ITItAXM-ATEDVOKTHE DISrATCH.J There was a time, although it has been so long siuce that no one now living remem bers it, when continued summer reigned on the earth. The skies were aluays blue, and no a ark clouds hid the sun behind their black wall. Even the untitled land was fertile, bringing forth abundant fruit, and the delicate flowers and the tender Tines were never breathed upon, nor deprived of life by the blasts of winter. There ruled at this time a great King, whose wealth and power were known throughout the whole world. His palace was one of the most beauti'ul ever built, and his treasure rooms were filled with untold riches. But dearer to the King than all his wealth, than all his jewels, w.is his only daughter, the fair Helga, renowned lor her beauty and her kind ways. The King's love lor his daughter was so great that for her happiness he would willingly have made any sacritce, even to giving up his king dom. But in spite of the care and tender ness lavished upon her, Helga was not con- IN THE LOCK "WAS A tent: yet she knew not whV. Her every wish was granted almost before it was spoken. The choicest flowers bloomed for her, and the most precious gems were show- j ered upon her. One day, as the Princess walked through the broad avenues in the wide park, she thought: "Why are the skies always so blue, and why do the trees and grass continually wear that tiresome dress? I wish that some fairy would come, and by her magic art would change this scene, which is always the same, and give some other color to the leaves, and add some whiteor gray to the blue of the sky. Tnus musing, Helga continued her way through tne park without noticing that she was wandering farther than usual, and in paths she had never seen before, until finally she spied a wiccet gate, almost hid. den by the bushes, and in the lock of which was a small, rusty key. Curiosity prompted the Princess to open the gate. "When she had done so she discovered a narrow, densely shaded path, from which many steps led into what seemed to be a cave. Fear was unknown to the Princess, and de lichted at the thought ot an adventure, she boldly advanced. But as she descended the steps the air became so chill that Helga in her light lace dress shivered from cold, and almost wished that she had not come. In the dim twilight about her, she could see nothing else thau high walls, which enclosed the narrow steps ou both sides. As the Princess continued her way, the air became colder and colder, until Helga could feel the blood freeze in her veins, and unable to proceei farther she sank exhausted ou the ground. How long she lay there she knew not, but she was aroused by a gentle shake, and starting up she found herself covered with warm furs and lying under a pine tree. A bright face with merry, laughing eyes was bending over her, and a sweet voice said: "Are you better now? I was afraid when I found you that you were frozen, but I have wrapped you in furs until I think you are warm." Helga now saw that the voice belonged to m little girlroo larger than herself, and she answered: "Ob, I am better now; but pray tell me where I am. What has become of the green grass and the flowers, and what is this white covering spread over the ground?" At these questions, the stranger laughed merrily and said: "You are in the king dom of the "Winter Kinc. Have you never heard of hisbeautiful.snow-covered realm?" "I know nothing of the "Winter King," replied Helga, "I thought my lather was the only king, and yet you do cot seem to kuow him." "2so," answered the little girl, "I have never seen him; buc I have heard of his kingdom, and know that where he reigns, there is continual summer. But come, and let me show you the beauties of our home, and see it our people are cot just as happy as yours." "I shall come again," said Helga, "but now I must return to my father, for already I have been away too lo'ng." "I am sorry," said the little stranger, "but whoever enters this realm cannot leave without the permission of the King. I am the King's only daughter, and am called Frolic, because 1 am always so gay and happy. I shall take you to my father, but I tear that it will be some time before you can reach home, for the palace is at the other end of the kingdom, and the distance J 1. ...1 l Frolic then drew a silver whistle from her pocket, and when-she had sounded it, to He'ga's great astonishment, a sleigh made wholly of crystal ice and cut iu the form of a large flower, and lined with the softest Juri, appeared. Instead of horses, there were four polar bears, around whose necks were strings of silver bells, which rang mer rily with every motion. As Helga and her friend sped over the hard surface of the frozen snow, Frolie told of her home, and of her mother, who was called Queen Ice heart, because through her power the lakes and rivers became solid masses of ice. In the beginning of the journey, Helga saw only a wide plain covered with snow; but soon all kinds ot strange animals, such ns she had never seen before, appeared.' Teen sleighs filled with gay parties went by, and Helga noticed that everyone bowed with respect as the royal sleigh passed. "When they reached a large forest of pine trees, Italic said'Now we mnstgoon foot for u I j I j T" 'Ifi'llllhl il I - PI,! . li fzT Mill' In iMSr i I W Wl , ml 1' It 'J I tv ' v n while, as the ice road is too narrow for the sleigh." Helga looked with delight on the tall green rees, draped in wbite, and on the small b ' hung with icicles, which shwn like diamonds in the rays of the setting sun. "How beautiful." oxclaimcd the Princess, "I should like to live We always." Frolic then led the wav to a large pond, where countless forms couM be seen gliding swift as the wind over tie smooth, frozen sunace. On the shore, wre happy children, some busily making thj snow intoballs, and pelting oneannther, while others formed a snow maq and danced in delight around the grotesque figure. Joyous shouts and gay laughter were heard on all sides, and pleasure and enjoyment were pictured in every face. "What do vou think of this sport? asked Frolir. "Have vou anything like it at your home?" "It is beautiful!" cried Helga, "and I should so like to be with those who seem to be fl ins over the ice." Frolic again blew her silver whistle, and in a moment more had two pair of. skates, one of which she put on, and then showed Helga how to adjust the other pair, and soon SMALL RUSTY KEY. the two princesses were with the merry t'ironc ' n the ice. The sun went down, and not until the round, white moon shone down upon them did Helga recall her errand to King Winter. The little sleigh was once more in waitinc, and Frolic with her friend sought the palace. It was a magnificent building, with its great ice pillars and its walls of frozen snow. "When the two friends had passed under the archway and entered the wide hall, Helga was gain filled with astonishment at the sight before her. The room was lighted with hundreds of candles, and on a wide hearth blazed great pine log, making the air as warm as that in He'ga's home. In the middle of the room was the throne on which sat the King and Queen listening to the conversation of their courtiers who were telling all kinds of interesting stories. When Helga had been presented to the King and had told of her wish to return home King Winter said: "I am sorry, my dear child, hut it has been decreed that whoever enters my kingdom must remain one year. "We shall try to make your stay with us a pleasant one, and when the year is gone you shall again return to your father." These words brought great sadness to the child, and she wept bitterly when she thought how her father would mourn for her. The "Winter King and his people took every care of their guest, and did not allow her to want lor amusement. The 12 months soon passed, and a' messenger, was .sent to Helga's father to announce the return of his daughter. The old King could scarcely believe that his dear child, whom be had so long mourned as dead, was about to return to him. Preparations were made for a grand festi val, and people came for miles around to seethe beautilul Princess, who had spent a year with the Winter King, And what a sight the people saw as the great procession came to the palace. The Winter King, with his wife. Frolic, and Helga, sat in the crys tal sleigh, drawn bv the white bears. The courtiers of the "Winter realm followed in smaller sleighs. What a jingling of bells and flourishing of trumpets, aud in the presence of the large assembly the Princess Helga was again restored to her loving father. And now every year King "Winter pays a visit to Helga's home, and at that time the grass is hidden under a cover of snow and the oaks and maples shed their old leaves to make room for new ones. Wh3Q the Queen Iceheart accompanies her hus band, then the 'ponds and rlvers'are covered with ice and the people must stay indoors and build great fires to keep themselves warm. Paysie. SOME ENIGMATICAL NUTS. Ponies for the Little Folks That "Will Keep Their Brains Busy for Most of the'Week If They Solve Them Correctly Home Amusements. Address communications or tnts department (OE.R. Chasbockx, Lewiston, Maine. 1352 PA6SE. "Last year. O moon In Ssiven, what friends were wel" Swinburne. Last year my lady seemed so true, She sought me day by day, And in the summer time she drew f My inmost heart away. . My words controlled her tongue and pen, S50 intimate were we. She never wrote a letter then. Without consulting me. Gone, gone are all my happy days, And I'm a wreck; no doubt ' Another now is in my place. Alas! my time Is out. IS. C. 8. 1353 TBAifSPOsrnow. Inyonth we are Irs to put forth in our bark, To venture on life's stormy sea; Nor heed we the billows, nor heed we the dark, Our songs are both joyous and free. But storms come upon us, and hard must we row. The depths of the sea to escape; And then upon this we can next, well, we know. Toward some haven our course we must shape. And when by the threatening storms we are pressed. We look toward the heavenly haven for rest. H. c. Buboes, 1354 blanks. lExample-.lo bo with you,-liatjnxn with a tell me that Brown bad met with heavy losses, Ans. Candid, can, did. i. Here Is a In jour book of etiquette that I want j ou to remember. It says that you should never in the street without a bow nf respect. 2. Old ilr. SimpKlns is still able to his business affairs. With such a doesn't make much difference with his capabilities, 3. I am sure it is the work of a . Tbey will times as many vegetables as many a larger animal. 5. Was that under the table made by hand. 6. That is the that was shut In with the carpenter's days ago. 6. 1 told the if be would make my and shiny. I would give him two dimes. ETtrrx. 1351 CONTJNDBUSI ILLTJSTBATED. Why may the above be taken as a symbol of eternity Edith tSTES. 1S55 CHARADE. I had two one a generous man. With hands that never were-compfef, Who did for others all one can. Aud placed no hindrance to their feet. He was no wily candidate For office sought at any price. Though not averse to serve the State When called on at a sacrifice. No total character had he. For hands and heart alike were clean, And men looked on admiringly When in high station he was seen. ABFXBO 1S56 DECAPITATION. Borne pride themselves upon the all That they can two a monstrous meal; But if their stomachs are not small Their heads essential lacks reveal. To swallow eggs, a score or more; Or oysters, by the dozen, raw. But proves the boasting one a bore Who cares for his capacious mawt The only recompense, for us. In the recurring lsue lies. That he who vaunts his courage thus, Sometimes, through his imprudence, dies. UlTTEB Sweet. 1857 LETTER ENIGMA. By sound. Construct a sentence (in the potential mode) meaning possibility of effort, out of the following article: 1. A part of the face. 2. A body of water. 3. Au exclamation, 4. A tree. 5. A meas ure. 6. "Name of a river. 7. A plant. 8. A verb. 9. Converging tracks of a railroad. Aidyl. 1S5S connsrBtraf. If you were striving to remove From out its place a rustv screw And all your efforts vain should prove. Though all was done that one could do; Why does this screw, firm as a rock, Seem like a treasure with co move To guard it but a broken lock Upon a safe or office door? Charles L Houston. 1859 AXAGP.AM. "1 am unto a muztai d seed Ho relation 'none, indeed: For mustard, though it has a sting, May be called a harmless thins; Not so with me; if me von swal ow, Most serious harm will likely follow. 7 Vet doctors use me for some ills (Some put tue in their sugar pills), As a narcotic, and they say I'm efficacious in that way. You'll find me growing in the sod, And recognize me by my pod. For I am no production rare. But of my deadly bane beware. Nelsosiak. 1360 WHAT BID-1 KILlt In Africa I saw a brute. And. oh, it was a neautyl It SRPincd a shame to take Its lift; I did it, though, from duty. I tool: its bead, another gave. While on ny work I pondered. It seemed a river on whose banks This wild beast had wandered. Mbs.B. ANSWERS. 13411. "Paradise Lost." Z "Paradise Be- gained." 1342 A pillow. 1313 hailed, ladles. 1344 Furnace: 1. Cur. Z Ace. 8. Fur. 4. Fan. 5. Face. 6. Fern. 7. nice. 8. Urn. Coal-bin: L Coal. 2. Cob. S. Coin. 4. Cab. 5. Cabin. 6. Cain. 7. Can. 8. OiL 9. Bin. 10. Loan. IL Boll. 1315 Samuel Weller. 13lO-Greedines. 1317 Christmas Tree: 1. Tarts. 2. Steam, a Steamer. 4. Trash. 5. March. 6. .Mast. 7. Stars. 8. Team. 9. Sister. 10. Mate. 1348 Denier, reined. 3349 Life like. 1350 Benediction. ADOPTED TWO COLOEED B0T8, The Philanthropic Deed of a Handsome California Young JIan. A queer scene was witnessed in one of the Puilmau coaches attached to the eastern- bound overland train last night, says the Sacramento aee. It was a well-dressed young man of good appearance, who had in his charge two little colored boys, the elder not over 5 years of age. The young man said his name is Harry Csrlock, and that he was en route with his "pets" to Dadeville, Dade county, JIo. He told a story that has in it more or less romance. He says that many years aeo, when he was a little boy, a colored man named Snaden came to Missouri and mar ried a colored girl, then'about 16 years of age, who had been his (Car'ock's) constant companion and nurse since infancy. The" Snadens came immediatsly to California, audabout six years ago Carlock also came to this State and engaged in busi ness at Fresno. He had heard before leav ing bome that the Snadens resided at Chico, and, an be was about to return to "old Mis souri," he determined to take a run up to that village and see the colored woman who was his best friend during his tender years. On arriving at Chico, however, he found, upon inquiry, that both Snaden and his wife were dead, the latter's death having occurred recently, and that she had left two little boys, who bad been placed in a school ionnded'by General Bidwell. Youns Carlock went to see the little "coons," and determined to give them a home ou the farm where their mother first saw the light, and where she spent her youth. Permission was received, and they on vesterday istarted on their Idng journev. "When seen last night, Carlock was busily engaged in tucking the little colored boys into"a bunk. They are bright and polite, and Carlock says the old folks will give them just as good a bome as they will him. The Latest Booze. Hew York World.3 Somebody has mixed brandy and green mint with crushed ice and sealed it with an approving cod, and now one-half of the men in town are endeavoring to burn out 4 -home wUl" bTfound much of their interior mechanism as poi- 7 .V.fl "." fl-.wi ? "... ,.Z ir sible by a combination ot ltotoZJtocUw which it would be difficult to equal In the whole world of spirituous torments. Suspicious Silence. Chicago Herald.1 Tennyson has been very quiet of.late and apparently busy. The -worst is feared, lTHE PITTSBURG- DISPATCH, DRIVING IN WHALES. Exciting Battles of She t landers With Monsters of the Seep. WOMEN HELP IN THE BDTCHEET, Pretty Little Shetland Ponies is the Land They Lore Best. MAKING KELP 0DT OP THE BEAWEED tCORBltsrOirDENCE OF TUE DISPATCH.1 Leewick, Shetland,' Dec. 15. What ever their condition in the past, it would be difficult to find any lowly people more gen erally prosperous and comfortable thau are the Shetland Isjanders at the present time. Their industries are kelp-gathering and burning, sheep raising, hand-making of hosiery and other goods, whaling and the universal fishing. ' The mineral wealth of 'the islands has so far been of little importance. At Sand lodge, opposite Mousalsland and its fatuous Pictish tower, there is an abandoned copper mine with idle and msting machinery. Over against grim Fitful Head 1 found another abandoned mine, where, in search for copper, thousands of tons of iron pyrites had- been thrown into the sea. Chromate quarries at Baltasound, in the North Isles, have remained untouched for years; while in Bressay Island are slate quarries, but the slates are too heavy for modern houses, and the thicker strata are utilized for paving Btone, Lerwick being paved with "Bressay flags." The manufacture 1 of kelp was lormerly carried on extensively, and still is a means ot subsistence by "many. This kelp-gathering and burcing,which is still a source of livelihood on the Arran Islands, Ireland, ou the west coast ot Scotland at Tiree, in the Argvleshire Hebrides, and in many places on the Shetland coast, is dan gerous and destructive of health. WHAT KELP IS. Though the. word "kelp" is often applied to seaweed, it is really the product from the burningofseaweed,from which thealkali soda once so largely used in the manufacture of glass aud soap was obtained, and from which iodine is still secured. The seaweeds are called by natives "tangles." They are de tached irom the sides of rocks, aud frequently great storms sweep fortunate piles of the clammy stuff in upon the ledges oi the gios. They are gathered, stacked, thatched and dried for several weeks, and in the autumn are burned in rude open pits or ovens along the shore, the ashes fusing into a solid sub stance of the density of freestone, which is broken up before being, sent to the market. Kelp gathering furnishes many picturesque scenes along the desolate shores, as women and children are largely employed. The hosiery and other knit woolens which come irom the hands oi Shetland women are famous. They are as ceaseless knitters as those of Connemara and Donegal, in Ire land, and produce fabrics of wondrous deli cacy of texture. The preparation of the yarn has much to do with the lightness and softness of their work. Fleeces are never shorn. The cruel practice of "rueing," or removing the wool from sheep by pulling it out by the roots, in handfulls, is still preva lent. The finest wool is thus procured. The finest collection of knit goods ever produced in the islands was presented to the Princess of Wales on her marriage in 1863. This season a large shawl was sold at Lerwick for ?73. It only weighed 2 ounces. DUIVING 'WHALES ASHOEE. Of late years Shetland's interest in whal ing has been pridcipallf confined to driving tne monsters ashore. This exciting work is often tremendously profitable. In "1845 a shoal of 1540 "ca'ing" whales were driven ashore in Quenrlale Bay, the southernmost bay of Shetland, lying between Sumburgh aud Fitful Heads; and in June of the pres ent year a shoal of several hundred was successiully landed on the east coast. Until quite recently these shore whalers were illy requited for their captures. The' financially omniverous landlord, called 'the "laird" here, true to his octopus instincts, claimed the right, up to 1839, to tax the poor Shet lands one-balf ot the entire proceeds of all whales driven into shoal water opposite, or upon the shores of their domains; "a sort of riparian right on the Almighty for what was sent to save man from starvation on ac count of Tents' and other burdens imposed by the 'laird' himself," an old Shetlander ex plained to me. As the value of the blubber will average $3U per ton, the "laird" often thus secured from 52,000 to S5.000 as his "right" in a single catcb. From 1839 to 1888 the "lairds" were considerate enough to rob the whalers of but one-third. In September of that year the claim was resisted in the courts; the whalers won their cause; and the "lairds" have since been compelled to content them selves with the meager enjovment of wit nessing, rather than profiting by the hazard ous work. GETTING KEADY FOR A DRIVE. 1 "When a drove of "ca'ing" whales appear on the coast, the news spreads like nil drops ou marble. As the whole town of St. Ives, Cornwall, goes mad when a shoal of pilchers is sighted, so does every live Shetlander de sert every other vocatiou, even to a wedding, to join in the "drive." A "rush is made by the men for the boats, while -women and children wildly collect guns, ammunition, harpoons, scythes, lances, knives and even bags of stone, indeed anything portable which may assist in the hoped-for destruc tion. The whalers mate all haste and splendid cunning in getting between the whales and the open sea. Their fleet of all manner of craft then gradually closes in upon the "pack'tor "drove," directing by the splendid maneuvers of the different boats the course of the whales to a shallow bag. So expert are these Shetland whalers in driving that a shoal of whales is seldom lost, if time is given for forming the "drive" well outside the "drove." If the whales once enter the chosen bay, their pursuers come to close quarters, and then the conflict begins. Finding the water becoming shallow the terrified whales endeavor to make for the open sea, but are met at every point by .a perfect walls of boats, altogether filled with hundreds and sometimes thou sinds of men seemingly desperate in their efforts at capture; and the howling, shout ing, screaming, lashing of the water, dis charge of fire-arms, stoue-throwing, and rushing to and fro ot the equally desperate whales, form as exciting a seene as cue ever witnessed outside a genuine field of battle. BUTCHERED BY THE "WOMEN. Occasionally a few break through the line and escape. As a rule the school is doomed. Once driven into shoal water where they can only flounder in mighty struggles, or high aud dry on land, where they often toss themselves in their mad ef forts to escape, their butchery, which is always a savaee and sickening sight, pro ceeds with wonderful dispatch. In this bloody work the hardy and powerful Shet land women take a gleeful and almost frenzied part The chief industry of the Shetlacders must always be that of fishing. Cod, ling and herring are taken. The "truck" system, that barbarous iniquity still prevalent in some portions of our own country, which formerly kept Shet landers in precisely the same abhorent con dition of slavery as that suffered by the miners of Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois, having a few years since been ex tirpated from Shetland by the same British public sentiment which fixed "fair rents" for Scottish crofters generally, the Shetland fisher-crofters are prosperous and content upon their bits of land,,as the result of their labor upon the crofts and in fishing; for every Shetland peasant is both fiiner and cow, and always the stumpy little Shetland pony and cart. THE FAMOUS SHETLAND POSIES. The ponies are very hardy, wondronsly sure-footed, and, being as much companions as beasts of burden, are left pretty much to the freedom of their own wills when- not re SUNDAY, DECEMBER quired for use. These ponies are of course used in all manner ot carrying capacities like the little donkeys of the Azores, but one irresistibly connects them in the thought with peat-carrying. You can hardly turn your eyes upon any road or pathway in Shetland without somewhere seeing a Shet land pony half hidden under great straw panniers, or "raaysies," as the natives call them, going for or returning with peat, while the Shetland guidwife or maiden jogs along in company, knitting with an almost savage sedulousnesz and energy. But there is another carrier here that does almost the work of the Shetland pony. That is the Shetland woman. All the manure for the crofts, comprising thousands nf tons of gathered seaweed, the millions of fish in the operations of landing and curinir, and a large portion of the peat, is carried hot on ponies' backs, but on the backs of women in the universal "kashie" of the islands. Shetland women step off nimbly w.ith from 70 to 80 pounds weight in their "kashies," bnt knit, knit, knit forever and forever. Peat is the principal burden, for there is co wood-fuel in Shetland. Nearly all the high interior surface of the islands, consists ot wild, dreary, scattalds or peat mosses, common lor pasture as well as for peat; and from these nine-tenths of the Shet iauders secure their fuel supplies. CUTTING THE PEAT. For peat cutting in Shetland, a long, nar row spade with a sharp iron edge, and an iron plate some seven inches long, placed at right angles, is used. Peat banks or beds are generally three peat lengths in depth, and the size of the "toysker," as the peat spade is called, determines the size ot the peat. When cut each block h about 1 foot long, 6 or 7 inches broad, and about 3 inches thick. The neats are then laid in rows on the bank, like unbaked brick, for the first drying. After lving for three weeks they are then "raised," that is, 'stood on ends iuv small piles, for complete drying. "Leading the peats" is taking them home in the "may sies" on the ponies' backs, or in the "kash ies" on the women's backs, when they are usually "stacked" alongside the cabins for winter use, as on the Scottish mainland. The strantrer will still find many curious and interesting relics of olden days and ways in Shetland. The ancient village or "toun" of Sound, two miles from Lerwick, is a veri table nest of odd, old folk and things. The inhabitants pique themselves on possessing the exact spot of ground. on which their an cestors dwelt for more than 1,000 years. They show fine Bcorn for "oopstart Ler wick" in the oft-quoted couplet: Sound was Sound when Lerwick was nane; Sound'U be Sound when Lerwick is dune! and the "Sound wives" still visit Lerwick on Saturday with their "kashies" on their backs, the knitting in full swing, and their coses high in lofty contempt, waiting on one another until all are done with their er rands or shopping, and then returning to Sound the embodiment ot haughty tolera tion. THET CLING TO THE OLD. The old implements of labor and ancient costumes are yet common in some quarters. You will still find men clad in jackets and trouser, reaching a little below the knee, of roughly-tanned sheepskins, the large blue bonnets of the Tarn O'Sbacter variety ou their heads, and their feet encased in "rivlin," the "pampootas" of the half naked wretches of the Irish Arran Islands, consisting of oblong patches of rawhide, tied over the feet with thongs. The hair is next the foot; and the sole and sides only are covered. The ancient "clivius" or fire tongs frequently weigh 20 pounds. Grain is universally cut with the sickle, threshed with the flail, and winnowed by being tossed in the breeze. The old wooden harrow is common; crook ed wooden ploughs are still seen; many households possess the quern or stone hand mill as old as Aryan history; and little huts ot water-mills, where larger querns are whirled about by rude wheels against which water from little rills is shot horizontally, and where the grain is fed into the upper stone by hand, are numerous in the islands. The Shetlanders as a people are most frank, engaging and courteous, though underneath it all there is a wise canniness of reserve far exceeding that of the main land Scotch. A genuine- charm to the stranger is their softness and almost liquid ity of apeecbT although it is at first difhcult for even a Scotchman to whollv understand the language. Edgar L. Wakesian. A WONDERFUL PARISIAN CL0CE. A Timepiece That Plays a Different Tone Every Hour. Another marvelous piece of mechanism, recently exhibited in Paris, is described by an exchange. It is au eight-da'y clock, which chimes the quarters, plays 16 tunes, playing three tunes every hour, or at any interval required, by simply touching a spring The hands go as follows: One once a minute, one once au hour, one once a week, one once a month, and one once a year. It shows the moon's age; rising and setting of the sun, the time of high and low tide, be side showing half-ebb and half-flood. A curious device represents the water, showinz ships at high-water tide 'as if they were in motion; and, as it recedes, leaves them high and dry on the sands. The clock shows the hour of the day, the day of the week, the day of the month and the month of the year. The m "onanism is soirranged as to make its own provisions for long and short months. It also shows the signs sf the zodiac, equation and the difference be tween sun and railroad time for every day in the year. BALTIMOEE'S NEW PIES BOAT. The Handsome Llttlo Craft That Might Do for Pittsburg's Use. Baltimore is soon to have a fire boat. Though it may not be as large as those of some other cities, it will be just as useful and complete, serving every purpose the same as if it had cost much more money than $31,000, the contract price. The trim looking addition to' the city's fleet is now upon the ways in Brustar's shipyard,Canton. It will be launched in a short time. "When finished, the vessel will resemble very much many of the larger tugs to be seen about ocean harbors. It will be 85 feet long over all, 19 feet beam, depth 11 feet 10 inches, deep-load draught 7 feet 6 inches, and displacement 131 tons. There will be but one deck. A house extends almost the entire length of the deck. It is scarcely three feet above the deck, and only about I34 feet above the bulwarks, thus enabling the fireman to work with freedom and with out obstruction at the pumps. A pilot house 18 feet long and about 10 feet high is forward. Just below tbe pilot house is a storeroom. There is another in the after part of the hold. Clapp & Jones' fire pumps will be used. There are two sets of these. They are of the ver tical duplex double-acting tvpe. Each will have two steam cylinders 16 inches in diameter, with nine-inch water cylinders. The pumps will have a common stroke of 10 inches, and will be capable ot working at 160 pouuds pressure up to 200 revolutions a minute against a water pressure of 1G0 pounds. The squirting apparati will be on each side of the boat about midships. They will throw very heavy streams. The hose reels, two of them side by side aft the smokestack, will be five feet in diameter. Just aff of these will swing a metallic lifeboat 12 feet in length. The engines are compound, with 14 and 16 inch cylinders. Baltimore's fireboat has been constructed entirely of wood. The materials used were white oak, yellow pine and locust. Work was beguu upon the little ship about two and a-half months ago. By the first of tbe year or shortly thereafter she will be patrolling the harbor, ready to pro tect property along the water front. It is stated by tbe constructors that the boat will be one of the best in the country. - .-, 27ie Hew Fire Boat. 28, 18,90. WONDERS 0E NATURE. The Stages of Frojjs' Growth as Tersely Pnt by P. T. Barnum. HOW THE TOADS CATCH FLIES. Comets Have the Highest Eccords in tne Worid'3 Speed Class. THE 'ETHER JHAT FILLS UP SPACE rWBITTEjr FOB TOE DISPATCH.! "When P. T. Barnum was in the museum business in if ew York one of his most jovial friends was Gaylord Clark, a famous litter ateur in the days of onr fathers. They were a well matched pair ot practical jokers. One day when Mr. Clark dropped in at the mu seum, as was his custom, Mr. Barnum, ap parently much excited, burned his friend into the private office and said: "Gaylord, I was about to send for you. I want your advice. 1 have. a chance to 'purchase tne most wonderful of all zoological freaks. It's at first a perfect fish, then it changes to a four-legged land animal, then it climbs trees and" "Bah, you're joking," interjected Mr. Clark. "On my honor, I am not," impressively replied the showman; "but the expense." "O hang the expense," interrupted Mr. Clark, brimful of enthusiasm over the busi ness prospect of his friend; "if you can get anv such freak as that your fortune's made. But what's the thing called?" "Well," replied Mr. Barnum, with just the faintest suggestion of a twinkle in his left eve. "it belongs to the batrachian fam ily ofjanimals, and in the veenacular is called the the tadpole.." Of course most people know that frogs and toads are evolved from tadpoles, but there are some very strange things, about these batrachians that possibly you" don't know. Because this chaneeling is so well known to nearly every body it may be dismissed by saying that it is born with gills and lives entirely under water until it reaches the transformation period; then lungs appear in place ot the gills, the tail drops off, legs sprout out and an animal fitted to live on land is tbe result THE IONGUE OP A TOAD. The toad, which is one product of .the tadpole bas some wonderful perculiarities. Did you ever see this clumsy and rather lazv-looking hopper in the act of catching a fly? He darts his tongue out several inches, so quickly that you can hardly see it, and witb all its activity the fly hasn't tbe ghost of a chince to escape. How does the toad do this? You may have heard the saying that a termagant's tongue is hung in the middle and thus wags at both ends. In the case of the toad the tongue is hung exactly the reverse of tbe human tongue, that is to say, the fastening is at the front of the jaw, wnile the loose end bangs backward to the throat. Now when the lazy toad sights a fly he works his way up to it slowly, until he gets within range for bis tongue shooter. Then he suddenly opens his mouth, the ton gue flies out like a lice from a fishing-pole, it strike; the fly, and a glutinous substance on the tongue holds the victim until it is dumped into the toad's capacious mouth. Another strange thins about the to id is that if its mouth be kept open the animal will suffocate. This is because it has no' ribs aud no means ot dilating its chest, and therefore it must swallow air as it swallows its food. II its mouth be forcibly kept open the air will pass to the stomach instead of entering the lungs. There is one variety of toad that has no tongue at. all. It inhabits dark places in Guiana and Surinam. The way id which the eggs ot this animal are hatched is as wonderful as its lingual pecu liarity. The male toad places tbe eggs in little pits on tbe bock of his spouse and affixes a lid for-each pit. Then the female goes about her household duties something m the style of au Indian squaw with a papoose strapped upon her back. After some days littie toadlets are hatched from the eggs on the maternal back, and when they are strong enough they lorce the lids off the pits and hop out. THE TAIL OF A COMET. It is a wonderful sight to see a woman of average height with hair so long that it reaches to her feet; but what would you think of a hairswitch 200,000,000 miles long? Those erratic celestiul adventurers called comets are so named because the ancients thought they resembled the flowing hair of a woman. These switches in the sky have been seen 100 degrees lung, which is more than tbe distance from the zenith to the horizon. In the olden time the appearance of a comet was a dreadful event. The strange visitant struck terror to the hearts of leno rant and superstitious people because it was thought to be a sign of tbe wrath of Jehovah, and that it presaged war, pestilence or famine. It was also a thing of dread he cause of fear that it might run into the earth and knock all things terrestrial into smitbers. But, thanks to scientific ; research, in these latter days we know that the flaming comet is as harmless as a' snowflake. The constitu ents of a comet are practically the same that are found in ail the nebulus matter iu space. In facf, it is not far out ot the'way to say that comets are simply masses ot 'nebula; moving in orbitg around our sun, and it is quite probable that the other millions' of suns or stars are similarly visited by the strange specters. . The fact that stars can be seen through the nucleus or head of a comet clearly demonstrates that it is not a solid body. It is thought bv astronomers that tbe mass of a comet is so light that its weight is far less than that of the earth's atmosphere. It is probable that the extreme tenuity of comets accounts lor the eccentricity oi their orbits. THE BACEKS OF THE HEAVENS. Thev don't pass aronnd the sun at a really uniform distance from it, but they often ap- firoach very near iu rounding our great uminary, and then reach away into space so far that some don t return in hundreds and eveu thousands of .years. But when it comes to fast traveling the comet has no successful rival. Our earth is a pretty llvelv traveler, covering a good deal more than a million miles a day in its journey around the sun. .but, a comet, when paying its respects to, the sun, would travel at a rate that would make the earth's gait relatively about like that of a weary tramp when passed by the "Chicago limited"' on the Pennsylvania Bailroad. In the year 1843 a comet visited the solar system sporting a tail 200,000,000 miles long. It was heading straight lor the sun and astronomers .with betting proclivities were willing to wager that trie pretentious visitor would at least pass near enough to old" Sol to get its tail scorched. It, got uncomfort ably near the sun, but it merely whisked its wealth of tail and saiIed,nround at the rate of more than l,2o0,000 miles an hour, pass ins from one side of the sun to the other in about two hours.. This is one record, made in the days of our fathers, that hasn t been beaten in our fast-going 'generation. THE CONTENTS OF SPACE. Not long aero a well-known astronomer was asked this question: "Is there anv air in outer space?" He replied this: "Tnat question belongs to the domain ot natural philosophy lam only an astronomer." By this evasive answer he didn't mean that he had no opinion ot the subject As tronomers proudly regard their field as nearly what "we call exact science; that is, susceptible of demonstration, while the question propounded was rather in the line of speculative philosophy. But natural nhilosophy is something of an exact science. too. The expert in this science tells tbe astronomer that the rays' of light from that star up there in the heavens, some trillions of miles away, could not reach us without some medium to transport it through its long journey. vThe philosopher says that, light cannot traveL,without a, conveyance any.better than sound eaa.and we all know w 19 i that earth water and air are conductors of sound. Out in the depths of space in tbe whole illimitable universe there must be anele ment ot transportation for the rays of light to pass as they do to enable us to see the stars. What is it? "We call it ether, for want of a better name, bnt we really know nothing about the matter, except that there mnst he something 'there pervading every inch of space from star to star. The best speculation on the subject, and speculation is all that we have thus far, is that the sub stance is akin to our atmosphere, but of such excessive tenuity, or rarity, that it is about as near to nothing at all as we could imagine. We know that atmospheres are evolved in the making of planets, as well as the solid spheres which they enclose. If in the great workshop of nature there is ma terial out of which to make the solid parts' of a planet, like oar earth, there must also be tbe staff out of which atmosphere is made, and this nniversal ether may be the raw material nut of which comes such air as we are breathing at this moment J. H. "Webb. HOW A rOBITOE WAS MABEL A Child Captured by Indians Escapes and Finds a Sliver Mine. When I was 8 years old, said a bonanza king to a Chicago Times reporter, "I ran away from home and came ont west. .In time I drifted into Arizona, was captured by the Apaches, and lived among them several years. One day I saw the oppor tunity to escape and X took advantage of it I came to Tombstone and for a cumber of years mined all through that country. At odd times I would stroll out among the, hills. It was while on one nf these excursions that I dis covered the silver mine I now own near Tombstone. I pre-empted the claim and squatted on it What little money I had saved I spent in the development of the mine. Itlooked promising and tbe deeper I sank the shaft tbe better things looked until finally I struck what was the best thing in tbe country. I was a voung fellow then and some of the rough-shods thought they'd eflchre me ont of it. They notified me to vacate, bnt I paid no attention until one day a baud of six or eight men came up, toot me outside, and actually struug me up. Then they let me down and told me If I would leave the country they'd let me alone, and if I wouldn't they'd string me up again. I told them to go ahead, until finally one of the leaders said: "Well, boys, that's a pretty nervy lello w we've got We need just such men as he ont here. Better let him go," and they let me go. A 8HIP GOES A I1SHIHO. Dolphins, Sword-Fish, and Halibut Trans fixed on Aliists. Our ship was, on one occasion, for the space of 15 months becalmed in mid-ocean. During this time we had not advanced ten miles nearer to the port of onr destination, writes an old salt to the Toronto Mail. Onr provisions were all gone, and nothing but starvation appeared in prospect for us that starve we must when we encountered a fearful storm. It came' so suddenlv upon ns that we hadn't time to take in a single sail. The squall striking the ship, rolled her clean over, her masts going down one side and coming up on the other; and so quickly did she perform this revomtiou teat no one was even welted. When she righted, onr astonishment was great at beholding a monstrous dolphin vio lently kicking, transfixed upon the foretop mast, and a huge swordfisb. in a similar condition, upon the maintopmast. Also transfixed upon the jibboom, kicking and flopping like one possessed, was as fine a halibut as you ever laid your eyes on. We had an abundance of provisions, and I was all right, save a bad cold, which I took during tbe gale. HE PLEADED HYPK0TIS2L Gabrlelle Bompard Not the Only One Who Used That Defense. Down at La Porte, Ind., they have what is known as a horological school. It has teachers and students just like other institu tions of learning, and any fond parent who. wants his boy to know all about horology will find that a cood place to send him, says the "Kaleidoscope" man in the Detroit Journal. It wasn't so a week atro, hut it is cow. You see, for several months, the young gentlemen who are delving after tbe secrets of horology have heen losing their tools and appliances, which seemed to be wafted away by spirit hands, as it were. The losses be came so frequent and annoving that the police were set to watch. When this is done il usually means that it is a desperate case. Well, on Thursday one of the prominent policemen saw Samuel Newman, a horolog, emerge from a vacant building, and when the young man bad completed his emerging the officer rmde a search and found a cart load of plunder secreted iu tbe house. New man was arrested, of course. He claims hvpnotisru, but the State's attorney calls it theit and the student will be given the full benefit. The thief belongs to one of the best families of Cincinnati. GLOBES OF AGES PAST. Some of the Splendid Itulns of Ancient Cities Found in Yucatan. St. Louis Ulobe-Ueaioerat. There are between 60 and 70 ruined cities in Yucatan, so far as they have been dis covered. Within a radius of ICO miles from Merida are such magnificent examples as Mayapan, Akc, Chichen-Itza, Kabau and Libna;but none is more interesting and grand than TJxmal, about 76 miles by road travel from Merida. Cv far the fineat building in the city, both from its com manding position trn a lofty eminence and the completeness ot its preservation, is the Boyal Palace, otherwise known as the Casa de Gobernador, in Spanish. It stands ou the topmost of three terraces of earth once, perhaps, faced with stone, but now crum bled, broken and in a state of heterogeneous decay. The lowermost and lareest is 675 feet long; the second 515 long, 250 wide and 25 leet high, while the thi.-d and last is 3G0 feet in length, 30 in breadth and 19 in height, and supports the building, which has a front of 322 feet, with a depth of only 39, Jimns of the Royal Palace at VxmaL and a height of bnt 25 feet It is entirely of stone, without oruauient to a height of about 10 feet, where there is a wide cornice, above which the wail is a bewildering maze of sculpture. The roof was flat and once cov ered with cement, in the opinion of some travelers, but is now covered with tropical plants, trees and verdure. There are three large doorways through the eastern wall, about 8 leet square, giving entry into a se ries of apartment, the largest of which is 60 feet long and 27 deep, divided into two rooms by a thick wall. The ceiling of each room is a triangular arch, capped by flat blocks, at a height of 25 leet above the floor. Tbe latter, like tbe walls and jambs of the doorways, is of smooth-faced stones, that may once have been covered with cement; . TA 3 THE MEN OF MUSCLE. Modern Samsons Are Nothing Like the Ideally Perfect Man. J0NE AEE DEVELOPED H0RHALLT. Astonishing Feats of Cjr, the Greatest Lifter in the World. THE EECENT C0XTESTS 15 L05D05 Who is the strongest man in the world? There are at least a dozen before publis notice to-day who claim to be that man, and each performs certain feats of strength which would seem to warrant his right to that title. It is difficult to determine, however, which one of the lot is superior in physical strength, because, invariably, each is able to perform some particular feat which another cannot The Samsons of modern times are men who have been naturally endowed with great muscles and enormous strength, but who have increased and added to both by constant training and practice. Attention is given particularly to their strongest muscles, and these eventually become ab normally developed. Other muscles are neglected, so that few of the "strong men" of to-day are physically well proportioned. CTE, THE GIANT LIFTEE. Undoubtedly the most remarkable of all the st rone men is Louis Cyr, of Quebec Ho is only.27 years ot age, but he weighs 323 pounds. The tape showed his physical dimensions to be as follows: Height, 5 feet, 10f inches; chest (inflated), 58 inches; waist, 48 inches; biceps, 21f inches; thigh, 32 inches; calf, 24 inches; neck. 22 inches. Cyr scarcely knows his own strength. Ha lilted a dumbbell, weighing 265'poucds, with one hand from the ground to the shoul der, and then slowly pushed it ud from the shoulder to arm's length, using only the one hand. There is probably not another man inths world who could do this. An other time he tied a pair of bells together, which weighed 440 pounds, attached a string tnree feet long, and then lifted this great weight.from,tbe ground with one finger. His greatest display of strength was made about a year ago In Montreal. On a small platform, weighing 140 pounds were placed seven dumbbells, weighing 789 pounds, a barrel of flour and seven heavy men. Cyr put his giant arms around the platform and lifted the lot The aggregate weight was 2,328 pounds. In another wav he lifted 3,350 pounds of pig iron at Berthirville, Can., on October 1, 18S8. The iron was placed on a plank, which rested on a trestle. Cyr got under the plank, and pushing up with his back, arms and legs, raised the weight clear of the trestle. No other man in tbe world has been able to approach, this performance. A fittsbubger's STBENGTH. Charles P. Blatt, who was born in Pitts burg, is another strong man. His arm is larger than Sullivan's. His lower limbs, however, are deficient, and consequently ha is far from a well-formed man, judged by the standard of perfect physical proportions. He is naturally gifted with strength. His principal feat of strength is that of pulling apart horseshoes. Prof. Bobert J. Itobcrts, the body builder now connected with the gymnasium ot the Young Men's Christian Association of Boston is the best proportionately developed man in the country. It is his hobby, so to speak, to train and cultivate every one of the muscles of the body and on each side. There is but slight difference in the strength of one arm, leg or side in his anatomy, something that is rarely found in an athlete. Few men can be found to-day Vho can show snch a splendid set of back muscles. Com pared with men who do startling feats of strength, he is not a "strong" man, yet, in fact, all around, he is really stronger than most of them. Heavy dumbbell work and heavy weight lifting he condemns in the strongest terms. CONTESTS IN LONDON". Samson recently set all London agog over feats of strength. He is a rather small sized man, and appears to weigh not mora than 140 pounds. After a time other strong men appeared on the scene, and one of them accepted Samson's challenge to bet 100 against nothing that the feats of his pupil, a young German called Cyclops, after the strong ouc-eyed creature of mythology.could cot be done by any other person. The ac ceptor was a powerful young fellow named Herr Eugen Sandow, who hailed from Ko nigsberg. Cyclops put up a 250-pound ball with his right hand above his head, and then, slowly lowered his arm until tbe enormous weight waS held at right angles to his body. Sandow did this. Then Cyclops raised' j bell, said to weigh 300 pounds, above hit head with his right hand, stooped and lifted a 50-pouud bell with his left, which he put up in tbe air three times. Sandow did the same, bnt did better by putting up the 50 pound bell seven times. Each man also lilted with one finger a stone weighing 500 pounds. Sandow was given the $500, and then Samson, tbe master, offered him auoth erSSOO it he could accomplish his feats. Tbo rival strong men met on another evening, and Simsn was vanquished. Sam son bent a piece of steam piping over his breast, strightened it back over the muscles of his arm, bent it once around his leg, and then broke it in two. All these were accom plished by Sandow. A bracelet mads from au iron cbaiu was put on Samsou's arm, and he snapped it by contracting his biceps. Sandow put one on his left and two on his right and brote them all iu the same way. SANDOW DETCATS SAMSON. Then he took the lead. He tossed up a bar bell weighing 150 pounds and caught it ou his arms as it came down. Then ha threw it up again, caught and balanced it in his rignt hand, lay down on his back and raised himself, with the weight, to bis feet again. Samson could not do that, and so .forfeited 100. Sandow parted a steel chain which was said to resist a strain of 40,000 pounds, by one powerful blow of bis fist in the center. Maxime Dantes, a strong man nf Arizona, does a similar trick of breaking; in two a piece of wood 3 feet lone and 5 inches wide and thick, placed across two chains, and Bostonians have seen Sebastian Miller break cobblestones with a single blow of his fist at the Howard Atbenxum. The measurements of the arms and chests of some of these mighty men may be of in terest Tney are given in tbe following table: Biceps Cbest Age, Inche. Inches. Cyr... ......... r' ,, Eandow 23 15 45Ji Samson...... ... 33 Jtj-a 44 lllatta........... .......... .. 1' . Miller..... . 1CJ 47f Apollo.. .... .......... 2 lb4 a Inflated. Jl -7. A Novel Ceremony Performed in a Suburb? or Kansas City. James Cnmmings, aud Miss Sue Howard adopted a novel way of getting married at Independence yesterday, sayr the Kansas City Times. After procuring a license from Deputy Becorder Packard the young people drove in a ouggv to the .First Bip tist Church, on North Pleasant street Hera the young man got out of the buggy, and entering the study room of the church and showin? the license, told the pastor, Bev. xJIr. Maiden, to follow him. The minister oia so ana was somswnai as tonished wheu the young man got up in his buggy and told the reverend gentleman to proceed with the ceremony. Mr. Maiden asted the young lady if she understood what she was doing, and on her replying that she did, pronounced them man and wife. At the conclusion ot these nnusnal pro ceedings the minister was handed a fee and the newly married couple drove rapidly away looking as happy as "clams at high. tide.' - 4 i 4 i i Jki... ,nnrf,A.i 2ry
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers