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tfUfiwg fttaindealct J. VAN SLYKE. Editor and Publisher. McHENRY, ILLINOIS. JUSTICE always falls on somebody in China. A barber in Hankow threatened his assistant with prosecution on the charge of stealing 27 cents, whereupon the accused man took opium. An offi­ cial investigation vras ordered, bnt the barber bought up the mandarin, who acquitted him, but, as it was necessary to make an example of somebody, or­ dered the policeman in whose beat the barber lived to be fined and severely "Whipped. FOR cold cheek the French woman Fuphrasie Mercier, who is under arrest accused of murdering Mile. Menetret, a young lady pensioner, at her house in. Yilleneuve, takes the prize. While the officers were unearthing the evi­ dences of her crime in the grounds, she calmly plucked pears in their sight, and when a witness rang the door-bell without being admitted, she -called pettishly to a detective: "Some­ body has rung twice; why don't you let her in? Suppose it was Mile. Mene- teetl" ; " "* THE youngest newspaper owner in the United States is, we believe, Mr. McCune, of Buffalo. His initials are not given, because he has not yet in­ dulged in the luxury of initials, but his name is McCune and^ he owns the Courier. The late Charles V. McCune, proprietor of the Courier, died last March, leaving an estate of $700,000, 'which would have been distributed -among a lot of heirs had not McCune, Jr., appeared upon the scene a day or two ago. The infant journalist lias paid little attention to Iris newspaper as yet, and has not declared his poli­ tics. To DETER boys from climbing- the telephone poles at Fpnd du Lac, Wis., the j^an of attaching wire to the spikes and connecting them with a battery was connected, and it worked to perfec­ tion. The first day no less than 200 boys attempted to climb the poles, but immediately received such a shock that they retreated in dismay. Later, how- •ever, a farmer drove up to the pole and hitched his horses. One of the animals unsuspectingly caught hold of the spike, and immediatels there was a start and a jump, and the hitching strap snapped and away went the team. The farmer suffered the fracture of three ribs in attempting to stop the runaways, one or more women were run over and the wagon smashed to atoms. GEN. BEALE. who was Gen. Grant's most intimate personal friend at Wash­ ington, has determined to break up liis horse-breeding establishment a few miles distant in Maryland. It was there that Gen. Grant kept the Arabian horses given him in Turkey, one of which has since died, while Buck Grant has the other. G„en. Beale had a dozen of his horses brought in a few days since and offered for sale under the auctioneer's hammer. They did not bring anything like the prices that he had expected, and the sale- 'was stopped after a number had been sold at an average price of $150. Horse- med say neither Beale nor Grant ever raised a decent colt, although they . used to talk horses scientifically. A NEW phase of boycotting has come into fashion in Ireland. At a recent public demonstration held at Portlaw, county Waterford, where a certain Michael Hickey was denouced for evict­ ing a working man, a Miss Margaret Sheehan came forward and, the papers say, in a few eloquent words proposed this resolution: "That we, the young girls of Tipperary and Kilkenny, re­ solve and promise this day, before this vast multitude, to treat with scorn and contempt any matrimonial proposals from Micheal Hickey, as a punishment for his high-toned hostility to the poor laborer Burke, and his young and helpless family of seven." The resolu­ tion found a seconder in the perspn. of Miss Sullivan, and it was carried with acclamation. THE Washington Star relates the following: "Secretary and Miss Bayard took a horseback ride to Cabin John Bridge Sunday afternoon. Miss Bay­ ard, who is a daring horsewoman, turned her horse down the steep bank, neai^ the hotel, toward the bed of the stream. Presumably the horse stumbled and unseated his rider, for in •a few moments he appeared coming up the hill with Miss Bayard, head down­ ward, clinging to one side of the bridle. Her riding habit had caught on the pommel of the saddle, but her presence of mind in clinging to the bridle kept her head clear of the gronnd. Her father and several other persons caught the horse and rescue^ her from her dangerous position. Miss Bayard's coolness surprised all those present." THERE were a great many people at the President's last reception, and a correspondent says: "Among others were a young man and his wife carry­ ing their small baby boy, who several times before the President made his ap­ pearance, tried , the acoustics of the , east room. When the line of visitors was formed, the young mother removed the Vaby's cap, clucked to him to look up and be brave, and held him up close to the President to see. 'We -have just to-day named him,' said the father to the President, 'and we have named him for you.' 'Well,* replied the President, kindly, chucking the youngster under the chin, 'I'm very much obliged for the compliment.' The mother expectcd the chap to be kissed, and was plainly disappointed at the failure." This comes of electing a crusty old bachelor. THE wave of popular reform has reached the colleges. At Harvard, after considerable discussion, a joint committee of faculty members and Student members has drawn a scheme. which has been adopted, providing that a committee of conference shall be es­ tablished with members taken partly from the college faculty, and partly from the students, to act during the n^xt academic year. The faculty committee will be uppointed by the President and the stndents' members of the committee are to be elected by ballot, live being seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen. The purpose of this committee is to serve as a means of Communication between the faculty and the students. The plan has been tried at Aihherst and Bowdoin with ^good re­ sults, and it is expected that it will also work well at Harvard and preserve something like harmony between the governors and the governed. AN incident, peculiarly American in its features, happened at Chicago a few nights ago. An electric-light wire had become detached and swung around until it sent a powerful current through an iron railing on the sidewalk. A col­ ored man leaned up against it with his hands, and of course stuck--he could­ n't let go. His contortions and yells for relief soon drew a crowd, and, others touching the railing, it gave the appearanoe of an enormous 'string of suckers, squirming and wriggling^ When the "string" was full, some one thought of the cause, broke the con­ nection, and released the screaming victims--all badly shocked, but none seriously injured. The account says they went their several ways, laughing heartily at the mishap. Yet, to many people, the narrow^ escape to instant death would have robbed the incident of the elements of ludicrousness. In no other country but America would it have been regarded as funny. A WASHINGTON letter to the Buffalo Courier says: "The cable tells us another^pWtty romance about Mrs. Mackay's lavish expenditure in Europe --a dinner from, which the guests were served from solid gold plates, and that sort of thing. I am told by a chum of Mackay" that these stories are chiefly fabulous, as are the reports about Honest John's enormous wealth. Mackay was never so rich as the New York millionaires. He was never worth more than $12,000,000 to $15,- 000,000. Much of this. sum does not bring a dollar of income. He gives away a great deal of money; invests in great enterprises, like Bennett's cable, that yield no return, and some of which absorbs the principle invested in them. Mrs. Mackay does not spent half a mil­ lion a year in entertainments, as cur­ rent newspaper paragraphs have it, but only $50,000. That is a very pretty suip, but it pays for all her household expenses -- balls, dinners, and all." BEAU ADMIRAL LUCE, of the United States Navv, and Gen. de Trobraid, of the arm, lunched, recently, at a New York restaurant. The check was $3.35. A $5 bill was handed the waiter, and presently he returned w ith a check ancL change on a plate. A $1 not'e a dime, and 5 cents lay atop of the slip of pa­ per, under which was concealed a half- dollar. The General took up the note, left the 15 cents as a tip, and got up to depart with his friend. "Stop!" thun­ dered the Admiral to the waiter. "Set down that plate." "Yes, saire," re­ sponded the Frenchman. "Now, Gen­ eral, look at this and learn a lesson," the Admiral continued. "The change out of the $5 ought to have amounted to $1.65. You got only $1 and gave 15 cents to this rascal. You never thought of the missing half-dollar. Where do you suppose it is ? I will show you," and he drew the check off the plate, disclosing the coin snugly lying under­ neath. "Our grimacing thief here would have had it safe in his pocket by this time if left to complete the opera­ tion. If yoa had stopped to count your change and discovered that it was short, he would have picked up the plate, deftly drawn aside the check, and shown you that the right amount was there." TRICKS IN PLAYING-CARDS. Reporter Flower-Language in Japan. In houses wherein reside one or more daughters of a marriageable age, an empty flower-pot of an ornamental character is encircled by a ring and suspended from the window or viranda l?y three light chains. Now, the Juliets of Japan are, of course, attractive, and their llomeos as anxious as those of other lands. But instead of serenades by moonlight and other del cate ways of making an impression, it is etequette for the Japanese lover, to approach the dwelling of his lady, bearing some choice plant in his hand, which he pro­ ceeds to plant in the empty vase. This takes place at a time when he is fully assured that both mother and daughter are at home, and I need scarcely say that neither of them is at all conscious that the young man is taking such a liberty with the flower-pot outside their window. It is believed that a young lover so engaged has never been se *n by his lady or by her mamma in this act of sacrilege; at any rate, my friend tells me that during his long residence in J„apan he never heard of any one be­ ing detected in the way or interfered with in any way. The fact is, this act of placing a pretty plant into the empty flower-pot is equivalent to a formal pro­ posal to a young lady who dwells with­ in, and this Eastern fashion is, as I think, a most delicate and harmless way of proposing to a lady. The youthful gardener, having settled his plant to his mind, retires, and the lady is free to act as she pleases. If he is the right man she takes every care of his gift, waters it, tends it carefully with her own hands, that all the world may see, in ajword, that the ddnor is accepted as a suitor. But if he is not a favorite, or if stern parents object, the poor plant is torn from the vase and the next morning lies limp and with­ ered on the veranda or on the path be­ low.-- Gardener's.Mont lily. An Arabian Direction. The following is a specimen of. the way in which letters are addressed in Arabia: "In the name of the merci­ ful God, the b.neticient. This writing is from one who serves the Lord, from X, to the son of X,; and if God wills it will get into the hands of our friend Sidi Musa, the son of Hamdulla, the Prussian, thfe Christian, in the city of Tharabolus, Tripoli, the illustrious, the famous, ~ X Man Who Sell* Them Into Hid Secrets. "Do you want to buy a deck of trans­ parent playing-cards?" said a man on Broadway to a reporter. The card- seller was a short, heavy-set man with a black mustache. He was well dressed, and strolling along as if he were a gentleman of leisure. . "Let me see them." "I will. Come with me. Remem­ ber, mum's the word." He turned into Twenty-fifth street, ^ and from the light reflected from a drug 1 24»>,000. store window exhibited a pack of trans­ parent cards. "What is you price?" "I ask only $2 for this pack. I lave them as high as $5." "Do you sell many packs?" • "Some days I have to be very careful. I am always afraid some one will squeal on me. 1" can read human nature pretty well. The minute I saw you 1 felt that you would not squeal on me." "Suppose Anthony Comstock Should find you out." "Oh, I know him by sight. I went to school with his boys. He wants bigger game than me. He is too high up to notice my little racket ?" "Have you any marked playing- card?" "Get out, you don't mean it? Well, 1 can get them for you from $1.50 to $10 a pack. But it is queer and tick­ lish work. You can't play poker--you don't want them ?"„ "I invented the jact-pot poker and taught ex-Minister Schenck how cto play. I want more pointers." was the Munchausen answer. "Well, there are thirty-five different marked-back cards manufactured. I know how to read with ease twenty-six of them. The marlcs are on the right hand corner and are read by the eye, and not by the feeling, as greenhorns suppose. If the cards have flowers pictured on their backs, then the marks are flowers. They are so cunningly placed that an old professional, unless he knows that style of cards is marked, will never suspect anything. Of course, these cards are not manufac­ tured by legitimate houses. Certain crooked concerns turn tiiem out; This city is the only place where they are manufactured extensively. A cliqu" ot gamblers frequently get a monopoly on certain brands of marked cards and make a small fortune by selling them to saloonkeepers m the small towns. It takes a man witn a good memory, though, to be able to tell at a lightning glance what a card is by its back. These gambling places up-town never use them. They ure afraid to--it ruins customers. If a man is cheated once at a'place he drops on the house and not only stops away himself, but blows it to a great many. We work the marked-card racket down-town iu cer­ tain 'skin' saloons. Those who lose as a rule are professional men, who dou't know until too late that thev are play­ ing in a 'skin' establishment. Hungry Joe's fate hasn't checked the swindling games .going on in the qity." "What other methods are adopted to cheat at card-playing V" "The great 'skin' poker game now is playing with a 'sliding' deck of cards. We also call that kind of a deck 'strip­ pers.' It is simply done by cutting the dock Arkansas fashion, that is, a quick shuttle. The saloonkeeper has a 'slid­ ing' deck which he hands out to us. After a deal or two I wait until mv op­ ponent is dealing. When I cut I shuttle the deck. The 'sliding' cards are somewhat wider, and when I shuffle I pull them out and put them on top. I know that I have put a good hand on top which will come to me in the deal. My opponent gets a good hand, too, and the game is to break him the first bet. I remember not long ago that I played the game called twenty-one. I knew the cards by their backs. I had a pair of tens. My opponent had twenty, also. I saw an ace on top, and on the strength of it won $150 on that hand by drawing it. The city is filled with crooks. One crook don't mind cheating another. It's business. When I get busted I take a few packs of trans­ parent cards and sell them on the streets. I haven't been arrested for it yet. I hope you won't squeal on me." --New York Mail and Express. Stock-Brokers and Tlteir Pay. Generally speaking, brokers are of three classes. The first does a regular commission business; never speculates^ "except on occasions, and succeeds best. The second are the scalpers, who buy and sell in the hope of mak­ ing one-eiglitb, or one-quarter of one per cent, proiit. These are the physi­ ognomists of the institution. Beading the laces of associates who have large orders, they buy with tlie intention of selling to them at a rise. The scalpers are busiest when there are more brok­ ers than business. Too smart to live, they usually die of pecuniary atrophy. The guerrillas are a sub-class of the scalpers, few in number, and by mak­ ing specialty of dealing in inactive stocks have formerly fixed the unsavory at pellations of "Hell's Kitchen," and "Bobbers' Boost" upon certain locali­ ties of the floor, The third class is composed of traders in particular stocks, by whose rise and fall they strive to enrich themselves, in some in­ stances closing contracts every day. One trader in Northwest for sixteen years is said to have accumulated a handsome fortune. The ideal broker is cool, imperturable, unreadable, knowing or accurately guessing the movements of the great operators, able to buy the most stock with thjp least fluctuation, covering his tracks in the execution of a large order by pur­ chasing in small quantities, and by shrewd selling at the same time. Washington E. Connor, partner and broker of Jay Gould, does presumably the largest brokerage business in the Exchange. The compensation paid to comm;s- sion brokers, ought to be satisfactory. It is one-eighth of one per cent upon the purchase and upon the' sale of all securities other than government- bonds, estimated at par value, when I Sk W | Range, and sale forthwith by the Com­ mittee on Admissions of the mepiler- j ship of the offender. The ^commission I broker who carries stock foJf his cus- : tomer ai d furnishes most of the money, occasionally charges of 1 per ceui|; , or $25 per 100 shares. Ton bonds. at| par, of ?1000 ench, aw reckoned eqniv-> : slent to 100 shares, and are subject to tho ^anie commissions. What compensation will these rates afford to brokers? For the year end­ ing December 31, 1881. the transac­ tions of the Stock Exchange are com­ puted to have amounted to $12,Slti,« Checks for this enormous WAR IN THE EAST. Europe Aroused by tho Alined in tlse _ ^ . '• foeninsttla. fef Tho £r*ire Servian Army, Three Divisions, in t»ui^a- K • rlan Territory. ' * in amount were drawn ana paid. The commission theroon at i of 1 per cent, would be $o2,040,(>l(J; which, divided equally among 1,100 brokers, would give to 4each the snug little sum of *2H,127. This, as related to the cost oi his seat, is almost, or quite, equalv to the Israelite's "shent per shent." Not all th<> broker's receive this remu­ neration ; some receive five or s'x times as much. Profit is proportioned- to size of sales and purchases. It is im­ possible, without possession of an ab­ stract of each broker's business, to ac­ curately estimate the amount of ficti- j tious sales, or sales on "margins," as j compared with snles to bona tide in- i vestors. It cannot, we judge, be less, j and is probably much more, than one- ! half of the whole.--if. Wheatley, in Harper'# Magazine. The Passing of tlie Hetcl Clerk. The hotel clerk lias disappeared, or is disappearing. The faithful chroni­ cler must note this significant change in American life, for it means the pass­ ing away of a whole order of things. And he notes it with a certain sadness. For though this clerk was feared by the general public, he was tho admira­ tion.of the humorist There was never anything in the world before answer­ ing to this resplendent autocrat of sleeping accommodations, this darling of the flashing pin, perfumed locks, impudent eye, and lofty condescension. He was the one being in existence be­ fore whom tjie free-born American quailed. We have so little real aris­ tocracy in this country that this domi­ nating person stood out in relief; he had .power to abase the proud, and to make the humble crawl into a hole. But his hour has struck and he is passing away, not pone absolutely, for the trav­ eller can still find him here and there, generally only in tl ose gorgeous pal­ aces where civilization ^s new aud has the appearance of a laquer, and is not of the substance of the life. * * * In fact, the kind of civilization that produced the hotel clerk is gone, or is going also. He belonged to an era of smartiness and pretention which the foreign traveler did not recognize as a growing development of character, but mistook for vulgarity. He belonged to what might be called the steamboat -PlHJc'ainotions Issued fcy the Tne Rulers to Their Arnihv-. and . People. Servlj*. Dispatches from Belgrade sta-te that th* •Servian army has crossed the Bulgarian frontier iu three divisions at Tsaribrod, Klissura, and Bregova. They met with no resistance in crossing. Sharp fighting oc­ curred at Trn on the Vlafcina road; and at Kustendil. Many were killed and wounded on both sides. The Bulgarians retreated at all points. Tho whole Servian army is in Bulgarian territory. King. Milan informed the powers that Servia has declared war against Bulgaria because Bulgaria arbitrarily attacked a po­ sition which the Morava division of the King's troops held in Servian territory, op­ posite the Bulgarian frontier. King Milan has also issued a proclama­ tion which is in substance as follows: "Servia cannot allow Bulgaria, which has already proved a html neighbor, to disturb the balance of power in the Balkans to her exclusive advantage.'" He then alludes to what he calls "the unjustifiable Bulgarian customs duties on the frontier, the unlaw­ ful seizure of Bregova, and the encourage­ ment by Bulgaria of the Servian rebels con­ demned for high treason." [King Milan here refers probably to Peko Pavlovich. the Herzegoviuian chief, and Pasliieo. the Servian Radical leader, who was expelled by King Milan from the Skuptsehina. Copies of revolutionary proclamations signed by those men and dis­ tributed throughout Servia wore recently found by Servian officials, and the latter " claimed they were disseminated by the rev­ olutionaries under Bulgarian protection. This Bulgaria denied, claiming they were many miles distant from the Servian fron­ tier. interned in a fortress.] King Milan also alludes to the alleged ill ti^atment of Servian emigrants in Bul­ garia, the blockade of the frontier by Bul­ garia. jmd alleged attacks by undisciplined Bulgarian volunteers on tlie Servian peo­ ple and troops. In conclusion, the King says: "I cannot suffer these intentional provocations, and I. therefoi'e, adopt the . policy of open hostility which has. been forced upon me by Bulgaria. Servia's just cause now rests on the arbitration of arms, the bravery of her army, the protec­ tion of the Almighty. I rely upon my people's patriotism." Bulgaria. Great excitement and enthusiasm prevail in Philippopolis. Troops are being hur- period, wl.en the steamboat was as gor- i rie'd forward to the defense of Sotia, and done for less than this rate to non members. The minimum rate charged tolbembers is 1-82 of 1 per cent., ex­ cept where one member mere y buys for another (giving up his principal on the day of the transaction), an i does not receive or deliver tho stock, in which case the rate must not be less than 1-50 ot 1 per cent. The commis­ sion on mining stocks selling in the market at s-5 per share, or less, is £3.12.} per 100 shares; if at more than -5 and not over 810 per share, £6.25; if more tiian £10 per share. ^l'J.r-O. To members ot the Exchange the mini­ mum commission charge i is £2 per UK) shares. Contracts tor a longer period than threo days carry u pei- cent, inter­ est. Any violation, direct or indirect, of these laws--even the ottering to do business at less than these rates--is punishable by expulsion from the Ex- geous and as beautiful as a barber's sa­ loon, and its clerk had tho fine man- n»;rs and the striking attire of the gam­ bler. Ho belonged to tlie era of the table, in the hotel dining-room a quarter of a milp long, where tho waiters were all drilled to move like clock-work at a signal from the first officer, who stood at the bead of the table. We can see them now facing the table in a shining line, half wheeling at the signal, stretch­ ing out simultaneously over the heads of the submissive guests a hundred arms, seizing the tops of the vegetable dishes, and then, tramp, tramp, with the step of the soldier, going down the echoing floor, disappearing through swinging doors, %pd anon returning with tha same military precision to de* posit a plate that we;ghed two pounds, with a bang, before each awed occu­ pant of a seat. As a military evolution it was nearly perfect, and the Ameri­ can people were rather pro^STiJ'it. It was a magnificence which somewhat crushed them, but they felt they were somewhat a part of it, and it is doubt­ ful if any foreign potentate was ever served exactly in that way. It was very cheap at $5 a day, and if there had been a dinner to match the evolu­ tions, we might still be in that showy period of our national development. The hotel clerg had so subdued the spirit of the traveller that he had not perhaps much appetite, and rather pre­ ferred magnificence to comfort But in time, with other standards of tastes, this pagantry vanished, and the trav-^ eller began to #ssert his manhood. * * * Of course there are still traces left of the old civilization, and when the trav­ eller finds them, they awake a train of reflections upon the singular develop­ ment of democratic life in America -- Charles Dudley H orner, in Harper's Magazine. Maybe He Was. For two or three hours a man walked up and down in front of the Grand Circus Park having a sign on his breast reading: "I am blind." While some pedestrians passed iiim without notice, others contributed to his wealth, and at noon he sat down in one of the parks to enjoy a bite of bread and cheese. The sign was placed on the bench beside him, and the two young men who sat down opposite had no idea of his ailment. Pretty soon one of them began to mock the old man as he ate, and it wasn't a minute before the mendicant shouted: "Y<>u want to quit that, young man!" "What?" "I'll what yon! I'm old and ragged, but 1 won't put up wi h any impudence from any young sprig." "Oh, you hitch yourself to a band wagon!" sneered tiie young man. "What's that? I'll learn you to make fun of me." He rushed for the boys and ran them out of the park. Then returning to his bench he finished his luncheon, huug the sign on his neck, and calmly returned to his promenade on the sidewalk.--Detroit'Free Press. A Genius and 11 s (•ranilchihl. M. Moi sonier is enthusiastically de­ voted to the memory of his lather, of whom he will talk for hours. He is very fond, too, of his children and they of him. Torhis grandchildren he , , , . is a patron saint. But they have little made for a party who is not a memlW -egartl for jm work as an artist He of the^Lxchange. No business^ can be l\TtVa me how Mr Knight gaVH one of them on her birthday a beautiiul white-satin fan. and how ho offered to pyint a little picture upon it. The 10- year-old maiden was highly indignant. I just guess you won't do any such thing, grandpa," she exc aimed. "I don't wiint my nice fan diriied np with your old laints!" ' Thus," said tue great artist, ' ti.o child scorned what an Empre s wou d have prized. Which is ri^'ht, 1 wonder, the child or the j'm- pressV"--larU islUr to Savannah News. Ti.e Onirlii or Tea. The ancient Chinese legend relating to the origin ol the tea-plant tells ns that thejii st t« a busli sprang up from the spot _where Confucius had throw his eyelids, which be had cut off in auger because sleep had overtaken hint when he had vowed to keep awake. the war fever, which had recently died out, is again at the highest pitch. l'riuce Alexander, from his headquarters at Sotia. issued an order of the day to tho OtVuvrs and men of his army, of which the following is the substance: "King Milan .has declared war against us and ordered the Servian army to invade Bulgaria. Our Ser­ vian brethren, instead of assisting us, wish to ruin our country. Show your courago now and defend your mothers, wives, sis­ ters, and homes! Pursue and annihilate the cowardly, treacherous enemy! Let 'For­ ward' be your battle-cry, brethren, and may God aid us and grant us victory." , Strength of the Combatants. The various forces of Servia are as fol­ lows: Field army, 60,288 men, with 264 guns; reserve formation, 12,856 men,With 34 guns: reserve army of landwehr, 52,270 men, with 120 guns; landsturm, 45,000 men, or a total of 170.412 officers and men and 418 guns. The infantry is armed with the Mauser rifle, improved by Major Mecovaro- vitch, which is of a caliber of 1Q.15 mili- meters. The artillery is variously armed with muzzle-loaders and Krupp guns. The total cavalry force included in the above numbers 4.600 men. The Bulgarian field army consists of 24,- 000 infantry. 1.400 cavalry, two regiments and one company of artillery, 2,340 men; a battalion of engineers, 880 men; a detach­ ment of train, 2,000 men, and a force of gendarmerie. 1,600 men, or a total force of 32.220 men, with 104 guns. The infantry is armed with Berdan rifles, and the batter­ ies have Krupp guns and guns of the latest Russian pattern. The reserve force con­ sists of 24,000 men. There are also 12 battalions of landstrum of 600 men each, or 7,200 men. making a total force of 60,000 men. There is no want of arms, but there is scarcely a sufficient force of cavalry and artillery. The cavalry numbers.!,500 men. The scarcity of officers, since many of the Russian officers returned home, is also a serious matter. Prince Alexander is an able and energetic soldier. The Eastern Roumclian army comprises 18.224 men of the first levy, l'.),187 of the second, 23.197 of the reserve, and 3,422 men of the active reserve, making a total of ('>4,030 men. The number of officers available is altogether out of proportion to the number of men. There is no scarcity of arms, as there are about 80,000 Kruka, 7.000 Berdan, aud 6,000 Martini-Henry rifles in the province. The artillery con­ sists of four guns. The Bulgarian arsenals at Rustchuk and Rasgrad contain a good supply of arms, uniforms.and equipments. The arsenal at Rustchuk is turning out 60,000 Berdan cartridges a day, in addition to ammunition for artillery. Feeling in France and England. The Independence Beige (Brussels) prints a dispatch from Sofia describing an affair which took place between the Ser­ vians and the Bulgarians at Tzaribrod, a few miles over the frontier in Bulgaria, in a southerly direction from Pirot, on the way toward Sofia. The heroism of the Bul­ garians is dwelt upon, as is natural in a Sofian dispatch. They had only on# infantry battalion against" six Ser­ vian- battalions supported by two batteries of artillery and two squadrons of cavalry. The cavalry, which be­ gan the attack, buffered in its attempt to charge on and dislodge the Bulgarian bat­ talion occupying the bridge over the River Nischava. The dispatch continues: "They were decimated, while we had only thirty- four killed and wounded." The same dispatch describes a second affair the same day at the village of Izoord in the district of- Kenstendil, further south than the place of the first affair. Here sim­ ple Bulgarian militia, iiMlefending the place, lost eight men,'while the Servian loss numbered seventy. Each London paper bristles with war maps and gives from five to seven columns of" what is called war news, but is in reality merely a collection of rumors and opinions of correspondents. A Teleyraph editorial is as follows: "We have to bear in mind that the real^ contention at the bottom of this business is between Russia and Austria. Could they be excluded, which in the nature of things cannot be done, a sanguinary quarrel between Balkan States would be a small evil; whether Austria, and through Austria Germany, wants or does not want a solid path to the* sea at Salonica it needs no profound seer to find out that Russia's con­ stant aim is ascendency in a big Bulgaria, with the ulterior purpose of seizing it and of dominating on the Dardanelles and the Bospliorr.s." - The Standard says: "War has been kindled in the Balkans. We see the be­ ginning, but no human intelligence can pretend to 6et limits to the area or intensity of the fire: We see Russia's eager eyes fixed on the Bosphorus, and Austria start- ing down from Bosnia toward Salonica and the J2gean." ' • • • ' • - C u r i o u s p a c t s . - - weighing four ptfttttj&iftnd thirteen ounces was recently picked at Panasoffkee. Florida. Os recently cleared land in Kanea* red clover was grown this season that was seven feet high, and white clover five feet six inches high. ENGLISH phvsid ins hava* expressed the opinion that the us® of dynamite tends to produce apoplexy, several miners having fallen victims to the malady in one district. ON the land of the Underwood Spring Company, in Falnount Foreside, Maine, a shell heap has been discovered thirty-five feet long by twenty feet wide, supposed to have been deposited by Indians. G. L. THOMAS, of Albany, New York, is said to own the largest mastiff in the world. His name is Senator, his age is thirteen months, weight 160 pounds, height 35$ inches over the withers, length from tip of nose to end of tail seven feet eight inches, and he is valued at SI,500. A WKEATH of laural or olive leaves, a small quantity of oil, a tripod or other similar reward of victory, as prizes in the athletic games of Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, Corinth, and Athens, conferred almost divine honor in Greece, even the years being known by,the tempo­ rary hero of Olympia. WHY are barrels painted? Because a sharp fellow, having noticed the leak­ ing of oil through wood, painted a bar­ rel blue on the outside and then filled it with water and allowed it to stand until it had soaked up all it would. Then the oil was put in. The water kept tho oil from soaking into the wood, and the paint on the outside kept the Water from coming out. • A RELIC of the great forests which once covered the south of Sweden was recently dug out of a bog at Kinneved in the shape of a boat six feet in diameter, hollowed out of a log. The tree from which it was obtained must have been twenty feet in circumference., The wood, which was blue in color, was very hard, and the^boat so heavy that two bullocks could not move it. CHICAGO frequently roceives 1,000,- 000 of grain in a singlo day. How long a train would be required to carry that amount ? Let us figure: A bushel pf corn weighs tifty-six pounds. A million bushels would therefore be 56,000,000 pounds; Allowing ten tons (20,000) pounds to the car, it would take 2,800 cars. There are 230 ro;ls to the mile and two freight cars to the rod. Divide 2,800 cars by the 100 tto the mile, and you have a train seventeen and one-half miles long. FEW people are able to calculate the distance at which objects may be seen at sea; but it is not a difficult matter when their respective elevations and the elevation of the eye of the observer are knowmZ For instance, an object five feot lifgh may be seen two and one- half miles7 (geographical); fifty feet high, eight miles; 100 feet high, eleven and one-half miles; 200 feet high, six­ teen and one-quarter miles; 500 feet high, twenty-five "and one-half miles; 1,000 feet high, thirty-six and one quarter miles away. As an example, a tower 120 feet high will be visible, to an observer whose eve is elevated fif­ teen feet above the seventeen nautical miles. A HOT climate is not necessarily a re­ laxing climate. The element of mois­ ture in the atmosphere must be in­ cluded to make a truly relaxing clim­ ate. The great heat of Arizona is of­ ten comtnented upon as relaxing and inducive of mental imbecility. This cannot be shown by facts. Let a per­ son come to this climate from the East, the South, or the coast of Mexico, in the summer, says the Arizona Herald, and though our thermoneter is ranging along above 100 degrees the climate will be exhilarating, because it is so perfectly dry. We never hear com­ plaint of heat till a fall of rain gives us a temporary moisture. RECENT statistics demonstrate that England has sixty-five square miles of colony to the square mile of her own area; Holland, fifty-four; Portugal, twenty; Denmark, 8.30; France, 1.90, and Spain eighty-six square miles. If to the area of the British colohies-- nearly 8,000,000 square miles--be added the area of the native feudatory States in India, emonnting to 509,284 square miles, together with that of the United Kingdom itself, 120,757 square ' miles, the area of the British Empire erceeeds that of the Russian Empire by about 200,000 square miles; and it | covers within a fraction of one-sixth , of the whole land area of the globe. How Schumann Became a Composer. ! When the timecame for Schumann to graduate and determine his profe-sion, every emotion withim him prompted him to adopt a musical career; but his mother was determined he should choose the law. She felt how few achieve success in so difficult and un­ certain a profession as music, and she feared lier son would be unable to sup­ port himself. Schumann, on the other i hand, feared nothing so much as to be j untrue to his highest light, and that light pointed steadilv toward music. Money was nothing to him if only he could devote himself to his art; and he had faith in himself, he felt that he should be successful. He kuew that it would require steady and persistent toil, but he believed that in the end he would make a musician of himself. Finally, he persuaded his mother to | place the decision in the hands of Fredrich Wieck, a friend and a well- ! known musician, Schuman, agreeing ! that if, after six years of work at the ' piano, he gave no sign of success, he i would turn to the practice of law. Witfck, after warning Schumann of the inoessantand almost discouraging work | \^iicli lay before him, advised him, if i he were willing to brave all this, to be­ come a musician. Schumann now made his home at Leipsic, where he attacked his work with creat enthusiasm, prac­ ticing all day. In his anxiety to attain success, he invented a machine which ; was intended for the equal training of every finger; by this contrivance, his third finger remained up in a vertical position, while he played with the others; but the tendons became so strair.ed that he lamed the troublesome fin,rer. ahd^all thought of a career as a pianist had to be put aside, I'oor Schumann ! after all his struggle;: and eacritices, was this to be the end V We can well imagine the gloom which op­ pressed him, as he felt thathis brilliant hopes- were crushed, and everything pointed to the law. But music claimed him: he couid not escape, and now he began to comrose. He had nlw ays been rather self-willed, and suffered from hav ng no one to guide his musical edJ ucation. Unfortunately lie ha 1 almost- neglected musical composition, but now he set about to repair hi* nr«trke. He should liave grown up in ttus part of his art, and he was never quite com­ pensated for the loss of early training. --Agatha Tunis, in St. Nicholas. ILLINOIS STATE NEWSL .1 --William H. Gage, pioneer, of Qnincy ̂ is dead, aged 74. « . . --W. F. Stutz, an old soldier of Juliet* ' * ^ committed suicide by takingstrychnine. . --Fred Boiler. 15 years old, was terribly burned in Waukegan while lighting a fir# with benzine. --The Chicago Council voted to give the public library the nse of most of the upper floor of the City Hall. £ ^ --John W. Evans, believed to be from Jacksonville, committed suicide by shoot« ing in a New York hotel. --Tho Illinois Grand Lodge of Odd Pet- lows, in session at Springfield, elected A* D. Saunders, of Springfield, Grand Master^ --The call of the Central Christian Church, of Chicago, to the Re^Williaafc ^ £. Hall, of St. Louis, has been accepted. --The premature explosion of a blast Hi the Green Mountain coal jpine, at Weil- Belleville, killed one man and mortally in- • jured two others. " --Persons in Champaign who have spent thousands of dollars trying to make sugar out of sorghum cane, pronounce the e^rw periment a failure. --Rev. O. B. Thayer, formerly a Piesb^sft terian minister of Clinton, has been fouiidt guilty of falsehood and dishonesty and die*., missed from the ministry, rr--The Directors of the .Western Indiana Road have definitely declined to permit tht. Wisconsin Central to effect an entrance lit'o Chicago over the Belt line. --There were 210 deaths in Chicago lafct ' week--an increase of thirteen over the pre­ ceding one, but a decrease of twelve from i the corresponding week last year. -i; --In the judgment of the Circuit Coitti^* at Charleston, William Bealls will have la * pay Miss Anna Hurst $500 damages for his failure to fulfill a promise of marriage. --The principal business building in t&e"' *• village of Austin, a suburb of Chicago, wait destroyed by fire, together with several' stores and offices. Loss about $50,000. --A sentence of two years was imposed upon Peter Noda at Springfield, for at­ tempting, in August last, to kill a young woman who refused to receive his atten-, tions. --Patrick D. Tyrrell, well known in con-, nection with the United States secret 86^- vice, has been transferred back to Chicago from St. Louis, exchanging locations • Captain W. W. Hall. ^ --Mrs. Ray Good and Miss Lillie Wal­ ter .were formally discharged from the Code/ County Hospital, and drove to the Armcnry at Chieagot to prosecute Burrus. The cade was continued, and they drove away. ' --Alexander H. Heald, who had resided in or near Chicago since 18:18, died at Oak Park from paralysis. He was twice elected City Collector. As a contractor, he built the Liml block, at Randolph street bridge, and St. Patrick's Church. * --An officer of Barrington, Cook Conn^ was taking several prisoners to Wankegan,' when one of them, Frank Wells, jumped from the - train while it was going at full speed. The train was backed up, and Wells was found to be badlv injured by his fall. * --The good people of Evanston hatfr effected an organization with a view of pro­ tecting themselves against the raids of burglars that infest the town. The polioe force is to be increased, and a standing of­ fer of $500 for every burglar caught is made. --The opposition of St. Louis to &hi<Mt»*' go's world's fair in 1892 is good as far as It goes, though, unfortunately, St. Louis can­ not produce noise enough to make a great advertisement. But it doesn't matter. A world's fair once undertaken here must It a ^umbo. The world is Chicago's oyster.^* Otiiago Tribune. > W. P. Moore, of Mattoon, has received ' $61.05 conscience money. Twenty-two years ago, while stationed at Liberty, Mo., $18 was stolen from him by some unknown person. The $61.05 is the original amount stolen, increased by twenty-two years' in­ terest at 10 per cent. The sum was accom* 5 r panied by a manly letter praying for fat«'f* giveness. --Payton L. Harrison died at Pleasant Plains, Sunday, leaving much wealth'and-# large family. Finding no will, the family quarreled, and a fierce fight resulted. Wednesday morning, during which Quintan Harrison assaulted his sister, Mrs. Ely, of Chicago, in so violent a manner that her life is despaired of. Quinton Harrison, who years ago was tried for murder, defended by Abraham Lincoln, and acquitted, has been arrested to await the result of his sis- ' ter's injuries. 1 : > ,--The Caton stock farm at Joliet is* winning new laurels in the East. A recent issue of the New York Herald has the fol­ lowing concerning the New York Driving Club members' meeting: "The mahogany bay stallion, Don Cossack, from Illinois, and eight of his get, were exhibited during the afternoon and received hearty applause Baby colts were trotted alongside of a running horse to show the method of train­ ing them before being accustomed to har­ ness, and the gait struck by some of the youngsters was extraordinary. President Ripley, of the Driving Club, admitted that he never saw such a fine lot* of colts to­ gether." --"I wonder if anybody in Chicago stops to think of how great an industry the rail* road .business is in this town," remarked a man who knew. "Here is Huntington's lit­ tle railroad guide and it gives news by the square inch. Nov. 1 is a date to start from. Now, how many trains do you suppose come into this City in twenty-four hours? Well, 754. Now, how many passengers come and go? Well, over 60.000. The Northwestern roads bring in 18,000 every morning and carry out the same at nighti^j The Illinois Central handles 15,000 subiSf- ban passengers daily each way. The re­ mainder of the suburban concourse is ac~ coinmtxlated by the Rock IslantJ. Burling­ ton, and the smaller roafls. Chicago is fast developing an out-of-town patronage. Peo­ ple are getting out. Those who rent wanft to rent cheap, and those who buy, unless very rich, are looking for small-priced bar* gains. On through traffic everybody comee to Chicago. St. Louis used to have througjjt linos! That exists no more. People trav­ eling from ttu* East to the West come to Chicago as naturally as the young turk^r takes to th* tree topsCftfeeffO //eraML*