TOPICS OP THE DAT. An incessant downpour of rain for ten successive days has done incalcula ble damage to the crops in many parts of Qermauy. In some districts ithe harvest is completely ruined. The strain crops of all descriptions, which by this timo should have been nearly all harvested, lie rotting in the fields. The disaster is all the greater and moye disappointing, since for seventy years past Germany lias not had the promise of so abundant a harvest as that of the present your. The attention of the postal authori ties at Washington has been brought to the fact that Great Britain has not only prohibited the circulation through the mails of certain newspapers which contain matter inimical to the interests of tho government, but that registered letters and packagos sus pected of containing seditious inform ation are similarly treated. Post master-General Howe holds that Eng land has tho right to exercise this espionage under the postal convention agreement of 1878. A Chinaman returning home from America with SSOO in his pocket is considered as rich there as a man is here when ho returns from the mines of the West with a fortune of as many thousands of dollars which ho has digged out of the earth, so that it is not altogether strange that not more than twenty-five per cent, of the Chi nese who leavo tho United States for their native land Like out certificates allowing them to come back. No more Chinamen can land in California, but it is feared that large I todies of •• laborers " will come into the country through British Columbia, Vancouver's fsland furnishing a convenient port. The contrast between the military and civil method of dealing with per sons accused of cruelty to animals is illustrated by the case of Corpora . Kelly, recently disposed of by courtl martial at JelTerson barracks, at St. Louis. Kolly, the soldier referred to, t so brutally and cruelly beat a govern- I, ment horse that the shooting of the to prevent suffering was ne- Kelly was fined one dollar *' and costs in the civil court. For the military offense he wat trial by gen ial court-martial, found guilty and sentenced to be dishonorably dis rhiirged from the service of the United States, forfeiting all pay. and allow ances, and to bo confined at hard labor in the military prison at Leavenworth for six montlis. A Philadelphia artist who saw Arabi in Alexandria last winter draws this sketch of his personal appearance: " A tall, heavy-facoil man, snllen, swarthy, with only a pretty clear eye to soften the general harshness of ex pression, and a black mustache to hide a not particularly finely curved mouth. His legs are as unattractive as his face. The underpining looks too frail for the rest of the body. He is a bulk) man, not pussy or Falstafiian in girth, but a broad, thick-chested fel low, built on the lobster pattern. Take him from his heavy head to his spindle legs. Arabi Pacha reminds one more of a negro than of the agreeable and p>asant-faced gentlemen one meets among the Araba and Egyptians." A special flag for the President of the United Mtatce has been made, to IK* carried at the masthead of govern ment vessels when the chief executive is on itoard. It is fourteen feet long hy eleven feet broad. The material is navy blue bunting. In the center is the American coat of arms, the Amer ican eagle holding in its month the penant, on which is inscribed " E Pluribus Unum." perched on a shield, grappling in one claw a bunch of ar rows. and in the other a bunch of oak leaves above the coat of arms. Ar ranged in a semi-circle are thirteen white stars, representing [the thirteen original States. One will he placed on board of each United States vessel, and whenever the President goes aboard one of these vessels the Presi dent's flag will fly from the masthead. The population of France remain* almost stationary, although the coun tr ho (Yen comparatively little lorn •m emigration. The census just •uipleted allows a population of 87,- '>72.048, against 36,905,788 December -l. 1876. The population in May, 1866, before the loss of territory in the franco-German war, was 38,067,064. By the war France suffered a loan of •>.385 square miles in territory and of 1.964,143 in population, the population in May, 1872, being only 36,1024131. Some of the luea was made up by im migration, yet not withstand pig this the country has now a population lean by 400,000 than it had sixteen years ago. At the present rate of increase if population in Great Britain and Ire land, the United Kingdom will within the next derade have a larger popula tion than the French Republic. Long Hey, the American consul at Alexandria, after .serving in the civil war, at its dose went to Egypt and took part ®lth the khedive. Life in the Egyptiun army being too quiet, he joined an exploring party into the re cesses of the desert. He was the first white man who ever visited King M'Tesi, and wrote a book of travel en titled, "Naked Truths of Naked People." On his return he became consul, and appears to have bean of great assistance, not only to Ameri cans, but to the people of other coun tries, previous to and since the bom bardment. His knowledge of the Arab language enables him to deal directly with the natives, without that com pulsive recourse to the interpreter which seems to have been the cause of much disaster. i That the native population of the Sandwich islands was steadily dimin ishing has been notorious for years, and some statistics recently compiled present a startling picture of the ex tent to which foreigners have already supplanted the original inhabitants. The whole number of persons assessed for taxation in the kingdom is .10,890, of whom only a bare majority—ls,s2s —are Hawaiians, while they pay but 1112,7% in taxes, or considerably less than a third of the $385,212 raised from all nationalities. The Chinese come next in numbers, 11,004 Mongolians being as sessed for $74,614; but the Americans, though only 1,310 in .'ill, pay $102,567, while 827 British pay $51,898 ; 299 Germans, atmfng whom are some of tho largest sugar planters, pay $25,128. The Americans. British and Germans, numbering altogether less than 2,500, thus pay much more in taxes than the natives, and as the foreign element in creases in imputation and wealth year by year, the islands promise at no dis tant day to be Hawiian only in name. A deputation of Maori chiefs from New Zealand have been in London trying to lay before the queen a nar rative of the wrongs under which they are perishing. The government will not receive or recognize them, will not allow them to see the queen, nor offer their petition. To their bewildered qumtioning, the reply of the foreign office Is: "We have a colonial office in New Zealand, and cannot receive com plaints or communications except through that office." But that office is the very thing they have to complain about, for it imprisons them in order to confiscate their lands, and outrages them in many ways. The chiefs at tended a brilliant reception, and their leader, an old man, with his face all tattoo, was invited to make an address. After speaking awhile through an in terpreter, he l>egan a low chant, much like the recitative of a priest before an altar. Some of the company laughed, hut soon perceived that hilarity was inappropriate. Then there was a husb and the pathos of the old man's tones made its impression. The interpreter said that it was an improvisation, in which he said that ho felt grateful for this sympathy, but still ho could only think of his poor country, and though he would carry hack with him memo ries of kindness received, he wonkl have to carry them back in a broken heart. There are now two secret societies at St. Petersburg established for the pro tection of the emperor against the Nihilists. One is called "The Holy League," the other " The Volunteer Guard." The leader of "The Holy League," whose aim is simply to pre vent attempts upon the emperor's life, is M. Pobedonoscheff. " The Volun teer Guard," on the other hand, which is led by Count WorouUofT-Daschkoff, has formed itself into a political party and strives to influonco the general policy of the empire. The following are the principal points of its pro gramme: (1) The transfer of the financial and political administration with the exception of all matters relating to the Supreme court of justice and the political police, to the provincial assemblies, and free election of the local authorities; (2) the raising, collection find expen diture of all Indirect taxes to be also transferred to the provincial assem blies; (3) the assessment of these taxes according to the amount of the taxpayer's property; (4) the exemp tion of the communes from the pay ment of emancipation fees in respect of uncultivated land, and the grant of land to such communes as are unable to provide for their maintenance out of the produce of their existing holdings; and (5) the convocation of a general parliament on the day of the corona tion, for the purpose of discussing the bases of a constitution. The pro gramme received the approval of Gen* eral Tgnatleff, whose recommendation of it to tho emperor in said to bavq tho cause of his dismissal, and the rival society, " The Holy League," is now predominant, at tho Russian court. Language of the Face. Round-eyed persons see much, livet much in the senses, hut think less. Narrow-eyed persons, on the other hand, see less but think and feel more intensely. It will be observed that the eyes of children are open and round. Their whole life is to receive impres sions. It is only when childhood is maturing toward manhood or woman hood that thought comes, if it comes at all. But what is it that most leads to reflection ? Experience. Our errors, our shortcomings, our failures—these teach us to think before we act, to con sider each step, to weigh each motive. When, therefore, tho upper eyelid—for it is that which has the greatest amount of mobility—droops over the eye, it indicates not merely reflection hnt something painful to reflect about. Hence the length or dtooping of tho upper eyelid betokens confession and penitence. The drooping of half of the eyelids from the outer angle of the center in dicates the disposition to confess one's faults to paronts or seniors, to a " father confessor." or to the Supreme Being. "jTho drooping of half the eye lids from the inner angle to the center betokens the disposition to repent and to "do works meet for repentance.", Closely allied to these sights are those of prayerfulneas and humility. The former is indicated by tho muscle Which turns the eye directly down ward. as represented in the pictures of the Madonna. Prayerfulness is usually large in connection with that of peni tence, the reason of which is that be tween the faculties of penitence and humility there is the same close con nection as between confession and prayer. One who has habitually more prayer than humility has the eye turned somewhat upward so that the upward part of the iris is a little cov enxl by the upper eyelid, and so as to leave a slight space between the iris and the lower lid. The reverse is true of one who has more humility than prayer. The faculty of truth—that is, the love of it—is indicated by the muscle which surrounds the eye, causing folds and wrinkles. Justice is indicated by the muscle which causes perpendicular wrinkles between tho eyebrows. Full ness and wrinkles nnder the eye, for which some persons are remarkable, indicate the love of mathematical ac curacy ; and wrinkles curving upward fium the outer angle of the eye and eyebrow indicate probity or personal truthfulness. There are three degrees of the faculty of justice. The first is a kind of exactness or strict honesty in small money matters, which some peo ple would call closeness, and is indi cated by a singular perpendicular wrinkle or line between the eyebrows. The second is the disposition to require justice in others, and is indicated by two perpendicular lines or wrinkles, one on each side of the center—a very common sign. The third degree is conscien tiousness, or the disposition to apply the rule of justice to one's self, and is in ilicated by threo or more wrinkles or lines, especially noticeable, extending above the eyebrow when the muscle is in accion. The lovo of command is in dicated by one or more short transverse wrinkles across the root of the nose, exactly between the eyes. It may be seen in great military commanders, in masters and teachers, and in those gen erally who are fond of exercising au thority. In those who are wanting in the power to command, and have no desire for responsibility, this sign is also absent. The faculty of command frequently acts with that part of Jus tice which reprimands, or require* others to do right, and both together produce that frowning and lowering brow whirh is so terrible to evil-doers, or to those who love to be approved rather than condemned.— Phrmoloy vol Magazine. Archimedes' Lever. The famous Greek philosopher Archi medes was the author of the apothegm, " Give me a lever long enough and a prop strong enough and I will move the world.", The saying arose from bis knowledge of the possible effects of machinery; and, however much it might astonish a Greek of his day, would now l>e readily admitted to le theoretically possible as it is practical ly impossible; for in the words of Dr. Arnott, "Archimedes would hove re quired to move with the velocity of cannon ball for millions of years ti ; liter the position of the earth by i ! small part of an inch. This feat o i Archimedes Is, in mathematical truth performed by every man who leap from the ground, for he kicks th> world away from him whenever h* | rises, and attracts It again when In i LiUs." LADIER* DEPARTMENT. Tha Kaffllab WMU'I Mkla. A writer in an English fashion paper is moved to inquire whether the natural whiteness of the English woman's skin is a myth, inasmuch as statistics show that no less than 7,000 swans' skins are annually imported into London alone for the exclusive manufacture of thP puffs used for the purpose of laying powder on the face. Every swan's skin makes about sixty puffs, which would make an annual consumption of 420,- 000 puffs. Tho same statistics say that tons of rice and wheat powder are con sumed annually in England 'Asrrlru Titled I.adlre. The number of American ladies who sport titles is quite large. It is said the most intimate friend of Queen Victoria for the last thirty years is an American lady, Mrs. Van der Weyer; Lady Randolph Churchill, Lady Man deville; Lady Anglesey, Lady Har oourt, Lady John Lister Kaye, Lady Fermor-Hesketh and-Lady Colin Camp bell are all Americans; the Princess do Lynar of Berlin came from Columbus, Ohio; the Princess de Noer, a cousin of Victoria by marriage, and sister-in law of the dowager queen of Den mark, was a Miss Lee, of New York; the Duchess Lauto Delia Novere was a Miss Davis; the Princess Louis de Bourbon, the Duchess de Praslin and the Roman Princess Onci, Brancaccic and Giustiniani are also Americans; while the crown of Holland, in the person of the late Prince of Orange, was refused five years ago by an Ameri can lady in Paris. story of o Hploet. The pedigree and vicissitudes of an antique spinet recently presented to an Edinburgh bride are very interesting. It is the identical instrument on which Sir Walter Scott's daughters, Annie and Sophie, received their earliest music lessons, contains only thirty-six notes, and is probably just such a one as that on which Princess Charlotte, of Mecklenberg-Strelitz, was playing when she attracted the favorable attention of George 111. It bears the name of "John and Hugh Watson, Edinburgh, makers, from London." After being superseded in the Soott family by a more modern piano of larger compass. Sir Walter gave it to a friend who had little girls, in 1817, and in whose schoolroom it did good service for twelve years. The owners did not like to part with it, and it accompanied them through many changes, serving for several yo you place them under the infla ence of anmthetics ?" -esti, " Generally we do, but we do not find it necessary. We stra| ; them in this rack and we're got 'mi and can do any work on them we want The rack referred to la a trough* shaped box with its sides perforated with holes about half an Inch in and through these holes are bits of rope. The dog ia placed on Its back id the trough and then by means of roped its legs, body and head are pinioned the sides of the trough. A rope loop around the mouth is fastened to thf end of the trough and the dog is ready to be operated upon. "Is it necessary in the interests humanity?" - - ; " Well, you know yourself that while the science of anatomy is a very correct science, the science of physiob ogy is constantly growing." " Yes—l know," said the reporter. " And the progress of the science on physiology is almost wholly due to ezi periments in vivisection." " Are those experiments infallible in, their results?" " Almost invariably, and it has bees demonstrated beyond question by virb section that the secret of the cause and cure of consumption is found in th< germ theory." " Then a cure for consumption should | be easily found." "So it will be, I confidently and moreover I believe you and I—ws are neither of us old men—will live to sec the time when consumption will 1 be prevented by the process of innocula* tion, as is smallpox." " Well, now, about these dogs. Whai have you been doing with them ?" " Come here. Whistler I" and a black dog, very lean and lazy, wagged its tail and walked toward the student, ■xhibiting a very red, meaty-looking gash in its nwk. " Now this chap has had a section made in his tri-facial or I Qfth nerve and he is nearly well." "What has been the effect of the work on that nerve?'' j I "He has lost all sensation in one side of his head. His vision is affected and he sannot suffer with the tootb- I ache." " Well, now, what good has it dona you to know this." " It was just snoh an experiment as this that prompted a doctor in the southern part of Michigan to treat a ; very critical caae of neuralgia, by making an incision in the patient's neck and stretching a certain nerve." " Was that a new method of treat ing neuralgia?" " It was, and a very successful one, which wonld probably newer have been discovered bad R sot been for vivisection." " What other good things have been discovered by vivisection f" " Oh, they are innumerable. Now here's a dog—' Gome, Casper, oomr'—■ upon which we have made a section of the pneomogastric nerve." " What for?" " To show the influence of the ner vous system upon the longs, heart stomach." " Has it shown it?" " Yi*. Now yon notice how rapidly this dog's heart beats? That indicates that the absence of the nerve takes away the restraint upon the beating at the heart, and the heart runs away." Then a dog with a big gash in hie back was brought forward, and there was visible s new growth of bone from the spine. " This is a case of bone* grafting, the object being to graft new bone in the place of old and diseaeed bone with a view to discover a cure for diseasen of the backbone, for which n remedy is known." " Is the experiment a success ?" " Well, you can see for yourself that there is a fine new growth of bone; that the dog is feeling well and that the wound is fast healing." "If ' grafting' proved successful in this case would you feel warranted in making such an experiment on a hu man being?" •• Possibly not on the strength of cms experiment, but I would after having made several successful demonstrations on inferior animals." " Would it not be a bold and danger ous thing to do?" "Possibly, but just such bold re search disclosed to us the theory (4 vaccination." " Well, that's a different thing." "Not at all. and it was just such study of the functions of a living hu man body that has given to the work! all that is positively known of th nervous system, mid all that is posi tively known about the obscurer func tions of the human system." " Perhaps so, but it's rather hard oa the dogs."— Detroit Frtt Press.