davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
THE OLD BAND.
JAMES wHITcoMB RILEY.

JAMES wHITcoMB RILEY.
It's mighty good TO git back to the old town
shore,
eonslderin' I've ben away twenty year
and more.
Sence moved then TO Kansas, of course
see a change,
A.comip' back and notice things that's new
TO me and strange; ~s
Espe cially at eyenin' when yer new band fel-
lers meet,
In fancy uniforms and all, and play out on
the street.
What's come of old Bin Lindsey and
the sax horn fellers-say?
want to hear the old band play.
What's come of Eastman and Nat Snow?
And where's War Barnett at?
And Nate and Bony Meek, Bill Hart, Sam
Rieh'son and that
Air brother of him played the drum as
twicet as big as Jim;
And old Hi Kerns, the oarpenter-say. what's
become oahimf
make no doubt Yer nelp hand nows COM
petenter band,
And plays their music mere by note than
what they play by hand,
And stylisher and grander tunes; but some
how-anBway
! want TO hear the old band play.
Sich tunes as John Browns Body" and
sweet Alice" don't you know;
And "1he Camels is A-comln'," and John
Anderson, My Jo;'
Aud dozent others of 'em-"Number Nine"
and Number 'Leven"
Was fayo-rites that fairly made feller
dream o. heaven,
And when the boys 'u'd saranade, I've laid
so still IN bed
I've even heerd the locus blossoms droppin'
ON the shed
when Lilly Dale" er Hazel Dell" had
sobbed and died away
want to hear the old band play.
The Hep baud maybe beats it, but the Old
band g what said
II allus peared TO kind o. chord with some
pin in my head;
And, whilse I'm no musicianer, when my
blame eyes Is ies
Nigh drowned out, and Mem'ry squares her
Jaws and sort o. says
She won't ner never will fergit, want to les
turn IN
And take and light right out o. here and git
back West ag'in--
And sfGy there, when I git there, where
never haf 20 say ~
want TO hear the old band play.
-Ths Century.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
A HOT DAY IN INDIA.
The Manner in Which European
Passed Away the Time.

The Manner in Which Europeans
Passed Away the Time.
The hot winds set IN early like con
suming fire, says writer in the "Coa-
temporary Review" The large double
windows stood open all night, and were
shut up tight in the early morning, the
heavy Venetian doors outside the glass
doing their best to Theoretically seal the
interior from the glare and heat. We
had to start out for our gallop by 5
O'Clock or not get it at all except at the
risk of sunstroke. The courts and
public offices opened at 7, and closed for
the day before noon. Then each man
drove swiftly through the furnace of
shimmering air to his darkened and
silent home.
A lingering bath and languid break
fast brought the hot hours to o'clock.
The slow combustion of the suffocating
afternoon was endured somehow under
the punka with the help of the endless
bundles of papers in ones office box,
read by chance rays which 6ercely
forced an entrance through every chink
in the double windows of glass and
wood. About 6 we all met at the
racquet court, whose high walls at that
time cast a sufficient shadow. A couple
of tour, handed games tthe doctor was
grown too stout to play) left us stream
ing at every pore and marking at each
step damp footprint through our ten
mis- shoes on the pavement.
Then the delicious plunge in the
swimming bath in the judges garden,
the one moment of freshness looked
forward to throughout the exhausting
\ day. The cheroot and an iced drink
as we lay famed by the servants on
long chairs at the top of the mount
and presently, almost in minute, the
sun had once more hidden its malig.
pant face, and the binding glare Of
day had given place to the sitting still
ness of night.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
oBERAMMERGAu's PLAY.
Preparations Already In Hand For
This Years Presentations.

lLondoa Staada,d.l
Although the Passion Play" mt
Oberammergau will not be given until
nearly seven months hence, the work
of preparation is going on vigorously
in the little village consecrated to this
art The building inclosing the stage
is almost finished and already towers
aloft in noble simplicity, preserving in
its outward form the architectural style
of Grecian temple. In the interior
he work Of staying and propping the
covering and decorations of the side
wall and back grounds is going busily
forward. The staging for the curtin
is also ready. The latter win be con
structcd so as to separate in the centre
and roll toward the top and bottom.
The hand of the principal stage au-
thority at Munich, Herr Lautenschlager,
s to be recognized in the first outlines
of the preparations. Everywhere are
to be seen practical arrangements for
raising and lowering the backgrounds
and ceiling lights. The light falls in
great abundance through the glass roof
of the stage, which may be further illu-
minated through the sliding sash doors
upon both sides, as may be required.
The stage itself is backed by painted
horizon, which, after the manner of a
transformation scene, is 50 constructed
as to admit of being shifted horizontally.
Very interesting are the additions to
the middle stage; there, are arcades, city
gates and houses of the high priests, all
Of timber, oiled linen and sheet metal,
which are capable of being taken to
pieces for storing The arcades upon
7,.1 1nft A. Il g 1oAa
finished and await only the hand of the
painter.
In proportion as these halls are airy,
SO the middle stage. with its tile and
| glass roof, has an appearance of solid
| ity. But here, also, the first glance is
| deceptive, for the walls are but shells of
timber covered with mating Of reeds,
and finished of, with layer Of cement
two ceDtimeters in ,thickness-an inno-
walton which is a complete substitute
for massive mason work-offers sufii-
cient resistance to the deteriorating eff
feet of the rough highland climate, aud
naturally costs much less. Now that
the side arcades are completed and in
| place, the width of the proscenium can
! for the first time be,appreciated. Ithas
breadth of fortyotwo meters. The
stage of the Court Theatre at Munich
has breadth of only twenty nine
meters.
The provisional building of the
boxes and other seats for the spectators
is already finished in the rough; they
will contain 1000 numbered places.
The work Of excava,ing the earth for
the orchestra Is we'll under way. A
part of the space for the orchestra will
be carried under the proscenlum, while
the rest will be concealed from the
public by means of flat tent roof
Quite worthy of note is the consump-
tion of timber by these buildings; up to
short time ago the cost of hewn build
ing timber had reached the sum of
$4,000 marks, There are abouttwenty-
| five workmen employed in the con
/ str1lctiOn
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05

board The Board is the District Gov
crnment, or, more accurately, the ex-
ecutive branch of the said Government.
Yet in all the important matters touch
ing the engineering affairs of the Dis.
trict, the Board is destitute of any real
authority. II cannot call upon any
Of the Engineer Commissioners assist
ants for reports relating to their duties
or their work, except through the cour-
tesy of the Engineer Commissioner him
self.
The danger point is just here. The
place where money defaults or wastage
can occur is in the Engineering Depart
ment. The District learned that, during
Major Ludlow's unfortunate iucnm.
bency. The situation is awkward, to
say the least, and may prove--indee |,
has once already proven-to be dan-
gerous. II is a good time to move for q
better state of affairs. Major Raym Inl,
who was an eminently satisfactory Cmn-
missioner, has been relieved-he ceased
to act last Monday-aud his SUCCESSOR,
Colonel Robert, has not yet arrived to
assume his new duties. To agitate the
matter now can in no way reflect upon
the outgoing or the incoming Engineer
Commissioner.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
a READJUSTMENT NEEDED.

There is an anomalous condition of af-
fairs growing out of the peculiar consti-
tuition of the Board of District Com
missioners. The Board is made up of
two civilians and one army officer of
the Engineer Corps. To this latter the
law creating the Board consigns the
water department, the street paving,
and, in short, all matters which prop
erly belong to the engineering end of
the governmental machine. True, the
law says the Engineer Commissioner
shall have charge Of these things under
the controlof the Board of Commission
ers, but this really means little more
than that the Board shall have the priv
ilege of approving the bills AS the
law stands they can have no real con-
troll of the engineering work of the Dis
tIict.
The assistants TO the Engineer Com
missioner are themselves Army Eugl-
heer officers, detailed as assistants TO
the Engineer Commissioner, not TO the
Board Of Commissioners Conse-
qpentIy they are responsible TO their
immediate chief alone, and are. In
Eeality, in nowise subordinate 10 the
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
MR.. PARNELA,s VICTORY.

The ticket of political purity the
Tory Times has been at last compelled
10 give Mr. PsrDell. will doubtless prove
the victorious banner of the radicals
Happily, the Times, in trying to put the
Irish party in well defined robellious
attitude toward the English as people
and the throne as an Institution of gov
erpment, fell into excesses common to
prosecuting attorneys who seek popular
reputation rather than the earnest salts
factions of Justice.
How much the deep seated race
prejudice Of Mr.. Mcdonald, the lately
departed editor, had TO do with the
errors of judgment made by the govern
ment organ, everyone familiar with the
policy of the paper knows. Mr.. Melon
aid was, behind his greatness as a jour
nalist, q Scotchman, and he disliked the
Irish and their leaders with all the
intensity of his intense Scotch Cana
dian nature. To him there was moth
ing real about the Home Rulers save
their wickedness. He believed devoutly
in the confession of Pigott He reposed
entire faith in the story of the periurer
The sagacity, knowledge of men and
penetration for which he was pro-
fessionally renowned, failed him ut
terly in dealing with this moon faced
imposter. When Pigott fled, and then
mercifully ended his own miserable ex
istence, Mcdonald lost the grasp which
had made him great. His employers,
loyal TO their old servant to the last
chance of redemption, sustained him in
the guerilla fight which followed, but
history will tell that he sought the obliv-
ion in the cup his lieutenant had chal-
lenged with the pistol, and finally
passed away with great burden of re-
grct and disappointment on his soul.
The compromise now made with Mr..
Parnell is confirmation of the errors
and injustice of which Mcdonald him
self became the victim. II should be
said of him that lie was not wholly ma
levolent. He was a conservative, up
right, fearless man and an ideal editor.
His subordinates, the finest corps of
| journalists in the world, all loved him.
Such was the exclusiveness of the
Times following, and so much did that
following partakc of lis editors preju-
dice, that Mr.. Parnell's triumph can
scarcely injure its business prosperity.
The mass of English people, who swing
so cautiously between the radical theo-
ries and conservative promises, how
ever, will be very likely to grow warm
toward Gladstone and Parnell. Every
thing in the nature of flying straws in
dicate not far distant solution of the
Irish problem, after that amiable fash
ion in which Great Britain is wont te
legally accept the inevitable.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05

grow bigger than people and govern
mtnt
il Is significant that, with the sweep
ing success Of the protection party in
the recent campaign, the Vanderbllts
conceived the project of crossing to
England with fast passenger and ex
press ships, and such powers as Mr..
Huntington became suddenly concerned
in shedding upon the Dark Continent
the benefcence Of the locomotive head
light.
The truth of the whole matter Is that
the ocean mail subsidy scheme is a very
plausible confidence game. which an OK
tremely plausible. lot of politicians
expect TO play upon the people. If
the people feel like giving any more
subsidies they should vote themselves
the recipients, and public welfare the
purpose Of the legislation. 1t is time
for the Government TO cease fostering
private enterprises with gratuities
gained by iniqultous taxation. The
money barons need no charity from a
nation many times robbed by them al
ready
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
an EXAMPLE OF Reform.

The changes wrought in a hundred
years are nowhere better seen than in a
comparison of Washington County. Pa,
of to-day with the same county during
the last decade of the last century.
Then the entire population depended
upon the manufacture of spirits from
grain for livelihood, and that region
was the seat of widespread revolt
against the Federal Government, which
is known in history as the insurrection,
to suppress which President Washing
ton called out $1,000 militia. The re-
bellion was put down with the she'd
ding of nothing more dangerous
than the fiery fluid which caused it
In fact, not only was the insurrection
put down, but the whisky as well. The
Democratic party came to life in this
time and place.
Just now Washington, Pa, is in a
turmoil because an Episcopalian minis
ter in recent sermon declared that the
moderate use of wine was not sinful.
From whisky distillers the Pennsylva-
MIA Washingtonians have become the
most rabid of prohibitionists, and not
only have the distilleries disappeared,
but not a saloon is licensed anywhere
in the county.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05

On the Accuracy OF His work Depend
the Lives Of travellers.

the Lives Of Travellers.
tBosioR H,raid1
Sixty miles an hour A mile a
minute These are expressions that
suggest to everybody sudden roar of
an iron monster, o wild shrek of y
piercing whistle, the dazzling flash OF
the engines headlight, the hot rush of
air, and the slowly ceasing thunder OF
vibrating rails. What else does 1t sug.
gest To the unreasoningly timid 1t
brings visions of the horrible crash and
shock Of colliding trains, th deafening
reverberation of the last mad wild
echoes that hover above the wrecked
coaches on the lonely road. To those
who have confidence in the eye that
looks out beyond the glaring headlight
and in the hand that fondles the shin
ing lever, il brings the comfortable re-
Election of conscious safety, and, as the
tired eyes close dreamingly, the last
thought is one Of perfect trust in the
Providence of intelligent watchfulness
that sits in the glowing cab
Once in while, however, the long
train carries somebody whose duties in
life are those which the solitary engi.
neer is performing. IL he thinks about
the matter at all his thoughts do not
centre on the figure in the cab ahead.
They revert to long room In a big
depot where the only sound that dis
turbs the weird stiffness of theplace Is
that of sharply clicking telegraph in
| istruments. Awhite.s sleeved young man
II sits at his little brass arrangement of
| keys or PAGES the floor overlooking the
labors of his assistants at the boards
| This is the train dispatcher, and on
! him deyolves the responsibility for
every engine and every car that travels
| along the road. 1t was he who must
| provide against possible disaster or de-
lay, and with his fingers he speaks to
every glistening rail and every grimy
smokestack on the long lines Of rail-
road. The engineer rests his hand on
the throttle with an easy mind. His
thoughts may wander away to the crib
| of his sleeping babe or the couch that
awaits his weary limbs when his labors
| are over, and the reflection of the light
that streams from the lamp above him
may be to his jaded eye the glows of the
hearthstope.
But for the train dispatcher there Is
no surcease of mental effort. He can
not browse for an instant, and he may
not permit his fancy to roam from the
business in hand even for the space ol
time occupied by the stroke of the
clock on the wall Ten miles an houi
OF sixty miles an hour--it matters very
little to the dust-and- oil stained figure
in the cab. He knows where he is ex
peeted at certain moment; he knows
too, that the young man who directs
his movements has cleared the way fol
him and made everything safe for ar
easy run. The romantic passenger
doesn't think of these things He feel
that he has intrusted his life to the en-
gineer and when he has reached hi
destination he alights with feeling o
admiration and gratitude for the NAL
that sits among the blazing Goals ant
fondles the bar of iron that regulate
his strange steed.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
A New York Landmark.

Excavations have been begun on the
grounds around one of the most historic
mansions of colonial New York that
have hitherto escaped the ruthless
march of Improvement, On Ninth
avenue, between Ninetieth and Ninety
first streets, O row of modern flats con
oeal from the view of passers- by the
old Apthorpe mansion. is a large.
roomy house, standing on high ground,
and is said to be the most perfect model
now existing in America Of the old
time English country house of the
eighteenth century. 1t was built in
1867 by Charles Ward ,Apthorpe, q
wealthy Englishman, who was for
twenty five years member of Gov
ernor Tyron's Colonial Council, prior
to the Revolutionary War, who lived
there ina sort of baronial grandeur for
many years. In 1888, however, the
mansion and all other property of the
lovalist Apthorpe were confiscated
by The Provincial Congress, aud their
former owner died in poverty in
Nova Scotia Apthorpe House has had
a strange history, from being the scene
Of most aristocratic and splendid social
events of New York's colonial history.
1t became the headquarters of Lord
William Howe and staff when the Brit
ish and Continental troops were dodging
each other in the neighborhood of Har-
lem. General Washington headquar-
ters being few miles farther up at the
house of Colonel Roger Morris. 1t has
changed hands several times since the
contiscation took effect. and was last
used as an annex to beer garden. The
row of city flats hides the building from
public view, but even in its decay the
stately old mansion -inspires one with
a feeling of regret that soon all that re-
mains of Apthorpe House will be n
memory. Ne,o York Star.
You can order THE CRlTIc by postal card.
IL win hA cent To Your adlrnss eVarY aYan-
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
BE rRlED TO REFORM,
Hut strong Drink Took Its Hold on
Hin Once Again.

Hin Once Again.
II have reformed, you can bet l
have, and, what Is more, joinel the
Salvation Army and got a receipt for
II. Yes, have" said gentlemanly-
appearing hut shabbily- dressed man in
the rotunda of the National Hotel
Tuesday night.
lie addressed these remarks to a min
isterial-looking parsonage, who re-
iplied. "Glad to hear II. Jim, for you
have good timber and the making of a
man in you. ] know the folks will be
pleased when go home and tell them
that / saw you and that you were doing
better. I am sorry that can not talk
with you longer, but have an appoint
ment," aud with hearty shake Of the
hand the al.appearing gentleman
disappeared through the Pennsylvania
avenue entrance of the hotel.
Almost simultaneously ''Jim" ma'le
a dive through the door into the bar
room, loitered around the automatic
machine for awhile and then ap-
preached the bar.
| s"Give me some whisky quick.
| did honestly intend to swear off, but
can't stand It any longer, for the cotton
| is becoming entirely too prolific crop
| in my mouth" This was q starter for
"Jim," and just how many more Of
those quick whiskys he INDUCED In
during the remainder of the evening is
hard to estimate. Suffice it to say that
when the Black Maria pulled up at the
Police Court yesterday morning he was
among the prisoners. Thirty days In
the workhouse," the sentence imposed
by the Judge, had no terrors for him,
for he had been there before time and
time again.
~ first came in contact with James
A.. Turney," said a gentleman to THE
CRiTIC reporter, referring to the unfor-
tupate man, Sat ST. Paul, Mimi, where
he served repeated sentences In the
workholse, and was liberated half a
dozen times or more by his friends pay
ing, his fines. Only two years ago he
was filling a responsible position with
the Standard Oil Company, mad a
charming and highly cultured wife,
who, by the way, was the daughter of
an ex- Public Printer, and was popular
with everyone with whom he asso-
ciated, whether In business or social
way. BY the death of an older brother
he will come into possession of an estate
of $45 900. but at the present rate al
which he is trotting will not live to
have a sight of the color of his money.
Every effort possible has been made by
his relatives and friends toward re-
forming him, but without avail.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
B00MING CHRISTIANITY

Editor Critic: Our Government proposes
to spend three hundred millions of dollars
for navy, while 1t refuses twenty millions
for an exposition Of the worlds industries
and confines in the District workhouse six
teen American citizens In a room about
twelve feet square. If the West Point aud
Annapolis graduates were required to carry
knapsack, do guard duty, scrub the decks,
slush the marts and sleep IN the forecastle,
legislation to foster the Army and Navy
would not proceed as fast
What a boom for American christianity
Washington, Feb. 8. j. II. @.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
WATCH TIE TREASURY


There is a great deal of serious bust
ness to come before Congress, as soon
as the decks are cleared of the pirates,
and the most serious parts of it may be
grouped under the head Of subsidies.
Neither the people nor their representa-
tives should suffer themselves to be de-
ceived by the conspirators. An evil is
not to be remedied by the application
of greater one. 1t cannot benefit the
people to devote the hundreds of mil
lions extorted from them, erecting
and maintaining schemes in whose ul-
innate control they are to hold no ma
terial interest. Theoce mail subsidy
device, is, of all the projects sprung by
the Republican party. the most selfish,
theimost perniclous, the most intoler
able. The worthy gentlemen who are
at the bottom of IL should keep in hiding.
THE CRITIC Is advised that the legis-
lation so magnilicently introduced by
Senator Frye. is inspired by private de-
signs, and that the prospects of 1t devel-
oping new prosperity, as the advocates
of the measure pretend, are mere soap
bubbles. No country whose tariffs are
so high as TO place its industrial market
beyond the competitions of universal
trade can hope TO establish anything
save an ornamental commerce on the
seas. This latter is just what the sub
sidy plan Is designed to do II is TO feed
the insatiable greed of corporations and
railroad kings, that they may in time
The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
The Countrr,s Militia.

The annual report of Adjutant- Gen
eral Shelton upon the militia force of
the United States shows the strength Of
the militia of the States to consist of
1887 commissioned officers, 81, 1913 en-
listed men and 7,208, 498 men not or
ganized, but available . for military
duty; of the Territories, PA officers, q
1856 men and 101 ,673 availables; of the
District of Columbia, 141 officers, l ,643
men and 1000 availables. making a
grand total for the United States of
S,052 officers, 103,292 men and 1852,
III availables. Several of the States
either have no regular militia or have
made no return 10 the Adjutant- Gen
eral. Among these States are Arkansas.
Florida. South Dakota and Washing
ton. New York is the banner militia
State, with 743 commissioned officers,
13,47S men and $4,000 availables;
Pennsylvania following, with 62S
officers, 1866 men and $50, 905 avail
ables Ohio ranks third, the Buckeye
State having 375 officers, 4,544 enlisted
men and 600 900 ayailables.