jl Greatest "Zoo" in the World. §j Itasg At last New York is to have a zo-1 ological garden in keeping with her position among the great cities of the I world. It will be the largest and most complete in existence. The vaunted gardens of the European cap itals will pale into insignificance by comparison. The final plans, says the New York Herald, have been sub mitted to the Park Board by Professor Henry F. Osborn, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the New York Zoological Society, and as soon as the necessary preliminary arrangements have been made the active work will begin. After eight months of careful study of the adopted site in Bronx Park, and after a systematic examination of the large European zoological gardens, Director William T. Hotnady sub mitted to the Zoological Society a pre liminary plan for the development of the garden, which was reproduced in the Herald at the time. This plan was approved by the Executive Com mittee, whose Chairman has been one of the most active promoters of the Isoologioal garden scheme, on a broad cale, and the final plan, now matured, s merely a careful elaboration of Mr. lornady's first scheme. The design if the central glade, formed by the six arger buildings, is the work of Hein »\i La Farge, architects, and for the rest of the plan Director Hornady and Charles N. Lowrie, landscape archi tect, are responsible. NEW YORKS, GREAT ZOO LOGICAL GARDEN. In the distance are great drives for bison and deer, forests for monkeys and ponds for beaver—in all 2CI acres, by far the greates "Zoo" In tlio world.) This vista promises to combine pic turesque natural beauties with every possible device in establishing the comfort of the captive animals. No zoological garden in the world offers such freedom to its inmates. The buffalo will roam at will over a great expanse of natural land, as untram melled as though grazing upon his native prairie. The monkey will enjoy the freedom of his own jungle. Lions and elephants will not be confined in closed cages. Birds, beasts and fishes of everv variety will be made to feel perfectly at home. And now a few words about tho ex tent of this big animal park. Aside from the natural beauties of tho loca tion, which compare favorably with those of any similar institution in the world; aside from the advancement which the plans show in the matter of caring for the animals, aside from the value of the collection, which we can at present only hopefully anticipate, aside from all this, the project must excite universial admiration by reason of its very size. Washington's Zoological Garden comprises 168 acres, but all of it is not available. The Berlin gardens have sixty acres,Paris,fifty acres; Hamburg, thirty-five acres, and London aud Vienna, thirty acres each. It will readily be seen that 011 comparison with these New York's monster zoo, with its 261 acres of laud, must stand as the monster of the world. The bird house, on an unshaded terrace, with ample air and light, a one story building of brick and iron— is planned to afford both within aud without a great amount of cage room for its occupants. The interior of the aviary, whose ground plan is T shaped, will have 330 lineal l'eet of cage room, 011 n large portion of which cages will stand in three tiers. There will also be a huge water tank for div ing birds. The exterior of the building will not be less interesting than the interior, for here there will be 332 lineal feet of cages for hawks, owls and such like hardy perching birds. Then there will be six large open wire dome cages, and, most attractive of all, a huge-wire cage 150 feet long, seventy-five feet wide and fifty feet high, in which will be pools of water, gravel, grass, rocks, shrubs, bushes aud great trees. In this great cage the birds, hardly real izing their captivity, may dive and swim, run and fly to their hearts' con tent, and, with food to be obtained without the discomforts of early ris ing, may have all the enjoyment that ever fell to the fortune of lucky birds. As with the birds, so with the mon keys, whose home of pleasing archi tecture will be in keeping w j t jj t^e aviary and the others of the six larce buildings that will adorn the central glade. The monkeys will have ample cage room in the direct path of sun and air. lhe most interesting part o{ th monkey ca ge will be the g reat open air enclosure, which is planued to occupy a space of fifty by 250 feet in extent, adjoining the house. This space, which will be reached by an overhead bridge, so aa to allow all spectators to freely paBS between it and the cage, will be enclosed by a high fence of wire net ting, terminating nt the top with an inwardly curved projection of metal, which will prevent the nimble climb ers from getting outside. The monkeys will have practically no restrictions on their natural pro pensities, for this bridge and extend ed tree covered play-ground will en able them to graduated from the re stricted kindergarten cage to the high er brauches that will offer full scope to their greatest possibilities. Here they can hide in the underbrush, scamper over rocks, ascend the trees, leap from limb to limb, sport amid the foliage and even form the monkey span of life by joining claws to feet and tail in one long chain of apish links, and so swing from a projecting branch to a tree beyond, over an in tervening stream, as travelers say they do in their native wilds. Nor will the larger beasts be un duly restricted. The elephants will have attached to their imposing home, measuring 78 by 144 feet, eight paved yards, each 100 by 150 feet, and in these yards, besides a swimming tank, will be great trees, in the shade of which the animals can stand as in the jungles of Asia and Africa. The lion will be in equally great luck. There will be 110 restless and persistent tramping up aud down be hind the bars of a ten foot cage, no snarling and ill tempered howling. They will be housed in a handsome building, 87x263 feet in size, and they will be almost as greatly favored as the elephant. In outdoor cages, 45 feet wide and 200 feet long, they will have ample room for muscular development. And here comes a unique suggestion from the director of the Zoological Park, for while three sides of these cages nre open, he proposes that the fourth side shall be a painted land scape that will in the closest detail present an exact counterpart of the lions' surroundings in their wildest state. Any lion with a well developed imagination will be in a position lo sit upon his haunches, gaze fondly at the counterfeit distance of wild jungle aud fancy himself once more back among the old folks at home. The buffaloes will be highly favored in the matter of liberty, for they will have a range of twenty acres over which they may gallop. Around this ranee, on higher ground, will be a walk, from which an unobstructed view of the buffalo grounds will be presented. This is significant in it self. The American bison is rapidly becoming extinct, and the few herds of a once noble race that are left are being carefully guarded aud nurtured. Fire-Tub Over a Century Old. Here is a picture of the fire-tub that George 111. presented to his loyal sub jects of Shelburne, N. S., in 1795. This was in the days when the town was a populous and thriving place. Half the royalists who left Boston during the Revolution built houses in Shelburne, aud of course the King PRESENTED BY GKOKGE in. coi:M not "stVi—SUch loyal subjects suffer for lack ofVP ro P er protection against fir e . The in a fa ' r state of preservation. Massachusetts conviots iV e getting fastidious. Not content wiK Boston baked beans f or breakfast evVy day they have just sent in a petitrt'A ' or custard pie every Sunday. \ CHAMBERMAIDS WITH MUSTACHES. A Remarkable Feature of Hotel Life in Cairo, Egypt. Although the two gentlemen from Cairo here portrayed look like Oriental dignitaries or high priests they are really Egyptian chambermaids. They are a remarkable feature of hotel life in Cairo. TWO QUEER CHAMBERMAIDS. The first time one needs a chamber maid in the latter place and finds the call answered by a coal black man six feet four inches high, in high cap and narrow white gown, one is surprised iind sometimes worried. Sometimes these ebon chambermaids answer a call in pairs, They are model ser vants, and keep the rooms of the hotels where they are employed exquisitely neat. STEEL ROADWAYS A SUCCESS. Tlie Idea of Kulldliifi: Track* For Trucks Takes Practical Shape. For the first time there has been car ried into practical operation a plan for the improvement of public roads that has heretofore been regarded merely as an interesting theory that would never rise to the region of fact. The plan i3 to lay steel tracks along our roads so that the wheels of wagons SECTION OF A STEEL ROADWAY. may run on a smooth surface instead of on the rough and soggy path over which for a great part of the year horses are compelled to flounder drag ging heavy loads. The results of «x --periments by two prominent engineers are here given. One series of experi ments, made by Mr. Abel Bliss, of New Lenox, 111., is particularly inter esting, as will bo seen from the fol lowing statement of Mr. Bliss: "I have laid about 100 feet of steel road in the public highway near my home at New Lenox, 111. The road was first graded in proper shape. The rails are of steel, one-quarter of an inch thick, eight inches wide, wide a downward flange of three inches on either side and an upward flange of one inch on the outer edge to keep the wheels or. These rails were laid on the crown of the grade and pressed into the soil to the depth of the flange or until the soil supported the rail. The downward flanges prevent the soil from being pressed away from the rail and hold it there, making a firm founda tion, so that 110 ties are necessary on which to rest the rails. These rails are made continuous by the fastening of the ends together with fishplates. "A mile of road requires about sixty tons of steel, which can be produced in quantities for SI 800 or less. One cubic yard of gravel is required to the rod." In Texas little Miss Fite, of Moran, wants to pick cotton against little Miss Ward, of Meridan. Both are six years old, and they weigh forty-eight and Wtv-three oonnds. resuectivelT- Bobby'* Three-Incli Smile* Sister measured my grinono day; Took the ruler and me. Counted the inches all tho way— One and two and three. "Oh you're a Cheshire cat," said she. Father said, "That's no sin." Then he nodded and smiled at me— Smiled at my three-inch grin. Brother suggested I ought to begin Trying to trim it down. Mother said. ''Better a three-inch grin Than a little half-inch frown." —Boston Traveler. After the North Pole. If the North Pole is not discovered in 1898 it will not be because brave explorers have ceased to be interested in it. Some time ago we told you about Lieutenant Peary's proposed expedition, how he will establish two or three Eskimo stations iu the far north which will be in the nature of stepping stones to the pole. From the last one he will make a dash with a sledge and dogs and only one or two companions, and he hopes to discover the pole and get safely back to his last station during the summer. But Peary is not the ouly man who will seek the "farthest north." Captain Sverdrup, who commanded Nanßen's famous ship, the Fram, in the recent expedition, will soil away in 1898 with sixteen men aud several hundred sledge dogs. He will get as far north as he can in the ship and then try to cross the vast stretches of ice on Rleds. The Norwegian government has furnished the money for fitting the ship, and Captain Sverdrup feels sure that he cau reach the pole.— Chicago Record. Saved HUT.ire by a Jest. Amelia WofTord tells of"The Court Testers of England" in St. Nicholas. The author says of one of them: Archee Armstrong was the beloved jester of King James VI of Scotland, afterwards James I of England, and this is the traditional story of their introduction: "One day a shepherd with the car cass of a sheep upon his shoulders was tracked to his cottage on the moorlands by the officers of justice. In the cottage they found a vacant faced lad, rocking a cradle with more attention than a boy is accustomed to give that duty; this, however, did not arouse their suspicions. They searched the cottage thoroughly, but failed to discover the sheep. They were i about to depart, when one of j their number accidentally looked I into the cradle, and—the stolen sheep lay there! The lad, who was snp j posed to be the thief, was brought be- S fore King James VI of Scotland. He i was tried, convicted, and sentenced to die. He began to plead with the i king. He was a poor,ignorant fellow, | he said; he had heard of the Bible and ! would like to read it through before Ihe died. Would the king respite him until he did so. The king readily ; gave his consent, whereupon the cul j prit immediately said: 'Then hang me if I ever read a word o't, as laug as my een are open.' The witty reply captured the king. He pardoned the prisoner, and took him into his service as jester. In this capacity Archee was soon a prime favorite. Oarberry's ChrUtinas. Last Christmas there was a great surprise iu the little town of Car berry. For years and years—ever since the boys and girls could remem ber—there had been a public celebra tion in the town hall, with a huge Christinas tree lighted from top to bottom with candles and bright with all sorts of presents for the boys and girls of the village. Usually old Cap tain Conklin in his big buffalo over coat, which was buckled tight with a string of sleigh bells, ncted as Santa Claus and kept everyone laughing and expectant, as he passed out the gifts, reading off the names one by one in u big, hearty voice. But last year it was all differeut, so different, indeed, that Carberry is going to try the same kind of cele bration again this winter. Audit was quite unique enough to furnish ideas for any of our invontive boys and girls who wish to get up something new and striking for this year's Christmas entertainment. You see old Captain Conklin was taken sick early in the winter and had togo south, and a Christmas tree without Santa Claus would have been no celebration at all. So the principal of the Carberry school and some of the older pupils got together and dis cussed tho situation. As a result they were appointed a committee on ar rangements for the celebration, it being understood that they were to have the entire work of decorating the hall and of arranging the presents. From that time on a dense cloud of secrecy hung over the school. The teacher and his little band of helpers —which included about a dozen of the older boys and girls—held a meeting early every night at which the details of the great plan were discussed. By day they all went around with wise glances at one another aud frequent mysterious conversations, until tl e younger folk of the town were all lint wild with curiosity. It was also the topic of conversation among the oldei i folk, for they were not allowed to know anything about it either. Mys terious bundles of all sizes and shapes were carried into the hall, the windows of which had previously been closelj curtained, so that no prying eyes could ffeep inside and discover the secret. Two weeks before Christmas six of the prettiest little girls in school, all of about the same size, were chosen for some mysterious pur pose, and they were at once enveloped in the general cloak of secrecy. Christinas eve arrived bright and crisp and cold. At 7 o'clock the doors of the town hall were opened and a crowd of boys and girls, who had been waiting outside for an hour or more, surged in and filled the front seats. But as yet there was little to be seen for a big curtain covered tlie entire front of the hall, shutting out all view of the stage. The members of the committee bustled about mysteriously, ran in with covered bundles, and out again, shadows flitted across the cur tain, and there were occasional smothered bursts of laughter,at which all of the younger children would stand on their tip-toes and fairly shriek with anticipation. But there was one sound that was wholly unox plainable and which set every one tc guessing and wondering. It was a slight squeaking noise which no one had ever heard before in connection with a Christmas celebration. Before 8 o'clock every seat in the house was filled and a large number of men and boys were standing around the stove and lined up close to the wall. There was only a moment's delay, and then from somewhere be hind the curtain came the voices of the six little girls singing a Christ mas carol. Just as they reached the last verse the curtain began to rise slowly and their voices were drowned out in a wild burst of applause. In deed, the audience was 011 its feet with craning necks and eager eyes trying to take in every detail of the brilliant display. "A wheel, a wheel!" cried little Susie Jenkins, her shrill voice sound ing above the roar of applause. And a wheel it was—a Ferris wheel which any one would have recognized in an iustaut. It occupied the very centre of the big stage, and it was slowly turning round and round. The cars were loaded full of gifts with dolls for conductors. There was candy and crockery, toys jack-knives, skates, new red mittens, caps, books, and almost everything else you could think of. Every car was blazing with light from several wax caudles, and the rim of the wheel, the supports and the spokes were festooned with strings of popcorn and twined with ribbons and evergreen. Besides that the stage was beautifully decorated. But another surprise was in store. Up from behind the wheel stepped Jack Frost, Santa Clans' son, dressed in natty knee breeches and coat, and wearing a powdered wig of the style of the last century. Every one re cognized him at once as Captain Couklin's nephew, who was one of the brightest boys in the Carberry school. It was some time before he could speak owing to the cheering, and then he told the audience that this new Ferris wheel was invented in Santa Claus' workshop, and that Santa Claus had placed the gifts in the cars. After that there were a number of songs and recitations, during all of which the wonderful wheel turned round and round, and 'he doll con ductors leaned out of the windows to see that tlie machinery was in good working order. Of course the exer cises were very interesting, but I am sorry to say that they were frequently interrupted by "ohs" and "ahs," and many other whispered exclamations from the front rows. At last Jack Frost arose and ordered the wheel to stop. The six little girls bounded forward and the distribution of the presents began, and continued until the great wheel was empty, and every one in the hall was happy. Do you wonder that the folks of Carberry are going to have the same kind of a celebration this year? The Ferris wheel was easily made by three of the boys of Carberry. They took two old carriage wheels and cut awaj parts of the spokes, and fastened them together on a central axis running through the hubs. The cars were made of large pasteboard shoe boxes obtained from one of the stores. These boxes were about thirty inches long by ten inches high by fourteen inches wide. Doors and windows were cut in them, and they were sus pended to the wheels so that they would turn easily 011 their pivots. The wheels were then supported by a light framework of wood and pro vided with a crank at the back side. This completed the framework. It was fun for the committee to meet night after night and decorate the wheel with colored paper pasted on the boxes, and with evergreens and popcorn strings. Caudles were fitted everywhere there was room for (hem, and then the cars were filled up with presents, care being taken to load them so that they would swing easily and without tipping. During the celebration a boy turned the crank that kept the wheel going. The whole wheel only cosfc a few dollars, and any of our boys who are clever with a hammer and saw could make one like it. For a Christmas surprise it cannot be excelled, espe cially if the people who are to attend the colebration expect au old-fashioned Christmas tree. It may be used either for a home gathering or for a public celebration. HELPS FOR HOUSEWIVES. To Make )tl«?lte