T;
.
.-
THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH SUNDAY, PEBRTTART' 22, 189L'
IB
5 -
4 AT(CP D
' U ft Viii-
Mrr -
If r I M i
ggj j.'H V AV esx(j
A STORY OP FANCIFUL ADVENTURE.
WRITTEN TOB THI DISPATCH
BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON,
Axttlior of "Dr. Jehylt and lar. Hyde," and Other Notable Works,
Besides Stories and Letters From the '
South Seas.
STXOPSIS OF PKEYIOUS CHAPTERS.
Keawe lived In the island of Hawaii. One day be arrived in San Francisco with 150 In his
pocket. He admired the boautiful houses one In particular. The owner ol this invited him in
and bold him the magic bottlo for bis 150. This bottle granted it owner's every wish save that
of prolonged UTp. on condition that if the owner died with it in his possession be should burn in
bell forever. Keawe soon roiretted his bargain, but could not get rid of his bottle. Then, de
ciding to take the good along with the evil, he wished for himself a beautiful house. After hav
ing nil his heart could wish he fold the bottle to Lnpakx Soon after he fell in lore with beauti
ful Kokua. but when about to marry bcr be finds be has contracted leprosy. Then he starts to
buy back the bottle that the Imp may cure him.
CHAPTEK IIL
Kever a wink coul.I he sleep, the food
stuck in his throat; but he sent a letter to
Kiano, and about the time when the steamer
would be coming rode down beside the clitt
of the tombs. It rained; his horse went
heavily; he looked up at the black mouths
of caTes aud he envied the dead that slept
there and were done with trouble, and called
to mind how he had galloped by the day be
fore, and was astonished. So he came
down to Hookena,and there was all the coun
try gathered for the steamer, as usual. In
the shed before the store they sat and jested
and passed the news: but there was no mat
ter of speech in Keawe's bosom, and he sat
in their midst and looked without on the
rain failing on the houses and the surf beat
ing imong the rocks, and the sighs arose in
his throat.
"Keawe. of the Bright House, is out of
spirits," said one to another. Indeed, and
so he was, and little wonder.
Then the Hall came, and the whaleboat
carried him on board. The after part of the
ship was full of Haoles whites who had
been to visit the volcano, as their custom is,
and the midst was crowded with Kanakas,
and the lore cart with wild bulls from Hilo
and horses from Kau; but Keawe sat apart
from all in his sorrow, and watched for the
house of Kiano. There it sat low upon the
shore in the black rocks and shaded by the
cocoa palms, and there by the door was a
red holoku, no greater than a fly, and going
to and ro with a fly's busyness. "Ah,
queen of ray heart," he cried, "I will
venture mv dear soul to win you!"
Soon after darkness tell, and the cabins
were lit up, and the Haoles sat and played
at the cards and drank whiskv, as their cus
tom is; but Keawe walked the deck ail
night, and all the next day, as they steamed
under the lee ot Maui or Molokji he was
still pacing to and fro like a wild animal in
a menagerie.
Toward evening they passed Diamond
Head and came to the pier of Honolulu.
Keawe stepped out among the crowd aud
began to ask for Lopaka. It seemed he had
Consulting the Laicycr.
become the owner of a schooner, none better
in the islands, and was cone upon an ad
Tenture as far as Pola-Pola or Kabiki; so
there was no help to be looked for from
Lopaka. Keawe called to mind a friend of
hi6, a lawyer in the. town (I must not tell
his name), and inquired of him; they said
he had grown suddenly rich, and had a fine
fine new house upon Waikiki shore; and
this put a thought in Keawe's head, and he
culled a hack and drove to the lawyer's
house.
The house was all brand new, and the
trees in the garden no greiter than walking
sticks, and the lawyer (when he came) bad
the air of a man well pleased.
"What can I do to serve you?" said the
lawver.
"You are a friend of Iiopaka's," replied
Keawe, "and Iiopska purchased from me a
certain piece ot goods that I thought ou
might enable me to trace."
The lawyer's lace became very dark. "I
do not profess to misunderstand you, Mr.
Keawe," said he, "though this is an ugly
busiuess to be stirring in. Xou may be sure
I know nothing; but yet I h.ive a guess; and
it you would apply in a certain quarter, I
think you might have news."
And he named tbe-name of a mao, which
again I had better not repeat So it was for
days; and Keawe went irom one to another,
finding everywhere new clothes and car
riages, ana fine new houses, and men every
where in great conteutmeut; although (to be
sure) when he hinted at his business, their
faces would cloud over.
"No doubt I am upon the track," thought
Keawe. "These new clothes and carriages
are all the gilts of the little imp, and these
glad faces are the faces of men wbo have
taken their profit and got rid of the accursed
thing in safety. When I see pale cheeks
and hear sighing, I shall know that I am
near the bottle."
So it befell at last that he was recom
mended to a Haole in Bentania street.
When he came to the door, about the hour
of the evening meal, there were the usual
marks of the new house, and the young gar
den, and the electric light shining in the
windows; but when the owner came, a shock
of hope and tear ran through Keawe. For
here was a young man, white as a corpse
and black about the eyes, the hair shedding
from bis bead, and such a look in his coun
tenance as a man may have when be is wait
ing for the gallows.
"Here it is. to be sure," thought Keawe;
and so with this man be noways veiled his
errand. "I am come to buy the bottle,"
said he.
At the word the young Haole of Beritania
street reeled against the wall.
"The bottle!" he gasped. "To buy the
bottle." Then he seemed to choke, and
seizing Keawe by the arm carried him into
a room and poured out wine in two glasses.
"Here is my respects," said Keawe, who
had been much about with Haoles iu his
tme. "les." he added, "I am come to buy
the bottle. What is the price by now?"
AJ that word the young man let hit glass
slip through bis fingers and looked upon
Keawe like a ghost. "The price," says he,
"The price! You do not know the price?"
"It is for that I am asking you," returned
Keawe. "But why are you so much con
cerned? Is there anything wrong about the
price?"
"It has dropped a great deal in value
since your time, Mr. Keawe," said the
young man, stammering.
f f 1 fc jj yf-M
(Xr r V S f
ffBfb
OTTLE
IMP
Q)
"Well. well. I shall have the less to pay
for it," savs Keawe. "How much did it
cost you?"
The young man was as white as a sheet.
"Two cents," said he.
"What !" cried Keawe; "2 cents? Why,
then, you can only sell it for 1. And he
who buys it" The words died upon
Keawe's tongue, pe who bought it could
never sell it again; the bottle and the bottle
imp must abide with him until he died, and
when he died must carry him to the red end
of hell.
The young man of Beritania street fell
upon his knejs. "For God's sake, buy it 1"
he cried. You can have all my tor
tune in the bargain. I was mad when I
bought it at that price. I had embezzled
money at my store; J was lost else; I must
have gone to jail."
"Poor creature," said Keawe. "You
would risk your soul upon so desperate an
adventure, aud to avoid the proper punish
ment ol your own disgrace; and you think I
could hesitate with loye iu front of me. Give
me the bottle and the change which I make
sure you have all ready. He is a 5-cent
piece."
It was as Keawe supposed; the young
man had the change ready in a drawer; the
bottle changed hands, and Keawe's fingers
were no sooner claspedupon the stalk than
he had breathed his wish to be a clean man.
And sure enough when be got home to bis
room and stripped himself before a glass bis
flesh was whole like an infant's. And here
w a the strange thing, he had no sooner seen
this miracle than his mind was changed
within him, and he cared naught for the
leprosy, and little enough for Kokun, and
bad but one thought, that here he was
bound to the Bottle ImD for time and for
eternity, and had no better hope but to be a
cinder forever in the flames of hell. Away
ahead of him he saw them blaze in his
mind's eye, and his soul shrank, and dark
ness fell unnn the light
When Keawe came to himself a little he
wb aware it was the night when the band
played at the hotel. Thither he went, be
cause he feared to be alone; and there,among
happy faces, walked to and fro, and heard
the tunes go up and down, and saw Berger
beat the measure, and all the while he
heard the flames crackle and saw the red
fire burning in the bottomless pit Ot a
sudden the band played "Hiko-ao-ao;" that
was a song that he had sung with Kokua,
and at the strain courage returned to him.
"It is done now," he thought, "and once
more let me take the good along with the
evil."
So it befell that he returned to Hawaii by
the first steamer, and as soon as it could be
managed he was wedded to Kokua, and car
ried her up the mouutain side to the bright
house.
Now it was so with these two that when
they were together Keawe's heart was stilled,
but so soon as he was alone he tell into a
brooding horror, and heard the flames
crackle and saw the red fire burn in the bot
tomless pit The girl, indeed, had come to
Mm wholly; her heart leaped in her side at
sight of him, her band clung to his, and she
was so fashioned from the hair upon her
head to the nails upon her toes, that none
could see her without joy. She was pleas
ant iu her nature. She had the good word
always. Full of song she was, and went to
and fro in the bright house, the brightest
thing in the three stories, caroling like
birds. And Keawe beheld aud heard her
with delight, and then must shrink upon one
side, and weep and groan to thiuk upon the
price that he had paid for her; and then he
must dry his eyes, and wash his face, and
go and sit with her on the broad balconies,
joining in her songs and (with a sick spirit)
answering her smiles.
There came a day when her feet began to
be heavy and her songs were rare; and now
it was uot Keawe only that would weep
apart, but each would sunder from the other,
and sit iu opposite balconies, with the whole
width of the bright bouse betwixt Keawe
was so sunk in his despair, he scarce ob
served the change; and was only glad he had
more hours to sit alone and breed upon his
destiny, and was not so frequently con
demned to cull a smiling face on a sick
heart But one day, coming softly through
the house, he heard the sound of a child
sobbing, and there was Kokua rolling her
face upon the balcony floor and weeping
like the lost.
"You-do well to weep in this house, Ko
kua," he said, "and yet I would giye the
head off my body that you (at least) might
have been happy."
"Happyl" she cried, "Keawe, when yon
lived alone in your bright house, you were
the word of the island for a happy man;
laughter and song were in your mouth, and
I Have Come to -Huy the Bottle.
She Put the Mottle tn a Corner.
your face was as bright as the sunrise. Then
you wedded poor Kokua, and the good God
knows what is amiss in her. but from that
day you have not smiled, '01' she cried,
'what ails me. I thought I was pretty, and
I knew I loved him; what ails me that I
I throw this cloud upon mv husband?"
"Poor Kokua," said Keawe. He sat
down by her side and sought to take ner
hand, but tb.t she plucked away. "Poor
Kokua," he said again. "My poor child,
my prettyl And I had thought all this
w hile'to spare you! Well you shall know
all. Then at least you will pity poor Keawe;
then you will understand how much he has
loved you in the past, that he dared hell for
your possession, and how much he loves you
still (the poor, condemned one), that he
can yet call up a smile when he beholds
you."
With that he told her all, even from the
beginning.
"You have done this lor me?" she cried.
"Ah, well, then what do I care?" and she
clasped and wept upon him.
"Ah. child!" said Keawe. "and yet.whcn
I consider the fire of hell, I care a good
deal!"
"Never tell me," said she. "no man can
be lost because he loved Kokua, nnd no
other fault I tell you, Keawe, I shall save
you with these hands, or perish iu your
company. What! you loved me, and you
gave your soul, and you think I will not die
to save yon in return?"
"Ah, my dear, you might die an hundred
times, and what difference would that
make?" he cried, "except to leave me lonely
till the time comes ot my damnation."
"You know nothing," said she; "I was
educated in a school in Honolulu; I am no
common girl, aud I tell you I shall save mv
lover. What is this you say about a ceni?
But all the world is not American. In
England they have a piece called a farthing,
which is about half a cent. Ah, sorrow!"
she cried, "thlt makes it scarcely better, lor
the buyer must be lost, aud we shall find
none so brave 'as my Keawe! But then
there is France; they have a small coin
there which they call a centime, and these
go five to the cent or thereabout. We could
not do better. Come, Keawj let us go to
the French Islands; let us go to Tahiti as
fast :is ships can bear us. There we have
4 centimes, 3 centimes, 2 centimes, 1 cent
ime; four possible sales to come and go on,
and two of us to push the bargain. Come,
my Keawe, kiss me and banish care. Kokua
will defend vou."
"Gift of God," he cried, "I cannot think
that God will punish me for desiring aught
so good! Be itasyou will, then; take me
where you please; I put my lite and my
salvation in your hands."
Early the next day, Kokua was about her
preparations. She took Keawe's chest that
he went with, sailoring; and first she put the
bottle in the corner, and then packed it with
the richest of their clothes and the bravest of
the knick-knacks in the house. "For," said
she, "ire must seem to be sick folk, or who
will believe in the bottle?" All the time ot
her preparation, she was as gay as a bi d;
only when she looked upon Keawe, the tears
would spring in her eye and she must run
and kiss him. As for Keawea weight was
off his soul; now that he had his secret
shared, and some hope in front of him, he
seemed like a new man, his feetwentlightly
on the earth, and his Dreath was gnod to
him again. Yet was terror still at his elbow;
and ever and again, as the wind blows out
a taper, hope died in him, and he saw the
flames toss and the red fire burn.
It was given out in the countr ' they were
gone pleasuring to the States; which was
thought a strange thing, and yet not so
strange as the truth if any could have
guessed it So they went to Honolulu in
the Hall, and thence in the Umatilla to
San Francisco with a crowd of baule. and
at San Francisco took their passage by the
mail brigantme, the Tropic Bird, for
Papeete, the chief place of the French in
the South Sea Islands. Thither they came,
after a pleasant voyage, on a fair day of the
trade wind, and saw the reet with the surf
breaking and Motuti with its palms, and
the schooners riding withinside, and the
white houses of the town low down along
the shore among green tree, and overhead
the mountains and the clouds of Tahiti,
the Wise Island.
It was judged the most wise to hire a
house, which they did accordingly, oppo
site the British Consul's, to make a great
parade of money, and themselves conspicu
ous with carriage and horses. This was very
easy to do so long as thev had the bottle in
their possession, for Kokua was more bold
than Keawe, and whenever she had a mind
called on the imp for 20 or 5100. At this
rate they soon grew to be remarked in the
town; and the strangers from Hawaii, their
riding aud their driving, the fine holokus
and the rich lace of Kokua, became the
matter of much talk.
They got on well after the first with the
Tahitiau language, which is lit? to the Ha
waiian with a change of certain letters; and
as soon as they had any freedom of speech,
began to push the bottle. You are to con
sider it was no easy subject to introduce; it
was not easy to persuade people you were ic
earnest; when you offered to sell them for
four centimes the spring of health and
riches inexhaustible. It was neces
sary besides to explain the dangers
of the bottle; aud either people
disbelieved the whole thing and
laughed, or they thought the more of the
darker part, became overcast with gravity,
and drew away from Keawe and Kokua as
from persons who had dealings with the
devil. So lar from gaining ground, these
two began to find they were avoided iu the
town; the children ran away irom them
screaming, a thing intolerable; to Kokua,
Catholics crossed themselves as they vent
by; and-all persons begati with one "accord
to disengage themselves from their ad
vances. Depression fell upon their spirits. They
would tit at night iu their new house, alter
a day's weariness, and not exchange one
word; or the silence would be broken by
Kokua bursting suddenly into sobs. Some
times ihey would pray together; sometimes
they would have the bottle out upou the
flior, and sit all evening watching bow the
shadow hovered in the midst At such
times they would be ufraid to go to rest; it
was long ere slumber came tn them, and if
either dozed off it would be to wake and find
the other silently weeping in the dark; or
perhaps to wake alone, the other having fled
from the house aud the neighborhood of that
bottle to pace under the bananas in the lit
tle garden, or to wander ou the beach by
moonlight
One night it was so when Koku awoke.
Keawe was gone; she felt in the bed, and his
place was cold. Then fear fell upon her and
she sat up in bed. A little moonshine
filtered through the shutters; the room was
bright, and she could spy the bottle on the
floor. Outside it blew high, the great trees
of the avenue criedout aloud, and the fallen
leaves rattled in the veranda. In the midst
of this Kokua was aware of another sound;
whether of a beast or of a mau she could
scarce tell, but it was as sad as death, and
cut her to the soul. Softly she arose, set the
door ajar and looked forth into the moonlit
yard. There, under the bananas, lay Keawe,
bis mouth iu the dust, and as he lay he
moaned.
It was Kokua's first thought to run for
ward and console him. Her second potently
withheld her. Keawe had borne himself
before his wife like a brave man; it became
her little in the hour of weakness to intrude
upon bis shame. With the thought she
drew back into the house..
"Heaven," she thought, "how careless
have I been, how weak! It is he, not I,
that stands in this eternal peril; it was he,
not I, that took the curse upon bis soul. It
is for my sake, and for the love of a creature
of so little worth aud such poor help, that
he now beholds so close to him the flames of
hell, ay, and smells the smoke oi it, lying
witnout there in the wind and moonlight
Am I so dull ot spirit that never till now
have I surmised my duty? or have I seen it
before and turned aside? But now, at least,
I take up my soul in both the band of my
affection; now I say farewell to the white
steps of heaven and the waiting faces of my
friends. A love for a love, and let mine be
equaled with Keawe's! A soul fpr a soul,
and let it be mine to perish!" . "
ITo be continued next Sunday.
HOBSFOBDS ACID PHOSPHATE
For Wakefulness,
Hysteria, and other diseases of the nervous
system.
GOTHAM SMALL TALK.
Murray Turns in a Choice Collection
of Short Interviews.
GOOD ST0EY OP A EAILROAD PASS.
The Onyx ling Predicts a Palace Hade of
the Translucent Stone.
A TBAYELER WII0 L0YED SNAKE HEAT
tCOERLSPONDSXCE OF THE DISPATCH.!
New YoRK,.Feb. 21. My short inter
views for this week include the following,
which are of more than ordinary interest:
How He Beached Huntington's Heart
Ei. newspaper man Some years ago I had a
queer experience with the railroad magnate,
Collls P. Huntington. I was doing some corre
spondence tor a San Francisco paper, bnt it was
at sach long intervals I rarely ever had any
ready cash to show for It My desire was to
get to San Francisco, whereT came from to
New York, but Ineverfiad enough money to
take mo as far as Washington. I called on Mr.
Huntington, told him who I was and the paper
I represented. He Immediately straightened
himself in his cbair ami said: "It is a black
mailing sheet, repeating It over several times
In a vehement way, much to my discomfiture.
When 1 asked him for a ticket to ban Fran
cisco he again p lid bis pessimistic respects to
the character uf the paper I was representing.
I informed blni that 1 was not the editor
of the paper and had nothing to do with
shaping its policy. He told me to bny my
ticket I said I was "busted." Then ho
argued that I might as well be "busted" here as
in San Francisco. I was Arm and declared that
I bad to have a pass ticket, because it was a sad
dilemma of fish or cut bait He intimated that
I might do either without discommoding him
in the least Finally I said it was a "ground
hog" case, and I wanted to get back to my
native beatb (I was born in Indiana) and
starve, if 1 had to, gazing upon the calm waters
of the Pacific Ocean, where I bad often bathed
when an innocent boy. Well, a mighty change
took place in the great railroad man. He
touched an electric button. A clerk came in
and received this message: "Have a pass made
out for Mr. Blank from bere to San Francisco!"
I then regretted very much that he did not
have charge of the Pullman Palace cars so I
could have asked for a lower berth or a section
to ban Francisco. I am a railroad man myself
now, and I imagine I knew just bow Hunting
ton felt when I named the paper that had been
attacking him so fiercely.
Tho Profit in Quick Hunches.
Koung lady behind a downtown quick lunch
counter If I ever get enough money ahead I
intend to go into the lunch business, because it
pays a large profit Take sardine sandwiches,
for instance, which sell at 10 cents. About
seven sandwiches can be made from one box,
and the cost of the bread for them all will not
bo over 5 cents. The wholesale price of small
siied boxes of sardines will average from 8 to
10 cunts a box, so on an outlay of Id cents there
is an inome uf 70 cents, or a clear profit of S3
cents. Hard boiled eggs that are pnt down on
the bill of fare at 5 cents earb cost the pro
prietor by the dozen 2" cents. His profit is over
a hundre'! per cent. You see. 1 have poured on
the lunch counter business even if I do wear a
white aprou and nand victuals overall day long
to hungry gentlemen. Of course there are
some things which do not have much profit in
tuem. such as apde or peach pies. The fruit
costs a good deal and requires plenty of sugar
ing. There lb a pi ott- made on coffee and tea,
but not much on milk. I've got so I can tell a
sandwich gentleman from a pie gentleman as
soon as he sits down to thn counter.
Tronbles of Hotel Detectives.
A hotel detective If anyone thinks I have a
soft snap I would just like for bim to try it for
awhile. One day a guest lost his sleeve but
tons, and for two months I did nothing but look
for them, and came very near arresting several
innocent bell boys, ills sleeve buttons proved
to be plated gold, and were found in a pair of
cuffs he bad put iu the bottom of his trunk.
But women give ten times more trouble tban
men. Ihey are aluayslosing something m the
jewelry Hue. Instead of depositing their jew
elry with the clerk thev prefer running the
ri-k of losing half a dozen cems. Often thoy
misplace a gem, and there is the mischief to
paj. They want to see somebody arrested
rightaway. One time I was notified bv a lady,
whose husband is several times a millionaire,
that she had lost a diamond ring valued at
1,000. I made an Investigation, and su-picion
did not attach to any one in particular. But
she insisted that I must make an arrest, and so
I arrested her maid. The lady became very in
dignant at the idea of my suspecting, much
less arresting, her maid. I sai'l I could not
help it and regretted that I would have to
take her maid to a police nation house. I so
frightened the "innocent" maid that she
brought forth the ring. The lady did not dis
charge but kept the maid in her service. Care
lessness is the chief reason for losing anything
in a big hotel. My advico to guests is never tn
expose jewelry in their rooms. Never keep
valuables in a hotel room, except those always
worn on the person.
A "Woman Oat Shopping.
Colonel J. R. Furname I was passing along
Fourteenth streot recently with a friend, and
meeting a lady, who evidently was on a regular
shopping expedition, I poltely lifted my hat
and bowed. She looked at mo iu a blank kind
of a way and never returned my salutation. My
friend, very polite, had lilted his bat also. I
could see he was very much embarrassed,
thinking I was snubbed or had played a llttln
joke on him, so I said: "Tho lady is my wife."
"Your wife, and never recognized vou?" he re
piled with an incredulous luak. The lady was
my wife, and w as soabsorbod in her shopping
tht although she saw me. she looked upon me
as a species of mankind iu general and did not
recognize me. Shopping is more intense and
absorbing than love or any abstraction of
genius. When I told my wife I had met her
she could scarcely credit it
Getting Out an Illustrated Paper.
W. J. Arkell, onnerof a weekly illustrated
paper ortno I had much rather get out a
daily tban a weekly paper. So many pictures
have to be killed in a weekly illustrated paper
on account of events happening sooner tban
expected. And than fo many pictures have to
be kept on hand to be ready for any emergency.
Why I have had one of my papers made up five
or six times before it could go to press. J ust as
the form would be ready to go to tho press
something would coma in on tho wires that
would require an entire change of pictures on
some of the page. But these are tint tho only
drawbacks. Artists are men of genlu, at,d
instead of their coming to jou tn get work you
havo to go to them, knock at their doors, take
off your hat and go in and plead for what vou
want done. I am not drawing on my imagina
tion, but stating cold facts. I always like for
an artist to have an interest in my paper, and
then I can, as a rule, count upon his co-operation.
He Lived On Snake Meat
General James K. Furlong, once on Grant's
staff I have traveled all over Asia and Kurope
and have had some queer experiences. Becom
ing satiated with travel and sight-seeing, I con
cluded to remain in Montcbooris, a provinca iu
China, a month or so. Every day my cook
served me with a kind of pot pourri, a mixture
ot rice and other things. I enjoyed the pot
pourri every day for a month aud then my ap
petito for it was killed. Returning from a reed
b:rd1iunt I came upon the house I was living
In from tho rear. I saw my Sepoy servant
busily engaged In chopping small black snakes
into small fine bits, when I asked him what
he was cutting up snakes for, he replied:
"Whv for you to eat, Sabib." I told him I
would not eat one for any amount of money.
Then the Sepoy grinned and cnoly informed
me that the chief mgrediebt in the pot pourri
was snake. Tbat cured me of eating any kind
of a gumbo mixture that came along, especially
whilo I remained in the Orient
Tricks of the Great Specialists.
Charles EL Coon.cx-Asslstaut Secretary of the
Treasury A mau wbo has a big reputation as a
specialist, often has away of prolonging mat
ters rather to the patient's detriment While I
was in London several cars ago I bad some
kind of throat disease that required a surgical
operation. 1 went to a famous specialist and
had him examine my throat carefully. He
said be would have to operate, but tbat my
throat would need "touching up" for several
weeks. I went several days and had my throat
"touched" by the great physician. TLen he
left the city for Germany and bis assistant
took his place. Well, I did not care to have his
assistant take charge of the case, 'and so I con
cluded to wait for the return of the f pecisllst.
One evening I called upon an old friend of
mine, a surgeon in the British army. He was
in bis army quarters, and in tho course of con
versation 1 told blra who I bad treating my
throat He looked into my throat and asked
me to He down on the sofa. "It won't hurt
yon, and in two minutes I can perform the op.
eration," he said. Well, I scarcely felt it and
wheal offered him a sum of money be said it
was merely a friendly operation, not difficult,
and there was no charge. Very soou I was en
tirely well, and sent the great specialist pay for
his "touching up." 1 was Informed by one
who knew that my billlwould have been quite- a
small fortune if I had had the operation per
formed by the specialist We often ignore the
fact that doctors wbo have no great reputation
sometimes have great skill and do not prolong
cases.
A Gift From Prince Bismarck.
Count de Wartegc, husband of Minnie Hank
There afo things that money cannot buy,
although they have no intrinsic value. Bis
marck has heard my wife sing often, bnt he
never sent her any special token ot bis pleasure
until recently, when he gave her his photo
graph with bis autograph attached. As be
never gives his photograph with his autograph,
i certainly prize the compliment to the prima
donna. He gave ber this token of his admira
tion last January. We all consider Blsolarck a
grand old man and Germany's benefactor.
Redeeming Feature of Philadelphia.
Dr. Horatio Guzman, Nicaraguan Minister
at Washington If I should be asked about.tbe
young ladles in the United States I would first
pay a tribute to those who live In Philadelphia.
The Quaker City young ladies are beautiful.
On the streets and in the drawing rooms
beautiful young girls can be seen. They am
beautiful in the aggregate and are not confined
to isolated cases. It is Pimply a characteristic
of the Philadelphia girt to bo beautiful. In
New York there is a great deal of style. The
young ladle-i are attractive and charmingly
stylish. Boton can boast of literary looking
young ladles, and thoy have many lovely
charms. Of course this is my observation. I
do not pretend to speak as one who bad made
the question a special study. There are beauti
ful girls in all the cities, but the predominating
characteristics in each city aro noticeable.
The Massachusetts Liquor Law.
Ex-Governor Oliver Ames, of Massachusetts
We have a great deal of trouble in my State
about liquor laws. The man who goes into a
saloon in Boston, instead of standing up by tho
counter and ordering his drink in the usual way,
has to take a scat at a table and order a sand
wich or something eatable and with ithls drink.
It is the old victualling law revived by Governor
Brackett It Is a mere subterfuge and liquor is
drunk all the same. Looking over the statutes
the Governor discovered the law and badit pnt
into operation. There is no doubt tbat It
helped to defeat bim. Men, when theydrlnic,
as a rule, prefer to decide for themselves
whether they shall sit or stand. What Is the
ditference between drinking whisky standing or
sitting, is more than I can see, as it manages to
be drunk all the same.
Danger in Cheap Sponges.
A druggist of experience For the past SO
years I have dealt in sponges, and few people
have any idea of the great difference between
a cheap and high priced SDonge. A fine sponge
h properly cured is more lasting than and gives
mora satisfaction tban a dozen cheap ones.
The cheap sponges soon fall to pieces from use
and soon refuse to soak much water. But there
is real danger tn small cheap sponger pur
chased at anv third class place. la tbe big
hospitals a great many sponges are used in
washing out wounds. These sponges are
thrown or given away, and by a process of
bleaching aro made to do duty again. They
are sold by dealers who have no reputation tb
lose. Of course they are cheap. Wbo wants
to have a sponge that has washed out many
wounds, fresh or old, to be rubbed over his
face or on his person. A good, fresh sponge is
certainly as healthy as any towel or cloth used
for tbe same purpose. There are spjnges and
sponges.
Teaching the Heathen Chinoe.
A young lady who teaches Sunday school les
sons to two Chinese boys in an Episcopal
church on Fifth avenue My two sons of the
Flouery Kingdom can speak but little English,
but I really thiuk they have a good idea of
Christ and His mission on earth. Tbey seem
very apt at learning and kneel and stand up
at the proper time during church services.
Both of them wear cues though, and
would not part from them for any consider
ation. It took me a long time to make them
understand tbat Christ was divine. They im
agined He was an idol tbat had been tound
over 1800 years ago at Bethlehem, in J uilea, and
had been" buried alter having been exposed on
tbe cross, and then stolen and hidden by those
wbo worshiped the idol. It was hard to get
them away Irom the Joss idea. One of them
asked me if God was buried in Judea as well as
His son. When I explained that tbey lived
above the clouds an incredulous look came
upon the boys' faces and one said: "Melican
man bab tings way up." I could not deny that
we worshiped a being far above us, but all
around us. How long did it tike me to make
them understand tbe divinity of Christ? Well,
nearly tour years. They are bright boys.
Ochiltree Will Not Plead Guilty.
Colonel Thomas P. Ochiltree, cosmopolitan
It Is generally supposed I play cards, and tbat
at pnkorM am an adept I scarcely know the
gamo and I rarely ever touch a card, and then
it is only in a social way. Some very large
sized poker stories have been credited tome,
but that Is something I do not do gamble. I
know poker is considered a national game, and
not to play it well Miows a lack of a certain
kind of American polish, but I acknowledga
mySleficieucy cheerfully. To mv mind there
are other games as entertaining as poker, such
as whist cribbage aud eucnre. I presume the
absorbing and perennial interest in poker is all
owing to the large amount of money at stake.
Once and for all, I want it distinctly under
stood that I am not a card player, and never
have been. As for gaming, well, my opinion is
contained in these lines paraphrased from the
Latin:
Gaming, that direct felon of the breast
Steals more than fortune from its wretcbed
thrall:
Spreads o'er the soul the inert devouring pest
And gnaws, and rots, and taints aud ruins
all I
Flirting O vor the Wires.
A young woman telegraph operator in New
York City Is there much flirtation over the
wires? So many have asked me this questionl
During certain business hours there is
little time to flirt or seud conversa
tion messages. Now, I bavo chargo of
an office somewhat uptown, and naturally
nearly all my mes-ages go" direct to
the Western TJuion building, and I know tbe
operators on duty as receivers. Soma months
ago I received a message from an office not so
farfromme. As soon as tbe instrument began
to tick I knew a man and a rapid operator was
at work. I asked bim to go slow. Thereupon
he ticked this on! to me: "Has tbe strawberry
blonue been taking soothing syruu?" It made
lueitirious audi ticked back: 'VNune of your
Impertinence. Sir Impudence." Then ho
answered: "Come to sea me, Daisy mine, when
you are rested." I took the message, and as
soot, as I Could I sent for my orother to go and
settle with thu impudent operator. Ilo took
the elevated cars and returned in an hour and
a bait smiling as if a splendid joke had been
plajcd upon me. The impudent operator was
a woman who weighed over "00 pounds. She
had come in from some neighboring city to see
a friend of hers, tho telegraph operater (a
young woman) who was in charge of tbat
special telegraph ofilee, and the tilt with me
was merely to guy me. There is not much
talking over the wires. It is a sign language,
and wbeu a girl cannot sea anyoue his conver
sation is not highly appreciated.
A Confession From St Louis.
Congressman IV G. Neidringhaus. of StLouis
Although I reside In St Louis, I would cer
tainly like to see the World's Columbian Falra
success. I am not so narrow gauge, so canker
eaten with jealousy, as not to wish success to
Chicago. A few men in St. Louis beat torn
toms.sent off firecrackers and hurried to Wash
ington to ask Congress to send the fair to St
Louis. Tney were not our most prominent cit
izens and simply represented themselves. Wo
really did not want the white elephant It is
not a case of sour grapes: but St Louis, in
truth, did not want the World's Fair. We hava
a great, expanding, perennially interesting aud
never boasting cltv, and we can afford to reach
out tbe great hand of friendship to any city, es
pecially Chicago, and say: "God speed you; we
wish you success and will do all we can to help
you, but we are not abxlous for the white ele
phant" We must all put our shoulders to the
w heel and'work for success.
,- A Solid Edifice of Onyx.
William Cooper, Mexican onyx king There'
is enough onyx iu Mexico to last about a de
cade,Nand then it will become an extinct ma
terial, unless mines are discovered elsewhere.
Such a great demand exists for onyx, both in
this country and Kurope, I cannot supply with
all my mines. I keep hundreds of miners at
work quarrying onyx, and jet I cannot half
supply the demand. No man now would think
of erecting a One bouso without having the in
terior decorations largely composed of the
finest onyx. A certain millionaire who is build
ing a house ou Fifth avenue intends to have a
grand staircase of onyx which will cost some
thing like 300,000. The famous stairway of the
famous "peacock" mansion of Mr. Leland In
London will sink into insignificance beside this
frand Corinthian stairway of translucent onyx,
expect to see a solid odlflce of onyx in this
city. It would stand longer than the Coliseum.
Chables T. Muekat.
It Takes Land to Speculate.
Boston Commercial Bulletin. J
"Sid the grocers maka anything on
sugar?" asked Lamkiu.
"Yes," said Broker Margin, "thoie who
had any tand did."
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Carpenter Collects a Lot of Interest
ing Short Interviews.
SOME VEEY KAP1D U0NEI-MAKIHG
Speaker Eeed 837s Newspapers Slight tbe
Kewa of Congress.
THE POLITICAIi DRIFT FOE 1892
tCOREESFONDINCE OT TUX BISF.i.TCn.1
"Washington, Feb. 2L It is a liberal
education to live in Washington. Every
other man yon meet here, is distinguished
for something, and fresh information and
bright stories dropout in ordinary conversa
tion faster than did" the pearls and diamonds
from the mouth of the good little girl in the
fairy tale. The following are the gists of
short talks which I have bad during the
past few days with distinguished characters.
I give them as nearly as possible in their
own words: "
Selling Our Gold Abroad.
Governor Rodman M. Price, of New Jersey
The United Btate3 made a great mistake when
it first permitted our gold to go out of the
country. 1 am abont 75 years old now and I
was In San Francisco in 1815, acting as Navy
Agent of the Pacific coast, and I had instruc
tions to give drafts on the Uni-ed States
Treasury for all tho gold tbat was brought in to
me. In this way the Government practically
controlled tbe gold product of California, and.
bad we continued to receive gold in this way, the
balance of trade would never have gone against
us and we would have tbe best credit of any
nation in the world. The Government made
money by it too for tbe cold always overran
what we paid for it when It was re-weighed at
the mint. 1 was in California when gold was
discovered and my money drove the first pile in
the harbor of San Francisco. Did I make anv
money out there? Yes, I did, but I made itout
of real estate rather than gold. I bought a lot
in San Francisco one day for 51", and I sold it
ins'de of a year Tor $100,000. and dnnng those
booming times I made $3,000,000 In three years.
I was one of the first candidates for Congress
in California, was elected and counted nut.
The election took place in the spring of 1850. I
came back to Now Jersey as soon as tbe matter
was settled and ran for Congress there and was
elected and got my seat. Sojou see I ran for
Congress on tbe Pacific and tbe Atlantic slopes
during the Bame year and for the same
Congress.
Senator Tabor as a Money Maker.
Senator Teller,- of Colorado 1 supposo the
most remarkable instance of money making in
Colorado was that of Senator Tabor. Tabor
put $S0 Into a mlue and got out tl.WJO.OOO. He
grub-staked two prospectors, and they dis
covered tho Little Pittsburg. After tbey had
found It, the prospectors were offered JS'X) for
a third interest in tbe mine, and they asked
$1,000. Tabor, who was then a grocer, was mad
because they would not take tbe !800, and he
growled as they went on to develop it. He
changed his tune very soon, however, for they
took out (600,000 the first year, and not long
after this Talmr came down to Denver and
called on ex-Senator Chaffee. I w.is present
when he came in. He told Mr. Chaffee that he
wanted o buy out onp of bis partners and he
wan'edtoborrowJOO.OOOtodoyr. Chaffee did
uot lend him the money, but 1e afterward got
It of someone else, and he soj , ut 0j3 interest
in the mine to Chaffee and otber3 for $1 000 0T0
J!lJln,3Xs.'wi.Jt 'u other mines, and he made
$3,000,000 inside or a year. He has lost some
money and be has made some since then, but
I doubt whether he is worth more than this
anion lit to-day. Colorado is full of possibili
ties. Prospectors are eoing through the moun
tains by tne hundreds, and the chances for
finding big mines are as good as they ever
were.
A Tunnel Under Bering Strait.
Dr. Sheldon Jackson, the Alaskan educator
A railroaa may be some day put across Bering
Strait, but if so it will bavo to go under the
water instead of over lr. The distance from
America to Asia at this point is 40 miles, and
a tunnel might be used. Tbe breaking up of
the ice and the current Is such that it would
destroy any bridce that could be made, and the
only other means nf crossing would be by ferry
boats in tbe summer and by reindeer sledges
in the winter. The reindeer is tbe best animal
for Northern Alaska, and I hope tn se Con
gress adopt mvscheme for buying 1.000 domes
tic reindeer in. Lipland and bringing tbem
over to Alaska.' There fcre about 30.000 people
In this part of the cnuntrv. They are starving,,
but the reindeer would keep them alive and
would give tbem occupation. The Laplanders
have reindeer by tbe thousand. Tbey use their
meat for fod and tbey find a great deal of
sustenance from tbelr milk. Reindeer milk is
as thick as molasses and it is so rich that you
have to dilute it before you can drink it. A
good reindeer will give a large teacupful at a
milking. I spent thn summer among these
Northern Alaskans, and I was as faraway in
nmi respects as though I was on the banks of
tbe Kongo. I had to travel 6,000 miles from
Sitka by water in going in and out around the
Aleutian Islands to get to my destination, and I
was 2,500 miles from Sitka, in a straight line.
Tbe part of Alaska I visited is wild and desolate
In tbe extreme. There aro no trees, and the
climate is so cold tbat vegetables cannot be
raised. It will cost about $15,000 to buy these
remdeor and it will cost sumetbing to teach
the people how to take care of them.
Speaker of the Now House.
Hon. Roswell P. Flower, of New York I am
not a candidate for tbe Speakership and I have
never thought of being Speaker. I don't
even know wbo the present candidates are, and
my idea is to let them develop their strength,
see what they can do during the coming sum
mer, and next fall we will elect the strongest
and best man. I don't know that New York
will have a candidate, but it always has Its
opinion as to nominations, and generally ex
presses tbem. I am not at all afraid of the next
Congress being a crazy one and I can tell you
how we can prevent anv foolish speeches being
made upon the floor. We will hold caucuses
about twice a week and get tho different men
to ventilate their ideas in the caucus. Such of
them as are good we will take advantage of and
bad ones will notget into the newspapers. In
this way we can sizanp our men and can keep
the pariy together. .1 tried this plan n a series
of dinners I gave in 1882, when I was one of tho
Board of Control of the Executive Committee.
I dined all of our party in Congress and got
them to express their opinions at the table.
From their speeches I was able tooutllne a plan
which aided us materially during the campaign
and the same would be the effect of the cau
cuses. 1
Desks in the House.
Hon. T. P. O'Connor, member ot Par
liament from Ireland The famine in Ireland
is at present very bad, and it will continue
until the now potato crop is ready to harvest.
I visited Congress during my stay in Washing
ton, and I think there are some things In which
our Honse of Commons has the advantage of
your House of Representatives. I did think
that the desk s which you have for members
were a good thing, bnt I now see that they are
out ot placo in a deliberative assembly. They
enable erery member to bring his Drivate busi
ness Into tbe Honse, and be carries on bis cor
respondence and manages his campaign there,
whereas be could not do this in case he had to
write on his bat as ho does with us. I think
tbat our plan secures better attention tor the
speakeis, better order and le3 noise.
Oklahoma Beady for Statehood.
Governor Steele, of Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma is nearly as big as Ohio, and it is
going to make one of the finest States In tbe
Union. It has the bnest agricultural laud un
der tho American flag. Cotton and corn grow
there side by side, aud our land is as rich as a
40-year-old barnyard. We have now 60.000 peo
ple, which is mora than Wyoming or Nevada,
and wo are about ready for Statehood. Our
population was built up like Alladtn's palace,
winch rose in a night. Oklahoma was settled
in a day, and tbe people are now camped all
along the Cherokee strip waiting for it to be
opened to settlement. Ic will be taken up
within a month after the bill is passed. We
have a good many things in our .Territory of
which the rest of the country has no knowl
edge. We have never had a geological survey,
but our undeveloped resources are wonderful.
Our coal area is one ot the best In tbe West, A
sample of mineral paint was brought Into me
tneotner day, anu wastnen sent on tooiansas
City to some paint makers. Tbey replied at
once offering to bring a plant and come to the
Territory to make paint for one-third of tbe net
profits. We bare great beds of asphaltum, and
we don't know just what elso we have. Our
1 erritory is booming, we bavo three railways,
half a dozen good towns, 22 newspapers, and
several of our best cities hare three dally pa
pers. Wo aro alive and don't you forget It.
Congress and tne Newspaper.
Speaker Reed The newpapers of the United
State influence public sentiment more tban
does Congress. The publication of our pro
ceedlngs in full in the Congreuional Record
detracts from Congressional influence rather
than adds to it. England has but one news
center or center of public sentiment, and this
is London. The United States has half a
dozen, and the newspaper correspondents de
vote themselves to tbe reporting of matters of
local interestln their various sections rather
than to the giving in full the general Con
gressional news. If the Congreuional Record
was abolished, the news of Congress wonld be
made much more important in the eyes of tbe
people, and our proceedings wonld be much
more fully reported. As it Is, In the New York
newspapers you will find a fuller account of
tbe Legislature at Albany than yon will ot tbe
doings ot Congress, and this is due both to our
rules and to the Record. 1 hope the time will
come when matters of public interest can be
more quickly brought before Congress than is
possible uow.
How Mark. Twain Copyrights.
Editor Jobnson, of tbe Century Magazine
The copyright bill is bound to pass sooner or
later, and it will, I think, go through this
session. I believe it will cheapen books to
American readers, and it will make literature a
profession. As it Is now. a man who bas a
copyright in England bas to bavd tbe book pub
lished in that country before any where else,
and be has to be also lu the country at the time
it is published. Mark Twain copyrights his
books in England as well as in America. He
has tbem issued a few hours there before tbey
are Issued bere. and he goes up to Canada and
stands on the Niagara bridge when they are is
sued from the press.
Republican Party In Bad Shape.
Colonel W.W. Dudley It seems to me that
the Republican party needs regeneration.
There are too many diverse elements pulling in
different ways, and the Democrats are solidly
against tbe whole. The defeat of tbe election
bill was a serious mistake, and it will have a
bad effect upon the country. What we need
more than anything else is hones: elections and
the assurance tbat every man's ballot will ba
counted. As to candidates, I do not think tbat
President Harrison will be renominated, and I
do not think tbat be will desire renomination.
There are numbers of good men. and among
the possibilities I would mention Speaker
Reed. McKinley, Senator Allison. General
Alger, and last, and by no means least. General
Clarkson. Clarksou would make a strong can
didate. Ha would bring all the young blood
of the party to tbe surface, and would be
elected if it is possible for us to elect anyone.
Senator Sherman is also a possibility, and there
are others who bave a chance at tbe nomina
tion. As to the Democratic candidate, it may
be Cleveland, but I would not be surprised that
when tbe convention meets. Hill may ba the
nominee.
Story of a Water Color Sketch.
Mr. Henry Moser, the artist I sold a picture
tbe other day to Senator Kellogg, over tbe
story of which the Senator laughed heartily.
It was a water color sketch of a little negro
boy and girl playing checkers, and I took it
from life. My first models were two little
negro boys. Sambo and Jim, and both were as
bright little ragamuffins as you will find in
Washington. At the third sitting Sambo did
not appear, and when 1 asked Jim what was
the matter, he said with a grin on blsfacr:
"Oh, Sambo, he ain't comln' to-day." "Nor'
said L "No." said tbe little darkey, as he
laughed again and sucked his thumb. "Un
Sambo hain't comln' to-morrow neither."
No?" said 1 rather surprised, "and why?"
"No, un Sambo ain't comingnextweek.nelther.
He can't come no more. Sambo's data!" Well,
1 bad to take Sambo out of tbe picture, and I
got that little colored girl to take bis place.
Mnst Reduce Uncle Sam's Expenses.
Judge W. D. Uolman, Congressional Econo
mist I am not a candidate for the Speakership,
and Judge Bynum will probably be tbe only man
presented from Indiana. The watch-cry of the
next campaign will be economy in Government
expenditure and this will be a bigger issue than
the tariff. I predict that tho next Congress
will be tbe most conservative and creditable
we hive bad for a dozen years. It will surpass
tbe Forty-fourth Congress, the first session of
which reduced the approprlatioos S29.O0O.00O
and resulted in tbe election of Tilden' and
Hendricks. I was a member of that Congress,
and at its second session we cut down Uncle
Sam's expenses $31,000,000, and our appropria
tinn at that time were only a little over $100,
000.000. This year we expect to spend $362,000.
000 and tbe increase is asiounding. it is
astonnding and terrible and the people won't
stand it.
The McKinley Law In '93.
Ex-Senator Cheney, of New Hampshire
The chief issue of the next campaign will be
tariff, and tho Republican candidates will be
elected. Who tbey will be. I don't care to
prophesy. It seems tome tbat President Har
rison is very strong to-day. and be bas made no
mistakes. As to the Democratic nomination
Cleveland will probably bead the ticket, and It
seems to me tbat the election of Hill as Sena
tor from Heir York was tbe result of a bargain
by which Clereland was to get the Presidental
nomination. I bear Gorman also mentioned
He is a strongman aud a good manager. I
suppose tbe Democrats will have a practically
free trade platform. They cannot misrepre
sent the McKinley tariff bill as tbey did during
tbe last campaign. Even the clerks in our New
Hampshire stores aided them. I remember one
day during the last campaign I passed through
my kitchen anl saw the cook had laid in an
extra barrel ot sugar. Wnen I asked why she
had bought so much, she told me that the
clerk had told bcr of the McKinley tariff, and
that everything was going up. I in
formed her tbat sugar would ba at
least 2 cents a pound cheaper as soon
as tbe bill went into effect, and I give this
merely as an example of what went on all
over tbe country. 1 was in London at the time
the bill was before Congress. Tbe business
men there were excited over it, and a big manu
facturer of polo told me it would ruin bim if It
passed. Tne truth ol the matter is tbat a pro
articles it affects, and the people will find this
tective tarm always reuuees rue cost oi tne
out by tbe opening oi tne next campaign.
Woman's Suffrage In the Northwest.
Miss Susan B. Anthony, Woman's Suffragist
I think tbe women hare been badly treated by
the politicians of North Dakota. They prom
ised to favor us when the State was admitted,
but they kept us out of the Constitution. I
campaigned in tbat State and other parts of
the Northwest last summer. There is a large
foreign population, and among this a man is
not considered ot mucb account unless be
gives bis wife a whipping once a week. I saw
women doing the hardest of work in the fields,
and I saw one pulling a plow. Tbe suffrage
movement'is growing, and it is a shame it does
not prevail in tbe Dakotas. It is only a matter
of time, and we are gaining steadily.
Feaxk G. Cabpexteb.
THE FETISH OF THE HOUSE,
An Instrument More Potent Tban Reed's
Gavel in Congress.
Washington fost.
Look back toward the east entrance.
You see another page, with hands in front
of him, clasping what appears to be a mas
sive silver-bonnd ebony club. It Is sur
mounted by a globe of silver, upon which
the h'emispheres are traced. A silver
eagle, with outstretched wings, is perched
upon the globe. The whole resembles the
lasces carried by the Roman lictors before
the tribunes in time of peace, and before
the consuls, returning from war. It is a
bundle of 13 ebony sticks entwined
with a silver band. These 13 ebony
sticks represent the 13 original
States. This club is the mace represent
ing the authority and dignity of the House.
Its enstodian is the sergeant-at-arms. It is
kept in his office when the House is not in
session. The page carries it through the
lobby and into the chamber. It is placed at
the side of a malachite pedestal. This mace
tras made in 1834, although it bears tbe date
ol 1841. The latter date was engraved upou
it at the time it was repaired and mounted.
It weighs about 20 pounds.
The mace remains upon its pedestal nntil
the House goes into committee of the whole.
Then it is lowered and remains lowered till
the committee rises. Notwithstanding its
prominence and significance, a mau
might serve six mouths in the House,
of Representatives without noticing
it. This would be more likely to happen
if the members sat on the Repub
lican side of tbe Chamber. There tbe
Speaker's desk hides it from view. But let
a storm rise; let the pulses of the members
be quickened with passion and hot words be
uttered; let clenched fists be shaken and
members rush toward the main aisle in rage
and fury and the mace will appear. It will be
borne alolt majestically over the area in
front of tbe Speaker's'desk, np tbe main
aisle, aud down the tide aisles, calming the,
tempest, cooling the disputants, calling the
House to its sober self, and causing mem
bers to resnme their seats. '.They recognize
its significance as a symbol, and submit to
the authority it represents. "
Ingalls' Iridescent Dream.
CMeaf o Tribe ne.1
There is a constant complaint of the lack
of morals in politics. There is no place yet
discovered, even oat of politics, where there
is an OTersnpplr. - -
USING WILD PLANTS.
Absinthe, Lavender and Other, Dis
tillations of the French.
COATIHGS TO PEESEEYB IR0i?
Directions for Getting 'the Best Eesiltt
from Tea Leaves.
APPAEATD8 FOR PDEJFIIXG WATBB
IFBEFJLSXD TOH THE DI8FXICS. t
There are two species of the absinthe)
plant the large and a small. Tha
I'rger, generally known as wormwood,
grows abundantly in various districts of
Central Europe. In manufacturing aBsinthe
the npper leaves and twigs of the plant
are macerated with hysop, calamus', citron,
elle, anise, fennel, badiaue and other vege
table substances. The decoction thus ob
tained h distilled, and the product treated
with alcohol, sugar and various coloring
matters. Absinthe is a powerful bat de
structive nerve stimulant, which maybe;,
valuable in cases of exhaustion or extreme
fatigue, bnt, like chloral and opium, It i
liable to abuses, which far outweigh the)
benefits. The effects of general and unre
strained absinthe drinking in France are
coming to be recognized as forming the)
basis ot one 6f the greatest dangers that
now threaten the physical and moral wel-'
fare of the people.
Three of the-profitable Industrie peculiar
to Southern France are the distillation of
essential oil Irom wild aromatic plants, tha
manufacture of perfumes from cultivated
flowers and the preparation of preserved
Irnits by the procesr or crystalization. Tha
harvesting and distillation of lavender gives
employment to a large share of the peasant
population men, women andcbildren and
so pro use is the supply that in good seasons
the people who gather and sell lavender to
the distillers at very low prices are able to
earn as much as 80 or 90 cents oreren 51 per
day, wages that are considered mu ifiicent
in that country of scant employment and ill.
requited labor. Three hundred pounds of
dried lavender plants are required to pro
duce one pound of essential oil. The modern
u"es of lavender are for the manufacture of
cologne and as a perfume for toilet soaps, for
which purposes immense quantities are im
ported annually to this country, and as a sweet,
ening and antiseptic odor for linen. In medl.
cine it Is employed as an excitant and tonic in
tbe treatment of paralysis, hypochondria and
epilepsy.
Another industry which has Become a mo
nopoly for no other apparent reason than be
cause it was first snccrssfnlly undertaken in.
its preseire abiding place, i tbe manufacture of'
the liqueurs nenedictine and chartreuse. When
recently a fabnlons snni was offered to tha
monks of La Grande Chartreuse tor tbe pro.
prietary rights of their renowned cordial.it
was not for the secret of its manufacture, for
tbat has lnng.been accurately known, bnt for
tbe right to use tbe original labels and bottles,
which are the gnarantee ot genuineness and
purity. It is regnrded as probable that at so
verr distant day most of the industries here re
ferred to will be carried on successfully in this :
country, and especially tbe manufacture of CV
sential oils from various wild plants. . ,
Preservatives of Iron.
After a series of laborious investigations into '
the effect upon iron of the various preservative
substances, Prof. Lewes bas come to tha con.
elusion that protectlves of tbe clas. of tar and
its derivatives, such as pitch, black varnish,
asphalt and mineral waxes, are amonj tbe best, t
The small quantities of acid and ammoniao!
salts, which frequently occur in tar and tar I
products, must, uowever. be removed. Ir, in
addition to this, tbe class of substances men- ,
tloned is applieu hot to warm iron, an enamel
is found on the surface of tbe Iron, which it
not like other coatings, microscopically porous, '
and therefore pervious to water. Spirit or
naphtha varnishes are condemned by Prof.
Lewes: varuishes to which a body has been
given by some pigment, generally a metallio
oxide, are preferable to the last class, if tha
solvent used is not too rapid in its evaporation,
and if care bas been taken to select substances
which do not themselves act injuriously upoul
iron, or upon the gums or resins that are to
bind them together.
Bow to Make Tea.
A tea expert says that a pound of teawilll
furnish 300 cups of liquor, if it is made proper
Jy, but tbat the maximum benefits of the leaf,!
coin in tne matter oi quality anu quantity, ara
seldom enjoved because -f the general ignor
ance of what appears to be so simple a process
as to require no care, the method of brewing.
He says tbe tea leaves should be put into an
earthen or agateware pot (never use metal),
and stand on the back of tbe stove until thor
oughly warmed. Then hissing hot water,
which bas been freshly boiled, should bepocred
in, and tha pot should be placed at the back of
tbe stove for teu minutes, where it will keep
hot but not boil. At tbe expiration ot thai'
time tbe tea will be perfecr. but If it is desired
to keep it so, the I.qnor muitbe poured off into
another vessel, so as to separate it from tha
leaves, which after awhile wonld give off an as
tringent element. In serving, tbe cups and tbe
cream should be warm, and the cream should
b0Put m tne cups bcloretae tea.
Ingenuity of the Jap.
A well-authenticated story which has Jnit
come from Japan wonld indicate that the wily
Jap does not confine himself to the beaten
paths in the exercise of his Ingenuity. A.
ga'ntleman broke the mainspring of bis watch,
which he took to the nearest jeweler. Some
what to bis surprise tbe watch was returned to
him apparently In as good running order as
ever, and it ran all right nn'il tbe rainy season
et in. "hen it stopped. Being in tbe city of
Tokio at that time, tbe traveler took tbe watch
to an English workman, wbo on making ex
amination was a'toni-hed to find that the cun
ning JaD bad nut in a spring mad- of bamboo,
which, so long as it was kept dry, remained
elastic, but duiing tbe wet weather had gathi
ered dampness and lost its power.
Steam on the Roads.
Tbe steam phaeton introduced into Paris by
M. Serpollet. resembles an ordinary phaeton,
and has under the bodr of tbe carriage a Ser
pollet motor, with an Inexploslble boiler, and a
funnel bent down to discharge tbe smoke nnder
tbe bind wheel of tbe'veblule. It is guided b
a single Iron wheel, after the manner of a tri
cycle. On a good country a speed of 13
miles an hour is said to bavo been kept np with;
seven persons in tbe cariiage. Tbe tank holds
enough water or a journey of 20 miles, and
tbe supply of fuel in tna bunker is equal to s
run of 30 miles. The feeding of theengina
with water and fuel is done automatically,
A New Water Purifier.
A new apparatus for purifying water bas ap
peared in tbe form of a still, whicb Is described
as consisting of a series of large flat disks ot
metal, placed upright and kept In position by
pipes running horizontally on the top and bot
tom. Water is boiled in a vessel and tho
steam is conducted from tbe same to the dub,
through a pipe. Tbe steam radiating from,
tbe water is condensed in the disks by a cur
rent of air and the water is collected in tha
bottom pipe." The size of still designed for
family use has eight disks, and is said to
distill a gallon of water in au hour.
The Culture of Bubber. '
Seed for the culture of robber bas been sown)
iu Coylon and the seedlings are reported to be)
flourishing among tha den-e jungle. Itissng.
gested that a large tract of country could easily
be covered wltu profitable trees by simply colt
lectlnc and sowing broadcast every year in th
belts or useless jungles adjoining the estates ar
few bushels of tbe seed ot the Ceara rubber
tree which grows in the island. These patches;
of rubber trees might in time come tn bo much,
better and an infinitely surer Investment tnaa
cinchona, which has been largely cultivated,'
now is.
Paneling of Kobbor.
A very artistic effect bas been obtained by
India rubber panels or vaneers, which are very'
beautiful in color, but, unfortunately, too cost
ly far general use. In England a very thin gum
elastic bas been used as a wall covering, par
ticularly wbeie the walls were exposed to
damp. The surfaco was printed like paper
hangings and In some cases lithographed, and
was very beautiful. Another advantage of s
covering of gum elastic vellum was tbat IS.
could be easily washed.
Substitute for Gutta Fereha.
A diminution In tbe supply of gutta perch.
Is threatened. A Portuguese scientist Is said
to bave discovered a substitute. It Is insolnbla
In water, softens nnder beat and hardens in tha
cold. It receives, moreover, and retains a givea
molded snape, can oe cast into very win sneeu
ana IS cananie to xaite tne most minaio is
nresslon-i on lu surface. Though white whs
it flows from tbe tree. In Its dried shape it I
ol a chocolate color, resemoung guita pen
"-