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Show TOWN TALK. "Has it ever occurred to you that there is Such a thing as be-'ng too popular T' inquired a prominent Virginian of a group of friends at a hotel last night "Well, there certainly is," continued the gentleman, "and one of the most striking examplct of it that I have ever known is James G. Blaine. His ability, i brilliancy and magnetism won friends for him everywhere and in all parties, and yet he has gone into private life with his ambition ambi-tion unsatisfied. AVhat was the cause of it? Well, it seems to me when his popularity made, him the most popular man in the United States, when his name was on every lip, the jealousy'of hundreds of prominent men was aroused, and they started an vtnder-eurrent vtnder-eurrent among the inttuental men and party leaders which resulted in his defeat. Had he not been 60 popular with the masses, and therefore so unpopular with the managers, I believe that ere this he would bavj been in the presidential chair." There is in Salt Lake a man who has made the subject of caucs a study and' he is an authority on the subject The gentleman is Hetiry Perini, w ho has a store in the Knuts-ford. Knuts-ford. "There is as much change in the styles of canes as in the styles cf clothing. Just cow the oxydized heads and ornaments are all the go, aud yet they wero only introduced in-troduced threa years ago. The idea took at once, however, and is still very topuier. Gold headed canes are not so fashionable as they were a few years back, probably because be-cause there are so many imitation gold heads, which has made them seem common. Another thing I have observed is, that canes arc much more generally carried now than ever before. The custom is not so universal in the west as in the east, where almost every gentleman carries a stick or umbrella, but it is growing." "What sort of wood makes the finest caneV" "Well, all things considered, perhaps French crab and adrolette. Few people know what these woods really are. They are of fine color, strong, yet not too heavy and have those little notches from top to bottom. I have heard them called cocoa wood, grease wood, caetus and so on. The wood is grown principally in France, and the notching is not natural. The sticks grow perfectly straight, and when of the proper size, are skillfully notched with a knife. The adrolette is the more delicate cf the two, ami makes a prettier stick." "Are no American woods used for the fine canes 5"V . "Oh, yes. The orange wood, from California, Cali-fornia, makes a pretty stick, and oak is aiso popular. For a very heavy canes nakewaod is probably best, as it takes a fine finish and is as strong as ebony without being so brittle brit-tle Other fine sticks are the Weschsel from Germany, the Medlar, Olive and Couquilla." "The fashion among the ladies of carrying long sticks doesn't seem to be as popular as it was?" "No, it has about died out, and you may have noticed that the extremely long-handled parasols have gone, too. Do you know that there are a great many men who are cane collectors? Well, it's a fact, and I know two or three in Salt Lake. It seems to me that it is more sensible than collecting pipes and coins; but then, I suppose I'm prejudiced. I have met wealthy men, though, who knew more about canes than almost anyone in the business, and have learned a good deal from them. Speaking of styles changing, though, reminds mc that a few years ago our eastern house got a big lot of French crab canes with a peculiar knob, and a very uncomfortable one to handle. han-dle. Something started them going, though, and in a very short time all were sold out at retail except half a dozen. Well, we have that half dozen yet" "Salt Lake didn't do herself proud on the 4th," said a Main street merchant this morning, "and I hope that the 24th will not go by without some sort of a celebration. There is no state that has more reason to celebrate an anuiversary local to itself than we have to celebrate this day, which marks the entrance of the pioneers into this valley and the founding of Salt Lake City. It may have a religious significance to some people, peo-ple, but it hasn't any to me, and I hone the custom of observing the day will not be allowed al-lowed to die out." 'The newspapers of Salt Lake," remarked an attorney In Clerk McMillan's office; this morning, "are. In my opinion, superior to those of any city of its size in the Union, and, in fact, ahead of the papers in a good many larger cities. The journals in the hie towns are, of course, much larjrer, but I don't think they contain as much news, local and telegraph, 'fhey are tilled tip with clippings, special articles aud syndicate syndi-cate stutf, and the news seems to be considered con-sidered of secondary importance. Salt Lake can certainly feel proud of her newspapers, and they deserve to be loyally supported." "I believe the public schools will soon practically supplant the sectarian institutions institu-tions in Salt Lake," said a minister to The Times man, "and I think the members of the board of education deserve to be called our best public officials. They have had a great taBk imposed upon them, have had grave responsibilities entrusted to them, aud have not made a mistake that I can see. They have expended a great deal of money, but have expended it wisely and economically. economi-cally. The work was really begun but a short time ago, and the progress made is surprisina:. 1 believe the board of education educa-tion is laying the foundation on which will be built a magnificent public school system, and in after years the community will call these pioneers blessed. The public schools are the bulwarks of liberty in this laud. Two much cannot be done for them." The Gossii'EK. |