ONE WOMAN'S PATIENCE. Loss of sight, henring and speech for fnore than sixty-live years does not seem to have affected for the worse the usefulness of Miss Lucy Read, of Danby, Vt., who now, nt the age of seventy-six, challenges the admiration of ordinary mortals with her knitting, needlework, bed quilts, plush work, etc. Miss Read cuts out patterns by the aid of her teeth and assorts the dif ferent colored cloths with which she works by the sense of taste or smell, rarely making a mistnke. She also selects her own thread, as to color and size, and threads her own needle with rher tongue. In covering and lining ) cigar boxes she is expert. When the fancy seizes her she will finish a box with a glass set in the top, cutting the glass herself with a glazier's tool to the desired size. The story of Miss Read's monumental patience, courage and resolution somehow makes one ashamed of having all one's powers and putting them to desultory and often worthless uses. TO DRAW OUT OTHERS. Most people can talk, yet one rarely meets with a truly good conversation alist—that is, one who haa the power to 'draw others out while saying little and who listens to what is said witn Interest It is, however, in the power of any educated person to become a good con versationalist and the secret of it lies forgetting self and showing real interest in the person with whom you are thrown. Almost every person has some favorite topic of conversation; learn it, and If you cannot talk intelli gently on the subject, listen attentively. When talking, the voice should not be raised above its natural tone, giv ing your listener the impression that you are bilking at him rather than to 'him. If you find that your companion is somewhat despondent and Irritable, lead the conversation Into pleasant channels; tell him the amusing things you have read and do all in your power to make him forget himself, and he will forget himself if you interest him. —American Queen. WOMEN GROWING WISER. Are we womankind growing wiser, is It merely the inevitable turning the wheel of fashion that has brought in the modern corset? Certain It is that Eashion has decreed that wo shall no longer have small wasp like waists. The sculptors and paint ers who have all along been telling us of the beauties of the natural un hampered waist will say; "What have we been telling you?" and will point out to us the examples of the world of ort and the figures of the old masters. But then we knew all that, and most Of us wished for this happy period to come, but what can a woman do when 'Fashion sets the pace? Very few of us have the courage of our convictions when It comes to disregarding the mandates of that terrible ruler. Of course we had the plea of the necessity of something to hang and drape our clothes on, and the need of a certain amount of support, but the fact re mains that thousands of women and I girls have been hurried to untimely f graves or sustained serious internal in juries from tight lacing. The modern corset Is a mere band of whalebone and ribbons compared with the steel-ribbed, unyielding "strait-jackets" worn some years ago. The corset of to-day is made on entirely different lines, being short, of soft ma terial, with but a couple of bones, and It Is shaped on hygienic and physiologi cal principles, giving the internal or gans a proper amount of space and freedom, and allowing ample play for the movements of the ribs and upper nhest in breathing. Probably one of the most prolific agents in bringing about this fortunate change is the modern devotion to out door games, pastimes and pursuits. No woman squeezed up in an old-fash ioned corset sucli as our mothers wore could, even had she dreamed of such a thing, walk a half mile, let alone run tand stoop, strike at a ball, manipulate a fishing rod, or raddle a canoe. And \ the results are most gratifying, for never in the world's history has there •dwelt such a race of strong, healthy girls and beautiful, graceful and happy women as we are.—Chicago Record- Herald. WELL-DRESSED WOMEN. There was a day not so very long ;gone by when the clever woman was not supposed to be the well-dressed, well-grooined one. If a woman was rstrong-minded she was supposed to be blousey in costume. If she had a great intellect she was usually set down as •careless In looks, and professional women were not even supposed to know what the word "fashion" meant. Nowadays this Is disproved. Go to any meeting in which women peak, or put in an appearance at a woman's club, where the majority of the fair sex are doing something in the world of literature or art, and you will see that in the matter of fashion and stylo they are able to hold their own with the most feather-headed but terfly of fashion. , They bring their common sense, their knowledge of the world, and the In come their wits provide tliem to bear on dress, and so many of them have acquired the subtle art of putting on clothes, virtues which the Parlslennes and Viennese have claimed for their own. Moreover, they are acquiring what the best bred women only did acquire at one time—the art of know ing when to wear their clothes; In fact, the suitability of raiment. It Is not a difficult task to dress be comingly with a pretty face and a good figure, but one of the features of our day Is that the modern woman seems to have the power of making herself good looking, or, at all events, of look ing well. The art of dressing Is to render a squat figure Uthe In appearance, at all events, and the over-tall woman of moderate height, the short one of fair stature. Unhappily there are more women who can spend a great deal of money on dress than know when and what to wear and how to put on their clothes. They introduce their jewelry at the wrong time, and too much of it. Happily, women are no longer hung In chains (not the fashion able ones), but It Is more chic to appear with some antique ornament that goes with the texture and style of the gown than to be a blaze of diamonds. Jew elry, bodice bouquets, ties and such addenda require more attention often than the choosing of the dress Itself.— New York News. iflßovdoiV Chat Mrs. Squlors, wife of the Amerlean Minister to Cuba, is interesting herself in forming a society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals In Havana. According to a woman suffragist, the newest type of "new woman" is the woman who travels all over the coun try, making public speeches to prove that a woman's place is at home. The wife of the new French Am bassador to the United States, M. Jus serand, is an American and a member of a prominent New York family. Her maiden name was Miss Elsa Richards. An order of Druldesses has been in stituted in Paris, and with it nre re vived many of the old Celtic mysteries und ceremonies. Long flowing robes of white arc worn by the women of the order. Mrs. Jane Boyes, M. D., a graduate of the Edinburgh University, has been appointed Government physician of the Island of Coll, Argyleshire. This Is said to bo the flrst instance of a woman doctor receiving a Government appoint ment in Scotland. The National Zoological Society of Great Britain has long admitted wom en as fellows, although they are not admitted to the scientific or general meetings. By a recent alteration of the by-laws that restriction has been done away with, and women who are fellows stand upon the same footing as the men. The business of pharmacists is one that Is recommended for women who wish to enter a flehl that as yet is not overcrowded. The head of a large edu cational Institution for women recent ly remarked tn public that he consid ered the occupation of druggist to be a refined and congenial one for the twen tieth century feminine worker. Science has its devotees among Ital ian women, one of whom, Signora Ber nnrdo Plrovano, of Creina, has lately taken her degree in the medical fac ulty, and broken the record as the youngest doctor of medicine and surg ery at the University of Pavln. As a physician to women and children In Florence she Is about to settle down. J£if- , XDS\