Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-21


OF all the spectators that have thronged
to the "Trilby" performances during the
past week there has been none more in
terested than a little ten-year-old chap who
sat in front of me one night. His appre-
cia ton IF Taffy's herculean strength was
shown by sparkling eyes and involuntary
witches of his own muscular right arm.
Svengsu's magnetic power was followed
with breathless fascination, while the woes
of Trilby and Little Billee caused the SYM
pathetic heart of the youngster to over
flow, but II was the final thrilling scene
that completely carried him away. Trilby
was holding in her hand the photograph,
whose magic influence is evidenced so per-
fectly by Blanch Walsh, and the boy in
trent began to grow more and more nerv-
Gus, till at last he could stand 1t no longer,
and seeing the unfortunate girl yielding
open-eyed to the spell he cried out be-
seechngly, Throw it away, throw 1t
away" and the people around him echoed
the sentiment.
/ was talking to 4 new member of Con-
gress, who at home is a very successful
lawyer. and he had a plaintive tale of Woe
Il don't care how much experience man
may have in other lines" he said, 'it takes
him a full term Congressman to learn
anything about what his duties are and
how to perform them. l believe 1t Will re-
quire one entire session for me to become
familiar with the Capitol and the various
departments. Every day l learn some
thing that 1 never knew about-things that
are absolutely essential. 1t makes no diff
ference what a mans abilities may be, he
has to go through the experience before he
can really accomplish anything in Con-
gress. Before l came had an idea that
should tecome thoroughly familiar with
what bills l wanted passed, write them
correctly and then present their merits in
such way that they would appeal to the
minds of members generally. Just how
that was to be done 1 did not know, but
now I realize that those things of which
was ignorant are the very matters that are
essential. The term ought to be longer
than two years. Districts where the par
ties are closely contested change SO fire.
quently that they are never really intelli-
gently represent ed. although they may
send men who in intellect>ri Webster or
Clay. There ought to be Text books, writ
ten by men of long experience. and candi-
dates for Congress. or even legislatures.
could then study closely the profession of
law are two very different things, and I
would gladly avail myself of the eXpe-
rences of men who have served for years,
IL they were available. AS it is, it will be
accident If 1 accomplish any good for
my constituents this term"
!: x * X
The question as to what there Is in a
name arises In new way in the present
Congress. There are two Representatives
by the name of Mccall, one from Massa-
chusetts and the other from Tennessee.
The former Is better known than the lat
ter, who, however, in his own state is re-
garded as one of the ablest of southern re-
publican leaders. Mr. Mccall of Tennessee
introduced some private pension bills, to
pension some eX-confederate soldiers who
had deserted and Joined the federal army.
And now come the ever loyal constituents
of the bay state Congressman and score
him roundly for introducing bills to PEN
sion confederate soldiers.
There is absent-minded man in Wash
ington who will never try to catch coal
thieves again. His ccal has disappeared
with great regularity, and all attempts to
detect the depredators having proved futile
the man concluded to try an experiment of
which he had read. He filled two or three
Jumps of coal with powder and placed them
where the thieves would be most apt to fird
them; then he chuckled and went to bed,
expecting next morning to hear of an eX-
ploson. He went out to the coal house, and
the Jumps were still there, the coal not hav
ing been molested during the night, and,
leaving the door open, he returned to his
kitchen to build the fire with coal he carried
in the previous night when he loaded the
chunks for his dishonest neighbor In about
five minutes after the fire was started there
was report and the stove lids flew around
the room, while a chunk of coal struck him
squarely betw cen the eyes. Instead of plac-
ing the coal charged with powder on the
pile. he had put it in the bucket and arranged
other Jumps by mistake. He explains the
injury to his face by saying he fell IN the
dark cellar, while the man who sold him
a new range won't say a word.
X x y X :.
Representative Brown of Tennessee had
a close call for his life at one time. He was
prosecuting attorney and conducted the case
of a man charged with burglary. The pris-
cper had served a term in the penitentiary
and had said to his fellow prisoners in the
county Jail that he would never serve an
other. The evidence was conclusive against
him, and all the time the prosecuting attor
ney was speaking the accused man nut
tered, while his eyes flashed fire. 1t was
evidert that he bore very strong ill-will to-
ward the lawyer. When Mr.. Brown con-
cluded his speech {. feeling that seemed like
prcsentiment prompted him to avoid the
chair he had occupied and take seat far
tner away from the prisoner. When the
jury brought in verdict of guilty the pris-
oner drew knife from his sleeve and start
ed toward the prosecuting attorney, but
seeing that any attempt to reach him would
be futile, he thrust the blade into his throat
and succeeded in cutting it from ear to ear.
The sheriff seized him. but the desperate
man took the knife in the other hand and
stabbed himself again, falling back dead.
The change of chairs undoubtedly prevented
the convict from killing the attorney.
X X X X
c. l.. Bartlett, who was in Washing
ton for two or three years. but who now
the city, and told me of deer he owns.
Il have raised the deer" he said, from
the time he was fawn, and Frank, as we
call him. is a great favorite throughout
that section of country. He will come to
my call and follow me like dog. But his
principal value is as decoy. There are
few wild deer left In that country, al
though not many, and occasionally / hunt.
them. When 1 do. Frank goes with ME.
He will find them If there are any. and will
call them to him. Then, if there is buck,
he i'll make sound that is a wager of
battle, and the wild animal will make a
rush for him. Then Frank runs right back
to where l am, and l shoot his antagonist.
In case of doe, he leads her up very
close to me without airy semhlarce of fight.
BY his aid l killed ten deer last winter in
a country where they are scarce"
x x x x
charming and charitable woman of
Washington has adoHted as rule of CIV
ing, one which might be emulated with
honor by many of her sister women. II
make 1t rule" she said, speaking of her
aims giving, never to bestow charity that
costs NE nothing, either of self denial or
labor. Just now she continued, Il am
getting my winter fund ready, and as there
t ,,s.t. .Iz,.z So, &c.