Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 1889)
THE LIMEKILN CLUB. The Right Honorable ntncttherry Havt Deliver n Lecture. "I ar' pleased to a-nounco do facie dutde Right Hon. Blackberry Davis, of Charlotte. No'th Caroliny, ar' wid lis to-night," said Brother Gardner as the meeting' opened In due and ancient form. "Dc Hon. Davis ar1 known to moas' of you as de inventor of root beer, an' do man who fust found out data dog slcepin' under the bed made itonhealthy fur do pussons above. Ho ar' on his way to do Norf Pole, an' has .stopped off yero fur a day or so to wisit dls club an' dcliber his address. De address which he will favor us wid to night ar' named 'Do Laws of Health,' an' I trust dat he will receive your on divided attenshun while he speaks. He will now bo brung in an' interduced." And ho attracted much attention as ho passed up tho aislo to the platform. He seemed to havo been intendod for a man seven feet high, but had somehow rot sawed oft at about live. Ills left -houldor was lopped pretty badly, his head had failed to grow a crop of hair, and his right leg lingered behind as his left wont forward. Wnydown Bobee couldn't see any thing literary about the man. He looked more like some unsuccessful candidate for the Presi dency. Tbe honorablo didn't waste much time in gotting down to business. He investigated tho contents of tho pitcher of buttermilk placed before him with a sigh of satisfaction, wiped off his mouth from north to south and back again, and in a voice resonant of cow bells and libel ho said: "My frens. what is health? 1 doan' 'sposo one singlo pusson in (lis hall has, eber giben do least thought to dat queshun. Dar' ar' two sorts of health good an' bad. Agitation. Some of us hev one sort an' some de odder. As a rule, man ar' bo'n in good health. Nutur' starts him out all right, an' if any thing happens to gin him de bill yous colick it's his own fault. Sup pressed groans. Dar ar' sartin laws to govern society, sich as not stealin anybody's chickens kcepin' awav from odder people's wood-piles -gwine right by a smoked ham which de butcher has keerlessly loft hangin' out doahs ober night. Sensation' on the back seats. If you oboy doso laws you needn't be skeort an' jump under de bod when a policeman knocks on de doah. If you doan' oboy 'cm vou must suffer tho quenseconses. "My frens," continued tho orator after looking into tho pitcher again "dar am sartin laws regardin' hcaltl .Doy is Natur's laws. She holds us jist as accountable as do police. Fur in stance, if Pickles Smith invites Samuel Shinober to his house to dinner what does Samuel do? Ho doan' eat nullin fur two days bofo hand, and whon he sots down to dat table, groanin' wid all dc luxuries which wealth kin purchase he calkerlates on filling right up to tho brim. He eats till dey hev to draw him away from do table. He has trans gresseu a law ol natur . JNatur says we mus not obercrowd our stomachs. Agitation. Along about midnight Samuel is tooken wid awful pains, an' three doctors liov hard work to save his life. Faint cheers. Nutur' says wo need 'bout eight hours sleep, Giveadim Jones goes obor to see Klder Too an' doy sot an' play checkers till two o clock in do mawnin'. Nox' day boaf am limpin' around an growlln 'bout de weather an' eussin' do rich. Agitation. Dey transgressed a law of natur an' ar payin' de penalty; but In doirignerenc? doy lay it to any thin' else. Shindig Watkms hires out fur a private watch man at a saw-mill. Seven o'clock comes an' ho lays hlsself away on a pilo of lumber an' sleeps till half-past six do nox' moruln . Den ho gits up an growls about dis belli' abillyus kontry, an' labor bein' crushed by capital, an' goes homo to toll do olo woman dnt liberty am a sham an' a delusion. He transgressed a law of natur' slept too long. Gasps of astonishment. "My dear frons," continued tho ora tor as ho gulpod down tho last, of the buttermilk, "dar' am sartin pussons who regaru uo numan stomacii as a sort o' carpot-bag furnished freo gratia by natur'. In do co s of a day doy will throw in whisky, beer, ginger nlo, soda water, coffee, lee-water, moat, 'tators, sugar, vlnogar, apples, berries, vegetables, an' whatebor olso comes handy. Do stomach kicks, or orter, an' de ownor is greatly surprised about it. Cheers. It is only In do las' flvo y'ars dat do cull'd people of dis kontry hev come to realizo dat dey had noses an' lungs. Sensation. Colonol Huokloberry Jackson used to wonder why do smell of burnln' feathers choked him up, but ho sot It down as a monopoly of some sort. Ho lot his threo dogs sleep under his bed an' wont around guessln' data rat had died un der do house. Laughter. "Dar am sartin laws of health which ar' arbitrary an' ar' broken at your peril. Doan' go to sleep wid your feet sttcktn' up to a night breeze to cool off. Doan' sprinkle do sheets wid ico wator to cool oil tho bod. "Doan' git ycr ha'r clipped off when do wind is in de norf. 'Doan' lot your fetfr(i October to Juno an' don dnw hull tub of cold 1 wutor an' try to git frow wid do job in one ovoniu'. "If you hev bin chased by do police until you perspire doan' Bit down on a batl in do nlloy an' lot do bcozo blow obor you to cool you off. "You must remember dat do air Is full of bacteria and microbes. Dar ar' varus sorts of 'cm. An olo ca'pot on which seben young chlU'on hev bin brung up, along wid twlco sebon yallor dogs, will gin out microbes when shook. f you inluUe 'em you muv bo took wid Imost uny complaint from ear-nche to jwluo crazy. A dead cat left along side de front gate, or a load of olo potatoes and bones left around do back doah, will throw off bactaria at do rate of 2.IXK) pounds to de squar' inch. You may dodgo 'em and eontiner ycr wild career, but you may be tooken down like a Hash, and not even hev time to make a will. Shudders all along the back rows. "My frons. you can't bo to keerful to keep well. Obey de laws of Nutur an' you may live a hundred y'ars. Transgress 'oni an' do grave yawns fur you. 1 feel honored by de privi lege of appcarin' befo' you. If I hadn't nullin' else to do I should sartinly move to Detroit an' jlne dis club. Cheers. Wid thanks fur yer clus attotishun, an' hopln' de seed has fell on specilic silo, I now bid you good-bye." When tho honorable orator had re tired Givondam Jones offered a resolu tion to tho effect that the Lime-Kiln Club accept and a.lopt his theories or. the health question. A vote was taken, and the resolution was carried by a majority of one, and the motion to make it unanimous was lost in tho swamp beyond rescue. The meeting then adjourned. De troit Free Press. PORPOISE-CATCHING. A Hay or Ftiiuly Indus! ry Monopolized by the. r:Muiiutiii(Hlily Indlitn. Along the coast of Maine there are several places where porpoise-catching is carried on extensively, and affords the principal means of support) for many of the people living in those localities. The Bay of Kundv is an especially good fishing ground, and Indian Beach, bordering on the waters of the bay. is more or less occupied the year round by whf.es and Indians who do little else. Fn- years the Passama quoddy Indians have made a practice f camping on tho beach and applying tliemseiros assiduously to porpoiso harpooning and shooting. The winter fish aro tho fattest and give the most oil; that is the valuable part of the eat eh. Tho largest porpoises are about seven feet long, will girth five feet, ' weigh .'iOO pounds and over, and vield from six to seven gallons of oil. The blubber is an inch or so thick in warm weather, but in the winter double that A fat fish's blubber will weigh about 100 pounds. The Indians do their work in much tho same way now as they did In early years, tho most primitive methods prevailing. In trying out the blubbor the appliances are of tho rudest kind. Tho tires nro built among piles of stones, over which iron pots nro hung. The blubbor is cu in small pieces and slowly melted liie oil is skimmed into jars and cans, and whon pure Is worth 90 cents a gallon. The best oil comes from tho jaws of the porpoise. The jaws are hung up in tho sun, and tho oil drops down Into a vessel, each pair produc ing about one-half pint. Wateh-makors and others using a very lino oil tako it in preference to all other, and it com mands a big price. Tho blubber oil gives a good light, and for years was burned exclusively in the light-houses along tho coast In a good season an Indian will catch nearly two hundred porpoises, eac'i yielding about threo gallons of oil, but most of them fall a good deal below mis, as tney aro not over-partial to labor, and. as-long as tho returns ol one catch will last, will loaf around tho camp rather than go out again. The custom Is to get a fuw gallons of oil, go to tho nearest market and sell It, Jhon "rest" till forced by necossity to make further exertions. Tho por poiso's llesh is much like pork whon cooked, and is a staple article of food. The bravery, skill and onduranco demanded of tho porpoiso-catchers in their work is almost unknown to the outside world. In the morning, when tho men aro going "porpoisin'," the womon and children turn out to soe tho canoos off. Each boat has twe men, and whon a storm comes up while they are out, or they are unusually late getting in, there is great anxiety among those on shore. It takes years of training to mnko a good porpoiso hunter and tho big boys begin by going out with tho experienced men. Nc matter what the water's condition, be it rough or smooth, if thoro is a trip contemplated tho start Is made. In calm weather tho blowing of tho por poiso can bo heard a long way, and guides tho Indian in tho right direc tion. Shooting is tho most successful method of killing tho ilsh. Long, smooth-boro guns with big charges of powder and double B shot are used. As tho fish is floating, swim ming, and diving about tho water, lirst on the surface and then below, the canoe is puddled as near as possible. Then, as the porpoiso lifts himself to dive tho gun's charge is let fly, There is seldom n failuro to make a good shot, but tho Ilsh is speared to stop hie Uoundering about in tho dying strug gle. It Is then landed in tho canoe by grasping the pectoral fin with one hand, sticking a couplo of fingers In the blow hole, and dragging it ovor the side. In still water this is easy, but whon a high sea Is running tho un dertaking is hard anil dangerous. Sharks are plenty, and their fins arc almost always visible, cutting the water as soon as a porpoise is wounded, tho blood attracting them. No end ol stoilos uro told of men having had their arms bit oil by tho sharks while they wore reaching Into tho water to eecuro a porpoiso, but old fishermen scoff at such a thing, and pay no ut-' tcntion to tho dread ocoan monsters, us they almost rub their noses against the sides of tho canoes. bt Louis Globe Democrat. ABOUT GOLD WATCHES. Tho Demand fur Tliem firnntnir In All Turn of th Country. vjoiu wnteiies are so common now ndajs that men don't take as much pride in wearing them as they did a few years ago," said a Fulton street jeweler the other duv. "The Individ ual who could sjMM t a gold watch and chain a dozen years ago was eonsid ored a person of wealth and property But he isn't now. by. yon will tlnd gold watches in the pockets of our street-ear conductors, and I have even known them to wear handsome dta mond rings. Did you ever notice tho ostentatious manner in which a young man handles his lirst gold watch? It Is rather amusing. Usually bo carries it in a chamois leather' pouch, and is very careful not to breathe on it or touch the case with his lingers. Ho consult- it every fifteen minutes for the first month, but he soon tiros ol it. and then considers it a horrible bore to be asked for the time. Tho demand for gold watches was never greater than It is to-day. Watch companies are kept very busy filling order.-, and we retail jewelers do a good business in this line "Why is it that watches are so much cheaper now than a few years ago?" "Well, for ono thing, the watch movements are a great deal cheaper, (iold is just exactly the same pylce pel pennyweight. The reduction in price is confined to the movements. The watch movements of the standard American mike are very cheap. Those in common use in gold watches of tbe cheapest grade are from $10 to $-'0 each, and some of the best movements are worth at wholesale $.'." to $:10. There is. however, a high-priced, fine American movement which mav cost you $7"), but they are not put in ordi nary ca-es. A wutoh that you paid $100 for a fow years ago you can get to day for G0, and this (50 watch will have a $10 or $1.') movement in it. For $.")() you should get a movement cased In solid 14-earnt gold, weighing from -lb to .10 pennyweights. Tho purchaser will get more service out of a 1 t-carat case than he will out of an IS-carat. "How can dealers offer tho public solid gold watches for $10 and $:tf?" "They are not solid by any means. There are some unprincipled makers who will mark a ca.-e of 10 carat out side and 8 carat inside 14 carat, and a 10 and 14 carat would be marked 18 carat. There is no law in Amorica to prevent this. The case is made of a ubinposltiou which holds a gold plat ing finely. This composition is some times very heavily plated, and will wear for several years without showing tho base metal. There is little dilliculty in disposing of them as solid gold cases, and in tills way the price is sur prisingly low. Ihero is more oppor tunity for deception in tho movement and case of a watch than in almost any other article. Tho amount of money invested in a watch offers much lnuucemeni 10 experiment, liie case manufacturer is not necessarily obliged to know much about the movement of a watch. He makes his cases to lit the standard American sizes of movements, and most makers produce a uniform size. Brooklyn Kagle, AMERICAN FABLES Tlireu I.lttle Storliv with MornW lor tho Younir mill tlin Old. thk noosr. AND THi: I'.AGI.K. Tho Goose Whose Heart was Fired with Ambition decided to become an Kagle, and She loft tho Farm Yard ono Morning and Wandered off into tho Hills as a Starter. Sho was presently Espied by an Kagle, who pounced down and Soi.ed upon her as a prize. "What Moans this Troatment!" de manded tho goose. "I Came hero to be ono of you!" "As a Fowl at Homo you wore a Suc cess," replied tho Kagle, "but as n goose abroad you aro n. g., except to furnish u dinner f or some Bird with More Sense." Mohai, Whon a Mechanic quits his job to becomo a politician it is not tho politician who is Eaton. THK TAltMKK AND TIIK JUO. A Farmer who had filled a Jug with Cider and taken it Into the Field with him tore up tho soil for awhllo and broke both suspenders, and then wont over to the Jug In anticipation of a Refreshing draught. But when he camo to lift tho vessel to his Hps ho found that ovory drop of Cider hud Leaked out and been Absorbed by the dry Earth. "At! but this is tho Basest Ingrati tude!" Iw exclaimed, as ho Uung tho Ju from him. "ffeit behold!" replied tho Jug as It split open and Roveulcd uiong-lost'Will made by tho Farmer's grandfather, and leaving him $75,000 worth of real estate in Chicago. Mohal If your Houso Burns down and is not Insured you may, in Poking around Among tho Ashes, find twlco its valuo in Diamond Pins lost by tho Plasterers whon tho house was Built. tiik vnon and thk ticavki.kic. A Frog who had his Homo in a Pud dle by tho Wayside Mado such an Atlo ono night as a Traveler passed that way that the Man was Fain to stop and Inquire thoaOccuslon of it. "Hud I not mado such a Noise you would not havo known of my Pres ence," replied tho Frog. "But now that I do know, what of it?" quoried tho Man. "Why, I am here." "Yes, but what aro the odds to mo where you aro? You aro but a Frog, place yourself whero you will." Mohal Tho .Man whoso Mouth makes his Presence known is seldom worth minding, Dotrolt Free Prea JUGGERNAUT'S JEWELS. How the Honor or the Idol Whs Defended hy It l althrul l'rlrt. Many years ago I was qunrtcred al Fuzarabad, an important military sta tion about ono hundred and fifty miles from the Madras coast. Unfortunate ly, at tho time I was there, gambling and betting were much In vogue, and many men plunged and camo to griel over their debts of honor. Of all that gay company, nobody was more popu lar and bettor-liked by both mon aud women than young Fitzroy; but, un fortunately, bo lost money at tho races, tried to recover himself at whist table, but failed, got Into bands of the Marwarrees, and tha tha goi deeper and deeper into tho miro of debt. At length he told the narrator that he intended to go to England to raise money. "Will you como away with me?" bo asked. "Give out that we have taken ten days' leave for Some shooting, and see me down to the coast. If 1 go off alone, 1 shall be stopped by those cursed Marwarrees." After some hesitation I agreed. He bent In his application for lenvo to Europe on private affairs, and 1 sjave out that I was going on a ten d-iys' shooting expedition. A week later, with a couplo of ton gas, wo had started on our long and wearying journey to the coast, whero my poor young friend hoped to pick up a steamer to tako him to Europe. On the second day we met crowds ot people tramping along. In reply to our Inquiries wo were told they were all roturning from tins great festival of Juggernaut, hold at Purl, now only some three days' journey from whero wo were. Tho tongawalla kept us in terested with a graphic description of the festival and of tho great god, which was cspecialy remarkable for tbe wonderful jewels It, possessed two emerald eyes of inestimable value, its lips formed of the finest rubbles in the world, and a necklace of priceless pearls. 'I ho sun was sinking as at last we nearcd tho town of Purl, and wo could see the pinnacles of tho tem ples rise above tho trees which sur rounded tho place. Half a mile other side of the town stood Travelers' Bungalo. whero intended putting up for the tho wo tho night. A more uncomforta ble meal I never ate than the dinner which was served up to us that evening, mid I was qulto thankful when tho poor lad said ho was dead beat and would go off to bed. Myowu room was on tho other side of tho bungalow, and 1 took my pipo and sat smoking in tho veranda. Tho moon was just rising when I thought I saw the figure of a European stealing along tho wall of tho compound. Strange, I thought, and wondered what othor European thoro could bo bore at tho same time. An idea struck me. and ! went across to my companion's room. There was nobody in it, tho bed was undisturbed. I throw down my pipo. and rushed out into the moonlight. A fow seconds later I was out in the road, and turned instinctively in tho direction of tho temple. I could not sco the young officer; but ran on until I reached tho wall of tho temple compound an enormous county-yard of paved stone, on which were lying a number of priests, their white garments, wrapped round their heads and bodies. In tho background was placed temple after temple, but hi the very center stood ono solitary shrine raised on throe sopcrato lliglits of steps, and inside I could sco tho great black god raised on threo other smaller (lights of colored niarblo stops. Tho moonbeams shono directly on tho god and lit up tho emerald eyo and ruby lips, while tho pearl necklaco glowed on his lingo black bosom. To my unutterable horror I saw my com panion walking right across tho court yard. My tongue clovo to tho roof of my mouth. I dared not shout oven If I could have raised my volco. A ghastly horror took hold of me as tho idea strncic mo that in his madness my poor friend Intended to savo his honor by tho greater dishonor of robbing tho Idol. Speechless I saw lilm mount stop after step, and tho next moment 1 saw him enter tho sacred shriuo a ross tho threshold of which no other foot but that of tho passed. Nine steps Ho paused. I tried sound would como. Brahmin has ever led up to tho god. to shout, but no Ho raised his hand as if to tear off the pearl necklace. It was still above his reach. Ills foot then touched tho sev enth. Oh, God! can I over forget the sight? In the moonlight flashed out two arms covered with a hundred nay, two hundred duggers, and clasped tho daring youth to tho black god's breast. At tho same moment the sound of a gong broke the stillness of tho night, and in one mo ment tho priests had cast off their cov erings and were rushing to tho shrine. Two minutes later I saw tho amazed and horrified priests carrying out tho lifeless body of tho dishonored En glishman, and I turned and lieu. Times of India. Standing on Her Dignity. Husband (alarmed) Emily, thero scorns to bo u smoke coining up through tho floor. Hun and toll tho ludy on the Hut below. Something's afire in her part of this building! Quick! Quick! Wife (cold and stately) Cyrus, I'll never do it In tho world. We've lived three months in this Hut and she bus never culled on me. Chlcugo Tribune. Thoro uro nearly 2.10,000 Indians in tho United Mates, not including Alaxko, and about o.OOO of them are in New York State, living on eight reservations set unurt fur iboir KEEPING HIM BUSY. How a Couple or 1'atr Tired Out a Cntiltr. I'ersrciitor. In tho spring of 1888 a pair of rod !oxc3 took up their homo on a Dakota !arm. Ihey dug several holes on u knoll In a wheat-field, and soon after four "kits." or young foxes arrived. Every day. while harrowing and sow ing wheat In tho field, says the farmer, I saw the two old foxes lying on the little mound in front of their home. The kits rolled about In thesun, played I with tho bushy talis of their parents md enjoyed themselves apparently as much as a group of kittens. I Ono morning a noighbor camo to work in a field adjoining, bringing with him a dog. and tho dog. with all tho curiosity of his kind, soon began tho investigation of both farm-. J Ho was still a long distance from j tho fox-den when 1 heard a sharp, warning bark and saw the kits disap pear. As l looked, tho mother fox lay on the mound, her ears erect, her I nose on the ground, all attention. The 1 father of the family, with his big tail swinging in the wind, trotted toward tho dog. Can ho intend to attack him? 1 won dered. 1 had never heard of such a thing, and the dog, though not a largo one, was still larger than tho fox. But Koynnrd knew his business better than I. He approached tho Intruder until the dog saw him, whoo both stopped for an instant, and then tho dog gave chase. The fox, with a bark of de fiance, turned and ran In a direction away from his homo. At first tho dog soonnd to gain rap idly upon tho fox, but I watclied them for nearly a mile before they disap peared In tho pralrlo grass and con cluded that tho fox was ablo to koop out of tho other's way. In about an hour tho dog returned from a fruitless chase, and for a tlmo ho contentedly followed his master. Then ho began prowling around again. All this tlmo tho mother fox had re mained on the mound, a picture of quiet vigilance, but now, as tho dog ventured near, she rose and trottod toward him, and tho dog was soon chasing her ovor tho pralrlo. Hardly had thoy disappeared when tho male trottod back from somo hldlng-placo aud took tho position vacated by his mate. Tho dog roturned after a tlmo, unsuccessful as boforo. During tho day ho was again and again tempted to a cliaso, first by tho male and then by tho female, and, whllo tho ono kept him busy tho othor watched ovor tho young, who did not show themselves after the first sight of tho dog. It is hard to say which wo admired most tho bravory of tho pair in chal lenging tho dog to a raco that would havo proved fatal hud ho caught thorn, their ingenuity In taking turns bo that each might bo fresh whon chasod, tholr skill in lending him away from tholr young or tholr clev erness in throwing him off tholr track whon faronough away. Youth's Com panion. PILGRIM? TO PALESTINE- Sights, and Scone on tho Hanks of tha Itlvor .Ionian, Tho crossing of tho Jordan by tho Israelites was accomplished In tho most perfect order, bocauso thoy had boon trained undor Mosos to perfect military discipline which was contin ued under Josliuu. It was an occasion whon almost any lnrgo body of mon would havo boon thrown Into con fusion unless thorough dlscipllno can bo presupposed. If this was tho first groat pllgrimngo to tho Jordan, it certainly was not tho last ono. Thou sands of dovout pilgrims from differ ent parts of the world visit this river ovory year. Thoy batho In it; and carry wator from it to their distant homos. Greater numbers como from Russia than any other ono country; but ovory country In Europo is ropro sontod, as well as North and South Amorica and Australia. I have seen tho road from Bethany to tho bunks I of tho Jordan lltorally crowded with pilgrims on tholr way to this sacred stream. In groups of ten, twenty or fifty, us tho caso might bo, thoy wero ecu t to red throughout tho ontiro dis tance, llko tho remnants of u routed army. Thoy numbered probably two thousand or more. Once, on arriving at Jericho, I saw the bushes covered with garments, like tho washing of a mili tary encampment, and soon ascertained that thoy bolongcd to a crowd of pil grims that had just roturned from bathing in the Jordan. Tho clothing in which thoy batho is prosorved with great care, and It Is thoso garments in which thoy dosiro and expect to bo buried. Tho curront ' tho river is very strong, and by i and othor moans precautions arc ..ikon against aociuonts whl.o tho pHp-lms urobuth Ing. it not infrequ nitly happens, however, that porsons loso their lives; but it is usually thoso who havo con fidence in themselves as being good Hwlmmers. Such porsons pay llttlo hood to cautions. Thoy run risks, and in a moment uro carried beyond tho reach of help. Theso facts servo to Illustrate the difficulties tho Israelites would havo found In crossing tho rivet had they not boon miraculously aided. Throe years ago tho Govornor of Pal ostlno hud a narrow bridge built over the Jordan, It was culled an "American bridgo;" and at the opening, to which I was invited, tho valley presented a Btrango und lively scone tents, horso wen, a multitude of people, and tho jound of trumpet, us If somo now Joshua, with unothor Invading army, hud arrived in the "borders of Jeri cho." Interior. Cornoll University has put $400, 000 In now buildings tho past year. HITE HOUSE. How the i:ieentlrn Mansion Cftine ta RMP' This Simple Name. Tho residence of tho Presldcntof tho United States is officially known as tho Executive Mansion, which means that it is the rosldonco of tho head of tho executive branch of the Government; but It is seldom called. In ordinary talk, either by thoso who llvo in it, or by tho American people in gonoral, any thing but tbe White House. This is a very unpretentious title, and it is. interesting to note how tho resldenco of the President, in a couutry wiich is full of white houses, camo to bear this simple nnmo as Its special property. Tho explanation Is easily found. Tho first executive mansion at Washington was occupied in 1800. it was built ot freestone and was unpainted; but la 1814 the British army occupied Wash ington, and burned, with other ptibHc buildings, tho President's houso, loa-r-ing it a blackened ruin. The houso was built on tliosamo sito and tho same walls wore used In its construction; but thoy wero so dis colored by smoko that, on tho sugges tion of General Jackson, thoy woro painted white, not only to Improvo their appearance, but in token of tho successful dellanco of British lira by tho American Republic. Tho mansion soon beenmo tho "Whtto Houso" In tho mouths of tho pcoplo on account of Its dazzling color, and from that day to this it has been rcpalntod white ovory ten years. Its name eotn momorates a patriotic fooling, there fore, as well as servos to doscrlbo tho appearance of tho mansion, for tho original coat of white paint was a sort of protest against tho vandalism of tho British, and ovory subsequent coat has served to porpotuato tho protest. Tho houso lias not boon altogether comfortable as n place of rcsldonce, and has required almost constant re pairs aud alterations. It is said to b damp, and whllo it may not bo posi tively unhealthy. It has becomo cus tomary for tho Proaidont's family to tako quartors elsowhoro for tho sum mer. Tho Whlto Houso Is tho Prosldont'fl offlco as well as his rosldcnce. On tho first tloor uro sovoral largo apartmonte, including tho East Room, which Is forty by eighty foot in slzo and twonty-two feel high, tho Bluo Room, tho Rod Room aud tho Green Room. On tho socond lloor nro tho Presi dent's ofllco a largo room looking to tho Potomac and tho Long Bridgo tho rooms of tho Prosidont's secre taries, and tho prlvato apartments for tho Prosidont's family. It has occasionally been suggostcd that a now and mora magnificent rosl donco bo oroetod for tho President, and that tho Whlto House bo rosorvod as an offlco for tho Kxocutlvo Depart ment, but Congress has thus far boon dislnollned, or too busy, to adopt tha suggestion. Youth's Companion. AN AMERICAN FAULT. Tho Common Ilre-ird or Curtain De cencies of Huhavlor In I'ulillr. Anybody who is familiar with the appearance of any public plnco aftor it lias been in nn undisturbed possession of Amorlcan cltlzenB for a few hour will be driven to tho conclusion that tho absoluto criminality of throwing refuse or debris, and particularly pieces of nowspapor, ought to bo taught in our schools. No branch of popular education is so much neglected, in both, homos and schools, as instruction in tho value of neatness out of doors, und tha effect on our streets, squares and rail road stations is in somo cases deplora ble. Tho recklessness with which people scatter pieces of nowspapor and othor paper wherovor thoy happon to bo whon thoy havo done reading it; holps give our stroots and sidewalks and railroad stations nn appearance or dirt aud disorder tho llko of wlilch can do soon In no other civilized country. Pcunut-outors havo long boon famous for their indifforonco to othor people' comfort in tho scattering of tholr shells around tholr scats In public convey ances, but this indifforonco is a wid, -spread disease It Is displayed with regard to nearly ovory kind of rofuao. That any one nood care how othor peo plo aro affected by tho sight of his leavings or excretions, is n bit ot morality which vory few of our youths aro ever formally taught. Tako the condition , of our olovuted railroad stairways after tho actlvo truffle of tha day boffins. What decent Now Yorker Is not ushamed of tho spoctaclo thoy presont to strangors covered with dis gusting excretions which ono would say any decent man, if ho will not usa a pockot-hundkorchiof, would got rid of boforo he entered on u narrow gangway which lias to bo used by women and children. Tho effrontery with which this nuisance is sometimes excused as being all along of tha cele brated "Amorlcan catarrh." Is height ened by the fact that tho American womon uro just us much afflicted by catarrh us tho men, but manage to keep tho moro repulslvo consequences of 11 to themselves, us tho men could vory well do If they wero taught mora thoroughly, In childhood, to consider tho effect on others of tholr personal behavior. In any improvements made In our school curriculum, In fact, the teaching of the minor morals ought to havo a largo spuco. How to avoid being disagreeable to your fellow-raea mid women in your dress, speech a&d mode of satisfying your personal need Is something which our womon all study and try to learn, und mostly do learn; but tho boys, except in boas of moro than usual refinement, hear very little about it. N. Y. Evenlag, Post.