The morning call., 1892-04-24

sonal issue which excited a community that
did not arouse bitter antagopism of opinion.
Notwithstanding what has passed 1t would
be foolish to suppose that Sir William has
any objection to drink the health of the
Prince Of Wales. This toast was omitted
1T the banquet. but probably the Forres
people themselves were in doubt about the
propriety.
The reputation Of no man is safe in these
days of crucial sitting of character and pooh
pooling of performances. The Worlds
Fait is in honor of Columbus, and the grub
beTs In history, which is mostly straw
chopped up very fine, are already tearing TO
pieces the fame of Columbus. They say be
was no man TO desert his Portuguese wife
and children and take up with a Spanish
woman who was 70 better than she should
be. and who bore him an Legitimate pledge
Of disgraceful alliance. They also say
that his first voyage was successful and prof
liable in discovery because he could not help
it. and that if he had not gone west
some other navigator would and have found
out just as much. Further, that the three
other voyages piloted by Columbus were
prolific in nothing but sauabbles and biek-
in discovery or useful application Of dis
covery. The hero who has figured so much
In painting, sculpture, poetry, biography
and other forms Of Imagination. is even
rs Il PIRATE DtSe enough 10 prey
upon English commerce. 1t is also chari-
tally ascertained that ae was by no means
scholarly man, or even a wellread man,
and Ii is notorious that Mark Twain pro-
nounced his handwriting worse than the
penmanshlp OF low grades In the
public schools. He had no pretensions.
20 acquaintance with science, and was moth
ing better than Mediterranean shellbaca
fond of adventure. He had some notions Of
the sphericity of the earth, and expected to
find Asia where he found the West Indies.
but other people knew about the sphericity
as well as he, and were only deferred from
giving vent 10 their views because they
were fally contradicted. 1t is however.
conceded that Columbus believed in making
money, and SO do the people of the conti-
heroic attribute which the historic pruning
knife cam OF white away from the lanrels
adornlDR the Daylgator's brow. There IS
also something to be said for the fact that
he did first put eyes on the western world.
Others might have done the same, but did
not.
" Pas trop de zele" is bit Of advice
supposed to be incorporated in the code of
Instructions issued to the diligent who
serve the Government during one or more
Presidential terms. OF this there is an
Illustration in the history OF the San Fran
cisco Mint That building was constructed
so as TO be impTegnable to the fire fend.
but lest he should get in by rain pipe or
some other equally advantageous inlet
hose was laid down on the roof, in fact
enough OF hose TO draw water out Of Lake
Merritt had it run short in the bay. An
official whose duty i. was to scan ac-
counts aud not TO let nations
property go 10 the dogs was one
morning reused from his reveries by
visitor who was on confidential terms with
innniran
The official had never heard OF it-"where
was it?' ION the roofi ! am the man who
supplies the Mint with hose, and come
every year about H." well, let's 60 and
see it," Aud they went. The roof was, in
deed, adorned with the coils neatly spread
out over heavy copper covering for the
whole area, resting upon thick layer OF
concrete. The hose had never been used
ana there were no appearances that II
would be required, as long as there Is n
iron and copper. The official had his doub...
about the necessity of renewing the COLTS
He asked what would become of the ols.
hose IL they got a new supply. ''Oh, sed
lands" This was no doubt highlir
benefcial TO agriculture but not foy
Uncle Sans manufacture Of dollarsr
and the official said so. Whereupon the,
contractor declared himself good Republi-
can and that the young man who was
crossing his path would hear about it, In
due time he did. There were reams of cor
respondence from Washington about that
hose and the necessity of protecting public
buildings adequately, and the official finally
got 10 understand that he must not NEEDLE
with the pain stalking economies OF his supe-
riors. 1t has always been understood that
the Fire Department was important In the
municipal regulation Of San Francisco, but
II is not generally known that the Federal
Government is dependent upon hose for
some OF its vigor.
The Emperor of Germany has positive
dislike to being called "Willie," and we are
told that his mother has had TO drop the
familiarity. An article la the Contemporary
Review by some one who knows court
seere IS is beaded WILLIAM" aad in il there
occurs this passage: THE real fact OF the
matter is that his strong-willed mother
used previously to outrage his vanity by
ordering Willie about long after lie had
come to the conviction of his divine mis-
sion. Even now the Emperor has uncon-
sciously feeling of profound awe or of
jealousy for his mother and IL
she would only frankly acknowledge
the heayen-sent evangelist. the Great
Man. in her son Willie there is
nothing she could not do with him. But
his mother Is proud ;and obstinate