Evening Star Newspaper, August 14, 1897, Page 23

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1897-24 PAGES. TO KIDNAP GRANT| A Plot That Was Aimed at the Great Union Leader. CAME VERY HEAR GOING THROUGH Had It Not Been for the Protest of One Man. ; INCIDENT OF THE AN One winter evening ¢ -2 a man on a mule drew rein in a Missouri lane within © of a couple of young men in company with several It was about 4 o'clock of a arcastic. called as} » piles of stalks before and sauntered toward the which they “You're a likely chap to talk about work, " around the ccuntry en a mew-el, like weren't no work to do.” The rider grinned. “It's too late to husk sat Ti “When Do We Meet?” corn anyhow. You South Carolinians are always sbout two months late.” Suddenly his voice changed to a tone of joyous ex- eitement i he bent over the pommel of ddle . the ki nights meet tonight.” * said one of the ‘Don't you see the niggers listen- zoing on?” voice sank to a mumble. “1 don’t know Jim met me and told me the Dutch peddler had brought some news and said he wented all the knigits to be on yrere do we meet?” Lyons’ barn.” t-ll_you this—we've got to have a lot o' pi s out, for the niggers are excited. Thi an idea something would interest them.” 2 out fer that. Well—so long. Be on hand." “Well be there.* As the young men turned toward the cornskock negroes fell to work with sudden a It_was evident they had ng. The country about St. that time more secession than | ling, and, though the farmers pursuing their ways C iy at any moment for an enterprise in aid of the south. By a@ swift and decided stroke of military foresight, Frank P. Blair had captured Camp kson and its arsenal in May, thus saving the city and its munitions to on, but there had sprung up all country secret socteties in sym- ith the south. These societies were of the famous “Knights of the and it was their hope that © they might be able to do e work in ald of secession. | The Lodge Meets. There was a lodge or circle in Gravois into which all the confederate sympathizers were gathered, but thus far the southern cause owed them little. There was some- thing in the sudden call for a meeting this November day, however, which convinced every eager knight that the time for action had at last come. Some deed was to do— what it was, no ore could tell, save the peddl+r, but as the night grew thick, from every direction, on foot and on horseback, the men began to silently meve through the celd, bleak air toward the rendezvous. ‘The two young men of the cornshocks were Abner and Limri Taylor. They stalwart, bearded and very quiet nenner. At supper they uttered no worl of the news brought to them, for black cars, keen as a hare'’s, were open came within hearing distanc2 of the loft in which the meeting was held. In the center of the group, and doing most of the talking, was a big, black-whiskered men of alert and vigorous manner. The members were hunched or sprawling on the hay about, listening In sinister silence. At last the chairman rapped for order, and sald in a low voice, which gradually grew intense and savage: “Brothers of the circle: You are called together tonight because there is work to be done. You've all been just achin’ to do something for the cause, and now's yo" chance. We've had to keep our mouths shet. We have had to submit to these Yankee scrubs, who hold our fo't. Fo't Jackson should never have ben surrender- ed. We have been helpless under the heel of these northern vandals ever since. Now we have a chance to make them pay. Brother Mose Baumer has a word to say.” He took his seat thereupon amid a pro- found silence. What the Peddler Said. Baumer was a peddler, who carried drugs from St. Louis to the confederate armies in the southern part of the state. He carried also whatever news of military movements he could secure. He now stepped out into the floer, tie excitement of a big project in his broad visege. He plunged into the plan at one “Brothers, we have a chanze to rob the torthern armies of a brigadier general. Gen. U. S..Grant of Cairo ts home on leave of absence. He drove out today without a ard. Nobody with him. He's at old man 's, which is not more than two miles here. You all know the place. He will be there all night. My plan is to sur- nd the house and ize him waile he is ep. The Union cause will have one brigadier general less.” ‘Two or three of the younger hotheads leaped up, white with excitement. “Good! That's the plan! We'll make him pay for Belmont.” The buldness of the scheme took the cooler men at a disadvantage. Before they could gather their limbs under them aicther belligerent was in the middle of the floor blazing with excitement, his words a volley. “It's a glorious opportuni- ty to serve the cause of th south. We have been organized for just such work as ‘this. Now is our chance. I will be one to do this work tonight.” “So will I,” said one at his side. “And I,” shouted several more. The chairman uttered a warning hiss— “Sh!—don’t yell.” For an instant it seen- ed as if the whole lodge were ready for this bold plan, but a dissentient voice made it- self heard at lest; some one shouted, “Hold on a minute,” and when the rest had time to look about to see who had spoken, Ab- ner Taylor was seen standing in the back- ground. A Dissenting Voice. The big corn husker looked grim and threatening as he stepped forward and flung his hat on the floor as valiantly as any knight ever cast his glove. “I vote no! Now, see here, neighbors, I want @ word right now. I know this Gen. Grant. I've cut wood and hauled ‘props’ with him. He has eat dinner in dur house many a time. You all know him, and you know that a better man never lived in this town. He's a gentleman and an honora- ble soldier, and I don’t propose to kidnap a man like that under such circumstances. Why, the man trusts us! You say he has no bodyguarJ—Well, I'll be one of his bodyguards.” The big fellow towered like a giant in his indignation. “You all know I've no love for Yankees; I would cut the heart out of Frank Blair if I could, but Gen. Grant was our friend and neighbor. Why, I've seen him give his last $5 to a poor widow woman whose house was burnt down. You all remember Tom Harris’ widow. Some o’ you fellers hauled ‘props’ with him, and now when he trusts us and comes home here without a bodyguard he expects to be treated like a gentleman, and by the almighty he shall be if my fist has any weight.” His lifted arm seemed made of solid steel as he spoke, and his face looked old and grim as granite. “He's 2 d— Yankee soldier. yelled some one. He's killing “It's all war Inapen ain't war,” replied Ab- sneakin’ business to jump in on n he's home to see his wife and . and I'm not going to be a party The circle sat ebashed at this sud- to it.” den opposition ‘More than this. It’s easy to carry out your vlan. We could kidnap Grant easy enough, but what would the northern be doin’ tomorrow and the day There wouldn't be a man of us liviug, nor one brick on top of another, in three days from now. I've been harnessed "em once, and I don’t intend to be His words and voice carried con- vi ‘They all shrank before his eyes. “This stops right now. It don’t go an- other step. Gen. Grant will sleep undis- turbed tonight. and he goes back to St. Louis and Cairo undisturbed. If he is killed or captured, let it be done by Gen. Pillow or Gen. Buckner, in a fair and square fight.” The meeting ended right there. The hot heads apologized, and the pedler slunk away. “Ab, that was a big speech you made,” said the younger brother, as they ent acress the fields. “You're right, but it's a terrible temptation. Grant seems to be going up steadily, but Pillow will at- tend to him.” On February 16, Ulysses Grant took Don- elson from Buckner and Pillow, and be- came “Unconditional Surrender Grant.’”’ ——— Colors for Furnishings. From the Upholsterer. There are colors that are refreshing and broadening, others that absorb light and give a boxed-up appearance to a room, others that make a room with a bleak northern exposure, or with no exposure at all, appear bright and cheerful; some that make a room appear warm, some that lowest word. The blacks were alrealy tremulous with excitement over make it cold. The thermometer seems to fall six degrees when you walk into a blue “I VOTE Now” SAID THE BIG CORNHUSKER. the news of battles in the south, which of them comprehended to mean that ain while men were fighting for them. merely felt sympathetically the of the time, which portended ‘There was a restraint in the eds. silence which Abner’s wife perceived. As he rose from the table that night he sald to hix wife: “I'm going down to the post office to hear the x: - The young wife seized the moment t y: “Oh, Abner, I hcpe tt isn't any project of the knights.” = quiet, he said sharply. “You needn't worry if it is. I promised you I wouldn't go into service, and IT won't—at leas’ not now.” “Promis: me not to do anything rash, Abner.” He smiled a Ittle. “I don't have that reputation among the circle,” he said. c © younger brother grew impatient. “Oh, come along, Abner; we'll be late.” The young wife locked es if she were not so sure of Abrer’s caution, and she went her work with a strong feeling that great calamity wes impending. Ab- ad already been under arrest for a re- jus act while on a visit to St. Louis, and she was easily alarmel now. She looked at the children with a glance which showed a sleepless fear for them, ss well as for her husband. What would they do Without his big arm to protect them? By 7:30 the barn held a score of men of all ages and sizes, and outside, a circle of Pickets kept watch that no prying negro room. Yellow is an advancing color; there- fore a room fitted up in yellow will appear smaller than it is. On the otker hand, blue of a certain shade introduced generously into a room will give an idea of. space. Red makes no difference in regard to size. Green makes very little. If a bright, sun— ny room gets its light from a space ob- truded upcn,by russet colored or yellow painted houses, or else looks cut upon a Stretch of green grass, it should be decor- ated ina color very different from the shade chosen if the light comes from only an un- broken expanse of sky. Red brings out in a room whatever hint of green lurks in the composition of the other colors em- plcyed. Green needs sunlight to develop the yellow in it and make It seem cheerful. If olive or red brown be used in conjunc- tion with mahogany furniture, the effect is very different from what it would be if blue were used. Blue would develop the tawny orange lurking in the mahogany. If a éelling is-to be made higher, leave it light. that it may appear to recede. Deep- ening the color used on the ceiling would make = ean eens desirable if the room is made small and the ceiling v. high. Various tones of yellow are ‘Subst. tutes for sunlight. oo _____ Running Account. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We have a long account to settle with Turkey,” said Prince Constantine, grimly. “Yes,” said King George, with a slight pore “and it’s a running account at REINDEER IN ALASKA Might Make It Much Easier to Reach the Gold Fields. USEFUL IN A GOOD MANY WAYS The Experiment Has Been Tried and Proved a Success. IMPORTED FROM SIBERIA Written for The Evening Star. Copyright, 1897, by Bacheller Syndicate.) HEN THE GOLD W teas of Alaska and the approach thereto, as well as the en- thusiasm of fortune hunters, have be- come literally ice- blanketed, the ques- tion which every man asks his neighbor is not “How much will they get?” but “How long can they last?” and the cry “Be- ware,oryou'll starve!" comes home not only to the pris- cners of the Yukon, but to every man who thought of doing likewise and didn’t. The day is sure to come when some of those miners will be ready to barter a gold mine for a crust of bread. Weeks ago a dog was worth his weight in bullion, be- cause he was the sole means of transpor- tation to the “fields of the cloth of gold.” But before many moons his weight will be six miles north of the. was moss in number of steers, thor to get them trained,, I ord the boys to work with the deer,gach day, but it proved to be too hard wor for im, all very tazy. I tl ordered be moved farther wi about thirty miles gort! Each of the boys once a a he came with an c been trained before) he had to go back again with an empty sled. this way we broke eleven new deer befote spring.” How They Act in Harness. Mr. G. T. Howard, from the St. James Episcopal Mission,“who actompanied Mr. Hultburg and the others when they took the herd to Golovin bay, writes of his ex- periences in reindeer driving as follows: “With many misgivings Dfinally perched myself on top of the loaded sled behind the deer which I was to drive. At first there was no trouble, but as soon as I attempted to guide the deer, my efforts were treated with contempt. No matter how hard nor how often I pulled on the line, or longee,. as the Lapps call it, he paid no attention to it, except by occasionally coming te-a turning round to look at me ina ‘manner that made me feel rather un- comfortable—for the front hoofs of the deer are formidable weapons that can be used with remarkable rapidity—but he made no hostile demonstration, and, after trying to stare me out of countenance for a mo- ment, would suddenly wheel around, and with a bound that would almost land me on my head behind the sled would be off. Mr. Howard was finally reduced, to the expedient of tying his deer behind another sledge, after which matters went very smoothly. That method is often adopted, and enables one man to drive many sledges of deer at the same tiiae. When there is a steep hill to descend the deer is taken to the back of the sledge, to which he is tied by the longee, braces his feet and really pulls backward. The descent is very rapid, and as sled and deer fly along they are almost obscured by the whirling snow. A herd of deer can be very easily driven. They bunch together like sheep, and one man and a dog can easily handle a large Pia hey are almost the same In aj rance U as the American caribou. Both male and So hw __then f, to go home ‘own BREAKING YOUNG REINDEER. af f much less, and it will become a serious question which eats the other, man or dog. There is one man who claims that he solved the problem long ago; and if he could have had his way, Alaska might, at this moment, be a very different place to live in. This man is Rev. Sheldon Jackson, who went to Alaska first as a’ missionary, but has now attained the position of United States agent of education in Alaska. He has established every government school in the territory, and as he travels about 17,- 000 miles over Alaskan lands and waters every summer, he doubtless knows more about the country than anybody else. It is his scneme to introduce reindeer in- to the territory as fast as possible. The experiment has been tried and proved a success. The desolate, bleak, snow-covered fields would support millions of the gentle, fleet-footed little animals that flourish best in justesuch a climate, finding plenty of nourishing food in the moss, which they get by digging away the overlying snow with their horns and hoofs. It is not mere- ly as a means of transportation that these steeds of old Santa Claus are valuable, al- though every child can testify to their use in that direction. The reindeer’s flesh, either fresh or cured, is considered a great delicacy; the skin is soft and warm, and can be used for both clothes and shoes; then there is the milk, which is as good as any which we buy in the city at 8 cents a quart. They are more docile than the horse, and are better adapted than any other animal for transportation in the climate of Alaska. Lives on Fragal Fare. ‘Thus we have embodied in one little ani- mal, averaging in size from three to five feet in height, meat, drink, shoes, clothing, and the means of transportation,—not to mention his possibilities as a commercial commodity, for his hoofs and horns make e best glue known, and his hair has a Baetet quality which makes it valuable for life-saving apparatus. In addition to all this, he is the only useful animal that can live upon such frugal fare as the Alas- kan climate affords. Dogs must carry their food on their backs, but reindeer feed from the soil which they traverse; and it is estimated that the territory of Alaska is capable of sustaining 9,200,000 of the latter animals, a number which will sup- port 287,000 people. The only difficulty in the matter ie the fact that the reindeer have to be imported. Through Dr. Jackson's efforts something less than a thousand have already been brought from Siberia, and because of the prevailing ignorance as to the care and herding of the strange little beasts, six families of Lapps were imported along with them. A central station was established and some of the most intelligent of the na- tives taken as apprentices. These are doing well, and many are now capable of taking charge of herds themselves. Some of the difficulties which Dr. Jack- son encountered would be amusing if they did not cause so much trouble. He had to contend with the superstitions and the business interests of the natives of Siberia, and was only able to collect small herds at different places. The Siberians depend largely for sustenance upon bartering the products of the reindeer. They are afraid that they will be cut off from this if the Alaskans have reindeer too. Besides that, the people never use money, so that it was necessary for the agent to be provided with the various things which the natives were glad to get in exchange. ‘The richest native in the village of In- dian Point, Siberia, does $100,000 worth of business every year without using a single coin, or a single bank note, nor are any books kept. He can petther read nor write, nor can any of those belonging to him. Caring for Reindeer. The reindeer, with their feet tied to- gether, are loaded into small boats on the Siberian side and carried to the schooners which convey them across to the Teller station at Port Clarence. The herders drive the deer which are already on the Alaskan shore down to the beach, and when the men in the boats reach shallow water, they turn their load of reindeer out into the water and let them swim to shore themselves,—which they readily do when they see the cther reindeer there. ‘The herding of the reindeer imposes a nomadic Hfe upon those. who attempt. it, as the herds constantly change their posi- tion in search of fresh food. the first year or so in the vicinity of the Teller station the herders slept in single canvas tents during the entire winter, and they suffered great hardships, as may well be imagined. Now they build log huts wher- ever it is possible. ‘At the landing station sledges and har- made, the latter being simply made and may be put on and secured by two motions, touching the deer as little as Sabot & year 130 deer driven ago were from the central station to Golovin bay. . N. O. Hultburg, the missionary there, - ’ female have large branching horns. They can stand almost an§ degree of cold, and have the domestic instinct tea remarkable degree. They are not able to carry very heavy loads on their backs, but in summer often carry women, Children or household effects inthis way. They can pull as much as 30) pounds—though @ Himit’of 190 or 200 pounds is“generally’ ‘made—at the rate of nine or>:ten’ miles af hour'for ten Hours without? fatigue. rt nae Fa THE SMALLEST CITY. It Has a Regular City Government, bat Only 100 Inhabitants. From the St. Louis Republic. John De Salme bears the unique distinc- tion of being mayor of the smallest city in the world. He fs the chief executive of Fenton, a beautiful little hamlet on the pic- turesque Meramec river, fifteen miles to the south and west of St. Louis. There are less than 100 people in Fenton, yet it has been an incorporated city for more than twenty years. And during that time it has grown considerably. When it was first Incorporated there were less than forty-five inhabitants in the place. It is the only city of its size, in all prob- abillty, in the world that is ihcorporated and has a mayor and a full quota of city officials. None of the city officials of this unique little place are paid salaries. Instead they receive certain fees for the performance of their specific duties. It has been a long time since any of tem collected any mon- ey, and even the city marshal, who consti- tutes the entire police force of the city, has not made a cent out of his job for some- thing like three years. No arrests are made-in Fenton, and it has been so long since the ’squire had a case that when the last magistrate died some years ago it was not thought worth while to elect his suc- cessor. There has not been a prisoner in the city jail for over five years, and the structure has been allowed to degenerate into a pig pen, where a drove of hogs now make their home. There is no politics in Fenton—at least not in so far as municipal elections go. And, for that matter, there have been no elections for a decade. There never has been a defalcation in Fenton. Fred Wehmeyer was detailed by the board of control to keep the books of the corporation, and the public funds rais- ed by taxation were expended by the mayor in person, by and with the consent of the board. ——+ e+ ___ The Clerk Was Tested. From the Baltimore News. A drug clerk in Broadway answered a telephone call a few days ago, when some one at the other end of the line said: ‘Hello; is that No. ao ‘Yes; what Is it?” “I am an inspector for the telephone company. I want to test your ‘phone. Vo you hear me?” “Distinctly,” replied the drug clerk. “Try it on your other ear—do you hear me now?” “Yes, sir, perfectly,”” “Now close your eyes and hold the re- ceiver ea few inched’ r left ear— do you hear me now?’ 1 “Yes,” answered the drug clerk, “but not as distinctly as before.” “All right,” answered the in tor. “Now put the recetver to ydur left ear, close your right eye, stand on your left /foot— But the clerk rang off violently then, and the episcde closed. 1 Mrs. Newealth—“And how {s my daugh- ter iting on with usic, Professor nee well. her Mrs. Newealth—“O! | she must. She has plenty of time”“Puoh $7 _ If you want ad. in The Biar. it anybody has hist you wish, yoo a in, : $ sia = A MEETING OF * 23 OLD FRIENDS. AN ARMY OF PEACE Thousands of Old Noldiers Will Attend the Reunion, RECALLING INCIDENTS OF THE WAR Ranks Are Growing Thinner as the Years Go By. STORIES OF BRAVE MEN Written fer The Evening Star. Seventy-five thousand veterans of the Union ermy will attend the 3ist national encempment of the Grand Army of the Re- public, to be held in Buffalo week after next. The estimate fs not large, inasmuch as It represents but one-fifth of the surviv- ing strength of the great host which de- fended the north during the war. For three days, during which the encampment will continue, the city of Buffalo will be practically given over to the “boys” in blue, and the citizens will devote most of their time to doing honor to the veterans. There will be receptions by the citizens and the women of the city, reunions of various corps and divisions, and on August 26 a grand psrade, which will probably be re- viewed by President McKinley cn his way home from hls summer outing at Lake Champlain. This peaceful army of invasion will be well cared for during its stay in Buffalo. Its center division of 12,000 men will be quartered at the Front, one of the most beautiful portions of the city’s park sys- ‘tem, located just where Niagara river leaves Lake Erie. The United States mili- tary post known as Fort Porter stands here, and about it will be spread hundreds of white tents. Tne aspect of Camp Jewett, as it will be called, in honor of Mayor Jewett of Buffalo, will be thoroughly mili- tary, and will doubtless revive the memor- jes of ‘61 under the faded blue uniforms. The camp will have its depar+ment head- quarters, and the flag of the Union will! float above every division of it. In. one respect only will it differ from the camps is which these same men_bivouacked a generation since along the Potomac or the Cumberland; there will be no stacks of arms, and the tone of the place will be one of cheerful reminiscence instead of warlike anticipation. Of course, the camp will not accommodate more than a smali fraction of the visitors, but the others wil! be quartered in the various hotels and in Private houses throughout the city, Doubt- less tne battles of the rebellion will be fought all over again, but the spirit of these encampments is the spirit of reunion, not that of division. As General Porter said, ic affords a “grand object lesson in patriotism to the younger generation of Americans and to all citizens.” Reminiacence of Sherman. An incident typical of the spirit of these gatherings was related the cther day by General Daniel E. Sickles. “When I at- tended the encampment in Pittsburg in 1894,” said General Sickles, “it was ar- ranged, as is usually done, that I should meet the men who had been under my command in a sort of informal reception. A regular feature of the encampments are these receptions, at which the members of different divisions gather to shake hands with their old commanders. It happened that General Gordon of the confederate army was in Pittsburg at the time, and as I was acquainted with him I asked him to go along with me to the hall where the men were to gather. We stood side by side, and as the men filed past I intro- duced them to General Gordon and we both shook hands with them. The men were pleased and General Gordon was much af- fected by his hearty reception.” The incident of these two generals stand- ing side by side and shaking the hands of the men who had fought under one and against the other does not indicate the re- vival of old animosities. There may have been more enthusiasm for the one-legged commander of the Union, but there was a hearty welcome for the one who had fought under the stars and bars. The men, some of whom carried confederate lead under their skins, welcomed him as heartily as his own soldiers might have done. “The presence of corps and division com- manders at the encampments is always the occasion of great enthusiasm among the men who have served under them,” said Gen. Sickles. “‘Whenever a group of men see an officer under whom they have fought the hats will go into the air and the old battle cries ring out in a way that makes the old blood run faster. Of course, there are not many of the most prominent offi- cers left, now. For years Gen. Sherman Was the ‘prominent figure at the encamp- ments, which he always attended. I sup- pose nobody who had not served under Sherman or marched across Georgia with him could appreciate the peculiar venera- tion in which he was held by the men in the ranks. He was the idol of the private soldiers and there was no holding them in when he was around.”” Every encampment has its pathetic inel- dents. Men meet who have not seen each other since they parted in the smoke of some battlefield, and often the veil is lifted from mysteries that have endured for more than three decades. An incident of this kind was related a few days ago by a man who was a private in the ranks of one of the New York regiments. A Pathetic Incident. “At the Louisville encampment a lot of us were sitting about at one of the ‘camp fires,’ talking over the old times, and I re- lated an experience at the battle of Fair Oaks. The regiment to which I belonged had been badly shattered at the first Bull Run, and had been consolidated with an- other New York regiment, some of the companies being doubled up. Our company was united with one of the others, that had also suffered severely, and, as both the cap- tains had been killed, there was some ri- vairy between us. Each company, einai aeeneienceeanaaeem-eeaiaarpeesttereiet anette strife iaeSmonpeteomasenneriOsanieeesns seeteanaeienaraseineeisonteceeinetslansaniomreciasaeneans the only one of our men who fell beyond that brush fence that ever came back. The Reunion. “When I had finished telling of it a man who had been sitting on the other side came over to me and grabbed my hand. ‘I can tell you what became of the man,’ he said. ‘I've often wondered who was the brave man that saved my life that day, and oo God that I'm still alive to thank “It seems that the captain was living up in Canada, and this was the first encamp- ment he had attended. He is rich and I am Poor, but we are great friends now, and every vear when I go to the encampment he insists on my becoming his guest for the week.” “Some of the sights one sees at the en- campments are truly affecting,” said Ed- ward J. Atkinson, who is a past d ment commander in the G. A. R. “Li year, at St. Paul, I saw a Pennsylvania post marching down the street to its quar- ters, when a man rushed out from thé sidewalk. “Hooray for old Penn! he shout- ed, throwing his hat into the air. Tma Pennsylvania man myself,” he added, ‘though I haven’t been back there in thirty odd years. But it does seem go00d to see somebody from the old state again, and I jvst couldn’t hold in when I saw you fel- lows coming down the street.” And raising his hat, he saluted the tattered Standards at the head of the column, the very flags under which he had fought. “I have seen two old gray-haired fellows grab each other about the neck and cry like children in their delight at seeing each other. Others seem to forget their years: and dance about like schoolboys. Ore thing, though, that one cannot help not ing is that every year the ranks row thin- ner, the forms mote bent, the step more halting. It is an army of old men now, and it won't be long before the last camp will have been struck for the soldiers of the Union.” —— Postage Stamps. From the Cnicaso News. In this day and age we moisten a stamp and affix it to our letters and give it no further thought, accepting the stamp as a matter-of-course convenience, and many persons would be wondrously surprised if they were to be told that their grandpar- ents never saw a postage stamp. Henry Shaw, the father of “Josh Bil- li.gs,” purchased the first two stamps ever sold in the United States on August 6, 1847. He bought one each of the 5-cent stamp and the 10-cent stamp, these two denominations being the only ones put out at that time. The 10-cent stamp he gave to Gov. Briggs and kept the 5-cent one for himself. Of the two stamps first issued Washing- ton’s portrait was on the 10-cent and Franklin’s on the other. Since that time the various issues of the United States stamps would furnish a unique portrait gallery, showing the faces of forty-eight noted Americans. Washington appears on twenty-five issues, while Lincoln's pic- ture is on every issue since 1866, except the Columbian series. In 1875 a law was passed prohibiting the use of the portraits of living men on the United States stamps, thus placing living men in the same position that women oc- cupied, whether dead or alive, for no wo- man’s portrait has ever graced a stamp belonging to the United States, postal or revenue. Of the 250 stamps which have been is- sued the values have ranged from 1 cent to $5,000. Five dollars is the highest value among postage stamps, but newspaper stamps reach the hundred ‘dollar mark, while a revenue stamp may represent $5,000. Stamps were put on the market in August, 1847, but were so little used that the government had to pass a law enfore- ing prepayment of postage, which went into effect in 1855. Before this action was taken scarcely one letter in a dozen was found with a stamp affixed. Today the post offices of the country sell 4,000,000,000 stamps (counting postal cards, stamped envelopes and stamps of all kinds), valued a* $75,000,000, during a single year. <2. Liked Delicacies. From the Sacred Heart Review. A gentleman heard that a young girl, whose mother was in poor circumstances, Was convalescing from a dangerous sick- ners. Forthwith he went to a fruiterer’s and secured some choice bunches of Ham- burg grapes at one dollar or thereabouts a@ pound. He carried them, not without some self- satisfaction, to the house of the invalid, and left them with her mother, who re- ceived them in a dubious kind of manner that did not evince, as he thought, much eratitude. This did not trouble him greatly, how- ever, but the next day when he called he received a blow which almost made him resolve never again to be generous to strangers. “How did your daughter like the grapes?” he said to the grim and undemonstrative matron. “Oh, pretty well,” was the reluctant an- swer. “Did she eat them all?” was the next query. “Yes, she got away with them,” was the reply. “But she is a good deal like me; she likes something nice and tasty—like canned cern.” A Cure fer All Evils. From Chambers’ Journal. Medicine bags of the Navajos, Zunis and Apiches, all kindred tribes in New Mexico and Arizona, contain a curious powder, known as corn pollen, or hodden- tin. This powder,-which is the pollen of a rush, and also of maize, appears to be used as a medicine, being eaten by the sick man and put on the head or other parts to ease pain, but principally as a sacred offering to the sun and moon, and as a sanctifier of everything. A pinch of it is thrown toward the sun and then toward the four winds for help in war or the chase, ts put on the trail of a snake to prevent harm from it, placed on the tongue of a tired hunter as 2 restorative, hung in bags around the recks of infants as a preservative, and sprinkled on the dead. In fact, every ac- tion of these Indians ts sanctified by this powder, so that, as Capt. writes in the ninth volume of “The of the Bureau of Ethnology” (Smithsonian), “‘plen- ty of a has come to mean that a particular performance or place is wa ar — sacred. the use of this sacred powder, th in the among the ancient Greeks and Romans, and it 1s clear that similar prac- tices with regard to “ "—that is, magic—have prevailed everywhere, and in all ages, for superstition seems to be the universal heritage of man, so deeply in- graired in his very nature that all the efforts of philosqphers ard “thirteen clubs” to root it out. Pearls of Etiquette. HOTELS. ‘This List Appears _Bvery ‘Saturday. HOTEL INFORMATION FREE. For Souvenir Booklets of Summer Resorts and permanent hotels below call at or address «send stamp) HOTEL TARIFF BUREAU, { $3 Fitth ave., New York. 4.38 Regent st, 1s {248 Rue de Rivoli, Parts, HOTEL POCKET GUIDE (AP. means hacia ee E. P., Earop ALBANY, N. ¥ -Hotel Kenmore, A.P., $4 ASBURY PARK, Coleman House, A.P., $4 up do... West Bad 1 " BALTIM: Rennert, EP., $1.50 up do. ‘The Stafford, E.P., $1.50 up The Carroliton, A.P., 83 up -Hotel Vendome, AW, wal Bath Hotel, BRISTOL, R. 1 BROOKLYN, Congrées Hall, A.P., nd Motel, E.P., $1; mes Hotel, AP, $2.50 up -Hotel Windsor, A.P., $2 to $3.50 nee Hotel GLASGOW . «Bath st.) Cockburn # st_.Strand) AP.$2.50 do.Thackeray’s Hotel(Temp),op. British Mascum LONDON,Kag.DeVere Motel) “DeVere Gardens, Broodwalk do. | Kensington Palace,W. nee of Wales do, ) Specially recommended La. :Hotel Grune -+-.+.The Cosmopolitan Hotel, E. NEWPORT, R. I. -Ocean House, now open do. (8.5.0 Neti) The Aquidueck, A.P..$2.50 to $3.50 NEW YORK. Fifth Avenue Hotel, A. do. B. Barry), St. Cloud Hotel, EP., $1.50 do....Hotel Westminster, E.P., $2; AP. do..(Cuns.A.Davis) Hotel St. Andrew, EP. 40.(W.JobnsonQuinn)Htl. Empire,E.P_$1:4_P..$3 do...(Wm. Noble) Hotel Grenoble, K.P..$1.50 up @o.@th av.£15th st.)Hotel Kensington,E.P.,81.50 do. (Neumuctler&eSchafferyUnionsy. ULE do... ........The Rutland, 57th and Broadway. Superior apartments, $1,200 to $3,500 yearly, OSTEND. Belgium (Facing s€a,300 beds) The Splendid Mizzen Top Hotel, now open -New Walton Hotel, EP., $2 do. never, A.P_$2 up PITTSFIELD, Mase. .(AWPiumb)Maplewood,A.P.,3t08 PLYMOUTH, Eng. --Grand Hotel, A.P., $3 PORTSMOUTH, The Rockingham, A.P., $¢ QUEBEC, Canada...Chateau Frontenac, A.P., $3.50 RICHMOND, Va. TheJefferson,E.P..$1.50up; A. ROCHESTER, N. ¥...Whitcomb House, A.P.. §2 up SAYBROOK POINT, Ct...Fenwick Hall, now open SHELDRAKE, N.Y. .Cayaza Lake House, A-P..$2 up -Prospect House,pow open Staten Island ‘The Castleton, A.P..$4 up -ED’.,$1.50 up, A-P.$2.50up Yates Hotel, EL.$1.50; AD.$4 -The. Troy House, A.P., $3 up -Artington Hotel, A.P., $5 The Raleigh, E.P., $1.50 up +-Atlantic House, now open SHELTER ISL. NTS., ST.Gi TROY, N. ¥ WASHINGTON, D. ©. my16,20,23,27thenstt L HOTEL, AND ANNEX, Always cool and delightful. Reduced rates for the summer and fall. iy24-1m _POTOMAC RIVER BOATS. PUTOMAG RIVER LANDID Steamers WAKEFIELD and _T. ARROW. SMITH. Leave Washington (th ‘ wharf)—Wakefield on Monda; ct a.m. for river landings to J rach, Bush- Wood, Rock Point, Colton’s and Nomini Crock. Tes turning, asrive at Washington en Su y: tout 4 p.m On ne for ali e landings, includ and un’s. Returning, leave Ni a.m. Thursday, arrive at Washingt: ‘T. V. Arrowsmith—On F da} m., zor Colonial Beas Leonardiown, Piney Point, George Smith's Creek, Coan and Yeocomico rivers. turning, arrive at Washington early on Wednes- day and Friday mornings. On Saturdays, 6 p.m.. for Riverside, Colonial Beach, Colton's, Piney Point, St. George's Island, Smith’ Creek, Coan and Yeocomico rivers, and at rives at Washington Sundays about 10 schedule,” in effect June 26. ¢. W. b. General Manager. : E. 8, RANDALL’S POTOMAC RIVER LT Steamer HARRY RANDALL View wharf Surdays, 7 am., will xs janding at Colonial Bea: Es. BAN Proprietor at, GEO. 0. CARPINTER, General Agen Je29-14t¢ WM. M. REARDON, Agen’ THE WEEMS STEAMBOAT Co. Summ “DA! Ss Lo, Steaner Io Surday at 4 wharf every re and river landings, Steamer Soe will leave «very Friday at 4. pein, for river landings as far as Miller's Whart (Smith's creck) aid every Monday at $ p.m. for Baltimore and river landings. Parsenger accou modations strictly first-class, AU river freight must be prepaid. Pr & BRO., Agents, del OMce, 910 Pa. ave. Telephone 745. OCEAN TRAVEL. TICKETS TO AND FROM EUROPE BY ALL liner at lowest rates. BROSNAN’S OLD EURO- rEax PASSENGER AGENCY, G12 9th st. nw. 22-1m* American Line. New York-Southampton (London-Paris) ‘Twin-screw U. 8. Mail Steamships. Sept. 22. Sept. 29. Pa: Sept. 8, 10 am St. i. .Oct. “6, 10 a Red Star Line. WESTER: August 18, 12 noon SOUTHW ucust 235, 3 p.m, NOORDLAND. a tember 1, 12 noon FRIESLAND.... September 8, 12 noon INTERNATIONAL NAVIGATION COMPANY, Piers 14 and 15, North River. Office, 6 Bowling Green, XN. ¥. GEO. W. Moss, it 921 Penn. sve. wh22-6m SPAARD ¥ First cabin, $7: Dp; second cabin, $36. For inforn ation apply to General Passenger Agency, 59 Broadway, New York. or to G. W. Moss, 92i Pa. ave.; E._F. Droop, 925 Pa. and Crane, Parris & Go., Bobitt House, Washingta,D.C. mb2-1,th&stim NORTH GERMAN LLOYD FAST EXPRESS SERVICE PLYMOUTH, LONDOX, BREMEN, 7, 10 amySuale.Tu..Sept. "7, 10 am ‘Trave.Tu..Sept. 14, 10 am amy Eahe- Dy, Sept 21, 10 am PARIS, BREMEN, am Spree. s ‘Thursday, September 2. noor GIBRALTAR “APALES. Aug. = 10 an Ems. iS & CO. 2 BOW. E. F. Droop, French Line. CCMPAGNIE GENERALE TRANSATLANTIQLR, DIRECT LINE TO Panis, FRANCE, wt la railway fare to Paris aud land- ing charges. Pai car seat is extra during xum- season ‘class to Paris. $54.75. A. FOR- GET, General Gereral Office, No. 3 Tiowling the ahr toe 619-621 Pa. ave. nw. aud-1m*