Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 20, Number 41, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 5 April 1890 — Page 1
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THE_MAIL
A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.
Notes and Comment.
Ring out, O ye joyous Easter hells I
Secretary Tracy has advertised for bids for 80,000 pounds of tobacco. From this it is very evident several of the lone fisherman in our navy "chew" occasionally.
Twenty-live new women doctors were turned out by one medical college the other day. There Is no need for plucky girls to Btand round suckirfg their thumbs nowadays.
Will Stanley's new book on travel sell? Most certainly if a name counts for anything, as he has labeled his latest: "The Darkest Africa: The Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emln.",
A tenor named Gbyerre died recently leaving an estate of nearly a million dollars. If Pattl can sing a little longer, there is no guessing how much she will leave. The singing business is guiltedged these days.
The present House has accomplished one good end, at least, during the present session in disposing of the contested election cases. At the next session there will be no excuse /or not transacting much very necessary business.
In. Utiea, N. Y„ tradesmen of all sorts not only sell their delinquent accounts at a public sale, but advertise them at full lsngth in the papers. "Either your money or your reputation" is probably the ono rule Utica business men observe.
Alaska, which cost the United States $7,200,000, and was generally thought at the time of its purchase to have been the most useless territory in the world, now pays fifteen per cont on the investment. Thanks to farsighted William E. Seward.
The word "manuprint," verb, adjective and noun, has been invented to designate work done on a typo writer. Manifold thanks are due the genius who so nobly recognized and at the same time met the dire necessity for such a W or
The cheapest place ir. Missouri to live is at the penitentiary. The daily cost of maintaining convicts at that institution Is only 7M cents per capita. This will no doubt explain why all Missouri seems so unusually desirous of getting within the walls.
One citizen of Augusta, Me., called another a "jackass" about two years ago. The matter has been in court ever since, and when receutly settled had cost each litigant over $1,300. The court probably dividod the "jackass" honors between the two. ____
Presumably there is an increased demand for heavy editorials in our great eastern metropolis. Leastwise Editor Dana so intimates when he speaks of Senator Hoar as "the last survivor of the Pro-Adamito Association of Preserved Fossils."
Ou April 1st an electric mail service was set in operation between Buenos Ayres and Montevideo. The two cities, about 180 miles apart, have been connected by a doable lino of wires, and the tiny mail boxes are slipped along these wires with lightning rapidity.
V".::
It is estimated that only twelve per cent, of the pupulatlon of Russia can read and write. Yet very little effort Is apparently made to improve the condition of affairs. It is astonishing to learn that the number of primary schools is 38,000 for the population of 100,000,000.
The Shah of Persia has commissioned his Ambassador at Berlin to engage engineers and workmen to go to Persia to put up gas works in the larger cities. Presumably the Shah is not aware of the fact that America might underbid Germany if he should call for proposals for the work.
An attempt Is being made to prove that the divorce law of Japan is more accommodating than that of IndianJ§ and in support of the theory it is said that for two dollars a Japanese divorce may be secured In four hours. But this does not quite equal the "Terre Haute, fifteen minutes tor divorce" reeotd.
It has been suggested that a special stamp, twice the site of the ordinary one with the card of business houses beside the usual vignette, be issued for the prevention of the very prevalent theft of stamps from large firms. The idea seeks to effect amoral improvement but nevertheless ita advisability Is questionable. _________
The Greeneastie Star-Pros# has this delusive quotation from scripture at the head of ita marriage license column: "Whoso findeth a wife, flndeth a good thing." The quotation and Indiana divorce records don't agree on this view of the situation, and the next Legislature will probably pass a recommendation for a revision of the passage to adapt it to the State complication.
It is claimed that wail paper can be made in such a way that the passage of low-tension electric currents will heat it moderately warm to the touch and diffuse throughout the room an agreeable temperature. The next step will be the introduction of electricity into the kitchen, when, by turning a button, your entire dinner will be instantly cooked, switches of various kinds regulating the amount of heat desired for each article of the meal.
Seven thousand eight hundred persons sent in their answers to the Indianapolis News' prize q^ery: "What Were the Five Greatest Battles of the Civil War." The judges
Tiad agreed that
the correct answer should include Champion Hill, Gettysburg, Nashville, Chatanooga and Five Forks,- and one contestant was so fortunate as to make this selection. A. E. Williams, of Indianapolis, received the prize. The contest was yery interesting from its historical nature.
Town Talk.
THE JUNK SHOPS.
A number of the junk men have again succeeded in bringing themselves before the public in a very unfavorable light, aud this time their recklessness is likely to cost them dearly. It is the same old story of buying plunder from boys without attempting to find whether or not the stuff was stolen. The extent of this recklessness Is known only to the dealers themselves, and at present the authorities can only guess at It from the confessions made by the few of the many thieves who are caught and frightened into telling what they know. During the last few weeks an unusual number of small boys have been arrested for pilfering in the railroad yards and other places, where old,brass is easily secured, and the disclosures they have made concerning the practices of the junk dealers have been startling. No wonder Judge Maok's fury burst forth, and no wonder that he said "four out of five of all the boys brought before me have been ruined by junk men who are willing to buy anything who ask no questions rind conceal everything they purchase." The confession of the thirteenth ^boy was enough to set all the authorities in' the oity at work devising^ means for putting a stop to the wholesale education of criminals now going on. Recent developments have fully explained why Vigo's delegation in the Plainfield reform sohool is out of all proportion with those from other counties equally as populous. The situation has been disclosed to the grand jury, and indictments may possibly result. In this connection It Is oi some Interest to note that an ordinance is now before the council providing for the licensing of all pawn shops, whioh Is no doubt an introductory measure to placing some restriction on the junk men.
CALIFS FOR AID.
The record of disasters during the last few weeks has moved the sympathy of the entire country, and appeals for aid sent out by stricken communities are receiving prompt and liberal responses. This city, although engaged in a variety of home charity which would ordinarily predispose one against lending assistance to outside corporations, has come nobly to the front, and done her share. The fund fur the widows and orphans of the Indianapolis firemen killed in the Bowen-Merrill disaster, was increased by a very substantial contribution, and the benefit entertainment Tuesday afternoon antTeyening will swell the amount already sent. Tiion came the Louisville tornado, bringa loss of $2,500,000 and one hundred and twenty-five or more lives. A local movement was on foot to extend aid, when word was received that no outside help would be required. Yesterday an appeal came from the little town of Parkland, a 'surburb of Loufsville, which suffered as severely as that city herself, and Mayor Danaldson has appointed a committee of two to solicit subscriptions. These solicitors will no doubt secure a sum which will materially aid the little community. Among the home charities which haye called for a portion of our time and attention are the two aid societies and St. Anthony's hospital. Although they have temporarily been cast in the back ground the fact must not be forgotten that every contribution sent in will be thankfully received. All those calls together have have been a severe drain, but Terre Haute Is fully able to bear the pressure and no complaint will be heard.
THE PAJUv rRCUECT.
The park com missiooers have accepted the financial condition of the city with becoming grace and replied to the council that all tilings considered it is at present inadvisable to consider the scheme for purchasing park lands east of the city. Another surbarban park is not needed now and won't be for several years to come, so that the commissionera were wiae In promptly recommending a postponement of the plan of buying. A down town park Is needed but there ia no way of seeturtag it and the only course is to allow the desire for such convenience to gradually die oat. Parks area blessing to any city and the
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Vol 20.—No. 41.- "i^SaSiBS TEBKB HAUTE, DSTD., SATTIBPAl^EYENING, APRIL 5,1890.
larger the city the greater the blessing. As Terre Haute increases in sisse the folly of not having provided for this blessing becomes daily more apparent.
THE COUNCIL'S CONTORTIONS. The inconsistencies of the present council are many and varied. It is useless to attempt to enumerate them, for they are being constantly manifested. The body as a whole is not to be depended on for an unwavering position on any question, and when it comes down to expecting a defined and steady attitude from individual members the expectation has simply gone beyond the bounds of reason. Tuesday evening's proceedings illustrated this. The purchase of an aerial truck for the fire degartment, which was so bunglingly bandied when Mr. Hybargor first decided that he wanted such a piece of machinery, was gone over again in a legal although senseless manner. A Babcock truck, at a cost of $3,400, was ordered notwithstanding that an equally serviceable ladder was offered by another company for $3,050. The foolish feature of the entire proceedings is that the city cannot at present afford such a luxury. Our total indebtedness is now $343,900.34 or $40,855.54 in excess of the constitutional limit. Considering this fact it seems perfect folly to indulge in this piece of extravagance. However, the purchase will never tfe completed. A suit to restraint the city from entering into contract with the Babcock company has been filed, and the matter will be ljought persistantly until the council abandons its absurd policy, or dies the death of the unrighteous in the comitog spring election. The suit was filed in the name of Spencer F. Ball, although the fight is to receive the backing of j^umber of prominent citizens. -'I ,AN UNPROMISING OUTLOOK.
The pushers in the independent political movement ase^meeting with a peculiarly discouraging experience. Refusal seems to greet them at every turn in their hunt for candidates, and about all hope of accomplishing anything in Monday's township election has been abandoned. This reception is very conclusive proof in support of the argument that the independent idea is unpopular as means of effecting local political reforms. Such a result was anticipated. The city election is coming though, and another opportunity for mustering strength will be afforded. Here there is much greaiter chance of success, for more is at stake than in the township contest, and consequently the wish for ticket, the excelence of which can be vouched for, is greater. The suggestion is offered however that the independent workers postpone the naming of a city ticket until after the old party candidates are announced. The necessity for such a movement can then be determined.
APRIL SHOWERS.
The weather of the past week has been true to Aril, first clear and encouragelng and then dismal and disheartening. The changes were sudden and decided. Without warning sunshine would disappear and rain pour down, forcibly reminding people of the folly of going out on the streets in April without an umbrella. Business men who long for pretty days, accept the changes with as little grumblings possible, at the same time earnestly longing for a day or two at least in which to introduce spring goods. But the fickleness of the weath er will not continue long and in this there is a tinge of satisfaction. April showers invariably bring May flowers.
v.*:."!--.
Mt DEAR RUTH:
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Geraldine's Letter.
-Last week,
s&ls
nes-
day afternoon, I went to Music Hall to hear Dr. Amelia B. Edwards lecture on "The Art of Fiction." This hall is one of the largest in Boston and was filled on this occasion. On the platform were Sara Orne Jenett, Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, Mrs. James S. Fields, and a large representation of the Woman's Press Association, under whose anspicies the lecture was given. In the audience on the floor W. D. Howell#, Dr. Oliver Wendall Holmes and Col. Higginson were pointed out to me, and with the aid of my opera glass I managed to get a good look at them. Miss Edwards was introduced by Mrs. Sallie Joy White, the president of the Woman's Press Association. Miss Edwards looks like her pic* tores, spoke with her bonnet on, and carried her arm in a sling, not having entirely recovered from the accident which happened to her in Columbus. Yon have read, of her singularly distinct enunciation and her beautifully modulated voice, all of which has not been in the least exaggerated, but if yon had gone to hear this lecture expecting to he*r the mysterious springs and sources of the noble art of imaginative creation revealed* yon would hare been disappointed, for the most attentive listener could not have discovered any allusion to the art of fiction still it was a very entertaining lecture for all that. She quoted largely from the oldest novel in existe&ee^E&p&iaa, of course, and thousands of years old. She appreciatively recognised the power of Scott, calling him the father ef modern fiction and put Thackary at the head of all novel writer®. She spoke of Dickens,
Two New Serial Stories will be Commenced in The Mail Next Week.
"0s Oilj.
Trollope
and
Thackery together called
Dickens a caricaturist, because he represents things as they are not Trollope represents them as he saw them, as they appeared to him, but Thackery was the clairvoyant to whom the hidden springs •n re revealed. She considers Henry Esmond incomparably the greatest novel ever written. She mentioned only a few other writers, George Elliot, George Sand, W. D. Howells, Balzac and Henry James, utterly ignoring Hawthorne, Tolftlai, Victor Hugo, and many others whom you and I bad always thought were great masters Of fiction. She paid Dr. Holmes a neat little compliment when she said that he had written the niost perfect short love story in existence. It is in the Autocrat of the Breakfast £ble, arid is called "My Last Walk wltb {he School-mistress." She quoted the last paragraphs. Of course there wW immense applause. She said she hud often been asked how she wrote her novels, how she created her plot. "In reply I say that I buy a large quantity of paper, some quill nibs, a stone bottle of the blackest ink I can find, and go to ^to work. I have no plot, my characters coma to me and take their destinies into their own hands." She said she once asked Mr. Trollope why he allowed Crosby, in "Orley Farm," to jilt Lily Dale. He answered, "I didn't want him to, but confound the fellow, he just would do it," After the lecture was over Mrs. Livermore came forward and in behalf of some of the women of Boston, presented Miss Edwards with a bracelet of American product entirely. The gold from California, and the two precious stones from Maine and the South. I could not understand the names of them. She also presented Miss Bradbury, Miss Edwards' companion, a pendant made from an aqua-marine from the Rocky mountains set in gold from Colorado. Miss Edwards was much affected and spoke with great feeling in returning thanks for the beautiful gift.
After this she held an informal reception on the platform, and Saturday she sailed for her home in England.
In the museum of the New England Conservatory of Music is an old piano which I am sure you will like to hear about. It is the first piano brought to Boston. It is really a piano and organ combined, is five feet "long, has five octaves and was made in London by Christoi^l^&tteiS^It belonged originally to the Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of George the Third. She gave it to the chaplain of the royal family, he gave it ta his daughter who married a Mr. Odione, and they brought it to Boston. It passed from one to another until final ly it found its way to Ipswrich where it was placed in a cabinet maker's shop to bo repaired and tuned, if possible. Jonas Chickering, then a lad of nineteen, was greatly interested in it, succeeded in tuning it, studied its mechanism and finally conceived the idea of making pianos himself, which idea culminated in the founding of the great Chickering manufactory. There is in this museum an exquisite little upright piano which belonged to Lady Morgan. It is made of satin wood, most beautifully inlaid The museum has the most complete collection of Japanese and Chinese musical instruments in the country. In a glass case with other curiosities, my attention was called to a queer looking affair tied with a blue ribbon, and by ita card bearing the inscription, "Thereby hangs a tale." When Dr. Tourjee first conceived the idea of starting a conservatory of music his friends laughed at him, thought the idea Quixotic, and told him he might as well try to make a whistle out af a pig's tail, as to think of starting such an institution in Boston. "I will do both," said the doctor and so he did. The great building known as the New England Conservatory of Music, a little world in itself, stands as a monumerit to his ambition and enterprise, and the queer looking affair in the glass case, Is really a whistle which he made from a pig's tail. *$3**
I attended tli# adffiiAl spring exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural society, which interested me much. Here I saw a century plant in blossom, but it seemed to me a very poor effort to have been so long about. The plant was not very large, but the flower stalk was, I should say, about twenty-five feet, but you know what a woman's Idea of distance is, so perhaps, you had better take off, say five- feet, anyway. On the top of this great stalk was a greenish sort of fringe, which we were told was the blossom. But, my dear, such roses as I saw, such azalias, among them a yellow one, which had just arrived from Europe for their exhibition, and the only one in the country, and carnations, tulips, hyacinths, pansies, violets, (and by the way everybody wears violet®,) such lilies, etc. andto crown all a superb collection of orchids, so beautiful and so curioun, the like of which I never saw before. I thought of you, and of all my friends who especially love flowers and wished they were there to see.
Yours truly, GEBAUMJOS.
The Young Men's Guild* of the Baptist church, is proving to be a vary strong organization*. An excellent programme of papers and debates fan been arranged for the next quarter.
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Opinions of Women.
ELIZABETH CADT STAUNTON'S VIEWS ON THE SACREDNESS OF THE MARRIAGE RITE.—OTHER
NOTES ABOUT WOMEN.
The first step towards making the ideal the real, is to educate our sons and daughters into the most exaulted ideas of the saeredness of married life and the responsibilities of parenthood, writes JSlizabeth Cady Staunton in the April Arena. I would have them give at least enough thought to the creation of an immortal being as the artist gives to his landscape or statute. Watch him iu his hours of solitude, communing with great nature lor days and weeks in all her changing moods, and when at last bis dream of beauty is realized and takes a olearly-defined form, behold how patiently he works through long months and years on sky and lake, on tree and flower and, when complete, it represents to him more love and life, more hope and ambition, than the living child at his side, to whose conception and antenatal development not one soulful thought was ever given. To this impressible period of human life few parents give any thought yet here we must begin to cultivate the virtues that can alone redeem the world.
How oblivious even our greatest philosophers seem to the well-known laws of physiology. Think of a man like Darwin, so close an observer of every form of llfet so firm a believer in the laws of heredity, venturing on marriage and fatherhood while he was the victim of an incurable hereditary disease. That he thought of this while raising a large family is plain from his published letters, in which he deplores his condition and groans lest his physical afflictions be visited on his children. Alas! who can measure the miseries of the race resulting from the impure and unholy marriages into whioh even intelligent men and women so recklessly enter.
Olive Thorue Miller writes as follows on the subject of co-education: In my judgment, it is a good thing for a little girl to attend a school where boys are also sent. I believe heartily and fully in co-educatiOn. The Creator, who placed boys and atlrls together in families, where the association of brothers and. siato^ ia,i^u«klj^ what was best for iiumaurfcy. Wherever the experiment has been fairly and squarely tried, results show that school work can be
carriedoti
whom they
by classes of both
sexes with an absence of silly self-con-sciousness, without premature precocity, and to the advantage of both girls and boys.
If you want to
see
sickly sentimentali
ty, and absurd ideal of "thegentleman," utterly false notions of love aud marriage and life generally, go to a girls' seminary, where daughters and sisters are walled in and guarded as though their brothers
were
raging lions, seeking
may
devour. Also, if you
want to see immorality, bad habits, lowmi ndedness, and disrespect for women, go to a boys' school where the same policy is observed. Take note also of another point this
syBtem
of isolation
keeps the young people's thoughts upon each other, leads, therefore, to clandes tine correspondence and evils of many kinds.
On the contrary, let them work together. There is no sentimental halo about the classmate who misses In his lessons, who blunders in his examples. There is no disrespect and scorn of "girls" from a youth who sees them well able to hold their own, and to stand beside if not above him in intellectual exercises. Besides this, it works in another way almost as valuable girls are broadened in their outlook on life, and boys are refined and civilized in their manners. Both learn the true, the honest, the natural way of looking at each other, and are prepared to enter life together as they should and must. Believe me! the Creator, who shows wisdom In the smallest atom that lives, did not blunder when He put boys and girls together into the arms of one mother, to come up under one roof.
Among the youngest of the women's clubs is the Pro Re Nata, of Washington. Something more than a year ago a class of ladies was formed to learn parllamentory usage and extempore speaking. At the close of the course of instrnction tne members of the class determined to continue the meetings and use the knowledge they had gained. A society was accordingly formed, with constitution and by-laws, and officers were elected. The organization differs from most ladies' clubs in that the members discuss only questions of vital interest in their own time. An especial feature is made of extempore speaking, in which women are apt to be deficient. So rapidly have the ladies gained in this respect that, though the dub is not yet a year old, all the members can stand and express themselves neatly and forcefully without even notes before them. At the last meeting the question discussed was: How far should state education got Among the members are some young ladies, not over 18 or 20, who sreak admirably on topics that are now Interesting all thinkers. The social feature la a
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4
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kffct? |1%& Vvt?1 &> k.: J*
Twentieth Yeai
delightful one among the handsome and. cultivated women constituting the club.'. Mrs. Lucia E. Blount is president, and among the members are Mrs. Elliott Cones, the wife of ex-Senator Joseph McDonald, of Indiana Mrs. W. B. Moses, Clara Barton, of the Red Cross society, and Miss Esther De Puv. The name Pro Re Nata was suggested by a Boston women, of course. Ladies, what does it mean?
Miss Louise de la Raraee, better known? as "Ouida," lives in a Florentine palace. Her habitation is as gorgeous as the' domiciles of her imagination. At the end of along series of stately and splendid rooms, rich with paintings, statuary. furniture, and bric-a-brac, is the boudoir where the novelist gives occasional audience to her few visitors. The room is crowded with-exotics, and lighted by only two wax candles with butterfly shades. In this scented darkness "Ouida" sits by her tea table, clad in a tea gown of the bronze velvet and fur, or of gorgeous brocade with gold embroldory, and discourses of decadence of England, the degradation of Italy, and the general deollne of objects to the term, and says that she prefers to call it her "inspiration."
ABOUT WOMEN.
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe is said to be the best Greek scholar of her sex in this country.
Miss Rose Elizabeth Cleveland, who last year invested in Florida orange groves, now finds them profitable property.
Florence Flnch-Kellfy, the newest authoress to bid for popular favor, is a girl with jet blaok hair, and eyes so dark that they seem black. v!|i
Miss R. F. Wilkinson is said to be the only female landscape gardener In London. She is very successful, and ranks high in for profession.
Mrs. Hurst waB an accomplished linguist, and was of great assistance to her husband, Bishop Hurst, in his educational and church work.
The widow of General Judson Kllpatrick has presented to the Government the heavy cavalry sword that her hua-, band carried during the war.
Mrs. Anastasia Parsells, of west Fiftysecond street, New York, celebra.ted her 404th 011 M.»y born on St. Patrick's day 1788. She is still in fair health, but her hair is turning gray.
Mrs. Laura Ormiston Chant, of London, who visited America as a delegate to the International council of women held in Washington in 1888, Is again in this country, and will visit Chicago and other western oities.
Miss Gwendoline Caldwell, the famous American heiress of Baltimore, whose sudden parting from her fiance, Prinoe Murat, was the gossip of two countries, has been very ill of typhoid fever in Rome, but is slowly recovering her health.
The Countess Waldersee, who was Miss Lea, of New York, is now the first lady at the Gorman court. Her husband is nearly related to the young Emperor, who, with his wife, Is devoted to the beautiful American. She lives in great state in the palace adjoining Yon Moltke's, but her personal tastes are severly simple. At home she always wears cashmeres of finest,, quality, but made absolutely without trimming, and relieved only by linen collars aud cuffs. But her plain attire merely emphasizes her beauty and distinction.
Allows AND SHO IT PEOPLE.
Tamaguo, the tenor, who gets $100,000 for fifty performances, and other valuable perquisites, including eight seats every night he sings, has a brother who singa in the chorus for the affluent income of $17 per week.
Christine Nilsson is to come out of her retirement to sing at the farewell concert of 81ms Reeves in London in June.
Mrs. Drew, says the Mirror, is the real star of the Jefferson-Florence company, viewed from the art standpoint. She gives Sheridan, a correct interpretation, while her distinguished associates do not.
The annoucement is made that Mr. Sydney Drew and his wife, Gladys Rankin Drew, will star next season in a play called "The Correspondent," from-the pen of Gus Thomas. This young eouple were seen here in "The Burglar" this season and are both very clever.
Denipan Thompson nays that be never stooped to local gagging but onoe and that was by accident. Wanamaker occupied a box one night, and in one part Thompson's lines should read, **l didn't know it was the postmaster,"but he said instead, "I didn't know it was Wanamaker,'' which brought down the house.
Shakespeare Is well appreciated by the higher educated natives of India, and last year a large number of his playt were published In the vernacular. "A* You I«lke U" and "The Winter's Tkle" were translated into Tamil and Telsgu for Madras "The Taming of thr "Urew" came out in the Pan jab and "B^Uet," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "The Comedy of Errors" were great favorites in the Northwest Provinces. uplL