Republican news item. (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, April 28, 1898, Image 2
Webster said in 1826: "Cuba is tli« hinge upon which interesting events may possibly turn." In view of pres ent couditions the soul of the ex ponniler would be justified in exclaim ing, "I told you so." In 1810 there were one archbishop, four bishops, seventy priests and 150,000 Catholics in the country. To day there are ninety dioceses in th« land, with over 8000 priests and t Catholic population of at least 10,000, 000. The ship Henry B. Hyde has made tke trip from San Francisco to Hono lulu in ballast in nine days and foul and one-half hours. Only one othei sailing ship has ever equaled tlais time, the clipper Fair Wind having sailed the distance in eight days and seventeen and one-half hours. Some one recently stated that the Japanese were making clocks and watches themselves, and would be ex porting them to America. A British official in Japan reports that the lat ter part of the story is probably eron eons, because Japan is importing increased quantities of the very kind of goods she is beginning to manu facture. The past season, it is said, has been a very profitable one with the sugar planters of Louisiana. The outlook at present is for a crop of 325,000 tc (1(30,003 tons. This is slightly in ex cess of the crop for 1896, and nearly equals the crop of 1894, which was the largest in the history of the state. The molasses yield, it is estimated, will be from 25,000,000 to 27,000 bar rels, of which 6,000,000 barrels will be open kettle of good quality and the remainder centrifugal molasses. The lonuage of cane was below the aver age, ranging from 18 to 23 tons au acre, but the yield of sugar has in creased, the average running as high as 195 pounds to the ton in one par ish. Prices have advanced this year, j and the growers have reaped good profits. The acreago next year will be iucreased. The value of sugar property has increased about twenty live per cent. Many old plantations are now being brought under cultiva tion that Lave been idle siuce the civil war. It is a matter of surprise to learn that public-land offices are still main tained in some stntes where the rem nant of the public domain is less than 500,000 acres, observes the Chicago Record. The offices are kept up by the government, each with its register and receiver. Appointments to these positions are in great demand. The emoluments consist of fees depend ent upon the amount of business trans acted. Although there may be noth ing but almost worthless odds and ends of public lands remaining, these offices pay enough to make them highly desirable. Missouri has only 497,000 acres of public land left, yet the state has three land offices—at Boonville, Ironton and Springfield. For the recent appointment of regis ter at one of these offices there were thirteen candidates; for another place there were nine candidates. Wiscon sin has only 451,000 acres of public land remaining. Wisconsin has three land offices, and the Republican con gressmen have had ample evidence of the popular demand for the appoint ments. A man who recently com pleted two terms in Congress has been trying t > get a place as register of one of these oflices. Mississippi, with her hills and swamps, has only 441,000 acres which belong to the government, but that state has a land office and the complement of officials. In the states mentioued the appoint ments are said to be good from 81000 to S3OOO a year. Of course everybody can see at a glance that legitimate bomesteading does not amount to much with such a limited amount of land to choose from. The explana tion of the fees in the states where the domain has long been practically exhausted is in teresting. The homestead claim un til fully proved by terms of residence is not taxable. Many persons hold ing homesteads do not prove up their claims, but transfer them und enter homesteads again when the limit of time expires. Thus the land is held and passed from owner to owner with out paying taxes, but yielding a small amount in fees to the land officers. Such methods are said to sustain these land offices and land officers. A bill to meet the practices has been drafted. It abolishes the land offices in all states where the amount of pub lic land is under 500,000 acres and turns the residua over to the states for Bchool purposes. As it destroys some of the limited patronage left outside of the civil service it has no* much chance of enaetment. Catiflogues sent out by some Ameri can manufacturing houses give both retail and wholesale prices. In Hol land this practice is criticised, as in formation in regard to wholesale rates is considered confidential. A Boston man who refuses to ac cept the modern process of photog raphy as an improvement is still tak ing daguerreotypes, as he has been doing for the last fifty years. He says that they remain the most correct likenesses yet produced, and he does business of sufficient volume to war rant his sticking to his hobby. A short time ago the British gov ernment wanted four locomotives in a big hurry, but the British manufac turers to whom they applied declared that they could not furnish them in side of four and one-half mouths. The government applied to American manufacturers, who completed the four locomotives in exactly thirty one daj-s. So small a creature as the beaver, according to H. B. Woodward of the British museum, has changed the character of a considerable portion of the British Isles to a remarkable de gree. The borders of the feus were once covered with forests, and the beaver was one of the most plentiful animals of the region. Its dams turned the streams from their natural course. The national advantage derived from technical training in the public schools is well shown, maintains the New York Mail and Express, by the commercial prosperity of Switzerland, nearly all of whose exports represent the skilled labor of the people, and not any natural resource of the coun try itself. The Hamburg edgings, so-called, come from that country,and have brought millions of dollars back to it, while this year the uew Swiss laces promise to make a greater im pression upon the woman's world. The late Spanish minister, Senor de Lome, unwittingly paid a compliment to American women when his idea was to depreciate them. He said that they were the only women who had not yet succumbed to the fascination of the cigarette. Spanish, Portuguese and Italian women use the Havana article; Greek, Turkish, Russian and Austrian women the famous Turkish tobacco; French women revel in the caporal, and many English women have taken up the practice; bnt in Ibis country the habit is as rare among the sex as it was a hundred years ago. The report of the commissioner of internal revenue for the year 1897, shows the total receipts from all sources to have been §146,619,593—a decrease, as compared with the liscal year 1896, of §211,022. The impor tant changes in consumption are an increase of §1,338,472 in the receipts from distilled spirits as compared with 1896, and a decrease of practically the same amount in the receipts from fer mented liquors. The quantity of dis tilled spirits guaged was 246,096,921 gallons, a decrease of 23,237,841 gal lons. There «as also a decrease of 3029 in the unmber of distilleries operated. Also a notable decrease in the number of barrels of beer pro duced. The total number of barrels produced, as reported, was 34,462,- 822, which is a decrease of 1,396,428 barrels as compared with the product of 1896. Our American exports are still mainly agricultural, notes the Atlanta Constitution. This is evident from the fact that 67.63 per cent, of our en tire exports to foreign countries last year consisted of agricultural pro ducts. In the aggregate our exports for 1897 amounted to 81,099,000,000. Of this sum not less than 8730,323,- 514 is credited to agricultural prod ucts. Our, exports of manufactured products are gradually increasing from year to year, but it will be some time yet before they catch up with our exports of agricultural products. In the following table our exports for 1897 are classified under six heads, with the aggregate amounts and percentages in each case: Per cent, ol Value. whole. Products of agriculture. .$730,323,514 67.63 Manufactures 279,616,898 25.89 Milling 19.792,796 1.83 Forest 40,831,864 3.78 Fisheries 5,649,945 .52 Miscellaneous 3,654.001 .35 On account of the vast extent of fertile territory comprised within our national limits we may confidently expect to remain the world's great agricultural market, but while we have this assurance, there is at the same time nothing to prevent us from becoming eventually the foremost in dustrial and commercial power on the globe. THE NATION'S VOICE. Over the plains and the meadows— Over the roar and the rattle Out of the lights and the shadows, The clang aud the clash of the battle, There's an echo that thrills There's a song (hat shall rise In the rush of the rills, And shall ring to the skies And rings from the hearts of the firm- Where the patriot lives and the patriot founded hills : dies : "The star-spangled bannor, "The star spangled banner, Ob, long may it wave Oh, long may it wave O'er the land of the free O'er the land of the free And the home of the brave!" And the home of the brave !" —Atlanta Consiitution. < Playing at Sweethearts. » fr VV WW V V VVVVVVVV VVTTVV WVlfc "Why, I'd rather marry her my self," said I. Nothing, in truth, was further from my thoughts. Amauda's mother regarded me cu riously. "Of course," said she, "if that were the case, it would make a difference." "But I don't really mean it," I cried, hastily. Why, the idea was absurd. Just when I was iu the mid dle of the book ou the "Cerebral Con volutions," too. "Then, "said mother,closing her hard,thin mouth with a snap, "Aman da will marry Mr. Plutus. There is no one but you who has any right to a voice iu the matter." "There is Amanda," I suggested. "Amanda! She is far too young to decide. I am the judge for her. Amanda shall do as I bid her and marry Mr. Plutus." "I shall do my best to stop her." "She shall not see you." I knew she would try to be as good as her word, and my heart went out in a great pity for poor little Amanda,who was so like her father and hud beeu a pet of mine ever since shewns a child. "If I weren't too old—" I said, half to myself. "Nonsense. Why, you're no older than I." She is 4is. "Too much buried iu my books and in a bachelor's recreations—" "Marriage would soon alter that." "I could never make that child happy," I sighed. "Nonsense! She's devoted to you." "Not iu—in that way." I believe I blushed. "You'd soon make her." "Do you really mean it?" I couldu't let old Tom's daughter bo married to that Plutus. It would de lay matters, anyhow,if she became en gaged to me. Meanwhile, I might find some one else for her. "Why not?" she asked, coolly. "Very well: I will speak to Amanda about it," I said, slowly. "Hut there must be no drawing back on your part." I had a sudden inspiration —being a man of quick thought. "I should like to have your consent in writing. To be candid, Ido not trust you." j "Very well." She sat down to her escritoire. "What shall I write?" "I consent to the marriage of mv daughter to Mr. Frank Austen," I j dictated. She wrote it accordingly j aud signed it with a flourish. My name is the same as my neph ew's. I'll have him up to town, audi if he doesn't fall in Icve with Amanda he's a fool. That was my idea. "Well, now I'll talk to Amanda," ! I said, feeling rather uucomfortal le. And I did. Amanda is 18 and stands , r > feet '2. ) Amanda has golden brown hair that will get loose aud tumble about her cheeks and forehead. Amanda has big, dark eyes and long eyelashes and cherry ripe lips and the dearest little dimples iu the world. Amanda has soft, white hands—she generally gives me both— and tiny feet whose rush I could rec ognize blindfold. She came in quiet ly today, and there were dark marks under her eyes. "Oh, Cousin Frank!" she cried— cousin is my brevet rank—"you won't let her make me—marry that horrible man!" "No," said I. "Mandy, my dear, I won't." Then I kissed her. If only I were sure that she wouldn't disar range my study! "You kind old Frank!" She took hold of my arm and squeezed it. "But your mother insists upon your gettiug engaged to some one, my dear," I said, ruefully; "somebody who is fairly well off. Are yon i,i love with anybody, Mandy? Tell me, there's a good little girl." She opened her eyes wide and looked at me honestly. "Oh, no. Cousin Frank! Only—only—l think perhaps I should like to be-some day." "But there isn't anv ono yet? Truly?" "Truly. No ono at all." "Well, look here, Mandy," I said, sheepishly; "your mother insists that you shall be engaged to some one,find I can only find one person. "Not Mr. Plutus! I won't!" she cried, vehemently. Not any ono who will an noy you, dear, or whom you dislike." "Whoever—" She looked up at me quickly and half let go my arm. "Just till you find some one you like," I apologized, turning as red as a poppy. She held onto my arm again and looked down on the ground. Then she laughed. "How very funny." "Would yon mind, Manly?" "No—o," she laughed again. "I think it would be rather—fun. You would have to take me out a lot, wouldn't you? To pretend prop erly " "Ye—es. Oh, yes, of course." Whatever would become of the "Cere bral Convolutions?" "But wouldn't it be rather a bother to yon?" "Not more than to yon." "Oh, it wouldn't be any bother to met" she cried, excitedly. "We'd go to the Tower and the stores and the Crystal Palace and the Zoo and the exhibition—and have tea in the gar dens—and the opera and " She tern my face fall. "I onlv meant to some of them," she ex plained. "You always do lake me to the academy and one or two places, don't you?" "I shall like to take you to some, my dear," I assured her. "I always enjoy myself when I do. But you know I am finishing my book just now." "Oh,yes! I won't worry you, Cousin Frank. And—and—l could help you with it, couldu't I?" I almost groaned aloud. Amanda on "Cerebral Con volutions!" "I'm afraid it's rather too dry for that." "I might learn the typewriter and copy it,"she pleaded, anxiously. A man is only a fool, after all, however much he studies and learns. Do you know I suddenly bent down and kissed her, and she blushed like a carnation. "I won't let you blunt your finger tips with a typewriter," 1 said, gal lantly. "But you shall copy some pieces for me—till you find some nice young man and your engagement ends." It was best to have a clear understanding, I thought. "Ye—es," said she, thoughtfully; "but—oh, Cousin Frank—suppose I didn't find any one else?" "Then I shall have to marry you myself. It would be better than old Plutus, wouldn't it?" "Oh, yes. But I shouldn't like—l couldn't bear to think that you had sacrificed yourself tome. I should be such a bother, shouldn't I?" I looked down affectionately on the rumpled hair and inquiring eyes. "I think—l think, Mandy," I said, gen tly, "I could put up with you very well. But we have been so used to look upon one another in a different light that it's rather late to change. You see, dear, I have grown into a fidgety old bachelor." "You're not really old, and you're never fidgety with me, and 1 owe you so much." I'd merely paid for her schooling and pocket money aud so on. I prom ised old Tom—poor old Tom!—that I'd take care of his girl. "That's nothing to do with it, Mandy," I said, slowly. "You see, I've a lot of interests which you could never share." She shook her head, doubtfully. "And I like to rush off, when I'm not working, to men's rec reations—to play cricket, to watch football or " "1 like watching football," she ob served, eagerly. "I'm used to having meals when I please and g-'ing out when I like and coming in w hen I like. Of course, I couldn't do that if 1 had a wife. It wouldn't be fair." "It would lie a little lonely for her," said Amauda, wistfully. "So," I continued, resolutely, re sisting an absurd impulse to kiss her again, "though I think you the nicest little woman in the world, dear"—she smiled just like the sun coming out— "it would be better for you to find some one younger and less crotchety." She tapped the ground rapidly with one little foot. "Meanwhile, we're engaged, you know, and we must live up to it. Where shall I take you to morrow?" "Oh, no! You must do a lot of your book tomorrow and give me some copying to do—about brainsand spines and things." "Nonsense, child! Don't I always take you out wlieu I come to town. Shall we goto the academy?" She laughed her old childish laugh. "And lunch at a restaurant?" she inquired, delightedly. "And goto tho Crystal Palace afterwards and have tea iu the gardens and see the variety show arid dine on the terrace like we did last year?" She squeezed my arm iu her old way. "Won't it be jolly?" The next day I took her to the Zoo and smiled to see her laugh at the monkeys. The day after 1 took her to the exhibition and up the big w heel and put my arm round her be cause she was frightened, or pretended to be. I squeezed twice for good night. Then I began to see that it would be bad for the "Cerebral Con volutions" if this sort of thing went on. So I sent for Nephew Frank to come up to town at once. That light hearted young gentleman held his sides with laughter when I explained the situation. "no L m to court your fiancee—she used to be a pretty little girl—and take her oft' your hands fur an allow ance of £SOO a year?" he said, wiping his eves; ".£-,00 and £3OO make £BOO £4OO apiece." "Exactly!" I said, approvingly. "You always were smart at figures, Frank." "But, my dear uncle, suppose she won't have me? Besides, I'm not sure, but I think I'm just a little gone on Nellie Marchant? Suppose I don't cave for your Amanda?" "She's awfully nice, Frank; yon couldn't help it." I was surprised at my doleful tone. "Then," said he, "whyever don't yon marry her yourself?" "I lit a cigar and drummed on the fender with my slipper. "I'm too old —too settled in my bachelor ways, Frank," I said, regretfully. "I don't know—l'm not sure—if it would do." "I believe it would be the best thins in the world for yon." Frank leaned over the table earnestly. He's an honest, unselfish lad; that's why I'm so fond of him. And I know he'd b« good to her. "Well," I said, slowly, "I'll be honest with you, Frank. I'm fond of the child—very fond, indeed. If I thought that she could like me—in that way—l'm hanged if I wouldn't chance it. But she only looks upon me as an elder brother. Some day, she—" I paused to blow my handker chief—"she would find out. It wouldn't do; I'm sure it wouldn't do." So it was arranged that I should be busy finishing my book and see less of Amanda. And Frank was to see her every day, to find out if she would like him better than me or if he could like her better than Nellie Marcliunt. This arrangement lasted for a fort night, but none of us seemed quite ourselves. Mandy grew staid and silent. I couldn't do anything right with the book, and something seemed wrong with my liver. Even cheerful Frank grew a bit bad-tempered. At the end of the fortnight he burst in upon me in tho evening, when I was busy with the "Cerebral Convolu tions." "Look here, uncle," said he, cooly, flinging himself into an armchair and taking one of my cigars, "you're an ass!" "That," I observed,mildly, "is very strong language, Frank." "Well," said he,"l like Nellie ever so much better than your Amanda— that's flat." "Then," said I, bringing my hand down on the table with a thump, "you're a fool!" "Amanda," said he, firmly, "is os dull as dishwater." I took of!' my reading glasses and glared at him. "She's the brightest little creature in the world," I as serted, resolutely. He took a long draw at the cigar aud blew smoke rings—a thing I never could manage. "Amanda," he continued, in a matter-of-fact tone, "is dull—because she's in love." I let my pipe drop on the floor with a crash. "With whom?" My voice sounded strange to me. "Why, with you, of course. Man alive! You must bo blind! You're pretending you don't care for her and breaking her poor little heart." I looked at him in silence for a few seconds; then I got up and fetched my hat. "I'mgoing out," I told him,anil I went. When I arrived at their drawing room Amauda was sitting on the rug, with her back against the sofa. She had dropped her book ou the floor and was looking into the fire with her cheek on her hand, and I could see tears in her eyes. She jumped up to meet me with an eager little laugh. "What! Deserted the 'Convolutions?' " "Haug the 'Convolutions,'" I said. "The fact is they're awfully uninter esting compared with you, Mandy." "Are the} - ? Then they must be stupid." I put my arm round her waist and drew her close to mo. "Mandy," I said, passionately, "my dear little girl, we've been playing at sweet hearts long enough; shall we begin in earnest?" Amauda said nothing—only laid her head down on my shoulder with a happy little sob.—J. A. Flynu, in The Madame. A BRIGAND CAPTAIN'S CAREER. The News of Hi* Recent Capture Causes a Sigh of ICelief. The news of the capture of the noto rious brigaud, Captain Atlianas, the terror of travelers in the Balkans, has caused a sigh of relief. His career is the most remarkable in modern brig andage. He had withdrawn himself from his profitable and romantic busi ness son.e tiqje before his capture and lived peacefully as a citizen at Ivusl owitz. His past did not, apparently, affect his social position in a town which is somewhat remarkable for its indifference as to the antecedents of its inhabitants, for the one very good rea son that he had given up all the incon venient habits associated with his for mer adventurous life. He tried even to make himself popular among his neighbors and gave his ill-gotten gains —a veritablo Robin Hood—for the benefit of the poor and distressed. The deed by which his memory will go down to posterity is undoubtedly the "holding up" of the international express in 181)1 from Constantinople to Vienna at the station of Tscher keskoi, close to the Turkish capital. The train was derailed, and the pas seugers, under the escort of the Ber lin tourist firm of Stangen,were plun dered and carried off'to the mountains to be held as hostages until a ransom was paid. Among them was an Eng lishman. With the exception of four Germans and a Jew, all were subse quently released. With a sharp eye to business, the Jew, a rich Berlin merchant named Moritz Israel, was dispatched to Constantinople and brought the alarming news that the hostages would be murdered unless a ransom of 200,000 frames was forth coming. The German government in tervened and finally paid the ransom. Later some of the brigands were cap tured. But Athanas managed to evade all pursuit.—St. James' Gazette. Neverthelewi, H« Got Her. "You say that my daughter loves yon?" questioned the old man, "I'm sure of it," replied the young man. "Well, well, "returned the old man, looking the young man over critically, "there's no accounting for tastes, is there?" And somehow, although the young man knew that he ought to be happy over the possesion of the girl, lie couldn't lielji scowling and speculat ing ou that remark of the old rnau's. —Hartford Times. WHY? 'Tis not because your eyes aro blue I love you ao. For tliey are big, and deep, and browa, As well you know. 'Tis not because you are so fair I can't forget Your face, no matter where X go— You are brunette. 'Tis not your graceful, sylphlike form That with a thump My heart Bets beating. Not at all, For you are plump. 'Tis not your tall, commanding form .. That X admire. ur head just reaches to my heart, Ana comes no higher. 'Tis not, in short, because of charms ■m. . rhut others have, lis just because you are yourself, I hat I m your slave'. HUMOROUS. Suitor—Your daughter, sir, is all the world to me. Father—Humph! Young man, you want the earth. After a woman becomes a widow, she begins to say a great deal about her extreme youthfulness wheu she married. "George,father has failed." "That's just like him. I told you all along, darling, that he was going to do all he could to keep us from marrying." New-made Widow—Ah, uo one can take John's place. I loved him from the bottom of my heart. Friend (brightly)— But you know what they say: "There is always room at the top." Sunday School Teacher (illustrating the "still small voice") —What is it, dear children, that makes you feel so uncomfortable and unhappy after you have doue something which you ought not to do? Dear Child—A lickin'. Hotel Manager (to departing guest) —I trust you have been comfortable, sir; and that everything has been cooked to your liking? Guest—Yes, all but the bill. I should have pre ferred that boiled down a bit more. "No, I didn't have a very good time," she said. "I wanted to talk, and there wasn't a man there." "But there were plenty of other girls." "Oh, of course, but that was no satis faction—they all wanted to talk, too." "Yes," said little George Washing ton; "I did chop the cherry tree down, father, but I can easily replace it." "How so, my son?" asked his father. "Why," said George with a snicker, "if I chopped it down I can chop it up." Mrs. Berry (glancing across the ta ble) —I'm afraid my little girl isn't enjoying her dinner. Rachel (who has left her pudding half eaten,with a sigh)— Yes, mamma,as much as I can; but, of course, if 1 was bigger, I'd enjoy more of it. Former Resident—What did Prod igle do with the big fortune that was left to him? Ban through it in a year, I suppose? Friend—Oh, no. His wife prevented that. Former Resident—Good for her! Friend- Yes; she ran through it in six months. Mrs. Newlywed—Before we were married you said that my slightest wish should be your law. Mr. New lywed—Exactly, my love; but you have so many vigorous and well-de veloped wishes that I am as yet un able to decide to which is the slightest. "I want you to make mo a New market coat," she said to the dress maker. "But it isn't the prevailing fashion to have lengthy wraps." "i don't care. lam invited to a whist party, and the gentleman who is my partner told me to be sure not to for get my long suit." Mother —I wish you would goon an errand for me. Small Sou—My leg aches. "I wanted you togo to old Mrs. Stickney's candy shop, and " "Oh, that isn't far, I can walk there easy." "Very well. Go there, and just beside it you will see a grocer's shop. Go in and get me a bar ol soap." A Peculiar DUeaie, Daniel Query, a resident of Blue Ridge, a small town ten miles from Selliyville, Ind., is a sufferer from au ailment which is baffling the skill of the local physicians. It is stamped by his attendants as being the "sweatiug af gravel." Query has been in poot health several years, and has been a constant sufferer from pains of the body. Three years ago he lost his eyesight in consequence. Six months ngo he had severe pains across his fore head. Iu his agony he rubbed his hand across his forehead, when he felt three small lumps. The pain continued and the lumps grew in size. As they increased they felt to the touch as if a hard substance was under the" skin. They were finally pricked open, and from each was taken a small, hard substance that resembled gravel. Wlieuthf *" '»» were removed the pain cease then hundreds of other swel been pricked with the so and now on some days as ' pieces of the gravelly a> tides are removed from They appear all over t are so hard that it. roq blow with a hair The attendinr of a microscop that the parti character. ? of a fatty n by the seb' an oily, sr great pa' soften i it beim follich ii pin is 4 th' el i