The Washington times., 1904-01-19

PINpoSeU, Mnlcn seems a step IN the
right direction; and now here comes
Lucy Page Castor. well known to
magazine readers, with an elaborate
scheme for the redemption OF the boys
OF our large cities. She would seek out
the good young men i'm the Sunday
schools and elsewhere. and have each
good young man take upon himself the
responsibility for the conduct and guild
anee OF one bad hoy. This is an ex-
cellent scheme and would be most eff
hcacious If the good young men could
be depended upon 20 devote the neces-
sary time 60 their task and not to
weary OF il; for Il must be admitted
that bad boy would keep the best
young man in the wtrld very busy. and
men are not so dependable in these
matters as women. Women are the
natural reformers OF the world. rs every
married man knows. To become surely
eHcctive. Miss Gaston's scheme requires
a httie extension; let a good young man
De detailed 10 watch n bad boy, and
then nice girl be picked out to watch
the good young man and keep him at
his task. Both the young man and the
boy would be benefited by this arrange
ment
The rain has carried off a little Of
sle ice from the walks. but they are
~ ore treocherous when the ice is in
patches than when the pave is one long
river of ice. Ia the latter case one is
on the qui vive and assumes stiff
iesged. cautious gait. like that of the
hamingo at the Zoo. and thus manages
70 preserve his equilibrium. Where the
walk has been cleaned for some dis
lance he strikes out with a confident
swing. and the moment his feet strike
piece Of ice. they Hy out from under
him with unexpected suddenness just
little pubhc-spirited enterprise now
would cause all the ice to disappear
from the walks In an hour As for laws
on the subject. there do not seem 10
be any existing that are the least bit
effectual a man who does not wish TO
clear away the ice from before his prop
erty win not be driven 60 do it by the
fear Of dollar fine.
Mrs. lack Gardner, the leader of
Boston's -Four Hundred. evidently has
the money 20 do about as she ple.sses.
Some time age she attracted consider
able favorable notice by importing 10
the Hub a million dollars worth Of
sculpture. paintings and other works
OF art. and got them in free Of duty
on the ground that the common people
OF Boston were 70 be allowed to look
upon them and be uplifted and de-
lighted. IL now turns out that Mrs.
Jack locked up her treasures, and al
lowed the vulgar herd TO gaze on them
at very rare intervals, aad then only
by paying an admission fee. The Treas
ury Department here sent an emissary
TO investigate. who reported that she
had violated the Law in keeping her
million dollars worth OF art treasures
locked up and invisible. save for tire
appreciative eyes OF the Four Hundred.
and rather than throw the gallery
open, she paid the $4,000 duty without
"A murTnur. Mrs. Gardner is charming
and talented woman, and if she wishes
10 play the snob occasionally. she has
the money to make good"
Representative lands says the head
of one of the departments. a new man.
made out an estimate for seven coach
men. instead of seven lab6rers, as Is
usually done to avoid public scandal
Is not there a strong argument in this
item for the continuance OF civil ser
vice. a man who has come up through
the department and who had gained
experience, would never have made such
a blunder as this.