Walsingham
SIR FRANCIS, an English statesman; born in Chiselhurst, England, about 1530. After studying at King's College, Cambridge, he traveled on the Continent for some time, and acquired a good knowledge of foreign languages and politics. He was introduced by Cecil, Lord Burleigh, to public service, under Queen Elizabeth, and employed in embassies to France, the Netherlands, and Scotland. He also sat in the House of Commons for various constituencies, was knighted, made a member of the Privy Council, and one of the principal secretaries of state. The unraveling of the Babington plot against Queen Elizabeth was intrusted to Walsingham, and he was also one of the commissioners who tried Queen Mary. He died in Born Elms, near London, April 6, 1590.
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Walter
THOMAS USTICK, an American architect; born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 4, 1804; began the udy of architecture in the office of study William Strickland, with whom he remained till 1830, when he engaged in independent practice. His first important work was the Moyamensing penitentiary, built in 1831. In 1833 he made the designs for the Girard College building, which on its completion in 1847 was pronounced the finest specimen of classic architecture in the United States. His next great work was the breakwater at La Guayra for the Venezuelan Government. In 1851 his design for the extension of the National Capitol at V Washington, D. C., was adopted. Having been appointed government architect, he removed to Washington, and remained there till the completion of the work in 1865. While in Washington he also designed the extensions of the patent office, treasury, and postoffice buildings, the dome of the Capitol, and the Government Hospital for the Insane. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society, and an original member of the American Institute of Architects; and was also Professor of architecture in Franklin Institute and lecturer on architecture in Columia College. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 30, 1887.
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Walther von der Vogelweide
wal'ter fon der fo'gel-wi-deh. See Minnesingers
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Walton, Izaak
Izaak (1593-1683), a quiet, easy-going London linen merchant. His delight lay in fishing, reading, and writing. He wrote a number of quaint, rambling Lives of the people of his time. His Com-pleat Angler is a description, usually in dialogue form, of English lanes, inns, farms, fishes, rods, bait, boating, and angling. It is a delightful volume, most artfully interwoven with observations worthy of Shakespeare himself. It is the first of outdoor books. Look, under that broad beech-tree I sat down, when I was last this way a-fishing; and the birds in the adjoining grove seemed to have a friendly contention with an echo, whose dead voice seemed to live in a hollow tree near to the brow of that primrose hill. There I sat viewing the silver streams glide silently towards their center, the tempestuous sea; and sometimes I beguiled time by viewing the harmless lambs, some leaping securely in the cool shade, whilst others sported themselves in the cheerful sun.
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Waltz
a dance said to have originated in Bohemia, now of almost universal adoption. It is performed by couples, wh who , almost embracing each other, swing round the room with a whirling motion. Also, the music composed for such a dance. The time is of triple measure in crotchets (quarter notes) or quavers (eight notes), and consists of 8 or 16 bar phrases. Modern waltz-writers frequently add to their original dance-form an introduction and coda. The "Vienna" waltz is characterized by a rapid movement and strict unbroken time. Ländler are slower and more dignified than the waltz. "Classical waltzes" are compositions in waltz form intended for set pieces, not for dance tunes. In them greater scope is given to the composer and performer compatible with the rhythm of than is co the dance.
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Wanamaker
JOHN, an American merchant; born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 11, 1838; began his career as an errand boy in a bookstore; was afterward employed as a retail clothing salesman; and in 1861 established, with Nathan B Brown, the clothing house of Wanamaker & Brown, own, in Philadelphia. Ph In 1876 he founded a large department store in that city and subsequently converted the A. T. Stewart building on Broadway, New York, into a similar store. In 1889-1893 he was Postmaster- General. He was long active in religious work, and early founded the Bethany Presbyterian Sunday-school, in Philadelphia, which soon became one of the largest in the United States.
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Wanamaker, John
John (1838-), an American merchant. He was born in Philadelphia. He received an ordinary common school education. At the age of fourteen he began to acquire experience as an errand boy in a store. In 1861 he formed a partnership with a brother-in-law under the name of Wanamaker & Brown, and established a clothing store. Later the firm became known as John Wanamaker & Co. The firm added one line of goods after another until "Wanamaker's" became a feature of Philadelphia and was regarded as the most noted department store in America. Mr. Wanamaker was a believer in advertising. He is reputed to have paid the Philadelphia dailies yearly from $50,000 to $75,000 apiece for advertising, the price being $1,000 for a full page advertisement. Mr. Wanamaker was an active man in church work and a promoter of the Y. M. C. A. In politics he was a Republican, but was opposed to machine rule. He served as a presidential elector in 1888 and was postmaster-general in President Harrison's cabinet. He favored taking over the telegraph system. In 1896 Mr. Wanamaker engaged in the retail trade in New York City, opening up in the store building formerly occupied by A. T. Stewart. Later he built a model department building intimately connected with the subway system. Wandering Jew. See Sue ; Eugene
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Wanderoo
WANDERU, in or zoology, the Macacus silenus, from the S. of Hindustan, especially the country bordering the Malabar coast. It is about 2 feet in length, tail 10 to 12 inches. The wanderoos have long, slim bodies, covered with black hair, tail of the same color, tufted. The head looks very large, because of a mane, or ruff, and beard which sticks out round the face. This mass of long hair is either gray or white, and adds to the sly look of the broad face, soft dull eyes, and broad muzzle. Also, any species of the genus Semnopithecus. S. ursinus is the great wanderoo.
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