THE-PITTSBnEq-1 DISPATCH, MONDAY, JANTTAItY .4,. 1892. "
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rrrrsmjiiG. Monday. January 4.
THE FREE TASS DELIVERANCE.
The free pass question is galvanized into
life oncf more by the opinion of the Inter
State Commission partially deciding the
complaint of Senator Chandler against
'the Boston and ilaine Railroad. The de
cision is clear and accurate enough on the
points it decides positively, but it is rather
weak in its unwillingness to give a decisive
ruling on others it holds in reserve.
There is no specific prohibition of free
passes in the inter-State commerce law
as there is in the Pennsylvania Constitu
tion and the legality of their is-iiie de
pends on the question whether it does not
violate (1) 'the provision that no railroad
must charge more to one person for like
and contemporaneous service than it does
to another; and (2) the provision that
railroads must publish their rates. The
Commission rules that giving free passes
to shippers of milk, cattle and similar
articles who accompany and care for their
shipments does not subject other passen
gers to an unjust discrimination, although
it does not make it clear how the law am
be complied with without including on
their rate sheets the statement that
such shippers are entitled to passage
free. The Commission is equally clear in
ruling that passes issued to politicians and
others, "whose good will is valuable to the
company," are against the law, as it is
clear from the statement of the case that
this valuable good will is secured by the
grant to them of the favor and preference
of free transportation. 'Where the Com
mission was weak was in withholding for
further investigation the question whether
passes issued to newspapers in exchange
for fiee advertising, and others m the
same category, are illegal or not. While
the newspapers render full value received
for their passes, it is quite plain that the
practice of giving an indefinite amount of
transportation for an unappraised service
of any sort cannot be harmonized with the
object of the law to make all railway
charges specific and uniform, and to enact
that the whole traveling public shall know
exactly what has to be paid for a certain
amount of transportation with the assur
ance that no favored individual gets trans
portation for less.
What is really the grotesque feature of
the business is that public attention is
taken up by this painstaking investigation
with regard to a minor violation of the
law, while the great and vital provisions
of the act are being openly nullified all
over the country and no one thinks it
worth while to take much notice of theH
fact '
THE LEAP YEAH QUESTION.
The recent discussion of the question:
"Should Women Propose?" has received a
new fillip from the recollection that the
year 1892 is one of those quadrennial
periods during which a medieval tradition
assigns to the modester sex the privilege of
taking the initiative. More tersely it is
leap year: and while the privileges of that
season have been heretofore confined to
leap year parties snd sleigh rides, the re
formers seem to think that the tradition
would afford a good starting for the
radical change of permitting the love
stricken maiden to declare her passion to
the man of her heart and ask him the
tender question if he will be hers.
The arguments so far have a rather
monotonous sameness. One side holds
up the unreasonable discrimination that
Jeems if he thinks well of Belinda may
tell her so; while Belinda, however much
ihe may think of Jeems, must keep her
is sealed until he has made the avowal.
The oilier sidfecxclaims that Belinda, be
ing a woman, neither her lips nor her eyes
are sealed, and if she cannot make Jeems
understand the condition of her heart
without striking him with the
sledge hammer of a formal offer
of marriage she had better take her
sentimental wares to another market;
Jeems is too stupid to be married." This
is the argument of an opponent of the re
form; and as its real significance is that
Belinda may avow herself by looks and
hints, though not in plain language, its
logio is rather more strongly in favor of
women's proposing than against it
There are still other considerations
which should not be overlooked in the dis
cussion of this vital topic The paper
from which the above sentence is quoted
says that "the attitude of a woman to
ward a man is that of a queen toward a
subject," evidently with an idea that this
is an argument against the proposed re
iution. But the prerogative ot queens is
indisputed to make the proposition to the
vorcd consort; and tlnis it appears that
tr sovereign ladies have the privilege al
ready when thej choo.se to exercise it. Be
yond this they have support for the adop
tion of that extreme resort in the example
of heroines who have used it when other
and more conventional courses were in
adequate. The case of Priscilla Alden is
a good precedent; while in more modern
romance the heroine of Walter Besant's
"Children of Gibeon," who makes up her
mind to marry a lover of poor fortune and
low family, and is told by her sympathiz
ing mother "My poor girl, you will have
to ask him yourself," loses nothing of the
reader's esteem and admiration by the
brave way in which she performs that un
usual task.
On the whole, we do not think there is
any necessity of a new social edict on this
question. The great majority of young
women can rely on their charms and the
usual methods of intimating their prefer
ences to bring their swains to the point of
wooing. But if any young woman finds
lutrself in the perplexing strait of having
iQover too modest or too much con
strained by his circumstances to come to
ffTtg point, let her do the business and
afterward devote herself to the task of
making him bless 'the day when she did
it
'OME IMPORTANT FACTS.
The war boomers of General Horace
Porter's s'rjpe have been aptly character
ized as the '-war-for-the-fun-of-it" party.
It is nor necessary to waste much logic for
the gentry who desire to set ont for the
conquest "of Chile under the impression
that they arc going en a picnic. A more
important fact s that in the'background
somewhere there is an interest which with
equal pertinence can be called the "war-for-the-contracts"
party, and that the
latest performance of the organs of this
party is to begin an attack on Secretary
Blaine for recognizing the possibility of
a pacific termination of the dispute.
Yet in no respect has Secretary Blaine
shown a more clear and accurate judg
ment, nor more completely refuted the
charge of his enemies that he was given
up to Jingoism. lie appeals to the sound
sense of the American people by the posi
tion that the extensionof our commerco
with South America is more to our advan
tage than winning by a senseless war. He
has planted himself on the'basis of sound
principle by the practical avowal that we
cannot lay down one theory of international
duty for our own benefit and deny it for
the sake of attacking Chile. Finally, ho
has the sense and discretion to perceive
that by a comparison of the Chilean course
with reference to the Valparaiso riot, and
our own course with regard to the Jfew
Orleans mob, Chile is shown to have ful
filled and even surpassed the rules of
international obligation laid down by the
United States in the Xevv Orleans matter.
The comparison in the light of recently
published documents carefully sup
pressed by some one for over two months
shows the following facts:
First At the very inception of the dis
pute the Chilean authorities officially in
formed our representatives that the guilty
parties, whoever they might be, should be
punished.
Second The Chilean Government held
that the investigation of the crime must
be conducted according 'to the regular
methods of Chilean jurisprudence, and in
vited the co-operation of the diplomatic
and naval representatives of the United
States in that investigation.
Third The investigation thus promised
was instituted, the testimory of witnesses
on both sides heard, and arrests were
made, due information of these steps being
communicated at the time to the Minister
of the United States.
Comparing this with the position of the
State Department in the New Orleans af
fair, wc perceive that a practical dis
avowal of sympathy with the rioters was
made; that Chile, like the United States,
held that the trial of the rioters must pro
ceed under the regular judicial system;
but that the criminal system of Chile en
abled that Government- to give an assur
ance of punishment, while the State De
partment of our Government was obliged
to explain that, our judicial system per
mitted no such assurance; and that the
Chilean courts have made such a judicial
investigation, to which the United States
representatives have furnished testimony,
with the result of arrests of the rioters,
while the utmost that the United States
has been able to do in the New Orleans
matter is President Harrisons recom
mendation to Congress of an alteration in
our laws. Much of this is due to the dif
ference in our Constitution and judicial
system from the Latin system, which pre
vails in Chile. But when it is known that
Chile has gone further in the direction of
punishing the rioters in two months than
we have been able to do in ten, sensible
people will see that to declare that we
have cause of war with Chile is to utterly
condemn our own attitude with Italy.
Of course, such considerations have no
weight with the organs of the war-at-any-price
party that are suppressing these
facts even after they have been published
in other papers. But, as the Buffalo Ex
press removes itself from that class by
publishing a fair abstract of the Chilean
version of the riot, it is pertinent to reply
to its comment as follows: "But, even
if it is true, it does not excuse
the Chilean Government for neglect
ing to express regret for the occur
rence and to promise courteously that it
should be investigated, instead of surlily
telling us, in effect, that it was none
of our business. On this view of the
case, our cotemporary may fairly be
called upon to state whether it is not
cogent that in the very documents from
which it obtained the Chilean version
there are no less than three references in
the Chilean communication to the riot
as "lamentable" and "regrettable;" that
there are half a dozen official assur
ances, not that an investigation would be
made, but that it was already in progress;
that there were at least two official state
ments that the guilty parties should be
punished; and, finally, as already pointed
out, that the investigation has been made
in accordance with those promises.
Finally, wc will ask our cotemporary"
to say whether it finds no significance in
the fact that, while everything in these
very documents of two months ago that
would create an unfavorable impression
in this country was promptly sent here by
cabl these indications of a willingness to
do justice were carefully suppressed, and
would not be known to-day, if their trans
mission had depended on the United States
Minister at Santiago.
AN ABANDONED FUNCTION.
One of the positive features of January
1, 1HI2, was the definite and final aban
donment in American society of the prac
tice of New Year's calling. The custom
had been dying a slow and rather painful
death for some years; but its' complete de
m'se was to be reported as of last Fri
day's date. Except in official and diplo
matic circles, where archaic customs sur
vive sometimes a century after they have
been left behind the progress of the world,
society everywhere relegated the New
Year's call to the customs of effete ages.
No regrets will be wasted by the social
philosopher on this abandonment of a
once universal custom. The original
Dutch idea of making the rounds of ac
quaintances to wish them a happy new
year was a pretty sentiment in its natural
environment of Dutch slowness and
formality. But when transplanted to the
conditions of modern society it. became a
travesty on all ideas of real society. In
its mildest and least offensive form it was
'a burden of monotonous rapidity; in its
worst manifestations it was a wild orgic.
The practice of rushing in upon a lady,
wishing her a happy new year, saying two
sentences about the weather and
one about the number of calls you
have made, and then leaving in
the earnest attempt to inflict the same ex
perience on a possible hundred and fifty
hostesses was a burden to the caller, only
to be surpassed by the penance to the en
tertainer. The thought of taking in the
proper observance of the day one huu
dred and fifty nibbles of one hundred and
fifty different slices Of cake and one hun
dred and fifty ewigs from one hundred
and fifty cups ot coffee was something
the retrospect of which almost excuses
the too frequent practice of drowning the
whole sorrow in the mad oblivion ot'one
hundred and fifty swigs from one hun
dred and fifty different varieties, brands
and degrees of intoxicating fluids.
Society has lost nothing calculated to
contribute to its intelligent enjoyment
from the demise of the New Year's call.
But we can hardly flatter ourselves that
its abolition is due to any of the
reasons indicated. The New Year's call
is unknown to English society, and the
disappearance'Of that function is simply a
secondary but consolatory effect of the
prevailing anglomania.
THE CORONER'S IDEAS.
Elsewhere will be found Coroner Mc
Dowell's annual report and recommenda
tions for the increase of public safety, the
lessening of accidental, suicidal and felon
ious mortality, and the better dealing
with such cases when-they occur.
The Coroner's statistics show that a
large proportion of the year's murders
were due to the criminal immigrants the
fugitive, ignorant class imbued with their
national inclination to settle all disputes
by blood-letting. The question of re
stricting immigration is one which must
be answered bv the nation and cannot be
solved by one "State. The influx is due
not only to a fight from criminal prose-.
cution and oppression, but also to the
economic supply of the demand in certain
quarters for cheap and unskilled labor.
Other advice from the Coroner has a
more direct local bearing. All should take
to heart his verdict that many of the acci
dental deaths and suicides result from
carelessness on the part of the associates
and guardians of the victim. Mental
alienation .and decreptitude should always
receive close attention, and, where this is
impossible from the household, the af
flicted should be sentto institutions pro
vided for the purpose.
Children mast playand have fresh air,
but if ncglccttul guardians allow them to
use the streets they do it at an appalling
risk. The pointing out of the dangers in
this direction should lead to some reform
that will remedy the evil without robbing
the little ones of healthy recreation.
During the session of the- Legislature
the Coroner made praiseworthy but
futile attempts to pass his morgue
bill. The result is that the fa
cilities for the identification of
remains are still dependent on private en
terprisethat identification which, in
most cases, means the bringing of crim
inals to justice or the solution of the
mysteries of the missing. The renewal
of efforts to secure a public morgue and
the recommendation to have a permanent
Coroner's physician are certainly worthy
of public indorsement That fire escapes
are more frequent and elevators safer is
evidence of the wisdom of former recom
mendations, and give weight to those now
submitted.
Tun new Senator from Kansas seems to
be fully qualified for political preferment.
Ex-Governor St. John sums' up his fitness
with the remark that.during twenty-threo
years' acquaintance between himself and
Perkins the latter has been only thirty days
out of office.
Touching the reported reappointment of
Morrison as Inter-State Commerce Commis
sioner, the Chicago Herald asserts that "the
inter-State commerce act provides for the
appointment of a certain number each of
Democrats and Republicans," and says Mor
rison belongs to neither party. It would be
interesting for the esteemed Herald to point
out the section of the act in "which this re
markable provision is made. A law -which
says that there must be so many Democrats
and so many Republicans in a governmental
body would be ono of the curiosities of legis
lation. The Baltimore Sun claims the honor of
being the first to suggest tlie World's Fair
in commemoration of the discovery of
America, but would it not be wiser to wait
till the Fair is over before arrogating to it
self the glory of the proposition?
The renewal of the attack on Governor
Flower by the Wine and Spirit Gazette, which
arraigns hira for a sin of commission in
going to church and a Bin of omission in fail
ing to be sufficiently devoted to the rosy
god, creates harrowing suspicions as to its
inspiration. The attack was first made
during the Gubernatorial campaign with the
result of giving Flower a crushing majority.
The resurrection of the same fearful arraign
ment suggests the deep doubt whether the
accusing Journal is not under pay to help
along the Governor's mild Presidental boom.
It is rather difficult to comprehend the
political or domestic necessity by which
each administration signalizes itself in the
purchase of a costly set of china from for
eign factories; but wo suppose the social ne
cessity covers the whole job.
A New Yoisk paper excuses the omission
of any public bequests from the will of lion.
W. I. Scott on the ground that such bequests
aro so frequently broken down by the
courts. This may be a good way of whipping
the will smashers over Hon. W. L. Scott's
shoulders, but in view of the fact that most
of these cases of bequest-breaking occurred
since Mr. Scott's death, we aro impelled to
the conclusion that the millionaire left all
his property to his heirs lor the good reason
that he preferred to.
Br the way, that preannounced proclama
tion of the President, restoring duties
against certain countries which do not take
advantage of reciprocity.seems to have been
forgotten in making up the list of political
New Year's resolutions.
The modest demand is made by the New
York World that If the New York Central
does not at once adopt tho Dlock system
Mr. Depew shall resign the Presidency of
that corporation. Mr. Depew will be likely
to think twice before adopting that policy.
The position pays a comfortable salary, and
Mr. Depew probably will be" able to recall
instances in New York of men who resigned
ilesirable positions and found considerable
difficulty in getting them back again.
A late assertion that Senator Hill does
not indulge in intoxicating beverages
renders it more difficult than ever to explain
his speech on the coinage question, except
on the basis f plain unadulterated ignor
ance.
The big November exports beat the
record again, reaching the total $110,000,000.
They contain also the gratifying exhibit
that nearly half these "xports, or 31,000,000,
was shipped from southern ports. No
better evidence is needed that the South has
fully recovered from tho losses of the Civil
War and is now contributing her full share
to the nation's prosperity.
The annual promise of a sweeping ad
vancoln fire insuranco rates is heardas usual;
but the insurance combine is not yet suffi
ciently centralized to prevent the issuing of
policies at about the old figures.
It is interesting to consider the hunger
of tho naval ensigns and lieutenants for war
with Chile, on account of the opportunities
it will give for promotion. The sentiments
of the higher officers who are to be killed off
in order to provide vacancies for their
ambitious sub-ordinates might be worth a
passing inquiry.
A significant Omission.
SU Louis Globe-Democrat. 2
The most significant thing about the din
ner given to Governor Hill was tho cireTnl
oniis-iou ol the name of Grover Cleveland
from all of the speeches, ,
A POPULAR POISON. ,
( WRITTEN TOR TUB DISPATCH. I
I had occasion the other day io make
some remarks upon the subject or Intem
perance, in the course of hioh I ventnred
the assertion that drinking is not essentially
a sin. Drunkenness, I said, is sin, but not
drinking. And I instanced the marriage
feast at Can a. The quantity that is drunk,
tho quality of that which is- arunk, and tho
circumstances under which the drinking is
done, seemed to me the avenues by which
sin may entor. The conclusion, however, of
tho whole matter upon that occasion wns
that it v as a good deal better not to drink
at all.
Tho purpose of such a statement of the
cao was to set the drink question upon a
basis of actual fact. If drinking, even a
very little, could bo shown to be an actual
sin, like lying or stealing, then tho temper
ance advocates would certainly have a most
powerful argument. But if their desire for
Mich an argument lends thera to treat drink
ing as essentially sinlul, when really it is
only drunkenness that is sinful, then their
effort are hindered by tho fallacy In the
premise. Intelligent people cannot bo per
suaded by anything but the truth.
Since that time, in addition to many ex
pressions of dissent which I hope Ivaluo
properly, I have received a communication
from a friend of mine, one of the known and
best Informed chemists of this city, in which
bo attacks my position upon theground that
all liquors that aic drunk to-day contain
alcohol, mid that alcohol is a poison. So
that drinking even a very little is drinking
just a littlo poison. And not only that, but
a poison whose peculiarity it is to stimulato
tho appetite for more poison of tho samo
kind. That is, alcohol is a most seductive'
and deceptive, as well as fatal poison.
The Authorities on Foison.
Now, nil wc want in this matter is the
simple truth. The desire to be consistent is
only another form of self-conceit. For mv
part, I would bo delighted to take back
everything that was said, and to maintain
that even the smallest taste or the lightest
wine is a deadly sin if I could be convinced
that that is true. To take poison cannot
readily be conceived of as a virtue except
in the case of homeopathic medicine. If a
man voluntarily, in search of a sensation of
pleasure, takes into his system that which
ho knows will do him physical harm, he
commits a sin, not only against his body, but
against his soul.
Accordingly, I sot down here, out or my
friend's careful citation of authorities, as
many witnesses to his position ns-therois
space for, leaving the decision to every
man's Judgment.
Vr'hat is a poison? "Poison," says DungH
son's Medical Dictionary, "is a generio name
for all substances which when introduced
into the animal economy, either by cutnn
eous absorption, respiration or tho diges
tive canal, net in a noxious manner on tho
vital properties, or the texture of organs."
"A poison," aocording to Taylor's Treatise
on Poisons, "is a substance which when ab
sorbed into the blood is capable of seriously
affecting the health or destroying life." Dr.
Tracy, or the Now York Board or Health,
says thaWany substance whoso nature it is
when absorbed into the blood to injure
health or destroy life is called a poison."
That these characteristics of poison aro
prosent even in tho lighter liquors, beer,
wine, cider, etc., is affirmed Dy Dr. W. S.
Davis, of Chicago, founder of tho American
Medical Association, and Presidont of the
lato International Medical Congress. Dr.
Davis certainly ought to know what ho is
talking about. He says: "There is not a
greater or moro destructive error existing
in human society than tho belief that beer
and wine nndjlistilled spirits do no harm if
usedln moderation, and may even supply
sotno want to the system. The oft-repeated
maxim, that 'it is not the temperate use
but the abuse of alcoholic drinks that does
harm,' embodies error that is still inducing
tens of thousands or honest citizens to rob
tnemsclvcs of an averago of 10 or 15 years or
life, through tho agency of chronic disease
produced by the moderate use of alcohol."
1 hat would mako a good transparency for
a torchlight procession of Prohibitionists.
Alcohol Is a Poison.
Heke now are eminent authorities5 who
class alcohol as a poison. Dr. Mussey, Pro
fessorof Anatomy and Surgery in Dartmouth
College: "Alcohol is classed among poisons
by medical writers on poisons. I do not
know of an exception among physicians. It
is ranked among poisons from its effect on
the body nnalogons to thoso of other poisons.
What Is said of the effect of alcohol must be
true of all doses large or small, although the
effect of very minute doses may be imper
ceptible." Dr. Palmer, Professor of Path
ologs and Practico of Medicino In the Col
lego of Medicine and Surgery in the Uni
versity of Michigan: "All scientific men in
writing upon poisons class alcohol among
them, and no one denies to this article
poisonous qualities."
The late Dr. Willard Parker, of Philadel
phia: "Is alcohol a polsonj I reply, yes. It
answers to tho description of a poison. It
possesses an inherent, deleterious property
which, when introduced-into the system, fs
capatile of destroying life, and has its place
with arsenic, belladonna, prussio acid, and
opium. Toxicologists divide poisons into
threo classes: Irritants, narcotics, and
narcotico-irritants. Alcohol belongs to the
latter class in its effect upon the living sys
tem. It is first an irritant, and afterward,
when it has entered the circulation, it be
comes a narcotic Were alcohol an Irritant
only, a man would as soon poison himself
witli arsenic or aqua fortls. The narcotic
element is the siren that leads him to ruin
and to death."
Prof. E. L. Youmans, founder of the Popu
lar Science Monthly: "Alcohol is universally
ranked among poisons by physiologists,
chemists, physicians, toxicologists, and all
who have experimented or written upon
this subject, and who, therefore, best under
stand it." Dr. William A. Hammond, Dr.
lAlfrcd Carpenter, late President of the
Council of the British Medical Association;
Prof. Pereira, tho English Pharmacologist;
Sir Robert Chrlstson, late Proressor of Ma
teria Medica in tho University of Dublin; Dr.
King, author or tho "American Dispensa
tory;" Dr. Payne, physician to St. Thomas'
Hospital, New York, all vote the samo pro
hibition ballot. Dr. Harlcy, physician to
the Dublin prisons, says: "I cannot hesitate
to recommend tho entire disuse of such a
poison rather than incur the risks neces
sarily connected with Its moderate use."
Spirituous Liquors Poisonous, Too.
Alcohol, then, on the authority of
theso eminent specialists, is certainly ,1
poison. But what about alcoholic liquors?
In Dunglison's Medical Dictionary,
brandy, wines and all spirituous liquors"
are rlassdd as poisons.
Dr. Martin, Professor of Biology in Johns
Hopkins Universitj-, says: "The character of
a substance docs not depend upon its quan
tity but its quality. All beers, ales, porters,
ciders and wines contain alcohol in varying
quantity. But tho character of the alcohol
Is in every case the same. Ono of the worst
features of the poisonous characteristics of
alcohol is its power, even in small quanti-.
tics, to create a craving for itself that often
becomes irresistible. It is therefore tho
nuturo of beers, cider and wine that lead to
an increasing uo of alcohol. A continued
useof alcohol results in drunkenness."
lik Tracy, of tho New Yoik Board of
Health, says: "It must be remembered that
in whatever quantitj, or whcieveralcohol
is found, its nature is tho same. It Is not
onlya poison, but a. narcotic poison. It be
longs to the samo class with opium, chloro
form, ether, hydrato of chloral, etc., one
grcnt peculiarity or which Is that they nover
leave the body through which they have
passed in quite tho same condition In w hlch
they found it. Tho person who has once
taken them is npt to feel the desire to take
them again, and this desire is not like the
ordinary appetite for food. It is not that
their smell or taste is agreeable, for
tho rcverso is often the case. It
is tho after effect that is sought.
Tho oftoner this desire is gratified the moro
imperious it becomes, until the man is no
longer master of himself". He neglects bis
daifv nffalriN and takes no" interest in any.
body or anything, but plans for a fresh sup
ply of tho poison. The alcohol found in
beer and other light liquors, though present
only in rm'illiuantitws, possesses this pe
culiar attraction lor itelf which tends
sooner or Inter to lead to excess."
And Doctors ICellgh the 1'olsnn.
Dr. EiCHAinJSON, ot Lnnilon, who can
write after Ids name almost all the letters of
the alnhabet of learning and distinction,
says: "I have observed as a phsiologlcal, or
perhaps a psychological fact, that the at
traction of aloohol for Itself Is cumulative,
that so long as it i present in the human
body, even in the smallest quantity, tho
sense of requirement for it is present, and
that as the amount Insidiously increases, so
does the desire." He also says; ."Alcohol,
when partaken of for a short time, even in
moderation, creates a craving or desire for
itself which is apt to pass intoanaotual
insanitv."
. Finally, here Is the voice or Dr. Felix
Oswald, or New York: "After opening the
flood-gates not one mnn in n thousand can
stav the progress or a besetting vice, and of
nil besetting vices, the alcohol habit is the
most inevitably progressive. Wo cannot
tolerate tho use of 'ntoxicants, nndbope to
prevent intoxication. The power of moral
resistance is weakened with every repeti
tion of the poison dose.nndwe might as well
besiege a bed-ridden consumptive with ap
peals to resume his place at the head of an
afflicted family. All poison habits are pro
gressive. The beer vice is always apt to
eventuate in a brandy vice, or else to equal
ize the difference by a progressive ehlargc
mentof the dose. Common brandy contains
50 per cent of alcohol, laser beer, about 10:
so if A drinks one glass of brandy, and B
five glasses of beer, they have outraged their
systems by the same amount of poison, and
will incur tho same penalty. Total abstin
onco is n safe plan, nay, tho only safe plan:
for poison cannot be reduced to n harmless
dose."
And yet, tho other night, I dined with 50
Pittsburg doctors, and there were several
varieties of alcoholic poison upon the bill or
fare, and a majority of the physicians took
these dangeious doses with apparent cheer
fulness and relish!
FEET1LE EASTEEN ALASKA.
Green Valleys and Great Mineral Wealth
Discovered.
New York, Jan. 3 E. J. Glave, who had
some rough experiences in Alaska 18 months
ago, hasjust returned from another trip to
that country and ho brings back with him
considerable valuable geographical nnd
other information. His time was spent in
tho Mount St. Elias region in Eastern
Alaska, which was never before visited by a
white man: That part of tho country It
nlways has been supposed containednothing
but snow-covered mountains, frozen rivers
and glaciers. From the maps of the Govern
ment to-day the information to be had is
that tho region is supposed to be cold the
year round and that it is barren. But Mr.
Glave has discovered that the country, in
stead of being anything llko what it was
supposed to be, is as fertile as any part -ot
the West, and that during five months of
the year it is warm and pleasant. Further
more the temperature is never below zero
in the winter. There aro vast qnantitics or
minerals there, rich deposits of copper
being abundant.
He started for the interior from tho coast
near the Chilkat river early in June with
four pack horses. Before his departure ho
was told by old explorers thnt ho would
never be able to reach the country north or
tho Mount St. Ellas range, as there was" no
provisions to be had In that arctic region, as
it was called. But when he reached that
part of tho country ho found fertile valleya
and immense fovests insteatl of ico and
snow. The finest kind of grasses wero grow
ing in abundance, and some day the region
will be a great stock-raising couhtrv. While
ho was there ho found all the goosoberrics,
huckloberrios and raspberrios ho could cat.
During tho whole of July it was light enough
out of doors to read a book at any time aur
ing the day or night.
TO EIVALTHE PITISBUEB EXHIBIT.
Upper JDliio Mannfacturers Arrange for a
Show at Wheeling.
Wiieelio, Jan. 3 tyeWaJL A number
of the leading manufacturers of tho Upper
Ohio Valley mot hero last night, and agreed
to establish an exchange for tho display of
sample nnd sale or goods at the times of
year when the buyer is in the market. Tho
main Idea is to counteract tho display semi
annually mndo at the Monongahelu House,
Pittsburg. A combination of the factories
for any other purpose is not intended.
The following wero present at tho meet
ing: Lncius Martin, Piestdcnt or the Fos
toria Glass Company, of Moundsvillo; F. M.
Strong, Secretary or tho Nail City Stamping
Company: Harry Northwood, President or
the Northwood Glass Company, Martin's
Fen v: A. D. Seamou, Piesident or the Buck
eye Glass Company, of Martin's Ferry; A.
G. Slollenwie, manager ortho sales dopait;
mont or tho Wheeling and Labelle potteries;
Charles W. Frnnzhelm, Secretary of the
Warwick Pottery Company: Captain Muhl
man. President of tho Crystal Glass Woiks,
of Bridgeport; John Dornan. President of
the Riverside Glass Work". Wellsburg, and
Mr. Meder, of the North Wheeling Pottery.
SIR. PERKINS OP KANSAS.
rujsiB, Peffor, Perkins. As Kansas would
say, senatorially speaking: Let us have P's.
Philadelphia Times.
Perkixs instead of Ingalls! It might have
been worse; but most certainly it might
have been vustly better. Aeto 3'or7; Me
corder. Perkins will vote as Senator the same old
way he did as Congressman. But as he lives
in Washington voting for Eastern monopo
lists will seem more consistent than when
he lived in Oswego. Kansas City Times.
Governor Humphrey's declaration that he
considered ex-Congressman Perkins tho
best-equipped man in Kansas to serve the
State In tho Senate is a severe reflection on
a Republican named Ingalls who was once
considered well enough equipped to preside
over the Senate. iVp York World.
Mr. Furkins, of Kansas, who succeeds the
late Preston B. Plumb as United States Sen
ator, is an able man and a thorough-going
Republican who believes in a protective
taiiff and is opposed to the free silver coin
ago proposition. In this respect he is a de
cided, improvement over Mr. Plumb. Al
bany Evening Journal.
DEATHS HERE AND ELSEWHERE?
Jncfge William C. Haznldine.
Judge "William C. Hazeldine, Solicitor
General or the Atlnutic aril Pacific Railroad Com
panv, died at Albnqncrnni , N. 31., yesterday, of
pneumonia. Judge Hazcl(h"3.was a distinguished
lawjer, twice a member of the Territorial facnatcof
2ew Mexico. Chairman of the Republican Central
Committee, Member of tbc Constitutional Conven
tion, President of the Xew Mexican Bar Associa
tion, and a prominent Mason. Tie went to New
Mexico from Battle Creek, Mich., 12 5 cars ago.
Colonel John C. Haines.
Colonel John C. Haines died at his
home in Seattle, Wash., yesterday afternoon, of
pneumonia. Colonel Haines was Chairman of tho
State Republican Committee, -but resigned upon
being arrested for complicity In the famous
Gardener opium-siniiggling case. He was taken
to Auburn, N. Y.. lor trial and acquitted. When
Washington was admitted into the Union lie was
a prominent candidate for United Mates benator.
John C. Schorr.
JohnC. Schorr died yesterday at hishome,
161 Juniata street, Allegheny. He n as 40 years old.
and wab w ell know n hi secret society circles. He'
was a member of Mozart Lodge I. 0. O. F., Teu
tonla Lodge Xo. S7, A. I. A. A number of other
lodges will attend His fuucral to-morrow;
Obituary Notes.
Sir James Kediiouse, the Oriental scholar, la
dead.
Joseph Bowman", who died in Lebanon last
week, was reputed to be the Wealthiest man la the
tonyi. I le was .1 bachelor.
Colonel Frederick Mears. Fourth Infantry,
United State Arm v. died at r'ort Sherman, Idaho,
Saturday night of gastritis.
Esulk Louis Victor, pe Lavelave, the distin
guished Belgian wilter on political iconomv, died
at Liege v estcrday of the grip.
Ueokoe Walker, one of the best-known cltl-
7cns of Northern Penuslranla. died la) week at
his home near .Vtoutroe, aged 91 years.
Colonel Ceoiioe Peabody, father of Mrs. ox-
Secretarv j-.nnlcott anil grandfather orMrs. Jo-cjih
Cliambeflalu, XI. P.. ilfid at Boston jestcrday.
Mlts. Rebecca sciiissler, the oldest resident
or Ninliiiry. died laet week in her 02d Tear, she
leaves the children. All of whom are hi tliutij's.
lot.i. Lester, the famous South Mountain. Pa.,
rariner, died at Lebanon Monday. He nwnnl i(0J
acres of laud, and hundreds of horses and cattle.
JAMES Alfred 3IITCHELL. Hie younger son of
Donald G. Mitchell (Ik Marvel) died Saturday
morning at bt. Luke's Hospital, hi New Turk, at
the age or M. He tailed to rally Ironi'ar. j) inlou
for peritonitis,
WILLIAM H. Hahdman, a prominent citizen of
Columbia, Pa., believed to have been the last sur
vivor of General suniuel Houston's aimy in the
war for the Independence ot Texas, died v esterday
morning, aged 77 years.
Rkv. Dr. A. II. LocipiAN. a wdl.kno.vn I.u
theaau clergyman, died at York, Pa., last week.
In his 90th vear. He graduated Trom the Univer
sity or Pennsylvania lu 133. He was pastor of
Christ Church, York, fur44.jeir. t
David HanxUM died at Hanoi er. X. Y.. Satur
day morning. He was well known in Cortland
count v. and at one time was reputed to be worth
IIOlOOcOW. He mil noted for his reckless expendi
tures 011 sports and spotting events.
CONGRESS AND THE CENSUS.
Washington, Jan. 3. "When the Fifty
socond Congress reassembles Tuesday, after
the holiday recess, it will find Itself far less
capable of entering upon actual legislative
business than any or its predecessors during
reqent years. The committees or the Sen
ate, owing to the late date or their organiza
tion, have been unable to place upon the
calendars any or the reports thnt properly
engross the attention or the Senate at this
stage or the first session. Consequently
there will probably be little Tor that body to
do next week beyond listening to speeches
and acting upon some resolutions or minor
importance that may be brought before it
forimtnedinte'eonsideration as well as nom
inations sent in by the President.
The illness of Speaker Crisp has pre
vented the House Committee on Rules from
availing of the holiday recess for tho prepa
ration of a code or rules for tho direction of
the business of the House. That branch of
the National Legislature is now embarked
on tho trackless sea of general parliament
ary law.. Mr. Crisp's present condition
warrants'the presumption that he will not
bo able to preside when the House renssem
bles next Tuesday, and, in conformity with
tho requirements of general parliamentary
rule, Clerk Kerr will call the body toorder.
A Speaker pro tempore will be elected prob
ably McMillin, as Mr. Mills, who has also
been mentioned in that connection,
will not ho in Washington and an effort
will probably be made to secure tho adop
tion of tle Springer resolution, now pending
before tho Committee on Rules, providing
for the adoption of tho rules of tho Fiftieth
Congress until further order is taken. If
this is done, the various committees having
general appropriation bills in charge will be
able to enter upon the preparation or theso
measures, and tho wheels of legislation will
begin to revolve. There is some talk or
holding a Democratic Houso cancus to
morrow night to rullv define this pro
gramme.but in view of the number ol absent
Representatives it has notyet been definitely
decided.
In a report to the Secretary of the In
terior, dated Decembers, 1891, Superintend
ent Porter, of the Census Bureau, says he
thinks it safe to estimate that tho cost of
printing tho Eleventh Census, as at present
mapped out, will be, relatively speaking,
less, certainly no more, than tho Tenth
Census. This estimate is based on tho law as
it stands to-day. Should Congress order
larger editions or the several volumes the
co-t, ho says, will be accordingly increased.
Allowing for the amount or money unex
pended the per capita cost or the eleventh
census up to this date has Deen 9.78 cents,
while for the Tenth Census it was
9.9J cents. Including the' amount paid
enumerators and supervisors, the total cost
of tho collection or the data for
the .Eleventh Census has been $3,600,383.
Superintendent Porter says that not only
was tho cost of collecting ytatistlcs or manu
facturers, mines and mining, vital statistics,
etc., increased under the present act, au
thorizing the Superintendent of Census to
withdraw schedules from enumerators and
uso other and more efficient methods, but
the pay for collecting the agricultural
schedules was likewise increased by Con
gress. Should the Eleventh Census there
fore show, when completed, a slightly in
creased per capita cost.it will, the Super
intendent says, bo due to the ever-growing
popular demand for local and minute infor
mation and to the better work, better
methods and better pay allowed for collect
ing manufacturing and agricultural
schedules.
Superintendent Poetee expresses the
belief that the census work proper can all
be finished and ready for the printer by the
closo of 1892, nnd that the total cost, exclu
sive of printing, nnd farms, homes nnd
mortgages, will not exceed $7,000,000, or a
trifle over 11 cents per capita, as against a
total cost of about $5,000,000, or about 10 cents
per capita, for the Tenth Census, an increase
of 1 cent. This, he eavs, will finish up tho
work within the next 12 or, at most, 18
months, in accordance with tho original
plan, without a single outright or even par
tial failure. In brief, the cost or the Eleven th
Census, when completed, exclusive or print
ing, and farms, homes and mortgages, will
be about lcent per capita more than the
Tenth, an increase less than tho increase
between the cost of the Ninth and Tenth
Censuses.
The work of the office is vvell advanced,
and H of the 25 divisions or the Census Office
will soon have ceased to exist, tho work
having been completed. Three other divi
sions will exist onlv in name and In tho ag
gregate emplobut 15 or 20 clerks. The office
lorce for the coming year will be concentra
ted on population, agriculture and manufac
ture. HEB DOT "WAS SHALL,
Bat After Waiting Six Years Miss Mitchell
Satisfies the Prince
Londojt, Jan. 3. The marriage of Miss
Mitchell, daughter or Senator Mitcholl, or
Oregon, to the Due de la Rochefoucault,
occurs in tho early part of February. It is
learned that tho couple have ten secretly
engaged six years, but havo deferred the
wedding because of the opposition of
the Due's family. The opposition grew out
of tho fflct that the Senator was not rich
enough to provide a dowry satisfactory to
the family of the bride. The Due himself is
far from rich, but he has a good reputation,
and Is a much more desirable "catch" thnn
many of the titled gentlemen who have ob
tained American wives during recent years.
The latest betrothal in which Americans
are especially interested is that of Lawrence
Lawrence, brother of Charles Lawrence,
or Boston, to Miss Violet Mills, daughter or
Loid llillingdon, who is a partner in tho
famous banking house of which Glyn Mills
is the head.
APPLES FE0M A FAMOUS IEEE.
The Original Was That Beneath Which
General Lee Surrendered.
Richmond, Jan. 3. A quart or apples havo
Just reached this city which were taken
rrom a tree at Appomattox which has a his
tory. Tho old tree stood in the yard of Mr.
Wells Inge, and a shell from 0110 of tho Inst
guns flred at ppomatox in April, 1S65,
struck tho tree and split it nearly to tho
roots. The next morning General Lee sur
rendered about a mile from Mr. Inge's
house, in 'Squire McLean's house.
Many mistook the luge tree for that imag
inary apple tree under which it is said Gen
eral" Lee surrendered, nnd the shattered
tiee was soon sawed up by the relic hunters
nnd converted into canes, only a stump
being left on the Inge place. From that
stump a sprout grew, nnd now the sprout Is
an apple tree nearly as largo as was the
original. On the new tree the fruit Mr.
Inge lias scut to this city grow. Mr. Ham
merslev. tho World's Fair Commissioner
L for Appomattox, intends to have some of
next year s appies iruui liiis ireu presenieu
for exhibition at the Columbian Exposition.
Spiked With Silver Dollars.
Kallespel, Misif., Jan. 3. The Pacific ox
tension or the Great Northern Railway was
completed into Kallespel Friday, the last
lail being laid across Mnin street at noon in
the presence or 3,500 people. A silver spike,
made hero of silver dollars contributed by
ladies, was driven at the end of the track by
an old pioneer. This was the signal for an
outburst of pent-up enthusiasm.
rEOPIiE K.VOWN EVERYWHERE.
James Whitcomb Riley was a clever
amateur actor in hi3 younger days.
Dr. "W. H. Kussell, the famous war
correspondent, is going to Egypt to recover
his health.
Dr. Pridtz, of Nansen, the eminent
Arctic explorer, will visit the United States
during the coming spring.
Chief Justice Fuller daughter is
quite ill in Berlin and the Justice may go
over by tho next steamer.
Salvationist BooTn 13 holding revival
services fit India, where his audiences aro
not very large or enthusiastic.
Ex-minister to-Great Britain Vaux, of
Philadelphia, who has not been ill for 10
years, has succumbed to the grip.
Henky Clews, the Xew York banker, is
in favor or making Saturdays in summer
time wholo instead or hair holidays.
."William A. Slater, the millionaire
cotton manufacturer of Connecticut, has
gone to tho Bermudas for the winter.
yilVi. Springer, the wire of the Con
gressman, Is said to bo his "best achieve
ment, brightest accomplishment and most
admirable quality."
Opie Reed, the well-known writer of
Southern stories, has retired from tho cdi
totship of tho Arkantaw Traveler. Tho suc
ces of Mr. Reed's latest books has been
ouch that ho has decided to gtvo up editorial
duties nnd devoto liis-wholo time to regular
literary, work.
IHDEPEKDEHCE HALL 15 CHICAGO.
A Description of the Fine Building Penn
sylvania Will Construct.
nARBisBUBO, Jan. 3 Special. The
tower or old Independence Hall will be re
produced at the World' Columbian Exposi
tion in the Pennsylvania Building, as finally
approved. Dr. H. Bnrnara, Chlcr of Con
struction, and Architect Atwood, to whom
all plans or State Buildings are submitted
for a final decision, both agree that this
tower la the finest piece of architecture in
America, and have nsked that it bo given
more prominence than was shown in the
original design of the State Building, execu
tive Commissioner Whitman returned
from Chicago to-day and said:
"The tower or Independence Hall will be
reproduced as it actually is in the original
building, subject to such changes In the
entrance way as will adapt it to the style of
the building to be constructed a connec
tion with It. It will bo surrounded and
connected with n. building or colonial style,
which again will be surrounded by a. portico
20 feet wide. An effort will bo made to
secure from tho City Councils of Philadel
phia the loan or tho old Liberty bell, to be
hung in the tower in the position it occupies
at present.
"The inside hallway will bo fitted nn as
nearly like Independence Hall as possible.
On the left will be the ladles' reception and
toilet rooms. On the other side or the hall
way will be gentlemen's reception, toilet
and smoking rooms. At the end or the hall
way will be an exhibition room for a display
of historical and other matter. In addition
to these apartments, on the first floor there
will bo lmt and cloak rooms, a postofllce and
bureau of information.
"The second floor will bo fitted up in fine
style.. On the right of the main hallwny
will be a large room for the exclusive use of
newspaper correspondents. In the rear will
be a fllo room, in which it Is contemplated
to file the leading newspapers of the State.
On the opposite side or the hallway will be a
large apartment known as the Governor's
room and a room for the Executive Commis
sioner. Connected with these will be a wait
ing room and a private room. Besides
theso there will bo two largo committee
rooms.
"The building will be lighted by electricitv,
and all the large rooms will be fitted up with
fireplaces. The Pennsylvania and New York
buildings have the finest locations, and will
bo side by side, with a space of about 100 feet
between them. The Pennsylvania building
will be at the intersection of two of the
principal avenues."
COLONEL GARZA OF TEXAS.
Garza's bandits have changed the Mexi
can border to a ragged edge. Philadelphia
Jlecord.
Perhaps Garza has mado the mistake or
not believing the Mexican war or '43 is over
yet. Philadelphia Times.
Ip Garza was onco a sewingmachino agent
the fact accounts for tho way he is ripping
up tho border. St. Louis Republic.
If Garza wins he will bo called a patriot
and elected President; if ha loses he Is a
rebel and ought to be hanged. Chicago
Globe.
We can't help feeling that Colonel Garza
would be happier if he would swear off now
nnd hire out as a Pullman car porter. Chi
cago Mail.
From the rapidity with which Garza skips
rrom one side to the other or the Rio Grando
it is a little difficult to tell Just whoso
bandit he is. Detroit free Preis.
Garza, the outlaw, will soon be Garza, tho
rebel, ir he continues to gain additions to
his forces. A man with 9H0 men behind him
is hai dly an outlaw. Boston 2ews.
A EECEIVER SAID TO BE SH0ET.
The Keferee Investijatlng an Alliance
Failure Makes a Damaging Report.
Alliance, Jan. 3. Special. Referee
Frank L. Baldwin, who was appointed by
Judge pease to investigate the doings of G.
Q. Freer as receiver of A. W. Coates & Co.,
manufacturers of rakes or this city, has filed
his report. It criticises the extravagance
of the receiver, and finds him short in his
report $8,705.
Mr. Freer, at the time of his appointment,
gave; bond .for $10,000 with the late John
Atwell and Peter Kimhorly as his sureties.
An action will be commenced at once
against Freer and his bondsmen to recover
the amount said to be short. Mr. Freer is
now a resident of Cleveland.
A MAETYE AT BEST.
Sonth America's Father Damlen Succumbs
to the Leprosy.
Panama, Jan. 3. A Surinam dispatch an
nounces the death, at Batavia, recently of
Padre Balkes, the Father Damien of South
America. He had been in charge of the
Dutch Guiana leper station since ISflG, when
ho came out from Amsterdam, a volunteer
to the service.
Ten years ago he developed the terriblo
disense. His flngprs went one by one, then
his reet becamo affected, and lastly his nose
and an eye were attacked and eaten away,
and yet up to the very last ho managed to
attend to bis priestly duties and consoled
and cheered his fellow-sufferers.
100 P00E TO CLOTHE SOLDIERS.
Guatemala's Government Accused of
Cheating Its Seamstresses.
Guatemala Citv. Jan. 3. La Cronista
oharges the head military officials hero with
defrauding poor seamstresses employed to
make clothing for the soldiers. The
local commander, however, says
there have been no funds nt
the disposal of the War Office for months to
meet such bills, and claims this to be the
only reason why tho women have not been
paid. A committee of 300 of these sewing
women waited upon President Barraillas
lately to protest asainst their wages being
kept back.
THE LOUISIANA SQUABBLE.
The Congressional Committee in Kellogg's
District Denounces Bolters.
New Orleaxs, Jan. 3. The Third Congres
sional District Committoe met at Morgan
City Saturday. This Is Kellogg's old dis
trict. The committee indorsed the call of
the State Commutes for the State Conven
tion January 18; condemned the action of
Federal officials in bolting from the Stato
Committee; urged all Republicans to sup
port, the regular State Committee, and in
dorsed President Harrison's administra
tion. SHERMAX WON THE EACH
"All Is well that ends well," and the Sen
atorial contest has "ended well. Ohio State
Journal.
Sexatob Shermax Is not an icicle, by any
means, but it is a very cold day when hegcts
left. Cleveland Leader.
Statesmen like John Sherman aro needed
with such blatherskites as D. B. Hill in the
Senate. Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Foraker is "on the ground." The anes
tion Is whether Sherman will be able to keep
him there. Philadelphia Record.
" It would be strange, considering all hoi
has dono for it nnd the country, if the State
or Ohio didn't give Senator Sherman a re
seat in rull. Philadelphia Times.
Govermor Foraker says that even Baby
McKe: is in the light in behalf of Senator
Sherman. This is merely an attempt to ex
plain why a squall has struck the Forakor
ship. Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Governor Foraker's adherents did not
succeed in nominating the man of their
first choice for Speaker, but for that reason
they do not propose to "disrupt tho party."
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
Sherman has never before been oblfged to
lake a personal part in a Senatorial contest
at Columbus, and it is a reproach to Ohio
thnt ho found it necessary" to do so in the
present instance. 67. Lnult Globe-Democrat.
An Old Silver Co'pi Demonetized.
Berlin-, Jan. 5 Arrangements havo been
completed with Austria-Hungary to demon
etize tho silver coin known lis vereins
thalcrs, a. vestige of tho old Gorman-Austrian
monetary union. The operation will
extend over three years. The agreement is
certain to revive the silver discussion in the
Reichstag.
Blaine's Moat Mcmentous Year.
New York Recorder.!
This year will ptobably bo the most mo
mentous in all Mr. Blaine's official life.
Which Is Slaking Mills II.?
Chicago lnter-Ocnn.1
It is n querj' which' is making Mills the
sickest, the grip ho has lost or the grippe he
has found.
CURIOUS CONDENSATIONS. .;
But one thunderstorm has been wit
nessed in Arizona during 11 years.
A Maine boy of 8 years is said to ba
able to repeat 40 chapters of the Bible.
In New York last year 2,748 buildings
were commenced and 3,629 were finished.
In Jerusalem the finest and, In fact, the
only hotel, is kept and owned by a Philadel
phian. A mineral resemblim? iron ore has been
found in Montana that takes fire on exposure
to the air.
Quill toothpicks came first of all from
France., THe largest factory in the world is
near Paris, where there is an annual product
of 20,000,000 quills.
Fathom is from the old Aryan root fat,
to extend, and denotes the distance from tip
to tip when the arms of an average-sized
man are fully extended.
Hitherto the British bushel has been
reckoned as 61 pounds of grain, bnt a
change having been made In the standard
weight the bushel in future is to be defined
by 60 pounds.
The most northerly railroad in the
world now building runs from Lulea, a small
town on tho Gulf of Bothnia, to Eldegaar,
within the Arctio circle. It will bo ready for
use next summer.
A muscular colored .man in Arundel
county, Maryland, killed an infuriated bull
which attacked him by seizing the animal
by the hornsand throwing him with violence
sufficient to break his neck.
A lot of wild dogs infest Sherman
county, Kan., and make life a burden to the
inhabitants. They are supposed to ba
hounds returned to a wild state. They run
together and attack both man and beast.
"With the desire of giving he,r husband
a true picture of herself, a woman in Atchi
son, Kas., had herphotograph taken. as she
appeared at daily housework in her kitchen
dress, with a baby on one arm and broom,
and dust-pan on the other.
A thornless raspberry has been examined
by Prof. Britton, or New York Cltv. It was
sent to him by Pror.Millspaugh, of the West
Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station.
It grows luxuriantly in Randolph countv,
W. Va., and bears fruit, but no briars.
The Ifew England States use Formosan
teas, the Middle States all kinds of Oolong
teas, green teas and a fewCongos; theSouth,
principally green teas, and the Northwest
and Canada, Japan teas, which latter Consti
tute over one-half of the entire consump
tion. Various stories have been told of the
tails of the Niam Niams of Central Africa,
who have also been asserted to be canni
bals. Their tails have been described as
smooth and as hairy, as peculiar to the
men, and as possessed by the men and women
both.
Among the many curious things in the
plant world there is none more curious than
the solanum gatatrum,a recent-addition to a
CalirornLi conservatory. The plant bears
hard-boiled eggs for fruit. At least the
fruit resembles a hurd-boiled egg with the
shell taken off, as nearly as a truly egg can.
A favorite food fish in Japan is the tai.
It contains two bones, which the Japanese
call, from their shape, the hoe and sickle.
When eating the fish a mother will tell her
children, "Now wait until I get you tho hoe
and sickle," and the cnildren use them as
playthings.
Poisoning by mussels is a well-known
fact. Such poisoning appears in chronic
form in Terra del Fnego, mussels being
abundant on the shores, and other kinds of
food rare, so that the natives eat large quan
tities of the former daily, both of bad and of
good quality.
Spaniels, of which there are many
breeds, are supposed to have first comefrom
Spain, from which circumstance is derived
their distinctive name. Charles I. was an
ardent admirer of a small variety of this
animal, and from that aroso the designation
of bU pets known the world over as the
King Charles.
Chester Hall, ex-postmaster of Dan
ville, Ind., beasts or an educated cat. One
cold night recently the door bell rang and
when Mr. Hall answered the bell what
should walk in but the lamily cat. Since
thenwheneverthoc.it wants to enter the
house it rings the bell and continues the
ringing until admitted..
Fireflies are utilized in Cuba and else
where for ornaments, wherewith the gowns
and coiffures of ladiesaro adorned on festive
occasions. One can read by the light which
a few of these insects give. One point that
may be urged in behair or these fireflies is
that they kill mosquitoes, finding in the lat
ter their favorite prey.
Amber is found in irregularly shaped
pieces, usually of small size, but in 1J78 a
mass weighing 11 pounds was found In Prus
sia, nnd a few years ago the-largest lump on
record, weighing 22 pounds,-was discovered
on the shores of the Baltic. A mass weigh
ing 18 ponnds was found in Lithuania, and is
now preserved in the royal cabinet at
Berlin.
Along the Arctic coast men cut ofTthe
hair on top of their headi, so that they look
like monks, the object being to avoid scar
ing tho caribou by the flutter or their locks.
The Esquimaux are fond or eggs not yet
hatched, but about to be. They are much
addicted to liquor and tobacco, and it is a
common thing to see a nnrdng infant with
a qnid or tobacco in its mouth.
Three small-grained varieties of com
mon wheat were cultivated try the first lake
dwellers of Switzerland. It was also culti
vated by the people or Italy and Hungary
in tho time or the Stone Age, and by the
Egyptians as long ago as 3359 years B. C,
this latter fact being proved by a grain of
wheat found imbedded in one ot the bricks
of tho pyramids to which tho above date
has been assigned.
An interesting incident, showing at
how great a distance a conversation can be
carried on, is iIated by Lieutenant Foster,
or the third Parry Arctio expedition, in
which he says he convorsed with a man
across the harbor or Port Bowers, a mile
and a quarter away, and it has nlso been
asserted on good authority that at Gibraltar
the human voice has been distinctly heard
at a distance or ten miles.
In Singapore the bridegroom must se
cure his bride in a race, and this custom of
bride-chasing is quite common throughout
Southern and Eastern Asia. In Singapore a
circnlar course is marked out, half of which
is traversed by the maiden incumbered
only with a waistband ere tho word is given
for the wonid-be po-sessor to go in pursuit,
in the hope of overtaking her before she has
thrice compassed tho circle: that achieved,
she has no choice but to take the victor for
her lord.
nCMORESQUK ODDITIES.
Kickshaw Did you make any XewTear'
calls? t
Dhnmlck One.
Kickihaw What did the other man hold. Judgt.
'Xinety-ono sat on a wall;
' N inety-one had a great'fall.
All the king's horses and all the kin men
Can't put 'ninety-one back again.
Harper's Bazar.
Dick Hicks (to dentist) My jaw ached
when I came here, bat now It has stopped.
MoLir (grasping forceps) We can oon remedy
that. -V'lo York H-raUl.
MY. Neer "What ought we to do, doc
tor, as a commnaity. In order to r meet the
grip?
Dr. Blunt-Don't meet It, my dear sir. Avoid it.
Vhictis" Tnbun'.
Those household bills, thosethousehold bills,
Their presentation woo Instills !
I listen for the postman's ring
And know full well the grist he'll bring.
For yesterday my darling wife
With shopping schemes was more than rtfe;
T.-day she tops my other His
With Lousehojd bills, with household bills I
Xea Xork Herald.
Irate Purchaser (to house furnisher's as
sistant) This stove won't burnl
Assistant Ave coorse not, sorr. Iron usually
won't. Ilurp-r's Bazar.
Husband I don't see why yon women
always begin lining yonr skirts before you get
within ten feet of a mud puddle.
Wlf. I don't see why you men nsverroUup
your trousers until you get half way through a
mud p'iddls. Puck.
She declined a proposal not quite to her
taste.
And the youth sent away In displeasure.
For she said that she neverwould marry in haste,
A nd now bhe's repenting at leisure.
.V. r. Press.
Mr. Halfcentury The newspapers must t
lie hard up for news.
Mrs. Halfcentury-Why so?
Jlr. Haircentury-Here's an Item that the oldest
man In New York State died last week, and the
oldest mn In New York Stale died when I wssa'ti
more than IS. Judge.
- 1, . ' j i"iA.-..
m