The Chinamen of New York City j have started a social club just "like i Melicati," anil over four thousand ! members have been enrolled. Kighty-soven jier cent, of the people of the United States can read and write, while sixty-eight per cent, cf the population of Spain are illiterate. 1 Southern planters ure beginning to . consider the question of raising mules. I Though these beasts are used so ex tensivelv in the South the supply comes altogether from the West. During the debate on the Good | Koads bill, in the Senate at Albany, N. Y., Senator Wray said in reply to a question about the cost: "Every j cent spent will be an interest-bearing j investment." That is not imagination, but fact, demonstrated by universal experience, maintains the New York j Tribune. The bicycle has certainly wrought a revolution in social customs in Eng land if it has encouraged the smoking of pipes by women. The cigarette is not an attractive thing in the mouth of even a pretty woman, but a briar wood pipo between the lips of beauty is something which will have a tend ency to reduce the number of British marriages. The six causes of poverty,as defined in a recent lecture by Professor Frank lin H. Giddings, of Columbia Univer sity, are refusal to work, lack of em ployment, struggle to rise, unequal distribution of accident, wrong public policy, and sentimental charity. Any reader whose income is inadequate is invited by Harper's Weekly to con sider this list and determine which cause fits his own case. The Chicago Board of Education has, by a vote of 19 to 1, adopted a resolution increasing the salary of every grammar and primary grade teacher in the public schools of Chi cago 875 for the year 1898, and SSO per year thereafter until the maximum salary of 81000 shall be reached. "If there is any profession under the sun that deserves more at the hands of the general public than that of the school teacher," exclaims the Trenton (N.J.) American, "wo fail to see it. We therefore congratulate the school teachers of Chicago upon their good fortune." One hundred thousand men will probably go to the Klondike this sea son. Five hundred dollars will be a low estimate for the cost to each indi vidual, making an aggregate of 850,- 000,000 expended. We shall see how long it will take Alaska to turn out j that much gold. There is, however, one consolation: Should the mines prove a failure, tho money invested will not be lost to the world, it will still exist, but in the hands of differ ent individuals. The sad, sad part of tho story will be as to the innumerable lives that will bo laid down in the in hospitable regions of the North. j\lat Salleh, the leader of the native revolt in British North Borneo, has ' furnished a practical illustration of the truth of the main incident in Kip ling's "The i\lan Who Would Bo King." Nlut lias been posing as an immortal whom no bullet could hurt. He took great care not to get within close range, and after a skirmish it was his custom to sear his flesh in places with a hot iron and to exhibit the burns as marks of bullets that had been turned aside. In his Inst meet ing with the English, however, he was badly wounded in the leg. When his followers saw that he bled as they did, they ceased to look upon him as a god. Hence a great loss of prestige, which may result in the collapse of the re volt, The popularity of tho American bl. cycle seems to be constantly extend ing its area. For the year ending De cember 31,1897, the value of our bi cycle exports aggregated 89,902,73(1, against only 83,790,022 for the yec.t ending December 31, 1890. Without undertaking to itemize the record ol our bicycle exports, the following com parative table is cited /showing the manner in which our bicycle trade has increased with some of the leading countries of the glube: 1996. 1897. United Kingdom £1,306,403 5*2,128,-101 Germany 303, 05S 1,373,55: Otlior Europe 619,933 1,304.501 British North America. 557,577 744,38! West Indies .30,901 148,53! i South America 103,940 189,72! Africa 64,200 174,731 Japan 41,336 80,87) China 11,278 26,30! Other countries are engaged in the manufacture of bicycles, but they can not equal the products of our Ameri can ingenuity, and the consequence is that American bicycles are in demand tho world over. THE CAME OF LIFE. Tho prlzo for which you're playing may not be a costly one; Perhaps you are indulging just for pnst-me or for l'un. But, no matter what the stake is, and nc matter what the game, You're no man unless you like to quit a winner just the same. Tli-- girl who smiles upon you may not captivate your heart; Perhaps her mnunertells you that she merely plays a part. But when the flirting's un-le I. and you quit the little game Thoro Is gladness iu the knowledge that you've beaten, just the snmo. Life i- but a game or hazard you are playing for a stake, Which is seldom worth the struggle that you're called upon to make; Bat, at the dual shuffle, when yon come to quit the game. What a joy there is ia knowing you're a winner, just tho samel —S. E. Kiser, iu Cleveland Lender. I THE STRANGEST EVENT IN THE WORLD. 1 § S O Dy C. SYLVESTER HORXE, M. A. Ibce§c>^>!eteiete* IT CANNOT tell the 11 story as lie used to / 11 tell it, the dear old man, short of stat ure, with those pale blue eyes which shoue and twinkled in enjoy ment of the narrative; neither can I hope to suggest his vivid and pictorial style of telling it. How breathlessly I have myself hung upon his lips in agony of apprehension for tho fato of the hero, as ho dipped his hands into the— but that is to anticipate. I sus pect that a critical listener—if any one could listen and remain critical, which I doubt—might have detected some vagueness as to date and place. If my memory serves, the old gentleman told the tale us a story of the Carlist rising in Spain, and dated it about '3l. Hut it is fair to say it may have been Mexico or China, and any date you please. So now for tho story. The generals had been in consulta tion all the morning. Hour after hour passed by, and the wretched prisoners, closely guarded, waited on in nil tho agony of suspense. There were four hundred of them in all, a few haggard women and half-starved children among them. As you may imagine, there was not much conversation. The men, for the most part, were dogged and sullen. Some of tho younger ones assumed a mood of forced gayety which deceived no one. And stifl captives and captors stood watching , for signs of movement about the entrance to the General's tent which would announce the end of the conference, and that the fateful decision had been arrived at. At last, soon alter noon, there was a murmur of excitement. The sol diers on guard drew themselves up in military fashion and roughly con strained their prisoners into line. The Commander-in-Chief of tho victorious army emerged from the tent, mounted his horse and advauced slowly to where the captured force was drawn up, as if he did not half like tho duty he had to discharge. He hold a pa per in his hand, and as he reined up his horse and proceeded to read it, you might almost have heard tho pul sations of four hundred hearts. The substance of tho message was awful. Every mau, woman aud child was to he shot; they would be allowed until 0 o'clock next morning to pre pare themselves for death. The gen erals were determined to strike terror into all hearts. Moreover, it was well known that provisions wero scarce, and it was easier to shoot their pris oners than to feed them; so tho four hundred were doomed. The scene that followed this fright ful proclamation baflles description. Some of the male prisoners who had awaited it with most apparent uncon cern broke into wild volleys of oaths and curses. Fathers clasped their children in their arms, as if with the intention of defending them. The children were the least moved in all the throng. Such was the effect upon the condemned. Hut more serious, and of far greater moment, was the effect upon tho victorious army. Sol diers trained to tind a terrible joy in battle have an unconquerable aversion to cold-blooded massacre and to shoot ing down defenseless men, women and children, simply becauso they have fought a losing light. Moreover, these prisoners were of their own flesh and blood, natives of the one father land; and tho bitterness of civil war could not destroy the fact of their common race and lineage. Tho con sequence was that in tho course of an hour or two it became known to the generals that their own troops were 011 the verge of mutiny. Then there was further conference, held in hot haste, and lasting late like the other Tho sun went down upon the misery of that doomed host, which had only death to look for with tin 4 dawn. About 10 o'clock the sound of j a trumpet was heard through the | camp, and confused noise as of troops j rapidly mustering. Then followed a I second proclamation. Tho generals ! had decided to be less than just that they might be more than merciful. I They would make an example of forty I out of the four hundred; and, as the j fairest method of determining which of the prisoners should die, they would i compel them to draw lots iu the morning. Four hundred papers ! would bo placed in a bag, aud of j these four hundred papers forty would bear a blood-red cross; the remainder of the papers would he blank. Every ma.i, woman and child must draw out a paper, and for the forty who drew those with the red cros.s, Death; for the rest, Life. At the appointed hour ail ofheer gal lope lup with the bag, shaking it as he went, that every one might know that tho tokens of Life and Death were fairly mixed. Then he dis i mounted, and the business of drawing | lots began. There was breathless stillness iu the camp, and it was curi ! ous to notice how the prisoners be haved under their ordeal. Some of j them, when they drew a blank, wavod j j tho little white paper above their heads. Others, scorning any exhibi tion, strode away to the right of the ranks with impassive countenances. Further and further down the line moved tho officer with tho bag, and mail after man drew out a white pa per, and took his pluce with those who had safely passed the ordeal. The first fifty drew blanks, the second fifty drew blanks, aud, as you may imagine, tho relief which came to tuem meant increased anxiety to those who still had to draw. Indeed, a low murmur of astonishment and indigna tion began to run through the three hun dred left. Thereupon the officer shook tho bag again, and, putting in his hand, stirred up the papers, after which the drawing proceeded. Hut somewhat more slowly! At first a man had one chance in ten to escape; but now those left had no more than one chance in seven. Hands moved reluctantly to tho bag, and drew out the lots with hesitation. In deod only fierce threats on part of tho officer induced some to draw at all And still tho stream of white pa pers flowed from tho bag, and men, ay, and women, too, hurried to tho right; but the space on the left, re served for the doomed forty, was un occupied. Even the officer was as tonished when the two hundredth prisoner drew a blank and marched away with the white paper stuck prominently in his hat. Half of tho whole number had drawn their lots, aud of those left oneiu every five must die. The officer took his bag aside, and made an examination by which ho sat isfied himself that the papers with the rod cross on were actually lying with the rest, and that it was impossible to distinguish them by tho feel. Then he shook up the contents of tho bag once more, and resumed his duty. Hut neither searching nor stirring up of tho papers changed the course of events. Fifty more blank lots were drawn; and theu, at last, there was a movement, a stir of excitement, a murmur of sympathy. In the midst of it all were heard the frantic pro tests of the unfortunate prisoner, whose arms were being strapped by the guard. He wildly exclaimed against his fate. Why was he to bo shot when 250 had escaped? It was monstrous! It was unfair, unfair! He would not submit. Then ho be gan to plead and beg for mercy, and when that produced 110 effect, ho screamed to his old comrades to save him from murder. Finally he was gagged as well as strapped, aud borue off to the left, to the spot selected for the execution. This horrible scene broke down the nerve of more than one among the miserable remnant of prisoners; aud they began to drag the fateful papers more and more slowly to tho light, hardly daring to look at them, lest the awful '.red cross should bo upon them. Still, from mau to man the bag moved on, and 110 one drew a second death-paper, dooming him to join the first victim. The third hun dred had all passed through the or deal, and only one of all the number had drawn the blood-red cross. Tho tension now becauio well-nigli un bearable, for of the remainder almost every other man, woman or child must of necessity prepare to die. Presently the former ghastly sceue was repeated; another victim was marched off to death; theu a third, and a fourth, and a fifth. Yet be tween these ill-fated wretches there had been many who had drawn blanks, so that at last an extraordin ary result, was reached. Forty papers remained in the bag, and thirty-five bore the red cross of death. It was at this stage that the officer holding the bag advanced, and presented it to one whose face showed him to l)o a foreigner. Ho was bronzed: but he had the fair skin, and I light brown hair of the Englishman. 1 There was an air of distinction about ; the man; and tho officer looked at i him with a puzzled ey.pression, as who j should sny: "How do you come to be hero with this vermin?" Tho sur l prise in his fa-a was not lost upon the Englishman, who, however, made 110 ; ado, but plunged his hand into the ! bag, drew out a white paper, held it * up as if to satisfy the officer, then I thrust his hands into his pockets, i turned on his heel, and walked away apparently theTeast concerned of ull : the onlookers at this curious drama. Hefore, however, ho reached the ranks of those who had successfully passed tho ordeal, a wild cry reached his ear; and he looked back. Tho man whoso turn to draw had now conic was a tall, haggard, tierce rebel; and he was prepared to try his fato without ado. Hut his wife, who stood next to I him, threw herself betwe •> him aud | the bag, with a most afft cry that tliey would pass by her husba . 1. The poor creature was nearly besido her self with terror; and tho soldiers wero proceeding to unlock her arms from her husband's neck. Without a mo ment's hesitation the foreigner stepped back to tho ranks, and in a quiet, j deferential way accosted the officer. "Sir," he said, "it cannot matter to you whom you sh'oot. I will draw in stead of this woman's husband. Let him take iny place and I will take his." There was a murmur of admiration among the soldiers. Tho woman ceased her hysterical cries to look at tho author of this strange interrup tion. There was a whispered consul tation among the officers. At last one of them spoke. "Do you (piite understand that there are thirty-nine papers in this bag, and thirty-five of them are so marked that he who draws one of them must die?" ! Tho stranger bowed. "Then if, knowing that, you are prepared to draw for this man, we have no objection to offer." The stranger, without a word, thrust his hand into the bag, drew out a paper and held it up for all to see. It I was a white one. "So far, so good," he said, quietly; | "the man is free, and I am free also. Now, by your leave, I will draw for the man's wife." The soldiers gazed at him as if he were out of his senses. The officer j held back the bag for a moment, and looked at him from head to foot. He was perfectly calm and at ease. "You mean what you say?" mut tered the officer. "Sometimes," said the foreigner carelessly; "now, certainly." "It's absolute madness," said an other officer. "It's a mad world," said tho for eigner. "Well, your life is your own to throw away if you will." "Oh, but it's not thrown away yet," said the man. "Where is the bag?" . I They handed him the bag, and he put his hand again among the papers. ' "One turn for luck," he said, stir- j ring tho papers up. "Now!" and he held tho paper high above his head. It I was a white one. He bowed to the 1 man and his wife. "We are so far I fortunate," ho said, and smiled. Tho man fell to the earth, and was ; about to clasp tho wonderful stranger 1 about tho knees; but his wife was be fore him. •'Oh, sir!" she cried; "you have a charmed life; you have Heaven with you; you are good, or you have magic. Sir, you have listened to the wife; oh, that you would listen to the mother 1" 2m her fierce emotion she did not heed the efforts cf her husband to re strain her. Every one was moved. The officers could not disguise their feelings. Tho Englishman alone seemed collected. "Whew!" ho whistled. "Children, aro there? That's coming it a little strong." Ho looked at her, musing, ' for a few second; and added; with a j whimsical accent: "It's a little strong. But how many are there? There's only room for two." "These two, kind sir!* pleaded the woman. "Oh, sir, be their savior, and tho good God keep you from harm!" "Two, are there?" said the man. "Very well, I will draw for the two." Then he said, with a sigh, "Heighol and to think that a mere resemblance in the voice can make a man such a fool!" Then turning to the officer, ho saicj, courteously: "Will you so far extend your indulgence as to allow me to draw again?" "As you will," said the officer, but with marked consideration of tone. "I am indeed beholden to you," he said, and slipped his hand into the j hag. "Now, the question is, where those two papers are. Well, this for one shot!" and he drew out tho paper and handed it to the officer. A shout arose which there was no suppressing. It was a white ore. "You will have your children," ho said to the woman; "for if I fail this time, it will only be my life they will require. And I have no friends!" Ho turned again to the bag, and said: "We will take tho first that comes this time." He drew it out, shut in his closed hand, and held it there. All tho army seemed to have gathered round. There were eager faces, quiv ering lips, tearful eyes. But he was looking at his hand with a curious, quizzical smile. "There's a handful of fate!" he said. Suddenly he opened his fingers, and revealed tho paper lying open on tho palm. It was a white one. Then indeed such a cheer arose as has seldom been beard on this old earth. Tho officer carried back the bag to tho generals' tent, where he re ported what had happened. The generals, discerning in it tho linger of Providence, declared the lottery at an fc end, released the five victims, and proclaimed a general amnesty. "Curious thing, tho voice," said a man in camp that night, over a cigar. He was talking to the oilicor who had carried round tho bag. "It's some years now since I heard the voice of a woman strangely like that voice. But for her I suppose I should never have I been in this mess. Well, there's compensation everywhere; for, but for her . I should never have got these poor wretches out of this mess. So she's done mo a good turn at last; and it makes up for a good many bad ones."—New York Independent. The De Lessens Statue. Fremiet, the French sculptor, has completed the model for the colossal statue of Ferdinand de Lesseps, which the Suez Canal Company is to erect at Suez in memory of the French en gineer. Tho statue will bo nearly twenty-one feet high; it will represent De Lesseps standing, draped in the camel-skin "burnous" which he was fond of wearing in Egypt; in the left hand ho holds a plan unrolled, and with his right is pointing to the en trance of the canal. The be placed on u pedestal, ornamented with a largo medallion and profile bas-reliefs of tho Khedives who aided De Lesseps' work. FIELDS OF ADVENTUEE. THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA. HOTT .ill Army B?rgonnt Won tlie United States Medal of Honor by Savins a Lieutenant From Apache* Saved From Death by u Second's Spaed. There is, perhaps, no style of war faro which puts men to a greater test than skirmishes with the Indians, and many medals have been well won in this way. The American temperament which enables a man to remain cool and deliberate in the face of the most appaliug danger, says the New York World, is never called into play oftener than in this peculiar warfare. In the year 1871 Lieutenant King, of the Fifth Cavalry, was detailed to make surveys of a military reservation in Arizona, when an uprising of the Apaehes suddenly occurred. The trouble was wholly unexpected, as was usuairy the case in those days. The Apaches up to that time had stub bornly resisted every oll'ort to civilize them. During the winter months they accepted sullenly the beef and bread which the Government gave them, but when the spring came they were in the habit of painting their faces, discard ing their tall hats and "store clothes" aud, armed with a good rifle supplied by the Government, setting forth ta slay. They were pursued by the troops, but they were so familiar with the mountains and so expert in their own peculiar warfare that it was very difficult to entrap them. Lieutenant King on hearing of the outbreak started at once with a party to run down the Indians. After sev eral days' hard riding aud while the Lieutenant chanced to be some dis tance ahead of his command he sud denly came upon a number of the enemy, who were waiting for him in ambush. Himself an experienced In dian fighter, he instantly glided iuto the underbrush in an attempt to flank his position. A moment later an arrow whizzed by his head and buried itself deep in a tree. Another arrow cut the muscles at the corjwr of his eyo and a moniont later a rifle ball pierced his arm. His only chance of escape was in running back to his men, who were hurrying to his relief. After a few steps, however, weakened a3 he was, he caught his the root of a tree aud fell heavily to the ground half conscious. Knowing well the fate awaiting him if he fell into the hands of the ludiaus, King drew his revolver and was on the point of killing him •elf, when one of his men, Sergeant Taylor, suddenly dashed out of the woods aud caught him up in his arms. In spite of his burden he managed to get in advanco of the Indians, stop ping every few stops to fire a shot at them. King soou saw that Taylor could not carry him much further,and, fearing that they would both be lost, he told the Sergeant to leave him and save himself. Taylor refused to for ■ake him and King urged and implored his companion to save himself, and finally ordered him to return alone to the troops. Both men knew that if the Indians onoe captured either of them they would be tortured to death by means as horrible as those of the Spanish Inquisition. But Taylor car ried his wounded officer for nearly half a mile under fire over the rocks and ravines, and only released him when he was safe within their own picket lines. It was for this act of daring and devotion that Sergeant Bernard Tay lor was awarded the Medal of Honor. •avoil From Death by a Second'* Sparc. There died at Philadelphia, recently, Charles 13. Mason, a veteran scout of the Union Army, who during the war, had an experience of u close call by death, unrivalled in fiction. On this especial occasion, becoming detached from his comrades he wandered so close to the lines that he was taken prisoner, lie was placed in the Confederate guard house for the night, and the next morning was taken out with a number of other Union prisoners who had been cap tured aud booked for a trip to Libby Prison. Unfortunately for him, how ever, as he left the tent a Confederate spy who was in the crowd surveying the prisoners as they were placed in the line recognized him as a s]>y, and lie was once more remanded to the tent. That evening he went before a drum - head court-mar tinl. "To he shot at sunrise as a spy." That was the brief finding and sen tence of the court martial. The spot chosen for the execution was in a pretty little ravine along a stream just outside the Confederate camp, and to this place ho was con ducted. A white bandage was placed over his eyes and ho was made to kneel upon a rude pine box which was to be his coffin. The rides were loaded, the firing squad took its position and with the admonition, "Take careful aim, boys," tlio sergeant in charge moved away to the rear. "Ready," he commanded and the hammers of the rifles rose with a sharp click; "Aim," but before he could have tlio final command there swept over aud above Mason a sheet of flame and a storm of lead and the sergeant with more than one-half of his men fell dead or mortally wounded. The remainder of the party lied with out firing a shot as a lino of bluecoats charged over the bank. In a moment Mason was in the arms of friends, but he faiuted from joy He had been rescued by a squardron of the Thir teenth New York Cavalry, which was out on a scouting expedition, and his position had been discovered by one of tho members of that command, who summoned tho others in time to save his life. lievoio Life Havers. v In the series of "Heroes of Peace" there is an article in the Century on "Heroes of the Life Saving Service," by Gustav Kobbe. Mr. Ivobbe says: District Superintendent Jerome G. Kiab, with headquarters at Sand Beach, Michigan, is one of the heroes of the Life Saving Service. He holds the gold medal, the highest award the United States Government can bestow for heroism in saving life. His name is associated with what was both one of the most daring attempts at rescue and one of the greatest tragedies of the service—a tragedy which wiped out an entire crew with the exception of this sole survivor. Mr. Kiali was at the time keeper of the Point aux Barques Life Saving Station 011 Lake Huron. pA vessel struck too far out to be reached with the shot and line. The peril of at tempting a rescue with the surf boat was only too apparent; but Keeper Kiah mustered his men, and made the launch. For a while their strength and skill enabled them to surmount or push through the tumultuous seas; but, once in the open lake beyond the shoals, where the storm was free to riot at will, the real danger began. It was a test beyond human powers. The keeper remembers that twice the boat capsized and was righted. After that he has a vague recollection of the boat capsizing and righting herself several times, and of the crew clinging to it until, one by one, the surfmen, per ishing of cold, let go their hold, and vanished beneath the waves. He has a dim remembrance of the boat, with himself clinging to it, grating over the shoal, and then being flung up on shore. Ho was found by two men, stand ing, with one hand on the root of a fallen tree, steadying himself with a lath in tlio other, and swaying as if walking, but not stirring his feet—a dazed, tottering wreck of his former self, murmuring in an incoherent way: "Poor boys! Poor boys! They are all gone—all gone!" Temporarily shattered in mind and body, ho was obliged to resign from the service. He was long in recovering, but finally it was possible jiraetically to reward his bravery with the appointment to his present position. A Woman's Thrilling: Kscnpr From Dentil. A few evenings ago, while Mrs. Will* iam Young, aged about seventy, was returning to her home at High Bridge, N. J., she lost her way in the dark ness, and fell down tho slope to the mouth of a mine shaft, a distance of about thirty feet. The ground around tho deserted mine has been giving away for years, until now the mouth is n huge crater of about fifty feet in diameter, sloping to a shaft opening about thirty below, with tho mouth extending near the road. Mrs. Young lost her way in the darkness and stepped into tho slope, and was precipitated to the bottom, where she was caught by some brushes that had been thrown into it. She landed immediately over the shaft proper, which is about ninety feet and partly filled with water. The fears she had of the brush giving way and precipitating her into tho deep mine, where escape would be impossible, and the mental agony she endured until assistance came, can only be imagined. To move meant death beyond a doubt, so she remained in that position for more than an hour, during which time she braved the situation and re peatedly called for help. Residents in that vicinity heard her cries for help, but owing to her posi tion could not locate her. After some time Robert Nagle and .Tames Mead happened by. The woman's cries for assistance attracted their attention. They succeeded in rescuing her from her perilous position after great diffi culty. Cool Under an Kneiny'a Fire. A very young officer, who had gone almost straight from school to the army ami theuoe to India, was lead ing his company through a rocky pass, on returning from a scouting expedition. They were beset by the enemy, who fired at them from be hind tho rocks, and the men were growing very unsteady. Those in the rear began to be impatient, and shouted to the men in front, "Hurry up! What are you waiting for there?" The young officer answered quite coolly: "Hold on a minute! I'm lighting my pipe!" And he struck a match and lit it. There was a roar of laughter, and a soldier eallod out, "Well, since you're so pressin', I think I'll have a pipe myself." And he, too, struck a match and began' to smoke. This bit of fnn steadied tho men, and they came through in good order. —llndy Kipling, in Westminster Gazette. Pitcher* In Plants. Professor S. H. Vines gives a nsefni resume of tho present state of our knowledge of the structure and func tion of pitchers in planls. In the great majority of cases these struc tures aro traps for insects; while eth ers have apparently no such function. Among insect traps, tho greater num ber appear to he incapable of digest ing the insects which they capture, absorbing only the products of de composition cansed by micro-organ isms; those therefore are not correctly termed carnivorous plants. The pitcher of tho various spc.-ies of Ne penthes, and possibly also that oi Cephalotus undoubtedly secretes a digestive enzyme. When pitchers nr. not insect trap::, they have some func tion in connection with the supply of water to the plant; either relieving it of an excess of water which it may have absorbed, or storing it up for future use. A MUKBIVQ Fossil Tree. English antiquarians are protesting indignantly over the proposal to blow up with dynamite the magnifl cent fossil bog oak, recently discov ered at Southport while excavating for sewers. It is a massive fossil tree with two great branches, weighs forty tons, contains material enough to fur nish a largo public building, and is estimated to he 15,000 years old- THE MERRY SIDE OF LIFE. STORIES TOLD BY THE FUNNY MEN OF THE PRESS. Tlio A vera ffe Warrior—Among the Deaf Mutes— Inevitable—Might Not; Bo No ticed Favorable Indications TIIO Cll use of the Trouble—A Freak, Ltc. Oli, I'd like to join tiio army, Or I'd like to go to sea; In the camp or on the Irnttlo Ship's tlio place forme! I would like to be a captain Or an ensign bold, With epaulets embroidered . All in threads of gold. Oh, I wouldn't care for fighting, On the land or on the sea, But a uniform, I'm certain, Would look well on me! —Cleveland Leador. Among the Deaf Mutes. Sister—"And your fiancee has pretty hands?" Brother—"They speak for them selves."—Puck. Inevitable. She—"Oh, Johnl Baby has swal lowed that piece of worsted." He—"That's nothing. She'll have to swallow more yarns than that if she grows up.—New York Ledger. And Now They're Engaged. J He—"See tho ring around the moon?" She—"Yes. (After a moment o) silence.) George, can you tell me what is the difference between the moon and my finger?"— Brooklyn Life. Might Not Bo Noticed. "It seems to mo," said the Sultan, "that these Chinese complications nf. ford a great opportunity for Turkey." "How?" asked tho Grand Vizier. "Why, I think this would be a good time for an Armouian massacre."— Puck. Given Away. Senior Partner—"We must dis charge that traveler of ours. He told ' ono of our customers that I was a j fool?" ! Junior Ditto—"l'll see him at once and insist on his keeping the firm's secrets." The Cause of the Trouble. ! "What happened to Simpkius?" "He had a dispute with a police man. You know Simpkiu3 is very quick at repartee?" "Yes." "Well, the policeman wasn't.. Simp kius will be out in a week or so."— Puck. Favorable Indications. Mr. Lingerly having risen to go as the clock strikes twelvo, suddenly seats himself again and remarks—"Of course, dear, you know that I will be here to-morrow night." Miss Languid (yawning)—" There seems to be every indication of it."— Biohiaoud Dispatch. A Freak. 1 "That young man of yours," said the observing parent, "should apply for a job in a dime museum." "Why, father," exclaimed the young lady in tones of indignation, "what do you mean?" | "I noticed when I passed through the hall late last night," answered the old gentleman, "that he had two heads on his shoulders." Put', wit. One day an Irishman was taking n walk in a small town near Glasgow when ho met on old friend. After walking along the road together, Pat's friend said to him: i "Have you heard the latest news?" Pat—"No; what is it?" "There's a penny off the loaf." Pat—"Bedad, and I hope it is off tho penny ones."—Tit-Bits. An Unexpected Shock. Brown—"Heavens! We are in for it now. Here comes trotter, just back from a six months' trip abroad; —ho'll bore us to death with his talk about it." (Groans from tho rest.) Trotter—"Well, boys, how are you | all? I have just returned from a six j mouths' trip in Europe. (More groans.) j I am just going to sit down here for two or three hours (more groans) and j I wnut (groans) you to tell me all that ' has happened here while I was away." (But they didn't; the shock was too 1 great.)— Puck. Straight Tip. "Have you ever studied political economy?" asked the long-haired pas senger, as he laid down his newspaper and turned toward the portly individ ual across the aisle. "That's what I have," replied the portly man, with an audible sigh. "I studied it from tho beginning to the cad [ of one campaign." "And what is the rosnltof your in vestigation?" asked the other. ' 'I was defeated for alderman in my j ward," was tho reply, "and I am firm ! ly convinced that the best political economy is to stay out of politics."— Chicago Journal. The African Lion and the Uuflalo Ball. J The large horns of these buffalo are | significant of their immense strength; j their legs are very short and powerful, i Though the lions make prey of them, it takes two or three to pull down a bull. The African lion of this section is tho largest speoies of its kind, but unless in packs will not attack an African buffalo bull. When fighting, the bulls are very quick on their feet, and they use not only their horns, but their front feet also, which often prove the more dangerous weapon. My guide, who has lived in this coun try for tho past ten years, relates many stories of men who have been mauled by lions, and who have escaped death, but he knows of no instance where the African buffalo has left a human being until the life was",trampled out of him.—Harper's Magazine.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers