Evening star., 1897-01-02

Another Christmas has come and gone.
explained an old citizen, "and while many
things in connection with the observance
are part of the same dear old story, there
are many Innovations which old timers
do not enjoy. 1 have the greatest trouble
TO explain to my grandchildren the differ
cree in the way Christmas Is celebrated In
these late years in this. section, as com
pared with the way things We're done nifty
years ago and even later In my boyhood
days We brought in Christmas by singing
madrigals and other songs Sometimes
We sang them in OR own houses, some
times in public houses, and many tunes IN
the STREETS near to the houses of our
friends. The boys of long times ago gen
orally gathered about IL o'clock the night
before Christmas and from thea until the
early hours of Christmas morning we made
things lively. l assure you, with our sing
ing
THE boys generally kept in their own
neighborhood. OF course, the little fellows
went to bed to dream of the coming of
Santa Claus. and SO it is of the boys OF
older years that / speak. In the era OF
which l speak firecrackers were very
much in evidence. We rarely ever had fire
crackers on the Fourth of July. Every
boy who could manage to get an old single
barrel pistol there were no others In
those days) did SO Christmas eve, and If he
did not stay out all night popping away
with it. he generally managed to stay UP
till midnight, and welcomed Christmas with
as much noise as he could produce. 1t was
the same way all through the south. The
war seemed to change everything, and it
certainly changed the custom in this par
ticular in this city. as any of the boys of
fifty years ago will tell you.
4
Some months since / related some ex-
periences and opinions in regard to the
defect in hearing of white CATS observed
a scientific man. "and an evidence of
the extended circulation of The Star. which
printed those remarks, l have heard from
residents in nearly every state in the
Union in connection with the same. Nine
tenths of those who have written on the
subject agree with me that white cats are
always deaf | have ascertained however,
that many of the denials of this statement
are based upon error or a miSunderStand
ing. n white cat which has even one hair
that is not white is not white cat. The
one hair changes the whole condition.
White cats are also extremely rare
Il remember some years ago Prof. Bell
advertised that he desired to buy some
white cats for experimental purposes in
this connection. for il was Prof. Bell who
first made The discovery that white cats
are deaf In reply TO mis- first advertise
meEt over 100 cats We're brought him. OF
the lot he rejected all but three. though
each cat owner vas sure that his cat
white He soon satisfied them. however,
that, while the cats were 10 nearly all in
tents and purposes white. they were not
pure white. in that there were some hairs
on them that were not white.
= =
Horse racing on the ice though ex-
ceciingfy popular the Hudson and on
some other rivers up north, has rarely
been on the Potomac though l have
seen several very fine races on that river
said a well-knOwn ,uTfman. Il remember
enc day, over thirty years ago. Witness
ing several very good races on the Poto-
mac. The course was one mile in sleghs,
the starting point being al the foot of nth
street or about where the swimming beach
now Is the finish vas oa the other side
of the Long bridge. There were several
races. one Of double tcIuis. 1 remember.
On The same day there were at least Il
dozen other horses driven to SleighS
the river. one of the horses was driven
all ne way to Alexandria on the ice. There
We're thousands of skaters on the river at
the time This may seem strange, for | do
not think that it has occurred since
"Th= Summer tree in the Capitol grounds
is frequently pointed ont by the guides
said member of the parking commission
but the true story is seldom told. Most
of the guides and several Of the guide
hooks speak of it as having been planted
ty Charles sumner This all wrong.
This tree. which is located almost imme-
d:ately in front of the Senate wing Of the
lTiIS@ Of the navy. He was sent 20 Eng
land at the close of our war with Great
RritaiI 10 bring home our prisoners Of
war He found in Edirboro' Scotland, a
Very batutifui beech tree, which was ex-
fensivsiy planted in cemeteries on account
OF its ornamental character
He directed that one of the young trees
should be DUG up and brought to this coun-
Try. and he planted it with great deal of
ceremony IN the Capitol grounds Soon
Siter"ard a number OF similar tree-plant-
lI.S ceremonies took place, but of the entire
lumber OF trees the Scotch beech is about
The only one now standing. 1t got to be
knoTn as the Summer tree when in the
regarding of the Capitol grounds twenty
fve years ago ii became necessary TO cut
GOWN d number of trees. This one Deine
designated fer destruction. When the AK
was about 10 be used Mr.. Sumner Interior
ed The live oak planted by Calhoun the
alantnus planted by Dixon H. Lewis and
the New England sugar maple planted by
Honest John Davis. ali in the vicinity of
the sO-calied Sumner tree, long since dis
epp"artd 1 know this story OF the tree
10 De true. because 1t came from Mr. sum
Her himself
mere was one New Year reception held
Is a President in this city, said A local
historian. which was not held in the
White House. Though the event is seldom
referred TO. it is fact all the same The
reception 1 speak of. though the function
t-t'N SeIefdiIS went by the name of leyee
was gwen by President Madison on New
fs&r day l>l". in the Octagon at the cor
Ler OF 18th street aud New York ayenna
Inc British il 1914 having burned the
w hite House. President Madison moved
tNes 10 thu OctaSon Housa, which WIS
owned by Col. John Tayloe. He snanr
over hve months there. All who attended
IEe irN'e have long since passed away br,t
mas been my good fortune in n.sr.
years TO have talked to several gentlemen
VINO "Sre present. They described if as a
very elegant affair. All the exUcnses of
IN itNee were paid out of Col Tavloe's
pocket. that gentleman being enorrnousI,,
wealthy and liberal as well His incom4
VAS said 10 be at that time S1JoOJ''
x x *
In the manufacture of candy, said
diplomatic officer Of experience There is
no doubt but that America now leads tho
world American candies are about TN.
only ones made of sugar that can he bouab,
III Paris Though the French have ,ors
led the world in this line. they have pradu
ally but surely managed 10 do away win
the U.s. OF sugar In their candies. excent
where they make them for const,mptior, in
o'hrr countries. and in America in particu-
lar. Tie French people viii not buy a CON
lection which is made of sugar alone They
wan, combinations and depend more upo,
StSrchcS than sugar f
think / am Fe in cayipo ,ba.