Railway traveling in Norway is cheaper than in any other European country. The Now York Observer maintains that the penmanship ol the English and Canadian children exoels that *of Uncle Sam's boys and girls. The students ol the University ot California havo pledged themselves to improve and beautify tho grounds of the institution by their own "labor, thus making improvements, for which the university has no money. . Tho Rev. H. R. Haweis, who has re turned to London after a prolonged sojourn in this oountry, says that tho distinctive thing about American re ligious congregations is that they pre fer what is unconventional and up to date. It is a curious fact, and one not gen erally known, except by those who carofuily study their almanacs, that the last month of last year had two full moons, an event which has not oc curred in any December since the be ginning of tho Christian era. Sir Walter Besant, the English nov elist, in commenting on Hull Caino'a views of the United States, and pub lished in the Loudon Daily Chronicle, s ;ys : "We don't know the American people in this country, and we ought to know them ; they come over here by the thousand, by the hundrod thou sand, and we do nothing to entertain them or to make their acquaintance or to show them that we should like to know them. Are wo ashamed of ourselves—of our homes—of our wjnien, especially—that wo do not wiut to ehow ourselves to them? Wi have no reason to be ashamed. The Englishwoman is not so intellectually cultivated as the American, but sho need not fear comparison. As for the people generally, I am right glad to see Hall Caino proclaiming the truth about them ; that is, that they are al most childlike i:i their singleness of heart, easily moved by simple things, the youngest minded and the youngest hearted people in the world. As I did not say this myself, I copy it, I steal it, and I adopt it. The material great ness of America takes away one's breath; the kindness of the Americans takes away one's power of criticism. One does not go away from a delight ful evening and bogin at once to carp and sneer and insinuate suggestions. Only, if by any machinery wo could do something to make the American visitor feel at homo with us, wo should be doing a great thing for ourselves. I don't want him to be introduced to belted curls, but I want America l * men anil women of culture to be ablo easily to meet English men and women of culture." Tho Atlanta Constitution says that the trouble between the Doers anil tho British in South Africa has directed public attention to tho Dark Conti nent. Twenty years ago very little was known of Africa. A few explor ers penetrated its forests and wroto books, but tho tide of immigration did not turn in that direction. Recently there has been a big change in the sit uation. Tho Doers havo gained their independence, but tho British in Capo Colony have never given up thoir idea of extending thoir dominion into Cen tral and East Africa, thus establish ing an empire extending from Cairo to the Cape of Good Hope. The Ger mans, however, occupy a large portion of East Africa, and tho Congo Free State and also the Portuguese pos sessions. Tho discovery of gold and diamond mines of course\lraws people to these regions, and now tho country has a largo whito population, with railway and steamboat lines, and nourishing cities equipped with evory modern convenience. There aro rail ways 503 miles long, and tho country is boing settled by a good olasss of colonists. Nearly twenty-five cities havo a population of over 10,000 each. All indications point to Africa as the continent upon which Europe wil hereafter expend her energy and hor capital. There will never again be such a rush of immigrants to this country as wo have had in the past. In future they will go to Africa, and gradually turn it into a white man's country. They will exterminate the natives as we exterminated the Indians, and before many years the native Af ricans will be in tho minority. Under European methods this heretofore al most unknown land will beoome a thickly populated and civilized group of States. Later tho coionios will throw off their allegiance to tho Euro pean Governments, and they will re peat the example of tho United States. Perhaps tho main point of in terest to us is the fact that immigra tion will never again be as great a fac tor in our upbuilding as it has been in the past. The tide • tnriug to South SOUTH AFRICA'S GATEWAY CAPE TOWN AND ITS CURIOUS MIXTURE OF INHABITANTS. The Portal Wlilch Leads to the Land of Gold—The Noble Zulu uud tlio Loathsome Hottentot. T \ T HILE famous explorers, \/\/ Livingston, Stanley. De \ \ Bruzza and others, have plunged into the heart of Darkest Africa, and have returned with wondrous tales of endless forests, Nations of pigmies and other strange thiags, as yet no explorer has given an adequate report of what may justly bo termed Brightest Africa. We have heard much of cannibals and the fear ful rites iu by savages; but, ttrange to say, writers have been com paratively silent upon the country stretcbiug from Cape Town north to the Zambesi River. It is true that trade papers and even magazines have published statistics concerning this land, but little or nothing has been said of its characteristic- 1 , its inhabi tants and their idiosyncracies. Yet that samo Brightest Africa is richer iu legend, and far richer iu the gifts of nature than many a country better known to fame and history. It has diamonds, gold, sheep and cattle, iron, silver, coal, asbestos, magnifi cent seaports, groat wheat growing districts, vineyards that groan under the weight of their fruit—everything, almost, that can be desired, except civilivation ; and for that it has little use until its roiourcos are further de veloped. Just why the discoverer of the point of land lying between Capo Town and Himonstown christened it tho Cape of Good Hope is somewhat of a mystery, unless it bo hope for tho ultimate re formation of that part of tho world. As for Capo Town itself, it looks tiuly beautiful at a distance, but a closer acquaintance dispels the illusion. It is rather picturesquely situated at the foot of Table Mountain—so called, perhaps, because it does not resemble a table—and at a distance looks like a solf-respcoting town containing prop er, church-going people, with civil ized instincts. The dominating fea ture in a long distance view is tho green effect, duo to the number of trees. Tho town stretches over a dis tance of about three miles aud ends in salt marshes toward the west. The eastern end is lost somewhere in the direction of tho Indian Ocean, but no one with any social aspirations lives there. In one corner is tho bay, which affords good anchorage aud is splend idly protected by a breakwater, built by convict labor. At a distance Capo Town resembles nothing so much as a Swiss town, with its many cottages built on tho slope of Table Mountain. Tho whole effect gives rise to feelings of pleasant anticipation; the realiza tion is doubly bitter. Tho closer one gets to Capo Town tho more completely is the illusion dispelled. Intimacy with Capo Towu is only conducive to disgust, for a great part of tho towu is so filthy aud vile as to be tit only for Malays and Kaffirs. Capo Town is subject to wind storms, which blow in all directions at once, and have au unpleasant habit of gathering up dust aud depositing half a street full in your ears and nos trils. Theso wind storms are often accompanied by tremendous falls of rain, and give the place a very un pleasant climate. Jn fact, ono can got half a dozen a day in Cape Town. You can find any Nationality in Cape Town, for it is tho Mecca to which nil sorts of adventurers, and the scum of the earth generally aro drift ing from everywhere. You can find every walk of life represented; but no matter where you go you will find the one predominating trait—tho greed for gold. Human beings would not go to Capo Town unless there was a strong mag net to attract them. Gold is that magnet; and as tho gold is not to he obtained in Capo Town itself thero is a constant migration thiough tho town northward—so that while tho arrivals number a hundred thousand nd even more a year, tho population never gets above 40,000. The greater part of this population consists of whites, but many are darker than our octoroons, and many could not hon estly say that they are pure blooded Caucasians. These are called Afri kanders, and are proud to bo known as such. Tbev are physically a fiue race, but mentally they aro below par. Next in point of numbers come tho Malays. The men are under sized, bilious looking and insignificant. The women aro superb. Their skin is of a velvety yellow, and their hair as black as night and of a texture fino as uu spun flax. Their features are of a Caucasian cast, their figure supple, gracoful and well developed. The men wear European clothes with tur bans on their heads. The women wear loose flowing gowns, consisting of bright colored silks wound tightly around their bodies. Next to tho Malay come the native tribes. There are some 1200 of them, and they are known by the generic name of Kaffir. The Zulu is a gentle mau by birth ; his ekin is brown, but beneath it can bo seen coursing the red blood of a pure r.nd noble race. In his eyes shines tho intelligence of J the child of nature—ho is u child in moro ways than one. Tho Zulu is ouo of tho noblest animals that, nature created. He is houest, virtuous, courageous, self-respecting, obedieut when necessity arises, faithful death and always knows his place. How different is the Hottentot. The, Hottentot is to tho Zulu what the Turk is to the American—the acmo, of all that civilization loathes aud do-, spises. The smallest part of the population of Capo Town io made up of foreign man* nf whew, hove for the good of their respective coun tries. Much of the retail business is in the hands of the Malays. The Kaffirs are the servants, and their masters treat them little bettor than slaves, paying them about $3 a month, and furnishing food and a piece ol bare board for a bed. Capo Town is the sent of tho Gov ernment of the Cape Colony, anil con tains tho houses of Parliament anil the Governor's resilience. The Governor is appointed by tho Foreign Office in London. The Parliament consists of . an upper and_lower house, antagonis tic to each other. They have, however,' found a master of late in tho personof, Cecil Rhodes. The houses of Purlin ment where ho rules nro situated iD the Botanical Gardens in tho upper j part of the city, aud are tho finest j buildings in Cape Town. They arc threc-storv rod brick, and are still largo enough to contain Mr. Rhodes. Tne one interesting thing about Cape Town is Table Mountain. It rises abruptly and perpendicularly behind tho town, towering up into the clouds 1500 feet above tho level of the soa. From its summit, which cin be reached by an easy incline through tho Lion's Kloof (gulch), or by a perilous ascent up its almost perpendicular front fac ing the sea, a magnificent view rewards tho climber. To the south auil west reaches the Southern Atlantic, green aud forbidding in aspect; to the east lies the Indian Ocean, with its legends of tho Flying Dutchman and its pi rates; to the north are seen the uudu lating hills that lead to the land of diamonds au l of gold—that bourne to which every traveler is drawn, upon which all hopes aro centered, where marvelous fortunes havo been made and lost, where tho strangest comedies and tragedies havo beeu played—tho region upon which tho entire future of Brightest Africa de pends.—New York Recorder. City Trae Destroyer. llow many New Yorkers know that the metropolis possesses, pays for aud en courages what is officially known as a tree destroyer? Never heard of him, | eh? Yet he exists, or rather, he, grows stouter iu person and purse! day by day as the desire for extend- ! ing the busiuess interests of tho city increases. Tho individual who has the disreputable reputation of ignor ing Longfellow's appeal of 4'Wood man, spare that tree," is connected with the Bureau of Incumbrances, an I judging from the rapid demoli tion anil disappearance of stalely oaks, stout-limbed eluis and majestic spruce ! throughout tho city, ho has uu active and capable corps of assistants in hie 1 hewing occupation. His field of harvest might be extend ed even now to the upper district were it not that there is a sort of ! chuck on his doings. That is to say, 1 ho is not permitted to cut down at random every tree that ho happens' I to sight on his marauding expeditions, f | There must be a Vforraal complaint | i made, personally or through letter to ! tho Board of Encumbrances, before any tree cnu be razed. A complaint I from the resident of some street i | reaches the bureau, calling attention ' to the fact that a certain tree is a ! menace to lifo an 1 property in the j neighborhood. The complaint ie ! sometimes signed by the initials of the ' complainant, but it raceivoa the official { coguizauoe of tho bureau, neverthe less Invariably tho tree occupies a majestic site iu front of some house , whose owner values its presence. This ' beiug the case, the official tree de stroyer and his suite meet with a pretty cold reception when they come 1 j along and present the complaint. I There are records of where owner? j have pulled oil their coats and iuau- • | ;<urated a genuine hand-to-hand bat tle. Then tho limb of the law ie brought into activity and the limbs of the tree come down. Public safety demands the services of the official tree destroyer, and he j receives $3.50 for every tree ho chops down. "It's, a very profitable busi ness, too," said one of tho destroyers to-day.—New York Mail and Express. Deadens No se on Iron Bridges. A means for preventing the noise mado by trains in passing over iron ) bridges Las been devised by a German engineer named Boedeoker. He puts a decking of ouo and oue-fourth-inch | planks betweeu the cross girders, rest ing on three-inch timbers laid on the bottom lianges. On the planks a dou ble layer of felt is laid, which is fixed 1o the vertical web of the cross girder. At the connections with the gir ler a timber cover joint is placed on felt, and two booked bolts connect the wholo firmly to the bottom flange. Four inches of slag gravel cover the decking, which is inclined toward the centre of the bridge for drainage pur- 1 poses. A layer of felt is laid between | the plauks and the timbers they rest upon, and the ironwork in contact with decking and ballast is asphalted. I The decking weighs 600 pounds per I yard for a bridge eleven feet wide and costs twenty-three cents a square foot, r'fc is water tight, and has proved very satisfactory in preventing noise.— New York Sun. New Department ol Science. There is no end to modern inven tion. Physicians are now using elec tricity in a large variety of ways. Electrotherapy is a department of sciei " <t'iat likely to result in great bene Imaukin For instance, a doe: ; • locates a disease by means of electricity. Ho turns on the light, and a man's body is illuminated. But he is not satisfied with that, for when ho knows just where the trouble is situated be puts nu eleotrodo there, charged with the required medicine, and when the current is on it carries the particles of the drug with it. This j discovery opens up a large held, and our w#Je awake physicians are ex ploring it with immeasß HUOC3S,— NfiW Vof If BONEMEAL OF DIFFERENT KINDS. Bonemeal goes under various narnos, such as ground bone, bono flour,bone dust, etc. Wo find in the market raw bonemeal and steamed bonemeal. Raw bonemeal contains the fat natur nliy present in bones. The presence of tbe fat is objectionable, because it makes the grinding more difficult and retards the decomposition of the bone in the soil, whilo fat itself has no value as plant food. When bones aro steamed, the fat is removed and the bone is more easily ground. More over, the chemical nature of the nitro gen compounds appears to be changed in such a manner that the meal under goes decomposition in the soil more rapidly than in case of raw bone. The presence of easily decaying nitrogen compounds in bone hastens, in the process of decomposition, to dissolve more or less of the insoluble phos phate. Bonemeal should contain from three to five per cent, of nitrogen and from twenty to twenty-five per cent, of phosphoric acid. About one-third to onc-fouith of the latter appears to be in readily uvailablo condition. Raw bonemeal generally contains somewhat more niiwrgeu (one or two per ceut.) and rather less phosphoric acid than steamed bonemeal. The lineucss of the meal affects its value; tho finer the meal the more readily available is it as plant food. On necount of the increased demand for bones for various purposes, and on account of their increasing value, these is considerable tendency to adulterate bonemeal with such sub stances as lime, gypsum, coal ashes, ground oyster shells, grouud rock phosphate, etc.—Bulletin No. 1)1, New York Agricultural Experiment ►Stutiou. WIT AT TIIE SOIL NFF.iy?, "Exhaustive soils," so-called, may contain as much plant food as others that are considered fertile.' The physical effect of fertilizers iu chunging tho—rolation of tho soil to heat aud moisture is of moro im portance than tho nmouut of plant food they furnish. The effect of fertilizers depends largely upon the season. Chuugiug seasons have moro ert'ect upou plant growth than does plhufc food in 111 ♦ ■ soil. Physical moisture largely velopment and yiejnra <efops. lands is due not so much' to lostf of plant food as to changes in tho texture of tho soil iu relation to heat aud moisture. Making nso of the rainfall is the most important consideration of mod ern agriculture. Crop production is not directly lim ited by the amount of rainfall, but by the; amount of moisture in the soil. Production of crops depends upcu tho control of moisture and heat in the soil. As heat cannot be controlled, the whole art of cultivation should be di rected toward the control of moisture. Present methods of cultivation aro detrimental to soil and do not accom plish desired results. Tho contiuued f plowing at a cer tain depth causes a hard packing of tho sub-surface, which forms a water shed, causing surface drainago aud erosion of tho soil by which thousands of acres of fertile lauds are rendered barren every year. Sub-soiling (loosening of the under soil tc a depth of one and a half totwo feet) admits the water to tho sub-soil, prevents surface drainage and a sub sequent erosion of the soil, takes awav surplus water without washing the sur face and retains tho moisture for fu ture use of crops. Sub-soiling affords the only meaus for controlling moisture iu the soil and is a key to successful crop-raising. The modern plow is but an im proved type of tho primitive forked stick, and does not accomplish satis factory results, but, on the contrary, is an enemy to fertility, and the com mon sub-soil plow is unsatisfactory in many ways. Existing conditions and the future prosperity of the farmer depend upon the production of an implement which shall he a radical improvement ou the modern plow, and which will revol utionize modern methods. !H.The future plow must not only thoroughly pulverize the surface to a proper depth, but it must leave tho sub soil in condition to recoivo and retain moisture for the use of growing crops. Where is the genius to invent, where is the skill to construct, and where is the money backed by nerve and de termination to manufacture and push to successful use the future plow of the American farmer and of the world? —The Passing of the Plough. FEEDING FOR EGGS. In the feeding of fowls wo should consider the object to bo obtained; whether it bo lor market, for eggs, or for show. If a fowl is eating too much fattening food, she will not lay well. The best time to feed soft food is iu the morning, and it should bo hot and stimulating. Do not feed them on tho ground, and do not allow tho pans iroin which they feed to become soured and filthy. Givo them suffi cient for ono meal and no more at a time. Rather let them go a little hungry and make them scratch, than have them mopo around ard become tasjr and idle, Leghorn* seldom he- come too fat, being active and vigor ous, but the large breeds, being more indolent, keep themselves rather quiet and soon become too fat. It is easy to keep them within bounds by judi cious feeding. Grain in excess should not be given, while bulk may be allowed in the shape of vegetables and green food. There are many ways of preparing cheup and nourishing foods which contain all the elements of the eggs. A piece of liver or meat scraps is boiled to pieces in water. While boiling add to a gallon of water a pint of soaked beans and the same of liu eeed meal. When tho whole is cooked thicken with bran, middlings, ground oats or corn meal. Add the meal, etc., until the mess has thickened to a stiff dough. If milk be convenient it may be scalded, either curds, buttermilk or sweet skimmilk, aud the bran, etc., added. Chopped clover may be added, turnips, carrots and potatoes also. When green stuff' is not procurable, a few onions or cabbages, chopped, may v be added; also whatever scraps come ffop the kitchen—bits of fish, potato pftriugs, scraps of fat, etc. When no green food is convenient, good clover hiy is chopped fine and steeped in water over night. Next morning heat llio water and add any of the above. We buy scraps of meat aud run it through the sausage machine with young rye, grass or clover. This gives excellent results. All soft food should be salt, but con diments, such ns red pepper, ginger, etc., should be fed sparingly. Onco or twice a week is often enough. The best tonic is a constant change of diet, which promotes a regularity in the system, always provided the food is sound and wholesome. At night grain must be fed. There nro ranny complaints that fowls do not lay, even when well fed and comfortably housed, but this is duo to not allowing them the proper kind, or from feeding too much. It is necessary to study the habits of each breed, in order to know just what to do; the knowledge that is' gained by close study and practical experience is valuable to the poulterer. Charcoal should bo fed to fowls occasionally, or broken up and placed whore the fowls can get at it, as no one thing is more conducive to health ; also broken oyster or clam shells, lime or old plas teriug, should be supplied in abuu dance for material for egg shells. Of course fresh, pure water is an other essential to success in producing eggs. Another essential is lime, in the shape of whitewash, aud those who use it liberally are the ones who keep their Hock healthy aud cleanly. To render whitewash more effective in dislodging or destroying lice and oth er parasite nuisances, the addition of a little carbolic acid is invaluable, for scarcely anything else seems so dis tasteful to the vermin. Air-slaked lime should be occasionally scattered over the floor of the chicken houso to remove all unpleasant and uuhealthful odors. The care bestowed on poultry is not lost, as fowls appreciate kind ness ; the better the care aud the moro varied the food, the bettei the results and the moro profitable they will bo lor the owner.—American Agricultur ist. FARM AND GARDEN FOTES. Have your cow' scabies warm yet well ventilated. A popular feed for the cow should be ground oat?. To be a good dairyman requires in telligence rather than large capital. The secret of success in the dairy is to reduce tho eosfc of making good goods. Have your cows gentle by kind treat ment if you waut big returns in milk aud butter. Study the nature of your cows and fall in with their moods. It pays to bo agreeable, even to a cow. No business requires to bo kept more emphatically under one's thumb than does successful dairying. Give th 9 cattle good feed and core, and the dust will remain thick ou tho cover of tho barn medicine chest. Don't forget to provide grit and lirae in some form, as the frozen and snowy ground nlfords no opportunity for the hens to help themselves, and they must have a supply in order to do much at egg production. One of tiie best crosses for an all purpose fowl is (ndiau Game on Wy andotte hens. They grow rapidly, lay early.and are unsurpassed table fowls. Of tliis cross, some hens will sit and some will not, but all lay well, and make excellent mothers, and as table fowls are equal to any pure bred fowl. In very severe winter weather fowls should be kept closely housed all day and all night if necessary to preserve their combs. Give them plenty of straw, and plenty of grain to scratch for, and they will bo all right. How ever, they may bo turned out in the suushiuo t'orau hour or two the coldest weather. Farmers who save thoir fowls and eggs until they eat their heads off, and tho eggs get mouldy,dirty and stale,so they can get the better prices prevail ing during the holidays have over done tho thing, until now the shrewd farmer rushes his products iu before or after tho holiday glut. Too icauy coops and cases coming in spoil the market. THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE. THEILLTNG INCIDENTS AND DAR ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA. Remarkable Story of an American's Captivity In Cuba—Bear Hunt- ers Outwitted tho Wolves. SIMON ENSIGN, a resident of this county, say? tho Pontiao (Mich.) Post, is about to bring suit against tho Spanish Gov ernment for 8200,000 to secure a claim for false incarceration. Tho story of Ensign's imprisonment and remarka ble career is told as follows: Mr. Ensign was born in Pontiao, whero he rosided until eighteen years of age, when in 1819 he joined the vast multitude of treasure seekers among tho gold fields of the far West. Ho made tho journoy overland in a prai rie schooner. The young adventurer was fast working his way to financial success, when ho tired of his occupa tion and returned to tho sceno of his birth. In earlier youth the boy Ensign had acquirod a knowledge of the locomo tive and its manipulation, and subse quent to his return from California ho was chosen from among 114 applicants by tho Philadelphia locomotive con structors, John Rogers & Sons, and detached to tho Island of Cuba for the purpose of running an engine on the Havana & Matauzas Railroad, then in progress of construction. At this post Ensign romained for a period of ono and a half years, when ho recrossed the sea to his fatlieiland. Having now reached tho ago when even tho ad venturero entertains thoughts of domestication, Mr. Ensign wedded a Mexican widow. Tho harmony of tho union did not prove as ideal as was desired, but Mr. Ensign, inspired with truo'manly determination, set out to establish a homo for himsolfaud wife. In vain did ho search for the necessary requirements, and still im bued with this determination ho de cided to again try his fortunes in the Island of Cuba. He informed his wife of his dosircs and intention to depart from this country, but did not inform her of his intended destination. Ac cordingly he, with two companions, Joo Wormsly and Will Hutchons, set sail on an Ohio River steamboat at Cincinnati for New Orleans, thence ou a Gulf boat for Cuba. Haviug safely reached thoir destination, the roving trio found employment on auintorior sugar plantation noar Matauzas. Ensign was employed ns a stationary engineer. While hero employed the American brig Virgiuius, fitted out in New York and commanded by Captain Rvau, was captured, together with her crew of 159 men, off the coast of Ha vana, on tho chargo of beiug engaged in a filibustering expedition; fifty-one of tho crow wero banged at the yard arm. Tho remainder of the crow wero seized by Span ish authorities and placed in Moro castle. Ostensibly believing that [Ensign and his two companions wero spies, they wero arrestod by Spauisli officers and thrown into the Moro dungeon without any opportu nity to viudicato themselves. The to tal belongings of Mr. Ensign, em bracing 8900 on his person and $4500 stored in his trunk on the plantation, were confiscated. From this timo on, for a period of thirteen years, tho lifo of Ensign might bettor have boou a blank. Hero iu this solitary room ho watched tho flight of the sea gulls aud the huge white caps as they rolled upou tho rough billows of the Gulf. Here, too, in tlieloneliuees'of his pris on room, tho hero of this skctck re corded Iho duration of his incarcera tion by novel methods. Suspended from the ceiling of his cell were ar ranged threo strings, representative of tho weeks, months and years of his disrnul contiuement. By tho tying of a knot 111 tho proper string tho captivo for years maintained a knowledge of the flight of time. Again, by tho agency of tho annual north winds, which wore perceptible in his lonely abode, Mr. Ensign could record the •lowly passing years. One remark able feature of his romantic career iB the fact that through it all he has maintained control of his reason, aud though both his companions lost their minds while undergoing this frightful incarceration, Mr. Ensign, by strong determination, camo out victorious. It was his policy to strive to deflect his mind from trending with his daily sufferings, aud to this practice is un doubtedly due tho great credit for his present possession of the reasoning faculties. After hnviug suffered con finement in this to day famous castle, the victim of this gross injustice was taken overland on foot a distance of sixty miles to the Plazade Arms of St. Vincent's barracks, located at the homo of tho Captain-General of the island. At this place he was compelled to labor in tho chain gang, which was every morning driven forth to clean up the lawns. At this place the un fortnnate alien labored in servitude for live long years, when he was again removed, this time to the southern part of the island to the famous St. Mary's Convent, a monastery to the prelates. At this place his role of slavery was that of a servant. Ono morning he was ordered to carry some baggage to a gunboat lying at nnclior in the bay, to which command ho responded with his characteristic faithfulness. It hap pened that two prelates, who were set ting sail for a trip abroad, deemed it desirable to take enptive Ensign with them as a servant, in accordance with whioh idea they subsequently acted. After sailing for somo timo, tho boat touched upon American soil, at points which Ensign bolievod to bo Mexican porls. Continuing along the coast, the pnrty decided to stop at Now Orloans for a period, Tho boot came at anokor and Mr. Ensign was ordered to take somo baggngo ashore, whioh he aa eordiugly aid, but net to retuts> h beiug successful In effecting an ca cape. Onco more on his nativo heath hO| who had suffered living deaths, start ed to find, if possible, those nearest ir kin to his own wretched self. In tin course of his journeyings ho found those who were tho object of his anxious search At Valparaiso • Attacked by Wolves/* William McKnight, of Buffalo, N. Y., and James Barnes, of Hoboken, N. J., had a peculiar and exciting ex perience when on a fishing trip a few weeks ago. Among tho Penusylvanio hills, a fow miles from Binghamlon, thero are several lakes, well stocked with fish. Tip-up fishing has become a favorite winter pastime in tho vicin ity, and these men settled down for a two weeks' vacation around tho lakes. It was their custom to set a dozen or more lines over night, and tho next morning they would find fish on their hooks. For the first few days all went well. Then, on arriving one morning, they found not only no fish, but that their linos wore broken and tho hooks miss ing. Tracks on tho snow told them that a boar was tho guilty ouo. Boar traps and similar devices wero of no avail in catching him. The fish dis appeared and the stock of hooks was rapidly lowered. Barnes suggested a plan. They procured a quantity of whisky of the "red-eyo" brand and proceeded to pickle a number of fish they had caught in tho daytime. Re moving their tip-ups they placed tho fish near the hoies in the ice. They did not reach tho spot tho next day until nearly nightfall, and then a strango sight met their eyes. On tho ice lay a large bear, alive, but frozen fast to tho ice. He had evi dently partaken excessively of tho "doctored" fish, and lay in a pool formed by tho partially melted snow. As the sun declined, tho water con gealed, freeztug Bruin's long hair to tho ice, and whou ho recovered his sober senses it was to find himself a prisoner. Tho fishermen wero armed with an aso, a huuting knifo and a shotgun. A charge of lead put an end to Briiin'ssufforings, and they proceed ed to cut up their game. When at work a sound at the edgo of a patch of woods bordering on tho lakes causod them to glanco up, and a 6wift, gray object darting across tho ico sent a chill of horror through their veins. Though they had never seen a wolf thoy instantly realized they would 60011 be called to battlo with one of mankind's fiercest eno mies. Before they could collect their thoughts tho gray object r.ppearod again, anothor anl another, until a band of wolves wero circling arouud them, sniffing tho snow. Tho pack was a small one, numbering not over half a dozen, but so far as their means of defense was concerned, it was more than sufficient to mean death. Thoy would havo given considerable to havo the chargo of lead which was now in Bruiu's body back iu tho guu. They had only a hunting knifo and au nx. Nearer aud nearer came tho wolves. Neither of tho men spoko, but both braced themselves. Me- Kuight with tho ax and Barnes with tho knife. Suddenly McKnight drop ped his ax and seized a pail thoy had. been carrying. It contained a quan tity of tho "doctored" fish they had prepared for another trap. These ho hurled, ono at a time, toward his circling enemies. Ravenous with hunger, they stopped not to investigate, but fought for these remnants of a feast. It sent a chill through tho raon as they watched the struggle, and realized their pos sible fate. Soon, however, the liquor began to work, and an ono of the pack would show signs of stupor his com rades would fall upon anil rend him to pieces. Three of tho animals wero disposed of in this way, when tho re mainder, realizing something was wrong with thorn, withdrew to tho shelter of the woods. It is unneces sary to say the fishermen did not give chase. Close Shave Witt a Leopard. Kirby, tho English traveler, rolatos the following incident iu his book, "Tho Uuuntsof Wild Game": I walked a little nearer the edgo of the ledge to listen if I could hear anything in tho gap, as wo could not tell where tho dogs or the leopard had got to. I heard a slight rustle below, whether in the bush or on tho ledge 1 could not tell, aud thero was no time to liud out, for with a rush and a bound tho leopard threw himself against tho krantz, clutching at tho grass roots oil top with tho claws of ouo forepaw—tho other was broken just above tho wrist —and I could hear his hind claws scraping on tho rocks in his endeavors to scramble up. I knew that he was very close to me; his groat blood smeared paws wero within six feet, and I could see his wicked yellow eves glaring savagely, aud tho saliva, red tinged, dropping from tho gleaming tusks. As Nogwaja ran in with uplifted as segai I fired down into tho brute's mouth, aud with a savage gasp ho fell down on to the ledge below. The plucky Swazi, without waiting to see if he was dead, jumped down on top of him and gave him a final thrust with his assegai ere life had sped. How a Chess Champion Trains. Tho Brooklyn chess champion, Tl. N. Pillebury, maintains the wonder ful control of his nervous system by great caro in his habits. Ho eats but once a day, never uses tobacco or al coholio stimulants in any form, and always sleeps at least seven hours oat of the twenty-four. Ho is also au ad vocate of bicycle riding, to a limited extent, as conducive to perfect health. —Now York Imlependeut. Tho new Scotland Yard ut London, England, ii the pelitfe in th* wwUh
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers