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ARRANGEMENT OF FURNITURE.
One of the perplexing questions of
house furnishing is the arrangement
of the furniture; how to place the
various pleces in order to obtain the
best resiits.
If the room under consideration is
the library where shall the bookoases
stand? where place the reading ta-
ble? how loeate the chairs? If the
room is the dining room, how arrange
sideboard and serving table and oth-
or pieces so that comfort for the fam-
ily and convenience for the servants
are obtained? If the room is a sleep-
ing apartment how dispose the furni-
ture so that light, air and privacy are
secured? }
Oftentimes when the library, living
room and dining room are faultless,
the bedrooms of the house are lack-
iog in any plan or forethought in the
arrangement of the furniture, says the
Washington Times. The bed faces a
window, making sleep impossible af-
ter’ sunrise, or the dressing table is
in a dark corner where little light is
obtained. Guest rooms are usually
the greatest offenders against com-
fort, for they are seldom occupied by
the’ members of the family, and thus
their various shortcomings are unno-
ticed. A polite guest does not care
to draw attention to the negligen€e
of his hostess or the oversight of the
architect. The latter is, of course,
‘not responsible for the location of the
furniture, unless he has provided in-
sufficient wall space which is an oc-
casional architectural sin. Where a
room is so cut up by doors and win-
dows that the only available space
for the bed is opposite a window, the
architect is largely to blame. If the
exposure be an eastern one the an-
noyvance is deepseated. Heavy shades
are seldom sufficient to shut out the
aarly morning sun. Again, in shutting
out the sun, the direct means of air
may be cut off also.
Another fault, common to many
bedrooms, lies in the senseless plac-
ing of the fixtures. Possibly the room
is lighted by a small chandelier with
four burners. In addition, there are
doubtless side lights. It is in the
placing of the latter that comfort is
disregarded. Two lights are the com.
mon appropriation, and these usually
decorate the side wall, which is least
hroken by openings. The sole pur-
pose of these lights is, presumably, to
give illuminatign for comfortable
dressing. The dressing table is plac-
ed so as to get the best light hy day.
The fixtures are as far as possible
from this point. A little forethought
might have located the two together.
Another serious fault in bedrooms
is the lack of privacy in the placing
of the furniture. The open door re-
veals the whole arrangement. The
hed and the dressing table, if possi
ble, should be so located that they
are invisible from the hall.
In the other rooms of the house,
good taste and common sense go hand
in hand. It is less easy to go astray
in the dining room, for pieces are
often built in, or, lacking this scheme,
plain spaces are left for sideboard
and serving table.
In the living room, book and maga-
zine tables should be placed so ag to
receive light; chairs for reading
should be near at hand, ard book-
cases, not too high for easy access,
should line the walls.
Comfort and convenience are the
hand-maidens of a well furnished
house—both of far greater import:
ance than expemse and luxury.
HOME LIFE OF THE CHINESE.
The home life of the Chinese is less
familiar to Americans than that of
any other foreign mation represented
in this country. After the manmer
of their forefathers, the Chinese hold
to conservative ideas for their wom-
en, and with few exceptions, where
the feminine members of the ‘fami’
have taken to attending meetings and
clubs in public. Americans do not
get So much as a peep at the dainty
little women upon whom we bestow
so much sympathy, but who, if the
truth be known, are far happier than
the majority of those who pity them.
The keynote of Chinese home life as
it is lived in this country is content-
ment. The wife and mother is hap-
py with her hushand, who, despite
‘his scattered business interests, be
he even a highbinder or a profession.
al fan-tan man, is devotion itself to
his family. She thoroughiy enjoys
her children, her cozy home with its
musical instruments, its flowers, and
the domestic pets. All Chinese wom-
en are taught: to play the young cum,
a. zither-like instrument, and the ma-
jority of them sing the queer oriental
songs, which are verses of the class-
ies set to music. Without exception,
there are flowers in almost every win-
dow ofa Chinese home, though the
home consists of only two rooms, as
many of them in New York do. These
women know nothing of the opera,
the horse shows, dinners, and grapd
cotillors; among the Chinese women
there are no passee maidens who af.
ter three or four seasons are still un-
sought in marriage, and there are na
divorces. Their very ignorance of the
world is the safeguard of their con
tentment, and why any one who is
content and happy should be the ob-
ject of pity and sympathy from
woridlings is a problem for Confu-
ciuslike wisdom te solve.—Harriet
WASH DRESSES FOR WINTER.
Wash dresses for house Wear are
one of the innovations this fall, and
they will be worn all winter, Gradu-
ally women have been working up to
it by discarding flannel waists for
cotton waists, and now the cotton, lin.
en or gingham skirt has followed.
Women say there are three com.
mon sense reasons why the winter
wash dresses should be popular. In
the first place, they can be kept clean-
er. Even if a houge is heated hy
steam or hot water there is always a
great deal of dust circulating in the
heated rooms, and this soon means a
soiled gown.
If a woolen gown is worn the dust
and dirt keeps on grinding in until
the dress becomes almost gritty, for
it cannot be cleansed save at the
cleaner’s, and this is expensive, But
the wash dress can be put into the
tub every week, to be made fresh,
crisp and attractive,
In the second place, when a woman
has been accustomed all spring and
summer to light weight clothing she
finds the heawier winter apparel a de-
cided drag on her. So she impatient-
ly pulls off the heavy woolen ZOoWNn
and slips into a comfortable ifnen or
gingham one.
For a third reason, she says hy-
giene teaches that light clothing for
street wear means better health.
Of course, there is always the ex-
cellent reason of economy for five
wash dresses may be purchased
where only one woolen gown is pos-
sible, and then a woman may use in
winter the gingham dresses of the
past summer, which will be a little
out of fashion the following summer,
but are all right for house wear.—
American Cultivator.
HAIR ORNAMENTS.
Rich design and much ornamenta-
tion is the order of things with hair
onaments. The empire style seems to
take precedence over others, though
there is always the conservative
comb, which, with its plain gold rim,
if of unquestionably good taste. Speak-
ing of back combs, the new idea 18
a high back—at least an inch wide.
Usually this is elaborately decorated
with carving, filigree, gold and jew-
els. :
There are shell,combs with gold
and silver inlaid, and set with rhine-
stones or diamonds. There are those
with simple designs of inlaid gold,
and others with clusters of rhine-
stones set in silver in the form of
wreaths and bows, placed on the
broad, plain shell band. The rhine-
stones in the silver imitate diamonds
in platinum, says the Philadelphia
North American.
The three kinds of gold finish most
used in this elaborate decoration are
antique, Roman and rose. Stones are
set therein to harmonize—olivines,
aquamarines, amethysts, sapphires,
rubies, baroque pearls, and so on.
A style that will De exceedingly
prominent is a direct copy of the old
fashioned balltop combs. Balls carv-
ed from the shell and ranging in size
from a quarter inch to three-quarters,
are arrayed across the top of a some-
what narrow, long<4toothed comb, 100k-
ing for all the world like grandmoth-
er's relic of fashionable times in the
50's.
There is something decidedly new
in barettes. They are being designed
to correspond with the gold and jew-
el designs cf the combs,
FASHIONS IN FEATHERS.
Flaunting plumage of most . vivid
colorings, deck the winter hat of the
woman of fashion, and, curiously
enough, not even the most brilliant
to suit the millinery freak of the
moment. 3
Peacock tail plumage is used in its
metallic blue-green shade, while the
tail feathers cof the same bird are
dyed a rich brick red.
A Lendon milliner tempted her cus-
tomers with a purple hat of the Gains-
borough type, which was one glorious
mass of that magnificent color known
as eminence. The feathers on the hat
repeated the dye.
A single ostrich feather perched up-
right, with the tip dropping over a
diamond diadem, is a form of adorn-
ment that is very extraordinary, but
truly piquant when worn by a hand-
some woman in her hair as the coif-
fure ornament that accompanies an
empire evening robe. The color must
match the gown,
Brilliant, indeed, are ‘the orange
and amber marabou feathers, which
are as. fluffy as a duckling’s coat, and
like a resy cloud is’ the same plum-
age when dyed a bright cerise,
Startling as these colors are, they
look refined, because the mellow pig:
ments of the paintings of the great
French ‘artist, 'Nattier, and those ot
his’ contemporary, De Largilliere, are
closely copied. Nattier blue is at
present a most fashionable dye for
millinery plumage.—New Haven
Register.
FASHION NOTES.
It is difficult to find in the shops a
simple crepe or chiffon waist which
an elderly woman or one of quiet
tastes might wear.
The craze for lace is at its height
at the present time. Waists, gowns,
coats, hats of rich lace are being ac-
quired by every woman who can af
ford them, and it is bad news to learn
Quimby in Leslie's Weekly. -
that the prices are higher than ever.
house wear and heavier clothing for.
MEN WHO CORNERED COINS.
INSTANCES THIS HAS
WITH PROFIT.
Curious Way in Which a French
Criminal Swindled Credulous Peas:
ants—A Remarkable Case That Oc-
curred in South Russia Two Years
Ago.
Nearly every one nas come across
indtviduals who are under tue delus-
fon that English 1861 pennies contain
a large percentage of gold, says Tit
Bits. The gold, of course, is non-ex-
istent. But that fact has not pre-
vented many estimable individuals
collecting all the 1861 pennies they
could lay their hands upon with a
view to melting them dpwn. A Brad-
ford man named Meyers, who died
last year, used to boast that he pos-
sessed 7,000, He estimated their
value at £135.
In small towns it is quite possible
to corner, for a limited period, coins
of any one denomination. At a Welsh
holiday resort the local band was so
indignant at the large proportion of
halfpennies in its “silver collections”
that it locked up every ‘halfpenny re-
ceived. In a few weeks there was
hardly a halfpenny in the town, and
the band thenceforth reaped a har-
vest of pennies. A Manchester man
was so struck by the inconvenience
which resulted that, on returning
home, he opened a “Copper 'Change,”
where, for a small commission, he re-
ceived packages of pence from those
whose business brought them in too
many giving them silver in exchange.
In 1899 an Irishman of Cashel made
a bet that thirty single shillings
could not be got in all the saops on
a certain day. For days in advance
he changed innumerable sovereigns
and bank notes, thus cornering prac-
tically all the silver. He won his bet,
his opponent, who was of course, in
ignoraace of the trick, being able to
scrape together only eleven shillings.
Cornering coins with criminal in-
tent led to a Bayonne Frencaman
named Bornier getting five months
imprisonment in August last. Bornier
cornered several thousand 1888 sou
pieces, and sold them at fifty cen-
times (10 cents) each to simple-mind-
ed peasants, by declaring that the
French Government was going to
make each sou bearing the date token
money for one franc. He swindled
over 200 persons before being appre-
hended.
The ordinary type of the 1887 six-
pence, taough worth nothing more
than its nominal value, has been al-
most completely cornered by a num-
ber of individuals who believe that it
will rise in price as a memento of
Queen Victoria's jubilee. Of the tens
of thousands issued from the mint few
specimens are now in circulation.
IN SOME
BEEN DONE
Cornering gold coins demands a
capital which few men possess. At
Dieppe, however, some years ago,
there was a sudden scarcity of ten
franc and twenty franc pieces, which
was traced to an American visitor
named Bragg, who, for some cryptic
reason, nad the day before changed
several hundred bank notes of high
value for gold. Laden with the coins
he left for Paris and it was not for
a week that the mormal amount of
gold returned to the town.
Superstition has led many ignorant
individuals to collect large numbers
of coins of a particular denomiration.
A remarkable case occurred in South
Russia two years ago. A “prophet”
appeared at Berdiansk, on the Sea of
Azoy, and proclaimed that he had
come to save the world. Meeting with
a bad reception from the townspeople,
he tramped inland and gained many
peasant adherents. Among other
queer doctrines, he preached that all
five copeck pieces issued in 1831, the
year of the emancipation of the serfs,
were “holy.” Taey were to be brought
to him for preservation in an oaken
chest. When Russia got into difficul-
ty all these coins would turn to gold
and save the Empire.
Over an area of 300 square miles
the peasants feverishly set about col-
lecting the holy money. When tae
prophet had collected about £40
worth he decamped, after changing
them at a local bank for gold.
An attempt to corner the Maria
Theresa dollars, which are used as
currency in many parts of northern
Africa, collapsed owing to a queer
cause. An Abyssinian, Ras Makoppo,
conceived tne ingenious idea of col-
lecting all specimens of these coins
extant in his district. As thoy were
old coins he reasoned they would rise
in value. After he had possessed him-
self of about 2,000 he found that the
country was as well supplied with
them as ever. While he had been
busy collecting them modern Maria
Theresa dollars made in Germany
were being imported by the thousand.
The result was that the coin feil in
value, and the too astute chief lost
half his wealth.
The Russian Government corners
its own coins. Every year it mints
a limited .number of bionze coins of
the nominal value of one-quarter -0-
peck, in English value one-six-
teenth of a penny. As these coins
are practically mot in circulation only
a few are issued. The remainder are
sold by the mint authorities at about
double their value for use as card
counters.
Birmingham boasts the only man
who corners bad coins. This gentle-
man has a unique collection of false
money. Some years ago he issued a
notice to various trades people that
he would give one-quarter of the nom-
inal value for certain specimens of
counterfeit coins which might have
been passed upon them. He ngw pos-
sesses several thousand, some so like
good money that the«fraud is not per-
ft Is hard to understand how my
tradesman could have been taken in.
EARTHQUAKES,
PROOF AGAINST
Designing Buildings to Withstand
Moderate Shocks.
In Japan many of the cottages built
in districts afflicted with earth.
euakes are of wood, and have frames
designed “0 as to be uniore or less
elastic, They will yield without
breaking, and will recover their orig:
inal form after a temporary distor-
tion, These dwellings are good ones
to live in, and are far more secure
than rigid walls of brick or stone, In
Northern India similar problems are
presented by the same evil, In an
engineering periodical printed in that
pare of the world, J, H. Stephens says
that, besides the material employeu
in building, some attention can profit-
ably, be paid to the soil under the
foundation. If a souu structure rest.
ed on a cushion of ruvber it would
stand a good deal of shaking before
it would collapse.
It has been found that when a
bunding rests on a bed of clay it is
liable to continual motion. In the wet
weather the clay expands and tae
building is raised upward. In the
hot weather the clay contracts and
the building is lowered. The result
is that such buildings, however well
constructed, are very much cracked.
The clay bed seems to have lines of
least resistance, which can be traced
for miles in the hot season by open
fissures in the surface of the earth.
Where a building intercepts such a
fissure in the surface of the clay bed
there is a large crack in the walls and
roof of the building. However good
the quality of the construction, noth-
mg can save the building from ecrack-
ing, and the opening is invariably in
line with the cleavage in tae bed of
clay.
Mr. Stephens says that he and two
other engineers, named Chisholm and
Irwin, decided to counteract tne ten-
dency by going down to permanent
moisture. They then filled toeir foun-
dation trench with compressed sand
and started their walls. Such build-
ing, though erected on clay and sub-
jected to all the variations of expan-
sion and contraction in the clay sub-
soil, yet never cracked. These facts
lead Mr. Stepaens to sav:
“Is tnis security due to the cushion
of sand below the foundation? If a
cushion of sand can protect a build-
ing from the motion due to the con-
traction and expansion of the subsoil,
can it also, in a certain degree, pro-
tect a building from the motion due
to an earthquake? Do you not think
that the matter is worth experiment-
ing on? In Calcutta and in the North
generally, where eargnquakes have al-
ready done so much damage, I am not
aware that any aftempt has heen
made to protect buildings or to do
anything to mitigate the evil. It is
hopeless, pernaps, to do anything to
existing buildings. But I understand
that large building schemes are in
the air, especially the grand Victoria
Memorial. Can notaning be done to
protect these? A good cushion of sand
has been frequently tried down South,
and has resisted the motions in the
subsoil caused by expansion and con-
traction. It is true that this motion
is slow compared to the motion in the
subsoil caused by an earthquake, but
what has done complete good in one
case may do a little good in the other.
At any rate, it ought to be worta ex-
perimenting on. There may be ways
of using this or any other material
by whicn .ae shock of an earthquake
may be averted.”—New York Tribune,
A CURIOUS INDUSTRY.
An Out-of-the-Way Enterprise That is
Bringing in Modest Wealth.
Very while the busy world
is tearing along ‘seeking fortunes in
wide and well-known fields, hidden
away quietly there is seme modest lit-
tle industry going along and bringing
in a nice little sum to the sharp mind
that has known how to seek wealth
in untrodden or little-known patas.
Among such out-of-the-way enter-
prises we may mention a curious agri-
cultural industry which is being profit-
ably carried on at Varedales, near
meaux, France. It consists in the
manufacture of preserved sorrel,
which is put up in tins or small casks,
and exported to all parts of the world,
for use as a culinary and table acces-
sory. This industry was started at
Varedales in the year 1860, but it
still remains practically unknown to
the world at large. It requires a mo-
tive power of about 8 horse-power
while a quantity of steam (repre-
senting 17 norse-powe:) is also used
for boiling and cocking purposes. As
the water used must be extremely
pure, an artesian well has been sunk
often
in the grounds of the factory, and
vields a’ supply of the necessary me-
dium which, like the immortal Bay-
ard, is ‘sans reproche.”
Sorrel can only be grown four
years in succession upon the same
land, which: must then be put under’
other crops for about twelve years.
Hence tne land bought up for tae
purpose covers a superficial area of
120 hectares (296 acres). When pick-
ed (for which sixty women are cm-
ployed) the leaves are conveyed, as
quickly as possible, to the factory; nere
they are carefully washed by mechan-
ical means, and are then well cooked
in specially-designated digesters or
boilers. This interesting industry,
which is by no means unprofitable,
would well repay cousideration, as
there is plenty of room for a niuch
larged trade to be done in presepved
sorrel—by no means an unpalatable
table adjunct.—Scientific American;
Madrid is at last to bave a large
ceptible; some 2 clumsily made that
and first-class hetel,
PIGS AS DRAUGHT ANIMALS.
Sow That Could Retrieve Birds—
Fourin-Hand of Pigs.
In many countries and even so near
as Scotland the pig has served the
purpose of a beast of draught, and
has actually been harnessed to the
plough in of mpany with cowg and
horses. In Scotland also early in the
last century plgs were
made to serve as chargers and proved
mest docile mounts,
The homing instinct is strongly de-
veloped in the pig. Instances not
infrequently occur of pigs finding
thelr way back to farms whence they
have been conveyed. There is a rec-
ord of two pigs homing nine miles,
and crossing the Thames to boot, to
their old farm, whence they kad been
driven to Reading market and bought
by a local gentleman on the previous
day. At one point on their homeward
journey where two roads met the
twain were observed “putting their
noses together as if in deep consul-
tation.”
About 1815 a London gentleman
created a sensation by driving a four.
in-hand of pigs through the streets,
and thirty years later an old farmer
caused amusement to a great crowd
in the market place at St. Albans by
entering it in a chaise drawn by four
trotting logs. After two or three
turns reund the market he drove to
the Woolpack Yard, where his curi-
ous steeds were unharnessed and led
away to be regaled with a trough of
beans and wash.
They have also been sporting pigs.
And old account of a black sow which
Mr. Richard Toomer, one of the royal
keepers in the New Forest, broke to
find game and to back and stand
says: “Within a fortnight she would
find and point partridges or rabbits,
and her training was much forward-
ed by the abundance of both, * * *
She daily improved, and in a few
weeks would retrieve birds that had
run as well as the best pointer; nay,
her nose was superior to the best
pointer.”
According to Linnaeus, “the hog 1s
more nice in the selection cf his vege-
table diet than any of our other do-
mesticated herbivorous animals.”
Thus in one respect the pig may be
said to be an epicure. Linnaeus states
that the animal will cat omly 72
plants, as against the goat’s 449, the
sheep’s 287, the cow’s 276, and the
horse's 262.—London Daily Express.
Poison Plants.
The colors of fowers and leaves of-
fer numbers of interesting problems.
No one quite knows why the prevail
ing tint of early spring flowers is
either white or yellow. Yellow, 1n-
deed, holds its own to some extent
all through the summer, but the typl-
cal color of summer blocms is pink,
while as the autumn advances richer
crimsons and all the rich glowing
simetimes |
hues of dahlias and chrysanthemums |
are seen. Horticulturists have produc-
ed poppies of pretty nearly
shade under the sun, and with many
other flowers they seem able to alter
the co'ors almost as they please, Yet
the blue rose, the black tulip and
the green carnation seem as far off
as ever they were in spite of con-
stant efforts to arrive at them. Near-
ly three centuries ago Dutch garden:
ers imagined themselves on the verge
of inventing a black inlip. The col-
ors of the blossoms of fruit trees are
limited to weite, pink, bright scarlet
and purple. The reason no one
knows. Nor is it clear why nearly
all plants with purple blossoms have
poisonous properties, The deadly
nightshade is an instance which will
be familiar to all country readers.—
Pearson's Weekly.
A Professor's Indorsement.
Before President Angell of the Uni-
versity of Michigan had attained to
his present high position a young
hopeful entering college was recom-
mended to his consideration, “Try the
boy out, professor; criticise him and
tell us both what you think” the
parents said. To facilitate acquaint-
ance the professor took the boy for
After ten minutes silence the
ventured, “Fine day, profes-
a walk.
youth
sor.”
“Yes,” with a faraway look.
Ten minutes more and the young
man, squirming all the time, ventur
ed, “This is a pleasant walk profes-
sor.”
“Yes.”
For ancther ten minutes the matrl-
culate boiled to his bones and then
blurted out that he thought they
might have rain,
“Yes.” And this time the profes-
sor went on: “Young ian, we have
been walking together for half an
hour, and you have said nothing
which was not commonplace and
stupid.”
“True,” answered the boy, his
wrath passing his modesty, “and you
indorsed every word I said.”
Then they laughingly shook hands,
and word went home from the profes-
sor that the boy was all right and
that they were great friends.—De-
troit Free Press.
Testing a Building's Safety.
When you suspect that anything is
going wrong with a public building,
say St. Paul's Cathedral or the Abbey,
and a crack appears, you paste brown
paper across the crack. The least bit
of movement tears the paper, and
then you know whether the mischief
is stopped or whether it is continuing.
There is also an electrical apparatus
for measuring vibration that cannot
be noted by natural observation.—Pall
Mall Gazette. ot
The waPRST pies 7 Wesuu lob-
sters fluctuates very much, according
0 the supply and demand.”
/
/
/
every |
|
|
Tolstoi's Optimism.
The correspondent of the Berliner
Tageblatt writes to that journal! that
Count Tolstoi thinks that the satety
of Russia through all her commotions
will ultimately be secured by the un-
shaken loyalty of the peasantry, The
correspondent says:
“Count Tolstol exhibits a surpriss
ing optimism with regard to the pres.
ent condition of Russian, He is pers
| sunded that the position of things has
nothing dangerous in it, for he I8
persuaded that the workingmen of
the big cities are of little account in
comparison with the peasants, who
form an immense majority of the Rus-
sian population.
“The peasantry are not thinking of
a revolution, and the count declares
that newspaper stories of revolts in Ly
the country districts are exaggerated.
He says that no one but a small group
of revolutionary agitators desires to
overturn the order of things at pres-
ent existing.
“Nevertheless, Tolstoi declines to.
make any predictions, and says that
it is impossible to say what may hap-
pen. In any case, it will be necessary
to overturn the present Government,
which is founded on a policy of force,
and to supplant it by another regime,
based on the love of others, goodness
and the maxims of Christianity. —
Translation in the Literary Digest.
Work of a Beaver Colony.
If the beavers continue their work
on a dam across the North Fork just
above the bridge across the river
east of Hotchkiss, they will ultiznately
cause several dollars’ worth of dam-
age to property in that vicinity when
high water comes in the spring. A
present the little fellows have near!
twenty feet of their work completeg
and the water is rushing against
without appreciable damage.
Mr. Thomas Blackwell who has
lease on the Metcalf property, Wro
to the State game warden, askin
what can‘ be done about the matte
the law not allowing beavers to Bb
killed. The warden replied the bea
ers belonged to the State, but a pe!
mit could be granted for $1 to kil
ten or twelve beavers, provided the,
were doing damage, but that the pelts
must be carefully prepared and sSiip-
ped to the warden for sale, whepe-
upon onehalf of the proceeds will be
returned for the “trouble” in ecatch-
ing them.
A dam such as the beavers build
will back the water up onto the Met-
calf property and wash away a large
part of the place. Besides that the
beavers are cutting down a large
number of trees now on the place,
and, situated so near town, the growth
is of some value—North Fork, (Kan.)
Times.
{
wi
———————
“Kerchunk” ‘Did it.
A train on one of the new rail
roads in southern Kansas was run-
ning Jown a grade, says the Kansas
City Star, when one of the side rods
of the engine broke. The train stop-
ped at the foot of the grade with
the good cylinder “on center,” and
when the broken side had been un-
coupled the engine could nct be start-
ed. 4
The engineer, the conductor and the
passengers took turns trying( to Ade-
vise a way to start it. At last a fapm-
er’s boy crawled through a barb wire
fence and came over to make a sSug-
gestion.
“Why don’t you let ‘er go Xker-
chunk?” he asked.
“What?” demanded the conductor,
not grasping the idea.
“Why, let ’er go kerchunk. Un-
hitch the last car and shove 'er up
the grade a-ways. Then let ’er down
kerchunk against the train. That'll
bump her along some.”
The railroad men siiffed contemp-
tuously, but the passengers sided with
the boy, so at last it was decided to
try his scheme. All hands turned
to and pushed the car a little way up
the hill. Then it was sent with in-
creasing speed back against the train,
-
which it struck with the foreseen
‘kerchunk.” The “kerchunk’ did the.
work. The engine was bumped off
center, the engineer gave it enough
steam to keep it slowly moving, the
passengers scrambled abroad, and the
one-legged outfit limped away on its
journey.
Society Using Artificial Flowers.
The ballroom which was the scene
last winter of James H. Hyde's now
famous French costume ball was Jdec-
orated with artificial flowers, and so
Artificial
have been many others.
flowers had a certain vogue at New-
port last season, and NOW in . all
the smart drawing-rooms, Where the
income of the best might well war-
rant the use of fresh blossoms, are
roses of batiste amd silk, and orchids
of silk and velvet, so skilfullly prt
together that a few feet away it would
be impossible to discover the decep-
tion. They are not cheap, these
dainty manufactured blossoms, the
American beauty roses costing all the
from $2 to $4 each, and the orchids
land other flowers, including great
feathery chrysanthemums, are com-
paratively high-priced; but the econ:
omy comes in using the flowers over
and over again, their lasting qualities
and their naturalness having hun-
dreds of dollars to one who entertains
much during the season. Usually in
connection with the artificial flowers
some genuine flowers are used in or
der to make the deception complete
uimby, in Leslie's Weekly.
eatrical and amusement
announcements of Paris are posted
on pillar billboards that are placed
at intervals along the boulevards.
ernie lero :
The average number of residents to -
the acre in Paris is no less than 120. °