Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-09

several hundred miles from a white neigh
Dor or quickly on the end of poisoned
spear head in the African desert-it is all
part of life. and why should there be un-
necessary shouting about it?
The newspaper correspondents who de-
scribed Gladstone's funeral were particu-
larry impressed by the sorrowful silence of
the people. but one of them. speaking on
second thought after Ascot. said there was
nothing unusual about it after ALL One
who did not know what was going on could
hardly, so far as the peoples demeanor
was concerned, discover any difference be-
tween those who gathered for the great
pariiamentarian'S funeral or those who
sought pleasure at the Oxford Cambridge
boat race or Ascot. and this without the
slightest intention of disrespect to Glad
stones memory or his mourners The pas
sivity of the English is neither occasional
nor assumed: 1t is temperamental
Within Sacred Precincts.
After the race the people sweep over the
track again like a tidal wave Most of them
are crowdfng UP for view of the royalties
who are hedged in by the iron railing. This
consecrated space is only an acre of ground
IN front of the grand stand 1t commands
no better view than other sections of the
Heio, II as good but many people just out
side the iron fence would barter their homes
or heaven to pass 1t, and some of them in
oeed, have employed devious diplomacy
sho ioanoed hospitals and kissed the dust
from ar1stocratic boots to that end for that
corral is known as the royal inclosure and
to be seen therein was at once TO have their
standing among London's four hundred GER
tined and sealed. The oid-time aristocrats
are iamentlng that the royal inclosure Is
losing some of its sanctity In these degen-
crate years of the pushful newly rich All
sorts of people manage to climb the bar
riers, tney wall Persons who owe their DO
siioHS 10 their brains instead Of the acct
dents of birth, those who have made money
py mercantile operations. even actors and
painters and the like. But most of the elecu
bear titles and are indisputably entitled to
entrance Cabinet ministers, princes par
lapcntarans soldiers and diplomats are in
evidence. All the members of the Amert-
can embassy are on hand, with the latest
ADDITION to the staff. General Bates dis
cussing the war with the bluff old Irisf,
admiral, Lord Charles BeresforrI: also
Chauhcey Depew, the center of a group of
listeners, just as though he was at home.
and the newest of the resident Americans
Senator Cameron, who tries to find relief
from the turmoil of PENNSYLVANIA politics
In the life of an English country GENTLE
man another American is conspicuous
put not in the royal inclosure Up above
in the owners box is seen the dark Snbinx
like face of Richard Croker with an un-
lighted cigar clutcf1ed in his grim mouth.
II he also aspires to lead the life of an Eng
lish country gentleman, but his reception
by other English gentlemen is what thew
"ouid call IN Tammany circles frost
Socially Elect.
The race track is the dividing line be-
tween the two estates, society and the
populace. Society spreads itself through
the grand stand the royal Enclosure in
front and other Enclosures f1ankirg royal
tvs lawn, whose special distinctions are
apparent only to the initiated The gem
eral effect of this half of the field Is of a
very infinitely pieced and deiicately color
co mosaic. Thousands of ladies are stroll
RI he'd In fha
fabrics of white and pink and light blues
IN many different shades. and also green's
vfolets and yellows with parasoIs of as
many hues), and bennets which raindrop
would crush, rejecting the mild English
sun. No man has been gifted by Provi-
dence to describe these creations. 1t can
only be explained that Ascot bonnets and
Ascot gowns are triumphs over which the
LADIES' dream for months, and that the
fuffiest stuffs Imaginable and all tints of
the spectroscope combine toward the over
towering effect. The men deserve no men
ton as a spectacular factor. Their names
m ay overspread the empire, but their
bodies are all slaves to the tyranny of thu
top hat and frock coats. They chafe IN
der their letters but cannot muster cour-
age to break them. Last year there was
piteouS appeal to Caesar. Would not his
royal highness Edward Albert, graciously
consent to wear something comfortable TO
Ascot? Leaders were printed on the merits
of the alpine hat, but when the fateful day
ed had come the eyes which were focused
on the princes headgear met disappoint-
mept, and like loyal subjects they bowed
their heads again under the only form of
despotsm which tEeir monarchy imposes
There are no big race days in America
like this one monopolized by the fashion,
able set
With the Plain People.
The people over on the plebeian side of
the track are very small factor in the
occasion. They seem to be subdued by the
formal stiffness of the ether side, and are
not at all uproarious and amusing like a
Derby crowd. They have a long row OF
booths like the side shows of an American
county fair, with placards of THE Oldest
Firm in England" ''Birmingham Bill.' with
Fifty Years Honest Record" who Never
Betrayed an Investor and Clashes Every
Ticket at the Tap of the Bell" or Murray
& Murphy" the "Old Reltables," whose
motto is Prompt pay every day." and
man in corduroys and red necktie, with a
shrill voice, standing or a box in front OF
every tent and taking in shillings and SOW
ere1gns with the careless speed of a circus
ticket chopper while he exhorts his
friends to step up and try their luck. An
army Of small bankers who do business
from satchel hung about their necks, and
will not refuse sixpence, infest the turf
also, and the amount of silver which cir
cuiates is amazing. The carriers sit about
the grass with their arms around their
girls in the most matter of fact way, while
whole families camp on one little two
wheeled donkey cart and pass around the
whisky bottle without neglecting the chill
dren who almost too small to lift it
for themselves. These are the British low
er classes, and to an American they are
the saddest feature Of the whole country.
for they will never be anything else, never
expect to be, could not be If they would
and apparently would not be if they could.
They find huge delight In the clowns and
burnt cork MINISTRIES who turn somersaults
and sing negro melodies in a cockney da-
lect, which passes current as the genuine
plantation English, and who work very
hard for very few coppers. Some Of these
Ministries form whole troups. who dash
over to the reserved seats between races,
seat themselves in crescent on camp
stools and give brief performance after
the most approved Haverley tradition.
Making Their Bets.
The swells do their betting in quieter
fashion. In the long waits between races
they stroll over to thu paddock, where all
the horses for the next event are led out In
procession by their grooms, and proud the
stable boy who can bestride blanket
which has a coronet braided in its corners.
The long-waistad blonde young Britishers,
u,hn hov folx had nv