Newspaper Page Text
THE COUNTRY E9ITOR
OF THE EMERALD ISLE.
Seumas MacManus Writes Entertainingly
of Journalism in Rural Ireland.
The Lesuiiuiiny Universe Is a Typical Weekly—lts Proprietor Is Editor,
Sab-Editor, Manager, Cashier. Reporter, Foreman, Priuter, Olliee
Boy, General Outside Man and \V urking Engineer All In One.
Exigencies o( a Special edition In the l niverse Press
ltooxu—How Its Sews Is Gathered and What It Is.
Copyright, 1900, By Seumas MacManus.
The Legananny Universe, Issued from
the chief town in the of our hills,
is supposed to voice the opinion of us
Donegal mountaineers.
Though its advertisements claim for it
the largest circulation of any weekly
paper In the Northwest. I have the au
dacious temerity to brave Its certain
thunders by taking it as typical of the
struggling weekly which just exists in
many such out of the way corners of Ire
land.
The Universe claims everything from
3,000 circulation in normal states of our
social atmosphere, up to twice that num
ber when it contains an account of a
dance or a funeral. But from GOO to SIX)
copies would be more truthful, even if a
less imposing, claim—and this, too, in
cludes the free copy given to Larry Man
The Editor Dissipating on Sunday.
aghan, the mail car driver (who carries
the agents’ parcels), by way of remuruT
tlon for prompt and faithful delivery.
The staff of The Universe—the owner,
the manager, the cashier, the editor, sub
editor, assistant, sub-editor, reporter, an-1
foreman printer—is named Michael Mac-
Cailln; and Michael Is likewise office boy,
general man and (when occasion requires
It) working engineer.
Reporting nt GO fonts a Week.
Many country weeklies can afford the
luxury of a reporter, whose salary be
gins at half a crown (60 cents) a week,
and very gradually grows to three dol
lars, to four dollars, and even sometimes
to five dollars. Michael had had the am
bition of maintaining a reporter, but, as
his experience increased, the fatuous
dream faded. Michael often solaces him
self, however, by occasionally retaining
THE VITALITY OF YOUTH
AND STEALS AWAY THE
SUSTAINING STRENGTH J|
OF MATURER YEARS. 1
Poison, has caused as much wretchedness and suffering as the
parent disease. A Scrofulous taint in the blood is a barrier to ' (if/ // V nV'wV\ m||
health, and neither physical nor mental perfection is ever attained until the N sJ^Lgjrl/ y h V>
system is purged of every atom of this destructive poison. As success in life y -
depends largely upon a strong, vigorous constitution and a quick, active brain,
a person who inherits a Scrofulous and weakly constitution is poorly equipped
for life’s battle, and rarely gains fortune or fame. / / / v^u
Scrofula is a most terrible and humiliating disease. The body is dis- i
figured by unsightly sores and ulcers, and should the sufferer survive, old age bears the scars that were made in youth.
The most common symptoms are enlarged glands in the neck, weak eyes, nasal catarrh, pains in the joints and muscles,
rickets, scaldhead, or some bad form
of skin trouble, white swelling and
consumption. Scrofula can be de
tected even where there are no ex
ternal signs by a peculiar pallid
appearance of the skjn, languor,
loss of strength, etc. While in most
- - - - o
cases inherited, bad water, poor and insufficient food, exposure and unhealthy
_ _ _ _ _ r-, surroundings so impoverish the
jßjjj OOD— P oorl y nourished
body can make but feeble resistance
I TFT A T I to this vampire -like disease.
1 Zi/IL/ 11 L S. S. S. restores the deterior
ated blood to a healthy condition and stops the progress of this wasting, life
destroying malady. It does its work thoroughly and quickly. S. S. S>. searches
out and removes all taint, even where the poison has lain dormant in the system
for years. It reinforces and stimulates the blood, and the system is kept free of
all impurities. S. S. S. is the only guaranteed vegetable blood purifier; it is a
the taint forever. If you or any of your family have any symptoms of Scrofula, send for our free book and write our
physicians fully about your case. We make no charge for medical advice, and all correspondence is conducted in strictest
confidence. S. S. S. is for sale at all drug stores. THE SWIFT SPECIFIC COMPANY, ATLANTA, GA.
\yhat he styles Our Own Special Commis
sioner at a high salary, as he Informs his
i awe-struck readers. Of course, the special
j commissioner who draws the princely sal
ary is Michael himself—but the outside
world labors under the belief that, for
| their particular behalf, he has imported
j iL leading London or Continental journal
ist—and this superstition, whilst flatter
j iT ?g to Michael, and beneficial to the tardy
; circulation of The Legananny Universe,
i does no one any harm.
If ‘Michael and The Universe would live
in moderate decency, it is absolutely
I necessary that he should draw all the sal
| nrles accruing—or almost all of them.
True, ho must pay compositors. The com-
I j>osiiig room (which is likewise the editor’s
office) spoils five boys, who, setting the
Universe, acquire a trade and moreover,
get from Michael a bonus of half a crown
a week. The cleverest of the five, indeed,
who makes up the forms, gets sixpence
extra, When the forms are laid on the
press, the editor does not disdain to shed
his coat and take his turn, with his com*
I losing staff, at the crank of the cylinder
machine that grinds out the organ of pub
lic opinion at the rate of 180 copies an hour.
On occasions of intense excitement, when
it is wise to anticipate the public clamor
ing for several score extra copies, Michael
gets the loan of Matthew Carr a bin’s yard'
boy, big brawny Commy Gildea, who, tak
ing the crank all by himself, gallops the
machine to four copies a minute, whilst
Michael and his five boys stand by in
open-mouthed amazement. And when
Commy gets out of puff he puts all six
of them on the machine and tolerates them
till he has got his wind again. On these
occasions, too, Oommv Glidea is sure to
be attacked with a phenomenal thirst,
which requires the editor’s feeing wee
Roguey Mulhcrn to keep carrying pots of
porter in vain endeavor to “squelch’’—as
Commy expresses it.
In all, then, it probably requires from
About ten years ago my little granddaughter fell and
cut her head. We cured the wound, but afterwards the
glands on the side of her face just under tho car becamo
swollen, and finally burst. Wo had somo of tho best
doctors here attend her to no purpose. I was persuaded
to give her 8. 8. 8., and a short course of the troatment
entirely cured her. She is today nearly grown, and has
scarcely had a sick day since.
Yours very truly, JOHN M. SEALS.
No. 115 Public Square, Nashville, Tenn.
safe and reliable cure for Scrofula
and all blood troubles. If you arc already in the clutches of this monster dis
ease, S. S. S. will cure you, as it has thousands of*others. Cure yourself and
prevent the transmission of this terrible plague to your children.
Even when there is a strong hereditary predisposition to Scrofula, there
may be no sign of it in infancy or childhood, but it will surely make its appear
ance in middle life. S. S. S., if taken now, will arrest the demon and remove
THE MOMJJNG NEWS: SUNDAY. JUNE 17. 1900.
$4 to ?5 a week to run the Universe. Mi
chael charges a penny (2 cents) a line for
local advertisements, and sixrienee a line*
for official advertisements. London adver
tising agents vouchsafe him standing ads
about Dr. Kewrcmall’s pills, and Madame
RitenufTs Kiixir Vital, at a penny a line
—which is his second most important
source of income; officials ads being the
chief.
So, after Michael has- industriously ard
conscientiously labored oil the we k v. it y
both hand and brain—after he has silt and
the world’s workings to intellectual whea
for his dependent clientele—after he has
tramped to the corners of his c >i is itue u y
and raked in the births and deaths and
marriages, the inquests and dances, coun
cil meetings and Land League mating*,
the comings and goings of the many men
of importance in whom his readers ;>;e
interested, the police courts, the accidents
and the extraordinary happening —after
lie has recorded all this, ar.d distributed
it in four page broadsheets far and wid
over his bailiwick, paid his hands, nnl
reckoned his accounts, he finds accruing
to hinvself a net weekly income of from six
10 eight dollars.
There are a host of weeklies in more
thriving end populous parts of the coun
try which, after paying $5 a week to a
stenographic reporter, remunerate *h ir
owner-editor with three times five dollars
—the former being a fair average.
Coaxing Copy \\ itli the Scissor*.
The editorial duties of the Leg nanny
Universe are both very easy an l very
difficult. Independent of local reports end
items, Michael could coax more copy w.< h
the. scissors, from the daily papers than,
would fill his paper ten times- over. But
he must find room for a eulogistic article
upon the success of’Eamon Boyl’s young
son Tommy at the examinat-ai for •n
--trance to Maynooth College of Divinity;
a minute and detailed description >■ the
funeral cortege that trod after tin hist
of poor Owen McGillian, with names an l
full address of every man, woman nd
child present, is absolutely. impcra’.K- ;
and let him et his peril dare pc s. me ’O
publish the following week’s issue of The
Universe without giving in a prominent
place the supplied account of MBs M
Gettigan’s tea p/rty to which lm w
not invited! He must read ins’ < -' or *
respondent’s copy three times over to
make sure that he has local i (and ex
punged) ail the libels open and conceal a
nd must publish Hye “The Bari of Bun
linn’s” elegiac lints, thirty-nine stanzas,
on the sad'death of his bosom friend,
Johnnie McCorm-ac—whose chief r com
mendation is that the poor victim had
pone to a sphere where he was not likely
ever to hear of the perpetration. He
must keep one eye on Jimmy Coyle s po
tato-patch (ready to announce the first
tuber of the season) and the other on the
policy of the cation. To the crowned
heads of, Europe he must give tint -ly
warning of the rocks and shoals ho dis
cerns ahead of their slips of state, and
1 o the townland of Thrummon announce
the exact weight and dimensions of the
extraordinary egg laid last Thursday by
Cornelius McGlunachy’S spott and duck.
Michael’s numerous army of corn.- pon
dents, for he has a correspondent—an as
pining library man—in each district, sal
aried with a salary of one copy of Th c
Universe per week) has pot to be kept
on hand, humored, and their enere.uie.s
turned Into the prop r channels; their
talent for romancing has got to be gent
ly and ilrmlv repressed, their copy stern
ly edited and their “poems” published, or
promised.
As there is a marriaize, a meeting, an
inquest, or a tun ral every other day of
the week. Michael afford to
rake to himself any day, but Sunday.
Consequently on the Sabbath be only
lakes notes of Father Dan' sermon, picks
up items from the natives of the outly
ing district 9 who materialize once a
tv< ek at ma s clears off his corrosp nd
ence score, and heaves the sigh of a man
who has unburthened his conscience.
Then he is prepared to fill anew week’s
work with goed nerve and cool courage.
Queer Libel Suits.
Michael has been defendant in only ten
libel actions in an editorial career of twen
ty-nine years—which is a record in Irish
provincial journalism: and In only 20 per
cent, of these was the decision, against him
which is another record. For “fair com
ment” is very much limited in its signifi
cance. on this side the water—where the
omission of a man’s name from a funeral
list l as been presumed to prove malice.
Of Michael’s libel addons, ironical corre
spondents brought on him nine, and for
tty* tenth he was* himself unconsciously
responsible, when, intending only a harm
less satire of Faddy the Blast (i. e.. Boast
er) he said, in writing of an amazingly
large donkey which Mr. Murnaghan, the
magistrate, had just imported into the dis
trict, he said; “In short, it is the most
extraordinary ass any one in this part of
the country has over seen, with the possi
ble exception of our friend Patrick Cur
nien.”
IV- r Michael really had not the remot
est intention of convoying that Patrick
was. phenomenally, the superior of Mr.
Murnaghan’s quadruped—but a perverse
jury, who slept during three hours of
grammatical demonstration, awarded Fad
dy the Blast a solatium of one pound sterl
ing for tho irreparable injury done his
character.
But the country people do not rely sole
ly upon The Universe for news of the out
side world. The shoemaker and the tailor
get Dublin weeklies, and the neighbors
for a long distance around gather at
night to hear the news read aloud, and to
discuss and debate it. The schoolmaster,
too, gets a Dublin weekly, and American
papers are taken to him. All these he
reads and exponds to his listeners—people !
who cannot afford the extravagance of a
paper of their own.
In our fathers’ early days, the great
Dublin weekly, The Nation, which cost
sixpence, was subscribed for by a club
of the neighbors in each big district;
the tailor’s son was paid a sixpence for
traveling to Donegal town to intercept
the mail coach and get our copy; and on
Sunday afternoons, when the neighbors
gathered, Kllen, the tailor’s daughter, was
hoisted upon a chair on the table from
which position she read aloud Dan
O’Connell’s thundering denunciations of
misrule and persecution, the fiery words
of Davis and of Mitchell, and the ringing
balads of the young Irelanders.
Ellen, Dan O’Connell, The Nation—all
three are gone—hut all three are by us,
not forgotten.
Seumas MacManus.
BOER STAB I* BOOM.
Hrent Demand for “V. R. I.” Free
State Sample*.
From the London Mall.
There Is big boom In South African
stamps. Tho war has enhanced their
value and has enormously Increased the
demand for them.
Mr. F. R. Ginn, of the Strand, said:
“Tho great demand just now is for Free
State stamps, commandeered by Lord
Roberts when he entered Bloemfontein and
converted with the letters ‘V. R. I.’
stomped upon them in black. They are
rare at present, for the curious reason
that most of them were lost in the Mex
ican .
“The soldiers in Bloemfontein bought
them up us soon as they were Issued, and
were sending them to friends in England.
There were all sorts, from halfpenny up
to five shilling stamps. 1 have sold one
of tho latter, unused, for £5. The ‘Drie
Pence Oranje VriJ Staat.* converted into
a ‘V. R. I. 2V_*d.,’ fetches 7s. 6d. Possibly
these stamp® will soon be worth as many
pounds.
“So far, no Mafeking stamps have got
on to the market, but they will fetch high
prices when they come here. The V. R.
1. Free Staters are in huge demand, and
so will the converted Transvaalers be
when Lord Roberts issues th m.
“A complete set of Transvaal stamps
would cost £I,OOO, for a great variety has
been issued. The Free State, on the other
hand, has kept much in the same groove
all along.”
Sonic of the old Transvaal stamps of the
British regime of 1877-SO. and of the first
republic, now fetch from £2O to £SO.
Until twenty-one years of age, I was the very picture
of health, then my health began to fail. The glands on
the left side of my neck began to swell; the pain was
terriblo. Four of tho places wore lancod, but instead of
healing, as wo expected, bocamo open running sores.
Hundreds of little bumps appeared over my body; several
severe rising3 came under my left arm. Three of theso
risings woro opened and the discharge was simply awful.
The doctors said I had the worst caso of Scrofula they
had over seen. I took lodido of Potassium regularly and
faithfully, but this nor tho other drugs usually given for
this diseaso brought rolief. I docidod to try S. S. 8., for
I was convinced that unloss I adoptod different treat
ment X could never hope to bo well again. Tho first
bottle gave eomo relief. After tho third I was much hot
ter, and I began to foci and look like my old self; tho
Scrofulous sores began to heal, and the inflammation and
ewelling had been reduced considerably. A few more
bottles cured me completely. There are now no signs of
the terrible disease left; I weigh moro than I ovor did.
My doctor was surprised when ho noxt saw me, and when
I told him I had boon taking S. S. S., said, “ Oood; I don’t
oaro what you have-been taking, since you are cured.”
New, when I think of what I suffored for throo long
years, the sleopioss nights, tho constant pains, my miser
able condition, tho wonder is that I over livod through it
all, and X shall always fool grateful for what B. B. S. has
done for mo. Thero is an heroditary taint on my mother's
side, as she was a groat sufferer from Salt Bhoum for
many years. Very respoctfully,
IHII3. liXCJIABD WASSON.
Wolflea Comors, Ohio.
THE PASSION PLAY
AT OBERAMMERGAU.
Spirit in Which It Is Now Rendered Much
Deplored by the Rev. Dr. Col Iyer.
Glorious Religious Rite Marred by Hot Office Consideration*—When Es
tablished the Decennial Performance Was a Spontaneous Manifes
tation of Devotional Thankfulness, Witnessed tv Simple, !>e
xout IlMvarianat Now its Audience* Are Mainly Made ip
ot Curious Tourists, and Liberal Attendance Mean*
a New ( lialet for Hie Christu*. >1 ore t attle for
the St. John, and Rejuvenated inns Where
Judas niul Herod May Sell Hock lleer.
New York. June 15.—T0 thousands t l
little valley of tho Ammer in the heart
of the Bavarian Highlands will be a place
of Interesting pilgrimage this yeir, for
there the regular decennial production of
the Passion Play to last twelve weoks, is
being enacted in accordance with a vow
given in the sixteenth century. Probably
50,000 Americans alone will visit the quaint
village in the lap of tho towering moun
tains this season, an<l many and divers
will l>e the impressions received.
Nothing could l>e more iilyl.ie, more
conducive to the reverential mood than
the pastoral sweep of the Ammer val
ley with its dotting of quaint homes, its
church spires and the somewhat impos
ing building where the Passion May L
given. There for hundreds of years u
thoughtful, reverential people have < ked
out an humble existence by the do*it
of economy and with much severe relig
ious discipline. Not more than 2,000 souls
comprise this little aggregation, and the
election of tho principal parts in .the play
which has made the Ober Anvnvergaucrs
known throughout the Christian world is
paramount to ill other problems of life
among them. Small lives, indeed, they
live, compared with the swift-moving
careers of the outer word, but the very
m CHuwMtA.o-
narrowness has contributed to the making
of a concrete type such s may bo found
only In purely religious communities.
Communication with the world at large
has not been considered of sufficient im
portance to warrant any enterprise in that
direction, though probably with the in
creased interest which the whole word
displays i the Passion Play; it will not
be lo.ig before this isolated and almost
mediaeval community will bo reached by
a steam railroad or even perhaps by a
trolley line.
DaiMnilMTKer'N High Ideal*.
The parish priest, Daisenberger, was the
first to bring out of its mediaeval gro
tesqueness the beauty and mystery of the
Pesslon Play. Before his time the render
ing of the divine tragedy was nothing
more than an outdoor ceremony. For
nearly two score years the priest labored
to the end of making the Passion Play
an observance of great importance in the
religious world. He had a keen dramatic
instinct, ami, being a very sincere Chris
tian, lie realized at once what possibilities
there were, not only in the play as hand
ed <k>wn from early times, but also io the
native humble artisans of the vale. Dal
senberger eliminated tfu- vulgar buffoon
ery with which the early play was bur
dened, substituting lines of great force and
benuty ns well as situations of high ar
tistic merit. To him is due the beautiful
humanizing of the personality of the Sa
viour, and the vltaiization of the apostles,
which characterize the Ober Ammerg.m
performance*. The participants in the
play are men chosen not alone for their
histrionic ability in order to be eligible
they,must be of unimpeachable character
and entirely worthy to fill any exalted 10 e.
From the time when they appear in the
chorus as little children in robes of many
hues, the spirit of the Passion Play rules
them entirely. Later they assume the
more difficult parts, and from among the
apostles of thin year may be chosen the
Christ of a decade hence.
Through all theSe ten years a most ac
curate and Intimate study of the Scrip
tural situations, the costumes and man
ners of New Testament times, the charac
ter of the personages, and their personal
appearances based on the pa’ntings of the
old masters is made under careful guid-
ance, and the rehearsals are Jong and
arduous.
Dalsenberger caused It to be recorded
that he understood the production “for
the love of his Divine Redeemer, and with
only one object In view, namely, tho
evangelization of the world.” He made
the representation of the divine Passion
as dictated by the entire Scriptures,
bringing It within human scope and typi
fying In Hie person of the Divine man.
the supreme Oedbead. Hut whether the
followers of Dalsenberger have curried
out the spirit of his Injunction, never al
lowing the material to superimpose It
self upon the spiritual, is a much moot
ed point. Many devout men who have
seen the latest rendering affirm that all
the glory and purity of the early repre
sentations have been retained undented by
the modern spirit of commercial enter
prise. OlherH are convinced that the
Passion Play must Inevitably fall Into the
hunds of the speculator and the mounte
bank, and that the natural love for gain
In the human heart will eventually erad
icate the more solemn and reverential
spirit without which the Passion Piny
becomes merely it theatric and dungerous
assumption of holy things to base ends.
One of those holding the negative point
of view Is I)r. Robert Collyer, whose ex
pressed convictions nrc herewith given:
Dr. t'ollyer on the I’iinmloii Piny.
It Is a sail commentary on the times
that with the universal popularizing of
a profound and sacred observance, the
worldly spirit should thrust tuielf In and
vulgarize it. I can regard the present
production £._ the Passion Play at Ober
Ammorgau as nothing short of perver
sion.
Time was when this simple and beautiful
rending of the profoundent tragedy known
to man was in the nature of a noble relig
ious observance—Something to be seen,
revered and remembered, and to the sim
ple peasantry of Bavaria a mighty Inwm
ment for moral and jgoiritunl betterment.
But with each repetition the ancient spirit
that characterized ii faded “into the light
of common day.” Now, like everything
else we treasure more or less, it is slowly
but surely becoming subservient to com
mercial uses.
A Glorious Religious Rite.
This is deplorable, but it is beyond gain
saying. A touching and inspiring rite has
been vulgarized by the extraneous and the
commercial ;it has been made a sightseers’
spectacle like Vesuvius and the World’s
Fair, a catch-penny vantage to the inn
keeper and the purveyor of souvenirs.
People removed from the scenes and lo
cal spirit can hardly realize how insular
and concrete the quaint peasant folk of
Ober Ammergua are, and how necessary It
the symbol to Ihetr holy devout lives. For
the most part tho practical talents of the
players are displayed in woo l carvings of
exquisite workmanship, particularly cru
cifixes and other religious tokens In which
they are peculiarly expert, ns if the try
ing work had sharpened their wits. Mor
ally and spiritually they are fitted for their
Modern Tourist Audlenoe at Oberammergau.
great undertaking, and to be thought
worthy of a place even in the chorus of
the Passion Ploy is to them a mark of the
highest merit.
In years an<l years of toil over their
religious symbols, laboring to bring out
more clearly the dlvlno features
familiarized by the old masters, these
simple folk beebmo imbued with deep
reverence. From the time that one
Schuchler brought the plague into the
valley, and divine intervention prevented
its utter depopulation—in gratitude for
which the- peasants vowed to play the
Passion Play tragedy once every ten yea re
—the. play has occupied the thoughts of
Ober A mine rga tiers.
It contained iheirvtry souls; and the
decennial rendition of the beautiful cere
mony was an honest and sincere out
pouring of spirit, a glorious religious rite.
It became a part of I heir very life, uniting
them in common bonds of Christian broth
erhood. it made peasant Integrity strong
er, the hardy Bavarian atoek fuller in life
and purpose.
For the applause of the world they
cured little for the respect of the-ir
brethren iTi the faith and the conscious
ness of n duty well performed they cured
much. It was ap much an 'observance of
penitence and praise as prayer and thank
offering.
While they were performing their hum
ble id tee these peasant folk became trans
formed. They became dedicate! spirits.
The flesh was lost 1n the glory of the soul.
They were no longer Mayer and l*vhm*r
and the other humble townspeople, but
Christ and Judas and the apostles. For
the time being they are living, moving and
having their being In the reflected light of
the sublime prototypes. I have seen a few
great nctors thtta emlodied In their parts
—Forrest in “Macbeth,” for Instance—and
the effect was electric.
In the play the Obcr Atrtm'rgauers for
got that they are human and mat titer-
Is a very human audience composed of
one-tenth reverential Havarlan folk and
nine-tenths tourists watching them. Hut
the mood Is changing. More and more the
box office consideration enters the <qua
llort. Such and such photographers are
given exclusive right to make pictures,
and kodakers are arrested at sight.
Such and feuch translators are allotvel
to put the words of the text Into :runy
longues, such anil stn h publishers have
exclusive rights to publish the same, utd
the strenagrap’wr caught i>eneil In haul
suffers arrest and his notes are confiscat
ed. Ever the peep-hole In the curtain, ever
the material gain.
It requires only the presence of a few
Illustrious critics of the drama, with
trenchant next morning reviews of play
and players to bring snmvthlhg almost di
vine down to the level of the marionet e.
It has not yet come to this, but the end
Is Inevitable. The commercial spirit which
encompasses our most cherished lnt*.l u,-
llons ami (he love of money which Is (lie
“roo of all evil," as much and more to
day than ever In the elder tim\ will
eventually bring the l’assirn Play of Oner
Ammergau and Its many Imllato s to the
of successful spectacular enterprises.
When it becomes a matter of trading
upon things sacred and holy for private
ends, I see the end at hand.
This will be a successful year in the
little valley of the Ammer. The new
Christ us will build hltnself a more com
fortable chalet, Ht. John will Increase hD
herd. Judas oral Herod will open a not*'nr
Inn for the dispensing of Bavarian bock,
end plans will be laid for the eusna Ing
of the whlte-hclmeted ard red-Bvdck
ereil tourist, particularly the American
one, In 1910.
Hut the ancient spirit will have passe)
away; and what was once a devout re
ligious affair iwlll havr descended to the
merely ItUtronlc. Such Is the dlsintergrat-
lng Influence of gold for the gold's sake.
ftuch are the corrosions of mere cormner
clalism.
I ersonolly were I within a mil© of th"
theater J should not take tho trouble tc
pay it a visit. For sublime and yet hums:
and living, as the Ober Amraergauert
make the scenes of the Divine Passion, 1
prefer the blessed picture which has llv#f
in my heart these many years, and inspir
lng presence in youth and an abiding com
fort in age. conjured by the Holy S-plrl
of the fulness of the solace of the ago*—
the Divine Word. Robert Collytr.
THE DANDY CHF THE MOMENT.
He Is Wearing Duck Trousers With
Pongee font nnd WslMOtl.
New York, Juno 15.—The man with c
reputation to maintain for careful ant
modish dressing is having heavy white
linen trousers made up at his tailor*’, \f,
wear with dark blue reefer coats an
waistcoats or with pongee upper garments
Handsome linen Is exceedingly expensive
and, for this season at least, these gar
ments promise to be the exclusive prop
erty of the gilded youths who revel 1i
a novelty. Not up to date has the A inert
can man, unless he is a naval officer; fount
it possible to bury his prejudice again**
the white linen coat and accept it as
part of a complete white suit. The linen
coat smacks too much of the rcatduran
waiter and barber to find favor with th
landsman, though very pale, almost cream
pongee, being light, cool and washable, i
very nearly the most domfortable am
fashionable habit for use In the countr;
during the dog days.
White damask, figured percale and liner
are some of the newest ideas for summei
shirts, their bosoms laid iri three liny bo:
.►r side plea: to right and left of the but
ton hand, and the cliffs and collar done i:
heavy, plain linen; the collar, of course
a high rollover, showing a tiny red bir
terfty tie between the rounded ends I
front. These shirts are not to bo launder?
with starch In tho bosoms, however muci
may bo put Into the cuffs ond collar*
The slight damasked figures of lines la
the linen snrr ■ > lose in gloss when hai*
*ned with starch, and the* washerwotna
must be Instructed to dip the bosom i
very hot water, wring It. as dry as pons
file and rapidly press with a very hv
j Iron. By this means body and gloss i
1 given the linen, along with all th© stifi
nos a necessary in a negligee shirt,
old Tluae Lold-llendect i lines in
V on ue.
Thirty years ago the fashionable young
man carried a straight walking stick ol
highly polished wood, tapering to tho fer
rule end, while the handle showed a hand
somely decorated cap of tine gold. An
Inch or two beiow the cap the stick was
pierced, the ends of the hole bored to
the wood were finished with gold eyelets,
and through them ran a cord of dark silk,
the euda fastening together and conclud
ing in a full silk tassel. Now the wheel
of fashion had turned and the above is a
very fair description of the stick that the
fashionable man carries when on
garden parties, afternoon teas and form*!
• ailing bont. Sticks of this tjipe in ebony,
teak, mahogany and fine cedar wood are
produced with gold caps that are distinct
ly works of the highest art. Nearly all
of them show Louis XV and XVI designs
done iu gold, and three and even four col
ors. the decoration appearing c*Ja!>oraie in
the extreme, and a few very beautiful ones
are flni.-hed In. the form of capitals of
Greek pillars, that is, either the Corin
thian or Ironic caps.
In the morning a switch cane made
from a root that grows in South Africa,
and because of its intense blackness is
called the Kaffir, Is the proper light
weapon. Light and pliable as a riding
switch, bent like a at the handle,
and lough as tempered steel, these are
excellent combinations of crop and switch,
and are used very much by horsemen.
Not a touch of any metal should show on
these pliable reeds.
Wtrkrr (oat Baskets.
The leather dress suit case has Its uses,
but V ere is a great deal of favor sure to
b.- showed for the new wicker cost bas
kets that arc Just over from England.
They are a trifle larger than the leather
cases, and can afford to be, because of
their lightness Instde a lining of the
he aviest gray linen Is laid, outside a var
nished black e r ltn.wn covering Is drawn,
and tho capacity of such a ple.ee of hand
luggage Is Ju.-t twice that of the leather
eas The dandy of the moment puts tol
-1 t appliances into his wicker coat basket
that wouid apply qul.e as comfortably
to the requirements of the most fastidi
ous women. Aside from his silver mount
ed m anicure set g . s an alcohol lamp and
sll er handled cuiling tongs, utilized taith
luhy ior giving tne approved upward
turn to the ends of his mustache. A cut
glass, gold copi ed pump atomizer tilled
with eau de Perse, an exceedingly vola
tile tclet Water, and these, with the ex
treme gaiety of Ills mixed silk and lisle
underwear, combine to give hts belongings
an air of ft mlnlne luxury and taste for
pretty frivolities
Silk and lisle or silk and wool la the
proper mixture for the most expensive
summer underwear, and with white
slues In the afternoon pastel blue silk
hose, with grey or black polka dots, are
regarded as extremely smart. The body
undergarments come lq, every one of the
n w pas cl and faded tints, as w II aa tha
relief mull.ctry reds, corn Mower blues
and aggressive ye.lows. Pale grey, pin
s rlped In yellow; mulberry red, barred
with green and two shades of blue, are
n t uccommon combinations In silk un
fit rwear, whi e v ry warm shrimp pink
teal blue and prllen ydlow. In sdifi tones
an. some of th select styles in pure
spurs Ik or lisle for use with eve-tin*
Heau Hrummel.
—Julius Flelschmann, the Mayor of Cin
cinnati, is one of the youngest chief ex
ecutives of large cities in the country.
He Is but 28 years old. When only 20.
he was made a colonel on the stair of
President McKinley, who was then Gov
ernor of Ohio.
19