Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-16
ECHOES or ouR WAR.

II Nebraska is to keep in the procession 1t
will be called upon next year to follow the
example OF sister states in presenting a
suitable gift TO the battleship which is to
bear its name. No state 80 honored has yet
violated the custom and it is safe to assert
that Nebraska will follow the fashion. The
people OF Kentucky are the latest to pay
tribute to the unwritten law. what they
have done in providing an appropriate gift
for the battleship Kentucky contains a sug-
gestion or two for the Antelope state
The gift Of the Blue Grass state consists
of a silver service OF seventy pieces and is
now on exhibition at the Philadelphia expo
sition. The largest is a centerpiece nearly
/ four feet long, for fruit, lights and flowers,
! with five branching arms at each end, fitted
! for electric lights. In the center of the fruit
dish there is placed a loving cup, so arranged
! that 1t can be used separately or as a
receptacle for flowers.
! The centerpiece is adorned with two spen-
did pieces Of modeling-the figure of Daniel
| Boone on one side and an Indian, typical OF
Kentucky's early history. on the other The
style of decoration preserved throughout the
service reproducing tobacco, wheat, corn and
blue grass, Is admirably shown in this piece.
The sea is suggested by conventionalzed
dolphins and shells. A massive eagle holds
in it's talons the seal Of the state of Ken
lucky and below it is etched a spirited pic
ture OF the battleship. Upon the opposite
side, below the seal of the Navy department,
is the presentation inscription.
The main feature of the punch bowl which
is Of generous proportions, with a capacity
of fifteen gallons, are two fine heads, one at
| IN
The faces are strong and full of character
and are fine specimens of modelling.
The eagles. the state products and the
etched battleship are features Of the decora-
tion. The punch bowl rests on large round
waiter, three feet. in diameter, and is sur
rounded by eighteen gold-lined punch cups
handsome punch ladle is also included.
The water set, resting on splendid salver
consists of pitcher, with a spirited model OF
an eagle on the front surmounting the
presentation inscription and holding in its
claws the two seals, navy and state; four
handsome silver tumblers and the waste
bowl, decorated with applied wheat and blue
grass.
The other pieces of this splendid set are a
soup tureen of a capacity of about eight
quarts, with handles formed of dolphins and
decorated to match the other pieces, also a
soup ladle; two large platters, eighteen silver
dessert plates and eighteen silver finger
bowls Every piece is massive in weight, the
entire service weighing more than 5000
ounces, and is without doubt the finest serv-
ice yet made for any battleship.
The Oriental bath in vogue in Manila is In
marked contrast to American household ar
rangements A correspondent gives this de- |
scription of one. A square room OF good size, |
a large porcelain tub, nearly square, blue in
side, and deep on the outside figures in low
relief, and of dull coloring: it stands in one
corner under faucet and is filled to the |
brim with water The other articles with |
which the room is furnished are one or two |
stools, rough wooden bench and several |
basins; a clothesine Is stretched across from |
side to side. The floor is Of red bricks in
large squares which slope toward the door
way.
The room is upon an open corridor brick
paved, which Is on the second story, and |
looks down on a little square courtyard.
There is window with wooden shutters and |
rough board door, with a gap between it |
and the floor when 1t is closed. You are con-
Quoted to the bath for the first time let us
say, on your arrival, and gourd is placed
in your hand, the creakng door and shutters
are closed and you are left to your own de-
vices-which may be various if your bump
of ingenuity is large. If 1t is intended that
you should get into the tub, why was the
gourd handed to you? And why was the tub
filled so full as to make drowning a posi-
bility? Besides, there Is no outlet for the
water in the tub
On the other hand, pouring water over
yourself by means Of small gourd hardly
justif1es the use of the name bath. However,
that is the solution of the problem. The
benches are to sit on If you wish during the
process and are of various heights; the
basins are to hold water in case you wish to
apply soap to your person, and the clothes
line is for your towel or bathrobe. The
water trickles out underneath the door,
across the open passageway outside and falls
into the court on nobodys head, it is to be
hoped. This is the bath Of the Orient.