The Washington critic., 1889-03-27
MATTER WORTH READING.



of Madagascar has just taken bath. Per
haps Americans at first will not realize the
solemnity and Importance Of this statement
concerning the annual ablutions Of the
Queen, which are the sensation OF the year
In that distant island. They celebrate tho
occasion OF the "Festival OF the Bath" with
the greatest pomp and seriousness, and II
is only the Madagascar 400 which ia per
mittcd to assist in tfis great festival of
cleanliness. Beside these the privileged
spectators consist Of the foreign ministers,
her own highest officials only aud the
princes of the blood. The Prime Minister
and the French Resident alone are al
lowed TO be seated during this august cere-
mony.
The Queen is clothed all In scarlet and
seated upon q red velvet throne; q corner OF
the room Is rallied off with red curtains, and
behind this is rolled q great bath tub set on
wheels. A solemn procession files through,
bearing the water for the bath, materials
for the fire TO heat 1t, made directly under
the bath tub itself, the towels, soap, per-
fume, and various appurtenances. As soon
as the water is sufficiently heated the fire is
P"V o"', Pi"Jcis "io o"i" ehN ~ Jh'" puhb,
imploring that the queen suner. no harm
| from her daring act, and then, as she disap-
pears behind the curtain, salyo of artillery
| Is fired and the drums beat to announce to
| the excited multitudes outside that the i'm
portant part of the ceremony is taking
place. Al the emu Oh priei nIteen minutes
the Queen reappears, somewhat paler In
| hue, but gorgeously arrayed and wearing
HI 'no eiown le"e,s
IN ner nanu sue carries nn os-horn,
uppeu anu pounu WIN s'i'er' iun oi wafer
'aken from inc oa'h just previous 10 hcr
eh'iance W " peaiine '"iS anu acco"'-
| Pahieu oy .he rriihe ninis.cr' sne n'arcnes
" 'no pa,"'o pol"a,' "n''o gu, ups % a
i"n.u NV .uo ""N eno
! speo'a,o'e av .noy p"'o ",onE, "nvn ssee I've
mem .ne 'a''sia'''n VI ,'ens 'na. snoy
nave IN ,neasa'e suareu ia s.e Changers
"n,vn W, Nuesn, 10 ."0 "0"' u 'n' ""''o''
n"u ooiu,' .on,,o'.u. n, w.
oanno" ",u "..u ~ 'n' VI y'oly ,No
ninu'eo un'" o.e 20 Say oaen y" no,
.niono asun' anu sno p,in'o. y, 'no ,Uya' ;.
i"n,ny, .no iop' p'essu'a''s '.',e Vi 'no nop,n.y
anu 'ne io'o'sn n,n's'eie ,ono anu 'onuoi
enon neia'u'".,ono anu p.osons sn'e'
= ~n,n oHp,ese Uno Joy ~ 'no ., o"ie oon-
oius'en VI sne v.u = ''"o y. son-
oia ieao.ms "oous Vno i9,anu, oN.n "ie
roas'eu Whole anu 'ne peop'c scnu en's 70
one 'no'ner IN .es'ihohy Vi 'he uli'ersa'
Joy' '7l'-onu'n i'o'.or'
| ihe Skull Oh coora'
Ihe skull Oh COBRA lies before me- From
.he UP Oh ine SHOUT W Tue oack Vi 'le Skull
.he iehs'h H an iusn anu quar'er' pu'
iowm iow "a b,nged the ,en.th "a mora
| ,bor an ,nob on5 tbroo-oner,ors rho
| brain cose 10 an ivorv cas,rot ~ great
so,iditv. bpt the law homes are loosely con.
nootod ana drr,nc ,,fe orc oonoh,n =, .
nooS aooi =, ,notien Tho two s,da ,,,aoo.
| ~, ,o,n.- ,a,,, T., .h, ..'s,s /,
,,,.aa a., So. ~ n a,a.t;. ,,sam.
po,,ns ,hnn AZ ~ no, h;nmo ~, Tho ,,.,n
.oso ;,sol, hnt on lone snnnort,no onos
,rh,oh Inv ont ~ tho h,oI ~ tha sL,,, ana
49, ~, ,o,oh,o - ,ro,,o,, on, ,,v.ra 90 =,
/ - -, ~ asooo ha,,.aa, ,hor NJ.
| o,,,r arn ,hora taa,h on tha 'Iowor io,v and
oinvr y aS ~, 49, asao =, ,na ,,nno ,.nr a.
.ne e pn,hon,s sr~,f ,hara ora ff o,so avtro
rn.s y, 80 ,oa,h ir,n,ant cd T., ,ha hon.s ,vh,ch
-. aa ~, n.oh "a. =, az ,,a,a.a IN.
tos,h oro not sor or,,s,,,,u -, taar,n, :,
ohaw,na Thav oil sIona na.rodIr hanS.
rv.r, and o-o for hold,na tho nroy Won,
a.. III, Ia, ,,,.,> ,ha n,o,,.t sou
-st,1,, LII, oo,,o, ,,,, 49, ,oa -, !,
~ - A., q. a;ea,,t ,.t.a~ r,' :
,,s,a5 ,o.,t 90 oono,,,,otod =, v,,..,,,
f'S'N'''
'""'
Acurious story is related from Madrid IN
explanation OF the misfortunes which have
lately afflicted the royal house OF SPAIN
1t appears that the root OF the mischief IL
fatal ring OF quite medieval deadnness
The late King Alphonso XII. gave 1t to his
cousin, Mercedes, when he was betrotheo
to her, and she wore 1t during the whole ol
her snort married life. On her death the
King presented II TO his grandmother, th'
Queen Christina. She died very soon after
when 1t passed to the Kings sister, thu
lnfanta del Pillar, who at once began tt
sicken, and, In few days, breathed he
last. Alphonso then handed II TO hi
sister-in-law, Christina, the Youngest dangh
Ter Oh tDe luke Oh Mohtpensier, put, ~
three months, she was also dead. ILL
Majesty now resolved to retain the balefu
jewel In his own keeping, but he, too, sool
fell victim TO It's mysterious malignancy
BY order OF his widow 1t has now been sus
pended by a chain around the neck OF tn
statue OF the Maid OF Almudena' the patrol
saint OF Madrid.
A Queens Magazine Venture
Maria Henrietta, Queen OF the Belglums
| haa 0Qpa In for plttinO like MiSa Clayp