I I I The business of this country it luiilt upon its farms ns n foundation. Illinois spends nt lenst 00(1, 001) a your In punishing criminals. It spends Bcnrcoly anything for their reform. The flovcrnor of Pennsylvania makes l strong iileu for belter school fneili ties in rnrnl districts in order to check the tendency of country youth to re move to the citiiin. Hir Lnpel (Iriflin Rives the pnpiiln tinn of the fiimiue districts in India in 41,500,000. The cablegram tiny thnt a million and n quarter nre now em ployed on Government relief work, but such relief seems to be wholly in adequate. Asbestos has recently been applied by a Massachusetts firm to tbo maun factnre of iihoes for woihingmcn em ployeil in foundries nnd smelting works. It is asserted tlmt the new shoes, besides being more comfort, nble, cost less thnn lenther shoes nnd went' indefinite! v. Tames It. Francisco, who died in Fremont, Ohio, tlio other dny, was one of the oldest engineers in this country. He rnu the John Hull en gine which was brought from England in 18-'ifl nnd was put on the Cnmden nnd Amboy Railway to take the place of horses tbnt hnd formerly hnuled tbo cars, Tbnt famous cngiuo was ex hibited at the World's Fair. It appears that one of the new conn tries which nre next to surprise the world is Siberiu.notes Harper's Week ly. The surveyors nnd investigators who have been looking into its re sources and possibilities along the proposed lino of tlio train-Siberian railway report, as is no doubt their business, that it has most things that ought to bo stored in a great uudeveU oped country minernls to burn and others to smelt, great stretches of ngri cultural laud, abundant wood, navi gable rivers, and numerous other pos sibilities of emolument. It is possible that it' ever thu raw materinls of civil ization which Russia controls arc worked up, tlio United States will bo relieved of tbo embarrassment of be lieving itself to bo the greatest thing on earth. The past year has been a moment ous one. Important questions have ugituted many peoples, battles have been tonght, political campaigns have bcou waged ; political policies over turned; discoveries in ado by daring adventurers nnd painstaking students; great disasters have wrought ruin and denth. Amid the muss of events the following seem to stand out with greatest distictuess ns being those that will make the year memorable: The presidential campaign nnd elec tion; Cuba's revolt nnd American sympathy; general election in Cun nda; the Manitoba question; settle ment of the Venezuelan dispute; Soudan expedition; Italy's fiasco in Abyssinia; Dr. Jameson's raid; St. Louis cyclone ; N'aiisuu's expedition; discovery of X rays. Tlio changes in dairying during the past ilfteon years aro not appreciated by one farmer in ten. Then, cream cries were almost unknown, but now, as Major Alvord says, there are 10.00C creameries in thu country. Probably 25,000 cream separators are in Use in America aud "Ibis one change prac ticully obliterates the limitations ol butter making due to climatio condi tions, nnd butter factories can now be operated without ice, about as well iu Mississippi aud Missouri, as in Maine and Minnesota." The Pacitlo States, Colorado, Nebraska and other states, lately largo buyers from the east, are now supplying themselves with bolter, mniuly with cheese, aud often sending from their surplus to neighboring states, nnd many of our largo dairy markets feel these changes, jn the controversy in Congressover the adoption of a copyright law (a controversy which culminated in the pussugu of the Draper bill by both branches of Coiigrem) the statement was made that there wero 5,000 thea tres and opera bousos iu the Uuited States, representing u cost of $10,000 to $1,000,000 eaob. (fliese theatres employ 50,000 persons exclusive of actors and actresses. Upward of 400 manuscript plays written or owned by citizens of the United Stutes are played nightly. They give employ, went to from 5,000 to 0,000 actors. The cost of proJueiug these manu script plays ruuges from 82,000 to 825,000 ui.ob, aud the purposo of the new btulnle is to give jndgo of Ibe Uuited Slates oourts full jurisdiction over thu matter aud to make the penalty imposad iu one circuit opera tive throughout the country for un authorized performances. Washington in Danger. Anil How He Was Saved by Ilctsev Ann messing. N Iho summer of the year of grnce 1770, nrmy was stationed in New York, the commander-in-chief, General Washing ton, was indulging in a brief restintr spell after dinner when ho was np pronched by an orderly, who saluted and said : "A young woman who calls herself Betsey Ann Blessing would Lave speech with Your Exoellcncy." "Betsey Ann Blessing," repented Washington, with a momentary shrug of irritation; "wbo is she, and why may she not defer her business nntil to-morrow? I warrant me thnt her lover is a prisoner of war, nnd sho is rendy to swenr that ho is a loynl Whig. What think you, Holdfast?" "If you please, Your Excellency, she is well favored, ns far ns I could know from her crying, lot she is in sore trouble. "Aye! I am n true soothsayer 1 Crying, is she? Show her in, Hold fast, and sco that the guard trouble ber not. I misdoubt my own judgment in giving nmlicnce to strangers in theso troublous times. It mayhap tbnt Mistress Blessing prove a traitor in disguise." The orderly soon returned, ushering in a girl so young she appeared like a child, nnd indeed, acted liko ouo, for no sooner did she stand iu the presence of the great man than she seized his hand tbnt hand of stalwart propor tions nnd dropping on her Knees kissed it with the ardor of a devotee. Mennwhilo tbo tears streamed down her face in pi to mis torreuts and her form shook with suppressed emotions. sl3 i..w.aiii mivui iu.i imj iail.1i i mi - r -.r. uufc.'s.Li.Aji TO-CXI. .5S&-Si5r3!s! Wn r 1 i 1 n to i y Tomb tit Mt. Vernon. Washington bnd n tender heart and he was greatly distressed by this un usual scene, "You hnve something to eny?"ho asked gently. "Speak on, but I beg, my child, that you ceaso weeping." "Oh, Your Exocllcncy you are too kind," said the girl, nnd, rising to her feet, she uncovered a beautiful down cast faoe, whioh glowed pink and dewy through her tours liko a rain-washed, sun-kissed rose. "Now, MistroBS Blowing," said Washington, in bis kindest manner, "tell me what brings you hither and what your errand mny be?" "I came hither to savo Your Ex cellency's life," was tho startling re sponse. Instead of laughing at tho nppnront presumption of tho weeping girl, be bade her tell him everything, promis ing her immunity from punishraont in case her news was not as weighty as she anticipated. Thus enoourngod, she bogan her story. "On the morrow Your Exsellonoy is to dine with several offioors of your command under guard?" "How know you that, girl?" askod Washington, much surprised. "Yonr Excellenoy will lay certain plans against the enemy before the company ?" "Proceed !" commanded Washing ton, sternly. "Among the dishes set before Yonr Excellency will be a new vegetablo of wbioh you are very fond." "Ah," laughed the General, "you Lave lost or forgotten an order from the kitoben. Here is, indeed, a new vert ion of the mountain and the mouse." "I know not, graeious sir, what meaning that bath of the mountain and tho mouse," cried Betsoy, "but if a mess of green peas be served at the table on, the morrow I beg and be seech yon, sir, sot to taste of them!" "Wherefore, Mistress Blessing?" asked Washington in bis iter uout man ner The peas will be poisoned 1" "How know yon this?" demanded the general in the tone whioh niado bis soldier, quail when thoy beard it. ! Speak, and tee that yon trifle not with me. Nay, child, do not fear I If whnt you sny be true, not vou, but the traitor who planned the dastardly deed shnll stiller!" "o! no?" retorted the trembling girl, "no one must suffer! Is It not enough that I have dared to come into a lion's jnws to tell of the deed, to en sure safety for the designer thereof? Now thnt I have warned Your Excel leney, permit me to retire from your distinguished presence." General Washington gave a signal and instantly an nrraod guard of sol diers responded, "Arrest this girl 1" Le snid sternly, "nnd keep her under gunrd nntil such time as sho send for mo to confess her fault!" " That will I never, though I die in prison !" was the defiant reply, ns the girl, who had entered bowed and weeping raised her Lend proudly nnd wnlkcd out with the soldie.s liko n young queen. All was tumult in the kitchens at Richmond Hill, nnd cooks wero run ning about getting into ono nuother's way, when a fair-haired youth in the garb of a serving man loiterod in nnd made his way unobserved to the great fireplace,, where he uncovered tho skillets in which the vegetables were simmering on the hearth. When bo came to thnt ouo containing tho pens he dropped iu a handful of somo con diment, and instantly took bis depar ture. His noxt appenranco was nuder the window of that room in which Mis tress Blessing was incarcerated. "Hist! Sweetheart! Tho dose is ready. Keep heart until the morrow, when I will myself relense thee to ride pick-n-bnek on my roan horse. It is 4 told in tho town that Betsey Ann Bless ing is arrested for a spy. Koep up your courngo, sweetheart I" "If you would befriond me, bctako yoursolf to somo safer place," whimp ered Botsoy's voioe through the bnrrod window high nbovo him. "A halter will be ready for your neck if you nre seen or suspected, nnd listen if yonr doso takes efioct, you are no longer a lover of mine 1" Tho youth went away, grumbling about all being fair in lovo and war. If Washington was different from his usual self at that bUtorio dinner, tho fact has not beeu recordod. Thero was much secret disonssion of woighty affairs with bis guosts, but be gave close attention to tho viands sot be fore bim. It was not, however, until tlio vegetables woro served that ho made any allusion to the food. When his favorite vogotablo, a dish of grcou pens, was uncovered, he doraauded at tention, and wbeu all were silont re marked in a loud voice : "There is death in tho pot 1" A great oxoitemeut ensued; the guofts, who wore in full uniform, drew their swords and murmurs of "death to tho traitor I" wero beard on every side. Then Washington sent for Mistress Blessing, wbo came with a defiant light in her eye, aud was given the seat of honor at ber host's right hand. She took it with a dignity that called forth approving and admiring com ments. Soldiers are proverbially gal laut, and those of "70" were no ex ception to the rule. A servant was next sent out by the Commander-in-Chief on a poouliar errand. He returned, bringing with him a live and particularly active obioken, wbioh partook eagerly of tho dish of peas. And in five minutes by the watch it lay dead in their midst. Betsey Ann Blessing married ber lover, alter turning bim into a patriot, aud Washington himself gave away tho bride. How much bo knew re mained bis own secret, but green peas .never afterward graced his table or were alluded to in bis oouvcrautiou, Detroit Free Frew, WASIIIJWroVN HELPMATE. Martha Washington Wns at Stately anil Noble Woman. All neoounts agree that Martha Washington wns n noble woman. She was in ber youth beautiful, nnd in ber old age was as stately and im prossivo as Washington hlmsolf, though lacking bis commanding stature. Mnrtha Washington was born a Dnndridge, nnd became Curtis by her first marriage. Whon Washington made her acquaintance nhe was a widow with small children, and some yenrs older than himsoif. It is on this account that many hnve nssnmed thnt Washington married Mrs. Custis for her wealth. There wi a no reason to suppose so. Washington wns already a wealthy raau, ns the heir of bis dend brother, Lawrence. Hi estate of Mount Vernon was one of tbo finest in Virginia, and Mrs. Custis hnd children, nnd wns t bavo grandchil dren, to set np in the world. A calcu lating man might have foreseen tbeso things. It wns the custom of the times for a husband to manage his wifo's es tate, aud in this capacity Washington was never niggardly in dealing with, tho Custis boirs. For tlmt matter, Mrs. Custis was hersolf what is called n "capable" woman. There is other cvidenco thnn tho merely negative. Washington wore always about his neck a loaket-minia-turo which served to remind bim of tho fenturcsof his beloved wife. He hnd her at bis side in camp and in bin travels, whenever it was reasonably possible Aud she was a wotnnn worthy his nffeolion. Edmund Pendloton traveled with Washington to the Congross which decreed the Revolutiou in 1770. In a lotter to bis wife he said : "Mm. Wasbinpton.as we were dopartiug from Mount Vernon, addressed Mr. (Patrick) Henry and myself liko a true spartan, Sho said to us: 'You must stand firm for America, I know that Georgo will.'" Early Education of Washington. Our great President received bnt a poor scholiutio training, as judged by Nineteenth Century standards. He wns lnrgoly self-taught, nnd bis writ ings have been so carefully editod as to remove all traoes of mistakes in spelling, grammar nnd rhetoric But Washington's education was of WARiiiNnTos'a Mornrin. a bigbor typa than raero book-learning can produoe. He was developed into greatness by the molding pressure of stupondons events, wbiob, with rapidly increasing weight, forced out the fire and vigor contained beneath his somewhat calm exterior. He was a general and statesman in the highest sense ot those titles, wuen be drove the British out ol Boston 'in 1776, None disputed bim the foromost posi tion after that. And there is many a ripe specimen of knowledge who would find it impossible to achieve Washing, ton's results, oven were the opportun ity given. Times Cliniige, "I toll you the time iu whie'u one lives has a great effect ou bis career. Take Washington, for instance." "Well, what of him?" "VVhatot bim? Do you suppose a man who would persist iu telling the truth at all times in theso days would ever get further in public lifo tuuu notary public?" Harper's Bazar, 181 A mtntmr. WAsmxoTny, tub snow limn. When all the ground with snow Is w lite, 'J'hi! merry snowbird comes And Imps nlmiit with Krent (IHIxlit To fl tho scattered eruinln. How gla I he seems to get to eat A pleea of cake or lireail. Ho wears no shoes upon his fuot Nor bat upon his li -iul. Hut happlcnt Is ho, 1 know, lleeaiisii no cntro with lairs Keeps III in from wallilmr In the snow And printing It with stars. Frank I:-inpsti-r Klierinnn. Tim JAPANESE StW YEAR. The J.ipatiesu literally "turn over a now leaf ou New Year's day; Iho houso is cleaned nnd swept, new gar ments nre made, tbo family shrines nro brightened up. All debts nre paid, and even tbo streets nro elaborately decorated with bamboo, pine and other native plants aud festoons of tiny oranges, Tbo national flag the risiug sun ou a wnito ground floats from every house-front ; tbo girls, iu their best clothes, powdered nnd painted, (day battledore and shuttle cock, tbo boys lly kites great mon sters painted ou paper stiireucd by bomboo strips nnd tbo very small children play with pretty balls made of cotton aud wound with various colored silk threads. All work stops, and for tbreo days presents nro exchanged. Tlicsi are usually sweetmeats put up in decorated boxes of wood or paper. Chicago Bei.'ord. SNOW-VACIIT OP TUB BASSWOOD. Have you ever seen the Kuow-yacbts of tbo basswood? Almost any breezy day iu early winter tliey frolic swiftly ' over tbo snow in tbo parks or iu tbo woods. There is a funny little browu sail about three inches long curled nt tbo edges and looking very much like a dried leaf. At the center of this thero is a BHff stem with soveral little green balls banging at the cud of it. Wbeu tbo wind blows it catches tbo sail nnd whisks it over the snow or ice, nnd tho balls nro dragged along behind, liko anchors. This snow-yacht, sail and all, grows ou tbo basiiwood tree in tbo summer. The balls are tbo bassw-jod's fruit aud tliu sail is a little bract. It baugg fast to tbo limb until all of tbo leaves nre gone ii lid good sleighing comes. Then the winter winds twist it off, nnd it falls to tbo surface of tbo snow, to bo driven lar away from tbo parent tree. In tbo little balls aro tbo basswood seeds, nnd when the yacht is finally lost in u drifted fonco curlier or near a rottou log tlio bulls remain still until tlio suow melts, and then the seeds fall into t lie ground and a young bass wood t-protitH, Naturo bus provided this marvelous way for tho basswood to scatter its seeds, sometimes for miles across tlio suow. t:ik m:VAiti) of onr.Dircs-cR. An English paper revives the follow ing pretty littlu "story with u moral," It is really tbo amplified version of a Persian proverb: A Persian mother gave her son 40 pieces of silver and ma I t him swear never to toil a lie. "Go, my son," sue said. "I commit theo to God's cure ; and wo shall not meet again." Thu youth left tbo bouse nnd tlio parly with whom bo traveled wero as sailed by robbers. Ono of tlieiu asked the boy what hu bud, aud he said, "Forty florins aro sdwn in my clothes." Too robb.-r htugliod, feel ing certain that tbu boy jested. An other naked him thu same ques tion and reouived tbo samu answer. At lust thu chief culled him aud asked bim what bo had. The boy re plied, "I have told two of your meu already that I have forty pieces of sil ver sovvu in my clothes." The chief ordered the garments to be ripped open, aud tho discovery of the money proved the boy to be moro truthful than most meu. "How oam you to toll this?" uskud tbo chief. "Because," said the boy, "I would uot bo false to my mother, whom I protuisod uever to tell a lie." "Child," said tho rob- ber, "uru you so mindful of your duty to your mother, aud am I so forgetful at uiy ago of tho duty I owe to my God? Give me your hand that I may swear ropuulaueo on it. " lie did so nnd his followers, Impressed by hit example, said: "You have bonn our leader iu guilt; be tho samu in Ilia path of virtue." And, taking tbo boy's hand, they all took an onth to repent; WRITIXn WITH RT.enRT INK. Somo of our boys and girls wlm wish so carry on a secret correspond ence with their friends should try in visible or sympathetic ink. A whole pngo mny be filled with writing nnd still be entirely white, ns if there wasn't a word npon it. In this way it mny be seut any distance, and no one can find out whnt it contnins. But tho person who receives it knows tbo se cret of "bringing out" tbo writing so that it may easily bo read. Ono of the simplest of tbeso invisi ble inks is a very dilute solution of sulphuric acid. Buy live cents' worth of the noid at n drug storo nnd pour in a considerable quantity of water, nt lenst tbreo or four times ns much ns there is of the iicid. Now, writo with this solution, using an ordinary pen, nnd blot tbo surplus "ink" us you go ulong. To miko tbo writing show black, nil your correspondent has to do is to hold tho lotter close to a hot stove, when presto! out ootno the letters aud words ono by one, so that they mny easily be read. Auotuer good secret ink, moro diffi cult to bring o it than tbo ono already mentioned, can be niado by using a cheap solution of sugar of lead. To bring out tho writteu words it is nec essary to spongo tbo letter with a solu tion of sulphured of ammonia. Another simple secret ink is mnda of a solution of ordinary starch. A letter writteu with this will remain en tirely invisible until it is washed with a solution of iodine, which quickly brings out tlio writing. Iu using nccivt ink it is boat to writo an ordinary letter telling about the weather and cither litiimjioitaut things nnd tbeu between thu lines writo with the secret ink. This will servo to load quite nstrny nny ono wbo sees the let ter, because there could bo no suspi cious of nnythiiig writteu between tbo lines. Chicago Record. A HOl THAT CHEWS ClfM. Black Michael, or Mike, for short, is the name of a littlo cocker spaniel living in Ij iko avenuc,ucur4tth street, Chicago, Ho came all tho way from Colorad by express, nailed np iu a wooden box with siats across the top. On the sid i of tho box was painted in black letters, "Please givo mo a drink," so that tbo baggageman would not forget bim. Sinco be has lived in Chicago he has acquired tho piculiar habit of chewing gum. It took l.im a long time to learn that gum is not to be treated ns food, but it is t bo chewed forever nnd never Kwullowed. Before bo learned the way of it ho was very funny in his efforts to dispose of gum is ho was accustomed to dispose of everything that found its way to his mouth. Tbo first time a piece was given to bim ho chewed quietly t it for a min ute or two. When bo found that it stayed just- tile same size aud would not separate, bu treated it us lie would a tough piece of meat, put bis bond low down and chewed with moro energy. But nothing happened, tho queer stuff still stuck together aud re fused to slido down his throat. Then, bo threw bis head back an 1 bit augrily at it, opeuiiig his mouth wide and coming down on it with nil his might. During this lively process the pieeo of gum fell out of his mouth, aud ho lay down on the floor all tired out, mid looked nt tlio dented littlo wad in disgust. He is a gritty littlo fellow and ho made np his mind ho would get the best of that still', woatover it was. So he soon got up, walked all arouud it as it lay on thu floor, sniffing suspi ciously, nud then pounced ou it sud denly. Of course, it stuck to his paw, and then bo was angrier thuu, ever. Ho finally succeeded in getting it off with his teeth, and tbeu he went ut it again. He barked loudly, run uing around it and pushing it with his nose, but hu would not givo up, nnd after many trials ho began to gut tlio bung uf it und to enjoy chewing it, Tho hubit has growu ou hint steadily, and now be suillU nuder the window sills and chairs and if the small boy who lives in tbo sanu house lias left his gum sticking arouud, he is sure to lose it altogether. For Miko Liiuws it off, uud putting his lit tle Ktubby tail dowu goes off to a corner, aud for uu hour is pcrfuutly happy.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers