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A SIXTT MINUTES' VISIT.
IT WAS PAID CONGRESS RECENTLY
BV A WrtTERN MAN.
AM Walter Wellauta Ctlllsed HI HeatH?
Itenaci Opinion of the- MM Ien' IfVw
Maker for the Preeeat Letters-Hew
am of Them Appear.
Special Oorrecpendcnce.1
Washington, Dee. 12. A friend of
mine, a stranger within the gates of the
capital, went with me into the dress
galleries of the senate and house the
ether day. He was a westerner, and of
course in n dreadful hurry. Be was
"doing" Washington in a day, as most
westerners de, and had precisely sixty
minutes in which te sea the great Amcr-
Er-KAKER REED.
lean congress. "All I want," said he,
"is a rapid glance at your statesmen. I
will take them in oil the run." A ltd se we
made a run for it. First of all, lie must
see Speaker Reed. Everybody asks te
see Mr. Reed. 'I should net be surprised
if in a couple of years Reed was the most
famous man of his party. Already he
is the most talked about person in the
capital. It is net likely he will ever be
president, for somehow he is net the
sort of man that gets a start toward the
presidential chair. If it be true, assenu
people say it is, that only neutral quan
tities are able te achieve the presidency,
Reed will net stand much of n show.
Aetwrtiistaiiuing nu Biiarp tongue ana
his tcrrible sarcasm, Reed is a kindly,
companionable man. He lias us keen a
sense of humor as anybody I knew, and
can be ensilypirovekcd into hearty laugh
ter. He smiles and laughs in the chair, in
striking contrast te ids predecessor, who
was tnore solemn than a judge en the
bench, and whose pale, thin face was
never known te lie illumined by a smile
while nt his pest at the bend of the
house. Reed is fend of games and of a
few friends. He plays whist and hearts
occasionally in his rooms at thoShoic theShoic thoSheic
ham, but he never drinks, Btiiekes nor
chews. He plays billiards, and when
engaged at this pastime is always sure
of a large audience. The crowds assotn assetn assotn
bie net te witness his game, which is
very ordinary, but te hear the remarks
which he makes upon the strokes of his
competitor and himself.
Having looked at Reed till he was sat
isfied, my friend ashed te be shown Mc
Kinley, Cannen, Burrows, Carlisle, Mills,
Helnian cud ether celebrities. I will
give what he said of each of these men,
judging them simply by appearances,
for he knew net one of them personally.
"McKinlcy," said lie, "is a man I would
trust with my wife, my life or my for
tune. But if I had him for an opponent
in a political contest, I'd keep watch of
him. He is quiet and suave, but sly."
When I told my friend that McKinley
wej the leader of the house, having taken
Reed's place, he said the man would
nnkta success of it, net by his masterly
activity en the iloer, net by his wit or
sarcasm, but with his easy generalship,
"his calm, clear headed manipulation of
his forces, his alertness, the confidence
placed in him by his followers. Of Jee
Cannen he remarked: "He reminds me
of a neighbor I used te have up 411 Man
" sachusctts. This neighbor had spells.
One season he was pious, prayerful and
an ornament te the ofllce of deacon; ne;ct
season he was owner of a trotting horse,
a gamecock, a follower of the races, a
lever of geed times. That is the kind of
a man I imaglne Joe Cannen te be."
"Burrows," said my friend, still giving
his "first sight" impressions, "is a man
who will always have plenty of fi lends,
and who may be depended upon te use
them."
Of Carlisle he Enid: "There is the ideal
a face for a statesman, but I'll wager he is
one of the poorest politicians in the
world."
Mills impressed this observer as a man
who had altogether tee much stubborn
ness and luck of adaptability te be a
prinie leader of men, though he possessed
great ferce of character and ability.
"Helman," said he, "is a splendid old
fellow, I have no doubt, but he reminds
me of a schoolmaster of fifty years age
a conscientious, hard working chap,
who spent his old life preventing his
pupils doing things of which he did net
nnnrove."
There is 110 mistaking the physiognomy
of Evnrts, with that great nese and seem
ingly toothless mouth, nor of Iugnlls,'
with that queer shock of gray hair and
persimmon like mouth, se suggestive el
gripes and bites. Cullem is easily (lis
tinguishable from his rescmblance 1c
Lincoln, Plumb for his farmer like man
ners, old Senater Brown, from his patri
archal beard, Allisen for his liaudseim
face, new strangely changed, however,
by the appearance of n mustache where
formerly was a long, clean upper lip,
and Edmunds for his bald head mid Ro Re
man brew.
My friend and I wcre lucky enough U
ceme upon Ed iminds in an cxceedinglj
interesting attitude. It was ene whicL
gave Mr. Geerge Y. Collin, the artist, an
opportunity te make a character sketch
of two distinguished men. Edmundi
and Sawyer bat side by side. "St. Je
reme," as the Vermonter is called, wai
resting his chin upon his hands, while
the rich statesman from Wisconsin wai
punctuating a story or argument with
one of his peculiar gestures. Edmund,
is ene of the few men in the fcenate who
de net crew old.
&ffii5H ir&rlOY
' s-J s 'A
s&vJw V
A TAIR WORTH LOOKtNO AT.
Senater Sawyer, en the ether hand, ii
aging rapidly. He still gets nlmut, but
finds it necessary te go te lied early in the
evening, and te avoid violent exercise,
Trebably thcie Is no happier man in
r publieWfe than Sir. S-iwyer. Notwith
standing his age he is a ray of fcunsliine
wherever he goej. He clings te his old
habit of rislngcarly In the morning. At
7 he breakfasts, and at 10:1.1 drives te
the caplt il, where he spendi a geed deal
of Ms t! nesIU"j"itth" Iradef his com cem
u.'Ua' iveui table Uli lib Wisconsin
.'.. 6vjA yy .Jtyj.-tjf';ji
friends ranged along ea either side.
My friend the visitor insisted ea my
going en gossiping like" this abe'lt all th
senators whom we saw sitting before us,
and of course that consumed se much
time that he missed his train for the
meat. Then he confessed te met "It
can't be dena. Yeu can't take la eon
cress satisfactorily with a hop, skip and
jump. I'll ceme up here again with you
te-morrow." WaLTSR Wkllmaw.
THE BIG AUDITORIUM.
JOHN M'GOVERN WRITES ABOUT
THE MAN WHO BUILT IT.
II' at Treroenileu Untitling, It Cot Mill Mill
Ien, and It I fluaranteed te Pay a Pa
Out. It Hu Jmt Iteen Chrlateneil by
a Performance if Italian Muilc
Today there stands in Chicago a build
ing which, by its magnitude, fixes itself
upon the attention of all the people. In
its walla, uutecn from the outside, are
no less than 17,000,000 brick, while ten
regular stories and a tower of seven ad
ditional stories confront tlirce Btrccta
with blocks of granite. Upen the vnrieus
floors of the edlllce are 50,000,000 minute
pieces of marble wrought in mosaic Ten
thousand electric lights are in use. The
terra cettu cost $210,000 for 700,000
square feet.
This building, viewed from a point in
the lake, shoulders above the town as a
grain elevator dominates the scenery in
a region of decks. The tower strikes
the eye from all the West Side bridges.
Three vast facades offer te the people a
spectacle by no means as imposing as is
the Cook county court house, but where
the court house may lie beautiful, the
Auditorium is te be useful. In the court
house thcre is net ene admirable room.
In the Audito
rium thcre are
regions and
worlds. There is
a theatre which
is as large as thea
tres should be.
Thcre is a hotel
as large as hotels
should be. Thcre
are stores, offices
and miner halls,';
where thousands;
of auditors may
cathcr. It is the
wm
mass of all this adeusa path.
that awakens the pride of the Cliica Cliica
geans. The thought of the theatre car
ries that mass supports it. Therefore,
in the public mind, the theatre has be be be
ceme the Auditorium.
We have just been an Italian opera
troupe of world wide fame lauding at
New Yerk as the Remans might land at
Ostia, and pressing forward te Chicago,
as the Remans might press en te the
eternal city. Whatever clse may besaid
en this head, I, at least, may re-mark that
a city has arisen en Lake Michigan which
has all the vanity of New Yerk, with a
present willingness te pay the startling
expense which comes with a gratifica
tion of that vanity. Thcre are rich and
luxurious peeple in New Yerk, in Boj Bej Boj
ten, Philadelphia. Well, then, let them
wait until the rich and luxurious people
of n parvenu city shall have been served!
Let I'atti and Del Puente make n way
station of the metropolis en Manhattan
Island, while a new town out west,
which had no paiticular existence in
Buchanan's day whilthls town dedi
cates its temple, warranted te pay 5 per
cent, usury, and seals its bargain with
the thought that, if Chicago have net
culture, alie still may keep culture wait
ing for a chance te hear Patti, and for a
chance te see a reallv Creat theatre.
'Ilie iiiw who built tlie Auditorium Is
named Ferdinand W. Peck. He was
born rich, en the site of the Grand
Pacilio hotel. He is 43 years old.
He is tall, lean, dark, intelligent. I
should call him one of the ilk of liter
ary men anxious, busy, peculiar, com
muning with such thoughts as become
real in auditoriums.
Three years age I was commissioned te
write a prospectus of the Auditorium. It
was with pronounced mental impatience
that Mr. Peck found time te outline I113
fixed idea. But having lest the ten min
utes and passed the wicket of brain fric
tion, he detained me in order te cany
conviction that
the Auditorium
would he a geed
thing, and, in
parting with his
humble bervant,
expressed a warm
desire te 6en and
revise the copy.
Meanwhile the
contractors were
in the ether room,
$5 with whispers of
3 low llgutcs ter
17,000,000 brick,
a million cubic
feet of granite,
10,000 electric
FERDINAND W. I'CCK.
lights and thirteen elevators. Still, ns
the man had spoken, it was important te
cenveit this scribe. Let the scribe be in
no haste te withdraw. . .
1 nearu a Herman count declaim
against the Auditorium. "It is," he bald,
"the most advertised, the most overrat
ed of structures. In the first place, it is
hideous. In the next place, it is railed
popular, when in fact it is select. It of
fers a nucleus te the rich. It appalls and
robs the peer. It begins with the most
luxurious chapter in our history. It is a
speculation for private gain, and carries
the public geed as a side card."
I asked the count if the Auditorium
did net, nevertheless, occupy a half
block. I asked him if it wera net a
huge reality. I asked him if it wcre
net the only hall in America where a na
tional convention could he conveniently
and agreeably held. But the man of
licilin detested the idea of a town hall
that should pay 5 per cent., when it is a
well established custom that town halli
cost 10 per cent., housing only tax eat
ers. Jehn McGevfkn'.
A Maine tn Nullum Hale.
On Sept. 22, 1770, Capt. Nathan Hale
was shot as a 6py by the British, ns all
schoolboys knew
and many elder
peeple forget, in
Rutgers' orchard,
011 East Broad
way, New Yerk.
The Society of
the Sens of the
Revolution are te
crect a monu
ment te his mem
ory in the City
Hall park. It
will consist of a
statue of Nathan
Hale, eight feet
high and of
bronze. It has
been designed by
an American nr
tist, Frederick
MucMoenios,
n nephew of Ben-
PLS
(ifl'imim'i y-?"Sffv
ruoresEn iui.e statvc. j a in i n W 0 u t .
Thirty-five hundred dollars have been
raised, but 1,000 are still required te
complete the statue,
The Society of the Sens of the Revo
lution was organized in 16SG for the pur
pose of preserving the memory of theso
who fought for and achieved American
lndeiendeuce, The society new num
bers 500 members,
".f
(is Jf
S
v2f
WBBSsx&rmm
'irea&Naif :i,,v
"KMSJB X SI SZ!
cZ-T
AriTAlIAN FUNEIUir
A CURIOUS INCIDENT OP LIFE AND
DEATH IN NEW YORK.
H the Mearaars Mlacted Untitle and
Sorrow lUcsed Children Fallow Ui
Mede ala Tunc lijr a Bnm Dans',
Mingling Ariel and Otrc.
(SpccUl Correspondence.
New Yerk, Dee. 12. Augcle Falcs
first made his appearance in Park street
about seven months age. He was net as
strong as Italian children usually are,
but by careful nursing he lived te be
five months old. Angcle get along nice
ly until the cold winds of October came.
Then he caught a cold, and in ene week
was dead. Ahgcle's death occurred at
8 o'clock in the evening, en the second
fleer of Ne. 01 Park street, ever a lager
beer saloon. The mother of the child
drew the kitchen table te the mlddle of
the room and spread ever li a sheet
taken from the top bureau drawer in the
corner. Over the sheet she placed a
wlde piece of cheap lace, which at sotne
time had evidently dene duty as a win
dow curtain. The loco work reached
down te the fleer. Upen the lace was
laid a pillow lengthwlse of the Uble.
Anether pillow was laid nt right angles
with the first at the head of the tabic
Each pillow was trimmed with cheap
lace. When the lonely bier was all
ready, the mother, with revcrent hands,
lifted the child upon the pillows. The
little cheap shoes, badly worn at the
tees and heels, were then removed, and
white slippers were put upon the baby's
feet. The useless shoes wcre placed in
the top bureau drawer bedewed witli
tears.
By this time the news had spread and
the neighbors began te ceme in. These
began te decorate the room in a manner
usual among the Ncaelitnns. A bed
sheet was tacked upon the ceiling. Then
tlirce mero sheets were hung from the
ceiling in such a manner as te inclese
the dead child en tlirce sides. By this
time the father of the infant had re
turned from a millinery stere in Divi
sion street with eoiiie artificial flowers
and mortuary ornaments. One of these
consisted of a louquet of while flowers
mingled with red and green blossoms of a
most vivid hue. Upen the bouquet was
perched a white deve with outspread
wings. This was placed upon the baby's
breast. A chaplet of artificial flowers
was placed ever the brew of the dead
baby. Bright colored handkerchiefs
were busy upon the Bhccts. The whole
sccne was picturcsque and striking.
The infant's face wero a peaceful ex
pression, a3 if he had fallen asleep.
As the night wero en the watchers
dropped asleep in their chairs. But the
mother, who sat near the head of the
baby, rocked te and fro, and at intervale
called te the infant in Italian te return
te her. It is the custom among the
poorer classes of Italians for the mother
net te eat anything until after the funo fune
ral is ever. Sometimes the mothers go
without feed for thrce days. In the
morning a male Italian learned of the
child's death. IIe also learned from the
family that an undertaker was needed.
IIe turned across the street te the shop
of Charles Bacegalupe and informed the
undertaker that his services wcre ro re
quired. By se doing he secured 10 pei
cent, of the money derived from the fu
neral expenses. The undertaker placed
n bow knot and streamers of white era pa
upon the outer deer of the tenement.
Over this he hung a silver cord, indicat
ing that the silver chord of life was
broken, .13 spoken in the book of Ecclcsi
astes. He also placed a brazen hoodoo,
in which seven candles were burning, nt
the head of the table upon which the
baby lay, together with a flgure of Christ
upon the cress. The undertaker also
hired four coaches te convey the mourn
ers te Calvary cemetery, paying $l,CC
apiece for tlicm. These wcre sublet te
the mourners nt the rate of $1.25 a head.
The father of the dead baby thought a
brass band was necessary in order te
make the funeral complete. The baud
was secured at its headquarters in a lagei
beer saloon in Mulberry street. Fifteen
pieces were hired at 3 per man. The
itinerary of the band included a walk
around the block and thcuce te Jamet
slip, a distance of about 0110 mile.
At 10 o'clock the cefilu was carried un
der the undertaker's arm across theEtrcel
te the room where the body lay. It wai
about thrce feet long, and was made el
cheap white weed covered with p.vpiei
macho. At intervals upon the sides and
top of the ceflln wcre little decoration!
evidently cut with u die out of bleck'tin.
These wcre made te represent Reman
urns, with a lien asleep upon the top.
While the undertaker was putting the
baby in the ceflln the band came strag
gling up the btreet.
The men wero no uniforms. They
went into the saloon under the room
where lay the baby. A white hearse,
made te carry babies, also came te the
deer, followed by the four coaches. Tha
band came out of the saloon and each
man blew a few preliminary toots upon
his instrument. Then a swarthy Italian
came down the stairs with the little cellln
1 in his arms. He was followed by a bai e-
! headed woman carrying the bouquets and
the dove, These were placed en top el
I the cefilu as it lay in the hearse. The
baud ranged itself in irregular fashion in
the middle of the street. It struck up n
spirited Strauss waltz and the precession
started. The only ene who showed nny
symptoms of grief was the mother of the
baby. At the first sound of the music
children began te gather from every
direction. Every window wa3 filled with
heads. The crowd filled the sidewalks
and literally crowded the mourners.
Thcre was a halt at the corner of Baxter
street by the band te permit the coaches
te catch up.
When the precession staitcd again
fifty children, from 5 te 10 years old,
marched ahead, keeping time te the
music, which was of the most jubilant
kind. Among these children were two
little girls about 8 years old. Each car
ried ever her shoulder nn infant about as
old as the baby in the hearse. The living
babies were ns resv as red apples. They
looked with wondering eyes at the biass
band spilling innsle all ever the muddy
street. Beth of the girls who carried the
bablcx wcre barefooted nnd bareheaded.
The visible flesh was browned from con
stant exposure te the sun. By the time the
cortege had geno a distance of 800 yards
from the starting point, the sidewalks of
Baxter street had becotne impassable en
account of the crowd. The precession
I went around the block bounded by Park,
Baxter, Mulberry and Bayard streets.
All the time the advance guard of little
1 children tramped along Justin front of
the musicians, the two caretakers stag-
J goring along almost under the nese of
. the cornet player.
The narrow escapes of these children
from being crushed under the hoofs of
truck horses and vegetable wagon wheels
which filled the btrcets were alarmingly
frequent. Meanwhile, ene of the babies
had fallen asleep In its juvenile guard
ian's arms. Net even the blare of the
big bass horn could keep it awake. The
babv wobbled about in its slrter'e anhs-
liUu a small Kift of meal. HUe shifted
I it from should- r i shoulder te obtain
rest for Iter aching aims, for by this
time the baby had l.-ceme vi ry heavy
The precession emerged from Baxter
street iute I'ark nWt It did. net evi
dently occur tetne children that tney
were straying far away from hftne. The
child who carried the sleeping baby was
perspiring freely when the cortege en
tered Roosevelt street. Her feet sllnncd
Ien the cobble, stones, and several times
(en the journey down tha street she was
jostled by clumsy boys into the gutter.
With a frichtcned clance ever her
(shoulder she resumed her journey. She
was satisfied toendure any contumely
se long as she was near te the blissful
musle which filled her palpitating heart
with delight
There wcre creups or little girls in the
racked ndvance guard who held tli;htly
te each ether's hands. All wcre bare
headed and bere that mature womanly
nppcarance peculiar te Italian children.
They clustered together like f lightened
partridges whenerer a truck herse came
near, Several times the little girl with
the sleeping baby tried te keep step with
the pulscry music, but her burden was
tee great for any such rhythmle gaycty.
It was 11 o'clock when the ragged and
unkempt ndvance guard, the blaring
band and the shining coaches emerged
into Seuth street. The bend new stop step
ped playing. The hcarse and coaches
wero driven en beard the ferryboat.
The cheering influcuce of the music be
ing geno, the sleeping child weighed like
lead en the nrms of her sister. She
looked around at the buildings and real
ized that she was lest. Then she began
te cry. The baud dispersed and each
man went home by a different route.
The ndvance guard vanished like the
morning mist. The two children were
left alone. The baby slept ea peacefully
as if it had been in its cradle at home.
While standing in the mlddle of the
street the mingled tears and perspiration
ran down her face, and her feeble knees
bent under her heavy burden like theso
of n baby learning te walk. Her home
was half n mile away, and she did net
knew hew te reach it. Down Roosevelt
street a brawny Italian came running,
her loosened hair flying out behind her.
She looked wildly here nnd there, nnd at
last caught sight of the disconsolate
child crying in thosquare near the ferry.
One minute later the baby lay securely
in the haven of its mother's nrms, mid
the tired child was hanging te her
mother s skirt with the grip of a drowning
man. Kret-bt .Urrei.d.
SILCOTT, THE DEFAULTER.
111. Heme llltterjr Ilunr lie Operated.
The Wntimn In Ilia Cem.
The accompanying portraits are of C.
E. Silcott, defaulting and fleeing cashier
te the scrgeant-at-urnis of the heuse of
representatives of the fiftieth congress,
Louise Thiehault, ills female companion
in flight, mid Sergeant-ut-arms Lcedem.
LEEDOM. 81LCOTT. THIEDAULT.
Silcott was born in Adams county,
Ohie, about fifty-two years age, and for
twenty years was engaged in the mer
cantile business nt Yeungsvllle, always
bearing n geed reputation ns nu honest
nnd efilcicnt business man.
The news of his downfall was a com
plete surprise and shock te his acquaint
ances. He lias always enjoyed the con
fidence of his friends and neighbors, and
they would have trusted him with any
thing they had. He was appointed by
Hen. J. P. Leedom as n reward for fccrv
Ices te the Democratic par,ty as a candi
date for auditor of Adams county, in the
race for which he almost bankrupted
himself, but wan defeated. This infor
mation is taken from the Columbus (O.)
State Journal, which adds:
Mrs. Silcott comes from nn old Vir
ginia family, which has always been con
sidered among the best families of the
country.
Mr. E. E. Wlnshlp, cashier of the Sec
ond National bank of Ciiclcvillc.O., who
was Mr.Silcett's predecessor in the ofllce
of cashier of the scrgcant-at-arms under
Hen. Jehn G. Thompson, explains the
methods of congressmen in drawing their
salaries ns follews:
"The salaries of members of congress
are drawn from the United States treas
ury by the Bcrgeaiit-at-anns monthly
upon the certificate of the clerk of the
heuse during the vacation and by the
speaker after one is elected. Each cer
tificate is also Blgncd by the member and
is for $117. The salary is bent te each
member by draft during the vacation if
they request it, and when congress is in
session the money Is placed te the credit
of each member in the books of the
Bcrgeant-at-arms and is Eiibjcct te the
check of the members. SiHcett had ac
cess te it nil. He was nble at nny time
te embezzle thousands of dollars, na
there was no check en his operatieim but
his honesty."
Louise Thiehault, who fled with Sil
cott and his 72,000, is a French Cana
dian with whom Silcott haa been inti
mate for some lime. She is described as
a woman of ,'oed appearance, and was
known by sight te many in and about
the Capitel at Washington.
THE MICHIGAN ATHLETIC CLUB.
A Yeung but IliuHliy Orgniiluilleii Tim
Club lleiii".
The Michigan Athletic club is tlie nmne of
a successful organization which lint sprung
npuitliln n your In tlie City of tha Strait.
Tlie finishing touches nre new being put en
the club house, ulitch, when completctl, will
rival nny simllnr organization hi tliu wi-st.
Tlie enlire cost will be ntxiut S2.-..000, of
which J.'i.OuO will be expended en the gymna
sium alene. In tlie bxteuit'iit et the building
nre thu dicssiug ioeiiw, bathrooms, lecU-rn,
kitchen and lieller 1 oems. Thcre ia u piling
bath ttixlS feet. There hna iwen no regular
arrangement of the roenu in tlie huildiiiK,
no two Ix-ing of tlie tame shape.
The main corridor I) lmjed like n bait
moon. On the first Uoer ar the ladies' room
nud reading room. The main stairuny lead
te the gymnasium en the second Iloer, nud te
tlie right of tlie cntrance nnd near the fctalr
way li tlieodlce. Adjoining the rending room
U the smoking reeni, 1 lx3 feet. Acress th
TUG CI.UU'S HOME.
corridor 11 tlie rate, I.Yt III feet, connecting
w ItU a serving room, !vl5 fuel. Tim billiard
room, with ocefiminodaiions for four tables,
i ule en thl fl'n.r. The gymnai-luiii occupies
th-jentlraiipnfr Heur, ami ii fully equipped
with tlie f-paulriing ytfni of apparatus
Thcre It In tills i-eiini nn il-ivnted truck (1 feet
from tlie Uckt uml 151 feut In rlrcimif ci mice.
The ground about tlw houiiu"erd ainpl
space for n cinder track of IHe am tetU
mil Xvxt spring tha tiunU ceirt will
laid out and ti-M v. I10I9 kc-j iad erruugwl for
the var..w '-1'. Li'Tf-sa, haw
ball, rii Iff- Tii' -. '. luki' par
ti uteri I l lr j"i Mldrhlhey
claim in.-! 1 1 4 1. heuse gym
uanum In tlie I'mu-d ,5tar
i.- ' ,ai
iitV
t Vk. i. f
f,tpr5fiiSrrfetnrr
NEW YOliK'S BLOCKADES."
FOR DAY8 BROADWAY WAS ALMOST
IMPAC3ADLE BECAUSE OF THEM.
Ttie KWtrlUSatmajr Treeelir CftnMd tha
Trtjiiblp, and TrailMintcn Complained
That nutlne W Hcrlmuljr Affected.
Tlie Street Flltt-d with Stalled Vehicle.
Street blockades are net at all unusual
in New Yerk city, but the town has re
cently undcrgone an experience in that
line which surpasses nil ethers. More
than a year ago4he edict went forth that
all electric wires must Ixi Liken from the
poles and burled. The work was in
trusted te the Consolidated Telegraph
nnd Electrical Subway company, nnd the
wires wen? slowly being put underground
when, a month or two age, n series of
particularly frightful tragedies caused
by the wires began. These greatly
aroused public indignation, and the Sub
way cenitnny was compelled te cease its
procrastination and begiu work in earn
est. Tills, of course, necessitated the tear
ing up of the streets, but all went well
until llreadwny was reached. Notwith
standing its name, and the fact that it is
the principal business thoroughfare of
the metropolis of Ynukcclaud, Broad
way ia net n particularly wlde street
The velume of trafllc is simply enormous,
however. There nre in the neighbor
hood of four hundred street cars in mo
tion en llreadwny during the busiest
hours, pud thirty-seven vehicles of ether
kinds passed the corner of Fulton street
during ten minutes, while the writer
itoed thcre the ether day.
COKNKIlOr rULTOS ANU .MnOADWAV uum.NO
A IlLOCICAtlE.
Willi the first stroke of u pick by the
subway workmen the treuble began,
Great piles of dill and paving stones
rose en each side of the trench dug en
ene side of the street, and in n few hours
that part of the roadway lietwcen ene
curb nml the street car track was Im
passable for vehicles. Ner wcre the big
pyramids of debris confined te the road
way. The sidewalks, tee, were en
croached upon te such an extent that it
was almost impossible te get te tlie
doers of many stored. As it was during
the busiest part of the year the trades
men complained bitterly of this state of
nlfalrs; but there was no help for it.
This nuisnnce continued in vnrieus
parts of tlie street for mero than a week,
and the blockades that resulted weru al
most constant, mid sometimes took in
two squares at a time. Occasionally they
even extended down H10 hide streets,
Chambers street licing blocked ene day
for half nn hour from llreadwny almost
te the North river. The following gives
a geed idea of hew the blockades btartcd:
At the corner of Fulton street and
Broadway was n plle of earth and paving
stones fully four feet high. On the top
et this plle perched a policeman who by
gesticulating nnd yelling was endeavor
ing te keep the line of trucks and street
cars moving. An old lady ventured tim
idly from the sidewnlk and the ollco ellco ollce
man descended from the plle of dirt te
pilot her. They did net get very far
however. An up-going street car get
stuck directly in front of thenrund right
across the narrow opening between the
piles of debris. A truck which was fol
lowing close behind the street car had
te pull up short.
In order te avoid running the great
pole of the truck tin engh the rear end of
the car the driver turned his horses out
toward the down track. Thii stepped a
car 011 that track, and the long line of
ether cars and leaded trucks behind it
had te come t e a standstill. One or two
drivers I lied te get out of the jam by
driving around the obstructions, and,
getting in each ether's way, made things
a hundred times worse. Tills bleckade
lasted eighteen minutes, and a view from
the top of the heap, where the policeman
A BUIIWAY JIAN1IOI.K.
stationed himself, showed a line of stalled
street cars and trucks reaching down
ward te below Tiinlty church (four and
one-half blocks), and upward te the tri
angular open space in front of the jiost jiest jiost
elllco. The necempanying picture gives
a geed Idea of hew things looked during
this blocknde.
Tin subways which cause'd all this
commotion nre said te be the best jet
Invented. They consist of it series of
wooden conduits In which the wires nre
laid, and which open, at intervals, into
"manholes," where the wires may be
tapped or new ones Introduced. A pict
ure is given of a section of ene of the
manholes, with 11 man at work in it
splicing n cable. These cables consist of
twelve or mero whes perfectly insulated
f 1 0111 each ether.
CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY.
TUn Cuxleua Mythological Story et tha
Keiacman,
(E(icclal Corrcieudenco.J
Nkw VeitK, Dec. 12. Frem the old
Nerse mjtholegy, rich in legend and
saga, have been derived many of the
customs with which tlie Chi istian Christ
mas festival is observed, nnd among the
Swedes nnd Norwegians In this ceuutry
veritable bona of Tlier, as many of them
teem te be in their rugged virility and
massive strength the Christmas tide is
hardly less u celebration of the death of
Ualdur, the god of light, or the light of
thu world, than of the birth of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
They borrow the significance of the
feast of tlie winter solstice, in eth'er
words, from a myth that In oetie senti
ment shadows forth n meaning at least
biiggcidivu and typical of the story of
thu nativity, and in many of the Nor
wegian and Swedish homes in our own
northwestern states the gaincx and cus
toms v. Mi which the holiday cstival U
enriched ceme ditcctly from tlie customs
of the Norsemen, In New Yerk-city this
U hardly tiue. Like thocitlzciuvef ether
foreign origin, they have their, jdi-iUnct-
V,V., .v-C
,- X ii, jj -. M
trciy national entireties and tecietMS,
and in these associations the eldor cus
toms are still preserved In a modified
form, but thcre is less each year of the
picturesque home life and northern man
ners among them. I found less dis
tinctive Scandinavian celebration last
year than seems possible among se intel
ligent and earnest a people, mid the most
characteristic of all the festivals among
them last Christmas is the one in the
little Scandinavian church in William
street, Seuth Uroeklyn.
It seems n pity thnt this Is se, for of
thu tunny poems of thu world's rcllglenr
lhatare founded en the dying of theycni"
that of Ilahlur seems the quaintest and
most beautiful. He wnn the son of Ther
nud of Frlggn, and resembled Auelle In
his attributes of light and beauty. When
light nnd the warmth mid brightness of
the uei them summer came te dle en the
cve of thu shortest day lit the year, Ual
dur was slain. He had been troubled by
horrid dreams and premonitions of evil
which he and the ether gods failed te in
terpret, nnd Frlggn, determined te pro
tect him, if possible, exacted an oath
from everything in earth nnd heaven nnd
hell that they would none of them harm
Ualdur. Only from the niiatlctoe she did
net exact the oath.
The Asa Leki, who was the god of
darkness and evil, and who hated Ualdur,
inquired about this, and Frigga told him
what she had done. Only from the
mistletoe had she taken no pledge, be
cause it was, she said, se young and se
little that it had net seemed wertlt while.
Ualdur, like Achilles, had been made In
vulnerable by his mother's tender care,
and It came te be 0110 of the favorite
sports in the games of the gods for hint
te stand up nnd receive unharmed the
nssaults of all the wcaxus of the ether
usas, or gods. Leki traveled nwuy te the
south country, nnd, gathering the mistle
toe, hu fashioned a Bjiear whose head was
made of the weed of thu despised para
site. This he took with him te the
winter festival of the gods, and when
Ualdur steed up, Leki nsked Asa Hed,
thu blind god, why he did net cast, a
spear at the sun god. Hed replied that
he could net, because he was blind, ami
Leki told him that he would direct the
sjiear. IIe did se, Hed hurled it, nud
Ualdur was slain,
Ever afterward, at the fca6t of the
winter solstice, the mlstletoe was among
the Norsemen tut emblem of the myth,
mid net merely a bit of mcaulnglc6 dec
oration. When Christianity made its
way northward, the priests among the
Germans and Scandinavians ferbade tha
introduction et the mlstletoe into the
churches, but the prohibition was net
long effective, nud today it is connected
with Christmas games, though less
among the Scandinavians than further
south, where it grown most.
"Hut hew should the commemoration
et Ualdur's death become- blended with
the celebration of Christmas';" I asked
of a venerable Scand, who has studied
the traditions of his own nnd ether races
long and earnestly.
"IlccauBe," he answered, "the two are
ene. I de net mean that Daldur and
Christ are ene, though seme Christian
writers have tried te show that Ualdur
was merely the northern heathen's dream
of the Messiah. I mean that their death
and birth are commemorated in thebe win
ter feasts which have been celebrated by
all nations and all religions at about the
time of the winter bolstlce. The Phoe
nicians, the Kelts, the Sknnds, the Hin Hin Hin
deos, the Greek j and Remans, the Jews,
thu Mehammedans and the Christians
have alike taken that season for their
most important feast. Among the Dru
ids was the oak ceremonial, which led te
the custom of bonfires and yule legs.
Grimm traces these back te the Twelfth
century in Germany. The Hindoe feast
of Lakehmt is celebrated with charity te
every human being. The Remans and
Greeks obscrved their saturnalia by giv
ing their slaves temporary freedom and
llccnse.
"Observe that these are all celebrated
after the husbandman's labor for the
year Is closed nnd the year itself dies.
The Rev. Dr. Jennings, in his work en
Jewish antiquities, says it ia a vulgar
opinion merely that Christ was born en
Dec. tiH, The feast is held then, simply
because it is the world's time for a feast.
Among our own peeple King Huken the
Geed, the fester beu of King Ethelstau,
of England, tried, in the Tenth century,
te ulfellsh tlie sacrificial feasts with
which we honored Ualdur, and te sub
stitute the Christmas celebration. He
fulled, and was compelled te take part
in the old heathen riles himself, but his
will prevailed after he had passed away.
Thcre had been cattle, swlne and horses
sacrificed, and occasionally human lives,
but this, eT course, i.t no longer the cus
tom." Falcs-Curtis.
DROP A NICKEL.
UlM-etcry of 1'rebnbly Iho Flrt Auto
matic C'einiiiiirelal Machine. C
Bjieclal Corrc-siKiuOeuce.)
SiiEtTiuu), England, Dec. 2. My
business in this grimy, Bember liive of
industry brought inu te the King's Head
hotel, a typical old fashioned house
tucked away in a crooked street net far
from the market place. The landlord,
Mr. Charles Cerke, with the hospitality
that afTccU n Ioncsenio American se
pleasantly, eummencd the barmaid te a
retired nook In the smoking room,
whither we had geno te discuss a possi pessi possi
ble contract. That comely and discreet
young perben promptly furnished the
desired "Scotch und potash" (In Ameri
can English, whisky and soda), and set
the great glasses befere us.
Landlord Cerke was smoking a pipe,
of course and presently his hospitality
extended itself (without reference doubt
less te the possible contract) te inviting
me te join him. I had neither pipe nor
tobacco, but that mattered net. He
brought from his collection a pipe of the
"church warden" variety, se long that
the stem, ence iu my mouth, 1 had te
rtcp forward a yard or se te reach the
bowl. Fer tobacco he placed a tin bes
en thu table. It was about n feet long,
eight inches wide and perliaps six deep.
There wna a slit in the cover. Inte this
the landlord dropped a big English
penny, whereupon the lock was released
with n click, nnd, having raised the cov
er, we filled our pipes with the tobacco
lying loeso Inside. It was a crude but
ctfective example- of the nlckel-in-thc-slet
machine.
"This box," said Mr. Corke, "is always
in the smoking room for the convenience
of guests who are out of tobacco, and
thu pennies dropped iu te cecure a pipe,
f ui just about puy for keeping tbe sup
ply undiminished."
"I should think," 1 suggested, "that
the box ence opened, all the tobacco
might be extracted by seme conscience
less vagabond. Your box isn't modem;
it ought te be se contrived that only a
limited supply could be obtained for
each penny.''
"I don't think," he responded, "that
the box has suffered much from dishon
est users, und as for being modern, of
course it isn't. That box has been in use
in this hotel for mero than 150 years, and
is piebubly the forerunner of nil the
penny-ln-tho-slet machines new se com
mon nil ever England, and America, tee,
aa I understand."
Tlie box waa certainly batteied und
Uu'.t, i.!uunh tuhare been iu use that
Jca- tit e. time, r-. 1 thrru c"nn te 1k no
te.i.sen te doubt Mr. Cerke's statement
with regard t it
. Fi:kpi:;ick l. Huutes.
.jtxM
u; . 1 1 .Vi.TiMataalSWS
jrjhf ftffgte JAv g tut t '
V
OLIVE HARPER TELLS HOW TO
ORESS THE LITTLE ONES. I
Charm leg I!br Cleak Which Cart
nd Add Much te the Small Girl
Aproeu Hew They Are Made.aad
They Are Fer.
'N 4
Nkw Yerk. Dec. 13. By all eddstta
prettiest material for children's cloaks It
the cider down flannel. It Is light SnVrl
flexible, but thick and warm, and H
leeks soft and delicate enough for Mm
daintiest darling of all. It is te bs had
in many colors and tints, and in strips
of various designs, nil of them pretty
and babyish. Perhaps the prettiest is
dclicate ruouse color, and if aayihfaaf
could make a little toddler leek estsr
than another it would be ene of
little coats in this colon
CLOAKS FOll TUG DAMES.
I wish it was really the fashion SS
leek better after the little children, fef
why should they Buffer cold, hunger sad
pain when this world lias such an abun abun
tlance of what they need?
Let us rather take the little Minnies,
Annies and Gretchens out of thett
wretched homes and dress them up 1b
tlie newest styles for once. On one wt
will put pretty spring heel shoes and
brown woolen stockings, knit drawen
which reach Iter ankles, and a warm
flannel skirt and undcrvesL Over this
brown flannel gown, Qretchcn style, and
for out doers a pearl white cider down
flannel coat, with a bit of J a heed in the
back, and tied with cord and balls around
the waist A cunning little cap made el
the same, and lined and trimmed with
scarlet satin like the heed te the cloak.
Fer her cousin a blue and pink striped
cloak of the same material with dark
blue velvet cuffs and belt, and a littli
bonnet et the same, a comfortable littU
blue merino kdrcsa and knit undergar
ments, and a geed, wholcsemo dinntf
under them. Ne wonder she weuW
leek sweet and rosy. Her dearest
friends and next deer neighbors should
have,' first, nbcavcr cloth coat in dark
red withlplush bands and belt and
cesy heed of the same witli a plush ro
sette en top and a serviceable plaid wool
dress and knit undergarments. Ths
ether should have n pole blue elder dewa
coat with n waist of vclutina trimmsd
with a little pretty figured braid, and s
cloae bonnet et vclutina te match ia
dark blue.
These two coats Bheuld be long and
warm, and the last should cover a lltek
gown of red figured flannel, and eset
should have clean white aprons te wsai
at home te kecp their dresses clean, Jest
such as the richest women put en tbsit
little children. Some of the little one!
CHILDliEN'S FASHIONS
f flam
111 i 'H'Ii ' JJawwWn "rvil
cuuiu uavu wutui laiiuKiiuu iajiB, woes ,",:
nlush. nlald. or velvet even, and sesas ;"H :.'
1.11 ...ut.l... 4 !. .u
Bheuld have the bilky long plle plush, j5;, a
just 1 no color et ivory anu ricn yeuew -y;
cream. They should all have fashion- ;-,
able black or brown stockings, thick and A
warm and nlce little knit mittens aes k'
cunning mites of muffs te tuck thetl
dimpled -hands in. These muffs weuW M
be of Fenian lamb, for they are lust thv:
style. 'M
And It doesn't cost se very muck -'A ,
nlrlin tr rlrnlfl VAII lit lift irt 111 In Uftal Vr,'
height of the present fashion. A verj .&
geed quality or plusli costs $ l.oej a quat ,-1
Ityquitogeou cneugn, $1; veiuttna, ll Wj 5
cider down flannel about fifty cents, ana 'h&'j
beaver cloth is 81.50, deuble width. Ilsfit
takes about thrce yards of plush, tw ,.
nnu a inur or vciutina auu ene ana a .-
nan et ucavcr ler a cie.nn ler a
old, and this, with trimmings, is a very
-r.nunr.1ilA fr.ii.tiu.nt tllnf niitf fil.ittiap MH ?- w
make. The quaint little gowns can b !tlj
or almost any material, uaru eeuig pre
ferred, und a tasty mother can make
little close bonnet out of the scraps thai
are left ever.
If evcrv mother would buv cneush fat
two children, mid make 0110 fur her Ut'-I,,
110 ene anu ene ler ucr poorer neif .or ag;
child, the tables miglit all be ma .3
wen uresseu. tius te ?vn
millennium hasn't get
ArneM roil Tin metucbj.
here yet, ineru's the
pity. The days .of
dainty white aprons
are net ever, and neat
ladies always wear
them at home mornings about theii
household duties, or when sewing or tak
ing care of their babies. There is no
reason why they should be taken efl
even when visitors come, for thore If
something very domestic and hemeliks
about an apreu, and most gentlemen rec
ognize the charm of them, and yet per
haps they could hardly tell what it is
that attracts. I think it is the sense that
the wearer has a higher part in life than
te be a simple ornament, for an apron is
the Bigtt visible, of housewifely or domes
tic labor. I glve thrce daiuty aprons.
One is of linen lawn, with a cute little
pocket, with tucks nnd embroidery. An An
other is of scrim, with lengthwise inser
tions of oriental lace and with black and
white ruflle. The third is large and of
embroidered linen, for a mother, n nurse
or for the helpful eldest daughter who
watches ever the china and silver ana
docs nil the dusting.
What the Seventh Gun Meant.
X4 ..A ..tltAv.ntiim t.-tCiTit OMtrl uy
MIMA sriv -a
HJ f $ J M
mrvimm Baa u f
mmm '- l
I fzr ,v
I Qm !'?
I ec?H i?''
It is less cuttemary new than la "ye pslkw SJ
dnvs of the drama" for members of tits audi 3M
ence te have tbeir little nay. Still, that Una
doc occur occasionally was proved by an in
cident tbsttstaldte have happened In Buffalo
during a recent production of Jesephine,
The emperor' sister, Pauline, had Just ex
plained that If a girl was born five guns
would be fired; and If it was a boy, the num
ber et volleys reached 101,
Bang! w ent the first gun, the audience aa
actors lltlcuiug Intently. The fifth gun
boomed, and the firing seemed te cease. "A
girl," sneered Pauline, completely disgusted,
lioeml went the sixth gun. "A beyl" cried
l.u nnrnm nn.1 fl lfll-f-A llUmbCr Of 6XCitfl
auditors, lioeml ueut the seventh gun. $
Twins!" shouted a roguish youth In the gal- ..fcvi:
Ierr. and tbe
be curtalujJvc
-htejuriP
cot ueivn oaueH -;
rears of taught
new lleriihaiilt and EaitlaKe urw. V"
In "Theodora" and as Lady Macbeth Bern "
nariu neon .v.r i - ,j a
hang, net made iute a waist, but caught ok 4 1
thn. stinnblara with broachea and held sbeal:'f",
WUKU m IWI vv .mw t -
tlie hips with the bread metal girdles watch r r r
shoLMmidedo fushlonable. Mb Esstlake H-v-ba
nsver worn a coret, but replace it with,? '
something nearly as bad, a breed, heaTy,
linen bend, which gives her flgure its psc,i
liar leek. Iu Clite, hewsrer, ths djspseses .
irltkltoudgsinsgrestlyiagrscathswbr,
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