Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-01

advertising. A druggist who has repu-
tation to maintain can not afford to sell
many of the articles which are sold
through the mail. for the goods thus put
upon the market are known as irregular
in every respect. They claim to do I'M
possible things. The most surprising thing
about the matter is that there are many
purchasers for these irregular goods. The
idea of forcing a beard or mustache in six
weeks one of the nostrums advertised
claims can be done by Its aid Is NONSENSE
CAL but you would be surprised how many
victims 1t catches. With certain class of
young men a mustache is very desirable,
while with number who have mustaches
they are wild for beard. They are the
buyers. They can not raise any row over
being swindled. for the reason that to do
1t would expose themselves and their weak
hess.
There is another class of young men
and young women. too, who are very anx-
ious that their hair should be curly They
are the victims of the hair curler. They
think that it Is possible to buy vial or
some wonderful fluid and that the simple
application Of it will change their hair
into curly locks. or course they seldom
buy more than one bottle, for they realize
before it is used that they had been taken
i'm. These rostrums are not recognized by
what is known as the patent medicine
trade. and are never handled in the regu-
lar way. Recently thing had good run
in the south. which 1t was claimed would
straighte- out the hair of colored people
Like the hair curer 1t was fraud, though
it found many victims"
= x X
THE Wishing tree is just now much asked
for" answered one of the employees of La
fayette Park. land to u.s. as we'll as others,
this tree has peculiar influence. Now, 1
do not mean to say that every wish made
under it comes true. Far from 1t, for
know Of hundreds of wishes that panned
out the opposite way, but 1t is fact that
many persons, especially ladies and young
girls. find not only pleasure, but absolute
satisfaction in making their wishes under
1t. Some refrain from going up to 1t, and
make their wish from q distance, though
In sight of the tree. but the majority go
UP under Its foliage, and place their hands
IT. the hole near the body Of the tree. They
are more liable. they say. to get their wish
II they do this. Personally l have not had
much luck with it. though 1 know of hun
dreds who have the greatest confidence in
the wishing tree The tree stands exactly
on the meridian line, and to many 1t is
known as the meridian tree but it is best
Known as the wishing tree. 1t has been in
the park since x was laid out, and Is about
Inc only chestnut tree in any of the parks
AS you see. 1t is a Stunted chestnut and Is
Only about one-half the height of the
average full grown chestnut in this sec ton
of the country. How did it get its name
and fame? Oh. that is too much for me-
for L heard of ii as the wishing trees over
twenty years ago. and long before l was
employed In the park Colored people,
especially the nurse girls. are the greatest
believers in 1t. though as / have stated the
believers In 1t are not confined to colored
people by any means, for only this after
noon saw couple of the most fashionable
young ladies of the West End go under IL
lshers must always remember. however.
mat 10 nave their wishes gratified they
must not divulge them to any other person
or course l have heard many stories told
about the wishes made under the tree but
1 can't think of any OF them lust now
ihis, however. l do know, and that is, the
people who do the wishing are sure to come
back. From this suppose they are salts
fed
The wishing tree Is the handsome chest
nut Immediately on the west of the Jack
son statue, and now that 1t is filed with
burrs. Which will ripen in October. is one
of the most attractive trees to children Of
any In the park.
X X
There are more interesting money stories
told by the clerks in the redemption divis-
Ion of the Treasury Department than any
other branch Of the department." remark
ed gentleman who is very prominent in
the literary world. land 1 have secured
there some Of the facts upon which have
based my most striking chapters. 1 was
there few days ago. and was told of a
niser who came there from Ohio to be re-
deemed, for there was more money about
him than anything else. 1t appears he be-
gan by stitching every note that he got in
MS clothing. As time progressed, his cloth
Ing was lined with notes three or four
thick. 1t then began to get through his
head that he had injured the money, and
he came on here for advice and redemption.
On his arrival at the treasury and though.
as 1t was afterward ascertained, he had
over ten thousand dollars stitched up in
his clothing. he walked most of the dis
lance from Ohio to save his money, he was
turned over to the agent Of the express
company In lower room. There he was
stripped of his clothing and another suit
furnished him. The money-lined suit was
then taken to the clerks in the REDEMPTION
division. the threads all carefully cut and
the money counted In the presence of the
old man. Over ten thousand dollars were
found sewed up In his clothing. 1t was re-
deemed and new money given him, only.
however. ON his promise that he would de-
post 1t In bank or invest 1t. While the
ladies were counting up his money, he
opened his heart enough to have brought
In to them twenty cents worth Of fruit
The whole thing was kept a secret until a
few days ago. and is only divulged now be-
cause word has been received here that
the old man died last week."
No Chance to Explain.