The Washington critic., 1886-11-17
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

When Mr.. Louis Blumenberg, the
violoncello virtuoso of the Mendelssohn
Quintet Club, arrived in Pittsburg the
other day, the first person he callel on
was Engineer Dan Eckels of the Fire
Department, who is n musical artist
with natural genius for repairing fine
instruments. Something was the mat.
ter with his cello and he wanted
Eckels TO fix it. OF course the conver-
sation turned to violms and similar in.
stluments, and to a reporter, who was
present, Mr.. Blumenberg said; "Its a
hard thing to get hold of fine old in
strument. Wilhelmj plays stradi-
varius. Remenyi generally plays an
Amati Assistant Secretary of State
Hunter, who died some time ago at
Washington, had fine cello of Strad.
ivarius design. Ex.Mayor Havemyer
of New York, although not himself a
player, / think, paid $500 for a
Guarnerius. 1t is the rich amateur
who runs the price Of such instru.
ments out of the reach of the poor
artist. Mr.. Ilawley, manufacturer of
garden tools in Hartford. has splen
did collection of violins, though 50 far
as his own playing is concerned an
ordinary fiddle would suit him as well
as Il Cremona. In his collection is the
famous King Joseph Guarnerius violin.
1t is wonderful instrument. I can
not describe to you the power, softness
and sweetness of its tones. lie could
get 81 600 or 81, 900 for it at any time.
He has collection Of fifteen bows that
would bring from 81 900 to SO 900. No
instruments could be better cared for
than those in his collection; but,
strange as 1t may seem, there are peo-
pie with a mania for collecting instru.
ments who don't know how to take care
of them when they get them. | knew
Baltimore collector who had violins all
over his house, often where they were
liable to be knocked against at any
time. l was upstairs in his house once,
and was going TO sit down on bed as
about the only handy place, when he
shouted to me to look out--that violin
was in there. Sure enough, violin
was stuck under the bed clothes, be.
cause he was too careless to get bag
for 1t. If ii were not for the rich col.
lcctors, artists would not have to make
such great sacrifices to get instruments
on which TO realize their conceptions.
~.
1t is the opinion of many intelligent
persons, says the Washington CORE.
spondent of the Kansas City Times,
that at no distant day the sessions of
Congress must be extended somewhat
beyond the present limit. for the rea-
son that in view of the growth Of the
country the necessities OF legislation
cannot be met within the period now
prescribed. The amendment pro.
posed 10y Senator ingalls, to ex-
tend the expiring session of Congress
and the Inauguration OF the Presi.
dent from March 3 to April 80,
the date of the Inauguration of
the first President, George Wash.
ington, continuing the term of the
incumbent President so that the four
years term thereafter may be computed
from that date, would give Congress
one more month of session and operate
beneticially in other regards, no incon.
siderable advantage being thereby de.
rived from the fact that the Inaugural
tion of the President would take place
in the clement rather than the inclem.
ent season. which would invite the
presence of large attendance from all
sections of the Union to witness the in
ttresting and imposing ceremonies.
~
Alabama's most prominent female
contributor to the press, says the At
j. nta Constitution, is Miss Mary Gordon
Duffie Of Blount Springs. She is sknown
as the "Poetess of the Mountains,
and contributes under the well.known
name of "Mary Duf Gordon" TO sew
eral leading journals, North and South,
as well as to the magazines. She lives
on lonely mountain, in Blount
County, where she commuues with ma.
ture in her grandest forms. Her father
was Matthew Duflle, who formerly
III, naged the famous Washington Ho.
iel at Tuscaloosa, and who before and
during the war managed the Blount
Springs Hotel. Her brother, Mr. John
Dullle, has, since the war, been
Mayor of Mobile, and is a prom
inent importer Of stock from the
Isle of Jersey. Miss Duiile is forty.
five years OF age, and leads Il life Of
retirement on what is known as Dullie
Mount, During the war Miss Dullie
was violent secessiOnist She had
great sympathy for the poor, and at
the close of the war secured aud dis
tri6uted 800, ,0OOin Government bonds,
for which she was arrested under or
ders from the military, and WAS taken
under guard by Mr.. David Montgom
cry to the headquarters, in South Ala.
bama, of Captain Truss. She Was sub.
sequeutly released from custody, VIII N
she resumed her work of
well doing. 1t is said that
Miss Dutle once had u love affair,
which caused her TO retire from the
world and seek happiness in the pur.
suit of literature, She IS lady of
many eCcentricities, both In appearance
ard costume. She often wears men $
shoes to the fashionable watering place
of Blount Springs, holding over her
head a green umbrella, Her costume:
are not modern. 1t Il said that she
keeps a musket behind her door for the
benefit of intruders She Is posted on
all events Of the times. Happy auI
c)ntentcd she lives, and says she viii
die on the top Of Dullie's Mountain.
u suffered for two weeks with neuralgia
OF the lOcc, and procured immediate relief
by using Salvation on.
kfng Llnrr4,f q pAYn