Nebraska Newspapers

    JJ EME JUNE IN EUROPE.
The Celebrated "Black Cat" Club ol
Paris Visiting1 a Parisian Gar
den Where Acquaintance Ri
pens Into Matrimony.
K. Danrnla , Sirah Earnhardt's ' 'Costly Luxu
ry" Fontalneblftau , Where Napoleon was
Divorced from Josephine , SIzned His
Abdication and Parted "With the
"Old Guard. "
Special Correspondence.
ROBDB CLICHT. PABIS , September" 15. Onr
home during our stay in Paris this time has
Dot been at a hotel , but a very homelike and
del'ghtful pension In the Rue de Cllchy , quite
near the home of Victor Hugo In his earlier
rears and also the one to which he returned
later in Hie. Do not suppose that I am en-
deavoilnp 10 "ring In" the puff oblique or the
puff direct for the Rue dc Cllcliy pension , for
this Is not at all necessary. Wo pay our bills
at the usual rates and con-ider It a favor when
an American friend rr < > to us of the agreeable
quarters he had found , for a homelike pension , ,
accordinc to American ideas , is a rare thing in
Paris , and this cmboidies the best features of
French and American life from a modest ten
francs per day point of view.
Have you been to the ' 'Chat Noir" ( Black
Cat ) 1 is a quest on of tt n asked in the Rue de
CHehy , some of ihe inhabitants of which be
long to the fourth estate and know all that Is
{ jolng on. " What is iho "Black Cat ? " is a
question that was asked rather doubtfully
you never know w hat you are uoingto pull up
against in P.iris. But we were assured that
the "Black Cat" was all r'ght ' , and the gentle
man aforesaid , who has been long a resident
of Paris and is married to a French lady ,
volunteered with his wife to act as escort to
this curious report , the name of which reminds
one always of Barnum's "cherry-colored" cat
black cherries , as he explained to his
Audience when the black cat was let out of the
basr upon the stage.
The Black Cat in Paris is quite different
Irom Barnum's. It is a club house in the Rue
Layal frequented by journalists and artiste
iramattc and other specially the younger
members of these liberal protesslons. It is an
ordinary house , with an extraordinary window
ind a swing lamp in front of the door. In-
itead of the higti narrow windows usual in
French houses this lias one hich wide window
211e4 in with stained class in lurid colors , and
* Jbe lamp lias also a red , revolutionary aspect ,
lulled by a somewhat sickly display of gas.
The steps to the doorway and the doorway
tself are narrow , but they are guarded by a
Jremendous Individual a giant warder in
fourteenth century costume , with helmet and
iilberd. He is not half so formidable as he
'ooks , in fact be Is good-natured , and admit-
d us moifpolllely. The ground floor is oc-
: upied as a sort of restaurant , at the tables of
vbich both men and women were seated ; some
rery nice , lady-like looking women , too. The
tteular " "meeting" room , reading room , &c. ,
) f "the club are up stairs , and we were invited
o go up and make ourselves at home. The
itairs were narrow , but the welcome was wide ,
tnd we made our way to the second floor , the
Piesident , who is also the proprietor of the
juilding and the founder of the club , explain-
ng some of the emblematic devices and cxhib-
ling the Chat Noir under ail sorts of aspects ,
is contiibuted by member * , to the decoration
) f the walls. The reading room has a copy of
ffolbeln'fl Madonna , and the meeting room is
idorntd with portraits of the founder and his
vife , the lady in full length and in a striking
iistorc costume. The club issues a paper
vhicli is cal'ed Ghat aVoir , and which bus for
t flaurehead a black cat , with its back de-
tldedly up.
7JTBLACK CfATJ.
There were small tables in Ihe meeting : room ,
evidently used for purposes of refreshments if
jpeakers or proceedings grow prosy. We
utilized one of these for the 131ack Cat's bene-
It , and listened to the excited talk or rather
.ooked at the act.lv gesticulations of a group
lear us , one of which was said to be a'well -
mown writer for Figaro. We left before the
oieeting or any considerable number of the
lubitucs had assemb'ed , for our friends wish-
id us to see the Parisian Black Cat under au-
> ther form , and knew that the only way was
see it early.
"I shall not tell you where I am going to taVe
you. " said our friend , "but you will not be
ifraid to go where I am willing to take my
ivife , " and the lady seconded her husbanu's
not on , a-d said there would be nothing
where we were going alarming or disagreea-
Dle. We walked quite a distance through the
busy , brilli'intlv lighted streets and stopped
oeforc the broad steps of a public irardeu on
the Boulevard Montmartre. "This is not a
jotorious piace , like the Jardin Mabille , "
jaid our friend , that has no longer sn exist
ence , but it is one of the publ'c resorts of
Paris , where young men and women meet ,
where relations are formed , temporary or
nberwise , but which are really frequented bv
tvery respectable class of young married
irorking j eople as well , and in many wavs is
d curious institution , not half as black as it is
painted. Gendarmes stood at each stage of
he entrance and guarded the doors , and every
valk and avenue is under police surveillance.
JToung women come there alone , and though
this renders them liable to attention the re
verse of respectful , yet everyone has a right
io elaim and can secure protection , and be
ruarded to her home , if she wishes At the
dour of the evenins at which we entered ( nine
o'clock ) the garden presented a very attrac-
rtve appearance , and a very orderly one as
well ; the broad walks and avtnues are out
lined and traversed by rows of electric lights ;
and the flowers and shrubbery were fresh and
bright as in a real garden. It was well filled
oy people of apparentlv the working class ,
but not differine from the artisan or small
rading class anywhere , and there was a
sprinkling of some who were better dressed
and belonged in an undoubtedly different
jircle. There was an entire absence at that
nour of the rowdy element , which is so con-
picuous with us ; and indeed it would have
htt'e chance to express ifslf under the rigid
police surveillance which compels every man
who enters to undergo scrutiny when he gives
ap his walking stick or umbrella. The dress
ot the women surprised me ; It was uniformly
3ark and raodtst.even those who came alone
or unattended Ttere was notlrng to attract
attention , and indeed many of those present
were undoubtedly young married people who
came to meet friends and participate in the
jnjovmeutof the dance after the week's work ,
which so far as the bread winning is concern
ed is usually shared bv the wife. "What be
comes of these gin's ! " I asked ; "they do
not look bad or depraved. "They are
not , " said mv friend. 'Statistics show that a
majority of them marry the men with whom
they/orm relations , and the reason why they
.can do so is that their society does not look
flown upon them ; they do not lose then : self
specL B-sides , It is not in order to be main-
tain d ; it is for society and corapanicnsh p
that they form their associations ; they still
fireseive their independence ; they support
themselves ; and women who ans sell-sup
porting do not feel degraded and will stand
o abuse. Tnls pecuniary independence ren
ders the pos tion of French women better in
tome respects than that of the women of any
ether country. It is the only nation in the
irorld where tl-e men am chambermaids and
Ike women cashiers , and where the women
actically control the retail business. "
r
We left before ten n'clocV , not wiehlne to
outstay the "orderly" e'ement. From the
Boulevard Montmartre we took our way past
the Madeleine a handsome church in the
stvle of the Parthenon , where manv w < ddinKS
and confirmations take place to the FJaee de
1'Opera. It was a Wugner night , and the
grand entrance , the finest probably in the
world presinted a brilliant appear.mce. We
p'opped at one of the cafes for an ice nnd
then proceeded to the Chnraps Elysees , which
at that hour and on Sturd iy evening present
a scene of c ctiantment. The wide , beauiifu1
grounds and promenades leading t-iwards the
Arc dp Trioraphe. are encircled with open-air
concert halls , ench of which s fitted up as a
drnwli g room and mnde radiant with electric
llfrhls clustered , sroupcd and ranged In fan
tastic and Ingenious forms. The mus c can be
enjoyed outside of the hulls for two sou * , and
the additional advantage o11 lined of going
from one part of the gronnd-i to another , a
pr vileije of which thousand * avail themselves.
It was in this way we liuished our "UlackCat"
eieai g in Paris.
Beyond the Opnra House and the Theatre
Prancaise , which all Americans feel bound to
see , we have had little time to attend Parisian
theatres. Ju'llc ' was not playing ; she was
to America with a Worth wardrobe which
doubtless been rJcicrihe 1 long before this t
The Opera House presented a magnifici
spectacle , for it was a Waaner nicht , "S'gai
the opera , and Mme. Caron , Brunehild.
singing could easily be beaten , but the c < |
turning , the ecen-c , orchestral and spectacu
effects"are unapproachable. At the Theai
Franchise , on the contrary , there is no scene1
at all , at least nothing tiiat would be call ]
scenery nowadays , but the acting Is exacf
wh.it it should be. It is perfect , and the me :
bers of the company take any part that bi
suit themselves and" the play , great or small.
There is one there , however , that i greal
desired to attend in order to tee its pr'aicii
actress , lime. Jane Hading. It is only
short time since Jane Had'ng her true namt ,
and a singular one lor a g'rl born and bred , as
far as I can learn , in Paris was undistin
guished from tl.e other young women in the
theatre who had to perform utility business
and were her associates nnd compeers. But
hy some accident she was called upon to play
Claire in "Le JIaltre des Forgea , " and she
made the same sort of instant success in the
part lhat Clara Morris achieved years ago in
Alixe. She took the town by surprise , ilisa
Hading also so impressed her manager that he
proposed and they were married , and that is
whv she is now Mme. * 'Jane Hading. " Mme.
Had ng is a young , delicate , spirituelle look
ing woman , with a curious suggestion of
Clara Morris in some of h-r looks and ways ,
though younger and very different in her per
sonal appearance , and taken a'tog < tber she
show. * sreatrefinement in herdress , .nndin the
five different costumes worn in "Le Maitre des
Forges" displayed no jrwelry not PO much as
a pin at the throatthe lace at which was
fastened with a knot of narrow ribbon , even
that of the bridal dress. Thu revival of this
play and her appearance in hor original part
was an attraction not to be resisted , espe-
/if. DAMALA.
cially as M. Damala , the sometime husbam
Sarah Bernliardt , bad been specially enga
to p'ay the master. In her atel'cr a few d
before Mme. Sarah had acknowledged that
was charmirg a .real luxury in fact , baj
costly one too costly for her pur > e.
wanted to see the ' 'luxury" and f und a v <
amiable , gentlemanly looking man , not t !
and who may be inclined to stoutness as
grows older , but now rather handsome tti
otherwise , and nn actcr QU'te capable of stai
in ? upon his merits. The cost of goinc
the theatre in Paris is qui e as great as in K ]
York , notwithstanding the subventions ,
there is one comfort for women , especi ;
American women they can wear their bon- |
nets. The dress is exactly the same ? s with
us , It la that of the s'n et father th in that of
the drawing room , and therefore no special
prenaration'need bsmade a great saving of
trouble and weariness to the tourist.
There were a thousand things in Par's that
we wished to do that we bad to resign but we
were determined to secure a trip to Fontaine-
bit au. and so a "house arty" was organized ,
and "our ladv" volun coring to pack a ham
per , and knowing how to do it as well as if
she had been on Americanexcurs'ons" all
her life , vre made apirnic < > f it , anil enjoyed it
al amazimjty. Fontainebleau and its forest
Is , to my mind , better worth seeing than Ver
sailles and Trianon , and if I had to sncrifice
ons to the other it would be Versailles that
would have to go , but th s is after seeing both.
As it was we did not have to decide between
them , as all the narty had seen Versailles on
previous visits to P-iris , and some of its mem
bers Fontainebleau also several times. Fon-
tuinebleau has this In common with Versailles ,
that both derive their principal Interest from
the possession of a palace of historic Impor
tance , but the interest attached to the former
Is more varied and its fine forest is always
there , while the artificial water-work * of Ver
sailles only play on Sundays. But Fontaine
bleau is not visited by such crowds or so fre
quently by short-tr p tourist ? , because it is a
longer distance and a more expensive journev
the excursion takes a whole ; day nnd should
either be made with a guide or a party in order
to get satisfaction out of it Tee village of
ETontainebleau is about forty miles from Paris
and takes nearly two hours by train to reach.
' " ' * "i" "
- , V 'ifr " * '
The railway station , also ( Qa rede Lvon ) on
the Boulovard Dldurof , and past tl-e Place de
la Bastille , Is decidedly "out ot the way. " so
that thu trip is nof'easv. " But it pays well
for tune ami trouble. The palace was origi
nally a fortress , built in tdc Uel th century ,
but the building as it st-nds Basilic work of
Franc a L. to wu * m Paris owe * more than to
anv other monarch for that which has c n-
tributed to its greatness.
The structure , though enlarged by Hrnrj
IV. and "rcbtoridby the Emperor Napoleon
and Louis Philippe , lias never been materially
changed , but preserves very much the tame
aspect which it presented to the creat art and
luxury-loving kinr , when visited by the great
master of Ital'ati ait find architec'ufe.to whom
he was tue most liberal and magnificent of
patrons. Ti ere are many interesting inci
dents connected with Fontainebleau. Napo
leon signed Ills abdication here , and in the
court of the palace took leave of his Old Guard.
Here also the divorce was signed by Napoleon
which separated dim from Joseph'nc ' , Pope
Pius VII. having bven held a prisoner by tbc
same tyrannic will till be consented to the act
and the second marriage of the ambitious Em-
T- . * - , _ . . .
was afavorlt
his bed chamber , the little room beyond with
the small round table upon which'he s'tmed
his abdication , and the Throne Room , famous
for its celling and a beautiful rock cryctal
chandelier. The bedroom Is richly decorated ;
but the most remarkable object it contains is a
"cameo" clock , said to have been presented to
Napoleon by Piu * VII. The galleries of Fran
cis L , Henry II. and Diana of Pole tiers show
magnificent frescoes , and there are of course
quantities of splendid Gobelins tapesty , which
is now of priceless value , but time would fail
and space aleo in any endeavor to enumerate
the various objects. "We did not try to see the
room under the gallery of Diana , where Qnceri
Christina , of Sweden murdered or oau-rd to be
murdered her former favorite. Count Mon-
nldeschl , but vre saw the poor fellow's coat of
mail and then betook ourselves to the forest ,
where near the Fort of the Emperor we took
our lunch , and where , from the summit of the
miniature fortress , we obtained the finest view
of the forest and Its wouderfullv picturesque
features , of which it is impossible to give an
idea in an outline sketch.
The forest of Fontainebleau is a great
rendezvous for artists , and it is near here I b1-
lieve that M-ss Elizabeth Strung has estab
lished herself as an animal painter. This cirl ,
the most courageous of jounir American ar
tists , is a native of Connecticut , but came here
from California , Tivice she earned the money
to take herself to Europe the first timts ab-
sprbe I by her only near relative , the Fecond
time she managed to put it to its use and
started , with only a shawl in her trunk for
warmth and protection. . A lady , hon ever ,
who admired hor courage and bcl evcd in her
genius , subsequently addt-d some necessary
articles to the stock. She is novr n painter of
sclinowledgea merit , has been admitted to the
Salon , and lias more orders than she can exe
cute. Paris has been a good mother to many
poor and > truggling American artists. Young
men or women"who are in earnest are welcom
ed , no matter where they come from , and by
paying a small pro rata sum for the rent of
snch studios as Julllen's they have the benefit
of such mislers as Bouguereau , Bonnat and
others of equal eminence , wbo give their in
valuable time without charge , and all the
benefit of their suggestion , advice , criticism
and direction. But I must stop. It is as
hard to tell where to lenve off as where to be
gin in this Par's , which is wicked to the
wick ed , but often good to those whose pur
pose is good and who go directly to work to
accomplish it. Miss Leigh's sncccs ° f ul work
here in 1 half of foolish young cirls who come
without means , without knowledge , with little
brains and no friends , is proof of this.
MILAN L
The recent revolt in Roumelia is of
great significance'and promise to affect
'the other Balkan States. Servia , which
has been the bone of contention be
tween the great powers for many years
is directly affected thereby nnd King
'Milan favors the uprising"and revolt.
He has also announced himself as be
ing in faror of the union of the small-
, er Balkan states thus forming a great
Slavonic Tower.
JUMBO'S SUCCESSOB& "
IT * Elephants Dying out of tlio World ?
BigBad antlDead Elephants thoDIsct-
pllne Administered to Several Kefracto-
ry Ones.
Only a few years have elapsed since
ihe London Spectator declared it quite
ikely that if Jumbo attained the nat-
iral limit of his life , 150 years , he
night be the last of his race on the
{ lobe. The production of the 1.200-
)00 pounds of ivory used in England
done every year necessitates the death
> f 30,000 elephants , and from various
jauses the annual death rate of this
nost interesting of quadrupeds is es-
rimated at not less than 100,000.
Breeding in captivity must , then , be
lepended on eventually to propogate
; he species , and how far successful
; his has been may be inferred from
ihe general rejoicing among show peo-
ole when at rare intervals a baby ele
phant is born.
' In death Jumbo , by his tusks alone ,
oroves his immense value. Ivory at
Liverpool has brought as high as 1-
200 afton. In 1879 it went down to
600 a ton , but has since advanced
nearly a hundred per cent. The dead
narnmoth's tusks entitle him to the
tank accorded him of preeminence in
rize over any elephent ever brought to
America. There is agreatbeasfc which
las for nine years never left his prison
pen at Moscow which is twelve inches
higher than Jumbo was. There are
' 'timber toters" among the draught
jlephants on the banks of the Ganges
ihirteen feet high , and from whose
lumber a greater Jumbo might readily
oe procured. But there will never be
x more docile , and consequentlyaside
rom his size , less interesting elephant
jn exhibition.
Bad elephants , elephants on their
iravels , and dead elephants are the
nost interesting , by all odds , except ,
3f course , the intelligent beasts which
ire paraded in Sunday school books
xnd first readers for the delectation of
: he young , and which have no existence
my where else.
The fish-eatingelephantis considered
ii India themost vicious of his species ,
fn the Himalayas each variety of the
? emi-sacred beast has a name. The
jrab-lover is called Hinaxat , and turns
readily to a man-eater. Another mon
ster , which eats so much fish that his
iiide becomes scaly , is called Bek. But
the famous mad elephant of Munda is
ronceded to be the worst ever known.
For years he had been in the stud of
; he East India Company. One night
ae became possessed of a demon , and
ihe next morning broke loose and
3ed to the woods. For weeks
; hat whole province was terror-
stricken. With a cunning which
: ould never be anticipated , the mad
jlephant set hundreds of hunters at
leiiance , and , creeping on unprotected
tillages , smashed ti.e huts and tram-
Died the women and children. He had
lestroyed thirty-five lives when killed.
When Jumbo first came over here
; he London Times commiserated his
anhappy lot , but said it was better
after all than the treatment the trib-
ite elephants sent from Burmah to
Pekin get when they misb t\ave. They
ire blinded and tumbled into a great
} it to starve.
When the Emperor of Brazil came
; p Philadelphia in 187G a newly ar-
ived elephant at the Zoo was named
Dom , after him. When Dom became
usubordinate hundreds of people
? vent out to see first one foot chained
ind then another , until each of the
lour was fast to a cable running over
i pully wheel , when with a single pull
Oom's legs were stretched out , and he
vas reduced gradually to subjection.
Dom had to be punished this way
ft'hen he was ten years old !
Barnum's big Pilot had tobeseyere-
y disciplined once tor engaging in a
regular prize fight with a fellow mam
mal. Pilot's morning cocktail of
; wenty-seven gallons of water didn't
' : ool his coppers < $ i one occasion , so
ae deliberately kicked out and black
ed a companion's eye. The rough-
ind-tumble fight which ensued was ex
citing. But no elephant is ever so
vicked as when he is traveling. In 1880
' with the cir-
Tohn Robinson's Chief , -
: us at Charlotte , N. C. , instantly kill-
id his keeper , John King , while the
latter , in the pfesenceof alargecrowd ,
; vas endeavoring to show how the
oeast climed into his special railway
3ar. The comedy became a tragedy
vhen Chief seized King by the waist
ind dashed him to instant death
igainst theside of the car. The crowd
of North Carolinians become so en
raged that , until the absurdity of the
ihing dawned upon them , there was
actually serious talk of trying to lynch
The first modern instance of devil-
cry on an elephant's travels was the
aiurderby the Duke of Ediiiburg's
Tom ot his keeper en route from Plym-
Duth to London. Tom had been
brought from India in 1870 in H. R.
ET.'s yacht Galatea , and trumpeted
crantic protests when put on the cars.
A. few minutes afterward he reared
ind crushed William Paton , his keep-
jr , against the partition.
But the most ferocious elephant spree
an record is that of Barnum's Emper
or in Troy , N. Y. , when in company
vith Jumbo , the attempt was made
to drive him through the streets to
the train for Gloversville. Emperor
3id not want to travel. He first ran
through the street to Erastus Corn-
ing's iron foundry , and , rushing in ,
burned , his feefc badly on the
red-hot blooms. Filling the air with
shrieks , he ran into a crowded
street , trampled Michael Casey , threw
P. Maher down an enbankment , broke
Edward Burke's legs , threw Paddy
Burrows twenty feet , broke three of
Michael Minahan's ribs , pulled Mrs.
Moulton off the stoop where she sat
with her husband , and proceeded to
run amuck until he had done $4,000
worth of damage , at a low valuation.
Mr. Hutchinson gladly paid this sum
in satisfaction , and fortunately no
loss of life resulted , Emperor being
finally rolled into the car.
Bolivar , until Jumbo the biggest ele
phant in America , was brought by Mr.
Forepaugh from the East Indias and
via New York to Philadelphia. No
sooner had Bolivar's special car been
closed on him fn Jersey City than he
began to rage. He. drove A. J. Fore- ,
paugh out ot the car at tho tusks
point. '
Great improvements have been made
in special cars lorelephants. In 1879
the English experimented on the trans
portation of these beasts for use in
the Afghan war , and found that the
catble cars used on Indian railways ,
made excellent elephant cars when the ;
freight was placed in the center , fenced"
in with six stout shafts and held
down by four anklets to the floor. If
Jumbo had been any taller it isdoubt-i
'
ful if his car could have been hauled'
through many railway tunnels.
When "His Sublime Grandeur , the
Court and Body Elephant of thei
King , " dies in Siam , the rest of the
court have a very unpleasant time for
thirty days. The last body elephant
went mad one night and trampled five
attendants to death. On tho next
morning an effort was made to corral
his sacred body in a ring of'holy
bamboo. " He broke loose again , and
in a frenzy fell over and died. All the
court were punished severely.
A distressing death was that of the
elephant Romeo , at Booneville , Mo. ,
in Barnum , Baily & Hutchinson's cir
cus. Romeo was very large , and was
valued at § 35,000. The machinery
for lighting the tents by electricity
had just been set going. Romeo came ,
by and touched the armature with his
trunk , in an instant it was carried
away , torn off at the roots , and he
died in a few minutes , suffering terri
bly.
bly.Old Bolivar , brought to Philadelphia
in 1839 , thirty-six inches lower , by
the way than Forepaugh's Bolivar ,
was drowned while trying to swim the
Delaware in 1846.
Tippoo Saib , who died at Conners-
vills , Ind. , in 1871 , was fifty years
old , and weighed four and one
half tons. Empress , who died ,
at the Zoo in 1877 , was then
the biggest elephant it the United.
States. Forepaugh's Romeo , the ugli
est brute ever brought to the States ,
died in Chicago in 1872 , after having
killed three men and destroyed $50-
000 worth of property.
The mq t dramatic elephant execu
tion of recent date was that of Bar
num's Albert at Keene , N. H. , on the
20th of last July for the killing of his
keeper , James Sweeny , or James Me- '
Cormick. Loaded with chains , the
huge beast was marched to the woods ,
followed by a big crowd and thirty-
three Keene riflemen , who , after Train
er Arstingstall drew a chalk about his' '
heart , shot him dead.
Superstition About Comets.
From "New Chapters in the Warfare of Sci
ence , " by Professor Andrew D. White , in
Popular Science Monthly.
Inthesebeliefsregardingmeteorsand
eclipses there was little calculated to do
harm by arousing that superstitious
terror which is the worst breeding-bed
of cruelty. Far otherwise was it with
the beliefs regarding comets. During
many centuries they brought terrors
which developed the direst super
stition and fanaticism ; the ancient
records of every continent are full of
these. One great man , indeed , in the
Roman Empire had the scientific in
stinct and prophetic inspiration to
forsee that at some future time the
course of comets would be found in ac
cordance with natural law. But this
thought of Seneca was soon forgotten ;
such an isolated utterance could not
stand the mass of superstition which
upheld the doctrine that comets are
"signs and wonders. " The belief that
every comet is a ball of fire , flung from
the right hand of an angry God to warn
the groveling dwellers of earth , was re
ceived into the early church , transmit
ted through the middle ages to the Ref
ormation period , and in its transmis
sion and reception was made all the
more precious by supposed textual
proofs from scripture. The great
fathers of the church committed them
selves unreservedly to this doctrine.
Tertullian declared that "comets por
tend revolutions of kingdoms , pesti
lence , war , winds or heat. " Origen in
sisted that they indicate "catastro
phes and the downfall of empires and
worlds. " TheYenerableBede , sojust-
ly dear to the English Church , made in
the ninth century a similar declara
tion. St. Thomas Aquinas , the great
light of the universal church in the
thirteenth century , whose works the
Pope now reigning commends as ths
center of all university instruction ,
accepted and handed down the same
opinion. The sainted Albert the
Great , the most noted genius of the
mediaeval church in natural science ,
received and developed this theory.
Afiotlier Anecdote of Jolm Kan-
tlolpL.
It was seldom that any one got the
best of Randolph in verbal encounters.
Only a few instances are preserved.
One is of a French abbe who , visiting
Washington , was one day a guest
where Randolph , who was unknown
to the abbe"was also a guest. Tho
abbe was asked how he liked the
South , and he replied :
"Exceedingly ; but I confess to hav
ing been a little disappointed I had
heard _ so much in the Virqinian gen-
O
jl f
tleman.
"Perhaps you were unfortunate in
your circle , " broke in Randolph , with
a sneer. "You did not come to Roan-
oke , for instance. "
"True , " paid the abbe , covering his
evident annoyance at the rude tone
with his usual calm smile. "True , the
aext time I visit Virginia I shall cer
tainly go to Roanoke. "
"Gentlemen , " answered Randolph ,
emphasizing the word , "do not come
to Roanoke unless they are invited ! "
It was a cruel thrust , but the abbe
took it in the same placid manner ;
and , lifting his gray head , paused for
a moment to give due emphasis to his
words , and then replied looking in
quiringly at the other guests :
_ "SaidI not , messieurs , that Iwaa
disappointed in Virginia gentlemen ? "
A Cnrso to tlio Country.
I The evil effect of Chinese immigration
is being felt more keenly than ever'be
fore among the white artisans and
laborers of British Columbia. Meet
ings are being daily held tojprotesfc
against the employment of Chinese la-
"bor in that Province to the exclusion
of the white population. At one ol
these meetings held a few days since at
Victoria the following resolution was
unanimously carried :
' "That this meeting , considering the
fcreat mistake vof the Dominion and
{ Provincial Pa ? laments , in consenting
{ and allowing contractors of the Cana-
jdian Pacific Railway , and of other
public works , to employ Chinese
coolies on their various works ,
causing an influx of 20,000 coolies
into this Province to the exclusion ol '
-S
n like number of our own race , thus
prostituting public works from their
legitimate uso nnd end , and , further ,
thereby setting a bad example , mak
ing it almost a matter of necessity on
.the part of citizens to employ Chinese ,
comparatively the only labor now
Available therefore , expresses its un
qualified disapprobation of such mis- '
appropriation of public funds , both
in the past and for the future , and we
hereby demand legislation making the
employment of Chinese on any
and all public works , in any province
of the Dominion , a direct infringement
of the rights of the people , and trea
sonable. "
It is shown on unmistakable authori
ty that the government has encour
aged Chinese immigration to enable
'them to carry on the work on the Ca
nadian Pacific railway at a minimum
figure. In this way thousands poured
into theProvince who other wise would
never have crossed the Pacific. The
Chinese question will bo the main
point of issue in British Chlumbia at
the next general election.
I 1
Prowess of SCAV York Policemen.
New York policemen possess the
good quality of bravery , as a rule.
The patrolman who outrageously
clubs an inoffensive drunkard one min
ute will in the next respond so prompt
ly to a call for daring that he com
mands forgiveness for his previous
brutality. An Italian fruit-vender was
beset by loafers the other morning ,
and so exasperated that he drew an
immense dirk and stuck it through the
heart of his foremost tormentor. He
fled into a cellar. The first officer to
arrive , seeing that the stabbed man
was dead , set out without the slightest
hesitation to search for the murderer ,
alone , in the dark , underground hid-
ingplace" Within five minutes he camo
up with the prisoner , whom he had
disarmed and overpowered. The mem
bers of the force , though largely ap
pointed through political influence ,
are required to be under 28 years of
age on entering the service , and of per i
fectly sound and robust .physique.
This excellence of strength gives con
fidence ; but besides that they are dis ft
ciplined to act instantly and courage
ously. Their prowess is fully recog
nized by professional breakers. Wes
Allen , a pickpocket , was accosted in \
the Grand Central depot recently by
a big , burly officer from Syracuse , who
showed a warrant ior his arrest and
tried to take him prisoner. The re
sponse was a blow that felled the
Syracusan. "No country chump's
going to copper me , " Wes exclaimed
contemptuously. Then a New York
policeman of the smallest permissible
t-ize , and so much out of health that
he had been assigned to indoor duty
in the depot , coolly grabbed the thief
by the collar and led him unresisting
to the nearest station , while the visit
ing officer followed , admiring the easy
feat. Albany Journal.
When toLaiii. !
"There is a man in this city , " said a
well-known "Washington lawyer to the
New York Telegram correspondent ,
"whose chief stock in trade is in know
ing when to laugh. "Yes , " he con
tinued , "and that man is a southern
er , and his profession is that of a
lobbyist. lie is a smooth talker and
always has his hands full of business.
One day last winter I was in his com
pany , when he introduced me to a
Jerseyman , who had come down to
Washington to look after some mat
ters before congress. In the course of
the conversation the .lerseyman told
a joke a veritablechestnut. My friend
laughed immoderately , but as I had
heard the so-called joke a thousand or
more times I could not join in the
merriment. The next diiy I met my
lobbyist friend , who said : 'I was
probably as much bored last niuht as
you were ; but the fact that I indulged
my Jersey friend and laughed at his
stale jokes has brought me ducat ? .
Here is his check for $1,000 , which he
gave me as a retainer to represent his
claim before a committee of the house.
Sam Wardlie continued , 'madefame
and fortune by knowing how to feed
people. I make money because I know
how and when to laugh. ' "
A " "
"Fattery"
"Stck a big scheme out West , "
said a traveling man to a Chicago
Herald reporter. "At Gilrnore , 10
miles south of Omaha , a company has
started a cattle fattery , if that is a
good word. They have expended
$75,000 in the erection of big stables.
There are 3,750 stalland by winter
they will have 5.200 stalls. In each
stall they will place a critter , and
they will all be fed with food placed
before them through a system of pipes.
This food is cooked in enormous steam
vats having a capacity of 1,000 bar
rels of feed an hour. They will ship
in cattle from the western Nebraska
ranches , and fatten them in these
stalls. They expect to put 300
pounds of meat on each of 15,000
critters in a vear. That represents
*
something like$2GO,000 of new meat ,
not counting the increased value of
the original animal , as it were , after
he is transformed from a range steer
into a fancy beef. Corn and hay are
cheap out in that country , and it
looks to me as if the cattle fattery
which I understand is the first ot its
kind in the country will prove a gold
mine for its owners. "