The National tribune., 1899-08-03
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

At recent meeting here OF the Saliva
ton Army one OF the best speakers i'll the
Army was rapidly working himself and
audience up to the highest enthusiasm, and
was geSticuldting eXcitedly. He forgot
himself, got too far over on the platform.
and brought his hand down with a crash
on the guitar of a musician who was sitting
gazing at him with open mouth.
Take that thing out of the way" shouted
the speaker. without change of tone.
GLORY be to God! Who the devil put that
thing in my way? Glory be to Gody'
Sines it has been decided to increase the
speed Of the battieships Maine, Ohio and
Missouri from 10 to Is knots 1t was neceS-
sary to reduce their armor belts. Cramps
recommended a reduction of from II to1Ois-
inches in thickness, The Board has de-
cided on belt of II inches clear around
the ships, with seven inches for the case
mates.
A battery at Fort Caswell, N. c., is to be
named in honor of Ensign Worth Bagley;
a fort in Boston Harbor in honor of Gen.
Geo. G.. Strong: fort on Long Island in
honor of Gen. A. H. Terry; another fort
in the same harbor in honor of Gen. n. p.
Banks; a fort at Delaware City, Del, in
Diego. Cal, in honor of Gen. Rosecrans,
and fort at Puget Sound in honor Of Gen.
Thos. l.. Casey.
Lieut.-Col Allen, the Engineer officer
in charge, wants 100000 to expend next
year IN improving the Potomac flats.
Commissioner Wilson decides that banks
cannot stamp unstamped checks.
<F%
The law against profanity is not dead
letter in Washington. Last week a man
was fined under it $40, with 30 days hard
work as an alternative;
AdJtGen. Corbin says that all the com
missions in the new regiments have been
given out. They number about 500 in all.
The new census building will cost s104.-
900
The telephone fight is still on, with GUS
toners applying for injunctions to prevent
the company removing the Instruments
unless they pay the higher rate.
s*%
Capt. F. w. Dickins, acting Chief Of the
Bureau of Navigation, is To take command
of the battleship Indiana in the Fall.
Attention is called to the fact that Gen.
Ketcham has been in Congress 26 years,
and never made a speech, but has had re-
markable success in getting everything he
has gone after.
hate to think that there should be any
element of pain in that which moves me to
laughter, and yet confess 10 being inclted
to merriment by things which bring con-
fusion and annoyance to others. For
example: Going up 18th Street from
Pennsylvania Avenue. the other evening,
| saw a fine, well-dressed, buxom dame
come out on the sidewalk in front OF her
house, holding in her left hand the nozzle
of hose. She was going to indulge In
the pleasant after-dinner recreation of
mitigating the burning heat in the house
by wetting down the street in front. There's
always an exhilaratiOn about doing this
to a woman of full habit, who
has been roasting all day. Along came
a gentleman of about the same physical
and mental type and age. he had ap-
parently attired himself after Office in his
coolest and freshest crash suit and negligee
shirt for evening calls.
Probably he had dressed himself with
especial reference to seeing her.
At all events, he seemed very glad to
meet her, and she to see him. He smiled
and bowed, she smiled and bowed, gesticu-
lating with her hands, and waving the
nozzle about.
Just then the servant, who had been sent
down into the cellar to turn the water on,
did so. and there was gIsh from the wav-
The startled woman, forgetful OF the nozzle,
gesticulated still more wildly to express
her dismay, and drenched him still more.
and rode on, blaming myself for being a
barbarian for laughing.
The housekeeping of Uncle Sans big
white building where Congress meets is
very expensive. in spite Of the closest
economy. This Summer over 1 900 win
dow sash will have to be painted, 1000
square yards of painted walls washed
over 100 panes of thick glass. K feet in
size. will have to be put in the skylights,
to replace those broken by the blizzard last
Winter, and other things done. costing
in the aggregate 100000.
1t is suggested to fill in the vacant panels
in the frieze Of Capitol rotunda with pic
lures Of the Spanish war.
IDAA DDIGAnE