Matches have not yet displaced the
tinderbox in tho rnral districts of
Bpain and Italy.
Tho Queen of England lias never set
eyes on any of her colonies, nor upon
any part of Asia, Africa or America.
A Kansas court has ruled that "a
man who calls upon a woman regular
ly and takes her to entertainments oc
casionally is legally engaged to marry
her."
Count Tolstoi, tho Itussian philoso
pher, has moved into Moscow to live,
but says that he is sorry to feel com
pelled to stay there, for country life
is better for soul and body.
About the most surprising thing to
tho Philadelphia Times in an X-ray
picture of a shad or herring skeloton
is that tho bones aro several millions
less than was popularly supposed.
Bennington Centro, Vt., with a
population never exceeding 800, lias
furnished four Governors to the State,
aud tho inhabitants think tho good
material is by no means exhausted.
Tho addition of Russian to tho cur
riculum of Harvard College is a proof
to tho New York Sun of tho stride* 3
that have been made by tho literaturo
of that people iu a comparatively bhort
period ot time.
An advertisement appeared in a
scientific paper the other day in tho
following terms: "Wanted, a few en
terprising individuals with capital to
join iu an expedition to search for
relics of Noah's Ark."
In order to prevent his wifo from
going to church a Texas man burned
her Bible and prayer book. A few
hours afterwards, relates the Atlanta
Constitution, he was thrown from his
horse and nearly killed, and now nil
the preachers in that vicinity are hold
ing him up as a terriblo warning to
tho uuregenerate.
For several years the number of
lost children reported to and by tho
New York City police has remained
about 2500 per annum. Two-thirds
of them are boys, and the largest num
ber aro lost in the poorer quarters of
tho East side. Very few New York
children are deserted.
Vienna is to 1030 tho Wien, tho little
liver from which tho city derives its
name. It had for somo time been used
as au outlot for sewage and often
caused damago by overflowing, but
will now bo covered over. Reservoirs
have been built to which tho water
will bo drawn during freshets.
The papers related tho other day
how a valorous Kentucky colonel slew
an enormous devil-fish on tho coast of
Florida. It turns out that the horrid
beast was only a big stingarce, which
leads tho New Orleaus Picayune to re
mark that "Kentucky is an inland
place—nnil its inhabitants do not
know much about water, anyway.'
It is not generally known that tho
United Slates Government is building
a ship railway. It has under construc
tion around Tho Dalles of the Coluiu
biu, in Oregon, a ship railway to ac
commodate boats weighing, with
cargo, GOO tons. Tho canal will bo
between eight and niuo miles in
length, and tho rise at tho lower end
will be from fifty to eighty feet, ac
cording to thostato of the tide, an 1 it
will requiro about an hour aud a half
to transport a boat from tho river to
tho river again.
"The finest collectiou of temperanco
texts anil precepts I ever saw is in a
saloon in my town," 6iiiil Henry T.
Thompson, ol lowa City, lowa, to the
Washington Stur. "The proprietor
of the saloon is the son of a very
woulthy man in the East, who former
ly traveled for his father. Whisky was
his bane ami finally, at the close of
ono of his sprees, the father discharged
him, sent him §IO,OOO in cash and told
him that it was the last cent ho would
ever get. Tko son sobered up and
made up his mind to two things, that
ho would got back the money ho had
spent and ho woul 1 discourage drunk
enness. He fitted up an elegant bar,
over which was inscribed, "Wine is a
mocker," and olsewhero are mottoes,
"At last it biteth like a sorpont ami
stingeth like an adder." At ono end
of the room is a liundsoine painting
2>ortruying with wonderful vividness
the drunkard's fate. Along tho bar
aro inlaid the words, "A druuknrd
caunot enter the kingdom of heaven."
If a man is intoxicatod he cannot buy
a drink in the saloon at any price,an I
tho saloon keeper claims to bo doing
a temperance work. Incidentally ho
has stopped drinking and is getting
rich."
TRAINING CIRCUS HORSES.
TILE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TRICK
AND RING PERFORMERS.
Tutors Never l'unish lor Blunders—
The Green Horse Gets Giddy
Spotted Animals Kure.
WHEN we visit a circus and
find ourselves witnesses of
the surprising intelligence
manifested by the equine
race, wo liavo wondered at the pa
tienco and perseverance that it must
have taken to train the auimals. The
horse, which justly claims onr nffeo
tionato gratitude lor tho many addi
tions he makes to our comfort, happi
ness and pleasure, is capable of much
under the training In.ud of a kind and
patient teacher, who must bo likewise
firm aud masterly.
Trainers begin the education of a
"green horse" when lio is two years
old. Should ho bo older, he will not
bo so tractable, but will probably
sulk, go off his feed and loso condi
tion. Soiuo horses, like some men,
can bo taught nothing, while others j
are quickly impressible, aud show
great delight when brought into the
training ring. As soon as tho young
ster is mouthed aud lunged, his train
ing in "tricks" commences. Tho i
Irickmaster must havo unquestionable !
patience, perseverance aud resolution,
with a perfect command of his own
temper, and quick perception of indi
vidual equine idiosyncrasies. Kind
ness and perseverance alono aro sue
ceseful.
At every forward step, however in
significant, tho pupil is encouraged
and rewarded with a few pieces of car
rot, which the tutor carries iu his
pocket. An intelligent animal soon
begins to guess what is required of
him. Ho must never bo punished
should ho make blunders. The tutor
gently, firmly and kindly continues
the practice in hand until the blunders
are no longer committed, tho instruc
tor always keeping tho mastery. If
the horse turns sulky, tho lesson must
bo persevered with till ho comes out of
his sulks; but if ho is good and
amiable, short and frequent lessons
ure tho most effective, say, half au
hour at a time, and, perhaps, eight or
nine lessons in'tbo day. A borso is
never struck unless ho proves vicious*
Spectators iu a circus often wonder
how the horse lias tho intimation of
what lio is desired to do. Tho most
careful watching may fail to detect
tho "cue," if one does not know what
tho "cuo" is, but, nevertheless, it is
always given, and by it alouo tho
horse is directed in his performance,
aud his concentrated attention when
in tho ring is easily discernible. Tho
professional phraso is "giving tho
ofiice." In teaching, tho "office" is
given by touching tho horso sharply
on particular parts with a light whip.
Tho general "offices" arc, for march
ing, to touch the horse ou tho front
part of tho shoulder, on the oft' or near
side, according to what leg ho is to
march with; the "office" for crawling
is a touch on the under side; for lay
ing down, a tap between tho knees,
and so on. There ore ninny other
"offices," according to tho tasto of
tlio individual traiuer, who must, in
tho course of training many animals,
discover idiosyncrasies and accidental
intelligence, which, if ho havo tho
necessary tact himself, lie can make
available. A complicated trick, such
as firing off a pistol, takes a long time
to teach, und should tlie animal take
fright at tho sudden noise, ho will
never be able to accomplish it. Tho
horso has a remarkable memory.
When a step in his instruction is once
acquired, lie never forgets it; and
even if he should not bo called upou
to practice it for years, a very small
effort is sufficient to recall it, uud he
will be as expert us ever at it.
The office of irick master is a branch
profession of tho circus, the same
teacher seldom undertaking to teach
"trick" and "ring" horses; likewise
all "trick horses" are not "riug
horses," and comparatively lew "ring
horses" aro "trick horses."
The "riug horso" does not require
fo much intelligence as tho "crick
horse;" his qualifications must he
steadiness ot nerve and tolerablo sagac
ity. TLo first lesson cousists iu walk
ing round, to enable tho animal to
overcome Hie giddiness which affects
men nud horses alike on tho first
entry into the riug. Some are wholly
unable to conquer it, however they
try. A giddy horse staggers, aud ends
by rolling over the edge of the riug.
A'ter the animal has "felt tho riug,"
as it is called, tho lessons in cantering
begin. The horse is taught to strike
off with the inner legs to whichever
hand he is working. If ho cannot be
relied on to do this, lie is not safe for
a single round. It is very difficult to
train a horso to canter courageously
under objects held (dose above him.
The object is to get the liorsc to that
slow, collected, equable canter which
is an artificial pace, but indispensable
for circus work, ho that he may not
yield to the impulse to stop deal or
to swerve while the acrobat is expected
to jump over banners or to crash
through paper globes and alight once
more on tho horso cantering plucidly
below.
A horso comes into tho ring full two
months boforo the acrobat mounts
liim. So mo timo elap-es before the
horse adapti himself to tho lateral
sway which conies from the heightened
center of gravity iu tho rider standing
on a pad instead of sitting on a saddle.
In professional phrase, tho urtist
"rolls the horse ;" hut tho horse gen
erally acquires a compensatory stylo
of carrying himself and his burden.
With "trick" and "ring" horsos
alike, when they "eoino out" their ed
ucation does not cease, neither does it
ever do so until their life closes. Tho
circus horse, when out of his appren
ticeship, acquires the suggestive title
of "improver."
Circus horses are carofullv kept and
nurtured—witness their docility ; and
some of their feats, with those of their
riders, are pieces of exquisite grace
and agility, while others ure revolting
when they point at torture endured to
obtain perfection, the effect of which,
on tho amiable and well-disposed,
can never bo desirable.
Horses of rare and eccentric mark
ing were lirat adopted in circus work
by the older Astley. Tho circus pro
prietors huvo agents all over tho
country picking up horses suited to
their needs, with remarkable "spots"
or markings. In England, Norfolk
and Suffolk produce tbo greatest num
ber of spotted horses, the peculiarity
of color in thoso counties being in
herited from two stallion?, Spot Harle
quin and Tjeopard. Tho leading circus
proprietors, however, breed their own
horses, and they by careful study aud
attention, liavo brought the color and
markings of tho horses produced in
their studs to scientific perfection.
It is found that a union between a
black aud a gray gives either a black
spot or a piebald; the offspring of a
gray aud a bay is generally a skewbald
or a red spot.
Marked horses are so rare that they
fetch a high price. In England a
young horse, of ordinury color, for
which $159 or S2OO would bo n reason
able price, fetches readily $250 to
SSOO, if his markings make him au
eligible circus borso.—Now York
Lodger.
Clerk Turin Cobbler.
History records that many cobblers
have been philosophers, but Mr. T. 0.
Flynu, whoso cozy homo in this city
is at Lexington avenue aud 100 th
streot, at times becomes a cob
bler because he is a philosopher. Mr.
Flyun, having had a commercial train
ing, is a bookkeeper in a down-town
house, but although ho is iti tho pos
session of a fairly good salary he some
times finds it necessary to economize
in order to maintain his interesting
family of seven children, who repre
sent seven different ages and sizes. It
is for this reason, au l because Mr.
Flynn possesses a natural mechanical
aptitude, which enables him to "tin
ker" successfully, that, after his day's
work as a commercial man is over, lio
becomes the cobbler at home and suc
ceeds admirably in making tbo shoes
for the entire family.
"The expense of shooing a family of
seven energetic children," said Mr.
Flynn to a Journal reporter, "makes a
largo hole in a salary such as mine. As
I take pleasure in all kinds of mechan
ical pottering, it occurred to mo one
day that I might as well make my chil
dren's shoe, and I hive douo so suc
cessfully ever since. Although I do
not pretend to compete with tho more
fashionable bootmaker, you will see,
j by looking at tho children's footwear,
i that it compares favorably with, an.l
I can guarantee it superior iu durabil
ity to, tho store-bought article, wher
ever manufactured. My attention was
first called to the possibility of this
economy, which is now a real pleasure
! to mo, by observing tho employes in
factories, who, when their shoes uro
down at the heels or in need of repair,
take out their knives, whip off a piece
of old belting, tack it on their shoes
aud trim it up in a jiffy. Iu this way
they save themselves annually consid
erable expense."
Having thus laid \lowu tho pream
ble and resolutions of the art of shoe
makiagat home, Mr. Flynn summoiod
before him the Km ill army of little
Flynus, who proved to be not only
substantially but handsomely shod.
"You see," said the philosophical cob
bler-clerk, btniliug, "it is quite true
that one-half of tbo world does not
know how tho other half lives."—Now
York Journal.
Taking Impressions of Plants.
The following simple method of talc
ing impressions of plauts is due to M.
lit riot, of the French Academy of
Sciences. A sheet of paper is first
lightly oiled ou one side, and theu
folded in four, so that the oil may fil
ter through tbo pores aud tlio plant
may not cotuo inlo direct contact with
Iho liquid. The plant is placed be
tween the leaves of tho second folding,
an 1 iu this position is pressed,
through other paper, all over with tlio
baud, so as to cause a small quantity
of oil to adhere to the surface. Theu
it is tiken out aud placed carefully
upon white paper, another sheet is
placed above (as two impressions cau
bo takeu out at once), aud the plant
is pressod as before. Upon now re
moving it au invisible image remains
on the paper. Over this is sprinkled
powdered black lead, which causes tho
image to appear. With au assortment
of pigments tho natural colors of
plauts may bo reproduced. To ob
l tain fixity, resin is mixed with tho
color in small quantity. The impres
sion becomes fixed when it is exposed
to a heat suilicieut to melt tho resin.
Tho Iron Gates Down.
The Iron Gates of the Dauubo have
been broken down by the recent com
pletion of tho navigation canal cut
through the solid rock on tho Servian
bank from Orsov.i downward, into
which the waters of tho river havo
just been admitted. Vessels wiil not
1)0 admitted till tho obstructions iu
tho river bed below the rapids have
bcou removed. Tho formal openiug
will bo inudo by Eiuperor Francis
Joseph on September 27 during tho
Hungarian Millenium festivities.—
New York Sun.
A New Russian Port.
After 1899 Sebastopol will no longer
bo a commercial port, and tho new
port of Tlieodosia, built by tho Rus
sian Government, and just completed,
will tako its place. It lias a jetty 2044
feet long, and tho quays within tho
port aro 5900 feet long, with twenty
four feet of water. Tho port has a
superficial area of 2,500,000 squire
feet, of which over 500,000 are paved.
ORGANDIES OVER SILK.
Organdies this season aro veri
table dreams of loveliness, but
must, alas! bo made over silk! How
ever, the summer girl who has two or
three of thoso diaphanous trifles need
have no fear as to tlio success of her
coming campaign.—New York Adver
tiser.
REVOLUTIONARY HEROINE REVERED.
Mollis Pitcher, the Revolutionary
heroine, is buried at Carlisle, Penn.,
and tho Philadelphia branch of the
Daughters of the American Revolution
is trying to persuado tho people to
permit the removal of tho romaius
from that city to Gettysburg, where
she is to have a monument.
A FEMININE JACK TAR.
Tho first woman who ever circum
navigated tho globo shipped with tho
famous Bougainville expedition in
17G0. She was disguised as a man,
nnd was known as Charles Thomas
Barr. She was a servant to Philibert
do Commercou, tho botanist of tho ex
pedition. Her truo nauio was never
learned.
SHE IS A CAPTAIN-GENERAL.
Mrs. Alexander 11. Ivayser, of St.
Louis, has been appointed Captain-
General of tho National Guards of
Missouri by Governor Stone. During
tho interstate military encampment
last year Mrs. Kaysor was sponsor for
tho Kausas City Zouav.es, und with
her maids of honor accompanied the
Zouaves to the field. It was suggested
to Governor Htono thut ho recognize
Mrs. Kayser's services, aud ho prom
ised to give her a commission. 110
has redeemed his pledge, und an
nounces that ho will present to Mrs.
Ivayser a sword and epaulets.
FAIR FLEMISH WOMEN.
A recent traveler in old Flanders
says that tho Flemish women are tall,
aud thut they possess great beauty.
Their eyos are usually blue, their hair
is like buruishod gold, which they
wear as did tho German gods.
The Flemish woman is simple to ox
cess ; not because she has poor taste in
her toilet; on the contrary, a Flomish
woman never goes out on a Sunday
without a heavy silk dross, with soft
frou-frou marking her steps.
Tho Flomish woman has prcservod
intact tho admirable naiveto of tho
woman of tho middlo ages. Sho is an
ideal mother of a family ; she has no
ambitiou, no love for art, for music or
for poetry ; not a whisper of rebellion
against the domination - often brutal
ity—of her husband, who, in her eyes,
represents power, and for whom sho
cherishes an admiration which caunot
bo shaken. —Now York Commercial
Advertiser.
THE GERMAN WOMAN IN REVOLT.
The German woman is beginning at
last to assert herself. The Berlin cor
respondent of a morning paper states
that a great protest is being mado
ngainst certain clauses of tho pro
posed now civil code. Tho position
of women in Germany has long been
unsatisfactory, aud there were hopes
—fallacious, us it has turned out
that tho now code would redress somo
of their grievances. Tho German
married woman, according to the Ber
lin correspondent, has, unless a special
contract has been made, no right to
dispose of her own forluuo without tho
permission of her husbaud, who is,
besides, solely entitled to administrate
and to have tho usufruct of her
money, even of that which sho earns.
Should a woman enter upon any finan
cial transaction without tho knowledge
and consent of her husband, it can be
canceled; women aro also excluded
from family councils. No wonder
that they aro discontented.—Lady's
Biotorial.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF GOWNS.
Lilian Bell dismisses "Tho Philoso
phy of Clothes" most interestingly iu
tho Ladies' Homo Journal. tSho de
clares that "there is a liollowness
about having a man praise your gowns
when you know ho doesn't know what
ho is talking about. When a man
praises your clothes he is always prais
ing you in them. Y'ou neverwill hoar
a man praise oven tho good dressing
of a woman whom he dislikes. But
girls who jiositively hato another girl
often willudd, 'But sho certainly does
know liow to dress.'
"And so the experienced woman wears
her expensive elothos for other women
nnd produces her 'effects' for meu.
■She woars scarlet ou a eold or raw day,
and tho eyes of the men light up wheu
they see her. It makes her look
cheerful and bright and warm. She
woars gray when sho wants to look
demure. Let a man beware of a wo
man in silvery gray. Sho looks so
quiet aud dovelike aud gentle that sho
has disarmed hiui before sho has spok
en one word, aud he will snuggle down
beside her aud let her turn his mind
and his pocket wrong side out. A
woman couldn't look designing iu light
gray if sho tried. Ho dotes upon tho
girl in pale blue. Pale bluo naturally
suggests to bis mind tho sort of girl
who can wear it, which is generally u
blonde with soft, fluffy hair, fair skin
nnd blue eyes—appealing, trustful,
baby bluo eyes."
GOSSIP.
In Ronmania women both study and
practice medicine.
Tho girl pupils of tho Osborno
(Kan.) High School have two excellent
baseball teams.
President Cleveland's wifeseloets all
his clolhes and gives orders how they
are to be made.
George Eliot is to bo commemorated
by a memorial library in her native
town, Nuneaton, England.
An Alliance (Ohio) typewriter had
almost all lior hair burned off by tho
explosion of a celluloid comb.
In St. Petersburg, Russia, women
aro obliged to procure a police permit
before they may ride the bicycle in
the publio streets.
The big insane asylum in Zehler
dorf, a suburb of Berlin, has now a
female phvsioiuu, Dr. Siegluede Stior,
as assistant director.
Two young women havo boeu ap
pointed garduers at Kow Gardens, Lon
don, on condition that they wear
trousers when at work.
A society paper in London says that
"tho Amerieuu beauty is a thing of
the past" there. It is also a thing of
the present wherever it goes.
Mrs. Percy Fleming, M. D., and
Miss Aldrich Blake have been ap
pointed registrars of the Royal Freo
Hospital, of Loudon, ollieos hitherto
filled by men.
A woman has just been appointed
assistant professor of English in the
University of Michigan. She is Miss
Gertrude Buck, a daughter of Judge
Buck of Michigan.
The Queen of Madagsoar is said to
tako tho transfer of power to tho
French protectorate very gracefully,
and is very much interested in seeiug
it properiy done.
During tho absence, for threo
mouths, of the Rev. Mr. Coehrauo of
the Unitarian Church at Bar Harbor,
Me., his wife will attend to all his
ministerial duties.
Tho coming general couferouco of
tho Methodist Church will havo to face
a very strong demand from tho women
to he admitted to its privileges on
equal terms with tho meu.
A tomperauce society at Daubury,
Conn., which is composed of young
women who havo pledged thomsevos
not to marry any man who touches
liquor, has a momborship of 400.
Two West Virginia girls decided to
go bunting, and finding themselves
pursued by a bear, they wero forced
to take refuge in tho branches of u
tree, whero they remained until morn
ing.
A Mississippi woman caught a burg
lar in her room, knocked him down,
tied him to tko bedpost aud then
calmly awaited tho return of her hus
band, who was spending tho evening
at the lodge.
Kingston, Mass., is believed to bo
tho lirst town in that State to have u
woman superintendent of schools.
Miss Helen Holes was elected to tho
superinteudeney by tho school com
mittee a few days ago.
Tho attempt of European ladies to
form a league of native girls for tho
suppression of foot binding in China
has fallen through. One native girl
is said to have put the caso thus; " vVo
equeczy foot! You squeezy waist 1
Same object both—get husband."
The authorities of tho University of
Huda Pestb, Hungary, havo decided
to admit women to tho privileges of
their institution. The departments of
Mediciuo and Pharmacy havo been
thrown open to them, aud they cau bo
matriculated iu tho faculty of phil
osophy.
Women bioyclists rode in a raeo at
a tournament iu San Francisco re
oently. Tho race lasted two hours,
and tho four leaders iu tho raco aver
aged niueteeu miles an hour. Tho
affair wis not a big success, very gen
eral disapproval of womon riding racos
being expressed.
Miss Winifred Warren, of Cain
, bridge, Mass., daughter of President
| Warren, of Boston University, is tho
winner of tho Mary E. Garrett Euro
pean fellowship for next year. Tho
decision of tbo Bryn Mawr (L'cnu.) Col
lego faculty was made public receutly
Sho will study for a year in Europe.
FASHION NOTES.
Somo black brocades show bow
kuols seven inches wide in tho loop
portion.
j Nainsooks, with gold effects in
t stripes and squares, will be used to
trim basques, blouses, shirt waists,
, etc.
Tho waistooat effect is greatly in
I voguo this spring, and much of tho
style and effect of the waist is given
by it.
The fancy gauzes will be used for
evening waists. Tlioy require to bo
lined with silk or satiu, bat look very
light and effective.
New leather bicycling aud outing
belts nro shown, with both purso and
chatelaino attached, l'atcut-lcathor
belts, with buckles to match, are also
new.
tlolil and silver belts of every vari
ety are selling amazingly. These arc
shown both in tinsel and militnry
braids and in the plaited and coiled
wire.
Capes made entirely of chiffon white
rallies look very fresh aud summer
like. The black chiffon capes are al
most all relieved by touches of colored
ribbons and beaded ruffles
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE
THHILLINQ INCIDENTS AND DAE
-1 DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.
Alone AVttli a Lunatic—-\ Handspring
On a Precipice—Disciplined Un
der Fire, Ktc.
AS a Star reporter was walking
along Pennsylvania avenue
with a well known Washing
ton correspondent, thejaunt
iug car from St. Elizabeth's, with a
load of patients, out for an airing,
drovo by.
"I can't say that I am greatly en
amored of that kind of folk," com
mented tho correspondent.
"Nor I," responded tho reporter;
"but I havo great charity for their
mit fortune."
"Surely, and so does everybody,
but I had an experience once that has
always nfiectcd my charity and made
me suspicious."
"Tell it," enid tho reporter.
"All right," and the correspondent
proceeded. "About a dozen years ago
X worked in a Western city, and among
my frionds was an attorney who had
as his stenographer a strapping big
fellow who had a leputatiou as an
nthleto and somewhat of a crank. In
any ovent, he had an ugly disposition,
and when ho was drinking, as he was
at times, ho was not a pleasant party
to have around. It was through me
ho had secured his position in my
friend's ollico, and whilo ho and I
were on tho best of terras, ho did not
liko his employer a little bit, but ho
kept at his work faithfu'ly and held
his place because he was a most skill
ful man. One day as I dropped into
tho luwyer's office I licurd tho two men
qua! reliug, and as I appeared ou tho
iceuo the big fellow mndo a rush for
his employer with blood in his oyo.
"I jumped and caught him around
tho middle, calling to tho lawyor to
get out of the office as tho man was
drunk and not accountable, and the
lawyer got out in a librry. I thought
it would be an easy thing to quiet him,
but in a minute I discovered that I
had mado a serious mistnko, for ho
turned on me, and as I caught his oye,
I saw ho was not drunk, but crazy,
and tho wildest kind of crazy. Then
instead of trying tosoothohim, I tried
to follow my friend, the lawyer, but
the lunatic, with a blood curdling kind
of laugh, caught mo in his arms and
began to slowly squeeze tho life out of
me.
"I was as helpless as'a baby, and
though I tried to make a fight, I could
only kiok, and he laughed at me, with
his face so close to mine that lie al
most smothered me. I yelled once,
but only once, for with a sudden turn
ho threw mo aronud, tripped mo and
fell upon mo with his hands clutched
on my throat so tightly that my
broutkiug stopped. Alter that I didn't
knowany more, my last consciousness
being of tbat horrid, grating, crazy
langb, until I opened my eyes and
found myself ou a sofa iu tho private
room of tho office.
"Tho crazy man was gone, but tho
lawyer, a physician, a policeman nud
three or four other peoplo wero stand
ing around, and though I did not ask
'Where am I?' after tho jirescribed
fashion of peoplo uuder such circum
stances, I must havo looked it, for
friend said: 'You're all right, ohi
man,' and I found protty soon that I
was, hut it took me a loug timo to get
over the shock of it. My friend, the
lawyer, explained that when ho got
out, ho waited at tho door until I
should lmvo quieted tho rnnu, but
when he heard tho strugglo and yell
for help, ho hustlod after a policeman
and got back just in timo to savo me.
Tho crazy man never recovered and
within a yoar had butted his brains out
against tho wall of an ordinary cell,
where bo had been placed for an hour
or two whilo some repairs were making
in his own padded coll."
A Handspring on a Precipice.
Fancy standing on your hoad uu tho
very edgo of a precipice 3000 feet
high, and kicking your feet iu tho
air. It's a wil 1 feat at tho host, but
that is what Robert Edgren did iu the
Yosemito Valley, just ruised tho hair
on tho heads of his camping compan
ions. They were all muscular, ath
letic young fellows, bubbling over
with animal spirit, nud throughout
tho trip each one tried to outstrip tho
others iu somo venturesome prank.
Rut Edgren's feat ou tho edgo of
Olaoior I'ouit capped them all. That
daring risk of life sobered the others,
and thereafter they wero content to
tell storieß and exerciso their super
abundant vitality with racing and
vaulting.
There is an abutting rock on Glacier
Point, iu tho Yosemito, about five foot
broad and about fifteen feet long,
whieb over hangs iu a perilous fnshion
tho valley below. Edgren coolly walked
out to tho end of this rock, sat down
with his feet dangling over tho edge,
and began to tako a friendly interest
in tho liliputiau objects 3000 feet be
low him. At that height men in tho
valley looked liko dots, tho big Stone
man house was no bigger than a card
house, ond as for cattle, they looked
as small as ants. It was a sheer drop
below. Nothing intervened to break
tho straight descent. Most peoplo
would havo fallen off tlio point through
dizziness, but Edgren didn't mind it
any moro than sitting at a tablo mid
looking at a stercopticon view of tho
valley. Ho tried to think of all the
during feats that could bo done on
such an eerio point. That led him to
thinking of doing somo hair-raising
feat that should dnzo his companions
and force a "dare" that would hold tho
record on tho trip.
"I'll try standing on my head," ho
said. So ho turned over, with his
knees resting on the perilous edgo of
tho cliff nnd his feet pointing out iuto
the bluo air overhanging the valley,
IVith his hands spread out, nud closo
up to knees ho began to elevate his
foot and body, blowly, very slowly.
One elbow was crooked considerably
more than tho other, ou account of tho
slant of the rock. Upward his feet
slowly went till his body was straight
as an arrow. An instant's dizziness,
tho giving of an arm muscle and it
would havo been all up with tho ven
turesome fellow. Had ho even fallen
backward thero would havo been no
hope, for his Vody would havo rolled
off the shelving rock before ho could
havo righted himsolf. His only safety
was in coming down as carefully and
accurately balanced as ho went lip.
Ho was still in tho air when his com
panions came over tho trail and caught
sight of him. They wero half scared
out of their lives on account of tho
too evident danger, but they did not
daro shout, didn't dare run to his as
sistance, did not dare movo for fear
they would do something that would X. ~
startlo Edgren and make him lose his
balance. So they stood like statues
and saw his feet descend slowly, whilo
the knees crooked and edged carofully
toward the spreading fingers on tho
rock. A moment moro and Edgren,
now red in tho face, began to creep in
on tho shelving rock.
Disciplined Under Fire.
At Sebastopol, during tho Eoige,
says Pearson's Weekly, a Captain
bamoiloff, desiring some wine, ordered
an officer to send a man after it. The
man, a young soldier, took tho money
and started on tho errand. Just thou,
however, a French battery had con
centrated its firo upon tho very spot
whore the young man must go cutsido
tho works. Ho stopped and then
turned back.
"I wouldn't go out thero for tho
world 1" ho said.
Tho officer, of course, roporled tho
net of disobodicuco to tho Captain.
Tho Captain, in a rage, ordered tho
man into his presence and demanded /
why ho had not obeyed his officer's 1
orders.
"I beg you to pardon mo, Captain,
but I was terribly afraid."
"Afraid 1" cried tho Captain.
"Afraid! A llussiati soldier afraid!
Wait a minute. I will drive tho fear
out of you. Come with mo."
Tho Captain led tho way to a ramp
part, mounted it, nud there, with tho
bullets ruining around him, began
putting tho man through somo mili
tary exorcise. The lookers-on in tho
fort held their breath. If a hat was
put ou a bayonet and lifted übovo tho
walls tho bullets came that way in an
instaut. Not many minutes elapsed
boforo a bullet struck tho Cuptaiu in
tho arm. Ho did not wince, but kept
ou with the drill, while tho blood
dripped down his hand to tho wall.
Next a bullet went through tho tail of
tho soldier's coat and another through
his knapsack. Then suddenly the
bring ceased. Tho soldier bogged for
grace and promised to go wherever he
was sent. Still tho Captain continued
his drill. When ho thought tho lesson j
had been learned, or perhaps, when
hie arm grow too painful, ho dis
missed the soldier and went himsolf to
tho surgeon nud had his wound
dressed. Tho French explained after
ward that they ceased tiring out of
sheer astonishment at tho sight of two
men exposing themselves so recklessly.
Ifard Tussle With Ri-uln.
J. C. Hearing, who ia huutiug an!
trapping in tho J3luo Mountains, a few
miles west of Elgin, met with a little
adventuro with a bear the other day
that might havo proved rather serious
to him had it not boon for tho timely
intervention of one of his dogs. Ho
was engaged in Betting traps, and as
ho had considerable weight to carry
ho had no weapon with liim except a
jackknifo, and on his rounds his dogs
discovered tho winter quarters of a
bear in a big hollow tree. Tho boar
was at homo nud was pretty much
alive, as subsequent events prove I. As
bear pelts are quite valuable, Jake Y
was anxious to secure this one, but
was afraid tbat if ho went to camp,
a mile and a half distant, Bruin would
escape, so ho lashed his pooketknife to
tho end of a stick and attempted to
cut tho animal's throat. He only suc
ceeded in inflicting somo painful flesh
wounds, which so enraged tho brute
that it suddouly came out of its hole,
nnd was almost upon him when ono of •
his dogs made a sudden onslaught on
tho animal's rear, which diverted his
attention loug enough to enable Jake
to dodgo behind a tree, and the dogs
soon mado it so tropica! for tho bear
that it was glad to tako refugo in n
tree, where they kept it until tlio gnu
wns procured from camp, when tho
animal was quickly disp itoho.l. Purt
land Orogoniau.
Kentucky Cnrlos't'es,
A curiosity which is attracting tho
attention of tho folks around Crofton,
iu Marion County, Kentucky, is a calf
covered with a line coat of wool in tho
placo of hair. It is tho property of
O. E. West, a former policemen in ,
Lebanon. The mother of the curl-
osity, a small Jersey cow, has no un
natural characteristics. Tho calf, too,
has the appearancj of ouy common
place calf with the exception of tho
coat, which is as woolly as that of a
sheop._ It is perfectly* healthy, and
Mr. \\ 0..t has been ottered a goo I sum
for it, but refuses to part with it for
the present.
Another curiosity of another sort is
reported from Livingston, iu Rock
castle County. O. Mullins, a mer
chant there, lias a four-year-old sou
who has devoloped quite a propensity
for preaching, and conducts religious
services every now and then, utilizing
the centre of his father's store us a
pulpit. Ho takes especial delight in
lecturing to tho drummers that come
in, and warns them, in true minis
terial style, to quit their meanness and
start into the straight and narrow
path. Ho also takes np a collection
at tho enl of tho services.—Cincin
nati Inquirer. y