MISERIES OF MATING. THE SUFFERINGS MEN UNDERGO WHILE, COURTING. trtr and Thrlr WaysThe Jokes Mads Bl Thrlr Kipn Df nM and llllnd nim Are Undisguised llllna; Pre paring to Kngnf a Father-ln-Law. Chapter on Conr'.shlp. My dear." fold a prim aunty t a newly cnRnffod niece, "do you know that it is a st'loiun thing to be mar ried;'" Ye, aunty, wo tho fert ro join er, but it is a great deal solomnor not to bo." From the. standpoint of youth and beauty, the girl wns undoubtedly right, for wnutover may bo the slilo issues of bing and toilet powder, of gold em broid .Mod dresses, liaru-shnpoii sleeves, and tlio extravagant costumes thattho irbitoiM of fashion doclare shall bo worn by the beauties of the day, thoro ran be no doubt that tho ultimate end and aim of each and every adornment Is, for t ie young lady at lea-t, nothing more nor less than matrimony. In his aurloiis book on "Natural Selection," Darwin shows with incut circum stantiality and forto how Important is the part ulayed by brilliant and elul oratoly displayed plumage In the im- PTOvemont of suocossivo generations of Im feathered ribes, and also how dis tinct sweles havd originated from tho preference jcrhaps unconsciously dis played, ;y nialo birds for elegantly dorned females. An equally Interest ing disquisition will porh ips some day ho written by the Htudent of sociology to show how important In the social world Is tho inrttionco of fashion, and how tho course of individual .Ives Is sometimes changed by a bow of ribbon or a hat or tho arrangement of a co: age bouiuut. luterosting as all these things are to women, thov are none tho less so to as it is pons ts TnK cot.'xTnr. men, for no matter how streuously the latter may protest thutr Indifforenco to !Talrs ant'cipatory of r'V imony, it is i settled historic fact that whenever a woman is marriod a man Is found en tering tho holy ostats of matrimony at the same time, to say nUhing of che additional cireumstam o that thtmen usuallj do tho courting, and, eavo in very rare and exceptional eases, woraon are revor married until urged to change their condition by memliers of the sterner sex. If, however, youwr entlemon, or even old bachelors, fully eailzed 'he load of responsibility thev .currlng in undertaking sorl- urf e business of getting married, ere is llttlo doubt that a bear movo- ent in matrimonial stock would at oco nojrin, wnicn would sweep awav more than one margin which has al ready boon advanced to tho broker. For trotting married, both in the preparatory and in tho final stages of the process, is, In the opinion of a St. Louis (ilobe-Democrat writer, undoubt edly a very solemn thing. In tho first place there is tho courting, for, save in France, where ovorything is managed by tho parents, or in Iemund, whore a zo-notwoen attends to the business, or In Timbuctoo, whore girls are bought ind sold liko shoot), the young lady must bo courted, and courting is ot it lelf a sorious matter, involving no lit tle saerilioo of tirao, disregard of per lonal comfort, and occasionally a lib eral pecuniary outlay. As far as time Is oucernoi, tho exenditure is made with somo dogreo of cheerfulness, for courting, liko virtuo, is its own re ward, and more than ono man has real Ued; in tho words of Uwcn Meredith, that 'luu ilee I in the doing it reaches It aim. Aod ibe fuel has a value upiirt from the t.i mi;. When tho matter of comfort enters Into consideration, a Held is opened, a-i the clergymen say, too wld-j to enter, for ono of the most astonishing things about that phae of idiocy known us love is the peculiar Influence it o:orts In changing tho nature; sometimes in tensifying traits alroady existing, siiue limes bringing out qualities whoso ex Istenco was altoetl.er unsuspoctel. As a general thing love is an incentive to exertion. Tho lazy yr uth who with iitticulty drives him olf or is driven to his daily tasks, under tho lntluonco of tt:o tender passion displays an energy beforo unknown. He' takes lonir walks, not because ha likes u-.illf. Ing; in fact ho may dospt-e It, but he feels the need of working o.t his mi perrtuous energy and walkini suits the purpose a little better than labor. VVhlle walking he can think and does 10, and If his walks take him In the BT TUB 1THIKT-CAK MSTHOr. direction of her home, so much the better, for he finds his mental opera tions much quickened by that circum stance. When he gets back he is tired to death, it is true, but that is a mere trifle; only his muscles have given out, his mind Is as fresh as ever. If his miseries ended with the ach ing of his tired limbs, however, ho would ,bo singularly blest. Llut they So not, for one of the penalties of being i love is the fact that the men who u oourtlng somebody is neror exactly oertalu about bU footing. Ua U like a boy -alklng on rotton Ice. who taVes ttop after step in dismal uncertainty whether at each the thin crust may not glvo wav beneath bis feet and let him through. To be sure, ho might T.ako a rush and so end tho suspense, but somehow or other ho pro ors tho suspense. In every matter other than love-making a certainty is infinitely to bo preferred to a doubt; but ono ofctho curious cranks to which a lover is sub jected is that of preferring his own suspicions and fears to tho best-o -tab-llshed knowledge that any ono elso can glvo him. In other words, ho wants to Ihj miserable, and generally gets what ho wants. Nor, in this rosnect, "sou moor's comi-jo! dres ho usually receive much comfort from tho fair object of his regard, for If there is one thing a woman delights in mo"e than in ail ports, kinds and conditions of flnory, it is to kep two or three admliors on the tonter hooks of oxnectatinn, each alternately hoping and fearing, and each aft aid to open his mouth to her on tho subject for fear of hearing that fatal no, which he can not but b llovo would ond all tho happiness that llfo has for him. and sven clotho tho heavens in a figurative black that would, ho fancies, antlv portray his feelings. To hint to him that ho is mUta'rfon, anil that, if re fused, at tho end of a twjlve-month he would probable Im just as devoted to some o her girl, he regard 4 as an in sult, as to him, for tho moment, at least, the world contains but ono woman, and she is the deity at whoso nod his littto unlvorso fairly trembles. While to lovors themselves their bu.-lness ii of tho most momentous eon-oquenco, to people who aro not in lovo, or. having been to, found tholr complaint speedily and permanently cured by matrimony, It is a triviality endurable only because It is to funny. For it is not to Im denied that to tho world at larga tho lovor is a sourco of intinito quip and jost, a standing butt of jokes and humor. Nor Is tho fact without a reason, for, as a rule, lovers carry on thoir business so openly that oven tho unobservant can not fail to oo what they aro about, and to bo amused or annoyed accordingly, as temperament or caprice may indicate. A pair of lovers In a stroot car, for In stance, never fail to advertise them selves and their calling as openly as though they woro ulacards on tholr backs, for as soon as they aro seated tho billing and eooing begin, and goon without intermission until they get out again. Thfl people across tho alslo may smile ma uudge each other, tho con ductor nuy tip a wink to tho motor man, who foj i back from time to timn In grinning enjovmont of the sjieota ule, regardless of the fact that he is endangering human llfo by indulging his merriment: tho roiz' fellow in the end teat may burst into a loud guffaw as he leaves the car, and in audib'o tones - -, s,tj,t.i(v of them ?,-;: loonies," but the lovers li'uomsolves oe nothing, hear nothing, their oars catch no sound but the murmur of the voL'e that is sweeter than tho music of the spheres, their vl-ion has no horiztn loyond tho eyes; Kyo go tmnapareiit Tliat through thnm ono noes ihn soul. It Is woll that the lover is blind; ho Is additionally fortunate in being deaf, and other peoplo wouNl ba sometimes in luck if he woro also dumb. Hut that never happens save when the lover A NKCKSSAIlr OL'TLAr. ure alone. It Is a curious fact which may be cmmomlod for observation and study to tho students of hociology, that two lovers who can sit in a parlor o whole evening without making noise onough to keopthemiortin their holos, can go into a public hall and by their clatter cause tho people in throo r.?vr of seats to become inwardly profane. Why tho tender iia-sion assumes svmp toms so dlver.-o in diiTorent places and at times so inopportune Is not oven to bo con.ecturod; It is ou3 of thoso mys teries of which tho universe is full, and which must bo received In the arms of faith without even so mu,h as an effort at explanation. After the terroisof courtship have baen endured for a season the misery of a proposal Is in ordor.and if there were no other objection to getting man led than tho necessity of making a pro posal, this of itself would eoein to be suftloiont t) diminish the number ol marriages "5 per cent. In a single year. To a man not in love asking a woman to marry him seems 1 1 be a very simple and easy ma ter, but ti the lover, tjrn to pieces with anxieties for which tnere is no valid reason, a proposal W a veritable slough of despond. Some how or other, though, he must strug- f ie through it, and generally doe so, n the most absurd and ridiculous man ner, making himself an object of ridi cule to the lady, who, in later years, it she accepts him, rarely fails to remind him how cheap and Insignificant he 1 .okod when, with sheepish aspect and hesitating words, he asked her to do him tho honor of looklrg after his rai ment until dea'h should them part. Men never talk about their proposals, for no matter how carefully they may have prepared for this momentous oc casion, a proposal, like a fall down stairs, or a death in the family, always comes with a shock, and the studlout preparation goes for naught, lilossed, therefore, is the man who does not have to propo-e, for there aro a lew casei where the twain understand each other so fully that a proposal is a su perfluity. They simply take the whole thing tor granted, and, with the most I erf cot confidence; la oach other, re gard It as settlod. But even In such oases, whllo every ihing may bo perfectly satlsfact ry for tho young lady, tho trouble of th routh has ju t begun, fi r In all well cgulato! famlllos papa's consent to tho engagement must be obtained, and is tho iKcosslty for this formality is lroontod to tho Interested youth' by his inamorata, ho may Im excuse 1 for fooling that, as tho biblical proverb ay. "thoro is n time for all things." this Is the proper tlnm for a old sweat. An I ho has It, too. for as tho dismal words iiro pourod Into tho portals of his reluctant ears, ho feels ttiat death would lw a relief. Hut there Is no help frr it. so ho arrange with himself a timo when h i will call ou bis proscet Ivo father-in-law and adjust mat tors. Ho doos not, in tho language of Old Virginia, "hanker alter tho job." Ho has a dim con-cioimnrns that an Inter view with a hangumn on the gallowj would Im a Jovial, not to sny hilarious, occadon by comparison. He defers the matter from timo totim', giving him self a reprieve from tho Inevitable. When, bowover. It can bo no longer deferred, ho puts on as bold n face ai In hi depressed condition he can pos sibly assume, and darts for the house. Courageous as ho may have been at starting, however, lie becomes u pltab'e picture beforo he roaches tils destination. His courago oo.os out in un inverse ratio to the distance: that Is. tho nearer ho gets the faster It oozes. He discussed with himself whether ho would lot ter go on or run away out of town or go off Komewhero and quietly die. Ho tries to think of something to lay and falls. Ho trie to think what he shall answer If the father-in-law, that Is to be, asks him any questions sbout himself and i-core's anothor fatluio Ho walks past tho house hall dozen times before ho t u'i make up his mind to enter, momentarily dis cussing with himself tho propriety ol bolting and lotting tho whole thing gc by default. Ho fails to see tho neces sity of a girl having any parents, and although devoutly thankful to Provi dence for having provided him with n iwootheart entirely to his taste, car not understand why Providence could not just as well have sent him an or phan. Vet all this timo ho is, in all probability, gravely In error, for the ?rents of tho young lady aro perhaps reading tho Interview just as much as hlm-elf, and will be ii't as much re lieved as ho when It Is at an end. Blind as a kitten, however, ho run not oe thut their love for thoir daughter im ol them to bo careful of her in to ost, and that tho obttacl's whict they seo to tho union aro created sole ly by regard to tho future happiness of tnelr child. As a rule, he finds that th ordoal Is by no means so drcalful a ho feared it would Is?, und before tho business U half over ho loullo? that arents, aro not ogre lying, in wait to scare timid Iovom lntc fits, but kindly, conidornt. well meaning peoplo, roady to overlook hit ombarras-mont, and ovon, when nee ossary, to hold out a helping hand to n rufforing fello.v-croaturo in distress and smooth his path when they see ht I about to make a disgraceful stumble. In fact, before the interview is over, ho hat oxporlenrod a ra Ileal change ol heari with regard to parent-ln-law, and has niaij up his mind that as o young lady's mother is t ho dear est ono on ca-th, that h- must 1' slthor a brute or a tv ould. In r-- of ''-eHoe( to hli fail tr toll of tho ml crlt imout and how tho young .auv aoeps It secret by tolling all hor friends about it. She doos It, of course, Imcauso Mio Is proud uf him. Sho probably has no caus) tc bo, for the chances a -o that ho is v very ordinary fellow with nothing t commend him to tho attention of any body bat herself, and tho other giro's after reading his letters to hor, kindly tendered for that purpose, and too nuuncing them ".ust lovely," go awa and wonder what sho eun so in that man to admire: but then sho has said just tho mine thing about their baux and ho tho honors ao about even. The poor follow th' ught that-tho whole trouble was ovor when ho had asko:' tho lady and obtained tho conseu', i her parents, hut t his terror timir thut it was only just bo .run. For there are the miseries of tho engagement with tho tw.tting of his friends golny dn in a never-ceasing stream: the prep arations for tho wedding, and. worst of all, tho wedding itself, with tho t-ol-emn preacher In front, his own t.om bllng self as an aim for curious eyes, and tho grinning ard giggling audi enoo in the b ckgroiind. Of c ur e when the affair pusses from tho stut i; Of the engagement to tho ronditlon ol a public wedding, tho groom losos hi prominent.) and pas-.es into inslgnltl cuuco hon compar 'd with tho brl-lo. He is a sort of necessary nui.-anco, tol orated brcau.se then is no gottinj along w.thout him, but long lo!oroth close of the ordeal ho usually subsl o Into a state of harmlest idiocy, mo chanically grinning and snaking hands with o .ory o io wh mm i neai him. that being'tho only thing ho cat do, for In his state of m "iitil vacuity, such a thing as c nvorsation is out ol the question. Such aro soiiio f tho nilsories thai men will undergo in order to get u wifo, and it is perhaps a merciful dis pensation of nature that lovers ure deaf ani blind to what is said Hiiddotit) about them, Nature often makes won dorful provision for tho comfort of hoi creatines, but in all the list f bless Ing none Is more kindly in its be noil conca than this. I'ooi fo in their right minds would fight or go cra.y ovor the half that lovers stand without so much as a pang. The lovor is a pachyderm atous animal, and so long as he 1' forced to endurs t.io gibe of all crja tlon It U well that this is tho case. At the Heatl. Bishop Folk, afterward General Polk, was one of those men who wear the seal of authority upon their brows. On one of his episcopal visi tations he stopped for tho night at a country Inn, when bis host at once addressed him as "Ucneral." "No, my frleud," said Polk, "you are mistaken; I am not a soldier." "Judge, then," hazarded the inn keeper. , "That is not the title given me by those who know me," replied Folk, beginning' to be amusod. "Bishop, then!" Klght," said Polk, laughing. "Woll, I knew you were at tho head of your profession, whatever l was." eald the innkeeper. Tab devil enjoyi himself in th company of people who are well pleased with themselves. , frAbiunl. aCIIOOL IXTKKX.VTIOVAt. l.MSOX l-OI! ji nk Lrsson Text: rrtOVsr Instliu. ted." K.xodns .til., I -1 4 -lioMcn Text: I for. v., 7-lom. iiontHry. I. "An I flirt I,ir pskn ni.io r.fnM nn.l a iron in die 1 in I of Kirvpf. s-ivinif." The c..iimo of IH I.nr l t p.mnio'i tlirou -li M's.H -in,! A iroi, p, ,.t jr , rviv, trom I'hitr.toh tho fitly, -t know tint th 1.11M i neither will I let Israel ko" (!.. v. u. foiis-iiieiitiy pi.tiroe nri,.r piiurit't W.-i sent II poll I'itiiniii'l tot I his people. It iht i hnn.-e he miiilit le.tru who Jeliov ih w i ole-y tlis eo-nemn l to let Ur iel. , nrHt.' Porn, an mi l thus -s .,lt,, thn loss of Kvp s llrstborn i Kx. Iv.. 22. t. .t nil w )N p, ;,ii. mi l Ihe "one phik-iie irore ( Kx. x' . 1) Int. I to i-otitehMforeUrieleonl,! uofi-.. To-'l.iy's ltson tells f th it .lr-vi.Uul iii'l.t in Ivvi.f. i. " 1 Ills month shiill Im unto yon the he. eiiiiiiinr of months. It imi i, ,r,t month of the jenr t.) yon. ' t Wii the seventh month Hi -ir elvll v.tr tvhieh w;is heii.-lorlh to l,e the lirst inoiith ot tho yer t'ttnein. It w,ts the ls.i;ini,ull,of t!i,.r i tlon il i xlm,.n,le, nri.l wns nsso i.,te. with re demption ,y hloo I. There Is no life to liny sinner he hns not heuii to live until he h is heen re...m,Uy the pruuh.u hloo I of the I.nmh 1 1 Jthn v.. 12). :. "In the tenth .lav of this monlii tlmv shuil Pike to them every nmn n Ijimh, nee.ir,!' Initto the house of thoir fathers. himli for nil house," At leiist two Slltl,-est.ilis lire here. Tlmf eneh ohm (or himself must take n Inmli teiiehs us that eni-h ou t for himselt must nx-eive Christ, itn.l u hmil (or n honso liutehenthe r.or.Ps pU-itsnre in savlm; lions hohls. Think of Noah. Itih.ih, i.y.b,,, the i'lihr ntil their liouehol,ls (tien vu 1 Josnin p.. is . Aets xvl.. 1.1. :i i. '' ' 4 "Anil If the hoiisehol.l he loo little (or lint Innih. ,-t him nn I his nel.-hhors next unto his house take tt ti".or.tiiii to the num. Iierof the sonls." There Wils no r -rerene l lo the possiMMty of the lainh heinif too small for a household. There is nev -r n;iv lack or failure on Co I s pirt, failure is nltv ivs on man's he. not on (io I s. r. "Vour himh shall he without blemish a male of the lr,t y,mr. Ynshall lake It out from the sheep or Irom the ifo-its," He., H,,, the I. n rut nfTeriiiK. p .nee offering, sin iird tresptss niTerilus I,MV. I., .1; th., i; v..;), v., l.") -every olTennt; hu l to , without blemish. It was never it linwtbii of the ol lleer's Illness, lor he was never lit. but If tho i(Terin was tit or without blemish it was n cplel for 1 1 fin (I.ev. I.. 4). S-e the nntllype find ll pllentloil In I l'et. I.. S, 0, ,lni ,. our lie.-.. plan. -e in K.ph. (., i. 7. ii. "An. I ye shall k.s-p It up until th,, f0P. b'enth .lay of the Hamt monih. mvl the who:,) nssemblv of the e.iiiur 'ttntion of Is Mel shall kill It In the eveiiiuif.'' As ', l l. says, en.-'i house was the lo.-al expres'sioii ot tile whole assembly, ho that virtually I here was oulv one assembly mil on si.-ri-tlce. The lamb belli k-pt f ir .lays makes us think ol Christ, who was f.r.sir lalue,l before the follli'llltlou of the wori.l (I l'et. 'JOi nn. I was therefore kept lour , lays --'lult Is, 0 !( years (U ,.. ., ) hefore Ho was lain lor u. 7. "Airl they shall take of the I.Ut 1 and strike It on the two sele ,.,.ts ,-tn. on tin uppr 'lo .rpoBt of tho houviH wherein they shall ea( il. ' (Ml either shin nj. overhe-i but noun iinderiiiot, lor the bloo.l must not be trampM on. Tl.n llr.st ami prin.-ipal Ihln.' Is t.) be iin-ler ttiMHilier of the hloo. I Ih.'ll belli safe by the too I we nre to ei,t tho' L imb, as Jesus s ii.l, "He that eal-tli Me even in-shall live by .lie" (John vl.. 571. Tin! bloo 1 sp.- iks of safety, nu 1 eatin tho L unb Is so ru'estlve of life an I lo'lowslilp. M "An l they shall eat the flesh In that flight, roust with lire, an, I uuleavene breii.l. iin.l with l.itlt-r herbs tlieyshiill eat it." Tho llto and the but.tr hTbs ars ittfestiv of H.'.. allllerli.rfS Uk ..Ii i (;,,. k fj UJ ot nut prlvllettHot kiiIThHiiij with Hun, ns in Phil.' i.. TJ, ' L'oto voa It is (fiveii In tho benalf of Ciirist not only t lielievo on Hun, but nhto Io suit, r fur His sike." Se, also John .xvl., J) ; Col. I., 21 : I l'et. iv., ... i.i, '.: "Kut not of it raw, nor so.,l.-n nt nil with water, but roist wiln lire, his liea.l with his leys IIU l Willi Ihe puaell.llle t tliereor." Tint ll .r-i wralli mi ne,Hnut "i sm eoul.l "ii I v b iiliisir.K.t.l bv the lire t p.t. Ixxxvill., 7,11). We nre npt to iiiuke liht of (his wratn.tr i.).,l,nt ii,., S-riplures nre M.rv pilllll llll.l i-leiir Upon It. I'ounl.i.-r (i.'tll-,.-- inane ami Calvary an. I see wnat II" nu. lured lo s iv." us Irom the wrath lo .-.nn". S-.t 1 Thess. I., in ; Jo in in., :iii. ;,.v. iv.,-ll. lb-ad nu I Ictfs h.p .,ik to us oi inward thou lir mid outward lib-, ail oi win.-h in II I 'It Was perfeef. 10. "And ye snail let nothing of it ronriiu until the moriiim;, un l that whb-n reiuniiieth of It till the mornui ye s'nill burn wit h lire.'' Compute ehnpl.-r xxlii., is. .Tim Inssou to if that nil lelenvseip is niiep ir iblv hnke I Willi th" St T. Hen. Tle-ei-u b.to saletV lior lite nor .'oiiiuiiiuioii ,-ipirt Irom tint bioo I of the I.amh. II. "And thussliall ye eai it." The ir e, bun.-, I lie sho I feet, t he stalT lit hau l, nil in- Heated a reiidin.-ss lor luMant .lepariur-. They were-eileenm , s.-parate I, exo tetniil, ifoln t home. Our liiMru -lions nr i "liirdup the loins of your mind, bo sober nn I hope ;o the eu.l. for the ura.-e that is to lit br..a.,-!it unto you nt the revelation of J. -sin Christ." 1'.'. "for 1 will piss ttirou li the land of I',')pt this uitfht un I will Kiult" all the iirt borit in the Ian I oi lUypt, both mill mil beint. ' The time ol Israel' re le 1101,011 nil I o. juugaiwu U-..-r uj,nvM j.i un I ki:ki. It is -o noi a i n i:i neater ;.'r.'.) tlmn i'-.i r an t s'nlt so .ar 1 :;e.ici t ii 1 l. li v.-r.i ii.--s fro a K,'y;.; thn'. tiio former shall no" mni.i in nun I,' it '.vol l,i tlio il;iy of the Lord's v.'iu'.'anee and toe ve..r oi I'.'.'omp.'iises lor the iiitrov.-i'sy of Clou (ls:i, xxxiv., 8 ; Ixill., 4, ani s.-e also J t. si ' 1 1, li : xxill., ft-Sj. 11. "And the lilon I snail be to you lor 11 to'i.'ii upon the bouses when ye lire, it 11 . 1 lien I see the bloo I I will p m over you, t.ii I ihe plau sliall not brt put upon you to .eiroy you when I smite the hind of l'.pt." The bloo l liointc shed nu 1 sprinkled upon the .ioor, tho llrstnoru In every siieh house whs Mile, and nil sueh were tonally safe, regardless ot their lesliiiKS ill the nmt lr. It Is easy to iHuey somo nervous ones whoeould not L .lievH they were, sattt and ivlio eould tlierefore hardly taslu tho lutuh bt'.'iiiiSH of tilelr unxlety. . 11. "And this day shall b unto you f or memorial, nnd ye snail keep it a fenst to thn Lord tin -jU!!. ut your Keueratinos." It wns the Lord's passovur to be kept unto. Hlin (verse 'il), but It degenerated into the Jews' pasgover, with the Lord left out (Joliu xl , 55). Lit us take heed lest the Lord's Hup pur, which Is our paasov.tr feast, become n mere torm, with no loDln for Ills return (I Cor. xl., 20). LeMon Helper A FEW itOKtrtCUNT COilPARISOXS. ' The Rook ford Monitor snys thut to iret nn lntelllent idea of the vastness of thn drink, hill ot the United Htatos for IS 1,300,000, 000. wa must tnaks a few comparisons 1 The net earnings of all the railroads of ths United Htates amount to less tbnu oue-tulni of our drink bill. Tha loss of property by fire In 1801 was only one-ninth of the liquor bill. The entire expenses ot tho United Htnte Government are only about oue-balt what we puy for iutoxlvnuts. The iiugreKHte oattit'tl of till ou.' national banks Is about 700. 000,000. or but little more than one-halt the amount siunudored on drink each year. Cotton Versus Cora. Tha farmsrtln Qsorgla srs nowbsn llaqf svsry energy to make a iar crop of ootton, ani are buying fertilizers la sxioti o; any year pt. They contend it Isist a lari number do that they oan get mors, or as muob, for ths ootton snst alone at taey could get (or the ooru mads oa tbe sors of land. RHLIG10US READING. how t riur. As Jesus whs pravin In a certain plu 'o Rh.'li Ii" ecu ed one of his disciples said to him: "Lord, teach, us to pray." No wonder hey were moved to such a rc.iit. Su.-h power with (lod, such communion with the I'ntlior, such dose converse with the unseen world, they had never rciillze.1. O to .t near to the heart ol Do.l, to spenk with him s friend Willi friend, to Intercede for others .isthcy heard their .Muster liiterceilm! No winder they coveted the Kitt nnd itskcl to be 'aiiitht the secret of prevailing prayer. In answer to the r.piet Je us repeats the pray r which he lilid Klven them lieforc, the mol. i"l for till prayers, coverln the wide and urn ! ims rittuf" of posibti.i in iisklnit mi l re ''Ivlnit from (ltd. H said: "When we rti. say, Our father." H-re. then, is the -tanui point of our conlblenc) In prnvr -ibe love nnd pity of our h.'iivenlv father. Ill-, love I -ps hack of fvcrythln. "He that '.'ire. not Ills own H. n, but delivered lorn up lor us all, how shall in not with him alio freely lve us all thiuH'" Mnv "ibir l ather'' because "If ye then, being evil, know how to ttlve good Rlf's unto your children, how much more shall your father which is In henv.-ii i;leood things to them that 11-k him?" All Ills Infinite wix.lom, love, and pullctioi l ti l over us to help us, so the ,ry llr-t let son in learnlnit how to prnv Is to Icnrn wha: It means to sny. "Our father." A few days 110 11 visitor 11111.u1 the poor found a family of little children . ryin with hiiuer. The father -there was no mother there to .-are for them -was stnndiu cloe by the window of the checrlcs home trvin lo llnl-.li a piece of work. "O." he said to' the visitor, "It breaks my heart to sec these chil dren starvln lor hren.t." .Ictus said: "Sny Our father," because no other father would lve a t..ne to his children when they nske.l (or bread. A father would le'"ood thlns." 11 in I we niu-t b'nrn to trust him so implicitly that when he dors not ivn the thlns we ak for we will know It is bis-aiise it is not .iod for us to Iihvo them. And tve must i'11-t him so tully that we will wait soii.stimes a Ion while for Ills answer. To know how to pray is the highest kliort le.e one can wish for, (or it puts lit our disposal inlliilte resources, "Ask, 11 ud yo shall receive." O. to be tauht hotv to nsk ! riii. h knowl"de Is not KHined without cost. We learn to sav truly, "Our fiither," when, like the prodi nl son, we bein to be in want; when we have found tnere s no bread thai call satinly us i'X"Cpt ill the father's house; when heart mid flesh fail, mid we Mud that In him isour strength nnd our portion for ever. One of the sweetest ministries of sor row s to teach us how to pray. We can a-k iiothln better of our divine' Tent her than Ibis same reii. st of thai disciple who s: id : "Lord. teach us to pray.'' It is a rcpiest he will not refuse ; he imiiv teach us by .llsnp. ioiit:nciit, bercavciii.nl, mysteries, perplex ities, necessities, but 110 cost is too renl for Ihe blesse.luest of speakltl fact to face with lb id us 1 inn speakelli with 11 friend. Sol. II f.AC TV loll ASIICS, We heard one .lay lately of 11 beautiful way of keeping in mill. l a dear iittlechild who had one to tlie better life. When the parents ral lied from the Mrst darkness of bereavement, when they bad irrown 11 little us.., to the strnngo silence where there tin 1 been such 11 melody of the sweet voice mid III" boundlii step, they Cllht ul (lilt them to see how best they coiiid remember their little Maud. (iter her gn.vit in the cemetery they In. I placed a simple, small stone, witii her num.! nnd the din.) of her birth and .lentil. They wanted to do much mote than this, but 1 1 1 v dld not care 'o spend a large amount of 11, oncy on the mere cmlM'lllsliinelit of the narrow house in which their darling had been laid to rest. "It would liavo cost so much," said .he mother, after some thoughtful balancing of accounts, "had our daughter been spared to us, for her education, her clothing, her picas tints and ' nu'.'s! ; '" ' birthday festival a" little more. Ho much this year! Now can we not take this money mid spend It, for Just this year, on some little girl of Maud age, some child who really ii.smIs love and bapplnos and advantages which her pars-lit cannot give hcrV Let u flnd some dear child, mid do this in .Maud's Uiiine. ' The blessed, un-cHlsli thought was put In to practice without much delay, and one little child stood, so lar as all that lavish kiiiilni ss and generous wciillh could do, in tint place of the other who., memory never fad. s Irom tho lu urls that loved her. One year has not proved the measure this un grudging and saintly h.'iicllcciirc. They to whom so sweet a suggc-tnui cniiie, doubtless ang.'l-boi ne, ir. intending to keep on in their work, and lis time pa cs, their gilts to the girl who lias (akin Maud's place shall be, lis m arly as h i 1 1 . . . what Maud each year would luive hud if she bad been spared to them. She will stand to llm world iu her own lot, developing 111 Ino own way, but nil that wotihl have been th. right ol the dear vanished one shall I." freely bestowed upon her for tllllt ilei.r one's -like. ISeinitv will spring from tint iii-lies of the old sorrow. Selected, - por.s not miss voru vm. i..' The auel of re.iii-K - so the legend runs -goes bjck from ciirtli heaily laden every tinni lie conies to gather up tie prayers ol men. Hot tho iingel of Thaiik-givitig, of gratitude, has almost cnipty hands as h" re turns from his errands to this world. Vet might we not to give thanks for nil that w" receive and for ivery answered re.pi.t.' If we were to do this our hearts would alwavs be lifted up toward (iod in praise. There is 11 story of somo great conductor of 11 musical festival suddenly throwing up his baton and stopping the performance, crying, ' flageo let ' Tlie llugeolet was not doing its part, and the conductor's trained car mis.e.1 Its -one not.) in th" large orchestra. Itoes not (iod miss any voice that Is silent in tint music of earth thut rises up to Him? And lire them not many voices silent, taking no part In tlumong, giving forth no praise' (Shall we not quickly start our heart-song of gratitude, calling upon every power of our being to praise Ood.- J. U. Miller, U. l. At.ronot.ft tSHAXlTV. One nf our exeiianges ..notes the oninio.i of I)r. l'nul Clnrnier, ehlei in.tdicai olll eeruf I the Paris prefecture of police, a follows 'The progress of alcoholic ins uiily has beer, so rapid that th" evil is now twice as prevalent us It was fifteen years ago. Almost a third of f be lunacy oiis. s oiiserved nt ihe Depot Ilillrinary are due to this disease. Every .ay it deelare Itself more violently, and with a more marked homicidal tenden cy. The accomplice of two-thirds of the crime committed upon whom the criminals themselves throw the responsibility of their lvII deeds, Is alcohol. It visits upon the child the sins of the lather, nnd eugeuders In the following generation homicidal iu itlnctn. Since I have irequented the haunts of misery and wns lu I'jn 1 have observed gutter cuildren by tho hundred who ure only awaiting tholr opportunity to become assassins the children or dniu.ardi. Moreover, there Is terrible flaw 111 these young wretohee, a flaw which doctors 00 not observe, but which the psychologist te oleurlytind notes with npprttuensiou -tho absence of alTtsitlouute emotious ; and ua 11 mutter of faof, If these urlinluals urn neither anntsthetlquea nor lunatics their charrctitr isijes are insensibility ant piulussncss." Food. JS0W THS riBST CMBlSTiANS I.i V ED. An spproved writer in describing the reli gious character ot the primitive Christians, observed that "when they gave themselves to Christ, they counted all things loss for hint and h' salvation 1 and the surrender was au fontst,. whole-hearted transaction, uover to I"1 rcgrotted." tleucs, from the bour ol t fjir couvvrstun, they utade UtUe . count l .-xopeny. Us.Ul i'iUAtl!,. f rn- vmn't rr. r. -,- r. i.-jr.it:-. 1. The W. c. r r. of ,.w York Is Mannina to cruet ; ildiiigon the state f ,r groan. I with dining M fit 1 onvrtil.le int., ,n for lectures Illld evilllgellstlc meetns, esp v iilllv for those ol.ig.., I,, rmalii on the grounds .'ver Sunday and deprived of il,p.. pnvi l"es, nsthos l.l... In the , .,-,. f st.u k ire during the entir fair season. The h .,. ing will s .rve also ,s a headquarters lro.11 which to di.trlbut.! literal ure to t,j u.u.li lu ll's to lc i jaclie I .it s i . places. ri"irscr ami sfrittof,. T'ier Is a common belief that nieoliot give new strength and energy after fatigue sets 111. The m. at 1011 or fatigue Is one of thn safely valves f our machine; to still., tho feeling of fafiiic. m or.b-r to ,lo mom work. Is like closing the s.ileivvalv.i so that the boiler may b. 1 ov 'rlieate i mi, explosion re sult It Is commonly thought that alcoholic .Iruiks ,,id digestion, but in reality th' con trarv would iil p.'ar to 1st the case, for It has been pi oven that a meal without alcohol Is more quickly totiowed by hunger thim a meal with nicohni. In connection with the sani tation of armies thousands of exp Timenn upon large Ihi.II.si of men hnvo liecn made, 101 I have le to tint rei ult lliaf. In peace or war. in ev-ry climate-in h"iit. . old or run - soldleri urn bettor able to oiidum the fatigue of themost exaniiMting marches when (hey ar ii..t allowed . any alcohol at all. That ment.ii cxcr.ioiis of all U.nds are better 1111 ilergonn without r.l mi is gen"riillv admit ted by .co-it voiile who have nindo the trial. It appears certii'it Coat Irom seventy to eighty per cent. 01 cr me, eighty to ninety per cent. of nil poverty mid from ten to forty per t. nf the sal, .Lies in most civilized cm ii I ries a re lo b aaoriU'd lo iilcoho:. - Wcliuiuiolor He view. "..rn hi .1 hi. 1, t;i r 'i:i: A business mail was in the hai,,t nit nnd then stepping int.. a -,lo.n an I t akin- 1 '' r with a Iriend. II . ,IM u,,( . ,-. or trie i),.r, ,,u, ,,ly .Ir.ink it for the s'IKf Ol lieim- social. II" s.il.l lie ,. , SIlt.poSH lie orilllK more than t.. ,,r , ..1,..... year. Vet. he was 11 it a temp .r.u,, e man. one day .1 friend asked In 11 to step in s certain saloon and take a glass of I r. II did so. standing near bv was a young in in who had never dr ink a glass of , ...r. hut ln knew these men were r 'gar led ns very tin.' men. and thought that If they .Irank I r he could. So later lie went lilt., the saloon. Il fouiul he uk. id beer, and was e.i-iiv iilTeeieil by it; and that night he wis taken home In a carriage drunk. W hen he was sober he told hlsmoiiier ht.i became (o go Into the s-iioon. 'I'h e met, 1, 1 told tho business man what Ins . imp,., had done for hr boy, and being a realty go Ulan be said thai should be his last glass ..1 beer, lie bad Hot thought what little lie drank would injure any one. hut a. l ie !, "I guess we are our brother's keep -i-. ir 11 tin., liuieoiilvvlllletalisti .il, uruin acjai;. The lioldeil Cutiser. TF.?irt:r...!'i: . Tlf C atliolie Total on v r.NTIoN. Abstinence Union of America, one of the strongest teinperanco (irganiatioiis in tlie world, will hold Its twenty-fourth annual convention In St. I'.tol, Minnesota, August l to :i, next. Ut. Ilcv. ,1. i. Cotter, I'.ishop of Win, inn, Minn., is President, nnd llcv. A. T !oyle, C. S. P., uf New Vork. Is S.vretnry of the Union. As St. Paul is the home of Archbishop Ire land, one of the most eloquent, devoted and powerful udvoentes of temperance in this uiititry or In the world. 11 convention of more, than ordinary Interest may be looked for. A lo-il committee has teen appointed, ind the most complete timing)-. emits are lut ing made lor giving the delegate and visit nrs a royal welcome to thn Northwest Cer tain sections of the country are already promised railroad rates much lower than I Ims.) usually secured on such occasions, and it is believed other ''i.striets will yet fare equally a well. The 'ten. lance will bo large s not !ea than c d prominent , . United Htates and Canada belli expect.!. In tact. It I the Intention to niako this tho greatest and most representative gathering of Catholic tot il abstainers ever brought to gether. Lo.-al excursions are hing planned to all points of inter.-st, so the trip may ho made one pro.'ltable lu tunuy way. -SiicroU Hear; Kuvii.w. Tin: rrnTit!.;: om tiik 10 rrri: A few veilings ago f addressed ., "lass in r.n of our public schools and was nsU.nl In give my opinion us to b.nv far the nearest saloon should be 'rum a school-lion-" I re tleete.l -if was 11 question which req-i.r .! some thought, although it would n - a;,p -ir so at llrst sight ind lh"ii s ii I "A .. :' TM miles would lie a reasoll.-lbl.t distaii . .. cording to my way of thinking." And .r ui. the same reason the same distance .h eiei br staked olT bet ween the saloon and the I11I store, and the millinerv cstablis iin.-nt. Th child is in no more danger from th i..s. proximity of the s iloon to the s-'hoo'-a-cist than tint father of the child is in tin hug tht saloon dose to the place where lie i.uvs Im own 1111.I that fluid's .'lotluug. T. V. 1'uw tbirly. TKMI'KliAXi K NKWS AXt. NOTTS. Cr'at llntain't drink lull is attrac'lnf; n orld-wnle attention. Hosts of young folks would neVT drink liquor il there were no Halo. ill to to lot the oniik. The export ".'i in of freneh wines to the United Suites lias lalleii oil consider. inly lu la'." yean. "'ne W. C. T. U.. ..' fr.'tuont, Neb., h'li paid in lull fonts r tmpcran ecTemplo wiiicli wns built at a c-.t of HU.O111. School teachers say flint tho chiMr-n nr n ".il cr an I better clothed and go to school Wor, wiicr the;-., are 110 s iloout-. Tlie V.'. C. T. I'., of li .iwein, Iowa, has close. I Up twelve o, I il" tlili'leeii saloon-, and llie ropri.-tor ol the last .nn. is on trial. N' o lv believes in til.) saloon ex -opt tiioss who make money out ol it, mi I many yf theiu wish they were in other Dusini-ss. Although live provinces gave i majority ol l"n, i);)J lor proamnion in tne plebisc. s re cently hebl in Canada, the Dominion ilov eriiiueut ha- reused to euii.'t a proiuliiiory law. '1'ln t.impraii')i cause In Now South Wales is advancing. TU.) total expenditure lor lu'.ovicatiug .Iriuks hns decreased in it marked degree aud also the total consump tion of alcohol. There is so little call for alcoholic liquors in llurliugtou, Vt., that tlie drug stores do not Hud it ueceHsary to keep more than 11 quart of whisky iu stocK. Thut qunutlty usually lasis six months. f rain.'! Murphy, thetumpernnce reformer, nppiarsto be as popular aud effective as ever. He has beeu coudiictui a most sue cessiul series of temperaucs meetings lu the People's Church aud Uerkeley Temple, lios ion. A miner in Wains receivs.1 the prize of fered by the Woman Signal, for the best post-card answering the queetlou "Why am 1 a To. 1 1 Abstainer'" "Nine hundred and eight y-oue replies were received aud this man received thn books. The ruler of Benares in India Is conducts, lug a great temperance work among hli peo ple, tie Is an enthusiast lu phllauthroplo work. His temperance addresses to tha thousands of pilgrims who (look to the holy city are remarkable In elTent. Protestor Tyndall, though not a total ab stainer himself, ouce guvs a young man who Ueciiued ths wine ottered him, this testi mony "All young people especially should not touch alcohollo drinks. People who are croug aud full of vigor do not need tUesu.", Uoltl Produetlon. The proJuatioa o' gold in ths tTalt4 States avsrns about 1 n yMr.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers