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nr EX IO AN WA BBE It WOMEN.
I he Mexican women, like their most
remote ancestresses, persist in washing
on a stone—“ losa de lavadera ” —on
their knees at the side of a stream, or,
it at home, still in the same jxisitions on
the identical stone slab, with cold water
and very little soap—often with only a
saponaceous herb called “zacate,” and
they rinse in a wee bit of a “ batea,”
which ife little else than a small “ dug
out ”or rude tub. Owing to this slow
pro cess every family of four or live per
sons must have two or three laundresses,
and even then it is difficult to get clothes
returned under two or three weeks. In
fact, the women of the lower class seem
to have no idea of the lapse of time, for
they stop a dozen times a day to smoke
and gossip, yet they are, after all, good,
harmless souls. Mexican families who
have been in the United States and
American colonists also have bought
tubs, washboards, and even had wash
ing-machines brought here, but to no
purpose. These Aztec women detest
“modern helps” quite as heartily as
they do the long-handled “Yankee
broom.” As to punctuality—why these
laundresses have no idea what it means.
For example, an American (they impose
more on us than on their own people)
may give a washerwoman his linen.
1 hree or four weeks may elapse and it is
not returned. He fancies it has been
stolen. Not at all. The victim will, on
investigation, find that the laundress,
having been invited to a christening, a
danoe or a bull fight, has pawned his
clothing to get money to buy finery for
the festive occasion. If Mr. A?b linen
suffers this fate he need not be alarmed;
patience alone is necessary. The woman
will then pledge Mr. B.’s clothing and
redeem Mr. A.’s from the pawn shop
until she has earned enough to come out
square with nil her customers. I heard
of a case where a laundress loaned the
clothes of an American to a family in
which there was a case of small-pox that
the mother might pawn them to get
medicine for a sick child.— Mexican
letter.
A SALT-WATER BATH AT HOME.
In order to supply the continent from
seashore to center, from the metropolis
to the frontier, with sea water, it is not
necessary to barrel and bottle it, nor to
build a pipe line. The more excellent
way Is to reduce their bulk by evapora
tion, and, when old ocean is dry and
clean, pack it away in boxes weighing
from one pound to fifty pounds. Then
send it by express or freight to its des
tination. All the saline properties of
the sea are intact, and by adding the
proper quantity of water io marine salt,
a bath Is obtained which contains, be
sides salt (chloride of sodium), the
sulphate and chloride of magnesia, the
sulphate of lime and soda and traces
of the chloride of potassium and io
dine.
But while we summon modern skill
and enterprise to our service, wo must
remember the beneficial effect of sea
bathing is not a modern or an individual
discovery. The salutary effect of a
plunge into the surf is universally recog
nized, and its practice instinctive where
and when the atmospheric conditions
admit of it. Many persons find its in
fluence over the physical and nervous
system so healthful that they consider it
essential to spend a few weeks or a few
days at the sea shore, even at great ex
pense or great inconvenience, for they
thus hope to lay up a store of health and
strength which will last for months.
The record of the seaside resorts of our
coasts for the past few years shows the
great and growing popularity of sea
bathing. Modern chemistry analysing
the properties of sea water declared it a
tonic and remedial, a corrective of dis
ease and a conservator of health.— Food
wnd Health.
WILBERFORCE’S TACT.
A. new church was about to be opened
by the Bishop, and a number of the
neighboring clergy were invited to be
present at the ceremony. Arrangements
had been made for the clergy to walk
into the church in procession in sur
plices, the Bishop last. The procession
was formed, all was ready, when the
rector came to the Bishop, saying : “ All
will be spoiled ; two clergy are come in
black gowns; they declare they will
wear them in the procession. They are
come for the purpose of openly showing
their evangelical principles.” The
Bishop replied : “All will be well; they
will go in surplices.”
The rector assured the Bishop that
this was impossible, and that any re
monstrance he might make would only
cause a disturbance. The Bishop, after
again reassuring the rector, said to the
clergy, who were formed two and two :
“ Gentlemen, are you ready? ” and, re
ceiving a reply in the affirmative, he
stepped along the rank, and accosted
the first black-gowned clergyman with,
“ Good morning, Mr. ; will you
have the kindness to read the first lesson
for us this morning ? " Then, passing
to the second, he made the request that
he would read the second lessen. The
two fled to find surplices, and the pro
cession went into church with the two
clergy clad as the others.
A TELEGRATH STORY.
Mr. W. 3. Johnson, the author ot
“Telegraph Tales,” is responsible for
the following story : “In the winter of
1870-71, one of the operators in ths
Western Union office at Boston had an
epileptic fit His medical attendant
spoke to him, chafed him, and made
every effort to arouse him, but in vain.
Subsequently one of his fellow-operators
drew a chair up to the bed and took the
patient's hand in his. As ho did so ha
noticed a feeble pressure by the fingers,
which pressure presently resolved itself
into dots and dashes, faintly communi
cating to the tactile sense the words,
* W-h-a-t d-00-t-o-r s-a-y a-b-o-n-tm-o?'
Asked whether he could hear what was
said to him, the patient signified assent
by a slight motion ■with the tips of his
fingers, and the result was that his fel
low-operator got from the patient enough
dots and dashes to describe his feelings
to the physician, who was thus enabled
to apply the necessary remedies. It is
certain that no other method of com
municating was possible under the cir
cumstances, since the sufferer from epi
lepsy, although ho could hear, could
neither speak nor move any of his mus
cles except those situated in the digital
extremities, and these only with the
faintest touches requisite tn eleotrie
♦viumnuicfctton f
HOW RUSSIAN EXILES LIVE.
On his arrival the prisoner is driven
straight to the police ward, where he is
inspected by a police officer who is ab
solute lord and master of the district.
This representative of the Government
requires of him to answer the following
questions His name? How old? Mar
ried or single ? Where from ? Address
of parents, or relations, or friends ?
Answers to all, which are entered in the
books. A solemn written promise is
then exacted of him that he will not
give lessons of any kind, or try +o teach
any one ; that every letter he writes w ill
go through the Ispravnik’s hands, and
that he will follow no occupation except
ehoemaking, carpentering or field-labor.
He is then told that he is free, but at
the same time is solemnly warned that,
should he attempt to pass the limits of
the town, he will be shot down like a
dog rather than be allowed to escape ;
and, should he be taken alive, shall be
sent off to Eastern Siberia without fur
ther formality than that of the Isprav
uilr’s personal order.
The poor fellow takes up his little
bundle, and, fully realizing that he has
now bidden farewell to the culture and
material comfort of his past life, he
walks out into the cheerless street. A
group of exiles, all pale and emaciated,
are there to greet him, take him to some
of their miserable lodgings, and fever
ishly demand news from home. The
new’ comer gazes on them as one in a
dream ; some are melancholy mad, oth
ers nervously irritable, and the remain
der have evidently tried to find solace
in drink. They live in communities of
twos and threes, have food, a scanty
provision of clothes, money and books
in common, nnd consider it their sacred
duty to help each other in every emer
gency, without distinction of sex, rank
or age. The noble by birth get 16 shil
lings a month from the Government for
their maintenance, and commoners only
10. Winter lasts eight months, a period
during which the surrounding country
presents th® appearance of a noiseless,
lifeless, frozen marsh—no roads, no
communication with the outer world, no
means of escape. In course of time al
most every individual exile is attacked
by nervous convulsions, followed by pro
longed apathy and prostration. They
begin to quarrel, and even to hate each
other. Some of them contrive to forge
false passports, and, by a miracle, as it
were, make their escape; but the great
majority of these victims of the Third
Section either go mad, commit suicide or
die of delirium tremens.
the trojan war.
It was at the marriage festivities oi
Peleus and Shetis, parents of Achilles,
that Eris, the goddess of Discord, was
not invited; to avenge herself, she threw
into the assembly a golden apple in
scribed, “To the Fairest.” Juno, Mi
nerva and Venus each claimed the apple.
After som» discussion on the subject,
Jupiter referred the decision to Paris,
son of Priam, King of Troy. Paris de
cided in favor of Venus, who in return
for this honor promised him the most
beautiful woman in the world as his
wife.
Alter this Paris began to travel, and
among other places he visited the court
of Menelaus, King of Sparta. Here
Venus inspired within Paris a passion
for Helen, who was Menelaus’ wife; this
passion was reciprocated, and the result
was that while her husband was absent
in Crete, and her brothers, the Dioscuri,
were engaged in some petty quarrel, she
fled with her lover to Troy. When Men
elaus returned home he was wroth, and
demanded the surrender of his wife.
This was refused by Paris, who already
had considerable trouble in getting
Helen. The Spartans roused all Greece
tb war; this was not a difficult thing to
do, as Helen had many suitors.
For the first nine years of war very
little occurred save a hand-to-hand con
flict between Achilles and Paris’ young
est brother, in which the brother was
slain.
It was after this that Achilles (the
bravest of the Greeks) was slain.
There now arose a contest between Ajax
and Odysseus as to who should have
Achilles’ arms. They finally decided
that Odysseus should ; this had such an
effect upon Ajax that he became insane
and put an end to his own life. The
Greeks had now long besieged the city
of Troy, and the war was becoming
tiresome to both Trojan and Greek ; but
Odysseus had hit on a stratagem by
which to put a check ©n the war.
Knowing how fond the Trojans were of
show, he had an enormous horse built,
and in the body of it were placed 100
Grecian soldiers ; this they dragged be
fore the gates of Troy and there left it;
the fleet, too, sailed out of the harbor.
“Now, indeed,” thought the Trojan,
the siege is at an end.” And, exulting
in this, they brought the horse into the
city as if he, too, might enjoy their tri
umph. In the stillness of the night the
fleet returned. The soldiers came down
from the horse and unbarred the city
gates. The Greeks rushed in and then
followed confusion. The men were put
to death and the women and children
held as slaves.
Meanwhile, Paris had died and Helen
was married to his brother. He was
slain with the rest of the Trojans, and
Menelaus then took his devoted wife
home to Sparta, where they arrived after
a tempestuous voyage.
It is to be hoped that, after all this
trouble, Menelaus and Helen led the
happiest lives in the world.
Early Sweet Corn.—An intelligent
farmer says: “I prefer the Minnesota to
any sweet sort I have yet tried, because
the stalks grow about five feet high. It
Is an abundant producer and the ears
are larger and have larger kernels ou
them than any other of the earlieai
kinds. Ido not like the dwarf sorts,
the stalks cf which scarcely grow above
three feet high. The ears of such are
so small as to be scarcely worth cooking,
and if they come a few days earlier than
Minnesota, Concord and others, this
does not compensate me for the diminu
tive size. In the opinion of the Weekly
Herald, the early Minnesota is the best
and greatest early corn. Perhaps it is
no better in quality than th© Narragan
sett, but in our neighborhood it makes
a surer crop. It is a light, delicious
com, and, of course, to market garden
ers who know all about it there is no use
of talking. It is the best early corn to
plant,
United States Railroads.
It is now fifty-six years since the first
railroad constructed in America was pro
jected. The time was 1825, the engineer
Gridley Bryant, and the successful pro
jectors were that gentleman and Colonel
T. 11. Perkins, whose name is associated
with this and other enterprises which
have since grown to mammoth propor
tions. The pioneer road was designed
to transport granite from the Quincy,
Mass., quarries to the nearest tide-water;
it was, therefore, short, being only about
four miles long, including branches, and
the first cost was $50,000. The second
American road was laid out in the month
of January two years after, and opened
the following May. It was from Mauch
Chunk, Pa., to the Lehigh River, and
with the branches, etc., was thirteen
miles in length. Both these roads had a
five-foot gauge. In the same year that
the second road named was laid out the
Maryland Legislature granted a charter,
modeled on the old turnpike charters, to
the first railroad company authorized to
carry on the general business of trans
portation ; the capital stock was $500,-
000, and the company had permission to
increase this. The venerable Peter Cooper
built the first engine used, and it was run
on the beginnings of the present great
Baltimore and Ohio. This engine weig bed
about, a ton, and drew an open car, with
the directors of the road and some few
friends, eighteen miles, from Baltimore
to Ellicott’s Mills, in an hour ; this was
the first locomotive for railroad purposes
ever built in America, and the first one
used for carrying passengers on this
continent. The era of individual enter
prise in railroad construction was most
active, and it was not until some time
after that the great land grants were
made by Congress. Then lines
which were single met and consolidated,
and formed continuous routes between
important points, finally taking in public
carriages of various kinds, such as steam
boats—river, lake, and ocean—canal
eraft, etc,, and these multiplied them
selves into what are to be seen at the
present time. The war years greatly re
tarded the rapid growth of railroads, the
years 1861-2-3 aud 4 being comparatively
barren of great enterprises, only about
8,200 miles of new road being laid during
the slavery strife period. The era of
the greatest activity was from 1865 to
1880, during which time five-eighths of
the entire number of miles of road now
in operation were constructed. Os the
93,659 miles reported in 1880 as in opera
tion in North America, the United States
contained 86,497 miles. The year 1871
alone gave an increase of 7,379 in the
mileage, and 1872 a further increase of
6,070 miles. The following table shows
the number of miles in operation at in
tervals of five years from 1830 1879 :
Miles in Miles in
Year. operation. Year operation
1830 23 1860 30,635
1835 ... 1,098 1865 35,085
1840 2,818 1870 52,914
1845 4,633 1875 74,096
1850 9,021 1879 86,497
1855 18,3741
The Central and Union Pacific Railway
wa s completed May 10, 1869.
Mrs. and Miss.
In former days single women, when
they had reached a certain age—thirty
years, we believe—shared with their
married sisters the distinction of being
called Mrs. Thus we read of Mrs.
Elizabeth Carter and Mrs. Hannah
More, neither of whom had a husband.
Latterly, Mrs. and Miss have lost all
relation to age, and are used to express
respectively the married and spinster
states. This does not please some of the
advocates of women’s rights. Mrs.
Elizabeth A. Kingsbury, of Portageville,
N. Y., writing in the Woman’s Journal,
urges a return to the old custom. She
argues that as Master William or Charles
grows to the distinction of Mr., so
increasing years and dignity should en
title their female relatives to a corres
ponding change. “It is annoying to be
introduced,” she says, “to Mrs. Brown,
a silly, superficial creature, yet in her
teens, and the next moment to be pre
sented to Miss Williams, who at a glance
we perceive to be an intellectual, noble,
broad souled woman of thirty-five or
forty, worth more than a dozen like Mrs.
Brown.” She denounces the existing
usage as degrading, and in reply to the
question of male objectors, “How shall
we know that a woman is married?” says:
“Inquire, if you wish to ascertain, as we
have to do respecting you.” This is
very well as far as it goes, but there
remains the fact that most women, es
pecially unmarried ones, are sensitive
regarding advancing years. We fear
that many of the latter, if compelled
when thirty to take the appellation of
Mrs., would never confess to having
reached that age. Mrs. Kingsbury does
not see things in this light, and
solemnly warns all girls to keep out
of matrimony until they are twenty-five
at least. If ardent lovers wish to hasten
their nuptials, they must be silenced
with “I am twenty-one, but I do not
intend to marry till I am twenty-five.
The laws of my being would be disobeyed
by so doing, and I shall not marry even
then unless reason and judgment unite
with affection in approving my choice.”
We fear that Mrs. Kingsbury will not
find many supporters, and that her
young sisters will decline the “strength
and independence” which she promises
them in the adoption of Mrs. as an ad
vertisement that they are no longer
chickens. — Cincinnati Gazette.
Orange Culture in Florida
Orange trees are set out in rows ua
ia!ly from twenty-five to thirty feet
Apart each way, and when budded com
mence bearing in four years, seedlings in
from seven to ten years. They require
light cultivation two or three times a
year, either with the hoe, harrow or
small turning plow, drawn by one horse
or mule.
To fertilize it is customary to raise
several crops of corn peas each year aud
plow under the vines, which have an
influence similar to our clover. The rich
hamock lauds need no fertilizing to
grow the orangs or lemon, but many
persons raise vegetables between the
trees until they commence bearing. In
this case it becomes necessary to use
commercial fertilizers. In this way, by
close attention, intelligence and industry,
which every business requires, there may
be realized from each acre in vegetables
from SIOO to S4OO per year. When the
orange tree is of full bearing age and well
cared for, each year’s crop is worth
about SI,OOO per acre, about equal to
fifty acres of wheat. I have heard of
some groves exceeding this; for instance,
the Spurs Grove near Lake Monroe, of
four and one-half acres, yielded a few
years since, as I am informed, seven
thousand five hundred dollars, and Col.
Hart’s tine grove of about seven acres,
near Palatka, yields an annual income of
from ten to twelve thousand—a nice in
come. Uncleaned lauds are worth from
$5 to S3O nn acre, according to quality
and proximity to towns and transporta
tion, and those that are desirable are
being rapidly taken up, as there is an
immense iuftox of population and capital,
especially of our northern friends, who
usually have the faculty of “putting
their money where it will do the most
good.” Budded trees cost from $25 to
SIOO per 100. To clear the ground costs
from $lO to S2O per acre, and fencing
from $5 to $lO per acre.
An orange grove of full beating age,
and in a fancy location, and having a
good water protection, which some think
important, sells for $2,000 or $3,000 per
acre, aud even at this price yields a good
interest on the money invested.
I have endeavored to give the import
ant facts truthfully. Want of experience
and limited observation may have led me
into inaccuracies. I have no hesitation
in joying I believe that an intelligent,
industrious aud patient man may, in
ten or twelve years, in Florida, make
with almost a certainty, a fortune of from
$50,000 to $100,000.' This appear in
credible, but I think it is true and know
it has been done.— Florida, Letter in
Kansas Citu Timet.
MODERN BRAVERY
The Fortitude Reajuirvcl to Endurr lANaff
Firmer.
[From “The Sword in Blackwood’s Magazine.'
A writer in Blackwood? 8 Magazine
believes that the invention of long-range
righting has brought into the world a
type of fortitude which has been hitherto
totally unknown (excepting in occasional
isolated cases) which is just as much a
product of our century as railways or
electric telegraphs, and which is as dis
tinguishable from the animal courage re
quired from sword work as is prophecy
from fortune-telling. Instead of dashing
at the enemy in fierce excitement, in
stead of the hot emotion of savage strug
gle, instead of furious muscular exasper
ation; instead of the intensest develop
ment of combative facilities, our soldiers
have now to exhibit their intrepidity by
remaining placid, motionless, undisturbed
amidst a hail of death and wounds.
They have to stay quiet under distant
fire to let themselves be knocked to
pieces, without the chance or even the
possibility of doing anything whateverto
defend themselves in an eager, efficient,
satisfactqry form; the one solution open
to them is to treat the other people in the
same fashion, and to pelt impersonal mis
sels at them from afar. Not a man on
either side has the pleasure of identify
ing the particular opponent who slaugh
ters him. There is scarcely any of that
individuality of carnage which is so con
tenting in hand-to-hand fighting. And
worse than all, there is none of the out
put of effort, of the bitter strain, which
necessarily accompanies the exhibition of
brute hardihood. The bravery of to-day
is a nervous contemplative process; there
is no action, no movement, no tug about
it. It principally consists in waiting
obediently until you are hit by a chance
shot. Troops do not like it.
They are always wanting to get out of
it, to rush ahead, to strike, to do some
thing violent and comforting on their
own behalf. They feel that it is abso
lutely unnatural to stand still to be killed,
that it is totally anomalons to rest unag
gressive under a tempest of ambient
peril, that it is contrary to all the ten
dencies of humanity to make no vigorous
attempt to ward off destruction; and yet
that is precis'-ly what Jhey have learned
to do. They may use shelter, if they
can find it (it is no longer cowardly to
hide), but they may not use action. In
one of Raffet's caricatures, a regiment is
halted in the middle of a river, with the
water up to the men’s necks. The Colonel
says to them; “My children, I forbid
you to smoke, but I permit you to sit
down;” and that is very much the situa
tion in which European soldiers are
placed in battle now; it is permitted to
be killed, but it is forbidden to fight.
In Asia, it is true, there is still a
chance of getting to close quarters and
of using the right arm, as a good many
of our people who have been in Afghan
istan can testify. But iu modern fighting
on the Continent, the rule is that the foe
is so far off that no hitting can reach
him. The consequence is that our new
shape of courage is based on the suppres
sion of direct effort ; it has become a pas
sive process, iu which we endure, in
stead of acting. The old sword-daring
was impetuous, emotional and intuitive,
the new gun-courage is deliberate, logical
and subjective; the one was material and
substantial, the other is abstract and
theoretical. They are as different from
each other as credulity and faith, as
astrology and astronomy, as dreams and
thought.
How Voltaire Cured the Decay of His
Stomach.
In the “Memoirs of Count Segur”
there is the following anecdote: “My
mother, the Countess de Segur, being
asked by Voltaire respecting her health,
told him that the most painful feeling
she had arose from the decay in her
stomach and the difficulty of finding any
kind of aliment that it could bear. Vol "
taire, byway of consolation, assured her
that he was once for nearly a year in
the same state, and believed to be in
curable, but that nevertheless a very
simple remedy had restored him. It
consisted in taking no other nourishment
than yolks of eggs beated up with the
flour of potatoes and water. ” Though
this circumstance concerned so extraor
dinary a person as Voltaire, it is aston
ishing how little it is known and how
rarely the remedy has been practiced. Its
efficacy, however, in cases of debility,
can not be questioned, and the follow
ing is the mode of preparing this valu
able article of food as recommended by
Sir John Sinclair: Beat up an egg in a
bowl and then add six tablespoonfuls of
cold water, mixing the whoJo well to
gether; then add two tablespoonfuls of
farina of potatoes; let it be mixed thor
oughly with the liquid in the bowl.
Then pour in as much boiling water as
will convert the whole into a jelly, and
mix it well. It may be taken alone or
with the addition of a little milk in case
of stomachic debility or consumptive
disorders. The dish is light and easily
digested, extremely wholesome and
nourishing. Bread or biscuit may be
taken with it as the stomach gets
stronger.
Chest Development.
It is stated that during the last twen
ty-five years not a single singer has died
of consumption in St. Petersburg, al
though this disease has outstripped all
others, and now hold the first place
among the causes of death in the Russian
capital. From this and other facts Dr.
Vasilieff draws an inference in favor of
the exercise of singing as a preventive
measure against consumption. There
would seem to be room for question as
to the relation of cause and effect. It
may either happen that singers are not
consumptive because they can use their
chest aud throat freely, or that consump
tive persons are not singers because the
weakness which precedes disease inca
pacitates the chest and throat for exer
tion. Both of these hypotheses are true
up to a certain point, but neither holds
good in all cases. A very li.ttle observa
tion will suffice to show thaf a good sing
ing voice may co-exist with a weak or
diseased chest, whereas the perfectly
healthy may be unable to sing. It was,
some forty years ago, a common prac
tice to give consumptive patients a speci
ally arranged tube to breathe through,
with the view of exercising the chest.
We venture to hope the experiment wifi
not be repeated. Chest development
can only be accomplished in a manner
consistent with health during the grow
ing stage of childhood, and then the
most natural and convenient methods of
exercise are the best. Later on in life
great mischief may be done by unduly
straining the muscles of the thorax and
those of the throat, beside the peril of
injuring the smaller tubes aud air vesi
j cles of the lungs by violent exertion, fol
which the organs of respiration aud
| voice are not adapted because they have
I not been early trained.
Ladies’ Pet Dogs.
Ladies who are fond of dogs as pets,
| and have long desired to spend their
j husband's “cigar money”—-for it’s get
ting to be quite the thing now to give
the wife instead of an allowance, the
same amount of money that he spends
each month for cigars—barring the ones
he treats his friends to —aud she is usu
ally satisfied with the amount—for a pel
dog will be interested in knowing the
value placed upon them by dealers and
at which they are sold in the market:
Black-aud-tan terriers, $lO to sls; Scotch
terriers, sls to $35; Skye terriers, S2O to
SSO; Italian hounds, $25 to S6O; Spitz
dogs, sls to $35; poodles, sls to S3O;
i English, Irish, or native pointers, $25 to
$100; English, Irish, or native field cock
ers or water spaniels, $25 to SSO; King
Charles spaniels, $35 to 75; Siberian
blood-hounds, $35 to $100; English mas
tiffs, S4O to $100; Newfoundland dogs,
$25 to $35; bull dogs, $35 to $75; terriers,
S2O to S4O; fox hounds, $25 to 50; har
riers and beagles, $25 to 50; shepherd
dogs, Scotch, English, and native, $25 to
$75. — New York Sun.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.
What the Carrying « Bf»nqnet to the
Wron< House FfTecie I.
[Johnny Bouquet, in New York Tribune. |
It was not long ago that a gentleman
said to me—he was in wine—“ Johnny,
I will take your best bouquet—that big
one on a tray, fit to be the bridal bed of
Eve—if you will carry.it to this ad
dress.”
“All right, boss,” was my response,
as I took his $lO bill, and observed a
rather devilish light in his eye, while he
wrote a name on a card. It was a beam
of the light that shone in the eye of
Cain as the discriminating flame of
heaven shot past his offering aud blazed
on Abel’s altar. However, I was not
particular about what was going on in his
mind, and he slipped the card in the
.bouquet, and I started off to deliver it.
Stopping close by to change my note
and eat a bit of lunch, a good many peo
ple gathered near the great prize bou
quet and began to talk about and smell
it, and so, whether some jealous rival
stole that card, or whether I had dropped
it on the street, the card was missing
when I took up the great salver of
flowers again.
I hastened back to the place where I
had met the gentleman. He had gone
away in a carriage. I told my trouble
to the hotel clerk, the genial Gillis, and
he sfiid, “Pshaw! take it to his wife. He
is no sporting man.”
Now, that gentleman I knew, by an
accident of passing his house, and I had
often admired the inflexible, the solitary,
the lofty and self-reliant quality in him.
He was kind to his inferiors, manly to
his equals, haughty to his superiors.
About once or twice a year he showed
liquor in his eyes, as if Cain had bred on
Abel’s stock, and a little liquor brought
out the consanguinity. I said to my
self: “These flowers will wither for
which I have been paid. I believe he
meant to send them to his wife, and I
will take them there. ”
I rang the door-bell of his house and
asked for the lady. Shown into the par
lor I saw my buyer’s picture over the
mantel. The house was not expensively
furnished, but looked like the abode of
perseverance in some moderately com
pensating profession and slow but gain
ing conquest on half fortune. A lady
entered the parlor and beheld the flowers.
She turned to me and said: “Who are
these for?”
“For you, Madam.”
“Forme?” Her face flushed. “Who
has dared to send flowers to me ?”
I saw I was in for it somewhere, and
that there was no safety save in con
sistent lying. “Your husband sent
them, Mrs. .” I heard his name,
and felt that this was his wife.
“My husband ?” Her voice faltered.
“How came he to send me flowers?
Have you not made some mistake ?”
“No, madam. Hu has never bought
flowers from me before. He is not a
customer of gallantry. There is no
mistake about it. ”
She seemed all fluttered like a wridow
told that her dead husband has returned
to life. Looking now at the flowers,
again at his portrait, her eyes dilated and
her temples flushed. She walked to me
like a woman of authority, and under
some high mental excitement. Looking
into my eyes, she said:
“What did my husband say?”
“He said, madam, ‘I have not made a
present to my dear wife for years. Busi
ness and care have arisen between us.
Take her these flowers, that their blos
soms may dispel the winter from our
hearts and make us young again.’ ”
She turned to the bouquet and rained
tears upon it. .An orange bud she took,
all blinded so, and hid it in her bosom.
She sank upon her knees, and laid her
head among the flowers to let the cool
ness refresh her parched, neglected
heart, and sobbed the joy of love and
confidence again. I stole away like a
citizen of the world.
As I went up the street and stopped at
the same hotel, the husband was there.
“Johnny,” said he, “did you deliver the
bouquet ?”
‘ ‘Yes, I took it to your wife. ”
“To mv wife ?”
“Yes, Boss, you are too good a man to
wander as you wished to. The ice is
broken. Your wife is full of gratitude.
Saved by a mistake, embrace the blessed
opening made for both of you; plant
those rich blossoms on the grave of your
estrangement, and in the words of the
great good Book, ‘cling to the wife of
thy youth. ’ ”
He staggered a moment, looked as if
he ought to knock me down, and rushed
from the place.
Next day I met her upon his arm.
“Johnny,” said he, “bring her as big
a bouquet every week, and save one
scarlet rose for me. ”
IVealthy Horse-Faneiers.
Among our leading horse-fancies are
August Belmont, William Astor, Pierre
Lorillard and his brother George, also
Bonner, of the Ledger. Belmont is fond
of fine animals, but has never spent
much in their culture. He has raised
some good stock and contented himself
with the distinction of being the first
capitalist of this city that gave attention
to this specialty. He is, indeed, the
only man in this country of Hebrew
birth who has shown such taste in horse
flesh. William Astor was for a time
much interested in racing matters, but
his failing health has weaned him from
the turf, and he has given preference to
yachting. He has, however, a number of
fast animals, which are under good keep
ing while he is on the cruise. Bonner’s
connection with equine matters is due to
necessity for outdoor exercise. During
the early time of the struggle which
preceded his brilliant success he suffered
from intense application, and his phys
ician advised him to buy a horse and
try an hour's drive daily. He bought
the best animal within the reach of his
parse, and soon found a rising ambition,
which grew with indulgence, until he
astonished the world by paying SIO,OOO
for the fastest team of that day. This
(which took place in 1359) was, however,
only the beginning, and Bonner has now
half a million invested in horseflesh, and
has paid $30,000 for one animal. He has
a very extensive stable on Fifty-ninth
street, the land alone being worth $40,-
090 : but this is only for home accomo
dation. The farm, near Irvington, con
tains the most important part of his
stud, which has for some years num
bered one hundred, and often more.—
A r eto For A: Letter.
Misgivings.
“I had my misgivings, boss, ’ the
waiter said to the landlord, who was
questoning him about his conduct toward
the tall gentleman in blue clothes who
sat at the door. “I had my suspicions
’then he sat down dat he was carrying
moah whisky dan was good for ’ini, but
he was puffectly quiet, and behaved
himself well enough, an’ I didn’t pay no
attention to it entwell he picked up a
baked potato and hole it car'fully over
the aig glass wid his left hand, and be
gun to hit de end of de potato wid his
spoon. He hit it right hard three or
four times, an’ deu he whack it once or
twice on de aige of de plate, and lookin’
solemn as a owl all de time, he call me
up to him and say as p’lite and dignified
as a president, ‘Waita,’ he say, ‘I wish
you would jest fix this biled egg for me,
if you please; I'se lorse a good deal of
sleep las’ night, and I’m a little narvous
dis mornun,’ he says. An’ I know I
hadn’t done ought for to laugh, boss,
but I hope to die es I could help it.”
Recent investigations have shown the
incorrectness of the pretty stories of
insect-eating plants which have so often
been given. Insects are often caught by
the sticky exudations of certain plants,
or otherwise, but no evidence can be
found to show that the plants digest or
eat the insects and thrive by an abundance
of such food, aa has been so often
asserted,
OUR NEWSPAPERS.
Our English critics, "while admitting
the enterprise of our journals, and that
they present the news of the day in a
thorough and attractive shape, are dis
posed to find fault with the editorial
comments that are made upon men and
measures. They say that the enter
taining way in which news and gossip
are discussed have drawn people away
from solid intellectual reading. It is
unfortunately true that the system of
free general instruction iu this country
has not produced a race of book-readers.
Among the well-to-do middle chats,
which includes the young and enterpris
ing merchants in our large cities, not
one in ten reads a book—with the ex
ception, possibly, of a novel —from one
year’s end to another. They depend
solely upon newspapers for instruction
of all kinds. And yet this is the class
upon whose energy, honesty and enlight
enment the future welfare of our coun
try rests. The antidote for this evil
should be found in the newspapers them
selves. If they have such a hold upoi
the minds of the people, so that they m
longer care for other mediums of knowl
edge, they will be in time, if they art
not now, in a condition to supply their
readers with the solid mental food need
ed to maintain intellectual health.
Those who have paid much attention to
this subject must be aware that some
advance in this direction has been made
already. Able and thoughtful articles
appear in all our leading journals from
week to week. More than this, evident
pains is taken to present to the reader
the latest results of scientific research.
No doubt there is a great deal of the
superficial in these presentations, but
this is a trouble that time can cure. If
the newspaper is supplanting ths book,
it is trying to make good its loss.
PRAM KEB 8 IN STEAM NAVIGATION-
It; took just about twenty years’ time
to carry the first experiments in ocean
steam navigation to the practical success
which was emphasized when the first
Cunarder left the Mersey. As early as
1819, the Savannah, a vessel of 300 tons
burden, had struggled across the Atlan
tic in twenty-six days. The thing could
be done, that was clear, so far as the
overcoming of physical difficulties was
concerned. But eo long as a steamer,
with her terrible consumption of fuel
snd her small capacity for cargo, took
as long a time on the voyage as a well
appointed packet ship, commerce would
have nothing to say to the matter.
Brains were at work, however, both on
the Clyde and on the Avon, and the
Clyde grudged the Avon none of the
praise that resulted from the voyage of
the Great Western from Bristol to New
York in the unprecedented short time o!
thirteen days and a half. This was in
1838, when the experimental period oi
ocean steam navigation was drawing to
a elose. The day of the ship with pad
dles—and the Great Western, much as
she surpassed her predecessors, was es
sentially this—was at an end. It was on
the Clyde, and for the Cunard mail ser
vice, thar the idea of the ocean steamer
was worked out. Stout, bluff-bowed
vessels they were, built with the solidity
of frigates, and at a cost which nothing
but an extravagant subsidy could justify.
Well, however, they did their work,
burning coal at a rate frightful, in these
more economical days, to contemplate ;
jogging out to sea deep laden in placid
indifference as to weather; jogging
punctually into port with funnels white
to the top with salt water ; keeping up
alone for full ten years the thread of
steam communication between the Old
World and the New. Then began the
inevitable competition which led to the
establishment of various transatlantic
steam companies.— London News.
CHINESE BABIES.
The Chinese have many very strange
superstitions, but none more so than
that concerning the demoniacal posses
sion of their babies. If an infant from
the time of its birth has frequent spells
of crying, and is of a very peevish dis
position, the parents conclude at once
that Sam Ku Lok Po, as the hobgoblin
ia called, ha* taken up its abode in the
child, while the baby’s true soul is wan
dering somewhere in space. Thsy there
upon take dried banana skin, burn it to
ashes, and mix it with water, so as to
make a sort of inky compound. The
mother now dips her forefinger into the
ink and paints a cross on the baby’s
forehead, with ths words, “ I paint this
cross to drive thaa [the demon] away.”
Another metlrod of exorcism is to
blacken tha infant’s face. Banana skin
does not necessarily form an ingredient
this time; any ink will do. The par
ents wait until the babe ia in a sound
.1 umber, when they take the ink and
Idacken its fa«e, with their fingers —a
brush would not be efficacious. In a
short time the demon which has taken
possession of the child returns, prepara
tory to its awakening—for the soul wan
ders from the body during sleep, and is
tree—and seeing the blackened face, ex
claims, “ Lawk-a-mercy 1 this can’t be
I,” or words to that effect, and decamps
precipitately. The true soul, which has
been waiting for an opportunity, ap
proaches the dormant body. Now is
the time for the parents to wash off the
ink with all speed ; the soul recognizes
its true casement, and the babe awakes
in a natural state. Woe betide it should
not the ink have been washed off at the
right moment, for then the true soul
wall, like the demon, fail to recognize
the body, and sorrowfully leave it, and
the little one dies in Bicap. On account
of the supposed possibility of such aa
occurrence, the parents seldom use this
latter method, which is called “ the face
blackening,” but prefer to make the
cross on the
They met ou the stairs.
“Hello!”
“Hello!”
“Say, old boy, you are growing
mighty careless.”
“ How?”
“Why, just now I found the door of
your room wide open. ”
“That's all right. I haven’t been
gone a minute. ”
“Well, I knew you’d do the same by
me, and so I shut it.”
“Thanks. The first time i find your
door open, the spring-lock set to catch
and the keys on your desk I’ll return the
favor. Please send me up a burglar and
a crowbar as you go down.”
ly THE course of a dozen or so years
an editor learns to be a right good
former -on paper.
It is said that the word “Get!” is one
of the most expressive in the Englith
language. It is, when it is emphasized
by a boot toe.
SOMETHING IN A NAME.
A Hungarian gentleman, C. G s,
occupying a prominent official position
in an association of his countrymen in
San Francisco, relates an amusing story
of a singular contretemps attending his
debut in this city. His first name is
Cornelius, which in Hungarian is spelled
Cornel. Like any business ma? and
stranger, he found frequent necessity
after his arrival in the city to act as hia
own master of ceremonies, and intro
duce himself, which he did after the
foreign custom, stating his name in full,
without any prefix of Mr. or Herr. He
was astounded at the free-and-easy man
ner which characterized Americans,
“ Cornel G s,” he would say, on en
countering a stranger, perhaps the
father of a family. “Ah, Cornel
G s,” w’ould be the genial response,
“happy to make your acquaintance;
Cornel, ladies, Cornel G s,” and the
bold California girls would take up the
refrain and address him as familiarly by
his Christian name as if he had been
their brother. Sometimes inquiries
were made which perplexed him. “ Did
you participate in the late war between
France and Germany, Cornel?” “No,
sir.” “Ah! In what companies have
you served?” “In none, sir. I have
never been a soldier.” The confused
expression of his interlocutor and gig
gles from mischievous young ladies only
served to mystify him more and mora
.At last he grew offended—indignant.
One of his new acquaintances—an el
derly gentleman of considerable dig
nity—met him on the street and hailed
him loudly: “How are you to-day,
Cornel?” “ How are yon to-day, John
nie ?” returned the irate Hungarian gen
tleman. The old gentleman looked
murderous at this affront. “How dare
you call mo Johnnie, sir ?” “ How dare
you call me Cornel ?” Explanations
ensued, and when it transpired that the
name had been naturally mistaken for the
soubriquet of “Colonel” both parties
had a hearty laugh and shook hands
over the mistake, but the foreigner now
resolutely writes and pronounces his
name with an initial only before it.—
San Francisco Chronicle.
TANITX OF EUROPEAN STATESMEN
Lord Beaconsfield’s fame was greater
abroad than at home. This was only
natural. That wife was best, said the
Greek, of whom neither good nor evil is
spoken beyond her home. And the sama
is true of an English statesman. To
wish to play a great part on the world’s
stage was the besotting weakness of
Lord Beaconsfield, and it is the beset
ting weakness of most Continental rul
ers. No nation is more wealthy and
powerful than the United Btatvs, and
this is mainly because their leading men
do not aspire to make their uomea house
hold words in Paris, Vienna and St. Pe
tersburg, but are satisfied with looking
after the interests of their own country,
without meddling in matters that iu ne
way coucern their own country. That the
pot-hc; politicians on the Continent
contemptuously sneer at Mr. Gladstone
is good ground for our confidence in
blm.— London Truth.
CHICAGO.
Chicago covers an area of nearly thii
ty-aix square miles, or 23,040 acres.
There are 789 acres in public parks; 886
acres in the river, its branches, the slips
end the Illinois and Michigan canal.
The streets of the city measure 651 miles,
are known by 907 names, and cover
5,200 sores. About 158 miles of ths
streets are paved (principally with wood
en blocks). There are 756 miles of side
walks, 837 miles of publie sewers and
459| miles of water pipes (mains). There
are about twenty-nine miles of river
frontage (counting both sides), and
twelve miles of slips and basins, making
forty-one miles of water frontage in the
inner harbor. There are thirty-two
bridges in the city, that cost an average
of about $25,000 each, and eighteen via
ducts, ranging in ocst from $60,000 to
$230,000 each.
LOST TIBS.
If yon would make the best use ol
your time, look after the minutes.
Keep a strict account of every hour oi
your time for a single week, setting
down the exact manner in which every
hour is spent, and see whether, when
yon come to review the record, you do
not find it full of admonition and in
struction. Ia this simple way one can
readily wnderstand the secret of his want
of time. He will discover that he has
given hours to idle talk, to indolence
and to inconsiderable trifles, which have
yielded him neither profit nor pleasure.
What is the remedy ? Arrange your
work in the order of its comparative
importance. Attend first to the things
which are essential to Lie done, aud let
the uncssentials take their chance after
ward. The difference in the amount of
work accomplished will be astonishing.
A DOG STORY.
A gentleman owning a kitchen garden
remarked that a basket which held a
quantity of fresh carrots got quickly
emptied. He asked the gardener, who
said that he could not understand it,
but would watch for the thief. A quar
ter of an hour had not elapsed when
the dog was seen to go to the basket,
take out a carrot, and carry it to the
stable. Dogs do not eat raw carrots, so
further inquiry was necessary. The ol>-
servers now found that the dog had
business with a horse, his night compan
ion ; with wagging tail he offered the
latter the fruit of his larceny, and the
horse naturally made no difficulty about
accepting it. The scone was repeated
until the carrots were all gone. The
dog had long made a favorite of tills
horse. There were two horses in the
stable, but the other received no notice,
much less carrots !— Advance.
Bo long as the American people prize
sugar sweet-cakes, and the New Yo’.'k
hotels consume 1,800,000 chickens and
poultry and 5,300,000 eggs every week,
the poultry business in this country will
remain a good one. Give your fowls
warm, clean houses, and dry, grassy
runs, if you would have them clear of
roup and canker. And feed them regu
larly with good, nourishing food, if you
would have them free from disease, lay
more eggs and be more profitable every
day.
Fendeuson was at the theater tiie
other night. “It was a burlesque, a
take-off, wasn’t it?” asked Smith.
“Yes,” said Fenderson, “that’s what it
was, f guess. They had taken off about
everything, they dared to,” — Boston
TranwripC
Died that He Might Lire. /
In a dreadful cold winter, many years -
igo, an army was flying from Moscow, a
city in Russia. With this army there *
a G-rninn Prince and some German
■ Ifli-rs. One by one the marching sol
;iers> fell down by the way, and perished
i cold end hunger. At length, at the
nl of one day, when only a mere haud-
itii of them were alive, the Prince and a
fi- w common soldiers, and these were
in i.riy all spent, came upto the remains
•f a hovel, once’ built to shelter cattle,
:ow ruined by storms, which had blown
. Ito pieces. But, in the wild, snow
id waste, they did not despise it;
■is Prince was glad of the little shel
■, l from the sleet and wind of the com
ig night which this tumble-down shed
v l afford. And there, hungry, cold
:ul weary, he and his men lay down to
p. The jnen were rough, stern-look
: flows, yet the sight of one so deli
.»:• iy brought up, used to comforts
> .•eh they never had known, spent
■.■ art and body, come to such want, glad
sleep in such a wretched place,
■ae’e-il tht m. The sight of him asleep,
■> h<J, no covering, probably sleeping
s hist ■ ieep, was more than they could
•■■■>; Tl ey took their own cloaks off
:.'i laid them all on him gently, one by
-a . lest they should awake him. He
■ mid be warm with these. Then they
brew themselves down to sleep.
Che night passed. The Prince awoke.
■ Where am I? ” was his first thought.
Im I at home in bed? lam so warm !”
>i.l he turned over, and raised himself
jp to look about. He was not at home.
Ul around was snow, aud all was silent
nv ■ the wind which whistled through
i'ie planks and the broken shed. Where
.. re his licit ? He stood up nnd looked,
vheu lo! there they lay, huddled to
ther to keep warm; yet not awake.
,Ie spoke, but they answered not He
dvanccd to touch them they were
lead! Without their cloaks, too ! Where
\ ore their cloaks ? Another glance to
. r.i where he had lain, and all was
■lain. The Prince burst into tears.
1i • men were dead to save him alive,
ow, was not the deed, these rough sol
bet s’ deed, a noble deed ? Their hearts
•'ere gracious hearts; they graciously
ock upon themselves the death another
iioiild have died.— Sunday May azine,
Very Gullible.
Thirty years ago Mr. Wm. Hall, of
New York, lent a “friend” named White
§30,000 worth of bonds and checks as a
security in a speculation, with the-under
stauding that they were on no account
to be converted into cash. The friend
immediately converted them into cash
and disappeared. Not long ago he went
to Hall’s house, and iu spite of Hall’s
anger placated him by representing that
with the $30,000 which he had appro
priated to his own use he had gone to
California, had made a large fortune
and had traveled across the continent
for the express purpose of refunding the
money., Mr. Hall was charmed and
entertained 'White royally at his house.
White pretended to be. sincerely sorry
for the roguery of his younger days,
and entertained his host with graphic
descriptions of California, and amazing
yarns about the way iu' which he had
made his princely fortune on the Pa
cific slope. Hall believed every word
he said, aud agreed to lend him’s6,ooo,
on White’s turning over securities in “a
sealed envelope.” He had already paid
him $1,200, when Mrs. Hall, rising st 5
in the morning, carried the envelope to
the Chief of Police. On opening it, the
papers were found almost worthless, aud
White was arrested. How a man cap
able of being gulled after this fashion
was also capable of accumulating $30,-
000, or 30,000 cents, is a mystpry that
would puzzle even a phrenologist/
REMARKABLE THEATRICAL CRITI
CISM.
Hamlet must have been a remarkable
man not to have gone mad in the midst
of such characters as his aimless moth
er, the insipid and discordant Opheli;\
and the noisily empty Laertes, as they
were presented on this stage. We con
fess to our secret satisfaction at the poi
soning of the Queen, who in rouging her
cheeks got a double dose on the end of
her nose, and we experienced a mali
cious joy in the unskillful stabbing of
Laertes, who deserved death, if for no
other reason than for his unaccentated
lamentations over the demise of a horse
fiddle sister, whose departure should
have been to him a source of joy. The
grave-digger did well, not only in the
professional work, but in effectually
burying the ill-dressed Ophelia. We
never attended a funeral with more
pleasure. — Exchange.
ALLIGATOR LEATHER.
It is now twenty-one years since that
an old Canadian revealed to the head of
a ’»rge shoe-manufacturing firm in Bos
ton the secret of a process for the tan
ning of alligator hides. The industry
immediately became a profitable one,
and Bince then many thousand alligator
hides are annually used by our home
manufacturers or sent abroad, princi
pally to London and Hamburg. At first
the skins came from Louisiana, and
New Orleans was the center of the traf
fic. The wholesale manner in which
the alligators were slaughtered, how
ever, speedily rendered them scarce in
that State. Florida is now the great
source from which our supplies are ob
tained, and the trade centers in Jackson
ville. The. alligators are killed in great
numbers, both by passengers on board
the steamboats plying on the rivers of
Florida and by hunters who follow this
pursuit as a means of livelihood. After
being killed they are flayed, and only
those parts which are useful for leather,
such as the belly and flanks, are pre
served. They are then packed in a cask
containing a strong brine and sent
North to be made into leather. Hither
to alligator leather has been used chiefly
for men’s boots and shoes ; now, how
ever, it is coming into fashion for ladies’
wear. It is also made into slippers,
pocket-books, cigar-cases and various
other kinds of fancy articles. The traf
fic in this leather, which has hitherto
been of importance only in this coun
try, is now making rapid strides in Eu
rope, and at a not far distant day will
probably reach no inconsiderable pro
portions.—Frenah paper.
Some Definitions.
One of Thackeray’s daughters has just
published a little book about her friend,
Miss Evans, in which she prints some
delightful definitions made by that lady.
Some of these are as follow:
“A privileged person—One who is so
much a savage when thwarted that civil
ized persons avoid thwarting him.”
‘"A liberal-minded man—One who dis
dains to prefer right to wrong.”
“Radicals—Men who maintain the
supposed right of each of us to help ruin
us al'.”
••Liberals—Men who Hatter Radi
cals. ”
“Conservatives—Men who give wav to
Radicals.”
“A domestic Woman--A woman like’a
domestic.”
“Humor—Thinking in fun while we
feel in earnest."
“A musical woman—One who has
strength enough to make much noise,
and obtuseness enough not to mind it,”
Pugilists are remnants of the ancn.>-«
tr be <>f mound builders. They build
tmutuds ow each other’s eyes.