Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-08


As AFrER-DrNYER SPEAKERS.
Special Correspondents Of TIE EVENING stan
BosroN Oct. z. 1889.
Some men are born navigators, some achieve
navigation and Others have navigation thrust
upon them. Among the latter may fairly be
classed Mr.. William E. Curtis, the well known
and genial Newspaper man, secretary 10 the con-
gress and general manager Of the excursion.
II happened after this fashion: When the York
town came to ANCHOR on Friday evening there
were . number Of gentlemen on board who de-
red to reach the shore with all possible expe-
dition; one Of these was Mr.. Curtis The whale
boat was lowered and manned and its dozen
passengers safely placed on board. By reas on
OF the demand for seats Mr.. Curtis was wedged
up In the stern Of the boat and as the coxswaiu
could net climb over him (apd II he had there
Would have osea no place for him to stand or
et), 1t fell TO the newspaper mans lot to handle
the yoke lines. The results were extremely in
teresting. As newspaper man Mr.. Curtis has
reputation which is simply unassailabe; as
the secretary OF the congress he is all that could
be desired; As the manager OF an excursion there
are but three men on the Pennsylvania railroad
who could dare hope to compete with him, but
as coxswain be is monupental failure. OF
course II 10 only charitable to give Mr.
Curtis the benefit Of the doubt and
to believe that his early education had
Uscu u0ktcCAco 50 lAr ~ piOWlu& Tue great
deep was concerned, but IL was very dlsappoint-
ing to his many friends on the Yorktown and ex-
tremely alarming to his fellow voyagsrs to watch
the srratlc course OF the craft which he CON-
handed. Ferryboats barges, sailing vessels,
the great Sound" steamers, and all the othsr
craft which piled busily over the surface of the
thickl,-dotted water were for some time in con-
siderable danger. Their pilots In most instances
managed to see their peril in time and so eiuded
the whale boat. But, that they escaped was
due more to their own alertness than to Mr.. Cur
tbs. II was well for the United States govern
ment that he was not steering the Yorktown.
Whenever Mr.. Curtis desires to 90 on board the
Yorktown again he will undoubtedly receive
hearty welcome. but when he departs the helm
OF the boat In which he Is taken ashore will be
under the control Of some salt water 'snarp"
who knows when he pulls the starboard line that
the boats head WILL under ordinary circum-
stances. also move to starboard.
THE TRIP FROM NEW YORK TO FALL RIVER
was one which the foreign guests Of the state
department will never be likely to forget Il
was not so much the trip as IL was the boat. and
some of them have not ceased even yet to re-
mark upon the wonderful beauty Of that man.
moth floating palace, the Puritan" Incident
ally, however. L might be remarked that the
passengers would have been just as vel salts
fed II there had been less decoration on the boat
and greater energy on the part OF the walters
whose privilege it Is or ought to be to serve
hungry or thirsty mankind.
There was very odd character on board. He
was probably sixty-fve or seventy years of age
and was clad in garments that looked as though
tasy had been evolved in some far away inland
town where the fashions have not changed
during the past generation
His shirt was clean, or at least that portion of
1t which was visible. but his collar was wted,
and as 1t was only buttoned in front the rear
portion Of 1t insisted on Clubbing toward the
rim Of new bros -brimned feit hat. His hair
would have been silvery had it received proper
attention, but 1t scattered itself careiessly In
the direction Of his shoulders aud was met
by fringe Of gray whiskers which commenced
where the hair left of ana continued beneath
ami around his chin.
He was an inventor. or at least he thought he
was, and he had with hin model of the child
OF his brain. Poor old mani For the second
time in his life he had lett the green Berks
hills aud gone down TO the great city OF Gotham.
Nearly thirty years ago he took the other trip:
then he was a bright. smart, vigorous young
man, aud as he dOnned the blue and marched
away to do his level best for the honor of his
state and the preservation Of the Union no
body thought laughing ct him or Of making un-
kind and cruelty personal remarks. Things
were different this time; he was old and APP
preaching to fesblsness. and thoughtless boys
ridieuled his invention and foolishly made sport
OF his honorable gray hairs He was apparently
obliv.ous to all Of this and spent the greater
portion OF his time exhibiting the car to which
he had attached safety Understanding that
would work automatically when other brakes
would not be available. The principle he em-
plOyed was ant que. but he knew II not, and fer
more than q week he had tramped the streets
OF the great city seeking the capitalist VINO
should interest himself in his scheme aud make
two fortunes.
Naturally enough, nobody would have it, SO
the old fellow was going home again. taking
with him his beloved model and bewailing
quietly and without oSientatioR the lack of
charity in THIS cold world. The old man was
evidently rekgiousy ecceutrlc. and Yet there
was nething In his appearance to indicate the
"crapk.' The only testimony on that poiut was
found in the fact that on the model of his car be
had burned in the inscriptions Ny safety
cometh from the Lord" and search fhe scrip
lures" The last saw of the Oh nan was yes
tsrday morning, when he lett toe steamer carry
ing in his arms the mueh-abused model aud
wearing On his face an expression OF resigned
s'sappointment that moved many q heart to
pity.
During the journey from Fall River to Boston
the South Amortcans Frequently expressed the,a-
selves az surprised al the remarkably small Wis.,
bic naDAsr VI horses ana cattle 10 the yards aud
pastures OF the many armhouses along the Old
Colony railroad. They are accustomed to vast
herds
THE RECEPTION OF THE PARTY
at Boston was a very dignhed affair. so fer as
Mayor Bart and his colleagues could make H.
but the crowd of oilers In and about tie depot
was evidently disappointed.
AN where's the lnjins:" querled an old Irish
woman, eddressin. policeman.
''What lnj!ns?" ne quered IN turn.
Thin from South Ameriky" SAID she.
After snort or two OF disgust at her dlsn,ay
Of Ignorance he condescendea to inform her that
the international American congress was not
composed. In whole or in part, OF Indians. aud
the old lady went away APP, sarently very much
ciS2usted at having wasted any time over a
crowd Of civilized men; she was looking for say
ayes.
During the visit to the Boston high school a
nischiei-loving member Of the party sprung an
awful joke upon the graduating class. He had
listened to some OF the questions which had been
given some Of the cadets az West Point by their
Instructors and had treasured up a few Of the
most confusing. This was his great opportu-
nifty, and he improved it thoroughly. The
teacher requested some one to ask the class
few d fficuit questions and the Invitation was
accepted by this son Of Belial with q msthenat-
ical memory. Very gravely did he ask one Of
the scholars to take ia his hand Q long ruler, to
hold 1t between his thumb and fore6nser at q
point about one-thrd OF the whole length of the
ruler to cause it to rotate on the axis Of his I'm
ger. and hnally to show the precise moment Of
inertia in the longer portion Of the stick. The
scholar stood 6umDiounded. the teacher looked
as though he was about to Indulge In an apo
plectic at, and great and CHASTITY silence filed
the room. Before the teacher could recover
nom the rude shock the little party had quietly
filed cut OF the room and left the matheDaii-
C ans alone with their grief. An exhibition drill
and dress parade by the nigh school regiment