The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-05

The corps grew ny "a this way. There
was some years ago a fund called the
Times Crimean fund. It was started
by letter written by the present Sir
Robert Peel. who pointed out the
abominable way in which the various
departments were managing the army
in the Crimea, and the consequence
was that a great sum of money was
raised and the late Mr.. Macdonald, of
the Times. went out to Constantinople
to distribute it
A good deal was spent in providing
for the necessities of the men in the
trenches Later some of the money
was employed for similar purposes in
India; but there the necessity was not
so great, for things were much better
done in India than in the Crimea-
After that, about 1865. it seemed that
the money was frittered away for
merely temporary help. So Sir Edward
Walter said to his famous brother, John
Walter, of tha London Times: 'It
would be better if this were given to
start an officers endowment for the
ed and struggling, it would give us the
help we need to make it a settled insti-
tuition" That course was followed and
the money obtained furnished an in
come with which the officers and staff
of these two thousand men are paid.
Once started the institution did such
admirable service that old officers en-
dowed it richly. The duchess of West
minister left it forty thousand dollars
Officers sometimes give the fund ten
thousand dollars. They want to see
the service extended; and they are
right For it is one of the very best
services which any city in the world
possesses The men are all handsomely
uniformed; they are all teetotalers;
they are universally polite; they ex.
pect no gratuities, although they often
get them. They never play BALI in
the street or sit on the curb-stones
watching game. They never swear
in public; they are fit companions for
any lady, and, in fact. hundreds of
ladies employ them to accompany them
to and from theaters. They are paid
twenty-fiv per cent above the average
market rate of wages Their reputa-
lions are spotless and they can be
trusted with large or small sums Of
money.
Now see how they are employed If
you enter a London club a uniformed
commissionaire opens the door. an
swers your questions or gives you your
letters. He is hired at so much day
and goes to his own home or to quar-
tiers at night.
II You want messenger, commits
sionaire comes and departs at the mill
tary quickstep when you dispatch him.
In hotels they attend the doors and
do all the errands In fashionabl res
taurants they are the attendants in the
outer halls. At great public dinners
they take the hats aud cleaks and an
nounce the guests and call the cabs.
At theaters they take tickets and mar
shalo crowds and run with messages.
At weddings and funerals they have
their place. A child or an invalid lady
can be sent anywhere in their company
without running any risk of hearing
bad language. or being offended by any
Most of these old soldiers
are erect. quick-paced. good-looking
men. with clean-shaven faces; they car
ry little dispatch box; their whole at
titude is military They are known
and trusted all over the kingdom.
Bankers will employ them when they
will take no other class of servants out.
side of their own force. They are
quicker than boys, for they never loiter.
Most of them have money in bank
They never smoke when on duty. They
are not out of place in a drawing room;
they are quite at home in crowd.
The headquarters of this excellent
corps is at 4l9 Strand. in what is COM
monty known as Exchange court"
This place is honey-combed with offices
and contains the large colony of med
aled, uniformed, soldierly-looking men
who have ia ced death for England ON
many fields.
There any day any employer of labor
in search of that scarce
article. the man he wants." will have
his needs supplied with an alacrity and
which will agreeably
aStonish him.
The days work is proceeding. Man
after man is called up to an Office on
the ground floor opposite and the SER
geant-ma ior or whatever his rank is
tells him he has TO go to bank, attend
a bazaar, deliver handbills. act as
or any other of the thou
sand and one things which London
employers in need of steady, capable
men desire to have done.
1t is needless to say what a boon
such corps, recruited from a high
class Of men. no matter whether they
have been soldiers and sailors or not
and kept in as fine drill and condition
IS the London men. would be to every
1t would meet want which is grow
ng more and more pressing every year
Every city is tired of the service Of
hirelings. who do not even
listen to what you have to say, who
almost fling letter in your face when
hey bring it to you. and who sneer
openly if taxed with incivility. Miser-
lbly paid, they give miserable service.
New York Journal
Frost torches" composed of long
takes saturated with kerosene, were
ct up, fifty to the acre. in buckwheat
ields on Hickory Hill, Saratoga county,
\. Y, during recent cold snap.