One for Bloomers. An Allegheny clergyman thinks he has found a Scriptural arraignment of the bloomer costume in the text from Deuteronomy, which reads: "There shall not bo the garment of a man upon a woman, and a man shall not wear the garments of a woman, for an abomination to Jehovah, thy God, is every one doing these things." There is nothing in this contention, maintains a Philadelphia exchange, for bloomers were never worn by men. They were invented by a woman, and ure dis tinctively a feminine vestment. More than this, a great many things were sot forth in the Mosaic nge as abomina tions to the Lord which wcro entirely beneath even the unfriendly notice of the Deity. When the old Bible heroes took a "slant" against any person or things they were pretty certain to con strue them as objects of Divine wrath. So the Allegheny preacher's argument against bloomers doesn't hold together. He has simply made the mistake of confusing an offense against good taste with a violation of morals. Safe In America. "I am glad I live in America," said a pretty young wonan, talking to a Phil adelphia Inquirer reporter the other day, "because I am never afraid to travel by myself. Last year I was in London and went around with a friend who is married, and we were spoken to in an insulting manner every time we went out. Paris was still worse. People speak of the French politeness, but it is only a veneer. The men would get in front of us on every street cor ner and smirk and ogle, and chatter like monkeys. I'm glad I didn't under stand anything they said. There are no men like tho American men, and I never was so fully able to appreciate it as I am, now I have seen those of other nations in their own lands. Besides, the girls are treated better here than anywhere else on earth, and I don't want to cross the ocean any more." THE bicycle meet is just now a rival to every other form of entertainment. Men and women ride to a certain place where it is known a good dinner or supper is to he had, and ride home re freshed in the cool of tho day. Another very popular way of entertaining in some places is to invito your guests to take a ride to a certain point and re turn for a supper at home. The warn ing therefore is timely that women, out of mere pride or a desire to keep pace with the swiftest riders uniong the men of the party, will be likely to overdo and turn a delightful, healthful exercise into an injury from which they may find it diflioult to recover. Young women in particular will no doubt be most likely to ride until exhausted. The very exhilaration of the sport may make one prolong her rides beyond her strength. THERE IS a woman in Springdala, Conn., whoso husband lately left her for good and all. Tho husband had an extensive milk route in Stam ford. Tho woman's disappointment in her husband was considerable, yet, with all, she could not forget how disap pointed his customers would be if they did not get their Saturday's supply of milk. So she got up earl}', milked the cows, hitched up the horses, and with it her little boy went the rounds of the city and filled the waiting pails 011 the back porches. There was something of the milk of human kindness served out that day with the lacteal fluid of the cow. A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy lately jumped off the Baltimore & Ohio rail way bridge into Chester creek, Penn sylvania. Tho bridge is over ninety feet above the surface of the water, and the boy struck tho water with a loud smack and disappeared for some seconds. lie reappeared and swam to land, apparently unhurt, to the intense relief of a crowd of companions. The leap was made for a chew of tobacco, wagered by a man who did not think the boy would take so great a risk. Young America never takes a bluff. A BICYCLE railroad on tho plan of that at Coney Island Is to bo built be tween Millbrae and Pescadero, Cal., a distance of thirty miles. The route is through a mountainous country, whero it would be diflioult to build even a nar row-guago double-track road. The guilders claim for their system many improvements over single-track roads heretofore attempted, and expect to make this such a success that it will be only the first section of a system to ex tend all over tho state. A BAND of little girls belonging to Pinconning, Mich., got up a concert and earned two dollars und fifty-six cents. Then they spent the money for clothing for an unfortunate little girl In the town, buying material for a dress which they were going to make for her, and also shoes and a hat. There is the inception of a noble work which may grow beyond the borders of Pinconning. A Los ANOLES (Cal.) masher, well known about the town as a sidewalk poser, was last week convicted of ogling and otherwise annoying women on tho streets, and sentenced to work thirty days in the chain gang. A chain gang is a pretty good institution in any town that is afflicted with the mushcr ilk. EIGHTEEN hundred and ninety-six is the centennial of tho manufacture of sugur in New Orleans. It is suggested that a sugar exposition be held in the Crescent city next summer. A Novel Jail Escape. A sixteen-year-old boy who for some months had been confined in jail in Brownsville, Ivy., made his escapo tho other day. In the morning he got a letter from his homo in tho country, saying his father was very ill. He sent word that he would be there by supper time. Dinner at the jail consisted of corn bread, corn field beans and bacon, and at the boy's request the jailer gave him a big hunk of bacon. The youngs ter ate tho beans und breud, but as soon as the jailer left to work in the field near by, the boy took off all bis clothes, threw them outside through the hole in the door through which the prisoners' meals were passed and, greasing himself from head to foot, squeezed his body through the six by ten hole, put on his clothes and went homo. lie left word for the jailer that he would be found at home, and at night the jailer found him nt the bed side of his father bathing the old man's head. The jailer allowed the boy to stay until bedtime, when he took him back to prison, liis diet hereafter, very likely, will be anything but bacon. Hard on Salvationists. The Salvation Army is making a vig orous crusade through tho west, and is meeting with much vigorous and re markable opposition. A Michigan town recently posted the army as a public nuisance; but about the most peculiar kind of persecution it has experienced was in Nebraska City, Neb. The citi zens objected to the boisterous exhorta tions of the Salvationists and had them arrested. But it was found that no charge could he brought against the prisoners. The next evening, when the army appeared on the street and pre pared to open services, the city tire de partment cainc along, attached a hose to a hydrant, and turned a heavy stream of water on the cxhorters. Their ardor was quenched for a time, and at last accounts they were unde cided what to do. They had decided that they might stand fire, but that it wasn't any use trying to fight against water. UP in Montana lived a Swede named Amel Stjskal. Amel was a hard citi zen who possessed a wife and a mule and treated them both with great cruelty. The wife bore her sufferidgs uncomplainingly, but the mule re belled, and, waiting his chance, kicked his master to death. This so met the approbation of the community that the I Standard has opened a subscription paper to pension the mule, and many of the leading citizens, headed by the state's attorney, have signed it. The fund is to be used to keep the mule in comfort for the rest of his life, and if ' the subscription is large enough the | woman is to have what remains. TIIE government assay office at Helena, Mont., is receiving a great deal of gold from the mines of the north west, and lately east a brick eleven and one-half inches wide and three and one half inches deep. The weight was 1,4:;7 ounces, or nearly 120 pounds troy, and the value, at S2O per ounce, was $28,740. The question being asked why tho gold is cast into such large and un wieldy masses, the answer given is that if it were run into small ingots for transportation to the mints, in case of a hold-ui) M IC express, the road agents could not get away with and conceal a large brick so readily as they could the smaller bars or ingots. A SURE and somewhat spectacular method of suicide was taken by James I'fisk, who killed himself at Beaver, Ore., a few days ago. He stored a great quantity of giant powder in his house—under his bed, from all that could be surmised after the event—and blew himself and most of his house into nothingness. The coroner would not hold an inquest in tho case, because all that could be found of the suicide's bod}' was part of a foot. A BILL against bribery, naming se verer penalties than tlie present law allows, lias been introduced in the Illi nois legislature. It provides that any person who gives or offers a bribe to a member of the legislature, and any member who receives a bribe or asks for one, is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary for not exceeding ten years, or by a fine of five thousand dollars, or both. The gentle "touch" will still be felt, law or no law. A SAN DIECIO (Cal.) woman who was pestered, as many folks arc, by other folks' chickens scratching up her flower bed and littering her yard, hit on a novel scheme of conveying a gentle hint to her neighbors. She tied a lot of simill cards with strong thread to big kernels of corn, and wrote on the cards: "Please keep your chickens at home." The chickens ate the corn and carried the message to their owners in a fashion that was startling and ef fective. A MAINE paper says tho days of "laddy-buckism" on the high seas arc by 110 means past, at least, not on Maine ships. It cites tho case of a tough old salt of Portland, who was re cently engaged as first mate on a ship solely 011 His record of being able to knock the tar out of any obstreperous mariner he over sailed with. A PRIZE of two dollars' worth of ice cream tickets for the first woman who would ride a bicycle, 111 bloomer cos tume, around tho public square in tho evening was recently offered by tho Times of Clay Center, Kan. There must have been a jam of bloomers around that square. FAMOUS WOMEN'S FADS.' Mr 3. Elizabeth Grannia Adopts a Baby Every Summer. Her Lust Acquisition Is it Pickaninny— j Mr*, llcnry Ward llcccher lluyg Opals aiul Mra. John Mac kay Marquise Kings. Mrs. Elizabeth Grannis, the well known New York philanthropist, who recently donated a princely sum to be divided among several educational in stitutions in the east, has for years an nually taken under her protecting wing some human waif or other. Once in awhile she in this way adopts more than one inside the year, and not in frequently her selection is of a nature to startle even those acquainted with Mrs. Grannis' peculiarities in this re spect. Recently, in speaking of her amusements, she said: "Much of 1113' time in the winter is taken up with religious work, but in summer I always try to enjoy myself with some diversion or other. I love babies. James," turning to a servant, "bring up tho baby." The servant disappeared into the lower regions and shortly returned with the blackest specimen of infant hood ever seen. "This baby is named Christian League Woodyear," said Mrs. Grannis. "I adopted her when she was nine days old, and her mother was nearly dead. They are both well now and live in my basement. Christian League will be my playmate all sum mer. She is nine months old and very bright. I'll tell you a story. One night at prayer meeting we heard a snoring under the seat, and I could spy a pair of legs in the dusk. It was a woman's meeting, so I stopped prayers and pulled out the 'man.' It was just a wretched little boy, six years old, with 110 home. I took hiin home and adopted him. That summer I knit a stocking a day for him, long stockings of the feminine persuasion, to go over his knees, and I fitted him out fine. One day I got hold of his father, a nasty, drunken man, and put him up in my spare room to sober up. Then £ got him a job. That is nine years ago, and he is working at it yet. The boy lias grown up, and is a credit to everybody." Mrs. lienry Ward Beecher has a fad which works with her, both winter and MRS. 11KNRY WARD BEECIIER. summer, but for which she now, alas! lias small funds, although she does oc casionally fall a victim to its fascina tions. This is for the buying of opals. Henry Ward Beecher loved these stones. Instead of thinking them un lucky, he got great inspiration from them, and he was always marching home with a new opal for Mrs. Beecher snugly tucked away in his pocket. Sometimes lie did not care to give it to her if grocery bills were pressing at that moment. Mrs. Beecher grew to share his fondness for them. Now she is never without one of the great shin ing gems at throat or linger. She gazes at them in the shop windows, handles them over the jeweler's count ers, caresses them fondly, and walks sadly away to revisit her favorites again and again. It is said that the most expensive col lection pastime is indulged in by Mrs. John W. Mack ay, who buys marquise rings of antiquity. But fads arc for the most part inexpensive and are re markable only for the fact that they serve to amuse some very great people who would otherwise grow tired of counting their fingers through the long summer vacation days. Mrs. Ballington Booth takes few va cations, but such time as she allows herself is spent in the very oddest oc cupation ever invented by a woman for a summer holiday. All during her va cation hours she busies herself with a pastime to which she is passionately devoted—the gathering of books on surgery. It is said that she lias tho finest collection of surgical works to be found outside the great libraries. She chooses those of simple terms and seeks to perfect herself in tliem. When she lias opportunity she visits operating rooms. Her book, "Antiseptic Chris tianity," was the direct outcome of hints gleaned from operating tables, and she was assisted not a little by I)r. MeCosh, son of the late president of Princeton. During vacations she re vels in surgery of all kinds, practical and printed, and is the only example 011 record of a very pretty woman who enjoys mussing in very disagreeable scenes. • Georgia's llnttlc—Hearrod Cabin. The women of Cobb county, Georgia, will have at the Cotton States und In ternational exposition the famous "bat tle-scarred cabin" from the battlefield of Kenesaw mountain, which is sit uated in Cobb county. This was a plain log cabin, about twenty feet square, •which was situated just behind the confederate breastworks. It was tho center of fire from some of Sherman's batteries, but, strange to say, did not burn up. There are over thirty holes in the cabin, made by the federal shells, and innumerable bullets arc buried in the logs. Tho battle cabin will bo taken down and exa :lly replaced on the expriilion gr >:n' .. Inside will bo .sold r !■ of r.n b:;" !c field, of which a• t :it I'll■ 1 '••• ! ; collected, in !.• w •• ' .1 barrels, bul ic' ; a:. 1.. . . : . ii:character. A JAPANESE ROMANCE. The Story of Premier Ito, us Told by Slf Fdwln Arnold. Of Count Ito, the distinguished Jap anese statesman, Sir Edwin Arnold gives us this incident: "I sat at table with the ex-premier and his wife and children. The countess, quiet, gentle, motherly, and wearing spec tacles, carving the tai and the kamo with such matronly serenity—had yet a history of romance and devotion which could make the wildest fiction ist's fortune. "Long ago, in those dark and bloody days when the minister was her lover and a fugitive from his enemies, there came a time when they had tracked him to her house, and had chosen a band of Soshis to assassinate him. The noise of their clogs and the rattling COUNT ITO, JAPAN'S PRIME MINISTER. of their scabbards were heard, and the count, trapped like a stag in his moun tain plcasance, drew his Bizun blade and prepared to die, as a Japanese lord should, amid a circle of his dead foes. But while lie murmured: 'Saganoro!' and knitted his fingers around the shark-skin hilt of his sword, that brave lady, whose guest I was, whispered: 'Do not die; there is hope still,' upon which she removed the hibachi, or firebox, over which they were sitting, and, lifting up the matting and planks beneath, induced her lover to conceal himself in the hollow space which ex ists under the lloors of all Japanese homes. The murderers broke into the room, a ferocious band, just as the fire box had been replaced and the countess bad assumed a position of nonchalance. "They demanded their victim, and when she protested against their in trusion, and bade them search if they wanted Ito, the wretches dragged her around the apartment by her long, beautiful black hair—now touched with silver—and grievously maltreated her, but could not shake her resolute fideli ty. Thanks to this, Count Ito, the hero of many another strange adven ture, escaped from the chief peril of his career, and has lived to give his coun try a new constitution, and to be one of the foremost and best-respected statesmen of modern Japan." OUR SUPERB CRUISER. Tho Columbia Ih tho FiiHtest War Vessel In the World. The speed-test trip of the cruiser Co lumbia across the Atlantic has given most encouraging results. It was made under direction of the navy department and for purposes of navy department information. This cruiser was built to chase and destroy the merchant ships of our enemy in case of war. The recent trip was meant to find out how well fitted she is for her work, and it lias been more than satisfactory. Under forced draught—that is to say, on a spurt—this vessel has already made an average speed of 22.81 knots an -hour over a 100-mile course, and has achieve 1 for a brief time the al most incredible speed of 24.77 knots, or about 28.0 miles, per hour. It remained to find out what her capacity in ordi nary cruising is, and this run has de termined it. Without the use of forced draught and with only the ordinary UNITED STATES CItUISKR COLUMHIA. fireroom crew she has crossed the ocean in about the time it takes the fleetest ocean greyhounds to do it. ller time from the Needles to Sandy Ilook is (J days, 23 hours and 40 minutes. The quickest passage cv v r made—the record trip of the New York—was 0 days, 7 hours and 14 minutes. This run, added to the Columbia's previous performances, seems to show: First—That she is one of the fleetest if not absolutely the fleetest cruiser afloat. Second—That she could chase and catch any merchant vessel afloat, with two or three possible, but not certain, exceptions. Third—That she can easily run away from any battleship ever built or any other craft too strong for her to fight. This, says the New York World, is rather more than she was intended to do when she was designed. The vessel is a great triumph of American ship building. and as a defender of the na tion she has capacity to sweep from the seas the commerce of any country that may make war upon us. In this indus trial and trading age, to do that is to conquer peace. I)cr In Oregon. Deer are so plentiful along the Rogue river, in Oregon, that the systematic slaughtering of them for their hides alone is a profitable business, the men engaged in it being known locally as ' 'deer-skin ners," | OUR OCEAN MAIL FLAG. The Beautiful Pennant Now Flown by a Dozen Vessels. All of Thorn Are Subsidized by Uncle Sam The Famous American Line Flyers Soon to He Added to the List. An official govern men t flag is seen in this country nowhere but in the port I of Now York, and on the high seas only between that port and the cities ; of La Guayra, Venezuela, Havana, Cuba and Tuxpan, Mexico. It is the j pennant of the ocean mail service, and flies upon the mizzen masts of twelve subsidized American vessels carrying the United States mails by contract, says the New York World. It consists of a red flag with a blue border, having the American eagle in blue and the words: "United States Mail" in white letters. It measures fif teen feet long and has been in use a little over two years. Last year it was seen also in San Francisco and along the Pacific route to Panama and Hong Kong, but the contract with the steamship lines that bore it was dis continued. Next month anothci r vessel, the St. Louis, will be tested preparatory to adding it the list of subsidized con tract steamers flying the ocean mail pennant, and in October following, this ship, together with the New York and the* Paris, also of the American line, and already carrying the mails, but not under contract, will begin service un der contract at Southampton, Eng land. Later the St. Paul, of the same line, will be added to the contract list, making in all sixteen vessels flying Uncle Sam's postal flag. The test of the St. Louis will be con ducted in the English channel, by Capt. Itoyal P. Bradford and Lieut. Richard T. Mulligan, of the United States navy, in accordance with the requirements of tlic ocean mall subsidy act of 181)1. The naval officers will lay off a course measuring about one hundred miles in the channel, and the St. Louis will be speeded rapidly over this course to de termine officially its running capacity. Under the ocean mail subsidy act she must as such be able to maintain a speed of twenty knots per hour for four consecutive hours. The classification and test prescribed are features of the great project for ex- FLAG FOR OCEAN STEAMERS. tending our foreign commerce, upbuild ing our merchant marine and securing a fleet of fast ocean steamers for con version into worships in case of need by the payment of subsidies for carry ing the mails. The subsidized vessels employed must be American in every sense. The vessels are divided into four classes. The first, second and third classes must be of iron or steel, and the fourth class may be of either iron, steel or wood. The first class must have a speed of twenty knots an hour and a tonnage of not less than 8,000 tons; the second a speed <#• sixteen knots an hour and a tonnage of at least 5,000 tons; the third a speed of fourteen knots and a tonnage of at least 2,500 tons; the fourth a speed of twelve knots an hour and a tonnage of not less than 1,500 tons. First-class ships carrying* the mails by contract received under the subsidy act $4 per mile for each outgoing* voy age. Second-class ships receive $2 per mile, third class $1 and fourth-class 00 cents per mile. Each vessel must take as cadets or apprentices one American born boy for every 1,000 tons register and one for every majority fraction thereof, to be educated in seamanship and ranked as petty officers. The first subsidized routes put in operation under the subsidy act were from New York to La Guayra, New York to Colon, San Francisco to Pana ma and San Francisco to llong-Kong, beginning in February and March, 1802. Service on two other subsidized routes—from New York to Tuxpan and intermediate ports and New York to Havana—was begun in November, 1892, unci on two more—from New York to Itio de Janeiro and New York to Bue nos Ayres—in December, 1892. These last two were stopped in January, 1803, by reason of the failure of the con tractors, and tins contract service from San Francisco to Panama was discon tinued in September, 1803, and likewise upon two additional routes, from New York to Colon and from San Francisco to Hong-Kong, in March, 1804, at the desire of the contractors upon the ex piration of their two years' contract, because of their inability to furnish in creased service. Contracts were also entered into in 1802 for a subsidized route from New York to Antwerp, the service to begin in October, 1805, and for a route from Galveston to La Guayra, but last year they were annulled at the request of the contractors. The subsidized routes now remaining are those from New York to La Guayra, llxvana and Tuxpan. The La Guayra service costs $81,288 a year, the Havana service $73,47(5 and the Tuxpan $130,104. The ne\V Southampton route will cost $750,704 a year. tant Output of One tobacco firm in Pittsburgh is turning out 140,000 stogies every day, to say nothing of cigars and tobacco. Stretched out in a straight lino one day's output would reach from Pitts burgh to McKeesport, and a month's production would lay a lino of stogies from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. Origin of Heraldic Ariiin, Sir George Mackenzie, an old Scotch writer, said that in his opinion arms had taken their origin from the exam ple of the patriarch Jacob, who, when blessing his sons, gave them marks of distinction, which the twelve tribes bore on their ensigns. JUDGE BABB'S CAREER. The Democratic Nominee for Governor of lowa Is Very Popular. Judge W. I. Babb, the democratic nominee for governor of lowa, is an lowa product and has lived all his life in the state. He is the son of Miles Babb and was born in Des Moines county in 1814, while lowa was still a territory. When he was 7 years of age his father was killed in a tunnel of a California mine** whither he had been attracted by the gold fever of '49. With his mother and sister, now Mrs. Belle A. Mansfield, the son struggled hero ically on the farm on which he was born, twelve miles north of Burlington, and in 1800 had arranged his finances in such a manner that he entered the lowa Wesleyan university. Ho re mained in college until ISO 3, when he JUDGE w. I. NAHIL. became a private in company E, Eighth lowa cavalry, serving until the end of the war. He was all through the mem orable "Atlanta to the Sea" campaign, and was wounded in the left arm, bear ing yet the scars of combat. He was with Thomas at Nashville. Ilis com mand fought as infantry in nearly all the battles of that campaign, lie was also in the Alabama campaign, known as the Wilson raid, and assisted in the capture of Selma. Returning home, Mr. Babb resumed his collegiate studies and graduated in the class of 'OO. In that class was his sister, Mrs. Mansfield, who is now the dean of music and art at DePauw university. For fifteen years she was professor of history and English literature at Mount Pleasant. Mr. Babb began the study of law im mediately after graduation, and was admitted to the bar at his home, Mount Pleasant, in 1808. In 1891 Mr. Babb was elected judge in a republican dis trict, overcoming a republican majority of over 1,500 in the district. He was defeated for reelection, being caught in the republican landslide of 1895. lie served as a member of the lower house in the Twentieth general assembly, demonstrating his political sprinting qualities by defeating M. L. Crew, a stanch republican farmer, in the fall of 1883, overcoming a republican majority of 000 in his county. Two years later he was defeated by his present law partner, W. 8. Withrow. Outside of his one term in the legislature and one term as judge he has never held office, lie is in no senso a politician, and has never made more than a half dozen po litical speeches in his life. He is a member of the board of trustees of the lowan Wesleyan at Mount Pleasant, and is a close personal friend of Sen ator Ilarlan of the same place, who was defeated in the recent republican convention. 110 lias a beautiful home and a charming family. His wife was Miss Alice Bird, a graduate of the alma mater of the judge, and was the founder of the famous I*. E. (). society, which has a strong membership in lowa and other states. Three children have blessed their union—Max, a bright young man of 21, who has just grad uated from the lowa Wesleynn and is now reading law in his father's office; Miles, aged 17, and Alice, aged 8. He is now senior member of the firm of liabb, Withrow & Kopp. UNIQUE NOSE-BIT. It Cures a Home of Hltylng uml Mukctt 11 iin Easily Muimgf . A man in Ilartford, Conn., says the Times of that city, has invented a de vice that will cure a horse of shying and make him perfectly tractable. It is called a "nose-bit," and yet it is not a bit at all. It does not go into the horse's mouth, but over his nose, and even that it hardly touches, except when the driver pulls on it. The arrangement is well shown in the accompanying cut. It is said that a very slight pull on the reins will bring the "bit" against the end of the horse's nose, and that magic touch does the business. The unaccustomed pressure gives the animal a distinctly novel sensation, and it is one that he never gets used to. No matter what hubbub may bo going on around him, so long as that gentle pressure on the tip of his nose continues his mind will be busy con templating it, to the exclusion of sur rounding things. All Ittmla of Climate. The United States has all kinds of climate,from that of Sahara in the sandy deserts of Arizona to that of the Ama zon in South Florida and that of Green land in northern Idaho and Montana. DEVOTED TO CHECKERS. The Remarkable Career of Jamea Wyllie, of Sootland. Known All Over the World as the 11 Ilerd Laddie"—llls Successes In Europe, America and Australia Aston ished All Players. The most famous checker-player in the world is James Wyllie, a Scotch man, now in his seventy-sixth year, who has been playing* for "a shullen a game, ye ken," nearly sixty years, and is still able to beat almost everybody, lie was famous as a player in Scotland when lie was only a boy, and was first called the "Herd Laddie." Ilis peculiar title has caused thousands of people to believe that Wyllie was once a shep herd. Wyllie was born in the Pierce Hill barracks, near Edinburgh, in March, 1820, his father being* at the time a sergeant major in the Scots-Grays. The earliest recollections of the old man arc those of life at the barracks. He was apprenticed to-a weaver in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, when a mere boy, but his re markable ability in draughts was rec ognized in time to prevent him from learning the weaver's trade. When ho was fifteen years old he had beaten everybody who could be induced to play the game with liim in Kilmarnock. Mr. Porteus a well-to-do drover, took the boy with him to Edinburgh, where many matches at draughts were being played. The game was then popular in Scotland, as it still is. Mr. Porteus began a match with Mr. Bertram, a player of local reputation. After two or three games had been played, Mr. Porteus said he had business to attend to. "Let my herd laddie play for me," ho said: Mr. Bertram consented, and began to play with young Wyllie. The next day the fame of the "Herd Laddie" was spread in the city, as he had won fifty nine games from Mr. Bertram, who had been able to get only one draw. It was not long before all Scotland had heard of Wyllie, and the title of "Ilerd Laddie" was so fastened upon him as to cling for life. Ilis fame was increased by u number of matches with JAMES WYLLIE. Prof. Andrew Anderson, Robert Mar tins and other celebrated players, who first defeated him and then were beaten by him. For many years Wyllie went about the country peddling watches as a reg ular business and playing checkers for money against all comers. For more than twenty years he has been travel ing about the world, charging e. "shul len" for every game played with him, and occasionally contesting matches for stakes, which he usually has won. lie came to this country in 1878, and played over 11,000 games of checkers, of which he lost less than 50. In 1881 he again visited America, and won 17,- 054 out of 10,517 games, drawing 1,754 and losing only 100. As he charged Americans 25 cents a game for the privilege of playing with him, ho must have earned a fair income. In this country he played matches with C. F. Barker, of Boston. C. A. of Providence, and the late It. I). Yates, of Brooklyn, winning from Barker and losing to the others. As Wyllie has had highly successful tours in England and in Australia, it is believed that he has acquired a snug fortune. Wyllie cluiined the title of "cham pion draughts player of the world" un til last year, when he was beaten by James Ferric, a much younger Scotch player, in a match of ninety games, of which Ferric won thirteen and Wyllie six, the remaining games being drawn. After the match the old man said, de spairingly: "I doot I'm too old for draughts," but since then he has played thousands of games, and has made re markable scores in many places in Scotland. He has often been called "close" and "canny," and ho has sel dom failed to win matches on which has been staked much "siller." In late years his hearing has been extremely dull, but his eyes are still keen. He talks with a broad Scotch accent when he has anything to say, but, like many other experts in the "silent game," he is inclined to be taciturn. He has been temperate and careful in his habits during his long life, although he has been roving from place to place almost continually. Rulchlc of H lllHcksnulro. A blacksnake near Limerick, Ireland, having been worsted in a fierce battle with another serpent of a slightly dif ferent species, trailed away in deep de jection. Finally, as it dragged itself along, closely watched by Patrick Mc- Claughry, a resolution seemed to lire the soul of the defeated snake. Grasp ing I]rmly with its mouth a small stone it climbed a tree and presently hung by its tail from a horizontal limb. Next it began whirling about the limb with frightful rapidity. Longer and longer its body stretched under the centrifu gal stress, until, with a last despairing effort, the snake's body broke in halves, the weighted head and neck flying to a considerable distance, while the tail remained clinging to the limb of the tree. A FlTuk of Commerce. The experiment has been lately tried of sending briquettes, or fuel cakes made from coal dust and waste, from Belgium to East India.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers