The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-31
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN.
AS THE DAYS PASS.
BY FRANCES JAY.

ing from the top of the Washington
Monument when Billy Sullivan received
in his hands, three times, balls dropped
from the summit Of the shaft, a couple
Of Treasury clerks were reminded OF the
old story OF certain furry ball that
once came along the same route at even
greater rate OF speed. and arrived not
in a pair OF capable hands, but fiat on
the unfeeling ground. without disaster.
This ball resolved itself into a cat
when It landed, and the feline was very
much alive, but the pity Of the tale is
that while pussy was batting her eyes
and saying in the words Of the illustrious !
Congressman. Where am at?" an
unmuzzled canine suddenly pounced on
her and answered the question by send /
ing her TO the place where good dead /
kitties 60
Both clerks were familiar with the
story belonging as they do TO the old !
resident class, but one had an amend I
ment TO IL as showing how odd are the l
condolences Of life. She had noticed In /
an item OF a recent paper that the stuffed
cat that made the famous trip was yet
In the National Museum and IN good |
condition, and remembering having seen !
It IN her young days. she thought she |
would again take a look. as having been /
abroad. she had not set foot in a place |
OF public interest In this town in a dozen
years. so, rushing off the minute she
was released from her duties. she got 20
the door OF the old museum Just in time
to have II closed in her face Thinking
o
the ancient tragedy. II not the preserved |
corpse, she dashed across 10 the base
OF the monument. which looked about
as hospitable. so far as going within
was concerned. as a bank after closing
time when one wants TO get In to draw
car fare. But as with wistful gaze the
belated one looked up until she nearly
fell over her own back she commented
TO the guard on the fact that the cat
that jumped from the top without being
killed really did have a fight worth
recording. and that fo7 the feat 1t really
did deserve TO be on exhibition at the
museum
The guard with establishment writ
large over his pleasant old face. said
why. ! buried that cat myself. just
down Their" about forty feet from the
shaft Then he told the story, and told
ii we'll But 1t was a bit disappointing
/ TO know that the monument was not
much over 200 feet high at the time
| The guard know. for he was one OF the
workman who. going 70 work. was the
1 innocent cause OF the cats flight, she,
rushing upward until the stepping of
MI rarac In
/ panic TO look before she leaped.
Now the question that bothers me.
was the teller OF this tale. lis. is the
/ stuffed tabby a base counterfeit or the
/ object Of a grave robbery?
/ But leaving that among the unanswered
( problems. was it not odd that l should
I meet the very one who knew all about
/ that cat at that particular time. for
/ that catastrophe is thirty years old"
] The London Economist after lnvestlga-
ton finds the English housewife gets
pound OF bread for about half what il
would cost in America. and is very Elee-
ful over Il. Following this New York
has passed an ordinance compelling the
weighing and stamping with the weight
Of all bread after October /. one Of
our local bakers whose firm has given
good bread 20 Washington for a genera
ton. in discussing the fact that bread
Is less In cost on the other side OF the
water. said he thought that could be ex-
planned by the difference in the cost Of
labor. for II is likely that a good baker
In London would not get more than
twelve shiillngs a week-less than g.
This IS probably true. for a cook for a
boarding house IS easily procured for
$50 a year. England is very careful about
weights and measures. and it is amusing
10 see the baker carefully cut a slice of
a second loaf and add 10 the piece being
weighed to bring it up 10 the mark Il
is also possible 20 buy a half loaf OF
bread in any shop. To the citizen of this
country OF large views. housekeeping in
England is amusing, when not provok-
ing. owing 20 the carefulness Of the
trades people in tiny matters l bought
a chicken in a London shop, and gave
the first shock 10 the clerk by declar-
ing I wouj take II with me. I lost caste
Immediately with him-no lady in Eng
land carries bundles. Then having re-
/ mad
put in ian extra head with my fowl
When I asked why. he was nearly over
home, and explained it would make the
broth richer; that all his customers used
lheads and feet of fowls for that purpose
Ny next adventure was in buying
oranges. when TO assure me that they
were good. the clerk broke one open for
me, and when I got home I found he had
put the parts carefully together again
and bound them with string. and counted
in the exhibition orange among those I
had paid for.
The fiuctuauon Of the British market
is thing to I'LL one with awe. for cold
storage being practically unknown, and
the island dependent on her colonies and
the French markets for foodstuffs. II IS
entirely q case Of supply and demand as
70 prices. II Is an absolute fact that
small golden melons from the Cape,
reaching London at the time Of the
great feast OF the year-the lord mayors
banquet-brought ten shillings apiece by
the shipload. and one week later, when
there was little call for them. they were
a glut on the market at four pence.
Sometimes plums can be bought for a
penny a pound, and probably few days
later will command twelve times that
much.
There is one odd London custom 70
which the American is never reconciled.
that is the delivery OF meat uncovered.
borne through the hot or hy-intested
streets on the shoulder Of the butcher