Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

There was keen public interest fifty years
ago In dress reform. and the announce
ment that DR.. Lydia Sayer
oAooMer would lecture on Saturday
Lecturer. evening, January 26. 1856, on
Fashion as antagonistic to
moral and physical health.'' created quite
stir in the community. The Star OF jan
uary % had this to say about the lecture:
DIR. Sayer made her appearance as
lecturer on Saturday night before large
audience. 1t seems to be a part of the
program of all performances at Temper
ance Hail that the gas either goes out en-
tirely at the start or burns in feeble.
Pickering way, scarce making darkness
visible: and the audience was not disap-
pointed on this occasion. Two taliow can
dles-40 to the pound-were substituted.
and by these the doctor endeavored to read
her lecture. She must have had strong eyes
as well as a strong mind to manage it.
However. she took 1t very coolly. going on
a while with her lecture and then stopping
to snuff a candle. but by the time one was
attended to the snuff on the other had
grown about an inch and half long, and
so there was plenty to do. She remarked
that IL her lecture was no better than the
gas the audience were not likely to be
mucn edited
There was much curiosity to see the
doctor. She Is a fine. gentlemanly looking
person, and there was general murmur Of
admiration when she made her appearance.
She proceeded to deliver her lecture I'm
clear. strong, manly voice, and the way she
dashed the foIlies of fashion and showed up
the absurdities OF long. drabbling skirts.
whalebone. hoops and all that class of dry
goods, was caution to modern mantua
makers She ratfad nv orr,aq
and talked right out in meetif and show
ed no mercy to the weak-minded, trifiing.
babyish women of her own sex who 'nour-
tsh their sicl1ly sensibilities on idieness
WAS received with continuous and hearty
applause, and we presume there were not a
dozen present who did not agree with the
doctor In most of her conclusions. And yet
such Is the tyranny OF fashion that we
doubt II a single skirt will be shortened In
consequence. single reef let out in a tight
dress or single ounce less Of rouge sold"
The continuous SHOWS had given the
horse owners Of Washington ample oppor-
tunity to speed their nags on
nivaA Pennsylvania avenue. and
Racers. many were the impromptu
races. giving the police much
annoyance and affording rare entertain
ment for spectators on the sidewalks. The
following letter In The Star OF January -.
1853. shows that the feeling over rival horse
flesh at times ran rather high:
Give us fair play Is all we want. Your
local reporter day or two since in his
notice of sleighing on the avenue does not
give US who were on the avenue during the
evening a fair shake. He says the fast
crab Of the evening was driven by a gem
tleman from Alexandria, and of course he
meant the horse named Tnhe N0vr this In
gross injustice. We want some credit; for
he never hung horse that was a goer
who did not beat him: MOSCOW. MFR. Teef.
Old Snaf1e, Poor Old Paddy The Marcus
Mare and others heading him out lie
passed some: not one who pretended to go.
Recoliect our lawyer, Harry Birch, who
pleaded our case before Justice Holdings
head when we were up for racing was on
hand with a double team. and hard to beat
at that. Do us the favor to publish this,
You Will crafty us all, for go In for
Ihe star and the = boys, too: one of them
you know was in the diggingS the same
afternoon with a smashing team of sorrels
and the other one. although not in with his
team of bays, was summoned to appear
Tor fmmoderate driving but he was too
smart for EN- his mind being employed on
something more important. Insert this and
oblige all the fast horses, and I know you
Will do them justice. :: m. s. s.
+
NJ,
appears description of an encounter in the
Capitol grounds between
i' two well-known people.
Greeley. which caused considerable
comment at the time. and
Is now regarded one of the preliminary
signs of the great struggle of the sixties"
I'VE hear that yesterday afternoon, short
ly after the House adjourned. the Hon. Mr..
Rust of Arkansas (who was in the company
of Messrs. Boeeck of Virginia and Green
wood OF Arkansas was overtaken in the
Capitol grounds by the Hon. Horace Greeley
OF the New York Tribune who in that Jour
nal of MonGay last, had published a letter
over his initials, in which he had referred
to Mr. Rust in the following terms: have
had some acquaintance with human degra-
dation, yet 1t 6fd seem 10 me today that
Rusts resolution in the House was a more
dlscreditable proposition than L had ever
known grayely submitted to legislative
body
MIR. R. thereupon stepped up to Mr.
Greeley, who was walking between two
friends and accompanied by more. and.
taking him by the lapel of his coat, re-
Mr.. Greeley replied that he did not know.
Mr.. r. then asked him if he would re-
sent insult. To this Mr.. Greeley re-
piled: Well. / don't know Mr. Rust then
siapped Mr.. Greeley with his open hand.
and the latter, returning the blow re-
ceved several blows from Mr.. Rust before
the byStanders could stop the collision.
After they, were separated Mr.. Greeley
repeatedly said he did not knew that
man ere Mr.. Rust moved down the ave-
nue.. He was subsequently again overtaken
by Mr. Greeley, who, lie was passing
within a foot two OF Mr. r., the latter
on his approach so near asked him: DO
you know me now? He replied: Yes l
understand your name is Rust. and you
have treated me very ungentlemanly.'
Upon those words being uttered Mr.. r.
struck at him blow with stick, which,
being parred with Mr.. Greeley's arm, was
shivered tthe stick) by the blow. Some
of those with Mr. Greeley protested that
he was not fighting man, when he replied
that he did not shelter himself behind that
plea Mr.. Rust approached him again.
when Mr. Greeley said that he had moth
ing to fight with Mr.. r. then said: Get
something. sir Mr.. G. rejoined: No. 1
wont fight. Mr.. Rust then left him"
SLOCIIM DISASTER pUNISHMENTS