TKE LITTLE PEOPLE.
Br JVUS OItEKNLEAI' WHITTIEB.
DREARY placo would
I \ be this earth
< /A\ Woru thero no little
1/ IA „ , people in It j
. '
I I Won- thero 110 cliil
jf"! t ilreii to begin it.
rntMi, v^z,
W/f iil.'K / ! wan Is slumbei
iLffVi \vl . tending:
. AI •. Ml W/S'' No littlo kueo in pray
. L CS*y.\//' IT to bend,
t. ~M. */C * - N Our liua the Bweot
V-r.W.v'j r ~^ 6 words lending.
' £F~ '' Tbo Bteruer souls
would lie more stern,
Unfeeling natures more inhuman,
And no man to stoio coldness turn,
And woman would bo less than woman.
Id fa's song, indeed, would lose its charm,
Wore there 110 babies to begin it;
A doleful place thi> world would be,
~ Wore there no little people in It.
HE THREW IT HIS HANDS
CAPTURING AN IOWA DESPERADO j
AND MAN-KILLER.
"Itig Sum" Was :i Tougli Customer, but 1
Ho Quailed in the Presence ot "Old j
Jack "—An Episode of tlio Early Settle
ment of lowa.
I HEN lowa was al
/ j/l A | mitted to the Union
J/ \'r) ' as a State there
it~~tf 'M A were within her |
Sg) k? ' M'l, borders many rough J
var- 1' 'd characters, who had
left their quiet I
homes in the older ]
States and sought
\-EF7f7 *' le u^( l West in a
\—r T 1' V pure spirit of adven
.J.jAtmo. Most of these
' l nsS3-\k- men, tiiougli brave !
- to a fault, were
peaceably inclined, and rarely partici- j
pated in those brawls and affrays j
which are of such frequent occurrence
in frontier communities. Unfortunate
ly there were others who were never so j
happy as when engaged in knock- down j
arguments or shooting scrapes. Toter- j
rorize a town or a neighborhood was
their delight. These were the "bullies,"
the "desperadoes," the "terrors," as
they were variously characterized. It
was one of these pests of good society
that has prompted the penning of this
littlo sketch.
Shortly after the admission of the
State a brutal and unprovoked murder
was committed at old Fort lies Moines
by u notorious desperado known as Big
Bain.
Big Ham was one of many of that
class who spent their summers in the
mountains and drifted back to the
border of civilization to spend their
winters. While the majority of them
■were honest plainsmen, Big Sam was
a ruffian of the most pronounced type,
and was never so well satisfied as when
bullying some inoffensive stranger.
His latest victim had been a young
man from Ohio but lately arrived in
the country. 1! of using to dance in a
saloon for Big Ham's amusement, and
calling him a cowardly ruffian when
the bullv threatened him, was suffi
cient to raise Big Barn's anger to the
killing point, and he shot the young
man dead 011 the spot.
Idealizing that for once he had car
ried things too far, and that vengeance
was about to be visited 011 him by
a neighboring vigilance committee,
Big Ham lied to the then strag
gling village of Council Bluffs.
The news of his crime soon followed
him. and also the announcement that
the Governor had offered a reward of
SSOO for his arrest.
Several local officers attemjited liii
arrest without success, for he was verj
watchful and suspicious of all who ap
proached him. Besides, lie had badlj
wounded one officer who had attempted
his arrest. Tiie desperado was dis
tuvbod 110 more after this third attempt
and he became quite bold and full o:
swagger.
Stopping at the De Koven House in
Council Bluffs at the time was a mar
who. like Big Sam, wintered in the
settlements and summered in the
mountains.
Unlike Big Ham, Old .lack was no
desperado. He was nervy and gii
clear through and lie would go two oi
three miles any night to spin a mar
velous yarn 01 border adventuro, to
some company of westward-bound emi
grants, or do them a kindness.
old Jack was seated in the bar-room
of the hotel one morning when a couple
of officers came in. As they stepped
up to the bar one of them remarked:
"1 wish we could take that fellow, i
It would he a pile in our pockets if we
did, but it's most too risky a job for
air."
"Yes," remarked his companion, "a
fellow might get him, and again he
might not; but I would like to see him
punished for so cowardly and uupro j
voked a murder as that was."
"Who is it you are talking about?" |
asked Old Jack, rising and walking
toward a window looking out on the
•treet.
"Why, Big Ham, of course," was tin '
reply. "There ho goes, now, into that
saloon over across the street."
Old Jack glanced across the street i
and saw the burly figure of Big Sam I
enter the saloon and pass toward the 1
bar.
"Well, he don't look like such an aw- !
ful had man; what has he done?" asked
Jaek.
'i hereupon one of the officers brieily
outlined the crime for which Big Hani I
was wanted.
"Well, a fellow-that would kill an
other that way ain't tit to run loose. |
Just you deputize me, and if I don't i
got him for you just see that I get a ;
decent plantin'; that's all I ask," said
Juck.
"Agreed," said one of the men, "but '
just remember the risk you run, and
you are under no obligations to do it."
"Never mind that, only give me the
papers," replied old Jack.
He was forthwith deputized, and pin
ning a star on his vest underneath his
coat, lie crossed the street and walked
into the saloon which Big Ham had
entered a while before. Stepping to
the bar, lie called for the drinks, then
remarking in ca ual way that he did
not like to drink alone, he turned
toward the man seated at the stove
and said: "Corne up, stranger, and
drink with me."
"I don't care if T do," responded Big
Bam, as he arose and swaggered up to
the liar.
T'hey both drained their glasses. As
old Jack put his hand down to return ]
to his jacket the change ho had re
ceived from the bartender, ho let the
money fall to the floor, and. dexterous
ly whipping out his pistol, he had Big
Ham, wiio was leaning hack against
the bar watching him closely, covered
before he realized what was coming. ,
"Throw up your hands, and lie quick
about it," commanded Jack; "you're I
my man now," and Jio pushed aside the
lapel of liis coat and showed his star.
"Don't!" lie exclaimed, as Sam's
hand started to drop, "don't, or I'll
! kill you."
Up went the hands, for big Sam saw
he had met more than his match.
"Here, barkeeper, just step around
here and put these bracelets 1 have in
my pocket on the gentleman's wrists,
will you?" said Jack, addressing tho
dispenser of drinks. The man com
plied.
"Now, open the door for us and you
can have that change on the floor for
your trouble," said Jack.
"Now, Sam," he said, as the door
swung open, "just walk over to the
De Koven House, ahead of mo, that's
as far as we'll go now."
Sam complied, and at tho hotel ho
was turned over to the waiting officers,
who deprived him of a couple of re
volvers and an ugly-looking knife.
As old Jack surrendered tho star he
remarked that "he was done with it."
"Well," remarked big Sam, "if I
had known you were doing this for fun,
somebody would have died."
"Well, I guess you know who would
have died," was all old Jack replied.
Big Sam was taken to the scene of
his crime, where he suffered the full
l>enalty of the law.
W. L. FRENCH.
Loveland. lowfl.
ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL.
Die Juvenile Attendant Cavalier— Latest
Tomfoolery of (.iolliam's I'einale Anglo
maniacs.
MONO tho prod
ucts of modern
society there is
110110 more re
markable than
tho juvenile nt-
tenilantcivalier.
\ A do/.cn rich and
l highly respecta-
I bio New York
matrons now
provide the m -
selves each with
what she is
pleased to call "e
useful boy," and, to do her justice.it must
bo ackuowlo Iged that she compols the
young man to earn his qualifications
Mrs. Grundy herself has accepted him
and the husband heeds him not. Indeec
j he is rather regarded by that individual
1 in the light of an understudy, as ho re
lievos Monsieur of many little social
duties which would otherwise sadly in
terfere with his own engagements
whether of business or of plonsure. Then
| was a time when a married lady of por
-1 sonal attractions would scarcely hav
ventured to go about everywhere with t
Sood-looking young man who was not hei
usbaud. Nowadays we look for tin
harmless, necessary "tamo cat." Tin
fashionable matron takes much prido ir
tho appearance of her cavalier, aud tc
qualify for the position he must in t
measure be ornamental as well as useful
Furthermore ho must in no wiso bo awk
ward. lie must be able to put a cloak
round Madam's shoulders as carefully ai
her maid, and to adjust an opera hood
without ruffling the hair. It being part
of his duties, too, to attend to fans,
bouquets, opera-glasses, programmes,
dogs, and nil such impodimontn, it ifi
necessary that he should not indulge iu
tho old-fasliioned occupation of wool
gathering, while on no account must he
permit himself to cherish the usual mas
culine aversion to "shopping;" for,
whon he is not dispatched alone
to execute my lady's orders, which
may range from a box at the
opera to a box of poarl powder, ho ia
required to be in attendance when she
makes tho rounds of dry-goods empori
ums. To tho on-looker the value of hia
presence on these occasions appears lim
ited, for it seems ho does nothing but
balance himself on the edge of chairs,
adjust his tie in every available mirror,
and occasionally make mildly facetious
and more frequently impertinent com
ments on tho goods. At the restaurants
1 he secures luncheon, and being well-drill
i ed in Madam's likes and dislikes, he tliua
saves her the troubloof choosing her own
1 faro, and tho infliction of getting what
she detests. Ho is useful, too. in find
ing the carriage after the thoa'or or after
noon party, and addod to all thoso ser
viceable, if not exactly intellectual quali
ties, are the advantages that he can bo
snubbed at will, that he never dare grum
ble liko husbands, and that ho nevet
bores with tho wearisome attentions of
older men. To what end do theso per
fumod dandyettes run errands and act ni
footmen to other men's wives if not to
play at being gay lotharios? Their reward
is ill it they get taken everywhere, and
everybody has to treat them with soma
degree of civility. Then they are in the !
train of a pretty, or, at least, a popular |
woman, a distinction which all youths
envy. They live on tho metaphorical
milk and honey of the land; they bask
in luxury and revel iu all tho best onter- |
tainmonts, pick up "good tips," and event- j
ually, if they are smart, secure a rich
bride.
The Astors and tho Yanderbilts, or at !
least the more socially consequential ones
among them, will sail away for Europe j
next week; but in the meantime they are i
giving dinners, receptions, and balls at a
furious rate. Chauncey M. Depew, you
know, is not only a business associato of
tho Vanderbilts in railroading, but he
mixes familiarly with them in society.
At the opera, the other night, I heard
Mrs. William Astor remark: "I do be
lieve, Mr. Depew, that you have been
helping Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt to
make out a time-tablo. Surely, she
crowds in more entertainments without
collision than I can succeed in doing."
"Did you over see a man making a
railway time-table?" Mr. Depew jocosely
responded. "Well, this is tho way he
does it: A thread of a certain color*rep
resents every train that is run over the
lino close to others. With two or three
of these different colored threads
stretched along tho route, and by means
of markings of their running time, ho
lays out tho new schedule. Wherever the
threads have to cross, owing to tho com
parative slowness or swiftness of the
trains and their relative times of inter
fering with oacli othor, tho layout of
threads enables him to fix the figures ex
actly and successfully. Now, this is a
secret," and ho glanced with twinkling
eyes at the group of a dozen hoarers. "I
spout two days laying out a time-tahlo in
that manner for Mrs. Vanderbilt, and if
any of her entertainments should come
into collision she would hold nio responsi
ble."—A'eio York letter to Chicago Led-
A Wise Bird-
Customer— I've been cheated. I
thought, you said this parrot would
talk.
Bird Fancier—No, sir. What I said
was that lie had been brought up in the
company of learned men and was full
of philosophy and scholarship. OJ
course, he don't talk. Mere idle words
Jiavo no attraction for him. Hut lie's a
remarkable parrot because he's a great
thinker.— Munseifs Weekly.
Cause of His Sorrow.
Brown—What makes you so glum,
Smith?
Smith You'd bettor ask! Why, only
last week I got an annual pass on the
railroad, and here's my rich uncle gone
and diect and left mo all his proprety.
Of course, I shall have to move into his
house in the city, and then I should like
to know what's my pass good for ?
Boston Transcript.
V SI.])TEKi!A>EAM ELOW
rHE SUBJECT OF IKKIGATION DIS
CUSSED.
V Or ©at Area of Our Country in Wlilcli
an Artificial Water Supply Only Can
Render Agriculture Remunerative-Mil
lions of Dollar* Involved \ Sememe by
Which Millions ol Acres of Now Unin
habitable Uainls May Re Rondo rod Pro
ductive.
/"TIW HE subject of
-" irrigation is one
- ~ • L - t I that must, of
n necessity, soon
j *^ l ■ W i". command more
1 -—r&r
attention from
! Horace G reeley'a
monition to "go
K<) widely heeded
llt re * BllO
preciable part of the Union which re
mains as distinctively new and un
settled. But six Territories remain
unadmitted as States and these already
contain so many people that they are
almost ready to "knock at the door."
The processes of working over and
filling up have begun, and will soon
bring impressively before the people of
tlio United States tlio fact that at least
two-fi f ths of the total area of our great
country, not including Alaska, will re
quire an artificial water supply to rem
P Q.yw / """ Ik PI
CHIEF DOMAIN OF THE UNDERFLOW.
dor agriculture tliercon certainly re
munerative. On two acres out of every
five in the Bum total of tlio United
States, there must he more or less ir
rigation to secure success in farming—
and all could employ it profitably at
timos.
Tlio arid and semi-arid lands, which
' constitute the two-fifths mentioned,
cover about 1,800,000 square miles, or
more than 800,000,000 acres. If this
area could be thoroughly reclaimed by
irrigation, it would add more than 40,-
; 000,000 possible homos of agriculturists
to the treasures of the resources of the
United States; because, it is demon
strated that, on thoroughly irrigated
land, an average family may live well
off less than twenty acres, the average
yield from irrigated land being four
times the average product of non-irri
gated. But large areas, which are in
cluded in the arid limits, consist of
mountainous country, consequently
unsuitable by nature for agriculture.
Notwithstanding this, it has been esti
mated that, when all available sources
of water supply for irrigation are util
ized, there will only be water enough
to irrigate about one-fourth of the land
needing irrigation. This estimate in
cluded only the surface waters, liow
over, from melting snow, rains, and
natural springs, aided by artesian
wells and pumping machinery. But
there is another source of water sup
ply, hitherto unnoted, which is des
tined to become a factor of most
wonderful importance in the prob
lem of the reclamation of
the arid lands. It is the underflow.
Thus is the broad and deep subter
ranean volume of water which slowly
flows through the sand and gravel un
derlying most, if not all, the streams
Which traverse the plains adjacent to
the Ilocky Mountain system, those
plains constituting the greater portion
of the land which will require irriga
tion.
These underground streams, which,
extended investigation shows, flow
steadily, though slowly, through their
sandy medium, are probably much
greater in volume than the streams
upon the surface, and there aro indica
tions that tlioy aro also much more nu
merous, and there is little question
that thoy are, in largo measure, distinct
from surface streams in the direction
of their flow. But little investigation
has been made as yet into the extent of
these underground bodios of water.
In the valley of the Arkansas Biver,
particularly that part extending from
the 100 th meridian westward somo 300
miles, the subterranean flow is both
wide and deep, and is an average of
but three feet below tlio surfaco of tlio
low lands along the river.
At Garden City, Kan., which is on
the Arkansas River, fifty miles west of
the one hundredth meridian and sev
enty miles east from the ivest line of
the State, the water-bearing bed of
sand and gravel is 310 feet deep; anil
engineors, who have made a study of
the matter, find it probably over fifty
miles wide. Though it is not probable
that such depth and width aro, by any
moans, uniform, yot that a great width
and dopth are maintained throughout
the 000 miles mentioned, has been
demonstrated. This renders the use
of improved pumping machinery cheap
and effective, to a limited extent, for
the purpose of raising water to the sur
faco for use in irrigation; but, a sys
tem is available which will utilize those
vast subterranean stores of water, and
which is simple, cheap, and pormanont,
costing comparatively little either to
establish or maintain it.
The quantity of land which may be
placed under irrigation by this means,
and which has no other certain source
of water supply, in the Arkansas
valley, will be more than 4,000,000
acres, in Kansas, and an equal area in
Colorado. These lands are too far
from the mountains to bo sure of re
ceiving any appreciable portion of tho
surface Maters emanating from that
source, because so much good land,
which must have irrigation, lies nearer
to that source of supply. There is no
appreciable surplus of local storm
M aters falling upon these lower lands,
because, on those plains, five-sixths of
all the annual precipitation falls be
tween April 1 and ,September 1, and
is absorbed by tho soil. This, how
ever, gives so nearly a sufficient rain
fall, through the growing season, that
but little additional moisture in the
May of irrigation is needed; hence tho
water supplied for irrigation will serve
a relatively large area ot land. The
lands reclaimed in this M ay, therefore,
will not only be so much net gain of
irrigable area but the M ater obtained
will irrigate and reclaim a relatively
large amount of land.
This immense underground water
supply, while probably derived, in the
main, from the percolation of tho Ar
kansas River and its tributaries, is
probably largely supplemented by un
derground currents from distant
sources north and west.
While these remarks apply particu
larly to the Arkansas Valley, which the
M'liter has made a special study for
some years, yet sufficient is known of a
largo number of other streams, as the
Platte, Canadian, Missouri, etc., with
their tributaries, to convince the wri
ter that the area of land which will
ultimately bo reclaimed by irrigation
will at least double the amount at pres
ent estimated as reclaimablo.
The great value of this method of
securing a water supply lies in this:
That the water caught and held back
in the mountains by means of storage
reservoirs, lakes and forests, and
spread out over the lauds nearest to
these sources of supply will speedily
find its way, in large measure, into the
underflow, and can thus be used again
and again in its progress down the
long slopes which it must traverse on
its way toward the sen. That part
which does not thus sink again and
ngaiu into the under strata, will rise
into the air by evaporation to bo again
deposited either upon mountain or
plain in the form of rain, snow or dow.
None of that part which is evaporated
can be lost.
The accompanying map shows the
generally accepted boundaries of what
is known as "the arid region," and be- j
tween "the two shaded lines on the I
right is shown the strip of country I
which will be most benefited by the '
development of the vast subterranean I
sources of water supply for irrigation,
which may be tapped and utilized in
hundreds of places, not only in the
region thus outlined, but throughout
the entire territory in which irrigation
is needed. The lands which will thus
bo furnished with irrigation are in very
largo proportion smooth as to surfaco,
possessing soil of great depth and ex
ceedingly rich, and having a fine cli
mate. They are too far from the moun
tains to secure a reliable supply of
water from torrential sources, and, at
the same time, they already contain
many settlers who have been tempted,
or gone mistakenly, beyond tho boun
daries of iiumid areas. Hence, tho
underflow will not only furnish to
many million acres of rich land tho
only sure means of irrigation, but will
turn the sorrow of many thousand toil
ing settlers into joy by giving to their
arid homesteads the means of tho high
est degree of fertility and a certainty
of much greater success in farming
than can be secured by natural rainfall-
A RECENT writer states that in many
parts of the United States unprovided
with water-power it would be not only
possible but profitable to use wind
power for milling. In European coun
tries wind-driven flour mills, even of
considerable extent, are no uncommon
sight; and one firm is said to have a
mill operated by steam and another
operatod by wind, and to have found
the latter the more successful financi
ally. To get the best results, this au
thor asserts that the mill should have
a capacity of 150 to 200 barrels, and
would need a wind wheel at least 85 or
00 feet in diameter, which should not
approach nearor than fifteen feet to tho
ground.
IT is rather surprising that wo can
not yet positively answer tho old ques
tion. Why is the sky blue ? Professor
Tyndall explained the color as due to
Iho smnllness of tho solid particles in
the air, which nre thus ablo to reflect
only rays of short wave-length; but a
later investigator, Professor Hartley,
believes that, tho mysterious ozone ex
ercises somo influence on tho rays, as
a small quantity of ozone gave a sky
blue in a tube two feet long.
ALL A HOLT PARROTS.
INTERESTING FACTS CONCERNING
THESE BIRDS.
Tho Parrot, of Soatli America. Culm.
Mexico, noil Oilier Countries How la
Fooil Tito in, Preserve Tliolr Health, ami
Prolong Tlieir I.ives.
There are a great many parrots ID
Chicago, some of them fluent talk
/S"\ ers, and the
/ j,\ > \o wne rso i
j AhMtliiiik a greai
/ifcU deal of them
y\V' —much more
/ IV y in many in-
II y stances than
V W their friends
\ \>a and acquain
tanees think.
TJr Pew people,
II however,
I t know the dif
|| I fercneo bo-
I i i tweon the va-
II 1 rieties of the
I ■ ' wonderful
,; tropical bird,
11 and few per
// sons seeking
At one wou 1 d
A | J \ know how to
13s I make a wise
purchase, or,
having se
cured the prize, how to treat it prop
erly. A parrot enthusiast in a recent
article in the San Francisco Chronicle
gives much interesting and valuable
information, which is here reproduced:
"I suppose you know that every ship
from the Isthmus lands at least a score
of parrots in San Francisco," snid an
enthusiastic bird-tamer to a reporter
recently.
"What becomes of them?"
"I believe most of them die within a
month for want of proper care, and very
few of tho rest learn to talk. It
wouldn't bo an exaggeration to say
that half tlie population of San Fran
cisco has tried its hand at parrot-keep
ing, but a good talking bird is as rare
as ever, and will always command a
high price. Of course, all tho parrots
don't come from the Isthmus or the
/ i
coast towns where the steamers call.
But enough come from theso points at a
low figure to make it well worth while
for a man to undertake the business of
training and acclimatizing them."
"Some varieties are better than
others, are they not ?"
"Yes, but practically any parrot can
be trained to talk if you commence
when the bird is young. Thoro is a
common but. foolish notion that it is
only the male birds that talk. As a
matter of fact there is no more differ
ence in this respect than in the huiSan
species. The hen parrot can do her
share of talking about as well as a
woman's rights advocate."
"Do the different kind of parrots re
quire different food ?"
"Certainly; that is one of the secrets.
Let me describe to you here the kinds
of parrot commonly met with in this
country. Of course you know they are
all imported and acclimatized, the bird
being strictly tropical in its natural
habitat. The Mexican double yellow
head parrots are among the best birds
we get; they have better talking power,
greater sharpness in picking up words
and tricks, and a more pleasing human
liko voice than the other varieties.
Tlioy are also quick to become attached
to their owners, and to make strangers
feel like strangers, which is ono of tho
chief charms of a parrot for the average
man or woman. That's human nature,
isn't it ? If a parrot will talk to every-
body tho owner has no use for it. This
vai ietv has another good quality; that
of fearlessness. A Mexican double
yellow-head parrot will convinco any
cat in about two minutes that distance
lends both enchantment and safety to
the view. As to what these birds can
learn, I will only say that they have
been taught to imitnto all tho animals
in the barnyard—the rooster, the dog,
tho pea-lions, tho turkeys. They can
be made to repeat half a dozen letters
of the alphabet in succession, spell
words, and, as to swearing, they will
pick up 'cuss' words as quick as any
10-year-old gamin.
"Farrots are reckless feeders, and
that is the cause of most of their ail
ments. The birds naturally live on
seeds and fruit, under conditions which
permit them to have frosh food nt all
times and plenty of air and sunlight.
Hut a parrot in captivity is kept in a
state of chronic irritability by hot and
improper food coffee, meat, stale
bread, sour vegetables at the bottom of
its cage— is it a wonder that the bird
sickens ?
"Tho hardiest of all varieties is the
African gray, but it should never bo
fed with soft bread, which agreos well
with other parrots. The proper thing
for this bird is a diet of water, crack
ers,-pilot biscuit, hemp, and occasion
ally a piece of mealy apple or a pea
nut.
"There is no whistler to beat the
African gray, and it never screeohos.
Of course, this bird comes high, be
cause it lias to come byway of Liver
pool and New York, or round the Horn;
but it is a jino pet, aud, as J have suid,
a hardy bird. A. good Atrlcan parrot
is not dear nt SSO or even $100."
"What other varieties come here?"
"The Cuban parrot. It is a very
beautiful bird, a good talker, and a
fair rvliistler. This is a delicate variety
till thoroughly acclimated, and is sub
ject to all the rules about a limited
water diet."
"Are there any South American par
rots in the market ?"
"They arc scarce, but one of the best
is the Maracaibo. It is almost as beau
tiful as the Cuban variety and about
the same sizo. One of those birds is
said to have been taught to talk both
in German and English and even to
whistle airs. Most of these go to
England. A Maracaibo parrot is worth
anything from $lO to SSOO, according
to its accomplishments."
"What about the redhead parrots?"
"There are two varieties usually met
with—one is the Mexican, the other
the l'orto Itico. Those are very much
alike, with one exception—the feathers
of the Porto ltico bird aro tipped with
red on the back and breast, while the
Moxieanjvarioty is a solid green, with
the rod patch on the head much larger
and brighter. The Mexican birds are
fairly hardy and have very bright, ex
pressive eyes. They make splendid
talkers and good whistlers. They are
also quick to loam tricks."
"You spoke of double yellow-head
parrots. What does 'double' mean?"
"Oh, thore is a single yellow-head in
which tlio golden area is much smallor.
This variety is not as good a whistler
as tlio other parrots, but it is the most
docilo of all and a rare talker. Once
tamed it will make friends with any
body. borne peoplo think less of it on
that account, but it is a good bird to
havo around where there are children.''
"Parrot improve rapidly in value ac
cording to their talking powers, I sup
pose?"
"Yes, so much that a good talker is
worth SIOO, where a finer-looking bird
that can not talk is only worth $10."
Is Work n Pleasure!
15. MAX, writing in
the Detroit Free
Press, makes some
sensible remarks
touching this sub
ject. He says that
tlioso amiable
friends of the hu
man raco who work
(byway of killing
time) when tho im
pulse moves them,
aro in tho habit of
assuring us that no
pleasure equals that
wlii c h is derived
from work.
In one set of circumstances that is
true. In another set of circumstances
it is radically untrue. Tho writer says
that after sitting at his desk for eight
hours, a foot-race, a club-srvinging
match or any physical labor is a lux
ury, a literal rest from weariness. Of
course pleasure is the accompaniment
and the product of work so performed,
lie says ho has not discovered that
there is much work of the drudgery
kind that is in itself pleasurable.
Primarily (and scripturally) work is
called a curse; yet Newton delighted
in tho work which dominated his life
and ofton made him forget his English
man's dinner. Wo hear of composers
made ecstatic by their work and obliv
ious of tho ordinary demands of the
body in presence of their own crea
tions of entrancing sound; but it is
littlo to the purpose to point out tho
exceptional and abnormal persons who
livo in a kind of sweet delirium, which
tho big world of toilers can neither feci
nor understand.
It is true that work is often a source
of pleasure, tho degree of which de
pends upon tho worker's capacity for
pleasure. This capacity in its turn
depends on one's environment, habit,
and education; but work in tho ab
stract—tho work that is done on com
pulsion, which is true of most work
is more painful than pleasurable,
However, oven dull plodding and
hopelessly monotonous drudgery be
come an inspiration nnd a joy when
undertaken at the command of love.
No merely selfish joy ever equaled the
joy of that worker who bends his back
under tho heaviest burdens of this
world that the objects of his love and
solicitude may be the gainers by his
endeavor and sacrifice.
The mere laborer is a despairing or a
stolid slave. The true worker must
have underlying his life some clearly
defined object for which he works.
Without it, his energies early become
bankrupt, and his struggle bears
about the same relation to work in its
nobler senso that the spasmodic and
vain clut things of tho drawing man
bear to the strokes of tho bold and
easy swimmer who disports himself
for nastiroe
How Old Vanderbllt Was Caught.
"I was coming down the Hudson one
night," said General Spinola, "in com
pany with Cornelius Yanderbilt, Thur
low Weed, Dean Richmond and George
Law, when Weed proposed a game of
poker and I was asked to come in. I
hesitated, for I had only about §I,OOO
in my pocket and I knew it was to be
a game without a limit. I mentioned
the state of my finances to Law, but ho
told me to tako a hand, and said he
would back me to any amount. 'I am
willing to lose §30,000 or §40,000 to
night,' ho said, 'and to-morrow I will tell
you my reason.' So the game started
and I staid in, hugging tho shore pret
ty close, and getting startled every
once in a wliilo when somo one went
§I,OOO blind. When we quit at day
break I had won about §4,000, but Law
had lost ton times that amount. The
noxt day I met him. 'I will tell you,
Frank,'he said, 'why I lost that money.
I wanted Yanderbilt to think I was a
sucker, aud so I played like one. The
result was that to-day I sold him a lot
of steamboats for nearly SOOO,OOO more
than I expected to get from him.
Don't you think the money was well
invested?"— New York World.
THERE is hardly any man so friend
less in this world that ho hasn't at least
ono friend ready to tell him his faults-
The New Senator from Ohio.
Calvin S. Brice, who was recently
elocted to the United States Senate
from (>hio, was born in Putnam Coun
ty, Ohio, Sept. 17, 1815. His father
was the Eev. William K. Brice, a well
known Presbyterian minister, who
went to Ohio from Maryland, and
preached for many years "in North
western Ohio. His mother was Miss
Elizabeth Stewart, of Carroll County,
and was a woman of unusual ability
and fine character. Senator Price's
early training was careful and thor
ough, and at the age of thirteen he en
tered the preparatory department of
Miami University at Oxford. When
tho war broke out he left his studies,
and, although not yet sixteen years of
age, he enlisted and served until the
CALVIN S. BBICE.
expiration of his term, and returned to
the university, and in Juno, 18(53,
graduated. He went to Lima, where
he taught in tho public schools, nnd in
the sirring of 1804 ho recruited a com
pany and re-entered the service as
Captain of Company E, One Hundred
and Eightieth Ohio Volunteer Infan
try, and remained in the service until
the end of the war. He was promoted
while in the field to the Lieutenant
Colonelcy of tho regiment for meri
torious service, but Lee and Johnston
laid down their arms before he mus
tered in for this oftice. Senator Brice
returned to Lima and prepared him
self for the law, graduating at Ann
Arbor, and in 1800 was admitted to the
bar. In the year 1869 '7O ho became
interested in railroad building, and
began to amass the fortune he is now
enjoying. He is Chairman of tho Na
tional Democratic Committee, and is
an active political leader and success
ful financier.
Judge Cooloy and the Ticket Scalper.
A railroad ticket agent yesterday,
in commenting upon the indiscriminate
cutting by brokers, told this: Judge
Cooloy has away of rounding up the
scalpers that puts a stop to their opera
tions in short order. He does not wait
for the railroads to bring in evidence
against them, but just goes out on a
still hunt by himsolf and generally
goes homo rvith his bag full. The last
time he was in Chicago he dropped in
sort of incidentally upon one of the
most obnoxious of the brotherhood and
brought him into camp in a manner
which gave the other scalpers cold feet
for a month.
"What can I get a ticket to New
York for?" said ho, leaning confiden
tially over the counter and tipping a
wink to the man behind.
"Seventeen," replied the broker
briskly.
"Can't you do any better than that ?"
responded Judge Cooloy persuasively.
Well, the broker thought tliat he could,
and finally arranged to give tho Judge
four tickets way down below the legal
rate.
"Well, bring them around to my room
at the Grand Pacific to-night," said
tho Judge, "I havn't tho full amount
with me." So at the appointed hour
the broker appeared at the rooms of
the Judge. The Judge recoived him
kindly. "Hold up your right hand,"
said he casually. The broker did so
with some amusement. "Now," con
tinued the Judge, "do you swear to tell
the truth, tho whole truth and nothing
but the truth ?"
"I'll bo d if I do anything of the
kind," said the broker, as his express
ion changed to blank amazement, and
his hand dropped liko a shot.
"Oh, I guess you will," returned
Judge Cooley with a careless drawl;
"hero's my friend, the United States
Marshal, sitting by my side, and you
will be given over to his custody if you
don't. So, now, sit down in that chair
and tell Judge Cooley, of the Inter
state Commission, all about those tick
ets you offered to sell hiin bolow the
legal rate this afternoon. I want to
know exactly how much each road got
for them and your commission."
The broker fell in a limp heap in the
chair, and before ho had left the room
the Interstate Commerce Committee
had exacted somo information which
struck the brokers all in a heap the
day after.— Minneapolis Tribune.
PnoF. MOLBIUS has proved, as lately
stated to the Berlin Physiological Soci
ety, that tho anatomical arrangements
of tho flying fins and muscles make
flight impossible. The fish simply
shoots up out of tho water when fright
ened, nnd is carried along by the wind,
The buzzing of tho fins, which has been
urged as proof of real llight, is pro
duced whon a strong current of air
strikes tho fins of even a dead fish, and
tho rising over the crest of a wave or
the bulwarks of a ship is explained by
tho ascending currents of air produced
wlienover n strong horizontal wind
strikes an elevated object liko tho wave
or shin.
"CHANGE of climate is what you
need," said a high-priced physician,
after he bad listened to all the details
of the patient's case. "Change of cli
mate 1" exclaimed the patient, in sur
prise. "Why, man alive, I've never had
anything else. I've lived light lioro in
New England all my life."
IN a catalogue of Mexican meteorites
prepared by M. Antonio del Castillo,
one mass is mentioned whioh was
broken up and fell in widely dispersed
fragments, portions being found in
threo places at tho angles of a triangle
whoso two longer sides were some
fifty-five miles and thirty-five miles.
In one of those places two plates were
discovered about 250 yards apart, hav
ing evidently formed ono huge plate,
weighing more than eighty tonß, which
broke near the ground.
AN English doctor roports over thirty
cases of headacho and facial neuralgia
cured by snuffing powdered salt up tho
nose.
THE censure of ignorance is about all
he real praise we got in life.