Evening Star Newspaper, August 16, 1890, Page 10

10 QUEER KINDS OF SHELLS Freaks of the Sort Found in the Na- tional Museum. BURPRISING SNAILS. ——_—___ Also Bivalves and Untv: es of Strange Degrees— A Half-Bred Shell — Lies About the Chambered Nautilue—The Argonaut and the Abalone. —_————_ HE most astonishing curiosity that bas reached the National Museum for many I Bs long day was sent hither recently by a : Frenchman named Caillaud, who has de- voted his life to the study of shells. Thore is in France « creature called the “vine suail,” which inhabits the vineyards and grows toabont the diameter of « silver half doilar, fits shell resembling in all material respects that @f certain very common water snails, Of sourse, however, water snails are of infinite wariety, and certain sort of water snail most @ommon of all bears no particular resemblance, fo far as shape is coucerred, to the vine snail mentioned. But M. Caillaud, being of an in- quiring mind, took a number of vine snails and Proceeded to denude them of their shells, tak- ing the utmost care not to injure the anima! The latter he inserted into empty shells of the common water snails spoken of, accommodat- ing the hinder parts of the land snails as well &s possible to the convolutions of the Gwellings they were intended to occupy. It is not surprising that a majority of the vine snails thus treated should have died. ‘Their new shells did not fit them at ali, being of a spiral shape, instead of nearly round, an this enforced moving must have come very hard with them. However, a few, being apes in @amp moss and deposited in» moist ceilar, not ouly survived but grew and thrived healthily. As they grew they must needs make their she! larger. and this they did by adding on to the strange shells they occupied deposits of their own proper shell matter. Fur obvious reasons it did not suit them to follow out the structural pian of their adopted tenements—they pre- ferred to make additions to their dwellings af- ter the architectural pattern recomme: by their ancestors. AN ARTIFICIAL “FREAK.” Hence was accomplished the construction of ashell—a perfect specimen of it is now de- posited in the National Museum—which exhi bits a structural combination of the land s shell and the water snail shell. 0: the shell, beginuing at the peak, is after the er suail pattern and the remaining half after that of the land snail, the latter materi: simply continuing the former as one kind of stone might unite with another stratum. Not only is the material and coloring of the land svail part different in those respects from the water snail part, but the structure of the addi- tion immediately takes the new vine snail form. Thus by artifice has been produced the most remarkable freak of nutural history, in its way, so far known to the world. Among other interesting snails in the Na- tional Museum's collection is one so valuable that a poor aud broken specimen of the same kind was sold the other day at auction for $300, istinctive pe: y material w shell of the animal. were plentiful among the earliest living forms found among the reriains of a geological epoch Prototypes of this creature erhaps fifty million y owever, there are so ars old. At present, ew such in existence » or four are known to collectors, of | that only thr The Smithsonian Institution has plenty of specimens of the snail which Roman gourmets Used to eat and sometimes train for races, just as the Chinese nowadays employ for racing purposes tortoises and cockroaches. One of the most interesting shells in the Smithsonian collection is the tar-tamed chambered nautilus, if only for the reason that so many untru stories have been culated regarding it. For some reason not altogether understood poets and others have confused it with the argonaut of the eastern seas and have told how it rises to the surface and goeea sailing for fun in caim weather. The argouant does float upon the surface of the sea in its boat-like and papery sheil, paddling itself along with little tentacles extended over the side of its craft, but the chambered nautilus is an altogether different @oncern and has no such powers of navigation. NAUTILUS AND ARGONAUT. ‘The chambered nautilus resembles outwardly e big snail shell coiled As it grows the ani- mai slides out of the compartment it has occu- ied for a season and builds a wall of pearl be- Kina it. Each pring, when moving time comes, it changes its room im this way, each time building the pearly wall behind it, until the entire interior of a full grown shell is com- | ey of a series of compartments, the animal itself inhabiting only the outermost one close tothe mouth or opening of the shell The shell, when the outer parts are removed, e bibits the most beautiful structural arrange- Ment imaginable, of chambers of pure pearl, such as any diminutive mermaid princess might be proud to live in. As for the empty cham- bers. they «re connected together by a pneu- matic tube of pearl by which the animal can exhaust and supply so as to either descend to the butter he ocean or rise from the depths toward the surface. Such are the facts ed nautilus, onaut itis the only shell fish t bas no attachment to its shell, is the one that ix found suiling; the Male hes uo shell at all. Such specimens of the chambered nautilus as are secured are al- Most ail caught im the ludiau ocean with baited traps. ABALONE AND ITS VICTIM. One of the most remarkable shelis which the Museum exhibits is that of the abalone of the Pacific coast. In that part of the world the abalone fishery is a business of importance, in- semuch as the Chinese are extravagantly fond of this interesting delic Chinese fisher- men are chiefly engaged in the industry, and their manner of prosecuting it is to go along the shore in boate between the tides and keep f sharp eye open for the prey. The abslone Bas but one shell, resembling somewhat a gi- clam shell, and is found attached to the In seoking its capture the abulone fish- @rman steals upon the game and thrusts a stick beneath the edge that it lifts to take in nour- ishment. The moment the abalone perceives the intrusion of the stick it shuts down tightly Upon it. but is promptly pried off the rock and @eposited in the fisherman's boat, Now and then it happens that a Chinaman gets his hand in the clutch of an abalone shell, and ip such a ease, unless he has friends by and these fisber- men usually travel alone—he is lost. For the S@bslone has a grip th: power can detach, an fortunate celestial is found drowned with one Of his hands inextricably clasped by a speci- men of this remarkabie univalve. BIG CONCH AND GIANT CLaws. One of the biggest shells in the world is the “queen couch,” which is largely used for food im the West Indies, The natives there know Just how to break off the peuks the shell ‘at precisely the point to detach the animal from the shells. Then it is easy enough to pull out the Dig snail. The sbelis are shipped to England to serves material for cameos, Most of the cameo brooches in the world are made from these however, requires practice; a novice would not be able to produce a sound. MAMMOTH CLAM AND DIVER. The largest shell in the Smithsonian’s pos- session is thatof agiantclam, 300 pounds in weight, which inhabits the Indian ocean and Occasionally seizes in its clutch w pearl diver who is #0 unfortunate as to get bis foot caught between its open jaws. It is a choice with such « victim between succumbing to his fate and amputating the limb with his own knife, for the bys- sus by which the monster is attached to the bottom is as strong as a oi eablo, and there is no hops of the diver’s cutting him- self loose. It is worth men- tioning, by the way, that the so-called “pearl oyster” is not really an oyster at all, but another sort of bivalve with a scientific nme too long to: bother with. One of the most prized of the musoum’s cu- riosities in the way of hells has its convolutions extended like those of a horn, instead of being wrapped up as in ordinary shells. Freaks of this description are well-nigh unknown, coe cmos FACTS ABOUT PECAN NUTS. One of the Most Profitable Agricul- tural Products. NEW agricultural industry bas sprung into being in this country recently— namely, the cultivation of the pecan nut. This de- licious vegetable product is native to no other con- tinent but this one, and grows wild in the gulf states—most plentifully in Texas, Within the last few years a number of plantations of pecan trees have been started in Flor- ida and elsewhere south, and they have been found snormously profitable. In- deed, it would seem that no other known fruit of the soil brings in anything like so much net profit per acre, The trees are not in full bearing until they are ten years old, but from that time on yield an average of more than 100 pounds of nuts each yearly. An acre of land will accommo- date forty trees, and the nuts find a ready market at 15 c ® pound wholesale. Suc! nuts as are desirable for seed fetch very much higher prices. There is one planter in this city who sells ail the nuts his pecan orchard can raise for $1 a pound. There is great dif- ference in the quality of pecan nuts, you see, the finest kind having a shell so thin as to bo readily crushed between the thumb and fore- finger and meatof a very superior flavor. The quality of pecan nuts raised in plantations has been made by selection very superior to the wild varieties already. One great advan- tage of this sort of farming is that it involves no labor or expense for picking the crop. The oldest pecau plantation is in Alabama. It was planted fifty years ago aud now produces three barrels of nuts to the tree. Its owner says that it brings him in an income of $1,000 per acre. Cer- tainly the minimum income from a pecan farm is #300 per acre, the grove being in full bear- ing. Furthermore, the trees bear up to quite one hundred years old, making ninety years of productiveness. So it appears that a planta- tion of pecans is a fair-sized fortune and a big income for any one who has the patience to wait the prelintinary decade. ‘The best way to raise the nuts is to “bud” or graft the trees with cuttings from fine cultivated ones. It is the same way with the pecan as with any other fruit; you plant the seed and you cannot possi- bly tell what will come up. but by a graft you are absolutely certain to produce the same thing that the graft is taken from, PLANTERS IN THE GULF STATES have discovered that there is big money in the g of pecans and they are beginning to go into it. Thus the production of this sort of nuts is likely soon to exhibit a very large in- crease. Fortunately the market is practically unlimited, inasmuch as otber countries do not grow them. This subject of pecan raising will form the most important section of a report shortly to appear in which the Department of Agriculture will present the results in con- denused form of an exhaustive inquiry just fin- ished regarding the nuts of this continent. Incidentally to this inquiry some interesting facts were ascertained in relation to a hickory nut very nearly as large asa man’s hand which formerly grew in the Wabash valley, Indiana. Unluekily all the trees were long ago cut down fortimber and none of them now remain, though adults in that region remember these Brobdignaggian nuts as familiar to their child- hood. ‘The pecan nut is cousintu the hickory nut and grows in a husk very like that which en- cases the latter. When the crop of pecans is to be gathered down south in the fall of the year. all the boys and men who are not too usily employed otherwise are hired to club the trees and pick up the nuts from the ground. Wagous 'y them to the nearest town. where they are disposed of. The lirger planters, however, ship directly to the north. Written for Tux Evexine Star. A JAPA IK EXECUTION. A Naval OMicer’s Description of a Scene He Witnessed in Yokahama. BOUT daylight of a pleasant summer morning in 1868, a party of officers were sent ashore in the dinghey of a man-of-war lying in the harbor of Yokahama, Japan. Notice had been Posted in town a few days previously that three men were to suffer death on that morning for the crime of robbery, and while hoping that some time during the cruise wo should have a chance to witness a “hari kari” or “happy dispateh,” we made up a party to see a decapi- tation. landed just above the French hatoba and & short walk brought us to the execution ground, sloping hillside beyond the town limits, but not inclosed. A small tent had been put up and three holes dug to # depth of a couple of feet and inline. In front of each hole was planted a stout post with an iron spike ‘on top. A few spectators, mainly foreigners, were as- sewbled undsoon a procession was s¢ coming up the lane to the ground; « bonze or priest led and behind him marched in singie file the criminals, flanked by a dozen samourai or sol- diers in charge of an officer. The menu who were to suffer death were large and fine looking, dressed in the ordinary mid- dle class costume and had their hands tied be- hind their backs, but were otherwise unfet- tered. h bad pinned to his breast a white placard inseribed with characters which I was told gave name, crime and sentence. As they passed within a few feet of me I noticed that each man was reciting in a low tone, but their bearing and features were impassive and their step firm. They were hulted a tew paces in the reur of the freshiy dug holes and the officer stepping in front read what I suppose was a warrant for the execution. I had placed my- self by one of the posts facing the men and as the reading finished a heavily built man bear- ing a two-handed Japanese sword stepped from the tent with two assistants. The sword was naked and such aé in those days avery yakonin or feudal retainer habitually carried, and the cutlery then was equal to any Toledo work. ‘The executioner stopped by the first hole while the attendante led forward the nearest an, who quickly knelt down and, bendi d his body, stretched ont his neck til ead looked down into its gra ‘The as- sistants also knelt one on each side and sup- ted the criminal in bis constrained position by holding hiv shoulders. One of them also pushed back the gown from the neck and wet the nape from a tub of water. Theexccutioner, who had been standing by with the sword rest- ing on his shoulder, then advanced his left foot. lowered his weapon toa level with his and other shells, muriatic acid serving to eat away their outer coat down to the exquisite agate or pearl of the iuner coat. It is aston- ishing. by the way, that nature should have de- Voted so much decorative effort to the inside of shells. Ordinarily she devotes herself to beautifying the outer and upper sides of things —as in the case of the leaf on the tree—but with the shell she is satisfied to make the in- terior « picture of loveliness, while the outside is as ugly as pomible until powerful acids have removed the outer coating and exposed the beauty that lies beneath. One of bey st shells in the world is the e Pact “triton” of gontally over a fire. the “canal” at the mouth Of the shell being subsequently used for a spout. Also the triton is used in con ports fore hers, thigh a: use, as if to take aim, gave a quick, dowm |. slicing cut. The head, compietely severed. disappeared in the hole and trunk, released by the assistants, straightened out with hardly a quiver, but streams of bleod gushed from the severed arteries. The other two criminals stood behind with bent heads, but so far as I could see or judge motion, and, in a shorter time , each had in his turn @ fatal stroke. the executioner affixed iked poste and the — the sp: were taken off for burial. “To stay at home is beat,” wrote Longtellow ip one of his beautiful poems. It is the in the majority of cases.—Somervilie Journal, People who bave always been wealth: enough in their manners. The aly million sire.—New Orleans Pica- NATIVES OF BOLIVIA. Interesting Facts About the Indians of South America. TRIBKRS AND THEIR CUSTOMS. The Patient, Ignorant Natives—Sad and Long Suffering—A Very Singular Ritevand From Tux Stan's Traveling Commissioner. La Paz, Borivia, July 20, HE study of Indian character, as shown in the Aymaraes and Quichuas of Bolivia, | is exceedingly interesting. ‘Though far outnumbering the whites the govern- ment finds no trouble in keeping them under absolute control, whatever revolts and disturbances may arise among the Cholos and other citizens. Grave, silent and sad, when not intoxicated, and never noisy in their most hilarious moments, always at work, geatle, servile and peaceable, they are willing hewors of wood and drawers of water, not one iota above the mules and lamas they drive; indeed, the latter asa rule are better fed and more kindly treated, because of more commercial value, Not only is this true of the pgonson the reat estates, but those who are free to come and go, work or starve, as they will, aro sl no less, and to more cruel masters—poverty and ignorance. As there are no means pro- vided for educating Indians they are forever debarred from having any voice in tho affairs of the land of their fathers. The ruling class, descendants of the Spanish conquerers, assert, but without truth or reason, that an Indian is incapable of education and unfitted by nature for auy higher piane in life than he now occu- pies, as a mere beast of burden. THE WORKS OF THE INCAS that still remain, magnificent temples, ter- raced mountains and splendid roads, effectu- ally refute this statement, and even in these days, after three centuries and a half of slav- ery, there are occasional shining examples of Indians who have struggled outof their en- vironment ito the hignest positions, The common herd, however, since the spirit of their ancestors was so thoroughly broken by Pizarro and his gang, will make no protest against whatever may be put upon them, and the temptation to keep them in servitude is too great to bo resisted by the lazy conquistadores, who may thus enjoy the fruits of unpaid labor, ng “Christianized” the original owners of the soil in the lump, as it were, and rendered them obedient to the laws of clfurch and state, the philanthropy of the white race goes no farther. WHEN THE SPANIARDS came to this continent, about three hundred and fifty years ago, they found nearly all the vast territory that is now occupied by Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chili inhabited by three reat tribes, the Aymaracs, Chinchas and Huancas, united under one form of govern- ment. The Aymaraes were the ruling rac and from their number came the Lucas, o1 emperors. They occupied the highlands of Peru and Bolivia and were more advanced in civilization than either of the others. The Chinchas lived along the coast, the Huancas were scattered among the mountain valleys, and the Quichuas came from the north, Quito having been their ancient capital, Gradually the Aymaraes conquered the other tribes, and their system of colonization seems to have been wiser than any that superseded it. THE SUN DEITIES. According to tradition, the Aymaraes had existed since the beginning of the world, but were sunk into barbarism and perpetually at war with one another, when the Sun, their tutelary divinity, sent his own children to earth to redeem and instruct them. Two sun deities cam anco Capac and Mama-bella, bis sister, who was also his wife. The isiand in Lake Titicaca, where they were believed to have made their first appearance, has ever since been regarded as holy, and to this day shows the remains of their most sacred temples From this point Manco Capac traveled north- ward, carrying a golden staff. At a certain piace the stick sank into the ground, a sign from the Sun god that there he should tarry aud found a city, which was called Cuzco, and atterward Decaine the imperial capital of the In-as, The same idea of a savior of divine parentage runs through many forms of religion. As an historical character Manco Capae does not greatly differ from Jesus of Nazareth, Osiris of Egypt, the Scandinavian Odin, the Chinese Fohi or the Hindoo Buddha, He was the first of along line of kings, who gradually subdued the surrounding tribes and established sun worship in place of whatever might have been the more ancient religion. They built four highways, that still remain, leading from Cuzco to tho four cardinal points, and erected mag- nificent temples, palaces, walls and forts, TREATMENT OF THE CONQUERE! When their armies had conquered a province they brought the idols of the tribe, together with the chiefs and their families, to Cuzco, where they were treated with every mark of kindness and respect, aud when the chiefs had been thoroughly instructed coucerning the power of the Inca and the spirit of his regime they were sent back to their former homes and were often restored to their official positions as representatives of the government at Cuzco, ‘Taxes were reduced in the conquered provinces, the poor cured for, the children instructed in the language of the empire, and though great- est respect was shown for the more ancient forms of worship the people were carefully taught the religion of the Incas, ‘To make sure that there would be no future rebellion among the conquered nation colony of several thousand Aymuraes was sent to live among them and as many of the subjugated people were brought to the towns whence these colonists were taken, where they were given great advantages, including large tracts of land exempt from taxation, and were made to feel im every way that the transfer had been for their benefit, ‘Thus it happens that so many Quichuas are found down here among the Aymaraes and vice versa, ALWAYS SEPARATE, Though living side by side for centuries, these two great nations have preserved their original distinctness, never uniting in marriage and seldom associating, and such @ thing as the admixture of either race with European blood was never known. In Puno. where uine- tenths of the people are Indians, the Aymaracs hold their daily market in the great square fronting the cathedral, while the Quiclaas oc- cupy another plaza for the same purpose, ‘The former tribe, which iv most numerous, inhabits the southern section of the city aud the latter the northern portion, In the street where the two divisions come together a stream runs through the center, spanned by numerous queer little arched bridges, and though the people living on the opposite sides are gener- ally friendly with one another they nover cross the dividing line and hold no social inter- course, Says Kuox: “Only in their resistance to the Spanish conquest did they make common cause aud have fought side by side in every revolt against the oppressor. Both dignified, silent and sad, and as them they seem to be musing o1 tunes of the last three ceuturies HOW THE PEOPLE DIFFRR, Though much alike in personal appearance, except that the Aymara menare taller and more powerful than the Quichuas and their women are af possible uglier, one can distinguish scions of the two races ata glance wherever met by “the cut of the jib,” soto speak. The Quichua men wear very short trousers, barely reachin: to the knee, ponchos, or blankets, sitiped with brilliant colors, their heads thrust through slits in the middle, and hats, if any, a great deal too small for their heads. Each woman of the tribe is lage fs seen with a bundle at her back made by a blanket folded ys bare. headed, her frowsy black hair braided with white strings, the latter braided together at the ends, THE MALE AYMARA wears very wide trousers of black woolen, slit ‘© long way up the leg, either at the back or the outer ase and underneath full drawers of coarse white cotton, which flop about his ankles as he walks, On his Ini bart sandals; on his head @ knitted cap of brilliant colors, with ear laps and a long poin new por ag ay over ~~ nose or bobs wi ‘wearer dog trot. if Their oa uni onlay weer F i. 7 THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C., SATURDAY, AUGUST 16. 1890-SIXTEEN PAGES ing. it is ead, worn by every member of thi tribe through all generations ever since their beloved Atahualpa, the last of the Incas. was basely murdered by Pizarro, women's shawls are fastened at the breast with a huge oS of brass or silver, shaped like a spoon, eir hats are the oddest, generally made of black velvet or blue flannel put on curtain fashion over a wide platform of pasteboard ex- i ree all sround like an um BABITS AND DRESS There is considerable difference in the dress and its of portions of the same tribe who dwell in different pueblos. For example,while many of them, both men and women, wear their Jong bair carefully braided in many small strands which hang straight down the back, others morely tie their locks together at the nape of the neck without braiding; others cut the Back hair, but cultivate a heavy shock which falis over the eyes like a “bang,” and others let it grow as naturo wills, without the aid of comb or scissors. There is an infinite variety of hats, too, all of most peculiar shape. Though all these Indians are intensely Romen Catholic in religion, many of their cus- toms and superstitions show traces of the ancient faith of their fathers. To cite a fow of them: In the days of the Incas, whenever a ~~ Indian had climbed a hill, at the top of it e laid down his load, bowed low toward the east, invoked the name of Pachacamac, one of their principal deities, who was supposed to be the jadge of the human race, repeating three times the word Apachicta, the abbroviation of & sentence ignitying I give t! 8 unto him who has enabled me to endure thus far,” at the same time presenting to Pachacamac an offer- _ consisting of a hair pulled from the eye- lash, some chewed coca, and @ sinail stone or bandiul of earth. REMNANTS OF THE OLD FAITH. Today the traveler observes on all the ronds near the summit of the cordilleras many mounds of stones or earth, the result of these offerings, and every modern Indian leay thereon asimilar tribute, though pcrhaps i signification may have changed or the deity to whom it is addressed may bear another nai ‘They also have a superstition that in order to return by the same route in safety it is neces- sary to smear any prominent rock which has sheltered them with sabo, the tallow of tho Hama, and to throw against it cuds of chewed coca.’ If thoy have no tallow they mutter an extra prayer or two, hoping that the mysterious ower will excuse their poverty; but no Indian is so poor that he cannot spare a little coca, Both Quichuas and Aymuraes observe this cus- tom and the latter set up endwise pieces of slate or small stonesin every crevice of the rocks on the road to prevent the exit of evil spirits, CASTING STONES. In crossing any ridge they cast a stone upon the heap that is always to be found there, and murmura few words, whose signification no white man understands. These cairns, called apachetas, are generally topped by a huge cross. and may be found at the summit of every Lill all over the land, Not an Indian, drunk or sober, will pass one without uncovering his head and saying a fering; but the sec: closed. even to inquisitive priests at the con- fdvsional. There are other cairns still more ancient, whose purport and history nobody knows.’ They are set exactly on the apex of the hills—square mounds, each about six feet high and hollow inside—built of stones, well set and plastered over. Many of them have been taken down by curious people in the hope of finding buried treasure inside, funeral relics or other traces of their original use, but noth- ing has ever been discovered. TERRESTRIAL DEITIES, Besides the gods of heaven the ancient South Americans seem to have had a great many ter- restrial deities, all of whom received sacrifices and some were worshiped in temples. A rem- nant of the old faith may be found among the Indians of today, who at harvest time offer to the earth (Mama-Pacha”) an oblation of chicha and ground corn, imploring her to give them an abundantyield. Aftera field has been planted a cairn or altar of stones is erected in the middle, on top of which is secured a sheaf of wheat or shock of corn, ‘The sea, also (“‘Mama-Coche”), comes in for ashare of worship, and is piously invoked by those Indians who dwell near it. They believ not without reason, that many of those di eases which are rife between the coast ani the sierras, come out of the ocean on the wings of mist and vapor, and they implore Mama- Cocha to send them health instead. On the banks of rivers « ceremony is still performed much like that called mayuchalla in the Inca worship. None of the mountain In- dians can be coaxed or driven across a stream, large or small, until they have first taken a lit- tle water into the hollow of the hand and in- voked the god of the river to permit them to pass in safety; then, having drank the water, they throw a little corn or coca into the stroam, It must be remembered that there are few bridges in the country, and during a portion of every year the rivers that are now easily forded become dangerous torrents. REVERENCE FOR COCA. From time out of mind these tribes of the southern continent have regarded coca with extreme reverence, worshiping the shrub itself and using its leaves in their religious ceremo- nies. Ince priests chewed it during divine ser- vice, and it was believed that unless those worthies were well supplied with coca the favor of the gods could not be propitiated. During the 350 years that have intervened Christianity has not been able to eradicate this deep-rooted idolatry. To this day it is the general belief that any business undertaken without the benediction of coca leaves cannot prosper. The Indian workmen in all the mines still throw coca suds upon hard veins of metal to sotten the ore und lighten their lapors. In every ancient grave a supply of coca leaves is found with the mummy, and the Indians of to- day put the same into the mouths of their dead in order to secure for them amore favorable receptien in the unknown world. Whenever a wandering Peruvian happens to fall in witha mummy, a not uncommon occurrence, since the whole country is one vast cemetery, he reverently presenta it with a few coca leaves, believing that the soul which once inhabited the shriveled heat Arto report his generosity to the lgrd of the better country, HOUSEHOLD Gops. The belief in household gods remained in fall force long after the conquest, and every poor hut had its lares and penates. More than re after the supposed conversion of the and the destruction of their idols the Archbishop of Lima found it necessary to in- dite a pastoral letter to his priests in which he recommended them to put the following ques- tious through the confessional to all the In- dians and to insist upon truthful answer thereto: “What is the nume of the principal huaca (idol) to which you pray in this place?” “To what huica do you pray for protection to the crops?” “What hills, rocks, springs, lakes and rivers do you worship?” “What huaca do you si ramet before going to work that the Spaniards may not ill-treat our” “What dead bodies of chuchus (twins) or chaepas (bi born feet first) do you reta and where are they concealed: “It must also be inquired with tact and pru- dence how many children they have hidden away so that the priests may not find and bap- tize them.” Faxnie B. Warp. ————— Why He Was Anxious. From the Jewelers’ Circular. Mra. Magnus Scott (prepared to go out)— “Does this gold necklace match the white lace ot my dress?” Mr, Magnus Scott—“It does.” Mrs. M. 8.—“Would silver look better and cooler?” Mr. M. §.—“It would not. Mrs. M. 8.—*:How does my hair look?” Mr. M, 8,—*‘Comme 11 faut.” Mra. M. S.—‘Is my bonnet on straight?” Mr. M. 8,—‘“Very. Can you see the holes in my socksi” Two Dorothys. Who 3 dainty di emooth und neat, Haen curl end Fiobon in its places dove-like maid with brow demure, Beuenin her bonnet’s shady hho quiet aits within the pew, ud grevely reads the service And joins in every hymn; ‘The sweetest maid that could be found From Cubs to the Bay of Fundy; ower, Joveliest that > through, STYLES FROM ABROAD. More Reforms in Women’s Fashions Worthy of Consideration. DRESSES, HATS AND SKIRTS. What Women Are Thinking About— Models Followed by the English—Gar- dening Costumes and Shooting Sulte— The Divided Skirt; Its Impracticability SSE Written for Tax Evexrxe Stan. ASHIO) from abroad send the airiest hate and studies of wash silk and fine cot- ton gowns in little variations on each other, The hats have transparent brims, for instance, one with broad brim of black net e: broidered in white point esprit, Inid in quilles on the satin wired foundation, the crown ot large blue corn flowers clustered to veil but not conceal the hair, with aigrette of the flowers at the left, masses of gaily striped ribbon bows, with late flowers, like yellow and black rud- beckia, zinnias and echrysanthemums or large starry asters, are seen as fall approaches, These rich flowers and ribbons are agreeable alterna- tives for the wings and velvet of the first of September hats. These are Viennese models. The English hats and bonnots of the season are things to wonder at, not toadmire. The effort seems to be to get a sailor hat on the tall pork pie, to which the English girl still fondly clings, It is not remarkable that money is the only bait that tempts the ordinary English young man into marrying. It wo: ake avery large fortune to overcome one’s reluctance to the tall and awkward English girl, who woars the most unbecoming things on principle, one would way, and is the most utter and incredible inno- cent on so many points, If she 1s six feet two in height, with a six- teen-inch waist, she always wears a melancholy long cloak or a short “smart” jacket, whic! gives her the benefit of all her length, und tops the figure with a pork pie hat and the closest possible brim. THE MODEL THEY FOLLOW. A middling middle class English woman must be of all creatures on earth the most try- ing to live with, if her companion bas a spark of originality or taste. The better class En- glish woman unconsciously models herself on the high-bred ladies she meets abroad—and travel is a forcible educator. The colonization of French dressmakers in London has done ev- erything for her dress, so that a really elegant Londoner might pass for a Viennese as far as toilet is concerned. The instructed American has a natural e: for dress, and will by and by be among the dressed women on the earth when she learns the artistic virtue and value of simplicity—not to gouge out a scallop here or a gash anda point there for the mere sake of slashing and gouging, or to insist on having her skirt ar- ranged in pleats one side and looped the other for fear of uniformity. A PREVALENT FORM OF INSANITY. There is a certain insanity in this demand for constant change in shapes and trimmings, the inability to restore auy idea which marke the flighty demented. Among the most approv- able of the late designs’from abroad is a walk- ing dress whieh might be worn by rand duchess at a German or Frenc ark the transparent hat of mousseline de soie, with fluted brim, graceful, frilled fichu and moderate sleeve, close enough to the forearm for the long tyrol glove to protect it, the plain full skirt with beading at the wide hem. It is ® pretty model for fine cambric or soft printed linen. The huge rush chair, which screens from the wind, shows how comptely our continental friends study comfort, Another figure in crepon and silk ise study for early fall dress, The skirt, alternately of plain wool aud knife pleated silk, reverts to the accordion idea, which is pretty in spite of its vulgarization, The sleeves may be of damask. in embossed figures or in the fine eutwork done by hand, which is as different from the coarse machine work seen as valenciennes is from crochet, FINE COSTUMES FOR FINE DAMES, Damask silks in old Italian patterns o% pea- cock feathers, plumes, palms and heraldic fig- ures are in high vogue abroad with the inner circles of fashion. Newer patterns are distinct ferns and papyrus or rich diaper, made up with lustrous soft gros grain. Long polonaise effects will be seen in autumn dresses, with wide vests of embroidery or seeded jot. Very rich plain princess gowns of damask or plain silk have a close-titting skeleton visite, outlining the shoulders and extending in long points on the skirt. This beaded attachment is fastened by hooks and eyelets to the waist so as to be detached when desired. Cloth gowns will be simple, with embroidered or beaded neckbands and waists, large velvet pockets and waists whose fulness is held by two large folds each side the front. Belts are not worn with the new dresses. SHOOTING DRESSES. The shooting dresses offer good models for mountain climbing and botanizing waiks or oy amateur gardening, for which there are some | excellent examples among society women. A neighbor of Mrs. Hicks Lord speaks of seeing that Indy busy in her garden mornings with trowel and plant fork, actually digging in the flower beds with her own hands. And why not? It is sovereign for beauty and good spirits aud demands a dress accordingly. A plain skirt of homespun, tweed or liven twill, short to the ankle, with Norfolk jacket and ample pockets on the outside of the skirt just in reach of the hands, is worn by Evglish ladies for shooting over the turnips. It is to be hoped our women will be content to don the dress and draw the line at shooting. Killing for amusement is such unconditional cruelty that a woman wholly unsexes herself in attempting this sport. One can feel more re- spect for a Sarah Althea Terry drawing a pistol over her injuries than for a well-bred woman killing birds because it is the fashion. A GARDENING CosTUME. For gardening or walks through the dew the skirt is faced ten inches outside of the hem with fine waterproof. The jersey drawers and stockings in one of black wool are worn with such a dress or the knickerbockers of cloth like the skirt. High top boots are an affectation, the buttoned gaiter to the knee being very much better, Gloves of reindeer skin wi > vised, as they will wear and wash. Linen gaiters to the ankle are very neat and comfort- abic for town or country in the dusty days, For Swiss climbing Euglish women diseard veils as useless against the glare of sun and snow. Instead they wear a horror of a mask of thin flanne!, with a gathered piece over the nose. A turkey rattle must be ornamental by the side of sucha diszuise. is that one of their own sisterhood wri valking dresses of Eugiish women abroad ‘too often compine ugliness and unsuitability in an almost incredible degree.” THE DIVIDED SKIRT. Women seem to be slightly or more than slightly off their heads about the divided skirt. The latest development is a skirt on an entirely new principle devised by a London tailor, The peculiar feature is that it is closed at the edge, with openings for the fect to pass through. A jiece of cloth some four yards long. we are told, is used for the front and back widths alone, Instead of cutting them the nevded length in the usual way the stuff is hemmed up certain depth, the extra length connecting the two breadths, the side widths are fitted in and openings left for the feet. The description is copied exactly, but if you 7p any idva how the thing is made and how it worn you gain more thanI do, Still, all the advantages are claimed for the new inveution— health, lightness and warmth and whatever else dress reformers and doctors desire. I fail to see any benefit in these reforms beyond giving unsettied women reg ty to ex- cited over and putting money in the kets, The reform corsets are clumsier and avier than anything made by a setiere and cost ti | of reform, for it isn't divided, all salvation in a dress reform view depending on wearing one's clothes in divisions not apparent to sight or feeling. A REAL REFORM. ‘The real improvement of late in dresses is lining the widths with stiff, light material, which keeps it out from the limbs and giv freedom aud coolness, The best shops keep the satine skirt with two or three rattans run in eng 4 to wear with lawus and limp beng: lines—old fashioned, but very light and com- fortable, not to say becoming. Nothing in the way of fancy ornaments has been as satisfactory as the biack enamel flowers for brooches, whether the pansy with a diamond dew drop, which one may have for a morning in at $35, or the same design in rhinestone for ‘3. The idea was too pretty not to be experi- mented on, and this season has the same de- signs iu white enamel and brilliante—the daint- iest of summer ornaments. sy. primrose eae 6 starflower and four-leaved clover are few designs, cool looking and durable. Th new diamond eardrops are bung by a hinge to | the wire, giving tho most tretaulous light to | thetr beant Etresoan gold set with small iamonds is worn for day ornaments, and is | more beautiful than costly. FOR TABLE Use. Sets of peach kuives with curved, keen Pointed, gold-plated blades and handles of Hungarian parcelain are the last coqnetry ofthe dinner table. Exquisite dessert bowls and fiagons appcar in the amber glass, casod in gold filigree, set with sparks of jewelled lags, if not real small stones. The choicest inners, however, for summer aro set out with white, satiny linen and abundance of crystal in pierced silver setting, and only faintly tinged flowers and ferns are allowed in the white, icy glitter. The plush dinner scarfs and colored Satin underlays are left to hotel and restaurant or middle class dinners. A plush mat with wine drops or spots of gravy grows hideous. | | Meat be frozen too suddenl It is out of taste at best. About our eating we | want nothing that will not wash and come out | purity itself. Besides, plush and satin are | “smelly” and recall the roast duck and ns sauce too long. Linen damask, cut work and drawn borders, are the onl ble and th science. sort, or with subdued perfume. fabrics allowable near a dinner ta- Sweet peas are too much with stewed chicken and mush- | rooms, Scentiess g.scden pinks, cora flowers | nd black scabious do not force their odor upon you, Spider lilies, clematis (white and purple), ate spinas are safe tablo flowers, arranged with ferns and eyperns in loose feathery sprays as high and lightly as possible. A’ flower and bud, with afrond or two of fern, is the taste, and as little satin ribbon as your feelings will permit you to give uf BAD TASTE, The dinner favors lately told of, with four yards of ribbon to the posey, savor of the haberdasher's shop. Why not decorate with artificial flowers and millinery entircly? Have the flowers in clear crystal and silver holders, plain glasses in silver cups, card holders and in baskets answeriug every purpose when cake askets and deca out, making a table, with a tail. slender centerpiece whose long feathery trails fall fringe-like tothe cloth. Seeding and — grasses are very graceful among the owers, which should be starry and single or much ruffled and silky leaved. The big hybrid perpetual roses are too much for gracetul decoration. They look fitter for the salad bowl. Between the outer vases arrange oblong dishes of dessert fruits, the smaller the better, as the Alpine strawberries, which are in supply till November if any one takes the trouble to grow them, a saucer of which will perfume a room. But no crystallized fruit in summer, please, although the gracious English writers whose ideas we are working over do recommend them for the fruitless dinner tables of London. Trails of the edible flowers fashionable at wed- ding breakfasts will we dispense with. Although atthe Stanley wedding the feature of the wed- ding breakfast was the lovely crystalized edi- ble roses, gardenias and orange flowers ar- ranged in sprays along the table, here is something prettier and more suitable: Sow your date stones in small flower pots filled with rich, peaty soi! and sand; water well and keep warm, and they grow into pretty table palms with long pinnate leaves. The florists abroad grow quantities of them for table and house decoration, Probably we cannot with these treat ourselves to the guipure tablecloths from the Vosges, which sell for ducal tables with their dozen of serviettes for £240 Neither do we desire our pillow c with hunting scenes, towns and landscapes, a3 were those of the Austrian archduchess just married. Slipahaudful of fresh rose petals inside your pillow case daily and you will envy neither duke nor kaiser bis delights. The best are in reach of us all. Suincey Dani edict Gen, Lee’s Narrow Escape. Written for Tux Evesixe Stam, During the year 1886 I gathered material for ae history of the Cumberland valley, Peunsyl- vania, While engaged in the prosecution of the work I was compelled to traverse the terri- tory through which Lee's army passed in the invasion of 1863, which culminated in the bloody battle of Gettysburg, and became ac- quuinted with many circumstances and inci- dents not found in the current histories of that campaign, One of these is the following: After the main portion of the confederate army had crossed the Potomac and was ad- vancing along the valley the column with which Gen, Lee was marching arrived at the town of Greencastle, Franklin county. The pike from Williamsport to Chambersburg is the main street of the village. On this street came nigh occurring one of the most tragical events connected with the career of the leader ofthe army of northern Virginia. A young man by the name of Appeuzeller, aged eighteen or nineteen, had but rece: tly re- turned from a year's service in the Union army. Inflamed wit! burning zeal to do something for his country's salvation, he conceived the bold idea of shooting Gen, Lee from his borse as he rode at the head of the column along the street in front of his father’s residence. Repairing to tho second story of the honse, he partially opened the shutters, and through the aperture intended to protrude his double-barreled shotgun well loaded with buckshot for the occasion, aud having stricken down his victim, escape through rear openings which he had prepared with great thoughtfulness, ‘This bold plan was, howover, frustrated by the excessive anxiety of his paternal ancesto: When the advance guard reached the village it rode briskly along. occasionally snatching a hatoracoat from some well-clad spectator, This induced the father to look about for his son, who, he feared, might be captured and hastened away asa prisoner of war, Alter | earnest search along the street he finally be- thought himself of the loft, and at once went thither to investigate. To his great conster- nation he found his boy in the attitude already alluded to, ready to dare and die if necessary. A firm veto was interposed. The boy was reminded of the great risk he incurred of being himself destroyed immediately and tho certainty that the village would be burned red gs inhabitants sorely punished for such a x The earnest protestations of the father ulti- mately prevailed over the rasbness of the boy aud rebel chief was permitted to ride eh pg the village unharmed aud spared to lead Lis scarred but jubilant veterans to conflict on the bloody field of Gettysburg. Ihave wa ye met the gentleman re- ferred to. He is now a man engaged in oon- ducting @ prosperous mercantile —— 4 SORES aie cern London’s Want of Open-Air Pleasure. From the London Daily Telegraph. It is beyond question that, by comparison with the populations of other European capi- tals, the inhabitants of London are badly off tor open-air entertainments of the class abund- antly afforded by the French “Foire,” the Ger- man “Kermasse,” and the Italian ‘Fiera”—that is to say, music and dancing, swings and merry- go-rounds, melodramas and raree shows such as were easily accessible to the pleasure-loving cockney before the sup; of Chalk farm ha Gescumich aire, "tn Goo other hand, the peaceful denizens of a densely populated met- FROZEN MUTTON FROM La PLATA. Details of the Preparation of It—Sheep of One Year. A correspondent of the Journal de Geneve sends from La Plata a description of a visit which he had paid toa manufactory at St. Nich- olas, upon the Parana, for the preparation of frozen meat. After pointing out that the os sential thing for a manufactory of this kind is to be able to place the congealed meat directly on board the steamer without coming even for @ few minntes into contact with the sun, he says that the manufactory in question hase wharf upon the river bank, at which vessels of 2,500 tons burden can lie at anchor, so that the ear- casses of the sheep are conveyed direct from the freezing chambers of the factory to those of the steamer. Several hundred sheep selected by competent buyers are brought eac! day to the meadows outside the slaughter house and are allowed to rest for «few hours so that they may be killed in good condition, They are slaughtered aud dressed so rapidly that twenty men can easily dispose of 1,000 animals in the course of the day, The car- asses are hung up to d for several hours and th: in rege chamber then taken to a | the first freezing chamber, those carcasses which show the slightest « defect being put upon one market of the town, The first freezing ehamber is only abont 10° Fahrenheit, as xt 18 not desirable to let the upon the surface, of any wound or ide and sold at the | but rather that the cold air should netrate | gradually inward. After being for a few hours in the first freezing chamber the carcasses are | taken intoa second, where the temperature ie as low as 30 w zero, remaining there for three davs, at the end of which time they are completely congealed aud are as hard as wood. ‘Wey are then pinced in coarse muslin bags to rotect them from dirtand await in the store house (the temperature of which is the same as that of the second froezing chamber and which Will hold 30,000 carcasses) the steamer which is to convey them to England. About three hundred thousand sheep were disposed of at the St. Nicholas manufac ory inst year, and it is estin that each © | Weighs upon an average 48 pounds |sheep do not cost more th the meat sells for 4d. a pound, te a gow margin for profit even after payment of freyht | (not quite a penny a pound) and other expenses, | the more so as the Argentine government pays | @ small premium. Morcover, nothing is wasted | at St. Nicholas, fur, while the fat is apecially | prepared for the market, the blood is used tor | Manure, while the offal 1 all sent to Buenos Ayres. Moreover, the engines burn compara- | tively little coal, not more than two and one= half tons a day, and this iano small economy in a country wher: costs £4 a ton. +o THE ENGLISH “SMART” WOMAN, Characteristics of an Able Personality. 4 Shining “A great deal has been written Intely about woman, her position in the world, and the dif- ference between that which she now holds and that which she held a century ago,” remarks a writer in the London World, “yet little bas been said as to the new feminine type which has been developed by contemporary eociety. The smart woman is, however, one of the most important factors which sway the social sphere, and as amazons in times past claimed their place and kept their names in history, so should the smart woman of today have her distinctive features noted, that some slight portrait of herself and of the powers and prerogatives she wields may be handed down to future genera- tions, enabling them to understand in what measure and by what right she reigned. “dhe quality of smartness is difficult to de- fine, for its essence is very variously distilled, Some smart women are of high rank and great wealth; others are rich, but by no means well born; others are well born, but by no means rich, whiie some who can claim neither birth nor riches are yet undeniably, even su- premely, smart. The women who belong to this freemasonry are easily recognized the mo- ment they enter a room. Their clothes are baa been poured int « and bonnets, inste ng like the mod- els of mere milliners, appear the creations of @ genius who has knowu exactly what flowers or feathers are fitted to the tac . “The smart woman is alway y, and her hair, whatever the fashion of the hour may be, is in it, yet not of ft, tor there is always ao tain cachet about the « which is never produced bs The truth is that the smart woman has an in- dividuality of her own, and it i this which gives her social sway to which, on other grounds, her pretensions are often somewhat erally, too, is superbly scif- She is almost always good looking and thoronghiy aware of that fact, and also of such further detatis as the perfection of her both in fit and fashion, and the fascina- vorsntion. rs a room, dispensing greetings, ranging from bows and smiling glances to the regulation handshake, the smart woman feels that she is one of the most important peoyie there, be the rest who they may; and whether she stands in a ¢ & select coterie, or sits en} iscoursing to her intimates, her talk 1s ripened by her knowl edge that it will be listened to, and that frag- ments of it will dont remembered and When vege The air of amiability which seems say, ‘How dul! you are, you poor, dear folk! ; I have come to amuse you for a bit,’ y nice; and the way in which she estab- lishes herself in some comtortuble chair, with her feet well out in front of her, andof course crossed, is decidediy distinctive “It 1s obvious that, unlike the unfortunate Irishman who had to play cricket in a frock coat because he hnd ‘no confidence in bis shirt,” the smart woman is very sure of her shoes, Undoubtedly, to be bien chaussee, bien gautec, is agreat matter, but to know it isa greater, a8 those doubting damsels can bear witness who enter a ball roow filled with trepidation concerning the fit of their gloves and the pos sibilities of some #ud or who climb to pach agonies of mind hear boots, &e., below. ‘To the pangs are ail unknown; abe ein beauty,’ for every detail of her dress is always what it ought to be. And not in dress only does her discretion show it- self. The nart woman ever goes to the he unsmart—places; apd if she # go to the right ones she stays at © woman who cannot exercise this self- denial can claim the cachet of smartness, for to be seen at the wrong places or to go to the right ones, such as Ascot, in the wrong way sets that fatal stamp “middle class’ upon ber carcer and crishes it, however promising. To be im the fashion is nothing. ‘lo bo the fashion is the thing, and the woman who contrives to go to the right houses, to accentuate her presence there suflicientiy for it to act asa passport to ‘fresh woods and pastures new,’ and who, by judicious selection of her cavaliers, has made it ‘the fashion to be seen walking with Ler in the park, to take her to operas, theaters, &c., has constituted herself @ smart woman sans redire. “The type is one which finds no rallied smong the great Indies and the reigning beau- ties of a former age, and now there are so few great ladies, while beauties come and beauties go. but tho smart woman fiows on forever. Often she has a taste for clever and out-of-the- way people, and, when she has means to enter- tain her friends, shows some skill in the min- gling of wit and worldliness—an art to which the ordinary hostess is wholly a stranger. The smart woman often reads a good deal a! rather widely—a fact for which only those who know her intimately give her credit, aud she is more often « pleasant person, ready to do her friends turn whenever she can, than the world is at all ready to believe. “Of course there are many rude smart women who affect to forget people's names and ropolitan district cannot reasonably be ex- to put up with the holding of these al revels in their midst; nor is it al cones het ee SS ee ee ~~ be encouraged by ‘sprightly mensures” to in- dulge in the pastime of dancing on the site of 8 disused graveyard. This, however, is to ail pearance what they have been tempted to do tyme. Charles Pressiand, sammoned day to W street police court for an near Victoria Park, at wi the light fantastic toe to the strains ofa steam organ, “ the neigh- ities, only recognizing those whom they deem sufficiently smart to add to their o glory. Occasionally, through not catching name when ap introduction is murmured, or some such accident, they drop an acquaintance which they are not afterward, when its value is ina foamuont watch ofortabe thous too rarely, isa t which overtakes for this'ype of eoman fo am sbomination and wholiy in society, where discrimination and tact are #0 much needed ities whieh will win the duy in the end; for the who e