Cubahn fifty-four ports, many of tliem lu a labyrinth of keys and sand bars, but only nineteen lighthouses. Canndn'is worried about the increase cf hr debt, tho large growth of her tarra mortgages and the constant emi gration of her young men. Trilby cannot be naod as a trade mark in England, tho minis bciug em ployed too generally. Ho the Court ef Chancery has jltnt decided. The Danube flows through coun tries in which fifty-two language and dialects are apokon. It is 2,000 miles in length, and boars on its current four-fifths of tho commerce of Eastern Europe An English woman has won an aotion for breach ot promise of mar rin go brought against a man who was Innatio at the tima of the action. Ilia trustoes wore condemned to pay $2,500 for him. This is law. A recent export estimate of the ex tent of the anthrncite oonl fields in the United States places thoir con tents at 11,021,400,000 tons. The annual production averages 45,000, 000 tons, at which rate the supply would last some 2C3 years. Cotton manufacture in the South is not likely to be discouraged by tho faot that lost year some of the better equipped cotton mills paid not less than twenty percent per annum npon capital invested, obeervoa the New York Recorder. Within tho last few years it has oc curred, through legal trickery and despotism, that there has not been a ingle Cuban in the board of aldermen ef Havana, declares the New York Tribune. Every seat was filled by a Spaniard, imported from Spain, From 1878 to tho present time tbft province'of Matunzas has had twenty governors, eighteen of thorn Spaniards and two Cubaus, and one of the latter whs an army officer who had fought against his countrymen in the ton years' war. These cases are mere samples, which might be duplicated a hundred times. They show how Cuba is misgoverned by aliens, and why tor people desire home rule. An experiment has boon latoly made by tho Charlesbank gymnasium, in Boston, of free publio hot and cold water baths. At first, rolatos Harp er' Weekly, the attendance was very alight, but as the people have couio to know about it, thero has been a steady growth in numbers. On Saturday, which has already boon the tradition al cleaning-day in New Euglund, over one hundred wore turned away on aoconnt of the hot water giving out, Many wore evou willing to brave tho terrors of tho oold bath. Tho popula tion of Boston have boon offurod for years privileges of summer bathing in the nut too clean waters of the har bor aud its tributaries, but this is the first ixporimont in supplying free hot wutor baths to the publio on a Satur day. Perhaps freo beans on Sunday will be the next advance in the civio progress towards "broad and cir cuses," , If Italy's natioual teudoncy toward homicide could only be centered upon King Mouolek's Abyssinian war riors tho crafty and pugtiaoious Afri can would soon be defoated, the Washington Star maintains. . Aaron Garofolo discussed the statistics of homioido in Italy bofore a R ininn au dience reoontly aud threw consider able light npon a topio which must be interesting alike to Italiuus and tour ists who may be sojourners in Italy, During 1895, said the baron, the total number of murders in Italy was about four thousand, or one homioido every two hours. In no other civilized country does such a sanguinary condi tion of affairs prevuil, the ratio even in excitable Fruuoe beiug only one tenth of tho Italian, while in Den markthe best-bohaved of Euro xean countries the ratio is ono " thirty-fifth. The baron doolurod, after careful investigation of the sub ject, that Italy's pheuomenally san' ' rainary disposition is dne. to the vendetta, the duello, and to the uu restrained influences of heredity." No effeotive effort to batter the prevail ing conditions seems to have been made, for evar lino 1802 there- has been steady inoreasa of delinquency '"' and mendioauoyto such an extent that ' criminals and beggar abound in all Italian communities. The remedy, aay the baron who co frankly critt iaoa hit own people, oan only eoutt) through religions instruotioo. Purely woral teaohiug is good enough so far a it goes, but be deems itiusuCoieut fa gives to religion the credit for ' ' v r-reut reJuutionof daMnqaer?; ' 1 r ;ad! v:'J.t lj y i ' Cows in the Meadow. When springing meads are freshly dlnnl, Ami trees new leafed throw scarce a una low, Tho green earth shows no fairer sight Than soft-oyeil kino and blowing meailow. Too calm for earn, too slow for mirth, Amid tho shower, amid the gleam. Tho groat mild mother creatures scorn Half-walking form) o' tho dreamy earth. And down the pathway through tho grass To school tho merry children pass. Hinging a rhyme in the April morn, How Tlvre's red for the furrows, aud whlto for tho daisies. Drown eyes for tho brooks, for tho trees crumpled horns ! When quivering leaves make loaves of Unlit And both tho sward beneath thnm dapple, When May bough cream In curdling whlto. And strawberry cream doth flush tho apple, Tho great mild mother creatures He And grow In absence of the sun, Ono with tho moon ami stars, and on With silvery cloud and hushed dark sky. And down tho pathway through the grass To school tho merry children pass, Hinging a rhyme In tho morns of Juno, How There's whlto for the cloudlets, nnd black for the darkness, And two polished horns for tho sweet sickle moon. Vida Drlss. A Matrimonial Campaign. Bt HELEN FOHUEST GRAVES. The old village clock was striking eight in its muftlod, asthmntio way, whon Mr. Biidgefield came up the garden path with a paper of moist, brown sugar under ono arm, nnd half a pouud of pnraflluo caudles nuder the other. On each sido of him rose up plump ads of cabbages, and blue-groen swamps of onions. A thrifty hop vine was waving its tassols against the porch pillars, and a bed of parsley was growing rankly by the gate. For Mr. Blidgoflold was a firm boliever in the beauty of utility. In the days of his' deceasod wife there had beon a faint attempt at moruiug-glory vines, clove-pinks aud Johuny-jumpers around the house, but Mr. Blidgoflold soon settled that matter. "Fudge I" he had ruthlessly cried. "They ain't good to noitber Btew for cough-mixtures, nor to boil up for groons. Looks? What do I care for looks? Ain't a squash bloom evory bit as protty as a marigold, I'd like to kuow? My daughter must be brought up not to care fur empty show I" Aud so all the wild,fantustio beauty of nature had been narrowod down into vegetable borders aud potato patches, and the aouls of tho Blidgo Hold children had boon narrowed ac cordingly. Money I money I monoyl That was the god of Mr. Blidgefteld's idolatry. He went to church on Sunday, and sat ont the eorvioe in his bard and cushionless pow, but to him all that the choir sang and the preacher preached was mouey I He attoudod the prayer-meetings punctually, for he was a member of tho church, but he never put more thau a copper pouny in the plate. "If evory man takes care of nurabor one," he said, with a hard compres sion of his lignum-vita) lips, "tho whole world will be took care of I" Ho rose up oarly to economize tho sunshiue, nnd lay down late for fear of wastiug time. He kept a whole al manac full of proverbs on the tip of his tongue, and detiouuced "shiftless- noss as ii it wore one ol the seven ourdiual sins. Dancing was na iuntru ment of the Evil One; novel rending was the opening wodgu to Dunte's Purgatorio. Anythiug in tho shapo of iunocent recreation was a direct fly ing in tho face of Providence, Aud the Biidgefield children grew upganut, careworn and prematur ely old under the system of truinfng. ' Mr. Blidgothjld's first wife had dropped quietly aud obscurely into her grave before . anyone fairly com proheuded that she was not in high health. Hard work and a relentless tahkmaster had fairly worried her out of the world. And oil the neighbor hood marveled, when ten years after ward, Nancy Bloom married the wid ower. Nuncy was the village school-teach' er a brigut even, uuxoin youug woman of tweuty-eight or thirty. She had taken a fancy to the little Blidgefields, and she was tired of tenoning, aud wanted a home. ' "You'll find Bun Biidgefield a bard oat to crack," aald the neighbors, warningly. . "Ill risk it," Nancy had cheerily replied, Aud ao she married Mr. Blidgeflold, and went to the farm-bouse to live. . Tti six young Blidgefields had been told that a stepmother was a fearful f'-jj'but to their surprise they f -d llrs.. Biidgefield, Number Two, kr jlotion of dslight. . . a sbuwsd me how to boil cr2? wlta hickory-nut chopped np in it," said Simeon, a weird child of eleven, who was popu larly supposed to be ignorant even of the notion of a humming-top. Shu give mo apple-sass ou' my bread," whispered Mariou, the next. "We're to have pie every day," chuckled Moses who liked good thlugs to eat and drink. 'And I'm to lay up the berry- money for a blue muslin frock all of my own," added Adelina, who never hail worn anythiug but her mother's faded old calico gowns scantily cut over. "I'm to have a bran-fir a now tool- chest if I raise tho red hoifer calf," exulted George, 'tho tallost boy. And Leroy,'tho eldest, who had been scolded, snubbed and kept down all his life, felt, with a thrill of hap piness, that his new stopmother se cretly sympathized with his efforts to rise in the world. "Now she's bore," thought Loroy, I feel as if I oould do most any thing." Mr. Biidgefield had sonrcoly boon married a weok when he came home ou a raw, rainy night, with the pack ets of groceries under his arms, aud a dissatisfied frown between his brows. "Two candles," he siid, peeping gloomily under the ball-fringed win dow curtain. "Aud chicken for sup per aud npplo-sass, and cheese I And every one settin' round, and nobody loin' no work. This won't do. Naucy must learn better than this." Ho opened tho door and walked grimly in. Dead silence foil upon the children at tho wot-blnnkoting apparition of "father." But Naucy looked cheer fully up. "You're late, aren't you, Benja min?" said she. "What's this?" said Mr. Blidgo flold, ignoring hor query, as he glared around. "It's upper," said Nancy. "Sit down, my dear, and help yourself." "Chicken I" oroaked tho farmer.nud spring ohiokou at that, when they're a-fetchin' CO cents a pair at tho hotel t Sweet cake, sass, and the best knives! Moses, put them fowls buck in tho cupboard. Thoro's plenty o' cold pork loft from yesterday, I caloulntu. Ad'liny, blow out ono o' them caudles. Tho way we burn caudles is rodioii lous aud store candles, tool Why, wo never thought o' uslu' anything but dip candles wheu " ".Moses, lot the chickens alouo," said Mrs. Biidgefield, iu softly delib erate accents. "Adelina, don t med dle with the caudles." "What," roared Mr. Biidgefield, banging tho package of sugar dowu ou the table, nnd rattling the candles beside them like a small spark of ar tilory. "I thought porhaps you had for gotten that I wus housekeeper here," said Naucv. The children turned as many colors at the rainbow : .Uos.'S, wuo was con stitutionally uorvons, got behind his stepmother; Simoon edgod a little. noarer to the poker ; Mariou swallowed Uor last morsel oi cauo witn.4mch precipitation us noarly to choke; her self; Adelina began to sob unY auivol under her breath. r "Mrs. Biidgefield," auidj tho irate farmer, " will you bo so ijood as to explain yourself? " f "Oh certaiuly !" sahA the late Miss Nancy Bloom. "As long ns I am mibtress here I iutiud to consult my owu inclination. I shall undertake to give you fjood food, and to keep yourself and your children comfort ably clothed ; but I shall choose my own method of doing it," "Madam," said Mr. 'Biidgefield, loosening vhe folds of his oravat, as if there oame au apopleotio pressure thero, "you will obey me, or you will leave my house." "Oh no; I guess not I" said Nanoy serenely. "It's my house now. You put it iu my uumo the day after wo wero married, to esaipe taxation. But you were mistaken thou. I intend to pay the taxes regularly on it myself. It is no part of my polioy to evade my just debts. And I've mouey enough saved from school-teaching to run tho farm very nioely, with the help of Loroy and Oeorgo." "Thoy shan't stay hare I" shouted Mr. Biidgefield, the vein starting out on hi templo like ragged whip cord. "Of course they are at liberty to take their own ohoioe about that," said Nanoy,calmly. "I'll stay with atepmotbor," said George and. Loroy, in one broatti of chivalrio eagerness. "So'll II" squeaked Simeon. And the three girla clung, with as severation of tha fondest affeotion, around Nanoy. ' Mr. Biidgefield eyed the tableau with impotent rage. Mr. Biidgefield smiled superior. ' - i . "Now, Bon," said she in the coax ing touu with which one cajoles a lit tle child, "don't be a iooll You know perfectly Well that you are in tho minority. If you choose to stay here aud conduct yourself ns a doccnt Christiau mnu should, I'll do my very best to make your homo pleasant. If not" "Weill" ahoutod Mr. Biidgefield, still tugging at bis oravat folds. "Well, madam, and what thon?" "Why, than," said Naucy compos edly, "you can go about your busi ness." Mr. Biidgefield romainod to contest the mutter no lougcr. lie strode out of the hbuso, banging tho door be hind him, by way of parting bouodio tion. "I'll consult a lawyer," said be. "I never, never was so treated bofore in the wholo courso of my lifol" Ho consulted a lawyor, but the ver diet was not favorable to his side of the matter. He remained outside the fortress for a week, vainly hoping that Mrs. Blidgefidd aud tho garrison would capitulate. But they didn't. And then ho lowered his own oolors. Nuncy had boeu too much for him. But sho never twitted him with his lack of success. She only smiled a gracious wolcumo. "And I mint confess," he aftorwur 1 added, "that I never was so comfort able afore ns Nancy makes mo. " The children poor souls! said tho same thiu?. Their stepmother had brought a now sunshiue iu the dreary old farmhouse. She had cvon civil ized their father, in some degree. Aud tho neighbors all wondered how it was that Nancy Bloom got along so nioely with that old crab of a husband of hers. Saturday Night, Queer Republics. Tho queer little Italian ropublio of San Merino, with its 33 square miles of torritory and its population of 6,000 lies np in the eastern spurs of the Aponuino Mountains. It is goveruod by a Grand Council of 0) who are olectod for lifo, and two Presidents, ouo of whom is appointed by the Council, the other eleotu I by the poo plo. Tho little republic has an army of 930 men, who nro employed only as policemen. S in Mariuo is the only country iu tha world that prohibits tho introduction of the printing-press. Tho city of Siu Mit iuj, with a population of 170), is one of tho queerest old towns iu tho world. It husuudergono no change in 200 years. This ropublio begun iu 1031. A littlo bit larger thau Saa Marino in population, but six timos as large in aroa, is tho ropublio of Andorra. It lies in a valley of tho eastern Pyrenees between Franoe and Spain. It became a free state iu 819. It is goveruod by a Sovoroigu Couuoil of 24 members, eleotod by tho pooplo, and a Syndic, or president, chosen for lifo bjrtljjj CjtiuoiT."' h -Um U my ol 1,1'JU men, nuu ono uig gun planted in the centre of tho ropublio. This gun carries a bull twenty miles, und Europe trembles at the thought of it buiug tiro I. Iu An dorra, tho capital is tho palace a stone building several huudred years old. Hero the Counailmou moot Tho ground-iloor is tho stable whore thoir horses aro kept and fed by thoir mat ter thomsulves. Harper's Round Table. G?oso That Mado an Eclipse. "While I was on n hunting trip last mouth at Iuman, Kan. I saw a sight which few sportsmen hive ever soon," said Cook Herman. "One night just as it was growing dusk our party was hunting on a lake where we had boon haviug good suooess with duck. Sud denly tho sky seomed to be clouded over so that we thought a storm was coming up', but on looking to see what was the cause ot the auddou darkness wo disooverod that immedi ately over us was a flight ot wild geese whioh litorully covered the sky as far as the eye oould roach. I do not be lieve I would be exaggerating )f I was to say that the geese in that flight wore numbered by the thousand. For half an hour we watched them flying by forming all sort of piotur esquo group like map in the sky, shifting rapidly from one combina tion to another. They were flying just high enongh to be out of gunshot reaoh.but I maunged to kill one of tho tired stragglers, whioh had fallen be hind one of the big buuohes and ven tured where ha oould be reached by a long shot. It was a sight which I shall never forget and I am still re gretting that wo oould not have got a oraok at thtm. " Kausa City Jour nal. ' , A Kanaaa man ha been baying thoiisanda of jok rabbit at fire cent a head toaeud to tho market of all tho largo eastern oitio. . A BOYAL HONOR. Miss' Maria Brooks, the English painter, is entitlod to place the royi arms upon all hor portraits and p tures. After she wou the gold me at South Kensington, the queen s her an order to paint someth for hor majesty's possession honor carried with it the privil that all British artists have. BLACK WILLOW FEATHBns). Black willow feather ostrich plumes with uncurled, drooping jues, tipped with fine plumage constitute tho prinoipnl trimming of a Inry; hat of rough black straw. At cac aide af the front is a chou of Dresden rib bon iu light colors. At tho bask aro loops of the ribbon, and a trio ot the graceful feathers whioh droop over the orown. Now York Morcnry, .1 m - they'll eat bctter. The Wellesley, Mass.', college girjs will not go without buttor for a mouth, for the suke of iho buffering Arme nians. The thirty or more young women who live at Fiske oollugo expressed thoir desire to abstoin from tho use of butter thirty duys. in order that the money thus saved should fjQ tho relief of Armenia. The faculty, howevar, deoidad that gollcge girls bud need of buttor, and that contributions to the relief fund 3ould bo made iu other ways, whioh,' if not so romautio, would be equally effective. New York Recorder. ONE WOMAK'8 EXPERIENCE, "I can easily boliove iu Cuban itrooitics," said a Now York woman, n-hoso husbaud is a native of that iunny Islo. "Some oousius of Joso's onmo to the city, aud iu nu ovil mo ment I iuvitod their children to spend tho day .with mino, aud turned thorn loose in tho nursory. I wont up a couple of hours luter and found they had gone out and bought a pouud of buttor, which they hod sproud on the now carpet to make a slide, aud wore rushing up and down enjoying them' selves immonsely. I don't think any thing oould bo more atrocious than that." "MI MOIIT OF ETHIOPIA. The wifo of Menelek of Abyssinia is UATirrbr-''th Light of Ethi. oiia." Tho London GraiTW oesonoos hor as a very warlike lady, who isV'id to havo desired to loud her body-gutfd in person to tho assault of MaknlW LUU ViUUI I , I J . AlUICIGI, HIIU 111,. (J teen hor speak iu favorable terms of .1.. T. !,.. ...1... 1 s her personal nppoaranoa and intelli gence. A native of Semion, sho is a member of one of tho noblest fumilies in Ethiopia, Menelek full in lovo with her, and has ever ulnco, his marriage been hor most devotod slave. Every state question is referred to her by the Kiug, and on more than one oo oasion she has herself written import ant documents. Shu drosses iu Ethi opian oostumo, but with 'much ele gance and taste. New York Post. FAMILY PETS AND WOMEN. The family of the lata general Mo- Clollan were devoted to auiinals. In deed, Miss MoClellan carried her devotion o far that she usod to take hor white tuioe (whioh wore named, by the way, ufter the kings of tho ancient Egyptian dynasties) to tho Italian opera, as Mrs, Van Rensselaer Cruger did her celebrated turtle, Mile. Miohetto, which, attired in it rosy, colored sash, usod to be brought in on 0 tray by tbe butler to ahow to casual callers. When the MoClollana' house down town was burned some year ago the family pet inoluded an elderly aud infirm cat, Samuel J. Tildon by name. Mrs. McClellun stood on tho sidewalk watching the destruction of her household goods, and exclaimed, iu great auxiety i "Oh! where i Sam uel?" A kindly fireman overheard her. "Do not tear, madam, the chil dren will all bo saved." It ia pleasant to record that Samuel wa resoued uninjured. New York Journal TBI LATEST ABOCT BKIRT. Modes have grown more fluffy, and aklrti spread, rippiei ana rustle inor than ever. There are those who think this indicate roturn of ruffles, flounces, and other elaborate skirt trimmings; but skirts must loos half their present width before any trim ming more than a narrow border at the foot can be tolerated. An occasional effort is made to vary tho monotony of Vplain skirts by the introduction of vAytioal trimmings, in the form ot panelsborderlng the front breadth, narrow vines of eilk or spauglo eratiroider,! or of passemen terie simulating it-Va the seams, and fan-ploitings in;od'scod betweon the) gores, inis iasimthod is conven ient lor remodeim). ynrrow ,kirU of. rich fabrics, A velet can thus 1 widened with plaitiugso' satin, of inonizing shades, extendUna irom tho waist to the foot, and inserted between the back bread hs as well as on tho sides ot the front. Tftis is not an eoonomy, however, except to utilize expensive stuffs, a a whplo breadth of silk or satin is required lor each plait ing. Doraorost's Magazine. ACSTMA's WOMEN BERBER. The Austrian take no chances with thoir barbers. They mut be good. anu tne uaruers sua , ., -n . 'tl union of Vienna sees to are. Provision is also. code for "women barb carry on the busi bands in case illness, But i ns an np prentices, by must nppear in Vioui I 7 lam the presence of judges of tho unit and show their skill before thoy are 1 lowed to open shops of their own, A properly oorti Led barber, must have a knowledge o I ana pass an ex-l amination in sha nbg, hair-catting,1 liair-curling.aud wi imakiug, and dnr ing the period befo 16 the issuance of a Oertitlcata the po it and other who are frugal serve as kubjeots for export ment i mo exumiunuion the young men have their razors dtuejy four strokes in a pino plank, aba they mast then sharpen them. A ubject i assigned to each, who must' bo tonsorinljy per feet, in the opiuion0f the judges, when tho oppratiCe ha released him. After thl a celtjfWa is is.na.1 and tho approirtioe sl-rvos two year as 1 L 1 juuruoymuu "e0ra be may open aj ation as an eni loyor. The averaj age of appront they boin to learn thoir t HtwiiW ftf1; yeara St. FASHION NOTE noil bodiea have All the i ,. uncus. . I Tho- latest wedding envelopes a j oblong. V Rose pink figures largely in ummeir fabrics, ' I , T . T 1 . . : I . . i " ' a uaicr collecting is ma taiosi lau the up-to-date woman. Groen ia undoubtedly tho reigni color. In all it various ihadiuz is mora prominent thau any other. Tho silk waists still form part of t costumes, and the gowns that i made with wuists to match are s the exception to the rule. .1 Aigrettes are a feature ot many the season' bats; white ones are usi more than any other, and they apt in most unexpected places. Percales that have madras efic selling welt for early wear, bnt t ia no donbt but the thinner fat will be in great demand later qn. Black and white ribbona aro much aought after by fine retail t Blaok aatin ground overlaid white aud white taffeta ground uiucK cgure ana stripe or t: freely. A a substitute lor the aigr single small wbito leather w used. It will atand no very al with tho tip ourliug over. This is seeu on a few ot tho exo) French bats. ' ' ' Th jacket shown aro oxc mart, and thero aro lortuuat ' eral different atylea to choose ' that botli atout and (lend cau ohoosi what is tnok bo their ropotivo figuro. m vvjf?mni.ers r r f a. 4 ... 'Vt. be when ule is 13 t Mch. 9
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers