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*33g$jp AStUfGTOJf GOSSIP N N*w ROUITICAI. BOOK inr govni- , BBS STATESMEN.- ... . Aixtoni About tin Approaching Fall Ejection*--Th© Farmers' Alliance ;*.»keljr to Upset Many Calculations--Sen- ,»tor Beck and the Reporters--Personal «nd Fallttosl G*»»lp. I '*' WASHINGTON, April 14. . IE aster Monday is a pre at day at the \3npit0l. It is the great aimnal national children's picnic day following a custom formed years ago when the babies nsed <to roll brilliantly decorated eggs down the terraces at the Capitol grounds and ihen roll alter them. I pon the comple­ tion of the park surrounding the Presi­ dent's mansion the sceoe of these gay festivities shifted to the White House grounds, and now every year thousands of women and children gather on these beautiful lawns with baskets of luncheon «d gayly bedecked Easter eggs, chatting «ed singing and having a regular picnic fll a time. On last Monday the nation's little ones a#g n througing in at the gates loaded ti&wn with baskets and paper bass, and two o'clock there were fully ten thou- saad of them--black and white, from the •splor of wax to the blackest of black. .Race lines, police lines, and car lines *ere all obliterated, and joy and laughter i«i ned supremo. At 2 o'clock the famous Marine Band •took its position in the center of the park, and for two hours the youngsters nearly went wild dancing and prancing about to saoh spirited if not classical snueic as "McGiuty," "Razzle-dazzle," "Where Did You Get That Hat':'" "Suwa- aee River," and "Listen to My Tale of Woe." It was at this period that the President and his family appeared upon the portico and smiled upon the attend­ ant thousands. Baby McKee and all the Other White House babies were held up tor the admiring gaze, and a howl of welcome--for it truly was a howl--went Op from ten thousand throats. Outside of the grounds, on every side, Cdkirs and peddlers of every description plied a most encouraging Easter Monday trade in eggs, pies, cakes, bananas, bal­ loons, lemonade, pickles, peais, and pea­ sants. The hokey-pokey man was out in *11 his glory. It it one of the sights of a life-time to see ^is grand display of youth and beauty out on a frolic, but what a sight when all had gone. The magnificent lawns were literally strewn UgUh egg-shells, paper bags, withered Bouquets, and half-eaten sandwiches. * * J This year will witness due of the most Important elections, f^om a strictly tiena- "tDrial standpoint, that have taken place in great many years, and it may not be Surprising if some of the most noted fig- . aires of the present Sena e would disap- ?f|ear from public life forever. Prob ibiy 4he most prominent man who goes back for re-e octiou is Senator Ingalls, of Kansas. It is claimed, and with considerable em- asis, tbat since the recent action of the armers' alliance of his State declaring war upon him, the opposition to his re­ turn has so crystallized that it is doubtful %hether he can overcome his enemies. The most important personage on the ..•othei side of the chamber is Sena'or Vest, who will ask the people of Mis­ souri for another six years' lea-e of Sen- v:«rtorial lite next fall. Vest will have a fiowe ful antagonist in the person of ^Ijlon. Jeff Chandler. It is asserted that the fitter has the warm regard of the Repub­ licans of his State, and that rather th n sec the present Senator returned they will join with tnouga Chandler Democrats to defeat him and elect Chandler. Wade Bampton,. of South Carolina, has a hard ;IPw to hoe this fall. The Farmers' Alli­ ance and Labor U nions want his seat b id; i>ut Hampton's fences «*re in much better condition than Vest's. Brown, of Georgia, » aud Vance, of North Carolina, will have strong opposition in their own party, and tmay be they will go under. New ork will, in all probability, elect successor to William M.. Evarts •Other than himself. Indeed, it is no .secret that the veteran statesman htfs no desire to succeed himself. Seuator ' ijklorrill, of Vermont, is eighty y. nrs old "i|nd has been in Congress for thirty-si?; fears--twelve years a member of the 'Kouse and twenty-four in the Senate. It itests almost entirely with himself • whether he comes back again next year, «s the people of his State express nc de­ sire to throw him aside after so long and honorable a career as has been his. But |t is not at all unlikely that the venerable 'Tfeentleman will step aside for a younger fcian and retire to his home to rest in jj>ence and quiet during the few years that iMemain to him and hisestimab e wife who Xjjias remained by hi# side during his entire Official life. Leland Stanford, the many limes millionaire of California, and Jteller, of Colorado, would both like to me bp.ck, and if money is any ualifioation, ad is sometimes charged, air" chancfes are both good, he impression prevails through­ out Washington circles that Farwell ,<Of Illinois, has a hard tight to face in h . Jgtate this fall. Mutterings of discon- - tent in the ranks of his own party have Reached the Capitol and are being made "the most of by the opposition, and it is -claimed that the administration is rather lukewarm in his behalf. The Senator is -• Confident, however, that he will pull r . through all right. Spooner, of Wiscon- iin. haa opposition in his State, but it ,7 teem to be without strength or organiza­ tion, and he may be considered pretty :• #afe. Piatt, of Connecticut; Call, of Florida; Voorhees, of Indiana; Black- |v\' $>urn, of Kentucky; Eustis, of Louisiana; ; •;> .Wilson, of Maryland; Jones, of Nevada; * -jilair, of New Hampshire; Mitchell, of f"i. Oregon; and Cameron, oE Pennsylvania, Will all go back to their respective con- - \ -^tituents and are almost certain _pf re- * . flection. Besides these, the Senators **?' from the new States who drew short |erms will have to endure another cam­ paign. These are Pierce, of. North i } ^Dakota; Allen, of Washington; Mid ' bloody, of South Dakota. Taken all in * "ifcll, with the gigantic effort the Democrats H ill moke to again secure control of the ? "; .lower branch of Congress, this year will 'l>e a mo3t exciting one, politically speak- s,.,lng. "Why the Solid South; or, Reconstruc- ir", ^|ion ami Its Results?" is the name of a aiew book" now in press and which is looked for with grea% interest by the pub­ lic men at Washington, The book is ̂ , edited and the preface written by lie pre- if- tentative Herbert, of Alabama, and con- i J4»ins articles from the pens of Senators / Vance, of North Carolina; Pascoe, of jplorida; Vest, of Missouri; Representa- v 4ives Turner, of Georgia; Hemphill, of fcouth Carolina; Stewart, of Texas; Wil­ son, of West Virginia, who was recently : Unseated; ex-Representative Barksdale, , ^Hbf "Mississippi; and such well-known fentlemen of the South as W. M. Fish-ock, of Arkansas; Ira P. Jones, of Ten- / 4iessee; and B. J. Sage, of Louisiana. It * /undertakes to narrate fairly and im- t partially and dispassionately the history •Of reconstruction governments in each State, and the present prosperity of the South. The bock will speak of Abraham Xincoln's death as an appalling calamity Ao the South, and argues that Johnson •followed strictly Lincoln's plan of res­ toration, and that if Lincoln had lived •Sie could have dafended the plan against i-the assaults of Congress. Each chapter ris signed by ltu autnor, deals with the $jlj(ace question, contains educational and Juaterinl st <tisticsof many kinds, and is dedicated to the business men of the Kortb. , ̂ The more libera? church people of the present day will be surprised to know that the United States Senate has taken observing the traditional days of the Ider established Churches. On Thursday f Easter we4k Senator Edmunds moved ; l|o adjourn over one day, and gave as his •ea»on that the following day was Good - 'JFric^y. II (lie Senate keep* up its work and adjonta* ®v« ®vM!y 4*y set apart by the difowii denominations, there will be but a few left in which to transact business. To relieve the mind of the unbeliefer, however, it may be well to state that the Senator from Ver­ mont put in the hardest, day's work of the session in his committee-room on Good Friday, discussing the legal phases of a Federal election law. * * • The House Committee on Naval Af­ fairs has reported favorably the bill of Congressman McAdoo, of JSew Jersey, to prevent the enlistment of aliens in the navv. It also prevents the re-enlistment of aliens now in the service, unless they become naturalized. In the accompany- in? report it is said that the committee has direct evidence that the decadence of the American merchant mirine has so reduced the number of American sailors that difficulty is found in getting natural­ ized men to man our war vessels. The committee charges that preference has been given to foreigners in manning the vessels of the navy rather than to citi­ zen* by birth and adoption, and that aliens outnumber American sailors over four to one. m * * Washington is again almost deserted of its army of society tramps. During the months when the capital >s in the height of social dissipation, thousands of people of every grade of wealth congregate here to mingle in the intoxicating whirl of official gayety. The thousands of fashion­ able private boarding-houses with which the city abounds are tilled from garret to basement. With the first approach of summer these birds of pleasure, like the festive goose, fly away to their Northern homes. Washington is a dreary place in the warm months for those who iove to revel in social excitements. * • * * The Postoffice Department, and even Senators and Congressmen, are being overwhelmed with letters from all over the country, criticising and ridiculing the new two-cent stamp, and unmercifully abusing the unfortunate designer. To cap the 'climax, the President has re­ ceived a letter from a Missouri constitu­ ent, calling on him to "bounce that Phila­ delphia shirt-maker." Private Secretary Halford answered, stating that the offense was undoubtedly a grave one, and tbat his snggestions would leceive serious consideration. * * * The testimony in the contested election cases from the Southern States is some­ times very amusing, especially that ol the colored witnesses, and some of it could be used with effect by Senator Blair in another argument on hi* educational bill. In the case of Goodrich vs. Bul­ lock, from Florida, the following question was asked to test a colored witness' in­ telligence; "Is Congress a white man or a black one?" "1 never had hold of his paper ter read. it," replied the witness. I don't know if it was red, blue, {iray or gristle." Another witness named W hite, but who was black, when aBked if he knew who the candid >tes for Congress at the elec­ tion at which he voted, replied with great confidence: • "Oh, yes; Bob Ingersoll, 'Publican, an' John Sherman was the Democratic candi­ date. " In the West Virginia eases It was claim­ ed by one party to the contest that a large number of idiots were voted. In the testimony it appeared that one of the men who cluimed and was allowed,to ex­ ercise his privilege as an elector," when questioned by one of the judges, replied in the most earnest manner possible that he was "Jesus Chrst," that he had been "taking a lay-off for several days, but was going to work again in a f'avr nays as soon as he had hung Jeff Davis." * * * A joint resolution has been introduced in the House providing for the eleetion of Senators by the qualified voters of the *several States. This is the first move of the kind that has been made in either branch of Congress, and it would be in­ teresting to have it passed in the lower house if nothing more than to see how it would be received in the Senate. The question, of course, will have to be set­ tled finally by amending the Coratilution. * * * . A bill has been reported f ivorablv in t^e House from the Committee on Alco­ holic Liquor Traffic providing for the ap­ pointment of an alcoholic liquor traffic commissioner. The ostensible purpose of the commission is to make an honust, in­ telligent, impartial and thorough investi­ gation of the liquor tra£tic in all its phases. The report of the committee calls attention to the charge that all facts ahd statistics thus f r brought to the notice of the country are not gathered from an impartial standpoint,-and indi­ cates thai the liquor traffic causes four- fiftbs of all the crimes committed, wastes oue-half of taxatue*., causes the expend­ iture of $800,000,000 a year in drink, in­ capacitates mentally and ptiysicall.v half a million people for labor and business, causes three-fourths of the pauperism of the country, is responsible for the fenrful increase in insanity and imbecility, aud does no good to anybody. On the other hand, these statements sre denied, and pronounced hallucinations of a diseased brain. Therefore, says the report, let us have a full investigation by an authorized commission, and let the world know the truth or falsity of taese aseert.ons. * * * ' A number of leading ladies in the Sen­ atorial circle, headed by Mrs. Hearst, Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Stanford, have organ­ ized a society, the object of which is to raise the money to erect a statue to some noted person to be presented to France in return for the statue of Liberty given to the United States. THE NATIONAL GAME. TBS Mill WHO WILL COMPOSlR THE CHICAGO LEAGUE CLC& Capt. Anaoa Believes that He HH a Team Phenomenal Voting Players Who Wlll Capture the Pennant--Sketches of tit* Men--Their Southern Victories. «*T is certainly better to | be born lucky than rich 1 --that is, provided one's occupation is on the dia­ mond, says the Chicago Timet*. Captain Adrian Constantino Anson WAS born lucky. Since his birth he "has acquired riches and at the same time retained his luck. From the moment the brotherhood was organ­ ized Captain Anson declared against it. He was satisfied with the old League and said he would stick to it if he had to p l a y t h e e n t i r e eight-club schedule himself. A11 hie players, save two. deserted him, but Anson was not die* couraged. Witjfc Hutchison and Burns he claimed to have the nucleus of a great team, and. even as early as last December, when he only had a PBESIDKNT SPALDINB. few unknown youngsters under contract, Ae commenced to make preparations to ,win the National Xeague pennant for 1*90. When he left jphicago some few Veeks ago he said his team would al­ ways be "the peo­ ple" and that they would never degen- erate into "the folks." No b o d y believed him, ex­ cept President A. CAPT. ANSON. G. Spalding. That gentleman had seen Anson on his mettle before and knew just what the "old man" could do with a lot of promising colts. When the club lelt Chicago for St. Augustine, Fla., it contained only five {>rofessionals who had played in a lend- ng organization. They were Anson, Wil- mot, Burns, Hutchinson, and Carroll, and Carroll was by many rated a "back number." The other players were Thomas fbntis Laagoo, kad ia a aum who will im­ prove. Sullivan fcas pitched several ex­ cellent games and has surprised even his warmer friends. In thi catching department Anson says he is sufficients strong. First base he covers in pretty fair style himself, second base is well taken care of by O'Brien, t'l.IFF CAABOtiT, M. J. &DLLIVAX. E. Nagle, catcher; Bert L. Garvin, sec­ ond-baseman; Michael J. Sullivan, pitch­ er; Malachi J. Kittredge. catcher; James J. Cooney short-stop: Wm. E. Coughlin, pitcher; Howard J. Earle, catcher; Paul Bufckley, outfielder; W. B. Inks, pitcher; Peter J. O'Brien, second-baseman; J. P. Andrews, right-fielder; "Chuck" Lauer, catcher. Nagle had been in the North­ western League, and made a fair record; Garvin came from New Castle, Pa., where he played with a semi-professional J. C. LA.T7ER.. WALTER WTI.MOT. Cooney is doing wonders at short, and Burns is keeping np hi* old-time pace at third. The putfield is also strong. In fact the Chicago League team of 1890 is now in condition to hold its own with any base­ ball team in America--League. Brother­ hood, or Association. ATTFAl»l5 IN ILLINOIS. INTElRESTlNO ITEMS GATHERED FBOM VARIOUS «OCRCE8. ; / Innocent Courage, r ̂l^ibrrespondent writes that she once heard of a child who was found by its mother stroking and playing with a. live ratttlesnake. "Pitty worm! pitty worm!" murmured the child. "Mamma, come see my pitty worm!" With inex­ pressible horror the mother realized her child's danger, and for a ifrftment was powerless and speechless. If the reptile were disturbed or an­ gered, her boy's peril would be doubly great. She checked her first impulse to run and seize him, and-called, quiet­ ly, "Eddy, don't disturb the pretty worm, but come and get a lump of sugar to feed it with." The child stole softly away from the snake, and ran to its mother unharmed. She snatched him up and carried him to a place of safety; then she seized a club that lay near, and dispatched the snake. It had six rattles. In the summer of 1879 a grizzly-bear entered the inclosure where Alexander Bain's house stood, in Jacksboro, Texas, and helped himself to a quarter of venison that hung near the door. A few feet away a little l»y had fall­ en asleep on a pile of wool, while his Rtill younger lister Was playing at his feet. Seeing the little girl move, the bear went up to her and snuffed her over. "Nice doggy!" said the child, fear* lessly. "O Freddy, wake up an' see the big doggy!" At the moment the little fellow opened his eyes the grizzly was nosing about his head. He started up and slapped it in the face. The animal good-naturedlv retreated, perhaps amused by the innocent bra­ vado of the little man whom it could have crushed with a blow of its huge paw. The bear trotted off toward the fence, closely followed up by the boy. "You get out of here! You get out!" shouted the lad. His mother's attention was at that instant attracted to the scene. Her horror may be imagined. As the bear was squeezing through the fence, the boy raized his foot -and dismissed him with a kick. "You keep out o' here, or you'll fare worse next lime!" he said, and then he turned to his mother and asked, "Did you see me send that old dog about his business?" THOMAS XAGJ.E. PITCHES HCT^INSOW club; Sullivan pitched in 1888 for Holyoke. Mass., in 1889 for the Washington Club of the National League; Kittredge had caught for Rutland, Vt., in 1887, Ports­ mouth. N. H., in 1888, and Quincy, 111 , in 1889; Cooney covered 6hort for Bridge­ port, Conn., in 1885, Haverhill, Mass., in 1886, Oshkosh, Wis., 1887, and Omaha, 1888 and 1889; Coughlin was at Lynn, Mass., in 1887, Chicaeo Maroons, 1888, and Oakland, Oai., Earle played ht. Senator Vance, of Noith Carolina, is the most amusing talker in the Tinted States Senate, in his argument on the Montana election case he kept the galler­ ies in a ripple of laughter from beginning to end, and the usually grave countenances of the dignified Senators partook of a broad grin as he related some auius- afe ing story and applied it to the fer_ case at hand. He knew, said Vance in conclusion, that the fiat^hadgone forth. *or He knew that the Bepnblicnn claimants of were to be seated. But in the wise regu- )co lation of the moral world there was com- . ' pensation for all things. Bepublican ,n8 Senators would be sicker over the thing as before it was over than he was now. He wJJJ ^ai heard of an old fellow who went out o Ohio to speculate in hog*. He bought a big drove of them and snipped them to New York. When he got to New York he found that hogs were cheaper there than they were in Ohio. So he shipped them back and sold them. He met a friend next day, who said: "Jim, you made a bad speculation." "Yes," said he, "I lost a good deal of money, but I had the company of the hogs both ways." So he thanked God that in all future denunciations of the South for the sup­ pression of colored voters, Southern Sen­ ators would have the company of the hogs. [Great laughter.] Senator Beck, of Kentucky, saya there will be a wholesale funeral among the newspaper reporters if they get him into, more scrapes, 6uch as he is now trying to get off his hands. The reported rumor of his resignation has brought down upon him an avalanche of letters from not only his own State but prominent men all over the country, and he says he has tor answer almost every one of them. He*; claims that not only had be never thought of resianins but was trying to so satisfy his constituents tbat thev would give him another trial when his time is out. And so, if all the people in his State who write to him beseeching him to reconsider his intention of res gning, vote for him, he will be sur&,to there. So thinks the Seuator. • . • .• i Jaa. C. Moosx, , •« . . . . . . - ^ ^ - v JAMES COONEY. W. J. INKS. first base and caaght for Lawrence and Salem in the New England League in 1887 and 1888, and in 188!) ployed part of the season with Easton, Pa., and part with Chicago; Buckley was a Chicago boy, and had been with the Jenney-Gra- hams of the local Commercial League; Inks had pitched for South Bend and Goshen, Ina., and had also played first base and left field; O'Brien was the star mating «v«jiV"T»m. Avery as the Bepub can candidate for County Clerk.--Joe pendent. Thieving in i According to a .Chinese story a miser had three sons-in-law; one was a tailor, another a jeweler,and the third a spend­ thrift, who did nothing at all. Ope day the miser called his third son-in- law and said to him: » "See here! Your two brothers-fn- law are thrifty men, and are gradually adding to the family fortune; the tailor by cabbaging a little of his customers' cloth now and then, you know--bless you, they don't know it!--and the jeweler by--well--by debasing the jewelry just a little, don't you see? But you!" exclaimed the miser; "what do you do ?" "Father-in-law," said the ne'er-do- well, "you say well. Give me a crow­ bar ; I will go out and, watching ray chance, I will break in merchants' doors, open their tills, and "bring you back thousands of pieces of silver where my brothers-in-law bring you only paltry gains." "What! How?" exclaimed the miser, in terrible anger. "Can it be possible that you would actually be a thief?" He'll Stop. "Do you think that smoking hurts me am', Doctor ?" he asked, after his throat nad been examined. "It doesn't help you any." "But are you going to say I mustn't smoke ?" "O, no. I'll simply say that you can smoke all the cigars youll buy and pay for." . "I'-e-s," slowly replied the man, and after he got out on the street he scratched his head and had a puzzled, far-away look in his eyes.--Detroit Free Frets. Merely Modern. There are some people who have no idea of recognizing merit in anything that is new. A wealthy lady, making purchases of furniture, fell into raptures of admi­ ration over a handsome chair. "Ah," she exclaimed, "that's wonder­ fully fine! It is antique, I suppose?" "No, madam," said the dealer, "it is quite modern." What a pity!" said the lady. "It Well, I should have IfiTHon. A. J. Hopkins, who has ably Represented our Districts inCongrec will again be the unanimous choice of t District at the Congressional, Conventi* to be held at Elgin May 1st. We ha heard of no opposition to his return, nj do we know of any reason why he shoil' was BO beautiful! not be returned; on the contrary, he hi liked to possess it, but now I shall have >b. andIjauer ha«f l>een signed~by "the ! to bu7 "omething else." Pittsburg League Club and released as too slow. This was certainly not an aggregation calculated to inspire confidence in its ability to win games, yet the record so far mftde by it in the South has been simply wonderful. The club has not only won games, but won them easily and from teams of recognized strength. The PETEB O'BMEST, THOMAS BUSKS. terrible drubbings it administered to the Brooklyn and Philadelphia clubs are still freBh in the minds of all, and at present it doesn't look ;«s though Anson Wjts very wide of the mark when he called his colts the coming pennant-winners. In Hutchison he has a pitcher the eQtial of any in the League. Coughlin shoved to great advantage in the Cali- AN artificial spongeniiidustry is being developed as an outcome of experiments made by Dr. Oscar Schmidt, of the Uni­ versity "of Gratz, in Styria. Small pieces of living sponge planted by the experimenter in a favorable spot have yielded large sponges in three years, at a very small expense. In one trial the cost of the cultivation of 4,000 sponges was not more than 225 francs, including interest for three years on the caj^ital expended. The new industry on the coast of Dalmatia is regarded of such importance that government protection has been extended to it. THE longest-lived people in the world are Norwegians, among whom the aver­ age duration of life is now 48.33 years for the men, 51.30 for the women, and 49.77 for both sexes. The life period has increased in recent years. That it has become 17 per cent, greater than in central and western Europe is at­ tributed by the director of the Statisti­ cal Bureau to the comparatively slight mortality among the youngest children. the causes of this What Our Neighbor* Are Doing--Matter* General aud Local Interent -- Mar* *-i»gres an«l Deaths--Accidents and Crlmec Personal Pointer*. » --The Secretary of State has issued a license of incorporation to the Chicago World's Fair Exposition Company. The Commissioners to cpro books for sub­ scriptions are: Deaitt C. Cregier, Ferd W. Peck, George Schneider, Anthony F. Seeberger, William C. Seipp, John R. Walsh and E. Nelson Blake. The list of 30,000 subscribers, a large proportion of whom sign for one and two shares each, is a volume of over 500 pages of type­ written matter. The personal subscrip­ tions amount to $4,557,090 and that taken by the railroads $442,910, making $">,000,- 000. AmSihg the heavier subscribers are noticed Armour Co., $32,500; Audi­ torium Hotel, $18,000; Auditorium Hotel Association, $10,000; Carson, Pirie, Scott A Co., $25,000; Chicago City Rail­ way Company, $100,000; Chicago City Railwny Company, by its President. C» B. Holmes, $100,000; Charles T. Yerkes, $150,000; Gas Trust Company, $50,000; J. V. Farwell, $25,000; Marshall Field, $100,000; Illinois Steel Company, $20,- 000; Palmer House Compauy, $30,000; over three hundred Smiths are on the list. --The 3J-year-old son of James Barrett, of Litchfield, climbed on the step of a sleeping car on the Cleveland, Cincin­ nati, Chicago and St. Louis Road and was carried to Comstock before he was dis­ covered. The vestibule door was locked, and the little fellow could not get above the second step, and as the train runs at the rate of from fifty-five to sixty miles an hour it is a wonder that he was not hurled from the train. --At a , meeting in Springfield of the Sangamon County Assembly of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association res­ olution were adopted favoring tne use of uniform text-books in the public schools, to be furnisbei by the State at cost. In the belief that the present salaries of county officers are an encour­ agement to corruption a reduction is favored to the extent of fair compensa­ tion for actual services rendered. Res­ olutions were passed demanding the publication of names of paupers receiving aid from the eounty and a revision of the revenue law so that farmers will not be compelled to pay taxes on property they do not own. Resolutions were also passed demanding that their representatives In the Legislature use their influence to obtain a law to fine or imprison any in­ dividual or corporation that deals in op­ tions; also declaring that boards of trade are gambling institutions that put a 1c- titious value on products which is burden­ some to the farmers. --Mrs. William Corcoran, of Spring­ field, created a sensation by the attempted shooting of her husband while he was attending a meeting of a lodge of Mod­ ern Woodmen, to which he belonged. Mrs. Corcoran did not seem inclined to believe all her husband's stories about being compelled to attend the lodge so much, and thought she would acquire ^some of the secrets herself. Upon being refused admittance she asked for her husband. As he appeared at the door she asked him to go home, rnd upon a refusal the woman leveled a revolver at h s head and fired, the bullet passing over the scalp. The weapon missed fire at tbe second attempt to discharge it, and before another attempt could be made the woman was surrounded and disarmed, but not unt'il she had used ber fists with good effect upon the heads of several Wood­ men. Mr. Corcoran suddenly left town, and evidently considers marriage a fail­ ure. --8pringfield dispatch: "A trip through the wheat belt of this State, from here south as far as Alton, proves the fact that hundreds of acres Bown to wheat last fall are now being plowed tip. Teams are at work on the farms, and field after field is being turned under and prepared for other crops. The statements sent out from here some dayfe ago, showing serious injury to the wheat crop, are fully justi­ fied, and it is believed that the yield will certainly not exceed half a crop." --Ex-Senator David B. Gillham, of Alton, died last week from the effects of the wound inflicted upon him some time ago by a bnrglar. The night of March 17 his residence was broken into. Mr. Gillham was awakened, and, seeing a man leaving his bedroom, jumped up and pursued him, at the same time command­ ing the intruder to halt. He had almost reached the man at the door leading into the hall when the burglar darted under the stairway that leads from the front door to the rooms above, and as he gained this point of advantage be called twice to Mr. Gillham to stand buck, to which no attention was paid. The burglar quickly drew a revolver and fired, but missed bis man. Mr. Gillham rushed at his assail­ ant, who fired point blank at him, the bullet entering the left breast just below tbe nipple and almost on a line with the apex of the heart. The burglar made his escape. --Governor Fifer ha* appointed D. D. Haynie Public Guardian for Marion County. --The Marion County Assembly of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association met in Salem last week and decided to put an independent county ticket In the field to be voted for at the election next fall. --Gov. Fifer has issued a proclamation designating Friday, April 18, as Arbor Day, calling on the people to observe the occasion and to plant trees everywhere. --The village of Highland Park, Lake County, was wrecked by a tornado a few nights ago. The damage is $40,000. No lives were loBt. --The Hon. E. W. Weldon, one of the most widely known men of Southern Illi­ nois, .died at his home in Centralia a few days ago. He was prominent in politics and was a warm friend of the late Gen. John A. Logan. --A prominent coal operator of Illi­ nois expresses the opinion that there will be a general strike among COJI miners May 1. He says the miners are well or­ ganized, all the miners having joined the union. The men dejiaod 10 to l"i cents --Weprkit. below the text of the Com. | pulsory Educational law passed by th« j Legislature of this State, which is thi J subject of a good deal of discussiot about this time: SECTION 1. Be it enacted by thor peopla of thi State of Illinois, represented In the Genera Assembly : That every person haviue the con trol and charge of any child or children, be tween the ages of Sand 14 yeais. shall send nucl child or children to public or pavst.a school fo; a period of not less thaii twcive weeks in eaci school year, unless guch child or children excused from attendmg school L>v the ROSHKI O Education or School Directors of the city, tewi: An inquiry into the causes of . , . . . . , infantile healthfulness should be made Per ton «*vance and hon" ® da-J in the interest of parents in ail coun-1 It is ho^ad tfeat a «espp«»»ise triea. I tented. or tchool district in which such child or chil dren reside. Such excuse may be given by sak Board of Education or School Directors for anj good cause shown why said child or cbildrei shall not lie required to attend school in oon fcrunity with this act. 8kc. 2. It shall be a good defense to any ani' brought under this act If the person undei whose control such child or ahildren are car show that the mental or bodily condition Ol such child or children is such as to prevent iti attendance at school or application to study foi the period required bv this act, or that sue! child or children hati l>een taught in a private school or at home for the time specified in thii act in such branches as are ordinarily taogh' in primary or other schools, or has acquirer the branches of learning ordinarily taught ii public schools, or that no public "school haf been taught within two miles by the npares traveled road of the residence of «nch child oi children within the school district in whicL Baid child or children reside for twelve weekt during the yoar. Sko. 3. If any person having the control and charge of any child or children shall fall oi neglect to comply with tho provisions of this act, eaid person shall pay a fine of not less thar *5 nor more than Suit for the recovery oi the flue and costs shall be brought by anv di rector or member of any board of educa­ tion of the district in which such person resided at the time of the committal of the of fenfie. before any justice of the peace of #aic township. Jurisdiction is hereby conferred or all justices of the peace in this btate for the en, forcing of this act. Such fine shall be paid when collected, to the School Treasurer of sale township, to be accounted for by him as otfaei school money raised for school purposes. Sec. J. It is hereby made tbe duty of scboo directors and members of the Board of Educa­ tion toprosecute offenses occurring under thit act. The neglect so to prosecute by anv schoo director or member of any board of education within twenty days after written notice has been served ou such director or.^member of sue board of education by auy taxpayer residin; in such district, that any person nas violated this act, shall subject him or them to a fine ol $10, to be sued for by auy taxpayer residing it the school district where the violation of this act occurred, before any Justice of the Peace ir the township where said school district, may lx located ; and when such fine is collected it slial be reported by said Treasurer and accounted for as other money raised for school purposes, and become a part of the school fund of sale township. --In the Probate Court of Cook Coun­ ty, at Chicago, Judge Kohlsaat decidec that attorneys had a right to be pro­ tected in contracts entered into with per­ sons with their eyes open. In a suit brought by Mrs. Helena Firshow against the St. Paul for $5,000 for the death oi her husband the plaintiff agreed to givt Attorney C. R. J udsou half of the amount of the judgment which might be recov­ ered. If the case was settled he was tc get one-third. Suit was begun and wae still pending when the company's claim agent approached Mrs. Firshow nnd told her that if she would settlo the case foi $1,000 she could save attorney's fees. Lawyer T. G. Case appeared before Judge Kohlsaat and represented that Mrs Firshow was about to settle tbe case or these terms, and asked for a rule on Mrs. Firshow to restrain her from making s settlement. The couit decided that th< claim of the lawyer must be settled be­ fore nny settlement could be paid. --The latest' weather crop bulletin foi Illinois does not help the Illinois pros­ pects on the winter crop. Out of (went; counties reported Randolph is the onl] one noting an apparent improvement. Generally they fix the damage at 50 pei cent, or more. The season is considered backward, nnd the ground too cold anc wet for spring work. In most counties ol the State the area planted to corn will bt 15 to 20 per cent, less than last year. Oats seeding is progressing slowly anc the acreage will be reduced. The pros­ pect for peaches is considered better thar formerly reported and they promise a fail crop in several counties where they hav< heretofore been thought killed. Peari and plums promiso well, and in a few counties the pasturage is already sufficient to support cattle. --A Springfield dispitch says: "Adju tant General Vance has returned from the southern part of the State, where he was sent to investigate the damage done by the cyclone March 27, and made his re­ port to Governor Fifer. The report sayf that at Metropolis one woman was killed and fifteen persons were wounded, none mortally. ̂ The damage to property a*. Metropolis is f80,000, and to the farmeri in that vicinity $20,000. The citizens art courageous, and repairing damagei houses rapidly. The homeless are al! o ired for, and there is no immediate suf fering. At Grand Tower, in Jacksoti Conuty, two persons were killed, font mortally wounded, two of whom hav< have since died, and thirty-seven wen more or less seriously wounded. Nine­ teen houses were destroyed and the fami­ lies rendered homeless. There are no va­ cant houses, and a church is being usee there as a hospital. Eleven persons were wounded at Campbell's Hill. Contribu­ tions will be gladly received and pro perl j distributed by Colonel W. 11. Brown al Metropolis, and Mayor £. C. Wolfe at Grand Tower." --The Centralia Fruit-Growers' Asso­ ciation held a meeting in that town the other day for tbe purpose of awarding the contract for the transportation of th« coming strawberry crop. Heretofore the Illinois Central has had a monopoly oi the berry business, but the Jacksonville Southeastern line, with its AVabash con­ nections, is now a formidable lival and succeeded in securing the contract. The stipulations are: Tifteen cents a ease in cars of 500 cases and 14 cents a case in cars of 600 cases, being 2£ to 3 cents a case cheaper than the Central charged --Some time ago the City Council ol Springfield passed an ordinance author­ izing tbe street oar lines to chnnge theii motive power to electricity. Considerable opposition to the overhead-wire systexr which it is proposed to use has developed among the property-owners along the line, and they will fight it in the courts. ,--Judge Creighton, of the Sangamox Circuit Court, has decided that tbe Su­ preme Council, Order of Equity, can no' transact business in Illinois without tak ing out an insurance license. --The State meeting of the WomanY 11111 •' UJ-jK tHA*BE*LI!VS CLUB. ON of the Moat Cimonit of Resorts* / The greatest club in Washington |* Chamberlin's. At no plaee in tls country can one meet so many men who have done something to make themselves famous, writes a Washing- tonian. It is not a great big hotel, with gilded mirrors, long bars, magnifi­ cent dining-rooms, and an art galleiy like the Hofiman House, in New York; not an American hotel of the familiar caravansary pattern, like a score with which the traveling public are familiar, and which are the commercial travelers heaven. Cbamberliu'a is sui generis. Three old-fashioned residences arp joined together by a mysterious passag» to make one hotel. Each of these houses is famous in its way. In the tint Fernando Wood, the great New York Democrat, had his diuner parties, card parties, and presided over tlu> political conferences in which he re­ velled. The second was the hospitable home of the late Senator Swann, of Maryland, and what was onee his picture gallery, is now the scene of Chamber- tin's round-table dinners. The third was for several years the home of Blaine, and it was in this house that he sat and received the congratulations (of his friends after his famous bout with "Ben" Hill, and afterward the news ol the balloting in the Cincinnati Conven­ tion in 1876. The people who come to this novel hostelry every afternoon or every night, are the people who are pointed out on the street a* famous in one way or another. Conklin made Chamberlin's his headquarters. Harrison used to have a room there. It was Sheridan's favorite resort. Cleveland was not long in finding liis way to it, abd John Cliamberlin was one of tbe few men who had a pass key to the White Hone during his administration. General Sherman never comes to Washington without giving John a call. Larry Jerome, Bill Travers and all the wags of their generation hither came to sharpen their wits upon each other.. President Arthur and Mr. Blaine were on fee under this roof at tbe same time. Each looking forward to a Presidential nomination, and their friends being at daggers' points, it required all of Cliam- bcrlin's tact to keep them apart and each in ignorance of the other's prea- ence. Nowadays it is the favorite re­ sort of Senators and the great editors, like Halstead,' Watterson and Keid, when they come to town; but hardly anybody who is anyboey fails to look ia to see who is there and what ia going on. It is not only the resort of statea- men and bon vivants, but the favorite habitat of the terrapin, the deviled crab and the canvas back duck. It is just as much one of the sights of Wash­ ington as the Capitol or the White House; and Chamberlin himself, with his intimate acquaintance with public men of this day, and reminiscences of ather days, with his wonderful knowl­ edge of what will gratify the humau palate under all conditions, and his never-failing flow of good humor, 4|- * alone worth the price of admission^* A Millionaire's Freak. What a volume could be written on the freaks and fancies of millionaires, writes Blakely Hall in Frank Leslies Illustrated Monthly. The supposition that a millionaire's queer pranks attract attention simply because he is a man of great moneyed endowment is erroneoua. A millionaire will do things that would be startling if performed by a man in any condition of life conceivable, remember once, when I was a boy, nessing the performance of a man was worth eight or ten millions, and doubt very much if its like had evet been seen before. He was the Presi­ dent of one of the big New York street railroads, and occasionally he looked upon the wine when it was of a rich, whole-souled, warm-hearted, and Ver­ million hue. For some time after that his movements were apt to cause bis friends more or less alarm. On this occasion he had taken it into his head to drive one of the street cms which 1m owned, and a pal of his, also a man ol wealth, officiated as conductor. For a time the millionaire drove the horses aft a hard gallop, aud amused himself by suddenly jamming down the brake and yanking the horses back while the ear was tilting ahead at a rapid pace. There were a dozen or more German immi­ grants, a few Irish laborers and a mis­ cellaneous assortment of mixed human­ ity within the car, and the manner in which they shot toward the bow end when the car was stopped was tumultu ̂ ous and diverting. After he had moved along at this rate for a few blocks he felt a sudden recurrence of a peren­ nial thirst, deliberately turned the ear off the track and drove it over the rough cobble-stone3 at as fast a pace as the belabored horses could take it,down a side street and up to the door of a saloon. Here he stopped, bowed gravely to the mob that was running after him, and invited everybody in to drink. The spectacle of a car, eareenr ing down the side street, with every window shattered and the horses lath­ ered to the limit of theirendurance, was one that drew an eager crowd. After they had drunk all they wanted, the millionaire signed a check which the bartender filled out for him, exchanged his tall silk hat for the small Derby of an Italian organ-grinder, made a little bow to the mob and sauntered home* Nothing ever appeared about the escapade in the papers, and though I met the erratic driver many times after­ ward, he never referred to it even in the most distant manner. A Monkey's Weakness for Sweets. One of the attractions at a church fair recently was a lottery conducted on a small scale. Ten persons contributed ten cents each. Each subscriber drew a slip of paper from a hat. The slipa were numbered from one to ten. The papers were then placet! in another, and a monkey was allowed to pick one oat. The person who at the first drawing had obtained the slip selected by the rnon- kev was entitled to ninety cents, ten cents going to the fair fund. After each drawing by the monkey the slips wete destroyed. One night a young man won over $90 at this little game of chance. Nearly every timejthe monkey drew the dip this young man selected at the first * Those present marvelled at • u ^ .*3«L '1 w sV^ "It a n. --X-J , if " •« i Viv. y * drawing^ the young man's luck, and that for an ae- Board of Missions of the Congregationa I cident they never would have ascribed Church was in session at Jacksonvilli j his winnings to any cause but good fet- .j, v i ii last week. The treasurer reported re­ ceipts of over $18,000 during the year Mrs. C. H. Case of Chicago was chosei President and Mrs. W. Montgomery o Chicago Secretary. The next meeting i to be held at Ottawa. --At Golden, Adams -County, Jess< Cain, a young jeweler, while in the act o f taking a revolver from Charles Himake who wished it replaced, was shot in tlx temple by the weapon's accidental djs charge, and died ia half<<aa hear. : tune. Every slip of paper the >young man drew he rubbed with a piece el lump sugar. Of course the monkey*# weakness for sweets led him to pick oat the sugared slip. The young man dropped the piece of sugar while he was rubbing it on aglip, aud ihea hit smart little game was discovered. / K lESofi V, Vr . "IT is no use telling you to look plettN' ant," said the photographer to the pretty young lady, "for you cannot look anything^elsQ.** ftj&dhiascheaM work*# \ * , r A 1 r; . ...JaL. -ii* judfe " . ~"v£ * „.; JL «L.vJS. t • mm