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NNHI WEI PLAINDF.ALER VAN SLYKE, Editor and Pub.v tENRY. ILLINOIS TakVfagi-laska is tUe land of gold and cold. Station will pan out bigger remains to [decided. K wf^ermany has taken the cue to go K w*ead in China while the cue of that E progressive country is to hang be- lad lAfter stripping Cuba of happiness almost of people Spain now wants throw over it the cloak of political mnesty. Thomas Edison, Jr., is developing skill as an inventor of devices to utilize ilectricity. So much the better for the r'orld. " v • Drl oil Keely of motor fame is working on fa flying machine now. Mr. Keely has been very successful in making; other people's money fly. N Gold, may become a drug on the mar­ ket; yet nobody is offering a premium for bonds payable in sole-leather. Thus ever man rushes heedlessly upon his fate. '• . \ A California court has ruled that a wife can be compelled to support her husband by labor. Woman in the far West, it seems, already has secured more than equal rights. The fact that thirty "sardine" canner­ ies in Maine have closed, because of the scarcity of herrings, again suggests to the average consumer the question of whether he would know a real sar­ dine if he should see one. In England every prisoner is guaran­ teed the right "to communicate with his solicitor before trial." A man re­ cently arrested in London for a felony can neliLcr scad nor write and is dumb. Can he be convicted legally? I President Stryker, of Hamilton Col­ lege, in a recent address, threw out a hint that is worthy of consideration by those who are prone to excessive pride in circumstances of birth. "We ought," he said, "to think more of what our an­ cestors would thiflkrffTiirthan of what we think of therm." Rev. Sam Small has decided that civ­ ilization is a failure, but fails to say what he proposes to do about it. Un­ less he means to act, it would perhaps have been just as well to let us go on thinking that we were the people, and that civilization is the best thing go­ ing. These iconoclasts ought to be run In. 1 Emperor Wilhelm's popularity in Berlin has increased so much on ac­ count of the recent vigorous foreign policy of the empire that it now begins to look as if the Kaiser would have his way about that big naval bill. It may be added that if Germany keeps up its present policy in China, it will probably need its big navy even before it can be built on a "rush order" from Emperor William. Is a reputable lawyer justified in de­ fending a murderer whose guilt is clear, and from every standpoint must be con­ sidered an enemy of law and order and a menace to society? Suppose that through some technicality a villain es­ capes the consequences of his crime? Suppose that his criminal instincts lead him into the commission of other bloody crimes against innocent men and women? Upon whom should the responsibility be placed? Can the crafty lawyer who has opened the door of es­ cape be free from blame? "I Kaiser William's boasted liberality in being willing to "give his only broth­ er in pledge" for "the honor of the em­ pire abroad," as stated in his speech be­ fore the German Reichstag, recalls forcibly the generous offer of Artemus Ward to "sacrifice all his Wife's rela- -tives," if need be, "for the preservation of the Union" during our late civil war. There is no sacrifice which the Kaiser would not be willing to make for the power and honor of the empire--which means himself--except his own vanity and the privilege of exhibiting himself as "the whole thing." •$ Gen. Collins' advice to young men contemplating entering any of the learned professions is not wholly un­ like Mr. Punch's counsel to people about to get married. These profes­ sions resemble the Punch idea of mar­ ried life In that they frequently lose some of their charms when tested by actual experience, and involve a good many hardships and privations that are not discerned from without. Gen. Collins improves on Punch by pointing out other pathways which ,are not overcrowded, and which offer every en­ couragement to young men of energy and intelligence. They will be wise if they heed his suggestions. People are slowly awakening to the truth that in thefts of public prop­ erty and public rights there are tempt­ ers as well as tempted, principals as well as accessories, criminal "eminent respectables," who get the immensely larger share of the loot, as well as wretched official thieves, Whose shady characters can be bought for trifling sums. And the fight against pub'ic corruption will be hopeless until public sentiment shall refuse to be content with the disgrace or-perhaps the jail­ ing of the accessory, and refuse to tol­ erate the vastly greater criminal--the tempter to the crime and the chief ben­ eficiary of it. Absent-mindedness, a trait often shown by scholars, is exemplified* in the case of Librarian Spofford, of the National Library at Washington. A year ago it was discovered that he ra" short in his accounts some $30,000, which sum he at once paid into the treasury. In removing Spofford's desk and office furniture into the new li­ brary building, $800 in cash, many checks and postal money orders, some for sums of $500, were found.. A num­ ber of these orde»s calling for hun­ dreds of dollars were issued as long ago as 1870. According to the regula­ tions many of these orders were out­ lawed, on account of expiration of the date, but they will be paid. Mr ford had carelessly thrust postal orders received for copyrights into desks and drawers, and there they have remained. When the victory of a party deter­ mines who stfall be the governors of a people, an overruling Providence will sometimes make the political choice a fortunate one. The "available" man turns out to be a capable man. In more than one instance during the history of our country between 1800 and 1865, un­ tried greatness developed where to hu­ man foresight promotion was only an expedient. High qualities are not sud­ denly created. They sleep, but God knows where they are. In a grand cri­ sis they leap to light, and men thought­ lessly say that circumstances made them. Abraham LincOln. the Spring­ field lawyer, did not put on any one else's greatness, or the greatness of circuinstances. He simply found his own when it was most needed. Mr. Woodrow Wilson, in his admirable crit­ ical essay, says of this remarkable man: "He was not fit to be President until he actually became President. He was fit then because, learning as he went, he found out how much there was to learn, and had still an infinite capacity for learning." It'Is this ^'ca­ pacity for learning" that has raised many a boy from a floor-sweeper to the headship of a firm, and fitted many an official novice for responsibilities which he never knew until he was forced to carry them. The proposition to connect the wa­ ters of the lakes with the waters of the Hudson River by a ship canal/ thus avoiding the. falls of Niagara and the round-about of navigation by the River St, Lawrence, is a most enticing one upon paper. If the vast trade of the Northwestern and Middle States bor­ dering upon the lakes could be carried in unbroken bulk to the sea the saving in the cost of transportation would warrant great outlay in order to accom­ plish it. But the report just published of the United States engineers author­ ized by the War Department last year to "£ause to be made accurate examina­ tions and estimates of cost of construc­ tion of a ship c-anal by the most practi­ cable route, wholly within the United States, from the great lakes to the nav­ igable waters of the Hudson River, of sufficient capacity to transport the ton­ nage of the lakes to the sea," is of a most discouraging character. A prelim­ inary survey of four routes has been made, none of which is recommended. The cost of a ship canal for the purpose indicated is roughly estimated at $200,- 000,000. It would cost $2,000,000 per year for maintenance and repair, and would be without military value to the Federal Government. The report sug­ gests that the enlargement and im­ provement of the Erie Canal so as to provide for the movement of barges of about 1,500 tons burden would, at much smaller expenditure, insure all the sub­ stantial advantages to be derived from the construction of a ship canal. It is further insisted upon that vessels suit­ ed for lake transportation are not suit­ able for sea voyages, and that sea­ going vessels could not profitably com­ pete on the lakes for lake freightage. If this be true, one of the main reasons for building a ship canal is untenable. The success with which German man­ ufacturers and merchants have taken the trade away from their English com­ petitors is ascribed, in part at least, to the different methods of education in the two countries. The Evening Post recently pointed out, and backed up its assertions by quotations from that En-! glish authority, the Nineteenth Cen­ tury, the extent to which the children of England's middle classes, who ought to be the backbone of the future com­ mercial Interests of the country, In­ stead of being taught and trained in such a way as to fit them for commer­ cial pursuits are educated at the great schools just in the same way as If they were, later on, to step Into the shoes of wealthy parents. The most important thing in such schools is skill in athlet­ ics, and excellence at rowing, cricket or foot-ball is the chief ambition of the scholars. The result is that when the young man leaves the school he is not fitted for any kind of business. In Lon­ don offices and counting houses German clerks areegyjloyed, and have been for years, ln^jj^Hggence to English, with the resj&i^^Hn^Snglish young man withou^ljH^H^H^ducatlon goes to Jhe colonie«^i8KHBt," <jr emigrates to one of ouffaHRHHKnStates to make his IlvingiSsM^HHBy* ranch. Thus some of whtfiilMNHKH^best and most useful of h England, merely for lack" cation, while in Germany TlH^BVSen of a similar class are being tauU^uet the very things necessary to(imake them enterprising and successful fac­ tors in their country's progi prosperity. Even the milii which the German young mi pelled to undergo does not ui the steady routine of a buslnei If it be true that the educath glish young men has this advei is it not worth while to considei er similar results may not fol spread of college education In thj try? Athletics already form one; most Important "courses of stu< our colleges of to-day, while our teaching and list of subjects tainly not calculated to fit a youi for the conduct of affairs. It especially Important that partm large concerns should give this mi attention. Time was when the of the most important houses were en into the employ of the concern &i early age, receiving no more consld< tlon than other employes. To-day they are sent to college, and when they "go down-town" have all the halo of a col­ lege career around them, and from tl age and their experience, though latter is obtained in a world apart the business one, are placed on arate plane from others In th< Yet in their college career probably, learned nothing them as capable of takli iairs as young men, conjriHHBjSpbeir juniors, who have beeJH^BSNr con­ cern a year "I see PH skin coat.' "Yes, he's "How was "Got his th ter he took O' $50 a week."' GOSSIP FOR THE FAIR SEX. ITEMS OF INTEREST ON NUMEROUS FEMININE TOPICS. Dainty Candleshades--Used By the Best Tailors-'-Any Material Suitable for Ties- Newest Head Drespes--Etc., Etc. DAINTY CANDLESHADES. New and dainty candleshades are of White silk, embroidered with jgnall blossom^, roses, forget-me-nots, pan- Bies, buttercups and violets. The cen­ tre is encircled with a row of circular apertures through which peep out gem­ like studs or crystal or colored beads. The little, glittering windows are odd and very effective. USED BY THE BEST TAILORS. Bourette, camel's-hair fabrics and the slightly rough-surfaced materials to which so many popular grades of suiting belong are extensively used by the best tailors for handsome cos­ tumes. They are strictly tailor-made, and may have a jacket to matchor not, according to fancy. The woman of means frequently follows her tailor's advice, and has the jacket made like the dress. The woman who cannot have just what she wants is satisfied with one or two handsome wraps that she can wear with any of her dresses. --New York Ledger.- very different now from that of two years ago. ORIENTAL WOMEN WEAVERS ~ , The somewhat popular conception of the oriental woman is rather 'errone-| ous. It is that of on# Who is destined to a life of utter luxury. Yet the sim­ ple truth is that the large majority of women in the East work quite as hard for their daily bread as do their sisters' *pensive, almost as much so as if made ANY MATERIAL SUITABLE FOR TIES. ' There is hardly anything that may not be worn now for ties for women. There are black satin ties, one thick­ ness of the satin about four inches wide a"hd hemmed all around with a narrow hem; ties of the same style in plaids or almost any plain color, all to be worn passing either once or twice around the neck, and then tying with an ordinary bow and ends in front. There are the stocks of all kinds and descriptions, with the four-in-hand tie front or the immensely long and wide ties which receive the anathemas of the men as they are worn by women, with uncovered ends; there are ribbons of all descriptions--plaids, plain red, plain green, any color, passing twice around the collar and tied in a bow or like a four-in-hand; there are the mull lace ties of all descriptions, and there are the riding ties' of flannel. " These last are very pretty, and because they are called riding ties it does not follow that they may not be worn for any kind of street wear. The bright scarlet Is the most stylish, but the lighter col­ ors of those soft flannel shades of blue and pink are very becoming. Red takes the lead in all kinds of neckwear, and it is hard pressed by green.--New York Times. NEWEST HEAD DRESSES. Some of the newest .head-dresses- one cannot call them bonnets--are tiny enough to please the smallest man that ever sat behind a big hat. One of the absurd apologies for hats is a twist of white tulle, held in place by a twisted Btrand of pearls. This ajry crown rests In the hair, leaving the top of the wear­ er's head uncovered. In the front a pearl and gold butterfly is poised. Another "bonnet" has a crown-- three inches square--of white satin, covered with lace and gemmed with turquoises. The brim is formed by a stiffened frill of white lace, caught back directly in front by a jewel, and a soft, curling black tip. A wreath of cerise velvet and gold- spangled net has in front a knot of lace and an ornament, giving it the effect of one of the old-time turbans, minus the bulk of that curious headgear. But airiest and prettiest of all is a twisted strand of pearls encircling the top-knot, and in front an Alsatian bow of pearled tulle and white roses. THE "SMART" SILK UMBRELLA. The favorite handle for the smart silk umbrella is ten inches irt length, flat, and of pearl, encased in an open framework of chased silver. Other handles are of onyx, chrysodelite or tortoise shell, made in the form of croquet mallets and golf clubs. Beauti­ ful handles, which confie from China and Japan, are of ivory, handsomely carved, representing odd figures of Rlmona clad Oriental maidens, men in mushroom hats and boat-shaped shoes, or birds, fruits, fi^wers, etc. This ar­ tistic work, of course, brings a very high price. Some of the best French artists are devoting their time to painting China handles, which take a variety of forms, as well as the crooks and the balls. Turquoises, laminated with gold, and various kinds of enam­ els have also been pressed into the service, and wood, elaborately carved into the semblance of birds, beasts and fishes, makes striking tops for the modern "para-plui." Gun metal, with the monogram in pearls or gold is ex­ tremely- stylish and effective, and this dull, dark metal, when studded with bright jewels, is also very smart. in the West--aye, even harder, for, as a rule, married women in the West are supported' by their husbands, whereas ii^tjje East, married women are, as a ruf§?ftconstrained to support not only themselves, but alsoi their husbands and children. This statement applies especially to the thousands of women in Turkey, Persia and other countries of the ori­ ent who make a living as weavers. The whole civilized world appreciates their handiwork, for none can match them in making tapestries, carpets and other gorgeous products of the loom. This is the age of machinery, but no machine has yet been invented which can- do the marvelous work of these oriental weavers. Yet many of these women work for pitiful wages. After cleaning and preparing the wool and shaping it into a lovely piece of tapestry, all they receive is the equivalent of from two shillings to four shillings a week. The woman who can earn seven francs is considered a Croesus, and her husband esteems her so much- that he never dreams of beating her. The money is. always paid to the husband, and he in­ variably appropriates it. They are very womanly, those weav­ ers. Of gossip they are fond, and while they are at work their tongues are constantly going. Perhaps this is one reason why they have so obstinately refused to herd together in factories, where the constant whirr of machinery, not to speak of the surveillance of a foreman, would very probably compel them to keep silent. In order to fash­ ion a first-class carpet or piece of tap­ estry, the weaver must not only have a memory which 'will prevent her from making the slightest mistake while copying the design, but she must also possess a lively imagination and a thoroughly developed artistic sense. For the first-class weaver does not copy, she creates. She invents her own designs, she combines the various tones, she chooses the dyes and the shades, and, finally, she obtains those effects which seem so charming to us of the West, and with good reason.-- London Mail. quite cl6ssly; the sleeves are In cape shape, and are simply masses of rich garniture. Next to a complete fur wrap, which is, of course, the desire of almost ev­ ery woman, the combination garment of velour and fur is most liked. Some­ times there are in addition to the col­ lar and neck portion full length fronts of fur. This sort of wrap is very ex- FRENCH BICYCLE COSTUME. frost is a new seal- luck. the day af- nt policy for ader. dew before it The feminine bicycle suit in France ,8 beconie almost uniform. One sees few culottes now, either in Paris or the country, that, forgetting how itnmon they once were in France, one rds them as something strange and rre. The various patterns of the Irely divided skirt have also been ded in favor of the close, habit- -Skirt, divided only behind, with 3fie division concealed under heavy plaits. This is the model accepted now by the best tailors. »It does not permit >ne to ride a machine with a cross-bar, the division being designed simply to ilp one in mounting and to enable folds of the skirt to drop into $ with no assistance. The short lero does not appear now on many imart habits, for even the Frenchwo­ man has concluded that a tight-waist effect is not desirable while wheeling; neither does one see much of thqse straight, loose.jackets, which, in some few instances, appeared so smart, but in most eases suggested a form of Iressing-sack dear to old and figuz-eless German women; the blazer-jacket, with small revers and rolling collar, is preferred. This may be worn open or closed, with button-holes made on a flap, a better method--if one wishes to wear the jacket open--than having the button-holes made through the cloth. Boots with gaiter-tops are worn, and with a'sailor or Alpine hat the French tame who bicycles presents a figure SHE DISLIKES MEN AND DOGS. A woman who loathes the sight of men and dogs, and hates them both cordially, is Miss Augusta Main, a spin­ ster farmer near Berlin, N. Y. As she told a Justice, who held her to the Grand Jury in $1,000 bail for commit­ ting an assault on a male neighbor with intent to kill, she never sees men or dogs but what she aches to kill them. When she discovers a man on her premises, she drops all work and makes thefoi skedaddle. If, when or­ dered away, the man or men do not hurry, she pushes them along with a pitchfork or any other implement that happens to be handy. As a conse­ quence, the xaen folks give her plenty of room, and those who are acquainted with her gentle manners will almost go out of her way rather than cross her land. Myron Beebe is the neighbor whom she attempted to slay, and who swore out the warrant for her arrest. For a long time lie has dared to cross her premises to get water from a well. It saved him a long walk, and he took the chances. A few days ago, while Beebe was making the usual short cut to the well, Miss Main came out of her house with a big revolver, and without any parleying opened fire on the man. He ran for dear life, while the bullets whistled about his ears. When he got home he found that out of the six shots fired two had perforated the overalls which he wore, while another had torn the rim of his hat. The other three bullets came within such close proxim­ ity that their whistle still rings in his ears. Miss Main has, since she took the farm, performed all the work on the place without any male assistance, and does it well. She goes to market with a load of vegetables every week, and sells them herself. Every day she cleans out the stables, feeds the live stock and rubs down the horses. Only in harvest time does she seek outside help, and then she hires strapping young women. All the tramps who come in the county know of her and grv| her a wide berth.--Chicago Chron­ icle. entirely of fur, but it is so handsome and stylish that many ladies like it nearly or quite as well as the all-fur garment. It takes rather a strong head to carry some of the extreme novelties in large hats. One of the newest models sug­ gests a small cart wheel, so wide is its periphery. Among the trimmings are very long ostrich plumes. These are supported so as to stand up to what is certainly an absurd height. In most cases hats of this class have the under side of the brim covered with velvet flowers, roses being the sort usually preferred. The dolman has come back into fashion's list of approved garments. It is made on lines very similar to the old-time model, and is as stylish as it is uncomfortable. The done-up and tied-do.wn feeling that accompanies the wearing of one of these garments is a most serious objection to its adop­ tion, The jacket and the cape are ev­ ery way more: comfortable, and for young ladies much more stylish. Tho dolman is more appropriate for quite elderly persons. Petunia cloth is popular trimmed with chinchilla. One gown of this col­ or had the skirt trimmed with three bands of chinchilla. The blouse, coat was pouched back and front, and drawn in at the waist by a flexible sil­ ver belt. The wide sailor collar and turnback cuffs were edged with chin­ chilla, while a little vest of ruched white chiffon and lace wjth a jabot fastened with paste pine completed it. The hat was of petunia cloth and vel­ vet trimmed with gray plumes and q silver clasp. SKATING CARNIVAL FASHION NOTES. The cape is a popular shape for wraps, and some of the handsomest garments of the season still cling to this model. A charming poke bonnet is very smart, iifcd the lines are excellent. It is of medium size with wide brim of black velvet put on absolutely smooth. The crown is small, round and high, and the trimming consists of ostrich tips. There are ribbon strings, which are tied under the chin. A hat which is pretty but rather startling to conservative eyes is of pale blue straw, trimmed with blue ribbon, edged with black. It is held on the left side with a bunch of cherries, and on the right side is a vividly blue king­ fisher holding a bunch of cherries in his bill. This hat made its appearance on a London stage. The young woman who is devoted to the wheel is given to the wearing of a jacket blouse of corduroy, which is at once becoming, comfortable and appro­ priate. When she has secured these three characteristics in a garment she congratulates herself, and takes great pleasure in wearing what comes very near to being an ideal garment. In the array Of handsome silks lately received are delicate gray corded silks, with dainty figures of roses and violets woven on their glossy grounds; white watered silks brocaded "with shaded carnations in delicate tones, and French silks in vivid colorings,-whose designs are toned by a wonderful film­ like overweaving, which gives them a chine effect. An exceedingly elegant and stylish visiting costume has a skirt of cross- barred velvet, the bars in light shades on dark ground. A wrap of velvet the color of the dark shade of the dress is almost covered with rich applique. It is made with a high flaring collar with an inner collar that fits the throat 'v K %:} How Hollanders Enjoy This Exhilarating Winter Pastime. In Holland a winter seldom passes without good skating, which being not only a pastime with the Dutch, but a serious and ordinary mode of travel, the ice on the canals and "grachts" is kept in good condition, and it is com­ mon to see a small army of sweeping peasants putting the ice in order for the day. There is a skating club in ev- lery town in Holland, and all these clubs belong to the Dutch Skating As­ sociation. The largest clubs are prob­ ably the Amsterdam and Rotterdam Ice Clubs, and in the season many ex­ cursions are made by these associations to the surrounding towns--for example, from Amsterdam to Leyden via Yogei- enzang and Haarlem; from Amsterdam to Monnikendam, Edam, Hoorn, Enk- huyzen, Alkmaar, and even across the Zuyder Zee, when it will bear, to Marken, and even Urk. The way the whole country is moated by canals, with huge windmills overlooking the ice like leviathan implements of ord nance, is calculated to appeal to the lover of the picturesque. Then there are the graceful light sleighs, propelled by skilful skaters, and containing red- cheeked, bright-eyed peasant girls in immense lace caps and dangling temple ornaments, flying over the ice at great speed. On the Maas, a few miles east of Rotterdam, lies a famous skating re­ sort known as Slikkerveer, and brought into notoriety in recent years by the international skating contests which are held there. Any one fond of that most exhilarating form of exercise can hardly find a more interesting experi­ ence than is to be had during a winter trip to Holland. In the season the boat leaves the Rhine Station Pier for a sail up the Maas. The steamer ploughs her way through the floating ice, and at length leaves you at a high pier on a huge dike which separates the river from the low-lying country. A short walk brings you to a large enclosed ex- pause of ice, obtained by artificially flooding a large area. Here a huge horseshoe course is marked out for the racers. And on either side of this stretches the free portion, for the on­ lookers, and those who wish to prac­ tise the exhilarating art. Fashion is beginning to drive out the picturesque costumes of the peasants, who are be­ coming ashamed of their distinctive dress. So year by year there is to be seen less and less of the lovely, quaint, and sometimes bizarre head-dresses, and the queer coats and breeches of the men and boys. There is little fancy skating to be seen. The great length of the runners of the Dutch skates, and the way in which they turn back in huge curves over the toe, are effectual checks upon all figure-skating involving sudden or short turns. An attempt to do the out­ side edge backwards would Invite dis aster.--Harper's Weekly. An Eel Skin Factory. One of the strangest factories that ever existed, and what is more, pays handsomely for its existence, is sit­ uated in a quiet street in the neighbor­ hood of London bridge. Here are pre pared and manufactured various arti­ cles from the skin of the commonplace eel. The skins are manipulated by num­ erous complicated processes until they resemble and would easily be taken for leather, although of a more gelatinous and pliable nature. This strange com­ modity is cut into long thin strips and plaited very closely together for whip lashes, and to cover portions of the handles of more expensive whips. Cer­ tain kinds of lashes and harness laces are also made of eel skin. This leather is almost indispensable in articles of this description, where flexibility allied with an uncommon toughness is desired. Wolves in France. In 1896 premiums were paid on only J71 wolves killed in France, as the number has been steadily decreasing. In 1890 the number was 461, ih 1886 it was 900 and in 1883, the first year in which premiums were offered, 1,396 were found in six, departments. The great Mormon Temple at Salt Lake City cost $3,000,000. The corner stone was laid for Brigham Young April 6, 1852, and the temple was com­ pleted and dedicated April C, 1893, WATER MASSAGE. THE LATEST INVENTION FOR THE REi LIEF OF SUFFERINC HUMANITY. A Tank That Does the Work of Half a Doz- , en Strong Men-Water Jets That Smooth Away Aches and Leave One Contented With Life. Water massage is the, very latest in­ vention for relieving pain. Experts say it is away ahead of massage by hands, because it is possible to get re­ sults from a single tank of water that could not be obtained were half a dozen strong men to labor With all their skill. Hospitals are using the system, and gymnasiums and Turkish baths are soon to take it up. The tank isn't much to look at--from the outside. It looks not unlike the thousands of sections of pipe you see scattered over Fifth avenue as far as the eye can reach. The Fifth avenue pipes are larger and more unsightly, but if their size were reduced, and they were placed on end they would show a semblance to the hydraulic tank. A force pump is operated by a steam engine in the cellar." It is this steam power which stands in the way of the introduction of the system at present into private homes, On the wall are the appliances for filling and emptying the tank.' This work, by the way, can be done at a minute's notice. There is one lever which turns on the hot water and another which controls the supply of cold water, and the revolving water in the tank can thus be fixed at any desired temperature. Before the water is turned on you may look into the tub, and see the lit­ tle holes or perforations in the sides. These are not great in diameter, but they form a powerful combination when they get down to business. Now the Vater is turned on. It is regulated at a temperature of 105 degrees. You may put in your hand and feel that it is warm and pleasant. Up comes the water to the top of the tub, and you thinu that it is about to flow over the sides and onto the floor. But it isn't. It stops where it is. Again you* put in your hand. You have bared your arm to the shoulder. You let your arm sink into the warm water, and with your free hand you hold in place the cloth which is to prevent the water from splashing when the jets begin to give you action. You dp not feel anything. No? And then you glance at the wall and the indicator on it. The hand is quiet and pointing to zero. Softly, however, it creeps up to the point indicating a five- pound pressure. Simultaneously you note that there is a gentle disturbance in the tank. Something has taken hold of your hand, and is stroking it ten­ derly and gratefully. It is not on one side of your hand and arm. It is on every side and at the same time. It is as if a thousand cats were purring con­ tentedly and licking your arm with their velvety tongues. The feeling of contentment increases. You see by the dial that tne pressure has risen to ten pounds. _ No woman of high degree ever applied the rabbit's foot to her delicate cheek with more deft gentleness than these little water fairies are exhibiting in their noiseless massage. The warm water in the tank is receding constantly, and there never any overflow. On its backward journey it passes the arm and rubs gently against the flesh, creating a cur rent which strikes directly across the path of the jets and slightly deflects them. The needle on the indicator points to fifteen and then to twenty, and you may send it up as high as you wish within the limit of fifty pounds. There is no danger that the powerful jets will become unmanageable. They are un der perfect control. The warm stand ing water through the volume of which they are compelled to force their way before they reach your arm is the pro tecting influence which prevents the jets from doing you the injury which they would surely do you if there was no water blanket intervening. If they were left alone they would attack your hand with a ferocity that would speed ily result in a choice collection of bruises, abrasions and possibly breaks Surgeons are using the hydraulic massage for the benefit of patients who are troubled with rheumatism, for rheumatism, fractures and broken bones.--New York Herald. ABOUT CAMPHOR. Mapping the Skies. Astronomers everywhere are inter­ ested in the prospective publication of the great map of the stars, now Well under way--that is, a photographic chart of the whole heavens has now for some time been in process of con­ struction by an association of observa­ tories in some of the leading coun­ tries of the world. In this important work the plan pursued is that of map­ ping the skies in sections, one section being assigned to each observatory; 8,000 photographs will be taken at each of the observatories, or a total of 54,000, and for each hemisphere there will be 11,000 small maps, or 22,000 for the entire universe. The vast map composed of these small ones will show some 30,000,000 of stars, of which 2,000,000 will be catalogued and num­ bered, by which means any star down to the eleventh magnitude may be lo­ cated at a glance. One object of this immense and splendid enterprise is to show just what aspect is presented in the heavens now, so that any changes in the future may be ^.detected and measured--a method by which, it is expected, valuable data will be ob­ tained. i How the Odoriferous Drug is Obtained From the Trees. Notwithstanding the comparatively narrow limits of its natural emviron-* ment, the camphor tree grows well in cultivation under widely different con­ ditions. It has become abundantly naturalized-in Madagascar. It flour­ ishes at Buenos Aires. It thrives in Egypt, in the Canary Islands, in south­ eastern France and in the San Joaquin Valley in California, where the sum­ mers are hot and dry. Large trees, at least 200 years old, are growing in the temple courts at Tokio, Wi-ere they are subject to a winter of seventy to eighty nights of frost, with an occasional min­ imum temperature as low as 12 degrees to 16 degrees F. The conditions for re­ ally successful cultivation appear to be a minimum winter temperature not be­ low 20 degrees F, fifty inches or more of rain during, the warm growing sea­ son, and abundance of plant food, rich in nitrogen. In the native forests in Formosa, FUkien and Japan camphor is distilled almost exclusively from the wood of the trunks, roots and larger branches. The work is performed by hand labor, and the methods employed seem rather crude. The camphor trees are feiled, and the trunks, larger limb's and sometimes the roots are cut into chips, which are placed in a wooden tub about forty inches high and twenty inches in diameter at the base, taper­ ing toward the top like an old-fash­ ioned churn. The tub has a tight-fit­ ting cover, which may be removed to put in the chips. A bam'ooo tube ex­ tends from near the top of the tub into the condenser. This consists of two wooden tubs of different sizes, the larger one right side up kept about two-thirds full of water from a con­ tinuous stream which runs out of a hole in one side. The smaller one is inverted with its edges below the wa­ ter, forming an air-tight chamber. This air chamber is kept cool by the water falling on the top and running down over the sides. The upper part of the air chamber is sometimes filled with clean rice straw, on which the camphor crystallizes, while the oil drips down and collects on the surface of the water. In some cases the cam­ phor and oil are allowed to collect to­ gether on the surface of the wa­ ter, and are afterwards separated by filtration through rice straw or by pressure. About twelve hours are required for distilling a tubful by this method. Then the chips are re­ moved and dried for use in the furnace, and a new charge is put in." At tHe same time the camphor and oil are a- moved from the condenser. By ttSl method twenty to forty pounds of chile are required for one pound of crude camphor. Cats Have Lost a Friend. Joseph A. Dunn, who has just died at Glen Spey, Sullivan County, leaving an estate valued at $S0,000, was known far and wide as the friend of cats, and spent much money in caring for home­ less felines. Dunn would not partake of meat himself, but purchased large quantities of it to feed the cats which he found about the country. He also purchased many dozens of eggs, which he supplied the hungry animals. A short time before he died Dunn de­ clared that he had never knowingly put to death an animal.--New York Herald. t Joseph P. Elliott, of Evansvili.e, Ind., who is 83 years of age, has just been admitted to the bar. He has been for several years a Justice of the Peace, but never studied law until he was elected to that office. Navy to Have a Sailing Ship. Probably for the first time in a roll half century the navy department has opened proposals for building a full- rigged ship, without steam power. Tils craft is wanted for the instruction Ifcf the cadets at Annapolis in seamansl^i and navigation according to the old fashion. According to the depart­ ment's plan she is to be of 1,175 tons displacement and her measurements are: Length, 175 feet; beam, 27 feet; draft, 17.6. She will spread 20,000 square feet of canvas and her hull will be of yellow pine sheathing over steel frames, all coppered. The depart­ ment submitted an estimate of $250,- 000 for this ship, but Congress cut the figure in half, so it was no matter of surprise that none of the bidders of­ fered to build the ship complete within the small limit set by Congress, but submitted plans that would require a large amount of supplementary work to complete the vessel after it Is turned over to the government. How She Took Down the Line. A Philadelphia lady tells this story to the Record of that city: '*We had at one time in our employ a very green young woman, whose nationality is ty­ pified by an emblem of the same ver­ dant color. This young woman, like the one your storv speaks of, also came to us through an intelligence (?] office. She showed her intelligence on the first day of her service in our family. She was told to go out in the yard and take down the clothes line, which was stretched among half, a dozen posts set up for that purpose. She was at the job for so long a time that we began to wonder what on earth was the matter with her. We went out to see what she was doing, and there we found her working awaj vigorously with a spade. She had al ready dug up three of the posts, anc had almost completed the work on fourth when we found her. She didn'J stay with us long." Mute's Recovery of Speech, A mute who is able to speak ha; shown himself at Cremeaux, in the ar rondissement of Roane, on the Loire; to the astonishment of his neigh­ bors. He is twenty-five years of age, and, owing to an illness, has been since his second year^Jg(ff*recover his speech by accent a few weeks ago. The young'inan, whose name is Gaudard. was trying in vain to mako his sister understand that he wanted a smoke, and suddenly exclaimed, "ta- bac!" Since then he has spoken regu­ larly. Gaudard, it seems, was only a mute, not a deaf-mute, and had been at school, though he could not respond to any questions put to him. His mutism was probably the result of partial paralysis, which disappeared with age.--Liverpool Mercury. '•m : f'M' This Cat Wears Diamonds. Mrs. Anit Comfort, of St. Louis, the proud ̂ possessor of a big black which she has decorated in a nov< manner. Some months ago Mrs. Coi fort was in San Francisco and th saw a cat with ears pierced to whi< little tassels were tied.**- When M: Comfort returned hpme she had ears of her pet pierced, but instead tassels she placed diamond screw e rings in its ears. They sparkle beai fully against the black fur. A geographically well-posted trian succeeded the other day in ting foot in the course" of five hours forty minutes in seven German Si -It .takes 2,000 of the Korean known as "cash", to equal $1. ers need an extra bullock their funds. • " ' ~*'y'i-..'-'̂ liMHHai