The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-03-01
MATTER WORTH READING.


In Greece 1t was the public crier who au-
nounced the sales or bid the people come to
the theatre or visit the public baths.
In medieval times It was the public crior
who went abroad enumerating the gOois
that n certain merchant had for sale.
In England the first printed advertise
ment was gotten up by Caxton, the cele
bratcd printer, who announced the compile
tion of "The Pyes of Salisbury" abook
containing collection of rdles for the
guidance OF priests IN the celebration of
Easter.
The advertising card Is of entirely mo lern
origin, although the Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans knew something about advertising.
They accomplished the desired results
through the medium Of posters, as several
bills, painted IN black aud red, were dis
covered on the walls of the Pompeiian
dwellings.
The first au'hentic advertisement was
published in the Me,c,Bius Poiitic,s of 1863.
In the year 1867 weekly newspaper de-
voied to the interests of advertisers made
its appearance in London. Itwas not until
the eighteenth ccuSuiy that newspaper adj
vertising became the recognized medium
between the manufacturer and the buyer.
The Extreme of Con Rdence.
Not long ago | met Congressman w. II.
Wade OF Springfield, Mo. The genial
"Bald-Knobber' was IN q talkstive moo !,
and tod Of the trials which representatives
Of rural communities have TO undergo.
Sometimes he NJ. C.s are at their wits end
TO know how TO satisfy their constituents,
for the requests made upon them are as
diverse and unlocked for as one could i'm
agine. Congressman Wade keeps list Of
the peculiar demands made upon him. By
all odds the most curious of the lot was a
lengthy letter irom a correspondent, who
said he wan.cd TO adopt n child, having
move of ha own, and bis confidence in
Colonel Wede's taste was so great that to
him he intrustcd the delicate duSy OF filing
M the gap in his family circle. Colonel
Wade says he is now considering propo-
sition to Start and manage an orphan
asylum fof the benefit of his childles3 Goa
stituents.--[N. Y St1r
Jewelry That Crooks.
Every jeweler has doubtless met with
many curious incidents in his business ca
reer, hut think that recent experience OF
mine is worth relating. Shortly after the
holidays there came into my place a
pleasant hammered young man, who ex-
pressed desire to look at some gold neck
lacos, 1t is needless to say that sold him
one. It was fourteen carats and very
pretty. Two days later the door was flung
| ,I To-, .J ba
toiling with rage He threw the necklace
on the counter, demanded the return of his
money and threatened to expose me as a
swindler. II took half an hour to learn his
story.
1t seems that after presenting the neck
! lacet his lady love he had taken her to q
reception ornamented with his present. AZ
ter the first dance there was commotiou
! In one corner OF the room, and the rivals Of
our. customers best girl were tilterin2
among themselves and whispering about
| her.
The young lady looked in the glass and
almost tainted at the sight. Her beautiful
neck was almost black from the friction o.
the necklace. She changed her mind abou
fainiing, returned home with her brother
and sent the necklace back to her youn.
N, with note that she did not like hi,
BRASS.
tested the necklace In his presence and
proved TO him thlt 1t was full II carats
About that ,ime a young physician called
to purchase q scarf pin. He had overheard
part cf the sto.y and asked to hear the bal
an,e, as he believed nc could throw some
light on the subject. Pretty soon h,
laughed outright end said: "Why, SIR, tn,
trouble is with your girl and not the nee
lace. She has too much sulphur, iron
mercury, salt or acid in her blood, and a
any Of these substances has an affinity 70
gold he explanation is clear. | hav
patients ior whom mercurial medicine
have been pre- icriDcd, and the result is tina
their fingers upon which rings are worl
6iscolor at orce." My customer cooled OF
and carried his purchase away Jewellers
Weekly.
Digging ror Rubies.
1t is reported from London that tn
Rothschilds are about to organize CON
pany to work the great ruby mines of Bun
nah. This little patch of earth, having a
area Of only fifty square miles, was the on
spot IN his dominions which King Theba,
would never permit white man to ar
proach. Even under the rude native sy'
TEN Of r!ning Thebaw derived an incoul
OF 100000 a year from the mines. Afte
the fall OF Mandalay, Indian troops wel
sent 100 miles rorth of that capital to tax
possession Of the ruby district, which hs
. | et.s haa 1aacad "A .natiya yptnare tba tt
come being used to- help defray the cost {
TIE British occupancy.
There have been loud complaints tina
the Government lost a chance TO derlye
large revenue from the mine. when Il dc
clined Lord Dufierin's proposition TO leas
them to a syndicate. II tho Rothschild
have nov got foothold there, it is certai
that the new rulers OF Burnam expect t
make a good thing by granting conce'
sion to the great clpitalists.
The possibilities of the ruby mines {
Burmah are yet to be ascertained. w
know that the largest ruby ever foun
there was escorted from the Kings palac
to the river, on its way TO Europe, by
military guard, and that ii was sol
in London for 100000 The gen
lie IN thin stratum from ten 10 thirty fot
below the surface, and when this cart
is Lifted in rude buckets and spread on I'll
ground myrads of small rubics glisten
the sun. Most of them are too small to |
OF value, and are thrust aside in the cage
search for larger stones. Comparative
few lubies are found that in color size an
freedom from flaws answer all the requir
menis Of lrst-class gem, But when SUE
store is discovered, it is treasure; an
experts tell us that threc-carat ruby
the best quality is worth eight or ten tim
; as much e the finest diamond OF the san