The Washington herald., 1910-08-27
AS THE DAYS PASS.
By FRANCES JAY.

test winch, when returns were all H. /
proved that there were but three hand 1
shakes between this year Of grace 1910 \
and the reign Of Charles II. We of /
Washington might say that there is only I
one kiss between the aforementioned I
year of 1910 and the burning Of Wash |
ington by the British. This being the |
only time our city has figured as an
arena of real war with a foreign power
we always talk about it when the an
niversary comes round. OF course. there
is no member even Of the ancient and I
honorable order OF Oldest Inhabitants /
who was present in person during those /
uncomfortable days ninety-six years ago. /
but there are probably quite number
who remember the actors in the war
drama. Certain Il Is that one citizen
remembers very wildly the central fig
ure. Mrs. Dolly Madison. and her stories
Of the events at that time and this lady's
father-in-law was one OF the party who
removed the picture of Gen. Washington
from its frame, under plucky Dolly S
direction, and carried it 10 a place Of
safety before Mrs. Madison would con-
sent 10 leave the White House.
Of discounting an historical untruth is
10 be had than the fact that this same
lady heard a guide recently showing
portrait of Washington declare 10 his
listeners that it was the same one that
Madam Dolly Madison stood on the table
and cut from its frame when the British
were coming, with the scissors from her
embroidery basket" Apart from the
fact that the story Of most Of the hap
penings Of those dreadful days In which
this heroic end picturesque figure had
been the chief actor had been given her
at nrst hand are the authentic letters
from Mrs. Madison TO her sister, in
which she says. under date Of August
a. 1914: "Our friend. Mr.. Carroll. has
come to hasten my departure and is In
very bad humor with me because I in
sist on waiting until the large picture
Of Gen Washington is secured, and 1;
requires TO be unscrewed from the wall.
This process was found TO be too
/ tedious for these precarious moments. 1
/ have ordered the frame 20 be broken
and the canvas taken out: il is done. and
/ the precious portrait placed in the hands
/ Of two gentlemen from New York for
/ safe keeping. And now. dear sister,
must leave this house FOR the retreaung
troops will make me prisoner by filing
/ up the road I am directed 10 take; when
shall write again or where I shall be
/ tomorrow / do not know" This was
written after the battle OF Bladeasburg.
/ For the two days and nights previous
Mrs. Madison had been in the deserted
White House, unwilling 10 leave II IN
/ less hope seemed lost. She had the day
/ before had as many state papers put In
! trunks as her carriage would contain.
/ Our private property must be sacrificed,
I she cody wrote as IL nothing mattered
/ but the veal Of the country. In her later
years Mrs Madison would often tell her
/ friends OF the hours when she turned
her spyglass in every direction hoping
for sight OF the President and her friends.
| OF those left to guard her nearly all
! deserted The band OF 100 left by Madi-
son when he went TO join Gen. Winder
were the first TO decamp. and added 10
fears OF foreign foes was the internal
dissatisfaction that stalks around us,
which was the heaviest part of the bur-
den. Another Fabrication equally diff
cult with the scissors-cutting episode, 10
kill is Of the splendid dinner that the
British are alleged TO have eaten AT the
Presidents board before they applied the
torch TO the house. An English writer
named Gleig is said to have been the first
10 print this fancy sketch, his idea being
that Madison left the scene Of battle and
hurried home TO order prepared a ban
quet to which the victorious officers OF
his army would be invited As Mrs.
Madison was practically without friends
or servants save French John. who want
cd to lay a train Of gunpowder around
the house 10 touch off when the British
appeared to be drawing too close. It is
more than likely that food was the last
thing thought Of during that time of sus-
pense. Mrs. Dolly used to tell quantity OF
French John, whom she long remembered
for his loyalty. and she would laugh at
the recollection that when I positively
objected 20 his use Of gunpowder to
protect me and the house. could not at
all make him see why all advantages IN
war should not be taken" So cheerful and
cool and heroic stands this heroic
figure of those distraught times. we are
glad that the distance between US and
her is no greater than can be spanned
by one hand clasp.
$500
A Boston paragraphist wishes TO know
who signs TO swear in Esperanto. with
English so handy?" This linguistic
Mosaic may be deficient in a working
model, but Hotello. If pronounced with
sufficient nervous energy. makes a fair
substitute, one would think. II is true
thai there was once no port on earth
where the ships OF the United States
touched but that choice American cuss
words would be found Incorporated into
the native tongue. Capt John Paul
Jones, who died in California a few
weeks ago Che was the last Of the first
class of graduates from Annapolis, the
class OF 1SA, that furnished a splendid
list of admirals to the navy used 10 tell
of the antics of the beggars in Naples,
who, in those early days, were called
'Iazzaroni," who seemed to pass their
lives lying in the sun fat on their backs
in long baskets. and, being too indolent
to sit up to eat, would drop strings of
macaroni into their mouths. much like
young bird is fed with a worm. The
only thing that reused these sun-lovers
into action was the appearance of the
American sailor, when up would spring
the tribe of lazzaroni, and. swinging
the long baskets over their heads with
the lower edge whacking their heels at
every step, the beggars would join in a
whining procession, crying, Merican
officer. give me one sou?" But the sailor
proving deaf to the fiattery Of the term
officer" and Withholding the hoped-for
80. 40 nhc.-,,z .,.n,,Id chnr,crn "a "a -.