IChina tHe World's Jjast game Preserve.! §1 Bears and Wolves Still Abound. J| wjj Many Varieties of Deer and Birds. Jjj eHINA is the last great game preserve in the world. Many will be surprised to learn that, notwithstanding the dense population of China and the centuries since the country has become thickly populated, it is still the best stocked with game of any country In the world. Even in the regions about Pekin, now occupied by the allied troops, where villages dot the plains every mile or two and the population exceeds 20C0 to the square mile, wolves, foxes, raccoons, weasels and rabbits are so thick as to be pests, while such game as pigeons, quail, grouse and rice birds are found In Immense flocks. The wolves of China are particularly nu merous and fearless, and many lives nre lost every winter from their depre dations. The Chinese farmers do not live on the land that they cultivate, but gath er themselves in small villages every mile or two. For protection from tho wolves which infest that country the3e villages are usually surrounded by mud walls, on which are painted largo white rings. These white rings are for the purpose of frightening the wolves away, the Chinese believing that the wolves think that the rings are the rising sun, or else traps which they must avoid, and In fear of which they slink back to their lairs. During the summer the Chinese are too busy with their crops to give much attention to exterminating pests or taking game, but In the winter they gailier for great wolf drives and with their swords and pikes beat out the fields and kill large numbers of the animals. One reason why game Is so thick In China is the absence of any finished weapon to hunt with. Although the * x l t^Si WOLF KINGS OS THE VILLAGE WALL. Chinese were the first inventors of gunpowder and firearms, still their 6liotguns have never been sufficiently improved to be of much service in hunting. In the first place the Chinese have never invented or used the per cussion cap. Their gun barrels are roughly cast and many of the cheaper ones look as if made out of pot metal. The low or en of the barrel has a small vent on tiie side with a flash pan attached. Over the stock of the guu Is a holder shaped like a half bent fin ger, made of soft steel, and split so as to hold a piece of lighted punk or in cense. To fire his gun the Chinaman tills the flash pan and then, with his thumb, pushes the holder forward til! the lighted punk touches tho powder In the flash pan. By this time any creature with an atom of intelligence is a mile away more or less, and un less something else happens along op portunely to receive the charge, the shot is wasted. The reason for tho number of foxes to lie fouud in China lies in the Chi nese belief in the transmigration of souls. The Chinese think that depart ed spirits prefer foxes to any other animals as post-mortem habitations. The taking of game by the Chinese is chiefly by means of nets, running nooses and dead-falls. Quail and rab bits are taken almost solely by means of nets, w hlch the Chinese set In standing grain, and into which they then carefully drive the game. For ; V ■Mfa .. j fi N. I pife,- : '.% "l ) SSi ! USjSM \~2? : W <kiß,v/? fcifMi flg&iw vi'l * ;- -JjJl • IIINK K K.VI t'oSllY. I.uis«*r kuuw iln*> .«• |ut» wItU u,;i fall* iiml « wuli Mil.-lin, .if ruuKi-il to cuii'li Hie suluial around ttu* Ufi-k ami hniitf It. Till' lllllilll lit lift* nf (K!U» 111 t'lllllil 14 imi (NK'Ullnr in any imrl «>f Hit* mii 1 |ilr«- In tiit> uiiiuiit.iiiik, lioili nurtti anil j •outti. mi fouiiil great uuiulwr* y( | bears, both black and brown, and strange as It may seem, they are most numerous in the province of Shan tung, which is one of the most thick ly populated and the oldest province of the Chinese empire. Tigers and leopards are also found in all the mountainous parts of China, the royal tiger of India is found in the range of mountains which parallel the coast from Canton north to the Yang-tse, while in the mountains of the north is found the great Siberian $BT ~ A Stiisfese Pssce- or Mangollan tiger, which is the most magnificent specimen of the tiger fami ly. In addition to these, wild boars, wild sheep and goats, nntelope, and. what is considered by the Chinese one of their greatest delicacies, the wild ass or onager, are common. The northern deer park, in the moun tains northwest from the capital. Is one of the linest preserves in the world, and contaius a very large herd of giant deer. It covers the whole moun tain side and is dotted with pictur esque hunting lodges. The deer In this north park are fine, large animals, of a dun color, with magnificent ant lers, somewhat resembling our Amerl can wapiti, but peculiar In having what tho Chinese call a mule tail. Probably the commonest game bird of China is the pheasant. Szecliuau is llie home of a peculiar animal that might be called a "missing link." It is a species of ape, growing quite large, adults reaching four feet in height. It lives in the mountains and is protected from the cold by heavy fur and inane. It is peculiar for tin fact that it hibernates like a bear, and the Chinese, recognizing this peculiari ty, call it the run-hiung, or the man bear. It is much sought for Its fiesh. and its paws are prized as great deli cacies. There is so much swamp and lake country in China that it Is very nat urally a great country for snipe aud plover, while the rich feeding to bo found In its great rice fields makes it the home of greater flocks of swans and geese and wild ducks of all va rieties than can be found anywhere else in the world. The Chinese a/'! great pigeon fanciers, and take advan tage of the pigeon habit of flying In droves to steal from each other and to take wild pigeons. They do this by fastening wooden whistles on the tails of the leaders of their own flock, for the purpose of attracting other pigeons to them. The air of Chinese cities Is full of soft aeolian notes of these pigeon whistles. There is another method of taking game practiced by the Chinese which must not Im> omitted, and this by nieaus of trained falcons. The great sport of falconry, once so populnr In all the courts of the world, survives kiroUHly I" t'lilun. Il« re li**lu. ♦•««!.•< au<l rnli-oim urn »• ill tannin in pur«ut> iln* i|tuirry, mul tliu ureal fuli-mi nmr lift In tin* HMiilwra i*«r( «112 ivklu, '« ..III* of I III' It I aft nt tin* t'hliwa* i*H|ll ' ml. Iler* mi limiifiiau rai*U» »r» , i hi'iuNuila uf Ihmh|i*i| iitnU, *i(|mi»**i| fur I »alu, ami tin Cbiucw a|>uri Is ufleu seen along the street or highway Willi his favorite bird mounted on his leath er-bound wrist. In Mongolia the gold en eagle Itself is still trained and much used in hunting deer. With the quieting of the present dis turbance and the creation of a better understanding between the Chinese and the outside world there will doubt less be a great influx of outside sports men into that country. Those who lmve roamed over the world seeking the dangers and pleasures of taking large game will here seek their last opportunities and find richer rewards for their skill and endurance than they have found anywhere else iu the world.—Washington Star. An Antiseptic Broom. The most up-to-date broom, and that ■which sweeps the elennest, has a mi crobe destroyer attached, as shown in the accompanying illustration. The new broom was designed by a Soufh- erner. It consists of a bag to be at tached to the end of the broom handle before the straws are wired in place, with a hole drilled in the handle to a point above the straws for the inser tion of the chemicals, etc., which form the microbe destroyer. The antiseptic is preferably made in the form of hard balls, which readily roll into the bag through the channel, and to promote the dissemination of the compound through the straws a quantity of water, alcohol or other solvent may also be introduced through the agency THE NEW MICROBE-DESTROYINQ BROOM. of a can, or the balls and liquid may be replaced by a semifluid antiseptic, which will sJowly filter through the fabric and dampen the brooin. All germs of disease, as well as dirt, will vauish before the onslaught of the new antiseptic broom. A Curlotm Tlmeplooo. A Parisian novelty Is a min-dlnl watch, with compass, os shown in our illustration. It Is made of nickeled cop per, and Is to be recommended to hunt- POCKET TIMEPIECE. cm, fishermen, cyclists In short to ail who spend much time lu the open air. in the upper part a small compass I« fixed, at the lower is marked a scale of the hours. and 111 the centre there Is a small linger, which can be rulse.l and lowered at will. In order to use this uovel watch It Is held in the Mtn. Hat. It is turned MO lis to have the blue colli pass needle iM.liitlittt between north and northwest. Then a yellow tin iter Is raised from lis pocket lu the middle, and Its shadow east on the scale will allow the time, Hrni Throuuh. "Mike," said I'loddilltf I'ele, "do YOU I'ltik it doe* N MAP much GOOD to J* I roo colleger "Not much," replied Meandering Mike. "I Sent I'roo a college once, au' nil 1 got was two die I lotteries an' « ■ nit of fool ball elollies. lie swag wasn't wort' de risk." A Uitsl It's a funny thing that no gr«*at his torian has written I successful historical uutvl. Sow York l'r«s«. SALE OF VIOLETS. Flowers Valued at 51,000,000 Disposed of Annually* The annual sales of violets through out the United States Is estimated ut not less than $1,000,000, says a bulle tin that Is being prepared by the ag ricultural department. Ono of the most widespread and destructive mal adies known to attack the violet is the spot disease. This disease has been discussed in the florists' journals under a variety of names, but is com monly known as the "violet disease," growers not generally recognizing the fact that there Is more than one mal ady attacking the violet. Owing to the ravages of this di sease the cultivation of the violet has been abandoned in many sections of the country, and in others it has be come necessary to adopt new methods of handling the plants during the growing season. In view of the general interest in violet culture and the importance of the knowledge of a means of prevent ing the disease, a bulletin has been prepared by Mr. P. H. Dorsett of the division of vegetable physiology and pathology of the United States de partment of agriculture, and will soon be issued as Bulletin No. 23, of that division, entitled "Spot Disease of tho Violet." The bulletin says the disease at tacks the plants at any stage of theit growth, from the small unrooted cut ting in the cutting bed to the mature plant in full flower. Plants making a vigorous, rapid, but soft or succu lent growth are most subject to the disease. Its first appearance is char acterized by small, definite, usually circular, greenish or yellowish white spots, resembling the bite or sting of an insect. They vary in size from dots scarcely perceptible to the unaided eye to spots a thirty-second of an inch or more in diameter. The point of in fection is surrounded by a narrow ring of discolored tissue, usually black or very dark brown, but changes to a lighter shade as the spots grow older. As the spot develops, the cen tral portion remains unchanged in ap pearnace, while the tissues immedi ately surrounding it, either to .one side or more frequently in a circle, become diseased by the ramifying growth of the mycelium of the fungus through this portion of the leaf. Various opinions have been ex pressed as to the cause of the disease, and suggestions as to the possible course of treatment are numerous. Weakness of the plants, improper soil conditions, growing them in the open fields where they are exposed to drought, rains, dews and direct rays of the summer sun, and lack of atten tion to properly heating, ventilating and fumigating the houses, are among the explanations advanced. It is believed there is at present no effective remedy for the disease when it has gained a foothold. The princi pal fungicides in common use for the prevention and check of plant diseases have frequently been tried for this thouble, but with varying results. It seems that the solution of the problem of controlling the disease lies in preventing it by giving careful attention to the production of vigorous, healthy, plant growth rather than in attempting to check the trouble after it has once gained a foothold.—Wash ington Star. A PrnpViotlc Cut. In a neat little villa at Geutilly, Paris, there has lived for several years a widow named Mme. Richard, whose sole companion is a splendid Angora cat. Alone the two I'ved in the comfortable house, and verv rare ly did either go far awav from home A short time ago, however, the lady felt very lon.-some, and so sh'? decid ed to invite a few of her neighbors to dinner. They tame, and after dinner the cat entered the room, and on ac count of its beauty at once attracted general attention. The guests petted it fondly, end finally one of them, an < Iderly spin ster, took it up in her arms and asked It a curious question. "Tell me, pursy," ahe said, "which of us who are now in the room will die first?" Straighway the cat leaped from her arms, and, with tail erect aud loud purrs, went straight to au old lady who sat at 'he other end of the room. Not being superstitious the entire com pany burst out laughing, and ilie hostess \>'as warmly consratulated on posesslng such a wonderful cat. A few days later, however, the old lady who I'll be-n selected bv the cat as death's next victim actually died, and then the Htorm arose. Sonic persons Insisted that Mme. Richard was a sort er >»s and that her cat was an evil spirit, while others maintain! d that the tut alone vas to blame and ought to be promptly killed. Tne clamor at last became ro loud 'hat sl.« of the ladies who had been Mine Richard's gtfsts on the eventful evi n- Ing decided to take definite action, and so they laid a formal complaint tie fore the police authorities, in which they urged that the off. udln* cat. whose eves they described as super natural ami dlaliolleal." should ne killed without delsv What acMon. If any. the poll •»> have taken is not y< t known. Oil III# lUI. Mc.llgger lie's pretty Well poated In social I tir tit lll loiis, t*ii I he? Thingumbob Yes, I believe he's posted for nun payment uf dues at all his clults, If that s what you mean Philadelphia Press. The largest building Is thx Coll*, emu at lioiue, 6IS feel |II greatest dl»Uli ter and 13* feel hljjb 1/iAUSOLEUM OF MOSAICS. Structure Which Reveals the Workman* ship of the Ancients. Professor .Tacobsthal, of Berlin, one of the best known archaeological ex perts of Germany, has just returned from an exhaustive journey in Asia MAUSOLEUM OF JOSUP IBU KUTATJB. (The exterior Is a marvel of exquisite rao saio nud the structure was erected la 11C2.) Minor, where he was engaged for about eighteen months In archaeologi cal researches. Professor Jacobsthal spent most of his time in Eastern Ar menia, in the valley of the Aras. In a lecture recently delivered in Berlin the professor says that but two of the ancient monuments in Eastern Ar menia are still in existence, and these two are of such highly artificial work that one cannot find its equal in any part of Asia Minor. The smaller one of these monuments used to be the mausoleum of Josuf Ibu Kutaljr, and according to well-preserved inscrip tions, was built in 1102. It Is an oc tagonal building, some twenty-six feet in diameter and about thirty-four feet high up to the roof. The other one is the mausoleum of Mil Mine Chntune, who was the wife of the Seldchuk Prince Ildeglz, and was built In 1186. In its form it Is a ten-cornered tower, thirty-five feet In diameter and about seventy-eight feet high up to the roof. The whole exterior walls of these two monu ments consist of the most skillfully made mosaic; the various brilliant col ors of the tiles and stones are well preserved. Both monuments are of brick mason ry. The tiles are fixed upon a white, extraordinarily hard layer of clay, and many of them have been colored with copper. Professor Jacobsthal says tlint the magnificent mosaics of these mausoleums resemble in many pecu liarities those found on old buildings near Venice and other places of Italy. The mosaics were made in the follow ing way: Hy nailing thin wooden boards on their edges to the bottom of a wooden case, small narrow channels were formed whereby the patterns were indicated. In these channels wero placed the stones and tiles whilst tha space between them was filled with a kind of plaster. The latter, while still in a pliable state, was ornamented by carvings. Professor Jacobsthal state,! that the ancient Armenians must have been genuine masters in their work, for the mosaic of these two monu ments is unexcelled anywhere. A Choice of Terms. "Here's another man who got away with some money that didn't belong to lilin," said the young woman who was reading the paper. "How much?" inquired Miss Cay enne. "It doesn't state." "That's too bail! I wanted to deter mine whether he is a plain thief, a misguided embezzler or a bold finan cier."—Washington Star. The Hoy Hnil tin* l'rofeosor. "I was mimicking Professor Bore yesterday, and he caught me." "What did he say?" "Told uie to stop making a fool of myself."—Chicago Chronicle. ON* of tln* NEW Toy*. This, says London Queen, Is a clever. Ingenious and most amusing mechani cal tin toy, as will lie gleaned from tiic Illustration. At each corner is a Chlnamaii with pigtail and Chinese hat, but It would seem as if four u.i ■ Inutilities were Intended, for on the crowns of the hats are the colors t.f the several European allies uow in the Cfleslal Empire. Each holds the corner of a yellow sheet, and by an Ingenious device the figure of a China gC Toss I Nil Tint Ho IK 11. iiittti placed in the centre Is thrown lu the air as souu as a side spring is touched. Hy uiesus of a regulator uear at hand the IhruW cau lie either high pi low. aud th« attitude uf tile Vlitllll Is most nu iHI si He tan, however. It* replaced with UaUs. A COQUETTE. The sky coquetted w.tu the earth— She made a (lark cloud pout— Aud burnt lu team of rain That blurred her blue eyes out. And then relented, bit by bit. Till sudden of ber trace, Threw him a happy kiss of sun, Aud lauKhed down iu bis face. —Theodosia Garrißon, in Truth. HUMOROUS. "Young man, can you support a fam ily?" "I only want your daughter, sir." Hoax—He's a man of considerable rank, isn't he? Joax —Well, he sup plies our boarding house with butter. Dunne—This is the last time I'll ask you for that money. Detter— Glad to know you at last realize the hopelessness of ever getting it. "Time is money," remarked the Wise Guy, "Ha!" chuckled the Cheer ful Mug; "that's probably why the fellow who owes a little bill says he'll pay it in time." "I want to get copies of your paper for a week back," said the visitor to the newspaper office. "Wouldn't it be better to try a porous plaster?" sug gested the facetious clerk. Studd—Well, it was rather econom ical for your wife to make her own pancake hat. Skinner—Yes. but 1 furnished the dough for the trim mings. He —And so she's married! Ah, well! I used to have a soft spot in my heart for her myself. She—ln deed! Everybody else always sup posed it was in your head. Miss Redd—Did you hear about one of our caddies getting married? Miss Green—No; is that so? "Ye 3; and he requested the organist to play some thing appropriate" "And did he?" "Yes; he played 'After the Ball.'" Mistress, (calling from above) — Bridget, why don't you answer the doorbell? Bridget—l'm goin' to, ma'am. "Well, you're very slow about It." "Faith. Oi didn't hear the bell till it rung the thoird toime. ma'am." Robbins—There's a good deal to be said in favor of early marriage. i J pon the whole, I believe it is a good thing for a man to marry before he is five and twenty. Dobbins—H'm! I notice that when a man marries at that age he never marries so young again. "I am very much disappointed in this dog show," remarked Mr. Wig wag. "I didn't know you took any in terest in it,"says Mrs. Wigwag. "In terest!" cried Mr. Wigwag; "why, the thing's over now, and I've been watching the papers closely every day and not one of them said anything about society going to the dogs." BEAT THE SEVEN SLEEPERS. Celebrated C am* of Lone-<llntance Som tianib n 11*111. Among the cases of extraordinary sleepers is that of a young American who slept from November, 1894, until the middle of January, this year, a period of 38 months. He was engaged to be married to a girl, but his par ents were strongly opposed to hi 3 choice of a wife. They persisted in their objection in spite of everything he could urge, and the constant ir ritation at length affected his brain. One day in a fit of ungovernable pas sion he shot and killed both his fa ther and mother. He was, of course, arrested at once, for he did not at tempt to run away or to hide the evidence of his crime. Before he could be brought to trial, however, he fell asleep, and asleep he remained for the time mentioned, scarcely ever getting awake at aIL When he finally did awake he re membered nothing of the crime he had committed, and nothing can con vince him that he had not been asleep only a single night. A short time ago the German medi cal papers recorded a case of a pa tient who was asleep and who had been sleeping for more than four months. France also shares with Germany the distinction of having had recently a lineal descendant of the Seven Sleepers. He was a man who was arrested for being drunk and incapa ble. While walking along one of the chief streets in I'aris two gendarmes suddenly pounced down upon him and took him to the police station and put him into a cell. Next morning, however, he was still quietly sleeping on, and when a physician examined him no .symptoms due to alcohol could l> discovered, so he was sent to a hospital, where he continued to sleep undisturbed for iil ut a month, and at length awoke, presumably much refreshed. A similar case to the last two, dif fering only ill the length of the sleep, occurred In Cheltenham not 10113 ago. the sleeper being a girl, who, how ever, awoke after she had been in the "land of nod" for a week.— Ban Fran cisco Chronicle. llik !•).•«ii.« uf Itttrkwheat. The practical extinct ' JL ot the buckwheat cak<- of our inusl le laid at the door < 112 t'jp mll'er, lie Is ai cus. it of iniMiig wft buckwheat fi.m wheat bran and shoit* 'n the in (••• • ts of economy For * while the adulteration *a* undet'C".|, but Riuiluall)' con timers begin lo com plain that the buckwlu-at csikee don't tiote any motu like tli< « us * i to in 111* not d old days on the fill in and |m opl» beitau to stop buying buck * li«-»i Hour. As the It mand fell off ll,e fauuers raise lets and lent buck wheat A race of honest militia, co (lyi-übM with the fi'scn, might false Ihe buck* heat iak« lo *Vi fur mar proud pukttluu
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers