WINTER "(Photographs published by permlseion of the American Museum of NAtural History.) PROBABLY no people on earth have a. harder life than the dwclfera in the' barren, inhospitable regione of the Arctic Circle the Eskimo of North America and he Koryaks, KamebadaleE, -Tunguses and other tribes of Northern Asia. For a great part of the year they usually "have a h'aijd fight for bare ex istence, and the weakest Is Invariably killed off l'n the bitter struggle for life. "Yet, hy a curious paradox, theso people who have so little cause for mirth are jovial souls. They have their pleasures, their games and their sport, and they do not take them sadly. In the American Museum of Natural History in New York City there Is an Interesting collection of toys used by the Smith Sound IDskimo In playing games In their "IgloOE" (snow huts) during the long "Winter night of the Arctic. The articles were presented by Lieutenant I'eary, who is looked upon by these Eskimo in the light of a father. One of these toys, called "ajagag," is a leg bone with a hole bored through each socket. A thin stick ("ajautang") Is tied by a short string to the bone. The latter In. tossed into the air and caught in either hole by the stick. The game is 'much like the English "cup and ball." The "hleqlaq" or "bull roarer" is a flat bone in the shape of an hourglass or . figure eight with a looped string pass ing through its middle. The Eskimo chil dren twirl the bone on the string, but the exact nature of the game does not seem to have 'been discovered byany ex plorer who has dwelt among them. Another toy bt the familiar "cat's cra dle" a string which is drawn by the fingers Into fantastic shapes which are supposed to resemble animals and vari ous other objects. When Lieutenant Peary dwelt among these Eskimo he found that the village had one large empty "Igloo." which was From a New Congressman to His Wife He Explains That There Is No Way to Beat the "System" of the House. ASHINGTON, D. C. Jan. IS. My Dear "Wife: I always feel that I can depend upon you for the proper solution of problems that affect tho family, and undoubtedly you are right in deciding to place that $600 I sent you, as the net proceeds of my little deal in copper, in the safety deposit vault, pend ing the result of my decision as to my future plans, and our further conference on the subject when wc geta chance for one or our old-time heart-to-heart talks. I have become quite chummy recently with Senator Barksdale, and I told him a little something, just enough, about that money, and quoted your reasons for not putting it In the savings bank. You know you said you would not feel com fortable if you thought you were "draw ing interest on a dishonest dollar." Barksdale has a different view on the subject. I find you have to be something of an acrobat to keep yourself adjusted to the Washington viewpoint on subjects concerning, which we used to consider cur views ahd opinions as fixed as the laws of the Medes and Persians. Whore we coujd sec but two sides, the clear right .and the positive wrong, you soon learn here that you are suffering from moral strabismus, and the political ocu list will promptly fix you up so you can ee perfectly how you may often accom plish a great good by making an ally or the enemy. Then they prescribe for a readjustment of the moral focus, and you see things differently. "I used to feel as your wife evidently docs about this 'dishonest dollar' busi ness." said Barksdale to me last night, "but I've gotten over it. I lived out Yst a good while, where the churches used to depend very largely for their con tributions upon the saloons and dance halls. I became convinced that tho only way to treat a dishonest dollar is to adopt t tnd reform It. It is like a woman marrying a worthless man and bringing tut the good thero is in him. A dishon est dollar will do Just as big a day's work as one that is undented. If it has the right kind of an overseer. Your wife cannot be held responsible for the par entage of that mcney. but only for the use to which she puts it. Tell her to give the dishonest dollar a chance to re form." Do you know. dar. that when I look jit It through Barksdale's glasses I feel ti'C real missionary spirit rising up in me, and I feel that I should like to get hold of all tho dishonest dollars in the world and teach them the way they should go? But wo will lock the subject -up with 'the -money. In the safety deposit vault, for the present. I have taken very deep interest in your Arguments against my making a fight for the Senate, in view of the complications involved, necessitating an alliance with the influences Against which I have been mouthing more or Jess alleged eloquence for some years. You believe it would be better for mo to remain in the House, a SPORT WITHIN THE ARCTIC used by the youngsters as n playroom. All the children of the tribe would -collect there, until the crush was so great that there was hardly room for any of them to play their games. When a hunter happened to have a larger supply of meat than the other men, he would give a feast In this "Igloo" and Issue a general Invitation. After the feast there would be an entertainment consisting of songs and dances. The dancers were usually two in number, and they used alternately one drum, which was made of seals' Intestines, stretched upon an elliptical bone frame. The drum stick was a walrus rib. Ballplaying is a favorite amusement of the Smith Sound Eskimo. The ball is made of sealskin, stuffed with scraps of skin to make It hard. They are fond also of wrestling and of "arm-pulling." The latter sport is simple enough. It consists of two men pulling one another's arms nearly out of their sockets, and seeing who will squeal first. It Is not uncommon fof these people to wrestle for a wife. In one case two rivals wrestled for a widow, and the loser was quite good-humored about his defeat, al though ho could hardly have heard of the elder Weller'e advice on the subject. The winner was promptly challenged by. an other man, who already owned a couple of wives and lost his widow to him. Athletic Sports. F. F. Payne, a Canadian explorer, who lived for 13 months among the Eskimo of Hudson's Strait, found that the amuse ments of those people are few In number and simple in character. "Throwing the harpoon had tho great eat attraction for the men, and often they might be seen taking their turns at a mark in the snow," he said. "Wrestling and running are occasionally Indulged in, but the weaker side spon loses interest and gives up. "Another Canadian Informed me that while he was stationed among .these Es kimo of Hudson's Strait they built a member of the "true representatives of i the people." and wait for my chance to I force recognition and advancement. That is the view I used to hold, you will re member, but I have lost my ideals again. Tho fact Is, Mary, that the House is the last place in public life which offers many opportunities for advancement, except under unusual conditions. Quite, a num ber of members have been promoted to the Senate within the past few years, but the promotions have been due more to conditions In their states than by reason of party service or public service In the House. In the old days the House was the great American forum, where an In dividual had a chanco to make his im- 1 press on National affairs. Today, owing to the operation of the system, the de termination of great commercial and In I dustrlal syndicates to have their desires '. gratified and their special Interests safc i guarded and protected, the members of i the House have been reduced to mere ! puppets, dependent on the will of party i leaders. There arc 3S6 members of the 1 House, but. so far as actual influence goes. 500 of them might as well remain I at home. This doubtless sounds like a severe and astonishing statement to- you. but the facts will bear me out. As a matter of fact, while there are C$6 members of the body, one and the Speaker usually count a majority. Under the peculiar rules adopted for the conduct of business in the House, everything is as cut and dried as the programme far a surprise party in the country. No member is recognized on the floor unless he has first rehearsed Ids speech and secured permission of the Speaker. No measure is brought up for consideration unless it has met the ap proval of the august body known as the committee on rules, which is a sort of clearing-house arrangement with the President, the party leaders and the great and all-powerful "third house" the party leaders in and out of Congress. Legislation which the party managers decide to pass is reported by this commit ter and. after a reasonable show of free discussion on the floor, is rushed through, usually on party lines. Other bills, how ever roeritorio.us, are placed on the calen dar or allowed to die of old age in the hands of committees. "When the appropriation bills are up the great measure carrying money for the maintenance of the different depart ments of the Government the oratorical bars are let down and members are al lowed, within a specified time limit, to discuss any topic under the sun. They usually discuss everything except the measure under consideration; and It is these speeches that we send back by the carloads to voters in our districts, show ing what wc are -doing and how we are standing up for the rights of the "plain people." No one ever listens to these or atorical efforts. They are usually deliv ered to vacant chairs and, except for the purposes of home consumption, might have as well hcen shouted Into a sewer roan-hole. This is the measure of the average member's opportunity, and the limit of his usefulness. The bills that become laws are fraaaed "by the party THE SUNDAY -OBEGOKIAIT, BOBTLA2TD Ji-SUABT 22, snow pleasure house, supported in its cen ter by a pillar of snow. The only game he noticed them playing in this hotfso was a kind of tilting, an ivory ting being suspended from the cellingthrough which the men tried to put their spears at. they walked quickly round the pillar. 'TJurlng my stay among them football was introduced, and In this they appear to take more interest than in any other same. The bladder of a walrus was well blown and then covered with leather, making an excellent football. It was a novel sight to see them playing. Men, women and' children all took part In It, and no quarter wag allowed. A woman carrying her child on her back might be seen running at full speed after the ball, and the next moment she would be sprawling at full length, with her child floundering In the snow a few feet bsf yond her. A minute later tho child would be again in Its place on her back; and, nearly choking with laughter, she would elbow her way through the crowd after the ball again. "Catching trout In the Summer toy driv ing them Into a trap made of nets and stones afford great amusement to the children. Wild with excitement, they pur sue the unfortunate fish Into a shallow stream. The boys also spend a great deal of time in making small spears and other Implements of the chase, and prac tice with one another In throwing at a mark. The Universal Doll. 4 "Girls have their dolls, and, like girls 'of civilised parents, they delight In 'play-- lng house. They do not tire of this game until they are married, for often groups of girls of all ages may bo seen sitting in some sheltered spot In Summer, each having a 'house' formed- only of a ring of stones a few Inches In diameter, in which some short pieces of stick were placed flat, while other pieces were propped upright. These pieces of stick represented people, and the girls made them visit one another's houses, keeping up a continuous chatter on their behalf all the time. leaders, or their close friends, and we know nothing of them until we get di rections to support them. Why not be a party leader, then, you ask? All of us would like to be, but party leaders are not picked up in a night. They have to stand the fire test before they are placed in the front ranks. Look over the names of the men who are recognized today as factors in legis lation In the House: Payao of New York, Dalzell of Pennsylvania. Grosvenor of Ohio. Sherman of New York, Babcock of Wisconsin, Hepburn of Iowa, Burton of Ohio. Hltt of Illinois, and men of that standing, and you will find that they have served in' the House for years. They come from districts where a nomination by their party spells election without ef fort, and. they secured their standing with the party bosses. In a measure at least, because they are reasonably sure of a long tenure of office and can take a more prominent part each year in ad ministration' councils. In states like ours, where the party majorities are subject to changes every few years, the member has practically no show of promotion. He may get the last place on a fairly Impor tant committee, but he sees ahead of him men. like those I have named, who run things and will la all probability con tinue to do so for years to come. The member, no matter how complete his mental equipment for public service may be, cannot hope to create much of a place for himself In less than six or eight years. In the meantime, members like myself, from close districts, are sized up by their constituents as having no Influ ence, and they are usually left at home just ahout the time they arc becoming valuable to their districts. - There is no way to beat the House system. Occasionally, some fellow with more brains and energy than conserva tism, tries to kick over the traces hooked up by the House managers, and then they fix him properly. The House lead ers, when Tom Reed was Speaker, fixed up a slate of officers, which included "a change in the House chaplain. One of the members from Ohio, who had a prom inent place on the ways and means com mittee, bolted the caucus and voted to retain the man who was then chaplain. A few days later. Reed announced the com mittees, and the Ohio man found him self In fifth place on the committee on ventilation and acoustics, a committee which never meets; while his place on the ways and means committee was filled by a colleague who had swallowed the cau cus prescription and insisted that he liked It. Reed made no bones in explaining his action by saying that be had no use for any member who would not follow the orders of the "party leaders." A couple of years ago Representative Lit Uefleld, of Maine, was looked upon as one of thp very biggest men in the House. He bcaxne an 'insurgent" on a number of administration measures, and today he is as far outside the councils of the leaders as though he were a new mem ber. The system is simply all-powerful. llBHfJHnaillli I IEaBSHHrMHK ts9Pe jjExme fafeftxs and the member who tries to beat it signs his death warrant. In the matter of being subjected to out side Influences, the member of the House is "up against it" just as much as a Senator, with less chance of making his individuality felt. The Senator misses that fight for renomlnation and election every two years and plays a more impor tant part in the Nation's affairs. So, I am more than ever disposed to encourage the proposition which promises to pro mote me to the Senate wing of the Cap itol. The matter is to be considered quite full? at a little conference we are to have, in a few days, and I will hasten to let you know the developments of that meet ing, upon which my decision will prob ably hinge. If, you decide to come to the Inaugura tion, as you say you may. you had better take a part of that ?S00 and buy yourself some finery. If wo finally decide that we cannot accept the money, wc can replace the amount from my salary savings. Any way, you need the dresses. Yours affec tionately. KENT HOWARD. M. a (Copyright, 1905, Washington News Asso ciation.) Adam. Captain Graham, in Ottawa Journal. In history be holds a place Unique, unparalleled, sublime; The First of all the Jluman lUcel" Yes. that was Adam, all the time. It didn't matter if he burst. He simply had to get there first. A simple Child of Nature he. Whoee life was primitive and rude; His wants were few, his manners free, AH kinds of clothing Tie eschewed He might be seen In any weather. In what Is called "the Altogether!" The luxuries that we enjoy He never had. so never missed; Appliances that we employ For saving work did not exist; He would have, found -them useless, too. Not having any work to do. He never wrote a business note; He had no creditors to pay; He was not pestered for his vote. Xot having one to give away; And living utterly alone. He Old not need a telephone. The joys of indolence he knew. In his remote and peaceful clime. He did Just what he wanted to. Nor ever eald he "hadn't time!" (And ibis was natural, because Ha had whatever lime there was.) Hts pulse was strong, bis health was good. He bad so fads of meat cr drink. Of tonic waters. Breakfast Food. Or Pills for Persons who are Pink. Ko cloud of indigestion lay Across the rtinshlne of his day. And. when be went to bed each night. He made his couch upon the toll; The glow-vomit: gave him all' his light. iH hadn't heard of Standard Oil); At dawn h wok then slept again. He never had to eaten a tram. A happy, solitary -life! But soon he foucd It dull. I ween. So thought that he would like a wife When Eve appeared upon the scene. And we will draw a kindly veil Over the sequel to this tale.- MORAL. Y Bachelors, contented be With what the future holds for jon; Pity the married man. for be Has nothing- to- look forward to To hunger for with bated breath! CN'olhing. that is to sir, but DthO CIRCLE zzssssszw rw&& Must Speed at 100 Miles an Hour This Is the Secret of a Successful Flying Machine, Says Professor Zahm. ASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-(Special Correspondence of The Sunday Oregonian.) "The next six, years or so will sec a man keeping his flying machine as henow keep his automobile." This statement was made hy one of the highest authorities on aeronautics in the world, namely. Professor Albert Francis Zahm, now of the Catholic University. Professor Zahm has made a specialty of studying the problems Involved In the practical navigation of the air. He has been consulted by scientists and engineers of the greatest eminence in this and other countries of this fascinating sub ject, and he has quite recently ended a series of experiments which disprove the conclusion of Professor Langley and oth ers regarding the element of "skin fric tion" as a factor of resistance in cleaving the air. The results of these experi ments have been widely published. In Great Britain by Lord Raylelgh. and are regarded as of tho greatest Importance in the progress of aerial navigation. A talk with Professor Zahm In his lab oratory is an instructive experience to thp individual who is better acquainted with the picturesque failures of Profes sor Langley and hts confreres than he Is with the marvelous progress which is constantly being made in the science of aerodynamics with a special view to the production of a completley practicable fly ing machine. Notwithstanding the vastly important experiments made and results attained by Professor Zahm toward this object, he has not constructed a flying machine, nor even a completed working model. Furthermore, he states that he has no immediate intention of doing so. Constantly in correspondence with men who are building or proposing to build airships, no one. It can" safely be stated. Is better conversant with the possibili ties of the situation. Beyond Its Infancy. IWould it be just to say," was asked of the professor, "that the problem of navigating the air Is yet in its infancy?" "Well," was the reply, "that would hardly be fair In the case of navigable or dirigible balloons, which have reached nearly as high a stage- of development as they could be expected to attain. In deed, as far back as 1SS7 the French gov ernment adopted a war balloon which. In some respects, was superior to any navigable airship of the balloon class that has since been produced. In shape this balloon resembled a torpedo: that Is. In stead of- being symmetrical, as is that of Santos-Dumont and others of more recent construction, it was blunt-nosed.' the major axis being near the prow. I have found, "by experiment, that should the "sharp Instead of the blunt "end of an airship of this type be propelled against the wind, the resistance offered by head pressure and skin friction would' be just twice as, much. "The flying machine, properly 30- r called." continued Professor Zahm, "is quite another proposition. The velocity of (he airship, or navigable balloon, is not sufficient to enable it to overcome the air currents, of which it Is at, the mercy. This is also the case of the flying ma Interesting Games That Are Played by Natives Around the North Pole. . The Eskimo of -Greenland play a game of -'-'fox and geese" on the snow. It is almost Identical with "patchisl" and other variants of the game known to all American children. "Fox and geese." In deed; Is the oldesfame in the world, and 1b found, la some form or other, among nearly all peoples. It Is played all around, the Arctic Circle. "Various dice games are also popular In Greenland. The Eskimo, like most bar barians of the. Arctic arc- extremely fond of gambling. They do not. use cubical dice, but a number of bones of different shapes and sizes. They have also a skewer game, which tests.. the steadiness of hand and'eye. The skewer has to be thrust tlurough. several Holes pierced in a walrus iikin. - The children have a curious ceremonial dance fti ' the snow at night when the Northern Lights" first appear, and the women play a kind of basket-ball, tossing the ball through a tibop and then all making a combined rush to see who can catch it in the air. Peculiar Trial by Combat. One of the principal- amusements of these Greenland Eskimo- Is a peculiar -iorm of trial by combat. When two men of the tribo have a serious disagreement. they do not resort to any -judicial court or fight out their quarrel with lethal weap ons. .They, meet before the assembled tribe, with drums in their hands, and sing songs at one another by turns. These songs are bltingly satirical, and recount all the misdeed and follies of the enemy. The man whose Invective is the more bit ter, and who can make the crowd laugh at his opponent more than they laugh at him. Is adjudged the victor. Explorers who have lived among the Eskimo say that even serious crimes. suoh as murder, are frequently punished In this mannerl The penalty may seem Inadequate, but an Eskimo Is extremely sensitive to ridicule, and being, laughed at Is one of the worst punishments that can be inflicted upon him,, Many men have fled from their tillage and lived. In solltarv exile after losing a trial by song. But if it is hard on the loser, the trial makes great fun for the onlookers. Some times mock trials are got up, and two chamDlons with notoriously abusive toncues contest for a prize. Native rlnnoea whlr-h Minslst of a aerioun of bur lesque 'contortions, wind up the revelry. Some of the Eskimo can dance reels and hornpipes which they have picked up from the European and American whalers who have visited them. The Kamchadales are also fond of gro tesque dances, but the wandering Tun chines that have hitherto been produced, a speed of 40 miles an hour or so be ing the greatest that has been attained. "What is desired Is a machine that will fly as fast as a bird on tho wing, or at the rate of 100 miles or so an hour. Such a machine could apparently fly In the teeth of a wind of a velocity ot 75 miles an hour (a very unusual current; a tornado, In fact), at tho rate of 25 miles an hour, and the strongest argument at present existing against the possibility of me chanical flight would be overcome. Equipped to Build Machine. "I believe It is quite possible to con struct such a machine and it will un questionably be an accomplished fact within the next few years. "Do I believe that there is anybody who is capable, at present, of construct ing such a machine? Yes. several parties. I would Instance prominently the Wright Brothers, of Dayton, O. They are now engaged in the construction of such a ma chine with every prospect of success. Mr. Charles M. Manley. Professor Langley's assistant in the construction of the ill fated Government machine, possesses the requisite mechanical knowledge to pro duce. In my opinion, a perfectly practic able flying machine, but unfortunately lacks the funds, and the appropriation asked for to continue the work being withheld, he is now engaged in other ex perimental lines. Had Professor Lang ley's experiments In aerial navigation resulted in nothing more than the won derful engine Invented by Mr. Manley, the time and money would have neerr well expended. This Is, by far, the lightest and most powerful motor ever constructed. weighing, as it does, 200 pounds (the weight of a moderately heavy man), and generating more than 50 horsepower, while, at the same time, possessing the greatest strength and durability. The se cret of the construction of this engine is still Government property, and other builders of airships are necessarily se verely handlcaped by ndt belngr enabled to utilize it. The Wright Brothers pos sess the financial resources necessary to carry on the work, and I feel sure that the world will hear from them at no great length of time." Professor Zahm's Workshop. The professor's airship laboratory is a buildlmj resembling a large wooden shed, well lighted and with large folding doors. One of the most striking features of the interior is a wooden tunnel extending nearly the entire length of the shed, over which is a scaffolding. The professor explained the use of this strange con trivance as follows: "In the first place, I must say," said he. "that this laboratory represents the enterprise of Mr. Mattulath. More than four years ago that distinguished scientist and engineer discussed with me some researches In aerodynamics which he wished to make near New Tork with my co-operation. I persuad ed hlfn to remain in Washington, and offered him the aid of my department at the university. He constructed, at his own expense, this laboratory for the the larger apparatus. We had, at the outset, to choose between two uen eral methods of measuring air-resist guseg of Siberia dance, when they dance at all. in. a stately and decorous manner that recalls the old-fashioned minuet. The man gives his right band to tho woman, bowing gracefully, .and' they move round slowly in a circle, keeping time to the cadence of an impressive chant. In another dance of which the Tunguses are fond, a large company of men and women form in a circle and move around slowly, folding one another by the tall of their fur coats and swaying backwards and forwards in time to the monotonous rhythm of a folk song. The Tunguses are a .numerous and wide ly dispersed people. One branch of tha tribe herds reindeer; the other live3 hy fishing. The former are wealthy and far more civilized than most of the dwellers In and around the Arctic Circle They are passionately fond of chess, which they play continually during the long. Arctic night. It Is supposed that they learned the game from the Chinese, and Russian explorers who have played with them testify that they -are remarkably expert. They carve their chessmen very elaborately out of mammoth's teeth. The Reindeer Koryaks. another tribe of fearless. Independent nomads who bear a remarkable resemblance to the North American Indians, are exceedingly fond of wrestling and foot-races. They are in veterate gamblers, and will stake, "air their belongings, even, their wives, on their strength and skill in those, sports. (Copyright. 1905.)- GERALD NASH". Seven Stages of a Jag.- Louisville Courier-Journal. Not one man with a Jag plays many parts. His acta being seven stages. At first the Jovial, The cheerful stage; he claps you on the back And asks you what you'll have. And then There comes the boasting stage; he prates aloud And tell of money he hath made and deals That he will yet put through. 'And then He .grows pugnacious, prone, to- take offense, Jealous In honor, sudden and quick, in quarrel, Until a chance comes o'er -his fantasy And gradually he slip? into .the soft. . , , And loving- stage. .He' leans upon you, then. Swears undying friendship' on your vest. Such thoughts' conduct his mind to still ' Another stage, the family stage. He recollects And tells with tears what a nice family He hath left at home. Then follows fast The maudlin stage; ho has no ' friends, the world Is cold and nareh, a man of sorrows he. And so calls for gin. and getting nonk Being refused, he bows' his head and weeps Sadly upon the bar. Last scene of all. That ends this strange, eventful history. Is second childishness and mere oblivion, San sense, sans coin, eans wit, sans everything. ance; either to propel the body against the air or the air against the body. To drive the body against the air, it might be mounted on a whirling table-; or, better still, on a carriage running along a straight, level track. For a while we followed the latter plan. But to give the best results, the track should be in a closed building of- great length, to allow time to attain uniform speed and take deliberate observations. Such a plant would be very expensive to build, and we did not know of one available. Even with the best whirling table, or with a running car, it might be a hard task to measure the skin-friction on a straight surface 30 feet in length, and be sure It was flying through undis turbed air, unless, perhaps, It were sus pended from a traveling crane. So we finally decided to make the air flow in uniform stream against the body, thus securing the additional advantage Of having the instruments on quiet, sta tionary supports, while the impactual pressure against the body might con tinue constant for an indefinite time. Measuring the Air's Resistance. "So wc built this wooden tunnel, 50 feet long, six feet square in cross-section, Emoothly papered inside, and hav ing, as you see, numerous window panes along its ceiling and walls. At one end we placed this five-foot suction fan, driven by a 10 horse-power electriu motor. Bet this apparatus in motion, and you have a practically even swirl of air through the tunnel. The veloc ity of the current Is exactly measured by appropriate instruments, as is the resistance of forms introduced into- the tunnel. Here is" a series ot wooden models of the usual dirigible balloon design, of the same major axis, but varying greatly in length. These wer suspended in the tunnel and their re sistance measued by turns. The re sistance diminished steadily as tha elongation increased until a certain length was reached, but greater lengths, contrary to the theory of Mr. Mattulath, ofTered proportionately In creasing resistance, owing to the skin friction, which was thu.s demonstrated to be an important clement. "By means of thus accurately gaug ing head resistance and skin-friction of various forms, the designs of the dif ferent parts ot a flying machine are determined with greater nicety than are the lines of a racing yacht, and to more practical purpose, since these are vital points in the acUal possibility of mechanical flight. From the prospects at the present stage of the art, while the coming of the flying machine is an assured thing, I do not think that it is destined to revolutionize the ordinary modes of traffic now in Vogue. It will be classed with the automobile, and be valuable In time of war. I have been told by persons who have ridden on air-ships and gliding machines that the motion Is extremely exhilarating, more so than that of any land or water con veyance, so that the sporting element jof the population will, no doubt, find in machines that can speed through air with the velocity of birds on th,e wing a great and new zest in life,"