Thero are mor limn 17,000 prisons iu tho Vnilud States anil nearly ns many fuuntlo nsylnm. Tbo "Lord High Executioner" n! Prussia get 837 "a head" aud travel log cxpensos, and there ia always rush fur the offlca when it in vaenut. Canada nud Auttrnliii wont to join themselves to Britain by a eable which no one vine In to nto, and representa tives are at London from tlio colonies to talk the mutter over. There is a great dearth of tcliool teacher in Russia, owing partly to the fact that educated mon are nnwil liug to exile themselves in villago fnr tray from all intellectual companion hip. The work done by twenty-live sculptors and twenty-two painter in the way of decorations for the library of Congress at Washingtou will cost the United States government more than $300,000. Even Chicago begins to hnvo its old landmarks, Tho Green Tree Inn is now sixty-three years old, nud the local Historical Society has beon ad vised to buy it and presorvo it as nn interesting rolio of antiquity. A dispassionate review of the busi ness of 189(1 shows to tho satisfaction of the Now York Herald that, whilo there were more failures than in any other year except 1881 and 1893, pros perity was simply checked by national and international complications. . John IL Inman, tho cotton dealer of New York, lost 9000,000 iu nt tcmpting to advance- tho prioo of cot ton, and though this amount was less than one fourth his entire capital, ho 1...0... A.. In I. ...111. . n.l ,Ji,1 Tl.. moral is obvious, thinks tho New Eng land Homestead. The system of school savings bnuks introduced in South Jersey about two years ago has brought excellent re sults, announces tho New York Trib une. Savings to the amount of f 27, G02.12 have been laid up by 5,012 de positora. The Woman's Christian Temperance Uuion is urging the ex tension of tho system. It is a familiar saying that he'wbo docs not Icaru to save while yonng never will. The raoea of this world are setting raixod ; Europeans settle in Afrioa and in Asia; while Orientals go West ward and form colonies in the younger continents. Chinese scatter themselves over the fsoe of the earth ; and Amer ica both North and South is dotted over with Italian, Gorman and Norwe gian settlements; while Afghans are ' living in Australia; and Hindus in the West Iodios. In the course of titno these races will assimulatc. In rosponse to the ultimatum of tho combined powers, the Sultan is credit ed with liuving cxolaimed, I may be the last of the Caliphs, but I will never become second Khedive 1" Which is very grsndiloqneut, but scarcely in keeping with Abdul Hsmid's notorious cowardice, moral and physical. When the time comes he will cringe boforo superior force in order to ssveascmblance of royalty and his pin money. He ia makiug his last blott" Only a few years ago there wore but six furniture . faotoriea in Canudu, making two classes of work, one a very expensive and the other a very cheap class. Today, announces the American Cultivator, there are fifty - firms mannfuoturiug praotioally all the furniture that is consumed in Canada, excepting possibly that nsod by the very wealthy. ' The furniture men now utilize the material that is grown iu Canada. But a few years ago elm was only used as staves for barrels. Now it is utilised in every furniture faotory in Canada. The material is principally bought from the farmers, and has largely iuorensed the price of .elm. . With such an array of ohefa as she possesses, expert in entrees and intri cate culinary confections, the present plague of rata in Paris ought to be turned to profitable account, instead of being, as it is, the oooaaioa of pop ular alarm and apprehension, main tains the New York Tribune. Ia the t'T ot Iter aiege by the German l: anoh a visitation might have t;on as welcome as that of the torn- r::t-driven quaint to the famished children of Israel. In seasons of I"oes and bandanai it is, of course, 1. rent, but th skill wbiou converts tls t""3ileas Beeesary cat into no-r-; ':."' re ;outa ought -to be equal to - r' -' conversion of the rat, ' v t' s advent there of a pied ' j of Untuoliu is much to UiiU.iLiji: DAVID'S BABY. ny RtiU F. MOHnv. "lie's jest a common sized boy, ma'am." This was the baffling reply to Mrs. Wilmot's question about tho size of Mrs. Brown's boy. Mrs, Wilmot was tho minister's wife, and Mrs. Browu ono of his outlying parishioners, n inouutainocr from one of tho steepest and wildcat peaks of tho Ridge, . Her husband hud died in tho grunt snow storm of the paBt winter, and David, her only boy, was her sole prop nud atny. Mrs. Wilmot thought a suit of clothes would not como amis', wen if secondhand. But what was "a common sizo" for boys? In Mrs. Wilmot's experience they wero of all sorts and sizes. Her mind reverted to Richard, her long boy, nud his Aunt F.llou's frequent en treaty: "Richard, my donr, uncross n few of your legs!" to Robin, a head shorter, who was now crumpled tip in a heap over "Stories of Lion Hunting in South Africa," nud Johu, a round, roly-poly of a boy and she lookod slightly perplexed. "No'm, ho aiu't to any big, nor yit small; he's jost a common-sized boy, betwixt and between." Mrs. Wilmot in despair wont niter tho clothes, and saw by tho delight in bis mother's eyes as soon as she h iw them, that they might nt lonst bo worn by David. "I'm rao' than thankful, ma'am." nor voico trembled, and Mrs. Wilmot hastened to ask: "Havon't you a little girl, too?" "Thar'a two gals Luoy, she's goin on seven, and the baby; tho folks calls her 'David's Baby,' he's so good-natured with her. I never sea a boy so tnk up with baby be To'. She ain't a mite of trouble when bo'a 'round ;" and her hard-worked thin, worn fuoo looked quite illumined by her smile of pride and delight. Robin lot bis book fall. "Are thero any bears on Priest's Mountain?" he asked, suddenly. . "Ob, nonsonso!" said his mother; but Mrs. Brown answered seriously : "Jut it's a mild winter, tnobbe you won't see one ; but in a long freeze they'll come right low down the moun tain. Tbey don't giuornlly attack humans, the damage tbey does mostly ia to young creoturs pigs and seen things. I seed one myself; 'twas in the summer too, three or fo' years ago; and I don't want ier soo an other." "Toll ma about it, "said Robin.com ing over to the chair next hers. "Well, 'twas a long hot spoil, and I'd gone out to git blaokborries. Mob of 'em was leetle and dry with the drouth; but just above my head ou a long ledgo of rooks I see a big clump ot briers, all hangiug with berries, big juicy berries, ez shiny ez silk. I kin see 'em now, oz pretty ez uny pic ter. I put my baud out to pull tbu nearest branch down, and then I huerd a growl there aiu't much more on plessaut noises than a growl or a hiss in the woods, I kiu tell ye! Thar stood a big b'ur just ou 'totbur sido o" the blackberries, showin' his tcoth in an ugly sort o' griu. I didn't stop to have uo words 'bout the berries iu fuo', there was mighty few berries iu my basket when I got homo, I came so fast. Tbem was the finest berries on the mountain," she added, regret fully; "big and shiny and swoct-look-in', and jest burstiu' with juiou; and I hadn't fa'rly teohed 'em when 1 heard that'growl." "Would be have showed fight if you bad stayed?" inquired Kobiu, eag erly. ' Mrs. Brown's eyes twiukled. "I dou'tkeer to argy a p'iut with I biro," she answered. "wuut oiuer wuu boasts live noar you?" pursued Robin, in a tone of pos itive envy. "Why, squirrels and 'possums and foxes aud wildcats it do sound mighty lonesome to hear 'em cry. I reckon the woods is right full o' prowliu' varmints artor nightfall." "But you have David to take oare of yon," said Mrs. Wilmot, .' am "Yea'm ; nml he's tolerable strong fur a boy. He kin shoot, too, tnos' ez well ez his uncle. He's been tnkin1 David cut hutitiu' with him this spring nud aninmer." A few weeks after this talk David bustled into tlio mountain cabin nt "sundown" in groat excitement. "Hello, Sissy !" to Lucy "there, honoy!" to the baby, who was laugh ing nud gurgling with doligbt to see him "Brother will lake you inn niin uto jost ez soon ez lid kin wash his bands." David Brown was a plain, freckle facod boy, ao tanned that his skin was several shades darker than bis flaxen hair and polo eyes) but tho swectncai nnd good humor of bis homely fnes mndo it a plonsaitt sight to moro than "David's baby. " Everybody on the mountain liked David, from the gruff mountaineers themaolves down to their curs that snapped nud snarled nt almost everyone else. As ho whistled to the baby, who was now changing bcr rapturous noises to a more imper ative demand, Spot, his own "yallcr dog," watched bis every niovmciit with his keen, blinking eyes, nud tho black kitten, n recent stray, rubbed itself botweon his legs with a satisfied purr, nnd gazed up into his face with its yellowish-grcou opals, "You've got hoiiio news, David," said his mother, bringing out tho meal and a sifter. "Yon are tho bcalin'est ono to guess, Mother?" exclaimed David, ad miringly. . "I'vo got a job. Mr. Jones wants mo to help him to drivo his cattlo down to tho station tomor row, and ho'll give mo a man's pay if wo have 'cm thero ou timo nnd in good condition. Me nnd Spot'U do tho job fine, won't we, youug 'nu ?" nud he held out his bauds to tnko tho baby. "Yon set a lot o' sto' by that chilo, David," observed his mother laugh ing. "Yes'm. I set a lot o' sto' by tho bnby and Luoy, too;" nud bo patted tho older child's head, as she flushed with delight. It wns not David's way to forgot any ono. "Mother, 'spose you take the chil dren and go with mo cz fur ez Uuclo Martin's! I don't liko leavin' you all- a passel o' wimmon-folks," ho said, laughing nt tho very small one on his lap "by yo'selvosall day; and mubbo I'll be back late." "ItM be powerful louesomo horc," answered his mother, "thot's a fuc'. But how could I know when you was back?'' she added anxiously. "Why, I'd 'lowed on raeotin' you at the dividin' fence 'bout dusk, and totin' tho baby fur you. An' the moon 'd be up early ; ef I git back sooner, I'll oomo up tor the cabiu, but I'll be eho' ter be at the fence, by nightfall, auyhow." Mrs. Brown enjoyed her long, neighborly day, gotting a new receipt from sister Martha, and hearing old Mr. Martin say how "peart" the baby was, and Luoy as rosy as, a poach blossom. ' As for David, she never wearied in talking of him, anil it wus really dusk before she was fairly started. The "dividiug fence," u boundary line between two largo tracts of mountain laud, was often used as a trysting place by other than lovers, aud would save David a good many steps. She had wrappod up tho baby well from the uigbt air, and Uncle Martiu bud muuy jokes ovor tho huge knot in which she hud tied a bauduua handker chief at the back, ''jest cz cf you wanted ter tote it by a bundle." Poor mother! If she had only kuowu the tiso that would be made of this; but sho did not, aud wcut on hur way down the steep path in good spirits, I.uay following close behind. As they reuohed the fouoe in tho woods a cloud was over tho moon, and it was quite dark ; but she could soe a dim figure on the other side. "David, have you been waitiu' long?" she called out, and handed the baby over in a hurry, turning as she did so to aoe what waa the matter with Lucy J for the child clung to her bkirts in fright and oried ont that it wasn't David. When with some difDoulty she hud lirted her over the feuoe, struggling and crying still, 'and had herself cliined ovor Mrs. Brown was not us aotive hs she had been there was no one in sight, "David I" she cried. She beard a rustling in the bushes i but the moon- shining tu,t at that instant, showed the plaao empty. "David I" she cried again, iu terror. Then ho appeared just at the bend of tho mourAfin path whistling chnor ily nnd with Spot leaping and barking at his tools. But where was the bnby ? For ho hnd called out to her to give him the ebild as soonnshe had caught sight ot her, and David wns not given to fooling. She could not answer for her sobbing and oryitig- Lucy tried to toll him the ntrange story. When she said, "A blg.blaok, "buggy man," he threw himself on the ground, examining every mark. Spot studied too, and his yollow hair be gan to bristle with rsge, and be growled fiercely, for there wore sure ly the recent footprints of some Inrgo nuimal. "Mother, run back nnd rouse tho neighbors. Toll 'cm to bring their rifles," and, breaking off a stout stick, Duvld dashed into tho bushes, Spot springing iu front nnd lending the chase. ' Once David thought ho heard n half stifled baby's cry and hurried faster. For a "common-sized" boy, be was making good speed; but Madam Bruin was on the hoinc-streteh,ntid she knew It. At Inst he caught a glimpse of a big, clumsy, dark form, trotting briskly nlotig with what seomod like a bundle dangling from its month. He wus none too soon. The cave in which the littlo black cubs rolled about, im patient for their supper, was but a hundred yards or no distant. He thought sho must bo near homo by her quickened gait, and he knew, if she over got tho bnby inside its black, yawning mouth, thoro would be no hope ot bringing it out nlivc. With tho energy of despair he darted forwnrd nud gave tho bear a sharp blow over tho noso with his long stick. Spot closed iu nt the same momont, yolping and snapping nt bor logs. Tho hugo beast, enraged but not hurt by thU simultaneous nttuok dropped the baby, nnd reared up on her hind legft, looking in the mingled moonlight and shadow so liko a human figure that David did not wonder after ward nt his mother's mistake. She showed her sharp, white teeth with a tier co snarl, nud stretched out bcr forcpnws for a grapple. Sho twas near her own babies now, and she meant fight. ' David looked nt tho precious bun dle. It lay just under tho crestnro's terriblo claws, nud to attempt to pick it up would have placed him nttorly nt tho bear's mercy, unless her atten tion could bo diverted. "At her, Spot ! at her, good dog!" he shouted ; and again be rainod a shower of blows on ber cyea and nose so quick aud fierce that, bliuded aud coufuscd for tho instant, she bucked a step or two, growling horribly. Spot inflicted a sharp bito on bor, hind quarter, and sho turned hor head. It was his only chuuee. Quick as flush he seized the baby and fled, loav ing poor Spot to recoive a tcrriflo blow from the brute's paws, at which be too, broke aud ran, tho blood stream ing from bis wound, and howling at every jump. , Halfway dowu tho mountain they met tho Martins with dogs and torch es. The bear, after a fierce fight was brought to bay aud killed, and the i cnba taken captive. Old Martin untied with rough but trembling fingers the knot ho bad laughed at the knot which had saved the baby's soft limbs from the boar's teeth. David hardly dared to be cor tain that he bad heard a cry in bis headlong flight; but when tbey bad unwrapped fold nftor fold and uufns tcued tho veil, thero lay tho baby "David's baby" now, without .doubt or qtiostiou ns rosy and fresh ns a flowor-bnd, it big blue eyes full ol wonder and fright, but ready to smile nt the first sight of David. D.ivid was more his mother's hero than ever. She nevor told the stoiy without adding: "Aud ho was jest a common-sized boy when be douo it 1" Now York Independent, Iu the Nearly 100 Years Age. As long ago as 1821 tho fountaiu pens wore in use, for - in that . year Thomas Joffersou saw a ooutrivanoe of this sort, tried it, and wrote to Gou oral Bernard Peyton, of Richmond, asking him to guttone of tlieui. The peu waa of gold and tho iuk tnbe of silver, and aocordiug to Joffurson's letter, the maker was n Richmond watch repairer, named Cowuu. The price, he understood, was fivepeuce. The first Amerioan patent for a foun tain peu was granted in 1830 to one Douglass Hyde, but the earliest Eug dish pstout was issued tweuty-one years before. Boston Trausorlpt,. Tofcnp.s of i:oi.ou. Scarlet or pink or n touch of yellow are all good colors if sparingly nscd to brighten nud roliove tbo mouotoncs of a blue and white room. Any one of the colors may nlso bo used to keep a grocn and white room from monotony. If tho prevailing colors in a stooping room are pink and white, nso palo olive, or olive and blue, or pink and violut for a oontrsst, ff.mininr Finn nniOAtiR. Tbo littlo town of Nusaol.in Swedeu, has a feminino department, 100 strong, in its fire brigade. Tho wntorworks of the village oonsist simply ot four groat tubs, nnd it is tho duty of the women "llromcn" to koop them full in case of lire. Tlioy stand in two continuous lines from the tub to the lake, about throe streets away, one line passing tho full buckets, and tho other sending thoin back. Tit-Bits, aiib women's feet laikirr? It is a fact that tbo foot of Ameri can womon aro growing turgor I Devo tion to ntbletio exorcises is the cause, and some one is daring enough to say that tho dainty, delicate, littlo Ciu drolla foot that find amplo room in No. X and No. 2 slippers will bo un known twonty years from now. Any exorciso that keeps ono on thn foct for any groat longth of timo will surely broaden and flatten tbo foot, aud a year's steady course in a gymnasium will show a marked increaso in the size of tho feet. Now Orloans Pica yune. WIIKN A FOnTUNB BltlNOS IIRVKIISKS. When a sudden revorse of Fortune's whoel brings with it the necessity of esrning tbo daily bread, the Amorl enn woman turns instinctively to the 'gontoel'' paths of toil, unskilled teaohing, drawing, painting, and the liko, all good starving professions, which involvo as well an immonso amount of wear and toar on the ner vous system. Her British cousin, on tho other hand, is far more apt to turn hor attention to moro practical and profitable pursuits. A largo pro portion of tho first-class millinery and dressmaking establishments in Lon don, for instance, aro ownod and run by titled dames who hold high posi tions in the world of aooiety. Tna AllTS OF IIOMF, Teobnioal training for girls in tbo arts of tho home is very much needed in this oountry. Abroad it is carried on extensively. Hundreds of institu tions are maintained by privato sub scription, others are managed by tbo proprietors of large manufacturing establishments, who sea in the training of the mothers and daughters bettor labor rosults in the fathers and sons, and still mora are conducted by muni cipalities. Many of these schools are perfect onursesin housekeeping. Tho pupil begius at the bottom round of tho ladder, learning how to manipu late the tools of cleaning, washing, iron ing.disbwashiug, waiting at table uud all the rest of tho household detail. She learns to market aud mako out a pal atable mouu, aud is taught the nutri tivo constituents nud economical val ues of each food served. She must keep a record of hor expenditures aud waste. She b-uriis to buy and mako clothes, aud wheu she enters hor own homo is fitted to bo its keeper. All through Germuiiy the schools are growing in number. Holland, Bel gium, Wurtemburg, Bavaria, Austria. Switzerland, Fruuoe nud Italy havo thriving school intended for tbo most part for the children of luboring peo plo. In tbe Uuitcd States tho work bus barely boon beguu iu the few kitoheu-garden schools which can be counted. New York Post. ; CAST-OFF GARMENT. Winter aud the spring are tho times wbon the olothiug of a family is silted out aud much giveu away, and a wo man who has worked among the poor, both in the oities aud in the oountry, gives a very aonsibla word or two about the tuattor. She says I "Nevor give away clothes to poor people that need mending or buttous or anything of that sort. Give them away whole ad clean, and if you have any pieces of the stuir give thorn also, mid in o) neat bundle." The very poor have very little timo to mend, for all their time is taken iu the struggle for daily brcsd, aud littlo of that. People who have not bean much among thorn cannot realize what it is to theso poople to havo clothes givou them, especially for their chil dren, that are in good condition, Mended and clean, they are a Josson, an object lesson that people in other and moro fortunate olassos do not at nil understand. Very ofton these poor women, while doeply grut ;ful for such, gifts, have nothing to mond clothe with no tieodlcs and no thread, and assuredly no pieces to patch with. Thon, too, they have no time very ofton, aud very usually no ability to do tbo work ; and so tbe alothes go on to the poor little children in the con dition in which thoy are reoeived. It is simply thoughtlessness that the olothiug is so given, and because at tention has nevor been called to it, for h would bo a smsll matter for tho mother whq gives them away to give a day, if uced bo, to the mending, or to give it to tlio family seamstress to do, or, still hotter, to hire some pour woman who needs the work to do it and pay her for it, porhnps afterward giviug hor tho clothing to use herself or to givo away to tbos9 whom sho may know of who need tho tilings. But this last plan must bo carefully managed, for such clothing mean-, money nnd could bo pawnod for a small sum. Unless a persou is known to be trustworthy it is well to dispense tho clothing from headqitartors. Never givo away llnory to any poor people. It docs them no good, and positive barm. They want whole, neat, clean, thin or thick clothing, as tbe season may be, but fiuery never. Old silk dresses nro a ourse and not a blessing, and tho same with old and soiled ribbons. If one can find one of tho thrifty conntry women who knit rag carpets, or who preparo the rags for the loom, or who. muke home-made silk curtains, that is the plnoo to use all such stuft ' Uaally beautiful onrtains may be made out of scraps of silk, and sometimes they aro good enough to be made into little quilts for cribs, or for the lining of a comforter...; Those iliistgsarb done in the country, where thore is more leis ure than iu tho hnrriod ruth of city life, nud many a gown is taken home soiled or crushed, aud spoiled, that would be a boon to a girl iu the coun try where the summer boa been spent.. It is certain that attention need only bo called to the matter to briui? about a reform as to how clothes are given away aud where also what. It is as tonishing as ouo goes through the world to find how very generally peo ple are ready to help one another." Chicago Reoord. ' FANHIO NOTES. The newest coats are saoque shape, and extend only two inohes below the ws 1st. With tho wide nse of corselets and girdles, buckles and fancy buttons ar becoming more popular thau over be fure. Tbo wiutar roses of thin crumpled crepe and velvet aro lovely. They seem to shade liko the real down of a rojo petul. Comb aigrettes imitating the tail fjutbur of a bird of parudiso uru duz zlingly bountiful aud are marvels of tho jeweler's skill. For the back of a ribbon bolt thero is a steel buckle six inches wide sud bout to tho figure, with loops of rib bon above and bulow the canter of tho buckle. Buckles are begiuuiug to appear iii the front of the wide corselet belt, aud those oouie iu steel and paste, iu sleudor shapes and in lengths of six to ten inches. Tho luteal buttons aro square and ara rather large iu steel, enampl, paste, pearls of every oolor.set in cut steel sud a new composition that im itates mother-of-pearl very well There mukt be a touoh of black ia thu seusou'a cloth gown if it lays any - . 41 . I. .1 Claims io lusuiou. udueruuy iu somber hue is woveu in the good, often so subtly thut it is ouly b ill seen.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers