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an it} " I Just then I saw Gudrun coming with her apron packed full of down. Gundrun was on terms of pleasant in- lntirnacy with her ducks, and they stayed tranquilly on their eggs at her approch. and even allowed her to stroke their heads and see if the eggs were hatching. Of Valla. too, they seemed to have little fear. though she “as a stranger to them. That was the trouble! Accustomed as they were to the simple kerchief, or the small black “hufa'” worn by Ice- landic mum-n. with its heavy silk tas- Iel hanging down on one side, they Ind taken umbrage at my straw trav- eling hat with its "perky" ribbon bows. However. the ducks were not unreas- onable. When they saw that Valla and Gudrun talked amicably with me they waived their objections to my The farmer's wife readily gave her oonaent. adding that we should find her daughter Gudrun collecting down from the deserted nests. Following a. rough trail we soon reached the low pastures near the sea. By the action of frost and damp the surface had been upheeved into hillocks about 18 Inches high, and between these the ducks were nesting. I was toiling over the uneten ground. when suddenly a. large grayish-brown duck burst like a. bomb from almost under my feet, and I balanced to and fro on my hil- lock. tearing to advance lest I crushed the eggs. Looking carefully about me I soon found them; seven great. eggs, es large as those of“ a goose, peeping out from the down which swelled up around them in a. thick roll. A little (arther on, I was surrounded by ex- cited, perturbed mothers. some still brooding. and others with ducklings hardly out of the shell. The mottled and low-toned plumage so harmonized uround me that I could hardly dis- tinguish the ducks at a. distance of a less paces tuvy wuueu Luelr oauecttons to my head gear. and finally permitted me to caress their sleek heads and wings. Only one drake did I see on the nesl~ ing grounds. He was a splendid fel- low. weighing fully 7 pounds, and qune diflerent in plumage from his soberly ducawed Spouse. His back, sides of his bind and neck. and upper part of the breast were white. the latter tinged with a. little brownish-yellow; the bill was yellow. changing to dull green at Gudrun smiled shyly, “Yd 'replicd: "I think, Frokcn. tint they do not like your hat I" ‘\\ by is it budrun.’ " I asked. thp dutka am so afraid of me 3" ”that the tip; the crown. forehead, wings and lower part of the body were a rich velvety black. and on the sides 0; the head was a stmak of light green The drakes. it seems. help the ducks [u make the nests and then, \s hen incuba tion has fairly begun. they go off in little hands of four or fise. and lea-=- n careâ€"tree existzince out at sea. YOL can see them rising and falling on tku front swells jusc beyond the breaker: heir soft “ah-00! nh-ool" sounding like the cooing of wood-pigeons. All the accounts I have read abou. older ducks any that nests are robbe4 of thir down twice. the duck supply 133 it each tune from her own body an third time the drake given hi white down. and this is allowed to no Ina-in. But I was told by farmers ix [cola-d tut now they never take th dawn until the little ones are hatched It has been found thnt the birds thriu Hut and increase faster when the; A half-hour's brisk row brought us to Engey. one of the cider-farm is~ lamb. Vaila. led the way, and we went first to tho farm-house to ask permission to visit the nesting grounda. In front of the turf-roofed little buildings. on the stony ground. a quantity of down was dryingâ€"fluffy moose. of brownish-gray, looking asif the first puff of wind would blow them. out to 509.. But Voila told me that the down was so interwoven with dried blades of dried grass that an ordinary wind would not stir it. iaura. lay anchored in the fjord, and boats wen briskly plying to and fro. from Denmark and Sectland. After a stormy six days' voyage from Edino burgh. we had arrived the night be- fore in oommny with a Danish man- of-war and a French dispatch lmt neat to look after the interests of the Breton oodfish fleet. Three steamers at once was quite an event for the quiet little town but not a single sa- lute was fined from shore or on board. anl those tourists on the Laura who wished to shoot sea birds were sternly' suppressed. Elmer ducks. it seems. are birdsof importance in Iceland. and as they dislike noise. the tiring of guns within a. mile of their nests is forbid- den, and every means is taken to in- duce them to frequent the farm lands along the shore. It was new Reykjavik. the capital of Inland, that I first made the ac- quaintance of eidef ducks. says Eliza- beth Taylor. Fm 2083!». my kind hostes- attbo little in. arranged for me a trip to one of the cideroduck (arms on an island in the harbor. and far in the distance we could see the snow-capped mazes that line the rug- 804 western COKSI. Our ueamenthe 3N [IDER DUEK EARW. It‘ the new varpet must be visited. it is best to go when the weather is fine 2-1nl the sea. at high tide The 3 approach should be made 111“ ays from ‘the same direction, and the farmer Should not look about him too curious- 'ly, or the birds “ill become troubled and suspicious. Any object that shines or has color and certain sounds are ve1§ attractive to the birds. So the “nuid-be owner of 11 tarpet often sets up at intervals small sticks to ; which colored rags are tied, or he puts 3 on pieces of wire. mussel shells, which ’ rattle in the wind. A little bell rung by the wind also seems to please them. Another way of inducing the wild lbirds to build is to employ “lukke- '.”fugl or decoy ducks of rubber or pl xsber. Some are plated on the slopes of land in a. sitting position and others are moored in the eater by st1ings long enough to 21110“ them to move to and fro 8’8 Li swimming. â€"â€"â€"â€"~.. .- -.... i... .â€" i I I . ‘ i t sea. and diving for their food. which consists of small fish. shellfish and crabs. In April. they begin to gather in little groups near the shores. Often one l ird will visit the nesting grounds. and if his report is favorable his com- panions soon return to their old haunts. and nest-building begins. Both ducks and drakes work together. lay- ing a foundation of seaweed or coarse ; grasses and upon this the bed of down ; is arranged. and heaped up around the ' margin. About May 20 the ducks be- gin to lay. six or seven eggs being the usudl clutch. although ten are sometimes seen. A few of these are taken by the farmer for his own use. 5 but the sale of eggs is forbidden. Often two ducks will lay side by side in one ' nest. each furnishing her own quota of down. and doing her part in the hatch- inguun‘l tearing of the ‘double family. en to Isaijord, in Northern Iceland. A writer upon Iceland, in speaking of ; a visit to one of the [saljord farms. wrote: “On the coast was a wall built , oil arge stones. just above high water! ' Level. about 3 feet high and of consid- ; erable thickness at the bottom. On both sides of it alternate stones had; been left out so as to form a series of square compartments for the ducks to make their nests in. Alm0st every? compartment was occupied. and as we walked along the shone a long line of ducks flew out, one after another. The house was a marvel; the earthen l walls that surround it and the window 3 embrasures were occupied with ducks. f On the ground the house was fringed: with ducks. On the turf slopes of the roof we could see ducks. and a duck mt on the scraper. ’l‘he growth of a varpet, is necessar- ily siow at, first but once fairly e8- tamishedit yietdsa goodprofit Engey y. the island than I visited and Videy. not far away. produce about 300 pounds annually. and great quantities are tak- Eider ducks. though often .ery tame, can hardly be classed with domestic birds. They live in a wild state in every part of Iceland where they can find suitable breeding places. Often aprosperous ”varpet, " as the nesting grounds are called, can be formed by the farmers whose land possesses the proper attractions. A small island that slopes to the sea is the best place. but a. cape, or neck of land, is often chosen. If the land has many hillocks there is no need of making artificial nests, otherwise the turf must be cut in blocks and. set up on end to form‘ small oblong compartments. These are often roofed over with pieces of turf or 1.1 ood. Sometimes the nests are made of stones, but in this case. as the stones are cold. the bottom must be well Covered with plenty of crumb- led turf or coarse grass. Eider ducks have their fancies about the situation of their nest, some preferring one that overlooks the neighborhood and others choosing a sheltered nook in a hollow. Everything must be in readiness before it is time for the birds to come from the 882.1. The ducks seem to like some life or movement on the neighboring farm lands, as they probably feel more secure from their natural enemies. foxes and ravens; but on the varpet itself _'1ll must be peace and serenity. About 10,000 pounds of elder down are collected annually in Iceland. 7,000 being exported to foreign countries. Formerly the [was used to receive over 21 shillings a pound, but the price has now fallen to half that: u mount. The peasants seldon receive money. and are obliged to barter their dozsn for merchandise furnished by the Danish merchants at the little settlements on the fjords. salvo. at all their down to nefurnhh their deepoiled nests. Sometimes, if the quantity is very great, a. little may be taken. but enough must be left aeacoast of Arctic America and Siberia. Greenland. Norway. Sweden. Lapland. Iceland. the Faroe Islands. Spitzbergen and Nova Zambia. On some of the northern coasts of Great Britain also they are still found in small num- bers. but the donn is of inferior qual- ity in these more southern districts. Lieut. Greely saw them as far north as 83 degrees. They are true ocean birds liz'ingduring the winter out at head is off ?" “An eiderâ€"down pil- lx-m',” is the answer. A pound ofi .lown can be compressed into a ball the size of a pint howl. but, once released. it smells and mounts like something .-..iive until it, would fill a bushel bas- ézet. A pound and a. half is enough ;., fill an ordinary hed puff. These .‘ery comfortable articles are found in he guest room of every Icelandic farm. however poor and small it may be. \fter u long. hard day in the saddle ihe traveler longs for warmth and shelter. But these little guest rooms have never had a fire in them. and ‘vuilt as they are on the ground floor here is in them a dreadful chill. Once .uoked away in bed, however. and well overed with the down puff. a delight- ul sense of comfort follows. and tired one: [me their pains and stiffness. _ The lsstdsya at my ten weeks' visit An old Icelandic pioverb illustrates the strange Masticity of the down: ‘r‘\\'hat_; is ii abat is higher when the in Iceland were spent. at Laxamyri. no of the finest farms in Iceland. fitany sheep grazed on the neighboring (Lila; nee. trout and salmon; the sea urniahed codfish and seals" and large number: of elder ducks rested on the ago '11; was nothing uncommon to find families among the latter 11 here 111016 than one full meal a day was an ex- ception. This was esgecially the case in southern Italv. It appears now to :Sptead.‘ arm the uhule country. with . the result we now see. i 1he1‘e are of (3011150 many causes at ithe bottom of the present troubles of éItaly. but they may he narrowed d011n to two principal ones the military ex- 5 Eitgeunciea of the Triple Alliance and WCrispi's‘ African adventures. The ex- oessivei taxation requi1ed to par for gtbese two polities are 1eSponsil1le 1111‘ the present ditticu‘lty and it will be. interesting to see [1011 the Italian Govâ€" :T ernment will work its 1141’ out of it.f Inte1national complications may easi-é ly ensue if the troubles are allowed! to gain head11ay. for the bulk of the; ‘Italian debt, which now amounts to; 'over 82.590.000.000, is held in France; I ‘and the Italian Government has cer-t jtain engagements with England re.- garding its navy that would be serious- 1y inter‘fexed with hv prolonged inter- nal disorder or a thange in the 1mm of garment -. -. .. w-..-. -- ”a..- .-â€"..-â€"â€"- .. Henry Allen Howard can do strange things. He can stick hutpins through his cheeks. lips. and calves, drive nails through his feet and hands, and per- form many similar wonders. He re.- contly gave an exhibition at the As- tul‘ House, in New York, and demon- strated that Wounds of the ('hal‘m'ter alzuve described cause him no pain. am. there are the lrridenitiats. who have only been restrained by the exig- encies of the Triple Alliunr'e. to he counted: with. llhere is also the Re- publican element that has been gain- ing in strength year by year through the; .unpopulzirity of the monarchy, arieing from the ever-increasing bur- den of taxation. Should all these ele- ments combine and find a common has- is of action the situation might easily become very serious for the Govern- ment. daily leavé the Thames for all parts. of the world. Twice has a fatal accident. closed the career of a gentleman in Maine. At least this is the impression t'z‘n‘feyed by the following n9ws item in a. Bel- fast paper: “ Robert. Smith was struck by the south-bound passenger train last night and instantly killed. Mr. Smith, it will be remembered, met with a similar accident, about a year ago. near Scarlioro." As to the other causes of Italian dis- order they have been less visihle tn the outside world, but, they have been not the less sure in theii mention. The privaiions endured in the. poem: (lass- es have been steadily extending to the entire population aind several 3ears General Poverty the (‘auw of the [DI-zeros: ”harder. The state of Italy. as described in despatches. is only a little short of re- volfuttiomtry. Ihe saving feature of the situation, so far as the Government is concerned. is that the troubles do not appear to Le the result of any solid political organization, but are clue to the hunger of the population. 11' this proves to he the case, they may be got over with comparatively little difficulty. There is. however, a dan- ger that they may (leveIOp into a polit- ical movement it' the immediate wants of the people are not appeased, more particularly in the north. Besides the Socialists. Whose chief centre. isat Mil- A Chivago seamstress dropped tears upon a wedding gown, and her mis- tress at. once dismissed her. saying, “It is unlucky to have a: wedding dress stained by A year." The seamstress call- ed upon the prospective bride, and ask- ed her intercession for reinstatement; but. the haughty maiden spurned her saying that the dressmaker had done right in discharging her. There is a little cemetery for dogs in a corner of Hyde Park. London. On neat. headstones their virtues are con- spicuously commemorated. edtothesea. Ononesideoftho comfortable modern farm house plo- turemue old outhouses formed a kmd of square. In one the farm tools and the salmon nets and cages were kept. one served as sleeping quarters for the farm laborers. another for the supply of peat, and in another was an open fireplace with a high raised hearth of stone. Here. during the winter, the eider down is cleansed. It is first PL'lced in a large open caldron over ‘1. hot fire in order to have the dried grasses and other refuse burned away. A fiat plate of iron fits in the bottom. raising the down‘from the too intense heat of the fine. As it is stirred and turned quickly the foreign matter is destroyed before the down suffers. But [his Process only partially cleanses it. The dust. ashes and harder bits of gr'gss. stalks must now be removed. lhis lsdone by rubbing the down over stout thongs ot‘ sealskins. which are stretched from side to side on an ob- long wooden frame about 3 feet long. The worker. sitting a short distance from the wall. tilts one end 0f the frame against it. while the other rests in her lap. Then. taking a bunch of down in each hand. she srrubs it up and down across the thongs withan al- ternxte motion. Afterthistbe down is looked over carefully, and every re- maining hit of grass or dirt is removed by hand. While the Rev. Herman Lindskog was celebrating olivine service in the church in Chicago. his fox terrier, streaming with blood, dashed into the edifice. The clergyman hastened to his residence. near the church, and discovered that burglars had looted his home. setting off with $300 worth at property. The dog‘ had evidently been in a tight with LL- ‘_____I, thé burglars. An average of five hundred vessels THE SITUATION IN ITALY. action. .:n't every seaman at quarters. He at once demanded the stoppage of the executions and the immediate re- lease of every British subject or else he would open fire and lay the city in ruins. General Barriel tried to be haughty and insolent and cursed the Americans and their flag. Sir Lamb- ton Lorraine gave the Spanish Govern- or one hour to comply with his demand and in less than that time the Span- iad’s pride was humbled, and by the power of the British flag and all that it represents. The British Foreign Of- fice rigorously cabled the Spanish Gov- ernment to account for the conduct of Barriel. The latter was recalled and censured and retired from all offices. 1m RAMSDEN‘S BRAVE m Virginius, carrying the Stars and Stripes and of linited States register left Kingston. Jamaica, ostensibly for Limore Bay. Costa Rica. She had on board a total of 155 passengers and crew. There were 108 passengers. of Whom a few were British subjects. and a great many l’nited States subjects. but the great majority were Cuban in- surgents. For some considerable time the Virginius had been suspected by the Spanish officials as a filibustering vessel, and a sharp watch was kept day. . It is but history repeating itself as regards the Span'sh Dons' respect for the ['nirzn Jack. As is well known. m 1873, a rvlmllion Was in progress 1n Cuba, and waa sumnrted in much the same manner as the present one by aid in money. arms and sympathy from sympathisers an-i {1101113 in the Unit- ed States. About the last week in the month of (kto‘mr. 1873. the steamer made and a large indemnity he paid; that the perpetrators of the massam‘c should be tried and punished. and than the Stars and Stripes could be formal- ly saluted. The Spanish Governmeni were slow to reply to these demanJ:. and them wan in consequence a loud call from 0.11 points of the States fur war and the liberttion of Cuba. THE INCIDENT RECALLS THE CAP- TURE OF THE VIRGINIUS. on her movement: by the Spanish navy in Cuban waters. an apology made and compelledâ€"tinn- granted to all British subjects. With the United States it went otherwise. They demanded the release of the sur- vivors and the surrender of the Vir. giniun; that an apology should Hr CHILE FOR \VAR. 'Indigmtion meetings were. held in all the large cities of the union and the United State. Government begun Illtlsh Guns Saved ”any livesâ€"The Span- lnh Butcher Was. Recalled, Mil-lead Frol- Glee and Apologies Haleâ€"fie filled slates and spun Alli“! at WI? Over the .ll’nlr. The announcement of the arrest of Mr. R. W. Ramsden. British Consul at. Santiago de Cuba, by the Spanish au- thorities, while in the execution of his duties in protecting Americans placed under his care :inl the British flag. and his very quick release, when HM. S. cruisers Alert, Dallas, and Pearl, ap- peared in the harbor cleared for ac- tion. must have recalled to American blue jackets the incident of the 039' ture of the American ship Virginius in 1873 and the gallant conduct of Mr. Ramsden on 51ml occasion. He showed his huildog pluck then in defending the. American lives as he did the other SIG H'I'EI) THE VIRGINI I'S eive materials. Foreman of Torrent ling n“ 1 of Pudunk. gazing :u the Hunk but speaking cheerfuil}.â€"\\r we saved the engine! PERSIAN ETIQL'ETTE. In Persia. among the ariszocracy. I "snot lends a, notice an hnur or two poforo ctlling. and gives a day's notice if u.” nut is one 0 great immrnnco. EB 18 met. by servants before he reach- 68 the house. and other «‘on~ider'di00' are shown him, according to his rank. Boarderâ€"Hush, agzun ’ Boarding Mistressâ€"hunk Mn Mr- Golddust. I'd have )nu bl)" that this hash is madeVut' \cf)‘ t“ ‘0' "t It w, MI [190' It’s euier for us to see the of others than it is for owns our virtues. “ hat caused you lo hemme I: ! A love affair. lad) HOW sad' Tell me aluu' i Well. yer see, u hen l M“ you-n8 In dldnt kmm :mv '? fell in love with idlenr-S am never bin pble to 000un uu Sumln [188100. Mr. Ramadan has passwi the M of his life in Santiugu and is m old man but full of fight when his trymen or those under his man call for his aid. He stauh~ my and the flag of the British Empire i cause of freedom and vi‘viiizatic Thai. suhma rine success. A mail nearer loses mum-)- on M h9l‘m, It is the 810W nnoas Hm: drm bun to the free-lunch (muffler, the Klondike. The miners in Nevada, hmww Lorraine a small gold urn-k w name stamped on it on th« {m and on the. reverse " yuu're a After a. womun has {3313396 a certain age she is willing to get married on Fridsy. . . . , . the Don conceding condtttouatly and In my m demands of the ['nited ‘ - " -. note Spain agreed to surrender , . _ . . the“, slums and the surt'tvutg mum“ and crew and to punish thuse gum”: massacre and to salute the flag' -' shot. The United States were for” however. to admit that ac-mmmg M their own law the Virgin.“ had no right to fly the lnitwt States {1% and the salute demanded ms ibm fore dispensed with. The tam“ ,2 Santiago went Strut free of any pun. ishment and the Virginiu: itseif 3n the way to the l'nitetl Sums founieg. ed in a Btflrm. l_'thtestiuttah}y it n. the gallant conduct and firm team; of Sir Lambton Lorraine that hated the lives of the surviving Americans and Cubans. The Amerirau Comm and peoyle recognized this in many ways. Congress voted him >1 nd hiscm votes of thanks and medas. but the latter were declined by the BrLttsh Government, with the statement W the Captain and crew of the Niobe hat but done their duty as British sailam Yes? I suppose she goes flying trolors. i 0'): H5 had mey to hurt!- Andfio burned it. Foollsh. you think? Well. perhaps so. But a. man has to keep “'3"? \ugget MoNabâ€"Uimme :1 btorekeewr-f-“hgn kindâ€"- H. u‘Wlâ€" " W‘ â€"'â€" :heel. ho a blanket er dog 8830083! I in fl!” M year so WARM APPROPRIA rr: 'I‘Ol 1‘1“ X“ become 3 seems WH‘CI, 6r: down (he (an mg ll mt side wand“ “PM h )uf .4)! )m ("I un- “3| (3) the open drains. (d) The own 4 sufficient (all, any the water will no will he clrried mu (0) Tile under-d Wrevor the ope] {Mont ad the 31 wet qupearanr‘c, 1 show the gravel 5. Keep the “4 grand into the v until consolidated. 7, .Grude and cl MM? _on gravel ,___ J:â€"m 8, if t grading (rode the roads ‘mvol hetero (1“ hot. and use the u punitgk in (km 17. Give cuiver ‘1‘"- Outlet so (h "980 in them. 18° In tflkiflg‘ 1 D? “lit P18011111 in ”my clam materil 0' the ”it be nor. Cl.y. 88nd and t“ Th." i? ‘ tendon vad ground ii OI foot of width In pater crmul fl “bruise the WI wbel trucks and stud of passing v and one half incl the side to the CPI 11, Bengt old In” a hard rem n and high. square “‘2 off the 511011 nuriul outward ‘01 or stone in U] or the old grfl‘e' mixture of art! vol of which the a 0d. The slimmer: at of! by mram 14. Look mer { Chime after heat .prin‘ {70811641. 1 minutes in freeil Itmction or dive; water into a pro‘ 0000 the work a 15- Suffice wa‘ Gd of in small q mnMions am "e destrw‘tlve. WP}! Wa‘lercoursa 12. A Width of twee. ditches WI “on. with the co: «fled. orld " ‘51 ”FT-L10. PM and Do not let“ ’needi