The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-02-06

% pet ~ on the earth battle as fire.
- .ntly ID. r,e Americans and English,
Mess it b, the Japanese. Indeed. in
/ .any coun::sirs the bath is practically
I'm unknown quantity, to be avoided
rather than INDUCED in. Spanish wo-
men, they tell us, very seldom take a
bath with soap and water. even In this
day and generation, a rub down with
an oiled towel being the favorite means
of cleansing the body. The popular no.
ton that bathing is dangerous seems to
have Origina ted with the monks, who
warned the people against it, and Span
ish history abounds in stories more or
less unpleasant of the extent to which
this idea was carried by Spanish Queens,
saints, etc. The origin of the color
Isabel" tawney yellow, is said to be
traced to a vow made by the daughter
of Philip II. that she would make no
change in her garments till Ostend was
taken, which necessitated her wearing
them over three years. Altho our Span
ish friends have improved somewhat in
their notions of personal cleanliness
since those far-gone days, they are still
what we would consider very 'imper-
feet ablutioners."
America has made great progress In
the realm of music during the past 70
or 80 years, and no one has contributed
to this as much as the notable compos-
er who has Just died, Edward Alexan-
der Mcdowell. By most musical crit
les he was considered our greatest COM
poser, and it would be difficult to name
anyone who has done better work than
he. Mr.. Mcdowell, who wis only 46
years old at the time of his death, had
been q nervous wreck for the last three
years; indeed, 1t was rumored that he
had lost his reason, and a movement
e., IL,
that of his family has been in progress
for some time. He was Professor of
Music at Columbia University for a
number of years, the remuneration re-
ceived from his compositions being in
sufficient for his support, and the at
tempt to perform his duties as instruc-
tor and at the same time to go on with
his original work was too great strain,
and he collapsed completely. 1t is a
sad fact that recognition along certain
lines comes slowly in this country. In
Europe Mr.. MacDowell's unquestioned
importance as a composer would have
been speedily acknowledged, and 1t
made possible for him to devote HIM
self entirely to that work. He COM
posed great deal of orchestral, piano
and vocal music, some of his symphonies
comparing favorably with those of the
great masters.
The subject of woman's smoking con-
tinues to hold the stage, so to speak.
Little Tim" Sullivans ordinance di-
rected against women's smoking in pub
lie places was adopted, but it is doubt
ed if the Aldermen have the power to
pass such a measure. However that
may be, the publicity given the subject
will probably result in the restaurant
keepers prohibiting smoking by their
women patrons for awhile at least.
Everything which has appeared in print
has been against the practice, and the
latest protest comes from Senator
Bryan, who says that he cannot imag-
inc a more lamentable sight than that
of lovely woman with a cigarette be-
tween her pretty teeth. OF course, a
woman has a right to smoke if she
wishes to, just as she has a right to
make herself ridiculous or conspicuous
in any way not harmful to the public,
but that any sane woman should care
to do any of these things passes the
of the Senator.
1t Is said that Mrs. Annie Bradley,
who, acquitted of the murder of Sem
ator Brown, took her two unfortunate
little boys and returned to her former
home in Salt Lake City, is in great
want and living in a miserable shack
on the outskirts of the city. Sympathy
was very generally with Mrs. bradley
during her trial, and it was believed
that her friends would look after her:
indeed, SO penitent did she seem for her
sin, and SO greatly was she felt to have
been sinned against, that many new
friends were apparently raised UT for
her. The story now is thet her former
women friends have all deserted her,
and that she has appealed to those who
professed to believe in her for assist
ance. She has her four children with
her.