The Northeast Passage, A very interesting account of the Northeast passage by the steamer Vega, which lias brought su h renown to Pro fessor Nordensgjokl. is given in a recent number of Blackwood Magazine by Lieutenant PaUuuler, who commanded the Vega. There is no doubt the Vega would have made her entrance into Bohring strait the same season in which i she started on her voyage, but for the 1 exceptionally unfavorable condition of the ice. Site had passed tlie real points of difficulty and dnnger, and was within ISO miles of Bohring strait on the twenty-eight of September, IH7H. when the ice closed in upon her, and she was unable to move until the eighteenth of th* following July. The region in which she passed the winter is well known to explorers and whalers, many of whom have passed through the same waters, encountering no ice, even as late as the first of November. Now that the passage has been shown to exist, he question whether it ear be made commercially useful is the next in interest. If vessels can get through in two months, as Lieutenant Palander says they may, if no unanticipated ob structor s intervene, considerable com mercial use may be made of the passage In trading with the natives along ncar.y i.OtXt miles of habitable coast. But this tuestion of an open passage is one that Lieutenant Palander is not prepared to knswer. That open water near the I fcoast does exist during the summer and autumn months admits of no doubt in his mind. The difficulties to be met with at and around the norllierniost tape of the Siberian coast—Cape Tchel luskin—and Taimyi island, are such as 0 make it doubtful whether ships can et through without wintering over, 'hat a passage is to be found there once ; r twice Lieutenant Palander does not louht but it may occur so late that ! rinter will set in before Behring strait 1 reached. In summing up Lieutenant j Wander says: "The Northeast Passage can not, I hercfore.in its entirety be made availabc | r the purpose of commerce; butstillan nnual traffic might easily be carried ' n from the westward to the Obi and j Tenisei, and from the eastward to the itna. Unquestionably the way now ! es open to Siberia's three greatest [vers; and that land, so rich in min- I fals, limber and grain, whose export 1 Dd import trade has hitherto been con- ; Ucted by means of caravans, ought 1 ow to obtain a prnctical route as a con fiding link between the old and new 1 rorid." Vessels designed for this hazardous j Saffic will have to be specially con- ' iruetrd to push their way through ! this of drifting and newly-formed ice, | id coaled and provisioned for an ice I loekade lasting from eight to nine j ionths. _ Laws That Are Not Enforced. " 11. II." (Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson) is made a little collection of the laws ( lating to the Indians which are not I forced, and embodies it in one of her [ Iters to the New York Tribune on ; I'he indinn Problem." The following ' tic list as she gives it: 1. Any citizen or resilient of tt.e United ales entering any territory secured by ' laty to the Indians for the purpose [ hunting or grazing therein—line Itiiin sUK)and imprisonment within [ months. if. Entering the territory scoured to p Indians south of the Ohio river, for ly purpose whatever, without a pass (rt from the proper authority half e above penalty. 3. Entering the Indian Territory with ■MtUfl intention and committing any Tense i,gainst the person or property of | ly friendly Indian which would he ' Uiishible if committed upon a citizen ith'n our jurisdiction fine within ©■i and imprisonment wittiin one year; property be taken or dcstroycl, re- Bnerative in double value: and if lirdrr be committed, death. (Suppose Is law was carried out in regarrt to p murderers of the chief Big Snake it a.itumn, at Reno, in Indian Ter ory, how many men would h tiung tides the soldier who fire: tie first >t?) 1. Surveying or settling upon any land longing to Indians, or attempting to so—fine within ¥I,OOO and impri-on Bit wittiin one year, i. AtteniDting to trade among the li. Ms as a trader, without license from i government—fine within $100; im- Bonraent witliin thirty days and for iure of raeretiandi.se. . J tir liasing from Indians any ntcn for hunting or cooking or any article clothing, except skins or furs—fine thin #SO, and imprisonment w thin ny days. . Purchasing a horse from an Indian diout a license—fine within $100; im unmrnt witliin thirty days and for ure of the horse. . An Indian agent being concerned liny trade with Indians on his own mint— tine within SI,OOO, and impris on t, witliin one year. , Treating with Indians for the pur se of hand without authority from government—same punishment. I). A foreigner going into the Indian Titory without a passport—same pun nent. I■ Any Indian or other person com ting within the Indian Territory any Use which would be punishable if imitted within plaees of exclusive oral jurisdiction—the same punish - It as is there provided for. Whence L'o.ne the Birds 1 dong in cherry-time one wonders to so many robins in the orchard nnd r by the hedgerows; to the thorns riiich droop branches deeply headed h the bits of red ripenesH. Where •lie birds come from in FUCII flocks? ozen in one tree, a score in another, even a hundred cutting the nir and like nrrows that are all throat, sr do tiny discover the cherry trees? 1 isn't it surprising they should come |t leagues after themr But where w the . berries the birds do flock, tliis remembered it is not strange, t 13,000 emigrants, malnlv from the ine-strickcn districts of Silesia and ngnry, should have landed in New k during the last three weeks. With id scarce and bayonets plenty, the r clas Europeans turn to the New rid. They know there is a strong re l in our prosperity—that America's tries are once more ripe—and twice nany of them are coming this year rune last— Philadelphia Timet. Philadelphia comni roial editor, > was once a small boy with a Iter who knew the value of a slipper ases of emergency, cannot to this day te about "a movement in leather' hout hitching uneasily in his chair.— tadeipM* Ntmt. A Would-bo King-Killer's End The execution, at Madrid, of Otero (lonzaies, nineteen years old, for at tempting to assassinate the King ol Spain, is deecrilied by the New York Ilcrahl thus: The prisoner was attired in n black and violet robe, a round cap, a scapulariuni on his shoulders, his fet tered. bunds gresping an image of the Virgin. Several of the priests and brotherhood entered the prison van witli Otero, while others headed the procession, with a crucifix borne aloft. The crowd, which was still composed chiefly of women, pressed arouna the escort, and when it arrived at the Plaza, where the scaffold was erected, it could not have numbered less than ten thousand. In front of the gibbet, which stood on a low platform, was the bench upon which the convict sits. Heath is caused by the pressure of an iron bar, which causes instant strangu lation. Two executioners from Valla dolid had preceded the arrival of the regicide. The ground was guarded by a strong force or cavalry, infantry and gendarmes with fixed bayonets. The morning was beautiful and the sun gilded the wooded mountains in the distance. When the regicide ascended the scaffold he was deadly pale and his iiands trembled. The troops formed a large square round the scaffold. The executioners seated the regicide on the bench and covered his head. At four teen minutes to nine the signal was given, and the prisoner was garroted, life | seeming to ho almost instantaneously I extinguished. , The second attempt on the life ol ' King Alfonso was made on the 30th | of December last. The day was unusu ally mild and the streets of Madrid were crowded with vehicles and spectators. The king and queen had been out since three o'clock in a small phaeton drawn by a pair of rather fiery horses which Alfonso had some difficulty in manag ing. Toward dusk the king drove back by the Puerta del Sol and down the Calle Mayor, to debouch by the Armory square, at the principal entrance of the palace. Just as he neareil the armory his animals grew uneasy, and he pushed on to enter by the Puerta del Principe. Behind him were two servants in plain royal liveries, and ahead a single out rider. Slackening the pace of his horses, the king wheeled them to enter un der the portico slowl7. 011 account of the bystanders. Just as the horses had come abreast of the large sentry box and while the* scniinel was presenting arms, a man sprang out from the narrow space between the box and the wall of the palace, and leaning on the carriage, fired his first shot at the king. His majesty stooped slightly, and, gathering his reins firmly, dashed the carriage under the portico as the queen uttered a cry. clasping licr partner's arm as a second bullet whizzed past. singeingthc hair at the hack of the head of one of the servants behind the queen. Then, in his turn, as lie pulled up, King Alfonso leaned down to see if his youthful bride was hurt. Though shocked and alarmed her majesty was able to alight, and in slow ly assisted her up the great stair case. The would-be assassin, who was immediately seized and ironed, proved to be a youth of nineteen named (lon- j zales. Grain Production at the West. The Columbus (Ohio) Slate Journal publishes the following interesting ex hibit of the production of com and wheat in the United States for the year 1879, prepared by I)r- Jairn-s Williams: CORJf. Rank. • Hunhtfi. 1. Illinois 309,000 000 2. lowa 185,000,000 ! 3. Missouri 142,000,000 1 I.lndiana., 135,000.000 5. Oliio 105,700,000 6. Kansas 90,000,000 7. Kentucky 06,001*,000 I 8. Nehraska 62,000,000 I 9. Tennessee 51.000.000 10. Pennsylvania 44,000.000 11. Wisconsin 39,900,000 1,228,600,000 WHEAT. Rank. Runheli. i 1. Illinois 44,900,000 2. Indiana 43,700.(Mi0 3. Ohio 36,000.000 1 4. California 35.000.000 : 5. lowa 32,787.000 I 6. Minnesota 31,887,000 1 7. Michigan 28.800,000 j 8. Missouri 25,800,000 1 9. Pennsylvania 99.300,000 1 10. Wisconsin 20,600,000 j 11. Kansas 18,100,000 3-11,474,000 The whole oountiy produced 1,545,- 000.000 bushels of corn, of which eleven States produced 1,228,600,000, while twenty-seven States and sight Terri tories produced 316,400,000. Of wheat the whole country produced 449.000,000 bushels— 341.500.000 in eleven States, ami 107,500 in all the other States and Territories. The eleven States enumer ated above produced seventy-six per centum of the entire wheat crop, and ninety-nine pereentum of the corn crop. Professional Rivalry. A man who had his coat on his arm and his hat in his hand, yesterday, en tered a butcher shop on Woodward 11V- nne and began : " Say, sir, one of your blamed carts knocked me down on Park street hall an hoar ago. and I'm going to have satisfaction!" "One of my carts? I guess not. Wil liam! William!'' William made ids appearance fiom the back room and the butcher said: "William, this man accuses you of running him down witli the carl this morning on Pai k street." " I don't think it," was the reply. " Well, 1 know it!" shouted the man, as lie drew down his hat. " Whereabouts on Park?" " At the corner of High!" "Ah! then, it couldn't have been," said the driver. "Here is the route I took: I first went up Woodward avenue, and ran over a boy at the cor ner of Alfred street. Then I went down Charlotte and took a wheel off a car riage. Down at the corner of Cass 1 run ' down a boy and a velocipede. I came down Cass to Sproat, and out again to Woodward, where I exptct I r#n over two women and a horse, and then came directly here. It couldn't have been me, sir." "Then who was it?" "Indeed. I couldn't eay, sir; but a few doore above this Is a butcher who haa three carta. If it was liiin he'll own up and be glad to see you, for he's keeping a record of the killed and wounded, to show off the rest of us. You'd better try him, sir."— Dtiryit Pre* Am. A Menagerie Lion's Dinner. One of the most attractive places out at the Zoo is the lion house, not far from the main entrance. One of the most favorable moments to visit this lion house is four o'elock in the afternoon, as the lions, timers, cougars, panthers, leo pards and hyenas are given their dinner at that time ot the day. They are given one meal a day only. "Poor fellows!" perhapsfyou may exclaim, hut it must he remcmhered that in their native wilds these flesh-eating beasts go without food for several days. It is a very interesting sight to see this four o'clock dinner. As early as three o'clock visitors begin to crowd into the promenade in front of the row of cages and by the time the keeper brings out his buckets the house is well filled. Of course the animals know that dinner-time is approaching. They pace up and down their cages with uneasy steps, the lions roar and the tigers growl, showing very plainly that they are hun gry. Every now and then a little boy will go close up to the lion's cngo, bu will leap away again in an instant, for the terrific roar that makes the floor shake frightens Johnny out of his shoes. When the keeper appears with a bucket full of meat "Commodore Lawrence," the biggest of the panthers, txmnds around the sides of his cage like a cat, for, as his cage is nearest the provision house door, lie gets the first food. Hav ing received his big " hunk," as the keeper calls it, the .commodore eats away with great relish. The tigers are al most wild with delight when their cages are reached. Perhaps the most interesting part of the sport, however, is the feeding of the male lion. Noble fellow that he is! Here comes the keeper; now look close and see what the lion is doing! There he stands, on his haunches, with his head toward the groat crowd. His mane stands out like the shaggy whiskers on Uncle Sam's chin. His eyes, fastened upon the keener,- gleam with pleasuie. Now, really, isn't that a smile stealing over his face, making his beard twitch and his ears point forward? It looks very much like it anyhow, and if that isn't a lion's smile, then no lion ever did smile. He is not as impatient as the other ani mals, though he shows that he is hun gry. lie has a native dignity about him that every one must admire. See, the keeper approaches witli a piece of beef—horse beef weighing fifteen pounds, on the end of a pole. The keeper holds the beef up over the lion's head and close to the cage. Now is the most delightful moment. ' Just look!" "How nice!" " Dear old boy!" may be heard on every side, and the crowd surges up against the iron rail. Si ill the keeper holds the Ik-cI up above the linn's head. The lion looks up at it with a "please-do-drop-in-my-rooutb " expres sion. His paws are crossed and ids bend devat'd. Suddenly the keeper thrusts the beef between the liars, the lion seises it sad with a " thank you" look begins to eat as quietly as any good litttle girl in the United States.-"/7n7a d'elphia Time*. A Historical Kelir. A recent letter from Washington to the Boston Advertiser vays: The Hon orable Robert C. Wintlirop in the course of the centennial oration de livered by him on the fourth of July, 1870, in Music hall, Boston, exhibited to the audience there gathered the writ ing dsk upon which the declaration of independence wm written, nrd the thoughts suggested by this interesting historieal relte formed one of the most eloquent passages of his oration. He concluded his allusion to this def k witli th se words: " Ixing may it tind its appropriate and appreciating ownership in the succcs- i slve gi n< rations of a family of whom the blood of Virginia and MxssarhsetUi is so auspiciously ecmmingled. Should it, in the lapse of years, ever pass from the hands of those to whom it will Ix l so precious an heirloom, it could only hare i a tit and tinni place among the choicest and most < h< rished treasures of the nation, with the above title deeds of independence it so proudly asserted." This evening the Honorable Robert C. Winthrop, who is now in Washing ton, took the occasion of a call at the executive mansion to delis cr persona.ly to the President, a gift to the United Btate, (his little niahoganv desk on which Mr. Jefferson Wrote tlx* declara tion of independence. It w:u presented in the name of the children of the late Joseph Uoolidge, of Boston, to whom it. was given by Jefferson himself in whose granddaughter Mr. Cool idge had married, and it was a.i auto graph inscription as follows: "Thomas Jefferson gives this writing-desk to Joseph Cooiidge, Jr.. as a manori i] of his affection. It was made from a drawing of Lis own.'byßen. Randall, cabinet-maker, of Philadelphia, with whom he first lodged on his arrival in that city in May. 1776. and the identi cal one on which lie wrote fbc declara tion of independence. Politics as well as religion lias its superstitions; these gaining strength with time, may one day give imaginary value to this relic for its association with the birth of the (treat charter of our independence." It is probable that this desk will be de posited in the fireproof library of* the State department, where is kept the original draft of the declaration, written on this desk. Trained to Danre. In foreign countries there are many kinds of schools with which we in tin* country arc unacquainted. In Italy, for example, there are schools in which hoys and girls are trained, from early childhood, as dancers for the stage. These are said to he the hardest and acv'Test m bonis in the wor'd. The children liegin to prepare for en trance into tiicin at the age of six years. At eight veins a largo number apply for admittance, and submit to a com petitive trial of their skill. Out of two or three hundred applicants, the royai academy of Italy selects every year twelve boys and forty-four girls for ad mission. The training in this school lasts eight years, during which the pupils receive small salaries from the government. They are kept practicing from seven in the morning until noon, and they are riquired to perform many painful and extremely difficult exercise*. The training is so severe that the legs of the pupils are apt to grow large and clumsy. Some or them run to leg in the most extraordinary manner, *6 that they are spoiled for the a. age. Occasion ally, during their eight years' school ing, they are required to perform in the public theater. After all this expensive and laborious and worse than useless training, a really beautiful dancer, lite Tag Hone. ia very rarely produced.— TomM's Companion. Wild Fruit In the Block Hill*. A , °?Teepondent, writing from the Black Hills country to the Chicago Western Rural, says: Wo will begin with the strawberry, by saying that they are found here in lil>eral abundance, the quality being a little above the common wild strawberry in the Western Suites, Then the grape comes in about the same proportions. They are of the same va riety as those of the West, with a noticeable prolific vigor a little in ad vance of those of the Suites. The wild plum is very common in the foothills, and of several varieties. The Oregon grape is very abundant in the mountains and some plates in the foothills. It is n small plant or shrub not much larger than a strawberry plant, the roots being much larger than the to p. It holds its leaves in winter the same as evergreens. It is not prized so highly for its fruits as for its medicinal qualities. The roots, when steeped in water, yield a tonic which, though very bitter, is powerfully invigorating. The June-berry is quite common though not abundant. It grows on a shrub from one to four inches high, is about the same size as the gooseberry, is black when fully ripe and very palat able. We have two kind of currants, the black and the clove currant. These I believe are only found in the valleys among the foothills. The gooseberry is very common, embracing throe varie ties, the reading one being exactly the same as was introduced throughout the Western States twenty years ago for cul tivation and which proved a success. The only disparagement that 1 know as to growing tame fruits here is that the apple is not represented in its wild state (that is the < nib apple.) There are several otner varieties of fruits in a small way that I shall not mention now, but the crowning iruitsof this regmn is the raspberry and buffalo berry. The raspberry is very abundant and of the finest nualily, superior to any thing of its kinc that I have ever seen under cultivation. The vine is a moder ately fair grower, the berry red, of fine llavorand uncommonly large. Although they are pleanteous and free lor ail. yet we have known pickers earning from three to four dollars per day gathering them for the nnrket. Then comes the buffaloberry. Perhaps you think be is going to Ire a lusty fellow, but 1 can j best describe it by saying it is in size, I shape, color and appearance (when gathered) nearly exactly the same as the common rt d currant. It grows on a bush or shrub, is in size and appearance very much like the crab apple, which begins to bear nt three years old, and re mains in bearing for many The berries are of fine flavor, very asciduous and excel the r d currant for table use. They are a very prolific bearer. A bush not larger than an ordinary wild crab apple bash will yield from two to six quarts of tl®ee beTries. Village Improvement Societies, In his report, lately issued, Colone Wright, chief of the bureau of statistics of labor, gives some interesting state ments concerning the*workol village Improvement societies in Massachusetts, ot which the Laurel Hill association, located at Htockbridge, is thepar-nt. The object of this society, as set iorth in their by-laws, is to improve and oma ment the streets and public grounds of Stockbridge, by planting and cultivating 1 trees, cleaning and repairing the side- j walks, and doing u rh other acts as shall tend to beauty and improve said streets and grounds. Its work has been the subject of many newspaper article's, and it* example has been the incentive for the formation of many similar associa tions in different parts of the country. During its existence it has expended f4,000 in carrying forward its work, planted more than I.flOO trees and hedges, and built miles of sidewalks, foot-bridfcos, etc. From the returns made to Co'on el Wright's bureau, i! nppcars that "Jld ol the towns in Massachusetts report the existence of twenty-eight village improvement societies, having a mem* i bership of 4H5. Instances of some of the work performed by these societies are given, to show in what directions their efforts have leen employed: In Williauutown a hundred streets have bf en put in order, trees planted, and j the village lighted. In Danvera the! village common has Iwcn fenced an i many tro not imagine that i ois sermon is mine—l cannot do such things; it is by an American, I>r. Chn sining." Of the 14,000 Methodist Episcopal ministers in America there are, accord ing to the MUfujdist, only eleven who have blots on their nam'*, and three of tin sc have lieen condemned unjustly. The t nia Bible society has com miiiced a canvass of the entire State, witii a view of supplying every family with the Bible. Near y fifty active Christians are employed for the work, at a salary of SSS p-r month and ex penses. The Methodist Woman's Foreign Missionary society, organized in 1889 has now 55 500 members, and an annuai income of f50,fe43. It supports HI dav schools, four orphanages, three bospf tnls. live dispensaries, nine hoarding schools. Mid 150 teachers in lieatben lands. A clergyman recently said that many a man while apparently singing with all his niight the lines, " Were the whole realm of nature mine, that wen* a pres ent far too smail," was diligently en gaged with one hand in his pocket in scraping the edge of a three-cent piece to make sure that it was not a dime. Messrs. Moody and Sankey reached this city November 21. 1879, a.nd left April 8, 18H0. They were here twenty weeks. Mr. Moody held in that time 255 s< rvices and preached over 240 times. Mr. Sankey sang at over 300 services. The evar gelist's sermon?, as published in the Qlobe-Di mocral, aggregated nearly 500 columns.— St. Tx)uu> 1J lobe-Democrat. Fraudulent Trout. Among thepresent fictions is the gen eral belief that from now through the season F'ulton market will display on marble slabs, on ice. and even alive in tanks, genuine brook trout. These spotted beauties are popularly supposed to be drawn by experts from their lurking places in small swift streams on Long Island, o: up in New Fhigiand, or down in Pennsylvania, or far away in the Adirondack*. But the mass of them are taken by much milder, not to say meaner, methods. And the most of them, considered as brook trnat. ard sold as such at one dollar a pound, arc simply fish frauds There is noth ing wild, or gamy, or br m table to stomach, all the way through,and all the way down, they are unmitizalcd frauds. * W hat some people are very fond of calling " culture "is alike fata, to the favorite brook fish and to the Boston fe male. Whils w< highly approve of fish culture in general as a means of pro ducing cheaply a greater abundance of solid food, of itssort.it is fo.ly to suppose that trout so raised will t tain the wild, gamy flavor and delicacy tliat distinguish the real and natural iirook trout. The literally artifieial specimen-* differ from the genuine fish as the seed line monstrosities do from wild slraw beiries. The prepondt rancc cf pulp and water can never compensate for the lost sweetness and flavor. Wlun nature feeds, it furnishes the natural flavor. Quail and partridge pegs hatched under a hen. with the birds brought up in barnyard fashion, with bamvard feed, come to the table with only a barnyard flavor. On the other hand, when a hen has hid away her nest in the woods, and iier chickens have raised themselves on wild buds and berries, Srbcn subse quently shot and cooked, they have been found to possess a positive game flavor. F.ven preserved game, as in England, yearly degenerates, as it becomes tamer. The venison becomes more and more muttony, and the grouse greasier and less gamy. These preserves rank with real wild wood shooting pretty much as the housewife's preserves rank with fresh fruit. People who imagine that they are epi cures arc welcome to pay a dollar a pound for artificially bred and fed pond fish, but if they fancy they are eating the delicate, gamy, genuine brook fish, their error is as wild as the trout ar tame.— New York Suite at law are brought nowadays tor every reason, and no reason, especially in some of the new State*, whose in -1 habitants are often of a very litigious I disposition. Recently a resident of Crete. Neb., was arrested for non-pay -1 ment of a hill due for groceries, while he was courting a voung woman !in her father's parlor. He was held to hail, and wlun he appeared in court to defend himself, the judge promptly dis charged him. declaring that be had been arrested without adequate cause. He has. in consequence, brought mil agonal I his ercdiiois, who had the legal procea* ; served on hint, and he claims f25 000 I damage*. He had. he alleges, borne a ; good tiraneiai reputation, which is now seriously affected ; he lias been disgraced hy his arrest in the narior oi bis sweet heart, Injured socially and morallv, and on ace -untof what had 'happened then and there, lie has never had the courage to visit his indy-iove since, and considers Ills connubial prospects, so far as she is concerned, forever blighted. He thinks that f25,000 would be a moderate sum for the siiock to hit sensibilities and the harm to his good same, and avers that he will have justice. If there he )uetiee in the land. It is possible that his arrest may have saved him from an unhappy marriage, but he flatly refuses to look at that side of the question.