Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-17
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'Tt would astonish you to know what
number of intelligent people there are in
NY state who not superstitious. but
who believe in signs" said a prominent
resident of Louisville. Ky, to a Star re-
porter the other cay. while on trip
through western Kentucky recently 1 sat
talking with party of seven men In the
smoking compartment of a Pullman car.
when one of them pulled from his pocket
a graveyard rabbits foot which. he said,
had always brought him good luck. An
other of the men exhibited the feather of
all old gray goose which had been given
him by negro charm seller. The owner
said he knew the thing was mere trif1e.
but he wouldn't part with 1t for any
amount Of money. third member of the
party had old steel pen. which had
been used by the governor of southern
state in writing The pardon of a condemned
man. This non-believer in strong signs
said he priced tie charm higher than any
thing he possessed. as he had succeeded
ever since he got It. The sleeping-car con-
ductnr carried in his pistol pocket white
potato shriveled to ene-third its former size
which never failed on a rheumatism case
A fifth man had this to say: Fellows. I'm
no believer in those meaningless emblems.
but l can't help feeling badly if ] fail to
see the new moon over my left shoulder.
The only two members of the party who
had not spoken left the smiling at the
'Vapid folies they, too. were doubtless be-
levers In If they had only expressed them
selves"
Excelsior, an American invention. which
Is extensively used for packing purposes
and in the manufacture of bedding and
various other upholstery uses, is not. is
generally believed. made from shavings,"
said a wholesale dealer in the material to
the writer recently. TT is an article of
regular manufacture, and between 5000
and 10000 tons of the curling wood fiber are
turned out by the eastern and western lum-
Der mills annually.
Eastwood and poplar are the woods used
in the production. The logs sawed into
lengths of eighteen inches, which IS the
length Of fiber of excelsior. These blocks
in split halves and the wood is properly
seasoned. Excelsior Is made of different de-
grees Of coarseness and fineness of fiber.
In the manufacture series of knife points
run down the face Of the block. cutting into
the wood in parallel lines that are spaced
according to the width of the fiber to be
made. a following knife slices off the
whole face of the block thus served. The
fibers curl and commingle the knife sets
them free. An excelsior machine makes
2oH to 300 strokes minute. every stroke
cutting off tier of tibers across the face Of
the block. The usual commercial package
of excelsior Is a bale weighing about 80
pounds At wholesale excelsior sells at
from Sl6 to $40 ton.
American excelsior Is exported to Cen
ira: America, to the West Indies, to Eng
land and other foreign countries. where
several thousand tons of the fiber are ship
ped yearly
Il was standing on the corner waiting for
a the other morning." said clerk IN
the Treasury Department, when a seedy-
looking individual, red faced and red whis-
kered, stability dressed and otherwise re-
sembiing the Prince of Hobos, accosted me
IN something after this manner
Hi. there. young fellow. Canst tell me
whe' Aer these cars pass the Executive
Mansion?'
They do said I. wondering what
errand could call this knight of the road
TO the presidential abode
Well said he, 1 have $4,000 in my
pocket that l wish to present to William }.
Bryan. Bryan is President yet. is he not?
" Hardly, my friend l exclaimed, aston
ished that any should have failed to
hear the result of the recent election.
Well he continued, this is my first
appearance in Washington. Canada is my
native heath. l am not fully posted on at
fairs In your fair city, but when l left
home it was the general understanding that
Bryan was ruler over your land. This
money l bring is merely a token from my
people to Pres dent Bryan
Il began 10 wonder If / was face to face
with the biggest crank proposition that has
recently hit Washington, or whether he was
Suytng me. Standing within earshot was a
stylish!y dressed lady. who had overheard
the tenor Of his remarks, and, hearing
could not repress smile.
My friend l continued, you have made
q grievOus error. There is a man named
Bryan. but he was laid away to rest a few
days since. You have come to bury Will
liam, not to shower him with favors
Well said he, amt there some benevo-
lent institution around here where | can
make donation of these funds? | don't
want them. They are a bother to me-:
Just as ! offered to relieve him of his
responsibility the car approached and the
lady rode off. leaving with the hobo
held by curiosity alone.
Sport, spoke up my curious friend i
like 10 make people laugh. Did you notice
that lady? She heard everything | said
and when l saw her laugh / saw she took
me for crank, and | bet you even money
before night she will have told every friend