Pike County Democrat, Volume 29, Number 9, Petersburg, Pike County, 8 July 1898 — Page 3

TBE BEAUTIFUL QUEEN. ———— Yashti the Yelled, Yashtl the Sacrificed, Yashti the Silent. In. T. OtWltt Talmas* Commaada Modwtjr la Woman and Draws a Useful La. saa From ths Story of Draakoa Akatatruaad Bit Loniy Qaaoa. Dr. Talmage’s text for last Sunday’s aermon was Esther L, 11, 13: “Bring1 Yashti, the queen, before the king-with •the crown royal to show the people .and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look upon; bat the Queen Yashti refused to come.” We stand amid the palaces of Shuahan. The pinnacles are aflame with the morning light. The columns rise festooned and wreathed, the wealth of -empires flashing from the grooves, the -ceilings adorned with images of bird and beast and scenes of prowess and conquest. The walls are hung with. shields and emblazoned until it seems the whole round of splendors is exhausted. Each arch is a mighty leaf of architectural achievement Golden stars shining on glowing arabesque. Hangings of embroidered work in which mingle the blueness of the sky. the greenness of the grass and the whiteness of the sea foam. The tapestries hung on silver rings, wedding together the pillars of marble. Pavilions reaching out in every direction. These for repose, filled with luxuriant couches, in which weary limbs sink until all fatigue is submerged. Those for carousal where kings drink down a kingdom at one swallow. Amazing spectacle! Light of silver dripping down over stairs of ivory on shields of gold. Floors of stained marble, sunset red and night black and inlaid with gleaming pesrL In connection with this palace there is a garden where the mighty men of foreign lands are seated at a banquet. Under the anread of oak and linden and acacia the tables are arranged. The breath >f honeysuckle and frankincense fills the air. Fountains leap np into the light, the spray struck through with i rainbows falling with cryptallioe baptism un6n flowering shrubs, then rolling down through channels of marble j and widening out here and there into poolars wirling with finny tribes of foreign aquariums, .bordered with ] Vscarlet anemones, hypericums and j many colored ranunculi Meats of rarest bird and beast smok- | Ing up amid wreaths of aromatics, i The vases filled with apricots and almonds. The baskets piled up with J apricots and figs and oranges and pom- j egranates. Melons tastefully twined j with leaves of acacia. The bright wa- j ters of Euleus filling the urns and dropping outside the rim in flawing J beads amid the traceries. Wine from j the royal vats of Isfahan and Sniraz, in bottles of tinged shell, and lily shaped cups of silver and flagons and j tankards of solid gold. The music j rises higher and the revelry breaks out into wilder transport, and the urine has flushed the cheek and touched the brain, and louder than all other voices are the hiccough of the inebriates, the gabble of fools and the song of the urunkards. . ■ ■

2u anuiucr parv ux me Vashti is entertaining |Jie princess of Persia at a banquet. Drunken A tissue r us says to bis servants, "You g<“> and fetch Vashti from that banquet with the women and bring her to this banquet with the men and let me display her beauty.” The servants immediately start. to obey the king's command, but there was a rule in Oriental society that no woman might appear in public without having her face veiled. Yet here is a mandate that no one dare dispute, demanding that Vashti come in unveiled before the multitude. However, there was in Yashti's soul a principle more regal than Ahasuerus, more brilliant than the gold of Shushan, of more wealth than the realm of Persia, which commanded her to disobey this order of the king, and ao all the righteousness and holiness and modesty of her nature rise up into one anbiitne refusal. She says: "I will not go into the banquet unveiled.” Ahasuerus was infuriate, and Vashti, robbed of her position and her estate, is driven forth in poverty and ruin to suffer the scorn of a nation, and yet to receive the applause of after generations, who shall rise up to admire this martyr to kingly insolence. Well, the last vestige of that feast is gone, the last garland 1 has faded, the last arch has fallen, the last tmkard has been destroyed, and Shushan is a ruin, but a* long as the j world stands there will be multitudes ; of men and women familiar with the Uil le who will come into this picture gallery of God and admire the divine portrait of Vashti the queen, Vashti the veik*d, Vashti the sacrifice, Vashti the silent.

in me cm puce i w*ni you w wn upon Vashti the queen. A blue ribbon, rajmd with white, drawn around herf forehead, indicated her queenly position. It was no small honor to be ■queen in such a realm as that. Hark to the rustic of her robes! See. the blase of her jewels, and yet it ia not necessary to hare place and regal ! robe in order to be queenly. When I see a woman with stout faith in^God putting her foot upon all meanness j and selfishness and Godless display. | going right forward to scree Christ i and the race by a grand ami glorious nervine. 1 say, “that woman is a queen.*' and the ranks of Heaven look over the battlements upon the coronation. and whether she comes up iron the shanty on the commons or the mao si on of the fashionable square I gr.et her with the about, “all hail. ^)ueen VashtiP What glory waa there on the brow ot Mary of Scotland, or Elizabeth of England, or Margaret of France, or Catharine of Russia compared with the worth sf some of our Christian mothers, many of them gone into tglory; or of that woman mentioned in the Scriptures who put her all into the Lord's treasury; or of Jephthah*s •daughter, who made a demonstration <af auariinh patriotism; m of Abigail,

who rescued the herds sad flocks of her husband; or of Buth, who tolled under a tropical sun for poor, old, helpless Naomi; or of Florence Nightingale, who went at midnight to stanch the battle wounds of the Crimea; or of Mrs. Adoniram Judson, who kindled the lights of salvation amid the darkness of Burma; * or of Mrs. Hemans, who poured out her holy soul in words which will forever be associated with hunter’s horn, and captive’s chain, and bridal hour, and lute’s throb, and curfew’s knell at the dying day, and scores and hundreds of women unknown on earth who have given water to the thirsty, and bread to the hungry, and medicine to the sick, and smiles to the discouraged, their footsteps heard along dark lane add in government hospital and in almshouse corridor and by prison gate? There may be no royal robe. There may be no palatial surroundings. She does not need them, for all charitable men will unite with the crackling lips of fever struck hospital and plague blotched lazaretto in greeting her as, she passes: “Hail! Hail! Queen Vashti!”, Again, I want you to consider Vashti the veiled. Had she appeared before Ahasuerus and his court on that day with her face uncovered she would have shocked all the delicacies of oriental society, and the very men who in their intoxication demauded that she come in their sober moments would have despised her. As some flowers seem to thrive best in the dark lane and in the shadow and where the sun does not seem to reach them, so God appoints to most womanly natures a

retiring and unobtrusive spirit God once in a while does call an Isabella to a throne, or a Miriam to strike the timbrel at the front of a host or a Marie Antoinette to quell a French mob, or a Deborah to stand at the front of an armed battalion, crying ont: "Up! Up! This is the day in which the Lord will deliver Sisera into thy hands.” And when the women are called to such outdoor work and to such heroic positions God prepares them for it and they have iron in their soul, and lightnings in their eye, and whirl* winds in their breath, and the borrowed strength of the Lord omnipotent in their right arm. They walk through furnaces as though they were hedges of wildflowers and cross seas as though they were shimmering sapphire, and all the harpies of hell down to their dungeon at the stamp of womanly indignation. But these are exceptions, Generally Dorcas would rather make a garment for the poor boy, Rebecca would rather • fill the trough of the camels, Hannah | would rather make a coat for Samuel, j the Hebrew maid would rather give a ; prescription for Naaman's leprosy, the woman of Sarepta would rather gather ; » few sticks to cook a meal for fain- • ished Elijah. Phebe would rather carry ■ a letter for the inspired apostle, Mother Lois would rather educate j Timothy in the Scriptures. When 1 | see a woman going about her daily ' duty, with -cheerful dignity at the ! table, with kind and gentle, but firm discipline presiding in the nursery. ! going out into the world without any blast of trumpets, following the footsteps of Him who went about doing good, I say, “This is Vashti with a veil on.”

Hut when 1 see a woman ox unblu suing boldness, loud voiced. with a tonjrue of infinite clitter clatter;. with arrogant look, passing through the streets with the step of a walking beam, gafly arrayed in a very hurricane of millinery, I cry out: “Yasbti has lost her veil" When I see a woman struggling for political preferment, trying to force her way up to conspicuity amid | the masculine demagogues, who stand with swollen fists and bloodshot eyes and pestiferous breath to guard the polls, wanting to go through the loaferism and defilement of popular sovereigns, who crawl up from the saloons greasy,and loul and vermin covered to decide questions of justice and order and civilization—when I see a woman. 1 say, who wants to press through all that horrible scum to get to public place and power. 1 say: “Ah. what a pity! Vashti has lost her veil!” When I see a woman of cornels features and of adroitness of intellect and endowed with all that the schools can do for her and of high social position, yet moving in society with superciliousness and hauteur, as though she would have people know their place and with an undefined combination of giggle and strut and rhodomontade, endowed with allopathic quantities of talk, but only homeopathic infinitesimals of sense, the terror of dry goods eierks and railroad conductors, discoverers of significant meanings in plain conversation, prodigies of badinage and innuendo, I say, “Vashti has lost her veil." Again, I want yon this morning to consider Vashti the. sacrifice. Who is this that 1 see coming ont of that palace gate of Shushan? It seems to me that 1 have seen her before. She comes homeless, houseless, friendless, trudging along with a broken heart. Who is she? It is Vashti the sacrifice. Oh. what a change it was from regal position to a wayfarer's crust! A little while ago approved and sought for. Now. none so pom* as to acknowledge her acquaintanceship. Vashti the sacrifice. Ah, yon and I have seen it many a time! Here is a home empalaced with beauty. All that refinement and books • and wealth can do for that home has | been done; but Ahasnerus the has- j band and father, is taking hold on * paths of sin. He is gradually going \ down. After awhile he will flounder | and straggle like a wild beast in a | hunter's net—farther away from God, i farther away from the right. Soon the bright apparel of the children will torn to rags; soon the household song will become the sobbing of a broken heart. The old story over again. Brutal centaurs breaking Up the marriage feast of Lapithaa. The house full of outrage and eruelty and abomination. while trudging forth from the palace gate are Vashti and her children. There are homes in all parte oi this land that are in danger of such breaking up Oh, Ahaauerus, that jo* ah sold stand it a home hr a diasi

pa ted lil« destroy mg the peace and comfort of that home! God forbid that jour children should ever have to wring their hands and hare people point their finger at them as they pass down the street and say, “there goes a drunkard's child!" God forbid that the little feet should ever hare to trudge the path of poverty and wretch* edness! God forbid that any evil spirit born of the wine cup or the brandy glass should come forth and uproot that garden, and with a lasting, blister* ing, all consuming curse shut forever the palace gate againat Vashti and the children. One night daring onr civil war 1 went to Hagerstown to look at the army and I stood on a hilltop and looked down upon them. I saw the campfires all through the valleys and over the hills. It was a weird spec* tacle, those campfires, and I stood and watched them, and the soldiers who were gathered around them were no doubt talking of their homes and of the long march they had taken and of the battles they were to fight, but after awhile I saw’ these campfires be* gin to lower, and they continued to lower until they were all gone out, and the army slept. It was imposing when I saw the campfires It was imposing in the darkness when I thought of that great host asleep. Well, God looks dowa from Heaven and He sees the firesides of Christendom and the loved ones gathered around these firesides. These are the camp fires where we warm ourselves at the dose of day and talk over the battles of life we have fought ai d the battles that are yet to come. Gcd grant that when at last these fires begin to go out and continue to lower until finally they are extinguished and the ashes of con* ' suraed hopes strew the hearth of the old homestead it may be because w? have—

Gone to alee? that sleep From which none ever wake to weep, Now we are an army on the march ot life. Then we shall be an army bivouacked in the tent of the grave. Once more. 1 want yon to look at Vashti. the silent. Yon do not hear \ any outcry from this woman as she goes forth from the palace pate- From the very dignity of her nature you know there will be no vociferation, j Sometimes in life it is necessary to make a resist; bnt there are crisis when the most triumphant thing to do is to keep silence. The philosopher, confident in his newly discovered principle, waiting for the coming of more intelligent generations, willing that men should laugh at the lightning rod and cotton gin and steamboat and telegraph, waiting for long years through the scoffing of philosophical schools in grand and magnificent silence. Galileo, condemned by mathematicians and monks and cardinals, caricatured everywhere, vet waiting and watching with hisi telescope to see the | coming up of stellar re-enforcements, ! when the stars in their courses would j fight for the Copernican system, then sitting down in complete blindness . and deafness to wait for the coming I on of the generations who would build his monument and bow at his grave. The reformer, execrated by his contemporaries, fastened in a pil- j lory, the slow fire* of public contempt j burning under him, ground under . the cylinders of the printing press, yet calmly waiting for the day when purity^pf sonl and heroism of char- : acter will get the sanction of earth and the plaudits of Heaven. Affliction enduring without any complaint the sharpness of the pang, and the vio- j lence of the storm, and the heft of the chain, and the darknesa of the night, waiting until a divine hand shall be put forth to soothe the pang, and hush the storm, and release the captive. A wife abused, persecuted and a perpet- ■ uai exile from every earthly comfort, waiting, waiting until the Lord shall gather up his dear children in a Heavenly home, and no poor Vashti will be thrust out from the palace gate. Jesui in silence and answering not a word, .drinking the gall, beariug the cross, in prospect of the rapturous consumm* tion when—

An pels tnromjeu ms cnanot wneei And bore him to his throne. Then swept their golden harps and sang. •The glorious work is dene!” Oh, woman, does not this story of Vashti the queen, Vasliti the veiled, 1 Va&hti the sacrifice. Vashti the silent, move your soul? My sermon converges into the one absorbing hope that none ' of yon may be shut out of the palace gate of Heaven. Yon can endure the hardships, and the privations, and the cruelties, and the misfortunes of this life if yott can only gain ad* mission there. Through the blood oi the everlasting covenant yon go through those gates or never go through at all God forbid that you should at last be banished from the society of angels, and banished from the companionship of yonr glori-1 fled kindred, and banished forever. ! Through the rich grace of our Lord | Jesus Christ may you be enabled to | imitate the example of Rachel and Hannah and Abigail and D borah and Mary and Esther and Vashti. CocitTHotaas were bnilt with little regard for the needs of the counties. Out in Western Kansas is a courthouse costing 920,000. With scarcely a load of wood in the county there is a hand* some fireplace in every office. The total population of the county la but L,* 800. and the bonds of the county have not yet been redneed. Several courthouses. through the process of merchants’ liens and other legal processes, hare come to be owned by individuals, who have been ptuxled to know what to do with them. A dx. Sampsok is a religions mas He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Washington. and the Men’s society, which is a literary dub connected with the church. He was always regular in his attendance during the several years he was stationed in Washington, and took a great deal of interest in philanthropic work. It is against the rule to carry tnatehaae* board a modana man-of-war

THE BOND THEORY. VteUut}»M of the Boer* of Jobbery at Washington ta Oelerta* the War. The beginning of the war with Spain has passed into history. The ending will come after awhile—and also the accounting. Numerous sons of fathers, and various sons of guns, have been appointed to responsible and lucrative, but not dangerous positions, in the army, where they will proceed “to feather their nests,” while the gallant boys who volunteered to fight our battles are fed on hard tack and unsavory bacon. Fat cattle and sheep are grazing on a thousand hills, granaries are bursting with their yellow burdens of wheat and corn, and providence smiles upon us with the promise of abundant harvests; and yet our soldiers are limited to a meager and changeless diet that breeds sickness and death. The bullets of the enemy are not as deadly as the pestilence that stalketh in the night, or the sickness that broods over unsanitary camps of badly fed soldiers. These things are happening in order that incompetent scions of famous sires may add to their bad reputations and fill their empty pockets. Other things are also happening. The mighty power of our magnificent navy is wasted in pounding to pieces insignificant blockhouses in hitherto unknown Cuban villages, while Havana lies undisturbed in peace, strengthening her fortifications and getting ready to kill our soldiers when the administration shall have made up its mind to strike the vitals instead of the extremities. Our wise board of jobbery at Washington is pretending to kill the snake by the ineffectual methods of cutting off small pieces of its tail with a broad axt when one vigorous blow at the head would end the trouble. In one hot day’s work the combined fleets of Sampson and Schley could repeat at Havana what Dewey so splendidly accomplished at Manila, and then the end would come. But there was only one cable connecting Dewey with Washington, and he cut the cable! A dozen cables hold Sampson and Schley down to the pottering policy of school boys.

But there is a purpose in all this business. The peace-at-any-price people have suddenly become rampant for war. They pant for the gore of the Spanish, and long for a grand army as an example to the nations of Europe. Gore and grand armies require money and fat contracts, and back of these are bonds, bonds, bonds, bonds enough to be perpetual, bonds that will last forever, and furnish a basis for endless wild cat bank privileges. These are the meat -and marrow of present conditions. The war must be continued so as to create a necessity for bonds, for without apparent necessity treasury notes and silver, the people’s money, are voted down, and instead we have in their place $100,000,000 of interest-bearing certificates, and $400,000,000 of bonds, also bearing interest. Side by side with these two outrages we have special taxes (more than enough to pay all the expenses of the war if honestly conducted) laid on those things which are necessary to the poor, while the articles of luxury used by the rich, and other resources of the wealthy classes, go free. Ilanna is in the saddle and the devil cracks the whip. The men who faint at the color of a greenback, can endure wagon loads of flat and bottomless bank notes. This is a paradox, explainable only on the bond theory. They proclaim their anxiety not to open the first little sluice of greenbacks lest it shall soon spread into a crevice and a flood; but an ocean of bank notes based on wind does not frighten them. Let us admit that a greenback is a debt. It is a debt without interest, and easy to pay. because it is a debt that the people owe to themselves. On the other hand, a bond is a debt that bears interest, and both interest and principal to the money lords. This makes a great deal of difference—is well understood by the people. They will see to it in due time. The conditions are developing leaders who will would dare issue them. So

snow uirm uie w«j. The way ought to have been short, sharp and decisive. With any other European nation it might have been different, but Spain was already ex* hausted with her interminable revolutions. A blow at Havana, like the one at Manila, would have settled the whole business—and that blow would have been dealt and thb war ended in six weeks—except for the necessity of bonds. And over and above everything else, this war should have been a cash war. We had more than $200,000,000 in the treasury, including the always useless and ever dangerous$100,000,000 reserve. With this fund and a little temporary taxation, aided by a safe and a reasonable emission of greenbacks, we could have paid every dollar of the war’s expense in bash, and come out of the struggle with no increase in debt and a tremendous impetus to business. But it could not be so because plutocrats desired it otherwise. They love bonds and the contraction of the currency which the sale of bonds produces. So at present they will have their way. But the people will be heard from later on. W. S. BRYAN. -Failure of the gold standard in India Is a convincing argument of the folly of endeavoring to fasten the gold standard upon the United States. Conditions which affect India also affect this conn try. and evil* which fall upon India because of the gold standard are now existing in the United States. Of course, the republican newspapers will refuse to note the discussion which is now exciting financial circles in England simply because the argument is going against the gold standard advocates, and signs of a surrender upon their part are in evidence. —Chicago Dispatch.

THE GOLD BUG CREW. Soate Short Scitcien Which Cantata Terse Troths A hoot the Boat Grabbers. For more than a twelvemonth Australia, India and other important countries generally competitors with our wheat and other food products, have been bidding them up against the depressing effects of the gold standard. When they raise crops, they will no longer do this. Then, whatever puts gold up will put wheat down. Look out for the full effects of the gold standard as soon as the famine in the southern hemisphere is no longer a factor in prices. According to Russell Sage, the United States are governed from within half a mile of his office. If he means there is a cable office connecting Wall street with London, within half a mile of his establishment, he is undoubtedly right. Remember the McKinley administration, which is now taking $500,000,000 out of business for bonds, has another $900,000,000 locked up in the treasury to make the bonds necessary. Cuba much be free—first from Spanish robbers and then from the thieves of the sugar trust, who wish to subvert the Cuban republic and set up a carpet bagging government of their own. When the bond-grabbing banks take snuff the Hanna administration will sneeze. And thereupon the army and navy will be allowed to take Havana and end the war. The -people who are getting gold standard prices for cotton are not competing very strongly against the Rothschilds syndicate for Mr. McKinley’s gold basis bonds* The more gold there is in the treasury, under the McKinley policy, the more money we have to borrow at interest to keep treasury gold out of circulation.

If Haiina was half as anxious to take Havana as he has beeif to force a bond deal, Spain would surrender at discretion. We might have whipped Spain in six weeks if Hanna had been permitted by J. Pierpont Morgan. Why not whip Spain out of Havana and be done with it? What is the use of all this fooling? What has become of the man who said McKinley would finish poor old Spain in six weeks, bond deal or no bond deal? Has he pulled the hole in after him? When Hanna claims that he was indorsed by Oregon, he forgets to add that he did not ask for Oregon to wait for details of his bond grab before voting. JAPAN’S GOLD EXPERIMENT. Foreign Trade mad Home Indastrjr Suffering from Adoption ot Gold Standard.

While republicans are trying to make the people of the United States believe that the gold standard is a good thing, Japan is learning a lesson of distress through adopting the creed of gold. Industrial conditions in the Flowery kingdom have passed from bad to worse, and the year 1897 was marked by the greatest depression in manufacturing circles. In his report on Japan’s industrial condition, A^H. Hay, of the British legation at Tokio, says: “The cotton-spinning industry, on which such great hopes were based, has already suffered severely. At the end of the year many of the mills were financially in a precarious condition and several small concerns in a state of bankruptcy.” In commenting on this report, the London Financial News remarks: “These are the very mills whose prosperity not many months ago we were able to site as indicating how comfortably a silver-using country could compete with Lancashire. In the early part of last year the Japanese spinnerg were doing uncommonly well, and the belief that all the surplus yarn would find a ready market in China was being realized. The year exports of yarn to China reached 40,366,329 pounds, against only 15,236,116 pounds in 1S96. The future seemed roseate, but. in Mr. Hay’s words, “the adoption of a gold standard in October, together with the fail in silver and the enhanced cost of labor and fuel, doomed these expectations to disappointment.” There we have: cause and effect set alongside in a way that should impress the Indian government, if it can for a moment emerge from its own narrow preoccupations so far as to look on currency and exchange as factors influencing the whole life and prosperity of a country, and not merely the settlement of a foreign debt charge. Japan is paying dearly for its desire to imitate the “most civilized nations” and placing itself on a gold standard. Foreign trade has fallen off, mfnufacturing has declined, and just at present a panic is threatening the country. Truly the gold standard is a good thing—to let alone.—Chicago Dispatch. -Many republicans are falling away from protectionism. That fetish seems to be perishing in its hour of triumph. Its former supporters are now seeking reciprocity with Canada and foreigu markets. Advocates of the annexation of Hawaii and the various islands conquered from Spain percjjrCThat annexation implies such a lowering of our tariff walla as must ultimately land us in free trade. The old issues are passing out of sight and new issues<are taking their place. —Baltimore Sun. —rThe receipts in the United States treasury are still running behind the expenditures under the operation of the Dingley law. but there is a considerable cash balance—borrowed money. Let us all hope that one of the effects of the war will be to stimulate a better management of the public business.— Cincinnati Enauirer.

AND WISDOM. Neglect bolts the door of opportunity. —Barn’s Hons. Better half a loaf than loafing all the time.—L. A. W. Bulletin. Well arranged time is the surest mark of a well arranged mind.—Pitman. Don’t stand around barefooted waiting for <<tead' men’s shoes.—Chicago Daily Newsbt Every mantis valued in this world as he shows by his conduct he wishes to be valued.—Bruyere. Auntie—^When I was your age I never told a lie, Tommy.” Tommy—“When did you begin, auntie?”—Tit-Bits. “How is Woodby getting on with his French, old man?” “Fine. Invited me into the cafe au lait this morning.”— Harlem Life. “What’s a civilian?” “A civilian Ian man who stays at home and thinks up ways for the army commanders to run the war.”—Chicago Record. Mistress (to new servant)—“Do you know how to elean a bicycle?” “No. bnt I can give you the address of the place where I have mine cleaned.”— Fliegende Blatter. Risky.—Patient.—“I saw a couple making love right under the mouth of one of those big guns.” Patrice—‘The guns can’t hear, my dear.” ‘This was one of those repeating guns.”—Yonkers Statesman. The True Definition.—“Genius is tie ability to say elever things which haven’t-been said, isn’t it?" “No. Genius is the ability to say clever things to people who haven’t heard them already.”—Chicago Record. Teacher — “What are microbes?” Pupil—‘They are animals that one never sees.” Teacher—“Very good. Now give me an example.” Pupil— “The elephant^* Teacher—“What! the elephant? How’s that?” Pupal—“I never saw one.”—Judy. Little Mabel was visiting in the country and saw some little pigs for the first time. What attracted her attention most was the twist in their tails, and after looking at them in wonder for quite a while, she asked: “Say,grandpa, does the piggies* mamma put their tails up in curl papers every night?"— Chicago Daily News.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH NAVIES* France's Weakness Shown Up by Oat at Her Admirals—Threatens England with Privateers. Bear Admiral Dupont, writing to the 3aulois on French and English navies, says: _ “The speech of Mr. Chamberlain, the campaign waged against us in the English press, the attacks of the British minister on Bossia, the general ill humor of the English ^merchants, menaced everywhere in their interests, constitute disquieting symptoms which it would be puerile to ignore. The question naturally arises therefore in everybody’s mind, is the French navy ready for an eventual struggle with the English navy? As regards the number of ships now available, as regards faailities of concentration of forces, the Judicious choice and the preparedness of naval bases, our inferiority is notorious. Since the application of the naval defense act our neighbors have doubled their resources by constructing with a feverish haste. They have been able to launch within a single year as many as five battleships of from 12,000 to 15,000 tons, eight large cruisers, and 22 smaller vessels, so that tl^e disproportion, already great, which existed between the two navies has been enormously increased. England can now put into line 34 battleships from 9,000 to 15,000 tons, 52 large cruisers, and a very large number of smaller vessels, among which should be noted a numer- __ H -M__ ^

destroyers. Besides these vessels, 20 older battleships, for the most part re* modeled, may be reckoned as a solid reserve to this already formidable force. “What have we to set against this array? Sixteen new battleships, eight good coast defense vessels, about ten old battleships of mediocre value, and 23 modern cruisers. Beckoning on both sides the vessels that are of no use for service, and taking into account break* downs and accidents, we may say, on the whole, that the strength of our navy is between a third and a half of that of the English navy. The quality of the similar vessels in both navies is about 'the same. The English vessels have in general a look of greater strength. They can go greater distances, and their tonnage is greater, which enables them to be better armed and equipped. Their guns are well placed, but less powerful at an equal caliber. The speed is usually inferior to ours, and can be less easily kept up, in s$te of the nominal figures to be found in the numerous lists published in both countries. “In s word, the value o£gpbilar types is approximately the same, but we remain in presence of a crushing numerical superiority. And our inferiority is increased by the inadequate preparation of stations outside of Europe. While England is strongly posted at the outlets of all the great maritime lines of the globe, we are reduced to utilising a few indifferently placed positions. “We shall patiently bide our time, and it will eertaisly come. Meanwhile we shall organize an implacable system of privateering against the trade of our eventual enemy. I know not what diplomatists thick of the convention of 1856, but as for us sailors, let the English be assured beforehand that we shall carry on privateering against them, and let them take the ruin of their (maritime trade into their foreeasts.”—London Tiroes. Loo kin* Ahead. Laura—I do hope the government will sold on to the Philippines. Frances—Why? In what way are yt»e specially interest ii in the Philippines? “George says that if they are still in our possession text spring we'll go there on our welling trip.***-Chicago Evening News. ■ • til