The Washington critic., 1889-07-01
THE TOWNS PHOTOGRAPH.

Ouus ISL Z It's inNl liit Olu 0Dilitio
who lost legs on Virginia's sacred soil
should wear artificial legs made of Vir-
ginia willow2 Every bit of wood used
in the manufacture Of artificial legs
here in Washington, and this city Is the
headquarters for artificial legs, is
willow cut in Virginia. The reason
Washington Is the headquarters Is that
the Pension Office Is located here. The
Pension Office gives every soldier who
lost leg or an arm in the war new
one every fifth year One of the
places where they make legs here Is
just around the corner from the Ave
nuc on Eleventh street. The proprietor
of this place has invented n machine
for making artificial legs. Before the
socket for the stump of the leg had to
be whitfield out by hand and cut here
and there till II just fitted the cripple's
stump. The patient had TO be there all
the time the leg was being fitted. But,
by the new scheme, cast of the stump
is made in plaster Of paris and the ma
chine fits the artificial leg by that. The
machine is of especial utility in the
rare cases in which ladies have lost
legs. The cleverist bit of work this
machine ever did was to supply man
with legs who Is worse off than Pen.
sions Commissioner Tanner. Corporal
Tanners legs are both off and so were
this mans, but, on his wooden ones,
this man walks without any cane,
which Corporal Tanner can't
~
An old ex-soldier was hobbling
along the north corridor of the Treas
ury Department the other day looking
at the different doors upon his right
and left when he espied colored mes
senger, to whom he spoke and inquired
the way to the Office of the Treasurer.
Mr.. lmpudence lnsolence Africanus re-
piled: Follow your nose" Well, the
mixed Irish and American cmsing that
the old soldier indulged in would have
made pirate sad He eventually
reached his destination and had his
pension check cashed, and then he
opened up for the benefit Of the Treas
urer He took off his nose and then
removed a silver plate from the top Of
his head and told the Treasurer that he
would strip If II was not for decency
sake and show him how he was shot to
pieces. Il fought four years and have
suffered for twenty-five years TO free
the ID naggur, then TO have one of
them to insult me. If had had my re-
volver would have killed the impu.
dent cur" After thus delivering him
self he went away.
~.
1t doesn't require calendar to con.
vey the information that the Fourth of
July is at hand. The suspicious bugle
of the small boys pocket, the unex-
pected fusilade of paper caps from the
car track, the convulsive snort of the
fire. cracker and the annoyed look on
the face of the policeman all go to show
that the national holiday is at hand;
that the country is safe, even If the
small boy isn't.
~
The following beautiful letter of con-
dolence was written by Colonel u.
Donan of New York to Mrs. Hampden
Zane of this city, whose husband,
man honored and loved by all who
knew him, recently died:
NEW DIRK, June 90, 1889.
My DEAR Mrs. ZANE: j have just been
shocked by seeing the announcement of
your honored and beloved husbands death.
know that In such an hour all earthly
sympathy is vain, and tenderest words that
ever fell from human tongue or pen seem
idlest mockery. But should do violence
to my own feelings II / did not hasten to
assure you that In your bitter bereavement
you have the deepest sympathies OF my
heart
He was one Of the gentlest gentlemen
ever knew-a man Of the kind the world
can ilHafOrd to spare. His death is loss
to his country and to society, as well MS an
irreparable loss to his family and his
friends.
But to such man himself--a Christian
man, faithful in the discharge of every duty
TO his family, his neighbors, his country,
God and humanity-wbat we call Death Is
not death, but the glad beginning of Life
II is but release from burdens of weariness,
pain and disappointment, which the most
fortunate Of the living often find hard to
bear, 1t is but the throwing wide OF the
radiant gates that open out In the joyous
light and beauty, the deathless bloom and
everlasting peace OF Paradise. To such an
one as he 1t is but going
Out of the shadow of sadness,
Into the sunshine OF gladness,
Into the light OF the blest;
Out Of a land very dreary,
Out Of the world OF the weary,
Into the rapture Of rest.
Out OF t0-day's sin and sorrow,
Into blissful tomorrow,
Into day without gloom;
Out Of q land filed with sighing
Land OF the dead and the dying,
Into land without tomb.
Out of the world Of the wailing,
Thronged with the anguished and aillng,
Out OF t-e world OF the sad;
Into the world that rejoices-
World OF bright visions and voices
Into the world OF the glad
God grant that some radiant CLEANS from
that bright, Better Land, to which he has
gone, may tighten your darkened heart and
home, and that you and he and all his dear
ones left behind may be reunited at last;
mo wanderer lost, a familyin heaven" is
the heartfelt prayer Of yours, most sincerely,
=. DOMAIN.
Did you ever see Jefferson's tree In
any of your strolls down the Avenue
near the Capitol? OF course every one
knows the tradition of how the third
President rode TO his Inauguration ON
horseback, and, reaching Tiber Greek