BssttsMMMMsMMsiliBM K ' ; r Wk Mmmu ESrABLISHED FEBRUARY 8, 1S46. Vol.44. A0.1M. Entered at Pittsburg Fostofflce, November it, 18S7, as second-class matter. Business Office--97 and 09 Fifth Avenue. News Rooms and Publishing House 75, 77 and 79 Diamond Street. Eastern Advertising Office, Koom 46, Tribune Bnlldlng, New York. Averag e net circulation of tlie dally edition of TiieDisfatcii for six months ending June 30, IS89, 29,492 Copies per lssne. Average net circulation of the Sunday edition of Tnx Dispatch for three months ending June 30, 1SS3. 52,660 Copies per Issue. TERMS OF THE DISPATCH. rOSTAOE mil IN THE UJTXD STATES. DAILY Dispatch, One Year ...... 8 00 Daily Dispatch, Per Quarter................ 2 00 Daily DISPATCH. One Month 70 Daily Di6rATCu. including Sunday, lyear. 10 00 Daily DISPATCIL including bundav,3m'ths. 2 SO Daily Dispatch, including bunday, 1 month 90 bUKDAY Dispatch, One 'Year ISO Weekly Dispatch, One Year 1 25 The Daily Dispatch Is delivered by carriers at 15 cents per week, or Including benday edition, at SO cents per week. Voluntary contributors should Keep coptcs of articles. If compensation u desired the price expected must be named. The courtesy of re turning rejected manuscripts mil be extended when stamps for that purpose are enclosed, but the Editor of THE DISPATCH will under no circumstances be responsible for the care of un solicited manuscripts. POSTAGE AH persons who mail ibe .Sunday Issue of The Dispatch to friends should benr In mind the fnct that the post ngo thereon is Two (2) Cents. AH double and triple number copies ol The Dispatch require a 2-pent stamp to insure prompt delivery. PITTSBURG. SUNDAY, JULY 2L 1SS3, THE LICENSE DECISION. The decision of Judge Ewiug, yesterday, with regard to the rehearing of applications for retail liquor licenses, created some sur prise among those who are ambitious of dis pensing alcoholic beverages. There is, how ever, really more ground for surprise in the manner of the decision than in the matter. The declaration of the Judge that the de cision given yesterday was .but his indi vidual ruling, and that the other Judges may decide differently, keeps the applicants on the anxious bench, in its intimation of a disagreement among the Judges. Still those who accept the decision as settling the question for this year, will take the most plausible view. It is more likely that the other Judges arc willing to let this decision stand without further work over a diffi cult and vexatious subject, than that one Judge should file a minority opinion with the expectation that it will be set aside. In this view, the ruling seems to settle the matter, for the present year, and the disap pointed applicants will do wisely to seek other employments, at least until next year affords them an opportunity to once more convince the Court of their superior qualifica tions for the innocuous distribution of hard drinks. BOTTLAITQEK'S WOBST OFFENSE. The last addition to the charges against Boulanger, on which the french Govern ment is trying to obtain bis conviction, may be founded upon fact, but under the circumstances it is more likely to be re garded as an index of the strenuous desire of the Government to find something upon which to obtain a judicial condemnation of the doughty General. In trial upon the charge of embezzlement as much as in a trial for treason, the Anglo-Saxon idea is well founded, that the accused should be present, both for the purpose of defending himself if innocent, and of being punished if guilty. To try him for either treason or malversation of funds, in his absence, is both unjust and unnecessary. Boulanger by running away has not necessarily convicted himself of cither offense. "What he has con victed himself of is cowardice; and that is more fatal to him, as the idol of the French public, than it would be to be found guilty of either stealing or treason. HIGH ABI 10 0EDEB. A correspondent of an Eastern paper wants the patriotism of the country braced up by a new national anthem, and suggests that 510,000 of the surplus be appropriated to supply thai want. As a detail in the dissipation of the sur plus the suggestion is not without its merit. While numerous other classes are pitching in for a slice of the super abundant national treasure, there is no reason why the poets and the com posers are not entitled to such a modest share of it as is here suggested. There are few classes in the country to the mem bers of whjch a slight dividend of this sort would come more gratefully than (hose which compose our music and fur nish our rhymes. As to whether the music and rhymes would afford us any equivalent for the money,that is, we believe, entirely foreign to any discussion concern ing the disposition of the surplus. But with regard to the; idea tha,t a na tional hymn of great artistic and patriotic character can be procured by appropriating ten tbousand dollars for it, it is simply stupid. No such appropriation has ever yet produced a great work of art It probably never will be the case that anything truly great,eithcr in music, painting or literature, can be produced to order at the command of an appropriation of money. The inspira tion to great musical or poetic effort is not pecuniary, and the best evidence of the fact is the record that whenever any work has been attempted for the stimulus of a stated sum of money it has always iallen into the lower levels ot mediocrity. "When any writer and composer is able to produce a national hymn of higher charac ter than we now have, he will obtain a much greater reward than tea thousand dollars. Until then this country will have to get along with "America," "The Star Spangled Banner," "Hall Columbia" and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic.' THE MILLET ADVEBTISEMENT. "We have already expressed our doubts about "The Angelus" of Millet being really worth any such sun) as the $110,000 said to have been paid lor it, and now revelations are being made concerning the sale which throw a cloud of 'doubt over the whole transaction. It seems strange in the first place that Mr. Proust did not think it worth while to wsdt till the French Cham ber of Deputies passed upon the question of paying the price he had offered for the picture, lt handed it over to the Amen can Art Association at pnee. He Proust's action, however, t7as a superb advertise ment for the picture. So is the prodigious .price it is said to rjave fe(ehed: The question arises without much forcing, we think, Was 8110,000 paid at all? Have the methods so familiar in theatrical mat ters been transplanted into artistic deal ings? If the auctioneer, Mr. Sedelmeyer, Mr. Proust, representing the Louvre gal lery, and the American Art Asso ciation had a secret understanding there was nothing to prevent them from carrying' through a gigantic advertising scheme at a slight expense. We do not say this was done, but merely indicate a possibility which may serve to explain certain myste rious features oi (he secrejan sale. "The Angelus" is to" be taken through this country for exhibition, and the value of advertising it well is apparent. No picture has ever bad more free puffing than Millet's great work. The results are likely to be golden to the skilltul advertisers. We suppose it will lead to the regular employ ment of advance agents, literary pullers and pamphleteers, without whom no theat rical manager considers it safe to campaign, by picture dealers in the show business. But nobody should confound the clap-trap announcement of these traders and brokers with the cause of art. Combinations of picture dealers for advertising purposes may apparently increase the rewards of artists, but it is only apparently. Ficti tious figures, even if they come under the Atlantic at half a dollar a word by cable, are not to be trusted. WHAT IS HE THERE FOB! We can hardly see the reason for regard ing the utterances of Mr. John Jarrett, with regard to our friendly feeling for the En glish people, as anything very reprehensi ble. If Mr. Jarrett has, as reported, been disclosing his instructions from the admin istration, he has been somewhat indiscreet; but it does not seem likely that has done any very great barm. But Mr. Jarrett's statement that the peo ple ot this country are, in general, friendly to the English, is no more than diplomatic and veracious. The United States is friendly to the English people. We are so closely related that, like members of the same family, we esteem it our privilege and duty to find fault and show where our relatives are doing wrong; but this criticism is the expression of our close relationship and affection. It is accurate to say that the great mass ot Americans and Irish-Americans wish so well to England as to earnestly urge her to do justice to Ire land and gain the strength and harmony that will result from such a step. As to Mr. Jarrett's reference to the Sack ville fuss, it is chiefly open to the criticism that it tells what was perfectly plain last year. It was by no means creditable to use private correspondence as a means of be traying the British Minister to the blunder of undiplomatic truth-telling; and it was still less dignified for the administration to raise such a fuss over a case of pernicious veracity. But certainlv, as The Dis patch said at the time, the whole affair was one for thinking men to be ashamed of. It is pertinent to ask those who profess to be horrified at Mr. Jarrett's utterances, whether the consular duties in England are supposed to consist of informing the English people that the people of the United States bate them ? ABE THEY PUNISHABLE! A rather interesting question in con nection with the Sullivan-Kilrain prize fight is raised by the Boston Globe, in the shape of the theory that if Kilrain should die oi his injuries within the course of the next year Sullivan could De held for mur der in the first degree. There is no room for doubt as to the law in the case. If Kilrain should die from the result of injuries inflicted by Sullivan, In the commission of an unlawful act, every legal theory would hold Sullivan responsi ble for the crime. There wopld, of course, be a claim of the absence of malice; but the iaw has expressly covered' that point by enacting that where therd is an intent to commit one unlawful act, the unintentional commission of a capital crime is murder in the first degree. But that any such punishment would be inflicted is more than doubtful, in view of the fact that it is difficult to secure the milder punishment which attaches to the well-known and avowed commission of the smaller offense. So long as we make idols of prize fighters it would "be practically im possible to hang the champion, even though he were legally guilty of murder. The case could be easily befuddled with the charge that the death was the result of injudicious medical treatment, or a hundred other pleas, so that the jurors could get an excuse to re fuse a conviction. So long as we are un able to punish prize fighters for the lesser offenses which they have committed, it is unnecessary to talk of the possibility of their being punished for the greater crime which may possibly result from their of fenses. ' A DUKE FOB VALOB. The athletic deer-stalking Earl of Fife, who is to wed the Princess Louise of Wales, is to receive a dukedom from the hands of his grandmother-in-law, Queen Victoria, before the marriage takes place. From what we know of the Earl of Fife it is safe to say that he deserves a dukedom, if he wants it A healthy, whole-souled sportsman with good Scotch blood in bis veins is a rare husband for a princess to catch, and Queen Victoria cannot exert herself too much to show appreciation of the honor done her son's daughter. Some carpers will say perhaps that the ducal title in the days when it originated was only conferred on men who showed themselves fitted by valor on the field of battle or wisdom at the council table to dominate their fellows. The title in the time of Theo dosius was given to the military governor 'of a province, and the dignity went with the same office in France under Charle magne, But in England monarchs.were not particular whom they made dukes. The strawberry leaves and coronet as often as not "went to the man who could drink longest with the royal roysterer, or to children of the royal line whom the klaw refusedfto rec ognize. f Queen Victoria may intend to give the Earl of Fife a dukedom for his valor in es pousing a daughter of the Prince of Wales. She knows what the Marquis of Lome has gone through since he married the aunt and namesake of Fife's fiancee. She knows it takes courage in a British nobleman to marry into her family. It is an amiable act, anyhow. We trust that the Earl of Fife when he is made a duke will, as the French dukes did under the successors of Charlemagne, achieve almost absolute inde pendence. A SOLID TBUTH. The Philadelphia Press gets very close to the meat of the present railway question with (he assertion that ''while a railroad association is restricted from doing much damage, by the present law, the trouble is that a grea( many violations of the law have befn made secretly, and that there has been no enforcement of the inter-State act jq (s etrj; sense. With tfte ad of associa tions the railroads have obeyed what they chose of the law and ignored wjiat they chose." This simple statement ot, the fact THE 'goes nearer the true inwardness of the en tire question than the .columns of nonsense which have been published regarding the necessity of combination on the part of the railroads. When the inter-State commerce act has been fully and thoroughly enforced, according to its letter and spirit, there will be a fair oppoitunity to judge of its effect upon the interests of the railroads and the conntry. Until then, what we have to judge of is the effect of the evasions cf the act by the combinations of the railroad managers. "Dojf'x legislate too much," the advice given by Judge Cooley to the Constitutional Convention of Dakota, is generally receiv ing the indorsement of the press of the country. In view of the fact that the legis lation which we have is very widely suffer ing from the evil of non-enforcement, it is possible to support the idea that the practi cal effect is just about the same, whether we legislate too much or too little. The Judge's advice would have been more pertinent if it had been: "Don't legislate until you are prepared to maintain the enforcement of the laws you pass." A eepoet is going the rounds of the press to the effect that the air at Valparaiso is such that chestnuts decay there on ex posure. This fully explains the mystery ofMr. R. G. Horr's refusal of the Valpa raiso consulship. The difference between buying trust cer tificates and buying lottery tickets is de fined by the Philadelphia inquirer to be, that in buying lottery tickets you occasion ally have a chance to make a hit The as sertion that it is impossible to have a square deal in the trust game is correct enough; but as it is conpled with the assertion that there is occasionally a square lottery deal, it leaves it an open question whether the statement is more flattering to the lotteries than just to the trusts. Lord DUNEAVEir should bring tig yacht over and have a race anyhow. Mr. Jacob Kilrain, the Democratic party and the Pittsburg Baseball Club can assure him that it it nothing to be beaten after you have once become accustomed to it The most credible variation of that story about a Brickyard Trust is the one which is presented by the Chicago jJTeicj to the effect that the English syndicate is buying up brickyards with the 'intention of turning them into distilleries. The English idea is very evidently to the effect that it must go into the business of supplying the raw ma terial for bricks in the hat on a wholesale scale. "Jack tiie BirrEK" seems to have been prompt in taking his usual tragical method of removing all suspicions from the lunatic who was arrested, and who claimed to have been that remarkably fiendish creature. The Salt Trust's announcement that it is no trust, because anyone can buy the shares who will put up the money, is a more than ordinary violent effort ot combination logic. Numerous other trusts have shown an entire willingness to unload on the people who are deceived by the promise of monopoly profits into paying three or four dollars cash for one of actual investment and the rest of paper. Don Piatt now baa abundant food for reflection upon the lack of frankness in humanity, in view of the fact that none of the other blackguards have come forward and followed his example of confession. Some genius has discovered that mos quitoes can be driven out of a room by burning camphor gum in it until the air is pretty well impregnated with its fumes. The recipe, however, fails to state whether the human beings who occupy the room will not find it necessary to leave about the same time that the mosquitoes do. NO sooner has Browning written one verse that the public mind can easily com prehend, than literary taste begins to dis cover that Browning ij decidedly coarse. The cash valuation of the white-lead factories controlled by the Lead Trust being 112,050,000, the true inwardness of the trust becomes evident in the issue of $S3,000,000 of trust certificates. This trust is princi pally profitable in passing off bogns values pn 'deluded investors. Peemits for over 5300,000 worth of build ings, issued last week, indicate that Pitts burg's building boom has no intention of letting up. TnE news that the Socialist editors of Berlin have managed to beat Bismarck's decree of suppression, by giving their paper p. new title with eyery issue, is likely to create a decided feeling of approval for the plucky Socialists. PEOPiE OF PROMINENCE. W, B. Tate, a philanthropic bachelor of Tennessee, has divided a fifth of his f ortune- of 100,000 between 40 needy Confederate veterans of that State. Up to June 30th only 591 babies in this coun try had been named after Benjamin Harrison. This lends color to the rumor that Harrison is pot popular with his party. W. H. Putnam, great-grandson of General Israel Putnam, died at Brooklyn, Conn, on Wednesday of paralysis, at the age of 77. He was the most prominent figure at the recent dedication of General Putnam's monument at Brooklyn. Emjions Blaine, whose engagement to Miss Anita McCormick, of Chicago, was anv noanced recently, receives a salary of 81,000 a year as assistant to President Davis, of the West Virginia Central Railway Company. Miss McCormick is very rich. Kino Menileck, the new ruler of Abys sinia, is a fierce looking man, dark, tall, thin and active, with piercing black eyes and a long, dark beard. He is not quite as cruel bynature as the late King John, but nevertheless he manages to awe his subjects into docile sub mission. Ms. Matthews, the young Virginia artist who was so successful in touching up the por trait of George Washington in the East Room of the "White House last summer, is now en gaged in rendering the picture of Abraham Lincoln presentable. The canvas of the Lin coln portrait is not nearly 50 well preserved as was that of Washington. Sir HEifBY BnouQHAJt Locn, the new Governor of .Cape Colony, accompanied Lord Elgin on his special mission to China in 1857 and was also attached to the s;cfdd embassy of that nobleman in 1C0. While engaged in negotiations under a flag of truce, it is related. Loch and some of his companions were seized and cruelly treated by the Chinese, and on one occasion he was carried about in a cage by his captors. Matthew Riley, "one of Brooklyn's million aires, is a young man who has retired from business. His fortune was made In an inter estingway. Fifteen years agaRly was one of the clerks at Congress' Hall, Saratoga. Will lam H. Yanderblff, who was, staying at "the hotel, took a fancy to him and often drove hi in to the. Jake, the geysers -and other places pftfttcreat, Mr. RtJWnqwdfJVMhWQwn team. in Saratoga and lives In qandsonie style. He is a genial, opuIarpiinVaBrt is jt at, aj -tpuf ad up" by his financial snJbcess. PITTSBURG DISPATCH, THE TOPICAL TALKEB. Where tho American School of Illustration Came From Edwin A. Abbey' Start How A. B. Frost Got Eii Foothold Hollyhock Gossip of the Town. "Twenty years ago," said an Eastern artist who is now in Pittsburg, "there was no such thing as the American school of illustration, but the men who have since created that school and raised it to a leading position in the world of art were nearly all at work then, and strangely enough a majority of them were clustered together' in the Academy sf Fine Arts at Philadelphia. The Academy still ex ists, but its old quarters have long since passed into otherhands. At the time I speak of, be tween 1863 and lSCO.the Academy stood between Tenth and Eleventh streets on the north side of Chestnut street, in what was known as the Shakespeare building, and where the Chestnut Street Opera House now K "Among the students who were imbibing the principles of art as best tbey might at the Academy during the years I have mentioned were 29 men whose names aro well-known to day. There was E. A. Abbey, for instance, a celebrity of the wide world now: A. B. Frost, Peter Moran, Jack Wilson, Charles Stephens, Smedley, George Bensell, W. P. Snyder, E. B. Bensell, F. H. Taylor, and W. R. Yeager. Every one of these almost has made his mark since. Abbey, I don't need to tell you, has be come famous larcely through his delightful pictures of old English life and country in Harper's Magazine. He has a studio now with the brilliant Millet in an old-fashioned house they tumbled across in their wanderings through London. The Morans' etchings are also famous. A. B. Frost every American knows by his clever work for Harpers, and in Illustrations generally. Smedley succeeded Rinehart in Paris, and his work is winning praise everywhere. G. B. Bensell's hand has served Saturday Night and Golden Days with no little success. George Bensell's picture 'Judith before the tent of Holofernes' attracted great attention at the exposition in 1878 at Philadelphia. Jack Wilson has, I think, drifted into scene painting In New York, ana W. R, Yeager has made a high reputation as a ' book illustrator. ""All of these men were, as I have said, at one time in the Academy at Philadelphia. Ameri can illustration to-day owes its advanced place largely to the labor of a few." "Mi brother," continued the artist, "was at the Academy when Edwin A Abbey was ex pelledf or a trivial offense. Abbey wasa small, wiry little fellow, as full of tricks as some of bis Bketches are of fun. He was always cutting up. One day he broke a plaster cast while he was skylarking. The directors of the Academy hauled him up the next day before the whole class and dismissed him after a severescoldtng. They told him he wasa montebank and would never amount to anytblne. "But nothing could subdue Abbey's spirit. He got lots of snubs from his brethren, espec ially the elder brethren In art. After he left the academy he went to Henry U. Snyder, the engraver, to learn bis art. Abbey, even in those days, was devoutly fond of all sorts of antique things armor, old dresses and furni ture. Ho never tired of drawing them where- ever he found them. I am to'd that when the Dolly Varden hat and tho flowered calico dresses were the style, he was constantly sketching them. The youthful fancy has blos somed in the exquisite glimpses of old fashion ed England, lads and lassies, country squires and city dames, bits of lordly parks and gar dens and corners of old hostelrles and market places. In the pages of Harper's Magazine. "But when Snyderfound youngAbbey spend ing his best licks on what be called old-time trash, he had no further use for him. He told Abbey to leave; that he would never serve him self or art by continuing in the latter's servioe. What shall 1 dor asked Abbey. 'You might- try the grocery business,' replied Snyder. "But Abbey kept pegging away and the world as well as he have reason to be thankful for it." V "Tub very opposite of Abbey as far as physi cal characteristics are concerned is A. B. Frost," said the artist. A great, big fellow is Frost, and in his student days rough but good natured. At the beginning of bis career he was employed at a very small salary by Wortey A Bracbor, the lithographers, on Sooth Sixth street. Philadelphia. He worked away with his pencil outside, however, and one day be took some figure sketches he bad made to E. B. Bensell, who was then In the illustrating business back of Independence Hall. Mr. Bensell looked at the sketches and said that it wasn'tlworth while for Mr. Frost to go into the business. "Frost belonged at that time tolhe Philadel phia Sketch Clnb, in which the Attic Sketch Club bad been merged. It was the custom at tho club to give out to the artist members for there were authors In tho club as well a subject for illustration every Saturday, aud on the succeeding Saturday the artists would bring in their conceptions and the Bketches were put on exhibition for the even ing. "Home sketch Frost made in this way at tracted the attention of a brother ot Max Adler. the humorist, who was a member of the club. MaxAdlerwasthencontribollngaseries of papers to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, but he had just finished his book, Out of the Hurly Burly,'' and he was looking for somebody to illustrate it. He had given the book tenta tively to E. B, Bensell, the man who had pooh poohed Frost's sketches. Max Adler saw at once that Frost's sense of humor was as keen as bis own, and taking "Out ot the Hnrly Burly" from Bensell's hands, he cave it to Frost. The result established Frost's reputa tion as an illustrator of marked ability. His quaint pictures in Adler's book really proved the foundation upon which Frost has built a fortune and acquired considerable fame. Of course bis subsequent work lias surpassed bis early efforts." HOLLYHOCKS. Flaming 'gaintt a cloud of crecn, Red or white or salmon tinted. Washed with gold or softer sheen, -r with wavy hne imprinted Btand they like tall halberdiers High above the hedge of box; Hot July has not the peers Of the stately hollyhocks. Tilt yonr dainty nose and smile, v If it please too. lady lair. Tell me they are not the style, fashion sighs for something rare, flowers grow, the Lord ordains. Careless of the fashion plates if Fashion's penalties and pains Stay without my garden gates. At the gates of Faradise, Bo the byrisn poets sing, Some day shall those flowers rise. And their purple glory fling Where, amid the cherubim, Once there waved the flaming sword Blazoning the way to Htm Who so loved them, Christ the Lord. ' THE only way to make a comedy of the light er and ultra-farcical order go is to fill it full with entirely new and startling specialties. They are plums of the pudding. Without them, and no matter how good the puddins: be or how rich the humorous sauce, the dear pub lic will have none of it. George Jenks is rightly minded that his com edy, "The U. S. Mail," needs all the plums ho can lay hold of. He told me yesterday of two he had just secured. They are two small col ored Doys of Baltimore.' Mr. Jenks' stage man ager,whose name escapes me.found them there and made use of them in comic opera. They can dance a jig thatls" described as delirious; they can box with more skill than Sullivan and Kilrain, and they have a large cargo of cute nets under their dark skins. They will be Special Delivery messenger boys In "The U. S. Mail," and opportunities to exhibit their dancing and pugilistic talents will be given them. But the great feature of their engage ment is that during the day tbey will run around the streets attired in exact imitation ot Uncle Ham's letter carriers, mail pouches and alL In the pouehes tbpy will carry "IT. a Mall" dodgers, -- V There has been some enriostty to know who "Miss Marieold," the writer of a very clever series of sketches in the Bulletin, might be, and yesterday 1 beard it said with some authority that John Black, the publisher of the magaxine, was the man behind the nom de plume. It Mr. Black is the author, he Is entitled to congratulations. But the point of view taken by "MUs Marigold'' is so feminine, and so faithfully feminine, that it makes the report hard to believe. Beforo this Mrs. James G. Ulalpe, Jr., has been discovered in "Miss Man gold," an a very much cleverer .woman, of this county has,' been hinted at as the author. The mystery does iof datraot from the piquan cy 01 tne papers, iibfbusx J OHs. SUNDAY, JOLT 21, AN ENOEM0D8 FJJ1NG EL. New York Famishes the Best Fish Story ot the Season. From the Lyons (N. Y.) Hepobllcan.J An account oX a strange occurrence comes from Sodus Bay. While soma of the facts connected with the event may appear Incredu lous, yet the high character and standing of the parties witnessing the abnormal 'occurrence entitles the narrative to consideration. Three men, whose names shall not be ment!oned,were fishing last Friday night In the placid waters of Big Sodus Bay. Tbey pursued.thelr sport In a skiff of ordinary size, aided by a friendly light, reflected from the bow of the boat.- At a late hour In the night the occupants of the twat-were startled, by a peculiar sound pro ceeding from the heavens. It resembled the flapping of wings. Imagine their surprise when the trip or men suddenly beheld a nsh lying at the bottom, of tho boat. It apparently approached from the cloud region, and at an angle of 43 degrees. After recovering from then-surprise the men proceeded to a critical examination of tneir nocturnal visitor. It was found to bo an eel anu weignea 0 pounds, in place 01 tne orai nary eel fin was a short, stout member, part fln and part wing, about flto inches long and four wide. The tail of this monster, which evidently served asarndder to guide it in its aerial flight, was also supplied with semi-formed quills. ' Local scientists who have examined this curious creature are inclined to believe that it is in a transitory stage from tho fish to the bird creation. The evidence is further emphasized by the fact that when supplied with different kinds of food the creature ate nearly a quart of corn, using Its bead much in the manner as a goose does when eating corn. There are also well-defined legs and toes forming upon the belly of this undeflnable creature. DAMAGE TO TAB DAU Effect of iho Cooemangh Flood Upon tne Davie Island Locks. SPECIAL TELEGEAM TO TUE DISFATCS.l WASHiSGTOir, July 20. Engineer Martin, of the Davis Island dam. gives the following re port or the advent of the flood of May 31, which destroyed Johnstown: "Enormous rains had fallen In the mountain region and both the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers rose rapidly. The great volome of water be gan to reach the Davis Island dam at mid night, at which time the gauge read li feet: so sudden was the coming that It was then Im possible to protect our machinery and appli ances from damage. We succeeded in getting all our boats to the Island, but tho engine,pump and derricks, remained in position. The river began to rise at S P. 11., May 31, when the gauge showed 6.2 feet, and the rise reached Its maxi mum at 6 p. m. June 1, when the gauge showed 2280. The rains at the head waters since the breakage of the South Fork dam kept the river at a high stage, and It wasn't until the morning of June 5 that the fall was sufficient for us to ascertain the condition of the work. The steam engine was forced off the pier in the coffer dam inclosure, and the two derricks were knocked down, but are uninjured. Two hundred and thirty-six feet of the coffer dam was destroyed, and require rebuilding before operations on the permanent work can be re sumed. The frame of the centrifugal pump was broken; the discharge pipe, 23 feet long, and one section of the second shaft. 10 feet long, with pulley, were lost. The steam engine was not damaged beyond breaking the governor and a few pipe connections. The wreck had been cleared away, and work was in progress at the close of the fiscal year. A Place oTSome Importance. From the Hew Castle Courant. J ' No city in the country is making more rapid advancement than Pittsbnrg. It is destintd to become a place of some Importance. New York, Chicago, St. Louis, etc, labor under the disadvantage of being located too far from New Castle, while Pittsburg is so sear as to be almost a suburb. Practical Politics. From the Kansas City Star. : , The proposition is being discussed in Wash ington ot having a Legislature "too big to cor rupt" The scheme is to have so many repre sentatives that it will be too expensive to bay a majority of the members. That seems to be a practical plan of regulating practical poli tics. Americans Have a Monopoly. From the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.? There is still one industry in the United States upon, which, no English syndicate has yet presumed to lay a hand, and that is the free-born American prerogative of seeking an office. He Might, bat He Won't. From the Denver Times. 1 Jay Gould says that tho first year of his mar ried life he lived on 100 and was happy. There is nothing to prevent his going back to that way of living. A Singular Delusion. From the Wheeling Intelligencer, j Some of our distinguished fellow citizens who desire office seem to think the President is named Quay. A FEW PISH STOUIES. EianT men fished all day in a Butler connty stream and were rewarded by the capture of one small sunfish. Tom Wells, while, fishing for bass near Reading, caught three fish at one time one on each of the three hooks attached to his line. After a recent rain in Tuscumbia, Ala., young catfish, from four to seven inches In length, were picked up all over the city. They are supposed to have rained down. A boy who was bathing in the Mahoning river near Youngstown, was nearly pulled under water and drowned by some strange creature that caught his foot and lacerated it terribly. His assadant is supposed to have been a big fish. Boating for bass Is a new sport at Marietta, Pa. A party in a boat drift on the river, and while floating around the bass, which are so numerous, jump from the water into the boat. A party of four the other evening had 13 bats to jump into their boat. Eels got into the turbine wheel at Jesse Smith's great mill, at Trough Creek, Pa., the other day, and stopped it. Some of them measured nearly fonr feet and were 10 inches in diameter. In their efforts to escape they were nearly cut to pieces by the wheel. A good fish story comes from Saratoga Lake. A lady, a veteran angler, was fishing there one morning last week about o'clock, using side lines with minnows as bait for bass. She felt a tug at one line and began pulling it in. A fine bass was at the end of it badly en tangled In two lines. The voracious fellow had swallowed the bait of one line, hook and all, and before he knew he was caught had swum under the boat, and devoured hook and min now 'of the other line as well. A couple of hours later he expiated his greediness on the broiler, whence he was deliclously served with cream-hashed potatoes for his captor's break fast. BEYOND THE MYSTIC RIVER. Beyond the mystic river Are paths that lead to peace, PCo the mansions of the ransomed. Where strife and tnrmoll cease. Beyond the raurxy waters Of Charon's sullen stream I catch the sheen of Jasper Through a star-lllumlned dream. Beyond the mystic river Are paths that lead to Joy; Where the tree ot life is blooming. And never griefs annoy. Beyond the storms and shadows That gloom our lives bslow, There Is a land all radiant Where living waters flow. Beyond the mystic river Are paths that lead to llgnt, Where the glowing sea of crystal Breaks on thy ravlihcd sight. No sunlight gilds the city. Nor argent moonbeams play; God's presence, all of glory. There pales the orb of day. Beyond the mystic river Arc paths that lead to love, here streets of golden splendtr Illume the world above. There sits enthroned the Father, Amid the seraph throng. That cast their crowns before Him, And glorify with song. Beyond the mystic river I hesr tho harps alar, And through the crimson sunset bee pearly gales ajar. Beyond the vale of shadows A star beams on the way; The star that led the magi, - Leidj on to endless day... . - . 1889. , G0SIP FROM THE CAPITAL. The Troth About Blaise's Health An Amer ican Pepys and His Diary A Sensational Poker Game $32,000 la the Pol. CORRESPONDENCE OT TIIE PISPATCH.J Washington, D. C. July 19. The sensation of the past week has been the reports in regard to tho 111 health of Secretary Blaine and his In tention to resign. I am somewhat interested in this for the reason that I sent to The Dis patch tho special telegram out of which the wnoie sensation grow. It was taken up by other writers, distorted into every con ceivable shape to suit tho relations of the paper written for with regard to Mr. Blame. The Blaine paplrs denied it' in toto, and care fully interviewed those who were certain to give the lie to tho reports. Tho anti-Blaine papers and all others wh)ch accepted the news as having a good groundwork of fact on ac count of the appearance of things, followed ekher in the line of the telegram given In The DISPATCH or added to it the more sensational assertion that the Secretary was absolutely un able ,to perform his duties and was on tho point of resigning his office. Now what T sent to The Dispatch was based on the most careful inquiry extending over a fortnight after the departure of Mr. Blaine for Bar Harbor. Almost immediately upon bis leaving I was told by a high official of tho State Department that it was probable the Secretary would never return as an official of the, Government. Remembering bow former reports of Blaine's ill health had been denied I did not desire to be canght in a trap, and, as I hate the sensational in any form. I kept silence until I happened to meet a physician who was thoroughly conversant with tne condition of the Secretary's health, and who confirmed the re port given mo by the official of the State De partment. A Peculiar State of Affairs. Doubtless it Is not the proper thing to assert that a man is sick when he and his immediato friends, vow that he is well, but I think I am justified in doing it in this case, upon the testi mony of persons who know what tbey are talk ing about and have no Interest in misrepresent ing the facts. Add to this the evidence ot Mr. Blaine's own actions, aud the unnecessary vehemence with which the denials were made, and the story of the illness is pretty well sub stantiated. If ever man looked sIckMr. Blaine does. He bears every evidence of suffering a serious general debility. He has not attended to his duties as Secretary half the time during his stay here since the 1th of March. 'He leaves the first of July following his appointment, just at a time when the work of his office is most pressing upon him, and the latest author itative announcement is that he will not return before the first of October. Mr. Walker Blaine, sl young man without experience and of de cidedly ordinary ability, is practically the Sec retary of State, though he really has no official standing in the department, the offlco to which he was appointed being a misnomer, and he really acting as his father's private secretary. No such condition of affairs has ever been known before in the State or any other depart ment, in the first or any other year of an ad ministration, and it Is remarkable enough to be spoken of and dwelt upon. Mr. Walker Blaine explains that his father Is working vory hard In affairs of the department at his far-away seashore residence. He is said to be engaged on matters pertaining to the ex- Eosltion ot the Three Americas, which will be eld in this city in 1892, but that is positively absurd, for Mr. Blaine has absolutely nothing to do with the arrangement of the machinery for that great fair. lie has sent forth one cir cular, and that is all. The South American States have either accepted or they are con sidering acceptance. Clerks in the department have charge of all the official correspondence, and there is a committee of citizens here which is constantly giving information on the sub ject. So mucn for the question of health. As to the story of resignation, the official referred to tells me that he had it from the mouth of Mr. Blaine himself that if he does not soon regain more vigor, and consequently more ability to attend to bis duties, he will be forced to resign. An American Pepys. I have recently been shown the outside of a diary whlch,if it can ever be secured and printed for the delectation of the public, will create one of the liveliest sensations that have been known for a long time in this raw country of ours, where we have no scandals ot royalty or nobility to feast our souls upon, but must be content with small gossip about such ordinary persons as millionaires or members of Congress. It will be remembered that some time ago the death was announced of "Jim" Christy, the Assistant Sergeant at Arms of the Senate. He was a factotum of the Senators, especially of the lively ones and the good livers. Nobody could order a better dinner, and the fellow who devises a good dinner can always penetrate to the heart of the fellow for whom he orders it. Christy used to go on all ot the great junketing trips of the Senators. He would order the wiue and cigars and luncheons, and it is said his very ordinary salary was greatly swelled by these extra services. In a thousand ways he assisted and aided tho Senators, and became 'possessed of more of their secrets than any omer man in tne country, ne was ciose mouthed and discreet, but it seems that like the adoraoie irtvys, De kept a aiary. ana in this diary he jotted down the baldest sort of memoranda ot bis association with Senators of high renown. "Jim" was not an intellectual sharp, and did not possess the art of concealing forbidden fruit in rhetorical sugar. He lacked Imagination. A primrose by the river's brim a simple primrose was to him, and nothing more. Consequently lie called things by uncanny names, and consequently, also, before his diary can ever be published it will have to be care tuUy "edited," and made fascinating by that classical style which takes the Decameron of Boccaclo, tho Confessions of Rousseau, the stories ot Rabelais, and other similar volumes, without the pale of the law, and to which even the ferret eyes of the Anthony Comatockj of the land are blind. An Interesting Diary. "Christy would never let this diary go out of his hands," said a gentleman, in whose posses sion it now Is, to me yesterday, "and he Intend ed it should be in safe keeping after his death. It was more than a year ago that he gave me one day a sealed envelope, which was not to be opened except in case of his death. After that occurrence, so startling in Its suddenness, I broke the seal, and found an order for a book, which would be found locked in his writing desk. I secured the volume, and here It is. You will notice that It is very extensive. I have calculated it would make at least 00 closely printed pages. I keep It locked In this safe, of which no one but myself knows the combina tion. What if I should die Uko Christy I have provided for that as Christy did, in regard to this diary. I would not have its Contents pub lished, nor even show them to my nearest friend for any sum of money, for in that manuscript is a startling history, told m Jim's crude way, of personal peculiarities, escapades, queer capers, lobbying bchenies, intrigues, and so on, of half the Senators of the United States. I have no doubt it is true, every word of it. I may at times show you harmless passages like this one, but any page which would involve a Senator in a scandal will be sealed forever, at least during the lives of all the actors on the Senatorial stage of this period." A Steep Poker Game. The custodian of this precious volume then showed me a few lines containing mention of a poker game between Senators, which run as follows: , "Sat in a poker game last night with (here he names five Senators). It was a deuce of a hot game, - and seemed to have a pick at each ana quarreled nearly all the time. Finally canght discarding four cards and holding up two on his own deal and ac cused him of cheating. Don't think knew he had six cards, but the looks ot things was against bim. declared it was all a mis use, but was ugly and wouldn't have it, and it was all we could do to keep them from coming to blows. It was easy to see there was blood on the face of the moon, and nobody was surprised when on one deal they both stood pat to see them square themselves for business. We all knew tbey would both bet their last dol lar before they would give up. just on account of their quarrel. bst J100. raised htm S500. swore tho thing might as well be ended 'then and there, and swooped down with $5,000. declared that he wasn't to bo scared with a littlo bluff llko that and coolly raised 510,000. Then gotnervou". It was plain to bo seen ho would like to have crawled out, but the words that had passed between them made hira hot, and after a little -while he concluded to call. That made about $32,000 in the pot. - , who had made the f 10.000 raise, spread out his hand, and showed a straight flush oi clubs, eight high, and started to rake down the pot " 'Hands off that money,' shouted - , his face lighting upj "Your hand's no goodr " The deuce vou sav, said , his jaw drop ping as though be had been shot through ,the bead. "No,itlsn't,forl'vogota straight flush of hearts, ten high.' f'lwas a fact He had 'em, and none of 'em bad got away. It was tho biggest two bands I ever saw out against each other, and the astonishing thing was they were both pat. I klndot think , who can shuttle the cards like a professional, put up a job on them." I have never Mows open a safe, but I would do something dWfldly energetic to get hold oftbatftiary. . - r & w. Uohxheb. THE GOSSIP OP GOTHAM. A DlstlngalsbVd Lot of Flitters. !1T TOBK BUREAU EFXCIALS.J NirwYOEK,Jnly 2a William Hayden Ed wards, United States Consul General at Berlin; Julio de Arellans, Spanish Minister to Central America; Frederick Schenck, United States Consul to Barcelona; Tom Karl, Sir Charles Brownlow, Karl Woxen, Swedish Secretary of Legation at Washington, and Sir Donald Stewart sailed for Europe to-day. An Exciting Scene In Court. Tho trial of the divorce suit of GluseppI Serra was enlivened to-day by a rough-and-tumble fight right under the Judge's nose. Gasparo Rollo was on the stand telling just how Mrs. tierra and tho co-respondent were bugging each other when he surprised them in Serra's back parlor about a eek ago. Mrs. Serra was terribly excited by this testimony. She tried several times to get at Gasparo, but her lawyer held her down. He let go of her for a minute to make an objection. She jumped at Gasparo, buried her nails in bis checks, tore out one side ot his mustache, and dragged liim to the floor. Then sho wept copiously, while Gasparo went out to wash his wounds. The trial was adjourned. Twnsn't Eddie Gould's Wife. A story was printed this morning to the effect that Edwin Gould, the second Son of Jay Gould, had been qnletly married before sailing for Europe on Wednesday. The story was based on the fact that on the cabin list of the City of Pans was the name of Mrs. Gould, imme diately following that of Edwin Gould. The two were utter strangers, and occupied sepa rate rooms. The names were brought together in alphabetical arrangement Tho Mrs. Gould in question is gray-haired, about 50 years old, and lives away out Westsomewhere when she's at home. Diss Debar Gets Her Receiver. At the Instance of Ryerson fc Brown, Wan hopo Lynn was to-day appointed receiver of all the property of Mme. Diss Debar. Ryerson & Brown secured a judgment against Diss Debar for ESI and costs. Her spiritual paintings, which were at police headquarters, together with her furniture and surplus .clothing, will now be turned over to the receiver and sold. Sir Julian Pauncefoto's Last Taffy. Sir Julian Pauncefote, British Minister at Washington, fqund time to say some very nice things about the United States before the steamship Etruria earned him off for England this morning. He considers Washington girls very entertaining, and expects that his wife and four daughters, who will return with him in tho steamship Anrania, next October, will consider the Washington young men correspondingly clever. Only one of Sir Julian's daughters is out in society. The other three will come out about the middle of the next administration at Washington If Sir Julian gets through the campaign of 1892 all right The British Minister spoke at some length of Mr. Blame, as "far seeing, intelligent and agreeable," of Mr. Har rison as having an "honest, open countenance," and of Washington newspaper correspondents as "pleasant and anxious to be accurate." Sir Julian has gained weight in Washington, but fears that he has contracted some kind of a fever there. A Mexican Governor at Sea. Ex-Governor Evaristo Madero, of Coahuila, Mexico, his wife, six daughters and 12 sons, sat on the hurricane deck of the steamship La Champagne, as she put out of her berth this morning. The three youngest children played with dolls and toys. The eldest son, 32 years old, alternately chatted with his wife and struggled with the first pages of an English Spanish grammar. The family came from Mexico to New York in a special. Mme. Albanl Coming to America. Mr. L. M. Ruben, 23 Union Square, who rep resents many of the leading foreign soloists in this country, has received from Ernest Gye, the husband of Mme. Emma Albani, a cable gram from London stating that Mme. Albani bad just concluded an engagement with Mr. Henry Abbey, to sing in this country under his management during the entire operatic season beginning next December. A GIGANTIC COMBINE. Tho National Lead Trast Controls a Capital or $12,930,000. rsrsciAi. nxxoBAx to tux nisrATCitt NewYomc, July 20. Wall street was In terested in a statement contained in Engineer ingland Mining Journal which purported to give the approximate cash valuation of the various properties absorbed by tho National Lead Trust. The valuation put upon the various properties was: Atlantic White Lead Company. ?2,30O.0OI!. Collier White Lead Company, bt Louis, e, 500. 000. southern White Lead Company, bt. Louis, S.S00.0C0. Eckstein White Lead ,Co'nPnT. Cincinnati. tl. 250, 000. John T.Lewis & Brother. PMlade! phis. fl, M0, WO. St. Louts bmelting and Keflnlie Uomnany, St. Lonls, S7W.00O. Union White Lead Manufacturing Company, New York, 90,000. Ulster White Lead Company.Hcw York, 300, 000. Jewctt White Iad Company, 8300,000. Brooklyn White Lead Company and Bradley "White Lead Company, (1,230,000. Total, 112,9gO,00U. The frank statement is made that the figures could not be obtained for Harrison Brothers i Co.. Philadelphia; Billings Rio Grand Works. Socorro, N. Mex., and the Maryland White Lead Company, Baltimore. An Awful Anarchist From the Alta CallfornU.l ' -uin Van 'Zan.lt Snlnj is cointf on the stace. It does seem as though sho might have omitted . 4 A LaIa m vAtAS Caa a Ytnm4 n tnis cviuence luas&uoja si vw w mw peace than her husband was. Viewed br a Chicago Critic. From the Chicago .News. .rtna.. f.mniif ntrrnra. 4lThfl Anpelns." looks like a bit of realism caught in the potato ueius 0 imperial oujeauu. XEI-STATE TEIFLES. A hobSk over 19 hands high, and weighing 2,300 pounds, was shipped from Myers town. Pa., to Boston recently. The purchaser will put the animal on exhibition. A tbamp worked a cute trick on a Wheeling shoe shop. Ho asked for a drink of water, and laid his' coat down on tho counter while be drank. In leaving he picked up his coat and a pair of shoes under it SiaKln a busy Kensington neighborhood: 'We dine you boss for 20 cents, and shape you off with melon." Bon. ALKXA.SDBB a Beattt, of Meadville vicinity, noticed that his melon-vines were gnawed, and he sprinkled poison near them. In a few days five young raccoons that were evi dently starving the mother presumably having been poisoned came into his yard to help themselves from the milk palls. All were caught A H-TEAit-OL daughter of John Masterson, of Pbllllpsburg. while playing hide-and-seek jumped out of a kitchen window. At night, perhaps from dreaming of the game, she jumped from a second-story window in a som nambulistic state. Her back and one ot her ankles are somewhat bruised. Hesbt KATFFJfAN, of Bportlng Hlfl, near Manbelm, Pa., has a 23-year-old horse that was so stiff that he could hardly walk. He was put into a pasture through which runs a creek; It was noticed that a great part of his time was spent in bathing and lying in the water, and, in a short Unio,tothe surprise of the owner, he bocamo as spry as a young colt Recent storms have washed thousands of tons ot culm down upon farming lands In the vi cinity of Sunbury, Pa.,and a number of farmers have taken legal action to recover damages from the Mineral Mining Company, the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad and other opera tors. The most forgetful young man In Snyder county. Pa., recently went to town with his best girl, and wbon tho time came for his return, actually left without her and proceeded several miles before ha happened to think bo had for. gotten something. A Beixaibe man who sent SO cents to a New York firm for '.'an easy method of setting rid of debts," received by -return isall tte leeaic &aTicet "jr j vmw.- CURI0DB CONDEHSATIOXS. A 5-year-old child In Monson, Me., is said to speak three languages. A Chicago baby that was born July 4 has been christened Gloria Columbia Ottofy. Buffalo has completed the count and announces that 253,000 persons reside within her limits. Sylvanus Jones, ol Richmond, Va., is reported to have written 36,761 words In short hand on a postal card. Rhode "Weimar, of Bhelbyville, Ind., caught a three-pound black Dass the other day, and found in it a silrir quarter. Hon. James A. Gilbert, of Syracuse, recently caught 160 bass in the St Lawrence In less than two hours, using only a rod and reel. A Jefferson City, Mo., man manages to make a living by following-up picnic parties and gathering np the empty pottles which they leave. After two years work has been resumed on the Hudson river tunnel at New York City. The tunnel was begun in 1S71 and may be com-' pleted In a year. A Cleveland man has just married again the woman from whom he was divorced ten years ago. Meantime be bad married second wife and became a widower. A grizzly tried to capture a eow on tba the Ftores ranch, near Santa Maria. Cal., last week. The cow and bear both went over high bank and were found dead. Captain A. C. Bell, of Americas, Ga., received a large turtle lrom Brunswick re cently. It weighed 275 pounds. It was brought up from the depot on a dray and attracted a largo crowd. Bluff old Captain Josiah Hendryx, of Decatur, Mich., who died a few days ago, had Six children, all of whom died young, except one son. Then he did his full duty to society by adopting and rearing ton orphan children, pving them good educations and a fair start in the affairs of life. The people of Sao Francisco expect to find themselves, ere lonitat the end of an ocean cable, the other end of which will be fastened at Hawaii. To lay the wire, which must bo 2.US0 miles long, will cost as estimated, 81,500, 000, and of this sum the Hawaiian Government and people will furnish a third. A Test-pocket edition of the horse has been foaled in Hartford City. Ind. The mother is a 2-ycar-oId Shetland pony, owned by Harry B. Smith, President of the Exchange Bank. The colt is 9 inches along the back, stands 8 hands in height and is lively as a cricket It Is doubtless the smallest horse in the State. Mrs. Moore, of Middle ville, Mich., went out to the spring the other day to see what ber little, 4-year-old boy was crying about and found he had been in the water. She said: "There, there, don't cry. Earl," but did not realize how near she had been to attending a funeral until another little boy of the same ace told her. "He tootent cwywnen I pulled him out" Then she felt like crying herself. Henry Sturdivant is a negro farmer, who works on the farm of Mr. K. W. Berryhill, three miles out from Rome. Ga on the Ala bama road. Sturdivant has always been accus tomed to having his Shoes made to order. One of his feet is larger than the other. It takes a No. 20 shoe to inclose his right foot and a No. 11 to house the other. The largest shoe in the world is worn by a young lady in Kentucky, who sports No. 24. The most valuable book in the world is said to be a Hebrew Bible at the Vatican in Rome. In 1312 Pope Julius, then In great financial straits, refused to sell It to a syndicate of rich Venetian Jews for its weight in gold. The Bible weighs more than 325 pounds and isj never carried by less than three men. The price refused by Pope Julius was, therefore, about 1125,000, and tbar, too, when gold was worth at least thrice what it is now worth. The latest revelations concerning Egyptian antiquities come through the re search of Prof. Navillc, of Geneva, made at Bnbastes. Bnbastes was the sacred city of Bast, the cat-headed goddess. It was supposed 1 that its great temple had entirely disapeared, J but M. Naville discovered extensive remains of it and striking proofs to show that the pyra mids of Cheops and Cheferen must have beeSi in existence at least by 3700 B. C, or about 6, 0 years ago. The Hyksos, or shepherd kino came from Bab) Ion or Mesopotamia In tit twenty-third century B. C. ( 1. There is an old man in T7ashingT y named Roger Evans, who claims to have p Ished the boots of every President since the the time of Jackson. He has been obliged at times to resort to peculiar devices to accom- pllsh his designs on the shoes of a new execu tive. Up to a few weeks ago he had not been able to capture Harrison's feet but be met the President one day recently about a block from the White House. Harrison's shoes were dusty and In an instant Evans bad his box on the ground and, before tne President realized what had happened, bad begun to wield his brushes vigorously. Harrison had to submit A most remarkable snake story comes from Mad River township, not far from Spring field, O. The story is vouched for by Isaac Ar rowsmith, a prominent resident ot that town ship, and can be set down as strictly true. It seems that Mr. Arrowsmitb was ont with his run one day recently and while passing a large elm tree which has a diameter of several feet saw to his amazement a blacksnake coiled around the trunk ot the tree about 40 feet from the ground. He fired several shots at it and finally succeeded in bringing it down. It meas ured nearly eight feet in length aud was one of the largest snakes ever seen In this part of Ohio, as there are no limbs on the tree much below whero the snake was colled the wonder is bow bis snakeship ever succeeded In reach ing bis dizzy altitude. , A novelty in the way of labor-savins devices is about to be put upon the market by W. B. Martlndale, of St Louis. It Is called the electric date and time stamp, and it A thought that It will soon become a necessity tq business men, railway and telegraph companies and gov ernment officials. The stamp, which, like the. ordinary stamp, records one's name, address, business and the like, is peculiar in that it also stamps the correct date and time of dato to tho minute. It works automatically, in syn chronism with any clock, by means of an elec tric batterv and circuit closer, which are at tached to the clock. No electric stamps will be sold by the company which manufactures them. They will be leased to subscribers Uko the telephone. MERRY MOMENTS. Grave diggers do a great deal of work'that Is beneath them. Toledo Blade. The greatest pitcher's curve was the ara otoah. lie pitched without and within at the same time. -Detroit Journal, Los Angeles has a modest girl who learns the church songs from her sister and not from tha book because It Is a hymn book, Los Angtlet UTe. - He Young Algernon Browne smelt of gin yesterday. She The dear boy I So long as he didn't taste ot it! Evening Sun; Li On is the name of the manager of the Chinese theatrical company In e York. It strikes ni that he ought to be the advance agent Sorristown Herald. Farmer Here, young scamp, what ara you stealing my corn for? Young forager-I ain't; I'm only nulling Its ears. Town Topic. The Doctors Agreed. Skeptic Did yoi$ ever know two doctors to agree? Medical Student (after reflection) T-e-i; oncdj Where was 1" At a post mortem. "Seta York Wctkly, A 8LHJHT DIFFERRNCE. The poet and the politician Are nearly of a stripe; " For one Is always piping lays While tne other Is laying pipes. -Philadelphia Prest. Something New. Mr. Highup (at break fast) An jthlng new In the paper? Mrs. Highup (who has had a monopoly or the morning paper forbairan hour) Yes; Hard Cash A Co. are selling 6urah silks at hair off.-.Vio lor Wuktu. TIIB BLWDNESS OF T.OVS. The girl who really cates for you a rap Who has a little brother-pesky gopher Before she goes and ilM upon yoar lap. Will always take a look behind the sofa. Sew lork Evening Sun. Mr. Gabb "What is the matter with my husband? Doctor-Nothing, except that he needs change. I prescribe opiates and rest Mrs. Osbb-Sball I give him the opiates at onee Doctor Oh, the Opiates are not for him; they are for you. Once a Htek. Been There Before. Guest (at Mrs. Da Fashion's Uuslcale)-Merey! What are all these wash boilers, and list-Irons, and things In the par locforl Mrs. De Fashion (hclplcssly)-I had togetthem. The leader of the orchestra came here at the last minute, and refused to play unless I furnished those things for the anvil chorus. He said he was bound tq have one selection beard above the eoa venation.-Sue Xort WMy. 1 T -, J: . Amm BffPifffC .