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fwHERE PRESIDENTS CHICAGO Inaugurated the Idea that national convention halls should be built to hold a multitude ,tck In May, 1800, when It built the immense wooden wigwam made fam ous by the first nomination of Abraham Lincoln, Since then the national ex ecutive committees of the two leading parties, in locating their conventions, have always demanded assurance of the ability of tfuch cities to seat, feed and sleep a greaf crowd.' - The moat famous halls In which na tional conventions have been held are (or were) the two Chicago wigwams the Lincoln and the Cleveland wig wams the old Exposition Building and the Auditorium, Chicago, and the ex position halls In St. Louis, Minneapolis and Cincinnati. It would be hard to say which of these was most satisfac tory, but In the minds of those who have attended the ratlonaTconvenflons of the last twenty-five years the wlg ,wam Idea Is least liked. The wigwam that sheltered the last Democratic na tional convention is especially con demned because of the general feeling f Insecurity on the night of the storm that drenched the entire crowd within the walls of the ramshackle hall, and because It was large enough to hold more people than could be properly managed. With the Coliseum this year, however, the Democratic committee will be able to house its convention comfortably and securely, so that such storms as that which threw the last Cleveland convention into a panic will not be noticed. Ilisr Halla a Necessity. As the railroads of the country have developed, hotel accommodations In creased, and newspaper telegraphing multiplied, big convention halls have not only become the fashion, but almost a necessity. The Lincoln wigwam was the first convention hall that gave a liberal space to the press and the tele graphic force that recited to the coun try at large the history of that great event as It was enacted. The architect of that wigwam and of the Democratic IMF iJmWm Wn ERE NATIONAL CONVENTIONS HAVE BEEN HELD. wigwam of 1S02, as well, had In mind a theater. The convention in the first wigwam was on the stage, the press occupied the place of the orchestra, and the audience was In the pit and the gal leries. In the Democratic wigwam the stars of the convention were on the stage, the press occupied places In the wings back of the stage, the ordinary delegates were In the pit ,and the nudl- MAIN ENTRANCE CniCAOO COLISEUM. euce In the galleries. In neither case did the audience hesitate to express Itself, and in both the order to clear the galleries was withheld out of fear that the galleries might clear the stage. The Charleston convention of 1SG0 was held in a hall that would only seat 1,500 people, and the three Baltimore conventions of the same year were held, one (the Douglas) in a theater, the Bell-Everett In a church and the Breck inridge in a hall with a capacity of not more than 2,000. But halls of that size CHICAGO COLISEUM, WHERE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WILL MEET iwtll not answer now, for there are al most 2,000 delegates and representa tives of the press who have business to transact In the convention building, to say nothing of the throngs of outsid ers who think It their duty to see per sonally to the naming of the presiden tial candidates and the framing of the platform principles upon which they shall stand. The rule Is that there are two convention delegates to each elec toral rote, so that there are twice as many . as the membership of both houses of Congress. Besides these there are the territorial delegates, and behind each delegate Is an alternate. Many of these alternates attend the conventions whether their principals do or not, and must be provided with places.. Another calculation in figuring on the seating capacity, and by far the HflYE BEEN NAMED. , most Important, too, ts that there will be about ten spectators to each dele gate. The Minneapolis hall accommodated the delegates and the press, but the city Itself could not accommodate the crowd. Neither was It a large enough telegraph center to handle the millions of words of matter that was written for the great papers or other cities. The old exposition, on the lake front, Chi cago, where several . national conven tions were held, Is said to have been particularly well suited to that use In regard to size, arrangement and all other considerations. The Auditorium, which held the convention that nomi nated Harrison and Morton, was In great favor with a certain element for the Democratic convention. The Audi torium will hold as many people as some of the committeemen think have AUDITORIUM IN ST. LOUIS, WHERE any right to attend the convention, and presents as well all necessary facilities for conducting business In a proper way. The Cincinnati halls, Smith & Nixon's and the exposition, were suf ficient to accommodate the crowds that assembled at conventions In the days when conventions were held there.'New York has had but one national conven tion of either of the great political parties, the Democratic of 18C8, which nominated Seymour and Blair, and that was held In Tammany Hall. Even then an effort was made to stampede the convention for Pendleton, of Ohio, and both parties have been wary of New York ever since. Baltimore, In the early days of the present great parties, was the great political convention city. It had the convention that nominated Van Buren and Johnson, and the next four that succeeded In the Democratic party, that of 1840, when Van Buren was nominat ed the second time, and without a vice president; that of 1844, which named Polk and Dallas; 1848, which named Lewis Cass and Butler, and 1852, which named Plerco and King. Those con ventions were easily accommodated In ordinary sized halls, for the crowds that attended them were as nothing compared to the throngs that flow Into convention cities nowadays. First in the West in 183G. The Democratic convention of 1850, which nominated Buchanan and Breck inridge, was held In Cincinnati, Ohio, the first one in the West. That of 1800 first met at Charles ton, S. C, but adjourned, with out accomplishing much, to Baltimore, where Douglas and Johnson were plac ed In the field, against Lincoln and Hamlin, who were named In the Chi cago wigwam. The Republicans moved their next convention to Baltimore, where Lincoln was renominated, and Johnson succeeded Hamlin in the sec ond place on the ticket. That year the Democrats held their first convention In Chicago, and nominated McClellan and Pendleton. In 18C8 they went to New York for the only national con- vention ever held In that city, and named Seymour and Blair as their leaders. In the same year Grant got his first nomination In Chicago, with Colfax In the second place on the ticket. In 1872 Grant was renominated at Philadelphia, with Wilson, their Demo cratic opponents, Greeley and Brown, being nominated at Baltimore the last national political convention held In that city. In 1870 Tllden and Hen dricks were nominated 'at St. Louis, and Hayes and Wheeicr at Cincinnati. The latter city also held the next Demo cratic convention, that of 1880, which placed Hancock and English In the field, their opponents, Garfield and Arthur, being named In the Exposition Bulldtag In Chicago. , ' T; In 1834 the Democrats came back to Chicago, and, by naming Cleveland and Hendricks, ended a long Ijne of Republican victories, these nominees defeating Blaine and Logan, wno were also named In Chicago. In 1888 the Democrats nominated Cleveland and Thurmnof at St Louis, and the Repub licans named Harrison and Morton in Chicago. In 1892 the Republicans took their Harrison and Reld convention to Minneapolis, and the Democrats named Cleveland and Stevenson In the Chica go wigwam. . - The Income of One Minute. A common form of the begging lette so sadly familiar to the rich men of America Is that enclosed in a small Lord Fauntleroy envelope decorated with a curious network of pot hooks and bangers. The person In charge of such correspondence Is able to read very nearly every word of the missive with bis eyes shut: "I am a little girl, twelve years of age, trying to do what I can for the fresh air fund of our town, and knowing how very, very 3 REPUBLICAN CONVENTION MEETS generous you are, but how many, many people must ask you for money, I only suggest you let us have a half of what your Income amounts to for one min ute. Your grateful little friend, Ma mie B." That Is the regular formula followed by the small girl, as the open ing of the envelope proves, for the idea of getting a minute's worth of a millionaire's income is a favorite scheme In the begging letter. Earnest young gentlemen, all working In the name of charity, arc fond of suggest ing that the Midas they address should give them a full suit of clothing to raffle off for the benefit of the village circulating library. An eccentric dam sel once sent a black satin slipper of her own to Mr. George Vanderbllt, promising if it was filled with silver dollars for the aid of her free sewing society, she would not ask any larger donation, and deploring coquettlshly that the slipper was only a number one. When Mr. Vnnderbilt's dally post Is examined by the secretary and. his assistant, a very few of these remark ahje missives are selected for the perus al of their employer, and the rest are docketed and put away In a big box, where such correspondence Is, oddly enough, most carefully preserved. KING OF BUGS. There la One in Venezuela that Can Knock n Mun Down. Venezuela is a little republic, but she has one thing that is the biggest of its kind on earth. It is a bug the largest Insect In all the .world. The creature Is known as the "elephant beetle," and when full grown weighs half a potmd. To be struck In tke face by such a bug, flying at full speed, would make a man feel na if a mule had kicked him. This beetle, like others of Its kind, both small and large, is clad in a com plete suit of armor, proof. This armor is made of a material far more In destructible than steel namely, chitine. Chltlne cannot be destroyed except by certain mineral adds; In other wovds, only the artifices of chemistry avail against it. Thus the shells of beetles that died 10,000,000 years ago have been preserved perfectly in the rocks, so that we know to-day Just what these insects of antiquity looked like. In Europe giant beetles have a con siderable market value, commanding prices In proportion to their size. In London there are regular auctions of insects, and a single butterfly has been known to fetch ?S00. A specimen of the rare and very large Goliath beetle Is worth $H0. This is the largest beetle of the Old World, and It first became known through missionaries "In the Congo Basin. The Scotch Hogmanay. If you want to make a Scotchman's blood tingle pronounce, if you can, that outlandish word "Hogmanay." If one at tern tp to chase this philological freak through dictionaries and lexicons the last state of that man Is worse than the first. That way madness lies. But Hogmanay to the Scotchman Is Christ mas and New Year's day rolled into one. It Is the "richt guid wlllle waught" that turns to revelry the last days of the passing year. After Hog manay Sandy drops back Into his grim. Industrious life again. Yule come an Yule's gane An we hae feasted weel, Sae Jack maun to his flail again And Jeannie tae her wheel. Montreal Star. , , Mexico la Growing. The American people nre getting bet ter acquainted with Mexico and the Mexican people than they were, but even now It will probably surprise many to learn that our nearest neigh bor on the south has, according to a census taken last October, a population of 14,000,000, or about one-fifth, the pop ulation of the United States. There are 190 cities and 400 villages, not to speak of towns, ranches, and hamlets in the republic. Mexico will hold an Interna tional exposition this year and Ameri can business men who visit It will find that there Is a great field In that coun try for American trade If It were only wisely cultivated. Springfield Repub lican. , . : Mother Come, Frltzel, why are yon so naughty to-day, Just when auntie Is paying us a visit? 1 Fritz Cause auntie told me that If I was 'a good boy she would sing for us this evening. IIu moristlsche Blatter. - There are few women In the world who know Just how deep to make the fllltng in a pl.' . THE ELEPHANT BEETLE. TO DC WORN BUT ONCE. The Empress of Russia's 200,000 Coronation Kobe. , A fifth of a million of dollars for a dress to be worn only once. Just think of It! That amount of money Invested at G per cent, would bring In a tidy lit tle Income of $12,000 a year of $1,000 a month. Most women would be willing to accept the responsibility of worry ing along on $12,000 a year, and run the risk of affording one or two be coming gowns in the bargain. The lump sum. of $200,000, which this rate of Interest represents, has already been invested in a coronation robe for Alex andra Feodorovna, Empress of Russia. For a few hours on the 24th of May she will wear this gown which has taken six months to complete. It then becomes practically state property, and will spend the remainder of its ex istence In a glass case labeled, "Corona tion Robe of Her Imperial Majesty Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress-Consort of Russia." glass case, after a few Lours' wear, will make a nice, target for the elo quence of anarchists, nihilists, socialists and all the other "lsts" In which Russia abounds. It may be imagined that they will do full Justice to Its every pearl and diamond, Its fretwork of golden threads and the six months 'of patient toil that It took to complete it. Two hundred thousand dollars will by no means complete the cost of the Empress coronation costume. There is also the ermine-line mantle of burnish ed silver brocade. And the state Jew els, the coronet of which Is estimated to hare cost $1,000,000. The necklet contains some of the finest crown Jewels in Europe, and in addition to these state gems she will wear all the gifts of Jewelry which her husband has given to her since their TnE RUSSIAN EMPRESS' marriage. Surely Solomon, even In his palmiest days, could not go the Em press one better. If any occasion could Justify the res urrection of that once popular stand-by "baffles description," It would be an at tempt to give an adequate idea of this wonderful gown, which represents the work of so many skillful bands. A worhl-famed artist designed It, a world-famed milliner constructed it, and a world-famed JewQler directed Its adornment. SERVED FORTY YEARS. Miaa 8tone Haa Been Postmistress that Length of Time. Miss Martha Elvira Stone has been postmistress at North Oxford, Mass., for forty years. Franklin Tierce was the President who appointed her. A queer old daguerreotype of Miss Stone was exhibited at the World's Fair as the oldest United States postmistress, but this Is a new picture of her, taken only a few weeks ago. Miss Stone Is 79 years old and a cousin of Clara Barton, the great army nurse. MISS MARTHA ELVIRA STONE. She is a remarkable old woman, full of vitality and has her queer little post offlce in the front room of her dwelling bouse. A Famous Book. ( ' Concerning the making of that most popular of all child's books, "Shock Headed reter,w "Its author, Dr. Hoff mann, of Frankfort, Germany, tells this story: He bad been searching high and low for a suitable picture book for his two-year-old boy, but In vain. At last he purchased a blank copy-book and told bis wife he was going to make a picture-book for the boy "one he can understand, and In which the tedious morals Te obedient,' Tje calm,' 'bo Industrious, are brought home in a manner which Impresses the young child." He knew nothing of drawing, but he set to work and pro duced the gruesome picture of all the Lib Uh . yannn mmmi naughty boys and girls which every body knows. His child was delighted, and when some of his circle of literary friends saw It they urged him to have it published before the boy spoiled It, and a publisher said he would bring it out. "WclL" said Dr. Hoffmann, "give me eighty gulden" (about $25), "and try your fortune. Don't make It expens ive, and don't make It too strong. Chil dren like to tear books as well as to read them, and nursery-books ought not to be heirlooms. They ought to last only a time." An edition of fifteen hundred was quickly sold, and now one hundred and seventy-five editions have appeared In Germany and forty In England, and it has been translated Into Russian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, French, Italian and Portuguese, and it has penetrated India, Africa and Australia. WHIPPED AT LAST. How the IJpHy of a MJch,lft-in Logging w, Camp Met Defeat. In the logging camps of Michigan might makes right, and the man who has whipped all comers In fair fights Is king of his camp. One of these, said a logger to a Wash ington Star reporter, was very boastful of his exploits. He bad been the vic tor In a dozen fights, and no one cared to enter the lists wltoh him, but every man in the camp hated the champion. Going Into a saloon one day he an nounced: "I'm tired of these babies In the camp. I ain't had a good fight in Mich igan. I can whip my weight in dogs, wildcats or anything that breathes for $100." A meek-looking man took the bet and arrangements for the fight were made. It was to take place in a closed room, one week from the time the bet was made. $200,000 CORONATION ROBE. The day came, and the champion called, "Bring on your anlmlle." The man who had bet against the king of the camb brought his antagonist in a TOO MUCH FOR TnE JJULLT. large sack, which had been deposited behind the stove In the saloon where the match had been entered Into, the weather Just beginning to get cold. The gladiator entered the room, the sack was emptied and the people crowded at the window to see the contest. Out of the sack came three large hornet nests, the occupants of which had been re vived by the heat They Issued from the nests in swarms and lit all over the man. He fought them for a minute or two, then, with a yell, Jumped through the window, carrying sasih and glass with him, never stopping until he reached the river, Into which he Jumped. "Said he could whip his weight in anything that breathed," remarked the meek little man, as he pocketed tho stakes, "but about five pounds of hor nets knocked him out In the first round." .Deaths from Chloroform. It Is stated that fifty-two deaths oc curred within the past year In the Uni ted Kingdom from the administration of chloroform. This would be a fear ful Indictment against the use of that anaesthetic If we only knew what was the relative proportion of patients sub mitted to Its Influence and to the Influ ence of other anaesthetics. In other words, if the number of chloroform cases were fifty-two times the number of nitrous oxide cases, chloroform would be no more dangerous, although It might have caused fifty-two deaths for one death caused by the latter an aesthetic. Uncle Mose "Dat dorg Is ma best friend, an I wouldn't sell 'urn fo' noth In'." Van Telt "I'll give you fifty cents for him." Uncle Mose "He's yo' dorg." Yonkers News. A girl who has a poor form deserves admiration for the clever manner In which she hides it MARQUIS OF PUPFERIN. Britain Ambassador to Franca Ones Governor-General of Canada. Out of the dust and din which En gland's bold proposition to conquer the Soudan has roused In France rises the form of the Imperturbable Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, the most distinguish ed diplomat of the times. France Is fighting angry with England, and the relations between the two countries are tense as a fiddle string. All En gland looks to the Marquis of Dufferin to smooth down the ruffled feathers of the Gallic bird, and If he fails in this amazingly difficult task It will be be cause the affair transcends the power of the master hand at diplomacy. The marquis has won his honors fairly, and he has no end of them. Not even a tithe of them can be given here, but It may be said that he has occupied every Jpfty postjnjhj diplomatic ser vice of hlscjuntryTnd lis" collateral In- MAKOUIS OF DUFFEBlJf. terests. He Is now above 70 years of age, and In his long career has been of vast service to his government. He has been secretary of state for India, and of war, too. He was viceroy of India and governor general of Canada. An Orator's Little Ruse. At a public dinner there was on the table in front of Edward Everett an ornamented dish", with two miniature silk American flags stuck into the viand. A waiter removed It from the table to the sideboard that it might be carved. As soon as Mr. Everett missed the dish he seemed seriously an noyed and whispered to another waiter to replace it. A gentleman sitting near noticed this little by scene and was sur prised that the great man should ap pear annoyed at the disappearance of the dish and delighted at its reappear ance. When the orator made his speech In response to a national toast the mys tery was explained. For as he warmed with his theme the greatness of the republic he spoke of the emotions ex cited by the flag of the union, whose folds they beheld gracefully festooned around the walls. Suddenly, as If moved by the Impulse of the moment, he seized the two little flags from the dish and waved them, one in each hand, above bis head, and the company ap plauded the act. Tom Piatt Writes Verse. Mr. Piatt Las two trunks at his old home in Owcgo full of campaign songs. He had Just left Yale College when he commenced writing and he has a rec ord in tbis respect which is marvelous. A few years ago he was the guest of the newspaper men of the Feilowcraft Club. He was called upon for a speech. He looked around the board and saw politicians of the two parties, literary critics, (artists and dramatists. All expected a speech from him. Instead he recited an original poem which he composed that afternoon In his office, telling of the ultimate fate of a mis chievous, yet enthusiastic pig. Mr. riatt's joem was the speech of the evenings and was received with roars of laughter. This rhymster and senti mentalist of campaign songs is the Re publican master of New York State. New York Sun. To Jk Him for the Congressman. An amusing story Is told in Wash ington ofa Northern Congressman who made a (mistake in the Identity of a well-knovn Congressman the other day. I There Js a Janitor whom members frequently mistake for ex-Congressman Sperry, of Connecticut. The man on whom the story is told was on his way to tie Senate restaurant when he met the Jtnltor, whom he took for Sper ry. Beiaj well acquainted with the ex-Congmsman, he Invited him to take luncl with him. The Janitor, feel ing hlghlj flattered, accepted the Invi tation. Taey went over, and after en Joying thfc delicacies of the season, the Northern! Congressman passed him a 50-eent cljar, which he immediately lit and procieded to enjoy. Then they started lick for the House, but be fore reacting It a page rushed up and said to tje pseudo Sperry: "You are wanted il stairs to attend to some sweeping nd general cleaning." The Congressman was so taken back that he wis speechless for a minute, but regain ng his composure he let out some remarks that filled the air with sulphur a nl brimstone. The Northern Congressman Is not to be blamed for his mUtafc, says the narrator of tne story, for many other members who know Sperry well have frequently spoken hUb. Janitor for Sperry. Engine of Death. , Eugene laul Brand has Just submit ted a feanul weapon to the German Minister of War. It puts all inventions In the sphjre of death-dealing Instru ments In tniVbade. The Brand contri vance is a gjn which is not loaded with powder, bi with compressed gas. A single charke will suffice for 2,500 shots, and volleyiof fifty shots each can be fired In rapid succession. This Brand new invention is one of the numerous and Improved methods of killing people that advamed civilization Is now de manding. Ills activity In destroying lives will dibtles8 Wln for him a mon ument. I Western thin robber "Hold up your hands!" Retle Languid "Aw go to my man, lah fellaw; he always awanges abjut my twavellng bills." Truth.- - Man wants but little here below, At least, so he obnerves When he compares his wants with what He thinks that be deserves. -Indianapolis Journal. Fogg soys that to borrow ten dollars from, a friend must be considered an X-ra'lse experiment. Boston Tran script. , Muggins "Did you ever attend a box party at the opera?" Bugglns "No; I'm too fond of music." Philadelphia Record. Tapa, what is a 'walk in life?' " " "It" Is that procession, my boy, In which ev erybody has to run like mad, or get left? Chicago Record. Terklns (to Jenkins) "I heard thla morning that Barlow had been arrest ed. What has he done?" Jenkins "Ev erybody." Harper's Bazar. "Oh, I can recommend him to you. He Is obliging, he knows his work, he Is honest." ' "But he stole my watch P "Yours, too!" New York Times. "You don't see spring signs In this city much, do you?" "Oh, yes; crowds get bigger every day In front of bicycle show windows." Chicago Tost , Mrs. Muslcus "Did you have much trouble In learning to sing so beautiful ly?" Miss Frankly "Yes; especially with the neighbors." Chicago Plain Dealer. He can't pay his board, for his star of success Beneath the horizon has sank; He's an elephant now on his landlady's hands And that's why she's holding his trunk. New York Sun. "Ef yoh arglfles wlf er smaht man? said Uncle Eben, "you done git de wust ob It, .and If yoh argies wif er fool yoh done was'e yoh time." Wash ington Star. Y'oung Duff "I never talk about things that I do not understand." Old Ruff "Really, you must be the most reticent young man in the city." Bos ton Transcript. Crimsonbeak "Do you know Tucker- ton, the cornetlst?" least "Yes, he lives within gunshot of me." "Well, you must be a frightfully bad shot." Yonkers Statesman. Other sprinjrs the young man's yearning Straight his thoughts of love reveals, But these days his ardent fancy. lightly turns to thoughts of wheels. Chicago Record. " ' "What can it be that has come be tween Dawson "and his wife? They used to be so happy together." Mrs. Dawson got the chaflng-dlsh habit." "Oh, too bad. Toor Da wson!" Har per's Bazar. She Mary John Smedler! If there wasn't another man in the world I wouldn't have him. Uncle George Considering the opportunities that would give him for selection, I think you are right Boston Transcript. City lady (In the country) I get so Impatient for the news out here. The mails are so irregular! Old-fashioned grandmother La! So they was in my young days. Ye couldn't trust 'em at all. Milwaukee Illustrated News. "I really don't understand," sold the fond mother to the photographer, "why you should insist on charging double for photographing the baby when even the grasping street-car corporation leta him ride free!" Indianapolis Journal. Though winter cease his bluster drear And skies may smile instead of frown, We can't believe that spring is here Until the price of coal goes down. . Washington Star. Wife "Shall I put your diamond studs in your shirt, dear?" Husband "What on earth are you thinking of? Do you want to ruin me? I have a meeting with my creditors this morn ing." Spare Moments. "I see you bad a shop-lifter at your place the other day, Berker." "Yes. It's lucky she came Thursday Instead of Wednesday." "Why so?" "Every thing she took had been marked down 50 per cent. If she'd come the day be fore, we'd have lost that." Harper's Bazar. Proposing parties are the rage; In fact, they're quite the thing. But the best proposing party Is the chap who's bought the ring. Philadelphia Record. "One of the strong points about Uia carpet, ma'am," said the salesman, "Is that It won't show dirt as plainly as some others. You wouldn't have to sweep it nearly as often as -' "I shouldn't have to sweep It at at alL young man," Interrupted Mrs. GaswelL with much sharpness. ' "We keep a hired girl." Chicago Tribune. t . "I see you have several books by Charles Reade," remarked the visitor, who was looking at the library. ."Have you 'Hard Cash' here?" "Of course not, sir," replied Mr. Boodclle, the eminent contractor, with cold dignity. "I have a burglar-proof safe." Chicago Tri bune. "Is Mrs. Smith, at homer asked tb caller. "Physically, madam," return ed the educated servant, "she Is. As an abstract question, the fact cannot be denied. But in relation to your desire to see Jier, I cannot say definitely ontil I have ascertained Mrs. Smith's wish es In the matter. Pray be seated until I have received advices from above." Philadelphia Times. The Human Brain. Trofessor Ranke has submitted) to the German Anthropological JSpcIety the results of his investigations Into the relative weights of the brain and spinal cord in man and the monkey. The ele phant and the whale have heavier brains than man; the mole and certain small apes and singing birds have heav ier brains In proportion to the weight of the body than man. According, however, to Professor Ranke, the weight of the brain in proportion to the weight of the spinal cord is greater la man than in any other animal