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VOL. 1. fcro Wo Parr; Sortie Jay; when I am lying cold and sens*. less, My friends will gather round mo, saying low; '•This heart, now stilled how bravo it wis and tender, And strong and true; and O, we loved her so!” While on my ley trow, which fcannot feel them, Will kisses fall more loving than I know, And o’er my unresponsive face he raining The scalding tear-drops of their bitter woe. My faults (so many!) will be hid forever And covered with the certainty that I Endeavored, always, to be true and faithful And all life’s burdens bear without a sigh. Cut knowing, caring naught, I shall not au- swer, I shall not even feel your sympathy; Too late will come love’s full, complete ex¬ pression, To satisfy life’s wishing it might be. Ah, now, today, is none too soon to speak them, Those words so freely offered by and by; Today the heart of loving should be given Which bleeds so readily if I should die. My soul is aching, longing to be sure, friend, Of all the love you bear me in your heart; O, do not Ut me wait until too late, dear, 0 , make we know and feel it, ere we part. —[Helen M. Winslow in The Housewife. THE WIFE’S PERIL. A guide’s story. “Yes, we have a largo variety of people here in the woods during the year. Some come to hunt and fish, others to look over the timber andiron lands, and others in pursuit of health. I have hardly known a sca-on when we did not have one or two gold hunt¬ ers.” The speaker was one of the veteran guides of the northern Adirondack region, who made his headquarters in St. Lawrence county. “The best marksman I ever saw in St. Lawrence county,” the guide said, “was a Buffalo man named Birgin, who come here a few years ago with his wife, who was nil invalid. She was threatened with consumption, and the docters had advised her to try the air of the mountains. Birgin lmd a neat log cabin built about two miles in from here early in the spring, and When lie had furnished it handsomely he moved in witli his wife and two servants. He seemed to have plenty of money, and didn’t have anything to do but take care of his wife and sketch and write a little, and practice shoot¬ ing with a revolver. He didn’t seem to care much for hunting, anil I don’t (link 1 ever saw him use a rifle. “I never could see why lie practised so much, for lie ecu Id hit everything within range that he could sec. I have known a good many crack shots and seen a deal of close shoot ng in my time, but this city man beat them all. lie didn’t use any of tl.csc new-fangled pistols, but always practiced with a rather old-fashioned looking Colt’s re¬ volver. He always said he hated to kill anything, lie shot to kill befjre he left the woods, though. “One day I asked liiin how he came to be so expert. Ho said that when lie was a very young Jad he bud a fancy for pistol practice. When Captain Travis opened a pistol gallery in Bnf- fab lie took lessons of him. The cap¬ tain became a good deal interested in him and took pains to instruct him. When he went away he made him a present of the revolver lie still used, and advised him to practise with noth¬ ing else. It was one Travis had had made on purpose for sharpshooting. “When Birgin told me about Travis ho showed me a shot I would not be¬ lieve could be made if I hadn’t seen him make it three times in succession. 8oinc hard wood boards bad been left where the floor of the cabin bad been laid. Birgin took 011 c of these boards and laid it on tlie ground, and leveled it up carefully with a little spirit level. Ten paces from the plank lie put a mark about as big as a silver half dol¬ lar on a tree. Then lie got back ten paces from the plank and leveled his pistol and fired at the centre of the plank. The bullet glanced from the hard wood and struck the mark on 1 lie tree. This tie did three times in suc¬ cession. Ho said that was one of the shots Travis had taught him, and he had always kept, it in practice. He said that some time his practice might be of use to him. And he was right about that. “I was not very busy in the spring and early summer, and I went around with Birgin a good deal. Like every stranger he was afraid of the woods and tie paid well for anything that looked like work. “After a couple of months Mrs. Bir- gin’s health was so much better ttat she was able to join us in short strolls into the timber, anil she enjoyed them very much. She would sit on sonic cush¬ ions with one of the girls an hour or two at a time, while Birgin would ramble around and sketch and exam¬ ine the recks. AVlien I had nothing particular to do I used to stroll oyer to THE ENTERPRISE. Birgiti'j cabin along in the foronbon, when flic weather was lino. Thch, as his wife continued to improve, I would take them further and further into Hid Woods; ftaclt time ill a ii6w direc¬ tion. On these ttips I always carried my double-bartelled tnurr.le-loaditig shotgiiii, and it’s worth three bf any breech loaders I over hand led. in 1 lie left barrel I always had a heavy charge of powder and buckshot, and in the other barrel a charge of line bird shot,. Deer wore out of season, and all we eared for was a few birds for Mrs. Birgin. “One afternoon my boy, who was then a lad of 15, had been out with my shotgun, lie came home at night a good deal excited. lie had met some of the boys, and they had told him about a panther that lmd been seen and heard in the neighborhood. He talked so much about the panther that he forget to tell mo he had fired the charge of buckshot, and left both barrels loaded with bird shot. ‘•I didn’t take any stock in the story about the panther, and thought the boys had been trying to scare the lad. I had never seen a live panther, and never expected to see one, at least about here. I thought so little about it that I didn’t mention the matter to the Birgin people. I didn’t want to alarm them for nothing and spoil their pleasant strolls in the woods, when they were doing Mrs. Bi -gin s<^ much good. “Tho next morning I took my shot¬ gun and wont over to the cabin, I only looked to see that it was loaded and supposed the load of buckshot was in the left barrel, as usual, as the boy had never interfered wi h it be¬ fore. My carelessness, for that’s what it was, came very near being disastrous. “Mrs. Birgin was feeling stronger than usual that morning, and we walked a long way from the cabin. Ono of the servants went with us and carried a big basket of provisions. We camped for lunch in a pretty little ravine over near Littlo River. After lunch Birgin and myself crossed the little ravine, and left the women sit¬ ting on the bank. Birgin had his re¬ volver in his belt as usual and began hammering on a rock looking for specimens, and I sat looking on, with my gun over my knees. “Suddenly I heard a stir in (he un¬ derbrush on the other side of the navine. I turned my head, and you can imagine how I felt when I saw a full-grown male panther only a few feet back of where the women sat. It had probably been attracted by tho smell of the provisions and was mak¬ ing observations. “I confess I lost my head a little, as I was not hunting for panthers. But then, did you ever happen to meet a full-grown panther in the woods? Y'ou had a touch of ‘buck fever’ when you were up here last fall and fired at your first deer. A panther is a great big cat, and when one is interfered with it is apt to make tilings lively unless it is disabled with the first shot. Other¬ wise it is betier let alone. “My first thought was to give the panther a dose of buckshot, and I took quick aim and let go my left barrel, over the heads of the women. I knew by the light recoil that something was the matter, but I could not understand it. I sent the other charge instinct¬ ively. The panther was less than 100 feet away. “You can imagine tho effect of the birdshot in the faco of a robust and hungry panther. It simply maddened iiim. The beast prepared to spring upon the women, but I could do noth¬ ing, with only an empty shotgun. At my first shot Mrs. Birgin had turned and caught sight of the panther just above her, and fell in a dead faint. “The huge beast made the spring, but went wide of iiis mark and rolled down the bank to the bottom of the little ravine. Birgin liad been equal to the emergency. lie sprang up in¬ stantly when I shot, and drawing his Colt’s revolver sent a 38-caIibrc slug into the panther’s right eye. A second slug caught him in 1 I 10 centre of the forehead just as lie sprang clear of the*ground. He just grazed the form of Mrs. Birgin, and was dead before he had rolled down to the bottom of the glen. “Birgin hurried up the bank to at¬ tend to his wife, who soon recovered, and I went to look over tiie panther. Its face and neck were peppered with the little bird shot, hut the empty socket aud the hole between the eyes told the story. While I was overhaul¬ ing the panther Birgin came down and looked on. ‘Now lknow what I have been practising all this time for, was all he said. He told me afterward that he did not fairly wait to get the sights; but his long practise made it impossi¬ ble to miss .his aitn. “Birgin and the girl helped Mrt. Birgin back tQ the cabin, bait carry- CARNESVILLE, AUGUST la. 181)0. ing her most of tho way. 1 skinned Ihe Jianthpr; leaving o:i tl o head and claws, liirgiu took the skin witli him to Buffalo when his wife's health was fully restored lit the fall. "Pot' a while the boys lmd a good deal td say about gunning for panther with bird shot; but they won't soon forget the two shots with which Bir¬ gin brought do wit tho only panther ever killed in these woods with a pis¬ tol.— [Rochester (N. Y.) Democrat.’* Dangcr From Coal Oil in Summer. A frightful succession of coal oi> calamities again compels attention to tho fact that in hot weather the prod¬ ucts of petroleum become increasingly dangerous. As the temperature rises all these products, from the heaviest crude oil to the most volatile naphtha, expand rapidly, and givo off gas that, mixed with the air,becomes explosive. When cold these fluids do not evapor¬ ate, and dealers in kerosene illustrate the safoty of their high test illuminat¬ ing oils by throwing a lighted match into a vessel filled with tho article they especially recommend. That can bo done as long as a low temperature is carefully maintained, but the instant (lie temperature reaches the point where evaporation begins then dan¬ ger threatens. Gas is generated, and, as it spreads abroad, fills the vicinity with an ex¬ plosive compound which, coming in contact with fire, communicates in flashing combustion with the body of the fluid, and an outburst of flame follows which it is almost impossible for any human agency to deal with. This was undoubtedly the cause of tho calamity to the tank steamer Ilans and Kurts, as it was of the similar catas¬ trophe resulting in the destruction of the steam schooner Louis Bucki at sea. The gasoline accident at Almond and Adams streets was of the same char¬ acter, and was attributable, as were the others mentioned, to the effjet of the hot weather on petroleum prod¬ ucts. The accidents to oil tanks by light¬ ning are due to the same agency, elec¬ tricity exploding the gas generated from the oil, and the flash setting the tank on fire. It is difficult to imagine liow tiiese dangers can be provided against when the products of petro¬ leum are of necessity stored in large quantities; but it is at least a plain requisite that the dangers should be recognized and understood, to the end that extraordinary care may be exer¬ cised during the summer season.— [Philadelphia Telegraph. (Jucer Phases of Spanish Life. I 11 one of the casetas, writes a traveler from Madrid, Spain, to the New York Tribune, a lady with envi¬ ably luxuriant side-whiskers and mus¬ tache was entertaining her guests most graciously. Such facial ornaments arc not unusual here, and a slight mus¬ tache on a woman’s lip is not thought disfiguring. In another ca=eta the en¬ tire family had fallen asleep—in full view of the passers. There was an off-hand, picnic air about the wholo festival. Even in the elegant Labra* dorcs tent the beau mo:ide was dancing to the music of a liand-organ. Near the Labradorcs tent I stopped before an especially brilliant cascla, where a lady and gentleman were dancing the Sevillana. The lady becoming ti.cd, her maid was called in to take her place and continue the dance with the gentleman. They form a queer class —these Synnish servants. One must not ask for references be¬ fore engaging them ; and, in the case of the servantmaids, one must not in¬ quire into their character either before engaging them or after. The waiter at your table will jog your elbow to call attention to a dish being passed, and will laugh heartily at any joke that is made. I have heard a woman of tills class state that she could not take service in a family of good stand¬ ing because she “had not enough jew¬ elry to make herself look respectable.” The same person (I must add this be¬ cause the circumstance lias such a savor of the Old World) was actually employed as confidential letter-writer for various Scvillanas, i. e., she wrote love-letters for those ladies whose hearts were warm but whose hands were unused to the pen. A Giant in France is Rare. It is a curious fact that the popula¬ tion of France lias rarely produced a giant; Great Britain, Germany, Ro¬ land, and Switzerland carry off' the palm; and this may, perhaps, be at¬ tributed to the prevalence iu France of a vegetarian diet, which does not tend to develop to so great an extent tho growth of muscle as does the stronger diet of meat. The eighteenth centu¬ ry, to judge jy contemporary letters and newspapers, seems to have been more than usually prolific in giants and giantesses.—[Yankee Blade, A MENAGERIE LOOSE. The Deed of a Scoundrel fn South Africa. Ho Unbars the Cages, and the Animals Kill Five Persons. A recent issue of (lie Advertiser, published at Diamond Fields, .South Africa, says: A general stampede of all the ani¬ mals comprising Filiis’s menagerie took place recently. This appalling occurrence is attributed to a miscreant who, possessed of a grudge against Mr. Fillis or members of his company, thought to pay it out by climbing on the fence of llio enclosure in which the animals are kept, and, at imminent risk to his own life and limbs, releas¬ ing from their cages and chains tho whole of the wild animals. This fiend in human shape is evidently one well acquainted with the show', for not only lias lie exhibited a famil aritv with the locks and bars of the cages, but ho selected the day and hour when the supervision of the animals was most relaxed. Ho appears to have made good his escape before tho animals realized their freedom from restraint, and as the four employes, who slept on the premises, have all fallen victims to the ferocity of tho wild beasts, it is impossible to say at present if liis identity is known. From what wc can gather, the four male lions, Pasha, Abdul, Caliph and Mustapha, upon discovering the door of their cage open, immediately pro¬ ceeded to tho stables, where ttic large lion, Pijslia, leaped on to the back of Murat, the jumping horse, and fast¬ ened his teeth in his neck and withers. It is reported that he has always borne this horse a most unaccountable grudge, an 1 invariably gave signs of displeasure and dislike when within sight of him. The horse's screams roused the four attendants—a Scotch¬ man named Patterson anil three Kaffir boys—and, hastily arming themselves with stable forks, they rushed to the scene of tho disturbance, evidently ig¬ norant of the numerical strength of the foe they had to contend with. These four gallant fellows met a fear¬ ful death. From the few words of one of the Kaffir hoys to Mr. Fillis, it appears that lie and his mates, when endeavoring to beat back the lion Pasha, were attacked from the rear by the three other lions and one of tho cheetahs. They were then literally torn limb fivm limb by the ferocious brutes, anil tho scene of their death is one of indescribable horror. Having tasted blood, the lions (male and female), the cheetahs, the wo vos and the leap* ards seemed to regain all the ferocity of their class, and Mr. Fillis’ four litingaiian horses. Sang d’Or, Kremis, Lcnore and Etolle, and tho perform¬ ing horses Beatify and Black Bess, fell victims to their lust for blood. The elephant, frightened at the noise, in his endeavor to escape burst through the heavy iron gale and rushed into Curry street, followed by nearly the whole of the wild animals, wno appear to have been startled by something while engaged in their work of carnage in die stables. A cabman named Nelson, residing at Beaconsficld, had a narrow escape. Hearing the noise, he drove down from Main street to sec the animals rush out. He likens the score to the exit from Noah's ark. An elephant came out first, and a few seconds after¬ ward tumbled out a confused mob of lions, wolves, hyenas, baboons, leop¬ ards, cheetahs, and jackals. The wolves, with the instinct of their race, immediately rushed upon Nelson’s horses, and two of the lions attacked them also. .Strange to say, they left the man himself unmolested, and lie managed to climb up a post at Glover’s Athletic Bar and secure iiis safety in one of the rooms. When last he saw his horses they were galloping madly down the Dutoitspan road, snorting anil screaming with fear and pain, followed by the wolves anil two of the lions. Tho remainder of the animals, Nelson says, dispersed in ail direc¬ tions. A little son of Mr. Grindioy, pro¬ duce dealer, happened to bo in the back yard of his father's premises. He noticed a cheetah which had taken refuge there, and, with the fearless¬ ness of childhood, walked up to it. Ilis mother, from her bedroom win¬ dow, saw the brute lay her darling prostrate with one blow of its paw, and then mangle him beyond all recog¬ nition. Four lions, two lionesses, two ti- gers, three bears, t\go wolves, one hy¬ ena, two cheetahs, four jackals, one elephant, one camel, a ml seventeen baboons are at larger Only two of these animals have as yet been ac¬ counted for, Air. Murchison, rcsid- ing in Dutoitspan road, having been awakemlhy the noise, was looking <jut of his bedroom window, and, seeing a jackal run across the yard, shot It dead with his revolver. Mr. Goodchild was aroused by the shrieks of his parrot and, getting out of Ills bed to see the cause, observed to his horror an enormous lion crouch¬ ing under the (rees in the front gar¬ den. With great presence of mind he took down his Martini-Henry rifle, and, firing through the window, shut it dead. The whole of tho police, armed to the teeth, are scouring (lie surrounding district and tho town itself. Rats K illed by a Horse. Roscoe Franklin, Brockton, Mass., owns a hay horse, known by the name of Shiloh, that is possessed of a pecu¬ liar accomplishment. Mr. Franklin’s stable, a rather old building, is infest¬ ed by rats that give the horses much trouble, stealing their food and mak¬ ing themselves pests generally. It be¬ gan to be observed, says a dispatch to the Philadelphia Times, a short time since that in Shiloh’s stall there was to be found every morning one or more of (lie rodents dead, tho crushed bod¬ ies of which indicated that they had died violent deaths, but what that deatli was remained a mystery until one of the stablemen discovered tlint the big bay was himself their execu¬ tioner. He was then watched at the work, and the strategy and cunning of the animal is said to be remarkable. He will stand over a rat-hole for any length of time without stirring, his ears alert anil eyes fixed on tho hole. Then as the rat breaks cover abruptly and hurriedly, as they always do, Shi¬ loh brings down the sharp hoof of his uplifted foot upon iiis little but har¬ assing foe, crushing the life out of him, and if he fails to strike the wily creature will overtake him with out¬ stretched neck, and seizing him in iiis powerful teetli throw him against the side of tho stall, this breaking his back. It is but seldom that this curious ratter fails to kill bis prey. The horse actually' seems to enjoy the sport, for lie will repeat the trick again anil again, anil if any one stands and watches him at it he will, without ceasing to be on the quivive for the rat for an instant, occasionally turn Iiis intelligent eye on the spectator, as if to say, “I’ll get him yet.” The People of Iceland. To tiic average reader Iceland is as little known as the interior of Africa. Yet Iceland is a famous country, fa¬ mous for the achievements of its heroes, for the poetry and prose it lias given to (lie world, and above all for the education that pervad-s all classes. The love of learning is almost a mania in Iceland, and it is the rarest thing ill the world to meet a native Who cannot read and write. Another admirable trait is the re¬ markable honesty which prevails in Iceland. Crime is almost unknown; the people never lock their doors, and biit two cases of thieving arc known to lmVc taken place in many years. One Was an Icelander, Who had broken tils arm, and Whose family in the winter were suffering for food, lie stolo several sheep and was finally detected, He was at once put under medical cafe for his injury, provisions were fur¬ nished for his family, aud in timo lie was given work. This was his punish¬ ment. Tho other case was a German w-lio stolo seventeen sheep. He was in comf >rtal>lc circumstances, and the theft was inaiicious. His punishment was to soli all iiis property, restore the value of his theft, and leave the country or be executed, He left at once, well knowing the result if he lingered.— [Sabbath Visitor. The Terror the Uzar Inspires. It is related of tlie Czar of Russia that when he was staying at Gatchina a man working in the grounds of the castle, every time lie saw the Emperor approaching, ran away and bid him¬ self; this occurred so often that the man was taken to task and asked the reason why he did this. He replied) “I am so afraid that the Czar, if lie sees me, will take a great dislike to me, when perhaps 1 should be sent off to Siberia; so I hide myself to keep out of danger.” This ingenuous an¬ swer shows how the great father, as he is sometimes styled, is regarded by Iiis sub lets.—[Times-Democrat. Perfume Etymologically Considered. Perfume means simply “from smoke” (Latin, per fumum), the first perfume having been obtained by a combustion of aromatic woods and gums. Their original use was in sac- r fices, to counteract the offensive odors of tho burning flesh,—[Dry Goods Chronicle, CHILDREN'S COLUMN. POM.Y'h NSW SHOES. You'll know by the way she goes creaking about, Peering down from all possible views At the two little feet thrust complacently out. That Polly has on her new shoes. V They are neat, they aro gay, they are bub toned lip high, Amt they’re lined in a brilliant blue tint, They’re bright as the stars twinkling up ill the sky, Or a penny just out of the mint. lint it isn’t for that she's so happy and proud That she's almost unable to speak, It’s because they give out such a charmingly loud, Such a perfectly beautiful squeak. Emma A. Upper. can't TKl.l. THEIR AUK. Fish, fowl and gift horses are nol to bo looked in the mouth, nor, says Commissioner McDonald, can you tell tho age of a fish liy its size. Like Shanghai chickens and cucumbers, fish, if they have an abundance ol food, will grow big in a few days, but tbey can’t get fat on what little air soaks through the water into their gill pumps. Some rather enjoy a diet ol worms, while others must have epi¬ curean tidbits, but many telescope 1 lie small fry and arc pleased with the orocoss. In the words of Massillon ot ionic other writer, All the little fish Have bigger lish to liitc ’em, Amt these In turn have bigger fish Anti so 011 ail infinitum. — [Washington Star. now CHICKENS GET OUT OF SIIKI.I.S. An observer says: “Take ail egg out of the nest on which a lien lias iiad her full time, carefully holding it tc tliecar; turning it around, you will find the exact spot which the little fel¬ low is p’cking on the inside of tin shell; this ho will do until the inside shell is perforated, and thou (he shell is forced outward as a small scale, leaving a hole. Now, if you will take one of the eggs in this condition from under the lien, remove it to tho house or other suitable place, put it in a box or nest, keeping it warm or moist, as near the temperature of the lion as possible (which may be done by laying it be¬ tween two bottles of warm water upon some cotton or wool,) and lay a glass over the box or nest, then you can sit or stand, as is most convenient, and witness the true modus operandi. Now watch the littl) fellow work his way ii.to the world and you will bo amused and instructed. After he has got bis opening, he commences a nibbling motion with the point of the upper bill on the outside of the shell, always working to the right (if you have flic large end of the egg from you and the hole upward), until he lias worked Iiis way almost around, say within one-half of an inch in a perfect circle; he then forces the cap or butt end of the shell off, anil then has a chance to straighten iiis neck, thereby loosening his legs some¬ what, and so, by their help, forcing the body from the shell. friendship. Some time ago, I used often to stay ivitli a friend in Wiltshire,whose park is separatctl from the bouse by a lake which is about 150 yards broad at the narrowest part, Being extremely fond of animals, I soon became inti¬ mate with two delightful dogs belong¬ ing to my hostess, a large collie called Jasper, anil a rough Syko terrier, Fan. die. The pair were devoted friends, if possible always together. One af¬ ternoon I called them as usual to go for a walk, and making my way to tho lake. I determined to row across and wander about In the deer-park. Jasper at once jumped into the water and gayly followed the boat. Half way across lie and l were both startled by despairing howls, and stopping to look hack saw poor little Sandie run¬ ning up and down the bank and bit¬ terly bewailing tlio cruelty of Iiis two so-called friends in leaving him be¬ hind. Hardening my heart I sat still in silence and simply watched. Jas¬ per was clearly distressed. He swam around the boat, and looking up into my face said unmistakably with his wise brown eyes: “Why don’t you go to the rescue?” Seeing, however, that I showed no signs of intelligence, lie made up iiis minil to settle the difficulty himself, so turned and swam back to forlorn little Sandie. There was a moment’s pause, 1 suppose for explanations, and then, to my surprise and amusement, Jasper stood still, half out and half in the water, and Sandie scrambled on Iiis back, his fore-paws resting on Jas¬ per’s neck, who swam across the lake and landed him safely in the deer park, i need not describe the evident pride of the one, or the gratitude of t be other.— [Tho Spectator. A learned judge—the literary critlo. NO. 32. SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS. A device 1ms been invented for lighting the bottom of the sea. No worm or insect is ever found upon tho eucalyptus tree, or in tho earth whero the roots penetrate. Experiments recorded by the medi¬ cal press indicate that most microbes succumb soon after their victims have died. The butterfly pumps nectar into it¬ self through a tube, and bees and flics suck up their food with their long tongue or proboscis. Photography is to bo taught in most of tho best schools in Japan, notably in the arclueological, the forestry and the military institutes. An Australian musician has invent¬ ed a trombone that is played by steam. Its “God Save the Queen” can bo heard a distance of four miles. When mines arc lighted by incan¬ descent light it is claimed that, dan¬ gers from tire damp and explosive gases will bo minimized. The agricultural college professors Uavo figured it out that two little spar¬ rows in ten years will produce an un- cestry of 275,716,983,G98 birds. It has long been known to physi¬ cians that pulmonary tuberculosis or consumption may be communicated to healthy persons through the milk or fiesh of tuberculous animals. Broken glass may become as useful as it is bothersome. The British Ware¬ houseman announces that a process is now known which will work glass into cloth, of any color or thickness, and incombustible. A scries of observations for a hun¬ dred consecutive days have been made at the top of the Eifibl tower, in Paris, on the velocity of the wind. Speak¬ ing generally, the velocity at that clo- vation was three times greater in the average than nearer the ground. Thero is talk in Franco of utilizing water courses as a railway motive power. It is proposed that tho track shall be laid on uii embankment in tho middle of the current, and that the locomotives shall have two p tdiUc- wbccls dipping into the water and re¬ volved by it. About a fifth of the globe’s land surfaco, according to Professor Loomis, has an annual rainfall of less than ten inches, and considerably larger part lias too little water for ag¬ ricultural purposes, except in the lim¬ ited districts whore irrigation is prac¬ ticable. In North America an almost rainless region exists in southern Cali¬ fornia and Arizona, and a large area about .Salve Lake has only ten inches of rain yearly. Brazilian Currency. Hotels arc. now ill-conducted in Bra¬ zilian coast towns, but there are excel¬ lent French and German restaurants in Bahia and Pernambuco. When one has the bill to settle ho finds that the score runs into the thousands. The basis of currency is an imaginary unit, the rcis, 1000 of which make a rnilreis, worth, apart from exchange, about 50 cents. The lowest nickel coin is 100 rcis, worth about 5 cents. Below these arc copper coins, 20 rcis being equiva¬ lent to 1 cent. If one dines with a friend at a restaurant the score will amount to 7500 rcis—a result startling to the uninitiated. When real estate transactions are conducted Hie figures rise into the millions, and when trade statistics are computed, billions and trillions aro brought in. Reversing the process, one pays 2000 reis to a boatman to go ashore from a steamer, 1000 reis or a rnilreis for a bottle of beer and some cheese, 500 reis to a guide for a pilotago through a public building, 200 rcis for a ride on a street car, 100 reis for a turn on the lift from tho upper to the lower floor, and another 100 rcis for having his boots blacked.— [Picayune. Stamping a Counterfeit Bill. I happened to be in the United States Sub-Treasury, on Wall street, tho other day, and was rather amused at a little incident I witnessed. A gentleman entered, and, approaching one of the clerks, handed him a twenty dollar bill, and asked if it were counterfeit, The clerk took it, went away, and in a few minutes returned and handed out the bill without a word, Cut across its faco with a die was the word “Counterfeit.” The rage of the owner knew 110 bounds. “Confound you!” he shouted, “I didn’t ask you to destroy the bill. 1 simply asked you to tell me if it were counterfeit. It’s worthless now.” “It never was of any value,” mildly responded tho clerk, “and the rule ol the Department is that all bills offered in this way must be defaced when counterfeits before returning them to the party presenting them.”—New York Star-