The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-03
AT THE HOTELS.

1T is not often that We are led -
think how thin the shell OF air In which
we live really is, said DR. S. G. Harper,
OF Boston, at the Arlington last night.
discussing some phases OF aeronautcs,
and how close above our heads lie the
borders OF the vast abyss OF space in
, which, If we ventUred We should perish
like fish thrown out of water.
1t Is true that, when we climb
lofty mountain. we are impressed by the
comparative hfelessnes OF its peaks, but
then one naturally epects an effect OF
that kind from the barren aspect Of all
rocky eminences. Il - different with
high, broad table land, covered with
soil, and lying in full sunshine above
many OF the clouds that darken the
think Il must be pleasant 70 dwell.
But, as a matter Of fact. these ele-
l We ted regions present most convincing
proofs Of the life destroying effects Of
the thinness Of the air at a height OF two
o. three miles above the general surface
l % the earth one OF the best instances
/ Of this has been brought 10 light through
the explorations made in recent years by
/ travellers on the great Asiatic table land:
I on which the oriental imagination has be-
slowed such names as the roof Of the
I world, and the halfway house 70
/ heaven
Modern travellers who have assembled
/ 20 70. and crossed 70. say that the plateau,
/ whose mean elevation above the sea IL
I not less than 1900 feet. is a barren
waste, roughened with hills and noun
\ tains that are coated with ice, swept and
/ pinched By bitter winds and frosts, and
50 lacking in the ability 70 support even
I the harder forms or vegetable llfe that
\ il cannot feed the caravans that cross Il.
/ II possesses isolated cases where lie
/ clings to the soil This barren condition
/ Of the plateau is owing 70 the fact that II
/ lies about two and a half miles above
I sea level What a striking sense OF the
closeness Of our confinement TO the sur
I face Of the earth is furnished by a fact
I like that"
Speaking about anonymous gifts to
charity. Andrew S. Dougherty. OF New
York, who was seen al the Raleigh, and
who IS interested IN New York's chari-
ties, said that anonymous gifts 70 char
ity were really rare IN amounts above
Sl.0oe and. for that matter. IN small
amounts. Only one donor IN ten among
last years givers OF nearly 100000
failed 10 reveal his Identity TO his neigh
bors and 20 necessitous societies or in
dividuals clamoring for help.
"Avowedly charitable objects received
but one-half OF 1 per cent OF the gifts
that obeyed the biblical injunction. Let
not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doeth.' This negligible percentage
Of anonymity must be regarded as uu-
fortunate II was a modern faker who
hrst twisted the prohibition OF self-adver-
tisement 20 mean that men and women
need not give proof that they are bear
I Ing their share OF the common burden
The ability 20 give can no longer be
concealed. Why. then. compel the pub
lie 20 uisiudge the anonymous giver7
Generosity is infectious; the news Of Il
does as much good as the gift itself Men
and women who do not give az All should
not be shielded by those who are 100
mo'iesi - make known their deeds OF
mercy and sluuism Besides, silence is
dangerous. No vanity is more damaging
than that OF the aItruist, who prides him
self upon his reputation for giving under
a busheI."
Capt Albert Ross. an English seafaring
man who is at the National discussing
sound last night. said that az twilight.
az a life saving station on the English
coast, noises were heard like signal shots
from some distance al sea
"A boat was launched. % continued Cant.
Ross. and sped with all possible energy
90 the place from which the sounds
seemed 10 have come. bUt Il returned
without having seen or heard anything
further. Yet the seaman who had been
LEFT behind on guard declared solemnly
that in the meantime he had heard near
shore unmistalzable cries for help from
drowning persons. The bluejackets them
selves are most inclined 10 regard the
whole matter as supernatural. and the
voices as spectral
1T IS possible. however" added Capt.
Ross. that such sounds may be audible
In remarkable distinctness. particularly
where there is a high coast. though they
may come from a great distance. espe-
c-ally when persons there are so placed
that behind them rises a wall which re-
ceives the sound and throws Il hack on
some coasts that are often visited by
f0gs. a legend OF so-caIled FOG shot has
acquired vogue These are said to have
their origin, for some reason not Yet
fath0Ued. within the masses Of fox.
Acoustic phenomena are found Of such a
strange kind that the investigation OF
them may be said TO be stiu far from
conclusive.
Music is a blessing TO the bald-headed
man. said Fred Kirchner. Of Los An
geies. whose hobby is music and who
is somewhat Of a wag. He IS al the New
Willard. and said:
Science in the form OF music has now
TO come % the aid % the bald String
music. including the piano. we are told
by an authority. is favorable 10 the
growth Of the hair. while wind instru-
nents are destructive 10 IT, Look at
Paderewski. Hasn't lie some hair2 And
what about Ysaye and Kubelik. Go back
n Faganini and RubinStein and Liszt
Do you ever sec a violinist or a piano
yrtuoso who hadn't a fine head OF hair?
"On the other hand. look over any or
,kestra or brass band, If you can catch
u with It's hGt Of Did YOU ever see q
lute player or cornetst or a trombone
operator who wasn't either bald or nearly
so. An attempt 90 explain the alleged
difference is made by assuming that the
powerful vibrations OF the wind instru-
nents drive the blood out OF the scalp,
while the strings awaken a sympathetic
luiver In the skin and hair which has
IN erect Ike vibratory massage. How
10 you Ike this logic?"
There seems TO be considerable fl
ceiling IN italy over the attitude some
members Of Congress have taken toward
he International Institute of AEricu-
ure." said T. 3. stone OF Chicago. az
he Shoreham YESTERDAY The purposes
II this organization should forcefully an