&s!&
rWRITTEN TOR THI DISPATCH.
As far as the eye could reach, a thick cov
ering of snow had spread itself oTer the
brown heath, in the midst of which stood a
small, low cottage, the only human dwell
ing visible in the great white plain.
"What a dreary life they must lead who
live there," said many a traveler as he
Tiewed the lonely bonse from the distant
road. But the cottage, though small, was
well built and comfortable. The moss-covered
beams were strong and firmly support
ed the turf roof, which in simmer time
looked like green velvet, adorned with red
and yellow flowers; and the wide stone chim
ney towered proudly above the little dwell
ing, as if to proect it from any hostile in
vader. At one side of the house was a small
garden patch, wueie grew iiotatoes carrots
and cabbaze, and also a bed of gay colored
tulips was to be seen.
In this secluded home lived little Yigg
who his Aunt Gertrude, who took every care
of the orphan boy. and was both father and
mother to him. Early in the morning the
kind aunt had goue to the distant village
to make some purchases, and now, although
the suu was low and the short winter day
was growing to a close, "Vigg was still alone.
Everywhere was deep silence. No sound of
sleighbells had been heard during the day,
cor the voices of passenby. When the boy
walked across the bare floor, he thought the
clatter of his wooden shoes must sound all
over the wide heath. As night came on,
Tigg drew his little stool close to the window
and peered out "into the darkness to see if
Aunt Gertrude were coming, and be
wondered if she would bring the ginger
cakes she had promised, and if she really
would remember the little fir tree and the
candies; for this was Christmas eve.
When the boy had watched anxiously for
DO TOU KXOW tVHO I AM
some time, through the one pane from which
he had scraped away the frost, he heard a
jingling of hells and the tramping of horses'
feet. The sound rew more and more dis
tinct, ant a moment later Vigg saw a dark
object moving over the snow, and soon dis
tinguished a tiny sleigh, drawn by four
small ponies, which tossed their heads as if
thev enjot ed the cold, rosty air. To Vigg's
great surprise, this quaint turnout stopped
berore thccotta;e door.and a little old man,
with a nnnkled fice and a long white
beard, dressed in fur from head to foot,
sprang out of the sleigh.
"Well, little curly-head," he said to
Vig?, who by this time had opened the
window, "is no one at home?"
"You see that I am here," replied Vigg.
"Why, of course," said the little man,
"how very stupid I was to ask such a ques
tion. But wny have you no Christmas
lights?"
"I shall have those when Aunt Gertrude
returns," was the reply.
"Do you know who lam?" asked the
stranger.
"No. I do not know yon," answered the
bov, "and do you know uhn I am?"
The old man took off his fur cap. and bow
ing with mock reverence before Virg, said,
while his eye6 sparkled with fun: "I think
I have the honor o speaking to Vigg, the
great warrior of the heath, who Ins not been
frightened by the longest Deara in me lana,
and who isnow wearing his first trousers.
You are Vicg, and I am Santa Claus. Have
you ever heard of me?"
"Oh, are ynu reilly Santa Claus?" crird
V:g es-iteily, "then you r.'SSt be a very
good mm; for my aunt has olten told me
about you."
"Ma-iv thanks for the compliment,'1 said
Santa Clans. "And now ct-me and take a
ride. I promise that you shall be back
before your aunt returns" and I want you to
maUeojiie cills with me."
Vi?g needed no second invitation, ard he
was icon toted by Saota Claus, and the
little sleigh flew like the wind over the hard
eur.'ace of the snow. Vigg had never
thought to enjoy such pleasure. It was so
warm and pleasant under the soft iur robes,
and the stais in the wintry sky seemed to
chine brighter than ever before. When the
barren he ith had been crossed and the road
to the village reached, Vigg saw Christmas
lights gleaming from many homes, and
through the open windows he caught
glimpses o bricht, happy face-, and he
could almost hear the sweet carols which
were being sung. Finally, the sleigh stopped
be ore a little tumble-down house and Santa
Claus said. "Here I shall make my first
call, for I love the people in this poor cot
tage." .Anxious to see the people whom Santa
Claus said he loved, Visg peered curiously
into the hare room. There, around a wood
fire,-sat a pale woman and several children,
who, in spite of their thin garments and
pinched lacs, were listening with great in
terest while the lather read to them of the
Christ child, and his love for the little ones.
Santi Claus opened a large bag, which he
carried in the sleigh, and took out books
and knives for the boys, dolls and work
boxes for the girls, and warm clothes and
spectacles for the father and mother, and
last of all, a basket of nutritious food. The
old man placed these jri U at the door, and
without waiting to witness the joy they
would bring, sprang into the sleigh and he
and Vigg were 800n on their y again.
They visited the rich and poor. No one
was forgotten, aud Vigg could not help
thinking: "I wonder if there will be any
thing left lor me in that great bag."
Finally, Santa Claus stopped before the
King's palace.
"This will be my last call," he said, "I
have here two gifts for the young prince."
mmsm
-'- iitv . f j5ir -
5
K iWK f i 8.
i?
W
?2-
When he opened the bag. Vice saw toy.
which surpassed all the others in beauty and
richness. On a Iargr silver plate stood hun
dreds of brave soldiers, some on foot and
others mounted on spirited steeds. By
touching a spring underneath the plate, the
soldiers shouldered their muskets and
marched to and fro, the horses plunged, and
the riders drew their swords. On another,
plate, representing the sea, ships were to be
seen sailing, and small boats filled with
people. When the royal gilts had been de
livered, Santa Claus said: "I shall, before
taking you home, show you the palace of
the Mountain King."
A moment later a high, steep mountain
rose up before thera. This time Vigg, too,
dismounted from the sleigh, and with his
companion approached the rocky wall.
Santa Claus knocked loudly, and the great
rock opened, disclosing a dart, cold cave.
Viae felt a little timid and crept closer to
his friend. Au uly green frog croaked
dismally from under a stone, and a hideous
serpent with fiery eyes glided by them.
"What a dreadful place," cried Vigg.
"Let us go away from here."
But as they turned a corner in the dark
way Vigg saw a large hall, glittering with
light and fragrant with the odor of Christ
mas trees. In the room were countless
dwarfs, each one holding a lighted torch,
whose glow was reflected many times in the
crystal walls. In the middle of the hall sat
the Mountain King on his golden throne.
He was clothed in a scarlet robe, glistening
with jewels, and by bis side was his only
daughter arrayed in the greatest splendor,
but her face was pale and sad, and her love
lv eyes were filled with tears. Before the
King's throne stood a pair of large scales.
On one side were golden weights, bat they
were more than balanced by the toads,
snakes and lizzards in the other
scaletau. Then Sauta Claus whispered:
"The Princess is very ill and must die
? ASKED THE STBASOEB.
unless she can leave this and come home
under the mountain, and breathe the pure,
fresh air of the heath. But she must re
main here until the golden weights out
weigh the ugly reptiles. These little dwarfs
spend their time in visiting the homes of
the people who live in the villages and
cities. Thev meet here every Christmas
Eve, and tell what they have seen during
the veir. When thev have a good deal to
record a golden weight is placed on the
scales; but when they relate of unkind
words and selfish actions, a toad or lizzard
is placed on the other side."
Vigg now listened very intently as each
dwarf told his storv, and was grieved to see
how few golden weights were Used.
When Santa Claus' turn came he told of
so many dear little folks, who at this time of
the year were trjing to follow the example
of the Christ child, and were remembering
the needy, that one golden weight after an
other was placed on the scales, until finally
the dwarfs raised a great shout, and Vipg.
distinguished these words: "How our Prin
cess can leave this dismal mountain." -
Vigg could never tell how he reached
home. He had a confused impression of
again riding over the heath with Santa
Claus; but his first distinct thought was of
Auut Gertrude bending over him, and say
ing: "Poor little Vice! I was sorry to leave
you alone so long. Wake up, now, and see
how brightly the Christmas lights are burn-in-;.
Here are the cakes which I promised,
and at the door stands a bundle of books
and a box of candies, which are marked:
To Vigg, from Santa Claus.' "
PAYSIK.
SOME ENIGMATICAL NUTS.
Puzzles for the little Folks That Will Keep
Their Brains Busy for Most of the Week
if They Solve Them Correctly Home
.Amusements.
Addreu communication! for tnlt department
to E. It. Cn ADBOUKX, Lewitton, Maine.
1341 TWO GBEAT POEMS.
M.H.
1343 PBESSED INTO SEKY1CX.
Well-dressed I am and fair to sea,
But that is all a sham:
Unruffled though my outside be,
&
r
D.
Down-hearted still I am.
I comfort many an aching head,
I soothe the child to rest:
But when In sleep their cares have fled,
Behhld me still hard-pressed.
".My case does not seem hard," yon say,
But only stop ana think;
1 lie in bed both night and day,
And never sleep a wink. TJ. C. S.
1343 TBANSPOSITIOW.
You hare heard the song and story
Of the bride of Dublin Bay;
Of Roy Neal, the loving husband,
01 the bark that flrtt away,
fiat It found the angry waters
Pouring o'er its polished sides
And they sank to death together.
Young Roy. Neal and his fair bride.
Yet the storms or life o'ertake us.
Yet the billows angry foam;
Bull we venture on the journey,
Trusting that the besi will come.
To the next who read this puzzle
We can wish a fairer tide
Than the one that brought destruction
To RoyHeal and his fair bride.
H. C. Buboes.
1344 A MORNTNO EPISODE.
One autumn morning Mr. Banks rose at fonr.
Theie had been a decided change in the tem
perature, and a white frost was on the ground.
He went at once to the , which bad not
been used for the summer, and took from it
the following articles:
L A dog.
2. A cird.
3. The soft hhiry skin of an animal.
i. An article for use in warm weather.
6. A conspicuous part of the body.
6. A handsome leaved plant.
7. A contest of speed.
8. A laree vase.
He next went to his , and found Its con-
teuts to be as follows:
1. The article be sought.
2. A core.
3. .Money.
. A vehicle.
5. A small dwelling.
6. A murderer.
7' A tin receptacle.
8. Its contents.
9. A large box.
10. Something borrowed.
1 1 . A source of pain.
Query: To what place did Mr. Banks go. and
what did he find T ETHYL.
1345 DOUBLE I.ETTEB ENIGMA.
In 'the snows of many winters;"
In "the editors and printers;"
In "the rambling of the seeker:"
In "the rnlings of the speaker;"
In "ihe crime of dereliction:"
In 'the frolics and the capers."
Webster sajs. in Names of Fiction,
"Pickwick's man, in 'Pickwick Papers.' "
H. C. BUKOEB.
1346 NUMEBIOAIi.
Yon may have 10, 8. i, 7 many
A man who pinches every penny
Until It squeals;
But 1 to 5 may over-reach
Itself, as facts quite often teach,
Knowledge reveals.
Total which comes from miser's heart
8, no: e'er the better part.
Which yonth or age should choose.
It hampers pleasure here below,
And, ere to other world we go.
Such notions we must loe.
Bitter Bwxet.
1347 A CHBISTMAS TREE FOR THE LITTLE
FOLKS.
No doubt you little people are looking for
ward to Christmas, and are wondering what
Santa Claus will bring you this year. Now we
will "make believe" tbatl am a fortnne teller,
and I will tell you what each of you may have
from a Christmas tree this year, and I will not
require you to cross my palm with silver before
making it known to sou. eitner.
These are some of the things you can have:
1. Small pies.
2. Somethiug that rises from warm water.
3. A boat.
4. Useless rubbish.
6. One of the months,
a Part of a ship.
7. Shining objects.
8. A span of horses.
9. A near relative.
10. A companion.
I hope yon may have many more besides, and
doubtless you will, but these I have mentioned
you can surely obtain if you try. Ethyl.
1348 BEVEB3AL.
Bmall Bobby, aged 4, with a basket
to carry.
Asked a lift on his way from severe
Dr. Barry;
"Why nof said the doctor, so gruff
in his talk;
"A bie boy like yon is well able to walk."
Poor Bobby, chagrined, could have,
.. sat down and cried.
But biajtrat at that moment lait
up just beside,
Lifted basket and boy to his side in
a flash.
And away they all went with such
frolic and dash
That Bobby since then has assured
his small friends:
"Dr. Barry ain't cross; be just only
pretends."
m. as.
1349 CKABADE.
Uly had a photograph
Taken that would make you laugh.
Not that it was not complete.
True to one, and last her, sweet;
But, beside her, in the chair.
With bis usual waggish air.
There sat Frisk her aog. you know,
And his eyes, they twinkled so,
Underneath bis mop of hair
Ob, 'twas better than a show!
BlTTEB BWZXT.
1350 ANA OB Ail.
"In dlcto bene" in tones divine
Is often balled with joy sublime,
Too long delayed makes deacons nod
While listening to the man of God.
This classic phrase we weekly hear,
And then we know the end is near.
We often wish that he would hurry,
Though it seldom fails to caue a flurry.
Uncle John.
november ntjt-cbackinq.
2. Jock U. Larrity, Pittsburg, Pa. '8, Jessie T.
ispien, r-m&uuig, .
Boll of Honor: Lottie Hughes. A. B. Park,
Lizzie C Pike. E. L. B. Jonkras, Chas. S. Bob
bins, C. J. T., A SI. Porter, Ruth Marston. B.
G. sL Eva S. Nelson, Pll Try, Cora T. Bradford,
Wm-L. Blake.
ANSWERS.
1S32. "A Little Girl Among the Old Mas
ters." A book by the little daughter or TVm.
DeanHowells.
133a Brawler, bawler.
1334. Key-n.ite.
1335. iortemonnaiei . Portion. 2. Motion.
3. Remnant. 4. Part. 5. Mentor. 6. Nation.
7. Notion. 8. Tanner. 9. Omen. 10. Tenor.
1338. Dearth, thread, hatred.
13:17. Skulker.
1338. Canary. Thrush, Sparrow, Oriole, Lin
net, Starling, Lark, Robin. Martin, Ortolan,
Swallow. Owl.
13S9. Mustard plaster.
1310. Malformation.
Eansas Men Are Loyal.
Kansas City Time?.
A Kansas man who recently went from
the central part of the State to Europe de
votes a column and a half in his home pa
per to telling of his trip from home to Kan
sas City, and less than a quarter of a column
to the rest of the trip. In the eyes of a gen
uine Kansas man that represents about the
relative importance of the journey.
Not to be Fooled That Way
Drake's Magazlne.l
Mr. Backbey (enamored) Drink to me
only with thine eyes.
MissWabbosh (thirsty) Rats! Do you
think they gave me these glasses for specta
cles? The Best in the World.
J. B. Loughran, er-Mayor of North Des
Moines,Ia.,and theLocust street manufactur
er of steam engines and boilers, said: "I had
a severe attack of la grippe. I used Cham
berlain's Cough Remedy, and applied
Chamberlain's Pain Balm to my breast.
These remedies were just the thing in my
case. My child had croup some years ago,
and we used Chamberlain's Cough" Remedy
with perfect success; since then we have
never been without these medicines in our
house. I had a cousin who was a printer
and was employed in this city, where they
were printing circulars for Chamberlain.
He had a deep-seated cold and a terrible
cough, and while setting up the copy he
made up his mind to buy a bottle. It cured
his cough, and that was the first time I ever
knew anything of Chamberlain's remedies.
I have been strongly in their favor ever
since. My own experience and that of my
family convinces me that these remedies are
the best in the world. That may be strong
language, but that is what I think." Thsu
THE PITTSBTJKG- DISPATCH,
DIGEST AT LEISURE.
"Why Animals That Eat Grass Aro
Supplied With Four Stomachs.
A HBAHS FOR SELF-PROTECTION.
Eves and Kara so Situated as to Serve in
Detecting Danger.
P0SSIBILITI OP STEIiLAE-BPECTKES
rWIUTTIN FOB THE DtSFATCB.l
An old toper once said he wished his neck
was as long as a jrlranVs, so that he might
feel the rum trickling down a yard or two.
If his wish could have beeji gratified he
probably would next have wanted the four
stomachs of the giraffe for a similar reason.
Not only the giraffe, but such well-known
domestic animals as "the cow, the sheep, the
goat and the camel are thus endowed with
what at first thought may be regarded as
stomach extravagance. In addition to
these domestic animals the quadruplex di
gestive apparatus is found in such wild
creatures as the buffalo and all the members
of the deer family, but it is not found out
side of the order technically called rumi
nantia ind commonly known as cud-chewing
auimals.
The operation of this complicated mem
ber is very interesting. In the infancy of
the animal, before the weaning period, only
only one of the four stomachs is used. This
is whit lu the adult is called the fourth or
last one. But when the time comes for
changing the diet from milk to herbage the
three hitherto disused stomachs are put to
work. The grass cropped by the cow, for
example, is not chewed atonce, bntts passed
directly into the large stomach, No. 1. If
the cow were killed immediately afterward
the grass would be found practically the
same as if it had been cut with a scythe.
Bnt after remaining there awhile it is
moistened with a sort of saliva and then
passed into the cecohd stomach. This one
is sometimes called the honeycomb stomach,
because of its cellular formation on the in
side. Its appearance is familiar to lovers of
tripe.
ROLLED UP INTO BALLS.
At this stage of the process nature has
provided a surprising arrangement. The
moistened crass is now rolled about over the
honeycombed surface until it is made into
quite compact balls. Then these balls are
in turn passed up into the mouth, and there
leisurely chewed. After this has been thor
oughly done the mass starts downward
again and fetches up in the third stomach.
In this are a great many folds, wherein the
food is put through a course of kneading
and crushing. Finally it passes to the
fourth stomach, the one to which the milk
goes directly in calfhood; and this stomach
corresponds to the one in human kind,
where gastric juice is mingled with the food.
Bat why would not a single stomach, like
that which answers so well for humanity,
also do for the cow and other animals of the
ruminantia? In the answer you will find
another example of the fact that nature
makes no mistakes. The ruminantia, in the
first place, are timid animals, always glad
to flee from danger, and never combative
except in self-defense. Secondly, it requires
the greater part of the time to crop herbage
enough to sustain life. The cow, browsing
in good pasture, will keep on eating the
greater part of the dav. In their wild
state, however, animals of this class
do not get selected pastures, and
they generally have to make the
best use of their business hours in
grass clipping. Well, in their native wilds
these animals are constantly menaced by
carnivorous'or flesh eating animals, includ
ing man. Driven from their browsing
places they might starve before they could
safely return. Here appears the wisdom
shown in the mysterious stomachs. The
cow or the sheep, by hard work, on the ten
hour system of labor, can clip enough grass
tokeep the digestive? machinery in fair
supply for thrcedays. With this beneficent
provision the wild members of the class can
flee to barren mountains when pursued and
live on the supplies stored in the first
stomach until it is safe to return to the
browsing ground.
SITUATION OF THE EYES.
Another of nature's provisions for the
protection of these harmless and very useful
ruminautia is the peculiar coustrnction of
their eyes and ears. You know tbat the
eyes of a catare set directly in the front of
its head, and you have probably noticed
that the pupils of its eyes are elongated up
and down. By this means the animal's
vision is sharpened for stealing upon its
prey, directly aheid. Now the ruminantia
are the natural prey of carniverous
animals, and their eyes are the
exact reverse of the prey seekers.
That is, the eyes are at the side of the head,
as you see in the cow and the sheep, and the
pupils of the eyes are elongated horizontally,
the opposite of those of the carmvora, in
order that they may take in a wide stretch of
horizon, and thus enable them to see in
mauy directions the approach of an enemy.
Their ears, also, are set far back in the head,
and are so constructed that they can be
turned in almost anv direction to detect the
faintest sound. Thus the Lord not only
"tempers the wind-to the shorn lamb," but
makes other special provision for its protec
tion. If our sun and all the stars must event
ually burn out and become dead celestial
bodies, as the astronomers tell us, then we
should like to know what is to become of
the remains. It is a pretty well established
f.ictthatin nature nothing is lost, and we
may fairly assume that there is no universal
cemetery where defunct stellar bodies are
laid at rest When our sun, for example,
reaches the end ol its life-span it will of
course emit no light, yet its change from
life will not stop its onward, journey in
the realms of space at its present rate of
nearly half a niillioifmiles a day. Just so
it must be with all the other suns, the whole
60,000,000 that are visible through the tele
scope, and the' countless millions beyond
telescopic range. But m considering this
matter of a burnt-out and dead sun we must
remember that we can look at stars, any
clear night, thatl may have been well 'de
fined suns ages before our own great lumin
ary was born. -
THOUSANDS OI" STELLAS SPECTEB3.
And, if this process of sun making, or
star making, as you desire to call it, has
been going on so long, does it not logically
follow that there are, at this very moment,
stellar specters, dead and dark remains of
stars, wandering through the universe?
Many astronomers believe this is so, and
none of them has so fir successfully argued
against the theory. If this be true we may
be looking directlv in the line of a dead
and dark star, up there between two bright
and living ones, when we enze at the
heavens these clear December nights.
But here is an interesting thon?ht:'If
these immense dead bodies are thus wander
ing through space, is there not a possibility
that one may wander into the confines of the
solar system and play havoc with our snu
and his little brood of planets and moons.
This possibility has been discussed by some
astronomers; but the matter is one that
neither this generation nor the next one, at
least, need trouble itself about. For this
reason: The approach'of such a body would
be detected bv astronomers before it could
get within 100 years' travel from us,
even if it moved at the sun's rate
of 600,000 miles a day. The presence
of the planet Neptune, nearly 3,000,000,000
miles away, was detected by certain
perturbations which astronomers noted
in the movements of Uranus. Now it-fs
safe to assume that a body so large as a
burnt-out sun, coming toward the solar sys
tem, would by its attraction affect our out
lying planets, and also the suu, when at
least 20 times farther away than Neptune is.
At the rate Neptune travels Jn his orbit it
would take him about 25 years to reach the
sun, traveling in a straight line, it he
should take a sudden impulse to visit nli
SUNDAY, DE0E1
OER 21. 1890.
parent Even allowing for a spectral tramp
star to take a fancy for calling on usi't
would take it certainly not less than 100
years to get here after the astronomers would
have detected its intentions, even if it&hould
come at the sun's speed of 160,000,000 miles
in a year.
But the question as to what becomes of
the dead stars is one that the astronomers
seem very chary about discussing. They
can see what they believe to be the process
of star-making constantly going on, but
they cannot see any dead and dark stars,
and there is nothing bnt analogy, conclu
sion and conjecture upon which to base an
opinion. One thing we certainly know,
there is no stellar specter now near enough
to the solar system to get here during the
lifetime of anybody now living on the earth.
I. H. Webb.
TO 8HAVE OR HOT TO SHAVE.
It Has Been a Very Serious Question in the
British Isles.
Blackwood's Magazine.
For many years before the Crimean war
the mustach in this country was the dis
tinguishing badge of the cavalry; it was pro
hibited in the infantry, and as for the
civilian who braved public opinion by sport
ing it, he was looked otf either as an artist, an
eccentric, or as wishing to pass for a hussar.
But shaving by regulation (little as it may
be suspected by Ihose who submit to it) has
an origin more serious than mere caprice or
love of un'formity. It is the badge of serv
ice; a survival of the primitive custom of
mutilating slaves to prevent their escape, or
insure their recognition and recapture if
they did escape. The Mosaic law made the
mutilation more merciful than it probably
had been previously. The proper mode of
re-engaging a servant is set lorth in Exodns,
xxi., 6: '-Then his master shall bring him
unto the judges; he shall also bring him to
the door, or unto the doorpost; and his
master shall bore his ear through with an
awl, and he shall serve him forever."
As manners grew milder, even this slight
mutilation was discarded, and shaving the
beard or the head was resorted to for mark
ing servants. Fierce and long was the con
troversy that raged in these islands during
the sixth and seventh centuries, even to
shedding of blood, as to the right manner
in which priests servants of the Lord
should shave their heads. At this distance
of time there seems as much to be said for
St Columba's frontal tonsure from ear
to ear across the brow as for that favored
at Rome, which eventually carried the
day the coronal, on the summit of the
head.
The Roman Catholic priesthood has not
yielded to the lax practice of the age, and it
is not many years since anv Protestant cler
gyman of these islands, had he grown any
thing more than the orthodox "mutton
chops," would have forfeited the confidence
of his entire flock. Modish young men of
the present day for the most part affect the
tonsure described by Julius C&sar as pre
vailing among the Celts of Britain when he
first landed that is, they shave everything
except the upper lip.
LADIES ARE SMOKTOG.
Iiondon Cigar Men Find an Ever Increasing
Demand From the Fair.
Inquiry at a few of the principal tobacco
stores of London, says Pall Mall Budget,
has revealed the fact that smoking is very
fashionable among women, especially
among those of the upper ten. "We are
used to being asked for ladies' cigarettes
here," said a salesman at some big stores.
"We serve ladies with cigarettes in as matter-of-fact
a way as we do gentlemen. Not
only do ladies smoke cigarettes," he went
on, "some of them smoke cigars. One lady
comes in frequently for a box of cigars.
She smokes almost the costliest brand we
keep."
Some of the most expensive brands of
ladies' cigarettes, he said, were artificially
scented. The manager said that the ladies
whom they supplied were chiefly ladies of
rank and fashion duchesses, countesses,
etc They patronize a good Turkish brand,
costing 6 or 8 shillings a hundred. I asked
what the opinions of gentlemen were on the
sulSJect "Well"' said mvinformant, "those
of the old school naturally don't approve of
ladies smoking, but the young men take it
as a matter ot course. I have never heard
a man speak in a derogatory manner about
a ladv because she enjoyed a cigarette.
Mrs. Grundy, of course, objects, but I don't
think anybody pays much heed to the old
lady."
AHTS AS SURGEONS.
South American Indians Use Them to Sew
the Edges of Wounds Together.
Ants are terrible fighters, says a writer in
the New York iamfner. They have very
powerful jaws, considering the size of their
bodies, and, therefore, their method of fight
ing is by biting. They will bite one another,
and hold on with a wonderful grip of the
jaws, even after their legs have been bitten
off by other ants. Sometimes six or eight
ants will be clinging with a death grip to
another, making a peculiar spectacle, some
with a leg gone and some with half the body
gone.
One singular fact is that the grip of an
ant's jaw is retained even after the body has
beec bitten off and nothing but the head
remains. This knowledge is possessed by a
certain tribe of Indians in Brazil, who put
the ants to a very peculiar use. When an
Indian gets a gash cut in his hand, instead
of having his hand sewed together, as phy
sicians do in this country, he procures five
or six large black ants, and holding their
heads near the gash, they bring their jaws
together in biting the flesh, and thus pull
the two sides of the gah together. Then
the Indian pinches off the bodies of the ants
and leaves their heads clinging to the gash,
which is held together until the gash is per
fectly healed.
BISMARCK AS A BREWER.
Bis Big Establishment Doesn't Harmonize
With His Opinion of lager Beer.
Prince Bismarck, who started a long
while ago on his Yarzin estate a spirits dis
tillery, has arranged things with a financial
society of Hamburg for the establishment in
the same domain of a large brewery capable
of produeing'50,000 kegs of beer annually.
According to the prosnectus published by
the comnqny.tbe shareholders could expect
to realize a dividend of 11 per cent everv
year. Tbe Freisinnige Zeitung ironically
recalls, apropos of the undertaking para
graph of a speech delivered on March 28,
1881, in the Reichstag by the Iron Chan
cellor, who said then that "beer, render
ing tbe drinker drowsy, instead of ex
citing the nervous system, should be con
sidered as a bad beverage from an econom
ical and national standpoint"
Libraries Open on Sunday.
Sunday opening in connection with the
People's Palace library and reading room,
says Spare Moments, appears to have sup
plied a public want In the three months
ending September 11,777 persons passed the
turnstiles aud 2,030 books were issned. The
total number of readers, including those on
week days, was 93,738.
Blacking and Cold Feet.
"When the leather in your shoes becomes
old and begrimed with blacking, you will
ascertain tbat the feet will be cold," re
marked the old-time shoe seller, according
to the Shoe and Leather Tactt. "Then it is
time to cast aside the shoes and use them to
wear beneath arctics or tor some other pur
pose." , Not Superstitious.
Philadelphia Times.
"Do yon know," laid Mrs. Chicago,
"though I am not superstitious, still I do
not believe John and I will live very long
together."
"What makes yon think sot"
"Well, he is my thirteenth husband."
ON THE HAGIC SHEET.
How Amatenr Photographers May
Entertain Their Friends
BY AID OF THE STERE0PT1C0N.
Frodnction of the Slides From tbe Kega
tirei of tbe Camera.
TEE LAST OF THE DISPATCH FAFLES
IWBITTKJ TOK TU DISPATCn.1
Seventh and last Paper.
One of the best aud most satisfying direc
tions in which the amateur photographer
can turn his skill is the making of lautern
slides aud exhibiting the results of his en
deavors by means of a stercopticon.
Pictures of all kinds, when thrown upon the
screen in ai enlarged form, are all the more
interesting because of their being all your
own, and your friends will appreciate them
more fully as the exhibition takes on the
aspect ot an illustrated lecture on subjects
in which all are more or less directly in
terested. The stereopticon can be procured
from any dealer in optical or photographic
supplies at prices ranging from $10 upward.
An hour or so whiled away with such enter
tainment is as instructive as it is thoroughly
amusing.
The process of preparing slides from ordi
nary negatives is by no means a difficult
one, and is within the capabilities of almost
any operator who has made fair progress in
the art Two young ladies, to the writer's
knowledge, who have had less than a year's
experience, have prepared a collection of
lantern slides from negatives made during
the past summer, which will compare favor
ably with the work of professionals. At a
recent private exhibition they displayed
over 100 different views, embracing bits of
marine scenery, landscapes, groups, mount
ain glimpses, etc. All were good, and their
chief charm lay in the fact that they were
home-made.
MAKING THE SLIDES.
The work of reducing negatives to the size
required for the lantern slide is largely
mechanical. Of course, there is a certain
portion of it which must be controlled by
judgment, but that is small indeed. A posi
tive is made on glass from the negative, the
plates to he used being specially prepared
for the purpose. They yield a clear, sharp
black-and-white effect, throwing distinct
shadows on the object sheet. These positive
plates can be made by direct contact in a
printing frame, but, as a rule, they are not
satisfactory when made that way. The lan
tern slides are considerably smaller than
any of the ordinary plates now in use and in
making a contact slide, only a section of
the negative is secured and the effect is sel
dom good. Besides, it stands to reason that
a large negative reduced to the size required
for the slide, will be much more compact
and will give finer results.
Contact printing is done on the same
principle as ordinary paper printing. Lav
the transparency plate over the negative in
your printing frame (in the dark room, of
course), and expose to white light, either
daylight or gaslight, for a few seconds.
Then return to the dark room and develop
the slide. A special developer is needed for
this wort, requiring no more skill, how
ever, than tbat used in developing ordinary
dry plates. The better plan is to reduce tbe
negatives by the simple process which fol
lows: EESTTCINO THE PICTtTEE.
The reduction is effected with the use of a
box, or cone, which is attached to the front
of tbe camera. This cone should be con
structed on the regular mathematical plan
according to these proportions: Add to
gether the width of the negative and the
width of the desired slide and multiply
their sum by the focal length of your lens.
Divide this product by the width of the
slide to get the distance in inches the nega
tive must be from tbe lens, or in other words
tbe length ot the cone. Then divide the
product by the width of the negative to get
the distance at which the slide must be
from the lens. Tne slide is exposed in a
piateholder, which is placed in the back o f
the camera at the distance from the lens de
termined by tbe last calculation mentioned.
A box constructed for negatives of the 6
x8J size and slides 2 inches wide (the
standard), used in connection with a six
inch wide angle lens, should be 23 inches
long. It is well, however, to make box 21
or 22 inches long, so that it can also be used
for smaller negatives and so that room will
be left for the operator to uneap bis lens.
The light that enters between the back, or
small end of the box, and the front of the
camera does little if any harm. It can
easily be guarded against by throwing a
dark cloth over the aperture.
THE MECHANICAL DETAILS.
In the front board of the box a square hole
should be cut just a trifle smaller than the
negative, so the negative may rest against
it without tailing through. Little strips
nailed on tne ontside will hold tbe plate in
position. The entire box should be raised
on a strong board at the proper height to
connect perfectly with the lens of the cam
era when placed in front of it. A couple of
strips of wood should be nailed on the board
to keep the camera rigidly in its proper po
sition. It will be seen at a glance that the
size of the image may be varied at will, sim
ply by moving the camera backward or for
ward, focusine, of course, with every change
of position. Kits can be had of any dealer
to hold the little slides in large plate hold
ers. After the camera has once been placed in
its correct position, the object carefully
focused of the required size, much future
trouble can be saved by marking out guide
lines on the board, at which tne camera
must rest and also the point of exact focus
on the bed of the camera. Then the outfit
will always be ready and need not be re
focused. If smaller negatives than those for
which the box was constructed are to be
used, kits can be used in the front board
and the camera moved a little closer to the
cone or box.
GETTING LIGHT ON IT.
Then everything is ready for the exposure,
tbe entire "plant" may be. lifted up care
fully by the basebosrd and thrust through an
open window, taking care to rest the room end
on a table or chair. It must be pointed up
ward to secure the clear and unobstructed
light of the sky. With most negatives it is
well to use a small stop in the lens and give
a long exposure, say from 15 to 3Q "seconds,
so as to get good results in shading. With
carelul treatment cloud eff-cts in scenic
views may often be preserved.
It is alio possible to obtain excellent
lantern slides from inferior negatives. In
this way the valueof these "transparencies"
is all the mure appreciated. It is an old
maxim among photographers never to con
demn a negative as not good until it has
been tried lor a lantern slide.
The method of exhibiting these slides in
stereopticons is so well known and simple
as to need no further explanation here.
W. O. Eschwege.
A Sure Way to Interest Her.
Drake's Magazlue.1
Mr. Larkin Here's a book I would very
much like our daughter to read. It con
tains some good advice for a girl of her age.
Mrs. Larkin Very well. I'll forbid her
to-touch it
A Statesman's Fame.
Bnf or Commercial.:
A family named Bill, just over the line
in New Brnnswick, has Just had a son
added to its household goods. They have
christened him McKinley.
Stop at the Hollenden, in Cleveland.
American and European plans. bit
PRINCIPLE OP THE GRAM0PH0HB.
Sounds Produced by Etching on ZIno and
They Are Wonderfully Perfect
New Tori. Times. I
Prof. E. Berliner exhibited the gramo
phone to the American Institute of Elec
trical Engineers, at 12 West Thirty-fifth
street, last night, and interspersed his re
marks with musie from the instrument
The audience was a large one, and ap
plauded the singers who bad sung into the
gramophone as heartily as though they had
been present.
In the gramophone sound waves are
etched into metal on the same principle that
the lines of a picture are made permanent
in a zinc plate. Prof. Berliner uses a zinc
plate himself now, though he expects to
etch into steel and even gl iss. The plate is
covered with a film, the basis of which is
beeswax and benzine ether. A stylus or
needle does the etching on the sameprinci
pie that the needles pnncture the cylinder
in the phonograph.
The plate to be etched on is placed flu a
turn-table driven by a wheel and the sound
waves traced in the film. Alcohol is also
poured over it, and the usual acid bath to
fix the lines in the zinc isgiven. The effects
g lined from the gramophone are excellent
and, according to Prof. Berliner, are capa
ble of mnch improvement
The concert consisted of cornet and clar
ionet solo brass quartets, and some con
tralto selections sung by Mrs. J. Esputa
Daly, o' AVashington, into the instruments.
Prof. Berliner etched a plate before the
audience, a gentleman having recited and
sung into the gramophone. Already Prof.
Berliner is using the etching plates in cor
respondence with friends in Germany. The
zinc disks are made of small size, so that
they fit into an envelope and can be sent
through the mails for 2 cents postage.
The film used allows artists' etching to be
accomplished with a brush and the lines
can be shaded. As the same principle ap
plies in the etching of sound waves, the best
results may be expected from the gramo
phone in the shading of sounds and distin
guishing of voice quality, especially in loud
sounds. These sounds are difficult to pro
duce in the phonograph.
It has been demonstrated that the plates
may be copied and prints taken. Experi
ments are also being made to deepen the
sound lines etched in the plates and, by
photo-engraving processes, to perfect them
so that the volume of sound 'will be in
creased. Beside the exhibition of the gramophone,
a paper was read by A. E. Kenpelly upon
"Induction and Its Proposed Unit, the
Henry."
MOHEY W0H OK WALL STREET.
Quick Turns Made Thero During the Itecent
Exciting Times.
Many remarkable stories are told, says the
New Xork TKoWd, of fortunes lost and won
in the recent npset in the stock market, the
stories having a special value just now, as
financial affairs are again exhibiting a tend
ency to wabble erratically about Some of
tbe instances of sudden fortunes are trans
parently inaccurate, but there is one au
thentic instance ot a well-known broker,
whose office is at 18 Broad street, who cleared
$6,000 in the North American drop through
an interest which he recently purchased
from another broker for $600. In this case
it is not quite fair to say that he purchased
the interest, for it was forced npon him in
lien of a protested note.
Another case that has been considerably
talked about was tbat of a man who wa's
formerly well Known and of considerable
influence in Wall street, and whose luck
has been so far down financially of late
years that he was in the habit of borrowing
sums ranging srom SI upward from bis for
mer cronies. He is a habitue of the Wind
sor Hotel at night, and jnst before the drop
in values he went about the hotel claiming
that he had absolute knowledge that Mr.
Gould was at work downtown. But he had
cried "wolf too often. Nn one would back
his information until he finally got hold of
5400, borrowing it from two sources and
pledging a good share of the possible profits
to the men who bad loaned it to him.
He played a strong and reckless game,
risking the whole amount over and over on
a single point, and finally pulled out
enough to pay all his people and open a
bank account with $7,000. These are two
instances of men who won large snms by
risking small amounts. Had the market
gone against either one of them at the start
he might easily nave been wiped out in an
honr.
ENGLAND HAS NO C00Z3.
Tery Few Articles of Food Aro Pat Up a
They Should Be.
London Letter in the Chicago Tribune.
There is, properly speaking, nothing
good to eat in England but roast beef and
mutton chops and fried sole. Coming from
Paris, where the whole soul was moved to
ecstacy by the melting deliciousness of se
ductive viands, there is something barbar
ously rude and unsatisfactory in the things
with which one is forced to sustain life in
London.
The bread is for the most part as dense as
the English appreciation of jest, while the
compounding of sauces is an art the Brit
isher cannot learn, any more than he can
appreciate them when they have been con
cocted. He who goes to England to eat is as
wise as he who goes to Patagonia to study
art
Bundle Time.
Christmas time is bundle time, and the Joyful
children think;
Bundles like a giant's eyes now In the eve's
dusK blink;
Bundles peep from 'neath tbe arms of all the
hast'ning throng,
Bundles tower on the wagons rumbling quick
along:
Bundles in the windows piled and bundles on
the floor.
As if all the world's good things were parceled
out once more,
Glad'nlng hearts and homes again on merrie
Christmas Eve.
Bundles bundles bundles come, and we anew
believe
Ood 1" good and all are kind, and life can
nleasant be:
"Peace on earth good-will to man" is more
than prophecy.
There are bundles in tbe hands and In the busy
marts
There ar" bundles of pure love within the peo
ple' hearts:
Christmas time is bundle time, the little chil
dren sing
May tbe Christmas bundles ever Faith's sweet
lesson bring I
vexte- Smith, in Free Pi eu.
It's a Crnel Suggestion.
Chlcaco Herald. 1
There is serious talk of taxing bachelors
over 35 years old in order to raise money for
the increased pension list No bachelor
35 years old is unmarried from choice. To
tax such a man for being a bachelor would
be adding financial oppression to cardiac in
jury A Chance for the Girls.
Leisure Hours complains tbat out of
7.000,000 young men in America more than
5.000,000 "never darken the chutch door."
This is not entirely their fault If the
young women of the congregation attended
regularly there would always be young men
enough to darken the church door.
True to Life.
Maud Yes, we went to hear Mr. Stanley
lecture on the rear guard, with Mrs. Stanley
in a private box.
Mabel And did yon enjoy tt?
Maud Well, I don't think she is a-blt
pretty, and ber taste in dress is jntt horrid.
Exchange.
The Idea of Usefulness.
Brooxlyn Standard-Union. 1
"Whatever will afford yon comfort will
give ma pleasure," said a nnrse to a nervous
and restless man, to whose wants she was
attending. This is exactly the idea which,
being reduced to practice, makes one useful
anywhere and in any sphere of life.
19
TRAPS AND SNARES.
Bow the Ingenuity of Man Overcomes
tbe Cunning of Game.
CATCHIKG DUCKS WITH 5EEDLE&-
The Esquimaux Manage to Fill Sean Foil
of Sharp Whalebone.
TBAI5ED DECOIS OF THE SA20AK8
It does not speak well for the intelligence
of some animals tbat they are caught with,
such absurdly simple traps as the hunter
sets for them. One reason why many traps
are simple is because the habits of the ani
mals are found out and the trap suited! to
those habits, so that stupid birds and fishes
are easily gulled, while, on the other hand,
the ennning of others must be catered to.
It is a proverb that the way to a man's
heart is through his stomach, aud it holds
good with animals in a greater degree, says
Walter Hough, in the Boston Globe. With
suitable bait they are thrown off their
guard and become easy victims, for the idea
of getting something to eat is so large that it
shuts out all others for the time. For in
stance, Alaskan fish hooks are often mero
enrved pieces of bone, with no barb and not
even sharp at the point They are only .
hoots to hold the bait; when the fish shnts
hisjawsonthe prospective food, he seems
to forget how to open them, and is drawn
ont
SETS SPEEAD FOB BIED3.
Animals nave been left very little chance
to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness by over-hungry man. They have
been hnnted and harried from time imme
morial, until they can match cunning with
cunning, and descry danger by the most
delicate senses of hearing and smell. What
man with loaded gun ever got in range of
an experienced old crow? "They smell
powder," old hunters say, and it is quite,
reasonable that "they know the differ
ence between a gun and a walking cane by
are usually caught with nets and
nooses. In Alaska ptarmigan are driven
toward a long line of slip-nooses fastened
closely together; partridges are easily driven,
into nets by a man on horseback a thing
to be regretted by real sportsmen. English
sparrows may be caught by a running noose)
of horse hair, hung on a tree or window sill.
Horse hair is gold lace to a sparrow for
nest building, and they will pull at the
noose until they get it around the leg or
worthless neck.
MAKING DUCES SIVALLCW XEEDLES.
In Japan they have a novel way of catch
ing duces by "needles." Along string is
fastened to the middle of a thin piece of
bone. This bone is baited and thrown out
upon lily leaves, while one end of the lino
is made last to a yielding branch. The duck
swallows the bait, bnt when he attempts to
fly away the line pulls the needle crosswise
in his interior, and "toggles," as the sailors
say.
Blackbirds are often caught in cones of
pacer, made sticky with birdlime. The
Eskimo has also thought this out He makes
a cup of wood, and, as he has no birdlime,
be fixes a slip-noose made of split quill at
the mouth. The Ainos, of Japan, also
make a cone fox trap filled with sharp spines
pointing inward, so tbat the animal gets bis
head in and cannot get it back, like an insect
caught in a flower trap of the same kind.
TUBKET3 XX A VES.
"Jly father caught 25 wild turkeys in a
trap like this," said a lriend of mine. "He
made a pen of rails and dug an inclined
way under it For several days previously
he scattered corn near the pen to familiarize
the turkeys with tbe spot, then he threw
corn along the inclined wav and in the pea
and caught the whole flock. You see, a
turkey won't stoop its head to go out by the
way it came in,, but tries to get out by
thrusting its neck between the rails."
How to catch snipe with a rope would be
too difficult for American country boys well
up in tbe mysteries of figure-four traps and
double falls. Aino boys solve it thus: Two
boys stretch a rope across a narrow stream
and hold each an end, while a third drives
the bird3 toward them. At the proper time
the boys give the rope a sharp snap upward,
sometimes knocking down several birds.
There are almost as many kinds of traps as
there are kinds of animals. The African,
makes pit traps for tbe elephant and giraffe,
while the mighty hippopotamus brushes
aside a cobweb from his path and sends an
arrow into his heart.
COCOAJIUT TBAPS TOE 2IOJTKET3.
In Brazil the monkey puts his hand into
acocoaaut, grasps the good things placed
therein ana becomes a victim because he
will not relinquish his hold. Then thereare
decoys. The Samoan live pigeon decoys
are admirably trained. The native, pro
vided with a net with a long handle, sits be
hind a blind and sends out a tethered
trained pigeon which has been taught at tbe
jerk of a string to hover around as though
descending upon food. This action brings
down the wild pigeon from the trees, and
when it is engaged with tbe decoy the na
tive "scoops him in" with the net
For ingenuity one is almost tempted to
say diabolical in trapping the Esquimaux
excel. They bend up sharpened slips ot
whalebone, freeze tbem into balls of fat and
throw tbem out tor bears. The bear swal
lows the fat, which melts in his stomach,
setting free tbe whalebones, which expand
and pierce his inwards. This device is ap
propriately called "sleep a night and die."
Another ruse of the Esquimaux is to
grease a sharp knife blade and set it ud for
tbe wolves to lick. These animals will lick
the knives until their tongues are in ribbons
and they bleed to death. This is hardly a
trap, but it is a shrewd way to rid the world
of ravenous wolves.
The lament of the Bacilli.
Llfe.1
For ages we lived, and on mankind we preyed,
With none to molest us or make ns afraid;
In decillions we throve and quintiilfons were
bom.
To render onr enemy, man. more forlorn;
Though Lilllputs we. yet our forces united
At last have ourBrobdignagfoemenacTrichted,
And with lymph they assail us. till now. like
poorLo.
Or Chinese cheap labor, we're fated to "go."
bo, trim little headstones we last week bespoke.
And we yield np our spirits to Pasteur and
Koch!
Mat. A. Bupperfs world-renownsd face
bleach Is the only face tonie In the worlit which
positively removes freckles, moth patches,
blackheads, pimples, birthmarks, eczema and
all blemishes of tbe skin, and when applied
cannot be observed by anyone. The face
bleach can only be bad at my branch ofSce,
N. 93 Fifth avBnue. Hamilton building, rooms
203 and 201, Pittsburg, or sent to any address on
receipt of price. Sold at S3 per bottle, or three
bottles, usually required to clear the complex
Ion, So. Send cents postage for full particulars.
ocll-su
4
' V
simo. a. nuvtrmiT.