Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1892 — Page 5

PITTYPAT AND TIPPYTOE. AH day long they come and go— ’ Pittypat *nd Tippytoe; Footprints up and down the hsQ, Playthings scattered on the floor, Finger-marks along the wall Tell-tale streaks upon the door— By these presents you shall know Pittypat and Tippytoe. How they riot at their play! And, a dozen times a day, In they troop demanding bread— Only buttered bread will do, And that butter must be spread Inches thick with sugar, tool Never yet have I said: “No, Pittypat and Tippytoe!” Sometimes thero are griefs to soothe— Sometimes ruffled brows to smooth; For—l much regret to say— Tippytoe and Pittypat Sometimes interrupt their play With an internecine spat; Ho! oh, fie! to quarrel so, Pittypat and Tippytoe! Oh, the thousand worrying things Every day recurrent brings! Hands to scrub and hair to brush, Search for playthings gone amiss, Many a murmuring to hush, Many a little bump to kiss; Life’s indeed a fleeting show, Pittypat and Tippytoe 1 And when day is at an end, There are little duds to mend; Little frocks are strangely torn Little shoes great holes reveal, Little hose, but one day worn, Rudely yawn at toe or heel! Who but you could work such woe, Pittypat and Tipptoe! But when comes this thought to me “Some there are that childless be,” Stealing to their little bods, * With a love I cannot speak, Tenderly I stroke their heads, v Fondly kiss each velvet cheek, God help those who do not know A Pittypat or Tippytoe! On the floor, along the hall Rudely traced upon tho wall, There are prooft in every kind Of tho havoc they have wrought, And upon my heart you’d find Just suoh trade-marks, if you sought. Oh, how glad I am ’tis so, Pittypat and Tippytoe! —[Eugene Field, in Chicago News.

SARAH.

BY LUCY C. LILLIE.

Sarah Molyneux crossed the hall of her aunt’s house inChelster and stood Irresolutely for a moment at the head of the old-fashioned staircase. Her hand moved a little nervously on the balustrade, and the line between her delicate dark brows deepened. “If It were only over with —or needn’t be at al,” she reflected. But there was no way to avoid the unpleasant task ahead of her, and accordingly Sarah passed down the stairs and into the square parlor overlooking the gaCrden. In about half an hour old Mrs. Thorpe in her room upstairs heard the front door close, and a quick step go down the garden pathway. Presently Sarah came back. The old lady was propped up in bed and turned a pair of very bright, dear eyes upon her niece as she entered the room. “Well,” Mrs. Thorpe exclaimed with impatience. “Sit right down and tell me all about it. And don't oblige me to ask too many questions. You know how I hate to have to wring anything out of you.” Sarah laughed. “ I’ll do my best, Aunt Polly,” she answered, sitting down in the window and looking with gentle indulgence at the old lady. “I suppose I must begin at the beginning. I found Mr. Morison, of course, In the parlor and he fairly jumped at the business question. ” “Humph, what’d he say ?” “Said that he would not think of disturbing you while you were ill but that it was very important for him to know when he could take possession of the house. He intends putting up the faotory at once, he says. He observed that Mr. Beecham had explained how fond we were of the old house and all that, but dl course we could hardly expect him to be sentimental in a business matter." “ Did he talk like that right to your face, Sarah Molyneux ?” “Yes, Aunt—l can’t say—well it didn’t sound quite so bold ; but those were his words.” “ Who does he favor in looks—the Turners,l guess.” Mrs. Thorpe leaned back and closed her eyes a moment, visions of the high cheek bones and prominent noses of the Turners floating before her. Sarah thought of them too, sharply in contrast with the looks of her recent guest “ He’s not a bit like the Turners,” she said, presently. “I don’t know the Morisons much,"she added. “Let me see—he is not very tall—rather slight but looks strong and has a clean-shaven dark face.” “ Handsome ?” Mrs. Thorpe’s eyes opened for an instant “ Oh, no—not at all—oh no, not the least bit handsome ; but he has a quick, bright sort of look.” “ So he’s going to put up a factory —dear,dear—l did think—out well no —qf course the property’s his since your Uncle Ezra left it to him by will —I never thought Ezra’d do it Always took for granted he meant It should be mine outright and —after letting me live here forty years.” “ I said something of'the kind to Mr. Morison. He’s coming back this evening. ” “ What for; he isn’t going to build to-night, is he ?” “ Oh, no. He wants to see the garden very particularly. ” “ Well, you make it clear I want the plants. ” When the objectionable guest had paid his second visit,Sarah came back to her aunt’s room looking very much discouraged. “ Well, what now ?” demanded the old lady with scorn. “ He says we can’t have the garden disturbed, Aunt Polly,” said Sarah, sitting down dejectedly. “ I took him down to the arbor, and we had a very nice talk at first. I really almost liked him. We began about country life, and he told me how much he had longed for a real country place something like this, he said—then he asked who took care of tho garden, and I told him I was your gardener, and how much we both loved tho flowers. I showed him the tree planted when I was a baby, and then tho rosebush for my tenth birthday; and he said that he should think we’d hate to leave it all then I explained you wanted the plants; but be said oh, no 1 it was all part-of the property. ” , “Turner straight through and through,” declared the old lady. “ Grasping all they can get I will have the plants,though ;I guess Ezra’s will had nothing to say to them.”

N I could scarcely be eivil after that,” pursued Sarah, her face flushing In the dusk. “I changed the subject, and asked him how nearly he was related to the Turners; but he said it was very distant. He told me where he lived as a boy. It seems his father had a paper in some country village—Saul—l think he called it and he was a very visionary, un?ractical, enthusiastic kind of man. guess he didn’t provide much for the family. Anyway Mr. Morison says he started out young in life to carve his own future, and he has been quite successful—only he intends to be thoroughly so he says, if possible.” “By way of my garden. Humph!” “He says he enjoys obstacles. He likes something to conquer. I told him I had no fancy for battlefields; he said a skirmish was as good as success to him. Ob, Aunt, by the way, do I look like the Turners ?” “ Well some,” said the old lady, reluctantly. Sarah crossed the room, and in the faint light regarded her face attentively in the long narrow mirror. It was a thin, clear-cut face, rather shadowy as to what might or might not be its owner’s strong or weak points; the face of-a girl to whom events or emergencies were unknown. Life had written almost nothing upon it that gave it charm, and the eyes were a very pretty hazel with black lashes and delicate brows. “ The Hatfield Turners,” pursued the old lady, as Sarah sat down again. “ You do look some like them. Why?” “ Oh, Mr. Morison said I had a Turner look,” the girl answered. “He tried to make out we are cousins.” “ Well you are—twice removed. His mother's your cousin, I think.” “ I must ask him. He’ll be back in the morning, he says.” “ Well, I declare to gracious the man means to force me out of this bed, I believe. Sarah, you must speak up and not let him impose upon you.” About eleven o’clock the next morning very unusual sounds floated up to the old lady from the parlor where Mr. Morison was again “ interviewing” Sarah. Some one was playing on the old piano; then a man’s voice, a clear fine tenor, could be heard. The song was one the old lady remembered in her youth—“ Phyllis is my only love”—and her withered cheek flushed with pleasure. “ Sarah.” she said, directly her niece appeared, ‘‘ did you ask that young man to sing? I want you should inquire if he knows another piece like that.” Sarah’s eyes were very soft and bright. “ Aunt,” she said, eagerly, “ would it look bold if I sang a duet with Mr. Morfeon ? He’s coming back this afternoon.” “ What’ll you sing ? You don’t know what you’re talking about, Sarah.” “ Does he think the piano’s his ? 'demanded the old lady with a sudden return of severity. Sarah looked miserable. “ He says it Is, Aunt,” she admitted. There was an ominous silence; then Mrs. Thorpe closed her eyes again. “ Well, it was Ezra’s,” she admitted. It was with mingled feelings that she listened that afternoon to the singing from below. Love of music compelled her to enjoy keenly the way in which Sarah and the audacious Mr. MOrison sang “ I would that my love” and “ Oh, wert thou in the cauld blast.” While resentment against what she felt an unjust will depriving her and her niece of her cherished home, made her consider everything done or said by Mr. Morison objectionable, yet somehow she found herself looking forward eagerly to her niece’s next report of their unbidden guest. “ He is going to be married soon, Aunt Polly,” Sarah related. “ Perhaps that is why he is in such a hurry about the house. He’s been telling xnaabout.the youhglady.” “Well, upon my soul. Seems to me he’s very free with his confidences. Married ? What’d he say about her ?” “ Oh, I don’t know exactly,” said Sarah; “he said she was the kind of girl I’d get along quickly with; it seems, ever so long ago, he made up his mind never to marry any one but her. ”

“ Well, and were there any of those obstacles he talks about V” sniffed th“ old lady. “ Oh, yes. But he says there’s quite a touch of romance in the whole affair. He’s a very—well, masterful sort of person, Aunt' I can quite understand what he means when he siys heenjoys overcoming difficulties. He isn’t the sort of person any one oould trifle with easily.” “ I guess I will when I get around. What with the garden and the piano and the dear knows what all—lql be grateful If he leaves us the clothes to our backs. What else’d you talk about?” “ Oh, a great many things. Books soma He s fond of German—and, oh, I meant to tell you, he’s coming tomorrow morning and going to read a little German with me.” “Well, Sarah,you just see here. Let that young man know you’ve something to do besides fool around with him. I know; he wants to force me up. I’ll see Dr. Barker, I guess, before that Tom Morison gets me out of the house. ” “<?h, Aunt! It’s just because he wants, he says, to familiarize himself with the plaoe.” “ Well he’s got all the time there is after we’re gone. I want you should be very distant with him—and, Sarah, I guess you’d better not begin anv German readings.” During Mr. Morison’s next visit Sarah appeared in her aunt’s room with a very anxious expression. “ Aunt Polly,” she said, with an effort at composure, “ Mr. Morison’s brought the German books, and I don’t know what to, say about—l ” “ Well, go on,” said the old lady, “ I suppose you’re bent on it any way, ana perhaps he’ll help you some.”

She lay very still when she was alone, sometimes with her eyes open, but generally keeping them closed as pictures from the past, and visions of what might be ahead of her, floated through her brain, and the peculiar cruelty of her brother’s will smote her heart afresh. When she had been left a widow forty years ago, Ezra Turner had promptly bqde her stay on in the house wnich had seen the happy years of her married life, and which nad been endeared to her by a hundred different associations ; when the sorrows It had witnessed consecrated the plaoe almost as tenderly as its periods of joy, while from the time she had brought her little orphan niece Sarah home, a new interest was given her life, yet one inseparably bound up with the old mansion. Ezra’s will fell like a thunderbolt upon the old lady and her niece. Indeed, there was little question but that it caused the weak turn which confined her to her room; and as she lay there now, faintly conscious of the voices from "below, something like a wish never to leave the old home save for a final restingElace brought a hot moisture into er eyes. It seemed a long time before Mr. Morison went away. When the door had closed upon him at last Mrs. Thorpe, alert for every sound, heard

Sarah lingering on the stairs. Presently the girl appeared. Her eheeks were scarlet “Well,” demanded the old lady, “what now?—what new thing’s he going to claim?” Sarah’s color now swept all her face. “ Oh, Aunt Polly,” she said, “it’s all as queer as queer can be. Oh, if you’ll only let me. Please—oh, Aunt Polly, 'it seems Mr. Morison made his mind up right away, the very first day, he says—and he never wanted anything so much before ” “Sarah Molyneux,” said the old lady, sitting upright, “what ails you ? Speak English.” “ Oh, he’s asked me to marry him, Aunt Polly,” said Sarah; “that’s it; and he says I mustn’t say no —he made all that up about going to be married—or rathet, he says he was bound to make mo say yes.” Mrs. Thorpe remained rigid in the same attitude for a moment without speaking. Sarah flushed and paled and flushed again. “ What’d you tell him ?” at lastdemamdea the'old lady, with an accent of fine scorn. She was very proud ol Sarah’s conquest. She knew all about young Morison, and was well aware how higb% tie was esteemed. “ Oh —he says it’s settled,” ob served Sarah; “and of course—he was only going on, he says, to try me about the factory and the garden and the piano; he says, bless your heart he wouldn’t take a thing belonging to you more’n he’d steal.” “ Only—my girl,” said Mrs. Thorpe, grimly. But when Sarah bent to kiss her there was the kind of tenderness in the old woman’s embrace that the girl remembered only when she waa a little child. —Independent.

The Coldness of Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is a caprioious monster, demanding skilled seamanship and the use of powerful and stanch boats, the majority of which are comparable with the vessels in our Atlantic coasting trade. The lake is a veritable womb of storms. They develop quickly there, and even more speedily the water takes on a furious character. It is always oold, and the atmosphere above and far around it is kept cool all summer. I have been told, but cannot verify the statement, that the temperature of the water in the open lake never rises above 46 degrees Fahrenheit. As a rule, the men who sail upon it cannot swim. The lake offers no inducement to learn the art, and, alasl those who are expert swimmers oould not keep alive for any great length of time in the icy water. When I was making inquiries upon this point, I found, as one almost always does, some who disputed what the majority agreed upon. I even found an old gentleman, a professional man of beyond- seventy years of age, who said that for several years he had visited the lake each summer-time, and that he bad made it a praotioe to bathe in its waters nearly every day. It was chilly, he admitted, and he did not stay in very long. But many sailors, among them some ship and steamship oaptains, confirmed my belief that few Lake Superior seamen have learned to swim, and that the ooldness of the water quickly numbs those who fall into it. I askeft one captain bow long he supposed a man might Dattle for life, or cling to a spar in the lake. He answered, very sensibly, it seemed to me, that some men could endure the oold longer than others, and that the more flesh and fat a man possessed, the longer he oould keep alive. “But,” he added, “the only man I ever saw fall overboard went down like a shot before we could get to him. I always supposed he took a cramp.” The bodies of the drowned are said not to rise to the surface. They are refrigerated, and the decomposition whioli causes the ascent of human bodies in other waters does not take plaoe. If one interesting contribution to my notes is true, and these bo depths to which fishes do not descend, it is possible that many a hapless sailor-man and voyager lies as he died, a century book perhaps, and will ever thus remain, lifelike and natural, under the darkening veil of those emerald depths.—[Harper’s Magazine.

The White Wax of Chian.

One of the most curious products of China is insect wax, of which 1,539,280 pounds, worth $460,000 in gold, were shipped from Ichang on the Yang-tse river in 1889. It is a product of the western part of the province of Se-Chuen, in central China, where the wax insect flourishes best and finds its food most abundant Early in aho spring numer ous brown, pea-shaped scales appear on the bark of the boughs and twigs dt the Chinese evergreen tree. They obtain a mass of small animals, like flour, whose movements are almost imperceptible. The female wax insects develop the scales and deposit their, eggs in them and the males excrete the substance known as white wax, which is supposed to be intended by nature to protect the scales. The arax is spread over the whole branch to the depth of a quarter of an inch. When the deposit appears to be complete the branches are cut off and as much of the wax as possible is removed by hand. The rest is secured by boiling the branches, which destroys the scules and larva. The wax is put into boiling water, where it melts, and, rising to the surface, is skimmed off and put inte molds. The white wax is a substance of great utility in China. It melts only at a high temperature and is used chiefly to cover candles made of animal and vegetable tallow to prevent too rapid combustion. It is used also as sizing for paper and cotton goods, a glaze for silk, and a polish for furniture. Minister Denby and Mr. Hosie, the British oousular agent in Se-Chuen, says that the proportions of this industry are enormous. Immense quantities of the wax have been shipped from other ports of tbe Yang-tse river, and some of it is sent across the mountains to Canton. Minister Denby has seen thousands of pounds of it in large round cakes stored away in a single room. The introduction of foreign kerosene, which is now used very largely in China, is having a discouraging influence on the gathering of white wax. The industry, therefore, is not thriving as it did once, and the decline is another example of the great ohanges which the entrance of foreigners into China are making in many branches of native trade. [Chicago Times.

NO COMFORT THERE.

Mad Subscriber —My name’s Smith, sir! Editor (coolly)—Yes; I’ve heard it before. Three Smiths hung for horse stealing in 1860. Mad Subssriber —You’re a liar, air* All my family died in their beds! Editor—Ah! I see. Shot ’em ’fore they had a chance to esoape I—{Atlanta Constitution.

THE WORLD’S FAIR.

A CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT AT THE GREAT SHOW. Practical! Plan for an Exhibition of Much Interest and Educational Yalue. The wonderful educational effect of the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 in our oountry, revolutionizing os it seems, all matters of deooration and architecture, and many other things, besides engrafting on to our schools “manual training” from Russia, has suggested to my mind that the greatest good that can oome to our people from the coming World’s Fair is not in the direction of improvements in machinery, in tho production of materials, in matter of deooration and art in general, all of immense importance,but in the direction of showing our people what the highest enlightenment up to this time, gathered from all the nations, oan do to render the early period of the development of the life and character of men and women as useful, &b beautiful, and as happy as is possible. In the Children’s Department I should want five divisions: For lßt, sohool; 2d, children's clothing and comforts in gene-

ral; 3d, sports, plays, toys, and everything to contribute to the pleasure and entertainment of children; 4th, an auditorium; sth, a bazaar. Ist Division, School. This division I suppose the Educational Department, already provided for, will take oare of, and so relieve the “Children’s Department” of this responsibility; but if they do not take hold of It in the spirit of the “Children's Department” I should wish in our department a school exhibit which should be of our spirit. This would be, not to show what is customary in any particular State or city, as how these may be improved. I would begin with the beet experience from the sohools and homes for babies in London, and if practicable illustrate it with llvo teachers, and nurses, and babies. Then would come the little “kitchen garden ” and “kindergarten,” and the development of Pestatozzi’s and Froebel’s idea's and methods, and the beet we know of manual and heart, ae well as intellectual training all the way up through the grades for children of different ages, all illustrated with real children, and real schools in practical operation. The object would not be to enow how parental oare may he eliminated,but how it may be made more effeotive, and how the child while away from the parent’s influence may have the best influence brought to bear upon it. 2d Division, for children’s clothing sad comforts in general, with the aid of

<ay figures would illustrate the latest improvement in the construction of dress for babies and children of all ages. This is especially important, for the prevailing customs in reference to the dress of the little ones needs reformation more than those of grown people, which have sailed into existence the Women's Dress Reform Associations. The ordinary complicated dress of a baby is the cause, speaking very mildly, of an immense amount of unnecessary discomfort for both baby and its mother. This is so easily remedied that it seems as if the millions of babies living, and those yet to be born should have the benefit, especially since the better ways are simpler, cheaper, and more easily constructed, and the temper and sometimes even the life of the baby, and mother, I suppose, would be saved from rum. Many of these can be conveniently demonstrated in the Exposition by ladies and gentlemen, who will be glad of so grand an opportunity to aid in giving comfort to their fellow-creatures. In this division should be shewn some things important in relation to foods and their preparation, There are societies that will gladly help in these matters. 3d Division, for games, toys and amusements, would be divided into two subdivisions for indoor and for outdoor amusements. Here I should want to illustrate the games and use of toys and appliances in the most alive way possible. In the outdoor subdivision, at least a part of which should be under shelter, I should want among other things a seabeach and sand for children to play on, and I should want some real water for the little ones to sail their boats in. In the indoor subdivision I should have sections for children of different ages, beginning with children two years oiu and younger, playing with their toys, building houses with their blocks, etc. 4th Division, Auditorium. Here I by means of a stereopticon illustrate the child life of various nations, having several good lecturers for the purpose, not only of making this feature entertaining, but with the direct and principal object of as adroitly as possible interesting the people in doing what they can for the pleasure of their own children, and of giving them information as to how they may do it in their own individual homes. Mondays the beautiful ohild life in Japan might be Illustrated; Tuesdays the child life of some other country or countries, and so

on. These entertainments mtgbt be varied in many ways. The building I should erect to seat 500 people, and so arrange it that it could be easily increased in sice. That it might be quickly filled and emptied, I should have several entrances on one side and exits on the other. sth Division Bazaar. After working up the interest of a grown person in the welfare and pleasure of the little Ones at home, before bis enthusiasm has time to subside I should put in his reach all these things which have been exhibited for the comfort and happiness of the children, in a bazaar whioh should be in a building for itself, which nobody need visit for the mere purpose of seeing the articles, as all would be on exhibition in the othor divisions. I think tho exhibitors will make the bazaar so attractive that every person will wish to see it. Here 1 should require the prices to be moderate and plainly marked, and also to pay Borne small tribute to tho general income of the exhibition. It has been suggested that an attract tive feature for the World’s Fair could be a great play-house in which all children coming to the Fair should have the privilege of playing, and that aooommodations might be made for several thousand children at a time, where they would be free to use all sorts of toys. While that idea is full of interest, it looms far more interesting and important to systematically teach the people how to give

SIDE VIEW OF PROPOSED CHILDREN’S PALACE.

pleasure and benefit to the children at home, in some suoh way as is here proposed. It should hardly be expeoted that a first draft of a thing of this kind oould be made whioh would not need to be greatly modified by any one who should undertake the practical work. This plan contemplates the exclusive use of several good-sized buildings, but the grounds, large as they are, were so fully oooupied before application had been made for space for this, that it was questionable, however meritorious tho project might be, whether room could bo round for it. At last room has been found, but it looks as if its friends would havo to be oontent with but a single building, but this may be large enough t«admit of showing all those things whioh it is desirable should be shown.

It is not practicable for various reasons to use children in connection with many exhibits, whioh would be brighter by t heir presenoe, but in those oases it is probable young ladies oan take the part of the ohilaren, in illustrating how children can use for pleasure and to advantage various things. For instance, young ladies, oan show what pleasure and education a child oan get out of a pile of •and in a box or tray, or a lump of clay, or how so simple things as a bunch of wooden toothpioks and a lump of putty can be made very entertaining and call forth ingenuity. They oan Illustrate the value of good building blooks and of

GROUND PLAN OF CHILDREN’S PALACE.

many things, where the advantage of having some one who can niake explanations to the sight-seers may be important. By the accompanying drawings it is desired to suggest how one building may be made to do large service. The plan of but one floor is shown. It has a gallery or walk from which may be seen the kindergarten and manual training classes at work on the ground floor below, occupying the middle of the building: and on the other side of the walk is the space for exhibits, all around the building. This floor is planned to show those things which are of special value for babies and little children. On the first floor, where the kindergarten may be viewed through wire screens on one side of the walk; on the other side may be shown those things which are of interest to older girls and boys, such as drawing, sketching, painting in oils and water oolors, in etching and engraving by the various methods. By this means the visitor can get ideas as to the materials necessary, and the practicability of carrying on these things at home. Toa greater or less extent these things rnsy be shown by olasses in the kindergarten and manual training classes, but it is desirable to show them detaohed, for the purpose of encouraging attempts in cases where the individuals cannot have the advantage of the organized schools for suoh purposes. On this floor may be shown sucn things and ways of using them, as will engage the interest of young people, girls as well as boys, in photography, modeling in clay and plaster, carving, carpentry, smithing, plumbing, electrical work, printing and so forth.

Emphasis can be given to the suggestions as to girls learning to do these things, not only as a matter of education but of practical usefulness, by the exhibition of some of the magnificent contributions to the arts and sciences by women. Some of the most delicate and useful steel engravings ever exeouted were done by a woman, and there will be sewing maohines invented by a woman on which thirteen foundation patents have been granted this year, after the field had seemed to be exhausted by men. In these simple, ingenious maohines, which will do all the things and as well as the ordinary machines, may be used as under bobbin wound with a thousand or fifteen bun-

dred yards es thread, instead of the Uttl< bobbin with room for only about fifty yards. A woman is generally mystifiei and completely lost it some accident occurs to tho plumbing arrangements of the house. There is no reason why the veil of mystery should Hot be raised for her from this subjeot, adding greatly ts her satisfaction and comfort. The building represented by the accompanying picture is supposed to be two hundred feet long and seventy or eighty feet wide, two or three stories high, with a flat roof and easy acoess to it. The oentral part of the roof thirty or forty feet wide and a hundred and sixty feet loug, is raised above tho rest of the roof for the purpose of giving side skylights for the rest of the building. Both the lower and upper parts of the roof can be protected in places by awnings, and used for exhibiting some things whioh require the open air, suoh as kites and balloons. The plan of tho building has not yet been settled upon, but I trust th« ladies, in whose hands this important matter is, will treat it in so liberal and forooful a manner, that as a result thil department shall be not only from iti beauty the most attractive of all in the great World’s Fair, but most useful in matters moral and educational.

In a compartment of a train running from Bologna to Florenoe, Italy, a spar*

from the locomotive flew through the open window on the golden hair of e lady, setting itMtfire. There was groat oousternation, none of tho company knowing what to do. The afilloted lady was tlie only person that did not lose hei self-possession for a moment. She raised her hand to her head, soizod hold of tho burning hair, whioh a moment after had made tho journey through the window into tho open air. Her splondid golden hair had been an artificial head-dress.

The Azore Islands.

The Azores received thoir name from ozor, a hawk, large flocks of whioh birds were seen by the early disooverors. They are supposed to have been colonized by the Carthaginians, as large quantities of Carthaginian coins havo been found on them. If so, however, tho oolony had disappeared by the twelth century, as the Arab* seem to havo known of them about that time, and they wero then not populated. This group was first definitely known to the Europeans In 1861, as they are marked on u map of that time. It has been supposed that the Genoese knew of them. Their rediscovery dates from 1432, when tho Fleming Vanderburg visited them. In 1482 again wo are told that Prince Henry of Portugal, who, it is suspeoted, had in his pos.

session a map on wbioh they were marked, ■cut out Gonzalo Velho Cabral, who discovered the island of Santa Maria, and in 1444 took possession of St. Michaels. They were all known by 14f)7, and were colonized by Portugal, to whloh oountry they have ever since belonged.—[Bbston Cultivator.

Funny Decoys.

Shut up In a drawer at the National Museum, where nobody has the privilege of seeing them, is a curious collection of decoys. Perhaps the funniest among them is a pup seal about a foot long and a half, quite artistically carved out of wood. Its little paws are folded across its chest, and it is intended to float on its back upon the water, just as the animal it represents does in real life. However, it is not meant os a decor for mother seals, as may be imagined, but as a float for tying a fishing line to. Fishes, recognizing the innocence of pup seals in general, are not likely to suspect that one would dangle a hook and line to oatch them.

Thie is an Alaskan decoy, of ooqrse. The natives of that region employ decoy ducks made of wood in a similar fashion —not to attract real ducks within reach of arrows or bullets, but as floats mere, ly. To the floats, set a-swimming in the rivers, lines are attached, with hooks and bait for salmon. No ordinarily wise salmon would be afraid "of a duck. So these fishes bite eagerly at the lures suspended from the counterfeit birds in the Water and are caught. Another very queer decoy in the drawer is a fish, cut out of wood and painted white. No label states, unfortunately, precisely how it is employed, although It is oertain that it is a counterfeit intended to attract some big fishes. Big salmon oould swallow prey of such a size, and it may be designed as bait for them. Think, however, of the disgust which would be felt by any scaly ogre at finding that he had taken in a wooden fish ono foot long.—[Washing, ton Star.

DIDN’T DOUBT.

Jake—Believe me, darling, I am sinoere when I tell you yon are the prettiest and sweetest girl I ever saw. Cora (quickly)—Oh, I know you are.

The Birds’ Nests Are Few qn Account of the Gray Nutcrackers. Central Park is the great squirrel center of the country. Probably more of the little rodents are found to the square acre in this public pleas-ure-ground than in their most favorite haunts among the wild nut groves, says a writer in Harper's Weekly. Their exact number has never been accurately ascertained, but irregular attempts to take their census have resulted In the remarkable disclosure of a population running up into the thousands. Tho gray squirrel colony increases rapidly every year. Ho tame and lively do they become in early spring when hunting for food that they will often approach visitors to the park, and almost beg for food. If a nut is thrown to them, they will approach within half a dozen feet to get it, and then run away to some tree to nibble it. . During their breeding season they are very wary and shy. They seldom approach their nests directly, but run up neighboring trees, and jump from branch to branch until they hays completely bewildered those below. Their antics at such times are of great interest to all pedestrians. When the young ones are first able so run about, the Park is full of«mall families wandering over the fields in feareh of nuts. At one time the common gray squirrels were so abundant in the Eastern States that they were considered a scourge by the ‘farmers; and heavy premiums weie offered for their destruction. They destroyed grain crops as well as fruit orchards; but gunners and sportsmen have long Binoo reduced their numbers, so that It Is rarely one finds a large colony in puy woods. It is doubtful if many birds could [breed in the park owing to the presence of so many squirrels, for the rodents are passionately fond of eggs. They will not only oat tno eggs in the nests, but they will often destroy the young birds themselves, making it almost Impossible for a brood to reach maturity. Although tho park is the great resort for song-birds, it is a straugo fact that comparatively few of them nest there, although they would not be disturbed by tne people who visit the placo. It Is very probable that there is some connection between tho prcseuce of the gray squirrels in the park and the notea absence of many birds’ nests. Tho gray squirrels are in their natural haunts In this central portion of the city. Long before the pnrk was laid out, this who'e upper section of Manhattan Island was tho home and resort of the squirrels and birds. They wero then only disturbed by the hunters, but their numbers In this way were kept down. When the park was laid out, a few old couples remained iu it, and finally the city grew around tho place so that they could not retreat further north. They were then hemmed in on every side; but ns protection was exteuded to them by the Park Board their numbers rapidly increased, until to-day the oolony is about tho largest in this country. • The rodents are great additions to the park, and their presence is always to be desired. They give an interest to the scone even in midwinter, and It would be a great loss to have them sacrificed to any prejudiced notion. They do little or no domago to the trees, uud there are no fruits or gruln- fields for thorn to destroy.

Wilson L. Gill.

CENTRAL PARK SQUIRRELS.

Milk Diet.

The use of milk und eggs as a diet os an aid in building up u patient is often a trial to the nurso. Many putionta will ake milk slightly warm, or uven hot, and digest it readily, whon cold milk causes distress. It is an excellent plan to rinse the mouth with oold, 000 l or not water, as preferred, before and after drinking milk. The taste left in tho mouth of many persons after a drink of milk, especially a small quantity, often causes the patient to disukc it. The secret of success in giving milk and eggs to those who would rather not tuko them is to prepare then in different ways. For a delmate stomach the white of the egg, well beaten, added to hot or oold milk sweetened to taste, will often prove tempting, when even the sight of the yolk with .milk is unpleasant. After atfmo a little of the yolk may be used, the white of the egg being added lust and not stirred into the milk, but left at tho top of the glass for ornament. With careful preparation and a little ingenuity the mixture oan be varied. A champagne glass Is of a convenient size for a small quantity, and it is better to oiler a person a wineglassful than a oup or glass full when only part will bo taken. A siok person likes to empty a dish; it is hotter to repeat a small quantity than to take more to the patient than ho oan use. A soft-boiled custard will provo a ploasant change from raw eggs and milk. This may be made tempting with white of egg, —[Boston Cultivator.

Gateway to Starving Russia.

Why did the Missouri sail for Libau, Russia, with her cargo of flour and provisions for the starving subjects of the Czar? many people ask. What was the reason the Indiana, which sailed on the samo mission from Philadelphia also went to Libau? The reason is that Libau is better adapted than any other seaport ns a distributing point. It is the gateway to starving Russia. It is in Courland, on the bleak Uultic Sea, and 105 miles southwest of Mitau. Its harbor is artificial and it is a walled city. Its popu. lation ten years ago was 27,418 and is probably loss now. Libau has a council hall, a theatre, a hospital, an almshouse, alas! now fall to overflowing, and an orphan asylum. A railway connects it with the interior, and over its rails America's food offering will go to the famishing peasants. —[New York Herald.

The formost laymen and many Episcopal olergymen of New York have in couse of preparation a plan of city mission work entirely beyond anything yet attempted. The idea is to get at the tenement-house district of the east side, which is to be made into one groat missionary district under the general direction of a single head. In this district is to be built a ohurch, with parish house, mission house, club rooms, a Kindergarten and other branches of the work proposed. The ohurch will be located somewhere between Canal oAd Stanton streets. The church and auxiliary buildings will cost, it is estimated, about sl, 400,000. The pulpit will be filled in turn by tho rectors of New York’s Episcopal ohurehes, and services will be held every day in the week. The plan inoludea Krsonal visitation of all the houses iu ) district and ministrations to the sick.