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VERY READABLE. liirrrxin- luiu. < n I l<-d from Ike vrld . Fear Center*. The starfish has five eyes. The United States ranks seventh as a naval power. l treat Britain makes over 1.10,000 Wcy cles a year. The heait of a Greenland whale is s yard in diameter. All the world over there are ninety -eight women to one hundred men. Diamonds so small that \,M> go to the carat have been cut in Holland. England receives annually from Ireland about 040,000,000 eggs. In Finland and East Turkestan thunder- storms are wholly unknown. The Dakota River is the longest navigable rivsr in the world over 1,000 miles. American women are growing taller, while the men are getting shorter. There are over 4,000 South African war medals awaiting claimants in England. It U stated that the cholera is rarely fatal to a system inpregnated with tobac- co. Rome is to be illuminated by electricity generated twenty miles away by a cascade on the Tiber. Buffalo is the only city in the United States thst has given the country two Presidents. ' The Empire of Morocco is the most im- portant Stats that is absolutely without a newspaper. A club in Berlin, called the Uiants, ad- mits to membership onlj men who are over six feet in height. Texas permits aristocratic convicts to hire substitutes to work tor them in the convict camps. The moon is not so small after all. Its surface is fully as great as that of Africa and Australia combined. The Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadel- phia is the oldest hospital m ths United States. U was built in 1 7.V) More than 60,000 stamps are said to be found every year loose in ths letter-boxes of the United Kingdom. During the last fifty years more than 9, W.OOO people have emigrated from Eng- land, of whom 10 per cent, have returned. The rubber trees come into bearing in about seven years after planting and with proper care the tree is good for fifty years of production. The exportation of vegetables from Call- lornia,in I83,exceded 110,000,000 pounds, or 50,000 tons, 5, 300 cartloads of ten toas each. The shark manifests a distinct liking for certain races, ani will eat an Asiatic in preference ton negro, and a European rather than either. In some of the ancient temples of Egypt perfectly sound timber of the tamarisk wood has been fonnd connected with the Itonework which is known to bo fonr thou- sand years old. A Paris toy merchant has brought oat a novelty m the shape of a doll wearing a Panama hat. On pulling a string the hat disappears, and its place is taken by a con- vict's cap. The drill of the Roman soldier was ex- ceedingly severe. It comprised not only the use of weapons, but running, jumping, wrestling, swimming, both naked and in full armour. It takes seven days after death, accord- ing to Siamese belief, for the soul to reach heaven, and prayers are kept up during that period to help it on its way. Counting the bearing and non-bearing orange trees in Florida there are sstimated to be 10,000,000. California is credited 6,000,000 and Caged lions and tigers, pumas and jag- uan take no notice of the men and women ps'ng in front of them, but let a dog be brought anywhere near th cage and they show theirsavage nature at once, and spring up, glaring out savagely. When a Chinese girl w ,. asws, i IT-SJ II ' v. > said that some exceptionally ugly old women make their living by acting as professional attendants at weddings. Probably the mon remarkable knife in 1 o world is that in the curiosity o'clock midday without giving them i chance to get anything to eat. Qusen Victoria is in possession of a curi ous needle. It was made at the celebrated needle manufactory at Redd itch, and re- present* the Trajan column in miniature. Scenes from the Queen's life are depicted on the nnedle so finely out that they are only discernible through a microscope. It ia stated that ordinary bricks boiled in tar for about twelve hours, or until they are saturated with it, are increased about 30 per cent, in weight, are much harder than common ones, and uaaffected by frost and acids, as well as perfectly waterproof. They form an excellent flooring for work- shop* or store-rooms, particularly in chemi- cal establishments. There is no proof of the extinction of the buffalo so convincing and saddening as the great piles of skulls, horns, and bones of these animals that are seen near the rail- road tracks on the Nortii Western plains. The sale of these bones hy farmers and ranchmen who find them gives them asmtll return in ready money. Most of the bones are shipped to the East, where they are converted into bone charcoal, which is used for filtering in the sugar refineries. In Belgium it is the custom to give certi- ficates of marriages in the form of little bonks, which also contain a summary of the marriage laws, and among a mass of other miscellaneous information, directions for the feeding and care of infante. There are also places for entering the names snd birthdays of the children of the marriage. Attar of roses comes from the rose gar- dens of Ghazeboor, in India, where the bushes are planted in rows for acres. Every morning the blossoms are gathered and distilled with twice their weight in water. This is "set" for oil, and the oil is skimmed off and prepared for sale. Twen'y thousand roses are required to yield 10 worth of the pure attar of roses. - In China there is a strange profession for. ladies), openly and handsomely remunerated in the current coin of the realm. It is carried on by elderly ladies, who go from houae to house of rich people announcing their coming by beating adrumand offering their services to amuse the lady of the house. This offer accepted, they sit down and tell her the latest scandal and the newest stories and on dits, and are rewarded at the rate of half a-crown an hour, beside a handsome present should some portion of their gossip bars) proved particularly acceptable. Horseflesh in China has been considered a great delicacy for centuries. The inhabi tants, however, for the purposes of the kitchen, use almost exclusively animals of a nmall breed, little larger thanponies.which havs thin legs and small bones, and grow fat on little food. They are fed almost en- tirely on grass and hay. Many farmers devote their time almost exclusively to raising these horses for market. Parrots havebeenjtaughtjtoamnseby their imitation of the human voiae.and now their powers in this respect have been made use of for a practical purpose. At almost every station on a Uermaii railway the station master has a parrot or a starling, so train- ed that whenever a train draws up at the platform, it commences calling out the name of the station most distinctly, tnd not only this, but it continues doing so while the train remains (here. 'I his has beu found an excellent mode of informing the passengers where they are. Live Healthfully. One of the simplest obligations imposed upon man by divine ordinance and conscien- tious intuition is that of living healthfully. Not only is it a plain dnty but an equally plain policy. Then why are the laws of health so frequently violated? Why do so many people overwork their brains, neglect exercise, persist in irregular and unhealthy habits and thus lay the foundation of dis- ease ? A few perhaps from lack of know- ledge, but far more from lack of courage. It is much easier to continue a bad habit than to break it up. The for.iier demands no efforts, ths latter requires spirit, resolu- tion and the exercise of will power. Every one honors truth and sincerity yet every on* does not practice them. Temptations i* married her come, desires are strong, opportunities pre- at timdanta are always the oldest and ugliest ' *nt themselves for the promotion of self women to be found in the neighborhood, I interest by questionable methods and we who are paid to act as foils to her besutv' rsadily yield to tho pressure although we are fully alive to their inherent falseness and consequently injurious results. How many people live beyond their means, year after year, living in the shadow of mevit- _ __ able ruin because they have not the strength the fuctory of Joseph" ~Rodgers" and~Son L I of mind to "> <1ure tne disdainful looks of in Sheffield. It has 199) b ld. and ten ome set or clique who are regarded as the blades are &JH<w1 .....,... ' _.., leaders of fashion or to break away f.om the social bondage thu is more degrading than the most abject slavery. We read almost every day of men and women des- troying themselves because they have not the courage to face a change of fortune that they suppose would lower them in the eyes of their neighbors. So it is through the whole category of duties that are supposed to be difficult or disagreeable. Moral courage is required to overcome the dislike and the mentil indolence that lead to their neglect, indeed it often takes more self sacrifice to make those quiet and private efforts than those which have the appesr- know as ! "-nee of being greater and more important. room in ENGLAND AND THE ALLIANCE. An Indian *ewspss*r pi Ir* te a Bsuula* tirllte. Great Britain has resolutely refused to be drawn into alliance with the Powers of Central Europe. Probably, the reasons for this course are, that the British I iovern- uikat is unwilling to meet the enormous expenditure which such an alliance would demand ; and, more especially, because the English people firmly believe that India, the main source of England's wealth, is in no immediate danger from Russia, This last proposition is defended by the Official Press of India. Joseph Popowski, an ardent admirer of the Triple Alliance, in his book " The Rival Powers of Central Asia," undertakes to show that if England isolates herself, she will not be able to de- fend India against the assaults of Russia ; but that if she joins the Trip'e Alliance she can successfully resist the approaching foe. The Statesman. Calcutta, in a long article Powers are all less likely to grant as English influence has been greatly diminished by the vacillating policy of English statesmen. Mr. Hartpole Lecky, the Knglish histor- ian, in a speech delivered in the Imperial Institute, says that there is no need that England should sacrifice herself to the Moloch of Militarism like the Continental Powers. England's colonies love the mother-country, and thus Greater BRITAIN IS STRONG KNOT., il to withstand all attacks. The population of India appreciates the reign of psrfent psace which British rule has brought them. We cannot tell what clouds may arise, but nohting in the world can destroy the power of the British race. A writer in Die Vation, Berlin, in a series of articles entitled "Wanderings in Russia," denies that Russia aims only at a consoli- dation of all the .Slavonic races. The true Russian dream of empire is the Czar ruling the whole world. Everything that regards the progress of Russian influence and power must be stamped out, and the Slavonic na- replies to Popowski, as follows: He has to | "o" of Koilern Europe can hope that prove, first, that Russia seeks to conquer Russim will be friendly toward them only Indi secondly, that England alone could not repulse Russia ; and, thirdly, that, with the help of the Triple Alliance, the position would be inverted, and that she would enjoy a very good chance of success. Now, all these points are eminently disput- able, and Herr Popowski's presentation of them needs to be analyzed. He devotes an exceedingly valuable chap- ter by far the most valuable chapter in the book to the history of Russia's advance into Asia. This history is already pretty as long ss they sutmit to the will of the Czar. U. v. Schultze GaeverniU says in the Pteussische Jahrbucher, Berlin, tbu the Russian manufacturers are in favor of an aggressive policy of Russia in Asia. The backward state of civilization and the poverty of the Russian n asses prevent the expansion of trade which the Russian in dustrials had hoped for, and this forces them to look abroad for a market. If R issia could possess herself of Turkey, she would well known, but it has never been written out all foreign manufacture ftom Turk with more ability than by Herr Popowski. I h ports. Russian His intimate knowledge of the authorities on the subject places his analysis of the Russian advance and its methods on a far higher plane than the rhodomontades Exercise Care. We hear a good deal said, frnm time to time, to the effect that girls should exercis I abstract, but like many truisms it is with- ' out practical value, for the very sufficient of Knglish political writers. But when he ' more care t.ian they do in the selection of comes to argue that the advance of Russia i husbands. This is true enough in the must necessarily terminate in AX INVASION OF INDIA, the writer begins to lose his historical sense. Herr Popowski forgets that the strength of an Empire is in inverse ratio to its extent. He forgets that theSlav-Finnish-Mongolian- Tartar races, which we loosely call "the Russians," are not bound together by any real cohesive force. The Slavs are dwindl- reason that girls, as a rule, have not much to do with tha choice of their inferior halves, that being largely a matter of en- vironment or association. Nor in the excep- tional instances in which they are allowed any m >re than a Kobson's ch< ice is it by any means assured that they choose more i wisely than if they had left it So chance. ingin number and in force, their civilization Those who have given this mattsr special attention say that it should be here as it is in Germany, where the parents take a baud in the love affairs of their daughters and pick out their husbands for them. But the eaten through by political Nihilism, religi- ous unbelief, and physical disease. The Finns yearn to return under the mild sway of Sweden ; the Poles are m a stats of ... **^^*mj .uti i/ru blades are added every tn years. Another curiosity is three pairs of scissors, all of which caa be covered by a thimble. Traces of the by a thimble. l>icyc'e re found far back as the fifteenth century. In f*ct hsyptian figures found on obelisks mounted they had on two-wheeled vehicles show some idea of the velocipede. One hundred domestic servants are killed annually in England in the process of window .-leaning. An iuvention recently patented i, a window of which the outside may be cleaned without exposing the cleaner to any chance of a tumble. There is a woman In 8-tka Princess Tom. who chronic discontent, ready at any moment to express itself in open rebellion : the wild tribes of Central Asia suffer under the cor- rupt yoke of Russian officials, andwould be only too glad to throw it off ; and the (jer- mans of the Baltic Provinces, who have contributed to the K.mpire many of its great- est generals and administrators, are being excluded from power and irritated into emigration. Russia is trembhug in the throes of disintegration. It is, therefore, carious to turn to the Austrian writer's view of what he considers the chief weakness of the Knglish position in India. "Certainly," writes Herr Popowski, "the defense of India would be muoh easier if the British could thoroughly rely on the loyalty of the natives. The British Gov- ernment, however, does not trust tho natives. This is svident from the resolution that the number of Knropean troops must equal one-third of the Anglo-Inn tan forces ; that native officers should be excluded from the higher commands : and that Till NATIVE TIUMira should only oe enlisted from certain castes and nationalities. Tho same mistrust of the natives is observable in the administration, and in the relations with the Indian Princes. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that lireat Britain is accomplishing a grand work of civilization in India." The author goes an to lay weight on the heterogeneous nature of the population of India as a source of weakness, though he calmly passes over the same fact with regard to the Russian Em- pire. Herr Popowski forgets that, if Kngland joined the Triple Alliance, she might be forced to fight Russia at sea and in Asia, in order to create adiveision for the Central Knropean Powers. The power o( disposing of the navy of England and of the wealth of England is earnestly desired by the Conti- nental Powers, in order to bring her into line with the Triple Alliance in Europe. This is the avowed intention of many Continental statesmen and public-tats. But, work on the fears of England as they may.the burnt child dreads the fire, and England has suf- ferad too much in the past from her inter- ference in European politics to be tempted to such a course again. The -I 'A; <>//, Munich, declares that England has lost her chance of becom- daughters may possibly fail to see in such a scheme the " larger liberty," which the friends of female suffrage demand on behalf of the sex. The suggestion also gives rise to an issue of fact. It is a question, for instance, whether the American mother really does less picking and choosing than her Teutonic neighbor. The maternal in- stinct is much the same the world over and the maneuvering mamma is not indigenous to any particular land. The matter may safely be left to mother and daughter. The Story of Charity. There are 7.600 soup kitchens in France. Italy has 270,1100 inmates of the poor houses. The almshauses of France have 2!H),000 inmates. Austria has l-J4,a'iO orphans cared for by the State. Germany has 320,000 paupers in the pub- lic almshcuses. Knglish charity hospitals annually re- lieve 14o,000 sick. The annual expense of raising an orphan in France is J50. There sre in Austria 2!IO,UOO persons receiving State aid. Berlin charity hospitals receive an annual subsidy of $350,000. The soup kitchens of Vienna feed every year L-.N.IHMI persons. The soup kitchens of Frsnce annually assist 1,77 *,!>> persons. is very rich. She at one time had three husbands, but has be- come Christianized and has discharge.! two She is an extensive trader, is known all over Alaska, and wear, upon her arm thirty gold bracelets, mad* out of twenty- dollar gold pieces. According to all Rl,|,, nu . writer , tho whole human race before t!. Flood wen giants. Hcnrion tells us Adam was 123 them d,e, her body i, of the palace to be buried; the law in theworld envm P PU T "i 1 . 11 """"' Kried- ? d ia , A dr 'u ving wh<eU '<" torfl r "? e ' ch we ' h * tll v rty tons. Thj. cylinder is 1 1O inches in lonTnf ' ? thS "*""' r ll>es l7 ' 500 8' 1 ' lons of water svery minute. Physician, who have investigate! the cause* of sickness in the lower grades of public schools say that nine-tenths of it comes from stomach troubles, and that it is th direct result of having children in school from 8.30 o^iccfe Ui >,he morning until I* There is more opportunity for heroism in private lifn than there is on the battlefield and the victory is often more glorious. Why Swimmers Drown. Theaccidental death of known good swim- mers while bathing is, as a rule, attributed to cramps. Recent investigations would, however, go far to prove tha*. this is but a time-honoured and general error. There is nothing, says a contempory, in a cramp in the leg to prevent an ordinary swimmer from supporting himself in the water by his hands or on his back, or to cause him to throw up his hands and sink lice a stone, as seems to b the rule in these cases of "cramps." It is more probable that the cause of these sudden fatalities is a perfora- tion of the r drum, through which the access of water pressure causes vertigo and almost immediate unconsciousness. A few post mortem examinations would settle this question. Tha theory is more than probable to the medical mind and no harm would 1)9 uaagicsrasia ss* s* twn- nua VISBSSVU wa vv - ( r^j [,[10 Tll9Ul(.a* IlilllU II**. *IU 1 1 Ml III wvinns "J ing a member of the I .reat Alliance of On- j d one ,f persons should take precaution of demand great England would probably concessions, which the stuffing cotton ing. ol in the ears whon bath- THE DANGER OF EASY ROLLERS. Life's Illustration of a Slip and a General Family. Catastrophe to a Happy A Novel Barometer. A clever Frenchman, who has original ideas on most subjects, employs a kin. I of! barometer which may safely be called ] unique. It nothing more nor less than the figure of a general made of gingerbread. He buys it every year at tha Place du Throne, takes it home a.id hangs it by a string on a nail Gingerbread, as every one knows, is easily affected by changes- an the atmos- phere, 'the slightest moisture renders it soft ; in dry weather, im th contrary, it grows hard and tough. Every morning on going out the french- man asks his servant, "What does the gen- eral say? " and the man applies his thumb to the gingerbread figure. Sometimes he replies, " The general feels soft. He would advise your taking an umbrella." On the other band, when the. general's symptoms are hard and unyield- . ing the Frenchman sallies forth arrayed in I his best, with no fears for his spotless suit or his new hat. He says the general has, so far never proved unworthy of the confidence placed iu his prognostications. THE SEALING RULES- Brill. Ii untl I nllrrl slnlr. UM ..!. llutr a roMOrrnre nt > :i.l. ,, _...M. A despatch from U ashington says .- Sir lulian Pauncefotp, the Hntish. Minister, Sir Ceorge Baden- 1'oweli, representing the (^u>adian Government, ami W. K.iwiuJ Goschen, first Secretary of the British embassy, accompanied by Mr. (iresham. Secretary of Slate, called at the Treasury Department yesterday, by appointment with Secretary Carlisle, for the purpose of discussing ru'es and regulations to carry out the findings of the Paris tribunal affect- ing Behriii Sea interests. Secretary Car- lisle received the party in bis private room of the treasury building. Behind closed loors the conference was conducted for two hours, during which time Commander Evens, of the navy, who was in command of the United States fleet in Behnug sea in I S!h.', was called into the conference, and participated in it. At the conclusion of the conference Secretary Carlisle stated that a general interchange of opinion as to the scope of the instructions to be given tht United States agent on thesral islands, and to ths naval officers in the Behring sea fleet, look place, and a better understanding of the situation and conditions was reached. The final instructions to the agent on ths seal islands have not yet been completed, but a rough draft was read during the course of the conference. Great lien's Belief. " As we grow older," says Mr. W. D. Howells of a belief in immortality, " we grjw less and less positive about such a be- lief. The young are much more positive than the old. I can't say more about it than that I hope for another life, another chance." It would be interesting to know if the ex- perience of which Mr. Howells speaks is the usual one. It was true of (joethe that his age had .a it more of faith in the future than bis youth. Doubt faded from Tenny son's min.l as he came to " cross the bar.'' The belief in a personal immortality ,;rew clearer in Emerson's writing as he approached his end. This was true also of Walt Whit- man. ( arlyle chronicles a similar change of view. For all these men the stars grew plainer as the night grew more dark. Ths author of " Ecclesiastes, " so far as he ac- cepts immorality at all, seems to have pass- ed through a like phase, and the records both of rligion and of letters, the annak both of action and of thought, contain man; like instances. A belief or a hope in immortality, it is often forgotten, has come but slowly to the race itself. It is almost absent from its youth. The savage believes in a ghastly life after death, but he has no conception of immortality. The early classic view ol life after death was that it was a poor, miserable affair, not worth having. The Egyptian only believes in immortality through a return to the material bojy, which he accordingly preserved with infi- nite care. Much in the Hebrew Scriptures shows that its authors had no firm hold on immortality, if they believed it at all. For both the .Jew and the (i reek belief in im- mortality, in the sense in which the word is now used, came at a late period in tne development of national faith. In short, both a desire for immortality and a belief in it is associated with the youth neither of men nor of nations. In nations it has always dawned with a declining sun and been strongest when nations had reached their full stature and played their largest part on the world's stags and gained their full wisdom. With all respect for as close and accurate an observer as Mr. Howells, we are inclined to think that this is apt to be so with in- dividuals as well. In the distinguished oases which we nave cited, and we believe in lesser men -and we are speaking alto- gether of those who, like Mr. Howells, con- fine themselves to the light of nature and nf the soul the tendency and teaching of a wide experience of life uid its lessons is to convince men that the spirit is life indeed and has hereafter its share in an existence which outlasts the sweep of sun and of planet. Ye Modern Mistress. Fair (Juest "My goodness ! This room looks like a prison cell. What is it for T" Hostees " That is to lock myself in when I scold the cook. " Mmitrral. A Marvelous Medicine Whenever Given a Fair Trial Hood's Proves Its Merit. following Ictli-r in from Mr. J. Alcid, Clausal, arcliiti'i't and surveyor, Nn. 1.V1 .Shaw 't.iun'.il, r.inaila: "C. I. Huml ACo., I.mvr-11. Mass.: "Cr-i.tlemcn: I lm I'.'.'ii taking tlotxr Sarsaparlila for about six months and am glad hatilh.* .l.uio me a great deal of good. I :ist May ny weight was IK; pounds, but sines HOOD'S Sarsaparilla CURES I began to tako Hood's Snr i.-iparill.i It h. eroased tol<n. I Hunk H.ri Snrsarnirllla Is a marvellous medicine ami am very much pleased with it " .1 Ai. HIP. CM M-S.HK. Hood's Pills Mir- II M Ills, ronsilnnti.in, liiliuuaucis. Jauudkc. sick ueaOacue, .11