l'utrooir is the Intent addition to tbo vocabulary of motor vehicles, signifying a petroleum motor carriage. Fur-bearing animals aro boenming o scarce that the feasibility of brood ing thorn Is beiiiff discussed. It is Conceded Hint Siberia would lis tlie most desirable pines for the esUblish ment of farms for this purpose. It appears to bn a common practice, bout both New York and Boston, not to have school on rainy days. No doubt the objection is that the chil dren catch cold sitting in damp clothes, explains Harper's Weekly. A schoolmaster in Cleveland, Ohio, offered prize of one dollar to the pupil who produced the best aphor ism. Here is the wine advice that won the prize: "If you have n good tem per, hang on to it) and if you bare a bad one, don't lose it." The Charleston News and Courier calls for the proteotion and perseva tion of tbo forests in North and South Caroline. If aotion is not speedily taken, it says, the streams will dry up and the indnstrial and agricultural in terests of the two states will be seri ously menaood. The Ameer of Afghanistan is a re former. He has given ordors for the introduction of calf vaccination in Cabal, in order to stem the annual ravages of smallpox, which flestroya no less than one-fifth of the infant popnlation every time it appears. At a recent publio cememony tha Araoer made a speech oalling upon the people to aid him in enforcing the nniversal vaccination of children. Certain streets in the oily of Bos ton have been in a dreadfully con gested condition, owing to the great number of street cars which have been obliged to pass through them. Prob ably half of the cars mako their way through Treinont street nnd the othor half through Washington streot. Tbo windings and twistings and tbo nar rowness of the crooked streots oftou Mopped traffic, and the cars would be blocked for sovcral miles through those two crowded thoroughfares. A subway is now being built by means of which a large portion of the street car trnfflo will be accommodated aud --l: 11.. i. ti.. ,ll tcr tbe subway at the Public Gordon and leave, it iu tbo oxtremo northern part of the city. Tbo cost wilt be, probably, about $7,000,000, . includ ing $1,500,000 for land damages. The appuaranoo of the Hon. Henry W. Bluir in the Legislature of New Hampshire, after having Borvod as a United States Seuator for tbe same commonwealth, reoalls to the New York Mail and Express a long lino of famous Americans who likewise occu pied places of lesser importance after having tilled larger oues. John Qnincy Adnms went to Congress after having been President, and ex-President Johnson was elected a Sonator from Tennessee. Linu Boyd beoama Lieutenant-Governor of Kentucky, after having served as Speaker in tbe House of Congress. Houry Clay, John J. Crittenden, Richard M. Johnson, Joseph B. Underwood nnd David Aleriwethor nil served in tbe Kentuoky Legislature after having bold seats in tha United Slates Seuate. Jesse D. Bright was a member of tbe Kentucky Assombly after be had been a United States Senator from Indinua. Caleb Cusbing of Massaobusotts, and De Witt Clinton of New York, hold State offices after retiring from the Federal Senate. It is claimed in tbo New Orleans Picaynne "that tbe once famous Henry Clay Dean was the original Reuben who bad hay seed in his hair. Dean went to Iowa in tha early days oi ' that state and settled on a small arm Tha first year he raised a considerable quantity of oats and assisted in cutting and placing them in bia barn. After tbe oats bad been disposed of Dean started to dig a well, a Usk that ooeu .pied two or three weeks, owing to its caving in before he completed it, nearly bnryiog tha . orator. Soma time after the well was finished be oomplaiued of headache, a trouble be seldom had. In a week or two after tha headaches started they became so aevere tbat ha oalted upon a pbyaioian and was given medicine whiob did no good. Another visit resulted, and tbe doctor eonoluded to examine tbe besd and see where the trouble lay. 'Mr. jLMofi.'go and have it mowed was bis , continent. Tbe dirt from tbe well bad fallen npon oats, and tha rosult was a food crop starting in tba unkempt I it lot tba preaober. Ha had tbe ' 'jrout, tha only time, it is aaid, tbat " - r"--i auoh an operation after he A CLEVER RUSE. Wells Compton was telling Ihe story. It was about a duel to tho death in which he had engaged while in Ari zona, and wa all listened attentively. He had told about tbe canse of tbe combat. Bill Crockford, the bully of the oauip.had thrown a glass of whisky in his face because he did not like a remark tbat bad been made by the tenderfoot, nnd Compton bad retali ated by striking him a hard blow on the cheek. Crockford was for using his aix-ehooter right away, bnt the crowd made him desist and insisted upon fair play. "I knew the man was likely to kill me before I left tbe groggery," said Compton, "so I said : " 'I will tight yon, and fight yon now, but mark yon, we will fight on something like eqnal terms. With re volvers I should be nothing but a vio tim to your skill, so as I am entitled 'o the choice of weapons, wa wilt use Winchesters, for, although I never fired one in my life, I can nse tbe rifle better than tbe revolver.' "A dead quiet full on tbe group ns Crockford noddod bis head in token of assent. I had, ns I knew, chosen the deadliest style of duelling iu foroe out there. "Old Mottrain broke the eilouoe by saying: 'It seems, boys, that this affair must go on. Crockford, bev ye yer weapon here?' " 'No, but I will soon bring it,' whs tbe response as ho turned aud walked out. "1 now bad about nn hour at my disposal, aud taking Dalziel nside I asked bun to bo my second, which be acceded to. I gnve biin all the moucy I bad on mo, some $000, nud told bim that if I should be killed be was to bury ma decently and that be might keep any balance left over. Then on a sheet of note pnpor I wrote a brief will, disposing of my interests iu certain concerns. "I did not wasto any time in think ing of my poor mother, my sisters, or any dearer one at all. T,be fact was tbat I hadn't any eweotheart or rela tions of any kind save and exoept my dear old dad, and well I knew that be, a major under tbe flag of old Euglnud, would rather have helped to bury me with his own bunds than that bis son should turn tail in such a case. Nuitbor was I disturbed in my miud about what some would call the awful responsibility which must rest npou me if I killed this man. No, sir! I just mennt to drill as many and as deadly holes in bis rascally carcass ns good fortune and my skill could to gether effect. Brutal, no doubt you will say. Perhaps it was, but I wan going to shoot to kill for all tbat, for if ever a man meaut bloodshed iu this world, Bill Crockford meant it when be went out of tbat saloon. "What I did thiuk of, however, was bow to increase my chances of success, as I certainly did not want to be killed, or even wounded, so I mentally laid down a plan of campaign, or method of operation as it were. "There was still about half nn hour before my adversary could got back, o Dalziel proposed my having a few hots to get used to tbe Winchester which I was to use. About 200 yards away stood an old shanty, empty aud tumbled down ; on this Dalzii I stuck tbe white lid of a box, offering a plain mark of perhaps twelve inches square. I took tba rifle and after firing two shots for direotion and elevation I walked over to see bow I bad got on, then eame back and resumed firing. When I got through tbreo aud twenty cartridges, we all, tbat is, the rest of tha men in the store with Dalziel and myself, walked over to tbe target, " "Great Scott rexolaimed old Mot tram, 'why, there ain't a single bullet within five feet of that box lid. You ain't got no show at all agin Crocky, an' if I was yon I'd own up and apolo gize.' " 'I thank you for your advice,' I replied, 'I believe I have mora cbanoe tban yon fancy, bnt if I bad none, this affair would have to go on, unless, indctd, your man should leg my par- 0 for throning bis glass in my " 'There niu't much chance of that, I fenr. He's dond sot on shooting yer, sir, but I wish there was some way of stoppin' this affair. It seems onrea soimblo that yon should meet a man sich a tremenjous lot bettor ner yonr self when your life will most likely bev to pay the slake.' 'Orookford soon nrrivod at tho store, bringing bis rifle with him, and of course a whisper or two from his friends made bim acquainted with tbe results of my target praotioe. Dal ftinl made a Inst attempt to prevent a meeting and addressed Crockford npon the evil of carrying this affair to a ter mination, which must almost inevit ably result in murder, on account of my poor target prsotioo. Crockford said : " 'There ain't no particular reason for fighting, if be will appolergize fer strikin' that blow, bnt he's got ter do it, nnd got ter do it humble, too, or else let bim git bold of his rifle. I won't say no more.' "I impatiently waived to Dalziel to desist and eigned to Mottram to pro seed with the necessary preliminaries. Taking the two riflea from our bands be pressed, one by oue.into the maga zines of eiiob of tbemsovcu cartridges. '"Now, 'said he, when this was done, 'yon, Crockford, are woll posted as to how these affaire nre managed here, but for fear thst yon' turning to me 'may not be so well acquainted with t:inm I will tell yer the conditions. These two rifles will be laid down on the middle of the rond, where it goes over tbo plain in a straight line, tboy will be pliiojd over two humlrod yards apart, and you will stand oanb boside his gun. Wo, that is, Dalziel nnd myself, will stand between you uud to ouo side. When I throw my lint up yon are each at liberty to get your gnu nnd make the best uso of it ngniu one iinot her. You may stand and fire, or lay down und lire ns you please. You kin rim in on one unotber, or if either of yon chooses, ho kin run back. Tbern's plouty of road, too ;each ofyoil has about llfty miles of straight Iriiveliu' behind him if bo don't like tin) looks of things iu front; but neither of you must leave the rond, nnd tho soveu shots in each of gnnH must decide the affair, bit or miss. Miud, if these conditions are broken by either man, me nnd Dalziol bore are to see fair play, and we have guns, and will use them, too. Without another word wu all left the storo, and the seconds, placing tbe rifles on the road beside Crockford and my self, retired to tho little hillock to give the signal. " I perhaps ou.jht to give you a de scription of my toolings nt that mo ment, but really I cnu hardly do so, uor do I remember any very predomi nant emotion, save tlmt I felt n sort of Btony enlin, mixed with strong de sire to draw a bead ou that figure sluuding quietly beside his weapon Nome two hundrud yardM away. "As I beforo told you, I, had laid down my method of proceeding, and tbu basis of it was to remain on tho defensive, for I felt sure that Crook ford, duspisiug my abilities with the Winchester, would ndvuuou upon mo, nor was I at nil mistaken j direully the signal was givcu be seized .his rifle and almost iusluully discharging a shot, wh'.oh passed within a foot of me, be started on a zigzag run toward me. Mennwhilo I bad gone down flat ou tbo road, bringing tny rifle to boar upon biui, nud getting sight after be bad run iu perhaps fifty yards, I fired my first shot. "I abot primarily to stop bim, of course, if I conld, but also with tbe iuleution of throwing a thin cloud of amuke immediately in front of me, beneath which I oould again take sight. The (lay was stiil, bright and warm, and far away along tbe road be biud Crockford a little white puff of dust told me that I had missed my man, Jerkiug tbe lever of tba rifle forward and back to its place again, I bad my sooond shot ready for dolivery. This time I waited, judging that when be came to a stop, either to lio down, or stand, I should have tbe best ohsuce I was likely to get, but still my rifle muzzle followed bia every movement. On bo oarae, till less tban one hundred yards separated ds; dropping on his bands and knoos, ha waa just reach ing tbe prone position, when o'noe more my rifle rang out. , 'Ibis time I did not see tbe puff of dust, betokening a miss, for I bad no time to speculate result, but bugging tbe ground closely, I jerked the empty cartridge out nnd got another into its place, "Zip came a bullet not three inches from my cheek, and again, as I brought my gun np, another struck tho road nliuost straight in front of me nnd tore its way through the cloth of my ooat on the arm. This shot nearly blindod me nnd rendered it im possible for me to return the fire ef fectively for the dust, and so I might say for the next two, as both being in frontnnd forlunatoly a little to one side I absolutely could not see even tbo end of tny own rifle. In a fow seconds tbe dust was cleared sufficient ly to allow me dimly to sight my op ponent My finger had almost pressed tbe trigger wben somehow or other I seemed to feel that I need not shook There was no motion abont m y adver sary, nor was hia face visible, and even at tbat distance I oould aea that his rifle was not in position, but was grasped in bis right hand wide out from his body. I kept my rifle on bim, hesitating what to do. He still had two shots in his magnziue, and I had a right to fire ou him and make certain ; but still, aa I say, I hesitateiL As I did ao Mot tram waved me to hold my fire, nnd leaving their position on tba hill tha two seconds ran hastily to tha ailent figure in front of me. A wava of the hand released me from suspense and informed me tbat tho duel was over. Ou resohing Crockford I found him insensible from pain and loss of blood. My second shot had strnok him fair on the left shoulder, shattering tha bona at tbe joiut iu a terrible manner and flooding the road with blood. Even thou tho mau bad, before insensibility set in, nianaged.gooduess knows bow, to send those four bullets in rapid succession, any one of whiob, bad it been tbreo inches truer, would have killed or badly wounded me. We got him to tbe store aud Dalziel, who ponsesHod some surgical skill, man aged to stanch the flowing blood, and iu a day or two be was pronounced out of any absolute danger of bis lite. Recover be did, although it was three mouths beforo he oould leave bis berth. As tho ran oil bad passed into my hands during that time I saw that be was properly attended to, but whon be was ablo to travel I directed that he be paid up nil wugos and given an ex tra $,"50, but ordered tbat lie bo dis charged from the omploy. You see, iny life fult very unsafe while be was within fifty milos. I beard that ho ultimately recovered the nso of bis arm, but it was a long time before it was anything like sound. "Little more remains to bo told, excepting that I gavo D ilziol a bun drod dollars for that Winchester as a souvenir of tho affair." "But, Mr. Orompton," slid I, "how on oartli (lid you manage to make such a good shot at your man ou your second attempt wheu, as you pointed out, you shot so badly at tbo box lid. Was it simply a fluke?'1 Compton looked at me rathor curi ously and said : "I uotico that you sometimes play at whist, but I dou't porcuive that you let the adversaries see your band. It is true that I was never within five feet of tbo box lid, but thou you soo I never shot at that lid at all. I aimod nt a dozun different parts of tho shanty, knots, blotches ou the wood, etc., bn'. never nt the lid. Knowing what I wns shooting lit, I was satisfied, because all my shots woro within six to teu itiohes of where I aimed them, uud of course, tbu others thought I was blazing away at tba lid all the time, though, mind, I never said so, and Crook ford naturally got the ira pressiou that I wus a very bad shot from what the others told bim. rather expected tho result would bo that way, aud it wus unlucky for Crockford." San Frunoisco Exam iuor. Eggs Forty Yean Old. Dr. C. D. McCoy is exhibiting an egg whiob ho says is forty years of age. It weighs 231 grains, while a sound oue weighs 1,100 grains, II was brought a my offioe b y Mrs. Nor man Wall of Silveroreok, who tolls the following story : Forty years ago her husband built bia bouse. He began it in tbe fall and finished it in tbe spring. Last week a large pieoe of plastering fell from the wall, and Mr, Norman, npon going to repair the damage, discovered a nest f ull of eggs, wbioh bad lain suourely hidden and protected for the last forty years, Cincinnati Commercial Tribuue. Eloctrio Lights far Mail Carriers. Tbe Belfast (Me.) letter oarriera oluim they ara tbe first in the country to use electrio lighta in delivering thoir mail. They use a small lantern fastened to thoir breasts, wbioh is lighted by a small battery carried in their pockets. The lights last two hours. Boston Globe, , A, PERILOUS ROUTE. Tho Unique Mail Sorvico Into tho Interior of Alaska, How Letters Are Carried to tho Upper Yukon. Tho most porilons mail scrvino in the whole world, as well as tho moat unique and the longest star ronto ser vice on record, has just beon estab lished by tbe government through tbe boart of Alaska, A vast part of tho territory is wild and nniuhabited, but about the recently discovered gold fields there has sprung np a rude sort of civilization and tbe hordes of pros- peotors and miners who have flocked there dazzled by the intermittent re ports of riob strikes have aettled a sec lion of tbe interior region. The glit tering of gold at Circle City, 000 miles inland on the upper Yukon river, attraoted a large number of miner and others, who after settling had no regular mail communication with the rest of tbe world. Compelled to trust to chance in sending out their mail they sometimes paid as mnoh as a dollar a letter for the privilege of sending by persons toaving camp for civilization. The country was so inaccessible tbat it was difficult even to seeure any ac onrrate information, and the major portion of the vast traot is still as lit tle known in the United States as the remotest parts of the heart of Africa. Postmaster General Wilson, through his assistants, looked over this field and its noeds, and after a lengthy cor respondence with Governor Sheskley, finally obtained some data. He found that in the vioinity of Circle City there were about 000 people and many more dnring tbe winter; tbat in going ovor tbe proposed route, whiob has now boon adopted and is being cov ered nndor conlraot, beginning at Junoan, the mails could be carried by livor for a distance of about 100 miles. Then would have to be en countered a difficult portage of over thirty miles. Supplies have to be paoked on the backs of Indians over this strotch, at the end of which tho upper Yukon is reaohod. For tho remainder of the distance to Circle City it was decided, as is now boing done, to carry tbe mails on tho river in a small boat during n short season wbon tbe rivor is open nnd at other timos by a dog train. This service is now on accomplished fact Tho first stop was taken by tho establishment of a post ofilco named Circlo on March 19 Inst. L. N. Question was appointed postmaster and not long afterward a contraot was signed with tho Yukon Transporta tion Company, a Chicago enterprise, for carrying letter mail over the route. Tho compensation for tho service is $500 a round trip. Tho first trip was inado ou June 11, whon 1,471 letters wero started from Juncaii uud carried into tha Circlo City post oflluo on tbu 14th of the following month. This initial expedition was uudor tho per sonal supervision of the president of tho contracting oompany, N. A. Bod loe. Tho season was vory late, and whilo the snow was too soft to permit the taking of the launches over the Cliil koot pass the lakes were not suffi ciently open to allowof their use. To overoomo this obstaclo lumber was purchased for two boat", to bo built ou tbo other side- of Chilkoo pass, where they would be lonuched on the lakes. Half way to tbe summit of tbe mountain it was carried by tbe Indians, when, tired out and exhausted, they absolutely refused to carry tho lumber further, aud it bad to be abandoned Nothing dun n ted, the party pushed on with tbe mail and supplies, aud at tbe lakes logs were out and a boat built, From there down, going day and night, there was no mishap, but tbe seething water of tbe can. yons and tbe terrible rapids passed through aro enough to Add years to a man's life. Tbe question now with tbe little expeditiou was to get tbe re turn mail back to Juneau at tbe ear liest moment possible. It was impos sible to atart np tbe river owing to tbe rapid water. For COO miles the cur rent averaged eight miles an hour. Then Bedloe eonoluded that if he re mained at Circle City until the eud of tho month it would take forty-five lay to pole tbe boat up the river, ft was, therefore, deoided to go on down to St. Michael's and come out through Bering sea. Tbe party final ly got back to Juneau, after traveling 0,500 miles, in addition to the regular trip, and saved over a mouth in time dolivery of tbe mail Washington ar. Tbe Industrial Aid Sooiety of Bos ton found work during 1890 for nar 3.700 people. ropulur Expressions, "Tell that to tho marines, "indicate tho contetnpt.oven to the proseut day, professional sailors fool nnd oxpreat for the soldiers who form a portion of the complement on board a man-of- war. "Do nt Rorao ns Romans do," is credited to no less nn nnthority than Ht. Augustine, who ' ndvisod a convert doubtful about tho propriety of somn custom obsorved nt Rome, to do ns other peoplo did. Tho term "blue stocking" is ns old as the year 1400, nt whioll duto in Venice a sooiety of literary Indies nud gentlemen was organized, the members of whioli ns a distinguishing bad go wore blue stocking "As tight ns Dick's hatband" origi nated in the days of Riohnrd Crom well, son of the great Oliver, who, in tho humorous parlauos of the time, found tbe crown so tight that be conld not put it on bis bead, "By tbe holy poker" is a popular nbbrevintion of an oath which became common dnring tbe crusades. "By the holy sopnlohre" was in the mouths of all Englishmen dnring the centuries tbat the orusadee went on. "A deaf as an adder' is an allnsion to the faot that tba hearing of many kinds of sorpents is far more acnte, -owing to tbe oircumstanoe that their auditory apparatus is covered by the outer skid or epidermis, wbioh is shed every aesson. "The dog watob," term used by sailors, was ooos the dodge watch a short watch being introduced between those longer in duration, in order thst too groat amount of work should not be put npon the same men in the course of tbe day. "To haul over the coals" recalls the former legal custom of trial by fire, the aoensed walking barefoot over a bed of glowing coals and his innocence or guilt being deduoted from the con dition of bis feet altera certain num ber of days had elapsed. Ohio igo News, Outwitted tbo Detective. "Moonshiners have great olevor nes," said a New York detective who formerly was a rcvonuo officer in the Southern Stutos. "I once received in formation that a great doal of illicit whiskey nnd brandy was being made iu Polk County, Tennesseo, and went over on n quiet reconnoitering tour. Loaving the train nt Cleveland I took a horse and slurtod for Polk County, representing mysolf ns a timburbuyer. At the first houso where I stopped for tho night, I told the man that I was looking for timber. " 'Yo' ain't lookin' fer no timber,' bo said: 'yo air buutin' stills, Thar' several right uronn' hyar an' I don' rain' h el pin' yo', and I kin git enough men to mke up a posse. Whnt'll yo' give?' "I made bira an offer. Next day he aud hia sou joiued me, and we de stroyed several small stills, but found no largo ones. He also gavo me in formation as to who owned them, and a list of witnoxses in each case, until I had sufficient to indiot forty men. "Returning i woelc lutor, nil wore arrested and the grand jury indicted them. When the triuls wore held, however, the evidence full through and I oould not conviot a man. Tba witness fees amounted to several thou sand dollurs. Subsequently I learned that the man whom I took for an in former wus the ringleader of tho gang, nnd piloted me away from all tho largo stills. Now York Press. The Last of tho Druids. Historians of tbe preseut day are never tired of declaring that Druidieru disappeared from Eugland many cen turies ago. The Duke of Bnocleucb, however, can prove that this is not correct, as the last of tbe Druid still exists in bis own person, although be appoints a representative to officiate in a curious old ceremony wbioh has been preserved since long before the days of William tbe Conqueror. It consists of the payment of what is called "Wroth money," the principal householders of the parish in which be ia lord of tbo manor being compelled to pay him a certain sum in silver coins every Nov ember. Tbe money is thrown into a hollow cross of Saxou design and col lected afterward by the bailiff of the estate. An amusing feature of this old time ceremony ia tbat any parisbiouer failing to make the payment is liable to a forfeit of twenty times tbe amount or is compelled to procure a white bull with a pink nose as a substitute. This curious custom was witnessed few days ago by a large number of speotators, drawn to the place not so much, I t'uiuk, by tbe imposiug event as by tbe sumptuous breakfast pro vided at the local iun by tbe Duke of Bucclenob. Philadelphia Telegraph,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers