SULLIVAN JBSB REPUBLICAN.
W. M. CHENEY. Publisher.
VOL. XIII.
Parisian policemen arc being mount
ed on bicycles. Tho polico officials
are bound to get thieves on the run,
comments tho Hartford Journal.
In tho opinion of an expert the sub
stitution of the Italian for tho Irish
man and tho German in laboring cir
clos is the prime causo of tho falling
off in sunstroke.
There are nbout 08,000 postoffices
in tho United States. About 07,000
of them do not pay their rnuning ex
penses. Tho profit of tho New York
j)ostofiicc is §1,000,000 a year.
The Japanese are now making ten
uis rackets, and some of tbem, tho
New York Ledger learns, arc imported
to the United States. Tho workman
ship is uncommonly fine, and all tho
materials look durable. Europeans in
Japan havo long played tenuis, and
the game originated a good deal nearer
Japan than Europe. It was the Bad
minton brought to England by East
Indian travelers.
Tho national guardsmen of New
York will hereafter bo presented by
the Stato with a handsome medal for
long service. These medals are to bo
presented for a service of thirty,
twenty-fivo, tweuty, fifteen and ten
years, and are designed to bo manu
factured of eighteen karat solid gold,
gold and silver, silver aud bronze, and
bronze, according to tho increased
years of servico. Thero is no differ
ence in tho design, excopt that tho
medal for thirty years is set with
brilliants.
Heat holidays havo now been estab
lished by law in the public schools of
Switzerland, and, in tho opinion of
the New York Tribune, our education
al authorities might do worse than
take a hint from this enterprising and
progressive little republic, which for
centuries has been famed for its en
lightenment and cjiumon-senso. Ilec
ognizing the well known fact that tho
brain cannot work properly when the
heat is excessive, the children oro dis
missed from their tasks whenever tho
thermometer go La' abovo a certain
point. W ere this sensiblo regulation
to bo adopted in this country stops
would havo to bo taken to safeguard
tho thermometers from being nefari
ously doctored by the enterprising
American schoolbov.
Dr. Erwiu F. Smith, of tho depart
ment of agriculture, described to tho
American Association for the Advance
ment of Scienco tlio other day an im
portant discovery that he has mado of
a pest which has been giving great and
increasing trouble to tho watermelon
raisers of tho South. It is n fungus
growth, which attacks tho vines under
tho ground, speedily stopping up tho
minute water ducts of the plant, and
causing it to wither away. He asserts
that this year tho South has lost many
thousands of dollars' worth of melons
through tho ravages of this disease.
Dr. Smith does not suggest any remedy
for tho disease, but ho thinks that a
good deal might bo dono for its oxtor
miuntion by burning tho old vinos.
Ho thinks that many farmers aro re
sponsible for its spread, as they aro
accustomed to gather up tho old vinos,
and allow tbem to rot on their com
post honp3 for manure.
Tho Russian thistle, that has created
BO much disturbance in tho Dakotas
as to causa a bill to bo introduced in
Congress appropriating money for it3
eradication, has made its appearanco
in Illinois, states tho Chicago Record,
and tho farmers aro called upon to do
thoir utmost to eradicate tho import
ed pest. Tho worst feature of tho
weed is tho groat rapidity with which
its spreads over vast areas of territory,
the :;ceJ being easily scattered by tho
wind. It is not a hard weed to deal
with if taken in time, for it is au au
nual plant, and if cut before needing
—the last half of August—it is effectu
ally destroyed. It is not so difficult
a weed to deal with as tho Canada
thistle, which seems to thrivo by re
peated cutting. If tho Russian this
tle has secured a foothold in this
State, it is very likely to eproad fast
and far. Onco established in tho
highways and i.loug railroad tracks, all
attempts to dislodge it will be of little
avail. Tho country highway seems to
bo devoted to tho propagation of nox
ious woods-, while tho right of way of
a railroad company is not kept with
much idea of killing weeds. Tho Rus-
Bian thistle is eagerly eaten by sheep,
and, if cut when young, io liked by
cattlo. It is not a worse pest on a
farm than the ox-eye daisy. But tho
farmers of Illinois have onough to
contend with without tho Russian
Ihistlo being added to their burdens,
and eclf-interest should prompt them
to a Tigorou3 warfare against this new
ly arrived foreigner.
TWO SONGS.
VV AND AWAY IN THE MORNINO.
Tldo's at full; tho wave breaks whito
(Oh, up and away in tho morning) ;
Blue is tho blown grass, rod is tho height;
Washed with tho Bun tho sail shinos whito
(Oh, up and away in tho morning).
Wldo is tho world in tho laughing sun
up and away in tho morning).
Work'* to bo dono ami wealth's to bo won
Ere a man turn homo with the homing sun
(Oh, up and away in tho morning).
Long is tho heart's hope, long r.s tho day
(Oh, up and away in tho morning).
Heart hath its will and hand hath its way
Till tho world rolls over and ends tho day
(Ob, up and away in the morning).
It's home that wo toll for all day long
(Oh, up nnd away In tho morning).
Hand ou tho lino and heart in tho song,
Tho labor ot lovo will not seem long
(Oh, up and away in tho morning).
HOME, HOME IN THE EVENING,
When tho crows fly in from soa
(Oh, home, homo in tho evening),
My lovo in his boat comes back to ma,
Over tho tumbling loagues of soa
(Oh, home, homo in tho evening).
And when tho sun drops over tho hill
(Oh, homo, homo in tho evening),
My happy eyes they tako their fill
Of watching my lovo as ho climbs tho hill
(Oh, home, heme in the evening).
And when tho dew falls over the land
(Ob, homo, homo in tho evening),
I hold In my hand his dearest hand,
Tho happiest woman in all tho land
(Oh, homo, homo In tho evening).
« * » » «
All day sho sang by tho cottago door
(Oil, homo, home in tho ovening) ;
At sundown came his boat to the shore—
But ho to tho hoarthsldo comes no more,
Home, homo in the evening.
—Charles G. D. Roberts, in tho Century.
KITTY'S ADVENTURE,
fOOD-BY, clear."
"A'safo journoy
and a pleasant
Tlic train began
to move. Miss
Kitty Belwhistlo
distributed a fare
well series of nods
fond of tho Chol
niondeleys, now
that she was leav
ing them. Thoy
were sorry to lose
their guest un
doubtedly.
Their brother sorrowed also, but not
as one without hope. Business of a
pressing nature was likely to tako him
up to London in tho course of a week
or so.
Kitty, experienced hand that she
was, had not spent three weeks at
Northwitch Grango for nothing. Tho
understanding between herself and
the heir of tho Northwich acres was
pretty definito, that young gentleman
flattered himself. They wero almost,
if not exactly, engaged.
Kitty had mado tho usual stipula
tion.
If, within tho spaco of twelve
months from date, she met somebody
else she liked better than dear Chub
bington, all that had paßsed between
them was henceforth to be regarded as
an idle dream. If ou tho other hand,
she did not, then—
Kitty pulled up the window and
Bank back into her comfortable corner
seat. Tho iirst-class compartment
contained no other passenger than the
charming young lady in tho sealskin
coat and crimson-leathered toque who
consulted her complexion in tho strip
of looking glass before sho fell to
overhauling her bags and packages.
The journey was tedious, and would
bo certain to bo a cold one upon this
keen, frosty January day.
But Kitty, who always was distin
guished by admirable forethought in
matters where her own well-being was
concerned, had got all her littlo com
forts arouud her.
"Eau de cologne? Yes, tho house
maid put it in. How stupid of Parker
to catch bronchitis ! Of course, I was
obliged to leave her behind. If I had
insistod on her traveling she would
have been sure to incur a fresh chill
and die on me out of spite.
"If anything in the shapa of an ad
venture could possibly present itself
in tho course of tho humdrum seven
hours' railway journoy between Nor
wich and Liverpool, I should bo in
clined to welcome it, unless it came in
tho form of a railway smash. Ugh!
Tho bare idea makes one shudder.
"Let mo just peep at the luncheon
basket. Tongue nnd turkey sand
wiches, hard-boiled eggs and anchovy
ditto, abottlo of cold tea, half a pine
and a bag of roaccaroous. Perhaps
Chubby superintended tho arrange
ments. Poor Chubby I"
And Kitty smiled a heartless littlo
smile at the remembrance of Chubby's
pink tinged nose and toarful eyes.
Thon she opened a brand new railway
novel, "The Fang of tho Adder," anil
immersed herself in tho most thrilling
chapter of that electrical work:
"Forked and lurid flashos of IlKbtnfag
ftbeenlly playod overt ha mldnifilit nr.uro. A
low peul of thunder rumblod overhead ns
Paulina Knlnod the churchyard. Bbo reached
tho lonely rL-stlm; plaoo of tho man whom
her heart had worshiped, the man whom hor
relentless hand had guldod to his doom.
"Did ho but know it, Ohorrlnnton Ciiim
was bitterly avenged.
"As sobs thickened in his murderess's
strangling throat an 1 sho 3'inlc forward
amid tho matted aud t:.nglcd tfrassos—what
happened?
'•A hacd touched bur on theshoulder. A
voice said hoarsely"—
"Kimpton, Kimpton! Chango 'ere
for Carbury and Walsing."
Tbo train f,lowed nnd stopped, with
n jerk. Kitty shut tho book and let
down the window.
Something darkened tho car^iago
LAPORTE, PA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1894.
door. A dark-faced, mustached, fur
coated stranger got in hurriedly. He
tramplod on Miss Belwhistle's toes
and apologized floridly. His tone
offended her cars; tho perfume which
exhaled from his garments offendod
a still more sensitive perception.
Ho tramp'ed on Kitty's toes again
03 ho received into his arms a heavy
bundle, tho helpless figure of another
man, aud deposited it in a further
corner of tho compartment, with evi
dent difficulty.
Another mustached, scented and
fur-coated stranger followed and sat
himsolf down in tho seat immediately
opposite Miss Bolwhistle.
Kitty, in a stato of freezing indif
ference to the admiring manifestations
of her vis-a-vis, resumed her perusal
of "Tho Fang of the Adder."
Tho two mustaehed and fur-coated
individuals interchanged a sentonco
or two in an uudertono aud then
settled down to their respective news
papers. Tho invalid lay back help
lessly in his corner, swaying from
sido to side with the motion of tho
carriage.
Ho was small of staturo and slight
of limb. Ho woro a gray-flapped
traveling cap, tied under the chin,
and a long gray ulster. From under
neath the edge of tho ulster poepod a
pair of tiny little feet inpatent-leather
boots.
As much c. his profile as was visible
to Kitty's observation was perfectly
regular and of a waxen delicacy. Tho
ungloved right hand, which rested
stillly on his kneo, was small and
dazzingly whito.
"Oh," exclaimed Miss Bolwhistle
involuntarily as tho express rounded
a curvo and tho invalid lurched
violently to the right.
The mustaehed and scented strang
ers looked over their newspapers.
Kitty had half risen from her seat,
"Anything wrong, miss?" inquired
No. 1 in accents of oily vulgarity.
The train steadied; the invalid loft
off wobbling. Kitty sank among her
rugs and parcels.
' 'J.—I beg your pardon. I—l was
afraid tho—your friend was going to
faint." 6ho breathed. To cover her
confusion sho stopped for her book,
which lay sprawling on tho floor.
"Tho young lady thought Mr.
Walker might be feeling ill, Sig. Don
zo," remarked No. 2. "Toll him to
answer liisself if he's got any manners
in him," tho signor added, and looked
at the invalid.
Immediately Mr. Walker spoke
in a queer, highly pitched voice,
which seemed to como from under tho
seat which he occupied.
"I thank you, miss, for your kind
inquiries and beg to say I am quite
well."
Kitty began to regret the exclama
tion of alarm into which sho had been
betrayed. She began to wonder how
long it would be beforo the next stop
page would afford her an opportunity
of exchanging to another carriage.
This horrible pair were evidontly bent
upon improving tho occasion.
Rosenbaum offered her a comic pa
per. Dec'ined with thanks.
Tho signor produced a silver flask
of cognac, which might havo con
tained about a quart, aud audaciously
invitoil tho young lady to tost tho
quality of its contents. Declined
with thanks.
Upon which both tho signor and
Mr. Rosenbaum applied themselves to
the liquor with great good will. They
produced huge packages of sandwiches
and ate with gusto and without offer
ing tho invalid a share of their sup
plies.
Kitty burned with indignation and
was conscious of a yearning in tho di
rection of her well filled luncheon
basket, but dread of provoking the
civilities of her companions staid
her. Sho would chango at tho next
station thoy stoppod at, and then—
Thank goodness—an old town rising
out of tho suowy landscape! The
ompty noiso and bustlo of a station
succeeding. Sho collected her lug
gage hastily ; she peered arxiously out
of tho window searching for a porter.
"By your leave, miss," said tho odi
ous voice of Koscnbaum. Ho opened
tho door and jumped out upon tho
platform. Tho signor followed. Thoy
vanished, arm in arm, into the refresh
ment room.
"Porter," cried Miss Belwhistlo,
but no functionary rosponded to her
call. She leaned out of tho window.
Sho waved her muff. Sho called to
the porter again without success.
There was a dull crash, a sickening
thnd, behind her. Sho turned. Tho
invalid Mr. Walker he/I tumbled out
of his seat and lay prostrate on the
floor. Before tho affrighted girl could
utter a scream for help tho express
moved on. Whore, whoro wore thoso
callous companions of tho sick man?
Doubtless Rosenbaum aud tho signor
had been loft.
Sho raised tho heal of tho insensi
ble man. Ho was lighter than she
had expected and strangely, strangely
etiffer. Sho opened his collar with a
shaking hand.
She got out tho bottlo of tea and
endeavored to pour a littlo down his
throat. Useless. Tbo rigid lips wero
not to bo forced apart. She romovod
tho traveling cap and wet his foro
hend and temples with eau de cologno.
He showed no signs of roviving. She
wiped his faco with her handkerchief
and—oh, horror!
Tho faint color vanished from his
cheoks, his lips turned pale. Tho
sick man had boon painted.
Sho looked at him more closely.
Tho strauge light blue eyes that main
tained their horrible unwinking stare,
the deadly color of the face and tho
icy coldness of its contact struck a
chill to her. Bho felt at his heart.
Not a beat! Mr. Walkor was dead—
dead!
Had his murderors—they must bo
his murderers—painted tho dead face
with tho hues of life, deceived her
eye« with rougo aud powder as they
had deceived her ears with a ventrilo
quial trick? Had they not made
good their escape, leaving their help
less dupe alone—alone with their
victim?
And at last tho express slackened
speed, jolted, stopped. Thoy were at
Ely. Sho might scream now, and she
did.
"What's here? Gentlemen ill,
miss? What do yon say?"
Thus the guard.
"There hasbeeu murder here," sha
said, looking out upon tho throng of
facos that surrounded tho carriage
door. "Telograh to tho last stopping
place. I can describe tho guilty
wrctchos who have done this awful
deed. Ah, thero they are !"
Hero thoy were indeed, the guilty
wretches. Dared they brazen it out?
Did they mean to deny all knowledgo
of tho dead man?
"This is a serious charge, yon know,
gentlomen, I must trouble you to
come along with mo."
"With pleasure, Mr. Polizeman,"
said tho signor, with horrible light
ness. "But wo look at tliisoorpo morto
here first, with your kind obligement.
Why will pretty young ladies shriek
at everything? My good Bosenbaum,
you havo better tho Euglish language,
l'loase explain."
Rosenbaumdrew a largo poster from
the bulging pocket of his fur coat. Ho
gravely handed it to tho station-mas
ter. It bore this inscription:
TO-NIGHT.
At tho Temple ot Varieties, Ely.
Herr Ilosonbaura and Blg. Denzo,
Tho M irvolous Conjurors and Ventriloquists,
In ThoirUnp irallelod Eatortaininout,
In which tho ANI.U ITED DUAIMY will al3o
take pirt.
COME EARLY.
"This here jointed wooden figure
with tho wax face and hands," wont
on Rosenbaum, "is tho dummy. Ho
usually travels in tho guard's van, but
the guard couldn't guarantee his reach
ing Ely in condition to appear beforo
tho public, having a fox-terrier pup
in charge as was given to worrying.
So we took him in the carriage with us.
At the last station wo stopped at, mo
and tho signor, gets out for a drink,
and tho train having started sooner
than wo bargained for we whipped into
a second-class compartment. Sorry
tho young lady has been frightenod.
Ain't you, gignor?"
"Estremvuioute 1" said Sig. Denzo.
—Gentlewoman.
Mexican Skill With the Itope.
"The cowboys of New Mexico, Texas,
and Arizona are all skilled in the art
of using tho lasso," said Louis Ed
wards, of Santa Jw. "I used to be in
tho ranching lino myself, and onco
thought I could throw a rope as
straight as any man living. But that
was beforo I mixed to any extent with
tho Mexicans. As good as tho Ameri
can cowboys are, they can't hold a
candle to a Groaser when it comes to
tho roping busiuoss. They can do
things with hemp that no other mor
tals can over hope to accomplish. As
tho Australianjstands out pre-eminently
in throwing tho boomerang, so does
tho ignorant son of tho 'land of God
and liberty' exceed all other men in
this ono accomplishment.
"A Mexican will chaso a steer at full
speed, and while ho guides his bronco
with ono hand, whirl his ropo with
tho other, audit isn't onco in a thou
sand times that tho nooso will fail to
catch just whoi-o the rider meant. A
favorite trick with them is to Btick a
lot of long-handled knives in the
ground close together withiu tho limits
of a narrow circle, and bet with out
siders that they can ride past at raoe
liorso speed aud pick up any one of
tho knives designated with a rope.
Thoy aro good marksmen with the ride,
too, but iu this regard tho cowboys
aro fully their peers."—Washington
Post.
Englishmen (irow Taller.
Francis Galton has collocted somft
interesting facts iu regard to the ef
fect of athletics and improved physi
cal condition during tho last forty
years on tho physique of the middle
classes.
Mr. Galton gives instructive ovi
denco of tho amelioration of tho upper
middle class. When he was an under
graduate at Cambridge, from 1840 to
1844, although but fivo feet nine and
three-fourths inches in height, he was
taller than tho majority of his fellows.
In addressing them he habitue lly
lowered his eyes, and if in a crowd he
would roadily see over tho heads of
the people.
Writing in 1893 he states that ho no
longer possesses theso advantages.
Altered social conditions, in his
opinion, have helped to improve the
bodily powers and address of his class;
Buch conditions, for instance, as more
wholosoir o and abundant food, better
cooking, warmer clothing, moderation
in tho uso of alcohol, better ventilated
sleeping rooms, more change through
vacations, and, lastly, more healthy
lives led by womon in their girlhood.
—St. Louis Globo-Domocrat.
A Yaso ot Gold.
Tho Dopartmcnt of Greek anJ
Roman Antiquities, British Museum,
has quite recently secured by purobase
ono of the choicest examples of ancient
art in solid gold which even that great
collection possesses. It is a vase of
this motal in its pnrest condition,
without soulptnres, measuring nearly
oight inches in height, about four
inches in diameter, and in shape most
liko a pelieo when deprived of its
handles. It is of Roman origin, per
haps of the poriod of Augustus. An
inscription on tho bottom of the vessel
indicates that its weight nearly cor
responds to two pound troy of tho
modern scalo. It was lately found by
a spongo diver in tho sea ofl tho Island
of Samos, ind may be all that remains
of a wreck which occurred thero
nearly 2000 years ago.—Tho Athe
naeum.
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.
A fly's egg will hatch in twelve
hours.
Entomologists estimato that 10,000,-
000 species of insects exist.
Thero is harmony and discord in
tho combination of odors, ns thero is
in musio.
Carriages propelled by electricity
derived from a storage battery are
common in Berlin.
Aluminum felloes in bicyclc3 are ex
pected soon os an improveinout ou
wood in both lightness au 1 strength.
Willie Jones, of Girardvillo, Penu.,
having lost his shin boues by bloo I
poisoning, has been supplied by a sur
geon with new ones of iudia rubber.
Dr. Biggs, of the New York Board
of Health, who has boeu in Europe in
vestigating Dr. Koch's new treatment
for dphtheria, says that it is an abso
lute cure if applied in time.
The phylloxera, or tho vino pest, is
making such ravages in tho sherry
wino districts of Spain that the Gov
ernment has appropriated $100,00)
for the extermination of tho disease.
The utility of the mosquito is be
yond question. It is born in tLe
swamps, and feeds upon animal and
vegetable matter, which, if allowed to
decompose, would fill the air with
poisonous gases.
Tho vital principle is preserved in
seeds and eggs, fruits and vegetable
during cold woather, because they
have a heat of their own. The tem
perature of au egg or apple, down to
tho freozing point, is always several
degrees above that of the surrounding
air.
Tho Japanesa aro r3ally a very pro
gressive pooplo. The School of Sci
ence at Yokohama is remarkably thor
ough. One of tho naval officials, Ya
raana, has succeeded in producing a
new steel, at tho Tanaka Government
factory, which is provon to be a most
remarkablo metal. The Government
ha:; adopted it.
A living specimen of tho largest an 1
most deadly enako known has boon
addod to tho Zoological Gardens ot
London. It grows twelvo to fourteen
feet in length, and is hooded like tho
cobra. It occurs in India, Burma
and in tho East Indian archipelago,
living in forests anl jungles aud read
ily climbing trees.
Tho Icolanic scientist, Th. Thorod
eson, is at present engaged in a verv
interesting series of geological obser
vations on his native island, for which
he has received generous Government
support. The special object of his
study is tho sands and glaciers in tho
district of Austur-Skaptafell and tho
groat glacier Vatnajokull, in Hi J
southeastern part of Iceland.
A French electrical journal, in re
ply to an offer of an award of §10,003
by tho French Government to the in
ventor of a simple an 1 stiro method of
determining fraud in tho production
of alcoholic liquors, suggests that a
knowlodgo of tho electrical conduc
tivity with that of the density might
be a sufficient means, if tho liquors ba
brought to the temperature of molt
ing ice.
A Peacock's Utile (>amc.
Sol. Stophan has made a discovery
Tip at tho Zoo. Tho big peacock has
for several weeks made a practice of
going every afternoon to tho entrance
gate and parading back and forth
across tho path for half an hour. This
action occasioned no remark for a
time, but after awhilo it was noticed
that tho fowl came regularly at 4
o'clock and at no other hour, and al
ways remained about half an hour,
after which it would walk away an I
go about tho lawns as usual till tho
following afternoon. For tho past
week a watch has been kept on it, and
at last the socret is discovered. Near
tho gate is a Klaus door, leading to a
cellar in tho hillside, and about 4
o'clock tho light falls on tho door so
that the peacock cau seo himself as in
a mirror whon ho walks past. He evi
dently takes grervt delight in looking
at himself. Tho straugo part of tho
affair is that he should know just when
to come, as tho reflection is clear and
distinct only abont half an hour after
4 o'clock.—Cincinnati Times-Star.
A Street Car Hearse.
One of the San Francisco railway
Companies has constructed an electric
funeral car for tho San Mateo Cjmo
tery. Tho car is named Cypress Lawn.
It is thirty feet in length an.l is
divided into two compartments, tho
forward twenty feet in length and tho
roar ten foot. Tho former is richly
upholstered, tapestried and carpeted,
and twelve plush seats arc arranged to
seat twenty-four persons. In tho rear,
or funeral compartment, soats on each
side, capable of soatiug twenty, aro ar
ranged for relatives and near friends,
and in tho oentro is the bier on which
the casket stands. As San Francisco
has an oxtensivo system of electric
railways tho car can bo employed
throughout the city, and will, to some
extent, it is expected, supersede tho
uso of hearses and carriages for fu
nerals. Tho cost of building it was
about S2OOO. —Philadelphia Record.
Cold Water Is Best.
Ice water is said to bo one of tho
deadliest foes of tho American pooplo,
and its temptation i'j especially in*
cidious in the days oi summer. An
excellent substitute for roal iced
water, or water mado of ioy tempera
ture by containing ice, is a pitclior or
caraffe of water which has stood for
some hours in tho rofrigerator. The
water is then cold enough to be very
agreeable, more so than at the paralyz
ing temperature of ico itself; one has
a pleasing consciousness of hygionia
virtue in drinking it nud it lias the
added excellence of saving both trouble
and ico in its preparation. Rochester
Poet-Express,
Terms---SI.OO in Advance ; 51.25 after Three Months.
MODERN "OAST DEFENSE.
AN IMPREGNABLE SYSTEM OS
SEABOARD FORTIFICATIONS.
What Would Happen If a Hostile
Fleet Should Attack New York—
-44 Danger Areas " in the Harbor.
WHAT with pneumatio dy
namite guns, ten and
twelve-inch steel rifles,
twelve-inch steol mortars,
automatic gun-lifts that play with
great fifty-two ton cannon as if they
were toys, and all the other recent im
provements iu coast defense, tho day
is noar when New York City will bo
protected from danger of invasion by
sea by an impregnable system of forti
fications. When that day comes the
artilleryman's fun will bo over, for
promiscuous target practice is hardly
possible with big guns whose life is
less thau fifty rounds, while each shot
costs SIOOO. And should an enemy's
fleeet attack New York, he will have
still less fun, for then he will bo stuck
away under a bomb-proof, where he
won't know whether he scored a hit or
a miss, because he won't see what he's
shooting at.
Although not new, this will proba
bly seem to tho public tho most inter
esting phase of the development of
modern ordnance. Thero is no exag
geration in it, either. When the pro
posed system of fortifications is fin
ished, should there ever bo an attack
from tho sea only a few dozen officers
and men would be whero they could
6ee tho attacking fleet at all. Almost
all officers and men would be below
bomb-proofs, in concrete, steel-lined
gun-lifts or deep in vaulted mortar
pits.
Down there, whero nothing can bo
seen except the huge breech blocks of
the great guns and tho complicated
machinery for moving them, the can
non wil bo loaded, aimed, raised over
the steel platod parapet and firod, and
not a man will know what ho fired at
or whether tho shot did any execu
tion. The method by which this is ac
complished is much more simple than
would be expected from this state
ment. It is this:
Tho United States Engineer Corps
has carefully plotted out on a map all
tho channels and deep-water basins
and holes around New York, aud then
tho map has been covered with little
squares, each of is numbered.
Each square represents the "danger
area" to a ship; shat is, a shot fired
anywhere in would hit a
vessel stationed there. Now suppose
all tho different firts have their mor
tar batteries, gntnlifts, etc., which have
been designed for them, and an invad
ing fleet is sighted approaching Sandy
Hook. At once every gun's company
is told oft to its station.
The officer iu command of each gun
has a table giving the numbers of the
squares, and opposite each number
to' lug him just what elevation and
' jut lateral direction ho must give his
jannon in order to get the range. Each
gun is conuected by telegraph with an
observation tower, in which are the
officers commanding operations to
gether with signalmen and other as
sistants. They aro all provided with
range-finders and glasses, and the map
with the numbered squares is spread
out before them.
As soon as thg positions of the ships
cau be fixed, one of the officers begins
to plot the course of the vessels on the
chart. Finally, say one of tho ships
passes into square No. 27, and it is de
cided to fire at her when she gets into
square No. 28.
"Tick, tick," says the telegraph to
all the grim, hidden men behind the
grim, hidden guns.
"Train guns on square No. 28."
Around swing the guns, and tho of
ficers olevate or depress them by aid
of level and azimuth. All is ready.
The observers in the towers have
seen the doomed ship steam into square
28. "Ready !" soys the telegraph. Up
goes the great twelve-inch gun on its
disappearing carriage. Up flies the
ten-inch rifle on its big gun lift. The
dynamite guns and the mortars don't
move. They aro already trained on
the square because they fire at a great
angle. The ship passes into the
square. "Fire ["ticks the tolegraph.
With a crash that shakes the earth
flames burst from a dozen different
points and the next instant a quarter
of a hundred projectiles fall on the
ship. The guns drop back behind
their parapets and tho deafened,
powder-blackened men clean them
quickly and load again. They have
nothing else to do. Thoy cannot tell
what effect their fire has had. Thoy
have seen nothing. Thoy can hear
nothing unless shells from the ships
fall on their gun pits and tear up the
earth above them, trying to get at
them.
This is no more theory. It has
been proved iu practice that with tho
accuracy now absolutely attained by
tho modern breeoh-loading, all-steel,
rifled cannon and the all-stepl, rifled
mortars, shot after shot canbedroppod
into a spaoe less than that occupied by
a modern ocean steamship.
The mortars will be placed in bat
teries of sixteen, consisting of groups
of four, and the aggregate weight of
the shells, if the sixteen bo fired at
onco, would be 10,000 pounds, besides
being filled with explosive charges.
At a tost at a range of five and n
half miles, ten consecutive shots all
fell within a space 195 1-8 yards long
and 8} yards wide, about the same
space as that occupied by an ocean
steamship. Thus, if an entire mortar
battery, a twelvo-inoh and a ton-inoh
gun, wore all fired together (naturally
not a likely circumstance) ) 1,800
pounds of steel would fall in ono
square. No battle-ship afloat would
bo ablo to withstand this torriflo
assault.—Now York World.
Seeds 2000 year* old have been
known to sprout.
NO. 2.
ADVERTISE RIGHT ALONG.
When trade Is flush, and with a rush
Largo orders to you come,
•'You'll find it wise to advertise,"
And keep things on tho "hum."
Whentradela poor don't close tho door;
Tho rule is still the same :
"You'll llnd It wl9o to ndvertise,"
And thoreby win fresh fame.
Indeed 'tis true whato'er . ou do,
This Is tho safest plan,
"You'll lin 1 it wiso to ndvertlso"
For then you lead the van.
—Henry Morrill Warren.
IlUifOU OF THE DAY.
High society is often simply low so
ciety in line raiment.—Albany Argus.
St. Louis now having a depot, trains
will probably Htop there for way pas
sengers.—Chicago Mail.
Teacher—"What is discretion?"
Bad Boy—"Gittin' ovor th' fence first
when ye call 'nothor feller named."—
Puck.
A soldier in summer camp making
love to a pretty girl shows the pleas
anter side of a courtmartial.—Phila
delphia Tirno3.
Tho Opposite: Jonos (facetiously)
"Got a wife at last, eh?" Smith (sol
emnly)— "No, my wife got a husband
at last .'"--Vogue.
Amy "How can I influance Charlio
to propose?" Mablc "Get some one
to toll him you'd bo sure to reject
him."—Detroit Free Press.
"It's all up with me," groaned Sky
lite as he sank on tho eighth stairway
endeavoring to reach his flat after a
hard day's labor.—Boston Courier.
Littlo drops o." water
Sprinkled Into stocks
Leave the gentle lamblet
Qjlto bereft of rocks.
—Philadelphia Life.
The reason whypeoplo who see what
thoy think are ghosts never grapplo
with them is that they know it is dan
gerous to hug a delusion. —Boston
Transcript.
Love for tho sea is felt when one
leans over tho rail of a ship, looking
out over the doep blue ocean, feeling
ready to give up everything for it.—
Texas Siftings.
"They say Sphoftley was badly hit
by that handsomo Miss Phlirtem the
other night." "I'm not surprised. I
saw her throw her eyes at him several
times."—Buffalo Courier.
Van Pelt —"Are you a believe'
the theory that one should marry a
wife his opposite in temperament?"
Enpec—"Don't bother about that;
they 'ro all opposite enough."—Puck.
I rather think I'm getting old—
I feel it in my bones :
Aud girls who eallod mo Undo Boh
Now call mo Mlstor Jones !
—Harper's Basar.
A girl is perfectly justified in look'
ing with suspicion oil a young mac
who tries to convince her that diamond
rings are no longer fashionable foren
gagemeDt purposes. Merchant Trav
eler.
Judge—"Yon say your boy was
kept in tho honso nights and read
books. What books?" Father (of tho
youthful accused) —" 'The Boy Ban
dits of Bombay' series."--Boston
Transcript.
"Conductor," said tho weary com
muter, "I wish you would open this
window for me." "Oh, you do, do
you?" returned tho conductor. "Do
you take me for a 'strong man?' "
Harper's Bazar.
Maude— "Ob, ho wroto mo a lovely
poem. It began, 'When yon would
know why men go mad, go gazo into
your mirror' " Bertha— "What bosh J
Yon'ro not, so ugly as all that."—Pear
son's Weekly.
Wife—"Tho doctor says I will gain
ten or fifteen pounds if I go away for
a month. Cau't I go, dear?" Hus
band— "Not much ! Why, not one of
your gowns would fit you then."—
New York Herald.
Wylie (talking over college days)
"Aud whatever beoamo of Duller, tho
only follow iu the class who was al
ways at tho foot ?" De Bigcjs—"Pro
fessional chiropodist, the last I heard."
—Buffalo Courier.
Second Husband "You needn't
prowl because I don't work. All your
first husband did Wrt3 to whittle."
Weary Wife—"Yes; but I always
fonnd enough shavin ;s after ho got
through to build tho fire iu tho morn
ing."—Syracuso Post.
"And what's your rca<!Ou for increas
ing tho servant's wages, pray?" hor
friend asked. "Because iny husband
complained that my dress and millin
ery bills equaled tho household ex
penses, and I want to ehow thoy do
not."—Fliogendo Blacttor.
"Did you divide your apples with
Freddie?" Bobbie—"No; I give 'em
all to him." "Did mama's generous
little boy onjoy 3ecing his friend oat
them moro than having them him
self?" Kobbio—'"Yo3; mobbo he'll
got sick an' then I can borrow his bi
cyolo." —Chicago Inter-Ocean.
-——- i ■
A Kocord Breaking Turtle.
A turtlo weighing between 800 and
1000 pounds, sevaa feet long, six foet
wide and two foet thick, was recently
caught noar Baltimore. The head was
two feet in circnnifererico, and a man
could got his lioad iu tho turtle's
mouth. Its fini wore as long as a
man's arm and a foot wide. It wat
caught in a not, and had to be raised
out. of tho net and on tho shore with
a block and tackle. It required fif
teen niiuutos ond a crowd of mou to
get tho turtle ou tho boat. When
tho monster was taken off tho steamer
it required six men to turn it on»*
truck. It died on the boat from in
juries received in boin£ hoisted out of
tho seine. Tho Maryland Aoademy of
Sciences will have tho big shell.
mounted.—New York Advertiser.