Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-11

"All of the line fishermen, as we'll as the
seine haulers of the upper Potomac" OBJ
served Capt. James Barrett, cordially In
dorse every word that Fish Commissioner
Brice says in regard to the damage done
by the carp that the government, by the
fish commission, forced into the Potomac
The carp may be of some value In the
ponds throughout Germany, where they
were originally raised. but there is no
place for them in this country. OF course,
they can be raised, and raised to any size,
but. as they are mud caters, they are no
good after they are raised, for IL Is only Dy
filling them with pepper they can be eaten
at all. These carp have nearly destroyed
our bass, as we'll as all other kinds OF
game fish. The people out west saw years
ago that the carp were dangerous lnva-
sion, and killed them for manure Ihey
are fit for nothing else"
= x x X
Some years ago. said a well-known
army officer, Il rode over the city with
Gen. Hancock, and when we got to the
Scott statue he remarked that he thought
it was a mistake to place that statue WIN
Scott's face toward the White House. Gen.
Hancock said it was pretty we'll known
that Scott had tried for years to be elected
to the presidency, and he thought 1t out
of place to have his face directed that way,
as if he was trying to get there even aileI
his death. Little did Hancock know tneh
that he would be a candidate Tor the preSi-
dency but he was and, as we all know, he
failed to be elected. 1 see now that the
Hancock statue Is to face towards the
White House.
Standing in the old hall of the House OF
Representatives few days since, MIR. +. ID.
Conner. who has for years been the princ1-
pal constructor of the Western Union Teie-
graph Company in this city, said: In le46
I worked in this room and put In the nrst
electric wire ever used for telesrapnns
purposes-Morse, the inventor of the cleo
trio telegraph, employed me. The original
wire was run into room in the basement
used by Major French, then superintendent
of public buildings and grounds. FIFTY
wears have passed and millions and millions
.of people have come and gone, but in gen.
eraI appearance this room is the same as
1t was then.
I'm memory 1 can see Morse walking
about the room, as he did in those days,
giving his directions about the wires. we
ran in copper wire. but 1t did not WORK
well. and the iron wire took its place. w e
knew nothing about gaivanizins wires IN
those days. and as soon as they got wet
they rusted. Our insulators then were
strips of linen dipped in pitch, which soon
evaporated. Everything was crude, even 10
the poles, but We succeeded in accomplish
ing a great deal. Since then l have con-
structad hundreds of thousands of miles Of
wires, but none of my experience has been
valuable as the instruction 1 received
direct from Prof. Morse himself, and in this
same room. Senators and Representatives
watched our work with the greatest Curl
osity and interest and kept Mr.. Morse and
every one of us busy answering questions.
The doubters were greatly in the majority,
and the greatest trouble we had was an
swering those who thought we were ire
ligious. and that we were setting up a
til, laf1 Dy.fyr
dence. The contrary was the fact, as eX-
perience has shown abundantly, but many
people did not believe SO then
x * X
wilt thee give me little food?" said a
dllapidated- looking tramp to a good old
lady who was standing in the door of a
residence on Capitol Hill last Tuesday even
ing The old lady was of a Pennsylvania
Quaker family. and her heart warmed to-
ward the needy stranger at once.
Certainly, my poor man. Go to the base
ment door, and I'll help thee and she
hurried down stairs to have the servant
get together some luncheon for him. She
took the things to the door; and after get
ting away with two large sandwiches, a
piece of pie and cup of tea, the man began
In pleading voice again:
Wilt thee be kind enough to give me a
little money 20 help me on my way home
Philadelphia?'
Il would. willingly. my poor man." re-
spo1ded the lady; but I have no money
with me- But watt thought seemed
to strike her; "Fll give thee a note to my
son, at his office, down town."
The tramp failed to get the note. however,
for his next question brought the inter
view to an abrupt end:
Where will find thou's SON."
X X
little fellow in the southwest section
hit upon great scheme last Monday, and
n ffrpn 1,-;%t
of the neishborhood, with an egg prepared
for the occasion by being first blown and
then filled with plaster of paris
When the urchin got back to his home
he had twenty-seven eggs, a scra tched face
and torn collar. His last opponent had
discovered the cheat. and his appearance
showed plainly he had been ruled off the
track by the referee.
x X X X
Il wonder how many of these bright lit
tie boys can tell me what apple pie
spe'ls? said an elderly, good-natured WIS.,
1tor at second grade school the other
day.
The little boys all looked interested and
eager, but none had got along far enough
In their spelling books to correctly answer
the question. Then the visitor smilingly
sto,d them-"apple pie
Apple pie,' echoed the little fat how
on the end seat.
Now. m-i-n-c-e pie spells what?" he
continued, looking over the little sea of
upturned faces, but dense silence had set
Tied upon the little scholars and not even
q guess was hazarded. Again the visitor
smiled. and told them-"mnce pie
Mince pie" came in an echo from the
little fat boy.
C-u-s-t-a-r-d p-i-e?" spelled out the
good-humored visitor in his pleasant man
ner. with an inquiring look. But the little
ones were still at sea, until he helped them
out by saying "custard pie"
And again the little Fat echo followed
him with 'custard pie
Now. look out-Tm going to catch you."
said the smiling gentleman. What does
apple pie spell?'
Pumpkln pie! came in triumphant
snrlek from the little dumping on the end
seat.
x X
III VIII save US some annoyance and the
seekers some trouble observed a Senator.
II you will announce that though the Agri-
cultural Department may get their new
seed distributing scheme into working order
sooner, we will have no garden or flower
seed for local distribution at hand before
May 1t seems to me that the local de-
mand for these seed is greater this season
than any other in my experience. In
this section, however, May will be
time cnOny-h ia lunf --r,Ja