The Washington weekly post., 1899-11-08
IN HOTEL LOBBLES

right 10 be IN a gracious mooe. for
ne is about TO emulate tbs example of
Admiral Dewey and take to himself a
fair heipEate.
The story IS not without romance. and
The Post is first TO tell IT, Lieut.. Guy
Henry Preston fnamed for the brave Of
5cer jus: dsparted) was on an exploring
tour In Alaska IN the summer OF lsss.
when the order came for him to 30 to
Porto Rico. II was a long journey frosa
the northern icebergs TO the tropical cline
OF Ponce. but he lost no tine on the route.
ard after arriving on the island went into
active scouting duty for Gen. Henry. The
change CT climate was pretty severe. and
go when MAJ. Preston got back 20 Wash
ington, having been appointed aid 10 Gen.
Miles. typhoid fever had him in Its
clutches, and he was soon a patient IN
Garfield Hospital. For weary weeks he
tossed in delirlUm. and there were times
when his life seemed TO hang by thread.
His strong constitution. and more than
all eisa, the attentive ministrations of a
gentle nurse. Miss Frances Hacker. ward
cd OF the king Of terro-s," and by de-
gress the officer got back his health. But
while convalescent he made an important
discovery. Miss Hacker and he had been
school fellows In a little Maine town a
number OF years ago. 1t was natural that
this revelation should increase the inter-
est they were beginning to take in each
other. and-but it is idle to pro,ong the
story. Garfield Hospital has lost one of
its most efficient trained nurses, and Maj
Guy Henry Preston has gained a wife.
They will be married in Boston this even
ing by Rev. George NJ Preston, father of
the groom.
On the 18th instant Maj. Preston sails
with his regiment fer Manila, and ne is
going TO use his best efforts 10 take Mrs
Preston along with him.
At the ShOreham is Mr.. ]. s. Fearon.
an American gentleman who has been
IL the mercantile business i'm Shanghai
for the past thirty-one years. Regarding
the situation in the Celestial Empire. Mr..
Fearon. in answer to a Post reporters
inquiries, had this to say:
THE only ground of apprehension in
regard to our commercial interests in
China is In the direction OF Russia The
danger from this source is real and i'm
minent. Russian absorption of the Chi
nese empire means, beyond a doubt, the
imposition OF such diferential duties on
imports as will practically exclude Amer
lean goods from those markets. Russia
has already gobbled Manehuria, and her
occupation of Northern China Is only the
prelude TO the extension of her domina-
tion Of the rest OF the country unless the
United States and Great Britain check
mate her ambitious and selfish plans
Il do not regard this as in any sense a
political question but a strictly business
proposition. The United States does not
want any Chinese territory; neither does
England but both are desirous OF retain
ing their share OF the Oriental trade The
policy of Germany. too is, / think, pretty
much in this direction. Russia however,
in her scheme of empire building covets
ternlory. which is also the French idea.
Now If with our eyes wide open Russia Is
allowed to go forward and make whole
sale annexations OF Chinese territory. we
need not be surprised later on to find our
manufacturers and merchants unable to
do any business in any part of the en-
pire. All we ask for is the maintenance
of the treaty rights We now enjoy, which
gives US an even break with all other ma
tons as far as trade is concerned. The
trade is what We want and nothing be-
yond that.
"Russa's policy of commercial exclu-
siveness has been amply demonstrated
within recent times. Under late law
only Russian ships can sail from ports
on the Black Sea to her sea ports on the
Pacific. That she would adopt the same
course In Cnina with a view to mOnopo-
!izing the trade is a reasonable deduc-
tion. In view of the fact that England
has trouble in another part of the world
ii would no; be a surprising thing to see
an increase of Muscovite aggressiveness
in a region where vast tracts of land have
already been appropriated with impun-
ity."
Some Virginia gentlemen were dining at
Chamberiin's yesterday and laughing ref
erence was made TO the gentle roast by
The Posts editor Of Gen. Ludlow, Capt.
Lucien Young and Lieut.. Fitzhugh Lee
for their participation in Sunday horse
racing in Havana.
"Apropos of young Fitz." said one Of
the party. did you know that his ap-
pointment as first lieutenant in the regu-
lar army was due TO the hit that he
made with President Mckinley? In COM
pany with his father. FitZ went TO the
White House one day, and the President
was so taken with his looks that he or
dered his appointment then and there,
much TO the youngsters elation and the
qualification of the general. Another son,
George. had occasion to go 10 the EX-
ecutive Mansion later on, but he didn't
on that occasion have anything approach
ing his brothers luck. In fact, he was
'trun down. as the street gamins say.
George Lee had been at the United
States Military Academy for two years
He stood we'll in all his studies except
French. On the subject Of the French
language ne had declared himself. Ii was,
according 10 young Lee. vain and empty
thing, and he proposed to cut Il out. The
professor heard OF the remark, ana
thought that the cadet from Virginia was
a rather brash young man. who needed
6isciplning George failed In his French,
as he had predicted, and the professor
played for even. He wouldn't sign the
recommendation of the other professors
TO give the lad another chance. Persua-
sion was used, but he was Codurate. FL
nally. in company with Ger. Rosser. the
plucked one went TO see President Nc
kinney. and asked his kindly interposl-
ton. Firmly but mildly the President de-
clined
Young George saw he was up against
IT. hut he told the President he meant 10
be a soldier. anyway, and would enlist
in the regular army az a private. This
tickIed Mckinley immensely. man that
Will do that. he said, has good stun in
MIN He agreed 10 look after George.
ard that is Why he appointed sim ma
ior cf volunteers. F1tz. 1r.. viii soon go
10 Manila, where he will find his brOtker
George ranking aim. and | heaf that tho
latter has already threatened 20 pat Fifz
under arrest If his behavior ia not OF the
best"
Mr.. Se4gfried Genthe. representative OF
the Cologne Gazette, has returnsdt 10
Washington from Apla, where he went
scne months ago to attend the sitting5
Of the joint Samoan commission. An able
journalist and accomplished gentleman.
Mr. Genthe. through his letters. hzs
welded an influence for good by correct
IL informing the German people regard
ing affairs In America. He gpeB. most VI
last winter here. The Cologne Gazette Is
the most powerful German newspaper. The