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Gossip About Hen and Women, Pa
trician and Plebeian, About Whom
the World la Talking.
STEPKIAFS- IDEAS Off DTK AMITE.
The Anti-Pamellite llembar of Parliament
Just Returned From the Kil
kenny District.
PEESOXAGES OF SOUTHERN AFRICA,
SmiU Silk Fim BoyU Coirti sal Cento rutins of
Cuaea EylTis's Hew Herd.
Under tbe assumed Dame of Sergius Step
niak, a Bussian revolutionist has made a
same in English and Italian literature, haa
aroused on two continents a deep interest in
tbe straggle of the Russian peopl for a con
stitutional government, and has found time
during tbe intervals between his literary and
patriotic work to devote much attention to
the London poor. He is now lecturing in
this country, and will attempt to harvest the
field planted and culti ated by George Ken
can and a score of newspaper writers who
have seen more or less clearly the needs and
difficulties of tbe Russian people.
Outside of Russia the life of Stepniak
would belong between the covers of B ro
mantic novel. In Russia it is not unusual.
His real name is not known, but is con
cealed, it is said, to save his family from the
persecution of the Czar's police. More than
half his 38 years have been spent in serving
his people.
Stepniak lives in retirement and few per
sons could make their way to his London
address, an isolated villa in St John's
"Wood.
He is known there only through his books
and his appearance at socialistic and reform
meetings. There in humble lodging in a
study littered with books and papers, Step
niak writes books that stir the whole En
glish reading world, or newspaper articles
for the London Times which are copied
extens vely, to the annoyance of the Russian
Government.
"It is difficult," said Stepniak to a cor
respondent not long agof "for tbe people of
Western Europe, and it is more difficult
still tor the people of that greater West
America, to realize the condition of things
in Russia, With us freedom is the name of
an unknown State, and government only
another word for plunder, corruption and
unparalleled tyranny. We wonder that
tbe Russian people have submitted so long,
They could do nothing else."
Eeroiui Stepniak.
"Are you a Terrorist, Mr. Stepniak?"
To this question Stepniak responded with
another: "Suppose," he said, "your sister
was flogged? What wonld you do? Is
there anything you wouldn't do to destroy
such a Government?
"1 am in sympathv with the Terrorists to
a certain extent. The Czar is in danger,
and if he was Killed I would not object. If
one m --cod fails we must try another. We
Lave tr.ed propaganda and we got nothing
but tbe most barbarous treatment. We are
compelled to use lorce."
On February 4, 1S88, Stepniak talked at
length in London to a New York World
correspondent regarding the situation in
Russia and his plans. With a protest that
assassination is tbe final resort of tbe op
pressed, Stepniak then apologized for the
use of dynamite and tbe dagger in the secret
warfare against the Russian Government
"The use of these weapons," he said, "is
repugnant to humanity. To none is it more
hateful than to onr comrades. Thev use
nnfh nnp nn.i fT.A ..thaw vn t.& .T .
compulsion of an inexorable destiny. I have.
i..n man Kant will. ...! 1 ; .. -
....... u.vu "v.". nuu wccjjiur, leaving tne
meeting of tne Central Committee when in
trusted with some sanguinary mission. Hot
that they were not glad to seal their fidelity
to the cause by uncomplainingly dying, but
horrified at the thought ot the only means
left to cripple tbe tyrant"
"The word Nihilist" said Stepniak, "is
given to us by our enemies in Russia. Onr
demands are simply these a national Par
liament, universal suffrage, local autonomy,
nationalization of land and absolute free
dom in religious matters."
Stepniak was born in the south of Russia,
ot a noble family and is 39 years old. While
in England bis influence was so great and
the results of bis agitation so strong that
the Russian Government sent Madame
Novikoff to London to counteract his influ
ence, but with no results.
Eudolph'i Little Daughter.
Poor little Archduchess Elizabeth! ex
claims one of The Dispatch correspond
ents, writing from Vienna. She had to light
up the time-honored Christmas tree in the
Burg, at Vienna, all alone this year! On
this tree were placed all the choicest gifts
that money could buy, from the grand
parents, uncles and aunts and other rela
tives of the small princess, who all felt as if
they could not do enough to make np to the
fatherless child for her grievous loss. The
Empress had declared that to keep up her
Christmas at the capital, and meet the
Crown Princess Stephanie and her little
daughter during theYuletide celebrations,
would be more than her nerves could endure.
And so dismal were the scenes when Em
press Elizabeth of Hapsburg compelled1
------- ... u.u.. am wuu.mauj m.tu uer W1Q-
owed daughter-in-law, the night before the
marriage of the Archduchess Valerie, that
the Emperor gave way to his wife's wishes.
On that occasion the Empress burst into
tears as she kissed Stephanie's forehead, and
then cried bitterly all dinner time, being
quite ill with grief afterward. That the
two ladies detested each other, and that to
this hour the elder one blames tbe younger
for Rudolph's tragic fate, is well known to
? beh'."d the scenes at Hofburg.
The miniature Archduchess, who was 7
last September, is a tall damsel for her ten
der years, with bine eyes and fair hair. She
is dressed like an English child, and is con
stantly to he seen driving between 12 and 2
p clock in the Austrian capital, where she
is very popular. The children who are out
walking at that hour look out eaeerly lor
her carriage; and her little highness never
ails to bow graciously to them as she drives
down tne prater, and olten blows kisses to
tbe babies tbe passes. She is very shy, but
aniiable; last week, by tbe emperor's desire,
she was introduced to her new tutor, a pro
fessor who is to teacb her on precisely the
same system as tbe class he Instructs at one
of the public schools. The Klein Frau, as
the Viennes call her, was rather frightened,
tor the hnd hitherto only learned her native
- ." . . ytim-- .va.. ;&AM ,. r . A -).,- er i v ....-..- , J
JTtikaif1famtiftW2(tiF'- w tfrfc" assV. rVwVi rtf'r ifmrflwsTaH'lMrBSSllSMiffmnBffi J1'.wrri4BffftiBSltMffT " fa JtftftY7T$fc$$..tt i--- .gra3sj6&few...ksfittl., & iBSMsmSSknsmJeasS&iislSSKtW
language from a maid, thoush she can speak
JTretfch and Hungarian fluently; but when
the pedagogue told her she would please the
Emperor and Empress by making progress,
she earnestly promised to do her best
The Eoyal Family orServia.
King Alexander is now 14 Tears of age,
and is rapidly developing both physically
and intellectually. He is only allowed to
receive such visitors as are agreeable to the
Regents, as the following instance will show:
Tbe Metropolitan Michael attempted lately
to intrude on tbe royal presence without
having announced his Intention to the Re
gents. The consequence was that he was not
received, and since that time he has not ap
peared at Konak.
King Alexander will come of age on Au
gust 2, 1894. He is now going through a
course of military studies, and his present
tutor is Colonel Miskovic. The King is
generally present at the ordinary military
drills, when he is placed in command of a
company. He is also in the habit or driving
out to the park of Castle Toptsbider, and on
these drives he not infrequently passes his
mother's carriage returning to town. The
Queen drives herself. Her son, in the dress
of a colonel, salutes her in military fashion,
and the Queen in recognition, waves her
band.
A little while ago, when King Milan was
driving with his son, the two monarchs
chanced to pass the Queen, but on perceiv
ing his ex-Majesty, she turned away her
head, and the salute was not returned.
King Alexander is in constant correspond
ence with his father, and writes either in
Servian or French. These letters are not
altogether without political significance.
Queen Nathalie receives a large number of
visitors, and her salons are the resort of
politicians of all shades and parties. Oc
casionally she is present at tbe theater,
where she occupies the court box, bnt this
only happens when it is known that King
Alexander will not attend the play.
The Czar's Widowed Stepmother.
Princess Jouriewsty, says a DISPATCH
correspondent, writing from St Petersburg,
is still a beautiful woman, but she is grow
ing stout, and her once pretty face shows
traces of intense suffeiing. ' Tbe magnificent
brown hair, with the golden reflections, she
cut herself and placed in the Czar's coffin,
but her chief beaety even now is hair of a
brighter shade simply worn, a la Chinoise.
The Princess is obliged to wear blue glasses
in broad daylight because of some eye diffi
culty. When in Paris every day she may
be seen driving in the.Bois de Boulogne, but
she only attracts attention by the splendor
of her liveried servants. Her only care is
the education of her children. George, the
eldest, is 17 years old, but tall and very
stout; he follows a course of study arranged
by the Czar long before his death. Princess
Olga is abont 14 years old, and little Cath
erine Is the only member of the family who
can bring a smile to the mother's face. A
short time ago there was much excitement
because Princess Jouriewsky was supposed
to have published her reminiscences. How
ever, that story has been contradicted, and I
do not believe the Princess will eyer write
the memoirs ot her life.
In the Mantle of Dickens.
A friend of mine writes to me from Lon
don that Farjeon, the English novelist, is
coon to visit America, says Edward Bot,
in tbe Philadelphia Times. When Charles
Dickens died and Farjeon came to the front,
it was thongbt that the mantle of Boz" had
fallen on the younger man's shoulders, but
time baa not added much to his early reputa
tion, although he is one of the shining lights
in English literary circles, a splendid story
teller and a charming fellow.
The novelist has many ties which bind
him to America. Of bis three brothers, one
is in business in New York City and another
is in California. Both his father and mother
rest in American graves, and Mr. Farjeon
wooed and won an American bride, Marga
ret, the daughter of Joseph Jefferson, the
actor. Mr. Farjeon was born in London
about 55 years ago.
There has just been completed in Southern
Africa a railroad of about ISO miles in
length, starting from Colesberg, in the
Colony of the Cape ot Good Hope, entering
the Free State of Orange at Nerval's Bridge
and thence to its terminus at the capital of
that country, Bloemfontein. The establish
ment of the railroad to Bloemfontein,
says the New York TTcrZd, is a step quite
important in the political development of
this country, and the South Africans
are looking forward to the time as
not far distant ' when all this
JtL Jttilz.
vast territory will be one republican con
federation. The inhabitants now of the
Free States are Dntch and English. They
seem to agree very well, and in many cases
tbe families have intermarried. The Free
State of Orange is the smaller of tne three,
?mlt ProrM is more advanced than that
of Transvaal. It has exported great quan
tities of wool in the past few years and is in
a high state of cultivation. Its President is
Mr. Eeitz, the son of a professor of one of
the German universities. His mother is de
scended from a French Huguenot family
tyffi
Madams Iteiiz.
which took refuge in Afrlea at the Cape
Colonies after the edict of Nantes. He was
born at Swellendam, in tbe Cape Colony, is
quite wealthy and is a barrister-atlaw, hav
ing obtained his degree in England. He
was elected President Judge of the Supreme
Court at Bloemfontein in 1874, and was
placed at the head of the government of
the Free States in 1874 by a unanimous vote.
His present wife Is a Dutch woman of high
literary distinction. She has founded at
Bloemtontein a library and a club, in which
ladies discuss the latest literary productions
of Europe and America.
Carznen Sylvia's Kemarkable Novel.
Her Majesty, the Queen of JBoumania,
has just inflicted a novel on the German
public, with the title "Deficit" I have
been reading- "Deficit" etys a DI3PATCK
If tf
r ijp. .. ,
correspondent, and- these are a few lines
clipped from tbe'pages:
Page 4 The holes of her nose appeared long,
and almond shaped. In the reflection of her
diary.
Page 33 And the snn gilded his entire skin,
and tbrew grains of gold Into his green eyes.
Page 63 Where Is she. my Temorah, who Is
wont to dangle on my neck, and sit on my lap,
to scratch songs with her tiny fingers from
under my beard r
Page 71 Then she proceeded on her walk,
and her heart beat as violently as a quantity of
milk In a .can when the wagon rolls over the
cobblestones.
Page 74 He had one of those sympathetlo
noses which haa a. cracir in thn middle, and
I which vibrates to and fro during speaking;
niina, tnis is not a comic dook, dui a
most tremendously serious romance of the
present day, "and the translation of the,
quotations is not nearly as funny as the
original..
The New Member for Kilkenny.
Sir John Pope Hennessy, K. C. M. &.,
Knight of Malta, has always been a man of
pluck, says the Pall Mall Budget. He is the
son of Mr. John Hennessy, of Ballyhen
nessy, County Kerry, and was born in 1834.
He has been a member of Parliament be
fore, having been returned as a "National
Conservative" for King's county in 1859.
He was indeed tbe first Catholic Conserva
tive in Parliament Sir John took an ac
tive part in many debates in the House, and
did some good service. He carried the Select
Committee in opposition to Lord Palmers
ton's Government fbr throwing open ap
pointments in the civil service of the United
Kingdom to public competition, and he
amended the Irish poor law so as to provide
for the rearing of pauper children out of the
workhouses. He was a protege or Lord
Beaconsfield, and probably to this fact
was 'due his introduction into the colonial
service, which he entered in 1867,
his first appointment being. the
z-
Mr T. Jope Bennett.
Governorship of Labuan. He was trans
ferrd to a similar post in the West African
settlements in 1872, was made Governor of
the Bahamas in 1873, of the Windward
Islands in 1875, of Hongkong in 1877, and
of the colony of Mauritius in 1882. In more
than one of these appointments he came
into collision with many of those whom he
governed, takiat: always what may be called
the "nigger side," regardless of unpopularity
or of the frowns of high-placed officialdom.
In Hongkong especially was vthis the case.
Almost from the day he landed on the
praya in that distant colony till he bade it
farewell some years afterward he was con.
tinnally at loggerheads with the English
section of the community. Many of the
prison and other regulations in lorce against
tbe Chinese he insisted on repealing, as
some thought, to the danger of the lives of
the foreign residents, and he would listen to
no representations or protests that were
made against his action in this respect Sir
John, who has had no Governorship since
he returned from Mauritius, was made a
Knight Commander ot the Order of St
Michael and St George iu 1880. He pub
lished in 1883 a volnme on "Raleigh in Ire
land," and has contributed papers to the
different reviews.
Budynrd Kipling's Father.
The most remarkable of Mr. Kipling's
books, in many ways, is the native volume
of "Blaok and White," says a London cor
respondent of the Boston Advertiser. This
volume is dedicated, in a tender and rever
ential preface, which reminds one, in tone,
of the Earl of Lytton's dedication of
"Luoile" to his father to Mr. Kipling's
father. Tbe elder Mr. Kipling is the prin
cipal of the art school at Laboreo and is, as
I have heard from independent authorities,
an artist of considerable repute in India.
Hois just now near his son in London; a
photograph which I had the privilege of
seeing, shows a face of sweetness and of
power, with snow white hair and beard. But
I did not know until this week, and by my
own observation, that he is a genius of the
same order as his son.
He has illustrated the eight stories of
"Black and White" in a series of about 18
large drawings, intended for some future
edition de luxe of the book. These draw
ings are stories in themselves, and to one
who knows the stories lovingly beforehand
there is a perfectly indescribable richness
and suggestiveness about the illustrations
of them. Here is the ne plus ultra of the
sympathetic interpretation of one art by an
other. A novelist could not cherish his own
work more tenderly than the father has
cherished his son's conceptions, and the
elder Mr. .Kipling possesses technical
graphio power of a quality to which Thack
eray never laid claim. In a word, never be
fore were great stories so illustrated as they
are here. Only a native of India can quite
fully appreciate the drawings or the stories,
bnt the gems must be obvious to any beholder.
I remember, as very particularly rieh, the
illustrations to the "Judgment of Dun
gara,"ofthe model mission pupil while
still a good girl, with her sweet eyes fixed
upon her book, and of the same pupil in the
act of tearing off her nettle clothes and ut
tering imprecations, before rushing violently
down into the river, and the several illus
trations of that glorious story, "At Howie
Thana," which, perhaps, show more com
pletely than any- other of Mr. Kipling's
tales the absolute demoralization and lassi
tude of a native character.
The Kaiser a Rapid Talker.
The rapidity with which the German Em
peror talks when delivering a speech has
been determined by Dr. Engel, wfio is one
of the ohief reporters in the Reichstag, and
who has stenographed the Emperor's
speeches very often, says Fant'ty Fair.
According to the doctor, he speaks very
rapidly indeed abont 275 syllables in dne
minute; and occasionally the rate at which
he talks is even 300 syllables in a minute.
Editor Stead's Autographs.1'
Mr. Stead's autograph album, says the
London Star, consists of the portraits of the
representative leading men all over the
world, who congratulated' Mr. Stead in his
conception of The Review of Bevfevis, with
their autographs reproduced, and with some
additions. Tbe portraits are excellently re
produced. Twenty thousand copies of the
"Portraits" were printed, and were bought
up at once.
Mr. Stead hat not always taken the auto
graph which accompanies the portrait from
the letter which the subject sent In the
case of William Morris, for instance; he
goes back to 1876, and takes a specimen of
the poet's handwriting from a letter ad
dressed to Mr. Stead concerning the Bul
garian atrocities.
Underneath John Morley'g portrait we
read, under date of August 1, 1881, a note
sent to Mr. Stead, as follows: "I only fear
that you will overdo yourself. Pray don't
The world will want you more ten years
hence than now. It is a sin, as well as
folly, to kill yourself now. Ever yours,
cordially and affectionately."
Madam Blavatsky wrote underneath her
photograph: "H. P. Blavatsky, in all the
msjesty of her wrinkles;" and Mrs. Besant
under hers: "I am Immersed in Madam
Blavatsky. If I perish in the attempt to re
view her, you must write on my tomb: 'She
has gone to. Investigate the seeret doctrine
at first hand."'
Household goods packed and shipped.
Habqh & KEEiUjr, 83 and 84 Water it
flu
P .
THE P1TTSBTJBG- DISPATCH
A-E1CH OLD HERBAL
Wealth of Cosmetic Advice and Sug
gestive for the Ladies.
MEDICINE IN TBE MIDDLE AGES.
Some
Superstition llized With a Good
Seal of Sound Doctrine.
WHAT SHIRLEI DAEE FINDS IN IX
IWBITTXS TOO TBI DISPATCH. 1
Few persons feel more fortunate than I in
a gift the New Year brought It was none
of those sweetly inutile things you have to
accept and smile gracefully over, saying
"Thank you, my dear," aloud, and "What
in the world did she want to give me that
ihingforl should like to know?" to your
truthful self.
Sou would not think much ofl the old
book, with its stained leaves and closely
woided, black-letter pages in astonishing
English. But it suits my taste, this antique
herbal, gathered by a painstaking baud,
dating so far back that most ot its language
is only to be guessed at 'I had far rather
have it than your lace fan or your yard-wide
flounces, Madam, dearly though I love lace
if it is fine, choice or pattern and excellent
ly woven. Rich and curious and quaint is
the wording of this black and sallow-paged
book, a casket of fine direct phrase and a
mine ot derivation.
Traditions of Medicine.
"Skeat's Dictionary of Old English" is
modern beside this treasure, almost every
line or which recalls a legend or a tradition
of medicine, curious and useful, too. For
here one finds the origin of many a kindly
old wife's treatment and wise physioian's
practice, and for one who loves plants and
their lore there are pages to pore over for
hours. All the lore of simple and distilled
waters and compounds, of washs for tbe
face and "griefes of the skin" are here
banded down from prior and leech to wise
woman for centuries. These prescriptions'
neaiea wounas ot tne Templars in bloody
fights and cleansed plague sores when that
now unknown disease was a. terror of every
household.
This quaint, outspoken little book is a
reflection of the lire and ways ot .a house
hold iu the middle ages. Constant mention
of wine and saffron, rosewater and goats'
milk, fine herbs and distilled waters, reveals
the generous store of such comfortable
things in a well supplied house. There are
cures for frenzies and bites of scorpions and
venomous things brought by Crusaders from
Orient sands and their dangerous tenantry;
also for poison and snake bite and pricks, as
if it were the commonest thing for any one
to be stung or poisoned or to run thorns into
the flesh dally in those ignorant, rude
times.
First Uentlon of Inoculation.
Attention is given to "treacles, mithri
dates and preservatives against poyson and
the plague." Mithridates is the old name
for medicines which fortified one against
poison, so called from King Mithridates,
who took small doses of poison daily to
render himself proof against it primitive
idea of inoculation for disease, for which
neither Mithridates nor his physicians get
any credit now. "
They were not all fools nor behind in un
derstanding, those old sages and rulers, and
the wisdom they have left is not sweepings
for the broom and dustpan by any means.
They were men of observation and penetra
tive powers, and if they made some mis
takes, as possibly the thirtieth century may
find in our practice, the cleverest doctors
find by experience tbat there is truth in
many of the sayings which the college boy
laughed at
An Age is ignorant which derides them.
They studied nature at first hand, .with
stronger visfon'than we who bring to it eyes
and brains wearied with study or books and
opinions by rote. But you will care very
little for the real learning which lies under
this knowledge of roots and herbs and in
fusions. The quaintness of the wording
will divert you, and the cosmetio waters find
a place in those collections of recipes of
which I hear from all quarters.
There's Virtue In Weeds.
Too many of these old English herbs are
uncnown even to tne garderners of to-day,
and we must lose much out of ignorance of
the weeds naturalized by our waysides.
Every weedy bank or hollow or ruined out
building is a treasure trove to one who
studies the pharmacy of herbs, for the worst
favored, ill-smelling varlets or weeds have
virtues ill to lose.
Alder we know by name, and our book
tells us it is "good against imposthnmes and
swellings in the throat, and kernels or al
monds under the tongue evell (even) as
well as the shales of greene pills (peels) of
walnuts it dieth black colour. Tbe leaves
are good to be put into the shooes of them,
that are surbated and wearie.to mitigate the
heat and pain." Such a hint wonld be cher
ished in a country where all but the knights
and gentry went on foot, and all sorts went
on foot on pilgrimages. "The green leaves
with their dew in the morning are rood to be
strewed in chambers to void fleas, "'which in
those days were in king's palaces. "The wood
never rotteth in water nor in moyst ground,
but rather turnethinto stone. The juice of
the bark is good for a burning" or an in
flammation "of the skin. The juice of
blacke allder, which is yellow, being steeped
in wine or beere and drunke, causeth to
vomit vehemently and cleanseth the stom
ake. The leaves cause kine to give good
store of milke if they eat them, 'for they are
good fodder."
The Uses ot Almonds.
Droll compound of experience, isn't it
physic, fleas, pilgrims' feet and kine fod
der set down together, just as the worthy
clerk who compiled the book heard or
learned of them? Have you any ideas of
the virtues of almonds? Several pages are
devoted to their uses. "Almonds taken be
fore meat nourish 'but little, especially
blaunched. Bitter almonds do open the
stoppings of the lungs, liver, milt, kidneys
and all other inner parts, and are .good
against the cough, shortness of winde and
ulceration of the lungs, being mixed with
turpentine and licked in. Eat five or six
bitter almonds, fasting to withstand drunk
ennesse that day. They cleanse the skinne
and face from all spots, pimples and lin
tiles" if you know what they are.
"Sleeoe to cause, take blaunched almonds
one quart, hempseed half a pound, thrice
washt iu faire water; dates, 16. Stamp them
together with one ounce of poppyseed
bruised, and steepe them in good ale tbree
or fonr hours, then seethe and straine it and
drinke thereof. Sweet almonds do increase
the substance' of the braine cause pleasant
sleep and scoure the passages, and are good
for lean folke. The oyle of them is good for
a dry crampe. Almonds eaten with figs
dense tbe brest and lungs and do helpe
shortnesse of wind." Runners and singers,
take note of this last
Soporlllo and Cosmetio. m
"Almond milk will cut,clense and scoure
grosse humors, and may be made in decoc
tion of hens, patridges or chicken's, to
strengthen nature, or with cold berbes as
chicory, endive or violet leaves, to cause
sleepe. Tbe juice of the bitter almonds is
good for sciatica." Here comes a fine cos
metic: "Stamp one pound of almonds and
strein them with a pin te of water, warm e, and
as much white wine and half an ounce of
camphire and one pynt of majerom (marjo
ram) water, and keep it in a close glass, and
wash the face for the beate thereof. Stampe
one pound of blaunched almonds and strein
them with a pottell or muscadell and the
yolks of eight eggs new laid, and put in
good store of sugar and seeth it a walme or
two, and take thereof four spoonfuls night
and morning, to help the consumption"
a right delicate and strengthening posset
for any weakness. , ,
The originality and variety of the spelling
form one of the attractions of the book. You
observe when the careful scribe, intent on
making his peuwork dear, lets drop a final
"e," he puts it on some other word shortly
to make up for the omission, and seldom
4
SUNDAY, JAOTABY, 11,
spells a word alike twice running to avoid
monotony, we will suppose. But to go on
with tbis ancient cosmetic:
Virtues of Oil of Almonds.
"Oyle of almonds, blaunch them and put
them in -a pot with holes In tbe bottom i. e.,
a colander and set it oyer a vessel of seeth
ing water and presse ont the oyle; the press
must have strong cheeks, and between them
two plates of iron, bote, but not burning,
and the almonds in abagge of canvas. Steep
cloves, or amber, or storax, or benzamine, or
maces in elderflower water until it hath re
ceived their strength and dry againe, and
steep it new foure or five times. Then put
thereto foure or five times as many scraped
almonds stamped, then presre out tbe oyle
and set it in the sunne to purine
for a time. The oyle. itself hath the ver
tues of balme it healeth fresh and greene
wounds, it comforteth the head and hearte,
especially it helpeth the giddiness of the
heade, it stayeth the issue of blood and
water in wounds, it comforteth the natural
parts, it purgeth melancholy blood. Tbree
or four drops taken fasting in a spoone,with
some pleasant syrop, daintie thing or wine
with the brotb or cullis of a capon, it
hellpeth the coliick and suffocation."
Patient scribe, he Wanted to get it all in,
and the long sentence sounds as if it were"
the close of his day's work or stint, and he
was conscientiously anxious to note every
thmgconcerningthe"vertues"of the "oyle."
I remember bearing iong ago in my youth
from a homely woman called "clever in
sickness" that oilol cinnamon was sovereign
for heart failure, taken a few drops at a
time, and with the dainty additions pre
scribed above, tbe broth of capon or demul
cent syrup, its effect would be enhanced, for
a stimulant needs light nourishment to sup
plement its effects.
Sympathy In Old Phrases.
The old phrases have something tender
and sympathetic with all their plainness of
speech. There is much about "liver griefes"
and "milt griefes," milt being tbe spleen if
you think a moment; breast .griefes and
braine griefes," "directions for drawing out
bones" i. e. causing the splinters to work
out of a wound, those being days when peo
ple broke each other's bones for differences
of opinion at short notice.
There is "purging of wastrich humors,"
which expresses the decline in consumption,
shingles, holy fire" L e. erysipelas
"letbargie, frenzie, burnings and dead flesh,
plague, lepzie, squyncy, hot griefes and im
posthnmes," which seem to have been every
day ailments-of the time when bathrooms
were unknown and people swept their houses
mainly to get rid of fleas. Still many of
their "griefes" have descended to the
present, and I wish, above all things, tbat
we had a plainly written book which would
give the practice and experience of medi
cine in simple, direct brevity like this old
manual.
'Apples in the Pharmacopoeia.
"Sour, astringent apples may be given in
hot agues to cool' the stomach, but taken
freely'in ordinary health hurt the stomach,
and taken in spring hurt tbe sinews, engen
der cholera and inflammations. The tarte
and sowre apples do binde, but ripe, pleas
ant one's are the contrary. They are good
for them that swoone and have weak heart
Tbe pap of the apple (the pulp) with a rose
water applied to the eyes taketb away their
rednesse. Mix chalk with the juiceof wild
ings or crabs and apply it to take away pain
of burns or inflammations. For a red nose
and face distil the blossoms in a water" bath
and wash with theliquidmorningandnight
For a cough, roast butter, English saffron
and sugar candy, as much as a nutmeg in a
great apple, and each such a one morning
and evening. Eyes, to comrort and make
them clear and lively, distil a peck of rotten
apples and use the water." " I do not Toueh
for this.
The virtues of white horehound are set
forth at leisure. "Boiled with iris root till
the third part of the water is wasted, it is
good for old congbs and raises phlegm,
taken a spoonful when the cough comes on.
Stamp i. e., pound the leaves with honey
and apply for agnails and swellings about
the nails or joints. The juice oleareth tbe
eyes and killeth worms in the ears," which
was one of the minor plagnes of Queen
Elizabeth's time and before.
A Cure for Madness. '
"All kinds of horehound are good for
women to bathe in that have weak back or
pains in the legs. The distilled water is
good against all scabs and wheales. For
madness, stamp houseleek and roses, equal
parts, with milk and hind on the forehead
and temples. Face swolen or scorched, rub
it twice or thrice a day with the juleeof
houseleek. Juniper or the berries burned
"driveth away all venomous beasts." Hi
mosquitoes, "and all infection and cor
ruption ot the air.
"Ivy leaves sodden In wine are good for
all spots and scabs of tbe face and skin. The
great leaves of ivy sodden in wine heal all
wounds and cuts. To make hair yellow
wash with lye of the ashes of ivy wood
without the bark. Sciatica, anountwith
the juice of iry drawn oat by steeping in
alcohoL
"Lavender, boil it in water and wett thy
shirt In it, and dry it again and wear it,
and no body vermin will be in it as long as
it smelleth of it The flowers distilled in
wine help all cold griefes of the brain,
cramps and stoppages whatever. Shred the
leaves with the flowers and distil in June,
and drink two princes of the water against
apoplexia, or the astonishing and trembling
of thy members and hands. To comfort the
head quilt the flowers into a cap and wear it
daily.'
From Getting Drunk.
"To avoid drunkenness use leeks raw.
Lettuce nourisbeth and breedeth good blood
and causeth sleep. Young lettuce is good
for agues, so are the seeds in warm water.
Pluck up lettuce with the left band before
sun-rising and lay it under the covering of
a sick man's bed, be not knowing thereof, tp
cause him to sleep," which is pretty, if-it is
a superstition. "It is not good for women
who wonld have children to use lettuce
much, as it causes barrenness and maketh
the children raging of kind and foolish
(effects of the opium in lettuce), and the
same is evil for them that be short winded,
phlegmatic or spit blood.
"For heartburn chew llcorlea root anil
.swallow the juice. The seeds of lilies are
good against tbe bitings of serpents. Tbe
lily water restoreth the voice that is lost
The oil of lilies is good against carbuncles.
Lily root seethed in oil brings back hair on
bnrnt or scalded heads. To cleanse the face
lay lemons in bnttermilk and wash therein.
Use the herb lovage in baths to open the
pores and draw forth humors. The decoc
tion of the root, seed or herb in barley water
cleanses the lungs and passages and heals
inward wounds and ulcerations."
Lastly, chew mace to strengthen the
brain. Here is experience for a year which
will send women out in fields and gardens
learning what relief and beauty the leaves
and flowers keep for them. It will not be
difficult to separate the much that is good in
this old advice from the little that is mis
taken, and the good we cannot afford to lose.
Shiblet Dxsx.
A CLEBGYMAB'3 REBUTT. '
What an Author Wrote to Him In Response
to a Bequest for Books.
rWEITTZlTTOB TBI DISPATCH.)
There is a clergyman who resides in
North Britain let me spare his blushes by
reserving his name who has lately been
writing round to various literary men, say
ing that he liked receiving presents of books
from authors, and that he would be glad if
Mr. So and So wonld send'him conies of his
later works. The colossal cheek of the
man who by the way encloses a list of those
who have acceded to bis request n really
remarkable. Let us hope that the rebuff
which he received from one author the other
day will stop this nuisance from going
further. Mr. -, a novelist of standing
and the author of several scientific works,
wrote:
"You do not ask a, butcher for free meat
or a tailor for a sample pair of trousers, ana
yet the author, wfio is also a tradesman and
who has bad to sell his books as much as a
butcher has to sell bis meat, is expected to
go aud pay for copies of his own works at
the,publishers, and then to present them to
anyone who cares to ask for them."
No reply to this communication haa yet
been received.
1891
JANUARY TWINKLERS
Bright Stars That Shine in
Southern Sky This Month.
the
PHOTOGRAPHING ORION'S NEBULA.
Siring and Its Companion an Interesting
Stndy Jost No.
PLANETS THAI HAVE ETEBHAL DAI
WEITTIS JOB SB DISFATCH.1
The most attractive quarter of the heavens
on a January evening-is toward the south.
Within a comparatively restricted region,
at the center of which is tbe splendid con
stellation Orion, are crowded some of the
brightest of tbe celestial luminaries. Orion
itself contains two stars of the first magni
tude Betelgeuse, in the right shoulder, and
Eigel in the left foot ,
To the right ot Orion, and af a somewhat
higher altitude, is Aldebaran, the "Bull's
Eye," the principal star in Taurus to the
left, and at about the same distance from the
three stars' which form the belt is Sirius, the
Or Tt " S&v'
V A ' TV
rt : fis
If? "'"- , v 4
a " - ' ' ft
-fijigoio rPifsW i jttjf
V : VBigil 7
- v. .av Sr
X PLANISPHERE 01 THE HEAVENS.
Tnis chart shows tbe position of tbo principal stars above the horizon at 9 p. H. January 15.
To compare it with tbe heavens one should hold It overhead, or nearly so, tbe side marked N.
toward the north; that marked S. toward the south. The stars represented upon It will then
fall Into their proper position and can easily be Identified.
"Dog Star," the most brilliant of the starry
host, its light being estimated to equal from
three to five times that of an average star of
the first magnitude. Still farther to the left
and at abont the same distance from Sirius
and Betelgeuse, forming with these two stars
a nearly equal triangle, is Procyon, the
"Lesser Dog." Directly overhead is Capella,
the "Kid," likewise a star of the first mag
nitude. Brilliant Corner of the Sky.
Here are six first magnitude stars', richly
interspersed with stars of the second and
third orders and having for their back
ground the mellow light of the Milky War.
giving to this region an especially brilliant
aspect Some-of these lesser lights are
worth noting. If we will run a curved line
from Capella through Betelgeuse to Sirius
we shall strike abeut midway between Ca
pella'and Betelgeuse a noticeable pair of
stars, which form the tips of the "golden
horns" of Taurus. A short distance east of
the cenith (the point directly overhead)
may be seen a second pair, about equally
distant from Capella and Betelgeuse. xnese
are the "Twins" the northernmost, Castor;
the southernmost Pollux a pair especially
noteworthy, since they mark very nearly
the place of the summer solstice, in the
"sign" Cancer, bnt in the constellation
Gemini.
Still lower in the east, abont one-third of
the distance from tbe horizon to the zenith,
is Begulus, formerly regarded as a star of
the first magnitude, but now degraded to
the second rank. Regulus is the principal
star iu the ancient constellation Leo (tbe
Lion), and is in tbe handle-of the better
known sub-constellation of tbe Sickle.
The ittbula In Orion.
The region here roughly outlined is
especially interesting from an astronomical
point of view. The great Nebula in Orion,
although invisible to the naked eye, has so
often been described and depicted in text
books and in recent years has been the sub
jectof so much discussion that it lies fairly
within the domain of popular astronomy.
Its position is in the "Sword," just below
the lowermost ot ths three stars which form
the "Belt"
A field glass will reveal it as a blurred
star. Seen through a telescope it haa the
appearance of a luminous cloud as its
name, "nebula," impIies--too large to be
included wholly in the field of view. On
one side, where it is the brightest, It pre
sents a fairly distinct outline, but on all
other sides it fades away gradually into im
perceptibillty. The brighter part has a curi
ous resemblance to the head of some mon
ster animal, a dark recess forming an open
month, while above this a streamer of light
so much resembles the uplifted trunk of an
elephant that it is often referred to as the
"proboscis." At the bottom of the dark
gulf, or mouthlike opening, is a bright star,
which a telescope even ot moderate power
resolves into a multiple star of four com
ponents to which a larger telescope adds
two others forming the "trapezium."which
is the principal point of reference in the1
nebula.
Analyzed by the Spectroscope.
Although this mysterious, mist-like ob
ject had long been studied with the tele
scopehad been explored carefully with the
powerful instruments of the elder Herschel
and of Lord Rosse its true nature remained
a debated point until that wonderful instru-'
ment the spectroscope was brought to bear
upon it independently by Father Secchl
and Dr. Huggins some 25 years ago. Both
of these observers found its "spectrum" to
consist of bright lines, instead of 'being
"continuous," like the spectrum of tbe sun
and other solid bodies, and the long-debated
question of its "resolvability" was definitely
settled.
There is no longer a doubt that tbis is a
true nebula, as was, always maintained by
Herschel, and not simply an aggregation of
stars so minute or so distant as to shine only
by their blended light, as has proved to be
the case with many other supposed nebulas.
If the story of its light, as that story is now
read by astronomers, can be trusted, this
vast luminous cloud, the extent of which
baffles the power of the imagination to con
ceive, is a mass of glowing gases, among
which hydrogen and nitrogen seem to be the
most abundant
The New Meteor Theory.
But just at this point, just as astronomers
are congratulating themselves upon having
determined the nature of this and other
nebulas', Mr. Lockyer comes forward with
his new "meteor theory," based also upon
spectroscopic work, and the discussion, in
stead of being dosed, has simply branched
off in a new direction- According to Mr.
Lockyer not only nebulte, but all of the
celestial bodies, indudmg the stars, .are
due to the1 impact of raetrors upon one
another, tbe differences iu tbe resulting
.phenomena being caused by differences in
i
i.ttLAB- ZksJ-' 'A
the degree of condensation la the' meteor
streams.
Among the numerous drawings which
have been made of the Orion nebula, with
greater or lets care and skill, tbe finest are
one made by tbe Bonds, at Cambridge, in
1859-63, and one upon which Lord Rosse ex
pended all the available hours of several
years with the aid ot the great Parsontown
reflector. These two pictures, though both
were executed with the most conscientious
care have only a general resemblance' to
each other. To one who is unable to make
a due allowance for the difficulty of depict
ing so vaguely defined an object, they seem
strangely discordant in their details. In
deed, these drawings may be cited to prove
and illustrate tbe utter hopelessness ot de
picting a nebula with the pencil and brush;
nor Is it likely that the attempt will ever
again be made.
Achievements of Photography.
Photography promises not only to render
this labor unnecessary, bnt also to yield re
sults tbat will be far more reliable. The
late Prof. Henry Draper was the pioneer
in this work, haying succeeded in 1880 in
obtaining with an exposure of nearly an
hour a very satisfactory negative of the
Orion nebnln, and In 1882 a second, in
which the difference in the intensity of the
various parts Nof the nebulous light was
shown still more finely. Mr. Common,
using his 86-inch silver-on-gla.ss reflector at
Ealing, followed close upon tbe triumph of
Prof. Draper, his first success in this work
having been obtained in 1883. Since then
Mr. Common and Mr. Isaao Roberts, of
Liverpool, have 'brought the art of photo
graphing nebulse to a marvelous state of
advancement, as they have gained exper
ience, particularly as to the time necessary
for making the exposure.
In the ease of some of the photographs of
nebulss recently taken by thse amateurs the
plates were exposed 3, 4 and e?en 6 hours,
and details of structure were brought out
which no eye is able to detect in tbe objects
themselves, and. whloh no eye, probably,
ever will be able to, detect The advantage
which the sensitive plate of the camera has
over the human retina is that the former is
capable of receiving and retaining the im
pression of tbe faintest trace of light which
falls upon it, provided it is given time,
whereas tbe eye must see at once or not at
all, since it becomes weary and loses its sen
sitiveness with long gazing.
In tbe star Sirius we have another object
to which a good deal of attention has been
given by astronomers in recent years) Its
extraordinary brilliancy has caused it nat
urally to be selected for the first experi
ments aiming at an advance step in sidereal
astronomy, and the items of information that
have been gathered with respect to this star
may be cited to illustrate tbe present state
of our knowledge regarding these almost
infinitely remote bodies.
Unit of Star Distances.
Although not the nearest of the fixed
stars, Sirius is among the nearest Its dis
tance from us now Is commonly put at about
600,000 times that of ths sun. Let us take a
moment to consider what this means. Or
dinary units of measurement fail us in an
emergency like this; a new unit has been
adopted for measuring star distances viz.,
the distance traveled by light in one second
of time 186,000 miles. To reach us from
the sun light requires a little over eight
minutes; it flashes across the space inter
vening between us and tbe moon in about
one and a quarter seconds; to reach us from
Sirins, assuming that tbe distance given
above is correct, it requires nearly ten years.
That is when we look upon Sirius to-night
we see it, not as it is now, but as it was ten
years ago.
It has been estimated that tbe light of
Sirius is equal to that of 70 suns placed
side by side. If its intrinsio brilliancy is
the same as that of the sun, it may easily be
calculated that its diameter is rather more
than eight times that of the sun. There are,
however, reasons for thinking that Sirius is
really hotter and brighter thau our lumin
ary, in which case the estimate of its size
must be correspondingly diminished.
The Motion of Slrlos.
Within the past few years the spectroscope
has been applied to perform, the astonishing
feat of determining the rate of a star's
motion in a direction toward or away from
the earth. Sirius is tbe first star to which
the spectroscope was turned for this pur
pose, by Dr. Muggins, wno confidently an
nounced tbat tbe star was receding from us
at the rate of 29 miles a second. Other ob
servers have confirmed the conclusion of
this distinguished spectrosconlst as to the
fact that tbe star is moving along the line of
signt, out its motion has been found to vary
both in its rate and in its direction in a
manner thus far unexplained.
Mercury will be an evening star during
tbe first half of the month, and during the
second halfa morning star, but too near the
sun to be visible. Venus is now a morning
star. Its greatest brilliancy was on the 8th
of the month, at which time, seen through a
telescope;, it presented tbe crescent phase of
the waning moon. The Comotet Rtnduet
for October 17, 1890, contains an interesting
illustrated note by M. Perrotln, on "Obser
vations of tbe Planet Venus at the Observa
tory at Nice," made with a view of deter
mining the period of the planet's rotation
on its axis. M. Perrotln confirms the con
clusion recently announced byM. Scbia
parelll, of Milan, tbat Venus turns on its
axis in very nearly, if not exactly, the same
time that it takes to perform its revolution
a its orbit viz., about 225 days.
Eternal Day and Kternal Night
That is Venus always keeps the same side
turned toward the sun, just as the moon
does toward the earth, and. just as Mercury,
according to- M. Schiaparelli, does toward
the sum On one side of this planet there is,
therefore, a continuous day and on the other
side eternal night Mars is still struggling
to keep pace with the earth; but although
now a long way in advance of Jupiter, he
has lost ground very perceptibly in the past
month, and now sets at about 8 o'clock.
Jupiter has practically 'closed his present
season. He Is visible but for a short time
after sunset Q. S. JoXM.
Stylish Saltiags,
Overcoat and trouser material, of the
best quality at Anderson's, 700 Smithfield
street CuUlog and fitting the very best an
- . .
IB
USE OF THE CURRENT.
What the Figures on Electrical Prog
ress Last Tear Show.
A HEW PROCESS OP AGIH6 WIflB.
Farmers Find Late Inventions of Great
Advantage to Them.
CABLE YEESUS TROLLEY. FOE CABS
mZPJLBID TOa TUX DISPATCH.!
Naturally at a season of the year when
people are balancing up their ledgers to see
what their gains have been, electricians ara.
also reviewing 1890 to determine the extent
to which advances have been made in their
field of work. They find it to have been a
year marked not so much by new startling
inventions as by a multitude of minor im
provements and by an extraordinary out
burst of activity in tbe electric power field.
In other words, the development of 1890 waa
largely industrial.
Perhaps in its way the most important
scientific advance has been the.determiua
tionofanew unit, that of self-induction,
called the Henry, after Prof. Joseph Henry,
the name of tbis unit and its size being al
most wholly due to the efforts of Prof.
Francis B. Crocker, of Columbia College,
who thought It was about time tbat Amer
ica, the "home of electricity," shonld name
onr of the new electrical units in the fashion
which has already given us the volt, after
Volta, the ohm after tbe German physicist,
the ampere after the French savant, the
Joule, the watt and the farad after the
English philosopher, the English inventor.
and the immortal Faraday. Accurate;
mea surements are always the mark of re
finement and perfection in any art, and
electricians are inclined to regard their
units assigns of the fact that electricity haa
won its place among tbe great scientificand
engineering professions, and is no longer
the toy of the amateur, the tool of the
charlatan or tbe pet theme of the "Wall
street promoter.
lights, Motors and Ballways.
Looking at the practical advances of elec
tricity, it is found that they exhibit them
selves chiefly in electric lighting, electric
motor work, and electric railways. England
during the past year has been tbe chief
field of electric lighting activity, and, at a
recent meeting there of electricians, con
gratulations were exchanged upon the fact
that London was ahead, leaving Hew York
'behind in the introduction of electrio light
The rate of Increase in London at the pres
ent time is 1,000 new lamps installed per
week; but still New Tore Is holding its own
bravely, to say nothing of its understudy,
Brooklyn, and its suburbs, New Jersey and
Connecticut
But when.lt comes to electric power and
electric railways, it is America first and the
other part of the world nowhere. New York
alone has 1,000 electric motors, or more than
all England together, and little New Eng
land can boast as many electric railways as
the whole of Europe, with a few to spare.
Some idea of what America is doing in elec
tric railway work fnay be found from the
fact that the index of one of tbe electrical
papers specially devoted to such work shows
no fewer than 418 towns and cities that have
either put in such roads or are now doing so.
As there are about 1,000 street railways in
America, it is evident that already CO per
cent of tbem have cast a vote for the new
silent, irresistible motive power. One need
not wonder that Mr. Tom Lowry, of Minne
apolis, a city that has already 14 electrio
roads through his work, in his presidental
address at the last meeting of tbe American
Street Railway Association, said he bdieved
it would be the lait meeting at which they
would discuss the horse as a factor in street
railway service.
The Financial Depression.
Moreover, electricity means economy is
this field, and hence the financial depression
and stringency that have been a drawback
in other industrial departments have act
ually been a stimulus in this. The outlook
for 1891 to the electrical engineer is a bright
one, and all his productive agencies will be
taxed to meet the demand for electrio light,
electrio power, electrie heat, electrio metal
working, electrio mining and a host of other
things not dreamed of in 1831.
In many places in this country where)
cable lines have been installed, it has been
found that electricity offers a still better sys
tem of traction. One of the latest instances
of this is afforded in Michigan, where a
million-dollar cable system is about to be
superseded by electric lines. It is stated
that about 14 miles of cable road will shortly
be abandoned, the cable cars being replaced
by electrio cars, and overhead wires being
Strung above the present cable tracks.
Mention has been recently made of a lamp
which had done dnty for 11.561 hours, and
of which, when it was taken from its holder,
the filament was unbroken. F- Bailey, in
speaking a few days ago before the English
Society of Arts, directed particular atten
tion to the importance of good work in the
manufacture of incandescent lamps. He
insisted on the advantages of keeping a
record of lamps which could be easily done.
Improving "Wine by Electricity.
During the last two years attempts have
been made from time to time in Italy to age
wine by electricity. Although these exper
iments have in almost every case resulted
satisfactorily, they have not been carried on
on such a systematic scale as t afford reli
able and conclusive data as to the value of
tbe new process. This want has, however,
been in a great measure supplied by a course
of operations which have been continued for
the past 12 months at Berqy, France. Herer
the method of treating wine by electricity
has been exhaustively tested and pro
nounced satisfactory by competent authori
ties. The wine treated is said to be mark
edly improved in "keeping" qualities. It
is passed through a small tube containing a
series of silver discs connected to the poles
of a 25 volt alternator. The liquid is thus
traversed oy a rapidly alternating current,
which is believed to destroy tbe ferment
The experimental plant is capable of
treating 22 gallons of wine per hour. The
process has been tried on wines of all kinds,
and it is stated that the results have been
most marked with tbe light Algerian wines,
whose bad "keeping" qualities have hitherto
.prevented their exportation. The attention
of Californian wine growers has been drawn,
to tbis process, and it is understood that
steps will shortly be taken to determine its
value for the treatment of wines grown In
tbis country.
Farming; by Electricity.
The proprietor of numerous small farms
in the "Western Pyrenees, having an area
altogether of nearly 1,500 acres, has for .
some time past been utilizing a neighboring
stream for electrie lighting purposes. He
has now applied electric power to the work
ing of a wins-crushing plant. Besides pro
viding the power for lifting and driving
purposes, electricity is made to work the
pumps for irrigating the , vines. One
hundred and eight lG-candle power lamps
are distributed all over the farms, and the
area which they cover may be judged from
the fact that the length of telephone wire
connecting the buildings is 62 miles.
Another notable application of electricity
to agricultural purposes has been made in
Hungary, where, on large farms, grain is
threshed out by night by means of movable
light apparatus, driven by the locomotive
of tbe steam threshing machine, in order to
complete the threshing more quickly.
Among the indirect advantages Wh(oh'J
perience has shown to result from the use of
the electrio light may be mentioned tbe Im
provement in tbe general health of em
ployes where electricity has superseded gas.
It ii said that in many such cases tbe preva
lence of headaches has been greatly
uioiuusaeu, tnai tne employes use oaa
more healtbv look, and that,doctors Wllj
are on the decrease. The su oerjor c-leanll- j
ness of the electrio light is no small recoss
menaatma. ; c- a,js. Cfc;
1
1