Ha knssms&msssssssmessM )XGZMKER TT W STEONGEST MAN. llCContest in Which SeTeral Kod- ern Giants Will Compete. KBITS OF THE AHCIESTS OUTDONE. iLlftlng a Platform "mth a "Weight upon iit Igoal to 20 Men. lHUGEDUHBBELLSTOSSEDUKE STRAWS icoxBXSPonsEircx or thx pisrATCB. i NEW TOEK, December 27. "Within the next few weeks lovers of athletic sports in this country will in all proba bility be treated to a novel and sur prising contest. Sampson, Cyclops and Sandow, the trio whose feats of strength have been exciting a iurore in London; Louis St Cyr. the Cana dian Hercules, and Denis Gallagher, the wonderful strongman of But f.l m. AvnaotM ''4.0 meet in a public trial of strength and skill, such as. has never before been witnessed in Jienia QaUauKer. the united eiaies. Mlf halt the feats said to We been accom plished in England and, elsewhere by these t-mln are duplicated here, the exhibition will Ebe one well worth seeing, and will be nota- AhU. nmnnr nineteenth century athletics. F It is prettyhard to believe all thetremend frTons stories that are told of those fellows who dare coming here to show us just what real physical strength means. For many weeks plslVshort-necked man with stout legs and iblgibiceps, calling himself t3.-A.bamp- i.fand spilling it with a "p." to showtnat 'mmi't related to the other Samson who Iwas so badly tricked bv Delilah, has been Wounding London audiences by his per formances with a young fellow who modestly 'concealed his identity under the imposing -name or Cyclops. 'Xney nave oeen periorm ing at the Westminster Aquarium, and fiending out all sorts of challenges fronithe fstsge to men who labor under the hallucina tion that they can lift a ton or two with comparative ease. Finally, after Sampson ibad.onered a prize oi ouu u me man wno cbuld do the feats done by Cyclops, his 5upQ, and $2,600 to any man better than imselfwho might turn up, Eugene San j3ow undertook the task. He fairly won the ' premiums offered by Sampson, but the latter, nmiWr thrnnfh pharrin. refused to hand over the money. AN UNFOUNDED CHABGE. JSonie biehlv amusing stories are told "iiabout these contests. Sampson, who is not the herculean person in appearance that his ieats would seem to imply, is a native of Metz, the son of a French mother and a Spanish father. He speaks seven lan guages, plays sonatas on the piano with the delicate touch of a girl, and has a biceps . measuring 14j inches in repose and 19 inches when be wrestles with an iron rod or ia wire rope. His chest measurement is 44 r inches, but when he inflates his lungs he adds several lnCD.es to tnis ngure. xnis .peculiarity gave rise to the rumor that he was a native of Chicago and a "World's Fair boomer, but this he has indignantly denied. Sampson, however, visited the United ft j States several years ago, being then com 7,vjaratively unknown. Cyclops, his pupil, 18 21. years oi age aau a uiaguiuceut &jjcci- men of physical development. Sandow is a Pomeranian, and was born (at ELonigsberg 22 years ago. Eor four years he has been trained by Prof. Attila, one of the best known athletic teachers in Ger many. His development is superior to that cf Sampson, his chest measurement being 45U inches and bis biceps and forearm each from 1 toljf inches larger than those of his jrival. He weighs 202 pounds when in cod lifinn Kftndow nerformed in London be- Ffore the leading sporting men of England, eclipsing Sampsons most dimcult leats, breaking chain bracelets and wire ropes with his forearms and bending heavy iron rods by striking tbem across his chest, arms and his thighs. The bracelet chains, which had a resistance of 2,500 pounds, were unarmed like pioestems. Amonsr those who witnessed these extraordinary trials of strength were the .Marquis of Queensberry, fXord de Clifford and Captain Molesworth, who acted as judges, am tne Pomeranian : snapped length alter lengtn ot tne steel , chain bracelets with his biceps and burst Lthe wire ropes with his pectoral muscles, pnen rose in the audience and waved bank (notes of big denominations as an invitation to Sampson to beat the white-skinned San How if he could; but the former Sulked and rdeclined. Sandow then, alter lightly toss- ring a 150-pound dumbbell in the air a few times to keep his hand in, while the judges (consulted, periormed a trick that caused Sampson to collapse, ile placed a cnatn around his back and neck, and pro ceeded to Hit the 150-pound dumbbell with His bands. The chain snapped, the Brit ishers yelled, and the referee declared that iHEPomeranian had beaten the Hets man rSufof sight 1HE CANADIAN HEECULES. IvWhen these two. with Sampson's incog- rSitocomrade, Cyclops,cross the Atlantic, theypill meet competitors worthy of their prowess. Louis St. Cyr, the "Cana'dian Her iciles," who has challenged Sampson and Sandow, is 26 years of age. and is a man of fsuperb -development, standing 6 feet 10 (inches tall and weighing 323 pounds; his Jfleshand muscles are as hard as oak, and he hsfprebably the best weight lifter ever seen finuhls part of the globe. Another chal lenger 1 Ienis Gallagher, a muscular tathlete who formerly resided in Buffalo, and pwhose specialty is Lancashire wrestling. IThiiBafelo bej doesn't care to attempt any Maia-bre&kiac feats at present; -aa ureters Hsf-i '.$ f -? g V m jjK w V -fM WL ' & a vim wm:-mMWm n mm,: -s iw -c m mm Km vfmWm KNmj. -- Eampton Sends Pit Iron Bar.2 tn w tbe iln- pfAhj skill oi the slants at about of collar-and-elbow wrestling, ra catch-as-catch-can match Jor any amount. St. Cyr and Gallagher hare both appeared in public contests. The former has put up a 245 pound dumbbell from, floor to shoulder and from shoulder to arm' length with one hand. On .Harch 28, 1886. at St. Henri, Canada, be lilted a platform on which seven men were seated, andTrhich also, contained St. Cyr With tSO-Ptncnd Dumbbell seven dnmDoeus anu a utra ". - whole making a dead weight of2,378 pounds. He repeated this Jeat six months later. Im mediately after this, he placed a barrel of flour upon his shoulder, and followed this up by lifting 3,500 pounds of pig iron with a plank as the hold. His tremendous de velopment will dwarf both Sampson and Sandow and render a contest among these giants decidedly interesting. There are other great Americans who wll in all probability enter the list against the i..nnliii fnrolCTn- when thev arrive. . .1 1 1 .1 f Ann illA William B. Curtis, the sporting editor of tne optrt: tp me jijbm. is m.muu -teur athlete. He has lilted with the harness, 1,250 pounds in New York City. David L. Dowd, of Springfield, has lifted 1,442$ pounds with hands alone; H. Leussing.ot Cincinnati, has a record of liftine 1,364 pounds; G. "W. Winship, of Boston, 1,200 pounds; Ambrose A. Butts, of Auburn, O., 2.737K pounds; Dr. John Lucas, of Belle ville, 111., 2.700 pounds, and C. O. BreedjOf Lynn. Mass., a barrel of flour weighing 226 pounds, with his hands alone. All these men compare favorably with the foreign champions. A carpenter named Sterns, of Granite Corners, N. Y,t aged 80 years, shouldered a 4.000-pound cannon. A TOUGH SKULL. Stiil others in the muscular arena who may be expected to come forward are Powers, the "Cowboy Samson," a celebrated lifter well known in New XorkCity, and Andrew Hall, a medium-sized, finely developed athlete whose best feat is to place a cobble stone on his chest and let a man break it with a sledgehammer. This is the same trick that "Pooley" ilace and Thomas Lam bert used to perform 15 years ago when they starred all over the country in the "gladia tor statue" business. Hall Also does the trick performed by Sandow and Sampson with the iron rods. He bends the rod to a right angle by beating it over his armor his head, and straightens it out again by the same method. His skull seems to be in capable of injury, and this part ot hispro- gramme la a puuic w u m.-. .....-..-,. The remarkable- feats accomplished by these strong mqa will not suffer by compari son with the vaunted deeds or the ancients. Milo, the old ox-killer, who used to gorge himseU on 20 pounds of meat and 15 pints of wine at a sitting, may have had a nobler appetite than our modern athletes, who are trained on scientific principles,but he would have shrunk from a bout with St. Cyr, had the latter playfully invited him to lift a platform with 20 men sitting on it Even Tommv Topham, the famous Englishman who,in 1836, lifted three, hksheads of water, bent pokers across his neck and arms and straightened them out again with his fingers, could hardlyhave held his own against such a redoubtable champion as this .Canadian. Bandovft Greateit Teal. The records given above go very far to prove that the modern athlete is in every particu lar the superior of his predecessors. Mentor. PEETTI G1ELS POOR SCH0LAB8. The Handsomest Maidens Seldom Excel in Their Madlcs. Teacher, In Globe-Democrat.J Ask the teachers in the schools who are the best scholars, and you will find that they will point out the plain ones. These girls, knowing that they conld not count upon personal attraction, Bought their charms nt a higher source. It is believed that Michael Angelo's broken nose did much to stimlate his genius. The eminent women of this age, as a rnle, are not noted for their beauty, And it is a rarity to find one that nas a share , or good looks. Jntt no Long- at yer. Philadelphia Eecord.l It has taken much earnest thought by many a genius to bring the skate to its pres ent perfected shape, which in a second can be adjusted to any foot, but, despite these im provements, it will always' take the young man just as long to put his girl's skate on for her as it did in the days' oi the oldDntcn jumper with its labyrinth of tape-like strips. Diamonds have advanced since July last about 40 per cent This is but the be ginning of a movement to increase the mar ket price ot precious stones. We predict a furtheradvauce of from GO to 75 per cent the coming" year. Onr Btock of diamonds was purchased in June just before the advance, and we are still selling goods aHhe old prices. "We take stock January 10, after which we will be compelled to advance oar prices on diamonds to meet market prices, we have a large and complete stock. To those contemplating the purchase of dia monds we would fay, now is your time. M. G. Cohen, Diamond Expert and Jeweler, S33 Smitbfield st. Large street clock ia front of the door. Usees of Lutz's "beer are always well pleased. Sept by all first-class dealers, or will be supplied direct. Office tor. Chest nut st. and Spring Garden ave., Allegheny. Z. Watnwbighx & Co. a!ly raak all othew as producing MiMrierVrer, ale and ports. Fwtllks EapftlM tUmt 3V1 P&MHM25. jty T&Z . J W.J PEOPLE WHO HAVE THRILLED US. Interesting EeKinlscencea of Famous Tra gedians and Comedians. NAMES TIAT'aEE ONLI MEM0BIE8 HOW rwarrrxsTOBTBTcnispAicBVl I sometimes think that if the callboy, or the scenehifter, or the property man of a theater could be brought to the point of writing his autobiography, the result would be some "mighty interesting reading." Not, perhaps, because of the autobiography itself, but because of the bits of other biography that would be woven in with it. The views ol Chuffy Smithers, call-boy, concerning" Chuffy Smithers, might be a bit tiresome, but we could put up with that for the sake of getting his views concerning Mr. Tearpasslon, the eminent tragedian, or Mr. "KVafher. the favorite comedian. His recollections of those renowned artists would be delightfal in their way. The standpoint would be new, and the criticisms and reflections would have a fresh, impar tial independence about them not to be looked for anvwhere else. The thing written would be very different from what the famous artist himself would write, of course; not necessarily better, but different, giving lights and shadows the great man knows nothing about, and spiced with anecdote and reminiscence the subject of them would probably not have selected. As to truthfulness, not even the manager not the advance agent himself could be depended upon for such strict and judicial uprightness of judgment as -the unpreju diced person spoken of. And as to infinite variety, think of the multitude of actors and actresses, great and small, which a callboy encounters off their guard at one time and another. A TASTE OF THE QUALITY. Erom time to time little fragments ol secret stage anecdotes get out into the air at least they used to in the old stock com panv days that give a taste of the quality such" asanantobiography would have. Idon't know whether it was the call-boy, hut it was some unconsidered theatrical underling, who gave limited freedom to a bit of gossip concerning one of the great stars who visited Pittsburg years ago. It is a well-known fact that many com edians sigh for the missing opportunity to shine in high tragedy; and many tragedians "believe that they could convulse an audience with lauchter if they were to appear in broad comedy. But who would ever have suspected the great Elstori of any ambition to be a dancer? Yet the gossip "referred to indicated just that. It was privately related that one of the attaches of the theater, just before the curtain was to be rung up for the tragedy ol the evening, caught a surreptitious glimpse of the renowned artist, when she thought she was alone and safely secluded from all profane eyes. She was posing, but in the most unheard of manner. The majestic tragedienne was not rehears ing any of the telling attitudes which niide Queen Elizabeth, ox Mary Stuart, or Media, or Lady Macbeth so grandly effective. Ear from it. She was balancing herself on one toe and trying to spin about in the limited space of the dressing room. In other words, she was practicing a ballet step, and was verv much in earnest about it, too. I'hope the story is true; for it is delicious to think of Adelaide Eistori indulging in such frivolity as that Then there was another storv. coming from some such source as the first. Thiswaaabout Edwla Forrest, and related to one of his last visits to Pittsburg. He was old, he was afflicted with gout; and his temper, so it van vrhlsnered. shared the affliction to a marked degree. Therefore, everybody who, came in contact witn mm, on tne stage or off, was very careful. Perhaps it was because he was too careful that one of the stage subordinates got into trouble. He bad occasion to pass Mr. Eor rest as he sat waiting lor the time to "goon," He moved with such elaborate care that he "stubbed his toe" against one of the gouty feet. Panic almost overthrew the poor fel low, and in the effort to recover himself he struck the same foot a second time. Then he stood still, prepared for annihilation. Eor an instant the pain from the first blow was so treat that the tracedian could only gasp, preparatory to the proper explosion of wrath. The second infliction came before the explosion' was ready; and then the situa tion was too thrilling for even Edwin For rest's most tempestuous rhetoric. Nothing in "King Lear" could match it Consequently there was no outburst at all. The offender was dealt with, but he was simplv cut in two by a sharp sarcasm of courtesy. Bowing low to the unnappy man Mr. Forrest said, with the blandest civility: "Will you favor me by practicing on the other loot for a while? That one is tired I" I hope that story, also, is true. If it is not it ought to be. TWO QUEENS. Whatever Ehtori may have done when she thought nobody was looking, she never did anything funny on the stage. One of her Italian supporters made the audience laugh one night, but she had nothing to do with it. The play was "Macbeth;" and Macduff hai just been told of the atrocities committed by the wicked Thane. In the excess of his emotion Macduff thrust his head out of a window and shouted into the wings some Italian words that sounded like "Soke! Sukel Sake!" as if he had discov ered a cow in the garden. The audience tittered at the outcry. But when Lady Macbeth was before them there was no thought of mirth. Eistori, as the strong and wicked wife of that weak and wicked man, was a terrible fascinating woman. And she was a woman, not a monster. In the sleep-walking scene, when all has come to naught, nnd'onlyremorse and terror are left, she was so womanly that pity thrust down condemnation. It was the subtle quality of womanliness in her characters which made Bistort's rep resentations of Queen Elizabeth and Mary Stuart so popular. The plays were not Ktrnntr. from either the literarv or the his torical! standpoint, perhaps; but they becamo favorites with Pittsburg audiences, and I think the people liked the actress better in those two characterstthan in any other. Elizabeth's love-making with Essex; her stormy interview with him when he called ber names and she demanded his sword; her signing of his death warrant; her eager wait ing for the ring which would be his plea for pardon; ner ternoie gnei ana remorao niiea at last the fatal ax has fallen; and the love memories the old woman indulges in as she lies dying, holding the crown npon her head to the last moment those are scenes which those who witnessed then recall with a thrill even now. And so of the stronger scenes in "Mary Stuart" Thatperonation found less favor than the other, but there'was obo very tell ing situation in it, which stirred the audi ence to enthusiasm the interview between Elizabeth and Mary in the park. The En glish Queen demands that her captive kins woman shall kneel before her. Mary's haughty spirit will not consent to that, for shots also a Queen. But even Queens may kneel to God, and to God she kneels, leav ing Elizabeth to suppose thereverence is for her. It was a bold stroke for even so eminent an actress as Jean Davenport Lander to challenge direct comparison with the great Italian by following hard upon her heels and appearing in these two characters, which Eistori had made especially her own. But Mrs. Lander did it, and did it successfully. Some oi her ad mirers may have regretted her enterprise when they first heard of it; but they approved and admired when, they saw how exeellHt were the represeMatious she gave. She say have seaeofthtlisifswart rival; b ifTe,sfc aitai&ed Ty hw siopW MtlT a Uttl STARS TElTflAYE SET Bright LiglitsTbtlaTeSkoBe pon the Pittsburg Stage. failed y to reach rraaa short of her, Mi adWa , WW C ili-Ml lavor. A OSEAT JUNO. That Is what EdwiaJForwst was, beyond a doubt Many years afto it was more or less the fashion to stigmatise him as coarse in his conceptions and inartistic in his methods. If there was truth in those criti cisms ht any time, he made.such trnth a mere matter of tradition by his later devel opment The power of his genius, losing none of its strength and grandeur, was quickened and controlled'by human insight and human feeling; and his art was of the highest and the best, as the arf of genius is apt to be. ... Pittsburg saw much of him.and the KeinK was a privilege the memory of which will only end with the ending ot life. Tt seems now as though there was only one Kxng Lear for us to remember, and that the one Edwin Forrest made a reality for us. Was there any other such at any time? The poor old man, broken in mind, body and estate; his kingdom gone, his crown a mist ol straw, his children cruel mockers; yet even in his sore extremity "every inch a king" this was a man, Indeed a man whom we must love, pity, sympathize with and, weep for. The fiber of strong humanity was in ev erything Forrest gave us. After his time John McCullough gave some-or the charac ters which had been Eorrest's exclusively. He was great in them, as he was in every thing he played; but his greatness was not the greatness oi nis preaeeessor. The last timo I saw Edwin Torrest he played "Hamlet" He-was an old man, al most disabled by gout, and Hamlet was-the very last character one would have thought r.r fuenniatintririth him. It seemed absurd forhim to undertake it; and two or three or us went together as a matter of idle curi osity, lamenting the while that so great ft man should yield to such a weakness. We would look in for a, rew moments at the piti ful spectacle of a lame old. man enacting the youthful Prince. The revelation given to us held us en" bound the entire evening, and when we had seen and heard the last of the great repre sentation we wished for it all over again. Wnat must the Hamlet of young Edwin Forrest have been since, broken by ace and infirmity, he could sit in a chair upon the stage and make us discern meanings in the character we had .never suspected before? That is what he did that evening His reading of the lines f acting there was but little gave a delight which is vivid even yet A FLEASUBE-2XAXEB. Of a very different sort, butfcf great emi nence in his way, was John E. Owens. In his prime I suppose-no comedian was better loved in Pittsburg than he; and there was abundant cause for the affection bestowed. He made us laugh delfcionsly, .and some times the laughter had tears in it He had that highest quality of humor which Jeffer son and all the best comedians have, the quality which rouses a complex emotion, having mirth for only one of its elements. His John Unit became at once the friend of all who made his acquaintance, entering into their affections and aoioing mere ioi ever. So did bis Solon Shingle, and so did ail the fine old gentlemen or all the fine old mmediea he eave us from time to time. His acting, for the most part, was very quiet, but he had plenty of lun in him that was not of the quiet sort, and very often he had his audience in a tumult And, speaking of quiet acting, Janauschek had a master of that difficult art with her the first time she played In English in Pitts burg. The play was "Bleak House," and this man I do not recall his name had the part of Tulkinghorn, the lawyer. Alter his interview-with iody Dedlock, Mr. Tulking hbrn went to his room, and there was shot and killed. But before bis sudden taking off he held the audience breathless for what seemed a very long time. He did not utter a word, and he did not do a thing beyond what a grave, methodical man absorbed in thinking over a very important case might be expected to do. He wrote a little; he walked up and down the room with his hands behind him; he looked out oi the window at the night; he sighed, in pity or weariness; he drummed with his fingers on the table in the great perplexity which possessed him. Nothing very thril ling or exciting in Jtllhat but not-by the rustle of a fan did anyone in the audience disturb the scene. The man was oppressed and he oppressed those who looted on him with the weight-of the woe he was about to let fall. Earely is a stronger illustration given of the intense eloquence of silence. A VVOSIAN tF -GENIUS. Has anyone who looked on her beautiful face and, watched the grace of her move ments, and heard the musioof her voice.and felt the spell of her genius, forgotten Ade laide Netlson? l don't tninK so. s&e was not a woman to forget; and to remember her is to have something very valuable always in possession. There have been Bosalinds and Rosa linds, but the one she gave us was so alto gether charming that we cared not for any other who might have been or might come thereafter. More Juliets have gone to un timely death upon the stage than one can ronnt, but when this Juliet died there was grief as if a well beloved friend had gone from us. The spirit of pure girlhood seemed incarnate in her. Sometimes it was a girl's passion she showed us; sometimes a girl's freakishness; sometimes a girl's arch gayety, and always a girl's winsome, love able charm. And surely Caroline Etchings is not for gotten; but there may be very many who do not remember that she ever came to Pitts burg except as an opera singer. It was after her operatic days had ended in dis aster. She came once as a dramatic star, and very many of her old friends flocked to see her. I remember she appeared in Charles Beade's "Christie Johnstone," and sang "Caller Herrin' " in a way to make us remember the best of her singing days. Lucille Western was another one of the galaxy. Perhaps she had genius, perhaps not; at all events she had the power to make people cry. wnenever sne appearcu. m East Lvnne" the house was packed and Kant the atmosphere became damp from the tears shed for the woes of Lady Isabel and Madam' Tine. And it was sot only the women who wept; there were always men in plenty who .needed a dry handkerchief by the timelhey got home. And Mrs. D. P. Bowers was one of the "emotional" actresses in great favor. It seemed as though Miss Braddon must have had consultation with her before writing "T,adr Andlev's Secret" so antlvdld the actress interpret tne part of the fascinating J murderess. But not only as baay jiuatey did Mrs. Bowers excel. She was an actress of genuine power, and did good, strong work. It is pleasant to think of them all. And still pleasanter is it to think of the .stars that have not set May it be long, very long, before Booth, and Jeffersont and Bar rett, and Salvini, and Janauschek, and Modjeska and many more of the great and lesser lights cease to shine for us! James C. Pukdt. Catarrh Cared. A clergyman, after years of suffering from that loathsome disease Catarrh, and vainly tryine every known remedy; at last found a prescription which completely cured and saved him from death. Any sufferer from this dreadfuldisease sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to Prof, J. A. Lawrence, 88 Warren street, New York, will receive the recipe free of charge. SOS K.eVB. You'll surely come to these cloak and fur rooms for bargains ibis week; read column ad. this paper to-day. Booos & Buhl, Allegheny. From the Bottom ot the Sea. McGmtyhaa been found st last The mystery is solved. You can find him at your grocers. Marvin's McQinty oakes are the newest, sweetest, best in the market Get a pound at once. CLOTS, plush asd far shoulder eapes good assertmeat and at cost priest. HtJGUS&HAca-. Cask paid for. M Haueh'i, &. m JTUtk r7' vn?2 'i Fji rA V sn ,v -vrvp EYJERT DAT" SCIENCE; Uteit PiscoTeriet in aidApplfca tiofls of Electricity. EDI&OFS ELECTRIC BAIflBOW. ShipsiildiBg Affected fey the Price of Irea and Steel. SOIEHTIFIO AHD .INDUSTRIAL KOTIS tPRXPABED TOB TBS EISFATCH.'! Eeaders of The Dispatch who desire information on subjects relating to indus trial development and progress in mechani cal, civil and electrical engineering and the sciences can have their queries answered through this column. Mr.A. E. Foote, in his recent work on the "Economio Valtto of Electric Light and Power," says that tne dangers or electricity are lamentably exageerated. Selections from papers written, by insurance experts are quoted, proving that electricity, when properly handled, is the force most easily controlled and least hazardous, and that electric lighting is the best and safest form of artificial illumination, The testimony ot eminent physicians, showing the hygienic advantaees of electric light in our public theaters and halls is also given. Much of the mystery connected with electricity to the average person is caused by ignorance, or a very slight knowledge of what is in" reality the greatest force which man has ever made his servant A prismatic rainbow of enormous size, arching from an anchorage in the lake to a point in the Exposition grounds, was sug gested to Mr. Edison by the Chicago repre sentative, at the Paris Exposition. Mr. Edison is reported to have said: "It is feasible beyond a doubt, and it can be made so close an imitation of the most brilliant rainbow ever seen in the heavensas to absolutely deceive many of those not in the secret" It is now contemplated to build such a rainbow in Chicago, making the framework of the great arch as light as possible, so that the rainbow-hued bulbs of incandescent lights will appear unsup ported. Prof. Forbes, in a paper read before the British Association at Newcastle, England, said he had not the slightest doubt that in the course of a very few years the steam launch, as used to-dav, would be entirely abolished. The result would inevitably be the survival of the fittest, and the electric launch would take the place of the steam launch. The electric launch is free from the objections of smoke and oil, and taking into consideration its size and accommoda tion, it is cheaper than the steam launch. The difference of time in passing through the Snex canal between vessels fitted with the electric light and similar vessels with out that illuminant, averages 15 hours, the steamers having the electric light being al lowed to proceed at night Fiber Venn Hair In Mortnr. Various tests have been made with a view to ascertaining the advantage to be derived from the use of manilla fibers as compared with other substances in plastering work; One of the most conclusive of these tests was made with four plates of equal size, one con taining manilla hemp, a second sisal hemp, a third jute and a fourth goat's hair of the finest quality, and the operation consisted in suspending weights from the middle of each plate, the ends of which were properly supported. The result showed that the plaster mixed with goat's hair broke at 144K pounds weight, the jute at 145 pounds, the sisal at 150, and the manilla at 195 in the latter case the hemp not breaking, but cracking, and though cracked in thn center, the lower half of this plate, when it was suspended, held .on to the up per half, the manilla securing it last. j.ne three other plates were broken, that is to say, entirely severed. Another test was made of mortar mixed with manilla hemp and best goat's hair respectively. The mix tures were stored in barrels in a dry cellar for nine months, and when examined the hair mortar crumbled and broke apart, very little of the hair being visible, showing that it had been consumed by the lime; but the other containing the hemp, showed great cohesion, it being quite an effort to pull it apart, the hemp fibers permeating the mass,) and being but little affected by the lime. New Machine for Winding Silk. The new machine for winding silk, which was shown at the Paris Exposition, owes its invention to the Ingenuity of the represen tative of a French silk firm. This gentle man, while at Sautari, watching the depart' ure oi camels, loaded with spools of silk for Teheran, was struck with the disproportion in weight of silk to spools, the latter being 75 per cent of the load, while the loss of camels on the jonrney was 10 per cent Upon thinking over the matter he decided that the silk shonld be wound without mak ing it square, or causing it to kink, that the spools for commerce and the reels for the sewing machine should be done away with, and a wound silk or thread, of equable strength, suitable for hand and machine use, be provided for the worker. The "Star Disk," in which silk is wound on '13 bob bins at the same time is the admirable de vice which has been evolved. It is made in all sizes adapted to the requirements of the trade. Textile Fiber la Cotton Stalk. According to a recent experiment, a very valuable and important part of the cotton plant has hitherto been, wasted. It occurred to a manufacturer of Helena, Ark., that some use conld be made of the cotton stalk, and he sent a quantity of it to a factory in New York to be operated upon in the same manner as flax and. hemp. The results were returned to him in the shape of about 20 different grades of fibrous material, from coarse strands of the stalk to the glossy fiber as solt as silk. A machine to spin the material is now under consideration. Should the claim that is made be substantiated, that the fiber of the stalk is sufficiently strong to mako the best of bagging, as well as cloth as fine as linen, the'.value of the dis covery to the cotton growing States is incal culable. The extraction from the stalk takes about six hours, and is effected by an electrie process. The Eje and Color. Mr. Parkyns, in the course of one of the Gilchrist lectures delivered at Colchester, England, on "The Eye and Color," gavo several interesting illustrations ot color blindness. He told an amusing anecdote of Dalton, who, beine a Quaker, objected to bright colors. " Once in going to some cele bration it was necessary that be should wear his robe, which was bright- scarlet His friends feared that'he would refuse to don it: but, contrary to their fears, he was so pleased with it that for several days after he insisted on-wearing it in the streets, with, as Mr. Parkyns said, a "top-hat on top." He thnneht it was erav. The lecturer men tioned several times the amount of damaged done to children s eyes at scnooi oy uaa treatment, chiefly in two ways, by haying, insufficient light apd not being placed at the best distance from the book. DeveliK Ream Ilhrnhmtlea. Bapid improvement is being shown in various branches of photography. A, yellow-green light is the latest illuaiaaat for the developing room. Not only does it afford better illumination than the ruby light, hat 4t is also less' irritating to the W Ia manv developing rooms yellow .light k takiag the plaee ofrubyj evn 1 mim It, wklok ims yu TJ 'u!iT? W55.-s-".'i 4A!r2i2 Ctisys?f HV imsvsMMI lUinniMii ;fai w power has km femad to be ytmy . ad far store pleasant than tto old arga4 burner with the red chimney. Hot-Air TromiBot of FafhMo. Dr. Weigert's hot-air treatment of phthisis has been carefully tested, in St Pe tersburg, with unsatisfactory results. The cases selected were chiefly those where she tuberculosis had affected the upper part of the lungs or the laryngeal tissues, the author thinking that whatever might be the tem perature of the hot air, by the time it had penetrated to the remote parts of the pul monary substance it must, at least, reach the larynx without much cooling, so that if the inhalation of heated air is capaple of exerting- any influence on the tubercle bacilli, a throat .case presents the most favorable opportunity for testing its power. In spite of every precaution, however, bo good resulted from the treatment, several of the patients succumbing to the disease, and the others showing no -signs ot any real im provement Brick as a Pavement Material. In a late discussion on a paper on "Pav ing Brick, Its Manufacture and XJi" in Philadelphia, the advantages of brick street pavements werd put forward. One import ant point mentioned was that in Cincinnati some very hard granite was put dowa for paving purposes, the City Engineer having discarded the softer granites,. Afters time the granite became glossy and the horses fell upon it, causing a petition against its use to be circulated bv the citizens. The resnlt was that the pavements were taken upand the soft granite, which had been pre viously discarded, was replaced with im proved results. This went to show that anr paving material which is liable to be pol ished in the course of time is unsafefor pav ing purposes, and proved an additional ar gument in favor of brick pavements. To Clean Engraving. It frequently happens that fine engrav ings, notwithstanding every precaution, be come soiled and stained, and a recipe for restoring- them is valuable. Put the en graving on a smooth board and cover it with a thin layer of common salt, finely pulverized; then squeeze lamon juice upon the salt until a considerable portion of It is dissolved. After -every part ol the pic ture has been subjected to this' treatment, elevate one end of the board so that it will form an angle of 45 degrees with the hori zon. Then pour on the engraving boiling water until the salt and lemon juice are well washed off. It will then be perfectly free from stain. It must be dried on the board, or on some smooth surface gradually. If dried by thfr fire or sun It will be tinged with a dingy, yellowibh color. A Setback to Shipbuilding. A reliable English authority states that the British shipbuilders are placed in a se rious position by the rise in the price of iron and steel, and a further advance would prej udice them very seriously. Unless there is a speedy fall In plates and raw material, the ore-eminence of this trreat British industry will be seriously threatened, and the ques tion may be solved as to wnetner tne Amer ican flag may not resume its former posi tion upon the high seas. Much of the best steel used on the Clyde and at Barrow comes from Spain, and the'mmorof an export duty on the product being considered by that -power has created consternation in the trade. Solid! flcatlon of Fetroleso. That the commercial practibility of solidi fying petroleum, -upon which doubt was cast some time ago, is established, is proved by the exhibition of Prof. Millefleurs, be-, fore a meeting of Parisian scientists, of sev eral bricks of petroleum, which he bad pro duced by an original process. The bricks were hard enough to be handled without in convenience, yet soft enough to be cut with a stout knife. They burned slowly when touched with a lighted match. Prof. Mille fleurs claims that they are non-explosive and inexpensive.. A Useful Chilian Bark. At a late meeting of the Linnean Society, specimens of the bars: of Quillaia saponaria from Chili were exhibited. An extract of this bark has been used for some time for cleansing silk and wool, and n special pre parations for cleaning gloves, etc. It is, however, stated that it will solidify the hy drocarbon oils, even benzoline, and thus in sure safe transport on a long voyage. The addition of a small quantity of citric acid renders them liquid again. Tbe Scintillometer. The scintillometer, the invention of a Belgian scientist, which is used for measur ing the scintillation of the stars, is now util ized by meteorologists as an aid to the pre diction of the weather. Authorities differ as to the exact cause of scintillation, and Mr. Eanyard has published an article, in which he examines the lacts, and gives an explanation of the reason why stars seem to scintillate, while planets do not A FaraoM Iowa Medicine. Mr. Frank Faville, a druggist at Dolge villc, N. Y., says' be would not go to the trouble and expense of sending to Iowa for medicines if he did not believe them to be superior to any he could procure nearer home. Chamberlain's Cough Eemedy, manufactured by Chamberlain & Co., Des Moines. Ia.. is famous for its cures of coughs, colds and croup. Iiwill loosen and relieve a severe cold in less time than any other treatment; besides it leaves the system in a strong and healthy condition. For sale at 50 cents per bottle by E. G. Stuckey, Seventeenth and Twenty-fourth sts., Penn ave. and cor. Wylle a ve. and Fulton sts.: also by Merkell Bros., cor. Penn and Frankstown aves., Theo. E. Ihrig, 3610 Filth ave., Carl Hartwig, Butler st. Pitts burg, and in Allegheny City by E. E. Heck, 72 and 174 Federal st, Thos. B. Morris, cor. Hanover and Preble sves. Ered H. Eggers, 172 Ohio street, and F, Bv Eggers & Son, Ohio and Chestnut streets. txsu HOLIDAY EXCURSIONS. Low Rate Tickets via the PemHilTaala Lines. Holiday excursion tickets, at low round trip rates, will be sold from all ticket offices oi the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg on December 31, 1889, and January 1, 1890 good going on date ot sale and returning until January 3f 1890. To the West TIa B. Si . New and handsome i'nUmau sleepers are run through without change via the B. & O. E. E. from Pittsburg to Cincinnati and Chicago, on the train leaving Pittsburg dally at 730 P. M., arriving Cincfnnati next morning at 6:85 and Chicago at 10:55. The route is via Wheeling and Benwood. At the latter "point the Chicago sleeper is at altached to the vestibule limited and break fast is served in the dining car as the train approaches Chicago. These trains make connection at Cincin nati and Chicago with all lines leading be- ' yond those cities. If you contemplate a trip to tne west or douio, try me . j. iuuic. Information in regard to rates of fare, etc.. Will be cheerfully furnished by ticket agents B. & O. E. B. or byE. D. Smith, Division Passenger Agent, cor. Weed street and Filth avenue, Pittsburg, Pa mso Holiday Kxearolea Rate. The Baltimore and Ohio R. K. Co., in pursuance o( its usual liberal policy will sell excursion tickets at reduced rates ddr iag the holiday season. Tickets will he sold to and from -all stations on its lines east Of the Ohio river from December 21 to Jan uary 1, inclusive, good for retura trip uatll January 4, inclusive. Tickets will be sold from Pittsburg te all stations west of the Okie river, iucladiug Colambus. CielaBti and ChleMO. i her . 26, & t4 Juiury L gWi t w MttJaaaaryS. , t ' A.... c a i.inini jmyunwt-t. Itm Mneum laMgen SMrek for . Marretow Attraetkw. SAMKIES PAID TO TIE STARS. Smmb4 fey tie I etffe ftr feaetfeisg Keir Md Attractive. INQIDMTS 15 A 10UI F UBCOYEBX There is a uerversitv of spirit ia human Mature which leads mankind to regard the eeeentrio and bizarre with admiring won der. In the familiar language of the Mikado, "there's a fascination frantio in the odd." The inventive Yankee has suc ceeded in tarning this passion for the fan tastic to good account in a business way by introducing to the showman's boards the anomally known In popular parlance as "a freak." The crippled mendicant who ex poses his distorted limbs on the street cor ners of European cities, ia America poses on the stage as a star, while paying andien cesflocktoviewhim. A freak must not neces sarily be deformed in order to fulfill the re quirements of his calling. If he be suffi ciently differentiated from his fellows by anv startling peculiarity, he is thoroughly equipped for a professional career, and is in a position to draw a substantial salary, while, like the Pharisee, he thanks God that he is not like other men. There is a peculiar pathos in the life of a freak, which, sketched by the master pencil of the creator of Little Nell, would challenge the tenderness and pity of all mankind. The misshapen off spring, whose existence is a reproach and a burden of woe to indigent parents, frequent ly becomes their staff of strength and the lonrm nfn poodlv income, but at the cost of sacrificing shame and making of deformity a stocE in trace. Humor and pathos usually go hand in hand, and tbe freak is not wanting in hu morous aspects. There is something ex quisitely funny in the thought of adopting obesity as a profession, or the idea of chew ing tacks for a livelihood, and it is very pos sible that many patrons of the freak are at tracted to the platform where he abides less by curiosity than by a sense of the ludicrous elements in the spectacle which he presents. The freak, as such, first made his appear ance iu the sideshow which was a feature of the old-time circus. It was soon discovered that he was a paying attraction in and by himself, and tne evolution oi tne aims mu seum was tbe result. A PE0SFEB0U3 BUSINESS. This Institution came into being about ten years ago, and has had a phenomenal run of prosperity. Shrewd managers have built up fortunes by exhibiting their anomalous fellow creatures, and the freaks themselves have earned handsome salaries simply by putting themselves in evidence. jiut tne range oi unman ueiuruinv aim ec centricity is necessanly limited, and most of the attractions in this line have become familiar to the public, and passed into the realm of what show people know as "back numbers." As a consequence, the managers of dime museums are obliged to exercise the greatest ingenuity and industry in order to secure prodigies for the delectation of their audiences. "The freak is still the drawing card of a dime museum," said one of these gentlemen. "That this is recognized by the museums is best shown by the fact that their managers invariably maxe tne ireass tne cmei adver tising feature. Bat freaks are scarce, and one of the species soon becomes a chestnut after showing about the circuit A freak- that commands 1500 a week during his first season is often glad to get $50 a week a year or two afterward." "What methods do yon adopt to secure freaks?" asked the writer. "Well, in the first place, the museum managers, in common with the rest of the world, rely for news on the columns of the daily papers. The appearance of a prodigy in the physical or mental order is a matter of news, and is chronicled as such. We scan the great dailies closely for announcements. of this sort, and an agent is at once dis patched to interview the marvel, and, if it be found bona fide, to secure it for exhibi tion. That is the standard method. Then, too. in vacation time it is usual for the superintendent or agent of a museum to make a haphazard tour in out of the way districts, and strive, by diligent inquiry, to discover freaks of nature in the human fam ily." i "Such a quest must necessarily be some what arduuus, and adventurous, as well," said the reporter tentatively. HUNTING 70S FEEAKS. "Yon may well say so," was the reply. "I have been on nnmberlesa expeditions of the sort, and I can assure yon that the work cut out for a man is of a sort that is calcu lated to try his patience and tax his in genuity to the utmost My usual method is to register at a hotel In an out of tbe way village, and allow my mission to become known to a few of tbe oldest inhabitants. These are usually the greatest gossips in the neighborhood, and what they don't know about the family affairs of tbe country side isn't worth knowing. It is not difficult to get them to tell you countless stories ol the rarest prodigies "indigenous to the vicinity, but, on inquiry, you usually learn that the invaluable freaks yon fancied yourself about to secure are all dead now. If, by chance, one still survives, and you should seek it out, you are. indeed, fortunate il ex asperating and ludicrous disappointment is not your portion. Several years ago, at a little hamlet in Aroostook county, Me., I was told- that some 10 miles away a babe had been born with a full set of teeth. I at once ensaged a team and drove post haste to the farmhouse in which tbe infant was said to have first seen the light of day. On arriving at the place I was met by a de crepit old woman, who invited me into the kitchen, and, in reply to my queries, sol emnly assured me that my information, was correct She, herself, she averred, had given birth to the phenomenal baby. She had all the appearance of a centenarian, and vou may imagine that her statement was something of a staggerer. Mydiscom fituret was complete when she hobbled ont into the garden and returned with a bulking, sheepish fellow of 50 odd years, whom she introduced as her son and the baby in question. 'Show the gen'l'man yer th 'T,i!' shrieked the old crone, while the infant of 50 grinned hideously in obedi- Atn't them beauties? He had 'era on 'Ami inem ucouwca -ut; uou clu all when he was born. Er course they've growed some'at, but they're the same eedeu tienl teath. an don't yer fergitit' V A aCANAQER'S DI3APP6rNTalinrT3. "It would be superfluous to say that I did not engage that freak. It ia quite a usual thing to hnutfor days foran alleged prodigy, and find, at last, a fellow with a club foot or a wart on his nose. Last spring I started In search of three brothers, who, Dame Eumor averred, were all three the unfortunate pos sessors of jolntless legs. Tbe upshot of my quest was the disco very of a farmer's son who was suffiwing f rom a stiffkaee. "There ire three difficulties with which the searcher after freaks has to- contend. These are the lack ot freaks in nature, the .ifffi-nltToffindinE'them. consequent upon the secrecy in which men envelop their in firmities, and, lastly, ma sariu&iag juuuwty which renderiit often impossible to secure aa attraction alter it has been unearthed. Freaks of a peculiarly curious nature are frequently found in wealthy families, by whoa the very suggestion of exhibiting a defemity for the sake of pecuniary sain would be received aa an lnsilt Then, too, there are families whose relizlous scrnples make such a-proceeding a thing to be abhorred. Yoa oaanot expect that a family who object to attending a theatrical performance would ealmly countenance the appearance of oae of its members as a salaried freak en the stage of a museum. It will be seen atonee, then, that the task. of semriBg a areak, even after iaaiag it is . has-' wikk snaWsltiM and rMBtriac the iuwy, wy,xtmi v- ir 'WSBSSWSfYWSS TC SJii -Wt lioiv swr? witlal Uv ta'oMwlB.? one of its. ssesBMtut dMghter, for an engagement at ow BBseBia. The delicate nature ot my mlio may be imagined. when I tell yoa that itl k.4 .ilt In ffn'mfinf the vou nit ladT.J I would have billed her as The HoseeHett Tcr,. -cvirth. or rnnrse. it waaj hhmuit to att her consent to aeh at arrangement beforehand. A DELICATE TASK. iiTtr-ll . Mnt- nt thn rnmxnW.tl& '1 and maidenly modesty which it was Hsy'dlf-,. finlt rintvtn avoid woundlne. while I !. -.4 . hA 4mT the Twr.nniarradv&a- tages which would accrue to her, shoaldJA inunt tn atcrn with me. In this InSOMMe. ' t r.it.t in Mcnrn the freak, and. moreover. I fear tnat the young woman harbors vsh- " charitable thoughts toward me. isutsneM; same, and there's a fortune in it for htritp' lia nan np hwnmnirht ia thlnk.SO. 'v . "Are the old-time freaks In much dessMelj: '-jj tattooed man, etc?" ... ,' w22 "No; they are in the sere and yellow leatre TC-- ..II Vim fllt-nr. TfiMr nlarM havA been usurped forthemoit part by the ensaiWJ tional bridge lumper, tne man wno navigate' -; the Atlantic in a dory, or the couple that got , married up in a balloon. Attractions ot is this kind, however, are usually seven-days wMnlA- Tkv are crrAt drawlnff cards mhlt n umixif lhoir orntoits 1 f resh. hat j " they soon lose their grip on the publicj&. What the public wants is to be continually? snrprifea witn new wquuot, am vm --i business to cater to that demand. Ourstsga ,! show is a satisfying performance, out a stag. , show would never draw tne populace as nctr freak will." "What are the salaries which freaks conwv mand?" .rr. .,. J T ; Li.li .- -creass commana salaries numn iniia-ij all the war from $25 a week to 11,000 a IM week. The freak must needs maxe hay 1 while the sun shines, and, as I have said j the sunshine of the freak ia as short-lived a a winter's day. The wonder of to-day sooa becomes a thing familiar to tbe masses, and. the big salary of the first season dwindle, year bv year until it touches rock bottomV Then the freak is fallen from his high estate and is relegated to some cobwebbed cornet ' of the museum as a "fill-up." A I0TJTH OP NOBliB ANCESTBT. , A Boy Descended From Fire Signers of ska ' Declaration of Independence. i Boston Gazette.1 t The little son of Mr. Clymer, instructor etf English at Harvard, is remarsed oytna curious in such thines as being descended from no less than five different signers of, the Declaration of Independence. . His mother, who was of the Livingston family - of New Yort, represents three of the sign-. ers. His lattier is a granuson oi we ism A.lmiral Shnhrirfr. and a lineal descendant . r ht nr.rrr filvmer of Pennsylvania whose name appears at the bottom "of both'' the Declaration of Independence, and thsr Constitution ot tbe United states. A Unique War Belle Mir-nn fGa.lTeleeraDh.1 Colonel E- A. Crawford, of Atlanta," hastf in his possession quite a unique cI2 war relic It is a small Yankee canteen sur- ' mounted bv an eagle with outstretched wines. The canteen was presented to Col onel Crawlord a numoer oi years ajtu uy uw j Secretary ana xreasurer u iucjiuiiutJi gan Volunteers, as memento of threap stormy meetings between he two at the battles of Malvern Hill, in all three of which Colonel Craw ord confronted tha Michiganders. The Federal soldier found, out who was his fighting foe and presented , tn rv,lonp1 Crawford the canteen asa tribute ' of the hieh estimation in wnicn tney neir him as a hard fighter. 1 Save Tour Hair-i T1Yatimelvuse of Ayer3 Hair Vigor. D This preparation has no equal as.aj dTRaainir. It keens the scalp clean, cool,., end healthy, and preserves the color,- i fullness, ana beauty oi tne nair. T was ranldlv becominz bald and! gray; but after using two or three) J bottles of Ayert Hair Vigor my hair j grew thicK and glossy ana mo original J color was restored." Melvin Aldricnft Canaan Centre, N. H. " " Some time ago I lost all my hair ia) consequence ot measies. -a-wt "u; -nraUimr. no rtftw irrowth appeared. I then used Ayer's Hair Vigor and my j flair grew s Thick and Strong. ?' It has apparently come to stay. Thfc Victor is evidently a great aid to nature.' v" :f -r -Williams. Floresville. Texas- ij "I have used Ayera Hair Vigor forT the past four or five years and find it a mnt nn.tl9far.torv dressing for the hairj ' It is all I could desire, being harmless S causing mo mm w - -"- .niA. nnA vonnlrfnfr Tint fi small auanutr7 4 TunrW tn hair easv to arrange." i Mrs. M. A. Bailey, 9 Charles streeV! Haverhill, Mass. " I have been using Ayer's Hair Vigort'I for several years, and believe that it has?, j caused my hair to retain its natural color." Jits. H. J. King, Dealer im Dry Goods, &c.,Bishopville,Md. Ayer's Hair Vigor; PBXTABIDBT . Dr. J. C Aver It Co., Lowell, MaM.? Bold by Druggists and Perfumers. HE HAD CONSTANT PAINS Mr. A. D. King, of Twenty-third" street; tnlM city, nad a constant, ami, acorne pam ia, u small oi aa oaciawj kidneys, and mora.a less pain all 0Ter;hJi body. His urine i vary hlsb-colorftevl with a briexdust i iment. He hadvj burning sensa&oa 11 bis bands and ieVi and. as his disss soil farther advanced. Mil arroedte failed, aau wnat he did eat sours ''Tlllm aBSMKs on his stomach, can Inn much eructatlssi Tn shaves. of eas. hisswb a yellow colon he could, not sleep, "sa'ceoSJ .t.tw Mii anfl flRallv became saweassewg be unable to attend to any business. "a .... V...l.i. nrA VlO t.ltM! "ThlS IS'l certify that I have "lT? iSr!m,"? ti the physicians ot ttePolnatbieMedIlBSJWl S-SSL " ,TOU" " sDTKis-aTV They treat successfully all forms of kjyj and urinary diseases, cjuuw o a Office hours. 10 A. K. to 4 r. ), and 8 to8a iCr Sundays, 1 to 4 r.lf- ConsulUtlout&el T itrtrti confidential. Patients at a dissl tratd with snecess by letter, write forja.1 nmwrlon Manx. deZMTStWl $ runs to tjlji. toM tfnnf r rroU andut WKW com. iwtifVI UtotiLl btolofW f alt tt H"" fJ ud look. LtiMrt WIM B ;' ' Wl Botinj,aw im. a deS-Sfra ..,--- . HOLED AT PRESENT CTrVCkKlJ ;.!' .-Al liPTBt OHAI suits every! us tl comsinajktai: articles te-e pcsttleM. m(ii t1 durable and elegant r. Call earh Ames esejHBii In In rapfaly. Call early. We larcest line ot ofice desks Is, the ettf STEVENS OHA1R K0.8aixrKr. t' iKwm wveaaBBBBi smasaac V9MV WwKkSCSaWvv ,-" si I: V.J?. . Wj a-kidfe'- V j "..Jfl, X t- X ,n w - SBL AK . -b' - 1- J&T