Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24

Two articles with which our troops Do
came familiar during the Spanish war have
been added to the regular field equipment
of the engineer battalions. These are the
machete and the wire-cutting pliers. The
machete is useful in cutting through thick
growths of vegetation, while the wire-cut
ting pliers possess an obvious value under
such conditions as were encountered by
our troops in the engagement in Cuba. A
form of defense adopted by the Spaniards
there included barbed wire laid upon the
ground. over which it was impossible for
troops to pass without decorating the feet
and legs.
= i *
A prominent and popular business man
Of this city is at present the cause of con-
siderable merriment to his friends by reason
of an amusing incident that occurred at
his home a few days ago. He was recent
ly married. and. of course. is devoted to his
charming wife. AS sometimes happens in
the very best regulated households, the ser
want girl left or was required to leave, the
employ of the happy pair. and therefore
the bride Ofcated cook and housemaid
pending the engagement of another domes-
tic. Upon reaching home one afternoon.
and after letting himself in with a latch
Key. the husband started in the direction
of the kitchen loudly singing:
I'm going to kiss the cook, I'm going to
kiss the cook. I'm going TO kiss"
AS he dashed through the kitchen door
way In eagerness to embrace his wife the
head OF the house was confronted by typi-
cal black NANNY, of uncertain age. who
had been employed that day without his
knowledge. The wife was hiding beneath
the kitchen table. enjoying the discontinue
of her spouse. while the real cook grinned
as though she enjoyed the situation thor
oughly.
The husband maintains a discreet silence
when he reaches home these days, especial
ly as his wife concluded that the Joke was
too good to keep.
Justice Ashley NJ Gould of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia has sew
eral interesting children. A few days ago
Mrs. Gould observed one of the little girls
Whispering to a younger child. The confer
ence was ended by the elder girl giving her
sister vigorous punch in the side.
moment later the scene was repeated
whispering and punch included, but the
victim was another sister who did not take
kindly to the iab, and evidenced her dis
pleasure by crying. Mrs. Gould at this
point considered it high time to take a hand
IN the proceedings, and began by inuuiring
what the elder daughter meant by her ac-
tions.
I'll tell YOU" suggested the child in an
aggrfeved tone
Mrs. Gould lowered her head, the daugh-
ter whispered a few words that were not
eullreiy lnteIlslole, and then struck blow
tnat, while not painful was vigorous.
re the worst child l ever knew de-
clared the mother, provoked.
Thats only joke | read in The Star"
explained the daughter. sobbing because of
the rebuke. and at the end 1t said
Punch The witticsm the little one had
read had been copied from and credited to
the humorous periodical Punch.
zone of the latest fads which has at
fraCted the nf ba 81
said young man yesterday, 'fs the prac-
tice of writing on the fly leaf of borrowed
book the name of the person who has Dor
rowed and read it. In this way the reader
of book by CHANGING at the fly leaf
perceive what friends have read and enjoy
ed 1t before him. and the owner can tell to
whom It has been loaned.
"A further practice is for each reader to
mark by a small sign on the margin of the
page those passages or thoughts which
have attracted his attention or appeared to
him particularly beautiful. The mark or
sign employed by each reader Is placed after
his name on the fly leaf, so that it is posi-
bic by referring to this leaf to ascertain
which prior readers marked certain pas
sages. 1t is, of course, necessary that ach
reader select a mark which is different
from the marks of those who precede him.
Such signs as crosses. arrows, checks,
asterisks, straight, curved or oblique lines,
geometrical designs. figures of animals or
representations of any simple objects are
frequently employed
THE practice, which is more generally