Evening Star Newspaper, August 7, 1897, Page 15

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1897-24 PASES. 15 a1 THE AIR MOTOR AT COLONIAL SEACH. A POPULAR RESORT Colonial Beach Has Many Charms for Washington People. SUUMERING BENEATH CANVAS ROOES a Costumes Vary, but All Include Coat of Tan. ON THE POTOMAC gens SAILING sponderce of The Evening Star. COLONIAL BEACH, Avgust 3, 1897. Colonial Beach is the Atlantic City of the | Potomac. There are other places on the river with greater natural advantages ether spots where many people prefer to spend the summer, and other points which are more desirable if one is seeking entire Jom and rusticity, but Colonial Beach asily the large nd the liveliest resort on the Potomac. As regularly as summer rolls round, just so regularly the crowds begin to gather here, and from the middle ef July to the middle of August every boat brings down a host of Washingtonians who are eager to get a taste of outdoor Iife by sait water. Part of them spend the sum- mer in their tents or cottages, while others stop at some one of the hotels. On the whole it is a gay and merry crowd that gathers at Colonial Beach during the sum- mer months, and something is always going on from sunrise till sunset, and often igto > hours of the night. said that the campers have nial Beach. At all events they ys contributed a large share to e fun here. There are not so many campers this year as usual, owing i * to the law which was passed front. This, however, has n slightly modified, and a consider- le number of campers have come down during the past week or so, and are tenting on the river front by the new pier, and also further down the beach, from Dr. 1 the way to the point. Many bys among the campers are mi ing this year, however. According to the unwritten law of camp life here at Colonial Beach every camp name. and in general the me which the campers can invent t. The official uniform of the ach camper is a pair of trou and a bathing shirt. The bathing shirt should be well faded, and usually bears some mysterious scroll or monogram in- dicative of the name of the camp, or of a nothing in particular. To vary the costume some of the campers turn out now and then in a pair of red, white and blue trous- ers. The noisiest possible combinations in bieycle trousers and the most audible col- ors in golf stockin; 's in vogue, while all kind stic hats are worn with impunity. Brown Badge of Courage. No camper would ever think of trying to rise to the inner circles at Colonial Beach without first getting a thorough coat of sunburn over his face and arms, with spe- | cial attention to the neck and ears. Sun- burn the trade mark of the genuine camper here. Nobody is considered the real thing without it, a be fair and lh white is regarded a idedly “‘off colos In fact. sunburn may be said to be the offi- © or the sine qua non of camp life 1 Beach. All new arrivals who 1 Ymportant feature are re- us tenderfoot garded and so great is the stigm ached to a fair skin, and so anx- ious are they to remove it, that they often spend the first few days Strete the sand in a bathing s e broiling <un, which usually results in a la sumption of witchha: el and the of the country for round of cold cream. Ev ally, how- job generally proves eminently and 2 recently returned lenial Beach would make advertisement for a complexion ting at all hours, and partaking SSS ret cap. EB: is another characteristic of camper here, as well as elsewhere. Camp Klondike has been here for a week by the new pier, and although the atmos- phere somewhat belies the name, the mem- bers of the camp are having a first-rate time. Théy are W. H. Acton, Harry Glas- gow and E. H. Broderick. ‘The “Consumers” broke camp today af- ter @ pleasant stay of three weeks, and vent back to the city. Their members were Frank Duvall, Mercer Duvall, Eugene Welch and Harry Lunsford. Ernest Selby and George Roberts com- prise Camp Unkiwunki. The boys have been here three weeks, and expect to stay a couple more. A. Willage and W. Rat- cliffe were with them for awhile, but have now gone home. Edwin Crouch, George W. Keese and William E. Swain went back today after roughing it since last Saturday. Camp Twegtieth Century is located near the excursion wharf. Mr. W. R. Bradley ard his son, Harry Bradley, started the camp last Saturday, and will be here for a couple of weeks. Other members of the family will be down from time te time. A party consisting of G. H. Nicholson, Ralph Mall and Edward Wright arrived at the Beach today, and expect to live in their tents for a month. Another crowd came down today, con- sisting of G. A. Hoover, C. E. Betts, W. R. “Debbled Crabs, Sah?” Brooks, F. 0. Lewis and E. P. Corbett. Their camp is to be known as Camp Ubi- am, ard they will stay two weeks. The Lost Angels are not worrying very much ebout their straits, and seem quite satisfied to remain unfound for theapres- ent. Their members are the followii v. E, Stearns, sr.; W. E. Stearns, jr.; Thomas W. Jones and Robert Mahoney. They will be here until September. W. H. Lipscomb and son are camping here and erecting a cottage meanwhile, which they will occupy with the rest of the family later in the summer. Harmony Tent, down the beach from Dr. Easton's, consists of three parties: Mr. W. | D. Helen and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. F: | Lipphard and Mrs. J: Twiford and family. They have been here a week, and expect to stay a couple of weeks longer. Charles McCarthy and family will take charge of Camp Mt. Vernon on Wednes- | day. sThe Misses Lizzie and Jennie Mo- | han will be with them. Among the Campers. Camp Abbott has a lively crowd of fel- lows, who will be in their camp down the ch for the rest of the season. Among, the party are George W. Moore, Wilbur Keefer, Henry Conradis, .W. J. Ham- macker and Walter Hammacker. Mrs. M. Magruder, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Sturgess, Miss Eva Magruder, Miss Ella Gallagher, Miss Lottie Thomas and Miss Hazel Sanford are camping down toward the point. Camp I. O. U. 1, consisting of William Mueller, Irving Suater, Morgan Sherwood, Morton Mueller and George P. Lowe, will be at the Beach until September 6. Arthur Coe, E. Jones and Philip Chipman have beer tenting here since last Friday, and will stay two or three weeks more. Camp Caloyo is situated near tne Bell cottage, and is made up of Takoma people. Mr. and Mrs. Morris Bien and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Barnitz and their families will be here until the Ist of next month. Camp One Among Many has returned to Washington, but will probably be back egain late in August. The camp comprised Mr. B. L. Bowen, wife and daughter, Mrs. B. O. White and son, Mrs. R. W. Talks and son, Mrs. William Hooper and Miss Jennie Whit Camp Le Droit feeds from its mess box Harry Heath, Thomas Heath and Dean Corsa, who will do their own cooking, washing and ironing throughout the sea- son. Camp Greenleaf, over on Monroe bay, numbers among its members Edward Shea, Arthur Mulloy, Edward Pyle, Frank Crovo, James McCauly, David Woods, Ji seph Sullivan, Mike Sexton, William Crans- ad Edward McGraw. All are from South Washington. Among those who are enjoying themselves at Camp Tramp are Joseph Darneiile, Geo. Alsted, Joseph Murray. Morris Cunning- ham, CharJes Sisson and Jack Walsh. * Colonial Beach has always pridcd itself on its fast sailboats. A number of the best small craft on the river are to be found here, and each one is of course the fastest —it their owners are to be believed. For a long time “Alec” Curly’s American Eagle, which bore a large sign, “Bate for Sale,” on cre side, was the boat which people swore by. is now resting in Mcnroe creek, however, and her former captain is sailing the Beach people in his new boat, the Min- nie May. “Cap'n Johnson” and his boat, the Fish Hawk, are known to all wao know Colonial Beach. The “cap’n” is an old colored man, who knows the river bet- ter than he does the alphabet, and is sel- dom to be seen without his cap on, which is embroidered in large letters with the word “Captain,” tipped at an angle of 10 degrees across his forehead. The Edna Karl, Fly- ing Scud, Starlight and Startle are also warm favorites at Colonial Beach. Monroe creek, just below the beach, af- fords interesting inland cruising, while ex- cursions by sailboat to the Wicomico river, Hog Island light, Blackistone Island and Colton’s Beach are very popular. Wake- field, about three miles below on the Vir- ginia side, is also a great spot for visitors. ‘There is a new tron screw pile wharf, half a mile long, here, recently built by the government, with the idea of establishing a regular steamboat landing. A mile or so back from the wharf is: the ‘ of Washington, where a pile of old bricks is eS left from the chimrey of the house where the father of his country first saw the light. Then there are fishing’ excursions to the Nomini Bluffs, and other choice fish- ing grounds. Spot, perch and rock, or ‘Striped bass, have been caught in abun- dance this year, and the season-promises to be a good one. The Bell Home on Monroe creek has been open since early in the summer. Mrs. W. G. Davenport of Anacostia has charge, and many Washington children ‘who would otherwise never have the op- portunity have been given a breath of fresh air and a ‘few weeks out of doors at the home. The little folks have plenty of reom, with a wharf and pavilion on Mon- ree creek for their special tenefit. The home has been enlarged by commodious verandas and balconies, and a play room has been fitted up on the top floor. Con- siderable work and money must still be put into it, however, before it will become what ‘its friends hope and plan for. It is a sight well worth seeing to watch the little folks romping about the place or taking their daily dip in the river. Mrs. Daven- port's daughters are camped near the home at Camp Huckleberry, and are hav- ing a merry time there. Colonial Beach has its similarities to and its differences from other resorts of its kind. One can always be on the go here if he so desires, for there is always some- thing going on. An Irishman once said that women are what make all*the trouble in this life and what make. this life worth the trouble. Perhaps he was thinking of Colonial Beach, for here there are girls of all sorts, shapes and sizes. In its number of girls Colonial Beach fs’ not different from other Places, but in its quota of the other sex it is quite different from the proverbial summer resort. The campers at Colonial Beach have always supplied a long-felt want in this direction, and make a toler- able balance for the girls. Sunday is, of course, the gala day here. Then the beach all along the river is filled with bathers, the walk along the shore is thronged with merry couples, and the wharves are filled with a jolly, chattering crowd. The darkies line up along the walks, and tempt people with peaches, which they unblushingly call soft, and wa- termelons which they would have you be- leve are the imported Georgia product. They also thrust fried chicken and deviled crabs under your nose, and trip you up with baskets of green and adamantine ap- ples, so that you are lucky, indeed, if you run the gauntlet none the worse for their wares. A. H. W. — IN THE CHURCHES The Ladies’ Aid Socicty of St. Teresa's Catholic Church has organized with sev- enty members on the roll and has elected the following officers to serve for one year: President, Mrs. B. Downey; vice presi- dent, Mrs. Norton; secretary, Mrs. Bur- dine, and treasurer, Rev. M. P. Sullivan. The rector of St. Paul's Protestant Epis- ccpal Church, Rev. Alfred Harding, is on his vacation at Orkney Springs, Va., while the assistant, Rev. Philip M. Prescott, is at his summer home at Narragansett Pier, where he is conducting services. The Sunday School Gospel Temperance Scciety of Trinity M. E, Church was ad- dressed last Sunday by Dr. J. Y. Gray. Rev. Asa S. Fiske, D. D., pastor of the Gunton Temple Memorial Presbyterian Church, has left for his vacation. Metropolitan Baptist Church has appoint- ed the following as its standing committee on the Central Union Mission: W. F. Pax- son, U. S. Hanks and Rev. Benjamin Franklin Rattray. The secretary of the apostolic legation, Rev. Dr. F. Z. Rooker, !s spending his va- cation in New York. Among the Jesuit priests transferred last Saturday to this city was the Rev. Fran- cis Barnum, S. J., a Baltimorean, and well known in this city. Father Barnum has just completed several years of missionary work in Alaska. Wesley Grove camp meeting is being held this week. Rev. John W. Duffey of Mt. Vernon Church and Rev. J. O. Knott of Ep- worth Church were both present from Washington this week and preached at sev- eral services. The Fourth Presbyterian Church has ap- pointed Frank L Middleton and James A. Mciilwee as their church committee on the Central Union Mission. Frederick district of the Epworth League has decided to hold a convention at Har- per’s Ferry in the latter part of this month, and has invited the members of the sur- rounding districts of the league to be pres- ent. The local council of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew are to have a mags meeting the latter part of this month, at which the coming convention to be held at Buitalo will be discussed. Rev. W. H. Gotwald, D. D., and family have left for their vacation in the moun- tains ef Pennsylvania, near Williamsport Dr. Gotwald has been filling the pulpit of the Westminster Presbyterian Church for some time past in the absence of the pas- tor. The vice chancellor of the American Uni- versity, Rev. Dr. Samuel L. Beller, ex- pects to leave in a few days for his vaca- tion, which he will spend for the most part at Ocean Grove, N. J. The chancellor, Bishop Hurst, is at his summer home at Marion, Mass., but from there has taken several shert trips in the interest of the university. Rev. Robert R. West Is spending his va- cation in Virginia. Washington Grove Camp meeting opened Tuesday, and will last until the 12th of this month. Plans for the remodelirg of Union Meth- odist Church have been completed by the architect and the building committee of the congregation is now engaged in de- ciding in what way to raise the necessary money to carry out the improvements. The entire front of the present structure is to be torn out and another one put in, and other parts of the edifice are to re- ceive attention, so that the work will cost between six and seven thousand dollars. Dr. L. B. Wilson, the presiding elder of Weshington district, took part in the pro- gram of exercises of the national dea- coness convention last week at Ocean Grove. Rev. A. Thomas G. Apple of Grace Re- formed Church expects to resume. ser- vices at his church, Sunday, September 5. Mr. Apple is to spend a portion of his time at Chautauqua and Niagara, and later will visit his father, Rev. Dr. J. H. Apple, in northwest Pennsylvania, Thirty-two novices, sisters of the order of Notre Dame, took the vows for seven years Monday at Notre Dame Convent, Bal- timore. Among those who entered’ was Miss Hessler “of this city, who took the eae of pee mee Laurentina. e pastor of Mt. Vernon M. B. South, Rev. John W. Duffey, D.D, ura ing at Wesley Grove camp. The presiding elder of Washington district, Rev. James Hill Boyd, also occupies a tent. he financial state in which the pa: of St. Matthew's finds itself has commen the rector, Rev. Father Lee, to dispense with the services of the quartet choir. In their place a volunteer choir of members of the church is being formed. The Sisters of the Order of Notre Dame opened a summer school on Monday at the mcther house near Baltimore, and will centinue it until the 28th of this month. About fifty-one houses of the order are rep- resented, including the one on = “6 aoe in this city. Bua cap ev. Dr. Byron Sunderland 4 s skills for the summer. ee ~The members of the vested choir of St. John’s Protestant Episcopal Church have returned from their vacation, which they spent this year at Piney Point. Church The rector of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mark, Rev. Dr. Devries, is to leave August 16 for an extended trip, which will embrace the Adirondacks and a number of the northern cities, including Toronto. On his return home he expects to stop at Buf- falo to attend the convention of the Broth- erhood of St. Andrew, to be held in Oc- tober. The pastor of the Luther Memorial Church, Rev. Dr. J. G. Butler, to leave next week for Mountain Lake Park and Harper’s Ferry, to be gone nearly all of August. The interior of St. Margaret’s Protestant iscopal Church has been much improved by the addition of a handsome pipe organ. The church is now fully equipped, and is growing at such a rate that it may be nec- essary before jong to consider plans for a "ev. Father McGee, assis . Father assistant pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, returned from a Rev. A. F. Anderson, pastor of Grace tist Church, returned this week from ‘Va., where he has been sum- mering. Among thcse who have been in attend- Grove, Church of Virginia met Tuesdey ‘aa closed’ Thursday. The sessions were held Smyrna Church. Rev. J. Fred Heisse of Wesley M. E. Church left this week to spend fis vaca- tion near William: Md. J The Colored Baptist Ministerial Associa- tion adjourned Monday to meet again in September. The feature of the meeting this week was an address by Rev. W. J. Howard of Zion’s Church, who told about his recent trip to California. Rev. W. A. Creditt, pasjer of Berean Baptist Church, has returned from a two weeks’ trip to the mountains of western Maryland. Preliminary arrangements for the enter- tainment of the Maryland synod of the Lutheran Church, to be held in this city October 12, have been placed in the hands of the Rev. L. M. Kuhns, D. D., president of the local Lutheran: Ministerial Associa- tion. Later on a committee of laymen and clergy of the various churches will be ap- pointed. At the meeting of the Baptist Ministers’ Union Monday. Rev. Mr. Gordon was formally received into membership. Rev. Oliver 8. Dean, D.D., ef Paterson, N. J., who will occupy the pulpit of the New Ycrk Avenue Church tomorrow, is the father-in-law of Mr. A. J. Halford, an elder of that church, and is a familiar and popular visitor to the pulpit. He is a bright, interesting and attractive preacher. How a Wounded Soldier Falls, From the St. Lois Republic. “TI had the gcod fortune, or the bad, just as you choose to view it, to visit a battle- field In Cuba a few months ago the day after a fight, and I observei some curious things about the effects of death wounds cn men which I have never seen mentioned in the books,” said J. S. McSorley of New Orleans, who is a guest of the Southern. “It was in Pinar “del Rio province, and the insurgents had put to flight a large body of Weyler’s troops after a short but sanguinary conflict. Seventeen —_boyish- looking ‘soldiers were scattered over the blood-soaked ground. None of them had been macheted. The bullets of the pa- triots had laid them low. Some of them were shot almost to pieces, though a few had only one or two wounds. “Those who were shot through the heart had doubled up like jackknives, those who died from intestinal wounds were stretched out in a natural position on their backs, and the poor fellows whb received builets in their foreheads were lying on their backs, with the right arm extended above the head and the left arm resting natur- ally by the side, as in sleep. There were five who had died from this wound, and every one of them was in the same posi- tion. The uniformity of their positions was so marked that I called the attention of a surgeon to it who had accompanied me to the field. He said that he had ob- served the peculiarity frequently before on other fields, but was unable to account for it. I have asked old soldiers in this country if they had ever noticed similar positions assumed by comrades killed in battle by a shot in the forehead, and the invariable answer was that they had. It would seem that if the shock of the bullet. would send the right arm above the head, as I have described, the left arm would also be extended in the same way. But in all such cases the left arm is stretched at full length by the side, with the fingers of that hand open and the fingers of the right hand closed, as if clutching des- perately at something.’ = a aan He Was Willing to Listen. From the New York Journal. A gocd story of a clergyman and a cab driver comes from a little fishing village in the north of Scotland. The chapel of this queer ind sparsely populated’ towii depend- ea entirely for its supply on the occasional help of the clergy in neighboring towns. It so happened that upon a véry rainy Sun- Gay a new clergyman fromthe town of S— volur.teered to conduct servicés in the little chapel, and in order to’ get ‘there he engaged a vehicle which the English know as a “fly,” in which, through the pouring rain, he was driven across the country to the chapel. g Upon his arrival he found nd’ oné’at hand, not even a sexton to toll thé’ bell’ to sum- | men the natives, so he took it upot’ himself to pull the rope, leaving the cabty mean- while outside in the wet. For'a long time nobody arrived, but finally orf solitary in- dividual did arpear, and sat down {n a pew nearest the door. 3 ‘The clergyman then donned tiis surplice and began the service.. When this , was ended he observed that, inasmuch as, there was but one member of the congregation, he thought it would be well to dispense with the sermon. “Oh, no, sir. Please go on with the ser- mon.” When half way through he expressed the fear that perhaps he was tiring his listener, and was much gratified to learn from his own lips that such was not the case. “I should be glad to listen to you for hours, sir,"’ he said, and so the sermon ran on to an hour in length, and finally the service was concluded. ‘The preacher then expressed a desire to shake hands with so flattering an auditor. And then the trick came out—a trick which the clergyman’s near-sightedness had pre- vented him from seeing at once. His Ustener was none other than the driver of the fly, who was all the time charging him at so much an hour for the use of his vehicle. ———— A Change of Mind. From the Atlanta Constitution. “Yes,” said the village gossip, “John wuz always a-pestering of Sue about marryin’ of him, an’ she'd done told him ‘No’ more times’n I could tell you.” , “You don’t say!” “Hit's true as preachin’. John carries the mail?” “Yes, I’ve hearn tell he does.” “An’ las’ Wednesday wuz a week, Sue wuz a-travelin’ ‘long with him, goin’ ter town, when John ups and says, ef she did not make up ter marry him he'd make the hoss run down hill tell all three of ‘em wuz drownded in the bottom er the river.” “Do tell!” “That’s what! Sue did?” “Lord knows!” 3 “Caught John by the collar, jerked him outen the buggy, grabbed up a live rattle- snake what wuz a-sleepin’ by the roadside, an’ lambasted John with it tell he couldn’t stan’! Laws a-massy Then she stomped the snake ter death, an’ John—he took ter his bed, whar he laid for two weeks; an’ Sue got sorry fer him, an’ nussed him, an’ killed a beef ter make stew fer him, an’ now—what do you reckon?” “T dunno!” “She’s a-goin’ ter marry him!" —$¢-Ge—__ Well, you know, But what do you reckon Replevined His Teeth. Fron the New York Sun. A suit to replevin a set of false teeth has been entered on the clerk’s books at Ma- chias, Me,, and will be tried at the next term of court. Two years ago Capt. Tom Wardwell, having no money ,and wishing to go to Boston to join a vessel,,took an old-style, gold-plated set of upper teeth to William Gubtill and borrowed $19, giving the false teeth as security. Capt, Ward- well went on a long voyage, and while he was away Gubtill, having lost his upper teeth, thougmt he would expérimént with the plate. The teeth fitted as if they had been made for him, and whenyCapt: Ward- well returned to redeem his préperty Gub- till refused to give them up, , '* The lawyers say that Capt’ Wardwell, while right in law, has a very;poor chance of winning back his teeth. The writ of re- plevin calls for personal property,;but ac- cording to Maine rulings an erticl¢ which is so closely associated with aman as his false teeth are is not property, but a portion of his person, and not sub- ject to replevin or attachment while it is in uge. So long as Gubtilt keeps the teeth in place against the roof of his mouth no Jegal process can take them away, though it could be proved that he stole them. Should he take the teeth out for an in- stant, they could be recovered by the man who pawned them. ry ——__-e+____.__.. Problem of Youth. From the Obicago Post. pea “He graduated ¢rom college last spring, didn’t he?” “Yes.” “Well, what line of up?” “None yet. You see, we-can't on what line he's best suited for. business has he taken “Why not?” > “Well, his asors write that he wasn't ‘much ot a in any branch of. eth- ALL SORTS OF CLUBS Organizations Which Have Quaint and Curious Aims. TO EXPLOIT THE MEMBERS’ FADS A Body of Men With One Leg to Each Body. STRIVING FOR ORIGINALITY Written for The Evening Star. HERE ARE 006 clubs in the United States. Nearly one handred of these are of the eccentric or- der, and they repre- sent the stfangest, oddest fantasies that the human = mind could possibly con- jure up for its social entertainment. The eccentric club illus- trates a phase of so- cial life which springs chiefly from the desire of certain classes of men to show their utter disre- gard for conventionality, and who find gen- uine recreation in what is bizarre and un- usual in the way of social gatherings. The result is a One-Legged Club, a Cat Club, a Kat Bote Club, a Harmonica Club, a Kite Flyers’ Club, a Coffin Club, an Undertakers’ Club, a Japanese Club, a Lanthorn Club, a Mountebank Club, a Bloomer Ciub, and so on through a long list. Some of these or- ganizations have very entertaining fea- tures. Of all the queer associations of the coun- try the One-Legged Club of St. Louis is the most strikingly unique. There are twenty- two members of this organization. Each in- dividual boasts the loss of one of his nether limbs. A physically whole man can never hope to have his name enrolled on the roster. It does not matter how the n.embers” legs were lost, whether in battle for their country or under the wheels of a railroad train, it is enough that they can show but a single natura! prop upon which to stand. Curiously enough, a man with no iegs at all has as little chance of election to membership as he who has both his nether limbs. A suite of elegantly furnished rooms is the club's habitat, and twice a year a banquet is given by the members to their friends. when the rare spectacle of grave-looking men in evening dress ris- ing on a single leg to respond to toasts Ike “Our absent limbs” is presented to Loo who are fortunate enough to be in- vited. Women and Cats. The Cat Club of Chicago stands alone in clubdom. It is an association cf well- Known socicty women of the windy city and their favcrite cats. Club quarters have been regularly engaged, and cushions of the softest down are provided for the comfort of the fair members’ pets. At the weekly meetings of the Cat Club the relative mer- its and behavior of each tabby and grimal- kin are descanted upon, while tea is served to the ladies and milk is set for the cats. Invitations to call from one cat (presented of course by its mistress) to another are exchanged, and as much formality js ob- served in introducing a new feline to the assembled cats and clubwomen as at an important social function. Small fortunes, in the way of silver collars, engraved bells, perfumed baths and the like, are expended upon the restless, caterwauling company, and the fee of admission to club member- ship has been placed at a prohibitive fig- ure to prevent these who are not in the high social “swim” from participating in the club's unique pleasures. Another aristocratic eccentric club is the Kat Bote Klub of Newport, R. I. There are forty-nire members of this unique or- ganization. Every member is an officer. While the ostensible purpose of the club is the furtherance of the royal sport of yachting, very few of the members know anything about boats and things nautical. The numerous officers of the Kat Bote Klub are, for the most part, répresenta- tive members of New York's social “‘400.” Among the more prominent Kat Boters are Royal Phelps Carroll, Theodore A. Have- meyer, Herman Oelrichs, Winthrop Astor Chanler, Prescott Lawrence, Louis Loril- lard, Oliver Belmont, John S. Tooker and Sidney Wollett. New York’s commis- sioner of street cleaning, Col. George E. Waring, is also an active member. The official titles of the members have in near- ly each case a humorist twist. Col. War- ing, for example, is dubbed “‘White Wings,” Peter H. Duryea is called “Bell Buoy,” F. P. Garrettson is the “Powder Monkey and dignified Isaac Townsend is the club's “Ballast.” Other designations such as “Sky Pilot,” “Swab,” “Captain with a Cold Deck,” ‘‘Wee Wee” and “‘Fog Horn” are borne with as much dignity as such titles seem to require. At least $95,000,000 is rep- resented in this grotesque circle of make- believe ‘sailors, and they are banded to- gether for the sole purpose of, squeezing a drop of humor from even the most me!- ancholy fact or circumstance. Musicians and Kite Flyers. Tke Harmonica Club of Cincinnati is an organization given over to musical recrea- tions. The Harmonica Club means to de- ‘velop the crude instrument for which it Is Se ae ae ergy cocoa, ae ete e numbers played is. one of the hed a tions of , Y Prof. Maxim and Dr. Wolfert. A valuable library of volumes dealing with probiems interesting to the members of the Kite Club shares the affections of the latter with a perfect model in miniature of Andree’s fa- mous bailoon ship, now on its way to the heart of the arctic circle. No club with a purpose similar to that of the Kite Club is in existence outside of the hub city. | Superstition and Fatality. Among eccentric clubs which have some kind of grewsome entertainment as an ex- cuse for beg are the Toby Club, the Ola Curiosity Club, the Undertakers’ Club and the Grave Diggers’ League of New York. The Toby Club has fifty members. The club room is at the northeast corner of Charles and West streets, New York city. The main reception room is a subterranean apartment, sepulchral and uninviting. Cof- fins are used for seats, and beer barrels with coffin lids for the tops furnish a grew- some substitute for tables. It seems to be the special function of the Toby Club to scoff at the gloomy servitor, Death. The members regale themselves from beer-laden skulls and smoke from pipes carved from human benes. The club is composed of | substantial business men of middle age, who are listed in battle against superstl- tion. The Old Curiosity Club is, or, rather, was, an organization of art enthusiasts, vith no H unwholesome motive, but with a strange fatality that piaces it in the fore rank of | the freak clubs of America. Of the origi- | nal eleven members, eight have died sud- denly within the last two years. One mem- ber was foully murdered, another ended his life in a hospital, a third dropped dead of apoplexy, and the others were called with- out warning to the great beyond. ‘The three surviving members still meet, and | conduct with great formality such business i as is before them. Alfred Trumble, the | well-known art critic, and the last of the eight, was found dead in his bed a few weeks ago. The Undertakers’ Club and the | Grave Diggers’ League are repellant only | in name. The members invariably cast | aside their professional melancholy once over the threshold of their respective rooms. Eccentric Organizations. In any list of queer clubs mention must be made of the Suicide Club of Bridgeport, Conn. Seven of this club's members have died by their own hands during the past five years. The Fat Men’s Club of Milwau- kee has twenty-four members, with an average weight of 250 pounds per member, making a total human weight of 6,000 pounds when the club is in full session. The Keeley Cure Club is a product of Phil- adelphia. Every member is an ex-drunk- ard. At a regular monthly dinner given by the club the beverages served at table are | strictly of a medicinal nature. Every*one has heard of the Millionaires’ Club. which in reality is named the Met- ropolitan Club of New York, every mem- ber of which can draw his check for a cool million of dollars and not “go broke” after | j such an unusual act. A bare mention can be made of the Anti-Matrimony Club, an association of pretty young women, who are persuaded that they never, never will | marry; of the Fireman's Bicycle Club, with | rooms’ on Lexington avenue, New York: of the Coffin Club of San Francisco, similar to the Toby Club, above described; of the Eccentric Sports’ Club of New Orleans, founded in 1884 by some of the toughest gamblers in Louisiana, but whose existence is really due to the efforts of a number of kind-hearted Christian women, who thought that bladders were less harmful than hard gloves in boxing bouts? of the Bloomer Club, of the Kempin Club, com- posed of women lawyers living in Brook- lyn; the Japanese Club, the New England Woman's Club, the first “housed club” in this country, and the Electrical Club, where everything that has to do with elec- tricity can be seen, heard and felt. There are other eccentric clubs, like the Gridiron of Washington, the Lanthorn,Trol- ley, Slumming and Uncut Leaves clubs of New York and the Mountebanks’ Club of Baltimore. America is truly a land of clubs, and the numerous grotesque and exag- gerated organizations such as have been enumerated add not a little to the pictur- esque features of our social structure. pa eae Church Fires. From the Church Economist. Most church fires are due to unsafe heat- ing apparatus or lights not properly pro- tected at the side of the building, espe- cially in basements. Wooden steeples are regarded by insurance men with an aver- sion that can be overcome only by the pay- ment of some additional premium. There is not unanimity about how steam pipes cause fire; whether chemically or mechanically; but there is not much doubt among insurance men that they do cause fires, and there is ample testimony that steam pipes will in the course of time re- duce wood in contact with them to the con- dition of charcoal, in which condition the wood is certainly dangerous. The fact that the church is unoccupied so much affords opportunity for a fire once started to get a considerable start before discovery, and the large interior gives a flame air that it could not get where the building is very much subdivided. Church buildings, however, are free from some of the dangers that buildings devoted to other uses are exposed to. There is no “moral hazard” in church insurance, in spite of the apparent large number of in- cendiary fires. A church properly built, with light and heat apparatus properly put in, and an intelligent janitor, is in very slight danger of burning from exposure to other buildings. But the building commit- tee should be vigilant while the church is building, and the trustees should see that lighting and heating are well cared for end the basement kept perfectly clean. + e+ —_____ Sailors’ Eyes and Electricity. i ti i ite # j dining ART AND ARTISTS Mr. Carl Gutherz left the city on Wednes- day for Minnesota, whither he has been called in connection with the decoration of a new library building. The designs he has made for the enrichment of the walls include a number of mural paintings and a wealth of decorative ornamentation which ; 18 pleasing in detail and glowing in color. He expects to return from the west in about a month and will then carry out the large ceiling decoration for a dining room which he designed before his departure. This painting is to fil a circular space about fifteen feet in diameter, the principal color notes of which will be golden yellow and rose color in its many varying shades. As the decoration is for the ceiling of a room, the artist endeavored to choose a subject that would inspire only pleasant thoughts and add to the cheerful | atmosphere of the place. He selected Venus in her chariot, drawn by swans, with Eros | holding the reins, and round the chariot, whicn occupies the center of the compost- tion, are flying birds, and on the edge is an encircling border of cherubs dancing and playing among masses of rose The back- ground is the luminous yellow of a sunset sky, which with the gold ornamentation of the outer border gives a very rich effect to the ceiling. In a portrait which Mr.Gutherz finished a short time ago of Dr. Wilmer's two children there is a nice study of subtle contrasts. The slight shade of difference between the color of the boy’s hair and the closely simliar hue of his sister's curls is weil indicated, and the artist has expressed nicely the difference in texture between her soft white dress and the boy's white blouse. * Miss Nellie Stafrora 2S been enjoying a brief sojourn in Massachusetts, and while making her headquarters at the hub has made brief visits to a imber of the re- sorts along the coast. Unlike most artists who visit these places, she did not take a sketching trap with hez, but went for rec- reation alone. As her taste does not run in the direction of landscape, the summer is not her time for storing up material, as it is with those who devote themselves to outdoor work. Miss Stafford is expected back in a week or so. * = * * Miss Lillian Cook has done little this summer except desultory sketching, and will not take up the series of decorations which she is to make for a convent in Wil- mington until she has recruited new ener- gies by her trip up north. The mural de- signs which she is to paint are subjects taken from the life of Christ. Miss Cook will leave in the latter part of August for Eastport, Me. While she goes partly to give herself a good rest, she will take her painting materials ‘with her, and it will be strange if with the picturesque material about her she does not set herself to work in order to bring home a porifolio of strik- ing sketches. - * Mr. Wells M. Sawyer has been busy dur- ing’ the past week on an Indian's head, which he is painting in water color. He has painted it with great fidelity to color, and the man’s bluish black hair and his bronze-hued skin are both set down with conscientious exactness. Mr. Sawyer has done no outdoor work to speak of this summer, but plans to get in quite a little painting when he goes to Holicong, Pa. He expects to leave the city in about a week, and will doubtless return with quite a number of good studies. * * * Miss S. W. Kelly left the city about two weeks ago for Petersville, Fre coun- ty, Md., and she is now busy sketching in that locality. There are many good mo- tives to be found in that locality, and they will probably claim her attention until fall. x ** The illustrations that he is making for a new volume of the Naval Record take about all Mr. Clary Kay's time, and during the hot weather he hax done comparatively liuule outside work. Two of the illustra- tions he has recently made in this series of gouache drawings show the old vessels Savannah and Susquehanna, and he is now busy portraying the Hetzel. His thorough mastery of gouache technique enables him to give life and interest to these rather conventional subjects. A trip to the north shore and other rambles in Massachusetis are among the possibilities Mr. Ray con- templates for his summer vacation. * * * Mr. William Fuller Curtis and “Miss Jane Bridgham Curtis are among the devotees of East Gloucester who make an annual pilgrimage thither, and they will probably be there until the close of the season. Mr. Curtis finds many subjects suited to his pen, and his sister also finds the place con- genial, though she is at her best when fol- lowing up an entirely different vein. * ee Miss Marie Mattingly is another Wash- ingtonian who has been enjoying the cli- mate of the bay state, and she has been since the middle of last month at Magno- lia, which is only a short distance from East Gloucester. She did not go there with the intention of spending her time in sketching, but planned to do nothing but black and white work, and that only when the spirit moved her. Miss Mattingly js expected back in a very short time. peceatctei Aesaire Too Valuable to Lose. From the Chicago Revord. “Henry, wake up! I hear a burglar down stairs!” “Eh? Where’s my pistol? I'll blow his head off! Suppose he should carry off our ice!” ——__+ o+_____ From Pick-Me-Up. Seribe—“Do you ever have the writer's