Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1896 — Page 4

THE RIVER OF ROCKABYE. Oh, river fair, with your rippling flow, That Ueth afar in a land of dreams, Where the stainless lilies of morning blow, And the grace of eternal glory beams; Thy lifting croon is the mother song That hushes an infant’s wailing cry— Oh, the way is dark and the years are long Prom the beautiful river of Roekabye. The way is dark and the path is steep. And eyes grow dim when the heart is cold. While the jaded spirit but longs for sleep In this wearying, wretched race for gold. How fair the glories of morning seem When the night is upon us! and would that I Might drift away in a sinless dream On the beautiful river of Rockabye. -ALBERT PAINE.

A FLAG OF TRUCE.

“Alfred. I do wish you and Laura could be friends. You are both so dear to me!” Miss Southwell's voice was a little tremulous. She was over sixty-five, a slim, fragile-looking woman. Her face reminde you of a white rose that has lost its early freshness, but has a delicate loveliness lingering about it stilL True, its lines indicated more sweetness than strength of character, but the expression was so good, so pure, you felt instinctively she was one to be loved and trusted. In the fair-complexioned. handsome face of the young man beside her there was not one tell-tale line of weakness. The hazel eyes looked down affectionately into his aunt's, but his voice, though good humored, kept its decided ring as he replied: “But. dear Aunt Letty. what am I to do? There's no getting along with Laura unless you give up to her in everything, and I am not disposed to make myself a slave to the little lady.” “I fear we have petted and spoiled her among us " Aunt Letty broke off with a sigh. "Yes. that's just the trouble, aunty. You are so sweet-tempered you can't bear to find fault with anybody, and Cncle Arthur is just like you. Between you both, you've made a perfect little despot of Laura. It's too bad. for the girl is naturally a frank, generous, warm-heated creature. But come, aunty, you ought to box my ears for an impertent young puppy, as I am. I was always a great hand to preach.you know.” “Yes; but I’m afraid there's a great deal of truth in what you've said, Alfred,” in an anxious tone. "You won't let the foolish child drive you away?” Alfred gave a good-uumored laugh. “Aunty, do you think I take it so much to heart as that? No, no; Laura’s little airs and tempers are rather amusing than otherwise. Only I hate to see her growing up into an unamiable woman ” A sharp tap at the door interrupted him. Without waiting for an answer, his cousin pushed it open and marched in. You could scarcely find a more beautiful little face than Laura’s, and perhaps it looked all the prettier for the flush of anger that crimsoned it just then. She threw up her head with the air of a spoiled princess, as she said, fixing her eyes on her cousin; “As the door happened to be ajar. sir. I had the pleasure of hearing your last sentence. I see you’ve added backbiting to your other amiable qualities, but I think you might be better employed than in trying to set my aunty against me, for I’m the same as an own child to her, I’m sure.” Alfred’s cheek reddened, but he said, facing her with an unmoved front: “You were perfectly welcome to hear every word. As for your insulting remark about me, I tbink you owe me an apology, though I’ve not the slightest expectation of receiving one.” The young gentleman marched wrathfully out, while Laura looked after him with a mixture of resentment and triumph.

“I’ve actually made liis highness angry. Well, that's something, anyway. It’s so provoking, the cool, smiling way In which he’ll sit and look at me when he’s worked me into a perfect rage.” “Laura!” said her aunt, with unwonted sharpness, “how can you treat your cousin so? I’m afraid what he says is too true, that we’ve spoiled you among us. And he did justice to your good qualities, I’m sure. He thinks you are frank and generous and warmhearted.” Something softer than anger sparkled to Laura’s saucy black eyes for a moment; but forcing back the tell-tale drops, she flung her arms'around Miss Southwell’s neck. “You sweetest aunty, I’m so thankful you and dear uncle brought me up instead of a tyrant like Mr. Alfred HUlier. Don’t call him my cousin; he’s three degrees removed, i’m sure, and I won’t own him for a relation. But come now; cheer up and get dressed as quick as you can, or you won’t be ready to receive the company.”

“You would better run and dress yourself, little lady; it’s more your company than mine.” “Dross? Yes, I will try and look my prettiest,” thought Laura, as she skipped away, “and I’ll flirt a little with Mr. Palmer, too. That Alfred despises him so; I’ll do it just to provoke him.” Laura’s room was next to Alfred’s, and after her toilet was completed she could not help putting her head out to see if she could catch a glimpse of her enemy. Yes, he was gazing out, too, and their eyes met. She vanished, but soon reappeared, flourishing a stick on which she had tied a piece of black silk. “Mr. Hillier!” she called out. “Miss Laura!” responded the young gentleman, with a smile of provoking coolness. “Do you see this flag?” waving it proudly. “This means ‘war to the knife’ from this hour between you and me.” “As you please,” said Alfred, serenely. “But let us keep up at least the semblance of civilized warfare before Others.” “Very good,” said Laura, retiring with a final wave, while Alfred laughed quietly to himself.

Early the next morning I aura stood in the garden waitiag for her aunt The horse was harnessed, waiting to take them to the village where Miss Boothwell did all her marketing. She had been trying for some weeks to Indoctrinate Laura into its mysteries, and the young lady proved herself an apt scholar. The old-fashioned, pleasant bouse which Miss Southwell and her brother had occupied now some thirty years stood on a hill in the outskirts of the village. The grounds were tastefully 1 laid out. the mountain air delicious and I invigorating. There could not he a more glorious I morning than this, yet the expression |of trouble on I .aura's pretty face showed that her mood was not in harmony with the day. I "So provoking." she muttered. ‘That II should have lost my temper that way! But it was bad enough to have my ball croqueted 'way to the ends of the earth without his looking so pleased over it. "Sophie Higley. too. 'crowing over’ Mr. Palmer and me like she did! It was real unladylike. And to tbink of her whispering to Mary Shaw that I was *a little stinging cockatrice’! I can never get over that.” At that moment Maria, one of their servants, came running down the pi- j azza steps. She looked so frightened that Laura's heart leaped to her mouth. , "Oh. Miss Laura, your aunt's hurt her j ankle bad. and I'm 'most 'fraid it's broke. She was half-way down the j stairs when she fell, and her whole j weight come oh it." But Laura was in the house by this i time. She found her aunt in her room. ' a front chamber opposite the stairs ! down which she had fallen.

Miss Southwell lay on the lounge, looking very pale, but composed, and said, in a soothing tone to Laura, i "Don't be frightened, child; my ankle's not broken, only badly sprained. Katy’s drawing me some hot water to shower ! it with. And. now dear, as your uncle is away, I feel that you aud Alfred ■ must be my main depeudence.” j “You and Alfred." It seemed an odd | conjunction. But Laura only murmured, as she laid her cheek against Miss Southwell's. “What can we do for | you, dearest aunty?" Aunt Letty kissed the girl affection- ! ately. “Our friends from New York ! will be here this afternoon, as you know, and I am sure they will spend at least a week witli us. Judgiug from past experience, I fear I shall be laid up some time with this sprain. Now, Laura, you have proved yourself such a capable little housekeeper on one or two occasions that I feel that I can j trust you even with company in the ■ house. And then our girls are so capable"—with another smile at Katy, who j came in just then with the hot water. "Bless you, ma'am, we’ll do beauti- ; ful,” said Katy, "though it’s sorry I J am to see you laid up.” j “Well, Laura, I want you to go to | market first thing. Your cousin will | drive you over. I know. Don’t be afraid : to call upon him for anything. I've alj ways found him kind and obliging. I And then he has such good judgment, is the list of things I want you to order.”

Whatever misgivings Laura felt, she did pot make them known. “I’ll do just what you tell me, aunty,” she said, with unwonted docility. “Now, please attend to that poor ankle right away. Shan’t we stop at the doctor's and ask him to come round?” “Xo, no; I’m an old hand at sprains, and can treat it better myself.” “Well, don’t worry, precious aunty, for we’ll all do our very best,” said Laura. But as she descended the stairs she felt half afraid, half rebellious. “I hate to ask him,” she murmured to herself. “How did he treat me last night, and this morning, too! Why, he would scarcely look at me.” Yet in her heart there was a secret longing to be friends with her cousin. She was too proud to apologize, but an idea struck her Just then. Her face broke into a smile, as, taking out her handkerchief, she tied it to the handle of her parasol. “My flag of truce,” she said, giving it a flourish. “I shall ask for a suspension of hostilities till uncle gets back.” Hastening her steps, she tripped off in the direction of the arbor where her cousin was wont to smoke his morning cigar. Yes, there he was, enjoying that masculine luxury and the newspaper together. Laura slackened her gait now, as she approached, waving her “white flag” solemnly and slowly. Alfred looked up and his face relaxed into a smile. “Well?” he asked, glancing humorously at the handkerchief.

“It’s a flag of truce,” said Laura, solemnly. “I’ve come to request of my honorable enemy suspension of hostilities for twenty-four hours.” “Agreed,” said Alfred, rising and speaking with such cordial good humor that Laura felt her heart immensely lightened. “But may I ask the reason for this move on my fair enemy’s part?” “Oh, it’s a shame to joke when poor aunty’s hurt herself so!” said Laura, with a sudden change of tone. “She’s sprained her ankle badly, just when she’s expecting company, too. Uncle won’t be back till to-morrow, and she feels she must depend upon you and me. and so I thought we might—” “Clasp hands temporarily over the bloody chasm,” broke in Alfred. “Well, I agree to it heartily, and you may command my services at any time. I am sorry Aunt Letty has surt herself, and if you’ll excuse me for five minutes, I’ll run up and see her.” “Well, you are a real good natured boy, after all,” thought Laura, as she bounded away. “And now I understand we are going to marketV said Alfred, gayly, as he returned to her side. “Yes, I believe that’s* the first thing on the programme,” returned his cousin. They started off together, Laura very happy, though a little embarrassed. It seemed strange to be on such pleasant terms with her enemy. But this feeling soon wore away. The ride in the mountain air was delightful, and ere long she found herself talking with Alfred as she had never talked before. He was an uncommonly intelligent young fellow and a good student, but not in the least absent-minded. Nothing seemed to escape his observation, and with It all he was so full of fun and boyish spirits. Laura found him a most agree-

ahi* companion, and be on hi* part saw her ia a new light, and began to feel decidedly cousinly and affectionate. Alwaya bright and an less, she was this morning really amiable. Only once did a little sarcastic remark escape her, whereupon Alfred, without a word, pointed smilingly to the handkerchief still waving from the parasol that lay across her lap. A bright color rose in cheeks, but she looked up sweetly and frankly into his face. “Please forgive me,” she said; “I had no business to fire that shot, but I did it from force of ha hit.” She Turned away her head immediately. but Alfred's keen eyes noticed the slight quiver of her lip, and that she had to wink hard to keep the tears hack. He changed the conversation at once, and they were soon chatting gayly again.

That evening about a dozen young people were gathered at Miss Southwell’s pleasant parlors. Miss Higley had arrived early with her two cousins, and shortly after two or three other friends dropped in, for Miss Southwell's house was very popular with the young people. Laura, sorry as she felt for her aunt, had found this a very happy day. She was proving herself indeed “a capable little housekeeper.” Then Alfred had been so kind, so good, so efficient. He was always on hand to assist her. and to help entertain the company, which none could do better than he.

The evening passed pleasantly away, while they played games, sang and danced by turns. Mise Higley, who admired Alfred Intensely, and who had allowed herself, in spite of the difference in their ages, to entertain hopes in that direction, marked with displeasure how friendly he and his fair cousiu had become. Toward the close of the evening they danced together, and her eyes followed them malignantly as, the dance over, they retreated to a corner of a room and seemed absorbed in conversation.

“They are polite to desert their company that way!” she said with a sneer, to her cousin. George I jane. “Why, they’ve been doing their best to entertain us all the evening, and ‘the company’ seems happy enough,l’m sure,” said good-natured George, glancing around him. “ ‘Every Jack has his Jill,’ and nobody looks neglected. Why shouldn't they have a little friendly chat together?” Meantime Laura is saying with a sigh, “We have a telegram from uncle —he will be home to-night.” “Are you sorry?” asks Alfred, with a kindly twinkle in his eyes. “Not sorry to see uncle, hut—well, on the whole, I think I prefer peace to war and should be really sorry to have hostilities commence again,” replies Laura glancing up with a roguish but wistful look.

“Well, is it necessary to resume the campaign?” says her cousin, kindly. “I find the present atmosphere very refreshing, myself. Suppose we swear a perpetual peace?” Laura tries to laugh, but the bright eyes are full of tears, aud her voice trembles as she answers: “Cousin Alfred, you are so kind; you give me courage to do what I’ve louged to do all day —apologize for my Iradness, and promise to ‘try and be good’ from this time.” His fair enemy has surrendered at last, unconditionally; but if Alfred feels any masculine triumph, he does not betray it by word or look. “We’ll both start again,” he says, heartily taking the little hand in his large grasp for a moment. “For myself I feel I’ve been a dictatorial, overbearing sort of a fellow, and I want to ask your pardon in my turn. And now may I ask as a great favor that you’ll give me that blesseij little flag of truce? I want it for a momento of this auspicious day.” “I’ll give you half of it with pleasure.” says Laura, with a musical little laugh. “But I’d like to have half of it myself to remind me always to ‘keep the peace.’ ” Miss Higley, who, while pretending to talk with her cousin, had been watching the couple furtively, now said, in a sharp tone: “Well, they really seem almost “spooney’; and to think how they’ve been sparring ever since he came! George, do you think you see any signs of—well, you knpw what I mean—over there?” “Well,” said George, his shrewd face breaking into a kindly smile, “I’m not a great judge of such matters, and I don’t like to jump at conclusions; but judging from appearances, I should say there were signs not only of solid peace but of a life-long union between the two belligerents.”

The Caprices of a Watch.

To most people, says the New York Journal, the whims and caprices of a watch are a deep mystery. The nanny parts of the timepiece apparently enter into a conspiracy to the end that the owner may miss trains and business appointments. When a fairly good watch leaves the hands of a reputable watchmaker It Is always in first class condition, and if it does not behave itself afterward It is generally the fault of the man or woman who is -Wearing it. A very common cause of the watch gaining or losing is the disposition that is made of it at night. If you wear a watch next to your body during the day, and put it on a cold marble mnntlepiece at night, or, in fact, anywhere in a cold room, the watch is sure to either gain or lose. Cold causes contraction of the metals composing the balance wheel and its parts, and the watch consequently gains. When the parts expand under the heat of the body the pivots, bearings, etc, tighten up, and the watch loses. An expenses watch which has a compensating balance is not affected by changes of temperature. Some metals expand in cold and others contract, and the compensating balance is made of metals of both kinds, so that the contraction of one balances the expansion of the other. Everybody knows that the proximity of a dynamo will magnetize the steel parts of a watch, and ruin it for the time being. A watch should never be laid horizontally at night, but should always be hung upon a naiil. Change of position will not affect a mechanically perfect watch, but such a watch is yet to be made. In 1895 California’s mines produced $15,834,317 of gold and $599,770 of silver.

AMERICAN NERVOUSNESS.

NO MORE OF THE DISEASE HERE THAN ELSEWHERE. Statistics Show that tha Stamina of th« Race in America Has Shown No Dater-•oration—-Vigor of Our People, He belief in the greater nervousness of the American, writes Dr. Philip C- Knapp, in the Century Magazine, seemß very widespread. The late Dr. Beard, of New York, was one of the first to deacribe nervous prostration, and to give to it its medical name of neurasthenia, so that it has often been spoken of as “the American disease.” In his work on “American Nervousness” he treats chiefly of the causes of the nervousnes, and its symptoms, accepting almost as an axiom the statement that Americans are more nervous than any other race, and that there is a vastly greater amount of nervous disease in this country than in Europe. He admits, however, that the severer forms of organic nervous disease, such as locomotor ataxia and apoplexy, are probably less frequent, the increase being in the so-called functional conditions, neurasthenia, hysteria, and the like. It is probable that the majority of educated people not physcians in this country would admit without a murmur that as a people we are peculiarly subject to nervous disease. Although, as I have said, the statistics are not conclusive, nevertheless such statistics as we have, and the conclusions drawn from various general impressions, absolutely contradict this belief. It is only since the war of 1812 that the American has acquired his reputation for restless energy; before that he was denounced as indolent and sluggish. Up to the period of the Civil War he was also denounced as physically degenerate, inferior in bulk, strength aud endurance to his English cousin. The Civil War put an end to such talk. No armies endured more than ours iu the fiejd; no people endured more than those who stayed behind waiting and helping. The record of the first Kentucky brigade in the Confederate army, almost continuously iu action or on the march for a hundred days.in 18t>4; retreating from their homes, with the hope of success steadily fading away; 1,140 strong at the beginning, sufferingl,B6o fatal or hospital wounds, with only 50 left ’jnwoifdeu, vet mustering 240 at the mil, wit'i less than 10 desertions—such a record lias never been surpassed. 'lheie a'ca woe of the purest American stock.

At about the same time Dr. BrownSepuard found that the American mammals survived injuries that were inevitably fatal to the European, and our surgeons found a surprising percentage of recovery from severe gunshot wounds, greater probably than had ever been observed in Europe. Dr. B. A. Gould found that the American soldier was physically as well developed as the European, and Dr. H. I’. Bowditeh found that the American school-boy was the equal in measurement of the hoys of Eton and Rugby. American life-insurance underwriters, too, have found that the longevity in this country is as great as it is in Europe, or greater. The rise of the South since the Civil War, and the prompt recovery of individual communities, such as Chicago, Boston, and Portland. after great conflagrations, are further instances of the great recuperative power of our people. Since the Civil War our physical condition has greatly improved. The greater interest in athletics, and better cooking, have probably had something to do with this improvement. We have held the America’s cup for nearly fifty years. In shooting, cricket, rowing and tennis we have not been inferior in international contests. In track athletics Yale has recently shown her superiority to Cambridge, and the New York athletes have not only surpassed their London rivals, but have established new world’s records in more than one event. In the famous ride a few years ago between Berlin and Vienna the picked riders and horses of the Austrian and German armies were used up, yet our cavalrymen and express messengers on the plains, with ordinary mounts, have made better records both for time and distance, without the slightest injury to horses or men.

MOOSE TRAINED TO HARNESS.

He Runs Races and Has Been Taught to Trot Like a Thoroughbred. A big brown moose, trained to go in harness, trot and run races—that was the unprecedented achievement of a citizen of the State of Tom Reed. His name is M. H. Kenniston, and he formerly kept a hotel In Phillip’s Lower Village, where his eccentricities as a host made him famous even beyond the lioundaries of Maine. His politics maybe guessed at from the motto with which he endeavored to attract guests to his hostelry. It was: “No niggers and no napkins.” After he had abandoned the hotel business, or it had abandoned him, Kenniston adopted the interesting pursuit of a showman; in other words, he started a menagerie. That was the beginning of the career of the moose as a trotter. Kenniston bought the animal when it was a calf. It had been found wandering in a pasturage, and was evidently deserted by its mother. Kenniston gave his first lesson to the animal by means of a child’s express earn The harness was of rope yarn and a piece of tough leather served as a bit. At first Kenniston, who was not remarkable for bis courage, very prudently led the beast with his cart attachment by the head. This arrangement appeared to suit the moose admirably, and it and its instructor got along very amicably. By and by Kenniston got tired of the walking act and resolved to have a ride in the cart. This appears to have been regarded as an imposition by his mooseship, who immediately marked his resentment of it by running away on the main avenue of Phillips. The spectacle was the most novel and exciting free show the villagers of the little town ever beheld. The wagon was wrecked. Kenniston, of course, was “spilled out,” but managed to escape from the catastrophe without much serious injury. He persisted, however, In his course of moose education and gradually the ani-

mal became more tractable and reconciled to it* fate. Kennistoo, as may be supposed, never missed attendance at country fairs that were at all within reasonable distance. The moose in harness on the trotting tracks was one of the great attractions of these gatherings. Those who remember the exhibitions say that the performance was not very impressive The moose was not much on speed. He used, it is said, to slouch despondently along the track between racing heats, his wobbly legs slobbering out in four directions at once, while he occasionally raised his great nose and bellowed like a bull. The crowds lining the track used to yell at Ken nis ton, “Let him out!” “Brad him up!” but Kenntaton was too prudent to comply with the request or the command. The fact is, he was afraid, for the moose, once started, could not be stopped by anything short of a locomotive. The moose was a profitable investment for Kenniston. It attracted attention to him and his show, and he made money. He is now in California, hunting a gold mine.

KEEPING ROADS GOOD.

Seventeen Rules Recommended by an English Association. The Road Improvement Association, of London, Eng., recently issued a circular containing seventeen rules for the guidance of roadmasters in keeping macadam and telford roads in proper repair, as follows: 1. Never allow a hollow, a rut, or a puddle to remain on a road, but fill it up at once with chips from the stone heap. 2. Always use chips for patching and for all repairs during the summer season. 3. Never put fresh stones on the road if. by cross-picking and a thorough use of the rake, the surface can be made smooth, and kept at the proper strength and section. 4. Remember that the rake is the most useful tool in your collection, and it should be kept at hand the whole year round. 5. Do not spread large patches of stone over the whole width of the road, but coat the middle or horse track first, and when this has worn in coat each of the sides in turn. 6. In moderately dry weather and on hard roads always pick up the old surface into ridges six inches 'apart, and remove all large and projecting stones before applying a new coating. 7. Never spread stones more than one stone deep, but add a second layer when the first has worn in if one coat be not enough. 8. Never shoot stones upon the road and crack them where they lie, or a smooth surface will be out of the question. 9. Never put a stone upon the road for repairing purposes that will not freely pass in every direction through a two-inch ring, and remember that smaller stones should be used for patching and for all slight repairs.

10. Recollect that hard stones should be broken to finer guage than soft, but that the two-inch gauge is the largest that should be used under any circumstances where no steam roller is employed. 11. Never be without your ring guage; remember Macadam’s advice, that any stone you can not easily put into your mouth should be broken smaller. 12. Use chips, if possible, for binding newly-laid stones together, and remember that road sweepings, horse droppings, soda or grass and other rubbish when used for this purpose, will ruin the best road ever constructed. 13. Remember that water-worn or rounded stones should never be used upon steep gradients, or they Svill fail to bind together. 14. Never allow dust or mud to lie pn the surface of the roads, for either of these will double the cost of maintenance.

15. Recollect that ilust becomes mud at the first shower, and that mud forms a wet blanket which will keep the road in a filthy condition for weeks at a time, instead of allowing it to dry in a few hours. IG. Remember that the middle of the road should always be a little higher than the sides, so that rain may run into the side gutters at once. 17. Never allow the water tables, gutters and ditches to clog up, but keep them clear the whole year through. Every roadmaster and supervisor should cut these rules out and paste them in his everyday hat. To make a good'road is one thing and to keep it in good repair is quite another thing. The finest roads in Europe are the result of a splendid repair system where every defect is promptly corrected before it has time to cause serious damages to the highway.

A Magnificent Rose Bush.

There is in Ventura, Cal., a magnlflcent specimen of a white La Marque rose. It was planted from a cutting in November, 1876, and has been trained over a large arbor. Its main stem, immediately above the ground, measures two feet nine inches in circumference. Two branches start from it, and each is two feet one inch in circumference. It has been cut back and pruned heavily each year, and last year over a wagon load of prunings was taken away from it. For several years the girls and boys of Ventura have counted the number of blossoms every March and April. In five years they have annually been over 14,000, and last April they numbered 21,640. Botanists say they can discover no signs of degeneracy due to old age or rare fecundity in the wonderful plant.

forms of the Name "Smith."

There are families—some of you may know them—named Taillefer, Tolliver, Tollfer, Telfair. Now what would you say if I told you all these were only in good, pain English—Smith? It is a tiact, nevertheless. Taillefer is derived from the French, and the others are only contractions of that word, or changes made by mispronunciation and custom. Tiilller fer means to shape or fashion iron; and who shapes iron but a smith? So a taille-fer was, after all, a smithy, or Smith. There are forty-seven Chinese temples in America.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The death rate from tuberculosis In Massachusetts is reported by the State Board of Health to be higher then in any other part of the world except certain restricted localities in Anstria and Bavaria. The Japanese have again given evidence of their practical ideas. Instead of presenting medals to the soldiers who especially distinguished themselves In the late war with China, the government has purchased 18,000 watches, at |2.50 each. In Switzerland, which will be given to the brave fellows. Anthropologists and other scientists are deeply interested in a discovery made recently near Dickinson. N. D. A number of well-diggers, while picking away at a depth of forty feet below a solid four-foot vein of coal came across a human skull hi an excellent state of preservation. How it came there and to what race It belonged are the questions to be decided. The recent report on the National Soldiers’ Homes of the country, seven In number, shows that the average number of inmates In the different branch homes last year was 1t1.477. The number of needy applicants increases about 800 a year. Congress appropriates about $2,500,000 for the maintenance of these homes and the fund is Increased by private contributions. The average cost for each inmate Is about sllß a year. M. Fincher, a French physician, has recently come to the conclusion that civilized man does not know how to have his bed made up. The idea of allowing the head to be higher than the feet is the radical defect, and this produces, according to this authority, Insomnia and all its attendant .woes. The condition of affairs should be entirely reversed, and Dr. Fischer advises that pillows should be placed under the feet, or some other device used to make them higher than the head. Andrew Carnegie, the millionaire steel manufacturer.authorized the trustees of the Carnegie Art Gallery of Pittsburg, which is widowed by him, to offer SB,OOO in prizes for the two best oil paintings by American artists produced before November 3, 1890, when the exhibition is to be opened. The first prize is $5,000, the second $3,000. The successful pictures are to become the property of the Carnegie Art Gallery. The only other stipulation is that the two best shall be of sufficient artistic merit to properly represent the best American art of the year. Some of the Chicago churches are arranging to check bicycles, so that cyclists may attend sendee on Sunday and be sure that their wheels are safe from harm. “The idea is not new,” says the Rev. Joseph Rushton, secretary to Bishop McLaren (Episcopal), “but it should be popular. The bicycle is a godsend in the rural districts—it brings the people to church. I can see no objection to coming to prayers on a wheel, any more than to coming in a carriage. Of course, the machines should be cared for. if the rector has to have an assistant to do the checking.” The Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution proposes to erect in Washington a magnificent building which shall serve the double purpose of headquarters for the society aud a fitting place where relics may be preserved. If the present plan is carried out, a $250,000 building of granite will be erected in one of the most fashionable parts of the city. It is to be “the finest building ever owned by women,” and is to be called Continental Hall. Mrs. Adlai Stevenson, wife of the vice president, is at the head of the society and is working hard for the success of the project. An estimate of the losses sustained by the Italian troops in the disastrous battle of Abba Carima, in Abyssinia, has been made. There took part in that engagement five Italian generals of whom two were killed. Da Bonnida and Arimondi, one was taken prisoner, Abbertone and two returned to headquarters, Baratieri and Eliena. Two of the seven colonels engaged were killed, one was captured and four “retreaded,” Fifteen out of the twenty-four commanders of battalions were killed. The total number of Italians who went into action was 9.500, of whom only 3,000 have returned, many of them wounded, while only 400 are prisoners. On the battlefield 5,600 Italians were left dead or wounded. With the 4,400 native troops similarly accounted for, the total loss in killed of the white and black regiments engaged in the battle reaches 10.000 men. /

The plague of rabbits in California is growing constantly more serious, according to recent advices, and .it now threatens to become almost as big a nuisance as it is in Australia. In one county alone last year the farmers lost $600,000 by the rabbits and though repeated round-ups have been held, at which nearly half a million rabbits hare been killed, the pests only increase in number. The Australian government, after expenditures of $1,500,000 in attempts to exterminate the all-devour-ing rabbits, has about given up hope. The only remedy thnt has been found at all successful is to build a strong wire netting around the infested district to confine the rabbits. There is one fence that is 407 miles long, and another 346. As is well-known, Australia’s rabbit plague is the result of the introduction of a few English rahbits into that country. Ex-Senator Henry L. Dawes, of Pittsfield, Mass., has been delivering a course of lectures in Hanover, N. H. In his last lecture, which was on “Interoceanic Commerce,” he spoke of the importance to the United States of the Nicaragua Canal. “Lake Nicaragua,” he said, “will become a naval station of the power whose capital builds this canal and one of the most formidable character on the globe. It can float the largest navy in the world, and lies midway between and i ss than twenty-four hours from the entire commerce of the United States on both the Atlantic and Pacific. It would be to the United States what Gibraltar is to the British Empire. It would l>q an act of the blindest foil, if not of the most humiliating cowardice, for this nation to quitely fold its arms, and permit this, the grandest of naval stations, to pass out of our control, compelling every ton of our coastwise commerce, already exceeding the ocean tonnage of ail Europe, to pass under the guns of a foreign power, as it is transmitted from port to port on our own coast.” As an Instance of the prevalence of

betttaff M •wuts of the tnrf among the English working-classes, some statistics, given in evidence by a detective the other day In the Liverpool Police Court, are very significant The accused person was a very young man who had carried on business as a bookmaker on an extensive scale in bets of small amounts, taken on operatives on some waste land adjacent to the Edge Hill station, Liverpool. On the first day the detective saw him receiving cash from 110 men. 9 women, 30 boys, and 12 girls, between the hours of 12:20 p. m. and 2 o’clock—the dinner interval. On a subsequent day, this youth was seen making bets between 12:20 p. m. and 1 o’clock, with 54 men, 5 women, 18 boys and 8 girls. On a third day he was detected booking bets between 12:45 p. m. and 2 o’clock, for 112 men, 4 women. 13 boys and 10 girls. On a fourth day he was watched doing similar business between l”sJ0 p. m. and 1:45 p. m. with 98 men, 7 women, 22 boys and 1 girls. He was fined SIOO for his enterprise. There appears to be no reason for doubting the accuracy of the police figures. In the Forum appears an article by Mr. M. A. Mikkelsen on the “Cultivation of Vacant City Lots,” which is an interesting and valuable illustration of the efficacy of this mode of relieving the unemployed. In the case of New York, where the experiment was very successful, he presents the following statistics: The highest yield of potatoes—the principal crop—was 412 bushels on one acre. On the assigned plots, aggregating 7114 acres, besides lettuce, onions, radishes and fodder corn, the following crops were raised: potatoes, 6,235 bu.; peas, 817 bu.; beans, 1,259 bu.; beans for seed, 50 bu.; toinaitoes, 530 crates; corn, 1,000 doz.; turnips, 1,400 bu.; carrots, 93 bu. The total value of the crops on the assigned plots was SB,803.51; the expense incurred by the committee, $3,801.98. The quality of the crops may be inferred from the fact that the exhibit of the Vacant Lot Farms took the second prize at the New York Live Stock Show. Part of the product was consumed by the planters as it matured, part was stored away for the winter, but a great deal was sold, many of the planters peddling their produce from house to house. One man, on a plot of 8 acres, earned $408; another, on 4 acres, earned $336.20; and still another, on 3(4 acres, $216.05. One of the plot holders—a stonecutter—kept a record of his time. He worked 50 hours, and earned $120.23. Of the 84 plots assigned, the largest was 8 acres, the next largest 4, the smallest onequarter of an acre. The average size was six-sevenths of an acre. The largest receipts obtained were S4OB. Twen-ty-two plotholders took over SIOO each from their individual holdings. The smallest receipts were $5.50. Three plotholders earned nothing at all. The average earnings- were $61.08.”

First Map of America.

It was an Italian who discovered the New World. It was a second latlian who, wresting from the first the eponymic glory which was his right, gave his own name to the newly discovered lands. What should have been Columbia becaihe America, because it was falsely believed that the main land had been reached by Amerigo Vespucci among all modern explorers. It is therefore fitting that an Italian publisher, U. Hoepli, of Milan, is to bring out fae-similes of sundry works of great interest aud rarity which bear upon the question of the naming of our country. Most important of these is a little treatise, entitled “Globus Mundi,” which was published anonymously between 1505 and 1510. Its authorship is attributed, though on insufficient authority, to Henricus Lovitus Glareanus, a geographer and map maker of the early sixteenth century. It is memorable as the first book in which the name America is formally given to the new continent. The suggestion of this, name had, indeed, been made in 1507 by Hylacomylus, in his “Cosmographiae Introductio,” published in Die in a passing allusion to “a fourth part of the world, which since Amerigo found it, we may call Amerigo orAmerica.” But it was the “Globus Mundi” that first adopted the suggestion. Another feature of great interest in the “Globus” is a map of the Eastern Hemisphere, containing in the left hand corner a small fragment of the newly discovered continent, which juts out at about the same longitude as the Cape of Good Hope. This is labelled not America, but Niuw Welt, or New World. The map is especially interesting as being, with the possible exception of the Ptolomaeus edition of 1508, the first that contains America.

Cunning of the Fox.

No other still hunter can travel so quietly as a fox, and mighty few men are as crafty as the four-legged hunter when it comes to a matter of getting meat. Foxes have been seen in England, slipping from bush to bush, crawling and creeping after a sleeping hare, for all the world like a man stalking a deer, me fox cannot catch a rabbit in a fair chase, but its food is mostly rabbits, in spite of their fleetness. But at no time does it display its skill so well as when running for life with a pack of hounds in its trail. Lord Willoughby de Broke writes tO' the Badminton Magazine to tell how a tired fox made straight for a flock of sheep in a pen, ran through them, and in the end escaped. Ola us Magnus, Archbishop of Upsala, wrote a book called “Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus,” of which an English translation exists. This book tells of a fox that leaped from hack to back of a herd of goats. As the dogs could not follow, the fox escaped. A curious trick of English foxes is to jump as possible, grasping a tree branch with their teeth, hold on till the hounds have gone on, and then dropping to the ground, escape. This is similar to the trick of the American fox, which jumps into a tree and rests on a branch; but American dogs are not such fools as English dogs. They gather around the tree and howl till the hunter comes.

Curious Artesian Well.

At San Marcos, Tex., there is a curious artesian well, 188lfeet deep, which yields about half a pint of shrimps a day, besides various new varieties of aquatic animals. The well Is supposed to be connected with an unknown subterraneunr