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the royal academy
■f*ft —
FACTS ABOUT INGLAND’S GREAT ANO
SOCIETY.
Bow the Members and Associates
Are Elected—The Institwtlon’s Bl*
Fond and the Good Works That
Ar e Done With It.
To become a Royal academician, oral
all events an associate, is the ambitiota
of every young artist, for membership
In the academy means much more than
the mere right to put the letters R. A.
after end's name and to exhibit pictures
iu the fine galleries at Burlington House.
Iu the first place, an ataedemician is an
esquire by right and not merely by
courtesy, and, further he is entitled,
should he ever come on hard times, to
a substantial pension of between £BSO
and £4OO a year. If be dies leaving his
widow unprovided for, the academy al
lows her a liberal sum for her mainte
nance.
The associates and the associates’ wid
ows are also entitled to pensions on a
somewhat smaller scale, so that there
are many reasons apart from the honor
and glory why the painter, sculptor or
architect should wish to become a mem
ber of the powerful and wealthy body.
When therefore a young artist begins
to get on, when he has his pictures well
hung year after year, when they find
ready buyers and are talked about in
society, he takes the first step toward
election by suggesting to one of the
academicians that he should put his
name down on the list of candidates.
Once down his name stays on the list,
either until he dies or is sleeted or vol
untarily removes it, and this explains
why one finds on the roll of candidates
the names of many artists once popular,
but long since forgotten by the public..
When a vacancy occurs among the
associates, printed copies of this list on
blue foolsoap paper are sent to all the
members, together with a request that
they shall attend at the academy on a
certain evening, when an election will
take place. The elections themselves are
conducted in a singular and somewhat
complex fashion peculiar to the academy
—a method which took the place about
20 years ago of the rough and ready sys
tem formerly in vogue.
Both academicians and associates are
allowed to take part in the election, and
when the members are gathered together
each scores out with a pencil the name
of the artist for whom he wishes to
vote and hands the paper so marked to
the secretary. These scorings out are
known as “scratches’’ at the academy,
and the secretary, after examining all
the papers, duly announces how many
“scratches” have been given to each
candidate.
The election is then advanced another
stage. The president, who, by virtue of
his office, occupies the chair, directs
(bat the names of all those candidates
who have received more than four
“scratches” shall be inscribed in chalk
upon the blackboard, while those to
whom only one, two or three votes have
been given have no further chance of
being elected.
The academicians and associates then
vote again for the candidates whose
names are on the board. The two lead
ing men in this contest are now selected
for a final ballot, the winner in which
becomes au associate of the Royal acad
emy.
The Academicians are elected in pre
cisely the same manner, except that the
associates are the candidates instead of
the outsiders. All this system of
“scratches” and “blackboards” seems
cumbrous and unnecessary, but it is
fgid to work extremely well In practioe.
Sometimes, though very rarely, a tie
occurs, and in this case the president,
or, in his absence, the academician who
temporarily takes his place, has a cast
ing vote. When Mr. Ernest Crofts, the
battle painter, was elected, he tied in
the final ballot with Mr. Jackson, the
architect, and to Mr. Calderon (who in
the absence of the late Sir John Millais
occupied the chair) fell the difficult
task of making the final selection.
The associates have no voice in the
flection of a president, the power of
yoting resting entirely with the acade
micians. Sir John Millais, the late
president, was elected by the unani
mous vote of the members, a fact which
must have been extremely gratifying to
tbM gwt artist. But on some other oc
pasions the fight for the presidentship
has been vpry severe Indeed.
The post is well worth a struggle, for
it carries with it substantial remunera
tion, besides great social and artistic
distinction- The late Sir Francis Chan
trey left £IOO,OOO to the academy, out
of the interest of which a salary of some
£BOO or £9OO a year is for the
president.
The academy is immensely wealthy.
The re&ipts from the annual exhibitions
average from £20,000 to £95,000, and
It Is believed that the money invested
In the hands of the trustees does not fall
far short of £500,000. Out of this mon
ey the schools (in which 200 or 300 stu
dents are instructed gratuitously) are
supported and a great many pensions
pud donation? to decayed artists are
given. Little is heard of these charities
by the public, but they are very consid
erable, and the declining years of many
old painters and sculptors are made easi
er by them.
Upop the academy also falls the ex
pense of the annual banquet, which
costs perhaps £4OO or £SOO, besides any
number of minor charges, as, for exam
ple, the payment of the selecting and
banging committees at the spring ex
hibition.—Pearson’s Weekly.
A Brute.
Mrs. Greene—l hear that Sarah Jun
?on is going to get a divorce from her
husband.
Mrs. Brown—Yes, and I don’t blame
her one mite. He’s a monster. Would
you believe it, he actually used one of
her golf sticks for a poker the other
morning!—Boston Transcript.
1 THE RED CROSS.
They, too, hove heard the drumbeat,
They follow the bugle's cell.
Theee who are twin with pity
On the field where brave men ton,
When the battle boom te silent
And the echoing thunder dies.
They haste to the plain red sodden
With the blood of Hucriflce.
The flag that floats above them
la marked with a crimson tdga.
Fledge of a great compassion
And the rifted heart divine
That once for mun'a redemption
Knew earth’s completest loss—
Ths-o to the field of valor
Bring love’s immortal cross.
And ao they follow the bugle
And heed the drumbeat's call.
But their errand la one of pity—
They suecor the men who fall.
—Harper’s Bazar.
TOO SURE OF HER MAN.
He Came to Tell Her Important
Newi, but She Beat Him Off.
“There’s no use of your saying a
word!” exclaimed the woman of the
house as soon as she had opened the
door and glanced at the man standing
outside. “I know you.”
"But, ma’am”—
“I recognized yon as soon as I saw
yon. You can’t” —
“Ma’am”—
“You’re the man who sold me a
.washing machine six months ago for
|6.50 that wasn’t worth shucks. It
wouldn’t”—
“AU I wanted to tell you, ma’am,
is”—
- “It wouldn’t wash anything. The
longer you used it the dirtier the clothes
gat. You sell me anything
now if you was to pay me for taking it.
When a man fools me once, be won’t
ever have the chance to do it again. 1
can tell you that. I’ll sell that washing
machine back to you for 50 cents. It
doesn’t make any difference what you’ve
got this time. I wouldn’t touch it with
a ten foot pole, and you can talk until
you are gray. It won’t do any good.”
“Madam, ” yelled the man, who had
been dancing about impatiently, “yout
kitchen roof is blazing whore that iron
stovepipe runs up through it! That’s
what I stopped to’ ’ —
“Good land! Why didn’t you say ao?
What did you want to stand there talk
ing for when the house is burning up?
Run over to that grocery store on the
corner and turd id an alarm! Fire!
Fire!”—Chicago Tribune.
The St*ee In Shakespeare’* Time.
John Churton Collins, the distin
guished essayist and Quarterly Review
er, has been lecturing on the theater of
Shakespeare’.stime. The typical theater
then was of wood, circular or hexago
nal in form, being modeled externally on
the general structure of the old amphi
theaters for bull and bear baiting. The
interior was fashioned after the manner
of an inn yard. The pit was scorched
by the sun, while the actors were pro
tected by a thatched penthouse. The
scenery was supplied by the imagina
tion of the audience, but what was
lacking in scenery was made up in noise
and bustle, things being kept very live
ly in that direction. The most numer
ous class among the audience were roist
ering prentices.
On the stage and in other parts were
fashionable dandies, swashbucklers,
writers and actors. These, it is inter
esting to know, always had a free pass.
The play lasted two hours on an aver
age, and, considering the noise and the
smells which accompanied the perform
ance, one was, Mr. Collins presumed,
not sorry when “the actors dropped on
their knees to pray for the queen.”
The Cheetul.
The axis, or cheetul, deer of the Indi
an jungle can claim to be the most or
namental of all the 86 races of deer to
be seen gathered together at Woburn.
In the early summer, when all the oth
er deer except the wapiti are either
shedding their horns or “in the velvet,”
the axis are in perfection, both of color
and antlers. The large herd of this spe
cies looks as if carved out of ivory and
red gold in the sunshine and verdure of
English scenery. Their horns are almost
white, their eyes and muzzles of jet
black, their throats white and their
backs and sides a brilliant golden tan,
spotted with round dots of purest white.
It is worth a pilgrimage to Woburn to
see these deseV 'tifone. They breed con
stantly, sometimes producing two fawns
in the twelvemonth.—Spectator.
Welcoming Fresh C»re».
“As far as fresh cares are concerned, ”
said a man of mature years, “as I grow
older I rather welcome them. They blot
out the old cares completely and so
show how unsubstantial they were, and
I know that in due course these new
cares will be supplanted by others and
will as completely give way to them.
Thus I am constantly reminded that
our cares really don’t amount to much,
except as we imagine them great, and
I expect to see the day when I shall
give but scanty room to them and not
be disturbed by them at all. ” —New
York Sun.
Blind Hendlngr.
By a system of numeral type invent
ed by Rev. W. H. Murray of Peking,
originally a Scotch workman, the blind
people of Ohina are now taught to read
and write in less than three months,
and this in spite of the fact that there
are 408 distinct sounds in the Chinese
language. By a special adaptation of
this system the blind <qre bow actually
teaching sighted pupils to read.
In some of the European art galleries
the dust is removed from the paintings
and statuary by means of an air pump,
a jet of air being thrown with great
force against the article which needs
dusting. , '
King is the most ancient of titles. It,
or its equivalent, is found in every
known language.
Rats avoid a bouse wherein a guinea
pig is permitted to roam at will.
, I
Th* Job Wa* Worth • NtakeL
Several small boys have inaugurated a ’
now industry along the Wlssnhlckon drive
at Rittenhouse street. The latter thor
oughfare, running up into Germantown
from the bridge over Wissahickon creek,
forms one of the steepest hills in the park.
It is not long, but tortuous a* well, and
therefore extremely difficult for a wheel- |
man to elimb. These enterprising boys
have recognized this fact and are making
capital of it. Whenever a wheelman starts
np Rittenhouse street from the drive he is
bound to be pounced upon by a horde of
these youngsters, ail clamoring, “Push
yer up fur a cent, mister,Lemme push
yer, mister.” /
One day last week a very stout woman
essayed to mount the hill. It looked like
a pretty hard job to help her, but a little
fellow no bigger than a bar of soap after a
hard day’s wash applied for a job and got
it. It was a very comical sight, but the
rider didn’t mind it. The boy did very
well, but he was earning his penny by the
sweat of his brow. When he was half way
up the hill, he gasped:
“Say, lady, dis ain’t no cinch!” There
was no answer.
“Say, lady, I guess I’ll have ter let yer
go. It ain’t worth it.” He stopped push
ing. The lady’s wheel began to wabble
woefully.
“Comeback,” she cried, “and you shall
have a niekel.” *
After that it was marvelous the way the
young rascal increased his speed.—Phila
delphia Rdfcrd.
Rio’s “Joologlcal Gardens.”
Rio de Janeiro has some active agents
of publicity who themselves possess the
gift of tongues. Certain of these gentle
men who feel an interest in the zoological
gardens of Rio have lately decided to ad
vertise this attraction amon g the strangers
and pilgrims coming into the harbor.
They have therefore issued a circular “to
visiters lying at anchor,” which Is ex
pressed in Portuguese, English, French
and German, and which deserves to be
quoted in part as a specimen of English as
she is spoken fay the unattached professor.
The circular runs thus:
“Joologlcal Gardens.—ln these gardens
the visitor will find soum of rarest ct best
specimens of wild beasts of Brazil; also a
collection of Soaks (snakes), repliles, &c.
Whick will prover a source of witerest et
Entertainment to many who haor a four
hours to span whib in Rio Janeiro. Tra
ways belanging to Compy Evry 10 Min
utes.”
It is obscure, but one seems to feel what
the joologlcal gardens are driving at. The
Teuton finds himself in a worse case. He
is Invited to the “Garten au Bar” and
will hardly be flattered to find that his be
loved biergarten has been converted into
bear garden by the lively Portuguese.—
Pall Mall Gazette.
The Settler of Majorca.
The Vienna newspapers are calling at
tention just now to the circumstances sur
rounding the life of the Archduke Ludwig
Salvator, nephew of the emperor, who is
known as the “Settler of Majorca.” The
archduke’s life has been as romantic as it
has been eccentric. After the tragic death »
of a princess whom he was about to marry
he spent some time in cruising about the
Mediterranean until, struck by the nat-„
ural beauty of Majorca, he determined to
take his permanent abode on the island.
His castle bears the name of Miramar and
rests on the crest of a lofty peak, crowned
by ancient oaks and olive trees.
In memory of his dead bride the arch
duke devotes himself to works of charity.
His favorite studies are ethnography and
geography, and his works on these sub
jects are adorned with his own drawings.
He has written a history of the Balearic
islands and established an asylum for the
sick and unfortunate of all nationalities
and creeds.—St. James Gazette-
Gentle Walt Whitman.
“Once,” says the dean of a great uni
versity to a writer in The Conservator, “I
called on Walt Whitman with a number of
my fellow professors. The old man re
ceived us With that gentle courtesy which
was characteristic, and among other things
he asked me kindly, ‘And what do you
do?’
“I said that I held the chair of meta
physics and logic at my university. The
old poet gave a reassuring smile, as one
who encourages a child, and answered:
“‘Logic and metaphysics—ah, yes, I
suppose we have to have people to look
after these things, even if they don’t ex
ist.’ ”
Hawaiian Pigeon Post.
A London Times correspondent says
that the Hawaiian government has, in co
operation with a syndicate of planters and
merchants, organized a pigeon post service
between the eight largest islands of the
Sandwich archipelago. Communication
had previously been carried on under diffi
culties and at irregular intervals, vessels
not always being able to reach the islands.
Several hundred birds have been trained
to the service, and the attempt to establish
a daily bird post has been attended with
success. The most distant of the outlying
posts is 250 miles from Honolulu, the cen
tral station.
Sentinel Holds Up an Officer.
An Irish sentinel of the Fifth Missouri
at Chickamauga was sharply reproved by
the officer of the day for permitting per
sons to approach without giving the coun
tersign. The Irishman listened patiently
and was then about to walk away, when
the officer called sharply, “Well, you have
not asked me for that countersign yet.”
Quick as a flash the soldier thrust his bay
onet point uncomfortably close to the offi
cer’s breast, while he grimly ejaculated,
“Lave us have that countersign, thin,
and be dom quick about it!”—Chicago
Inter Ocean.
The Latest Button.
The latest button, according to the Phil
adelphia Record, consists of a genuine rev
enue stamp of the new issue, which is
pasted on the button and glossed over.
The words “I pay war tax” appear above
and below the stamp, and as practically
every Individual pays a war tax cither di
rectly or indirectly, no one need fear creat
ing a false impression by wearing one.
Revenue Collector McClain thinks the ap
pearance of the button will encourage de
linquents to step up and pay the tax
Drosos.
Drums, which are now usefl throughout
the British army, were first introduced
into Europe by the Saracens. The fife was
Introduced into the English army by the
Duke of Cumberland in 1745. The guards
were the first corps to adopt it.
Feminine Severity.
Helen—What did you think of Kate’s
new tea.
Mattie—lt was made rather stylish, but
didn't you think the cetera rather weak?
Helen—Yes; they matched her tea very
nicely.—Chicago New*.
DEADLY SEA SNAKES.
VILE REPTILES THAT INFEST THE WA
TERS OF THE PHILIPPINES.
The Venom of These Serpent* la More
Fatal Than That of the Cobra and a
■ore Scratch From Their Stance Will
Produce Serious Result*.
Not only do various reptiles and other
queer creatures aJLoinid in the forests
and swamps of the Philippines, but the
surrounding water of these interesting
islands team with veritable sea serpents.
These strange creatures, which pass
their entire existence in the water, pos
sess deadly fangs. They are a great
menace to the fishermen, who are con
stantly exposed to their attacks.
Technically speaking, science has
named the grjnp the Hydrophidse.
They differ from the terrestrial snakes
only in the possession of a flat, paddle
like tail. These reptiles inhabit the
tropical seas of the old world and occa
sionally attain a length of 8 feet. Dr.
Rudolph Weber, professor of drawing
in Princeton university, observed large
numbers of these creatures while on a
steamer bound for Sumatra. Dr. Weber
was in charge cf a scientific expedition
and naturally took special notice of
them. He says that when the vessel was
some 50 miles off the coast myriads of
sea snakes could be seen swimming
about as far as the eye could reach.
They kept upon the surface, and several
distinct species were recognised among
them.
During calm weather these reptiles
may be seen sdnning themselves upon
the surface of the sea, remaining mo
tionless except for a slight undulation
caused by the movement of the water.
When alarmed, the agile reptiles dive
like arrows, leaving a train of bubbles
behind them. Some special are extreme
ly brilliant in coloration, being bright
yellow, banded with black, while others
are tinted with delicate shades of green.
The food of sea snakes consists entire
ly of fishes. Frequently fishes armed
with long sharp spines fall victims to
their appetites. Among these are the
apogods and siluroids, which are fur
nished with spines three and five inches
long. But these do not embarrass the
voracious reptile in the least. The vic
tim is first killed by the snake’s poison,
after which it is swallowed head first.
The spines, naturally pointing toward
the tail of the victim, and being relaxed
in death, are compressed against the
body of the fish as deglutition proceeds.
While in search of their prey, sea
snakes sometimes venture a short dis
tance up the mouth of large rivers.
Dr. Weber records an instance where
; he was fishing in one of the rivers on
the east coast of Sumatra. He was using
a dragnet and had cornefed a number
of medium sized fish. As the net was
being brought in, two large sea snakes
suddenly made their appearance inside.
They showed no signs of uneasiness at
rapture, but were hurriedly gobbling
down the cornered fishes. Nor did they
cease operations until the last fish had
disappeared, when the formidable crea
tures made their escape.
Being air breathers, the sea snakes
lead a similar existence to the whale.
Scientists have expressed much interest
as to how long they can remain under
water. Professor R. P. Witfield of the
American Museum of Natural History,
while dragging for corals, saw a large
sea snake lying motionless among some
coral growths, some eight feet below
the surface. It showed no signs of fear
and remained in the same position for
half an hour. The venom of these rep
tiles is even more deadly than that of
the cobra. The fangs are very short,
and consequently do not penetrate so
deep as the fangs of most serpents, but
only a scratch from them is necessary
to produce serious results. Owing to
their great shyness accidents are very
rare. When cornered, they snap upon a
victim. As the eyes are adapted only
for use in the water they strike blindly
when brought into the air, although
living for days when removed from
their native element.
Many specimens hauled up in fisher
men’s nets have been sent to zoological
gardens. The London gardens even
went so far as to build a special tank
for their accommodation. But these
captured specimns either die en route
or a short time after being placed in
captivity. Seeking a dark corner of
their tank, they refuse all food and ul
timately starve to death. Around the
numerous volcanic islander of the Malay
an archipelago these reptiles are par
ticularly numerous. Frequent eruptions
occur among these islands, which are
hardly more than the body of the vol
cano.
During the time of an eruption the
few people residing near by take to the
water in their boats to escape the rain
of ashes and mud.
It is generally a case of jumping
from the frying pan into the fire, how
ever. At such times the sea becomes
uncomfortably warm from its close
proximity to the burning mountain,
and the sea snakes swim wildly about
for escape; They endeavor to climb
over the gunwales of the refugees’
boots, while they twine their bodies in
great mnunn about the forward chains.
When about to lay their eggs, these
serpents approach the shore. The eggs
are laid above high water mark and
left to hatch by the heat of the sun.
Many creatures prey upon the young
reptiles. Among their enemies are
sharks and other large fishes, while the
adults, in spite of their death dealing
fangs, fall victims to sea eagles and
large gulls. After the great typhoons,
which are common in the Philippines
and their vicinity, many of these crea
tures may be found along the beach,
where they have been cast up during
the storm and killed by the violent
pounding of the waves.—New York
Times.
A planter in Honduras has a right to
“register” himself and 50 laborers,
whereby they are exempt from military
service.
I
The Kind You Have Always Bought, and which has been
in use for over 80 years, kaS borne the signature of
... — fcn<l has been made under his per-
sonal supervision since its infancy.
I aim. Allow no one to deceive you in this.
All Counterfeits, linitatidtiannd Substitutes are but Kx
that trifle with and endanger the health of
Infanta and Chlldren-Experience against Experiment.
What is CASTORIA
Castoria is a substitute for Castor Oil* Paregoric, Drops
and Soothing Syrups. It is Harmless and Pleasant. It
contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic
substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms
and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind
Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation
and Flatulency. It assimilates the Fixxl, regulates the
Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep.
The Children’s Panacea—The Mother’s Friend.
OKNUINK CASTORIA ALWAYS
Bears the Signature of
In Use For Over 30 Years.
VMS o«MT«ua oommmv. rr eraerr. w«w vo<m errr
—GFET YOUH —
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