16 "Loot! Look:" she cried. It was a sail standing out sharp and clear asrainst the sky, as the sun's rays clothed it with a dazzling w hitcnass. "Look: Look!" repeated Molly in tones so htrange as to seem scarcely.to have fallen from human lips. Kate's eyes loUowed her cousin's move ments with a startled look in them and the mulattress, with a censuring shake ot the head, reached quickly out and laid hold of Molly's arm. "Come, come," shecricd. But the words didn't seem to reach Molly's ears. "Come, dear Molly!" pleaded Kate. Asd with these words she tried to lead her away, to turn her gaze awav from that sail, hung like a glistening white curtain on the far western ekv. Molly resisted. "No, nof" she cried pushing Xanny aside with a startling vigor. Tut this mental excitation ended sud denly. The sun passed under a cloud, and the white and glistening vision faded into nothingness. Once more Mollv's arms dropped listlessly by her side, tiie vacant Mare came back to her eyes and all con sciousness of the situation ceased. Then Kate took her by the hand, and she allowed herself to be led quickly back to Prospect ottagc From now on, by Lew Barker's direction', Molly was not to be taken for a walk out hide of the villa grounds. It was at this juncture that Andrew Hollister decided to inform Captain John of everything that had happened, the men tal aberration of Mrs. Allaire having now taken on all the symptom Of a chronic dis order. It was not to Signapore whence the Prcadnaught must already have f-ailcd. after putting in there as had been contemplated: it was to Calcutta that he cabled a lone message which John would find upon reaching that port in the Indies But although Mr. Hollister has given up all hope with regard to Molly, still in the opinion of the physicians., it was still possi ble that her mental condition might undergo Eonie change in the event of her experienc inc some violent shock as for example, the return of her husband and her coming face to face with him. This chance, it is true, was the onlv remaining one, and although its promise of mccess wax very, t-light, Mr. HollNtcr was unwilling that it should be neglcted. Hence in his dispatch to Captain John, after conjuring him not to live himself over to despair, he directed him to turn the command of the Dread naught over to his first mate, Hod Shell on, and to return to San .Diego as quickly as possible. This worth- man would not have stopped at any sacrifice in order to have this last experiment made upon Molly, and he requested the young captain to reply by cable as to the course he would pursue. When Lew Barker learned of the tenor of tlus dispatch, which, by the way, Mr. Hol lister thought expedient to make known to h;m, he approted of it thoroughly, but took care to express his doubts that Captain John s return would produce any change in tho patient's mental condition of a character qualified to bring about improvement. But Kate clung to the hope that the sight of Jolin might lift the clouds from Molly's reason and Lew Barker promised to write to him to this effect, so that he might return home at once, a promise, however, which he iailed to keep. By the first of June it would be two months and a half since the Dreadnaught Iptt the port of San Diego. There had been no ni ws from her since she fell in with the FKiug Cloud. By this time, allowing for ber popping at Singapore, she ought to be, in the absence of accidents', upon the point of arrh ing at Calcutta. There had not been citner from the Pacific or Indian Ocean any report of exceptionally bad weather which would be likely to interfere with the speed of such a fine clipper ship. Therefore, Mr. Hollister could not conceal his surprise at no: receiving any news. He couldn't ex plain wny nis correspondent at Singapore rhouid not have udvisod him of the arrival ni the Dreadnaught. How could he sup pose that the Driaduaught would not touch at Sin:raporewhen Captain John was ex pr ssly onlered to do so. Anyway, it would all enme out in a few days, for the Dread naught must soon ruacli Calcutta. week went by. June 15 came and there was no news yet. A dispatch was now bent to the correspondent of the firm of H'dlistcr & Co. asking for an immediate re pl concerning Captain John Allaire and the Dreadnaught. The rt ply came two davs later. Nothing had been heard of tie Dreadnaught at Calcutta. The American tbri--master had not Ijeen fallen in with, up to date, within the latitude of the Gulf of Bengal. Andrew Hollister's surprise now changed to anxiety, and as it was im possible to keep tlii- contents of the tele gram from becoming known, the report was ,oo'i spread about the city that the Dread n nisht had neither reached Calcutta nor Singapore. 1'Uo Allaire family, so it seemed, was abnm to be stricken with another calamity, a calamiu that would reach other San Db'go families to which the crew belonged. Al'out this time it was that a change was made in the service of the cottage. With out anv apparent motive, Lew Barker di cbHrged the servant who had been retained until now. and whose work had not given anv cause tor complaint. The mulattress was now leit in sole charge of the domestic ar rangements of tin. house. t the end of June Andrew Hollister re ceived a dispatch from Calcutta. The mari time agencies mid no newt, of the Dread naiieht's touching at any port of the course whu-b she would be obliged to take in traversing the latitude of the Philippines, ih Celebes, the Jaa Sea and the Indian Oeean. Now, as it was three months since this essel had left the port of San Diego, it was bnt fair to assume that she had been lost, with every soul on board of her, either througha collision or by shipwreck before .the had reached Singapore. CHAPTER VI. j:xi or a sad year. This series of misfortunes to which the Allaire family- had fallen victim placed Lew Barker in such a peculiar position that it became necessary to draw attention to 11 It will not be forgotten that while Mrs. Allaire's, own property figured up but a modest total, yet she was the sole heir of her rich uncle, Edward Manson, still lead ing a life of retirement on his vast estate of J tinebarea land, banished, so to speak, to the most inao-cssible portion of the State of 'If-nues-ee. This eccentric character was still under the stlf-imposed ban of a life cnt ofi t roni tho rest of the world. As he was not quite fiO years of age it might be neces Fan to wait a long while for his money. Nov, possibly he might modify the testa mentary disposition of his property should he learn that Mr. Allaire, the sole relative left to him in the direct line, had lost her reason since the death of her child. But the news of this double calamity had not reached him; in fact, it was not possible for it to reach him, so firmly resolved was he neither to write nor to receive any letters. True, it would have been possible for Lew Barker to over-ride this interdiction on the ground of unforeseen changes in Molly's civil status and Kate had given him to un derstand that he was in duty bound to com municate with Edward Manson; but he had enjoined silence upon her and taken good care not to follow Tier advice. The condition of things was really very simple. If Mrs. Allaire should die child less this property would descend to her cousin Kate. Hence Lew Barker recog nized the fact that .by the death ol little AValt his wife's chances of fcucceeding to the property of Edward Man bon had been materially increased and his wife's chances w ere his own. In truth, it did seem as if the stars had sought to turn the tide of this enormous fortune toward him. Not only was Molly's child dead, not only had Molly lost her mind, but in the judgment of the physicians nothing save the return of Captain John would be able tr work any change in her mental condi ;ion The fate of the Dreadnaught now MJemcd almost scaled. If the next few weeks should bring uo tidings of her, of John Allaire, it would seem to mean an denial farewell to the Dreadnaught and i-t ery soul on board of her. In that event, there .wonld be no one but poor Molly, WinMl$ti' lAMlhiiiMifllMBiMaiBMIi I. . 'ffl'" ..L.irwwnrtffiirvg mn .-maaa ..- robbed of her reason, standing between the -fortune she was to inherit and Lew Barker. But in order that Mrs. Allaire should in herit, it was necessary that she should sur vive her uncle. It therefore became Lew Barker's interest that the life of this un fortunate woman should be prolonged until the estate of Edward Manson had vested in her. There were now but two chances against him: Mollv's death before that of the testator, or the return of Captain John, which latter event was always possible in view of the fact that he might have been wrecked on some desert isle; and yet very remotely possible, for it seemed but vis sionary not to regard as certain the total loss of the Dreadnaught. Such was the position of Lew Barker, such the outlook for him and that, too, at a moment when he saw him self reduced to desperate expedients. Anyway, there were as yet no signs of any failure of supplies at Prospect cottage. And for this reason: After Molly's lunacy had been judicially established, "it had be come necessary in the absence of her hus band to name a committee of her person and estate. Lew Barker, on the ground of propinquity, seemed to be the natural guar dian and had eonEcquentlv been chosen, and in his capacity as such committee was vested with full control of her estate. The money which Captain John had deposited. to cover tne expense ot tne nouse was at Barker's disposal, and he had made use of it for personal needs. It was of course an in considerable sum, as the Dreadnaught was only to be absent for five or six months, but tliere was also Molly's separate estate, and, although it only amounted to a few thou sand dollars, Lew Barker, by making use of it to fight off pressing claims, would be able to gain time,and this was an essential point for him. Therefore, this dishonest man didn't hesi tate to take advantage of his position as guardian and appropriate the property of his ward and relative to his own use. Thanks to these trust funds he was enabled to secure a brief respite and to launch new schemes not a whit less disreputable. Hav ing once set foot upon the highway which leads to crime Lew Barker would if necessary follow it to the end. Moreover, the return of Captain John was now'less and less to be feared. Week after week went by and Hollister & Co. received no news of the missing ship. But how had she perished? Opinions differed bHt little, although it could only be a matter of conjecture. True it was that since the sailing of the Dread naught several merchantmen bound for the same port had necessarily gone over the same course. ,or, as none ot tnem had found any trace of her, there was nothing left but to accept the most reasonable hypo thesis, which was this: Overtaken by one of those dangerous hurricanes, those irre sistible typhoons which often burst upon the waters of the Celebes or Java Sea, the Dreadnaught had gone down with every soul on board. On October 15, 1875, it would be seven months since the Dread naught had sailed out of the port of San Diego, and the conclusion was inevitable that she would never enter it again. Andrew Hollister looked upon it as a matter of dutyto see that Mrs. Allaire, now that she was robbed of her mental faculties, should have all her material necessities well provided for. He was aware that Captain. John had before his departure set aside a sum based upon an absence of six or seven months quite sufiicient to cover all the ex penses of the house. But realizing now that this provision must be pretty nearly exhausted, and not being willing that Molly should fall a burden on her relatives, he resolved to have an interview w ith Lew Barker on this subject. On the afternoon of October 17, although net yet in the very best of health, the ship ping merchant set out for Prospect Cottage, and, having reached the heights of this quar ter of the city, in due time entered the front gate of the villa. So Jar as the eye went there was no change, except that the window blinds of the ground floor and first story were tightly closed. It had the air of an unoccupied house, silent and mys terious looking. Mr. Hollister rang the bell of the outer door and waited patientlv for someone to appear, but no one came. In fact, it seemed as if the caller had neither been seen nor heard. Could it be that there really was no one at home. A second pull at the bell was followed by the noise of opening a side door. The mulattress came in sight and an excla mation of irritation escaped her the moment her eyes fell upon Mr. Hollister, which, however, was unnoticed by him. The girl now walked toward him, but gave no sign of any intention of admitting him. "Is Mrs. Allaire at home?" he asked. "She has gone out, Mr. Hollister," an swered Nanny, with a peculiar hesitation in which there was a visible admixture of fright. "Why, where is Molly?" cried Mr. Hol lister in a tone of insistence. "She has gonj out walking with Mrs. Barker." "I thought they had given up those walks wbich only seemed to excite her and bring on nervous attacks." "Yes, that's so," replied Nanny, "but for several days past they nave commenced them again they seem to do Mrs. Allaire good now." "I'm sorry that they should not have notified me of this," said Andrew Hol lister. "Is Mr. Barker at home?" "I don't know" Before Nanny could think of what sort of answer she should make, for she sud denly realized the difficulties of her posi tion, the front door was opened. Lew Barker stepped out upon the veranda and came down the path to meet the merchant. "Please walk in. Mr. Hollister," said he, with a frigid attempt at cordiality. "In the ab sence of Kate, who lias gone out for a stroll with Molly, I shall have to do the honors myself." "How long before Molly will return?" asked Andrew Hollister. "Not before dinner time, I think," an swered Barker. Mr. Hollister was evidently much disap pointed, for it was absolutely necessary that he should get back to the office before the mails closed Then again, Lew Barker made no suggestion that he should await Molly's return. ".ou have not noticed any change for the better in Molly's condition?" asked the merchant "Unfortunately none, Mr. Hollister, and I'm inclined to believe that this is one of those cases bevond the reach of all reme dies." "Tkat no one can say, Mr. Barker. What may seem utterly impossible to man is easily possible to God." Barker gave one of those dubious shakes of the head so common with men who scout the idea of any interference of Providence in the affairs of man. "And the most distressing part of it all is," continued Mr. Hollister, "that we must now give up all hopes of ever seeing Cap tain John again. His return would, I feel confident, have produced a most happy ef fect upon poor Molly's mental condition. I suppose vou are aware, Mr. Barker, that we have given up all hope of ever setting eyes on the Dreadnaught again?" "I was aware of it, Mr. Hollister, and it is still anotherand greater calamity to those that have gone before. And yet even with out looking to Providence to lend a hand in the matter," ha added in a tone of irony at such a moment, "there would be, to my Look ' Lcpk! She Cried. f 1 'i-.-J.'-ii E THE mind, nothing extraordinary .Tnhn's tn'rninir lin ai-ain." Captain s "After seven months nave passea witn out any tidings of the ship and in the face of the fact that all my investigations have proven fruitless?" "But there is nothing to show that the Dreadnaught went down in the open sea," resumed Barker. "May she not have been wrecked on some of the reefs which are so plentiful in those latitudes? Who knows that John and his crew have not taken ref uge on some desert island? And if that is the case such sturdy and stout-hearted men will find some way of getting back home again. Might they not build a boat with the fragments of their vessel? Would not their signals be seen by any ships passing the island? And all of these things will take time, too. No. I, for one, don't despair of ever seeing John again if not in several weeks from now, why, then in sev eral months. How many times have ship wrecked crews been given up for lost, and thev have come sailing into port after all!" "Yes," replied Mr. Hollister, 'Iknow there have been rescues, miraculous ones, and I have argued the thing out to myself just as you have done. But I have given up all hope, absolutely all hope. In any event, this is what has brought me to you to-day. I am unwilling that Molly should become a burden to you." "Oh, Mr. Hollister!" "No, no, Mr. Baker, .and you must per mit me to continue the payment of John's salary to his wife during her lifetime." "In her name I thank you," replied Lew Barker. Your generosity " "I'm only doing my duty," interrupted Andrew Hollister, "and as it occurred to me that the funds, deposited by John at the time of his departure, must be pretty well exhausted " "Yes, that's so, Mr. Hollister," answered Lew Barker, "but it's our duty to assist her, materially, as well as from the standpoint of love and affection." "Yes, I feel that we may rely upon Mrs. Barker's devotion. Nevertheless, permit me ina degree to make provision for Cap tain John's wife, for Captain John's widow, to secure for her that comfort and care which I know you never would have seen her stand in need of." "I yield to your wishes in the matter, Mr. Hollister." "Mr. Barker, I have brought with mc a sum which I consider as justly due Captain Allaire up to date. In your capacitv as com mittee and guardian his salary will be paid over to you at our office on the 1st of every month." "Very well, since you desire it," replied Lew Barker. "Be kind enough to give me a receipt for the amount now paid over to you." "Certainly, Mr. Hollister." And Lew Barker turned and entered his office to draw up the receipt asked for. When he reap peared the merchant again expressed his re gret at not seeing Molly and then took his leave. The moment he was gone Lew Barker called the mulattress to him. "Does Kate know that Mr. Holllister has been here ?" ".No doubt she does, Lew," answered Nanny. "She saw him come and she saw him go 'way. "If he should call again, which is not at all likely for some time anyway, take good care that he doesn't see either Kate or Molly. You understand, Nanny?" "It shall be as you say, Lew." "But suppose Kate should insist " "Oh, as for that," chuckled Nanny, "when you have given an order I'll see to it that she obeys." "All right, Nanny," murmured Barker, "but look out for surprises! Thev might run against each other by themerest chance, and if they should I'd lose everything!" "I'll be on guard, have no fears, Lew! No one shall get into Prospect cottage unless we want him there!" To Be Continual Kext Sunday. AIMING AT BEOAD CULTURE. Objects of the Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania. The Botanical Society of Western Penn sylvania has just issued a circular stating its purposes, conditions and prospects, with a view of increasing its membership. From -the few persons who organized it in Octo ber, 1886, its membership has increased to 95; and in this time it has accumulated an herbarium of about 5,000 specimens, and a library of 250 volumes of interesting and in structive works on botany. It has also established its position among similar so cieties in the country; is in correspondence with a number of American and foreign professors and amateurs, and has inaugur ated a system of exchange of specimens with home and European collectors. The society is, therefore, on a firm basis, and its per manence assured by its corps of enthusiastic and efficient workers. The object of the society as stated in the constitution i s "to bring into communica tion those who are interested in botany, to advance their knowledge of the subject, and to create a more wide-spread interest in the study of plants." The regular meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Academy of Science and Art (Thaw mansion), Fifth street, at which papers are read and discussed, living and dried speci mens of plants exhibited, etc. There has also been inaugurated an extra meeting of a practical and instructive character, held on the second Thursday of each month, at which not only are fresh plants brought in and analyzed, but the several orders with their respective genera and species are suc cessively taken up and studied; specimens, old and new, being critically examined, as signed to their places in the botanical system, and labeled with their technical and popular names. The aim in this work is to impress on the classification of the local flora the greatest possible accuracy and completeness. During the saeson fre quent botanical rambles are made by mem bers for the purpose of collecting flowers and plants; these are always accompanied bv one or more members competent to identify the specimens found. Tne herbar ium and library are accessible to members for examination and study, at all times, un der reasonable restrictions. It is distinctly stated that there is no qualification of botanical knowledge re quired of any applicant for membership. All that is expected is that one shall hae an interest or taste for the study of plants and flowers, or a desire to assist in the sup port ot the society, and that the application shall be signed by one member of the soci ety, and approved by the Executive Com mittee. With such a praiseworthy aim the society should appeal to every good citizen." The Corresponding Secretary is Prof. J. Gordon Ogden, of 105 Forbes avenue. A FEMALE PRISONER IN INDIA. She Had Fan With the Attendants by Stay in the Bathing Fool. National Review.! In one of the Indian jails there was a female prisoner who was pre-eminently mis chievous and fractious. One day when she and her companions were taken out to bathe as usual in the jail tank (a large reservoir, about 100 yards square) just outside the jail walls, this young lady swam out into the middle of the tank and defied the jailer for hours. Of course her bathing in the tank was stopped for a time, but at last she pro posed to the jailer fhave fetters put on her legs, so that she could not swim if taken out ,to bathe. The jailer kindly consented to gratify her whim; but no sooner hadsho reached the water than she struck out boldly swimming, and then pretended to be drowning from the weight of her fetters. The jailer was terrified, and came rushing to me for orders. I went to the side of the tank and saw the lady plunging about like a young porpoise, and setting us all at defiance. A fisher man's canoe was brought, and the woman was eventually hunted to the shore, not without making several attempts to upset theboat. A great crowd had assembled while her performance was' going on, and although she had at last to submit to capture, I think that she certainly had the best of the day's amusement. PETTSBUBG, DISPATCH, U Qg DISTRESS Sent Tip From Buncombe Countyvby BillJye-for Uncle Jere Rusk. HE IS IN NEED OP A FEW SEEDS. Enlightened on Viticulture by a North Carolina Moonshiner. A. GREAT COUNTRY TO GROW LUNGS. tCOBRESPOSDEKCK OP THE-DISrjkfTCU. Skyxand, Bun combe County. North Cakomita, July 2. J I have just finished the following epistle 'to Hon. Jeremiah M. Busk, Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, and will jog over the hills to the postoffice with it in the morning: Sib Would it bother you too much to send me a few seeds for my place here in 2forth Carolina for use another season? We have a climate here that is peculiarly adapted to the growing of fruit, but not especially good for cereals. It is about the same climate as that of France and Italy, but there are not so many foreigners here. One notices while traveling in France that it seems to be largely overrun by Canucks. Such is not the case here. We have a good, quiet class of residents, mostly white, with black polka dots, of course, this being where slavery used to spawn in the early days. But the country is settled by a peaceable class of agriculturists, who have acquired from the summer boarder an air of being on a perpetual vacation. Many farmers in Western North Carolina, by watching their chances, are enabled to sell their corn at 40 cents in the fall and buy back a portion of it in the spring at $1 per bnshel to plant and feed to stock. This builds np a traffic in cereals, and has a tendency to make the farmer's son ask himself why the farmer is the most independent of any class. A Topdresslng of Footprints. Our soil here, however, is poor. I must admit that to you, as Secretary of Agricul ture, for I would not wish to conceal any thing from your bureau. Our soil is a rather pleasing red clay, covered with a thin top dressing of footprints deposited here by tne soldiers, who during the war retreated from each other at a high rate of speed, snatch ing, perhaps, a watermelon from a non-combatant as they ran. To be a non-combatant here and In Ten nessee and Kentucky during the war was very exciting. A neighbor tells me that one night the Federals came- and took four mule teams from his thrashing machine. and two milk cows. Also his father. .That evening the Confederates came and took four shotes and the grandsire of the family. Beine a verv touch old man. however, he was returned. It was hard enough to be a soldier during the war, but to De a non combatant at that time, Mr. Secretary, and maintain peaceable and friendly relations with both armies would overtax the tact and etiquette of an angel. Very Smooth. Kallroad Tracks. Our soil here is about the only soil in the South that has not been drenched with fra ternal blood. Either army could escape at any time by abandoning the roads and allow ing the enemy to follow, if the enemy ad hered to the roads. The wagon roads, even then, were impassable. To burn the bridges behind them was a figurative expression onlv, for there were no bridges. It was so with the railroads also. "We are riding much more smoothly now," said a pas senger to the conductor. 'Yes," he did straightway make reply, "we are off the track now. Some criticise our agricultural methods here because we use a single mule for plow ing, and a little shovel plow, Buch as is used for plowing corn at the North, but this is necessary, because the soil is so thin that to "plow deep while sluggards sleep in order to have corn, corn to sell and keep," is fatal, for you thereby turn up a miserable red paste with pulverized mica in it, which constitutes about the only attachment the North Carolina farmer has for his farm. Human health is prevalent to a remarka ble degree here, Mr. Secretary, and it is one of the two regions of the globe where consnmption'Mxtnknown. No actual resi dents die here.' '(Only strangers who came here after it was too late. Many Northern people who come here with .advanced phthisis or tuberculosis die, especially if both lungs are gone, but if the windpipe and enough lune tissue be left to bait a trap, the air here will soon add on a nice new red lung with real scallops on the edge. (Electric lights are also common here.) The Children Are Very Bright. "Whose funeral is that?" I asked in Asheville the other day of a bright-eyed little tarheel child leading a goat and a stone bruise. "I don't know his name, sah," he. answered simply. "It is some Northern fentleman; some stranger, sah.' I don't now his name." Even the children are bright and quite ready in conversation, Mr. Secretary, far bevond their years. The vine, cotton and silk flourish in this country, and if you have cuttings of either that tne department could spare I would like them. If vou have a dozen cuttings of gros grain silk that would be hardy, most any shade, I could use them on my farm. The Catawba grape originated here, and the wildwrape, ol.-wtich there are great quan-. Plowing for Profit. Coming Down the Mountain. t . SUNDAY, JULX 5, tities, is superior to many of the cultivated grapes of the North. Some of the native wine here is very ex hilarating, but this is followed later on by a most profound depression. I visited a vine yard here last week. It was in a retired place in the mountains where there lived a kind of recluse who makes the native wines in great profusion. I did not see his vine yard, but saw most everything else on the following day. He makes a sort of sauteme which is very heady it seems to me now, looking back at it. I was a long time get ting np to his cabin, but I did not mind the journey back. Welcomed by a Moonshiner. As soon as he found out that I was not connected with the Government in any way he made me welcome. I do not know when I have felt so welcome as I did then. Both of us felt welcome. He laid aside his work in the,vineyard for the day. "And do you have to tread the wine press alone?" I asked, looking up into his clear, honest eye the other one had been removed by the Government. "And do you have to tread the wine press alone?" I repeated. "Oh, blank the wine press," he said, as he took another dipperful of the sauteme, "I never use one of those." This wine had a bouquet flavor. It is very potent indeed. It is like the bouquet of a crushed tragedian. The reader has no doubt witnessed the acting of a tragedian whose work by the critics nas been classed as rot ten. Well, you take a crushed tragedian of this class, and you get a bouquet not unlike the moonlight sauteme works of the moun tains. This wine Is a good antidote for the bite of the deadly moccasin. It is used for that purpose almost exclusively. The use of this wine along the valley of the French Broad has now almost wiped out the moccasin and substituted a bright green snake with a ver milion stomach. Can't Improve the Soil. The soil of the eastern part of the State is what is called a transported sand, gravel or clay, of the tertiarv period, "the assorted detritus of the abraded hills of the metamor phic rocks in the midland country." Li the western part of the State the soils are what is termed clayey, of a most violent and tenacious variety," running from a cream color to a deep, dead red, and when it has ground itself into the clothing nothing on earth will remove the stain. Everything has been tried,from benzine down to special act of the Legislature, but it will not come out. Some eat the clay of North Carolina, but it is an acquired taste. Yankee invalids will never get so they will be willing to board where this is the piece de resistance de terre. It would de terre a good many from coming, I fear, as a waggish but feeble-minded person said to me vesterday at the asylum where I snent the day. We raise about 7,000,000 pounds of rice in this State, and it meets with a ready sale. Bice beer is now being made in Georgia, but it is most deadly in its effects. While we hail with joy the opening of a wider market for our rice, we are pained to notice that the beer in some cases creates a desire on the part of the consumer to lay waste some of the best known citizens of the State. Bice beer is said to be most disastrous in its effects, and a movement is on foot to intro duce it amoncr the communists of New York and Chicago. It kills the consumer in about two years, I am told. The only reason why it might not work on the communist is that its fatal results depend entirely upon its action on the brain. A Cure For the Tobacco Habit. Tobacco does well here and grows to a great size. Fine cut tobacco, so largely used in the Middle and Western States, is planted about June 1, and is harvested in September. The product runs as high as 25 to 35 pails to the acre. Smoking tobacco is planted a little later and runs higher as to product,being 90 to 110 papers to the acre on a good year. Plug tobacco, unless it suf fers from heavy winds, which are apt to knock off the lialt grown plugs, is a very profitable crop. Seriously, however, let me sav that those who chew, especially plug tobacco, may wean themselves successfully, Mr. Secre tary, I believe, if they will see it prepared. I am not opposed to the moderate use of to bacco, but after seeing the manufacture of plug, tobacco, I can get along a day or two wit!? sassafras bark. We are all worms of the dust but we are not tobacco worms, and I do not like a to bacco worm any better with licorice and New Orleans molasses on him than I do with vinegar and machine oil. But let us pass on, Mr. Busk, to other features that are more pleasing. What Nye Wonld Like to Have. What I especially desire is a package or two of the seedless watermelon seed, some good, hard house plants, such as Martha Washingtons, hydrangeas, four o'clocks, etc Also some red-eyed poleless China beans fcr winter use. How are you fixed for potato salad plants? Also please send trellis to Mr. K. P. Flower, of New York, so that he can climb up on it and get a bet ter view of the situation. Bye is now all harvested and is being slid down in shutes to the stack by those who live on the more perpendicular farms. Mr. Clay Williams, a colored man, met up with a frightful accident while summer fallowing on one of the hillside farms below H ming township last week. The scaffold, it seems, gave way and he fell the entire distance to the foot of the farm, striking the earth twice on his way down and completely disemboweling it. Bill, Nye. LANGTEY'S MAGNIFYING MIBE0B. It Points Out the Defects In Her Face .Better ThanaBival Conld. New York Press. A "complexion artist" with an overpow ering curiosity as to the methods which the Langtry adopted in her marvelous getup, bribed her maid to admit him into the lady's dressing room one night when she had gone to the theater. He saw a long, low dressing table littered with all the paraphernalia which beauty employs to enhance her charms, but what struck him most was a large oval magnifying mirror, which was hung in. the most searching light. The treacherous maid informed the pushing Paul Pry that her mistress, after making up her face before an ordinary mirror, went all over it again in front of the unflattering magnifier, carefully blending her powder and rouge, softening the too trenchant lines of a penciled eyebrow, and plucking out a vagrant silver hair which would assert itself too boldly. Incipient crows' feet, almost imperceptible lines at the corners of the mouth and across the forehead, the forerunners of age, are by this means revealed in their horrible reality, and indicated to the masseuse on the next visit. The magnifying mirror is more truth ful than one's deadliest rival, but the woman who must make art do duty for nature will find it her best and truest friend. LADY BBOOKE'S BEAUTY. It Is or the Bare and Radiant JKtnd That Fears No Comparison. New York Press. Lady Brooke is enjoying her 29th sum mer. She does not, look it. She, preserves the peaches and cream complexion often met with among the pure British aristocracy, as fresh as ten years ago. Her eyes are grayish blue; her hair a light brown, and her features just relieved from chilling regularity of outlines by a gentle tilt of the nose, at once suggestive and saucy. Her ladyship is of medium height, and form that as yet shows no tendency to that nightmare of the British matron, embonpoint. Every body who meets Lady Brooke raves about her eyes. They would redeem a homely face. With features that can be calied beautiful they are irresistible. No one understands dress better than Lady Brooke. She is never overdressed. Perhaps she errs a little too much in the other direction. But there is the excuse in her case that, neck, shoulders and face, she can stand both the glare of the ballroom and the light of noon, without danger of damage to her attractions. 1891. NOBILITY AT HOME. Eules of life Among the Titled Class of the Queen's Domain. PLEASURE IS A SCIENCE THERE. Contrast With the Grotesque Social Writh ings of Our Own Rich. THE INFORMALITIES OP A VISIT CCORKESPOIJDEXCE TO THE DISPATCH.l London, June 2a English literature, or -rather that portion comprised in English fiction, has certainly done injustice to British nobility in at least one respect. It has totally misinformed all of us who are plebeian, and rather like remaining so, as to the every-day life of the British aris tocracy. Nobody loves this class. Nobody believes in its hereditary rights and privileges, save those clergy who hold "livings" under them and the other lackeys ttiat serve them. Nobody has any manly sympathy whatever with its semi-regal pretensions and preroga tives. Nobody has the slightest confidence that a century hence any such class will continue to exist in Great Britain. And yet every one of us, notwithstanding our floutings and scofiings, has the keenest interest in glimpses of its members daily lives. Your British lord really believes in him self. That is worth something to charaoter, and builds up on the lines of equable living and true dignity with anybody. Your American lordero knows he is an accident, a pretender, an irritating social misfit The former's real pleasures are found in relax ation from social duties which centuries of custom have rendered obligatory. The latter's pleasures are solely attainable through the arrogant and offensive insistence of endless recognition of his money power. The one is a splendid nation's permanent excrescence. The other is another splendid nation's first growth of fungus. The Season in London. Many of the British nobility occupy their establishments the year round. 'These would scorn to do else. Their ethics are exclusively evolved from their fondest dreams to which they cling, that they are feudal lords. For such to reside in town would be to descend to the utter debase ment of burghers. With a great majority, the London "season" largely controls their residence and its period at castle, seat, or hall, or elsewhere. The "season" is con trolled by Parliament, the annual closing of which practically depends on sport. The aristocratic fashionable world is formed and its movements controlled almost exclusively by those connected with the Houses of Lords and Commons;'these comprising largely the nobility. In other words, the intangible, awful formulated thine known as the creat fash ionable world centering in London, is after all simply the country nobility and aristoc racy congregated for a brief season in Lon don. London does not make this fashion able world. Those of the country make it in London. Their town houses, for the en tree to which fashionable toadies will resort to inconceivable humiliations, are the merest temporary lodging houses of hated city life. This exclusive class, not far ex ceeding a thousand heads of houses, prac tically own and derive the revenues from the entire landed possessions of Great Britain. In and Oat With Parliament. In the main, British castle life begins with the grouse shooting season in August and lasts until the following May. With those "in the world" the period is much re duced. Manv forsake the estates in Febru ary for the "first swim" in the metropolis. There is a delightful though quiet' social pe riod in London preceding Easter But just immediately before Easter Parliament ad journs, when back come the lords and ladies, or a trip to the Continent is taken. After Easter the full London tide sets in. The park is thronged; Botten Bow is filled with magnificent horsewomen and gallants; luncheons, dinners and balls are innumer able; and the Queen's drawing-rooms com mand nobility's presence. Then comes Whit suntide, when Parliament again takes a short recess, and London is again deserted by the aristocracy. But all the nobility of England, Scotland and Ireland tliat make any pretensions whatever to correct form are back in London by the latter part of May. From this time late dinners and later balls follow in bewildering succession. The stifling air of Parliament and court is con tinually breathed. Fashionable event and affair, originated by the aristocracy, and to which the aristocracy are truly slaves. compel the limit of physical and financial endurance. Events That Mark the Close. DeTby day, for which Parliament always adjourns, is followed by commencement at Eaton, and these by the great cricket matches between Lords and Commons, Bugby, Harrow and Eaton, and Cambridge and Oxford. Then come the wonderful farden parties of Cheswick, the two great reakfasts of the Prince of Wales, and the distinguished parties by earls, dukes and duchesses, followed by Ascot week, and the court balls andgreat Dalls and banquets of foreign embassies, with the splendid after noon teas by the Queen in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, until the military fetes and the last fete champetre at Wim bledon have arrived; and the "done" and jaded aristocracy seek the spas of the Con tinent in atonement ior their sins. The "season" is at an end. The guns of the titled sportsmen commence ringing in the North, and the home life at the castles of Britain begins. Usually a large portion of the family plate, some pictures, and much bric-a-brac have done duty at the town-house, during the "season." Every other moveable arti cle of value has been left at the castle un der the housekeeper's direct charge, and the general charge of the steward, agent or lactor of the estate, who resides near. The housekeeper, and possibly a half-dozen un-der-servants have remained at the castle on "board wages," that is, reduced wages, and a certain weekly allowance with which to provide their own food. Not a Picnic for the Servants. They lead no life of ease under these cir cumstances. Every habitable portion of the place is inspected, dusted and aired daily. Every floor is waxed once each week. At stated intervals every piece of furniture is uncovered and attended to, the books in the library opened, dusted and aired, and the plate and cutlery kept in constant readi ness for immediate use. For, while the probabilities are that milord and milady will remain absent during the entire season, they may return at any moment. After arrival two or more weeks are de voted to absolute rest and quiet family re union. This period is the childrens' heaven of the year. If they are young and the governess and the tutor (often the village curate) have had them in hand during their parents' absence in London, it is a season of genuine jollity and lovemaking between old and young. If they arc along in years, the daughters arc returned from the fash ionable school where they are being "formed," and the sons, covered over with football and cricket scars, dash down from Eaton and Harrow; and as simple and jolly a time all around is had at this castle home as may ever be found in the well ordered homes of our own country. Seven Months or Entertainment. But directly this is over. Milord and lady are slaves to a social system which de mands nearly every moment of their lives. The remaining seven months of home life is a ceaseless round of entertainment of titled and other guests. The selection of these guests is of course occasionally with a view to, and in the anticipation of, pleasure to be obtained from comrenial society. As a rule it is merely in repayment--of-similar. - ml Ha entertainment received in London and in all parts of the world, from the Shetland Islands to British India. Whether guests are invited for a day, a week; or a 'month, the invitations are for a period absolutely limited in duration; and no social law of the British aristocracy is more inviolate than IU1S. The etiquette of .reception of guests is most simple. Indeed there is less formality shown in the actual relation of host to guest in a British nobleman's home than will be at any time confronted in the house of a Hoboken brewer or a Kansas City merchant in hogs. The first coachman, with the fam ily close carriage, if rainy, and with the wagonette if in fine weather, brines the titled guests from the station, traps follow-' ing after with the luggage; and the groom.' witn anotner carriage, attends to tne guests, servants. now the Guests Are Received. J Milord's valet and milady's maid meet tne arriving guests at the castle entrance pnd conduct them at once to the drawing room, where the host and hostess receive andiwel- comc them; but they are not delayed in being shown to their apartments, tean- niuc me nonseueeper is attending to tne guests' servants. Every gentleman brings bis valet and every lady her maid, and often her own footman, unless an express request to the contrary has been made in the invitations. The visiting valet is as signed a room in the servants hall, and ladies' maids are provided with Separate rooms, usually en suite with tHeir mis tresses' apartments. Whatever number of euests mav be found at any one time at these great establish ments and except on special occasions they will not exceed a dozen or twentv in pro vision for the cuisine, in complete staffs of servants, and in the number of servants em ployed, they are at all times, during the occupancv of milord and miladv. or either. as well prepared for entertainment of the highest as the least number. That is one of tne penalties of being a nobleman. But to illustrate details of the ordinarv resdme. we will suppose that a dozen or a score of guests are already gathered at the castle and the invitatinna lnil fnr wiV ,f Only One Formal Occasion. The usual hours for meals are: Breakfast at 9 to 10; luncheon at 2; tea at 5; dinner ai e, and supper at irom ll o clock until uuuHigni. wneiner guests nave arrived before luncheon or before dinner, etiauette requires that all shall gather in the drawing room tor introductions, xnis is absolutely the first and last of formality anion? these titled people during their sojourn. What ever the difference in rank, none whatever is thereafter recognized. The story books do not Put it this waV. bnt the fact remains. It is tne unwritten and inviolable law of such occasions that, while mere distinction in rank, in form of address, is adhered to. for the time being the offensive distinction of precedence is wholly abolished. Socially and ethically while you are his lordship's guest you are neither his superior nor in terior. Otherwise you would not be there. Not only is this true, but there can be only two possible occasions for extreme dressing. Those are at dinner, where of late years everything savoring of full dress has been tabooed, and in the event of a ball beincr given to which neighboring nobilty are in- vitea. Thcre Is probably no other place in the world where a guest for a week is so much the master of his or her own inclinations. Etiquette and form make no demands what ever upon you. Yon are as free to follow your own whims, either for rest or activity, as though quartered in a glenside cabin. Bemain up all night; sleep all day; never appear at a meal save the first luncheon or dinner; and there is none to wonder, ques tion,or criticise. The entire motif or the hospitality of the British nobilitv is. in short, the dignified but complete indul gence of the guest in rational activities, sim ple pleasures, or complete rest. What the Amusements Are. There are many sources of amusement. There is certain to be one or more errand "meets," where the ladies join in the excit ing hunt across country to the music of the yelping hounds. Often the occupants of near casties join in tnese. J.nen there will be return sport of like nature, and delicious "hunt breakfasts" are given. For the gen tlemen exclusively, there will perhaps be a "pheasant shoot" on the grounds, or the sportsmanlike pleasure of grouse shooting on the moors. The ladies often join in fish ing parties to some distant stream, when lunch is served in the open wood beside some spring. Even when there is no riding after the hounds, the pleasant roads and lanes swarm with merry cavalcades of horse women and men, distant bits of scenery, castle ruins or historic abbeys being thus visited. The drives are the finest in the world, and most brilliant intercourse is had between castle and castle. Within and without the great establish ment itself there is always provision for almost every imaginable sport. Billiards and tenpins arc as great favorites with ladies as with gentlemen. There is always a suberb cricket field. Frequently football matches are gotten up between tne lordly old boys. The tennis, courts are nowhere excelled. The truth is that, despite the immense establishments, the great retinues, and the enormous general outlay as penance to rank and station, the real home-life of the British nobility is an accusative con. trast, in all essentials to comfort and ster ling entertainment, to the hothouse home life and grotesque social writhings of many of our own people of equal wealth. Edgab L. Wakemas". SAYS HOIKING, BUT SAWS WOOD. The Point About Sir Francis Knollys That Makes Him Valuable to Prince Tummy. New York World. Absolute devotion to the Prince and a discretion that is almost without parallel are the principal characteristics of the Prince's private secretary and gentleman-in-waiting, Sir Francis Knollys, whose personal appearance is, however, scarcely on a p3r with his splendid qualities. He is an ideal private secretary, and the only thing to be regretted is that his cleverness and penetration should not be greater than they are. Were that the case he might be able to exercise a powerful influence upon the Prince, instead of merely contenting himself with an almost dog-like loyalty, devotion and obedience. An inflnence that Frank Knollys would wieldcould not fail to prove beneficial, and it is almost a national misfortune that, occupying the post he does, he should not be a stronger man. He is the personification of tact and patience, qualities which proved of singu lar advantage to him 10, 15 and 20 years ago, when he was wont to be the favorite butt of the sometimes exasperating witti cisms and rough practical jokes of the Prince and his set. It is difficult to be lieve that he can recall the Prince's famous voyage to India without a shudder. For scarcely a day passed on board the ship without his being hazed, while the booby traps and apple-pie beds to which he was subjected should be taken into consider ation when he retires from active service and takes his pension. A 8EHAT0K AT A PBIZE FIGHT. Stewart, of Nevada, XJkes a Battle and Is Skillful With His Fists Ulmself. New York Press. J Among the audience which witnessed the Kilrain-Slavin fight one party was made up of Senator Stewart, of Nevada; ex-Congressman Dorsey, of Nebraska, and Congressman Hayes, of Iowa. Senator Stewart's stalwart figure, .his sombrero-like straw hat and patriarchal snow white whiskers made him an immediate object of curious attention. Few persons in the great crowd, however, knew that the Senator has a record as a fighter himself. In the old days when he was wielding' shovel and pick iu the mining camps of Ne vada it was a frequent thing for differences between men to be settled by fist fights. Senator Stewart toi considered then to be the biggest "knocker out" in the region about Gold Hill, and won his reputation, .only by-many hard fought contests. ' STOBjTO A TORFEDO. How .Experts Figure That a Rattle ship Could Escape a Charge. IipCES OP THE OSTRICH FAR1T. JL - ' Prints of the Fingers Make a Signature Always Identifiable. RULES FOR TEE CARE OF THE ETES CWBtTTEI FOB TITE PISPATCII.J Recent developments In the war in Chile demonstrate the destrnctiveness of the tor pedo. In order to insure to a battleship complete immunity against danger it is aj soliitely necessary, ir the net defenses can not be depended upon, to stop a charging torpedo boat before it has reached ran"e. This range fs variously placed at 300 yard. A well-known naval expert has recently de scribed the manner in which a torpedo at tack on a man-of-war can bo repulsed. A vessel armed with a single three-ponnder hotchkiss is supposed to be attacked by a flrst-class seagoing torpedo boat of about 60 tons' displacement. The torpedo boat is prpvided with Whitehead torpedoes. The torpedo boat is discovered by electric search lights when 1,200 yards distant and is seen charging In at full speed. FIro from the sun commences at once, but must cease at 300 yards, the minimum uistance at which the torpedoes will be discharged. The dimensions of the target formed by the boat are: Height, 5 feet; breadth, 11 feet; length, 70 feet: the length of the target representing the length of the boat froru the forefoot to the after engine room bulkhead. The remaining 40 feet are left out of consid eration on account of the few vital point presented to the attack of a shell. The length of the target lies In the direction of the line of Are, and within the target space are contained all the vital points the tor pedoes ready for launching, the launchin" tubes and apparatus, tho reserve torpedoes and their magazines, the steering gear, the helmsman, the commanding officer, the boilers and the engines. Assuming that a torpedo boat is charging at tho rate of 21 knots per hour, she will be traversing 35.4 feet per second. This speed will represent the extreme speed probable under the most favorable circumstance with a boat that can make 23 knots per honr on trial. Under this assumption, the dura tion of nn attack will be 1 minute and 16 sec onds. If the gun be absolutely true, he in stantaneously and perfectly aimed, and nothing affects the flight of the projectiles, the Arc will be perfect and every shot will pierce a vital spot at extreme range and be come effective by explosion. Under actual Ann? test a trained crew has repeatedly fired 22shot3 from a three-ponnderhotchkiss. Allowing for fatigue of nring, it is safe to say that 20 shots per minute can be fired in the course of the duration of attack, and giving for perfect fire 25 hitsfora speed of 21 knots. From the statements of trained ordnance experts, these assumptions for perfect firo are deemed by no means extra ordinary, inasmuch as they are often real ized with almost completo exactitude on the firing ground. Ostrich Farming In California. A new industry has been successfully started in California, in the raising of ostrich for.thers. The first ostrich farm was a tract of land some 200 acres in extent iJ miles southeast of Los Angeles. It started a few years ago, and its live stock consisted of 21 birds. There aro now several hundred birds on different farms in tho country. The young birds do not begin to pay nriii they are six months old. They are pint m then for the first time, and at intervals i seven or eight months ever afterwards The feathers of the first plucking arc tr verv valuable, but when the birds uttau- -set of two or three years each feather v35 - j .' at $2 or $3, and ayearnndahalflYv&n? i1 birds are in their finest plumage. Tho piitfj of tho feathers ranges iiccording to quality, from under $1 to $5 and $10andnpwanht each. Ostriches live for nearly 100 ypars, and are known to breed after they are SO, a fact which strongly suggests the possibili ties of profit in the businos. .Each tully grown bird produces about 50 long, beautiful plumes, 23 on each wing, valued at $4 to $6. so that the feathers ol a single o-.tricli may realize in one year from $300 to $560. The birds are plucked in different ways; vicloua and wild birds lire generally-driven into a corral Just wide enough to hold them, and the feathers are picked through a.Teuce; but the tame ones are driven one at a time into a corner of the corral by three men, two of whom blindfold them, while the third plucks the feathers. The plumes are then cleaned, sorted and dyed, ready for the market. The industry is yet in its infancy, but there is" reason to believe that In course of timo California will be able to supply al most the entire American demand for ostrich plumes, and compete successfully with Sonth Africa, which nus hitherto had almost a monopoly in ostrich farming. Kules for Preserving the Eyesight. The following simple rules for the preser vation of the eyesight are worth remember ing: Keep a shade on your lamp or gas burner. Avoid all sudden changes between light and darkness. Never begin to read, write or sew for several minutes after com ing from darkness Into light. 'ever read by twilight, moonlight or any light so scant that it requires an effort to discriminate Never read or sew directly in front of the light, window or door. It is best to let tho light fall from above, obliquely over the left shoulder. Never sleep so that on first awakening the eyes shall open on the light or a window, xne moment you aro instinct ively prompted to rub your eyes, that moment stop using them. Should any of the lollowing symptoms be experienced an oculist ot repute should bo consulted: Spots or sparks or light floating before the eyes; quivering of the lids or ' sensation of sand in the eye; perceptible , fatigue or the requirement of strong light in reading; the holding of objects at arm's length or close to the eye; squinting one eye or seeing objects double; dizziness or dart ing pains in the eye balls orover the temple; perceiving a colored circle around the lamp; sensitivoness Ol tne eyeoaus or cuniracwun of the visual field; blurring of the vision or being unable to see objects distinctly at a distance: watering or redness of the eyes or lids: running together of the letters when reading, or seeing tho vertical better than, the horizontal lines. A New Sign Manual. Francis Galton has placed before the Koyal Society of England some very re markable facts bearing on tho use of finger prints as a means of personal identification The person who is to make his mark places ills fingers on an inked pad and then im presses them on a piece of paper. The re sult is a print of tho papillary ridge3 on tho bulbs on the fingers, and It appears that every lnuiviunat nas a pattern wnicn is aj distinctive as his features. The 'subject haj been pursued for some 15 years or so, and it has Deen proven, mat tne same pattern per Bistsin the case of children, adnlts and old people. There seems good reason to believe that during an entire lifetime the same character of design remains, although, of course, it changes in size and possibly in shape. Tho reticulation, however, remains constant, ana can be identified without doubt. A method of indexing these finger prints hna bepn devised hv clns.sifvinir and num bering the various patterns, so that to cadi nnger on a nanu mere can do assignee " glance a number which expresses its char acteristics. The combined numbers of a hand represent the individuality of its owner, and enables a previous print to be immediately picked out of thousands of others. It has been suggested that lx the present views of its unalterability should ba connrmeu, it wouiu nave many auiauioou of the existing style of signature. A Patent Horseshoe. A new patent covers a horseshoe which possesses many advantages. On its under surface is stamped n pattern wiuuug.vra . number of points for the securing of abetter grip on the pavement, and this, where wooden pavements are useu, is an uupunui.. consideration. The shoe is about half the weight of the ordinary shoe, being 2 B.s the set of four; it takes less tinia and less money to fix, has only four nails, as against the T.0....1 ,..,., I'loino rmlv a three-mtarter shoe, it leaves the frogs and heels on the ground, which prevents concussion to tho foot and leg, contraction and corns. Tlia only preparation tho hoof requires after the old shoe Is taken off is that the rasp must be used on the toe and quarters, making a re duction of about one-eigntn oi au -""" th.im...!iiiiinr ,, -nit. nfthfl hoof, liie frog and heels and back part of the foot should not be touched. This shoe is made in accordance with the well-established priucl pie that the more tho hinderpart of the root, which is very tough, is used the harder and healthier it becomes. A Carroll county, Ma, farmer has an Osage orange tree on his placo wbich is 2S rant iii,r, nun Is IS inches in circumference. The bark fc an Inch and a half thick; fc5
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers