1
PITTSBURG, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1889.
- : 1 - -. ; ; '
iiJ
LET US HOLMS
For the Many Blessings Granted
by Providence During
the Past Year.
ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING.
A Puritan Farmer Who Believed in
Cheerful Gratitude to God,
OBSEEYIKG THE DAI IN NEW ENGLAND.
Tfaanksstvlng Day Instituted by tbe Fllcrlm
Fathers A Good Man Whose Name
Forgotten-Why Governor Wise, ol
Virglnln, Refuted to Issue n Thanks
eivine Proclamation A Pnritan Cele
bration Ions Church Serrices and n
Bis Dinner A Conflict Between Con.
science nnd Venison How Pomp Shorter
Got Into Trouble A Preacher's Re
proof to mi Cold and Hungry Congre
gation. rWRITTES TOR THE DISPATCH.
i'i? all our national holidays,
none is now more universally
or more joyously celebrated
than that of Thanksgiving
Day, which has been appointed this year for
next Thursday. Though of New England
origin, and for many years confined almost
exclusively to that section, it has slowly,
but surely, extended itself all over our treat
country.
"We are indebted for it to the Pilgrim
Fathers, who maybe said to hare celebrated
it for the first time upon tbe completion of
Pleading for a Day of Thanksgiving.
their first harvest at Plymouth In 1G21,
when Governor Bradford sent out four
fowlers in search of game, that they "might,
after a more special manner re
joice together." But fasts were much
more common among those hardy
Puritans than feasts, and though they occa
sionally observed a general thanksgiving
day for some specially propitious occurrence,
such as some action favorable to them on
the part oi the mother country on the ar
rival of a shipload of provisions, they de
Toted much more time to deploring their
miseries than they did to rejoicing over
their blessings. It is said that their adop
tion of the custom of annually appointing a
Thanksgiving Day was due to a sensible old
farmer whose name tradition has unfor
tunately failed to preserve who rose up
when it was proposed in the Assembly to
proclaim another fast and plainly told them
that he believed God was weary of their
complaints in view of the fact that He was
causing the earth to reward their labors;
that He had filled the seas and rivers with
fish, had made the air sweet and the climate
healthful, and was permitting them the fall
enjoyment of civil and religions liberty.
The speaker therefore proposed that instead
of S fast
A DAT OP TUXSKSGTVTSO
and feasting should thereafter be annually
proclaimed, which sensible suggestion was
unanimously adopted. "Whether or not this
is a true account of the origin of the prac
tice, it is a thoroughly established fact that
s-C
Going to Church in Colonial Days.
by the year 1680 it had become a fixed cus
tom for the Governors of the colonies of
Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay to ap
point a Thanksgiving Day late in the au
tumn of every year, a usace that soon ex
tended to all the other New England colo
nies. The adoption of this custom outside
of New England was very slow. How
slow will be readily understood from
the fact that as recently as 1855 It was
considered a remarkable event in Virginia
when Governor Johnson recommended the
observance of a Thanksgiving Day and that
Governor "Wise refused to appoint one in
1857, on the ground that he had no author
ity to interfere in religious matters. Thanks
giving Day was not regularly appointed by
the Governor of New York until 1817. Dur
ing the Bevolutionary War Congress an
nually recommended a general Thanksgiv
ing Day. Washington proclaimed one in
1789. on the adoption of the Constitution.
and another iu 1795 for the suppression of
a
the whisky insurrection in estern Penn
aylvania, while Madison proclaimed one for
. ? -S&2
peace with England in 1815. After Madi
son, Abraham Lincoln was the first Presi
dent to proclaim a Thanksgiving Day, and
he did it In 18G2 and 1863 tor war victories.
In 1861 he proclaimed a Thanksgiving Day
in November for general blessings, and his
example of that year has since been an
nually followed by every one of his succes
sors and by nearly every State Governor
down to the present time.
A POTJITAir'EAST.
But popular as Thanksgiving Day now is
throughout the length and breadth of this
land, it is in New England that it still con
tinues to be what it has been ior more than
two centuries the greatest and most eagerly
anticipated holiday of the entire year. The
old Puritans and their descendants, who so
long frowned severely upon Christmas
which, indeed, many of the latter stillcon
tinue to do, refusing to it any recognition
whatever found an excellent substitute for
its cheerful hilarity, peace and goodwill in
Thanksgiving Day. For at least a week be
fore the important occasion all was activity
in an old-fashioned, rural New England
household. A bushel or more of the best
iXr
A Puritan Congregation.
wheat was sent to the mill to be
converted into flour.- Great rounds of
beef were chopped up into mince
meat. Cartloads of yellow pumpkins, with
an abundance of milk, spices, finger, mo
lasses and sugar, were made up into pump
kin pies. An abundance of turkeys, chick
ens and geese were killed and made ready
for roasting. A pair ol immense plum pud
dines were baked in tbe largest sized
earthen pots, with Indian puddings and
custard puddings to match; while there was
baking of pound cake, plum cake and
sponge cake from morning till night.
From its very beginning divine worship
was an important feature of the day's ob
servance, and that term "divine worship"
meant something very different in rural
New England in old colonial days,
and even for some 40 or 50 yearB afterward,
from what it means.
RIDING TO CHUECH.
A great majority of the members of the
religious congregations of that time, lived
at a considerable distance from the meeting
house, and had to be up bright and early on
Thanksgiving morning to prepare for their
long drive through "a nipping and an eager
air," for ths weather in New England is
often bitterly cold by the middle of Novem
ber and it was no uncommon thing to ride
to "Thanksgiving meeting" in a sleigh.
On Thanksgiving and on all other feast
and fast days, as well as on the Sabbath;
there were held two services morning and
afternsoa each of some hours' duration, and
for places of rest and refreshmentduring the
noon intermission between them, there were
erected in the immediate vicinity of the
meeting house, for the accommodation of
distant worshipers, small buildings, called
"Sabbath dav houses." These structures
were usually built and held in partnership
by two families and consisted of two rooms
some 10 or 12 feet square, with a chimney
between them, haying a fireplace in each
apartment.
On Thanksgiving morning a bountiful
supply of good cheer was stowed away in
the wagon or sleigh that was to convey a
household to "meeting." Arriving in the
vicinity of the sacred edifice, the "Sabbath
da house" was first "Visited and the-pro-visions
deposited there. Afire was then
lighted and soon all were thoroughly thawed
out and well warmed after their long, cold
ride. At 9 o'clock, the hour for worship,
they were ready to sally forth and shiver in
the cold during the three-hour morning
service, for the "meeting houses" or
churches of those days were wholly un
warmed by artificial heat of any kind. As
a consequence the minister preached in his
overcoat and mittens, and when the services
drew near an end on a cold day everybody
was anxious to escape from the chilling
atmosphere of the church and seek warmth
in their adjacent homes, or "Sabbath-day
houses" as soon as possible.
A pastoe's eepboop.
Apropos of this a good anecdote is told of
the Bey. Mr. Milton, a very eccentric man,
who was one of the early pastors of that
Congregational Church at Newburyport,
Mass., within whose walls lie the remains
of the famous English evangelist, George
A Seventeenth Century Thanksgiving Dinner.
"Whitefield. One bitter, cold Thanksgiving
Day Milton had scarcely pronounced the
"Amen" of the benediction before the door
of every pew was swung open and its occu
pants made a hasty rush for the aisles. Bnt
their unseemly haste was checked when
their eccentric pastor leanedover the pulpit
and cried out, in his peculiar nasal voice,
"Xe needn't hurry; your turkeys and mince
pies won't get cold."
At noon the family returned to the Sabbath-day
house, where a warm room re
ceived them, and where their Thanks
giving dinner was cooked and
eaten, a blessing being invoked
and thanks returned by tbe head of the
family. The morning sermon formed the
chief topic of discussion, all being allowed
the utmost freedom in their remarks. A
long prayer was offered by some one present,
and then all returned to the meeting house
for another three-hour service.
For the following quaint account of an
old colonial Thanksgiving church service
nnd dinner, "I am in debt to a Ieiter written
in the Tear 1714, by an ancestor of mine, the
Bev. Lawrence Conant, of the old South
parish in Danvers, Mass., and still pre
served as a most precious heirloom in my
family. J
"Ye Governor was in ye house, and Her
Majesty's commissioners of ye customs, and
they sat together in a high seat by ye pul
pit stairs. Ye Governor appears very de
vout and attentive, although he favors
Episcopacy and tolerates ye Quakers and
Baptists. He was dressed in a black velvet
coat, boardered with gold lace, and buff
breeches with gold buckles at ye knees, and
white silk stockings.
POMP shobteb's ibbevebencb
"There was 4 disturbance in ye galleries,
where it was filled with divers neirrnri:
mulattoes and Indians, and a negro called
PompShorter, belonging to Mr, Gardner,
..1.H.U6U."!! umr VIJI lulO1
f fe if MjF
was called forth and put in ye broad isle,
where he was reproved with great careful
ness and solemnity. He was there put in
ye deacon's seat between two deacons, In
view of ye whole congregation; but ye sex
ton was ordered by Mr. Prescott to take him
out, because of his levity and stranze con
tortion of countenance (giving grave scandal
to ye grave deacons), and put him in ye lobby
Turkey Ealcis of To-Day.
under ve staire: some children and a niulai
to woman were reprimanded for laughing at
Pomp Shorter, when ye services at ye
meeting honse were ended ye council and
other dignitaries were entertained at ye house
of Mr.Epes, on ye hill nearby, and
we had a bountiful Thanks?"! ving dinner,
with bear's meat and venison, the last of
which was a fine buck shot in ve woods
near by. Ye bear was killed in Lynn
woods near Beading. After ye ' lessing was
craved by Mr. Garnch, of Wrertham, word
came that ye'buck was shot on ye Lord's
day by Pequot an Indian, who came to Mr.
Spes with a lye in his mouth, like Ananias
ot old. Ye council therefore reiused to eat
ye venison, but it was afterward decided
that Pequot should receive 40 stripes, save
one, for lying and profaning ye Lord's
day, restore Mr. Spes ye cost of ye deer, and
considering this a just and righteous sen
tence on ye sinful heathen, and that a bless
ing had been craved on ye meat, ye council
all partook of it but Mr. Shepard, whose
conscience was tender on ye point of veni
son." Feank H. Wade, M. D.
THE BID WAS WlTHDEAWN.
An Interesting Tale Concerning; sn Ante
Bellum Slave Auction
New Tork Sun. I
In Jacksonville, Fia., in the winter of
1848, an auction sale ot the personal estate
of a deceased planter, comprising some 70
or 80 slaves and other "chattels," was held
in the public market place. I was glad of
the opportunity to see for myself how such
things were done. On beginning the sale
the auctioneer announced that families
would not be separated, but "would be sold
in "lots." After a number of "lots" had
been duly brought to the block and knoc&ed
down to the highest bidders, a bright-looking
boy was brought forward and placed
upon the stand. The auctioneer at the same
time called an old colored man among the
crowd to come up and stand beside the boy.
He did so, and tbVauctioneer then, said:
"Gentlemen, the old man is this boy's
father; he lives in the West Indies and is a
tree man. He wants to buy the boy and
take him to his home and make him free.
He bids $400, which is all the money he
has."
The intent of this statement was evidently
to discourage any advance on that bid, and
it touched a sympathetic chord in his audi
ence. The crowd watched tbe proceedings
for a minute or two in silence, while the
auctioneer dwelt upon the bid of $400, and
was calling it for the third and last time,
when from the outskirts of the crowd a
voice bid "Fifty." Every eye was at once
turned in the directibn of the bidder,
who was a rough, dissipated-looking
fellow, a typical slave trader in
appearance. The auctioneer paused a
moment, looked annoyed, and then
repeated his previous statement con
cerning the old man, emphasizing the re
mark that $400 was all the money he had.
".And now,"Eaid he. "I am bid 5450."
From a dozen voices came the cry, "With
draw your bid! Tbe auctioneer awaited
the result. The bidder growled a surly re
fusal, saying he "wanted that boy. and had
as good a right to bid as anybody." "Four
hundred and fifty," came slowly from the
lips of the auctioneer. The shouts of "With
draw your bid!" were repeated in angry
tones on every side.
"Well," said the bidder, "I withdraw it"
The auctioneer quickly went back to the
original bid, on which he dwelt two or three
times, when down went the hammer. "Sold
at $400. Old man, the boy is yours; take
him down." The crowd "cheered, and the
principal figure in this little drama, who the
moment before had been the picture of des
pair, hurried down from the stand, smiling
and happy.
BISCUITS WITH WHISKEE8.
Tfaey Wero BIndo In 1823 and the Boarders
Refused to Eat Them.
St. Louis Globe-DemocratJ
To give variety to the ancient fiddle busi
ness, I will tell a true story of an old thing
which is old and odd, if not musical. Not
long since we moved here from Arkansas,
where generations of our folks had kept
house. Searching yesterday in a trunk we
brought I found a wealth of relics. One
was a bundle of biscuits wrapped in a copy
of a Franklinville paper, dated January 3,
1823, during Monroe's prosperous regime.
The bread had evidently been laid away,
and, the weather being cool, the boarders
had refused to eat cold biscuits. That was
before baking powder was in vogue.
They were so tempered by age that they
would'actually ring forth a metallic sound
which I think would not flood tbe soul of a
hungry wood-chonper with rapturous mel
ody. What would I. take for them? Noth
ing. Aunt broke a tooth m biting one and
that cost me S1L We will keep these bis
cuits as a family heirloom. I would like to
hear from anyone who has a biscuit more
entitled to whiskers.
Nothing Taken bnt FHsht.
Billlngton Aha! Elvira, a camera. Let's
stand just as we are. These fiends are al
ways ready to capture good-looking people,
and perhaps this one'll take a snap at us.
Industrious Mullins Two crosscuts an' a
bucksaw from the mansion. Trade' gettin'
good. Wonder what struck them two high-
toners to make'm. cit out like that .ftjcA;,
. Jgi
SWOKD SWALLOWERS
Eccentric Performances of People
With Peculiar Throats.
LUNCHING ON LAMP CHIMNEYS.
EemarkaMe
Appetite of a
Claan Knives.
Sailor for
MEH WHO EAT STONES AM) GLASS
rWMTTEir FOB TB DISPATCH.
"Of course we have all heard of people
who thrust swords down their throats, swal
low pebble-stones, and eat' glass; but nobody
belieyes that they really do those things."
So writes one who evidently believes him
self too sharp to be imposed upon by any of
theordinaryor extraordinary arts of trickery.
But there never was a greater mistake.
There are many people who actually perform
the feats enumerated. They are to be seen
in dime museums, side-shows, and occa
sionally in bar-rooms or on street corners.
I once had tbe pleasure of scraping the
acquaintance of a sword swallower. He
and a hairless horse constituted tbe at
tractions in a small tent that had been
pitched on the outskirts of a county fair.
He called himself "Feretta, the Man With
the Iron Throat," As soon as a dozen
people had paid their dimes and entered the
tent Feretta would bring out his sword and
pass it around for examination. There was
no deception about it. It was of steel,
about 14 inches long, an eighth of an inch
thick, half an inch wide at the hilt, and
slightly tapering toward the tip. Feretta
was very deliberate in his movements.
Assuming a posture intended to be graceful,
he would throw back his head, insert the'
point of the sword in his mouth, and gently
push it downward until the cross-piece, or
guard, prevented it going any further. Then
he would throw both arms behind him for
the space of four or five seconds, after which
tbe sword was withdrawn as carefully as it
had been swallowed.
A DAlTGEBOrS THICK.
Then would follow a bow and smile, which
appeared rather forced. Feretta told me the
operation often cost him considerable pain,
but of this he never gave public manifesta
tion. He also said the utmost care was
necessary in performing the feat to avoid in-,
jury to the throat and stomach. Notwith
standing his caution he occasionally hurt
himself, and was obliged to suspend sword
swallowing for a few days. But he had
other ways of entertaining his patrons. He
developed an appetite for pebble stones,
which he turned to account by swallowing
about three every half hour durinz the day.
to the wonder and admiration of those who
assembled-in his little tent. This was not a
trick. The act was done too slow to admit of
deception. He placed the pebble on his
tongue, permitted it to remain in view for a
moment, and then closed his mouth. The
pebble reached some destination within his
internal economy, and must have found a
resting place in his stomach. He did not
pretend that the stones were digested; but he
said they never gave him any trouble.
Feretta was also an all-around sleight-of-hand
performer and juggler, as well as a
good talker; so it will be seen that he was
quite a host in himself, and well able to give
10 cents worth of amusement to the audiences
that passed in and ont of his humble little
tent
AH OVEECBOWDED PEOFESSIOH.
Glass eaters have become so numerous
that they find their profession crowded. I
have personally known two of this oI&st of
"attractions." One ot them was a fellow
about 20 years old, who was ludicrously shy
and effeminate (off the stage) in appearance
and manners. His only robust feature was
a magnificent set of teeth, with which he bit
chunks out of lamp chimneys and crunched
them almost into powder with apparent ease.
The other was a youngster of not more
than 14, known as "Little" Glass Sam." He
was n bright boy, and had amassed quite a
stock of knowledge abont people and places,
on which he could talk intelligently and en
tertainingly. His teeth, too, were white
and sound, and he masticated chunks of
glass and swallowed the fragments with
neatness and dispatch. He performed the
feat in private before a committee of physi
cians, who were forced to admit the fact, hut
who were able to advance no explanation of
how it conld be done without disastrous
effects. But no injurious results followed.
I never knew a glass-eater to cut his gums,
tonene or any portion of his mouth.
The stories of princely salaries which
these queer-throated and tough-stomached
people receive, are for the most part ficti
tious. "Little Glass Sam," being only a
boy, and small for his age, ought certainly
to have been a drawing "card" in his line
of work. Bnt he was frequently thrown on
the world, and ready to do odd jobs of any
sort to keep soul and body together. I have
known him, within a week, to discard the
tights and spangles of the variety stage for
the soiled garb of a stable boy, and consider
himself lucky at that.
AIT ECCENTBIO SAILOB.
Perhaps the most remarkable case of ec
centric swallowing on record is that of John
Cumming", an American sailor, scraps of
whose history have been handed down in
medical records. In the year 1799 Cum
in in ss, then 23 years old, was sojourning in
a village on the coast of France, where his
ship had put into port He and others of
the crew attended a small theater at which a
professional juggler was astonishing the
spectators by pietending to swallow clasp
knives. CummlngSt believed that the per
formance was genuine. Besides being cred
ulous, he was boastful, and also fond of the
"cup that iuebriates."
That evening, on shipboard, he boldly an
nounced to his companions that he could
swallow knives as well as the Frenchman.
He was just drnnk enough to be reckless,
and promptly accepted a challenge to per
form the feat. He placed his own knife in
his mouth not without some misgivings, as
ne aiterward acs:nowieagea and, greatly to
the surprise of himself and the spectators, it
slipped down his throat easily. The wit
nesses of the feat were not satisfied, and
asked him if he could swallow another.
"All the knives on board the ship," he an
swered, in a spirit of bravado. More knives
were produced, three of which he bolted like
so many pills; and thus the company was
entertained for the night, as Cummings
himself said: "By the bold attempt ot a
drunken man.''
His stomach was readily relieved of its
unusual burden, and the affair was passed
over merely as an episode which had served
to enliven a few leisure hours.
MADE HIS WOBD GOOD.
Cummings gave no more attention to
knife swallowibg for six years. In March,
1805, while in Boston, he related his ex
ploit to a party of carousing sailors who
were engaged in a friendly contest of telling
marvelous stories of their experiences. No
one believed him, and, being again drunk
and reckless, he swallowed six knives In
the course of the evening. The story of his
performance was quickly spread about, and
the next day, in the presence oi crowds of
wondering visitors,, swallowed eight more
knives, making 14 In all.
The exploit nearly killed him. He was
taken to a hospital and tor a month suffered
great tortures. He was finally relieved,
and started on another voyage to France.
The course of his wanderings at length took
him to England, where, being again under
the influence of liquor, he boasted of his
former feats. He was again challenged to
repeat them, and again complied, "disdain
ing to be worse than his word." This was in
December, 1805, and in tbe course of two
days he swallowed nine clasp-knives of
various sizes. A fev other feats of the kind J
brought Bis record up to a total of 35 knives
swallowed at different times.
A MISERABLE DEATH.
Now, however, he reaped the natural fruit
of his folly. He was taken violently sick,
and, despite the efforts of physician the
greater part of the knives "stayed by him."
He suffered excruciating pains and passed
the most of bis time in Guy's Hospital, Lon
don. After leading a miserable existence
for nearly four years, he died in March,
1809, a striking and melancholy example of
a "total wreck."
Another peculiar case was that of Will
iam Dempster, an English juggler, who in
1823 accidentally swallowed a table knife,
handle and all, which he was thrusting
down his throat. The mishap was occa-"
sioned by the spectators crowdine around
him and causing the knife to slip from his f
"users, uempster died in great agonyaue?
many inefiectual attempts to relieve him.
It is related that a similar case occurred in
Prussia in 1635. This patient was cured by
the extraction of the knife through an in
cision made in his .side.
It cannot be regarded as a great misfor
tune ttat the swallowing business is waning
in popularity. However, there lurks in
mankind a taste for the horrible, and there
will probably always be found the means to
gratify it in some form of grotesque and
shocking violation of nature's commands,
Willis Kentoit.
ENGH5H AND AMEEICAS HOUSES.
Many Convenience! That Oar Cousins
Dwelling! Bo Not Have.
The London Invention prints a very com
plimentary article in regard to the house
hold contrivances of the better class of
American dwelling houses, such as electric
lighting, the elevators, the heating, the
burglar alarms, the calls for servants and
the others oi our domestic details. There is
no question as to the fact that, in all these
particulars, this country is vastly in ad
vance of any other.
A peculiarity of the English grate is that
it is fired up in the autumn and extin
guished in the spring, not with reference to
the condition of the temperature but by the
almanac. There is a certain date when tbe
grates must be kindled for the winter, and
still another date when they must be put
ont for the remainder of tbe season. The
tact that it is very cold in the morning of
an autumnal day furnishes no reason to the
English housekeeper to "lay the coals"
unless it be permitted by the almanac; and
it is equally no reason why the "coals"
should be raked out on a heated day in the
spring unless it is a date authenticated by
the same authority.
The distribution of water in an English
dwelling house is as imperfect as the heat
ing. In all American cities, the inmates
of the house can draw water in any quanti
ties, at any honr of the day or night. Here
in Chicago the householder turns a faucet,
and all of Lake Michigan is instantly on
tap. The English housekeeper has at her
command a limited quantity of water in a
tank near the roof, which is filled each
morning from the public main, and she
must exercise a rigid economy, for if the
supply be exhausted, she must wait till the
next morning for it to be replenished.
In fine, in no essential particular is the
English dwelling house at all comparable in
its conveniences, comforts and advantages
to the model residences in this country.
1
HW KATE FIELD WAS CHEATED.
An Atchison Man Unload Some Worthless
Real Estate on Her.
Bt. Joseph Herald.
Several years ago Miss Kate Field, the
authoress, visited Atchison. While there
she made the acquaintance of a prominent
business man', who, believing that she had
some ready money, portrayed to her the
profit she would reap by buying a lot in
that city. He induced her to purchase, the
price being $3,000. She paid $1,000 down,
and the balance was to come in payments.
It turned out afterward that the lot really
belonged to the man who induced her to
buy, although he had represented differ
ently. The editor of the Herald met Miss
Field in San Djego nearly two years ago,
when she related the story of her Atchison
purchase, described the location of the pro
perty, and said she had received a letter
from a friend not to meet the second pay
ment, as the property was not then and
never had been worth more than $1,000, the
amount she had already paid. We were
requested to investigate the matter for her,
and did so. We had two of the best reliable
men in Atchison value the property. One
placed tbe value less than $1,000; the other
thought it might be worth $1,200. We advised
Miss Field to lose the $1,000 she had paid
down rather than pay the $2,000 vet due.
This is the true story of Miss Field's real
estate deal in Atchison. The deal was a
clear swindle, for which the city of Atchi
son was in no way responsible, but perpe
trated by a man ofp rominence who claimed
respectability.
TWO GIDDY OLD GOATS.
They Enter a Honse, Climb Upstairs nnd
Leap from tho Window.
Chicago Inter Ocean. 1
Two Mexican goats, with Pan-American
whiskers, made their way up a flight of
stairs in an apartment housBvon the West
Side yesterday afternoon, and took a short
turn to the left, which gave them an unin
terrupted view of West Madison street. For a
moment the two of a kind were noticed gazing
abstractedly out at the panorama of moving
pedestrians, and the next moment they were
in the air, having leaped from the window
to the awning below. Did they fall in the
street? Not a bit of it. They knew their
business, and for fully three-quarters ot an
hour thereafter amused themselves by chew
ing up old rags, oyster cans, clippings of
tin and other matter that had found lodg
ment on tbe extreme outer edge of the frail
looking store front.
When ready to take their departure the
goats toak a flying leap from the wood awn
ing to -an adjoining canvas affair, through
which they disappeared, like Pantaloon in
apantomime. Of course the goats landed
right side up with care and lost no time in
getting out of the neighborhood.
Although absent they are still held to
memory dear, the owner of the despoiled
awning being in a quandary as to whether
he had best sue the goats, the city, or the
landlord of the furnished rooms for damages.
A Sermon In a Sentence.
' Philosophizing on the tendency of the big
apples to find the top of the barrel, the edi
tor of the Ellsworth, Me., American quotes
some pertinent wordsuttered by a Methodist
minister whom he onoe knew. He said:
"My friends, if your religion does not insure
an honest deal and measure when you sell
onions and apples, it is not worth having!
TTnlesi you serve God in the measure of
your potatoes, vain and futile is the service
of your lips!"
At the Boys' Own Theater.
filS
iBJ
TJsher Say, Dookr, Bappsey Pilkinton's
only got five pins an' a brass button. "Will
J let bin in tr eea one so' ? JPhc .. Jj
fenvffiK
I l rrV-tKrM II II .
Mill II II II I --l ri ill ii it ii i li
DAWN ffl A BIG CITY.
Pittsburg Streets as Seen in the Gray
Light of Early Morn.
MARCH OP THE ARMY OP TOILEES
Oa Their Way to and Prom Workshops,
Mills and Factories.
A TOWN AEISIKG FEOJI ITS SLUMBERS
rWBITTXX TOB THX DISrATCIM
EE the dapple giay coursers of
the morn
Beat up the light.. ..and chase
it into day. Mabsxox.
We stepped forth from tbe
wearisome clare of the electric
light, and found ourselves, all
at once, upon the threshold of another day.
Jones started, and, tilting his hat back
over his forehead, gazed wiili V.zti ey on
the misty gray which seemed to have poured
in upod the streets, as with a mighty flood,
and sweeping the darkness of night before
it, quenched the flaring lights, and engulfed
the crowds that surge along the footways in
j2 -
Early Marketers
the high-noon of sin. And in sooth the
flood of gray seemed to touch our aching
heads with the soft, refreshing embrace of
the wild, free water, as it laughs and leaps
and sparkles, clasping the weary frame to
its pure bosom, and soothing the fevered
brain with its cool, whife waves.
Jones' parched lips broke into a smile,"fand
he passed his hand over his eyes, as one does
on suddenly starting from a dream. Then
we both laughed, and looked back without
a regret upon the dazzling brilliance, tbe
uneasy delight, we had quitted. The lights
seemed to have grown dim, the glamour
which so lately lay upon the scene had been
rudely rent apart, and we saw naught save
a purposeless glitter, a tawdry, tinsel splen
dor. '
Were -we -waxing drunk with these, great
draughts we quaffed from tbe untainted
ether, standing upon the threshold 7 "Was
this why the scene behind had lost its at
traction ? If so, this were intoxication in
deed divine dissipation indeed refreshing I
"By Jove," exclaimed Jones, "it's worth
staying up all night if the mornings are
like this!' Why we can almost 'breast the
keen breeze,' as the poet somebody remarks.
And how silent everything is!" His cane
fell heavily upon the pavement
It rang out through the stillness with the
Going to Work. "S
clang of a rifle drill. Terily, here was a
deserted thoroughfare! Bnt yet not deserted.
Half seen forms were passing and repassing
in the gray, looking more lite the shadowy
creatures of a dream, than the strong, sinewy
sons of toil they were. These were coming
down tbe street coming down from sound
sleep and peaceful rest, to
BEGIN TTTTtTR DAILY "WOEK.
Each carried his little tin pail, and you
could see by their pleasant faces that break
fast had been Agreeable.
We stepped into the street, and sauntered
downward'also. This morning air proved
so delighttul, so full of balm, that we were
loath to leave it. The early risers passed
us in one or twos, and we saw that they were
of every age and size and hue. Old. men,
bent and wrinkled, plodded by. Boys,
laughing merrily, almost ran into the har
ness that had not yet begun to galL Men
in the glory of life, with frames of Titans,
strode down to the mill, wherein they won
their livelihoods Smart sons of Ham,
around' whose grandsire's head, perhaps, the
kingly ostrich plumes had waved in distant
Africa, and whoseluckless sires had cowered
beneath the driver's lash in the cotton fields,
walked step by step, and stride by stride
with those of the so-called superior race.
Bnt black or "white, all these men were
grand with tbe grandeur of Longfellow's
blacksmith hero grand with the halo of
labor accomplished, and the earnest heart
andlstrong band thai will work still might-
works, aad do things still mm diflfcult.
1 III atllp1
Strolling Bon in Ih Homing.
These were some ot those that came down
the street that early morning.
Dp the street came another tide of men,
the ebb tide one might call it, as the other
was the tide in flow. These were- returning
from the work or pleasure of the night re
turning to sleep and rise refreshed, or to
Pacing for the First Customer.
sleep and rise with pale face and tottering
limbs, according as they had labored or
reveled.
Boys and men black and white were
coming up the street, much the same as
those who had gone down. These toilers,
too, bore each his little bucket; but they
werenot so contented looking, nor so fall of
the life and power which had given color to
the faces and light to the eyes of those who
went down the street They dragged their
limbs somewhat heavily, they looked
drowsy and tired, and a few, with bent
heads and closed eyelids, seemed
to sleep even as they walked.
But it was the weariness which hard work
produces, the drowsiness of healthful exer
cise, which had attacked these men. No
further care rested upon their brains till the
honr of work came round again. They en
dured not the never-ending toil ot the
statesman when they had done their
night's work, they had nothing more
to do.
BZELXHO BEVELEES.
Other men, however, came up the street
besides these honest sous of Adam. With
wild, glistening eyeballs, hot red, faces, dis
ordered dress, and unsteady gait came those
who had bent the knee to Bacchus who
had let the sun go down and rise again upon
their mad, unmeaning folly. Stand aside
and let them reel by they will not find
much rest to-night, poor fellows.
Jones was no impertinent chainer of in
dividual liberty. He did not rise up in his
fresh starched sinlessness, and exclaim:
"Close up the whisky shops let man drink
no more." Nay, I think that Jones drank
himself upon occasion. But he was dis
gusted with these staggering creatures. He
said: "Do you know I often wonder why
the atheists don't take a'drunken man as an
argument against the existence of a soul. I
presume these gentry think it the height of
good fellowship to get as drunk as possible.
They forget that all the real sybarites the
men who knew how to enjoy conviviality
and to take its best parts, never got drunk.
Anacreon, Horace, Tom Moore they all
sung Bacchus royally garlanded; but none
of them sung Silenus, aught but the beast
he was."
Life was growing and intensifying along
the streets, shops were opening their doors
to the public, market wagons were jogging
out of town, having left their loads behind.
The newsboys were busy buying and ex
changing papers at the corners, and scream
ing in cadence hoarse or shrill the names of
the various morning journals.
the xotvir WAEXirO UP.
Blinds were whisking up and shutters
clanging back in upper windows, and sleepy
eyes by thousands gazed ont upon the morn
ing, fearing frost or rain or snow. The mist
was slowly shading into blue and gradually
lifting altogether. A moraine train rattled
into the Baltimore and Ohio depot down
ny tne riverside, its bell rang clear
and loud over the low murmur of the
town but just awakening. Old father sun
was awake, too, high up in the heavens, and
a right happy smile he bears this morning.
It is clear he had not been adrinking the
night awsyfhe looked too grand and brave
and royal on his throne to have reveled' by
gaslight Jnst then it occurred to us that
it was about time to return to our domiciles.
The reader may wonder" that the idea did
not strike us at an earlier period; but the
charm of the morning in slumbering Pitts
burg and the strange appearance everything
had for us must plead our excuse. As we
walked home we passed a florist's store.
Fresh flowers had just come in from the
country and their fragrance loaded the air.
We stayed a moment to enjoy and then has
tened to our couches, a little tired, it is
true, but with a great deal of happiness in
our hearts and two white chrysanthemums
in our buttonholes. And the sparrows in
the eaves twittered us to sleep.
Beekas-.
HAED BT0EIES TO BELIEFS.
A Faraoas Alchemist Whs Claimed to be
1.633 Tear Old.
Medlesl Classics.
The normal duration of life has been a
problem sought for from tbe most remote
ages. Hesiod, Solon, Esculapius, and
Pliny had all their theories, mostly, how
ever, associated with astral influence. Boger
Bacon believed that man could live a
thousand years if he only knew how to econ
omize his provision of vital force. Ar
tephius, a famous alchemist of the twelfth
century who wrote a treatise on the preser
vation oi life on the credit of his own ex
perience, claimed to be at the time of writ
ing his treatise in the 1,025th year of his
age, and used quietly to settle every dis
puted question of ancient history by- the Ir
refragible plea of personal testimony.
Gualdo, a brother of the Bed Cross, and
the h'ermit Trautmansdorf, declared that
they had attained, tbe one, 400 years, the
other 140, by imbibing a solution of the
philosophic stone. Paracelsus, whose real
name was Bombast Yon Hohenheim, boldly
asserted that he had discovered the incor
poration of the vital spirit, and that he
could create men in an alembic, yet never
theless died in a hospital at the age of 48.
Louis XL is said to have drank the blood
of children as a means of renovation, thus
realizing the fabled vampire.
Descartes, who had had relations with the
Bed Cross Knights, considered a vegetable
diet most conducive to long life. His idea
was to eat little and often of substances
easily digested. But au Australian, who
will stuff himself like a boa-constrictor, and
sleep a week upon it, lives as long as those
who take only two or three meals a day.
A STEAHGE C0IKCIDE50B.
The Graves of Tiro Cfasau AeelsteataUjr Le
catedBidebjrBlrfe.
Chicago Henld.1
"Speaking of coincidences," said a good
natured fat man yesterday, "reminds me of
one which I consider remarkably singular.
An old chum of mine died not long ago.
We were great friends. He was a jolly dog,
like me. and we were together a good deal.
He used to say very often that when ha died
he wanted to be laid away ly my side.
This argued that he thought I would be the
first one to pass in my checks, but he died
first His relatives intended to take his re
mains South to his old home for interment;
but later on they decided to bury him la
Graceland. The casket was placed in the
vault until the widow conld buy a lot She
was anxious to purchase a lot in that sec
tion known as 'the old cemetery, but she
was told these hsdaii been sold.
"While she was in the office a mad came
in and said that as he was about to leave
Chicago for good he would like ta have his
lot sold. It was a desirable lot in 'the old
cemetery,' and the widow ot say old friend
purchased ft then and there. I went out to
the interment not long ago and was aston
ished to find that the lot adjoined thstof my
own, in which my parents are bnried and in
which I expect some da; to be laid at rest
The widow jiad never heard of her husband's
oft-expressed desire to be buried by my
side, aad I taink the ooiaeWeaee a very
BELIEFS OF ACTORS.
Footlight Favorites Outline Their Ee
ligions Opinions,
LAST ffORDS OFJOHff GILBERT.
Why Mrs. langtry Leans Toward th9
Catholic Church.
SOME FALSE IMFBESSI05S EEHOYED
rWRITTXX I OB TUX DISPATCH.
It is a popular impression that actors, as
a rule, are at variance with the Church and
its doctrines. While many of tbe publio
profess a disbelief in the religious instincts
of the actor the pulpit has gone farther and
declared him an atheist That those who
successfully tread the boards of the theater
can as devoutly bend the knee in religious
devotion is to the minds of many difficult to
conceive. Except in notable instances, the
actor's voice has been but little heard in the
discussion. Of especial interest, therefore,
we think, will prove the testimonials of
prominent actors sub-joined below. In almost
every case publicity Is sow for the first time;
given to the opinions expressed. The con-1
tributions have thus i freshness of interest
as well as a unique value.
HELEN DATJTEATS FAITH.
Why Actors Seldom Attend Chnrch oa tbo
Sabbath.
Why is It that such a great portion of the
public seem to take it for granted that all
actors are irreligious, if not altogether athe
ists? Some ministers of the gospel, who
teach Christian charity, look upon us as
forever lost to salvation, because we are-unbelievers.
If those who deride us would only
take the trouble to investigate with one-half
the energy that they display in condemning
actors and the stage, they would find such
an opinion without foundation.
In my association with my fellow-actors, it '
have yet to meet one who ever has anything
but the greatest respect and belief in the
Almighty Being. We are not church
goers, it is true, but that is not because wa
are unbelievers, but because Sunday is our
only day of rest; and it is most welcome.
Sunday is the minister's day of business;,
therefore, he is punctual In his devotions,
Bnt if he had to act every night in.the .
week, and twice on Saturday, retire on Sat
urday night physically exhausted,he would,
perhap, also, when he heard the early
church bells on Sunday morning, thine
twice before he would leave the tempting
bed of rest
When an actor does visit a place of wor
ship he is most reverential and deeply im
pressed with, what he sees and hears. If any
one doubts this, let him visit the "Little
Church Around the Corner," in New Tork,
some day, when there is a special gathering
of dramatic people. I have done mo, and.
was forcibly struck with the unusual serious
ness of this usually happy band of light
hearted Bohemians. Not being church-'
goers they are all the more impressed, and I
nrmiy oeiicyc, wuua in laa uouse oi wor- '
ship, think only of the Gospel and ltxi
teachincs. while regular church-eoers. beinsrS
accustomed to their surroundings, are ant to!
let their minds wander to more worldly!
aoairs.
Perhaps periodical devotions that an '
deeply felt will weigh as heavily on high aa
indifferent regularity.
True religion teaches many noble things,
but "thejgmtest of these is charity.' When
in the world, and in -what profession, caa.
Ode find mora of the "niilkot SH-ain-kiaA-"'
ness," than in this elf-ta&bad of; Bi. t i
utuiiuui xubjuo crcr raiuw Kieif ;
lonn a neiping nana to inosein need, rt-y
gardlesa of creed, nationality or profeasie.
I do not think there is a prominent actor
or actress before the publio to-day who is'aa,
unbeliever. There may be agnostics annas:
us, bnt I have never met an atheist -"" A
Personally, I cannot say I am a charei? -goer.
I attend service as often as I cab;
when I do there is no one present who cess-
munes more fervently with God., or with
neater belief, than L Three of mv chiW-"i
hood years were passed in a convent, and ail
the age of 13 1 had serious intentions of be-" i
coming a religieuse; and though I did atJ
follow put my intentions I have not lost oe ,
jot ofay reverence for, or my faith in Ged,-Vjj
HKT.Ejr JJAITVKAX WAS.
COMEDIAN CEASE'S ESSATi , "
Tie Profession Is Not Necessarily
patlbto With KeHglsas Faith.
Actors are more likely to hold in rever- ?3
ence religious and sacred things than the tl
members of many of the learned professioas,
saving, of course, the Doctors of Divinity,
themselves. We are acoustoaed is oar'
nightly work, many of us, at least, to eaua
ciate sentiments of lofty morality and higst ,
and noble purport The emotional partofi
nnw n.fnm faun 1ltnrt V fannv ffMA4
" - .-,- -.,, -w, , ,
its being trom tne emotional rather tnaartto
intellectual side of man's character) is eea-- :
stantly exercised, and becomes, therefore,
more responsive and more easily stirred
than in the case of other men. The very, '
nftrmwnpiut of !ntel!cfnal vision, whfck me
often and perhaps rightly charged against ''J
us, gives to our views oi uie a simplicity
which is not affected by those divene ew ;
rents of thought which anect tne opiawssv
of those Drought more directly into oosus
with the outside world. s
Thus, at the start the actor Is, fa'&a'l
nature ol things, much more lucely to hole
rood men and divine things Invrsvereaes)
than incontemnt: and or own obserratlasi'.Jl
has led me to, conclude that this is pee
caiiy as weu as tueorcucauy uie case. vS,;
cause an actor, who leaves the theater at
midnight on Saturdar, after a hard week's' jj
wore and travel, laus to attend service at a
Strange church m a strange oity, oa Sunday
morning, there is in my opinion naevideeo
fcrsupport a charge against his of InfliWtf
or contempt for religion. . :
Many reasons deter him from attsstdfaw;.
divine service. He Is ever liable to ha
charged with ostentation, and aceassi ef ,
going to church merely to, gain cheap' ar-
vertisemenu and notoriety, it is;
he may hear the reverend gentleman
upon Uie actor's profession as tbe s
mathtrav ii TutnHtinn. TTa Is flirnsAsss!,
naturally, to place correct elocution' km,
virtues wfaioh other men hold ia hlghetl
esteem: and the time ha spends in ustsiiaw
to a service read in the sinr-song, haltiaws
.fashion, which, I fear, is the rule iahr;
than the exception, is a penoa oi ,
mental torture. Finally, as I have kia
Labove, he is a wanderer for sight or KJstts
months in tbe year, and star ia aor i
place Ions enouzh to enable hiss to Mi
himself to any particular church orga4ei
tion. RB
That the actor's profession Is pecessarityj
incompatible with, religions isua aiyutfa
variety, save, perhaps, witn some igtim
uncompromising tfuntanism, Aempaan
deny. I haveknown many actorsand saajsyg
actresses who were good Christians, jast as If
have known many in all other prefwsiisjsl
who delighted to insist la season ad Mtetfj
it on tneir Hostility to aii lorma ex rsvsassj
religion. "W. H. C8AXBJ
STUAET EOBSOfl 13 HAD.
Be Insists That Actors Practice AVflssj
Great Virtues. n "j
The morbid curiosity coacftsingli
tnlrltnal aad Private life of theOln
artist Is only worthy of thai vulvar asMll
norant mass Of semMmbeeues ' c
latfaadalMieattot ty aJw a'is stisji
i ,
J