The National tribune., 1908-09-03

THE NATIONAL TRIBI
If we could. but everyone has felt the
ANNOYANCE of bis presence when wish
ing to talk confideHtially with 4 friend
while enjoying the luncheon or dinner
quietly and deftly served by him. Tho
Jhis eye may be fixed on the furthcrmost
part of the room and his expression the
bl:lnkest of the blank. you can never bt
quite certain that he isn't taking In
ever word you are saying. and If you
are wise you will give him no food fol
| thought; that is, you will not indulge
in conversation of personal cGaracter
But whether you wish to di sauss matters
of 4 private and confidential nature oI
| cot, the waters proximity is moro OF
less OF a wet b anket TO freedom of con-
versaiion, and the majority of persons
would thank him if he would fade gen.
tly away after placing upon the table
the food which has been ordered. But
then comes the question of how to get
him again If needed, and, should the
luncheon or dinner consist of several
courses, how to manage that. A New
York man has solved this problem, and
is to give us the waiterless restaurant.
In this restaurant you give your order
as You enter. You are shown to your
table, which is arranged in the usual
manner, and in due course of time a
waiter comes along, presses a button,
and, 10! in true Arabian Nights fashion
your table descends thru the floor to the
room below from which it shortly arises
laden with the repast you have ordered.
Then, when the next course is desired,
the button is pressed again, the table
goes down. and comes up again with
the new dishes. No waiter stands any
where near you, and the most intimate
conversation can be carried on with
perfect immunity from any danger of
being overheard. Mr.. John L. Murray,
who is to open this restaurant, has spent
some time looking all over Europe for
ideas on this subject. and the descend
ing and ascending table is the result
The entire floor under the dining-room
floor is used for serving rooms.
The moving picture has many posi-
bilities along educational lines, and al
ready Is being used for numerous pur-
poses which would hardly recommend
themselves for vaudeville shows. Sur
gerry is making use of this invention in
its hospitals and class rooms, showing
in detail operations of all kinds. These
films are not allowed to be used by any
persons besides the doctors, nor any
other places than those above mention
ed. Medicine also has its pictures, par
ticularly those to illustrate diseases
which manifest themselves in the walk,
such as various forms of paralysis, etc.
Unusual and unknown diseases are
shown in this way, one set of films de-
picting the effects of beri-beri that ter
rible disease so common in Japan and
India. 1t can readily be seen how val
liable a medium this would be in MAX
ing clear the mysteries of many dis
eases little known to the doctors of this
country. The moving picture is also
used in solving problems of agriculture
and public health. While it has not yet
taken its place in the schools
as a necessary part of their
equipment, there is little doubt
but that its day as such is close at hand
What more delightful way could be
found of teaching geography or ZOO
ology than this? How much deeper
would India, for instance, be impressed
on the mind of the child if characteristic
scenes of that country were presented
to the eyes in moving pictures? What
charms would zoology take on whenI
illustrated by polar bear fishing, camelsl
the desert, ETC.? How eageriyI
would such recitations be looked for
ward to! There is hardly a subjectl
taught in our schools that could not be
made fascinating and most impressive |
by this means. We are confident that
there would certainly be no playingl
hooky on moving-picture days. Thel
idea is so pleasing that it makes those
Of us whose school days lie far back In
the dead and gone past wish more than
ever that we could begin all over again.
Mrs. Florence Maybrick, the Ameri-
can woman who married the English |
man and who was convicted by an Eng
ish court for his murder, is lecturing in |
this country. 1t will be remembered
that Mrs. Maybrick, after spending /
many years in prison, was finally par
loned out, and few years ago returned |
to her native land. While in prison
many prominent Americans interested
in her case, believing her in
nocent of the crime, but the English
people were equally sure of her guilt,
and their efforts were for long time
She is meeting with con-
siderable success in her lecturing-thatl
is, IL large audiences constitute sue
people having assembled to
listen to her at Fullerton, where she
lately appeared. She tells the story of
her imprisonment, of course, which
should be interesting if she has the gift
Of expression and a good delivery. 1t is
presumed that she will come East later.
In the Canary lSlandS ana certain
parts of West Africa the natives have a
novel way of communicating with each
other when a mile or so distant. In the
former they have peculiar and very
shrill whistle, which they make by using
both fingers and lips, and by which they
carry or ineligible conversations. In
the latter locality they use a drum for
he same purpose. This is so arranged
that two different notes can be pro-
1uced by striking it, and with these two
notes the drum can be made to express
all that these people desire in communi-
eating with each other at that distance.
What a fantastic bit of history is fur
nished by the reign of Christophe, Henri
l., King of Haiti, and his bizarre court,
ornamented by such mobiles as the Duke
of Marmalade, the Count of Lemonadel
and the Earl of Brandy! Imagine any
person in a powerfuI and conspicuousl
no matter of what race or tenn