FKEELAND TRIEUNE. PUBLJSIIED KVir.lir MONDAY AND THURSDAY. rilOS. A. BUCKLEY, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFICE: MAIN STREET A HOVE CEHTRS. SUBSCRIPTION KATRB. One Yenr (1 M 61K Months 7b Four Months GO j Two Months 25 Subscribers are requested to observe the date following- the name on the lubcls of their papers. By referring to this they can tell at a glance how they stand on the books in this office. For instance: Grover Cleveland 3vJum<ts moans that Grovcr is paid up to June 2H, 1W&. Keep tho figures in advance of the present date. Report promptly to this office when your paper is not received. All arrearages must be paid, when paiH-T is discontinued, or collection will he made In tho manner provided by low. One of the most striking things iu the truly remarkable Eastern war is the success of tho medical aud surgical treatment of the Japaneso troops. Tho Surgeou-General reports a death rate of only four per ceut. among tho wounded who wero brought under tho care of the surgeons. There is a pretty sharp point in an illustrated squib in tho Harlem Life. A well-dressed lady and gentleman, the lady with a bird on her hat, are walking along a country road. On a branch of a tree sits an oriole, with several young orioles by her side. And as she sees tho lady she is represented as 6aying: "Look, my children! There goes tho monster that wears your poor father!" The Massachusetts Board of Concil iation and Arbitration roports thnt the strikes in that State last year wero numerous, but generally unsuccessful, and that those called successful en tailed raoro loss than gain to tho workmen. Tho results of arbitration were favorable to all concerned, but it seems that both parties to a labor controversy will seldom agroo to so calm and rcnsonablo a method of set tling a dispute. It seems by tho following extract from tho Union Signal that Mrs Cleve land, the wife of the President, is a "loyal friend of tho temperance cause," but not a member of the W. C. T. U.: "The announcement tele graphed by some unauthorized person to tho effect that Mrs. Cleveland has joined tho IV. C. T. U. is, so far as our President knows, utterly without foundation. Mrs. Cleveland is a loyal friend of the temperance cause, but we have never henrd of her joining any organization." In the Baltimore News it is esti mated that the South spends auuually 8100,000,000 for products, horse nnd mules, which could ho raised with greater profit in that section than elsewhere. The bulk of this vast sum goes to tho West to pay for grain and meats. Before tho war tho South raised its own corn and provisions, and an agitation has been started to return to that custom. If loss cotton wero produced nnd more acreage de voted to other crops, tho finances of Southern farmers would bo iu better shape at the end of a season. VV. T. Harris, United States Com missioner of Education, says in Har per's Magazine that in nil the schools of the United States, publio and pri vate, elementary, secondary, and higher, there were enrolled in tho year 1891 about fifteen and one-half mill ions of pupils. This number includes nil who attended at any time in tho year for any period, however short. But tho actual average attendance for each pupil did not exceed ninety days, although tho average length of tho school session was 1137. Sixty-nine pupils wero enrolled out of each 100 of tho population between tho ages of five aud eighteen years. At this rate of attendance tho entire population is receiving on an average a little loss than four and one-half years' school ing of 200 days each. In some States this average falls ns low as two years, and in others it rises to nearly seven years (as iu Massachusetts). Oat of this entiro number deduct tho private and parochial schools of all kinds, ele mentary, secondary, higher, and schools for art, industry, an 1 busi ness, for deductive classes and Indians, and thcro remain over thtrtouu and one-half millions for the public school enrolment, or nearly eighty-eight per cont. of the whole. In the twenty four years since 1870 tho attendance on tho public schools has increased from less than seven millions to thir teen and one-half millions. The ex penditures have increased somewhat more, namely, from sixty-three mill ions to one hundred nnd sixty-three millions of dollars per annnm, nn in ornate from 81-01 per capita to 82.17. Chicago has averaged one suicide a day thisyenr. Scientists predict that in a century's time there will bo no disease that is not curable. The emigration from Ireland last year is tlia lowest reoordod since the collection of returns commenced in 1851. Probably the most complete Beries of court records in America ore said to ho those of Northampton County, Virginia. Tho series commences from 10-32 and is complete up to the present time. Dr. Richardson, a famous English physician, thinks that seven out of ten would reach tho ago of 110 if they wonld keep choerful, tako proper exercise, bo tcmperato in their habits and sleep enough. Ho does not re gard the stomach a3 a factor of longev ity. IVhut will be known as serum tlier npenties—i. c., tho treatment of dis eases by tho injoction of serum that lias been "immunized"—is likely to bo extended to other disoasos than lockjaw, hydrophobia and diphtheria, remarks the Now York Independent. A series of highly interesting experi ments has lately boon conducted by no less than six of tho progressive doctors of tho day, in tho treatment of pneumonia by serum with satisfac tory results, and it is quiio certain that these experiments will ha carried stiil further. A writer in the Overland Monthly lias seriously proposed tho introduc tion of tho kangaroo in this country to tako tho place of tho now practi cally extinct buffalo as a food supply on tho Western plains. It is urged that tho kangaroo is hardy, easily ac climated, domesticated without diffi culty, broods easily in captivity, is cheaply maintained, lias n largo amount of excellent and very edible flosh, is valuable as a fur nnd leather producer and can ho cheaply aud easily procured. It is ruled by tho postal authorities that any reduction of tho size of a pos tal card by clipping, rounding off tho corners or otherwise, will subject tho receiver of tho card to a charge of ono cent on delivery. This makos tho cost of a postal card equivalent to lotter postage. Many persons enclose postal cards to correspondents iu envelops too small, and imagine that a little clipping won't mnko any difference. Others round off tho corners for orna mental purposes or convenience iu handling. But the practice is wrong. The private carrying of pistols in England appears to have reached tho proportions of a rnenuco and a nuis ance, and Lord Carmarthen recently introduced a bill in Parliament to regu late the conditions under which that dangerous instrument may bo sold, and dofino tho3o under which it may he carried, Tho object of tbo bill was to keep it out of tho hauls of roughs nnd minors, and in n general way to discourage tho practice, except whero it was manifestly necessary. It pro vides that the vender must tako out a , license, and that tho pistols must ho consecutively numbered, so that they can bo at any timo identified. The buyer's name must bo registered, and ho must not bo n convict or a ticket of-lenve man, or under eighteen years of age. It contains other rather stringent interdictions, shewiag that tho nbuso which it sought to roetify had grown into considerable propor tions. A company has just been incorpor ated at Springfield, Ohio, for the dis covery of the heirs of the vast Holmes csiato in England, said to ho worth 8100,000,000. It was left liy James nolmos, a South Sea trader, and Will iam Himrod, of New York, is said to ibo one of tho heirs. Tho odds are 100 to ono that there is no such estate, tie | clnros tho Atlanta Constitution. Simi- I lar announcements are mudo from , timo to time, and thousands of peoplo | in this country hnvo been lilo.l by un scrupulous swindlers. Thcro are no J estates in England worth millions of j dollars awaiting American claimants. | Our ministers nnd consuls havo fre -1 queutly mudo this statement, but it ■ has no effect. Just so long us people love money and lack ccmtnon sense nnd information they will bo the victims of ' tho lawyers and agents who work tho 1 unclaimed estnto racket. In tho past fow years it lias been announce I that various persons in Georgia wero at tempting to recover million-dollar in heritances in Europe. Not one ever succeeded. They spent what money they could spare on the agents who wero swindling them, and that was the lust of it. People hunting big estates, ns a rule, will have to aocumulato t hem , by their own efforts HE TOOK TIME TO DIE. , There was an old fellow who never had tlmo , Fur a frosh morning look at the Volume sublime, Who never had time for tho soft hand of prayer To smooth out tho wrinkle of labor and care, Who could not llnd time for that service most sweet At tho altar of home whore tho dear ones all meet, And never found tlmo with tho people of God To learn tho good way tlmt the fathers have trod; lint ho found time to die, Oh, yes! lie found tlmo to dio. This busy old fellow, too busy was ho To linger nt breakfast, at dinner or ton For the merry small chatter of children and wife, But led In his marriage a bachelor life; Too busy for kisses, too busy for play, No time to bo loving, no time to bo gay, No time to replenish his vanishing health, No time to enjoy his swift-gnthoring wealth; But ho found time to die; Oh, yes! lie found time to die. This beautiful world had uo beauty for him; Its colors were black and its sunshino was dim. No leisure for woodland, for river, or hill, No time lu his life just to think and be still, No timo for his neighbors, no timo for his friends, No timo for those highest immutable ends Of tho life of a man who is not for a day, But, for worse or for bottor, for ever and aye. Yet ho found time to die? Oh, yes! 110 found timo to die. ' —Amos R. Wells, in Harper's Weekly. FIVE BLACK MARKS. HE most miserable r —H t ' me * L ' vt ' r ' m( i ' n "7 leaid Dr - Vy'"7 ~Macphorson ono day as we sat chat- A ting in his oosey vf . drawing room, "was spent in a A A gunboat off the !j : coast of Guinea. I iffiio began my profes- H Ijl'feM sional iifo as a sur \ |M goon in the navy, lift you know." i did net know. 'Jif" But ns the Doctor seemed intent on telling tho story I did not interrupt him by saying so. "We had been cruising about iu tho Mediterranean," ho went on, "when wo were unexpectedly ordered to tho Bay of Lngos to overawe some miser ableliltletriheueartho coastwbich had not been behaving itself as a properly regulated little tribe under the pro tection of the British Empire ought to do. Kakoga's tribe, it was called, and Knkoga came in for a good Bharo of honest abuse from the officers and men of tho Dragon-fly, whou our orders came. The worst of it va Q , as far as the officers aud men were con cerned, that wo were not nt unity nmong ourselves. The engineer, called Lashton, hnd been disappointed in love, aud was naturally - morose in consequence. What made him more so was the fact that liis successful rival was the Sub-Lieutenant, an aw fully nice fellow, aud tho only man on board tlmt I cared for. Lieuten ant Gilliy had met Miss C'allan nt Malta, and had become engaged to her without tho least idea that tho en gineer had iutuntions thnt way, not tknt it would have made any differ ence to him if ho had, I supposo. Lnshton's unconcealed enmity against him inado life on hoard pretty un pleasant, nnd divided us into two cliques. The Lieutenant's clique, con sisting of himself nnd me, certainly had the liveliest time of it, for tho successful suitor of Miss Calluu was the merriest fellow on earth, nnd while wo wero in the Mediterranean we suffered very little from tho en gineer's hostility. But direotly wo steamed off for Lngos a most remark able ohange came over my friend, and he turned as taciturn as Lashtou him self. "It puzzled mo to discover the rea son, for though we wero nil sorry to leave tho Mediterranean, still it was not like Gilliy to sulk over it. Ho could not seo less of his fiancee than he had been doing for two or threo months, and we had tho prospect bo foro us of a small light, for which ho had been wishing. Lashton suggested to me in his sinister way that it was the prospect of 'fighting which caused tho change in my friend, and though I answered the suggestion in tho touo it deserved, still it seemed tho only explanation. "Gilby said, when I asked him, that it was tho weather, nnd tho irritation witli which he answered prevented me continuing my inquries, nnd made me more than ever convinced that it was •funk," nnd a very seviro form of tho disease, too. Iu inet, ho took very little pains to conecnl it. "'I hopo to goodness that I shall not have to goon shore,' ho said, when wo had nearly reached our destinntiou. 'I wish the Commander would lend the party, and lenvo me here to look utter the ship.' " 'lt is not likely,'l answered, gruff ly, aud I was glad that Lashtou was not about to overhear him. I an swered his next suggestion raoro gruff ly still. "'I supposo you would not like to certify that I ought to be on tho sick list, would yon, Maephcrsou?' he asked me, hesitatingly. "I refused flatly. "If ho had told me tho true reason of his fear I might havo acted dif ferently, for ho looked ill enough, poor fellow! His face had grown quite 1 j white and was siuce we started. I "It looked whiter still next day ! when he had to go in command of the i landing party, which I accompanied, I of course. I "When wo were fairly embarked on the enterprise, his one idea seemed to I beta get it over with all possible speed, and too hasto with which ho advanced to Kakoga's country would have beeu impossible if the men uuder him had not themselves teen so anxious to get into action, and introduce a little chance into the monotony of life on a gunboat. c< However, tho'chango was less than the majority of the blue jackets hoped for, tho miserablo littlo tribe did not show fight, and our business was ac complished. In five days from the time wo left the Drngon-lly wo were back again, none the worso for our trip, except that we wero ail wore out by Gilby's forced marches. "Tho Lieutenant seemed more ex hausted than any of us, and as soon as he had received the congratulations of the Commander, he retired at once to his berth. What surprised me was that his spirits did not show any im provement after tho chnuce of fighting was at an end. It seemed to me as if ho wore still expecting some calamity to happen to him, and I began to wonder whether there might not bo something seriously wrong with his health to account for all that had sur prised mo in his manner. This ex planation, which had not occurred to mo while there was any real danger, struck me forcibly, now that wo were eafo on tho gunboat, and, as soon as I had enjoyed the luxury of a bath alter my five days of discomfort, I strolled down to tho Lieutenant's cabin to have a look at him in tho new light of a pntiont. "Tho door of my friend's cabin was ajar us I approached it, and when I glunccd into tho room boforo knock ing, I was surprised to catch sight of Engineer Lashtou standing by tho side of tho Lieutenant's bunk. "The fact of Lashton's enmity for my friend was so undisputed that a'; tho sight of liis figure in his enemy's cabin I felt quito justified in watching what was going on boforo making my pres ence known. Gilby was lying across his bunk, half undressed and appar ently fast asleep. The engineer was standing over him with a bottle of some black fluid iu his hand. While I watched, lie mado livo Rmall marks with it on the sleoping man's arm. The operation seemed such a mysterious and inexplicable one that I watched him till ho put tho cork back into th>3 bottle, without moving a step to inter fere with tho man, but I pounced upon him as he turned to leave tho cabin. " 'What on earth have you been do ing?' I asked, unceremoniously, and the fellow seemed rather taken aback. "'lt is only a practical joke,' ho said, willi a feeble attempt to smile unconcernedly. " 'Joke or no joke, I demand to sec what is in thut bottle,' I said author itatively, my mind full of mysterious poisons, and the engineer hnuded it over tamely. "The bottle contained nothing but ink." "Ink !" I exclaimed, whon tho groat brain specialist reachod this point in his narrative, and Macpherson smiled iu the peculiarly quiet way ho lias when ho has perfectly mystified a hearer. "Yes, ordinary ink," he went on. "The discovery naturally mado me feel rather foolish, but not so much as it would have douo if I had not been convicod still that his action was iu some way a malicious ouo. What his idea could be, however, it was impos sible for mo to divine, and I felt so serious about it that I should have roused my friend at once to enquire how five black marks on his arm could possibly affect his happiness, if ho had not looked so thoroughly worn Out and in need of sleep. As soon as Lashton was gone, I left tho cabin at once for fear of disturbing tho sleeper, without stopping even to try and re-1 move tho iuk-stains, a piece of stu pidity at which I have not ceased to wonder. You see, it was impossible for mo to guess how desperately seri ous the plot was that tho engineer had formed against the man whom he con sidered his rival. 1 retired to my own cabin opposite Gilby's, keeping the door open to make sure that Lashton did not return to do more mischief, but I made a poor sentry. I was tired out, liko tho youug Lieutenant, through not having my proper amount of rest Tor four nights, and I fell asleep still wondering about tho livo black marks. "When I woke, I do uot know how long after, it was to find Gilby stand ing in my room, half undressed as I had seeu him in his bunk, but with his shirt sleeve buttoned up over tho ink-stains on his arm. I was too full of sloop, however, to notice tho fact at tho time, or even to remember for the moment auythiug about what I had seen. Sleepy as I was, I could not help noticing tho look of complete misery uud despair on my friend's face. Ho was standing at tho side of my bunk, holding an envelope, and when I started up, rubbing my eyes, he put it into my hand. '1 am glad you aro awake, Mac pherson,' he said, in a strangely con strained tone. 'I wanted so ask you to do me a favor. Will you givo this letter to Miss Callau personally whou you seo her? Ido not waut to take the risk of sending it by tho mail.' " 'But you will see her yourself as soon as I shall,' I said, in surpriso at tho request, and Gilby did not reply. Instead, he turned uud walked out of tho cabin, leaving mo staring at tho letter in my hand and wondering what it meant. 1 was HO stupid with sleep ntill that it took mo two minutes to think of auy explanation at all. When I did 1 was out of my bunk and run ning across to the opposite cabin in a second. Just in time, too, for Gilby was in the act of locking his door when I burst it open and rushed in without ceremony. Tho fact that the young Lieutenant's revolver aud a couple of letters, one of them ad dressed to me, were lying on the ta ble, served to assure mo that my feart wero not ungrounded. The first thing I did was to secure tho revolver. Then I turned to my friend. "'What aro you going to shoot yourself for?' I demanded, bluntly. "Gilby mado no attempt to deny his intention. "T am sorry you have disturbed me, Macpherson,' ho said, with per fect coolness, 'becauso it cannot make any difference.'" "And tho reason 1" I asked, with interest, for tho Doctor had paused to light another cigarette. Mucphersou blew a whiff of smoke from his mouth, and continuod his story. "I suppose you have ncvor hoard of a disease called 'Guinea Madness?' he asked, and when I shook my head, ho went on: "Neither had I, until Gilby told mo about it, although lam a doctor. It is one of those strnngo creases that limit themselves luckily to a particu lar district, and is only found among a few tribes along the coast of Guinea. It is generally thought that Europeans cannot take it, but the idea is an erroneous one, or, at any rate, there aro exceptions, or Lieutenant Gilby's father died of it, when my friend was a boy of ten. His father was Captaiu of a trading vessel, and tho Lieuten ant was accompanying him on a voy ago when they callod at the Guinea Coast. He therefore saw his father in all tho indescribablo agony of the dis ease, which seems more liko hydro phobia than anything else, although it is infectious. "The sight made a groat impression on him, and, since his constitution was quite similar to his father's, he had always suffered from an almost super natural terror of the Guinea Coast. Ho was quite persuaded that if ho ever went ashoro there he would catch the disease and die liko his father. Lash ton, it seem, was aware of this mono mania of his; tor it almost amounted to monomania." "And he had re&llv caught the dis ease?" I asked. Macphorson smiled. "Ho thought he had. The first symptom is the ap pearanco of small black marks on the arm or leg."—Pall Mail Budget. The Bice-Paper Tree, The rice-paper tree, one of the most interesting of the flora of China, has recently been successfully experi mented with in Florida, where it now flourishes, with other sub-tropical and Oriental species of trees and shrubs, says tho St. Louis Republic. Whou first transplanted in American soil the experimenters expressed doubts of it 3 hardiness, fearing that it would be uu able to stuud tho winters. All these fears have vanished, however, and it is now tho universal opinion that it is as well adapted to the climate of this country as to that of the famed Flowery Kingdom. It is a small tree, growing to a height of less than fifteen feet, with a trunk or stem from three to five inches in diameter. Its canes, which vary in color according to season, aro large, soft and downy, tho form somewhat resembling that noticed in those of tho castor beau plant. The ce'ebra ted rico paper, the product of this queer tree, is formed of thin slices of the pith, which is taken from tho body of the tree in beautiful cylinders se\- eral inches in length. Tho Chinese workmen apply tho blade of a sharp, straight knife to these cylinders, and, turning them round either by rude maohinery or by hand, dexterously pare the pith from tho circumference to ceuter. This operation makes a roll of extra quality paper, tho scroll being of equal thick ness throughout. After a eyliudor has thus been pared it is unrolled and weights aro placed upon it until the surfaco is rendered uniformly smooth throughout its entire length.', It is altogether probable that if rico paper making becomes an industry in the United States these primit ivu modes will all bo done away with. The Chinqmilist 011 Pointed Shoes. "1 am sorry to see a tendency on tho part of men to forsake tho sharp pointed shoe that has held the fashion for so long and to return to the broader stylo of extremity," said a loading chiropodist. "The change, if it come about as I expect it will, will havo a pretty substantial effect for the worse upon my business. Two-thirds of the patients who coino to me suffering from painful callous growths on their feet aro the victims of sharptocd shoes. There is only one foot in a thousand that can wear such au article with anything like comfort, but tho 999 who can't, stand tho misery in order to make a pretty pedal appearance. Tho contracted space allowed for tho toes iu such shoos crowds them to gether as in a vise, aud circulation iu them stops and corns and bunions are the result. No ouo should wear a shoe which does not allow the joints of tho toes to work naturally, but it should always fit tho foot closely aud snugly. A loose shoo is as provocative of oorus aud other foot ailments ns a tight aud narrow one."—Washington Post. Illustrating IVhat lie Meant. Latter day speakers of English aro getting to bo very wordy and pom pous in tho use of our language, ac cording to the distiuguishod linguist, Professor Whitney, aud ho thinks wo ought to get back to tho modesty and simplicity of our ancestors. This ad vice of Professor Whitney is no doubt timely. But in advising us not to use big words and to bo clear, pure nod simple in diction lie employs the fol lowing words: "Avoid all polysilla bical profundity, pompous prolixity and veutriloquial vorpidity. Shun double entendre aud prurient jo3ositv, whether obscure or apparent. In other words, speak truthfully, natur ally, clearly, purely, but do not use large words."—Boston Globe. LIFEIN AMONASTERY ITS HUMOROUS PHASES DE PICTED BY PAINTERS. New School of Artists That Is Making an 1 in prcatdon on the Public—Grcutz ncr uiul His Imi tutors Moulin ut Work and ut I'luy. All Fut mid Funny. No little interest has lately been aroused in the study of the system of monasticlsm, which prevailed to a very considerable extent over most parts of Europe for several hundred years. This interest has been shown by a number of historical works on the subject, which have appeared during the last few months, giving sketches of the rise and decline of the system, together with exceedingly interesting descrip tions of what may be called the home THE MONASTERY KITCHEN.—OUITZNER. life of the monks. By means of these data we ore able to learn much of the manner In which great monasteries grew from humble beginnings; how large companies of ascetics were gath ered together by talented and Influen tial ecclesiastics, and how many socie ties Increased, sent out branches and Anally grew to such proportions that (hey numbered their colony houses by hundreds and the members of their or der by thousands. The interest allud ed to is even more distinctly shown by tlie attention given to monks and mon astic life by some of the most talented artists of the present day, who, from the pen pictures left by writers of a bygone day, have reconstructed the mon asteries, and on canvas have reproduc ed for our edification the dally life of their tenants. The reason for this Interest, as at present manifested, is probably to be found In a better appreciation of the work done by the monastic establish ments of the Middle Ages. For a long time the prejudices of writers pro and con, In favor of and against the sys tem, confused the popular mind and left it uucertuin whether or not the monas teries had been a good. Some classes were powerfully prejudiced against them, believing them to have been hot beds of vice, sinks of moral depravity, while others were Just as strongly bias ed In their favor and traced all the good of modern times by one course or an other back to the monastic establish ments of mediaeval days. The truth, as in all cases of tills kind, is probably to be found on a middle ground. It Is probnble that many monastic estab lishments degenerated from the sim plicity of their founders, that increas ing wealth Induced luxurious living, and, possibly, also in some eases deprn vatiou of manners, but, on the other hand, it should not be forgotten that to tlie monastic establishments is due most of the good which existed dur ing a time when the civilized world was continually at war. For a thou sand years monasteries were the only schools, and youth who sought to ob tain even the rudiments of education were forced to learn them in a monas tery. During those days only two pro fessions were open to tlie aspiring youth, the Church and tlie army. A joung man of noble birth who desired to make something of himself in the world was obliged either to take the training of a soldier or to enter the Church. The Church and the army were therefore both distinguished by the presence of many able men, who, in one way or another, made their mark upon the age in which they lived But not a few of those who sought both professions were actuated by no higher motive than the love of plunder or the hope of ease. The adventurous sought WHERE THE MONKS USED TO LIVE, the Held, the unassuming and seriously inclined sought the cloister. The monasteries offered tlie only re fuge that age could expect, the only assistance that poverty could claim. Many monasteries had the right of asy lum, and a fugitive, or even a criminal, within their walls was safe from his pursuers. The monasteries were the only industrial schools; in them were practiced all tlie arts, all the sciences known to the time; in them were kept and copied the only works of ancient literature that have come down to our day. They were the only alms houses, the only asylums; in many countries the only inns or lodging places for trav elers. They were, in short, the only humanizing factor that Europe had for several hundred years. Great austerity of life was practiced by some of the orders. Designed to mortify tlie flesh, the order of life prescribed for tlio monks of these so cieties was of the most rigid descrip tion. Prayer went on Incessantlj'. la some of these establishments the brethren were divided into watches BO that prayer and praise In the clinpcl of the convent should never cease. At frequent Intervals the whole body was gathered together for common wor ship, and even at the most unseason able hours, as at midnight or 2 o'clock in the morning, the ringing of the con vent bell was a signal for all the mem bers of the community to asemble for prayer. In many the austerity of life went still further, and prescribed the simplest and often insufficient raiment. The monk was to live on the plainest fare, and very little of that; fast days were numerous and were rigorously observed, industrial labor of some kind was religiously prescribed and faithfully executed, and the monks of these organizations, while doing the work of day laborers, had only the compensation of knowing that the in terests of their society were advanced by their toil. In many others, however, perhaps in the greater portion of the numerous orders that sprang up In Europe from the tenth century, the mode of life was so lenient that the monks really lived much better than their secular neighbors. This was particularly the case when a monastery became well established, with lands of its own and tenants and laborers by whom most of the work was done. The members of a religious order had a great ad vantage over their secular neighbors in one very important respect; they were freed from concern for the fu ture. As long as they lived they could be certain of having a roof above their heads and food and clothing for their bodies. Every one who struggles with the world for his livelihood knows how serious are the fears that sometimes arise lest lie should be unable to make a living for himself and his family, and of this fear the monks know noth ing. All care removed save that of at tending to the day's duties, the mem bers of a religious order naturally felt easy in their minds; as a general thing, good humor prevailed in a convent, and the worthy brethren, having plen ty to eat and drink and plenty of time for digestion, naturally grew fat. Eat men are not always good-humor ed; good-humored men are not always fat; but in some mj'sterlous way there is a connection between good humor and adipose tissue, and the common belief in this connection caunot better lie expressed than by the old proverb which inculcates the duty of "laugh ing and growing fat." The monks of those orders which were not so rigid in their rules broadened their gowns nm r J! A TRIO IN TIIK MONASTERY—GUITZXER. to lit their widening frames, and lengthened the rope girdle that they wore, and more and more of the com munities' good fare was daily depos ited beneath their ample waists. On feast days they lived like princes; on fast, days they ate iisli and vegetables, ami under such circumstances fasting could be made very tolerable. Thd stern asceticism of the Trappist, while in one sense a proper art subject, is hardly suitable for popular use, for the rigid life practiced by the most ab stemious monastic orders does not con tain for the popular eye that attrac tion which pleases. The life of the ascetic may have its picturesque phases to the eye of the artist, but pictures of Trappist devotion are very unlikely to take the popular fancy, for in art, as in literature, few are serious, aud he who ' amuses is more likely to touch the pop ular fancy than he who aims to in struct As a rule the artists of the pres ent day who have sought their subjects in the monastic life of bygone times have preferred I lie gentler aspects of religion, and their pictures show us what may be called the comical phases of monastic life. The humorous sides of conventional life have attracted the attention of many artists who have delighted In de picting the monks at play and the monks at work. The transcriber in the library, the repasts of the assembled brethren, the music in which they in dulged in after lunch, their rambles through the fields, their labors in the garden, their kitchen work, with- its busy preparations for the coming meal, even the ridiculous features, the monks at see-saw enjoying the sport as much as children might, the whole community fishing on Thursday afternoon in order that they might not fast so arduously on the following day, the accidents of daily life even more comical when pre sented In the case of a monk than when happening to other people, all have re ceived their meed of attention, and paintings by the hundreds have been executed within the last few years, both in Germany, France and England, setting forth in a serio-comic style the fun of monastic life. Seldom satirical, rarely caustic, the painters seemed to find a special delight in depicting in kindly fashion the manner in which the old monks lived, and tlie life of these recluses is through this art medium as well known to us. perhaps even better, 1 j than it was to the people of their own 1 j time. One of the leaders in this style 1 j of art is the famous Gruetzncr, whose j monks are known to every frequenter i of a picture gallery, to every collector 1 i of art photographs. Ills monks are the hc&t-uatured and among the fattest men • In the world.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers