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;THE ' PiTTSSTJW DISeo'MOISrTiDEaESMBEk'. v188
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ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY S. 1848.
0l"H. KO.S93. Entered at Pittsburg rostofflce,
aovemoer u, isst, as secona-ciass miner.
ilness Office 97 and 09 Fifth Avenue.
HNews Rooms and Publishing House-75,
77 and 70 Diamond Street
era Advertising Office, Boom 43, Tribune
Building, ewYort
TERMS OP TUE DISPATCH.
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The Daily Dispatch is dcllTercd bj carriers at
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at 20 cents per week.
PITTSBURG. MON DAY. DEa 2, 1SS3L
A SUDDEN BEF0B2L
A circular feature of yesterday was the
prevalence of pood order in the localities of
the citv that usually- afford a greater share
. of the arrests for disorderly and criminal
proceedings. Tip to a late hour neither the
'Point, Old avenue nor the Yellow Row had
yielded a single arrest, and the hope was
bright that they would all get through the
M
Sabbath with a blank record.
The cause of this astonishing reformation
is so far purely a matter of conjecture.
"Whether the sneak-casies have been terror-
irail infn trnnA h.liqvini nr tliA .nlrl WrtitliM.
kept people within doors, or the usual
revelers had spent all their money on
Thanksgiving are matters of dispute. The
one certain fact is that the localities whose
names arc synonymous with disorder
ly behavior put on an orderly disposition
yesterday, and the police are troubled with
( fears that the millennium is approaching.
"Whatever the cause of this sadden Rood
conduct may be, it is a public duty to dis,
cover it beyond power of dispute and keep
it in force all the time.
& INTERNATIONAL GEEED IN AFBICA.
The way in which the European powers
are striving to get ahead of each other in
grabbing all the unappropriated African
territory is shown by the report that Ger
many is already fearful that Great Britain
may secure the services of Stanley in the
work of African colonization; and will
endeavor to enlist Eniin Pasha on her
side. It is a pity that the broad and unsel
fish view by which the Congo region was
placed under the protection of civilization,
with exclusive privileges to no particular
Government, should be supplanted in other
parts of Africa by the selfish and short
. sighted attempt of each nation to seize
everything it can get lor the benefit of fav
ored trading companies. If Stanley and
-2Dmin maintain tbeir previous records, they
will refuse to be made subservient to such
greedy schemes; but will devote their ener
gies and knowledge to securing an interna
tional policy which shall protect the Afri
cans against oppression and open the conti
nent to the trade of all countries upon equal
terms.
C0BNEEING THE C0ENEBEB.
"When the professional biter gets bitten
himself, or people who make a business of
setting traps for others fall into the trap.it is
no more than human nature for the impar
tial observer to rejoice exceedingly. There
has been therefore much pleasure for the
people at large, in the news of last week
that in addition to the Sugar Trust being
nipped in its attempt to squeeze Claus
Spreckels, Hutchinson, the wily grain
gambler of Chicago, has been caught in a
corner on corn.
The details of the corn deal are exceed
ingly instructive as showing how the ele
ment of pure gambling is mixed up with
the legitimate handling of grain staples.
Hutchinson, who does nothingjbut bet on the
market, began betting on the long side of
the market some time ago; but prices stead
ily went down and he lost money until the
price had fallen from about sixtv cents
to about thirty cents. The idea that
the grain gamblers possess any especial
knowledge of the causes which affect prices
is exploded by the tact that this leader in
the crowd, having lost money by buying
when corn was dear, tried to get it back by
selling short when the market was at the
bottom. The low prices at once checked re
ceipts and stimulated demand, so that a firm
which was buying all the corn it could get
for actual shipment, took all the futures as
well until it got the bettors at its mercy, and
has made them pay 25 or 30 cents a bushel
' all around for their lun.
This little piece of retribution, besides
proving the sureuess of the mills of the
gods, demonstrates that the man who makes
his money by gambling in the staples of
commerce, is very likety to lose it that way.
rjrhe one sure road to wealth for those who
I'uare unable to play with loaded dice is the
Mf" uonesi one, oi giving value received lor
every cent that is made.
HIGH PEICED LEGAL SERVICES.
The investigation of the New York dock
scandals has revealed a new and lucrative
method of earning fat fees. The legal light
who developed the novel way of bleeding
his clients is Colonel John O'Byrne, the
"Ifew York politician, and the plum which
A "he pocketed was $13,000, placed in his hands
-by the oysternien of New York to secure
favorable legislation for them, with legard
. to their use of the docks.
i Colonel O'Byrne testified that this money
was given to him for legal services; and the
fact appears that he put the money jn his
pocket and used none of it at Albany.
Borne people appear to think that this was
cot quite fair of him; but a moment's re
flection will show that the legal service
which he rendered to the oysternien was to
prevent them from spending money to cor-
, .runt legislation. That service is better
worth $13,000 than a great deal of the work
for which the learned profession is wont to
collect big fees.
It is painful to observe, however, that
g with this high ground to stand on, Colonel
" O'Byrne, upon Indications that further de-
' --tails with regard to the money were to be
y-t asked for, Temoved himself from the incon
j 'venient probing by retiring into the wilds of
-ew Jersey.
A SHALLOW ABGTJ1IEHT.
One of the stock arguments of the trusts,
Sjong ago disproved by experience, is re
ferred to by the Albany Journal, which is
an organ of that class of capital. The dec
laration of an eminent clergyman, in his
'Thanksgiving sermon, that, "one of the
great evils of to-day is the trusts organized
Sbyiich men wholly. The power ot money
is destroying the honest return to our farm
ers by cutting down the real value of our
crops," caused tbe Journal to assert that tbe
clergyman should have been "more certain
,.of his facts." It then goes to repeat the
Block argument:
The real truth is that the massing of capital
jhas made It possible to organize industrial cn-
terprlses on a scale so extensive and to employ
labor-saving machinery so largely that the cost
of production including the cost of transpor
tation to markets has been enormously, al
most incredibly, reduced within the last 20
years,
'This deliverance proves that the trust
organ, and not the clergyman, is the one
that needs to know what it is talking about
The benefits of the massing of capital in
cheapening the cost of production and trans
portation, although it is often cited to de
fend the trusts, has no cogency for three
reasons. First, the corporation laws of the
country afford abundant opportunity for
the concentration of capital necessary to
perform any industrial operation, and no
one objects to the incorporation of either
$35,000,000 honest and unwatered capital
to build a railroad or $25,000 to build a fac
tory. Second, no trust puts any new capi
tal into an industrial enterprise, but only
combines the capital already existing for
purpose of preventing competition and ex
acting arbitrary profits. Third, except for
the illegitimate profits secured by the sus
pension of competition the trust organiza
tion produces no saving, but on the contra
ry, takes away the penalty of waste, negli
cence and recklessness, as has already been
shown by recent disclosures.
The clergyman was exactly right in his
declaration. The device of trusts is solely
for the purpose of levying undue profits. To
the exact extent that they exceed what would
be obtained under legitimate competition,
these profits are taken from the returns that
should go to the common workers. The
force or this fact is shown by the return of
the trust advocates to the cheap misrepre
sentation which has been abundantly dis
proved by the history of the trusts.
FIBE-PBOOF CONFLAGRATIONS.
It can hardly have escaped the attention
of the reader of newspapers that the rate of
mortality among so-called fire-proof build
ings has been very large for the past week.
The Lynn fire may not have destroyed the
existence and reputation of any fire-proof
structures; but in the Boston fire, many
structures built after the experience of the
great fire of 1872, and iondly supposed to be
able to resist conflagrations, went down be
fore the flames with scarcely less trouble
than the old fire traps. This experience was
added to by the fatal destruction of the
Minneapolis Tribune building which was
ot recent construction and wss claimed to be
of the most improved character.
These events might almost be held to
justify the opinion that the alleged fire
proof structures are just the opposite. Of
course they should not diminish the effort to
erect buildings that will resist fire, nor do
theysbowthatthepresentfire-proofbuildingg
are not better than the ordinary ones. But
a fair deduction from them is that the art
ot fire-proof construction has not yet met
with complete success, and that it will not
do to place implicit reliance in the safety
even of the most improved buildings. The
same lesson was taught in the Chicago and
Boston fires of seventeen years ago. Sand
stone, limestone and granite, though able
to resist ordinary fires, melted away, while
brick, though somewhat better, was not
thoroughly fire-proof.
It is doubtful whether any bnilding ma
terial is sufficient to withstand the fierce as
saults of great conflagrations, unless it be
fire brick with which our furnaces are lined.
The availability of that material for build
ing is so questionable as to suggest another
precaution by separating buildings more,
and increasing our open spaces, More ad
vantages than that of safety from fire might
be secured if all our great blocks stood in
spaces of their own. That idea involves so
radical a change in present methods that no
one in this generation need expect to see it
realized.
The discovery of steamship captains that
tbe Gulf stream bas changed its conrtc to the
westward, elves ground for the suspicion that
the stream has made up its mind to go to New
York and try to warm up the city to complete
its World's Fair guarantee fund.
Ix is comforting to learn that the in
surance companies do not contemplate putting
up rates in Pittsburg on account of the Lynn,
Boston and Minneapolis Arc. The fact is that
Pittsburg, both by good luck and good mannge
ment, is relatively a paying district for tho
companies. Despite the fact that the city
authorities have allowed frame bniidings to go
up in the very heart of the city within a few
years, and that tbe insurance interests seemed
secularly unmindful, it is still true that Pitts
burg has of late enjoyed a fortunate immunity
from destructive fires. The policy of encour
aging better construction and greater watch
fulness of buildings by light rates will bo
found wtscr in the long rnn than putting on, as
tbe old railroad phrase used to ran, ''what tho
traffic will bear." It is, wo believe, an undis
puted fact that so iar as tho local companies
are concerned they have mostly mado money
on their Pittsburg risks, while several, if not a
majority of them, nave lost on their outside
agency business.
"The Ohio Bcpublicans are nolongcr look
ing for an issue," remarks theNew York World.
Perbapsnot;but if it is so.the lack is fully mado
up by the eagerness with which the Ohio Dem
ocrats are looking for an issue of funds from
Senatorial candidates.
"CERTAnr Pittsburg people managed to
gobble a large share of the Johnstown relief
funds in transit and great was the scandal."
The above statement from the editorial columns
of the Minneapolis Tribune, is an examplo of
tbe way in which wholly unfounded and ma
licious statements obtain circulation. As the
nearest point to Johnstown and the first to
reach It with relief, a great many of the con
tributions were sent to Pittsburg. Every dol
lar of those contributions together with tho
hundreds of thousands added by Pittsburg
people were either applied directly to the re
lief of the Johnstown sufferers or transferred
to the Stato Relief Commission. Tbe only dis
pute was with reference to the money spent in
removing the debris from tbe streets; and as
that ought to be paid by tho State, it will be
seen that if the assertion just quoted is founded
on that dispute, it is a phenomenally un
founded and wanton attack on Pittsburg's good
name.
Tee dread announcement that Mr. Blaine
eats eggs for breakfast maybe taken as a sign
that the Secretary of State is contemplating a
policy which may prejudice the interests of
future Democratic roosters.
If Claus Spreckels keeps on as he has
begun ho will become a decidedly popular fig
ure in American commerce. The Sugar Trust's
attempt to corner the new refiner, by buying
up the entire stock of molasses sugar, was per
mitted to go on until it had shown its hand,
when the old German made public tho fact
that he had been sapplying the trust from bis
own surplus stock at a round profit to himself.
This leaves no doubt that the trust recognizes
Spreckles as an active enemy, and is tr) ing to
crush him; while it also proves that the latter
knowshow to turn tbe biters into tho bitten.
It also illustrates the fact that with an even
chance it is not impossible to beat tho all
powerful trusts at their own game-
Possibly some of the organs of the opposi
tion may claim that the reason why the Federal
Steel Company is nipped in the bud is that It
despairs of being able to choke oS competition
at tbe National capital.
Dr. Domingo Freee, of Bio Janeiro,
whose discovery of the microbe of yellow fever
was received with derision by the medical pro
fession, now comes 'forward with a claim that
he has demonstrated" tbo worth ot bis discov
ery. Of 10,000 people Inoculated with attenuated
Tiros only twenty-five have died. The statistics
would bo more convincing If they told bow
many of tbo 10,000 had been exposed to yellow
fever since the Inoculation, and how many
Were acclimated before; but with the presump
tion from the fact that most of them live in a
yellow f over country, tho proof Is strong that
Frere's discovery is equal to Pasteur's,
A coxtin pance of such bright winter
weather as wo had yesterday will go far toward
permitting 1SSD to redeem its reputation for
being the dampest and unpleasantest year on
record.
Me. Edward J. PxieIjPS, in discours
ing of divorce tn the Forum, rejects Federal
Iogislation, and says that uniformity of State
lavs is impossible, but wants the stimulus to
divorce taken away by making it illegal for di
vorced people to many again. Bow this is to
be secured, without either Federal legislation
or uniform State laws. Is something that Mr.
Phelps leaves our anxious Nation to study out
for itself.
FiKF-rnoop buildings in various parts of
the country aro developing an 'unexpected
tendency to go to blazes.
Mb. Gladstone figures out a safe lib
eral majority in the next Parliament. The in
dications aro good for tho realization of his ex
pectations; bnt American politicians know
from experience that it is much more reliable
to figure out majorities of that sort before elec
tion than after.
PEOPLE OP PROMINENCE.
Senator-elect Pierce, of North Dakota,
is the author of several novels,
Kalakaua, King of tho Sandwich Islands,
recently celebrated his fifty-third birthday.
, Me. John B. Allen; of Washington, will
be, it Is said, the youngest-looking man in the
Senate.
Governor Campbell, the new Chief Ex
ecutive of Ohio, is said to bo an invetcrato
smoker.
Senator Quay's only recreation lies in
novel-reading. He is very fond of Fielding,
Dickens. Bulwer and Thackeray;
Philip Armour, tho rich Chicago pork
packer, began bis fortune In California, where
he went with the Argonauts to find gold.
J. R. Burton, of Abilene, Kan., who aspires
to succeed Ingalls in the Senate, is the best
dressed man In his State and has been called
the "Berry Wall of the West."
Two autograph letters of Talleyrand have
just been, sold in Paris. They were written to a
lady, the first on the death of her husband:
"Dear Madam: Alas! Your devoted Talley
rand," and the second on her re-marriage:
"Dear Madam: Bravo! Your devoted Talley
rand." The lato Martin Farquhar Tupper once
made a lecture tour of the United States. Ho
met many prominent Americans, among them
Daniel Webster, of whom he recently said: "I
remember Daniel Webster in 1851 a colossal,
unhappy, feeble-framed, dark-angel-looking
sort of man, with a depth for good and evil in
his eye unfathomable."
About the best friend that the present Em
peror William has is Mr. FoultneyBigelow, of
Now York. Mr. Bigelow was a schoolmate of
his majesty and is bis ardent admirer. When
the Emperor went to Greece to marry his sister
to the Duke of Sparta, he conld not beiappy
unless Mr. Bigelow went with him, so Mr. Bige
low went and had a good time until he was
taken down with an illness at Athens. It was
severe while it lastedy.but he was able to join
his family in Paris at the end of a few weeks.
THE TEKRAPIN TRADE.
The
Principal Demand for the Savory
Saurian Is In Washlncton.
From the Savannah News. J
The principal demand for terrapin comes
from tbe national capital when Congress is in
session, although there is a fair demand
from New York and Baltimore. The
Bostonian finds a less costly food in
baked beans, and the Pnlladelphian
contents himself with a moro frugal fare than
tho Georgia terrapin. Iu New York, even,
when rich men dine, tho terrapin is a favorite
dish, and a dinner is not considered complete
among statesmen at Washington without the
terrapin. A chef who understands how to
properly serve tbe esculent saurian will com
mand as high a salary as the Congressman who
foots the bill for the dinner.
A reporter visited the terrapin pens at Thun
derbolt yesterday, and found about 1,000 at A.
PfafFs place, and from 2.000 to 2,500 at Henry
.am uos piace. aey are Kepi in inciosures
built for tbe purpose, and are fed on shrimp
and fish. At present there is no demand for
terrapin, but the dealers keep them in stock, and
have boats and men engaged in terrapin fish
ing. Tbe price of terrapin is high, owing to tbeir
scarcity. They are worth all the way from 15
to 25 per dozen, and tbe demand always ex
ceeds mo supply. u.uey are, strange to say,
sold by measurement. A terrapin measuring
5 inches or less is not sold as one terrapin, but
three of that size are sold for two. Two ter
rapin measuring over 5 inches would sell for
three.
Thunderbolt is the terrapin headquarters.
The animals are brought there in fishing sloops,
and command as hichas S12 to 15 a dozen, de
livered there. Tboyare shipped in barrels to
the North iu this season. They aro easily kept
in confinement, and in the sheds where they
are kept thev are let run on the ground floor.
Plenty of water is furnished them. They are
fed like bogs in a pen, and soon learn to know
when the feeder is about. After a short con
finement they will come at call for food.
ALL AKE 0TEE 70.
Ten Relatives Whose Combined Ages Agcrc
cntc 7S'2 Ycnrs.
Ejtatjs, Pa., December L In the western
part of Salisbury township, Lehigh county,
within a radius of two miles reside ten persons
whoso combined ages aggregate 783 years,, all
related by blood or marriage. They are: Solo
mon Bngcr. 91 years; Paul Keck, 87 years; Solo
mon Rcinhard. S3 cars; Gabriel Kline, 72
ycar: Henry Ritter. 77 years: Mrs. Henry Rit
ter, 76 years: Mrs. F. Hinkle. 80 years; Mrs.
John Hoinly, 70 years; Mrs. Solomon Kline, 71
years; Mrs. Peter Kline, 75 years.
No Country for Them.
From the Detroit Free Press.
The Antwerp authorities who so severely
punished the owner and engineer of the cart
ridge factory which blow up last Summer,
should never emigrate to tbe United States.
The spectacle of 17 railroad accidents in one
month, with never a person held to blame for
one of them, would make life unbearable for
them.
UK. REED'S NOMINATION.
Philadelphia Press: Mr. Reed's nomina
tion will bo cordially accepted in the House
and heartily approved by tho country.
New York World: Taking all things into
consideration Mr. Reed was undoubtedly the
best candidate named for the Speakership.
NrwYoBEiVw: Tbe recognized Repub
lican leader on the floor has been chosen to
preside over tbe deliberations of tbe Fifty-first
Congress, without in the least degree detract
ing from his able competitors. Mr. Reed will
make a model presiding officer.
Philadelphia Record: In selecting Rep
resentative Reed, df Maine, and Edward J.
McFherson, ot Pennsylvania, as caucus nomi
nees respectively for Speaker and Clerk of the
Hocse of Representatives, the Republican
members of Congress have put their best party
foot forward.
New York Sun: Tbe nomination of tbe
Hon. Thomas Bracket Reed for Speaker was
the natural and logical thing for the Repub
licans to do. He has been the recognized
leader of his side of the House, and there was
no good reason why he should cease to lead
when his party is in power. He has the brains,
be has the sana, and he has tbe practice, too,
and his partisanship is equal to any demands
that may be made upon it even in the vigorous
and hurly-burly kind of session which seenj to
be in prospect.
Philadelphia Times; Reed's accession to
the chair of the House moans party progress.
He is a clear-headed and bold leader. He un
derstands that tbe world moves, and as new
occasions are created ho accepts tbe new duties
which ever attend them. He is a protectionist,
but he will not sacrifice both protection and
tbe party by blind adherence to inexcusable
war taxes in time of peace. Taken all in all,
the selection of Reed was tho wisest move that
could have been made to meet tbe peculiar
complications now about to confront the party
of power.
THE CRITICS REVIEW.
The Qalet Llfo and Its Modern Contrast
Philip Hone's Diary, and Ills Good Old J
Views or Pittsburg Bnshklrucff nnd
St. Therein Other New Books and
Their Features,
"The' Quiet Life" has long since been scared
out of our part of tho world by steam and
lightning. Tho kind ot life which most of us
live might better bo styled "Tho Hurried Life."
The symbol of leisure is a picture of a Serene
and comfortable man in a sleepy hollow chair.
in small clothes and powdered wig, with slip
pers on bis feet, and a book upon his knee. A
man in a derby hat, with frock coat closely but
toned, with trousers turned up forfear of mud,
running to catch an escaping cable-car, Btands
better for this generation.
Nevertheless wo like to read about the old
days when leisure still abode among men.
More pleasant perhaps than ever, by reason of
contrast, are the pages which men of leisure
wrote in their leisurely way in praise
of quietness, peace, contentment and
serenity. Especially pleasant are such pages
when they are enlivened and adorned with pic
tures as Mr. Abbey and Mr. Parsons haTe pic
tared them In The Quiet Lite (Harper Bros.
J, R. Weldin fc Co.). Between the ;handsomo
covers ot this stately book the loTer of poetry
and of pictures will find treasures of both. An
drew Marvel, Abraham Cowley, Winthrop
Mickworth Praed, Alexander Pope and Thomas
Randolph furnish tho verses to which Anstin
Dobson supplies a prologue and an epilogue.
"Quince" and the "Vicar" wo like tho best
when all is charming both for the text and for
Mr. Abbey's sketches. Among Mr. Parsons'
drawings wo know not where to choose. Those
woods and fields, and brooks and flowers are
everywhere graceful, fitting and beautiful. It
is not likely that any book of this season will
equal "The Quiet Life" In permanent artistic
value.
Mr. Philip Hone, of the city of New York,
was so enamored of tho quiet life that at the
ago of 40, having by that time maao as much
money as ho needed, be retired from business
and proceeded henceforth to enjoy himself like
a cultured, broad-minded, public-spirited and
genial Christian gentleman. He went to Eu
rope, and returning bought the finest bouse
which stood in those days the year was 1820
within tbe municipality of New York. Here,
beside the City Hall Park, with its fence of
wooden palings, centered all that was best in
the town life of the time. The most notable
men and women of the social, political and lit
erary world, as it was then, were guests of
Philip Hone, Once he was Mayor of the city.
He founded the Mercantile Library. He was a
member of the board of trustees of all the
worthy institntions, charitable and literary,
which New York bad. He devoted himself to
making the very most of bis lite: be improved
all the opportunities which were offered in his
generation. He saw everythlnethat was worth
seeing, and knew everybody that was worth
knowing. Once be ventured away out here.
braying the discomforts of the Pennsylvania
Canal, and spent a day looking about Pitts
burg. He thought that Pittsburg was the most
progressive, go-ahead, business-likn town he
had ever seen. That was in 1847.
Philip Hone began in 1827 to keep a diary.
When he died,in 1851. this careful recordfilled 23
quarto volumes. If Mr. Channccy Depew should
keep a journal of bis daily life, and it should
be published in tbe year 1950, it is easy to im
agine what a picture It would be of the list
half of tbe nineteenth century. In The Diary
of Philip Bone (Dodd, Mead 4 Co., H. Watts
&Co.J"we have jnst that sort of record of the
men, women and events of the first halt of this
century.
.
And here beside it is tbe journal of Marie
Bashkirtseff (Cassell 4 Co., H Watts 4 Co.).
The reviewers have described it accurately.
Since the journal of Henri Frederick Amick
no such singular and notable autobiography
has been put in print, we read what Philip
Hone wrote to learn history; we read Marie
Bashkirtseff to learn Marie Basbkirtseff. She
is as interesting as the heroine of any novel;
and here is tho complete story of her life
"everything, everything, everything," as she
says, from beginning to end.
It was not a "quiet" life. It was as full as It
could be of emotion, ambition, stir and nervous
strain. It was so unquiet 'that it hurried itself
to a close, untimely, simply breaking down un
der the tension.
Mrs. Serrano has managed the translation
admirably. This is how Marie Bashkirtseff
would have written in English. Tbe publishers
have bound tbe book in pretty and delicate
covers. There is not in any literature any book
quitelike this, in its persistent introspection
and its frank confession. It is worth every
body's reading. Indeed, everybody seems to bo
reading it. The first edition was published on
Satui day, November 16, and a second edition
following on Monday, the 18th.
Saint Theresa (Roberts Bro?,. H. Watts 4
Co.) seems at first, a strange biography to read
except for contrast just after reading tho
journal of Marie Basbkirtseff. But the un
likeness is not so great, after all, Tbe times
were quite different in which tho Saint and the
Princess lived, tbe environment was wholly
unlike, bnt if Marie Bashkirtseff had been put
at tho right age into a convent of Augustinian
nuns she might have been another Theresa.
At least tbe two girls were quite alike in the
girlhood part of their lives.
Mrs. Bradley unman has given us a very
pleasant story of Saint Theresa, who proves to
bavo been a real flesh and blood person,
and not at all to be classed with
St. Margaret and the dragon, the old Spanish
town of Arila, tho traditions, idols and cus
toms of its people. Tho pretty little, self
willed Theresa growing up in the midst of it,
made the beginning of tbe book. That is a
pretty plcture.of little Theresa, aged 7, taking
her younger brother by tho hand, and the two
toddling off in what they supposed to he tho
direction of Africa, to bo martyrs! And tho
heritage of stones and sods, built in the back
garden, which fell so unfortunately when the
rains descended and the floods came; and the
novels which the little girl used to steal out of
the library downstairs and read secretly after
everybody was asleep, fearing lest her fatHef
should find her out: and tho young lady's ha
tred ot pious books, and her fondness for
flirtation all tbeso come charmingly into the
pages of this little book.
This is the way to write tho life of a saint.
Saint Theresa is as real in this delightful ac
count of her as Saint Anselm and Saint Fran
cis in tho pages of Dean Church and Mrs.
Ollpbant. This is better than a ton of Acta
Sanctoriuin. Only there is not nearly enough
otit!
...
Saint Theresa had a perfect genius for loving
people. That was the secret of her Influence.
It is always a delight to road about such people.
I7ie Abbe Constinfin (Dodd. Mead 4 Co., H.
Watts A Co.) was that sort of saint. Every
body, however, In that Charming story had an
abundant measure ot that genius for loving
people.
What an altogether pleasant thing it is to
read a book once in a while in which every
thing is jnst exactly right! That is the sort of
book which Ludoyic Hatevy wrote when be
wrote "Tho Abbe Constantln." This little story
Is the best love story ever published in two lan
guages, French and English. Tbere Is nothing
so sweet, pretty and satisfying anywhere. And
at last it comes in worthy shape. In fine, clear
typo, on heavy paper, and with excellent and
helpful pictures.
Another pretty book is The Bleeping BcauUi
(White 4 Allen; H. Watts 4 Co.) The Illus
trations are by O. W- Brenneman. The little
maiden, both in text and picture, deserves her
name. The pictures are attractive without ex
ception, the colors soft and pleasing, and the
dtawing and conception good. This is an ideal
rendering of that charming old fairy story.
V
One Is at first inclined to maintain that there
must be some sort of fairy story to give it a
gentle name behind The Letters of the Duke
of Wellington to Miss J (Dodd, Mead 4 Co.;
H, Watts 4 Co.). It Is true that the Duke of
Wellington did, upon one occasion at least,
write a foolish letter. The day after tbe battle
of Waterloo be wrote a letter which, in a
cooler moment, be was glad to pay a large sum
for, to get It back. But the letters in this book
extend over a period of 17 years.
In an old trunk in tho attlo of a country
house no: 80 miles from New York thero has
been- lying now theso many years a diary in
faded ink. as queer, in its way, though not a
thousandth part as interesting, as tho journal
of Marie Basbkirtseff. This queer old diary,
in a woman's writing and with words Italicized
after the fashion of women, was the work of a
certain Miss J whose initial and no moro we
are informed of. The most interesting part of
this diary is the record of a correspondence be
tween Miss J. and the Duke ot Wellington.
Miss J., at the age of 20, was a pretty English
girl, whose chief characteristic was that she
was morbidly, obtrusively and disagreeably
pious. She succeeded one time in converting a
condemned malefactor, whom both a priest and
a parson bad given up in despair, and she in
ferred from that success that her mission was
to convert the world. She resolved to begin
with tbe Duke of Wellington!
Tbe Duke of Wellington was a Widower, 65
years old, deep in the toils and cares of state.
Miss J., wrote him an affecting epistleandsent
him a Bible. This was the beginning of a cor
respondence which seems to be genuine, in
which for 17 years tbe great Duke somehow
found time, and moro wonderful, found pa
tience, to read pages upon pages of incoherent
and half illegible scrawls, and to return brief
answers,
There is nothing particularly foolish in the
answers. Tho most foolish thing about It is
that there ever were any answers at all. Miss
J., after tbe first, was not, it seems, altogether
disinterested In her concern for tbe Duke of
Wellington's soul. She had an idea that she
might become Duchess of Wellincton! There is
no, word in any letter ot the Duke's to show
that he ever encouraged her. Miss J. wassim-
Bly a dreadful bore The wonder is that the
iuke endured it.
Christine Terbune Herrlck has put the story
of these letters into shape, and done her work
very well, and tho publishers have made a
pretty book out of it,
V
A writer in the Nineteenth Century for
November; considering tho conditions and
prospects of the Roman Catholic Church in
America, devotes quite a little space to the
pleasant task of showing what a good thing tho
church would do. when Leo X1IX dies, by elect
ing Cardinal Gibbons in his place. An American
Pope would bo a new man in St. Peter's chair.
Ana wuynotr
A cosmopolitan, broad-minded, progressive
Pope, without narrowness, without Intolerance,
would be at the head of things if such an elec
tion could be "bronrht ahont. Cardinal Gib
bons, in bis robes of red, looks out from tbe
frontispiece of Our Christian Heritage (John
Murphy & Co.). Here Is a book by a Cardinal
which may be read without offence and with
creat profit by tbe most rabid Protestant.
There fs nothing new in it, nor anything par
ticularly deep or remarkable. It is simply a
plain, straightforward statement, made for tbe
sake of plain people, of the defenses of the
Christian faith. No points are tonched here
which are in disnute between good Christians.
The argument concerns objections to essential
Christian doctrine the existence of God. His
care for men, prayer, free will, reward and
punishment, ana the divinity of our Lord, are
considered. A comparison of Christian with
pagan civilization is added. Tbere is a chapter
on tbe religious element in the labor question,
and another on the dapgers whicn threaten our
American" institutions and well-being.
A WOMAN'S BATTLE WITH BEUIN.
The Wife of a Woodsman Bravely Flshts
an TJsly Brntr.
Turnwood.N. Y., December L The wife of
Marcus Sisson, a woodsman, living near Mill-
brook Mountain, on the Beaverkill, had a des
perate encounter with a big male bear last
Tuesday. Her husband bad been away In the
woods hunting bears for two days, but bis
fortnnate arrival upon tbe scene while the con
flict was raging between his wife and the bear
probably not only saved her life but the lives
ot tbeir babe and 4-year-old son Johnny as
well.
At the time of bruin's appearance Mrs.
Sisson was hanging oat her washing in the
yard. Suddenly'tbere was a great commotion
in tbe house and a terrific barking from a little
bouso dog which had been napnlng near the
btby's cradle. Johnny ran to the door and
added bis cries to those from inside by yelling
at the top of his lungs:
"A b'ar, momie! a big, big b'ar ""a artcr
baby,"
Mrs. Sisson dropped her work and, seizing a
keen-edged ax from the woodpile, rushed into
the house shouting:
"Up the ladder, Jobnnyl quick, get into tbe
loft!"
Johnny hastily scrambled un the ladder out
of barm's way, and immediately there began a
desperato battle between bis mother and the
bear. The ferocious brute, which Mrs. Sisson
saw was bleeding from its right shoulder, where
it had doubtless been that by some hunter, rose
on its hind legs and clawed at ber viciously.
For a few moments the heroic woman wielded
her ax with good effect, Inflicting a dozen
wounds on the brute, but unfortunately none
of them were fatal or disabling.
Finally, feeling her strength failing, Mrs.
Sisson save ono lonjr, agonizing scream for
neip. ono was answered almost lmmeaiateiy
by the loud baying of hounds close by. At this
moment bruin, with a blow from one of his
great paws, knocked tho ax from her hand and
wounded her painfully on berrigbtarm. She
sunk to the floor, but before the bear could
seize ber, two huge black hounds, which she
knew to De her husband's dogs, rushed in and
tackled tbe bear. A moment later, while tbe
dogs were battling with the brute, her husband
rushed in and blew tho bear's brains oat with a
shot from his Wlncbcster. When the bear's
carcass was examined it was found that the
brave woman had cut It in 16 places with ber ax
during the battle. It weighed, when dressed,
210 pounds.
PRODIGIOUS EAW 0YSTEES.
Some of Them So Vast That No Man Could
Tnko a Whole One.
A New Zealand letter to the Now YorkJYmej,
descriptive of tbe South Pacific pearl and shell
fisheries, says: "Besides tbe iridescent linings
of their shells these oysters offer good promises
to tbe seeker for pearls. In favorable situa
tionsas in the brancbes of clean-growing
coral and where there is little or no sand to dis
turb them they often attain prodigious size
not infrequently measuring a yard in the dia
meter of their open valves. Sometimes a dozen
of these are linked together, and, if they con
tain pearls, are sure to have the largest in size,
shapeliest in form and purest in lustre. Tho
oysters which produco the greatest number of
pearls, however, are thick, stunted and de
formed, w hich seems to Indicate that the for
mation of pearls is duo to some diseaso in the
animal. Strangely enough, however, the finest
pearls aro often found In tho healthiest oysters.
"In former times, when trading began first to
bo practiced with tho natives, many very large
pearls were secured which tbe savages bad
found and placed fit their temples not from
any notion of their value, but because it was
their habit to place the largest of everything,
whotber cocoanut, crab, oyster or what not,
hnforo their cods. Tho seductions of beads, mm
riMidredsalioe led to these things being with
drawn irom tno piaco wncro iney nau lain lor
generations, and given to the traders foolish
pcoplo, who regarded them as having value.
As for pearl shell, the natives were than de
lighted to give half a ton of it for a single tom
ahawk, and somo groups, like Paumotus, have
exported as much as l,0GO tons a jcar the last
nuarter of a eenturv, representing a value in
Europe of over 5,000,000.''
; For the Library.
The EUst End Council No, 276, Royal Ar.
canum, will give an entertainment in Gym
nasium Hall, Thursday evening, Dccomber 6,
for tbe beneht of tbe library fund.
HALCYOK DAYS.
iwnrnxx tor me dispatch, j
"Wnencvcr tbe rain 'gainst the window Is splash
ing, When roadways are rivers and flat lies the
grain,
And out of the gray clouds tbe lightning Is flash
ing, I dream o'er the days of my girlhood again.
Tbo old gabled bouse, on which time had left
traces
Of mosses and lichens; tbe steps where we
played,
"Where clustered at even the dear missing faces.
And mother's fond glances so lovlugly strayed.
Fall well I remember tho strange, childish
fancies
Which peopled dark corners with falry.folk
queer.
In the mouse-haunted garret, tbe cobweb-draped
carret.
What wonderful treasures to childhood so dear)
The weather-stained barn, where, with wild shout
andlaugnter.
We scrambled in search or a well-hidden store
Of csrb, orwe took from an o'er-hanglne rafter
A grand flwng leap to the straw on the floor;
The cool, crclmy spring house where mingled the
meter
Of waters Riat rippled, and Midas-touched
churn;
Such rolls I smooth and golden, and cream never
sweeterl
Vanished vision?, for which In rain I must
"V
yearn.
The meadow, where nodded the sweet-scented
clover, v
Smiling all the day long at tbo fluttering bees;
The brook in th,e orcTmrd.'wIiich, dimpled all over,
Sang melodies low to the listening trees!
(
Thus memory's pictures unfold in profusion
Bright scenes from those halcyon days 1 hold
dear.
'lis sweet to forget present caVe and confusion
When beautiful visions of childhood appear.
KrmtA u. rami.
TlTPSYttLZ, November 28, li
CHANGING SEASONS
The Effect of the Enrlh's Axis Upon lis Tem
perature The Astronomical Programme
f jr the fllonth or December,
The sudden cold wave of last week has
brought us a realizins sense that tbe winter
weather is here at last. But for all that, the
season winter has not yet come. On account
of the extreme uncertainty of weather in gen
eral, it Is Impossible to divide the year into sea
sons that shall bold for all time. A somewhat
arbitrary division of tbe year into fonr seasons
bas therefore been adopted, the beginnings and
endings of which are marked by four critical
positions of the earth in its omit, or, what is
tho same thing, by the positions of tho sun in
tbe beavons at the3o times.
Xiet us follow tho earth in Its annual journey
about tbe sun and see how the seasons are
bronght about. It will be necessary to under
stand a few terms used iu connection with the
subject. Tbe earth's path through space Is an
ellipse, with the sun 1.500;000 miles from the
center of the ellipse. Tho plane pas3inc
through this ellipse, ana, of course, through
the sun, too, is called tbe plane ot the ecliptic
Tbe earth's axis is a lino drawn through tbe
north and south poles of the earth, and pre
serves an unvarying direction in space. Ibis
axis makes an angle of G7K with the plane of
tbe ecliptic, and it is this fact which gives the
earth its seasons.
It Affects the Season.
Wero it perpendicular we should have the
same temperature at 'any place the year round,
except for a slight variation duo to tbe earth's
varying distance from tbe sun. Those of the
other planets whose rotation can be observed
havo their axis tilted in the same way, though
not at the same angle, and, tbe more tho axis
inclines from tbe perpendicular, tho more ex
treme aro the seasons.
Let us now see tbe circumstances in which
the earth is placed at the four times in the year
which mark the limits of tbe reasons viz.:
March 2a 1 une 21, Seotember 22 and December
2L On March 20 the earth is at the Vernal
Equinox and spring begins. At this timo the
days and nights are equal In length tbe world
over. Tho sun is shining vertically upon the
earth's equator, and is traveling north.
On June 21 he bas reached bis greatest north
ern limit. 23 north, and shines vertically
down upon the Tropiclof Cancer, named from
tbe sign of tbe Zodiac tbe sun Is in at this time.
This position is called tbe Summer Solstice, or
sun standing, because tbe sun here reverses his
motion and goes south. Summer now com
mences. Three months later on the earth has gone
around another quarter, and the sun is again
over the equator. This time we have the Au
tumnal Equinox, and autumn begins.
The Comlnjr of Winter.
When the earth bas made another quarter
round the sun has reached the Winter Solstice,
when he is 2 south of the equator, and
shining vertically upon the Tropic of Capricorn,
so named from the sign Capricornus. in which
tbe sun is at tbe time. This marks the begin
ning ot summer for tbe Southern hemisphere,
and of winter for the Northern. Of coarse it
will be seen that the son's greatest distance
ooutu enouia do in tne miaaie oi tne winter in
stead of at tbe beginning, but tbe seasons lag
behind the sun's influence to such an extent
that this arbitrary arrangement does very well.
The sun's apparent diameter on the 15th is
33' 6" corresponding to a distance of 90,880,000
miles. He rises on the 21st. the shortest day in
tbe year, at 7:42, and sets 4:55, making the day's
length 9 hours and 13 minutes.
The Son Eclipsed.
Tbe sun will suffer an eclipse on the 22d. Tbe
total phase will be visible along a belt ot coun
try less tban a hundred miles broad, extending
from tho east coast of Africa, across the conti
nent, across tbe South Atlantic, and justgraz
ing tbe northern coast ot Sonth America. Tbe
partial eclipse win bo visible over a much
greater area, but none of tbe eclipse will be
visible here. A party of American astronomers
has gone to St. Paul de Loando, on tho west
coast of Africa to observe tho eclipse, in chargo
of Prof. David P. Todd.
Very valuable information will without doubt
be obtained, if tbe weather prove favorable on
tbe eventful day. A circumstance which
is quite doubtful.
The Grecian mythology certainly deserves
the credit for the desicnations of a creat m.inv
of the constellations, but tbe Roman bas fur
nisbed, with one exception, tho names for tho
major planets, and they aro as well chosen as
they could be, from what was known of tbe
planets when they received their names. Mer
cury, the nearest known planet to tbe sun. bas
consequently the swiftest motion, combined
with the smallest orbit, which it gets around in
only 88 days. It was this remarkable celerity
of movement doubtless which suggested that
tbe name of Mercury, tho swift messenger of
the gods, be given to tho planet. In the early
part of last month be was morning star; on tho
7th of the present month he passes to tbe east
ern sldo ot the sun and becomes evening star.
On the last day of tbe year be Bets at 6 o'clock,
one hour after the snn. Ho will bo better seen
in tho early part ot January.
The Benutlfnl Yonns.
Venus, the most beautiful of all the planets
to the unassisted eye, and tho one which apears
worst of all in tbe telescope if the instrument
have any defect, is still morning star, but will
soon go tbe way of all planets, and loso herself
in tbe sun's effulgence. On tbe last day of the
year sho rises at about 7 o'clock, only three-
Suarters of an bour before his solar majesty,
ter diameter is about 10" and the phase nearly
full.
Mars is morning star, and rises at 2.30 A. K.
on tho 5th; on the 25th ho rises at 2 A. it. Ills
diameter Is 5".ti. lie is in the constellation
"Virgo, moving eastward. On the 8th he is 20
South of tho fourth magnitude star Theta, and
on tbo loth o" directly JNortn or Spica, tbe prin
cipal star of the constellation. He may be very
readily recognized by the red color, for which
he very appropriately receivod the name of tbe
Roman God of War.
The Frlnco of Planets.
Jupiter, the prince of planets, will soon be
seen no more in tho evening skies. He gets
nearer and nearer tbo snn, on tbe 31st setting
at 6:47 P. Jr., only three-quarters ot an hour
after tho sun. His apparent diameter is 81"
and bo is in tho constellation Saggltarius.
Saturn is morning star, but is rapidly getting
into good position for observation in the ovon
ing. On the first of the month bo rises at 11:1b'
I'. 31., and rises about four minutes earlier each
succeeding evening, so that by the end of the
month bo rises abuut 0.15 P. M. The planet re
mains almost stationary, varying in position
only a few minutes of aro during the cutire
montb. His right aconsiou is 10b. 25m., and
his declination 11 3fi' nurtb. He is in tbe con
stellation Leo, abont 5 east of Rogulus.
The rings of Saturn wero ''open" widest In
1885, Le., iu that J ear tho plaue of the rings
mado the greatest anglo with the line of sight.
Sinco then, as the planet bas been moving on
in bis orbit, the augle has been getting less
until in the oi oscnt month it is only 8. It will
decrease until it is below zero, or in other
words, instead of seeing tho sido of the rings as
we do now, tho edge only can bo seen, and as the
rings aro not over 100 miles thick, it will ro
quiro a very powerful telescope to seo anything
at all of them.
Urnnns nnd Neptanc.
Uranus at his best is jast visible to tbe unas
sisted eye. He is now morning star, rising
about 3 a. ir, on tbo first of tbe month and
about 1 A. V. on tbe 31st. His. right ascension
fsl3h 30 ra and his declination 02b south.
Ho may bo found about CP east and If north of
Splca, in the constellation Virgo. He maybe
confounded with a sixth magnitude star which
Is about a degree north of tbo planet, but a
good sized telescope, magnifying jay 150 diame
ters will readily show his planetary disc, alto
gether different from a fixed star in appear
ance. His apparent diameter S".fl multiplied
by 150 gives 0' as bis diameter iu a telescope of
snch a magnifying power, or nearly one-third
of tbe moon's diameter.
Neptune is evening star, crossing the merid
ian at 11 P. ar. on tbe 11th and at 10 P. it. on the
20th. Ho is In tbe constellation Taurus, mid
way between tho nyaaes and i"ielae, in right
ascension 4h3 in and declination W north.
The moon gets full on tbe 7tb Luna is a very
steady citizen, raiely getting full more than
once a month, although frequently staying out
till morniug. The moon is new again on tbe
morning of the 23a. BertE-V- Lutt.
CHINESE WASOEES' UNION.
Lanndrymsn Farm a Combination and Fix
iho Scale of Wages.
rSrECTAL TM.BGB4.M TO TH PISPATC.t
New York, December L Tbe nine
"tongues," or Chinese laundry companies,
which havo controlled the business of this city,
Brooklyn and Jersey City, met at their Soon Fa
Goon Soo Hall, 16 Mott street, this afternoon,
to conclude tbeir formal combination. Such a
conglomeration of boss washers was never be
fore seen at a single meeting. Laundrymen
from the three cities filled tbe stairway leading
to the top floor of the building, and the joss
room, where the meeting was held, was Jammed
all the afternoon.
Bach laundry belonelng to the union will pay
$5 a year, nnd anyone with a card of member
ship may be employed by any laundry at union
rales, which are tS a dav ami board, In the win
ter, nun 83 aliy In summer.
Itnrrly Poolblr.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer,
It beclns'to look as If New York would tie
all ready for aworld'srfafr in another hundred
yearavi.., . ,
- A GREAT TBIPLE KOMBEE.
Abnndanco of Good Literature hi Yester
dny's 20-Pge DUpatcb.
Th e brightest and best of literary matter, to
gether with the complete news of the day, in
its most interesting form, mado up the contents
of the mammoth triple issue of The Dispatch
published yesterday. Thousands ot readers se
cured for 5 cents a quantity of good, whole
some reading matter sufficient to fill a volume.
Tbe number who find such an investment
profitable and exceedingly satisfactory is great
and steadily growing greater.
Thomas B. Reed, of Maine, was nominated
for Speaker of tho House on tbe second ballot
In tbe Republican caucus. Mcpherson was
selected for clerk and Adams for doorkeeper.
A fire in Minneapolis destroyed the Tribune
newspapor office. Five or six persons, cut off
from escape, perished in the burning building.
Three tons of nltro glycerine exploded at Oil
City, wrecking buildings and killing two
men. Two boys are missing, and
are supposed to have been 'killed.
Goneral J. B. Qordon, of Georgia, was given a
hearty reception at Chicago. Jefferson Davis
is very weak, and tbere are no prospects of bU
recovery. At Lone Island City, N. Y two men
claim to be married to tbe same woman, and
each is threatening to shoot tbe other. Phil
Armour testified before the Senate Investi
gating Committed regarding the dressed beef
combination. Prosecuting Attorney Long
eneckcr delivered an able argument before tho
Cronln lury, and Judge Wing began his plea
for the prisoners. The United States Court at
Salt Lake City has refused to naturalize Mor
mons, holding that their church is a treason
able organization. A romantic story Is told in
a telegram from Brooklyn concerning the wife
of an Anarchist, now 1 lng dangerously 111 in a
hospital.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edin
burgh have been quarreling, and the Queen
read them a lecture. The trials of royalty are
numerous at present. Sir Morell Mackenzie
bas written a magazine article, makine a bitter
attack on tbe physicians of the Royal College,
.charging them with not knowing what tbey are
talking about. Tbe German Government con
tinues to worry over the political status of
Brazil. An outbreak is considered probable in
Portugal
n.
The Schaarschmldt-Levy concert took place
without much warfare. Madam Linde being
permitted to give a special set of numbers
after the regular programme was finished. Mr.
Wright, the Intended husband of tbe singer,
wrote a letter, full of emphatic declarations.
to Mr. Levy, threatening to kill him If he mis
treated Madam Linde. J. M. Kelly has left
the Executive Board of tbe Trades Council.
The charges of Edward Callagban against
T. V. Powderiy and others having collapsed, no
suit will be brousht. Tho depositors' commit
tee of the Lawrence Bank started yesterday
lor Harnsbnrg to consult the Auditor General..
James L. Orr was convicted in tbe Criminal
Court of the crime charged against him.
The sixth page was devoted to news and
gossip about baseball and other matters of in
terest to tbe sporting fraternity,
in.
Farts second and third (pages 9 to 20), con
tained the following choice fictloni'The Chate
laine of Burnt Ridge," by Bret Harte; the con
tinuation of "Joshua," Pro George Ebcrs; "A
Husking Romance," Laurel, and "Qebhardt,
the Glutton," Ernest H. Heinrichs. Wales
sketches amnslng scenes and incidents at the
Pittsburg Postofllce. Tbo story of "Joe's In
dian Fight" was entertainingly told by McFar
land. A column from the pen of T. J. Fitzger
ald on "Tbo Law's Oddities," was full of inter
est. Frank G. Carpenter contributed a letter
.from Washington, sketching in his felicitous
manner tbe principal candidates for Speaker
of the House. Mary J. Holmes wrote of
'Woman's Ideal Man" and Joseph Hatton ot
"Life's Great Play." Other papers of special
interest were contributed by Mrs. Lynn Lin
ton, Edward Payson Evans, J. H. Hatton, L.
F.Seniza, a D. Hughes, Clara Belle, AClergy
man, Searight, Bessie Bramble, Bumbalo, B. F.
Walsh, D. M. Kay, Rev. George Hodges, R.
W. Sboppell and others.
CE0WS AS WEATHEE PEOPHETS.
The Birds Retire to a Sheltered Piaco When
a Storm Is Comlnsr.
Jere Hill.an old character who lives In a small
bonse on tho northern part of tho Island, has
found new use for; tbe crows says an Omaha
letter to the New York Tribune. A long and
pers:stcnt study of their habits and instincts
has convinced him that the crow is the
most competent and reliable weather prophet
in existence. Hill told the writer a short
time ago that ho could tell what tho weather
was going to be 24 or 48 hours ahead as easily
as though he had the f nil Signal Service re
ports. In fact, be says be has surer inf orma-.
tlon than the Slcnal Service men, for they
frequently err, while his crows never fail to
tell the truth.
"Why," said he, "every time we nave a cold
east storm you will see these crows rise up in a
body and take themselves nver tho hill yonder
into the sheltered -Papto Valley, and they will
remain there until the backbone of tho storm
is broken and then come back, telling me that
clearing weather is at band. If there Is a cold
sleet or snow storm coming from tbe West or
Northwest, they will move across tho river and
take uu quarters on tbo east side of the Iowa
blntfs.
"The other day, before wo bad that frost, I
noticed the crows fluttering around in a pecu
liar manner, and just before sunset they moved
over to the swamp along unt-uu ijage. i at
onco knew that there was going to be colder
weather, and the crows were seeking a warmer
place near the water. They bavo plenty of
other ways of telling me what to expect in tho
way of weather, andreally I havo got so used
to tbcm that I would be lost if they were to
move their quarters."
AN DNUSOAIi OCCUPATION.
A New York Sinn Who Stokes a Living by
Waking Folks Up.
From tbo Mew York Sun.l
"There's a man who has got a job which will
keep him comfortable during bis old age," said
a Twelfth procinct policeman to a reporter
early yesterday morning. The speaker was
standing nt the corner of Grand and Pitt
street. The man whom he pointed out was a
short, stout person, whose gray hair and mus
tache gava evidence of his being closo to 60
years of age. Ho was walking along Grand
street.
"What does ho do?" asked tbo reporter.
"Well, I'll tell you his history. He was a
mechanic who got out of a job about two years
ago. Being used to rising early, he kept it up.
though out of work. A bartender living In his
house asked the old man to wake bim every
morning. He consented, and continued to do
so for a week or more, when tho bartender ex
plained to a milkman how he managed to get
out of bed on time. The milkman was a late
riser, and be sot tho old man to wake bim up
also. It was not long before tho, milkman told
a drowsy butcber of tbe scheme, and the old
man had another customer. The old man got
paid from each man, and reports of bis relia.
bllity having got around among those who had
to get up early, he soon bad over a dozen cus
tomers. He now bas enouch men to keep bim
f:oing all night. He bas never been known to
ct a man sleep after the time when he bad to
get up. For, as he sys himself, 'the man
might lose his job. and if ha does I loss a cus
tomer.' He carries a policeman's night stick
and a huge bunch of keys."
XBI-STATB TRIFLES.
A Reapcto girl postponed her wedding be
cause she was unabls to secure the white
horses owned by a certain liveryman for tbe
date she bad fixed. Tbe animals are in great
demand for weddings, and are said to bring
luck to tbe bride.
Soke sasguineBerks couuty people still hope
to find natural gas within tbe county lines.
Geosqe P. Gansteii, a mechanlo of Read
ing, has inronted a clockwork arrangement for
street lamps which turos oil the lights when the
moon is up, and starts them on again as the
luminary disappears.
The passengers on an Ohio railroad train
were almost overpowered on Friday night by
tbe scent from a skunk which tbe train had run
oyer.
A, WheelisO man who recently moved from
one house to another, found in a closet of his
new residence a coat with 135 in a roll in tbe
inside pocket.
A crrizEjr of Warren, 0 claims that two
ghosts met him on the street one evening. Ha
recognized both as friends long dead.
Os toe summit of MottBtPenn, which over
looks Reading, a sumacr resort -will beettab-J-lUfted
CUKIOUB COHDE5SATI02,S.i
Uncle Jerome Smith, of Lovington,
Mo.. Is 81 years old. He has been married
Ibree times and is now looking for a fourth
wife.
The will of the Indiana man who left
$35,000 to found a home for old maids has been
declared invalid by the Court, the testator hav
ing been of unsound mind.
Frank Erb. of Cunningham, Mo., 90
years old, recently won a prize at a shooting
SI w , Sf8 ? tto be,t marksmen tn the State
being among the contestants.
Jane Detheridge. of KingstonTamaica,
Lf8ed, OT offersof marriage. Jane has
ih'?S wTnii",11 "'rt- She does not think
moVfv husband who cares only for her
Mrs. Elizabeth Webb, who died at Kal
amazoo last week, ag.dSI. is believed, to have
been the oldest member of the Methodist
S,.',n?inh.0iirea's or membership In the
country. She had been a communicant for 83
William Arendtand Mrs. Susan Iseley
were married the other day in tho Dickinson
?SSnt3r',KAD-' Por house. The groom IsTOand
tbo bride C7 years old. It is comforting ta hear
a wedding occasionally to which no suspicion
of mercenary motives attaches. "
A Pittsford, Mich., man has jnst ab
stained front swallowing food for 53 consecu
tive days, and still lives. It wasn't because he
had nothing to eat, either, but because he had
paralysitof the neck. He is belter now. and
ate a big turkey dinner Tbanksgivin- Dayl
About two months ago Mrs. Ed Wea
sels, of Frost, Clare county. Mich, moved to
Tennessee. She took her dos with her. but lost
i.u viucmnau. a lew aays ago the dog maae
its appearance at the old home in Frost, a good
bit the worse for wear, but happy to cet home.
How did the dog find its way backr
Dr. A. "Worden, of Petoskey, Mich., has
invented a novel rar trap. Itrun3 with a spring,
and as fast as tho rodents aro captured they are
thrown into a barrel or other receptacle. On a
trial trip the other night tbe doctor's slaver
canghtlS rats, and Petoskey lolks will now
form a stock company and mauuf acture the
traps.
At Crawfordsville, Ind., the other day,
the members of tbe City School Board pre
sented Miss Nellie Contant with a handsome
set of Tennyson's works. Miss Constant at
tended the Crawfordsviile schools for eleven
years without being absent or tardy a. single
time, and the presentation was made on that
occount.
The old gunboat Condor, which under
the command of Lord Charles Beresford. did
such efficient service at the bombardment of
Alexandria, has been condemned and sold. The
Condor will be broken up for the old Iron that
is iu her. Lord Beresford takes command of
the cruiser Undaunted and will do duty in the
A young lady of Augusta. Me., has re
ceived a bill amounting to over $100 that tells a
Uttle history. The bill came from Peter Clark,
of New York, and in it she Is charged with 22
yarus of silk dress goods, two gold bracelets
worth HO, one diamond ring; a hat -and several
other items. Clark was a rejected suitor of
tho lady, who claims that the above named
articles were presents from him.
A "coal palace," 150x300 feet and
three stories high, is to be erected in East St
Louis. This palace will be a decidedly novel
structure. Tbe coal companies will furnish tbe
material for the superstructure black coal of
every kind, and wrought ont fcy saw. by
mason's hammer, and imo arttstfc forms by the
carver's chisel. The first floor will be polished
coal, and pillars of coal will support the floor
coal, coaf everywhere. Tne purpose of the
bnilding will be to continually exhibit the agri
cultural and mineral products of Southern
Illinois.
There is a pretty little wild flower com
mon to Oregon and' Washington, that blooms
much earlier than any other. It is tbe "Feb
ruary Flower" (Syntbycis Houghtoniana.)
This Interesting plant never fails to pat forth
its pretty blue racemes early in February,
and in sunny nooks it often anticipates that
time, and opens In January. It is found abund
antly in that region, but, like tbe iorelv ar
butus of the East, seems somewhat capricious
in its choice of a home, large spaces beinc lit-
erally carpeted with it, while others near, and
seeming equally favorable, present not a
single specimen.
I Mr. Jack Geiger, who is teaching school
at Clay Hill, near Highland, Fix. was attracted
by the cries of some of his pupils tbe other day,
and proceeded to ascertain the cause of their
alarm. It proved to be a monster rattlesnake.
Jack got a pole and struck at tho snake, but tne-
Sole broke, the impetus ot tbe blow throwing
ack, who has but one leg, down to the ground. (
The snake struck at him and barely missed bis
ear, and before tho snake could strike again
Jack had rolled out of danger. The snake was
killed, and measured 5 feet 11 laches In length,
and bad 11 rattles and a button.
A party encamped near Jeannetfa, Tex.,
witnessed a phantom lynching the other night.
Two men dreamed of seeing men strung up by
a mob and awaking related their experience.
As they discussed it, some ono observing that
the Tground was very damp, put out bis hand
and rubbed it lightly over tbe short, coarse
prairie grass, remarking as be did so that it
was th heaviest fall of dew ho had ever seen.
But as he raised bis hand, to the horror of the
party, the light of the fire showed it to be drip
ping with what looked most sickeninglylike
blood. On investigation this bloody dew was
found thick and viscid all under the tree be
neath which they sat. They broke camp and
departed in hast?. On looking back tbey saw
three ghostly corpses dangling from the tree
under which they bad been camping. Return
ing tne ncxtaay tney discovered no trace of
tbe specters, but on talking with an old hunter
learned that three men had been hanged on the
tree for cattle stealing away back in the aVs.
Plainfield, Ind., has a genuine sensa-
tlon in the belief among tho superstitious that
a house owned by Mrs. Susan Morrison, and oc
cupied by William Hornaday and family, is
haunted by an apparition which bears a resem
blance to a man without a head. This belief
bas been current among a few for some time,
but it was-4.ept quiet so as not to injure the sale
of tbe property. Mr. Hornaday and family re
port that lamps are lighted and extinguished,
articles of furniture are moved about and dis
arranged, and members ot the family are an
noyed at night by having tbe bed clothing
whisked off them while asleep, etc. Ellis Jes
sup formerly owned the bouse, and while ho
will not say it is haunted, be reports tha if any
one will live tbere as he did, they will observe
some very strange things. Families heretofore
tenants of the property corroborate much that
is said of the supernatural visitations, and give
this as the reason why tbey vacated so
promptly.
THE LAUGHING PHILOSOPHERS.
Bounced. "How did yon come out in
your Interview with Miss Bullion's father?"
Through thewlndow." JfeioXork Commtrcial
AdvtrtUer.
Mr. Newlytied I can see that baby will
be a great society leader when he grows up.
Mrs. Newly tied (dellKbted)-O, do your Why?
Mr. Mewiytled He gtves a ball every night.
Toledo Blade.'
She (between the acts) Where are you.
going?
He Ont to see a man for a moment.
She Is be going to bny It, or are jonl Phila
delphia Inquirer.
"I saw a curious freak of nature yester
day." 'What was it?"
"A Philadelphia man with insomnls."-.vj
Tor Evening Bun.
Guest Waiter, bring me a cup of coffee.
"Walter-How will you have It, sir; weak or
strong?
tinest-J'd like it weak, but not week after
next. Hurry it up. Texas Slfttngt.
DEPENDS ON HI3 RECORD.
"Does Richard 'smoke as much as he
Did years age?" J said,
"I really cannot say, " said she.
For Dick, you know. Is dead."
JVne Xort Evening Sun.
A man who was deeply in debt was sick
unto death.
"Ah,"besUhed, 'Iflcould only live until I"
had paid off my deb ts. "
'llumTih!'' metrer! tho ifiytr. Mnntlr. "voa
want to live forever, do you?" Texas Siftingi.
The Hartford Courant lays it down as a
general rule that the carver of the turker always
gets the best pieces, while those lor whom he
carves get jnst what they don't want. Such a per
son may be called a carver down In Connecticut.
In other sectlousbe Is usually called ahog. Boston
Herald.
Keligion, Politics, or War,
Agitate not the world at present;
There ts one all-absorbing question
That 'wakens thoughts both sad and pleasant;
It Is " Where Is the cheapest place
To buy a decent Christmas present?"
Texas Sittings.
Common Sene Wanted. Tho railroad
which will adopt the Idea or njlng weights on the
window lashes of the cars, so that they may run
up and down freely, as In our dwellings, may
never pay a dividend to stockholders, bat ejsry
pssttagex will advertise the line from Maine to
Texas as exhibiting common scnie.-Ujtroft'iYj.
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