Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1894 — Page 5

NEW YORK ON SUNDAY.

A CONCERT ON CENTRAL PARK MALL. Perfume FIIM the Air and Nature Was Praaaad hi Her Richest, Ten. derest Green Mantle. Smiling softly, sweet and sunny . was the gentle breath that filled the Metropolis with its gladsome spirit Fair was everything—the earth, the sky, tiie bright faces of the promenaders, the doings and the goings-on of everything human, worldly, divine. Thousands were out upon the streets in their best array. The paries and the resorts of public recreation were thronged as the budding season hasn’t seen them before. The frolic and chatter of children, mingled with the more sober talk of theif elders, with faint snatches of song from gay parties passing on in the distance through the mazes of the drives and the secluded promenades, with that buzz and hum of happy content that seems to come even from the trees and the thicknesses of the shrubbery. Central Park was in its glory. Not one of its 840 acres failed to reflect some species of merriment. Its lakes and reservoirs, its three dozen bridges and archways, no two alike; its tunnels, its woods, with their halfmillion trees, vines and shrubs; its rustic seats, with room for ten thousand persons; its 600 secluded arbors, overgrown and concealed from the common eye by vines and the greenest of greens—all had their testimony to offer that summer had copie again, and that the people were well aware of it. From noon till sunset the rare treasures of the Metropolitan Museum of Art were examined by thousands. That ancient old obelisk,that stands with such stiff dignity just outside the museum, was surrounded

all day by a wondering and interested crowd. The terrace, the Bethesda fountain, the Dairy, the Casino, the Ramble, the Belvidere, the menagerie, the conservatories, McGowan’s Pass Tavern, the Mall—there they were, those 80,000 or 40,000 idlers, people of the great Metropolis who were out for an airing and a little modest recreation on that lovely summer’s day. Through the drives smart equipages of the rich rumbled along with their tinkling of silver trappings, their show of gay livery, their footmen and their proud occupants. Over the bridlepaths dashed the fine steeds of those who knew how to sit a noble animal’s back handsomely. It was a brilliant panorama. There were the steeds with the banged tails, the pretty horses with the bushy manes; then came a bit of flirtation between young enthusiasts on prancing steppers ; then the monstrous woman, who sits the back of her horse like a bag of meal and rides to reduce her weight, came jogging along as nice as you please. That, indeed, was the way the rich enjoyed the people’s great recreation ground. But the Mall—the Mall was where the wives and daughters of the hard-working class, the awkward swains, the little ones, the beaus and the gallants, the lovers and sweethearts, the great masses were sunning themselves; or, perchance, if the sunning became too warm, were promenading under the shadows of Shakespeare, of Humboldt, of Moore and of Burns, of Scott, of Schiller, of Beethoven and of Webster; or, mayhap, 'were wondering at the bronzes of “Eagle and Goat, “Tigress and Young,” “Falconer,” “Indian Hunter,” “Still Hunt’’ or “Pilgrim.” The Mall—it’s the Sunday Rialto of the sons and daughters of New York; and 20,000 of them were promenading there when the Seventh Regiment Band appeared in that pretty little stand.

“Chir-r-r-ip! ’’trilled the nimble birds in the trees. “ Toot-toot!—Scratch!—Trill-11-11-11 ! ” went the instruments of the musicians in preparatory discord, while the chatter of the thousands of promenaders in their Sunday attire was a great background chorus. Then, of a sudden, the birds and the background chorus and everything were drowned in the swelling strains of i “The Star-Spangled Banner” that soared from the little stand and leaped on through the trees, rousing the sleepy bronze statues from their lethargy, sweeping on and on and on till it seemed as if the whole magnificent Park was one vast sounding-drum of patriotic melody. It was the first of the season’s concerts on the Mall. The promenading

went oa. a spectacular from real life, a scene such as of old used to be peopled with elves and fairy queens, touching everything with their magic wands of sunshine and radiance —a chapter from the life of the great metropolis that no one can realize till it is studied, and watched, and dreamed over, as those old hoary statues have been dreaming over it now for decades and decades, till they begin to know the return of summer by the melody that floats around them on Sunday afternoon, and seem to welcome it with a gleain of brightness and intelligence upon their hard, stolid faces, such as is never seen there on the frozen days of grim, gray winter.

On rushes the band with never a cease in its melody. The wood resounds. The boughs wave in rhythm; they beat time, they dance, they fairly exult with the joy of this first concert in the Mall. The great trees absorb the music eagerly. Benjamin’s “Nero,” Schubert’s “Rosamunde,” the “Bal d’Enfant,” Jaxone; Verdi’s solo for the clarinet, “Rigoletto,” “A Musical Critic’s Dream,” by Dix, a scene from Sullivan’s “Utopia,” Faye’s cornet solo, “Romanza,” Qottschalk’s “Pasquinade,” and those elaborate pictures in music of the North and South, with their stirring patriotism, the work of Bendix—all re-echo in that revel of harmony under the trees of the Mall, with the ears of 20,000 of the great city’s people to listen and applaud. The Doxology; and it is over. The 20,000 disperse, not to their homes, all of them; some go to the carrousel, some to other nooks and cozy corners that they know so well, for all of them have been in the Park before, and all have their favorite spots. There is the German section—the Dairy—the American one,that around the tennis grounds and northwest to the Blockhouse; then the Hebrews are always to be found around the

AT THE CONCERT ON THE MALL.

Casino and Mt. St. Vincent; and the sweethearts and lovers—they are everywhere. Yes, such is only one tiny glimpse of what a real summer Sunday afternoon is in the big city.—[New York Recorder.

The Clever Ruse of a New York Smuggler. “This stone was smuggled on the first trip of the City of New York made to this side of the Atlantic.” George Meigs, of New York, tossed a sparkling, uncut diamond in his hand at La Normandie as .he spoke. “I bought it as a memento of the best piece of work I did while in the customs service. Don’t think I’m bragging when I tell the story. We had been having a great deal of trouble with diamond smugglers. Dead loads of fine new stones were being offered by Maiden Lane brokers, and the service knew they had never paid a cent of duty. Every boat coming over was closely watched and suspects were put through a course of sprouts in the searching line such as they had never imagined possible. Boot heels were bored to find hidden gems; trunks searched for secret drawers; clothing examined in every portion and cakes of soap in the possession of suspected passengers cut up and mashed flat, but to no apparent use, although several cakes of soap were found to contain liberal supplies of the sparklers. One day, in my walks up town, I saw a goodlooking woman talking with apparent familiarity to a well-known diamond broker at the 28d street entrance of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and as I approached I heard her tell him to be sure and be home to dinner. That remark assured me that she was the broker’s wife, and then it suddenly struck me that I had seen Her face before. I put on my thinking cap and soon remembered that she had recently made several trips to Europe. It didn’t take me long to make up my mind to search her baggage pretty thoroughly if she ever made another trip, and then turn her over to the lady inspectors for closer investigation, for her husband had been one of the brokers who had recently been selling numbers of diamonds at very low prices. Two months afterward the New York came in on her initial trip and who was a passenger on bokrd of her but my Mrs! Broker. No passenger ever submitted to a more thorough search with better grace, and I was knocked out when she was reported clear of all contraband goods. I knew as well as I was living, that she had smuggled dla-

VALUABLE SEEDS.

monds somewhere in her possession, but was at my wits' end to discover them. She was about to leave the office when I suddenly noticed that the hat she wore was trimmed with grapes. There were several compact bunches of them on her bonnet, and with a sudden impulse I politely asked her to let me examine her hat She gave me one look of malignant ferocity—l can describe it in no other words—and then fainted dead away. While the ladies-were bringing her to, I broke open one of the grapes and found a diamond imbedded in its interior. This is the stone. Every grape had a diamond for a seed, and the gems altogether were worth $17,000. The duties and penalties wege paid, and her husband sold me this gem in admiration of my ‘gall, ’ as he termed it.”—[Washington Star.

WHAT IS EATEN.

Exhibit of Queer Foods Used by Out-of-the-Way People. At the department of agriculture in Washington, hidden away in an obscure comer, is an odd sort of exhibit of queer foods eaten by out-of-the-way people. There is a loaf of bread made from the roasted leaves of a plant allied to the century plant. Another kind of bread is a dough of {'uniper berries. These are relished >y some tribes of Indians, while others manufacture cakes out of different kinds of bulbs. The prairie Indians relish a dish of wild turnips, which civilized people would not be likely to enjoy at all. In the great American desert the “screw beans,” which grow on mesquite bushes, are utilized for food. Soap berries furnish an agreeable diet for some savages in this country, while in California the copper-colored aborigines do not disdain the seeds of salt grask. Also in California the Digger Indians collect pinenuts, which are seeds of a certain species of pine (sometimes called “pinons”), by kindling fires against the trees, thus causing the nuts to fall out of the cones. At the same time a sweet gum exudes from the bark, serving the purpose of sugar. The seeds of gourds are consumed in the shape of mush by Indians in Arizona.

In addition to all these things the exhibit referred to includes a jar of pulverized crickets, which are eaten in that form by the Indians of Oregon. They are roasted, as are likewise grasshoppers and even slugs. These delicacies are cooked in a pit, being arranged in alternate layers with hot stones. After being thus prepared they are dried and ground to powder. They are mixed with pounded acorns or berries, the flour made in this way being kneaded into cakes and dried in the sun. The Assiniboines used a kind of seed to stop bleeding at the nose. Among other curious things used for food are acorns, sunflower seeds, grape seeds, flowers of cattails, moss from the spruce-fir tree, and the blossoms of wild clover. The exhibit embraces a number of models representing grape seeds enormously enlarged. It is actually possible to tell the species of a grape by the shape of the seed. There is a jar of red willow bark, which Indians mix with tobacco for the sake of economy. This, however, is only one of a thousand plants that are utilized in a similar fashion.

From Small Beginning.

“One of the best salesmen we have on the road, if not the very best,” said a well-known wholesale dealer, ‘ ‘came to us ten,years ago from the backwoods, aud a greener fellow you never saw. I met him the first time he came into the store, and gave him his start. He told me about the kind of country he lived in and its remoteness, and said he wanted to sell from house to house, but he didn't want to be a common peddler. “‘We can’t give you a salary,' said I, ‘but we will allow you a commission of twenty-five per cent, on all you sell for cash. ’ “ ‘ I don’t rightly understand this commission and per cent, business,’ said he, scratching his head, ‘seein’ I ain’t used to it; but I’ll tell you what I’ll do; you just agree to give me ten cents on every dollar’s worth I sell and I’ll undertake it; that's plain enough for anybody to understand.’ “ I let him go at that,” laughed the merchant in conclusion,” “and made it up to him at the end of the year by putting him on the road with a good salary, and permission to tell the story every time we gave him a raise, and we gave him one yesterday, and I’ve told the story a good many times.”—[Detroit Free Press.

Unique Industry.

“My town,” said Henry Burkhart, editor of the Windsor (Mo.) Review, at the Laclede, “has one distinction, at least, and that is that it is the home of more United States mall contractors than any other two or three towns on earth. We have there a half dozen or more large firms which control nearly all the star routes in the country. I don't know how it happened that this peculiar enterprise should have sought Windsor as its base of operations, unless it was that by accident, perhaps, one Windsorite got interested-in the business, made money at it, and others seeing his fortune piling up, fell in line. They all appear to be getting rich, and not one of them has yet had any sort of trouble with the Government. Contracts are let at Windsor for carrying the mails in Maine, California, Texas and Montana, and thus is the name of our town known from one end of the country to the other, though our population is not much over 1,600.” —[St. Louis Republic. Three generations of Dabolls have continued without jinterruption for 122 years the annual publication of the New England Almanac and Farmers’ Friend. David A. Daboll, the present editor, has made all the calculations since 1864. He is now eighty years old. His grandfather, Nathan Daboll, began it in 1772, and hia father, Nathan Daboll the second, continued it. David A. Daboll has kept a daily jsurnal of the weather for forty years, with the exact position of the sun and the moon.

CHILDREN’S CLOTHES.

Birr UTTLE CHANGE IN STYLE IS NOTICEABLE. TUi It Parttcoiarty Fort mate tar the HotbMa Who Meed to Practice Eoanom; —XJttle Folk's Dresses Are Beta* Patterned After Those Worn by Toes tor Little Tote Meer-Wortt correspondence:

.g| UT little change LAK is noticeable in if* ■children’s fashions, for during tho past year little girls r wear has partaken less PH and less of the marked charaoteristics of their tn elders’ garb. This jd is particularly ill f ortunate for ala mothers who llLjg, need to practice Brai economy, and a EJj lucky thing for [ children general- | ly, for the tot L who is gotten up a to show in miniature all the current ecoentrici-

ties and oddities of women's styles is dressed too fancifully. Good taste always admits of suggesting in the child's garments the late developments in fashions for mature wearers, and so, too, do current practices; but it is now seldom overdone, with the result that children's clothes are all the more suitable for children. As illustrating what is permissible, take the child's apron _ shown in the initial picture. Here, in the yoke, there i 6 direct patterning after the shoulder effects women now deem so neoessary, but the sleeves do not follow out this suggestion in the least. It is well that they do not, for if a pair of huge balloon puffs were plaoed on those tiny shoulaers, the child would decidedly resemble a caricature. The garment comes nearly to the hem of the little dress and is made of pink batiste. It Is laid in three pleats in back and buttons beneath the center one. It is cut away at the top and the opening filled In with a yoke of lace and batiste insertions, round in back and pointed in front, and finished in a full lace frill.

STYLISH MAID OF SIX

The front breadths are laid In six pleats and the tiny sleeves are partially covered with frills of thread lace. The strings commence at the sides and tie in back, and the gathered skirt part is sewed to the top or bodice portion with two rows of gatners at the waist Garments which furnish protection for the little one’s dresses and which are at the same time dreßsy and becoming and scarce enough. This model seems to possess all these qualities, and, of course, It can be transposed into coarse stuff without losing much of any of them. In the next two illustrations blousod dresses are shown, and this might at first thought be taken to mean that the current rage for blouse waists, which would inundate our young women did it not carry them high on its crest to increased daintiness, had reached the children. But the latter were ever much in blouses, so no charge of aping their elders will hold The first example of these two is a simple little gown in blue and white-striped rep, with a white bengaline yoke, and Is suitable for girls from four to six years. The yoke is fini-hed with a frill of ecru lace, and the tiny skirt is gathered to the bodice, which hangß over like a blouse, front and back. The dress buttons behind and has ribbon garniture and a ribbon belt. The second child’s blouse ocmes from pink surah and is made with a fitted lining hooking in back. The round yoke is made of lace and the lining is cut away, only a narrow band being left at the bott m, to which the straight, lull breadths of the surah are gathered with a head, as shown, six breadths being required. The bottom has a draw string or an elastic, and is turned under like the sailor blouses. The Burplice sleeves are made entirely of lace

WIDELY DIFFERING BLOUSES.

and are finished by a twisted arrangement of surah across the shoulder, while the standing collar consists of lace with narrow pink ribbons run through it. In the same picture there appears one of the prettiest of the blouse models which this summer has brought forth in profusion, and its detailed description is not out of place in this connection, because it is especially adaptable to reproduction for wee folk’s wear. With the change of size should oome change of material, and white China silk might well replace the white satin of which the sketched garment is composed. But it is described as in the “grown-up" original, so that it may furnish suggestions for either use. It is made with pleated front and back and fitted sides, and is finished by a circular basque cut separately and joined to the bodice, the seam being overed with a twisted belt of white silk. A deep lace frill is caught in the collar seam and the ends reach to the waist as shown. The stand ng collar is made of folded silk with rosettes in back and front, to

- match the belt, but the moderately wide balloon sleeves are plain. Babies' apparel follows no law* but thoee of mothers, and they reflect so many material crotchets as to be beyond codification. Even fashion's laws could not oonvince a mother that she shouldn't drees her own babe as she pleases. Some mothers insist that there should be a distinct difference in the mode of dressing girl and boy babies, even at a month old. These would have for the boy no lace, frills, insertions, or furbelows. The little gowns are of the finest material and invariably white for both sexes, but here resemblance oeases, according to these philosophers. The little girl’s gown is no longer than the boy’s, hanging almost to the floor when the child is in nurse's arms. It may be made shortrsleeved and low-necked, a fashion which, in spite of the frantic appeals of physicians and reasonable-minded folk, is coming back. It may be laoetrimmed, real laoe always in the finest possible mesh and narrowest width, until the little maid is six months old or so, when the lace may be wider, but no less fine. The little dresses are daintily made in conformity, to a slight degree,

WITH NO THOUGHT YET OF STYLE.

to the prevailing fashion for mamma. Fluffy frills extend from tiny shoulder to shoulder across front and back, eaoh frill lace edged. The short sleeves are sometimes puffs nearly as big as the little maid’s head, and now and then the frock is cut off the shoulders in true 1830 stylo. Certainly the satin skin seems too pretty to cover up though the crusty old doctor will say: “Better cover it up with clothes than with the oold ground!" But what taste have doctors! If her mother so elects, her baby boy will be dressed in much the same fashion; indeed, those who would distinguish the sex of the ohtld in arms in the mentioned ways are very much in the minority. By the time the child is in short dresses the face will be likely to tell the tale, and if it does not, then is time enough to consider the garb in this respect No badge is necessary for the youngster of the fourth picture, for the ootning man is apparent in the bright face. HU dress is made of fine white nainsook and trimmed with Swiss embroidery. The full skirt U perfectly plain and attached to the waUt and the little bodice is beited in at the waist with a band of embroidery, the yoke being of the same. Full puffed sleeves reach to the elbow and are finished off with a band of embroidery and a small frill of lace. White socks and black slippers with velvet rosettes oomplete his dainty rig. Baby’s dress No. 2, which the last picture show*, U in white lawn, and a pretty finish for it, and one whioh would lend a touch of femininity, would be little bows of blue ribbon to fasten the straps where they join the waist back and front, and rosettes of the same at shoulder* and wrists. Its waist is laid in fine pleats back and front and fine lawn straps edged with

IN WHITE LAWN AND HAMBURG.

narrow Hamburg pass over the shoulders. The skirt is entirely of white Hamburg and is gathered on to the waist Narrow Hamburg edges the full sleeves. A new and much Improved way to prove that you really belong to an old family is to dress your baby in the identical clothes that his great-great-grandmother or father were when said grand-parent was a mere child. Such little gowns are sure to be marvels of hand needlework and exquisite weave and of a delicate old white. It is whLpered that layettes of this style can be purchased at a or st so enormous that their coming from some really old family is thereby assured. It see ns incredible that any one would sell the little dresses worn by some wav back relative; even a spinster would, one would suppose, retain such things. These outfits may be genuine, but rumors of New England manufacturers of antiques of all sorts are sometimes heard, and ’tis but natural to suspect in these days. The swellest babies have no scented powder or soap. The finest castile in rough cakes is used and “prescription powder,” made acoording to the prescription of the attending physician. Powder of this sort can be made to cost more than any other way, which is the chief reason for its use. A little orris root in the basket where the clothes are kept is poe ibly permissible, but the baskets are no longer silk lined. Everything the young aristocrat wears must be embroidered with his monogram, or at least with his initials, an i he must ha-e tiny cards. W hen the child is three months old the mamma must give a reception and her infant’s card aocomranies her own for the invitation. Of course, baby is “at hone,” too, and most awfully does he usually behave. Copyright, 189*. Aocordino to Dr. Gould there are <5,100 stars in the Northern and 7,200 in the Southern Hemisphere distinctly visible to the naked eye. The enormous globe of Jupiter differs from ours in almost every respect It is eleven times larger in diameter than the earth, being 125 times greater in solidity. It gravitates slowly in a year equal to twelve of our years, at five times the distance from the sun. as oompared with us, so that the light and heat it receives are twenty-five times less intense than ours.

SOMEWHAT STRANGE.

ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE. Queer Feet* and Thrilling Adventures Whioh Show that Truth la Stranger Than Fiotlon. A rather perplexing trick of photography recently worked out by F. A. Gilmore, of Auburn, ft. 1., is explained as follows: The trick is that of taking what appears to be the head of a living person on a platter forming part of the furnishing of a dining-room table. Although the way in which the work is done is very simple, pictures made in this manner have been extremely puzzling and are of especial interest to amateur photographers, as they suggest other methods of producing novel effects. In this case a centre leaf wa9 removed from an ordinary extension table, the lady to be photographed then being seated so that her head appeared just above the table top, on which the cloth and other articles were arranged as nearly as possible in the usual way, as shown in one of the views, the table being built up in. place of the removed leaf sufficiently to support the cloth and other articles. To make the illusion complete, a pan cut away so that it may be conveniently placed around the neck, has the appearance In the photograph of being an ordinary platter bearing the head of a living person. “I never took any stock in dreams,” said J. L. Santer, of Lexington, Mo., ‘‘but from recent experiences I am inclined to believe that there is something In the mysteries of sleep after all. About two months ago my wife informed me that she had dreamed of a marriage and that it was a sure sign of death. Two days afterwards my grandfather was killed by a train at Omaha. Following this up, my better half warned me to look after my financial interests, as Bhe dreamed I was being treated for hysterics. To dream that I was being treated for anything, she informed me, was a never-falling sign that I would suffer a financial loss. In less than a woek came the Sedalia Bank calamity, and I am out S2,CKX). Just before I left home I accidentally broke a looking-glass. Now I am told that I will have seven years of trouble. It has not materialized, but I expect to receive a telegram before morning informing me that my boy haß been drowned In the river, my house has been destroyed by fire, or that something else equally as horrible has occurred.” “The hardest thing to train a wild beast to do is to perform with a weak, defenceless animal,” remarked A. L. Hutchins, an old circus and menagerie hand, who has deserted the arena and ring for mercantile pursuits. "I remember once several years ago an effort being made to persuade a very docile lion to lie down with a lamb. The Idea was certainly a good one, but It took several lambs and also several weekß before the Hon, which was willing to jump through a burning hoop, sham death on being shot, etc., could be Eersuaded so allow a lamb to enter is den with impunity. Twice he killed a lamb in the presence of his trainer, and the second time he nearly killed the trainer,who rather recklessly tried to get away the carcass. Finally the Hon would tolerate a lamb In Its den jußt as long as the keeper stood over It with an iron bar. But the effort was so evidently forced, and the performance was so utterly lacking in smoothness and interest, that it was abandoned after two or three attempts.” In company with “Skinny,” aceJebrated pickpocket and housebreaker, Professor F. Starr, of the University of Chicago, has left Chicago for southern California and Old Mexico. Professor Starr is a specialist In anthropology and criminology. He believes that the criminal is as much different from the law-abiding citizen as the savage is from the civilized man. So he has chosen a crook for a companion, in order to have a good opportunity of studying him and trying the effect of a different environment. In southern California the professor will make a study of the Penitent sect that practise cruelty on one of their number every Good Friday. He will be joined there by Professor Harley, and together with their companion will explore the ruins of Sonora, the ancient city of the old Mexicans. There is considerable speculation in Chicago as to the outcome of the professor's experiment with “Skinny.” The police are almost unanimous in the belief that the professor will get the wont of the bargain.

The latest Methuseleh storv comes from England. This time it is not from a man who has a distinct recollection of Napoleon’s grandfather, or an old, old lady who witnessed the execution of Charles the First, or nursed the infant Cromwell; nor yet does this story tell of a devoted couple who arm in arm have wandered down the path of time together since their wedding day, the same day that George Washington's father and mother were married, and are now about to celebrate their platinum wedding. This time the hero is a horse, and a very grandfatherly old horse, too. He belonged to the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Co., but left their employment recently and embarked for the happy hunting grounds at the green old age of sixtytwo. « A queer enough place is the dog farm hidden in a hollow of Crow Hill, between Brooklyn and Flatbußh, N. Y. It is, perhaps, half an acre in extent, and is owned and managed by an elderly Englishman and his wife. This couple occupy the smallest and stuffiest of board shanties, and they live surrounded by a mass of dogs—big dogs, little dogs, good dogs, bad dogs, one-eyed and two-eyed dogs, Newfoundlands, St. Bernards, collies, terriers, spaniels and plain dogs. The surrounding region is of bare hill, with slimy pools in the pouches of land. There are snakes, catbriars and smells. But the dogs seem to enjoy it, and their loud chorus can be heard afar when an infrequent stranger stumbles Into the neighborhood.

A very strange electric phenomenon is reported as having been seen at the village of Flora, Ind., the other day. A heavy black doud was seen approaching from the west, accompanied by a sheet of fire. As it came over the town it settled to the earth,causing awild panic among the frightened villagers. Its descent to the ground was followed by a terrific explosion that shook the earth for miles and shattered windows to fragments all over the town. The leaves were burned from the trees, but no buillngs were set on fire. The broken glass was invariably sucked outward, instead of falling inside the houses. There were no thunder reports. The explosion was Instantly foHowed by a dead calm and a clear sky. A few Sundays ago the family off Mr. W. A. Wykeham Musgrave entering their pew in Thames Park Chapel, Oxfordshire, England, they were sunprised to see a partially built robin'n nest on the book ledge against a prayer book and a hymn book. The family immediately decided to occupy another seat and to leave the littl» red breast unmolested in its strango abode. On the following Bunday the nest was completed and contained five eggs, and on the succeeding Snikday the bird sat on the eggs during the whole of the service. It has now been found, says the London Standard, that the bird hatched four young ones, and the mother flew in and oat, of the chapel during the service lasfc Sunday with food for her young. An application has already beezi made for this year’s award of tha» celebrated prize the “Dunmow FKiok of Bacon.” The prize was instituted in 1244, for “that married couple who will go to the priory and, kneeling on two sharp-pointed Btomns». will swear that they havo not quarrelled nor repented of their marriage within a year and a day after its. celebration.” The awarding of th» flitch has been revived of late years, and is the occasion of a great festival of fun. It will be awarded this yea* some time in August. The visible supply of dogs In Evanston, 111., was somewhat reduced one day recently by an iron post et the North Shore Electric Kailroadi. Through imperfect insulation' thspost became charged with electricity, and six vagrant dogs rubbing against it after the manner of their kind were ushered into the canine hereafter with great suddenness. A curious case of death from hlbod' poisoning is reported from a Berlin (Germany) hospital. The victim wan a young girl, and It was proved, that her death resulted from the- lightblue tunic of her sweetheart, a soldier, touching a scratch, on, her arra_ It appears that there was some poisonous ingredient In the dye of this particular uniform. Miss Kate Johnson, of Hamilton, Mo., got angry because a horrid man said no woman could drive a nail straight. She grabbed a hammer, and proved him a base fabricator by pounding ten nails into one square inch of a block of wood within thirty: seconds. Then she felt better. Elihu Sorivner, of BcattyvHle* Ky., had a line set In the river witii. a crawfish for bait. A catfish swallowed the crawfish, and then. » Bike swallowed the catfish. EUhu says the first victim spread his fins otiH inside the Becond one, so as to hold' him fast. A black French poodle in Gavers,. Columbian County,Ohio, has adopted, a brood of ducklings, and crouche* over them at night, like a hen over chicks. The intelligent animal haa learned to modulate his bark so that, it sounds something like a quack. Two young Kentuckians caught »< wild cat in a trap. They loosened) the trap from its moorings and sets, their three dogs on the wild eat. Two* of the dogs are dead, and the wild cat, with the'trap attached, is ingA whale 100 feet long was washed ashore on the north beach at Yatqoitua Bay, Cal., a few days ago. Thetroterrlfied natives killed the monster with axes and tried out its blubber, with fun and profit to themselves..

Mark Twain's Philosophy.

Nothing so needs reforming ar other people's hahits. Behold the fool saith, "Put not all thine eggs in the one basket”—which is but a manner of saying, "Scatter your money and your attention”; but the wiser man saith, “Put all your eggs in*the one basket and— WATCH THAT BASKET.” If you pick up a starving dog andl make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. We know all about the habits off the ant, we know all about the habita of the bee, but we know nothing at all about the habits of the oyster.. It seems almost certain that we harebeen choosing the wrong time for studying the oyster. Even popularity can be overdone In Rome, along at first, you are full of regrets that Michelangelo died; but by and by you only regret that you didn’t see him do it. July 4th. Statistics show that we lose more fools on this day than iw all the other days of the year put together. This proves, by the numberleft In stock, that one Fourth of July per year is now inadequate, the country has grown so. —[The Century.

Laugh.

Learn to laugh. A good laugh is better than medicine. Learn how t» tell a story. A well-told story is as welcome as a sunbeam in a side room. Learn to keep your own troubles to yourself. The world is tonbusy to care for your ills and sorrowsw Learn to stop croaking. If you cannot see any good in the world, keep the bad to yourself. Learn to kideyour pains and aches under a pleasant smile. No one cares to hear whether you have the earache, headache or rheumatism. Don’t cry.. Tears do well enough ip novels, buh they are out of place in real life. Learn to meet your friends with s smi'e. The good-humored man or woman is always welcome, but thr dyspeptic or hypochondriac in no 6 wanted anywhere, and is a nuisano* as well.—[Detroit Free Press.