OLD SOCTJ AND NEW. SHARP CONTRASTS OBSERVED BY A NORTHERNER IN ALABAMA. Tin roar Whits Cut a Sorry Figure Alongside Ilia Alert and ProgrewilTe Cltl lent Who An Sink lug Illrmlngliura the Manrheater of America. Thme in n paradox in the social inuko up of northern Aluhiima which is ut mice puzzling and mtiUHitiK. There are tunny paradoxes indeed, but tbiH one in renuirkuble. In the midst of woruont old cotton fields, red hills and foroiitH has suddenly sprung np a line of lively modern cities, und in and nronnd them in a nuiqno civiliziitiou of u very h h tinier, tu diiTcroiit from the old north hh from the old south. Yet all thin new new, all tliin Htir of industrial life aud pleasant refinement have not produced the slightest effect upon the old resi dents of the hillrt, und from a oity with (JO, 000 inhubitiiiitH, electric lights and ruilwuyH, uiugninceut hotels mid pulu tiul resid'niccs, streets like'Brondwiiy und churches und school buildings equal to thee of Boston, one may paws in un hour's walk to a diHtrict unchanged wince 1800 excopt by unturul decay, where leun and luuky men, and loauer yellow and shriveled women, ait in "shucks" unfit for blooded cattle, in the midst of dirt, dogs and towheaded chil dren, chew uutnral leaf tobacco and spit through the crack. Innteud of being im proved, old citizens declare that these people have retrograded becunse the few Among them who had any talent and ambition have been drawn away to the new cities. Jnst in front of the hotel where I am writing is a type of this class. He has a little bull of scrub stock, clad in a hor nets composed of rope, leather and old clothes, in shafts made of saplings at tached to a curt that would be a show in any northern city, and in that curt is his family, nil listless, dnll eyed and seemingly half asleep. Up onr way we -smile at the country bumpkin who gazes in open mouthed wonder at the Rights of the town und is curious about things . long familiar to us, but these people do not stare or wonder or inquire. On this : magnificent street and in front of a pre- . SCENE ON SECOND 'tentions opera house they wear exactly the same stolid air of indifference as at home. They are as totally destitute of that intelligent curiosity which is the germ and motor of progress as so many JoshaUte6. Their first sight of the rail way trains does not rouse even a quiver in their faces. Men who work in tbe great rolling mills tell me that when one of these fellows delivers any back woods product there he never manifests the slightest interest in the ponderous . machinery or cares to look through the place. They haven't even ambition enough to get diuuk, and if, as rarely liuppeus, one gets too much whisky, he does not shout or fight, but drops on the first convenient spot and goes to sleep. How did this class originate? There is a tradition in the south that tbey are descendants of those trumps and low grade criminals who were transported from England w early colonial times, but I apprehend that the stock must have been recruited considerably by the drift from other classes. They rarely commit crime of any kind and are radi cally distinct from the "moonshine" distillers and fighters of whom we bave read so much. Clay eaters are still found among them, and I have had a few pointed out to me, but the tendency of that class is to die out. The clay most affected is a peculiar waxy kind without a particle of grit, and some physicians maintain tbut the habit results from a sort of low grade scrofula which affects tbe stomach lining. This cheesy clay re lieves the irritation, and hence the crav ing for it. The negroes, among whom the habit is very rare, say it is nothing but shiftlessness. "Day doan' do noth in, sah, an so day wants to be pickin at omefin, an day ain't got vittels to pick at, an so day picks at de clay. " Such is the learned diagnosis of our hotel porter, who adds that "day mighty seldom mar ries 'ceptin 'nioDg 'einselves, always cousins an sioh. " "A regulah clay eatab, a durn low down clay eatah," is the country negro's term of extreme con tempt It is a pleasure to turn from such peo ple to Birmingham and its very lively people. In 1881 1 visited the city, but I cannot recognize a spot I then saw. The frame hotel I patronized is gone, and the site covered by a block of stone and brick. The city then had 8,100 inhabit ants; the census of 1890 credited it with 27,000 and the county with 88, 000, but soon after all the residence suburbs were annexed and now the school census indicates a city population of 62, COO. The city stretches from Red Mountain to North Birmingham and from West End to East Lake, and still there axe 15 suburban towns outside the limits. So the enstom is to copnt 11 in- dustritis us Driiid'uthum's which aro i r!o district nifciamg in the limits of tlio peculiar oval valley, which wh niudo by I ho splitting of nn unticlinai axis. ' In this district are 25 iron furnaces five rolling mills, many foundries und minor shops, two cotton gin niuuufac lories and a grcut variety of minor es tablishments. "And all this is lint a be' ginning," siiy all with whom I talk, "for the great problem is solved. Cumegiea bave shown that our low silicon ore is readily convertible into steel by the Busic process, and as fust as possible all (he furuuees will be changed so as to produce tlio kind needed. Carnegies huve just lionjjht 215,000 tons, and tho Illinois Stonl company 10,000 tons of it, bnt only two furuuees at present cuu turn out this low silicon ore. When all do so and many more are built well, tho most riotous imagination can scarce ly picture the future of Birmingham There's 500,000,000,000 tons of red hematite ore in that one mountain aud plenty more all urouud, and we can turn it into iron at less cost than anywhere else in the world." And much more of the same sort. But I wanted to know what the labor ing men were getting out of all this, as they told some very hard stories while tho great strike und labor wur was on, First be it noted that there are 2,000 convict miners in this county, and tho gentleman in charge allowed me to range the' vast prison where those tern porurily idle are confined. Of the 400 or so there at least three-fourths are col ored, und so I am told it is in the stock ade. A good deal of liberty is allowed and in the courtyard white aud black, mule and female, enjoy a social equality which would huve delighted Theodore Tilton. Incidentally I may add that interviewed Mrs. Howe, a white worn an, whose case is interesting an Ala bama, us she is awaiting final trial on the chui ge of murdering ber stepson, She complacently called my attention to the fuct that she did not "look like a murderess, " but I have not seen speci mens enough to be un expert. There are G.G0O free miners in the county und about 3,000 more in the dis trict, and tbe average of the pay roll for the largest mine is $1.85 per day. AVENUE, BIRMINGHAM. This includes in any negroes, doing the lowest grade work at 80 cents a day, and many others ut $1. So the estimat ed daily average of miners proper is (2.40 per day, and a few of the most skilled make $3. The highest wages in the district are paid to the head roller in a rolling mill namely, $15 per day out of which he has to pay two help ers. Similarly tbe boss pnddlers get high wages und pay helpers, so the range in the furnaces ' is all the way from $1. 75 to $4. Common labor is rarely above $1 a day, and many bun dreds of negroes are working at 80 cents, Tbe negro quarters of the city are by odds the poorest I have ever seen, north or south. I really do not see how life can be maintained on the south half of Second avenue and adjacent streets, and my guess is that if the city authorities do not bestir themselves before spring they will bave a little pestilence to deal with. A pathetic proof of the narrow lines on which these poor creatures live appeared in the fact that several with whom I talked told me, with a voice of gladness, that lately the price of flour had been put down to 55 cents a sack (25 pounds) and meal to 25 cents. I need not give the enthusiastic talk or the figures on cost of material by which the boomers prove that iron can be made here much cheaper than any where else in the world, and that Bir mingham is destined to he the Sheffield, tbe Sligo, the Bradford aud the Man chester, all in one, of the new world. Investors will investigate, and for oth ers such figures would be wearisome. Whether this city is really to have 125, 000 people iu 1900 and 250,000 in JU10, as the most moderate assert, is more than I know, aud one man's guess is as good as another's. J. B. Pakke. Birmingham. Prone For the World. There are in all over 6,000 acres of prune orchards of bearing age in Ore gon. There are also several thousand acres of 1 -year-old prune orchards not included above, but which will add ma terially to the total output of fruit A good crop this year will mean, therefore. an output of 6,000,000 to 10,000,000 pounds of cured prunes in Oregon. Remarkable lek. One of the most remarkable inks known to the chemist is made of a prep aration of prussian blue in combination with nitric and hydrochloric acids. The writing done with this ink has the sin gular property of fading when exposed to tbe light and recovering its color when taken into the shade or placed in perfect darkness. SHE HAD TROUBLE. And Her Huaband Explained Why She Waa Without Cook. She was cvideutly bent upon produc ing un impression not only upon the old acquaintance she hud just met, but up on all the other people in tbe car us wolL "Yes, I heard you had come back to Chicago to live," she said, after greet ings hud been exchanged, "but really I've not bad time to come to see you. I have no cook servants are the plague of a housekeeper's life in Chicago." "Ab, I suppose you keep a good many?" "Well, you know, we can't get them well trained, and it'is one person's work to keep them going. " "Oh, well, I haven't had much trou ble, but then I only keep two. How many" . "Of course, my house is large and I am particular. " "Where are you living now? I want to come to see you. " "On the north side. I only wish I could ask you over to dinner, but it is impossible so long as I am without a cook, and oh I am particular about ref erences I may not be suited for a long time." "How lucky that I met you today. An old cook of mine is hunting a place; she will just suit yon, for she is an ex cellent servant, fond of children, seldom goes out, and" "How nice I Have yon seen Ellen since yon came back?" "I was going to see her today. I nm so anxious to get Christine a place and I thought she might hike her, but now that I've met you I shall not need to go. I can give her the best of recommenda tions, so you" "Yes. I haven't soeu Ellen for a long time. She lives plainly, I might say poorly, and, of course, we don't go out together, at alt "Indeed. Now, about the cook ; shall I send her to you, or" "Oh, don't trouble yourself; I" "It is no trouble at all. What is your number?" "Dear me, I don't believe I have a card with me. I intended to stop at the engraver's today, but the fall things in the shops were bo lovely I forgot all about it." "Too bad. However, I can write down your address; you will find her a treasure, I assure you. " "Yes, yes; no doubt. But really, I am getting along very well, and I hate to train." "But you won't need to train Chris tine. I did that myself, and Id take her now only I have a treasure already. " "Yes. Do tell me if you ever see the Upwells now?" "Yes, indeed. Tbey have just gone to boarding. Christine bad been living with them for a year, and Laura was perfectly delighted with her. You had better engage her at once. Why, isn't that your husband coming in? So glad to see you, Mr. Van Tompkins. I am perfectly delighted to see Dora looking so welL Why, she hasn't changed a bit in five years. " "Indeed she hasn't. I think it is won derful too. Six years married, and tbe way that woman has worked) Why, she never bad a hired girl in the house except once, when the twins had scarlet fever. Why, Dora, I haven't seen you blush bo at a compliment since you were girl!" Chicago Tribune. Ber Error. "I nee that yon have been buying a bicycle," he casually remarked, as they sat side by side on the sofa. "Yes." "Cash or installment?" "Two dollars a week," she. admitted. And thus it was she unknowingly caused him to postpone his proposal for nearly a year. Indianapolis Journal. Fleaaed Her. "If there is anything I like," said he to bis wife, "it is a woman who knows enough to be a good listener. Whereat tbe servant girl at the keyhole could not repress a smile of satisfaction. Albany Argus. Highly Contagion. Cbol) (reading paper) Gwacinsl Tbe Pwinoe of Wales has a cold. Chappie My goodness ! Send out for some cougn medicine, deah boy. for both of us. Truth. A Savins Thought. Kate (e-pitefully) The men are All alike. Laura (demurely) But some havs more money than others. Boston Tran script. Culverts!. She I really don't think I shall takt part again in theatricals. I always feel as though I were making a fool of my self. He Oh, everybody thinks that! Pick Me L'p. Mem ; Among tne witnesses wiio.-prcnra before the civil court the other, day-in an action of tort was a mellmcholy young man with a noticeable arrunge ment of feutures. When be took bis place on the witness stuud.the examin ing couiikoI begun with the stereotyped, "Are you a married man or a single niuu?" The witness shifted about uneasylike from foot to foot and then answered eadly, "I don't kuow." It was the lawyer's turn now to look uneasy. He glanced at the witness, then ut the court and finally, running an eye the length of the young man, as if about to give a guess on his weight, usked iu a kind of un amused way : "You're the first young miin of your age tbut I ever met who couldn't re spond either ufTlrimttivcly or negatively on that all imporiunt question." "I cau't," said the witness, turning his head as if tho subject was to him a disagreeable one. The lawyer usked him why, and, finding that he must answer, he replied : "Well, I was married a couple of months ngo to . u woman who had hud a previous nmrriuge annulled on the ground that she was iusune ut the time the ceremony was performed. I have now reason to believe that she was in sane when site married me. If she wasn't," and his features relaxed into a melancholy smile, "I think I mast have been insane to have married her. I am going to let the court decide it later on." Boston Globe. Making Good the Ante." Lifa No Proof of HI Power. "Ethel I" "Yes, pupa. " "I believe you told me once that young Litewait claimed to be a hypno tist" "Oh, he is one, papa. I know he ia. " "He's proved it to your satisfaction, has he?" "Yes, indeed." "Was he trying to demonstrate it when I saw him kissing you in the con servatory?" The beautiful girl blushed. "Yes, papa," she said. "You considered that satisfactory proof, did you?" "Yes, papa. " "And you're sure it was hypnotism?" "Perfectly certain, papa." "You wouldn't try to deceive your poor old father in a matter of that sort, would you?" "No, indeed, papa." The old man shook his head doubt fully. "I think it would have looked more like a genuine case of hypnotism if he had kissed your mother or me, " he Baid. "However, we 11 not discuss that. I have made up my mind, though, that all hypnotists must keep away from here. " "Why, papa?" "My observation convinces me that you are too good a subject to make it possible for any of them to demonstrate any real hypnotic power to my satisfac tion. As for yonng Litewait, you may say to him that I feel certain that I can hypnotize him so perfectly that he would never know what hit him. " Chicago Post She Felt Dlnonraged. "You seem downcast," said Eunnimune's husband. "I do feel terribly discouraged, servant is going to leave. " Mrs. The "That's too bad. That makes the fifth in three months." "Yes. I feel like giving np. No soon er do I learn to cook to suit one thun another comes, and I have to start all over again." Washington Star, An Eya to Boalneaaa. He What did the doctor say was the matter with you? She Suid i was run down. "What did he recommend?" "Bicycle riding." "I see; that will make business for bim, because you'll run other people down. " Yonkers Statesman. An Exception. ' "So you have takeu to cycling at last, have yon?" "How did you find that out?" "I saw you on your wheel yesterday. " "By Jove I I'm glad to hear that All the refit of my friends happened to see me when I was off. Kicnmond Diuputcb. ' A Modern Delilah. As he leaned lovingly against her she playfully snipped off a few locks of his hair. "Heaven?!" he exclaimed, when he realized what ebe had done, "yoa have ruined the tx-xt half back in tbe busi neda." Brooklyn Life. Long Proceaa. must we say farewell?" 'And he faltered. " Yes, " be answered. She shuddered. She hated to sit np another two hours. but he was firm in hia purpose. De troit Tribune. Deflaod. Aunt Jessie Now, Percy, can yon tell me what "lazy" means? Percy Lazy means wben yon want your little gutter to got It lor yoa. Truth. YearS THE OLD '.ST.- LOUIS- v, . ' Medical and Surgical Dispensary. Thl I Ike oldeat Private Medical DUpenaary In he eity of Portland, the Bret Medical Ilia- penury ereratarted In thl city. Dr. Keuler, the old reliable tpecialiat, hat been the general manager of thla Inatilutlon for twclre yeara, during which time thoutande of eenee have been cured, and no poor man or woman waa ever refuaed treatment becauM they had no money. The St. Louie DUpenaary ha thou- aauda of dollar In money and property, and I able financially to make It word good. The St. Lout Diapenerry haa a eta of the bet Phyilciana and Burgeoaa In the country. all men of experience. A complete aet of Sur gical inatrumenta on hand. The beat Electric Apparatua la the country, both French and American. Their apparatua for anatyiing the urine for kidney aud bladder diaeaaea, are per fect and the very latent. No difference what doctora hare treated you, don't be diacouraged, but go and have a talk with them. It coiti you nothing for conaultation, beitdea you wilt be treated kindly, Peraouaare calling at the St. Lout Diepensary, every day, who have been treated by aome advertiaing quacka of thla city and received no benefit. Thla old diapenaary la the only one in the city that can give reference amoug the buiineea men and bankera aa lo their commercial atandlng. fyThey poaitively guarantee to cure any and all Private Dlacaaea ia every form and atage without loa of time from your work or buainea. DLniiait!ia Cured by an old German '. Thia remtJv waa nilGUIIiailSIII remedy. Bent to Dr. Keuler a few month ago by a friend attending medical college in Berlin. It baa never failed, and we guarantee It Kidney and Urinary Complaints. Painful, difficult, too freauent. milk. r bloody urine, unnatural diachargea, carefully treated and permanently cured. Pilea, rheuni atiam and neuralgia treated by our new reme dies and curea guaranteed. fllrl Cnrac ?'rs, Cancer. Htc., cured, no UIU OUlCd difference how long affected. Private Diseases of byphilll, Conorhoea, I Theae doctora guar- ivphUte, Conorhoea, Gleet. Stricture cured no amerence n rhoea, Loaa of M cured permanen effectually cured Young Men theae old docton no amerence now long Handing. Spermator rhoea, Loaa of Manhood, or Nightly Kmiwiona, cured permanently. The habit of Self Abuae effectually cured in a ehort time. Your error and folllea of youth can be remedied, bad doctora will give you wholesome ad- vice and cure you make you perfectly atrong and healthy. You will be amaied at their auc ee in curing Rpii AToaanca.. Seminal Loa. aa, Niohtlt Buiaaioxa. and other effect. STRICTURE-NO cuttiug, pain or etretcitaf nleaa accessary, READ THIS. Take a clean bottle at bedtime and urinate la the bottle, act aaide and look at it in the morn ing, if it ia cloudy, or haa a cloudy aettling ia it you have aome kidney or bladder diaeaac. CATARRH K"We guarantee to cure any caw of use to many remedies bar failed. Address ST. LOUIS VOX YAMHILL STREET, COB. Beginning of the Leather Trade. A ceiifiuR was taken in 1 790, a second one in 1800, but no statistics were col lated. A first account of the industries was iu the census of 1810. The popu lation was 7, 23 9, 708. The manufactures of leuther, shoes, harness and trunks were valned ut $17,9!)5,477. The num ber of tanneries wab 4,816. Of these New York hud 807, Pennsylvania 710 and Massachusetts 299. Their yearly production included 2,608,340 pounds of sole- leather nnd 44,003 dozens of calf, sheep uud goat skins. One-third of the hides nsed came from South America. They cost 6 jjj cents a pound. The other raw niateriuls were princi pally sheep and deer skins. Nearly all the country folk woie breeches or aprons of buckskins, fulled or tanned in oil. Tbe largest tannery at that time was in Northampton, Mass. It was capable of tanning 5,000 hides a year. Shoe and Leather Reporter. Vitality of Seeda Teated. Professor Lazenby of the Ohio experi ment station, in making tests for ascer taining the purity and vitality of seeds, notes the remarkable power of reger ruination which is exhibited by various species. Different samples of wheat germinated no less than ten times after intervals of a week or more, daring which time the seeds were kept perfect ly dry. Corn will germinate nearly as often. Clover and the grass seeds ger minate but once, as a rule. This helps to explain why a good stand of grass or clover is difficult to obtain in unfavor able seasons, while failure with wheat or grain from alternate wet and dry con ditions seldom occurs, provided the seed is good. It may also be one reason why certain garden seeds will endure muoh greater neglect than others. Garden and Forest. An Oddity la Toe and DlflU. There is one curious fact respecting the animal creation with which you will never become acquainted if yon de pend on your textbooks for information. It is this: No living representative of tbe animal kingdom bas more than five toes, digits or claws to each foot, hand or limb. The horse is the type of one toed creation; the camel of tbe two toed ; the rhinoceros of the three toed and the hippopotamus of four toed ani mal life. The elephant and hundreds of o'-her animuls belonging to different or ders beloug to tbe great five toed tribe. St. Louis Republic It ia an indisputable fact that for more than fifty years, children, from tha age of three months to ten yeara, have oeen heaentea ty Sfdman's Sootntng Pow der. Theae Powders are termed sooth in jf because the correct mitieate. and re move, disorders of he system incident to teething. To COW 3UMPTIVEO Tn- underaimed havlne been restored to health bv aimole mean, alter (iilTerlnc (or ereral yeara wltb a aerere lant; affection, and that dread dlaeaae Cobaamptloa, ia amlou lo make Known to hla fellow tunerera the means of cure. To tbore who deaire It, be will cheer full? tend (free of ebarce, a eopr of the nreacrln- tion oaad, which they will Bnd a eure euro for Caaeawipttaa. Aathana. Catarrh. Branch. tie and all throat and lane Malaaiee. Hf bope all nnmn will try nil remedy, as It I Inraiuable. Thoee desiring the prescrlpUon, which will eoet then nothln. and mar antra a blaaalnt, will pleaa addreaa. 15 Rtf. E.w&rf A. WIimi, IrMUva, N. Y. Young Men or OldCs.- failing Manhood, Phyaical Bsceeaee, Mental Worry, Stunted Development, or any peraaaal weaknes. can be reatored to PnaraCT Hkal-iw. and th NoaLK Vitality or Strono Man, tke Pride and Power of Nation. W claim ay yeara of practice by' our ezclualve method a uniform "Monopoly of Bucce." ia treating aH dieeaaea, wcakneaaea and affliction of men. IklllflLU UlUvnVLU lanuca, ana nen Prostration, Female Weakneta, Leucorrl and General Debility, and Worn Out Wei aperdily brought to enjoy life again.- Call wruc particular 01 your caai meat furuiahed by writing ua Home treat. particular. AM lettera atrictly confidential. MBDICINR furaUhed free la all Private aa4 Chionic dieeaaee. Consultation free, la prliati room, where yoa only e tha doctora, CaT TAPE WORMS "tM (Samplea of which can be aeea at their oSaa, from is to so feet long) removed ia a houra. Heart Disease SlSrJSS" OUT OP TOWN PATIRNTS, writ for aaa. tlen blank and Iree diagaoaia of yoar Ueahaa. enclosing atampa for aaawcr. AND PILES. Catarrh or Piles. Don't be afraid U try Treated with our own remediea. with stamp, DISPENSARY, SECOND. PORTLAND. OREGON TT7 E. McNElL, Kecelver. TO THE EAST GIVE8 THE CHOICE OF TWO TRANSCONTINENTAL R;OUT IE S VIA GREAT VIA UNION PACIFIC RY. DENVER 0NAHA AND KANSAS CITT NORTHERN RY. SPOKANE MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL LOW RATES TO ALL EASTERN CITIES OCEAN STEAMERS LEAVE PORTLAND EVERY 5 ...FOR 0AY8 SAN FRANCISCO For full details call on or address W. H. HURLBTJRT, Gen'l Paaa. Agent, Portland, Ob. 5AWTRADEIt COPYRIGHTS. CAN OBTAIN A PATKNTf For a ProinDt M U N M Ac CO., who nave had naarl; anawer and aa h honest opinion, wrna tn a, wn ftr upfnmM id hi patant i tlona itrlctlT confidential. .ipw1.no. In th pauot Insinaaa. Commute. rtftld AMTlV ftV I I r IHaaakukith. I Pa mmu ."win wmtn i nm. Aieoa aacajosiMor SMaaaB leal and aclantlfte hooka leotrranT Patents taken through Moon A Co. naaraa ?1 notlojlntb. HentlaeAertra?a3 5htw1o.lT before tbe public with? out enet to to. mrentor. Thla adenoid papac i weeaiy, elegantly llinatrated, baa by farta bouaaa. wltb plana, onablliif bulldsrs to a ton. and iriifluHMuM TS"pi aoa now sontrseta. Addreaa UttMM X CO. Ms Toac. 31 BaSSwAn For Children Cutting ttwr Ttk IN USE OVER 'riFTY YEARS. tell fmtrli Htwt, srmf fit. Ci-ania, ana pceeewe a aaaif ' 1 mum 4nrlK0 ( awf-a t (.(Af. V viiwmwua vi ut aoianiino work la tan w?1?;..3 ! nli. eopiea sent free. Bunding IVfl tlotvioonthly, kfiea year. Btaala optee, iS nentaTKrery numbereontalne bmZ Hful Plata. In eolora. and nhnlnmnk. i