The Washington critic., 1886-06-28
WASHINGTON CRITIC
TOPICS OF THE DAY.


artist is accredited with its discovery.
There are several others who are work
ing 1t with him, and with astonishin
success. The "crayon racket" Is
played something after this style; The
young artist usually finds out some
Thing about his intended victim In ad-
vance. A vain man is particularly sus.
ceptible After having discovered
Congressman with the necessary
amount of vanity, and this is by no
means difficult matter, he buys one OF
his photographs, which are upon sale
in the lobby. Then by means of the
"solar print" process he draws a
life sized crayon. Ten dollars is a fair
price for one of these pictures. After the
crayon has been completed he has II
framed and takes 1t to the Capitol.
The member is invited to inspect 1t in
his committee room. The artist tells
him that his face Is such strong one
and shows so much intelligence that
he drew IL from sketches made in the
gallery simply to show what he could
do. If the victim desires to purchase
IL he will sell 1t frame and all for $50.
In nine cases out of ten the combined
influence of the fattery and the crayon
gets In It's work and the artist makes
very handsome profit upon his small
investment. 1t would be interesting
to know how many Congressman have
been taken in by the "crayon racket
during this session of Congress.
49,
A slender white whiskered, brave
eyed man sat near the fare box in the
upper end of an f street car this after
noon, says "Carp" in the Cleveland
Leader. lie wore high white Derby
hat upon his head, and his clothes
were of black broadcloth. A high
Henry Clay collar grasped his neck,
and pair of black. trimmed spectacles
hung by string upon his vest. He
was chatting to lady ut his side, and
his black eyes sparkled, and a most
winning smile beamed over his weather
beaten face as the conversation went
on. The car stopped; and I was sur
prised to see. him jump to his feet and
walk rapidly to the door. AS my eyes
followed him they rested upon little
fair-faced hunchback on crutches, who
was trying to get into the car. She
had the face of child and the body
of a mature woman, but that body
contorted and twisted and dwarfed
out of all human proportion
! saw this slender, gray
whiskered bronnd.face, dark.eyed
man bend over her and ask her where
she wanted to go. She told him, and
her face lighted up as " assured her
that this car was the right one. Then,
addressing her with as much courtesy
as though she had been the President 8
new bride, he asked her II he might
not help her into the car. She thanked
him and, putting his hands under her
arms, he lifted her up the steps, and
placed her crutches beside her. He
tipped his hat and then resumed his
seat and conversation. This old gen.
tleman was General Joe Johnston. the
great Confederate leader. Seventy
nine years old, he was double the age
Of any man in the car. His eyes were
the first to see the trouble of the little
hunchback, and his iron muscles were
the FIRST to come to her assistance. He
did this kindness as though 1t were
nothing, and as saw the unassuming g
way in which he bore himself could
not help thinking of the old verse:--
The bravest are the tenderest, the loving are
the daring.
~
Says "Gath" in q recent New York
letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer: 80
am told that Kansas City has over ont
hundred thousand inhabitants, ani
that it is growing much faster than st
Louis. On the other hand, many o.
the most enterprising builders of TIL,
Eastern cities have come from the fa
West. Just back Of Washington live!
Mr.. A. L. Barber, whose residence o
stone is almost the only architecture
house outside of Washington city. /
is something of French chateau,
should say, with Gothic features
standing in large natural grove. Thi'
Mr.. Barber met in the little town o
Geneva, Ohio, about 1866, twent,
years ago, where he was the son of
Congregational minister. He came t
Washington about 1867, has capital
lied the making and laying o
artificial pavcments, and John Shei
man is said to be his partne
ir the purchase of suburban property
The magnificent tract of ground, in tn
midst of which Is Mr.. Barber's home
was acquired by these gentlemen, an
am told that they have already sol
from 1t enough to bring their none
back, while they have an ample estat
besides. Close by Mr.. Barber's castl
house and splendid stable is John LC
gan's new residence, an old brick hous
which can no longer identify.
once stood at the roadside in dens
grove, but now that grove has becom
Mr.. Barber's land. and the brick built
ing, painted blood.rcd, has undcrgon
certain transformation. All that POI
tion of Washington on the plateau bt
tween Rock Creek and the Soldier
Home Is assuming the appearance of
continuous city, and should think
would be healthier region than dow
in the plateaus of the town"
~
Miss Gregg of Buffalo, who is vlsi
ing at the White House, has given
lady friend some interesting fac
about Mrs. Cleveland tastes, esp
cially in the matter of books, says
Washington correspondent in yeste
days New York Tribune. The Pres
y dents wife, according to this lady,
'lmost as fond of reading as her int
lectual sisterin,law. Her taste runs
a.direclion widely different from that
Miss Cleveland, however. Her lit
library, which was sent on from Blu
falo a few days after her marriage,
composed of couple of hundred yo
umos, varied in character, but with IL
element of fiction largely predom
mating. Strangely enough II contain