The Scranton tribune. (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, October 03, 1896, Page 11, Image 11
THE SCRAXTON TRIBUNE---SATURDAY MORNING, OCTOBER a, 1896. XI PLACE WOMEN OF THE CRESCENT CITY lorious Feature of New Orleans Life Now Almost Obsolete. AN ODD RELIC OF SLAVERY DAYS Women Whose Mothers Were Once in llondagc but Were Freed far Senti mental llcnonnA Society no x elusive us That of the Austrian Court. Trcm the Hun. New Orleans has a coloring and a charm of Its own. Its Latin and Anglo I.utln people those who have an American strain of blood from one par ent, but who have two mother tongues, English and Frenh-ure unlike any other class of people In the South. They Imve the cautious, hard-hcadedess of the Northener, blended with the line ro. mnntlc tendencies of their Old World ancestors of France and Spain. They are gravely courteous to the strnnKer so journing for a tseu.son within their Rates, hut he must not ask too many ques tions touching mutters with which he h no concern. Hence the pe'.ullur institution, of which this Is written, has generally missed the mitebonK of the traveler, and Is but little understoud by any of our own people here at home. It has been thirty-three-years since Plnvery tiled at the stroke of Abraham Lincoln's pen. Many of the curious things that were a part of It and grew out of it are well nigh forgotten. Besides slaves, who are bought and sold, there was an Intermediate class of peo ple who have a peculiar history. These were tHe place women and their child ren. The place was almost entirely confined to New Orleans. The term comes from the French word meaning "placed," and places were women of II shades of color, from the mulatto to the octoroon, one-eighth negro, who could not be distinguished from the very whitest lady in the land. Some times when a girl of this grade of color was sold she became a place. Hut It Is not of the slave class this Is writ ten, but of another far more interesting. There has always been In New Or leans a peculiar society composed of persons of color, who are not to be com pared with the ordinary negro. They Were known before the war as "the free people of color," and still retain that name. In this class were the descend ants of place women and the white men YJlio maintained them. Many of this class ate very rich; most of the women are handsome, nnd men and women are well educated. These persons scorn the or dinary negro or mulatto, for they have In their vflns the bluest blond In the city nnd state they live In, and, ns white people will not associate with them, they are a community to themselves. Very many persons in New Orleans, generally "Americans." as they call those having no French blood on either side, are utterly Ignorant of the fact that among the inhabitants of this most picturesque of nil American cities there Is a society ns exclusive as that of the Austrian court the most exclusive hi Europe to which it Is almost Impos sible to gain admission, that presents the colored race in a condition and light that does not exist elsewhere on the planet, THE KKOINNINO. Its beginning was simple. There came o New Orleiins u hundred years ago ersons from ull countries In Kiirope to u y and sell cotton and other great Southern staples. Some of these traders were from Kim-la ml. a few cumo from 'France, more were from Holland. Ger many, and the Latin countries. They came out to America to make a fortune and go back to their native land and on Joy it. They had no home ties, for they could bring none, und were young nnd romantic. They saw the graceful, soft eyed quadroons. They could not marry these women, If they wished to, for It was against the law. but they could set them five, und usually they did. The children born of these alliances consti tute the curious society which has ex isted for four quarters of a century. As the fathers of these children were usually rich, the young quadroon or octoroon children were well educated. The girls went to convents (one or two of which maintained special nnd of course separate classes for these girls), and they were taught all their white sister ever learned. When they left there the mother prepared to runge her daughter, Just as In "the best society" the fashionable mother prepares to make a good marriage for her girl who is Just coming out. Itemember nnd this Is the purt most difficult to comprehend by Northern readers these girls were and are as innocent and as good as any girls can be. Their mothers knew they could not be married to white men. The girl herself loathed the negro as much as the most dellcate-mlnded white woman que voluez vous? She had never been alone with a man a moment since she was 10 years old. She knew the rela tion her mother held to her father, but, que voulex vous? She had never been taught that anything nbout It wns wrong; the good nuns of the Ursuline or other convents, who taught her, let that alone, for it would have been of no use. The mother had her ambition, as mothers have, no matter what the color of their skins may be. In socle ty It Is the question of the largest for tune that most frequently stirs the ma ternal heart. Who, therefore, can blame the poor creature who has never known any better state, whose chief religious duty consisted in loving her children and having them duly chris tened in the church? Who can find fault with her because she wishes for her child what the fashionable mother so often desires for hers a good estab llshment? Therefore, when the young octoroon reaches the proper age and has learned all the good nuns can teach her, her mother looks out for a good home for her when she Is place. This placelng 1b a matter of great im portance to these girls and their moth ers, and, indeed, all their relatives, Twice a year a very select ball Is given, which the place women attend, and, of course, the eligible girls. There the young girl sees about ail the desirable men gentlemen men of the loftiest social rank who are In society in the city. The men see the girls. The eti quette is as courtly und stately as at any gentleman's house In New Orleans. At such times the formal acquaintance ls made, for these girls never remain a lmoment alone with any man save their confessor, perhaps, or brothers intll they are place. The mothers of :hese girls have an intimate knowledge nf the. "Inside" of New Orleans life, so far as It concerns rich, "eligible" (ac cording to their views) younysmen that would astonish a Parisian chief of Be ret police. Where they get this infor mation goodness knows, but they have it, At lait the proper person Is selected, most frequently a rich young foreigner, for not many Americans now desire or care to enter Into such relations, with their results, for a lifetime. The man agrees to give the girl an establish ment and fits it up, and she takes pos session. Here comes the most won derful part of It all. I have never known a man to fail In his promises to the woman. Whatever he may do, or whoever he may cheat or lie to, he keeps his faith with the woman who Is his place. BOTH ARE FAITHFUL. It is a curious thing, but there are reasons for it. No married woman could more faithfully keep her marri age vows than the place woman keepB her faith. They never break their pledge. Every Sunday the man dines, if possible, with his place, and he is ex pected to conic to the house once or twice a week, but there is no hunting him up or bothering him with notes or messengers at his office or club. Sometimes he may Invite a very inti mate male friend to dine with him at this house. I shall never forget a din ner of this Bort, some years ago, where the host was a young Greek merchant, whom I knew well, an enthusiastic young fellow, as handsome as an old time Greek god. The girl for she was only about 20 was ns white as he; in fact, she had thut clear, Ivory complex Ion that Is seen to perfection only among the best bred octoroons of Lou isiana and the lad lest of highest rank In Rome, Naples nnd Venlee. The young couple were very much In love with each other, and there was no more sign of the coarseness and vulgar ity than one usually sees with relations of this character than there Is In the prettiest nest that a man could select for a dainty bride. In which Bhe should be shut out from all the world. And j dcrstnnd what was being said by the after n dinner that In refinement audi petite place of a leading French cotton correctness of service nnd arrangement! broker, and Garfield and Stanley Mat could not be surpassed, the girl sang' thews were looking on wonderlngly at some low, charming love songs In a' this phase of life, and trying to com- sweet, foreign tongue, for. like most of her class, she spoke very little English. I wondered If there could be any sin where there was no knowledge or In tention of evil, for our first mother. Eve herself, over whom no priest dron ed a service when she mated with Adam, was not more perfectly without guile than was this child of the tropics. There are perhaps In New Orleans to day two or three hundred couples whose relations to each other are those mentioned. It Is a matter that Is ex tremely difficult to write about because of its delicacy, but somehow the innate vulgarity which Is always a part of re lations between the sexes not sanction ed by law was absent from all those I have ever known place. As a class no women are more fascinating than are these qnndroons or octoroons. They have the prettiest little hands In the world and the daintiest feet, scarcely larger than those of a child. And then such eyes! Large, full of a languorous sweetness, and fringed with the deep est black lashes. It Is not difllcult for one who has ever seen these women to understand their wonderful power over the men of the far South. There Is n larger percentage of beauty among them thar. there is in any equal number of Indies In the best society anywhere In America. As has been stated, they are well educated, nd nearly all of them sing beautifully, for with their drop of negro bluod they inherit the marvellous negro voice, und because of these things I presume It is that the men keep faith. THE DARKER SIDE. So much of the romantic and softer side of this curious phase of life In the far South. These women, as has been said, usually have a strain of foreign blood, In which French Is first, but Spanish, Portugese, and Italian is com mon. They have inherited all the fierce passlonj of their Latin sires. Once aroused they are unforgiving and dan gerous in the extreme, and they are prune to Jealousy, especially in case of the attentions of their lords to ladles In society, who know nothing of all this, and see In Monsieur X. or Y. only an extremely good-looking and accom plished gentleman, whom papa says Is fast growing rich. These place women have all the deadly secrets of the obe- ull, and possess a skill In poisons which Is marvelous. Some dark stories could be told by New Orleans physicians, if they would speak, of poisons that de fy medical skill, that gradually wear away the victim's nerve and brain, or produce insanity and death almost In stantly. Many tales are whispered and true ones, too of men In the fash ionable world, rich, with everything else to make life worth the living, who have tried the patience of the place too far, and the creature who is ns true herself as any wedded wife could be, and would endure putiently anything but supercedure, has turned at last and used the dread secrets known only to her race, and madness comes, only to end In certain death. Om evil of this system Is the illegiti mate children, though they seldom ex ceed two. The sons are usually well educated, and some of them have hand some fortunes, and are the founders of families who are respected by both col ored and white people. From this class came the Joubrets, the Dumases, Maries, and Maeartes, all valuable citi zens of New Orleans and wealthy and energetic men. There was a well known broker In New Orleans named John Clay (he died several years ago), who was said to bo the son of the Sage of Ashland, and, if looks had anything to do with It, the story may have been true, for he was the very image of old "Harry of the West," In a delicate brown. The story was that he was the son of Henry Clay and a quadroon wo man of Lexington, Ky., and that his father freed him and sent him to New Orleans some years before the war. At his death, John Clay was worth $200,000, made in honorable trade. A curious character named Delacroix was anoth er son born of this relation. He be came a great miser, and owned at his death nearly a million dollars' worth of real estate in New Orleans and Its vicinity. There are many cases, well known too, of men who had two famil ies, one qadroon nnd the other white and legitimate. I have In my mind now such an lnstance.and the colored brothers have done far better than the whites, though both bear a name hon ored for years In the state In which they were born. WILL SOON DISAPPEAR. Most of these place women inherit some money, and often they have hand some fortunes. They help the men to whom they are place with a zeal and earnestness that would do honor to any wife. I have a friend, a prominent cot ton merchant, who, in the panic of 1873, was in terrible straits. He would fall and his commercial credit be gone if he did not get $70,000. The hanks could not help him, and he was almost on the verge of suicide. He was place to a beautiful woman. She somehow heard of his trouble, and did a thing these women never do except In a matter of life and death; she sent for him. "Is this true which I hear, Alphonse?" she asked in soft, graceful French, to which beauty was added by the perfect ly modulated voice. "Mon ami, why did you not tell me? Here Is something for you," and she put Into his hands an envelope. He opened It listlessly, and there was a check on the strongest bank In the city, the Canal bank, certified, for $70. 000. She had heard of her lover's peril and gone to her brothers ami sisters, who were very well-to-do, and obtain ed this money for him. ixt you sup pose that man ever forgot It? As has been said, no phase of New Orleans life with its many sides is more difllcult to know than this. In 1874, when the visiting statesmen were here trying to insure a fair count, I remem ber to have spoken with a gentleman from the north of this peculiar institu tion, and he told the others. They Im mediately became very anxious to see some of the place women. I should have said before that about all the amusements of this class are going to church, the theatre, and twice In the year to a grand ball, to which none hut they, their protectors, nnd a few of the friends of the latter are Invited. The Custom House officials of New Orleans, deslrious of gratifying the desire re fererd to, got up a "quadroon ball," though not of the annual exclusive type, and the visiting statesmen were out in force, with a strong contingent of the newspaper correspondents from the north, who were sent down to us to llnd out what was going on. As none of the visiting statesmen spoke French, and but few of the ladles knew any English much conversation was Impossible, but there was n good deal of dancing. I noticed, for In stance, the Hon. John Sherman going through the landers with a pretty wo man, nearly white, the place of a well known wholesale wine merchant; the Hon. W. D. Kelley was trying to un- prehend It all. The person who enjoy ed the affair to the greatest degree was Mr. E. V. Smalley. He knew a little French, nnd used all he could muster, to the astonishment of the ladies, who had never before seen any Northern men, or. Indeed, very few of any sort, for their male visitors are only the doctor nnd the priest, and Judging from their observations to each other from behind their funs, they were not especially amused or edilled. This end ed the "Quadroon Hall," of which the press In the North had so much to say at that time. The place will probably end with this generation. It is a relic of barbarism that has outlived slavery, for certain obvious reasons. It Is so fast passing away that there have been few instan ces of It in the past live years. One can only iiope for the credit of society in the Queen City of the South, that it may vanish with other dark blots on her fair escutcheon. A I'SEI'l'I. HARM. The Former's Sons Are (Setting Their Educations from Its Painted Sides. From the Kansas City Star. A bicyclist recently made a little Journey into the country. As lie wheeled along the road he came to a farm house, the owner of which he knew slightly. As he drank a gourd ful of water nt the pump he noticed that the farmer's barn had an unusual look. The last time he had seen jt it had the usual coating of silvery gray painted by time and weather. Heen fixing up the barn, haven t you?" he asked the farmer. Yes. It's all new painted," an swered the farmer, proudly. "An' I reckon It's mighty pretty lookin', too. Ye see, a feller came along one day an" says he belongs to a palntin' syndicate In Chicago as was out to paint all tno barns In the country free, nn' he saU he would paint mine If I wanted him to. So I says: 'Go ahead if It don't cost nothln'.' I went to town with a load of hay, an' when I got back the barn was painted, shore enough." The barn had been pnlnted a bright yellow, as a good background for vari colored advertisements with letters n foot or two long. The advertisement of a patent medicine covered both sides of the roof In letters of red. bin? and green against the yellow. Chew ing tobacco, shoes, soap, hams and other commodities were pictured and told about on every available space "When I got back," continued the farmer, "the feller that was palntin says to me: 'I put a few signs on the barn,' says he, 'but you won't mind thnt none, an' they're good readln' matter when the paper don't come.' "Anyhow. It didn't cost nothln to paint the barn, nn" I'll be darned If the boys nin't a-larnln to read from It, which I consider pretty cheap edlca tlon these hard times." Mixed. An Edinburgh minister preached one Sunday in a country church. At noon the eldnr heard one old woman say to another, "Hoo liket ye the sermon to day?" "Vera weel; but I didna ken til noo thnt Sodonv and Gomarrnh wasna mon and wife." The elder told the parson, who was so tickled that he told the story at his next dinner party. A simpering young woman commented, "Oh. well, I sup pose they ought to hove ben If they were not." Judge. Certain Evidence. "Do you know my wife?" "No, I have not that pleasure." "Pleasure? Now I know that don't know her." Judge. FOG IN THE CAXOX. you Banked in n serried drift beside te sea Boiling, wind-harried In a snowy spray, Majestic and mysterious, swirling free. The ghostly flood is missing, cold an! grey: Inland It marches, and at close of day, Pearl-white and opal, sunset-bued with rose, It storms the ridge, and then In brave ar ray The fog's dumb army up the canon goes. And now the forest whispers, tree to tree Their grim defense is marshalled for the fray; Pine, fir and redwood, standing cap-a-pie. Down tho long spurs and on the hill tops sway. And now the misty vanguards, wild and gay Ride down the breeze and now their squadrons close. And sweeping like an ocean on Its prey, The fog's dumb army up the canon goes. The trembling bushes cower In the lee; O'er the mad rout, the ragged smoke wreaths play. And scurrying cloudlets desperately flee. On the low crests, the waving banners stay. Now lost, now conquering, striving to delay The ritous deluge yet In vain oppose Height after height Is carried, and away The fog's.dumb army up the canon goes. All night the battle ages, weird and fey. And gallant woods dispute their phan tom foes But conquering, overwhelming with dis may The fog's dumb army up the canon goes, The Lark. FORTHCOMING BOOKS. Says the Chicago Record: Judging fiyun the advance announcement lists sent out by the various book publish ers, the comln? full and winter publish ing season promises to be notable. What Is rather surprising at this time, when nearly all branches of trade are suffering more or less In consequence of the. uncer tainty attending the approaching election. Is the fact that the output of books for the fall promises to be. larger thun for some years previous. Tuking the lists of the thirty leailing American publishers ,one finds, in round numbers, !H) titles an nounced. This Is an average of thirty two titles to a publisher, the largest num ber of books announced by any ono house being lot) and the smallest live. When, In addition to the above, one takes Into con sideration the numerous smaller publishers und the many religious and medicul pub lishing concerns, it is safe to nay thut probably 1,5M) new hooks will be launched upon an all-suffering; public during the coming fall und early winter. ' Hut quality as well as quantity Is a very distinctive feature of the season's an nouncements, und nearly every living au thor of note Is represented in the list ill some cates with two and even three ti tles. From a general literary point of view the most interesting announcement of the season Is that of. the two volumes of Vic tor Hugo's letters, edited by Paul Meurlce. Hardly less Important, however, are Clem ent K. Shorter's "The Brontes and Their Circle," the collection of R. L. Stevenson's "Fables," the translation by William Ar-, cher of George Hrandes' "William Shakes peare" and tile two volumes of literary rec ollections of Mrs. Lynn Linton und .Mrs. James T. Kielils. Literary essay-writing hardly seems to have become a lost art, judging from t lie fart thut volumes are promised fur the full from the pens of such writers as Austin Dobson, (ioMwIn Smith, Frederic Harrison, W. U. Howell. V. 11. Warner and Woodrow Wilson. A series of elaht volumes on "Periods of En. ropean History," edited by George Saints bury; the third volume of ten Brink's "History of Knglish Literature," "Tlie Literary Movement In France During the Nineteenth Century," by George Pellls sicr, ami a,wnrk on "Modern French Lit erature," by lienjamln W. Wells, will ull be welcomed by students of literary his tory. Hardly more than twenty-five volumes of poetry ure announced, und of these but two a new book of ballads by Rudyard Kipling and a long drnmtlc poem by Thom as Bailey Aldrich are likely to excite a widespread Interest. We are to have a third series of Kmlly Dickinson's poems, a complete edition of the poems of the late II. C. Itunncr, edited by Urander Mat thews, and a complete "Appledore" edi tion of Mis. Celia, Thuxter's poetical works. Not for many years have we had such an Important list of works of fiction as Is to be published during the coming season. With three or four exceptions, every bright particular star in the novel-writing brunch of the present literary lirmament is represented. If we bruin to specify, It will be difllcult to know where to leave off, but wo may note, as especially worthy of men tion, Mrs. Humphry Ward's "Sir George Tiessady," two new novels and a novel ette by Henry James, "Sentimental Tom my" und "Margaret Ogllvy," by J. M. llar rie; a new Italian novel by F. Marlon Crawford, a new historical novel by llen rik Slenklewl.'Z, the Polish novelist; S. It. Crockett's "The Gray Man," Paul Hour get's "A Tingle Idyl," and Ian Maclar en's "Kate Carnegie." Sir Walter Hisaiit, Arthur Morrison, Mrs. Amelia F. Hair, Beatrice ilarraden, A. Conan Doyle and K. F. Ilciison ure some of the others who will publish new novels. Noteworthy among collections of short stories may be mentioned Mary Twain's "Tom 8uw yer Abroad," etc., and new volumes by Bret Harte, II. C. Bunner, Sarrah Orno Jewett anil Julian Italph. Frank It. Stock ton will give us a sequel to his "Adven tures of Captain Horn," nnd Joel Chandler Harris, in his "Sister Jane," promises to introduce a new and permanent character Into our llleruture. Two hooks run or Chi cago "local color" will be "Artie" by George Ade, and "Thu Lucky Number," by I. K, Friedman. Robert Louis Stevenson's "In the South Seas," "Sketches from the United Stutes of America,' by A. P. Tvcrskoy ("the Rus sian Bryce"), and among the most im portant books of travel. Three new books on South Africa, by such writers as James Bryce, ('liver Schrelner nnd Miss Kings ley, testify to the Kreat interest taken Just now in that purt of the world. Two TALES OF THE TIMES. Senator lirlce wears out one eyeglass string u day when he Is in his seat. He has a great fashion of taking off his eyeglasses and twisting the end of his string around his finger, then he lets the glasses swing out full length, to the confusion of uny passing senator, often and with rotary motion sets the string to winding around his finger. When it Is wound up he proceeds to unwind it, and thut seems to be his sole amuse ment. A story Is told of some visitors who were going through a country Jail under the escort of the chief warden. After a little while they cnnie to a room In which three women were sewing. "Dear me. one or tile visitors wnisperen, "what vicious looking creatures! Pray, what are they here for?" "Hecause they have no other home. This Is our sitting room, nnd they are my wife and two daughters," blandly responded the chief warden. A writer In one of the English re views relates that during a conversa tion with George Eliot, not long before her death, a vase toppled over on the mantleplece. The great writer quickly and unconsciously put out her hand to stop Its fall. "I hope," said she, replac ing It, "that the time will come when we shall Instinctively hold up the man or woman who begins to fall as nat urally and unconsciously as we arrest a falling piece of furniture or an ornu- ment." When the late King Charles of Wur temberg wus about to be betrothed to the Russian Grand Duchess Olga a small sized portrait of the yuun princess was sent to him. He looked at the miniature for a while and then said: "The like ness Is highly flattering, the hair It likeness Is highly flattering the hair Is too luxuriant, the eyes tno bright, and the complexion too fresh." "Hut your royal bigness has never yet seen the grand duchess!" observed nn ald-de-camp, with some surprise. "No." re tilled the crown prince; "I do not know her. quite true, but I know these court painters." Sir Astley Cooper, on visiting Paris, was asked by the surgeon "en chef" of the empire how many times he had per formed a certain wonderful feat of sur gery. He replied that he had perform ed the operation thirteen times. "Ah, but. monsieur, I hnve done him 160 times. How many times did you save life?" continued the curious renchman, after he had looked Into the blank amazement of Sir Astley's face. "I," snid the Englishman, "saved eleven out of the thirteen. How mnny did you save nut of 160?" "Ah, monsieur, I lose dem all: but de operation was very brilliant." TrlK IDfiAI. AMERICAN TRIP NORTHERN STEAMSHIP COMPANY. The tiupurbly Appointed and Commodious fteel steamships. NORTHWEST AND NORTHLAND, American through and through, leave Buffalo Ttiendavs and Fridays o.jo p.m. for Cleveland, Detroit, Mackinac. The Soo, Duluth, and Western Points, passing all places of interojt by daylight In connoc tlon with THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY, It forms tho most direct route, and from ev pry eiiit of comparison, tba moat delightful and ocrnfortat lo one tn Minneapolis, tt. Paul, Great Full", Helena, l utta. Spokane anil Pa cific cca-f. The culr traiiuonttnantal lma rnnnlns the Unions buffet, library, obstrra tlon car. Kp 07 hnnr tra'n for Portland via Snokan. HOTEL LAPAYETTE, Lake Minnetonka, 10 miles from i ntiriiiiollf, largest and most bcantinl resort In the wast. 'i icketsand any Information of any agent or A. A. HkYAiU), Uenerai FaaMogar agent, Buffalo, K. Y. interesting books on Spain are H. C. Chat-fleld-Taylor's "The Land of the Custanet," and Miss Louise Chandler Moulton's Lay Tours In "Spain ami Klsewhere." Andrew Lang's life of lAn khait. and a life of Nausea, the arctic explorer, ure probably the two most important biogra phies of the season. Two hooks on Wash ington, by Professor Wood row Wilson und Puul Leicester Ford, are promised for ear ly publication. Amom; autobiographies, those of Augustus J. C. Hare, Philip Gil bert Humi-rioii, Kli.'ibelh Smart Phelps and Mary Cowdeu Clarke, ure likely to meet with the heartiest welcome. A book of especial interest to Chlcugoans will be Miss Harriet Monroe's life of John Well born Hoot, the architect. Two Important volumes of memoirs ure those of Marshul Oudinot and Slguor Ardlti. In the department of history so many In teresting volumes are promised that It Is difllcult to select any titles for special mention. However, the most Important works are probably Goldwln Smith's "Po litical History of Kngland,' the first vol ume of Frledrlch ItutzeUs "History of Mankind," W. II. S. Aubrey's "Kise und Growth of the KiikIIsIi Nation," In three volumes; K. lScnJumin Andrews' "History of the Last Quarter-Century In the I'nlted States" and the two volumes of historical essays by Martin A. S. Hume nnd James Schouler. The first volumes of tho "Jesuit Relations," edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites, and the account of the explor ations of Henry and Thompson, members of the Northwest company, edited by lr. Klllutt Corns, will In ull probability shed much light on early American history. Two long-deferred works that promise to materialize at last are the second volume of Curtis' "Constitutional History of the I'nited States" unil Dr. Crestos Tsountas' "Thu Mycenaen Age." In the department of serious thought, such as science, religion, politics, etc., there are comparatively few very Impor tant books announced, but this few In cludes such works ns K. L. Godkin's "Prob lems of Modern Democracy." Dr. Will lam Hlrsch's "Genius and Degenratlon," the first volume of I'ercival Lowell's "An. Imls of Lowell Observatory." Kuskln's "Letters to tho Clergy Concerning the Lord's Prayer." Itev. Stopford "Brooke's "The Old Testament an. I Modern Lite." Dr. Lyman Abbott's "Christianity and So cial Problems." anil the second volume of "llurnack s History of Donnia." An im portant medical work will be "A System of Medicine," In seven volumes, by Thomas Clifford Allbiitt. Among books of refer ence, the most noteworthy thing in pros pect Is "Harper's Dictionary of Classi cal Literature and Antiquities," edited by Harry Thurston Peck. A number of Important and elaborately prepared art works Is a prominent feature of the announcement this year. Among the most Interesting titles are Vusari's "Lives of the Painters," edited by E. H. and E. W. Blashfleld and A. A. Hopkins, in four volumes; "A History of Modern Painting," by Richard Muthir, In three volumes; 'Modern French Masters." edit ed by Professor John C. Van Dyke: a col lection of liottlcelll's drawings. Illustra tive of Dante's "Inferno," with text by Herr I Llppmnn, nnd a new translation of Grimm's Life of Michael Angelo, In two volumes. All of these are beautifully Illustrated 111 photogravure. The most Im portant architectural work announced Is "Kuropeun Architecture," by Russell Stur gis. In the department of Illustrated gift books, or books especially prepared for holiday trade, we are to have elaborately Illustrated editions of Thoreau's "Cape Cod," De Amlols' "Constantinople," John Flske's "The American Revolution," and Irvlng's "nracebrldge Hall," and "The Al hambra," Some Interesting collections of drawings by prominent artists of the dav are "Gutter Children," by Phil May. "Pic tures of People," by Charles liana Gibson, "Kcmble's Coons," bv K. W. Kemble, "In Vanity Fair," by A. It. Wensell. and "Pen and Inklings." by Oliver Herford. There ure to be books for t lie young people with out number, anil S. It. Crockett, Kailyard Kipling, Andrew Lang and Joel Chandler Harris nre some of the prominent writers who will contribute to juvenile literature this year. In the way of new editions of standard literature we are to have n thirty-volume Curlyle. edited by H. D. Traill, Harriet Heecher Stowe's complete works In sixteen volumes, llret Hart'e works In twelve volumes, J. M. liairle's novels In eight volumes, a "Cambridge" edition of Lowell's poems 111 one volume, un edition de luxe of George Meredith's novels in thirty-four volumes, and an edition of Hums, edited by Andrew Lang. t mm MANSFIELD STATE NORflAL SCHOOL intellectual and practical training for touchers. Three courses of study besides preparatory. 8peciul attention given to preparation lor college, btuuents ad mitted to best colleges on certificate. Thirty graduates pursuing; further studies last year. Great advantages for special studies in art and music. Model school of three hundred pupils. Corps of sixteen teachers, neauurul grounds, niagnincent buildings. I.aiKe grounds for athletics. Elevator and Infirmary with attendant nurse. Fine gymnasium. Everyth'.ns furnished at nn average cost to normal students of $113 a year. Tall term, Aug. 28. Winter term. Dec. 2. HnrlnK term. March IB. Students ndmltted to classes nt any time. For catalogue, containing full Information, apply to S. II. ALBKO, Irlnclpul Mansfield Pa., EVA M. HETSEL'S Superior Face Bleach Positively Removes AH Facial Blemiahai Nn more Fre'-kles. Tan, Sunburn. M;ick- neads. Liver Snots. Hmulos and hallow Conv plexion if Indies will uho inr hiiiierlcr Face Bleach. iota cosmetic, but a medicine vrtiicu acts directly on tho skin, removing all decol orations, iiml one of the greatest purifying aeviita for the comn'.exioii in exUtenre. A perfectly clear and spmlesa complexion can be obtained In every instance by its use. Price Si per toitie. for sale at r- Ji. ncivei i Hair uretsiug aim juamcuro i-uriors, a,v utcxa wanna ave. Mall orders filled promptly. PICKLING CUCUMBERS Pickling Cacumbers, Cauli flower, Horse-Radish Root, Pickling Onions, Ginger 4 4 -T,'.tw"7 .15"T."'Trv.. Itil Root, Red Cabbage, Hangoes, Eot Peppers, Dill. 1 1 MIM NIL Mil m snra mm Two Cases Cited lo Prove Ih&t nh:ur.:fio Does Yield lo Right Trcdnsr.1. A Candid Statement of Facts by Two Rellabb t!sn Fully Substantiated. From thtArgvt, Vernon, Michigan, j Mr. John Q. Davids, of Vernon, Michigan, is a happy mun tuniin. For many years he was utllicted with rheumatism in Ids feet and had tried many medicines, some of them re lieved hi in of bis HitHerings for a abort time, but it was sure to return again. Mr. Davids is one of the earliest settlers in Shiawassee County, and his continued good health and elastic step at his advanced age. has attracted the attention of his friends. Upon beiiigquextionedon the subject ho said : l'I do not think I inherited: a very good constitution, for I never enjoyed very good health, but in 18(59 J think new complica tions came upon me and I was severely at tacked with acute rheumatism in my feet. My father was also a rheumatic, and no doubt that together with the remedies he used for relief caused his death. Some times I would Ik3 free from these rheumatic pains and again it would return as bail as ever. I was frequently laid up on account of it and quite unable to do any work. In May 1873, I had an unusually severe attack in my feet and they became so swollen that I could not get tny hoots on until the following Decem ber, and were so intensely painful that I could not suffer the bed clothes to touch them, and my feet becume badly crippled. I tried many remedies, some would give relief for a short time then the trouble would return, thus I lived, utfering the most intense agony until November 18H3, at which time it was almost impossible for me to attend to my business, und 1 felt that life wu not worth living. At this time I happened to meet a man from Bay City, Michigan, who declared tlint ho had been cured of rheumatism by Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. I went at onoe to De Hart Brothers' Drug Store and bought two raxes, ami netore i nau taken all or one box I realized that they were doing me good. I believe I took four boxes at that time and so fur an I could see I was cured or at least en tirely relieved of my terrible suflerings, and enjoyed better health than I had before for ninny years. But light symptoms would still occasionally return, when I would take my medicine' and get immediate relief therefrom. I have taken altogether seven or eight boxes and I have not had a single at tack or rheumatism tor a long time and en oy Detter health now than 1 have before for ifteen yean, and I consider mvself cured bv Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. Mr feet sre n free from pain as they ever were. Now as you see mo about the streets without tho slightest lameness don't you think 1 ought In be happy?" As he concluded relating his experience with Dr. Williams' Pink Pilfi and the rheumatism, he sprang up and step ped oil os supple as a fifteen-year-old boy. nir. iiuvius nas neen a member or the Methodist Eoisconal Church here for nenrlv thirty years, ami his consistent moral and exemplary life has been such that no word of commendation would be extravagant. Statu op Mioiiigan, I U1MWTY OP OIlIAWAHSRB. ( Personally unneared before me. a .Turtle of the Peace, in and for the county of Shia wassee, and State of Michigan, this 14th day of February, 18W, John Q. Davids, who be ing by me duly sworn deposes and says: That the above facts are true as related, to I . -e ii i i.j ' iuR ucsi in ms ueiiei. Signed. J. Q, DAVIDS. Subscribed snil sworn tn heft ire m thia lith day of February, Ym. t BANK W tSTCOTT, JtUtiCt Of tM FtOU. It Sounds Like a Miracle. Fromthn Vummereial Appeal, MemphU.Ttnn. What lu niftnv resnects is a remarkable ruro lias been effected in Hinds County, Miss., near the thriving little town of Utica. Mr. V.. I. Vnrria ltuna . 11trM m .uw office seven miles from Utica, anil at the present time he is an object of considerable curiosity throughout the eommiinilv. for it was ne w no was cureu ot a chronic ease or rneuuiatlsm ot over thirty years standing. At, Commercial-Appeal reporter having been detailed to see Mr. Farris, drove out to bis store at Duke. Mr. Farris, woo is port- UP TO WTmwn?wwff'ffffTfwnfnHiTTTTtnfTTimti EtUbllthtd 1868. m PIANOS At a time when many manu facturers and dealers are making the most astounding statements regardingthe merits and durability of inferior Pianos, intending pur chasers should not fail to make critical examination of the above instruments. EL C. RICKER General Dealer In Northeast ern Pennsylvania. ' I New Telephone Exchange Building, 119 Adams Ave., TTTnTfTTl LP Hotel Walton Brosd and Locust Streets, Philadelphia. One of the most magnificent hotels la tot world. Palatial la ovary detail. Absolutely Fireproof. European Plan $1.50 Upwards, American Plan $4 Upwards. Pltnated near all the. lasting tsaatres snd railroad stations. STAFFORD, WHITAKER & KEECK . l D. CRAWFORD, Manager, matter, wu burr working nn the nail, but as soon si he had finished he accedtd very cheerfully to an interview. - to oegin with," aatd he, " I suppose yog want to know how I was cured of rheums tism ? Well, it wss remarkable. I had al. moat Riven up all hope of ever beinc cured. Why, sometimes I couldn't walk for week at a time. 1 suffered constantly and wot never entirely free from It. " I had tried two specialists in New Or. leans, one in Vii ksburg, one in Atlanta and two in New York and never pained anything more lrum mcui man temporary renei, sonic times not that. "One day I was reading a newspaper forfret now which one and my attention was attracted by an article on Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People. It stated thai they were good for rheumatism and I deter mined to get some of them and see If there was any virtue in them. I went to Vlcke. burg two days later and purchased sii boxes, and after taking the pills according to direc tions, the severe attack of rheumatism I wai then suffering from vanished, and I havi never felt a twinge of it since, and that hat been over a year ago. "Write you a letter for publication 1 Why certainly, with pleasure. It will b nothing more than common humanity t sufferers from rheumatism to let them know how they can be cured." Mr. Farris went to his desk and aftet writing a few moment banded the reporter, the following: , Iti'KK, Hinds Co., Mibs., Jan 2, 18P8. "This is to certify that I contracted rheu matism during the war, in INK, while a member of the Thirty-eighth Mississippi In. funtry, C. 8. A., and up to a year ago I wot a constant sufferer from it, sometimes being unable to walk. The first attack confined me to my bed for three months. "About eighteen months aeo I saw an ad vertisement of Dr. Williams' Pink Pills which stated that they were a aura cure for rheuma tism. I derided to get some of them and so the next time I went to Vicksburg I bought six boxes. I began taking them according to di. rections and by the time I had taken the six boxes, the rheumatism went away and I bav never felt a particle of it since. "I know that Dr. Williams' Pink Pillt are responsible for the cure. It hits been over a year since I took the pills and I firmly believe I am permanently cured. " I take pleasure in recommending them to oil who suffer from rheumatism, and feel confident that if taken according to direc. tions, they will cure any case of the kind. I have taken probably a barrel of medicine and have tried every specialist of note in New Orleans, Vicksburg, Atlanta and New York and have been kept poor scratching around to get money to pay thrm with, and 1 never got any relief until I used Dr. Wil liams' Pink Pills. Signed. C. L. Farms. " Messrs. Terrell Bros., druggists, of Utica, corroborated in every detail the statement and letter of Mr. Farris, and added that since his wonderful cure, their sale for Pink Pills hod been something phenomenal and a number of people had used them not only for rheumatism, but for extreme nervous nets, and a number of other disorders, and all had derived great benefit from them. Dr. O. W. Ellis and Messrs. 8. E. Dudley A Hon, the other druggists of Utica gave sub stantially the same testimony as the Messrs. Terrell, and all spoke very highly of Mr. Furris and his standing in the community. Every one of them said that Mr. Farrfs statement would sooner he accepted by the people of ITticn and the surrounding country than anyone else they knew of. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People are now given to the public asau unfailing; blood builder and nerve restorer, curing all forms of weakness arising from watery con. dltion of the blood or shattered nerves. The pills are sold by all dealers, or will be sent post paid on receipt of price, 60 cents a box or six boxes for $2.50, (tliey are never sold in bulk or by the 100), by addressing Dr. Wil liams' Medicine Co., Schenectady, N. Y. DATE. Ovir 26,000 In Usi. sT3 11 (jENUINE. Si t4 Bra E 11 Scranton, Pa. ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!L"!!!!?!!I!!!!!!!!!i The St. Denis Broadway and Eleventh St.. Nw York, Opp. Uraca Church Europeaa Plan. Rooms $1.00 a Day aad Upwards. In a rood as t and nnobtrostra way thar art few batter conducted botele ia the metropolis than the St. Oasis. The great popularity it kaa acejnlffd era readily be traeod to Its oniqne la-'Stwa, Its homelike atmosphere, tlie peculiar ezeaUenos ot ue cuisine aad service, aud lis Ter moder ate price. WILLIAU TAYLOR AND S0!i