THE PITTSBURG -DISPATCH,' FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1889.
le BiipMj.
ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY
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Vol. , No. 546. Entered at Pittsburg I'cst
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PITTSBURG, FRIDAY. JAN. IS. 1SS9.
LET THE LEGISLATT3E ACT.
Coming so ouickly upon the dismissal of
the late grand jury by Judge Collier for
spinning out its work too finely at the ex
pense of the county, the charges against
former grand jurors in saloon-keeper
Burns' case are calculated to disgust the
public with the whole system of organizing
juries in this county. It is to the credit of
the Bar Association tbat months ago it
sounded a clear note of warning to the com
munity on this subject. There must now
surely be no further hesitation about an im
mediate and thorough change in the present
methods of picking the pen who sit from
dav to day on the lives and property of par
ties to litigation.
There is no use wasting time distinguish
ing between the want of principle in taking
money from the county for work not done,
by the shirking process, and the positive of
fense of taking bribes alleged in this case of
Burns, of taking money from defendants in
consideration of diverting or restraining the
course of justice. Nor is it a far step lrora
either to negotiations between jurors and
litigants, or their agents, which constitute
what is known as "jury-fixing."
It is simply intolerable that even suspicion
of such possibilities should be allowed to
continue to attach to the machinery of our
courts. So lar as the specific complaints
of which the city detectives say they have
evidence against grand jurorsin theinstancs
of Burns are concerned, the accused have
clearly the right to demand a trial and a
hearing of testimony on oath before they
shall be held guiltv even in public opinion.
But the Burns case entirely apart, enough
has been brought out from different quarters
against the methods of choosing juries to
shake public confidence and to call impera
tively for a new system. The simplest is to
put the power of selection and the responsi
bility whollyupon the Judgcsof the Courts.
The Commissioners to draw jurors should
be appointed by the courts and removable
at pleasure. In the Judges there has al
ways been absolute confidence. The Legisla
ture Ehould pass such an Act at once. In the
meantime the Burns' case should be sifted to
the bottom. But action at Harrisburg need
not wait the result of that inquiry. There
were enough grounds before, for the step
which The Dispatch now urges.
JIODEHN CHBISTIAN HASTYES.
The vigorous policy of the German Gov
ernment, in attempting to suppress the
slave trade in Eastern Africa, has had a
result which might have been foreseen. The
natives and traders, angered beyond measure
at the prospect of being robbed of a butiness
which has long yielded handsome returns,
are adopting terrible measures of retalia
tion. As is frequently the case, both in
savage and civilized warfare, it is the inno
cent who sutler most. Several of the brave
missionaries, who went to the Zanzibar
wilds to proclaim the gospel of peace to the
natives, have been massacred: others have
been Fold into slavery, while the survivors,
unless assistance comes speedily are likely
to share a similar fate.
The story of the barbarous cruelties in
flicted upon these zealous Christian minis
ters reads like a leaf taken from some
chronicle of the sufferings of martyrs in the
dark ages. Even the most heartless skeptic
could not peruse it without experiencing a
feeling of profound admiration for the hero
ism which leads men to incur such dangers
and meet such deaths for the sake of Him
who suffered and died for sinners. The
world is too apt to forget what it owes to its
gospel missionaries, but in the accounts
which come from Africa we are again re
minded of what the self-sacrificing Christian
men of this class are continually daring and
suffering for Christ's cauic. There is a
heroism greater than that of the soldier of
war; it is that of the true soldier of the
cross.
CEIHINAL AERONAUTICS.
The problem of aerial navigation has not
been solved yet, and if the opinion of the
distinguished scientist, Mr. Edison, be re
spected, it becomes all good citizens to hope
that it never will be. Mr. Edison, who is a
firm believer in the feasibility of aerial nav
igation, says that the drawback to the suc
cess of the balloon as a common vehicle will
be the ease with which criminals will be
able to escape in aerial cars from the scene
of crime
The mind of Mr. Edison is so essentially
practical and so free from the phantoms of
imagination that it is hard to believe that
he has made this objection to balloons in
sober earnest. At the ontset the thought
naturally occurs to us that balloons are not
likely to come into such general use that
every criminal will carry one about with
him in his vest pocket, as it w ere. Nor is a
balloon an inconspicuous object at any time,
and so presents few attractions to men es
caping from the gyves of justice.
Besides when we shall see a through
balloon service established, say between
Pittsburg and New York, it is not unrea
sonable to expect that we shall also behold
many other new things, and possibly among
them will be a detective of an improved
pattern who will be competent to catch a
criminal in mid-air more easily than his
predecessors were able to perform the opera
tion on mother earth.
WOMAN'S IHTEKTrVE GENIUS.
America is a nation of inventors. The
reason is that her mechanics are the most in
telligent, and, in many lines of trade, the
best skilled of any in th world. It is un
necessary to enumerate the many nsefnl and
valuable machines and inventions which our
workingmen have originated, for every
civilized people is familiar with them and
their uses. But how many, even in this
country, are aware that a great number of
ingenious mechanical contrivances, some of
which are of the highest utility, are the
nroduets of the inventive skill of American
women? It may not be known, but it is a
fact nevertheless.
In a volume issued by the Commissioner
of Patents it is shown that since 1790 the
Government has .granted 2,500 patents to
women for inventions exclusively their own.
The most of these patents have been granted
within recent years. Up to 1830 only ten
women had taken out patents, and for some
time afterward the list of female inventors
grew but slowly, but in the last 20 years
evidences of their ingenuity and skill have
multiplied more and more rapidly.
The inventions of women are by no means
confined to bustles, corsets, tidy-fasteners,
household furniture and articles intended
for feminine use. The list includcsall sorts
of things frora dolls and baby jumpers to
sleeping cm berths, car couplers, street rail
way rails and plows and harrows. Xot
every woman who has secured a patent has
made a fortune out of it; but if statistics on
this point were obtainable we venture the
assertion that it would be found that the
fair and ingenious inventors have fared
quite as well in this respect as the majority
of their male competitors. The Commis
missioner's report certainly shows that our
women are rapidly gaining mechanical
knowledge, displaying ability to grasp its
many subtleties, and to make their living
thereby without the aid of husbands, fathers
or brothers.
A PITFALL DISCLOSED.
The legislators and high officers of the
State at Harrisburg were given something
like an eleetric shock by The Dispatch's
staff correspondent in that city yesterday.
All our correspondent did was to ask these
simple questions: If the prohibition amend
ment to the Constitution is passed by the
people in June next, will it not be necessary
to enact special legislation providing for
the enforcement of the amendment? and will
it not be necessary to have a special session
of the Legislature to attend to this business?
Strange to say most of the statesmen at
-iiauisuurg, luuuuiug uutciuui xicaici
had not realized what the passage of the
prohibition amendment might involve. The
possibility that the amendment, if adopted,
would, as a. part of the Constitution, over
ride the Brooks law and render it inoper
ative, thereby freeing the sale of liquor for
a time from all restrictions, had not ap
parently occurred to the friends, and maybe
not even to the foes of prohibition. Judg
ing from the answers given to our corre
spondent it is very fortunate that the at
tention of the public has been called to this
matter. There is time enough now to pre
vent any misunderstanding or juggling of
the question at issue.
A CENSUS OF SOLDIERS.
As the time for taking the next census
approaches suggestions looking to the com
piling of novel statistics are becoming plen
tiful. Some of these suggestions are ab
surd, others impracticable, but here and
there is one which promises valuable results.
A correspondent of the New York Tribune
wants to know whether it would be prac
ticable fur the census takers to count all
men between eighteen and forty-five who
have received military training, as State
militia or otherwise, for one year or longer.
No reason is apparent to show that such
an enumeration would be difficult to make.
The enumerators put every inhabitant
through a very thorough catechism as it is,
but it would not be too much to add a three
barreled Question such as this. Have you
received a military training, where, and for
how long?
The answers to this question would make
a record of large value to the nation at
large. At a glance it would be seen how
well or how ill prepared we are to put an
army of men, ill possessing some knowl
edge of military" matters, into the field.
This is one of the preparations for war that
can be best effected in time of peace.
EATHEE A 'WASTE OF WIT.
Senator Eustis, of Louisiana, solaced him
self for the bitterness of his political cup
last night by dressing up the protective
tariff in all sorts of ridiculous clothes and
asking his Republican brethren to laugh at
him. It is very, very hard to make a tariff
debate humorous, but it must be admitted
that Senator Eustis, as far as laughter was
concerned, succeeded. "Without stopping to
discuss what we suppose Mr. Eustis would
call the serious object of his speech, it is
only proper to call attention to the admira
ble slap he administered to the nonsensical
proposition to put a tax on imported
actors.
If Senator Eustis would spend some of
his wit upon scoring the .abuse of political
power by the Democrats in his own State it
would redound to his credit. He has wit;
with wisdom and patriotism what a giant
Senator Eustis would be 1
A Virginia politician, who had been
refused a life insurance policy on the
ground that he had been bitten by a Spitz
dog, wrote to the eminent scientist, Pas
teur, on the subject. The Parisian doctor
replied that a healthy dog's bite is harm
less, but advised that the animal be watched
for eight days after inflicting the wound, to
make sure that it is not mad. M. Pasteur
evidently thinks that a dog which has such
a depraved taste that it will bite a Virginia
politician can scarcely be in a healthy
physical and mental condition.
Slugger Sullivan is reported to have
been conquered. It wasn't Mitchell or Kil
rain that knocked him out, but his old
enemy, John Barleycorn. Pride must have
a fall, and Boston has been just a bit too
proud of the champion.
What is the matter with the people of
Kansas, an way7 It is winter and they are
deprived of their usual pastime of fighting
grasshoppers, but this is scarcely a valid
reason why they should divide into factions
and figVit each other. Civilized communi
ties arc accustomed to settle such questions
as the location of a county seat or a district
sehoolhotise without the aid of a militia or
a Sheriff's posse, and the sooner the citizens
of Kansas learn this the better it will be for
the prosperity and good name of their
State.
The New York Jlerald hits the nail
squarely en the bead in speaking of the
Samoan muddle: "Germany and the
United States have too much sense and too
many interests at stake to seek a needless
quarrel."
Sending Madam Diss Debar to the
penitentiary does not appear to have de
terred others from engaging in business us
wholesale and retail dealers in shadowy
spirits in New York City. How would it
work if the Legislature should enact a high
license law, with clauses specially applica
ble to medinms of the Diss Debar and
Stryker stamp?
Two Philadelphia theosophists are about
to start on an expedition to find Buddha if
possible. Buddha has been dead for evoral
centuries. This is probably the reason why
Philadelphia is so much interested in him.
The agitation now going on in many of
the States for the purification of the ballot
deserves encouragement. Even though" it
be but the carrying out of the usual post
election programme, some good may come
from the movement if those who sincerely
desire reform sufficiently interest them
selves. Secretary Bayard is quoted as saying
that the State Department has done all it
could to settle the Samoan difficulty. This
is equivalent to a confession that the State
Department can do nothing.
Harrison's declaration that he would
not announce his Cabinet uutil he became
President does not appear to have silenced
those who find pleasure in speculating on
the subject. The number of men who are
willing to do the announcing for the President-elect
continues quite aslarge as ever.
PHiEADELrniANS will ask the Legisla
ture to pass a law forbidding the salo of
cigarettes and tobacco to boys under 16 years
of age. Such a measure would be wise if it
could be made effective.
The investigations of the Parnell Com
mission seem to have established one fact
conclusively, namely, that the witnesses on
which the Times relied for,upholding its
side of the case are just a trifle worse than
the Ttmej ever pretended that the Land
Leaguers were.
PERSONAL FACTS AND FANCIES.
Mrs. Zerelda "Wallace, the venerablo
mother of General Low Wallace, is speaking
for woman suffrage in Arkansas.
The late Dr. McGill, of Princeton, had writ
ton a work on Sabbatarian Liturgy." the manu
script of which is lost. It is feared that it was
accidentally burned by one of tho theologian's
servants.
Mr. Levi P. Morton, Vice President-elect,
and Mrs. Morton arrived in Washington on the
limited express from New York yesterday aft
ernoon, and are stopping at tho Hotel La Nor
mandle. The poor of Windsor have good reason to
bless the generosity of Princess Christian.
Twice a week during the winter months they
are made happy by tho dinners which she pro
vides for them at the Town Hall.
Mjie. Kowaleitska, to whom the French
Institute recently awarded the grand prize in
mathematics, is a descendant of the illustrious
Matthia3 Uorvlnus, King of Hungary. She is
a professor in a Swedish university, and is
about 40 years old.
Poor Mr. Jameson, Stanley's brave lieuten
ant, who perished in the Congo, was especially
fond of Mr. Arnold's "Light of Asia." It was
his constant companion during his travels in
the Dark Continent, and he found great com
fort in its poetic philosophy.
The music which Sir Arthur Sullivan has
furnished for Mr. Irvine's production of "Mao-
beth" is not the lirst attempt of the English
composer to furnish incidental music for
Shakespeare's plays. He has already com
posed music for "Tho Tempest," "Tlio Mer
chant of Venice," "The Merry Wives of Wind
sor" and "Henr VIIL" "The Tempest"
music, however, has never been used in a per
formance of the play.
IT is said that just before she left Washing
ton Miss Sackville-Wcst ordered made a fine
crayon portrait of herself, to be presented to
Mr. Alexander Grcgcr, Secretary of tho Rus
sian legation. He is the son of a rich banker
of St. Petersburg, whose death about two years
ago left a large estate to be divided between
his daughter and son. In Washington he has
been the life of the younger circle of fashion
able society. This season is lamenting his ab
sence in New York, in charge of the Consulate
General.
Prof. Waldstein. the head of the Ameri
can Archaeological Institute at Athens, has
scored a notable discovery in excavation on
the Acropolis. It is in the form of a beautifully-preserved
head of Iris belonging to the
frieze of the Parthenon, which exactly fits
and completes a portion of a slab at the Brit
ish Museum. In recognition of his work tho
Green authorities have presented the original
fragment and a cast of the whole slab to the
American school. The American excavations
at Ikario and Starnata have also yielded good
results, and the Government has given per
mission to dig at three other important places,
but lack of funds prevents our school from
taking the lead of all the institutes of Athens.
THE SAME OLD STORY.
Democrats Mnlso n Fntilc Endeavor to
Organize the Senate.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Charleston, W. Va January 17. This
morning two Democratic Senators, Messrs.
McCalllster and Pritchard, voted for a Republi
can President of that body in the hope that an
organization might thereby be effected, but
without any result. Senator Carr has been
voting with tho Republicans on all questions
where party lines have been drawn, but as he
and Minear have been voting for each other on
every ballot for President, his vote docs not
help cither side in this contest. It is now un
derstood that both sides are willing to organize
provided they can make satisfactory terms
with their opponents.
It is said that the Democrats are willing to
elect a Republican President, but want to dic
tate who the clerk shall be. This the Republi
cans are not willing to concede as yet. Judge
Fleming's notice of contest was presented to
the Senate to-day, but, as the body was not
organized, nothing could be done further than
to file it for future action, and an adjournment
was had until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
EBB AND FLOW OF GAS.
It Is Found to bo Coincident With
tho
Ocean Tides.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Perhaps nowhere in any gas belt is there so
great peculiarity as exists in the flow of gas at
Montpelicr.Ind. Six hours out of 24 the gas runs
down to a minimum and six hours out of the
day the gas reaches maximum. When tho
supply is at low ebb tho valves are turned wide
open to get a sufficient supply. When tho gas
is at highest the smallest turn of the key is
enough to supply the demand. That the move
ments are co-instant with tho ocean tides is evi
dent, but whether or not tho same influences
are the causo can only be a matter of con
jecture. This Suspense Is Awful.
From the Chicago News.
"Ah!" exclaimed tho eminent Republican
statesman joyfully, as he was handed aletter
bearing the Indianapolis postmark, "it has
come at last."
Then he tore" open tno envelope with eager
fingers and unfolded a document from which
he read as follows: "Twenty Reasons Why
Natural Gas Will Make Indianapolis Great."
One minute later a member of the Salvation
Army who happened to be passing gave the
eminent statesman a tract on tho sinfulness of
profanity.
More Help for Harrison.
San Francisco, January 17. A petition has
just been forwarded to General Harrison,
signed by every Republican member of tho
Nevada Legislature, and by 54 out of 53 Repub
lican members of tho California Legislature,
praying for the appointment of M. M. Estee, of
this State, to a position in General Harrison's
Cabinet.
Too 3In:h for Iliin.
From the Chlcago.Ncrs.J
A man in Duluth dropped dead while talking
through a telephone. He probably had been
given the number he wanted the first time he
asked for it.
What tho Country Needs.
From the Philadelphia Times.:
Big money has been appropriated for'the
navy, but what the country needs more is a big
navy for the money.
From Anarchy to Arnica.
From the New York Tress.I
The Anarchists are trying anarchy among
themselves. This is sure to lead to arnica.
THE TOPICAL TALKER,
A Delicato Hint is Sometimes Efficacious
Lumber and the Weather.
A reverend gentleman, who lives in a
pretty little village fn Ohio, last summer took
it into his head that it would relax his soul and
replenish his pockets and cko his larder to
raise poultry. Consultation with ccitain lay
men of his congregation enabled him to pro
cure a very select company of chickens. A
hennery was erected, ana, contrary to all
precedent, the preacher prospered in tho cul
ture of poultry.
But, after awhile, 4 shrinkage in the little
feathered flock became noticeable. It was only
too apparent that a thief had been visiting the
hennery. My reverend friend watched and
discovered that the purloiner of his pullets was
a colored gentleman whoso age and piety had
hitherto saved him from the least breath of
suspicion.
The next day the clergyman called, upon the
colored brother and presented him with a
choice side of bacon, saying: "Now, George, I
hope you will enjoy this bacpn, and I want to
keep tho rest of my chickens!"
The hint was enough. The hen roost has
never been iuvaded since.
When the story above related was told to
mo the other day a gentleman who was present
said: "Your story, doctor, reminds me of an
other somewhat like it An old farmer, who Is
a neighbor ot mine, had his smokehouse
robbed regularly every winter, and though ho
suspected a colored man who lives between his
house and mine he could never fasten the theft
upon him. WpII, last fall, when he was butch
ering his hogs, he called in this old darkey to
assist. Tom that was tho colored suspect's
name helped to kill and dress a score of hogs,
and then the old farmer said to him: 'Now,
Tom, you can take one of these hogs home with
you on condition that you won't steal any of
my meat this winter.'
"Tom looked pleased at first, but as the con
dition was laid down an expression of per
plexity stole over his face. Ho seemed to bo
figuring out a hard problem. At last he said
slowly: 'Well, mass'r, I knows I'se losin' a
pow'f ul lot o' pork, but I guess I'll take do hog
an, call it squar'.'
"Tom stuck to his compact, and tho smoke
house was not robbed that year."
V
Senator Mathew Stanley Quay not
only does not talk himself, but ho takes extra
ordinary precautions against anyone talking
for him. The President-elect has made a
reputation for himself in this line also,
but he hasn't been able to prevent his
son from talking a little, as the lattcr's speech
at Helena, tho other day, very clearly Bhowed.
Senator Quay's son is a shrewd young man, no
doubt, but even he could not tell much about
his father's plans or knowledge if ho would. It
is said tbat when Senator Quay returned from
his much-discussed visit to Indianapolis, he ab
solutely declined to talk about what ho saw or
heard or did while under General Harrison's
roof, even when members of his own family
asked him tho simplest questions.
Senator Quay believes that his own soul is
the Dest safe deposit vault in tho world for
his secrets big and little.
.
A Pittsburger, who deals extensively in
Inmber, said to me last night: "If we don'thave
some snow pretty soon tho lumber business is
going to suffer sharply. I've been all through
tho Tldionte district, and Warren and Forest
counties, trying to get the" rigs for six gas
wells, and I couldn't get a stick ot hemlock
anywhere. Tho Inmber men are all waiting
for snow. They can movo four logs on a sled
for every two that they can haul in summer
time, so the lumber harvest naturally comes in
winter. In such open weather as we've been
having hardly a log can bo moved, and if winter
doesn't come soon in earnest you may expect
lofty prices for lumber. In the West the same
complaints are beard, though some logging has
been done in Michigan."
THE OLDEST POSTMASTER.
A Petition Is Being Signed For Ills Retire
ment With a Pension.
West Chester, N. Y., January 17. A peti
tion is being circulated among tho residents of
Yorktown asking the President to retire Post
master Lewis Purdy from active service and
grant him a liberal pension for the remainder
of his life. Mr. Purdy Is said to be the oldest
postmaster in the United States, both in years
and service, having been appointed postmaster
or Shrubb Oak by President W. H. Harrison,
grandfather of President-elect Harrison, in
1841. Mr. Purdy is now 03 years of age and re
ceives and distributes the mail twice a day, and
has never been absent from his post a day since
he has been in the service.
His only assistant is his wife, who Is 00 years
of age. V hen Mr. Purdy was appointed Shrubb
Oak had but one mail each month, then two,
and finally three after the war. During the
early years of Mr. Purdy's official life, people
came to Shrubb Oak fortheirmail from distant
points in Putnam county, two or three days
being occupied to make the trip.
SHERIDAN'S PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
Ex-Governor Curtin Says They Ought to bo
Read by Every True American.
Washington, January 17. Ex-Governor
Curtin, of Pennsylvania, has written a letter to
Mrs. Sheridan concerning the "Personal Me
moirs" of the General, in which he says: "It
is a book which should be in the hands, not
only of every surviving soldier of tho war of
the rebellion on both sides, but of every Ameri
can who loves his country and is proud of her
heroes. Its clear, simple and graphic narrative
of the events of the General's life, modest in
its relation of personal details and generous in
its recognition of the merits and achievements
of his companions in arms, is a perfect illustra
tion of the mind and character of the gallant
and genial hero whom we all honored and
loved.
"Every page is of absorbing interest, and, in
my opinion, it is destined to ta.ee its place
among those fortunate books that mankind de
light to read and cherish. It is. besides, most
valuable as an autbentic record of historical
events of vast importance."
It All Depends.
From the Norristown Herald.
First Democrat Did you hear how the cam
paign managers in Now York bought and used
for partisan purposes, tho mailing list of a
prohibition organ in tbat city?
Second Democrat Why, no. That was a
pretty smart trick, though, wasn't it? But
everything is fair in politics; and I tell you, the
Republicans must get up early if they want to
getahead of our boys in clever polit
First Democrat Yes, but it was tho Repub
licans who bought the lists.
Second Democrat Wh what. Well, there
ought to bo some law to punish such shameful
schemes of corruption, and I hope every
mother's son of them will fetch up in jail!
What Next?
Frora the New York Tribune. J
Needles which go Into tho left tbnmb and
come out of tho right ear ten years afterward
must now give way to tho key which is
swallowed and coughed up from the lungs. Mr.
Meeker, an Indiana harness maker, claims to
have invented the new trick. "Progress" is the
watchword of civilization.
Going; to Extremes.
From the l'hiladclphiaKecord. I
Tho high bonnet will soon be only an un
pleasant remembrance. But as headgear takes
on shapes of reasonableness, fancy finds play
at the other extremity of feminine apparel.
The latest freak is heels of chased gold and
silver on white kid dancing shoes.
Bnd for the Paris Exposition.
From the Norristown Herald. J
The Paris authorities are trying to suppress
the fact that 1,200 performers are to unite in a
single military band at this year's Paris Expo
sition. The secret has leaked out, however,
and it is feared the attendance will bo di
minished one-half in consequence.
DEATHS OF A DAY.
Miss Rosnlto Ann Booth.
New Tonic, January 17. Miss Rosalie Ann
Booth, an elder sister of the actor, Edwin Booth,
died at 10:30 o'clock on Tuesday evening, at 6G3
Lexington avenue. For the past two years she
has been an invalid, and of late had suffered from
paralysis. She was a daughter of Junius itrntnq
Booth, and was born 65 rears ago In Baltimore, -I
Hugo Collmcr.
St. Louis, January 17. Hrxo Collmer, Secre
tary of the Executive Commutes of the North
American Turner Bund, and one of the oldest and
most prominent members of that society, died
hereto-day. aged 59 years. Deceased served in
the War of the Hebellion, and belore the close was
promoted to a Captaincy.
THE MEANEST ON EECOUD.
Holders of a Chattel Mortgage Surpass All
Previous Attempts.
Chicago, January 17, Max Sletzgar, a
young German machinist, told a pitiful story
to the polico this morning. Last fall his wife
fell ill, and being too poor to pay a nurse, had
to leave his work and care for her himself.
When she died ho had no money left with
which to bury her. So ho borrowed $30, giving
a chattel mortgage on his furniture. After a
time he was thrown out of work, and was un
able to meet the payments on his mortgage.
The holder was lenient with him and all was
well, but this creditor died a short time ago,
and the mortgage passed into unknown hands.
Last night when ho returned from his work he
found that the holder of the mortgage bad
broken into tho house and stripped it ot every
thing, leaving his three small children only the
protection of tho bare walls. The police will
endeavor to find the heartless sharks.
The way tho mortgage men cleaned out the
unfortunate Metzgar's things was something ex
traordinary. They began by carrying out
everything tbo apartment contained except
tho stove, bed and table. There was some dis
cussion about them, but finally the coals wcro
arann irom tne stovo ana it, too, was tauen
away. A loaf of bread left on the tablo by the
father for the children was also taken, and the
contents of the pitcher ot milk was spilt on the
floor so the men could tako tho pitcher. Then
the tablo was carried out. and a sick child was
taken from the bed, which was taken to pieces
and with the clothing was carried away.
Only the strawtick was left and on this the
suffering child was laid, without anything to
cover it or any heat in tho house. The intruders
then left, after carefully searching every closet
and nook in the house, and taking everything
they could find. The little children were
frightened so that they were afraid to leave the
house, and they cuddled up on the strawtick
and shivered with cold and fear until tho
father came home.
A RURAL WEDDING.
Itlnrringo of G. Bovrlv Richardson, of Bal
timore, to Miss Moore, of Grceusburg.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Greensbcro, January 17. Miss Mary Joe
Moore, eldest daughter of J. W. Moore, tho
coke operator, was married this evening at 7
o'clock, at the residence of tho bride's parents,
to G. Bowly Richardson, of Baltimore, The
event was a very brilliant one, and the cere
mony was witnessed by over 200 guests, many
of them from Pittsburg, Uniontown and Con
nellsville. The bride wore rich satin duchesse, with
duehesso point laeo and pearl trimmings. She
carried a beautiful bouquet of Mermot roses
and maiden-hair ferns, and wore diamond ear
rings of great value, a gift from her mother,
and bracelets set with diamonds, a gift from
the groom. Tho bridemaids, four handsome
young ladies. Miss Luelia Moore, Miss Eva
Stoffer and Miss Frank Moore and Miss May
Reed, wore India silk, with ostrich feather
trimmings. Mrs. Moore, the bride's mother,
wore f aillo Francaise, with trimmings of point
lace.
The Lohengrin wedding march was played
before the ceremony and afterward the Men
delssohn march. After the ceremony supper
was served by a Pittsburg caterer. Mr. and
Mrs. Richardson left to-night for Philadelphia
and New York. After the wedding tour they
will make their home in Baltimore, where a re
ception will be held on January 31.
The ceremonv was performed by Rev. Dr. R.
B. Moore, of Tiffin, O., an uncle of the bride,
assisted by Rev. Dr. W. W. Moorhead, of this
place.
A DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION.
The President and Mrs. Cleveland Again
Meet the Foreign Ministers.
Washington, January 17. The public par
lors and the conservatory of the Whito House
were crowded, to-night, with a largo and bril
liant assemblage invited to attend the Presi
dent's reception to the diplomatic corps.
Palms, potted plants, ferns and cut flowers in
profusion adorned every available space, and
tbe effect was enhanced by garlands of smilax
twined round tho chandeliers. The guests be
gan to arrive early, and when the President
and Mrs. Cleveland descended tbe stairs to the
music of "Hail to the Chief," played by tho
Marine Band, and took their places near tbe
door of the Blue Room, a large number of peo
plo were in waiting.
Tho President and Mrs. Cleveland were as
sisted in receiving'by Miss B.ivard. Mrs. Fair
child, Mrs. Endicott, Mrs. Whitney, and Mrs.
Dickinson. Among those back of the receiv
ing line were: Mr. Gcorgo W. Childs, the
Misses Bayard, Mrs. Folsom, Miss Vilas, Mr.
and Mrs. James J. Hill, of St. Paul, Mr. A. J.
Cassatt, Sir. and Mrs. George C. Roberts, Mr.
and Mrs. R. P. Flower, and Mrs. Ward.
Another Poverty German.
The Misse3 Morgan, daughters of Colonel
Morgan, entertained a large number of their
friends yesterday at a "Poverty German," held
at their residence in the United States Arsenal,
Lawrencoville.
THE TRUST MUST GO.
An Extremely Strincent Mensuro In the New
York Legislature.
Albany, January 17. A bill, titled "An act
to prevent monopolies" was introduced in tho
Senate here to-day. It is aimed at trusts, and
embodies the principles laid clown in Judge
Barrett's recent decision against the Sugar
Trust. Among other provisions are these:
That every contract or part of contract in
restraint of trado is void. All contracts which
provide that any inhabitant of the State shall
not pursue an occupation or profession are
deemed in restraint of trade, and that no cor
poration in this or any other State or foreign
country shall make a contract with a citizen or
corporation doing business in this Stato by
which a person or corporation agrees to abstain
from doing business. Any such contract shall
be void. If the State corporation be guilty, the
Attorney General shall bring action to forfeit
its franchise. If the foreign corporation be
guilty, it shall be forbidden to do further busi
ness in the State.
England's Electoral Reform Laws.
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. 1
It is estimated by men who may fairly be
considered experts that the electoral reform
law of Great Britain has practically stopped
all bribery in that country and reduced tho
cost of general elections about 75 per cent. The
electoral scheme in vogue in England is simi
lar, in its leading features, to that adopted in
Massachusetts, and to the scheme which is be
fore the Legislatures of several States just
now and will be before other Legislatures some
time this winter. There is good reason to hope
that the change in election methods will pro
duce as good results in this country as it has
in England and Canada. It would certainly
make some improvement.
Bound to Have It.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
St. Paul people are red hot for an ice palace,
and, toquoto tho President of tho Carnival
Board of Directors, "a palace will bo built if it
stands only two hours."
Not Wonderful.
From the Chicago Herald.:
A French scientist claims that he can make
gold by combining copper and silver. But
that's no trick at all. Tho Copper Trust is
coining millions of gold out of copper Alone.
A Public Benefactor.
From the Boston Globe.
A New York clothier advertises "prices of
suits reduced 100 per cent." If that is true ho
is a public benefactor, and should take rank
with the great philanthropists of the world.
The Oldest Inhabitant Stumped.
From the Philadelphia North Amcrlcan.l
This winter will be pleasantly remembered
for at least one thing. It has completely
stumped tbe oldest inhabitant, who cannot re
call anything like it
Lost Their Record of Time.
From the Philadelphia Times.
The time seems to have come when Wesf
Virginia should be informed that November
I elections cannot be held in January,
BOTH SIDES.
nERS.
He asked for my rose
Yes, he lores mc, I think,
And no one else knows
That he asked fur my rose;
But my cheek warmer glows.
Like the petals deep pink.
He asked for my rose;
Yes, he loves me, I think.
N nrs.
I asked for her rose
She was flirting, I think.
I don't mean to propose
Since I asked for her rose;
But girls always suppose
That we're Just on the brink.
When 1 asccd for her roso
She was flirting, I think.
-We.
HASTY BUILMKG.
An Expert's Views on the Diamond Street
Disaster Facts About Mortar Tbo
Force of the Wind A Remarkable Fact
Cited Interesting Points for Builders to
Ponder Over.
To the Editor of the Dispatch :
Assuming that the walls of the Willey build
ing stood 75 feet above the ground line, tho
woight resting upon each sqnare foot of the
foundation was 8,000 pounds, or i tons, brick
and mortar averaging about 120 pounds per
cubio foot The walls were erected to tbat, or
near that, height in a shorter space ot tlmo
than any similar wails have over been built in
this city. It mfght be safe to assort tbat the
feat was never equaled in any city in the coun
try, as but few buildings of such height aro
erected covering so small an area. It re
sembled a tower, and with a steam hoist and
numerous bricklayers, it grow skyward as if
by magic The writer undertakes to claim that
to this haste in building and to nothing else
can be attributed the terrible disaster of the
tth Inst.
Mortars and building cements harden, or
I takft thpir , t tn ,lrv. nmn mnrtir nar.
I !?.!.,."' S.et',,n d.ryins- t . ,P.n
ticularly has almost no cohesive or senslie
strength until it has become tolerably dry, and
unui nearly ury it has but a leeDIe resistance
to i ffer to strains of compression. When fully
dried as it may be in an ordinary wall after
tho lapse of six months the crushing strength
of lime mortar ranges between 150 pounds to
300 pounds per square inch, or sav 9.7 to 19.3
tons per square foot. How could tbe mortar
have drietl during the short period the Willey
building was being erected?
' Too Much Ilnstc.
Even in tho driest snmmer weather such
rapid worK would hardly have been considered
safe by a conscientious and intelligent in
spector of masonry. It is certain the inspector
would have all the authorities to side with his
views. Here wo have the lower courses of
mortar joints, whilo still green, subjected to a
load of four tons per square foot, or to per
haps half, or certainly to .me-quarter, of their
ultimate strength, which wo may assume
would havo been reached in six months. To
have been even tolerably safe, eight or ten
weeks at least should have been occupied in
constructing brick walls of that height, and in
a winter such as we experiencing, even a
longer time would be advisable.
A common remark among observers at the
scene immediately after the accident was that
tne mortar appeared to nave too mucn sami iu
it. This was a natural conclusion, but probably
an erroneous one, and unjust to tbe contractor.
The chemist's analysis shows, and a close ex
amination of specimens of the mortar would
indicate, that there was a sufficiency of lime.
The chemist says the proportion was as one of
lime to four of sand, which represents the aver
age mixture. One lime to five sand will make
good mortar, accordiug to some of the authori
ties. In quality, also, the lime was probably
good. The sandy appearance of the mortar is
due to the crushing load it was prematurely
called upon to bear, and not, as somo have
thought, to the absence of the proper propor
tion of lime, or, as others have said, to "frost
killing." There has not been enough frost this
winter to more than freeze the exposed surface.
But mortar, even slightly crumbled from what
ever cause, when partially dried, will never aft
erward make a good boDd; and it is, therefore,
more than probable that tho Willey building
never would havo had durable walls. The ac
tion of frost and rain would havo rapidly disin
tegrated the joints, though the building, so
long as tbe walls remained vertical, might have
stood many years, as numerous other "ram
shackle" structures are standing throughout
tho city.
The Force of tbe Wind.
On Wednesday, tbe 9th Inst., there was a
wind storm which by 1235 r. M. developed into
a gale attended with local swirls and puffs of
wind of considerable violence. The general
direction of the winds was from the southwest,
and at the hour and minute named one of these
sndden squalls struck the Willey building. Tho
front of the building facing on Diamond street
was open, that is to say the sides and rearwalls
bad been completed to the top line of the sev
enth story, but tbe front, from the ground up,
remained to be put in. Tho open front and
closed rear wall presented a veritable cul de
sac for the force of the wind to operate in.
Tbe rear wall of the Germania Bank building
served further to deflect and concentrate the
wind on the devoted structure. It was an ex
traordinary and remarkably sudden squall for
Pittsburg, but would have occasioned slight
comment in someof the seaboard cities, oreven
in Dakota. It so happens that at the United
States Signal office, located almost directly on
the track of this miscalled tornado, and scarcely
more than 200 yards northeast of the AVillie
building, the anemometer registered tbo ve
locity of tbe wind. The actual force of the
wind at the Willey buildingcould scarcely have
been made greater than it was at the Signal
office. The greatest lecorded velocity of the
wind was 40 miles an hour, and this was at tbe
time the building fell, though for reasons else
where assigned the force exerted by this wind
at the Willey building mav have been greater
than Its velocity, as recorded 200 yarde distant
would appear to indicate. Nevertheless, this
is a case where actual observations were taken
of the force of tbe wind and as near to tho
scene of a disaster as rarely his happened since
the United States Signal Service was estab
lished.
w
A Remarkable Fact.
The rear of a new, not yet furnished, eight
story building was within 200 feet of the Willey
structure. Its windows facing the direction
from which tho storm came were temporarily
closed with common cotton sheeting, and yet
few of these sheets were torn or blown in. The
fact that they were not all torn out is of itself
remarkable so also the fact that no other
buildings or chimney tops in tbe vicinity were
carried away is equally astonishing. This is
not the way of tornadoes, and far less the way
of gales, viz: to pounce down upon a single
isolated spot. Tornadoes often lift or bound
over a number of buildings, or other apparent
obstructions; still they leave a well defined
track, broken, though it may be in some cases,
with gaps where little or no damage is done.
Not so in this case. A southwest and northeast
course laid over tho Willey building will show
no more damage to trees, fences, etc.. than was
experienced in other parts of the city and ad
jacent country. Nevertheless this particular
building fell down, "and great was the fall
of it."
Wo can only surmise what the pressure ex
erted by the winds within the walls actually
was. Ronse & Smeaton's formula gives for a
velocity of 40 miles an hour a pressure of 7.87
pounds per squaro foot. Considerable uncer
tainty exists, however, as to the application of
the formula, for much depends on the shape
of tbo object presented to the wind angle of
incidence, etc It is known, however, that a
concave surface offers greater resistance than
an eaual section of a main surface and a con
vex less. That the Willey building received
the full force of the storm there can be no
doubt. It wa3 a concavity, into which also
the Germania building very likely deflected a
further increasement of wind force. We
might assume that the combined forces oper
ating developed a power equaled by a gale of
50 miles per hour, and that its force was ac
cordingly 12.3 pounds per square foot
But even such a pressure is not competent to
blow down a well-built brick wall. The Willey
building walls were, it is said, 22 inches for the
first story, though several of the upper stories
were only 13 inches thick, tor live stories
such walls would bo deemed safe, for six they
are light, bnt for seven stories they are do
cidcdly unsafe for buildings intended for gen
eral business and storage purposes.
What Caused tho Crash.
Nevertheless, if the wind, which lasted
scarcely more than two minntes, was the cause
of the accident, its effect, if the walls had been
dry, would havo been confined solely to the
upper story, or, perhaps, the npper two stories,
and it is well to note' hero that surrounding
buildings greatly protected tho first three sto
ries from the direct violence of the gale. It is
not an infrequent event for light top stories of
buildings to bo blown off, for it is at the top
where the winds usually have tho fullest
sweep, and there is the least thickness of wall
and dead weight to resist its force. But an eye
witness, the intelligent carpenter, who saw the
Willey building fall, from a window of tbe Ger
mania building, says it fell altogether in ono
mass. It was ono grand crash, and the entire
seven 6tories were leveled to within a few feet
of the earth, tho upper part of the walls falling
outwardly and the lower part falling more or
lcs3 uniformly inwardly. How then can wo ac
count for the accident?
In the first place we must consider tbat the
walls were green; and as wc have sought to
show, tho mortar joints in somo parts were
crushed orcrumbIed,'and lacking in bond in
consequence of that fact. Higher up, where
not much weight rested on the walls the hori
zontal joints were thoroughly soft, fresh-laid
mortar. Under the circumstances it is posi
tively certain that at no part were the walls set
and rigid, while on the contrary, there is every
reason to conceive of them as being flexible.
The heavy wind pressure acting expansively in
tho interior ot the building siy from the third
floor to the seventh, and greatest near the top
where it overflowed tended to bend tho waifs
by relieving the inside bed-joints ot mortar of
some of the weight and increasing the com
pression correspondingly on the outside joints.
The mortar even half way down had two tons
weight to the square foot of wall pressure upon
it to start with, the further strain on the out
Side joints caused by tho leverage of tbe
walls completed the task of pulverizing
the mortar on that side. A very little
flexture of the walls that far down would
cause tbe top portions to lean over its center of
fravity, and thus cause them to topple over,
he radius of the swing of tbo top portion of
the walls was, toward the Wood street side,
perhaps 25 or more feet, which wonld indicate
that the three upper stories went outward to
gether. The thrust of tbe falling masi against
tbo portion of the wall standing below com
pleted tbe destruction of the entire building.
There might have been more than one axis
npon which tbe walls hinged and broke, but it
was some sort of zigzag movement, the floor
timbers no doubt influencing tbe direction of
the movement to a greater or less extent But
to summarize, nothing appears clearer to the
writer's mind than that tho calamity was
caused by the weakness of the mortar, due to
tho haste of the construction of the building.
If a strong storm front had been put in the
building would doubtless have been standing
to this day. JIOET.
Pittsburg, January 17.
E3IPIEE CITY GOSSIP.
In a Terrible Tangle.
15EW TOnK BUEKAU SPECIALS.
New York, January 17. Tbo Oystermen's
Trde Union has got itself into a terrible tan
gle by adopting heroic measures against its In
temperate members. About four weeks ago it
warned 98 members, who drank and did not pay
their dues, that they must reform or step out
No one reformed, and yesterday all BS were
compelled to step out A tremendous rumpus
resulted. The expelled ojstcrmen say they
will start a union of their own, and initiate an
Assembly 49 warfare upon tbe temperate oys
termen. Tho oyster dealers aro trying to make
peace and do a hit of temperance work at the
same time. They think the intemperate oyster
openers ought to be reinstated if they will
promise not to drink during working hours.
Hale Needs a Monument.
General Horatio C. King and Frederick S.
Tallmadge, a committee from tho Sons of the
Revolution, and Mayor Grant, decided to-day
that a monument ought to bo erected to
Nathan Hale in City Hall Park. Mayor Grant
will write the Park Commissioners a letter
about it
A Challenge to Expressmen.
A novel challenge comes from Marcus II.
Mahony, of Portland, Me. Marcus wants to
meet any employe of the American Express
Company in a match at rate-giving. He says
he can take a room full of packages, directed
to towns in all parts of the United States, mark
the rate upon each package, with the weight,
and enter tbe whole transaction in a tariff book
quicker than any man in America. He is
willing to wager from $50 to $500 on tho result
of a competition. His record is 1,000 packages
in 500 minutes.
Mad Enough to Murder.
Patrick Bempsey, a laborer, tried to shoot his
former employer, Frederick Farrar, in the
back, this noon, at the New York entrance to
the Brooklyn bridge. Dcmpsey's revolver was
of so small caliber that tbe bullet barely pene
trated Mr. Farrar's he vy overcoat Dempsey
was locked up. He said be wished to kill Mr.
Farrar to avengo his discharge from Mr.
Farrar's factory.
Old Enough to Quit Work.
Yorktown has a postmaster 95 years old, who
was appointed by President Harrison in 1841.
The people of the town will petition Congress
to retire him on a liberal pension.
He Lived Liko a Lord.
Mrs. Flonelle Presby Wason, commonly
known as the baby wife, has been telling a
judge of the Supreme Court to-day how much
alimony Mr. Wason ought to giro her. She
thinks ho ought to do something handsome by
her because he owns $500,000 worth of stocks.
Mr. Wason swears, however, that this story
about his wealth is all bo3b. His wife got the
idea he was tremendously rich, he thinks, be
cause Mother-in-law Presby made him live far
beyond his means during his honeymoon. He
says he is in debt $20,000, out of business, and
barrassed at every tarn, all on account of tbat
motber-in-law. Mr. Wason is 21 years old.
Mrs. Wason is four years younger. She wishes
to get rid of Mr. Wason because he was too
fond of her maid.
Sorry He Tried to Thrash a Man.
Mr. August Stuhler Is sorry he tried to
thrash Mr. Charles J. Harrison, his wife's al
leged sweetheart, in Broadway last night. He
did not tell any of the bad stories about Mr3.
Stuhler and Mr. Harrison in court this morn
ing, as he threatened to do last night He jnst
shook hands with Mr. Harrison, told tbe Jus
tice it was all right and walked off home. Mr.
Harrison says that he and Mrs. Stuhler went to
the hotel together merely to play euchre, a
game of which Mrs. Stuhler is remarkably
fond. Mrs. Stuhler says she hopes her husband
will get a divorce. She claims that he com
pelled ber to marry him by means of mesmeric
influence that he exerts over her.
Freddy Takes His Time.
Freddy Gebhardt was expected to tell the
Supreme Court this morning why he had not
paid Mr. Ramson S9S for Mrs. Langtry's screen.
A big, curious audience gathered in the cham
bers to hear what he bad to say. Mr. Gebhardt
did nrt come, however. His counsel said he
would give his reasons for not paying the bill
20 days later, and the case was adjourned.
Payment for Paralysis.
The Long Island Railway Company was di
rected by the Supremo Court to-day to pay Ru
dolph E-Dalzell $10,000 becauso he received
injuries on the cars which induced paralysis.
ETIQUETTE AT DINNER.
Whistling between courses 13 not allow
able. No well-bred person will eat cayenno pepper
with a spoon.
It Is not the proper caper to take your pet
mastiff out to dine with you.
Never ask your hostess for "tho check" at
the conclnsion of the dinner.
It Is not de rlgueur to want more than three
napkins in the course of a single meaL
, If fruit is served do not offer the apple coro
to the waiter or throw your banana skins on
tbe floor.
Pie is no longer fashionable in society. No
member of the charmed circle ever thinks of
substituting pic for fish.
Keep your food on the table. It is not do
rigueur to drop roast beef or, indeed, any other
edible on your hostess' carpet
Do not ask for more than five plates of soup.
no matter what your politics may be, or what
kfnd of soup may be served.
No matter how much your corns may ache
you are not justified in slipping off your pumps
under the table during the progress of tho
meal.
TniCK soups are very common. It must be
remembered that it 13 vulgar to attempt to cut
your soup with a knife, no matter how thick It
may be.
Avoid personalities, and do not perpetrate
the old joke of asking an oyster patti to "sing
'Home.SweetHome in ber own inimitablo way"
for you.
Do not put your host's silver in your pocket
He may have hired it for tbe occasion and such
thoughtless behavior on your part might tend
to embarrass him.
IT is not proper to throw olives at the waiter
in order to attract his attention, nor is it at all
polite to tinkle your wine glass with your knifo
for the same purpose.
Ip you do not happen to care for the gamo
course let it go, and under no circumstances
take your portion and wrap It up In paper for
consumption later on.
Should your friend invite you home to a
real bome-made dinner, do not advise him to
try Browne, the new caterer, if you wish to re
main a friend of his wife's.
Givers of dinners should avoid practical
jokes. Such old-time customs as putting hair
pins in tho soup and sewing machine oil in tho
salads have gono out entirely.
Avoid politics at dinner. If you are unwill
ingly drawn into a heated debate rather admit
yourself in the wrong than throw a plate of ice
cream at your adversary's wife.
Do not complain of the cooking when yon
are dining at the house of a friend. His wife
may have prepared the meal, and you certainly
can have no wish to hurt her feelings.
A public banquets it Is considered very
witty to hit the after-dinner speakers in tho
back of the neck with bread balls, cherrystones
or Malaga grapes, but under no circumstances
is it proper to substitute charlotte russe or filet
for these objects.
If your host tells yon tbat the soup is called
creme d'artols take his word for it It may
seem like pea soup, and It probably will be pea
soap, but soma people like tbeir soup better in
French than in English, and you must remem
ber that every man is entitled to. his own taste.
Hew York Evening Sun. '
CDUIODS CONDEliSATIQAS. ? '
A New York man recently paid 525 for
an almanac 275 years old.
Chicago last week had her first touch
this season of real winter weather.
Pansy blossoms were gathered in the
Cat3kills. near MargaretviUe, N. Y., Sunday.
Fourteen persons were pronounced m
sane at Bcllevue Hospital, New York, Mon
day. High license has cut down the number
of saloon in St Paul from 782 to CL exactly
one-half in one year.
The paupers of London (exclusive of
inmates in asylums and vagrants) numbered
100,706 about ten days ago.
They do not beat spears into pruning
hooks up at Troy; but the gun foundry up there
has taken a contract to build a wrought-iron,
railroad bridge.
An infant in Cincinnati while bein
tossed into the air ran its finger into its father's
eye, and it is feared the sight has been de
stroyed. The nail pierced the ball.
An English joker took down the calen
dar in a business office and hungup one two)
years old. Bates for important papers wero
taken from it and a loss of $30,000 was the re
sult A rocking stone in New Marlborough,
Mass., is so nicely balanced that, notwith
standing it weighs many tons, tho pressure of
a single finger is sufficient to move it about an
inch.
The women of Bridgeton, N. J., aro
taking advantage of the prevailing "Whita
Cap" craze in a peculiar way. A case is re
ported where one of them wrote her husband
a letter in order to keep him in at nights. It
proved effectual.
A cat crawled into the muzzle of a
cannon in tho British barracks at Cape Colony
a short time ago. When tho evening salnta
was fired she was thrown a distance of 200 feet,
but, strange to say, lived for two hours alter
her involuntary flight '
Virginia keeps ahead of the rest of tha
country In panther stories nowadays. Tha
latest narrative deals with a 13-foot beast,
who boarded a moving freight train, carried oft
a lantern and a box of tools from the tender,
and went rattling up the mountain, making
music for miles around.
George Hodges, of Brnnsw'ick, Ga.,
has secured two stuffed fish tbat are natural
curiosities, the one a porcupine aad tho other
a pincushion fish. The former is covered with
sharp thorns resembling porcupine quills. The
latter is something of the shape and appear
ance of a duck, the mouth being something of
a bill and the fins something like wings. It 1
covered over thick with little lino needle
points.
Oranges are now being moved from
Florida in bulk, tbe same as potatoes. They
are piled about three feet high, and paper is
rnn around the sides of the car, while the floor
is covered with fine marsh grass. Numerous
carloads of tho fruit thus packed have reached
Baltimore. Several varieties came in a car,
partitions of thin board being put np. The last
car to Baltimore contained 42,000 oranges, and
had been six days making the trip. Tbe freight
on the car was $155.
"Whisco B. Line," an nged hermit,
died in Massachusetts theother dav. Hisright
n-me was Jonathan Reynolds, and his place of
abode was a hole in tbe ground, overwhich was
constructed a rough hoard covering. Here,
with his horse and dog, be has lived, doing any
thing for a living. Access to his bedroom wa?
by steps down in one corner of tbe cellar, and
his bed was on poles. No one visited him, and
be troubled no one, except on business.. Ha
thought much of hi3 dumb companions, and
often told of sleeping beside his horse if too
cold in his bed.
A Louisiana paper tells a story of a
bear, a negro and a locomotive which reads Ilka
a fable, and may be one. The negro undertook:
to drive the bear out of his turnip patch. Tha
bear, however, drove the negro out and pursued
him up tbe railroad track. Tbe negro stepped
aside to let an express train pass; the near
grappled with the locomotive with the usual re
sults, and the negro skinned tbe fragments of
the bear and took the meat home to sapper. All
this happened near Bayou Gonla. Tbo fable
teaches that a cool head is rather to be pre
ferred than great riches when you are between
an express train and a pursuing bear.
A commotion was caused during serv
ices in St Paul's Cathedral, at Albany, on a
recent Sunday morning, by a large Maltese
cat, which had, unknown to the organist, taken
up a home in tbo large pipe organ. The animal
leaped from tbe organ, and. after fastening Its
cla.vs in a member of the choir, ran down a
side aisle, and, on an attempt being made to
catch it. the cat turned into the main aMe and
made straight for tbe clergyman, who lost bis
place in tbo prayer as he caught sight ot tbe
wild-eyed cat rapidly approaching. The cat
did not pause, but rushed between the feet of
the excited chorus bovs, and a few seconds
later was back in its old quarters in the organ.
A man who was condemned to death
for murder a short time ago, and is at present
confined in the prison of Ratibor, is being fed
by force twice every 21 hours. Four days ago
he began to refuse all nourishment. The
means employed to feed him aro as follows: In
presence of tbe prison doctor a screw is with
great difficulty driven between bis teeth, and
his mouth is kept open by small wooden
wedges. An india rubber tube is then put
down his throat and he is made to take a suf
ficient quantity of milk gruel to keep him
alive. He resists tbe operation during which,
he has to be bound hand and foot sturdily.
For months past crows, to the number
of from 1.000.000 to 3,000,000, have swarmed in
tho eastern end of Douglass county, Illinois,
feeding in the fields in daytimand collecting;
at night About dusk these birds gather in
from the surrounding country in mvriads and
the noise they make is deafening. Frequently
they alight in snch great numbers on the trees
that large limb3 are broken nnder tbeir weight
One day last week a black cloud of these birds
was crossing tbe railroad track, when the
smoke from the engine blinded tbem. They
flew against tbe side of the swiftly moving
cars, and persons who watched the stranga
sight counted nearly ZOO dead crows.
Certain house owners should profit b7
the experience of a wealthy Louisville widow,
who, rather than accept a fair rent for a dwell
ing, kept tbe latter vacant It remained so for
months, and eventually the boys in tho neigh
borhood began breaking tbe windows with
stones. Then somebody tore down and carried
away the front fence. Perhaps other people
concluded after this tbat the bouse was a stray
one. for they tore down the stable and other
outbuildings. The shutters, doors, windows,
floors, etc., next disappeared. Large loads of
brick began to leave tbe house, and in a short
time all the neighbors had raved yards and
sidewalks. Tbe walls crumbfed away and fell
in, and in a short time scarcely a semblance ot
a house remained.
JUDGMENTS.
Force of Habit. Photographer (who hat
been summoned to photograph a dying man)-.
Now, then, all ready! Wink alt you want to, and
look pleasant.
Family Ties Are Binding. Wiggins I
was astonished to hear how harshly old Plutns
spoke to his secretary this mornlnz. I should
think the poor devil would resign.
Crabley Hah! He doesn't dare. Don't yon
know he's a poor relatlop.
I.OVE AND TIME.
"When first we went together, yon and I,
How soon wc learned how love could make time)
fly!
Now years we've been together and we sigh
To know and leel how time can make love fly.
On the Other Side. The Countess of
Marlsea-Itwon'tbo long, my dear, before you'll
lose that slight American twang and become a
thorough-going Ilriton.
Her Daughtcr-in-Law Hi 'opes you think HI
'm trying mc best mc leddy.
A lady, who was accustomed to solicit for
several charitable Institutions, the other day met
a well-known miser from whom she had never
been able to extract a cent '
During the course of the conversation tbe lady
mentioned that she had seen bis portrait at tha
academy.
"And you didn't ask It for a subscription?"
queried the miser, who was fond of his Joke.
Oh, I thought It useless," calmly replied tha
lady, -the portrait Is so thoroughly like you."
Postponement Inevitable. Miss Gushly
(pausing on the ladder, while the moon modestly
hides Its faco behind a cloud) Stop, Jack! We
must postpone the elopement until to-morrow. I
have forgotten to write to my mother.
Jack liorrowlt-No matter, darllng-hurryl Yott
can send the letter by mall.
Miss Gushly How absurd you are! It must bo
lelton the Uresjlng-case or the romance of the
whole thing Is spoiled. I shan't move a step !
Ethics for the Holidays. Millicent
Whea you are older, Amelia, you will know
better than to break an engagement Just before
Christmas.
Amelia I didn't know there was any rule of
etiquette against breaking an engagement Just
before Christmas -or any other time.
Millicent How many presents did you get from
the boys, I meau?
Amelia None. --
Millicent (grlmly)-l thought so.
All From Judgt.
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