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<->lidfift1 Cj, rtdT »»/0 !Ul 7'(w,i-<V 'HiT t • f< •'.•Utintd '))!. till'- i c . . r ;at% oi'rt'A •'{'".' - r«^A HOwST?#- -- .•' A'O • i V U'liiV' ItU.K U - if!.-' u^ttO'tfin Jmu .-(ifO'vi :otn*r>!«(i>i "t; .1: W<>a . "Hi! HH All right! Now wesha'n't be long!" said the gray parrot I regret.to ̂ say that the ir­ repressible young man that brings the daily milk is the tutor of my parrot in the latest up-io- date slang of the day. * I am an old sea captain--at least, not old, perhaps the word slipped out un­ awares. I am on the right side of 50, anyfibw; but being in receipt a pen­ sion and a small private income to boot, I hare cast anchor in my .present-abode In the expectation of feathering many a winter's storm yet. Being without a known relation in the world, I willingly fell in with the suggestion that I should pick up my. moorings alongside my old friend and messmate. Capt Travers, late R. N., who, having left one of his legs on the west coast of Africa while capturing a ' slaver, was pensioned off at an even earlier age than myself, and now lived With his sister--a most comfortable party, fat, fair, and 40, or thereabouts --in the adjoining honse to mine in the neighborhood of London. We had al­ ways got on well together, our tastes and dispositions were similar, and we had often met during our naval careers. His sister I had not previously been acquainted with, but, being in many respects like her brother, we were soon firm friends. Capt. Travers and myself had each a favorite parrot--his the common Afri­ can gray, with a red-tipped tail, and mine the purer variety, without a trace of color, but otherwise similar. I had not long settled down in my new quarters, and got everything ship­ shape, or what seemed so to me--a very important difference/as 1 know to-day •--when, almost unconsciously at first, ,1 began to feel what a lonely old bach­ elor I was and what a set-off to all my other belongings the figure of Miss Rachel Travers would be by my fire­ side. But just here the course of my life began began to make itself felt Inherent shyness In the presence of the opposite sex had dogged my footsteps from my earliest recollections^ Give me a gale of wind in the bay of Biscay, a tornado in the tropics, or twenty hours' duty on deck, wet through to the ° skin, and Capt Manley, late of the P. and O. service, will thank you for it, and consider life weU worth living; but as dispenser of delicate attentions to the fair sex, intensely as be inwardly admires their pretty ways, Capt. Man- ley does not, no, he certainly does not "• show up to advantage. Ur Although fond of pets generally, I have an antipathy to cats, especially at night 1 am not aware that our neigh­ borhood was particularly beneficial in "its aspect or other qualifications to feline constitution, but I know that un til I was inhuman enough to start an £ air-gun cannonade on my numerous nocturnal visitors, I was frequently tin able to get a respectable night's rest One Infernal black and white Tom de fied my finest efforts. If average cats have nine .lives, I am sure this one must ' have had nineteen, and I began to won­ der what sort of uncanny being this was that had no objection to letting my bullets pass apparently through its body without suffering any inconven­ ience. But after all it must have been my bad marksmanship, for one after­ noon I saw my enemy quietly walking up the low fence that divided my back garden from Capt Travers*. The opportunity was too good to be • lost and quietly getting my airgun I took a steady aim and fired. There was * no-mistake this time, and without a ' sound poor puss dropped on to my flow­ er bed as dead as the proverbial door .... nail.- •'1 v *'• x My exultation, however, was of short duration, for to my horror and dismay. ^ on proceeding to pick up his unfortu- > nate carcass and give it decent burial, saw that my shot had passed right through the unlucky animal and killed my neighbor's parrot, which had been put out to sun itself in a little suininer- i house that stood at the bottom of the garden.'-- ; •„ • --*--•--- I was'staggered at my position; 1 knew the parrot was'a supreme favor­ ite with Miss Travers, and how 1 couid ever explain my carelessness 1 could not imagine. Suddenly a way out of my dilemma presented itself to my mind, and I hastened to put it into execution. I knew that the Traverses were out. and would not be back for bfqttWlO S'f^ v >' Ml- " ! i-'fiuii ir,r->UKi -s<- = fl' n'* j iu (iVMiUtrct - j *t< -••• v Punctually; at p'cI,oft ..donned niy sprucest attfpe^; ̂ ud.jriffc,a smart dow­ er in my, buttonfa^ler-rgay. dog that I was-€lippe^: ,,over .^e, .fejace. Miss Rachel was thejre,.ipol(ing,f^'rfresh as a spring cabbage with the.,dew on it, which I jCpmOde* veiy. .pretty simile, and she bade, me welcome with .one of her beaming smii^ Tliere, too,was the unlucky parrot in its ^age, and stand­ ing just outside' the summer house. I had noticed that ithid'been set out to^ sun itself as usual on all fine days, and as far as I could see.nothlng bid trans­ pired to make me think they had any cause to suspeet my imposition. I purposely sat with sty back to it a nda voided taking notice of it in any way whatever." " . '.*1... Tea went off all tight; my old friend was very cheery and Miss Rachel showed roe great attention. I could' hear Po&y rubbing her beak up and do$vn the wires of the cage, and swing­ ing backwards and forwards In the metal ring. After the meal Capt Travers went indoors to get his supply of necessaries for the/evening, and, turning to me, Miss Travers cotnmeJi'ted: ' By-the-by, Capt Manley, how is your parrot? ,.>I have not seen it out in the garden lately." I felt iny heart beating a bit faster, but with every semblance of outward calm I said: . No; the fact is, it's not been at all well; in fact, it is dead." "Deadifi^y^ exclaimed. "Well, I never. j^hrit did it die of?" . I really don't know," I replied. "It died quite suddenly' about a week ago." I hope our Polly; Isn't going to follow suit," she continued. - "She has been very dull and quiet the last few days, but seems a bit more lively this even­ ing. I don't think she has spoken a word all the week."- " "Thank goodness!" I inwardly ejacu­ lated. Things were beginning to look a bit awkward, had I cast about for some­ thing to'change the course of conver­ sation. I am not.-.a qaick thinner, however, and before I Could collect my wits MiSs Travers continued: "Dear, dear, to think, your poor Pol­ ly's dead! Wtell, I am sorry! I should be sorry to lose youi Poijy, dear," she said, addressing the parrot. "But, real­ ly, *Capt. Manley," looking'me straight dead at all; there it is !n that cagr; it's yours that's dead--I shot it. I didn't mean to. Can you forgive ine. for all the lies I told you?" "All right! All right!" said the solemn vo^cp of the parrot behind me. , 'fit: was Polly that made that remark; just now, nQt I. Believe me, she speaks' the, truth, if I dpn't. Rachel,' ! do real­ ly love you." 1 . I ventured ..to look up. Tears were standing In her eyes, and the expres­ sion on her face made me hope that I did not look quite such a big booby in her eyes as I felt I did in my own. Moving nearer, I clasped her hand; and,' as it was not withdrawn, I put one arm gently round her ample waist. 'Now, we sha'n't be long," said* the gray parrot.--Tlt-Blts. CLOTH FROM CAT-TAIL. - ;I MEj®5f-eT,tt'A.T IS'¥0rBAV--YOU, SIR.' our Polly ,T Almost believe iffettent bird. She hasn't pleased to see me all , the some little time, so hurrying indoors and taking my own parrot from' its cage I carefully painted the end of its tail with red ink in imitation of its de­ ceased comrade, and finding no one was about I stepped lightly over the fence and substituted the living for the dead bird, which I buried, together with the cat, in my own garden. I knew that my parrot would not readily talk before strangers, and I hoped that by the time it had got used to its new surroundings it would have forgotten Its former accomplishments; at any rate, I must risk it Alas! "Uneasy lies.the head that wears a crown," sang some poet. who. I expect never wore anything harder than a nightcap, but, true as it may lie, compared to the torture of my mind, now launched on a course of duplicity, it would be a bed of roses. It was toward the end of the follow­ ing week that I happened to be out in the garden and saw my old friend come stumping down the path of his own garden in his dot-and-carry-one .style, and, seeing me on the fence, cried: "Holloa! Captain, you're quite a stranger! What's been up? Rachel has been talking about coming in to in­ quire about your health, as she was afraid something must be wrong." •'Yes, I have been a bit poorly," said I. Oh, how easily the words slipped out, although I had; been as right as uine- pence-r-why that particular sum should be endued with more rectitude than its fellows I have never been able to dis­ cover--this by the, .way. .. "A bit of cold, perhaps," said Capt. Travers.'" "Well, come over the fence and have a dish of j[ea in the summer ' house, and Rachel shall come in after­ ward and make you a good glass of something stiff for a nightcap." in the&fa out. she was once srfem week."$< I felt'tbfeftblobd rapidly rising to my cheeks and fortshcad, but I trusted to my tanned .complexion, for it uot to shovy. -1 feebly replied: "Perhaps she's moulting." It was an unlueky Slip. "Well, now I come to think," .said Miss Travers, "1 noticed that'its4 fail looked much paler after its bath the other morning, and thi wqi^r'.was quite red. Is that a sign ;of moulting?" ."Yes, I often used to .notice it about my owTrrparrbt." » "But I thought your bird had no red about it," she pursued. -• "Coiifound the woman's persistence," I thought, but I-stammered; "I mean- that is to say--you see--I've noticed it in all red parrots I have ever come across.: They shouldn't be bathed at all; it injures their constitution." "Oh! I thought you recommended it." she said. /.. So I had; dozens of times. "Only for the gray -oheis," I said; forming a con- venient distinction on the spur of :he A New Use for thp Humble but Pretty Water Plant. Very few, probably, are aware that the fur, or vegetable down,, of the cat­ tail is a marketable article, superior to feathers or cotton for many purposes. It is not quite so valuable or useful as eiderdown, but It approaches it very closely, and is cheaper than any of the three.:*; As a matter of fact, a great many people are to-day using artlcldi covered pith cat-tall products wh# have no idea where the material comes from. It:is a vast extent of country, com- paratiyely speaking, - from which the cat-tall is gathered. It comes *rom the swamps alotig the numerous creeks that put in from the Delaware Bay, from Morris River to Cape May. The average amount gathered in the season is a ton a day. The work of gathering and transporting It, and then weaving it into the many forms which it must take before becoming salable, consti­ tutes a considerable industry. One of the most, elaborate uses to which this material is put is that of covering sofas. Very many of the sup­ posed plush-covered divans are really covered with a fabric of cat-tail. It wears better than the plush, and is in­ finitely cheaper. The same argument that applies to the sofa is applicable to the pillow. Very often, however, such pillows- go by another name. „ r "" Sofa pilldws, also, are made of cat­ tail, because a pillow avowedly cov­ ered with cat-tail would probably be regarded with contempt. Call it Alas­ kan plush, however, or Shetland wool that has been treated by a new process, and it will sell readily enough, and give good satisfaction, too. The family album which graces the center table in the parlor of so many farm houses is also in many instances adorned with cat-tail covers, although the housewife cannot be convinced they are not plush. She has doubtless paid almost as much as if they were what she supposes, and naturally she scoffs at any person who hints that she has been victimized. It is becoming a prevalent custom to use cat-tail fur on the back of hand mirrors and brushes, which have here­ tofore been backed with plush. Some say that the substitute is really proving better than the original. The head rest, too, seen on the easy chair. Is often of cat-tail--and it is none the less com firtable for that. •pother article for which the cat-tail is-, ased is the bed quilt. The eiderdown q^ilt is an old-time article of luxury. T.ie cat-tail quilt is every whit as com­ fortable, and costs about one-quarter as tttjich. In New Jersey, at least, the housewife fully appreciates the value of- the cat-tail quilt, however much her le.43 well-informed sisters may scoff at tl:j> idea.--St Louis Globe-Democrat. Kites for Telegraph Poles. Mr. William A. Eddy, of Bayonne, Ne«w Jersey, recently ̂ demonstrated, i»y experiment, the possibility^ of estab­ lishing tei^ifephie and telephonic com­ munication by means of wires sus­ tained high in the air-by kites. Through a wire thus supported Mr. Eddy not only sent messages by the Morse code, but also, upon attaching a telephone was able to converse with ease; v ^ . Clouds Oyer Fia*e«» ' During a large .fire .in Chtarlestown last December Mr. Ward, of Harvard University, found an uncommonly good opportunity to observe the formation of clouds In the atmosphere abctva the fire. Whenever there wr3 an especially active ascent of the smoke a large cumulus cloud formed over It. This re­ calls other observations of such clouds becoming dense enough to produce a shower of rain. X-Raya from Glowworms.:- A Japanese man of science, Mr. Mur- aoka, reports in a German scientific journal, Wiedemann's Annalen, the curious results obtained by him last summer while experimenting with the light of glowworms. He operated with three hundred glowworms at Kyoto, and he says that the light which they emitted, when filtered through card­ board or copperplates, showed the properties of X-rays, or Beequerel's fluorescence rays. "body got a hammer and knocked oiff the hardened accretions from Its ln'terbr,, till it was restored nearly enough to its original capacity , to render further ser­ vice. In Tory Island, an out-of-the-way bit of an Irish Islet, and Indeed to a less degree throughout Donegal, the natives are not much more dainty in their liv­ ing, and their habit of letting the grounds remain indefinitely in their teapots has disastrous consequences. "Every day and all day long," says a recent writer, "the teapot sits stewing in the embers of the hearth, and at each successive brew fresh tea is thrown In, but the old ls^nev'e'r thrown out until tile pot is choked." The result is an unusual and excessive rate of Insanity. Little wonder, when a Tory Island boj who was questioned as to his usual meals, could reply: * "Stirabout for breakfast and tay for dinner?«jfcay, av course, at ^ay-time, and stirabout for supper. Whiles we have tay for breakfast Instead and stirabout for our dinner, and then another sup'pf tay before bedtime." ' • However, this diet, injurious as it is to the nerves, does not seem to affect the, muscles. The Tory Islanders are a robust and vigorous race, the men aver­ aging six feet in height and the women unusually tall and strong. The women, Indeed, have need of all their physical strength, since it Is they who do the bulk of the outdoor work, while" the men stay at home and spin and weave. "At Anagry Strand on a Sunday morning," says the same observer, "one may witness a strange sight. At low tide more than a mile of roundabout is saved by wading across a narrow bay. The men Include in their Sunday's wardrobe shoes and stockings. The women, by courtesy and Custom, wear 'martyeens'--footless stockings with a loop passing over the toe. Each good- wife takes her goodman upon her shoul­ ders, and the heroes are conveyed across dry-shod." A Wonderful Waterspout. On the night of the 25th of November last a waterspout burst over the city of Povoacao, on the island of Saint Mich­ ael, one of the Azores, and according to the report accompanying a petition for aid, whi<*h had been sent abroad, al­ most in an instant the deluge of water rose above the roofs of vhe low houses. The homes of thousands were de­ stroyed, a great loss of life occurred, and on Its way to the sett the water' plowed a broad, deep channel nine miles long. Artificial Diamonds Once More. The French chemist, Henri Moissan, whose recent visit to this country awoke fresTi interest in ills experiments on making artificial diamonds by fus­ ing charcoal and iron together in his electric furnace, has, since his return to Paris, somewhat improved his meth­ ods, Formerly most of the minute dia- "monds produced by his process were black in color, but now all are white. They are exceedingly hard, scratching rubies easily, and answering other tests for pure diamonds. It does not appear, however, that Monsieur Moissan has been able to increase the size of the gems he turns out. Corporal Gets His Gretchcn. l-jne evening lately the Emperor Will­ iam was walking before the barracks of the life guards at Berlin, without at­ tendance. , A corporal recognized hint aid saluted him. The Emperor ap­ proached the man and said: 'Why do you look so sad. Corporal?" The Corporal did not reply. The Em pevor continued, smiling, "You must certainly have some very great grief." "Slo$, your Majesty," replied the Cor pojw.1, "I would marry my sweetheart. Grt-tcheh, the daughter of our sergeant ma.'.or, but he will not give his consent because I am not a sergeant." ".1 nd you love her greatly?" asked Wijiam. "Oh,- yes, very much Indeed."- "I'lien you can go to your future father-in-law' and tell him that the Emperor has nominated you sergeant." When the Corporal returned to bar- racLs he found on his bed the distinct­ ive marks of his new rank. Which the commander of the battalion had sent there by the Emperor's command. Eiplosion Under the Ocoan, Investigations concerning the great sea-wave which suddenly swept in upon the coast of Japan with terribly disastrous results last June have, it is reported, convinced Mr. Jgi, of the Japanese College of Science, that the cause of the phenomenon was a vol­ canic outburst at the bottom of the ocean. He locates the point of ex­ plosion about 200 leagues east of the coast of Yoshihaina, and thinks It was comparable with the great eruption that-blew the island of Krakatoa to pieces in 1883. It is said that the tem perature of the sea-water in the neigh­ borhood of the place where the explos­ ion is though to have occurred, was found to be 3 degrees above the nor­ mal. A Chineae New Year's. Chinatown of San Francisco was keeping holiday, and all was gaiety and bustle. The narrow, picturesque streets were decorated with brightly-colored lan­ terns, while overhead above the roof­ tops, the yellow dragon-flags floated agalnsrk blue California sky. It was a sunny day in February; and the streets were swarming with a mul­ titude of Chinese--men, women and children--all arrayed in their richest holiday attire. The children especially, with their bright faces and black eyes, and in their pretty costumes, formed a most pleasing and interesting feature Of this living Oriental picture. Everybody seemed to be happy and good-natured; and ever and anon, as a group of friends met, they stopped and amid much ceremonious bowing ex­ changed the compliments of the season; for this festive occasion was nothing more nor less than the celebration of the Chinese New Year. The idea of celebrating New Year's Day in February may strike some of my readers as odd. But, since this has been the Chinese custom from time im­ memorial, and is older, by several thou­ sand years, than our acceptance of the first of January as the proper time, the Chinese, perhaps, are not far wrong in supposing themselves to be at least as much in the right as ourselves. This question, however, was of no concern to this merry holiday throng. They were quite satisfied with the arrangement; and, with the utmost belief in their own superiority, they felt at heart an inborn contempt--common to all Chinese--for "outside barbarians." This term em­ braces all nations not living within the sacred boundaries of "The Flowery Kingdom," and includes the inhabi­ tants of all the world; and these unfor tunate outsiders are broadly divided . into classes--Eastern and Western bar­ barians.--St. Nicholas. PROOF OF SINCERITY. How an Officer Stood the Test qf Be­ lief in Fatalism. In the days of the "old army" 01® the frontier. When military posts were sometimes hundreds of miles from any civilized place, there was little to do in the way of amusement in the winter time, when the post- was snowbound, and it was then that the reputation the army has for card playing and drink­ ing wa? gained. And It Is true that a great 'deal of both was done at that time. It was In these days that an event transpired that showed that the princi­ pal actor had the courage of his con­ victions, and that he was most certain­ ly born under a lucky star. It was after a very "wet" stag dinner party, arid all had partaken most freely of the wine, and, strange as. it may seem, the subject that came up.>f«r discussion was the Mohammedan religion. The Mussulmans bellev§ in fate.*--To them a man's fate is written above, arid the time of his death Js set, and nothing can advance it. Well, this belief had been discussed long and earnestly. The pros and cons had been gone over at length, till one officer wanted to know of what use was reason if every one was born with a tag of destiny atr, tached. One officer finally arose and said there was no use of discussing the matter any further; the only way was to make a practical test of the question, and that he would give him­ self as a subjebt. Could, a man "will­ fully dispose of his life when the fatal moment had been chosen ait his; birth from above? % He could get no, one to try the ex- perimer^ on him.. Finally a wager was made. "Who will pay you if I lose?" said the subject, as he drew his pistol and showed that it was loaded. He placed the pistol against his temple and pulled the trigger. The pistol missed fire. A joke," yelled the crowd. The fatalist smiled, and, recocking the pistol, aimed it with a steady hand at the clock on the wall. He P^ed, and* the bullet crashed through the centefr of the dial. Apologize to me now," he said., "I have won the bet. I always believed in fate."--Louisville Courier Journal. MANGLED AND SIATN. SEVBN . A., r,-,wv , PEOPLE DIE IN A RAIL- ROAD DISASTER. » Back Water from White Bjvtr Un­ dermines an Embankment Near Ha- zelton, Ind.--Engine add Two Cars FlnnKO End Firsti lnto the Stream. Mis^; Travers didn't seem inclined to pursue the subject further, much to my satisfaction, arid then there was a dead pause® j'&rP'i .". ' & Durlpg the.whole of our conversation the subject of it had not;ceased to con­ tinue |i,its antics in the wii;e sage. WhetJ^r ljip^as the sound of my voice that caused it'to be thus excited 1 do uot know, butiat this,opportunity it burst^&ljth I was< getting desperate, and could thinl^<^p^fe^|p|||;e the subject; and something I • - ',4,:|th€^parrot would. 3«&uMed down the was A |§j "Aj^^n thiuklfig bfj getting a bicy- replied; ."how ca n ybi^a^'/^uchi questlon ?" Anotftdfetf-^ful.-gawpii. during which '^p^rjjtpli^tion from my 1 inoppei brow. in cl^ar ty'f e your' came rrom. behind my back- The"wretched ,lnra.,jb^L$aught the ex­ act t o ne*0P m-y^ vbi Ce. | "CiptJ'Stttttffiyl' -SirP'-said Miss Trav­ ers. r aisi4^;hj|^B,^f ̂ r full five feet one and one-half Inches. "Did you ad- dres8tWW^^t^«tysir?" 1 had;- pw<?riy collapsed, and, mX hands, I leaned down on the little round table, Whethciv^^^^^^^^e poor old ship don't kno^^g^^geffldded,^in> sof|er "This isronrune&SM&ted, Capt. Man- ley." I could bold oufc no longer. "Miss Rachel," I cried, "I'm a thun dering old hypocrite. My parrot ian1 Charcoal from Leather.-- Tire manufacture of charcoal of an Important commercial value, from com­ mon leather waste or scrap, that is, as charcoal produced from leather lias beet, found to be of such peculiar value in certain processes of tempering, a plan has been brought forward for util­ izing the waste leather which accuimi late*, in shoe shops, etc.. by converting it lUlo charcoal. The plant for manu factoring this kind of charcoal consists essentially of a metal retort^ something like those for the production of illumi­ nating gas, and the cost of such an equipment is calculated not to much exct*d $200, while one man unaided can easily operate the whole. 'The shrinkage of the leather in thus becom­ ing charcoal is said to be not more thai: 50 p<?r cent. His "Ism." Mrs. O'Rooney," said the Rev. Father McMurphy, "why do I never see Patrick at church now?" Mrs.'-"0'Rooney shook her head sadly "Is it anarchism?" "Warse than thot, yer riverence." "Is It atheism?" "Warse, yer riverence." "What Is it. then?" "Rheumatism."--Pittsburg Chronicls? Telegraph. , Mule Indispensable in War. A Persian regiment on the march is a strange spectacle. Every tnree sol diers have a donkey, for there is neith­ er baggage train nor commissariat. On this donkey Is placed the worldly wealth of its proprietors and their mus­ kets. Occasionally the Veiled wife of a soldier bestrides the beast. Effect of JL«is£ht on Plants, The attention of botanists has lately been recalled to experiments made at Juylsy, near Paris, by Monsieur Flam- marlon on the effect of exposiug the 'seedlings of sensitive plants to lights of different colors. Having placed four pairs of mimosa seedlings in four sepa­ rate pots in a hothouse, he covered one pair with a bell of blue glass, another with a bell of green glass, a third with a bell of red glas?, while the fourth was left.exposed to ordinary white light. At the end of two months the plants subjected to blue light were only one Inch high, having hardly grown at all. Those exposed to white light were four inches high, those that had grown In green light were five inches high, while those whose light had been red were no less than sixteen inches high. Experiments with other kinds of plants gave various results, but in every instance blue light , im­ peded grow'tn and development. « A Meteoric Bomb. Several, remarkable meteors, seen in and around .K&w York City on the afternoon oT December 4th last, we^e the subject of discussion at ft^receht* meeting of the New York Acadpfny of Sciences. , jOne passed over Central Park, one was seen from the Brooklyn Bridge and one appeared at Fordham. At nearly the same hour a meteor passed over Passaic, lrvington and Danbury, Connecticut, and one burst near Rahway, and apparently came to the ground In four pieces. From a study of the reports concerning these phenomena it has been suggested that the bursting meteor seen at Rahway was a fragment of the body which ialer passed over Passaic; that the meteor again separated into at least three parts, one of which shot over lrvington and Danbury, another over Fordham and the third over New York, but where they struck the earth is not known. Just Reversed. An old Irishwoman, who has received many benefits at the hands of a benev­ olent minister and his wife, is so shift­ less that occasionally the large-hearted couple los» all patience with her; but she has such a sense of humor, and such a beguiling tongue, that she never fails to amuse them anxj finally to win them back. \ At one time when money was given her to buy warm underclothing with, she wasted it upon a-large plush pho tograph album. The minister spoke to her with considerable severity, as did also his wife, and for some time Bridge received no calls from either of them. One afternoon, however, the minister relented and stopped at Bridget's door on his way to see a sick woman. "Shure, and it's mesilf that dreamed about you last noighf, Mistber Will­ iams," said' Bridget, with a beam in smile. "Oi dreamed that you and Mis­ sus Williams came here to see ine, and says you, 'How are you off for tay and coffee, Bridget?' and Oi says 'It's niver a drop of ayther Oi've got in the house, Mistlier Williams!' And thin you pre- sinted me"wid a pound of tay, and Mis­ sus Williams wid a pound of coffee on the slipot! YLs, sorr, that was my dream." v £ "Well, Bridget," said the mlni:.ter, staying not to smile, "you knovv dreams are said to go by contraries.' "Shure, and that's fwhat Oi said to mesilf," exclaimed Bridget triumphant­ ly. "Said Oi, 'Miather Williams is the wan that'll be giving me the coffee and Missus Williams the tay!' This was my very thoughts, sorr." Moved to a Safer Place. While replenishing his linen at the men's furnishing department the fine- looking old gentleman first chuckled and then indulged in hearty laughter. This called for an'explanation and he gave It. "Pardon me, young man'" he said in his old-school manner, "but I never enter a place of this kind without recalling a bitter experience of my own of which I can now afford to see.the ludicrous side. - 'I once clerked for a big wholesale house in Philadelphia. When I told the proprietor, who had shown a kindly in­ terest in me, that I had decided to go West and try to work up a business of my o\yn, he advised me to make a trial •in the Pennsylvania oil field, toward which the first great rush had set in. He would furnish the $tock and I was to pay when I could. "My business block was a long, low, narrow building of wood, but I packed it with the usual equipment of a cloth­ ing store and took in money with both hands, for the mushroom village throng­ ed with speculators, well-borers, well- blowers, engineers, surveyors, day la­ borers, gamblers and camp followers. I had visions of fabulous wealth when there broke loose the worst gang of thugs and robbers that ever defied the law. They burglarized my store three times in as many nights before I would believe that lightning struck twice In the same place. Then I hired a watch­ man, weighted him down with revolv­ ers and started for the county seat to stir up the authorities. While I was away my watchman helped the gang loot the whole establishment and haul the plunder away in wagons. I could find just three linen dusters and six cheap neckties. 1 packed them in a shirt box, sent them to the sheriff, came to Detroit and prospered."--Detroit Free Press. A Queer Vermont Township. In Windsor County, Vermont, is about as queer a town as there is in the United States. Its name is Baltimore, and it possesses little of interest save a history in which none of its inhab itants express the slightest pride. Bal­ timore is fairly old, as American towns go, having been set off from Caven dish and organized in 1793i It then had •frS presumably ambitious and hopeful inhabitant*, but every census taken slfice then lias revealed a steady gvowth--downward. In 1800 the plac< ha3. lost one vltizen, and the subsequent record stands as follows ̂ In 1810, 207 inhabitants; *820,' 204; 1830. 179; 1840 155; :1850,1'24': 3.800, 11G; 1870, 83; 18S1 71, and 1890, G*. ' To-day the number is 59, and one of t&9 59 spends his winters In the Soldiers' Home at Brattleboro'. Nothing ever happened in the town not even a crime, and it has no distin­ guished sons or daughters. The houses are scattered over the territory includ ed- within Baltimore's limits, nowhere forming anything like a village, and there is no store, no church, no post office, nor even.a cider mill. The peo pie are prosperous enough, as \ ermont farmers define prosperity, but they keep moving away whenever oppor tunity offers, and nobody ever moves in. It is twenty years since a wedding took place there.--Boston Evening Transcript. - ^ Nash-vMle Limited Wrecked. The south-bound Chicago'and Nashville limited trftin over the Evansville and Terre Haute Railroad was wrecked about 4 o'clock Wednesday morning at a point about a quarter of a ;mile south of the railroad bridge across White river, which is two miles north of Hazleton, Ind. The exact list of dead could not be ascertained, as several bodies had undoubtedly beea^ washed away, but it may aggregate eight or ten persons. Those known to be dead are: Herbert-Allen. lfrte doorkeeper Jndiana House of Representatives, home in Evans­ ville. • ' George A. Sears, conductor. • Joseph Boleman, fireman. ^ . j,,- Four passengers, bodies seen floating away in the wreck and not recovered. The wounded are: John K. McCutehan, engineer, scalded. John B. HaneiSen, brakeman, foot crushed. Back water from the river bad risen up to within a few feet of the roadbed, which is on a high embankmient of the levee. Other trains had passed over this place a few hours previously, and the railroad was then thought to be safe. This ill- fated train crossed the bridge and was running about twenty-five miles an hour, when suddenly the embankment gave way under the train, precipitating the engine and the' combination mail and baggage and the smoker into the ditch. In an in­ stant the water from up stream rushed ith terrific force through the break, tear­ ing the levee away rapidly. \ ' The mail car went down end first and the smoker plunged under it. Conductor George Sears was in there and probably four or five others. All met death either by the concussion or by drowning.. The ladies' coach was derailed, but did not turn over, and all the occupants escaped to the sleepers on the rear of the train and were taken back to Vincennes. The engine, No. 94, in charge of Engi­ neer John McCutclian and" Fffeffian Jo­ seph Boleman, turned over on the east side into five feet of water, McCutehan was thrown westward and fell into the water, but swam out. Fireman Boleman jump­ ed with the engine and was caught when fell. The wrecked smoker sank from view several hundred yards from the track. Baggageman Harry Hill had a miraculous escape and was not injured. - His car lies buried in the water. The wrecking train, with railroad officials, ar­ rived after some delay, and a large, force of men was put to work trying to keep the remainder of the embankment from ashing. Waves fifteen and twenty feet h leaped through the breach and all the sand bags that could be secured seem­ ed to be of no immediate effect in stopping the washing. During the day a large section of the levee was washed away, .sending the bag­ gage car and telescoped smoker down into the water. The baggage car reeled over fifty feet from the levee and was half submerged. The smoking car toppled, floated down with tlie tiurrent through the ashout and then sank out of sight. Lif Cabled by Their "Wives. An old camper-out once related to a horrified housekeeper his experience of dish-washing in a miners' camp. It did not take much time, though the com­ pany was numerous arid the utensils of the kit,chen were in Constant use. The reason why It took but?ltttle time When a man and woman marry, the' he sufficiently Indicated by the state- contept begins to discover who is to 1 .ment that the cook-pot was not cleaned have the supremacy. That point dispos-1 till It became too small to hold a pud- ed of, there Is peace. I ding of reasonable size. Then sonie- Progress, •I He who truly honors the past cannot afford to despise or overlook anything that has an upward and onward ten dency or that carries to further head way that which has already made so much advancement. If the conserva­ tive man points to the fallacy of much thkt is attempted, to the mistakes and blunders of zeal without knowledge, and even to the seeming injury caused by unfortunate experiments, we can only reply that such things have always Mice Which Hunt Birds A young woman-living In Harlem was the owner of a canary bird last week that could do anything canary birds can do. This bird's name was Speck, and the way he could sing was a marvel to listeners. It was not the loud, ear- breaking sound of ordinary canary birds, but a •'sweet, tuneful murmur" that this bird made. On Thursday morning, just as the son began to crawl . - or less „ the ac flown the door of her room, she heard | ot a tmns|ti0I1 st„te,'and the bird in the adjoining room end its song in a sort of gasping cry. When she got time she saw a mouse on the bottom of the cage with the bird's throat in its long teeth. The bird was fluttering, but soon died, and the mouse fled in alarm.. It Is not often that caged birds are attacked with mice, but such things have happened. A i*at was one time seen to still hunt sparrows on a New York pier. A size in finger rings Is 1-16. of an inch. , - V . are but the light chaff which is soon blown away, leaving the good and heavy grain for future service. Millions of Minor Coins. A few years jigo 4,500,000 bronze 2-cent pieces were set afl6at. Three million of these are still outstanding, Three million 3-cent nickel pieces are scattered Over the United States, but It Is Very rarely that one Is Been. A promising mine will as surely ruin , a man in time as a promising horse. GRAND OLD MAN OF CRETE. Costa Velondakes, the Father .of the Present Cretan Revolution; > • , Costa Velondakes is the grand old.jnan of Crete and the father of the present revolution. He is regarded by ̂ he Cret­ ans with boundless confidence, and,in his capacity as president of the revolutionary assembly has been a gftod guide and a great comforter to the patriots. Velon­ dakes is 95 years old, but .his faculties are as clear and his head .as.strong as a man half his age. He comes of the finest Cretan families and has done more than any other one man to keep alive the revo- coufcA VEi.oy|>AKB;s lutionary feeling that has a't last tri­ umphed. He has taken part in all of the Cretan revolutions. As long ago as 1821 he Wps the head of a strong force of rebels and distinguished himself by liberating sixty-eight Cretrin women who were kept prisoners in a Turkish fortress. He has the courage of a liop. At the battle of the Fountains in i860 he was fighting at the side of his two sons, when a bullet came along and kilied one of them. The father did not flinch, but ordered tbat the body be taken from \khe field, and then re­ sumed the battle. f» the revolution of 1878 Velondakes waV made commander- in-chief of all the revolutionary forces on the island, and did very well iu that ca­ pacity. He was one of ^he three Cretans who went to Berlin to fee present at the drawing of th' j'Berlin tfeaty and to rep­ resent the side of the Cretans in the issues at stake. Sparks from the ^Vires. Senator Lamy and Assfemhlyman Braun of Erie* County have been requested to introduce into the State.Legislature a bill which provides for placing under the supervision of State officials aJl the news­ papers published in the State. The^feftngregatign of Betlifehwn Presby­ terian Clfnrch'of Philadelphia will extend a call to Rev. John F. Carson of the Cen­ tral Presbyterian Church. Brooklyn,. Mr. Carson is a native of Philadelphia, his parents still residing there. It was thought for a time that J. M. Oakley, the Pittsburg millionaire, who died in San Francisco under peculiar cir­ cumstances, had been poisoned. Invest!-, gatiou proves, however, that he died from pneumonia anil alcoholism. Investigation into the cause of the aw­ ful tire at San Amoro and San'Francisco mines in Mexico shows that a miner threw the wick of his lamp near some, dry tim­ ber. Fully 160 men perished and prol>. ably more^of whom there was no record. The Cripple Creek, Colo., district was credited, with a production of $10,000,000 in gold last year and the State with about $16,000,0^0. Judging from the value of. the ore mined in the first two months of 1897 this year's output will reach fully $15,000,000.