Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-17
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was more damage done by the storm to
the trees there that one night than in all
OF the thirty-one years combined We will
keep the stump OF the tree and may be in
time. for it is strongly rooted, it viii
Dranch out again. In The meantime we
Will grow Japanese ivy on the trunk"
X
When in New Jersey recently" said the
pastor of one of the Washington churches
Il was shown what Is supposed to be the
Oldest full pack Of playing cards in ex-
istence. They were printed in 1912 end
nave hfty-two cards in the pack, the same
as the ordinary playing CARTS. The gen.
tleman who has them prides himself on
his collection of Bibles and playing cards
He has dozen or more very rare Bibles
one OF which Is valued at several thousand
dollars. The playing cards referred to were
never used, and. though over one hundred
and fifty years old, they are practically new
did not know 1t until he told me, but there
were playing cards in use over one hun
dred and fifty years before that pack was
printed. He has packs of cards which
We're IN usa four hundred years ago; that
is, pictured cards. for originally the packs
Old not contain over forty cards.
The jacks. queers and kings have the
binary steamboats, of the present day.
Though the Bibles pleased me most, 1 was
much interested in the cards."
x X
The storm brought several steeple climb
ers, or. as they are called, steeple jacks,
to the city. They had read that much
damage was done to the churches and
were anxious to get the job to repair them.
Il was up in Canada,'' ssid one of the
steeple jacks. when 1 read Of the storm
here. and thought I would run down to see
what could be picked up. leave tomor-
row for Savannah. where 1 have some
work engaged Oh, yes; it is storm work,
for 1t is rarely We ever 10 anything ex-
cept patching up after storms. L was
engaged on three separate jobs in this
city. but 1 got tired waiting for the
church authorities to make up their
minds as to what they intended to
do. There are four steeples in this city
which are dangerous, and from the top
of two churches there is lot of ornament
al ironwork hanging, which may make a
record before it falls or very, soon there
after. 1t appears that the churches
haven't got the money to have the re-
pairs DONE"
''There are over a dozen bands of gipsies
now making their way toward this city,
on their road to the south for the winter"
said Allyn Anderson. who is somewhat
prominent in gypsy circles and who usually
passes through this city several weeks in
advance of the strolling bands. Andersen,
with his family, spent several days this
week in camp on the Glenwood cemetery
road. 1T Is this way he explained. 'An
our maps show that the only way to get
south is to cross the Potomac at this city,
and there Is nothing left for our neople
but to come this way. There are other
ways. but they are not shown on our maps,
though none are as direct. Gipsies have
less trouble Of late years than formerly.
People have found out that we are not
as black as we have been painted and that
gypsy Is very rarely to be found in any
of the numerous fails or prisons. Did we
commit crime. did we steal children or
swindle in horse trading the jafls would
cha Charged against US. twenty s Years Sage ago.
during the excitement following the steal
ing of little Charlie Ross near Philadel-
against us. so much SO that 1t was danger
Gus for us to travel. AS class We did all
we could to unravel the Ross mystery,
knowing 1t would be better for us If the
thing was cleared up, but our efforts were
fruitleSs. We directed our work to trying
to find some of the Ross family servants,
but soon discovered that there was even
more mystery about them than the MISS
ing Charlie Ross. OF late years Florida is
the winter home of many Of Cur bands,
and especially of those which have num-
Der of children. VIII We ever stop STROLL
ing? I don't suppose so. We were born
stroiling and so were our parents and
their parents and their parents parents.
So. you see, there is not much chance Of
rest
X X * \ ...,
The bicycle has increased the business in
the criminal courts Of the city. District
Attorney Birney says that there are 150
Jail cases awaiting trial when the courts
assemble. When the courts adjourned the
dockets were nearer being cleared than at
any time in many years, but there were
duri1 the summer many thefts of bicycles.
Ia hat no
be pushed through with considerable rap
idity. but there are many other cases
per.ding which will require considerable
time. The bicycle thief has been active in
every part of the country, but Washington
has furnished a harvest for. him. People
leave their bicycles for so long time
around public buildings. half day at
tine very often, that the temptation to
or fears of the thief who prefers wheeling
to walking. In many cases the thieves
have endeayored to sell the bicycles very
soon after taking possession OF them.
\ X
'Since the departments here adopted the
rule of requiring all clerks to be at their
desks promptly at o'clock, or give rea-
son for their tardiness." remarked an Off
cia1 who has given many years to the .serv-
Ice of the government, 1.-The department
clock is a thing Of considerable Importance.
No time goes, except that Of the clocks at
the main entrances Of the departments,
and no excuse is taken, except in case of
very Indictment weather, and then the de-
ficiency is looked over rather than ex-
cused. The result Is that it has grown to
be custom of the great majority of clerks
to compare their watches with the official
time, as they leave the offices each day,
so as to be sure to have the correct time
for the following morning. 1t Is amusing
at times to see groups of clerks comparing
their watches. and setting them forward
or back SO as to insure the official time.
The ladies' seem to have the greatest trou-
Bile to get their watches to keep regular
time, but they manage to do SO. It is rare
that clerk ever leaves department
building now without looking at his watch
to see that he Is on time"
His Failing.
From the Omaha World Herald.
''Mr. Chubby" said Mrs c., will you
hold the lamp a few momenrs?'