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VOL. XXIII. NO. 10. TIONESTA, PA., WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1890. S1.50 TEIl ANNUM.
THE FOREST EEPDBLICAN
b pabllihe4 rrtrj Wednesday, kf
J. E. WENK.
Offlo In Smaarbaugh A Co.' Building
XLM tTRXBT, TIONE8TA, T.
KEPUBLI
' In China tliero in now, according to
Intelligent estimates, ono missionary to
about every 300,000 people.
1 The Chicago Sun thinks that railroad
building will not be likely to take an
other boom until the Western country
has gained a million or two in popula
tion, IuslikorsofT, n Russian traveler and
ethnologist, has discovered that there are
400,000 heathens and 50,000 Mohnm.
mediins In the Kussinn army, and ho de
clares that Christiunity is decreasing as
tonishingly in Southern Russia.
The Matin, a Paris newspaper, de
clares that tho United States makes "a
grave mistake" in locating the World's
Fair at Chicago, and expresses the firm
conviction that very few foreign exhibit
ors or visitors will earn to altcud a fuit
1000 miles in tho interior.
An old duck hunter of .Savannah says
that a flight of duck coming south one
day, if followed by other flights in tho
mmo direction days or weeks afterward,
will not vary to exceed twenty-livo feet
from tho path of the ducks which liavo
preceded them, and they will alight in
almost the exact spot where preceding
flights have Fettled.
. Only six mon aro living who wcro
members of a President's Cabinet before
Lincoln's time. They are George Ban
croft, Secretary of the Navy under Tolk ;
A. H. H. Stuart, Secretary of tho In
terior under Taylor; James Campbell,
Pierco's Postmaster-General; Joseph
Holt, Hotatio King (each of whom was
Postmaster-General), and P. F. Thomas,
Secretary of tho Treasury in Buehnuuu's
day.
In China, wheroV'verything is contrary
lo Western ideas, poverty has a greater
practical power than in any country in
tho world. Tho Chinese Times, of Tien
Tsin, says that everything may bo for
given in China to a poor official. Pov
erty is considered a test of probity, an
influence which owes much of its strength
to tho attachment of tho people to every
man who comes unspotted through the
sevora temptation of Chincso official
life.
Sweden is not an overcrowded coun-
I ri- On thrt rtiifnirv if. in mtii-.,
thinly settled than some of our States.
Combined with Norway it is the largest
country in Europe, except llussiu. There
is plenty of room for tho people; but they
do not care to stay there. They prefer
to emigrate to our Northwest, with a soil
and resources inferior to some portions,
at least, of their native kingdom. The
New York Prtu exclaims: It is an ex
traordinary spectacle this Swedish emi
gration far different in motive and
character from any other that seeks our
shores.
Professor Hein, a scientist who has
been investigating the material resources
of Japan, says: '-They reveal a national
frugality and economy of a marvelous
type. Tho area of Japan is less than
that of California. Itscultivatcd land is
less than one-tenth of its total acreage,
yet its products support about 38,000,
000 people. In Japan 2500 persons
subsist from each square mile of tilled
land." If tho laud wcro divided up
among tho people a singlc-taxer wouldn't
have room enough o:i his own plot to
swing his theory without knocking down
hi neighbor's fences.
The San Francisco Chronicle remarks:
The tnau who has secured a leaso of
islands in the Great Salt Lako and an
appropriation of $30,000 to cross the
buffalo to common cattle has worked a
Yerv neat little game. The preservation
of tho buffalo is a worthy object, but it
it is rather lato to begin now, when the
animal is practically extiuct. As for
crossing the buffalo with domestic cattle,
this scheme can only be in the interest of
tho boarding-house keeper who wishes
to improve upon tho toughness of the
long-horned Western steer and thus
secure an indestructible steak.
y
Mrs. Ada r Bittcubender, lawyer at
Washington for tho W. C. T. U., has
been investigating tho subject of early
legislation on tho liquor traffic iu the
colonies and United States of America.
She HmU that two kinds of liquor legis
lation kept pace with each other through
out colonial life, namely, laws to punish
drunkenness and those to promote the
domestic manufacture of intoxicating
drinks. Some curious penalties for
drunkenness are mentioned. The offender
was sometimes required to wear on his
outside garment the letter "1)'' or the
woTd "drunkard." Occasionally one
was disfranchised. Reprimands, whip
pings aud fines, however, were the ordi
nary modes of punishment. At the same
time laws were enacted making the plant-
iug of grape vines compulsory, to en
courage the wiiie industry, while especial
efforts were put forth to increase the pro
ductiou of malt and distilled liquors.
The first law autluiriziug a liquor saloon,
piue and simple, was passed iu 1639,
LIFE'S EPITOME.
A burst of light and long and story,
Of hopes and dreams of some-time glory
Day's begun !
A little praise, a little blame,
A little floating breath of fame,
A little sitting In the sun, a little sigh and
Day is donol
Annie Jf. p. Searing, in Harper's Bazar.
GABE HARRIS.
The wooden tauks on all tho leases in
the Harford oil region had been full for
many days, and every timo a well flowed
"off a head" tho petroleum was wasted.
It ran over tho tank's brim, saturated the
dry leaves and formed pools on tho hill
sides in tho depressions behind trees and
stumps.
The spring had been early; by the last
week of April the snow was all gone from
tho rocesscs of tho deep forest. There
had been but little rain, and tho warm
sun had dried the rotting timber in the
woods. Tho leaves strewing the ground
were crisp and combustible as paper.
They were scattered hither and thither by
tho frequent breezes blowing strong from
tho Great Lakes, aud they found lodge
ment only whero they fell into waste
petroleum aud becimo soaked. Never
were there conditions more favorable for
a terrible, disastrous forest fire.
Everybody was careful of fire. Men
who in sullen silence, or with angry de
nunciation of tho Pipe Lino Company,
watched their oil run to waste, forbore
smoking in the woods for fear of a spark
from a pipe would start tho conflagration
they all dreaded. Drilling was stopped ;
tires wcro drawn from tho boilers at
pumping wells.
The producers had held mass meetings
and denounced the action of the com
pany; they had even attempted violence.
To all complaints the compnuy seemed
indifferent; to protect their projwrty they
had called upon the Sheriff of the county
and his posse, which cousisted mainly of
men in their employ.
From all tho meetings Gabo Harris
had been absent. In tho attack upon
the pump station he had taken no part;
but every day he had gone to tho office
of tho "Lines" and asked to have his oil
"run." Having made tho request and
received an answer, he handed the super
intendent an estimate of the amount of
petroleum that had run to waste on his
leaso tho previous day. Tho reply ho re
ceived was the samo that all applicants
were met with :
"Wo have no room, but are increasing
our tankage daily, and hope to relievo
you. soon. However, of you wish to sell
your oil for immediate shipment we will
run it at once."
"Immediate shipment" oil brought
twenty cents a barrel less than the mar
ket price for crude petroleum, and many
of tho producers, pressed by their cred
itors or needing money to buy tho neces
sities of life, were forced to accept the
company's terms, lint Gabe, though his
credit was nearly exhausted, would not
thus yield to monopoly. Itather thau
sell his oil for immediate shipment he
would let his creditors have his property,
aud support his family by working on
tho streets of Hartford. His home he
could retain, for tho littlo portable
house with its furniture was paid for,
and he would not have to pay ground
rent, as on tho leases tho surface of the
ground had no value, save where the der
ricks and their engine-houses and tanks
were located.
Perhaps he would not have been so
courageous had his wife not been of the
opinion that his course was right. Her
nature, though affectionate and gentle,
was independent and self-reliant. Pov
erty had no terrors for her. She had en
dured it, had suffered many privations in
practising a rigid economy in order to
save the wages Gabo had earned as a
driller, so that some day they might have
a lease of their own. They had secured
one; on it had put down three wells,
aud were meeting with regularity and
promptness the notes given for machinery
and tanks when tho "shut down" came,
and their oil joined that of other
producers on the hill-side forever lost.
She was glad Gabe had not become vio
lent and made threats as his neighbors
had done, because she thought much talk
a display of weakness, and she would
have regretted her marriago had she at
last found herself tho wife of a weak
man. She knew sho could rely upou
his silent determination to win in his
conflict with tho "Liucs" without an ap
peal to dynamite, which remedy for their
abuses was daily threatened by the pro
ducers. Meantime Gabe formed a plan. He
resolved to run his oil himself, first
gauging his tanks in the presence of wit
nesses to ascertain the amount they con
tained ; then he would turn the stopcock,
and set a donkey-engine to work pump
ing the petroleum into tho main line.
When his tanks were empty, ho would
demand of the "Lines" a storage certif
icate for the amount of the oil run.
On a clear, warm moruing iu May he
kissed his wife goodby for the day, and
set out on horseback for Harford to make
a final demand on tho company to run his
oil.
His lease was at the head of the Ken
dall Creek Valley. From the door of his
house ho could see the Tuna, into which
the rapid Kendall Creek emptied. Scat
tered through tho valley were several
villages, the nearest to his home being
Kendall. On the bank of the creek
were a great number of iron storage
tanks, each one painted red, and having
on one side the name of its owner and
its capacity stated in white letters, Gabe
had often looked at them, and thought,
as many another passer had done, what a
jg fire they would make if the petroleum
in one of them should bo ignited I But
that day as he rode toward them his
thoughts were far from the subject of a
rouflagratiou iu them. Suddenly his
revery was rudely interrupted. The sound
of an explosion startled him, aud look
ing up, he saw u large, flat object flying
iu the air. Recognizing it as the roof of
an iron tank, he gave reiu to his horse
and dashed toward the column of smoke
and flame intertwined that he saw rising
ueai the town of Kendall.
Tho petroleum in an iron tank whs
burning, and ho knew with whnt danger
the firo threatened Kendall. The tank
was one of a group on tho bank of tho
creek, and if it should overflow, or on
other tank bo ignited and burst with an
explosion of gas, the burning fluid
would surely be borne on the stream
among the houses that further down
lined its banks. From these houses tho
town lay in the direction the wind was
blowing, and the wooden, canvas-lined
dwellings were as combustible as tinder.
If a lire should break out among tho
houses on tho creek, the town would
soon be in ashes and many families home
less. All of this Gabo comprehended in a
moment, and he rode right into the vil
lage, shouting to the women whom he saw
standing in their doorways and gazing
curiously at tho blazing petroleum,
"Bring all the shovels aud picks you can
find."
Looking back over his shoulder, he saw
fire running up the side of the hill, the
blazing leaves blown by tho wind ap
parently in a hot race to spread the con
flagration, to carry destruction far and
wide. At a glance he saw the direction
of tho firo was toward his own home and
lease toward his wife and children,
whom he had left but a half hour before.
At tho telegraph station of the
"Lines," ho drew rein, aud yelled to tho
operator: "Tell Harford we want men
with picks and shovels, and wo want
them quick. Wire tho railroad company
for a special train."
The operator, who had already re
ported an iron tank on fire, promptly
sent Gabo's message. Beforo it reached
Harford, Gabe was on his way at full
speed of his horse. He rode to within a
hundred yards of tho burning tank and
hitched his horso to a tree on the wind
ward side of tho fire. Then snatching a
shovel from ono woman and a pickaxe
from another he ran to a bend of a creek
and began tho construction of a dam.
Two old men aud some boys came to
help him, whilo the women brought
picks and shovels and laid them on the
bauk of the creek in readiness for use by
husbands and brothers, who, to a man,
were attending a mass-meeting of the
producers in Harford.
Tho blazing oil heated the tank, the
flames roaring, and struggling to main
tain a perpendicular against the wind,
growing in force and blowing steadily.
Gabe was working with wonderful en
ergy, making a sluice for the escapo of
the water, at the same'lime directing his
assistants how to build a dam, which
was to be constructed of stones laid ono
on tho other Hnd banked with dirt. Tho
old men, whose strength '.'was unequal to
the efforts they put forth in the excite
ment, leaned on their shovels presently,
and took an observation of the progress
of the fire, and reckoned .on the proba
bility of tho small forco' being able to
complete tho dam beforo tho overflow
would come.
"Why, Gabe, how can you work 30
hard in this heat with'yonr coat on?" one
of them remarked, querulously, as he
wiped his brow with a soiled handker
chief. "Didn't think ofvthat," said Gabe,
and in a moment ho was at work again
without coat or vest .to impede him.
'Does go easier," ho said, cheerily, as he
strengthened the side of 'the sluice with a
large stone. "Now, if you old fellows
ain't played out, you camshovel some dirt
behind that rock."
"I ain't played out;" ono of the old
men said; "but I'm thiukin' you'd better
git fast as your how can carry you, or you
wou': save much from that',little house of
yours up to Summit."
One of tho boys stopped ;, in his dig
ging, his breath growing' short, aud
looked at tho conflagration sweeping up
tho mountain side. "Gabe, hadn't I
better ride up and tell younwife tho fire's
comiu'1" he said.
"No; you stay hero and dig. Mrs.
Harris knows as much about tho fire
comin' her way as wo do. She's got
eyes."
Yet, with all his cheerful manner and
the courage in his vcicc, Gab3 did not
daro to look up from his work, for fear
tho sight of tho tempest of flames that'
was rushing to tho destruction of his
home would overcome hi8S. resolution to
save Kendall if possible.
"But don't you think yott'd better go,
Gabe?" the old man queried. "Charity
begins to home, you know."
"Stop pesterin' mo and work, or get
out of the road."
The old man, offended,' shoveled in a
desultory way.
"Spoonfuls don't count; Hain't the
little grains of sand we want Here, Dut
shovelfuls," and suiting actio to word,
Gabo dumped a pile of sand against the
stone he had just put in pbice. The
old man, feeling that he was useless,
threw down his shovel and walked away ;
the other ono joined him, and together
they went to chatter with the women
who were standing in the highway, alter
nately gazing at the fire aud noting the
progress of the dam.
"Is the dam done!" asked ono woman
eagerlv of the old men.
"Done? It will never bo done, for
tho overflow will come first."
"Better get out your things," said tho
other old man.
This suggostian stampeded tho women.
They scattered, each to her home, the
children crying after their mothers, who
were hastening to save keepsakes and
small valuables. Here and there a frantic
woman carried a baby, but was heedless
of its cries.
Meanwhilo Gabo was cheering the
boys, some of whom were beginniug to
flag one, then auother of them, pausing
to draw a shirtsleeve over his perspiring
forehead.
"Here, Dick, you carry stones awhile.
You help hiin, Bill. Aud you two fel
lows there with picks, take shovels.
We'll beat that tire, or we aiu't men."
Thus encouraged, the boys worked
with iucreased vigor, aud Gube saw with
growing hope that the dam was assum
ing proportions which would offer effec
tual resistance to considerable of a "boil
over," as the overflow was bouictiwes
called.
Once again the boy who bdwaatefl
to ride to Gabe's home with news of the
approaching firo recurred to the subject.
"Tain't too lato yit, Gabe. Hadn't I
better go?"
"You can go if you want to, Dick,
but only not to my house. We need all
hands here."
Tho boy shamefacedly renewed his
exertions, and tho others, iu dogged imi
tation of Gabe's unflagging zeal, worked
with their heads down, bestowing all
their attention to obeying his orders.
There was silence among them except
when Gabe spoke; but amid the roaring
of tho fire in the tank they could hear the
shrill voices of the women screaming to
each other, and presently there came to
their ears tho welcome screech of one of
the little narrow-gauge engines. Buoyel
by a repetition of the whistle, tho little
band seemed to redouble their efforts.
Soon again tho locomotive shrieked,
nearer to them, and there was silence
until the rumble of the train was heard.
Then the boys looked up; but Gabe did
not pauso in the particular task he was
engaged upon packing the sand be
tween some stones. The train ran up to
a point opposite the tanks, and before it
was at a stand-still men carrying picks and
shovels hnd leaped from the platforms
and were running to the dam, shouting
to the workers to make way for new men.
Then Gabe paused. He looked up the
valley, but could not see his home for
the dense smoke that was blowing over
the summit. He was jostled aside by the
new-comers, who came to the work
like a company charging a bat
tery. Gabo felt that he would not bo
needed now. Ho could no longer re
strain his heart. It called on him louder,
more urgently than it had done when
there was time for him to get to his
house before the conflagration had reached
it, and he obeyed.
In the tumult he was not missed, and
no one heard the clatter of his horse's
hoofs over the stony road. Bending low
over the pummel of his saddle ho dashed
into the smoke. He could not see, but
ho trusted his horse, now mad with
fright. Presently he said: "Thank
God!"
The lessening of the heat on his cheek,
then a breath of cool nir, told him that
which he had not observed the wind
had veered, and had carried tho
tire off in another direction, west
of his house, and it was safe. He
knew, too, from faith in his wife, that
she had conducted tho children to a place
of safety. Soon he was out of tho blind
ing smoke, and the horso slackened the
paco of his own accord. Then he dis
mounted and climbed tho side of the
mountain, where he soon found his family
on a point of rocks.
"I saw it all," said his wife; "but I
did not know it was you working there
all that time till I saw tho horso start up
the vallev. Then I know." And she
kissed him.
"But the overflow! Did it come?"
"Yes. Just after I lost sight of you
in the smoke.
"And the dam?"
"It held. See, Kendall is safe; and
there would not have been time to save
it after the train came."
And in the look of pride aud love she
gave him Gabe found his reward. liar
jer' Weekly.
Co Operative and Loan Associations.
It is estimated that there aro about
4000 co-operative and loan associations
in the United States; that their accumu
lations of property represent $300,000,
000, aud that the amount paid to them
for one year in tho form of dues alone
exceeds $65,000,000. These associations,
in their calier days in Philadelphia, were
called building clubs, and later they
have been known under the namo of
building and loan associations. Under
any name they mean essentially one and
tho same thing; which is the forming of
corporations in which the members shall
loan money to one another on certain
fixed terms, and by means of which labor
ing men, for the most part in our towns
aud cities, may be able to add to the shares
which they have purchased iu this asso
ciation, together with the fines and dues
which accure, a sum equal to what they
have already invested in hem,aud apply
it to thu building or buying of homes for
themselves. During the last thirty years
these associations have iucreased in all
parts of the country. The first one was
organized in Philadelphia in 1831; the
second was formed in 1845, and from
1845 to 1850 about fifty were created in
Philadelphia alone. A'ete York Dispatch,
Walkinr in Circle.
Writing of sporting iu Canada, a
traveler insists upon the necessity of car
rying a pocket compass. Without one,
no one can keep a straight course when
the sky is overcast.
The tendency on these occasions is to
walk in circles. It is very annoying, but
by no meaus unusual to find one's self,
after two hours' hard walking, at the ex
act spot one started from. Indeed, I
have completed my circle in half au hour
when lost in the woods without a com
pass. I have remarked, too, that I almost
iuvariably trend to the light, not to tho
left, and on comparing notes with other
"bushwhackers," I find that I am not
singular iu this respect. Can it be that
the left is generally tho better leg of tae
two, and takes, imperceptibly, tho longer
stride?
Deformity the Mother of Fashions.
Disraeli declares that tho origin of
many fashions is to be found iu the en
deavor of the devotee to conceal some
deformity of nature by recourse to art.
"Patches wero iuventod iu England," he
says, "by a foreign lady, who by this
nieaus ingeniously covered a wen on her
neck. Wigs wero iuveuted by a French
barber to conceal uu elevation in tha
shoulder of the Duuphiu. Charles VII.,
of Frauce, introdrced the long-tailed
coat to hide his ill-made legs. Shoes
two feet in length were iuveuted to con
ceal a largo excrescence ou the foot of
the Duke of Anjou. Wheu Francis I.
was obliged to wear his hair short, owiug
to a wound on his neck, it became a pre
vailing fashion at court." Jjctroit Jfrti
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.
In Paris all electric wires, without ex
ception, are under ground.
Cooking stoves, heated bv electricity,
are being perfected for general use.
It is stated that elcctrio motors are now
used iu more than 130 different indus
tries. It is said that the onion is a great cure
for insomnia, and about as effective us
quinine in malaria.
It requires an average of 132 days for
tho renewal of the nails in cold weather
and but 116 in warm weather.
An English journal discusses the possi
bility of distinguishing "high and low
born blood" by tho aid of the uiiscro
scope. A Scotchman claims that ho has de
tected 30,000 dust motes iu the thou
sandth part of a cubic inch of the air of
a room.
Tho number of eggs in a six-pound
eel in November is fully 9,000,000; tinder
the microscope they measure eighty to
tho linear inch.
Tho Count of Assata, in Italy, has an
electric motor in his dairy to do the
churning, work the pump and perform
various other operations.
A German has invented an apparatus
for forcing sidewise the swells in front of
fast going ships by means of steam jets
from a nozzle under tho water at the bow.
In the formation of a single locomotive
steam engine there are nearly 6000 pieces
to be put together, and these require to
be as accurately adjusted as tho works of
a watch.
In a Minneapolis (Minn.) overalls fac
tory an electric motor runs all the sew
ing machines aud does all the cuttiug,
beside warming the irons that press out
the goods.
At tho Krupp Works at Essen, Ger
many, there aro 1195 furnaces of various
constructions, 286 boilers, ninety-two
steam hammers of from 200 to 100,000
pounds, 370 steam engines with a total of
27,000 horse-power.
A small instrument has been devised
for use in mines to indicate the presence
of fire damp, or in gas mains to indicate
the escape of gas. The invention is based
upon the property certain metals have of
evolving heat in the presence of hydrogen
gas.
For new railroad tracks this year
1,000,000 tons of steel rails will bo
needed. This quantity of material, de
livered, will cost $35,000,000. Fish
bars, frogs switches, ties, grading and
laying will bring tho total cost of this
one item of railway expense to about
$100,000,000 for the year.
California has a fruit pest in the gray
linnet, far worse aud more damagiug to
fruit raisers than the English sparrow.
If some means aro not systematically nud
methodically adopted to exterminate this
bird there will be very little profit in fruit
raising in those sections where deciduous
fruits aro exclusively produced.
A German naturalist estimates as fol
lows the number of eggs a hen may lav :
The'ovary of a hen contains about 600
embryo eggs, of which not more than
twenty are matured in the first year. The
second year produces 120; the third 135,
tho fourth 114; and iu the following
four years tho number decreases to
twenty yearly. In the ninth year only
ten eggs can be expected.
A Horse Dentist.
At the quarters of tho Salvage Corps
the other day Dr. Welles, a veterinary
dentist, paid" his annual visit. Ono by
one the horses were brought out into the
yard iu the rear of the house and backed
up agaust the fence. Tho doctor seized
the first hrrse by the nose, got hold of
the animal's tongue and pulled it out as
far as possible. He then examined the
teeth with hiB fingers and ascertained
what was to be done. He took from his
grip a stick about a foot long, to which
he attached a noose, which he twisted
around the horse's nose, forcing him to
open his mouth. Then the dentist took
a long nickeled tubular instrument, to
one end of which was attached a chisel,
around which was a guard which rested
on the horse's lower teeth. A rod was
shoved through tho tube, causing the
chisel to chip pieces off the teeth, thus
making them ono height. A long file
was then brought to play and the teeth
sharpened. All the horses were examined
and treated in this way. From the
mouth of each two small back teeth were
pulled. These are termed "wolf" teeth.
They often cause considerable trouble to
a horse, tho pain from them at times
being so intense as to make the animal
unmanageable. Only one of the horses
gave an trouble, and the deutist finished
his work on the four in less than an hour
and received $8 for his work. Newark
(iV. J.) Newi.
Cruel Way or Securing- Eiderdown.
The gathering of eiderdown consti
tutes one of the most profitable employ
ments of Icelanders. This is especially
true in tho islands of Fidey, Fingey, and
Ahrey, which are the favorite haunts of
the eider ducks. Here they pair aud
make their nests about the beginning of
June. Having choseu the place where
she wishes to lay her eggs, the female
plucks from her plumage feathers to line
her nest, and lays her eggs. Then the
eiderdowu gatherer carries away both the
down and the eggs, iu spite of a stout
resistance from the unfortunate pair. The
process is carried on again aud again,
until the female duck is stripped nearly
bare, when tho male comes to her assist
ance aud strips himself iu tho samo way.
Elastic Flannel.
Elastic flannel is chicflly mado iu
Wales. This description of flannel is
woven in the storking loom ami has a
pile ou ono face on which account it is
styled Vileurs de Laiue aud other names
according to the fancy manufacturers.
These flannels measure from thirty-two
to thirty-six inches iu width and are
principally employed for women's dress
ing gowns aud jackets. They are usual
ly made either iu colored stripes ou a
white ground, or else iu plain rose or
blue color. A'ett York Ttlegram.
QUEER TROPICAL THINGS.
ASTOUNDING GIFTS OF NATUBE IN
CENTRAL AMERICA.
A no-turned Engineer Tells of Trren
That Ciive Hi-end and Milk and
Ants That Pistil Honey.
"There are some funny things to be
met with in that region," said Major
CJuincy A. Steele, who has been with an
engineer corps, surveying railroad routes
in Ceutral America for the past two years,
"and among the funniest aro a trco that
gives a light so strong that you can rend
or write by it at night, and one that gives
milk, and another that provides the way
farer with bread. Then thorc is an ant
that supplies you with sweetening for
your coffee, which is an interesting native
of that queer country. The tree that
gives light isn't a large one, but it isn't
inconspicuous by any means. Tho last
place we camped at in tho mountains we
had a particularly bright specimen of
this tree to work by. I could sit ten feet
away from it and read fiue print as well
as if it had been broad daylight. As
soon as night comes tho leaves of this
trco begin to shine as if they were so
many electric lights. Looking off across
country ono can sco scores of the trees
shining here and there in the darkness
like beacon lights set in the hills. They
mako a very choice article of rum from
the leaves of this treee by boiling them
down and letting tho decoction stand in
tho sun for n day or two. The native In
dians are fond of this tipple, and at
least one of our Indian helpers and
guides is usually engaged in snoring off
tho result of injudicious tampering with
this rum whilo it is a trifle new.
"The tree I am speaking of doesn't
grow more than ten feet high, but three
of them would light up a town. If you
rub the leaves smartly between your
hands, they will plow in tho dark like a
lightning bug. The Indians call this
tree the witch tree, and I don't blamo
them. It gives the best light just after
it has been drenched with watei, and so
if the tree begins to grow a little dim on
us, all we have to do is to douse two-or
three pails of water over it, and it's just
like giving a lamp wick a turn or two
higher. One of our party had a big idea
of going home and organizing a company
to introduce and cultivato this tree iu
towns and cities, ami knock gas com
panics and electric light plants higher
than a kite; but when lie louml matt lie
tree stops giving light in August and
doesn't start up again until the next
March, ho thought the scheme wouldu't
pay.
"The tree that gave the bread we used
to cat down there doesn't look a bit as if it
would do it. But looks aro very decep
tive under the Equator. The bread isu't
exactly bread wheu we pick it, cither
It is a nice stiff dough enclosed iu a nut
shell about the size of n goose Ctrl'. We
crack the nut. take out the dough, knead
it a little, and it is ready for baking,
By thinning it down to a batter with the
milk we get from another tree, our camp
cook used to make first rate pancakes out
of it. The day I left he strained the
sweetening out of n quart or two of ants,
mixed it up with a batch of the dough,
and made sweet cake that would have
been good enough for anybody's folks to
set before company.
"The ants that supply the 'honey, or
syrup, or whatever it may be called, arc
worth a day's travel ou mule back over
these mountains to tee. They are about
the size of a small peanut, and on their
back is a transparent sac that they distil
full of honey until they swell up as big
as a good-sized marble. You can scoop
these nuts up by tho neck. They make
this honey to feed their young on, but
they are so good-natured aud so sus
ceptible to familiarity that all you have
to do is tickle them on the foreshoulder
and they will give you up every drop of
honey they have, aud then go meekly off
to fill up again.
"But this accommodating ant isu't a
whit more curious than the tree that acts
in the capacity of dairy down there. This
tree has a big, tough, leathery leaf, that
can bo used for half-soling shoes. When
we want to milk one of these cow trees
wo bore a hole in tho trunk, and it lets
down a sap as white and as sweet as any
milk that was ever stripped from a cow.
To get sweet milk out of this troo,
though, it must be milked early in tho
morning. After the sun has been up
two or three hours tho tree gives sour
milk." jVw York Sun.
A Wonderful Invention.
Away up skyward, in one of the mag
nificent trade palaces so rapidly spring
ing up along Fifth Aveuuo in New York
city, there is a modest little laboratory
of a man soon to bo well known in the
world of sciences. "Gianni Ilettini,
lieutenant de cavalerie," is the very un
assumiug inscription ou the office door.
Let us enter and inspect the lieutenant's
wonderful talking machine, far more per
fect, more simple, and portable than
Edison's.
The object of Bettini's inachino is of
course the same as the phonograph, tho
reproduction of sound. But in Bettini's
the metallic sound is done away with
aud the natural timbre of the voice al
most preserved. Whisperings and aspi
rated tones are reproduced with wonder
ful fidelity. The inventor claims that it
is a general molecular vibration which
causes the emission of tones from tho in
strument, and that the diaphragm is not
essential, to prove which, lie removes tho
diaphragm aud stylus, aud simply lays
the end of an ordinary screw-driver on
the revolving wax cylinder. The table
itself appeals to talk, almost as distinctly
as when the stjlus and trumpet were at
tached. The inicro-graphophoue is designed to
be sold, when put upon the market, aud
ut rented. It can be carried iu au
ordinary valise, aud it is by far the most
portable; of all the talking machines yet
invented. -Mr. Ilettini, the inventor,
is a handsome son of sunny Italy, aud
one of her stalwart defenders. He is an
officer of thu army, aud is now on a leave
of abseuee. Iu person Mr. Ilettini is
most pleasing, aud attributes his inven
tions less to inspiration thau hard work.
button Traveller,
THE WORDS OF THE RAIN.
I it alone in my chamber dim.
In a reverie settled and deep.
When by and by, like ti weird, woven hymn,"
I heard the wind in its mournful sweep
Splashing, as it passed, my window pane
aub ...
i
With generous drops of coolfrlg raiu.
Oh. ho, I sail), I am not alone.
It had Burn a soul-refreshing tone ,,
In the warm night it was melody,
With never a pause in its refrain.
Patter, pattor, said the welcome rain.
Anon a thought fell over my heart. ,
Can I coin that music into words?
A longing came that would not depart 1
If I might translate its mystic chords
If a gleam would come from wisdom's train.
Itdid, and I understood tuo raiu.
"Oh, mortal, my mission is like thine, 1
To scatter good on palaces and cot-s; "-j
In the dark of niht I am doin-; mine T
Ceaseless and faithful, but thou art not."
Then I blushed and said, with rejrretfid pain,
"There is truth in tho words of ths rain.-'
"Mother Nature is kind unto all,"
Continued the burden of its song,
The sun shines out, and the showers fall,
While season follows season along !
The laughing fruit, and the springing grain
All join in love's anthem," said the rain.
Oh! man, whilo creation toils for the?,
Year in, year out, for ever tho same.
From dripping cloud to the tiding sea
If thou art idle it is thy shame.
There's work for all, and for each its plane
Hear then, and heed the words of the rain."
-William Lylc, in IMroit Free f'rem.
HUMOR OF THE DAY.
Common sccuts Cheap perfumes.
An old bach Loaves baked last week.
Claws iu the will Fingers of the law
yers. Boston Herald.
The weight of an argument doesn't de
pend upon the size of the man.
Age brings us wisdom, but doesn't
give us much time to use it. Pack.
Every dog has his day, and Sunday be
longs to tho growler. Terra llnute Ex-
ret.
If the bovs ilou't kiss the misses, then
tho girls will miss the kisses. Uimjham
ton fender.
"Is it a crime to be a wimnn?"' cried
the oratorcss. "No; only a Miss de
meanor." Puck.
A market rcportsays: "Corn is quiet."
Then it is different from some thiugs that
are put into cribs.
A horse has the advantage of a man in
one thing. He's worth more after he's
broke thau he was before.
The broker wdio married a pretty, but
penniless, girl explained that he had
taken her at her face value.
"All gone," murmured Potisonby sadly,
as he surveyed his bald head in tho
mirror. "Not even a part remains."
Life.
Womau "You're the first tramp I've
-1 .Via Tr.init
"Yes, ma'am; I always was noted for my
enterprise and push." Jinhje.
His first love was full twenty-five;
He eighteen when he sought her.
When lie at forty did arrive.
He asked her for her daughter.
Puck.
He (cautiously) "What would you
say, darling, if I should ask you to be my
wife?" Darling (even more cautiously)
"Ask me aud fiud out." Washington
Star.
Miserly says if the telegraph compan-,
ies charge their wires as they do their
, l.A .l......'t it-..rili., llit.t if. rrivp.
a man a shock to touch one. BinyhuiH'"
ton ItrjHiblican.
When Jack Tar sails the stormy sea,
His vessel reels, but not so he;
When she's iu port on even keel,
His steps a stagger oft reveal.
Fuel:.
Miss Kewt (who wants to bring him to
the point) "I thiuk some old bachelors
aro horrid." Mr. Bachclloor "What
about present company I" Misa Kewt
"Present company ulways accepted."
Judge.
An old sayiug makes it that "ho who
goes borrowing goes a-sorrowiug." It
may be so with some borrowers, but in
other cases it is tho fellow who lends
that generally goes sorrowing. Phiia-dcljhia-
Timet.
Kcv. Mr. Choker "Has your congre
gation raised your salary lately, Brother
Thirdly!" Brother Thirdly (from tho
country) "No, sir; it seldom raises
more than half of it iu any given year.
AVio York A'eif.
"Humph!" said Mrs. DcPorque, as sho
laid down her book, "this writer says the
dodo is extinct." "Well, mamma, sup
pose it does?" "Why, anybody of
ordinary intelligence knows that. They
use ditto marks nowadays." Wutliiiigtnn
Pott.
An Adelaide (Australia) daily paper
has in its employ ihrco men named Day.
One of them is called Suu Day, because
he is a clergyman; another, being the
cashier, is called Pay-Pay, whilo the
third, bciug a law-reporter, goes by the
name of Judgment-Day. Sjring!iM
Union.
Angora Goat Farming.
Angora goat fainting is perhaps tho
most important anil profitable industry
of tho Tasinauian farmer. This iudustry
was introduced iu Tasmania ubout forty
years ago, and mohair lirst appeared as
an export ten years later, the quantity
shioped being 10.lt! pounds. In 1875
the clip reached 1,157,000 pounds, val
ued at $1100,000, whilo iu 187, 7,151,
000 pounds of hair were exported, val
ued at over $1,0(10,000 (.he price of hair
having been much reduced by this time),
besides skins to the value of $500,000.
A Scarcity of Men.
A charming young lady, who doesn't
begiu to be near the tirsl cornel stoue, has
evolved from her iunet cons, iousness thu
followiug reflection ou masculine Wash
ington :
The sad.lest words of Uugu or pen,
There are loo many woim-n ud uot enough
p..t,
Wuahin-jtoPost, j