Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19


Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
ROCK ISLAND, ILL, November 18TH 1881.
III the number of people could be known who
were beguiled into making extensive trips by
the late ''cut rates" what an argument 1t
would be in favor of cheap transportation. was
one of the innocents. know, who swallowed
the bait of flare to Chicago reduced to 81"
and found myself one morning in October, at
the railroad depot putting my signature to
something the ticket-seller called 'rebate,"
but which, tojudge by its extent and legal ap-
pearance, might have been the deed to a
hundred acre farm or an acknowledgement of
having committed all the seven deadly sins in a
lump. However the document was handed to
me with the instruction to 'present it at the
ticket Office at Chicago and receive &c." which
l thought rather encouraging, and, on the
strength of it, concluded to interview the pre-
siding genius of the Pullman car company.
Here my confidence in the beauty and sweet
ness of human nature received a violent shock
though. and came to the conclusion that this
monopoly must be one vast conglomeration of
'side," as the boys say. when that blonde young
man, with face as serious as a candidate for
promotion. under civil service rules, charged
me 50 for the privilege of occupying one berth
victiOn took possession of my mind then and
there that it must be cold day indeed on which
the railroad people fail to get even with their
passengers; and addressed an inward cOnjura-
ton to the angel detailed for the supervision of
this special branch of beneficence to he very
sure and keep the brand of discord aflame
among them for 10! these many days.
WHAT MADE MISS BROWN PROUD TO BE A WOMAN.
Suddenly the notes Of the 'Dead March" fell
upon our ears and put to flight all other
thoughts than sorrOwful ones of those whom
these sounds proclaimed as mourners There
was the steady, measured tramp of many feet,
reyerent lowering of coffin into its case, and
the last duty was paid their dead comrade. by
the detachment OF National Rifles, who had
brought one OF their number to take his last
iehs; Journey under the care of the same loving
eyes which had watched his first footsteps and
were now dim with watching and tears.
troop OF lovely girls, with tear-stained, sorrow
tul faces, carrying flowers and little tokens of
thoughtful affection. surrounded the poor
mother when she came into the car; but when
all had SAID their last goodbye and she was left
alone with her grief, then it seemed as if every
woman there ought to feel herself sister and
say and do whatever might cheer her. And they
qua; felt proud Of being woman, for once
they were so sympathetic and kind. Mrs. Logan,
that handsomest of grandmothers, with her
crown OF beautiful gray hair and strikingly
IL,
her share right royalty; and when
told tie mother, Mrs. Ward, who the charming
woman was, she looked just the least bit as if
she were rather agreeaby disappointed in her
expectations regarding senatorial hepmeets,
In this case. at least.
And here let me remark to those. who like
myself, have vainly tried to solve the meaning
OF the term senatorial purple'-as used by the
champion idiot, while making remarks concern
ing mat acme OF ''nawstiness." the Christiancy
anair-that have at last seen an instance OF. or
at least. something approaching to. the wearing
OF lit. Mrs. LOgans dress was of that lovely
plum color, which should be called by that term.
IL 1t is not; and as she ought to be senator. and
is the wife OF one. why, l suppose, that's the
nearest we can come to the explanation of that
aostruse phrase. By the way. a learned profess
sor once told me that purple, or the original
term which stands for it, meant color which
was bright red instead Of the mixture of blue
and red which now bears the name. Was he
correctly But there; talk of this color will
never bring us to Chicago, and, unless get an
opportunity to portray
THE BEAUTIES OF THAT REBATE BUSINESS,
there'll be mourning in the house Of Brown:
that's ALL After climbing Jacobs ladder into
the ticket office, the view which met my eyes
was struggling, growing crowd around the
counter. They were our gentemanly passengers
who had shot ahead to gather in their ten dol
the name OF all that's possible should be able
to get chance there, and then arose still
small voice somewhere within me for nv (Or
somebody ese's) big brotherto ''see me through"
However, 1t was do or die and plunged in,
reaching the pushed-for window, with hat
knocked one way and back hair another. only
to be told that this was the place for paying,
not for signing, that must be done somewhere
else Think OF that, oh We, who have never
oeen an unprotected female under adverse Cir
cumstances! Well, advanced backwards" in
a mastery manner, struck the crowd at the
signing counter and utterly demoralized as to
appearance. arrived at the point, to find only
one pen and inkstand and four hundred fierce
eyes glazing at them.
MISS BROWN LOSES FAITH IN HUMAN NATURE.
Was it wonder that when budding presi-
dent came along, swinging, a no doubt, illegally
captured pen aloft, bargained as closely as a
fashionable lady in dry goods store, offering
my place for the next grip upon the pen? And
was it not enough to crush all belief in human
rectitude for all time to come to see how that
gay deceiver accepted my terms, signed threw
down the pen anywhere and faded away like
beautiful dream? All but nv chance came at
last, and then perhaps didn't hand that blessed
pen TO another suffering sister, across the heads
ana shoulders OF half a dozen longing meni
Revenge is sweet. tell you, and mine strength
ened me wonderfully. bringing me out dshev-
49, So A"hy' ouI triumphant sit Tie emu. with
my hard-earned ten dollars folded away in NV
p0cketbook. and full to overlooking with admi-
ration OF the gentle courtesy and thoughtful
kindness of man for the weaker side of the hui
man family.
Chicago can, next to New York, Iverily be-
ileye. show more mud to the square inch than
any other city know of, and it did itself justice
IN this respect. Advancing westward the signs
OF iOng-cOntnued rains became more marked
tiil when reached Rock Island found the
mississippi on spread of the largest kind and
the Rock river, jealous of it's big brother. irving
ITS best to rival him in extent and power Of
mischief
THE MISSISSIPPI SIREN.
There is legend extant, according to which
the former must have certain number of
human llves every year; and when one stops to
consider how many do find the way into eternity
through his watery portals, the legend receives
some coloring OF truth. l knew a man who
lived there, a quiet, pleasant, not at all eccen-
tric sort Of being, who, one day, after listeninc
to the river spirits voice. deliberately waikaSi
into the water, laid his clothing on o proiectin"
rock, and then drifted into the nn2non,sS
10 O yynr orf,, Oh