A Boston swimmer Issues a chai lenge for "a mile dash." Wouldn't "a mile splash" be better? Unstable as Central ard South American republics may be, Zelaya has been inaugurated president) of Nicaragua for the third time. Dr. Gilman, who has been electeJ president of the great Carnegie insti tution in Washington, is 70 years 010. In the realm of high thought and vast enterprise thi'3 is not yet "the young man's age." The objects which great interna tional enterprises find in their way the not men, but interests. And inter ests are even more ITTeles's than cor porations, which are said to have no SCHIS, reflects the Christian Register. A mine explosion in Mexico has caused the death of more than 100 men. Within a recent period fatal explosions of every sort have been amazingly frequent and destructive. It i3 painfully evident that long fa miliarity with the storage and hand ling of dangerous compounds has in many countries bred a contempt which has been followed by distress ful calamities. Odors as an assistance to diagnosis if a new branch- of medical science. The Medical Record is authority for the statement that the odor of new mown hay is an indication of pyaemia, typhus is indicated by an ammoniac smell, jaundice by a musky one, yel low fever by the odor of a gun barrel, hysteria by a suggestion of violets or pineapples, intermittent fever by the smell of fresh baked brown bread, and measles by one like fresh picked feathers. It seems somewhat incon gruous that the smell of the plague resembles honey. The Denver Republican states that the fact that Germany and the Unit ed States are drawing near to each other need not have the effect cX estranging any other friend from the Americans. There are considerations that suggest that Great Britain and the United States should always be warm friends, -whatever the relations between this country and any other power, and in like manner we may maintain relations of the most friend ly character with Germany, France, Russia and each of the other powers o. the Old World. There is a burglar, or set of bur glars, in Paris with knowledge of the classics, and making good use of the episode of the wooden horse. A series of the mysterious burglaries that puzzled the police were found on irvestigation to be more or less con nected with a wooden horse. The horse was one of those frequently seen in harness shops for display purposes. Its owners generally fixed on a promising location, and persuad ed the porter of the place to let the horse remain in his stable or court yard until morning. During the night the robberies would occur. Strange at. it may seem, this horse was used a dozen or more times before the pol ice- decided to watch it. When they did they found concealed in it a young rascal, who, at the appointed time, would creep out and let his confeder ates into the premises. Once caught, the men confessed that tliey had stol en the horse for this purpose. To solve the problem of keeping young people from flocking to the ci ties, tne Great Round World cites the modernized "Village Hall," as a centre for the social interests of the community and says:"The present tendency of the younger generation in rural communities to seize the earli est opportunities of finding homes in the larger cities, is due in considera ble part to a sense of social needs. Existence becomes monotonous where there is no social variety, and aside from the desire for larger business p!ofit and for making more of a n;>.me, the longing to know more peo ple, to see more sights and to get more closely into touch with affairs is a persistent pull on the content of f.he average rural young man or wom an. It is quite evident, therefore, that if the young people are to be kept in the towns and villages, some thing must be done to improve their social surroundings. Their need must be met—and met wholesomely and as completely as possible. At the eame time such an effort, properly carried out, is certain to bring educa tional results of other values, for to make the community desirable to the young it must be modernized, it must be knit more closely together, it must be brought into nearer relation with the world outside. All this can be ac complished only by emphasizing tha points of agreement among the inhab itants." Oh, the Easter egg sat on the pantry shelf, And its oval face wore a crafty smile— "l think I can travel alone," said the elf, "And I won't come back for a long, long while." But a gray old rat heard the odd remark While passing by the pantry door — "That's right," he squealed, "we'll have a lark If you'll just drop gently down to the floor." So the flattered egg puffed till its face was red And rolled itself over and over, and then Smashed on the floor—and the old rat said, As he ate: "You'll never go back again." GF\£/\T IS all lands, ■wherever the Christian religion prevails, the anniversary on the resurrection was celebrated Sunday. Easter Day is an occa sion for triumphant rejoicing, in which youth and age and joyous spring unite. The praiseful song mingles with the gladsome note of the birds, and the odcr of flowers lends a sweetness to the festival that adds to the genuinely pious sentiment pervading the day. I I _ d rose \\ \\ \\ I VEJirh,'TosfS/sprmKlcol over, >- \\\A\ \ \\ / I @nd Mhe mso.dow by &-wood \\v\ 0 W K J and \\ l \ A // C J / \\M«2S§7 , &r acr-pss Ths) dewcy dells v \ \ V V/ w\ \wbe K \v SZI \ ,V\lohd whiß, lC /vm |Sv-» V, Qu vft-rtCkiirjcTowri &r\dr-$ mple, Si 112 ^ — <c * ai v W " As u j , "f~~ —v >®|2ijH v ' —-j \ ) / X \ \vn Elurr —melancholy sl'eaTinq, \\ \ \ 112 /X A '') \ vV\\ Brine iidinos -\best and AA J \ CLH Jr J ______ \ \ 'J! far your' x musitxthngino;>Xi L,\ \yl Ss --— \ peace 1>; herxthts-l|kk&Veij ./\ A There is 110 doubt that the annual com* lug of Easter awakens the careless in religious matters, acting as a sort of tonic to the sin-weary wanderer. Easter has always been considered the chief festival of tlie Christian year. It is the sanctified symbolism of the wonderful resurrection of Christ, but it is also symbolic of the renewal of life iu nature. Like many other cus toms, it is the perpetuation of an old usage, which became the rule iu the Christian church in A. I>. CS. Easter derives iis name from the A CONFIRMATION CLASS IN HOLLAND. Saxon goddess Estre, the personifica tion of tiie east, or spring. In ancient times it was sometimes called the "Sunday of Joy," and it is said that "the ancient Athenes celebrated the awakening of the earth and the blos soming time of the year with pipes and paens of rejoicing, and processions to the violet-crowned hills of our Acropo lis." Our Saxon ancestors continued the celebration of Easter for eight days. After the long penitential sea son of Lent; after the forty days of doing good, and abstinence from public amusements, marriage festivities and other worldly attractions, and after the long winter's burial, when the earth has been wrapped in somber shades, the people found legitimate gratifica tion in the celebration of the spring fes tival. During the Easter festival in earlier times slaves received their freedom, the poor and needy were helped and feasted, bonfires were lighted, scenic representations, games, songs and dances were indulged in; even the clergy recited from the pulpit stories and legends for the amusement of their hearers an odious custom against which the reformers of the sixteenth century successfully issued their re monstrance. A game played with egg shaped balls of various colors was a favorite sport in which municipal cor porations formerly engaged. The game was kept up with considerable poinp and ceremony, even into the early part of the nineteenth century. Deep religious fervor dominates the character of the people of Holland, and in the period before Easter their devo tions are especially marked. No more charming picture can bo found any where than is here presented, that of a spring confirmation class. The sweet, fresh faces of the young girls have the rapt expression that betokens a devout nature and speaks of that rarest qual ity in human character, sincerity. The "Feast of the Eggs" has ever been the most popular of the Easter ob servances. The egg is the ancient sym bol of the new birth, and a religious significance has always been given to its use at Easter. The Hebrews use them at their Passover feast, and the J Persians present each other with deli cately-tinted eggs at a feast celebrated at a period of year corresponding with our Easter. In Scotland, on "Pasli Sunday," as they call It, the young peo ple rose early and went out to tlio moors to search for wild fowls' eggs for breakfast, considering it a happy omen if they found them. It is still customary to boil eggs hard, dye them different colors and give them to chil dren to play with on Easter morning. Germany, ltussia and other countries have their own peculiar observances and beliefs about the egg and its ap plication to Easter, and there are many myths and legends in regard to eggs in nowise connected with Easter. The Uawaiians, for instance, have a super stitious legend that their "island was produced by the bursting of an egg which had been laid upon the water by a bird of great size, presumably the eagle, it being considered of great crea tive power and that there was no other land." "Blessing the Food" Is a curious Rus sian custom. Before the dinner is cooked it is brought in baskets to the churches, where priests, moving up and anil down, sprinkle it with holy water. In Poland elaborate prepara tions are, made for the Easter feast. In the houses of people of means the tables groan with a multitude of dishes, in the centre of which a whole lamb is fixed upon a raised pedestal, with a red silk banner inscribed with the word "Alleluja" waving above it. The "washing of feet" on the Thursday before Easter has long been a custom in the Roman church, and still sur vives. It is intended to inculcate hu mility among the high and mighty princes of the world, both temporal and ecclesiastic. .Tames 11. was the last of the English kings who performed the ceremony. In Austria, however, the emperor still keeps up the rite under circumstances of great splendor. In the Tyrol on Easter Hve bands of mu sicians in quaint garments traverse the country, guitars in hand, singing East er hymns somewhat in the fashion of our carol singers at Christmas. In early times the religious part of the Easter festival consisted principal ly in the daily services held in the churches, which were lighted on East er Eve by immense "Paschal tapers," weighing 200 or 300 pounds. On Easter Sunday the people saluted each other with the Easter kiss (the kiss of broth erhood still obtains in the Russian church), and the exclamation, "Christ is risen," receiving the-reply, "He is risen indeed." The service being over the people returned to their worldly af fairs or gave themselves up entirely to pleasure. But a gradual change has been going on during the long ages, and the occasion is now observed with a loftier conception of the true meaning of Easter. Easter-Tlde With Foreign Nations. In France, before Easter the priests begin their rounds of visits, blessing and receiving eggs in return. The largest of these were selected and sent as a tribute to the king. After high mass in the Louvre, highly gilded and piled in pyramids, they were carried into the royal presence. Then having been blessed by the chaplain they were distributed among the people. In Italy the same custom was employed. In Russia Easter is "at-home day," as New Year's is with us, and every man carries about a generous supply of hard boiled eggs. These, with Easter greetings, are exchanged with every friend he meets. Ladies who receive have platters of handsomely painted eggs to give away, and a kiss can al ways be claimed with the egg. Easter week in this country is the great an nual wash, which can be compared only to the spring housec-leaniug of our country. Fun as well as work forms a part of the cleaning. Men with brushes fastened to their feet skate over the tloor, while the women accompany their rhythmical movements with song. —Blanche Gardner Spinney, in the Wo nan's Home Companion. A Quaint Lenten Rhyme. "Pase-egg day" is the curious name by which Easter is called in the rhyme which gives the names of the Sundays in Lent: Tid, Mid, Misera Carling, Palm, "I'ase-egg day." The meaning of "Tid," "Mid" ami "Misera" is lost; Carling is mid-Lent, sometimes also called "Mothering-day." /"*,' vV*-? JjjJj S £-P»vil{r, "Age cannot wither, aor custom stale her inlinite variety,"—Life. The Legend of the Rabbit. There is a curious and very sweet little legend cherished by German chil dren concerning the Easter rabbit Once upon a time, they tell us, a nice, kind rabbit, who was walking along a quiet woodland road, came across a flue, large nest filled with eggs. Tht poor mother-hen had been seized by o wicked fox and could not go back to her darling nest, so this kind rabbit slept all night upon it, and when he woke in the morning (it was Easter morning) the nest was full of little, downy, yellow chickens. The chickens thought the rabbit was their own mam ma, so they cried out for something to eat, and the rabbit ran about and fetched food for them, and kept them warm and fed until they were all old enough to take care of themselves. Ever since then the rabbit has been the special genius of Easter-time, and tills holiday is not complete for Ger man little folks without an "Oster Ilase's nest." It holds many a favor and present, serving the same purpose that Christmas stockings and wooden shoes do at Christmas-time. An Koster-Remeinbrance Booklet. A pretty Easter remembrance can be made in the shape of a dainty booklet, containing an appropriate or helpful poem for your friend. These booklets may be made in two ways. The leaves and cover may be made twice the size or tiie page desircff, tften folded anil stitched with silk cord or narrow rib bon, and tied in a knot at the back. Or they may lie cut into pages instead of leaves, holes punched at the back about an inch from the edge, and a rib bon run through and tied. Cut sheets of the tinted paper to the shape and size you wish your book. Unruled tinted not paper, wholly out of place for correspondence, may be used to ad vantage. as it is already of a suitable size. Other paper may be cut in long, narrow sheets, to be fastened at one end. The poem is to be written or type-written, using as many pages as desired, but only one side of the paper. The booklets sold at the stores are good models of how much or how little to put on a page. Select a picture, or several of them, suitable to the poem, and mount them on pages of the same size. From fancy board cut a cover a little larger than the pages. On the front of the cover put a picture or an Easter greeting. Bind with ribbon.— Florence Marian Critehlow, in the Woman's Home Companion. Eaftter Favors. Where the party is small, a dozen 01 so of guests, it is usual to provide small gifts or favors to the departing guest. These are often of silver, articles of small value, which enn be conveniently carried home. Moral: Do not bestow silver pencils. One little girl lias seven already. A pot of flowering daffodils, hyacinth or crocus is a pleasant favor for Eastertide parties. The flat, small box of bonbons, chocolates preferred, is tied up with bright colored satin rib bon and used for a favor. Small East er eggs, Easter bunnies or chocolate chickens are also used for favors. An Kaster situation. "Honest, Mr. Rabbit, we weren't looking for your egfis."—Harper's Ba zar. THE GREAT DESTROYER SOME STARTLINC FACTS ABOUT THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. The Tragedy of Michael Kilroy—Alcohol!. Drinks Transformed Him Into a Fiend —Murdered His Wife In the l>resenc« of His Children—Such Cases Common. When Michael Kilroy reeled home in the early hours of the holy Sabbath of Sun. day, January 2(3, in the Christian city ol Boston, his pockets empty of the money that he had promised to his wife to buy the clothing for lack of which his children were freezing; when he answered her ap peal for the fulfillment of his promise with a blow that knocked her to the floor; when he choked, with his fingers upon her throat, her appeal for mercy; when he kicked her with his heavy boots, and she about to become the mother of another child; when he sat for hours unmoved, lis tening to her moans and watching her suf ferings; when he brutally mistreated the children who would have brought her help; when he struck awav the water that her little daughter was lifting to her Moody, thirsting lips—it was drink, gentlemen— the drink that Professor Atwater tells us is food —the drink that you gentlemen rec ommend in "moderation," that made him do it, and neither in earth nor hell has any other agency been found, in the history of the whole human race that inspired men to such deeds. But drink, gentlemen, alcoholic drink, not only made Michael Kilroy do that bru tal, devilish deed, but has transformed un counted thousands of men into fiends af the same character, and has driven them to deeds equally brutal. Drink, gentlemen, has inspired such tragedies so commonly and in such multitude that the public scarcely pauses to notice their occurrence. Drink, gentlemen, is to-day preparing more men for just such deeds "as that, and fou know and we know and the world knows that it will take boys from your churches, boys from your schools, aye, God pity you, perhaps boys from your homes, and will make them into such brutes to work such fiendish crimes in fu ture years on women who to-day are lovely and loving girls. It was only twelve days before the butch ery in that Boston tenement that Vincent Vineelsk came how drunk in Pittsburg and chopped his wife and little children to death with a rail-cutter. It was only thir teen days before that John Blissett. of Detroit, drunk, emptied his revolver into his wife's body and poured kerosene over her and stood with lighted match to make her a burnt offering to drink when the po lice broke in upon him. It was just one month and a day before that a father in Indiana came home drunk, sought to kill his wife with a hatchet and was shot dead by his son. But why goon with such a list? The Mses are innumerable and before Michael Kilroy came home to kill Bridget vou and ivc and everybody in the whole land knew :liat some man. because of the drink traffic, would come home and kill his wife, and that the terrible procession of crime would seep right on—The New Voice. Dr. Atwater Kepudiated. The American Medical Association at. Its annual meeting in St. Paul unanimous* iy adopted the following resolutions: "Whereas, The American Medical Asso :iation, the members of which are physi :ians and medical teachers who have de moted years to the study of alcohol and its jffects. and who are conversant with the tvork done by scientific men the world wr to_ determine the effects nJpnKit n-hen given in any quantity, have noted the teaching of Professor W. O. Atwater, )f Wesle.van University, upon the food and medical value of alcohol as set forth by him in the pages of the influential lay press; be it "Resolved. That this association utterly repudiates the pro-alcoholic doctrine of the laid Professor W. O. Atwater as being con trary to the evidence deduced by scientific jxperimentation. and that his conclusions jre unwarranted by the evidence resulting from his own experiments. Be it further "Resolved, That this association regards the teaching of Professor W. O. Atwater is erroneous and a source of danger to the laity inasmuch as such teaching contrib utes towards the increased consumption of ilcoholic beverages by giving supposed rea son for their safe use." (Signed) X. S. DAVIS, M. D„ Pres.. Chicago, 111. T. D. CROTHERS. M. D., Sec., Hartford, Conn. A Traffic That Curiies. The horrors of the drink traffic have never been fully portrayed. No pencil is nlack enough to paint the picture and do it full justice. No tongue is eloquent enough to tell the sad story in all its dreadful de tails. The use of alcoholic beverages is of til scourges the most wide and withering. It is a physical curse: Blearing the eyes, blistering the tongue, deranging the stom ich, paralyzing the nerves, hardening the liver, poisoning the blood, coagulating the brain, inducing and aggravating many dis ;ases. and digging many premature graves. It is a financial curse: Draining the pock »t, producing poverty, diminishing comfort, multiplying miseries, filling almshouses, in :reasing taxes and creating hard times. It is a mental curse: Clouding the judg ment and dethroning the reason, promot ing ignorance, producing imbecility, and transforming its unhappy victims into ma niacs and fools. It is a moral curse: Weakening the will, inflaming the passions, hushing the voices of conscience and preparing the way for every vice and crime. And yet, strange to say, there are those who advocate the re moval of this curse by legalizing it. But. the colossal curse of drunkenness will con tinue so long as drunkard factories are per mittcd, protected and perpetuated by law. Why Germany is Apathetic. At the annual nteeting of the Society for Combating the Abuse of Spirituous Liquors at Beslau last month, Baron von Dier gardt said he believed that alcohol would one day be universally regarded as an en emy of civilization, but at present it was only possible to recommend moderation in its use. Seven hundred and fifty millions of dollars was yearly spent in Germany on intoxicating liquors, he said, and it was estimated that the average German con sumed the equivalent of five glasses of spir its a day. Baron von Diergardt added that one difficulty in the campaign was that the State itself was interested in alcohol, de riving. as it did. a revenue of $41,000,000 from spirits and $25,000,000 from beer. Drink and Infant Mortality. Dr. Whitford has gone carefullv into the subject of infant mortality in Liverpool, and he reports for the years specified the following cases of suffocation almost en tirely due to drink: 1890, 164; 1891, 144; 1892, IG4; 1593, 196; 1594, 182; ISO 3, IS9. The Crusade in Brief. The life of the saloon depends on the death of souls. Any one who wanted to find "temper ance lessons" in the Bible could find an armful with both hands tied behind his back. All that the words "murder," "shame." "ruin" mean, a thousand times repeated and a thousandfold intensified, the saloon means and the saloon is. Under the influence of liquor a Jersey I City man was arrested four times in live I davs. This is certainly an indorsement of ' a high order for the booic distilleries of that town..
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers