Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-03-09

At reception given recently by for
eign minister woman was discovered in
the act of carrying off large plate OF
chicken salad. She had slipped 1t under
n rich wrap which she Wore and had pro-
ceeded as far as the outer door when a
detective in the employ of the caterer
headed her off. This is hardly an un-
usual occurrence At the public recep-
tions women thieves have been accus-
toned to steal china, silverware and even
common dishes. So great has become the
nuisance that those giving the receptions
no longer use their own dishes. A cater
er is hired to supply everything and he
also supplies detectives to watch his prop
erty. These detectives are sometimes in
the disguise of maids, who assist the la
dies with their wraps but more often APP
pear as guests in proper gowns and suits.
n short time ago lazy who goes in the
very best Washington society was dis
covered stealing valuable pins from the
dresser at a small private dinner. She
was confronted by her hostess and said
she had slipped the jewelry into her pock-
ct so that it might not be stolen by the
maids who were about the dressing room.
The most unique application for Office
that has yet been fled under this admin
istration comes from Alonzo Bradford,
who wishes to be postmaster at Hay
wards, Cal. Accompanying his applica-
tion is letter of recommendation, sign
cd by large number of Republican poll
ticians and citizens of the place, together
with an y ray photograph of his left knec.
The photograph shows that a bullet cn-
tered his knee at the joint. pushed up the
kneecap and lodged between the bones OF
the upper and lower parts of the leg. The
bullet is still there, it being impossible
to dislodge it by probing, and the only
way in which it can be removed is by
amputation of the leg Mr.. Bradford
stated that the bullet was received at the
battle of Fort Donelson, and that he had
carried t ever since.
Washington is now enjoying its annual
invasion If women. The National Wom-
ans Suffrage Association has recently
been in session. Next we have the Daugh-
ters of the Revolution, and after that
the mothers congress. convention Of
colonial danes and other assemblies of
the feminine persuasion. The hotels are
filled with women, they occupy the side
walks, crowd the street cars. and in the
reception rooms of the Senate and House
of Representatives and the White House
have displaced the Office seekers from the
benches they have occupied so patiently
since the 4th of last March. The hotel
corridors, which are usually redolent of
tobacco smoke. are now scented with lilac
and musk, and there is a change for the
better all around.
The statement is frequently made that
Speaker Reed is n rich man, but close
personal friend says that this is far from
the truth. Only lately he said Mr. Reed
was complaining that he had to live in one
small room at the Shoreham and write for
magazines to exc out his income. The
Speaker receives a salary of $1,000 n
year. His position requires that he live
fairly WELL and with wife it must cost
nearly this sum for regular current ex-
penses in Washington.
There is n hopeless lack of interest in
the proposal to legislate against the adul-
teration of -four and corn. 1t took Sen
ator Mason two weeks to get n meeting
of his committee on manufactures ana
then there were only two out Of five men,
bers present. The representatives of the
Millers' Association read their arguments
to Senators Mason and Harris, but as
there was no quorum nothing could be
done.
1t has been definitely determined that
the Dupuy de LONE letter was stolen in
the Havana postoflice. II was offered for
$3.50 to the correspondent of n newspaper
in Hav"na. When he declined It the thief
offered it TO another correspondent for
$780, and then, not being able to make a
sale, it was offered an agent of the junta,
and purchased for price that cannot be
ascertained.
There is a telephone war in Washing
to which has got into the courts and Con-
gress, and will undoubtedly result In the
passage of law regulating the charges
and service on some more equitable basis
than we have been accustomed to. The
charges in Washington range from $50 to
S120 year, acGYl ling TO the distance Of
the subscriber from the central Office and
the number of messages sent