Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, January 24, 1892, Page 12

12 HAVE T0 WORK LIKE TROJANS Postal Clerks on the Fast Mail Do Not Have Snaps. GUESSING AT STATIONS IN THE DARK ng, Swift Ride Across Nebraskn Prairies with Never a Moment to Eat or Rest—How the Work s Done, the platform of a the fast mail train Did you ever stand on way station and watch whiz along !t What a spell controls you as tho great, powerful, yet feet locomouive thunders through the quiet precinets of the villago—a mere speck in the distance, then growing larger and larger as 1t approaches, enveloped in smoko and steam and dust, it rushes by with a force that shakes the very ground and disappears befors tho disturbance it has created hus subsided. Even when the mail train stops for a moment at one of thelarger stations to throw off and take on & quantity of mail there is something uncanny in tho appearance of the train, Tho cars are different, oven to the easual opserver, from the cars ordinarily in use on railroads for the carrying of passen- ovs or freight. The littls windows perohed up near the roof on the sides of tho cars give them the appearance of jails on wheels, as much as anything else, and the queer looking apparatus across the doorway on the side of the car looks as though it might be some new kind of infernal machine. Beyond a vague idea that a railway mail olerk has to stand in the door aud throw off one or more sacks of mail here and there along the road, the average citizen has no conception of the amount or character of the work porformed by this class of public see- vants. 3 With the idea ot learning by actual inves tigation the details connected with this im- portant branch of the public service, the writer secured a permit to ride on the fast mail on the Union Pacitic between Omahn and Cheyenne, +from W. C. VanDervoort, chief cierk of that division of tho railway mail service. Armed with this important document and the necessary railway trans- portation, endorsed “Good on the fast mml," the trip was entered upon F'riday afternoon, the 15th inst. Tt was found necessarv to o to Council Bluffs in order to get tho train, which is mado up and starts from that point every day at (i p. m. N The Union Pacific is the only lne in this sectior whick runs an exclusive mail train The cars are all of the most modern type and are fitted with all the appliances and conven iences human ingenuity can dovise. They are heated by steam and aro provided with vestibules, making a continuous train, a very nocessary provision when it is considered tha coss must be had to all the cars dur ing atrip and the nigh rate of speed would make this vory dangerous with the old style open platform, The engine which pulls the fast mail is of the finest class of passenger engine and is invarably entrusted to the most experienced and oldest engineer in the company’s servico. ‘The conduetor and brakeman, who constitute the crew, are also the oldest and most trusted in the servic and no care 15 spared to make tho service as snfo and efficient as possible. On the day in question the tram was found in the transfer yards at the Bluffs with the entire force of clerks on board and busy at work. There are seven men in & crew on this run and there are six crows, so that each crow starts out on 1ts tun_every sixth day. That s the rule but, like the rules for the orthography of the English language, there are “excoptions,’” s will bo seen later. The erew on this particular gay consisted of A. H. Fuller, bead clerk; . B. Eastland, G. W. Joves, B. C. E. Westerdanl, . A, Harrison, Harry Howell and J. H. Zebrung, ranking in the order named. The train consisted of three mail cars aud one storage car, the latter being an ordinary baggage car. The mail cars were each about 60 teet in length, inside, and resembled a good sized postofice. At the front end of each car, on either sido and extending for a distance of twelve feet, were “racks’’ or pigeon holes reaching from a low table ‘o the top of the car. These wero for distributing letters. Next to these rac were iron rods about three feet frora the floor, provided with hooks from which to suspend tue leather mail pouches. Back of these were sliding doors in the sides of the car, and ucross the door, on the outside of the car, wero the “catchers,” consisting of a straight rod. 10 which was attached a long, bent rod, forming a hook, which hung in a vertical position when not in use, but which could be raised by means of a lever toa horizontal position when necessary. Backof the door was the newspaper rack. 'This was about thirty fect leng and on it were sus pended 137 sacks., Overnead were largo boxes, into which some of the papers wero thrown and afterwards emptied into sacks, Two tables for use in distributing mail were placed in convenient positions, The rest of the car was reserved for piles of mail in sacks. When the train was reached the crew was all_found ut work, having been on duty since 1 p. m. There is & morning train on the Union Pa- cific which goos as far s Julesbarg and that train takes all the mail for points between Omaha and Julesburg and junction points, leaving ull mail for the western states for the eveniug train. This, together with the mul which accumulates’ from the eastern trains, gives a large amountof mail matter to start with. _For example, sixty or seventy pouches of mail aro usually received from the Burlington route, hesides a largo quantity from the other roads entering Council Bluffs, very available ineh of spaco on tho floor of tho cars was filled high with sacks of mail, leaving only roow for the men to stand. “The first car of the train was destined for Portland, and all paper mail for Washington was put it that car at the Bluffs. The second car contained all the Nebraska mail, both papers and lottors, and tho lotter mail for all the western states, The third car contained all the paper mail destined for California and Ore. gon. The second and third cars were aestined for Ogden, and all the mail in them for Oregon, Washington and the northwest was transferred to the front car after being “worked,”" ‘The storago car contained the California mail which had been separated by the east- ern lines, and the foreign wail enrouto from England’ and Australia. It also wont to Ogden, and from there to Sun Francisco, Just before thoe time for starting, 6 p. m., the Burlington train arrived, und there was @ general bustle, as the mail was trausferred and the register clerk checked and receipted for tho registered wail which passed into his care and for which ho becuwe responsible, At lust the start was made, and this seemed 10 mccelerato the already quick motions of ttie men as they rapialy poked the lotters into the prover pigeon holes or dexterously threw a paper or packuge of merchandise at @ bag several feot distant, All letters for Nebraske points were thrown wto pigeon holes marked with the name of oach town 1n the state, and the lot- ters for Oregon were disposed of 1n the same way. Letters for the other western stutes were wade up in packages by states, or packages for Nebraska, Oregon, 1dano, California and Washington ated by towns or by Lines of rail- When Omaha was reached & short stop was madesud several sacks of mail taken apboard. Then away we weut and the run of 510 miles was fairly commenced. At South Omaha a stop was made whilo mail was taken ou aud put off and then a run was made to Portal, where the Union Pacitio crosses tho Missouri Pacifie. Here the state lawcompelled a full stop, but it was only for u eecond, and the engine gave & mighty puft and w snort and ou went the train. ‘The sun had set long before, but the moon shown from a sky decked with light fleecy clouds which threw strange shadows athwart the fleeting landscape as the train burried on with the speed of & bolt from the hand of Jove, As the train neared Millard the clerk in charge of the ‘“local” case, Mr. Harrisol picked up & pouch of letters which be bhad vrepared and opened Lhe side door of the car, Grasping the lover of the catcher, he raised the long hook to a horizontal position, and, pulling bis cap down over his oyes, peered thead, Suddenly he gave the pouch & toss, and al WOost At Lhe sawe \ustant there was & sound THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SU ! like the fall of a heavy object. | closed the door. Mesnweite train had | not slackened speed a particle. | "Mr. Harrison explained that the postmas ! ter at Millard hung his pouch on a crane in such a position ns to bring it directly in line with the hook of the catcher, which simply pulled 1t off and carried it along. Sometimes articles of merchanaise are among the muil matter contained in these pouches and it ofton happens that these arti- cles aro rather delicate in their make-up When the catchor strikes anything of this kind the resuit is tho same as though the a.- ticle had fallen under a trip hammer Fino watches are somotimes sent from these small towns to the vity to be repaire 11 the catoher hanpens to strike one of the: watches 1t doesn’t require any repairing. new watch is the only remedy. Occasionally a country swain wants to ticklo the fancy of his bust girl in the next town and sends her a bottie of perfumery. 1t against the law to sead liquids through the mails, but the catcher adjusis matters, The wirl gets what 1s left of the bottle and several merchants get highly perfumed communica tioas from their customers in the town whera the aforesaid swain avides. Of course Lhese accidents are not to be charged to tho fast mail, but are rather chargeable to the postmasier at the town where they are mailed, who should put the articlos on a train which stops at his town. On a dark night it is a very dificult mat- ter to locate the stations where mail is to be caught. 1o clerk must judge from the con- tour of the surrounding country. A house here ora grove thero servesas a landmark in some cases, but in many cases on the flat | prairies of western Nebraska there 18 not a a troo nor a house in sight on the side of the track whoré the crane stands. Iu such a caso the whistie of the engine 1s the ouly guide, but sometimes the engineer forgets to whis- tle. This is no excuse for the mail clerk, however, who must catch tho mail just the same or suffor the consequences, Oa the lino ootween Omabs and Cheyenne there are sixty of these catlices to be made each way. Besides the duty of catching these pouches aud throwing off ‘the mail for the various towns along the road, this clerk hus also to distribute all the mail to Nebraska pbints, woanwhile keeping his ears open all the time for the whisile of the engine. The other men are not fdle all this time by any means, The head clork has general super- vision over all the work und separaies the lottors for Ovegou and Montana, throwing each to the line of railroud or star routo by which it may veach its destination in the shortest time. As there aro 1,120 post oftices in those Lwo states it is 1o hghl task to verform this work, The second man distributes ull papers and nackages for Nebraska, \Wyoming and Mou- tana ana the Idaho lotters. The third man has the third car in the train to himself und aistributes the papers, ote., for Oregon, there being 125 oflices in that state, to be distributed to % points, The fourth man assists the third man and also distributes tho Ldaho paper mail. ‘The fifth man attends to all the local mail and the lctters for Novada, having 1,322 offices to cara for, as well us the registered mai The sixth man assists the socond man on papers und cares for the Wyoming letters, thero being 225 postoftices 1n that stute, The seventh man opens all ponches and distributes the paper mail received from the vranch lines. L'ho postal clerk must know the location of overy postoflice in tho states for which he has inail, the line of raitroad it is on, and the time-card of trains on that road. 1f his train is late, so thathe cannoi nake connection with the train on another rond. he must know over what road to send a letter m order to have it rench a given pointin the shortost possible time. He must have all necessary information at lus flugers’ ends, as there is no time 10 lose aud mistakes ure costiy al- fairs, Every package of lctters and every sack of papers or merchandise 15 marked with the name of the man who made 1t up, the date, traiv number and division of the service, So that mistakes are easily locatod. If a letter or package is sent over the wrong road the mistako is aiscovered by some one, who at once starts the missive on the right track and makes an entry of tho mistake ou the slip bearing the name of the clerk who made up the package or sack. Theso slips are sont to the headquarters of the division on which the crror was made and are charged against the record of the man muk- ing them. This record is taken into con- siderution, along with many other things, in deciding upon » maa’s fituess for promo- tion. 1t often happons that the address on a let- ter or package is deticient or incomplete, the town or state telng omitted or a similar error being made by the sender. Again, the oftico 10 which the ietter is addressed may have been discontinued or the entive address muy be undecivheravle. In such cases tho lotter is marked “Nixy," und returned to the ofice of the superintendent of the division, where every effort is made tolocate the destination of the tetter. If this cunnot ve done it is sent tothe dead letter office at Washington. It would appear to the cusual observer that when the autborities in the Postofice de partment have nothing else to do they change the names of several hundred postonices. Sometimes an ofice is discoutinued in oae part of a stute and an oftice of the same namo establishea in another part. For instance, Kingston, Neb., used to bo in Adams county, but now itis in Custer county, Sometimes the uames of oftices change with a change in aaministration. Tho name of a local politi cian who is of a aifferent political faith from the postmaster general may not. be agreeable, and the name of that officeis changed forth- with. All of these cnanges must be con- stunily borne in mind by the cierk when ho distributing bis mail as fast s bis hands will move und balancing himself to keep from being thrown off bis feet by the high speed of tho train, Thus the work goes on without cessation through the long hours of the night, and day. light linds the whole crew stll at work, but the ontire load of mail has been sorted and distributed and enclosed in puuches which bear the name of the town or road to which they are to be ueliverea, The racks ave then reluung with empty pouches, ready for the crews which tako possession of the train at Cheyenne, Tho latter point is reached at S a. m. and the crew from Owaha is rolieved after a steady tour of auty of tweuty hours, during which the only meal obtainablo was teken stundivg duriug intervals in the work, When the wail is light the men get ono or Lwo hours’ sleep by shifting their work. In such cases their bed is a pile of empty mail sacks thrown on the tloor, In the party which alighted from the fast mail in Chieyenne on that Saturday morning there was at loast ono tired mortal who had *'got tho shake' many u time while chasing tho gay and festive item, but who had never received such u severe shaking up as that ex- perienced in & mail car. Not but that the cars were easy riding, as they were mounted on trucks similar to those undera sleeniug ear, and their great weight mado them comparatively steady, but the constant rumblo and jaring and the swayiug from side to side, coupled with the fact that the cars contained not even a chuir on which 10 sit, making standing a matter of necessity, all combined to make the average man feel s lllluugll he had been enjoying a ride on rail. It is a well known fact that the changes in the service are frequent ana few men stand the severo strain for aoy length of time, The severity of. the work und the fact that an acoidont is likely o happen atany time by which a clerk may be killed or crip pled for life muke the position of mail clerk anything but desirable. in spite of the ability required to master the details of the work aud properiy perform the dotails and the amount of atténtion re- quired to keep posted on the changes wh are constantly taking place, togetber with the aauger aitached to the position, the pay of postal clerks is far below the sum co manded by men in other walks of life for work rejuirizg the same avility and atten tlionb without the attendaot risk of life ana imb, ‘The law provides that the pay of postal clerks shall be as follows: Class 1, those on six months probation, uot to exceed §300; class 2, not to excoed $U00: class 8, not Lo exceed 81,000, class 4, not to exceod §1,200; class 5, head clerks, not to exceed §1,400. Iu 1882 all elerks in Whe postal service were roceiving the waximum allowed by iaw, but in that year, on sccount of a deficiency in the appropriation, a general reduction was made in salaries of from $100 to #400 and salaries bave remained at a low point ever since. Not ouly are Lhe salaries low, but a man who is incapacitated from mny cause, sick- uess or acoident, is ‘‘dockea’ for the time he is off duty. If a man is killed while on duty his pay stops at miduight of the day on which he accident happens. In order to remedy these fuconsistencies in the service the postal clerks all over the the o A Ho quietly | country puiled a cloth pouch from the catcher and | into themselves the yur- have organized an association for pose of cooperating with the Post office department in securing legislation which will do away with some of the objec tionable features, A bill has peen prepared by & committee of clorks and the second mssistant postmaster goneral, and fintroduced in the nationa house. This bill proposes un increase in sall ary of about 3400, aud also authorizes the postmaster ceneral to pay to the widow of a ;m‘m\ cierk killed while on duty the sum of 1,000, 'I'he report of the general snperinteadont of the railway mail service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1501, shows the follow- al mileage of railrond sorvice of clerks in railway mail rvice.. Prmin R Number ploces mail disiribited Number of errors made ... Number of ploces 1) each error L1 The report of the superintendent for the yoar ending Jure 30, 1590, shows the follow i statistics on these points Total mileage .. ........ Number of clerks ... her of plees mail distributod. 78554 jor of orrors made. 0 or of pleces to ench error. .. By comparison ot theso statistics, it will bo seen that there was a marked increase in eficioncy in the service during the last tiscal year, I this connection an extract from a letter of recent date written by Superintendent White to the railway mail clerks, is ot in- terest, The oxtract is as follows: The record for July, August, September, Oc- tobor and November, 1801, is the best’ ever made, and it 18 expscted that at the one of the present fiscal year we will he able to show that with a vastlv increased oistribu tion wo huve, by earnest study and careful work, reducoed the error record lowes than ever beforo." 8,504, 25 2042080 SO -~ NOTED MEN. Neal Dow is still living in a house he built in Portland, Me,, nearly sixty -five years ago. He is now 87 vears old. David G. Parent ot Kennebunk, Me., is a grandtather at the nge ot 36, Dvid's middle namo should be Grand if it isn't. General Lew Waliaco is suffering from an embarrassment of riches i the way of offers from the publishers for bis new novel. Boston has an artist named Alexander Pope: but that's nothing, New York has a notary public named Wostminsier Ab- boy. Governor Brown, the new chief exocutivo of Maryland, is not himsclf a very rich man, but bis wife has a fortune that is reckoned at £1,000,000, Governor Hill is believed to have saved #30,000 out of the §0,00) he has roceived for performing tha functious of his office, and this is all be bas in the world. Colonel A. K. McClure, the new pr. sident of the Philadelphia Clover club, drinks apollinaris only and is six feet two inches high. This ought to be an omen of order, Senator Sherman 1s quoted as saying to a Pittsburg reporter: I will never be a can- didate for president. ! wiil round my political life with my present term iu the senate.” President Senor Don Jorge Moatt, who is declared to bo *not & painfully brilliapt man,” endeared himself to the Chilians by the bravery he displaved while commardant of the sloop of war O'Higgins. © Governor Hovey of Inaiana left an estate mated to be worth $0,000. No will has been found. Tho heirs 1o this property ars Mrs. Menzies and her brother, who is post- master at Mount Vernon, Ind. Prince George is no more like the late duke of Clarance than a bottln of champague is like a glass of water. He is full of fun, hign spirited, quick witted,froe and easy,a typical naval ofticer of tue good old times. Bishon W. Perkins is a_sort of all.around man. He was boru in Ohio, taught school in Penusylvan served in an Ilinois re ment during the war, lives in_Washington ana represents Kansas in the United States senate. A Now York letter says that Eawin Booth’s step is less brisk, he bends more at the shoulders, and his eyes have lost their lustro. He is sousitive on the subject of tis health, and his friends avoid talking about it. A correspondent writes from Washington that Senator Palmer “iooks like a combina- tion of Uncle Sam and Allen G, Thurman, and a very wholesome American face his is too.” Ho is 74 years old, but is as active as & man of 50. Just before Senator Hill loit Atbany for Washington, an Sira friend sent him word of the birth of alittle girl in the lattor fren- teman's family. To this message tho s tor replica Ly telegraph: **Cong but vou're not 1 it. Woat wo voters.” Now that McClellan is to be houored with astatuein the city of Brotherly Love -1t will be unveiled on the next anniversary of the battle of Antietam—"The Philadclphia Press” inquires why Hancock, the hera of Gettysburg, is not iikewise remembored, A statue of Mende already overlooks the Schuylkill, and one of [Iartranft 1s assured. Congrassman Crain of Texassays: “Garza, the Mexican revolationist who “is creating such a stir along-tne Rio Cirande, is one of the gamest men L ever met. fe looks the typical frontier desperado, yot he is nota rude, illiterate fellow, as some might imagiuo. He is fairly weil educuted, and prior to his late bold break was vanning a small news paper, printed on the Texas side in the Span- ish language. Gafza has boen in couantless private brawls and is a lucky fellow to bo alive, for he has beon piorcad by mauy buliet.” ‘The iate Tewfik Pasha, tho Egyptian kue dive, lived in typical oriental luxury, but even then ne did not spend one hundredih part of the money which his father, Ismail >ashu, lavished about him. Tewfik biad four palaces, all of them very beautiful and ornato and in each of them be' was attended in true royal state. Personally he was a pleasant and agreeable man. Ho_always wore tho Kuropean dress, a olack Prince Aloert coat, with striped trousers, but adaed the Turk: isn fez. On occasions of ceremony he wore the ful! uniform of a general of the Egyp tian army, with his broast covered with gay decoration ps utulations need are e INFANTILE IMPIETIL A girl on hearing of tuo raising to life of the widow's son thought it over quietly and oventually remarked. I presumo they hud to pay for the grave ail the same?” Little girl to ier surse. who had told her tho story of Adum and Eve's dismissal from the Garden of Eden: “I'suppose they wero both sent away withouta character.” A little girl whose attention was o the fact that she bad forgotten to say before vecinning her weal, shut her meekly and said xeuse me. Ameon.' Little girl, reading the chaptor in Genesis recounting the fall, comes 1o the curso pro nouuced upon the serpont: +~On thy belly shait thou go.” “What ! exclaims thé ehild, “*did he go ou his hack before:"" Tommy, who had listened with breathloss interest to the story of Daniel in the den of lions, and how the wicked men who accused bim were punished: *Lis 5o glad thoso poor lions got their breakfast at last.” 1t was a Chicago 4-year-old living on Grand boulevard who ou discovecing the suu and moon in the sky at the same time exclaimed : *That's & good joke on God. Tue sun's out ‘iud he forgot (o take in his old moon.’ A little 5-year-old interviewed his mother the othor day upou the subjeot of angels having wings, aud, on being told there was reasou to believe that they were so equipped, oxclaimed: “Ob, mamma, how funny thoy must look when asleep roosting like tur- koys. (Mamma explaining to her lite girl, aged 5, that everyiting she does and savs is written down in @ large book in heaven.) She asks: “Are all the naughty things, 00! Mamma —Yes, dear, Child (pensively) ~Then I think I'll take a plece of India rubber with me. A child of 315 yoars hiad been taught by his mother a text in'the morning: “Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” At night, at the end of bhis }xr-y»r. be, unasked, repeated the text in the ollowing form: “Wash wuy heart, O God,aud bang it out to dry." A boy of 5, after having been checked to no purpose by his mother for teasing hor when | she was busy, was thus addressed: “My dear Little boy, if you loved mother yoil would try and please her by doing what you aro told.” ~ Whereupon roplied the boy: ‘‘sother, I'm trying 1o please God: I can't please everybody. ' SaBla Van Houten's Cocoa—Best. aud goes far- thest.” DAY, JANUARY 24 [HOSPITALITY THEWR CREED. | Wakeman, th#"Post Traveler, Wanders Through Oentral Portugal in Winter, CHARMING STUDIES AMONG THE LOWLY. Life in th ants Where Joghus Contentn —Lightsdiie lesy Haomes of the Portugnese e at Relgns abor and Bound- ospitality, (Copyright, 1872, by Edgar L. Wakeman] Taviga, Portugal, Jan. 7, 18 [Special Corvespondence of Tie Ber).—My Galleg an gmde, servant, companion and friend, honest Dobrado, became so enamored of our loiter ing sort of wanderings, that on leaving Beja, 1 had no difficulty in overcoming his scruples against traveling on foot. Aund 8o our way to the southern seacoast of Portugal, por haps 150 miles by the windings of the quaint old thoroughfares of the country, was made from Beja in this delightful macner. In no strange land have I walked that dis tance with such a continuous sense of elation of interest. Thera ure early October days in our own land which all these days and nights recatled ; —days whon the verduro is still rich upon the trees: when tho aftermath has pushed abova the stubble of the fields and spread an emerald carpet above the after- harvestsere; when skies are cloudless and of wondrous depth of blue; and when an aroma that bists of fruit or of wine is in the bracing air: evenings when the wholo sky is ablaze from the setting of round red suns that seem to wait huge and glorious before plunging beneath the purple pillows of the wost; and nizghts when the gleamin of lights from farms and hamlets quicken tho footsten of belatod wanderers, and un consciously makes moro eacer all home- watherings whero firesides uro alvendy taking ona bit of the winter glow. Winter in Contral Portug This is the only winter contral and south ern Portugal know. There is a tenaer elation in it. You unconsciously breathe great draughts of the exhiliratin's mr. Your hoad is erect and you walk in flie strong strides, Then there are countless sights and scenes which charm and enthrall; of cloud capped sierva, of heath-covered moor, of boundivss forest, of valloy landscape, of nountain-side hamlets strung together as on a gaudy thread by strangze processions. of hugze old wind mills as 1 Hollaoa, of gigantic ter wheels creuking and swinging and oxen eircling about thew in endless tread, of walled-in- farm-houses built asif to withstand seige and of overy form of peasant labor and pastime, ays of deopost it terest - by tellini the story of every day lifo and living of the humble folk of & land, upon whose lubor and lives, after the entive social and covernmental sup structure of uny nation is Laid. A sunuier land in which to travel does not t. Hoespitality is universal and intense. 13 is 50 extraordinary u chavacteristic amonz all classes that it bften becomes au impodi- ment to progress in teavel, Between Fvor: and Tavira, about 230 miles by road, we were literally compelled to nnter more than a hundreéd bomes. 1n a dozan of these we were quartevod for the nigat, and in- ail the others vafreshments were oftered and par tuken of. L L were tho visits to ruitous old monasterios, 1t often seomed that we must have been es pred at a distance pf miles: for in many in stances some ambling old servitor was sentto meet us, or agafm 7 Kindly faced frtar hatted us at the roadside,” and, precisely asif tne t were prearranged, conuductod us to his monastery, often a'little and piached habvita- tion wnere less’ thau a scoroof the orde seemed to be gaining u liveiihood. Tho wel- come and benedtelivg at parting were always of a character to convey the idea that our coming had placed our host under inexy blo oblization ©ss of these mounthinside monks to guther the meigerest knowledgo of the outer worla's dffairs und netivities was often touching and pathetic in the exireme, Hospitality in a Friar, favmer and punctilious observance of one pleasa tom. At our departura they always accom panied us some distaace, and fregneatly tor 5, on our way. Then, standinz by the 1de until we were Guite out of hearing nt, they sent aftor us all manner of fricnaly benediction interspersed with *Boa vingem! voa viazem! (Good vovaze! good vor ) until they must have returned to tne monastery, villegziatura or eabin hoarse from their kinaly cal. d farewells. Dovrado tells me this boundless hospitality is a chungeless parc of the Portuguese re ligiou: that ibey haveas a commen saying, “Curses follow iliy-welcomed travelers;” and that the belief is geceral here that good for wure comes 1 degree to the bountiful enter tainment of strangers who my chance among them. I have found the same custom and belief prevailing in only ono other nlace in Kurope. 'That is the west of Irelana among the poor but great-hearted folk of love and rugged Contemara, Butof decper interest than all clse are the lowls folk of this fair land. I havo not seen in town or city an instance of what we know as want aud suftering. The lowly in Portugal possess mothiug: acquive nolbing; have burning ambitions for nothing. A hit of corn-meal or rye bread washed down with water is a repast. Add to the bread a bit of fish, a handful of olives or a fow swallows of wine. and it 1s a feast. "Puo stinging scourge of nacessity for prov idence with which the rigors of winter lash our poor is incompreheusiblo here. At their bilts aro mountains and velleys green 1o tho sunand sky the whole year tnrough, and never failing in their rich yiold of froit and grains. At thoir feot are broad rivers or the almost encircling sea with tuscious food freo for the taking. None ever become rich. None ever arrive atour own iden of a modust com- petency. None scarcely know how to think how riches can be desirable. The wonder with them is that any one should worry or strive; that any human being should ever be inaburry, As with the Cubans i their languor-broeding climo whoso *Manana!" (Tomorrow!) is the key to their torpor and vassaloge, “Paciencia! or “Patience!” tells the story hero, Somothing is wrong with that oné who will hasten; and crime suvely lurks beneath leauness and vigor The Leisure-Loving Poos The mountains and valleys of Portugal give bome 10 & folk possessing all the winsomo sunniness of the lowly of towns without a tithe of thewr nputhy und sluggavdness. You way read all the pastoral puoms ever writton an | gain no more colorful picture of pastoral tiv s in endloss contontand peacefulness than your eyes may behold in an bour's ride or walk anywhere i the interor of Portugal Itest is in the suu and sky, the earth and air, the home and field, in 4il'men and iu ull ua ture, [ do not mean that no labor is But all labor done has in mero dalliance with toi. The senses are not surfeited with odet, luxuriance and the al- wost intoxicating 'profligacy of naturo s in the tropics. Every active exertion of every human does ot Ubiray, as here, a superia- tive indolence painfully offortfut in tho bare wrocess of existenee. Bul s restfuluess p vades these soft: aud kindly landscapes which reveals elation iustead of sodden ness; joyousness instead of SeusuoUSHESS; peace rather thad passion and pain. In and throught it all therk is, like the firs( turill of wine, an uplifting and exultation blending the pysical and/mental senso perfectly and gloriously. 1 do’nol say that these Portu gese veasantry know this as you and I are conscious of it. But to the neholdor's eves these humble, happy-hearted people so touch | and color the scene upon which he looks, | thut thewr presenca is au 1nseparablo vlement in its essential harmony The peasaut tenant farmers of Portugal, the lund caseiros of the country, retain their holdiug uuder life leases, aund pay rentals to the morgados, the owners of tae estates, or the “‘gentlemen farmers,” as they re here called, ‘*n kind.” It 15 a sort of title system always amicably ad- justed between owner and peasant. A grade below these caseiros isa class correspoud- ing to the Ilnghish, Scotce and Irish cottiers. Tuese chopauas live iu the cabins of the morgados aud caseiros at the will of the lat ter. Aside from Lhese are the shec o and cattle herders and the goat herds that are found in more picturesque mountaiu localities; the flax bleacbers along the edgo of some bawl ing mountain stroam or agaiuzi the sbelter ing rocks by the scasuore; the interior mule- e, who, for the most' rivial wuges or Religious Dogr paasant wer: aliko ir cus- performed, it tho secming of , 1892 -SIXTEEN PAGES. portions of grain, convay products ana mer- chandise 1o and from the towns of the const; the wood choppers of the mountains, and the carboneiros who are found in the highest mountain forests lazily employod in burning the charcoal used in cooking by the aristoc- raoy of the cities. With these divisions of the Portuguese peasantry may be counted the rush gatherers of the mountain tarns; the osier-cutters wno supply the basket-makers of the towns; the furze gatherers who dot the dreariest moun- tain neights; the fern and rush cutters who supply the churches and homes with fragrant branches for strewiog on holy and feast days: and the wood gleaners who eather doad limbs at will in forests of the estau and among the mountain wilds both for the uso of the peasantry and the humbler classes of the towas, No Use for Modern Tnventions. Among all these people there is not & single implement or utensil invented within tho past thousaud years; an ordinary American farm hand would accomplish under our methods 1n ono day more than a score of any of these: and the wizzard-brush of the painter of Barbazon nover fastened upon canvas more startlingly ancient ways, wares, postures and ploddings among the ciods of Brittany, than remuin universal and chauge-: less among the bright-oyed but changeiess folk of these entran.ing mountain vales. There is a careless half-joyous abandon upon the surface of all peasant toil which adds greatly to its picturesaueness. Join with this, qunintness in dross, primitivencss of ymplements,that grace which unvaryinely accompanies junooent ignorauce, and the universal loveliness of scenery and your pas toral pictures are most idyliic snd complote. Grouud is tilied with oxen, tandem, in rush traces drawing a plough of the sort first KOWN 1o man - the tree-crook or sharpened root. Now and then you will find oue rude pointed with iron. “One short furrow is serateted amid tremendous shoutings. Then the half dozen who have clung to tho handles, rode upon the beawm, or gonded the oxen, rest by the flower laden hedgo or division wall to enjoy siesta or tho delizhts of countryside 20SSSIp with passing goatherds’ or mulotcers, — Where tho hilisido too steep for this gentle process, g handled loes with cumbrous vlades do lazy duly: for the spade is rejected as a con trvance of the evil one, AlL American ceroals grow hero in ianco for a mere pricking of the soil. Tho small wrai a handful at a timo, cut oy the olden sickle, and wloaners foliow us in the bibie davs, ~ Corn is cut or pulled, the leaves vroserved for foduer, stalks munciied by goats or aonkeys, ot used for fires, the cars strung together und hunw uvon pyramidal lathice-work for curing, and, tinally, after husking—when the genuine old fashioned Amorican “‘husking-bee,” hero of weeks” auration, tho peasant’securing every hundredth car for his labor, and a kiss from bis inamorita very red ear found, 1s everywhere pr sing —the kernels aro r moved from the cobs by the choupanas and chitidren who receive the cob, for burning* in puyment. A score ol morry stragglers aro vequired to bouse the product of one ucre of ground, and every one of these work, or make pretense of Work, in that care-tree and nced-nothing wiy that marks all tol and of: fori heve. Whaeat, varley and rye are Lireeshod precisely as they were a thousund years ago. Al every roudside and beside the eranery of every vill ura, round, high piles of Dumiced stone, beaton wnd rain-soaked until tiurd as zranite, may be seon. ‘These, callod eiras, are the Portuguese threshing-tloors. Lhe grain is piled upon them and cows and oxen. blind-folded, are driven in opposite divections, until the treading has releasea tho kerools. There is no otner method of threshing gram in this country; and the fan ning miil s unknown. The straw is hifted off the eiras with wooaen forks and pre sarved for the food of donkeys and goats. Then a flag is hoisted o find tho direction of the wind. This done, meu and wemen, nut more often women and girls, standing at the side from whouce comes the ‘wind, throw the grain ana chaff into the air, and the chaff is borae away. . Home Life of the Peasants. The home 1ifo of the Portugueso peasant is not atw. 4 radiant ono. never lacis chiceriness, affection and simple coutent. flo knows no other lifo bettor than his own, and is sutisiied with what he has and ects to the eod of lis days. The cottuze or cavin or hutis shuply a°square structure bailt of vouk thateled with furze or ties. The win- dows and doovs are never closed, for there aro neiiber cold blasts nor robbers 1o enter. “The baro carth is tho floor. He requires no stove. His fire place for cooking is simply o a0, waist high i the wall, and the smoko ndly tuikes caro of tsell. His staple focd 15 meal bread fast dav, {east day and five nes a day. chickens, and goat's 1linost without value, and salt fish, bataitio” or deied codlisn, and wine ave s luxuries ilis wife 1s dutiful, his As tho lowly luxur children beautiful, they aro all cleanly, if the chickeus do pereh on the lofi, the pig insists upon estic companionship, and his goats choose the inside of the house at night. He tivos loriously in his way without severe ef fort, Uis ife and hildren are loyal and never gadabouts. He is true to his re ligion, bis Wome, his friends; and be is never too old to lave the guitar of mauaoln, or to join wita his wife in the innocent dances to the numbers of his beloved countrysiae music, 1f he is ailing unto death the church comes to him, scarlet robed and wll-sufticient, with its, to him, saving santissimo, aad ho passes calmly to his simple heaven from o heaven of every-day content. * Encanr - NEW BOOKS AND I . WAKEAMAN, RIODICALS. athavine Donelson has just issued an- excellent povel, uuder the tite of todger Latimer's Mistake.” The scones are laid partly in Chicago and its suburbs and partly in Europe. Itis a graphie, spark ling and fascifiating victure of the social life of ourday. il portrays its roivles as well as its strength; the mad raco for wealth aud sociul position, us well as the rare and beau- tome life with which a moderate com- petence creates a worldly paradise. The love story running through its pages is pathetic and beautiful; the plot indicates dramatic power of a high order: the action is rapid and the interest never flags, ‘Tae dinlogue is bright, genial, natural aud refined, The uuthor's insight into human nature is pro tound. The reader will find 10 the volume a relioction of his deepost experiences and his wost perploxing self-questionings. Published by Laird & Lee, Chicago, While atEastbourse, a fashionable soa side resort on the English coast, one ovening in August last the late W. J. Ilorence, the colebrated comedian, with some other gon- non,sal down to a friendly game of poker, 1t was urged by one of the party that a book should e written in which the rules govern ing the game should be suceinzily ox prossed, Someone remarked that it would take a year te completo suct a ook, but Florence mair tained it could be done it a mouth. This to considerable discussion. and in a banter ing manner a bet was proposed and acceptea that it could be written inside of peks "The result of thut wager w tie work from the pen of th explaining i a fascinatiug n the mys terios of tho captivating pastime under (ho title of “The Game of Draw Poker.” It is beautifully govten up in ot and nOW that thie author has o that “hourne from whence no traveler roturns, it will possess moro thau ordinary interest, not only for his versonal and fellow workers, but also for the host of admirers he created by his versatile genius and genial disposi- ton. Publisued by George Routledge & Sous, limited, 4 Lafayetto place, New York A book which will delight the eyes and ap- peal to the minds of the fair sex is Annie Jentess Miller's “Physical Beauty; How to Obtain und How to Preserve 11" By porus- ing its 246 pages any young wowan can glean much valuable information that will aid her in @ laudable endeavor to rendor nerseif s ativactive as possible. In spite of ull the efforts to alter their real natures, in their hoart of hearts the majority of women sti |l desire to be lovely in faco and warm, sud still cover the admiration of tho other sex One of the most effective weans of improy ing one’s 100k is 10 500 10 it that the nhealth is kopt in good ovder. In this useful little volume will be found some excellent advice regarding general aids to beauty, such as ventilation, food, sleep aud dress fabrics ; the service of bodily expression is also handled in au able manner, and & chapter 1s devoted scanting upoo the 38, toetn, honds and feet. The bygiene of the hair is oot for gotten aud thera are some yery sensible sug- gestions with regard 1o the 1most health pro ducing kiuds of dress. The cultivation of individuality ; the bowme of th? future and its queen, and man's sphere are touched upon in & graceful and entertaing maoner. The book is fairly well llustrated by May K. Kers, und the cover, whieh is daiutly decorated aud silver ornawmentation is a per othe fect gom, and is alone worth the book. Published by Charies L. Co,, New York. he wide-spread attention attracted to Maurus Jokai in this country by the publica tion of that excellent production of his en- ttled, “‘There is No Devil," has lea the Cas- sell Publishing company to publish & new story by him, called *‘Pretty Michal."" It 1s A free transiation of ““A Szep Mikhal," and is mado by R. N. Bain, who has done the work 20 well that we forget that we aro not read- ing the story in its original language Protty Michai' is the story of a girl who was brought up entirely by her father, a recluse, who bad theories about molding girls 1 cer tai: lines. The plan worked woll until the wirl fell in love, and then father, plans and all wero scattered to the wind. Jokai never wroto anything wilder or moro romantio than this story, und it is the most fautastic l,'\ln that has appeared in print in many along day. Oue of the most useful books for acquiring the French language, with or without the aid of a teacher, is the work just published by Prof. H. Bertrand of Carlisle, Pa., under the name of *“Tho French Speaker; tiow to Pronounce, How to Read.”” As the author remarks: “If you wish to study Frenc with the real “desire to converse in this language, have Hrst a good pronunciation, This book will give it to you in a gonuine, simple and easy manner, and cnable you to read well his work contains a full course of pronuaciation, and by o rice of the Wobster & h very ingenious method of assimilating sounds | Prof. Bertrand bas managed to wive the studont an exccllent representation of the pronunciation of F'rench, as far as is possiblo throueh tho medium of silent type arrangement of the work is admirable, and it is very evident that the writer has spared himself no trouble in his endeavors to make tho pupil's pathway to a knowledge of the court language of Furope both vleasant and oasy. Itisa thoroughly practical work nnd in the hands of an earnest student would bo invaluable. Published by 1. K. Me Harrisbarg, Pa, he Old Stone House and Other Stord by Auna Katharine Green, is an _attractive littlo book, containing a coliection of five wholesome, excellently — written talos of morican domestic life, Besides *The Old one House, there are: “A Memorable izht," “The Black Cross,”" “A Mysterious Case and “Shall He Wed Her" This work would mako a very suitablo presont to a young laay, being pura in tone and entively free from any of the objectionable feutur found in so many books translated from cer- tain foreign provuctions. Ludliseed by (., I’ Patnam’s Sons, 27 West Twoenty-third streot, Now York, and forsale by Chase & 1ddy, Omaha, Nob, A very sensiblo and highly instructive lit tle work “is_“Shorthand and Typewriting, oy Durold MeKiliop. To anyoue thinking of studying either of theso arts we would viso the carcful verasal of this unproten- tious but usefu! book. A good many sten ographers now usiug shorthand and type- writing as a means of livelliood would bo able to glean not a few valuable hints and suggestions by going through its 123 page and its low price place it within tho means of the wost moderately circumstanced. 1'ub lishod by owler & Wells company, 7. Brondway, Now York, “General History of the Music Trades of America” is the title of u unique volumo justpublished by Bill & Bill, % East Four- teenth street, New York. This work, which embraces sketcies of muny noteworthy por- sons, has, with a view to couvenience and for the purpose ol referesce, boen dividad as fol- lows: Part I, munufacturers; part 11, sup- ply trade: part I aealers, and part 1V, minagers, travelers' and salesmen. Fach section of thn work is protusely illustrated with artistically executed portraits, which fortn & most interesting picture gallory of persons engaved in the music teade. ‘There are also many views of faciories and in- ors, while engravings of musical instru ments and patented improveinents are uot lacking, This book contaius some inzenious records relating to a series oi industries which have within a fow decades been marveously deveioped 1w America. Taken all in ali it 15 a beautiful beok and the typography is fivst-class in every respect. It s 4 that over 700,000 women in this country alono now buy and read the Ladies' tome Journal, and a” study of the Januar, number shows at once why this paper is so popular. It is in comviote touch with a woman's best needs, and covers everything in berlife. No mayazine covers its special field so thoroughly and in such a fresh and capable manuer. Mr.s Burton Hareison, for example, is sclected to write of “Social Life in New York”—than whieh thers could have beca no better choice. “Wino on Ifasbiona- bio Tables’’—whether its use is increasing or decreasing -is discussed by such roval en tertainers and dimers-out as Chauncoy M. Depew, ex-President Hayes, Georgo W, Childs and othors. In tae scries ok “Un- known Wives of Woll Kuown Men' we have the first portrait of Mrs. John Wanumalcar ever printed, while “Clever Daughters of Clever Men' presents Ethel Tugalls, the pretty aaughter of ex-Senator Ingalls, Al- together this issua is an excelleut one. “Chats with Girls on Self Culture,” by 13tiza Chester, is one of thoso first-class books for girls, after the fashion adopted by John Ruskin or J. G. Holland, which ocvervone reads but girls. The chapter on *Dull Girls” is one of special force and orizinality, the prevailing seutiment of which is expressed wn the closing words, “Not oue of us is_shut out from the best.” Publisbed by Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, and for sulo by J. 5. Canlticld of this city, Cassell’s Family Magnzino ovens with a retty serial story entitled, Jut of the hion,” by L. T. Meade, forned with soms excallent iltustrations by Walt Paget. *“Preasure-Trove in Central Canada," is tho name given to an oxcced- ingly in.eresting and instructive paper by W Hatherell, It. 1, and Deborah Platter's contribution, A Bachelor's Broil,” will bo found very readahle, A story that will doubtloss find favor umong the fair patrons ot zine is *The Woolng of Mary Ca Georgo R. Burgin, This issuo also contatus two tho fasemating novel, “You'll Love Mo Yet,” by Frances Haswell, and a continu ation of *1ad Ho Kuown,' thestory of New Zealand gold thirst. “The Property of a Skipper,” by W. Runciman: “Cnit-Chat o Dress—What to Wear in January,” and the pages headed “The Gatherer,” are somo of the other admirable features of this wont number. A Reporter’s Romauce,” by *The con,” is a stroug story of tho thoroughl sational class, Tho characters are ated in a masterly manner, and the reader's interest in tne plot, which is a most extiraor- dinary one, 15 well ‘sustainea from the first wihe last paze. Taken all in all, it is & vory readable littlo book. FPublished by Rand, MeNally & Co., Chicago aud Now York The Quarterly Journal of Kconomies for January has a sniendid litorary menu. “Ciapi- tal and lutor 5. Macvane; ‘“The 3vo- lution of \Wage Statist ' by Carcoll D, Wright; “Comments on the ‘iositive Tucory of Capital, " Hugo Bilgram: *Tho Prussian Tncome Tax,” by Joscolt A, Hill; “Social and 12conomic Lezislation of the States in 1301, by Williamn B. Shaw, togetuer with tho usual “Notes and Memorauda,” will all be read with great mterest by the numerous putrons of this zreat quarterly. Published by George H. Bllis, 1l Urankhn street, Boston. A little pamphiet comes to T the simple title *(tah,” but seription upor. the outside “A Mountain Walled Treasury holds out a pro nise of richness redecmod on 0o hundred daint braced between Lhe two covers, [t is a beautiful brochure boautifully illus trated with finest bhalf-tone engravings of Utal scenes. These are printed on plate paper, somo of tuem in colors, and many of them have an exquisite softuoss rivaling pho tography. - The descriptive toxt is from the facile pen of 1”at Donan, who won national distinction ten years ngo as the sproad-eagle eulogist of Dakota and was even suspected of baving weitten the famous speech of PProctor Knott on “Duluth, the Zenith City of the Unsalted Sea.) Scattercd through® the work are bits of graceful verse from the pen of Mr. Cy Warman of Denver, editor of the Western Itailway, doing homage 1 wmeasured lines and vippling rhymes 1o the beauties of Utah There 18 nothing iu the little pagoes of the pamphlet to indicate its inspiration, but that is revealed in the descriptive matter, where the iugenious writer makes iusidious mentiou of the itio Girande Western railway — - Chizugo Post Mod: no fluer picture than that of this great old mau, & prince in name aud uature, threaa ing the noisome purlieus of east London or walking the docis of the Thames, pleadiog, commandin, praying, lavoring that the right ght revall and p e done Lo unfortunate of carlh for Fobruary pocial maga- chapters of Dy Bre with bronzed in- en Iuto o the Gods' nd that is pages e of ) civilization affords FAT FOLKS REDUCED DR. SNYDER, The Successful Obesity Specialist. M. 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