Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-26


sreare was born in the old house at STRAIT
ford are covered completely with the names
OF visitors until there is no room left for
even n single name.
The Caretaker or guide points proudly
TO famous names in that unique mural
decoration.
Near the center of the ceiling he will
point out that of Matthew Arnold. High
on n side wall appears the autograph of
Charles Dickens. And so ii goes
The rage for writing ones name in his
toric places is not confined to any race.
Tn THE ruined city of Uxmal. in the heart
of iucatan, the cgotist of the lead pen
ell has left his name by scores on the walls
of the governors palace. Some / saw had
been painted with n brush.
They are without exception names of
Spanish visitors. and their interest in
penetrating the jungle would suggest that
they were above this species of dissertation.
Twenty years ago n priest In Iacatccas,
Mexico, told me that the bishop had been
compelled to close his residence TO American
tourists because of their disposition to ap-
prOpriate any inconsidcratG trihes lying
within their reach.
IN THE summer of 1904 tourists who
visited the Garden of the Gods. Palmer
Park aud other famous scenic spots around
Colorado Springs and Manitou witnessed n
curious expression OF this mania for writing
names in public places.
Az irregular intervals often in the most
beautiful and romantic spots. they saw
painted on the rocks n name with date in
black letters two inches high.
II was the most brnzen thing Of its kind
that the Pixies Peak region had ever seen.
The authorities determined to make an
CXampl" of the fellow rs warning to other
vandals.
He was found to be a young man from u
Middle Western state, a victim Of tuber-
culosis; a hunger" as they are known out
there. Had it not been for his condition he
would have been taken back to Colorado
Springs and prosecuted.
The case was compromised by his agree
ment TO pay for the services of a stone
cutter. who chipped of the offending letters
wherever they were found.
rNHE latest example Of this sort OF desc
l. Grafton came under my notice in the
beautiful reception room attached to the
Governor offices in the new Capitol at l1ar-
rSburg.
In thc four corners Of this magnificent
apartment. with its superb rug. embossed
leather chairs and costly walls and ceiling,
there are four huge bronze Candelabra.
At the four corners of each are cupidS
blowing elhn pipes, one in each Thapd
The visitor of today will discover that
three of these pipes are missing.
Three bronze cupids stand each with one
Empty HuuN inv plptS HuNlUS DtPn TWISTED
loos" through the thievng propensities of
relic hunters.
II will not be long | fancy, before an.
other of the ornaments is missing, for one
pipe is held loosely. ready TO be torn away
by th" next thief, or perhaps | should say
that comes that way.
70 If the individual is caught he should be-
shown no mercy
II is not unlikely that one Of the Mercer
tiles in the southern corridor on the main
floor will also disappear one of these days
couple of them have worked loose in their
cement setting.
CHARLES V. WATERS recalled n
y charming and characteristic anecdotc of
famous naturalist the other day.
The incident ocruNed mp in New York
state along the banks Of the Hudson where
Mr.. Waters spent his boyhOod.
All boys everywhere have. it would seem.
an antipathy to snakes. They are lawful
prey wherever they are found. There Is
universal and seemingly inherent disposi-
ton to "brusc the sPrpcnt's head -
On one occasion when young Waters was
buSiy engaged stoning snakes he was halted
in his pleasurable and destructive aInuse-
ment by kindly spoken man, who begged
him to desisi
Then he read the lad lesson that he has
not forgotten to this day.
II was done in such kindly. interesting
way, that it carried conviction. He told
Of the good traits of the garden and garter
snakes upon which the boy had been making
war. How they devoured insect pests, and
mice and vermln of tn" fields, and that they
really should be protected and not destroyed
for the benefit they were TO man
From that day the hand of Charlie"
Waters was never raised against the harm
less Ophidia.
John Burroughs was the teacher
~ ,In.n la. IL
firm Of millions Of pounds of canned
meat from the government that had been
left over from war time supplies led another
wholesaler to remark that the time was
coming when substitutes for canned beef
would find a ready sal" upon the market
He mentioned reindeer meat particularly
and possibly whale meat canned by the
Japanese. cOnslgnments Of which have al
ready been offered on the Pacific coast
When DIR. Jackson, Alaskan missionary
and government representative proposed the
Introduction Of reindeer from Siberia into
Alaska he was looked upon as an idealist
That was thirty years ngo
He persisted, however and today vast
herds of reindeer are not only raised, hut
utilized for food, in our northwestern ter.
ritOry.
Recently Canadian authorities have been
investigating the possibility of rearing these
animals in their northern lattudes. and il
is not improbable that n generation from
now reindeer herds will be as familiar in
Canada as buffalo herds once we're on our
western prairieS.
WHALE meat is different proposition.
w Whales ia tho past have been hunted
solely for their oil and whaIebOne The
increased demand in past wears for whale
bone and tn" gradually diminishing supply
Of tn" arriCl" led to the invention OF substi-
tutes.
Herbert \ WucoN. Of this city. who for
years spcriaI"d in whacbonc tells me that
there Is prartirHlly no demand for il now,
substitutes having taken it's place
The widely scattered fields Of the ocean
IN which whales are 70 be- found today rem
dors the canning industry for Americans
rather prrcariOus one.
In recent Years. however. an Increased
demand for whale meat has been noticed
which has been largely supplied by the
japanese.
The most popular falacy about the whale
IL that it is fish
" is mammal with none Of the char.
acueristics of the fish except that it exists
in the water.
Scientists really know less about the life