The Washington critic., 1889-05-09
MATTER WORTH READING.


in u fish-mongcr's shop. Nevertheless,
we may yet see bits of whales being
purchased and carried away. There
was time in Merrie England when
whale with green peas was considered
delicacy History, 1t Is said, repeats
itself and some of us who now strut
the stage of life may, ere we die, In.
dulge In the same feast In Barbados,
when obtainable, the flesh of tne hump
backed whale (Megaptcra Americana)
Is eaten by all classes, being preferred
to beef, which Is there tough. A South
ing the dclicacy of draught of the
yellow, creamy milk taken from a
freshly -spcared she whale, whale fins
properly cooked are the greatest of con
ceivable dainties. A single cetacean, It
is estimated, will supply 500 pounds of
extract, and pound of extract makes
100 pints of nourishing soup. Thus II
can easily be seen that one whale Is ca.
pable of satisfying the hunger of 50,.
600 persons, If they were content 10 have
q meal of whale soup alone. An average
whale converted into extract would suf-
flee for the daily dinner OF a man all
through his life, even II he lived to the
age Of 140. AS he would not be likely
to accomplish that feat, there would be
plenty of whale over for breakfast and
supper, when-as he might be expected
to tire of soup-the catacean might ap-
pear on his table in the form of outlets,
or mince, or even risoles. Medical Ga.
zette.
The Faculty of Memory.
The faculty OF memory is the founda.
ton of genius. Few, comparatively,
are acquainted with the fine machinery
of the memory, which Is as capable of
being regulated and governed rs the
clock on the mantel. A celebrated
writer, whose memory was treacherous,
arranged book with 1856 pages. to ac.
commodate the days of the year, and
resolved to recollect an anecdote for
every page as insignificant and remote
rs he was able, rejecting all anecdotes
under ten years of age, and TO his sur.
prise he filed every inch of space, al
though until this experiment was tried
he had no conception Of the extent of
his faculty. Wolf, the German meta
physician, relates of himself that by
the most persevering habit he solved
his algebraic problems in bed and in
darkness, and geomctrically composed
all his methods by the aid of imagina-
ton and memory. To register the
transactions Of the day, with observa.
tions upon them, is an exercise that
soon drifts into habit that is as profit
able as II soon becomes easy. II was
thus that Darwin educated himself in
the art of thinking Il Magazine of
American History.
The PeddIer wiited.
Lawyer John Stacom, at one time
warden of the Tombs, tells real good
story of some of his experiences during
the centennial days OF rejoicing. He
and Colonel Henry Perley, chief clerk
of the Tombs, started down Broadway
TO see the naval parade. When they
got to Bowling Green Stacom was
asked by colored man to buy some
doughnuts-real old Virginia cookies.
1t was early in the morning, and John
felt little frisky. He felt the cookies
and found they were as hard rs bullets.
Looking the man straight in the face,
he asked him how much they were for
half dozen. The man said thirty
cents. John then told him he would
give him dollar to eat half dozen Of
them. BY this time quite crowd had
gathered and began to bet on the result.
The coon commenced his task, and got
through with four when he was seen to
gasp for breath, and, when able to
speak, frankly confessed he could eat
no more. AT this the crowd roared with
laughter, and John gave the man the
price of something TO moisten his
throat. Il New York Graphic.
The First Senate.
1T is fact which Is not generally
known that the Senate sat at all times
with closed doors during the first six
years after our Government went into
operation under the Constitution. Not
even the members of the House of Rep
resentatives were permitted to invade
its hiding place. A resolution provid-
ing that the doors of the Senate cham.
Der shall be open when the Senate Is
sitting In their legislative capacity, TO
the end that such of the citizens of the
United States as may choose TO hear the
debates may have an opportunity of SO
doing was voted down April 80, 1890,
just one year after Washington's first
Inauguration, and the same proposition
was rejected at the two following ses-
sions. On the 18th of April, 1892, some
bold and venturesome Senator made a
motion to admit the members of the
House of Representatives TO attend the
debates of the Senate when sitting in
its legislative capacity. 1t received but
six affirmative votes against sixteen in
the negative. On the 9th of December,
1895, secrecy was abolished except in
cases when specially ordered. ."--[Hon.
e. G. Gorham.
VIII Become q Social Club.
The National Republican League of
this city, with headquarters on Thomas
Circle, heretofore strictly political
organization, Is about to reorganize In
addition TO being political organiza-
ton the League promises to be lead.
ing social club. Billiard and pool
tables will be purchased, and the
leading periodicals will be placed
on file in the club, house The
number of members will be limited TO
200 Members who are in arrears will
be dropped from the rolls, thus reduc.
ing the membership to about 100, but
so many applications have been re.
ceiyed from leading Republicans that II
is expected the maximum number of
members will be reached within thirty
days.
A Curious Letter.
The following letter from Mr.. Fitz
Hugh TO John Buckner, written in 1881,
and 10 be found in the Virginia Register,
sounds odd now, although when
written il was serious enough: II hope
you will make me some abatement for
the dumb negro you sent me. Had she
been a new negro (recently importedD |
must have blamed my fate and not you.
But one that you had had for two years
L mnsI nnnnlllln IhnI Won knnm hn,.