Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-05
Ta(N@LD


all who pass to drop a nickel in the slot.
The inducement is the possibility of the
coin dropped striking channel that viii
result in the dropper receiving an amount
varying from 81 to $3.50 in nickels as a re-
turn from the investment But the drop
ped coin follows a winning passage about
once in lifetime
More for the sake Of witnessing my
wife experience momentary chill than Tor
any other reason / suddenly halted in front
of the machine | spoke of and parted with
5-cent piece. Vastly to my surprise. twen-
ty nickels slipped from the machine. The
event of a lifetime had actually come to
pass. But more remarkable was the trans
formation of Mrs. G. Without word she
took possession of my winnings, deposited
them and when they were gone borrowed a
dollar more in small change from me and
placed all of it in the slot. She next called
for more Thereupon / protested
But I'll surely win $3.50 if 1 keep on
trying" she expostulated.
~ on won't try with my money, though"
| declared. Since this little occurrence Mrs.
G. has not discoursed on the evils Of SAM
bling.
X X X
Il overheard some remarks at the Capt.
tol the day President McKinley's body lay
in state there that have not forgotten
said an official of the treasury. 1.-THE push
was something terrific, as everybody will
remember, and white women and colored
women. white men and black men, were
jostled closer together than they had ever
been before. I heard a nicely dressed white
woman, who was just back of me, say to a
friend: Why do they let these negroes
come to affair of this kind? They are
so disagreeable to have near one. wish
they were away. The remarks referred to
come colored women who were close in line
behind the white women. The woman's
remarks were overheard, and it was very
interesting to listen to the reply of one OF
the colored women. Yes, we are negroes,
she said to the white woman, or rather in
her direction, as the white woman had not
intended for her remarks to reach the col
ored people, and We are not sorry for it.
especially on such sad occasion as this. 1t
was not a negro who killed Lincoln, or fired
the bullet that laid Garfield low or put out
the life of Mckinley. 1t was a white man
and there Is no reproach on the negro race
at least in this direction 1t is needless to
say that the white women made no further
remarks
X X X
Adjutant General Corbin has introduced
an innovation at the War Department by
wearing his uniform with the insignia of
his rank while on duty at the department
He keeps his uniform in his Office and dons
it as as he arrives in the morning
wearing it until he leaves for his home in
the late afternoon. He is the only officer
of the army or navy who follows this GUS
tom at present, but 1t Is possible that his
example may be generally adopted in the
near future. There is no order on the sub
ject and General Corbin is simply acting
on his Individual judgment in the matter
During the Spanish war all officers of the
army stationed in this city were required
to wear their uniform while on duty, re-
CARELESS of it's character, but after the war
was over the practice lapsed into innocuous
desuetude. Its revival by General Corbin
in his own case is one of the results of his
observations during his recent inspection of
military conditions in the Philippines
China and Japan. In those places he saw
that all the officers of the army of the
United States as well as those of other
armies. British. French, German, Russian
Chinese. Japanese and others. invariably
wore their uniforms while on duty whether
in the field or in the office. and he became
convinced of it's propriety. A conspicuous
feature of General Corbins uniform are
the two stars il his shoulder straps which
indicate his rank of major general.
X X
An improved tide computer one which
foretells the ebb and flow of tides through
out the world and for all the future by
mechanical instead of mental processes is
a recent acquisition Of the United States
coast and geodetic survey. 1t is an i'm
provement on the tide computer invented
by Sir William Thompson (now Lord Kel-
VIM and which Is in use by the British
government The later mechanism was con-
trived by E. Terry. deceased. who was an
employe of the coast and geOdetic survey
and a member of the American Academy
of Sciences The computer was construct
ed in the instrument shop of the survey,
big brick building which stands in the
square bounded by New Jersey avenue
South Capitol and and G. streets south
east. The cost of construction was So $500
Complicated calculations of tidal variations
for any given time and at any place may
be made by the turning Of a crank which
operates wheels and levers bewildering to
the layman in mechanics, for instance, two
years hence, September %, 1903 ship may
be lying in the hill-encircled harbor of
Acapulco. The navigator of that ship by
referring to his chart. will ascertain the
depth of the harbOr and the winding pas
sage to the Pacific. or at least what pre-
vious soundingS have shown that depth to
be. By reference to tables prepared by the
tide computer he will ascertain what the
tide Is to be and the moment of it's great
est height, on the day, the morrow, Or the
day after. No mental process has been en-
ployed other than turning a crank, printing
the tables thus prepared and reading the
results presented by them.
People are quick enough to recognize the
mantle of true greatness when it Is
shrOud-Puck