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SOME SMUGGLERS. WHO THRIVE RICHLY ON THE AME R1CAN BORDER. Tkn II. .1.11. l-l. I 'irlr Ira Ir on Lakes *<! m >rr. - id t inn n mf Beth (Irlr* are FewcrUM I* Mlop "" Traclr. Smugglers ? Thousands ol them. They warm along the American border from ooeau to ocean. It may I* the track ofa solitary sledge on the fror.cn St. Lawrence, or a fishing schooner beating into a quiet bay where there are no fish : or, if you like, a well dressed woman hiding a small fortune in gems in the rug with which she protects a lick pug from the cold as the train nears th* frontier the method* change from tine to time, for in novelty, oftimes, there ic safety, but the muggier*, like the poor, are with u* al- ways. We hear oftenect of men and women caught in an attempt te evade the customs officer! as they leave the big transatlantic linen, and th* crime i* set down by all as serious and properly punishable by heavy fin* and long imprisonment If the job i* on a large scale the community, for the moment, is shocked. In th* wood* and on the waters along the American frontier it is very different. The communities of the bolder, be they Ameri- can or Canadian, a* surely as they are made np of frontiersmen, born and bred, are inclined to take a lenient view of such matter*. From a crime smuggling becomes an enterprise, or, at wont, A -OUT or i.icx.mriii. u. OMEAHB at which one might be shocked were he alone, but which troubles him little since hi* neighbor* *r* infected, too. The fact now is just what it ha* been ever since there ha* been population enough on both sides of the border te make the evasion of th* tariff a paying busineas lor adventurous pint* Canada cannot polios her long line of bor !*r fence, nor indeed do any more than make a poor bluff at it, and trust to th* moral sens of the people for the rest. And when the fence isn t watched the almighty dollar crowds the moral sense o the people to the wall and there'* an end M it. (five the frontiersman a chance to smuggle and he will arrange th* matter with his conscience. He ha* th* chance, and arrange it with hi* conscience h* rarely does, to such in extent, indeed, that there isn't a heartier, happier chap in all toe land. And bow do smugglers smuggle ? The answer I* : "In aaj way that strike* them tafe." TRICKS OF OPICM TBADEM. Take for instance th* trick* devised by the meo who smuggle opium intolhe United State* from Canada. Von know what an ordinary carpenter'* tool box look* like. They will take such a box and fix it with little panels or drawers, which oniy a mm nte inspection would disclose, or place a false bottom In it, or a false top, leaving room te clip m th* thin, oblong cakee, ana f then coolly carry them over the bridge, or border, after the manner of an honest work- "freetrader," tho chance* of profit and loss. If he carries his goods up the water way, in wholesale quantities, he might have all asized and confiscated at once. H* knows better. Big schooners sail from the free haven of St Pierre, richly Uden, and without a port before them. That is the trick. When they have gone far enough, and it i* dark enough, down goes the anchor and up goes the quietest of signals. 'I !.e spot is secluded. Th* big schooner ride* Ion*, without a light beyond lliono carried y the most honest merchantman. But in the int'tit smaller boali come alongside sloop*, rowhoet*, any craft of small capa- city, and which can Heat in shallow water. The cargo i* distributed nuickLy, until it jecomes on* hundred cargoes. Then the big schooner beat* back to the free port of St Pierre, and Ihe smaller cr*fl take their hances of landing where they may. One or two may be captured, an i the cargoes confiscated. The majority escape, and the profit on the itoff that is landed in safety easily compensate* for the losses and leave* a handsome margin. Th* chief article smuggled there is liquor. Th* Canadian*, by avoiding the duty on whiikeyi and alcohol, lave an amount which it sometin.es a* high a* |2 or $3 a gallon and profit accordingly. POME MAINE DEVICES. Whiskey, cigars and tobacco, too.togeth er with precious stones, are the thing* which seem molt tempting to the frontiers men in Maine and New Bruniwick. There is many a load of hay that goe* over the border with a big jug of whiskey hidden within. Buttling Calais, in Main*, face* St. Stephen, in New Brunswick, with a tell bridge between them. The town* exchange goods with little re- gard to the revenue official*. Yon maj walk over that bridge, pay the toll, and unless you are carrying a trunk you pas* unquestioned. So too, many a man drive* a decrepit, worn out horse across to the Canadian side and returns, after a proper lingering, with quit* a different animal. The officer at th* gate hat forgotten his identity. If be remembers It, ne cannot swear to it, probably, and credits the vast improvement in the horse to the bracing quality of Canadian air. In '.he wilder country which lies where th* border line i* a mere survey line, one don* a* one pleases there. An examile i* the Megantio region where Morrison, the But method*. Ilk* smugglers, are mnum erable and vary with the good* to b* carried and the station and dress of th* person who carrier them. It i* but a little while *inc*itout Captain Bouchard, th* king of St. Lawrence pirate*, made a running fight with a revenue cutter and only surrendered when hi* stronghold. Ill DISCOVER! A SOLITARY SL1K.I1 TRACK en th* 1*1* am Condre*. in th* lower gulf, was 10 hotly beseiged that h* could hold out no longer. A' ROM THC l^f. Along the wooded stretch of th* lower St Lawrence and in the thousand and en* sheltered caves of th* gull th* "free trad, rs" have long since been most formidable as far as the Kaitern country is concerned. As for th* river itself, there are boate in summer and t here i* the ice in winter. Th* revenue posts an- far apart. The revenue cutter cannot b* everywhere, even In sum mer. In the winter th* (muggier with a little money te earn will go further in io and mow, in th* dusk of early morning and evening, in the night itself, than the re- venue policeman, who, after all, ii but human and may earn his (alary much a* he pleaser If he discovers a solitary sleigh track across the frozen river he may lur mi**, or h* may even watch for the return of the driver. Rven then he i* hour* late and find*, if anything, an innocent traveller with an empty sledge. The innocent traveller'* pocket* may b* heavier, but that It his buiines*. What is true of th* ice i* true of the water. Far down in th* Gulf i* the "free port of St 1'ierre. One may land there what h* will, free of duty. Thus hi* ware* are at th* gate* of two protected countries, safe at yet from the revenue officials. Will he loee money by entering them through the regular channels t Not he. THE "UNDERGROUND 1'AMAIil" I* more risky, but it promises great return*. H* calculate* to a nicety, doe* th* wicked TRADERS. Megan tic outlaw, to lone defied the author itiei. To cover cuch territory would necessitate th* employment of the army. It i* not worth while, to the smuggler does at he likes, because neither government can afford to go to great expense to stop leakt which are trifling in the aggregate. Sneezlnff. Dr. Scsnes Spicer. reading a paper the other day before the Chemists' Assistants' Association on " Sneezing," told hi* hear- er* that th* act of sneezing has always been regarded a* supernatural, and by many races wa* hell in reverence. Henoe aroee the custom, not even now altogether obso- lete, of making some remark directly after neezing. Sneeaing was regarded a* a sign of impending death during the plague of Athena. Many classical writer* make especial reference to neezing, and some supposed that during snee/mg devil* were expelled. Sneezing itself i* a reflex nervous action, and is brought about by mechanical irrita- tion to theendsotth* nerve fibre* which occur in the ti**ue of the nose. When thii irri- tation occurs, whether it be due to a foreign body or change of temperature affecting th* tissue* of th* no*e,a nerve impulse i* trans- mitted te the brain and certain nerve oenties in the medulla oblongate are affect- ed ; thii results in certain impulses being transmitted along th* nerves to the muscles controlling respiration. By (hi* mean* th* ngress of air during expiration i* delayed, and the various ents are oloead. When th* pressure, however, reaches a limit, th* lite are forced open, " a powerful blast of air it expelled, and th* patient snee/.es." London Postmen. The oldest man in the London Po*t Office ha* been in the service forty-five year*. There are a large number of post- men whose father* were engaged in the *ame service before them and whoa* ion* will probably take their place*. Th* po*i- t ion of river postman ha* been in one fam. ly for several generations. The grandfather of the present incumbent received from (leorge 111. a silver badge weighing eighteen ounce*, and his sun was presented with a new boat by William IV. It is the business of th* river postman to deliver letter* to and collect letter* from th* ship- ping in th* Thames. Th* British postal employees are subject to police duty and may at any time be sworn in a* special con- stable* to assist in maintaining order. There i* a well-drilled fire brigade in the London office. Paying* Her Back. Teacher "Johnny, have you your knife with yon ';' Johnny "Ye*'m." "Then I wish yon wonld sharpen my pencil for me." "Plea**, I'd rather not." "Why ?" " 'Cause while I was iharpenln' it I might drop th* knit* on th* Boor, and then you'd give me a bad mark for makin' a now*. Darning: and Mending. Th* weekly mending is considered a dis- agreeable task by many housewives, partly because the material mutt be hunted up every time they are used. The mending basket should be supplied with everything needful for performing the task easily and satisfactorily. Several spool* of white ana black cotton are necessary, ranging om number 36 to HO, with needle* to orrespond; darning linen fir tablecloths ana napkins, remnants of spool* of "ilk and cotton thread of different colors, left over from former dressmaking; and black ilk of different numbers. Besides these, there should be skirt braid, roll* or rem- nants, of wide and narrow tape, bodkins, scissors, thimble*, pin and needle cushion!, hook* and eyes, and a box containing an assortment of buttons of all km. Is. Th* last may be obtained by removing button* from garments that are worn ont. By having the irost of those arranged in pocket* in th* ba*ket,much time and trouble may b* laved. The piec* box should con- tain scrps of good* that may be needed to repair gowni that they match, also muslin, linen, and other piece*. The best way te i ave the wear of wish ing and ironing U to mend the clothes be- fore washing, a* a rent ii always larger after the garment has passed through th* laundry. When the thing* are- washed, it i* tnch a comfort to have them all ready to put away; betide*, the patch always look* neater, when washed and ironed after it U put on. When thi* plan is pursued, Tuee- day u usually the most convenient day to wash. The clothing is changed Sunday morning, and an hour or two on Monday will be sufficient to put it in good repair. But there are many housewives who object to mending toiled clothing. In that case, article* that need a few ititche* should b sorted , to that they may be ready whenever opportunity offer* for doing the work. Always match stripes or figures in mend- ing gingham or other wash goods,- and it i* better te wash the piece* used several time*, so that they will be nearly the same color a* the garment. If the rent or wear i* near a seam, insert one side of the patch into it, and if near two seam* have th* patch extended from one to the other. Garments that are frayed around the bottom should be re-bound or re -hemmed. Remove worn out lace, and replace it with new trimming, at it will not pay to mend it Sew on buttons that have come off, or tighten thoee that are loose. Torn button holes may be strengthened by put- ting a tiny paten of tape on the worn tide ana darning it down neatly. Tear sheets in two lengthwise when they become thir in the centre, and join the selvedge edge* so that they may receive their share of th* wear ; or the best parts may be made into pillow slipe. Not a crap of tsble linen should be wasted. After tablecloth* are past darning, cut them in square* for wash rags, and use th* beet portions for children'* towel*. Piec** that are too small to use in any other way are good for binding up wounds of any kind. The stocking! should have their own bag or mending basket, which should be fully stored with darning cotton of the necessary colon, long needle*, and i darning egg. A ingle thread should bo used in mending, a* doubled cotton produce! a lump that ii apt to make the wearer uncomfortable. If the work is skillfully done, there it no rea ton why the most sensitive feet should suffer by wearing mended hose. Kun the thread through the fabric some distance on each tide of the hole, si well a* across it Worn place* should be darned also, before a hole appear*. When the feet are worn out, and the legs are Hill good, make them over for the little folks. Cut the pattern from a stock ing that ii the right lize. Iron the large stocking until smooth, lay the pattern on it, and out the pieces by it Baste the seam and try it on. If it doe* not fit, make th* necessary alterations, i-ut a new pattern by it, and *ave it for th* future use. Sew the seams, press them open, and catch down on cither side, so that they will not hurt th* feet They will wear better if extra pieces are put on over the knees, on the inside of the (looking. The Window Garden. 1. Select only *uch plant* a* are winter bloomer*. 2. Choose only those that will thrive In the temperature at which yon keep your room. Select carefully to init the amount of sunshine or shade in your win- dow. 3. Examine every plant to make sure that it it entirely free from insects, before bringing to the window in the autumn. 4. Shower the leaves of your plants onoe a week to keep down dutt and insects. If insects appear, fight them at once, and never give up until they are routed. 5. Keep flowering plant* in amall or medium sized pot*. See that the soil I* rich, th* drainage an inch deep at bottom of pot, and a crust of hard earth is never allowed to form at the top of the pot ft. Water only when dry, then give sufficient water to wet to the bottom of the pot Be chary of water in severely cold weather. 7. Turn the pot* frequently, pinch off withered flower* and faded leave*. Allow >11 Holland bulb* to root six or tight weekt in the dark before bringing to the window. 8. <iive weak liquid manure once fortnight to all plants ihowing buds never to half-grown plant*. Useful Reelpes. Hoast Goo**. Having drawn and singed a large young goo**, wipe out th* inside with a cloth, and sprinkle in *om* salt and pepper. Make a slutting of four good-sized onions, chopped fine, and half that qnan tity of chopped sage leaves, ode very large teacupful of grated bread-crumbs, a piec* of butter th* ti/e of *gg, and th* beaten yolks of two eggs, with a little pspper and alt. Mix the whole together well. I'm t his stuffing into the goose, and pre** it in hard, but do not entirely 6!) up the cavity, a* the mixture will ewell in cooking. Tie the goose secuiely round with a greased string, and put paper over the breast to prevent it scorching. Put it into a hot oven ; the fire i.mst be brisk and well kept up. It will require from two and a half to three hour* to roast. Ba*te it at first with a little salt and water and then with iu own gravy. Take off the paper when the goose is about half done, and dr*dge it with a little flour toward the last. Having parboiled the liver and heart, chop them and put them into the gravey, which mutt be well skimmed and thickened with a little burned flour. Send apple canoe to the table with the g Jose, also mashed potatoes. Apple Sauce. Pare, core, and slice some fine juicy apples. Put them into a sauce- pan with just enough water to keep t'tem from burning, and some grated lemon peel. Stew them till very *of t and tender, then math them to a paste and make them very sweet with brown tugar, adding a small piece of butter and some grated nutmeg. Be careful not te have the sauce thin and watery. Potato Snow. For this purpoee use potatoes that are very white, mealy, and smooth. Boil them very carefully, and when they are done, pour off the water, peel them, and set them on the back of the stove till they are quite dry and powdery. Then rub them through a course wire sieve into the di*h in which they are to go to table. Do not disturb the heap of potatoes before it i* nerved np, or the flake* will fall and it will flatten. Thi* nukes a pretty diih. Stewed Oysters. Put the oysters into a ieve, to drain the liquor from them. Then put '.hem into a stew-pan with *ome whole pepper, a littie salt and a piece of butter rolled in flour. Then pour over them about half of the liquor, or a little more, set the pan over hot coals, and limmer them gently for about five minute*. Try one and if it tastes raw cook thew a little longer. Make tome thin slices of toast, having cut off all thecruit. Butter the Uxut and lay it in the bottom of a deep diih. Put the oyiters on it with the liquor in which they were tewed. A FIERCE SNAKE FIGHT. A Rnlller and a Rlarkxnakr Encage In a DeasIlT MriMUle. I was resting near one of the lagoon* in South Florida, on* day about noon, after a morning (pent in hunting. It was a clear- beautiful day, and, after finishing a light luncheon, I had my attention attracted by a slight movement in the underbrush about ten feet back of me, I started a little upon, eeing an enormous diamond-back rattle- make stretched out in the sun. U had evi dently been sleeping, and was just waking up from it* ilumben. For thii reason it had not announced its presence before by rattling. I wanted a good skin of a fine specimen, and picked up my gun te kill it but, before I could shoot, the appearance o, another make, a large blacksnake thi* time, made me hesitate. The rattler suddenly raised iti head and immediately began to coil and rattle. Tl.e blacksnake itopnec in it* journey and looked savagely at the rattler, ai if measuring it* strength. Th* two reptile* were angry, and their bead-likt eyee teemed to emit s parka of fire. For nearly a minute the two remainec in thii attitude, the rattler coiled ready to trike, and the blackinake with heac quivering with suppressed emotion a* it moved from side to side. Then the chal- lenge seemed to be accepted, and the black nake inddenly darted in a curve towarc th* rattler, but th* curve did not bring the long trailing body within reach of the deadly fang*. With rapid motions, the blacksnake began to move aionnd the coiled rattler in various-sued circles, now narrowing them and now broadening them The rattler twisted its body slightly to keep it* eye* upon the enemy, tnkmt now and then a* the curves brought the black reptile cloee to it. But the black nake wa* too quick in it* movement*. Round and round it flew until its bod] seemed to lengthen out into one circle o black. It made me dizzy to watch th reptile, and the rattler'* head teemed to way uneasily ai if affected in the same way by the strange evolutions of its adver nary. The strikes of the rattler beoam* more frequent, desperate, and leu accurate and onoe or twice it nearly lost it* balance af er a vicious dive. But the blackinake never once change its tactic*. Swifter and swifter its lithe body seemed to move, until the rattler wa unable to follow it with any degree o accuracy Then suddenly, without warn ing, tber* wa* a change. The black circle uddenly curved sharply toward the center The blacksnake had made a dive at it* dizzy adversary, and when the two strug gled together in a heap a moment later, could see that the blacksnake hid the rat tier by the throat in inch a way that the poisonous fang were useless. In thii poiiiioa the two twitted and squirme< round on the ground until finally the lithe blacksnake had wrapped it* body aroun< the thick one of It* adversary. Tight* and tighter th* coil* were drawn while the jaws seemed to be locked eternally into the throat of the rattler . For nearly tei minute* they rolled around in thii way , an. then the struggles grew weaker until the rattler stretched out a* if dead. Th conqneror, however, did not loosen its hoU on the throat until the body wa* nuie except for the wriggling of the tip of th tail. Then it let go, and after oirclinl around '.h* dead body several times, it slun awiy in the swamp. Likely to Rememb er. Friend "I notice you have a string around your finger and a knot in yon handkerchief, too." Old Lady "Yes, the string around m finger i* to remind me that I have a knot i my handkerchief, and the knot in th handkerchief i* to remind me that the thing I want to remembei are written on a pieo* of paper in my pun*. 1 WINTER WRINKLES. Her mother "Don't you find Jack rath- r rough ?" Priscilla "Ye*, mamma, nd yet he ssys he shaves every day." In a menagerie "Thi* i* the great boa onitrictor, which usually swallows a whole pig fur it* breakfast. Not quite so ose, sir, if you please." Professor "Ah, mees! Yon climb the mountain. It wa* a great foot." Mira You mean feat." Professor "Ah ! Z*n ou c'imb it more zan once ?" Minnie "What do you understand by lie term platomo affection ?" Mamie "It sually mean* that the young man feel* tiat he cannot afford to marry. Bang* "I'd give a good deal to know ow it feels to be drugged and robbed." linthere "Why don't you go and get a inscription filled, then ?" Tom "You look awfnl blue. I suppose t't because ol Mia* Maybell*'* having rej- ected you." Cholly " Yea, I can't help eel ing sorry for th* poor girl." 'Haven't yon got thi* book in a chicken alad binding T" asked th* Cheerful Idiot W hut do you mean?" asked the astonished bookMller. "Half calf." Boarder "Madam,! have found a nickel n my hash." Mrs. Me*ler "Oh, that'* all right I put it there ; I thought I'd give 'on a little change in your diet.'' "I propose, began the deliberate old awyer wf o called around to see a yonng widow on business, when hi* vivacion* client exclaimed, "I accept" They are now partner*. Plankington "I understand that yon lad to go to law about that property that wa* left you. Hve yon a smart lawyer T" Von bloomer "Yon bet I have. He own* the property now. " Laura (to her neighbor *t dinner) "Yon eat very little, Mr. .Jenkins." Jenkin* flattered, and wishing to return a compli- ment) "Ah, Mia* Laura, to lit by yon take* one's appetite away." Fin gle "There goe* a woman with a littery." Fangl* "That woman who jn*t eft yonr office? How do you know?" ?ingle "She worked for an hour trying M sell it to roe." Intimate friend" Ha* yonr husband's ov* grown cool ?" Sarcastic wife "Oh.no. He lovee himself lust aa much now as h* did when we weie married twenty years HO-" A poor woman wa* telling a kind-hearted visitor how Ike doctor came and said the bad a sluggish liver. " What beat* m*," she added, "is how them slugs gets inside the liver." She carried her new dress away, But, ah ! my heart it grieves, To tell ah* had to bin a dray To carry home the sleeves. Did I understand you to lay that Dhompeon was a farmer ?" " Good gracious, no ! I laid be made hit money in wheat. Yon never beard of a farmer doing that did rou ?" Schoolmaster-" It i* all very well tor . >n to say you did not have time to get four lesson, but there i* one thing I should like to ask yon'' Yonng lady pupil " But, sir, this is to tudden '." " Answer by return male," was the way the letter wound np that Miss Footlites re- ceived from Mr. Suddenrox. "I wonder," aid ihe, " whether he means by the mes- senger boy or by pott." Tell ui not in mournful numbers Life i* but an empty dream. When we've had mince pie and doughnuts, Turkey, cake and real ice cream. Henry, Jr. " Father, ain't a rag alwavssW" level and even?" Henry, Sr. "\es.W Why do ask :" Henry, Jr. "Nothing * much, 'cept 1 was just wondering why they called a jagged old mountain rugged." I think Min Smith and Mr. Jones must ngaged; they have had their portrait* taken together. "Indeed ? I am glad to tear it. I knew when I introduced them that she wonld b* taken with him." Father "I do not require that the man, who marries my daughter shall be rich. All that I ssk it that he be able to keep ont of debt." Suitor "Wonld yon con- sider a man in debt who borrows money From hie father-in-law ?" 'Ah," the taid, in reply to hii flattering remark*, "beauty, you know, i* only (kin deep." "Yes," he returned, "but consider the vast number of girls, and many of them yonr own associates, who haven't got it that deep." M it* Y o u ng bride ' 'I have not the sligh t,- e*t idea how the wedding service begin*. I'll have to look it up." Her intended [glancing with admiration at th* wedding lift*) "Why not start off, 'Know all men by these presents ':' " Minnie " l'id you hear about Molly's fiance falling off the trolley car and break- ing hi* arm ?" Mamie" Yes. I wonder if he will sue the company for damage* ?" Minnie " I guess not. I shouldn't wonder if the does though. " " I don't **e why people come here for their health," growled Barker. "It strike* m* a* being very unhealthy." " It i* now," said the landlord. " So many people have come here for health and got it that our supply ha* b**n exhausted. Some o' theee days the tide will turn. Though the river lookt long and dim ; But while you're waitin' you'd better learn To swim, my boy, to swim I " Here'* another one of those millionaire plumber jokes in the paper," aaid < 'nticus. "Did you ever see a rich plumber, Hicks '" " Never," said Hick*. " All the plumber* I've Men have been very poor plumber*. Still, a fellow may be a poor plumber and yet be a rich man." Change of Programme. Little Ned "Don't take away the light!" Mamma "I want you to learn to go to slep without a light " "Mutt 1 deep in th* dark?" "Yee." "Well, then, wait a minute. I guess I'll get up ana lay my prayers a little mere x carefully." He Was Glad. Little boy "That ink that rap* writ** with isn't indelible ink, is it 5" Mother "No." "I'm glad of that." "Why r "I've spilt it all over the carpet,