Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1894 — Page 5

BLOTS ON THE BILL.

SENATE AMENDMENTS ARE SO CHARACTERIZED. Coa<re**man Warner Review* the Senate’s Tinkering* with the WUaon Tariff Measure—Wrecker* of the WU*on Bill— The Voice of the People, «m**l Warner on Amendments. Ln an interview in American Industries Hon. John DeWitt Warner, of New York, thus reviews the Senate amendments to the Wilson bill: In taking coal and iron ore from the free list the proposed Senate tariff bill repudiates the pledge of the Democratic party to give our industries free raw materials. In its discriminating duty in favor of refined sugars, it adds a tax which is not expected to produce a cent of revenue, and will not do so. The sugar schedule proposed gives the trust, after full allowance is made for the loss in refining, a net discrimination in favor of refined sugars of about one-eighth of a cent a pound, without taking into account residual sirups, which will increase this according to the grades of sugar treated, though in most cases not abeve one-sixth of a cent per pound. 1 cannot understand this action. The House Committee was misled by statements which were not exposed until after the bill was printed. But the Senate Committee was forewarned bv the action of the House, and when it was appealed to by the trust the press of the country ventilated the matter thoroughly. The Democratic press, led by the World, nailed to the counter every sugar trust misstatement as fast as it was offered; the non-partisan commercial press analyzed its business statements, and, adding to the World’s expose of its practices, demonstrated that sugar refining in this country needed no protection whatever; ana the Senate Committee, after full consideration, came to the same conclusion and adopted a schedule which gave the sugar trust but a petty and accidental advantage, if any. Meanwhile the sugar trust lobby had become the most scandalous that ever disgraced the capital. The head of the trust, accompanied by its secretary, came to Washington to direct the campaign. Stock gambling on Senate rumor, demoralized the New York Exchange, until finally an indignant people began to stone from the doors of tbe committee-room the lobby which the committee failed to kick from its presence. Just as the whole matter had become an open scandal the blackmailing band were given a part of their demands, and a partial surrender was made that, so far as anything can do so, vindicates the strikers. It is not those who have attacked Democratic reform, but rather those who have yielded to the attack, that the people will now hold responsible. And, “Oh, the pity of it!” For the trust is not satisfied by this remnant of what McKinley gave it. The opponents of the bill are made stronger than ever, and its friends are discredited by their concessions. It will pass, but after longer delay and in less satisfactory shape than if its friends had forced the fight in the open and made its enemies responsible to the people for whatever blots they got upon it. The fate ot some of our New England friends is an instructive object lesson. Possessed of the finest principles in the world, they kept them intact while getting in the Wilson bill more free raw material and more “protection” to manufacturers than did any other section of the country. But they did not know when they were well off. Their representative on the committee did not even vote for its bill, and it had hardly reached the Senate when, from one quarter and another, New England Democrats appeared in advocacy of “protection” to sugar refiners. The combine was also enlisted in behalf of protection for coal and iron ore. Protection has been given the sugar trust; New England has lost free coal and free iron ore, and she finds that her duties on textiles have meanwhile been reduced. Having sold their birthright of Democratic principles, our New England friends have lost their pottage.

Wreckers of the Wilson Bill. A band of Senators are carrying further than has ever before been known the personal spirit which that body has been encouraging too much for a quarter of a century. Resdonßibility to party and to people sits lightly on all the members of that bo'dy. The cultivation of privilege has shot up into a pampering of personal tive. Smith of New Jersey says that the House Committee of Ways and Means is composed of able and conscientious men, but of men who know nothing of the •‘many and diverse interests of New Jersey " This would be bad enough if bespoke the literal truth about his position. Why should the Ways and Means Committee know all about the interests of New Jersey? It is enough for it to know the needs of the United States Government. The courts do not recognize the power of Congress to legislate for the many and diverse interests of any State. But what Smith is doing is to get legislation for the many and diverse interests of his private friends. The real interests of the masses of New Jersey lie in the enactment of an equitable tariff law as quickly as possible. These interests are sacrificed by the contemptible logrolling for special favorites which Is dissolving the Wilson bill’s integrity and shaking the business of the country with renewed uncertainties. Smith’s words are a specimen of the corrupting influent e of protective tariffs. If there is party spirit enough left among the Democrats of the Senate, a resolution should be passed declaring in express terms that the many and diverse manufacturing interests of every State must look out for themselves, as the more numerous, more extensive and more diverse farming and trading interests of the country are compelled to do. Perhaps such an enunciation of party principle would arouse so much wholesome party spirit that Smith. Murphy and Gorman would be shackled and silenced. Party spirit should take the bill back to what it was when it went to the Senate and should pass it in three weeks or less.— St. Louis Republic.

A Flimsy Excuse. / For the “conservative” Senators who have McKinleyized the Wilson bill the flimsy excuse is put forth that they did it in response to the clamor of their constituents. But what did these gentlemen expect? Did they suppose that the pampered children of protection would surrender their privileges without a protest and without an effort to preserve then}? These “conservatives” are not novices in politics. Most of them are veterans ana pride themselves on being “practical politicians. ” They knew while the campaign for tariff reform was being fought, just as well as they know now, that when the time came to frame a bill every trust, every combine an<L every favored industry would throng Washington with lobbyists and deluge it with petitions. A year ago

they could have named the men who would be at the capital this winter shrieking that they will be ruined if tariff reform is oarried out. They knew perfectly well then what claims would be urged and what arguments would be presented. The whole performance is staler than a thrice-told tale. To none is it staler than to these jaded old political hacks. The excuse is preposterous. It impeaches the intelligence of those in whose behalf it is offered. When Senator Mills was asked bv the wool-grow-ers of Texas to oppose free wool he peremptorily said “No,” and that was the end of it. When Tom Johnson was petitioned by his constituents to sustain high protection on clothing he not only refused but read them a wholesome lesson in the economics of tariff reform. Honest men deal honestly with conditions they expect and invite. They don’t shirk and then hunt excuses.—New York World. Personal Interest* In the South. We see no special reason for the excitement caused by the charge that some United States Senators are interested in sugar speculations. Men who own millions are usually speculators. Our United States Senators can boast of many shrewd speculators worth their millions. This being so, how do the people expect these men to be able to vote, without personal interest, on such a measure as a tariff bill, the underlying principle of which is to grant special privileges to persons financially able to take advantage of the opportunity to rob the great body of the people. The spirit of a protective tariff is based on selfishness and greed. This is why we see such a struggle in Congress when an attempt is made to lift the burden from the people. A Congress of the United States, none of the members of which had a personal pecuniary interest in the perpetuation of a robber tariff, would be a real surprise to those who have watched the evolution of the protective theory in this country. The intelligent observer of the struggle now going on in the Senate over the Wilson bill, is not in the least surprised at the action of the Senate. He expected much opposition in that body as well as in the House. —Pomeroy (O.) Democrat. The Voice of the People. The people elected a commission for the express purpose of revising the tariff. It is now sitting in Washington, and the dignified portion of it is making a blooming ass of itself. Six years ago the people would have the tariff “reformed by its friends.” Two years ago they changed their minds completely, ana decided that the tariff should be reformed by its enemies. That is why the Democratic party is in power in Washington. That is why if it does not do its duty, it will not be in power in Washington hereafter. If the Democratic party deceive the people there will rise up a party which will not deceive them. And if such a revolution as that occurs there will be no concessions made to trusts and combines in its legislation. It will wipe the whole accumation of thirty years of Republican favoritism, corruption, and scoundrelism out of existence. This Democratic Congress must do its duty. It cannot evade or shirk it. And it cannot do it too quickly.—lndianapolis Sentinel.

Reciprocity Will Go. A correspondent asks whether the retaliatory duties levied by President Harrison upon the coffee and hides of Colombia and Venezuela will stand under the Wilson bill. Beyond all doubt they will not, whatever may become of the reciprocity treaties. The duty of any Collector of Customs will be to enforce the law as he finds it. Under the new tariff coffee and hides will be admitted free of duty, no matter where they come from, and no power is given the President or anybody else to make any discriminations. The Collectors will have no occasion to concern themselves any longer with President Harrison’s f laminations, after his warrant of law for issuing them has been destroyed. They will let all that dead past bury itself and collect the duties, and no others, which the law says they are to collect. —New York Post. Lucky Republicans. There may be a slump in tariff reform at this fall’s election. .It is to be expected that the unthinking masses will hold the Democrats responsible for the hard times we are now having, even though, as in the present case, Republican legislation is entirely responsible for our present troubles. It is fortunate for the Harrisonian administration that it did not have to continue in jrower three months longer. The Republicans may be fortunate again. The good efftcts of the Wilson bill will probably begin to show about the end of this year. If the Republicans should be victorious in the November election, they will undoubtedly credit themselves with the prosperity, and the unthinking may accept it all as gospel. False Representatives. The action of the Democratic Club of Parkersburg, W. Va., in indorsing the Wilson bill as it passed the House, and denouncing the course of Senators Camden and Faulkner as being part of a conspiracy to defraud the consumers in the interests of manufacturers, mine owners and lumber barons, tends to justify the remarks of the World to these Senators. They do not represent the people of West Virginia nor the Democratic national platform in the amendments which they have helped to make in the tariff bill.—New York World.

Unusually High Wages. A halcyon March is not without its drawbacks. The maple sugar harvest has gone wrong in New Hampshire for lack of a frost, aided by “the scarcity and unusually high wages of help.” It is gratifying to know that there is some other explanation of the failure than the anticipated effect of the Wilson tariff; but what explanation can be given for the dastardly, not to say disloyal, rise of wages in New Hampshire at a time when, according to the organs, a tariff reform administration is doing its best to abolish wagtes entirely?—Philadelphia Record. • The Dilatory Senate. All that stands in the way of business men now is the Senate. —Indianapolis News. The Senatorial surgeons who are dissecting the Wilson bill continue to wrangle over its mutilated remains.— Chicago Tribune. One of the signal virtues of the United States Senate is its absolute stability. In the controversy over the tariff, for instance, it is right where it was when the session began.—Chicago Record. The fact that three months more of the tariff “debate” in the Senate is the estimate made by a conservative Senator inspires the hope that Coxey’s army may eventually reach Washington.—Chicago Herald. The country has now reached that state of mind where it is less concerned about which clamorous interest gets a little more or less protection, since •protection is to be retained, than it is concerned about a speedy determination of the whole matter. —Louisville Courier-Journal.

GOWNS AND GOWNING.

WOMEN GIVE MUCH ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY WEAR. Brief Glance* at Fanelee Feminine, Frivoloo*. Mayhap, and Yet Offered in the Hope that the Reading May Prove Beetful to Wearied Womankind. Geesip from Gay Gotham. New York correspondence:

EVEN the most rabid dress reform fiend must weaken at the spring display of frivolities. Never were there such dainty colors, never such feminine fripperies in fanciful profusion of fashion as just now. The tailor-made girl may content \ herself that her \ Frou Frou sister is jK a foil to her own gentlemanly severbut she can’t help a little gnawing notion that the

Frou Frou girl is perfectly sure it is the tailor-made one who is the foil, and may be both are right. One wrinkle which the elaborated damsel exhibits is a sort of satin bodice, fitted without a front seam and opening at the side or the back. These are worn under delicious little guipure coats, the coat turning away at the throat in deep revere and being cut sharply toward the hips from the bust line. A crisp spreading panel of lace is set along the waist line, finishing at the hips where the little coat stops. The coat is sleeveless having spreading epaulette pieces that fall over the puffs of satin. The latter are met by deep cuffs of the satin covered, or not, with guipure. The little coats are marvels of fit and set, being really molded piece by piece to suit the form. An elaboration of the same effect outlines the figures of the laoe with silk to match the satin under bodjee, and the whole makes one of the prettiest fancy waists. For the past few weeks so much attention is given to the outdoor toilets of spring, that house dresses get the go-by pretty effectually. But now, however, consideration may be secured for dresses to be worn indoors, and this second picture portrays a tasteful model made of gray silk and trimmed with black spangled bands. The bodice hooks in front and has a plain plastron that hooks over and leaves the

HOW'LL THIS DO FOR INDOORS?

top open in imitation of a square yoke, on either side of the center. The collar, cape and cuffs are made of brown velvet that has a slight green tinge, and are trimmed with jet spangles. In addition, collar and cuffs are edged with yellowish old lace. The four bands that come down the front are embroidered with jet, finished at the top with small velvet bows and with tiny rosettes and jet fringe at the bottom. The gored skirt is plain. It may be the envious ones who do it. but if so, they are many, for it is very often whispered that the lovely scarfs which are so much worn and which present such an elegant appearance are really one of the most economical of dress devices The reason given is that the scarf is so big and handsome that beside it nothing but the hat is noticed. While black ones edged with white lace are greatly in the majority, both white and turquoise-blue scarfs are shown, edged heavily at the ends with yellow lace. As yet they are not generally worn, but the white ones are sure to gain great vogue for wear with light suits, and already they are counted upon as accessories to the white broadcloth and duck tailor-made gowns that will find their way to the races and to the tops of coaches in the gay summer times that will soon be here. But leaving discussion of the merits and modes of scarfs, we come to a promenade dress, seen in the third illustration, which is certainly beyond the need of any accessory to shadow its own characteristics. Made of silvergray bengaline and trimmed with cherry-red silk, the gown is cut princess, hooks in back, and has a bell skirt lined with soft silk. Across the top, in front only, comes a fold of the red silk drawn through slashes that are piped on both sides, or that may be

SOMETHING NEW FOR THE PROMENADE.

buttonhole stitched. The dress is draped at the left ( side and held by a red silk rosette. There is as yet no sign of small sleeves becoming fashionable, only the bigness now tends to the plaintive droop, rather than to the aggressive sticking up and out Of course, the drooping sort accommodate themselves much better to jacket sleeves than do the others, and so it seems like locking the door after the horse is stolen to now propose a jacket which will go

over these huge affairs without missing them. Yet not till now have we hw a jacket that will do thia It fits with great precision front and back, and is made almost in two pieces, one front and one back. It gees on queerly enough, because it fastens along the shoulder seam on the right aide and under the arm on the left side. This does away with the necessity of putting the big undersleeve through any armhole of the jacket To accommodate this queer cut the jacket sleeves are, of course, slit all down the puff at the shoulder, though the cuffs are whole, so the jacket goes on through the sleeves first and then is fastened for all the world as men get into their trousers. The fastening of the gigot part of the sleeves is not hidden and very handsome buttons are displayed. The sleeve on the right side opens on top. while tnat on the left opens on the under side, but buttons are put on the top of each and the fastening beneath is “blind." Every effort is made to simulate the usual fastening for these jackets, and some are actually provided with practicable buttoning down the front, that the jacket may be worn open to the wonder and dismay of the beholders. But woe to the girl who fails to fasten the front when she removes the jacket, for in such case the

MUCH ELABORATHE.

garment straggles off into a Chinese trick thing that will make a lunatic of the coolest-headed escort who attempts to “assist you with your cloak.” The blouse waist seen in the fourth picture has the huge d rooping sleeves which are now so fashionable. The blouse's material is yellow and blue striped silk, and it is full in front, but fitted in back with the tullness laid in a few pleats at the waist. All the fullness of the sleeves is drawn toward the outside of the arm and held in place with a stuff rosette. The standing collar and the cravat bow are made of black satin, and the jabot is white lace. Around the waist comes a black satin belt, tying in a bow at the side. The skirt is made of blue serge, is very wide around the bottom and is lined with blue silk.

A long search will find no more handsome gowp than the one portrayed in the last picture. The fabrics composing it are red mousseline chiffon and black satin duchesse. The garniture consists of velvet in the same shade of red as the chiffon and jet embroidery. The bodice has fitted lining and hooks in front, the fastening concealed by draped fronts of mousseline chiffon. The latter is ac-cordion-pleated and comes in back and front. The sides are made of figured satin duchesse and the bretelles are of velvet, embroidered with jet They are slashed on the shoulders and form two tabs behind, one falling over the sleeves, the other just beside the armhole seam. A belt of satin duchesse fastens in front with a large fancy jet ornament having a deep jet fringe. The full puffed sleewes have a drapery of scalloped chiffon frills that continue down the front to the point formed by the bretelles. The latter must be wired at the edge, besides being stiffened. The skirt measures five and a half yards and has a panel front of gathered

SLEEVES WITH THEIR BIGNESS ON THE OUTSIDE.

chiffon trimmed with two bands of appliqued tulle lace. On either tide of this front are plain pieces of the figured satin lined with taffeta, to which the train is attached. The latter is finished around the bottom and UP the sides with a twenty-inch band of velvet, a chiffon niching and jet passementerie. If desired, the train can be thinly wadded, as that would make the folds heavier and richer. The back breadths of gowns are to be slightly stiffened, and therefore you should know that the average crinoline washes with no effect except that of increased stiffness. Another thing which not everyone knows is that really good satin washes as well as does wash silk, and adorable little summer gowns are made of daffodil satin with lots of lace insertion. Yellow is one of the colors that washes well in almost any material. Copyright, ISM. The internal temperature of trees has been investigated in Belgium by M. W. Prinz ; who finds that, as a rule, a large tree is warmer than the air in winter, and a little colder than the air in summer. The mean annual temperature of a tree is practically the same as that of the surrounding air, but the monthly means differ by several degrees. Heat changes are transmitted slowly to the heart of a tree, the temperature of the interior differing sometimes as much as 30 degrees from that of the air. When the air temperature is below freezing point the temperature of the tree appears to. remain just above the freezing point of its sap, and in the hot days of summer the internal temperature was not known to vary more than 8 degrees from 59 degrees. A few years ago a number of scientists of New England made a calulation as to Jhe amount of water given to the atmosphere by the “ Washington Elm, ” Cambridge, Mass. They calculated that the leaves of that tree would cover over 200,000 square feet of surface, and that they gave out every fair day during the growing season 15,500 pounds, or 7f tons, of moisture.

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

KEPT AFTER SCHOOL. “I am sorry,” said their teacher, ‘‘To keep you, Tom and Joe; I do not like to punish you Because it grieves me so.” But hopeful Tommy whispered To naughty little Joe, ‘‘lf she’s so very sorry, Maybe she’ll let us go!” —f Agnes Lewis Mitchill, in St. Nicholas.

THE SWEDISH STAR BOY. You have heard of the Star Boy? Maybe not, for he lives in Sweden, which is a long way off, and, as our story books do not tell about him, it might easily happen that you would know nothing of a mysterious little fellow who is a part of the nursery tales of every boy and girl in Sweden. The duty of the Star Boy is to hang out the stars in the heavens, and when he does so, it is a signal to the rain drops, the snow and the hail that they are to stay away until the Star Boy has taken the stars in again. When the Star Boy thinks there has been enough bad weather, he goes out with his arms full of stars and hangs them up as signals. He does his work very prettily, and very beautiful figures are formed in the heavens by the arrangement of the stars. The children of Sweden often salute the Star Boy when they see the stars beginning to appear in the dark sky above, and they call out, looking upward to the stars: “Please, good Star Boy, be kind enough to hang out many stars so that we may go forth to play tomorrow ! We have had rain enough! Hang out the stars, we pray thee, that we may enjoy the sunshine once more 1” After thus addressing the Star Boy, the little Swedes are taught to believe by the nursery stories that it will always be pleasant next day if the Star Boy listens to them and hangs out the stars. But if the skies remain dark and the Star Boy heeds not the prayer, the next day may be rainy and cold. We do not in this country believe in the Star Boy, but it will do no harm to watch the weather next time we see him hanging out the stars.—[Ledger.

THE WONDERFUL AXE. Bobbie Smith sat on a big log, crying as though his heart would break, for he had so much wood to chop for his mother before he could go out with the boys to play; and, oh, how he hated to begin 1 Bobbie had lost his father, so he had to help mother a little when home from school. He sat on the log, thinking what a hard task he had, when, to his surprise, the new axe which his mother had bought him jumped up and began to speak. “Say, Bobbie,” it said, “what are you crying for? Don’t cry. Be a man. I will chop your wood, and without your aid, too.” And the axe began to chop, and Bobbie saw such piles of wood growing higher and higher, and he felt as though he could not thank the axe enough. But the axe still kept on chop! chop! chop! and soon the yard was full, but the axe never tired, and soon Bobbie could see no house at all —only wood. At last the axe stopped and asked if he had enough. “Oh, yes!” said Bobbie, “but how can I get home? All I see is wood.” “That, Bobbie,” replied the axe, “you must find out. Then poor Bobbie began to cry, and, on, how he wished he had chopped the wood himself! He climbed and climbed, and his poor little legs—how they ached! At last he was so tired he sat down, and he could hear such beautiful singing, and there in front of him appeared the axe. As soon as the axe saw Bobbie it changed into the most beautiful fairy. “Well, Bobbie.” said the fairy, “how would you like to live so high above the houses?” and Bobbie looked down, and all the houses and churches looked as small as his Noah’s Ark, and the boys like matches running about. He felt very hungry, too, so he said: “Oh, dear, good fairy, will you not get me down to my dear mother again?” “Yes,” said the fairy, “but you must promise that you will never grumble again.” “Oh, never!” said Bobbie. So the pretty fairy kissed him and waved a golden rod, and Bobbie found himself sitting on the log and his mother chopping the wood for him, and he ran and put his arms around her neck, and said she should never chop wood again, and while eating his supper he told her about the dream he had had.—[New York Recorder.

AN INDIAN BOY’S TRAINING. The training of the Sioux boy begins when he listens to the songs of war, the songs of the chase, and the songs of the “Great Mystery,” or Wakantanka; and these are the lullabies which we heard in our infancy. Of course there were some boys who were deprived of the training they needed, even ip wild life; but the true and loving parents were as ambitious and hopeful for their children as any civilized and educated parents could be. Very early the Indian boy assumed the task of preserving and transmitting the legends and stories of his ancestors and his race. Almost every evening a myth, or a legend of some deed done in the past, was narrated by one of the parents or grandparents, and to it the boy listened with parted mouth and shining eyes. On the following evening he was usually required to repeat it. If he was not an apt scholar, he struggled long with his task; but, as a rule, the Indian boy is a good listener and has a good memory, so that the stories were tolerably well mastered. The household became his audience, by whom he was alternately criticized and applauded. This sort of teaching at once enlightens the boy’s mind and stimulates his ambition. His conception of his own future career becomes a vivid and irresistible force. ‘Whatever there is for him to acquire must be acquired; whatever qualifications are necessary to a truly great warrior

and hunter, he must seek at any expense of danger and hardship. Such was the feeling of the imaginative and brave young Indian. It becomes apparent to him early in life that he must accustom himself to rove alone, and not to fear or dislike the impression of solitude, but acquaint himself thoroughly with nature. Much has been said about Indian children’s “instincts.” To be sure, we inherited some of the characteristics of our ancestors, but the greater part of our faculties we had to acquire by practice. All the stoicism and patience of the Indian are acquired traits. Physical training and dieting were not neglected. I remember I was not allowed to drink beef soup or any warm drink. The soup was for the old men. The general rules for the young were never to eat their food very hot, nor to drink much water. My uncle, who educated me, was a severe and strict teacher. When I left his teepee for the day, he would say to me: “Hakada, watch everything closely and observe its characteristics” ; and at evening, on my return, he used to catechize me for an hour or so. “On which side of the trees is the lighter-colored bark? On which side do they have most regular branches?” It was his custom to let me name all the new' birds that I had seen during the day. I would name them according to the color, or habits, or the shape of the bill, or their song, or the appearance and locality of the nest—in fact., anything about the bird which impressed me as characteristic. I made many ridiculous errors, I must admit. He then usually informed me of the correct name. Occasionally I made a hit, and this he would warmly commend.—[St. Nicholas.

ESKIMO WEAPONS.

Expert Use of Them by the Natives of the Far North. To the interesting collection of curios gathered by Capts. Edwards and McDermott, United States Inspectors of Hulls and Boilers, during the last few years, have lately been added a number of weapons used by the Eskimos in the hunt and chase, and other articles and relics, presented by various persons in the Northwest and British Columbia. The Eskimos’ weapons were presented to the Inspectors by the widow of the late Oapt. John M. Olsen of Astoria, Master of the sealer Polar Boar, in accordance with a request which he expressed before his death. The most interesting of these curios is a spear with a poisoned arrow head, which is the most effective of all the weapons used by the inhabitants of the “land of the midnight sun.” The spear entire is about, five feet long. It is made of wood, mounted with bone, In which are finely carved all the fantastic designs characteristic of the Eskimos in this line of work. The arrow is made in three nieces, two parts wood, and the third, which is the head, of bone dipped in poison. The three pieces are held together by a leather thong, butr with a slight movement of the hand these can be disengaged, leaving the head, when it strikes the animal, curved in its body in such manner that, it is Impossible to disengage it without cutting the skin.

When the weapon is used on whale, seal, or other water animal a floater, made of the bladder of a seal, is attached to the end of the spear, so that the hunter may trace its course and locate his game. The Eskimos have a peculiar way of “shooting” this weapon. The hunter holds in his right hand, high above his head, a short stick, or “gun,” with a notch near the top, where the end of the spear fits snugly. Taking alm at his game, he moves his right hand swiftly forward, propelling the spear with lightning speed, and invariably with unerring aim at the mark. Instances have been recorded where a hunter brought down his game at fifty yards, and one or two Alaska story tellers, who have no fear of being discredited by the rising generation, say that animals have been slain at 100 yards’ distance. But all agree that the average Eskimo is a marksman who never fails to hit his mark, and who, when so disposed, always provides plenty for his family with his primitive weapons. Sometimes to this spear is attached a rope of leather, one end of which is securely fastened to the hunter’s arm, so that he may keep hold of his game. But this is only done on short-distance shots. A weapon used in hunting birds is a tripod-shaped spear. This is thrown in the same manner as the poisoned spear. The hunter sneaks within distance of his covey of ptarmigan or other birds, and lets fly his weapon. If he be lucky, three birds are the reward of his skill; if not, one or two. The inspectors have weapons of the above kinds of several sizes, but all used for the same purpose. Among the other articles are a belt and a pair of leggings finely ornamented with beads, made and worn by the Eskimos, and which they sell to curio seekers for $25; also, a water bag, made of sealskin, a lariat, and several varieties of the well-known harpoon. Next to the weapons, the skull of a Palouse Indian woman commands attention, for several reasons. The principal one is because her skull is shaped wholly unlike that of the common Palouse, and it is thought that she was a person of high degree —probably a princess, or at least a woman of high birth. From the earliest time in the recollection of the oldest inhabitant—who is still in existence —the Palouse Indians have continued the habit of their forefathers of flattening the rear part of the cranium of their female children of low birth. This was done so that they might be distinguished from the high-born natives. This ws>man had a full back head, but a low and retreating forehead.—[Oregonian.

Scientific Discoveries.

A scieritist has discovered that people eat more in cold than in warm weather. He may have also observed that they wear more clothing in winter than in summer, and that they maint|ain fires more constantly. Science is constantly making discoveries, but it sometimes overlooks very common phenomena.—{St. Paul Globe. ’

TROPICAL FRUITS.

HOW THEY ARE HANDLED DURING SHIPMENT. Bananas Rsaulra the Most Caraftaf Treatment-* Methods of Paoklae the Various Fruita. Between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 bunches of bananas are sold in thia city every year, and though St. Louis 4 consumes the bulk of these, a greatdeal is shipped' to points between here and San Francisco. The biK warehouses in which this fruit is stored and brought to maturity before selling and shipping are located along North Third street. A ramble among these brings out many interesting points, not only about the methods employed in handling and ripening bananas, but a deal of other tropical fruit. Bananas for the St. Louis market come from points in British Honduras, Jamaica and the islands of the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Port Limon, Boco del Foro, Port Antonio, Araranca and the Blue Fields of Nicaragua are the greatest producers. The bananas grow on great plantations, and as they are cut are carried on the backs and heads of natives to the big vessels which are engaged in the business of transporting tropical fruits to the United States. The fruit is green when loaded into the hull of the vessel, and care must be taken, not only in loading the cargo in the vessel’s hold, but also in preventing by the use of ventilation, any sweating process that would arise if the hold were allowed to grow warm. In this green state the fruit intended for St. Louis and points on the Mississippi is loaded on boats or cars at Mobile and near New Orleans. From the landing stages where theboats arrive, or from the freight sheds, it is hauled in huge express wagons to the warehouses already mentioned, and in front of these any fine day when a cargo of bananas is being received the scenes are truly interesting. As the big trucks, loaded with their precious freight, pull up before the doors hundreds of Italian peddlers, ragged urchins and negro women scramble for such of the fruit. as, having ripened on the bunches, may fall to the sidewalks, and thescenes that follow tho scuffle are amusing in the extreme. Now that the fruit has arrived' safely at its destination it requires even more of an outlay 4f watchfulness and experience to? prepare it suitably for the market. The bunches are carried to long, dark rooms where steam pipes or gas stoves keep the temperature at different degrees of heat, varying from 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The finer formed bunches, bearing the larger class of fruit, are hung on the bottom racks, while the smaller sized go to the top, because the heat rises and concentrates along the ceilings of these rooms, thereby giving greater force to the small fruit, which ripens moreslowly than the larger sort. The orders that come in for bananas usually state the stage of ripeness in which the buyer desires the fruit shipped to him. The packing must be done very carefully as it i» without doubt the most tender of all tropical fruits to handle. First, the bunches are placed in> big paper bags and these are then dipped into cases lined with straw or salt hay as a still further protection against the changes of temperature. In this packing they are easily shipped to the most distant points in the country. Aspinwall was at one time the greatest port for the shipment of thia fruit to the United States, but since the Pacific Fruit Transportation Company ceased operating their line of. steamers, this business has fallen away altogether. j Oranges of every sort—navel, tangerine and grape fruit—are plentiful in these great stock-rooms, and the supply is usually drawn from Florida, I although California is called upon at* ' times. Of the Florida fruit the best? 1 comes from Citra, Leesburg, OrangeBend on Indian river. Tampa,Gainesville, Emerald Island and points in the south and southeast of the State. Tangerines and grape-fruit kidglove oranges, as they are termed by the fruit dealers—are comparatively 1 new in this market and are little? known, though in the Far South the cooks use them in delightful salads, marmalade and cake dressings or puddings. They are higher grade in flesh, flavor and price than the Florida oranges, and are usually packed, more carefully in their wooden cases. The long gray Spanish moss that was formerly used in packing is doneaway with by paper, tinsel and tissuesheets. A few lemons are received from thePacific Slope, but the greater portions are imported from points along the Mediterranean Sea, and especially from Sicily. Figs are received in bags; from Arabia, and these are the coarser sort. Finer, larger figs are sent from many points in the Far East and are beautifully laid one upon another, with alternate layers of their own leaves, and packed in wooden cases. Almena and Malaga in Spain furnish the finest varieties of white grapes and raisins. The grapes are shipped in half-barrels, packed in cork dust; the raisins in fine boxes, whose covers are elaborately colored lithographs of Spanish vineyard scenes, or of dark-eyed sons of sunny Spain ipaking love to some fair sonorita on the shady slope of a vinecovered hill. Dates, always in sacks made of plaited “ vegetable palm,” are received from Arabia and Turkey, and. this quality is known as the Fard date, for it is much heavier and dtw'ker in color than the Golden date, which comes only from Persia.—[St. Louis Republic. George Kimberly, an Englishman, employed as a bookkeeper in an importing house in Canton; China, recently gave a most marvelbus exhibition of memory. The combination; lock of the safe got out of order, and! he couldn’t get at his ledger to make out bills which had to be prepared that day without fait He performed the remarkable feat of accurately rendering irom memory the bills of sixty-two out of sixty-four accounts.