Year: 1874

Water, one Of the most important elements
of our world, and necessity of both animal
and vegetable existence, is, unquestionably,
good thing in its place, and its adaptability to
the various necessities of our life, for both
pleasure and profit, and for the continuance OF
life itself, should raise our hearts in gratitude
to an Allwise Creator, who has bestowed upon
us such vast quantities Of this all-important


fluid. From the remotest ages Of which we
have any knowledge man has made water sub
seryient to his wishes, and although it some
times outreaehes him, as in the cases Of the
Louisiana floods and the Mil river disaster,
still it is generally a willing and obedient ser
want. 1t is unnecessary to go to the past to
show its varied uses. We have here at our
own doors the broad and beautiful Potomac,
which, if not the father of fwaters, is at least
a second or third cousin, upon whose broad
bosom our commerce is carried on by crush
inc steam and snow white sail" and from
whose body is drawn the limpid fluid which
uuenches our thirst, extinguishes our fires,
ekes out our toddy, and enables our house
holders, BY means of hose with brass nozZles,
to sprinkle our paYements; and the hour
chosen for this last fascinating occupation is
lust the hour of all others when the denizens
of our city are on the streets in full force, af-
ter having been cooped up all day hiding from
the warm embraces of the god of day-just the
hour when the ladies, with their demi-trains,
are passing to and fro wooing as they know
best how to WOO, the refreshing breezes which
come to us laden with the odors of the flower
covered hills surrounding the capital. And
the nicely with which they adjust their hose
to the water-pipe, and the precision with which
they bespatter the newly -starched shirts or our
boots, which we have just been beguiled into


having blacked by the musical cry Of


WBIack 'em up and make them shine,


And only charge you half dime"


IA truly wonderful. We have watched them


by the half hour at q time. As soon as they
reach home a rush is made for the hose. The
call to dinner Is unheeded, the grass must be
watered and the pavement cooled OF. With
the pride of a man who has his first lottery


prize in his pocket, he strikes out, right foot
first, and with head thrown well back, to the
pipe at the pavement. This reached, with the
| greatest deliberation he proceeds to couple on
| his hose, and then turn on the water. But
this is never done without three or four fail.


ures, and the successful effort is always sue
] cessful lust as some poor unfortunate comes


within reach and range of the nozzle. Last
evening we had hearty laugh at gentleman


resident on Eleventh street northwest, who
was enioying this delectable pastime. The


hose was large and brand new apparently. anc
quite q large stream was issuing from thu
nozzle. A tree was being watered with kugt
endowment to the Waterer, when a vehicle ap
! preached In his efforts to avoid sprinklinE
| the horse, instead Of pointing the nozzle to th'


ground, he raised it directly over his head, anC


at once became Methodist, so far as sprink
| ling was concerned. However, he seemed Il


enjoy it, for he laughed heartily at his mishap