Evening star., 1947-02-16
Fifty Years Ago
When men who now are grandfathers
were young, no standard parlor lacked

we're young, no standard parlor lacked
copy of 1.-THE Sign of
Fomous Book the Cross" novelized
Published version of the great
drama of the same name
by Wilson Barrett. The Star for Feb
ruary 6, 1897, chronicled the appearance
of the volume in local shops and stores.
It was the opinion of the reviewer of the
work that: "The Nero of the book is
literary development of the Nero of his
tory, implacable, bestial and tyrannical.
The heroine, whom he condemns to
death for her adherence to the Chris
tian faith, inspires in Marcus Supurbus
prefect of Rome, love that leads him to
accompany her to the sacrificial arena,
to death as Christian. The picture OF
Roman life which is painted in the
course of the narration is vivid and at
times unpleasant in it's realism, yet the
conviction is borne strongly upon the
reader that the strokes are none too
powerful" J. B. Lippincott Co. was the
publisher.
Under this headline, The Star on
February 8, 1897, reported a demon
stration" of the Dis
"A Memorable trict of Columbia
o--.s;o," w. G. T. U. at Ham,
line NJ E. Church,
Ninth and P streets NV, as being
successful beyond the highest expecta-
tions of its promoters" Every seat was
occupied and scores of persons" stood
during the entire proceedings" Mrs.
M. B. Platt presided, Miss Rosa Lee
Bartlett delivered the opening address,
Miss Carrie Wise sang, Charles E.
Shimp, president of the Young Wage
Farmers Club announced that 200 boys
"of the city" had signed the pledge"
in three years; Mrs. Nellie H. Bradley
made speech" and presented Mr.
Shimp with "a very elegant banner as
a mark of appreciation; Representative
Elijah Adams Morse of Massachusetts,
predicted that the time will come when
it will be as much against the law Of
the land to sell liquor as it now is to
sell clothing infected with the small
pox"; Mrs. r. E. Lanson discussed the
work among colored youth: Miss Louise
Weightman read greeting from Miss
Frances willard; Mrs. Margaret Dye
Ellis made an earnest appeal for new
members" and Miss Abbie Power,
organist, closed the meeting with music.
A. S. Pattison was the author of q
r1i o1n whit ioh in
Star of February 10,
Pioneer 1897, reading in part
Automobile as follows: "The writ
er recently had the
pleasure of a ride in horseless car
riage in Cleveland invented by Alexan-
der Winton of that city. Twenty-Five
miles an hour on city street! This
was the speed at which part of the
distance from the factory to my hotel
was ridden in the horseless carriage.
At the factory I was invited to take
front seat, the inventor taking seat
by my side. The movement of crank
and knew by slight vibration that
the motor was working. An attendant
was called to open the large sliding door
of the factory. At this time, I must
confess, I felt somewhat uneasy feel
ing that next we would dash through
the doorway at a breakneck speed.
But not so. A slight movement of
lever and the carriage moved out as
slowly and smoothly as would broken
down streetcar horse. Reaching the
roadway, we passed smoothly over the
gutter and took the streetcar track. A
touch of a button by the foot Of the
inventor and we were moving along the
track at about an 8 or 10 mile gait.
Turning to the right, we were on that
world famed Euclid avenue, the home
of the wealthy. The inventor placed
his foot upon the button-the engine
speed governor-and I caught my hat
with both hands. Along we few, as If
upon air-for there is no noise. Man
sion after mansion passed confusedly
before my eyes and the trees seemed
like thickets. 3 . The experience was
delightful and filled me with enthusi-
asm." Under the body land entirely
out of sight" there was an 8-horsepower
gasoline engine driven by explosions"
Mr.. Pattison lived to tell the tale. A
new era hAd dawned.
tSSF