Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25

'Ihe 1aQ 1Or nature stories, ESPECIALLY
entertaining sketches of animal and plant
life, is interesting in more ways than one.
observed a man who had been playing golf
for over an hour with his usual ardor from
an easy chair on the club porch
II should imagine it was extremely in
teresting,'' said his companion, who had
got as far on with his game of golf as to
have his fannels on, especially to the
lucky dog whose book had happened to
strike the popular fancy"
THAT Is one view of it, was the re-
sponse "even if it is limited to a very few
individuals. What gave rise to this train
of thought was recent visit / made to
the Zoo. AS ] passed along in front OF the
cages with the rest of the curious visitors
and gazed at the animals as they ate, or
rested, or were trying to get some exer-
else l wondered what they Thought OF the
animals that were on the outside of the
bars of their cages. Now that we are
taught, in spite of the protest of John Bur
roughs, that animals have wide range
of sensiblities and minds capable OF rea-
son. it, of course, follows that they are
not insensible of their situation IN pelns
on public exhibition.
Human beings unless they are of the
dime museum variety, do not care Tor that
sort of publicity. Sometimes 1t Is forced
upon them, as happened not long ago to a
ness. He was showing house that he mad
for rent to a lady, and In the course or the
inspection tour they came to conSerVa-
tory, which was tiny place, with the size
facing the street made entirely OF glass
They both stepped inside, and were look
ing about, when the door shut with oang
and they discovered to their CONSERVATION
that 1t had a spring lock, which could only
be opened from the other side The sltua-
ton was ludicrous one, as 1t now appears
but it did not seem very funny at the
time to be imprisoned in such close qNr-
tiers in full view Of the public street For
a time they were at a loss what to DO. as
there was in the house and the
glass was set in immovable sashes. How
ever, the upper portion of the door was or
glass and it was the work of only minute
for the man to smash the glass and reach
his hand through the opening and unlock
the door"
Rather scanty material for an autobiog
raphy of animal life in captivity" drily
observed the man in fiannels, as he reached
for his golf sticks and started for the links,
but no doubt one will be written
X x X X
The officials of the engineer department
at the District building are downcast and
somewhat shamefaced these days, for the
story of a poignant thrust at their pride
has leaked cut The engineers are finding
it quite expensive, too. for it costs pretty
penny to drown the laughter Of their less
scientific associates in the municipal gov
eminent. Ordinarily the engineer depart
ment is justly proud of its record and the
work it is accomplishing from year to year
in improving the national capital. All pub
lie betterments come under its direction
and the Importance of it's accomplishments
cannot be overestimated. The fact that
three high officers Of the engineer corps
of the United States army are detailed to
the department is prima facie evidence of
the character of it's labor.
With all these things presumably well
known, imagine the painful surprise when
a letter addressed ito the Commissioner in
charge of the engineer department" was
opened few days ago and was found to
read like this:
Dear Sir: Having just heard of the ex-
istence of your department. 1 write to ap-
ply for situation"
There was no need to go farther. It would
not have been so bad from an outsider
the epistle came from resident of Wash
ington.
According to the records of the War De-
partment, Harry E. Mason Is the champion
deserter OF the army and 1t has been found
necessary to instruct all recruiting officers
to be on the lookout for him. His record
shows eight enlstments and an equal num-
Der of assertions in the period from Feb
ruary 10. 1901. to April 2. 1903 He Is evil
IDENTIFY a swift individual and wastes but
little time in service, his assertions usually
following his enlistments without much loss
of time. The boldness of his operations is
shown by the fact that he deserted at Phil
adelphia May 3. 1902. and re-enlisted the
next day at Louisville. KY: and having
enlisted at Mobile. Ala. March q, 1908,
under the name of Harry E. Bates, he
again enlisted at ST. Louis March 20 fol-
lowing. under the name of Harry Hastings,
and then deserted while en- route to Co.
lumbus barracks. In addition to the names
given, Mason was also enlisted under the
names of Harry F. Low. Harry Edwards.
Harry Briggs, Harry Dubois and Harry
Lewis. His identification marks are so pro-
nounced that he will undoubtedly be ap-
pretended IL he again attempts his strange
propensity of rapid entry and exit from the
army.
X 4 x X
Tho District of Columbia National
Guard just at present is in the midst of its
spring housekeeping. so to speak," re-
marked an officer Of the local brigade
This is an annual event. and to the I'M
initiated who read in the newspapers of a
large number of men being DISCHARGED. it