Arizona republican., 1899-02-15
COSIP OF
 WASHINGTON

There is fruit, says he, the Odor ci
 which is so extremely offensive. that
 the average person who smells it ,san-
 not be persuaded to taste it. The fla
 vor, however, is most delicious. Ar
 other strange feature of the country is
 a flower that opens its petals at noon
 each day. remaining open but five min
 utes, then closing tightly, and remain
 ing shut until neon the next day
 It is hardly possible that the United
 States will find it necessary to add to
 it's co2ling sta ation in the Ladrones a
 branch of the weather bureau, for the
 natives have what is said to be an in-
 fallible way of noting approaching
 changes in the weather. A peculiar
 little stonA t:3gJ is rount1 almost every
 where, on the beach and in the roads, is possessed of the peculiar properties
 of being affected by changing atmOs- pheric conditions. When the sun shines the stone is red, and when cloudy or a storm is approaching the color changes to a dull blue or almost i black hue
 1 A congTessman's mail contains some Of the strangest demands that could possibly be conceived by rural constit- l uents A member from Tennessee has received a few during the present session that are worthy Of gilt frames. Of course, every voter wants his pack ages of seed, and if the cOngressman's clerk should inadvertently send one package of blue grass seed that was not included in the allowances made to other voters the next mail would be swelled by flood of protests from every neglected voter in the district
 ''I voted for you just the same as Jim Smith, and he got four packages Of seed and I only got three, wrote d kicker who cut his complaint short with the declaration that he would never vote for that member again in a thousand years. Another seed-struck constituent asks for 3 package of "Mardi Gras" seed, of which he has heard much, and which he believes grCvs in New Orleans. Another re- quest from 9 mOuntaineer says: My gal Sue is going to be married next month. Please send her silver ring and have it marked, From Pa to Oar iing'" Another constituent asks for two gallons of good whiskey, but this favorite beverage is requested by many writers of queer letters. Of course those who have voted for the congress- man all their lives, and would like to borrow a little money on the strength Of it. are many. but all of these unrea- sonable requests are consigned to the w5ste basket, and the writers probably believe that their representative is too busy making speeches to answer them and by next election forget all about it.
 
 The friends of F Hopkinson Smith of whom there are many in Washington, are always fond of relating anecdotes Of this interesting man, who has be- come famous both as an artist and an author, and who is, moreover, known to be above everything else a jolly companion and full of good fellowship for all In his travels, whioh have led him almost everywhere, F. Hcpkinson Smith Fhas probably painted in more queer corners of the globe than any other living artist and has met with many curious adventures.
 HR himself has told, in his CWn de- | IigIItful way, some Of the amusing in | cidents of his sketching trip to Con- stantinople, where he was the first ar tist to succeed in persuadihg and threatening the Turks into giving him the opportunity to see and paint the mysteries of the MOslem city. It is re- 1ausd that once while he was sketchinE in Europe, the country people bothered | him so by crowding around his easel l W hile he was at work that ne ordered | some rails and bulls tidy little fence about him, behind which he worked i'll peace.
 But right in this city an incident be- fell him several years ago which de- | serves to be told. He had been invited | to deliver a stereOptican lecture, and | reaching the hali, just what hall need | rot be mentioned, hardly minute be- fore the time to begin. The room had already ben daTkenel and the lecturer | was at once escorted to the stage by | enc of the Washington artists. The | latter here discovered, much to his con sternation. that no lamp had been pro- vided to enable the lecturer to read his He was not very familiar with the hall, tut he knew better than to leave the speaker of the evening | standing unc0mfOrtahly on the stage | while 8 lamp was sought fer. Espy- ine dcor at enc side of the platform, he beckoned to hIs distinguished guest, | and opening the door hurrie1ly pushed | him through. saying as he closed the | door: Just wait in this room 8 min ute while I get a lamp" Then he bolted out into the street, and, seeing a lamp in a shoemaker's shop ne2r by, he ran in and askei the man to sell it
 Not much" said the shoemaker, who was hard at work by the light thereof
 "Coufound you," s2i1 the rcw excited artist, or words of even deeper import, ''I'll take it anyway then and, snatch ing up the lamp, he threw handful Of change behind him and dashed out. He reached the platform with the lamp, and opening the door at the side of Jhe stage to introduce the lecturer, discOy cred that he had lift tho famous artist and author cooped up among the shelves of 9 two by four closet-Wash ington Post.
 PUZZLING THE PRESIDENT. Wants to Thank CambOn for Recent
 Ga1:,-;cas EII- Doesn't knnzz Hl..-