The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-05-17
GOSSIP OF THE GIRLS.
Alice Conhdes to Dear Louise the
Goings On in Washington.

blame races. The clerk of the weather was
kind, for the day was one of those soft gray
days that come to us sometimes in early
spring. The grand stand presented a wonder
fully brilliant appearance from the great num-
Der of handsome women occupying places
there, all gowned tc perfection. The races
of last week were for the masses--those of
this week for the ''classes.n But can't say
that the "classes' are any better behaved in
this part of the world than the "masses"
when on exhibition, and there were one or
two cases Of vulgar display. Should to-
morrow be fair the races will wind up in all
the glory and picturesqueness of pink coats
All, If the women, and men too, who sit up
SO proudly and solemnly in their own carriages
could possess the bird-like quality of being in
two places at one time, how astonished they
would be to find the uses to which their fine
horses and vehicles are put Two cases have
come under my personal observation in the
past fortnight, where private carriages have
been placed at the service of colored women
by the unfaithful custodians. In one instance
the coachman drove up to the curb and invited
woman sauntering along to take drive. My
curiosity being aroused, walked slowly along,
and took in the conversation and the whole
scene. 1t was handsome victoria. The owner
had left her parasol on the front seat, and
from the invitation for a half hours drive
/ inferred the owner had gone to q tea or to
make visit that would detain her the length
of time which was being utilized by the
colored gentleman in giving drive
to lady of his own race. The
second case is that of "a bowling SWELL"
whose drag is frequently brought out in the
moonlight and the starlight for the enjoyment
idea for the owners of horsefesh to do some
detective work in their own stables.
The Presidential party arrived here on
Friday evening, and the White House will
seem rather poor place of abode after their
wonderfully luxurious surroundings for the
past thirty-fve days. Their train con-
sisted of five coaches-models of such mag
nifcent furnishing and convenience as to make
Queen Victoria's mode of travel beggarly. 1t
has been a matter of gossip and speculation
here as to who will pay for all this magnifi-
cence, and echo answers-who 1t is gener-
ally conceded that it will not be Wanamaker
and everybody knows it twill not be HARRISON
though he took along all of the family that he
could possibly. Second terms seem to be out
of favor, and one cannot blame the ''ssters
cousins, and aunts'' for getting all the music
they can out of ''the bird in the hand.''
Secretary Blaine is undoubtedly very sick
man. Why is it in this republican country
that public mans ill-health is always denied
by his family and friends until the very last
gasp? There is no right of succession to Of
flee involved-the wheels of government move
on just the same whether he live or die. And
yet, in every case, notice how strenuously the
illness of Cabinet officer is denied, even
though the man be sick unto death.
Washington is the paradise of bicyclers,
and In the late afternoons and evenings the
streets are filled with riders, many of whom
in the license allowed them have grown
neglectful of precautions for the safety of
pedestrians. So many complaints have
reached police headquarters that the matter is
receiving serious attention. l hope before
long the public may be aroused to the neces-
the matter of the swing doors so
generally used in the large stores.
There is usually a lad at the outside
doors to save shoppers and their gloves the
wear and tear of pushing them back, but in
side, at the swing doors, one is at the mercy
of the hurrying, careless women, intent only
on their shopping, who rush through and let
the doors swing back with full force on the
next conner, who may be an aged woman or a
child. witnessed recently what came near
being very serious accident to a little boy of
about six years. He was ahead of the nurse,
who had younger child by the hand, and as
the little fellow attempted to pass through
the recoil of the door from the swing given
1T by the careless young girl who was just
ahead knocked the boy fiat Although he
screamed Justify, the one who caused the acc-
dent sailed on with the most absolute indffer-
ence. Such doors are a menace to life and
limb, and the establishments in which they
are in use should be compelled to put check
springs on them.
We seem to be in an era of suicide and
poisoning. Had Brinvilliers and the poisoners
OF that day lived in this country, what an easy
task they would have found it to get rid of
obnoxious persons. New discoveries in medi-
cal science have introduced to the world many
new and deadly drugs, which are sold without
restriction over the counters of drug stores.
6iGROea 10 hp{n Artl,
new specific, 80 the invasion of the grip was
met with panacea in the shape of antipyrine.
This is product of coal tar discovered and
manufactured by a German named Knorr, and
is readily obtainable at any drug store without
a physicians prescription. In Paris it is said
that not more than five grains are allowed to
be sold at one time; here as many as twenty
grains are sometimes sold. 1t is taken fire.
quently for headache, and an eminent physi-
clan says no druggist should sell more than
ten grains. Even ten and fifteen grains have
been known to cause death. The tendency of
antipyrine is to affect the heart. Maybe this
is the secret of the many deaths from heart
failure. Paris green is another deadly agent
that is readily obtainable. Sntiseptic tablets
are known to contain corrosive sublimate.
Camphor is narcotic poison. 1t may be
bought in any quantity, and who ever gives
thought to placing 1t out of the reach of
children? really believe this carelessness
and the dabbling in new drugs are the results
of ignorance. People looking over the show
cases of drug shops at the numerous panaceas
for "the ills that flesh is heir to" never dream
that these new remedies contain slow poisons.
Mrs. Harriet Hubbard Aver, in her suit against
James Seymore, claimed that she had been
slowly poisoned by doses of sulforal, which,
like antipyrine, is a coal-tar product. The
effect of sulforal is to induce sleep, and very
few know that in the long run it also pro-
duces death.
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