davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

held by the winning team for one year
team can hold it continuously if 1t wins
every time. The trophy is a statue Of
David. sharpshooter of ancient biblical
days. In addition ten silver medals will
be given to the ten boys taking part in
the greatest number of matches during
the series; and ten bronze medals to the
team winning second place. The boys
will shoot, first, standing offhand, with
body and rifle free from all artificial
support; and. second. prone, with head
hand free. from all artificial support.
The use Of the strap will be allowed in
the prone position only.
X x
In reply to Assistant Secretary divers
letter to the governors, a number Of
favorable answers already have been re-
ceived, and others are expected. Cali
fornia, Oregon. Missouri. Michigan, In
diana. New Jersey. Connecticut, New
Hampshire. Colorado. Texas. Oklahoma,
Montana. Florida, Alabama, North Caro-
lima and Arizona already have declared
their willingness to lend the aid of their
National Guard inspectors to instruct the
young men of the high schools. colleges
and universities in rife practice. Penn
sylvania. Massachusetts, and Vermont
are the only three states to date from
which unfavorable replies have come.
A bill, similar to one introduced at sew
eral previous sessions of Congress, but
never passed by both House and Senate
will be urged again at this session. 1t is
entitled "A bill to encourage rifle practice
and promote patriotic spirit among the
citizens and youth of the United States"
1t would authorize the Secretary of war
to issue for use in target practice the
discarded Krag rifles and ammunition no
longer in use as the service weapon, but
kept on hand still in large numbers as q
reserve supply. The bill provides that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
Thousands of Sparrows.


WHEN the winter sun is red low over
" the Arlington hills a great many
persons passing along the north side of
Pennsylvania avenue between 18th and
14th streets crane their necks to look up
in the young plane trees growing there.
They have caught the sound Of furious
fuss and feathers and the quarrelsome
and garrulous chatter and clatter of a
thousand sparrows. The sparrows are
making ready for their nights rest and
evidently are debating as to which tWigs
they will occupy. Every bird seems to be
charging that the other fellow has got
his bed, or perch. There is good deal OF
hopping to and fro, fiuttering hither and
thither and general confusion. 1t cannot
be that the birds are wishing each other
good night and happy dreams. They cam
not even be saying their evening prayers
Their tones of voice indicate the contrary
They seem to be saying something like
"Get off that twig, curses on YOU. or l
will throw you into the street below. Here
l have been hustling around the streets
all day grlIbbing for an oat here and
crumb of stale bread there, and coming
home for rest i find some scurvy sparrow
on the branch I reserved last night.
"Why," chatters another sparrow, We
been sleeping on that twig every night
for the last week and you, avian raj;
want to jump my claim I'll quarrel
about it till the sun goes down and III
keep the whole roost awake before / give
up to YOU
Five hundred other sparroWs seem 10
be saying with animation and vigor:
Here, you, you impairment plumed scav-
enger, do you think you own this whole
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

the preshy teral records. although without ref
erences to the early church In the newspapers
name or TO have known positively there was a
church building.
uted to the confusion which envelops this period.
for the first and only pastor Of the pioneer church
became also the first pastor of the
enridge has the distinction Of having been
called and ordained pastor OF the Presbyterian
1885 and then. sixteen years later. after this
church had not been in existence for number
of years, he called and ordained pastor
of the second church organized here known as tht,
First Presby tcran Church. The career Of the first
federal city is in several particulars linked with
the history of the city and some Of its insti-
ridge, who was a graduate Of Dickinson College
at Carlisle. Pa, then under control Of the Pres
byteran Church, offered himself to the presby
terry Of Baltimore candidate for the gospel
ministry. This was at the meeting in December.
1922. The usual progress of what was termed
the trials OF an applicant for ordination was
interrupted hy the ill-health OF Mr.. Breckenridge,
ws 1hed e to s k Of s4 n that
licensed 10 preach. and assigned to serve at sew
sra places on gyen dates ;. among them being
city of Washington. This is the first mention Of
the new city in the preshyterial records. and
whether this assignment had been preceded by
missionary labors the part of Mr.. Bracken-
ridge in the new city. or not, it is impossible
to say.
Little of the carly story of Mr.. Bracken-
ridge is known, though because Of the
name and sundry other facts he was
probably native of Virginia and may
have been familiar with this section be-
fore it was thought of as seat of gov
eminent for republic. This was quite a
Presbyterian neighborhood long before
the American revolution. Presbyterian
churches having been established on the
Eastern branch AT Bladensburg and on
Cabin John run. The Bladen sburg con-
gregation was established in 1919 and the
pastor there until 1852 was the Rev. Hugh
Conn. Conn owned the land on which
the principal part of the battle of Bla-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

the rifles be properly cared for and re-
turned when required. 1t calls for an
appropriation of 100000 to defray cost
of ammunition prizes. for expenses of
penses of persons designated by the Sec
rotary of War to superintend the instruc-
ton and competitions.
Beginnings have been made in various
cities throughout the country in the way
of encouraging rifle practice, but the
present effort is to make this broad and
national in scope, including as large a
number as possible of the young men of
the country.
Assistant Secretary Oliver announces in
his letter to the governors that the ma
tional board for the promotion of rifle
practice has decided to establish national
trophies to be competed for by school
rifle clubs. The competitions will be un-
der the jurisdiction of the National Rife
Association of America, the managing
body of the national board.
Preparation to defend ones country is
the highest type of patriotism" is the
motto which will be inscribed on the tro
phies. For the national high schoo
trophy there has been selected statue
of David, the youthful shepherd. who
showed his ability as sharpshooter by
bringing down with his little slingshot
the giant Goliath. The statue shows
David in the act of drawing back his
arm prepared to let fly from the sling the
small stone which was to shatter his
opponents mighty head.
The high school team winning the
trophy retains it one year. unless the
same school should be fortunate enough
to capture it two or more years IN sue
cession In addition to the statue. the
10. RI a :Parti7c2fa
tory" which remains its permanent pos
session Ten silver medals also will bs
given to the boys taking part In tine
greatest number of matches during The
series arranged among the competing
schools; and ten bronze medals will go to
the school team winning second place. NJ
club will be allowed to enter more thar
one team. Similarly national trophy
competed for by the various militar.
schools of the country, excepting, OF
course, West Point
These competitions are separate from
the interscholastic rifle-shooting contest
for the Aston cup, which is open to botil
military schools and high schools. TINS
trophy, presented by the late John ia
cob Astor. the New York multi-million-
aire who persisted in the tragic sinking
of the Titanic last April, becomes the
property at the end Of twenty years of
the school which has won 1t the greatest
number of times 1t already has been
competed for four years, having been
captured in 1909 by the Norris High
School of New York; in 1910 by the DE
Witt Clinton High School. also OF New
York and during the past two years by
the Iowa City Qowa) High School.
In his letter to the governors Assistant
Secretary Oliver says: THE promotion
of rifle practice among the schools is OF
vital Importance, not only in making the
youth familiar with the national arm,
but, SO far as this work already has been
prosecuted by the National Rifle Associa-
ton Of America. It has been found to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

farther eastward YOU come to open roll
ing pastures fringed with deep oak. woods.
an old and extensive apple orchard ana
wide-fronted antique two-story brick
house. The foundation of the house is OF
native iron-stone and the bricks are laid
i'm Flemish bond. evidence of its age.
G. F. Riley, dairyman, lives there now,
but the property belonged to John w.
Ross. long a Commissioner of the District
of Columbia. The property. The Star
man was told, came to Mr.. Ross through
the Tenney family, and is now owned by
the Ross heirs. The place contains a
hundred acres and was once known as
1.-The National Hotel farm"
1t is better now that you retrace your
way to the Bladensburg road. coming out
near the Hamilton school. Turn north
ward once more and you will see few
hundred yards farther on lone irregu-
larly bordered with cedar trees, which
seems to lead to a brickmaking plant.
This lane makes several abrupt changes
Of direction, but after nearly a mile,
crossing on the way Hickey run. you
draw up before a splendid brick house.
cellar, two stories. high and hip roof with
two dormer windows on one side and one
on the other. The house il roomy, three
windows wide and with colonial door
way and porch. 1t is rather shabby now
from long occupancy by tenants. This
was the ante-bellum home of Col. Will
liam Hickey, one time clerk of the SUI
preme Court of the United States, and q
number of whose descendants. Thee Star
man was told are still living in Wash
ington.
The lands around this house were
measured by hundreds of fine and fertile
acres, the farm extending northward &c
and adjoining the Veiteh farm on the Re-
form School hill.
1t Is picturesque and historic country
this, but i'm these winter days the sun
sets early and it is several muddy miles
back to the hard, smooth streets of the
city
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

wind opposite the north front OF the old
National Museum building. The saddle
path leads between these hollies and close
by is the familiar beech tree under the
boughs of which rests the old piano box
painted green. in which a club Of Wash
ington archers keep straw targets. camp
stools and other sundres of the classic
sport Three or four holly trees are scat
tered along the 9TH street edge OF the
mithsonian grounds.
The age OF these holly trees is uncer-
tain but ii is not likely that they were
planted when Andrew Jackson Downing
planned the beautiful grounds Within an
arrows Hight of most OF these holly trees
IS the memorial urn To Downing. part of the
inscription on which narrates that: when
these grounds were proposed he was al
once called on tn design them. but before
they We're completed he persisted i'm the
wreck of the steamer Henry Clay. This
vase was erected by his friends in mem
DRY Of Andrew Jackson Downing who
died July -. 1872. aged twenty-seven
years. He was born and lived and died
upon the Hudson river. His life was de-
voted 10 the Improvement of the national
taste i'm rural art. an office for which his
genius and the natural beauty amid
which he lived had fully endowed him. His
success was as great as his genius and
for the death OF few public men WAS pub
lie grief ever more sincere.
In the west grounds OF the Capitol.
north of the walk leading from the Penn
sylvania avenue entrance to the grand
staircase. stands a tall old holly This Is
believed to he survivor Of some holly
trees planted by James Maher, An early
Capitol gardener. Maher succeeded John
FoN, the first gardener of record of the
Capitol grounds. Mahcr took charge
about 1870 after seven acres of land ri
the west front had been added To the
park. In this new section of the grounds
he set out many quick growing trees such
as silver naples and silver poplars. which
have long since passed away. hut he also
looked far enough into the future to set
out a few scarlet NAPLES. horsechestnuts.
pecan and holly trees, and this old holly
is believed to be one OF the Maher plant
ing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

"EEw shops want to do business now
adays without broad band of red
across the top of the window, and I'll :ell
you why said an Avenue merchant
1T is not used primarily for ornamental
tion as might be supposed. Ii is useful.
The idea seems first to have been sprung
in London. where il was used by q sys-
tenn of chain stores. The idea being good
from the shopmans outlook, 1t spread rap
idly and a very few days after its appear
ance In London some New York windows
began to put on high-coored top bands.
1t must have been about eight years ago
that the device was brought to Washing
ton. and you know the story OF Its sue
cess.
Consider it first as publicity agent.
1t is an Illuminated sign, the window
glass being coated with the same kind OF
paint that is used in coloring lantern
slides An illuminated sign carries far,
and Is projected by the same light which
would be used i'm the window even II
there were no sign to project. Red 10
mostly used for these signs because It
can be seen farther than any other color.
and is generally considered to be the
most conspicuous at close range. Now,
you see. you are using window light Tor
advertising purposes which would other
wise be lost.
ALSO. you are turning the top OF the
window glass. of no use for display pur-
poses, into good advertising space.
And also, not all the window light,
which to show goods to greatest adyan-
tage should fall from above, passes
through the red paint. Part of It is
thrown back on the goods displayed i'm
the window A man looking from the
outside into the window sees the goods
better Illuminated for two reasons. the
first of which is that part OF the window
light is thrown back on the goods. and
the second is that less of the window
light is, thrown outward into the eyes OF
the possible buyer.
There is some philosophy in the win
dow-band transparency"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

District guard through the rifle team
route is F. G. Martin of the Technical
High School, who recently won the Secre-
tary of Wars cup in the match for the
individual championship among the citys
high schools. He is also a member Of
the ID. {. n. e., being q sergeant in Com
pany K, I'd Infantry. Secretary Stimson
himself presented the cup to Sergt Mar
tin.
why. to show how much interest has
been aroused in the National Guard
among the high school boys of Washing
ton, we have only to recall the fact that
several years ago an entire company in
the guard, Company F. I'd Infantry, was
composed of boys still in high school,
Some of them dropped out after a time.
but 1t shows what this rife practice work
can do in the way of helping along the
National Guard organizations at the
same time that it is aiding the boys
themselves"
In addition to Maj. King, the other
members of the D. c. N. G. department
of small arms practice who have offered
to assist in training the high school boys
in rifle practice are Capts. Frederick II.
Frank W. Holt and First Lieuts. VIII
liam 8. Wormley, Thomas F. McAnally
Ralph Alderman. Harry c. Caldwell, A.
B, Weir and Richard Powers.
The Eastern and Business and McKin-
ley High School rife teams already have
entered the competition for a new ma
tional high school trophy. which has just
been offered by the national board for
the promotion of rifle practice. Shoot
ing in these matches began this past
week. 1t will be several months before
the series of matches is finished. The
Central and Mckinley High School rifle
teams did not enter the competition.
This will be the first time the trophy
has been contested TOR. and 1t Is to be
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

rifles. no longer the service arm. but kept
i'm reserve by the ordnance department of
the army, has been loaned to the schools
here for use by rifle clubs. 1t is to secure
the passage by Congress of a law which
will grant similar privilege to high
school boys all over the United States
that efforts are now being put forth by
the officers of the national board for the
promotion of rifle practice and by the
National Rifle Association of America,
both of which have their headquarters in
this city.
Other cities in the United States, there
fore, lag behind the National Capital in
the number of school rife organizations
and in enthusiasm displayed in the
matches held.
In this city the inspectors of small arms
practice Of the District National Guard
already perform the services which AS
sistant Secretary of War Oliver, who is
also president of the national board for
the promotion of rife practice, has just
written TO the governors of the states
about. asking whether those officers in
the state national guards would assist in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

the promotion of rifle practice IN the
United States to get Congress at this SEES
sion TO enact legislation which will make
possible the introduction of rifle practice
in all the public schools and colleges OF
the country
In the District of Columbia there is not
as great need as exists i'm most of the
states of the Union to arouse an interest
in the high schools in rifle practice. Here
i'm the District special act OF Congress has
given some of the benefits which ii is
hoped to secure for nigh school boys else
where y portion of the 10000 old krag
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

Olivet cemetery. Perhaps you have loved
ones sleeping there. and you enter 10 pay
the tribute of reverent tnough'. 1ns
cemetery was cOnsecrated In the spring
of 1859. but the first body buried there
was in 1858 There are in this cemetery
a number of gravestones bearing dates
older than Mount Oivet. but these. with
the ashes they identify, were removed
from st. Patrick's and St Peters ceme-
teries when those burial grounds were
abandoned and removed at the command
of Progress.
Across the way, that is. on the east side
of the Bladensburg road. rises Mount
Hamilton. or Mulligan's Hill. Part of the
way up the hillside is bare and quilted by
the rains. exposing deep gashes In the
red and yellow clay. The ground is
strewn with fragments of iron stone.
About half way up you enter timex
sprinkled with white pebbles and covered
with moss, Hchen. dead leaves and acorns.
Seen from distance. the MIL mas
rounded top, but up there you note many
picturesque irregularities. You see .naI
it is a long hill, or short ridge. bending
north and east. and broken by some deep
Wales whose sides are green with clumps
and thickets of laurel. 1t is clear to you
that few persons enter these WOODS.
Il
Descending the hill and passing the
Hamilton Public School, a time-worn
frame building. you should turn to the
right down a lane. deep in winter mud.
This brings you to an old-time square
frame house with little square lookout
on the roof. Away back in war times this
was the home of DR.. w. G. Palmer. one
of the prominent men of that region and
time The place is still owned by heirs
of Dr. Palmer. one of whom Is his daugh-
ter Mrs. William l.. Robbins Of WASH
ington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

grandly south and east, overlooking the
eastern section of the city, the Eastern
branch and the wooded hills beyond.
At the house with the brown tin roof
you find that Sarah Graham owns the
place and that she and her husband live
there. Mr.. Graham was splitting kind
ling. He recalled that before the Rup-
perts lived in the bGck house it and the
Miller, dead long ago. and that his
widow. Eliza Miller, died about four
years ago in the little yellOw-painted
house close by, at the age of eighty-odd
years.
Standing there the whole city is spread
out below you. Looking eastward your
gaze jumps over the low ground along
which the Bladensburg road runs. and
over to Corcoran hill. for in the long
ago a large stretch of land north of the
city, east Of Kendall Green and west Of
the Bladensburg road was owned by w.
w. Corcoran. Beyond Corcoran hill is
Patterson HILL or the Patterson woods. a
familiar landmark on the Washington
skyline. Through a valley between Pat
terson hill and the hill of Mount Olivet
cemetery you see northwest to the Sol
diers' Home and various buildings Of the
CathOnc University. below ana north
west Of you are the groves of Mount
Olivet, whttened by thousands Of sacred
stones. To the north is a symmetrical
HILL Handicapped and Oak-crowned,
known throughout that section as Multi
gan's Hin, after some long-dead land
owner or dweller there. Officially this
fine height has come to be called Mount
Hamilton. but the people Of the vicinage
do not know it.
Following the road that leads down Cot
tage Hill into the Bladensburg road, and
turning northward, you come to Mount
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

foliage of the deciduous trees. But at
this season the evergreen trees furnish
the only touches of life and freshness
and the cold winds in the immediate VI
cinity and to leeward of these trees are
scented with their pungert fragrance.
The Smithsonian grounds good
deal brighter for the holly and the pines
growing there. The pines may seem
scraggy and scrawny in summer when
the stately oaks. the proud elms ana the
naples are vain i'm their graceful ana
their grateful foliage. But now a man
walking through those winter hlShted
grounds feels kindly to the cd pines
homely though they are Latayette
Square has a fair proportion ol winter
greenery holly tree is growing in the
eastern end of the square and there are
a number OF bay trees near the middle
and adjacent to the Jackson monument.
A few pines and spruces, several bushes
of yew and a goodly number of very re-
spectacle specimens of box lend their
unfading verdure To the park.
Far back last summer the Rambler SAID
that 1.-THE landscape architect mas gwen
the pine scant consideration IN Nashine-
ton Most of the pines of Washington
are to be found in the grounds OF the
Smithsonian Institution and the Depart
ment of Agriculture. In the agricultural
grounds they seem to have been set out
as part of the exhibit in the large ar
boretum of conivers. In the Smithso-
MAN grounds it is not certain whether
they were set out or just 'growed.
Probably the latter
However. ones gratitude should not ne
poured out wholly in honor of the pines.
There are the holly trees. some with scar
let berries and some without them. There
are two holly trees close To the west emo
of the New National Museum building.
One bears a brilliant crop of berries; the
other is not so thrifty. There is another
holly tree near the south front OF the
same building. Four healthy and hardy
hollies are growing within space or a
hundred yards just north of the ciunp Oh
ragged mines that sway and moan i'm the