davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1897-01-16

together. ladies capable of giving really
splendid orders. yet have failed. The
grandes danes of the Paris high world
also pay these fancy prices, but l am
buy on such long credit Americans ap-
pear to be charged away up simply be-
cause they are Americans Knowing this
our rich Americans who have experience
prefer to buy these same hats in New
York, fair and square, where they will
pay, perhaps. five dollars more apiece
though this is even doubtful, and in re-
turn buy to advantage, having leisure
from the danger of excessive ideals
have known ladies-she spoke earnestIv-
TO sit down in the sacred privacy of their
boUdors and really boude-for 'boudoirs'
comes from boulder which means to
sulk, pout and worry-at the fact that
their hats. bought in Paris, hats that
seemed exactly right in this Partisan at
mosphere OF gaudy glitter, would not do
ana sincere home circles. They were
beautiful, but loud"
But does not that thought apply to all
this Paris shopping?"
One would think So" she answered with
sweet patience, also taking time | think
to make up some excuse for not having
thought of it before, and to be frank :"
she went on now. quite easily. having evil
IDENTITY found the road. land to be frank -
she said, there are such dangers to be
avoided, more particularly when selecting
evening toilets. Happily the modern street
costume does not present that difficulty"
The Tnilor-Made Gown.
May | ask why?"
Because of the tailor-made gown. Now
you come to a real Paris shopping adyant-
age at last, and one in which we Amer-
cans take the purest delight. Tailor gowns
are almost half-price here in Paris 1t is
complained by some that they do not fit
as well here as at home Yet others say
they do. 1t is certainly true that with
these makers, as with all dressmakers here
in Paris. the gowns must go back and
back again before they fit. You will hear
this complaint on every side, and patience
is the only remedy. 1t can scarcely be at
tributed to shiftlesSnesS on the part of the
workers, because everything in these tailor
made gowns is beautifully finished and we'll
made. The materials are always good. Per-
haps their cutters and filters do not know
the American figure
Does this difficulty about fitting amount
to a serious drawback?'
"Oh, no, of course not. There Is always
the chance that all will go well with any
given gown. / was only speaking of a
tendency. Perhaps it Is because tailor
made gowns are still in the nature of lux
uries at home that they come to us so per-
Evening star., 1897-01-16
FRANCES ARMY CRITICISED.
A French officer Says That Half the
Force Exists Only ON Paper.


Force Exists Only on Paper.
A remarkable pampl let entitled my
Company" appeared recently in Paris. The
author remains anonymous. signing him.
self merely "A Captain and Company Lead
err but his statements regarding the army
are vouched for by Gen. Poiloue de ST.
Mars, who in the preface says that to his
own knowledge they are correct in every
respect. In view of the proposal to add
several corps to the French army the PAM
inlet has special interest.
The captain and company leader COM
plains that the French nation is deceived
as regs rds the numerical strength OF Its
army. The army on paper numbers some
500 600 he says, but in actual military serv-
ice there is hardly mere than two-thirds
that force. In some branches of the serv-
ice, he contends. the proportion is barely
one-haH. He asserts that every soldier who
can shirks his proper duties-driliing
marching, maneuvering and SO on-and de-
votes himself to the work Of the officer s
orderly or secretary, or even to the tasks
of the common workingman about camp
or barracks. One day the author called out
his company to drill, end found but thirty
seven of the III men at hand. Upon in
quiry he learned that the other eighty-four
were employed in work that had no direct
come ction with soldering. The absentee
list was not always so large but rarely fell
below sixty or Teventy. In other companies
reader who questioned this statement might
satisfy himself of it's truth by questioning
any company commander of his acquaint-
ance. How completely this system of shirk
ing had taken possession of the army might
be learned from this letter, written but
few weeks ago by a general who recently
had given up the command of an army
corps:
I'm peace the officers take the privates to
their homes to keep the houses in order. to
go walking with the children, &c The
privates live with their masters and wear
civilian clothes. The regulations say, how
ever, that the officers may have at their
service only a few privates, whose duty 1t
shall be merely to keep the officers uni
Of this narrow privilege are concealed, and
the more they are concealed the more they
are multiplied. For the one purpose of
personal service, about ten men are taken
out of every company.
eli Germany the numerical strength of
the peace army is fixed beyond the possi-
bility of alteration by the officers. If one
man goes he is replaced at once by anoth-
er. Thus the numerical standard remains
unchanged. In France the number on pa
per is always deceiving. 1t includes many
who are soldiers In name only. In Ger
many they Rave, as they aim to have,
certain fixed fighting force. In France We
seem to exert ourselves mainly to make
good showing en- paper.
The German correspondents In Paris are
Immensely pleased with these utterances,
and recall the book of Major de Mercy, re-
tired, who, writing on The Next War"
Ill der the supervision of Gen. Marquis de
Galliffet, told the French people that. un-
less the army should be reorganiZed and
Germany would be likely to end as disas-
trOuSly for France as did that of lS10-'71.
Evening star., 1897-01-16
ECCENTRIC COL. HATCH.
The Wonderful Invention of the Au-
thor of the Anti-Option Bill.

The Wonderful Invention of the Au-
thor of the Anti-OptiOn Bill.
From tie New York Sun.
"EX-Congressman w. H. Hatch of Mis-
souri,, who died recently, was regarded as
somewhat eccentric by some of his
friends" said Thomas ]. Murray. formerly
proprietor of the restaurant in the House
of Representatives. He firmly believed
that the death rate among the members of
Congress was augmented by what he called
the cussed carelessness' of Washington
boarding house keepers, many of whom, he
claimed, cooked the food they served to
the nations lawmakers in unhealthy or
poison-forming utensils. He often said a
law should be passed compelling sanitary
experts to inspect boarding house kitchens
before the proprietorS of them could take
IN congressman as boarder. His fear
of injury to his health from eating food
cooked in an untinned copper utensil be-
came so strong that he took up the chafing
dish habit and became an expert; but he
invented one dish which caused many of
his friends to decline, politely but firmly,
second invitation to partake thereof. The
name of this dish was Oysters la Hatch.
1t was prepared as follows:
Two dozen large oysters, tablespoon
full of paprika, half teaspoonful of salt
and a bottle of ale
Zone dose of this compound was all he
could ever get a fellow-member to try.
Hatch was not much of a drinking man,
nor was he judge of whisky, although he
claimed to be. He always insisted on hav-
ing his favorite brand of Kentucky bour-
bon sent unopened to the table. After
careful inspection of the cap and label, to
see that they had not been tampered with,
he would draw the cork himself; but the
bartender in the House restaurant often
fooled him by filling up the bottle with rye,
brand of whisky Hatch claimed was not
fit for man. beast or devil.
n M nd
strange drinks. which he was wont to test
on others. On Jure %. 1894, he passed his
anti-option bill after hot fight, and he
invented his anti-option tonic in honor of
the event. This tipple consisted of mix
ture OF whisky. ice. two raw eggs, and
Evening star., 1897-01-16
ROAST OYSTER PARTY.
A Pleasant Form of Informal Enter
tainment.

From Harpers Bazar
Ho" does roast oyster party" by way
OF an evening entertainment, souni to the
girls? Oysters are in fine condition Just
how' ard they are never good as when
roasted over a roaring hot fire But the
whole AFFAIR must saver a bit of bohemian
ism to make II success. Too many guests
should not be asked at time as IL is diff
cult, very. to roast any great quantity Of
oysters at once in a private house. Then
another point is that the oysters must be
eaten In close proximity to where they are
cooked. If you can so arrange IT. have the
table spread in the front basement
One New York girl who will shortly rive
roast oyster party has sent ou: her IN
Vitato ms in the most informal manner and
the number of the young people asked 20
orly twenty. In her notes where the word
cotil)ion" or dancing is generally nut.
she has oyster roast" The guests are in
Nlted Tor haif-past s. The first part of the
evening she intends to have music and per-
haps a short game of progressive euchre
Then they will all descend TO the base
ment, where she intends to have a tin tray
at every persons place to hold the oysters
as they are served hot from the fire in tie
kitchen next door, and a paper pail on the
moor, at each place, in which to throw the
shells. 49,
The only decora tions for the table ara IN
be small lamps, and in the middle this in
genious young woman has planned 10 have
centerplece made OF oyster shells ar
ranged In pretty mound. with ferns ara
moss stuck IN here and there to ,ook like
rockery. This will be placed on a mirror
ana the effect will no doubt be very pretty
Saltines and thin sandwiches of bread and
eutter are all they are to have 10 eat be-
sides the oysters and bottled beer is TO he
the chosen beverage for those who want
anything OF that kind. There will be no
tablecl6th on the table, but four bundles
OF prlgnt-colored Japanese napkins, which
VIII be placed at the corners and the
guests may take as many as they choose
After We will not dare say how many
oysters have been consumed, they have ar
ranged TO dance Virginia reel upstairs TO
END the evening. All the young people in
vited are looking forward to the evening
With great expectations of Jolly time
Evening star., 1897-01-16
A RELIC OF ROYALTY.
The Feathers of Wales Still Waving
In St. Paul's Church.

The Feathers of Wales Still Waving
In st. Paufs Church.
From the New York Times.
Though few are aware of the fact, men,
bers of the congregation of old st. Paurs
Church, at VeSey street and Broadway,
gaze every Sunday at the arms of the fu-
ture king of England. On the canopy of
the oldfashioned pulpit, which is of the
pepper-box style of a century ago, are the
three ostrich feathers and the crown that
for many generations have constituted the
arms of the Prince of Wales. the heir to
Britains throne The feathers stand out
gracefully in the center of the oak canopy.
They are of carved wood, handsomely gild-
ed, and form an attractive ornamentation
to the pulpit. With these royal arms over
his head, the minister who of1iciates in st.
PaurS Church on Sunday reads the seryice
of the American church.
1t is strange that these royal arms have
survived the storms of the revolutionary
days. An incensed mob travelled through
New York city when independence had
been declared, destroying every sign tina.
represented the monarchy from whose
chains they had cut themselves free. Moth
ing was regarded as sacred by this mob.
The royal arms were everywhere at that
time; on the windows of stores whose pro-
prietors had been proud of this means of
reminding the public that at one time they
had supplied his majeStys ships with salt
pork or hardtack; on the lampposts at the
street corners, and swinging from the front
porches of the old inns. Windows on which
the royal symbols appeared were ruthless
ly smashed by the mob, the lamppos.s were
hurled to the ground and the inns deprived
OF their signs in short order 1t was time
when to be client of royalty brought a
man into dangerous prominence, and many
wise storekeepers escaped mob violence and
saved the destroying party the trouble of
smashing their signs by doing the work
themselves.
The royal arms of England We're haro TO
find in New York city when the mob mad
completed it's tour. Some few signs escap-
ed the ruin, but not for long. They were
smashed soon attention was called to
their presence.
The elic in st. Paul's Church was passed
unnoticed, and has survived to this day
1t is certain that the mob somewhat over
looked it's existence. for no respect for the
sacredness of a church ediflce would have
deferred it from laying the pulpit in ruins
had the presence of the feathers and crown
of Wales been pointed out
Evening star., 1897-01-16

urctuated by unreaning giggles. testify
to the cOntentment of these first bright
days of Paris shopping, These are facts.
Yet how soon the chorus changes to a dole
full. rs that all?' exactly in the tone their
brothers Use when they have seen 1.-The
sights and the reaction has begun TO set
in SO unreasonably. With the more sensi-
BILE a middle judgment sets itself up in
course of time
Cheap Merchandise.
after the first novelty wore off, lady
has just been saying TO me. Il began to
look on the grands magasins with some
thing almost like disgust. There seemed
to be so much trash, So much cheap mer-
chandise, things no one would desire TO
have at any price, But / have since dis
covered that you can get very good quality
III these establishments when you learn To
seek for il. At the Bon Marche you can
have anything you ask for
She is pleased with their polite little at
tentions. The other day ! found a small
hole in one of the handkerchiefs that ! had
bought The initial had been embroidered
on IL and all. yet when | took 1t back TO
them they gave me another without a word
Then. in an honorable way. they asked me
if / would accept that damaged one at a
reduction. They threw off fifteen cents
and | obliged them
Then are there no bargains except in
gloves
The marking of handkerchiefs is cheap
so is all embroidery. And this is not so un-
important as it may sound. Even working
Evening star., 1897-01-16

hasly- Again and again they will deride
the Printemps and the Louvre as wilder
nesses of the cheap and commonplace and
blaspheme even their own chosen Bon
Marche as only cheap in articles one does
not want; yet sure as week succeeds to
week. and bargain-day to bargain-day the
inconsistent fair may be expected to for
get their injuries and hasten back with
willing feet to the decetful counters. Or
is 1t not. perhaps. that they have been Sc
we're, unsrateful and a bit exacting In this
matter of the shops. they are tempted
to be-in their quality of tourist-about
everything abroad which does not continue
10 stimulate their jaded senses up to the
enthusiasm of their first sightseeing weeks?
Some sUcn cheap theoriZing must be laid
down at the start to hold together all the
strange and contradictory acts and sayings
OF our sisters and cousins and our
auntS- let loose among the treasures of the
far-famed capital of style and chic. They
come expecting great things-and they find
them Undoubtedly their first few days
Evening star., 1897-01-16

enough paprika to make a Mexican sneeze
III MI Hatch met new member of Con-
gress who started in to make friends
through the easiest way of forming ac-
quaintances in Washington-for nobody re-
fuses an invitation there-Hatch would
promptly lecture the culprit. After telling
MIN how useless were such acquaintances
ne would lay down the rules which he
claimed should govern the drinking habits
y. diSnlned statesman. These rules Were
FIRST, never drink before breakfast; sec
ono never drink anything but whisky;
third. never drink whisky without dilutfng
II with water; fourth, never get drunk two
days in succession"
Evening star., 1897-01-16

women may wear delicate and pretty un-
der garments in France. AS to prices and
quality in general, | think they are not so
much in favor of France as they used TO
be- While prices may not have risen in
Paris. they have certainly been lowering
with US at home Fifteen years ago. | re-
member. shopping in Paris was like a reve-
lation to us Americans. Nowadays the diff
ference has rather to do with little polite
nesses. such the handkerchief incident
Take the matter OF ready-made coats FOR
example. At home, if a coat does not n,
they say. We will alter il for you-at so
much extra Here they say. We will make
you another-without extra charge And
such one will always appear to be hand
somer than the original. l think they are
more liberal than are our own big shops al
home"
Ready-Made Costumes
How about the ready made party gowns
that are so much in evidence? Certainly
they seem to be wonderfully good and
cheap"
That depends on what you call cheap
A readymade silk skirt costing $40 is no,
so much Of a bargain after ALL Undouht
edly they display some very beautiful cos
TUNES at the Louvre and the Bon Marche
at the beginning of each season IL is a
Evening star., 1897-01-16

great pleasure to walk through them, and
strangers who are not in the secret Of the
latest styles may pick UP what is to them
precious information. Nevertheless you
will usually find that the very incest things
are almost-I say almost-as dear as at
good Paris dressmakers; and that the
others are cheap because they are just
trif1e behind the day. That may not per-
haps make SO much difference to ladies
living outside of Paris-though in America.
especially in the smart sets of our greater
cities We are astonishingly up-to-date. In
this matter every one must use her judg
ment. for what will do for one will not do
for another. This costume 1 have on" re-
marked the lady, smilingly. because she
Evening star., 1897-01-16

are full of twitterings of happiness and
songs of thankfulness- Immediately they
plunge in gloves-such glove+for nothing
they dream of gloves And / have heard
such hymns of praise for real silk petit
coatsi They are in every pattern and color
and so cheap that any lady may become as
brilliantly Kaleidoscope as Loie Fuller.
Next they discover lace. Hurrah! They
talk of lace by day and night, comparing
finds" and bargains things picked
up and gurgling melodiously over the alb
surd and heavenly cheapness of them all.
What sitting up at night it is. what slip
ping adventuroUsly from room to room
through the dark midnight pension halls!
What mysterious cracking and rustling
sounds do penetrate through walls to bach
elor earsi What excited, gasping whispers,
Evening star., 1897-01-16

feet from the first trying-on: the prices are
kept up SO high that the makers must do
something to justify them.
In Paris every one-even the French
wears them, almost exclusively, for street
attire. And they seem wonderfully cheap.
You can get the best, from such establish
ments as Manby's, Redfern's or Saddler's.
shops. like the Louvre and Bon Marche,
also attempt the tailor gown, and do nice
work at. considerably lower prices. But
their product lacks the cachet of the real
tailoring houses. Still. have known some
Of our best girls"-here she named Cali
fornia heiress-"to go to the Bon Marche
for some. Wherever bought, they are the
Evening star., 1897-01-16

one true solid comfort without drawback,
deceit, Illusion or regret to cheer the
American shopper always, tightening the
gloom in which at times she seems to walk,
and compensating her for many ship
wrecked aspirations
THAT is very beautiful" I answered
hastily. because 1 saw what feared might
be a last bright sputtering out of her in
formation before it should burn dry and I
be incidentally left to walk in gloom my
self toward the conclusion of my story.
Very beautiful, I said, land true. But
how about these new rare radiant silk
Evening star., 1897-01-16

been so gloriousy lighting up our morning
hours. till pension lunches come to be so
many gaudy gardens and our winter prone
nades profusely picturesque with every
color of the rainbow
COlOrcd SILK Waists.
Those silk waists have come to stay.
They are beautiful and novel, with strange
tnts, absolutely stunning, quite unprece-
dented. altogether lovely, desirable They
must have them by this time at home, so
you will not need to describe them For
the most they are taffetas, though they are
also made in velvets. When they come
from Charvet's-the swell mems chemisier
they have the nerve to ask us $35 apiece
for making them! OF course, the silk is
very expensive-you could not buy a pat
tern for $40. Some houses have them as
low as SIS: and the Bon Marche and Louvre
are Offering hideous travesties for thirty
francs. Nevertheless, you may rest as
sured that We have seen the last of the old
shirt waist, that we loved so well, and that
next summer will see, at home as abroad,
Towering out in these new wonderfully
colored silk waists that will astonish young
and old The Tourist Girl brought the
shirt waist to Paris. Paris gives her in re-
turn the flaming waistcoat.'
STERLING HELLO.
Evening star., 1897-01-16
They Were All There.

From the Cincinnati Tribune.
The wild-eyed gentleman paused and
looked long and earnestly at the little
wheel ventilator which was whizzing
around in the window pane high over his
head.
"Can it be-" he asked half aloud.
Placing one finger in his right ear he
closed his eyes thoughtfully for a second.
NO" he said. with a sign of relief. as
he moved on again, lit isn't one of mine
lost from its place. They're all there"
Unlike most men, he could count his
wheels.
Evening star., 1897-01-16
As Seen in tha5s'Leaaing Cities Of This
Country.
his EXTIN cflOH THREATENED
Causes WhichoHave Diminished the
Ranks of These Street Characters.
A LOCAL NtSTITU TION
Written for The Evening Star.

TAH I EAH. Is "A
sound of the strest
y the remembrance of
which the Washing
tonian carries with
him around t h e
w;orld. The writer,
sleeping in a Chi
nese village inn, has
heard 1t in his
dreams, and he has
counted the revoliI-
tions of steamship
propeliers to its
fancied sound. 1t is
Evening star., 1897-01-16

III La III h@tv kiLADl
dents and tourists
may be heard COM
p ! a | n / ng regularly
that the shops of
Paris offer nothing
better than do ours
at home, a few such
specialties as gloves
and batiste wear
alone excepted; often
they speak ill of
Partisan dreSSmak-
ing. as insincere,
n i e h -pric ed and
Evening star., 1897-01-16
Pleasant Labor.

From the Chicago Record.
Nan, doesn't it trouble you for Jack to
have rheumatism in both arms?'
We'll, when he calls 1 have to do part
Of fis work for him."
Evening star., 1897-01-16
An Example.

From the Chicago Tribune.
speaking of the thorny paths of litera-
ture." remarked Rivers, 1.-The one that runs
beside the bonnie brier bush appears to be
a pretty comfortable sort of walk
Evening star., 1897-01-16

PARIS. January .. 1897.
Evening star., 1897-01-16
SHOPPING IN PARIS
Pleasures Anticipated by the Newly
Arrived Foreigner.
WHAT The REALITIES Are
Some of the Drawbacks to the
Partisan Purchases.
TAILOR GOWNS AND WAISTS

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-20
CONTRASTING MRS. KENNEDY's WILL

Judge Hudspeth, sitting in the Orphans
Court, yesterday afternoon, heard testi-
mony in the contest of the will of Mar
garet Kennedy, who left all her money to
Patrick Kennedy, her brother-in-law.
Mrs. Kennedy died at No. 1o6 Fourth
street. She made her will while she was
on her death bed and devised her money,
amounting to about 1000, which is de-
posted in the Prevalent Institution for
Savings. to Patrick Kennedy, her brother
in-law.
n Mcdonald, Mrs. Kennedy's cousin
and only living blood relation, contested
the will on the ground of undue influence
and want of testamentary capacity. Testi-
mony was given to show that Mrs. Ken
nedy was a heavy drinke She con-
stunned at least a pint of whiskey every
day and was constantly more or less
under the influence of liquor. It was also
alleged that her brother-in-iaw, who
lived in the, house, exercised an undue in
ftuence over her. Judge Hudspeth re-
served decision.