The evening times., 1896-12-12
TALES OF THE TOWN.


inauguration committee was going through
| the papers and receipts today belonging
| to the Harrison ceremonies OF 1853, mean
time keeping up a running fire Of rem-
\ niscences, when he fell upon voucher
that made him break into hearty laugh.
''Here is a good one on Gen. Butler,'
| said he, ''and it illustrates a phase of
the old war horses character. This paper
| show that when / was secretary before
authorized the payment of 50 to him.
| I'VE made use Of his building on Capitol
Hill. and after the affair was over he put
in claim for So. He said the grass on
the lawn had been damaged and some
window glass broken. As matter OF
fact, the lawn was not appreciably in
| iured, and boys having No connection with
] us threw stones at the glass.
THE general insisted, however, that he
| should be paid, and finally We concluded
that it was too small a matter to bother
| about. He was peculiar compound and
| this paper shows it,
Another official at headquarters told a
| story of an inauguration with which he had
been connected years ago. The committee
| on fireworks was the most energetic OF
| the lot, but actually accomplished very
| little. The members were pulling in DIFF
| ferent directions and it was many weeks
| before the chairman came to the chairman
! Of the executive committee and announced
| that his colleagues and he had concluded
| to let the fireworks contract to an English
| firm.
What" said the executive chairman,
"ycU mean you have let those English
| chaps who have been around here calling
ne your honor and your worship get the
contract? They have been promising to
put the pictures of the prominent officials
| in the newspapers along with the announce
| nent of the letting Of the contract; but.
you know, such talk Is bosh, very much
tosh.''
Yes, know, and, OF course, that fact
had not ming todo with the contract giving"
| uneasily replied the fireworks chairman;
but titc fact is. the Engiishmen -
He was not ailo wed to continue, because
his superior broke in with the statement
that il would never do to let an English
firm he given contract in competition
with Americans in such matter as
the inauguration or a President. who had
been elected upon protection platform.
why" said hr, IF the Demo- get
hold OF it. there would be no end TO what
they would say. Besides, my dear sir, to
toll you the truth. as your committee was
so dcyilish slow about il, | let that contract
to an American firm about three weeks
ago. Now you go back to your committee
Don't tell them what l have said, but just
advise then, to agree upo2ihe firm have
named, and all will go as merry as a mar
riage.''
Inc fireworks chnirma n had subsidized into
into Il state of semi-coma, and after the
other lad finished. walked away, crest
fallen, and, indeed, crushed.
Officials at the Navy Department say
that the biggest and the smallest tar iii the
navy are to be found ON the fast armored
cruiser New York
The big fellow is Thomas Moran, the
master at arms, and a. such els the chief
petty officer, somewhat like chief OF
police, OF the vessel Every master at
arms has been called from time immortal
Jimmy Legs" although none can tell why
The New York's Jimmy Legs is a
New Yorker, and has been thirty years
in the service, gaining an excellent record
He is six feet four tall, and weighs only
173 pounds.
Apprentice John Edward Heston claims
Ia he the midget OF the navy. He has only
been eighteen months ON deck, and weighs
seventy-eight pounds. At the time of en-
Lsiment he was four feet nine inches tall.
That was one eighth of an inch short OF the
iec;ili.tion height. bat as Heston had come
all the way from Missouri to fight for Uncle
Samuel, the recruiting officer concluded to
help him along
The circumstances in the case were placed
before the department. and an order wasis-
sued waving the regulations in his case.
So Hestou was enlisted, and is little boy in
blue.
Senor Aibertini. the second secretary Of
the Cuban legation, who is stopping at the
Raleigh. states that the insur.cnt govern
mept is endeavoring TO form republic,
patterned az nearly as possible after the
United States. A new postal service has
opened and new stamps printed, although
the latter are not yet recognized by the
postal authorities of the world.
The series consists of four types, one for
two centstvos, brown in color: another blue,
valued at five centayos: Il third red, worth
ten centavos. and the fourth green, costing
twenty-five ccntaVos.
They are the size of ordinary stamps, but
very roughly printed. At the top OF the
stamp is the word "Correos,' meaning
postage" and at the bottom is the value,
marked in centavos.
The center Of the stamp bears the in
scription Rep. de Cuba" and around it
are devices representing a palm tree, the
national emblem, and the sun rising out of
an ocean