Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1892 — Page 4

®(jeJemorrfltiiSentinel RENSSELAER, INDIANA. J, w. McEWEN, - - - Publisher

' Too often fall dress for ladies seem to be full and running over. The proper thing to do with a crank in office is to turn him—out. The man who called “A spade, a spade!” probably needed one to All his flush. The exact facts as to Jerry Simp.son’s feet may be learned by inquiring of Santa Claus. The Russians have reached the “roof of the world.” and England intends to find out what they are rafter. Down in Texas a fellow killed a man, and it cost him in “fine and costs $37” to get out of it. Texas is moving. t St. Paul has a mighty strong name, but Minnie seems to have the knack of getting there when the bell rings. From the newspaper pictures it is evident that even if Russell Sage’s assailant was not a maniac he at least lost his head. A fireproof dress for balletdancers has been invented. This will enable the sprightly coryphees to have all the flames they want. Ward McAllister thinks that marriages between literary persons are seldom happy. Probably not among the literary people of Ward’s 400. A New York scientist thinks he has discovered the language of monkeys. When he has it fully at his command he might utilize it in writing a society novel. There are a good many cranks in Congress this year, but if their presence there will frighten Wall street men away from the capital they may count upon re-election. It is said that the man who cannot dance might as well resign claims to importance in New York City this Beason. All fashion has been on tiptoe studying the German cotillon. j Here’s the crucical test. John L. Sullivan is going to Dwight and learn as to the efficacy of the gold treatment. If Dr. Keeley can reform the professor the institution will have to be enlarged. About twenty-five hundred rabbits are shipped abroad every week by one Arm in Eaton Rapids, Mich. Rabbits are not eaten rapidly enough in Eaton Rapids, and hence — but this is a digression. Subscriptions are being taken up in England to provide a dowry for the princess who is going to marry “Collars and Cuffs.” There should be a law prohibiting the marriage of persons with no visible means of support.. An outlaw was arrested in Memphis a few days ago who claims to have killed ninety-nine men. It might not be a bad plan for the authorities to hang him for the sake of making the number an even hundred. i „ -- * “War has slain its thousands,” exclaims the Buffalo Express, “but the deadly grade-crossing has slain its tens of thousands.” Fiction never looks so insignificant, so helpless, so ! commonplace as when it bumps against a fact like this. Considering the flood of reminiscences concerning the acquisitiveness and parsimony of Russell Sage with which the press is now deluged, it seems that the dynamiter came out of that little affair with a better reputation than his intended victim.

It looks a little as though the Czar’s persecution of the Christian sect known as the Stundists were intended to take the edge from his persecution of the Jews. It was hardly necessary, however, for him to show that be is not particularly discriminating In his tyranny. A man has too much sense, as a rule, to build a ten-thousand-dollar-house on a thousand-dollar income, bat church people do it in the matter of churches. They think in their early enthusiasm that the Lord will provide, but the Lord never provides for anything that is lacking in good business judgment. The postoffice department is not always rapid, but it is sure. A citizen of a neighboring state has just had returned to him a letter mailed a year ago with a notice from the department that the person to whom it was addressed could not be found. The department has probably been employing Pinkerton detectives to hunt up the person. The New York correspondents are trying to make it appear that the opening of the opera season was more brilliant and fashionable in that city than in Chicago. This is simply incredible. No one will believe that people of wealth and refinement in the boxes in New York could have talked any louder during the pianissimo passages than they did in fj The proper place for the Bancroft library is in this city, the commercial, literary, artistic and political metropolis of the United States.— New York Pm*. Outside people have seen the j crying need for a few good books in

the “political metropolis” for some* time past. If “the commercial, literary, and artistic” center will agree to read, no doubt the Sunday-schools all oyer the country would chip in with funds enough to make the purchase.

The Rev. Lyman Abbott disposes of the charge that he has uttered grossly heretical doctrine by declaring that the heresy was in the reporter’s ears, not in his sermon. It may be allowed to pass at that this time, but who listens to almost any clergyman of Dr. Abbott’s ability, breath, and courage has always to strain his ears to catch the very microscopic thread, of precautionary qualification which holds the oratoi to his theological moorings.

Tiie New York Sun thinks there is “a, job” in the proposition to have Congress appropriate $3,000,000 foi the World’s Fair. The Sun is mistaken. It’s only an opportunity tc let Uncle Sam do his share, or let the rest of the country contribute about one-third as much as Chicago has for the fair, which, even NewYorkers have become convinced, is not to be a Chicago fair, but a world’s fair, to celebrate the discovery of, not Lake Michigan, but of all America.

“Sir Edwin Arnold has been tendered a reception by the Unsquebaughs.” “Miss Frances E. Willard has been tendered a reception by the Daughters of Josh.” “Rev. Dr. Noah Absalom has been tendered a reception by the Church of the Holy Slip per.” And so it goes on. If Sir Edwin has been tendered, to whom has he been tendered and for what purpose? If Miss Willard has been tendered, to what is she offered and what will come of it? If Rev. Dr. Noah Absalom has been tendered, where shall we look for him hereafter? There is no more general ungrammatical or vulgar pest of bad English than tendering people and not explaining the aim, motive or object of the tender.

Later details concerning the recent death of Caroline Beethoven, the last who bore the great composer's name, confirm the conjecture that she was the widow of his nephew, Karl, who caused him so much trouble while he was living. After his wife had borne him three daughters the graceless scoundrel deserted her, leaving her in straitened circumstances. Of late years she had been supported by her daughters, who are married, and by two musicians, who paid hei money yearly on the anniversary ol the composer's death. As it is reported that Karl Beethoven, when he ran away, came to this country, it would be worth the effort for some antiquarian to trace him out and find where he went and what he was doing here.

A crank is liable to be generally rational though he may be weakminded on a hobby. As a rule he fully appreciates the results of violence. Men of this character should be severely punished for acts of violence. Fear of severe punishment is a great element in the prevention oi crime, especially with men of hobbies. It is the man whose sanity is totally wrecked who knows no fear, simply because he cannot appreciate the results of crime or of X&S only practical preventive against cranks is to punish thrse who resort to violence with the full extent ofthe law that fits the crime for the influence it has on the brotherhood ol cranks, and to confine insane people in asylums as long as there is the slightest possibility of their doing any injury to society.

TnouGH Mid-Armagh, where the Tory candidate for Parliament, Mr. Barton, was allowed to have a walkover, is undoubtedly Tory by a good majority, the Home-Rulers would have measured their strength there hut for the unfortunate division in their ranks. The seat was carried by the Tories in 1885 by 1,500 majority. At a subsequent election ttrs HomeRulers put forward their leader in Ulster, Mr. Thomas Dickson, and he cut down the majority to 1.200, running against a most popular Tory of liberal ideas. Were the HomeRulers united now they might he able to still further reduce the Tory majority, but as they are divided a contest would only result in an increase of the Tory majority. Mid-Armagh is one of the thirteen seats which the Tories can hold in Ulster for many years to come. They hold sixteen all told, but three by majorities not exceeding 100. The Home-Rulers hold seventeen seats—four of them by narrow margins.

Frogs as Food.

Most people believe, says a daily contemporary, that the edible frog is the only eatable batrachlan in Europe, and that we have not developed the taste for those creatures for the simple reason that they are rare in this country, being confined to certain localities in the Eastern counties. This is, however, not the case. The common frog—liana temporaria—is eaten on the continent in much greater numbers than Bana esculata; it is just as good, and easier to catch, as well as more abundant. Something might be done in recommending this creature as food; it is common enough not to want preserving. The two frogs are so much alike that it needs a careful examination to distinguish them. In this connection we may mention that we have more than once seen frog meat on the menus of London restaurants, anu remember on one occasion to have quite enjoyed frogs’ legs a la poulette at Gatti’s well-known Strand restaurant. The dish ate like very delicate chicken. A wise man thinks before he speaks; but a fool speaks and then thinks of what he has been 6aying.

“THE GREAT HUNGER.”

FAMINES ARE PERIODICAL OCCURRENCES IN RUSSIA. Some Account of the Present Famine in That Country and Other Noted Starvation Crises. Famine in Russia is periodical like the snows, or rather it is perennial like the Siberian plague. To be scientifically accurate, one should distinguish two different varieties of it, the provincial and the national, the former termed golodovka, or the little hunger, and the lutter golod, or the great hunger.

Now not a year has elapsed this century in which extieme distress in some province or provinces of the empire has not assumed the dimensions of a famine, while scarcely a decade has passed away in which the local misfortune has not ripened into the national calamity. Nor is the nineteenth century an exception in this regard. If we go as far back as the yeur 1100 and follow the course of Russian history down to the present year of grace, wo shall find that while the “little hunger” is an annual occurrence, as familiar astho destruction of human lives by wolves, the normal number of national famines fluctuates between seven and eight per century. It is curious that tho circumstance that wo can thus speak of the periodicity of this terrible scourge, much as tho astronomers and meteorologists discourse of that of a comet or an abnormally warm summer, should be balm to tho hearts of Russian shinovniks who are delighted to shift to the shoulders of Providence or Nature responsibility for tho fruits of their own mismanagement. The present century, which has yet eight years to run, has already had its ! full share of those visitations which some ! optimists regard as automatic checks on over-population; in 1801, 1808, 1811, 1812, 1833, 18-10, 1860 and 1891. These are the national golods. The provincial famines frequently equal them in severity if not in extent, and so complete and child-like is tho pooplc s trust in Providence and the Czar, who, it is hoped, will utilize in good time the abundance of tho harvest in the neighboring provinces to relieve their needs, that the crops are allowed to lie rotting in some places until the peasants in others are beyond the reach of hunger and of human help. Tho fifth and six decades of the present century ushered in scenes of misery which would have provoked a bloody revolution among peoples in whose breasts duty had implanted that spirit of manly resistance which is proportioned in most men to tho wrongs they ure destined to endure.

Travelling some five or six years ago through a large district afflicted by tho famine of the godolovka variety, I found myself behind the scenes of the lowest theatre of human existence which it is possible to conceive. Multiplying by an enormus figure the sights one sees in tho lugubrious wards of a typhus hospital and intensifying the horror they inspire by substituting huugor for disease, criminal neglect for inevitable necessity, ouo may form some idea of a state of things which should have rendered the system that produced it forever after impossible. Kazan wns then tho center of tho famine-stricken district and the countryfolk round about journeyed hundreds of miles on foot, dragging themselves feebly along in search of food and finding only graves. Many of them lay down by the roadside, in ditches, in the yards of desertod houses and gave up the ghost without a murmur against their Little Father, the Czar, “it was touching and edifying to witness their Christian submission and unshaken faith in God,” exclaimed many of the highor tshinovniks, who seemed to feel that nothing in their life became them like the leaving it. In 1887-1888, when the abundance of tho harvest in Russia seemed to partake of the nature of tho miraculous, tho distress in certain districts was to the full us intense and disastrous ns at present. “In many villngos the people ai'c absolutely destituteof food,” run the accounts published ut tho time; “largo numbers nave to tuke to bogging, but ns tho same monotonous misery reigns all round, after having crawled from neighbor to neighbor, they have nothing for it but! to drag themselves back to theirdiovols I and sicken of ‘hunger. In the Government of Smolensk the peasants lived during tho year “on bread made partly of rye und partly of tho husks of rye, often eaten with tho wormeaten bark of the oak or tho pine, which stills without satisfying the cravings of hunger.” Lack of fodder killed the cattle in thousands, but not before a resolute effort had been made to savo them by feeding them on the straw-thatched roofs of hovels. Last year, writes E. B Lanin in tho London Fortnightly Review, there was another partial famine of considerable proportions, scarcely noticed by the English press, the progress of which wns marked by the usuut concomitants: merciful homicide, arson, suicide, dirt-bread, typhus and death. Tho evil is undeniably chronic; the symptoms are always the same, and the descriptions of them published ten or fifty years ago might be served up afresh to-day or next year as faithful photographs of the life in death of millions of Russian Cliristiuns. Scarcity of food lias long sincocometo be looked on as a necessary condition of tho existence of the people who manage ta supply a great part of Europe with corn. Ihe Czars have been uwaro of it for centuries, and have done all that they could be expected to do to prepare for In 1724 Peter I. dccroed tho establishment of district granaries to reserve corn, und Catharine 11.. thirty years Inter, commanded her Minister to set about putting his ukase into execution. I here is a leap year in the annals of distress; the famine extends over a much larger area, but is not a whit more intense than it v.as last year, five, ten, or fifteen years ago. Tho district affected extends from Odessa on the shores of tho Black Sea through Little Russia, athwart the rich black loam country celebrated for its marvellous fertility, straight through the country watered by tho Volga, across the Urals, growing wider and wider till it reaches Tobolsk; in other words,it covers a tract of land 3,000 miles long and from 500 to 1,000 miles broad, which supports a population of only forty millions. These Atlases on whose shoulders a great part of the weight of the Russian empire rests, are, in a gradual way, undergoing the process of petrifaction which their prototype experienced on a sudden when he gazed at the countenance of Medusa. Southern California is experiencing another hotel building boom.

SURPRISED THE DEALER.

How a Dead Chicken was Made to Astonish Its Owner. “ How do you sell these chickens—live weight t” asked the man with the twinkle in his eye,, putting his hand on a fowl which had its throat cut and its feathers plucked, and was apparently as dead as a chicken can be. “ Haven't any live chickens, sir,” replied the marketman. " M hy, what do you call this ? ” As lie spoko a low, dolorous squawk came from the bench where the chickens lay. Ihe inarketman started and turned a trifle pale. “YV-what’s that?’ he gasped, “I say,” repeated the other, “you don t call this a dead chicken, do you ? Hear that?” And again came the squawk. The rnarketman fairly trembled. “I I,” bo began, und then, us tho squawk wns repeated, he stood motionless, unable to say a word.

“Strikes me it’s rather cruel to pull off a live chicken’s feathers and leavo it lying about in this wav,” continued the other. “I suppose you have to Jo it to assure your customers that the fowls are fresh. But you’d better not let tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals catch you at it.” “I thought it was dead; honest I did!” cried the marketman. “I bought it for a dead chicken. Why, I wouldn’t have had this thing happen for anything. Suppose there had been a lady inhere. Sho’d have fainted'away.” “Oil, you thought it was dead, did you? I'm not so sure about that. On the whole, I don’t know but it’s my duty to report you to tho S. P. C. A.” “Please don’t, sir; please don't! I’ll kill tho chicken myself and vop can have it for nothing if you won't say anything übout it.” ! “Oil, I'm not to bo bribed; but, as it | may not bo your fault, I'll let you off if us you say, you’ll cut the poor chicken’s head off and draw it, and while you’re about it you’d better make sure that these other chickens are dead by treating them in the same way. I don't care if you send one of them to my house when you've killed'and drawn them.” “Yes, sir; yes, sir; I will,” exclaimed the marketman, eagerly. '1 he wise-looking man walked out, smiling softly to himself. “That’s a trick that everybody doesn’t ’•.now,” ho said. “How did you do it?” I asked. “Why, it is simple enough. You can mako any dead chicken squawk by pressing its broastbono just right; that is, if it hasn’t been dead too long. 1 suppose tho movement forces tho air out of its lungs in such a way us to produce the noise. I startled that fellow u little, but if I’ve scared him into selling drawn fowls I’ve done a good thing for the health of his customers.”—[Buffalo (N. Y.) Express.

Aztec Remains in Tennessee.

Dr. A. P. Clarke, of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 1). C., recAitly passed through Nushvillo from Cleveland, Tenn., where ho and other gentlemen have been investigating alleged Aztec remains. In an interview Dr. Clarke said; “It is a genuine wall similar to some found in Central America and Mexico. Such formations aro peculiar to tropical climates only, and none have over been found so fur north of tlic equator as this ono. Tho wall was found buried beneath tho earth, enough of it was uncovered last spring to give tho geologists of the country some idea of what is was. We uncovered more ofthe wall, and on ono stone, twelve feet under ground, we found tho imprint of a man’s toot plainly and distinctly marked, thirteen inches long and fivo inches wide; with some mystic characters in the heel and foot. If these characters had been in the ball of the foot they would have been indentical with the curious hieroglyphics found only in India. We have somo splendid photographs of the wall and tho marks, but have been unable to decipher tho characters as yet.”

Shiah’s Sacred Shrines.

A curious account of the sacred shrines of the Shiah Division of the Mohammedan faith is given in the report of Brigade Surgeon Bowman of tho Bombay Medical Service. The most important of these is Karbala, or Mashad Husnni, some fifty odd miles from Bagdad, which contains tho tomb of Husaui, son of Ali, und that of Abbas, his halfbrother. It is a pluco of pilgrimago for largo numbers of Indian, Persian, and other Shiahs, but it is also a spot to which thousauds of bodies from overy country whero tho Shiah faith exists arc brought for interment, so that tho place has become “ono vast burial ground.” Its population is estimated at between fifty and sixty thousand. Kadhunain, another Shiah shrine, is' about three miles only from Bagdad, und has a population of 13,000. The insanitary condition of this town is said to ho “beyond description.” At both these shrines'several outbreaks of cholera during the yeur are reported.—[Loudon News.

A Diminutive Woman.

Mr. Nathan Harris, living on the Lyon's Gap farm, in Rich Valley, this county, belonging to Mr. V. S. Morgan, of Marion, has a daughter, nineteen years old, who is only Z feet 10 inches in height and weighs j .U forty and a half pounds. She is welt proportioned and intelligent and her hair is very beautiful and glossy and sweep* t lie floor when standing erect. Site t* the eldest of four living children two sisters and one brother, who ure ait well grown and intelligent. Stic has Wen living in the valley all her lifetime with her parents, but very few have known of her existence until recently, her parents not desiring any notoriety of her. Her parents are medium size, healthy, well-to-do and highly respected people. The above is a true hill, and vouched for hy many Rich \ alley people on las* Monday (court day) as well as several citizens of this town who have seen her.

Nervous Traits of Royalty.

Beth Emperor William and King Humbert have the habit of twisting their mustaches, the difference between the two sovereigns consisting in the fact that whereas the Italian monarch strokes his with deliberation, the German Kaiser twists his with a brusque,quick and jerky ' movement, which threatens to tear it out by the roots. Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria leaves his moustache alone, and contents himself with softly stroking his snow-white whiskers. The Czar of Russia has a peculiar wav' of passing his right hand over the top of his head when absorbed,and it may be that his baldness is due _to his having worn the hair oft’in so doing.—[New York Tribune.

A QUEER BUSINESS.

A MAN WHO SELLS SECOND-HAND FURNITURE. His Method to Attend a Sale, Bny in Goods, Then Repawn—After That he Floats the Tickets With his Friends. Dobson is a queer little man, who lives in a queer little room, in a certain queer little street on the cast side,who has some queer friends and who follows a queer little business. Dobson is a pawnticket broker.

Did you ever hear of the like before ? There are. of course, any end of brokers, good, bad and indifferent, in big New York. They deal in oil, in wool, in tallow, in leather, in peanuts, in watermelons, in real estate, in ships and in almost everything under the sun. Hut who ever before heard of a man who deals in second-hand pawntickets? That man is Dobson. He said to mo the other day, with a shrewd twinkle m his eyes, that, now the dull summer is gone, “business would be lively again.” “Dobson,” I rejoined, “with every mark of honor, sir (for in your dealings your friends say you are the pink of courtesy and the soul of integrity), with every honor, sir, let mo attend you for a day and see how you handle the tickets.” “With pleasure,” said the little man; “come right along now; I am on the trail of several good things.” We went over to a pawnbroker's placo in the Bowery where a sale of forfeited chattels had been announced in the World, the bargains to bo offered without reserve. There was a denso jam in the looms. The sale had begun before we arrived. It was the usual unloadingof the thousand and one effects left in an every-day pawn shop. The auctioneer offere l several watches, then put up a diamond ring. Dobson examined the ring with his littlo microscope and then cautiously bid throe dollars.

“Five,” said a voice in the corner. “Five twenty-five,” repeated Dobson. “Seventy-five.” “Six.” “Ten.” “Twelve.” “Fako it, Mr. Dobson,” said the auctioneer. Then the broker bid in two gold watches at $lO each, and a chip diamond for $2 more. A cake busket was then offered. Some ono bid 40 cents. Dobson made 50, then GO, then 70, then sl,then a quarter moro, then a half, then threequarters, and And Mr.Dobson shrewdly dropped out, for, as ho said uftorwards, some ono was only leading him on in the interest of the house. In half an hour Mr.Dobson,the broker, had invested about SSO, and in turn had received four watches, two rings, a gold j brooch, three razors, a pair of second- j hund trousers, a rusty set of surgical instruments and a violin. Mr. Dobson then withdrew' from tho sale. Later in tho day he attended another ! foreclosure and purchased fivo moro j watches, throe rings, two gold chains, a ! marine glass, a dress suit and u set of | boxing gloves and foils. He packed all j his goods in two satchels and started for home, as it was now too late to do any business that day. Bright and early next morning I went ; by appointment to Mr. Dobson’s room, \ and, assisting him with ono of tho j satchels, we started out, Mr. Dobson to ply his strango calling. We trudged along over towards the Bowery. “ What will you give me for this fine hunting-caso watch '! ” asked Mr. Dobson ; pf a pawnbroker friend near Chatham Square. Felix eyed it critically, appliod a bit of acid, gluncod at the works, but said nothing. “What do you want on it?” he finally ventured. “ Thirty dollars.” “I’ll givo you twelve.” “Take it.” Felix made out a check for tne watch. “ You’ll havo to redoem it in thirty days,” he said, “or there’ll bednterest to pay-’’ “All right,” said the genial broker, “ I)in good for it.” He offered Felix two rings and a chain, and after some bargaining tho deal was made. In each case tickots were given. We then passed on to half a dozon pawnshops. In one we sold tho dress suit for $7, the boxing gloves and foils went for $2 moro. two more rings were j disposed of at $5.10. Tickets were ob- j tniued in oach instance. In the next half hour we had sold three j more watches, tho marine glass, the i razors, the clothes —and all that remained j was the set of surgical instruments. These proved difficult to dispose of to any advantage, but finally Mr. Dobson let them pass at a close sacrifice. Mr. Dobson, his goods all placed, disposed of tho two satchels at a fair figure, and was now ready for his business proper ns a broker in pawntickets. He eyed them narrowly, wondering how much profit there was in them. We counted over the tickets and found that they were sixteon in number and aggregated about $75, face value. It was now about G o’clock. “Come with me,” said Mr. Dobson, loading the way into a tenemont ili Hester street. “ What for? ” “ I have a customer up here.” “ Jake,” said Mr. Dobson to a young: man upstairs, "are you still going with Hannah ?” " Why ? ” “ Well, it’s nearly time that you bought her a present. Do you want a chance ? ” “ Have you a bargain, Mr. Dobson ? ” “ Look at this: Hero is a ticket for a lady's gold watch, twelve carats fine, good machine movement,enamelled cases, stem-winder. I saw the watch myself. It is a beauty. This ticket will redeem it for $7. Give me s.'s for tho bargain, Jake, and you can make Hannah happy ? ” Jake hesitated. “ It’s only $lO, and T tell you it, is a Teul bargain.” The deal was closed and Mr. Dobson and I went away. Next the pawnticket broker led me to a saloon where he was known. There was a large crowd at the tables. Mr. Dobson was gone about half an hour, during which time I saw him offer ticket after ticket, here and there, tothemonat tho tables, all the while explaining in a low tone tho value of his goods. When we went out he had sold five tickets, making something on each, the net profit being $7.50. As we passed along the genial broker never missed his opportunity to greet a friend and offer tickets. In an hour he had sold two more. Then business became somewhat depressed. In the next two hours only one ticket was sold. Mr. Dobson then visited in quick suc-

cession half a dozen saloons where ho was known favorably. By 11 o’clock that night he had disposed of the entire sixteen tickets at a profit of $24.30. I could not but marvel. “ It is a phase of human nature,” said the shrewd broker, to try to get something for nothing. Each .man is after a big bargain and is willing to pay a dollar | or two to secure the coveted opportunitv. j All amounts over and above full values are, of courso, mv commissions.” " You live in this way ? ” “ Yes, live well, year by year.”—[New Y'ork World.

A BLACKFOOT CEMETERY.

Tepees of the Dead and Tents of Indian Mourners. Presently, as we journeyed, a little line of sand hills came into view. They formed the Blackfoot cemetery. We i saw the “topees of the dead” here und ; there on the knolls, somo new and perfect, some old and weather-stained, some showing mere tatters of cotton Happing on the poles, and still others only skeleton tents, the poles remaining and tho | cotton covering gone completely. We | knew what we would see if we looked in- | to those “dead tepees” (being careful to approach from tho windward side). We would see, lying on the ground or raised upon a framework, a bundle that would be narrow at top and bottom and broad in the middle—an Indian's body rolled up in a sheet of cotton, with his best boadwork and blanket und gun in the bundle, and near by a kettle and some dried meat and corn-meal against his feeling hungry on his longjourney to the hereafter. As one or two of the tepees were new, we expected to soe some family in mourning, and, sure enough, when we reached the great sheer-sided gutter which the Bow River lias dug for its course through the plains, wo halted our horse and looked down upon a lonely trio of tepees, with children playing around them and women squatted by the entrances. Three families had lost members, and were sequestered there in abject surrender to grief. Those tents of the mourners were at our feet as we rode southward, down in the river gully, where the grass was green and the trees were leafy and thriving; but when we turned ourfueesto the eastward, where the river bunt around a great promontory, what a sight met our gaze! There stoood a city ot topees, hundreds of them, showing white and yellow and brown and red against the clear blue sky. A silent and lifeless city it seemed, for we were too far off to see the peoplo or to hoar their noises. The groat huddle of little pyramids roso abruptly from the level bare grass against the flawless sky, not like one of thoso melancholy new troeloss towns that white men are building all over the prairie, but rather like n mosquito fleet becalmed at sea. There are two camps on tho Blackfoot Reserve, the North Camp and tho South Camp, and this town of tents was between the two, and was composed of moro households than both together; for this was the assembling for the sun dunce, their greatest religious festivul, and hither had come Bloods, l’iegans and Sart is us well as Blnckfeot. Only tike mourners kept away; for here were to bo echoed the greatest ooremoniuls of that dead past wherein lives dedicated to war and to the chase inspired the deeds of valor which each would now celebrate anew in spoeeh or song. And at each recurrence of this wonderful holi-day-time every night was spent in feasting, gorging and gambling. In short, it was the great event of the Indian year, and so it remains. Even now you may see the young braves undergo the torture; and if you may not see wives disciplined, you inay at least perceive a score who lmvc been, as well as bear the mighty boasting, and witness the dancing and curousiug.—-[Harper's Magazine.

Modern Rifles.

One of the most striking features in the development of nations is the modern military equipment-supposed to be of appalling power, yet so changed since tho lust conflict as to be pructically untried. In a recent lecture to his students, Professor Bilroth, of Vienna, showed a collection of bones from persons wounded in t'>e wars of 1866 and 1370. He stated that tho damage done by tho rifles then in use could not bo compared to tho terrible effect of the repeating rifles of to-day. A bullet from a Mannlieher rifle pierces a brick wall at a distance of 500 to 600 paces, and it would be well nigh impossible to obtain shelter from an enemy’s fire. There can be no more marching in dense linos,as tho ball would go through three or four men. Smokeless powder affords better means of correct aim, und woe to the urmy that should cross the road in tho face of an enemy, or that should attack an enemy in a sheltered position. “I am thankful,’.’ concluded tho lecturer, “I cannot show you any bones that have suffered from tho weapons as they now ure.”—[Trenton (N. J.) American.

A Japanese Tragedy.

On tho afternoon in Kyoto, having nothing particular to do, I visited an onnashibui, a theatre where all tho performers are women. There was nothing particular in the performance, but the closing scone was rather amusing to foreign eyes. A pair had been sentenced to death. Tho executioner, apparently a coolie, sat down und calmly sharpened an enormous chopper, while the unhappy victims writhed on the ground. Finally when the chopper was keen enough, up jumped the avenger, und, after much post-ring to represent triumph, gave tho “man” the fatal blow. Immediately from the back of the stage there rushed out a boy with a black cup on his head, the said black cap intimating that ho had nothing to do with tho action of the piece. This “supor” hold a cloth in front of tho corpse, which scramblod off the stuge, at the samo time passing a grisly wooden head to the executioner, who brandished it triumphantly. The same scene was goue through with the lady; and, in spite of the tragic nature of the scene, to say nothing of its sound morality, I must own to have laughed eousumedly.—[Macmillan's Mugazine.

Stealing Sisal from Florida.

It is suit! that the stealing o£ sisal from the Florida Keys by the people of the Bahamas has become so flagrant that the Governor of Florida Ims had his attention called to it and has taken measures to stop it. The sisal plants were introduced into Florida from Yucatan by a Dr. Perrine some fifty years ago. Little or no profit has been derived from thorn and they have practically gone wild and overrun the country, especially in the vicinity of Biscoyne Bay. The Governor of the Bahamas, Sir Ambrose Shea, seeing their value, has set out a plantation of thousands of acres with plants taken from Florida, and has encouraged his people to follow his example. It his thought that the sisal will soon be an important industry in Florida.—New Orleans Picayune.

LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS.

: THIS IS THEIR DEPARTMENT OP‘ THE PAPER. Quaint Sayings and Doings of Little Ones Gathered anil Printed Here for Other' Little Polks to Head.

Her Name. “I'm lasted! Could you find me, please!” Poor little frightened baby. The wind had tossed her golden fleece; The stones had scratched her dimpled knees. 1 stopped and lifted her with ease. And softly whispered, “May be.” “Tell me your name, my little maid; I can’t find you without it.” “My name Is Shiny-eyes,” she said. “N es, but your last?” She shook her head. “I p to my house ey never said A single sing about it.” “But. dear,” X said, “what is your name?” “Why, didn’t you hear me told you? Dust Shiny-eyes. ” A bright thought came. “Yes, when you’re good; but when they flame— You little one—ls’t just the same When mamma has to scold you?” “My mamma never scolds,” she moans, A little blush ensuing. “’Copt when I’ve been a-frowing stones. And then she says (the culprit owns), Mehitabie Sapphira Jones, What have you been a-doing?”

For the I.ittle Girl’s Doll. A lovely bedroom set, given to a little girl for her dolls, consisted of a dresser, commode, bedstead, four chairs and a low couch without a back. The shapes, which are simple and graceful, were first designed and outlined on pieces of stout pasteboard. Then the mother coi’ered each piece neatly with blue cretonne, having a pattern of small pink rosebuds and butterflies. The pieces were sewed neatly together with blue thread, the stitches being taken not through the pasteboard but through the cretonne covering. A little mirror, costing 10 cents, was fitted into an oval place on the back part of the dresser, and the brass handles to the dresser and commode were the small brass rings with screws attached that are used for curtains. The smallmattress and pillows were filled with excelsior, and over them were sheets and cases of linen trimmed with torchon lace. Such a pretty gift, dear to the heart of a child, might he made at a slight expense, although the same would cost nearly $lO at the store. The material required for such a gift could he saved up from the scraps that are wasted every week.

Another quickly and cheaply made article for the little ones is a ribbon rattle. Make an ordinary hall out of rags, covered with some strong cloth. Then take fancy strips of ribbons and turn them into points, and sew them fast to the rag-ball. On each point fasten a small brass, fancy-work bell. A small stick for the handle should be attached to the ball before .it is covered with the ribbons. Pink, white and blue ribbons should be used for making points on which to fasten the bells, and several of these colors can be twisted around the handle to cover it. The rattle will be pretty when finished, and if securely put together it will last for sometime. The bright colors of the ribbons will attract the eyes of the children almost as much as the tinkling of the small bells. The whole thing can be made for about 25 cents.

Ho Got Something;, but ’Twasn’t the Eggs. Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel had gone out and left their four children at home with strict orders to stay there. But no sooner were they out of sight than, “I know where there are some eggs in a nest,” said the next to the oldest squirrel. “Where?” asked the youngest sister. “In that big tree that stands on the Wig avenue in front of the big house. And I’m going to get ’em, too.” “You’d better mind what was told you and stay home till your father and mother come back,” said the oldest squirrel. “If you don’t you’ll be sure to regret it.” “Oh! regret your granny,” replied his saucy brother; “I’m going to get those eggs. I’m very fond of bird’s eggs, and I’ll just hurry over there and eat them, if none of the birds is around, and be back in a jiffy.” So off he started for the big tree on the big avenue in front of the big house. There were no birds to be seen and soon he was sitting before the nest with one paw in it, when whir-r-r! came a sound of wings, and at least a dozen sparrows flew at him. He dropped the egg he had grasped and fled for his life, springing wildly from branch to branch, but he could not escape from his angry pursuers. They swooped down on him from every side ahd pecked him unmercifully with their sharp bills. He leaped into the next tree and ran in among the leafy boughs seeking a hiding place. But when he found a crotch hole the birds got between him and it, and drove him away. At last he dropped on the roof of the nearest house, his enemies still following him, and repeating with shrill cries, “Will you, will, will you ever come to steal our eggs again?” “Never, never, never,” replied the frightened squirrel as he slid down the rainwater pipe that led from the roof to the back yard. And when he arrived at home he didn’t look much like the conceited young fellow that had started out so briskly only an hour before. “Did you get the eggs?” asked his little sister. “No, I didn't: but I got a good whipping, and I never want to see a bird's nest again,” said the naughty squirrel. Patty Syveetbriek.

The Atlantic Laid Bare.

Figuratively speaking, the bed of the Atlantic Ocean has at last been laid bare. English, American, German, and French sounding expeditions have mapped every section of the ooze that lies at the bottom of the great watery waste. According to these maps and diagrams the Atlantic is a huge water-trough of varying depths, extending from pole to pole. Here and there rocky peaks, like that of Teneriffe, or huge mountains of sand, like the Bank of Newfoundland reach up to or beyond the surface. Between Ireland and Newfoundland there exists a remarkable submarine plain, always referred to as “the telegraphic plateau," which is evidently a continuation of the great watershed, which, between latitudes 40 and 50 degrees north, surrounds the earth and divides the waters flowing south from those flowing north. !