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THE OCTOPUS IX ACTION SOME NEW FACTS ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS DEVILFISH. Newfoundland Waters Infested by These Marine Monsters—Fight With a Fishing Crew—Swiftness and Enormous Muscular Power. Th© waters round the Newfound¬ land coast are infested by huge octopi, and many a fishing beat that never returns with her hardy crew owes her disappearance to the encircling tenacles of this strange and most re¬ pulsive inhabitant of the ocean depths. Occasionally dead devil fish are washed ashore after a storm, and recently one was found on the shore near Cape Race whidh, as it stretched its 60 feet along the strand, was thought to be the sea serpent at iast. Mere recently one attacked a fishing schooner in Placentia bay, but was beaten off by the tsrew with axes and knives, though not until it had gripped one man with its long, sinuous arm and nearly drawn him overboard, the tenacle being severed by a shipmate and remaining cm board as a trophy of the fight after the creature had been forced to retreat. Until 15 years ago there was even scientific skepticism of this octopus. But then an encounter between one and a Newfoundland fishing crew en¬ abled the world to become certain of its existence. Off St. John’s, in June, 1888, some fishermen saw a floatingob ject, which they took to be wreckage. Rowing toward it, the bowman dug his gaff into lit, when, to the horror of the erew, 'the creature displayed vigorous signs of life. Rapidly it dis¬ entangled its enormous bulk into its component members, erected its slimy tenacles many feet in the air and flung them over the boat which at the sam® time it attacked with its gigantic parrot-like beak. The men sat. paralyzed with terror, until they saw the boat being dragged under water, when they aroused themselves and tried to beat off the repulsive creature. One man caught a tentacle and sought to throw it from the boat, but instantly it wound round him and was dragging him over¬ board, His comrade was next caught by two smaller tentacles, while a sec¬ ond long arm enveloped the boat. A boy in it sat ^crouched with fright until he saw his father in .danger, and then, grasping an ax, he brought it down on the tentacle and severed it. Next he cut off a second and then aimed a blow at the creature’s head. Agonized with pain it retreated, dis¬ charging a black fluid that discolored the water all around and giving off a sickening odor of musk. The two tentacles remained, and as soon as the men were freed from the horrible monster they hurriedly made for the shore, where they related their grew seme experiences and displayed the two tentacles in proof thereof. The locail clergyman, on hearing their stoix advised them to wait upon the Rev. Moses Harvey, an eminent naturalist in St. John’s, to whom they took the larger arm, their dogs hav¬ ing got at and eaten the smaller one. He examined it and, the wounded oc¬ topus from which it had been cut having drifted ashore next day down the coast, he visited it and secured it for the Smithsonian institution at Washington, where a papier-mache re¬ production of it is now shown, the creature itself having proved too large to preserve. This specimen had a body 20 feet long, with two tentacles 40 feet in extent by four inches around and 12 shorter tentacles 10 to 12 feet long by 16 inches around. The extreme length from tip of tail to extremity of tentacles was 60 feet; between the tentacles stretched out 80 feet. The head was four feet wide, with two great, uncanny, malevolent eyes. The total weight was about 1,200 pounds. The body was a sort of flabby, jelli¬ fied mass, like a conserve of corn¬ starch, and rounded in form like a barrel or tube, terminating in a tri¬ angular fin or tall. In the upper part of the body the eyes were set and below them the mouth, a beak-like protuberance of strong bone, both extremities being as sharp as steel needles. The ten¬ tacles were tough and sinewy as leather ropes, the under surface be¬ ing covered with a double row of suckers. These were about an inch in diameter, with fine, sharp teeth around their horny edges, and a mov¬ able membrane which when pressed into an object and retracted at the will of the animal created a vacuum. Then the sharp teeth would sink into the flesh of the victim and the sucker would establish a hold from which es¬ cape would be impossible except by cutting off the tenacle or killing the octopus. Each tentacle has about 200 suckers and each smaller arm 100, so the total is about 1,600, which gives the fish an almost resistless power. The octopus can move backward or forward with equal ease and travel at an extremely rapid rate. Its means of locomotion is a funnel or tube be¬ hind the head. The breaching organs admit the sea water by a pair of valves worked by the muscular dila¬ tion of the body. This water, when it has communicated its oxygen to (ae blood by the internal mechanism pro¬ vided by nature, if, expelled through this tube or funnel, and the rate at which the liquid is ejected causes a corresponding speed of the creature through the water. When, working this apparatus, which realiy acts like a great hydraulic engine, the monster is enabled to dash uaekward with amazing rapidity, and the triangular fin or tail acts the part of & (front rud¬ der and directs the way. In an instant, by the exertion of its enormous muscular pewer, the crea¬ ture can arrest its movements, alter its direction and speed ahead as ra¬ pidly, being then propelled by its tail in the manner of ordinary fishes. Its habitat is the deep and rocky cav¬ erns around the shore, and It has only one enemy it fears—the mighty sperm whale. When attacked it ejects copious jets of inky fluid which dye the surrounding waters an inky black, and under cover of this cloak of dark¬ ness it retreats to its lair. The ink sack opens into the funnel already described, by means of a special duct, and' whenever it pleases the creature can squirt out the black fluid which the sac secretes. The whole appear¬ ance of the monster is repulsive and uncanny, and It is far and away the most unpleasant object that inhabits either the sea or the land. Its discovery creates the Keenest in¬ terest in the scientific world, and the most eminent naturalists of Europe and America wrote extensively on the subject Prof. Agassiz made ft the occasion of a special paper, and Prof. Verrill, of Tale, set up the creature in its proper form. Drawings of it appeared In all the scientific publica¬ tions of both hemispheres, and the matter awakened such attention at the time that Barnum. the famous showman, wired to the Ret- Dr. Har¬ vey to secure two of the very largest sized devilfish for him and to spare no expense In so doing. Unfortunately, however, la devilfish is not an easy thing to catch, and ona has never been secured alive. A few years ago some fishermen out of Logie bay, four miles from St. John’s, found one entangled in their net and tried to take it ashore alive, but it fought so desperately that they were obliged to dispatch it. Several others have been found dead at different times along more remote sections of the coast, and now the leading American museums have a standing offer with tlje local authorities of a reward of $500 for the delivery of a specimen in good condition to the United States consul in St. John’s.—P. T. McGrath, m St, John’s letter to Chicago News. -H An Admiral’s Bluff. In 1797, the Dutch, who were In al¬ liance with the French, had equipped their fleet at the Texel, and had made preparations to embark 'fn it their whole army for an attack upon Ire¬ land. It be was imperative] that they should watched in force and pre vented from joining the French fleet then in Brest, and this task fell to Duncan’s lot. Just as he was on the point of sail¬ ing from Yarmouth with i the North Sea fleet to blockade the] Texel, the famous and eleven mutiny of his at the line-of Norej Rattle broke ships out, turned back and joined th tiie e ringleader Parker at the mouth of Thames. admiral In spite of went this desertion his jthe destination gallant on to with his own ship, the venerable (74 guns), the Adamant (50 jguns), and the Active, a cutter. He then proceeded to? bluff the Dutch. By keeping up a regular suc¬ cession of signals to the ^Adamant in the offing, as though sending orders to a fleet outside, he actually induced the enemy to believe that ht lay off the coast in force. In fact,- the Dutch never discovered that then* were only two ships and a cutter watching them until the mutiny was over and Dun¬ can’s other ships had rejoined him. Later on in the same year, the great victory of Camperdown cat no to crown liis triumph.—Pearson’s Weekly. Courting in Caracas. When passing through the streets of Caracas in the evening one may see by lamplight a woman sitting near the window inside of almost ('very house. By and by a young man appears in front of each of these w indows and converses with those inside. In most cases, says a writer in Harper's Maga¬ zine, he is the suitor for the hand of one of the daughters of. I the house. Evening after evening he ius pays his respects to her family, tanding for hours on the sidewalk, til the day ar rives when the mother o his adored one believes the fact of fis courting her daughter sufficiently a dvertised to the neighbors, as well as to the com¬ munity at large. Then on ly the doors of the house are thrown c pen to him. Woman’s Undying Love. Every woman is an a ristocrat at heart and demands hon age. Every woman is born with the love of rule. stincts; Every weman is an is imperj§ hapB in her in¬ no woman until she has proved her power to,*e; no man is really happy until he submitted himself to a good woman’s ty is evanescent, even if a woman in her youth ways the case—ten, twe the utmost, and it is ttj love of rule never die Church Eclectic. FORTUNE IN MAINE SKUNKS. Skins Shipped to Philadelphia and Oil Valuable Medicinally. It will no doubt surprise many peo¬ ple to learn that the despised skunk is worth twice as much to Maine as is the much admired heney bee, but such is the fact; and, counting things at their actual worth, the skunk is worth about as much as ail the deer killed in Maine in a season. The skunk is valuable both for his fur and for the oil that is in him, and both the fur and the oil are in ever-increasing demand. Fashion in furs regulates the price of skunk furs. Four years ago the coat of a dark skunk was worth from $2.50 to $3, and the demand exceeded the supply. Since then the muskrat has come into favor, and the price of skunk skins has fallen to about $2 for the best. When, however, there are a dozen fat skunks to be had on every acre of meadow land, when a hard¬ wood club is the only weapon needed for kiling them, Kind when every fat skunk contains atyeast a quart cf oil, worth $5 a gallon at wholesale, there is money in the business. Most of the skunk pelts are shipped to a Philadelphia firm, where they are made up into furs for export to France and Germany, in which countries they pass as monkey skins. It is estimated that Maine's revenue from skunks amounts to $150,000 or $175,000 annu¬ ally, which is double the sum derived from all the honey bees in the state, and certainly more than all the 8000 deer shot are worth to the men who kill them. From 100,000 to 150,000 skunks are killed in Maine every fall. The demand for oil is steadily in¬ creasing and the price has advanced 50 cents to $1 a gallon within a year. The natives prize the oil for its vir¬ tues as a cure for rheumatism and stiff joints, and large quantities of it are bought by country traders and sent to druggists cut of the state. It is estimated that the annual pro dustion of skunk oil in Maine exceeds 25,000 gallons, and the quantity is in¬ creased by adulteration with the fatty oils obtained from hens and wood¬ chucks, a deception which has proved most profitable to the skunk magnates.—Philadelphia Record. The Turkish Admiral. I remember an amusing incident in connection with the entertainment of a Turkish admiral some summers ago. I had made the admiral’s acquaint¬ ance in a curious and casual man¬ ner. His ship had been lying in the harbor for some time, and it was a very beautiful one. A well-known Venetian asked me if i would like an order to go over ner with a party of friends. I accepted, and never hav¬ ing been to the east, was much im¬ pressed with the quaintness of the whole visit. We went out in a gon¬ dola, and a young officer came run¬ ning down the steps, and said in Eng¬ lish that he hoped I wouldn’t mind leaving my dog in the gondola, as the dog was not an animal beloved of Mohammedans. Then he proceed¬ ed to show us over, but presently a quiet looking elderly man who was standing near, and who bore no dis¬ tinguishing marks of his personality about him, came and took his place. He then invited us into his cabin, told us who he was, and clapped his hands for a huge negro, who appear¬ ed with a tray with Turkish coffee, edd little saucers of sweetstuff and glasses of Nile water. We talked for a long time and became such good friends that the admiral said he would like to return the visit. So one bak¬ ing afternoon, as I was sitting in my window on the ground floor of the Casa Blondetti, a beautiful steam launch came down the canal and out got the admiral. He had just been to lunch with Don Carlos, the Pre¬ tender, he said, and the repast had been a gorgufous one, but, alas, he had come away hungry, for his royal host had ordered a meal principally com¬ posed of meat, being doubtless un¬ aware of the fact that Mohammedans may eat only the meat of animals 1 killed by their own people or by Jews.—London Globe. Chopin’s "Inspiration.” Many people have heard the j "Marche Funebre” of Chopin, but few are aware that it had its origin in a rather ghastly after dinner frolic. The painter Ziem, still living in hale cld age, relates how, about 56 years ago, he had given a little Bohemian din¬ ner in his studio, which was divided by hangings into three sections. In one of these was a skeleton some¬ times used by Ziem for “draping,” and an old piano covered with a sheet. During the after dinner fun Ziem and the painter Ricard crept into this sec¬ tion, and wraping the old sheet like a pall around the skeleton, carried it among their comrades, where Polignac seized it, and wraping himself with the skeleton in the sheet sat down to play a queer dance of death at the wheezy old piano. In the midst of it all Chopin, who was of the sei: irefvKfiy ^jXirvd^ .31 rCC&JMe Truiis form lit ion. I find no fuder s skill can show How Heaven doth wash so white the snow; iVhat miracle of pure new birth Hath glorified these drops of earth, t only know the upper air Hath wrought this change that moves a A holier prayer; secret angels know, How souls are made more white than snow. Though Though once sunken in deep clouds of lands thunder forlorn, born, in Yet mgy the skies their gift reclaim, And write thereto this white new name. AH But moveless, spirit changeless, and lies of the God; clod, Though comes, have lain goes, The heavens we so dark, so low, can make us white as snow. —Carl Spencer. When Beil Time Comes. On a Santa Fe train going out of Kan¬ and sas City her brood one ni||ht recently was a and mother of five, four girls one hoy. fore, and They hai] left Illinois the day be¬ were on their way to “the new country” has claim where' which her husband and father a is the new home. The oldest girl appears to be about fifteen, and from that age down to the only boy, a chubby dress and little fellow about four. Their manner showed that they had not been reared in the midst of luxury and opuline, bun with all they were model children and scrupulously clean. The mother was thin and bony, her face slick and shone from' much washing and hag¬ gard her from the Jong flock, trip and the care of twenty-four precious little for there were end. hours yet beyond the jour¬ ney’s Wd 88 afte ‘\ ti mc when the train left i -m Kansas City, and the younger ones Were keep awake. soon yawning In. fact, and scarcely able, to the pet of the family had mosed his eyes and was fast approach mg "shut eye tfjwn,” while the next eld¬ est tugged her mother at him while she looked appeal¬ ing at with an expression that was The others pitiful. began Hct mustn’t go to sleep yet! selves and then ;to whispering the mother, among if thing exciting hid as pen soon, all of which happened attracted or would the tention of other passengers, who sat wonderment as, they tried to divine cause of so much whispering and strenuous efforts to keep the least awake. Presently the j cause of this was made plain “ it was bed time and had not said their prayers. Quietly, y> ' V1 t>liout ostentation, yes, even idly, the mother and her children together at bate the long seat at the end of car the Wing his head with rest and rubbing with chubby hands eyes that would! hardly stay open, the evening prayers were said. Just for a moment, and then they the children were made as comfortable possible for the; night, and soon all the mother wes-p asleep, while the t'ued eyes and quivering lips of the passengers, the 'traveling men with grips, the politician with his schemes, business man with his worries, paid a lent but might#-tribute to the civilizing agent of all ages, the tian religion. Here, oh, yon ‘eachers of theology, a sermon greater than you ever preached! Jiem, oh, ye choirs, is an anthem er than you ever pang! creeds Here, and,doctrines ye host of Israel, quarreling over and torn with strife you God evTtaught °" m ° re P ° Werfu! than save the mother and her brood, t0 the ‘>' bo, «c in safety, and to tiieir last home m peace. Seeds That Will Grow, act-UffilS J r J !er ® if,,nothing e pKS that will make f a man SneS8 ° “ n,Can m g TfV n jny vice is hut a hold inv ing nm out of the hands for manacles. Sin Wellspring? 8 ’ afterwards ** compels Kyi'ssAir- ffirt’ a* » “• ( did ,.¥ and 0 m y rising c ta' at "? to hf something doing something splen¬ and gone, i will take hold great are dead ™ hat 1 know I do with a wil at pose, and then let can still to a good pur the eternal love which is Robert R? Collyer me takC Care ° f thc rest - “ ft m~j V N VlOAil itjZ-et kh follows the selfi8h A,1 __ . 1 1 them deTofiZitTX* t . r \ ou from thcm seeing *4 through “he U T‘ staTs & litot i tb mU qU J’ smit great out ’ all crimes the to hide the J re Little f n (!rod * countenance. faults d i ° Just ' as well.—H. W. Beecher. able aoie thTtrnJ that true work "getting is to be what done, is irrepar- but bv by cmLkfnb eSt f Wliat We are !t is not th that ‘ s i we v have not the right k b Z l ,s 'n« well the tools have, Wha t ue /9°d » we msnt-Gods rn-'nl doing, 8 though providential arrange- lie l it may n °h r>g r ,fc 'I a 6eries of 111 is takes ml ' ~ tska. to'. AraoId . ’ e ,,ai, y Prayer, n r X T Mess d th 01 |? ht Do Thou thlt them and a keep their work Thine, heart thnuJht i > .through d Thy hlo°d natural laws mv an ? y flows without anv il ht of t m i ne 80 my spiritual life y h 0 ^ irirf ■ course ' at these times ■ mot conspicuously turn .each particular thought lean m y prayer, for my THE SUNDAY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS FOR JANUARY 17. Subject Tbe Bapllsm anil Temptation of Jesus, Matt. HI., 13 to iv., 11-Golilen Text, Matt, iii., 17—Memory Verses, iv., 3,4—Commentary on the Bay’s Besson. T. The baptism (vs. 13-17). 13. “Com¬ eth Jesus.” So far as we know this was His first public act since He was twelve, years old. “To Jordan.” Probably at; Aenon near to Halim Nazareth. (John 3: “Unto 2, 3), a John.”j day’s, Although journey from John His cousin toldj was we are (John 1: 33) that he "knew Him not;” which may mean that John did not know Jesus to be the Messiah. "To be bap¬ tized.” Any confession of sin was of course out profession of the question. There was that only a on the part of Jesus as -n Israelite He became subject to the law, and that He was connected with hu manitv by the ties of blood,., of suffering and of love. This act was an endorsement of John and a solemn inauguration of his ministry. “Forbad.” Earnestly and pressing- 14. lv opnosed Him. "I have need,” etc. Al¬ Ghost though John his was birth filled (Luke with the 15). Holy yet from 1: he needed tbe baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. He neded to receive a larger measure of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. 15. "Suffer it to be so' now.” These were the first words of Christ’s nubile ministry. In this Jesus humbled Himself at the -mry outset. "Fulfil all righteousness.” To leave nothing undone which would be nonoring to the require¬ ments of God. "He suffered Him.” The same decline modesty which Christ led offered him at him first to the honor now caused him to nerform the service Christ enjoined upon him. 16. "The Heavens were onened.” Luke says that Jesus prayed as soon as Tic was baptized recorded (Luke 3: 21). Christ Here is the first prayer of and its answer. It was when He was praying that the Spirit was sent down linon Him, and in all probability it was this that He was nraving for. A threefold sign was gh-en: 1. The Heavens opened. 2. The dove descended. 3. The Father snake. “He saw.” Christ saw it (Mark 1: 101, and John saw it (Jnhn It 33. 34). and it is . ' probable that all who were nresent saw it, for this was intended dove.” to be ITis public has inauguration. "Like a^ There been a differenee of opinion as to whether this was a real, literal dove. Luke says it was in a "bodily” shape like a dove (Luke 3: 22). 17. “Mv be'oved Son.” Jesus Christ is the Son of God from eter¬ nity. He never began to be His Ron. He was also H’S Son because of His suner natrral birth, and He was His Son “by special designation to the work of the world’s Redeemer.” TT. The first temptation (vs. 14). 1. Then.” Immediately after His baptism. Such are the violent alternations of human experience; Cod baptized and handed and tempted: the ap¬ proved of over to devil. “Of the spirit.” Luke says He was “full driveth of Him. the Spirit:” A divine Mark influence says, the led Spirit Him on. "Into tbe wilderness.” Tradition lias fixed upon a high ridge called Quarantania, near Jericho. Mark says He was with the wild beasts. “To with be tempted.” Christ begins His work a personal eneoun te- with Satan. To temnt is. literally, to rtreteh out, to try the strength of Temptation is _ thc testing of a person., Lord 2. “Forty fast days.” forty Moses. days Elijah because and they our could were in communion with God and living a ed heavenly during life. the whole Luke savs forty He days. was tempt¬ The struggle was powerful, personal and in¬ tensely real. Christ for our sakes met and conquered “Afterward the tempter’s hungered.” utmost After strength. the forty days ended. an 3. “Tempter were came.” How Satan appeared to Christ we do not know, but if he came in bodily angel form of light. it must “If have Tliou been be.” as an Beware of temptation that conies with an if in its mouth c ” rpl '» consciousness now in a Hlt«suic imvc uccu winm-cu. Alone in the wilderness and weak and worn from fasting, Satan saw his chance. “Stones . . . bread.” You are hungry; now if You are thc Son of God use the power You have to supply Your Your necessi¬ ties, and thus temptation prove Satan divinity. In this first bodily tempts our Lord, as he did Eve, by the appe- ,. first. tite. He By this appeals to the he approaches animal nature and i v ’J — avenue conquers the great majority of mankind. Beneath this temptation of bodily appetites all gluttons, drunkards and debauchees have fallen and become the devil’s prey, A ’] 4. “It is written.” Dcut. 8: 3. Jesus answered the devil by using the sword of j Human the Spirit. support "Not depends live by not bread on bread, aiotie.'’^ but / upon “God’s unfailing word providential! of promise f and pledge of all needful care.” 5-2'J f III. The second temptation (vs. sc^J 5. “Pinnacle of the temple." The changes from thc wilderness to Jerusah Some intended, well known probably pinnacle the royal must hj been on the southern side of the tempi “Cast thyself down.” In His first ri to the devil Jesus had shown High bounded confidence in God. Now takes Him at that very point. If ff be the Son of God east Thyself woj frond '■ pinnacle. All the world will so grand an exploit. This was a j tion to presumption, pride. or “For as Mr.) j says, to spiritual it n ten.” The devil has a Bible, but, ’ quotes charge.” and A misapplies. mutilated quotation “Cive hi 91: 11. 7. “Tempt.” Him Deut. the 6: tempt God is to put to p demand evidence of His powei J His will to fulfil His promises, waiting patiently and trusting. J ration Carried appealed from to the God love by ol sf away w ures or the vanities of fashio? J IV. The third temptation “Exceeding high mountain,'! mountain in Judea, where ’ could be had of the cou . . of . the kingdoms, third tempi of t! root supposition that the 1 he world could w'ere dispose the devil’s of tb k, me.” Here the devil » character. Christ wi worship “not by an age, but by using for: temporal "Get kingdom.” thee k 10. with him no loni commands him to third tion teropt atio] ’ “ 3l