TOPICS OF THE DAY.
Oontrary to all expectations, accord
ing to the Railusay Age, the amount of
railroad building so far this year is
ahead of 1881, with the promise that
1882 is going to exoeed any other year
in the history of the country.
The wheat crop all over the world
promises to be very large this year,
India exported 835,030,000 worth of
wheat in 1881. This staple must con
tinue to reoede in price if the present I
prospects of an abundant harvest are
realized.
Mr. Swank's report on the American
iron production for 1881 puts the figures
for that year, in pig iron, at 4,641,564
net tons. This is 346,000 tons more
than the production of 1880, 1,570,000
tons more than that of 1879, and 2,064,-
000 more than that of 1878.
Privy Councilor D'Alinge, the director
of a large reformatory institution in
Germany, estimates that there are 200,-
000 professional tramps and beggars in
that country, and that their mainte
nance consumes over 200,000,000 marks
(850,000,000) annually, all cost and no
return.
The annual season of bull-flghts in
the south of France began at Aries
with a frightful accident. An aged spec
tator named Louis Eony fell oyer the
barricade into the arena, and not being
able to run fast, was overtaken by one
of the bulls before he could be rescued,
tossed high in the air, and, when he
fell, gored and trampled almost out of
recognition. After he had been borne
away, the commissary and the sub-pre
fect refused to allow the performance to
go on, but this caused such an outburst
of protestation from the spectators, fol
lowed by a free fight, that the officials
finally yielded and the brutal pastime
was continued.
Dr. Henry Gannett, geographer of the
tenth census, has submitted a plan for
the subdivision of the States and Ter
ritories for statistical purposes. He
puts the six New England States and
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylva
nia in the North Atlantic Division. Del
aware, Maryland, Virginia, ,West Vir
ginia, North Carolina, South" Carolina,
Georgia and Florida in the South At
lantic division. ;.The Western States,
including Missouri and Dakota, in the
Northern Central division; Kentucky,
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Lou
isiana, Texas, Indian Territory and Ar
kansas in the Southern Central divi
sion, and the Pacific States and Terri
tories in the Western division.
Cocoanut-shells are ground and
mixed with pepper. A Philadelphia
spice man admits that more adulterated
goods are sold than pure. "We simply
sell the retailer what he wants. We
sell him spices at almost any figure—
pepper, for instance, as low as eight
and nine cents—but it is about as much
something else as it is pepper. It would
ruin the trade to prohibit adulteration,
and, besides, there are not enough
spices grown to supply the demand of
the United States alone if nothing but
pure spices were sold. We are con
stantly making experiments to discover
the cheapest harmless foreign matter
with which we can mix our goods, in
order to supply the demand for low
grades." Such wholesale adulterations
are shaking public confidence in every
department of food supply.
In spite of repeated and most dis
heartening failures in ballooning, faith
is not dead. Mr. K'ng, the aeronaut,
has projected a new theory and is con
vinced that success will follow its ap
plication. He believes the upper air
currents to bo such that if a balloon
starting from the United States oould
be kept at a height of not less than
2,000 feet, it would reach Europe. Ac
cordingly he proposes to manufacture
a balloon holding 300,000 oubio feet of
gas, and having fastened to it a rope
5,000 feet long. The weight of this
rope will be great enough to prevent
the balloon rising beyond the 2,000
feet, and as it will be buoyed up by
the ccean, there is small danger of fall
ing much below that point, and thus,
being held steadily in the eastward air
current, Europe can easily be reached.
The resonrches of Dr. Koch, of the
Berlin university, into the origin of tu
berculoses, are attracting wide atten
tion. Dr. Koch' makos the startling
statement that one seventh of the deaths
of the human race are dne to tubercular
disease, while fully one-third of those
who die in active middle age are carried
off by the same cause. He has care
fully studied the diseased organs of a
great number of men and animals,
under the microscope, and found, in all
cases, the tubercles infested with a
minute, rod-shaped parasite, which, by
means of a special dye, he differentiated
trom the surrounding tissue.} tit was,
he says, in the highest degree
impressive to observe in the
center of the tubercle cell
the minute organism whioh bad created
it. Transferring directly by lnooulr.
tion the tuberoulous matter from dis
cased animals to healthy ones, in every
instance he reprodnoed the disease. The
ocnclnsionß reached by Dr. Koch tend
to show that consumption is a transmiss
able disease and not contagions, and
not inheritable except so far as trans
mitting from parents to children a
weakened organism, wherein the condi
tions are favorable to the propagation of
the parasite. Onoe understanding the
disease itself, the discovery of an anti
dote becomes a problem for science to
solve.
Making Fun of People.
Once when traveling on a stage
coach, says a writer in a contemporary,
I met with a young lady who seemed to
be upon the oonstant lookout for some
thing laughable. Every old barn was
made a subject for a passing joke, while
the cows and sheep looked demurely at
us, little dreaming that folks could be
merry at their expense.
All this was perhaps harmless enough.
Animals are not sensitive in this re
spect. They are net likely to have
their feelings injured because people
make fun of them. But when we come
to human beings that is quite another
thing.
So it seemed to me. After a while an
aged woman came running across the
fields, lifting up her hand to the coach
man, and in u shrill voice begging him
to stop. The good-natured coachman
drew up his horses, and the old lady
coming to the fence by the roadside,
squeezed horsolf through between the
posts, which were very close together.
The young lady in the stage-coach
made some ludicrous remark and the
passengers laughed. It seemed very
excusable, for in getting through the
fence the old lady had made sad work
with her black bonnet, and now, taking
a seat beside a well-dressed lady, really
looked as if she had been blown there
by a whirlwind.
This was a new piece of fun and the
girl made the most of it. She cari
catured the old lady on a card, pre
tended to take a pattern of her bonnet,
and in various ways sought to raise a
laugh at her.
At length the poor woman turned her
pale face toward her and said :
" My dear young girl, you are young,
and healthy and happy. I have been
so, too, but that time is past. I am
now old and forlorn. The coach is
taking me to the death-bed of my only
child. And then, my dear, I shall be a
poor old woman, all alone in the world,
where merry girls will think me a very
amhsing object. They will laugh at
my old-fashionod clothes and sad ap
pearanoo, forgetting that tho old woman
has loved and suffered and will live
forever."
The coaeh now stopped before a poor
looking house and tho old lady feebly
descended tho steps.
" How is she ?" was the first trem
bling inqairy of the mother.
"Just alive," answered the man who
was leading her into the house.
The driver mounted his box and we
were on our way again. Our young
friend had placed the card in her pocket.
She was leaning her head upon her
hand and you may be sure I was not
sorry to see a tear upon her fair cheek.
It was a good lesson, and one which we
greatly hoped would do her good.
A Sea Monster.
The sea serpent must look to his
laurels. Tho crew cf a Shetland fish
ing boat unite in declaring that they
were attacked a short time ago by a
monster, in comparison with which the
terror of American waters is as insig
nificant as a shrimp. They declare
that they were hauling their lines
twenty-eight miles east-southeast of
Fetlar when they saw at a short dis
tance from them something that had
the appearance of three small hillocks,
each about the size of a six-oared boat
upset, which blew when coming to the
surface. It disappeared in the direc
tion of the boat, and shortly afterward
they saw the monster pass underneath
the boat. When it came up again it
started right in their direction
with its mouth wide open—a mouth,
they say, that to all appearance
oould have taken in their boat.
There seemed to be whiskers of a green
color, and about seven or eight feet
long, hanging from its month; very
large green eyes, and on its head were
great lumps about the size of a herring
barrel. They threw stones at it, but it
still came on toward them, and only
again disappeared below water when a
few yards from the boat, cn a charge of
swanshot being discharged out of a
fowling piece into its mouth. The lines
were then cut and nil sail was made for
home, when the monster again appeared
in the wake. This time they observed
that it bad two large fins, almost the
size of the boat's mainsail, whioh were
stretched up from its back, and its
length they computed to be no less
than 150 feet. It followed them for a
distance of nine miles and then disap
peared.
If a young man expeots to rise in the
world he should go West. Ia Wiscon
sin the other day, after a cyclone had
passed over, it took the fire department
half a day to get a boy oat of the top
of a tree where he had lodged.
MODAL AND RELIGIdUS.
Futurity.
Oh, happy oblivion of earthly things
which puts heaven and eternity in our
view. Nothing which this visible world
can set before us is worthy our regard,
especially when at the end of the land
scape the invisible glorios of heaven so
licit and court our love. Nothing
which our carnal eyes can present to us
is fit to stay or engage a soul that is
capable of enjoying Qod; none of these
fading, perishing objeots deserve a
room in that heart whose capacity is
infinite, and which was made for eter
nity. Let us, then, shut our eyes to
| this transient scene—this vain show of
the world—and open them only to that
which is truly worthy of our view—
the solid and lasting glories that attend
the faithful walkers with Qod above,
the felicities of heaven I Lot these be
always in our view; and by these fixed
stars let us steer our course in this our
passage through the troublosome waves
of this world, and not by those wander
ing meteors which rise from the earth.
These are false lights, and suoh as will
end in darkness. Lot us not, therefore,
sail by them, but take the stars of
heaven for our gnido3—those safe and
tried directors, that will not fail to
oonduct us to our haven; thus walking
by faith, and not by sight; taking our
measures from the other world and not
from this; till we come to enjoy what
wo now beliove, and our faith be turned
into vision.— Norris.
Religion* New* and Note*.
It is said that 20,000 people attended
the annual conference of the Dnnkard
church, held at Wabash, Ind., recently.
A fifth Catholio church edifice is to
be built at once in Manchester, N. H.,
where the Catholio population numbers
18,000.
Chicago sends a petition signed by
1,000 persons, asking Moody and Sankey
to leave Great Britain and labor there
next year.
The SIOO,OOO "people's church" to be
erected in Boston will be the latest
house of worship in New England, al
though not the most costly.
The Greek church has IGO religious
holidays when Russians are idle, and an
attempt is to be made to reduce the
number for the sake of industry.
Bishop Hare has charge of four board
ing and industrial schools for Indian
boys and girls in Dakota, and all of
them are in a flourishing condition.
The graduates of'the colored colleges
of the American Missionary association
and similar institutions publish nearly
fifty newspapers in the United States.
The second man in the whole history
of Methodism to decline the office of
bishop is Dr. Atticus G. llaygood, of
Georgia. The first was Wilbur Fisk,
the president of Wesleyan university,
Middlctown, Connecticut.
American missionaries come to honor
in the lands to which thoy go. The
Rev. Dr. Martin is president of the Im
perial college at Pekin, China, and the
Rev. Mr. McFarland is superintendent
of public instruction in the kingdom of
Biam.
The " Congregational Tear-Book " is
out with statistics for tho past year.
The summary includes 3,804 chnrohes,
having 877 regular pastors, 1,981 acting
pastors and 157 licentiates, and 789
churches nnsnpplied. The total num
ber of church members is 381,097 —of
whom 128,000 are males, and 251,822
females, nearly two women to one man.
The membership added tho past year is
22,540 against 22,749 tho year previous.
The nnmber of chnrohes has increased
fifty-nine.
The Work of Lightning.
Lightning killed the ohild of Mrs.
Ann Hardin as it was sleeping by its
mother's side in Atlanta, Ga.
Sam Johnson, a colored boy, was
killed by lightning in Gadsden county,
Fla., as ho was hoeing in a field.
A bolt of light Ding killed Miehael
Bastian, of Mcndon, Mich., and his
horses, and, sotting tho straw in
wagon box on fire, burned the wagon.
Lightning struck the chimney of the
widow Curry's house, in Stephensville,
Texas, and hurlod bricks into herj face
with such violenco that she fell dead.
Lightning struck an oak sixteen feet
in eironmference in Jonesboro, Ga.,
and tore it np by the roots. In falling
it crushed a buggy in which W. O.
Betts and P. W. Simpson were riding:
They jumped out in time.
Daring a thunder-storm and tornado
in Terrell oonnty, Ga., Miss Jennie
Talbot was whirled through the
air as she lay in bed, the honso being
demolished. She was set down sixty
yards away without being hurt
Lightning struck Clinton Trimble's
house in Donelton, Texas. The bolt
oame down the stove pipe, made a hole
in the floor, killing a hen and her brood
of ohiokens, knocked Mrs. Trimble
from her ohair, soorehing her hair, and
threw a ohild whioh a woman was hold
ing from her arms without injuring it
It cannot be said that a jndgo does a
cash business (or he always "charges
the jury" and gives the prisoner "time."
LADIES' DEPARTMENT.
An IlHllniiLiatrl'M fCoviiance*
Writes a London (England) corre
spondent: A Paris jonrnal has dis
covered a real ■' Cinderella" in the per
son of the wile of an English million
aire, whose name he withholds, from
delicacy or other causes. About fifteen
years ago the painter Herbert was exe
cuting his fine portrait of the Dnchess
of Noailles. He was working at the
same time upon an exquisite genre pio
ture, in whose progress the duchess
took a great interest. It represented a
young Italian girl of extraordinary
loveliness. One day the duohess said
to the artist: "It is impossible that such
a face should be a mere painter's ideal.
The original must sometimes come to
your studio. I should like to see her."
The lady was so charmed with the girl
that she said to the painter : "If the
rich give so much money to hang up a
copy on their walls, what an ornament
the original would be for any salon."
The thought which she had thus struck
seemed to have fascinated her, and when
the picture of the beautiful Italian girl
had found its way into Baron Roths
child's collection at Ferrieres, the
duchoss took the girl herself, adopted
her, and gave her the very best educa
tion. Her parents wore respectable, but
poor, and gladly yielded up their
daughter to the] splendid future which
the amiable duohess engaged to provide
for her. Herbert's picture perished in
the flames during the fire at the Chateau
of Ferrieres in 1872, but the original
had developed into a woman of won
derful beauty. Her guardian kept a
jealous eye upon her numerous admirers,
determining that if her Cinderella did
not become a princess she should marry
into a family of high social distinction.
Meanwhile an Englishman of very great
wealth, who had been visiting in the
house of Noailles, not only fell dooply
in love with the beautifnl ward, but
gained her heart. Although he was not
a noble, he was a millionaire; the
duchoss consented at last to favor his
suit, and the English suitor carried off
the Italian Cinderella as his wife.
Fimliion Note*.
Jeweled scarf-pins are used to fasten
bonnet strings.
Children's hats are as various in form
as those of women, but the largo sizes
are most popular.
Flowors and feathers are both worn
in the greatest profusion on summer
hats and bonnets.
India cashmere borders like those on
shawls are used for trimming wool
dresses of plain color.
Dresses of mau7o, lilac and pearl
tints rival the white toilets at spring
weddings and receptions.
Ficelle lace in wide fan-plaitingswith
imaller fans above of ivory white plaited
lace are worn as throat bows.
It is customary to wear olive-tinted
satin ribbon bows on dresses of pale
olue nun's veiling or batiste.
Largo fichus of mull are embroidered
in Irish point designs, having one edge
much wider wrought than the other.
Embroidered fruit and flower designs,
rings and diamond-shaped figures, ap
pear on the now Lisle thread hosiery.
Linen standing collars for traveling
are made of pale, olive-tinted linen with
a border of dark red or blue at the top.
Children's stockings match the color
of their dressos, or if not in solid color
they match or harmonize in the general
tone.
A Marguerite guimpe in round puffs
of silk muslin and lace fills out tHo
half-low round neck of full dress cor
sages.
Black straw hats and bonnets retain
their popularity and are worn with all
kinds of cos.nmes, including white
toilets.
Tho polonaiso or basqno with panier
extension and back draperies to simu
late a polonaiso appears on many new
costumes.
A fashion of half a oentnry ago is re
vived in tho shirred caleohe—a bonnet
presenting much the appearanoo of a half
folded gig top.
Furniture dealers are providing
dressing tables with three mirrors, set
Japanese fashion and rendering a hand
glass unnecessary.
The new Lislo thread and silk gloves
and mitts have long stooking-woven
wrists and come in all the oolors so
dear to the rosthetes.
The most fastidious women wear
blaok silk and black Lisle thread hosiery
when in the street, no matter what the
oolor of the costume
The tinest veilings are made np for
full dress wear for little girls trimmed
with a flounce and sleeve rnflles of ap
pliqne laco embroidery.
A bolted pelisse of light Scotoh or
English sailing is considered a stylish
wrap for traveling' or walking on
oloudy mornings in the oonntry.
The new lawn tennis hats are of soft
felt in peacock blue, crimson or oream
oolor, and there are others that have
white watered figures upon them.
Sleeves formed of horizontal tnoks
are added to the tuoked Norfolk jackets
of plain wool dresses. The skirt has
lengthwise plaits that are partly tucked.
Irish point embroidery in eoru or
whiter tints is mnch used for turned
over collars, with a neck ribbon and bow
of colored moire. The cnffa to match
have smaller bows.
A flat scarf of Venetian lace is formed
into a graceful fichu by being placed
straight across the back, gathered at
' the throat by a moire bow, and having
the ends flat and hanging in front.
The most delicate and least showy
rnches are sewed in the neck and sleeves
of French dresses. These are of lace
and mnslin more often than of the
fragile crepe lisse formerly used, and
are usually oomposed of three rowß very
finely plaited.
PEARLS OF THOUGHT.
Three removes are as bad as a fire.
Ignorance never settles a question.
Every man is the architect of his own
fortune.
He who knows most grieves most for
wasted time.
While you 89ek new friendships, cul
tivate the old.
Every must think in hiß own way to
arrive at truth.
A pleasing countenanoo is a silent
commendation.
Of the one hundred good things ir
this life, ninety-nine are health.
He who has neither friend nor enemy
is without talents, power or energy.
Strong thoughts are iron nails driven
in the mind that nothing can draw out
In life it is difficult to say who do
you the most mischief, enemies with
the worst intention, or friends with the
best.
I believe that we cannot live better
than in seeking to become better, nor
more agreeably than having a clear
conscience.
If a man's fortune does not fit him,
it is like the shoe in the story; if too
large it tips him up, if too small it
pinches him.
THE FAMILY DOCTOR.
If your hands are hard wash them in
water with oatmeal or bran in it.
A little powdered charcoal put upon
a burn or wound will rapidly reduce
the pain.
Meat of every kind should be cut
across the grain when served out for
eating. While the imbibing of a certain
amount of water is necessary during
meals, it is a mistake to drink too much
fluid of any kind during digestion, "for .
this dilutes the natural juices so much
that they lose thtir solvent power," and
indigestion is the consequence.
Dr. Anders, writing in the Philadel
phia Medical Times, argues that house
plants are not unhealthy in sleeping
rooms. He thinks that the moisture
they throw off is beneficial, and after a
number of inquiries among gardeners
and florists he thinks it probable that
living in a room with plenty of plants
tends to lessen the predisposition to
consumption in those who have a her
editary tendency that way. He says the
plants should have soft, thin leaves
with extensive leaf-surface, but should
not bear flowers with heavy perfume.—
Dr. Foots's Health Monthly.
A Primitive People in Europe.
There exists high up among the Car
pathian mountains of Gulicia, in a dis
trict known as Tatras, one of the most
primitive and unsophisticated commu.
nities in Europe. The population of
this remote region numbers several hun
dred thousaud individuals. They neither
use strong drink nor eat animal food,
lticlies have n£ charm for them. Though
poor, they are content, and, though
their diet is spa.ro and monotonous, they
enjoy perfect health and live long lives.
The food of these arcadians is princi
pally cats, either simply boiled or ground
and converted into cakes. During four
or five months of the year those of
them who accompany their flocks and
herds to the mountain pastures live ex
clusively on goat milk whey, of which
each man consumes nearly a gallon
daily. Practically, therefore, these
goatherds live on the sugar an d the
mineral salts contained in the whey.
They do not consider this regimen a
privation, and whon they return to the
valleys at the end of the season they
are as strong and vigorous as when they
set out. The entire race of Pod
halians, as the people of Tatras
are called, are remarkablo for their
vigor and energy, and are inoontest
ably superior, physioally and intellect,
ually, to the neighboring populations.
Their physiqne is of a remarkable
purity; they are qniok of apprehension
and frank in manner. Thongh far from
being highly cnltnred, the Podhalians
are poets and artists by nature. They
are fond of danoing, and often when
the labors of the day are over meet to
indulge in their favorite diversion.
The} are born improvisatores, too, and
many of them can sing their own
songs to mnsio of their own compo
sition.
Ozone has an odor similar to a spot
that has been strack by lightning
Fire Opnl.
I deemed alt- metaphor too trite
To picture forth in faithful light . •
My bonny Kate, and yet to-night
I saw an old and treasured ring,
Whose central jewel swift did bring
To mind sweet thought of her.
It wis an opal, milk-white, pure,
Within whoso breast there did endure
A living flame, with power to lure
From every errant, restless beam
A spark ot iridescent gleam.
And beauty new confer.
As pure as opal is my love,
As rare, as difficult to win,
And 'neath her fair exterior
There burns the heart of fire within,
While on her cheek and in her eye,
Responsive to love's ardent ray,
The light that trembles well may vie
With fltfal opal's rainbow play.
Jennie 8. Judson, in Our Continent.
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.
To Herr is German.
A kiss is called tetenamequilirtli in
Mexico. Good long kiss, that,
The best preparation to keep a lady's
hand "free from chaps" is a report thai
she has no money.
Jnst now the farmer is breaking
ground to prepare fall rations for thi
potato bng and army worm.
"What is philosophy?" It is some
thing that enables a rich man to saf
there is no disgrace in being poor,
A child without legs has jnst been
born. " Thank heavenl" said the weejK
ing father, "this will never be a cham
pion pedestrian."
"Who was the meekest man?" asked
a Sunday-school teacher.
"Very well; who was the meekest
woman?'' "Never was any."
A North Carolina couple were married
in a diving bell. They probably wished
to have some experience in cold wated
before getting into hot water.
Apropos of Clara Louise Kellogg'g
broken engagement, the Peoria Tran
script supposes that she thinks "it id
better to farewell than to fare worse."
Victor Hugo says his intellect "grows
stronger with age, and does not rest."
The gentleman will pardon the remark,
bat the samo thing might be said of
old cheese.
If Buffalo Bill recovers that 81,000,-
COO worth of property on Euclid avenue,
Cleveland, it is to be hoped that he will
put aside thirty-live cents of it and get
his hair cut.
"The fact is," said the seedy tramp,
" I have read so much about the
troubles in the labor market that I am
heartily 6ick of the whole business'
and I made up my mind long ago that 1
would never have anything to do witb
labor."
A lawyer in one of the Western
courts lately threw a cane at another's
head. The court required him to apol
ogize to it. He did so, and added:
" While I am about it I may as well
apologize beforehand for throwing an
other cane at him the first chance I
get."
Now tho picnic is at hand,
And the little German hand
Wakes the echoes as the hoodlum shakes hia
leg, leg, leg;
And the life-destroying sandwich
Makes tho poor dyspeptic's hand twitch
As be eats it with tho non-digestive egg, egg,
egg-
A Beading fisherman has invented an
alarm to denote a bite. Fastened to
the rod is a ball with a spring attach
ment, which is connects.! with the main
line by a piece of rnbbe. When a bass
nibbles at the bat tho rubber is
stretched, loosening the spring, and
firing off a cap which wakes up the
angler. This will fill a long-felt want.
A young man returning home from a
night's conviviality, about getting-up
time, was sufficiently thoughtful to pull
off his boots before entering the front
door. Just as ho wa# about to enter
the house, in the quietest manner pos
sible,he was startled by the raising of a
window overhead and the familiar
voice of his father sung out: " Never
mind about tho noise, Qeorge. We're
all up."
" Standing: 150ar."
A writer who was present at the re
cent exercises at the Indian sohool at
Carlisle, Penn., thns speaks of " Stand
ing Bear," tho famous Sionx chief, who
had come from Dakota to ascertain
what progress his son was making in
school:
While the dinner was at its height a
tall, finely- formed man stalked into the
room with great dignity and reserve.
He wore light gray trousers, a black
coat and vest, a white shirt and collar,
a black necktie and boots that wonld
have done credit to a first-class shoet
maker. His raven hair was parted care
fully in the oenter and hung down the
sides of his face—an almost exact coun
terpart of the style affected by Oscar
Wilde —except in that where it touched
his shoulders it was tied on eaoh side
with pieces of red tape, and the remain
ing part, about a foot in length, braid
ed and tied in a little knot at the end.
The face was strong, almost noble in its
reserve, and the eyes, half-hidden by
wrinkled lids, were brilliantly black,
and showing more than usual intelli
gence.