A Russian economist estimates the aniinnl cost of tho armed ponce In Eu rope at $2,000,000,000. John 1). Rockefeller's wealth In creases, it is said, at the rate of 915, 000,000 a year. The Standard oil magneto will soon have tho $500,000, 000 which it is bis ambition to pos- A railroad i.i building from Omaha, Neb., to Suit Lake, Utuh, of which every employe must be n stockholder. "There will he no strikes on that ronil and little stealing," predicts Ruin's Horn. "The woman who is continually begging money of her hiiHlmnd," says the Mount Vernon Philosopher, in the rhilndolphin Record, "is not likely to loso faith in tho Biblical statement Unit man is made of dust. " Justice Barrett of tho New York Supreme Court proposos a law nudor which 2, 500 of the leading business and professional mon of tho commun ity can be drawn for jury service, from which thoy cannot bo excused unless shown to be physically incapacitated. The Woshington claim agents think that under the income tnx decision they can make the government give np some 8350,000,000 of income taxel collected between 1803 and 1871. II the scheme works there will be some 835,000,000 for tho agents. It it worth trying for, thoy think. They say in France all that it is necessary to do in order to havo a man arrested and thrown into prison is to accuse him of being a Gorman spy. Phis appoars to be tho only accusation that wilt produce such a result, proof and eviduiica being wanting. Ol course, when tho arrested person proves his innocence, ho is roluaod, but there seems to be no way by which he can gut even with his ac cuser. Tho humiliation of the horse is com plete, admits the New York Sun, when yearling thoroughbreds are bid off at a public auction for 810 or $15. The cause of depreciation in this caao was neither the trolley ear nor the bicycle, but the flat of our constitution-makers. In Illinois racing is also nndel the ban, and in the natural course of events the race horse will soon be relic and a memory, to be soon mount ed in our natural museums or written bout learnedly by bespectacled sci entists. The Canadian government has in troduced a bill into parliment to forbid the letting of pnblio contracts to aliens. There is a great fouling in the Dominion against American con tractors, who figure close, and come in for some good things, undor-bid-'ling the Canadian contractors. The Minister of Railways has dropped a hint that even if the bill fails to get through he will see that no Americans get oontraots in his department, even though their bids are lower than those of uutive bidders. The sardine industry in the United States is largely confined to the east ern coast of Maine. There aro in all about sixty factories.emploving about 9,000 persons, the yearly product amounting to nearly 025,000 cases. The fish used is a small herring, from which the head is removed ; cotton seed oil is used, and the tin boxes are made at an establishment in Eastport. The process used in this country is quite similar to that made use of by the French, and nearly all the domes tic sardiuus are packed in boxes bear ing Freuoh labels. The lack of originality in American nomenclature is made freshly con spicuous in a new atlas of .New York state, which gives a complote list of all the oitiet and villages of tho state, laments the New York Mail and Ex press. Of these places 530 are pos sessed of so little individuality that they are distinguished only by the cir cumstance of their geographical loca tion as compared with some other place. For instauoe, there are in New York 157 localities with the descriptive prefix West, 147 are Ejbt, 115 are North, and 111 South. ' New York is the great centre of the ready made clothing trade boasts tho Commercial Advurtis r. In the manu facturing part of this business there re about 00,000 workers while within a radius of twenty-five miles from the City Hall there are probably 25,000 more. Of these, about sixty-live per sent are American end foreign He brews, twenty-five per eeut ltulians and the balanoe of American, English, ud other nationalities. ' . The great preponderance of Hebrews results Irora special European conditions, tnd in a substantial m -ature from the terrible pursecUtivu iu Buss a. A Lyric of Joy, Over the shoulders anil slopes of tho dune, I saw the white daisies go down to the A host la the sunshine, a snowdrift In Juno, The people God sends us to set our hoarts free. The bobolinks rallied them up from the dell, The orioles whistled them out ot the wood, And all of their singing was, Earth, It Is well !" And all of their dancing was, "Lite, then art goo.1?'' Bliss C'abmas In the Century. "SCRAP." or matt rnisi. Mrs. Heath rolled up her knitting and w ent to tho door. Tho November air was tinged with frost and sho sliive.ed as sho leaned out listening for sounds of travel upon the road. "I declare, its plum night and Seali nin't hero yet. I do wonder what's kcopiu' him. He's mighty nigh al ways homo 'fore this time when ho goes to Atlanty, on' he took a early start yesterday. It cau't be that he's had any trouble a-sell in' that cotton. No, it was as line as anybody need ask for." "There he's comin' 1 I hear him scolding old Whitcfaco. I don't know why that creetur can't work peaceably in the yoke." B'ao left tho door open while she hustled choerfully around, spreading the cloth and slicing the bacon. The frying-pan was over the fire when Seaborn Heath unyoked the oxen at the front gate and gave them their feed. "ilumph, Jano, that smolls good," he declared, as he stopped to scrape his feot on tho doorstep. "I 'lowed you'd be hungry." "That I am. How've you been get tin' on?" "Oh, pnty well. Miss Abcmathy came over and stayed all night with me. Why dou't you come in an' shct the door, Scab? I'd think you'd be tired as well as hungry, an' it ain't warm as it might bo outside." "Tis gettiu' wiuterish, that is a fact. I fetched some company home with me, June," finally stopping into the room. Mr, neath hod just taken the fry ing pan from the fire to turn the rash ers of bacon. She wheeled quickly with it in her hand. "Cump'ny, Seub? For goodness sake, who is it I" "Hero it is," and he drew a little colored boy into tho room, then re treated, leaving the child standing alone in the full glow of the firelight. He was a forlorn object, his ashy skin dry and withered, his face as full of wrinkles as an old man's. His clothes hung upon him a mass of rags; a bat tered old straw hat, probably picked out of a ash heap, covered his head. His bare legs were as thin as sticks, and appeared all the more pitable from tho aizo of tho rusty old shoes upon his feet. Mrs. Heath sat down with tho pan of smoking meat still in her hand. "Well, I never I Where did you find that creetur, nu' whatever per sossod you to bring it home with yon?" TU tell you just how it happened, Jane. I didn't finish sellin' that cot ton till this mornin', but I made a right good bargain. As I was welkin' along the street afterwards, fcelin' so proud that all my debts was paid an' I had some money in my pooket, this little fuller piped up an' 'lowed : " 'Mister, won't you have a ahine?" "I looked at him, and I 'lowed that I would, seoin' that he 'poared to be a sight poorer than me. I asked him where he'd got his breakfast, an' ho 'lowed that ho hadn't got any at all. Then I asked him whore he lived, an' he 'lowed that he jest slept around anywhere he could, that he didn't have no homo. Au' Jano, he waB workiu' away at them shoes o' mine till thoy shone like a lookin' glass." Ho paused and glanced at his big shoes half pleased, half ashamed. 'Totlickor's always bon good enough for me to put on 'em, but I didn't grudge that dime, no I didn't An Jane, I begun to thiak o' our own lit tle Matthew an' what might beeome o' him if he'd a lived au' we'd a died, an' tho more I thought the sorrier I fell for this pore little chap, for if he is black, he's a human boin', an' onghter have somobody to take koer o' him." "But I don't think yon neod to be oomparia' your own child to a little negro, Seab," his wife reuiarkod, wip ing her eyes oil a ooruer of her apron, as she rose to put the meat buck over the fire. " He's a human bein', as I said, Jane, an' I 'lowed I'd fetch him out home with uie to sorter be oomp'uy for you an' help you 'bout the house when I ain't at home." '' "lou ao ueai an, Beau; you cer tainly do," she declared, in a softcnod tone. "I couldn't bogin to count the stray cats and lame dogs you've fetched home with you to bo cump'ny for mo, and now this pore little chap. What's your name?" she demanded of tho little fellorn He had removed the old hat and stood twisting it around in his hands, ' ' , "My name's Scrap, ma'am, said tho boy, timidly. "Nothiu' eU?" "Xo'm." "Well, I'll declare) Como up to the firo an' eit down on that stool in tho corner. You must bo plum froze in them rugs. Did I ever? They're worse than a pntohwork quilt, they're in so many pieces. How old air you?" "Mos' twelve." "Twelve, au' you ain't bigger than a child seven or eight. No wonder yonr'e called Scrap. Sit right down an' cat this hot potato. He's been half starved, most likely," sho mut terod as she dished ti; the supper. Scrap smilod to himself aud went out to get somo wood for the firo. It was a strange now world to tho little boy. He sat down and spread his small, chilly hands before the firo, watching tho flames leap up tho wido, black chimney with fasoinated eyes. Ho didn't have much to say to his new friends, but when the cat came purring around his legs he picked it up and stroked it softly. He was given a warm, abundant supper, and when Mrs. Heath saw hiin swaying drowsily on his stool she brought out a little trundle bed and prepared it for him. "I don't know as I ought'r do it Seal)," she said hesitntingly. "He's a human bein', Jane, an' it can't hurt Matthew if he sleeps in that bed. We ain't got no othor place nowhere. So Serap lay down on a clean bod with the cat curled up against his back and the firelight dancing on the walls, and the stillness of the wide, dark country spioading out all around him. It was such a strange silenoo and darkness to the child who had uevor known anything but the sights and sounds of a city with its crowded, gas lightod streets and crowded houses. He might have been homesick if he had not had that great blazing fire, that delicious warmth sending him to sleep as soou as he had eaten bis sup per. On Sunday Mr. Heath found Scrap sitting on the bench in the sunshine at the south side of the house, with the big Bible open on his knees. Mr. Heath had bought that Bible from a book agent, and it was full of highly colored prints. "Lookin' at the pictures, Scrap?' "I was readiu' 'bout whore Isaao's pa took him to bo crucified." "Sacrificed, ain't it?" corroctedMr, Heath, bitting down on tho bench el his side. "Do you mean to say that you can read, boy?" looking at him with something of awe. "A little, sir." That was the beginning of a new oo cupation for Scrap during the winter evenings. Mrs. Heath could not read either, so while her husband sat at one corner of tho hearth feeding a fresh pine knot to the fire occasional ly, and she sat on the other side with her knitting, the boy occupied his stool botween them, tho Bible open on his knees. He had t.i read very slow. ly, one thin black forefinger traveling over the page to guide his eye. Often he bad to stumble over the hard words or skip them altogether. But his au ditors didn't mind that. They were not critical, and it was such a novelty to have some one to road to thorn that they always listoued gladly. It came very suddouly, tho ond to this reading, and to some othor things. Spring had come, and one Saturday afternoon Mr. Heath took Scrap over to whore they wore cutting the timber and clearing tho way for a new railway line. Seaborn had some friends among the laborers, and ho sauntered down the liue where they were felling the trees, speaking to first one and then another. He bad stopped to look at the time of day, measuring the height of the sun with his eye, when ho beard the peculiar rending, rustling sound of a tree tottering to its fall, then wild shouts, aud a shrill, piercing seream. It was tho scream which warned him of his danger. He turned, saw Scrap flpiug toward him on the very wings of the wiud, the whites of his eyes shining, his blaok face a pio ture of agonized terror. "Bun, runt It's a-fullin' on you, sir J it's a-falliu' on you I" He did got out of the way, he hardly knew how, and the great tree came down with a thundering crash, the earth trembling, the air full of hissing vibrations. He oovered hit fao with his baud for a moment, shud' dering at his narrow oscape. "If it hadn't a-beeu for Scrap I'd be right under it now. Where it Sornp?" ho questioned aloud. The workmen were already franti cally cutting away at tho timber to got him away from uudor a branch of the tree. But he was dead when thoy lifted him gently and pluood him out upon a bed of grass. "It nil comes o' my bein' such a dog-gone fool," said Mr. Heath brokenly, tho toars trickliug down bis face. He rubbed the dry, thin, black fingers he held in his.he passed a hand caressingly over tho boy's wizened face, but it was no use. The breath of life had passed his lips for the last time. He received burial in the country graveyard beside Matthew, and there were some sod tears shod over him. "He was only a little colorod boy, I know, but ho done a great thing for u" Mrs. Heath explained to a noigh- Dor. "Ho was a human bein' an' one o' Ood-n-mighty's heroes," declared Mr, Heath. Utiea. (N. Y.) Press. Mndo nn Electric Spring. In oue of tho shipyards of Cleve land there is a young man who dem onstrated to some people of the Rocky Mountaiu country the great influence of the miud over tho body. In their cases this influence was sufficient to cure various diseases, until they dis covered the hoax, aud then a rolapse came to some who had not as yet thoroughly recovered. The young man and his compan ions were not posing as priosts of any peculiar faith, but were simply look ing out for tho dollars that might come from their patients, and the cures wore iu no wise accredited to faith, but to the natural properties ot an "electric spring. mis mey claimed to havo discovered under the bluff at Pike's Peak, and over the water they built a fancy sanitarium. Soon people came from far and near, and not only came but were cured. From various diseases the patients ob tained relief, aud tho sufl'orera from rheumatism were numerous somo being terribly crippled. The phenomena of the spring wore remarkable and unique Thoso who bathed in its waters felt ploasing cur rents of the subtle energy coursing through their anatomy ; and when cup (which was chained) was touched to its surface a shock was folt by the arm which held tho cup. Marvellous success camo to the sanitarium, and wealth was rapidly coming to tho young men during tho sevoral months that the cure was iu operation until one day a party of clcotricians visited the place and discovered tho boo ret of tho spring's pcouliar action. There upon, fearing the wrath of the peo ple, the young men fled, leaviug thing behind. Tho visiting electricians, strolling over the mountain, had found wires, aud theso were traced into tho spring. Beneath tho rocky bottom of the basin there was a network of tho con ductors. Tho secret of tho shock ob tained ut the drinking place was found to lie iu the faot that the water was eonnected with a wire, and whon tho oup touched the surface a circuit was formed. Tho discovery of the fraud destroyed in many cases all the good that had been done by tho trtatmout Cleveland Leader. Wealth In Irish Peat nogs. Pout is a carbonaceous substance formed by the decomposition of vege table matter in localities whore tho conditions ot moisture and torapera ture aro favorable. Ireland contains tho largost deposits, it being also found in Holland and North Germany. There are two varieties of peat tho red and the black, found directly un der tho rod. Heretofore its commer cial value has been very low, as it was usod chiefly us a fuel and as an in grediout iu naphtha, parafline, cto. By a now process red pout, which is fibrous iu nnturo, is combed out until it resembles wool, aud thon woven into either cloth, whioh is half the cost and far more durable than shoddy, or mattings and rugs of fair commer cial value. The waste product caused by tho refined combing, bleached by the patent process, is utilized as peal pulp, which is cheap 'aud equal to wood pulp. The dust produced in refining it also a good disinfectant. Black peat is reduood into powdor, compressed into blocks that are a perfect counter feit of ebony, and can be readily used where it is required. It is not brittle and can be worked into pulleys, handles, etc., and as a non-oonduotoi it can bo used for eleetrical insulators. Tho process having been porfeoted, ita manufacture is to be commenced in Ireluud. It is estimated that Ireland oontaini nearly 4,000,000,000 tons of peat, eo that a now industry may Boon be de veloped. Industries aud Iron. . LAMES' DEPAItTniiXT. a rotsTRn is vr.11,9. . Veils cotitinno to bo simple, with an occasional novelty, which, howover, never seems to catch popular favor. The thin meshes, with dots, or a rather' heavy mesh, perfectly plain, are the favorites. Qoldou brown veil ing, with nn entire brown toilotto is pretty, but in all other cases It is black alone that is worn with all sorts and conditions of tha headgear. New Or leans Picayune. A HINT FOR DAnMKRS. Mothers who are confronted weekly with tremendous holes in almost new stocking', and it is remarkable what two flays' wear by au active child can accomplish iu this respect, will do well to follow the lead of one home darner who has worked out her own salvation in the matter very cleverly. Sho takes a piece of strong net, bust', a it over the hole, and thon darns over it, thus accomplishing a neuter and stronger darn than in the old way, and in a shorter time. Tho snmo method is successful in mending woven underwear. St. Louis Star Sayings. rorrtAMTY of biiirt waists. The continued popularity of the shirt waists is proved by the demand for them, which is greator than ever before, and they come in greater variety. They are made of dainty fancy shirtings, chnmbray, cheviot, lawns, wash silks, nainsook batiste, and linen. Piuk, blue and yellow aro the favorite colors, aud these are made up with white linen collar and cuffs or all of tho sumo material. Waists with starched fronts like shirls for men are rarely seen, and softer, more feminine waists are the propor thing. Linen and ecru batiste are es. pecially suitable for traveling waists, and whether they are made of silk, linen, or cotton, they all have the pointod yoke in the back, full fronts, and are buttoned with pearl buttons. New York Sun. rnETTY suMMr.n toilets. Very pretty summer toilets are be ing made of the soft Chine silks now displayed in every fuBhionublo dry goods house. Some of these show dotioato wood tints mixod with pale piuk, or soft gray, or fawn dyes, with shadowy leaves aud flowers iu old rose, reseda, and chostnut brown. Very often the bodice of these gowns opens over a blouse front of lace with the finish of a largo lace eollar. The sleeves are extravagantly full from shoulder to elbow, ending in falling ruffles of lace. On some ot the models the bodioo is cut in a very large square, and in this caso soft chiffon is laid in folds, and so arranged as not only to drapo the neck, but to partly cover the shoulders. A folded belt or a narrow girdle in silver filigree is at the wuist Theso new, pretty girdles are a docidod addition to a summer gowu, and if of genuine metal will Inst many years. They oome in various graoeful pattorns and made of various motals; silvor loads in favor, but there are delicate styles in "rolled gold" L e., heavily plated that aro warranted to wear as long as the vogue is likely to endure. Now York Post. THE NEW BUSINESS WOMAN. The occupations of all persons in the United Statos above ton yoars of age are reviewed in detail in a census bullotin just issued. The total work ing population in 1839 was 22,733,001, or almost forty-eight per cunt of tho whole number of porsous ton years old or over. Of those 18,820,050 were mules and 8,014,711 females. The numerical increase in 'persons engaged in "gainful occupations" since 1880 is shown to be 5.313.5G2. i the increase in malos at work being 4,070,008, and females 1,257,554. Tho greatest increase has been in the num ber of persons eugaged in trade aud transportation, whioh was almost seventy-eight por cent the increase for tomules being eBpeoinlly large, or over 2C3 per cent. This iacroase is due principally to tho largo number of women now employed as bookkeepers, clerks, stenographers, typewriters and saleswomen. Professional mon and women have increased almost thirty-seven per cent in number, and those classified as in domestic aud porsonul service over twenty-four per cent. In both those clusses the percentage of increase for females is largely iu exoess of that for males. The number of porsous en gaged in manufacturing and meohani cat industries has inoreased forty-nine per cent, and in agriculture, fisheries and mining thirteen per eont. The number engaged in theso olasses are as follows t Agrioulture, finhories and mining, 0,013,201; professional pursuits, 044,323 ( domostio and per sonal service, 4,300,500) trade and transportation, 8,325,002, and manu facturing aud mechanical industries, 5,O!)l,0fH). TO KEEP HANDS DAIKTf. "Every time you wash your hands, press tho cuticle softly back from the unlls with tho towel This gives the desired length aud prevents hang nuHs." The statement was mado by a mani cure specialist, us I sat iu her artistic rooms or rather reclined on the low cushioned scats, amid a bewildering vista of Japanese lanterns, bamboo screens, gorgeous show cases and well concealed appointments. This pressing down of the cuticle is essential for well shaped nails. If the operation produces any rnggedness a keeu pair of scissors should clip it off. The scissors, the manicurist In sists, must be of careful selection. The pair that does service for clipping throad or cloth will ruin the skin. Tho points should bo very fine to in sert under this hem ot the nail. To remove stains from the skin or nails us) a few drops of oxalic acid in water, making the solution extremely mild. This should bo rubbed under and about tho nails with a tiny ash stick, which comes for the purpose at the cost of five cents. Many women are worried by a con stout tendency to perspire freely in the palms, which ruins their gloves. This is an expensive distomper, for I know women who spoil new gloves simply in one wearing. For this use magnesia. Oet it in square blocks, and rub it thoroughly into the skin before pulling on the glove. Rigor ously adhered to, the effect is entirely desirable. There are small diseases of the nails also to be considered. One of ridges. These form length wise on the nail, quite spoiling the shape. This is due to weakness and cau be "umatourly" treated by con stant uso ot the nail polisher dipped in piuk enamel powder, for the cause is due to weakness and this method strengthens. Another trouble is nn aggravating splitting of the nail. Just to run it rapidly through the hair or over a piece of cloth tends to take the entire edgo off down to the level of tho finger. For this thore is a tonic that is put np by manicurists, but they again ad vocate the friction ot chamois skin as the most helpful application. New York Press. FASHION NOTES. Sheer white lawn blouses are very popular. Some of the palo-hued shot silks are brocaded with small dots, flowers and rings. Evening bodices fasten almost in variably iu the back, this being done to insure greater perfection of fit und style. Solid-color silks aro now trimmed with rich jet or guipure, the latter coming in al. shades to match the material. The canvas outing shoo comes in white only, with white glaoo kid trim mings. The eolored canvases have disappeared. Thero are strong indications that this fall trimmings will be prodigally used upon skirts as well as upon wraps and waists. The newest thing iu white lawn has a crepou stripe. White pique will be worn, also a fine now white, soft cloth known as oatmeal cloth. A flno dust of pulverized aud sifted fuller's earth such as is used in the nursery, should be spriukled into kid gloves before they are drawn on. Four and one-half and five-yard skirts made up without any interlin ing, are seen in serge, orepon, tweed and cheviot materials tor outing wear. Pearl gray is a late popular shade iu oloth, aud yellow iu many different tones will be much woru in silk crepou iu India silks aud cotton dress goods as woll. Shot surahs, with narrow stripes, are very pretty, particularly for young girls, aud among ' the newest shades are rose red, pule, dull green and mus tard yellow. A light and yet quite soft fabric recently revived is known as delaine and is most desirable for summer use. It can be found iu delicate shades ot mouse or blue, and is covered with a fiuo uetwork of silk, whioh is dotted in turn with fancy sprigs. Wash gowps will bo more fashiona ble than ever this year, and the newest zephyrs are lovely enough to tempt any woman wholovea a pretty summer outfit. These aepbyra oome iu minute checks in all the fashionable colors, and are ao flue that they are often, mhtakon for silk.
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