BWWw3f!sPJIrii
THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH
PAGES 9 TO 16.
j : '
PITTSBTJKG, SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 1889.
EOW THET WOKE IT,
i
Bill ffje Discusses the Inter-State
Commerce Law.
A RAILROAD COMPACTS LEDGEB.
A System of Bookkeeping That is Beauti
fully Simple.
A TEEr TOUCHING OBITUABI NOTICE.
tWEITTEX FOR THE DISFATCH.1
On board a railway train, which Is just inl
the act of passing a given point, 1SS9. J
INCE the passage
of the inter-State
commerce law, a
measure whichlias,
no doubt, contrib
uted more to the
literature and less
to the prosperity of
the country than
anything else since
the-organization of
the Adams great
Apple Trust 'when the country was new,
many people who are not drawing salaries
as inter-State commissioners have frequent
ly wondered how the old thing was work
ing. They have noticed with pride that
rates have gradually changed from so much
perliundred pounds on first, second and third
class freight to so much and a half on same
character of freight, and that there is a
prospect for the consolidation of all great
trunk lines and feeders, whereby rates will ul
timately reach so much and three-fourths per
hundred pounds, with all the responsibility
and the entire onus resting on the shipper.
Eut there has been much curiosity felt,
especially by the laity, as to how newspa
pers were meeting tfie law, and what
methods were employed in preserving an
armed neutrality between the press and the
roads without the use of pisses. Of course
the general taxpayer recognizes the fact that
the locomotive and the perfecting press go
hand in hand, so to speak, having as I may
Kay. grown up as boys and girls together, so
it "is generally believed that there is a. tacit
understanding between them whereby the
press can swap kind words for transporta
tion and still dodge the penitentiary.
But how is it done?
HOTT TO DO IT.
Simply by keeping a running account
and by the use of a system of debits and
credits between the road and the paper, so
that it is only a business transaction and
not an evasion of the law. So that passes
are, of course, abolished, and tickets or
mileage go over the counter in exchange for
little acts of kindness which any child may
show. In this way an editor who cultivates
a sunny disposition may scoot up and down
over the whole broad land eating wormless
cooking apples and throwing the debris un
der the seat of the man who does not ad
vertise. Sympathizing With the Scalded Dog.
In this way general good feeling is pre
served; the taxpayer as represented in Con
gress, feels that all is well, and the editor
whose money is mostly in non-taxable
bonds or the rust and burglar proof treasury
lof a land which is more preferable than
this, feels contented, while the railroad con
tinues to drag out a miserable existence,
borrowing a lew dollars now and then to
pay a dividend with and reading pleasant
notices of its prosperity from time to time
in the columns of the "paper, its attention
having been called to them by someone.
But very'few, even those who know of the
plan, really believe that nn actual account
of this kind is kept. Of course, time tables
and regular standing advertisements can be
easily settled for at regular rates, but do
the roads actually keep an account of other
matters that go" in as news? I am free
to say that I did not believe in the existence
of such an account myself till the day be
fore yesterday, at which time I was per
mitted to glance over and even make notes
from a page or two of the ledger belonging
to a road, the name of which shall be con
sidered solemnly fictitious so far as I am
concerned.
A BUNKING ACCOUNT.
It shows how the road, in order to comply
with the law, is put to great inconvenience,
so that the virtuous inter-State commission
er will always find, no matter at what un
hallowed hour he may approach, that the
kind words which can never, never die, no
never die, and which are far more valuable
to a lofty, high-spirited and tender-hearted,
and rocfi-ballasted railroad, that wealth or
honor or land grants, are made to balance
the transportation account, and all is well.
I append a few items of account taken at
random and using names which are of course
extremely fictitious. It is entitled the
Spiegelpeter, Eaglesburg, Sbakenrag and
Polvpus Kailroad in account with the
Squirreltail Echo and Vollsblatter.
The paper it chargedas follows: April 2.
To mileage book, 500 miles issued to Squir
tie J. fountain, associated editor of the
Eclio ajid Volksblaltcr, who went over to sue
the Legislature about something, $10.
April 3. To mileage book with red con
ditions on the back, issued the senior editor
of the Echo and VolksUaller, because he
really needed it; 10.
May 1. To round-trip ticket for Artie
Place, who went over to Musbrat Valley to
write up the new sidetrack at that place and
also pick up a few subscribers, and possibly
some job work; S3 74.
Slay 10. To conditional 1,000-mile ticket
issued to ""Sans Sarahbellum," humorist of
the Echo and VolksUalter, with the under
standing that so long as he used them in
prolonging hisnbsciicc, other books will be
forwarded to him and charged to the paper;
$20.
The paper is credited as follows: "March
3L By following news item at half a cent a
word: The derailment referred to in our last
issue, as having taken place on the Earls
ville branch on the Speigelpeter, Eagles
burg, Shakenrag and Polypus Kailroad;
turns out to be a canard. Wc make haste
to print the correction and also a regret
that these columns, which have erstwhile
been so fair and unsullied, Fhould prosti
tute themselves to such a fiy-up-the-creek
rumors about one of the most genial and
urbane roads it has been our lot to associate
with.
A PUBLIC BENEFACTOR.
"A road that minds its own business, a
road that has endeared itself tooneand all by
a thousand little thoughtful acts and joint
resolutions. A road which has'never gone
out of its way to injure any man, women or
child, and if it did so, has" walked up like a
man and paid for such person, and always
at a much higher price than such person
was really worth to saiorroad. "What other
road would pay $5,000 for a man and then
a dollar and a half for gathering him up."
182 words.91lt,"
April 5. By taking out at the time of
going to press, the following communication
$ t" . r' IV5S:3
and pntting in its place an electrotype, treat
ing of the life work and literary habits of
Lydia E. Pinkham.
"Editor ortne Echo and Volksblstter.
"I write this because you dort to know
about it, and say something about it in your
paper. For some weeks past, my dog has
been in the habit of sicking himself unto the
cars as they sped apast my place and he has
never harmed no one by so doing, nor never
would, as I have known him from a child,
beinc neacibul and fondof young children.
Land awful from the butcher s shop or would
set up and beg or asc lor wnat ne requestea
at any time. When he would run at the
cars he would act savage, but still would
never injure the train by word or deed if I.
had 100 trains whizzing past my place a day
I know he would not harm any of them by
night or day, but what docs the fireman on
the 'Speigelpeter, Eaglesburg, Shackrag and
Pollerpus Railroad dobnt urge my dog to a
high rate of speed and whistle to him to get
him close and then pelt him with wood or
coal or'sjuirt hot water on him which he
tells me in a blithe and cay tone, makes me
hot, he does, to take thebark off my dog.;
"That is what makes me halt the railrode,
andfthat is not all by a long chock, for yes
terdav thev misled mv do? and pot him in
front of the injine when they pulled her
wide open and squashed my dog in a way
that hurts the road and causes it to be
looked at askance by every thinking tax-
L payer and mother.
why DO "tVE SUBMIT?
"I can tell, you other things that this
boasted mad has done, such as taking fair
between places and putting it in their own
pocket, or worse still, letting its contractors
knock down milks cows and grass earnings
in a way that makes me ache: Why will we
submit, Sol Handle's dog has been squirted
on with hot water by this copperation till
his back looks like the back of an old dic
shunary, and also they have killed one of
his children, as they claim bv mistake for
which they pade $150, which Is no price at
all for a child, as children goes and is
almost like findin' a child in the rode.
"I say fy on such a condemb rode as that,
with its airs and solid trains, and its meal
stations and its time tables, and its nasty
fried cakes anQ sandwiches, which has just
a thin rim of ham around the aige, do's,
when you lock your teeth into it, you get
Ipft. And thp rode has rot vour monev and
1 your name is Denis, as we say here. Fy on
j ths whole thing is what I say, and I wish
1 .j..M .v.t .a. I H.n't nn.A .hn .HATi.a
uu u fflAilk li, Jul - uwu fc bale nuu jwivne
it If you will keep my name to yourself,
on the onner of a man, and we can make it
so hot for the rode that they will pay for
said dog or figures will fall off, and it is to
let you know the facts and not for my own
selfish ends that I write this, as you know I
don't squeal and rush into print as some
docs every time they think of something
and can't get anybody to stand still long
enough to listen to it.' I hate a man that
writes for the paper, because he can't possi
bly overtake an oddyence in any other way,
and so I will draw to a clothes with much
love, and hope you will see that no mis
takes will go into the paper. My name for
the present will be Hist ! but my right
name is William Plucker Surls, which you
must not give to your best friend."
Special note on above. 10.
A PICTUBESQUE BOAD.
May 12 By following items without ad
vertising mark as printed in Echo and
Yolktblatlcr.
"The scenery along the S. E. S. &P. K. K.
at this season of the year is beautiful and
undulating in the extreme. Everywhere
nature wears her choicest robes. The streams
arc released from their icy fetters, and go
dancing and laughing adown the vale. The
songs of birds come in through the car win
dows, and drowning the roar of the train, or
smothering the shriek of the engine. It
will pay you to take a ride over the road,
even if "you have no business which demands
it. for it will renew one's youth, brijrhten
one's vision, and make one feel good, even
though one may have lost one's pleasure in
one's business, or been unfortunate in one's
affairs, and made a mislick in one's life,
and, as it were, stepped on one's-self.
"We announce with pain to-day the un
timely taking off of Division Superintend
ent Weeks, who passed away on yesterday
evening just as the western sun was in the
act of bathing the low hills which fringe the
horizon at the base of the Occident. He died
conscious of his end, and said, figuratively,
that he was called to the General Office,
either to take a new division or get fired, he
didn't know which.
THE DEPABTED WEEKS.
"When Division Superintendent Weeks
came here he was the picture of health, but
Bright's disease, which has for years taken
front rank among Eastern diseases, as we
may say, and won a place for itself which
ought to make Mr. Bright justly proud of
his inventive genius, came along and laid
its cold hand on the kidneys of Sir. Weeks.
He never murmured or squealed, but took
his medicine like a littfe man. He got his
life insured for a large sum, bought a desir
able lot in the cemetery for the balance of
his family, but managed to cremate himself,
saying that through life his policy had ever
been to avoid giving offense, and he aimed
to do so even after death.
"So he will be cremated, and his ashes
brought back from Washington, Pa., in the
early part of next week.
"Mr. Weeks was a self-made man and
even in his most prosperous days, would not
allow finger bowls in his house. His edu
cation was mostly in the line of business
which he had adopted, and though he did
not know that evolution was a gradual
change from an indefinite and incoherent
heterogeneity, to a definite and coherent
homogeneity, through constant differentra
tions and integrations, a flat wheel would
wake him out ot a sound sleep before it had
made two revolutions.
"He was a devoted husband, nn active
father and those who have criticised his
course as n railroad man, are now seeking
ibranewjob.
By special arrangement, credit accounts
of Squirreltail Echo & ToVktblalter, ?20.
The above will illustrate the method of
keeping this class of accounts, and I trust
will be of interest to the general reader.
Bill Nye.
Copyright, 1SS9, by Edgar W. Nye.
Was it a Mistake?
British Wcekly.3
Considerable amusement was caused to
the congregation of Sefton Park Presb y
terian Church,, Liverpool, the other Sun
day, by Mr. Watsbn announcing that "A
5 note was found last Sunday in one of
the pews after the special collection."
"Perhaps,'.' he added, "it had been intended
for the offertory if not, the owner could
have it by applying to the church officer."
A prominent member of the congregation
was heard to say as the crowd luoved down
the aisle, "He should have told us in whose
pew it was found, then we could hare
judged for ourselves whether it was ever
intended for the bag or not."
3fle Departed Weeks.
HOWTOMDEAHOESE
Captain Charles King Discourses on
I Equestrian Exercise.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN SADDLES.'
Finest Eiders in the 'World ire the
West Pointers.
The
BUFFALO BILL COMES A CB0PPEE
rwBITTIH roil THE DISPATCH.!
veeybody.
knows that when
Buffalo Bill came
back from his suc
cessful ventures in
England one of his
first reported re
marks was, "We
have revolutionized
their style of rid
ing, "and the writer,
having known Mr.
Cody many a long
year and galloped
with him over many
a long mile of wilder West than ever was
portrayed at Erastina, is quite ready to be
lieve that his old friend and scout believed
what he said. Mr. Theodore Kossevelt,
whom the writer first met when a babe in
arms in New York City, and next as a
ranchman in Dakota, is so good as to say
that the West Pointers are probably the
finest riders he has ret, and he has seen them
all. Indian, ranchmen, cowboy; English,
Austrian and German cavalrymen;
English "cross-country" hunters; English
swell on Hot ten Row with his park hack;
Newport polo experts; Long Island and
Washington drag hunts, and Central Park
equestrians, of all styles from the anglo
maniac to the "tongs-on-the-wall" of the
ultra school. Possibly Mr. Boosevelt has
not seen the "sancho" of the South Amer
ican pampas, or the "vaquero" of Southern
California and Mexico, but with the addi
tion of a grace that is foreign to the average
cowboy, the seat and general style of these
renowned horsemen do not differ materially
from those of the ranchmen of our wide
Western plains. It is not that this accom
plished observer and author means that in
all rtoints lie Tirpfers the horsexnanshiD Of
the graduates. of our military academy to 1
that ot any competition, Dut tnat,aamitun-:
that each school may have its merits and
demerits, he considers the West Point train
ing the best "all around" system he has
seen.
ENGLISH STYLE OF BIDING.
Everyone of them is the result of years of
study, experience and trial in the particular
field lor which it has been selected. The
natty hunting bridle and London-made
"pig-skin," which so thoroughly become the
English "thoroughbred," and which are
doubtless the very best device for easing
and "raising" the steed over plowed fields
and stubborn hedge-rows, giving the rider
the long, fiat seat; the knee grip, the high
lift in the stirrups would ail be out of
place in the cattle business; and the En
glishman were boldest and sturdiest of
riders at home, who would attempt to lasso
a Texan 2-year-old from such a saddle and
such a seat would come the "nastiest of
croppers" as the result of his experiment."
On the other hand, the . massive, ranch
saddle, with its fore and after cinchas and
ponderous stirrups would be manifestly out
of place going full cry alter a Berkshire
fox. In such a saddle the rider sits with
his thighs gripping the ribs of his steed and
almost stands straight from the stirrups; yet
sits for all the appearance of standing, and
sits so firmly that no bucking or plunging
can unseat him provided he be experi
enced, and the saddle itself is so firmly
lashed to the "broncho's" back that when
that wiry steed braces himself for the shock
and the rider takes two turns of the tight
ening lasso about the "knob" of the pom
mel, down comes the heaviest steer in the
wildest herd, and the rider has not been
"phased'' a hair's breadth.
What is appropriate in style and equip
ment on the English hunting field would be
no less absurd on the ranch than would the
"calzoneros" appear at the Quorn of Pytch
ley. The funniest-sight I ever saw was the
crack light rider of on Austrian hussar
regiment the first time he rode out in a Mc
Clelland saddle, going after jack rabbits
with a lot of American cavalry officers.
The oddest thing I ever heard of in this
line of course, was that so noted a rider as
our old chief ot scouts, "Buffalo Bill," afore
mentioned, was unhorsed the first time he
went fox chasing in England. Barebacked
he could have cleared that hedge easy as
winking, but he couldn't get the hang of
that queer, long, flat-seated hunting saddle
and those short stirrups hung way out in
front of him. '
CEOSS-COUNTEY BIDING.
An English rider who attempted to go
"cross-country" on one of our army Mc
Clelland trees would be severely injured in
less than 5 minutes. Such things have
happened to infantry officers of our own
service who had not been taught the seat.
A West Pointer who had never learned the
flat scat and the utterly different "grip" of
the Encrlish uir skin would be as unhannv
as he was -at his first squad drillfwere he I
suddenly to tate nis place among a lot or
old fox hunters. The easy, natural, proper
thing to do when one uses the English sad
dle, or anything akin to it, is to rise in the
stirrups at the trot. The rise need only be
a slight and gentle accommodation of the
body, leaning forward at the moment to
the motion of the horse. Like mercy
"It is twice bless'd: "
It blesscth him that gives and him that takes."
the latter being the quadruped beneath,
who will be gratelul to be thus aided. The
man who clamps a saddle of such pattern
and attempts to sit firm will only shake
himself into misery; but this rule is only
for the square trot the "trot out," as we
soldiers are taught to call it, and to see a
man slowly and gainfully rising and falling
like the walking beam of an old-fashioned
engine, while the steed is at a mere jog, is
something bordering on the ridiculous. Yet
it can be seen, and frequently, too, and is as
inexcusable as the squared elbows of the
imitator of heaven knows what English fad
or fashion.
On the other hand, we often fee, when
our National Guardsmen arc on parade,
very picturesque young staff officers slowly
trotting up and down the avenue while the
line is forming and trying to rise in the
stirrups of the American army saddle, a
practice which is just as wrong in this case
as it is right in the other.
SOME POINTS ON BIDING.
The army saddle whether it be for the
use of officers or of the rank and file
whether it be the old Grimsley, the later
McClellan or the modern Whitman is an
elaboration or modification of the "Texas
tree" of many years ago. In the McClellan
of the original pattern as well as in the
Grimsley the stirrups were hung so far back J
under the riaer tnat, as quoted lrom the
Prussian tactics of '41, "a plumb line from
the shoulder of the rider would fall two
inches behind the heel," or words to that
effect In other words the legs were almost
as straight not quite, as in the Texas sad
dle, Jfid the seat, instead of being the flat is
the forked seat the flat, under surface of
the thighs gripping (when necessary)
the barrel of the horse. It
is totally unnecessary and well nigh im
possible to "rise" at the trot from such a
seat, especially if the stirrups be of proper
length; and the body is so much further
forward as a consequence of the pattern
of the saddle that the "shock" of the trot is
- 4
p
less noticeable than in the English seat All
that is necessary is to relax the pressure of
the thighs;- relax the muscles of the legs; do
not attempt to grip the horse unless he shy
or swerve, and sit well down in the saddle,
taking a little "spring" of the weight on
the foot, ankle and stirrup, but not rising
at all. It is a knack soon learned, and can
Ibe carried out for some time without fatigue
-Ttrt aithei linren nr Tnnn linlps.Q the fimtnal
happen to be like "Barebones," of famous
memory in the war days at West Point, the
possessor of a irot harder than the cider of
the original "Tippecanoe" campaign.
The Whitman saddle, however, slings the
stirrup a trifle farther to the front and nd
mits of a seat that is a compromise between
the two. It is here possible to ride "close"
(and in uniform and on parade no other
style is recognized in the United States
army at present) or a gentle rise is a mat-
ter of easy attainment, and when not
dressed or equipped for military duty, this
is the more sensible way to meet the case,
especially for long distances or the "trot
out."
DO AS THE BOMANS DO.
As a result of much experience in the
saddle, and of observation on the schools and
systems in vogue the writer long since
made up his mind to "do as the Bomans
do" when hehappend to find himself among
th'em, and not set up a crusade against any
especial saddle or system. i is not easy oi
course for an Englishman to admit that any
saddle can be better for any purpose than
the time-honored pig-skin on which he has
"tally ho'd the hounds, sir" all over his
historic isle. Even when he gets to Aus
tralia and finds that it really will not do
in "the bush" he compromises by adding
several pounds weight to it and making
semi-circular stuffed leather buttresses to
protect the knees. He can see or at
least up to the time Cody and his cowboys
showed them the advantages of our "prairie
seat" could see no good in our style of rid
ing. Years ago, in the ante-bellum days,
Sir Grantley Berkeley camo over and was
feted ana buffalo hunted, etc., at Port Biley
then an extreme frontier post. Some of
the very best Horsemen of the old-cavalry
were there at the time, among them George
D. Bayard, the lamented leader who after
ward met his death at Fredericksburg.
Berkeley was a fox hunter of. no mean pre
tensions, according to his own accounts, and
it was thought on "the plains" that he rode
rather clumsily certainly not daringly
but he went home and was speedily out in a
book in which he ridiculed American horse--manship.
' ''
Despite this fact, it seems to Have stood
the test of time, and both in and out of the
army we find active young fellows who are
ready to ride against all comers, no matter
what colors Ihey wear. Certain it is, that
in point of grace the American school has
its advantage over the insnlar, which is re
markable for angularity, and protrusiveness
of elbow and an utter lack of that repose in
saddle which is supposed to characterize the
English gentleman in private life. Prance
at Saumur and Saint Cyr has totally re
modeled her style of riding in the last dec
ade or so, and there are changes springing
up in other foreign services from day to
day.
West Point maintains the even tenor of
its way, however, and teaches the same
principles, but with many improvements,
that were in vogue during the war. As the
writer has been called upon to contribute a
series ot short papers upon "Horseback Bid
ing," perhaps it may be as well to begin
with West Point and show in the next whv
it is that the graduate of our National
Academy finds It easier to adapt himself to
any saddle or any horse than is apt to be the
case with pupils" trained iu the English or
other schools.
Chables Kino, TJ. S. A.
A QUEEE LETTER CAEEIEE.
A Cockroach That Acted an PdannuiforTwo
Convicts.
Indianapolis Journal. 3
A common cockroach was trained to act as
a letter carrier between William Eodifer
and "Starlight Jack" Byan, convicts in the
Southern Indiana Penitentiary. It is prob
ably the first instance on record, too, where
there was any use found for this little crea
ture. Bodifer occupied a cell in the tier
just above the. one where Jack was confined,
and for a long'' time they had no means of
communicating with one another. Koditer
was a daring fellow, but he had not sufficient
imagination to get up a. plan of escape, and
he relied on the bright mind of his friend,
"Starlight Jack," to suggest an idea. One
evening Bodifer noticed an innocent-looking
cockroach running about on the floor. After
watching its gambolings for a time he con
cluded he would use it. So writing a short
note to bis friend, he tied it to the cock
roach's wing, and kneeling down on the
floor he put it on the wall under the iron
balcony in front of his cell. He calculated
that it would run into the cell underneath,
and it did. Jack noted the paper, caught
the insect and read the note. Then he an
swered it-and poked the little creature out
on the wall from the ceiling over the door,
where he released it. The roach went into
Bqdifer's cell, and was caught. Then they
t eaand cared for it, and used it in this man
ner for some months. In fact, it grew to
understand its business. It must have been
a female cockroach, however, for one day it
stopped to chat with a friend and was'no
ticed by a warden. The note, which was
written in some sort of cipher, was taken off
and the hospital steward. Dr. Sid. C. Mc
Cure, read it. Then the beetle was put on
the balcony floor, and it ran into Bodifer's
cell. Thus the officials were kept posted as
to the two famous jail breakers. After a
time Jaek began to suspect that something
was wrong, and he added a postscript to his
letter somcting like this:
"If everything is right you will ind a
hair from my head in this note." r
The warden read it, a he did the others,
but dropped'the hair and lost it.,
"Never mind it," said Captain Craig,
whose hair was red, "put one of mine in
it."
The answer came back: "That last
whipping must have been an awful one,
Jack, for it has changed the color of your
hair."
Thus the seheming of these two ingenious
worthies came to naught.
AllELIE'S LATEST FREAK.
The Virginia Poetess Enjoyed the Holidays
Distributing Blankets to the Foor.
'The latest sensation in regard to Amelie
Elves Chanler has been, produced by the
news that she rode through the rural district
in the .vicinity of her residence, Castle Hill,
Va., in an ox cart.
For some time past Mrs. Chanler has been
dispensing charity to the poor around her,
as she heard of their need: but recently, 'tis
said, she has sent for $200 worth of blankets
and warm clothing, which she presented in
person a,t this festive season from the body
of this unique chariot.
Those who have seen Amelie Bives Chan
ler can fancy her standing with her fair hair
in her new found car of mercy, radiantly
beautiful against the rough outlines of the
cart, like a lovely rose blushing beside a
rude hut, which serves as a foil to its beauty.
Perhaps she was nearer happiness, as she
looked with moist eyes into the upturned
faces around her, than she had ever been
before. She is turning from her self-centered
life to consider the, woes of others. Surely
this is one of the points on which happiness
catches the light.
She is very much of a child in many ways,
and would take this cart ride for the sake of a
new sensation and for an innocent, childish
"lark." She has little variety in her quiet,
studious,, country life. Just before Mr.
Chanler left for Paris she sent for a num
ber of the colored people, aud to the music
of the banjo and the violin played by two
of them, the others danced, to .the great en
tertainment of the spectators. She paid
them liberally and sept them away rejoic
ing. Her usiialyeiercise is taken on horse
back, dashing at breakneck speed along the
roads. - - : . - -
MEN WHOWEAE WIGS
And Ladies Who Adorn Their Heads
With Hair Bought at the Store.
BOTH CLASSES NUMEROUS HERE.
What the Bewitching Bang is, How it is
Made and What it Costs.
PEETTI EEEPSAEES IN HUMAN HAIE.
IWmiTXN OK THE ntSFJLTCH.l
-mm- DO many men wear
wigs?" I asked of a
Penn avenue dealer
in hair goods.
"Many? I should
say so. Why, there
are almost as many
gentlemen as there
are ladies among my
customers."
"And yettaen will
talk as "if the other
sex monopolized all
the vanity in the world !"
"True-enough. Buf it isn't always van
ity that makes a man wish to cover up his
bald head. Did the thought never occur to
you that a man whose scalp is bare is
far more likely to take cold than
one whose head is well covered
with its natural hirsute protection I
It is a fact, I assure you. Let cold air or
draught come in contract with a bald spot
and the result is neuralgia, pneumonia,
"Eatarrah or something else just as bad. This
is the reason given by many for wearing
wigs, and I do not question its truth. Old
men have often told me that they would be
be glad to do without wigs, but were afraid
to, they feared the cold so much. .Young
men may not be quite so sensitive to the
cold, but they are more particular about
their looks."
"But surely you do not mean to say that
young men ia these days wear other men's
hair?"
""Don't I? Why, there are hundreds of
them iu this city alone who do that very
thing, and even'their neaiest friends never
know it. Let me tell you something. The
art of wig making is now so well understood
that false hair cannot be detected. I've
been in this business 17 years, and
I am sure wigs are more common to-day
than thev were when I first began making
Knotting Hair for Wigs.
them. It used to be the case that nobody
could wear a wig without the fact being
patent to all the clpmsy contrivances bore
so little resemblance to natural hair that it
is-no wonder that the man who' appeard
with" one on his head was laughed at. K ow
wis-s are made that look so natural and fit
so perfectly that even a barber would think
ttin Ti!i in tViom rATxp fi-.-itv Iia AirtiAT'e I
fellVf AlCkAl, IU UUU l.n 44WLU tu UI1UW 9
head. Why, the other a tonsorial nrtist
actually wanted to cut the hair of. a gentle
man who has no hair except what he
purchased pf me. The gentleman told me
about it, and of course I was pleased, for
I considered such evidence of success in
my line of work something to be proud of.
"But I was talking about young men and
wigs. Strictly speaking, it is not wigs
which they wear, .but topees, as we call
them. These are small patches of hair, just
large enough to cover the bald spot. The
natural hair is combed over and in with the
other, and it is impossible to detect the
topee. How is it fastened on? Well.' the
under side of the topee is covered with an
adhesive substance that makes the patch
stick close.to the scalp, whence, however, it
can be removed without any trouble."
"What is the first step in the production
of a wig?"
"Get your material, then get the measure
of your customer's head. Then select a
wooden block of the same size and make
the wig to fit it. You see this fine netting?
It is the basis or groundwork of the wig.
The material is so delicate that it is almost
invisible, aud-it becomes entirely so when
placed upon the scalp. It is woven from
fine hair. Now when I tell you that
through every one of the meshes of this net
the hair must be drawn and knotted, you
can form someidea of the labor involved in
manufacturing a wig. It takes a week to
make a hne one, which when completed is
worth from f50 to ?75. Of course
cheaper ones are made indeed, if one
isn't particular , he can get a wig
for almost any price. But as
Covering Wig Mounts.
most customers are very particular. They
seldom complain of the cost if they get
suited."
"Now, please tell me something about the
false hair which the ladies wear. Is as
much of it worn as formerly?"
"Not as much iu quantity, but of a better
quality. The prevailing styles of dressing
the hair are so numerous that there is a
great demand for long hair. As for the
number. I think more women are wearing
false hair, in some form or other, now han
ever before. They talk about abolishing
the bang, but it is my honest opinion that
bangs will never go out of style. They are
such an improvement, you know. A set of
bangs often makes a lady look 15 years
younger; and they add so much to the at
tractiveness of young ladies that they sim
ply can't do without them.""
"But surely young ladies don't get their
bangs at the store?" said the writer.
"Don't thev? Young man, I'm afraid
you are wofully ignorant. Why, we have
an immense trade in bangs. See how pretty
they are." -
And the interviewer gazed into a show
case full of the bewitching appendages.
"That is the English bang," the lady
went on; "the very latest. It is a loose
mass of fluffy curls, as cute and natural as
any bang could possibly be. A set costs ?4
or S5 some are cheaper and others more ex
pensive; but that's about the average.
Here's another thing that is all the rage
now the Grecian knot, for the back hair.
The knot has, as you see, a rosette of frizzes,
and when it is put in place the natural hair
is picked out over the center, leaving the
frizzes uncovered. It is becoming very pop
ular. , t '
"SwitchesYcost-from $6 upward. Those
of gray hair run from $8 to $25, and as much
as 550 ,js soften' charged, for a switch 'of
' Ms
4 ttJLr'F'ki if'.
white. Gray hair is difficult io get, espe
cially that in natural curls. I had an order
for a set of such curls some time ago, and
sent to New York for the material. Well,
it was three months before the merchant
could fill the order, so difficult was it to ob
tain the kind of hair required."
"Where does the supply of hair come
from?"
tA. man named Pellery, in Paris, has
almost a complete monopoly of the busi
ness. I think he supplies nearly the whole
world with false hair. Certainly the
best of all that is" used in this
m w
Curling and Dressing Wigs.
country comes from him. I have been told
that he has over 1,0Q0 agents traveling about
Europe buying hair. The Prench under
stand how to treat it with chemicals so as to
preserve its life and color better than any
other people. The peasant women in France
and Italv have verv fine hair, and many of
them sell it regularly, at remarkably cheap
prices, too. As they are out of doors a great
deal of the time, their hair grows fast, and
thev have it cut as often as they can dispose
of it. The longest hair comes from Nor
mandy." The lady showed to the writer some speci
mens of hair-work that were marvels in their
way. A picture, which? instead of being
painted, was made up in all its parts of
hair, fastened in some mysterious way to
ground glass, was one of the most curious of
many interesting objects. - Even the trees,
flowers' and foliage and the fente shown in
the picture were made of hair. "This unique
work of art was valued at ?75. Novelties
without number in the jewelry line, such as
rings, watch chains, charms, lockets, etc.,
composed either wholly or in part of hair
were also exhibited. Some of them were
surprisingly beautiful. The lady stated
that this kind of keepsakes were much in
request at present. E. W. Baetlztt.
GOING OUT BETWEEN ACTS.
A Boston Chemist Gets Up a Capsule That
Will Keep Theaters Quiet.
New York Graphic
The problem of being able to "see a man"
during the play without being obliged-to
walk on the toes of half a dozen gentlemen
and perchance on , the dresses of- several
ladies Tias been solved. These to whom the
drink in the entr'act is an essential part of
their enjoyment of a performance, can now, ,
without leaving their seats, indulge in
their libations. A clever Boston chemist
has struck on the idea of having whisky
handy and other strong liquors put up in
palatine capsules like those used in admin
istering nauseous medicines, only consider
ably larger. The capsules are colored so as
to resemble large hot house grapes. - They
are easily broken in the mouth and the con
tents swallowed without attracting atten
tion. The capsules are sold in boxes con
taining a dozen each. The box is of con
venient size for the pocket, and the quan
tity of liquor contained in the capsules suffi
cient to make the ordinary man feel com
fortably happy by the time the curtain falls
on the last act..
The idea is not altogether an original one.
About two years ago similar capsules were
sold in all the leading drugstores in this
city', but instead of being of gelatine the
capsule was of very thin rubber." It was
soon fnnna that the rubber conveved the re
verse of a pleasant taste to the liquors, and
they rapidly went out of fashion. The new
gelatine capsule imparts no flavor whatever
to the liquor, and it promises soon to be
come a boon to the gentleman seated in the
middle of a row of orchestra chairs, and to
earn for its inventor the gratitude of the
ladies whose plaints over their ruined
dresses and crushed hats lately filled so
many columns in the papers.
TEE GLASS-PUDDING MAN,
Larue Fanes of Glasi Have Banished Him
From the Street. '
New York Sun.:
Advancing civilization demands that the
weaker and less fitted for the struggle ot life
should go to to the wall. A queer instance
of this rule, which Darwin formulated as
the "survival of the fittest," is to be found
in the disappearance from the streets of the
"glass-pudding" men. The modern window
consists of one or two large panes of glass,
where the old window contained four,eight,
or sometimes 1G. As a resulfof this change,
the "glass-pudding" man no longer wanders
through the streets carrying numerous small
panes in a rack on his back.snd a foot rule with
a piece of putty on the end in his hand.
Instead, when a pane gets broken, the
painter is told or the carpenter; the measure
of the window is' taken, and in course of
time comes glazier carrying with great care
a large sheet of glass already cut -to the re
quired size. The broken pane is not
knocked out with only enough care to pre
vent one's hand from being cut; it is taken
out carefully, because, unless the break is
very complete, enough of it may yet remain
un flawed to make lights for hothouse
frames, or for the modern antique doors.
When the broken pane is out, the new pane
slips into its place, and the glazier goes
away with the remains of the old one under
his arm, not in the old-fashioned rack. And
the old "glass-pudding" men have retired
fr6m business.
AND HE STILIi HAS HOPE.
The Sabllme Fnith of a Man Who Has Diet
With Everything bnt Death.
Daylight Land. ,
"I have been shipwrecked, been baked in
a railroad accident and fired out ot a foun
dry window by a boiler explosion. I was
shot in the neck at Gettysburg, suffered
starvation in Libby Prison, fell overboard
from a transport off Charleston, and left
four of my fingers in the mouth of a shark.
I had my light arm broken in two places in
a New York riot, and stood on a barrel with
a halter round my neck in a-Southern town
at the outbreak of the great Rebellion from
sunrise (o sunset. I was buried under the
ruins of a building in San Francisco
during an earthquake, and dug out after 50
hours of imprisonment. I have, been 4hot
at three times, twice by lunatics and once
by a highwayman. I was buried two days
by a gas explosion in a mine, and narrowly
escaped lynching last year jn Arizofla
through mistaken identity. And though I
am over 50, and have nearly lost the use of
my right leg, have just had, as I under
stand, all my property, on which there was
no insurance, destroyed-by fire in a western
town; and the doctor Fn New York to whom
I went last week for an examination assures
me that I will soon be bedridden from rheu
matism; nevertheless," he added cheerfully,
"while I undoubtedly have met some ob
stacles in the past, I still refuse to believe
that luck is against me."
Hospltnllty in the West.
Albina (Ore.) "Weekly Courier.J
The city jail will be weatherboarded. It
will cost 25. Blankets costing $3 have
also been procured. Heretofore the jail
has been such an uncomfortable and cheer
less place that it has offered no inducement
to the tramps and vags who infest Portland
and East-Portland, and they have conse
quently avoided us to a considerable ex
tent. W9 acknowledge ihat we have been
somewhat' derelict in this matter and beg
pardon. 'Hereafter we hope to offer mora
comfortable quarters. v . , , ,
' . - i ..
TheCOLONEL'SCARDS:
W&ITTEN for THE PITTSBURG
CHAPTEB I.
AN INTRODUCTORY GAME."
OTJLD the cab get to
the end of the wharf
before the steamer got
away? The question
re'ally concerned only
the occupants of the
carriage, but the spec
tators took an excited
interest in it. Passen
gers strained their
eyes at the approach
ing horse as at a racer on a coarse, loiterers
huddled like an anxious group of turfmen
with money wagered, the handlers of the
gangboard stood ready to obey the steam
whistled order to remove it, and there were
numerous outcries to hurry the pace of the
beast, who trotted briskly under the very
signboard which said that he must walk.
While the commotion affected the horse who
drew and the hackman who drove, it did
not visibly disturb the two men who sat in
the open-fronted vehicle as placidly as
though they care.d nothing about time or
distance. The final blast of steam was a
command to free the boat altogether from
the pier; but there was something in this
calmWss as they alighted from the hansom
that impressed the deckhands with
the duty 'of disobedience in this
particular instance. The vessel . was
about to make its afternoon trip down
New York Bay to Sandy Hook, carrying a
full load,' composed mostly of men who were
spending the business hours of summer in
town and the rest of the hot season some
where in the Long Branch section of sea
8hore. These daily passengers were not ac-
THIS GIKL IS YOUB
customed to waste time between Mammon
and NeptuneTand they knew by experience
the punctuality of that gangboard. Nine
in ten of them had arrived within five min
utes of the appointed 14:30 o'clock, and not a
few bd been able, by keeping their watches
right, regulating their gate accurately, and
waiting in their offices until the latest feasi
ble moment, to march aboard to the music
of the last whistle. Not one of them, how
ever, ever counted on an instant of grace.
Nevertheless, it did not seem 'singular to
those who saw the incident of the tardy
travelers that a brief indulgence was made
on this occasion.
The vonneerof the two men was not the
one who afforded the excuse for an infraction
of the rule of promptness. He was an
ordinarily good-looking fellow, with a
dawdle in his manner, and the latest style
in his clothes, which were those of a tourist.
Of his 25 years, one or two of the later ones
had, manifestly, been spent on the further
side of the earth, for he had an all-around-the-world
aspect. A perceptible film of
London and Paris overlaid his New York
originalty. This distinction was principally
in bis garments, no douDt, ior considered
without regard to them he was simply a
tall, erect, well-poised young gentleman,
with a face which he deemed good enough
to leave without a mnstacbe, but which
was not strong in its bareness. No; the
steamboat would not have stayed a moment
for him.
It was the other man whose imperturba
bility was influential as he stepped out of
the cab, paid the driver, and strode over
the bridge. He was not slow, bnt his
motions were so measured as to seem delib
erate. If there had been a cleat lacking,
as he put his feet down on them exactly,
one after another, and" he had stopped
thereat, no observer would have been sur
mised bvthe boat waiting for the hammer.
nails and a strip of wood. His bearing was
an embodiment of impressive deportment.
That he was the father of his companion
anybody could s?e at a glance. Their forms
and features wele much 'alike. But the
elder's'face was roseate, his close-cropped'
hair was perfectly white his heavy
mustache and.eyebrows were jet black,and
this arrangement of color on a shapely head
made it singular.
Just as he stepped solidly on the lower
deck with one foot, and the gangboard was
hauled from under the other, a woman met
him with a kissand a momentary clasp ot
her arms. He accepted the greeting with
out responsiveness, but gave his arm polite
ly enough, while she said "How do you do,
Winston?" to the young man, without seem
ing to care about the reply. They made
their way through the crowd up the stairway
to the upper cabin and out to the alter deck.
"I thought you hadn't come in to-day's
steamer after all," the woman said, "and 1
was going back to Long Branch without
you."
"So, Sheeba, you're at Long Branch yet,"
was the elder man's response, "How is
that?"
"O, a change of mind. And why, you've
had a change of hair!" m
That was an exclamatory as a low tone
could make it, while the quick eyes were
covert In -their scrutiny. "It's as white as
cotton. Five weeks ago it was iron gray.
Was it a fright turned it in a single
night"
"In a single hour," was the reply in a
voice moderated so that it could not be
overheard. "I had it bleached. One even
ing I saw an actor made up for a stage
nobleman. He looked it and he looked
like me except that his hair was white.
Next day I completed the likeness, I think
it is a help to me eh?"
"It makes you ten years older."
"And ten years better for business."
Then he raised his voice to a young man
whom they encountered, shook' his hand,
and said: "How are you Mr. Knox? Let
me introduce you to my wife. Mrs. Dallas,
this is Mr. Knickerbocker Knox."
Mr. Knox lifted his hat and bowed. The
fashions id politeness change from time to
time. This dandy.'s salutation, like his
garb, was in the style of the summer season
of 1888. The right elbow was raised to .a
level with the shoulder, the hand brought
the hat down smartly in front of the iace,
the bow was slight and quick and sooner
than this sentence can be read the ceremony
was'over.- Some men make their manners,
. i - ,' -
&5j LLJir--rWPIilllll I tLrt
DISPATCH by FRANKLIN FILE.
and some manners make their men. The
dominance depends on the strength or weak
ness of the man. Knickerbocker Knox waa
negative, while his mannerisms were posi
tive, and so-he was no more than an imper
sonation of beaux current usages. Peopla
were apt to make his acquaintance one day,
meet him without identificationthe next,
and submit to an introduction again on the
third without suspecting that they "had ever
met him before. If he faded so quickly
from memory day by day, it was a grateful
sensation to him to be instantly recalled by
a man who had not seen him in a year, dur
ing which his cut of clothes and tricks of
manner had changed with the tour seasons.
"Glad to see you, Colonel Dallas," he
said, with rather more vivacity than the
summer's rules for dandies directed; "and
happy to meet you, Mrs. Dallas."
The Colonel turned to his son, and waited
for him to be courteous, which he did by
saying: "You and I were acquainted for a
few minutes in Wall street, last year
do you remember? I am Winstin Dallas.
The governor and I dealt with your firm in
a little Kansas and Missouri operation."
The young fellows shook hands. By this
time the party had reached the deck, which
was already filled, with a person for every
chair, and not an empty seat could be dis
covered until a man relinquished one to
Mrs. Dallas. That separated her from her
companions, for they could not stand near
her, owing to the closeness with which the
chairs were placed.
The three men, practically excluded from
the decs, sauntered aimlessly through the
less occupied saloon until they came to a
stateroom door that wa3 ajar.
"Hello, there, Knickl" cried a cheery
voice. "Come inl Bring your friends inl
The cordial invitation came from the oc
cupant of a chair of willow, that was capa
cious enough to hold his somewhat rotund
bulk easily, and pliant enough to shape it
self considerably to the requirements. It
OWJJ DAT7GHTER."
careened a little asMr. Jonas Pootle leaned '
forward to shake Knox's hand without
rising. ' 'V
"I'm too pulpy to git up," he said,
"Ileal ly, this weather softens a man so't he
feels like he'd iaveto keep a cool mold of
himself to sleep in nights, or else lose his
likeness."
"That chair won't do, then," said Knox;
"It needs molding on its own account. It
doesn't seem able to hold you" '
"I wouldn't have no chair that could hold,
me, Knick. I vjant to hold the chair.
Don't you see the distinction? I mean "
"Mr. Pootle, this is Colonel Dallas," in
terposed Mr. Knox.
"Bight proud to kno you, Colonel Dal
las," and Mr. Pootle,graspingthe stranger's
hand, but without rising, pulied-him into at
seat. I like this chair so well that I don't
want to get out of it. I wouldn't have no
other chair on the boat, and "
".Mr. Winston Dallas," Knox again in
terrupted, introducing the son, who hesi-'
tated in the doorway.
"Come in come in," was the hearty ac
knowledgment of the transitory host. "Take
that chair. Taint as good as this, though. ,
When I hired this stateroom for fhe season
I stipulated for this particular willow chair.l
See, I can swing in it, almost like a ham
mock easy so easy ah-h!" v'
Mr. Pootle closed his eyes in luxurious
indolence, and his face looked like that of
one who had slept most of the time since,
infancy. Indeed, his visage might have
been that of a 60-year-old baby. It was
big, round, smooth, and very mobile. Ex- .
pressions would break out in one portion
and spread thence over the rest of the
broad countenance. Now his eyes shut,
and an aspect of slumber went down his
cheeks, overcame the smile at his mouth,
and sagged his fat chin. In an instant his
eyes opened, as though two pebbles had
been thrown into placid water, and ripples
of enlivenment circled larger and larger
until the shores of his millpond face were
reached by the grimaces of jollity. ,
" 'Tain t one man in a New York million
that" knows how to rest," Mr. Pootle con
tinued, in a voice that boisterously dis
agreed with his assertions of laziness.
'There's mv nephew. Vie." The visitors
followed with their eyes the gesture of the
speaker to a lounge where the head of a
well-dresse'd recumbent body was covered
by a newspaper. "He's asleep, I guess,
and that's a wonder, for he hasn't lately
Known enough to sleep when he's sleepy.
That's Victor Learoyd you know him,,
Knox you don't, gentlemen? Well, he's
the junior member of Jonas Footle and
Company. I call him senior, though, be
cause I'm younger than he is, no matt
what the family records say about it.
Smoke?"
Cigars being provided and the door,
closed, the three men filled the room with
tobacco smoke, and sent it out in a cloud'
through the open window. The room from
which the berths'had been removed, to adapt
it to the purposes of an hour's sail in tha
day time, was big enough to permit a
sprawling of three pairs of legs, and the
stretching of the same number ot arms, in
attitudes of unconventional comfort. Tha
talk for,five minutes was of stocks, grain,
oil and other things in Wall street specula
tion. The Colonel learned from the con
versation that the firms in which Pootle and
Knox were component parts were concerned
in some scheme together, bat it was blind to
him, aud he'betrayed an unmistakable ab
sence of mind. In nothing that has been
told of his undemonstrativeness did he alter
his demeanor, save in a fidget of his hands.
Those members seemed strangely tensible
in their long, white fingers, which moved
with a nervousness unlike the general
self-control of the man. A small Bible lay
on the stand where the American'Bible So
ciety had placed it. Probably the Colonel's
hands were the first that had turned its
Eages, and they did it unconsciously. He
andled it thoughtlessly, but in a way that
made Pootle y atch him amusedly, while
the conversation went on. At length, tak
ing 'the sacred book in both hands, and
bending the outer corners of the leaves until
they came together, he dexterously gave to
them what, ifthey had been a pact of play
ing cards, would have been what gamblers
call adovetail shuffle. The leaves of Gene
sis werejdeftly. and with a low. swift riDule
of alternation, interspersed with those of '
" -kw h , ,V. 4 . '." ,yf 'V1VJ , rV
.-'
J '-
r