Evening star., 1896-10-24
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a mutual friend and had forced a prema-
ture announcement Of their engagement
\ X
A recent visitor to Washington was asked
the other day what had surprised her most
in the wonders of the capital.
do you know" she replied. that Of all
the beautiful sights and instructive pleas
ures I have enjoyed here nothing has i'm
pressed me SO much as the way books are
procured up at the Congressional Library
An applicant for literature came Into the
library the other day when I was up there
and, In this age Of electricity and light for
all, what did the librarian do but take
smoky, dejected-looking little coal OIL lamp;
roadside cabins, light 1t and disappear into
thicket of precious volumes, peering
hither and thither by the light Of this soil
tary flame. 1t is a wonder to me that there
is any library at all, or even a half-dozen
volumes to transport to the beautiful new
building waiting for them across the way.
\ X
There are some things heard and seen
on the Norfolk line of steamers" volun-
teered an old river man, equal to any on
shore. One that happened few nights
ago was very good In its way, and was
very much enjoyed. Among the passengers
on our steamer was a newly married couple,
who had spent several days in this city en-
joying the sights of the capital. They
made all kinds of efforts during the early
evening to convince their fellow passengers
that they were not new to each other, with
the usual result-e1posing to every one
that they had Just been married and were
on their honeymoon tour. The young lady
played the piano very nicely and spent
much OF the evening at that amusement
She was rather deaf, though she. like
great many other deaf persons, tried hard
to cor ceal 1t.
THE groom, however. was used to her
deficiency In this regard and spoke very
their
room and prepared to go to bed. They
were rather slow about it, the groom bawl-
ing away at the top of his voice, seeming
to forget that others wanted to sleep even
II they did not. He was enthusiastically In
love with his bride, and he was loud in his
praise and admiration Of her and her ac-
eomplishments and perfections. First he
praised her playing on the piano, remark
ing lovingly that she had never played
sweeter than she had on the steamer that
evening. He also told her that the other
passengers We're highly pleased at her fine
playing. All Of his conversation was car
ried on in loud voice. for 1t appears unless
he did speak loud the bride did not hear
word of 1t.
X
Though the storm Of several weeks ago
did great harm to the Wishing tree" said a
habitue Of Lafayette Square. tearing away
Its principal limbs and completely chang
ing its appearance. the wishing tree still
stands and has its devot .e3 N even larger
numbers than ever before. Only few
days ago, 1 saw four colored nurse girls
standing under it. wishing hard as they
could to all appearances. 1 afterward
heard one Of the girls say that though
she had never got her wishes in full she
mad some portions of them She said the
nearest she had ever struck was when
she wished for a bicycle. She did not get
bicycle. but found a nice bicycle lamp
on the streets In less than a half hour
afterward- very funny thing happened
at the tree during the recent convention
Of the Union Veteran Union.
TT was explained to some of the vet
Grams about the tree, and a party Of gath
cred in circle under 1t and INDUCED in q
combination wish that-several of them
we're farmers-wheat would go up to 81 a
busheL 1t was but 60 cents then and is
now up to S9.''
+ +
Sterling Heilig's article in The Star on
Saturday last on Tipping in Europe" said
a recently returned tourist, a young lady,
reminds me of my experience in that con-
nectfon. Though have been abroad sew
eral times. and have e1periepced tipping In
a rather aggravating form, I had no idea
that the fellows there would so persistent
ly follow up a traveller. I have stopped
at great many hotels in the various cities
of Europe and never got away from any
Of them. except on one occasion, without
paying tribute In the shape Of tips In ad-
while was in Paris had arranged to
leave the hotel about O. o'clock in the after
noon for Versailles, and so informed the
clerk of the hotel. who. as is their custom.
so informed the hotel maids, walters, etc.
1t happened, however, that 1 met some
friends, and so as to have their company
left Paris at noon. Though I did not so
intend 1t thus got away from the hotel
without paying any tips on my departure.
My experience was so novel that told it to
number of friends. and especially to
those on the steamer while coming over.
on my return to this country. 1t was gen.
orally agreed that my experience was very
unusual 1 found out. however. after
ward that I was mistaken about It, for
ton I saw standing in front Of my resi-
dence the very hotel waiter to whom I
was indebted to the extent Of tip. He
rang my door bell and after many profuse
erty to call on me and desired my assist
ance. If I would be so obliging. and all that
kind of thing, to aid him In securing a
place as a waiter In this city.
"I did so, but he worked here but a very
short time. On the occasion Of his call on
me he reminded me that he was rather
shcrt financially: and helped him out,
though in a small way. On my visit to the
same hotel in Paris the past summer I
asked about that waiter, and was in
formed that he was then in Paris. but not
at the same hotel. From another waiter
I learned that the real reason for his trip
over to this country and his call on me
was to get his tip 1t is the pride Of a
Paris waiter to let no one escape from the
tip, and he proudly told his confreres how
he had MANAGED to keep the record from
being broken" -
II
Stories of servants who rule household
with iron hand are common, but late res
ident of Northeast Washington acknowl-
edged that he regulates his domestic af-
fairs with q view to the accommodation of
his favorite dog, a very intelligent collie
So far did he carry out this plan that when
the neighborhood became rather warm for
the dog as q result Of a canine disposition
to bark before people are out Of bed, he
forthwith moved out Of town and Is now
happily located in the suburbs, where his
pet makes noise without fear Of conse-
Quences. The individual who was disturbed
by the canine threatened to shoot 1t IL the
nuisance" continued, and rather than risk
the pets life its owner readily agreed to
move beyond the city's limits.
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