r 'jpv rr. v, - m v fcipsri HttiaiearMrrw av-ssi PITTSBURG-" DISPATCH ' ERTDT; Ifie BtMcfj. ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY 8. 1S4S. Vol. 4t, No. 19. Entered su. Pittsburg Post office. November H. ISST, as second-class matter. Business Office 97 and9.3 Fifth Avenue. News Booms and Publishing House--75, 77and'79 Diamond Street. Average circulation of the dally edition of The Dispatch for six months ending March 1. 1SS9," .27,988 Copies per issue Average circulation of the Sunday edition of The Dispatch for Febrnary, 1SS9, 45,144 Copies per Issue. TERMS OF TUB DISPATCH. POSTAGE TOIX DT THE L.NllJJJ STATES. "AUT DisrATCIt, One Tear..... S 8 00 Dailt Dispatch, Per Quarter SpO Dailt Dispatch. One Month Dailt Dispatch, Including Sunday, one year. ,. - . "" Daily Dispatch, including Sunday, per quarter. -5"1 Dailt DisrATCH, Including Sunday, one month. - SO ElDfD AT DISPATCH, oneyear. S59 HVeeklt DisrATCIt, one year 1 3 True Dailt Dispatch Is delivered by carriers at J5entaper week, orlncludlngtheSundayedluon, at accents per week. PITTSBURG, FRIDAY, MAR. S, 1SS9. AHBANGIHG THE LOTTEET BAG. A season of tribulation has now fairly opened for the Cabinet officers, for Senators and Eepre-sentatives, for the President tor every one in short who is to have a hand in serving out the patronage. Petitions which were carried for months in the pocket, un til the right names could be -written in the address, arc now pouring into "Washington from all quarters. As no new miracle of loaves and fishes can be looked for, it is easy to estimate not only the intense disap pointment that is sure to befall many appli cants, but the unpleasant sensation which the secretaries must experience in sending the majority away unsatisfied. President Harrison announced in his in augural what was, doubtless, the best ar rangement possible under the circumstances. Laying down the two general rules that, on the one hand, past partisan service would not be permitted to disqualify a man for office, and, on the other, that no partisan consideration would be allowed to upset the Civil Service laws, he remanded the whole business of making selections to his Secre taries, acting with the advice of Senators and "Representatives. Virtually it is the programme, as to mere local offices, to let the Congressmen name their men. Only in case of non-agreement among the Congress men, or of manifestly improper recom mendations, will the heads of departments be likely to interfere. There-have been occasions when Senators and Eepresentatives stood out ostentatiously and stubbornly for this function of handing around the patronage of their several dis tricts, as though it were a matter of right. That it ever could have been a pleasure is incomprehensible, when the list of prizes is remembered as being so brief and meager compared with the showing of outstretched hands. Kow that the President formally extends the privilege and at the same time enjoins on the conscience of Congressmen their duty ot fidelity and intelligence in making their choice, it is to.be doubted if most of them do not consider the task as an irksome one of which they would only too gladly be rid. For those who draw blanks from the "Washington lottery bag there yet remains the consolation that the country is growing; that all sorts of useful industry are in de mand; and, finally, that one-halt the earnestness, determination and activity that are generally essential to get or to keep a Government ofiice are almost sure to win success and prosperity, if applied to any legitimate private business. THE SLAUGHTER OF BBAKEMEN. The columns of The Dispatch are con stantly furnishing proof of the perils that surround the railroad brakeman in his labor. At yesterday's session of the conference of the Railroad Commissioners of the several States with the members of the Inter-State Commerce Commissioner, ex-Railroad Com missioner Coffin, of Iowa, presented some statistics on this subject which .possess ter rible significance. According' to Mr. Coffin no less than 2,424 men have been killed or maimed by the pin and link couplers and the handbrake in the single State of Iowa during the last ten years. Last year there were killed and wounded by these two causes alone in Iowa 349 men. During the same 12 months over 6,000 men were either killed or maimed for life in the United States in the operation of coupling cars or working hand brakes. Other statistics were produced by Mr. Coffin to show that in the last SO years more men were killed or injured seriously by the causes we have spoken of than in all the great railroad accidents during the same period. 2o wonder Mr. Coffin, as the representative of the Brotherhood of Brake men, begged the Inter-State Commerce Commissioners to use their influence in ob taining the passageof an act by Congress com pelling the railroads to adopt safety appli ances for the coupling and governing of cars. The matter deserves the attention and action of Congress at the earliest pos sible opportunity. The principal obstacle to the adoption of the improvements which would remove the gravest dangers the freight brakeman is ex posed to, would seem to be the expense in volved. It is Generally understood that several practicable substitutes for this deadly "pin and link coupler have been in vented, and if we are correctly informed, one or more of these is now in partial use. The airbrake has also, to some extent, taken the place of the handbrake on freight trains, as it has for a long time done in the passenger service. Doubtless the outlay for these improvements would be large at first, but since it is a question of whetherliie and limb or dollars and cents shall be sacrificed, there can be no doubt about what should be done. Common humanity demands that the slaughter of human beings should be stopped. A GEAND OLD PENTfSYIVANIAN. The Pennsylvania Legislature did a graceful act yesterday by its unanimous adoption of a resolution providing that all members of the Assembly proceed to-day in a body to the residence of Hon. Simon Cam eron to congratulate that distinguished gentleman upon having begun the 91st year of his life. The people of Pennsylvania, without regard to party, will join the legis lators in hearty erecting! to ihc aged states- man, and wishes tliat good health and hap piness may continue to be his for many a year yet to come. - In the whole country there are to-day few more-striking figures than that ot Simon Cameron, who entered upon public life more than GO years ago. Though"he volun tarily stepped out of politics in 1877, when he resigned his seat in the United States Senate, to be succeeded iu that ofiice by his son, he has not dropped out of public view nor lost his influence as many men have done on reaching old age. He has kept abreast of the times, and though he is con tent to leave younger men to manage the affairs of state and of his party, even the most expert politicians still seek his coun sel, which they find sensible and sound. Excepting Hannibal Hamlin, who began his political career later than Cameron, ho remains to-day almost the sole survivor of that generation of statesmen to which Web ster, Calhoun and Clay belonged, as well as others whose names were known throughout the union half a century ago. Simon Cam eron began making history when a young man. In 1816 he was a poor boy, and a printer's apprentice. From this humble beginning he advanced by successive steps to the positions of editor, public printer, bank cashier, railroad projector, United States Senator, Lincoln's 'War Secretary, Minister to Russia and again United States Senator. Such are a few points in the his tory of this remarkable man.who has helped to make and unmake Presidents, Cabinets, Governors and Senators, and whose influ ence is still potent when he chooses to ex ercise it EXISTIjra PEKAITTESWILLAHS'WEB. . The New Tork Sun is letting its light shine on abuses of corporation management. Beginning with an elaborate history of the achievements of Ives, who stole the Cincin nati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad and its belongings, and who now, at the age of little more than 25, occupies a felon's cell, our cotemporary seems disposed to proceed with menacing scrutiny into the operations of other Wall street directors, who stand much higher than ever Ives or Stayner did. In a fit of indignation over the unblush ing self-aggrandizement of Ives and Stay ner at the expense of their stockholders, the Sun makes the radical suggestion that the old punishment of breaking on the wheel should be revived for such offense. The public well know that sharp practices are but too often in dulged In in the handling of corporate property, which if attempted as to the prop erty of individuals would be quickly and effectively resented, but they will hardly go the length of indorsing the Sun's heroic suggestion. They will rather think that the ordinary processes of law, if fearlessly in voked, are quite sufficient to deal with every case; and that a few examples like those which are sure to be made in the cases of Ives anoj Stayner, coupled with discreet in quiry by investors as to where to put their money, would quickly put a check to that particular species of dishonesty. ' One of the troubles about "Wall street in vestment is that it has been largely in the nature of a gamble. The honest manage ment of the properties listed is, in that quarter, a secondary consideration, if indeed the average buyer or seller of stocks gives that phase of the subject any thought at all. Generally he bnys for a "rise" and sells for a "drop;" and his interest in the future of the stock is just for a day, or a week, or at the most only till the first important change of quotations. WHEBE TO PUT FAITH. A good deal has been said ot curing the sick by simple faith lately, and a number of excellent men and women have shown a preference for prayer in place of the ser vices of a physician or surgeon in struggling with disease or physical mishaps. It will be painful to the advocates of the faith cure and similar systems to learn of the fate of Mrs. Mary C. Edwards, a believer in the Christian Science doctrine and who herself professed to effect cures through the agency of faith. She died two days ago at Syra cuse from the results of an accident sus tained some weeks ago by which her hip bone was fractured. "When the accident happened Mrs. Ed wards called in two physicians, and the fracture was reduced successfully. Then it appears her belief in the faith cure doctrine mastered her, and she put herself in the hands of her friends the Christian Scientists. She grew worse, and regular doctors were again summoned. They could not save her life, and ascribe the fatal end ing to the interference of the faith cure professors. It is only fair to state that (he latter lay the blame upon the regular sur geons. The conclusion to be drawn from this will seem to most sensible people to be that broken bones are best mended by men who have given their lives, energies and atten tion to the science of bone-mending. That faith is best placed in surgeons, in short, when surgical skill is needed. In the case of nervous diseases,mentaldisturbances,and the minor ills mankind is heir to, perhaps faith and the so-called Christian Science may be of some assistance to the sufferer, subordi nated to the judgment of a doctor of expe rience and learning;. Faith in the doctor, as well as faith in- the all-wise decrees of Providence, is no new prescription to the sick man. But when Christian Scientists desire men to pnt faith in the curative pro cesses they have invented they ask more than the wise are ready to give, in the light of events such as the death of Mrs. Edwards. A MTT.T.TOHATRE'S GEHEK0SITY. Isaiah "Williamson, who died yesterday in Philadelphia, was a man of a type once exceedingly rare in this country. He was both a millionaire and a philanthropist. A few years ago the number of- persons in the United States to whom both these terms were applicable was exceedingly limited; to-day the combination is by no means un usual. "We hear a good deal about the selfishness and the greed for gain exhibited by men whose natural aptitude for business and close application to their chosen work have made them extraordinarily successful in a pecuniary way. No doubt the censure is frequently deserved ; no doubt, either, that it is often wrongfully bestowed. Social ists berate the rich, and some even aver that any man possessing a million dol lars in bis'own right ought to be set down as a criminal. But every now and then the world is reminded by the examples of such men as "Williamson that a millionaire is not necessarily an evil; tbatTie may be a public benefactor,aud,prompted by motives of gener osity andhumane sympathy, make such a ju dicious use of his property that the public, instead of finding fault with him, will regret that he had not even greater opportunities for doing good. The number of such in stances thatmightbe adduced without going back many years is sufficient evidence that the world is not altogether selfish and greedy. Mr. Williamson made his own fortune, and after it amounted to several millions instead of spending money upon luxuries for.his own gratification, he devoted it to unostentatious charity. How many institu tions end individuals hare been the re- cipients.of his" bounty will perhaps never be known, for he shunned publicity instead of courting it. The closing act of his life, thegiftofS5;000,Q00 to found a free school of mechanical trades, in which poor boys are to be preferred as pupils, was a deed which will cause this modest man to rank among the greatest philanthropists of the age. Pennsylvania will have good reason to hold the name of Isaiah Williamson in grateful remembrance. Mb. Soames, the London Times solicitor, testified before the Parnell Commission yes terday that a man named Walsh had told him that Messrs. Parnell and O'Kelly helped to import arms into Ireland. Every body laughed when Mr. Soames said he did not know Walsh's whereabouts. But if Walsh is with the lamented Pigott it is no laughing matter for Walsh. A Baltimore justice has decided that umbrellas are private property. Now, If he can give directions to the holders of such property which will enable them to keep possession of it he will receive the thanks of a generous public. Devil's Lake wants to be the capital of one of the new States. We don't believe the people of Dakota will consent to having their laws made in such a place. The aver age legislature will give any town a bad name, but that is no reason why the sugges tion of an inferno at the State capital should be affixed to every official paper. No wonder the police are looking fox the manager of Austin Nichols & Co. 'a grocery house in New York. He has disappeared, but his accounts are all right. Barnum ought to find him at all costs. The abundance of thieves in Washington about inauguration time was notorious, and now that it is proven that the Pennsylvania militia did not misbehave during the inau guration festivities, it is clear that Ananias and Sapphira would have felt quite at home at the Capital. Colonel Lioe Haltord does not like his military title. He says plain Mr. Hal iord is good enough for him. Have the Kentuckians been calling the President's Colonel to the bar too often? A veey sensible movement was inaugu rated last night by the Society of Engineers of Western Pennsylvania. The society is admirably qualified to assist the Legislature in carrying out Governor Beaver's recom mendations, as to improving the roads in this State. The impression is rapidly gaining ground that it any Pennsylvania troops acted In a disorderly manner while in Washington those from the Western part of the State were not among the number. The New York 'Centennial Entertain ment Committee is in a peck of trouble over the question, what ladies shall take part in the opening quadrille? Why not allow those who have completed a century or so to lead off? Give Susan B. Anthony first place and let her select her companions. Citizen Gkovee Cleveland, who lunched with one ot his law partners yes terday at a New York club, doubtless ob served that the citizen has privileges that the President has not. An East End goat was charged with de vouring some vines before Alderman Means yesterday. The goat was acquitted, probably because the magistrate thought the gentle beast showed self-denial in not eating the posts on which ihe vines were nailed. It is said Milan gave up his crown be cause he was afraid he would be shot if he didn't. He had rather be alive than King. Most men would rather be dead than be Milan, The English papers don't like Harrison's inaugural address, but they affirm that Presi dent Cleveland's civil service reform policy was something beautiful to contemplate. This shows how extensive is their informa tion regarding American political history. PERSONAL FACTS AND FANCIES. Mr. Wanamakeb will, it is said, continue as superintendent of his great Sunday school at Philadelphia. Kansas City has a score of well-to-do col ored men among its inhabitants. The wealthiest of them is Samuel Jordan, a barber, who has amassed a fortune of $150,000 from his trade during the past 15 years, Horatio J. SraAOUE, of Massachusetts, is the oldest officeholder in the United States service. He has been stationed since ISIS at his post on the historic rock which controls the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. Dr. Alvin Talcott, of Connecticut, a Yale man of the class of '2S,says that he reads a hundred lines of Homer every night to go to sleep on. Thus is established the advantage: of a classical education to a man troubled with insomnia. Rev. Norman La Marsh, an eloquent preacrrer in charge of the Methodist Church at Searsport, Me., is totally blind. A touch ing featuro of the services at this church is the sweet singing of the pastor as he folds his hands and turns his sightless eyes toward heaven. Whatever may bo the ostensible reason for the Couutdl Montercole appearing in this country just now, ho has evidently set out to start a new style of wearing neckties. His collar is a broad turned down affair,and the tie is worn so as to display a large opening above it at the juncturo at tho ends. The stylo is unique, at least. A unique chair made of the horns of Texas cattle is on its way fromSan Antonio to tho Wntte House. It is the gift of a San Antonio banker to President Harrison, and it cost its donor 51,500. Tho horns are riveted with gold, and there are a number of gold plates used in its construction. From one of them glistens a very handsome diamond. The following is told of Mr. Labouchere: When quite a young man he was for a time Secretary to the British Legation, Vienna. While there, it happened that Lord C , the Ambassador, had to go suddenly on. a mission to St Petersburg, leaving "Labby" in charge. The next day a frequent visitor of high rank. Count B , walked into the office, and in his usual haughty manner. Inquired of tho Secretary if Lord C was in. Whereupon, Count B , without .ceremony or further question, said: "Oh, very well, then, I'll wait," and suiting tho action to the word, sat down. Having sat for a considerable time, he asked: "Have you any Idea how long it will be before His Lordship will return?" Whereupon, "Labby," with his usual sang froid, promptly replied: "In about six weeks, I think, sir. He started only yesterday for St. Petersburg." A COMPOSITE SWEETHEART. No, I do not, I'll confess, I do not lore charming licss. Bnt if I the girl could find Who has all the charms combined Of Bess and Belie, And Maud and Nell, Of Fannie, Winnie, Stella, Minnie, Of Flossie, Josle, Urace and Kosie, Alexandra, . And Cassandra, - -. Christiana, And Susanna, And a lot of others, too, (Awful hard to suit, say you?). If, I say. that I could find One with all the charms combined Of those I've named above, , - Then with her I'd happy live, Jly whole heart to her IM give Aly composite lotc. - Yankee Blade. THE. TOPICAL TALKER. Baby Talk nnd Stuttering A Doctor Call ins Dieting on n New Plnn And Re mnrks of a Frivolous Order. Babt talk, the pretty pigeon English of the nursery, the language of verbal distortions which is supposed to convey intelligence to the infant mind, Is declared by a famous English physician to be one of the principal causes of stuttering and other impediments of speech. The parent who says to a confiding baby:' JJlddy-lddy-lddy-iddy's toosey-oosey hurt oose icklo-ickle gum-gums," deliberately sows the seed of stuttering, perhaps, but it is very doubt ful if any parent, and especially any mother, will eschew baby talk on that account, The custom of treating a baby to these lin guistic Idiocies ls'too old to be battered down by a single surely he is unmarried physician in a day. I have heard of men and of one woman protesting against tho use of baby talk on the most sensible grounds before they had babies of their own to practice upon. I have even heard a father reprove hlawif of or deliv ering addresses to the 2-year-old in a language which might have been Choctaw, and ten min utes later himself spout a yard or two of still worse farrago to the young hopeful. You might as well start out to convince a mother that her baby was not very superior to any previous example of the genus as to at tempt to abolish baby talk. People who stutter may blame their arTeci' tlonate parents, however, if it affords them any consolation. A sharp ring at the doorbell. It is 2 o'clock in the morning. One of the physician's proud est privileges Is that his working day never ends. So Dr. B - slips from the warm bed to the cold floor, gathers enough clothing to make himself barely presentable, and goes down stairs. The door is opened, letting in a fine sample of a March wind in its nigbtc!othes,and a rather confused young man on tho doorstep says: "Can you tell me where Dr. G 's of fice isf" . Dr. G isa practitioner of the homenpathie school, while Dr. B is an allopath. Yet Dr. B gives the desired information, and shuts the door one might say with a slam, Ashe goes upstairs a few words ot a profane tenden cy escape him. Was Dr. B justified in swearing? .,. Some menaro fond of dieting themselves as .a core or preventive of some evil physical hu mor or disposition. I encountered one a day or two ago. He was fearful lest be should grow too stout. Prox imity to the 200-pound mark perturbed him. Said he: "I shall eat no lunch in future." For one consecutive day he tied fast to the resolve. The results of abstinence were not happy. Tho next day saw him at the usual place eating a light lunch ot ham, a quaint lit tle variety of the cabbage plant called Brussel's sprouts, scallops, bread and butter and coffee. And when somebody reproached him for the, inconsistency, and rehearsed tho bill of fare! above mentioned, adding to itpota'toes, ha ex. claimed with superb indignation: "That's just like you, to exaggerate I ate no potatoes, girl Not one!" Now will the cheery poet man Espy the signs of spring; Note ev'ry robin in the van, And catch in everything The promise of a briehter sky, And things a trifle chestnutty! Bincs Peterson Waggs is pretty sure of .getting a consulate in Scotland. Springs Is that so? I didn't know Waggs had any influence. Bfngs He hasn't any, but he has written three Scotch dialect poems and be is at work on a novel called "The Pibroch Gangs Awa'," and the Scots declare they'll have Waggs or war!' . An enthusiastic Republican has written The Dispatch a long letter, in which he conclu sively proves that none of the members of the new Cabinet are for sale. But he will not deny that the very day after the Cabinet was confirmed as a whole by the Senate it was Lent, DEATHS OP A DAY. Itnlith Williamson, Philadelphia, March 7.-Isalah V. William-1 son, the venerable millionaire philanthropist, died at 4 o'clock this, morning. Air. Williamson was born at Falmouth, Bucks county. Pa., in 1802, He came to Philadelphia, shortly before reaching his majority, and started a small drygoods on Second street, above Market. With the assist ancd of H. N. Burroughs, now President of the Commercial National Bank, he soon built up a large business, too large, in face, for the size or the storeroom, and lie moved to market street, or ganizing the wholesale house of Williamson, Bur roughs & Clark. The fortune Mr. Williamson had at the time he retired from the drygoods business grew rapidly under Judicious investments until he was regarded as the richest man in Philadel phia. He was very reticent regarding his affairs, but lis, 000, 000 has been regarded as a low estimate of his wealth. Ho was a charitable man all his life, and gave liberally to all worthv objects, gen erally t-njoyiue secrecy as to the giver, however. The House or KcTuge received 100,000 from him, and the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and the Jefferson College Hospital too, 000 each, lie gave ?100,000 to the Board of Trade fund for the as sistance of merchants who have sustained re verses and arc without means for making a liveli hood. The croifntng act of Mr. Williamson's lire was the giving or 3,00u,rj00 for the founding of tho Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, which is to be built as soon as a location is decided upon. The school is to be located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, or in Bucks, Delaware or Mont gomery county, Sidney Bnrtlett. Boston, March 7, -Sidney Bartlett, the nestor of the Suffolk County Bar, dledlast night, aged 90 years. He was graduated at Harvard In 1818. Mr. Bartlett was one of the counsel employed in the solution of tho vexed l'rcsidental question which was submitted to the Electoral Commission in 1877. He leaves considerable property, his in. vestment In the Chicago. Burlington and Qnlncy Kallroad alone being estimated at over a million. Ho was interested in what are known as thn Mpr rlam roads. He was counsel for the Chicago. Burlington and ijulccy Hallway, and within the past ten davs was In consultation with the direc tors concerning the affairs of the cdmpauy. He was the oldest surviving graduate of Harvard in point of class. Froip Harvard he received thedc grce of LL.D. , Br. Tliomai G. Hcrron. It is with deep regret that the many friends of that young and promising physician. Dr. Thomas (J. Hcrron, of Allegheny, lcarncU or his death, which sad event occurred yesterday. Dr. Herron, besides enjoying an extensive practice in Alle gheny, was fall physician for the county. He was a young man whose gentle manners and sterling fersonal qualities endeared him to all who knew i!m. The cause of death was heart disease, tho svmptoms of which made themselves manifest a considerable time back, though thclrdcvclopment toa fatal termination so soon wus not expected. Dr. Herron was son-in-law to Major A. M. Brown. To his bereaved family the sincere sym pathy of a wide circle orfriends and acquaintances is extended. Mrs. E. M. "lHeCai!. The funeral of Mrs. K. M. McCali took place yesterday afternoon from the M, E. Church in Tarentum. The deceased was formerly a resi dent of that town, only having re moved from there to Washington City last (September. She died there on Tuesday after a brief illness, and her body was brought home for burial. Mrs. McCall was a lady of endearing qualities, nnd had many friends. She leaves a largo family of grown daughters and one son. She was a slstcr-ln-law cf K. 8. P. McCall, the County's Special Agent. Rev. R. K. Nnsli, D. D. Zanesville, March 7. Be v. R. K. Nash, D. D died hero this morning of paralysis, brought on by a fall which ho received Sunday morning, Feb ruary 3. jutt as he was ascending from the vestry room to the pulpit of St. James Episcopal Church to begin services. He will be taken to nit home in Newark for burial. The deceased was 77 years of age and one of the most prominent pastors of the Episcopal Church in this State. J. P. McGarrnhnn. New York, March 7. J. P. McGarrahan, a well-known Journalist of this city, dropped dead this morning of heart disease in a restaurant whero he nad gono for breakrast. He was 43 years old. and was noted as a writer both on this and the otberilde of the Atlantic. Rev. O. D, Mcl.nlr. Itev. o. D. Mclialr, a student,at the United Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Allegbcn v died or typhoid lever 'at his homo in New Wil mington. Pa., yesterday. He was a popular and promising student and hU death will be deeply mourned. GeorgoRlley. WrLKXSBAnBK, March 7. George Biley, a molder. aged about 50, died suddenly in a shoe store at Pittston to-day. It is said he has relatives in Pittsburg, lrom whence he came several yedrs ago. Heart disease is the supposed cause, Robert A. Cojrblll. lrxcilBUEa, Va., March 7. Robert A. Coghill, one or the best-known lawyers nnd public men in tho State, died at his homo in New Glasgow this morning, aged 68. He was a member of the Legis lature over SO years, George. Ilnwkins Williams. : Baltimore, March 7,-Oeorge Hawkins Will iams, aged 70. one of tho leading members of the Baltimore bar and tox-Presldent of the Maryland Senate, died here to-day. A LITELI Old) HUSKRAT. He Flghta for Half' nn Honr With Two Policemen nnd a Terrier. Philadelphia, March 7. A.most remark able sight occurred at Fourth and Kalghn ave nue, shortly before midnight on Tuesday night, The actors in the scene were Police Ufflcers "Streeper and Hart A. Snyder, of 833 Kaighn avenue, a terrier and ahugemuskrat. It is supposed that the muskrat bad, wandered up from the meadows several squares away and got lost. Mr. Snyder's oyster saloon was open at the time and his attention was attracted by the loud barking of his rat-terrier. Looking out on the street he saw his dog in conflict with what he thought was a cat, and tho latter, get ting the best of his dog. Rushing out he gave the supposed cat a kick, but it bad his dog by the foot, and held fast to it like grim death. A light was procured When Mr. Snyder made the discovery that the largest muskrat he had ejr seen was getting the .best of his terrior. He kicked and shouted, and the officers came to his resoue and endeavored to strike tho rat, with tbeir blackjacks. They were afraid to shoot for fear of killing tho dog. Finally, the dog got loose and ran away, when the'rat made a desperate jump at Mr. Snyder and actuaUy caiight hold of his watch-chain and held fast until it was beaten down by one of the officers. In the animal's desperation it went for the officers and tried to spring to their throats. The brute was finally beaten off with black jacks, and then, being exhausted with its half-an-houfs strtiggie, it finally became conquered by a well-directed kick and a shot from one of the officers. Scores of persons residing in the vicinity of the avenue visited Snyders place yesterday, and after looking at the rat declared it was the largest that they had ever seen. It was an old buck, and its teeth were half an lneh in length, while its claws were about as lone. The hair covering its body was nearly inches long. HELP FOE EUMSELLEES. The Mnlne House Pnsiea a Bill Which olakei Them Jubilant. AUGUSTA, March 7. The action of the Maine House of Representatives to-day in passing the pharmacy bill as amended creates surprise and consternation. It is practically a free rum blil. Two years ago a Constitutional amend ment was accepted by the people forever pro hibiting the sale of liquor in the State, except ing for mechanical and medicinal purposes. But here to-day Is theHousepasslng a free rum bill. The bill was originally presented' to the Legislature by men who called themselves temperance men. As reported it allowed druggists in large towns and cities to sell liquor for medicinal purposes on a physician's prescription. As amended to-day it allows municipal officers to license any number of drugstores in any town or city to sell in amounts not exceeding a quart on a physician's prescription, and any druggist who isa doctor can sell on his own prescription. This opened wide the door for free rum. The bill was passed by the overwhelming vote of 84 to 48. AU tho men who are known to favor high license or free liquor voted for the bill, and with them many of the pronounced temperance men. Thus did the Prohibitionists assist in carrying the free rum bill and giving a shock to the Maine liquor law, which was supposed to be established as firmly as the granite bills. AU the leading Republicans voteiffor tho bill, which but emphasizes the statement often made that the Republican managers are in league with the liquor traffic. The bill now goes to the Senate, where It is said it is likely to pass. PEEYESTION OF EAILE0AD ACCIDENTS. A Vital Subject. Discussed at the Stato Commissioners' Last Session. Washington, March 7. The third and last day's session of the conference of the State Railroad Commissioners with the Inter-State Commerce Commission was Iield in the office of the commission to-day. Tho report of the Committee on Statistics, recommending, for the use of railroads, uniform blanks for mak ing annual reports to the State Boards, was adopted, Several changes from the original book of forms were made. A resolution was also passed looking to the final adoption of a uniform and improved coupler. The question of railroad legislation went over until tho next meotiag, when a report will be submitted bv Mr. Crocker, of Massachusets, chairman o'f the committee appointed for the purpose at yesterday's meeting. The subject of railroad accidents was dis cussed, and a resolution was adopted recom mending the Inter-State Commission to con sider the matter of automatic signals in aiding in the protection of life, and requesting that the commission advise the railroads in regard to the adoption of the best appliances in this line. The conference then adjourned. BEAUTIFUL GIFTS, FOE liES. HARRISON. A IIond-Fulnteil Dress, Slippers and a Bible From Ht, Louis Ladles. Washington, March 7. A very pretty scene was enacted in Mrs. Harrison's private apartments this afternoon, the occasion being the presentation to her of an elegant robe by the General Lyons Woman's Relief Corps of St Louis. The presentation was made, at the request of the association, by Mrs, Chauncey I. Filley, President of the Woman's Executive Committee of the Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair In 1864. There were present with Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Stone, Mrs, McKee and Mrs. Russell Harrison. The robe, whlchis Intended for evening reception use, is a cream-colored gros grained silk, with square train, half sleeves and V front, tastefully decorated on the reverse and panels with relief paintings of lilacs in white and different shades of lav ender. In addition to -the dress there was also pre sented to Mrs, Harrison from the Relief Corps a pair of white slippers, decorated with small sprays of whito lilacs, hand-painted; and Mrs. Christine L. Brokaway, the artist who painted the dress and slippers, presented to Mrs. Harri. son, on her own behalf, a richly-bound copy of the Bible, with a handsomely-adorned cush ion. INGA1L8 SUCCEEDS HIMSELF. Again Selected by tho Senate as Its Presl dent Pro Tempore. Washington, March 7. The Vice Presi dent was not present at the opening of this morning's session of the Senate, and the. Secre tary, Mr. McCook, read, after prayer, a noto from Mr. Morton, stating that he would bo ab sent from to-day's session. Thereupon Mr. Sherman offered a resolution that during the absence of tho Vice President Mr. Ingalls should be President of the Senate pro tem pore. An amendment to that resolution was offered by Mr. Harris, substituting the name of Senator Voorhees for that of Mr. Ingalls. The amendment was rejected yeas 27, nays 29 and the resolution was agreed to. Mr. Ingalls thereupon entered upon the du ties of presiding offlocr pro teny tho oath of office having first been administered to him by Mr. Sherman, and it was ordered that the President of the United .States be notified of Mr. Ingalls' election. -The Senate then, at 120, adjourned till Monday, It Wnxcth Warmer. , From the Boston Herald. 1 Colonel Shcpard's effusive Christianity, as il lustrated in the Mail and Exprets, is expand ing rather than losing its earnestness from un godly association. It has now extended even into the advertising columns. It is not to be supposed that the Colonel can pause in his in tense and most assldlous editing to write ad vertisements; but those who do write them have completely caught his spirit. Here, as an example, is an achievement in this way that re cently appeared In the paper. It was printed among the "Wants," and It announces the ad vertiser as, "an Intelligent, well-bred, accom plished woman, above ail a meek and lowly fol lower of her Master, and willing to dine with tho servants." Charitable. From the Youth's Companion. J Trust not to each accusing tongue, As most weak persons do; But still believe that story false -Which ought not to be true. THE LOCAL STAGE. J. H. Wallick and bis famous "Cattle King" Is the red letter attraction at Harris' Theater next week. Harry Williams' own remarkable com pany, with a host of strong features, will be seen at the Academy next week, A ballet of first-class attractions Is one ot the' novelties promised among "The Twelve Temptations" at the Bijou next week. The "Twelve Temptations" Is just the sort of attraction the people will flock to sea after the heavier productions which have been at tho theaters recently. The advance sale is al ready large; As might have been expected tho saIo of soats for Robson and Crane's engagement lq "The Henrietta" at the Grand Opera House commenced yesterday with a big boom. It ought to be remembered that Robson and Crane will not be seen together In this comedy again." ' tl A WATERY'THEME. History of the Discovery of the Chemical Composition of This Element A Journey From the Surface of the' Allegheny to the Ocean. tWIUTTEN TOIl THE DISPATCH. 3 'Men may come and men may go, ButI go on forever." wimnthB risinir snncastlts 'flrstrays upon the earth ages upon ages ago, It saw water all around. Ages passed, tho face of the earth be came peopled, water was used in various ways and for various purposes, but it was not until 600 years before Christ that the ques tion was asked, "What is water?" At that dateThales, a Greek philosopher, taught that all material things had their source In water. He maintained that water was the font?l ele ment from which everything in nature was evolved. This bold view was maintained for a long time, then it was modified to some extent, and three co-ordinate elements were added to water. These were air, earth and Are. Centuries passed, alchemists came and went; the philoso pher's stone and the thousand and one other problems worked upon by the alchemists re ceived the" benefits of their mystic researches, and it was not until the year 1600 that One of them thought water important enough to turn his attention to It At that date von Helm on t one of the most learned men of that time, claimed that water was not an element, but that it could be con verted into other matter. In proof of his doc trine he took small trees out of the earth and placed them In large receptacles containing water. Days and weeks passed, but still the trees were full of Bfe and growing, conse quently the conclusion was drawn that the liquid, water, was converted into the solid wood.. Helmont also showed that if a quantity of pure, clear water was evaporated to dryness an earth of some kind was obtained as residue. In view of these facts the conclusion was drawn that the water was a substance of a gen erative character, and that if it could produce wood and earth It could of course produce all the elements necessary for vegctabVj ex istence. " - )t uet us pass oyer another long period of years to 1TS3. At this time thp blind, irrational work of the alchemist was gradually giving way to the rational research of the chemist Lavolaier.tho celebrated Swedish cbemist,began to doubt von Helmont's theory, and not only that, but he called in practical chemistry to provo it false. He took an earthen retort and provided it with a neck of such length that when he boiled water in tho retort the steam was condensed in the retort neck and passed back into the retort again in the form of water. This retort he weighed with great exactness; then he placed a' given weight of water into the retort and sealed it hermetically. The re tort was then heated, and kept hot enough to cause the water to boil for a period of three months. At the expiration of this time he ex tinguished his fire and weighed the retort and Its contents. There was ho change In weicht When, however, he weighed the retort and the water separately, be saw that the retort had lost in weight while the water had increased and was no longer clear, as when first put into the retort, but turbid. Upon evaporating this water to dryness he obtained a residue weighing; 20 grains. Row the retort had lost 17 grains in weight, so these 17 were accounted for, and as no air or any other element had come into contact with the water while boiling, the shrewd conclusion was drawn that the excess of three grains had been in the water before it was placed in the retort This, led to the next experiment; and it was soon shown that von Helmont's doctrine was wrong; that water did not generate earth, but that it could dissolve certain parts of the earth and keep them in solution. A few years after Lavoisier carried out thi3 series of experiments, Priestly discovered oxygen and Cavendish first gave a correct de scription of hydrogen. Having proceeded so far, it was not long until Lavoisier, Watt and Cavendish almost simultaneously discovered the composition of water, showing that it was composed of the two gases mentioned, two vol umes of hydrogen being combined with one vol ume of oxygen. From this time on chemistry advanced with giant strides, and soon the youngest scholar of chemical lore could prove the composition of water either by decomposing it into its com ponent parts, or by producing water by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen. When tho clouds open their sluices and send their excess of moistnre upon the earth in the form of rain, we have the purest water found in nature. Rain water is rendered impure only through slight traces of dust taken up out of the atmosphere. It also always contains some air in solution taken up in the same way, but the moment the rain water comes into contact with mother earth it loses its pnrity, and when it emerces from the earth in form of spring water it can hare taken up so largo a quantity of impurities that it is no longer lit for con sumption. s If the quantity of foreign substances dis solved by the water in its travels under the euriace of the earth is so great that the water aeqnires a pronounced taste we have a mineral spring, so-called because the water has ex tracted part of the soluble constituents of the minerals with which it came into contact If the water, for instance, came into contact with an iron ore It would dissolve some of the iron and acquire a decided "inky" taste, and in this case we would have a chalybeate water. Then again, the water may take np sulphuretted hydrogen, or it may be saturated with carbonic acid gas and present a bubbling, sparkling ap pearance, caused by bubbles of escaping gas. Samples of this kind of mineral waters ardthe well-known seltzer and Saratoga waters. In general the temperature of the spring wa ters is somewhat lower than the temperature of the atmosphere, but in many cases it is higher, some springs even discharging boiling water. Springs of this kind have been known from time immemorial. History gives an ac count ot De Soto and his party being In camp at some "hot lakes" a few months before his death. As be is known to have died in the northern part of Louisiana there Is no doubt that the hot lakes referred to were the hot springs of Arkansas. It has been ascertained by geologists from the physical evidence to be seen in the vicinity ot the Arkansas hot springs that they have been flowing for over 2,20) years. Let us now turn our attention to the ocean, and as we can travel with ease in the columns of The Dispatch, we will go to the ocean by way of the Allegheny river. Up in Potter county, New York, a little ' stream of water flows over rocks and fallen trees, meets a friend here, an acquaintance there, after tak ing a cousin or two along with it in the course of its travels), it becomes quite a brook and will "Chatter, chatter as It flows t To Join the brimming river." After a short journey and after several brooks have united we have the Allegheny river. Now the small brooks forming the source of the river contained traces of lime, iron, salt, mag nesia, etc., in solution, perhaps fttir or Are grains to the gallon. Once upon its travels the river water takes up more and more of the above impurities so that by the time the river passes Freeport, 30 miles from Pittsburg, it contains nine grains of solid residue to the gallon. From here on to Pittsburg the river water has many opportunities to enrich itself, and it improves its opportunities for if we evaporate one gallon of river water taken un. der the Sixth street bridge to dryness, we win. get a residue of 12 grains. In due course of time the river water roaches the gulf and still later the ocean. Now im mense quantities of water leave tho ocean daily by evaporation, tho grains of salt magnesia, lime, etc., that the river collected ail tho way from New York to the gulf (and of course all streams entering the ocean directly or In directly carry nut thesame process) remain in solution, in due course of time the grains amounted to pounds and tho pounds to tons, so that at present 100 pounds of ocean water carry three to four pounds nf salts In solution. This process is continually repeating itself, tho iresh water flows into the ocean, there it ovapprarcs and is carried inland; hundreds of miles from the ocean it may be condensed, fall upon the earth and again start upon its travels to the ocean. t Tha saltness of the inland seas is, of course, caused by the same process. The saltness of these seas is. however, far greater than that of the ocean. Thus, while (n one gallon of ocean water we have 3,000 grains soluble salts, one gallon of Dead Sea water contains 11,000 and one gallon of the water of tho Great Salt Lake in Utah contains 22,000 grains soluble salts. As Is well known water covers three-fourths of the earth's surface, and npon the remaining one-fourth water is to be found in almost everything and anything, as the following table will show: Per Cent or Water. Wheat and cereals contain 13 toll Bones contain,...,,, ,,,... 7 to 20 Brandy contains M Bread contains ;, ,...,..., 40 to SO Beef. TCal, mutton contains...: 70 to 73 Potatoes contain -. ,i 75 Apples contain SO Blood contains -..,., ,,.85 to 85 Pure milk contains 8.5 to 87 Turnips contain , ". .-.8a to 90 Beer contains. M Cabbage leaves eon tain -SO to OS Cucumbers, contain............... 05 to 93 A full grown healthy man consists of almost 10 per cent of water. - ; CagoNxtT, ' SHATTERS METROPOLITAN Couldn't Stand Snch a Pressure. rSTW TOBK BUBIAr SPECIALS. New York, March7.-The American Maaa tine has suspended publication. The paper during its two years of existence has had a very rocky career and has nominally changed hands several times. Its head for the fast eight or ten months was Alvah E. Davis, form erly publisher of the Chicago Current. The magazine gained some notoriety a few months ago, by securing an article from James G. Blaine, entitled "The President's Error." Mr. Davis' efforts to have this article wirieiv ad. y vertised resulted in lis publication In several leading papers tbronghout the country, imme diately after Its appearance In the magazine. There were' threats of damage suits for in fringement of copyright, but when the facts were fully made known Davis was glad to drop tho case. There are judgments against the concern for about $8,000. The December num ber was the last one issned, but the magazine had such a limited circulation that It was never missed. Efforta'are being made to resuscitate. it, but there is little probability that they will be successful. naming Up tbe Climax. The balcony scene In "Romeo and Juliet" seemed unduly prolonged last night, at the Park Theater in Brooklyn. Miss Margaret Mather, arrayed in spotless white, leaned fondly down to whisper sweet nothings to Romeo. Tbe silence and suspense were almost painful, when suddenly arose a voice from the gods: "Kiss her, you f 6oL" Then the curtain came down in a hurry, A Romance of Three Doctors. Dr. H. W. Duszowski is a medical practi tioner, a lecturer in an eclectic college of medi clne( an eloquent preacher, and a writer of ser mons for clergymen who are too lazy to write their own. One of the doctor's pupils in tha eclectic college, along time ago, married a Dr. Baker. Later on Mrs. Baker acquired a large medical practice. Both tbe Drs. Baker are clever physicians. Later on. Dr. Duszowski and the Drs. Baker formed a partnership and established' a private hospital for women. Business thrived, but for reasons unknown. Dr. Baker, the- husband, retired and left tbe city. Soon thereafter he and bis wife were divorced. Then Dr. Duszowski, who Is now 63 years old, formally adopted Mrs. Dr. Baker as his daughter. A few days ago Dr. Duszowski had his namo changed by act of the Legisla ture to H. W. Baker. Until March 1 the sign on the front window of 211 East Fifty-seventh street, was: "Jane AT. Baker, M. D.; H. W. Duszowski, M. D." Now the sign reads: "Jane M. Baker, M. D.J Henry W. Baker, M. D." To-day it came oat that the coupled were married. Foil Dead In a Cbophonse. William C. McGarrahan, a well-known writer who has been for some years on the Herald staff, went into Rogers' chophouse this morn ing, and ordered breakfast He remarked to the proprietor that he had taken a long walk to give him an appetite, and felt in fine form. Suddenly his head fell forward, and he tum bled off tbe chair, dead. The cause was heart disease. McGarrahan was a graduate of Trini ty College, xJublin, and 'was formerly a con tributor to leading magazines. Gould nnd Party Going West. Mr. Jay Gould and a party of friends will leave the city on Saturday for a trip through the Southwest Tbe first objective point is St. Louis, where the annual meeting of the stock holders of the Missouri Pacific railroad will be held next Tuesday. The party will consist of Jlr. Gould, President Sam Sloan, of the Dela ware, Lackawanna and Western road. Director Henry Marquand, of the Missouri Pacific, George J. Gould, Dr. Munn and Miss Helen Gould. WILKINSBUEG WAITERS Were the Young; Men of the Presbyterian Church Last Night. The members of tbe WUkinsburg Presbyter ian Church gave a grand supper and instru mental concert last evening for the benefit of tho church. A large number of guests were present The musical programme was executed by tbe Broadbury and Scbmertz orchestra, under the. personal direction of Mr. Broadbury. A novelty in the arrangement for the supper consisted in the fact thai the young men of the church waited upon the guests at supper, while the ladies acted only as attendants at the candy and ice-cream stands. TESPEE SERVICES. The'Flttsburar Central Circle, C. L.S. C, Hold a Plensnnt Meeting. The Pittsburg Central Circle, C. L. S. a, held their monthly meeting in the Y. M. C, A, chapel last evening. A large number of students were present The programme of the vesper service consisted of musio by Miss Annie E. Carter. Lizzie McElwain and Mr. E. D. Fuller: recita tions by Miss Frankis Graham and Miss Edith Moyie. Miss Carrie Whitney played a piano solo. Miss Sara Mundorff read an interesting Saper on "Joseph Priestley."' The singing of lisses Carter and McElwain and Mr. Fuller was excellent For n Baptist Church; A vocal and instrumental concert was held in tbe Sewickley Opera House last night for tbe benefit of tbe Sewicitley Baptist Church, Some of the most popular musicians and vocal ists took part in the entertainment, and its suc cess was complete. An interesting, as well as entertaining, pro gramme bad been arranged by the committee:. -in wnicn tne roiiowing nameu- artists were represented: Mrs. Sharp McDonald, Mrs. C. M.Hinklev.Mrs. W. H. Hunter. Dr. W. T. English, Messrs. S. S. Amberson, Alonzo Brockett, W, W. Whitesell and Prof. T. A. Albrecht A Rnzaar nnd Sapper. Miss Belle A. Adams entertained a number of guests yesterday at her residence on McKcan street at a bazaar and supper, tbe proceeds of which are to be devoted to the East End Re formed Presbyterian Church. TOO MANY C0JI1I1TTEES. Democratic Senators Canclnde There Are Two Chnlrmnnihlps to Let. Washington, March 7. After the adjourn ment of the Seuato to-day the Democratic members held a caucus at which the subject of representation npon the committees was under consideration. Messrs. Gorman, Cock rell. Voorhees, Harri?, Ransom, Walthall, and Blackburn were appointed a committee to con fer with the Republican Caucus Committee on arrangement of committees, and they will meet to-morrow for that purpose. In tho canons there was a sentiment expressed favorable to tbe abolishing of certain committees that have practically no duties to perform. It was tho opinion that since every Sonator Is provided a clerk, chairmanships are unneccessary, if not useless, unless there are rooms for the accom modation ot tbe committees, which is not now the case. Senator Aldrich, chairman of the Committee on Rules, and Architect Clark will get together as soon as possible for tbo purpose of devising some rearrangement of space by which every committee wdl have a room, if possible. The Republican caucus will meet Saturday after noon or Monday morning to adopt tbe report of the Committee to Arrange Committees, so that they may be selected at the session Mon day next. ANTIDOTES FOR TOISONS. For carbolic acid, give flour and water or glutinous drinks. Fob carbonate of soda, copperas and cobalt, give a prompt emetic soap or mucilaginous drinks. Fob strychnine and nux vomica, give an emetic of mustard or sulphate of zinc-aided by warm water. Fob canstic soda, cadstlc potash and volatile alkali, give freely of water with lemon juice or vinegar In It Fob chloroform and chloral hydrate, pour cold water over tho head and face, with artifi cial respiration, galvanic battery. Fob. blue vitriol, corrosive sublimate, salt peter, sugar ot lead and bedbug poison, giro milk or white of eggs in Iaige quantities. 'For oil ot vitriol, hartshorn, or ammonia, muriatic and oxalic acids; pre magnesia Or soap, dissolved in water, every two minutes. Fob Fowler's solution and arsenic, give emetic of mustard and salt a tablespoonfnl of eaoh, and follow with sweet oil, butter or milk. Fob antlmonial wino or tartar emotic, give warm water to encourage vomiting. If vomit ing docs not stop give a grain of. opium In water. Koa laudanum, morphine, and opium, give strong coffee, followed by ground .mustard' or grease, in warm water 'to produce vomiting. Keep, patient in constant motion. . CDKIOUS CONDESSATIQNS According to a California paper one of the tramps ot tho Santa Crnz chain gang wears kid gloves when sweeping the streets. An English gentleman who has' been making a tour of New Zealand, says: I once saw a Maori that I inew walking up and down the veranda of an hotel, and looking very much distrusted about something. On my asking him what was tbe matter, he told me that he had had 13 glasses of whlrky, and couldn't got drunk. An Ohio poultry raiser has made a curious discovery. He says that if you go out to feed a flock of chickens and wUl cause tham to wait, they will Invariably, as they crowd about you. begin a circnit around yon from right to left, in front, and continue this revolu tion as long as you stand there. No amount of interruption or maneuvering can confuse them or compel them to take the contrary direction at any time. A good story is told about a xnan.wbo has 12 acres of land In Portland, Ore., to sell. Ha asked SS50 per acre, and- Anally found a purchaser at that fleure; His wife, however, refused to sign the deed, and the sale was off. Then he offered the land for $1,000 per acre, and again a purchaser was found, and again the goou wife exercised her royal prerogative and refused to sign the deed. The property is now for sale at ,000 for the 12 acres. For tunate is the man who possesses a wife who knows how to refuse to sign deeds judiciously. 31. Mosso, of Turin, having carried out a series of experiments with the blood of eels, finds that it possesses marked poisonous prop erties. Even to. the tongue itbasan insupport able acridity, and a verv small quantity or tha serum is sufficient to kill a doc. Half a cnblo centimeter Injected beneath tbe skin of a dog weighing 33 pounds killed it in four minutes. At this rate an eel weighing five pounds would contain enongh poison to dispatch ten men. The blood of animals thus poisoned cannot be made to coagulate, just as after tbe bite of ser pents. Fortunately the blood is inert when in troduced via the stomach, and it loses its toxic properties when heated. General Thomas Ewlng, in his address before tbe Typothetae Association, of New York, told of a trip he made with companions, when a boy in Ohio, to the Hocking hills to get some famous clingstone peaches for his mother: "We passed a paper; mill at the foot of a very steep and rocky hill, and our wagon made such a racket that alt the windows in the mill were thrown np and SO or SO girls stuck out their heads and stared at us. I asked the driver what all thoe girls were doing in tbe mill.- 'Well, Tommy,' said he, you see, they make paper of rags and they keep them girls to chaw the ragsr ' I confess that tbe state of the art of paper making was not quite that bad 45 years ago out pretty near It" A terrific explosion occurred recently at the residence of K. G.Broyles, of Chattanooga, Tenn., which resulted hi tearing down the walls of bis kitchen, and tbe blowing out of two win daws and serious injuries to a servant girl named Lydla Hunt A rat had appeared in tho kitchen, which Miss Hunt tried to kill. It es caped into a box, which proved to have a lot of gunpowder in it nut the girl was not awara of that fact In order to get the rat out of the box she lighted a taper and put it Into the box, which caused tbe powder to explode with ter rific force. The girl was blown a distance of at least 20 feet, and ber clothing set on fire, but tha flames were extinguished before she was fatally burned. Several members of the family made narrow escapes. Tbe rat got away. A strange man, a few days ago, on leaving a north-bound train ot the Hudson River Railroad, at Tarrytown, N. Y inquired of tbe station agent where he could find a Miss Helen Van Duzen, and on being informed that she was a pupil in Miss Buckley's school, at once went there. In response to his ring Miss Buckley opened the door, when the officer, as he proved to be, said that he wished to see Miss Van Dozen for the purpose of serving some papers upon her personally. Miss Buckley ex pressed objections to complying with his re quest unless be showed his authority in the matter, when he nroduced papers, signed by the Governor of New Jersey, requesting; tha young woman's presence in Trenton, on March 23, for the purpose of identification, in order that she might obtain a legacv of 3.000. The anxiety caused by the officer's visit was soon dispelled, and was -succeeded by cougratula. tions to Miss Van Duzen on her good fortune. In London, recently, a well-known artist of the camera was called In to photo graph the body of a young lady who bad just died under peculiar and distressing circum stances. The body -was laid on a sofa in tho drawing room, and presented a singularly beau tiful spectacle. The photographer was left alone in the roam with the body and took a negative. After inspecting it he was not satis fled that tha exposure bad been sufficient and he took another. And then,- to his amazement ho discovered' that the two negatives were not alike. The body must have moved. Not hav ing lost quite all his nerve by this extraordinary occurrence, he took a third negative, which was exactly like the second. He Instantly sum moned the nurse who had been in attendance on the deceased girl, and after some difficulty and delay had tbe doctor fetched. To cut a long story short the young lady was not dead at all, but is at this moment convalescent This is a true story. At a recent meeting of the Agricultural Society of France. M. Guerin of Grandvilles, read a paper on a new method of preserving milk. He showed that when it was frozen milk could be transported with the greatest ease, and that after being kept for days and weeks, and then simply thawed out, it retained all the characteristics of fresh milk. The paper dealt first with the method of freezing, which could be carried out in tbe ordinary ica ma chines if done on a sufficiently large scale, and . then described the experiments made to ascer tain tha precise temperature at which the best results might be expected. Tbe appearance and taste of the milk after undergoing the pro cess, when thawed, were so exactly those of new milk that In an assemblage ot 20 persons not one could perceive the slightest difference. In cooking, yield of cream, and every other re spect the frozen corresponded with quite new milk, and on the fourth day tbe cream was still excellent which was not the case with that of the latter. Butter and cheese can be pre pared from it quite as well as from new milk. JUDGMENTS. A Ferry Good Answer. "I believe the Albany boat leaves this pier, does It notf" 'Leaves it every trip, ma'am. Never knew it to take tbe dock up the river yet," THE MILD WINTXK. Though now we say, when off our guard, Did Boreas Is a nice man: Next summer wo will find It hard Enough to pay tbo iceman. Trouble at the Military School, In structor what's wrong in the front rank? Private Vlilpps Please, sir. Private Simmons 's went an' put a peanut In his breech-loader in placo of a blank cartridge, an; he can't get It out. A "Woman's Revenge. "How could you helptbat Mrs. Proudly dress for tlfe opera when you bate her so?" asked Maude. Because," replied Bessie, "I wanted to get a chance to put a pin in her dress so that it would be sticking her In the back all evening." Quite Good Enough. "Excuse me, Mr. Brown," said the haberdasher, "but this Is a quarter necktie you have selected. You always wear a dollar one." That'rall right old boy," he returned with a wink. "My wife has Just started making a crary quilt." . Put His Own Construction on It Jones last Saturday received tbe following noto from a friend: Come and dinewlth me to-morrow, atDelmon lco's, with two or three friends." Jones, who Is a very literal person, turned up promptly at the appointed honr with-three of his friends. From One Mystery to Another. Jones Matilda, where Is that latch-key I handed you this . morning? Mrs. Jones In the pocket of my dress hanging up over there. Jones (S minutes later, desperately) And now, Matilda, will you please tell me where to and the pocket of your dress? The Fatality of Jumping at Cohelur slons, Miss Oldham (who is not so young as she used to be)-Speaking or fine, lace, Mr. Jackson, here Is a lace handercblcf made expresslypfor, me on my lGth birthday. " 5 Mr, Jackson (gallantly)-SImply beautiful!- Ah; . Miss Oldham, one ttes notnlng so fine as.ths.6 nowadays. Things were made much betterila those good old times, weren't they? $& A Matter of Business. Farmer I djdnt have any money for the paper, so' 1 lhbaghtlCi would bring you la a load of turnips.' "fjJSS? Editor Yes: that's as good to me as money. ' Er-before'you go, Mr. Hayseed, there's stllttla matter I'd like to speak to you about. -Mt&i: Farmer-Well, what is It? - Editor You don't want to buy a load of turnips, do you? -J Not "What She Expected. 'Mijs Sqoawkcr," said he. gently, as the last notes; of her song died npon the air, ''Ihope you will not bo offended at what I am about to say. 'It has been on my mind for some time, and-" ' "tlooa, Mr. Spooner," said' the girl encourag ingly. ; , "Well h'mt , The last horse car win be down In' three minutes, and I'll havetowalkihomelfl 1nn'trntrh It." ..laKi.i; iWtpmjwtgti - . . ,