The Washington critic., 1889-05-27

my HIS lllllt Dtsl W SupDDIt HIS ulOtncI
and eleven OF twelve brothers and sis
tiers, sends the pedestrians hand into
his pocket with generous alacrity. The
fact that the paper he got was three
days old rather chills the ardor of his
satisfaction over having done good
deed. The boy is always out late at
night when the mere sight of child on
the street is enough to attract attention
He seems to have SOME sort of patent
stopper on his tear duet and turns on
the supply of salt water whenever he
needs II, and shuts IL off as soon as the
passer.by is out Of sight.
a~a
Many old citizens of Washington
will remember the name of John Nc
Cloud. They have cause TO remember
him, for he was the pioneer Of the Dis
trict school-masters, and established the
first academy of any pretentions in the
city. Here for many year he taught
the young idea how TO suffer with q
yell, and instillcd in their minds the
rudiments of the languages, the arts
and the sciences. lie was one of the
most eccentric of men, and the way in
which he conducted his school was en-
tirely original. AT break of day every
boy had to be in his place, and there
until Z o'clock he studied the lessons of
the day. Then he went to his break
fast, and, as may be imagined, he was
possessed Of good appetite. At 8 he
was again in his place, and it was
nearly or quite dark before he was al
lowed to go home. This was the pro-
gramme for six days in the week, for
they never had regular holiday. Now
and then, however, he would allow two
or three Of the boys to walk over to his
farm, which then occupied the present
site of Glenwood Cemetery. On these
trips they were given the cheerful en-
ployment of selecting ten good, stout
switches, and woe TO the boy who didn't
display good judgment in the selection.
Early morning saunterers through the
mall have doubtless noticed dozens OF
negro women, basket in arm and knife
in hand, busily engaged in gathering
certain shrubs which flourish luxuriantly
along with the grass. Perhaps the FIRE.
quenter has noticed these little patches
of plants before and ignorant of botiny
has mistaken them for weeds, and
wondered why the Parking Commits.
sion did not take steps to extcrminate
them. This wonld not be an easy ms.
ter, but while 1t would be an improve.
ment in the general appearance of the
lawns, il would take not inconsidera
bic source of income from the gatherers
Of the green's. For green's they are, and
that too of the most delicious variety
There is pusley and milkweed, dandc
lion and lambs feet, crosses around the
little lakes near the Monument, and
strange TO relate, turnip salad in abund-
ance. They are picturesque figures
these greens gathers, and by long prac
tice they soon fill their bag or baskets
and net q neat sum by peddling the
stuff in Centre Market, to people who
will hardly believe that instead of com
ing from the country II is gathered al
their very doors.
~.
In the recepti0n-room at the State
Department hang pictures in crayon of
the different Secretaries of State from
| the beginning Of the Government tc
the present day. Looking at then. ths
! other day ! was struck with curious
feature. OF the entire list Mr.. Blain,
| is the only man who wears mustache OF
beard. Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Freling
huysen wore deep fringe of hair about
their throats, but nothing on their chin'
| or upper lips. Hamilton Fish and Mar
tin Van Buren, wore side whiskers, but
no boards 1t was only few years age
that the beard began to be regarded a.
at all tolcrable. Our forefathers wor,
clean faces and many OF them regarded
hairy check as an evidence of saw
agery. The first President to wear q
beard was Abraham Lincoln. Nc
| President before his time wore either
beard or mustache, and most of them
were smooth of face. After Lincoln
Grant at times wore q full beard Haye.
and Garfield wore full boards, and the
| present Chief Executive has hair al
| over his face. Mr.. Harrison's grand
| father shaved his face clean every
morning. 10 Brien Balm Letter.
#*x
Secretary Noble, says the O'Brien
| Balm Letter, meets with his full
share of peculiar experiences in dealing
with Office. seekers. During one of hi
| few spare hours not long ago he wa,
relating some of these to a group OF
| newspaper correspondents who sal
| about his office. The case which
seemed TO appeal to him as particularly
humorous was that of a man who wa.
an applicant for Office who had sue
| ceeded in obtaining personal inter.
view with the Secretary some time af
ter he had placed his papers on file
| He wanted TO know if his application
had been acted upon. The Secretary
asked him for what office he was ar
applicant. He replied that it was "ar
agent of some kind He could no
identify the office any better than that
"We have several kinds of agents in
the Department, said the Secretary
timber agents, special land agents anC
so forth. Have you no idea which on,
of these II is2''
The man had not. "What was tn,
salary attached to the positione" asked
the Secretary
Thirteen hundred dollars year,
said the man eagerly, He had not for
| gotten the salary for which he was al
applicant although he could not remem
Der the Office The Secretary was easily
able to identify the position he was seek
ing through the salary named, whicl
was the amount paid to timber agents
At another time wellknown Con
gresham entered the Office of the Sec
retary, who was at that time busy.witl
quite a number of applicants for Office
heads of departments and others. III
asked for u special interview, which wa
Immediately granted to him, as he ap
peared to have important business T.
discuss. He asked the Secretary II AM
action had been taken on the applica
tion of constituent of his who's
papers he had placed on file not Ions
before.
| What is the man an applicant for 2
| snil the Secreinru