Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17

The big armies OF Europe, observed an
army officer the other dly. ARE having
even more trouble than the United States
army in their efforts TO reduce the evils OF
intemLerauce among the soldiers. 1 notice.
however. that Gen Lord Mcthuen of the
British army recently reported that the
membership of the Army Temperance AS
sociatiuu now comprises not less than one
fourth OF The Brit sh army, and that In
contrasting tie present condition of the
soldier with that of eleven years ago the
change brought about 10y the influence or
the temperate movement was remarkable
He declared that there is higher tone. far
less insult ordination and much less beer
sold I'm the cInteens than in former years
Accord ug TO the best obtain1b,e infornna-
ton there has been a much greater inn
proyement IN the morale Of the soldiers OF
this country than that reported in the Brit
ish arml.
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Employees N the Post Office Department
building have nicknlmed nearly all of the
watchmen there. and these are known
more Familiarity by the nickname than by
their rghtful cognomens. There are Dom
Paul" Gladstone Daniel O'Connell,"
Booker Washington and Mark Hanna
among them. and all seem TO take kindly
to their extra names. For instance. the
good-n1tured Waterman who bears the IL
lustrious title of Gladstone is rather
proud than otherwise of the reflected fame
which the name has given him. He is an
Englishman by birth, but has been so long
In this country that he feels more Aneri-
can than British. He was an employee of
the White House during the administration
of President Grant, ard la:er came to the
Post Office Department, where he has been
for years Il faithful attendant upon the
visitors 70 frequenterS of the department
the men will be recognized by their nick
names even better than if their real ones
were given. for their faces generally bear
such strong resemblances to their famous
doubles that there could he no mistake.
Gladstone has the familiar whiskers
around the chin. and so has loom Paul.,
both being different enough to mark the
distinguishing points; while Mark Hanna"
and Booker Washing; on might either be
taken for the originals of these famous
men. one of them now gone from the scenes
OF his works.
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Some years ago. said an army officer,
'the War Department held that a soldier
who was injured while out hunting in the
far west on a pass was disabled in the line
of duty and therefore entitled to pension.
1t was held that as hunting is encouraged
by the military authorities. the soldier in
doing what he was encouraged to do was
rot thereby taken out of the line of duty.
Following the precedent established in that
case. the department has recently held that
a soldier whose leg was broken by being
run over by street car was disabled in
the line of duty In this case II appears
that the soldier was absent from his post
on pass for the purpose of self-improve-
ment; that is. he was going to attend Il lee
ture. 1t was held by the authorities that
this case was analogous with the other one
referred to- in that in each case the passes
were granted with the Idea that the use to
which they would be put would be benefit
to the soldier. and through him to the serv-
Ice"
* x :: K
mother whose bump of philanthropy is
abnormaly developed. and who lives on 4th
street not far from the pension office, was
endeavorins TO instill the spirit of Christ
mas charity ipto the hearts of her trio of
little ones the other evening as they sat
about the home hreside. She told them of
the many poor children in Washington who
would be disappointed Christmas morning
to find that their cherries homes had not
been visited by Santa Claus with his pack
OF toys and goodies. After the mother had
the homes OF the other half and the poor
children in them, the three children,
imbued with their mothers spirit of
charity. decided that they would give their
boarded holiday pennies, nickels and dimes
toward furnishing toys and other things to
the children of poverty.
THAT is right children. said the mother.
1T is noble to thus offer your savings to
The little boy of the family, Noble, who
had in the meantime been seriously
templating the matter of giving up his
small hoard, finally gaZed appealingsly into
his mothers face and sad In most solemn
almost piteous voice:
Mamma / knows II is right to give to
the poor. but. mamma. Use poor. l hasn't
a hobby horse. / hasn't any steam cars,
! hasn't any horse and wagon, and / hasn't
any moo cow, and i needs EN- all very
much and l fnks my sisters ought 10 buy
EN- for this poor boy
:;
Although Thanksgiving day, 1901. has
passed into history. there was an occasion
for giving thanks with unusual fervor a few
days ago at the city hall on the part of one
man who considered himself particularly
fortunate. while a large number of by
ISLANDERS were of the opinion that ne was
unfortunate and deserving of sympathy.
The man in question was taken before
Justice Gould. in Criminal Court No. >, and
arraigued on an indictment for housebreak-
Ing. He pleaded guilty. In view of the
frankncss Of the defendant in admitting his