Christian science is growing rapidly i
In the United States—at the rate of a
uew church a week, it is claimed.
Kentucky is the only state south of
tho Ohio liver that has not made some
provision for disabled confederate
soldiers, either by means of pensions
or by the establishment of soldiers'
homes or both.
Says the New York Herald: "Wher
ever bicycles are ridden there springs
up a demand for good roads that is
bound to bear fruit. Farmers profit
more by good roads than any other
class. The bicyclo is one of the far
mer's best friends.
Governor Black, in his annual mes
sage, pays a tribute to the National
Guard of New York, which he says
consists of about fourteen thousand of
tho finest young men of the state.
These young soldiers, remarks the
New York Observer, serve with
out pay, and as the governor remarks,
should not be hampered by officious
political control. The time has gone
by when the state militia was a laugh
ing stock, and the grotesque "target
company" a sight to amaze all be
holders. The National Guard has
improved greatly, is a necessary ad
junct to the state constabulary and of
national defence, and should be ap
proximated to military standards as
far as possible. The only "boss" a
militiaman should have to deal with
is his superior officer.
The statement frequently published
that there are only 400.000 Jews in
the United States,the Atlanta Journal
has long believed to be away below
the fact. Conclusive evidence that
this is an underestimate was supplied
at the meeting of the American Jewish
Historical society in New York.
David Sulzberger, with the assistance
of the historical society, has devoted
much time to au investigation of this
matter, and he computes the number
of Jews in this country. New York
leads in the distribution of this popu>
lation by states. It has 350,000 Jews
or nearly as many as most of the cyclo
pedias give to tho entire country.
There are 85,000 in Pennsylvania and
about tho same number in Illinois.
Ohio has 50,000, and California comes
next with 35,000. The idea that
nearly all the American Jewish citi
zens are engaged in trade is grossly
incorrect, asserts tho Journal. They
are found in every profession and
avocation. They are lawyers, doc
tors, scientists, teachers, inventors,
railroad officials, :r.ialists, literary
men, mechanics,farmers and are found
in many other callings. In every liuo
of effort which they have entered our j
Jewish fellow citizens have won suc
cess aud distinction. Their skill in
mercantile pursuits is proverbial, but
they have proved a high class of
ability and ready adaptability in what'
ever they have undertaken.
•
One of tlio most gratifying signs of
tho timos so fur as this country is
concerned, is the glowing spirit of
benevolence and generosity, observes
the Atlanta Constitution. During tho
past year, which is better remembered
for the hardships which it entailed
upon the lunssts that) for aught else,
there were larger sums of money de
voted to charities of various kinds
than iu any previous year, with the
exception of 1890. Iu the aggregate,
these charities for the year amount to
the sum of $88,812,814, As compared
with the figures for preceding years,
it appears that great progress has been
made in this direction. In 1894 tha
country gave only $10,907,116 to
charities; iu 1875, $28,943,549; in
1890, $33,070,129, and in 1897, $33,-
012,814. From these figures it is
evident that the country, with its in
creasing wealth, is steadily becoming
more generous. Of tho total amount
of money subscribed to charities dur
ing the past year it appears that $lO,-
203,450 went to colleges; $14,785,022
to hospitalsaud benevolentinstutions;
$5,023,738 to churches and religious
societies, and $1,218,000 to museums
and art galleries. On the basis of sex,
it is staled that men subscribed $20,-
033,378 and women $18,579,130. This
is a much better showing for the
women than for the men, as there is
less wealth among the former than
among the latter. To note some of
the larger gifts made during the year,
the following list is cited: Mrs. Le
faiul Stanford to the Stanford uni
versity, SI,OOO, 000; J. Pierpon t Morgan
to charities, $1,000,000; John Fred
Martin to churches, $1,000,000; John
B. Deeriug to charities, $2,000,000;
Washington Covinglou to colleges,
$1,000,000; George M. Pullman to
manual education, $1,200,000; P. A.
B. Widener to art, $1,000,000; Charles
Contoit to charities, $1,000,000, and
Henrietta 11. V. Baker to charities,
$2,000,000.
THE AFTERGLOW.
Ch, wnlt for the afterglow
When the sun in the sky sink 9 low,
And the long light dies
In the summer skies,
Then wait for the afterglow.
Oh, wait for the afterglow
When the crimson clouds fade and go,
And the wind, full west,
Brings a vague unrest,
Then wait for the afterglow.
Oh, wait for the afterglow **""
When the heart of the earth heats slow;
One pause—it must tell
All its hidden spell
In the light of the afterglow.
—Georgia E. Bennett, in Keokuk (Iowa) Unitarian Calendar.
| AFTER THIRTY YEARS. 1
r, \ M HEN pretty Heater
IB" .A Jl / Warren married
I f!l ll\/\/ E zrn Banks, who
I | I JIV U was twenty years
I | |1 older than she,
\ B I and a shy, silent
tVj jjlT'Jjf' I man out of touch
d with village life,
everybody said
tliat she made a
v, mistake that she
village eyes kept keenest watch upon
them, village prophecy was for once at
fault. Hester's girlish beauty changed
Into comfortable middle-aged comeli
ness, and Ezra grew stiff and rheuma
tic, yet their devotion to each other
was unchanged; indeed, after Nannie,
their only child, married and left
home, it seemed as if the pages of lifo
had blown back for them and they
were once more lovers, and the world
was for them alone.
That was before Ezra had typhoid
fevor. Through his long illness his
wife nursed him tenderly, but he
came from it a broken-down old man,
with his ears forever sealed to all the
common sounds to which his life had
been set. He was slow in realizing
this, but one day as ho lay watching
his wife and the doctor, the knowl
edge broke harshly upon him. He
could see his wife's lips movo as she
smoothed the bed with her soft,
wrinkled hand, but he could hear 110
word. Then he turned his dull eyes,
with a pitiful look of pain darkening
them, toward the doctor. Ho too,
was speaking, but the deaf ears could
catch no sound. His weak, peovish
voice jarred suddenly upon their talk.
"Why don't yo speak so's I can hear
ye, stid o' mumbling so?"
His wife started and then cast a
quick, imploring glance at the doctor.
She leaned down over the bed; her
face was in the shadow and her hus
band could not see her eyes.
"Ho you hear me now, dear?"
The words-reached him faintly, and
from a distance. Ho struggled with
the sounds a minute or two before they
resolved themselves into words.
"Of course I hear ye," he said fret
fully, "only why don't you speak up?
I ain't so sick, be I?"
The words were a little clearer now,
though still far off.
"You have been very sick, but are
getting better'.fast. It has to be quiet
for you, you know, dear, but you will
soon be up, now."
The old man shut his eyes wearily;
the effort had been a heavy one for
him. His wife turned to the doctor,
her eyes shining through her tears.
"Ican make him hear,"she cried,
"I knew I could. I didn't believe
Ezra could get where he couldn't hear
me. And he needn't ever know now."
The doctor looked at her and said
nothing. lie was a young man, and
it seemed very pitiful to him.
But he had not understood the old
man's strong constitution. In a few
weeks he was about again, as well as
ever, apparently, save for the sealed
ears. His wife chattered to him in
her old fashion, and kept out of sight
the medicines she took for her strained
voice; she cautioned the neighbors
who came to see him, and thought
that ho did not know. But she was
mistaken; there were other sounds—
many of them—that had been woven
into a life of nearly seventy years, and
in place of these there was a great
vacant stillness; and he knew all.
One afternoon she found him sitting
in the big wooded chair in the kitchen,
1 studying his old twistod hands. He
gave her a tremulous smile as she
camo in.
I "I'm most broken up, Hester," he
said,
"Don't!" she cried, "don't Ezra!—
j I can't bear it! We're both getting
1 older, but that's all 'tis."
! He shook his head Badly.
"No, 'tain't, Hester—l've been a
| seeing it for a long time. You're
young yet—you can see and hear ju'st
; as you uster, but I—l'm au old man,
< Hester. You've been a good girl, and
I we've had a happy life together, but I
j didn't calculate for you to be tied up
to an old man. I've got to thinking
about it lately, and sometimos I think
j folks was right and it hadn't orter
j been."
j The woman listened and a great
pain seemed to beat up in her throat
j and choke her voice. She leaned over
1 and put her trembling hands on his.
"Ezra," she cried, and the appeal
; in her voice carried it with clear dis
tinctness to him, "Ezra, have I ever
j said or done a thing to mako you feel
j 80?"
I He looked up, startled.
"God knows you haven't, Hester,"
he said earnestly.
"And, Ezra, if anything should hap
pen to me—if I should be sick or help
less, would you love me less? Would
you?"
A ohange came over the old man; i
seemed for an instant that the face o
[ his youth looked baok at her.
■ "If it wasn't for your suffering, Hes-
Oli, wait for the afterglow
"When the light of this life sinks low.
And tho long day (lies
In the half-drawn sighs,
Then wait for the afterglow.
Oh, wait for the afterglow
When with hands elapsed in hand we'll go
Toward the tender west
And in perfect rest.
Then wait for the afterglow.
Oh, wait for the afterglow
When the pulse of this life beats low,
And we know so well
"What it meant to toll,
In the light of the afterglow.
ter, I wish you could soe," he said
almost passionately.
He rose stiffly, aud stood with his
arm about her, looking down the road.
It was toward nightfall, and the valley
was full of shadows, while above the
hills floated soft gray clouds-—the dead
sunset. And even as they looked a
sudden thrill and flush came across
these, and tho valley was filled with
the glory of the after-glow, and the
two old figures stood silent in tho
midst of the golden light.
-It was a few weeks after this that
Hester caught a severo cold. She was
in bed for several days, and Nannie
had her lmshand aud child to care for,
aud her mother would not let her stay
long.
"They'll bo needing you—l can get
along now," she said.
"I guess they can get along without
mo a little while longer," answered
Nannie.
"What say?"
Nannie looked alarmed; fflie raised
her voice and spoke with careful em
phasis—
"l guess—they can got along—with
out mo a little while," she repeated.
Her mother nodded.
"I said it had been quite a while,"
she said. "I'm glad you're going,
Nannie, though we shall miss you so."
Nannie's face filled with a pitiful
tenderness. Her mothor looked up
suddenly and noticed, and a strange
expression came into her eyes. Bhe
spoke with curious eagerness.
"Nannie," she said, "tell me true
don't I hear as I used to?"
Nannie's faoo flushed. With a sud
den impulsive gesture she threw her
arni3 about her mother, sobbing bit
terly. But iu her mother's eyes the
strange expression grew into a glad
light.
"Don't feci so, Nannie," she said.
"I—l guess I'm almost glad. I'm
going to tell your father."
Nannie wont home the next day
sorely against her will. Hho told her
husband that it almost broko her
heart to think of them so; if it wasn't
for little Nannie she would go back
there and stay, but she couldn't take
tho child—it might hurt her throat se
riously to have to shout to them.
Then she caught Nannie up aud kissed
her again and again; she wondered
how she could live if she couldn't
hear that baby voice. Hho was
troubled, too, for tho child had a deli
cate throat and sho dared not take
her often to see the old folks—aud
they would miss her so!
But it was not so hard; her mother
spoke of it herself and said that she
and father had talked it over, and they
know it would ho best not to have the
child thore often. And Nannie
mustn't worry—they could get along
all right as long as they could hear
each other. Indeed, it soemed as if
tho bond of suffering drew them closer
together. It was beautiful to see the
old man's- earo for his wife and his
tenderness iu speaking to her. The
neighbors who had pitied at first
talked often of it; they said they nov
er saw two deaf people take such com
fort in each other. Often on summor
days tho two high-pitelied voices
would he heard, and the people pass
ing would smile at eaoh other and
sometimes linger a little.
'"Tiskind o' social to hear them,"
they said.
Ho the wiutor passed and the sum
mer, and then quite suddenly, one
night when the earth was lying hushed
and silent under a soft fall of snow,
tho old man passed from the silonco of
his life into the greater silence that is
beyond the reach of human voice.
Tho neighbors for miles around
ctme to the funeral, and the house
was full of grave decorous whispers,
broken strnngely when any one spoke
to the wife. Hhe was pale and silent;
only once did she speak of anything
that sho wanted dono, and then she
called Nannie hesitatingly.
"Tell him I don't want him to speak
so's I can hear. It—it wouldn't
seem proper, somehow. It won't
make any difference to Ezra now,
and I"—she faltered a moment, and
tender light came into tho] faded blue
eyes—"l guess he can't say anything
about my husband that I don't know
a hundred times bettor than him."
"I'll tell him, mother," said Nan
nie, gently.
Her mother spoke slowly, choosing
her words. "And tell him," shesaid,
"that we've lived together thirty
years, and it don't seem more than
thirty weeks as I look back. And tell
him that in it all was never au angry
word, never anything but n love I can
speak of; and toll him" (she was cry
ing a little now, but her face was
still touched with the wonderful
light) "tell him that the only thing
I'm sorry for now is that there wasn't
I more I eould do to show my love for
my husband."
"I will tell him all," said Nannie.
That was a strange funeral—the
leighbors spoke of it afterwards. The
still figure that sat dead to the word?
ol tender healing spoken by the mia<
lifer teemed to an element of I
mystery to tlie scene, and the con- I
trast between the darkened room and j
the brilliant, sparkling world outside
Cashed upon their eyes like a miracle.
They spoke of it on the way homo,
and said that Ezra had been a good
husband to her, and no one would fill '
his place.
"Nannie means all right," Mrs.
Tarbox said, smoothing her black
dress, "but she hasn't time to set j
down and make a work of entertaining
her mother."
41 'Tis so," answered Mrs. Slocum,
"and Hester'll miss entertaining Ezra, j
too. 'Tain't as though she wasn't af- ;
dieted, either way. She's young and
spry enough yet, but it seems most as j
if it's no use."
"I shall sort o' miss hearing them j
summer evenings," said her friend. •
"We were so near, you know—it
seemed almost like company."
"I guess we'll all feel bad to see the
house shut up," responded Mrs. Slo- I
cum, her voice full of tho solemnity of
tho occasion.
And Mrs. Banks, all unconscious of
the talk, was being driven over to
Nannie's. She was so quiet that her
daughter did not disturb her.
"I don't feel as if I knew what to
say to her, though she is my mother,"
she whispered to her husband.
They helped her tenderly into tho
house and Nannie put her into the
easiest chair. From tho next room a
baby voice broke in upon them.
"Mamma, can I see dran'ma? Nan- j
nie wants to see dran'ma!"
Nannie was hurrying to the door
when a voice stopped her.
4 'Let mo have Nannie, please—it's
so long since I have!"
Nannie stopped at the door, a great
wonder in her eyes.
"Why, mother!" she exclaimed.
Her mother looked up at her with a
tremulous smile.
"Yes, I know. I meant to toll you
before, but I couldn't, someways I've
heare all tho time; I was only deaf a
day or two from cold. I thought I j
really was at first, and then I kept it
up, because it comforted—him— some
how. He'd felt he was old and break
ing down, you know, but when I did,
too, be felt better and cheered right
up. There was only one thing—l did
want the baby so! And it seemed as
if 'twould break my heart when she
did come not to answer her,and to have
her strain her little voice to make me
hear!"
"And you kept it up all these
months!" said Nannie, in hushed tone.
Her mother looked up; she was
holding little Nannie with eager,trom- |
bling hands, and it almost seemed as j
if the golden baby head reflected a j
wonderful light upon her tired face.
"I guess when you've loved a man j
more than thirty years,that isn't much
to do," she said.—Pacific Rural Press. I
How GodßCiul Lufkin Got Hit Name.
Perhaps Godsend Lufkin, of Tilden, ;
lias tlio distinction of owing the j
queerest name in Maine. Godsend's ,
grandfather, old Peter Lufkin, owned
about all tho wild land in the town. (
Whon ho died he loft his property to
his four boys iu trust, tho whole of it
to go to tho first grandson who should j
come into the world. At that time
none of the boys were married, but
tbey at once remedied this fault, every
one taking a wife iusido of a year from
the time tho will of their father was
made. Six years after his wedding !
the wife of George Lufkin presented j
to him a son, who was entitled to the .
great estate under the terms of the |
will. It was agreed that the boy's
mother should bestow tho name, but
she neglected to tell the minister
about it before the party had assem
bled in the Church. Thou when the
clergyman asked what name he
should bestow the child's father spoke
up and said: "I think you'd better
call him a godsend, because he has
proved that to my family." The words
spoken in jest were taken in earnest
by the clergyman, who proceeded to
formally christen the boy as " A God
send Lufkin," a name which he bears
to-day. As he got nearly SIOO,OOO
worth of property along with his
name, he is trying to stand it.—De
troit Free Press.
Pnfisinß of the Coal Stove.
If the statements of active and re
putable members of the coal trade may
be believed, the use of gas for cook
ing and heating purposes of coal, not
only in the vicinity of Greater New
York, but throughout the country.
Not long since a builder of numerous
apnrtmout houses on the upper part
of Manhattan Island made the asser
tion at his club that, after a careful
investigation, he had ascertained that
nearly 40 per cent, of the business of
tho gas compauies in the Harlem
region was day business. The gas
heaters and ranges, he said, were
burning almost as much gas as the
illuminating burners.
"The passing of the coal stove,"
said tho investigator, "means a serious
loss to tho coal trade. The substitu
tion of gas for coal as fuel lias been
growingj gradually, until now it con
fronts the retail coal dealer as a pro
blem involving his very existence. It
is to him now about what tho com
petition of tho electric light was to
the gas companies a few years ago.
In fact, the coal trade has had nothing
but hard luck since the advent of
natural gas. Instead of the old evil
of overproduction being responsible
for tho lack of profits in the coal trade,
the chief trouble comes from "under
production."—New York Times.
Gel-man Working Women's Honrs.
German clothing manufacturers are
not permitted to employ women more
than eleven hours daily, and on Sat
urday the time is curtailed one hour.
Neither can they be engaged to work
later than 5.30 p. m. on Saturdays or
the day immediately preceding a holi
day, not between thp hers of 8.30 p,
' m. and 5.30 a. m.
I GOOD ROADS NOTES. f
tK@ieieie!ote(oieie(eieieiei@tei@fe(eieK^eieieK
Missouri lload Convention.
A large and harmonious convention
in St. Louis spent two days in debat
ing the road question. The principal
i questions were the most feasible
means of improving the highways, the
best method of utilizing the labor of
criminals, misdemeanants and tramps,
j aud plans for submission to the Legis
' lature. A committee of fifteen was
appointed to suggest a method of fu
! ture procedure.
| It was resolved that the ninety
I counties in the State which are au
thorized to levy a tax of sixty cents
: for county purposes be asked to set
aside one-third of it for road improve
ment. If this was made law, good
| roads would be built. A resolution
i was adopted asking the submission ol
i a constitutional amendment permit
ting county courts to increase the tas
levy for road purposes, and another
; resolution in favor of a State highway
i commission. The Missouri Road Im
• provenient Association was invited to
unite with their organization, and it
i was decided to hold the next conven
tion in St Louis.
To Locate lloarift Properly.
Tlio importance of locating a road
correctly at the outset, according to
competent surveyors and thorough ex
amination, can hardly bo over-esti
mated, Where reports are made by
viewers to some superior body with
whom the final decision rests, it is of
great importance that the viewers be
liberal minded, intelligent and public
spirited, and that one of them should
always bo a thoroughly competent en
gineer. A full report of every exam
ination should he made, and should
contain sufficient data to make it pos
sible to base an intelligent and aocu
, rate opinion on it.
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
i John Hamilton, of Hamilton, Penn.,
is endeavoring to secure better work
. in this direction, and lins prepared the
. following form of report, with the ob
ject of securing full and explicit infor
, mation in answer to each question:
ROAD VIEWERS* REPORT.
1 All reports of boards of road viow
-1 ers, to viow and lay out new roads in
1 this district, shall contain full and ex
-1 plioit information upon the following
points:
1 1. The date of the view.
2. Where held.
1 i 3. Whether propor legal notices
' were given.
' | 4. What viewers were present?
1 I G. Whether they were severally
sworn or affirmed.
1 [ G. Between what points the pro
-1 I posed road is desired.
• 7. Is such a road necessary?
8. Should it be a public or a pri
[ vate road?
, | 9. Submit a plot or draft _>f the
i proposed road, giving courses aud dis-
I tances; also indicating where the line
I of the proposed road crosses other
| roads, property lines, streams and
i ravines; also showing location of build
; ings and other improvements neai
I ! which it may pass,
i | 10. Submit a profile drawing show
; ing tho olevations aud depressions and
' contour of the surfaoo over which the
i ( road runs.
i 11. Draw all maps and drafts to a
; j scale. The vertical lines of tho pro
-1 file map to be upon a larger scale than
i i the base line.
s j 12. Show the number of degrees of
i grade at various points,
t 13. Describe tho character of the
: ground over which the proposed road
• runs, giving also the kind of sub-soil |
) whether rock, clay, gravel, sand, muck,
) etc.
i | 14. Mark on tho profile map the
• cuts and fills, also tho height and length
i ; of all bridges and culverts.
< 15. Make out and submit an esti
t mate of the cost of constructing the
> road.
10. State whether or not damages
i are demanded; if so, how inuoh, and
) | by whom.
t J 17. State whether any protests were
■ | made aguinat the laying out of tho
' proposed road; and if so, by whom.
18. State the objeetioua, if any,
j raised against granting tho road.
- | 19. Have you laid out this road
r over the shortest and best practicable
- route? If not, why not?
t To be dated and signed by each
r member of the Board of Viewers pres
, ent at the view, giving names in full,
i and postoffice addresses.
t
Items of Interest.
1 The common road is to the farm
t wagon what the steel track is to the
f looomotive.
1 State aid in road-building is a sys
-3 j tern of co-operation by which good
5 roads can he economically and rapidly
3 constructed.
, Tho general ignorance and poverty
s of the Turk, and his bigotry and
fanaticism, are largely due to the al
i most universal absence a2 means of
intercommunication.
Tho had roads of tho South, says
t State Geologist Holmes, of North
_ Carolina, levy a mud and sand tax of
5 five dollars on every man, woman and
child in the Southern States.
Ex-Governor Northen, of Georgia,
f says that he is in favor of four reforms
I in the State—first, textile training
o schools; second, nny polioy which
, will teach soiantific farming; third
good roads, aifci fourth, a reformatory
prison for the detention of youthful
criminals.
At the next State election in Min
-9 nosota an amendment to the State
a Constitution will be voted on provid
" ing for a tax of one-twentieth of a
• mill, to he added to the regular State
• road and bridge fund, and for the ap
r pointment of three State road coin
- missioners. The present fund is
• about $12,500 a year and the new tax
Is expected to yield $28,750 more.,
POPULAR SCIENCE.
Ostriohes are fond of waltzing, ac
cording to a writer in the Popular
Science Monthly.
The fastest flowing river in tin
world is the Sutlej, iu British India,
with a decent of twelve thousand feet
in 180 miles.
In the African oasis of Tugurt about
600 artesian wells have been opened
successfully along the course of a sub
terranean river.
It rains on an average of 208 days
in the year in Ireland, about 150 in
England, at Kezan about ninety days,
and in Siberia only sixty days.
At sea level an object one hundred
feet high is visible a little {over thir
teen miles. If five hundred feet high
visible nearly thirty miles.
Acoording to Nilsson, the zoologist,
the weight of the Greenland whale is
one hundred tons, or 224,000 pounds,
or equal to that of eighty-eight ele
phants or 440 bears.
Firemen will appreciate n hose and
tool carrier recently patented, which
has a belt to go around the waist, with
a shoulder strap to support the weight
of the tools and hose line.
To protect bank cashiers from rob
bers a steel plate is set in the countei
close to the window [and held by
a spring so it cau be roleased by the
foot and fly upward to close the win
dow and stop bullets.
Guns can be easily cleaned by a
new device consisting of a central
stem and a pair of elongated spring
plates, with wide, flaring ends cen
trally pivoted to the stem to rock
loosely and fit against the interior of
the barrel.
In a paper road before the Paris
Academy pf Sciences, M. Jacquemin
communicated the results of experi
ments Bhowing that leaves of fruit
trees, vines, etc., develop a strong
bouquet of the fruit when soaked iu
alcohol. Ho thinks the quality of a
poor vintage might be improved by
the addition of i somo loaves during
fermentation.
Tho Sussman electric miner's lamp,
recently tried with success in Belgi
um, consists of a small accumulator of
two cells, with an incandescent lamp
attached. It burns for twelve to six
teen hours, and gives a light from two
and one-half to five times brighter
than the ordinary miner's lamp. It
keeps a light in any position, and is
not extinguished by a current of air or
an explosion.
M. Martel, the well-known French
cave hunter, has explored an "even,"
or natural pit, in the limestone of the
Lozere, France, with remarkable re
sults. After descending a vertical
shaft for about 200 feet, he found an
immense hall, sloping downward, and
nt tho lower end a "virgin forest" ol
stalagmites, resembling pine and palm
trees. Many of them are very beau
tiful, and one, over ninety feet in
height, reaches nearly to the vault ol
the cavorn. Nothing like this fores!
of stone has been observed in anj
other known cave or pit.
Curly-llalred Men.
It is not generally known that there
| is a well-defined prejudice againsl
curly-haired men when it comes to
choosing a jury to try criminal cases,
says tho Now Orleans Times-Democrat.
The projndice, when it is manifested,
comes from the defense. When asked
to explain the objection to curly
haired men a prominent practitionei
recently said: "When I was just start
ing my legal mentor inculcated thai
idea in me. He said that curly-head
ed men had almost invariably been
pampered darlings of their parents,
and iu their youth had been so used
to having their own way that they
had 'come to believe that everybodj
on oarth was wrong except themselves.
In this way the seeds of opposition
are sown, and when they grow oblei
they make it a point to disagree with
everybody and everything. If every
body else on tho jury votes for nc
quittal they vote for conviction, ns a
matter of course. They live on com
bat, and are as stubborn as the days
are long. A curly-haired man never
gets on the jury whon I am defending
a man if I cau see him in time."
lint Drinks.
A mistake is very often made in as
suming that cold drinks aro necessary
to relieve thirst. As a matter of faot,
very cold drinks frequently increase
the feverish condition of the mouth
and stomach, and so produce that very
condition which is sought to be
alleviated. It has been shown by ex
perience that hot drinks relieve the
thirst and cool the body, when it ie
unduly heated, in n more effectual
manner than ice-oold drinks. Indeed,
a higher temperature is to bo pre
ferred, and those who aro much
I troubled with thirst might do worse
| than try the advantages to bo derived
from hot drinks instead of the cold
ones to whioh they have been accus
tomed. Hot drinks have the addi
tional advantage of aiding digestion,
instead of injuriously affecting the
stomach and bowels.—The Ledger.
The Burning of Green Wood.
Every one who enjoys sitting by a
wood fire must have observed how the
wood sputters and hisses, and fre-
I quently gives off little jets of flames,
and again the pieces crackle and fly
off at a considerable distance. This is
caused by the water in the wood which,
confined in the cells, becomes heated
and generates steam. It is a curious
fact that intense heat and intense cold
produce fractures in various sub
stanoes. In the most extreme cold
weather it is not uncommon, especially
if the cold has come on suddenly, to
find trees that are split from the
ground to the top by the action ol
frost. Freezing expands the water in
the cells of the wood, and so suddenly
is this done that the trees burst as
would a pitoher or mug in which water
was oonfined,—The Ledger.
TRAININQ OP TIREMEN,
411 Are Athletes and No Cowards Get
Into the Department.
Jacob A. Riis writes of "Heroes
Who Fight Fire" in the Century. The
article is one of the series on "He
roes of Peace." Mr. Riis says:
Firemen are athletes as a matter of
coarse. They have to be, or they
could not hold their places for a week,
even if they could get into them at all.
The mere handling of the scaling lad
ders, which, light though they seem,
weigh from sixteen to forly pounds,
requires unusual strength. No par
ticular skill is needed. A man need
only have steady nerve, and the
strength to raise the long pole by its
narrow eud, and jam the iron hook
through a window which he cannot
see but knows is there. Once through,
the teeth in the hook and the man's
weight upon the ladder hold it safe,
and there is no real danger unless he
loses his head. Against that possibil
ity the severe drill in the school of
instruction is the barrier. Anyone to
whom climbing at dizzy heights or do
ing the hundred and one things of
peril to ordinary men which firemen
are constantly callod upon to do,
causes the least discomfort, is re
jected as unfit. About five per cent,
of all appointees are eliminated by the
ladder test, aud never get beyond
their probation service. A certain
Bmaller percentage takes itself' out
through loss of "nerve," generally.
The first experience of a room full of
smothering smoke, with the fire roar
ing overhead, is generally sufficient
to convince the timid that the service
is not for him. No cowards are dis
missed from the department, for the
reason that none get into it.
The notion that there is a life-sav
ing corps apart from the general body
of firemen rests upon a mistake.
I They arc one. Every fireman now
! adays must pass muster at life-saving
| drill, must climb to tho top of any
building on his scaling ladder, slide
down with a rescued comrade, or jump
without hesitation from the third
story into tho life net spread below.
15y such training the men are fitted
for their work, and the occasion comes
soon that puts them to the test. It
camo to Daniel J. Meagher, fore
man of Hook and Ladder Company
No. 3, when, in the midnight hour, a
woman hung from the fifth-story win
dow of a burning building, and the
longest ladder at band fell short ten
or a dozen feet of reaching hor. The
boldest man iu the crew had vainly
attempted to reach her, and in the
effort had sprained his foot. There
were no scaling ladders then.
Meagher ordered the rest to plant tho
j ladder on the stoop and hold it out
; from tho building so that ho might
j reach tho very topmost step. Bal
anced thus, where the slightest tremor
j might have caused ladder and all to
crash to the ground, he bade tho
woman to drop, and receiving hor in
his arms, carried her down safe.
One Caußo of Forest Fires.
A traveler, who had occasion to
j make an encampment on a ledgo of
rock in an unbroken forest asserts
j that he witnessed the beginning of
| one of the most destructive forest fires
j that ever occurred in that region. A
I lead tree or enormous size blew over
aud longed against another tree, which
it bent almost in the form of a bow.
The fierce wind swayed the top of the
bent troe which supported the trunk
of its fallen neighbor. It so chanced
that there was a space of several feet
where tho fallen tree was smooth aud
rested on the other. The force of the
I wind in sweeping the bent tree back
and forth soon ground the bark from
tho trunk of the treo. Tho friction
caused by this grinding developed a
high degree of heat, and the tourist,
to his astonishment, saw the wood of
the dead tree burst into a flamo. The
top was soon consumed and fell, scat
tering burning embers upon the dry
[ leaves for some distance around.
These fanned to a flame by the wind,
soon crented a fierce firo that swept
J over miles of valuable timber. Muoh
j blame has been attached to campers
' and malicious persons who have, it is
alleged, started fires either through
carelessness or for a desire for wanton
mischief. Owners of large tracts of
land would do well to keep close watch
of their forests during and after heavy
wind storms which are not accom
panied by a heavy rain. A little pre
caution might save thousands of acres
of valuable timber.
A Now Opiate.
There grows in South Arizona a weed
that is used by the natives for Bmok
ing. It is one of the [most powerful
and dangerous opiates known. Its
use in a mild form produces the
greatest hilarity and exhilaration ol
spirits. In larger quantities and a!
later stages the user becomes ugly and
unmanageable. Mixed with tobaoco
tho Mexicans revel in it. It is so
seductive that it is smuggled into
prisons, and the authorities have hard
work to keep it out of the hands of the
convicts. Saturated with this drug
they forget all of the ills and cares ol
life, are reckless and pugnaciouß, and
will fight on the smallest provocation,
or no provocation at all. This weed
is called Mariguana. It is cultivated
by the Mexicans, and the natives of
South Arizona, and is quite a profit
able article of barter. For jit, as for*
opium and liquor, the devotee will
sacrifice his last dollar. Its use long
continued undermines the constitution
and produces a condition bordering on
idiocy. The habit once aoquired is
almost impossible to break up, and the
victim finds it necessary to inoreasethe
amount until an incredible quantity
can be consumed.
Artificial Salt Air.
One of the features of the new hos
pital building in Berlin is to be a large
room in which patients with maladies
of the respiratory organs can breathe
tk artificially impregnated with salt.