Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-27
THE TOPICAL TALKER.


The Star Fungus-Music's Advance-Tenuis
la Femme-A Queer Contrast.
THE star fungus. or as the learned gentlemen
of the Microscopical Society called it at their
meeting on Thursday, the Coaster Hydromata-
Gus, is one Of the queerest looking things Of
vegetable growth that have ever seen. The
specimen which Mr.. Kennedy presented to the
Mioroscopical Society was found near the
reservoir which supplies Sewickley with water.
In general appearance and size 1t is like the
star fish, but in color it is q dark dun with
specks Of lighter tint upon its points. 1t is
always found, they say, on damp ground. Its
sensitiveness to the influence Of moisture is
remarkable. When dry, the points Of the star
curl up, upon the corolia as it were, but set for
minute in moist place they uncurl again
and so long as wet remain extended.
The fungus grows, as has been said, in
swampy- neighborhoods and is usually found
clinging to the earth close to rocks or trees. It
seems to be anything but common, and. as far
as can hear, has only been found in one place,
near sewickley, in this region. When the
fungus is taking in water or drying out its
movements would convince the unlearned OBJ
server that it belonged to the animal instead of
tn vegetable Kingdom.
80
LITTLE RHoDY is to have her first musical
festival of any importance at Providence next
week. It will extend over Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday, and is designed to celebrate
the frst anniversary of the Rhode Island
Choral Association. They are to have chorus
OF 500 voices. and Carl Zerrahn will be the di.
rector.
Harper's Weekly, commenting on the Provi-
dence concerts, sees in them sign OF the de-
velopment of the national musical taste. 1t is
adj mr.
cal taste is improving rapidly, and that great
step forward is to be signalized shortly by the
May Festival on a grand scale in the Exposi'
tion building.
A RATHER unique experiment was made re-
Gently in the tennis courts at the Ponce de
Leon st. Augustine. Four young NorthernerS,
who enjoy the distinction of being the best
tennis players at st. Augustine this season, de-
termined to try how much their fair opponents
were encountered by their dresses. They ac-
cordingly borrowed garments from their sis
ters and other fellows sisters and, arrayed In
these, played several games of tennis to the IN
tense delight of admiring crowds OF friends.
The young men asserted after the trial that
they had not found the skirts, etc. in the way.
One of them said that he got along all right in
his peculiar toggery, but found fan which
=
The sight of those four stalwart young ath-
letes rushing about the courts in very much
mixed assortment of feminine garments must
have been very amusing Luckily the scene
was perpetuated by some of the spectators, who
possessed Photographic cameras.
The ladies, however, objected at the time,
and do still object that the test was not fair
one. To discover the disadvantages under which
young women labor in playing tennis to their
full extent, it is claimed that the men should
have donned ladies' attire in its entirety. Asit
was they wore their trousers and mems under
clothing under the feminine disguise.
So
A CLERGYMAN told me the other day of a
peculiar contrast he observed in the house OF
one of the poorest of his flock.
"The man speak Of" said the clergyman,
'tis fair example of the class who do not pos
sess much money and do not get the full benefit
of what they have, but waste their means in
silly and might say childish extravagances.
His home is exceedingly humble-a mere frame
hut in fact, but when called there the other
first thing noticed was pair of lace curtains
hanging in the window. He called my atten-
tion to them when had talked to him and his
wife while, and informed me that he was
buying them on the installment plan for 81 so.
Now several panes of glass in the windows
which these curtains screened were broken,
and to catch the rain which blew through these
holes a series of pots and pans were arranged
along the sill. The contrast was really COM
inaIU