Evening star., 1900-07-07
II xTXI
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'ANt-AtS
electric car in Philadelphia my attention.
was drawn to a man. evidently journal
ist who with a fountain pen was busfly en-
gagged in j1tting down some ideas on small
pieces of paper laid on the top of his derby
hat" said a literary man to the writer
yesterday. His novel method of working
and his apparent unconcern for the noisy
surroundings recalled to my mind the fact
that genius has frequently had some re-
narkab,e workshops. For instance, Robert
Burns once went galloping over a remote
Scottish moor. His horse on that occasion
was not much .roubled with the guidance
of the rider. Burns was busy broodng
over glorious theme. His lyrical powers
tO,-~I,a1 one Of the highest points. The re-
suit Of his journey was the impassioned ma
tional lyric, Scots Who Haze WI Wallace
I.lr. J. 5. Mill penned his Logic as he
walked from his house to his o7ice and
back again. Sir Matthew Hale composed
his 'Contemplations' as he rode on horse
back about the country on his circuit jour
neys-
While travelling in the same fashion on
his numerous and prolonged preaching
tours John Wesley contrived to accom-
plish vast quantity of literary work
Byron composed the larger portion of the
'Corsair' in a London thoruUghfare as he
walked up and down Albemarle street be-
tween Grafton street and Piccadilly. and
states himself that he composed Lara not
in the study. but at the toilet table. The
Revolt of Islam took form in Shelley's
brain the poet apparently frittered away
summer hours lying in small boat on the
bosom of the Thames al Marrow"
X
The strangest money l ever saw" said
commercial traveller to a Star reporter the
other day. was in the mountain districts
of Kentucky and Wes: Virginia Early last
spring l was making my sem-annual tour
through this region, and l stopped one
morning at a little grocery store and sa-
loon. not to sell goods, but to get a drink
of the mountain dew While 1 pour
ing out my drink a big. husky mountaineer
entered the place and called for drink.
As he finished gulping 1t down he reached
into a large pocket and drew forth what
looked to he coonskin. He laid the skin
on the counter: the barkeeper took the
skin. and. opening a drawer. hauled out a
rabbit skin. which he offered as change.
The mpun;aneer picked up the skin and
started to the front part of the store. which
was the gro-rry department. He there
bought a twist of plug tobacco and ten
dered the IA Ihit skin in payment. He
ceived big twist of long green. and | was
surprised 10 see the sto-ekeeper reach in
another drawer and tender him a squirrel
skin. The moUntaineer tucked the squirrel
skin in his pocket. walked out. unhtched
his horse and rode away
4 became interested. and engaged the
proprietor in conversation. He told me that
sometimes he would go months without see
ing any real money. and that the noun
taineers used the skins in all kinds of
trades. such buying provisions. horses,
etc He said that four times a year hide
buyer from Lexington or Cincinnati visited
the country and bought up all the skins.
which We're generally concentrated in the
no r.
But OF all the queer financial transac-
ttOns have ever known continued the
drummer, the oldest came under the head
of paying the fiddler 1t had been noised
abroad that dance was to be given a
little way up the mountain. and l agreed
to go along with one of the boys to see the
fun. After going through the elaborate
preparation Of backing his boots and put
ting on white shirt and collar. l saw my
compa go 10 the potato bin and care
fGlIy select dozen nice potatoes and put
them in his pocket. No sooner had we ar
rived at the music hall than he grace
fully surrendered his vegetables for an en-
trance ticket But what puzzled me the
most that. upon coming out after
dancing all night he was given two onions
as change l have been trying to make up
my mind ever since just what that dance
was worth in the currency of the realm"
x
This blame car is hoodooed" said the
conductor of an F street car to his motor
man the other day. Il am going to try and
get a change to another car. Is there such
a thing as hoodoo carr" the conductor
repeated, in answering the inquiry of a
Star reporter. .'Of course there Is 1 have
seen many car that was always going
wrong and getting into trouble. More than
that, queer things happened on them at diff
ferent times, There plenty of motor
men and conductors who evade such a car
when Its reputation becomes known Yes.
II IS true this is a new car and has not
been out often. bu. there have been some
funny things happening around it. Did YOU
hear that b@ll ringing at intervals nearly
all the way down. Well good MANY
times here lately that bell has rung with
Out a soul touching the button. We have
tried TO find The cause of it. but have not
eucceeded- The other day We had bad
hot box and the car has been In a number
OF accidents We came within an ace of