The* Democrat,
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1889.
FORETELLING THE WEATHER.
Lost, stolen or strayed. That's what's
the matter with the thousand mile-wide
blizzard which the Signal Service said
was coming this way. It was billed for
the 14th., but, fuileil to arrive on time.
And as nothing has been heard of it
since, it must l.ave been switched off
somewhere among the Rockies. Up to
date (28rd), December is doing its level
best to prove the truth of the poet's dec
laration in a favorite hymn, in which he
made the church goers sing, " December's
as pleasant us May."
Speaking of weather reminds us to soy
for the benefit of all, that this winter so
far is about what last winter was up to
January 21st., at which time we had an
eight inch snow. The only snow that
fell in December was not more than two
to four inches deep. All through January
to the 21st., the weather was open and
mild, the thcrmomoter running from thir
ty-six degrees to fourty-four degrees.
While on the subject of weather it is
a good time to say a word about Ira
Hicks, a New York weather prophet.
Some of the papers of his State publish
his monthly prognostications and com
mend them for; their accuracy. Unlike
most of our local, common, everv-day
kind ofj weather prophets, lie discards
corn husks, goose bones, caterpillars,
"Butler's flues," etc..apd basis bis predic
tions on the relative position of the
four planets—jupitcr, venus, mercury
and vulcao. In November lie published
this: " From the 10th to the 18th of De
cember is the crisis of the winter sol
stice—vulenn, venus and jupiter comb u
ingj for the work. People may look for
very hard winter storms, which will con
tinue to the 291h." So here is another
storm lost, stolen or strayed. Wonder
what direction it took. Alter all, we will
'have to fall back ou the caterpillar, as
one end of him (we have forgotten which
one) is blacker than the other, and thus
indicates i n open winter. As to which
end'ot uiin wins the palm for blackness
it doesu'l matter,inasmuch us|local weath
er prophets differ iu opinion as to which
enii must be the blacker to give us mild
weather. "You pays your money and
takes your choice."
THE Laws of Life, put lishcd at the san
itarium inDansviile, N. Y., contends that
it is a cuelty to ask on eutering the sick
room, "How arc jou to-day?" and
" How do you do ?" and tlie like. Tlie
Irishman's greetiug, " The top of tlie
morning to you J" u recommended as a
more inspiriting and sensible salutation.
It has a bad effect upon the patient to
make him talk about liis condition, and
it ought not to be done. Alter such a
conversation his visitor leaves him feeling
utterly wretched, whereas if the talk had
been confined to cheerful themes some
good effect might have been produced.
Better, says the Laws of Life, use the
Eastern phrase, " Peace bo with you,"
than any set of words that turn the mind's
eye inward upon the body. There is no
doubt a good deal of practical wisdom in
the suggestion here made. Health, like
the weather, is a universal interest, and is
a sort of topic upon wnich conversation
may he begun without much self-corn- j
mittal, but betweeu friends a better
phrase than " How d'ye do ?" ought to he J
employed. Oue's physical health, though '
iraportaut, is not often all one's greatest j
interest at every movement of life. Dur-1
ing the greater part of a lifetime, in inuny |
cases, a man's health is so perfect that j
an inquiry, about it strikes him as mean - j
ingiess.
Tins, from the New York World, is not
only very seasonable talk, but tenderly and
eloquently put: " Christmas is coming.
A simple phrase, 'tis true, but neverlhe
ess three little words which are mighty
In their conjuring power and various in
their significance to mankind. For those
who give and those who take the syllables
ring like u chime of silver joy-bells.
Each letter seems to glisten with the dia
mond dust of Christmas snow s, and a faint
fragrance of pine and hemlock, the scar
let fires of hollybcrries and an echo of
gay carol pervades them. There are
others whose ' Merry Christmases' are all
way back in the long iane of life, among
the days that are no more, and for them
the magic words are wreathed in immor
telles, and tender and sacred memories
rise at their sound.
" Ii i. the little children'who will enjoy
it most. Hut nine' 1 ninny of these poor
tots do their dreaming and 'choosing*
outside gay windows full of toys and
treasures and good tilings which wiil
always he separated from them by the
snioiih [dali'-glti-s harriers against winch
they llaltcn their little noses as , hey perch
li'si on one bare, cold foot and then on
the niluTr, like email cranes. They f< nst
their eyes and have empty bunds and
empty ~0 maths, but for all that Christ
mas is con ing and they're glad of it. "
Local Institute at Wilmore.
On Suiurduy an inteiestiiig District In
stitue was held at Y\ iiiuorr. Tiie pro
grain. wiiich was a good cue, was carried
out, and another prepared for a meeting
to be held at Portage on February Ist. In
additiou to the teacheis belonging in tiiat
district there were present |the County
Superintendent ami'Mensrs. Uco. Mlinden
and Tims..). Itell, of tliis city, and Air. it.
H. Biter, of.Gaililzln. They ali took im
portant parts in the proceedings. Air.
William Davis, of Summerhill, the leader
for tin district, pr< sided in a creditable
manner. There will be District Institute
jn the following places at the'imesstated
January 4ili, Klton ; 18111, atSliirly : SMtb,
.at Gallilzin : February Ist, at Portage.
THE WIND STORM,
Dihcrl's Uncompleted Four-Story Hutming
Knocked Out of Plumb—The old M r
chant's Hotel Fenced Off HH Danger
ous—Yesterday a Breezy Day.
The weather master was trying his old
est capers Sunday. The predicted rise
iD Icuiperuture and rain-fall came early in
the morning. Later the sun appeured,
and soon came the wind in gales, guests,
whirls, blasts, or in whatever shape you
may wish to call it. Early church-goers
caught the first breeze. Loose boards,
shingles t hat have seen too many Christ
tnases to be of much use, sign-boards,
shutters, unlatched doors—in fact almost
any light article not nailed or locked—
swung, slammed or clattered in a manner
that would have done Honor to a western
town. Thoso living in some of the light
frame houses on the hillsides began to
wonder which would be the worse to
live in the yalley and be washed away or
to be rolled down the slope. Even the
more heavy and subs'antial buildings
rocked at times. People talked wind to
each other, and many '• windy " adven
tures, almost equalling " flood sufferer"
stories of a certain kind, were told as the
crowds assembled in various places or
went too and from church.
Some of the tall walls of the many un
finished buildings about the city early
began to arouse apprehensions of danger.
The noise occasioned by the shifting of
loose beards in scaffolding or by falling
chips or blocks as the wind swept them
off their resting places, made some people
shy to .the opposite side of the street in
many places, as they went past.
In the forenoon between half-past ten
and eleven o'clock some person stagding
on Griffith's corner observed the new
Dibert building, across Main street from
them, swaying. Postmaster Baumcr and
some others who were in the possofflce
were notilied, and they made a speedy
exit. The police were sent for and the
sidewalk near was fenced off us a wain
ing to passersby. A little later the mid
dle pari of the building from the second
story up swayed about a foot out of
plumb towards Park's Opera House, and
stayed in thai position. Titers was high
excitement, as the large crowd that had
assembled expected every minute to see
the building fall, but it rested there as it
securely fustened. Crowds of people
kept viewing it all day. The police put
a guard to keep people at a safe distance,
lhe occupants of the different parts of the
Opera House rooms were notified of the
danger, and most of them went to places
of safety. Early in the afternoon two
ropes were stretched from the fourth
story to the curb on the opposite side of
Franklin street and securely anchored
there.
Whether the building will have to be
taken down and rebuilt or whether means
can be employed to bring it back to its
place till the floors are laid and the roof
put on, was a question much discussed
by those who were the on-lookers yester
day. It is understood that the building
will be lei t as it is until the architect, who
is a Pittsburgh man, comes. The con
tractor is 3Hr. Theodore P. Seigh of tlie
South Side, and tlie owners Sir. David
Dibert's heirs, of this city.
The old Merchants' Hotel, having been
adjugded unsafe by the Johnstown Court,
cil.wasavoidedyesterday. Mostpeopledid
not have to be told to avoid that side of
the street, but the police fenced it off too,
that no one might be near should the gale
prove too much for its strength.
A great nuisance at times of high winds
are the various awnings when left over
the sidewalks, as many are here, and tiic
pendulous sign-boards. Both should be
abolished. They are a source of danger.
Some will always be getting loose, and
every now and then one is blowndown*
In many of the large cities they are not
permitted. Then the creaking and clat
tering of sign-boards above the sidewalks
is anything else but pleasant to those who
have to pass under them. No one feels
safe in such places.
t'bi'lKuiHH Travel.
The increneed amount of travel on the
railroads indicates that something more
than ordinary is nt hand. At the Penn
sylvania station the rooms are crowed for
every train. Extra cars fail to alford the
necesratv accommodations to the great
numbers seeking passage. Already many
are returning to spend the holidays here,
and large numbers of strangers who have
been here since the Hood, aie beginning
to leave for their old homes to spend the
holidays.
■ - ♦ ♦-♦ ,
llulky Horses at l''uiierals,
Some of our liverymen deserve a re-*
buke for sending balky horses to funer
als. Yesterday serious accidents were
saved twice, not by-the drivers in charge
of the teams, but by disinterested parlies,
all because a team of balky horses had
been sent to the funeral that went iroin
Minersvillc to Grand View. Iu going up
a hill like that to Graud View, where a
number of teams are ill line, a balky
team might easily cause an accident, en
tailing loss of life tir limb.
Til. New ISHtigtog
The work of arching has been com
pleted at the South Fork and Viaduct
bridges, but the filling is not yet com
pletcd auil will not be for some time. At
No. 0 bridge the pier, about the founda
tion of which there was so much trouble,
is ready for the springers—the starting
stones of the arches.
The sad news comes by cable from
Lißlion thut the stepson of the American
Minister has the influenza. How thank
ful the country should be that it is not
the Ministers own son who is sneezing.
•* SMOKED TOBACCO ALL HER LIFE."
Denth of Mary Hrtmm*r. a Keirtarkahle
IVnnny Iviiuiu Centenarian.
READING, PA., December 23. —Mrs.
Mary Brunner, aged one hundred and
two. died at Derrv Slntion, Dauphin
county, to-iiay. She lived to see a vigo
rous and numerous stock of her dccend
ants. And even if the Biunners, in all
their different branches, did not stand as
a monument to the centenarian, one fact
is sufficient to keep her name alive in
local history for years to come—she
smoked tobucco all her life !
Bom and reared on a farm, up to the
time of her death she had never been ten
miles beyond the place where she breathed
her iast. Antagonists of the vicious weed
may he disposed to throw an unkind
doubt ou this distressing bit of evidence,
but it is reliably stated that within a week
or two of her demise, Mrs. Brunnef was
in full possession of her faculties, and en
joyed witli undiminished zest her clay
pipe, blackened and rich through long
and honorable service. She came from a
sturdy German stock and smoked tobacco
all her life.
It is not known where she contracted
it, but those who accepted the statement
of her long-continued habit are scarcely
inclined to believe that she was ushered
into the world witli a pipe in her mouth.
Sure it is, however, that when in the full
independence of womanhood, at five-and
twentv, she openly braveil public opinion
and smoked. A period of seventy-seven
years filled with curling smoke and at
tendant contentment and philosophy !
The good folk thereabout pointed to her
with the reujark, She has smoked to
bacco all her life !"
Down through a vista of fruitful har
vests Mrs. Brunner can be remembered
at work in the fields, vigorous and ruddy,
doing the work of any cue inau. She al
ways hart her pipe with Iter. She was
not partial to any particular brand of
tobacco. Since she could obtain tobacco
she was not inclined to be fastidious as
some of the latter-day connoisseurs.
Her tastes were simple, and a good por
tion of " nigger-liead "or " rough-and
rearty " left nothiug to he desired. So
she smoked tobacce ail her life.
■ Mrs. Brunner had an excellent appetite
and ate three hearty meals a day, so
naturally was an implacable enemy of the
cigarette. She slept soundly eleven hours
of the twenty-four, though there is no
record of how many times her bed wu 9
set afire by the Dipe. However, she lived
to be the oldest woman in Pi nnsylvauia,
and one who lias the unique honor of
having smoked tobacco all her life.
She never saw George Washington, and
was only deprived of this usual centen
arian honor by the fact that the Father of
His Country never slopped at Derry Sta
tion. She was the mother of fourteen
children, eight of whom survive, the
oldest being eighty and the youngest
sixty-four. Of Iter numerous other de
scendants there are living thirty-live
grandchildren, one hundred and twenty
five great grandchildren and three great
great-grandchildren. And she used to
bacco all her life.
tOXStXA lUOroItTKD DYING.
Fear of ilto suihility of Isr ir/.ii's Kcpuhlic
LONDON, Deot other 22.—jA private dis
patch received here from Rio Janeiro
states that Marshal Deodora da Fwnseca,
chief of the provisional Government of
Brazil, is dying.
The questioh as to who will succeed
him is engaging serious attention. It is
believed that the change io the Ministry
which would follow Marshal daFonseca's
death would lead to serious complications
Rio JANKIHO, December 22.—An execu
tive decree, promulgated to-day, fixes the
date of the general election for Septem
ber 15 and the meetiug of the Constituent
Assembly for November 15.
By the same decree the ex-Emperor,
Dom Pedro, is banished from Brazil,
together witli the members of the royal
family, the Viscount de Ouro Preto, aud
his brother Carlos Alfonso.
Senator Martino, Governor of Rio
Grande do Sul, clrarged with treason as
the leader of the movemcut for the seces
sion of that State, is condemned to trans
portation.
The decree recalls and cancels the grant
of 5,000,000 milries to Dora Pedro and sus
pends his allowance in the civil list.
ls'.\v Church at Webater Mines.
I<\r somts time past the Catholic people
at the Webster Mines. Ehrcnfcldt station,
have been worshipping in a hall at that
place. Lately a now frame church, suf
ficiently large to accommodate many
more people than could get into the hall,
was started and is now nearly ready tor
the roof. The assistant priest at Wil
rnore, linv. T. McEnroe, will have charge
of the congregation, but will still reside
til Wilinore, as there wilt be no separation
of the congregation, but all will still be
long to Wilmore.
death of #loHe|>li lieue^han.
On Saturday morning about 7 o'clock,
Joseph llencghan, a notice of whose ter
rible scalding by hot water and steam
from a " dinky" engine at the Blooming
Mill, was published in the DBMOCKAT
some days since, died at the Cambria
Hospital, lie is the second member of
the family that has died by accident quite
recently, and the only support of his
widowed mother. The funeral will take
place this morning at St. John's Church,
where n high mass of requiem will be cel
ebrated, after which the body will he in
terred in Lower Voder Cemetery.
Mr. A. J. Moxliarn bus presented the
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
a check for $75.
OUR NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
What our Mayor Will Have to ilo When
We Ilecome a City.
There will he three general city officers
to be elected by the people, a Mayor, a
Treasurer, and a Controller. The Snlic-,
itor is to be chosen by the Select and
Common Councils in joint session. Some
of the principal duties of the Mayor are
herewith given as found in Article
seventh relating to cities of the third
class.
The Mayor of a city of the third class
shall be at least twenty-five years of age,
and shall have been a citizen and inhab
itant of the State four years and an inhab
itant of the city for one year next before
his election. He shall be chosen at the
municipal election to servo for the term
of three years, and until his successor is
duly elected and qualified, and shall not
lie eligible to re-election for the next suc
ceeding term. He shall be the chief ex
ecutive magistrate of the city, and it shall
be his duty to be vigilant and active in
causing the ordinances and the laws of
the Commonwealth relating to the govern
ment of the city to be executed and en
forced therein, and in order to enable him
effectually to preserve the public pence
within the city, all powers which arc
devolved by the laws of this State upon
sheriffs to prevent and suppress mobs,
riots and tumultuous assemblies are con
ferred upon him ; and he shall have author,
ity upon occasions of threatened public
disorder to require and euforee the closing
of bars, or any establishments in which
liquors were sold, during the continuance
thereof. He shall have power on such
occasions to appoint supernutnery police
men to serve for such period as lie may
designate, not exceeding ten days, whose
compensation will 4, e fixed by ordinance
of Council.
The Mayor is empowered to supervise
the conduct of ail city officers, and shall
examine the grounds of all reasonable
complaiuts against them for violation or
neglect of duty, lie shall have authority
at all times to call upon any of the city
officials or heads of departments tor such
information as to the affairs under their
codtrol and management as he ntoy re
quire, and may call special meetings of
Councils to consider matters he thinks
proper to lay before them. He is to com
municate to Councils at their first stated
meeting in January of each year, and at
other times when he thinks expedient, a
statement of the condition ot the affairs
of the city, aud may make such recom
mendations as he may think best for the
interests of the city.
The llayor shall have the criminal jur
isdiction of an alderman within the city,
and shall have no civil jurisdiction except
in relation to actions for fines, penalties
or forfeitures imposed by virtue of the
ordinances of tho city, or the laws of the
Commonwealth relating thereto. lie
shall have the power of committing mag
istrate in regard to tramps and vugrauts,
and shall have power to committ disso
lute or disorderly pcrsous, in default of
lines, paymentof lines or penalties, to any
city 01 county prison not exceeding thirty
days. He is empowered to administer
oaths, and must keep a docket of the pro
ceedings before htm. He shall receive a
fixed annual salary to he provided by
ordinance.
The Councils fix tho number, rauk and
compensation of policemen. The Mayor
shall nominate, and by and with
the advice and consent ' of the
Select Council appoint, suspend or
dismiss any or all policemen and
fill vacancies in the police force. He
shall designate a member of the force to
be chief of police, who shall be the prin
cipal executive officer of the department
subject to his direction.
Iu case of a vacancy in the office of
Mayor, an election is held, and until that
election can be held, some person duly
qualified is elected by Councils to fill the
office.
l><*ath of Mr. Jumeg €>ar<l.
The death of Mr. Jumc3 Card look
place quite unexpectedly on Saturday
night about 10:15 o'clock at his residence
on Feeder street. His illness was so
brief that few of his friends knew of it,
and the sudden announcement of hit
death was a sad surprise to many of them
Mr. Card took sick of pneumonia on
Wednesday last, but it was not until Fri
day uiglit that there \yas cause for alarm.
Despite the best of medical treatment lie
grew steadily worse till his death occur
red at tho time above stated. 11c was
employed as Janitor of Alma Hail s ore J
the Hood. Prior to that event lie was j
wire inspector at the Gauticr Mills.
Mr. Card was a native of Cornwall, i
England, and came from there to in
community about twenty-live years a.< |
His age was about fifty-lour years, He
was married .before coming to this i-.u -
try, and was the father of five chiton 1 .
one of whom is married, and anooiei,
Andrew, was drowned In the Hood. Mis
Card and the three other children, i o
sons and a daughter, are left at boon iu
mourn the loss of a good husband ami i
father.
The funeral will take place to-moin v i
afternoon at 'J: 110 o'clock, interment wi . |
be made in Grand View.
Tins rtinm-ul of .John L. Cai-tlievv,
The funeral of Mr. John L. Cunhcv. j
whose death occurred on Thursday eve n
ing lust, took place from his late reel I ice
in Mincrsville, yesterday afternoon. Ii
was largely attended by the friend soil
relatives of the deceased. Intermeio wos
made in Grand View. Although not di
rectly a Hood victim, Mr. Onrthew's d oh
was an effect, of which that terrible event
was the cause. His sickness was the result
of his experienee in Hie llood and the try- i
lug times subsequent to it.
BKlirOltt) METHODISTN ANCJRY.
They Don't Want the Other Ministers to In
terfere With Their Revival.
Bedford, December 23.—One of the
most fruitful religious revivals ever con
ducted in this place is now in progress in
the Methodist Church, under the direc
tion of the pastor, the Rev. M. L. Smyser.
More than 1/50 conversions have been had
in a period of less titan six Wi.eks. So
great is the interest in the com
munity that the theatrical com
panies are giviug the town the go-by,
and such an influence has the revival on
the other churches that a joint letter has
been addressed to Mr. Smyer asking him
to call a halt and let the devil have his
way. The letter is signed by Rev. Win.
Chauncey Layden, of the Episcopal
Church; Rev. M. 11. Valentino, of the
Lutheran ; Rev. J. lv. Andrews, of the
Presbyterian, and Rev. O. L. Gerhnrdt. of
the Reformed. They maintain that there
are a great difference of opinion between
the churches as to the proper methods of
drawing the young to Christ and the
services in the M. E. Church are not in
haimony witti either the doctrines or
customes of their churches, and on that
account a Methodist minister lias no right
to advance his ideas of religion to people
of their churches without permission of
the pastor in charge. They hold that they
are the proper judges of the course to be
pursued by the people and remonstrate
against the Methodist pastor or his
people approaching those not strictly in
clined to Methodism. The Methodist
people are naturally indignant. They
claim that the charges are utterly false ;
that no effort lias been made to secure the
attendance of people of other churches,
but where conversions have been made
Rev. t Smyscr lias invariably advised the
joining of some ciinrcli, leaving the choice
to the person himself. The people of the
town generally, in the churches and out
of them, are tip in arms against the signers
of the letter, claiming such an unwar
ranted attack ou a man who is causing the
light to shine in dark places has never
been heard o* in the hitory of the church.
i>m his own uravk.
Mr. Mimes Decided His Time Mad ( ome
and Duly prepared for It
I PUNXSUTAWNBY, PA., December 22.
Something unique in mortuary matteis
occurred recently in McCalmout township.
Solomon Hiraes, *an old citizen, who
spent most of his time iu the woods with
dog and gun, became alarmed about two
weeks ago an account of the prevalence
of typhoid fever. One of his old neigh
bors succumbed to ihe disease, and old
Himcs made up his mind his turn would
come next. He accordingly took a mat
tock and shovel, selected a spot on his
farm which he thought suitable for liis
final resting place, and proceeded to dig
his grave both wide and deep. After this
lie talked in a nonchalant manner about
obsequies, saying in his drawling way he
really would have preferred to live a little
longer, because, as he expressed it, " a
man lias such a gol danged long time to
be dead." As Hitnes was an exceedingly
robust man, his neighbors laughed at his
eccentricities and whispered around that
" Sol lliines was g tting a little out of his
head." lint in tiie course of a week Himcs
wots down with the typhoid fever, and
when the doctor came lie snid : "There
ain't no use in running up a doctor bill
when a man knows he's goin' to die."
and not a morsel of medicine would he
permit to pass his lips. Iu a few days
more he was dead, and his body now rests
in the grave he prepared.
GOIV UN'S 1 NMKA N'GK.
The Totiil Amount IN $'<2?I,0()O.
PHII.ADKLHIIIA, December 22. —The in
sura nee held by the different companies
on the life of the late Franklin B. Gowen
amounts in all to $221,000, and the sums
arc distributed as follows :
Equitable Life Assurance Society, $90,-
000; New York Life Insurance, $71,000;
Mutual Life Insurance Company, of New
York, $10,000; Provident Life and Trust
Company, $20,000; Mutual Benefit Life
Insurance Company, of Newark, $lO,-
000; Connecticut Mutual Life Insur
ance Company, $10,000; Penn Mutual
Life Insurance Company. SIO,OOO.
A number of the leading insurance
agents of the city were interviewed yes
terday upon the payment of the policies.
General Manager Register, of tho Equita
ble Society, said that one of the provis
ions of the society is that if, after three
years' duration of policy, a man should
commit suicide, the tainily or heirs can
not colli ct the amount.
Mr. Register said lie did not know
whether the last policy which Mr. Gowen
placed cttiiie within the time mentioned,
but thut if it did no objection would be
raised as to its paymeut. Referring to
the letter which Mr. Gowen
wrote him shortly before his
departure for Washington, lie
>aid no man, least of all an attorney,
would think of sacrificing $90,000 for
$15,000, which would have been the
amount o! the paid-up policy, if lie had
contemplated suicide, and Mr. Gowen
knew thai if an insurance company dici
iled to contest the payment on the
ground of suicide it would make no dif
ference in tho result whither it was a
paid up policy or not.
One of the representatives of the New
Yprk Life Insurance Company .aid that
no provision was entertained in their
policies respecting suicide. Respecting
the pnymt ill of Mr. Gowcu's iusurancc,
the company, he said, held itself in readi
ness when, ver the demand wits mad upon
it.
Joseph Ashbrook, of the Provident Life
and Trust Company, said that the insur
ance which they held on Mr. Gowen's life
would be paid without question.
GLEANINGS FROM EVERYWHERE.
Pithy Paragraph* of Late New* In Cou
<lened Form.
Whittier has refused an ofTer of $2,500
for a Christinas poem.
New York is left in temporary darkness
because the authorities are taking down
the dangerous poles and wires.
Postmaster-General VVanamaker in
forms the public over his signature that
" some gingham w rappers have taken a
tumble." John should do the same.
If he could tumble to himself he would
be both astonished and amused.
Investors in real estate at the beginning
of the year 1880, in New York City, nud
who have been selling out during the last
three months of the year, have realized
greater profits tliau were made in the
same line of business any year during
this decade.
Complaints are being made in many
cities that too many inquests into the
causes of murder are held with closed
doors, by which the public are excluded
from kuowlcdge of such affairs and the
opportunity to furnish facts lost because
there are no suggestions made or encour
agements given to collect information.
Ladies who are racking their brains for
novel ideas to use in connection with
church and similar charitable devices
will be interested in the scheme devised
by a Brussels lady in aid of the sufferers
by the Antwerp disaster She proposes a
chattering contest, the woman speaking
the largest number of words in an hour to
take the prize.
The abnormally wet season seems to
have crossed the Rocky Mountains and
the downpour is astonishing the dwellers
on the usually parched-up lands of Cali
fornia. The floods in some sections of
that State are almost unprecedented. It
is asking rather much to believe that the
influence of the Gulf Stream reaches clear
across the continent.
ihe Postal card, called in Kngland a
" post card,"' and on the continent a
" correspondence curd," celebrated its
twentieth birthday on September 25, 1889.
Prussia suggested it in 1805, but America
began it in 1809. America took it up in
1872, and by 1878 its use was universal.
During the Franco-German war they were
issued free to the German soldieas in the
field and sold five for a cent to their fam
ilies at home.
Miss Maud Cotton, daughter of Mr.
Charles Cotton, editor of the New Albany
Ledger, has beeu appointed Deputy Inter
nal Revenue Collector for the Seventh
Indiana District. Several days ago she
walked quietly into several saloons in
New Albany and presented her card,
which read : Miss Maud Cotton, Deputy
Collector of Seventh District." After this
she proceeded to investigate in her busi
ness like way, leaving the men too much
astonished for words. It was the first
time any one had over heard of or seen a
female United States Revenue Collector.
Tlie one session day for the public
schools is be agitated in Philadelphia and
the interest manifested on the subject is
shown by the diversity of comment,
dome say two sessions overtax the jouth
ful minds and are detrimental to the ad
vancement of the scholars. Others main
tain that there has always been a double
session and those who have reaped the
benefit should speak out. The proposition
is to do as much and bettor work in a
sing'e session and the best educators claim
it can he done.
In 1854 James G. Blaine and Mellville
W. Fuller were fellow journalists in Au
gusta, Me. Mr. Blaine edited the Ken
nebec Journal and Mr. Fuller looked
aftei the Augusta Age. They were rivals,
but good friends personally. Mr. Fuller
left Augusta for the West soon after Mr.
Blaine took charge of the Journal. It is
said that the Secretary of State and Chief-
Justice often meet in Washington and
talk over their early newspaper exper
iences. They refer to them ns the hap
piest days of their lives.
One of the leading chiefs of the Sioux
Indians now in Washington is thus de
scribed by an observer : '• Chief Gall is a
remarkable mau. He was a leader of the
band that killed Custer and eight years
ago was a bitter and effective warrior.
He has fine, regular features, ending in a
very fat chin and neck, his body glowing
big to obesity at the waist. He used to
be much more slender and active. He
looks nunc like a well-fed Mayor or
Councilman than a fighter, is always
smiling and never moves without a big
palm-leaf fan, which he keeps rapidly
going to and fro while the perspiration
pours down his face."
Jlam I turned—Loss &2.300.
GRKKKSIUTRO, December 22.—The large
barn of lames Simons, situated in Loyal
hanna township, together with all its con
tents, was destroyed by fircat an early
hour this morning. Loss, $2,501); partial
ly insur. I. Origin a mystery.
I.itruse Cold in Austria.
Vienna Dispatch to the London Dully .News.
Blocks of ice arc floating down the
Danube and cover one-half of its surface.
At Pres-bur : the bridge of bouts lias beeu
broken. In Vienna the thermometer has
not fallen below eighteen degrees, but on
the road near Pressburg a woman who
was driving to market with poultry was
frozen to death.
The poet of the Chicago JleraUl ob
serves t nit " a roan never sauces his
mother in-law but onco in a thousand
years. " Such may be the rule in Chicago,
but it is not safe. No wise man would
ever exhibit any disrespect toward his
mother in-law, no matter what the fancied
provocation.