Newspaper Page Text
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THE GOSSIP OF GOTHAM.
Andrew D. White Sow the Center of a
National Sensation.
A Treaty That Will Not Down .
Former Slave Who Is Winning lit
erary Renown.
(Copyright.) -
Jfew York. Aug 4. —The return of An
drew n. White from ius far away po3t a?
American minister to the czar is awaited
with eager interest by many prominent
New Yorkers, for reasons, however, very
different from those ascribed by such as
have stated that Mr White is a repub- |
liean gubernatorial possibility. For a '
long time there have been complications j
between our government and that of St.
Petersburg, but so carefully have they
been concealed that most persons w ill
learn with surprise that Andrew I).
White narrowly escaped dismissal from
the Russian capital as persona non grata.
The trouble be
gan as far back
as the beginning
of Josiah ijuiu
cy's consular
t decimation. The
Russian govern
ment notified out
would shortly
elevate its diplo
matic establish
ment in Wash
ington to the
Andrew and. white. rank of an em
bassy. Such a step would, of course, be
followed by the appointment of an Ameri
can ambassador to Russia. All this was
-designed to cement those friendly rela
tions which our treaty with Russia had
Served to accentuate
Hut precisely here was the creux of the
difficulty. Mr. White soon became obnox
ious to the czar's cabinet by his attitude
on the treaty question All that lie could
consistently do to nullify it he did, yet so
diplomatic was he, withal, that the Rus
sian government could take no exception.
The treaty itself Has been denounced by
the warmest adherents of Mr. Cleveland,
many of whom are in the association
formed for its abrogation, and they are at
a loss to understand bow ho could yield to
Mr. Whitney and approve it. Mr. White,
although a republican, is a warm personal
friend of the President, and the latter
would gladiy have retained him as min
ister.
Mr. White readily enough gave his aid
to the association in this country and
personally- interested himself in the cases
of alleged outrage to Americana in Russia,
whom the treaty appeared to oppress. He
even went further, and spoke at Boveral
■gatherings in the Russian universities
which had denounced the treaty. The 1
students and writers of the czar's domin
ions have not hesitated, at the risk of im
prisoument, to say that the treaty is a
disgrace tp humanity, and when tyr.
White accepted the courtesies of the
scholars of Russia, he at once got into hot
water with the court.
Meanwhile the Russian government
had been corresponding with the Wash
ington department of state about details
in the treaty, and seems to have triumphed
over Mr. White in all things, thanks to
Mr. Whitney, who, while in Euro|>e this
year, has been looking after the interests
of the Standard Oil Company. At last,
however, Mr. White was discovered to he
in active sympathy with the American
writers who have been denouncing the
treaty, and it is said, although this is not
certain, that Mr. White even wrote- a
letter declaring that the treaty is a de
plorable mistake.
Nevertheless, the Russian government
did not dare give “walking papers’’ to
Mr. White, because it 1 eared—to--arouse ••
public opinion here, and thus endanger
the continuance of the treaty. Hut mat
ters were made so unpleasant for our rep
resentative that it appears he had either
to abandon his post or his self respect.
In deference to Mr. Cleveland, however,
the matter has been kept quiet, and va
rious fictions concerning Mr. White and
Cornell have served to hide the true con
dition of things
Thus it comes that the returning diplo
mat's arrival is awaited witli anxious in
terest by many New Yorkers. It is con
fidently asserted that a crisis in the mat
ter of the Russian treaty will soon be
reached, and if Mr. White will only talk
he can tell things.
THE SIMMER COTTAGE.
The fact that Millionaire ex-Senator
Palmer should inhabit a barn near New
York, appears to have astonished many
persons, but such a
-freak is by no
means new to in
habitants of the me
tropolis.with plenty /i/7. va. -a
of money, ux. In fUL,
these warm days i?;-C
the little cottages T. 1 -
which abound in the <A'C'-'* —Se**’"”
wastes just north of "X" gt*
New York, and $ '^"'•s/
which can be rented .
Tor about' *25 a
month, are occupied ’‘‘if 1
by men whose in- mtm.kinaik>.'„ khpaß
tomes are oouutod by tens of thousands.
Occasionally, indeed, a millionaire will
buy one of these huts outright and con
vert it into a rustic bower, by means of
vims and gardening. Here t-hey can
spend the warm weather in absolute re
pose, with no one to disturb them, since
the neighbors are either distant or uu-.
aware of the identity of the newcomer
Gcoi-go Could followed this fashion not
long pefore his lust trip to Europe*, uud
no ope in the neighborhood knew who he
was One night a wagon broke down
before his door and the teamster came
into Mr. ( ould's kitchen and was regaled
■with drink, and spoke to the master of
the house. Mr. Gould went out and held
one of the horses and critically watched
the maneuvers of the teamster as he fixed
up bis vehicle. Then lie drove away , all
Unconscious of the fact that his courteous
host was one of the most celebrated of
American millionaires.
THE PAGE FROM MEW YORK.
Senator Gorman always lias the sup
port of the pages in the upper house of
congress, either because he has risen to
his present proud eminence from their
ranks or because he always takes a fa
therly interest in their proceedings and
f concerns. He has
I f more influence in
-f their ' appoint
meut, too, than
■ 4 any other sena
“l tor. This may be
\ Ahe reason for
the liood of ap
’”** Jr K "“*• plications from
ofiice as pag in
behalf of various
—metropolitan
CL KBBwK- youths. These
V mtW applications are
usually sent to
a- B| Senator Hill,
Mufl , und. in endeavor-
HB ' ing to persuade
C|9 , the ambitious
—-W ¥ ’ll 7* New Yorkers
J——-A ' that their hopes
•sP are vain, he
seems to have
a senatorial institc- brought ufion
himself eompari
•on with Senator Gorman, whose
constituents seem to have a
monopoly of the pageships It
appears, linaily, that these twi SA-na
toisgot into a discussion over the reia
five abilities of New Yorkers and Mary
landers to fill the ottit eof fiagc and Mr
Gorman came out ahead. Since then
their relations have not been altogether
cordial, aud when recently HUI was
scores! by GfirfiiluTn oi>en session the
pages looked decorous, but were inwardly
jubilant. They took it as a vindicate nof
j themselves by their champion Mean
-1 while it seems useless for anybody from
| New Yorn to aspire to a pageship in the
] Senate of the United States
AN /EKO-AMERIi AN. ACTHORFsS.
The latest literary incident in New
; York has reference to the ability dis
l played by an. Afro American story writ, r.
| a young woman, in looks at least, who
was once a stavo
languished author
| Karle is her name. Jw J^nß
j in Wil. and-hence, V /J /id
I her parents being \ * W
chattels, she was . aaKa
begun to attract
general attention, mhs kari.e
although her pen lias been the source of
her income for some years now.
"When did I begin writing stories”
she said lately, iu answer to a question
“Oh. I can’t remember. When a very
small girl 1 used to write stories of one
sort and another, and the New York pa
pers have lately oeeu very indulget to my
productions '’ '
Mrs. Karle has a hoy who inherits mueh
of his mother's ability. She herself will
shortly issue a volume of short stories
through a leading New York publishing
house, in addition to which is the proba
bility of t-be presentation of a drama by
heron the stage of a metropolitan theater.
Her home is typically literary, enriched
by books and pictures Very few promi
nent and wealthy Afro-Americans are un
acquainted with hi r either jiersonally or
. by-pvputation; ami should she win a last
ing rcqiutation, our literature will have
evolved a character altogether unique in
the republic of letters.
CADETS IN ARMS.
Thi;re.was a movement recently to bring
an inqiosing delegation of West Point
cadets to New York for sort of outing.
and it looked for
f*- r a timeasif theme
tropolis would be
favored with a
f|l sight of the poten
tial Napoleons, but
ibe Secretary of
M ' - > -S | War ha? finally vo
j toed the matter,
#;[ j j| 1/1 and that ends it.
I i y fi\ p The boys are terri
v>. / I ffali F bly dtsappoined.
In I llg, The reason for the
111 II refusal of Mr. Ka-
I / \ 1 mont is ostensibly
Ml I tffP (iff * n interests of
1/iV Pi discipline, but it is
-HI ( " really to avoid a
l S repetition of an in-
I ,\ ” and nlge nce which
W would subvert the
v ends of the military
academy's exist-
WEST FOIST UNIFORM etlCO.
Whenever an imposing celebration is
planned in any part of‘the country its
projectors^always endeavor to have a de
tachment of the cadets as a feature of the
inevitable parade. The general compli
ance with these requests would always
keep a large number of the cadets away
from their books, and in the interest of
discipline the department always de
cline to sanction such excursions. To ac
cept even one would lead to invidious dis
criminations.
An unusually distinguished list of can
didates for the academy comes from New
York this year, by the way. One of them
will inherit millions of money if he lives,
and two others are members of very old
New York families. Military ambition
seems to be newly awakened iu New
...York,.
COT,. COCKERII.I.’S DOINGS.
John A. Coekerill has been one of the
most interesting figures iu national affairs,
so far as journalism lius any influence
iqion them, for a
long time, and the Jiju. -
recent report that .
he contemplated
establishing him- im IL
self in fxmdou ijjfo .—fßlfaf-Si
caused much com- *jP y*J
ment. There must Tf . v y-V A
be some misappre
hension about it, A
as the colonel has W
no such design.
He will continue,
as of old, to devote
himself with eu- '73 1
ergy to the inter
ests of his news- v ''
paper.
• There is a curi- j. A . cockehii,!..
ous misapprehension,’’ said he recently,
“concerning the influence of capital on
the press. .Many people soem to think
tout a given sum of money will
buy the support of any journal,
but how many know that such is
the easel But for that matter, this is an
age which greatly overestimates the
* power of money. Money is a power with
us. certainly, but not nearly to the extent
imagined.’’
Concerning Stead, the colonel re
marked : “He will ruin anything he takes
hold of by his methods. Astor will never
be able to restore the Pall Mall Gazette
to the position it hail before Stead had it.
once that journal was the pride of the
press, but Stead has settled it. It is the
same yvith everything ho takes hold of.
Stead can't hurt Chicago by anything he
shys.-” David Wkchsler.
ESCAPE BY IMPRISONMENT.
Successful Use by a Culprit by the
Qeaerosity of a Fellow Prisoner.
* From the New York Post,
An interesting, story of escape from
Blackwell's Island was told to-day by one
of the keepers in the Yorkville police
court. March 20, lust, John Reilly, No.
Third avenue, was sent to the island
for ten days for disorderly conduct, and
was placsi In a cell with Grant .1 Em
mons, who hud been sent to the work
house on March ti by Justice Simms for
abandonment of his wife. The two men
became intimate, and both noticed an ex
traordinary resemblaee between them.
When Reilly’s time was up, Emmons pro
posed to him that he should impersonate
Reilly on the “discharge trip” to East
Twenty-sixth street, promising to send
Reilly .420 in money and give him a ticket
to Canada on his release from prison.
Reilly, vvhoso plans for th*j summer wore
not fully made, agreed to the proposition,
aud Emmons was successful in getting
away.
-None of the workhouse officials sus
pected Reillv till two wcekt ago when
word was received by the prison authori
ties that Emmons was living with friends
near Albany Reilly was questioned
closely as to his identity but managed to
satisfy the keepers until yesterday, when
certain papers belonging to Emmons were
discovered about which Reilly was unable
to give a satisfactory account On closer
questioning, ho broke down, and con
fessed to tho deception. He said that
Emmons had not done as he agreed about
Sending tho money, but he had no thought
of confession before on that account lav
rauifci lie was “very fund of Emmons. ”
Justice McMahon held Reilly for special
sessions.
Darker Do you know thero is one fea
ture in whioli Shakespeare’s “Romeo aud
Juliet” is untrue to nature' Barkei:
What is it? Darker lie introduces a
nurse but no policcumu -ilurlcm Life.
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. AUGUST 5. I Sid.
“HELP” PLENTY AND BAD.
Division of Labor in a West Indian
Household.
The Gorgeous Laundress in High-
Heeled Shoes-The Butler Keeps the
Others Awake and Divides Hie Com
missions With the Cook-After Mid
day Sleep.
From the New York Sun.
If you know of any mistress of a house
in this town who thinks her servants are
not what they should be. perhaps it might
smooth matters a little for her to let her
know what they are in the West Indies.
Yes. come to think of it. I am sure it
would make her feel better to know how
very muen worse they average the>-ethan
they do here. If you feel inclined I’ll tell
you some more about those West Indiau
servants ■’
A Sun reporter was talking again with
the New York banana dealer who re
cently returned from the West Indies. It
was the reporter" who always feels in
clined to hoar a good story, and at this
invitation he took out his mental tablets.
"You must remember,” the sneaker
continued, “what I've told you before
that a household that would need one or
two servants here at home must have at
least six down there in the tropics.
There’s the butler and the cook, the
chambermaid and the laundress, the
gardener uml the kitchen girl, that’s six
accounted for already, and, besides, there
must always be two boys; but boys don’t
account for much, as they can Vie had in
shoals for about par mouth. Then the
laundress may want an assistant, and un
less you are careful the gardener will
soon have an assistant too.
“How does a stranger find all these
servants' perhaps you wonder. He
doesn't have to find them; he only has to
select them They come to him in regi
ments. Just let them learn that an
American family is about to begin house
keeping on any- of the islands, and they
apply by the hundred. They are all
colored, of course, and they nearly all
want work, provided the work is not
hard.
“The butler is supposed to be the head
man, but it always seemed to me that the
laundress is of most account; at least, she
is the one who is always in evidence.
,VqU hear either her machines or her voice
going from Monday morning till Satur
day night. She is pretty sure to be the
most stylish-looking of the lot, done up in
starched white dresses and high-heeled
shoes. You notice the shoes at ouoe, De
cause she and the butler are the only ones
who wear them : all the others go lii their
bare feet. 1 call her the laundress be
cause that is a familiar word : but she is
never a laundress down there ; she is ‘de
lady w'at does do de washin’.’ Forty
times a day she sends into the bouse for
-some article she requires, aud the rues
senger never ventures to shorten her title
and call her the laundress or the washer
woman : it is always ‘de lady w'at does
do de washin’, she want mo’ soap
ma’am”
“It is your wife, of course, who enga
ges this important person, and 1 will tell
you about how that is done. Twenty or
thirty applicants for places are gathered
about the kitchen door, aud the maid is
directed to bring in someone who is able
to wash the clothes. She returns in a
moment with your future laundress, who
says that she has washed for such and
such great families of the island. She
gives your wife a little surprise when she
intimates that she washes for oue family
at a time, and no more.
“ ‘Why,’ says madame, ‘I should think
you would wash for as many families as
you cun got. to inuke more money.’
"This brings out the fact that a
washin’ ’ in the West Indies is supposed to
occupy the entire week. Her ladyship is
not sure that she could do the work
alone; she does most gon’lly have some
one to help her do the heavy work,
ma’am;’ but she is williug to try it fur
£t a week, auil, as this seems reasonable,
she Is engaged, for, of course, you do
not know that the usual price is just half
of that.
“The new servant soon begins to make
the premises lively. One of the row of
outbuildings must be set aside for her use,
and iu her own little building she is not
to be interfered with. But what is she to
wash with‘—there is nothing ready. You
show her the new washing machine you
have imported, aud the clothes wringer,
aud some other laundry appliances, but
she turns up her nose at them all. She
knows nothing about such new-fangled
notions. What she must have is a cask
to pound the clothes in, and a big pounder
with a handle six feet long, and a brazier
to keep a wood fire in to heat her irons.
These things must be jirocured before she
can do a stroke of work.
“Now look out for music. The pounder
has a wooden head about the size of a
spittoon, and when it strikes the cask you
are reminded of a dull thud. The laun
dress pours in some cold water and plenty
of soap and soda, drops in an armful of
clothes, and the pounding begins. Whang,
thump, bang! She must pause sometimes,
I Suppose, but you didn’t notice any let-up
in the pounding for threes days. On Mon
day, Tuesday and Wednesday she washes
.your clothes with the pounder; on Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday she irons them.
On Saturday afternoon she marches into
the house in triumph with a big basketof
snowy linens on her head.
“Yes, she does them beautifully; I
must give her credit for that But it is
at some sacrifice to your nerves aud your
clothes. For the first three days she has
been continually sending to the house for
• things. She must have more soap, more
soda, more starch, more bluing, more of
everything. In the last three days, while
she irons, she sings continually. But no
matter; your clothes are washed, and
there is not a single buttou left on any
thing.
“Of course thero isn’t. How could
there be after three days of such pound
iug? That’s the reason West Indians
rarely usehuttons on their clothes, but
usb studs wherever they can. Studs can
be taken out beloro the washing, but but
tons cannot. My first experience of this'
was with some duck trousers 1 ordered
down in town. There were three or four
pairs of them, and when the tailor’s boy
brought them home there was a buckfe
at the back of one pair, but no buckles on
the other pairs. 1 pointed this out and
the boy said, ‘Dat’s all right: dat’s do
way we does alwuys make ’em. You see
when you puts one pair in de wash, you
des put de buckle on de nex’ pair
“He was right enough, too ; for if the
buckle had gone through the wash it
would have been pounded out of shape
But m,v host had a funnier experience
than that. He was going past the laun
dry one day when the indy w’at does do
de washin’ ’ called to him that she was
out of bluing. He called one of the boys
and sent him down to the store where he
kept an account to ‘get a box of bluing in
a hurry.’ 1 suppose lie had lieeu used to
seeing bluing in the shape of i> bail done
up iu u little box, as it often comes. The
boy started on a run, and in about an
hour he came back on a dray, sitting on
■a tn>x of bluing.‘ The box was a little
larger than a soap box, ami contained 144
bottles of liquid bluing. That was the
only sort of i-ox of bluing known to that
part of tin- world We laughed over that
box of bluing all winter.
“Your feed down there depends vorv
much upon your butler and his knowing
what to buy. You can’t tell him what to
get, for you never know what will be iu
the market. If you arc close to town ho
will carry his purchase home on lushead
but if you are far out you must send a
doukey cart down to moot him, Tho but-
ler and the cook generally make a combine
and divide the profits, for whoever does
the buying makes a little profit. You see
some families have the cook buy tueir
provisions, so he looks for a little extra.
Some of the native lamiliex allow the
cook or the butler so much a day to buy
all the food, and whatever he ran save
out of that he keeps. but that plan
wouldn’t do for,an American.
“It is one of the sights of the country to
go down to market with the outler some
morning. He doesn’t care much to have
you go with him. because he is looking
out for his little profits The. market peo
ple will all sell to him cheaper than they
would sell to you.; aud by the time he has
added on his own account a few cents to
the price of each article be has enough to
divide with the cook No white woman
ever goes to market down there: that is
no native white woman So when your
wife takes it into her head to go, as she is
pretty sure to do, she makes a scusation
"The market is right along the water
front always, and divided into liirae sec
tions. In-one section they sell meat, in
another fish, arid in the third fruits and
vegetables. The meat market is a queer
place. Beef is generally imported from
this country alive and butchered on the
spot. But no West Indian butcher knows
anything about cutting up a beef. They
sliee the carcass into slabs without any
reference to the different parts, and sell
it all at the saine price .‘4 cents a |munU.
No matter whether you get tenderloiu or
soup bone, the price is the same. The
odd bits that are sliced off are gathered
up into little heaps about the size of your
fist and sold to the colored folks -ii cents
a heap.
“In the vegetable market everything is
sold in the same way. divided into little
heaps Three cents they call a •check,"
or a big copper and a little one, and the
price of each heap is either a check or a
sixpence. You find a big tray filled with
very small tomatoes and ask the woman
how she sells them.
“ ‘Check a heap sah,' she answers.
“ Well, but how much for the. loti’
you ask; there are perhaps a peck of
them in all.
---Can’t just say, sah,’she replies, 'till
I measure’em,’and she. immediately be
gins to pile them into heaps, to see how
much they would bring that way.
“You are surprised, of courso, to see
how many of the vegetables are imported
from America. All the white potatoes,
ail the onions, all the cabbages, and many
more garden products are imported into
countries where they could easily be
raised at any time of the year. But you
don’t buy your potatoes by the peck or
bushel. You buy them by the heap, a
check a heap. And cabbages! Well, sir,
it would make you weep to see how they
sell the cabbages. A whole head would
be too much fer a family to handle, so
they cut them into four or six wedge
sha|ied slices, just like a pie. and sell
them for a check a slice 1 have even seen
them sell large onions sliced in the same
way. One good thing they have that I have
never seen in New York markets. That
is what they call a soup lot’—two or
three small potatoes, a couple of tiny on
ions, some sage and thyme, and perhaps
a young turnip, done up in a bunch, for
flavoring soups.
“When you go to market you must not
fail to take a basket, for they do not wrap
your purchases up unless they are smull
enough to be rolled iu a gree'n leaf. If
you buy anything an t ask to have it done
up they will send a boy out to the nearest
store with a small copper to buy a sheet
of paper There is never any paper in
the market. I suppose you know what
they mean by a small copper. A big cop
per is an English penny, worth two cents
in our money. A small copper is a half
penny, worth one cent. There is no such
coin, of course, as a check. They mako
it up with a big copper and a little one.
“This is the butler's chief work, going to
market early in the morning, buying the
day's provisions, arid getting them home.
You may wonder thalt an American will
stand this way of bu.viug things in such
small quantities, and buying tiiem every
day Well, to sum® extent be has to
stand it. Things That will keep he soon
buys by wholesale, but most things won't
keep, and have to be bought every day.
Even flour, rice and hominy, three great
staples down there, aro not safe to keep
long. If the weather is damp you are
soon likely to find the barrels full of mag
gots. Another drawback to keeping
too much on hand is the bother of keeping
everything locked up. There must be a
storeroom, audit must be kept looked,
and the mistress of the house must not
let the kov go out of her own hands. If
she does her provisions will'walk off.
When one of the servants has to go to the
storeroom she must go with him.
“Of course the butler has other things
to do besides the marketing. He sets the
table, aud waits on it, if there is no other
waiter But about the house his princi
pal duty is to keep the <*thor servants at
work. If you set ongof them at amb he
will do it, if it doesn't take too long, aud
then go off iu the shade and go to sleep.
They have no idea of doing a thing with
out being told. Every morning after
breakfast the butler gathers up all the
silver, hands it to one of the boys, and
tells him to take it out and clean it. He
goes out under a tree with it and begins
to scour, and a few minutes later he is
fast asleep, and the butler has to go out
aud wake him up. The boys are great
sleepers. When you want one you must
generally call often and loud enough to
wake him, for he will be under the dining
table, under a sofa, out under the trees,
or wherever he can hide himself in the
shade. George! George! you eall, and
presently George comes in rubbing his
eyes.
‘"What are you doing, George!’ you
ask.
“‘I was just atrwirro to fetch some
watah, sah,’ he answers.
“ .‘I didn’t ask what you were just going
to do. What were you doing when I
called vou<’
“ ‘Nothin, sah,’ ’Sleep sah.’
“They always tell you what they were
•just agwtne to do,’ and that is sure evi
dence that they were doing nothing. By
the middle of the afternoon they are af)
in a state of repose; the cook is asleep on
the kitchen tabic, the kitchen girl (who
may be anywhere from 15 to 75) is smok
ing her pipe on the bench outside the
kitchen door, the butler is asleep under a
tree in the orchard, the gardener is be
hind a wall somewhere, the chamber
maid lias disappeared, and you can hear
snores of the two boys. The laundress is
tlie only oue left on duty; her pound,
pound, pound goes on unceasingly, and
the monotony of it puts you to sleep too.
“The chambermaid is sure to drive
your wife to distraction at first She
complains, lo begin with, that she lias to
take care of the parlor as well as the
sleeping rooms, and suggests that she has
always been used to living with families
who kept a parlor maid also. Evidently
she doe* not consider eight or nine serv
ants enough for a small famHy. But
she is drawing largo wages, fft or sll a
month, so she consents to keep the parlor
in order, and that involves a good deal of
labor in a country where everything
stands open and the dust flies.
“You see. in all those islands there is
either dark mud or white limestone dust,
and the parlor floor is generally polished,
so it has to lie swept and cleaned a dozen
times a day. And it is a sight when the
maid is done with it, until the mistress
gets her trained. None of those natives
has the slightest idea of a straight line.
The maid will take up the rug and shake
it, and lay it down at an acute angle, or
perhaps wrong side up. The sofas are
crooked the chairs in every imaginable
position, and if there is a table standing
against the wall it is sure to be put back
with tile drawer handles toward the wall.
Tlie table covers will all bo awry, every
ornament misplaced, and all the window
shades lopsided. When your wife points
these things out to her she cannot seo
that anything Is wrong.
“You are thinking, I know, that it
must bankrupt a family to feed all these
servants: but that part is not quite as
bad as it looks. If you were to feed them
on New Yoru beef and celery they would
complain. They are used to living on fish
and grits, and must have them. Every
day you send out to the cook a slab of
salt pork and, perhaps, a jieck of grits,
which is what we call hominy, and he
cooks them for the servants. A sixpence
or two a day will buv enough fine fresh
fish for them ail, and they have the run
of the orchard ion the sly). They con
tinue to eat oranges from morning till
night, and, of course, they aro your or
anges, either from your own treesorfrom
the barrel of oranges that Is kept con
stantly on the pia za. But oranges are
plenty, and the best of them sell for
about n0 cents a hundred.
"It is curious to see the cook preparing
the pot of urils. It is an immense iron
pot and he fills it with grits and water
and pork, and stands it over the tire.
When it is dune and he ladles it out there
is a crust of black burnt stuff an inch
thick sticking to the pot.
" ‘Pat de pot cake, boss,' he explains.
‘We does always do him so.’
“You might like to see him preparing
the coffee for breakfast He takes the
green berries (for roasted coffee is never
kept on hand in the West Indies) and
shakes them in a shallow pan over the
fire till they are burned pretty black.
Then he pours the coffee Into a big iron
mortar, such as tne druggists use, aud
the kitchen girl carries it out under a
tree and sits down with the mortar be
tween her knees. She pounds away with
the pestle till the coffee is reduced to a
powder as fine as flour, and the cook
mixes this with cold water and boils it
till it is done. But he makes good coffee,
which you drink with condeused milk.
If you want fresh milk you can buy it for
25 cents a quart; but don’t expect to see
any cream on it.
“All these strange habits of the ser
vants would be enough to make an Amer
ican in the West Indies uncomfortable if
it were not that the servants are so good
natured. They are always singing aud
laughing, and ready to please you in any
way they can. They* make such a show
of sorrow for any thing they do wrong
that it is hard to scold them; but they
will do the same thing next day. You’ve
read, no doubt, of how the Hindoo ser
vants in the East Indies glide about iike
ghosts in their bare feet. It’s the same
thing down in the West Indies. You think
you’re alone, and pretty soon you find
there are two or three of them in the
room with you.
“Steal? Well, now, that's a matter of
opinion I don’t believe that they think
they'd steal. They’ll take any eatables
they can lay their hands on, as a matter
of course : they seem to think they have a
right to anything to eat that belongs to
their boss. But in larger matters 1 al
ways found them entirely honest. You
can leave your watch and your purse and
all your little treasures lving about aud
they- will not be disturbed. I didn't make
a practice of doing this, but it happened
sometimes without any bad results.
• If you want to see a scared household,
you should see the servants when there’s
a hurricane coming on. 1 suppose it's
natural they should he afraid, because
they have seen so much damage done by
hurricanes. They can tell as well by
the cloudsa aso you tell by the barom
eter. Up here we look to the west for
our weather, but on an island in the sea
look to windward. When there are hurri
cane indications you begin to watch the
glass, of course. Every West Indian
house has its barometer, and thermom
eter hanging on the piazza. The serv
ants often begin ta make preparations
before you tell them to. They’ll fasten
all the shutters, make everything tight,
tie down any thing that may get away, in
cluding sometimes gates and fences, and
get a gook stock of pork and grits into
the kitchen.
“Why do they look out for the pork
and grits? Because whoever is in the
kitchciv when the hurricane comes may
not be able to get into the house for sev
eral days. No, sir: no man alive could
walk across that yard while a hurricane
Is blowing; he'd be swept across the isl
and. The hurricanes sometimes last four
or five days, and all that time the sky is
so black that you can’t see to read at
midday without a lamp. Then there's
no way to get anything from the kitchen,
and your cooking lias to be done in the
house. You may have an oil stove or a
brazier iu the pantry; if you haven’t,
you’ll have to eat eold food till the storm
is over. The thing is to keep all the doors
and windows tight. If one should blow
open, so as to let in the wind, you’d soon
see your roof sailing off through the air.
“I think our New York housekeepers
would find it a trifle harder to get along
down there than they do at home, don’t
you?”
SOCIETY SPONGES.
Among the 400 Are People Who Make
Others Pay Their Bills.
From Vogue.
It was settled long ago that a young un
married woman can accept only flowers,
bonbons or a book from a young man. In
the south there, is much more latitude,
but then society there has always been
charming, but slightly unconventional.
Has the code—that unwritten law of
ptiqutte—ever decided the extent of
what men should receive from women?
There is a certain set of young men in
New York who are spoiled. They seem
to consider that they can receive any and
everything from the fair sex simply as
tokens of the homage they deserve. They
are in demand and women must pay for
the privilege.
To pay a dinner or a dance call is out of
the question. To send oven a flimsy bit
of pasteboard by mail is too much of an
effort. New York is so large, they argue,
and it is such a boro.
They allow women to pay for them, to
settle hotel and dinner bills, to pay for
supper or for luucheons. They accept
everything offered them—jewelry, hand
some appointments for their room and
toilet table, and, mure to thoir shame,
even wearing apparel.
Thero is an instance of a certain young
man, well known in New York, who al
lowed a generous-hearted woman, a strati
ger here, not only to pay for all his meals
during her stay at a certain hotel, but also
to settle for visits to the theater, a box at
the opera, to which he had invited a num
ber of mutual friends.
He even hinted so sadly about financial
depression, the state of the street, and the
hard-heartedness of a certain haber
dasher, that, as a parting tribute, he was
presented with a dozen shirts and any
number or handsome ties. Widows and
women who are unprotected are the keen
est sufferers in this regard.
Two summers ago, at Newport, a
wealthy young bachelor had a cottage in
which he entertained large house parties.
A number of those society sponges were
on his visiting list.
They ran up bills at the different shops
where he dealt, rang and called for cabs
at all luiurs of the day and night and
charged them to him, absented themselves
from meals and never intimated to their
host whether they would bo at homo or
not, changed the hours for luncheon and
ditiuur to suit their convenience and
ordered what they chose from his steward.
These were not only men, but women
also, all equally well-known in society.
They repeated the same offenses at
another house at Lenox as soon as they
were, through with Newport.
A soldier, being asked if he met with much
hospitality In Ireland, replied that he as
in the hospital nearly all the time he was
there.—Titbits.
American titrl—Oh. yes. Mv home was in
California, but I went to school In lioston.
Int-reslod Foreigner—Ach so! Uid you go
home at Bight*?—CMe.
FURNITUKt AND CARPETS.
It Is Not Surprising^
That people appreciate goods that are right in
every respect. Our stock is noted for its
quality, style and beauty of finish. Therefore
our goods are always in demand.
We are showing the largest and most com
plete assortment of FURNITURE and CAR
PETS ever displayed in this state, at prices to
suit every one. We solicit a share of your
patronage. Accommodating terms to re
sponsible parties.
EMILfI.SCHBffIRZ
Broughton Street, Next to Corner Bull Street.
* LL NEH.f.
KROI SkOI-T S '
Prospectus for Summer.
We will continue our excellent
line of Ribbons, Flowers, Straw
Hats of all styles. Specialty: Sail
ors in every grade, all new and
fresh, at our usual low summer
prices.
MILLINERY CO:
■ —' — -- - - - - - . a
SCHOOL BOOKS.
GOOD NEWS FOR PARENTS!®
AND TO EVERY FAMILY.
All who patronize uo for the next sixty days, commencing Aar. 1, may ob
tain from us
Qf&ymm onni/o At 20 per cent, off
duiiyUL DUUHu of new york prices,
Or About 50 Per Cent. Less Than Book Store Prices.
I flfreat saving; In this liberal offer. The Best tiroceries cheap and School!
i Hooks for a great deal less than heretofore.
ESTATE S. W. BRANCH,
BROUGHTON AND WHITAKER STREETS.
-tfli • ittk rtdft • rrr> U—> ■ n <i> • - m. - * - • .a.
LADIES’ FURNISHINGS and art goods.
MEYER & WALSH
~ ARE NOW HAVINC
A SUMMER SALE OF ART LINENS.
Centers, Buffet Covers, Tray Cloths, Tinted Covers.
At! selling at a s'.crifice.
Linen Fringes 5 cents a yard.
Ladies’ 25c Vest this week going at 15c
A superior quality of Gants’ Hose at 19c.
MEYER X WALSH.
_ CARRIAGES^
BETTER BE SURE THAW SORRY,
Why will you use that old BUGGY, YVAGON or HARNESS? For
you can exchange the old for anew one at the extensive repository of
H. H. COHEN, Bay and Montgomery Streets.
I*. S.--Special Harness Sale this week.
—*— - u y 3
—— SUMMER RESORTS.
"WAY DOWN UPON DE S’WANEE RIBBER."
. xt5Y?. epe . wi , ll you B P? nd that vacation? Why not ko to the White Sulphur Springs Hotel,
at Wlnte spring, on the •eorgia Southern aml FlorWa railroad? It is the coolest resort in
the state, immediately upon the banka of tho Suwunee river. This popular hotel has beeu
thoroughly renovated, painted and refurnished, and is run in connection with the wonderful
Sulphur spring which discharges 2.0Xu:00 gallons per hour. The rtnest bathing pool in tho
ima ?-° k n S um hv j n J ln * ; pretty drives; no mosquitoes; no malaria. The water is a
specific for rheumatism and dyspepsia in all forms: nervous exhaustion; ail kidney and
stomuih troubles; all diseases or the skin. Reduced rates upon all railroads. Kates $2 to
$2.&0 pet day. Special rates by the week or month. For particulars, addrees
WSVi, H. Manager y f ’ P F--'lo?id£.
FEED.
FAWCETT BROS,,
Wholesale Grocers,
Produce Merchants,
Importers and Jobbers.
Self - Raising Flour
I'avknU fresh dally from the choicest trunds
of flour,
(irain, Hay and Feed.
HAY AND JKKFEKSOK STS.
Telephone 3D4.
Mineral water.
Harris Lithia Water
This water has now be
come a £reat favorite with
consumers of mineral wat
ers. Try it for a week. If
taken as directed and you
are not benefited we wiL
refund money.
Harris Lithia Water Go..
GUARDS’ ARMORY,