Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-28

Special Correspondence of THE EVENING SrAn
LONDON, March ID, 1885.
The British lion has been fed upon large
slices of humble pie this week Lord Granville
has INDUCED in apologize platitudes which
have aroused the indignation and contempt of
the French press 'The Emperor William"
says the Rdppel, "has cause to rejoice In 1866
he annexed Austria, in 1870 he disnembered
France. in 1855 he has suppressed England"
OF course ii is not the honor OF England that
the French have at heart so much as her recon-
Citation with Germany, which causes them
some anxiety. 1t may be said however, that
traditional pride was the handspring Of the
strength of old England, and her public humil-
India than several defeats in the Soudan.
1t is a curious thing to note how the English
papers delight in reproducing all the bitter
sayings Of the Partisan press on the subject of
England, and how carefully they refrain from
whatever is said in their favor. 1t
would seem as If they had set themselves the
task of proving that Jacques Bonhomme
hates John Bull.
A stock exchange cdnard had taken its flight
the other day, about Q O'clock and gone and
settled among the offices of Fleet street. One
hour later London was covered with newspa-
per contents billS. announcing in letters OF five
inches long that the French troops had been
annihlated by the Chinese in Tonquin. Two
days later the little. French garrison gained an
important victory over the Celestial troops. and
the same contents bills announced the sad In
telligence in minute type. carefully hidden
among other more or less uninteresting news.
On the other hand, the French seem to be very
cannot to- sn snaI ns hs
dear neighbors!
To an impartial observer, who goes on his way
phflosophizing, and keeping his eyes open to
what passes on each side of the Channel, 1t is
really a very amusing sight to see how the two
countries Set TO work to inspire sentiments Of
love and respect in each. And, since am on
this topic / should like to explain away an
international grievance, in which the Ameri-
cans appear to side with the English. When
Eng English people aiight in French hotel and
they conclude from this that the French carry
soap in their trunks when they travele Not a
bit Off. They conclude that the French do not
wash, or that, if they do, their additions are
performed by means OF corner of their hand
kerchefs dipped in water. Mark Twain, the
entering the bedroom of French hotel: "W hat,
walter, no soap. Don't you know that soap is
indispensable to an Englishman or an Ameri-
can, and that only Frenchman can do with
out it?'
The English and their American cousins may
perhaps be astonished to hear that a French
man would have as much repugnance in using
hotel soap any of them would in using a
toothbrush that they might find a hotel
washstaud. will make bold to inform them
even, that great many French ladies are so
of bedroom towels when they travel. Ctdcur.ses
c0utS rOyez-Uous.
A rumor has been current that Mark Twain
intended visiting England In May for the pur-
pose of giving readings from his own writings.
The Athenaeum it was which made the an
nouncement. Some inquisitiye person dropped
line to Mark Twain's manager. Major Pond,
quoting the statement and asking IL there was
any truth in il. His answer was laconic Here
it is: Not SO far as Mark Twain or Major Pond
knows"
The great Durham matrimonial case is fin
ished, and his iordship will have to keep his
wife. as the Judge decided that at the time Of
the wedding Lady Durham was not insane.
The result of this case will be that shyness
will henceforth be at discount in the matrimo-
NAL market, and intended male candidates for
matrimony will have to ascertain that shyness
which they believe to be veil of maiden coy
ness is not a symptom of vacuity of mind The
clever American lady doctor. who is now lectur-
ing in London, said the other day: "In the
choice of wife, no less than in the purchase of
horse, some previous conception should have
been formed in the mind of what was wanted.
To avoid imprudent marriages among young
people, she was in favor of the establishment of
committees of investigation to question candi-
dates for matrimony." There is truth in this.
If men were to choose their wives as carefully
as they do their horses, though the ideal Is not
high great deal of wretchedness would be
avoided.
1t is only for Angloman,a and Gallomania to
make little more progress still. and France
and England will soon be speaking q kind of
Anglo-French gibberish which, let us hope, will
unite them in new bonds of friendship. In
I'LL, after the victories of Blenheim and NAL
plaquet, Addison lifted his voice against this
Eruption of French words, and asked that the
law should interdict the use Of them. Oh, Ad-
olson, stop thy ears and veil thy face! This is
what read in the No. 116 of the New Monthly,
in article signed by f,riStOcr2fic LADY,
~ was chez moi, inhaling the 0deur musQuee of
my scented boud0ir, when the Prince Of T. en-
tered. He found me in my demi-toilette, blasie
sur tout, and, pensively engaged in solitary con-
jugation of the verb S'e7inuyer, and, though he
had never been one of my hobttues, or, by any
means, des aotres, was not disinclined at this
moment of deiGSsement, to glide with him into
the crocchtO reStretto of familiar chair Let US
exclaim: Wanted an English academy!
The French gained a brilliant victory over
the Chinese in Formosa on the 4th inst, but
with what result is not yet known. Most
French victories are as brilliant as they are
barren. In fighting the Chinese we have this
difficulty to contend with as most Christian
nations have when they fight eastern people
that the enemy are ever ready to go an enjoy
the happiness which they believe awaits them
prefer postponing the day instead of counting
with alacrity the moment that will change
fleeing joys into eternal ones
a
world with the best appreciation of the Mahdi
that more Or less problematic parsonage who is
now causing so much annoyance to John Bull
NJ. Darmesteter has just delivered, at the
Sorbonne, lecture in which he passes in survey
the long series of MahdiS who have lived
from the time Of the founder of Islam down to
our days. The learned French orientalist
finished his Lecture BY describing
Dongola in the year 1913 of our era. His father
was called Abdallah, and his mother Amina.
He has on both cheeks three parallel scars
These details, though they have for us no value,
are very significant for the Mussulmans, for one
of the most ancient traditions attributed to Ma
hommed declares that the Mahdi will bear the
father Of the Mahdf viii bear the same
name as the prophets father. Now the
his father was called Abdallah, and his
mother Amina. Forty years Is the prophetical
age among the Mussulmans, because it is the
age at which the prophet revealed himself and
which marked Mahommed, and which must
mark every true prophet
s*s
From his earliest childhood Mahommed
showed signs of a decided vocation. At twelve
years of age he knew Koran by heart. His
brothers, boat-builders on the White Nile, gave
him the means to study under two renowned
to the island Of Aba, and there lived for fifteen
years retired life. When the year OF prophecy
arrived, the fortieth year, he revealed himself
as the Mahdf, and the Baggaras proceeded with
out difficulty from veneration to alteration. He
became the prophet In his own country.
-
The revolutionary idea among us and the
idea of Messiah among the Mussulmans are
the same instinct, the same aspiration, among
MS nnder a Secnlar among them under q relio-