Evening Star Newspaper, January 9, 1892, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON. a ATTRACTIVE HOMES. How Rooms May Be Changed for Re- ception Purposes. INGENUITY AND TASTE ings Look Neat and Pleasant—A Tea Table and Its Accom- paniments—Growing Plants and Lamps Are Destrable—Novelties in Desk Ornaments, Written for The Evening Star. WH THE RETURN OF THE ANNUAL gay season, which will predominate our city from now until Lent, the active interest in the home changes, in its form at least. From house settling in atumn one hurries on to the preparation and distribution of Christmas gift. Now a; n the house claims the atten- tion, but in the way of making it most al tractive for receiving friends or for entertai ing in different ways. Before this tims the manual labor in connection with beautifying her home has been undergone by the house mistress, for there are always some things that abe must do, if the best results are to be ob- tained, and now only arrangement of the be- longings with a view to the best effect in en- tortaining is the ruling duty of the hour. WAPPY EYTECT OF TEMPORARY CHANGES. Some little temporary changes often make sbouse prettier for special occasions, while, perhaps, not so conducive to beauty and com- fort of every-day life, and a quick eye and prectical hand can give quitea different and more inviting aspect to rooms when they are Yo be given up solely to the use of visitors. By putting © number of chairs in easy combization one may almost insure a ¢omfortabie and satisfactory time to their eccupants, and in this way a hostess may be really aided by the inanimate objects in her drawing room if she knows enough to make them of such assistance by her skillfal arrangement Two easy chairs and a screen | may make a cozy retreat that will conduce to & tete-a-tete m in a crowd; a big corner divan is eure to be filled with « lively roup, and soon through the room or rooms Meo ating opirit may Wictate the success of her gathering of friends ina measure. As I said, the pieces of furniture may depart from their usual places, for the better goneral effect ©n special occasions or even for the whole sea- fon, which is more or less in all our homes m over to visitors and visiting. Rather ty-looking rooms may be given « really attractive look by a little good management of kind I have spoken of. ATTRACTIVENESS OF GROWING PLANTS. By all means have a few growing plants about, palms if possible, anything else that is attainable, and @ lamp or two, and as the day- light of the short winter daya wanes let the lamps be lighted as early as possible and the softened ligats under the tinted shades will ¢ast a glamour over rooms that in the broad are of merciless sunshine might be less than Pretty. With the good and cheap lamps which &re eo plentiful now every one can have these attractive additions to their rooms, the paper ades being 80 effectivejin shape and coloring sive ones are out of the question; today I sawa suggestion in regard to these , Which are apt to scorch and so bring la- bor to naught, thatis, thata thin «tripof asbestos be put on the inside of the shade where it comes near the lamp chimney, thus making it fire proof. TEA TADLE ARRANGEMENT. A tea table even of modest mien makes a further attraction in a room when one’s guests are received, or an adjoining one, whether this is the source of all refreshments offered or an ac, toa larger table. For those who wish to welcome frieuds, and yet do not care to or cannot have more elaborate tables, the tea table is quite suificient, anil an inexpensive outtit may be gotten by picking up odd things as one finds them. A pretty little tea caddy first saw the light a few days ago since it was bought one hot day last summer, when tea caddies were the last thing a shopper would be hunting for. This ene, however, came to the notice, and was so pisitgand just what a search the winter before failed “to find, that it was purchased at ence. Now it is looked upon asa prize and takes its place ena tea table which is a repre- fentation of several pleasant things. The tea- cups and teapots were painted by the hostess who serves the tea, and tea cloth broid~ ered by the same fingers which painted the china. The sugar bowl was the gift of one friend, the small cut-glass dish which holds the lemon represents ano! ‘one, and so on through the spoons, each of differ- aud from a different place, to the tea kettle, sugar tongs and tea scoop and strainer. ‘The plate which holds the small €akes or wafers was presented also, and the caddy is about the only thing which has been Prosaically purchased; so the whole idea and Sssociations of this little tea table are pleasant in the extreme. A PRETTY SMALL scrEEN. A pretty small screen on exhibition at one of the decorative art societies has been described, nd is not beyond the powers of many a home worker; a small clothes horse is the foundation of this, us of so many other effective screens, and, “like most others now, it is Painted white. Two folds are used, and ® silk curtain hangs from the to bar to the floor and on eac! woaking aback On the front reaching from the upper to the middle bar on each fold also is. piece of pasteboard-in which are a num- ber of openings for photographs. Both square and oval shapes are used for these openings and the pasteboard is covered with brocaded silk, snd is fastened to the bars at top and bottom, the silk curtain making a hack to it. In deli- cate coloring this might be*made very pretty and does not scem at all dificult of accom- plishment. ther screen with the same white frame is @rranged differently, according to another de- scription. The curtain is at the back, but is fastened to the lowest bar as well as the top and draw® in tight folds. From the upper to the middie bar on the front of each fold narrow ribbon is crossed and recrossed, making a lat- tice work, each time it crosses the var being aught with a brass tuck to the wood. Thia is for photozraphs, too, but is scarcely as effect- ive as the other. NEW THINGS FOR Desxs. New things for desis are always appearing, though it seems as if ingenuity must give out after awhile ia the matter. A hand-painted article is @ writing pad of letter paper size, with the «ide paiuted in perfect Dresden . the gay coloring showing well on i of the heavy paper which forms the cover, and which I think is put on after being painted. A novglty in paper cut- ters is a fiat ivory blade the same with all the way, but with o; ork silver overlaying one end fora space to designate a handle. “It is unique and very pretty as well as pleasant to use. ven the India rubbers which are used to erercome blunders of one kind or another have a little silver holder to make them fit to @ssociate with all the other finery modera desks are fitted up, and so: have in addition a brush for sweepin . dust made by the rubber, a silver band, more Of less ornamented, connecting the two. Penwip- ers of chamois, silver mounted, are used almost More than anything else, but I sawa pretty little one awhile ago which was tho best of any- similar which I have noticed, and which could be easily copied. Lying ou the desk it looked like two carnations, most natural in coloring. The flowers were made of dark red felt, small ¢: r enough were sewed together to make own flower olive green felt was cut to Biske the green leaves enfolding them and a tem added. Twe flowers were used ¢ half a dozen long, spiky leaves cut from the green felt, and ail'were tied together in a Graceful way with a red ribbon, and atthe tying Place they were apparently laid down upon a Small heart-shaped piece cut from the olit felt and backed by several leaves of the same, Coustituting the wiper. BIRCH BANK FRAMES. In one of the art stores quite a specialty has Deen made this winter of birch bark frames. A Focading band of wood, rather narrow, is cov- ered smootbiy with the bark, which is unpeeled Gad with as mossy g surface as possible. Out- side of thisisasiill narrower molding of oak or cherry, the frames being used exclusively for pictares in biack and white. In an exbibit Of pretty Loxes and baskets wore some square ones with «ky a i T yet seen anything made from it that pleased my fancy ip the least, though it always secms to have great possibili- ties ia that way. ‘The only piace tt ever scems i = isa mmer cottage, where rustic fects. aro apprepriate and’ where reall Weitl things may be devieed from ic Although amateur china painters will scarcely have letsure to do much work of the kind at this busy season, still when I see anything novel in shapes for their use I like to chronicle it before it is forgotten. Something new is a small bed room candlestick, with match safe in the same piece, both attached to the little tray which holds them. Another thing is a square box to be used for bonbons or on the toilet table. This is very pretty when decorated, but I believe rather difficult to obtain as yet. Cov- ered boxes of all kinds are in demand for dec- orating and novelties are desirable. . BONBON BOXES. Bonbon boxes show @ great variety in ma- terial and decoration; a pretty silk-covered one is shown in yellow. A square pasteboard box has a yellow silk bag attached to the four sides at the bottom, letting the gilded edge of the Dox show a little; the bag is put on with con- siderable fullness, and is drawn up at the top, ng the box entirely. A bowof yellow put on the top, with half a dozen but- tercups thrust through the knot. For favors pretty, and can be easily wishes to spend the time. versity generally come ctice in such matters, and with a Little charming rest wor! Information From Kussia for the Emperor Napoleon HI, Loudon Dally News. of the late Due de Morny apoleon will appear tomor- ler the title of “Une Ambas- sade en Russie” It was not intended to be | stored in foreign office archives and was writ- i ten for the emperor only. One « ppant man of ela: le of conduct. Ho often | writes in a rain, and the style is clear, jalert, gossipy and rewtable. He evidently | makes it bis object to hold the attention of the j emperor by being amusing, and addresses that sovereign in the rather familiar terms of “Mon bon empereur.” The duke, then Count Morny, was sent as ambessador to the court of Russia toward the close of the Crimean war, which was still going on when he arrived. He and Prince Gortschakoff became at onco officially engaged in preparing the basis of the peace which was soon after signed. M. de Morny at once becamo 8 Russophilc. It is only just to him to say that he remained one for the rest of his life and kept the Polish question in 1862 from being made a European one through the efforts of the French Catholies, | Hix account of ee i \¢ imper: fa re q py ttc a emperor, I wished to Paris Dispatch to clever, shallow, # Curious Methods Which Nature Adopts for Distributing Them. SOME OF THEM ARE SCATTERED BY BIRDS, WHILE OTHERS ARE CARRIED HITHER AND THITHER BY OCEAN CURRENTS, AND OTHERS STILL DE- PEND UPON THE WINDS OB EVEN THEIR OWN PRICKLINESS. HE BOTTLE HELD ABOUT A PINT, nd it was filled with » most curious mixture of wheat and other grains, different seeds, a few acorns and several dozen grass- hoppers. One would never have imagined, although such was really the fact, that the collection had formed the contents of asingle wild turkey's stomach. Evidently the dinner had been only freshly consumed when the bird was shot, because all the things men- tioned, even to the grasshoppers and one acci- dental katydid, seemed to be in a perfect state of preservation. One section of a division at the Department of Agriculture devotes its attention exclusively to investigating the contents of birds’ stom- achs, more often called gizzards, for the pur- pose of finding out whether the animals whose internal economy is thus inquired into are foos to the farmer by devouring his crops or useful on account of their appetites for insects and other creatures that prey upon cultivated plants. It is by such means that the harmful character of the English sparrow has been de- termined, while in the same manner the crow | has been made to give evidence against him- self which warrants a wholesale condemnation of his species, At the same time, as is the case with Jim Crow, the same bird'is likely to do some good and some injury at the saine time, the problem being to balance the two by a caretul inspection of the contents of thous- ands of gizzards. To the result in each case a record is appended, and ¥o no judgment is ren- dered against a feathered criminal without due sleration. ‘estimony afforded in this way is irrefragi- ble. When each stomach is cut open its liquid contents are strained off through muslin and the solid residue is inspected witha magy ing glass. Seeds form a large part of the food of most birda, and to identify them when partly digested is sometimes very difficult. Accord- ingly, to make the task easier. samples of 600 different varieties of sceds are kept on hand in little vials for comparison, duly labeled. HOW BIRDS DISTRIBUTE SEEDS. Birds perform in nature's behalf an import- ant function in the distribution of seeds. They write at leisure, but this condition is an im- sible one in this whirl of fetes, ceremonies, alls,reviews, visits, &e. The Russians under- stand the art of gotting up fetes. They might learn a good deat us, but we might also imitate them with advantage, were it on!y in their way of lighting 10,000 wax candles in five minutes by means of @ thread which unites all the wicks. ‘The members of the imperial fam- ily are remarkable tor thetr easy, gracious and exquisitely polite manners. They go to great trouble to be nice with foreigners. but they do not receive nearly so many of them as wo do. If we treated as well all the strangers we re- ceive we should be obliged to make our own people eat at the servants’ hall, ‘The army is afine one. The emperor and grand dukes attend to it energetically and with intelligence. It the basis is sound it must be a prodigious force te wield, but individual intuition is wanted The officers are all_ gentlemanly and polite, speaking French and German and. rid- ing well. Their zeal is stimulated by a thou- sand different sorts of rewards. Gencrals and colonels are flattered by a variety of distinc- tions. Nothing in this way is neglected. ‘The nobles are no longer boyards.” Serfdom is more a term than a fact, except in remote country estates. A solution of this question is earnestly sought for. The emperor. every one says, treats me better than any ambassador was ever treated before. ‘No member of the imperial family ever mee:s me without asking what news L have to give of your majesty and the empress, in whom they slow deep interest. The words ‘sym- pathy for France’ are so oft repeated as to affect one’s nerves. The wind blows in a French direction. Must I repel the advances made me, receive them coldly, or be open to them and promote good relations? It 1s for your majesty eatall kinds of berries, digest the pulp and finally deposit the seeds uninjured and in con- dition to germinate. Doubtless the most im- portant reason why seeds in general are pro- vided with such hard and tough shells is that they may be preserved from harm through the processes of digestion by various animals and in all sorts of unfavorable circumstances. The birds which thus scaiter scods are mostly of the soft-billed species, which do not have | stomachs adapted to ‘grinding. Hard-billed irds, like the jays and woodpeckers, swallow acorns and other nuts whole, grinding them up in their gizzards to obtain the nutritious meats. Seeds of the poison ivy are supposed to be distributed chiefly by crows, which are very fond of the berries containing them. They are nearly as hard as gravel stones. Some birds do a great deal of good by eating the seeds of weeds in winter. After the autumn crops have been gathered many worthless plants, like the pigweed and_barrgrass, «pring inte a rank luxuriance from the distarbed soil. When they have ripened fexthered friends of the farmers come along and feed upon their seeds, thus doizg much to prevent their propa- gation. Anestimate was made a wile ago that a single kind of winter bird destroyed at Jeast 160,000 bushels of seeds of weeds annually in the state of lowa. Naturalists are of the opinion that certain seeds, like those of the peach, the grape and all sorts of berries, are covered by nature with apulp agreeable to the taste simply for the purpose of inducing animais to swallow them, thus insuring their distribution. Man is one of the anunals which serve to carry out this intention. Wherever the troops went during the late war they scattered seeds of many us ful fruits without meaning to do so, aud c pools of the old camps may be located to this to decide. I have had several conversations with Prince Gortschakoff. He is clever and lively, parades his independence and can speak as freely as he pleases. He says he is in office to make his system succeed, and assures me that the emperor has adopted it. This is his program: Hussia should have never quarreled with France, her true ally, for a thousand rea- sons that he enumerates. France is a great and well-governed nation, and he admires d sympathizes with the Emperor Napoleon. Prince Gortschakoff was very kindly treated, he says, by Queen Hortense. “He keeps a little talisman she gave him in Ital; ~The Emperor Alexander as grand duke did Rot approve the policy of the Emperor Nicho- las. He understands that a Napoleon is re- quired to bring the French nation into a wider sphere of action and he thinks the two em- perors may enter into close friendly relations without giving umbrage to England. Prince Gortschakoff does not object to accept our present situation and to being on very good terms with us and with England, but will keep on bad terms with Austria. I have asked for nothing and promised nothing and have not tet my head be turned by the extraordinary splendor and distinction with which I am re- ceived. The French are now given the place of honor everywhere. It secras to me that it is better to accept this courtesy, as it is offered, and to prefer the friendship of Russia to that of Germany, who at bottom detests us Place at the feet of the empress the expression of my devotion. Does she wish for Siberian foxskins? Ihave heard that you are in good health and that Plombicres has doue you « world of good. This rejoices my hesrt. But what a long time T have hafl to be away from you! For this rea:on allow me to embrace you heartily.” Morny also gives, in the form of a dialogue, a lovg conversation between himself and the late ezar, who expressed stronger belief in the | alty, good sense and moderation of Napoleon IIL than of his partner, Lord Palmerston. He feared the latter would play ugly tricks on the rin regard to Naples and that his agents would foment revolution in I ‘he policy of Palmerston was to revolutionize that ecun- not see how France could merstonat Naples. She had no right inthe houe policy of any inde- endent sovereign. Russia was on all sides re- proached for suffering the independence of the King of Naples to be disregarded, and it cost the ezaragreat effort not to take his part. day by clumpsof seedling apple and pear trees. Fruit trees and bushes flourish in the ancient Fille pits. ‘The date and the olive have been widely disseminated by man, and the grape more particularly, on account of the difficulty with which the seeds are separated from the Pulp. CURRENTS OF WATER Do IT. Even currents of water serve to a vast extent the purpose of distributing seeds. Walnut, butternut and pecan trees are found close to | streams, where they drop their nuts into the passing flood, to be carried far away and start other groves perhaps hundreds of miles dis- tant. Tree seeds of many sorts are carried by oceanic currents. ‘The tlora of the east coast of Florida contains many species from the West Indies, which have been brought by the equa- torial currents through the Carribean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico and around by the gulf stream. The first vegetation that grows on the coral islands is produced in this manner. Of course, the coral building polyps only work under water, lifting the reefs they construct as high as the’ surface, after which the waves | throw upon them sand and other disintegrated | substances. In this beginning of a soil and of dry land seeds fetched by currents of the sea find a resting place, sprouting and holding the shifting ground together with their roots. | ‘Thus atter a while the reef grows into an island and big trees shade it with their branches. Seeds are distributed to a great extent by winds, Every one has seen on suinmer days the little embryo of the dandelion, floating in the air by means of the feathery parachute to which it is attached. Similar fluffy appendages carry on the lightest breezes the seeds of the cottonwood tree and milkweed. Elm and maple seeds each have a wing like the tail of a fish, so that, as they fall from the tree, they cau never tumble straight down, butare steered away. Each seed has only one wing, because, if it had two, it would have agreater tendency to go straight. SQUIRRELS AND GOPHERS GREAT SCATTERERS OF SEED. Squirrels and gophers are great scatterers of seed. They carry nuts about in their check- pouches and bury them here and there in the ground an inch to aw inch andahalf deep. They remember where a good many of thei Alexander II spoke with a bitterness which ted with his gentle disposition of Aus- 's ingratitude and perfidy. Ho described to 2e Moruy the personel appeal made by the Emperor Francis Joseph to the Emperor Nich- olas to eave his throne and the chivalrous im- pulse on which the latter acted. ‘What the Kindness Cost Him. From the Chicago Tribune. ‘The woman was poorly clad and had baby in hor arms. Her shawl was torn in places, and she looked nervous as she got on the street car, but she took a seat and drew the baby closer to ker. Whon the conductor reached her she looked up at him appealingly and said: “I haven't got any money, sir, but I've got to get to my home, such as it is. He reached for the bell cord, but before his hand touched it she said: “Please don’t put me off, sir. Don't you see it's raining, and—and I don't care for myself, but I can't carry the baby home in the rain. tease. sir, be generous this once. I'M pay ZoaaFeally I will. ‘There's no money, in the \ouse now, but tomorrow or next day I’ll——” “It's orders,” be eaid. “But you wouldn't kill @ baby for orders, would you?" she pleaded. “Don't you see it would be his death if I had toearry him home in this rain, and I've nowhere else to go.” “What's the trouble?” asked the conductor as he took his hand away fromthe bellcord “Is your husband dead? “No, but—my story wouldn't interest you, sir. It's the baby. " I wouldn't ask you ex- cept for that.” z conductor took a look about the car: There were only three other people in it. Two were paying no attention to the conv but the third seemed to be interested in it The conductor thought a moment, rang up the fare with a quick afraid to trust Miaseelf, anf ete Neo ™ “Madam, you may ride.” When he reached the rear of the woman, and one cf the form sad: he on the pat ‘A strike vc the Indianapolis swrect railway threatened because of the x hoad privileges of employes a are hidden and dig them up again, but they are sure to forget some, and these have an excel- lent chance to sprout and grow. Another pro- Vision of nature for the same purpose is found the burrs which are so annoying when they attach themselves togone’s clothing. (Inthe same way they cling t6 the fur and feathers of all sorts of animals, clinging tenaciously. They are very troublesome toshcep breeders, because they have to be removed from the wool before it can be manufactured. But all this has its object from Dame Na- ture’s point of view, because each burr contains a seed, and it has got to be scattered in zome way. ‘This isa very effective method of accomplishing it, inasmuch as the burrs follow the animals to which they have attached themselves through the wanderings and mi grations of the laiter, dropping off porhi months later, all ready to germinate. familiar “Spanish needles” are seeds likewise and the two barbed hooks which each of them carries are intended to cling in hke manner. In the kernel of a peach stone one finds what corresponds exactly 1o the meat of a nut. The only difference is that in the case of a perch the nut is surrounded by a pulp. Almonds are such near cousins to peaches that one can be grafted upon the other,and the analogy is made plainer in this instance, because the uimond on the tree is also covered by a pulp. Peaches of the cultivated varieties are so big that their seeds would not under natural conditions ob- tain much distribution, but it must be remem- bered that the primitive peach, native origi- nally to_Rersia, was no Digger’ than a smail plum. Every one knows that it is not safe to eat many peach kernels, on accountof the large reentage which they contain of that most Qeadly of polsons, prussic acid. Almonds also contain prussic acid, but the good kinds have been cultivated so as to make the percentage of their shells the poison as small as possible an as thin as may be. Yo eat very many of the thick-shelled almonds is not apt to be healthy. Prussic acid can be concentrated from h its to such a point that a single smell of it will ‘ill a person more quickly than a rifle bullet the heart. pier EE A Burglar's Invention. From the Philade:phia Record. The key-chain worn by many gentlemen is the invention of s noted burgiar who spent many years of his life inadungeon cell for plying his vocation in the hotels in this sity. While at work one stormy night trying to turn the lock of a Walnut street door the false key in tho snow, and while sourching Sor Re Guiclinen, couse along and locked, burglar and had him sent to up ity, he Ucught of Beving haye fastened tes chute. oo to» ‘that when a limb of the law appeared he could fy withoes 9 thoughtaboutthe kaye and found Sop SF ee error ways, ives one royaity from the manufacturers. ; D.C. SATURDAY. JANUAR 9, Ld 2 1892-SIXTEEN PAGES. Cuttlé Fishes and Octopods and the Uses They Are Put To. + LITTLE CUTTLE FISH, WHICH swarm in such vast numbers along the north Atlantic coast, aro near cousins to the giant squids, which grow to sixty feet in length, and have afforded material for so many aston- ishing sea yarns,” said an ichthyologist to a Star writer. ‘These small fellows do not often attain a size of over twelve inches, but they are astonishingly greedy, even devouring their own species with the utmost avidity. In a school of young mackerel they are often seen dash- ing right and left, biting with their sharp beaks a triangular picce out of the back of the neck of each fish and killing at every snap by severing the spinal cord. At »ther times they will drop to the bottom and change their color to that of the sand, so as to become almost invisible. Then whena fish comes by they dart upon it, Likes chameleon, they are able to alter their hues at will, becoming almost transparent when swimming in the water after prey. The mackerel when full grown take their turn and gobble the cuttle fish voraciously. “In fact, nearly all of the flesh-eating crea- tures that dwell the ocean feed largely upon these emall sq) Even the whales consume them by myriads, Their value as bait bas caused them to be used to a great extent for that purpose by fishermen, who often yather them in enormous quantities on the beaches, when big storms have heaped them along the shore in windrows. When the moon is full they are aptto be found stranded in great numbers—a fact attributed to a havit they have of staring at thelight. Inasmuch as they swim backward this course of proceeding naturelly results ia their running on the shore opposite tothe moon. The fisherm: take advantage of this weakness of theirs by going ont in boats with torches and advancing slowly toward the beach, when the cuttle fish retreat and run aground. Having got aground a squid rarely gets off again, because it ‘immediately proceeds to pump water with all its might out of the siphon, which is its locomotive apparatus, and thus it is driven farther up on lana, usually discharging its ink in quantities. “Cuttle fishes of several species, big and iittle, are sold in many of the markets of the world, particularly in China and Japan, They are much eaten in Chile Certain kinds, called octopuses because they have eight arms, are caught inthe Mediterranean and salted and pickled chi Oct the ‘ly for consumption in Greece. Spee are ‘also lmnted in Paget sound by ndians on the coxst, who ure skilled in ing them from canoes. iten they are serous antag oniats. The giant squidsor salamarics are alsoeaten. They are ferocious sreatures, and it is of them that so many stories are told as to their attack- ing boats and even ships. They weigh some- times many thousands of pounds, having two enormously long tentacles with whica to seize prey and eight sorter ones to hold it, all armed with enormously powerful suckere. ‘These « mals possess au approach to a brain, inclosed in @ cartilaginous skull. One of them would furnish food for a frigate. ids aud octopods are brought to the San Francisco market in considerable quantities and in New York city they are sold fresh to forcign residents. There is no doubt that their Hesh is good food, if the cousumer is only able to get over very natural prejadice against it. Cattle fish are useful in many wa: ‘The bone under. the skin of the back, w ch affords the animal some sort of substitute for a skeleton, is employed for caged birds to sharpen their beaks upon. up mito powder for absorbing blots in writin is utilized as an antacide im medicine aud 1s nade an important ingredient in dentifrice Cuttle bones for such purposes are mostly obtained from Chinese waters, although they are also collected floating in the Mediterran butno American species affor is bones. ‘The blue-black ink vent when frig! i purposes into liv ch furnish the sepia of artists, usually much adulterated. ‘This itis also ground ——_ THE ESCURIAL, The Wonders of This Great Palace of the Spanish Kings. From the Globe Democrat. The Escurial, the palace of the Spanish kings, has been termed the cighth wonder of the world. Situated twenty-five miles to the north- west of Madrid and near the top of a mountain, ithas a commanding position and may be seen for many miles in every direction. Begun by Philip II in 1563, it was finished in 1586 at un estimated cost exceeding $50,000,000. It w: built to fuldll a vow made by Philip II that if successful in battle with the French he would etect the mast magnificent mouastery in the world. The battle of St. Quentin was fought on Au- gust 10, 1557, the feast of St. Lawrence, and the monastery buildings commenced in fulfiliment of the vow took, in honor of St. Lawrence, the form of a gridiron, as on this implement the saint is reported to have suffered martyrdom. Seventeen ranges of buildings crossing each other at right angles form the ribs of the grid- Explorer Glave Corrects Popular Impressions About Alaska. E. J. Glave, one of Henry M. Stanley's assist ‘ants in establishing the Congo Free State, who started sbout nine months ago on an exploring expedition to Alaska, has returned. He had, he said, demonstrated the fact that the whole country east of Schwatka’s Field is available for pack horses and is suitable for traffic, Starting at the mouth of the Chilkat river, ‘Mr. Glave went with the first horses which had ever been taken to that portion of Alaska, about 110 miles to the northeast of the Mount St. Elias range of mountains. He found » country far different from what has generally been supposed to exist there. It is fertile, abounding in grasses and other vegetation, flat in large sections, like the western prairies, and watered by rivers, some of which are « half mile wide. Berries grow there There aro groves of fir and epruce and tamarank, and in the streams aro selmon in great abundance. As timer in the summer the thermometer rises to the nineties, and the region is, according to Mr. Glave, more likea park than the wild, barren country which all Alaska is sometimes supposed to be. 5 Mr. Glave was with Stanley in Africa for some years and any hardships which experienced in Alaska, he said, were in The trip had really been a pleasant one. took four horses from Seattle,” said Mr. Glave, “and I believe they were the first ones ever seen in the portion of the country we ¥ ited. Thoy were heavy fellows, possibly of a part Norman blood, and gompactly built. They were easily capable of carrying a pack of 300 or 400 pounds constantly. The Indians calied thom ‘big dogs.’ Starting at the mouth of the Chilkat, we went a zigzag course of perhaps | 409 miles. We went over small mountain ranges, swam wide rivers and penetrated an air-line distance of something over 100 miles from the coast. We spent time enough to ex- amine the resources of the country, and re- turned only because the natives warned us that winter was coming and there might be snow and ice, which would prevent our horses from | getting back. “Iam convinced that the use of pack horses, and, cveutually, a railroad, through the coun: try we visited is feasible and will be profitable. Instead of the icebergs and snow ficlds which havo been pictured in that portion of Alaska, thore is abundance of grass for horses, and the weather in the summer, at any rate, ix mi It is so near to the land of the midnight sun that during July the nights are very short, and on some occasions it was so light that one could see to read ail night. In the winter itis, doubt- less, very cold and we heard reports that the THE CARE-FREE ARIZONIAN, Generally at Best When He Has No Money at All. Correspondence of the New York Post. But the town life has little of novelty or in- terest compared with country life. Here you find the true American pioneers. These are made up of all sorts and conditions of men. Besides the regular settlers there are army offi- cers, court martialed for intemperance; old mining speculators, who have found it but a step from a California broker to an Arizona Prospector; outlawed rogues hailing from un- known quarters, and one-lunged wanderers of every cast and complexion. This motley crowd is divided, according to occupation, into three classes, supporting themselves by mining, farming or eattle raising. Farming is :on- fined to the southern parts of the terri- tory, and differs little from farnfing in the central states, with the exception of irriga- tion. The miners are much the seme Celifornia, although Arizona has probably alarger number of placer miners, since the restrictions Isid upon tiem in Califor- nia have driven most of them out of the state. The ranchers or cowboys, the peculiar product of the high plains of the west, scarcely necd to be mentioned Yet it is the cowboy and miner ly to whem we are indebted that Ari- jife is what itis. They give it the spice kt dependence for which it is proverbial. They love their freedom too well to endure even the slight restrictions of town life. There is an intangible something in the air that makes worry wholly absurd. Of what- ever else an Arizoniin may bo guilty he is never guilty of taking thought for tho morrow. Ho will give away his last cent and bo as care free asthough he had millions in reserve. Christmas serves as an index of this. In the west it is a crimeto be misoriy, therefore trifling remembrances at Christmas time are despicable. One must needs nd all he has and more, too, to give even a few ordinary Prescnts to one’s nearest friend. A ranchman sends in $15 or $20 by the stage driver to buy a nice doll, A Chincse cook presents his em- ployer with $25 sleeve buttons. A dry goods clerk spends $400 or £500 in dinmond: his wife 8028 notto be outdone in giving. Yet this is porliaps only eastera extravagance writ re. ‘To see an Arizonian at his best you must sce him when he has no money at all. An eastern speculator who had invested £20,000 to $40,000 ina mine and lost it is downright certain that life is not worth living. But take an Arizona miner who has invested his all ina mine. Ho will put in labor es well as capital. He will sink his own shatt and do his own blasting and <a — THE COTTON BLOSSOM CLUB. 4LL KINDS OF QUEER CLUBS, A Crank’s Unsuccessful Effort to Blow Up | Ecceutric Clabs of Many Lands in the Past Brother Gardner With » Bomb. and at the Present Time. MM. Quad in the New York World. From the Nw York Times. ‘Various conflicting rumors were flying about | As club life has developed the spirit of Watermelon Hall for haifan hour previous to | specialism has crept into it to a large extent the opening of the meeting. Some had it that | Clublife in general has had its bhistoriographers, Brother Gardner bad been abducted by two | but its spectaltios have, perhaps, not been #0 men and carried over to Hoboken for ransom: | widely commented upon. The ingenuity, idio others, that Sir Isaac Walpole had been killed | syncrasies, foolishness and spleen of man have bya Chinaman; others still, thata package of | evolved the quaintest, most outlandish, mad dynamite had been found in the hall itself. dest ideas possible as the raison d'etre and act Something had happened to upset Thomp- | uating principle of social (or unsocial) clubs. son street its whole length, but justwhat it/ We are told of many such societios, and Was no one could find out. It was finally re- | though such statements at second or third hand Ported that Brother Gardner had been ran- | cannot always be implicitly regarded as author. somed for $3 and a Waterbury watch, and he yet there is always enough underlymg put in an appearance just then as if to confirm to show up another one of man’s idiosya the story. He went ahead in his usual calm | ¢rasies, and dignified manner and opened the meeting, |. It seems qnite natural in this age of progress id after everything was in running order he | that a “Clu! ated” should be of the Emanci formed. as we are told it bus b on-the-Main. Only those | membership who will pro have never been engag the yearly dues, Should a member my time desire to enter the holy stato of matrimony after ail che may purchase her Ifferty at the price of 2.000 marks. ‘coms are set apart for smoking, billiards and n Ia, however, are not allowed. ‘club costume” is black and ne in character, and the arranged by the club withont the a: On the pPed to the front and said: ‘My fren’s! I War dat all sorts o° wild stories hev bin flyin’ about dis arternoon an’ onsarning myself an’ odder office I will now explain the bull matter, At exzactly fo'ty-one minits an’ six seconds past 1 o'clock ¥ somebody knocked on de doah of my I was bi the time, shavin’ off my corns, but ‘sposin’ de pussun to be Sir | Isaac Walpole, cum down to pay me back the he has owed me tur three or fo" months, I | called to him to cum in. Mrs. Gardner had dun fone out to meet up with a church society, an’ peen in Frankfort picnics re, of course, carried oud ¢ of the male element. it scoms quecr that lire rand publicly proclaim themselves as such, yet wo are told it has beon. done in Trier. At the monthly meetings of this Liars’ Club prizes are given to those who de the guild most honor. Newspaper men are de- barred from membership. Mr John hendeich Bangs not long ago told us of a club withe. distinctly opposite principle. Utter truthful- ness was the rule in this Candor Cleb, and as this included mutual criticixm as well as com- moendation, the truth was likely often to prove very disagreeable, although probably beneficial, to the ono criticised. Among the other clube that Mr. Bangs mentioned was the Thinkers’ Club, (talking punishable by tine,) the Chatter- box, (talking compulsory, ) the Bachelors’ Club, (purpose ‘seif-evident,) ‘the Mental Athletic Club, (a society of prevaricators,) and the So ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Music. Here the entirs meeting rose up asoneman| England, at seems, is primarily the country and cheered and shouted until the plaster be- | Of qucer and quaint clubs. We are told of the gan to fail in every direction. Ugly Ciub. which numbered such a gallery of “When I called in de police,” eaid tho presi- | 2!deous physiognomies that the caricaturinte of dent, after order was restored, examined | that time sought to gain admission to its meet- de bomb an’ we found dat it contained ‘nui | 196% to find subjects for study. The club came ‘sploshun to kill forty-eight ob de leadin’ eapi- | t 4 untimely end, as mo member desired the Jen'l'en, who do yo" spose dat pusson was: He was a white man.” He had. long binek har, His eyes rolicd. He was chankin’ his teeth. In his right hand he held a package. an’ be waved it dan’ decla:'d dat if I didn’t hand ober $10,090 in cash he'd blow debull outfit milos high. Yo" kin emagine de wasin. An’ yet I can't say surprise, On de contrary, I hey bin sumthin’ of de sort to happen. I looked dat chap squar’ in de eyes, an’ 1 saw dat he was dun crazy asa loon. W'dout ’pearin’ to be “tall ex- cited I suid dat Thad just got de cash counted out fur him, an’ axed him tostep into dekiteben an look in de wood box. He stepped. So cid 1. Aske looked into do wood box I was clus behind him, an’ I drawed off an’ let him hey it bebind de ear. He fell to de floo! befo’ he could kick twice 1 had bitn tied hand an’ fut wid de clothes line.” tulists of North America. De man was a crank. thermometer -lrops to fifty-five degrees below zero sometimes. PRECIOUS METALS. “There is no question of the existence of some of tho precions metals in this part of Alaska, and there is timber enough for use in mining it *f it should ever be shown that the metals are thero in paying quantities, There is no lack of timber for building purposes. 40 natives are not numerous. ‘They ere idians, sa called because they live sts and’ are fond of living int the ther than on the prairies. They re- a Indien than ving prominent no.¢s ey ure 2 mean, work the whole year through ou his hands and knees in w hot, stifling drift, with the water trickling down upon bim from the surrounding walls When the mine fails, aa it co of and all the year’s work is’ lost, the Ariz does not stop long to bernoan his fate. He first relieves his mind hy swearing, then hastens to dispose of his belongings, onl: himself a burro, a pair of biani . Now he is a pros; work, feady to search out new for to prospect on res for any one who rub-ste him. And should you mect him a week Inier you would not b whether he had lost a mine or found oue. Whole-sowled genercsity when time , | lush and easy gond nature when times full of deceit, but lack | are charactei equipped for nes tor him- woods semble more the North Ameri they do the F and high e! dirty race. ‘yp? the courage whi i make them danger- ot live here long without being convi ous. They are b 8. ‘They are not so if surroundings alone do not make the as ‘government Indians,’ for they must work have most to do in mold- trade in furs, Miuks, caribou, abound in that par the Indians make their living apping them and_ trading with fur | nies on the coust. Au Indian's wealth is | neasured by the number of blankets he has. | Furs are traded for blankets aud tue wealthy | ‘ose who can point to the iargest pile ud about us does every: nmoth scale. The mountains she heaves up are too many to count and too rug- ged to climb; the b: vhen they come aro young whirlwinds; s is eure to be a torrent or a water spout, and she i# more than prodigal in the way she’ scatters her huge bowlders ail over the land. Is it strange, then, m. Some of the chiets uave large bales | that some of these freaks of nature are seen jankets boarded up. They are not used | reflected in the people who live so close to her? now and perhaps never will be, but they are| If a man drinks he drinks to excess; if he the bank account of the Alaska Indian, has money be fairly throws it ‘away. Seneliaw wisete The cowboys are red ens of ‘life and tinb J ‘ ‘i ho miners are incredibly daring, an. ‘Thess Tndinas wont clothing mando ot MIDS. | 145 stories they tell of thals sanewolene exploits They live on meat and fish rather than vegeta | are more phenomenal than any of nature's bles, and have an inordinate thirst for Florida wonders. ‘The light-heartedness of nature water, which contains alcohol enough to in-| is contagious. One meets a Micawber at every toxicate them. ‘They have no whisky, for it is cross road, expectantly waiting for something not taken there the white men, aithough |toturn up. if not rich today they will be to- along the coast a few distilleries are in opera- | morrow; and this hopefulness they carry with tion which make an alcoholic drink trom po-| them even down into their graves. ‘Truly, a tato peelings or molasses. Some of those In- | lund like this, teeming with perennial cheerful- dians will trade a valuable bale of furs for a| ness, must have been expressly created as a juart ofg Florida water. No law prohibits | home for the penniless tramp, and a magnifi- the sale df this and it is the Indian's chief in- | cent home it makes for him, where he can en- toxicant. joy the fathomless depths of poverty undis- ‘The Indians have no religion, except that | turbed. they belive the raven to be a sacred bird. | It is all the more surprising to learn how few ‘They have medicine men, whom they believe | of the Arizontans intend to remain here per- to be possessed of supernatural powers, and manently, notwithstanding the attractions of when tome one of the tribe is sick they assist | thi<+s<r ‘te. Persons who have lived in the the medicine man in driving out the disease by | territory fifteen or twenty years never speak of having adauce. They burn their dead. ‘They se wet nome, ihey all intend to make have many superstitions. When the physician | some money and then go east. And many of has driven disease from one of their number them do this, but in less than six months they y sometimes are told by the hesler that the are back again with the explanation: “I just disease bas gone to one of the dogs or to a wolf | couldn’t breathe in that little town down east, or some other animal. Then this animal must | 0 I've come back. Besides, it seemed kind o° be killed, and when that is done there is no gloomy to me, too; they had so many shade furtuer possible danger from this particular | trees you couldn't see out.’ disease, ——_o————_ “The man is the lord of creation, as was the ‘The Heat of Shooting Stars. American Indian, When journeys are under- | prom Good Words taken the women and children are loaded with the |" T pointed out that when ashooting star dashes iron, while a quadrangular stracture, com- pletely inclosing the interior buildings, forms the outer portion and a wing 470 feet long is the handle. the size of the building is enormous, being 740 feet from north to south and £89 from east to west: the square towers at each corner are 200 feet high. Within this monstrous structure are contained the king’s palace, a cathedral, a monastery of 200 cells, two colleges, three chapter houses, three library buildings, tive large halls, six dormitories, three hospitals, three libraries and_necrly 3,000 other rooms, It is entered by fourteen ‘great gates an Ughted by 1,110 outer and 1,578 inner win- ows. ‘The great church is in imitation of St. Peter's at Kome, and some which itis a part m formation that the hurch 13 364 feet long, across the the dome is 330 feet high; there are for els in its interior, and the nd altar is fect high and 50 feet wide. Cuderneath the altar is'a burial vault, where all the kings of Spain since Charles V have been lai in the time of Spain’s glory, the Escurial remains the most striking monu- ment of Spanish weulth and power. —_——§_<eo__ BY THEIK WALK HE KNOWS THEM, A Shoemaker’s Way of Telling When Men Walk Well, From the Globe-Democrat A shoemaker says: As soon as aman comes into my slp and takes off his shoes I can tell whether or not he isa good walker and it is astonishing to find how few men know the proper way to step out. If the shoo is worn down at the heel, not on the side, but straight back, and leather of the sole shows signs of weakness at the ball of the foot, a little greater on the inside just below the base of the great toe, I know that the wearer isa good walker. If, however, tne heel is turned on ono side, or is worn evenly throughout and the sole is worn most near the toc, I know that I have to deal with a poor pedestrian. The rcason of the differenco in position of the worn spots lies in the fact that the poor walker walks from his knee and the good one from his hip. Watch tho passer-by on the street and you will at once sce the difference, Nine men ‘out of ten will bend the kuee very considerably in walking, stepping straight out with both hij on the same line, and the toe will be the first to strike the ground. The tenth man will bend his knee just enough to ciear the ground, and wing the leg from the hip, very mach as the arm 1s swung trom the shoulder, and not from the elbow. By doing so he calis upon the muscles that are strougest to bear the strain, and in- ¢reases the length of his stride. four or six inches. The heci touches the ground first and not the toe. A slight spring is given from the ball of the foot on making another stride. Men that walk in this fashion cover the ground 80 per cent faster with the same exer- tion than those that walk from the kuee. In pugilism the old rule is to strike from the shoulder and not from the elbow. In pedes- trianism it is to walk from the hip and not from the knee. From the Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph, “That Miss Taylor, who lives near Greens- burg, must be a remarkably eool woman,” observed Snagge, while looking over the Paper. “What did sho do?” asked Mra. “Some robbers broke into her house, pointed revolvers at her and ordered her to givo up her money, threatening to bara her feet to bone if che hesitated.’ othe ee nt pte at “Why, wl pared to burn her feet she to take family baggage and the men walk ahead of the procéssion with their guns. These they have acquized from the traders, and they are well equipped with emmunition. The namber of these Stick Indians is not large, and the coun- try is sparsely settled. THE FISHING. “In the streams there are many salmon. They may be easily caught, and the uatives have way that is simple and effective. The water in the streams is often so brackish that the fish ot be seen. ‘The natives fasten a large gaff hook to a long holding it under water, puss it slowly down the stream. ‘The current is swift and the fish move up at a comparatively slow rate of speed. The native pushes luis pole down the stream until he feels ittouch the body of a fish, and then, with a quick tarn and a jerk on his pole, he hcoks the fish in the side or the belly aud lands him with- outastruggle. In some streams they are so numerous that they may be caught in this way at the rate of from to eight in fifteen minutes, ‘lue grasses and other varieties, which the 28 ate readily, grow luxuriantly in the places. There are berries of several ya- rieties, among othersa kind of raspberry, which is to be found in considerabie quantities, largo fruits were to be found. Wild onions grow in great quantities, and potatoes are grown tosome extent. The natives however, make no effort to raise vegetables.” into our atmosphere its course is attended with an evolution of light and heat owing to its friction through the air. We were thus able to account for the enormous quantity of beat, or of what was equivalent to heat, which existed in virtue of the rapid motion of these little bodies. Of course, we only sce these meteors atthe supreme moment of their dissolution when they dush into our atmosphere. It is, | however, impossible to doubt that there must | be uncounted shoals of meteors which never coli:de with our earth. It must necessarily ppen that many of the other great globes in tem must, like our globe, absorb multi. {tudes of meteors which they’ chance to en- counter in their roamings. The num- ber of meteors that will be gathered by a globe will be doubtless greater the lurger and more massive be the globe, and this for adouble reason, In the first place the di- mensions of the net which the globe extends to entrap the meteors will of corrse increase with its size, but, in addition, the more massive bo the globe the more vehement will be its attrac~ tion and the greater will be the number of the meteors that are drawn into its extensive at- mosphere. Of course this reasoning will apply in a special degree to the sun. We shail prob- ably be correct in the assertion that for every meteor that descends upon tis carth at least 1,000,000 meteors will doscend upon the sun. As these objects plow their way through the He had been trying to inwent a clothes line which wouid wind itself up in de back yard when it was gwine to rain, an’ be wanted mo’ kerlatin’ to git £10,000 of me or hit me in de stomach wid dat bomb. I was furbua. If I hadn't been no one kin guess how widespread dat ealaraity would bev bin.” Here every member sprang to his fect ana cheered and cheered again, and it was fally five minutes before the janitor could announce that the h ‘icane of enthusiasm had knocked down one of the sacred skulls of Cicero in the museum adjoining and eplit off « piece as large as a ‘The enthusiasm finally tapered off to yells by Deacon Flatbush Johnson, i by and by some one choked him off and the dust nd a chance to settle down, Sir Isaac Waly and said the rtived when no great man in this 'y was safe from the crank and his There must be = remedy. We must search for and epply it, While he sincerely ted er Gardner on his es- cape, y had the club that some other crank would not try the same thing to- morrow? Elder Toots said the evils must be grappled with at once. He was neither rich nor greut, but he knew not what day a crank would forcibly enter his home and threaten him with «bomb. He would cheerfully take off his coat and give three days’ time with bis mule and wagon to help weed this country of its most dangerous element. Waydown Lebee had had a brickbat thrown through his kitchen window at midnight. A Lomb would probably follow next. ‘Three or four times a day he was obliged to refuse strangers «mall loans, and if something could not be done to suppress the erank he proposed to immigrate to Liberia. Giveadam Jones had always held to the idea that every man ought to beliave himself and go along about his business. Cranks had ap- proached him on several occasions, either Joaded or unloaded, and he had promptly knocked them down and walked on them. Let every member of the club be ready to punch the head of every suspicious-looking man who approached him, and the crank would soon know who to let alone. “My fren's,” said Brother Gardner, after sev- eral other brethren had given their opinions, “it is trooly a sad state of affairs an'is desarvin’ of most serious thought. Yo" or 1 go atit, an’ up carpet rags an’ soap grease, an’ mighty cus an’ pinchin along, we git We doan’ git rich fur de richness of it, but to take comfort in our ole aige. Bimeby along comes a pusson who wants to fly, but he hain't gotde money to build his wings. He sots down an’ broods an’ sulks, an’ he finally makes up his mind dat some rich man has got to help him or die. He darfore goes an’ gits a bomb an’ fills it up wid turpentine, arsenic, castor ile an’ odder splosives, an’ he walks in on dat rich man an’ tries to scatter him all to nibs. ar] Goan reckon de crank kin be reached by Jaw ontil it ata too late. It would be too hard to identify him. Yo" doan’ know dat he isa crank ontil he has got dat deadly bomb sailin’ fur yo's chin, Seems tome dat it am a better ideah to depend on Providence an’ yo'self. Yo" kin depend on Providence dat he will strike some odder rich man in place of yo’; dat he will fall down an’ break his leg while comin’ to yo'r office; dat if he gits in, yo’ will be out eating raw oysters about dat time. Depend upon yo'self by havin’ itall planned out what y ‘will do, same as I did. Farde las’ six months Thave knowed jest what sortof » prcgrammy I should foller. ‘W'en de time cum I was as cool as a piece of oil cloth iu Jinury. I jest hauled off an’ hit dat fellow "zactly behind de ear, jest asIhad planned, an’ he fell in a heap on de floah, jest as I “spected he would. While de law will probably do all it kin, an’ while Provi- dence, “speshualiy heah in New York, seems to be doin’ a good deal of watchin’ ober human- ity, de rich ‘must arter all keep deir eyes pecied ab be ready fur do crank when he calls We will now go home an’ be glad dat woam livin’.” WHY THE BABIES CRIED, One Was Contrary to Ite Mother and the h to carry on his experiments. He cum dar | CM#tion of those who honor of the presidency, which was to fall to the ugliest. A similar idea of fellowship im misery caused an erratic Englishman to project the formation of the “No Nose Club,” an asso- re unfortunate enough to have lost their nasal organ, that highly use repared | {t! as wellas ornamental moniber of the human lubs, notabl ngland, e tavern clubs, flourished in ally during the «a the periods just before e# Addison in'No. 9 of the Spectator, is said to be sociable animal, and as an in- stance of it we may obscrve that we take all occasions and pretenses of forming ourselves into those little nocturnal assemblys which are commouly known by the name of Aset of men find themselves agi y ticular, though never so trivial, they establish themselves into a kind of frate Thity, and meet Once or twice a week, upon the account of suc ‘@ fantastic resemblance.” In those times they had the Calves’ Head Club, in “ridicule of the memory of Charles I,” street clubs, the members of which were all in= habitants of the sume street; elu hocks and the Heil Fire Club, f indulgence of rioting and blasphemy; the Kit- Kat Club, which first met at the house of Chris- topher Katt, a picman, and whose productions formed the standing dish at the club's suppers, and the Beafsteuk Society, (the ciety,”) as well as various cak clubs. We are told aiso of fat men’s, tall men’s,little men's and one-eyed men’s clubs, of lying clubs, angling clubs, (for the disciples of Izaak Walton,) of @ club of eccentrics," and others. Some famous clubs have had their existence only in the imagination of their projectors, Such are Robert Louis Stevenson's Suicide Club and the Club of One. The latter bas ite counterpart in reality in the “Two Club,” which always bad, besides it two mem two honorary members and two guests at ite dinners. A fewclubs have been formed sim- ply in opposition to certain ideas, tendencies or prejudices, Thus, the famous Thirteen Club combats superstition, especially as exemplified im the “thirteen” faucy. Among Germans, clubs—or “vereine,"'as they call them—are simply innumerable. | To the Germans, club life (vereinsleben) seems to beam absolute necessity. They don't usually go inte specialtics, however. "Ail their clube exist for avowed purpose of affording course, with all that thet implies—balls, picnica, excursions and the solemn kommers on apecial <a And this is, of course, afterall, the object and purpose of their many singing soci- tice, which aro the ‘natural ouscome of, the German's inborn love for music. In these clubs, a8 a rule, we find, aboveall, Gemuthlich- keit, that form of sociability for which we hardly havea properly synonymous term im English. The Germans have an appropriate fo man da lass’ dich rubig pieder; Bo-e Ms haben keine lieder.” (Where they sing, you tay nately settle down; wicked people Lave uosons™) ‘They are often hard put to it to discover new names for their clubs. For the large number of German clubs in New York city alone the list of old gods and goddesses has already been ransacked, saints and sages have had to lend their names, and the memory of prominent Americans like Washington, Franklin, Lincoln aud Gartield, and other patriots like Moltke, Andreas, Hofer, Mazeppa, &c., has been per- petuated. The names of composers, pocts, actors, animals and plants bave served to hel tue founders of new clubs out of their difhcul- tics in selecting new names. We furthermore find Blue Onions, Bummers, Kickers, Frogs, Schnorrer and what not. Perha and mosi original association of ite kind is the far-famed Schlaraftia. (“‘Schlarafila” is that land of fables where the rivers ran pure milk and wine, where Vienna rolls and cakes are picked from the trees, and roast geese waddle about with knives and forks stuck in their backs, ready to be eaten.) ‘The central asso- ciation is situated in Germany and branches are found in all parts of the world, Schlarafila publishes a paper of the same name, its organ, ‘and its list of members embraces many promi- nent names in the fields of literature, art, mmm sic and the drama. ———— ‘The Man Who Escaped. From the Detroit Free Presa. social inter~* Oug thing that had prevented full examina- tion of the southeastern portion of Alaska by miners, Mr. Glave said, was the fact that the boundary between Alaska and the British pos- sessions had not been surveyed. For a thou- sand miles there was nothing to show whether the property belonged to the United States or to Great Britain, and as the mining laws in the two countries were different there was hesita- tion on the part of overy one to putany money into an enterprise to ascertain if there were minerals there in paying quantities, pat eae ae HE LIKED SOUP, But His Failing Spoiled an Appetizing Dinner. A party of Chi , Burlington and Quincy officials out on a tour of inspection mixed with ploasure in the general manager's car, and a fine muscallonge, which one of the party had captured, was to be the leading attraction of the dinner, says the Locomotive Enginecr. ‘The cook devoted special attention to making the fish a triumph of his culinary art, and the most appetizing sauce known to cooks was pre- Pared to give the museallonge a good vend off.” When dinner was called Gonoral Superin- tendent Besler satdown and continued the story he was telling, ‘The waiter carried in a dish and set it down beside Mr. Besler, who took up a spoon and began to eat without letting the act interrapt his talk. Presently Mr. Harris rang for tho waiter and said: ‘Why don’t you bring the soup for the rest of : “Why, Mase’r Harris,” said the waiter, “dar's no soup ‘today.’ - “No soup?” Why, Mr. Besler is eating soup!” ‘The startled darkey gazed at Mr. Besler, and ‘when he could find breath exclaimed: “Fo' de Lawd sake, if Mr. Bosler ain't eat all the fish sauce!” Aaa a See The Sphere of Woman. ‘Ffom the Brandon Bucksaw. Little Tom was involved in the difficulties of evices to torment small boys. “One morting be was informed ofthe arival and Inter in the day was al- mcbar'e ceaber 3. sun's atmosphere, light and heat will be of course evolved. It has been conjectured that the friction of the meteors which are inces- santly rushing into the sun may produce light and heat in sufficient quantities to aid in the meintenance of the sun's ordi- nary expenditure. It has been even sup- Posed that €he quantity of energy thus gen- erated may supply ail that is wanted to ex- plain the cxtraordinary circumstance that from age to age no visible decline has taken lace im the intensity of the solar radiation. jere again is n questjon which we must sub- mit to calculation. We have first of all to de- termine the heat which could bo generated _b; a body of, let us say, a pound in weight, fall- ing into the sun after being attractod thither from an indefinitely great distance. The re- sult is not a little startling; itshows us that such a body in the course of its friction through the sun's atmosphere might gencrato as much heatas could“bo produced by the combustion of many times its own weight of = consumed under the most favorable con- tions, A Lesson in Law Making. From the New York Sun. ‘ Congressman Castle of Minnesota tells this story of his first lesson in “law making” while in the.senate of his state. “I labored under so profound a of my own importance andre- sponsibility ase member of the judiciary com- hose ies ee eee not mect my ‘own pet measures went on nicely antl final passage, with nosigns of opposition saywhere. Imagine my painfal surprise when, on final passage, they failed to get another ‘aye’ save my own. I was as- tout iV nt’s the trouble with those billsof mine?” fh whom T hed studied Inw wie hNoue at all’ he replied.” ‘Excellent meas- ures in all ts.” w -Bug' 1 gbeerved, ‘you voted with the rest against “Yes.” “ in ‘If there are some errors. ea, Other—Was a Baby. From the Arkansaw Traveller. Acmart little woman gotin the street car the other day with a baby in her arms. It lay as stillasalamb. Soon, however, it changed its course. It begana loud tune. The mother took the baby and stood it straight up in her lap. It yelled just the same. She hugged it to her bosom. It yelled right along. She stroked and smoothed it. Still loujer yells. She boxed itsears. Prolonged and spasmodic yells. There was pretty old anda protty verdant looking man at the 34 street depot the other day with three hours to wait for his train, and by and by he approached Officer Button and said he guessed he'd wander around for a spell. “Well, look out for yourself,” replied the Bab; See SS Shee Te amped their sent and the ear trandled on ‘This was very different from another woman week or two back. As Before, the baby fi Hs ‘ i £8 i F u FL begs i rf ti fF ul iff it i tf i i if! i} BH H a iz f i Biss, MeCrscktie-—““hh, © case ef egg <u co feces mes at