The morning call., 1893-04-18

Professor Fab, who predicted that
violent earthquakes would occur on Sun
day. has had one verifcation to assist his
reputation as q prophet. The island of
Zante, one of the IOnian group, westward
of Greece, has had terrific subterranean
jolting, resulting in the destruction of the
town Of Zante, the killing of many. and the
wOunGng OF hundreds The people are in
panic OF despair. But Falb's vatcna-
ton is not quite Triumphant, inasmuch as
Zlute has been suffering from shakes for
considerable period. The town was pretty
well obliteratpd in 1S4l and the whole re-
sion IS noted for seismic troubles. Nothing
Is more remarkable in earthquake countries
than the practical oblivion which is cast
upon past calamties. New towns spring
up on the ruins Of former towns the old
materials being used as tar as possible and
they IN turn are ruined. Nature itself
gives kindly hand in concealing the raw
ages.
The Emperor William takes kindly to
sport in every form, but always with the
dominant idea of exceIling. lie goes for
drive with four Hungarian grays, and spins
along at the rate of seventeen miles in
seventy minutes. He buys a racing yacht.
but IS not quite satisfied with her speed
Now he has cruising yacht which beats
Nanderbilts. IL Is 400 feet long, has en-
gines of l0.0O0 horsepower, and is luxurious
in all its appoin tments. On such Yacht
his Majesty may cruise in state round the
world. The Germans, perhaps, consider
the taste for yachting expensive
1t is said that the ushers at the White
House are to be provided with uniform to
distinguish them from the people who call.
and to enable the latter to make a request
upon their services without feeling en-
barrassed from ignorance as to their real
status. At present they are attired very
much in the fashion of other people, and n
visitor may not have the smallest concep-
tion of their position. Probably the usbers
themselves would prefer to be in uniform.
As most OF them have been policemen they
are accustomed to face the glare Of public
qulHing without emotion. A uniform rot
too gaudy, but distinctive, such as the
quaint one Of the BeeleRters In the English
court, would prevent them from being taken
Ior visitors, although they might be unwit-
tingly invested with diplomatic bOnors.
Blunders of all kinds come from the
present style of evening dress for men. At
parties gentlemen occasionally have conf
Dental chats with walters, who afterward
hand ronnd the potatoes, an attention
which sewers the confidence. In France
guests are nGw wearing colored coats and
vests, and the sOmber swallowtail is left to
the walters.
The proverb not to throw stones If Won
livein house Of glass is not quite so forci
bic as it was from The fact that great blocks
and bricks Of glass are being used for
buildings. 1t is in fact possible to con-
struet at moderate cost an entire building
of glass, which may be transparent in parts
as desired and may be rendered rich in
color. Transparent bricks are being used
at places where windows would spoil the
arc9ltectural effect. yet where light is
Deeded These vitreouS blocks DEFY
weather and pressure, ana being nom
absorbent are damp-pToof The cost is said
TO be about as cheap as concrete or stone
For cellar-paving glass flags would be ad-
mIrabie. a bank or safe deposit building
OF glass would surely nonplus the burglar.
but would still leave the defaulting cashier
an opening.
The English Admiralty is TO withdraw
the subsidy to the Etruria and Umbria as
commercial steamers available in wartime
as cruisers. but the two new steamers of
the company are TO be subsidized Com
plant IS made that such largesses are an
undue advantage TO the shipping firms
favored at time when freights are very
dull. But is also possible that the Ad-
mlralty intends to build new cruisers with
all the speed requisite for such work as the
commercial greyhOunds could perform.
The anihropOlogists have got hold of a
skull from one Of the Islands of the Pacific
of exceptional interest This must be in
ferred from the number of words needed to
describe 1t accurately TO the scientific mind.
1t Is, in short, a'yerbal torrent and perhaps
one-half cannot be traced in the latest die.
tionary. Professor Sergi. an Italian who
phllosophlzes on the races Of man, is re-
sponslble Tor the following skull nomencla-