(treat llritnin is coming mum nnd nioro to tlio opinion tliitt lltissin's oc cupation of CoiiHtontinopIo in iuovi tnblo. Nebraska in t ho lenst illiterate Slnta of tlio Union, iliu Stnto in which tho porcetitngo of persons of school ngo nlii ciiniiut rend or writo is I lio smnll-i-st. Tlio llnitfotd (!iiin.) Uournnt in of llio oiiitiion Hint, iib a rule, tlio Ameri can farmer is miperior in intelligence, in cultivation, in fitly nii us moritl it V to tlio avcrngo iiiliitliitimt of tlio fit j", whii assumes to laugh nt liiin. Mexico evidently cooi tlio evils which may accrue to tlm country through tlio U'it riiol ion of tlio timber. A commission of live lifts just linen ap pointed liy President Dinz to report on tlio best tnc:iii!i of preserving tlio timber throughout tlio republic. Mr. Joseph ('bnuiboi lain of Eng luud says Hint ho docs not bolievo in cheap education. Niilimly should, adds tlio Independent. "It docs n.it pny to economize on wilsnnd cultures. Money Hpctit on im1 Mention ft well pant, provided tlio training given lio inoriil hi well ns mental." During 1 Him io United Kingdom purchased ou this country 17, Will horses, compiireil with only lO.H.'il in IH'.Ki. England limiglit nearly I J, (Mill horses in Canada, or no increase over year previous. Totnl imports of horses into tlm Uniteil Kingdom iu t8Hfi wero 40,1177, nn increase of Hourly 7001) coinpnrod with tlio pre vious yenr, Tlio nvcrngo vnlim of horses shipped into tho United King ilom liiKt yenr from tho United States whs nliont SM". All this goes to hIiow reasons for cneniirngcnictit in tho horso industry, especially tlint pnrt of it devoted to ruining nervicenlilo nui tuuls suitable fur foreign trade. A novel point in Hint pnrt of inter nntionnl law t hut dents with tho exter ritoriality of foreign emliiiNHies lins just been decided in tho Jierlin slier ilFa court. 'A pnrrot belonging to tlio Jnpnucno embassy escaped from it cngo uud took refugo ou n high treo iu a garden next door. To get it down totno of tho embassy servants plnyeil ou tho bird with n garden hose, uud drouckod nt tho sumo timo tho owner of tho gnrden, who hiippeued to lio sitting tinder tho tree. Ho brought suit for trespass, nnd received tweuty mnrks diimngoH, tho injury having been inflicted on (lerninu soil, though tho perpetrators had not left J u pan ose territory. Tho clever forgery of notes of the Dunk of England, which recently enmc to light quite by neciduut, bus created n sensation from tho fact that tho bank's own pnper, with tho proper watermark was reproduced. This bad never beforo been done. The forged notes wero absolutely perfect, excepting that the secret cipher uinrkt wure lacking. Tho discovery that tho notes were not genuiuo was uindo by cashier, who happened to hnvo ronsou formally to check tho validity of the notes by roferenco to tho cipher books. About XI 0,000 or the forged notes hnvo turned up so far, and it has boon discovered that they were all put in ciroulution in one day by being changed simultaneously at twenty-five different exchanges iu Paris, The gang is kuown to be a large one, but o fur the polioe have beeu unable to trace its members. Our English contemporary, Iudus tries and Iron, presents the following plunging list of inventions which it says are oluimed by Americans. We ourselves have never heard of any of tbem, but then one must go abroad to got the news. It says: "One ban heard less lately of those of Mr. Ed son's inventions which are to be em ployed in case of war, more especially of his 'sniggling chains' and 'olectrio water,' but still one does occasionally hear of some tall inventions' "of our cousins iu the Uuited States. It has been gravely announoed in inmo ol the American journals thut n uative inventor has perfected 'a deep-sea lo comotive and train, capable of mov iug on the surfuoa or beneath tho water, or at the bottom of the sea,' Another inventor has designed a tor pedo, carry iug in its bows a powerful eleotro-magaet, which will be attraoted by the steel hnll of vessel, and affix itself there until explosion takes plaoe. A sabmarina boat is nlso spoken of, which oan be separated in parts, each part remaining 'alive' and intuot. A leading feature of the last 'invention' is that when destruction is imminent (wo are surprised to leuru they are not in vulnerable) the crew escape through water-tight doors. Having doue this, the esoapud crew will propubly take eat in the Pullman curs of the 'dee), sua locomotive train.' " Tho Hate fur Kinior. "Thirty days hnth Kniilnmlipr," Ever? person enn romembori lint to know wlmn Krister's comi I'uiiislK even scholars, some. When Mareh tlm twenty-Mr! Id past, Just wnteh tlm silvery monn, Ami when yon one It full nnl round, Know Kaslor'l! ho hero noon. Alter tlm ir.oon hns ren?lied Its full, Then Easter will lio hern, Tlm very Hiimlny nfler In enrh met every year. An t It It should linn nn Mun.lnv Tho nicmii should rwh Its height, Tho Willi Iny following this event Will lin tho Knstor l.rlght. Boston TnniP?rlit. EASTER LILIES. EATjIjY I think she's quite above lior sta tion," said Miss riantngcuot, lnngilidly. "I always tell Mrs. Honmwoll t o send her into me, whon 1 go tliero to hnvo a dress fitted. Sho has such a pretty way, don't you know, and such lovely eye lashes, aud sho understands her LiiNincNs to perfection!" "Sho is a very beautiful girl," said Mr. Elwood, calmly. "Aud sho has helped mo wonderfully with thoso shy children, at tho Sunday afternoon services. They seem to tnko to her by instinct." ".Somo pnoplo hnvo a way with chil dren," said Mrs. riuiitngenot. "Now I never could cndiiro tho idea of teaching until you enmo to tnko clinrgo of our church, Dear Mr. Elwood; then, of course, everything was dif ferent." Mr. Elwood smiled a littlo. If Minn I'luutngeuot had bceu loss lovely and dimpled, sitting there, with a Lino ribbouod pus in her lap, aud tho col orod lights from tho Btnincd glass window making a sort of nurcolo nrouud her face, ho might hnvo But her down for a fool ; as it was, ho men lauy cnaracierizocl uer as merely a "thoughtless child." Yes, Mariou I'luutngenct was cer tainly very lovely. And tho roduced family of Plantugonct wero rockoning largely on this innocent, infnutiuo beauty to build np their fortunes again, Mrs. rinntngenct, a hatohet-faced widow of fifty, wont around cutting down tho daily expenses, directing tho servants to uiuko Irish stows, hashos, and divers other mixtures, ont of tho scraps of cold meat, instead of bo stowing them on beggars, taking big coals off tho flro with a pair of tongs, and peering into the ash oan to maka sure that no solitary cindor had boon smuggled unsiftci into its depths. Sho studied the butcher's book, beat down tuo baker's aocount and econo mized iu everything, "in ordor," as she said, "to givo Marion a gocd cbnroo to marry." In the article of white satin shoos, cut flowers and ball dresses, she was compelled to loose hor purse strings, groan as she might. And whon Mr. Elwood, the nephew and adopted son of a wealthy old baobolor, camo to assume the charge of the nearest fashionable church, Mrs. riantagenet rejoiced greatly. "It's all plain sailing now," she thought. "For nobody oan deny that Marien is a beaut." "Mamma," Miss Marion had said, "I must have a new dress for Easter. I did think my pearl silk wonld do, but it is too tight, and I'va worn it so often." "Nonsense !" said Widow Plantag enet, "Where in the world do you suppose it is to come from?" "From the stores to be sure I" said Marien, with a sauoy toss of hor head. "And I've promised Mr. Elwood to send a crosa of lilies for tho font. I must be looking around for that." "My goodness me 1" groaned Mrs. Plantagenet. "Do you know, child, what they are asking for white lilies now at the floriets? Twenty-five cents each. And they'll go np, of course, as Easter approaches. They always do." "I conldn't manage with less than a dozen," said Marien, immediately. 'For the centra plooe, yon know. I might arrange jonquils, and hyaointhf, and white carnations, and thoso cheaper spring flowers, around the base, with plenty of climbing fern and rose geranium leaves, and violets if violets aren't too dear." . "Well, we must contrive some way," said Mrs. Plantagenet wearily. Wonld this everlasting warfare of ways and means never cease ? Would the time ever come when everybody would be paid, aud no army of clam orous duns would longer besiege the door? Mrs. Plantagenet hoped for this happy state of things, but it was very moon as she hoped for the millennium In a vague, indefinite lort of way. t'Ul'IU'H I'RAJIK Bald fhiphli "Now, I'll lay nsldo Mv arrow and my liow; Tn I'luy a iirnnk this I'.astsr-lide Upoii tho elvos 1 know." "Mamma, I fell yon what I" said Marion, starting from a reverio, "1 won't sny a word to old Henmwoll about this dross. Her prioos are so exorbitant I I'll go directly to littlo Euuioo l'crry." "And who is Eunico Perry?" said Mrs. I'lautngeuot, opening hor faded bluo eyes. "Don't you know? I'm suro 1 must hnvo moutionod hor a thousand timos. That littlo sowing girl who fits mo so beautifully. Hlio is Mrs. Hontn well's forowoninn or something. I daro sny I can make a special bargain with her to get mo up a gown at somo wluit short of tho regular price. Of courso tho profit will nil bo hers. Old Seam well wouldn't like it if nho knew, but nobody is going to tell her. I'll go there to-morrow, tho very first thing, beforo Euuioo goes out ; after wnrds I'll go to church. Mr. Ellwood likes us to bo devout." "It's nn excellent idea, my dear!" said Mrs. Plantngohet, who cnuglit eagerly itt everything thut involvod tho saving of money. Early as Marien Pluntiigonet roso from her downy pillow the noxt morn ing, Euuioo l'crry was earlier still. Tho morning sorvioos in tlio dimly lighted church were vory dear to her. Thoy scomod to shield aud shelter her from all tho pricks and arrows of tho day, nud up to this timo sho had not missed ono. Klio lightod the fire, put over tho cofloo-pot for hor old aunt's brenkfuHt, tidiod.'up tho room, and boforo sho wont ont, spriuklod a littlo water over tho magnificent calla lilies thut wero unrolling thoir suporb scrolls of whito volvot in tho windows that frontod to tho east. There will bo thirteen," said she, to herself, her chooks flushing with natural prido. "Thirteonl I didn't think when I planted the roots in tho fall bow splendidly thoy would grow and thrive I Ob, you darlings, I could kiss yon, if I wasn't afraid of spoiling tho white purity of your hearts 1'' There is no accounting for the freaks of tho flower world. Thoso lilies bad blossomed royally out in tho sunshine of thoso low.little tbrco-story windows' whon, perhaps, beneath tho arched crystal root of o ateain-hoated conser vatory they would havo put forth nothing but leaves. Did thoy know how Eunioo loved thorn? Did thoy feel the magnotio current of her liquid hazel eye every time that she looked at them? Who could answer? Not Eunice, certainly. She had been gone some time, when Miss Plantagonet leisurely asconded the stairs, turning up her aristooratio nose at the various sights and sounds, and smells whioh are inseparable from a tenament house. Only the old aunt waa in the room, moving leisurely about as she put away the remains of her frugal breakfast, Marien opened the door, and came in without the preliminary ceremony of knocking. Aocording to her plat form, the poor had no feelings that it waa neocessary to cosult or regard. "Is Miss Perry at homo?" said she. "Good graoious, what beautiful lilies ! Where did you buy tbem, my good woman?" Old Mrs. Perry smilod complaoent- "We didn't buy them," said she. "Eunioe has grown them herself. My nieoe, Miss I" with a little courtesy, "How muouare they?" said Marien, gveedily. "They are not for sale," said the old aunt, with rather a frightoned air. "Ob, but I must have tbem I" said Marien,smilingly arrogant. "They are just preoisely what I want. Suob a perfeot shape so unusually large I I daro say she'd sell them all for seven ty-five oents; for of course they oan be of no use to you here?" with a soorn, ful glance around the room. Did you say she was out?" 'She has gone to ohuroh," said Mrs. Perry, who instinotively app?oaohed step or ao nearer the lilies. "If you want to aoo her, she will bo at Mrs. AT EASTEK TIDK. "Who'll ilek with mnto win or IoboV" In whooilllna: tones ho Inks; Of nil ho mt nonn could rofune And Cupid won tholr pkki. Scarawoll's rooms at niuo o'clock this morning." In hor own mind, Marien Planta gonet abandoned tho idoa of tho dress nt onco. Hlio could mnko her vio let suit do or olso tho despised pearl colored silk, pcrhnps. And, after nil, there was senroely timo for tho proper making up of nn Enstor costume ( and Hhnrko ft Henbiiry wero advertising somo very cheap roady-mudo suits from Pnris, Hut tho lilies sho must hnvc I "Wo aro very old friends, Miss 1'orry and I,' said Marlon, turning with n hard, polmhcd sinilo to tho old womnu, "Aud I'm quito suro that if sho knew I nn I tnkou a fancy to her lilies sho would bo glad to givu them to mo. I nm Miss I'lantageuet, ono of Mrs, KeamwcH's best customers, you know, nud a word from mo would dis miss any of her workmen. Hero is a dollar. Of rourso tlio ilowcra uron't worth thut, but I hnvo a horror of any meanness. And now if you'll got mo a pieco of pnpor to wrap them iu, I'll cut tho lilies nt ouco," So, nolens volons, Miss l'lnntagonct carriod off poor Eunico's whito-soulud darlings in a pieco of tissuo-pnper, leaving hor crumbled dollar-bill on tho window-sill. "A capital morning's work," said Maricu to her Bell. On Hatnrduy morning tlio rxquisito bunch of lilies arrived for tho font, with a card ou whioh was soribblod tho prettiest of messages for tho rec tor. Ho looked nt thorn with admiration. "1 nover saw lovelier lilies in luy lifo," ho said. And thon, with a not uunntnral scquocco of ideas, ho added to himself, "I wonder why Eunice Perry has not sont the flowers that sho promisod?" Eunico camo into hor prayers that Eastor Evo, palo and silent, with eye lids just flushed, as if nho had been se cretly crying, but she brought no flowors. Tho rector perceived in an instant that something was wrong. She was stealing quietly away, whon he came out from tho robiog-rootn door and intercepted hor. "Eunice," said ho.gcntly.sepnrnting himself from the crowd of young girls who came thither to holp arrange the chanacl, font and rails with leaf and blossom for tho morrow's joyful fes tivity, "don't go. I want to speak to you." "About the flowers?" said Eunico, lifting her soft, shy eyes to his. "Ob, Mr. Elwood, I am so sorry 1 But thoy were taken away." "Taken away?" he repeated, with surprise. "Yes," said Eunioe. "Miss Plan tagenet came to our house, while I was gone, r.nd carried them away, without leave or permission. She left a dollar for them. No money would have bought them of me, after watoh iug the earliest buds swell into bloom." "Miss Plantagenet," he repeated, slowly, as if in thought. "Are these flowers yours, Eunice?" He took the stately cross of calla lilies from the centre of the white marble font. Eunice Perry olasped her hands. "Yes," she said; "they are mine. I should know them anywhere." "I thought so," said Mr. Elwood, drily. "Sbo sent them here this morning. It is tho old atory of the rich man and the little ewe-lamb over again, Eunice. But do not waep ; tho sweetest lily that ever bloomed is not worth your tears." He walked home with her a part of the way, and when they paused on the street corner nearest her home, he took the little oold hand in his. "Eunice," he said, "I wish I could comfort you." "You have comforted mo," she ut tered. "If I could mako your life easier I" be esolaimed, earnestly. "Eunice, do you thiuk that I could? Sweet one, will you lot me try? Will you be my wile?" So Ue woccd bis wife, audio he woo her, on Easter Ero. And, ns ho m'ler ward told hor, bo never knew how well he loved her nntil ho saw her crying ovor those muto, mnguidcorit Enstcr lilies. As for Marion I'lnntngenet, nho gained hor lilies, but sho lost tho man sho loved, Tho callus wero not such A bargain after nil I For, if Marion had river enrod for nny ono, it wns for Mr. Elwood. lint she failed to per coivo thnt her mistake wns rooted in her own solfinlineiN. I'coplo never see quito straight wlu-ro thoir owu follies nro concerned. And Mrs. I'lnntflgcrict, poor soul, is ns fnr away from hor millennium as over I Foster ftiuig. Awnkon, swot flower! Tho snow In tho vnllnys hns melted st ln', And tho dosolnln nlirht nt tho yenr Is pint ; 'fliii Ico-chnlim nrn limkoii, tho riihlni aro slnglni;,- - Awnkoto tho call of tho IviM'.t bells rlni; Inir! Awnken, O heart! fobondngn of sin thou hnst sliimhrei no long, Arise In thy honuty and rapture of sonic, Arlsn In tho Kindness of nnturo's adorning, Come forth In thy Mrcntfth on this glad Knstor moriiliiK! Itoso Ifnrtwlek Thorpe, in Doinorojl's, Meaning of tlio Knster Egg, As Easter represents a new birth into tho best lifo of all, it is easily seen bow tho pagan idea thnt tho egg wns tho beginning of nil kinds of lifo should beromn purified in tho minds of tho Christ inns, nnd accepted as the typical offering of gooil wishoo and emblem nlicof plens.uit hopes betwconbeliovers of tho glud Easter day. Tho egg in soinn form or other has been tho un questioned typo of tho new life from tlio vory dawn of tho Christina era. Iu Itussia as onrly ai loH.) eggs col ored rod, typifying tho blood of Christ shod ns nn ntouument for our sins, wero tho most treasured of exchanges of Enster. Every believer went nbroad nt this season with his pockets woll supplied with Easter oggi, as tho society man of to-dny attonds to his well filled card cane. Whon two Ira nians met for tho first time during tho Easter holidays, if thoy bad not met on tho day itsolf, the bolatcd Easter compliments wero passed, first by solemnly shaking hnndi in silonoe; then tho cider (or tho yonngor, if ho outranked tho cldor) would say, "Tho Lord is risen," and his companion would reply, "It is true ;" then they kissed each other nnd ceremoniously drow from thoir rospootive pockets the Easter emblem, and exchanged eggs, Tho Syrians believed also that tho gods from whom they claimod descent were hatched from mysteriously laid eggs. Heoco wo infer that our present custom of offering tho Easter egg em blem has tho heathen legends for its origin; in fact, all our most precious festivals como down from cimilnr sou roes, but purillcd with tho light of Christianity. Chautauquian. The Moravian Way of Celebrating Easter One of the most significant and pic turesquo celebrations of Easter is that of tho Moravian Christians, of whom there nre many congregations in the United Statos. At Bethlehem, Penn., and other towns where Moravians abound some musicians -with brass in struments go at earliest dawn to the root of the church and play music signifying the calling forth of the dead. The people immediately flock to the ohuroh ana begin tho service of the day, most of it being mnsical. At a given signal the entire oongregation rise, and, preceded by the ministers and trumpeters, leave the church and maroh to the cemetery. In Moravian cemeteries all the gravestones are alike small, flat slabs laid upon the graves, "for," say the simple, literal people, "in the grave all men ore equal." The procedure of the service is so timed that the rousioo-prayerful rejoicing reaches its highest expression just oh the sun rise. A Itelglau Eastor Tradition. Tho offering of the Easter egg is also an anoient and popubr tradition of the Belgians. It is customary there every Sunday for the young men to exchange boquets of flowers with their fiancees, but at Easter time these gifts are varied by eggs colored and having inscriptions on them similar to the poetioal lines one find in cheap holiday confectionery. Among the wealthier classes in Belgium, as in Paris, eggs. ' adorned with beautiful miniature portraits were exohanged. Flemish chronicles relate that under tho reign of Maria . Christina - Easter eggs to tho value of twenty francs were ofteu distributed. This exponsire adorning of the Easter egg has lost its popularity, aud to-day the eggs in general are simply colored by boiling or staining. They also aro to be given and exchanged by aduttu, but aro colored for children' amunomeat and pleasure, I'CAItf.H Or' TIIOl (JUT. Thorn Is no rainbow without a cloud, 'J'lm greatest difficulties lio whom wn aro not looking for them. Iu wishing for his neighbor's pos sessions, tlm covetous in n ii loses his own. Strength is not n blessing when it is Used to tnko advantage of a brother's WPIlkllPHS. We hnvo rarely known n man to bit convinced of the error of his opinions by being culled A fool. Men do not always love thoso they nslouin ; women, on tlio contrary, es teem only thoso they love. Ho iilonu is great nnd hs;ipy who fills his own station of independence, nud has neither to coiiiuininl nor to obey. Nothing pays smaller dividends in spiritual results than making u spe cialty of discovering tho shortcoming of others, Tho blossoms of spring urn I lie prophets of niitiimii. So n joyful ser vice in youth promises a rich frnilngo iu after year. ' Tliero is no good in nrguin with tho inevitable,. Tho only nrgiiiimiit available with nn ea-,1 wind is to put. on your overcoat. Tliero nro people who would do grent aels; but bnciillHo they wait for great, opportunities, lifo pusses, ami tlio net of lovu lire not done nt all. Teach Hclf-doiiial, nnd make its prai tieo pleasurable, nnd you preato for the world n destiny inure sublime than ever issued from the brum of lint wild est dreamer. Art is long, lifo is short ; judgment is ilillieiilt, opportunity fleeting. To act is easy to think is dilli nit, hihI to net pursuant to one thought is troublesome. Cost of llig Tunnels. A recently published item relativo to Hie comparative cost of Hid woild's four great tunnels places the cost, of lloosiic tunnel iu the United States, tlio oldest one of tho lot, nt t'70, ir about iJIIHl), a foot, says the New York Times. Tho Mount Chum tun nel, tlio next iu date, post, uccording to tho snmo item, C71, or about $l.5, a foot ; tho St. (rotlmrd cost HI',, of 8-' l')tt foot, an I tlu Arl berg, tho latest in date, co-t only til, or 81 j n f lot, Tli'i rapid decrenso iu cost, within comparatively few yeiir, is cited h a marked indica tion of tho great progress in mechani cal methods and improvement iu rock excavating tools. A still ni iru strik ing result exists in tiio cusu of a tun nel through tho Uasciulu mountains, on tho line of tlio Northern I'.icitie railroad, in too United .States. This, ii ii I i lio those named, which wero ex Rivated iu old, Settled countries, with tho terminal easy of access, was in a peculiarly difficult locution, ho much so that it took montiis to convey tho machinery to thn spot. Rivers hud to bo turned aside, bridges built and material transported over improvised roads through nearly 100 miles of forest, mud and snowllelds, yut tho tunnel, which is sixteen and one-half feet wide, twenty-two feet high, nud H950 f jet long, was bored through tlm uiouutuio iu twenty-two months, nt the rate of 413 feet u month, nnd at a cost for the completed tuuuel of only 21, or about $120 a foot Juhal's Call. The duughterof Dr. Edward Hodgos, the orgunist, says thut her father had a delightful way of oulliug nil tho children musically. One Sunday murniug, when he was playing hi St. John's chupjl, New York, ho said t her: "I am going to call Jubal. Watch him." Jubal wns sitting in his accustomed place near tho middle nisle. Doctor Hodges' voluntary began tuougutfully aud smoothly, but in the courso of it a significant phrase of two notes was twioa repeated. It was distinct, uud yet so truly a part of the improvisa tion that no straugcr would have no ticed it ut all. Tho first time Jubnl's uttuntion waa arrested ; the second, he turned aud looked up, but saw no sign. At tho third call ho deliberately took up his. hut, left tho pew, walked straight up to his father and said : "Do you want me, sir?" "Yes," said Dr. Hodges, "ti home and get my gold suuffbox." The errand was speedily oxooutud. for tho house stood near. Jubal handed the suuffbox to his tuther aud returned to his sjut, Youth's Com panion. A Uud Case. "Ue is so good thut fear his wiugs are about to sprout. " "Is it us bud as all that? I uways kuew he was a bit flighty."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers