Tim railroads of the United Statos tinve prcneut debt amounting to 31 1, ooo.ouo.ooo. Agricultural depression in England in shown by tho fact that a fnrm that rented for year for 80,000 a ycor now brings but 1,A00. Slonnt Hercules, in Papnn, or New Guinea, dispute Mount Everest's cloim to bo tho highest in tho world. Ilereuloi claims 32,780 foot of alti tudiuosity. This year, nnnouncos tho Rochester Font Express, tho Stato of Now York has cxpeudod ? 1100,000 toward "tho completion of tho new cnpitol" that lias now cost nearly 120,000,000. A new "sign of tho times" is tho Rrent plenty of venison in the Lon don market. Formerly thoso who owned door shooting sent tho bucks to their friends; now thoy so ml them to market to make a littlo mouoy. The growing habit on the part of tho British public to discard first and second class carriages and take to the third-class carriages ia said to have Lad a perceptible influence on the manners of the working classes. The old third-class passengers have grown much inoro polite and quite. - 1 The best American railways are run more efficiently- than any others on earth, a-ers tho Chicago Herald. It has even been proved that an American road, thoroughly equipped, will carry greater weight with tho samo power than an English owned and managed toad. In this case the advantage lay in tho American method of arranging tho load and of applying the power. The "yellow jacket," about which o much has been heard of late, is Thther a vest than a jacket. It is mado of rich yellow satin, has no sleeves, fits the wearer closely, and reaches to the thighs. It is fastened on the side with small buttons, 'and has embroid ered on tho bosom tho royal dragon of China. There are bnt half a dozen men in tho empire who are entitled to trear it. 1 Says tho Loudon Telegraph: Every day tho Parisians are taking mora kindly to bicyelos, the explanation bo iug that tho inagniHcent military roads of Franco aro very favorable to easy going. The announcement that tho Tope has officially authorized the uho . p these machines by ecclesiastics in the excrcihO of their spiritual duties has bean received with interest. Tho Pontifical circular, by tho ways cluims thnt the original inventor of the velo cipede was the Abbe Pranton, who, so long ago as 184), employed this modo of locomotion. Hamilton Dimton of Philadelphia, probably the largest saw manufactur er in the world, may in time become tho greatest fruit nnd vegetable grow er alvo. He owns 2,000,000 acres oi elected land in Florida, one-fourth 8 much as the whole stita of Mary land. It is in ono corapaot body and after ten years of draining and exper imental work he is now getting ready for colonizing it on a very extensive seale in connection with fruit and vegetable growing and sugar produc tion. What Mr. Disston is doing on ouch a giguutio soale many others are doing iu a smaller way iu other stites. With this diversification of its farm interests, added to the largest grain crops that it has ever produoej and the promise of a big ootton crop and its farmers less in debt thun any time ainee the war, tun South may well re joice over tho outlook for the future. When a scientist becomes so inter ested in his specialty that it over shadows everything else, when he thinks more of discovering a new warioty of beetle or a new chemical compound from coal tar than he does of mukiug money or of the fate of em pires, be is so rauoh unlike the major ity of us, admits the New York World, that we are obliged either to laugh at him or to do something more serious. The Adirondack natives gazed curi ously at Agussiz us tho mau who "had no time to make money." In Ceutral Africa when a man develops the scien tific bout and begius to investigate nature they generally drown him as a wizard, responsible for drought aud rop fuilure. It is only a few centu ries since English-speaking people fol lowed t'.ie sumo methods of dealiug with eccentric scientists. But we have grown more civilized now. We laugh t them and let it go at that. But whether we laugh or not, it is out of nab enthusiasms that progress comes. It is from the eooeutrio self-devotion of men who care mora for knowledge "ban for themselves that the comfort of tho musses is iucreUHod and the freedom of thy ruoe is made nossibla. When the Crop's Laid iij. There's a brlghtsr world ' And a blnnr sky, When th omp's laid hr, vThsn tho crop' laid by i The sun can blazs bis brat on high, And the lon. long rain oan sob and sigh i Bi t there's "till a light In the farmer's eye Whn tho crop's laid by ! There a brighter world Whore the wild doves fly, . TVhnn th orop's laid by, When the crop's laid by The children romp where the gold sheaves lie, Tho pig (mint happily in the stye, And the bright head dances on the ryn When tho crop's laid by ! Atlanta Constitution. , ' A WOMAN'S WAY, It was a bright winter morning, and Mr. Segrist' two pretty nieces had just oomo down stairs as fresh as Hebe. Very pretty girls they were, in a dolicato, womanly fashion, al though nobody would over have been reminded by them of tho Venus do Modici, and not an artist had ever thought of asking them to sit for a Madonna. It is tho ovory-day stylo of beauty that wears best. "So ho has failed, has he?" said Cora to her uncle, who had just boon promulgating tho news of tho day from behind his nowspayer. "What a pity t and he was so nice and agree, able." "Failed! Mr. Kirkwood!" echoed Lisa, her oheek losing a shado or so of its bloom. "Oh, uncle, how did that happen?" "As most failures happen, my dear," snid Mr. Segrist, folding up his paper. "Too much press of can vas and too little ballast. It is a pity ; he was a good young fellow enough, and this will throw him back twenty years. " Lisa sat thinking, her pansy eyes fixed intently on the pattern of the table-cloth, her red lips apart, until her sister's clear, bird-like voice rous ed her from the temporary abstrac tion. "Upon my word, Lisa," the elder cried, merrily, "I do believe you. are iu a trance. Why don't you answer my question?" Lisa started, both cheeks suddenly crimsoning. "I I was thinking, Cora, What was it yon asked me?" "About our ball-dresses for tomor row evening." "Oh, Coib." cried downright Lisa, "how can yon talk about ball-dresses when when yon remember who was to have taken you there?" "Mr. Kirkwood?" said Cora calm ly. "Of course he'll not go now, but wo can easily send for Coni-in George." "Then you really moan to go." "Of course. Why shouldn't I?" "I think ho loved you, Corn," said Lisa, in a low voice; "and you thought so, too." "Ho must learn to unlove me, thon, said tho elder sister with, a mimical little laugh, as Cora calmly poured out a second cup of coffee for her nncle. "But Cora," pleaded her sister, "it isn't as if you yourself wero poor. You know we will have a little money of our own." "Very true, wise Lisa; but I moan to keop my own and not to spend it in bolstering up the ruined fortunes of any unlucky speculator. No, no, child; my husband must bring money of his own, not be a druin upon my slender resources." Lisa shook hor head. "That sounds very worldly," said she. "Does it? Now I think it has just tho common-sensical sound to it. Peo ple must look at these things from a practical point of view." "Uncle!" cried Lisa, almost pas siouatoly, "don't you think she ought to like him all the better because he is in trouble?" "My dear, my dear," said the old gentleman, composedly, "I can't pre tend to judge of these things. You girls must manage to settle your own affairs. " "My mind is quite made np al ready," said Cora Segrist calmly. And when poor Gay Kirkwood's curd came up that afternoon Bessie, tho maid, came oourtesying demurely down into the parlor with : "Please, sir, Miss Cora is engaged." Guy Kirkwood went slowly and sad ly away, without answering a single word. If only she had remained true to him, but now Well, such was the way of the world. "Uncle, can I speak to you for a minute?" Mr. Segrist, sotting away the piles of dusty papers in his library, started at the souud of the soft, bell-like voice "My child, I thought you and Cora had gone to the ball." "Cora has gone, Uncle; but I thought I would rather remain at home. Unclo " And hero she paused and hesitated.' "Woll, child, what is it?" "Yon are my guardian and trustee, nccle," she went on, as if forcing her self to speak. "Will yon toll mo how much money Cora and I have each got?" "About ten thousand dollars, Lisa." "And enn I do as I plcaso with it?" "That depends on circumstances. Probably yes. " "Well, uncle, I want to lond it to Mr. Kirkwood to help him get into business again." "Child, for what?" "Bccanso he has no friends loft, tin clo; becsnse I feel so sorry for him," said Lisa Segrist, with deepening col or and downcast eyes. "And, nncle, he must not know who let him have it." "Why not?" "Oh, because I couldn't bear to havo him kuow. It could be managed, couldn't it?" "Yes, I suppose. But are you real ly in earnest, Lisa?" "Yes, nncle." "Well, well, child," said Uuclo Se grist, smiling, though ho was iu real ity deeply moved. "You shall havo your own way." The next week Mr. Kirkwood's law yer informed him that ten thousand dollars lay at his banking house, sub ject to his draft or order at any time. yTen thousand dollars!" cried poor Guy, quite overwhelmed. "Who would lend me ton thousand dollars?" "That is what I am not at liberty to inform you," said Mr. Jessup. And it was in vain that Guy Kirk wood, marshalling in his memory all his probable and improbable friends, tried to fix the benefit upon ono or tho other of them. Ho could not place it ; ho must just accept it in tho spirit in which it had boon given. "And I will try to prove to my un known friend," ho said in a choking voice, "that tho favor has not been bestowed in vain. Upon this founda tion I will build up tho beginning of a more prosperous career. " Kirkwood's words proved almost prophetic Five yosrs from that time he hod not only regained his former position in tho commercial world, but ho had shot boyoud it ; and Cora So grist, who iu tho meantime had in dulged in several futilo flirtations and broken off two engagements, began seriously to consider tho propriety of onco more spreading her net for tho bird she had let fly so long ago. "Because I reolly am getting quite middle-aged !" said Cora demurely; "and Mr. Kirkwood is certainly more charming than ever." Guy Kirkwood came often to So grist's mansion ; bnt Cora, disposed though sho was to tako the most favor ablo view of matters, could not but seo that it was more on hor sister's ac count than her own. "Docs ho really care for her, I won der?" tnought Cora ; "or is it only to revenge himself upon me for the man ner in which I dismissed him five years ago? Nonsense! Lisa isn't half as pretty as I am, and she never was. I shall win this battlo yet." Mr. Kirkwood had just postod a let ter a missive whereon hung his fate directed to Lisa Segrist For he had learned to love the shy, goutlo girl, and, lacking courage to tell hor so in words, he had put the substance of his heart' hope on paper. From the post office he went direct ly to old Jessop's law sanctum. "Have you paid back that ten thou sand dollars, according to my orders?" he said. "I paid it today, with legal interest, both simple and coinponud, for Ave years," answered Jessop succinctly. "I only wish I knew whom to thank for this stepping-stone to fortune." Old Mr. Segrist, who was sitting by, looked up qneerly. over the tops of his spoctuclo glasses. "What would you give to know, Guy?" said he. "Half I am worth," was the impul sive auswer. "Well," chuckled the old man, "I oan tell you on choaper terms than that I was bound over o secrecy for Ave years, but the time was up last week. Your mysterious, good angel was none other than my little niece Lisa." Kirkwood oolored his heart gave a great upward bound. Lisa I his Lisa 1 He turned silently away, and left the office, "A curious way of acknowledging a favor!" criud Mr. Segrist a little tebtily. "Hera!" commented Mr. Jossop, "There are some people who feel too little to eay 'thauk'e,' aud some who feel too much. My client, I rather think, belongs to the latter class. X do uot believe he is ungrateful.", ... ,"Nor I either on the whole," said Mr. Segrist, repenting him of his haste. As for Guy, ho wont straight to Lisa. "Lisa," ho said, "I have written you a letter which yon will probably rrceivo tomorrow morning, but I can not wait for it to conio now, I have learnod this evening whoso hand lift ed mo from the doeps of poverty aud discouragement whose hidden boun ty carved out a new path for mo. Lisa, there is but one way to pay yon J to givo you mysolf and my whole heart, if you will deign to accept the poor return." Lisa had grown very polo and quiet "No," sho said, "I accept no mere tribute of gratitude. " "But, Lisa, the lottor which I wroto to you before I heard those things the letter asking you to be my wife you must answer that now," ho plead ed, refusing to let go her trembling hand. "You have said no to my second offer; what soy you to my first?" Tho roses bad returned to Lisa's cheek, the soft light of her eyes, as she put tho other hand williugly in Kirkwood's, and answered: "Yes," New York News. A Itemorkable Pony, Mr. John C. Krantz is the owner of a Western pony in which he takes a great deal of pride. Tho horse is named Eiek, and is ono of thoso pieces of horseflesh which seem to have al most a human understanding. Dick is small enough to go through the small door cut in tho stablo door which is intended for tho entrance of a man. He prefers to enter by the smaller door, and sometimes tries to take the carriage to which ho is harnessed in with him. This, it is needless to sty, results in failure. He considers him self above the common herd, aud with good reasen. He will not have his harness put on in tho stable, but must be tuken in the office for that purpose. Ho then con sents to bo led out to bo hitched to the carriage. Dick is very fond of cream peppermint drops ; the ordinary lozengers ho will not touch. In order to get these, at tho end of each drivo ho is taken to ono of Mr. Krautz's stores. His driver then goes iusido for the candies. If he wishes to do ho Dick will calmly walk across tho pave ment and enter tho door, much to the amusement of tho onlookers nud tho ediiieatioti of tho children. Tho sweet meats are given to tho animal aud he bucks out. Ho always gazes after his master with a look of inquiry in his eyes and puts his forefeet ou tho pavement when Mr. Krantz leaves tho carriage. Mr. Krantz thinks his pet can bo sought to do almost anything, and if ho had tho time would try to educate Dick himself. Tho horso is very fond of his master and on all occasions shows this affection. There is nothing too good for Dick, and he evidently deterves it Baltimore American. Plums as Olives. In spito of tho steady increase of olive orchards in California tho de mand is so fur greater than the supply that great quantities of plums are used in thoir place. The plums aro bought green, sold to tho largo packing houses of the country and appoar on the table as the best imported olives. They are now of tho right size for treatment as French or Italian olives, as the demand may bo. The plum orchards of New York supply tho greater part of these Amer ican olives. . One grower has sold the crop of 7,000 trees, amounting to simio 13,000 or 20,000 bushels, to an olive pickler. This represents only a small portion of tho green plums that aro sold for olive pickling by tho fruit-growers of the State. New York World. Blnderpi st In Ilusstla. Rindorpost in Russia wss very de structive lost year, says the Cultivator and Country Gentleman. In five pro vinces 130,000 animals attacked or threatoued by this disease died or were slaughtered. The loss was great est iu Stivropol, where the peasantry lost 64,000 head of cattle ; and her, as well us iu Ekatorinoslav, the com pulsory destruction order gave rise to rioting. ' The cattle slaughtered are paid for. but this does not compensate the peasants whom the order has de prived of their beasts of burden, and who cannot replaoe thorn, because all traffic in cuttle is forbidden. It seems, however, that the strict measures which the authorities enforce have stamped out the disease in many other provinces. What was a sparsely settied diatriot in Texas fifteen years ago 'i now one of the most dousoly pripled parti of the state. ton THE HOUSEWIFE. riaF.tr. Very few people think of serving celery save in tho natural state, but celery should bo servod in other forma. From tho stalks nnd leaves, winch are not dos'rablo for serving raw, a croam of celery soup may bo preparod. Any cook book will give directions, though it will not say it may bo mado from these pioccs; but it con, as experience has taught me. Celery in cream saueo as directed for cabbage, is a dish fit for an epi cure. Prepare it in tho some way. Scalloped celery is also very good. Put a layer in a shallow baking dish and cover with cream aauco. Spriuklo with buttered bred crumbs and bake quickly. TO MARK SMALL PtCKLKS. To make small pickles a cooking school rccipo is as follows: Take 100 very small cucumbers, wash and wipe carefully and put in a stono jar with water enongh to cover them. Add salt enough to make a brine in which an egg will float. Let thom lie in this twenty-four hours, when thoy are ready to be taken out, wiped aud put in clean jars. Take enough vinegar to just cover tho cucumbers, add a slice onion a dozen cloves, an ounce of mustard seed, threo blades of mace, and a cupful of grated horseradish. Heat to the steaming point in a gran ito lettlo and pour over tho picklos. Those should keep crisp nud firm all wlntor. Tho caution is added that metal utentdls should uot be used in making pickles. The spoon used in handling or stirring them should be of wood. To i.Tevent mold horseradish or nas turtiums are usad. New York Times. ltF.III'ES. Muplo Sugar Pie Mike rich pie crust. Sift over bottom crust a thin layer of dry flower, distributo evenly over that one nnd one-half coffeeeup fill grated maple sugar ; over this pour ono cupful cream J drop tiny pieces of butter nil around tho top, sift ou an other layer of dry flower, put on top crust rlit in ono or two place. Fold a strip of cloth two inches wide, wet iu coht water round edgo of crust aud plate. Bake in slow oven ; remove cloth wheu umio nnd set to cool ; serve coliL It may boil over somewhat iu tho ovon and split tho pio slightly.but w ill bo all right when cold. Southern Bico Bread. Two cups of white Indian meal, three eggs, a pint and a quarter of milk, ono cub of cold boiled rice.ono ounco of buttor mcltod, ono teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspooufuls of baking powder. Beat tbo eggs without separating the yolks nnd whites until they aro very light, then add them to tho milk. Then put them with tho meal, salt, butter and rioo; beat thoroughly, add tho linking powder and mix all well ugain. Grouse threo rouud, shallow pans, turn iu tho mixture, put quickly in a hot oven aud boko for thirty minutes. Duchesseltisonits. Boil half a pint of coldwatoror milk, two ounces of sugar ami one quarter of a pound of butter together and stir iu about five ounces of finely-sifted flour; boil togothor for five minutes; add a littte flavoring and oue egg (well beaten up). When thoroughly well mixed ono or two inoro eggs may bo added, so long as mixture is not too moist Make tho paste iuto small biscuits and bako on buttered tin uutil nicely browned. Sprinkle caster sugar over them; open them at tbo sido and put in a littlo jam or marmulado. This quan tity will only muko a small dish. Escalloped Tomatoes Tako six nice tomutoos and scald to removo the skin, Chop thom iu iuch squaro cubes and season thom with a tenspoouful of pep per, threo houping tublespooufuls of buttor, ono of sugar, and, if likod, a spoonful of onion essonce. Havo toasted and cut fiuo a cupful of very dry broad. Buttor a pudding dish and put a layer of tomatoes in tbo bottom, then tho cupful of bread and the re mainder of the tomatoos on top of that Over the top put a half cupful of toaated bread, which has boeu pounded to a powder. Lay over it some bits of buttor, dainpou with a littlo milk and set in a hot oven for fiftoou minutes. A Valiant Warrior. Sho So you really do me the honor of wishing to murry mo, Colonel Duore? Ho Why should I bo afraid of a mutrimouiul engagement? I have been through throe oampaigus. Truth. A Wise Measure, "Who is President of your club, Jiiumio boy?" tho boy was askod. "Oh, wo all are," ho replied' "That koops us a'.l Kood-uu.turcd." Bazar, EARLS OF THOt'OHT. I ; ! i An ounco of justico is hotter than ton of sympathy. A pessimist is ono who is happy only whon ho is miserable. Things done simply from a sense of duty are seldom dono well. A man or woman is never much bet Icr than his or her reputation. Ho who wears a aolitoiro diamond ring is often portinlly left-handed. Blessed are they among mortals who nover weary of their own company. Search not for the joint in tho ar mor of ignorance, it was mado with out one. Common sense is simply the sense that docs uot put square pegs iuto round holes. Every burden of responsibility holds within itself somewhere a sweet compensation. , Cast your bread upon tho waters, but do not wait until it is too stalo for your own use. They who cannot grow happy in witnessing tho happiuess of another are morally unsound. No man has so many faults as his enemies declare, nor so many virtues as his admirers claim. Tho man who is blessed with a good wife can meet with no irreparable loss save tho loss of her affection. Occasional solitude is as necessary to the symmetrical development of the soul as is suushiue to tho flowers. Ho who is once enshrined in the heart of a child may bo sure of a friend as long as that heart continues to beat. He who never asks questions through fear or bctrayiug his iguor anco is uot likely to losseu that ignor ance. Like a broad gleam of sunlight sent into a gloomy dungeon is imagina tion to tho human mind. New York Independent. Life is so complex that ho who docs you an injury today may fiud to morrow that ho has conferred a bless ing upon you. The Fighting Tailors. . The Fifteenth Light Dragoons, whoso brilliant feat of arms at Vil-liers-en-C'ouche was commemorated iu the Pall Mall Gazette, hud a very siii gulitr aud, indeed, for a British cav alry regiment, a probably unique ori gin. Wheu iu 1750 it was decided to raiso certain 'corps on tho model of tho Prussian hussars, Lieutenant Col onel Elliott, of the Second Horse Gronadier Guards, A. D. C. to bo famous, later on, as tho "Old Cock of the Bock," aud Lord Heathfield was ouo of tho officers solected for this service. The Loudou tailors were on a strike at tho time, and, with a disre gard of prejudice which was amply justified by tho result, the colonel en listed a whole regiment of thom, which was known as tho First Light Horse. On March 10 he was gazetted to the command of it Ou August 1 it was at Miuden, aud every individual tailor iu tho ranks approved himself a horse man and a man. As the head of the First Light Horse, its colonel was thanked again aud again by Prince Ferdiuand for its services, and when, at tho conclusion of the war, tho regi ment was reviowed by George III. in Hyde Park, tho king was pleased to ask what ho could do to mark his sense of its discipliue aud efficiency. Elliott naturally begged that tho First Light Horse might be made "royal." Ia consequence it became the Fifteenth or King's Own Light Dragoons, and stands in the army list today as Fif teenth (King's) Hussars, Notes and Queries. The Lesser Evil. "Dear me, John," said Mrs. Hicks worthy, aa Mr. H. camo homo with a drum for his son Willie, "Why on earth do you buy Willie a drum Isn't there noise enough in the house, with tho baby crying all day, without that?" "That's just the point" returned Mr. Hicksworthy. "I bought that drum bo that Willie could drowu the noise made by the baby with it. I'd rather hear a drum than a baby crying any day," Harpor's Bazar. tiood Hot Weather Brink. For a steady, wholesome and thor oughly trustworthy drink when the thermometer registers niuoty or there abouts, we recommend, without hesi tation, pure cold water. Chicago Tribune. A Mou Trlek. Museum Manager What's all that disturbance iu the lecture hall? Lecturer. The Armless Wonder has stolen the Fasting Girl's lunch. New York.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers