W0T1IER."
t. !
Tli wniiim wat old ind rn'iwd and gray,
And bent with the chill of the winter't day;
And tho tUtrt wu wot with the wlnter'iinow,
And tho woman't fu-t wor tgeu ana now.
fihs ttood t the eroxinj nd waited long,
Alone, uuoarcd (or amid t throng
Of human bainga, who psastd berliy,
Nor hradrd the iinmv or her aniiout ej,
' Down tlie ttrt with laiitfliUr nd ihoul,
Wad in the freedom of tchoul let oat,
Camo the Imvt liko a flx-k of thorp,
Hailing theinow piled white and dorp.
IW the woman o old and (tray,
If aliened the chililre u on their way,
Nor ofrfd a helping hand to her,
Ho meek, to tiujttJ, afraid to tlir,
1,cit the earrii.ire wheel or horW foct
Should crowd her down iu tho ilippry atrcct.
At liut came one of the morry troop, .
The gayett luddic of all the group. -
Ite nauard beide her, and whiired low;
Til helj) you arrow If you wih to go."
Her aecJ hand on hit tronj young arm
Bhe placed, and without hurl or haru),
Ho euidrd Iho trrrnliling feet along, . .
Proud that Lia own wcru firm and alroiig.
Then baci again t' bit friend be went, .
lln young heart huppy and well content.
'Rhe'i Minrby i mother, boyt. you know,
For ihe'i old, and poor, and alow;
And I hope toinn fellow will lend a hand
To lie lp my mother, you understand,
If ever ihe'i old, and pnor.and gray,
When her own dear Icy il fur away."
Anl "aornobodya mothor" bowed low hor hoad
u her home tl'mt night, and the prayer tho
Nlid
Was'Tlixl be kind lo the noble boy
Who it aomebody'i ton and pride and joy."
I'UITIXH 'J HE qi ESTIOX.
"Thou thai! know him when he come,
(Welcome youth!)
Not by nny din of d num.
Not by tlm viuliire of bit kf,
Neither by hit crown,
Nor hit gown,
Nr by ant thing ho wean,
lie ahull only well-known be, ,
Ity the holy harmony
That hit coming makot in Ihoel"
The prosposal o( marriage ia a modern
Eletisinian mvstcry, but with no organ
izod society to givo it a uniform ritual or
to communicate its modo. Thore ii no
unirooipe for it, nor can one bo pre
scribed which shrill bo infalliblo, whilo
another ia uncertain. No one aces Low
it ia consummated exoept the parties im
mediately interested, and if itisorownod
with auccoHR they do not, I am told, ro
membcr a year later tho exact manner
and phraseology of it. But he who trios
it and fails is supposed to hove a moro
retentive memory of tho occasion, and
robably always concludes that his
failure has been mostly owing to somo
lack of timeliness or substance of graco
in its address. It is clearly, whatover
olso may bo truo, not amonablo to tho
rcady-mudo letter-writer treatment. Per
haps it comes into existence in sometime
like tho way Tonsy did, by growing, the
timo iu which it bogau and ended not
being strictly dollanblo or known. A
ilush of the eye, pressure of the hand,
a tone of tho voico, sn exalted soneo . of
admiration and weloomo, theso may do
even moro than any words to usher iu
and conclude tho situation.
"It would bo an interesting study,"
says a writer iu Dornorost's Magaziuo,
"to turn over a buudred or moro of tho
best novels and romances and witness
tho way this happy or as often unhappy
oveut is described and sot forth iu
them. But I do not propose to do this.
In Mr. Howell's story, "Dr. Bruco's
Practice," tho real proposal eomos at
lo.Ht from tho heroiuo herself, in which
she was justilied, I mako freo to say, not
porhaps by Mrs. Grundy, but by tho
soundest canons of oommon sense. If
sho had not been undergoing a lung
tutclago iu a profession, whioh is still
mainly outside of the fomiiiino field, she
might not have been equal to this effort,
At least, a good many others who should
be aro not.
To all tho various kinds of proposals
suggestive, iioint blank, or other one
maxim, I think, of tho wisdom of the
world applies, namely, that you must
not, unless you are away from tho object
of your love, make tho first declaration
of regard ami affection through pen and
ink. Except in rare eases, nothing but
failure comes of it, though when tho
subject bus been properly begun, in
proper way, tho employment of station
ery may prove, iu wiso hands, a valuable
auxilliary process.
But it is the contentional endo rather
which has solidified itself round thissub
ect which calls for most remark. Doubt
less if somo genius of a tendoncy like
Herbert Spencer should give ns in a
thorough, radical way its history, with
all the whys and wherefores, ho would
find himself tho author of a most unique
aud wonderful treaties. Tho etiquette,
as it now stands, seems to be not the pro
duct of the feminino mind, but its ideal
of virtuous essence, and to fl.id its mot
sturdy support on the side of humanity.
And yet it places woman on sn euormous
inequality. I have been woudenng all
my life why it is that, in the matter of
initiative, a course, uuattractivo young
man should have the privilege to ask auy
uumarriod woman in tho whole world to
marry him, whilo his refined and much
more accomplished sister must make no
luotiuu toward any choice of her own,
except to sit still and wait for somo other
girl's indifferent brother to make a pro
posal to her. If it be true as I am as
sured, that the most attractive young
lady eannot hope lo have more than from
six to twelve offers at the most in a life
time, and practically must depend on
much loss than this number of eligible
ones, then, while her field of secondary
choice is pitifully small; her brothers
ars auioiutmy uiiuuiiUxi, amounting, in
fact, to hundreds of millions. I believe
I Lave asked nearly every prominent
lady lecturer on behalf of woman's rights
if this is not a state of things that needs
as mush reforming as anything else, and
in every instance I got an affirmative
answer. But ask almost all other
women, and you will get the opposite
answer.
I Lave long suspect.! if tho gentle
feminine reader will pardon the heresy
that the present custom of masculine
CjdriYcnets in the nutter, o( marri J
. '-80MED0DYU
proposals W littl.s less than a survival
from Asiatic barbarism. It is a signal of
a small remnant of .Hint tremendous
scionce of feminino disabilities of which
something more is left iu Asia, which
gives the European and Western man a
partial kinship to the high pretensions
of tho Hhah and Sultan. It pleases him,
no doubt, and why should it not?
Tho so-called leap-year prerogolive
has evidently grown out of the suspicion
that Iho existing order of thing Las
somewhere a defect, or a weok side, and
LasLoen offered as a make-woight against
the injustice. But every one knows that
all talk olwnt it in society is only a part
of that universal habit of joking and lev
ity which surrounds marriago and tho
marriage proposal. It is true a joke
tnav break the ice sometimes over deeper
wafers, and may prove the avenue to
seriousness. Except in some way, it ia
not a matter that Las ever essentially
modillcd tho system that we aro consid
ering. Wo road sometime of instances
ia which a lady tias avancu ucrseu 01 mo
matrimonial privilogo. Ono such caao,
cited by a writer in a late English maga
zine, is worm quoting nere;
"As tho controversy has oflcn been
waged," says the writer, "as to whether
it is competent for a lady lo pop the
nncstion. even so far as the leap-year is
ia .. ...a! nvi,iidi in a f
linnimml. tlin Iioroine neiDR uo inner
. . . i 1 1
than the wife of M. de Lesseps. This
distinguished lady was at La Chesnave,
when all Europe was astir about the
achievements of the Suez enterprise,
Onn ,lnv in the warden, she saw Do Los
seps walking on thotorraco. Sbopluckod
a roso, and going np to tho widower,
bejfgodof him, for nor saito, to wear uui
diuner. Ho eskod Ler whotuor she did
not moan it for his son. No; it waa for
hlmsulf. Do Lessens explniuod to hor
thst he was on the wrong side of sixty,
whilo she was not yet nineteen, luat
did not matter; what his age was Had
novor occurred to Ler. Sho had only
thought of Lis grandness and goodness,
f n abort, ho was her beau idoal. How
was it possiblo for a man reared on tho
snnnv sido of a Pyrencan mountain to
reason down the feelings this oonfession
arousod? Time was given to Mllo. de
Prarni to rellcct. and she was made to un-
dorstaud that no friendship would bo
lost were she to cliango her mind aitor
tho banns Lad been published. Tho
inarriaeo. however, was eolcbrated con
temporaneously with the Buez fetos. As
tho young lady referred lo was reared
under the Fro n oh codo of ruaunors,
which is one of almost oriontal strictness,
the reader can judge whether this protty
piece of romanoo is likely to bo foundod
on fact."
Tho writer having seen tho samo ac
count, told in tho samo way at tho time
of tho ovont, hopes it may bo. Oue of
tho worst features of this unmitigated
silouoe which is imposed upon the ono
sex alono is tho insincerity and bypoo-
risy which it not only inculcates, but
places a premium upon. Nothing irri
tates a woman so muoti as to have any
ground given for u suggestion that sho
has gono a step off her way to secure a
goutleruan's intorest or attention. Who
would rather bo wou by a peasaut than
movo tho least bit aggressively to win a
princo. Her natural feelings aro amoth
orcd and surprcssed, und she accepts the
artiflco which sho must put on, as if it
wero both rrasonablo and natural.
It Is not very likely that any such rev
olution as I havo hinted at will occur in
our generation, however grievous the
disabilities of women may be; but, when
we ooiiBidor Unit somo of tho civilizations
which aro not Puritan and Auglo Haxon,
have mediatorial methods of bringing
about marriage iu which third parties
play tho oSief part it is not lunacy to
suggests that modifications may bo pro
duced in time, iu our habits, when we
become moro in unisou with tho rost of
tho world. It is certain that, oven now,
the marriago proposal as it exists here,
is as shocking to French ideas, as any
other modo thau ours is to us so tyran
nically do convictions rule us. If we
can outlive this conviction, it will doubt
less bo by exceptions aud by degrees.
Ijot us hopo that somo day, by tho quiot
and delicate iiitcrmodiacy of somo wiso
tribuual if not otherwise a young lady
or a woman may secure a 4rivilego of
choice in matters of tho highest conso
quenee that can only now happen by a
luaky aocidont.
Kx Empress Kiigcnlo Hopeless.
During the short visit of Prinoe
Nspolcou to cx Empress Eugenic at
Farnborough, moro than ono enterpris
ing press correspondent tried hard to dis
cover exactly what was going on, and
Low long the rrinoe would remain there.
But strict orders had been given to the
servants, and not only was not oue ad
mitted within tho house, but no ques
tions of any kind wero answered. Noth
ing cau be moro quiet and unostentatious
than the manner in which Her Majesty
lives. Sho only leaves her apartments
to hear mass in her private chapel every
morning, and to join in tho meals which
sho hikes twice a day with tho members
of her household. She intends to build
a new chapel close to her house, and
wheu it is Uuislied tho remains of the late
Empercr anil of the Priuee Imperial will
bo removed thcro from Chisclhurst. To
seveial of thoo who have visited her tho
ex-Empress has expressed her conviction
that the cause of imperialism In Franco
cannot uo revived wan any uopo 01 sue
cess for a long timo to oomo.
The 1'raxo for Wagner's Hair.
Wagner's Lair ia highly prised by his
admirers, aud when lie is about to have
it out, enthusiasts aro always on the look
out to get a lock of it. Bccenily. at Na
pies, this led to an amusing mculent.
The hairdresser, who was to perform the
operation, was solieitexl by somo Wag
nnrites at the hotel to sell tbcm the
shorn looks, aod the barber profited by
the trausactiou to a considerate extent.
Unluckily, Mudamo Wagnor Lad prom
ised a frieud some of her hualwud's hair
to enclose in a locket, an 1 the barber
was robbed of his pcrtiuisites; but. re
membering that tho butcher who sup
plied meat to the hotel had hair exactly
similar to that of the com noser, he. per
suaded him to Lave Lis hair cut gratis,
ana was thus enabled to souu the euthu
siaats sway rejoicing.
More hearts pine away in secret
anguish, for the want of kindness from
those who should be their comforters.
thAa tit wj Qtaei culiuit; ia life,
Wati-hei and Magnetism.
"Sir, you should wear an open-facod
watch if you dosire to bo accurate in yon r
time," uaid a watchmaker on Chostnnt
street to the stout man; "you aro too
magnetic"
"Why, what the deuce bos the case
got to do with it?" was tho interrogative
reply.
Evorything. Your watch has a hunting
case, necessitating steel springs for
opening and shutting. By constant as
sociation with your body thoso springs
become magnetized, and thoy generate
thoir condition to othor necessarily steel
portions of the watch works, and thus
ronder thoir movements imperfect."
iThen, if I were not fat, any wntch
would not lose two minutes, more or
less, a dov," said the puzzled stout mau,
"Exactly," roturnod the watchmaker.
"I have worn your watch for over a
week, and it has noithor gained nor lost
a dozen seconds; but then I am, from a
corporal point of viow, your antitbesis.
1 am exceptionally thin and alondor."
The stout man mused.
"Accordingly," said he, "open-faced
tickors for fat men, closed cases for thin,
eh?"
"Not at all," replied the othor. "Thin
men Lavo at times moro magnetism in
thoir system than fat men. Everybody
is more or less magnetic; you happen to
bo particularly so; I Lappen to be quite
the roverse; hence my remarks and ad
vice. For tho rest, open-faced watobes
are always more aconrate than hunters.
As for tho stool springs iu hunting cases,
mechanical science lias notyot discov
ered anything else to replace tliem. The
public like double cases, and thero the
matter remains for tho present. Thoro
are, Lowover, many ill ooutrivod ports in
watches; and, whilo tho dmand contin
ues for watches of a certain price, it is
impossible, from a commercial point of
view, to think of improvements. Long
nsed methods and ingenious engines
have been specially providod to fashion
and cut out every ono of the minute
parts wnich go to compose the existing
instrument. Every watch consists of
over 200 pieces, employing over 200 per
sons, distributed among 40 trades; to
say nothing of tho tool-makers for the
artisans. If tho construction oi me
watch were materially altered, oil the
trades would havo to bo relearned, new
tools and whoel-cntting engines would
have to be dovised, and the majority of
working watchmakers would bocomo
nanlnHS. The consenuenco would be
that the watch would become enormous
ly onhancod in valuo, and its possession
a token of wealth. You boo, in your
complicated state of society, even ma
chines in tho process of timo come to
surround themselves with a circle of
vested interests which embarrass at
tempts at improvement."
"You aro interesting me," romarkod
tho stout customer, as he replacod his
watch in his pookct. "You have been
many yoars in the business, I suppose.
Of course thero must have been some
improvement in your timo?"
"Of courBO. Watches during tho last
ten yoars havo grown much in thickness.
Old-fashionod watches aro thin and Hat.
I have had a wotch in my charge as thin
as a trado dollar. Jt is lmpossioio 10
properly adjust tho works for Lent, cold
and position uudor such circumstances.
I should have to give you a loug explan
ation of tho packing mechanism to ex
plain t3 you why.
"Well, has tho increased thickness
raised tbo value?" -
"No. on the contrary. Watches nro
now worth 25 por cent less than thoy
were twelve years ago. '1 bat fact, you
will say, boars ogaiust my previous re
marks. I am reforring to tho ohoapor
grades of watches worn by tho majority
of people. Thore nro wutclics whicu
bring $1500 and watches which can bo
purohased for $18 a dozen. If you aro
willing to par ifor costly work, almost
anything can be accomplished. "
"I made a watch for a physician whioh
fitted into a signet ring not much larger
than a pea. It had only second hands.
It was porfcotly nccurato, nud was used
by tho doctor to timo the pulso of Lis pa
tients. That cost $100. Watches aro
mado from tho size of a ten cent pieoe to
half a dollar, and worn as triukets by
ladios. Thoy aro also fitted in bracelets,
brooches, tons of watohes, eye glasses,
and ovon umbrella handles; but they aro
very luxurious toys."
Tho Btout man paid his bill and went
homo.
The Dyspeptic's Struggle.
Dyspeptics, with morbid appetite, if
intelligent, conscientious, and deter
mined not to abuso themselves, are con
stantly engaged iu a hard struggle, in a
hsud-to-hand light. Tho dyspeptic sits
at tho tab'o at each mool with a de
termined will, nnd gives his whole mind
to it.
He says, now I will eat one dish of
soup, a small picoo of the beef, one
spoonful of tho potato, ono of Bquash, a
small piece of pie, ami just a spoonful of
ice cream; but his appetite is ravenous;
the conversation pleasant; ho forgets a
little; his good resolution lets up; he
takes just oue more mouthful of pie,
which turns out. of course, to be another
piece; just the least bit of pudding,
which thoy all declaro to bo delicious;
then another spoonful of ice cream
well, in short, ho repeats for the
thousandth time an excuse, suffers, and
so goes on for months and years.
This struggle of tho dyspeptic always
seemed to mo the most pitiful. Eating
was designed by tho Good Creator to
afford a real, unmixed pleasure. It is
sad to see it changed into a bitter fight
between appetite and conscience. Be
sides, this earnest effort of the will
breaks in upon tho pleasant flow and
harmony of nature, aud disturbs diges
tion. Tho whole trouble grows out of a
lack oi common sense in Uie manage
ment of our meals.
What senso, I should like to ask, is
there in this: Suppose a drunkard finds
himself too weak to resist temptation.and
he persists in keeping right before him
the most delicious liquors, in placing
right nnder his nose, several times a
day, just that brandy which he never
found himself UroUg enough to resist.
What an idiot! we all should exclaim.
Not ouly Miss Opholia, but every one
with fire grains of common sense, would
cry out. "Why don t the fool keep away
from it?"
Tor one man who is spoiled with
drink, a hundred are spoiled with pie,
cake and such similar trash. I join this
common sense party, and aak why they
don't keep away? Take, for exampktbe
ordinary American family, consisting,
ssy, of half a dozen persons.
ten hs of the dyspeptics of this country
live in such families. Of these persons,
constituting a large part of the popuU
tion, not one in ten has a porfoot stem
neb Now, I ask, can't theio people
shun the sweetmeat ond pastry tempta
tion? Nothing is simpler and easier;
and I will add that few duties are more
sacred and imperative.
Tho time will soon come when intent
eont mothers will no more think of pro
viding such stuff for their children than
they would prepare whisky slings, for
them. , ...
Jost now we fool about those things
as peoplo usod to feel about whisky.
Nothing mortified a good doaoon moro
than to bo caught with no whisky in the
house. What, no whisky? If.whon the
minister called, our good deacon could
not set out a decanter beforo hiin.be was
poor indoed! , . .
And now, when entertaining fnonds at
your table, if you can't closo the dinner
with pudding and pie, or if you can't
prosont thorn at the supper table with
preserves, cake, strong tea and half a
dozen other indigestible things, you fool
it la "rani mean. " What, nothing but
roast beef.potutoes and breud for dinner;
,i nntiiino- inir. a rdain sandwich for
supper? Golden Rulo.
A Kat on the Wellington Monument
"Are there any fine views in Washing
ton?" asked a stranger yesterday.
"Yes; one of the finest views in the
civilized world is to look down from tho
ton of Wasbineton Monument upon a
sea of upturned faces of the solid men of
the city of magnincent instances, uisap-
pointed hopes, boarding bouses and
hacks, rnd the majestic proportions of
the grand buildings off to tho north
west."
"Can I got up there to-day?"
"Oh. ves: all you havo got to do is to
watch your chance."
Tho strancer started for the monu
ment, and in a few minutes ho reached
the spot. He gazod with astonishment
for a few moments npon the huge and
maiestio pilo of marble and granito tow
ering for 3U0 feet towards the heavens,
thon walked inside tho structure. Find
ing a stairway winding up towards the
top, tho stranger proceeded to meander,
when, in the course oi an hour, moro or
loss, he reached tho top. After resting
for a few moments, he began to look
about to see what was to be soon. Look
ing down the Potomoo be could boo
Mount Vernon, the home of him in
whose honor and to whose memory tho
lofty pile of granito and marble upon
which ho stood is boing erected. In
fact, looking in whatsoever diroction he
might, his eyes failed for want of power
to see all that was beneath and around
him. Tirod ond weary of gazing upou
the mysteries of nature, he sat down to
rest. Whilo sitting ond wondering ho
fell asleep, but was soon awakened by
something nibbling at his fingors, which
provod to be nothing more or less than
a regular full grown, old fashioned
wharf rat. This settlod it. He de
scended, ond when he reached his hotel
he said he had supposed thore was some
pluco where rats could uotgetuntil now,
but ho firmly believes that thero aro rats
in heaven, and that that rat came down
from there, beoanso ho nevor could get
up tnat stairway in tho world. Wash
ington Critic
Wealthy Newsboys.
"That big, tall newsboy over thero at
the postoffico steps is worth $20,000 ia
his own right."
It was another newsboy who gavo this
rather startling bit of information to the
writer.
"Yes, sir," continued the talking news
boy, "that's Alf-Alf Shattler, ond he
does the biggest trade of any boy iu this
city. Why, mayba you don't belieyo it,
but it s true, ho makes more money a
day thou any of tho Fourth-street clerks
do. Alf averages SO and $7 a day."
"But he has to work for it?"
"Well, I should say so. How long do
you suppose he has sold papers on that
corner Nineteen years, sir. Alf began
businoss about war times, and he has
never given it up. Now ho has the boss
businoss of any of the boys.
A regular trade
"That's it, sir. You'll see gentlemen
come across the street at all hours, get
a paper from him without a word and
walk away not offering to pay. Thoso
aro Ins regular customers, and he has
hundrods of them."
Further inquiry dovolopod the fact
that Shattler is nearly 30 years old. He
is married and lives in his own property
on Spring Grovo avenue. Out at Mil-
ford ho owns a farm for which he bos re
fusod 10,000. Besides this farm ho Las
other property, real and personal, of
equal yalue.
Down at tho corner of lourthnnd
Walnut is another newsboy, whose ia
miliar face bus been a landmark at that
point for ten years past. Fourth and
Walnut is his particular field, and no
othor newsboy ever attempts to invade it.
Though not as wealthy as Shattler,
Johnny can draw his chock for $5000 and
have n honored, lie has had bis home
at Union Bethol for years, where ho reg
ularly pays a fixed sum (or board and
lodging.
Wtgglnslana.
Uneasy is tho head that dips into
the
future.
Tis better to predict and miss than
never to predict at all.
Wiggins' storm will not be seen by the
rveoiy-moier.
The weather prophet frightens fools,
entortams the ctedulous and sells his
almanac.
In anticipation of Wiggins' storm, the
Indians on the Onondaga reservation
have tied their houses to trees and fences
with rones.
It i time that people with brains ia
their head should regard Wiggins in his
true light, simply as a man who has
almanacs to sell.
A lady was visiting one 'of her mar
ried friends who had recently presented
Ler Lusband with pledge of affection No.
I. "What are yon going to name the
baby?" inquired the Tisitor. "We are
going to call her Mary Penelope Thana
topsis Ellen not ftoici? to leave, art
you?" "Yes, I most get home in time
for tea; 1 11 call in again early to-morrow
morning ana bear ins rest o( it."
Climatic Variations.
Dr. Croll attributes the great fluctua
tions of terrestrial climate, as displayed
by the formor extension of the glaciers
on one Land, and the existence of coal
seams and corals in the now ice bound
shore of Greenland on the othor, to vari
ations of the earth's orbit, snd calculates
the periods of three of theso cycles, ex
tending respectively over 170,000, 200 -000,
and 100,000 years. I am unable
eithor to oonflrm or refute thoso oscula
tions, whioh may or may not be correct,
but quite outside, or rather within, theso
thero Lave boon curious fluctuations of
terrestrial climate hitherto unexplained.
The name "Gronland," which wo lit
erally translate "Greonland," is itself a
record of this. It was given to that coun
try when colonized by the Scandana
viuna, aboo one thousand years ago. It
wbb then fairly described by its name,
ond tho remains of human settlements
discovered by our arctic explorers in
regions now uninhabitablo confirm the
old Norse sages, which describe these
colonies. When Ingolf with his rotainers
and followers settled in Iceland, A. D.
874, that island must have enjoyed a
vnrv rliffernnt climate from what it DOW
endures, or it could not have become so
popular a colony os to alarm King Harold
the Fair-hairod so greatly as to induco
him in nhnck the emigration bv imposing
a fine of four ounces of silver on all in
tending emigrants.
Tho growth of iis population until it
tlm eleventh aod twelfth cen
turies the focus of European poetio liter
ature, wnon its great poet, pnorro oiur-
lounn llpntnil flin meet in ITS of tho
Tliinovftlla or Txlund Parliament, "with
a splendid retinue of eight hundred
armed men; wuen uousos anu smps
wore built with native timber, of which
remains aro now to be found, all indi-
nntrt a piirinnn nlmnoM nf climate. I
could quoto many other vidences of
tins il space permuted.
Edscwood The Home of Mrs. Kato
Chase fcprnguc:
Abont two and a half miles northeast
of the Capitol is "Edgowood,"o substan
tial brick villa, erected early in the pres
ent century by Colonel Berry, who had
an only daughter, who was the possessor
of great personal beauty and rare accom
plishments. Among hor admirers was a
young law student in tho office of
William Wirt, then Attornoy General,
Salmon P. Chaso, of Ohio, aud, although
be never became a suitor for her hand,
he always cherished pleasant memories
of her and her homo. When tho estate
was offered for sale in 18GS, the young
law student had become the Chief Jus
tice of tho United States, and ho pur
chased it for a homestead. Additions
were made to the house, and his mauy
art treasures were removed there from
the house which he had occupied at tho
corner of Sixth and D streets, and were
arranged with great taste.
Mrs. Kato Chase aprague is now resid
ing at Edgewood with her three daugh
ters Ethel, Portia and Katheriuo
whoso respective ages are fourteen.oloven
and nine years. Assisted by private tu
tors, Mrs. Sprajue has nkon uie cuarga
of their education, and they are well
versod in the preliminary studies in tho
English, French and German tongues.
She retains Ler rare beauty, tempered
by ago and trouble, especialty the poiso
of her intellectual head, her charming
throat and chin, and tho classical out
lines of her countenance. There aro but
fow, if any, silver threads in her dark
auburn hair, and hor movements havo
the ottraotivo grace that characterized
her when young. Her lifo has been one
of disappointment! Her "groat expecta
tions" havo not boon realized I Her pe
tition for divorce set forth her great
wrongs, but now her faithless husband
has married another wifo, and those
wrongs will be avenged. Washington
Ccrr. Boston Journal.
It was reported recently that tho Pan
ama Canal Company had expended $30.-
000,000 and bad not, moved a shovelful
of dirt yet. Out of this sum it must be
remembered it bought and paid or the
Panama Railroad, and the cash for that
went to citizens of the United States.
Contracts have also been made with
Americans to construct the machinery to
do the excavating with, and it is very
likely that a largo part of tho cost of the
whole work will be paid out in this oonn-
try. Perhaps it is quite as well to let
this Panama scheme get well started bo
fore we undertake that of the Nicaragua
route. If the latter is built by the United
States and begun forthwith, we should
have doubts if the Panama canal
wouldn't fall through yet. Experienco
gained at Panama will be available at
Nicaragua. Judging by the business
done on the Suez canal, both of these
isthmus cuts would soon be doing a pay
ing business, nor would thoy seriously
interfere with the business of our rail
roads.
Tho art critic of the Hawera Star thus
desoribes a portrait of Tawhiao. the
Maori king: "The first glance at his
head forcibly reminds one of an Ameri
can ax or Maori tomahawk, it being
broad at the cbin and narrow at the
crown. If h8 head were iron it would
be a valuable acquisition to the bush
faller for splitting shingles. The tattoo
marks with which the face is covered
destroy all facial expression, and a sim
ple-minded person could easily be per
suadod that for a minnte at ono period
of his life his pate had been in a sausage
macmne in lull operation, ihe picture
also represents mm as icariullr swivel
eyed, and it would be a hard thing to tell
whether His Highness is represented to
be looking at his subjects or sadly con
templating the shadowy prospect of
banquet from the Wanganuiites.
Thb Vice Pbesiden-t'b PKRonsrrm
A custom Las long prevailed at the
senate end oi tue (japitol Dy wnicb a re
tiring presiding offioer of the Senate
whether a Vice President or a Senator
elected President pro tempore of that
oouy, is privileged to carry off wben hit
term expires the andirons and fire set o
the Vice President's chamber at the Cap
noi. air. v never too: away with h
a pair of brass andirons finished w
m
ith
dragons' heads. Mr. Bavin apt worn
modern revival of an antinna rItIa anl
included andiron, ton .lor nnttav atnnvol
and tongs, all of the handsomest brass.
He promptly removed all of them on his
retirement. Washington Corr. Of the
Philadelphia Times. .
FACTS AND JtEVYS.
The crinoinal tier at Vi i .
April 81. Loss $1,000,000. m
There are 40,000 women in K v.l
city who support themselves.
Illinois, it is said, has a greater
ber of judges than Great Britain.
A Jieniucicy iarmor uas a duck which
ays oggs that Lave shells nearly black.
Americans run me norse cars anl
manage the telephones in Mazatlan
Mexico. '
Twenty-eight mining explosion.
curred lust year, of which fifteen were'
fatal. .
Darwiu says that hornets were r.nt i.
vented until tho world was lion mm
years old. '
Pennsylvania will build more railm..i.
this year than in any recent twoWe.
month. .
More than 100 vessels pbsu,1 n-
through the Narrows at New York in ons
day recently.
A' leaf transforms into useful n.i
forty por cent of tho enorgy absorbed
beating an ongino. , '
In Asia Minor thore are olive tr.
still in fnll bearing known to be twelve
hundred years old.
Four barrols of water from the O rati
Salt lake, after evaporation, will ent
uarrei oi boii.
Col. Tom Patterson, of Greene count
Ark., has a coat composed of eieht
ooon skins.
Tho nun tier farm of Clnrtr Mnni. re
turned 723 clear profit into tlm iu.t'l
troaBury last year.
English gold coin has been so worn
that it will cost $4,000,000 to restore tLi
no,vw,wv in circulation.
Baldnoss. somo experiments rnemvUi
by the Edinburgh Medical Journal
Show, is probably contagious.
Ttarnn Werhnim tha wmlthioif m...
" . T , vu.uw. UitUJIQ.
facturer of Austria, and tho celebrated
lubricant of iron safes, is dead.
Botwoon 45,000 and CO.OOO elevators
ore now in oporaiion in tiie L'n twl
States.
of which 15,000 are in Ket
York.
A Hall county, Ga., man has a hat
which he claims was captured from a
British soldior by his grandfather during
tue revolutionary war.
In the course of ton years seventy-oina
murders have been committed in Cincin
nati, but during that time thore has only
been one execution.
There is more nutriment in straw than
is commonly supposed, and if rich food
like corn or cotton-seed meal is fed,mon
will be eaten by stock.
In tho average New York house one-
fourth of tho time of ono servant is em
ployed in responding to the ringings ot
ragmen and small peddlors.
Over 200 prominent Knights Templui
of the stole or Iowa liave announced
their intention to visit San Francisco to
attend the conclave this summer.
The first piano was made at Podus, in
Italy, in 1711, by Christofori. The first
one seen in England was made by Father
Wood, a monk, and very fow wore made
thore until ofter 17C8.
The only coin in the United State!
that strictly conforms to the law is the
$20 gold piece. Othor coins eithor lack
Eomething proscribed, or bear somo
device nnauthorzed by law.
One of the curiosities shown in the
Smithsonian, at Washington, is a section
of a tree nearly twolve inches in diam
eter, which was cut down by minnie
balls during the battlo of Chancellor
villo.
A petition sicned bv o largo number of
Buffalo capitalists has boen presented bj
counsol asking for a grant to build a
tunnel under Niagara river, and to re
ceive 25 per cect of the profits "lien
completed. '
Governor Pattison, of Pennsylvania,
has issued a proclamation deolarlng for
feited charters for corporations snd
companies failing to make returns to the
auditor goneral within three years.
is said tho list will include 175 corpora
tions of such character as to causo gen
eral surprise. ,
The Missouri legislature passed a bill
that no railroad oompan? in that state
shall advance freights without first giv
ing 20 days' notice of the proposed
change by posting a now Bcheduloin
three conspicuous ploces on eacn
freight ond passenger depots. 1"
penalty for violation is rjouu.
Tho trustees of Columbia college, e
York, discussed the project of appealing
to citizens of New York ond tue cuuuuj
at largo for aiding them to construct
college, or metropolitan universitj.
where students who ore now compel!
to go to Europoan universities can oD
tain thorough instruction in tho hif-ner
branches of learning.
An improved cart spring has been p
ented by Mr. Guatar Walter, of ban
wicu, in. i.ne invention -
improvement in vehiole springs ot tue
proved springs have their forward eno
extending downward ond connected tot
trmsversfl sorintr secured to a crossw
of the shafts, which proviues '
ridinar seat of ornamental appearance.
- . - "... n ,UT
mi qoaa 1 a .1 aiilnODS 1
Chicago, and it is estimated that, wow
ing the unlicensed ones, the groceries , w
o.fin v;,i on.i tha Ami stores.tMf
mere are oouu iiuouku , .
are as many as 5000 places where liqn
is sold at retail in the city-being
drinking place ta every 120 pi-V
the population. There are several oioc
wnere nearly every nouse
saloon. o
An improved button has been patent
by Mr. Julius Weis, of Chioago, (
invention rnnaiata of a button baVW
wire ring formed on its shank P10"
witn two overiapying ioubu" - a,
wWch Las the end turned upward,
other downward, pressing upon
lower tongue. The button is cuatc
a garment by passing one tDSu
the buttonhole and then turning
button. f
A boot and shoe stretcher. P08fffi
several improved features ov
dinary stretcher has recently bfB i
ented by Mr. Horace Glines, ol
Stratford. Conn. The atreteher t
only adapted for stretching a" r
ot a boot and sboe wnicn m
stretching implement is intended
but it is especially adapted fo;8"?
ing the instep part of the boot in "
effective manner.