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Vol. 46. Jf o. 1,00. Entered at nttbburg Postofflce,
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PITTSBURG, XONDAY, MAY 18, 1S91.
TIIK PICNIC 3IUKDEK AGAIN.
The picnic cutting affray and murder
puts in an early appearance this year. A
tragedy of that class, at McKeesport, forms
one of the leading items in to-day's news.
Affairs of that sort may differ in the de
tails; but the -vital features can nearly
always be predicated merely from the state
ment that one has taken place. A gather
ing for what ought to be pleasure, is stimu
lated by excessive liquor; a drunken affray
breaks out; concealed weapons are brought
into use; and if the fruition is not mur
der it is due to a merciful interposition of
a kind providence.
Such murderous affairs, occurring with
a grim periodicity, take on a rather hope
le& tinge. There does not seem to be
any wav of cutting off the inspiring causes,
and yet with those causes at work the pro
portion of murderous affrays goes on as if
in obedience to natural law. It will not
do to forbid outdoor gatherings for enjoy
ment, but when that is granted the idea of
a certain class that every festive occasion
requires drunkenness and brawling, is in
vincible. Given those factors and a cer
tain percentage of murders is the result
as inevitably as a certain percentage of
fruit from the blossom.
Of course the penalty of law must follow
such crimes; and there is a faint hope that
the infliction of such penalties will check
the crimes. But there is at present, among
those who indulge in picni.: brawls
and murders, a sublime faith that the law
will never reach them.
THE WKATHEK ASD THE FRUIT,
The frosts of the last two nights have
again aroused the interest and anxiety as
to their effect ou the fruit crop. After a
year in which the fruit crop was a practi
cal failure, the public has a keener under
standing of what the loss of fruit crop
means than ever before, and awaits with
keen interest the results of each adverse
event Investigations, the details of
which are given elsewhere, show that more
" barm was done on Saturday to the grapes
than to any other kind of fruit Near the
river the damage was heavy; farther back
the amount of fruit killed was not serious.
Other fruit as a rule is too far advanced to
be injured by ordinary frost; and so the
prospects are" favorable for a good fruit
yield, so far this year. At present the
danger to fruit aud agricultural crops from
the prolonged dry weather is greater than
from any other sources. If we can have
rains, the frosts will soon become a com
paratively trivial matter.
LAW AND ENFORCEMENT.
Representative Stewart has taken an
early start, in iewof the reports about
the appearance of bogus coffee in the
market, lie lias introduced a bill impos
ing a fine of not less than 5500 or imprison
ment for not less than a year, or both at
the discretion of the court, on any person
who sells an imitation or counterfeit of the
coffee bean, or who mixes any other in
gredient in ground coffee. This is intend
ed as a warning to the coffee counter
feiters that if the people of Pennsylvania
pay for coffee they have the right to get
coffee.
The principle of the bill is unexception
able; but one or two practical questions
arise with regard to its application. First,
the thought suggests itself that it is no
worse to sell people bogus coffee than
to sell them bogus spices or any of a
thousand food and drug adulterations. If
a special act is needed in one case why not
"in all of them' That brings out the
second suggestion in the fact that the
State already has a statute forbidding the
manufacture or sale of bogus butter; and
yet tliat commodity is sold in all our lead
ing cities by the thousands of pounds.
Tliis makes it very pertinent to inquire
whether laws to protect the people from
swiudlesof this sort are likely to amount
to anj thing more than an addition to the
large volume of dead letter legislation.
The two considerations together present
the follow ing pertinent inquiries: Is there
not already law enough on our statute
books to prevent the sale of food adulter
ations and counterfeits if it was enforced?
Would not a legislator who desires to pro
tect the public against such swindles ac
complish most by directing a searching in
quiry into the question why the laws are
not enforced?
AtX.ISON'S FINANCIAL IDEA.
Senator Allison's last interview on the
condition of the United States Treasury,
and its ability to pay off the remnant of
the four-and-a-half per cents, is an inter
esting indication of the way the financial
minds of the last Congress are letting
themselves down easily. At the close of
Congress the Republican assertion was
tliat the appropriations and disbursements
of the coming year would leave a balance
of about 550,000,000, which could be used
to retire this debt
Senator Allison makes no such rash
claim as that, now. On the other hand, he
places the surplus in the Treasury at the
beginning of the fiscal year at about
530,000,000, and he proposes to stretch this
to pay 50,000,000 of bonds, by the
following ingenious means: A large share
of these bonds are owned by the national
banks to secure circulation. "When the
banks surrender them they must depositOO
per cent of their face value in the Treasury
to redeem the national bank notes. The
Treasury, according to Senator Allison's
policy, can use these funds to make up
what is necessary to pay off the bonds, and
thus avoid encroaching on the greenback
reserve or other trust funds. It is true, as
the Senator admits, that these deposits are
ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY
intended for the redemption of national
bank notes instead of bonds, but the na
tional bank notes come in slowly, and be
fore they ate all redeemed the Treasury
can make up the amount from 60me other
source.
-Only two comments are necessary on
tliis remarkable proposition. The first is
that the deposits to redeem national bank
circulation are a trust fuud as much as the
greenback reserve or the deposits back of
the coin certificates. The second is that
if any amount of them are used to redeem
Government bonds the encroachment can
only be made up in future by an excess
of revenue above expenditures. The
Senator's fine plan therefore brings out
two facts: First, that the extravagance
of Congress has brought the Treasury to a
pass where it must use money belonging
to others if it redeems its maturing bonds;
second, that-this resort will only lead from
bad to worse, unless the policy of the last
Congress is reversed and expenditures aro
cut down to a less amount than the reve
nues. There is really no question that the re
sources of the Treasury are ample to meet
all demands on it But Senator Allison's
remarkable plan for getting through the
next fiscal year is a striking indication of
the direction in which public extravagance
is leading us.
a last ATTEarrr.
A press dispatch from New York an
nounces that a fresh attempt is to be made
to enforce the law against the importation
of alien contract labor. Some immigrants
have been held, in whose case there has
been a clear infraction of the law. The
effort is to be tried over again to impose
the penalty on those who have violated
the lawj although, as the dispatch naively
says, after detailing the steps to be taken,
the enforcement of the law is expected to
be "a work of considerable diffcnlty."
Of course, as long as the law is on the
statute books, every effort should be made
to enforce it It is true justice, too, that
the effort should bo made to reach the re
sponsible parties, the employers who
authorize and pay for the violation of the
law. But the language of this annpunce
ment that a last attempt is to be made to
enforce that enactment with slight hope of
its success, ought to make the conclusion
clear to which experience has pointed for
the last few years, namely, that the law is
a practical failure.
The fact is that the law forbidding the
importation of contract alien labor, though
inspired by a laudable purpose, was hastily
framed upon an entirely futile theory. It
set up a false standard, for it is not a
prior contract that Is objectionable, but
the character of the immigration. Its
failure in enforcement is sufficiently clear
from the fact that the only immigrants it
has kept out were not objectionable; while
the most ignorant and undesirable class
of immigration has flocked in unchecked
by the tens of thousands.
Jt is time to recognize the fact that the
only way to regulate the immigration evil
is to require tests and certificates showing
the character of the immigrant
A SUBJECT OF SUKGEET.
The advance of surgical science is illus
trated by some recent experiments irr
which the skulls of living subjects have
been enlarged, remodeled or taken in
with the same successful results as those
which attend operations by a skilled dress
maker on an unsatisfactory costume. The
latest and most striking case is reported
from New York. Here a servant-girl,
whose leading characteristic had been that
of unconquerable' stupidity, was operated
on by closing an aperture between the
cranial bones. The result of the opera
tion gave her the power of quick learning
and a retentive memory. This demonstra
tion of the ability of surgery to cure
chronic stupidity should be of great value
to the people of Pennsylvania. By put
ting our Legislature under the treatment
of this New York surgeon it might yet
become able to learn that undisguised
shams will not pass for reform, and its
powers of memory might be improved
sufficiently to remember the last State
platform.
Up to this writing the chase of the
United States steamers after that Chilean
fugitive excels in one respect the chase of
the detective forces after notorious murder
ers. The cruisers have disappeared also.
Senator Jones, of Nevada, is out in an
interview in w hich he makes it evident that
he is not an appendage to the Harrison
boom. After expressing a slight opinion of
tho President's career as a Senator, the Ne
vada man say: "Now that he is President
he has tho power to set aside and nullify the
deliberate w ork of three or four hundred
men after it has passed committees of both
Houses and been thorougly and carefully
considered. This is wrong." While this is
clear enough as an expicssion of Jones' dis
satisfaction, it does not make one point quite
plain enough. It fails to say whether Jones
lays the blame for the wrong he speaks of on
the party w hich elected Harrison President
or on tho Constitution of theTJuited States,
which gives the President the power of
which he complains.
The Senate committee's ballot deformity
bill is an indication that the practical poli
ticians are entertaining the delusion that
they can get even with the Independent
voters for last year's work.
It is interesting to learn that the "pool
rooms nre doomed" In New York, accord
ing to the announcements of the papers
there. This is tho result of an attack
by tho race-course owners, inspired by tho
samehigbmoralideaasthewaroftheChlcago
Board of Trade on tho bucket shops. It is
the resolution that no one shall capture the
profits of gambling on the races except the
race-course proprietors.
Smoked sturgeon as an article of diet,
seems to call for a complete pedigree of that
article of diet, accompanied by official certifi
cates of its age and condition at different
stages of its career.
"Washington is the only city in the
Union that did not turn out and make a
noise on tho arrival of the Pi-esidental
train," says the Washington Foal. The
esteemed Post is In error. The noise which
Pittsburg did not make on that occasion was
so pronounced in its absence that the Presi
dent did not awake from his peaceful slum
bers. Governor Htll is not drawing the
Senatorial salary, it Is averred. But the in
formation docs not state who is drawing it,
and until the public knows that, the country
can not feel safe.
The Queen of the May this year had to
rig herself out in winter furs on top of her
new spring suit. An Eastern paper adds
umbrella, rubber boots and a waterproof to
her equipments. The assertion that she
needed protection against rain would cause
her to be considered in this section a very
fortunate young woman.
The recommendation by Mr. Jay Gould
of his elevated railway system as a prophy
lactic, or cure for rovers, Indicates that
Mr. Gould's ideas must be of the old water
curo school.
Abraham Lincoln's declaration that
"You can fool some of the people all the
time, and all of tho people some of the time,
but you can't fool all of the people all the
time," should be commended to the Penn
sylvania Senators. They seem to be un'der
It is calculated to arouse new feelings of
envy toward tho unduly favored East to
learn that refreshing rains visited the sea
coast at the close of last vrclc.
It is evident that a true classification bf
the meaning of Judge's political cartoons
would indicate a change from that given to
the first of them some months ago. Instead
of calling any of them "Jealous Jim" a more
complete explnnation'of tho whole series
might bo given in the words "Jealous "Ben."
PEOPLE W-3 BEAD ABOUT.
"-
BotOW gives up his plan to conduct a
spring season of concerts at Iisbon "on ac
count of ill health."
Mrs. Mary Coorsen, of WilkeBbarre, is
awid6wforthe sixth time, having married
that many crippled soldiers.
Prescess Louise of Denmark, who is
expected to marry Prince Eugeno of Sweden,
gets her name and some of her blood from
.the Queen Louise of Prussia, tho most beauti
ful woman who has belonged to the Berlin
court
Marie "Wilt, the famous retired prima
donna, has been dismissed as completely
cured from the private asylum at Feldoff,
near Prague, and tho free disposition over
her fortune of 000,000 florins has been re
stored to her.
'The oldest woman preacher in this coun
try Is the Rev. Lydia Sexton, who was bom
In New Jersey In 1799, and who still preaches
In various parts of tho West. She predicts
that sho will live until 1900, thus extending
her life into three centuries.
Senator Gorman is to be the recipient,
nt the hands of his Baltimore admirers, of a
silver dinner set of 60 pieces, which Is a mar
vel of beauty In finish and design. All the
pieces are fashioned in designs representing
the varied Maryland products of both land
and water.
At the recent entertainment given by
"Bill Nye" and A. P. Burbnnk, InDetroit, Mr.
Nye assured tho audience that tbero had
been a change In the programme since last
year, as last year they were using a blue
piogramme, this" year they aro using pink
ones. Pink Is better.
Ocida is growing old and her works of late
lack much of tho eloquence that used to
make them so attractive. She never was a
beauty, though In her prime 6he possessed
hor striking points her "amber hair," of
precisely the shade which sho used to de
scribe In her earliest novels, and a pair of
exquisito little feet.
Emperor William will not go to his
castle near Metz. Metz is said to be too
dangerous a place for him now In conse
quence of the extreme Irritation caused by
the maintenance of tho rigorous passport
mcasnre. It Is also reported that his majes
ty haB received several threatening letters
from different parts of Alsace-Lorraine.
One by one the charming patriotic stories
of our childhood are proven to bo myths. It
Is now asserted that Frederick the Great did
not send Washington a sword Inscribed
"From tho oldest general In the world to the
greatest," or, In fact, any sword; and,
further, that there isn't the sllghest evi
dence for believing that Frederick was at
all Impressed with Washington's greatness.
Kanti-Bey, a powerful Mossowah chief,
having been convicted of high treason and
finally sent to Italy, was obliged to leave his
harem behind. General Baldissora, Governor
of tho colony, according to the Eoman pa
pers, convorted the harem, consisting of
seven young women. Into seven lottery
prizes, which were won by his officers. But
this lottery was unfortunate, and all the
ladies ran away from their new sultans.
General Bussell A. Aloer, Michi
gan's favorite son and tho Wolverine State's
Republican candidate for President of the
United States, is one of tho wealthiest and
most philanthropic men of the present time.
Beginning life as an attorney, a weak con
stitution soon forced him to abandon what
.promised to be a brilliant professional
career for speculating liutlmbor. A few
years later he was a millionaire, and now he
counts his money by the millions.
Bishop Williams recently wrote in a
reply to a young Hartford man about to be
married: "I regret, sir, that it is without
my province to order the word 'obey'
omitted from tho marriage sen-Ice. There
Is no way that this can be dono except by
vote of the House of Bishops. The house
next convenes in 1S92, and If you will post
pone your marriage until then I will take
pleasure In presenting your petition to the
house for Its action." The young man con
cluded not to wait.
UNSOLICITED PEAISE,
A Flattering Testimonial From a Header
Who Is an Observer,
The following from a patron of The Dis
patch explains itself:
Youxgstown, O., May 18.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Dear Sib Allow a regular subscriber to congrat
ulate you upon your beautiful appearanco In your
new suit of type. Not content with being the best
paper In America you now forge ono step farther
ahead, and eclipse even your own excellence,
Long may j ou live and prosper.
Yours truly, WILL S, S.
Sweetness Not Effeminate.
Cleveland Leader. 1
The United States and Great Britain con
sume about 85 per cent as much sugar as all
the rest of the world. This fact Is an inter
esting commentary upon the theory that the
use of sweets is debilitating to mankind.
Tho two countries which beat the world In
sugar eating are abundantly able to hold
their own against any nations which run
more to raw meat aud coarse vegetable
products.
Blaine's Big Mistake.
Boston Globe.
Mr. Blaine did not display his customary
shrewdness when he let it get out that the
disease from which he is suffering Is gout.
Of all diseases that is the one which is felt
to be undemocratic, unrepublican 'and un
American. It will be impossible to kcop up
the 'Blaine enthusiasm when It I? known in
the back districts what alls him.
These Brethren Aro In It Sure.
Mercer Western Press.
The "me too" glass-eyed gosling of the
Greenville Argus, who Is being nursed by
Granny Harpst of the Progress, has ex
hausted his own intellect, and in addition to
his patent medicine advuses an Inch or two
of tho Progress bile, and" calls It editorial.
Great leather! What profundity!
Ingersoll Np 'Martyr.
Chicago Mall.
. It Is true that Pittsburg will not permit
Bob Ingersoll to lecture in that city on Sun
day for money, but there is nothing to pre
vent Robert from preaching his doctrines
there If he does It without money and with
out price.
DEATHS HEBE AND ELSEWHERE.
Fbaxcis N, Zabbiskie, D. D of Princeton,
the well-known divine and author, -is dead.
John Calvert, the 12-year-old son of, Bev. A.
n. Calvert, of Sharpsburg, died yesterday from
cerebro-splnal meningitis:
JOSEWI A. Bcebe, for more than half a century
a prominent citizen of Akron, died Saturday, aged
80 years. He was for many years editor of the
Bcaam.
Lieutenant Allen G. Paul, U. S. N died
on board the cruiser Philadelphia on her recent
return trip from Haytl to New York." He acted as
Naval Secretary under Secretary of the Navy
Tracy.
Joseph A. Edhondsox, aged 7J years, died Sat
urday at his home, "Blythcwood, " Baltimore.
Mr. Edmondson was probably tbe oldest merchant
In the grocery trade In Baltimore. Edmondson &
Son was the title of his nrm
MBS. Eliza A. Loko. who was burled in Akron,
O., Saturday, was the nrst lady type-setter tn that
city, and m orked In the composing room of the
Beaton 20 years ago. Her husband was one of the
founders of that paper, and was foreman of tbe
composing room at that time,
Fiebiie Adolfiie CnEBCiL, the well-known
French historian. Is dead in Paris. The Oobcrf
prize was awarded to htm by the Acadcmle Fran
calse at four annual concourses successively for
his ' 'Hletolre dc ta France Pendant la Minorite de
Louis XIV., "and "Hlstolre de France sous-le
MlnlstcrcdeMazarln." He was one of the ablest
lecturers In the colleges of France.
THINGS IN GENERAL,
But "Wagner and His- Music In Particular
Why Wo WUl Enjoy Wagnerian Airs
How Ideas Work a Change Struggles'
of Revolutionists.
Sho said: '-So you prefer Mendelssohn to
Wagner!" And ho said: "Yes; I can stand
songs without words, but I can't stand songs
without music,"
Yet there were more tickets sold, I believe,
for tho Wagner evening of tho May Festival
than for any other. Some people evidently
appreciate Wagner. Or else, It Is like eating
olives. There nre few who naturally like
olives. Yet, somehow, It Is the thing to eat
olives. And so we acquire tho taste; aud
even If we don't liko them, wo pretend that
we do, and so manifest our possession of an
aristocratic appetite. By and by we really
like olives; we have acquired the taste.
It is the proper thing to enjoy the music of
Wagner. We will, therefore, proceed to
enjoy the music of Wagner. That is, wo will
stay awake and smilajuid lean forward la
the attitude of devout attention, and at tho
end applaud and make appreciative re
marks. Anybody can school himself to do
that The Spartan boy smiled la the moBt
courageous and cheerful manner whilo tho
wolf was gnawing at hiS vitals, And a
Wagner concert Is not nearly so bad as being
eaten alive not nearly so bad. Let us then
smile and enjoy Wagner.
By and by we will really enjoy Wanner.
Tho fact is, that to enjoy the best things al
ways needs education. The more good pic
tures one looks at, the more one
is able to appreciate good pictures.
The more -good company one goes In,
the more one Is able to appreciate the privi
leges of good company. Nobody' begins at
the end. First the Bollo Books and Oliver
Optic, and then at some distance Plato.
First "Alice In Wonderland" and then "Mid
dlemarch." First, Puck and IAe, and then
Leonardo de Vinci. First, Moody and Sankey,
and then "Parsifal." Tho masters always
bore the uneducated. If we don't like Wag.
ner, so much the worse for us. Wo ure
proved deficient in education.
Personality First nt All Times.
Somebody says that the enthusiasm over
Wagner is tho setting of personality over
music. Weill Personality first, always. Partly,
perhaps, because we can understand that
best. We can recognize a notable man bet
ter, often than we can recognize a notable
achievement. And this, especially, In the
subtler arts, such as literature, painting and
music. If we knew that this book was writ
ten or this muaio composed, or this picture
painted by a great man, why that saves us a
great deal of trouble, spares us the pain of
critical Judgment, assures us at once that
here is something that Is worth while.
Mr. Aldrich published a poem in the At
lantic a few months ago, anonymously, and
nobody paid any attention to it. A few alert
critics remarked, I bellevo, that this un
known writer showed signs of strength, but
most people passed the verses by unnoticed.
If tho poet had set down his name, we would
nil lunc rend his lines, and remarked upon
their beauty. This measure of value is not
fair, of course. It does inj ustice to the work
of new men; and overrates the careless work
of the masters. But It is evidently the
handiest measuro there Is. Bead only the
men who have won fame, look only at tho
pictures of artists, with whoso names you aro
familiar; listen only to the music of com
posers whoso genins is approved by fame,
and you will miss a good deal, no doubt, but
what you get will be nine-tenths of It worth
while. "It Is good because it Is Wagner's."
That does set personality above music. But
it Is true nine times out of ten.
Bichard Wagner represents a musical
revolution. He stands for an idea. And that
means greatness. The small man is desirous
of bread and butter or of a comfortables
reputation. He finds out as best he can
what wo like, and he caters, accordingly, to
our taste. Any other proceduro would not
pay.
But the great man has an idea. And his
Idea doesn't agree with our idea. We""ftre all
wrong, he thinks. Wo need changing, up
lifting, bettering. He sets himself to get
tliat done. He has a small opinion of tradi
tions and old customs and conventions; pays
them no reverence whatsover. This makes
trouble, always. It brings in no reputation
at the start, except a bad one. It earns no
bread and butter. It takes all tho ease and
comfort and serenity out of the man's life.
But if the idea is true, and the great man is
great enough to push it, presently the whole
face of things has changed, and we are ad
vanced another stage in the course of civili
zation. That is the differenpebetween Wagner and
a hundred other good composers. It is tbe
difference between Martin Luther and
Phillips Brooks. Both of them willibe re
membored as great preachers, but Luther
represented a revolution, stood for a new
thing In the Church.
What Wagner Struggled For.
Bictiard Wagner knew what It was to be
hungry, and to be hooted at. no know what
it was to have his work neglected, and to
hear it said that his music was bad because,
it bore his name. In Paris, 30 years ago, his
opera of "Tannhauser" after 161 rehearsals,
and the expenditure of more than $10,000,
had to be withdrawn after the third rep
resentation. Tho courteous critics of the
Jockey Club interrupted the music with
"howls and dog whistles." Part of this
opposition was political. Wagner had made
some unfortunate moves in politics. Part
of it was probably provoked by Wagner's
own strong temper, and facility in the use of
strong language. But a good deal of it, the
foundation of it, was Wagner's determina
tion to bring about a musical revolution.
Luther, too, made his ventures In politics,
and had pleasure in flinging hard names at
the heads of people in general. It takes a
man of strong fiber to be the head of any
sort of rev ol ut Ion.
And what was it that Bichard Wagner
wanted? A very slmplo thing, it seems,
looking at it dispassionately, a very simple
and altogether natural thing. He wanted to
set the drama first, and to make the music
an illustration, an accompaniment, an em
phasis. As Mr. Krehbiel said the other even
ing, when he lectured here before the Art
Society, Wagner believed "That It Is the
purposo of music to heighten the expressive
ness of the text to be a means, not an aim."
But this went straight in the face of all the
teachings and practicing of all tho musical
scribes and pharisees of Wagner's day. The
music was the first consideration. The
words wore for the sake of the music. If
the conjunction "and" happened to come in
the place where the comppser wanted to
have a fugue or a flight of trills, that "and"
was sung, with Iteration and reiteration,
as if it were the most important word In
the whole opera, and conveyed the supremo
meaning of the drama. Some parsons have
.been accused of giving out the notice of the
'parish sewing society as if they were pro
nouncing a verse from tho Revelation of St.
John the Divine. And 'Whlteneld, as every
body knows, was able to put such subtle
pathos into tho word "Mesopotamia" as to
persuade a whole congregation to shed
tears. But this was worse. It was a com
plete sacrifice of sense for sound. The main
purposo of the lyrio drama when Wagner
began his revolution was to show ofr the
voices of tho singers. It was like that
"sacred" music, now happily being shamed
out of existence, in whioh the anthem is
evidently sung to the praise andglory of the
quartette.
A Poet as Well as a Composer,
Against this Bichard Wagner set himself.
But If the muslo is to heighten the express
iveness of the text, you must have a good
text. And hero is tho other half of Wag
ner's greatness. He chose great subjects
and worked them out In a great way. He
whs a poet as well as a composer. He re
membered how the Greek composers had
centered their best muslo about the classic
drama of their country, about the text of
Sophocles and -Eschylus. And he found in
his own laud and in his own language that
which most nearly approached those old
traditions in the epic of the Nibolungs.
It IsacurlouB feature of our education
that we are taught a great deal more about
Ulysses than we nre about Siegfried. We
are made far better acquainted with the
epics of the Greeks and Latins than we are
with the epic equally great In motive and
surpassing in picturesqueness which was
the creation Of our forefathers, the Ger
mans. The story of the ring of the Nibelungs, the
tragedy of Siegfried and Brunhild, of Tristan
and Isolde, the legend of the Holy Grail,
ought to be hotter known than any myth of
Italy or Greece. James Baldwin has written
tho ''Story of Siegfried," and Charles Scrib
ner's Sons have published It, and thus made
all that fine old epic accessible. Everybody
ought to read it. I
Wagner took this grand theme, and Wroto
Das Kheingold, nndDie Walkuro, and Slog
fried, and the Gotterdammerung, and Parsi
fal; first the words and then the fitting
music. We aro Just beginning to appreciate
the real greatness of his work. Take a new
and true idea, and give It Illustration, in a
worthy subjectand you have a result wbioh
Is likely to he a lasting achievement. Tho
"muslo of the future," they used to call it,
when they doubted that sense could he ever
set first and sound second in music. . It is
getting, happily, to bo tho muslo of tho
present.
AMEEICAN LAB0B TOO HIGH
For tho Best Quality of Brushes to be Manu-
factored Here.
Gain, in Cincinnati Enquirer.
In New York City I passed a brush shop on
Broadway. It occurred tome that I would
go in and buy an assortment of whisp
brooms, hair brushes, bath brushes, nail
brushes, and supply some new rooms I had
added to my library den that bachelor
friends might come along and rcqnlre no
baggage at nlL I bought some 15 worth of
things, sold to me at tho same figure as to
merchants, a brush of one kind being put in
ns one twelfth, two of a kind figuring In as
one sixth of a dozen, etc. I noticed a great
difference In tbe prices of these brushes, es
pecially hair brushes. Said I: "What makes
this brush $12 a dozen and that one less
than $7 a dozent" "The more expensive
ones are Imported," said he. "Why are they
Imported?" "Because labor is too high in
tho United States not to introduce machin
ery into the manufactory, and you can never
get in brush-making tho perfection by ma
chines which handwork will give you. The
bristles of many of these French brushes,
and perhaps the French make the best
brushes in the world, are all picked
out by- hand, and they keep stiffness as
long as tho brush lasts. The woodwork is
mainly dono by hand and the brush holds
together longer than a glued brush would
do, the back of which may be in two or three
pieces. The fact is that while wo make
brushes in great quantities in the United
States, and we ourselves are interested in
brush mills here, yet the best brushes still
are imported. Wo even import bristles to
make our own brushes with."
'.'You glvo no other solution to this than
thojrreater price of labor?"
"Tliat Is the whole question. Every one
of those foreign laborers who comes over
here understands that by combination he
can cripple the manufacturer and to some
extent control him. He wants at least SO per
cent more wages than he got in France or
Germany or England. Indeed, he Is the per
son who in general forms tho labor organiza
tion, having a notion in his mind from the
time he left the other country that America
shall owe him at least SO per cent advance,
and he starts to secure it by combination.
The manufacturer, therefore, unable to han
dle the labor question, looks to machinery
for his relief. He will get a machine which
will saw out tho wooden parts of the brush,
arrange the bristles and substitute for one
halfiof tho hand labor a full half of Inven
tion. Wo furnish cheap articles, therefore,
but Ihey do not last like those which would
be niado by hand, were we not at the mercy
of tho foreign and the amalgamated skilled
labor."
HO USE E0B BOGUS SPOOKS.
A Spiritualist's Opinion of a Proposed Law
In Illinois.
Chicago Tribune.
Colonel John C. Bnndy, who edits a paper
in tho Interest of spiritualism, Is pleased at
the passage by the Illinois Senate of a bill
prohibiting anyone from personating the
spirits of the dead, commonly known as
spirit medium seances, on penalty of fine
and imprisonment. The editor sent the bill
to Springfield and drew It up himself.
"The purpose of the bill," said Colonel
Bundy yesterday, is to suppress this fraudu
lent materialization business which is being
carried on in this city and all over tho coun
try. It is aimed to prevent such exhibitions
as thoso given by Mrs. Sawyer, which the
Tribune exposed, and those of the Bangs
sisters. Philadelphia was full of these
frauds during the Centennial and they
preyed on the visitors. Such peo
ple are already making arrangements
to come here next year and stay until the
World's Fair is over. I wroto the bill in the
interest of psychical science, of the people,
nud of honest spiritualism honest mediums.
Scientists aro handicapped by these,charla
tans going about the country giving f radu
lent exhibitions. There will bo no trouble
distinguishing between a trick exhibition
and a genuine spirit materialization, as the
latter 18 a scientific phenomenon requiring
no artificial device."
BLAINE F0EED THE H0BHETS.
A Trick the Secretary of State Played Upon
Professor Ely.
SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO TUB DISPATCU.
Browksviile, May 17. The late Prof. Ely,
many years ago principal of the school here,
numbered James G. Blaine amdng his pupils,
and told a story on the present Prime Minis
ter that goes to show he did not differ
greatly from other boys. The professor al
ways began his story by saying: "Speaking
of stirring up hornets' nests," and then
went on to tell how Jim Blaine, with his
brother Bob, and tho present proprietor of
the Hopkins Hotel here, Thomas Hopkins,
discovered a hornets' nest under the school
house, with a convenient knot hole leading
directly up to where Prof. Ely's chair stood.
Ono day the boys mentioned "played
hookey," and, securing ladders, returned to
the school cellar, wheie Jim poked the hor
nets. The amazed teacher was stnng three
times before he escaped Into tho open air,
twice on his more than ample nose. Prof.
Ely said he pardoned the boys after the pain
and swelling had subsided, but there is more
than room for suspicion here that he
soundly thrashed young Blaine for his share
In tho enterprise.
Deserves to Be Congratulated.
Parker (Pa.) Phcenlx.
Mr. Adam Bowser was again made the
happy father of another boy, this being tho
thirteenth, ten of whom are living.
PHILADELPHIA'S ROTTEN BANKS.
Plain Talk of the State Press on the Hecent
Financial Scandals.
PmLADELrniA Calk A director who fails to
direct and an examiner who fails to examine
are about on a par.
Philadelphia Times: Instead of tearing
leaves out In (heir books last January, the
guilty Keystone folks should have turned
over some new ones.
HAitnisBuW Telegraph: The whole truth Is
now out. The Keystone bank wreckers were
thieves common, ordinary, every-day
thieves.-who robbed right and left and per
petrated that meanest of thefts, robbed their
friends. It Is to be hoped that tho law in
this Instance will bo dealt out impartially to
those robbors.
Philadelphia Bulletin: . More than a week
has passed since the Spring Garden Bank
closed its doors, but no statement of its con
dition has yet reached the public. In the
meantime there is a prevailing suspicion
that one or more active and dextrous Afri
cans are concealed somewhere In Ihe debris
of this woodpile.
Lahcasteb Intelligencer: Tho developments
in the Keystone Bankmattershowthatthere
Is no protection to the creditors of a bank,
any more than of an individual, outside of
personal character. The United States un
dertakes to protect national bank depositors
by periodically examining their condition,
but Mr. Drew, who had been semi-annually
examining tho Keystone Bank ever since it
was started, or for some ton years, did not
find out that anything was wrong with It un
til tbe President a little while ago asked a
director to kindly tell the examiner that he
would find the bank rotten If he would again
look Into it.
Philadelphia Press: The Keystone Bank
examination has gono far enough to show
that for at least three years, and In some
cases for five, a large number of Its officers
nnd directors have had a guilty knowledge
of its bankrupt condition. The repeated
examinations made in this period failed to
reveal its condition because of the con
spiracy of concealment In which all about
the bank wore engaged. This does not
relieve the Bank Examiner from a very
serious responsibility. -It imposes the duty
of a rigid, legal Inquiry whether the con
spiracy to conceal the real state of affairs
did not include some person'or persons out
side of tho bank.
AN AMATEUK'S STRUGGLE.
I love my love so well
My love I cannot tell.
Though oft I've tried, in prose.
And so I venture rhyme,
(That doesn't rbymsj)
I love her merry eyes.
The color of the skies,
Her rippling laugh so sweet,
Her golden hair, her dimpling cheeks.
And dancing feet,
(Too many feet.)
She's in my thoughts alway,
Iu night dreams and in day,
I would the hours fleet fleeter
Toward the moment I shall meet her,
(That's wrong metre,)
It's hard for me to write
My muse has taken flight;
My rhyme Is getting worse,
I think I'll try blank verse.
(No! all verse.)
FaatucUt TlmeSi
. A DISH OF LITE&ARa1 HASH.
Origin of the Word Mugwump How a Fat
JttanSlts Sman.Boys on a Strike Two
Animals Tliat Served in the Late Un
pleasantness. Tho history of the modern literary use of
the word "mugwump" Is enlarged by a re
cent contribution to the Termont Standard
from 3Ir. Henry s. Dana, of Woodstock, Vt.
Mr. Dana is deeply versed in -neighborhood
matters, andhas writtenan elaboratehlstory
of Woodstock. " Ho says that the American
Whig newspaper, published for several
years in that town, contained the following,
under date of August 24, 1832:
dyiko call, ob the cat let out of the bad.
S Through the politeness of an anti-Masonic
friend in a distant town we have been furnisbed
wlUiaopyoftlie secret bulletin of the Clay Ma
sonic party. It has extensively circulated among
the Knights or Kadosh and the Most Worshipful
MngwuinpsoftheCauletow nearly a month ago,
and with so much "secrecy and caution" that we
have been unable to get sight of a copy until the
present moment.
Mr. Dana says: "The credit of starting the
word 'Mugwumps' in the public print must
be given to our fellow-townsman, Henry S.
Hutchinson, until some person appears who
can establish a prior claim." It may be
doubted whether, at this distance of time, a
claim prior to 1832 can well bo established by
production of a printed record; but ever
since tho days of the Pilgrim Fathers the
word has been familiar in New England
communities. Because it was thus familiar,
the Vermont editor, 0 years ago, used it In
addressing the plain people of his constitu
ency. Ho knew that they wonld understand
it. It Is to be noticed that the term Invaria
bly denotes some excellency or superiority
In tho porsons to whom It Is applied.
One of the Fat Man's Miseries.
Perhaps there are a great many people
who know a great many things who do not
know how a fat man sits down. We lean
people, says the Detroit yews who, unless
fromau'resthetic motive, do not have to
make a study of the art of sitting down, can
not appreciate tho difficulties a fat man may
have in placing himself In a chair. He can
not, as we do, swing himself to any frail
seat, turn with an easy motion, and, with a
general and graceful collapse, be seated. E.
W. Voygt, whose known weight Is S13 pounds,
was recently carefully watched as he en
deavored to seat himself. As ho approached
tho chair he measured It carefully with a
trained eye. Then he backed up to It as he
would back up to a cart. Looking over his
shoulder he saw that his position was
geographically correct. Then, with a droll,
uncertain expression on his dumpling
face, he humped his shoulders and
scrooged up the small of his. hack, thus
shortening nimsolf six inches. He placed
his hands at his sides a little back of him
and firmly grasped the arms of Jiischalr, and
a pleased expression came over tliat chubby
face. He leaned his whole body forward,
breaking at the hips, the chair presenting a
rear elevation something like the compli
cated eaves of the roof of a house or the
broken section of a cantilever. He braced
himself for a mighty effort and began tug
ging resolutely at the chair. It was like pull
ling on a tight hoot, and this chair was a
very close fit indeed. But presently It went
on with a snap, and again tho clouds cleared
from his face. Slowly and carefully ho set
tled back on the floor, pushed himself well
back in the heel, and the fat man was in his
chair. Getting up 13 another task for this
fat man. He must not arise with thoughtless
celerity, for then he will prnnco about tho
room with tho chair firmly attached, pre
senting anything but decorous appearance.
He firmly grasps the arms and removes the
chair as he would pull off, a congress gaiter,
and then the fat man is free again.
A Half-Grown Strike.
A score or more cash boys employed in a
New York drygoods store organized a strike
about ten days ago, says the New York
Times. They wanted an increase of 60 cents
a week in their pay and the abatement of
two or three obnoxious rules relative to
fines. The determination to strike was
unanimous, and each boy was taken, ns fast
as circumstances permitted, Into tho re
motest corner of the cellar under tbe store,
and made to "swear upon honor" that he
would not back out of the movement until
the objects sought were attained. A-day or
two before the day fixed for the strike a
mousing porter caught three of them
together in the cellar, and his threats
to report them for attempting to steal
frightened them into telling him their secret.
Utterly disregarding their pleas -to- "keep
still about it" tha porterwent directly to the
Superintendent and exposed the plot. That
very night all of the cash boys were sum
moned before tbe Superintendent after the
store had been closed. "If there Is to he any
striking in this store," said the Superin
tendent, "1 propose to strike first. Now I
want every boy whp Is pledged to this move
ment to step forward." Only one boy
steppod forward, and he proved to be the
most industrious and trustworthy boy in the
store. Each of the other boys, being
questioned in turn, denied any complicity in
the proposed strike. The Superintendent
was a shrewd man. He soon ascertained all
of the facts and found that tbe one plucky
boy proposed to stand by his "strike oath''
until "the objects sought wero attained."
"Oh, very well," said tho Superintendent
dryly, "As you are the only ono on strike, I
will concede to you all you ask."
A Venerable Mule's History.
A venerable mule, with an eventful his
tory, was pointed out on the streets of Den
nison last week, according to a special dis
patch to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. It Is
tho pioperty of Ben Walker, and Is known to
be 49 years old. During the war it was in the
Bed River Department of tho Confederate
service. At tho battle of Honey Grove, in
the Creek Nation, the mule was attached to
tho artillery service. It was with General
Price at the battle of Elkhorn Tavern, Mo.
It was also In the Pea.Kldge campaign, and
was at one time ridden by General Holmes,
of Confederate fame, when Generals Marma
duke and Hindinan retreated to Little Rock,
Ark. After tho affuir with the Federal Gen
eral Blount the mule was used in the ambu
lance department. It has been in a number
of battles, but never stampeded or lost its
presence of mind. Recently while standing
on Main street the venerable animal did not
look a day over 10 years old. Jimmle Dare
Is sleek and fat, with a bright eye and elas
tic step, and Ben Walker inlormed the
Globe-Democrat man that last spring he trav
eled over 300 miles through the Chickasaw
and Choctaw Nations, averaging 25 miles a
day, and that Jimmle showed no evidence of
fatigue.
A Dog Honorably Discharged.
A curious relic of the war Is in possession
of Charles F. Gillot, of Cleveland, who values
it highly, says the Union Veteran, of that city.
It is the honorable discharge of a faithful
dog owned by Mr. Gillet's father, the animal
having served for three years in Battery H.,
Independent Regiment, Pennsylvania Light
Artillery. The discharge recites that "Jack
Puppy fbrindle)" is a Y'watchman" in Cap
tain B. H. Novln's company,that he was en
listed January 21, 18C2, for three years, and
was discharged June 10th, 1863, at Camp
Barry, D. C, by reason of expiration of term.
plexion and brown eyes, and was bv occupa
tion when enrolled "a fighter." 'The dis
charge is duly signed by E. H. Nevins, Jr.,
Captain commanding battery, and by LA.
Torrence, mustering officer, Lieutenant Sec
ond UnitedStates Artillery,
Tired of Tardy Prisoners.
Thefollowlngstory, which hasbcenstarted
somewhere in reference to the Center
county, Pa., Jail, lias been resurrected by
tho Oil City Blbsard: Unless something is
done to render the Jail a sure place of con
finement it will become as much of a farce
as tho old Jail was during tho term of a
certain Dutch Sheriff from the lower end of
Penn's Vnlley. It is said that ho used to go
out on the front porch and ring the bell at
meal times for the prisoners, and used to sit
up at nights waiting on them to come in to
go to bed. He got tired of staying up so late
and one morning ho called them all together
in the office, and said: "Loog here, yous-o'-kuns,
dls ting of mo stnyin' oop ul night
vaten on you brisoners to come in Is blayed
out. After dis any brisonor vat doesn't git
in dls Jail nt 9 o'clock gits locked out."
The Dally Grind in a Bank.
"When w e get to tho bank In the morn
ing," said a bank messenger to a writer in
tho Cincinnati Times-Star, "the first duty Is
to open all letters nnd tako charge of drafts
on city parties. Then we start out and pre
sent tho drafts and recelvo In return checks
or cash. These we bring to the bank nnd do
posit. Now comes the answering of tho
mail. This often requires considerable time
and as soon ns it is completed wetlo it up
nnd help pack it off to the postofflce. We
are olten intrusted with large sums of
money, but aro required to give no bond.
Our duties aro by no menYis light, as vou can
see. I once carried $100,000 from tbe bank to
the Treasury Departuientln the Govornmcnt
building. On this occasion I was gnarded by
five trusty men, picked by tho bank officers.
I did not know who they were, but they all
knew me. Every bank messenger carries a
loaaeu revoiverwnea on uio street.
Will HELP BATH) TBABBIT.
Worlt WIU Be Begun in September on th
Great North Biver Bridge. ,
New Yoax, May 17. The big New York and
New Jersey bridge, which is to span the.
Hudson river at West Seventy-first street
and connect all suburban towns with New
York, is no longer an enterprise of tbe fut
ure. The necessary capital. $100,000,000, pas
been subscribed by a syndicate of capitalists
of this city and New Jersey, and tho New
Jersey Commission will meet next week to
effect a permanent organization. When this
has been done the company will be incov
porated under the laws of both New York
and New Jersey. The work of construction
will then immediately bo begun.
Charles Swan. Seeretarv of the Now York
Commission, said ye;
bridee In connection
frroifc miltf thttftltaaatAm
would be tho most complete in th world.
liesiaes the increased faculties iot travel, ua
said the new bridge and approaches would
open avenues of local commerce which
would completely abolish the overcrowded
condition of both the North and East rivers.
COAL NEAB NEW CASTLE.
Operators Think They Have Discovered
Valuable Vein of tbe Mineral.
fSPECIAL TELEORAX TO TUB DISPATCH.
New Castle, May 1L Coal operators In
this section are greatly Interested In the de
velopment of an extensive vein of coal 13
miles east of this city. Though there Is some
doubt as to the depth of the vein, which
seems to vary, tho company, formed of Pitts
burg and Eastern capitalists, with some
local Interest, is pushing the branch road
from the Ft. Wayne to their 300 acres of coal
lands. It is tho opinion of many experts
that near Ell wood, where the road is to be
run, the upper and lower Klttnnnlng volns
unite, and iorm a perfect vein six feet thick.
These two veins are separated by about 30
feet of shale usually, and if they unite, as Is
thonght, it will prove of tho greatest im
portance to Lawrence county.
IBBIGATING THE DAKOTAS.
Experiments Under Gorrernment Auspices
Being Mode at Aberdeen.
Aberdeen, S. D., May 17. Cole S. Nettleton,
Chief Engineer of Irrigation Inquiry of the
Department of Agriculture, has arrlvod in
Aberdeen in company wlthB. S. Lagrange,
of Grcely, Col., and W. W. Pallet, of Denver.
Tho gentlemen are practical engineers and
irrigators, and have commenced to operate
the artesian well on tbe experimental sta
tion of the Beard farm east of the city.
The Government pays their salaries and
the people here furnish tho land, seed, etc.
They were greatly pleased with the situa
tion and have no doubt of the sue cess of
irrigation in the two Dakotas.
POLITICAL GHOULISH GLEE.
What an Independent 'Paper Thinks of
Comments on Blaine's Illness.
Chicago News. J
Those correspondents who are dwelling
upon Mr. Blaine's Illness withhe apparent
beuef that in some way they are thereby
damaging his political chances should curb
their tempers and their pens. Whatever
the public thinks of Mr. Blaine's work as a
public servant, It is hardly ready to sympa
thize with anybody's ghoulish glee over his
misfortunes.
That the Secretary of State is ul must bo a
matter of regret to any one who pretends to
any sort of decency. It is one thing to op
pose a man's politics; it is quite another to
rejoice over his sufferings and his possibly
forced retirement from public service.
THROUGH JOHNSTOWN'S 7L00D,
Two Books or Very Old Date Which Have
Been Preserved.
SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO TOE DISrATCU.l
Johsstowtt, May 17. Two curious old
books, which have both gone through the
flood, are In possession of Edward Miller,
near Stoyestown, Somerset county. The one
is "Travels of Jonathan Carver," printed in
1776. Catharine Heldebrand Burkhart, of
this place, was the owner, bne was tne oju
est w hite female child born in Johnstown,
in the year 1801. Mrs. Burkhart lost her life
in the flood, and the book came into tho
possession of her daughter, Mrs. Miller.
The otherisaCatholic prayer book printed
tn German In tho year 1780, and Is In ftgood
state of preservation.
ANTONY'S 0BAT0RICAL EIVAL.
The Late Henry Grady's Speeches Subjects
of Schoolboy Declamation.
Boston Herald.l
Two specimens of the lamented Orator
Grady's eloquence were cnosen Dy tne prize
-speakers In the elocutionary contest at Har
vard this year. This was a very handsome
recognition of the dead orator, but we ob
serve that the late Mark Antony's address
over Caesar's body was not crowded out of
the programme.
It will be a long day hence before tho aver
age college and schoolboy orators can bo in
duced to give that effort the slip.
Another Veto in Prospect.
Chambersbnrg Spirit.
It Is questionable whether the Boyer bill;
which proposes to appropriate certain State
taxes to the school funds of the several
townships, would not be open to the same
constitutional objections that Governor Pat
tison has urged against the similar distribu
tion pf moneys collected under tho pro
posed'road law.
Why Europe Is PeacefoL
Buffalo Express.
Modern inventiveness seems to be chiefly
responsible for the continued peace of
Europe. The Powers' are kept so continu
ously changing their armaments In order to
keep up with the times that they haven't
money enough to go to war with.
A Correct Outside Opinion.-1
Boston Traveller.
Pennsylvania might as well retain "her
present ballot law as to accept a reform law
with reform entirely amended out of it.
With Whom?
Harrlsburg Call.
The President has had a good reqt. Now
will come hard work to catch up.
A Warning Hint.
Altoona Tribune.
It 13 extremely dangerous for an individ
ual or a political party to trifle with pnblio
opinion.
PEOPLE WHO COME AND 00.
"W. H. Quay, of Meadville, and Luke
Schoolcraft, the minstrel, are stopping at
the Central Hotel. Luke sighs for the good
old days when white-faced business had not
spoiled the beautiful art of negro minstrelsy.
C. H. Kaufman and George V. Evans,
Wheeling officials of the Amalgamated Asso
ciation, were at the Central Hotel yesterday
making arrangements for the annual meet
ing, which will he held soon.
Emil Fischer, the bass singer, left for
Chicago last evening, ne was greatly pleased
with his reception fn Pittsburg, and hopes to
return some day in tho future.
Liautcnant Booker, of the Third district
leaves this morning for Lancaster, to attend
the annual session of the Grand Lodge of
Odd Fellows.
"W. H. Pratt, of the Mt. "Vernon Bridge
Work, and W. P. Tyler, of the Washington
Tube Company, are at the Duquesne.
A. H. Simon, owner of "The Patrol"
company, and S.W.Foulk, of Newcastle,
are at the Seventh Avenue Hotel.
Vice President James McCrea, of the
Pennsylvania Company, went to Philadel
phia last night In his prlvnte car.
General Keynolds, counsel for the Pull
man Company, was a passenger on the lim
ited going to Chicago last night.
J. P. Hill, of Brockton, and "V. "C. Bry
son, of Washington, are registered at the
Monongahela House.
H. T. McGreevy and wife, of Van
couver, were among the guests at the
Schlosser yesterday.
Mrs. C. "W. Bassett left for New York last
evening to attend the funeral of her broth
er's child.
L. G. Smith, of "Washinirton. and H. O.
Beck, of Akron, aro stopping at the Ander-
son.
Edmund Jenkins, the Baltimore, and
Ohio paymaster, was in the city yesterday.
Dr. Templeton has returned from a trip
through Illinois.
Ex-Senator James S. Butan went East
last evening.
CURIOUS condensations! -
Kansas averages one State convention
the year round.
The largest library is the Imperial, of
Paris, which contains over 2,000,000 volumes.
Smoke from forest fires is so dense over
the Mackinaw Straits that navigation Is im
peded. The heat produced from the light of a
fire-fly Is only 1 per cent of an equal amounts
of candle-light.
Chicago has the biggest lime kiln. Six
thousand barrels of stone and lime are
crushed in a day.
A German professor claims to have dis-'
covered tho bacteria which causes baldness
by destroying the roots of tho hair.
According to the last census there were
28 15-vear-old married women In Paris, and
tTo o'f them have since been divorced.
A cup of tea made from the roots of
freshly-dug dandelions will work wonders
for the nerves. Take three times a flay.
A little child in Waynesboro, this State,
swallowed a 'galvanized iron staple a few
days ago, and experienced no bad results
from it.
A woman In Slater, Ho., pricked hey
flngor while handling Insect powder and
suffered severely from the poison for some)
months.
Philadelphia taste is growing Frenchy.
The general exchange soon to be established
has been christened "The Philadelphia
Bourse."
Nine hundred aud fifty submarine tele
graph cables are now in operation, most of
them in Europe. Their total length is over
89,000 miles.
After a time sheep may be useful only
for mutton. Wool, the chemists say, can ba
made more cheaply from wood fiber than 16
can be grown on sheep.
A man in "Wichita, Kan., is so desirous
of avoiding trouble that he nover allows any
of bis children to visit relatives oftener than
once In every two weeks.
A scientist of Tennessee thinks that the
Gulf stream every day passes through thou
sands of miles of subterranean channel that!
Is surrounded by a living Are.
Dr. Kellar, of Pottstown, cut a threaded
needle out of the foot of William Ellis the
other day. Ellis did not know how it got
there, bat has suffered from it for several
years.
One-third of the students in Europe, it
is said, die prematurely from the effect 0
bad habits acquired at college, one-third die)
prematurely from the effects of close confine,
ment at their studies, and tUe other third
govern Europe.
A Meadville fisherman takes all his carp
with a hook and line. His method is to
throw bread crumbs on the water, and then
when the flsh get to feeding nicely to put a
good fat crumb on his hook, being always
certain of a bite.
The greatest novelty in dolls hag noty
been invented In Nuremberg, the great Ger
man town for dolls and playthings. A ma-. .
chlnc in the doU causes it to move its hand
and write neat little letters on a slate or or
paper." Whole sentences can be written.
The Presidental train, in its trip ended
last week; was on portions of 22 different
railroads, and the average speed of the train
when running was scheduled at S3 miles an
nonr, but often when time had been lost be
tween terminals of roads 68 miles an hour
was run.
German papers express serious alarm at
the spread of irrellglon in tho Fatherland.
The number of Germans in tho large cities
receiving neither baptism nor confirmation
amounts to hundreds of thoniands. In
Prussia alone there are 30,000 irreligious per
sons who have never been baptized.
Pour spinsters of O'Fallon, Mo., have
become famous by the new paint on their
joint residence. They couldn't agree on the
colors, so they decided that each should
have her favorite color on a portion of the
house, and then they drew lots for the por
tions. The house is an artistic revelation.
In one of the churches at Jeffersou
City, Mo., the minister's son commanded the
young woman who acts as organist to ob
serve a certain rule in relation to the mulc,
and when she refused he struck her. Tha
pastor paid the fine and costs and a spirit of
Christian harmony once more reigns in the
choir.
A Mississippi boy sent to Louisville
ibr medical treatment Is abnormally fond of
water, although previous 'to an accidental
shooting some, months ago he had as strong
an aversion to It. For the past two months
he has been sitting in a tub of water, and
screams as If in tbe greatest agony when ouc
of his huge tub.
In Chicago, to-day, there are by actual
count 1,463 hotels, with a total capacity for
133,000 guests. The floating transient popu
lation of the Chicago hotels is estimated as
about 05,000, so that there still remains a sur
plusage of comfortable accommodations for
70,000 people during the World's Fair. Board
ing houses will accommodate 0,000 more.
The meanest man on record is said to
live in Center county, this State. He sold his
son-in-law one-half a cow, and then refused
to divide the milk, maintaining that he sold
only the front hall. The buyer was also re
quired to provide the feed the cow con
snmed, and compelled to carry water to her
three times a dav. Recently the cow hooked
the old man, and now he is suing his son-in-law
for damages.
Tha Venezuelan methods for collecting
duties are peculiar. If a cook stove has a
brass knob on its door, the whole thing is
weighed as so much brass and duty charged
accordingly. A barrel of flour costing $3
pays imposts not only on the flour, but the
staves, hoops and heads, costing, when set
down.with freight and duties added $13. And
yet, owing to cheap labor, bread is about a3
low and quite as good in Caracas as in New
York.
Some rare metals, possessing special
qualities, are required for certain work.
Thus palladium is used in making some
parts of timepieces, and irridium for tha
points of gold pens. Lithium Is the lightest
of metals. Bhodlnm is extremely hard and
brittle, nnd is only fusible at a very high
temperature, and irridium is tho heaviese
substance hitherto discovered. The un
initiated have no idea of tho value of these
Bcarce products, which are most of them far
more precious than gold and silver.
The tower of a public building now in
course of erection at Philadelphia Is to bo
provided with a clock, which, for size alone,
will be one of the marvels of the world. The
center of the dial (25 feet in diameter; wul
be 331 feet above the street. The bell is to
weigh between 20,000 and 25,000 pounds and
wulbe second In weight to the great Mon
treal Cathedral hell, which weighs 28,000
pounds, and it is calculated that its peal
will be heard even to the most distant part
of the city. Chimes similar to those of
Westminster will be used, ringing at the
quarter, half, three-quarters and hour. The
minute hand is to be 12 feet and the hour
hand 9 feet In length, while the Eoman fig
ures on the dial will measure 2 feet 8 inches
in length.
THE MEKRT-GO BOUND.
HIE BAKEK'S TRICK.
The baker gives us loaves that puff
Out In a wondrous way.
And has the cheek to claim the stuff
Is holesomer that way. Washington Post.
Few things give the average hard-headed
business man more pleasure than the ability to aay
ofaanoeessfulactressonthestage: 'f
"Oh, jes, I meet her frequently In prlvato life."
SomervUU Journal.
First Tramp I never failed yet to make;
money out of anything I tackled.
Second Tramp Ton ought to be rich.
First Tramp-But I ain't. You see I never
tackled anything. Texas Slfllngs.
"Blitturs began life as a school teacher."
"BeaUyT What a precocious baby he must have
been.JOtff I&r Sun.
Gillygall Now, Miss Gwace, if you de
slawed to cut a diamond, what would you user
Miss Keenc The heart of any man that can regu
larlr visit a girl two years without offering her A
ring. Jeweler's Weekly.
"I began keeping a diary this year an
honest diary and, I wrote it in French, hut I've
dropped it."
"Whyl"
"My wife has begun taking French lessons."-
Sew York Recorder.
Carruthers Dreadfully cultured people,
those Bostonians. Friend of mine there's got
hen roost: what do yon suppose he calls it
Waite Can't say.
Carruthers The laity. Kno York Herald.
Hungry Higgins-i-Say, boss, I haven't
had a bite to eat for four days. ' ..
Mudge (hurrying by) And I have had to decline
seven Invitations to dinner in the same period 'cX
time. Fnnnjr how things average na Isn't' it,
Indtana&U Sentinel. - "
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