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PiTTHBUBQ. MONDAY, DEC. 23. 1S8SL
QTJEIXIHG A PANIC.
Thcnarrow escape vfrom a panic at the
dedication of a Catholic church at Char
tiers yesterday, mast be credited to the
presence of mind and authority of those
who restored the frightened people to their
senses and induced them to resume their
seats and continue with the services.
The incident shows how senseless panics
usually are. .Even with a more tangible
cause for fright than was present at the
Johnstown disaster, the sole danger of this
audience was from its own loss of reason.
"With the fright quelled the danger was
past, Even where there is real danger the
outbreak of panic only aggravates it, both
by the reckless trampling and by the delay
which it is sure to produce in the attempt to
getaway.
This danger was happily averted ia this
case; but there seems to be reason for
searching investigation as to who Is re
sponsible for a building of a kind which lets
the floor of a naw church settle four inches
the first time it is crowded by a large congre
gation. BEAVEE YAUEY AHD THE CAHAL.
Our correspondence on the ship canal
project, in this issue, deals with the en
gineering difficulties presented in the
Beaver Valley, and the relation of the pro
ject to the industries of that thriving
lorality. It is probable that the crowded
condition of the river banks at New
Brighton and Beaver Falls would make
that the most expensive section of the canal;
but that feature has its compensation in the
recognition by the business men there, of
the importance of the project, ana tneir
willingness to give it reasonable aid in
securing the rights of way. The Beaver
Valley is an important manufacturing
locality now, but its magnitude would be
immensely enhanced by opening a free
waterway through it, connecting the rivers
and lakes.
THE 1TGINTY SUPEESTITIOir.
Popular crates are rarely tempered with
any noticeable degree of discretion or good
judgment, but the prevailing one is so
superior to any alloy of these qualities as to
be somewhat remarkable. "We refer to the
superstition which has gained a universal,
and, let us hope, a fleeting sway, that to
make any remark which introduces the
Hibernian name of McGinty, is uproariously
funny.
McGinty has eclipsed the obnoxious Tom
Collins of a dozen years ago, in ubiquity
and irrelevance. The original variety song
which gave him fame may be hnmorous,
although the taste for wit of the audiences
which first approved of it is not to be"ini
plicitly relied on. But if any one can dis
cover the element ol humor in the catches
such as to wish it would rain, "in order to
wash the dust off McGinty," or to do
as a crowd at a magic lantern performance
the other day, is reported to have done,
simply resort to a shout for "McGinty,
McGinty," he deserves a medal for his tal
ent at perceiving what does not exist. So
when an esteemed itew York cotemporary
took the trouble to send a reporter around to
interview all the actual McGintys ot the
metropolis, it requires a keen sense of humor
to perceive the humor of it
If McGinty really at the bottom of the
sea, a great many people will be able to im
prove the characters for wit, by letting
him rest there.
f THE PRIME OBJECT.
One of the striking features of collegiate
athletics brought to public notice bjjthe
controversy over the strained relations
of "Harvard and Princeton, concern
ing the great inter-collegiate issue
of football, is the fact that scholarships
have been offered by one of those institu
tions as an inducement to desirable men for
members of the football team. This is a
striking indication of the modern view of
the purpose of educational endowments.
Scholarships were originally intended to
help young men to classical educations.
Sow it appears they are used to qualify
them 'for winning glory upon the stricken
fields, where the possession of a bag of wind
is the prize fought for. The advance ot ath
letic sports from their true position as re
laxation to that of a prime object in life is
a remarkable feature of the day.
, A BEAK MARKET OK TITLES.
It teems, according to the latest reports
from Pans, that Miss Caldwell and Prince
Mnrat have come to terms. The princely
wooer has made a strenuous effort to obtain
the fanciest of prices for himself; but owing
to the absence, of competition in the prince
market, he las been compelled to come
down to"he price ot the sole bnyer. On
the other hand the lady was in the market
for actual purchase. She is cot buying for
speculation; bat will take her title out of
the market for actual consumption. There
fore it it fair to conclude that the market
value of a sot at all ancient title, encum
beredwith1 a rather disreputable incumbent,
is about (10,000 a year and found.
The entire transaction bears a strong re
semblance to what travelers tell us of the
manner in which shopping it conducted in
the East Yoninspectanarticleintne bazaars,
of Constantinople, and on asking the price
are told that it it a hundred piastres. Yon
contemptuously offer ten piastres; whereat
the merchant sn atches the article from you,
only to ofierit to yon at ninety, just as you
are turning away. The operation St re
peated, with a reduction of the price to
eighty, seventy and so on down until you
finally raise your bid to fifteen, and -the
merchant letsyon have it, protesting that
he is ruined. On taking your purchase
home and submitting it to experts you find
that yon have got -something, the market
price of which is about half what you have
paid.
This sort of chaffering is generally con
sidered ridiculous by Occidental civiliza
tion; hut since It hat been Indulged in by a
representative of French aristocracy and an
.American heiress, it cannot longer be
laughed at It has .enabled Miss Caldwell
to bufher prince at her -own terms; and
upon inspecting her purchase in the leisure
of her home life, she will discover that what
ever she paid tor him, he is not worth it
THE ANTHRACITE SHUTDOWN.
The shutdown of the anthracite coal
mines, which goes into effect to-day, may be
largely charged to the combination policy.
It is probably true that the open winter has
lessened the demand for anthracite coal and
accumulated surplus stocks at the present
prices. But the same causes affect the bitu
minous mines ot this section just as much,
and the difference between competitive busi
ness and the combination policy is shown
by the fact that our river mines have just
started np after conceding the miners an ad
vance in wages.
The inference is, therefore, that the shut
down in the anthracite regions, by which
25,000 men will be thrown idle in the mid
dle of winter, is a resort to the old method
of restricting production in order to. main
tain high prices for coaL, The Christmas
gitt of the combined corporations to the
public it idleness and cessation of wages for
the miners, and high-priced fuel for the
workers of the East, in order that the coal
operators may be rescued from the disagree
able necessity of stimulating production by
narrowing their margins for profit, and the
anthracite coal roads from reducing their
rates so as to squeeze the water out of their
stocks.
Such a course of commerce is not within
the ethics of legitimate trade, which regu
lates every act to secure the greatest advan
tage to all parties. It is according to the
ethics of oppression, which operates to bur
den the public in order to secure the great
est profits to a favored class.
BALLOT EEF0BM COUHTG.
It is generally agreed by both parties
where the Australian system of voting has
been fried that it contributes materially to
the honesty and purity of elections. This
kind of ballot reform has sow passed be
yond the experimental stage, and there it
more or less consideration of its extension
over the whole country. Some such reform
hat been rendered necessary by the bribery
and corruption which of a certainty pre
vailed in many places at the last Presiden
tal election. The people a,re eager to hear
more of the Australian system, and a great
many politicians appear to have discovered
that their opposition to the reform could not
stay its progress.
But there is an opposition to the general
adoption of the Anstralian system of voting,
the inspiration of which wonld seem to
come from a combination of corporate and
moss-back political interests. Prom one di
rection we find the complaint arising that
the Democratic party suffered whereverthe
new system of voting was used. This it
not true in the first place, and, if it were, a
party nnable to comply with the rndimental
requirements ot the new ballot law, as ap
plied in Massachusetts, ought to suffer. It
will be for the good of all parties and all
voters to have clean, honestly conducted
elections, and any reform which assists in in
suring this most desirable result will find
favor with the people generally, if sot with
the men who live on politics.
TJndeb the interposition of other, and
possibly more important, political events, it
has nearly been forgotten that the nation is
as far as ever from finding out who was elected
as Governor of West Virrfnia, Governor
"Wilson, whose term expired nearly a year ago,
still holds on to the office; while Governor Goff
and Governor Fleming are each trying to get
the place to which only one of them Is en
titled. West Virginia Is an illustration of the
surest way to wreck popular Government
The direct tax refunding bill is an
nounced to be slated for an early passage in
this Congress. This will reduce the surplus if
passed, but it will also males Mr. Oates get np
and howl in a way that may scare the measure
off the track.
Mb. Keeley has again been explaining
to a gathering of bis Philadelphia friends that
his motor will mote. The fact that be said so
ten years ago, might be held to discredit his as
sertion now in another city. But the Philadel
phia idea regards It as quite proper that it
should require fifteen or twenty years more to
get up a mere motor.
Mb. McKXKLET is reported to be am
bitions of reporting the shortest tariff revision
bill on record. It he succeeds in making the
shortest debate on the tariff, as well, the nation
will forgive him.
Tee young woman of Huntington, "VF.
Va., who deluged her recreant lover with a
kettle of boiling water bas possibly furnished
him with a valid excuse for failing to come to
time and marry her. The promise of hot water
in married life, furnished by this act It too
tangible for a cautious man to ignore.
The killing of deer within ten miles of the
city, which was probably a stray from the wilds
of Clarion county. Is an unnsual occurrence of
sufficient interest tn condone a fracture of the
game laws.
Speaker Reed is reported to be un
packinc his heart with sarcasms at tho expense
of the President The outspokenness of the
statesmen who hwe not got the offices they
wanted is something phenomenal. Who re
marked that the possession ot patronage
strengthens a partyJ
The two weeks' vacation for the Congress
men give our legislators a chance to enjoy a
long holiday before they have done any work
worth mentioning.
Sekatob Chandi.ee and the Hon.
John ft Thomas are determined to crush each
other's ambition to be regarded as the dry-
Tiurse of the new navy. If their fight has the
same outcome as the battle or the Kilkenny
cats, the navy may congratulate itself on its
good fortune.
Still the Weather Bureau falls in its
efforts to give us cold wave enough to relievo
us ot the fear of a green Christmas.
Mb. Edwabd Bellamy wishes to re
form society so as to make women Independent
of men for their means ot support The titled
husbands ot American heiresses will not ob
ject provided he does not disturb the depend
ence ot husbands on the fortunes of their rich
wives.
KEAELT ALL CAN GU HOME.
A Long Holiday Recess Warmly Welcomed
br Congressmen.
' FEOM A STAJT COBBESFOXSRrr.l
WASEIS6T0K, December 22. The long
recess from December 21 to January ft, one of
the longest holiday recesses on record, has
given opportunity for Congressmen living at a
distance to go home and remain therofor
both Christmas and New Year's turkey, and a
great majority of tbe members have either
already taken advantage of it or are about to
do so. Scores ot them shouldered their grip
sacks and took train to-day, and among them
were nearly all of tbe Pennsylvania members
who are not established here with their
families.
A very quiet holiday season it expected,
which will be somewhat heightened in dullness
by the mourninc doom which pervades the
Executive Mansion, and wlich will make the
New Year reception, usually tbe one really
brilliant affair ot the holidays, as sub
dued and formal at possible. Hundreds
ot tbe accustomed crowd of that
day will remain away, either because
Mrs. Harrison will not be seen, ont of respect
for her mourning, and as the White House at
motphere affectt society at large, holiday fes"
tivittes in general, like politicaland legislative
affairs. Are expected to be very tame compared
with other recent years.
A GRAND NUMBER,
Yesterday's Twenty-Page Dispatch
Most
Excellent In Every Way. .-
Tns Dispatch yesterday gave its readers SO
pages of amusing, interesting and instructive
reading matter. It was an intellectual least,
from which no one could arise hungry, inas
much as the tastes and likings ot all were con
sidered and gratified.
The cable news told of the terrible Influenza
plagne which rages across tbe water. The
most exalted persons are sufferers, and even
the great Kaiser is not exempt The London
Globe warns England to treat Canada gently.
A creat reception at Albert Hall,' London, has
.been prepared for Stanley and Emln Pasha, I
One of the American dynamiters in Chatham
jail very nearly effected his escape. Young
Abraham Lincoln Is pronounced out ot danger.
A rising In Portugal is looked forward to.
Lord Salisbury still maintains his position in
regard to that kingdom.
It is said that Calvin Brice will be barred
from the Ohio Senatorsbip on account of his
being a New York citizen. A- prominent
Gotham Chinaman has skipped with $20,000 and
&t beautiful white girL, Ex-Congreumad Scott
is said to be booming Congressman Mutchler's
chances for Governor ot .Pennsylvania.
Speaker Beed bas published bis list of House
committeemen, and Pennsylvania fares ex
cellently. Juryman Culver stands up f orchis
opinion in the Cronin case. He holds that
Longoneckcr was a great deal too officious.
Another Yale freshman has been led into mat;
rlmonyoy one of the college widows. A China
man in Manitoba was soundly flogged for bis
sins. Ex-President 'Cleveland addressed the
Cornell University Club with wit and elo
quence. n.
Quite an amount of information has been
gathered by The Dispatch anent tbe ru
mored Pennsylvania Railroad deal in Cherry
alley property. A number of candidates for
the suburban postoffices are out on the war
path. Plucky Officer John Roach succeeded
in arresting a notorious tough after a fierce
fight The Fidelity Titlejuid Trust Company,
as assignee, proposes -to make debtors of the
LawrenceBank hustle. Postmaster McKean
has been banqueted by bis friends. A move
ment has been started to organize a new bank
in Lawrencevflle. H. C. Frick and tho Park
Pros, are back of the scheme, it it said.
Pringle't usual weekly review of sports Is
very complete. fcThe champion pedestrians la
Pittsbnrg are now ready for tho big 74-hour
contest The Brotherhood hat succeeded in
gaining a charter, after a hot legal fight.
Other sporting news and much gossip also
appear.
m.
Christmas under other skies Is treated by S.
S. Skidelsky, Kelly, and others. An excellent
article on the Chinese frontier is from thfi pen
of Henry Norman. Brenan describes the art
and process of etcbipg. Mrs. Harrison, Mrs.
Morton, and other ladies of. the Administration,
furnish menus for Christmas dinners. Prof.
J. M. Pryor contributes an interesting arti
cle, contesting Darwin's theory on evolution.
Yule Tide customs are described by F. S. Baa
sett An article on the latest New York "fash
ionable charity" craze is contributed by Clara
Belle. Hon. Henry Hall tells his story of Lon
don's slums with great force and vivacity. Dr.
Talmage and Marion White contribute an in
teresting tale entitled, "Christmas Thrice with
the Hawsleys." The continuation of "Joshua,"
as well as articles by William Edwards, Mrs.
General Custer, Bessie Bramble, James C.
Purdy, Edward Wakefield, Bumbalo, Red
Bird, Log, Rev. George Hodges, and the usual
children's story by Helnrtchs, are some other
noticeable features of the second and third
parts ot this great paper.
PEOPLE ,0F PROMINENCE.
Queen Victoria admires American oysters.
A dozen barrels were shipped to her the other
day.
Buonson HowABD. the playwright It going
to Europe at once. He may be absent two or
three years.
Cottnt Thomas A. Emsos says that he
still cares more for-business orders than for
foreign decoration".
Mks Gboveb Cleveland is very fond of
French literature. She spends a great deal of
time In reading Parisian novelists in the orig
inal. Sekatob Morgan, of Alabama; who Is
anxious to have tbe United States recognize
the Republic of Brazil, is a distant relative of
tbe late ex-Governor Morgan, ot this State.
Sats Henry Labouchere in London Truth:
"Of all tbe Jiving Emperors, now that Dom
Pedro bas been retired from the business, the
Emperor of Austria Is the best He Is a decent
well-meaning man, whose chief merit is that he
has snared power with his subjects and quieted
Hungary by giving it borne rule." At the same
time be ought to be abolished.
The late Sir Percy Shelley, son of tbe great
poet was an eccentric creature. Once he asked
a well-known English litterateur to visit him
and promised to show him something ot inter
est The man of letters expected a sight ot the
poet Shelley's manuscripts, and was disap
pointed to find that the Baronet wished bim to
examine a new method of producing stage
thunder he had Invented.
MILK IN THE COCOANDT.
Why an Applicant for Rrnppointment Was
Fonsbt Bitterly.
tTBOV A STAFF COERESrONDEXT.l
Washington, December 22. In regard to
the proposed transfer of the revenue marine to
tbe Nanvy Department, the details of which
were given in these aispatches a few days ago.
tbe following story is given In explanation of
tbe movement: When Senator Chandler, who
is regarded as tbe prime mover in the
proposed transfer measure, was Secretary of
the Navy be ordered an exploration of some
river in the Nortbwestpossessing an outlandish
name. One Clark was at that time chief of
tbe revenue marine division of tbe Treasury,
and hearing of Mr. Chandler's Intention he
wired Instructions to the Captain of a revenue
cutter then stationed on the Pacific coast to
proceed at once to make the same exploration.
Just wby Clark did this no one ever
knew, but It made Chandler hopping
mad. Some time afterward It was
proposed to transfer the revenue cutter service
to the Navy Department and in a report on
the subject Clark was very severs In bis com
ments. Among other things, ho said that the
revenue service was a police service, to protect
the Government from loss through the opera
tions of smugglers, and that as the average
naval officer was a smuggler, it was manifestly
improper to place tbe revenue service under
the charge of naval officers. This report added
fuel, and the inauguration of a war to abolish
tbe present system resulted.
I donel vonch for the truth ot this Story, but
the determined opposition to Clark, who re-1
centlr applied ior appointment to nis oia posi
tion In the Treasury, and who was strongly
supported by Senator Sherman and other dis
tinguished gentlemen, would seem to lend a
plausible air to the narrative.
DEATHS OP A DAY.
Hon. Orsnmos B. MntlUon.
TJnCA, N. Y., December 22.-Hon. Orsatnns B.
Mattlson, of this city, died to-day, aod 84 years.
He was representative in Congress from this dis
trict In the Thirty-flrst, Tnlrty-thlrd, Thlrty
fonrtb and Thirty-fifth Congresses. While In
Congress in 1SS8-S7, Mr. Mattlson was charged with
declaring that a large number of members of Con
gress were purchasable. The affair caused great
excitement in Congress and throogbout tbe coun
try. A reiolutlin ordering his expulsion was of
fered in the House, but alter a long and bluer de
bate it was finally tabled. Before It could be
called up again Mr. Mattlson resigned bis seat
About this time a nnmber of Congressmen and
other prominent persons In tho N ational Hotel In
Washington were poisoned. It was believed to
be a pro-slavery plot to murder President-elect
Buchanan and seat Vice President Breckinridge.
Mr. Mattlson was one of those poisoned and came
very near dying. In fact hit health was affected
Sermaneutly. Daring tbe later years of his life
e engaged In several disastrous business enter
prises, and died comparatively poor.
Benjamin H. Day,
1.EW VonK, December S.-Bcnjamlu HDay,
founder ofthe Sun, died yesterday, at his home,
ES East Twenty-fifth street of old age, in bis 80th
'year. He learned tbe trade of printer In the offlee
of&amnel Bowles, rather of the present pub
lisher of the Springfield, Mass., Republican.
After coming to New rork he was a compositor
on the Evening Pott, Commercial Aatertlier and
other papers, and on Tuesday, (September 3, 1S33,
be Issued from a 12 by 18 room on the ground floor
otm William street the flrst copy of the fun.
He printed It himself, on a ltttle hand press,
capable of doing abont three copies a minute.
Heed Myers Funeral.
Ttiefnnenl services of the latReed Myers, the
well-known contractor on the hill, were held at
bis residence, Uvernlll street yesterdar after
noon. Ke v. J. V. Patterson, of the Sixth Presby
terian Church, delivered an affecting address to
the friends. The mnabers of 'Iron City Lodge 1.
O. O. 7., bad charge of the funeral. Tbs inter
ment took place In the Mlaersvllle Uerraau Ceue-
' . t -
THE CRITIC'S REVIEW.
Mark Twain' Cennectlcat Yankee MItMed
-Tan Improvements Upon Kiss Artbar'a
Time Heroes of tbe Crasades, kb He
role Deeds Abbot' Battle Fields of 'SI
Within tke Bbcpbj's Line, Witch Win
nle nnd-Other Books.
Mark Twain' Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur" Court (Charles L. Webster & Co.) is
a Christmas book. which is not only worth look
ing at but worth reading. And it lsworth
reading not only at Christmas time, but at any
time between the 1st of January and the 31st
of December. Mark Twain has never written
anything better.
There are doll pages in the book a few of
them. By some kfnd ol fatality the nullest
were selected out and printed by way of sample
in the November Century. The choice showed
a good deal more modesty than discretion.
Everything in the book Is better than the chap
ter which was1 given in the Century.
Mark iTwain would have published a better
book it some other Connecticut Yankee, with a
finer sense of literary discrimination, could
have gone over tbe proof-sheets witn a blue
pencil. The bine pencil would not have needed
a second sharpening during the process of re
vision, for It would not have been called intq
very frequent use; but a good, vigorous line
drawn here and there would have made a de
cided improvement It Is not likely that even
a Connecticut Yankee wonld have talked quite
so much entirely Inane slang. Slang is a capital
thing In its way, but it does cet a little wearying
when it adds nothing to the force of what is
said, and when It is dragged out Into pages.
Nevertheless, here fs a good book. A Con
necticut Yankee, resident-in East Hartford,
and employed as superintendent In Colt's gun
factory, gets a stout blow on the side of the
head from a club in the hands ot a striker and
wakes up in the sixfh century in King Ar
thur's Court He finds a condition of things
there which amazes him. The way in which
people live, without windows, without chimneys,
without a hundred things which we account as
among the necessaries of life; the kind ot
clothes which people wear, tbe wretched
tunics of the common folk, the Ingeniously
uncomfortable armor'of tbe knights; the super
stition everywhere prevalent; the cruelty. In
justice, caste-spirit ignorance ot tbe principles
of democracy and political economy these
things Impress the Connecticut Yankee. He
proceeds o introduce the ideas of the nine
teenth century Into the mill Drains oi me
sixth He builds factories, brings in all the
cotemporary Inventions, the telegraph, tbe
telephone, powder and printing. He mounts
Sir Launcelot on a bicycle. He turns the
round table into a stock exchange. He
decorates the armor ot the knights with
such unromantio legends as "Use Peterson's
Prophylactic Tooth Brash All the Go!" He
casts old Merlin Into the shade by his superior
nineteenth century magic The coruscations
are very fanny. The effect Is as if one were to
take Sir Thomas Malory's Mortevd' Arthur and
interleave it with pages from Andrew Car
negie's "Triumphant Democracy," wjth Mark
Twain's notes along tbe margins. The con
trasts that are brought out between old and
new are both amusing and instructive. The
writer it careful to see that tbe instructive
side shall not be overlooked. Mark Twain has
a serious and worthy purpose in this book, to
show what crowns and mitres really mean.and
in what shape they survive men in our cotem
porary life. Something ought to be said in
praise of Mr. Beard's Illustrations. Tbe work
of tbe artist is in its way as good as the work of
tbe-writer. Some of these symbolic pictures
preach very strong sermons indeed. Through
out tbe book the pictures illuminate and, em
phasize the text
An armored knight with a cross upon his
breast bestrides a spirited horse upon tbe cover
of Seroei of the Crusadci (Lee & Shepard; J.
B. Weldin & Co.) Amanda M. Douglas bas
contributed nothing new to the story of that
invasion of the West upon the East The
knights are set forth in tbe conventional way.
Godfrey is the saint and Richard of the Lion
Heart is tbe hero which the schoolbooks pic
ture them. Tbe dark side of tbe character of
the crusades is lightly drawn. It is rather a
pity that some ot the less known but no less
picturesque beroes were not included. The
crusade of tbe children' might have made an in
teresting chapter. That grim and indom
itable old Dandalo, the Doge, deserved
more than a sentenoe or -twoj
The finding of the noly cross at Antioca was a
picturesque incident -"which is more than a
mere passing allusion, It is not likely that one
will get a coherent idea of the real movement
of the crusades from this book. Still, tbe chap
ters are written in a plain, straightforward
way. The -volume is reaaaDie, ana we illustra
tions, from piotures by Dore, are many and
good.
The knights who figure in the pages of Seroei
arid HeroicDeeds(FranklIn PrintingCompany)
''are such as would commend themselves even to
a Connecticut Yankee. Robert Burns, and Rob
ert Emmet and George Washington are the
"uncrowned kings" of whom Mr. A. F. Downs,
Treasurer ot Fayette county, has-chosen to
write. Tbe book is made up of addresses deliv
ered before various audiences, apdnow for the
first time collected. Mr. Downs writes with
strong feeling of the relations between
England and Ireland, reviewing step by step
the progress of misgovernment
Willis J. Abbot In The &aUle Fields of '61
(Dodd. Mead &. Co.: H. Watts A Co.). tells the
story of tbe war up to the end ot tbe peninsular
campaign. He divides the history of the Civil
War into three eras. During the first era the
South was only on the defensive. No man In
gray set his foot onforthern soil. The era be
gan with the bombardment of Sumter, and
ended with tbe disasters of General McClellan.
In tbe second era tbe Sonth carried the war
Into the North. General Lee began It by his
invasion of Maryland. The third era was the
day ot Confederate defeat Its hero
was General Grant The first of these
eras Mr. Abbot has chosen as the
subject for tbis book. He has made a
graphic and Interesting story of it The -uprising
under John Brown, the election of Lin
coln, the bombardment ot Fort Sumter, the
call for troopvtbe Secession of the disaffected
States, the battle of Bnll Ran, the surrender of
Fort Donaldson, the battle of Shllob, the cap
ture of New Orleans, the retreat of McClellan,
are the turning points in the history. The
book is bound in a cot of blue, with a broad
sash of white and gold, and it illustrated with
spirited pictures.
V
The Civil War is in that first stage of
which Mr. Abbot writes, in Oliver Optic's
WlthlnUieEnemi'tLlnetdee 4 Shepard; J.
R, Weldin & Co.). The Confederate soldier
who ventures into the North "within the
enemy's lines" bas a pretty hard time
ot it, and his expedition ends inglori
ously in a mishap which retires Mm
from the scene ot stratagem and spoils. His
cousln.wno figbtl on tho other tlde,has all man
ner of adventures "within tbeenemy's lines" in
tbe Soutb,captures prizes, outwits commanders.
escapes Itom prison uu cuvera mmseu witu
glory. '
i
Several books for girls ate waiting this week
upon tho critic's table. Witch Winnie (White
& Allen; J. E. Weldin & Co.) Is the Story of a
"King's' Daughter." The scene is a boarding
school, where the girls bocomo aware ot the
dreadful condition of life in a tenement house
not far away, and take effective steps to remedy
things. They start tho Home of tbe Elder
Brotber, wbicb seems to be tne book uamo of a
real and most useful institution, the Messiah
Home for Little Children, at 4 Rutherford
place. New York City. There is an interesting
thread of etury. Tbe author is Elizabeth W.
Cbaupney.
Maggie Mradord's Club (F. A. Stokes &
Bro.i J. R. Weldlb cVCo.) found a good name
in "NlcholatNickieby," and called themselves
the "Cheeryble Bistort." They lived in a
boarding i"chooI; aud a very good time they
had, writing poems and compositions, having
their troubles and secrets and frolics. A mis
chievous monkey plays an interesting part In
the book. The writer is Joanna H. Mathews.
Little Mitt Weety't Sitter (Lee fc Shepard)
J. R. Weldin & Co.) is a book for quite small
children. The heroine is 12 years old. There
is very little story in the book. It is simply a
pleasant narrative of a little girl who went to
school, and had her friends, and learned how
to cook, ana went away uu a run, to me coun
try. The little maiden from "Shy Corners"
who comes into the beginning of the book
might, we think, have been made more of, and
kept somewhat longer among the characters.
She is so interesting that her unexpected dis
appearance from tbe scene is rather a disap
pointment The pictures in tint book are
cnarmingiv arawn. ,,,... ....
The Girls and J3oys of Marblehead (Casset
& Co.; J, O. Weldin A Co.) is a pretty book
about the good tluitAWhlcb. a company ot bora
and girls had one summer fa a splendid old
placelntho country. There'll a picture ot a
plculo oa the cover, and & great many more at
tractive pictures Inside.. A little Dutch girl
mil a. llttin Italian bov are members of the
- -
merry croup. The children tell stories, and
.makeup verses and gooff on various expedi
tions, asd .kave such a good time thattheir
father letrthemr stay till Christmas. MaryD.
Brice is the author.
The Travel and Adventures oXittle -Baron
Trump (Lee A. Shepard; J.B. Weldin & Co.)
cannot be callea a book for girls only. It is
for boys as well, and may, perhaps, amuse some
grown people also. The adventure of little
Baron Trump and bis wonderful dog Bulger
are told by Ingersoll Lockwood,- and illustrated
by George Wharton Edwards. Tbe Mountains
of the Moon, and the Land of the Melodious
Sneezers, the Terrors of Port No Man's Port,
the Country otthe Wind Eaters, the Abode of
the Slow-Movers, the Dominions ot tbe Man
Hoppers, are among the scenes of remarkable
adventure. Swift. Munchausen and Kobellas
would each of them find some of hit intel
lectual property hereX
Some of tbe brightest sayings of the late
Philip H. Welch have heeuathered together,
and Interleaved with skeujps by some of the
artists whose genius turns in the direction of
humor, anq the resultant book is namea ata
in JSun (Charles Scribner's Sons; H. Watts &
Co.). Tbe work of the artists is done as a labor
of love, and the royalties on the sales will go to
tbe widow and children of this genial writer
who has brought smiles to tbe faces of all of
us, and who has never written a word wbicb
the most captious could wish unwritten. Mr.
Welch is best known by his late book. "Tbe
Tailor-Made GirL" Tne publishers have done
all that clear type, good paper and attractive
covers can do to make these pleasant pages
readable. The idea of this memorial volume
was originated by Mr. W. A. Sogers;
A HOPEFUL SITUATION.
The Condition of Trade Throughont
the
Country Unusually Healthy.
Nbw Yobk, December a Henry Clews &
Co. will say m their clicular to-morrow: Taken
as a whole, the situation isvcrj generally felt
to be a hopeful one, Tbe general, trade otthe
country is In a more than ordinarily healthy
condition. There it, it it true, some little com
plaint of backwardness in Western payments,
which seems to be caused by the mild weather
checking the consumption of certain classes
ot products; and this bas induced free
shipments of currency to the interior
this week; but these are only transient
drawbacks to a very satisfactory condition of
business the country over. The railroads par
ticipate in this benefit; for, with all, tfieir roll
ing stock employed, there is tbe less induce
ment to cut rates,and their net earnings should
therefore be good. Tbe increase of dividends
by tbe Vanderbilt lines between New York
and Chicago hat produced a marked Impression
on tbe estimate of railroad shares; for those
being representative stocks, It is therefore ar
gued that other dividend payers o tight to show
a like improvement The resumption of divi
dends by the Missouri Pacific is also regarded
as a good symptom and confirms tbe expecta
'tions referred to. Another very healthy fea
ture in the situation is tbe almost entire ab
sence of speculative enterprise.
While in Great Britain, tbe revival of trade
is attended withan outbreak of speculative
mania whichsruns into all kinds ot wild and ln
flated ventures, we have here a very prosper
ous state of business with nd conspicuous over
doing in any direction. Tbe "trust" craze Is
subsiding; the building ot new railroads bas
almost ceased; the excitement over Southern
development has settled into a careful invest
ment movement in the hands of sober men of
capital: and prices of both commodities and
securities are ranging around a level that
scarcely admits of any important reaction, but
rather invites' buying upon reasonable pros
pects of a rise. ,
' A B0YEL BLUE BOOK.
Society Stirred Up Over n Proposed-Directory
ofthe Elite.
PittSFIKLD, MAS&, December 22-Fashlon-able
Pittsfieldis all agog over the audacious
venture of Dr. Oilman Colby, editor of a Bar
Harbor summer newspaper, who proposes to
publish a blue book of the local "400." The
suggestion itself did not displease people so
much as tbe manner of its execution.
Tbe doctor Introduced anunbeard of innova
tion by which the financial ratings of the sev
eral hundred members of the social swim
were to be affixed to their names, somewhat
after the manner of BradttrecVt. A man or
woman's money possessions were not to be
designated by so many figures, but by means
of a number of mystorious stars, daggers,
asterisks, etc, with an explanatory index
hi tbe appendix. Proof sheets were
sent through the mails-to the persons con
cerned, with a request for corrections if neces
sary, and a polite reminder that copies of the
blue-book were to be bad at $2 eaob. only by
subscribers. Society was outraged at tbe idea
bt having" private fortunes thug scandalously
flaunted in the face of tbe public and Indigna
tion meetings were in order.
Another source of trouble was tbe fact that
the names of people having next to no social
pretensions were to he m the book. The upshot
of the matter has been a concerted movement
to suppress tbe ambitions caterer to pnblio
curiosity, but exactly by what means remains
to be seen.
The local press is full of letters from tbe so
called victims. Dr. Colby meanwhile calmly
surveys the tempest in the social teapo', and
contends that tbe liberty ot the press shall not
be infringed.
A MILLIONAIRE'S PALACE.
Yonnsf George W. Vnoderbllt's Private Park
at Asheville, N. C.
Ashevlile (N. C.) Letter la Philadelphia Times,
George W. Vanderbilt the youngest ot the
sons of the late William H. Vanderbilt, is de
termined, in addition to bis well-known palace
in IiewYork, to bave the most magnificent
private park and the lordliest country estate
in America. To that end he has recently
bought at a cost of 8310,000, nearly
6,000 acres lying just outside of this
town a tract of land fully one-third larger
than your magnificent Falrmount Park, about
one-third ofthe acreage of which lies under the
Schuylkill and tbe Wbsahickon. His land
scape gardener is already at work laying out
atid beautifying these extensive grounds at an
expense of $300,000 more. His architect is busy
preparingthe plans for a lordly pleasure house,
like an old-style French chateau, which will
cost an additional 3400.000.
His model stables, which will be scattered
oter tbe 5,000 acres, for tbe purpose of housing
thousands of horses and cattle of tbe very
bluest of blue bovine blood, will cost, it is said,
at least 5200,000 more. So you see that the esti
mated cost already foots np to the magnificent
sum of $1,200,000. Tbe shortest distance from
tbe stately entrance gates to tbe still statelier
mansion of the lord of this vast estate will be
four miles by a magnificent roadway CO feet
wide, and it is said that there will be more
than 50 miles of macadamized roads within the
grounds. t
Never Heard, of Boalabffer.
From the Chicagd1 Inter Oi-ean.l
When someone mentioned the name of
Boulanger in the presence of. Henry M. Btanley,
the explorer asked: "Who Is Boulangert I
never heard of him before." This illustrates
how brief a. career some noted men may have.
Stanley was In the wilds of, Africa for less than
three years, and in that time Boulanger rose
from obscurity to the greatest notoriety iu
France, and dropped back to his original
obscurity again. Well might Stanley ask the
question.
TEI-STATE TRJFLES.
The sequel to a rather pecpliar incident has
jnst been brought to light in which a fish and
an engagement ring were tne principal uciure.
Some months ago a man living near WellSvllle
caught a large catfish in the Ohio river. On
cutting It open a gold ring with an opal setting
was foand, in Its stomach with the initials M. &
F. D. on the inner lace of tbe- band. By an
accident-this came to the notice of Mr. Frede
rick Dunham, ot Springfield, 111., and on exam
ination he pronounced it the engagement ring
wbicb he hadglven bis wife 12 years before and
which she had lost on a Missouri river steamer
a few years after their marriage.
BrxTY-nVB tons of butter were shipped from
Montgomery county to Liverpool by Samuel
C. Freed recently.
Frank Boxmr, a Bethlehem restaurant
keeper, weighing 245 pounds, walked to Heller
town, four miles distant, In an hour and a
quarter, on a wager.
A jibteob of great illuminating power
passed over Forkston, Wyoming county, on
Thursday nlgbt, and in a minute thereafter a
heavy report was heard, and tbe earth shook
perceptibly. . .
WxiMAH Trrrs, who died recently at the
Williamsport Almshouse, selected the stone
and design for his tombstone IS years ago
and paid for It at tho tame time.
A PMVATB telephone between his office and
his hqnie. was recently put up by a merchant
living in Wheellug. Wben his daughter put
her ear to it tthe other day, the received a
terrible shock. Not an electric shock, how
ever. She simply hwftt BtmpfttttMristftVl
thooEceboy, " 1
THE CIVIL SERVICE SAFE,y' i
Various Forms of Cosgresslonnl -Attack
Ubob If, Preaeac aad Prospective
Cheadle's Sweeping Finn The Scheme
to Cat 08" Appropriations Repeal tbe
Otber Alternative.
rTBOH A STAIT CORXXSFOXBXXr
WASHiKGTOir, December 22. The most
machinating of the machine politicians are
fairly beside themselves with fury at the loyalty
of to many of the more conservative ones tool
the civil service reform laws, and are becoming
rather lunatic in their attempts to do something
to breakdown tbe new institution before it be
comes so strong as to 'defy .all attacks. They
gnaw their tonimes and bite their lips when
they dare not open tbelr mouths, and only a
few ot them indulge In a public outbreak like
that ot Cbeadle. of Ipdlana, whose Dilt intro
duced the otber day, is a subject of laughter
even among tbe enemies of reform.
To those who know Cbeadle, the bill will be
no surprise. It is like the man, more of a spec
tacle than of an idea. It wouldbe infamous it
It were not so ridiculous. It Is. in brief, a'
proposition to clean nut all of the oldest and
best employes of tbe civil service, those who
.know best how to do tbe work they are as
signed to do, at the end of three years; the next
best lot Inslx years, and. everybody at the end
of ten years. It is not a partisan measure. It
is intended to abolish everybody in, the civil
service at the end of each ten years, regard
less of party, thus making noparty responsible
for the conduct of the civil service. Such
a system would be even less sensible
than the "spoils system," which. In its worst
phase, at least makes the patty in power re
sponsible for the acts of employes selected from
Its own ranks. It so completely lacks all the
elements of common sense that it can only be
characterized as idiotic, f orunder it to perform
the work of the civil service would be abso
lutely impossible. The work ot the Govern
ment would stop. Anarchy would prevail. Of
tbe schemes that bave been broached by tbe
Anarchists for the abolition of all government
this is the most thorough. Mr. Cbeadle has
"seen" John Most and "gone him better," with
a vengeance. He is the boss Anarchist of the
period.
This is one of the many schemes devised by
the active minds of the opponents ot a sensible
civil service for the destruction of what there
is good in tbe reformed civil service. Another
scheme is to refuse to appropriate monoy for
tbe expenses of the commission. This extranr.
f dinary plan is said to have the indorsement of
ucb virtuous and astute Senators as Ingalls,
Harris and Farwell. They woutd allow the
law to stand on the statute books, would leave
the commission a legal body, but would deprive
tbe laws and tbe commission of means with
which to make them operative from the public
treasury; This is only exceeded in silly features
by the Cheadle scheme." It does not cost much
to pay for the work of tbe commission. Sup
pose, then, that an appropriation were refused
and the law allowed to stand; enthusiastic civil
service reformers could then cldb together,
furnish the "sinews of war," pay onf of tbelr
own pockets the expenses of the commission,
and thus carry on all tbe work of reform under
tbe present law In spite of its opponents. This
would be a fine spectacle, would it not?
Another scheme, is to bring about the ap
pointment of commissioners who are opposed
to the law In its letter and spirit, and who
would, therefore, do everything In their power
to vitiate it This scheme has worked welt to a
partial extent in tbe past but the appointment
of tbe commission is a matter that is brought
so close to tbe President that tbe latter is
afraid to assume the responsibility of appoint
ing a completely antagonistic commission.
One-third of the commission must under the
law, be composed of a representative of tbe
minority party, and. therefore,' there is always
the danger of this fraction mini- thn Hf-
afiection of the majority for party capital. The
result has been that, mainly, the work of the
commission has honestly performed its duties
in the interests ot reform and in accord with .
the law.
The only other project worth speaking of Is
the absolute repeal ot the law. Tbis phut bas
its advocates, tome of them men of great
ability and considerable influence, but they are
few in number, and the number does not ap
pear to be growing. From all I can gather
from many conversations I have had with poli
ticians and members of Congress I think the
nnmber Is liaely to decrease rather than In
crease. Tbe politician seeking office is tbe
most timid man In the world. He dare not
open bis mouth to tbe offense ot even Itbe
smallest faction ot his party. He knows that
many, ii not a great majority, of tbe voters of
his party wbo are not mere political parasites
look on tbe establishment and operations of
tbe commission as a step in tne road to reform,
at least and upon the old system as one whion
made the civil Service mere spoils for the
politician. The favor and support ot these
voters is ot more importance to the' office
seeker than any machinery he could construct
by means of patronage. .He would like his
spoils in tbe form of patronage, but between
them and the support of voters who are op
posed to the spoils, he chooses tbe voters. He
prefers tbe elective to the managing ma
chinery. How among honest and really patriotic
people there can be anjytwo opinions in regard
to the best form of civil service I cannot con
ceive. The' question is as simple as the mult:
Elicatlon table. The civil service must either
e a machine for tbe necessary business of the
Government or for the benefit of tbe office
holders who are best in a position to control
appointments. It tbe former, then there is but
one sensible and safe plan for Its establish,
ment ana oneratlon, and that Is to found It on
purely business principles, to secure by the
most thorough means the best available per
sons tor the positions of the civil service, keep
tbem there as lone at they perform tbelr
duties In a perfeotly satisfactory manner, and
when they grow feeble in tbe service, having
worn away their years, Eire them a pension
that they may live in comfort while life lasts.
This would avoid the payment of more than a
comfortable salary during the period of useful
ness; pensions for tbe aged would not there
fore, add to the expense of the public service,
and employes would not be constantly schem
ing for increase of pay without Increase of
work.
While the friends of a stable and business
like public service should be kept well in
formed ot tho insidious scheming of the ene
mies of tbe system, and meet them at every
point, I think there ii little or no danger of any
backward step. The tendency is to go forward
and include more aud more of the members of
the service within the operation of the new
law. There is no reason why chiefs of divisions
and hejtds of bureaut should not be made per
manent, and every reason tfhy tBey should.
These officers, newly appointed, are here a year
or two, at least before they have any Idsight
into the work of their divisions or bureaus.and
must depend on subordinates. They them
selves admit that they are mainly useless, and
that automata could fill the offices at well as
they. For actlVowork and for tbe Improve
ment of the service tbey only begin to become
useful at about tbe time their terms usually
end. Jf this be true In regard to the higher
class of offices, it is more emphatically
true of the lesser ones, which must
be depended on to keep up the work
of the publlo service. Even with
the changes now made few in comparison
with those of former years on tbe occasion of
tbe change of administration, the nubile ser
vice it greatly disorganized, and the old, faith
ful, rell-drilled servants are compelled to do
the work for a longtime of tbe newappointees,
most of whom are political favorites and care
for little but to draw their salaries. I know of,
and am well acquainted with the working of,
whole bureaus which would be thoroughly dls
organized at every change ot administration
were it not fortbe presence ot two or three old
employes, drilled In tbe work for 20 or SO
years, wbo for a time after each change ot ad
ministration are forcett to take on their shoul
ders the responsibility of the results or tbe
labor ot a lot of raw and indifferent recruit;.
The farther one investigates the operations
of tile public service, the more one is convinced
that there should be at few chances as possible,
and if members of Congress would take tbe
trouble to Inform themselves of the heeds of
tha service and suppress their desire to make
nse of it for tner personal benefit the civil ser
vice law would be extended and made far more
sweeping instead of being repealed.
E.W.L.
TO MY H1STKK.
A CnMSTKAS raiscrr.
vYon have wedded, dearest Jessie, '
And bave drifted far away;
But before the gap grows wider
I have Just one word to sty. ,
Christmas time, they say, Is coming.
And each friend or lover true
tilves to each a kind remembrance;
But what can 1 give to you?
You have wealth and rarest beauty;
You have everything, and more,
atoufh I know your heart turns kindly
To the (ood old days of yore.
Golden bands your wriitt encircle,
Diamond flash, bright at your eyes,
And your face or tweet contentment
Breathes of home beyond tbe skies.
There is nothing I can offer
That 1 have, and you have not;
'Twould be glvltig what was given,
Twottld be buying what wM bought-
Though methlnks there Is a Jewel
,l'rclon as the heavens shove,
1 can give yon Christmas morning
Oaij thist a br othet'i love.
TlV ' ' ' HABBT . BAITZEB.
Pirttmeio, Deeember, 1SS9.
ft
0U2 1TAIL fOUCfl.
A sfovls Cryptogram.
To the Editor of Tbe Dispatch:
The accompanying cipher by a rebel rule-ot-three
on tbe name Jefferson Davis it respect
fully submitted for publication by an ex
toldler. . To explain the cipher substitute for the letters
ot tbe alphabet in their order the numbers
from I to 28. By tbis rule ''six hundred and
sixty-six" becomes 19, 9. 24. 8. 21, li, s. 13, 6. 4, L
li, i, 19, 9, 24, 20. 23, 19, 9,,21 Tbe sum of these
numerals b 284, and the figures 2, 9, i added
make 15; the digits 1 and 5 added make the
mysterious numbers. N o w as to proofs of the
cipher: Similarly spelled and added Robert E.
Lee becomes 105, or 1 and 66; John Wilkes
Booth, 186, tbe sum of the numerals is 15, or 1
and 5, or 0 again; Southern slavery, 222, or 6;
fire-eater, ST 15, 6); Appomattox, 223, or 6; Con
federate, 90 (13. 6); Davis cipher. Ui (6).
Now, cannot Dixie figures tell Davis tales T
ii we take the letter-figure X (eks) that flg
nretDlxlejs'heartX and "sixth" the death
data ot Davis and find its English letter value
,pf 21 hides in a6" (2-M); find, too, the Dixie
name bides in a s (4, 9, 24, a, 6518) does not
this English 6, doubly hid, tell of the double
Roman English VI that bid in Davis' name?
If we take the English name ot Rebel and
find by English letter-law it figures out a 6
(18. 5, 2, 5, 32126: find, too, the name of
"DlxlO (X) flags" sumsap a "ff (51-1-4596
1561 does not this Rebel Dixie "U" donbly
based, tell of tbe double DavIsV'VF' that
based an EVIL snellT
If we take tbe letter-figure X (eks) that
bragged on Dixie flags, and find its brae, the
letter "S" yields up by letter-law 19, and this a
"10" (-1-9) wbicb grants the letter-figures, 1 and
0,'and these at last a 6 (9-1-15246).
And take the Enolish spells allied to "X"
(eks) of Dixie the H and W and F, A. E, and
M N, Tfand L. I. V, and V, and Y and Z-does
not their straight-made figures English strait
the Jsffersonlan "sket"
I FELT, A TEMALE Sf ANTLE IU ,
A-NEXT AN EVIL KETTLE TIN
THAT HIT MY HKEf,A KANKEE-THIir,
MAY TENTH AT iTVE A M.
Does not the English spells allied to Dixie's X
(eks) and "US" the boon-curved B and C. and D
andO and S and O and P. Q. R apell OUR
GOOD BOSS, TJ S G. and hoop-in BoaUBDT
And ir English 'Sin" that runs In J D's
name, wa take, and find it ciphers out a fatal 6
(19.9, n426): find, too, that Old Sin's Bible
number-name sums np a "6" (six hundred and
sixty-six: 62. 74, 19, 149294156) doer not this
donble cornered "S" tell of the Dixie Queen
V VI that cprnered English Davlsr
Audit we take the English name "a negro,"
the fair and sauaro English of "a nlmrar." the
latter spelling having no affinity with X (eks),
and find the name surrenders up a figure 6) 1.
14, 6. 7, 8,15606); find-too, the Yankee dead
made spell nf "f laves" surrenders up a 6 (19,
12, 1, 22,5,1978156),does-not this double sur
rendered 6 tell of tbe double-surrendered Queen
V. VI in Davis Slavery King?
And even if we take the English of "a joke"
allied to X (eks) and Jeff and good Queen
Vic and find by Yankee letter-law of 1, 2, 3 for
A, B, C, It ciphers out a 6 (t 10, 15, H,J5428);
find, too. that the "YANK" name takes in a 6
(25. L li 11516); does not, this donble 6 tell
of the Rebel Davis "VL'r found In "Vic's Cot
tonade" (1506) tell dl the kettled YANK
made VL taken-in by "slavery's tin," tell of the
English Rebel Yankee VI that backward jokes
in -xfavis- Oliver urownr- ui3t)
TV. J.
, MOKEX.
rrrTSBTjsa, December 21.
Oil Men's Errors.
To tbe Editor or TheDlspatcn:
It Is probably a fact that most geologists
know but little about the production of oil;
bnt that our own Peter Lesley did locate four
of tbose synclinal and anticlinal axes, of which
four are located in Butler county, we cannot
deny.. He designates them as follows: The
Brady's Bend, Mill era town, Martlnsburg and
HarrisviUe, running nearly north 42K east
or south 42f west The last named Is located
in the extreme northwestern part of .Butler
county, passing through Lawrence and Beaver
counties and connecting the Smith's Ferry or
Hookstown district with the old Bullion dis
trict in Venango county.
If, as your contributor in The Dispatch
claims, gas is found in the an tioMnals, why Is not
the oil found in tbe synclinals f Websterdefines
the word synclinal as "a trough or valley
formed In tbe Iqwer strata of the earth." Tbis
looks as reasonable at least as the peach-limb
theory. There is no set of business men go it
as blindly as the oil producers do. They nave
no settled or established basis or tbeory to
guide them, eternally surveying degree lines,
establishing belts and cross-belts, none of which
ever pan out Tbey all sesm to depend on
those who go nosing around away in advance
of any development until some one of tbem
hannens to dron down in oil nroducintr strata!
it is then that the rich producers rush in and
reap the reward that should fall to. the lot of
tbe poor fellow who struck the lead.
We remember well, wben the Greece City
pool commenced to play oat tbey drilled all
arpund the place to find an outlet to tbe south
or west but all resulted in dusters. The
tbeory was advanced that tbe belt extended
no further in that direction; that settled it
Ferd Reiber, Esq., and Sheriff Hoffman each
owned a farm auout one mile west of Ren
frew's Mill. Either ot these farms was too
poor to raise ragweeds, but believing, as they
did, that God never made anything in vain,
they knew that the only salvation for their real
estate was oil. So, gathering together alt the
money they" could spare and all they conld get
their friends to invest, they succeeded in
getting down a hole that developed into a
three-barrel welt Tbis opened up one
of tbe very best oil fields in the
State, known as the Thorn creek dis
trict in line with the Greece City pool, and on
the Martlnsburg synclinal. In all proDablllty,
had it not been for tbe energy these two men
displayed, tbe lower Butler county oilfield
would be lying as nature placed It
If there Is anything in tbis new theory It will
sooner or later open up a gas and oil field 60
miles in length, connecting the Oil creek dis
trict with tho Hookstown and TUrkeyfoof fields.
We have been told that the land along this
line bas all been secured between Smith's
Ferry aud tbeBeaverrlverin Lawrence county.
Pa., and that there are quite a number of test
wells to be drilled at once. Time will tell the
results. P. T.
Evahs Crrr, December 20.
Gills and Improvements.
To the Editor of The Dispatch: " '
The gift of Sir Edward Guinness, mentioned
under the above heading in THE Dispatch of
December 19,.lt an excellent project, but the
example set is of even greater value. It Is a
strange fact that rich men who owe their for
tunes to their own exertions, supply almost all
the instances of munificent giving; while those
who have inherited fortunes have for some
reason been wanting.
That absolutely nothing can be done to make
lives more human,, so long as people are
doomed to live in tbe degrading environment
of filthy slums, Is the opinion of all practical
philanthropists. Therefore a scheme to pio
vldo cleanlv, healthy houses, to be maintained
on a self-supporting basis with reinvestment of
rents for tho furtherance of the object, must
help to solve one ot tbe most pressing ques
tions of civilization, and jnay furnish tbe ele
mentary conditions necessary for the social re
demption of tbe masses.
Mr. Peabody expended Sl.250,000 In tbe tame
good work, ana it cannot bo denied that he has
maae lite more healthy, more decent and more
human for thousands of British artisans. But
the Peabody buildings have been too expen
sive for the unskilled workman and casual
laborer, and for this reason Sir Edward bas
made it a condition that tbe dwellings shall bo
for the "laboring poor," believing that hit ob
ject can be accomplished and tbe tenements let
at such rents as will place them within tbe
reach of tbe poorest of tbe laboring population.
The experiment will be watched with sympa
thetic interest and It Is to be hoped that not
only tne present but future generations will
bless their benefactor lu bit attempt to make
home life homely and bappy. C. W, R.
Watstox. Pa, December 2a
Opposed to the Strike.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
In your Issuo of Monday I tee two articles in
reference to tho strike now in progress on the
Monongahela river. The flrst it from a miner.
He begs leave to contradict a leading coal
operator In regard to-the miners being dissatis
fied. I'wlll tay right bete that there are
miners, and a great many ol them, dissatisfied,
and whobavebeenfromthe first men who were
opposed to the strike ever taking place, and
many that voted for S cents, now admit-that
they would rather bave continued at tbe old
What concerns ut most li that the Kanawha
river is increasing its output every year, while
we are almost at a standstill. We declare a
strike every year for a much better rate than
is being paid on the Kanawha. The result it
that these mea are steadily employed, while we
perhaps get three bt four months' work a year.
What the Kanawha miners cannot furnish Is
our tbaretn supplying the Southern markets.
Tbe only way tq remedy this la to work at rates
that will curretoond with the wages ot those
who mine coal for tbe tame market; It not, we
shall never better our condition.
Coal Mineb.
Nsv England. Pa., Dtoeaber 21.
The Cronla Sapet.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
What can be done with the Cronin suspects
ia case a new trial Is secured t
lQNOKAJTCS.
ALiitQKzanr, Deeber 2L
They ow be eeavieMi a-sd tenteneeit
detk.( jfft eafcaet be tried again, beOMte
he has bb acqalttsd. - ; "-,.
3-, . "- j
. CUBI0US CONDE58AT105S.- -
An Areata, Cal., man, aged 85, led to
the altar last week a blushing bride of 65.
A Chicago man and his; wife,-who had
lost their home by fire, walked all "trie way to
Milwaukee, where they obtained situations.
Becently compiled statistics tho w thai
dnrlng the last ten years to every 49 marriages
performed In New Jersey there has beenna '
divorce.
A, duck belonging to a Rockland, M&,
man was frozen into, a pond tbe otherjnlgbt'
and was found id the morning with justiher
bead out of tha ice. The ice was broken and the
dock freed, apparently none the worse for'her
night out 'J
In 1842 what Is now known as "infln?i
enza" was known then as "Tyler's grip?' Tvle?
was President or. tne united states, and just
after he vetoed tbe "United states bank fiiir
tM, mMmiI. f.nt ATffthfl rAnntrw mw.A a
called Tyler's grip." r&,
One dav last wees: Taylor Hedrres.who
lives near Claysville, in Harrison county, Ua,
was tying a shock of foddefwith a grapevine,
when the vine snapped in twain and the pieca
he beld In his hand penetrated his eye; com
pletely destroying- the organ. His physician
fears Hedges will die.
Moses Harris, of Charette Post, 0L A.
R.. of JVarrensburg, NY., is supposed to bajk
the oldest Grand Army man in the State. !Har
ris will be 84 years old this coming Christmas'
He has seen 20 years of army life, and fought in
four wars Black Hawk, Seminole, Mexican,
and the War of tbe Rebellion.
Hezekiab. Look, a wealthy stockman of
Portland, Ore, was married to Miss Nettie
McLarty at Columbus, Wis, a few days ago.
Miss McLarty is the last of a large family, her
Iiarents and sisters having all died and left her
onely. Mr. Look first saw or heard of her one
week ago. He Is a widower withsfx grown '
children.
A report comes from the lumber regions
at Portage Lake, Me., that a huge panther came
out in a clearing and walked around tome men
who were yarding logs. The men were much
terrified, bat kept perfectly quiet, and the beast
dlsaoneared without doinz them anv harm. It
is very rarely now, it Is said, that these animi
are seen in Maine.
It does not pay to fool with the Arizona
journalist The Tempe-iYetn had a delinquent
advertiser. The editor man took cut the ad
and replaced it by the followine: "This space
was taken by . He owes (- for it and
won't pay. Lookout for bun." The adver
tiser got mad and obtained an injunction re
straining tbe publication, but a judge dis
solved tbe injunction. ,
Journalism is looking np in China.
There are now three newpapers published In
that country, and there is a prospect that an
other one will soon be started. Tbe prospect
ors are waiting until tbey can find out whether
it will be a long-felt want In Chin, by the
way, if a paper publishes an untrue statement
about any one, not only are tbe editors pun-
isnea, out an tne reaaers as wen.
Near Healdsburg, CaL, is a redwood t
tree 24 feet in diameter within tbe hollow of
which a squatter and bis family bare taken up
their abode, A lew days ago a hunter was at
tracted to the spot by tbe sound of voices. To
close the opening in the tree a rude door had
been constructed of deerskins. Inside tbe
tree benches and tables had been constructed
of redwood bark fastened together by wooden
pins.
At Henderson, Ky., the other day a
countryman entered tbe drugstore ot Charles
F. Kleiderer and called for some article, giving
in exchange a piece of money which the pro
prietor of tbe store at tbe time supposed to be
a 25 cent piece. On taking his cash out of the
drawer he was struck with the oddity of the
coin. An application of soap and water re
vealed a beautiful Roman gold coin bearing
the date of 1058.
Mr. O. W. JTounjr, one of the principal
merchants ot Juneau, Alaska, was In Portland,
Ore., the otber day. Among otber goods, he
ordered a score or so of coffins, assorted sizes
and of tbe most expensive description. He says
the Indians la that section can have nothing
too rich and elegant in tbe coffin line. Tbe
finest plush for coverinzand sliver handles and
studs thick bespangled over the coffin are what
they want and will have if tbey put up their
last dollar.
A teacher in one of the Cincinnati
schools made a strange mistake the other day.
Her clock In some manner went wrong, and
while all the scholars In the other school-
rooms were dismissed for dinner she kept on
teaching, entirely ignorant of time or anything
else. -She bad charge of a lot of little folks,
.audit-wag not until annmbcr of anxious motb-. -.--ers
appeared st the schoolroom d6otrtlit4bM''ts
discovered anything wrong. Then she learned -
that lnBtead ot it being 11 o'clock, as she sup
posed, it was in reality almost I o'clock.
At Long Branch, Asbury Park and
Ocean Grove layers of marl run far out into
tbe ocean. One of the beds contains many
pieces of petrified wood, fossil teeth and casts
from clam shells. After all heavy stosms the
fossils are thrown upon tbe beach. Within tbe
last two months several remarkably fine fossil
shark teeth hare been found, una of tbem lis
perfect, more than four inches long and weighs
a half a ponnS. Several fine specimens of
fossil teeth of the mailed sturgeon and the
devil fish have been secured by curiosity hun
ters. A novel idea has been suggested as a
solution of a difficulty which bas beset Con
gress for some time, in the matter ot securing
readintr clerks with penetrating voices that can
be beard above tbe buzz and bubble of an ex
citing session. It is to employ lady readers. It
is stated in advocacy of tbis plan that the qual
ity of their voices to meet this need is shown in
tbe practical experience of persons using tele
phones, in which tbelr voices, pitched in a high
key. can be heard distinctively, while the great
Eruffjroice of a man rumbles into tbe ear of the
listener after a mass of confusion of sound.
Since 1882 there have graduated from
the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, En
gland, six bright young Americans who have
returned to tbis country to undertake the great
problems In naval architecture that may come
up in connection witn the designing; building
and remodeling of Government and merchant
vessels. Five of these young men were edu
cated abroad at the expense of the Govern
ment and are now in Its service working out
problems pertaining to tbe navy. The sixth
went to Greenwioh on hit own account He is
now in business on his own book, and bids fair
to be as successful as the others.
A mystery ofthe Arctic regions may be
cleared up next year, it tbs season is open.
This mystery is: Where do the whales go when
Ice begins to set In along the Alaskan coast?
Whalemen know they go eastward, and it is
supposed tbey congregate about the mouth ot
the neat Mackenzie river, but this and the re
gion to the northeast ot tbs river's mouth are
practically unknown territory Tbe Pacific
Steam Whaling Company, ot San Francisco,
has just purchased a strong steamer, whlcb will
be tent to tbe Arctic next spring with orders to
pnth through to the month 'of the -Mackenzie.
The reason for this Is that whalebone is rising
in price, and this teaion't catch thowed that
the-whales are rapidly decreasing In their usual 1
feeding grounds.
THE LAUGHING PHILOSOPHERS.
Every community hat its fools, and some
are afflicted with fool tools. Indianapolis Jour
nal. A crossed woman it nearly as dangerous
at a crossed electric wire. Martha' Vineyard
Hcrota. x
A Masiacbnsetta artisan bas become to re
fined In" bit Ideas that he calls himself a black
smythe. JftrcAant Traveler.
"I have an eye out for the Maine chance,"
remarked a Bepresentatlve a few days ago who
was trying to catch speaker Seed's attention.
A'tw lork World.
. "Hello, Brown, why on earth have yon
those plugs In your ears !
"Toe keep my wife from telllnfr me what she't
going to give me for Christmas. Time.
That Christmas comes but once a year
W fit e'er bold trn I fondly trusted,
For certain 'tis that wben 'tis here ,
I get bankrupted, strapped and basted.
Sew Xork Commercial Advertiser.
Better Than He Thought Patient That
medicine you gave me for ay cold, doctor, eared
me entirely.
'Doctor (la Urprlse)-DId ltt Wen. blsmed if I
don't believe I'll try It myself. I can't get rid of
mine. Time.
B'lobbsfJeUing rich out TVett, are you?
Dobbs-Youbetlam. '
"What are you doing!"
"Palntlngr sign-posts with tbe word Chicago'
on, to put up in Illinois and show travelers where
they are when they are lost " Ir me.
Two Harvard Graduates. Bey. Dr. Discord-Why,
dear Jack, I am glad to see yon. Tou
are looking so well. What have you been doing?
Jck Scragxs-Pitching for a League dab sf
85, ooo a year. What are yoa doing t
Dlstord-rTetehlng for a chapel at fS a year.
Ttxat Stftingt.
yrax h kbjoiois.
Now the baft-headed man in his hoarding
house bed i
rinlv Ann nrhnt hteuinr ean its:
At the white snow slfti In on Ml ptralytedheid;
Hs eaa ur There are BO SIM on ms.'ULf
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