Chagds ‘Islands, with sea room for five hundred, ihiles in every di- rection. ne The announcement of the man on the raft did not produce much excitement. Natives are frequently blown off the is- lands on rafts and catamarans from which they have been fishing, and we belteved this to be such a case. We were up with him in a few minutes, and great was our surprise to find him a white man and a sailor. The raft was a rude but stout affair, which he had made from driftwood, and it carried a cargo as well as the man. Securely lashed to the planks and tim- bers were four large elephant tusks and an earthen Jar, together with two other jars containing food and water. The raft had no sail, but was managed to a certain ex- tent by a rude steering oar. The casta- way tock things coolly, and was neither over-grateful nor surprised at being pick- ed up. He saw to it that his cargo was safely aboard before he climbed over the rail, and he answered no questions until he was alone with the captain, in the cabin. Then he told a story which reach- ed us two or three hours jater. The name of the rescued sailor was Will- iam Scott. He was second mate of a Cey- lon schooner, called the Happy Day. Three mouths before we fourd him the schooner set out from some port on the Indla coast for Batavia, but encountered a typhoon and was blown a long distance to the west and finally wrecked on a coral reef surrounding an island. Of the crew of eight men Scott alone escaped. He was carried a mile or more by the waves and east upon the beach, and he was so bruised and battered that he could not stand up- right for three or four days. He believed this island to be one of the easternmost of the Chagos, and yet when he came to overhaul the chart and read the descrip- tions of the group he could not place it among them. It was an i: and about a mile in circumference, rocky and barre but having plenty of fresh water on it As for animal life, there was not eve lizard to be seen, and but for the and caves a man’ would have alive by the hot sun. There were in plenty, and he caught many fi ponds as the tide receded, but he fire. Scott lived on barren ro fourteen longs weeks without once ight- ing a sail, and but for his own individual efforts the time might e been Ind ly prolonged. One day a lot of w from some unfortunate native craft dr ashore, and he secured planks and tmbers and set about building a He had made up his mind to put to sea and take the chance of being picked up. The away had explored his island several times, but as the ground was much cut up and difficult to get over, he had not mined it from the south ing not «ver twenty deep. jand in tw of the north end. closely. Entering the © Was a narrow et wide, thou This bay came near cutting the i as it ran within a hundred feet It was in the still w: vy that Scott construct and enly when it was finished U a strange discovery. He poled it along onc head of the and as he he end he saw the mouth of a een feet above him on the right. ned to him that men had used tools to widen the mouth and to smooth the wa ng up to It from the water, and his curiosity Was aroused He found the mouth of the cave large enough to admit a hogshead, and there was every reason to believe that it had once been blocked up with stones 1 fc > purpose and cemented in. stones had been shaken loose by some great jar and had rolled down into the bay. The cave was thirty feet Ic twenty wide, and ten feet , dry ani airy, and @ far better house than Robinson Crusoe had. Now comes the astonishing part of the story. According to Scott, he found 210 elephant tusks stacked up in’ the cave, together with five jars of gold dust. On leaving the Island on his raft th secured four of the tusks to his r: also one cf the jars of gold dust. other jars were emptied of their contents that he might use them for food and wa- ter. Had man's the raft been without cargo the story would have been laughed ridiculed. He said he had found go ivory—a great fortune. He had the an and ivory and the gold to prove his assertions. It made ro difference that he could identify the !sland; that the chart did not place it. It was a queer story, but with the pruofs at hand to back it, what could we do but believe? Our captain wa Scotchinan, and he took a whole da think the matter over and assure himsei that the stuff before him was actually gold and ivory. Then he made Scott a proposi- tion. The sailor krew the worth of what he had sec.red—knew that he was fixed for life—and having krocked about on the raft for nine days before we sighted him he was not at all anxious about what he had left behind in the cave. Our captain was, however, and so was every man of the crew. The matter was talked over, and it was finally egreed that Scott should piiot us to the island, end take another jar of gold dust for his share. He would then be landed at Batavia, to go where he pleased. The rest of the treasure was to be recov- ered for the owners of the bark, but we were told that they would be liberal with all. It was a hard bargain the Scotchman drove with the rescued sailor, but Scott fell in with the idea, and the course of the ship was changed. We were 200 miles to the south of the Chagos, having passed them fifty miles to the east, and as the wind was from the north we had to beat back. This was slow work, and we had not yet made half the distance when we got a gale from the west, which sent us driving ay toward the vanese coast until we were almost in sight of it. We had then to recover our lest ground, but what with the loss of two topmasts and several sails in a squall and a continuation of bad weather, it was sixteen days before @ man was sent to the masthead to look for land. The Chagos Archipelago consi score of islands, banks ieved that his island was the eastern- one of all, but as he could not be sure of {t, we had to examine all. Running be- tween them and around them was slow work, and we had to feel our way, a was six days before we reached the last. We had found no such island as described by the sallor, and In our disappointment and chagrin he came in for plenty of abuse. He retaliated by pointing to his treasure. If there was no island, no cave and no treasure, how did he come by the ivory ard gold dust? It was a most convincing argument, and our captain decided to bear away to the east and search at haphazard. At the close of the fourth day, sailing back and forth across a sea supposed to contain no land for hundreds of miles in every direction but the west, we signted Scott’s island. He identified it as soon as it could be seen from the deck, and we ran in and came to anchor for the night within a mile from the beach. Had the night not been so dark I belleve the captain would have had a boat down, but as it was he dared not chance it. Such was the excite- ment aboard that no man slept for an hour, and as soon as daylight had come and the men had a bite to eat we set off to secure the treasure. We soon found the opening of the bay and rowed into it. Scott had been cn the island for over a year, and the hut he oc- cupied and the flagstaff he erected were in plain sight. At the end of the bay we come to the cave, and, leaping out of the boat, the captain was the first to enter. A moment later he reappeared, and for the next quarter of an hour ke cursed as °I never heard a seaman before or since. The cave had been plundered. One broken tusk had been left behind, aid there was per- haps an ounce of gold dust lying on the spot where Scott emptied the jars. "That was proof enough that he had told a straight story. When we landed and went up to the hut we soon solved the problem, Some whaler had touched there for food and water. For wood they had used all the wreck stuff lying about, and had also partially pulled the hut to pleces. They had filled their casks at the spring, and we cculd see the marks where they had been rolled down hill to the boats, Then the Scotchman did a mean thing by the rescued saflor. He made a great ado of how he had deviated from his course and lost a fortnight’s time, and insisted that Scott divide with him. I believe he threatened to leave him on the island if he didn't. ‘There was trouble for a few hours, and then the sallor came to terms, but not so much as a penny’s worth was ever handed over to the owners or distributed among the crew. Scott was transshipped not | to a craft bound for Java, and that was the last I ever saw or heard of him. A year later, however, I met an American Tunaway sailor in Batavia, and he told me that his craft, the Bessie Herrick of Mar- blehead, put in at the island, rematned for two days, and her captain discovered the cave and the treasure while fishing in the bay. He gave every man aboard $100 in cash as a present, but kept the dust and the ivory and turned them into cash at Singapore. It was a rich haul of treasure, ard the captain must have been made in. dependent for life. How o!d the island 8, how the treasure came to be deposited there, who were the rightful owners of 1 j Well, those ere questions I cannot arswer. It was at least two years after we visited the place before it wi rveye 1 ee was surveyed and tee The One Question, From the Chicago News. Mr. Busyman—“Ah, I feel morning. I think I shall alm catch up with my work today. great this it be able to In the street —"I tell you, m stand this financial que not a matter of intin ida tion. If these Un oration for twent; Patriots on either side you don't under- At the office. Enter business acquaint- aree—"Good morning, Mr. Bu n. 1 just dropped in to talk sver this financial sti tion. Now, !t seems to me that our du is plainly’—talks two hours. At luncheon. Deb: s country had free silver we would all— othing of the kird. ‘Wait a minute. I want to say’— At the barber’s—Rarber—“I'm ju: be- ginning to understand this 16 to 1 business, Mr. Busyman. It means that if we had free silver we'd haye $16 where we have one now. I'—lathers and talks. At home. Mr. Busyman—“At last I can have a little rest.” Enter Mrs. B.—‘‘Oh, James, Mrs. Johnston called this afternoon, and, do you know. she explained all about this silver question that Mr. Bryan and Mr. McKinley are going to settle. It’s perfectly lovely. You see, Mr. McKinley is for free gold and—why, James, what's the matter?” ———— +0+- The Bicycle Epidemic. From the Chicago Post. “It's Dbicyclie, bicycle, no matter what way you turn,” he growled. The girl in bloomers nodded. “I chose a place for the summer,” he con- tinued, “where boating and fishing were the only sports advertised, and inside of twenty-four hours a man showed up there with a water bicycle.” “Of course,” she returned. “There's to be a bicycle sled on the mar- ket next winter, too,” he added. “Quite likely,” she admitted. “I suppose the cranks will be taking the machines to bed with them before long,” he said, sarcastically. “Only one thing prevents it now,” she answered. “What's that?” he asked. “A pneumatic tire that’s large enough to serve as a pillow. When some genius in- vents a tire that can be made into an air pillow I believe bicycles will even supplant poodles and pug dogs.” A Safe Bet. From the Cleveland Post. “Is your mamma in?” “What's your name?” ‘I’m Mr. Whiteband, the new ministe: “Then I guess mamma’s expectin’ you— ‘cause she said she'd bet a dollar you'd be sure to come on wash-day!” peat same mabe ate trouble protit by exercise, and that some An era of prosper- | perrrrerey < SEUrrererererrserrr reer sree yes mh21-sat,26t - LOSS OF HORSES IN WAR. Napoleon Entered Russia With 60,000 Horses and Returned With 1,60¢ Frem the Pall Mall Gazette. During the Prussian campaign in Jo- hemia the killed and wounded amounted to less than 900, while 1,400 died of exhaustion and disease, and over 1,700 were cast after the campaign. At the beginning of tne siege of Plevna the Russians had 66,000 draught horses bringing up supplies from Sistova, and at the end of it they had only 44,000, the enormous number of 22,000 hay- ing died from hard work. ‘The difficulty of providing food is naturally very great, and horses feel the deprivation, as well as want of rest, far more than men. They have very little reserve of fat to draw upon, and they have not the moral stimulus of the soldiers. souty for the When Murat reproached Nan- spiritlessness of his cavalry charges, that general wittily replied that it as due to the horses’ want of patriotism. The men might fight without bread, but the horses would not work without oats. So excessive is the exhaustion sometimes that toward the close of the day at Borod the French charged at a slow trot. the horses that we landed in the Crim never returned, and most of them ow their death to exhaustion and starvation. | Five hundred artillery horses weve killed | under fire, 2,000 died of waat and disease. | They fed on each other's tails, and ate the ttoms of s and the spokes of wheels. wuring Wellington's arduous retreat from Salamanca the oniy food of the horses twigs and the bark of trees. In our ghan w owing to the s c 000 camels and 30 per y horses were lost in three nths. Niemen on his way ja with 60,000 cay- six months later, with 1,600! He attributed his losses to the 1d, but starvation had more to do with them. One can the great war- maker crying, “Oh, n automotor that does not require oats!” Starvation and fa- Ugue are especially destructive in retre n if there is food to give there is no time to give it. While retreating from Por- tugal, Messena lost more horses from star- Vati lest rs disabl least cent of the horses engaged in a campas, and sometimes much more. As many as 40 per cent were invalided at one time in the Crimea. Of the 5,000 horses that we landed in Egypt tn issz, over 2,300 came under y treatment, and 600 were killed, oniy being slain in action. One ment ‘aid to have had 200 horses on t ick for list simultaneousiy. — +0e- Cycling and Heart Dinease. a the London Hospital d that more than a fourth polation “cycles” or medi- ig. Of this fourth a very con- rable proportion have reached or pa dle age. Jt cannot but be that a num- ber of these are the victims of “heart disease.” What 1s the effect of cycling upon a person with a heart affection? The answer Is that everything depends upon the nature of the affection. We have long ceased to regard ali heart affections as of an identical degree of seriousness and long left off the unscientific practice of wrapping all victims of heart disease n metaphorical cotton wool. It is now un- derstood that most sufferers from cardia e advantaged by a good deal of exerx hat of a vigorous Kind. Cycling, whi prous in affections of the aortic valves, is often of great service in uncomplicated disease. Of course It must be ng in moderation. Hill climbing and ding are peremptorily excluded, as Iso riding which causes an approach to hlessness. ‘The great point for the ner in such cases is, we hold, that he should spend adequate time and money in preliminary tuition, and not be in too great a hurry to be “off on his own account.” 7 ‘<o- What to Call Li When He Gets Here. From the Saturday Review. As some confusion occasionally betrays itself on the subject of Li Hung Chang’s style and titles, it may be worth noting that he has the rank of ambassador, but bears letters of introduction only to the sovereigns of the several courts he is vis- iting, without any special mission. The Chinese, reversing our custom in this as in so many other respects, put the surname first. Li Hung Chang, therefore, is equiv- alent to Smith Henry James. Li Caung Tang, as he ts often called, means Grand Secretary Li. In the days of the Taeping rebellion he was known familiarly as Li Futai—Futai_ meaning “Governor” of the province of Kiangsu, which was then his rank. Sometimes ne is spol of as I Han-lin, in reference to his members of the ‘Han-lin Coilege, which compris the cream of literary talent and rank. Gladness Comes Wit a better understanding of the transient nature of the many phys- ical ills, which vanish before proper ei- forts—gentle efforts—pleasantefforts— rightly directed. There is comfort in the knowledge, that so many forms of sickness are not due to any actual dis- ease, but simply to a constipated condi- tion of the system, which the pleasant family laxative, Syrup of Figs. prompt- ly removes. That is why it is the only remedy with millicnsof families, andis everywhere esteemed s0 highly by all who value good health. Its beneficial Sessenlostosoconbocgostogecteeteetoetoetestentondontostontondonoeeedendesdosboseetess effects are due to the fact, that itis the one remedy which promotes internal cleanliness without debiliteting the organs on which it acts. It is therefore all im} nt, in order to get its bene- ficial effects, to note when you pur- chase, that you have the genuine art cle, which is manufactured by the Cali- fornia ea Co. only and sold by all reputable druggists. If in the enjoyment of good health, and the system is regular, laxatives or other remedies are then not needed. If afflicted with any actual disease. one may be commended to the most skillful Physicians, but if in need of a laxative. one should have the best, and well-informed everywhere, Syrup of Figs stands highest and is most larccly used and gives mest general satisfection. HUNVADI JANOS, The World’s Best Natural Aperient Water. 25 Years’ Success in U. S. Highest Reputation all Over the World. CAUTION: None genuine without the signature of the firm “Andreas Saxlehner,” On the Label. Sete Settee cet Cuban War and the Spanish Trea From Gunton’s Magezine. Let 1 pe borne in mind that Spain has always imposed upon the people of Cuba the expenses arising from the insurrections fn the Island. This heavy burden, #lthough niracted for the exclusive benefit of Spain, has aever been felt by the peninsu- lar tax-payer. She has persisied in carry- ing on this system in the present war, hop- ing to raise the money necessary to meet the expenses by pawning the resources of Cuba in the markets of Europe; but these being already exhausted, the consequences have been disastrous. By a royal decree of September 27, 159), the minister of colonies was authorized to issue bonds to the amount of $175,/10),000, which were to be devoted to the consolida~ ticn of the Cuban debts. From the pro- ceeds of these bonds the accumulated deficit of the insular treasury during the preceding years was to be paid, and the pa- per money issued by the Spauish Bank of javana in the name of the government tn the ten-years’ war was to have deemed; but the consolidation of cculd not be complished, because bendbolders of former issucs were not illing to accept the exchange of their se- curities for the new bonds, and in Febru- ary, when the rebeilion began, there were yet in the hands of the m f colonies $122, 0 in bones to ve ‘Taken by surprise, and with no resou “7 debt the ster of any Kind to crush the insurrertion, the gevernment asked and obtalued from the S$ an authorization to deve he pro- ceeds of the said Londs to the © of the the bonds to be cither d or mortgaged, at tne discretion of the minis- ter of the colonies. The conso the former debis was thus sto) cording to official stateme: of the same was then $11 cent interest. 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