."- THEHMPTEROFEKE. His Snakeship in Various Manifesta tions as Enconnlered in the Land of the Free. OIL CITY TROTH STRETCHERS. A Cultivated Serpent Which is a Decided Success in Fishing Tools From Oil and Gas Wells. AXTICS OF CALIFOENIA EA1TLEES. Two Mows Ihit Htla'i Xomtaia Pus Oiumed "7 tie Katie of t Viola. I WUlH'Mf FOB THE DISFATCH.' Ever since Pete Gruber was bitten by a rattler, snakes have been a popular topic of conversation in Oil City, and a lew nignts ago at a social gathering ' of gentlemen "only," some of the most refreshing rem iniscences of reptiles one ever listened to were recounted. The Florida man started the ball rolling with a snake story of round proportions. When the Indians were camped onAnastasia Island, off St. Augustine, a huge rattlesnake appeared at the entrance of their palmetto hut, in which several of the chiefs of the Keowaf, Commanches and Cbeyenncs, all wrapped in blankets, were smoking the pipe of peace before the dying embers of ihe supper fire. As soon as the snake appeared the eagle eyes of the Indians detected his presence and every man froze into a statue Howling "Wolf, a handsome son of the forest, was a living picture. Raised toward bis lips was the pipe, poised gently between the thumb and forefinger. The snake hissed, slowly moved toward the fire and deliberately pulled his sinuous glittering coils over the naked legs of White Horse and passed trom the tent. As his head emerged it was met by the quick, sharp crack of a blunt arrow whipped from the thong of a bow in the hands of Sittiug-Down-In-a-Bad-Place, who had skirted the tent and was prepared for the monster. The big reptile made the air fairly quiver with his death song an ominous and continued rattle in describable in words, but capable of causing the hair to rise on the unfledged. Contorting himself into a thousand coils he at last died. The commandant in charge measured the snake and he required 10 feet 8 inches of tape to string hitn out The Indians etrnng him up in the tent and had a war dance over his remains. The next day they took his hide ofi, sewed it neatly together and stuffed it with wet sand. The snake stretched at an alarming rate and when it was carried to town the astonished natives beheld a snake bigger than any in the memory of Sergeaut .McGuire, of'Fort San Marco fame nhica is saying a great deal. That snate then measured 19 itset long and two feet in dumetcr. By the time account of it got to the papers the tnake had stretched to such an extent that editors scouted the story and refused it for fear ot ruining the reputations oi their journals. But the story is neverthe less true in every particular. TZncnlnc Fioinn Itaccr. Said the man from Punxsutawney: "I never knew that snakes would run at you until one day about three years ago. I was out clearing up a piece of ground and one of these darned black snakes, or black runners, whipped up out of a bush, put his tail inhis mouth and came rolling at me like the driv ing wheel ol a Shoo Fly express. But didn't I rnn! Jeliosanbatl" "Why didn't yon stop? He'd 'ave stopped if you had stopped," interrupted a listener. "Yes," continued the gentleman from Pnnxsutawney,"but by the holy horn spoons I wouldn't 'ave stopped. I ran down the road two clean miles lor home, and every time I looked over my shoulder there waB tliat reptile comiug like a scared greyhound. I couldn't get in tne house, bnt had to keep running around it; didn't even have time to think of getting tired, and I kept on run ning until that infernal reptile died from sheer exhaustion." The story oi the gentleman from Punxsu tawney will pass. Js'ext! Tiainctl to Clenn Sobers "An old man in St. Louis," said another member of the company, "showed me the first educated snake I ever saw. He was a sewer cleaner and used to send this snake with one end ot a wire in his mouth through the sewers. A wad of rags was tied to the other end of the wire, and it cleaned the sewers." "What was the man's name7" inquired a tool fisher from Manmngton. "Zeph Harrison," replied the other. '-What kind of a snake?" "Coach whip. I bought that snake from Harruon lor $200 I use him in fishing for lost IooIb in oil wells. I send him down with a stout wire in bis mouth. He passes through the eye ot the drill, like a thread passes through a needle, a bit of wire rope lollows the wire, and the tools come up. Yes, sir, I am the man that owns that snake." "Hold on, gentlemen, this is becoming extravagant," said the gentleman iroui Punxsutawney. "Very 'sltazy,' " said the man from Flor ida. "We are confining ourselves to facts and we want legitimate snake stories." A Stomp- tailed Horror. "We have some of the most peculiar suakes down in Alabama," said the Colonel from Mobile, "that you ever looked. at There's the stump-tailed moccasin, sawed off at the tail about a foot lrom where he ought to have grown to. He conceals him self in a bush by the roadside and for pure cussedness strikes at everything that comes along lrom a grasshopper to a mowing machine. Where be strikes he generally kills, being fully as venomous as a rattle snake and more of a sleuth and more Vindic tive than a cobra. On the old plantation we lived in a log house. My father killed one ol these snakes once and knew that he'd best look out for the mate which would fol low bis trail and kill him if it could. One night I was an iniant then my mother came to the door of her room, and, seeing an immense snake between the logs of the house over uiy cradle, almost froze with fear. Her first instinct was to scream. She suppressed this however, ran back into another room and secured an old. fashioned dueling pistol. Women were taught to shoot in those days sb they should be in these and she was a dead shot; could cut a string at ten paces nine out oi ten. She came back, and in the meantime the snake had crawled down within a foot ot my head. Taking aim with a rest ou the door frame, she fired and cut that stump tail's head off as clean as a whis tle. 1 rui told that the snake wriggled and Jell into the cradle and poured copious quan tities of his cold blood over my face, bat I dreamed through it all." California's Hie Fellows. The snake season in California has opened unusually early this year, and from valley and mountain come strange stories of ad ventures with the reptiles peculiar to that region. Fur some unkuown reason the California rattlesnake is unusually large. At Woodsland. the other day, Bob Sinkev nnd Charles Ganitnill brought to the post office a huge rattlesnake, which they killed in Kelson's thicket, on Cache creek. It meaturrd 4 feet 4 inches in length aud 3.314 inches in circumference, had 11 rattles ana s. button. On a Bncer Wlirrl. At T'"ini! OaJ . Mr. K. W. Jt nnd Miss Maud had quite an adventure with a rattlesnake recently. They were driving along in a bucgy near home, when, it is supposed, the wheel ran over a rattler, and as the mule tbey ere driving was moving at its slowest possible gait, his snakeship wrapped himself around the wheel and came up squirming and rattling uncomfortably close to Maud's face, and acted as if it would like to get into her lap. But woman's defense a piercing scream awoke the mnle Iroin his reverie and caused him to step ont a little livelier, carrying the rattler to the ground, Uot having been invited into the seat, it did not come up again. The men were hauling hav from the same locality shortly atter, and found the snake under the hay and killed it. In the Children' Plnjlioine. John A. Theronx, of Sprague, Cal., re cently built a playhonse for his children, and for the past two weeks the children have been telling their parents that there was a big snake in their playhouse, saying that when they were playing the snake would come out and run aronnd the play house and, then run away again. Finally Mr. Theronx's little son James came run ning to his mother, saving: "Come to the plavhouse and see if I don't know what a snake is." Mrs. Theroux went to the houso to see if there was anything there, and was greatly astonished to see a big rattlesnake calmly sunning itself on the floor in the doorway. She picked np a big boulder and smashed his snakeship. "When Mr. Theroux came home he went out and found the snake dead, and cut off his rattles, of which there were seven. A Monster in HIi Lap. A Henry Bassfbrd, when he was driving home from Suisun, Cal., the other day, saw a large bullsnake stretched across the road, and he thought it would be a good joke to run the wheel of his cart over the reptile. He did so, and the next instant the wriggling, squirming five-foot monster was in his lap, brought up from the gronnd by the revolution of the wheel. Henry kicked and frisked about and the snake kissed and struck at everything in reach. The situa tion became eo unconvortable that he de cided to throw himself from the cart, but in an endeavor to do he became entangled in some manner, and horse became frightened and ran a considerable distance, dragging Mr. -Bassiord and bruising him up quite severely. When be had stopped the horse his snakeship was missing. A Narrow Escape. A crowd at the Stockton depot, San Fran cisco, last month, was attracted to the rear car of the incoming train this noon by the sight ot a man who could not stand up, but had to be assisted off the plaform by two others. He had been bitten by a rattle snake. Dr. Besde, who was at the depot in response to a telegram sent from Milton, had the young man taken to the Commer cial Hotel, where the remedies for the poisoning, including hypodermic injection of ammonia, were administered. The patient is Juan P. Sosi, a Portuguese aged 17 years. For the past two years he has been working as a herder on Juan De Costa's sheep ranch, the other side of the Salt Spring reservoir. While herding his sheep he stepped upon a rattlesnake that lay concealed in the grass. The reptile, which was a very large one, sprang almost up to his face. Sosi, upon stepping upon the snake, mechanically threw up his hands as he jumped back, and the rattler bit him on the left thumb. He immedi ately slit his thumb open with a jack knife and' pressed as much of the blood and poison out as he could. He hurried to De Costa's house, where a half-pint bottle of whisky was given him to' drink, and the wonnd was ba'.hed with ammonia. The hand and forearm are very much swollen, and the thumb is discolored, but the patient will recover. Cunrmed by Violin Mold A musician by the name of Paul Keister had a fight with a conple of rattlesnakes in the Sonoma Mountains, California, last Sunday morning that is worth recording. Mr. Keister is a violinist of considerable ability, and he is called upon frequently to lurnish music for dancing parties. Last Sunday night he played at a dance given at a farmhouse back of Yulupi Mountain, and in the morning started for home over a trail that led through a deep canyon, the sides of which are exceedingly steep. At one point in this canyon the trail is very narrow, hav ing been cut into the side of the mountain, and it abruptly rounds a projecting point ol rock that stands oat from the walls ot the ravine. Keister was trudging along the path with his violin box under his arm when he was startled by the ring ot a rattlesnake, and looking up he found he was confronted by a monster rattler that lay directly in his path. Keister turned to run, but another warning trom the weeds by the side of the path warned him not to advance in that direction, and with his hair standing on end he backed up against the rock and eyed the snakes that had coiled themselves np and were angnljr rattling their tails. Escape was impossible, and Keister would have taken SO cents for bis life when it oc curred to him that he had read that music had a soothing effect on snakes, and pulling his violin out of its box he began to play. The souud of the violin attracted the atten tion of the snakes and they soon stretched themselves out on the ground and began to glide in the direction or the player. Keister says when he saw the snakes coming toward him his hair actually danced on his head, and with his oervescompletely unstrung he sawed awav on the violin regaidless ot harmony. "When the snakes got to within two feet of him they coiled themselves and reared their heads. They were close to each other, and at last, becoming desperate under the glare of their eyes, Keister cangbt bis violin by the neck and brought it down on Ihe heads of the snakes, who were stunned by the blow. The musician fol lowed up his advantage aud quickly dis patched the snakes. His violin was badly damaged, the back being broken in, but Keister rejoiced at having got away with his life. One of the snakes measured eight teet long and bad ten rattles; the other was six feet long and carried six rattles. TRAINED THE TAEAHTDXA. The Uclr and Dangerans Pet Educated by n Hnlf-Dreed Mexican Boy. rnlladelphl Times. 1 A half-breed boy of Mexican and Indian blood recently attracted much attention at Winslow, Ariz., by the performances of an educated tarantula he owns. He carries the big, formidable-looking insect in a large wooden box slung about his neck, which, when exhibiting bis pet, he places on the ground at a sort of stage. At the command of its master, the tarantula mounted a small ladder, rnng a bell and performed on a miniature trapeze. Tben, to the thumping of a tambourine in the hands of the hoy, it proceeded to revolve slowly about, as if waltzing, and when it had finished, sainted the crowd by lifting one leg three times. Alter its performance was over it crawled to its master's shoulder, where it sat, occa sionally running around bis neck or down into his bosom. The boy says he tamed the spider when it was young, first by feeding it every day until it grew accustomed to him, then gradually taught it the tricks it knows. He declares that it is much more intelligent than any dog, and very tractable, though uncompromising in its enmity to anyone but himself. It is as large as a silver dollar when curled up, tbongh its legs are two or three inches long. The body is an ugly dull brown, covered with short, coarse black hair, which also covers the limbs, but is very sparse and bristly. The eyes are small and gleam like diamond points, while the mouth is fur nished with slender overlapping fangs. The power ot. spring in these creatures is said to be something incredible, a leap of ten feet being no tremendous exertion. The boy, who owns the only one which has ever made friends with any other living creature, is from the Mogollon Mountains. THE WORLDJS ONE,. Says Novelist Howells, Speaking of Modern Literature ' HIS HIGH REGARD FOR TOLSTOI. Our War Governor and OtherOld Men Who Arc Still Writinit. BIG CHECKS DRAWN BT RICH HEN rconnEsroNDENCE or- the dispatch.! "Washington, September 20. I met W. D. Howells, the novelist, at Saratoga the other day. He has been spending the sum mer there and at Lake George. He is one of the hard-working writers of the day, and, like Anthony Trollope, he carries his work with him. Every morning he 'sets aside so mnch time lor writing, and he turns out a certain amount of work daily. He says he finds novel writing hard work, and he does not think it pays him to spend more than three or four hours a day in actual composi tion. Ho used to write much more tban this, and he has at times worked 16 hours out of the 24. He is now engaged on a short serial novel, and this with his editorial labors constitutes his present work. During our conversation I asked him for his opin ion of the Kreutzer Sonata. He replied: 'I think it is a great work. It is the off spring of a master mind, and I do not think that the critics are right in their opinion oi its evil tendencies. The novel Is true to life, and you can expect no other ending for such a man and such a woman than that laid out in it for Posdnicheff and his wile." THE TOUNO DON'T READ IT. "Bnt, Mr. Howells, do yon not think that a hook or this kind is harmful to young readers?" "It is not the kind of a book," replied Mr. Eowells, "that would, I think, attract the young. It is more a book for men and women of mature years and experience. I do not know that it would be fit reading for young girls, hut it seems to me that the young men who read it will get from it a lesson in the direction of purity and good living." ' "What do yon think of Mr. Tolstoi, Mr. Howells?" I asked. "He undoubtedly is a great man," was the reply. "And he is all the greater for his simple bravery and truth. I believe the world would be belter if we could be as brave as Tolstoi is, and I think many of his ideas, at which the conventional world laughs, are the right oues. I believe, for instance, in his principle of working with his hands a part of each day, and I would that I could do it myself. I believe that if we could all do this if we could bring our selves closer to a common level of humanity ifin short, we could realize in its full the brotherhood of man, we would be better workmen and better men." A WORLD LITEKATUEE. The conversation turned to American lit erature, and I asked Mr. Howells whether he thought we were forming a distinct national school ot writers. He replied: "I think not. I believe the tendency of the times is toward the formation of a world school in literature. The writers of all the world hare mare of a uniformity of thought and expression to-day than they have ever had before. We are finding out that the unity ot the hnman mind is by no means entirely a fiction, and the means of communication of thought are such that the brains of all the world work more to gether than they have ever done before. "You find this in the similarity of the literary productions of the preseuj, all over the world. A novel written by one of the realistic school of writers of America to-day has, perhaps, its counterpart in a realistic story written 3.000 miles away in Spain or Germany. The German develops and creates the same ideas as the American at the same time. The Spaniard tickles his fellows' sides with the same humorous thonght as the Yankee, and, like the Yan kees, his fellows double themselves up and laugh when they hear it." OUB OCTOGENABIAS WBITKBS, Some of the oldest men of the country are doing their share of literary work. Gover nor Andrew G. Curtin is writing bis "Beminiscences of the War" at his home in Bellefonte, Pa., and he tells me he has a pile of mrnuscript as big as a dictionary. He dictates his stories to a very rapid type writer, a young lady whose critical literary judgment he says is good, and who can take down the matter almost as fast as he can talk. Cassius M. Clay is, I am told, writ ing away at the age of 80 in his Kentucky home upon some additional memoirs ot his career, and I met not long ago the Hon. John H. Latrobe, of Baltimore, who, not withstanding that he is nearly 00, is still writing. This man is one of the most remarkable characters in the United States. He was born during Jefferson's administration, was a cadet at the United States Military Acad emy when Monroe was President, was ad mitted to the bar during the administration of John Quipcy Adams, and when Jackson was first elected he became counsel for the Baltimore and Ohio Bailroad and secured its right of way over the mountains. He was the Inventor of the Latrobe stove or Baltimore beater, and be has published about a dozen works, including law books, infautry tactics, hints for travel in Europe, children's books and novels. A lAWTEB'S $60,000 CHECK. It was John H. Latrobe who acted as counsel for the Winans Brothers in their railroads contracts with the Bussian Gov ernment, and I heard the other day the story of how he was engaged by them. He was in Europe at the time for his health when he met one of the Winans Brothers and was asked by him to go to Bussia. "I can't go and you can't afford to pay me what it is worth." "But you mast go" said "Winans. "We have got to make a big contract and we need a man we can trust. We will pay you any price you want, and what will you charge?" "I don't want to go" answered Mr. La trobe, "but if I do go I will have to have $60,000. "All right" said Mr. Winans, and, as Governor Curtin tells the story, he there upon took: out his check book and wrote him out a check for the amount. Tte result was Latrobe drew up the contract with the Government and by this secured the control of the road for 25 years. It was an expensive piece of business but they made millions oat of it. THE CZAR'S BAH.ROAX). ' "The,"Witians Brothers," said Governor Curtin, "were among the first railroad build ers of Russia, and the story of their fortune making there reads like a romance. They first came to the notice of the Czar; from a contract which they took to build a bridge across the Biver Neva. They lost about 150,000 roubles on the Job. The Czar was told ihat the American contractors had lot He offered to reimburse them, bnt tbey re fused, aud said that in their country men stood by their contracts. This pleased the Czar very much. He then told them that he wanted a road bnilt, and a survey was made for the purpose. The surveyors laid out the road in a sort of zigzag line, taking in the biggest cities and the best grades. This survey was shown to the Czar Nicho las. He looked at it and then said: "That is not what I want," and then tak ing down a map of Bussia he laid a lead pencil upon it, resting one end of the pencil on the city of Moscow and the other on 8t Petersburg. "There Is where X want my road to ran," said he; "it must be a straight line lrom one city to the other, and the rail road will make other cities between its chie points." The Winans built the road and, through Latrobe, got a 25 years' contract to run it. After 20 years were passed the Russians wanted to take it out of the hands ot the foreigners. I was Minister to Bussia at the time and the Winans asked me what they should do. I replied, ''If the Czar wants the road you had better sell out to him." THE- PITTSBTJRG1 DISPATCH, A few davs after the "Winans were asked to sell the "road vto the Government. They fixed, the price, t $9,000,000 and got it with out a .word. CHECKS EOB MILMONS. A good story relates to the purchase ol the Missonil Pacific Bailroad, which Jay Gould bought of Garrison. The .road was paying good dividends and Garrison, was not at all anxious to sell. Jay, Goulq asked him what he would take for the property and his reply'was: "Two and one-half mil lion dollars." "That is too much," replied Gould, "and I can't give It." "Well," returned Garrison, "you don't need to take it if you don't want to: bnt I will tell you that the price will be three millions to-morrow." Gould laughed and went away. The next dav he called again ana offered to give the $2,500,000 for the road. "You can't have it," replied Garrison; "the- road is now worth 53,000,000." The result was that Gould waited iver until the next day and actually paid $3,500,000 for the road. t The largest check ever given in this country was that given hy Gould to Thomas Allen for the Iron Mountain. He paid $2, 000,000 for it, and he handed Allen a check for that amount upon bis acceptance of his offer. Allen looked at the paper that represented this vast sum and said: "Isn't thts a good deal of money for one man to have in one bank?" "I don't know," replied Gould; "perhaps it is. Let me have the check." Allen then handed the check hack to Gould, and he banded it over to the office boy, saving: "Here, boy, take this check to the bank and have .the cashier certiiy to it." t And the boy went ont and did it. A COAL OIL CHECK, John Rockefeller and Sam Andrews were poor young men in Cleveland together 20 or 30 years ago. In connection with Flagler and others tbey organized the Standard Oil Company. Bockeieller in some way got the start of Andrews, and Andrews was very jealous of his growing power and wealth, and when Bockefeller built a big house in Cleveland Andrews put up a bigeerone, bringing artists from Italv to do the fine work, making one of the finest residences west of the Alleghenies. Then Bockeieller bought a country seat near Cleveland and Andrews bought an other, and so the strife went on. When Bockefeller was made President of the Standard Oil Company Andrews be came very jealous, and asked lor a look at the books ol the company. "You can't see the books iust now," said Bockefeller. A fev days later Sam An drews came in again and asked for the book. In reply he was handed a statement of the condition of the Standard Oil Com pany. He looked at it, and as he did so his face grew red and his eyes grew angry. "This is not what I want, Mr. Bockefel ler," said he, "I want to see the books of the company. If I can't see the books I want to sell my stock.'- "What will you take for your stock," re plied Mr, Bockefeller, very coolly reaching for his checkbook. "I want just 51,000,000 cash," said An drews. The President wrote out a check for $1,000,000, and Andrews was ashamed to re luse. Ebank G. Cabfenteb. HE HAS BISMARCK'S PIPE. A Memento of the Scboolbnr Dais of tbe Iron Chancellor Atlanta Journal. J "This is all that I have left of a pipe which Bismarck used in his school days." The speaker was Judge J. Gadsden King, who leaned far back in his easy office chair as be spoke and held up in his hand a plain cherry pipestem about a foot long. "How did I come into possession of it?" the Judge said, repeating my question. "It was in this way. You see my brother, Mitchell C. King, went to sobool with Bis marck when he was a student at Dr. Beck er's famous school at Frankfort-on-the-Main. They were classmates and roommates alto gether very intimate friends. Now, when tbey were about to leave college they ex changed pipes for you know every German student has his pipe. Well, Mitchell brought the pipe which tbe future Chancel lor gave him in exchange for his own to America with him, and it fell into my hands, for I am a great smoker. "The pipe," Judge King continued, "was quite a pretty one. The bowl was made of hne china, and had a cameo likeness oi Bis marck on the front of it. The stem was about twice as long as it is now, lor it has been trimmed very o ten. "Mitchell and Bismarck were very warm friends, and corresponded with each other for years; in fact, they do now, I think. Some time ago somebody in America wrote Bismarck a letter, asking him if he knew anybody on this side of the water. He re plied that he knew and corresponded with two men in the United States one was Mitchell C. King and the other Dr. Emory Coffin, of Aiken, S. C. Mitchell, my brother, is now 76 years old, and is living at Flat Bock, M. C." "How old is the stem?" I asked. "Well, it's bard to say," tbe Jndgo re plied. "Let me see. Mitchell brought it over with him in 1835; that makes it 55 years old, and I don't know how old it was tben. It as an interesting memento, and I prize it very highly." the Judge concluded, as he laid it carelnlly away in one of his desk drawers and turned to pick up his every-day pipe, which be bad laid aside while holding the stem of Bismarck's school-day pipe in his hand. CHARITABLE BEDS, Wonderful Performances of Books That Are WrII Established as Pacts. London Spectator. I read with much interest in your last issue, in Mr. Beid's communication, the following passage: "I observed a curious thing one day lately. Some food by some good Christian had been thrown out to the starving birds, when a rook came down and flew back to where he bad left another rook sitting ip a very weak-looking condition, aud ted her with what bo had picked up. This he did twice in my sight before taking anything to himself." I bad some time previously received from a correspondent in Wales, a stranger to me, a precisely similar account of another ol these birds. "One day, in the bitterest of the weather, when'l am sure our friend, the rook I have spoken of, was indeed reduced to great extremities, tbe bird nevertheless performed the following good deed: It picked up a bit of bread, carried it to an other rook, which sat on the terrace wall, too shy to come nearer, and ted it there. Nor was this alter baying satisfied . its own hunger, for it had only just alighted." When I put this little story down I had a misgiving that any one who might read it would scarcely be disposed to believe it, as beyond credibility. I was therefore much gratified at having so soon aiterward seen such an exactly slinil ir fact recorded in cor robroation of it, as above. It was indeed, I think, a very touching incident, and one to make every one, I should hope, who reads it, have much good feeling for all God's creatures. THE EDITOB'S MISTAKE, A Man Who stattcrp Shows Him Where Be' Wronn on Bore and X'octs. New York World. Great Editor I advertised for a private secretary, whose chief duties will- be to sit in the ante-room and keep poets, bores and other undesirable persons at bay. The posi tion requires something of a diplomat as well as a fluent linguist. You would not do at all. Bicketts(who stutters a trifle) That's wh-wh-where you make a mum-mum-mis-ttke, 'squire! As sus-sus-soon's a bub-bore cnc-cuc-came in I'd bug-bug-begin to tell a M-loug s-s-story, and before I'd gng-gng-got half through, bub-bub-between whu-wh-what I'd sus-sus-sav and w-what I'd tut-try to sus-say, I'd have him cuc-cuc-completelr tut-tut-tired out. 1 ain't mum-mum-mucn of a dud-diplomat, perhaps, hut as a 1-1-lin-guistl'm a cuc-cuc-cautionl SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER. THIS MORTAL FRAME. Short Talks on Health, Disease, Drugs, Foods and Habits, THE pfifjPBRTIES OP CAFFEIKE. possibilities "it ttie Prevention and the Care of Consumption. CAEE OF THE FEET AMONG SOLDIERS Steam WliUttcs nnd Deafness. At the last meeting of the British Medical Association, -which was held in Birming ham, Dr. Thomas Barr, aural surgeon of Glasgow, made an indictment against the railway whistle as the cause of much deaf ness now prevalent The organs of different persons, as is well known, vary considerably intheir "vulnerability," as it is called, to injurious influences, aud fnthe case of tbe organs of hearing this vulnerability is in creased not only by the mysterious and far reaching influence of heredity, but probably still more frequently by the actual existence of a disease in the ear. There are many persons dull of bearing especially on one side and the dull ear being the seat of disease, the disease usually increases tbe vulnerability of the organ to damaging in fluences. In tbe case of snch a dull-eared person standing near to a locomotive in a covered station, and the steam whistle sud denly giving fortb a note of great intensity and enormous height of pitch there are im pelled iuto hisears and upon his tympanum, like so many bullets from a gun, intense and rapidly moving condensations. It is a species of assault, and whether the ears are damaged by it depends very mnch upon their vulnerability to injurious in fluences. If tbe ears are strong, and free from any hereditary or acquired disease, nothing more than an unpleasant sensation, with some temporary dullness and ringing in the ears mav be experienced. If, on the other hand, there is excessive vulnerability lrom hereditary or actually existing dis ease, tbe two small sentinel muscles do not act promptly and effectively, the power of accurate adjustment or accommodation of the ear is impaired, leading it may be to permanent damage to the delicate endings of the nerves ot hearing. A whistle of lower pitch wonld be less Injurious to the ear and equally effective as a signal, and Dr. Barr suggests that it would be desirable to substitute for tbe high-pitch whistle one of much lower pitch. The Poplar nnd Rbonmntlsm. How few people there are who will Confess that superstition has played any part in in clining their thoughts or actions to certain channels, bnt how many are there whose minds have not been affected to a degree by the strange influence which passes for super stition? George H. Sharpe, a wealthy builder of Hamilton, Ont., says the New York Star, who has just returned from a trip abroad, in chatting on the subject yesterday, said: "Perhaps you have heard the story of the poplar tree cure for rheumatism. I didn't believe in such stories. I don't now; but let me tell you of my experience in trying this panacea. For years I was a great sufferer from rheumatism, which incapacitated me at times from attending to my business. Several old women adyised the poplar tree, and I was instructed to take hold of a branch with one hand, cnt the branch from each side, and bring the piece home within my grasp and lay it away. I would have no more rheumatism, they said. I said such a proceeding was nonsensical. "Shortly after this interesting advice was vonchsafed I was attacked with rheu matism, and my wife suggested that I try the remedy. It would, do no harm, if no good came of it, was her argument I called myself an idiot, bnt I followed in structions. The incident passed from my mind, and one day, some months later, my wife called my attention to tbe fact I had not suffered from rheumatic attacks since trying the old women's prescription. It was so, and since the experiment I have bad no trouble with rheumatism. I don't claim that the poplar tree cured me, but in truth, I have suSered no recurrence of the tronble. I don't believe in supersti tions, but this was my experience." Inoculation for Consumption. Among the subjects that came before the recent Medical Convention at Berlin for consideration was that of the treatment of pulmonarv complaints. Dr. Paul Gibier, of the Pasteur Institute in New York, who was a member of tbe Berlin convention, was asked the other day byaTTorfd reporterwbat he thought the probable outcome would be of the reported recent discoveries relating to the treatment of consumption. "I have received a copy," he replied, "of an elaborate report by Prof. Cruncher, of the Pasteur Institute, Paris, which has just been made to the French Academy of Medi cine, giving tbe re.ults of experiments in preventing consumption by vaccination. The animals operated upon were rabbits. Briefly it may be said that the object aimed at by Prof. Grancher is to make the rabbits consumptive-proof. Tbe virus i s prepared from tuberculosis bacillus (the germ of con sumption) and is of ten grades of strength. "The inoculations were made at intervals of ten days, care being taken to see that tbe animals were in a per'ectly healthy condi tion. Alter being subjected to this treat ment the rabbits were inoculated with virulent virus, but no development of tuberculosis followed. The efficacy of tbe treatment was illustrated by inoculating other healthy rabbits, which had not been treated according to the new discovery, with the virulent vims. In all these cases tu berculosis was quickly developed and the animals died. None of the consumptive proof rabbits were affected. "It will be seen that the treatment thus far is a preventive of the disease, but further experiments are being made with tbe hope ol being able to apply the treatment, or one somewhat similar, to the patients in which tuberculosis has been fully developed." Persons who have been travelingtin far-off lands have been bringing back with them for some time now startling accounts about tbe stimulating properties of various plants, of which the native populations make use to enable them to lurnish a considerable amount of work without taking any food. Thus in South America, says the New York Herald, they tell us of the coca, mate aud guarano plants; in Africa, of the kola nut; and in Asia, of tea and coffee. But the re searches earried out by chemists have made it known that nearly all of these plants, with tbe exception of a few, such as the coca, contain caffeine. M. See has been making experiments with a species of cake made out of kola nut, and which Prof. Het&el has already tried with success in the army. He has come to tbe conclusion that caffeine and its derivatives possess the two following properties: First They, facilitate muscular work and allow it to be kept up for a long time with out fatigue. Second They allow.us to go without food for a considerable length of time when we have anything to do requiring a great deal of exertion. Experiments made on a series of 30 indi viduals in good health and withont sign of cardiao or pulmonary disease, have shown that in the generality of caes the exertion of running does not modify tbe respiratory rhythm in persons under the influence of caffeine; whereas without caffeine the loss of breath increases the number of respira tions threefold. In a word it can be said that caffeine places a man who is not in training in the condition of a trained ath lete. Caffeine has not the property of tak ing the Place of food; it does nothing bnt replace the general tonio stimulation pro duced by taking food, , Making Dili-. Look Brainy. It is astonishing what a difference in per sonal appearance may be effected' by a hair- 21, .1890. cut, soys the St. Louis Qldbt-OtmoeraU A badly shaped head may, by a skilliul bar ber, be made to assume an intellectual cast, and in a very simple way. The intellectual head, viewed from tbe trout, is wider at the top than just above the ears, and a clever barber, by'cutting tbe hair short over tbe ear and gradually lengthening it to the top of the head, may give tbe greatest dolt an appearance of brains and intellectuality. The Teal shape of the head is concealed bv the hair-cut, and 60 per cent of good looks added to the face. They say the tailor makes the man, and no doubt he helps, but the barber does bis part, and if well trained, his part is by no means contemptible. Tobncoo nnd the Brain. Bnlwer, when but a stripling among men of letters, when so far as to say that "the pipe ripens the brain and opens tbe heart; the man who smokes thinks like a sage and acts like a Samaritan." That increasing years have but confirmed him in his opin ion we gather from the following passage (ungallant, I own) in "What Will He Do, With It:"' "Mr. Waife drew a long whiff, and took a more severe view of affairs. He who dotb not smoke hath either known no great griefs. or re nseth himself the softest consolation, next to that which comes from heaven. 'What, solter thau a woman?' whispers the. young reader, xoung reader, woman teases as well as consoles. Woman makes hall the sorrows which she boasts the privilege to soothe. Woman consoles ns, it is true, while we are young and handsome; when we are old and ugly, woman snubs and scolds us. Ou the whole, then, woman in this scale, the weed in that. Jupiter, hang out thy balance and weigh them, both, and if thou give the preference to woman all I cau'say is, the next time Juno ruffle3 thee oh, Jupiter, try the weed!" Habits of a Methuselah. The following is from Mander's "Bio graphical Treasury:" Francis Hupazoli, centenarian, and one of the few men who have lived in three centuries, was born In 1S87 in Sardinia, and died in 1702. At first he was a clergyman and afterward became a merchant at Scio, and in his 23d year he was appointed Venetian Consul at Smyrna. By his wife, whom he married at the age of S3 years, he had four children. His drink was water, he never smoked, and ate little, principally game and Iruit. He drank a good deal of the juice of the root of viper's grass, ate very little at night, went to bed and rose early, then heard mass, and walked and labored incessantly to tbe last. He wrote down in 22 volumes everything remarkable which he had wit nessed. He never had a feyer, was never bled, and never took any medicine. At the age of 100 his grey hair again became black. When 109 be lost bis teeth and lived on soup, but at 113 he cut two new teeth and began again to eat meat Doctoring the Feet. Brigadier General Bengougb, C. B., is an officer of a practical turn, says the Pall Mall Budget, being of opinion, as he Bays, that "battles are fought and won as mnch by marching as by fighting." he has recently issued the following orders tor the benefit of the troops under him in Madras: "In view of the importance that attaches to the proper care of the feet of infantry soldiers as re gards comfort and endnrance. in marching, the Deputy Surgeon General has been de sired to arrange for the instruction of two men per company in the cutting oi nails and the treatment ot corns, blisters, etc. These men, when instructed, may be re lieved of guard dnties, and be held respon sible for the care of the men's feet in their company, and company officers will make periodical personal inspections, specially be lore marches, to insure that this duty is efficiently carried out The necessary in struments ioreach company will be issued by the station staff officer. Coins Carry Dtssaae. "You have no idea," says a physician in the New York Star, "of the various ways in which our greenbacks and coin can sow the seeds of disease. Silver coins of every description and greenbacks pass mpartially from the hand of tbo millionaire into that of the beggar, constantly circulating through every condition of society. The person of fastidious tastes, who will turn from his path rather than risfc coming into contact with others of uncleanly dress or person, will receive, handle and carry in his pocket, withont the slightest disgust, money that has passed through hands whose contact he would shun. "Coin is much worse than paper. You, no doubt, have noticed that blackish coat ing in tbe recesses of your quarters and halves. Immerse that coin in a glass of water and examine it under a microscope, and you will find the water swarming with bacteria and fungi." Preserves and Good Health. A great deal has been written abont tbe unwholesomeness of preserves done in the old-fashioned way, with an equal amount of sngar, but it is all a notion, a mere fad, without foundation, says the Boston Herald. Mr. Matthieu Williams, who is certainly a good authority, says: "As regards cooked fruits, I say, jam lor the millions, jelly for the luxurious, and juice for all. With these in abundance, the abolition of alco holic drinks will follow as a necessary re sult of natural nausea." There is a bit of wisdom for tbe reformers of various kinds and degrees to reflect upon. Nntore's Frrok lp a Nose. k I was talking to one of the old settlers the other day, says a writer in the Lewiston Journal, and he said: "Don't know Hen Jones, do yon? Wall, when you see him you'll know him; he's got the darndest nose on him that you ever seed on a live being. T'other day I see Hen coming down hill into the village, and he was driving a horse with one hand and niakin queer motions with t'other. When he got up to me I seed what he was doin'. He was pickin' up pebbles from a pile in his wagon, aud was stouin mosquitoes onn ine ena ot nis nose." A Care far Ieprosr. Sister Bose Gertrnde in a recent letter from the leper islarid states that several patients have lately been cured. This state ment has been confirmed by Dr. Lntz, the governor physician, in an interview which a press representative bad with him on the the subject Dr. Lntz further expressed his belief that leprosy can be checked, and that it is not contagious. The cases which he had cored proved not to be beyond the control of physicians. VESUVIUS IK ITS GLOBY. Tbe Sparine Scene From the Top of the Grand Old Taleano. London Dally Neiri.1 One night last week Lord and Lady Dnfferin, with a party of friends, among. whom were .Lady Haldon and her daughters, made a night ascent of "Vesuvius. Tbe weather was perfect No electric light was needed atf the. fnnicnlar railway, for the moon shone bright as day. Tbe central crater was mil of incandescent matter, over which flickered snlphurous fl.mes in all the colors of tbe rainbow. Frequent erup tions of fine ashes took place without much noise. On the way up the cone the sulphur ous fumes greatly Inconvenienced some of the party, but on the edge of the crater the gentle breeze blew all deleterious gases away from the visitors. Sometimes one or another would sit down carelessly on an incipient funiarole, only quickly to jump up lrom this hot resting place. Many of the party climbed down to the stream 'of lava which is still flowing slowly toward Pompeii. The dawn and sunrise were perfectly beautiful, the air calm and cool, and all so transparent that tbe bouses in Naples and all the coast seemed quite close. TIMELY TOPIC TALK. If Electricity is to be Taxed What About Thunderstorms? GOSSIP ABODT TOE flAERISONS. Plttatmrj Goes Scot Free in Buchanan's Coming Cataclysm. THE DEATH PENALTY FOB MDEDEE twitiTTZx roa Tin prsrATnr.1 And now it is proposed to amend the tariff bill so that Canadian electricity pays its passage over the border. This is all right from a protectionist point of view, hut I apprehend that there will be some difficulty in forcing the prohibition or collecting the tax ad valorem. So far as tbe human prod uct is concerned no great opposition may be met but what in the world are we to do about the natural element? Quite a num ber of our severe electric storms take their rise in Canada. They are distilled or brewed in the Queen's dominions, and come skipping over the border without asking permission from anybody. A serious ques tion here presents itself to the statesmen of our country. What has the magnetic man from Maine to say abont this? Five dollars per horse power would cer tainly produce quite a revenue, es pecially in such a season as we have just experienced. The correct measuring of such a mighty force opens up many an avenue of use ulness for the Edisoas of the age, bnt until it is demonstrated how the object can be at tained the problem remains unsolved. Look ing at the matter with an unprejudiced eye, there seems to be only one way out of the difficulty, and that is friendly reciprocity. Ot coune, Canada will have the advantage so far as the natural electricity is con cerned. Very few storms travel from the United States over into that country. Iu this emergency, so that an equilibrium may be maintained, how would it do to send on a periodic lecturing tour a few such men as Cannon, Kennedy and Ingalls. Surely there is some way of balancing the matter, an equalizing tbe reciprocal principle. It Is Not Toadyism. Some newspaper writers are apt to he critical, if not cynical, over the attentions paid to the President of the United States. All his movements have an interest to the people. His health, and that of his family, is precious, and every little irregular pulse beat is noted and flashed over the wires. The people "want to know," as the Yankees say, and the only way they can know is through the newspapers. I do not believe that this is man worship It is the nation's tribute of respect to a grand ideal. In our Presi dent we see the embodiment of a noble principle, and it will be a sad day when the country ceases to respect and venerate tbe man who holds such an elevated position by the will of the people. We Americans think nothing of fawning upon a visiting Prince or duke, or even a little shallow-pated lord ling. It is certainly ont of place to criticise us lor having a feeling of esteem lor the office of the President That it is not the man hut the office that is thus respected and reverenced is proved by tbe fact that as soon as tbe man ceases to occupy the position he is practically for gotten. One fn a while we bear something about Mr. Cleveland, but how little interest bis movements create in comparison to what tbey did. It he was to catch a salmon as big as a crocodile not many people would knon of it, bnt if President Harrison hooks a minnow it is telegraphed lrom Dan to Beersheba. There are very few Presidents who command attention alter they leave tbe Presidential chair. .Now, there is Mr. Hayes, for instance; all we have heard of him lately'is that he is raising a good breed of chickens. The nation does not go into ecstacies about it, and all the people are not studying chtclcenology. .Now supposing President Harrison were to engage in rais ing some peculiar kind of poultry, every body in the country would be building chicken coops, and quarreling with their neighbors about chickens. Their would be a rooster fight in somebody's back yard every day in the week, and every hour in the day." It is the office ind not the man the people worship. I would rather be President of the United States for four -rears tban wear England's royal bauble for half a century. The Coming Cataclysm. I was delighted in reading of the "Coming Cataclysm," of which Prot. Buchanan is the advance agent, to notice that Pittsburg is to escape all the awful disasters. New York, Philadelphia and all such wicked places are to, be swallowed up or shaken to death. Those wicked Southern cities are to be pun ished, and a great tidal wave will push up the Mississippi as far as Baton Bonge. Car accas will be entirely destroyed. The earth will change poles like a dancing bear on the street, the Suez Canal will go by the board, the Democrats will regain power, General Grant's monument in New York will he an nihilated, tbe Sandwich Islands will be in great danger, San Diego and Coronado are in the awiul swim, but Pittsburg is O. K. Won't this be grand news for my dear old aunt out West? She thinks we live in the region of great cataclysms, and that it is only a matter of time en wo shall be swallowed up. Vf hen a bouse sank into a mine at Wilkesbarre she wondered what bad become of u who lived near Pittsburg, and when a hurricane struck Beauing she thought it was all up with us. Prolessor Buchannan deserves the thanks of Pittsburg in particular, and Western Pennsylvania in genera, for bis generous and friendly bearing towards us as a people. Other cataclysmic prophets have said that natural gas will eventuallv doom this part of the State to abysmal oblivion, but here is a great scientific predicator, establishing his grqod theories upon the solid ioundations of the laws' ot periodicity, which entirely ex empts us from these elemental catastropnles. A good topic for exposition voting next week wonld be "shall we, or shall we not, build a monument to Professor Buchanan, said monnment to be erected just where tbe Monongahela and the Allegheny kiss each other and become one great Ohio?" Blood for Blood. The question of capital punishment, brought so prominently into notice by the recent action of.the Emperor of Austria, is one upon wbica it is profitable to dwell. I do not believe it is right to take hnman life. Christ forbids it Not from any feeling of maudlin sentiment would I argue against killing the murderer, but as a matter of right and policy. It is a tact that a large percentage of murderers escape the gallows by one technicality or another. There is always an eqnal chance between being bung and escaping it When a man's heart is filled with revenge or lust for money he is ready to take risks. Becently published statistics show how few meet with death as a result of their deeds of blood. Insanity, the ever readv plea, gives liberty to thou sands ol tbese human butchers. When a man or woman purposely takes a human life, sane or insane, they should be placed in close confinement lor life, the insane having more care than the sane, but never again should they be permitted to en danger life. If a person has once been in sane enough to murder that sell-same In sanity may very easily assert itself again. Murders are more rife than ever, alter cen turies of capital punishment Why not try some other system for a few years If the criminal could see before him nothing but solitary confinement, with no ray of hope aud no opportunity to escape on any plea, would it not be more efficacious in deterring men lrom acts of violence than tbe present system, having to run the gauntlet of a grand jury, which is often a grsndfhambug. 15 f and a -petit jury, which is often a still granderore?, Pnt the murderer in a cell, without bouauets or flowers or feminine fools to fondle him and sooth his weary hours, and vou will probably have fewer murders. Abolish all degrees ol murder. Did he intentionally kill the man? If an intelligent jury says yes, let that settle it Ihe idea ot murdering by degrees. First, second and third. Let there be one degree, intent, whether the outcome of passion or premature intent Murder is murder. If I kill a man in a passion once I may kill some other man if I get another opportunity and a passion. Vacations in tbe Ministry. Preachers are back again and the churches are putting on new life. Those who could afford to take a vacation are full of reminis cences, while those who conld not, are con gratulating themselves that they stuck to their posts of duty. The latter put ou a smirk of extra virtue, and declare that as the devil has bad no vacation they could take none. Some of those who have been vacating are glad to get home so that they can rest from their ramblings. While I do not know very mnch about vacations and cannot speak from experience, still it strikes me as a very salutary thing to have an op portunity ot getting outside of your per manent surroundings, andreceive a stimulus to thought Very few people appreciate the wear and tear of a preacher's life. Unless he can go on a vacation he has no time during the whole year that he can call his own. From one sick chamber to another, from one death, bed scene to another, to-day burying soma mother's hope, to-morrow entombing some woman's only support There is the crank inside the church that must be kept well, oiled, and tbe crank ontside that no amount of oil will lubricate. I wish those people who think that a minister's life is a bed of rose3 could try it for a little while. If ha makes a slip his name goes rolling around the country, feeding the hungry maw of the scandal lover, bnt bis days of toil and nights ol care too often pass unnoticed, except by the omnipresent eye of Him who seeth all things. The Cocntet Paesos, A POLISHES BUTLEB. Thelalellrctoal Genius From Abroad Who Looks After Channcor Depew. KewYorkPress.1 Mr. Chauncey M. Depew has in his em ploy a butler who is a very snperior person. He is of Swedish birth and ancestry, a col lege graduate and he speaks several lan guages. Coming to this country to conquer fortune, he found it difficult to obtain em ployment for which his breeding, his edu cation and his inclinations fitted him. A position in an office which he was offered proved, from its indoor confinement, injuri ous to his never overstrong constitution, and be finally became attached to Mr. Depew'a office at tbe Grand Central depot Shortly after his installation there Mr. Depew had one of the few but serioun illnesses which have befallen him in his busy life. Tbe young Swede, coming frequently to bis residence on bnsjness errands, finally became a stationary fixture there, and his entire and untiring devotion to Mr. Depew during his illness won the gratitude and admiration of the great man's family. On bis recovery Mr. Depew, like the fairy god mothers in the story books, asked the faith ful Swede to choose what he would and It should be given to him. And be begged to be allowed to remain as butler. After the amazement caused by his request had sub sided, it was granted, and for many years ha has been not only a trusted but an esteemed servitor in tbe house of Depew. Every few years, when he has accumu lated a considerable snm from his wages, he is bitten by an ambition that many a mightier man has found fatal. He starts a newspaper and keeps it going until his sav ings are exhausted. Then he returns to bis allegiance to the butler's pantry. He U phenomenally punctilious about bis duties, and bis discharge of them is marked by tho courtesy and respect to others bestshownic those who have much self respect The god ot his idolatry is Cbanncey M. Depew, though he is closely pressed for this distinc tion by that little edition himself, Chaun cey M. Depew, Jr., aged 10 years. TEAD2S HT HABM0UY. A Little Incident Involving a. Man, a Box and a Plamber. Sew York Sun.: A man with a box on his shoulder was making his way along Chambers street tha other day, when it fell to the walk. After two or three efforts to replace it, he appealed to a man in a doorway with: "Give me a lilt, please?" "Can't do it," was the prompt reply. "And why not?" "Because I never mix business. I am a plumber, and tbe man next door is in tbe elevator business. It's for him to give you a lilt" The man with the box thought for a mo ment, grinned in a good-natured way, and by an extra grunt reshouldered the box and paswd on. FVPRY Housawifa EVERY Counting Room. EVERY Carriage Owqer niCDV Th.iffi. M-I r. EVERY Body abla to hold a'brusTTf SHOULD USB V ON njtr7. iu. Stain olb , hiw Furkituhs farnlih WILL STMN Cuss n OHIRAWASS attAa WILL STAIN TIMWARC itaimsl will Stain tous Old Baskets fimi WILL STAIN BAST'S COACH ANO "WOLFF A RANDOLPH, Fafladslphl. -A& i Xhruf, Faint mxd Hohm JhmUhig Storm.' anl&rrssv LADIES Who Valua a Refined Comjo liilw MUST USE MEDICATED 181! wrkVpsmfifr D1 BUCKING V And clean your Shoes 13 RV. WITH A SPONCE B2JL in plac9 of a Brush. Jg?, f A FAINT THAT Ont k FfS7lii'C iiMLj.ljil oraisHwS US iJiJifii LEsViJIIH jit Imparts abrfU Ian t transparency to the Skin. Removes all pimples, freckles, and discoloration, and makes the skin delicate ly soft and beautiful. It contain no llae, white led or arsenic In three nTiWsOni pLnlf or flesh, white and brunette. FOE SALE BY fflfeigairiFai7C9fl48lnErjirt. BEWARE OF IMITATIONS. M " ,. h ,L v
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers