MADAGASCAR.
PEOPLE AND WAYS OF THE ma
ISLAM I).
The Two Lrmllnft Tribes Drwn and
IMct or th Native -Peculiar
Man-In; Customs -"llluod
Ilrotliershlp."
FEW people realize the vast
area of Mnilafrascar, any a
writer in tlio Nan Francisco
(s Chronicle. Jt i the largest
f slnnil in ttm world, counting Austra
lia among the continent. It (rreat
est length in 400 mi lor, wifh nn aver
ago width of 'J50 miles, nnd the tou
Ution in variously estimate. I nt from
1,0011,000 to l.'iiO.OOO. Tho general
name of the inhabitant in Malagasy,
lint they urn divided into it leant
forty-live tribes. It. in it popular idea
Hint the Malagasy nrn Africans, ns n
mutter of fact they nro Malays, mitt
WOMEN WATItn
though only il(M) miles from tho Afri
can count the African element is munll.
The few Africans among thorn are im
ported slaves. The Malagasy are
Asiatics in appearance, though they
liave developed in their long separa
tion from tlie present race manners
and cliBracteristics of their own. Tho
theory is that Madagascar wag once
joined to India, with a people, plants
and auimnla iu common. Thisthenry
ia homo out by tho fact that the
plants and animal of Madagascar are
like those of India nnd entirely dif
ferent from those of Africa. The
Malagasy have brown skins and some
are quite, light. The ruling family
are of about the same complexion as
the lightest skinned Japanese.
There is a wido difference between
tbotiibcsof Madagascar. The moat
numerous tribo comprises about one
third of the population. The tribal
name ia Kalialava and they are the
most tiavage and warlike of any of the
island peoples. They are averse to
civilization. Tliny are not cannibals,
but they are naturally lazy and stupid.
They have a tine physique and aver
age over six feet in height, but they
are by far tho darkest aborigines,
from much mixing with the slave popu
lation. The Hovas, tho second largest tribe
on tho island, comprise about two
ninths of the whole population. They
re much smaller than tho Sakalavas,
averaging only n littlo above rive foet.
They have straight, regular features,
and take very kindly to civilization.
They aro intelligent and quick to learn,
and have preserved the strong feeling
of casta that exists among the natives
of India. The Hovas are the ruling
tribe, all the Kings and Queens of
Madagascar having been Hovas. The
Hovas do not mix largely with the
other trihes. When a marriage ia ar
ranged between a Hova and a member
of another tribe, the latter becomes a
Hova, unless the barbarian happens to
be very wealthy, in which case an im
pecunious Hova foregoes hi titles aud
glory for the pleasure of enjoying tem
poral blessings. The Hovas have
straight, dark hair, very long, tine
and 'abundant, while the Hakalavas
have kinky hair, though it cannot be
called woolly. The Hova women wear
their hair in two long plaits and it is
not nncommon to see these braids
reach to the ground. The men wear
TOWD OF A
their hair close-cropped. The Saks
lavas wear their hair in four great
knots, like bath buns, or else in a
myriad of small, tight braids.
The native of Madagascar are es
sentially gregarious. All over the
inland are cluster of grans bouaes. An
isolatod dwelling la indeed a rarity.
Village of 100 people are the smallest,
and from this size tho towns vary all
the way up to Antananarivo, the capi
tal city, with a itfuUUos t 103,000.
All the towns lire surrounded by wall
of stone or nn-bakoct clay. The gate
of each settlement is covered with
Urge stone. Inside is a moat, thickly
!lanted with prickly pears. .The ob
ert is to guard not against surprise,
nit against theft, and prickly pears
form a good protection agnint hare
feet, The natives like to live close to
each other for sociability' sake, for
there is lint little trade done. Each
native owns his own rice plot and
some stock, and this, with slaves, con
stitutes their entire wealth. The cat
tle are of the hump-hacked variety
and the milk they give is poor. The
natives export them for food pnrposes,
the entire eastern coast of Africa being
furnished with beef from Madagascar.
Occasionally on feast dnys the natives
gorge themselves with lieof, lint or
dinarily they eat little meat. On the
high lands the. natives raise sheep also
and both sheep mid cattle have a
peculiarity. When the rains cease the
grass in very rank and abundant. Tho
sheep and the cattle become very fat,
BB5T 15'''
- l'ARIIIF.r.'.
but the fat ilo not distribute itself
nil over the body as in temperate
climates, but goes into the hump
which curiously enough is composed
entirely of Tut. Iu the sheep the fat
all goes to the tail. When the auimnls
are iu poor condition these abnormal
developments almost disappear.
The staple diet of the natives in
boiled rice, served with an herb dress
ing which leaves a pungent ta ste in
the mouth, like that of half ripe per
simmons. They also eat a great deal
of fruit, pineapples, oranges, lemons,
mangoes, all of which grow wild in
the greatest profusion. Chickens run
wild all over the island, and the Cau
casians eat more chicken than any
thing else. Potatoes cost rive cents
apiece and flour aud bread are things
unknown.
The territory of Madagascar ia
divided among the tribes, and per
mission to travel from one tribal ter
ritory to auother must be obtained
from thi chiefs. In this way tribal
peculiarities are strengthened. For
example, tho Hovas, who are monoga
mous have individual property,
which descends to their children iu
equal shares. The Sakalavas, on the
contrary, hold thoir property on a
coinmuuistio principle and cling to
the feudal idea. They are polygamous,
and capture thoir wives much as the
Homans did the Hahices. They are
entirely without family feeling, sell
ing both wives and children when
ever a buyer presents himself. On
the death of a Hakaluva his property
reverts to the tribe, aud is divided as
the village authorities dictate.
The marriage customsof the various
tribes resemble each other when they
can bo said to have any marriage cere
mony at all. The ceremony is a
rather pretty aud effective one. The
bridegroom usually sends an emis
sary, aud tho marrige is for the most
part performed by proxy on both
aides. The groom sends a messenger
and the bride is represented by her
father. Often the groom has not met
the bride, but he chooses her accord
ing to her rank, wealth and reputa
tion of family. The groom's messen
ger goes to the bride's village and an
nounces his master's name, with all
bis titles, of which tho Malagasy! are
very fond, and his wish to marry the
daughter of auoh and such a man.
Then follows a list of promises, all
runiS MINWTIR.
announced after the manner of a town
crier in the open apaoe at the centre
of the village. Theu the father of the
bride step forward and ask all the
inhabitant of tne village why he
should not give hi daughter in mar
riage to this man, repeating all the
titles. Then he goes down through
the list of promise and ask why he
should not take auoh a son-in-law who
will make uoh promise. These ques
tion are much liko that one ia our
marriage service when the officiating
clergyman asks if any one knows why
these two should not be joined to
gnther. These publio proc dings
A VTM.AOR OATH.
consume the greater part of a day.
Then the bride's father nntortain the
messenger and his retinue, and in a
day or two the bride starbt out for her
new home under the escort of the
husband's messenger and her father's
men. Mho ia carefully guarded dur
ing the journey. When she meets her
husband it is her first view of him.
Their acquaintance with each other
is of gradual growth, and usually the
Hova family is a stable one. Families
are small, and with the birth of each
child tho nanio of the parents is
changed, until with the birth of tho
youngest child the name becomes per
manent. Thero is a peculiar custom of adop
tion among the Mnlngnsys, called blood
brotliership, which is accomplished by
cutting tho breasts of both the men
who desire to become related, nnd
soaking a piece of cotton cloth in tho
blood of each. These del inn ) token
nr then exchanged and swallowed,
e'ter which interesting nnd appetizing
process the two nrn brother for nil
purpose, even to tho inheritance of
property. Strange ns it may seem, tho
white residents of the island are ofteu
adopted by the Malagasy in order to
facilitate trade.
The dwellings of tho tribo differ
considerably. The Hovas live in sub
stantial house built of sun-dried
bricks, which they manufacture them
selves. These house have partition
and windows, and are quite comfort
able. The Hakalavas live in bamboo
and grass houses, square, one-roomed
structures, with sloping roofs. Tho
Hour is of dirt and fairly swarm with
Hear, w hich are peculiarly ravenous iu
Madagascar. When the grans houso
becomes too full of Hum tho owner
burn it down.
In one corner of tho Sukalava hut
the Are is built, aud hero all the cook
iug is douo. The furniture is exceed
ingly primitive. There are no chair
and tho bod i formed of bamboo
stick. The native wear no jewelry
aud do not care for it. Thoy are all
exceedingly avaricious ami prefer to
have their wealth in money. They
have no appreciation of the value of
precious atones, and though most of
the women wear earrings they are fre
quently of wood or horn. Personally
the native nre very dirty anil have a
repugnance for water. Besidos, thoy
auoiut their hair with rancid lard, io
that on wr.rm day they are very odor
ous. The natives have soft, musical
voices, and nre ready speakers. Thoy
have a printed and a spoken language,
which ditter almost entirely. Two
newspaper! are printed on the island,
one by the French and ouo by tho
English, between whom the rivalry is
very keen. Both papers are printed
in Malagasy. The native read them
aud incline ilrst oue way aud then tho
other, as their own interests dictate.
The Hovas, who take kindly to tho
Christian religion, wear the most
clothes, and even wear shoes occasion
ally, but when they begin to pinch the
feet they take thein off and carry them
homo iu thoir hands. The Hova wo
men wear a single garment a square
sheet of linen, cotton or Bilk. The
other native wear a garment much
like a gunny sack, only that it is made
of wovuu grasa, with hole cut for
lugs, arms aud head.
The Sakalavas bury their dead on
the surface of tho ground, with a pref
erence for high elevations, and over
the body erect a pile of rock. The
Hovas build tomb of masonry, which
are always oblong and run east and
west. The body i wraped in a
"lamta," or square cloth of silk or
grass, and laid in the family vault.
It is considered a great honor to be
the fouuder of a family tomb. When a
Hova dies the relative pnt on dark
blue clothe and unbind the hair.
The period of active mourning, when
all the relative mourn and wail,
last one day. Then until the day of
the funeral tho slave do the mourn
ing. The funeral does not oecur un
til the rum and oxen provided for by
the will of the deceased are entirely
consumed. A wealthy Hova always
leave a considerable turn to be ex
pended in funeral feast. The tomb
is usually near the house and the pro
cession thither is exceedingly uncere
monious, the only care being to pre
vent the dead body from coming
anywhere near the presence of royalty.
When a Hova dies away from home ha
ia buried in a surface grave and later
hi bone are interred iu the family
Tault.
During the funeral ceromoniea th
Sakalavas beat drums made of hollow
logs with ox hide drawn over the end.
They also fire gum, and expre their
orrow or joy with noisy demon
stration. These festivities last a
week, and during that time the divis
ion of property take place. They
bury all the clothe of the deoeased
with him, a hi spear and any per
sonal property which is not valuable.
The Uetsiuiosarkas bury their dead
on top of the ground in a hollow tree
trunk, one end of which i -left open
to allow the spirit to escape. Rioe i
soattered about that the spirit may
not (o hungry.
GOOD ROADS.
ni5tTlU TMK IMIOHMCM OK
JIKTiKIl IIIUIIWAYS.
Economy of flood Roads Shown by
Kurort should the National
Unveriiitient Ciidertalke tho
Work -Cost Per llle.
IT lias been estimated that, in ad
dition to the good road already
possessed by thi country, in or
der that a system equal to the
best in Europe may bo had. it would
bo necessary to fcnild or rebuild about
i no million miles, a reasonable eeti
fnnto of the coat of which is $4000 a
mile, or $ioo,otio,00() for tho wholo
country. Enormous a must bo the
cost of constructing a system of first
class highways, it would appear that,
in their present deplorable condition,
tho roads nre expensive nliuost be
yond comparison. According to tho
consti bureau, there wrro in tho
country June 1, 1HII0, 14,070,017
horses, 2,!2KI,!:lti mules nnd 40,10!)
esses. A prominent authority given
twenty-llvo cnts a day ns his estimate
of the cost or feed for each nnimnl.
Taking this as i basis tho expense of
feeding this vast number for a singlo
dny mtgrogutc over JM,!HN,000 or
morn than $1,570, 000,001) in one year.
It ia said that on the smooth stonn
roads of certain European countries n
dog can move a hcavit r load than is
drawn on nn average iu thi country
by a horse, and that a horse there
pull easily three times ns heavy loads
ns cqtia'ly good American animals
movn with iliihVtilty. A conclusion
which many, no doubt, will draw from
thi is that about one-third of tho pres
ent number of horses would give bet
ter service with llrst-clas wagon roads
than is now enjoyed. However, iu
view of the fact that n considerable
haro of these animal is owned in the
cities, whero there nro moro or less ol
good pavements, tho number could be
reduced only olio-half instead of two
thirds. This would moan a lessening
of the feed expense of 3788.000.0U0 u
year.
The average earnings of capital in
tho United State nro about three per
cent. On this basis tho unnecessary
expense of S'HH.OOO.OOO iu miutituin
ing what would, with good roads, bo
surplus stock, represents tho interest
cm an averago investment of more than
$2i, 000, 000, 000. Thi ia moro than
six time tho investment required for
tho building of 1,000,000 mile of good
stone road nt a cost of $1000 a mile.
It is inconceivable to many how tho
idea can be entertained for a moment
that the construction nnd maintenance
of highways can bo safely intrusted to
individuals or private corporations for
gain. Only a littlo in advnnco of this,
it in declared, however, i tho so-called
subdistrict road supervisor system.
County control, a a rule, bIiow still
a marked improvement over tho two
plans named, and wherever the State
have entered into tho Held of rood
building with effective, legislation an
evon greater improvement is noted.
Hut of all roada ever constructed in
tho United State those which tho
National (loverument has built un
questionably aro or have been tho
best.
A striking illustration of the com
parative merits of National and local
management of publio roads in to bo
found in Oermany. Tho best ronds of
that country wero built by tho State
which now constitute tho Empire
while they wore yet independent king
doms, and they were thus tho creations
of National Government. Absorbed
into tho Empire, tho State were no
longer diatiuct Nations. What had
been National before to them now
Mink to the rank of tho provincial.
Tho road had been constantly im
proved previous to tho formation of
the Empiro. Now narrower aud
cheaper roads aro built, and the high
ways of tho Fatherlaud, excellent as
thoy are, do not comparo favorably
with those of France, over which
National authority i exercised.
Until recently tbo inhabitant of
cities iu thi country have generally
regarded the building of country
roads as an undertaking which be
longed to tho farmer alone, the ex
fienso of which ho should bear. Of
late, through natural causes and the
general agitation of the question, a
better understanding ho been reached.
The mud blockade in tho various sec
tions of the country in tho lust few
year have served to bring merchants
of town and smaller cities to a realiz
ing sense of what bad roads mean.
Three years ago the morchauts of an
Ohio city of 30,000 inhabitants lost on
account of muddy roads, in two weeks
of the holiday season over $100,000
of trade. Smaller cities aud towns, of
course, suffered still more in propor
tion, being moro direotly dependent
upon the trade which the farmers sup
plied. The quickest and most satisfactory,
and iu tact the only snre way to se
cure good publio highways throughout
the oountry, in tho opinion of many,
is for the National Government to
step in and exercise its rightful au
thority. There exists in the country
n strong sentiment adverse to the is
fcniug of additional Nutlonal bonds.
Can tho roads be -bnilt without run
ning the Government into debt? By
building a reasonable portion of the
roads each year until all shall have
been constructed, and by apportion
ing the expenses among the Nation,
the States and Territories, the coun
ties, and possibly the townships, it is
believed it will be found possible to
secure the coveted good roada without
issuing bond. Twenty year would
be a reasonably short period for the
bnilding of 1,000.000 miles of suit
able highways. This would require
the oonstruotion of 60,000 miles pur
year. Two hundred millions of dollars
trould bo the annual expanse. On the .
convenient supposition that thi Na
tion at largo should bear one-half and
that the State and Territories, togeth
er with the counties and towns, should
bear the balance, tho General Govern
ment would bn compelled to appro
priate annually 9100,000,000. Thi
would not represent a very considera
ble additional burden, for now three
fourth of that amount i expended by
the Pint id Department on highway.
Of tho remaining SJ.'i.OOO.OOO a largo
share, ray 810,01)0,000, could be wiped
out by employing regular army force l
on tho rond in those sect ion whers
their presence i required. A a rule,
it may bo said, no lea than 20,000
men, who now rind army life irksome
because of it idle monotony, could bo
employed to good account on the high-
WBV".
the majority nt tho Slate Govern
ment, a well a tho counties and
townnhiM, it in bolieved, could also
provide for the expense which they
would bo expected to bear that tho tax
burden would not bo greatly Increased
during tho period of construction.
Moreover, tho expense could bn mado
even less onerous by tho employment
of tho thousand of criminals in each
commonwealth, and at tho same timo
remove from free labor an objection
able class of competitor. New York
World.
Peculiarities ol Anli.tul.4.
The reason of tho shortness o? tho
elephant's neck is that the head of the
nnimnl is so heavy that wero it placed
at tho cud o! n neck of a length pro
portionate to th) di.n uisioLS of that
organ in other animals, an almost in
calculable amount of muscular force
would bo necessary to elevato and sus
tain it. Tho klmost tidal absence of a
neck obviate tho difficulty nnd the
trunk serve a a substitute. The use
and advantage of a long neck, pecu
liarly exemplified in tho giraffe, which
contains only thosamo number of ver
tebral articulations as in the elephant,
aro in the latter supplied by the trunk
or proboscis, by which ho is enabled
to carry food to bis mouth and to
drink by suction. This curious organ
contain a vast number of muscles
variously interlaced, is extremely flex
ible, endowed with the most exquisite
sensibility and the utmost diversity of
motion, nnd compensates amply for
the ahsnuco of a long neck. St. Louis
Post-Dispatch.
There i so much Toriely in tho
hand of monkey thnt a comparison
of thorn with thoso of man cannot
very easily be made, but this compari
son may bo mado with the higher apes,
such the gorilla and chimpanzee,
which approach nearest in their struc
ture to ourselves. In the gorilla tho
thumb i short nnd doe not reach
much beyond tho bottom of tho first
joint of the forefinger. It is very re
stricted in it movements, and the
animal can neither twiddle it thumbs
nor turn them around till the tips do
scribe a oirclo. The wob between the
fingers roaches to the beginning of tho
second joint, tho finger taper to the
tips, and there is a callosity, or pad,
on the knuckles on which the animal
rest when walking on all four.
In man the thumb reaches to
tho top of tho first joint of the
forefinger. Man can "twiddle" hi
thumb, so that the tip will describe a
circle ; and he can touch the tip of
all hi finger with it ; the web botweon
the finger doe not extend beyond
tbo base of tho first joint, and there
are no pad on the knuckle. The
bones iu the hand of mm and in that
of tho gorilla are tho same in number
and in general form, But tho thumbs
of tho monkey have no separate flexor
or bending muscle, as those of men
have. Thi is why a monkey always
bends hi thumb with hi fingei aud
nevor put hi thumb round an object
whioii he grasps, but always keeps it
on tho same side a hi fingers.
The whiskers of cat and of tho cat
tribo are exceedingly sensitive, en
abling them, when seizing their prey
in the dark, to fool its. position more
acutely. These hairs are supplied
through their roots with branohos of
the same nerves that give sensibility
to the lips and that in insects supply
their "feelers. "St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Biding Down a Wolf.
It has often been noticed in India
bow font a wolf travels by means of a
lounging loping trot that in by no
means suggestive of speed. While one
gallops after it as hard as a good horse
can go, the wolf pursued, never ap
parently hurrying, lollops along at a
pace that equals that of the following
horse. I have heard it said that no
horseman ever rode a wolf down ; but
to this statement I must demur, inas
much as I have done this thing. Per
haps my wolf was sick.
Be that as it may, I did, when out
pigeon-sticking in the Gsnges oountry
over against Colgong, follow a wolf,
and that wolf turned sharply when I
closed with it, and the horse I rode (a
rare good one) kicked it over with his
fore feet, and maU the matter of
spearing my wolf simplicity itself.
One of my companions oi that day found
explanation of this performance in the
fact that I had ridden another man's
horse with my own spur. Black
wood's Magazine.
A Woman's Capacity.
The power of love, and the possi
bility of a woman's intellect, are both
exemplified in the case of a naval officer
who ha devoted several years to an
important and complex invention.
His girl-wife, through sheer determ
ination to be his chief confidants, has
acquired a thorough a knowledge of
the invention as he possesses himself,
and has him oome to her with every
trial and attempt, able to be sympa
thetio and ittelligent throughout.
Men who sneer at feminine minds
should sea this wise man loan on that
littla wife of his.
SOLDIERS' COLUMN
t ERRTVILLH. , "
Did the MoCooks and Sheridan Interfere
with Buell's Flans
MY MKMOUAN
MIM, written each
day after netting; In
to ramp. show
that nu Ttintlay,
Oct. 7, ws
bniksrsnip on the
fork of Halt Hirer,
nailed lleanh Fork,
at II t li I e h m
Church, We march
v6 '-fi ' fa" Wl -u ,u
Cfi t r 0'c,ork t ni"h
"'li. R '.if T andcamnedon the
right nl the road.
I Ai' jr J 'iirhriBciewas in
t W.' V,T 4'Tv ' advance. That
U'M- A'V' iV V nlKht It was rumor
ed I lint we would
hav th advance,
next day at day-
Unlit.
iwA-w Our regiment, the
i--" - r,2d Ohio, moved
m - -w't2n clnrk. a. m .
followed bv the ft1tli III., Col. Moore com
mandiiiK, Harnett's Haltery (I). 21 III., with
the Hill li and I'AVh III. In support. After
marching about two mile we filed off to
thei left of the road ami formed line. The
H'llh III, tiled off to the right of the road.
Hkirmisher were thrown forward. advanced
and sliout 4 o'clm k sharp eklrmlhlng took
place in our front mid troin the Hashes and
reports theH.it h III. on our right were known
to be hotly engaged.
Our sklrmisliersdrove the rebel picket to
die crctof the bill where tho road crosies
tho hill to IVrryvllle. A scattering artillery
lire told about I) o'elnck a in. that troop
wer arriving and taking position on our
left. We recognised Col. Webster's ftSth
Ohio, and noted their position to our left.
About II a.m. a veteran Missouri cliaigd
and drove the rebels in our front bank be
yond the spring on our left center and to the
left of l'erry vllle, which enabled us to get
water, a thing we had not b?en able to get
Since about 3 p. m. the day before.
Asweramehsek and reached the brow of
the hill where the road cro-se I counted It
of the MiMotiriaii! lying side bv side, each
one shot above the eyes. Their comrade!
aid they had all been killed while trawl
ing down through the woods sdvsncing tee
lines. I shall never forget th broki n Mer
man on apok and th remark: "Poor
Bliske, he dead too."
Our regiment took position on the crest of
th hill on th right of th road. About
noon the heavy artillery Hringand continu
ous musketry on our left told that Alex.
MeCook' Corps were having hot fight.
About 3 o'clock p. m. th rebels, said to
be Hardee's Division, advanced on our
front. Harnett's battery, double shotted
with canister, and the regiment poured -the
musketry into them for ail they were worth
When the reus reached i he edge of th
cornfield In our front they halted at th
fence; then, alter a few minute, broke to
the rear.
During the time our regiment wasengH
d, Col. Dan Mrt 'rvik was going up and
down the line cheering the boys. Orn Sher
idan cam up and sat on hi hone, about 1
or 2D feet to my rear and left, and talked
with Col. Dan McCook and ( apt. Harnett.
Sheridan's right leg was eiclled and fre
quently he rested heavy on the itirrup to
(top th "buck ague," as I thought. Later
on It all left him and he aeemed calm.
Though hi face was flushed, he appeared
though no unusual excitement existed.
Near sundown the lines on our left were
charged by the reb and driven back and
Uarnett'l battery turned tbelr guni to oot
left rear and gave the charging rebel line
hell in the flank. Onesbell struck a rebel
cairsnn and blew It nr. The reb brokeand
retreated, and the field waa quiet.
This battle wis brought on by Col. Dsn
McCeok and, as far as I am advised, fought
by liens. Hherldan and Alex. McCook,
against, as waa th general rumor th judg
ment of (ieii.lliiell, commanding the army.
I believed the rumor was universal in th
army st the time that Oen. BuMl's refusal
to reinforce his left under MoCook lost us
the victory, and that Alex. McCook repeat
edly called on him for troop during the
battle. en. Thomas waa on riheridan
right, and awaited order all day.
In discussing th fight since with com
rades whose opportunities for knowing th
facta were better than my own, they have
iiid that Oen. Hue I had planned th Ken
tucky campaign to concentrate his troop at
another point and then force a battl3 and
win a decisive victory. Or, it may be thai
his orders were to drive Ilragg out of Ken
tucky; end he was then accomplishing thi
result successfully, with the full assistance
of llragg himself, the McCook and Sheri
dan had no business to bring nn an engag
ment alone and aingl banded. J.R.Wobk,
in National Tribune.
BLUE EYES AH D BULLETS.
Man With Orb of That Shade Are the
Beat Marksmen.
The annual report of Lieut, C. I Collins;
Inspector of .Small Anna Practice of the
Department of Colorado, shows some Inter
esting Ucta. Nationally, the result of one
year'a competition shows th following re
sult, with a possible sccfre of 100: Norway
68.18; Austria 91; Switzerland 882; Ireland
87.41; Franc M; Denmark Kt.Hl; Scotland
80, Oermany 7880; Canada 7U.30-, Belgium
74; United Slates 72.73; Kngland 8.79;Mexi
co 85: East Indie 6 bweilen 60. M; West
Indies M; Ruiai R7.78. Italy 55; Holland
46; Walo .15; Australia 10. There wer but
one Australian and two Wtlcbmen in th
competition.
Of the 2.200 officer and enlisted men
classified practicing in th Department
bS.77 per cent were born in th United
States; of these 82.73 per cent, are whit and
17.27 colored. Compared as to their merit
at th target th white scored 80.40 and th
colored men 50.38,
io bis table ahowlng th merit of th
troops and their bight, men aix feet tall and
over rank rfi.OU per cant, snd 5 5 men 58.
It i almost a steady plan down hill from
ux leet to five feet five inches.
Men with light blue eye rank highest,
followed In their order by dark bin. iat
blue, light brown, dark brown, and black.
In th colored troops light blue eyes again
stand at the top, but followed in thi in
stance by slate blue, light brown, dark
brown, black and dark blue.
There i but on troop of Indian in Oen.
VcCook's command. being L of th 2d Car.
This troop not only atanda at th head of Its
regiment for revolver tiring, but ia at the
head of the entire department. This, how
ever, is for troop work. Whites beat tlium
individually.
Hot Recognition.
The Louisville Courier-Journal savi
that two young men of that city,
iitlosmcn In a dry good a to re. hired
liicyclis and took it s;iln into the
rountrv. When they were perhaps
(en uiilej out, they decided to have a
i a e.
One of them got far ahead of the
other, and in dashing round a turn
ran into a pile or stones. The wheel
was demolished, and tho rider found
himself lying among the spokes.
An aged woman who happened to
be passing was met by the secoui'
rider.
My good woman," said he, "have
yuu seen a young man riding a blcycio
on abearii'v
. ."Nn," said the woman; "but I saw
a young man on the road a spell ago
who was sittln' on the ground mend.
In umbrellas."
tm