Spain's diplomats so m to be hop ing for an unfoi'seo.i mine losion under the peace negotiations. The value of American manufac turers sold abroa 1 last year was $288,- 871,4911, an increase of 100 per cent, over the figures for 1888. The returns show that in the war with Spain twelve men were killed in tike navy—not quite oue-twenty-see ond of ihe number killed on the M uine in a single instant of peace. According to returns published by the British board of trade, the im ports of American pig-iron into Great Britain during the lirst six months of 1898 aggregated 30,231 tons, valued at $332,15", and of American steel, unwrought, 12,832 tons, valued at $325,980: Maine is again to enter the list of copper-mining states. The deposits, which are numerous and valuable, were worked more than twenty-live years ago, bat a su 1 len decline in the price of copper made them un profitable; improved and cheapened method of production is the cause of resumption of work. A San Francisco court has just de cided that couples wedded at sea are not legally married. This ruling brings consternation to many families in that city. Some months ago a ro mantic pair hired a tug an 1 steamed out on the Pacific to be united in the lioly bonds. The idea caught the fancy of young people, and since theu there have been forty or fifty mar riages of that sort oli' the Golden Gate. Here are some of the conclusions that English experts have arrived at concerning the naval features of the war: Fa t battleships arc everything; have big batteries aboard; teach the men to shoot well; as for personnel, the Anglo-Saxon can beat anything that tloats. These specifications cover the ground pretty well, though it might be well to mention the im portance of personal heroism, says the Boston Herald. The only significance in the small increase iu railway mileage in the United States last year is that pretty nearly every available section of the country is now fully accessible by railroad. The railway mileage will of course continue to increase in the fu ture, but not at such a rate as in the past. With improvements that have been made in engine power and car rying capacity of cars, moreover, the present lines are able to accommo date more traffic. This means that fewer railroad lines are likely to go iutj the hand) of receivers hereafter aud at the same time that demands of traffic will be met. The prune industry iu California has had a remarkable growth in the last decide. In 1888 there were about 11,000 acres of bearing prune trees, an 1 about 0000 acres more of young orchards. Between 1890 and 1894 about 40,000 acres of prune orchards were planted. Since theu the growth has proeoade 1 in lesser degree, but the total bearing area is now estimat ed at 55*000 acres, with 10,000 more to come into bearing within the next year or two. The investment in lands, trees, irrigation systems, agri cultural tools, and packing houses is estimated at 525,000,000. This year's production of green fruit will amount to about 81,00J tons, and growers an ticipate a crop of 109,090 tons within a few years. Of this year's yield, about one-fifth will be shipped east as green fruit; the remainder will be dried, making, with the water evapo lated,about :j 1,009 tons. A write.' in tlis Scientific American seems to have taken careful note of the lit* b >ats on oceau steamers. He says: "A iv one who has traveled to and fro a few times can but no.ice the paucity of lifeboats aud the fact that the davit roo •; ia not all utilized. The examination of fifceen photographs, representing as many liners,showed an average ot seven boats on each side; one chip only sh >wiiig an interrupted line of ten largo boats on each side. What does this avenge of fourteen boats t• the ship represo it? The fact that only those on the lee side can be used in rough wca'her reduces the total to seven; two must be consid ered as sacrificed, smashed or <aj>- si/.0l during launching. Five are left, with a capacity of about 140 person* —lea j tba i the ship's crew. Life boats? If they are lifeboat % why do they fill a i 1 sink with s ich rapidity? Wli it u;a are rafts ail li e preserv ers in such calamities a; that of the Elbe and the Bourgogno?" These are alarming sta ements, aud th y v ideu ly male by so.nobo.l} uirb luualj Ige of his topic. MOTHER'S VOICE.' A it.Ci.tier snng to her child ono day A song ci th i beautiful homo above; Sum,' ii us only a womaa sings Whose heart is full of a mother's love. And many a time In the years that came Ho hoard the sound of that low,sweet acag; It took him baek t<> his childhood days; It kept his foot from the paths of wrong. A*L A A AAA A 4k A A. A. A. AAAA AA A A. t MISS UPTON'S FIRST "ASSIGNMENT." f j nv jo ii xt. a'he ret. S* r* v www As the Uptons were in that condi tion of respectability and limited means which in vol vt a much sncritice of comfort to appearances, Letty Up ton had resolved to do something that would add to the family income and bring to her the satisfaction of being self-supporting. Miss Upton was a trim, bright little body of 20 years; pretty, in a fresh, winning way, and naturally vivacious and engaging. It had seemed to her that this personal equipment was a qualification for newspaper work. She had not the training necessary to se cure a teacher's position; the drudgery of typewriting was uncongenial, aud to go into a shop as a saleswoman was only to be thought of as a last re sort. Letty had seen in the Sunday pa pers long accounts of very wonderful experiences to which wore affixed the names, real or assumed, women writers. She thought she might be come, in time, a writer of such signed articles aud obtain high pay for them. Could she not write us well us those women? From the "stories" in the papers tilings gowned to come their way easily enough. Like many a reader of such 4 'stories" Letty did not stop to reflect 011 the labor aud time expended 011 them, nor did she know anything of the trials and disheartening rebuffs which have been encountered in "working them up." She was fortunate enough to ob tain, through the influence of a friend of her father, a position 011 the staff of writers for the Sunday edition of the Daily Investigator, one of the promi nent New York papers. The quarters of these writers seemed to Letty smaller and more "cluttered up" than she had expected. There were three or four small rooms with roll-top desks iu tLeiu and one or two chairs. The editor of the "Woman's Page" had her office in one of the*e rooms. She was a woman of about 40, with grayish hair and rather sharp features, ller glance was keen, her I manner of speaking brief and to the 1 point. Letty, when called before this edi tor to receive her first "assignment" ( or subject to be written up, obeyed the summons with eagerness and some trembling. What would she be sent to do? Oli, that her subject might be 0110 on which she could be brilliant with ease! "Miss Upton," said the editor of the Woman's Page, holding a small slip of printed matter in her band, "here is a report that Mrs. Harmon's daughter is going to marry a distin guished foreigner. Mrs. Harmon and the girl have been traveling in Europe for a year and are just back. The girl may have caught an Engish : duke or something, as these Harmons I are so rich. See her, find out who the man is, and write up all 3*oll can get about it. If it's true, the woman will be glad enough to talk about it." "Where does Mrs. Harmon live?" asked Miss Upton, taking the "cut ting." "Oh, I don't know," replied the editorial lady with a touch of iiupa tience, a 4 * she snipped out another paragraph marked with a blue cross from the paper before ln-r, giving four quick clicks with the office shears. "You'll have to get that from the di rectory or the 'Social Register.' Miss Jameson!" she called, sh u plv, taking the freshly cut slip in her hand ami looking past Letty with an air of to tally dismissing her from her mind. Letty withdrew, got the directory and looked for "Harmon" There were so many Harmons that she con cluded she ha 1 better try the "Social Begister." Tli * "Mrs. Harmon" j whose daughter was to make u brilliant | marriage would be there, and several of the directory Harmons would not. She t >ok down the names of half a dozeu Harmons, with the addresses. She \cry much wished to ask the so ciety editor which "Mrs. Haruuii of this city" that was all the slip said — was the Mrs. Harmon of her list; but she felt it would b - more creditable to find that out herself. So she arranged her iist i:i the order of their resi dences as she would have to take them ou her way up town a id sallied brisk ly forth. Miss Upton had determined that she was not going to be a "lady jour nalist" or "a lady who writes for the papers," but a "newspaper woman." This title see ned to her honest and direct ami dignified. A "newspaper woman" would get sooner to writing those long,illustrated,signed "stories" in tho Sunday paper than either of the other kinds of writers would! She called at 1 lie first place 011 the lbtand sent in her card by a maid who returned with the re piest that Miss Upton would state her purpose there, as Mrs. Harmon was very bus}'. 1 etty did not wish to announce herself to a servant as a "newspaper woman"—she could convey that in formation with better results if she did it personally. Some people had a prejudice against "reporters." Now she Baiil simply,"! am from the Daily Investigator." "Mrs. Harmon never sees newspaper people," said the maid. "If you'd said that at the start I could have told you, for those are my general or ders." A mother spoke to her child ono day in an angry voice, that made him start A a if an arrow buu sped that way And pierced his loving and tender heart. And wiien he had grown to man's estate, Ami was tempted and tried us all men are. He fell; for that mother's angry words Ilad left 011 Ids heart a lasting sear. "I should like you to tell your mis tress that this is about something which she is interested in and that I will uot detain her long," said Letty, with aggravated dignity. The maid reluctantly obeyed, or at least disappeared for a short time. Then she came back and said. "Mrs, I Harmon begs to be excused." Lett}'was a little crestfallen. She did not believe the maul had been near her mistress again. How very mean in a rich woman with plenty of leisure to refuse even a reception to a girl seeking to earn a living! ''Has Mrs, Harmon been abroad this year?" Letty asked the maid. In case this was the Mrs. Harmon there would be 110 object in calling on the other unimportant bearers of that name. "No," said the maid, as she closed the door in Miss Upton's face. "1 hen she isn't the one I want," said the newspa] er woman to herself, "and I have 110 more desire to see her than she has to see me." lrying to keep up her courage by this reflection, Letty made her way to the next house on her list, and there affecting a slightly haughty air as being likely to impress the servant and thereby, pos* blv, the mistress— she said, "I should like to see Mrs. Harmon for a mom nt." The servant looked at her with some surprise. "Mrs. Harmon is dead this two years," lie said, deliberately. "Oh, really!" replied Letty, her 1 haughty air suffering a sudden col lapse. "Perhaps I have made a mis take. This - isn't—Mrs. Nugent Har mon's?" This was the next Mrs. Har mon 011 her list. Letty was proud of her finesse. "No. This is Mr. Thomas Har mon's; but Mrs. Nugent Harmon is dead, too," replied the man,regarding her with increase 1 curiosity. Letty blushed furiously and felt a wild desire to laugh. This would cer tainly not have enhanced her standing in the servant's eyes. Then, since this man seemed so acquainted with *be Harmons, she was tempted to ask him if he knew which was tlie Mrs. Harmon whose daughter was to marry a foreign nobleman. But Letty couldnotquite bring her self to gleaning the news she needed by friendly,confidential tn!k with men servants. So she only said, nervous ly, "There must be a mistake some where. Thank you," and hurried down the steps,feeling as if the man's iuquis.t-ive ej'es were burning into her back. All this wasn't very nice. In those "stories" of the Sunday papers there hud been 110 preliminary failures to find the person. The reporter had al ways called at Mr. Whoever's and had "been cordially motioned to a chair," and then Mr. or Mrs. Whoever had proceeded to tell him all he wanted to know in the most friendly,considerate way. However, to b; discouraged would never do, so Letty, after a little sigh as she saw two young girls of her own age roll by in an elegant Victoria, went to the next Mrs. Harmon, wondering whether she were dead, to*. But she would have no mistakes here. She wrote 011 her card, "Will Mrs. Harmon please see Miss Upton of the Daily Investigator for a mo ment in regard to her daughter's en gagement?" Ah! Here was tho reward of indus try. The servant said, "Mrs. Harmon will be down in a moment, miss. Will you please sit down and wait?" 111 si few moments Mrs. Harmon cam a in. She looked like a wealthy society woman, though younger than Miss Upton had expected to find her. She had a pair of keen, black oyes,liGr face was a sharply pointe I oue ? and her lips were rather thin. She bowed to the reporter pleasant ly euough,but did uot offer her hand. What could she do for Miss Upton? She knew the Daily Investigator very well. There was a slight accent 011 the "very." "There is a report, Mrs. Harmon, that your daughter is to marry a for eigner of title, whom you met during your travels iu Europe this past year," said Miss Upton, with her most ingra tiating manner. "Won't you tell me some of the particulars?" "Do you want to publish what I say in The Investigator?" asked Mrs.Har mon, quickly. "Why, of course,! want to print all that you are willing should appear about the matter. The public, nat urally, has a great interest in the sub ject and wants to know about Miss Harmon's fiance?" Mis. Harmon's eyes twinkled, and she drew in her lips a little strongly. She seemed amused. "She's tickled to death over it and will toll everything there is," thought Miss Upton, with an approving reflec tion on her own diplomatic tact. "Well, you must ask me what you want to know," said the lady, good uaturedlv. "Is the engagement announced yet?" asked Miss Upton, affably. "No," replied Mrs. Harmon, with an air of being very pronounced. "I can truly say that it is not announced yet. I can't imagine how the report that my daughter is engaged could have got out. What wonderful penple von newspaper folk are!" "I understand that the engagement is not announced," Letty went on, with a Hinile that seemed to say to Mrs. Harmon that she could appreci ate her way of not telling a thing. "Can't you te 1 me who the young man is? I suppose I ought to say the young lord?" "Oh, how did you know it was a lord?" Mrs. Harmon cried, smiling with artless enjoyment over the news paper womau's acuteuess. "I didn't say it was a lord. The next thiug you'll be asking me is where the duke's couutry-place is!" Mrs. Harmon paused a moment as if thinking deeply. Then she said, absently, "Do you know if there were any Americans at Grantham Court lust autumn?" "I'm sure I don't know," Letty re plied, cheerfully. The way Mrs. liar- | iuou was "letting things out" was in teresting. Miss Upton was getting "[Hints" for her story. Engagement not announced yet—duke—Grantham Court—splendid! "When do you suppose the wedding will take place?" she asked, with piquant directness. Mrs. Harmon burst out laughing. "Why, the engagement is not an nounced yet, and you want the date of the wedding! I can assure you it will not be before next fall. That is sure." Mrs. Harmon seemed to find pleasure iu coming out strongly on a point when she could, even if it were only a negative one. "Did you get Miss Harmon any things while you were abroad?" con tinued Miss Upton. Mrs. Harmon's diamond brooch must have cost a pretty penny. "Oh, a few little things, yes. Things I knew she had to have." Mrs. Harmon had recourse to her handkerchief for a moment. "How old is Miss Harmon?" asked Letty,with interest. The mother was so young nnd girlish! She took the matter so lightly, and it seemed so amusing to her! "Don't I look young enough to be spa' ed having to tell my daughter's nge?" that interesting laly laughed back; "but Miss Harmon is not 17 yet. Don't press me too closely." "Will it be a church wedding? And will "Worth make the gown?" Miss Upton felt that Mrs. Harmon was willing enough to have the facts come out, but did not wish to have told them. "Yon are a perfect inquisitor," laughed the lady. "I am going to send you away," she added, rising. "You have led me on so and mndo me talk when 1 told you that the engage ment wasn't even announced yet. lie member that 1 haven't told you a thing. I can't imagine how the news papers find out everything. Will it be in tomorrow's paper? I mean are yon going to write anything about it? I shan't see another person from a paper. It's too dangerous." She was evidently putting an end to the iuterv ew to keep herself from telling a quantity of things more which the wily Miss Upton would worm out of her. The young "newspaper woman" was pretty well content. She had learned enough in this indirect way to embellish her information into a most interesting story. This she did and thrilled with pride when she saw it iu the next day's In vestigator with a head-line of great prominence. The Search-Light, Tha investigator's bitterest rival, hain't a word about the thing. The editor of the Woman's Page had asked her why she did not get a photograph of Miss Harmon. Letty had not thought of it. Well, she could try nnd get that later, and they could print it on Sunday. Miss Upton was sure, she could get it from Mrs. Harmon. 111 her story Letty said that "the i young fiancee of the proud English title is a graceful, sweet girl verging ! on her 17th birthday. During the past, year abroad she had received the iiuishingtouches to her education,and the wedding will probably occur next autumn. The family are extremely reticent about the engagement." Gll the day following that 011 which Letty had glowed over her own peri ods iu all the dignity of type,she came to the office bright and early,thirsting for more Alls. Harmons. Newspaper work was fascinating! Her enthusiasm was dampened by a little note on her desk. She read in consternation that her resignation was requested! She hurried to the editor of the Woman's Page and showed the note. "Oh,what does this mean?" she al most wailed. "I don't understand." "It means that you made the paper perfectly ridiculous and let a woman get even with The Investigator for a past story about her," sail that lady with unteaipered severity. "There," aud she handed Letty a slip, "is what The Search-Light has this morning!" "I don't suppose yon have read the daily papers," she a ided,sarcastically. "The Mrs. Harmon that the paragraph I gave you was about lives iu Orange, ns you should have found out. That is the picture of the 'Alias Harmon' about whom you wrote your story." It was the woodcut of a dear little baby girl iu long clothes, labelled "Mrs. Harmon's Only Daughter."— Y'outh's Companion. A Sultan'* Adventure. A misadventure hashappeucd to the sultan of Sulu.a part of our Philippine possessions, He is a Alohammedan, and recently made the pilgrimage to Alecca, takiug his crown with him. On his return, while stopping at a Singapore hotel a thief broke into his room. The sultan awoke and grap pled with the man, who, however, broke away and escaped, takiug with him two boxes that contained Sulu's crown and other jewels to the value of $14,000 aud some important state papers. WOMEN TRAINERS. ONE OF THE NEWEST OCCUPATIONS TAKEN UP BY THE LADIES. In the New Kitglnni! States There Are Ilulr-a-Dozen Women Who Have Gone Into the Light Harness liorso Busi ness Feminine Veterinary Surgeons. Hovse training and driving is the newest of the occupations takeu up by women. In the New England States there are half-a-dozen women who have gone into the development of the light harness horse as a busi ness. They are Mrs. Sarah E. Cros by of East Brewster, Mass.; Mrs. Hattie Header of Winslow, Me.; Mrs. May Gould Woodcock of Ripley, Me.; Miss Leota Elliott of Dauforth, Me.: and Miss Esther A. Preseott of Pitts lield. For the last two seasons these women have trained their own horses and driven them in circuit laces. They are all youi g, educated, repre sent good old Yauaee families and have become tt:st-cla3S whips. Each of them has been familiar with horses from childhood, and from their affec tion for and the care of their favorites they have become interested in the development of iinely bred horses. At the circuit races where they have driven each is accompanied by her husband or members of her family. They have been well received and treated with politeness and deference. No critical or unpleasant expressions seem to have been heard from the great crowds who saw them race. Recently, at Pittsiield, Me., these women all entered horses in the 2.24 class trotting race, and the 10,000 spectators cheered themselves hoarse as they answered the call of the start er's bell. It is the second race that lias ever been trotted 011 a circuit Irack under the rules of the National Trotting association in which women appeared as drivers, and it was a fair and earnest effort for the best horse to win. Mrs. Mender landed the race. Her horse, Mender Boy, is a line bay 4- yenr-old gelding, which was trained entirely by her. Mrs. Meeder is 28 years old, a brunette and small of stature. Her driving was skillful and she remained cool and undisturbed at the finish, when the crowd went wild with excitement. Mrs. Mender wore u costume similar to that generally adopted by women for bicycling— abort skirt, high boots, shirt waist and small, close-fitting cap. Mrs. Crosby drove Linnie G., trained by herself, and won second money. She hns the reputation of being the best woman driver in Ameri ca. She has an attractive appear ance, weighs 140 pounds, and is tall and graceful. On Capo Cod she has a breeding and racing establishment, where she lias a number of first-class driving and trotting horses. Miss Esther Prescott's horse was third in the race. She is an expert driver and managed her horse well. Pretty, blonde Miss Elliott, twenty one years old, won fourth place, driv ing Lady Goodwin. Mrs. Woodcock, who drove Mollie C., has been driving and handling her own horses for fifteen years, and counts them as her best friends. At her home at Spring Halo farm at Kipley she keeps half a dozen horses always in training, and has also ac quired a reputation as a teacher of acting horses. After experimenting with many styles of dress. Mrs. Wood cock hns tiuallv adopted a bloomer costume for track driving, which she finds is suitable. The first woman's race with bicycle snlky iu the world was started "last year 011 the same track. The experi ment was so successful that it was re peated iu the circuit raoes just held, j Other branches of the horse busi ness that nre successfully conducted j by women are stock raising and veter- I iuary surgery. At Rosslyn, L. 1., [ Mrs. Phebe Tabor Willets has a large j stock farm and dairy, which, after yenrs of hard work, she has devel -1 oped into one of the best establish ments of its kind. Mrs. Willets start ed iu with butter making, then be came interested in the breeding of cows, nnd dually gave her attention nlso to hoises. She does a large busi ness in all three departments and is a member of the Guernsey Cattle asso ciation. Veterinary surgery has been prac tised frequently by women for the last live years, and in many cases with more than the ordinary degree of success. Last year a number of young women entered the veterinary college iu New York, nnd one of the pupils of that institution of a few years ago has established a payiug veterinary practice on Long Island.— New York Sun. Music iu h Hair Restorer. Last September Dr. Ferrand read to the French academy a paper on music. He showed its effeot on the body and mind of a patient by practi cal demonstrations. Dr. Betzchinsky, tha famous Russian savant, told of the therapeutic worth of music. He pointed out the fact that musical com posers usually have very heavy heads of hair, and proposed to prove that music is directly responsible for it. Piano players always have tremen dous quantities of hair, Paderewski being oue of the many cited to prove the theory. Harpists, violinists and 'cellists, too, usually have a fair amount of hair, as the long-locked M. Ysnye witnesses. If a little experiment proves the doctor's theory correct a well-equipped orchestra may become part of every properly conducted hairdressiug es tablishment, and floods of melody from a big cornet may pour upon the cus tomer's head after the electric fan has done its duty in drying the h'air. Chicago Record. HOW IT FEELS TO BE SHOT. iJust tike llelng Struck Over the Shoul ders With a Club. Lieutenant Hains, commanding an artillery platoon wilder Captain Potts iu Porto liico, was wouuded on Aug ust 12, the day the war ended. He is now at St. Luke's hospital, iu New York city. Talking with his brother. Captain T. Bnukins Haius, who was at his bedside, he said : "On the morning of tho 12th Cap tain Potts was ordered to proceed up the San Juan road with five guns for the purpose of shelling the Spanish trenches at Asomanta. Four guns, which included my platoon, were moved into position in a field near the San Juan road at a range of 2000 yards, the fifth gun being sent ahead 100 yards to our right on the rond. "Just before we came into action the enemy opened on ns with infantry volleys and two 3-inch howitzers. This hastened us into action. We picked up the range immediately and did splendid work. The two howitzers were soon silenced and the Spaniards were seen running from their intreuch mcuts. Then we slackened our fire. "Soon after we did so the enemy took heart and began to return. Gen eral James H. Wilson sent ine with a gun up the road in advance of the rest to try and enfilade the enemy. I went up the load on horseback about 200 yards and found a company of Wisconsin infantry on n bend of the road which formed a cover from the Spanish fire. I passed beyond them, and the gun was unlimbered in the next turn of the road in a somewhat sheltered position. My men lay down by the roadside to escape the Spanish volleys, the mausers coining in a storm with each volley. "I told the sergeants we would have a try at them for luck, anyhow. As I could see no Spaniards nearer than bOO or fiOO yards, I had him run tho gun out on the road a little. We had no sooner done this than the fire sud denly increased fiercely, so the gun could not be served. We h.iuled the gun back to the next turn in tlie road, where we were joined by the second gun, still unable to do any great exe cution owing to ilie sheltered position of the enemy. The fire continued xvitli fierceness, but from our new po sition we brought a house into view. I had the gun instantly trained upon it, as I saw seveial Spaniards outside of it, and felt certain it was not empty. The very first shot landed fairly upon the side of the house and, penetrating, burst iuside, seuding things flying. The enemy broke cover and I turned to the sergeant saying: 'That was u good one ; now give them ' "As I turned something struck me through the body. I knew I was badly hit, but felt no pain after the first shock. It was like being struck over the shoulders with a club. I passed my baud to my side aud brought it away full of blood. "The sergeant saw me . and ran to my side. 'They've gt me this time,' I said. He put his arm a ound me and led me away and let me lie down." Morbid Customs In Portugal. There seems to be a certain mor bid fondness for what may be called playing with the dead in Portugal. They seem to take a peculiar delight in dressing up their dead and expos ing them to public view. I happened to be present nt the solomn requiem of a Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, when the corpse, dressed in full can onicals, was placed in a half-sitting posture to face the crowd in the nave of the Cathedral, and I thought at the time that the interment ought to liaie taken place sooner. One fine Sunday afternoon in spring I was strolling along one of the main thoroughfares of Lisbon when the shouts and merry chatter of u lot of little boys and girls aitraeted my at tention to n side street. The children, all nicely dressed, were coming down tho side street at a brisk walk, evi dently interested in something that was being carried along by three or four of them. When they reached the corner I saw that the centre of in terest was a very small brass-studded coftin. The lid was open anil I could see the little flower-decked and bediz ened corpse iuside of it. Another time I mistook the corpse of a child on its way to the grave for u waxen image of the Mo lonua being carried in procession. It was a little dead gill, beautifully dressed iu white satin and wearing a white veil aud white flowers. The little body bad been made to sit up in a cliair which four boys wero carrying on their shoulders. The bourers nud the other children in the procession wore white ribbons and white flowers, nil em blematic of innocence and linppy con fidence that the soul of their little frieud was iu paradise."—New York Sun. Blowing Hot anil Colli in tho Arctic. The fluctuations iu the temperature were very trying. Frequently with the onset of a southeast gale it rose from forty degrees below zero to twonty-eight degrees above within thirty-six hours—altering our gar ments, which had previously been frozen as bard as sheets of gahauized iron, so that it took us hours to get into them, to a stale of noisome mois uess, aud everything inside the tent would be in a condition of drip. Down again would go the temperature, and the rockinessof our clothes and equip ment would bo increased. This addi tion of moistu! e anil ice in our clothes, besides being inconvenient and un comfortable, grently increased our weights. To give en instance, my militza (fur jumper), which on leaving the hut weighed a little under ten pounds, ou our return scaled nearly thirty pounds. The rises of temper ature aud consequeut wet in the teut caused our furs to rot, and the stench made thereby was absolutely iude- I scribable.—Harper's Magazine. THE ISLAND OF Yt P. It Ilns Been Dlscnßfieil as a l'naellj'.a Naval Station. Yap, one of tlio Caroline Islands has become a place of growing interest to the American people because of its i os- Bible use as a naval station by too United States as result of the war with Spain. An interesting description of the island is contained in a recent re port to the State Department in re gard to the Caroline Islands. "Yap," says this report, "is surrounded by a coral reef thirty Ave miles long by live broad. There are hardly any rivulets, but inland are extensive swamps, cave fully planted with water-taro (coloca sia). The island is full of relics of a vanished civilization—old embank ments and terraces, sites of aucient cultivation, stone-paved ronds, paes or ancient platforms of stone, faced with huge circular quartz wheels, sot up at their sides; enormous council lodges of quaint design, with bold, high and projecting gables, and loity carven pillars. Walls of ancient fish ponds and stone weirs till the lagoon between the reef and the shore, mak ing navigation a difficult matter. There are some 8000 natives on Yap— kindly, industrious and generally peaceable folk, very dark in color and speaking a quaint and barbarous dia lect, much akin to that of the Pelcws, yet with a certain family likeness to the isles farther eastward, where Pol ynesian infiltration appears to have been fairly strong. The fruits of the soil are as follows: Sweet potatoes, yams, of which there is a great variety; faro (lak), mamrneo apples or paw paws, pineapples, banana) (pao), sugar cane (maqitil), breadfruit (than), ami the tropical ahuoad (Terminalia catappa). Copra is largely exported, mostly through the German traders, who have speut a vast amount of money and labor here for many years past. A varnish nut (adhidh), grows hero, which should give good results. The principal timber tree is the tu mauu, fetau or ka:nani of South Sea Islands, tho Catlopbyllum of botanists; the Yap natives call it 'voi.' Toinil harbor is the place of tie Kuvopeau settlement, the sent of the Spanish Governor ol the western Carolines. There is a garrison of some 100 sol diers, with probably some lull politi cal prisoners, captured iu the late Philippine uprising. Tomil would be a good coaling station. Yap is rich iu beautiful scenery, the groves of bam boo, croton, cocoauut and areca palm being most impressive. Hage iguanas are found in tho bush, and the nights are brilliant with fire-flies (kirrikir). Bird life, however, is somewhat scarce, and there are but few cattle and horses on the island." The "America's Cup" Challenger. In view of the probability that Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock will be the next yacht to sail for the America's cup, it is expedient that we make Sir Thomas's acquaintance and try to dis cern what manner of man lie is. Tho aunouncement came by cable, almost simultaneously with the news of the prospect of a challenge, that ho had given a hundred thousand pounds to a Priccoss-of-Walcs fund to provide cheap meals for Loudon workiugmen. We may infer from that tliut he has money to spare and is not adverse to spending it, provided the occasion ap peals to him. He is au Irishman by derivation, though born in Glasgow, Scotland. He laid the foundation of his fortune by selling Irish bacon to the Scotch. When Irish bacon ceased to be pro curable in quantities big euough to supply the markets he found for it, he fell back ou Chicago, where he has long had large interests in tho pork packing industry. His fortune is said 1o huve been very greatly swelled by investments iu Ceylon, where, after the coffee-bug had destroyed the coffee plantations, lie bought a number of estates that came into the market and planted them with tea. It was an ex periment, and turned out to bo suc cessful and very profitable. Besides being rich, shrewd and benevolent, Sir Thomas is credited with being a very lively sportsman, who will make tho best race that British wits and British money can provide for, and will prove in all re spects a good and reasonable man to sail against.—Harper's Weekly. Value of Sugar us Food. During the last German imperial manoeuvres a series of experiments ou the valuo of sugar ns food was car lied out by Chief Staff Doctor Leiten storfer. Twenty men were selected from the same company of each of the three battalions, ten of whom were subjeoted to tho sugar diet, while the other ten received exactly the same rations as the reßtof the company. In chosiug the men for the special diet preference wa3 given to thoso who were without proper means and were weak corporeally. The results of the experiment have now been made known in the German Military Medical Weekly. According to this offioial report the weight of the "sugar" men increased during the manoeuvres more than that of the "control" men. It was proved that during long mnrches the feeling of hunger could be kept down for n longer time by the use of sugar, that the sugar people suffered less from thirst than the others, and that a few pieces of sugar sufficed to still thirst for a considerable time. It was also observed that symptoms of exhaustion or of sunstroke were quickly overcome by a small ration of sugar. None of the men experimented upon showed the slightest disinclination to the new food during the whole course of the trial. As a practical result of these ex periments Dr. Leitenstorfer now recommends that sugar be considered a regular article of soldier's food, thai it be stored with the other provisions for fortresses, hospitals and ships, and that, above all, soldiers on tho march should have a supply of it.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers