m 39i$$Kfc , pgTABLIBRBD FEBRUARY 8. 1848, ftJVeLH Ko. 333. Entered at Pittsburg I'ostoacev Kttovcmber Jt, 1887. as second-class matter. f Business Office 97 and 00 Fifth Avenue. I iNews Booms and Publishing House 75, ?f 77 and 70 Diamond Street pJEtitMH Advertising Office. Boom 45, Tribune ' Building, Hew York. TERMS OF THE DISPATCH. rosTAGi rstx w the toctted statxs. 'DJJLT DisPATCn, One Yer. ! 8 00 "JUnvrDlsrjLTCn, Per Quarter 2 00 , .i3xu.YCsiTA.TCK, One Mouth 70 JUnvr DISPATCH, including Sunday, 1 year. 10 00 Daily Dispatch, lncludingSunday,Sm,tbs. ISO DAILY Dispatch, Including Sunday.lmonth SO Bcxc at Dispatch, one Year 2 SO ' 'TVnrtx Dispatch, One Year. 1 25 t v ThiDailt Dispatch Is dellTered by carriers at '" '35 cents per week, or including Sunday edition, 'at !0 cents per -week. PITTBBDRQ. MONDAY. JAN. 6, 1880. :IHE ELECIBIC EAI1WAY WIBSS. ' The gentleman whose interesting views ( r'on the electric wire question are given in ," Jour local columns is undoubtedly correct in , li contention that electric railway wires iJr'areless dangerous and have a better ration " d'etre than the electric light wires. But it '- does not follow that he occupies indisputa . We ground in the conclusion that they can f' "not be put underground. '2 The Dispatch has already taken the position that while other overhead wires are ,1 permitted the electric railway wires cannot ; be disturbed. But it does not follow that in 'seeking a comprehensive and permanent j solution of the overhead wire problem the iV electric railways should be considered as out Sj'Of the question. It does not appear on the ,. iace of the case that the burying, of p such wires would cause any greater e interruption of business along the streets , than the construction of cable conduits . ' which is constantly going on; and if that ' work were made a part of a complete plan ibr relieving the streets of all the overhead . wires, it might appear, in the end, to be a --, S00 investment. The difScultyof the subject mustof course be conceded; but when it is made to the in- ' terest of human invention to provide ade- '-,' quate methods for putting all the wires un- ' wderground we believe that invention will be able to solve the problem. i GBOWTH OF BTJSIHESS FAILURES. The summary of the failures in the United States during the past year shows a steady increase in the number of these business casualties. The total for 1889 was 11,719, or an increase of 10 over 1888, while the total i sLV587 fr that year was 9K Per cent & crease of the total for 1887. The increase in the liabilities was less marked, being about 7 per cent more than in 1887, but as com pared with 1888, which was exceptionally a year of small failures, the increase in liabil ities is about 16 per cent The steady in crease of failures may be a legitimate result of the close margins upon which business has been done during the past few years; but if the tendency is not altered during the greater activity now in force, it should be construed as a decided and rather grave indication of some unsound factors in the business world. A change for the better may, however, be expected during the com ing year. THE STAGE IK STEUBEN VHXE.t The good people of Steubenville, in the absence of Mrs. James IJrown Potter from the country, have undertaken the task of elevating the stage in a manner that threat ens to knock it sky-high. Steubenville has already achieved a considerable reputation for having clean streets; and the next task which presented itself to the reformers of the little city was the cleaning of the stage even to a degree which amounts to cleaning it out. The object of attack, as shown by the ar rest and fining of one alleged dramatic com pany last week, and the notification of the same fate in store for another this week, if it does not mend its ways, is the class of stage performances known as "female min strels" and "lolly companies." To city theater-goers, the moral value of this class of shows as an aw ful example of how utterly attractive the undraped show can come, would be its chief feature. But un-be-the virtue of Steubenville could not look at the thing in that light; and the houris of soiled powder and dingy tights have received a stern notification to steer clear of Steuben ville. There is certainly no great loss to Steu benville in this decision, and, if the example were generally followed, we do not think that it would be any decided injury to the expurgated members oi the drama. If the young women who try to attain dramatic ' fame through the female minstrel career were driven to some easy and honorable oc cupation like scrubbing floors, or taking in washing, their gain, both in profits and so cial position, would be decided. Nevertheless, when Steubenville regards the female minstrel and folly company style of drama as dangerously seductive we can not refrain from a wonder as to what it would do if Barnum should unfold before its astounded eyes the spectacles of "Nero," or some other manager should stun it with the sights of a real grand ballet. A BEVEHEKD BETTOR. Following upon the reports of other En glish scandals, the statement that one of the Queen's chaplains, who also holds the more or less important task of praying for the House of Commons, is among the missing, arouses an apprehension that the disclosures will hit everyone in England. It is interest ing, though not attogether reassuring, to be informed that the reverend and official rep resentative of the Church in high circles has done nothing worse than break himself at betting, and has left the bookmakers to mourn his loss and uncollected losses. Of course it is pleasant to learn that this select specimen of the clergy has done noth ing worse than to indulge in the British sport of wholesale and inordinate gambling on horse races. If he had been discovered to he "Jack the Bipper." or as is pathetically asserted is not the case, had been a participant .In the filthier scandals of English high life, 'it would doubtless have been worse. 'Nevertheless the fact as stated is calculated to arouse the inquiry whether the England of to-day has improved in morality over the England of Clarendon or tne France of the Eegency. Historians give ns as the worst measure of the loose- ' .1 .! .1.-1 .1 t '-APe5 muse uiues iuiu uie clergy were reauy w auiuic iui a uuu appointment, land that the dignitaries of the church were tas prominent as anyone else in the fashiona- ble dissipations. The fact that this clergy jnan feels obliged to run away is encourag ing; but that mitigation is disturbed by the reflection that the scandal seems to be that ' he had lost all his money and cannot pav 5 "his "bets; and by the possibility that if, in stead, ,ne naa eucceeaea in getting the 3MVM.Jt-. .. .. J uw.wl, bVUBIW BfttiOM mejjjnjguv eiiu . oe a,-light ot, the Church and an official instructor of royalty and the legislative power on subjects of morality. Nevertheless we must recognize one ex cuse for the flagrant clergyman. He had the task of praying for a House of Commons which gi res a steady majority to the Tory Cabinet. A man with such a desperate job on hand, might be pardoned for seeking almost any form of gambling as a mild relief. THOSE EHGLISH INVESTMENTS. An interview with one of our leading manufacturers takes a very unfavorable and rather apprehensive view of the large investments by' British syndicates in this country. The aspect which is there set forth that of absentee ownership and the diversion of profits to foreign countries is doubtless one of the drawbacks; but there are some mitigating features. The first of these is the exaggeration of the total of these investments. The state ment of a nominal total of 200,000,000 lor such investments as are already made, may be based on the nominal capital of the en terprises. But that any such sum of En glish capital has actually been transferred to this country, is not to be believed, for two reasons. The first is that such a trans fer would have required a heavy importa tion of gold; when the fact is that we have been exporting gold. The second is that if any such sum had been paid for property in this country it would have created a very easy money market; and the money market has been rather closer than usual the last sea son. Another point which should not be for gotten is that to whatever extent English capital is invested in American plants, it sets free American capital, which must seek other investments. The diversion of profits to foreign conntries will be a drawback; but in the case of foreign investments in Amer ican railways ana in Government and State bonds, it has been shown that the country can use the capital advantageously even to larger amounts than the bona fide invest ments that have recently been made. An equally unfavorable feature of these purchases is the undonbted fact that the en terprises are capitalized to several times their real value; but as this is permitted through the gullibility of English investors, who will be the chief sufferers, there is no need for the United States to waste any tears over the fact. THE M0DEEK SELECTION. The Ohio Senatorial contest will probably be settled within the next two or three days; and while there is a bitter fight against Brice, the indications are strongly in favor of his success. So far as any public evi dence is concerned, it is fair to say that the charges that he is elected by the direct em ployment of pecuniary influences are not established. Nevertheless, the election of Brice is a strong illustration of the deterior ation of our politics. This is manifest not only in the fact that the sole qualification for which Mr. Brice is prominent in politics is his possession of a large fortnne, bnt also in the way In which the canvass is carried on. There is a strong contrast between fie presence of the candi date on the ground and the constant besieg ing of legislators, by himself or his friends, and the way in which some of our statesmen have conducted them selves concerning their election. Sumner at the time of one re-election was found by a friend at work in his office, and on being congratulated, said with perhaps an excessive display of forgetful ness, "Oh yes, this is the day for the election of Sen ator." "When Garfield was elected to the Senate, he declined to go to Columbus, although urged to do so by his friends. Men of reputation for broad minds and statesmanlike powers can afford to let their fame represent them in a Senatorial canvass. Those whose political prominence rests on a pecuniary basis may be obliged to take a different course; bnt if they are, it does not speak well for our politics when the candi dates who are not elected for their mental qualities are so general that the sort of can vass which has been going on in Columbus becomes the rule instead of the exception. If Brice is elected Senator he will not be an especially discreditable addition to the railroad contingent in the Senate; but it is not to the credit A the Ohio Democracy that all its representati-es in that body during the present decade should be chosen from that class. "With Congress and a score of legislatures resuming operations this week the country must turn for solace to the indomitable nature of the business boom. The proposition to whip wife-heaters is being agitated in the eastern part of the State. Possibly the whipping post maybe good for the brutes; bnt there is uo better way to make worthless characters useful than to set them at some work that will be of service to the public, like the making of good roads. Me. Walkeb BLAISE is reported as de claring that if the civil service law was applied to the diplomatic service it would save the heads of the State Department a great deal of trouble. What is more to the point; it might give us a diplomatic service of some value. The trained consular service of European na tions is one of the most effective means of ex tending their foreign trade. But as long as our consular posts are distributed as the spoils of each campaign, we may conclude that spoils' are of more importance in our politics than foreign trade. That alleged $200,000,000 which English syndicates are said to have put into enter prises of this country, ought to send a large amount of gold to America instead of taking away. But 200.000,000 In water can be trans ferred without disturbing the exchange mar ket Some of the opposition papers are trying to make a good deal over a reported declaration of the President's that Mrs. McKee should oc cupy the position of her mother at the New Year's reception, 'lf it busts the Cabinet" But, since the President's assertion means that if the Cabinet chooses to interfere with the, ar rangements nnder which his family shall ex tend its hospitality, in order to establish cer tain ideas of court flummery, It can go to pieces, the public will be likely to express its hearty indorsement to the sentiment No one can blame the Signal Service for the lack of cold waves. It has gone on predict ing them every day with a persistency worthy ot the cance. But the perversity of the ele ments stilr falls to realize any ot the predic tions. J"HE syndicate which has just purchased Brunot's Island shows an appreciation of the Erie ship canal in its willingness to give 10 per cent ot the cost of its property to secure the canal. The investment would be a very profit able one in the increased value of the property. If the whole of Pittsburg would take a similar view the canal would be an assured fact, what ever the Government might do in the premises. The news that the last cargo ot stone has arrived lor the Government building begins to look as if the fullness of time will give Pitts burg a new poitoffice. The determination of the owners of the Monongahela'Hooje to restore the property as a first-class hotel, with all the modern Safe guards and improvements, 'will . be . good news to the public The idea of Pittsburg without the Monongahela House, as would have been the case if the building had been turned into business property, would be that ot a city with an old and famous landmark taken away. The declaration of Mr. Thomas, the other millionaire candidate for the United States Senate from Ohio, that he would not give twenty-five cents a vote) to secure the Senator ship, may have been based on a prevision of the fact that the votes which are for sale at this Juncture will command much more than that figure. Bnt that is more than the intrinsic value of the votes. A PAPER OP PAPERS. Yesterday' 16-Fage Dispatch U a Realty Wonderful Nnmber. What is the use of going far afield to pur chase high-priced magazines and new novels, when, in our own city of Pittsburg, we can ob tain matter quite as new, quite as interesting, and by quite as celebrated authors? What is the use of expending so much money in buying those costly literary productions when in a Pittsburg daily paper they can be secured for one-tenth of the price? These are questions which are extremely difficult to answer, for the reason that no possible excuse, save Ignorance of the true facts of the case, can be pleaded in extenuation of the silliness of folks who be have in such a manner. It these people take up yesterday's Dispatch as a specimen and glauce casually through its 16 pages they will speedily be brought to see the error of their ways. Those pages are replete with matter, in teresting In the highest degree, unusually ex tensive,and varied to such an extent that every man will find his own peculiar taste in litera ture gratified therein. Bnt "good wine needs no bush." Let the contents of yesterday's 16-page Dispatch speak for themselves. i. The Ohio Senatorial race Still occupies the great political arena,and the accurate and inter esting telegrams from The Dispatch staff cor respondent will be found to throw avast deal of light on the subject Brice is still hopeful, in spite of the very fierce opposition his can didature has apparently aroused. A scare has been started that England is buying up the United States piecemeal. Foreign syndicates are purchasing every American industry they can lay their hands on. New ork and Chicago are down with the grip. The Mills bill has forced tbo bagging manufacturers Into a com bine. Southern statesmen dlseuss the negro question at length. The Enlffin murder proves a deeper mystery than at first suspected. Presi dent C i?. Black has appointed his Democratic Clubs' Committee. The grip has laid its clammy hands on the throat of London. It is also devastating every portion of Europe. Prince Bismarck is said to be making ready to abolish the Austrian Empire. The Silesian miners claim that they are being driven to starvation by the importa tion of foreign employes. The monarchs of Europe are very cheerful over tne coming year in their various addresses. The King of Bel gium has lost 31,000,000 by his palace being burnt Mr. Gladstone is taking a great inter est in Andrew Carnegie and hiswork Con sul Johnson is. If anything, too energetlo in 'Central Africa, and an Anglo-Portuguese war may be looked for. The sporting news is full and interesting, and Fringle's column was, as usual, racy In the ex treme. n. Brunot's Island, containing 175 acres, has been purchased for 200,000 by an iron manu facturers syndicate. The new Duquesne Club building was opened with flowers and feasting. Local clergymen stated their views on the free pew idea. The grip is said to have come to Pittsburg. The exciting annual election of Americus Club officers has taken place. Citi zems' views on electricity; its dangers and diffi culties are ventilated. The American Fatriotio League has organized branches in Pittsburg, m. In the second part Bill Nye. Esq., lets him self loose, and keeps ns in fits of merriment for two whole columns. Hon. Henry Hall is charmingly descriptive when he writes of "London on Parade," and reviews the after noon scenes in Hyde Park. Clara Belle is a wee bit sarcastic over the blunders which f ash lonable New "irork would-be literary ladies make. Rider Haggard's latest work in which he has eclipsed himself entitled "Beatrice," oc cupies a place of honor. Claire A. Orr, in "A Trip to the Sun," writes of the recent.Govern ment expedition to Africa with much verve. Shirley Bare discusses the disadvantage of too much flesh, and gives the best method of re ducing it Mrs. Frank Leslie talks about "Eating in Public," and the ways in which many folks eat, all the world over. Brenan, while reviewing Superintendent Hor naday's latest book, tells the story of the great American bison, and his extermination. Kev. George Hodges writes with much earnestness ot a glowing example In the life of Christ Paysle contributes a very pretty fairy story. Edward Wakefield writes abont "A Pair-Haired Chief." "GoaLittle Slow," saysBessieBramble, and in an Interesting article she argues in favor of her maxim. B. P. Shillaber is. as usual, ex cellent In "Bee and His Mother." Mrs. Par tington is always amusing. James C. Purdy writes of Pittsburg in the dark ages, i. e., in 1S65. Bumbalo's "Latest Craze" contains some happy observations on the grip, its history and its spread. The "Every Day Science!' articles are to the fore. The fashionable intelligence and the art dramatic and musical notes, as well as the G. A. B. intelligence, will prove highly readable. AH the other departments of the paper are in their places. PEOPLE OP PROMINENCE. When Robert Carter was a school teacher, he taught Schuyler Colfax to read Latin and Greek. Daniel Doughebtt, of New York, will speak at the next St Patrick's Day oration at Ottawa. The Kaiser has oraered that all civilians who take part in state ceremonies shall wear knee breeches. Me. Peeet, the astronomer, who was sent to Demarara at the head ot the English Govern ment's scientific expedition, is dead. SejtAtoe Blaib, of New Hampshire, will present to Coneress a numerously siened peti tion for an appropriation for a statue of John Stark over that hero's grave at Manchester. Ehile Zola recently met Amelle Rives Chanlerat a reception at Paris. He told her that he enjoyed ''The Quick or the Dead," but could not translate some of the words. Amelle would find the same difficulty if she attempted to turn her book into English. Beveblt Tcckee, who came near to being a Commissioner to Hayti, is becoming noted in Washington because he refuses to wear an overcoat Some men are born great some achieve greatness, and some play the Victor Hugo, Hannibal Hamlin dodge. Heneik Ibsen may be a great dramatic author, but he is not a Chesterfield. In a cer tain restaurant in Munich he has a favorite seat If he chances to be late he looks in at the door to see whether his place is free. When an Intruder has taken possession of it, the poet marches up and down in front of the cafe, pausing every now and then to peep through the window, and gesticulating fiercely at the innocent invader. , F1YE-SC0RE TEARS OLD. Dinah Ellis, a n egress, ot Boone county, Ma, claims to be ISO. , Lobekzo D. Cabteb, the oldest man in War ren, Me., is dead. He was 101 years of age. Ellis Wilcox, the oldest resident of Sanga mon county, 111, died recently, aged 101 years. ' Hits. Amos Adams, of Jollet, in, is 93 years old and hale, -though blind. Knitting Is her delight Fbedeiiick William Drought, a native of Ireland, died Thursday In Kansas City, Kan., at the age of 101. Mrs. Elizabeth Price, of Normal, BL, is 99, and as merry as a cricket She is a native of Chester county, Pa. John Gbant, who was born in Maine in 1789, and was one of the first settlers of (Kansas, died recently at Delphos, Kan. An Editor Agreeably Surprised. On Saturday evening the writing force of the Times gave Managing Editor W. H. Gutellus a pleasant surprise. The boys took dinner at his house and prior to their departure presented Mr. Gutellus, as a token of their regard, a handsome set of books 20 volumes of the "American Statesmen" series. It was a fitting testimonial to one of the most popular and en ergetic newspaper men in tne city. THE CRITIC'S REVIEW. The January Maenzines and Their Most Prominent Features An TJnninaHy Rich Number of St. NIchoIm-TUe Fornm and the Farmer Dr. O. W. Holmes In the Atlantic Edwnrd Atkinson on Cotton, Its Future, Etc. The Critic's monthly comment upon the mag asincs begins this time with St. Nicholas. The January number is unusually rich in attractive pictures. Katherine Pyle has a calendar page, which ,we hope is to be a feature of the maga zine the year through. Palmer Cox brings in his "Brownies" again. This time they visit the artist's studio and criticise their portraits, and peer into the ink bottle, and stain their fingers with paint and stand about In their familiar attitudes, picturesque and comical. George Wharton Edwards has an offective tall piece to Mrs. Spofford's "Yule Log Song." There are several spirited panther pictures byW. Taber. "Intercollegiate Foot ball in America," with "The Drop Kick" for a pendant is well set out with sketches, Will iam C. Stoddard's new serial is introduced by a thrilling runaway scene by C. T. Hill, who has a good deal of excellent work in this number.. The little jingle "There Was Once a Man With a Sneeze," comes in with peculiar seasonable ness In these days of "the grip." The most notable contribution to this number is a series iOf four short poems by Helen Thayer Hutche son. The editor calls especial attention to these verses. A portrait of the author accom panies a brief sketch of her short life. "The Fools Waltz" apd "A King In Egypt" are notable both for the originality of their con ception and for their musical quality. A KINO IN EGYPT. I think I lie by the lingering Mile. I think I am one that has lain long while, My lips sealed up in a solemn smile, In the lazy land of the loitering Mile. I think I lie In the Pyramid, And the darkness weighs on the closed eyelid, And the air is heavy where I am hid. With the stone on stone of the Pyramid. I think there are graven godhoods grim, That look from the walls 'of my chamber dim. And the hampered hand and the muffled limb Lie fixed in the spell of their gazes grim. I think I He In a languor vast, Kumb, dumb soul In a body fast Waiting loiur as the world shall last, Lying cast in a languor vast. Lying muffled In fold on fold, With the gum and the gold and the spice enrolled, And the srainof a year that U old, old, old,' Wound around In the flne-tpun fold. The sunshine of Egypt is on my tomb; I feel It warming the still, thick gloom, Warming and waking an old perfume, ' Through the carven honors upon my tomb. The old sunshine of Egypt is on the stone; And the sands He red that the wind hath sown, And the lean, lithe lizard at play alone Slides like a nhadow across the stone. And 1 He with the Pyramid over my head, I am lying dead, lying long, long dead. With my days all done, and mv words all said, And the deeds of my days written over my bead. This is genuine poetry, capitally illustrated by Birch. The poems are Almost everything in the Forum for January will be interesting to almost everybody. If the American farmer reads the Forum, he will find out, if he is not already sufficiently aware of it in what hard case he is. Mr. Carlisle, ex Speaker of the House of Representatives shows what damage protection does to him, and Prof. Rodney Welch, nnder the heading "Horace Greeley's Cure for Poverty," makes it out that about the worst thing a poor man can do is to "Go West" Prof. Welch says that "philanthropists, before advising a city laborer to go West and grow up with the country, would do well to ascertain if he has the means to support his family for two years, to pay traveling expenses, and to expend 81,000 in buying necessaries and making improvements." There are two men in Colorado who will not particularly enjoy Mr. Kercheval's paper on "The Wrongs of the Ute Indians." These two men, if half which is set down in this article, is true, ought to be hanged. The name of one man is Leslie, with the title of, "Major?' the name of the other is Kendall, with the title of "Sheriff." Both these men are in the employ of the United 8tates Government There Is no more barbarous injustice in Siberia than is charged here against tne representatives of onr own Government Marriage and woman suffrage are considered from the orthodox point of view by Mr. W. 8. Lilly and Prof. Goldwln Smith, These two articles are as conservative as they are strong, logical and convincing. Next to these conservative voices speaks Mr. Henry Lahouchere, the radical of radicals, who expresses his opinion about people and things in the English political world with the sort of frankness which most men save for private con. versatlon. The Tories, he says, 'thoroughly appreciate the value of the spoils of office, and there is no baseness that they would not com mit no principle that they would not recant no policy that they would not adopt in order to retain their hold on these spoils. As for the Tory ruck in Parliament, they have prejudices, bnt they have no opinions. A more contempt ible set of men it would be difficult to con ceive." And so on. V Many readers of the January Atlantic will turn first to the pleasant pages which begin with the title "Over the Teacups! and end with the name of Oliver Wendell Hounes, Old age is the theme of this month's installment of a series of essays which we hope may last long, and extend through many numbers with many pages every time. We wonder a Uttle why Dr. Holmes said nothing in bis essay about Cicero's De Senectute, and nothing about that thought ful retrospect of Sir Arthur Helps on "Look ing Back Upon Life." Mrs. Deland's serial story, "Sidney," begins this month; enter the hero and the heroine, together with other interesting and queer peo ple. The scene is a country town, Sidney Is a young lady who reads German pessimism by the light of a wood fire. Robert Steele Is a young man in bad health and considerable de pression of mind, who has just been invited by Sidney's father to be their guest Katherine Townsend and John Panlare apparently to have a love story of their own in the intervals of the main narrative. "English Love Songs' are written of with appreciation and evidences of wide and sympathetic reading, by Agnes Repplier. John Dickinson, "the great conserva tive of the Revolutionary era," is the forgotten worthy who is brought Into our memory by Frank Gaylord Clark. A "Precursor of MiltOr' is found in old Bishop A Vitus, of Vienna, in the fifth century. Milton, it seems, was not so loyal as might have, been desired to the exact truth, when he described himself as undertak ing Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme. ' ' The paper is one of decided literary value. Milton and Avltus have not before this had their names put together by anybody, V Edward Atkinson's paper in the JPopular Science Monthly on "The Future Bites of the Cotton Manufacture of the United States," is full of promise for the South. The article is il lustrated by a series of curious Chinese pic tures. The pictures are the only allusions which the paper makes to China. There is, however, a good deal about China, from an other point of view, in Mr. Benton's paper on "The Taonist Religion." It seems that the dragon on the Chinese national flag is the head devil of this singular demonoglcal creed. The Taonist pope has whole rooms and halls In his palace, which are filled with imprisoned devils sealed up in glass jars. The way in which the priests catch the devils, and thus add greatly to their own Income and to the contentment of the people, Is described. Benjamin Reece has a carefully prepared paper to show that the more people know, the worse they are, at least with the present methods of imparting knowledge. He thinks, with reason, that something ought to be done about this menace to our national future. He has no plan to pro pose. The teaching of Christian ethics in the publlo schools is tne best plan. We will find that out one of these days. A series of "Let ters on the Land Question," taken from the London Times, appears to leave the question at the end just about where It was at the be ginning. What we get from seaweed Is re counted In Prof. Btrahan's paper. "A Harvest from the Ocsan." There is a curious article on "Birds With Teeth," " The January JApptncoWt is a Julian Haw. tnorne nnmber. A handsome picture of Julian Hawthorne faces the first page; the complete novel, "MUUcent and Rosalind," is from his pen; so also is an account, ot which the first in stallment appears this month, of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Elixir otlife." The quotations from this singular and previously nnpnnted story are prefaced by some interesting com ments upon the elder Hawthorne's way of writing, and especially upon the attraction which he felt f ormany years toward the theme which is here attempted. , It was in .the mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne to write a romance of rr. . Immortality, a story of a wandering Jew. The theme was congenial to his Imagination and it suited well wi& the earnest purpose Which directed everything he wrote. Perhaps it.was Hawthorne's intense interest In. this theme which interfered with his success in writing it out At any rate, he never succeeded in pleas ing himself In the matter. He made four serious attempts. "The Ancestral Footstep," "Dr. Grlmshaw's Secret," "Septimus Felton" and 'The Dolllver Romance" were the results of these endeavors four unfinished novels. And here, it seems, is a fifth, kept thus far from print bv its almost undecipherable pen manship. We hardly get far enough into it in this number to pass a judgment upon it There is more to come. "Newspaper Fiction" is written up In good shape by William Wistall, who has given us tunny analyses ot the-two newspaper novels which have provedmost popular among news paperreaders. One Is 'The Factory Girl," by Jlr. David Poe, a Scotchman. The other is 'The Gunmaker of Moscow," by Sylvanus Cobb, Jr. The writer wonders why somebody in London or New York does not start a paper on the ljnes of the Petit Journal of Paris, with a maximum of fiction and a minimum of news. "Kinks in the Skein" is a farcical romance by three well-known humorists, with a good deal of tangled-np fun in it, bnt with a general look about it of being machine-made. Richard Henry Stoddard, with an autobiographical preface, which is in doubtful taste, writes of Nathaniel Parker Willis. . The mention ot the name of Sylvanus Cobb. Junior, calls naturally to one's mind the New York Ledger. This was the stamping-ground of the ingenious Sylvanus, and of many others more or less popular than he. No periodlcalhas made such progress of late in the improvement of its type and pictures, and still better In the raising of its literary tone, than the New York Ledger. To those who know it only by tradition the recent Issues are a surprise and a revelation. 'To be continued in our next" Is no longer found at the end of every article in It; but short, incisive, interesting and bright pa pers by the best writers of the day have taken the place of much that used to be less than the best . "Instantaneous Photography," in Outing for January.ls Illustrated with some good pictures, of which "Chewing the Cud" Is the best "To My Sweetheart's Kodak" Is a pretty little bit of verse which goes charmingly with the scien tific paper. Outing is making a mistake, in our opinion, in mixing up advertisements with Its editorial department Several articles In this number are continuations of last month's papers. "Wintering In California" is pleasantly written and well illustrated. "Ice Yachting" and "Catching Frost Fish With a Shotgun" are seasonable contributions. Bo also is "Sklpton Pedalwink's Heroism," a bicycle story. Every number of the Century Magazine now adays is not only worth reading bnt worth keep ing. The January nnmber abounds in articles which possess not only present Interest bnt permanent value. The Lincoln biography, now in its next to the last installment,tells the story of the assassination, and is followed by an ac count of 'The Pursuit and Death of John Wilkes Booth," written by two Confederate officers who met Booth In his night and by a Union officer who commanded the cavalry that captured him. The autobiography of Joseph Jefierson is as delightfully entertaining ?s usual. The second number appears in the "Present Day Paper," being a discussion of "Problems of the Family," by a W. Dike. Andrew Montegna is the Italian old master who is described by Mr. Stlllman and Mr: Cole with pen and pencil. Miss Amelia B. Edwards contributes an Egyptian historical study, re counting the exploration of the great temple ot Bubastisand describing the treasures found there. Pictures of these valuable antiques are added, being now for the first time published. Dr. George P. Fisher continues his valuable papers on 'The Nature and Method of Revela tion." Frank R. Stockton and Amelia E. Barr contribute fresh installments of their serial stories. A fine picture of James Bryce, author of 'The American Commonwealth," Is the frontispiece of the number, and a brief acconnt of his life and writings accompanies it On the whole, the January Century is a number of ex. traordinary interest and value, V No. 18 Pell street, the New York 7-cent lodg ing house described in Bcribner' Magazine for last month, has gone out of business. Presi dent Wilson,of the Health Departmentread the tenement bouse article, went down and veri fied the facts and promptly revoked the license of that nefarious establishment The January number contains the promised new depart ment "The Point of View," which consists of several pages of bright, Informal and unsigned comment upon topics of the time. The Barge Exhibition, Thackeray's Life, Social Life in Print and the French as Artists, are discussed in this number. 'The Parts Exposition" Is conslderea at length by W. C. Brownell In a thoughtful paper. The effect on the Exposi tion ot the opposition of the monarchist part of the world and of the monarchial party in France, and the salient features of the exhibi tion are suggestively brought out "Water Btoracoln the West" is a description of how our Western deserts are made to blossom like the rose. "Tripoli of Barbary" is the first of a series ot African studies in which both text and illustration are the good work of Mr. A. F. Jacassy. Some good pictures accompany the appreciative and discerning comments of Mr. Henry T. Finck upon 'The Beauty of Spanish Women." Mr. Kennelly, chief electrician at the Edison Laboratory, has an article showing the manifold uses of "Electricity in the House hold." Scribnefs begins the new year keep ing up its persistent advance In interest and worth, and with abundant promise of good things to come. THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE PRAISE. A Cotemporary Pronounces the Dispatch a Perfect Newspaper. From the Huntingdon Journal. The Pittsbtbo Dailt Dispatch comes up to our idea of a perfect newspaper. All the news from every quarter of the globe worth printing is found In its columns, its market re ports are reliable, while its editorials are able and fearlessly discuss the questions of the day from an independent standpoint The Sun day Dispatch, with, its 20 pages of choice literature and latest news. Is a marvel of news paper enterprise. It contains more matter than the average magazine and its contribu tions are from the pens of men and women of the highest merit and national reputation. As good as The Dispatch Is Its manage ment promise to make it still better during the current year. Bo rapid has been the increase in circulation that In addition to the fast presses already in use a Hoe perfecting press Is being built and will soon bo put in place In The Dispatch building, which will add to the facilities for getting out the edition of more than 60,000 copies. The Dispatch has won its way to popular favor. TARIFF HEARING SCHEDULE. Programme of the Ways nnd Means Com mittee for the Week. Washington, January 5. The Committee on Ways and Means have scheduled tariff hear ings for this week, as follows: Monday Silk and sujrar. Tuesday Tobacco and liquors. Wednesday Provisions and farm products. Thursday Wood and paper. Friday-Sundries. It is not certain, however, that the above list will include this branch of the work of the committee, but until the tariff bill is reported the committee will probably be more or less en gaged In receiving information and views upon the schedules to be included in that measure. It is expected that the bill will be reported to the House about tbe 1st of February, and that snch progress will be made with it and tbe ap propriation bills that Congress can adjourn about;tne first week in July. DEATHS OP A DAY. Joseph Klmmel. Joseph Klmmel, the druggist the head of the firm of Joseph Klmmel &Co., died at his home, No. 72 Center avenue, at 4:15 o'clock on the mora ine of January 4, in tbe d year of bis age. Mr. Klmmel was born and raised on the Southildo.,' N and is a son or tne late uenry Klmmel. Ill mother, Mrs. Eluaheth Klmmel, still Uvea on Sharon street eoutntiae, wltu Her son, Frank C. Jiimmei. Joseph Klmmel first began work as adrumlerk for Joieph Abel, who kept on the corner of Fifth avenne and Grant street where James D. Kearns is now located. Mr. Kearns was at the time a clerk In the tame store. After a few years there. Mr. Klmmel went to clerk for John Black, on the corner of Smith field street and Liberty avenue. When Mr. Black sold out that store to Samuel 8. Holland, Mr. Klmmel and Mr. Holland bonght the Dickson drugstore at the corner of Penn ave nue and Ninth street They have occupied that stand for IS years. Sir. Klmmel bad been rafferlnK from lung trouble for over a year, bnt was confined to his house for less than two months. The funeral services will be held atlOo'clock to-morrowfore-noon, In St. Michael's Catholic Church, on Pins street, Houthslde. The interment will be private. Mr. Klmmel leaves a wife, a daughter and two sons. 'Hou. T. A. Edwards. rsraCIAL TXtXOBAU TO TII DISPATCH.! WXSTON, W". VA., January S. T. A. Edwards, editor of the Weston Democrat, and at one time Judroofthe Circuit Court died this afternoon. He was prominent in pontics in West Virginia be lore ana uuriag uiv nr Hotf. J. C. Knickerbocker. . CHICAGO, January S. Judge J, C Knicker bocker, of the Probate Court who was stricken" fth paralyils last night at the Calumet Club, died this morning, aged 53, He was a native' of CJlumDia .county, a, i, W'. r.r A SHABBY ARISTOCRACY, Washington Cabinet Ladles Draw Close Distinctions la Their Own Limited Radius of Privileged Persons Mrs. Secretary" of Agriculture Now the' .Lowest of These Exalted Onei Mighty Chief of Divisions. IFUOHA STAPP COBBISrOKBXKT.1 Washington, January 6. The New Year flummery is past The usual "high" officials have passed through the usual ordeal ot hand shaking, standing for hours on exhibition. Persons who were just as much nobodies as you or I a little more than a year ago have had their vanity tickled with thevidea that they are lions, for a minute at any rate. If next week or next year they are again retired to the "shades of private life." I suppose there was a Uttle more flummery this year than usual. It is growing, you know. Increase of wealth without increase of brains, and a growing tendency of officials to think that they govern insteaa of serve, crystallizes the classification of Washington society, and social ranks and grades are coming to be as clearly understood and recognized as at Windsor, or at Bucking ham Palace. Would yon bolieve it that the fact that tbe law found it necessary in provid ing for the Presidents! succession to designate who should come into the Presidency In tbe event of the death of President Vice Presi dent, and so on, has been taken advantage of to decide the rank of the '"court ladles?" Ac cording to this arrangement, it is recognized as an almost national enactment that the wife of the Secretary of State shall stand first at official receptions, after the wives of the President and tbe Vice President and in their order the wives of the Treasury and W"ar Secretaries, the Attorney General, Postmaster General and Secretaries of the Navy. Interior and Agricul tural Departments. Here the rank of each is distinctly and unalterably fixed as by tbe laws of theMedesand Persians, and no one dare step across the sacred lice. Of coarse the nearer you approach to the domain of labor the more insignificant the, actor becomes, and so the poor wife of the Chief of the Agricultural Department who is the official embodiment of tbe snblimest, most useful, oldest and most po etical of occupations is crowded to the foot of tbe line, and will remain there until there Is created a Department of Labor, when the wife of the Secretary of that department will move the Hon. Mrs. Secretary of Agriculture one peg upward. It is a funny consummation of our republi can form ot government, this division of offi cials into ranks and degrees, and their wives into ranks social; but it Is not the fault of the republican form, but of the artificial social life of the nation, which ascribes excellence to other things beside pure moral; intellectual aid ssthetlc worth and development So long as the possession of money gives standing and power in accordance with the amount pos sessed, little matter how it Is acquired, we can hardly find fault with assumption of official superiority In various degrees. Of course. If all minds were above petty considera tions, such a regulation would be a dead letter, and the wife of the Secretary of State conld speak to the wife of the Secre tary of Agriculture without thrusting her feel ing of superior rank into the face and con sciousness ot the latter; but unfortunately most minds, and especially most female minds, are just broad enongh to be capable of taking advantage of the situation and making Itas dls- agreeaoie as possioie, ana tnereiore among tne ladles of the "court circle" there is often a feeling of belligerence that threatens to break oat into open war, and in their daily inter course they always have, figuratively speaking, their hands on their hip pockets, and at night they sleep on their arms with one eye open. Scandals with and without foundation are the results of these jealousies, and in some sense the penalty of rank is therefore greater than its honor. The leveling process goes on here as In all nature, and, if rank Is at the top, num bers are at the bottom, and the power of num bers isgreaterthan the power ot rank. Scandal, like death, loves a shining mark, and the in feriors of the court circle delight to tear to pieces their superiors, and these interiors in their turn find their Nemesis. It Is the ancient story of tbe great fleas which have little fleas to bite them, and the little fleas that have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum. This snobbery might not be anything but amusing if it were confined to the "court circle." But it Is epidemic, like the "grip." and so we find petty officers of all kinds aping the grand manner of the big fleas, both in social and official life, and so to the philosophies observer the spectacle in its geometrical pro gression becomes quite entertaining, not to say grotesque. Heads of bureaus and chiefs of divisions are caught furtively or openly aping the highfalutln of Cabinet officers or "Minis ters," and so it goes down to the lowest rung of the official ladder. We have Mr. Robert P. Porter, like tbe President issuing a circular that members of Congress will be admitted to his presence only between the hours of 13 and 2 o'clock, though in rank be comes about tenth in the Departmentof the Interior, and bis office is merely temporary, for the collection of a few figures, which few people ever refer to, except in the matter ot the number of inhabitants. N A newspaper friend of mine called the other day to seek a bit of information from a chief of an obsenre division. He stated his errand familiarly and confidently. The. chief knitted his Socratlan brow, hemmed and hawed as men do when they wish to appear profonnd but are not and said with Impressive and freezing de liberation that he was not at liberty to give an official opinion on a subject on which he might be called upon to render an opinion to tbe Sec retary. "I am not asking you for an oninlon," said the correspondent bristling. "I was not aware that a chief of a division had an opinion. At any rate you have no opinion that the news paper 1 represent is pining to print 1 merely asked for some information which yon hare on your files." "1 really do not think I can say anything about the matter. It is information for the use of my department and not for the press," said tbe chief. "Your department! Well, that Is the latest How long have yon been heref Two years? Well, that is two years too long. Don't you think it is about time for a chancre? I'll eo ngni over ana see tne secretary aDout it now. He is a particular friend of mine and sent me here to get this information from you. Good day, sir. and goodby, for I shall not see you again. You will be out of this within a week." Sure enough, within a week a Republican bad taken the place of that Democratic chief tain, who did not know enough to humbly re duce tbe size of his head, even under a Repub lican administration. E. W. L. THE J0LLI TARIFF REFORMER, A Fine Exposition of the Cariosities of Free Trade Philosophy. From the New York Tribune. What a jolly exposition of free trade phil osophy Mr. Tariff Reformer Macbeth, of Pitts burg, made the other day before the Congres sional Committee. He wanted the tariff abol ished, so that he could reduce the cost of his lamp chimneys to the dear public. And if tbe tariff were abolished, how much would the cost be reduced? Well hum I Bat perhaps 3 or 4 cents on the dozen, at wholesale. So? And bow much of a gain would that be to the man who buys a single chimney In brief, to the dear public, which buys its lamp chimneys at retail? Well huml hat none at all; bnt it would be just so much additional profit to Mr. Tariff Re former Macbeth and the middlemen! So Very solicitous, these tariff reformers. about the dear public, yon know! And so afraid that some American manufacturer or workingman will make something under the tariff! . Not a Failure With This Man. From the Keadlne Herald. A man In Illinois has JuSt married his sixth wife. Every one of his wives brought him a farm, and be is now one of the largest landed proprietors In this county. This shows that marriage is a great success if It is managed properly, and that if a man sticks to that busi ness, as well as any other, he is bound to come ut ahead In the end. LOVE'S LEDGER. ie winter winds are chill and drear. From leaden trees tbe crystals hang. id ice-chained waters once so clear "ell not of days tliey rippling sang Sneetheart love's voice was mute as they Till "pa" boomed wheat on "change" that day. The, autumn, flushed with foliage red, at kept its vow to seed-time given, And saw the buds to fruitage wed And harvest-wains to garners driven. Nor brighter was with promise true Than the "deed-of-gift" assigned to you. Through tangled brakes the peewits hoo. And bees make sweets on summer days; From lilies tall the white leaves drop, Blown as they list in fragrant ways; Did love's warm tide throb quicker then, When consols leaped from five to ten? No. nol 'tas spring, when wild-wood flowers Flecked gplden stars on earth's pale green And rlng-dores cooed In nuptial bowers. Tbose gladsome days or silvery sneenr - Oh, love thrilled then, when you whispered low, We've a canle ranch lU'laahol"'- - -Inda Barton Mavs. in Judge, '! .. . ''iv ,. -W' 0U2 KAIL f OUCH. The Paruell Trial. To the Editor of TseDispatcht What in brief, is the history ot the Parnell trial? C. D. Pittsbubg, January i. In March. 1887, the London Times began the. publication of a series of articles under the general title of "Parnelllsm and Crime," In which an elaborate effort was made to estab lish a close connection between the more prom inent members of the Irish Parliamentary party and the assassinations, dynamite con spiracies and other crimes committed in En gland and Ireland since the Land Leaguo was formed. On April 18 the Times published a f ac simile of a letter alleged to have been writ ten by Parnell to Patrick Egan In May, 1882, expressing rgrefr for the accidental circum stances by which the murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish in Phoenix Park was made neces sary, hut approving tbe murder of Cnder Sec retary Burke. The Government 'refused to prosecnte the Times for Ubellng members of the House, and the Times challenged Parnell to sue the paper. He main tained a dignified silence. The Times thereupon renewed the former charge and made new ones. Mr. Parnell then moved for a special committee of the House to Inquire into the authenticity of the letters. The Govern ment refused to allow even the discussion of tne motion, but soon after proposed to appoint three commissioners to Inquire into all tbe statements made. The Times accepted. Par nell would not express approval or disapproval of the commission which was appointed. The appointment ot Judges Hannen,Smith and Day was regarded as especially favorable to .the Times. The whole fabric of the T7mes'case rested on PIggott's shoulders. PIggott ad mitted that he was a liar, perjurer and black mailer. The letters were shown to be forgeries. Piggott fled to the continent and committed suicide. July 18, 1887, Parnell withdrew from the case. July 25 the commission adjourned to October 24, when Michael Darin delivered a speech ot several days' length, forcibly deline ating tbe Irish side of tbe Irish question. Sir Henry James made the closing speech for tbe Times in November. Parnell has brought snit f or $500,000 aeainst the Times tor libel. The commission is now engaged In preparing its re port and the libel suit has not come to trial. Recently Captain O'Shea has brought a divorce suit naming Parnell as co-respondent Many believe this was done at the instigation of the Times. A Correction Corrected. To the Editor of The Dispatch: In your issue of Tuesday last- "Old Timer," -In correcting "a slight inaccuracy" makes one himself, In stating that the "Branch Bank of the United States" was first located on Third avenue. Now the fact is, that by deed dated July, 1818, recorded in Deed Book 27, page 73, the Bank of Pennsylvania sold to tbe Branch Bank of the United States, lot No. 272 In the plan of Pittsburg, 67 feet on Second and Third streets. This lot is located between Ferry street and Chancery lane, abont 60 feet from the corner of Ferry and Second streets. On the Second street front was erected the stone building occupied by the back. It had a flight of about eight stone steps with a flat Iron rail ing up to the bank office on the first floor of the building: There was no bank building on tbe Third street end of the lot I lived opposite to this lot on Third street and have personal knowledge of the facts. One or the Boys ot 1318. Ptttsbubq, January 4, 189a A Few Facts About Caba. To the Editor of The Dispatch: What is the area and population of Cuba? What are thachief products and the system ot government? L. Ktttannino, January 1 Caba has an area of 72,000 square miles, and by the census ot 1SS0 had a population of 1,521, 6S4, half ot whom were colored and enfranchised slaves. The island Is governed by a Captain General, appointed by the Spanish crown. Its chief product is sugar, of which 450,000 to 600,000 tons are.exported annually, two-thirds ot it to the United States, besides 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 gallons of molasses. Library Association Membership. To the Editor of The Dispatch: Will yon please Inform me if people residing outside the limits of the city of Pittsburg can become members of the Pittsburg Library As sociation, andif so, how one may join. Bxnnxtt, January 4. LmsB. There are no limitations as to residence. Four dollars makes you a member for one year. Pay it to Miss Macrum, the Librarian. Xet McGlnty Rest. To the Editor or The Dlsnatch: Where can I get the song abont McGlnty? Bbaddock, January 4, Geoboe. The song "McGinty" is on sale at the music stores, but you would better leave it alone. It causes insomnia. DISTINGUISHED HEN AT DINNEE. Count Ton aioltlce and minister Phelps Connt Waldemee's Guests. Berlin. January 6. Count von Waldersee gave an official dinner last evening. All tbe guests were military men except Vice Chan cellor De Brneck and Royal Chamberlain Vizthum. The Emperor's staff was repre sented by Adjutant von Bulow. The military attaches from tbe German Legations in Europe, who had come to greet tbe Emperor as is customary on the New Year, were present Count von Waldersee sat between General von Moltke and Mr. Phelps, tbe American Minister, who was also present General von Moltke, in the coarse of conversation, spoke warmly In defense of Bancroft the historian. This is the first important dinner since the deatn of the ex-Empress ot Brazil. All the ladies present were dressed in black. Tbe mil itary attaches departed for their posts to-day. A COST OF $300,000 TR MILE. What the Government la Paying; to Give Texas Deep Water. Galveston, January 6, The Central Deep Water Committee met here yesterday and were taken over the jetty now under, construe. tion tr the Government to secure deep water at Galveston. Tbe entire length of the jetty so far, to height of five feet above mean low tide, is 18,400 feet of which 7,600 feet is what is known as the ln-shore jetty, leading to the shore line, where the jetty commences its pro jection into the Gulf proper. When finished the coast jetty will be seven miles in length. The present appropriation of $500,000, under which the work Is now being done, when ex pended, will carry the wall a distance of 8 miles, leaving It 2 miles short of completion. The character of the work now heme done costs the Government about 300,000 a mile. The Old Process Still Used. JTrom the Baltimore American.! A new steel process has been invented in Pittsburg, But the presentprocess of combina tion ot cashier and Canada will continue to be in popular use. Bishop O'Doberty Approved. Dublin, January 6. The Pope has finally approved the nomination of Dr. O'Doherty as Bishop of Londonderry. A Dlitincnlibed Guest. From the Troy Times. .Influenza Sneezer, of Sneezerville, is in' the city. H0TELT1ES IN JEWELRI. A stlveb toothpick receptacle that comes from Paris represents a spool of sewing cotton. A. binq that is taking tbe place of the diamond-shaped cluster is a square opal sur rounded by diamonds. A plain gold wire bracelet worked into tbe pattern ot an ordinary hook and eye. Is a de sign recently imported from Europe. AT a recent dinner given by a New York lady, small oxidized postage stamp holders were distributed among the guests as favors. Prettt and very acceptable to a yonng per son, is a pair of tarrlnjs with diamonds mounted in the center of a circle of small gold sleigh bells. An attractive ornament for the desk one that is sure of securing immediate attention is a miniature silver stove of American pattern. The'artlcle is perfect in every detail. Neptune's trident in variegated gold, with diamond-tipped prongs and having a dolphin of diamonds and rubies sportively clinging to the handle, forms a handsome lace pin. Achampionship emblem recently presented to a New York chess player was a chessboard of solid silver, with inlaid gold for each alter nate square. A full set of chessmen which ac companied the board was made ot sterling Silver. Cabe m execution and orleinalltv of design ... ., - - i.. i r ,.- Li.-, ,. . f JLondl -' Z, . " - ! t.r. i. m .. 'a' "J T V, . owraraiiy BiimMawuM. &. jvw v pearia encircle tBOJteytoev-vewr' Wi . , . ' '. cueious condehsaHohs. During December money in circulation" ' In the United States Increased 113,018,294. At McConnellsvine, O., a few days ago a colony of bees swarmed and alighted on a coal-house door. Officials of the Eastern Indian schools say six have died after returning West since 1884, and 6(3 before that Great Sails, N. H., has a Justice of the Peace, J. B. Sbaplelgh, who has been In office continuously for S3 years. A bird, of an unknown species flew into a Salem, O., office tbe other day and was cap tured. It was about as large as a quail and had bright plumage. Forty-fdnr thousand pounds of flour for Western Indian reservations is to be furnished by C. H. Searing, of Arkansas City, Kan at from SI 40 to H 60 per 100 pounds' according to place of delivery. Depletion of the Chesapeake oyster beds is cutting short the supply for the packers and several of the largest firms in Baltimore have begun cultivating tho bivalve In Southern waters, and establishing packing houses in thoselocalities. Fensacola, Fla., customs officers found choice cognac and cordials aboard the Swedish bark Adolph and seized them for duties. The master said they were ship stores. When the Treasury Department beard he had tried to sell them, it was concluded they were not for sail ors, and sustained tbe Collector. More than 10,000 plated Roman coins, dated between 200 A. D. and 360 A. DM have been found beneath a tile at St Pabu, Finis terre. Tbe question Is, were these the result of a queer private enterprise, or did Valerian, Di ocletian and other Emperors playoff these plated imitations forthetrue coin ot the realm? A novel and amusing sight was recently witnessed at Washrucna lake, Washington. That largo body of water was frozen over, with tbe exception of about an acre in the center. The open space was so completely packed with dncka and geese that there was not room for another, while thousands were crowded around and were holding a cackling Indignation meet ing, because the more fortunate ones would not come out and give them a chance for a swim. A. dispatch from Portland, Me., tells of most remarkable weather there. Last winter and so far this winter the mercury has not touched zero. No snow Is on the ground, while usually at this time of tbe year the streets of tbe cities and the roads of tbe country are piled full of drifts. Animals and insects that usually come from winter quarters in April and May are now abroad and dandelions are bloom ing in tne fields. Similar reports come In from all along the coast Men concerned in the lum ber and ice inanstrles. which bring millions of , dollars to tbe State every year, are anxious. There are in Erance 877 associations of employers, 891 of worklngmen, and 97 of far mers. The workingmen's associations, which, were formerly political organizations, have be come for the most part purely mutual benefit societies of late years. The agricultural asso ciations do not acitate politically like our Gran gers. They are to a large extent co-operative and technical. The farmers' association near Fontaineblean, for instance, owns a slaughter house at which every member has his cattle killed at very low prices. This and other simi lar co-operative devices of the French farmers' associations show that the .French peasant ia not so stupid and helpless as he is generally supposed to be. Jephthah E. Brill, of South Griswolo, Conn., strolled In the Rlxtown cemetery on New Year's Day and saw ' a big blacksnake thawing in the grateful sunshine. In looking for a club Jehptbah encountered several mora snakes of the same kind;- the graveyard ap-' peared to be streaked with snakes. Mr. Brill got only two of tbe serpents, which were four and three feet lone. Eugene Conklin, of Bethel, bagged a striped snake 18 inches long, the same day, and Prime Wright ot Litchfield, while rabbit-hunting on the east side of Pin nacle mountain, near Bristol Swamp, came on two enormous blacksnakes that were sunning on a slanting ledge. He pulled bis revolver and killed one ot the pair, which was 7 feet 4 inches long, bat the mate, which Prime says, was 'al together the biggest," got away. ''It went slambanging through the brush and leaves," says he, fastern n'express train, and made more racket than a Kansas reaper with a thun der shower comin' up." A unique event was the reunion at Louis ville recently of three brothers who were sep arated fifty-one years ago and bad never met since' They are Thomas G., W. H. and A. B. Earl. They were born at Newark, N. J., In 1830, 18X1 and ls3& Soon after the birth of the' youngest their parests died and they were di vided, each being sent to the home of a relative to be reared. Now Thomas, the oldest is the owner of several thousand acres of fine land nearLytton. on the Canadian Pacific railroad, inBritish Columbia, and is extensively engaged in fruit-growing. A. B., the second, is a well-to-do contractor in Louis ville. Both are married, while W. H. Is a bachelor, and lives sear Paxton, 111. He has acquired a competency raising stock, and has retired from business. A laree gathering of friends helped them celebrate their reunion at tbe noma of tba Louisville brother. In an entertainment given at a village in Illinois a few nights ago a novel use ot in canuescent lamps was made. Several yonng ladies gave a drill in military costume. Their helmets were surmounted with three Incandes cent lights, with red, white and bine globes. In certain parts of the drill the lamps wera suddenly illuminated and the effect was strik ing. The means by which this was accom plished was extremely simple. A converter was placed on tbe outside of the building la which the ball was located. Tbe secondary wires ran under the floor to brass plates about three Inches square, arranged in twos on tba stage floor. From tbe lamps on tbe young ladies' helmets concealed wires ran down to little brass plates in tbe heels of the shoes. After concluding a series of evolutions each young lady would come to a stand in the front of tbe stage and plant her heels firmly on the plate on tbe stage. Thoughts would flash up and contribute greatly to the general effect" In the beautiful and valuable collection of cut and uncut American gems that wera sent to the great Paris Exposition are a num ber ot beautiful blood-red garnets which have a curious history. They came from Fort Defi ance, Ariz-, a locality that has produced soma of the finest garnets In tbe world. Horethey are. associated with the oUve-green peridot, which also, when fine, cuts into gems. Tha peridot pebbles are called by the natives "Job's tears": the garnets are known as "rubies." Ants, as well as scorpions, abound In tha re gion, and their hills, formed of the earthy ma- -terlal excavated in digging their subterranean homes, are numerous on the plains. The In dians tbe Narajoes and the soldiers from tha fort go ont among these hills, and upon their surface, mixed with other and worthless peb bles, tbey find, of course in a rough state, scores of the gem stones gamet and peridot The jewels they gather and sell at good prices . to collectors and Jewelers. Many thousands of , dollars' worth of gems have thus reached tha- i market ' i' COMIC CULLINGS. -1 'lis curious, bnt, as I have been told," To keep a fire hot Ton must keep it coaled, Judge. J The "Western Mayor who refused to "let,' the dead past burylts ilead," without apsrmlU wilted when Informed that It had apoetie license. Tims. j' "While an ounce of wisdom may ba worth a pound of wit It doesn't follow that tha toot of the man-wbo-knows-lt-all carries any weight. Time. "Onr correspondent at Hopetown lies still in death. " said tbe Clarion, and then the editor couldn't understand why the bereaved brother came to lick blm.Xfnu. Edison's latest invention Is a lond-Ulk-lng machine, but it is" no Improvement on tha original one that was exhibited some years ago in .the garden of Eden. 'Texas Sifttngs. "His Gain, Our Loss," was tha motto : which theytold the florist to reproduce, kuthegot It accidentally "Ills Loss, Our oaIn."and now the widow Is suing for Ubtl.SomentUs Journal. Flying machines will play an effective) , part la future wars. If the commanding general can be; Induced to get into one of them. fUpld promotion would be one of the results, Texas Sittings. C Jones is making lots of money ont of his play. D. Be is, eh? I'm glad to hear that somebody can make sometnlngont or it. 1 went to see ii audi couldn't make anything out of It Test . .Sifttngs. ' Miss Thirty-eight (coyly) "What m- pity It seems, Mr. Somerset that a man lira you should be a bachelor I Mr. Somerset-Yes, Miss Thirty-eight It doe seemaplty, butleaa't helplt Yoaknowlwas born to. Somentlle Journal, "No." said she, with the complacency born of knowing that she had the prettiest and most striking costume In the ballroom, "1 don't , care much for dress. 1 like to feel that t, for one, am above such vanity, you know.. ' , you are, Indeed," said her admiring compan ion. 'Head and shoulders above it as everybody t ' nere wm say.' 'aomernue journal. , V -'.. "O.ifrlm . r sk. ' :-.:. feVi &Ji iifcwu 'i-' i7-"r, - ., r. .V!-i!5K8Wj-.-.-a-.;. WOW, - &-yiiiamM&m&kCJjii&. 'ft-! --S W 'JO. VsLlX J , VJ .A.- - &. .t.- vn ? .-T7- ..:". -TBWY. 4 s ' ,- ".fj-i'rrJft?''.- -liC''i rnv -. j&itw l vi r& '-.-', KZZJt
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers