IRAKgLATIDrOBTHX DISPATCH.
After the death of her aunt, with whom
he made her home, little Meta liYed alone
in a small cottage in the village. She earned
her food and clothes hy running errands for
the farmers' wives, and in summer by sell
ing berries, which she gathered in the
mountain. But the child's life was sad and
dreary; for she could not goto school with
the other children of the village, and all her
time must be spent in hard work, with very
Jew hours for play. One evening, as Meta
sat with ber sewing on the doorstep, a tall,
fair lady, whom she had never seen before,
came down the narrow street and stopped
before the little cottage.
"Can vou sew veil, little girl?" asked the
Itrange lady.
"My aunt taught me carefullv," replied
Meta," "and the village people say that I
am quite skillful with the needle."'
"I have here," said the visitor, "some
clotb, from which I wish 12 verv small caps
made. If you will do this work lor me bv
to-morrow evening vou shall receive a good
price for the labor."
Meta willmglv agreed to make the caps,
and as soon .is the stranger had gone, she
cut out the 12 tiny blue cips, and beiore the
next evening they i ere ready l)r the owner.
"When the tall, iair lady came again to
Meta's home, she said. "On the other side
of the mountain, I have a beautiful stone
mansion, with servants to obey my slightest
call, and where every pleasure is lound.
S. Mb
WHAT ABE TOtf DOnfO
Tour life is sad and lonely. Come with me
to my home, and there you shall want for
nothing."
Meta gladly accepted this kind offer, and
was soon on her way with her new friend.
Over the rough, stonv mountain path they
went as easily as if tney were walking on
the softest turf. In a short, time, Meta saw
the beautiful mansion, which she thought
was to he her future home. "When thev had
crossed the wide park, and entered the broad
hall, they were met by 12 tiny little girls, ,
with long golden hair and laughing blue
eyes. Met at once recognized Jthese little
creatures as the lairies, who, she had heard,
lived on the other side of the mountain.
"These are iuv children," explained the
lady, and as she presented each with one of
the'blue caps, she said: "Here is Meta,
ho made the new caps for you. She has
now come to make her home with us."
Then each of the fairies had a kind greet
in;: for Meta, and when they had warmly
welcomed her among them, tnev led the way
to the dining hill. Here stood a table,
adorned with flowers, and the finest silver
and glassware; but on the dishes was no
food, yet Meta was surprised to see that the
little Bluecaps, as bhe called the fairies,
seemed to be eating rom empty pHtes.
"Are you not hungry, mv friend?" asked
one ot the tairies, "I see that you do not
eat."
"lam hungry enough," answered Meta;"
but I do not see anv loml."
At these words, all the Bluecaps laughed
merrily, and one said: "I shall explain.
Vc hie on sunshine and air, and find it a
licahhy diet. You, too, will like it when
you have become accustomed to it."
Meta then tried to partake of such food as
3ier friends had provided; but she lelt the
table more hungry than she had been for
ninny davs.
"II I were only at home," she thought,
"there I could have at least dry bread and
water ironi the spring."
But she tried to lorget her hunger by en
joying the beauties about her, and was
grateiul to her friends for their kind atten
tions. Soon, however, Meta became tired
aud bleepy and asked that she mighto to
rest. She was thcu led to a small room,
where instead of finding a soft bed with
silken covers, she saw only a hard, bare
floor, and neither bed nor cnairs.
"We sleep in such rooms," said the fairy,
who had led Meti here, "because we think
they are more healthy than anv other kind."
When Meta was lett alone, she said to
herself:
"In my little cottage, I could have had a
pillow ou which to rest mv head."
But in spite of the hard floor on which slfe
had thrown herself, the little girl slept
soundly all night, and when she awoke in
the morning she tound the lairies and their
mother taking their nioruing meal ot sun
beams and fresh air. Room was made at
the table ior Meta, and a fine golden elate
was given her. When breakfast was over,
and the pleasures ol the day were about to
begin, Jieta said: "I thank 30U, my dear
friends, lor your kindness to me; but I shall
be happier in my little home lu the village
than in your beautiful home."
The fairies were very sorry to part with
Meta, but when thev saw she really wished
to go, they did not trv to detain her, but
bade 1-er a loving farewell. Meta then left
the mansion and the park with its trees and
flowers, and took her wuy over the mouut
"ain toward home. Becoming weary aud
weak Irom lack of food, she sat down on the
roadside to rest
,ll 1 only had something to eat," Bhe
sighed, "lorl am half famished."
And as she looked anxiouslv about in
hope of finding some berries with which to
satisfy her huuzer, to her great surprise,
she saw in the bushes a small basfcet, con
taining white bread, cheese and fruit. The
little girl lost no time in wondering whence
the basket came; but she eagerly devoured
the food. When she had finished, she saw,
gushing from the rocks, a crystal stream of
cold water, lrom which she drank heartilv.
"Sunbeams and iresh air tav do for the
fairies," cried Meta, "but give me white
bread and cold water."
At that moment a slight noise was heard
in the bushes, and the fair lady and the
12 fairies appeared. Meta was alarmed, for
she feared that they had beard her speech,
and that they might wish to take her again
to their home. But the lady said: "We
havs sought yon, not to entreat you to re
turn with us; but to bring you a gift as a
token of our regard ior you. We have had
many guests who greatly admired our
beautiful home; but who, when invited to
dinner, were rude enough to make sport of
our dainty fare. You alone have been kind
and courteous. We sent you the food which
you have just eaten, and now we wish to
uswiius . '-stsr-- vesaa r wew
give you this cloak. It is blue on one side
and red on the other. "When rou wear the
red side out, wherever you wish to be, you
will be in that place at once, and when you
turn the blue side, whatever is before you
that you wish absent will immediately dis
appear." Meta was overjoyed with this gift and
could not thank her mends enough lor it.
"Now," she thought, "I need no longer
fear the snakes which are found among the
berry bushes, nor the giant who lives in the
mountain."
Not long after this, Meta went into the
mountain to pick berries, and as she walked
from bush to bush she forgot her cloak,
which she had left lying on the ground. It
was not until she wished to go home that
she discovered her loss, and then, although
she searched diligently until night came on,
she could not find the missing cloak. Then,
too, to her terror and dismay, she heard
the giant of the mountain coming to
wards her. The little girl crept far into the
bushes, thinking she might escape the mon
ster; hut he espied the trembling little
Ggure and dragged her from her hiding
place. "What are you doing in my mountain?"
thundered the giant; "I shall teach you to
steal mr berries."
He then placed the little girl on a large
basket of vegetanles which he was carrying
borne; but in the darkness Meta escaped,
and all night she wandered over the moun
tain, vainly seeking the way home. In the
morning she lound herself close to the walls
HT MI MOtWTAIS?
of a large city, and having entered the gate,
was delighted to see the 12 little bluecaps
carrying the lost cloak. She was about to
put on her cloak and wish herself home,
when a great confusion in the street attracted
her attention, and having inquired the cause
of the tumult, she learned that a powerful
enemy was approaching the walls, and that
soon the city would be in ruins.
"I shall save your city," cried Meta,
"and the enemy shall do no injury to your
homes."
By means of the fairy cloak the enemy
was caused to flee, and the city was saved.
In his gratitude the King wished to sive
Meta a great reward; bnt she said: "Give
me the ring which you wear, that I may
have it as a memento of my visit to your
city."
The ring was willingly given, and Meta
was soeu in her hoire. But instead ot the
bumble cottage, which she had left, there
stood a large palace, in which the little girl
always lived happily. Although the little
bluecaps often visited Meta, they always
found more substantial food than sunbeams
and fresh air. Paysie.
SOME ENIGMATICAL NUTS.
Puzzles for the Little Tolks That Will Keep
Their Brains Busy for Host of the Week
if They Solve Them Correctly Home
Amusements.
Address communications for this department
to K. It. Chadboukx, Lewaton, Maine.
1282 KEBU3.
Something dreaded by the early American
pioneers. See Jat Bee.
1283. STNONYMY.
Strolling alone the street one day
I "came across a doctor,"
Who was hurrying along the opposite way
I believe he was a proctor.
Can you. tell mo his profession? In physics
He most certainly excelled;
The mind is what he studied.
Tho 'varsity's where he dwelled.
In the second line synonymously
I've told you his profession;
Of syllables throe it is composed
Pray pardon this digression.
A verb, an article and a noun,
It rightly placed together.
This my story will to you make plain
Though it were touch as leather.
H.J.A.
1284. TRANSPOSITION.
I.
I'm a certain kind of sleep;
In me one may laugh or weep:
Do the ttunz that's most outlandish.
Court as bnldlv as Miles Standish,
Do. in fact, whate'er is told.
Whether ono be young or old.
n.
I'm a verv near relation;
By the aid of divination
I foretell events to come.
Of events once past I'm dumb.
But the future still allures me.
And the world success assures me,
For there are those still believing
In the art where all's deceiving.
H. C. BUBGEB.
1285 A BIRTHDAY PAETT.
Green meadows, sunny sky, singing birds,
babbling brooks these all greeted little May
Trevelyn as she trudged blithely on her way to
attend the birthday party of one of her friends.
A sweet little creature she looked, with her
animal bound with a blue ribbon, and her
defence decorated in the same way. Her young
friends greeted ber warmly as she joined them,
for she was a great favorite with all.
They had a nierrv time playing games, such
as the color of a sightless man, a placard, some
thing found tn the work-basket, etc. Then they
had a treat, consisting of couples, colors, the
assistant of a certain kind of fruit, the confes
sion of a shrieking baby, etc
As the sun was setting the gay party scattered
to their poet, after assuring tbelryoung hostess
that they had spenta happy, happy day.
ETHTfc.
1286 DOUBLE CROSSWORD,
In "week of prayer;"
In "autumn air:"
In "song and praise?'
In "pious lays;"
In "care aud pain;"
In "wind and rain;"
In "golden grain."
Hagcard wrote bis many novels,
won his fame;
But ot late he has a rival,
Seek his name.
He's a favorito with the masses.
Will it last!
Wilt his books be read for ages.
Or be cast
To the four winds of the beavensT
Time will tell:
Let us render htm his glory,
Bead him well.
H. O. BCROEB.
1287 DECAPITATION.
Where does the drunkard all,
Where will be lastt
Hears he no conscience-call,
No voice so still and small.
Saving there shall befall
Recompense vast?
What is the drunkard's last.
When life Is o'er?
TJnmourned lie shall be cast
Into the earth; his rcast
Blotted, forgotten fast
Wreck on life's shore.
Bitter Sweet.
1288 diamond.
L In Baltimore. 2. Did feed. 8. Vales, i.
Inventions. 5. Honey-combed. 8. Softening,
7. Pubhshlnc. & F.stablishlne. 9. To pain
acntelv. 10. One of tho Siamese twins. 11. In
Pittsburg. XLC.R.
1289 ANAGRAM.
I am a kind of share-divider.
Of gain or loss I am decider;
When my profit I discover,
A dividend I then pay over.
When there is los. then understand,
That "J report no" loss on band.
Nelsosiaw.
1200 dispatch.
In merry play
Ihe first one day
Was frisking on the hearth.
When quick her last
Was captured fast
Between the trap's sharp teeth.
We heard her call,
And hurried all
To set the captive free.
Her list once small
Puffed out like all
That in the swamp 0 See.
MBS. E.
1291 jack's work.
iThe blank in each stanza is to be filled by a
word used to fill the blank in tbe preceding
stanza, with one letter removed.
Last night Jack Frost came Into town.
And covered all the trees with
Ho gave the brooks a coat of ice,
Tu-tho delight of bois and girls.
Bnt Farmer Jones was not so glad;
He had a large amount of
Whlcn had not yet been gatbercd in.
Yet he his lot with patience bears.
He says he onght to thankful be
It did not harm his corn-field's ,
Which were too hard for Jack Frost's teeth
To penetrate, as it appear:.
Ethtl.
ANSWERS.
1273 Article, fount, stick, columns, ink and
paper; a printer.
1274 1. Ground, hoe; hoe, ground. 2. Plow,
soil; soil, plow. 3. Stock, mind: mind, stock.
4. Pay, work; work. pay. 5. Meed, help; help,
need. 6. Head, strike: strike, head. 7. Run,
risk; risk, run. 8. Mark, make; make, mark.
9. Good, arm; arm, good. 10. Like, saw; saw,
like. 1L Joe. Kelp; Kelp, Joe.
1275 Monday, dynamo.
1278 Selfish, dwarfish, elfish, flehu, offish.
1277 Rally, ally.
1278 Rotation.
1279 R
B I L
H A G A B
B A P O T A B
RIGOLETTE
LATENCY
P. A T C H
STY
E
1280 Mouth-piece.
12S1 Familiar.
MES. ST0WE3 TA1TH.
An Impressive Saying and an Impressive
Scene at a Celebration.
Boiton Bnacet.3
Pew scenes in literary history are more
worthy to live than a picture neTer to be
forgotten by those who saw it at the cele
bration of Mrs. Stowe's 70th birthday, given
by Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. at the
country bouse of ex-Goyernor and Mrs.
Claflin in West Newton some years ago.
The golden sunshine of a perfect June day
made radiant the'scene. It was a lawn fete
with a raised dais on which sat Mrs.
Stowe and the guests of honor.
Poems had been read and songs had been
sung, and at last the frail, slight lorm of
Mrs. Stowe was seen standing, and in her
few briel remarks one entenco will alwavs
remain in memory: "My friends, let us
never doubt; everything that ought to
happen is always going to happen." The
word were as impressive as if uttered by a
sibylline prophetess of old.
A CHAPTER OK HUMOR
The Soil it Grows in and How It Is Kept
TrcsU.
ChlcsEO interior.
Original humor comes of some peculiarity
of the perceptions, quite different from the
ordinary, lightened up by a lively and
bright mind, and, with this, literary still
in bringing these perceptions clearly before
the minds of others. But a few repititions
make these oddities and peculiarities of per
ception familiar and commonplace. They
not only lose the charm of novelty and the
stimulus ot surprise, but they become stale
and, if persisted in, pitiful. "Wit and hu
mor can only remain fresh when growing,
and that somewhat sparsely, upon a soil that
is rich in wisdom.
Ho Shaved Himself.
New York Sun. J
"I attribute the tranquil happiness of my
latter days as much to my ability to shave
myself as anything else," said a rotund
member ot the Union League Club yester
day. "When I think of the time I have
spent in barber shops, and the insult, maul
ing and discomfort to which I have been
subjected by heavy-handed Getmau barbers,
I am surprised at my own stupidity and
muddle-beadedncss. T had always "heard
that a man who shaved himself jiever went
back to barber shops, and my own father
had given me plenty of advice when I was a
boy. But my beard was stiff and hard to
shave, and so I gradually became a victim
of the shops."
Now Use for the Phonograph.
New York Telegram.
Apart from any moral point of view,
from any question of the misery it inflicts
on toe family, or from any reflection on the
waste of money, what an everlasting, idiotic
aud altogether remarkable idiot a clever
man can make of himself when intoxicated!
Your phonograph would be your real
temperance lecturer if you would take down
the utterances of Philip drunk and grind
them out into Philip's sober ears. The
boastfalness, the absurd lack ol sense in the
speeches, the inane jokes, the ridiculous
conclusions would point a moral to Philip's
mind, which no words save bis own could.
General Booth's Theory.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The poor need religion, of course; but first
they need material salvation, which implies
not merely temporary succor, but the facili
ties of self-help and the assurance of employ
ment at fair wages. It is dreadfully hard
for an indigent and discouraging man to be
a good man. His situation does not inspire
virtuous thoughts and feelings. The pres
sure ot physical deprivation tends to weaken
his moral faculties and to maka him dis
trustful of spiritual suggestions and agencies.
The Proposal Declined.
Boiton Herald.
And what is your business, my pretty maidf
I am a waiting girl, sir, she said.
Take me and no longer wait, miss, he said;
Thanking you kindly, no sir, she said.
THE ' PITTSBURG DISPATCH, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9,
WONDERFUL STORIES
From Fields of Natural History, As
tronomy and Philosophy.
THE FLY HAS THODSAKDS OF EYES.
Mosquitoes First Swim, Then TheT Sail,
and Finally Thej Fly.
FRANKLIN'S EXPERIMENT REPEATED
iwritten rem tub Disr-ATcn.1
You have probably read about Argus, the
mythological creature with a hundred eyes.
He had a queer habit of sleeping with B0 of
his eyes open, and for this reason he was
selected to watch Io, another mythological
character. But a scheme was successfully
used to lull all of Argus' eyes to sleep by
flute music. For this nap Argns lost his
head. His eyes were then transplanted into
a peacock's tail, and there you can see them
In our day.
So much for mythology now for fact.
If you will Btop reading for an instant
and cast your eyes about the room, you will
probably see a real, tangible, live animal
that has 40 times more eyes than Argus
was reputed to have. This animal is the
common house-fly. You ltnow some of the
strange things about tbiii little creature.
For instance, vou know that he is inclined
to be entirely too familiar in warm weather.
You know, too, that he can walk on tbe
ceiling of your room bad: downward, just
as well as he can walk on the floor. Possi
bly you know that he has six feet to walk
with, and that he is full-sized and mature
when born that is, he is a transformed
worm.
THE LITTLE FELLOW'S EYES.
But there are some things about the
house-fly that you probably don't know.
In all tbe strange work of nature there is
hardly anything more wonderful than the
eyes of this familiar little insect. You have
noticed, probably, that the two apparent
eyes of the fly are relatively very large.
Well, each of these apparent eyes, as we
find by examination with the microscope, is
what naturalists call a compound eye that
is, it is made up ol a great number of little
eyes, with each of which tthe little creature
sees. Argus was a pauper, in eye wealth,
compared with our little friend the house
fly. Another familiar little creature, in some
respects more wonderful than the fly, is the
ant. You know a good deal about this tiny
animal, although there are many kinds of
them that you have never seen. There is
the large black ant, who sometimes takes a
fancy lor a nip of human flesh, though his
bite is neither dangerous nor very painful.
Then there is the very little red ant that
you may possibly find in the sugar bowl
unless your grocer is both keen-eyed and
careful. But there are many very strange
things about ants that you probably have
never heard of. For instance, did you ever
seeanantflv? No? Weil, both male and
female ants fly. But ants have no wings,
you mentally retort. No, not the ants that
you have seen scampering about. But the
fathers and the mothers of these scampering
ants had wings.
THE AHTS THAT 'WOE1C
Just here we have one of the strangest
things in animate nature. The children of
ants are mostly what are called "neuters"
without sex and they have no wings.
These are the working ants. They have
compound eyes like the house-fly, but their
parents, the flyers, have both compound
and single eyes. Nature seems to have pro
vided the compound eyes for certain insects
in order that their near-by vision may be
very keen, and then tho single, or long
range eje, is sometimes given in addition.
The social life of the ant family is some
thing marvelous. They build houses with
"all the modern improvements." These
houses, whether underground or in mounds,,
have regular passage-viays, rooms divided
with architect-like eiiactness, places lor
storing tood, and so forth. The work of
gathering food, guarding the houses, caring
for the sick, and the like, are suggestive of
almost human intelligence. The strength
of the ant is amazing. Tests have been
made wherein an ant carried 12 times its
own weight That is equivalent to a man of
average tize carrying nearly a ton. But
ants are not always simply curious or won
derful insects. In some countries they are
often a match for a man in the struggle for
existence. In Guiana, we are told by trav
elers, the ants build villages with houses
sometimes 20 feet hich. The little animals
multiply so fast that they swarm over the
surrounding country, infesting houses in
myriads, attacking domestic animals and
even human beings, so that settlers are
sometimes compelled to flee for their lives.
But the ants in our latitude behave better.
They are often an annoyance, and occasion
ally a nuisance, but they are always an in
teresting study.
A FISH, A SAILOR, A BIRD.
It is needieso to ask whether you have
heard the music nnd felt the lancet of the
mosquito. It is a littl; nuisance, sure
enough, but it is so wonderful in some re
spects that in studying it we can almost for
get the music and the nip. It is not tar out
of the way to say that the mosquito is at first
a fish, then a sailor and afterward a bird.
Anyway, he successively swims, sails and
flips.
The mother mcquito lays eggs in stag
nant water. These eggs produce the "wrig
glers" that you may have seen. The "wrig
glers nave no gins nte nsn, ana so they
have to come to the surface of the water to
breathe. Bigh. here we find one of the
queerest of all queer things. Tbe mosquito
breathes through his tail 1 That is, the air
is taken in through a tube of hairs situated
very near the tip of the tail. When the
"wriggler" gets to the proper age he stops
on the surface of the water and apparently
rips the back seam of his skin. Tneskiu on
the back cracks open, and the mosquito
which you know so well is seen. But he is
not yet strong enough to fly, so he stays in
the old skin, which is now a sort of mos
quito gondola, and sails about until he is
strong enough to fly away and begin his
blood-sucking career.
THE MOON IS A 3 HO ST.
Do you know that the moon, which looks
so bright and beautiful on a clear evening,
is the only dead object you see in the
heavens? This is true. The best authori
ties all agree that the moon has passed
through all the stages that our earth has
reached, and, furthermore, that its internal
fire is all burned out, its water and air
gone, and that it is now really a ghost of
what it once was. Whether animal life
ever existed on the moon or not is some
thing that we shall probably never know.
But there is no apparent reason why men
may not once have lived there. Astrono
mers see mountains, extinct volcanoes, val
leys, and what seem to be the beds ot seis
or oceans. Thousands of years ago, long
before man appeared upon the earth, the
"Man in the Moon" may have been a living
being, and possiblv be may have levelled
his telescope at tbe earth, just as astrono
mers now gaze at our ghostly satellite.
You have noticed that the moon and the
sun are apparently nearly the same size, but
there is a mighty difference. It would take
more than 100,000,000 moons to make a body
as large as the sun. Here is an illustration:
The moon is about 240,000 miles from the
earth so far away that it would take a rail
way train, running 30 miles an hour, nearly
a year to get that far. Now, suppose you
could take the sun in your hand, as you
would an orange, and cat it into three parts
of equal size diametrically. Well, if you
should then attempt to put one ot these thirds
of the sun between the earth and the moon,
there would not be room! The diameter of
the sun is about 850,000 miles more than
three times the distance of the moon from
the earth.
POWER OF THE 8T7N.
Just think for a moment of tbe potency
of this mighty orb, the sun. He is about
9,000,000 miles away from us, A railway
train, going at the rate of 30 miles an hour,
would take within a fraction of 354 years to
travel so farl But at this amazing distance
you know what heat the sun sends us in
summer time, and you know how keenly we
sometimes feel the slight diminution of that
heat in winter. And yet this immense fiery
orb is hundreds of times smaller than many
of the other suns in the universe that you
can see any clear night, twinkline far away
in the illimitable depths of space.
Have you ever heard ol Benjamin Frank
lin's experiment in capturing lightning by
means of a kite? That was the first elec
trical experiment in the United States, and
any bov can do without much trouble just
what "Franklin did. This is the way
to do it. Take an ordinary kite,
and from the point where the cord
is to be fastened you run small wires along
the ribs, so that the points of the wires pro
ject a few incbei beyond the outer ends of
the kite ribs. You then soak your cord in
salt water, which makes it a good conductor
of electricity; attach the cord to the kite
ribs, in contact with the wires, and send the
kite heavenward To your end of the string
tie a key or other bit of iron, and you have
Franklin's primitive lightning catcher.
The most favorable time for this experiment
is when a thunder shower is approaching,
but you are likely to catch some electricity
almost any clondy day. Touch your
knuckle to the key and you will bear some
thing like that produced by striking a
match, but not nearly so loud. You will
also get a little electric shock, and if the ex
periment were in the dark you would see an
electric spark.
BOTTLING THE ELECTRICTTT.
A great deal of amusement can be bad by
this experiment if you have a small leyden
jar, which can be had wherever philosoph
ical apparatus is sold. Attach the knob of
the jar to the key and you will fill the jar
with electricity. Touch this knob to the
nose of a dog and you will see the most as
tonished animal that ever walked on four
legs. It won't hurt the dog. Itwill proba
bly tumble him over, and he will soon get
up again without knowing what ailed him.
But you will never get that same dog to
again touch his nose to the leyden jar knob.
There are some very interesting electrical
experiments that you can perform at home.
On a dry, crisp night, it you will shuffle
quickly over trie carpet in your stocking
leet and hurriedly touch your knuckle to
the nose of another person vou will produce
a slight shock and you will see an electric
spark. Sometimes you may be able to light
a gas jet in this way.
Again, take four strong tumblers and
place them on' the floor, with a board on top
large enough to stand on. Let one person
mount the board and let another rub him
quickly down the back with a piece of fur.
If the hair of the insulated person is dry
aud loosely brushed it will stand up, in the
language of Hamlet, "like quills upon the
fretful porcupine' J. H. Webb.
DEC0HATI0NS IK AMERICA.
They Are Very Nnmerons, bnt Only Two Are
of Any Real Valnc.
New York Bnn.1
The engineer of tbe English man-of-war
who escaped from the storm at Samoa in tbe
face of the gale, and the head of the firm
who made the engines, were both decorated
by the British Government, one for daring
to run straight into such a storm and the
other for building such good engines. But
not one of the officers or men of the Amer
ican vessels who faced and lived through
the storm and so greatly distinguished them
selves by personal heroism ever received
even a medal from Congress, or if he did no
one knows of the fact.
There are only two decrations of value in
this country, that of the Order of the Cin
cinnati and of the Loyal Legion. In foreign
countries a rosette or button or ribbon in
the lapel of the coat means that the wearer
has been decorated by tbe Government, but
over here where the Constitution forbids tbe
giving of decorations by the Government,
aud their acceptance from other Govern
ments by Americans in office, the people
have to decorate themselves. Almost one of
every dozen of the young men you meet on
the street to-day wears a little variously
colored button iu the lapel of his coat. It is
very common now, and the wearer wauts
utter strangers to know that be is the mem
ber of some socictv or club.
LIFE'S DTJEATI0H,
And How It Is Prematurely Shortened by
Worry and Irregnlarities.
St. Lonls Globe-Democrat.:
The passions certainly shorten life, and
sometimes suddenly end it. "Choked" with
passion is very often not an exaggeration.
The lower animals, which live temperate
lives, have their prescribed term of years.
The horse lives 25 years, the ox 15 or 20, the
bog 10 or 12, the rabbit 8 or 9, the guinea
pig C or 7. The numbers all bear propor
tion to the time the animal takes to grow its
full size. Man is the only animal that sel
dom comes up to the average. He ought to
live 100 years, according to the physiolog
ical law, for five times 20 are 100, but he
scarcely reaches an average ol four times the
growing period. To sum it all up, man is
the most hard-working and laborious of ani
mals, also tbe most irregular and intemper
ate. He is irritable, and often wears out,
or is consumed by the fire of his own reflec
tions. GLADSTONE'S LATEST POETEAIT.
A Pastel Taken Prom Sittings in the Library
at Ha warden.
The picture of Mr. Gladstone herewith is
taken from one of the verv latest sketches
made of the distinguished statesman.
Through influential friends Mr. J. McClure
Hamilton, who, by the way, was born in
Philadelphia, succeeded in getting
a half dozen sittings in Mr.
Gladstone's library at Hawarden.
The results are a brilliant oil picture and
two pastels, one of tbe latter of which is re
produced from the Pall Mall Budget. The
pastels are vivacious, lull of character and
attract much attention.
"Mr. Gladstone was busy at the time,"
says Mr. Hamilton, "and all that I desired
was that be should go through his morn
ing's work as usual, and be absolutely un
conscious of my presence. The golden rule
of silence which is observed in tbe library
at Hawarden is tbe ideal one for work. It
is very distracting to have to talk to one's
sitter, or even to be talked to by him. So
Mr. Gladstone did his work and I did miue,
with such results as you have seen. Curing
the first hour and a half he leads, and a.ter
that he conducts his correspondence; and so
in one of my pastels he is reading and in
the other writing. I had two sittings for
the reading picture and one for the writ
ing." "
Sullivan Has Been Struck.
Boston Herald.
Snapper There's bo use after this to talk
about Sullivan being invincible. He's been
struck and struck badly.
Tuft BoyBy vrhomj bov
Bnapper Stage struck.
Mr. Gladstone Reading.
1890.- J,
STREN&TH OF BODY.
Characteristics of the Swedish System
of Physical Culture.
A REASON FOR EACH MOVEMENT.
No Elaborate Apparatus Necessary to SI aire
Perfect Physiques.
PROGRESSION IN THE EXERCISES
iwnrrrmt foe hi dispatch. !
Those who do not find time for exercise will
have to find time for illness.
Lord Derby.
In these days of a noticeable awakening
of popular interest for the physical develop
ment of children and young people the
question is repeatedly asked, "What is the
Swedish system of gymnastics?" or "Which
are its characteristics wherein it essentially
differs from oiher gymnastic systems?" The
fact is, that to fully understand the Swedish
system of 'physical culture, or any other
that has any righteous claim to the prefix
"system," it is necessarv to be thoroughly
conversant with the principles that are
fundamental to all gymnastics. It is a
knowledge not to be gained in a few minutes,
nor to be explained in a few words. Yet in
the following will be fonnd, briefly stated,
in what respects the Swedish method differs
from the others:
NOT AN ANTIQUATED SYSTEM.
The Swedish system of gymnastics, de
vised by T. H. Ling, the scientist and
philosopher, was founded upon the laws of
nature and upon the laws of the human or
ganism. Since the days of Ling the system
has been much perfected and improved by
Ling's numerous lollowers, who have made
it keep even pace with the progress of those
sciences upon which it is based. For that
reason the system is not altogether as an
tiquated as some of its antagonists would
fain have the uninitiated think; and the
fact that it has survived in a country where
nothing is done in a sunerfioi.il and ir
rational way ought to be a guarantee lor its
efficiency.
.First, let it be considered how the exer
cises are selected. The exercises are chosen
according to their gymnastic value, which
quality depends on how tbe movement com
bines the utmost effect ou the body with
simplicity and beauty of performance.
Only such exercises are chosen and used
whose local and general eflects are fairly
well known aud proved to be needed by tbe
body. Not only the needs of the individual,
but his or her abilities as well are to be
taken into consideration; and for that rea
son the instructor must know how to vary
the exercises according to the degree of
physical culture aud ability possessed by
the pupil.
CORRECTING WEONO TENDENCIES.
The movement should have its developing
eflects in a short time; it should be simple
so that every pupil can do it fairly well;
and it should have beauty of execution ac
cording to each one's ability. In order to
supply the needs of the organism and to de
velop the body harmoniously, the exercises
have to overcome a great many tendencies
to faulty growth or bad posture; and the
greater or less value of a movement depends
on its power to counteract or correct these
tendencies. It naturally follows that the
system uses no exercUe which would en
courage such faults, for instance, using
weights for beginners, etc.
Iu accordance with the physiological
truth that the first, greatest and most ex
tensive effect oi exercise is on the respiratory
organs, aud that hence, during exercise
these organs must be allowed perfect free
dom ot motiou, the Swedish method disap
proves of and discards all movements which
compress the chest, or which in any way in
terfere with free respiration; and the greatest
attention is given to the proper development
of the chest. In recognition of the fact that,
to be truly strong a man must know how to
breathe well, much prominence has been
given to "respiratory" exercises. "Breathe!"
"Don't hold your breatnl" are common ex
hortations in gymnasiums where this
method is used.
MUSCLES CASE TOR THEMSELVES.
In judging of the effects of an exercise,
we think the least of the muscular develop
ment produced; lor, the eilect of all general
exercise is to develop muscle, and this aim
is reached without especially working for
it. But we think all tbe more of the effects
produced on nerves, vessels, etc, for the re
sults in this direction can be vastly changed
by varying tbe movements, as demonstrated
in medical gymnastics; in other words, the ex
ercises have been made to harmonize with
tbe laws of physiology.
In measuring a man's strength, we com
pare the man to himself; we do not say that
a man is strong because he can lift so many
pounds, or because he can jump so high,
and run so fast. But when he possesses a
healthy, well-balanced aud well-proportioned
body, which his will has under good
control, then he possesses physical culture,
even though in the eyes of" some he may
seem weaK as compared to others. It is this
health, symmetry, and harmony we aim at
in selecting the exercises; and that the
Swedish method accomplishes its purpose
has been too well demonstrated to leave
room for doubt.
AESTHETICAL OTMNASTICS.
Movements are never chosen "because
they look so pretty," ior educational gym
nastics do not aim at beauty of perlormauce.
When gymnastics do have such an aim they
are called "soathetical," "calisthenics,"
etc., and these have but little effect toward
physical development. And yet we claim
that when a movement is well done
it is graceful also. Some persons mis
take a languid manner ot motion lor grace,
and hence claim that the Swedish exercises
are too jerky to be graceful.
Our second point for consideration is the
regularity of method. In order that gym
nastics bu systematic there mu.-vt be progres
sion. In tlie bwetlish method tins is ad
hered to very strictly, so that the exercises,
beginning with the very simplest, gradually
become stronger and more complicated. So
closely has the effect 01 movements ou tbe
human organism been studied tbat the
slightest change of position even the turn
ing of a hand has lis recognized influence
in the progression, and it is here that tbe
system demands the most from the instructor.
No movement is attempted unless the pre
vious ones ol the same kind have been
thoroughly practiced, aud no exercise is
used whose commencing position has not
already been practiced sufficiently to guar
antee its correctness; for, if the commencing
position is laulty, the movement cannot be
rightly executed.
ATTITUDE ON APPARATUS.
The Swedish method does not entirely dis
approve of dumb-bells, and allied forms of
apparatus, but through year3 of constant
practice it leads up to them, claiming that
before increasing the weight by external
means you should make a progression by
prolonging the lever of the weight already
present. So ior instance, a backward-flexion
of tbe trunk with the arms extended up
ward and the hands holding weights must
necessarily be preceded by the same move
ment without the weights, and that by a
flexion ot some kind with the arms fixed be
hind the neck, and still earlier with the
hands on the hips, etc
After years of practical investigation it
was found that if, in everjr lesson, the exer
cises followed each other in a certain, com
paratively unchanged order, tbe movements
could be made stronger; they could be given
more duration; ill results could be com
pletely prevented; and hence the good ef
fects become all the more pronounced. For
that reason all movements were divided into
olasaei as follows:
THE ELKVEN OLAS1ES.
1 Introductions. By those we under
stand some simple exercises used at the be
ginning of a k.sou to gain a general mus
rulnr control, to correct the base and general
position, etc
2 Arch-flexions, which consist of backward-flexions
of the trunk; they hare tho
effect of straightening the dorsal region of
the spine; of vaulting the chest forward by
drawing the lower ribs apart, thus increas
ing tbe capacity of the chest, and of culti
vating the extensibility of the upper region
of the abdomen. "
3 Heaving movements, which consist of
various exercises in a hanging pesitfon, and
others that have the effect of expanding tbe
upper part of the chest by lifting it upward;
incidentally they also develop the arms. If
these movements are not preceded by the
arch-flexions tbey will produce lameness in
the upper region of the abdomem. Free
standing arm extensions are classified in
this group, since their effects resemble those
of heaving movements, for which they also
prepare the way.
4 Balance movements. The two preced
ing movements are strong, hence they in
crease the heart-beat noticeably. Now a
rest ought to ensue the word rest not to be
understood as meaning inactivity, but
changing activity and the time is conven
ientlv filled by the gentle movements called
balance movements. These require but lit
tle effort from any one of tbe many muscles
brought into play; the heart-beat is not in
creased by them, but becomes lessened by
the mechanical propulsion of the blood into
tbe legs and lower regions. At the end of a
balance-movement the pupil is again ready
for more specific work.
THE MORE ACUTE CLASSES.
5 Shoulder-blade movements consists of
arm movements, which have the effect of
placing the shoulder blades in correct posi
tion. 6 Abdominal exercises bring into forcible
play the muscles forming the abdominal
walls; their effects are to promote digestion
and to shorten the stay of the food iu the
intestinal canal.
7 Forward flexions of the trunk, which
tend to strengthen the dorsal muscles, keep
ing the spinal column in a naturally easy
and erect position.
8 Lateral trunk movements consist of
rotations and sideways flexions, etc., of the
trunk. They have a lar-reaching effect ou
the general circulation by accelerating the
flow in the inferior "vena cava," leading
the blood off from tbe abdomen and legs,
etc Incidentally they also expand the
chest laterally and strengthen the muscles
around the waist.
9 Slow leg movements. By this time
the heart-beat is again increased; tbe
slow leg movements furnish a means of les
soning it For by these the blood becomes
mechanically propelled forward, throneh
the forcible passive extension of some mus
cles, while others are in gentle active con
traction. These movements may be conven
iently omitted, when the previous exercises
are not strong enough to make them a neces
sity. 10 Jumping and vaulting. These ex
ercises have the effect of cultivating the
general elasticity of the body more than
does any other form of movement. And if
we recall that grace and elasticity are very
nearly identical iu gymnastics, we under
stand the gymnastic need of these move
ments. They develop courage, self-reliance,
a true appreciation of space, and produce
great ability of voluntary co-ordination of
motion as well. The Swedish method dif
fers from all others (not founded on it) iu
its manner of preparing the jumping by
practicing the intermediate positions and
motions, before tbe real movement is at
tempted, as well as in demanding that the
correct "lauding" should be insisted upon.
In like manner the vaulting is prepared by
first cultivating in tbe pnpil the habit of
clinging to the bar, no matter what bap
pens beiore he is made to leap over it. And
the progression is so strict that we have no
accidents to record in these "violent" or
precipitate movements.
THE CLOSING MOVEMENT.
11 Bespiiatory exercises. These consist of
deep inhalation and exhalation accompanied
by some arm movement that will expand
and contract the chest in even rythui with
the respiratory act. These movements,
which can be conveniently combined with
some movements of the legs or trunk, have
the effect of restoring tree respiration (after
jumping, etc.) and to lessen the heart-beat.
Bespiratory exercises are brought iu not
only at the end ot every lesson, but at any
time when their effects are needed, and often
also at the beginning of a lesson containing
strong exercises that require an increased
activity of the lungs.
To this daily curriculum various addi
tions are often made, such as to bring in one
more, the shoulder-blade movement, when
needed; or another heaving movement; or
an abdominal exercise; or to leave the last
one out for children, and so on as the in
structor may decide. In addition to the
free-standing movements, each class con
tains numberlessexerciseson apparatus, and
snpplies a sufficient number to form a pro
gression from infancy to well developed man
or womanhood through all the grades in
school, college and in alter-life as well.
BY WORD OF COMMAND.
The third point in which the Swedish sys
tem differs from the majority of others is in
tbe method of applying the exercises. The
movements are applied to the words of
command, this being the only method en
abling the pupil to concentrate bis niinu on
one thing at the time, tbat thing being his
own motion. This is in accordance with the
definition of gymnastic movement, which
tells us that, unless a movement is done
with full volition, it ceases to be gymnas
tic. In those methods which use imitation,
memorizing, etc., the movements become
mechanical, the pupil dividing his atten
tion between himself and something outside
bim, i. e. they cease to be gymn istic.
Objections have been raised to using
wordsof command, because "it is so tire
some," "too soldier-like," etc. To this the
answer is given, that to get tbe lull benefit
out of exercise we should put our whole
mind into it, this being mnch less tiresome
than tn exercise while we think of some
thing else. On the other hand we have the
theory of a small minority of antagonists,
that gymnastics, without music, do not give
enough recreation, especially to children,
because there is not enough exhilaration in
snch exercises. In regard to this objection,
we claim that discipline is necessary, not
only tor a soldier, but for everybody, if we
are to have any control whatsoever over our
selves. Words of command also teach the
pnpil to think quickly. The Swedish
method disapproves utterly of music for the
very simple reason that but few gymnastics
movements are rythmical.
Axel C. Hallbeck,
Inate Courtesy.
The Jenntss Miller JtaRazlne. J
Manners are stronger than laws, and no
man or woman, either in society or out of it,
can afford to ignore this fact. It is strange,
but nevertheless true, that but few persons
possess nn innate sense of the proprieties of
life, although many of them do not pernaps
flagrantly violate the strict code of etiquette.
Some
Children
Growing
mm?P Too Fast
become listless, fretful, without ener
gy, thin and weak. But you can for
tify them and build them up, by the
use of
SCOTT'S
EMULSION
OF PURE COD LIVER OIL AND
HYPOPHOSPHITES
Of Lime ana Soda.
They will take it readily, for H Is al
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nVCmiMin! AvalA.muhtU,HtnnmnWrfA-
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m
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When baby was sick, we gave her Castorla,
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