The grip left some queer wrecks, George Dnnner, a Western farmer, is one of them. After partial recovery he was seized with sobbing fits which quickly gave way to continuous laugh ter. He is slowly recovering. Oscar Wilde nakes no secret of the fact that he draws his inspiration from any source that happens to be avail able. A friend was calling attention to the statement made by a critic that much of "Salome" was plagiarized. "Of course it was," cried Oscar, with great candor. "Plagiarism is tho privilege of the appreciative man." The royal palace in Madrid, which the Infanta Eulalia still regards as her home, though her mother is in exile, is one of the most magnificent edflces in Europe. It is of marble and gran ite, occupies an area of 220,900 square feet, and rises dazzinglv white against the sky to a height of 100 foot. The scene from the palace gardens is splen did. In the edificfe there are a gallery of paintings, a library, a museum, an armory, a chapel, and a theater. The San Francisco Cull soliloquises : Electricity is in a transition stage. Wo are on the threshold of marvelous ap plications of the new pewer, due to re cent scientific discoveries and inven- tions. New departures are certain to come, hut he would be a bold specula tor who could define the precise direc tion or limit. Niagara and many other natural forces are at the com mand of the engineer of to-day, and tho gigantic energies of modern steam ships show what is possible in mechan ics. What a century it is in wonders! It is reported from Paris that $lO,- 000,000 has been raised to continue tho digging on the Panama Caual. The estimated cost of the work to be done is from 800,000,000 to 875,000,000. Some futile attempts may still be made to galvanize the dead project into life, but, as shown in a recent letter to the New York Mail and Express, from Bishop.Newman, nature is fast undo ing what has already been accom plished, and the dribbling of 810,000,- 000 into the hole will not stop the tide of failure which promises to engulf the work engineered by the great but dis honored Do Lesseps. Tho Cleveland (Ohio) Plaindealer points out in reference to Cleveland's rapid growth that its population in 1890 was 261,353, as compared with 160,146 ten years before, an increase of 101,107, or sixty-three per cent, pointing to an annual average increase of 10,000. At that rate, it is estima ted, Cleveland's present pooulation is not less than 292,000, but is pointed out that inasmuch as the bulk of tho increase during the decade was in tho latter half thereof, and as it is a mat ter of common observation that the increase has been at a faster rate than from 1885 to 1890, therefore Cleve land's present population must run over 300,000. Tbe New York Herald thinks that tho whole country will applaud the demand made at the organization of the Sculp ture Society for the emancipation of sculptural art from trousers and frock coats. There is little room for the play of poetic feeling in the modern male costume. Still, while we have trousers and coats in our art they should be well done. To some extent a sculptor can indicate the grace of the anatomy even through trousers. It is evident that most of our artists handle the conventional costume of to day in a spirit of disdain, confining their really serious work on portrait statuary to the head. Make war on trousers in sculpture, but in the mean time remember there are trousers and trousers. Ex-Secretary of the Interior Noble, who has been taking a trip through Oklahoma, speaks with enthusiasm of its progress. He has found it (and Mr. Noble is a good deal of n farmer him self) one of the most prosperous parts of the country. In wheat-growing it promises to rival the famed Red River Valley, find it makes an excellent show ing in every class of produce. The farmers, most of \\hom came lrom the Northwestern States, are a hard-work ing, thrifty, law-abiding set of people. "The main towns in the Territory," says Mr. Noble, "arc highly prosper ous and look twenty years old to the stranger, instead of four. They are well laid out and the street' are being rapidly filled with substantial build ings. There is little or no speculation among the settlers. There are no com binations, but every niau goes about bis business in the old-fashioned way. I know of no man who has grown sud denly rich since the opening of the Territory, but at the saint time nobody who has put his money into it has had jreasou to regret his action,'' "WHERE HELEN SITS/" Where Ilelen sits, the dnrkness is so deep, No golden sunbeam strikes athwart the gloom ; No mother's smile, no glance of loving eyes, Lightens the shadow of that lonely room. Yet tho clear whiteness of her ra llant soul Decks tho dim walls, liko angel vestments shed. The lovely light of holy innocence Shines like a halo round her bended head, Where Helen sits. Where Helen sits, the stillness Is so deep, No children's laughter comes, no song of bird. Tho great world storms alont? its noisy xrny, But in this place no soun 1 is ever hoard. Yet do her gentle thoughts make rnnlo fy Hweeter than aught from harp or viol flung ; And Love and Beauty, quiring each to each, Sing as the stars of Eden's morning sung, Where Helen sits. —Laura E. lUeharJs, in tho Century. •il jlon Keller, dea f , dumb an I biln 1. BARBARA'S ESCAPE. BY HELEN 10RREST GRAVE 3. EALLY and nc §f / j tually engaged! It fir I J a strange sort of ij ftr feeling, and yet it ryl k\ isn't unpleasant. A ff\ /sAli Barbara Esmond i i fcv f food ill the middle ill! l/y ** (> f the room, xine I W B^cn^er poised by its forefinger on I 1/2 the table, the other V vA holding back the i \vffi\WvvsC\ h'tty tresses from 1 l mro l° w hrow. wy\ She was very beauti t * till, iu a dark, glit -1 tering style of beau ty, and iu that elegant room Rhe might have reminded one of a pearl in its satin casket. Black-eyed and haired, with a creamy skin, fine grained as velvet, and straight, deli cately chiseled features, hers was an uncommon beauty, vet ttrnngely fas cinating. ' Eighteen years aid, and engaged to be married ! It was a new leaf in the book of life for Barbara Esmond; u sensation as novel as it was delightful. "I wish I had a mother to go to, or ; a loving, tender, elder sister," mused Barbara, restlessly. "I scarcely un derstand my own feelings. I wonder if I do love him us I should love the man I intend to make my husband. Husband!" she added, with a little tremulous sort of shudder. "The word implies a great deal. And Har ry Milbrook is to be my husband !" Barbara was like a newly-caged bird, restless, fluttering against the i invisible bars of her prisoned cxis- ! tence ; captured with her own toils,yet ' half disposed to break away into the j solitude uud independence once more. | Mr. Henry Milbrook, however, was j troubled with no such vague ideas. lie | had won the heart of Miss Esmond, the heiress, and what was of rather mOYe consequence to him, he had won the right to share her wealth. "I'm a fellow of talent," mused Mr. Milbrook, "and fellows of talent never could endure to work like common cart-horses. Therefore it follows that I must have money, and, possessing none of my own, I must marry the art icle. And although I object to red hair and a crooked spine, I am quite willing to accept the incumbrance of a beauti ful girl along with said cash!" That was the decidedly practical and . nnromantic manner in which Mr. Mil brook contemplated his approaching felicity. He kept his rhapsodies of romance and soft poetic whisperings for Barbara's ear alone, and she, like any enthusiastic girl of eighteen, be lieved in him. Hhe told no one of tho precious sc- ! cret enshrined in her heart; it would have seemed almost liko desecration ; but her lover was by no means so deli cate. "So you'ro to bo married, Hal I" said Mr. Joseph Piercy, at tho club. "Yes, I'm going to bo married; ton cool hundred thousand, too," answered Mr. Milbrook, rubbing his hands. "Who is it?" "Oh, the lady, ydu mean?" "Yes, I mean the lady." "It's.old Esmond's daughter.*' •'What, the star-eyed Barbara?" "Exactly so." "I congratulate you, old fellow." "Much obliged," answered Mr. Mil brook, indifferently pulling his mus tache. "I flatter myself it's a pretty good speculation fur a fellow that travels on his good looks alone." "I wish she had a sister fur ine," ob served Mr. Percy. "I don't. I cau'fc afford to go halves in the cash." There was a general langh among the youths of fashion in the club room at this scintillation of wit, and Mr. Milbrook sauntered leisurely out. "I promised she should have my picture," thought Mr. Harry, "and I suppose the cheapest place I can have it done is at the establishment of that poor devil of uu artist in Grove street. I guess I'll go round th"Which size did you say sir?" "I—l don't think I'll make a selec tion to-day. I will call to-morrow." And Mr. Milbrook rushed headlong down stairs, greatly to the surprise of Signor Fernelli. "The duse!" ho ejaculated to him self as ho strode along -the narrow street, with difficulty restraining him self from tumbling at every other step over the babies who swarmed on the I sidewalk, "A music-mistress I Giving I lessons in such a hole as that. Upon I my word I've come preciously near j being taken in and done for! So it's all show and empty pretense that i wealth of hers, and she was going to entrap a lmslmnd OH the strength of it. My stars! it's enough to make tho hair stand right straight up on a fel low's head. What a lucky thing it was I saw through the stratagem be fore I waR netted past escape." He lifted his hat, and wiped the chill beads of perspiration from liis forehead. ''So, you don't, Miss Barbara Es mond," he muttered to himself with a bitter, sarcastic smile wreathing his lips. "I am not quite such a fool as that, thank goodness." Barbara Esmond had fluttered lightly up the narrow staircase, all uncon scious of the eyes that were noting her, through Signor Fernelli's partially I opened door, and entered a small room [in tho story above. A pale young girl, with a sweet, spirituelle face, sat at lier sewing by the window. She brightened up as the delicate figure came iu. I "Miss Esmond, it is so kind of you j to remember me so punctually." I "Not at all kind. lam a genius I worshiper, Pauline, and I have dis j covered the divine spark in you." ! "How shall I ever pay you, Miss I Esmond?" "13y cultivating the talent heaven has bestowed upon you. Nav, nay, Pauline, I am but following out a pet whim." "And the piano, too, that you sent j here. Oh, Miss Esmond, one of heav- | en's nngels could hardly bo more gen erous !" •"Hush, hush, rauline! Begin your lesson. I never thought, when first I heard you singing at your work and paused to listen to the flute-like notes, that you would bo half way through the exercise book in less than six months. When you sing at the opera I shall be the first to throw bouquets 1 at your feet." I Pauline looked with a shy bright ; ness at her benefactress. Would that | time ever come? I The lesson was longer than usual that day. Pauline and Miss Esmond were both deeply interested, and it was nearly twilight before Barbara emerged from the house, closely veiled, and walked swiftly through the darkening streets. "There's a note for you, Miss Bar bara," said her housekeeper, as she sat down to rest a minute or two in the reception-room of her own mansion before she laid oil her things. "A note? Let me see it. When did it come?" "About fifteen minutes ago, miss. A little boy brought it." "Light the gas, please. Mrs. Moore, and take theRC wraps upstairs." A soft rose tint Unshod over Bar bara's cheek as she recognized Harry Milbrook's handwriting. She broke the seal and glanced eagerly at its con tents ; but, as she read, the soft crim son flush died away into pallor. It was very, very brief, but cruel as a blow. "Miss ESMOND," it read, commenc ing shortly and sternlj', instead of tho "Dearest Barbara" she had expected, "allow me to claim back tho troth I have plighted to you. I had supposed when I engaged myself to you that I wus about to ally myself fo a lady, not to a music mistress in Grove street. It will scarcely be worth while for you to , reply to this letter, as lean never, un | dcr any circumstances, forgive the de j ceit that has been practiced on me. | Therefore, I shall take it for granted that all relations are ended between yourself and "Yours very respectfully, "H. MILBROOK." Barbara dropped the insulting letter with a sparkle in her black eyes, a curve to her lip, which were wondrous- Iv eloquent, and as it lay on the carpet she ground it down into the deep pur ple pile with her contemptuous foot. "The puppy," she muttered between her set teeth; "the miserable pol troon ! How could lever have fancied for a single second that I loved him? Reply to this letter? Of course I shall not reply to it." And Miss Esmond walked up stairs carrying her head high in the uir, far, far beyond the reach of Harry Mil , brook's petty spito. That young man was seated at his I breakfast table next morning when Rnfus Ken ward lounged in. "Halo, Milbrook ! I've just heard a little item about your lady love, Miss Esmond, that is, to my mind, better | thnu nil her bonds and mortgages. ; What do you think ? She's giving sing ; ing lessons to my wife's little seam- I Btreßß, ono Pauline Delatour, because ' the child has a glorious voice and can't afford to havo it cultivated. I wish yon could hear Pauline rave about her benefactress. I think her enthusiasm would satisfy even your true lover's ear. Really, it isn't often that nil heiress like old Esmond's daughter stoops to perform eo toilsome a benefit as that." Harry Milbrook lind sat down his chocolate cup, and was staring with glassy eyes at Mr. Kenwnrd. "Why, what's the matter?" de manded that gentleman, somewhat shortly. "X—nothing!" ' '.Dyspepsia, eh ?" "Xo. 1 tell you I'm well enough." Harry had made a mistake —a mistake that was likely to be fatal to his bril liant matrimonial aspirations. "Why didn't I wait? What the mis chief was I in such a hurry for?" he demanded of himself, without any very satisfactory answer, as he hurried along the Rtreet toward Barbara's residence. The boy might not have delivered the note—Barbara might not have read it—there were a thousand "might nots," and he resolved to try his luck, even in a forlorn hope. "Is Miss Esmond at home?" he asked of the old housekeeper, who came to the door. "Miss Esmond wished me to say specially that she was never at homo to Mr. Milrbook any more." was tho cold reply. And Harry went his way lamenting. He lmd chosen his lot, and ho must ! abide by it. And thus Barbara escaped j the snares laid for her.—Xew York Weekly. A Thrilling Adventure. Ezra Thomas, a prospector of Shasta County (where he is known as the "Mountain Boy"), had an exciting ad venture on Sunday last in the neigh borhood of Taylor's Flat. While i leisurely walking along the trail with j his pick on his shoulder his attention I was suddenly called to tho fact that something was running along behind I him. On turning around lie saw a deer coming on the dead run and with in a few feet of him. He stepped aside, and, as tho deer reached him, lie struck it on the head with his pick, the point of which was embedded deep in the deer's forehead. Tho deer dropped dead. No sooner had he dis pntehed tho deer than his attention was again directed to tho trail over which tho deer had come, when, to his utter astonishment and alarm, he saw a huge California lion hounding along after the deer. Tho "Mountain Boy" had barely time to stop aside to give the animal the right of way and get his pick in readiness for an attack when tho lion camo leaping to where he was. He made a lick at the ani mal's head with the pick, but as the lion was going at such velocity he missed his mark and struck ono of tho lion's hind legs, breaking it. The lion with a savago growl and snapping its teeth in rage bounded away on three legs and disappeared. The dead deei was brought to tho residence of J. D. Hayward, where it served to satisfy tho cravings of tho inner man.— Weaverville (Cal.) Journal. Dried Flics From Mexico. "Xo matter what it may be, if an article a fair price I deal in it," said % commission merchant to a writer in tho Waverly Magazine. "My last venture consists of dried flies, just common flies which come from Mexico. People buy them for their singing birds. I sell them retail to the dealers. Flies are plentiful in tho tropical val leys and tho time of the Mexican In dian is not particularly valuable. When ho can no longer sleep in hie hut. on account of tho swarms of flies attracted by the filth which accumu lates about his front door, bo some times is stung into a desire for revenge on his enemies. Revenge is sweet, and sweeter if there is any money in it. He goes to tho woods and collects a number of green twigs of a certain tree. Theso ho lays in a pile on the floor of his hut, with some dry twigs under them. Then from another tree he gets a gum which he boils into a thin syrup and spreads on the walls of his hut. Tho flies are attracted by its fragrant and far-reaching odor. They gather to feed # on it. When the hut is black with them the Indian sets fire to the twigs on the floor and closes tho apertures from tho outside. Tho twigs emit an aromatic smoke which kills the flies and they fall to the floor in thou sands. Then the native's wife dries them while he goes to sleep again." Tho First Post*. Tho first posts aro said to havo originated in the regular couriers es tablished by Cyrus about 550 B. C., who erected posthouses throughout the Kingdom of Persia. Augustus was the first to introduce this institution among the Romans, 31 B. C. f and he was imitated by Charlemagne about 800 A. D. Louis XI. was tho first sovereign to establish posthou#e in France, owing to his eagerness for news, and they were also the first in stitution of this nature in Europe. This was in I*l7o, or about 2000 years after tliev were started in Persia. In England in the reign of Edword IV. (1481) riders on posthorses went stages of the distance of twenty miles from each other, in order to procure the King the earliest intelligence of the events that passed in the course of tlio war that had arisen with the Scots. A proclamation was issued by Charles I. iu 1631, that "whereas to this time there hath been no certain intercourse between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, the King now commands his Postmaster of England for foreign parts to settle n running post or two between Edinburgh and London, to go thither and come back again in six days."—Chambers's Journal. ONLY ONE "WILD TRIBE." THE SEMINOLES OF FLORIDA ENJOT A PROUD DISTINCTION. Tlicy Have Never Been "Rounded Hp" In a Reservation—Brave Oc cupants of the Everglades. PY "wild" Indians, says Kirk Monroe in the New York Ad vertiser, I mean those who have never been subjected to the taming processes of a reservation, and of the quarter of a million aborig ines still to be found in the United States the Sfeminoles, of Florida, alone can lay claim to that distinction. Al though to those unacquainted with the situation it may appear strange that the only Indians still roaming at will over a large part of their original ter ritoijp, and leading to-day, in unre strained liberty, the life of their fathers, should be found in that por tion of the Union first settled by white men, the apparent anamoly is easy of explanation. Florida is the largest, and at the same time the most sparsely settled State east of the Mississippi. The 10,000 square miles of its territory, of which some four hundred Seminoles are almost the only occupants, com prise the vast swamps of the Ever glades and the Big Cypress. These are unsurveyed, almost unexplored, and are well nigh inaccessible save in canoes by those familiar with their in tricacies. Most of theso watery lands come under the head of "swamp and overflowed," and as such belong to the State of Florida. Until recently they have been considered so valueless that no white man lias coveted them. This is, of course, the prime reason why the Seminoles have been allowed to retain unmolested possession of them for so long. Then, too, these Indians are the immediate descendants of Osceola and those other desperate fighters who, in defense of their homes waged against the United States the longest, bloodiest and most costly of its many Indian wars. The Florida Seminole has proved himself worthy of respect nnd consid eration hy his bravery as a lighter, his absolute independence, his freedom from many of the vices common to In dians, his industry and his willingness to adopt civilization if allowed to do so gradually and through imitation. Physically he is one of the finest exist ing specimens of the North American rod man—tall, straight and clean limbed. Following the dictates of an immutable custom, rather than those of comfort, the Seminole wears on his head an immensu turban formed of gay 'kerchiefs covering a light frame of rattan. With the exception of a braided scalp lock,.which is hidden be neath this turban, all hair is closely cut from his head and none appears on his face. The remainder of his dreßs consists of a gay red nnd yellow, beau tifully-sewed calico shirt and a breech cloth. Save on occasions, when they are covered with buckskin leggings nnd moccasins, his legs ami feet are baro. Ho is always armed with the most improved pattern of n rifle, but despises a shotgun and regards a revol ver as a toy. He fashions commodious and most excellent ennoes from single huge cypress logs, and sails or poles them with dexterity, but neither pad dles nor rows. Ho does not steal nor lie, but, like all his race, he drinks whisky whenever he can obtain it. His principal occupation is hunting, Tint in intervals of this ho builds his huts of poles and palmetto thntch, overhauls his weapons, nets, traps or canoe, cares for his live stock, prin cipally cattle and hogs, clears land for n Held, assists nt Btareh (coontie) mak ing, and does not wholly disdain to work in the iields, or to amuse his children; for these he exhibits a de cided fondness, and ho is always as in dulgent to them as ho is kind to liiß women. He sleeps beneath a canopy of cheese cloth, which protects him from gnat and other insects, is well fed, is rarely ill, and appears thor oughly contented with his lot, though oppressed with an ever-present anxiety concerning tho encroachments of his white neighbors. Tho Seminole dead are buried, to gether with weapons, cooking utensils and such other things as they may need in the Seminole hunting grounds to which they have journeyed ; and above their graves nre built solid tombs of logs. Tho women of this interesting tribo are of medium height, plump, cheer ful in disposition, and often good look ing. Their jot black hair is banged across the forehead, and twisted in to a Psyche-knot behind. Their good natured facts always suggest a sup pressed mirth, ami wheii they nre nt home the forest encampments ring xvith their laughter, They dress in a long sleeved, calico jacket, and a full skirt BO long that it conceals their bare feet. About their necks they wear heavy collars of blue, green anil white glass bends and across their bodies are strung many silver coins, thus indicating tho wealth of their husbands. Theso women are very in dustrious, rarely spend an idle lament and are consequently happy. They are good cooks and skilled in the use of the needle. Some of them have even attained to the luxury of sewing machines, of which they are immensely proud, and tho mysteries of which they (illicitly comprehend. They keep them in order by the use of alligator oil, which is unexcelled as a lubricant for tine machinery. Tho Florida Seminole lives well and is never subject to those periods of semi-starvation that aro of such fre quent occurrence among his northern brethren. For meats ho has venison, bear, coon, possum, pork, terrapin turtles, gophers and sometimes beef! His larder is well supplied .with chickens, wild turkeys, quail, ducks and many other fowl. * in their season he procures quantities of lurtlo eggs from the sea beaches, and uq iue^- haustlble supply ot fi6h is to be had for the spearing. He raises sweet potatoes, squasliep, melons, beans, corn and sugar cane, and has scattered groves of guavas, oranges, lemons, cocoanuts, pawpaws and various other fruits, lie exchanges plums, alligatoi hides, deer skins and starch for flour, coffee, sugar, tobacco anil many an other tliiug of civilization, but limits his intercourse with the white to the necessities of trade, avoiding them as much as possible on all other occa sions. SELECT SIFTINGB. Americans eat asparagus hot; the French have it cold. Very few rubies anil red sapphires exceed five karats in weight. A woman at Spring Hill, Mo., has just baked a loaf of bread from yeast thirty years old. It is said that policemen in citizens* clothes are recognized by their shoes by New Y'ork sharpers. The finest existing ancient picture is a mosaic, the "Battle of Issus," found in a pavement at Pompeii. A porcupine fish, having thorns in stead of scales, was caught a few daya ago in St. Andrew's Bay, Florida. New Ilium or Troy hail a State bank in the Second Century, B. 0. that bor rowed money for the State and paid ten per cent. A man of Granger, Mo., 103 years old, lias a skull patched in two plftces with silver plates, as tho result of a runaway years ago. A catfish that weighed twenty-flve pounds and satisfied tho appetites of twenty-two hungry fishermen was caught near North Elktou, Ky., re cently. The Stonchcnge monument consisted when entire of two circles and two ovals, the outer circle being composed of sixty stoues, each from thirteen t© twenty feet in height. The common apple tree is a native of Europe and almost naturalized here. The Romans had twenty-two varieties according to Pliny. Probably nearly 1000 varieties are cultivated in tho United States. The temple of Ypsambul in Nubia is cut from a solid rock, and its entrance is guarded by four statues, each sixty five feet high, twenty-five feet across the shoulders, the face seven feet long, the ears over three feet. All over Europe it is tho custom to givo the waiter a gratuity amounting to one-twentieth of the bill that ho presents. He gets a flve-cent tip for a one dollar meal. A small but fixed gratuity secures the best of service. The European waiter is not paid by the landlord. He often pays for his place. On the ninth day of the first month every Egyptian was obliged to eat a fried fish before the door of his house, except the priests, who burned instead of eating the fish. The revenues rising from tho fisheries of Lake Moeris were given to the Queen of Egypt for pin money and are stated to have amounted to something like SIOO,OOO annually. Tho Columbian stamps arc really steel engravings anil form the third special issue of stamps in tho country. The first of these was a fifteen-cent stamp representing tho landing of Columbus, which was issued in 1869, anil tho second commemorated tho 1876 centennial by a souvenir envelope, i with a shield-shaped three-cent stamp in the corner, having at tho top tho figures 177G and at the bottom 187 G. There is a three-toed rhinoceros, believed to be huudreds of thousands of years old, in the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. Tho relic, according to palaeontologists who have read its history, is tho only ono of his herd who escaped mutila tion by the crocodiles and alligators of his time, when ho was deposited after death iu a lake which existed in South Dakota, near what is now tho Pine Riilgo In lian reservation. China's Chain ol Forts. Tho feeling which prompted the Chinese Government twenty centuries ago to build n wall across Northern China 3000 miles in length seems to bo not yet extinct. China just now deema it necessary to have a clinin of forts all along her seacoasts and up the Yangtz, and the Province of Shantung iqust have her sharo of this, protection. Thcrofore, there is to be a naval station at Chino Chou, south of the Shantung promontory, another to the cast and a third at Checfoo itself. During the past year Krupp guns—nine of them, according to Clement Allen's informa tion—have been ordered for the two forts which are in progress of construc tion, one on the point commanding the south entrance of Chefoo Harbor, and another on tho hill to the westward. Brig. Sun Chin-piao, tho General in commnud, is stated to have set his men to work to make roads round about t'lV forts and a trunk military road to g • to Wei Hai Wei.—New York Com mercial Advertiser. An lleir of-the Montezuma*. f lhe Two Republics Htiya thot a few dir, 5 ago there was presented for regis irution at tho office of tho civil regis trsr of the City of Mexico an infant called Roberto Luis Cuauthemeo Hor casitas y Abadinno, who is a direct de scendent in the thirteenth generation of the Emperor Montezuma 11. Its parents receive an annual pension from the Government as the heirs of Monto zuma, according to the contract undei which tho Spanish Government took possession of tho estates of tho Monto zumas in 1521. At the death of the parents tho pension will descend to this child. By tho paternal line, this infant is descended also from tho Hor cesitrts family, of Spam, which gave Mexico one of its niQfct illustfioua j viceroys.—Picayune, HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS. ritOPER WAY TO COOK POTATOES, Tho Irish have a very particular way rf cooking potatoes. They never boil them. A large pot is always on ths fire, a steady, slow fire, and on every occasion when the contents come to the very verge of boiling, cold water ii dashed in and the operation is, in Irish phraseology, "hocked." The process is continually repeated till thepototoei nro cooked. You get by this means an admirable potato.—New York World. TO BANISH DUST. At least every fortnight walls and cornices, tho tops of windows and doori should have their entire surfaces goni over with a clean broom encased in I bag of cotton flannel. Pinning a cloth about the broom is an unsatisfactory makeshift, besides which the fuzzy nap of tho cloth catches and retains thi dust better than old. muslin, and doei not force it to fly abont the room only to settle somewhere else, as is the casi when tho work is done with a feathei duster. Don't let your love of the beautiful tempt you to the use of colored flannel, because you want to see when it is dirty in order to send it to the wash. Tlire* of these bags will not bo too many, at a broom covered with one is the besl means for removing the dust each morning from polished or stained floors. REMEMBER TO M AKE GOOD COFFEE! That the some flavor will not suit every taste. That equal parts of Mocha, Java and Rio will bo relished by u good many people. That every ono can bo suited to a nicety by properly blending two 01 more kinds. That the enjoyment of -it beveragi and slavish devotion thereto are quits different things. That a mild coffee can be made dangerously strong and still retain the mildness of flavor. That the flavor is improved if the liquid is turned from the dregs as soon as the proper strength has been obtained. That a good coffee will always com mnnd a fair price, but that all high priced coffees are not necessarily ol high quality. That where the percolation method is used the coffee should bo ground very fine or tho strength will not b€ extracted. That if the ground coffee is put into the water and boiled it should bo rather coarse, otherwiso it will invariably be muddy. That in serving tho cups and cream should bo warm : tho cream should be put in the cu;> before the coffeo ii poured in, but it is immaterial when tho sugar is added.—Now York Com mercial Advertiser. now TO IRON DRESS SKIRTS. To iron a skirt properly is in the na fcuro of high art—all tho more if it liai tucks or ru 11108. Whatever tho trim ining attend to it first, unless it is ruf fles that aro to go through the fluting machine. For a rufllo spread as much of if singly on your table ns its depth allowt and press very smooth with an iron just below scorchiug heat. Go ovei the whole length of it, then fliug it back and iron in tho samo piecemeal fashion the strip of skirt it covers. Now slip th) skirt over your ironing board, spread it smooth, take an iron of the same lioat, and go over and ovei it until it is dry. When you come to the gathers hold tho belt from you with tho loft hand, while the right guides the iron straight up among them'. Slip a fresh space on top the board, iron it and keep on un til all is smooth. Where a skirt is uutrimmed iron il on the wrong side. Never iron anything of shape, that ii with the threads pulle l out of thc'l proper angle. In the ironing of waist, collars and so on this is an especially golden rule, always hold the warp threads straight with your freo hand while the iron passes over them. In ironing tucks let the iron come always first upon the line of sewing, as it is tho tendency of stitches to draw. Press firmly downward to the free edge, holding the stuff taut before tho iron. Perfection in this branch conies only of knack and practice, and is among the very few things that aro easier done than said.—Atlanta Constitution. RECIPES. Cinnamon Cookies—Ono egg, ono cupful of sugar, ono cupful of molasses, one-half cupful lard, one spooonful each of soda, vinegar and cinnamon. Roll thin and bake quickly. Jenny Linds—One egg, one audeno. half teacupfuls of milk, one-half tea cupful of sugar, ono tablespoonful of butter, two and one-half teacupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfnls of baking pow ier and a pinch of salt. Mix quickly together and pour in well greased gem pans and bake. To Cook Asparagus—Wash and cut the tender stalks into pieces two inches long and cover them with boiling salted water. When tender, add a cup of ich milk, a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar and a pinch of white pepper; let it boil up once. Have slices of buttered toast in a deep dish, poui\ tho asparagus over and serve. I'ruit Padding—A very nice way to utilize cake crumbs is in making fruit pudding, as follows: Sort and chop very fine a half-pound of nice iigs and mix them with two table spoonfuls of butter, two-thirds of a cup of granu lated sugar and two well beaten eggs. A.dd a cupful of sweet milk and one quarter of a cupful of cake crumbs. Mix all this thoroughly and boil in a pudding mould three hours, Serva with a lemon sauce.