Kansas City journal., 1898-03-13
OF CURRENT INTEREST.

Behold Thy face divine.
John B. Tabb.
OF CURRENT INTEREST.
The contrast between the old-style wood
en- ship and the modern steel and iron up
to-date fighting machine is illustrated very
clearly in the Essex. one Of the few re-
manning wooden vessels in the navy. and
the monitor Terror. which are now both
anchored in New York harbor. The Essex
is used simply as training ship and the
Terror could blow her out of the water with
one of her big guns. In times Of peace the
Essex has many advantages over heavily
armored boat in a warm climate. A berth
aboard the wooden boat is by no means un-
desirable and her long cruises are Interest,"
ing. Some months ago when the Essex
was tied up at the Brooklyn navy yard af-
ter long cruise the wardroom officers were
unusually popular with the officers from
the other boats in the yard. They received
callers all day long. On the cruise that had
just ended the Essex had put in at the Ma
deira islands and her officers had purchased
stock of wine which came from the right
side of the Madeiras. and its shipment in
the wooden vessel had not injured it. 1t
was of flavor to win friends for its own
ers and 1t did its duty nobly. Nothing
stronger than Madeira or claret is served
in the wardrooms of the navy. as a rule.
despite an impression to the contrary, and
it Is an interesting fact that many of the
officers who have to stand watch in all
sorts Of weather find that tea is better than
wine as bracer when they go below. Tea
is not in accordance with navy traditions
as fostered by yellow-backed novels, but 1t
has its place in the wardroom.
What is furlough?" asked coIumbu.
(Ohioj teacher. 1T means a mule" was
the reply Of Mary. "Oh. no." replied the
teacher. 1T doesn't mean a mule Indeed.
it does," said Mary. II have book at
home that says so.'' "wen." said the teach
er. now thoroughly interested. you may
bring the book to school. and we'll see about
it, The next day Mary brought the book,
and in some triumph opened to page
where there was picture of a soldier
standing beside mule. Below the picture
were the words: Going Home on His Fur
lough.'
Professor Phelps. of the English depart
ment at Yale. jumps into the Chamberlain
controversy over the teaching of English
there with this incidental expression:
when was at Harvard had to read and
correct 100 themes a week, and sooner than
do that thing again l would rather be a
motoIman." Whereupon the Springfield
Republican breaks In with the suggestion
that IF that is a fair specimen of Eng
lish as taught at Yale, we can scarcely
wonder at the present disturbance
An experiment in administering judicial
oaths is TO be tried in Germany in the
hope of diminishing the number of per-
jury cases. Instead Of swearing to tell the
truth the witness will make an unsworn
statement in court: he will then be asked
to swear to 1t. but before taking the oath
will be allowed to correct or withdraw any
part of his testimony. Penalties are pro-
vided for making wilfuly false statements
in court. and these penalties apply to the
parties to the case as well as to witnesses.
France has a custom of distributing the
tobacco shops. which are government Of
fees. to the widows and other needy rela-
tives of her distinguished men. Among
the recipients of the 2s1 bureaux de tabac
given last year are Mime. Jules Simon,
widow Of the academician. senator and min
lister; the widows of a general of division.
four generals of brigade. and u rear admir-
al, and the daughters of a professor at
the Sorbonne.
When Marion Crawford was in Atlanta. It
is said, several persons asked for his auto
IL.
said. with charming frankness: II have
never read Mr.. Isaacs.' but-if you'll write
your name in my album, Ill promise you
that I'll buy the book and help you out"
Mr. Crawford coughed and said he didn't
have time to write anything just then
In an article describing the woman's
billiard room of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel
the London Globe says: If a man should
be so bold as to remove his coat, an at
tendant instantly hands him lounge jack
ct. All present shut their eyes. and do not
open them again until the ringing of
bell announces that the shirt sleeves have
been covered"
Through the purchase of shares of the
New York Sun stock held by Thomas
Hitchcock CsIatthew MarshalD, Paul Dana.
editor of that newspaper. is able to an
nounce that he now holds 116 shares. a
majority of the stock of the Sun Associa-
ton. So the Dana name and the Sun are
securely welded for the years to come.
Count Tolstoi is preparing what will be
his most widely read book. Il do not feel
well at present and cannot write just now."
he recently said to an interviewer, but I
hope before / die to say good deal about
women. Before my death 1 shall say every
thing that have at heart about them
The Nebraska Populists now talk OF CALI
ing an extra session of the legislature to
get around the United States supreme
courts decision against their late lamented
maximum freight bill. They are still de-
termined that the railroads in that state
shall not be permitted to make dollar.
A new addition to the fighting strength
of the British navy is that of the clerks on
beard ships who have hitherto been nom
combatants. An admiralty order directs
them to be put through a course of revolver,
sword and rifle drill and to be trained in
rowing and sailing boats
At a recent sale of autograph letters in
London an original plan and survey entire
ly in the hand of George Washington and
made By him in 1I50, when a surveyor in
the woods of Virginia. was sold for So A
fine letter written by William Penn. dated
1107 brought S5S.s5.
Paris famous horse chestnut tree of the
Tuileries garden the regular blooming OF
which on March 20 was the first recognized
mark OF spring in the French capital, u
dad