ULMOCRATIC PLATFORM. Declaration of Principles Adopted by the National Convention, The platform as adopted by the Demo- cratic National Convention at Chicago is as follows: SreT1oN 1, ~The representativis of the Democratic party of the United States, in National Convention assembled, do re. affirm their allegiance to the principals of the party as formulated by Jefferson and exemplified by the long and illustrious line of his successors in Democratic leadership from Madison to Cleveland, We be lieve the public welfare demands that these principals be applied in the conduct of the Federal Government through the accession to power of the party that advocates them, and we solamnly dee clare that the need of a return to these fun- damental principles of a free popular gov. ernment, based on home rule and indiv idaal liberty, was never more urgent than now, when the tendency to centralizs all power at the Federal capital bas become a menage to the reserved rights of the States that strikes at the very roots of our Government under the Constitution as framed by the fathers of the Republic, : Szcriox 2-<We warn the people of our common country, jealous for the preserva- tion of their free institutions, that the policy of Federal control of elections, to which the Republican party has committed itself, is fraught with the gravest dangers scarcely less momentous than would resut from a revolution practically lishing monarchy on the ruins Republic, It strikes at the as well as the South, and the colored citizen even mors than the white; it means a horde of deputy marshals at every polling place, armed with Federal power; returning boards appointed and controlled by Federal authority; the outrage of the electoral rights of the people in the several States; the subjugation of the colored people to the control of the party in power and the reviving of race antagonisms now happily abated, of the utmost peril to the safety and happiness of all; a measures deliberately and justly describea by a le ing Republican Senator as “the mo famous bill that ever crossed the thresh of the Senate.” Such a policy, if sanctioned by law, would mean the dominance of a self-perpetuatis estab of the North injures oligarchy of office holders, and the party first intrusted with its machinery could be | dislodged from power only by an appeal to | the reserved right of the peopl prassion which is inherent in ail self-gov- erning communities. Two lyears ago this revolutionary policy was emphatically co demned by the people at the polls; but in contempt of the werdi the Hepublican party has defiantly declared in its latest authorit @ utterance that its success in the coming elections will me ent of the Force bill and th control » tO resist op an Lhe enact surpati over elections vir of in all rvati I State the pr publican government in the 1 is dependent upon the defeat of this policy of legalized force and fraud, we invite t r all citizens who desire to s« on maintainsd in integrity, the laws pursuant thereto, which have given our antry a hundred years of unexampled prosperity, and we pledge the Democratic party, if it be intrusted with power, not only to the defeat of the Force bill, but alw to relentless opposition to Republican policy of pre Rigate expenditure which in the short space of two years has squandered an enormous surplus and emptied an over. flowing treasury after piling new burdens of taxation wpon the already overtaxed labor of the country, ~ BeCOTION 8,—~ Wa denounce the Republican policy of protection asa fraud on the labor of the great majority of the American peo. ple for the benefit of the few, We declare it to be a fundamental principle of the Deu - cratic party that the Faderal Government has no constitutional power to imposes and collect tariff duties except for the purposes of revenue only, and we demand that the collection of such taxes shall be limited to the necessities of the Government when hon estly and economically administarad, SECTION 4.~Trade interchange on the basis of reciprocal advantages to ths cout tries participating is a time-honored doc- trine of the Democratic faith, but we de- nounce the sham reciprocity which juggles with the people's desire for enlarged ore markets and freer exchanges by tending to establish closer ~ relations for a country whose articles of export are al ex- clusively agricultural products with other countries that are also agricultural, while erecting a Customa House barrier of probib- itive tariff taxes against the rich countries of the world that stang ready to take our entire surplus of ow, Ho and to exchange therefor commodities which are necessaries and comforts of life among our own people, SEcrion 5. We recognizes in the trusts and combinations, whicn are designed to en- able capital to secures more than its just stare of the joint products of capital and labor, a natural consequsnce of the prohib- itive taxes which prevent the free compe tition which is the life of honest trade, but we believe their worse svils can be abated by law, and we demand the rigil eaforce- ment of the laws made to prevent and con- trol them, together with such further legis- Jation in restraint of their abuses as eX. perience may show 10 0% necessary BECTION ® I be Repub yrofessing a policy of jand for small holdings by a has given aw the people's | & few raiiroad anil pon-resident al dividual an | corporate, possess a larger than that of ad our ho sens, it its Ign pr oe trade ican party, while reserving the public tual setliers, ritage till now 0 Area two one, farms betweru The last Democratic adminie® rat the Republican party touching t *, publie domain, and reclaimed from ecorporatiom and syndicates, alien and domestic, and re stored to the people nearly one hundre million acres of valuable land to be sacrediy held as homestea ls for our citizens, and we pledge ourselves to continue this policy un. tii every acre of land so unlawfully held shall be reclaimed and restore! to the peopie HeoTion 7, «We denounce the Republican legislation known as the Sherman act of 1590 as a cowardly makeshift fraught with possibilities of danger in the future which should make all of its supporters, as well as its author, anxious for its speedy repeal, We hold to the us: of both gold and silver as the standard money of the country, and to the coloage of of both gold and silver without diseriminat- ing against either meta! or charge for mint age, but the dollar unit of eolnage of both metals must be of equal intrinsic and ex. changeable valua, or be adjusted through in- ternational agresment or by sush safe. guards of legisiation as shall insures the maintainance of the parity of the two metals, and the equal power of every dollar at all times in the markets and in the payment of debts, and we demand that all paper currency shail be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin, We insist upon this policy as espially necessary for the protection of the farmers and laboring classes, the (rst and most defenceless victims of unstable money and a fluctuating currency. Secrion 8 «We recommend that the pro hibitory ten per cent, tax on State bank 1s sues be repealed, Sroriox 9. Public office is a public trust, We reaffirm the declaration of the Demo cratic National Convention of 157% for the reform of the civil servics and we oail for the honest enforcement of all laws regula: the sams, The nomination of | to use its prompt and i i i | i i i i | | i { | i of education being an { not | to Stats { and r | menta | defence | passing or | 1 individual liberty ani local self-government, HECTION 10, I'he Democratic party is the only party that has ever given the country a foreign policy consistent and vigorous, compelling respect abroad and inspiring eon- fidence at home, While avolding en- tangling alliances it has aimed to cultivate iriendly relations with other Nations and especially with our neighbors on the American continent whose destiny is closely linked with our own, and we view with alarm the tendency to a policy of irration and bluster, which is table at any time to confront us with the alternative of humiliation or war, We favor the maintenance of a uavy strong enough for all purposes of National defence and to prop- erly maintain the honor and dignity or the country abroad, SECTION 11.—This country has always in the dominions of the Czar and to secure to the oppressed equal rights, We tender our profound and earnest sympathy to those lovers of freedom who are struggling for Home Rule and the great cause of local self-government in Ireland SECTION 12.-~Wg heartily approve all Je. gitimate efforts to preveat the United States from being used as the dumping ground for the known criminals and professional pau. pers of Europe, and we demand the rigid enforcement of the laws against Chinese immigration or the importation of foreign workmen under contract to degrade Ameri can labor and lessen its wages, but was con. demn and denouncs any and all attempts to restrict the immigration of the industrious and worthy of foreign lands, SECTION 13. This convention hereby re nows the expression of appreciation of the patriotism of tae soldiers and sailors of the Union in the war for its preservation, and wa favor just and liberal pensions for all disabled Union soldiers, their widows and dependents, but we de- mand that the work of the Fension Office shall be done industriously, im- partially and honestly, We denounce the present administration of that office as 1u- competent, corrupt, digraceful and dis honest, » 108 14, = The Federal Government should care for and improve the Mississiopi River and other great waterwavso! the Re- public as to for the interior States easy and cheap transportation to the tidewater. When the waterway of the Republic is of sufficient importance to de- mand the aid of the Government that such aid should be extended on a definite plan of continuous work until permanent improve ment is secured Skcriox 16, —For and the prom tween the States wo rec struction of the Nic ' i 80 secure purposes of National tion of commerce be ize the rua Canal ntrol as GAriyY oon- and its fo " of great wiance, in whicl ns invited the co- { the world, ce by many eral rovernment of all y Powers « Lutheran wo ernme and human proper means, best efforts bring 1088 Cruel perseculs wa for ral efforts ond nt, watica te to about a cessation of t Wa Powers of the invitat ! broadest li extended ani being made by grandeur of the the opinion that *h necessary finan be requisite to the tional honor and put s tO the ATA NANKe su maintenance of 1 lie faith SECT] oniy sails ¥ 17. ~FPopular education being the walar suffrage, we rec ommend to the saveral States most libera appropriations for the public schools. Free common schools are the nursery of good government and they have always received the fostering oOare of the Democratic party, which favors every means of increas ng intelligence. Freedom easeontial civil and religious liberty as well as a necessity for the developm of intellig must be with any pretext whatever We opposed interference with paregial rights ghts of conscience in the oda mtion of as an infringement of the funda smocratic doctrine that the largest tual liberty consistent with the rights insures the highest Ameri hip and the best government IS We approve the action o Representatives the admission into the the Territories Now Arizona, and we favor the early of all ries having population and resources admit them 0 Statehood, and while they remain Territories hold that the officials aopointad to administer the gov ernment of aay Territory, together with the Districts of Columbia and Alaska, should be bona fide residents of the Territory or Dis trict in which their duties are to be per- formed, The Democratic party believes in home rule and the control of their own affairs by the people of the vicinage SEoTION 19. We favor legisiation by Con gress and State Lagisiatures to protect the | lives and limbs of railway employes and those basis of interfered under Are er ren nN indiv type of House in of Union as States of Mex admission OCeRSAry y and toe Territ to we | of other hazardous transportation com panies and denounce the inactivity of the Republi- can party and particularly the Republican Senate for causing the defeat of measures beneficial and protective to this class of wageworkers, re | versed the improvident and unwiss policy o | SROTION 20. We are in favor of the en- actuent ty the States of laws for abolishing | the notorious sweating system, for abolish | ontract-convict labor and for prohibit ing the smp.oyment in factories of children under fifteen yearsof age SECTION 41. «Wa are opposed to all sump tuary laws as an interference with the in diviaual rights of the citizen SECTION 22, Upon this statement of prin- ciples and policies the Democratic party asks the intelligent judgment of the Ameri can people, It asks a change of administra tion and a change of party in order that there may be a changes of system and a change of methods, thus assuring the main tenance, unimpaired, of institutions under which the Hepublic has grown great and powerful, me « SEIZED BY BOERS, Portuguese Territory Entered and a Republic Proclaimed, Advices received from St. Paul de Loan. da, capital of the Portuguese colony of An- gola, in West Africa, state that a large body of Boers has enterad the colony and oclaimed a republic. Fhe Portuguese force fs not sufficiently large to repel the invasion, and uniess Portugal is able to send reinforce ments the Boers will retain the territory al. ready seized and expel the Portuguese from it, DROUGHT IN RUSSIA, ————— Much Suffering Meported From the Government of Poltaya A drought is prevailing in Poltava, a gov. srnment of South Fassia, and the crops are being blighted, A daily spectacle is that of priests carrying sacre | ioonvand followed by of peasants proceeding to the flalda, Here the icons are reared and surrounded by kneeling groups of peasants, Prayers are then offered for rain. The sheep cattle are periahing foe want of fodder, ———— THrER documents have been found in the | nent | 12:27 in the “THE NEWS EPITOMIZED, astern and Middle States, Tse Republican Club held a ratification meeting fn Music Hall, New York City; speeches were made by Governor MeKinley, Chauncey M. Dopow, Whitelaw Reid, Con- gressman Dalzell and James A, Blanchard. Tux Maine Republican State Convention at Bangor nominated Henry IB, Cleaves for Governor, and selected candidates for Presi dential electors, Fe at Atlantic property along the $150,000, IT is pow thought that the amount money taken by Cashier Dann, of the Na- tional Bavings Bank of Buffalo, N, Y., will reach $100,000, He admits iv is $75,000 + HAVING won their suit against New York parties who offered a forty years old reprint of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary as yremium for subscribers to a paper, G, & C, ferriam Co, are pushing other suits ofa like nature—a Kansas concern veing one of the latest. They will prosecute in every case where misleading announcements are made, and claim they are taking such action in Justice alike to themselves and the public, Ax incipient tornado passed through the Long Branch section of New Jersey and did considerable damage, I'he rain fell torrents, and the high wind that ac panied it swept away nearly everything i its path. Most of the destruction was along the coast, where the wind furiously. BernreneM, Penn. celebrated anniversary of ite founding by C endorf. Thirty tablets and mo unveiled, City, board N. J, walk valued destroyed at ol in the IUineis South and West, Freperick Brace, of N | the members of the Joel Parker | of New Jersey, in attendance on th | Conventi | fourth-story wind | to the sidewalk below but he died a fow n at Chicago yw of the 1 He was fo moments after ind alive Dr. Hexay Manryy Bourn | mous physician who st murder of his m | Dunton, died from morphine, appare the Chicago (Ill) jall WARNING has been giver and men in Wyomin against } troubles opene A min Mix k kot { the Peoy Chaaba ( the richest Chariest was engaged FAY Ail his Nie in the penitentiag : w Clinton E. Dix Slates ryman, the muroer rporal William Carter, was hanged tockade just outside of the D ‘ounty Jail at Omaha Neb, ied Oy Law Sia tes Un The exe Mars Washington. «ft pas Ww. bert Ew n States Ez ington, taking wit! new bank notes an $50,000 WHITELAW for lent, President at the White remained together f the political situat " SENATOR ALLEN erived from the Beer a gold medal to Martha White, of th shipwrecked wal lor Ferndais Rein Vice Presi oe tried by re( martial, has resigned A CESSUA there are 5, eign born coor, 54. colored, ( dians, Bureau bulletin shows that native and 9, 240 547 for. country As S00 are white and 7.658 5% yinese, Japanese, or civilized eG 0 are in- poopie in this Foreign, Tax marriage of Count Herbert | and Countess Margarethe Hoyos took in Vienna, Austria — piace Firreex lives hava boon Jost In the saditi. ous disturbances in Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil Tie rebellion among the Urgaghan Haza- ras against the Amer of Afghanistan is as suming formidable prooortions Two hun dread and fifty of the 50 regular troops and 1200 of the 3X0 irregular: sent against the rebels have beon killed, Drsrenarte fighting was reported in Matto Grosso, Brazil, and over 1000 men were said to have been killed, Bexonr Dox Masvern Axroxio MATTA, Chile's Minister of Foreign Affairs, who came near smbroftling his country with the United States, died at Santiago of apoplexy HenearTen all telegraphing in Spain will be done by military operators. A HURRICANE taroughout Northern Ger many caused an immease amount of dam- age. DISASTROUS WRECK, Rattway Collision Harrisburg, Penn, A Fatal Near The most disastrous wreok that has ever cocurred in Harrisburg, Penn. took place a fow mornings ago at 12:3) o'clock at Dock stroet, The second section of the Western Express ran luto the first section, come pletely teleswoping two cars, Among the killed were Richard Adams andwife, a furnitures man of Harrisburg: an unknown man from Altoona, and 8 man from New York. A lady on the train, who was uninjured, lost her infant child, Five dead bodies wera taken to the Mor at the Penneylvania Rallroad station, The pumber of injured was placed at forty, It rained hard, which greatly retarded the work of rescue, Robert Pitoairn and Mr, W ous fated bodies had been bed Ig CAA the ¢ | THE NATIONAL GAME. Crrcaco is handicapped by its outfield, Prerven is again Captain of the Louisville Club, Tux New York Club bas released Bassett, Murphy and Fields, “Bue” Ewing's arm is no better and the Captain's catcaing days are over, Durry, of Chicago, leads the League in stolen bases, with thirty-three to his credit, Coxxon, of Pualladelphia, had scored ten home runs when the season was only half over, Boston has to a left IT is a remarkable fact that lost but one game this season handed pitcher, CRANE'S recont pitching success instated him in the good graces of York “rooters.” has re- the New ABBEY, the crack pitcher of the Univer. sity of Vermont team, has accepted terms with Washington, ROBINSON'S game, off the wd of the hits in one pitchers, is the re- record of seven Bt. Louis SEASON iAN has made the longest hit ever Washington grounds by driving » ball to the centre field fence, LARK soston, has ace out Milligan, the Washingtous, ymplished the Donovan and in one t Washington's stop this season en- ied the leading infielder in inte of Pittsburg, absence Ip out returns seventeen the the of Gleason work in ton players with the y» or threes exceptions, grade. The batting of was been very weak and are mourning because dropped, turned out in the Eastern League than any twirler has 14 better ball w Yoriers retainsd RECORD OF THE LEAGUE CLUBS. Ver ct Clute, 12 Pittsburg 8 x Per Won " FIFTY-SECOND CONG In the Senate, AY. Ihe Pr font reta RESS nmending Canady Ans ’ be In the House Are Day The House spent most of t) n discussing the finolate til and {journed for three days iti Day The H then niaittes of the Whole (Mr. Lanham, of exns, in the chairi on the Ureneral ency bill and the entire session was con. sumed in the consideration thereo! 13% DAY ~The House met at 11 ¢ gt adjourned mmediately witho acting any business No quorum ent idrn Davy niy ten minutes and then adjourned with- went int Une Le ~The Houses was THE LABOR WORLD. Tae wom have been ISDIANAY has sight oar mom Dhals al and for labor remain ped THE extreme heat is having a fatal effect on Hungarians working at the Peansyivania coke vel ven Arout 60) Japaneses miners recently left obs for Mexion, where they will be em ployed in copper mines only eleven country, and NINE years ago there were State mabor bureaus in this now there are twenty-eight Trene were more strikes and demands for higher wages in May among the silk workers than in the entire year of 159] Derecates from fourteen labor organi padions in Boston, Mass, recently formed a new Amalgamated Bailding Trades Coun | Fax telegraph druck, ani communication with noes 1s suspended, The wires worked by the military. the prov are oeing ELACTRICIANS report a more urgent de mand for appliances than ever before known, and all of the well are crowded with contracts Tie co-operative factory establishel by the Cigar-Makery' Hamburg rmany, employed about 1680 people last dar. and the surplus was $472.10 Arcaxtic Crry (N, J.) walters are pro posing to establish a graded tip system ranging (rom a ten-cont tip at a two-doliar hotel to fifty conts at a swell house ol Union I7 is stated that the average wages paid | machinists in shipyards is about ¥10; only very few men in New York shipyards bave ever received more than $18 per week, Ar Pittsburg, Penn., the demand for finished iron is good, the prospect of wage difficulties stimulating, the workers demand. ing last year's scale and the manufacturers a reduction, Tux guards, or brakemen, on English rail ways receive, on commencing, eighty -sevan cents por day, and after a Lime get a dollar The drivers, or engineers, get $1.12, and get up to #l 5) Graso ow, Scotland, bas an industrial home where women who have come out of prison get a home provided for them and where they are employed in laundry work, for which they receive payment, UNDER A LANDSLIDE, Thirty Persons Killed or Injured in an Italian Village, A terrible accident, cause! by a Jandslip, occurred at Monte Sasso, Italy, on the lise ‘of the Bologna and Fiorencs Railway. This railway runs through the Appennines and is one of the most boldly constructed -linss in Italy. A large area of land on the mountain side slid on a half years old, were operators in Spain bave | satisfied works ' ACCIDENT ON A CRUISER. The Deputy de Lome's Boller Blows Out and Injures Many. While the new French cruiser Deputy de Lome, 6300 tons, was trying her machinery at Brest, France, the end of one of the boil ers was blown out, Men lay on the deck delirious from agony, writhing in convulsions with blackened and distorted faces and blistered bodies, The deck of the firercom was covered with hot water from the exploded boiler to the depth of two or three inches, and in this the toured men lay, every second adding to the terrible scalding they had receive Fit. toon were dying or dead when they were taken to the ship's hospital and others were fatally injured, A DETERMINED SUICIDE. Binding Her Child to Her, 8a Woman Lies Down in a Pool of Water, Mrs. Mary Clark and her child, two and found in a stream of water back of her houss in Hubbardston, Mass. , n few afternoons Ehe had tied the child to her with a piece of apron and then jumps into the water lying face down, The water oth wise woud SCAICe enougl drown her, ago. ore have been s— -— THE present prospect for the fruit grower of California is favorable, The fruit crop in the East is expected to be only about half as large as usual, Although the output in California will be less than that of last yoar, the size and quality of the fruit will b improved so much that it will command ad vanced prices value of the fruit crop this year in Califoruia is estimated at $20. I IRR} one | time | offered to the British | during the i gether | | fish THE MARKETS, Late Wolesale Prices ot Country Produce Quoted in New Yori 26 FEAXS AND PEAS Beans—Marrow, holce. #2 10 ¢ Medium, 1591, « 108... - Pea, 180] ‘ White Hed kide i to prime amon AND BERRIES ~FRESH. 29 Cherries, Largs Small an kleberries, N red Hu Blackberries, | Gooseberrrion ch State—1501, i common Common Ud odds LIVE POULTRY. State, Penn pee ib Spring Chickens, large, ib... Nmail to medium Roosters, young & oid Turkeys, per ib Ducks-—-N, J. N. Por PRIF. .ooeves Southern, per pair Geese, Western, per pair South Pigeons, pe Fowlis—J erase Western, per ib orn, pe ~FRESH KILLED, ib DRESSED POULTRY Turkeys Selected hens, Mixed weights “he Young tome, tair to prime Old toms ‘ . oo Chickens Phila, brofters L. LL broilers rans Fowls—51, and Penn, Western, per ib... Ducks—Jersey, per Ib Eastern, ., per Ib Spring. La f per ib Geese W estern, per ib. ..... Hquabe— Dark, per doz...... 200 @ Light, per dog.....c..... 3W @ POTATOES AND VEGETABLES, Potatoss—Southern, seconds @ Savannah, bbl crate « Btate, old, per bbl ..... Ww IL 1., in bulk, per bbl... ww Cabbage, L. 1 pec WO, ..... @ Nortolk, per barrel a Onions Bermuda, per crate, @ New Orieans, per bbl. ,., Egyptian, 11% 1b sacs Bquash — Southern, white, Crate, covers 'S tl | RAaRAR= EEE-1 wr Ty = at we : i « =} rt NEw gE Lettuce, Southern, per bbi.. Tomatoes, Fia,, carrier crate, A WN.J Jao bunches Peas, 8, Jersey, '4 bbl, basket Loug Island, per bag.... String beans, Norfolk, wax, bbl, orate Norfolk, green, . Cucumbers, Savannah, crate LIVE STOCK. Beevers, Clty dressed... ‘4 Mileh Vows, com, 10 good, , 20 Ww Calves, City dressed, .oooies 7 Bheop, per 1b, oui Lambs, per ib... Hogw=14ve, .couis TE TILE EE GRAIN, ETC, Flour—City Mill Kxtra..... Patenta,....... EERE REN Wheat==No, 2 Hed. ooiiiees Bes hsnaen srinaanne E13 TLE EEE Mixed Western. . covuvie 20 Cholow, couvins Rye..cssenuss AREER ELE] $2 12% SELECT SIFTINUGUS. Rats are natives of Asia, Twelve average tea plants produce one pound of tea, The site of Boston, Mass., was sold in 1635 by John Blackstone for £150, A boy, while wading in a pond in Jefferson County, Florida, was struck by an alligators tail, and had his leg broken in two places, Glass beads pass as money in parts of Africa. In Masai, five blue beads will buy a woman, but ten of them are neces- sary to buy a cow. Mrs. E. H. Robertson, County, North Carolina, is third set of teeth. 8 eighth year of her age. of St kes cutting her is in her eighty- A papyrus containing a problem in chess said to have been solved the Rameses the been in (reat has Museum. of More people were executed in England rei King Henry VIII. before or si } numoer f on ( gn oi han ever pce in the tigh little 400. A Knoxville a curiosity in bird, or island, the reaching (Tent the wa lit w y 40 TERULY, .)} man has captured form of 8 mock two birds rol “uta r } separate in heads body, but and Take song. Erie, § to the square mi luces more water in the wor » sit +} oy result of the ge 16 anawful out all E and again from 1193 to 1195, caused ter- rible suffering, and France ws and cats, were re- three years thousands upon thousands perished {rom starvation. rope, when c ism A two-year-ol fourth story of a house one day down she met with sur snd considers When she landed on of the « recent Was yart-yard, she 3 hurt save for Q} Si a scratl ¢ fle st J0e Ur tree 1088 placing it i heaps, water and | tting t Then it i3 rolled into alls as big as a man's head and baked in pits. some ancient Aztec rui of In excavating in the direction Chace Canon, New Mexico, Governor Prince has unearthed twenty stone idols rent type from any before discovered. They are circular in shape, forming disks from six to fifteen inches in diameter, the upper half containing a deep carved face, snd the lower half rudimentary arms in re- lief. The idols are believed to be at least 600 years old. ns of a « The custom of placing crape on the door of a house where there has been a recent death had its origin in the ancient Eoglish heraldic customs and dates as far back, at least, as the year 1100 A, D. At that period batchments or ar- morial easigns were placed in front of houses when the nobility and gentry died, These hatchments were din mond shape, and contained the family arms quartered and colored with sable, of Heroic Lighthouse Keepers. Many a deed of heroism 1s performed by the light-keepers in Uncle Sam's employ. Scores of people have been saved from wrecks by the bardy marivers of the New South Shoal lightship, who never hesi- tate to launch & boat in the midst of the most violent storm for the purpose of a rescue. On one occasion twenty-seven persons were snatched by them from a watery grave, when the City of New- castle rau upon the Nantucket banks and sark stern-foremost. On another day they caught sight of a black object driven before the gale, and, putting forth im pursuit of it, rescued 8 man on a raft, whom they found seated upon the corpse of a fellow castaway, his head buried in his hands, and hopeless of the aid which came at last. In Febraary, 1881, the Sharp's Island lighthouse was carried away by ice in Chesapeake Bay. The keepers tended the lamp to the last and clung to the structure when it was swept from itr foundation, finally saving not only them elves, but a great of the valuable apps atus. Boston Alaska's Great River. The Yukon River, in Alaska, is seve enty miles wide across its five mouths and intervening deltas. At some points
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