Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1893 — Page 5

A BARN ON THE BORDER

HOW IT CHANGED THE VALUE OF PRODUCE. The Final Saccem of an Interesting Experiment Is Put in Jeopardy Eesause the Projector Is Undergoing Trial lor Smuggling. Farmer Finnegan's Magic Barn. Once upon a time (and this is no fake story) there lived, and still lives, in. Hodgson, Aroostook County, Maine, a man by the name of Patrick Finnegan. . Mr. Finnegan is not a politician, as might be inferred from his name, but a farmer; and a remarkable one in some respects. It is considered the acme of successs in farming to make two blades of grass grow where one grew before. Farmer Finnegan could do more; he could harvest three . bushels of potatoes where one had grown. This strange result was not due to any peculiarity of soil, but entirely to location. Fart of his farm was on one side of the imaginary line between the United States and Canada and part on the other side. This imaginary and apparently harmless line was a constant source of trouble and annoyance to him, as it has always been to Uncle Sam—especially since McKinley magnilied its importance. The farm animals, and even the farm hands, could not be made to understand the importance of this invisible line, and would not treat it with proper respect. Mr. Finnegan had learned, since he had been paying taxes in two countries, the importance of that line. He knew that it was a sin for the American side of his farm to have dealings with the Canadian side. le was a written law that the two ends of his farm should in no way recognize each other. In fact the United States ■Government had officers patrolling that line to see that nothing of value passed between the two ends of this and other farms similarly situated. Regardless of consequences and of the fact that they were cheap provincial animals on one side and valuable

farm animals on the other, above associating* with their pauper selves, the sheep, hogs, cattle, and horses would, nevertheless, persist in smuggling themselves back and forth across the line. Still greater trouble was caused when colts, calves, lambs, pigs, ete, born on the provincial end of the farm, innocently following their careless mothers, would attempt to become subjectsof the great United States without the payment of duty. Of course, our Government could not tolerate such reckless &buse of its rights, privileges, and laws, and the great Treasury Department, in several famous decisions, put its foot down on all such proceedings. These decisions have had to be revised several times to cover all possible combinations of circumstanecs of domestic animals that stray into foreign lands when about to become mothers. It is now safe to say that a calf born on the Canadian end of Mr. Finnegan’s farm is expatriated, though its parents are clearly American. Since 1890 Mr. Finnegan’s hens, geese and turkeys have proven (hemselves unworthy subjects of Uncle Sam. Keeping up their old habits they would walk, fly or swim into Canada to lay pauper eggs, and perhaps hatch pauper chickens or goslings, when these processes could just as well have occurred on our own free and valuable soil. Mr. Finnegan was put to endless annoyance trying to get back the disgraced barn-yard fowls without attracting the attention of the officials patrolling the boundary line between the two countries. At last, after many sleepless nights, Mr. Finnegan devised a scheme that might possibly save him much trouble, and perhaps even reward him for past trouble and expense. He would build a barn on the dividing line and keep the Canadian farm animals and products in the provincial end of it and the genuine American animals and products in the American end. The success of the scheme was beyond Mr. Finnegan’s most sanguine expectations. It had a magical effect on production. Not only did the soil become more fertile, but products garnered in that barn continued to increase in quantity. For every hundred bushels of oats or barrels of potatoes harvested and put into that barn the proprietor could take out and sell two or three hundred bushels or barrels. Horses led through that barn might add $25 or even SSO to their value. The barn had proved a bonanza to its owner, who was enjoying such unprecedented prosperity as to arouse feelings of jealousy in the breasts of his neighbors and suspicions of fraud in the minds of Uncle Sam’s patrolmen. The final success of the experiment is now put in jeopardy because Mr. Finnegan is undergoing a trial for smuggling potatoes across the border line. It is claimed, and indeed is not denied, that farmers in this country prefer to purchase their seed potatoes from Canada. They think this the test means of avoiding rot and of securing an early crop. Hence there is considerable demand in the United States, even when our potato crop is fair, for New Brunswick and Nova Seotia potatoes. This demand continues in spite of the 25 cents per bushel duty placed on potatoes by our late Wm. McKinley, Jr. Of course the duty makes provincial potatoes worth 25 cents less than when transported to the United States. These indisputable facts, coupled with the fact that Mr. Finnegan has undoubtedly been selling 700 or 800 barrels of potatoes although he has raised but 300, have been taken advantage of by his neighbors across the border, who have testified that they have sold produce, especially potatoes, to Mr. Finnegan, to be delivered at the cheap end of the barn. The charge is then made that Mr. Finnegan would smuggle the potatoes worth 40 cents per bushel to the dear end of the barn, where they were worth 65 cents per bushel. The Government officials discredit the whole story of the magic barn, and say that it is only a kind of smuggling that is being systematically conducted along the Maine border. They say that it is easy to smuggle there, because there are but eight officers for 200 miles of boundary. If -the jury decides against Mr. Finnegan, an<? convicts

him the awful crime of moving produce from one end of his barn to the other, he may be incarcerated for several months and have a whole year’s profits confiscated. Out of respect for an administration that has been discarded, the moral that could be drawn from this true story is omitted.

Sugar Bounties and Duties.

Willett & Gray’s Statistical Sugar Trade Journal of Jan. 19 prints a letter from Mr. H. W. Wiley, chemist in the Department of Agriculture, to the Secretary of Agriculture, on the subject of sugar bounties. Mr. Wiley says: “The present actual cost of the production of beet, cane and sorghum sugar in the United States is almost the same for every variety, and is perhaps a trifle over four cents per pound. The market value of the raw sugar so produced is about three cents a pound, deducting the freights. If, therefore, sugar remains on the free list, and the bounty is removed, it would cause the produ ers in this country a net loss of one cent a pound on every pound of sugar made. The immediate result of such a policy would he the closing es every sugar house in the United States, anti the utter destruction of the sugar industry. “If the bounty is removed a duty should be placed on sugar of about one and one-half cents, in order that the manufacture may be profitable. “It is notdifficult to foresee that in from ten to fifteen years, the time appointed by the law for the continuation of the bounty, the cost of sugar production in this country would be so reduced as to render possible the manufacture of, sugar at a profit without any protection whatever; but in the present status of the industry such a consummation is impossible at once.

“The sugar industry of the country, therefore, depends for its existence upon the wisdom of Congress in dealing with the subject.” For 100 years the protected industries have been asking for a few more years of governmental aid to enable them to stand alone. And all this time they have been as\ing for, and obtaining, only temporarily, of course, higher and higher duties. Duties of from 5 to 10 per cent, have been multiplied by 10, 15 or 20. Mr. Wiley must have been a poor student of history if he really thinks that any protected infant industry will ever be quite ready to leave off its pap. But, aside from the unwarranted promises, what a state of affairs is revealed by this letter. An industry half a century old, that has received during the past thirty years directly and indirectly over $100,000,000 as a gratuity for producing what has sold for perhaps $200,000,000 cannot continue its existence, it is said, unless aided by a bounty of 33 per cent, of the se.ling price of the product. This beggar, after pocketing its many millions of ill-gotten gifts, now shows its appreciation by brazenly asking the United States tocompel its 05,000,000 of people to go down in their pockets, during the next ten or fifteen years, to the extent of from $150,000,000 to $500,000,000, for toe benefit of'this great beggar industry—that is, of the 600 or 700 growers of cane, sorghum and beets, who now get the $10,000,000 or $12,000,000 a yeir bounty. What, now, are some of the ev 1 consequences of trying to stimuate an industry here that would probably thrive about as well without stimulants?

In the first place, protection has increased the cost of sugar during the last twenty years about 75 per cent. This, besides adding several dollars a year to the cost of living for the average family, has crippled and prevented or destroyed many important industries. The canning industry alone, if it had had cheap sugars, would now be fifty times as great as the whole sugar producing industry. The United States has unrivaled facilities for producing vegetables, fruits, corn, fish, meat, etc.,- and should supply the world with canned goods. With big and prosperous canneries in all parts of this country, our farmers would have certain and reliable markets for surplus products now wasted. Many crops now often sold at a loss would then yield large profits, and farmers would be prosperous where they are now on their way to the poorhouse - not 600 or 700 farmers merely, but several millions of them. England now is the center of supply of canned goods for the whole world, because Germany and France have been paying heavy bounties on sugar produced and exported, and because her canners have had free sugar, glass and tin. The European countries now pay about $45,000,000 a year to encourage the exportation of sugar, and to enable outside countries to get sugar below the actual cost of production. England, more sensible than the United States, does not refuse to accept cheap sugar, but, through the European bounties, receives a gift of about $10,000,000 a year on her sugars and builds up the industries thus driven out of the Continental countries. She then supplies the foolish countries with jams, jellies, and other canned goods. Congress may in its wisdom, at the close of this enlightened nineteenth century, see fit to donate several hundred millions of dollars to the few hundred sugar producers of Louisiana; but, Mr. Wiley, we think the probabilities are that the Fiftythird Congress will do nothing of the kind. We think it will not entirely neglect the interest of its 65,000,000 consumers as its predecessor# have done.

The Whisky Tax.

Should increased revenues be needed it is going to be very hard to supply them. The whisky, which seemed to oiler so simple a remedy, has been rendered unavailable by the whisky makers, who, in hope of profit, have manufactured so largely that a full two or three years’ supply will be in bond before any additional tax can take effect. Whisky cannot yield additional revenue, therefore, for two years to coine. Coffee and tea, which are altogether imported, and raw sugar, of which five-sixths is imported, are ideal subjects of revenuetariff taxation; but no Congress will restore the tax on these until the people shall have been reconciled to a small increase in consideration of a tariff giving them cheaper

clothing and blankets. In view of these conditions the minds of all the Democratic leaders seem more and more turning to a graduated tax on large incomes as a source of more revenue.—N. Y. World.

Selling Cordage in England.

The Cordage Trade Journal, of Jan. 15, reprints a couple of letters from “Fairplay,” of London, which indicate that the National Cordage Co., of the United States, is making bids for English trade and that the British manufacturers are getting scared. It appears that cordage, twine, etc., are made just as cheaply on one side of the Atlantic as on the other side, but that the National Cordage Co. (trust), because of its great capital, can buy Its raw materials —hemp, jute, flax, etc.—to mufch better advantage; that is, as one of the correspondents puts it, the Cordage Co. “has adopted advantageous means of squeezing better value out of the heathen- Chinee or some other fellow in the Philippines.” Conditions have not materially changed since McKinley left an average duty of about 2 cents per pound on rope, twine, etc. There was then no just reason for leaving any duty on cordage. The only apparent reason, justified by the fact that the trust has since made big contributions to the Republican campaign corruption funds, is that the National Cordage Co. would thereby be guaranteed the monopoly of the American market, to extort unreasonable profits from the American consumers. This the trust has done. In 1888 and 1889 the average difference in the prices of manila and manila cordage was 1.84 cents per pound. Since 1889 the difference has averaged over 3 cents. That the trust is making unusual profits is clear. It has been paying a dividend of 10 per cent, on its common and 8 per cent, op its preferred stock, while it has been paying exorbitant prices for new plants, nearly half of which it holds idle, besides paying big sums ($200,000 in one case) to outside manufacturers of cordage and of cordage machinery to keep their plants closed. The price of its stock also indicates great profits. Its common stock sold in 1891 from 73J to 104. At the end of 1892 it was quoted at 138, and Jan. 20, 1893, at 143 J. In December 1892. the trust voted to increase its capital from $15,000,000 to $25,000,000 both for the purpose of making its dividends look smaller and to make its stock a better subject for speculation in Wall street. The reason why the extra stock has not been issued, so rumor says, is because the large holders are waiting until they can bull the stock to the highest possible point—lso if possible—so that the common stock, after it is watered, will sell for about 100. And this is the kind of an industry that McKinley believed in fostering with protective tariffs! This is one of his proteges! If the next Congress carries out the will of the people it will remove all of the duty on cordage before next July.

Last Year for Trusts.

No two years have been as prolific of trusts as those of 1891 and 189& The advantages of the McKinffey tariff law to trusts are just beginning to be appreciated by many industries, and though that trust-pro-tecting measure has only six months or a year longer to run, yet new trusts are forming as rapidly as ever to get what benefits can be derived from the tag-end of McKinleyism. The Iron Age of Jan. 19 mentions some of the trusts now forming or just completed in its line. It says: “Consolidation seems bound to become the watchword in many departments of industry. Sessions have been held in Chicago by the wire rod and wire manufacturers, at which a representative of the largest wire plant presided, and a St. Louis producer acted as Secretary. The meetings are over, and further negotiations will he carried on by corresponence. Some of the cut nail manufacturers east of the Alleghany mountains are also talking of closer relations. The brass and copper makers are said to be near the successful issue of their negotiations, and a copper wire consolidation is well advanced toward its consummation. The Western cast-iron pipe foundries are to meet to-day.”

Wool Prices Advancing.

It will probably be years before native wools touch the unprecedentedly low prices recorded in November, 1892. Almost immediately after election prices, which had been declining for two, yes, for thirty years, began to round the turning point. In the first weeks of January, 1893, the wool market became decidedly firmer, and on Jan. 19 the Wool Reporter began to report advances in prices. Its Boston report said that “Fleeces have shown more strength, and havo advanced at least 1 cent a pound all along the line; for example, several sales of Michigan X have been made at from 27 to 27J cents; No 1 Ohio combing at 36 cents; No. 1 Ohio fleece, 33 to 34 cents, and various lots of discount wools in the same ratio above previous quotations. “There has been a good demand at firm prices for territory, pulled, and scoured wools; good wools especially are very firm, and the trade will be, doubtless, wise and judicious enough to bold the market at the present prices. ” Substantially these same reports come from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other cities. This news will send cold chills up and down the backs of Judge Lawrence and the few other political wool growers, who still insist that what is needed to stop the decline in prices is higher duties, but it will be welcome news to the thousands of real wool growers, many of whom voted for free wool this year for the first time.

We read of burning brick in Asia in circular kilns, the last stages consisting of covering the kilns and arches with heavy felt kept very moist, really creating steam instead of flame. The process is said to give the brick great hardness. The British Islands now have 1,700 locomotives. The railroads of Great Britain are now valued at about $4,500,000,000, and employ nearly half a million of people. fcEBEBQS sometimes lost for 2CO years.

STYLES OF THE SEASON.

A CHAPTER ON THE VERY LATEST MODES. Detailed Description of a Most Handsome Visiting Costume— Strong Protest Against the Introduction or Crinolines—Would Be an Abomination Now. Gotham Fashion Gossip. New York correspondence.

very big dimensions, to his girl, instead of taxing the dear girl herself to the theater. The girl who wears the terraced coat vies with the cape girl lor looking like something besides a girl. The terraced girl looks, in a high wind, for all the world like a Chinese pagoda on a rampage. But, be it understood, the Chinese pagoda on a rampage is a very lovely spectaelo, and we wish there were more of thorn. The initial illustration shows a visiting toilet of yellowish drab cloth, trimmed with a border of white lamb’s wool. Bands of white cloth could be substituted for the border If preferred. With the costume is worn a pink felt hat, the brim of which ie curved upward both back and front. The small, low crown 13 black, and a roll of black velvet surrounds it, forming a large wired bow at the back. This hat can also be made in any other combination of colors preferred. Do the creators of modes realize that when crinolines were worn years ago it was a different country from what it is now? There were only about eight lines of cars here in New York. Of those only the Fourth avenue and the Uni-

PLUM-COLORED CLOTH AND VELVET.

versity place lines were used by the “better class” and the swells. The charge was 10 cents a ride, and there was no crowding and jamming as there is these days. The Broadway stages were big then. There were stages on Fourth avenue, too, and they were big and roomy. Almost every house of any consequence had its own stable. Cabs were, in proportion, much more usecl than now, and carriages were regarded much more a necessity to the well-off thap they are now. Besides, there were fewer people. Nothing was crowded and jammed. Oh, my dears, consider a Fourth avenue car, with its daily jam on! And imagine it jammed w.th women crinolined and hooped! Remember our grandmothers did not have to take the cars to go shopping. They walked around the corner from Union Square and Washington Square and bought their buttons and tape. They didn’t come from 125th street on the L. Oh, pause, my children, and consider how different things are now, and don’t do it. The cloak seen in the next picture is of plum-colored cloth, with revers and pelerine in velvet. The collars and cuffs are of beaver, and ihe large felt hat is trimmed with feathers and velvet. The dress « n the right hand in the third picture is made of lead or mousegray striped rep goods, and ie Inman d with light fur, whieh is appl.ed in such a way os to give it the appearance of a zouave jacket. 'J he sleevos have »paulets trimmed with fur. The figure upon

WOOD-BROWN CLOTH AND REP GOODS.

the left wears a walking cloak made of wood-biown cloth. It is trimmed as 6hown with Persian lamb. The flowing sleeves have two narrow bands of the fur, and thrt e rows run around the 1 ottonrt of the skirt and a e continued up the front. The high standing coliar is fur lined. The right han 1 figure in the picture which shows t«o cloaks, wears a very stylish long cloak or mantle having a cape ornamented with a Roman border or passementerie. A rich lur col ar is worn with it. At the left you will see a stylish cape with a tight-fitting jacket beneath. Both cape and jacket are of red cloth and are made together. From the short upper cape hang long pendants of passementerie which end in ornaments of beads. Black feather trimming borders the bottom of the long cape and the Medici collar. The jacket is tight-fitting in frpnt, is made with darts and fastened with buttons. There iB a very charming jacket of the Empire shape at the left in the last illustration. It is of dark green cloth, trimmed with imitation njjarten fur, and has a full collar of green velvet shot with old gold. This jacket would look,

| however, equally well In dark blue, ! drab or the fashionable “tabao. ” The I hat should be in felt of the same shade as the jacket, and the feathers either a shade llgliteror black. Tho other figure is a very stylish jacket of gray cloth, double-breasted, with large buttons, and with the fashionable ii\ll sleeves. Simple as it looks, it needs to be very well made and to lit perfectly. For those desiring to know just how the visiting dress of the initial picture is made, I give here a detailed description of it. The fur trimming which borders the entire dress, is carried up the front and around the jacket. The <ostume is cut princess fashion and is ! closed with hooks and eyes for about half a yard under the waist, this fastening bens', however, entirely concealed by tho fur trimming. Beneath this fastening, that is. at the lower part of the dress, the front is sewn together. Tho front of the waist can be made either with or without darts. If the curve of the bust is very full, these darts mud; bo employed, being put towards the side as much as possible. If the lust is small or inclined to be flat, it is not

HE girl with tho Louis VI. cape on, its collav turned well up about, her pretty oars, and a tiny toque poised above, with one big rote nodding over it, dc es look uncommonly like a jardiniere,plant and all, inarching out to take tho air. As for her shadow as she comes out in the el eo trie light thess evening well, the whole ; thing looks as if the young man was taking a floral tribute, of

necessary to use them, and the material can be laid flat on the lining. If a dart be employed, it is advisable to make it only in the outside material, not in the lining, so that when well ironed out it Is as little visible as possible. The back breadths are very much sloped, so as to set In tight to the figure, in order to preserve the bell shape, but tho circumference should be at the t ottom from three to throe and one-quartor yards. The lining must be cut to the exaot size of tho upper material and must be sewn with the latter in such a manner as to lit line by line with it. The seams must be well dampened and very carefully ironed so that they show as little as possible. If you wish to avoid the middle seam at tho back, slope the back side breadths very much, as this gives the same effect as goring the back and sewing it up. The skirt has no second muslin lining and the seams are made before being laid on the lining. This obviates any unnecessary fullness and stiffness, and makes the seams less easily seen. The whalebones are covered with bonecasing and' must be sown In only above the waist band; underneath that they must be either cut off or left loose so as not to outline the form too closely. Tho doublo jacket stands out a little behind from the dress and has seams only under tho arm. Tho front breadths must be left considerably wider in order that they can be shirred in the manner shown. These pleats are made without lining, so as not to be clumsy, and the material must be shirred before being laid on the lining. The lower part of the sleeves is cut bias, and the large balloon puffs are cut from straight material. Both the jacket and tho high, close collar are edged with fur. Tne ribbon belt Is drawn in at tho back so as to form a large rosette, and, after being brought round under the fur trimming In liont, it fastens at tho side with another rosette. You can very often. In making

sleeves, use lengths of silk you have left over, lengths you have saved, thinking to trim hats with them, or “something.” Maybe they have faded, but never mind. Btrew the stuff thick with beads. Old white silk that is positively streaked from keeping, when covered thickly with small metallic gold or silver beads is every bjt as handsome as if it had started all right. Brooades that have lost brilliancy on the right side frequently show a soft br ghtuess of color on the wrong side, and a quaint blend ng of the colors. There may be a suggestion of “wrong side” abcut it, but there won’t be if you do some beading. Copyright, 18*).

A new luminous fungus has been forwarded from Tahiti to Europe. It is said to emit at night a light resembling that of the glowworm, which it retains for a period of twenty-four hours after having been gathered. It is used by the native women in bouquets of flowers for personal adornments in the hair and dress.

During the campaign in, Dahomey the French soldiers found the Dahomeyan women much more redoubtable than the men. and what amazed them most was that the Amazons not onlycarried repeating rifles, but also had, cords around their waists for the purpose of binding any Frenchman who fell into their hands.

“I can’t understand it,” said Mr. Gewgaw at the gas office. “Last month my gas bill was 816, and this month it is 830. I haven’t burned a bit more gas this month than I did last. Now, how in the name of honesty do you account for that?” “You didn’t pay last month’s bill,” said the clerk. —Harper’s Bazar.

Empress Eugenie spends two or three hours daily on her memoirs, which are not to be published until twenty-live years after her death. She will not allow anyone to have a glimpse at the manuscript.

J CSTIFIAKLE homicide sleighing some other yellow's sister.—Germantown Independent.

A RES CAPE AND JACKET.

CLOTH FUR TRIMMED.

New Toilet Exquisite.

Equipped for War.

FOR THE LADIES.

a ladies’ band. In London a novelty has been introduced in the waj Of a “ladies’ baud'’ that may be hired for entertainments. They are dressed uniformly in white Greek dresses, and play only on stringed instruments. It is said that the effect is exceedingly pretty, and that their music is quite “up to the average.”—[New Y'ork Tribune. ANTIPATHIES. Mrs. Horace Greeley had a strong antipathy to kid gloves, and never wore thorn upon any occasion. One day she met Margaret Fuller on the street, and instead of greeting her with any usual salutation, she touched Margaret’s hand with a shudder, exclaiming; “Skin of a beast! Skin of a beast!" “Why, what do you mean?” asked Margaret in surprise. “What do you wear?” “Silk,” returned Mrs. Greeley. “Silk always 1” Margaret touched her hand, and shuddered, saving: “Entrails of a worm! Entrails of a worm!”—[St. Louis StarSayings.

ENDLESS VARIETY OK TEA DOWNS. The vnriety of tea gowns now for sale is quite jn accordance with the variety of women who by them. Tho under part of one garment is a clinging princess robe of French cashmere of a daffodil tint. It is made perfectly plain, with a long train. Over this is worn a surplice drapery of mauve velvet, outlined with gold gulon, which hangs perfectly straight down the front and back of the gown, and has narrow straps over the shoulder. Daffodil cashmere is the foundation of the sleeve. It is made effective by the loosely plaited over-dra-pery of mnuvo velvet, which fulls over the shoulder to the elbow. Two straps of velvet, with a velvet flap attached, answer for the cuff. The woman who believes in dress reform will delight in this tea gown, for its drapery is so arranged that the size of the waist is entirely concealed.—[Boston Cultivator. TASKING OK THE EAHIUNG. People often wonder where all tho earrings go or have gone to. A lew yeurs ago the fashion of wearing these relies of barbarism was quite general, but now it is the exception anil not the rule to see a well-dressed woman with a pair. Indeed, the ornaments have been left off bo long that scores of women who used to wear them could hardly do so now without inconvenience and pain. Hut the pretty toys or gems have not been thrown away or wasted. Thousands have been worked up into other aud more fashionable ornaments. Many very handsome brooches have been made out of earrings which have outlived tho fashion, and there has been quite a large amount of iugenuity displayed in the work so as to do away with any suspicion of secondhand in the reconstructed adornments. More than one pair has been made up into sleeve buttons and presented to a member of the sterner sex, and others have been fitted with pins and used by their fair owners as lmt or hair pins. The best judges in these matters doubt whether earrings as such will ever become popular again, and it is very unusual for young women nowadays to havetheir oars pierced at all.—[St. Louis Republic.

GROWTH OF THE HAIR.

The influence of the diet upon the growth of the hair is the Bubjcot of a paper in which the writer says; “Several cases of shedding of hair after influenza have confirmed my opinion that diet lias much to do with the production and with the cure of symptomatic alopecia. Hair contains five per cent, of sulphur, aud its ash twenty per cent, of silicon and ten per cent, of iron and manganese. Solutions of beef, or rather part of it, starchy mixtures, and even milk, which constitute the diet of patients with influenza and other fevers, cannot supply these elements and atrophy at the roots and falling of hair result. “The color and strength of hair in young mammals is not attuined so long as milk is the sole food. As to drugs, irua has prompt influence. The foods which most abundantly contain the above named elements are the various aibumenotds and the oat, the ash of the fjruin yielding twenty-iwo per cent, of silicon, I have often found a uietury largely composed of oatmeal and brown bread greatly promote the growth of the huir, especially when the baldness was preceded by constipation and sluggish capillary circulation. Those races of men who consume most meat are the most hirsute.”

WOMEN'S PROGRESS IN MEDICINE.

The recent National Convention of Hommopathic Physicians in Washington City disregarded all previous prejudices against, women in the medical profession and elected a woman doctor as vice-president of their National organization. Dr. Millie J. Chapman, who was thus honored, is a resident of Pittsburg, Penn., and is a cultured, charming lady, who combines the qualities requisite to a successful career in the practice of medicine. \Thesc are sympathy and kindness, unerring judgment, industrious spirit and perseverance. She had a lmppy early childhood, but reverses came to the family, and at the age of ten she was not handicapped by that wealth which might have prevented the development of the resources within her. Fiom that age she has been supporting. Her education was obtained at the public schools and at a State normal school, supplemented by private studies purloined from the hours of sleep. She taught school twelve years and was recognized as an efficient instructor, beginning when “boarding around” was the custom and $5 per month the munificent salary, gradually advancing to school* where higher attainments insured greater compensation. She studied medicine at the Homoeopathic Hospital College of Cleveland, Ohio, from which she was graduated in 1874. She at once established herself at Pittsburg, Penn., and, although lady doctors were something strange in those days, she soon conquered popular prejudice and built up a successful practice, particularly among women and children. She is attending physician at the Children’s Temporary Home and visiting physician at tie Pittsburg Homoeopathic Hospital. She is also president of the Allegheny County Homoeopathic Medical Soc-ety.— [New York Commercial Advertise;.

FASHION NOTES.

Slightly draped skirts are appearing. A black-cloth prineesse dress with black-velvet sleeves is one of the most admired of the new importations. Seal-skin wraps are the populur outside garments. The long Newmarket style is preferred to all others.

Very bright-red and black is one ol the most popular combinations of the moment. The fancy in jewelry is the making over of old-fashioned ear-rings into stickpins. Iridescent or shaded velvets are much used for the sleeves of silk or cloth dresses. Felt hats arc less worn this year than for many seasons. Velvet, cloth and fancy materials are preferred. The butterfly effect in the front trimming of bonnets is very noticeable on our best thoroughfares. Very long black-velvet cloaks in the newmarket style with very wide plaited collars corded with satin are fashionable. The facings of fashionable dresses are finished with several very narrow pinkedout ruffles. Among the veilings a square mesh, having n tiny crescent of velvet upon it here and there, is very much liked, and is decidedly becoming. The fondness for Persian coloring finds expression in the useful and effective silk and satin ribbons as well as in handwrought and woven bands. Modistes are just now making great use of Empire ruches and rosettwwrf both lace and silk and velvet ribbou. Hough camel’s-hair-finishcrt goods are much better liked than many of the smooth fabrics. They aro more stylish and usually more becoming. Vails are much less worn than formerly and, it is said, will go out of use almost altogether, vGiich will he a benefit to the eyes of womankind. All fashions have their compensations, and the woman with pretty arms is rejoicing that long sleeves are going out of style. Long skirts on the street are a thing of the past, and are only seen upon women who are wearing last season’s clothes. The ruffles on the fashionable petticoats increuse in number, some of the new models being ruffled inside as well as out. Very old coins are set iu rings of gold and worn as pins. Whoever has an antique silver piece may make this use of it. Home of the newest und most fashionable bonnets aro scarcely larger than a saucer. They aro worn without strings, being fastened to tho hair with.plain or jeweled pins. The Rembrandt hat is another revival. Those lmts arc as large around as a bushel basket, and give a sort of roofed-over appearance to the woman who wears them. The newest idea in millinery is the revival of the old-fashioned poko bonnet with an abundance of nodding plumes und roses in tho front of the brim over the hair. The advanced girl not only designs her own dresses, but makes them herself. Hho exhibits her scratched und pricked finger with some pride as an evidence of her industry. A new wrap is of brocaded silk with wide plaited collar of velvet, enormous sleeves in leg-o’-inutton style, ruchings of ostrich-feather trimming around the neck, down the front and around the hem, and lining of quilted satin.

Showers of Luk.

Tho meteorological records of the world chronicle several incontestable instances of black rainfalls, to say nothing of tho most startling phenomena of “showers of blood, blue snows," etc. Professor Barker, in April, 1845, laid before the Royal Society of Dublin some observations on a shower of black rain which fell around Carlow and Kilkenny, extending over an ureu of about 400’ square miles. During the course of his lecture Professor Barker exhibited to the society a specimen of this uncanny shower which, had been sent to him by u friend. The specimen shown in the vial was of a uniform black color, much resembling common black writing fluid. Doctor Barker found, however, that after allowing it to stand for a short period tho black coloring matter separated from the water with which it had mixed, rendering the color of the rain water much lighter, but still dark enough to bo called “black rain.” The shower, which was in broad daylight, was pri ceded by a darkness so dense as to make it impossible for one to rend without the aid of a candle. After this darkness had continued for some time a hail storm set in, attended with vivid lightning, but without the least semblance of thunder. When this hail storm was over the Hack rain began to fall. On examination of the rain immediately after the storm was over it was found to have an extremely fetid smell, as well as a very disagreeable taste. All lightcolored animals and all articles of clothing exposed bore dark spots and st uns, aud cattle refused to drink the water or eat tho gross until after a shower of “real rain" had washed off the block, poisonous matter.—[Philadelphia P;ess.

The Cosmopolitan.

The January Cosmopolitan is ric]) in illustration and varied in interest It opens with a description of the manner of making an illustrated magazine (meaning, of course, itself), this being the firut issue from its own printing office. The article will interest readers unacquamted with the mysteries of a printing office greatly, and it is illustrated by portraits of its leading contributors, the number of whom will be a surprise. Among the illustrated papers in this number are: “Four Famous Artists,” by Gerald Campbell; “Japan Revisited,” by Bir Edwin Arnold; "Beauties of the American Stage,” by Joseph P. Read and William 8. Walsh; "The Confessions of an Autograph Hunter,” by Charles Robinson; "The English Laureates,” by R. H. Stoddard; “The Muses of Manhattan,” by Broader Matthews; “Grant Under Fire,” by Theodore R. Davis; and “The Wheel of Time,” a serial novel, by Henry James. I 3 addition there are several poems and two complete stories (the latter by W. D. Howells and Louise V. Sheldon), as well as the usual departments. It is n strong number, beginning the new year with performance as well as promise.

A Paris cablegram says; “The principal structure of the French section at Chicago will be the National pavilion. It will be made of wood and piaster in imitation 01 stone. It will be a handsome type ot the decorative style of architecture so popular to-day. The interior will be very tastefully adorned with objects of considerable artistic value, which will be sent over from France for this purpose. The building will be surrounded with a little garden laid out a la Francaise. The decorations of- the varibus front sections in the different buildings will be of a most effective natute. v Great care is being taken by th« French Commission here to improve on what wa» done in this direction iu 1889.”