davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

ave set at work anew" said the Boss,
'and we worked through the whole year 1872
with great deal OF vigor. Most of the time
we had 5000 men employed. In March, 1873,
Congress showed its appreciation of what we
lad done by voting about IS 800, 900. la the
course of the work, we had by the filling up
of the old Washington Canal, reclaimed and
madc available some 3, 500, 900 worth OF Gov
"During the rest OF 1873 the improv ements
were pushed hard. We made our report in
December. In February, 1914, another Con-
gressional committee of investigation was
ordered, and II sat for five months. About
four thousand pages of testimony were
taken. The result was the abolition of the
District government, on the ground that we
had exceeded our authority In making these
improvements. That was the ground of my
rejection by the Senate as Commissioner I'M
der the new form of government. For this
rejection am now devOutly grateful"
"Had you then got sick OF the job?'
ono. But up to that time we had been
able to follow our own designs and really
improve and adorn the city. That would
have been wholly or partially impracticable
under the new dispensation."
Here Mr.. Shepherd paused. Then, lifting
his right hand and shifting his knee, he con.
tinued:
Now, the gist OF the whole matter is here
When we went into power found that dur
States government, althou Oh 1t owned every
street and avenue In Washington, and every
alternate building lot besides, had neglected
us uuIy anu OoligatlOn most sname1ulIy.
The property which Ii owned had been decided
10 1t with the condition that Congress should
improve IL. Yet, up to the year 1871, 1t had
spent on Its half of the whole area OF the city
only s2 500 600, while the citizens had spent
SIS, 900 for public improvements. The
citizens had taxes TO pay. The government
| paid no taxes whatever: Our board endea-
vOred 10 carry out the law which provided
| that In making the Improvements the prop
| erty which abutted on the avenue or reser-
walton improved should pay Its due proper
| ton Of the cost. Yet the general govern
ment to-day, in its assumption of the float
| Ing debt OF the District, Is not paying its full
| share OF the Indebtedness, although we de-
| signed that IT should do 60 In order that cti-
| zens might be relieved from their burdens.
/ To bring IL all TO a focus" added the Boss,
| Congress had for more than half century
| refused To do any thing except by indireetion.
| At last IL appointed us as officers, who pro-
| ceeded TO dc, the work directly. Then, when
\ we were fairly engaged in the work, certain
| opposition newspapers, In order 10 strike q
/ blow at the administration. saw fit to make
| charges Of corruption AMI malfeasance,
| which seriously injured the credit Of the Dis
trict, but which were not sustained by either
judicial or legislative Investigation. To be
/ sure, some OF the workmen were slaughtered,
but the work goes on"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
business Failures Of the Period.

from me Et1OTu IA 1eTUti !
One OF the most amusing places to visit In
these times OF business depression is q
injecting OF creditors" of one of the firms
that have suspended payment.
II you are one of the creditors yOu have
the honor to receive an invitation 10 attend
the meeting. 1t Is generally neatly printed,
and In 1t they usually request the pleasure
OF your company at such a day and hour at
swear little when you read il; which is
naughty. If too good to do that you swear
mentally Out ! have heard some swear
openly and call the firm bad names), ami a
last you decide To accept the invitation.
On arriving at the meeting you find a mix
ed assemblage, about half smoking, and
most of them in the best humOr; but there
are few sour creditors, who have old fogy
notions OF right and wrong. One OF the cred
ltors, perhaps only on papers, jumps up
and says: 81 nominate Mr.. Jones as chair
man." lift is crooked failure" IL is gem
orally friend of the firm. The motion is
seconded and carried. Everything is ''car-
ried" at meeting. a motion is never
negatived. Meeting organized, hats come
of.
Some one moves that a statement OF la
bilities and assets be read. Statement gen
orally reads like this: Liabilities, about
$50 coo; stock on hand, about 81, 900; present
value, 50 900; bills bad, $1,000" Firm offer
thirty cents at six, twelve. and eighteen
months. Up jumps one OF the old fogy credi-
tors and wishes 10 ask Mr.. Smith, one of
the firm, what he meant by saying to him a
month ago that he had So, 900 stock and only
Mr.. Smith replies in q bland voice that
"the gentleman who last spoke must have
understood the tenor OF his remaks at
the time he mentions"
Irate old creditor says he "rather thinks
he did not, and is ready TO go on the stand
and swear TO It,"
Up jumps another old fogy and "wishes to
know how his books stood on December 31.p
MT smith replies that his books were not
Old fogy wants to know why they were not
balanced.
Mr.. Smith replies, because they could
not make them Balance (Laughter.1
Then Young America jumps up and says:
che does not see that talking will mend the
matter; time is valuable; and he cannot az
ford to lose any more OF IL at this meeting
as he has several more to attend TO to-day.
[Laughterl The firm no doubt, needed
more capital to conduct their business, nd
took this mean to obtain 1t. daughter !
No doubt II they settle with them on these
terms the firm could take larger store In a
better location tLaughterl, and most of the
creditors could sell them more goOis than
they did before, and get worse Bit the next
time. [Laughter.l Therefore i move the
offer be accepted"
The chairman states that the motion is be-
fore the meeting. Motion carried.
Young America: "I move we adjourn"
Carried.
Young America: "And move an adjourn
ment to the nearest restaurant to drink
everybOdy's health, the firm included"
lLaughteT.l
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

the steamers return 10 port, found nayse N
ferO. am sure, IN lillians eyes THAI 4 de-
served 10 be, for, amer all, had but ble nay
plain duty. The gratitude 90 the merchants
TO whom the cargo belonged took a pracLi-
cal form. for not only was presented wIth
hand some sum as salvage. bat was appoint
cd u command the Dalhousie, a hue b AK IN
the China and Australian trade. OF which
ana still captain. while A. - understood mat
on my return from my next voyage Ltllaa
Is To become my wife.
As FOR the trescherons owners OF the Cas-
sanora, MesSrS. All chang and Sin-iin 81,
they 81 FIRST assumed an expression OF an
Jured Innocence, but were ~ last OVERCOME
by The evidence given by the r aocomplices.
and nndiBg Shanghai too hot 10 hold them,
decamped % some other province. having. as
10 was said, bribed Tire local man arms 20
connive At their Digit. A. Tor the CAsSsn-
Ora, she was, / believe. condScatef 90 ths
use OF the Chinese Niceroy, a a sent Mp the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
Training for a Corpse.
I FTogn ne T'iroinirI Nepl Je,,t,rD,

lEffW otc hgttttl .Ncb-1 fnfcTDr1ge
A carpenter in this city. newly raised to
tne dignity OF prophet" ia the improved
order OF Red Men, came near burning an hi 4
shop night or two since. A friend and
DfOlner In the order was lying very fil-at
the point of death as was thought. In ca e
or his death there were certain cerem onieS
10 DE performed over the body while lying
In Tie "wigwam" by the prophet Now our
prophet had never undertaken the perform
ance OF these ceremonies, and he was not
sure mat he would be able 10 acquit himself
credltably when he came 90 Undertake them
WIN the whole lodge standing about looking
solemnly on. lie thought he should like
little previous practice. With this in his
mind he persuaded his partner, also a Red
Man, &c Join him IN q rehearsal, aud take
The part OF the corpse. The partner saw no
harm In having such a rehearsal and thought
IL would really be good thing for his friend
the prophet. Accordingly a broad board was
placed on tresiles, aud the partner who was
10 be the corpse stretched upon IL at fun
length, closed bis eyes, aud told the prophet
10 proceed with the funeral ceremonies. The
prophet, IN fun war paint, and with a COW 3
tam stuck behind his ear, then began pranc.ng
about the remaius. With some prompting
from the corpse, he got through with his
muminerles In very fair shape. He then
caught up torch made OF fat splinfera, aud
beg an a solemn dance around The decorOus
ana appTeclaIve corpse While IA the midst
OF the dance and dOlorous chant he sud-
denly discovered that in waving his torch ne
had left trail OF IRE behind him in the
shavings covering the floor, which cornpleia-
~ encircled the edste remains. The cornse
TOOK In The situation at the same moment aS
dld the prophet, and the two wound up the
rehearsll IA very lively little light 20 save
tnelr premises. Both had their hands aud
clothes badly scorched, aud the partner
swears that it is 1.-the last time be will ever
train for corpse"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

FRENCH fats, according 20 the report Of
the building department., are the oDly sort of
structures that attract investment The
census taken OF the buildings in this city by
the inspectors within the past few moaths
shows a total Of f9s French nat structures, OF
which l33 are OF stone and 65 OF brick con-
struction. Most of them are large and have
elaborate fixtures; many are OF great height
and cover a number OF city lots, and ia the
upper part of the city several now up or In
design extend from street 20 street These
300 nat buildings, on the low average OF ten
families per building, would give living
room To two thousand families, and the
opinion OF many In The business Is that those
living IN recognized French fats would run
nearer 600 families Had the ground area
occupied by these 300 buildings been used in
the erection OF the ordinary twenty feet prf-
vate dwellings 500 families accommodated
would have been liberal estimate In cost.
taking into the calculation the number pro-
vided with homes, the saving would fall fifty
per cent below the old plan OF isolated
dwellings. The Insurance. companies have
authorized the president of the board OF IRE
under writer's 10 spend several hundred dol
lars In procuring plans OF nat structures
from Paris. In many parts OF the city IL n "a
been found profitable 20 change buildings
constructed Tor other purposes into apsrf-
ment houeea--d X Later.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
What "a GenfuSp

Genius is neither patience, nor concentra-
ton, nor common sense working at high
level; but genius is an ineradIca6le native
bent, that may be obeyed or disobeyed just
as II happens, but will always be disobeyed
ments viii depend In great measure upon the
force of character with which IL is allied.
Absolutely rigid definitions are impossible,
even In abstract science, aud formal demon
STATIONS in matters OF generous speculation
are wearisome. But may we not now regard
genius as an eradicable native bent for ener-
giving in one OF certain exalted and we'll
recognized spheres of thought or action? The
"ineTadicable native bent" is the real sub
stance OF the matter, the remaining words
being necessary only by way OF cautious
qualification against possible objection. Ge-
MUS is a quality SO highly esteemed that we
naturally do not wish to bestow 1t ol those
who, though they may have an eradica BILE
bent in some direction or other, have 1t in q
direction not exalted or ennobling. can
imagine a person putting the question -
"But about that very numerous class that
tude, who persist in Imagining they are
going TO be great painters. great poets,
great musicians, but who end by achieving
pothIns %sicn men m. re eco I as art poe
aptitude make them men OF genius? / trow
not; and likewise suspect that the apparent
bent In them is not ineradicable, In fact is
not bent al all, but only twist which
they have given TO themselves In early life.
These are the 'ferltes ia i1siJle primo" who as
boys are sentimental scribblers, and proba-
chants. "Ne h0B,Jne, mort epicier," is not q
very satisfactory epitaph. But what IL there
be no help for 10? Ssinte-Beuve, who spoke
feeliDgly on the subject, says that most per-
sons Of middle age are dead poets when the
man has survived, and Alfred de Musset has
some smart lines on the observ alton.
Where there was a real bent, depend upon IL
the bent is felt, IL not as q force then as a
twing TO the last, for there Is no getting rid
Oft, and IL is want OF will or character
which has made IL plague instead Of a
solace? But In most OF the cases we are con-
sidering there Is no real bent at all, and the
feeble imitation OF 10 rights itself before long
When one is young It seems 50 sweet, 30 q I
tractive, such fine thing TO have genius,
that the hopeful soul may well be pardonet
for enrolling itself In the sublime ranks
But the great touchstone, Time, will show
whether be be a real conscript or not The
discovery may be painful, and many have
had to make IL, but once made the sooner II
Is acted upon the better. But the outside
world cannot make the discovery, or help the
young heart 20 learn its own secret Te,a-
pie Bar.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
what shall We WRAP che Baby In.

W nat shall we wrap the baby INT
silks are too cOarse and velvets too rnugh
Snow lest linens not half white enough.
Web OF right hneness no fairy can spin.
What shall we wrap the baby INF
Softest OF colors may cover his bid
Delicate hues OF the sky ana the rose,
Ttnts OF all buds that In May-motns uu-
close.
When on the bosom OF sleep drops his head:
lie must Rave something more heavenly in
stead.
What shall we wrap the baby Irs
Nothing that fingers have woven win DO.
Looms of the heart weave love ever anew
Love, only love. IL the right thread 70 spin,
Love we must wrap the baby In.
fIrscF FaF.osa
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29
WHICH SHALL BE.

i VTWTWF@cu
10 his poor neiPhbOr, who had seven, 20 ia &c
one or them, aud promised. II the parents
would consent, that he would give the n
property enough To make themselves nd
heir other six children comfortable for life.
Which shan 1t be? Which shall 1t be?
i IoOksi az John, John looked at me-
And when j found h Il / must speak
MY voice seemed strangely low and weak
81 7 n me aga n what Robert said;r
An then ], listening, bent my head
This is his letter.
"Iwin give
a house and land while you shall live,
IL, In return, from out your seven,
One child to me for aye Is given"
i looked at Johns old garments worn;
i thought OF all that he had borne
OF poverty, and work, aud care.
Which /, though willing, could not share;
i thought OF seven young mouths TO feed,
OF seven little children's need,
And then OF this.
"Come, John" said /.
Wen choose among them as they lie
Asleep" So, walking hand I'm hand.
Dear John and surveyed our band;
First TO the cradle lightly stepped
Where Lillian, the baby slept.
Softly the father stopped TO lay
HIS rough nand down in loving way,
When dream or whisper made her stir,
And huskily he said Not her!"
We stopped beside the trundIe bed.
ana one long ray OF lanplight shed
AhWaTt The DOylSn faces there,
In sleep so beautiful and fair.
saw on James rough, red check
A tear undried. Ere John could speak,
'1Hes but baby, too" said /,
And kissed him as we hurried by.
Pale, patient RObbie's angel face
Still in his sleep bore sufTering's trace,
ono, for a thousand crowns not himi"
be whispered, while our eyes were dim.
Poor Dick, bal Dick! our maynard SON
Turbulent. restless, idle one
Could he be spared? Nay, He who gave
Babe Us befrfend him To the grave;
Only a mothers heart could be
Patient enough for such as he;
'And So" said John, 81 would not dare
To take him from her bedside prayer"
Then stole we softly up above,
And knelt by Mary, child of love.
"PeIhaps for her 'twOuld better be-
i said to John Quite silently
He lifted up curl that lay
Across her cheek In a wilful way,
And shook his head. "Nay, love, not thee, ,
The while my heart beat audibly.
Only one more, our eldest lad,
Trusty and truthful, good and glad.
So like his father. ono, John, no!
i canhOt, will not, let him 60"
And so we wrote in a courteous way,
We could not give one child away;
And afterwards toll lighter seemed,
Thinking Of that OF which we dreamed,
Happy in truth that not one face
Was missed from its accustomed place;
Thankful to work for all the seven,
Trusting the rest 10 One in heaven.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

~When n sweet little child skips care
lessly and rests its molasses- smeared fiugers
on your cassimeres, IL II well enough for you
10 remember that Of such Is the kingdom OF
heaven.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-29

"N~v, G hvarrsor- what about the charges
Il at there was frau in the c p1fracs S flrtues
int prov e3ueDts aud ia sOnas OF the tunS-ay-.
ments themselves"
EVERY such charge Is q mistake Or a lie
AS for me, have q wife and SIX es IA
the house here. / don't propose that tny
children shall ever have to acknoyteiy "a
their father q thief In point of fact
there was no stealing, in nv be faf byaIv-
body. Notwithstanding the reck less charges
made, no one accusing me has put
bis finger on single specific frau 4,
For three years all the papers relating
TO the work In every part Of the District
passed through my hands. / frequently ex-
amined more than one thousand papers a
day. Thus l kept myself familiar with
every detail. In that way i was able To pre-
vent fraud or theft, and to choke audaIs
which were not kept alive by sheer false
hood
Now" continued the Boss ;" IL ycyI please
we will step into the library. John, bring
some wine and seltZer."
Arrived in the library, volume of reports
was accessible. Turning the leaves, Mr..
Shepherd resumed:
1.-The amount OF work done in those three
years-the three years when / was vice pres
ident of the board-was immense. III you
will take down these figures, showing the
number of miles of new pavements Sc wers
&C. which were laid you VIII get some notion
oft: Mics
, 1876-04-13

When Gen. jackson was President.
Jimmie O'Nei'. the porter, was marked
character. He had his foibles. which
were offensive to the fastidiousness Of
Col. Donaldson. and caused his dismis
sal on an average about once week
But in an appeal to the higher court,
the verdict was invariably reversed by
the good nature Of the old General
Once, however, Jimmie was guilty o.
some fagrant offence, and was sum
moned before the highest tribunal Al
once. The General, after stating the
details of the case, observed:
Jimmie, have borne with you for
years. in spite of all complaints. but il
this act you have gone beyond my pow
er of endurance
And do you believe the story?' asked
Jimmie.
Certainly answered the General
I have just heard it from two Sena'
tors
Faith, replied the porter, if I be
leved all that twenty Senators said
about you, it's little I'd think you fit 70,
President
o pshaw! Jimmie concluded the
President, clear out and go to your duty,
but be more careful in future
Jimmie remained with mis- kind heart
ed patron not only until the close of his
| Presidential term, but, accompanied
him to the Hermitage, and was
with him to the day of his
death.
, 1876-04-13

4 am. sir. said the lady, in an irri-
tated tone. I have the honor of being
his daughter
Sam Looked suspicious, but finally re-
mark: You will excuse me for being
so particular. but orders are imperative.
This pass has been presented to me sew,
eral times of late, and -wss-under---
the impression that Mr.. Cross was a
colored man.
The flush of indignation which over
spread the countenance of the lady was
more convincing than argument, aud
Sam abandoned his investigations.
OF course Miss C. related the occur.
renee to her father, and his rage knew
no bounds. He registered a solemn
vow to kill every conductor on the line
but what he would have satisfaction
Several weeks elapsed before he dis
covered the offending ones, and by that
time his feelings were considerably
Modified, and both Hi. and Sam still
live.
, 1876-04-13
g,yet Sp,s'ta 9israteh,
FRox DAILY OF SATURDAY,


Warts EscAPE.-Sheriff Will.
liaans informs us that at the time
ofthe escape of Watts from the
Kstsap county Jail, there were
two guards over the prisoners.
They were on their way from
the Jail cook-house to the iail,
the two buildings being about
ten feet apart and connected by
q platform. One guard went in
bee and-the other in the
rear. As they passed out ofthe
coo ouse, one ofthe prisoners
loitefed an instant in the door.
wry, ,obstructing the rear guard s
view. Watta took advantage
OF this momentary stoppage to
run along the platform to the
rear of the cook-house and Jump
offinto the brush. A fence around
the Jail would have prevented
any such escape as this.
, 1876-04-13
From Daily Of Wednesday
Marine Intelligence.

SAN FRANCISCO, April AR
rived, bark Oak Hill: Port Blake
ly. Sailed, bark Vidette, Port
Madison.
PORT TOWNSEND, April AR
we'd, bark Montana and ship
Gen. Butler, bark Gem of the
Ocean and ship Eldorado, San
Francisco.
SEHoME, April s. - Arrived
bark Amethyst.
Victoria, April 7. Arrived
ship Orpheus, San Francisco.
NANIAMo, April 4. Arrived
ships Winged Hunter and Blue
Jacket, San Francisco.
PORT FIscovERY, April 8. -
Sailed, bark Caroline, TaIacahu-
ana, Chill.
VICTORIA, April s. - Sailed,
barks Aboyne, Sydney; Marie
Boggrano, Mollino.
1O.-Matthilde, Calloa; ship
Grace Darling; San Francisco.
Arrived, stmr. California, Port
land.
SEABECK, April 3. Arrived,
bark Transito Alvarez, Valpai-
SO.
7.-Sailed, blk General Cobb,
San Francisco.
PORT LUDLOW, April 11.-Ar-
rived, blk. Adelaide Cooper, San
Francisco.
PoRT TOWNSEND, April liar
rived, ship Orzero, Callao.
SAN FRANcIsco, April 11.-Ar-
rived, ship Commodore, Seattle;
bark Oakland, Port Madison;
ship Lookout, Bellingham Bay;
bark Mary Glover, Port Discov-
cry; steamer Ajax, Portland.
Sailed, bark Buena Vista, Port
Gamble; schooner H. L. Tier
nan, Shoalwater Bay.
, 1876-04-13
Fourth of July Committees.

On Finance and Arrangement-B Cat
zert, John Leary, John Collins. Capt
Geo. D. Hill, d. Kellogg.
On Music.-W. Meydenbauer and W.
H. Humphrey.
Or Amusements-G. Kellogg. z. Rus
sci, W, Meyden5auer. L. Reinig. G. V.
Calhoun, S. f. Coombs, B. Murphy.
On Regatta--Dr. Sparling, Capt. Win
sor, Capt. jackson.
On Military and procession-Capt-
Hill, Col. Jenkins, G. V. Calhoun.
On Decorations "A. W. Piper, Geo.
W. Hall, Mr.. Stringham, W. H. Shoudy,
W. G. Jameson. S. C, Harris.
On Invitation and Reception--B. Cat
zert. Judge Lewis, A. A. Denny, II. L.
Yesler, j. R. Robbins.
On Printing--W. II. Humphrey, q. A,
Weed
On Fireworks A. W. Piper, W. H.
Humphrey. J. Sullivan. W. Meyden.
bauer.
, 1876-04-13
From Daily Of Tuesday.

THE New STEAMER.-The lum-
ber is now being cut and the
timbers got out for the new light
draught steamer which is to run
in the Snohomish trade, and her
keel will be laid On Hammond s
ways next week. The contract
for the building Of the engines
has been taken in Oregon and
they will be completed within 10
days. The new steamer will be
owned by J. r. Robbins and
Capt. Thos. A. Wright of this
city and Ben. Stretch of Snoho-
mish and will hail from Snoho-
mish City. She will be so feet
in length, 10 feet four inches In
beam and 4 feet 9 depth of hold.
Timbers all natural knees.
, 1876-04-13

The CoNKLEMAN CASE. The
case of Gentleman, charged with
obtaining money under false
pretences, was settled this morn
ing before Justice Smith. The
prosecution failing to put in an
appearance, Mr.. Conkleman was
discharged and costs assessed
On prosecuting witness
, 1876-04-13
probably thrown overheard to
note the set of the currents.
- Tbe So.+tlo CoalCo oon,

Ma The Seattle Coal Co. com.
menced a suit before Justice
Scott this morning to have the
land occupied by their railroad
from Lake Washington to the
coal mine, condemned and to
have appraisers appointed to as
sess the damages. John Ross,
one of the parties through whose
land the line runs, demurred
to this, but the Court overruled
his demurrer and the follow
ing gentlemen were appointed
appraisers; Messrs. George, F.
Matthias and NJ. r. Maddocks.