MADAGASCAR. CUSTOMS AXD QUALITIES ITS INHABITANTS OF The People of the III Island Enlightened and Kind Liv ing li Cheap Woman' Position. re N unprejndfcpd etndy of the people of Madagascar will show that they have many superior qualities and have made great progress in a short time. They have not enjoyed the influences of civilization around thera as have the Japanese nor have there been any efforts worth mentioning to develop the resources of the country. In fact many parts of the great island conti nent hnve yet to be explored. That part already explored has convinced the best authorities that Madagascar, in addition to being the third largest islnnd in the world, takes first rank for the variety and magnitude of its resources. None of the native officials receive any compensation for services ren-, dered to then Government. Iheir ole reward is rank and honor, which is based on military precedence and conferred by the number of "honors." ! Ibe Brat "honor corresponds to the rank of a private soldier, and it the lowest ; the highest is fifteen honors or "dimyambonfoly Vonitra,' corre sponding to the rank of Field Marshal. One of the greatest ambitions of a Hova is to have his honors increased. The officers of the Government and nobility are not devoid of income by any means. In fact, some of thera in that respect would not trade places with a United States Senator who gets 83000 a year. Every man and woman of rank and title is the proprietor of vast estate and many slaves and cat- MADAGASCAR OI1IT, CATiHYINQ WATF.lt. tie. Though slavery exists in Mada gascar only in name, the fruits of the labor of these people bring in good returns. In addition to tlie service the officers are compelled to render their oountry, they are also expected, and sometimes forced, to contribute a portion of their income to the Gov ernment exchequer. For instance, should the Government need money with which to purchase arms for the soldierB, a speoial tux is levied, and each one it made to pay two cents per head for each slave owned and the same on each head of cattle. Some times it happens that on thin basis one person will pay on slaves alone nearly $100. The slave are captives from rebellious tribes. They are bought and sold, but not abused. While the women are not given a voice in theaffairs of State, excepting, of oourse, the Queen, yet they are ex tremely patriotio and loyal in their support of their fatherland. When the last war with France came upon ' them and they has to buy. amis, one woman responded to the call for money with a contribution of $10,000. This time she had given $15,000 for the cause. Soldiers in the army do not reoeive any pay beyond the amount necessary to procure their natives of ration and clothing. Tho reason for this is limply the poverty of the Gov ernment, and that poverty is due directly to the drain upon their re sources to pay the indemnity due to Franoe as a result of the taut war. Their one source of revenue of any im portance is the customs duties, and in order to insure or guarantee the pay ment of the indemnity these duties are, and have been for several years, nnder the control of the Frenoh. The Malagasy are fortunate in hav ing at the helm of State a wise and cool-headed statesman who has measured arms with the oleverest diplomats of his time. - Admiral Uore a'enec, of tho British Navy, had ooov ' nion to pay an extended visit to tho Conri of Iraerina, In hie note on bin visit be ay of the Hove, Premier : "He in nne of the ablest men I ever met." The ablest diplomats of the French Republic can testify only too well to this, as among those whose !tlp hangs at the Premier's belt is ,, at of the renowned M. Le Myre de , d'urs of Siam fame. Twice has he J t feat at the Court of Imerina. I LOVE AND Ml'SIO A the Prime Minister is the bus bnnd of the Queen as well as Premier, he has every thing pretty much bis own way. He owes his position and power to the fact that he is at the head of the army as its Commander-in-Chief. Ranavalona III., the Queen of the novas, is a woman now in her thirty ninth yenr. She bus reigned wisely and succcsHfully since 1883. Of medium height, graceful in form and carriage, rnther sharp featured, com plexion dark brown, hair long and straight, she is what may be justly said a fairly pretty wenmn. Her court is kept up in great splendor. She dresses in Parisian style, except on occasions of the National feast, called "Famlrona," when the Queen and members of the Royal family and nobility appear in their red "himba." A lnmba is similar to the Roman toga. She ib proud and independent, but not vain, as some writers have it. Fol lowing her example, many of the high elapses, aud particularly those who are under inllueuces of the missionaries, have adopted the Christian form of marriage, but the masses, cannot in spite of missionary efforts, be turned from their own form. According to their idea a man and a woman become one by mutual consent. And the only ceremony is a feast, to which the respective families and friends atteud. A separation is seldom heard of. It would be difficult to find mora domestic happiues anywhere in the world than in Madagascar. The wo men are always devoted and true. A yearly tax of twenty-five cents is levied upon every mun who has a wife and should he desire to separate from her a feetof $15 is exacted. Polygamy is no longer practiced. Women do very little housework, however, as nearly every one, even among the poorer classes, owns slaves. The Hova women are especially olever in fine needle work. Sinoe the establishment of the medical college and the numerous hospitals many of the women are learning to be trained nurses. This work is nnder the su pervision of European instructors. The inorease of all the churohes has been remarkable. The Malagasy are devoted to the Methodist Church, and give it generous support. Madagascar. At the capital the Hovaa have a fine college erected for them by the Lon don Missonary Sooiety, and in con nection therewith is a theological ani medical department. The Malagasy have a reputation for honesty. With the example set them by the foreigners now in their oountry it is hard to say how soon this will be lost. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the Malagasy people, but the hand icraft are by no mean neglected. All the tool neoessary for their work, while not elegant in finish, are made by native and answer every purpose. It erst very little to live in Mada--escar. A good ten to twelve room flffHtTT- the bsst pari of t'je city csn De routed for $3 a month. 8ervnnta can be had for II. CO a month, and as for provision, they cost almost noth ing. Porterhonse iteak is two cents a pound, chickens are three cents apieoe, Reese, sixteen cents; eggs, three cents a dozen ; potatoes, tea cents a bushel. The average wages paid a native teacher or pastor is from $3 to $10 a I) IN MADAGASCAR: month, and an ordinary servant gets usually gl.CO to 82 per month, and his "vary" or rice, amounting to two cents' worth per day. We seldom hear of s want of food. A stranger traveling through the land will be astonished to find himself the recipient of fowls' eggs, rice and potatoes at every village where he halts. These gifts from the natives are a token of welcome. In additiou to this the best house in the village is always given tip for the "va.ah or foreigner. On the whole the Malagasy are in teresting and thrifty, deserving of the sympathy of all civilized Nations in their struggle for the preservation of their fatherland and thoir independ ence. Ice While Von Wait. A small ice machine for the house hold, which in fifteen minutes will furnish a small cake of pure ioe, is be ing very generally introduced abroad. The water used to obtain pure ice must be distilled or filtered through h, reliable germ-proof filter. The appa ratus consists of a doublo sheet-metal cylinder, covered on the outside with a protective layer of asbestos, for the purpose of heat insulation, and huntr KITCHEN MACHINB AND CIYLIXDERS TOR MAKING ICE. in sockets br two central pivots. The receptacle, the section of which shows the thape of a arose, is filled with dis tilled water up to within half an inch from the top, and after the rubber washer and the metal cover are ad justed, it ia tightly closed down with a screw. This permits the tilling of the space between the double wall of the outer cylinder with a chemical used for generating the cold tempera turein this case ammunium salt. After turning the cylinder around rapidly for fifteen minutes the inner reoeptaole is withdrawn from the cylinder, held for a moment in boil ing hot water, and upon being opened a piece of ice" exaotly the shape of tho inner (.all will elide out without trou ble, v Another round cylinder is pro vided for the quiok cooling of any fluid. The cost of the production, says 'the Illustrite Zeitung, is very small, as the salt may be used over and over again, losing but little of in quality. Teaching the Bagpipes. A Highlander, having to teach i chum in hi regiment to play the bag pipe, began to instruct him in read ing the mnsio in the following way : "You see that chap with a white, round, open face?" pointing to a semibreve between the lines; "well, he moves slowly from that line to this, while yon beat one aud take a long blow, riow, if yon put a leg on him you make two of him, and he move twice a fast. If you blaok his face he rani four time a fast as the white faced one ; then, if you bend bis knees or tie nu legs, he will hop eight time taster than the white faced one. "Now, when yon blow the pipes, r member that the tighter those cht leg are tied the faster they run, ai the quicker they are mitt to dance." Ulugow Herald, JAUNTY JACKETS. STVLK Kim WINTKR ARK NIC AT ANI COM PORTABLE. They are Mnde to Suit All Testes and Purses Velvet and Knr Trtmmln Latest In Wo men's Hats. T7 rnE London hlrles for th i winter sen son are very neat, I simple and comfortable. i. Thev are, if possible, more modest than thev were last vear. One style, which is very elegant and ef fective, is a cape of black or dark col ored crepon, lined with quilted or oailded silk. It is cut very full and wide, and arranged with the folds of the back pleated at each shonlder and in the middle, so as to fall in four solid masses, giving a symmetrical nd substantial effect. The high col lar and shoulders are edged with black ostrich feather trlmminir, and from the middle of the shoulders a handsome ornament, in blaok jot or passemonterie extends about one foot downward. Another is a snrai-militarv cano of dark gendarme blue, dark olive or rich sepia, decorated with black cloth applique upon the breast, shoulders and back, with single line of black cloth tipped around the edge of a tall turn down collar, and three straps of black cloth stitched around the lower edge, an inch ind a half apart. It is made of very heavy cloth and is constructed with a flowing front. which conceals the buttons or other fasteners. net. ! a rnrcroN ckt-f I'M. 2 A KEItUE J.YCKh A third tasty but inexpensive winter jacket, is made of blaok serge, plain, lined or padded, according to the wearer's taste. It is double breasted, tight fitting around the chest and waist, and rather loose npou tho hips, fastened with two large buttous and finished with a turndown collar in black volvet. The lapels are fuller thau usual, and, when turned down, the lower edge is nearly horizontal and the point almost touches the in sertion of the sleeve. The sleeves are pleated at the shoulder. Another winter jacket, atriflo more expensive but very effective, is made in rich brown cloth, with full balloon sleeves and moderately tight lower s'ceves, turned up in neat gauntlets. The collar and lapels are quite Urge, and roll gracefully from highnp in the neok down to the shoulder. Both collar, lapels and edging are trimmed with beaver or other thick fur. The lower hem is left plain, braided in the same color or trimmed with the same kind of fur. In both the jackets there are good, substantial pockets on eaoh side. These are quite large at the openingand much larger within. They are lined with Canton flannel or with fine fur, and enable the wearer to en joy the man's delight warm hands on a cold day. CAPES MUST BE WORX Sleeves show no signs of diminish ing in size, with the result that capes are again to be worn this winter. Large sleeves must always be enemies to coats, for the latter, he they ever so ample, will necessarily 'crush the former. The new capes are longer thin those of last season, reaching well below the waist. Much jet is used for their adornment and embroideries of all i kinds. An autumn model shown to me was made of black faille worked all over with jet. j The trimming consisted of long tabs 1 1 '1 . l I. A Xl. ' oi uroau riooou aiso wrougm wiiu jev, and reaching to near the hem of the cloak. The ribbon ends were oval shaped, and the collar, formed also of ribbon, was very high and framed the face. PopciABrrr of velvets. Velvet ribbons have the appearance. of monopolizing the attention, for a time at least, ithis winter. Skirts will be more or less trimmed, and vel vet ribbon will be largely that trim iing. It will be pat at the foot in the ihape of plain band, sometimes in gradnated width, or in row of three to . 'i7B, Velvet will be tns popnlf.r fabrio all winter, very largely used for sleeve In woolen gowns, for bodices to which leevea like the skirt will be attached, rvn TRtMMRn. and for whole suiU, to say nothing of jackets and wraps. The rage for velvet will extend even to the head coverings, and, for a time at least, they will all be made of vel vet, pushing felt hats far in the back ground, for fashionable wear. The velvet hats are to be made np "while you wait," and will suit the individual taste, so that no two women will wear hats alike, which is renlly the proper thing. No woman wants to pay $2(1 fl-V TTK-TniMMED JACKET t AN APPLIQUE CAPK. for an "imported" bonnet. Next to velvot, fur will be the pop ular trimming. An odd fancy for capes is especially designed, it would seem, lor the working over of one' old furs. You cHn take one of the old deep fur capes to the fur shop, and, by the addition of a deep border of velvot, or some sharply contrasting fur, which will be set onto your oape, the bottom of which has been out in deep notches, you can have an elegant new garment, and one whioh i pre eminently stylish, at comparatively small cost. MILLINERY HINTS!. Hats are still worn fairly on the top of the head, with either the little cen tral ourl or the bare forehead showing. If the forehead be high, the hat is set so well down that the start of the di vision of the hair is covered, and then the locks appear in artistio slant down over the ears and hiding the temples. Then on the larger hats the crop of plume seems even more luxuriant than it was last winter. HANDSOME AND STYLISH. Velvet hats with brim in black and soft velvet tarn crowns overhanging a jeweled hand are made jaunty by thrusting a pair of plumei under the eaves of the crown and allowing them to nod beyond the brim, this on both side. At the back the brim turns up sharply, and through a pair of slashes, end of the jeweled band hang down and make a knot of glitter against ihe hair. Henry Bentley, who was for many year identified with telegraphic and telephone enterprises, left nearly $1, 000,000. About twenty-five years ago he was an assistant editor of the Phil- l .-.delphia Inquirer at J15 per week. i - urn f Consider the Thumb. A certain clan of philosophers assert that character may be determined by the thumb' shape. A vain person is said to fold the thumb under if it is too long for beauty. A grasping per son lias a long thumb that turns back ward like a hook. A goo I natnred Eerson hai a short thumb. The artist' aud is a .long, delicate one, and the thumb in keeping. An artisiu's is short, thick, and stumpy, usually with broken nails, so that to somo extent the thumb is an index to occupation. At present it is tho only one of the finger exempt from ring wearing, ex cept by eccentric actors, bnt for many centuries it was decorated in this mat ter. Kings were especially given to wearing "thumb rings," and they were still in use at the time of Henry IV. both for ornament and as a "mga manual." The setting Was uaiially a nwol cut in some distinctive design, ike a family crest, from which is de rived the word "seal ring." There is an old superstition con cerning a woman's thumb. If in dos ing the hand the thumb folds out of the fingers she will rule her husband. ' If under, she will be ruled by him. It Is hinted that a majority of them fKl out. In grasping, the thutrb is opposed to four fingers and exerts just four times as much strength. It yon donbt it try to hang to a turning pole with out using the thnmb. An examination of its musclos will show that they aro the largest and strongest in the hand. Injury to this member sets at rest any dispute as to its sovereignty over the other fingers. Tie it np in a rag and you will be convinced. Chioago Tribune. An Old Kill ol Fare. Colonel William Gardner, one of Dallas County's best citizens, was a visitor to the city yesterday. He went to California in 1819 and made a for tune out of a restaurant. He says that when a fellow took soup and did not pay for it before he commenced to eat it a waiter would walk np and stick a large syringe in the soup plate and suck it all up. As soon as the fellow would reach down in his pocket and pull out the money it would be squirted back in the plate again. As exaggerated ss it may Bound, the following is n bill of fare that the Colonel served at his restaurant : Soup llean, S?l ; oxtail (short), $1.50. Ilonst Beef, Mexican (prime cut), $1.50; plain, $1; tame, from the States, $1.50 ; beef up alonj, $1 ; with one spud (fair sir.?), 81.25. Vegetables Baked beans, plain, 75o. ; greased, $1 ; two spuds (fair size), iieelo.l, 73c. Entrees Sauerkraut, SI ; bnuon, fried, $1 ; st lifted, $1 ; hush, low grade, 75o. ; hash, eighteen carats, $1. Game Codfish balls, 75o. ; grizzly roast, $1 ; grizzly, fried, 75a. ; jaokass rabbit (whole), $1 ; rice pudding, plain, 75c. ; with molasses, $1 ; rioe pudding with brandy peaches, $2. Square meal, $3, payable in ad vance. N. U. Gold scales nt the end of the bar. Solma(Alo,) Times. "lce I'lnco t Live. It must be pleasant living in Hon? . dnras, to judge by the report Biohard Harding Davis brings back. "There is nothing green that grows in Hon duras," he says, "that is not saturated and alivo with bags and all manner of things that oreep and crawl and sting and bite. If you walk twenty foet into the bushes you have to be beaten with rods as if you were a dusty carpet, and when the insects have once laid their claws on you you feel at night as if sleeping in a bed with red pep per." ' Absorption acd Reflection of Colon. It is to the manner in whioh differ ent ootors are absorbed or reflected by a body that its color is due. If white light fall npon a red rose bush, the red alone is rerlcoted from the flower, the other colors being absorbed. The '' green loaves, on the other hand, ab sorb the red entirely, and reflect near ly all the green light. A rose in green light or a leaf in red light would ap pear absolutely blaok, for in each case the light which the object can reflect is absent. Inventive Age. linzzard Attncks a Train. A railroad man from Fensacola told a Birmingham (Ala.) Age-Herald re porter that a few nights since a buz zard flow against tbo headlight of an engine drawing the mail train on tbe 1'ensacola and Atlantio Kailroad, be tween Bonifay and Coryville. The large bird struck the glaas with such force as to smash it in, and the burner was knocked off the lamp. The oil caught fire and the buzzard was near ly roasted before it was released, which had to be done with a crowbar. Tho Boa Constrictor' Strength. The bea constrictor i capable ut swallowing deer, calves or men whole. It first crushes its victim's bones by the strength of its folds. It usually catches its prey by hanging from the branch of a tree near the place .where the animal go to water, and it de structive powers are pressure for it has no poison fangs. Why Elephants Can't Be Liherateif. Mule elephants are employed, as well a females, in tbe Indian army, although tbe latter are preferred. When the former are captured they cannot be liberated again, for in that case the chances of imprisoning other elephant in the same district woul be at an end, a they would warn others away. Detroit Free Press. The ontput of the eoal mine of India last year wax 2,750,000, of whioh Bengal claim the greatest hare, Hyderabad coming leoond. ' -
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers