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About Oregon courier. (Oregon City, Clackamas County, Or.) 188?-1896 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1895)
ffiHB LIMIT REACHED (CHICAGO AND 6AN FRANCISCO CALL A HALT ON SKYSCRAPERS. Imhm Why the Tallest of tb Modern tractor Ara In Manx Hmpr,U Unde sirable Cost at a Skyscraper Quick Work la Chicago. Vow V ! snnaaN i tiA awtiV fwiliirwl in tbe matter of skyscraping buildings, m indeed it always baa bocu. It in true (that The Tribune a "tall towor" wag wonder o I America before tbere were many buildings of great height iu Chicago, but when the bug tling metropolis of the bounding west get about the tusk of put ting up altitn- dinoug structures the result wax a lot of buildings that reaobed enough nearer the clouds than the "tall tow er" to make it almost insiguifl cant After awhile, it is true, New York braced up and within the lust few yeurg baa put up gome tall buildingg that need not doff tbe bat even to Chicago's tallest, and New Yorkers MANHATTAN I.II'K RUlLD-arO DOW brag !NO, NEW YORK. ging, BS Chicago ana used to brag, of the tallest office buildings iu the world. In the meantime Chicago baa learned lesson or two about big buildings that 'in time will probably also be taken to heart by New York. Iu consequence of these lessons the aldermen of Chicago nave pawed an ordinance limiting tbe height of buildings. San Francisco, too, has adoptod a similar rule, the argu ments iu fuvor of restriction being tbe name in both cases. Prominent among these arguments was advanced the ob vious contention that buildings of IS and SO stories, especially when placed ion narrow streets, abut out altogether too much light and air from the street tend from the lower three or four stories. It ia necessary only to call attention to Nassau street, New York, to show the reader how obviously correct thia con tention is. Nassau street ia so narrow a 'thoroughfare that it would pass for toothing more pretentions than au alloy ia Chicago or indeed uny other western City, yet it ia one of the most important streets of the Knickerbocker town. It ia crowdod and jammed full of trucks and foot paseengora during every buainess day, and soma of tbe highest structures In New York are located along its sidog. These buildings, of wbiob thpsAlper Ican Tract society'! new home is the tallest, are ao high as almost to make twilight at noonday in the parts of the street on which they border, and in more than one store fronting on .the sidewalk It is necessary to keep the electrio lights or gaa jots going from morning tonight, no matter how gloriously the ami may gild the tops of the Brick anil stone cliffs that line the street. Worse yet, there ia a dampness when the weather ia at all moist at tho bottom of this .artificial canyon that cannot be otherwise than dotrimontul to tho 'hearth 'of ..those who have to endure, itV. Whiiu'i't. is cloudy and rainy, it ia of course inw worse." Then the gloom in Nassau ' street and the humidity of thoatmosphere are both' positively appalling. , Dampness and darkness, however, are not the only serious 'disadvantages' un der which the occupants of a street lined with extravagantly high buildings have to labor. In case of fire and it has been found that Are -does sometimes work havoc in even the most vaunted of "fire- AMtMUOAN TKACT SOCtKTT BUILWNO. KXW YOU. jiroof" buildinga the danger ia many fold aa great in altitudinoua buildings a in those of more moderate propor tion. It ia impossible fur tbe ordinary fire engine to throw water to the tops of the modern skyscrapers, and if walla of from 150 to 850 feet and higher fall on narrow streets the thoroughfare is sure to be entirely blocked and loss of life ia al moat aa certain to follow. In Chicago there are practically noatreeta like Nas an in New York, and ao tbere ia not nearly ao much reason for limiting the height of buildings there. In fact, the nni anrlonn reasons for restriction do lit p ssost' 1 all, while they must be plain to the most casual observer in New York. At tbe present time, however, there seems to be no indication that New York ia likely loon to adopt height restrictions as to business buildingg, and It seems altogether probable thut the real estate owners in the down town districts will oppose any serious movement in that di rection with even greater vehemence thun they did in Chicago or San Fran cisco, since it cannot but tend to reduce the gilt edge valuation at which some tif tbe ground is held. It will seem somewhat of a pity, how ever, from one point of view, when all the big towns of this continent shall prohibit skyscrapers. For a number of yoars now builders and inventors of new forma of building material and structur al iron and steel makers have been striv ing to simplify and cheapen the build ing of skyscraper), and at tbe present time it ia almost aa easy and cheap to put up a 20 story block as it was to put up one of 10 stories as many years ago. Nowadnya men build bigh buildings in the same way as they build iron bridges, making use of the truss principle and practically setting upon end a truss bridge aa tbe frame of the building they desire to erect. Of course there are dif ferences in tbe details of construction of bridge and building trusses, but not enough to invalidate the comparison, and hud it not been for the discovery that the truss principle ia applicable to build ings it would not have been possible to put up the modoru skyscrapers at all. It would be too much to say perhaps that the brick and atone iu the walls of most modern buildings form simply a dead weight and instead of strengthen ing actually weaken the completed structure, but it ia certain that every one of tbe very late buildings would (tand qnite as firmly if the walla were removed, and, further, that while a building of the old type, built of brick and stono. might easily be shaken down by what in earthquake oouutriea would be termed a moderate shock one of the new type would withstand such a shock almost aa well aa the famous light wooden frame buildings of Japan. Men say that buildings like that occupied by the Manhattan Life Insurance company in New York would remain intact, so far as the frame goes, even if complete- AFTER THRKK WRRKS' WORK IN CHICAGO. ly- overset. The brick in .the, (.walls, which ia mostly hollow and hence .of. Unusual lightness, would undoubtedly MU'ont of place, but tbe riveted steoL frames would bung together even if sub jected to the severest imaginable strain. . According to all accounts, Chicago has never witnessed any livelier hus tling than was proceeded with during (he month of October at tbe corner of Dearborn and Van Duren streeta. It will not be long after these words ;meet4ie.. eye of the reader before the "Fisher bpilding" that now Rwanda on. that cor-, ner ia eutirely.oonipleted. '.But on Oct 19 little had. been done, save.to-. dig the big hole for the cellar and eubceliara and put down theienvy concrot''f6tn datious, although a 'permit! fdtf'an 18' story building 225 feet high had been obtained before" the passage of "th$' Re strictive rirdmauoe. On Oct. 12 there Was visible a great hole iu. the, carhop the street comer, with, here ana there an iron beam sticking up. On- Nov. 2,' ust 21 days thereafter the hode had dis appeared, and in its place rose a'towering framework of iron. Persons who had not visited the location of the new building for a few days were aghast at the change, and the Chicago newspapers were quite justified in crowing over it. Before a full month bad elopsed alter the beginning of the frame's erection the whole frame waa in place and roofed in. The value of some of the bigh build ings of today is very inadequately un derstood by most persons, although al most every one ia familiar with the statements that such a building cost 1,000,000, another $1,500,000, eta At the corner of Duane street and Brood way, New York, stands a $1,000,000 struotnre, though ouly U stories, 125 feet high and 75 by 135 feet on the ground. Yet the money and material laid out in the construction of this building would amply gerve for the be ginning of a country town and would build a town hall, 15 dwellings, two churches, a hotel, harness shop, market, bookstore, plumber's shop, clothing store and a very respectable office building. M. L Dexter. A Shepherd Hone. A shepherd at Chambery, Savoy, em ploys a horse instead of a dog to keep the herd together. The horse under stands the orders given him and carries them out as intelligently as the best trained dog. Sheep as Bota of Bnrdoa. In India and Persia sbeep are nsed as beasts of burden. ROMANIA'S WOMEN. THE QUEEN'S TRIBUTE TO HER COUN TRY'S WIVES AND MOTHERS. They Are Beautiful, Courageous, Paulon ate sod Emotional To Them It Due the Credit That Tbelr Nation HUH Exists In Nplto of Many Fearful Invasion, A strange, wonderful being Is woman I But one must not forgot the extraordi nary admixture of vices from which she sprung. The Duel, the Romans, the Goths, the Koltul, Slavs and Greokg inhabited Rou nmulo, one nation following in the wuko of the other and all leaving populur im pressions behind them. Thus we bavo among us the Roman matron, with her eagle eyes, hor severe, classical features at the side of the Slavic woman, graceful as . ,.i,., i .,....,. a kitten and always ready to undergo any test as to loyalty to her lord. Again, we huve the woman of Bellas, pure and Inno cent, living next duor to a Tartar descend ant, renowned for her courage and feared for her vlndlotlvo qualities. The wife of tho Keltal is full of poetry and suporsti tions. Filially there Is tbe offspring of the Indian pariah outcasts also In Eu rope, the lying and ragged gypsy woman, beautiful as a statue or horrible aa witch, but always picturesque The beauty of Roumanian women hna been the subject of discussion and adimra tlon for many years, hut who knows any thing of her energy, hor courage, her faith fulness? The history of my country is al' most a sealed book. The relations between the wife of the groat landowner and the peasant women are often exceptionally good. They go to her whenever they please, embrace her like a sister, ask for a red flower in the garden, a few drops of oil for tholr hair, for a poo ny to color uhoeks and chin for the Suii' day dance. It Is the hardest thing in the world fur them to gu into servloe. They think it demeaning. Hungariansand gyp ales are good enough for slavery. A poor soldier boy, whose wounds I had nursed for four mouths, died in his moth er's arms as I was leaving the room. The poor woman crlod. .She was very noisy In her grief. A lady laid her hand soothing' ly upon her shoulder and said: "Stop your walling. Lot us try to keep the terrible iiows of your son s death from the quoon for a few hours." The woman subsided at once, I have seen some women follow their husbands Into the trenches before Plevna, amid a hall of bullets, to bring them a handful nf fruits, a little laundry. Whon one heard that her husband had been wounded, thoy went, searohing from laza retto to lazaretto until they found him, often after days and weeks. Then I have seen them standing before the bed, too much afraid to take a seat, though their knoos trembled. I oun jrif.i you but a blrdseye view of the Koumanlnn woman. I can lift but purt of the curtain that hides her history, unknown and yet so Interesting. '' She has played a marked rolo lo the development of our country. This woman seldom laughs. Her beauty soon fades in consequonoe of bard work and the groat number of ohildren she bears. There is something imposing in her- earnestness, something emotional, touching. Let a poor family have too many young onns, the women not blessed with children willoome forward and adopt the superfluous. They call them their ehildrtm children of their heart. That this country still exists in spite of the many fearful invasions is due to its women alone. The women preserved our language, our religion, our traditions. Do not bjtt deceived if you see her dance the polonaise' or hear her .prattle llkoaParli slepjlp. foreign culture has not Influenced hor. 'As of Old, she Is the emotional, jeal- b'us' wife,' the pusslrinate mother. . ' ; '' Tlf. Roumanlun.;womaii,.nttvar; prates, of i$p sacrifices she makes. She thinks theln natural: vDurhig theWar of"48T7 all of the foreign physicians looked ityon hor lnJmtonlsh;mint. Iu peaceful Urnus-shu Tllbs herself, starves,, wears siabby,,olothes careless and approhtn&Ie,her'1nfeuanir8 best friend, but ojiee provoked and injured his relentless enemy. A proutl 'Honmaulan mother always re minds me of a princess crowned. They all fchjwed tholr. sons and. husbands Into the tooth. of war. None staid at home. All bearing the honored title of mother 'and wife, marched In the wake of the army.' .Budoryr Perish the thought! We forgot our weaknesses, hesitation. All worked for the fatherland. Forty years ago one was astonished if thii.Vvhmoii iu a Roumanian salon were not all perfect beauties. At that time life was so simple. It is a hard life now. fJirls -Of 10 participate in the cares of tholr par ents. They know full well that roses ore soaTce'lu (his world. . , r - "'The- morrow belongs to Ron mania's mothers. Carmen Sylva. . , .. .li . : ' Meaning; of Papula Nam-. 'Some significance .should be.nttaohed to one's 'name, and a badly named child Is very opt to be Influenced as much 'by Its signification as by the stars under which it ts born, says the sxv And so here are a few favorite names and their origin nud weaning: Anna, from the Hebrew, mean ing a' prophetess; Annelto, from the cmh, sweet but sorrowful; Caroline, Latin, noble spirited; Dorothy, Celtic, fruitful; Edith and Kdna, Saxon, happi ness; Frances, Gorman, free; tJrace, Lat in, favor; Helen, tirook, a very beautiful woman; Ida, Greek, a lofty mountain; Josephine, French, a saver of life; Lucy, Latin, shining; Louisa, French, defender of her people; Leonora, Polish, victorious; Margaret, German, a pearl; Madeline, French, favored; Marie and Maria, from French and Spanish, and Mary, from He brew, a Bait tear or a drop of water. Only a Milkmaid. Mine. Tb. Iiontzon, in her account of "Woman Id the l ulled States," says that the first statue nil Mil to a woman In the United States Wus that of a certain Mar garet llaughery, iu New Orleans. This woman began life asa milk seller, to which she added the sale of bread and finally be came a baker on a very large scale. Sho made a considerable fortune, which she devoted to tbe pour and was popularly known as "The Orphan's Friend." Noth ing more profoundly touched Mmo. Rent son than this homage paid by the aristo crat lo town of New Orleans to a woman who did not know how to read or write. KnglUh Feminine Bnuty. Tbe chief characteristics of Knglish fe male beauty are regularity of fentums, the thin, short Due predominating, blue, gray and hazel even, light and dark flaxen hair, well developed bust and a figure of the average height of women and more In clined to stout new than the delicate, sway ing leannem su popular with certain clasHee of novel writers. OYINQ. . Passing out of the shadow Into a purer light. Stepping behind the ourtala, (Jutting a clearer light, Laying aside the burden, This weary mortal coll, Done with the world's vexations, Done with IU tours and toil. Tired of all earth's playthings, Heartsick and ready to strep, Heady to bid our frtund farewell. Wondering why they weep, Pawing out of the shadow. Into otcrnul day Why do wo call it dying, This sweet going awayt THE BEECH TREE. There stood in the forest an old beech tree. Her top was shattered by light- , n'D?' l,or 81(11,8 wor ! hol,low' Pioce8 I . ef funsns crew on hor bark, falie was I of fungns grew on hor bark. She was the oldest of a numcroua family, but she bad seen her children, as soon aa they hud grown np, full under the wood man's ax, und .only one duughtcr re mained to hor. This daughter waa a young beech tree, with smooth burk and heaven aspiring crest and only bO years old. Thut ia the best year for a forest tree. The old tree still thrust out hor twigs and leaves in the spring, but she felt that her life wus drawing to a close, for it cost her great suffering to hold herself upright. And because she know that she must die she felt her love increase for her beautiful daughter. Spring was approaching. Tbe branches were still covered with the glittering frost, but the roots began to uncurl, and the warm wind melted the suow. The rivers und brooks were swelling with melted ice. In the meadows the silvery cutkina burst from . their wrap pings, and the snowdrops peeped timid' ly up through the white carpet of the forest ground. The old tree spoke to the young: "To' night cornea the violent thaw wind. It will throw me down upon my bed of leavea that I have scattered in the coarse of time, and I shall go bock into the bosom of the mother from whom I cama xot before 1 go home l will De queath to you a gift that the gentle lord of the forest bestowed upon me when long ago he stopped to rest under my branches. Yon shall understand men's words and deeds and share alike in their joys and sorrows. That is the greatest happiness that can full to our lot, but be prepared to behold more sorrow than Joy. " So spoke the old tree end blessed her daughter. In the night the thaw wind came from the west It buried ships in the wavos of the sea ; it rolled great masses of snow from the mountains that de stroyed the homes' of men in their prog ress; it roufed through the forest, and everything that waa old and weuk per ished. But the strong trees resisted it It struck the old beech tree to the earth and shook 'tier strong daughter as she wisely bent her head before the blast, and the great wind swept on. Three days ' tlm daughter wept spar kling dew for her mother; then the sun came out and dried her tears. Then be gan everywhere such, stir and commo tion that the beech tree had no .time, to grieva Her buds swelled and burst and one morning a hundred thousand trem bling, tender green leavej sprang into the sunshina That was j :yl Golden yellow primroses, climbed from the, ground They pushed their silken leaves out into the broad sunlight Red, ai)d( pine oiossoms grew uparouua ine prim roses, ,andj trtib sweet Woodruff uncurled' its' 'delicate whirled leaves. That whs life.' ' And in the midst of all this bloom and fragrance the youug beech tree stood like a queen. A nuch-huilt her nest, in her branches and ,a.. redheaded wood pecker paid her a visit, unco cuckoo came and once a distinguished squirrel with his bushy tail over his head ran Wp and down to see if be might np.t find an aoorn. Bnt men sjie had nof yet seen this year, and they would have been the most welcome guests of all, since she possessed the power to understand their' words and deeds.' After all, ohe morning came a slender young girl with her long' brown braids, who walked through tbe woods straight to the tree.. However,, her visit did not seem to be for the beech alone. She glanced' at the decay ing trees on the ground and said, "Here is the spot " ' Then she sat doWn her basket filled with.;-May flowers -and leaned back against the beech tree with-. out a glance at its green loveliness. The tree held her breath to hear what the maiden would say, but the pretty one was silent Presently from the op posite side appeared a strong young man. He wore a little round hat with a curling feather like a huntsman. He crept np cautiously so cautiously that hardly a leaf rustled nuder his feet Rut softly as he stepped the quick ear of the maiden perceived bis coming. She turned her head toward him, and the tree thought, "Now she will fly. " But the girl did not fly. Instead she sprang toward the youth and threw both arms arouud his brown ueck. "My Hans I" My Eva!" they cried together. , Then they kissed each' other passionately, called each other pet names, embraced again, and the beech tree found it all very tedious Later they sat under the tree and spoke of their love. It was an old story they told, but it was all new to the beech tree, and she listened like a child to a fairy tola It was a wonderful sur prise to her. The youth arose from the ground, drew out his knife and began to carve in the bark of tbe tree. This caused the beech great pain, but she held as still as a wall. "What is that to be?" asked the maiden. "A heart with yournameand mine," answered Hans as he continued to carve. When the work was finished, they both looked at it. well pleased, and the tree was as happy as it a king had hung a golden chain upon her. "Truly, men are splendid people." thought sha Now the hunter began to sing. Tht tree bad listened many times to th ong of the finch and thrush, but she beard now for tbe first time something Tory difforeut from bird songs. j "Listou, Huns, " sold tbe girl when the huntei pansed in his song. "Your ' song reminds mo of something. I know I peoplo suy that in the autumn yon ' trn luwrnf lv into the wnnds for mimn. Let the pouching gu The forester is your enemy. You know why, and if be should meet you poaching in tho woods, then houveus I my Hung I if yon should be brought to me with a bullet through your breast. " The young man bent over tho girl, who loaned caressingly on his shoulder aud kissed her lips. " People tulk too much. Don't believe everything thoy say, sweothourt " And putting his arm arouud her they went singing through the forest When the couple disappeared among tho trees, a man in hunter's dress crept from the bushes. He curried his gun on bis buck and a knife in his belt His face waa white and distorted. Ho wont up to the beech tree and behold the heart that Huns hud curved. He lringhod wildly und drew out his knife to destroy the writing, then, changing his mind, ho thrust the blude again iu its sheuth. Shaking his fist threuteningly in the di rection where the couple had disap peared, he muttered, grinding his teeth, "If I meet you, you poacher, ouly ouce on forbidden ground, you will huve heard the cuckoo sing for the last time. With these words he went into the woods. And tho tree shook her head sadly. The beech tree got many a sight of the faces of the children of men in tbe course of tbe summer the poor women gathering leaves or dry bark, the berry pickers, foresters and pilgrims. But tbe most cherished amid the guests who gathered nuder her leafy roof were the youth aud brown haired maid. They made weekly visits to her, spoke of their love, embraced each other, and day by day tbe beech tree came to love them mora One morning before sunrise, when the mountains were just casting off their gray mist caps, Hans came alone. He carried a gun on his shoulder and step ped as lightly through tho underbrush as if he would take his sweetheart by surprise. This time his coming bad nothing to do with lovely Eva but the stag comes this way to drink I At the foot of the tree the hunter paused and stood as motionless as the beech herself. The cool morning wind blew, aud the mist disappeared in heavy clouds. The gay birds fluttered and sang about the stream. The underbrush rus tied. Hans raised his gun. A shot rang out on the clear air. ' Huns dropped his gun, sprung convulsively into the air and fell to the ground. A man strode hastily from the thicket with a smoking gun in his left hand. The beech tree knew him well. The huntsman bent over the murdered man., . "It ia all over with him, " he said, and taking his gun he vanished into the bushes. . The bright sun rose and shone upon a still form with set white face. Sorrow fully the tree bent over and wept bitter tears, and the little robins flew np and covered the dead face and ' staring eyes with leaves uud twigs. In the afternoon some-woodcutters came that way and found tho body. "He has been shot while poaching," they said, and taking him gently np they bore him to the distant valley. An old man lingered by the trea He drew his knife and carved a cross over the heart that Huns had made. Then he took off his hat and breathed a prayer. The leaves of tbe green crest rustled, for the, tree prayed, too, in her. own way. For many summers on the anniversary of the death of the murdered man, the maiden came to thei seat, knelt down And wept and played,. and every time she was paler, mptg ,f rague, . .One day she did not come, and the tree murmur ed, "She is dead I" and so it was. Years passed. Tbe beech had become a mighty tree. Her bark was covered with brown moss. The wild vines clus tered about her trunk, and heart and cross were both nearly covered., A man came one day and made a third murk on the bark, and the tree knew her time had coma She bore the sign, of her de struction she must soon f alL Farewell, thou green and sunny forest I She had not long to wait for the woodmen, who came, and with cruel axes cut into her very lifa. .. . A gloomy, glowering man in hunter's dress, with long gray hair and beard, directed their movements. The beech knew him right well, and he appeared to recognize the trea He came close to her aud tearing away both moss and vine he saw that heart aud cross were sofa "Here it was,' he muttered, and horror shook his very frame. "Back, Herr For ester! Back 1" cried the men. "The tree is falling!" , The warned man stepped back, but it was too lata With a deafening crash the beech fell to the ground and buried tbe forester nuder her corpse. When they picked him up, he was dead. Tbe beech had crushed his bead And the men stood in a circle roundabout and prayed for his soul. From the German. Manma. Manna is the concentrated juice ol several plauts .which grow in great abundance in many ports of south Eu rope, Asia aud Africa. The tree which most generously produces it is a sort of ash. The juice exudes from the stem during the summor months, as a conse quence of the punctures of an insect that infests the tree, bnt the better kinds of manna, known as "fluke man na," are obtained from incisions made in the bark. The poorer qualities come from the bark near the roots of the tree. The manna of commerce is obtained chiefly from Sicily and Calabria. A va riety is collected by the Arabian Bed ouins from a species of tamarix, which is nsed on brei.d like honey. Tbe word is believed to be derived from the Syriac mono, a gift, though there is little evi dence that the medical substance now known by that name has anything in common with the manna mentioned a tbe travels of the Israelites. CHILDREN'S COLUMN. PAPA'S TWO JOYS. When baby opens bl blue eyes At mornlnif'ldo, Hrst thins Ha uriua and eoua to era papa, la vain bis erib we swing. Bn wants his slippers and wee socks, Then sister sets his drone, But he's not satisfied to start Down stairs with her unless She carrios him bis favored way. Ho down tho stops they run, Be clasping tight behind her back, Delighted with tho fun. The break fust room becomes more bright Now hope Illumes the day, Whon in thoy oorao, papa's two Joys, And morning greetings say. Her Pets. . A small girl who has an extraordinary fondness for pets and is allowed to have a considerable number of them has recently been sick, and her letter to a friend after recovery tolls how her pets fared while she oould not take care of them. "I have lost two of my goldfish," she says, "and one of my cats has died since I have been sick. I miss her, and I think hor ohildren do. She has two sons and our daughter, cats, and there is a grand son, but his name is Belle, even if lie is a sun. AH the other male ohildren have female names, but fortunately tho daugh ter has a name to suit her that is, Snow ballbut I guess that would do for elthor kind of cat. The other two children's names are Mollle Gray and Dorothy. The eat that died was named Snowball, but when she did become grandmother I called her Granny. Now, I suppose you know all about my pots except my dog, whose name Is Penelope I call him funny and Six turtles, and of courso they are all named, and as I had a good deal of trou bla to find names for all of then,, why, some of tbelr names don't fit them ultber. A friend gave me my baby turtle, and I hod to go a long way to got It. I put it in a baskot with a cover to it and put the basket on the floor of the car. When I was almost borne, a man in the car said to ine, Little girl, your turtle is going to get off the car.' I j'linped up, and there he was Just crawling off tho back platform. Ev ery one laughed, but I picked him up and hold the basket on mv lao after that, but he trlod to get out again. I like thorn all." New York Tlmos. A Cat's Whiskers. Vttf iim la un nnnnnutinnl flumA And tlAVMF lndulgos in useless gifts. If she gives aiu animal or plant an appendage of any kind, we may be sure that it serves some wise . -!'l?l purpose. Take a cat's whlsKers, lor - lnstunoe wbloh may seem to you to be merely oftta-; mental. They are organs of .touch, at- , tachod to a bed of fine glands under the skin," and each of thesd'lMig hftfrs IS ion-'-' noiAArl urUJi.. Mia iwnM nfi f.hflN.l III. f Tan slightest contact of these whiskers with any surrounding ob'jeo't if, thus 'felt most , distinctly by the-aiflmat, altffoiigh " th hairs thomselvei itre4nebslbie. - ' ' They stand eMt-on-oach'sWe af : the Hon i as well as the common oat. From point to point they are equal to tho, width of the animal's bod.tvIw'flhag1te,'thereTOrei', A linn 1 1 .M.teJ,Ii40v AbAiwIawf. vfTP-uAnnH hi an Imperfect light,, we shall aminos see tlje use of these long hairs. .They Indicate to him through the nioest feeling uny ob stacle which may present itself to the pas sago of his body.r They preVoilt' Vho r'us-' ' tling .of boughs and leaves .which' would give warning to bis prey. f sha were. to. at-' tunint t.i niiaa tin nlnou t.n a Knali and . thus, in conjunction with the soft oush lons,pf his feet and the fur upon "which ha" treads, the claws . never coining hroontaot with the ground, -they enable; him to move ..toward nls viotim, witn a stillness equal to that of a snake.'' . A Pretty Experiment. . . A. cork that Is longer, than it is. broad floats upon its stomach, so to speak. H-w hid we iiiaAe iu uiniu upuu ILO I1WUI Place one on end upon a table and around it place six others. Seize them all together and plunge them under water so as to moisten them completely. Then re move your hand and let them take their own position in the water, when you will find that they will stand upright, as it supportiug one another. This is because the water that pene trates tbe corks by capillarity will make them cling together. A Labor of Love. That is a beautiful little story which is told in a recent number of an English pa, per. A man walking along a country road saw a little girl carrying a boy much younger than herself, but wbo appeared far too big and heavy for her strength. Ha began talking to her and suggested that the baby was heavy. "Why," said she in astonishment, "he's not heavy; he's my brother." got xist to any extent In Chicago at