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INDIAN SUN DANCE. A barbsrout Rite that Has 3e«n Abolished. Fast, ng anfl Feasting Follow*! by a Sickening Duplay of Self-Torture. Th* wild Indian Sun Dance, which wa» held for the la»t time during June, 1883, with it* barbarous and cruel in flictions, is one of tire historical features of savage superstition that will never again lie repeated. Prior to the comple tion of the aun dance circle, when three days are taken to feasting on dog soup, dancing, giving away ponies, cattle and everything else that gives evidence that the “heart is good," the chiefs, sub chiefs and head men meet in council in some woodland, where they select twelve virgins who arc to do the honor of cut ting the polo. A number of young In dians are appointed to make search for a go»«l pole for the occasion (which has, however, been selected a long time be fore) and finally, after considerable de lay, the twelve virgins each take an axe, and give the pole one cut, the young bucks finishing the job. The crossing of a stream is auperKtitiously forbidden, and when the young Indians are ready they inarch in triumph to the place se lected for its “planting.” IP-fore them rush a thousand young braves on ponies, who fire off rifles and revolvers until out side the limits of the encampment, which, together with their yells, would drive off any evil spirits that might be hang ing around; ami that is tin ir part in the play. The pole is raised and green brush is placed in a circle about it, while the [>ole itself is gorgeously decorated with strips of calico in all the brilliant hues, which have been placed there as offerings from some dusky maiden or old ■quaw. The sun dance among these wild peo ple Is u barbarous religion with them. During the year an Indian has prayed to the Great Hplrit for fortune in hunting, restoration of health or some other wish, for which he promivs, if the prayer is granted, to make some sacrifice or dance at the annual aun dance, which was Usually held during the mouth of June. It is composed of fasting and feasting combined, tin- one who have made vows fasting for several days, and those who are to “see them through" feasting on delicious young dogs made into soup. Mothers who have naked th'- Great Spirit for Some favor bring their babes and young ch Idrcn to be "gouged” in the can with anything but sharp knives by the "mediciiiti men" (who are on hand in great numbers), the girls receiving two inflictions in each ear and the boys one, for which the medicine man receives a pony or two. Women have their arms, shoulders or face cut as they may have promised nt the time. Group of men and women dance with upturned faces to th<- burning sun, tooting continuously a whistle made of an antelope's bone. All these are preliminary to the most barbarous an I painful task of being brave. The young men who have fixed their hearts upon this torture by going through tin- ordeal of being cut in the two br lists and n sinew passed through the wounds, arc tied to i rojie attached to the stationary sun d.iuee pole, who'll they end avor to break out by continu ous dancing and jerking. Their faces are lifted to the scorching June sun while limy blow on the antelope bone whistle. To contribute to their success, some near friend or relative throws out sticks to the surrounding crowds, and a scramble is made to cure them, ns each Stick entitles the holder to a pony. In voking the Great Spirit f- r success is general by the medicine men, while groups of dancers with whistles and bands of nearly naked w ild men, painted in all colors, yellow, green, rod, blue, black, while or purple, in while, in part or combinations, with the designs of hands, horse shoe prints, horses, Indi ans, etc., go through mournful singing to the beats of a dozen great drums, making the conglomeration of noises anything but what it band leader would term “harmony." On the occasion to winch this arti de roton but oue out of •he throe smee -ded in breaking the flesh from the breast* and lie proved the meanest as well as bravest the others fainting; and some of the few whites pres, nt became faint themselves during the progress of this horrible torture. At the i lose of this festival, lasting about eight days, the Indians returned to their homes to find themselves either richer or poorer than when they left;but a large storehouse of rations furnished by the government supplied their wants to at least a litre ted ext nt. Oa their re turn home they found what few crops they had put in before they left had either got behind the growth of the was ds or oaten by stray stock, Thus the progn'ssive Indian failed to progress, and the government did a most sensible act when it abolished the sun dance, which every Indian was cotn|M>lled to at tend or be held in disgrace by the lead jr».—Creighto y.Vei ) /*. •>«r. A medical journal Ulla of a young woman who contracted the habit of chewing coffee. The b. bit grew until •he carried the coffee to bed with her, and at last she cousutu.-d half a pound a day. Qaeer Jastles. I related a atory of a Hungarian justice, doubtless of oriental origin, says the Hon. 8. H. Cox in the New York A’«n, describing a conversation in Turkey. In the interior of that country a Turkish agent was sent to buy cavalry horses to recruit for the then probable war with Bulgaria and Greece. While there the agent desired that the proprietor of the village with whom he was contracting should show him a specimen of the Hun garian mode of proceeding. “Wait a few moments," said the pro prietor, who was also a magistrate, “and I will see who is in the town jail." Calling his constable he wav informed by that officer that a goose thief had been apprehended during the night and was in confinement. He sent for the criminal. “Are there any witnesses, asked the judge. “Two,* was the answer; “the man who owned the goose and a man who saw the theft.” After hearing the evidence the judge, in his fierce and harsh Hungarian (Fin nish-Tartaric) tongue, called up the cul prit and said: “Yon have been found guilty and I fine you ten kreutzers and ten days’ imprisonment for stealing the goose.” Thereupon he summoned the owner of the bird and said: “I fine you ten kreut zers and ten days’ imprisonment for al lowing your goose to be stolen.” To the witness he said: “Sirrah, I fine you ton kreutzers and ten days’ impris onment for not minding your own busi ness.” Hilma Effendi then remarked that al most an odd a case recently came licfore one of the courts of Stamboul. A credi tor came to the judge to have a note sued. It was for 1500 piasters, and due three years hence. 'Die judge ordered the suit, but condemned the creditor to confinement for three years, “Fir,” said his honor, “how do I know where you will be three years hence, so as to pay you over your piasters,unless I hold you!" Bail Been In The Preserves Too. A certain widow lady owned a parrot, and being absent from home one day, the said parrot got into her jar of pre serves, and ate them all up. The widow on coming home,discovered the mischief, and was so indignant at the “Pretty Poll” that she caught up a kettle of hot water and threw it upon it. The opera tion robbed it of its bright plumage, and left it in astute of nudity. It went skulking around for several days, quite despondent and ashamed, when presently the widow’s beau—an old widower, who like “Poor old Uncle Ned, had no hair on the top of his head,” came to see her. The parrot's spirits brightened np im mediately on seing the old gentleman's bald pate: and in a tone of joy it ex claimed : "Eh, you've been in the preserves, too?”- 11‘ston Port. Berths In Sleeping Cars. A physician, referring to the custom of traveling on sleeping cars with the berths made up with their heads towards the engine, said: “It is certainly bad for tho brain of the sleeper as it is not natural, and it is no wonder that so many travel ers, especially those who have been on the road exclusively, experience bad ef fects from it. Take infants in baby car riages and no sane woman will think of trundling the vehicle along so the child goes head first. They always —except the young and inexperienced mother— push them along feet first. Physicians invariably advise such locomotion. It is the s ime thing on tho cars, and no one should hesitate about having his berth made up so as to move along feet first. It is much better for the brain.”— St. Paul Globe. The Boston Small Boy. Georgie is four years old. One day the youngster had been taken with a slight attack of prevarication, and, wishing to impress upon his infantile understanding the sinfulness of telling fibs, the father related the story about George Washing ton and his little hatchet, closing with the remark that George Washfhgton wax a good boy and never told a lie. The child s,t in deep thought a mo meat and then said: “Papa, tooi it nt In talk!” "Mercy, papa, don’t pat my cheek,” said little P , “you hurt my corn.” “Your corn, my boy? On your facet” “Yes. Oh, don't, papa! I’ve got a gum corn." /Aufoa k'eeord. Floating Islands. Three years after date the floating islands of pumice thrown up and into the sea by the stupendous volcanic erup tion at Krakatoa, in the Java seas, are found to have drifted along the Indian Ociau in the last twelve monta,676 miles in the direction west by south from where they were one year ago, or about five miles a day, This accidental help to hydrographers, and all who study ocean currents and drift, is probably the I- st they have ever had, because the orig-iu of the pumice is well ,known, the :l s’uig expanse of it is » large that it cannot escape notice, and the date and other particular* about it arc all matters of record. FOB THE FARM AND HOME. Mawlnath. HoadillUa. It should be part of the road work everywhere to keep the weeds cut down which spring up along the s'des of the highways; and thia work should never be neglected. There is scarcely a neigh borhood in which the highway* do not mature enough weeds to seed half the adjoining field*. It would be to the in terest of the owner* of those fields to have the highway* mown; but they fail to do this because the roads are public property, and they feel that every item of their care should be part of public ex pense. Usually nearly all of the work could be done with a two-horse mower, the scythe being necessary only where there arc projecting post, sharp off-sets in the fence, etc. This done the work would cost very little compared with the damage it would avoid. If the road overseer, do not feel disposed to have this work done, fearing that it is outside their duties, it should be brought up be fore the annual town meeting and voted ujxjn. If properly presented before the vote is taken, very few, if any, will vote against it. It may be well to suggest that not only those who have fields by the highways will be benefitel, but every man who passes along the road. American Agriculturist. Growing Food for Hoqo. The condition of hogs may be greatly improved if some kind of special food be grown for the purpose of giving them a change next winter when dry corn will be their lot. It has been demonstrated that when corn is fed in connection with some other food, better results are obtained than when only corn is allowed. This is due to the fact that a continued diet on one kind of food is, sooner or later, sure to injure the digestive organs and de range the system, but whe.e some kind of bulky food is given with the corn, the animals are promoted in health. And though such food should be bulky, it should also be succulent. Clover hay, steeped, is also excellent for hogs, but there is one kind of food that can be grown cheaply, and which is with the reach of every farmer. It is the pump kin. They will keep well during the winter, and may be fed cooked or raw. The seeds are said to injure cows, but we have heard of no ill effects when they are fed to swine. In feeding pumpkins always sprinkle a little salt on them, and in cooking them thicken the mess with a mixture of bran and middlings. If pumpkins are boiled with turnips, and a good feed of the same be given the hogs, warm, in the morning, tho effect will be almost magical, as the corn fed will be more easily assimilated, the bowels regu lated, and the animals make rapid gain. Grow some kind of succulent, bulky food for your hogs, and especially pumpkins. Christian at Buri. Care of the Work Tram. E. U. Stephenson, a Virginia farmer, says in the Farming World: A poor work team makes farm operations more costly. Grooming is essential, as it gives rest to tired muscles. It is second only to proper food. It has been said: “A good groom ing is worth four quarts of oats.” Feed liberally, but do not over-feed. Feed regularly, and see that the team has its breakfast, dinner and supper, before you have your own. It is poor policy to give horses no grain until they are about to do some hard job, or a season’s hard work. Over-feeding with gram or grass, causes derangement of the dige tion. Imper fect digestion means impaired usefulness in the long run. A horsa will do more work on oats than corn. Corn will pre pare a horse for labor, but oats make a better ration during hard work. Oil and starch in corn make it an undesirable summer food; it is heating. Old hay, cut and mixed with bran or a little meal, makes a good work ration; if old hay is not plenty, feed newly cured clover or timothy. Give an occasional feed of roots, apples, ami the like; they afford a variety and help digestion. If at all possible, let the team during hard summer work drink once in the forenoon and once in the afternoon, be sides at their regular meals. Judge them somewhat by yourself. See that the breast and shoulders do not chafe. To prevent it, take care to have well fitting collars, and bathe the shoulders with cool water on returning from the field. Clover-Sick Nolls. The following was written in reply to a letter sent to the New Jersey Experi ment Station, inquiring what could be done to give more certainty to the growth of clover and to increase its yield: There is much complaint among farm ers in a l parts of the country where clover is gr wn that tho seed does not take as well as it did formerly, and that the crop is much more likely to fail than in former years. This failure of the clover crop has also become a serious daniag ■ to farmers in foreign countries. There it is at nbuted to the land having been cropped with clover till it is said to be clover-sick. No certain cure for this condition of the soil has been found, though many experiments have been made. The most plausible hypothesis is that the soil and subsoil are exhausted of lime, magnesia, potash and sola, which are taken out of them in large quantities by the growing crop of clover. This is pot proved to be the cause of the failure of the crop, but in the absence of any thing better it would be well to consider it probable and make an experiment to test it. For this purpose the most con venient fertilizer* to use would l»e kainit and plaster, as they would supply all the missing constituent* mentioned. A mix ture of the two fertilizers in equal quan tities might be made, and 500 or 600 pound* of it used on an acre. It should be applied early in the spring at the time of sowing the clover seed. How to Wean a Calf. E. M. W. writes: Leave the calf with the cow a few days, and also a home made calf feeder. Several years’ experience has convinced me that it is better to let the calf run with its mother a few days—till the milk is fit to use nt least—if what the calf leaves is milked out every day. It is better for the cow if her udder is caked, and, otherwise, it makes little difference. It is far better for the calf, since it gets its milk natural ly and often. Moreover, it is easier to teach a calf to drink after it has sucked the cow for a few days than be fore it has sucked at all. And, while you are about it, make a calf feeder by boring a hole through the side of a wood en pail close to the bottom, and tightly drawing through it a role of strong cloth, three or four inches long, with a rubber tube wound in the centre of it. Fasten the inner end of the roll to the inside of the pail with a few tacks and hem down the edge of the cloth and it is done. For the centre tube use a piece of the tube to a baby’s nursing bottle. The milk will run slowly through this teat into the calf’s mouth and it soon begins to suck. After a few days teach it to suck in the usual way, by letting it suck the fingers, and then let it suck a part through the feeder and drink the rest out of the pail. Calves fed in this way will not have distended paunches like those which drink their milk with a few gulps, and consequently do not digest it well. — N. K Times. Hints on Milking Cowl, There is no part of the work on the farm which causes the proprietor greater trouble’and anxiety than the employ ment of hired help in the milking of his cows; this applies with increased force to extensive dairies. The great bulk of the hired help of the day consists of foreigners, few of whom ever learned to milk in their native lands, for the rea son that in those foreign countries milk ing the cows is done almost entirely by the women. Hence in many cases the American dairyman is forced to break in new hands to the business. Milking demands the exerc’se of gen tleness and patience on the part of the milker. In order that a cow may be made fairly profitable to her owner it is important that she should be made to feel that the milker is her friend, from whom she has nothing to fear. She should be taught to anticipate nothing but kind treatment each and every time he approaches her. Under such proper conditions the cow will never get ex cited, and will be ready to yield her milk freely and without restraint, always presuming the milker's ability and dis position to draw the fluid smoothly and aapidly. Unless this is accomplished the cow will not yield her full quantity of milk. In practice, there are many bad workers among the hired help, who are capable of doing well were it not that they are indifferent, work leisurely, stop and talk one with another or with a caller, and finally spend as much time in milking one cow as should be consumed m milking two animals. Far better that the milker should apply his mind and hands vigorously to the xvork before him for the needed time to milk the cow, then take a rest if necessary, and a time for talk, rather than to allow cither to interfere with regular and swift milking. All talking should be omitted while drawing the milk. Even under the most favorable' condi tions, and with the most capable help that can be secured, dairymen sustain considerable losses in the possible product of their cows. But when the negligence, temper and passion of hired help intervene, still greater losses must be incurred. Cows should never be vexed or worried by man, boy, or dog. The surroundings of a cow should be such as to make her comfortable and free from annoyance or excitement.— E. D. Richards. Houaelioltl Hint*. It is stated that lemons will keep several weeks in lard pails covered close ly. To remove wine, fruit or iron stains from linen wet the spot with a solution of hyposulphite of soda and scatter some pulverized tartaric acid upon it; then wash out as usual. Strong vin egar can be substituted for the tartaric acid. If you have soiled white Spanish or cachemire lace, do not throw it aside as worthless, for it may be colored by some of the dyes now to be found in small packages. Tho lace may then be used in a great many ways. One way is to trim the edge of tidies made of strips of ribbon and lace, or of ribbon and velvet, or for those novelties for the backs of chairs made of a strip of plain silk placed on each side of a very elegant strip of crazy patchwork. Furniture may be washed with warm soapsqd* quickly, wiped dry and then rubbed with an oily cloth. To polish, rub it with rotten stone and sweet oil. Clean off the oil and polish with chamois ski Beclpea. CM Cabbage Saiod—Chop the cab- j bage fine, sprinkle it with salt and pep per and sugar, cover with one-third wa ter and two-thirds vinegar. Codjish. Steaks.— Dip the steaks in I beaten eggs, then in yellow corn meal, and fry them a rich brown in pork fat. Be fore serving sprinkle the steaks with a lit tle salt and pepper and lemon juice. Little Holland Brrfze’*.—Make a dough of half a pound of flour, half a pound of sugar, the yolk of two eggs, a table spoonful of sour cream and a tablespoon ful of coriander seed. Break off little bits of the dough, rill them in round pieces and form them in little brctzels or rings. Canned Gooseberries.— Remove blossom and stem withut breaking the skin. Wash clean in cold water. Then fill the jar with berries. Make the syrup, and pour over the berries till jar is half full. Put the cap lightly in position. Place in a boiler of warm water and cook ten minutes. Out of tho contents of one jar fill others if the fruit shrinks and then screw cap tightly into place. v—- Currant Cake. — Cream three ounces of butter with two ounces of sugar and add three eggs, one at a time, using one ounce of flour with each egg, and beat well until quite smooth. Add one ounce of citron, finely minced, and pour the mix ture into buttered cups or moulds. Have an ounce and a half of currants nicely cleaned, and sprinkle them over the tops of the cake. Bake in a moderate oven until light brown. A Fountain of Pure Oil. A party of explorers have been travel ing through the Gros Ventre valley, and one of them tells the Cheyenne (Wyom ing) Leader what they saw: On the mountain peaks are found fossilizations of every variety. Shellfish of a past age, skeletons of curious birds, and bones of gigantic and long extinct animals strew the valleys and appear upon the moun tains. On the broad surface of the ta ble-like rocks are curious carvings of strange animals and birds, with hiero glyphics as strange as the subjects they apparently explain. Entering through a crevice between two gigantic rocks, the explorers found themselves in a circular basin 300 feet in circumference and lofty in height. The floor of this basin was as regularly paved with broad flagging as if done by the hand of man. From three parts of tho basin arose a thin bluish vapor, spread ing through the underground chamber a close oil-like smell. On investigation this vapor was found to rise from deep seams in the rocky floor. One of the party produced a long cord and attach ing to it a small stone, attempted to gauge the depth of these seams. No bottom could be reached, however. On the stone being withdrawn it was in ev ery instance found to be covered with yellow sticky matter of glue-like consis tency, strongly impregnated with a pe troleum odor. One of the party stumbled on a second opening, and this led into a third and smaller chamber in the center of which was a working, bubbling oil fountain. This was the pure article itself, as clear as if fresh from the best oil refine ry. In fact it was the product of a natural refinery, and the most po tent forces were engaged in its manu ure. From deep down in the bowels of the earth came a sound as of steady churning, and the oil mass heaved and shook at intervals as the continued prod uct of the natural refining process was poured in. Lost His Foot. “I remember,” said a physician, "that one of the most daring and strongest willed men in our regiment was much given to laughing at the poor fellows who went down under disease or who complained much of what we called mere scratches of wounds. For two years it seemed as if he was proof against all troubles incident to army life, but one day as he stood in line of battle, as fine a specimen of soldierly spirit end courage as ever I saw, there came bound ing and rolling toward the line a heavy cannon ball fired from one of the largo guns of the enemy. The temptation to stop a spinning ball of this kind was so strong that most soldiers nerved them selves up to the point of resisting the in clination to give the apparently harmless ball a kick. The only man to yield to the temptation was my superb soldier. He put out his foot with a smile on his face and went down a shattered, maimed and helpless man. His foot was cut off as by an axe, and the shock made him on the instant as helpless as a babe. Inter- Ocean. The Ties That Ben ml Hint.' “There are tics that bind me so fast to my business that I have no time for re creation," said an enterprising business man to his physician, who h.-xl recom mended rest and recu;cration. “And what ties are they!” asked the physician. “Advcr-tics,” replied the eccentric yet pushing merchant. Carl Pretzel. CHILDREN’S COLUMN. Tmble. Two little girls in the meadow at play Dow.i where the river is running away Away to the deep blue sea. I hear their voices and laughter shrill. Then suddenly everything’s perfectly still- W hat may the trouble be I A frowzy tawny tinted mane Comes floating down the rose hedged lane, And here is my little daughter. “O mamma, my sister h is called me a name, An’ she says she do’ wan’ to play any game!’’ Tears and smiles se ?k quarter. Tears rollover tho dear little face, But sunshine and smiles are winning the race, Dear little girl on my knee! ■‘Little sister do’ feel pitty ’ell to-day I’ll go back an’ kiss her, and ask her to play She’s p’obably wishin' for me.” —Margaret P. Smith, in Youth's Com panion. The Two Utile P| B «. One bright summer morning as I strolling toward the beach on the island of Mackinac I saw a short distance ahead of me two little pigs, one perfectly white and the other perfectly black, both the same size, trudging along side by side in the same direction as myself, seemingly engaged in earnest conversation. They seemed so out of place and I was so curious to know whither they were bound that I followed them unobserved. They did not walk aimlessly, but if they had some special object in view, and some definite destination. I wondered what they would do when they reached the water. I was not long in being answered. Without a moment’s hesisation, they plunged into the waves, side by side, and swam out and away toward another island, six miles distant. I stood and watched them until their two little heads looked like balls bobbing up and down, side by side all the time. When I related the incident to the landlord a little later ho looked as tonished and annoyed. ; “Those pigs,” he said, “were to have been served up for dinner to-day. They were brought here this morning in a boat from that island, six miles away, and we thought we might allow them their freedom for the short time that they have to live, never thinking of their making an attempt to return home. And did you notice,” he continued, “they chose the point of land nearest the island where they came from, to enter the water? Singular the little animals should have been so bright? And, furthermore, they weren’t landed there; that makes it more strange.” I, too, left the Island that day, and I have never heard whether those brave little pigs ever reached their destination or not.— Harper's Young People. Seeds of Kindness. Cries of distress come from a distant part of the garden, where Maggie and Jack are busily at work. Auntie hur riedly leaves her pardoning, and runs to 1 see what new misfortune has befallen them. Maggie sobs and howls, and aun tie wonders whether some dreadful bruise is hidden beneath the ground het dirty fingers are so industriously smear ing over her tear-stained face. But Jack soon explains matters and relieves auntie’s mind of that fear at least: “Why, there’s nothing the matter, auntie; but, Maggie is such a cry-baby. I was angry with her because she would not let me have the spade, and I just gave her the wee-est box on the ear nothing to hurt her at all, I’m sure I” Auntie took Maggie in her arms, and kissed the injured ear, when she bade both children follow her back to her in errupted gardening. “Now, Jack," she said, “look at these tiny plants. | What are they?” “They have grown from those seeds I helped you sow, and you are taking them out of the box that they may grow into lovely flowers by-and-by.” “And what is this little plant I have j thrown in a corner of the box ? Can you find out ?” “Wny, auntie, it is a tiny nettle ! Too small to sting, though, is it not ?” “I thought so until just now, when my finger rubbed against it. Do you see that little white spot it has left ? It h quite painful still. Now, Jack, try to understand what lam going to say. All we do—all our actions, all our words— are just like that seed we sowed the other day. Weeds or flowers are sure to spring from them. Which would you lather have ?” “Flowers, auntie, of course.” “What sort of seed did you sow just now ?” Jack did not answer, but lookep ashamed. “I’m afraid it was an ugly little nettle. You did not think it would sting, but Maggie thought diff ircntly, did she not! Will you both try to remember bow even a tiny nettle stings ? ’’ Au Artist’s Wit. Thing unheard of before: the painter Munkacsy has made a witty reply. A Vienna gentleman came to see him the other day, and explained that h - would like to buy sme pictures by h tn; ’■only,” he added, “I cannot afford t pay the prices you now ask. Could you not tell me where I could find some of your early work, painted when you were a young min in Hungary—som ithing that I could buy cheap? ’ “Certainly; there are two or three hundred in my na tive village of Mun acs—the houses that I painted when 1 was Michael Lieb, painter and glazier.— London Truth.