Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-07

of its legs of carved eagles to the rich
silken covering of yellow.
Mr.. AIctim does not think of criti-
cising its worth as a piano. No one
could honestly do that. But he refuses
/ to regard it other than as an intrusion
and consequently has raised his voice
in disapproval.
From White House to Beer Garden.
In Washington beer garden stands
the magnificent sideboard which the
young women of Cincinnati gave to
Mrs. Lucy Webb Hayes when she was
mistress of the White House as a token
of their approval of her action in bar
ring wine from the menu of the presi-
dental dinners.
/ The sideboard. which remained wine
less during the Hayes administration,
is now filed with siphons, bitters de-
canters and liquor bottles. On the top
shelf is a row of fine old German beer
stems.
! The sideboard was put up at an auc-
ton of discarded White House furni-
ture last week and was knocked down
to the proprietor of beer garden for
$S5, which is much less than the mate
rial cost the young women of Cincin-
natl who Gid the inlay work. Mrs.
Bellamy Storer wife of the ambassa-
dor to Austria, and Mrs. William Taft,
wife of the civil governor of the Phil
| ippines, both contributed to the deco
rating work.
4 Question of Binding.
In his latest annual report Librarian
Putnam makes a special feature of the
question of binding. which has become
serious one in the library of con-
gress. Excluding duplicates, the libra
ry now has in its main collection near
! ly $1,000 unbound books and more than
100000 pamphlets, legacy from years
of constant accumulation before the re-
movaI from the capitol building. Their
presence accounts for his request for
an appropriation large enough to pay
for binding them at the government
printing office, the branch bindery at
the library being inadequate for such
mass of work. He also finds the let
tering of books on the back Il pretty
troublesome concern. In the case of
some society publications the titles
have called for more than dozen
lines, of which the cost has been as
! high as so cents volume.
They Like Detective Stories.
'Metcalfe," said Senator Plat of
Connecticut to the representative from
California, do you like to read books?"
YES" replied Metcalfe.
"What kind of books do you like to
read?'
well, to tell the truth" said Met
calfe, with some hesitation, Il like to
read detective stories about as well as
anything"
"Old Sleuth?' asked Senator Platt-
Eyes"
"With a villain in them?"
eyes"
$50 do l." rumbled Senator Plat.
Then he stalked away.
They Sit In Twelve Dollar Chairs.
| In the corridors at the south end of
the capitol the luxurious management
of the house is now apparent. Hand
some doorkeepers and committee mes
sengers no longer sit in ordinary
chairs. They have furniture in keep
| ing with the splendid furnishings and
beautiful panels that now abound.
| Hereafter every doorkeeper and ev-
cry messenger who comes down to
Washington is assured of So chair
The house has a multitude of them,
| just from the manufacturer. For for
| ty-two articles of this ornamental and
substantial furniture to be used by
men who guard the statesmen from
intrusion the government has just put
down $500 in cash.
An International Money Conference.
In continuation of the administra-
! tons efforts to secure an adjustment
of the ratio of gold and silver currency
in the orient and other silver basis
countries proposition for the appoint
ment of an expert commission of three
men to represent the United States in
an international monetary conference
along the lines indicated by the Chi
nese and Mexican notes will be pre-
scented to congress soon. The commits
sioners, it is planned, will not have
power to commit the United States to
any modification of its currency sys-
| TEN, but merely will secure informal
ton for reference to congress.
Mr.. Palmer Not to Retire.
1t is stated on good authority that
there is no truth in report that f. w.
Palmer, the public printer, is to retire
from his position at the head of the
government printing Office because of
age or failing health. On the other
hand, it is declared that Mr.. Palmer
has never been in better health. In con-
nection with the story of his retirement
was some gossip about successor. I'm
til Mr.. Palmer sees fit to leave his posi-
ton no consideration will be given to
the question of a successor to him by
the president. and it is contemplated
that Mr.. Palmer will remain in his
place a good many more years unless
there should be a change in present
conditions. CARL SCHOFIELD.