y 1 H0L1D1Y LES80J.
It tu lata of a chilly December after
noon. The leaden cloud hung low with
their promise of a speedy snowstorm,
Even now, a a occasional frozen drop
atruck against the window-pane, and
each gust.as it swept tbrongh the streets
of busy L , bad the breath of the
storm in it, and drove all pleasure-seer
ere rapidly home.
It even seemed to penetrate into tho
bouses, for Ii Canfield was busy put
ting the finishing touches to the supper
preparation ou the long dining table,
with a frown a lowering aa any snow
storm.
"It's no ni talking, mother," sbo was
nayiug to a pleasant-looking lady, busy
mending Iy the coal stove.
"What is thore to look forward to?
Last year I made more than a hundred
dollars' worth of presents, and now Iv'e
got just rive dollars and seventy-five
cents. Enough, though I suppose, as
long ss we are only boarding-house
keepers.
"I'm sure I'm very thankful for the
boa den to keep," said Mrs. Canflold.
"O, I'm not complaining as long as
it helps pupa, but I'm not any more
thankful to Lucy Waters for saying it,"
was the uuick reply.
"Let me see, said her mother, "did
not you give Luly one of your presents
last year?"
"I guess I did, one of my best it oost
twelve dollars, l shouidnt have been
such a silly.but I beard her say that Jen
nie Fen always gave hor the nicest things
of any girl, and 1 was determmod to out
el i her for once."
"You gave Jennie something.too.didn't
yon?
. "0 yes; I gave her that beautiful
sscne of Lake Como.
"And Mabol Joyce, what did you give
hor something, 1 believe.'
"Yes, that iukBtund modeled after a
croup from the antique: and I paid nine
dollars for that Etruscan vase I gave
Aunt Kate, and that was broken before
New Year s. What a waBte?
"And were the others more necessary?"
asked Mrs. Canfield.
- "No; I heard Lucy said that only made
the twenty-nrst and second that she
owned; and I overheard Jennie say her
room was so full of pictures already she
did not know what to do unless she put
some in the attio. It was scant thanks I
gained in any case, and Lois looked up
from the stool she had taken into her
mother's face, with the glimmer of a
smile breaking through the clouds.
Mm. Canfield smiled also."Well,now,
dear, as you have tried your plan of
giviug expensive Iuxaries and found no
greit satisfaction in it, suppose you try a
. new oiio, and use your small store this
time in ,'iving: only useful things to
those r e ling them, and see which gives
the mot satisfaction.
"But muiuma, it always seems as
though at Christmas time one was a little
justified in Botuiding money extravagant
ly." srgued Lois.
"And uselessly?" queried Mrs. Can-
field.
"But are pretty things useless, then?"
asked the irirl.
"Br no means, dear, though it is a
quesiiou whether one element of trne
)iiuirv miiHt not also be utility: but one
will not stop to go into metaphysics to
night, for. ufter all, every question in
j .
life centers in .one point: What is my
duty m this matter? Perhaps God saw
we were not faithful stewards, and so
took away our abundance. We know
now what it is to be really in need of
things. I believe I heard some com
plaints from you about cold feet before
Aunt Maggies ten-dollar gilt enabled
vo l to purchase some new shoes, did I
not ?"
"I am afraid you did," answered
Lois, slowly. Then she sat in quiet
thought until the closing of the outer
door told her that supper preparations
must be hastened, when she sprang up,
and, dropping a kiss softly on her
mother's forehead that told how the
words were working, went on with her
dutieu.
In the days that came close upon this
one there were many hours of quiet
tuiuaiug uu mu gin a jmi t. quo win
trying to define the useful things and
just where they should go; for until
these last few months Lois' acquaintance
with real needs had not been very great.
"Lois," said her mother one day, "did
you give Cousin Agnes any presents last
year?
' "No, mother. I am ashamed to say I
didn't; but I know you ami papa did.
"Yes," said Mrs. Canfield, with a little
sigh,' "she will have to keep that in
mind for we have decidod papa and I
that so long as we hare a debt unpaid it
, would not be just in us to make any
presents this year.not even to you, Lois."
"Yes, mamma, you needn't mind me,"
answered Lois, bravely. "I've had
enough."
A day or two after Lois called in at
Cousin Agnes's, a small house where
m?ans were very limited and children
were not at least below six.
"Drismas comes next week, tuzen,"
shouted little Max, catching hold of her
dress.
"I guess it won't matter much to them,
poor things," said his mamma, in an
aside; "every cent does count so this
year. An orange apiece will have to
content them."
"I want a hobby-horse," said the
youngster.
"Nonsense, you need shoes more; you
will soon be on the ground. The way
they do walk out of their shoes is dread
ful to contemplate."
"I want copper-toes, any way," put in
Mary.
"You ought to hare iron ones. Lois,
if yon will wait a minute I will walk as
far as Field's with you. I must have a
little Canton flannel for baby, and it is
cheapest there. If you are not ashamed
of my gloves," she added, drawing on an
exceedingly frayed pair, "I am; bnt
my kids are my light ones of last sum
mer, and these are all my second best.
I will hide them under my shawl.
Nothing like necessity, my dear, for a
teacher."
Lois listened, and on her mental tab
lets two items of shoes and gloves fonnd
a place.
"Will it trouble yon too much, Lois,
to just call at my washerwoman's, and
tell he f be need not come next week 7
The children will be at home, and with
their help I must manage to do it my
ielf." Lois agreed, and walked on. At the
number she inquired for Mrs. Tariah,
and was directed to a rear basement.
She found a poorly-furnished room, two
or three children and a discouraged-
looking woman dressing one quite
young.
"Mrs. White will not need yon next
week, said lois, alter speaking to all
around.
"Won't! why not?" asked the woman,
quickly.
"She thinks she must get along by her
self." said Lois. "
The woman was silent, but Lois was
sure there were tears under the downcast
lids.
"Did you need it very much?" fcbe
ventured to ask.
"I bad kind of set it by," said the
woman, ''to get my baby a few bits of
clothes. All she has in the world is these
on the chair. She never bad none 'cent
some old rags of mine; I tore the best oft
lor her; but it can t be helped, I sup
pose.
"Perhaps it will be: take heart. Mrs.
Tarish; I'll oertainly remember baby a
little at Christmas;'1' and she bnrried
away to oonsult others wiser than herself
in that line of wardrobe.
Those were busy days that followed
and very happy ones to Lois. She went
out suopping in a new line, and was per
fectly surprsiod to find how many more
bundles five dollars would purchase whon
it was invested in calicoes and flannels
and ten-cent toys, than when she went, as
a year before, to the shops of art and
the antiques.
And then on Christmas day, what a
succession of pleasures, from the thanks
of Cousin Agnes for her pretty fur trim
med street gloves, and of Mrs. Tarish
for the plain, warm clothes for baby, to
those ol her own papa for an outside
door-mat, the lack of which had been
quite a trial to him, and her mamma for
warm articles, for her's being quite too
far gone for use.
"It has reallv been the happiest day of
my life," said lLois that evening.
"And yet you have only had 'thanks'
for your presents,' answered mamma.
"Indeed, I bad forgotton that," said
Low, laughing. I feel as rich as can
be. I guess then, after all, real things
of need and real thanks are what go
together and give satisfaction. Any
way, I am so satisfied that every year I
live 1 11 try to practice on my new lesson
N. Y. Witness.
Mr. Bo's Progress.
John Chinaman is improving the shin
ing hour which, several benevolent per
sons in Philadelphia have caused to dawn
upon him. lie is attending school, and
the Times reports the progress as fair,
tuou"h Mr. bo is rather slow:
Mr. So is a Chinaman of forty years of
age, and although bo has lived in
America five years, he hasn t evon mas
tered the single beauties of "pidgin"
Ingush.
lie is the dolt of the school, but that
fact doesn't seem to disturb him, and
the look of pleased astonishment his face
wore yesterday when he was told for the
twentieth time that "A" is the first
letter of the alphabet, would have
driven any but a Christian teacher to Uuv
traction.
"H-e-n," said the teacher, as he wrote
those letters on the blackboard and re
ceived an approving smile from Mr. So.
"What does that spoil ?" continued the
instructor.
The pupil smiled, scratched his left
side and retlecteu.
"That is hen a chicken," said the
teacher.
"Mo sabe hen," replied Mr. So, as
coolly as though the information was not
by any means new.
"Well, write it," said the teacher,
thrusting a piece of chalk into the Mon
golian's right hand. The idea of asking
him to write struck the other seekors
after knowledge as extremely funny, and
Sam Eing, King Qeo, Moi Kee and
Chang Lung gigglod like overgrown
schoolboys.
The slow pupil smiled, eyed the writ
ing on the blackboard critically, grasped
the crayon firmly, and to the astonish
ment of the Caucasians in the room
exeouted an almost perfect imitation of
the teacher's chirography of the word
hen.
"Read it," said the teacher.
"Chicken," was the nonchalant re
sponse of the pupil, as be moved toward
his seat.
"Not chicken, hen, said the instructor
in correction.
"Alle saino ben, alio same chlicken,
replied Mr. So, philosophically, as he
dropped into his seat and fanned his
feverish brow with his primer.
6111 Arp's View or Preachers.
I like preachers. They hold us back
from going to extremes. They are the
conservatives. They are good citizens
and set us a good example. They are
the balanoe-wheels of society, the scotch
to the wagon, the air-brakes to the train,
the pendulum to the clock. They are
like the Sabbatu that gives us rest ana
peace. They are to society what the
judge is to the law. I love them all, and
when they are blotted oat which God
forbid T want to bo too. In sickness.
in trouble, in affliction, yea, in the last
atronies. thev are with ns and comfort
us, while the busy world wags on. God
bless the preachers oi this land tne
preachers of every creed that teaches
love to oar Creator and love and kind
in one another. Nevertheless I
sometimes feel sorry for the preacher's
children, for the eood man is so afraid
he will do wrong that heleans the
other way. It did me good the other
day when I saw one of them take his
children to see the circus procession. It
was so kind and considerate, n tney
can't let the little chaps see the circus,
do let them see the procession. By and
bv. mavbe. thev will get old enough to
be trusted within the canvas and see the
pretty horses in the ring and the man
ri.la arnnml hear the clown orack bis
jokes, and laugh at him because he is
such a fool. I do admire these folks who
are always laughing, whether a thing is
funny or not, and I never did like to see
u nmifv irirl tr'ooT.a at everything that
happened; but still, it is better to laugh
man vo crjiug xuo - nvim ... M m
draped in mourning. The birds sing and!
the butterflies Boat aronna in tne nappy
sunlight. At night the cricket chirrups
on the hearth, and the katydid sings his
woet flowers are bloom
ing everywhere, and Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayea use one oi uw.
All nature is happy except a few snakes
nil hvena. and I don't want to be like
them. Atlanta Constitution.
Btwar of the Dog.
It is very odd that the Bible never
says a good word for dogs; I supMae the
breed must have been bad in those East
ern parts, or else, as our minister tells
me, they were nearly wild, had no master
in particular, and were left to prowl
about half-starred. No doubt a dog is
very like a man, and becomes a sad dog
when be has himself for a master.
Dear friends, I shall have beads and
tails like other persons, and I am sure I
have a right to them, for thoy are found
in the subject before us.
Firstly, lot ns beware of a dirty dog
or, as the grand old book calls them,
"evil workers" those who love filth ami
roll in it. Dirty dogs will spoil your
clothes, and make you as foul as them
selves. A mau is known by his company;
if you go with loose fellows your charac
ter will be tarred with the mine brush as
theirs. People can't lie very nice in
their distinctions; i! they see a bird al
ways flying with the crows, ami feeding
and nesting with thorn, they call it a
crew, and ninety-nine times out of a
hundred they are right. If you are fond
of the kennel, and like to run with the
bounds, yon will never make the world
believe that you are a pet Iamb.
You cannot keep too fur off a man
with the fever and a mau of wickod life.
If a lady in a fine dress sees a big dog
come out of a horse-pond, and run about
shaking himself dry, she is very particu
lar to keep out of his way, and" from this
we may learn a lesson when we see a
man half gone in liquor, sprinkling his
dirty talk all around him, our best place
is half a mile off, at least.
Secondly, beware of all snarling docs.
There are plenty of these about; they
are generally very small creatures, but
they moro than make up for their size by
their noise. They yap' and snap without
end. Dr. Watts said:
"Let dogi delight to bark and bile.
For Uod baa mule tbem to."
But I cannot make such an excuse for
the two-legged dogs I am writing about,
for their own vile tempers, and tho dovil
together, have made them what they are.
They find fault with anything and every
thing. When they dare they howl, and
when they cannot do that they lie down
and growl inwardly. Beware of these
creatures. Make no frionds with an
angry man; as well make a bed of sting
ing nettles or wear a viper for a neck
lace. When yon see that a man bos a
bitter spirit, and gives nobody a good
word, quietly walk away, and keep out of
bis track if you can.
Thirdly, beware of fawning dogs. They
jump up upon you and leave the marks
of their dirty paws. How they will lick
your hand and fondle you as long there
are bones to be got; like the lover who
said to the cook, "Leave you, dear girl?
Never, while yon have a shilling." Too
much sugar in the talk should lead us to
suspect that there is little in tho heart.
The moment a man praises you to your
face, mark him, for he is the very gen
tleman to rail at you behind your back.
If a fellow seeks to flatter he ex
pects to be paid for it, and calculates that
lie will get his wages out of the soft
brains of those he tickles. Young peo
ple need to be on the watch against
crafty flatterers. "Young women with
pretty facos aud a little .money should
beware of puppies.
Fourthly, beware of a greedy dog, or a
man who never has enough. Folks who
are greedy are not always honnBt. See
how cleverly they skin a flint; before
long yor. will find them skinning you,
and as you are not quite so used to it as
the eels are, you had better give Mr.
Skinner a wide berth. When a man
boasts that he never gives anything
away, you may read it as a caution "be
ware of the dog. Talking of nothing but
gold, and how tp make money, and how
to save it why, one had better live with
the hounds at once and howl over your
share of dead horse. Keep out of the
uompany of screw-drivers, tight-fists,
hold-fasts and blood-suckers; "beware of
dogs."
Fifthly, beware of a yelping dog.
Those who talk much tell a great many
lies, and if you love truth you had bet
ter not love thtm. A lion's jaw is noth
ing compared to a tale-bearer's.
Lastly, finally, and to finish up, be
ware of a dog that bos no master. If a
fellow makes free with the Bible.and the
laws of his country and common deconcy
it is time to make froe and tell him we
had rather have his room than bis com
pany. A certain set of wondorfully wise
men are talking very big things and put
ting their smutty fingers upon every
thing which their fathers thought to be
good and holy. Poor fools, they are not
half as clever as they think they are.
Like hogs in the flower-garden, they are
for rooting up everything; and some
people are so frightened that they stand
as it tney were biuck, ana
hold up their hands in horror at
the creatures. When the hogs had been
in my master's garden, and I have bad
the big whip handy, I warrant you I
have made a clearance; and I only wish
I was a scholar, for I would lay about
me among these free-thinking gentry, and
make them squeal to a long-meter tune.
Beware of the dog. lie ware oi all
who will do you harm. Good company
is to be bad, why seek bad? It is said
of heaven, "without are dogs." Let us
make friends of those who can go inside
of heaven, for there we hope to go our
selves. We shall go to our own com
pany when we die; let it be such that
we shall be glad to go to it. Charles S.
Spurgeon. ,
The greatest good feeling is said to
have existed between the. Michigan boys
and the southern troops at Yorktown.
One youth in one of the Kentucky regi
ments was overheard to ask a comrade in
the company to which he belonged, and
who bad seen service in the rebellion, if
he thought those Michigan fellows could
fleht any. "Yon infernal little fool you,"
said the old veteran, "if you had met
them when I did in 'C3, you wouldn't
ask such nonsensical questions. Fight,
you bet they'll fight, and if you don't
believe it you just go over to their quar
ters and pick np a row with one of them.
I'll bet you'll be in the hospital, all
broke np, inside of five minutes after you
do it."
Ttia f)mm nrnrerb. "If I rest I
rust," applies to many things besides the
key. If water rests, it stagnates. II the
tree rests, it dies, for its winter state is
only a half-rest. If
the eye rests.it
grows dim ana nana.
If the lungs rest,
If the heart rests,
we eease to Dreatne.
we die.
Reladeer Farming fa the Arctic.
John Muir, the geologist, who accom
panied the Corwin exploring expedition,
writes in the San Franciaoo Bulletin:
"On the terminal moraine of the anoient
glacier that formed the first main tribu
tary of the Plover Bay gluoier.sonie four
miles from the extreme head of the bay,
we noticed two small skin-covered huts,
which our guide informed ns belonged to
the reindeer people we were seeking.
As we approached the shore, a hundred
yards or so from the lints, a vonng man
came running to meet ns. lie wis pres
ently joined by three others, who gazed
and smiled curiously at the steam launch
and at our parly, wonderiug suspiciously
at, when the interpreter bod told our ob
jeot.why we should come so far and seem
so eager to see their doer. Our guide,
who, of course, understood their preju
dices and superstitions, told them that
we wan tod a big, fat deer to cat, and that
wo would pay them well for it tobacco,
ead, powder, caps, shot, calico, knives,
etc., told off in tempting crdor; but they
said tbey had none to sell, and it re
quired nail an hour of cautious negotia
tion to got them over their suspicions and
alarms and oonseut to sell tho carcass
of one provided we would leave the
skin, which tbey said they wanted to
keep for wiutcr garments. Then, two
young men, fine strapping, elastio fol
lows, throw off thoir upper parkas, tied
mmr uauusoui-uy emuroiuoreu moccasins
firmly across the instep and around the
ankle, poised their long Russian spears,
which they said they always earned in
case they should meet a bear or wolf.und
away they spoil after the flock np along.
wide glacier valley along the bank of a
stream.
"In the meantime we ate luncheon and
strolled about the aoighborhood looking
at the plants, the views down the bay.
and at the interior of the huts, etc., and
chatted with the Tscbuokchis about thoir
flock, the wild Bhocp on the mountains,
the wild roindoor, bears, wolves, eto.
We found tho family to consist of father,
mother, a grown daughter and the boys
that were after the deer. The old folks
were evidently contented and happy in
their safe retreat among the hills, with a
sure support from their precious flock.
And they were proud of thoir reJ-
oheeked girl and two strapping boys, as
well they might bo; lor they seemed as
healthy and rosy and robust a group of
childron as ever gladdoned the iioart of
Tschuckchi paronts.
"The Tschuckhis seom to be a good
natured, lively, chatty, brave and polite
people, fond of a joko, and, as far as I
have seen, fair in their dealings as any
people, savage or oivilizod. They are
are not savage, however, bv any means.
but steady, industrious workers, looking
well ahead, providing for' the future
and consequently seldom in waut, save
when at long intervals disease or other
calamities overtak9 thoir flocks, or ex
ceptionally severe seasons prevent their
obtaining tho ordinary supplies of souls,
fish, whales, walruses, bears, Ac, on
which sedontary Tschuckchis depends
chiefly. The sodentary and raiudeer
Tscbuokchis are the same peoplo,and are
said to diner in a niarkod degree both as
to physical characteristics and language
from the neighboring tribes, as they
certainly do from the Esquimaux. Many
of them have light complexion, hooked
or aquiline noses, tall, sinewy, well-knit
frames, small foot and hands, and are not,
especially the men, so thiok-sot, short
necked or flat-faced as the Esquimaux.
"After watching impatiently for some
time the roindoor came in eight, about a
hundred and fifty of them, driven gently
without any of that uoisy shouting and
worrying that is hoard in driving the do
mestic animals in civilized countries. We
loft the huts and went to moot them up
the stream bank about a quarter of a
mile, led by the owner and his wife and
daughter, who carriod a knife and tin
cup and vesseln, to save tho blood and
entrails, which stirrod a train of grim
associations that greatly marred the
beauty of the picture.
"I was afraid from what I knew of the
habits of sheep and cattle and horses,
that the sight of strangers would stam
pede .the flock, when we met it, but of
this, as it proved, there was not the
slightest danger; for of all the familiar
tame animals man has gut here J about
him, the roindeer is the tamest. They
can hardly be said to bo domesticated,
since they are not shut in and around
the huts, or put under shelter, summer
or winter. On they came, as wo gazed
eagerly at the novel sight a thicket of
antlers, big and little, old and young,
led by the strongest, holding their
heads low most of the time, as if con
scious of the fact that they were carry
ing very big, branching horns, a strag
gler falling behind now and then to
cull a choice mouthful of willow or a
dainty, gray lichen, thou making haste
to join the flock again. Thoy waded
across the creek and came straight tow
ard us up the sloping bank where we
were waiting, nearer, nearer, until
we oould see their eyes, their smooth
round limbs, the velvet on their horns,
until within five or six yards of us, the
drivers saying scarce a word, and the
owner in front looking at them as they
came up without making any call or
movement to attack them. After giving
us the benefit of their mognifioont eyes
and sweet breath they began to feed off
back up the valley when the boys
who had been loitering on the stream-
side to catch a salmon trout or two went
round them and drove them back.
"After walking through the midst of
the flock, the boys selected a rather small
specimen to be killed. One caught it by
the hind log, just as sheep are caught,
and dragged it backward out of the flock;
then the other boy took it by the horns
and led it away a few yards from the
flock, no notice being taken of its strug
gles by its companions, nor was any
tendency to take fright observed, as
would, nnder the circumstances, hare
been shown by any of the common
domestio animals. The mother alone
looked after it eagerly.and further mani
fested her concern and affection by try
ing to follow it and uttering a low grunt
ing sound.
"After it was slain they laid it on its
side. One of the women brought for
ward a branch of willow about a foot
long, with the green leaves on it, and
put it nnder the animal's bead; then she
threw four or five bandfnla of the blood
from tbs knife-wound back of the
shoulder out over the ground to the
southward, making me get out of the
way, as if this direction were the only
proper one. Then she took a cupful of
water and poured a little on its month
and tail and on the wound. While this
ceremony was being performed sll the
lam il v were serious-looking; but as soon
as it was over tbey began to chat and
laugh aa before. Ths flock all the time
of the killing and dressing were tran
quilly chewing their cud, not noticing
the smell of tho blood evou, which muke
cattle so frautic.
"One of our party was anxious to pro
cure a young one alive to take homo
with him, but they would not sell one
alive st any price. When we inquired
the reason ther said that if they should
part with one ail the rest of the flock
would die, and the same thing would
bappeu if they were to part with the
head of one. This they excitedly de
clared was true, though
whito nieu did not quite
understand it and always laughed
about it. When we indicated a very
large buck and inquired why they did
not kill that big one and lot the little
ones grow, they replied that the big fel
low was strong and know how to pull a
sled, and could run fast over the snow
that would come bv and bv. and thev
noedod biin too much to kill him. 1
never have before seen half so interest
ing a company of tame animals. In
some parts of Siberia raindoer flocks
numbering many thousands may be
seen together. In these frozen regions
they supply evory want of their owners,
as no other animal could possibly do
food, warm clothing, coverings for their
tents, bedding, rapid transportation and,
to some extent, fuel. They aro not
nearly so numerous in tho immodiate vi
cinity of the bay as thoy were a fact
attributed to several live specimens hav
ing been sold to tho whalers."
BlKim YAZ.lUKlMi.
In Mundalay the sumptuary laws are
exceedingly strict and most elaborate in
their character. Out of the capital the
regulations are equal in force, but nev
er, as a matter of fact, come into action.
Thore is nothing of the canto prejudice
of tho Hindoos about Jthe Burinans.
Thoy doclare tbey have caste, but what
they call by that name is nothing moro
than the arbitrary settlement by the
sumptuary laws of what a man may wear
and what 1b forbidden, whit language
he may use, and what must be used to
him. A man "dies," a priest "goes
buck" to tho blissful seats whonce be
came, or to Neikban; a king "ascends to
the villugo of Nais," one of tho six heav
ens of happiness, where the passions still
reign, and in the contemplation of which
Buddhists find consolation for the other
wise dismal forebodings of their faith.
Tho Buddhist roligion is thoroughly
democratic. A man only is what be is
through bis actions is past existences.
Tho accumulation of niorits must there
fore vastly outweigh the demorits in the
Kan of a king. Ilowovor badly he may
act in his kingly existonoe, ho cannot fail
below the lowest seat of the Dowas at
least so oflluial language declares. Sim
ilarly, an ordinary man "walks;" a men
dicant "stalks," or "strides," or "paces
with dignified gait," whilo a king
"makes a royal progress." The
latter expression is correct as far as per
sonages of the Burmese royal blood are
conoerned. The descendants of Maha-tba-Mada
never go on their logs in the
open air. If they do not mount an ele
phant, some oHlciul is honorod with the
weight of His Majesty on his back. In the
same way, whilo an humblo suhjeefeata"
arohegyoe aohn I'olm Pay Theo"assnn
ilatos," or "nourishes his body with the
aims of the pious;" and a king demeans
himself to nothing loss than "ascending
to the lordly board." You may "call"
or "invite" an ordinary man; to an as
oatio j on may "suggost an interview;"
you would be a reckless man indeod if
you sought a formula which in the faint
est imaginable way would suggost to the
king that you wanted him to come to
you. And so on through a treple lan
guago which makes Burmese in the pal
ace an unknown tongue to the best for
eign scholar. This gentleman, in reply'
ing in the affirmative to some remark of
the Lord of the Golden Palace, horrified
the court by saying "Hohk Da" instoad
of the prescribed "Tin B Payah;" "I
think with you Majesty." The expres
sion to Puloco ears was muoh the same as
if some one were to say to Her Majesty
the (juoon of England, "Bight yon are,
old lady."
If tho proprieties of language are
carefully observed, the regulations as to
wearing apparel and ornaments are far
more minute, and guarded with the most
jealous eare. The almost wretched
character of the housos of Upper Bur
nish, as compared with those in English
territory, is vory apparent; but what
strikes a stranger even more is the ab
sence of the gay dross whiob is so pleas
ant and picturesque in Pegu and other
seaboard provinces. There is. indeed.no
flaw against any one wearing the most
brilliant puwoo be can gJt; but the
money is wanting to support the obarae
ter. A man with a fine waistcloth would
be considered to have money at the back
of it, and might have to sell his dress to
meet the contributions demanded ac
cordingly by the local officials. In Lower
Burmah every one ha a feast-day dress,
however poor he may bo. In English
territory, too, ho may decorate his kilt
with any numbor-of representations of
the peacock. An Upper Burmah would
be promptly put in jail he woald even
run some risk of being killed outright
if he ventured upon one. Peacocks are
for personages of the blood-royal. Most
poople in independent territory wear no
coats at all; but if thoy do wear coats
they must be of the simplest possible
"Chinose cuts." Long tailed'Teing Ma
thehns, surooats and the like are rei
served for officials, minutely regulated
as to buttons, gold or otherwise, which
must severely tax the memory of inform
ers and chamberlains.
As we ascend in the social, or rather
the official scale for all dignity comes
from office or from a special grant from
the king distinctions thicken. Naturally
in the land of the umbrella-bearing
chiefs.the huge Utees afford a promineut
and obrions mode of marking rank. Ibe
umbrolla is twelve or fifteen feet high
with an expanse of about six feet across.
A pour man has nothing to do with these
big umbrellas whatever, unless be be
employed to carry one over bis master's
bead. If he owns an umbrella at all,
it must be short and of Western dimen
sions. Royal officials about tbs palace
have their umbrellas painted black in
side; country people and those not
directly connected with ths royol abode
must bave ths palm leaf of its origins
eolor. Some bave permission to cover
the wide surface with pink or green
satin; others, more honored, bay add a
fringe. A golden umbrella is given by
siHK'ial grace to the highest Woons and
the Royal Princes. A white umbrella
lielongs to the King alone, and not even
the Aing Shay Min, the heir-spparont,
when such a person, as occasionally hap
pens, exists, is allowed to use it. Mat
ters are still further complicated by the
number of umbrellas. Nine white ones
mark the King; the Aing Shay Min has
eight golden ones; aud tho rest of the
royal personages numbers corresponding
to their achievements or the regard the
King baa for them. If they achieve too
much, Lowevor, and become popular
tbey die. Distinguished statesmen and
generals may bave several gold Htees,
which are duly displayed on all publio
occasions and are put up in the house in
prominent places. The King's "sgent"
in Rangoon has only one, whioh very
fairly represents the consideration in
which Great Britain is held and the
official rank considered good enough to
communicate with the Chief Commis
sioner. These distinctions are very
tenaciously hold by. Innocent, unwit
ting Englishmen bave got themselves in
to serious troublo in Mandalay by carry
ing silk umbrellas with white covers.
The offense is high treason and merits
doath.
The usago as to jewels and precious
stones is very carefully laid down. Vary
few besides the King and his kinsfolk
may wear diamonds. The display of
emeralds and rubies is restricted in like
manner; and so on with other precious
stones less esteemod by Burinans. Vel
vet sandals are allowed to none but per
sons of royal blood. The nse of a vor
million dye obtained from cinnabar is
rcry jottlonsly guarded. The kamouk, a
great, wido-briinmod bat, is sn honor
eagerly sought after by the lower rank of
officials. The institution is not very an
eiont, and arised from a prophecy that
Burmah would come to be ruled by a
hat-wearing people The kamouk is,
therefore, a high distinction, though it
makes a Bnrman look a terrible guv.and
is very difficult to woar with the national
top-knot.
British Burmah suhiects delight in
nothing so much as in their immunity
from these enactments; and perhaps tho
perraision to bury their dead as they
please is the most popular privilege In
Mandalay, exclusive of tho coromonial at
the cremation of a monk, which is iden
ticl all over the conutry, five kinds of
mnorais are ordered, t int, that of the
King, then of any member of the royal
family. Evon if one of them is exeouted,
be is put iu a red velvet bag and commit
ted to the Irrawaddy. Third in ordor
aro the funorals of those who have
died in the enioymont of minis
terial office not always a certain thing
if the rooipiont does not die shortly after
his promotion. Than ooma the obse
quies of Thootays, "rich mon," people
who bave got royal edicts conferring
that title on them; and, finally, the
funeral rites of the poor poople. These
are practically no rites at all. The body
is oarrjed out in a rough wooden box to
place where a shallow hole has been dug.
It is then turned out into the two or
three foot doop grave and loosely cov
ered up with earth. The pariah dogs
come at night and serve to dimin
ish the epidemics. But in Lower
Burmah the poor man, if he caa
borrow the monoy, may have any
honors ho pleases for his doad. He may
shade tbe catafalque with goldon um
brellas, or even white ones; he may hire
elephants; he may fire guns, as long as
does not do it in the publio thorough
fares; he may bave any number of bands
of music; ho may erect a pagada over the
ashes of the doooasod; he may revol in all
the honors restricted by Yazagoing to the
most privileged dead, and, in conse
quenoo, he may suffer in pocket as much
ss he dares. Furthor, be may heap up
honorifles in his conversation and cor
respondence to the utmost of his dosire
and capability, finding infinite gratifica
tion in the fact that were he to make nse
of one of them in Mandalay be would be
lodgded in jail, thore to be treated ac
cording to Uie way in which be was able
to satisfy the rapacity of bis guardians.
CLIN'HG FOR Till CURIOUS.
i
At present more than 600,000 lives are
insured in the United State alone.
Fiye hundred thousand tons is said to
be the annual production of coffee.
Cloves have been brought into the
European murkot for more than 2000.
The word toad expresses in several of
the languages of Europe its habit of
swelling.
Newfoundland dogs bave been kopt by
the city, in Paris, to save human lifo in
tbe Somo.
Foxball should be added to the horse
marine department of the navy. He is
one of the fleet.
Tho food of a Greonland whale is a
small cruslocious animal not so large as
a common shrimp.
Mutilations, espooially of the first pha
langes of the left band are practiced by
the Australians.
Nearly as many roams oi paper in tbe
United States are made into collars as are
used to write npon.
' The bridge of boats on whiob Xerxes
crossod tbe Hellespont was fastened by
cables mado(of papyrus.
Savages not only express satisfaction
by smiling, but by gestures derived from
the pleasure of eating.
Transfusing blooj from a living ani
mal to an unhealthy one has boon prac
ticed for three hundred years.
Tbe equatorial telescope constructed
for the observatory at Vienna is the
largest refracting teloscope yet made.
In several years tbe sickness of pneu
monia has increased slightly in Septem
ber, decreased in October, and increased
again with the Indian summer.
Fanny, an ancient carp in the pond of
Fontainebleau. has just died. She is
said to have been hatched in the time of
Francis I., and had become gray.
Musk sheep, found in the Arotio
regions, are said to have a whins some
what like the snorting of the walrus, en
tirely unlike the bleating of a sheep.
In Greenlsnd a marriage contract ia
easily broken. A husband baa only to
leavs the houss in anger for several days
for tbs wife to understand, pack up her
goods, and leavs.