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A Just and Glowing Tribute to the Fair Sex. Woman’s Influence. "Frailty thy name is woman.” Passed down to us through succ* s- sive eras, caught from the parent to be lisped by the child, this saying has passed almost into an axiom. Like hundreds of others of similar charac ter, it has survived the obscurity which should ever be the fate of falsi ty ; because of that terseness to which humanity ever ends a willing ear, we are caught by the apparent aptness of the sc-called axiom, and too often we do not stop to anal\ ze its truthfulness uutil by constant repiti- tion we dually accept it as correct. It is only when subjected to the severe test of reason that these axioms stand forth, stripped of their beauty of expression, in all ttie true hideousness of falsehood. Let us then see if woman is as frail as she is repre sented. We, who are Christians, take the Bible as a standard by which the good and fitness of all things are to be judged, and from its teachings we learn that $11 created things have cer tain uses to serve and ends to attain. Mankind being the highest order of the creation, there necessarily de volved upon him certain duties ; these are numerous and intricate, and it is only here proposed to treat of one— namely, the exercise of that influence which woman exercises over man. In the darkest ages of the world’s history, woman was regarded more as a slave than as a companion ; a willing ser- vantto serve man’s purposes ; deficient in intellect as in bodily strength. Under such attending circumstances her influence must necessarily have been very limited ; and yet here and there we find her bursting asunder the chains of prejudice, and influenc ing for good or ill the fate, not alone of individuals, but of nations. Of such, history, both inspired and pro fane, furnishes numerous instances. As each succeeding age brought with it a higher civilization, elevating na tions from a state of barbarity, to a more and more enlightened society, substituting the deductions of reason and the truths of Christianity for the true force which at first was almost solely the standard of right and wrong, so woman gradually emerged from the degrading position of a do mestic servant, to assume that of man’s companion. With her new dignity there came a new duty. Man had accorded her a new sphere of ac tion—had given her the right to direct him in those things which by nature she was best fitted to guide, and it henceforth became incumbent upon her to so exercise that influence to which he so willingly yielded, as would best benefit them both. Take her first as a child, when rea son has not as yet had time to come to her aid in pointing out her little du ties. Nature seems to rash to the res cue and she unconsciously wields her influence for the interest of society. Take her surrounded by a troop of wild, mischievous boys. Who can deny but that she, by her very presence, seems a great influence upon their rough sports and uncouth ways ? She seems to impart to them a poition of that gentleness, that which makes her so lovable, by being to them an object to protect as well as love. She is their sister, and to every manly heart the word conveys a volume of meaning. In their very watchfulness over her, their solicitude for her pleasure and wellfare, they learn many a true les son of life, little thinking in after years how much of that true manli ness they boast of, is due to the little frail being they call sister. Young as she may be she still possesses an influ ence, and she cannot be taught too soon the duty of its proper exercise. For boys are quick in forming their opinions and are prone to judge others by the standard of their own sisters. Should she lose their respect, she loses tbeir affections, and with it all control over their young lives. As a woman just emerging from her teens, entering into a woman, her influence becomes more and more extended. She should begin to realize that the days of yielding to every childish impulse are past. That she owes society a duty, be it in the ball-room, the parlor or in every day life ; she should not for get that it is hers to rtflue, soften, and to elevate. This is not so diffi cult, for at her age men are apt to olothe her in all the imaginary charms of a supreme being. How great, then, is the necessity that she shoula regard the temple she has erected, and the influence she has created, with the ! bright eye of hope and the unclouded b/ow of cheerfulness. The chamber of the sick, the pillow of the dying, the vigils of the dead, the altars of re ligion, never missed the presence or sympathies of woman. Timid though she be, and so delicate that the "winds of heaven may not too roughly visit her,” on such occasions she loses all sense of danger and as sumes a preternatural courage which knows not fear nor the conse quences, for "Woman feels where man thinks, acts where he deliber ates, hopes where he despairs, tri umphs where he falls.” As a wife her task probably becomes more diffi cult. Many of the day-dreams of her youth will vanish, and she is brought face to face with the sterner realities of life. At the first outset she should, and generally does, possess unbounded influence over him, whom she has promised to love, honor and obey. A good wife they say makes, a good mother. It is here that she occupies the highest and proudest position of womanhood. The little chargei en trusted to her ca r e look up to her in all things ; she forms their characters, moulds their idea of right and wrong. According to the training they re ceive from her in youth, so will be the course of their af.er-iife. Deprived of any equal voice iu the governments and councils of nations, and of the chances to reveal physical power and heroism on the battlefield, still woman’s influence over the fate of mankind Is very great, she is infe rior to man only in physical power, in all else she is his equal, if not his superior. Viewed in whatever light you place her, woman wields a magic influence. Let her but confine it to the path which both God and nature has marked out for her ; let her prop erly exercise it at the fireside, in so ciety or in every-day life, and she becomes the most glorious of all God’s creatures—a noble woman. "Nature has made thee to temper man; we had been brutes without you ; angels are painted fair to look like you. There is in you all that we believe of heaven ; amazing brightness, purity and love, eternal joy and eveilasting love.”—[Reaux, In Phila. National Union. Elephants All Cowards. I once had a grand scrimmage with a tigress. She had mauled my own tusker badly, had crunched the ma hout’s foot into a jelly, while she had caused mo to be thrown off, and, after mauling two other elephants, not badly, she had forced us to retreat for the time, as it got dark, and not an animal would go near her ; we had no howdahs. Next morning we found her dead and took her into camp. As an experiment, we had ail the tuskers brought to the front. My own beast, which was badly mauled about the head and jowl, and had its back fear fully cut by the charah ropes, went up to her at once when told, and struck the carcass with its trunk and stood by unconcernedly ; but none of the other five tuskers would go near her. They were theu jammed together and driven forward. They advanced with heads lowered until their tusks ploughed up the ground, ut tering most pitiful cries. When within a yard or so of the dead tigress, they jerked up their heads, scattering earth upon the body, and, notwithstanding the pun ishment they received from their mahouts, broke away and ran for their lives. It was the most absurd sight I ever saw. They next day, al though the place where we were en camped was as bare of vegetation aud level as a billiard table, not an ele- plaut would advance alone to drink water or be bathed. The bheel was not 100 yards off; so the mahouts, holding on to a tip of the t^r of an elephant, led them in a body down to ward the water. Suddenly a young tusker, Jerry, which had been born in captivity and was of a most uncertain temper, trumpeted aud bolted, follow ed by every animal iu camp; and it gave us a great deal of trouble to re capture them; one tusker, who had waudered upward of fifty miles, uot being recovered for a week, i'here was not the slightest cause for this stampede. It interfered with our sport considerably; but iu a few days the elephants appeared to have get over their panic and allowed us to kill gaur, buffaloes and other game off them without any undue fear. I have al ways found elephants born in captiv ity most uncertain in their tempers. They lose all fear of man, while, from not being accustomed to wild beast, they dread them, and ure thus useless for sport. The War in Egypt. Admiral Seymour and Arabi Bey—Alexan dria and the Suez Canal. Sir Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour sprang from a collateral branch of the Marquis of Hertford’s family, and both by tradition and pro fession is identified with the Royal Navy. His father was the late Colo nel Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour, K C. B., M. P., aud Sir Frederick, the present Vice Admiral, was born in 1821. After having been educated at Eton College he entered the Royal Navy in 1834 as a cadet. In two j ears time he passed as midshipman, and then having passed through the inter mediate grades of mate, lieutenant and commander In 1847, obtained the rank of post captain in 1854. Mean while he had served with distinction in Burmah, as well as in the New Zealand wars in 1852 53, and that of 1860-61, being severely wounded in the last while commanding a naval bri gade, and invalided for a time. For his services he was created a Compan ion of the Bath in 1861. From 1860-2 he Mas Commodore in command of the Australian Btation. He held the office of Naval Aide-de-Camp to her M jesty from 1866 70. From 1872 to 1874 he was Lord of the Admiralty under Mr. Gladstone’s auspices, re signing tho tffice on being appointed to the command of the Channel fleet. This important position he filled lill 1877, when he *as created a Kuight C ommander of the Bath. Ia 1880 he was appointed to the command of the Mediterranean squadron, in virtue of which he is now in command before Alexandria. He w'as promoted to flag rank is Rear Admiral in 1870, becom ing Vice Admiral iu 1876. Arabi Pacha, or Ourabi Bey, as the Arabs call him, is the son of a promi nent personage in the province of Charkirch, in Lower Egypt, and is about 45 years old. He received an excellent education in a military school. He early imbibed progressive ideas, which he has never failed to propagate among his countrymen. After leaving the military school he entered the army and remained for some time in the ranks. Although Ismail Pacha paironized him he did not advance above the rank of major under that ruler. On three different occasions he endeavored to obtain the rank of bey or colonel, but Ismail le- plied to the person advocating his cause : " If I create him a colonel he will create a revolt in the regiment unaer his command in less than six months.” The truth ot Ismail’s words was soon made apparent to his son and successor, Tewfik, who shortly after his accession gizetted Arabi a colonel. Prior to the*2d of February, 1881, the date of themil - tary troubles which have resulted in the present conflict, he commanded the Fourth Regiment of the Infantry of the Guard. That Arabi is a man of great determination is evinced by what be has accomplished ever since the neginning of the year. Then he was considered to be the most impor tant factor in Egypt,-but not even his warmest partisans would have prophe sied that in a few months he woul<$ venture to defy openly the whole of Europe and carry on his work of dis organization under the very guns of a hostile fleet, especially dispatched lor the purpose of overawing him. Not a little of his power ii due to his oratori cal ability. He is a scholar and is learned in the arts of war. He is loved by his soldiers as a bold and fearless leader, and has the good will of the Moslem priesthood, which ac counts for the Sultan’s hesitancy to take active measures against him, even if he Ir e inclined to do so. The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B. C. It was btauti ful'y and regularly laid out and in the height of its prosperity comprehended a circumference of fif teen miles and contained 300,000 free inhabitants and as many slaves. The city lies low, and the approach from the Mediterranean is the reverse of picturesque. But few remains of the ancient city, which stood on the n-est- ern mainland shore, opposite the island of Pharos, since converted into a peninsula, are now extant; its ex tent from east to west seems to have beeu four miles, traversed by two grand streets, each 100 feet wide. The Catacombs, tire public cisterns and column erected in honor of Diocletian, which ia called Porupey’s Pillar, with some portions of the Roman city wall, still remain to attest traditions of clas sical antiquity. Alexandria owed its wealth and prosperity to the con formation of the seashore, with the shelter afforded by the small Pharos islet, providing a commodious harbor, called by the Greeks Eunostos, with good anchorage in deep water on the western side. The eastern harbor, though it is called the New Harbor, has been little used, being exposed to the north winds, much clogged with sand and having a foul and rocky bot tom. These two harbors are separa ted from each other by a broad cause way or artificial isthmus, now joining Pharos to the mainland of Egypt. This tract of land, however, op the main, is of no great width, lying be tween Lake Marcotist, to the west, and the Bay of Aboukir eastward; while the Canopic mouth of the Nile is to the east fourteen miles distant. There is a connection with the Nile by the Mahmoudieh canal, which ex tends from Alexandria to Fouah, a distance of forty-eight miles. The distance to Cairo is about one hundred aud thirty miles by railway, but it is a iourney of live hours. The ancient Pharos lighthouse is at one extremity of the islhmus and the modern light house at the other. The Khedive’s palace of Ras El Tin is situated on the island, next the modern lighthouse and fort. The arsenal is at the inner harbor ; the catacombs, on the south ern shore, marking the site of the ancient city. The interior of the town itself presents no features of in teres-t. There are the quays, with old-fashioned, rather squalid houses on the shore of the Old Ports; the Arab quarters, to the south, consisting of mud hovels ; ihe cotton market, the canal wharves, the railway station and barracks on the same Bide; to the east, facing the New Port, beyond Fort Napoleon, is the Grand Square, the Place < es Consuls, or Frank Squaie, formerly called the Place Mahomet Ali, which has, with several adjacent streets, come to be chiefly inhabited by European residents. It was in the Rue des Sceurs " Sikket el Binaat,” in this quarter of the city, that the frightful riots of Sunday, June 11, began, and simultaneously in two other places, and along the ms- rina. These parts of Alexandria seem to have been quite out of sight, as well as out of reach, of the British naval squadron lying in the harbor or in the outer roadstead. The great waterway between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, ow ing to the war in Egypt, has of late again been brought prominently be fore the public. A short sketch of its history, will, therefore, not be without interest at the present moment. In almost prehistorical times the eastern branch of the Nile and the Red Sea were united by a canal, made under Necho and Ptolemy Philadelphus. Traces of it are still visible, but It is not known when it ceased to be a navigable communication. In mod ern times Napoleon I., during his so. journ in Egypt, conceived the idea to re-open the canal between Cairo and Sutz, and instructed the engineer Le- pere to study the question. Lrpere found a difference of 30 feet m the level of the two seas, and, although his measurement turned cut wrong afterward, the plan was abandoned. In 1840, M. Linaut df Bellefands; in 1846, Enfantin ; in 1847, M. Talabot and M. Barrault again proposed pierc ing the Isthmus, but could not find any one to listen to their projects. It was in December, 1854, when M. de Lesseps first explored the desert along the Isthmus, and found the establish ment of a canal feasible. To his in domitable energy it is due that the works were commenced in I860 and the new M T ater-way opened for traffic nine years later. During this time the harbor of Port Said, on the Medi terranean end, was constructed be tween two jetties of two and three thousand yards in length respectively. At Sutz the Red Sea was sufficiently protected from adverse winds to dis pense with jetties and ta enclo-e the canal between two quaye. The tract of low-lying land connecting Africa witli Asia extends about seventy-four miles from north to south, aud is com posed of shell limestone rocks, mixed with stratus of siliceous limestone, and partly covered with sand or salt marshes. The deepest cuttings had to be made near Ei Guisre, near Sera- ptum and Chaiouf. Equidistant from Port Said and Suez a new t)wn, Ismallia, was built on tlm shores of Lake Tlmsah, to protect the outlet of a second canal, which carries the fresh water supply from the Nile, near Cairo, to the Isthmus, distributing the same in two branches to Bin z and Port Said. This supply of trash water was of the utmost imj o tanoe when more than twenty thousand laborers were employed in the construction of the canal, and is still a necessary of life for the town of Port Said, Ismallia and Suez, as well as to the engineer ing staff which keeps the canal in repair, and for the convenience of the shipping, considering that a supply of drinkiDg water from wells can beob- tained at one or two places oiiy. England, who at first opposed the on- struction of the canal, has since be come fully alive to its political *Qd 4 commercial value as the shortest rolte to India, the distance between Baa- bay and London having been reduod —compared with the route round tie , Cape—by about 7000 miles. The num ber of vessels, the greater part Eop Jish, rose from 1477 in 1879 to 2727 1 1881. It is, therefore, a matter ( grave anxiety whether the safety 0 the passage can be depended upon a crisis like the present one. Electric Lights in Sea-Fishing. A French paper reports a trial by Government permission of an electric lure for sea fish. It consists of an electric light in a glass globe with a device for sinking it to tbe desired depth. As soon as the light is turned on the stain its vicinity is illuminated brilliantly, and the fish, over whom light is well known to exercise an irresistible influence at night, come eagerly, and sometimes in large schools, within the rays. They may be seen from above disporting them selves in the unaccasiomed brightness, and litlle dreaming of the sinister pur pose with which the little fete is or ganized for them. It is then that other fishing boats, armed with nets, come lip and set to work at the uncon scious victims, which they surround as well as they can without interfering with the apparatus connected with the lighted globe. It may be supposed that this device is calculated to oper ate with much deadly effect when ever it is used ; and there seems to be much doubt whether it will ever be allowed as a recogn 'zed kind of fishing within territorial waters. Indeed, the license granted by the Government is said to be merely provisional, and for th e purpose of testing the new ma chine. Bertha’s Indignation* "I should smile.” _ As Bertha R^dington spoke these words she lay ccquettishly in a barn- meek that bad been swung between two giant oaks that reared their tall heads aloft in the lawn, at the edge of which stood her father’s stately resi dence. A little foot enmeshed in a silken stocking, whose delicate tex ure displayed to advantage the trim ankle within, peeped out from beneath a fleecy white drees, while the laughing eyes and fair forehead of the girl were surmounted by a coronal of sunnily- golden tresses of which any hair store might have been proud. "S > you like ice-cream?” said Har old McIntyre, bending over the ham mock and looking tenderly into Ber tha’s blue eyes. "I should smile,” said theq^rl again, getting ready to put on her slipper and start. "You are right,” said Harold. "Ice cream is a good thing. Perhaps some day next week I will buy you some.” The loofcof happy expectancy faded fjrom the girl’s face. "What time is it?” she asked. "Ten minutes to six,” replied Har old. "Then,” said Bertha, "if you start right away you will get home in time for supper.” • ™ ■ The New War Vessels. Tne Senate bill reported to-day au thorizing the construction of a number of vessels ot war for the nfiyy, appro priating $10,000,000 for the purpose. The bill provides for th* construction of six open hearth steel ciuistrs, of them to be not less than 6,000 nor more than 6,000 tons displacement, and to be armed with four breech loading rifled cannon, of not less than eight-inch calibre, and twenty-one breech-loading cannon of not less than six-inch calii.re; the remaining four to be of not less than 4,300 nor more than 4,700 tons displacemenl, and to be armed with four breech-loading rifled cannon, of not less than eight- inch calibre, and fifteen breech loading rifled oannon of not less than six inch calibre. Tbe bill also authorizes the construction of one steel ram of not more than 2 000 tons displacement, four sipam cruising boats and four steam harbor torpedo-boats. It fur ther provides that the steel used in tbeir construction shall be of domestic manufacture, and that one-half of the number of vts-els, including the en gines and boilers, shall Du built in the navy yards of the United States, and that the others shall be built in whole or in part by contract.