If Walter Sampson Schley Dewey I Cnllen, of Bouud Brook, N. J., tries to ' live up to all those given, names his | patriotic pap has bestowel on him, j "what a task it will be! By a decree of the Czar, the metric pystem of weights and measures has been adopted for use throughout the Russian empire, and a commission has also been organized to consider the re form of the Russian calendar so as to harmonize with that prevailing in the other civilized countries. Emperor William has just made a present to the Sultan of Turkey of a remarkable war-dog. This animal was educated in the Chasseur Regi ment of Potsdam Guards, and was takeu to Constantinople personally by Lieutenant Count Perponcher-Sedi nitzki and the first Chasseur Voigt. It is said that this dog of war will not be let loose for the present. Nearly every year there is a strike among the women who cultivate the riceflehls in Italy. They have to work ten hours a day, up to their knees in the malarial swamps, aud receive only twenty cents a day. Even this was reduced lately to fourteen cents, where upon a general strike followed. New laborers were at once forthcoming; this led to acts of violence that landed 420 women in the jails of Bologna aud other cities. Under the pressure of public opinion, the owners of the swamp-lauds have been compelled to restore the wages to twenty cents and reduce the hours from ten to eight. Wliy is it that some years are so much more fruitful than others iu the contribution of genius which they make to the world's onward march? This question suggests itself in con nection with the death of Mr. Glad stone, which has entailed its heritage of sorrow upon both hemispheres. Mr. Gladstone first saw the light of day in 1809. Strangely enough iu that same year the spirits of several other illustrious men were quickened into life, notably Alfred Tennyson, Charles Darwin, Thomas Carlyle, Abraham Lincoln, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe. Can another year of the world's history be cited so prolific in its contributions of genius? asks the Atlanta Constitu tion. An effort is again being strenuously made in London to found a rational dress'league. Viscountess Haberton, who has been connected with the sev eral previous similar attempts, took the chair at the inaugural meeting at St. Martin's Town Hall recently. The object, as stated in the first resolution passed, is "to encourage reform in the dress of both sexes, but more particu larly to promote the wearing by women of some form of bifurcated garments, especially for active recreation and business purposes." The league pro poses also to prosecute men and boys who jeer at the wearers of "rationals." Both efforts are apt to meet with great difficulties, and they are both as ab surd as they are impracticable. Probably few people appreciate the magnitude of the emigration from this country to Liberia. During the past five years it is estimated that not less than 1500 American colored people have gone to Liberia. They have all been befooled, generally by selfish emigration companies, the New York Independent announces. Not one can expect to succeed there who does not go with plenty of money, so" that he can support himself for a while and go into business on something of a large scale. For the ordinary laborer it is little less than death. The emigrants escape as fast as possible to Sierra Leone, begging for money to come back to this country. These facts should he known among the colored element of our population. It is significant of the friendly at titude of the Japanese toward the United States that the commerce of this country with Japan has grown more rapidly during the last year than that of any other nation. The annual returns of the foreign trade of the empire just reoeivfd by the Bureau of Statistics show that the Japanese bought sixty-five per cent, more goods of us in 1897 than they did in 1890, while their total imports from all over the world show an increase of only twenty-eight per cent. The total im ports from the United States for 1897 were valued at about 827,030,537 against 810,373,419 in IS9G. Japan's exports to the United States increased from $31,532,341 in 1890 to $52,436,- 404 in 1897. The only countries ■which made as large sales to Japan in 1897 as did the United States arc Great Britain, China and British India, but in no case was the increase in imports as large as that from this country. IN A HAMMOCK SHROUD. Wbon my turn comes, dear shipmates all, Oh! do not wesp for me; Wrap mo in my hammock tight, And put me into the sen; F<">r it's no tfood weeping When n shipmnte's sleeping, And the long watch keeping, At the bottom of the sea. , Cut think of me sometimes and says "He did bis duty right, And strove the best lie knew to pleaso His Captain in the light;" But it's no good weeping When a shipmate's sleeping, And the long watch keeping Through the long, long night. And let my epitaph be these word:** "Cleared from this port, alone. A craft that was stanch, and sound and Destination, unknown;" And it's no good weeping When a shipmate's sieeplng And the long watch keeping All alone, all alone. And mark this well, my shipmates dear, Along the long night through, Up in the darkness behind the stars I'll look out sharp for you; So it's no good weeping When a shipmate's sleeping, *. And the long watch keeplug All the long night through. —Barrett Eastman in Chap Book. O 000 000000000 OOOOOOOOOOOOQ oTHE CAPTURED MAILS § -A. War Romance. § O ft O X O By MARY CAIN. N 63000000000030000000000008 tELL me, Dorothy, iv here have you beeu for the last __ M two hours? Your |p*-'""h face is flushed and /,<s• you look so un tidy'" said Colonel 7 '"7 \ Agj Norlan, as his W daughter entered IA \ 11 libral T a I J\\ | j somewhat undigui ( I V \ (1 manuer > II \ V II "Oh, I have been LA — 5 M "P the garret is. turning things up side down looking for the old brass candlestick that Aunt Mury told us about at tea last evening. I couldn't find it; I think some collector must have it by this time. But you cau't guess what I found. Iu overhauling your old papers I came across a letter written by a Confederate soldier in .Tulv, 1804, while Sherman was mak ing his march to the sea. The letter is so touching, so manly, just a letter of a homesick boy to his mother. It is most interesting. I wonder you never told me about it. On the enve lope is written: 'Captured at Boding, Mississippi, July 21, 1864, with a large Confederate mail.' It is direct ed to Mrs. Henry Darling, Shirley, Georgia. Oh, it is a long letter. He was a brave, good fellow, but he was not fond of war. "j The speaker was a young girl of seventeen, bright, graceful and even beautiful. Her features were nearly perfect, her hair blonde and wavy and the expression of her strong, intellect ual face showed that she was in com plete sympathy witli the tone of the Bohlier's letter. Her sweet, womanly manner and the corresponding gentle graces gave one at first acquaintance with her a lasting aud most favorable impression. The father had laid aside his paper to listen to the low music of his daughter's voice as she enthusiastic ally told the story of the letter, think ing more of the beautiful picture she unknowingly presented and of the great comfort she was to him in his old ago. "Tell me about the capture of the letter, father," she said. "My dear, it is so long a time ago, J don't remember the circumstances ileai ly. We captured a large Confed erate mail and the letters were scat tered among the soldiers as souvenirs. This one came in my way and I sent it home as a curiosity. I had for gotten all about it." She had found out all her father knew of the matter, and so Miss Nor lan went to her room to re-read the letter which had touched her heart. And she wove a pretty romance about the writer of this manly letter. "I wonder what was the fate of this noble fellow?—he may still he living," she said. Then she murmured aloud, half startled at the thought, "I'll write to him. No, that would be un maideuly. But surely I can send the letter to his poor old mother. Let mo see. Oh, I know what I'll do, I'll write to the; postmaster at Shirley; he'll tell me if such a person lives there. It's not impossible." She hastened down to the library and wrote the note, saying she wished to communicate with the person con cerning an incident of the late war. It was not long before she received a reply—very briefly from the soldier's brother, saying: "My brother George was killed at Atlanta, July 23, 1964." 011 comparing dates she found that the brother was killed two days after the Confederate mail had been cap tured, and this letter was the last loving message of the soldier to his mother. If my readers will trust this kind, beautiful woman to do all in her power to make persons happy, leave her for a little aud let her see the Southern home at Shirley. "Well, Fred this is strange," said Mi. Darling, as he sat down in an easy chair. "What is it, father?" years havo passed since my brother George was killed at Atlanta, and here is a note that the postmaster gave to me." "Let me see it, father. I'm in terested. Are you going to answer it." "I have already written and told her that he was killed at Atlanta." "I'm glad you answered the note," said Fred. "Who can tell what may come of it?" The father and son talked about the (lead man, who had been a victim of the conflict, and Fred asked his father mauy questions concerning the late war. Mr. Darling was a widower and Fred was his only son. He had beeu very prosperous in business. Yet he had never enjoyed the ease and luxury that was all about him. For many years past he had been au taken up with his mad race for wealth that he had neglected his church and all his Christian duties and had even lost all faith. This had grieved Fred very much, for the young fellow had a de voted heart. Although the noto which Mr. Dar ling had written was short and chilly, Miss Norlan wrote to tell the brother about the captured letter, which she had in her possession, and she asked if the mother was yet alive. She wrote: "I will gladly give up the let ter that I have. lam sure that it will he a great comfort to friends of his, for it is beautiful in its sincerity ami simplicity." Mr. Darling when he had received the first noto of the girl becam suspi cious that someone wished to extort mouey from him. But the tone of Miss Norlau's reply moved him some what, and to Fred it was a sweet, ten der letter, aud he began to have a strong desire to know the girl with such a heart as the writer of the let ter must have. As Fred read the let ter it dawned upon his father what a manly, whole-souled fellow his sou had become. After Fred bad read the pages he looked up and said: "Say, father, let me answer this, will you?" Theu added, not without showing his pleasure, "I think the author of such a letter must be more tbau ordinary, and I'm completely in terested." "Yes, Fred, I thinkyou are right— answer it." Fred wrote Miss Norlan a long letter and told her much of the life and character of his Unele George, aud that his father said that he was au image of his uncle. It was a gra cions letter and one that made Miss Norlan feel that she was well paid for her trouble. Fred had not long to wait beforo he received his uucle's letter aud a brief note from Miss Nor lan. Summer had nearly passed since the incidents above related had taken place when one evening, as Fred was reading "The Keveriesof a Bachelor," his father came into his study and said: "Well, my boy, how would you like the idea of taking a trip up North? I have some business there that must be done, and it will he line fun for vou." "Just the thing! I'm tired of do ing nothing, and you know hbw I like to travel," Fred replied. "Well, theu.be ready and go next week." Fred was delighted at the thought of visiting the North, and was espec ially interested since he found that his business would take him to the State in which Miss Norlan lived. Fred made the journev, and after he had finished his father's affairs he made a special trijj to Ashley, for he had determined to know Miss Norlan. Fred wrote a note telling her that he had come North on business, and had stopped at Ashley purposely to call ou her if she would graut him the pleas ure. Miss Norlaa had often thought of Fred aud was no less pleased to meet him than was Fred to meet her, and having her father's permission, she in vited Fred to call. The following evening when Fred was ushered into the drawing room Miss Norlan re ceived (lim kindly, saying in her quiet manner, "Mr. Darling, you don't look a hit as I imagined you would." "Then you are disappointed in me?" said Fred, laughiugly. They shook hands as old friends might have done, and they were not long in get ting acquainted. Fred told Miss Norlan all about his home and they found many subjects of commou interest to talk about. The evening was spent most pleasantly and passed all too quickly. "How long are yon going to re main in town, Mr. Darling?" said Dorothy, as Fred aroso to say good night. "I think I shall leave to-morrow. I am through with my bnsiness. I shall probably speud a few days iu Wash ington. I suppose I'll not have seen the North unless I see Washington." "Oh! don't think of going so soon. Why, the idea of such a thing! Stay and see our metropolis. It's far ahead of any other city of the North." Before Fred went back to his room that evening he had promised to stay, nor did he need much coaxing to help him make up his mind to do so. Colouel Norlau and his daughter hnd greeted Fred so heartily that ho felt he was quite welcome. Fred aud Dorothy were together much of the time, and Fred never spent so happy a week in all his life; the truth was, that before the end of the week he loved Dorothy beyond measure. When he left he promised to visit his friends again at Christmas time. On Freil's return to bis home be had much to tell bis father of the Norlau family. Nor did it escape the notice of Mr. Darling that very often there came in the mails neat, well tilled envelopes addressed to Mr. Fred Darling. At Christmas time Fred made his promised visit to Ashley, and when he returned to his home he told his father of his engagement to Dorothy. They were married quietly on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, ill the parish chapel, and Dorothy,anxious to see her Southern home, said good-bye to her friends, and they were soon on their journey. Fred's father was delighted with his son's choice, and it was not long be fore he thought there was no one in the world quite so charming andbenu tiful. By her kind, loving manners aud true devotion for her church, Mr. Darling, Sr., was influenced, to the iov of all. back to his old faith, and at Easter lie knelt at tlie altar rail with Fred and Dorothy. THE MARVELOUS DRAGON FLY. Extraordinary Is th Machinery That Governs Its Flight. There is no winged creature, unless it may he the humming bird, writes a naturalist, that has the extraordinary machinery governing its flight that the dragon fly possesses. Its speed 's marvelous, and yet its wings never seem to move. A dragon fly may bo going forward with the velocity of the wind, and yet can stop instantly in the air, and immediately start hack ward just ns rapidly as it had been going forward. Or it can fly sidewise with the same facility that it can fly forward or backward, as any one may see a hundred times a day if he will watch one of these insects winging its erratic course after prey. It can see a victim behiud it, in tront of it, and on both sides of it, all at the same time, and doesn't have to waste time in turning to get at all four, and it will have all four in its marvelous maw while a watch is ticking twice. Wonderful as the arrangement of the dragon fly's wings are its optical powers are still more wonderful. The insect has Ave eyes. Two of them are enormous, brilliant protuberances on each side of the top of its head, the two most striking features of this big fly, and the ones that give it that fierce appearance which causes it to he so much dreaded by foolish men, women, and children. Then right in the front of its head, on its forehead, so to speak, it has three ordinary eyes, all in a row. Each one of the two big, blazing eyes is made up of no fewer than 28,000 highly polished facets, each with high-lens power, which not only accounts for the intense brilliancy ot the eyes, but gives to them a micro scopic and all-seeing power beyond human ken. Any prey that escapes the eye of a dragon fly is welcome to its freedom from pursuit and capture. There is another peculiarity in the make-up of the dragon fly that has been a source of much regret to naturalists from the time naturalists first appeared. In life the long, seg mented body of the insect is marked with most brilliant and beautiful hands of colors. The instant death ensues these colors fade and disappear, leav ing only an ugly grayish trunk. Sci ence has failed to find away to pre vent this fading of the dragon fly's hues, consequently all representations of dragon-fly colors in collections are artificial. They are reproduced by carefully dissecting the insect and painting the hues on the inside of the body, the transparent skin or shell permitting the artificial coloring to show through. Alive the dragon fly, in spite of its terrific front, is one of the most royally beautiful of all in sects. Dead, it is the ugliest. Any one who has watched a dragon fly flitting above the surface of small, reedy ponds or near the shores of large ones, late in the summer or early in the fall, has noticed its fre quent dipping of the extremity of its long body lightly in the water as it skims along. The dragon fly that does that is always the female, and every time she dips her body in the water she deposits an egg. The spe cific gravity of the egg is such that it sinks to the bottom among the weeds, and in due time hatches out the for* midahle-lookiug creature whose de velopment into the perfect dragon fly I have described. It takes three years for an egg to become the perfect fly. State Insurance For German Workmen Some astonishing figures have just been issued by the imperial home of fice respecting the State insurauce of workmen. At the end of the year 1897 there were 112,000 industrial establish ments, with 5,750,000 insured per sons, and 4,615,000 agricultural settle ments, with 11,000,000 insured per sons. This insurance has reference only to accidents. In addition to the numbers given above the workers in the building trades have to be reckoned. The total number of workmen insured against accidents amounted roundly to eighteen millions. The number of accidents in 1897 was 381,000, and the money compensation paid in lump sums or annually to 515,000 persons was sixteen million dollars. There exists,moreover, in Germany, a system of insurance for all workmen or employes against disablement and old age. Disablement pay was granted in 1897 to 231,000 working men and women; old age pensions were awarded to 222,000 persons. The amount to gether made up one hundred and thirty-five million dollars in one year. The contributions in the same year— in the proportion of one-third from the employers, oue-third from the work men and one-third from the State— amounted to two hundred and forty five million dollars. The contributions are high because it is intended to create a reserve fund of ouo hundred and twenty-five million dollars, the interest on which will eventually permit of a rednction in the amounts contributed. —Berlin Tageblatt. The Rubber Tree. The rubber tree is usually tapped four times daring the first year of its maturity, aud the intervals of rest gradually diminished until it can be tapped monthly. The rubber tree is the milch cow of the vegetable king dom; its yield continues to increase with frequent aud skilful milking until it reaches its maximum. Properly cared for a tree will yield steadily up to its fortieth year; in some instances, as long ns fifty or sixty years. The yield of gum, as well as the market price, is variable; but a healthy tree should yield a revenue of §ls to §2O per aainum. Hog llrlgtlen From Cliina. A large proportion of the hog bristles that are made into brushes of all sorts are obtained from China. 1 SANTIAGO DE CUBA. ||| Features of the City and the Province. The town of Santiago de Cuba is situ ated at one side of the harbor and nbont six miles from its entrance and overlooks it at the widest part. The entrance to the harbor is very narrow, not more than nbont 150 feet wide, an l the channel is winding until it reaches Puiita Gorda, after which it widens in to a beautiful harbor. At one side of the entrance is Morro Castle, a very old fort. ''Morro" is a typical name given to all these coast fortresses. On THE FAMOUS SANTIAGO SLAUGHTER HOUSE WHERE THE VIRGINIUS CItE WERE SHOT BY THE SPANIARDS. the opposite side of the harbor is So capa. The town of Santiago is low, bnt rises as the ground slopes up from the coast towards some ranges of hills. It was quite a business town before the war, and there are three companies there that havo handled a great deal of ore, one of them as much as a thousand tons a day. The houses are mostly one story high on account of the liability to earth quakes, but there are some of two stories. The dwelling-house 3 are sur rounded by spacious verandas, which look on beautiful gardens filled with a wealth of gorgeous tropical flowers. The poiusettia, with its heads of bril liant scarlet leaves which people in the North cherish iu little ttower-pots and in greenhouses, is there a large tree, and other trees with their clusters of gandy fragrant flowers inako these gar dens a fairy scene. There are various insects among the flowers und mosquitoes innumerable, but none of the insects are poisonous. There is a largo spider about the size of one's fist, whose bite produces a swelling and a slight fever, and a scor pion whoso bite causes some irritation, lint is not deadly. There are no veno mous reptiles iu the island. There is one enormous variety of boa, called the Maja, of immense strength. It is per fectly black, as thick as one's arm, and capable of swelling itself out to nearly five times its natural size, and has a blood-red mouth —all of which sounds very alarming until you find out that he is a lazy fellow aud does not trou ble himself about human beings, being satisfied with pigs and goats and even small game. There is a small snake called the jubo, and some other varie ties, but they are not venomous. The repose of the streets is not disturbed by the rush of cable or trolley cars. The usual conveyance, STREET SCENE IN SANTIAGSO. the volnnte, is a long-bodied vehicle on two wheels. The town of Santiago is the see of the Archbishop, and contains tho largest cathedral in the island—the Cathedral of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del Clobre. Here is also tbo Theological Seminary of San llasilio. Iu this region is the highest laud in Cuba. A mountain range called the Montanos de Maestra or Cobre ex tends from the Puuta do Maisi on the eastern extremity to Cape Crnz on the opposite side. Pico de Turquino, the highest elevation, rises 7670 feetabove the ocean. These mountains iire very rich iu ore, and the Cobre copper THE MARKET I'LACE IN SANTIAGO. mines, some twelve miles distant from j the city, have yielded fifty tons a day, the higher grades being shipped to Europe, and the inferior grades smelted at tho mines. All this work has stopped since the war became serious. These mines were worked as early as the seventeenth century, and were then abandoned for more than a hundred years. Iron is also found there, and gold and silver have been takeu out, but not iu sufficient quantities to make it profitable. How ever, none of these mines have yet been fully developed. Bituminous coal is found which gives out a high degree of heat and leaves scarcely any ashes or cinders. Near the coast it'is often found in semi-liquid masses resembling petroleum or naphtha. There are some very extensive caves iu these mountains, whioh have never been thoroughly explored. There are forests of mahogany, Cuban ebony, cedar, and other hard woods in this province, among them one called the queb'a liacha or axe breaker, aud the jucero, which does not even decay after long submersion. The marqueterie work in the room occupied by Thilip 11. of Spain, in the Escurial, was made from these woods, of which the Spaniards l:now the value, aud they are exported from the island in large quantities. There are no wild animals, properly speaking, except wild dogs, which play havoc in the poultry yards. A small animal called jntia that resem bles a coon and probably belongs to the same family is found in great JARAYO BLOCKHOUSE, ONE OP SANTI AGO'S DEFENSES. numbers, aud has furnished many a good meal to the hungry Cuban sol diers, who trap it by the dozen. When eaten with a relish of garlic and onion it is delicious—to those who like garlic. The city of Bayamo, in the western part of the province, was very impor tant a century or more ago, and a great stronghold of the insurgents for there have always been insurgents in Cuba. But of late years business has moved to Santiago and other coast cities, aud Santiago now has about 45,000 inhabitants, while Bav amo has only 10,000. It was a law yer of Bayamo, Charles M. de Ces pedes, who, iu 1868, at the head of ll!H wretchedly armed men, rose in re bellion at Yarn, and in a few weeks was at tho head of 15,000 resolute though badly armed lighters. The Hymno de Bayamo, the revolutionary hymn of the Cuban patriots, origin ated iu Bayamo. This was the Mar seillaise to which music Maceo marched. Santiago de Cuba was the birthplace of the brothers Maceo, On tho opposite side of tho prov ince from the town of Santiugo is the Bay of Nipe. The Bay of Cienfuegos is said to be one of the most magnifi cent harbors in the world, both for area aud depth of water; but it is sur passed by the harbor of Nipe, which embraces sixty-five miles of deep water. A New Rnngc-Fimler. An Italian ly-tist iu London is said to lmve just perfected a new rauge iinder, which, it is claimed, will be of immense service both in peace and war. It is said to lie a great improve ment on all rauge-fluders now in use. The distance of any object can be as certained by a mere glance through the instrument, it being shown on a little dial the moment the object is focused. True love is not so common as to swell locksmiths up with the idea that they are funny men.—Puck, CURIOUS FACTS. "Anglosnxonia contra mundum" is a late neo-Latiu coinage. The oldest university in the world is El Ayhar, at Cairo, Egypt. Eight million eggs have been found in the roe of a single codfish. During the last century one hun dred lakes in the Tyrol have subsided and disappeared. A statistician has affirmed that the majority of people who attain old age have kept late hours. The largest tobacco pips factory ill the world is located in Appomattox County, near Pamplin City, Ya. Two Woolrich (Me.) men made ihe queerest horse trade recently on rec ord. The owner of the animal swapped the animal for fourteen roosters. Four hundred years ago only seven metals were known. Now there are fifty-one—thirty of which have been discovered within the present century. Mangosteeu from the Moluccas are now sold in the London markets. They are said to taste like a combina tion of strawberry, nectarine and pineapple. The English Archicological School on the island of Milo recently un earthed three cities built 011 top of each other. Two belong to the My cenien period. Since 1735 fourteen acts of rarlin : ment have been passed dealing with the subject of literary copyright iu England and the law is yet iu a very chaotic and unsatisfactory condition. In fasting feats the Rect of Jains in India is far ahead of all rivals. Fasts of from thirty to forty days are very common, and once a year they aro said to abstain from food for seventy five days. Scarpology is the art of reading character from the shoe soles. Ac cording to a Swiss physician, a sym metrically worn heel and sole indicate an energetic, faithful, well-balanced character. An eminent Russinn linguist, in n work recently published on the differ ent languages spoken throughout the world, avers that in 200 years from now there will be only three living languages—Russian, English and Chinese. The South'* Lumber Supply. All the world, with the exception of Asia, comes to the Southern States for timber. The single port of Bruns wick, Ga., exported lumber or timber iu some form last year to twenty-five different countries. Fcrest products, not including turpentine and resin, were shipped from the Southern ports last year to the value of about $25,- 000,000. During the same period the domestic consumption was probably five or six times as great, carrying the total value of the Southern forests up to about $150,000,000. The South, the GreatXake States aud the Northern States now cut equal quantities of tim ber—about 12,000,000,000 feet each year. Chief among the trees of the South is the pine, of which there are four important varieties. Roughly speaking, the pines cover half the ter ritory between the Potomac and the Brazos River in Texas, or about 140,- 000 square miles and will cut 250,000,- 000,000 feet of merchantable lumber. The uunual consumption averages 7,000,000,000, and at this rate the South can supply the world for thirty five years. Another of the most valu able woods in the South is the cypress, beautiful iu color and grain, durable, easily worked and adapted to every use to which u building wood is needed. The annual production of cypress, in cluding shingles, approximates 600,- 000,000 feet, and it is estimated that there are 50,000,000,000 feet of cypress on the stump. The hardwoods of the South embrace neurly all the varieties to be found in the United Stntes, and cover 15,000,000 acres. Among the more important commercial hardwoods are the different kinds of oak, ash, hickory, poplar, Cottonwood, chestnut, butternut, pecan and sycamore, and it is estimated that tho South has 300,- 000,000,000 feet of such wood stand ing.—Chicago Record. Why Brazil Sola Ilcr Ships. One of the remarkable phenomena of trade at present is reflected by Brazil's sale of warships to this coun try. A careful examination of it prompts the suggestion that the South American Republic had fiscal rather than friendly reasons for disposing of the vessels. The price of Brazilian coffee has now fallen lower than it was ever quoted before. The figure on regular contract deliveries is five cents per pound. An immense crop has been gathered, and this fact is now bearing tho market for the prod uct all over the world. Brazil, which collects nn export duty upon it, has actually been put into financial straits by the reduction in price. The loss of revenue became so seri ous a month ago that reports were in circulation iu London that the in terest could not be paid on tho coun try's debt iu April. Since the deal by which the United States takes the Amazonas aud its sister was carried through the news has come that the coupons will be taken up. Tho American money has enabled the na tion to make both onds meet. But if coffee is to contiute at five cents what is Brazil to do?— Providence (R. I.) Journal. Coal Discoveries In Ireland. Large discoveries of coal have, it is stated, been made near Brllycastle, North Antrim. A local syndicate for some time past has bgeu working the mines on an extensive scale, but a Bavnsley mining engineer has just completed a thorough investigation of the locality He states that there are two and a half million tons of coal iu the mines. In quality it is somewhat superior to the Scotch, and quito as good as the average coal used in Lou don.—St. James's Gazette.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers