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m T a i MO KG ANTON, GA. r«- Postmaster General Wanamnker recommends promotions as the best plan for increasing the efficiency of the postal service. The mortality among the poor, ac¬ cording to reliable European statistics, Is in proportion of SO to 18 to that unong the wealthy. The New York World claims that “in more than half of the 106 counties of Kansas the Farmers’ Alliance is taking steps towards defeating the foreclosure of farm mortgages.” An English paper has the politeness to state that American lady delegates made the brightest and most effective speeches at the great meeting of tho British Women’s Temperance Asso¬ ciation. ___ Charles Emory Smith,United States minister to Russia, says he did not try to learn the Russian tongue while he was at St. Petersburg; for all educat. ed people there speak English, French and German fluently. r In Europe wherever the sugar-beet is grown tlie value of the land has in¬ creased. Beets are grown for two or three successive years on the same land, which will then produce better cereals and other farm products. The Japanese language is said to contain 60,000 words, every one of which requires a different symbol. It is quite impossible for oue man to learn tho entire language, as a well educated Japanese is familiar with only about 10,000 words. The New York News says: Under the jury law in Minnesota, five-sixths of the jurors are enabled to render a legal verdict. This will minimize tlie temptation to tamper with these guar¬ dians of justice, as well as offset the Bullishness of the man Who knows that lie is right and all the others are wrong. __ It is very hard to convince people that sending “duns” on postal cards is an offense against the law, observes the St. Louis Star-Sayings. It cost an Illinois man $45 to appreciate this fact, while the debt he tried to collect was but $5. Nine hundred per cent, is a heavy commission to pay for col¬ lecting a debt, especially, as in this case, the debt wasn’t collected after all. E. Deville, the Surveyor General of Canada, has introduced a speedy method of surveying in the Rocky Mountain region of the Dominion. It is to photograph the country by a specially designed camera, which is carefully levelled and adjusted. Mr. Deville considers the photographs as accurate as a plau laid down by means of a very good protractor, The method is likely to be useful in mil¬ itary operations. As the government of Morocco slowly dies of dry rot the eyes of France—that France which is doing so much in north Africa just now—are greedily turned upon the land of mosques and white walls and palm trees. But Spain’s mouth has been long watering at the same prospect, and Germany and England may find it to be to their interests to aid her and oppose the stronger claimant. To the American it matters little, confes¬ ses the Washington Star, whether the last sigh of tlie Moor is breathed in the ear of the Gaul or of the Iberian. A short time ago a man entered a savings bank in New York, presented a * pass-book, answered the teller’s questions, signed a receipt and was given $681. The real depositor, from whom the book bad been stolen, brought suit against the bank to re¬ cover the amount wrongfully paid, and Judge Beach, before whom the case was tried, directed a verdict for the defendant. As the depositor’s signature was in possession of the bank officers, the question of negligence would seem to the Philadelphia Record to be an open one, notwithstanding the legal decision. A new plan has been adopted by the municipal authorities of Home, Italy, to prevent adulteration. Recognizing the fact that tlic public can gain but little knowledge from the annual re¬ ports of food inspectors, they have re¬ quired the names of all makers and tellers of alimentary substances inju¬ rious to health, or adulterated, to be published in the daily papers. One remarkable feature of the grip, muses the San Francisco Chronicle, is the extent of its spread. It has pene¬ trated to the frozen north and to the Antarctic wastes; in fact it lias almost rivalled Puck’s feat of putting a gir¬ dle about tho earth. It is noteworthy that it has proved most fateful among simi-civilized people, its ravages among the Esquimaux and the Chinese being very great. This mortality was due probably to poor sanilary rules and lack of medical attention in Alaska and in the Orient. p- ■ ----------- Photographs of a novel form ap. pear m the handsomely Illustrated Boot and Shoe Recorder. Two young women smiling \o» each side of an enterprising looking young man make up the firm of Lewis, Reilly & Davies of Scranton, Penn. This sort of a business trio, comments the Bos- ton Transcript, probably exists no¬ where else. Tiicy have been in busi¬ ness for three years and make a success of it. Wo are not told whether or not Mr. Reilly is a brother-in-law or cousin of either Miss Davies or Miss Lewis, but the writer of the Recorder article says mournfully that Mr. Reilly did not introduce him to either of his partners. Recent statistics show au enormous developmeni of the frozen-meat trade between New Zealand and England. In 1882 the number of frozen sheep exported to England was only 8839. In 1890 tho number had risen to 1,562,047. The transit charges now amount to only l-8d. per pound, and it is probable they will soon be re¬ duced to the even penny. Curiously enough, the frozen-meat trade in Australia has not expanded in any¬ thing like the same degree, but a lead¬ ing Sydney journal remarks that “what with the steady reduction in the cost of freezing and freights, the spread of the taste for frozen mutton at home, and the inevitable increase of our flocks and herds, we have good reason to see in tlie food requirements of England and Europe an almost nn- touched and inexhaustible mine of wealth for Australia.” Of tho aggregate population of the United States fifty years ago only a little more than forty per cent, inhabi¬ ted the cities. The ratio had increased from something more than three per cent, at the time of the establishment of the government the half century be¬ fore. As the most remarkable in¬ stance of rapid increase of population, New York had only 33,000 inhabitants in 1790, and in 1840 the number had grown to 313,000. The population of this city, asserts the Mail and Ex¬ press, is now about 1,600,000, and the ratio of population in the cities has in¬ creased from twelve to thirty percent, of the total, or more than 18,000,000 out of the grand aggregate of 65,000,- 000 of population in the whole coun¬ try. With this most astonishing ratio of increase of population in cities, the accumulating of enormous wealth has maintained an equally rapid pace. The oft-repeated questioa, Why do Englishmen mafry Americans? is commented upon by the British Court Journal, the point having no doubt been inspired by the wedding of Sir William Gordon-Cumming and Miss Florence Garner. According to this paper the reason is: “The American girl is beautiful; she has a piquant figure and dresses in excellent taste. She is shrewd and often wise; she is self-dependent, straightforward and courageous.” In fact, it sums up the article in the followingmanner, which cannot be deemed other than flattering by the greatest stickler for America and its daughters: “She can, as a wife, adorn a ducal mansion, or make tlie money of a not too rich husband go twice as far as it would in the hands of an ordinary woman.” “Therefore,” continues this journal, “they have been eagerly sought in marriage by the leading men of all countries and have made the best wives.” Unconquered. Deem not, 0 rain, that tbqu shalt vanquish me, Who know each treacherous pang, each last device Whereby thou barr’st the soul from Para¬ dise! At least, who suffers constantly Tliy joyless fellowship, may gain The lessons—only taught by Pain, And know, tho’ broken, that his will Subdues thee still! Man was not born the slave of things like thee And thy companion, Death: the livelong day He valiant strives, and bolds you still at bay; And when he can no longer see For thick’ning shadows—faint and spent, He bears bis standard to his tent And yields ye seeming victory; But—he is free! — [Florence Coates, in Independent. g^UFFED BANKER, A STORY FROM RUSSIAN HISTORY. The Russian officials in the time of Catherine II., or before or since her flay, for that matter, were never par- *ticular or exact in their orders, even when it concerned tho hanging of a man or the knouting of a serf. Even foreigners were exposed to the com- billed zeal and stupidity of these gen- try. A rich English capitalist, Sunder¬ land by name, residing in St. Peters, burg, enjoyed the friendship of the empress in consequence of his having given her an Italian greyhound, of which she was very fond. One morning he was awakened early by bis valet, who said to him: “Sir, your house is surrounded by soldiers, and the chief of police in¬ sists on speaking with you.” “What can he want of me?” ex¬ claimed the banker, jumping out of bed, and in a panic already over an announcement which in Russia gener¬ ally has a terrible significance. Ml do not know, sir,” replied the attendant, “but it seems to be an affair of the greatest importance, and which, according to him, can be communica¬ ted only to yourself.” “Let him come in,” said the banker, hastily putting on his clothes. The valet went out and came back in a few minutes afterward conduct- ing the chief of police. A single glance at his face convinced the banker that he was the bearer of some very serious matron.' The Enghsh- mail dill not> ] lowover , abate in the 3 iig-ljtest degree his usual urbanity in bis we i come 0 f the official; offered him a chair and begged him to be seated. But his visitor declined it with thanks by a shake of his head, stood upright, and, in as sympathetic a tone as he knew how to assume, ad- dressed the banker: “Mr. Sunderland, you may well belive that I am distressed beyond telling at having been selected by her most gracious majesty to carry out a decree whose severity afflicts me, but which, without doubt has been pro- voiced by some great crime.” “What great crime? Who .has com¬ mitted it ?” cried the banker. “You, undoubtedly, sir, since it is to you that the punishment is com¬ ing.” “Sir, I swear, that I have in vain scrutinized my conscience, and I can find nothing with which to reproach myself toward our sovereign, for yon know that I am a Russian by natural¬ ization.” “It is just because you are a natural¬ ized Russian that your position is so terrible. If you were a subject of his Britannic majesty you could call on the English consul for protection, and so, perhaps, escape the rigor of the orders 1 am charged with enforcing.” “What then, your excellency, are your orders?” “Oh, sir, I have scarcely strength to tell you.” “Have I then lost the esteem and favor of her majesty ?” “Oh, if it were only no worse than that!” “What do you mean? Are they talking of sending me to England?” “If it were only that do you sup¬ pose I would hesitate so long about telling you?” “Great God! You alarm me. It is surely not exile to Siberia?” “Siberia, sir, is a delightful coun¬ which has been greatly miarepre sented. Besides people come back from there.” “Am J, then condemned to prison?” 1 -Prison is nothing. Ono can leave a prison.” “Sir, sir!” cried the banker, more and more terrified. “Am I destined to the horrible knout?” “The knout is a very painful pun¬ ishment, but the knout does not kill.” “By the Divine goodness!” cried the panic-stricken Sunderland, “ it is death then?” ‘ ’And such a death! ” said the chief of police raising his eyes with an ex¬ pression of profound compassion. “Such a death!” echoed the English¬ man. “ It is not enough that I am to be killed without trial, assassinated without cause? Has she ordered any¬ thing more?" “Alas! yes. She has ordered-” “Well; speak on sir. What has she ordered? I am a man of courage. Tell me!” “Alas! sir, she ordered—if she had not given it to me personally I declare, Mr. Sunderland, I never would have believed it.” “You put me to death a thousand times. Come, let me know what orders she has given you.” “She has ordered mo to stuff you alive.” The poor banker uttered a cry of distress, then looking the chief of police squarely in the face, lie said: “But, your excellency, this is mons¬ trous. Have you lost your reason?” “No, sir, not at all, but I shall go , crazy during the operation.” “But how could you take such an order? You have told me a hundred times that you were my friend. I have had the good fortune of being of some service to you. Ilow, then, could you take such an order without trying to make her majesty compre¬ hend its utter barbarity?” “I did what I could. No one in my place would have dared do as much. I begged her majesty to give up her project or at least commission somebody besides me to carry it out. I did so with tears in my eyes. But her majesty answered in that tone, which, as you know, ad¬ mits of no reply: ‘Go, sir! do not for¬ get your duty, and fulfill, without murmuring, the commissions I charge you with.’” “And then?” “And then,” continued the chief of police, “I visited immediately a very skillful,naturalist, who stuffed the birds for the Academy of Sciences; for, since the thing must bo done, 1 thought it ought to be done in the highest style of ihe art.” “And did the wretch consent?” “On account of the close resem¬ blance between the human and the monkey species, lie sent me his broth¬ er, who has stuffed apes.” “Well!” “Well, he is waiting for you.” “Waiting for me! Is it to be done at once?” “At once. Her majesty will permit no delay.” “Not even to give me time to put my affairs in order. This is impossi¬ ble.” “It is so, sir.” “But you will give me time enough to send a note to the empress.” “I am afraid I ought not to.” “Listen! This is a last favor—one that is not refused of the worst crimi¬ nal—I beg of you.” “I risk my situation.” “But my life is at stake.” “Well, write it! I will permit it. At the same time I must warn you that I cannot leave you for a single instant.” “Thanks, thanks! Only have one of your officers come to take the letter.” The chief of police called a lieuten¬ ant of her majesty’s guards, handed him the note and bade him bring back the reply with all possible haste. In ten minutes the lieutenant returned with an order to bring the banker to the imperial palace. This was all he wanted- A carriage was waiting at the door. Sunderland entered it, tho lieutenant taking a place by his side. In five minutes they were at the Hermitage, where she was waiting for them. The condemned man was taken into her presence. He found he almost burst¬ ing with laughter. Sunderland thought she must be crazy, but, throwing him¬ self at her feet and seizing her hand, he exclaimed: “Pardon, your majesty. In Heaven’s name, pardon me, or at least tell me for what crime have I deserved this horrible punishment?” “My dear Sunderland,” said the empress, “you are not concerned in this nffnir at all.” “How, your majesty! I am not in¬ terested in it? Who, then, is?” “The dog you gave me, and which I named after you, died yesterday of indigestion. My grief was so great that I wanted at least to preserve his skin. So I told that fool of a chief of police: ‘Have Sunderland stuffed.’ He hesitated, and I thought ho was ashamed of the affair. I got angry and he went away.” “Well, your majesty, you can boast of having in him a faithful servant; but next time I beg of you to make your orders to him very much clearer.” As a matter of fact, if the police superintendent had not been influenced by the bankers appeals, poor Sunder¬ land would have been stuffed alive.— [Detroit Free Press. Wedded in a Tennis Court. There have been weddings in bal¬ loons, yachts and store windows, but Milford Center, a small place near Springfield, Ohio, can probably lay claim to the first lawn tennis wed¬ ding ever solemnized in the country. For some time Andrew Bates lias been laying siege to the heart of Miss Ber¬ tha Stokes. Both parties are the champion tennis players for miles around. Ono day Mr. Bates was press¬ ing Miss Stokes to name the day for their marriage. “You may name it yourself if you will have the ceremony performed in the tennis court,” said Miss Stokes. “Agreed,” said the young man. A day or two ago 200 guests gathered on the spa¬ cious lawns of the beautiful country place of Asa Bates, father of the groom. The bride and groom were dressed in jaunty tennis costumes, as were the bridesmaid and groomsman. The four finally engaged in an excit¬ ing match. Right in the middle of it Rev. Mr. Wardell of Milford Center walked out on the lawn to tlio tennis court and raised his hand. The game was stopped and the contracting par¬ ties clasped hands, and in a few min¬ utes the marriage vows had been spoken, Jliss Stpkes and Mr. Bates wore man and wife. After the bridal kiss had been given they seized their racquets and finished the game. A splendid wedding banquet and an old-fashioned barn dance followed.— The Austrian Executioner. In Austria criminals are put to death by strangling or shooting, ac¬ cording to the sentence of the court. The gibbet is used at executions of the former kind, and Professor Storneck, as lie is called, the most noted of Aus¬ trian executioners, has been detected in practices very much resembling cru¬ elty. A few years ago he used to put an iron gag in the mouths of prison¬ ers to prevent them from utterance. The practice had for a long time passed unobserved, until at length it was dis¬ covered by the local press. The “Pro¬ fessor” excused himself on the ground of necessity,but he did not do it again. The shooting of criminals would have been altogether substituted for strang¬ ling but for the objections on the part of tlie soldiers to be detailed for any such purpose. This fact and the re¬ luctance to use the gibbet have tended to bring about the virtual abolition of capital punishment in Austria, except in the worst cases. Besides, as the emperor grows older, he grows more tender toward his subjects.—[St. Louis Republic. A Steeple Climber’s Feat. The great illuminated cross which for eighteen years capped the steeple of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Hicks street, Brooklyn, has been re¬ moved. The cross was six feet high and weighed eight hundred pounds. The difficult task of removing was performed by Charles J. Kent, a steeple climber. The cross was fixed 320 feet above the sidewalk. The as¬ cent was a perilous one. Kent went up 200 feet of the distance inside of the steeple and then got outside and climbed to the top by way of the lightning rod. A great crowd watched him and everybody felt relieved when he got down safely. The cross used to be lit up at night and could bo seen sixty miles from Sandy Hook. Navi¬ gators complained that it interfered with them and the pastor of the church discontinued the illumination.—[New York Press.