Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 08.pdf/519

476 An old and very eminent lawyer in Boston lay dying. His daughter spoke to the attendant nurse, who thereupon left the room. "Mary," said the patient, "what did you say to that woman?" "Oh! nothing, father, nothing." "Mary," came the feeble voice, " what words did you use to say nothing?"

CURRENT EVENTS. Considerations of public health have been pre dominant in determining the most important lines of action entered upon within the last quarter of a cen tury by municipal Glasgow. This, of necessity, has been so on account of the density of its population. Glasgow has eighty-four persons to an acre, while London has but fifty-one to the same amount of land. They first built model lodging and tenement houses, and these proved themselves so successful that they have lately built an interesting addition in the shape of a " Family House," with accommodations for one hundred and sixty-five families. It is especially in tended for widows and widowers with children; there is a large nursery with trained nurses to attend to the children while their parents are working. "Public baths and wash-houses" are located in various parts of the city; each includes under the same roof capa cious swimming baths for men and women, also numerous small bathrooms with every modern con venience, furnished for a small sum. In the same building with the baths, but as a distinct feature, are extensive wash-houses for the use of poor families that lack home conveniences for laundry work. For the sum of two-pence an hour a woman may use a stall containing hot and cold water and an improved steam boiling apparatus; after the clothes are washed they are deposited for two or three minutes in one of a row of centrifugal machine driers, after which they are hung in one of a series of sliding frames which re treat into a hot-air apartment. Then if she wishes the woman may use a large roller mangle, operated, like all the rest of the machinery, by steam power, and in an hour go home with her clothes in a basket, washed, dried and ironed. In 1894 the street railways passed into the hands d"f the municipal government, and after a very short period people were able to ride for one penny, with hopes of a future reduction. Every thing they have attempted has been well done. The buildings put up are handsome and substantial, and they have all, in a short time, not only paid for them selves but proved a good paying investment to the city. The Glasgow municipal government has set an example which other city governments could follow with profit to themselves and their citizens.

The world has lately been electrified by the news, which the German emperor has been reported as hav ing blurted forth, that the Dreibund of the future would be between Russia, Austria and Germany, Italy sympathizing with Russia. England would then stand alone, having the friendship of no country; but Eng land, claiming the allegiance of one-fourth of the entire population of the globe, can afford to stand alone with no fear of losing her prestige.

Fifty thousand children were refused admission to the public schools of New York on account of the lack of accommodation. This brings to mind the old adage of the devil finding work for idle hands to do, and unless existing conditions are changed, New York's crime-list will be greatly augmented.

The Queen of Holland was to be confirmed on Oct. 24, at the Palace of the Hague, and shortly after wards, it is said, her formal betrothal to Prince Bernhard of Saxe Weimar will take place. Wilhelmina was born in 1880. William III, her father, was a great roue and the supposed hero of the famous " Clemenceau Case." Her mother. Regent Queen Emma during the minority of Wilhelmina, was William Ill's second wife and a princess of the House of Waldeck. Queen Wilhelmina is from all accounts a remarkable child, having the interests of her people near to her heart. Her greatest delight is a miniature farm of which she has the entire management. It is run in the most eco nomical manner, quite unlike the dairy of the unfortu nate and frivolous Queen Marie Antoinette of France. The produce is given to the hospitals and the poor. England has at length, after seventy years of dis cussion, decided to adopt the metric system of weights and measures, and the government, in the person of its President of the Board of Trade, has drafted a bill to be submitted to Parliament at the opening of the next session. There is much grumbling in New York over the high tax-rate of $ 2. 14 on every hundred dollars, and loud are the demands for lower assessments. Among the checks received either by mail or personal tender were $665,000 from the Vanderbilt family, $480,000 from the Astors, $85,000 from the Lorillard estate, $100,000 from R. A. Cruikshank, and $75,419 from Amos R. Eno. The women of Iceland have full municipal suffrage and vote in all church and parish matters. There is also a woman's political club, and public meetings are called when questions affecting the interest of the sex are before the Legislative Assembly.