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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1889)
rTfER OF BUSING r..r MWlHifl Vlrirl."!" Shrewd (wno isuiscot . i luv.mimrt addros. ' ' " 1 mH square envelopes eon- ipl' her wedding) - rM . i. i-uref ul to whom wo send I "' M .lour Hut of M""1 ' mi tho Baxter. shrewd-Cortainly.mydoar , .rood lor Bl MM sVcUtlerjf. I' "ot aomethlng In I" I- , u , lllwuVs I '?'.'' ... And what about tho I , a-near. Thev didn't I 1 v aim I'l1 (mi a nie knifo whon Ie Brace wn married, and I've - inn IH I; ,. , u.n.Mrr Hello had whon she m .... ,.-..'il have tho Brintons. mod lot promised mo some- re r. . : . i. ,.iln Tku 'P d...... I detest the whole CithM. Bui !'-, always uive I'J I1'01'. . .1... M....H " they'll hring something splen- "UD. .' . . I.. .1... in hiic-a-uric. j ' " Ita-, you know, i wonoer ir tno Crcv J a Lfchavln?' I rcallv u"n 1 J ..., siilicru iui-u"m in un let' ' ... . uis i nir last no in. "i ,,iv,i over it. tiokins thoy m take Ibe hint if we wnl them J to your wedding. 1 believe I'd They'll hardly have the faoo not brin,r sollli'l""iB m" huu . .. l iiiniii I don't, know Ktodoh"U "!" BUley' They kre anil- r, u i, v..rv likrl v to do the me with yon- 1 wouldn't ran tho Lfc Invito tno i-nyious umh. key'll be lure to onus w"itwnn ,rtb having, .j- .-.wi..r if there I anv hone IN uu HWW . V ...i. .lirimnnils from tho Ruv- fll And what do you lUppOM tho in l :n,,3t reifhtons win unugi ..li I I,, ,im thov'll hnve the Hen, ""I'" - I in lirimr Miuni'thi'iiL' hettHi' pecni-j i , L tho etching thoy gavo llariu U-ster. I . 1.1 Viifin an WML I VO nil- IHf mguiu UVfra . - reused one hundred nnd fifty invita , i 1.-U i ii )M nOW, lltlU 1 oeuovo uie.v iu Ml for something, unless it is tho i . r a i i Iiwvillos and mo ninyius, unu c prop them if wo finally conclude iVre not likely to send uuy thing." THIEVES AND BUNCO-MEN. lUftfctlve S ivk They Are Not So Clever They l.nee Here. Do you know Now York thlovos lro not any thing UKo so clover us kev used to bo?" Tho speaker was ono of Inspector lyrnes Veterans, nnu inuro was aeiu- llvatoueli of sadness in his voice as Lipoke, U though tho declino of tou r rascality wan really a bail thing ht the public generally. The ro- orteraiked the detective the cause of change which seemed to affect him so. 'Well, that's more than I can toll," k. as the reply. "It may be Because i many of the leading thlovos are in il, or have been scared out of New fork by the police, and that their places hnvo been taken by new hands. It is not because there aro no thieves, lor there are just as many as ever. Is soon us one is jailed or frightoncd off another bobs up und takes his place. Hut, bo it as it may, the whole gang are u precious lot of bunglers. "There isn't tho talent around now rto get up another Manhattan Hank af fair. Even the bunco and "badger game men are losing their grip. Take the attempt to rob l'hil Daly, the gam bler. That affair was a botch. So was the attempted diamond robbery. As Ifor the attempt to "bunco" V. 1. IMONlawy, tho Western minor and horseman, it was clumsy enough to Icause suae of tho old-time "bunko'' Imi'n to weep. And so tho thing goes. It may be that the "crooks" are down Ion their luck, for "Hungry Joe." who used to be the cleverest of the bunco men, has made more bad breaks lately I than a irreenhurn. anil is lurked mi in Baltimore as a result. "The only clever stealing that has I MB done of late,1' the detoctivo wont tj to say, "has been done by men who vere not in the regular order of . and whoBtruck out on a now 'e (or themselves. These were such men as Foster and Hndnll. the iawvers. But the old lino of thieves, as I have aid, seem to be losing their grip, and uuiey keep on there won't bo any "edit in getting the best of them, or nunting them." And with this the veteran, who has I made some verv clever cantures in his day, turned away with a sigh. N. Y. Mail and Kx press. Something Had Happened. "Do you exnnrt. n. rnian nf salarv the 4rt of the year?" he inquired, as they "xle toother on the rear platform of the ear. "Not now." "Has any thine hanoened lately to "Pset your expectations? ' "There him. I hnA mv aatarv cut Jn four dollars a week, and was told ! I didn't earn half what I was get- after that " DttroU Fret Press. U M Tinware i twat wnahnd in aoda nd water. It can be scoured with Ore. m ir . i t j-.. i lu - j- aepi uieaa iroiu u vu ua. seldom nAod nnmn . In arnnrinT. , Di'ocess wears it out Quickly. PERSONAL AND LITERARY. The novel "Munch," written by Mrs. Mary ft Ilryan. was Alexander Stephens' favoriU) work of lletiun. Walt Whitman was a cmoitor So wa David It. Locke, JfotaoilJ Mil ler. Kret Harte, Mark Twain. William IX Howolis and Joel ( handlor Harris. Mr. Kider Haggard's friends com plain that while he received only $230 for the original edition ol "King Solo mon's Mines," the publishers have made 160, 000 out of the book. Robert Browning's first poem was written at the early age of four. One day. just as his mother was about to glvo him a dose of medicine, theyouth ful poet struck an attitude and recited: " All people. If you w ih to ten A boy MM phytic, look it me:' George Konnan, the journalist and author, lives in a quaint and modest little house in Washington. I). l H0 is forty-three years old, and has a long, thin face; his mouth is concealed by a heavy mustache; bis eyes aro largo and dark, and his figure is spare. Mr. Keniian keeps himself in cfjdi. lion by a daily spin of ten miles on iiis bicycle. M. Victorian Bard on, the eminent rYonch novelist and dramatist, from a letter he has just written to the dun lois is evidently a believer in i.l such phenomena as come under the name of magnetism, hypnotism, second sight and the rest phenomena which, ho says, ho has watched with curiosity for over forty years, but which were in his youth ridiculed by men of sci ence, Tho late William W. Fulton, of tho editorial staff of the Haiti more American, hud a great many interest ing experiences doing his long jour nalistic career. He heard a debate in tho old Senate chamber between Clay, Webster and Calhoun, traveled with President Taylor, made a trip to New York in company with President Fill more and Daniel Webster, knew Ed gar Allan Toe, heard Jenny Lind sing, saw I'atti in her teens and witnessed her rendition of Martha in honor of tho Prince of Wales, then in Philadel phia, and dined with President Grant Mr. Kider Haggard is said to bo by no means a toiler in a garret. Tho sixth son of 'Squire William Haggard, of Hradonham a place which has boon in the family for four generations he married a Norfolk heiress and so be came possessed, in right of his wife, of tho Manor of Ditchingham, on the edge of tho Hath hills. Here he writes in a pleasant corner room of the churmlng old house, which is over run with Hanksia roses, clematis and jasmin; and here, at the door, he may be seen in jacket und knicerboekers of brown tweed, soft felt hat, thick knitted stockings and serviceable boots; and between his lips a black ened brlarwood pipe. His homo is full of beautiful and curious things. HUMOROUS. King Charles evidently was mak ing a Knight of it when ho dubbed that famous pioco of beef Sir Loin. Puck. Never mind the voung man who an1! ho moves in tho best society. Ho may bo obliged to move as soon as he gets in. N. 0. Picayuno. A Western college refuted to es tablish a department of wood-carving for fear it would acquire a reputation for turning out "block " heads. Artificial eggs are manufactured in a Pennsylvania town. Tho inventor probably wanted to help the hens boar their yolk. -Rochester Exprew. in going downstairs it is etiquette to follow tho lady, but in the caso of the young lady's father it is sometimes better to keep pretty well in advance. TeXM Sittings. George ' You look glum. Is your lady-love fickle?" Augustus "N-o; but her father is unkind. I called last night and he showed mo" "F:h? He showed you the door?" "No; her millinery bills." Philadel phia Record. Cowboy "Stranger, thar's some good men in this gang, you betchor life. Ye boo that quiet, inoffensive cuss a' settin' thar? You wouldn't think it. but he's killed his do7.en or more." Tenderfoot" W hut! that little man?" Cowboy-" You bet, pard. He's a doctor." America. Brown" Oh, if I only had n mill ion dollars, what lots of good I would do with it!" Smith " Wha would you do, for instance?" Brown "Oh. there are ways enough I don't know exactly what I would do." Smith "Well, I know." Brown " What?" Smith "You'd go to work with all your might to mnke another million." -Springfield Union. First bootblack "BilLI'm in luck. Git onto this snipe." Second boot black (contemptuously)-' 1 don't see nothun great ubout that snipe. Looks jest like any other snipe." (Impres-sively)-"BiIl, that snipe's worth twenty-five cents." (Incredulously) "Ya-a-as. it is!" "Well, that's what It is. Don't you soe it's only about three-quarters smoked? The man that frowed that snipe away. Bill, was the railroad editor of the Laboringmen's Vindicator." Chicago Tribune. 'Ah." said Miss Erudite to Miss Shrewd at a dinner party the other night, "what a sad. sad face that gen tleman has over there in the corner. I have been watching him all the evening, and have not seen him smile once. His heart It heavy with some mighty grief, I am sure of it, and 1 have been wondering what it could be and letting my heart go out to him in sympathy. Do tell me if you know bis history." "Tat," replied Mia Shrewd, briefly, "he is editor of a humorous pape.."-Drake'8 Magazine. PITH AND POINT. An honest man is able to speak for himself, when a knave Is not. Those who are fellow-creatures with men should not be fellow-judges with (iod. The man who pays for beer can al wa .eeure laughers for his jokes. -Milwaukee Journal. Others proclaim the Infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacence. If they discover none of tho like in themselves. Addison. A man with a new idea can not be too careful of it. It may get away from him and become original with some ono else. .V. O. licniunt. The national growl shows do na tional cha'aeter. We doan hear nuHln 'bout de wimmin's high huts obstruct in' do view o' do pulpit. t'ncti Pete. Sacrifice being the essential basis of virtue the most meritorious virtues are those which are acquired with tho j greatest effort. Df Milium: --When a man steals a silver dollar from you. there isn't one bit of conso i lation in recalling the fact that it is really worth only about eighty cents. ' Puck Employment which Galen onlis ! "nature's physician," is so essential to human happiness I hat indolence is just ly oomi da red the mother of misery. I Rotmi Bitrion. Curiosity may lead one away from : hlsduty; but no man It likely to do his , whole duty, or to know it. if he lacks full measure of curiosity. s. s. Tunes. , Down In New York a man can j drop a nickel in a slot and have his handkerchief perfumed. The pro prietor of the little device must muke enormous profits, giving only one scent for live cents. - Wall rburt Ripulh Some unidentieliil philosopher re marks that "It is the newly rich that make displays. It Is the paper that has just sprung into notice that hur rahs about its circulation. It is the woman who. for the first time owns n laco shawl, who tolls you what it cost." Tho longer we live the more we aro convinced of the truth of tho cyn ical remark of the unsuccessful painter, that reputation is rather the outgrowth of luck than of merit. What Haw thorne called the conspiring circum stance rarely visits our homes, and when it does we aro generally absent. The root of the commonwealth is in the homes of the people. The social and civil life springs from the domestic life of manhood. The official life of a nation is ordinarily the reflex of Un moral sense of tho people. The moral ity of a public administration is to be guarded by the moral standard of the family. The river does not rise above its source. Whenever and wherever the con ditions of successful marriage are not complete then marriage is a failure. Marriage is a failure when it is entered into merely as a civil contract. There are men who hunt for wives as thoy would for cows, and there are women who hunt for husbands as they would for carriage hones, and when found it is merely a civil contract. It is a fail ure when it is merely a mutter of con venience, or for money, or for social position. ff. It. li. Tyler. A QUEER COLLECTION. Battled Wilters from Mny Itlvera tlia iioiiiiy r Tn o Traveling Kngllsneitai It is surprising how many peculiar things a man will do whon ho has more timo and money at his disposal than ho knows what to do with. Not long tinea two young Engllah men of fortune wore traveling in this country. They visited many sections, and one day their conversation at tracted the attention of a follow trav eler. A conversation in which all threo joined followed. "What is your destination?'' was asked of tho Englishmen. "Wo scarcely know yet. But we aro at present en route for tho Mississippi rivor." replied ono of them. "Merely for tho sake of getting a look at that mighty stream?" "Well, no, not entirely. Tho truth is, want some of the water from tho Mississippi river." Want some of tho water! What for?" "To keep." And amused at tho ex pression on his quostionor's face he continuod: "lou see, mv friend and self have a larger income than wo can spend. Wo longod for something now, and togethor wo decided to travel. We thought it would be more pleasant for both if wo had some object in view, and we wanted to do something different from any body else, so we concluded to make I collection of waters from all the principal rivers of the earth. We have visited Europe, Asia. Australia, South America and now intend to do North America. What are these col lections for? Merely to gratify a whim of the collector, and we are doing that very thing. Already we have sent homo many small vials, each labeled, so there can be no mistake, and when wo do North America we will have finished the globe." "How long do you intend to keep the collection?" "Always, of course. Do you think we would carelessly destroy what has taken bo long to collect?" "Well, I scarcely think to, but do you intend to submit the waters to gome chemistor other for analysla?" We hadn't thought of it At I told you, we do thit merely to past the time, spend our money, tee the world while we ari young, and gratify a whim; and you may believe that so far we have had any amount of pleasure out of it" Chicago Tribune. IN CASE OF FIRfc. A nnrrlptlon of hlcii DoHftlei BeaMt Alarm s,. , , Somebody smells smoke or tees a ttrange light at night anil rushing to the uearest nlnrni-liox pulls the hook. In ten or twelve seconds the number of the box pulled is transmitted to every engine-house in the city. Five or six hundred nu n are instantly out of Ix-d and ireeted, and about two hundred horses, released from their stalls, spring iiitu position. In twenty-live seconds, on the average, four engine companies, one chemical company and a couple of marshals a. I tiMtring along tho street, and in a minute or two are on the spot where the alarm origi nated. Tlow is it done?" repeated Prof. John P. Barrett, " Bj means of an alarm system that hasn't its superior In the world Counting ordinary tire alarm hexes, public boxes and private boxes, there are in Chicago upward of 1.50U paints from which alarms may lx given, und every time a box is pulled the e ci tric current carries the nece-sar, information over 100 miles of underground w ire and SOD miles of aerial wire. The current Is never off the iies ii'nl the hooks of the boxes are always there to be pulled as occa sion requires, Yet you would be sur prised to find how few citizens keep posted about the lire department. They don't know Where the nearest box i-, or where, iu case that fails, the next is to be found Fully a third of the ratidenoet i" Chicago could have pri vate alarm boxes at an initial expense of about ft i, and no lubaequent fees whatever, yet there atv only NO pri vate boxes in the city. Kvery eltitcn may have a key that will unlock am bOX in the city ami the multitude don't get them. Few think of fires till th v occur und then still fewer know just what to do. There aro three keys, sometimes four, to every alarm-box. and citiens should keep posted as to where those in their neighborhood are kept. "It is often said that the man who pulls the box awakens the firemen, looses the horses, and throws open the doors, and so forth. This is true of small cities hut not of a place like Chicago where there la a network of telegraph and telephone wires. If a couple of wires get crossed there Is a possibility of false alarms. Under the direct system our men would bo turned out one hundred times anight. Hence, here, all alarms come directly to tho central office, and are thence sent to the various engine houses. In general terms the system is simple. Pulling the alarm-box winds a clock-work in side, to which is altaehed a wheel, jogged so as to give tho number of the hex. The breaking and completing of the circuit makes the register print the number of the box in the olflot here. By sliding a key, with scarcely a second's delay, we transmit the nuni lier to every engine house in the city, where registers reprint the number, gongs awaken the men, and mechanical appliances every thing vvorkod by the current set froo tho horsos. To slide down the pole and hook a few snaps is the work of but a moment, and away go the companies. "Every day tho wires are tested to make sure that the resistance offered doesn't interfere with the passage of the current and to guard against breaks. All our circuits are metallic that is, have a return wire. They are safer than the common circuit in which each end of the wire is grounded. We can't afford to risk having u num ber of boxes useless. As additional security, especially down-town, tho wires aro interlaced so that if ono box fails to bring the department the next one will. By this interlacing of lines the security Of tho business part of the city is doubled. F'.vory flro alarm box has also a full Morse tele graphic outfit. If ono of our lines break we have but to ground tho ends at the engine houses between which the break occurs and we have tempor arily the circuit commonly used for commercial purposes. Every precau tion is taken to guard against atmos pheric influences anil every form of disturbance and accident. "The facility offered for giving alarms is raroly abused. It's a dangerous thing to maliciously send in a false alarm, for every keyless box has a bell on the inside that is pretty sure to call a crowd before the mischief-maker has achancotoeacapo." Chicago News. Naturally Reduced Iron. A deposit of naturally reduced Iron is, indeed, a novelty; but it appears that, on the north Saskatchewan river, an almost horizontal bed of lignite may be seen cropping out at intervals in the river bank for several milos, ovor laid by dark gray clay shales, and gray and yellow soft argillaceous sandstones containing nodules of clay ironstone, exhibiting about thirty-five per cent, of tho metallic iron. The seam of lignite has been completely burned out over a considerable area, leaving the surface covered with a bed of de bris of ashos, clinkers and burnt clay, in places to a thickness of twenty feet, supporting at present a thick growth of grass and underbruth. From this mass of burnt clay and cinders, pieces of metallic iron are readily picked out, weighing in some cases as much as fifteen or twenty pounds, doubtless derived from the nodules of ironstone which have been reduced to the metallic state by the heat from so large a body of burning lignite. N. Y. Sun. -The growth and popularity of ro dgious clubs whose main object is tie promotion of social intercourse Is one sf the interesting signs of the times. C SCHOOL AND CHURCH. The Chamliersburg, Pa., Academy doullnes to receive students who use tobacco. Japan has 29.2.18 elementary schools, with 3,2:1:1, '.':.' pupils and i7, Ulti tcachctj. Attendance Is compul sory. The women of the Northern Presbyterian church contributed last .. . 1 I.. I a.ma BJM ,1,1 jeiu lur iureiii iiiis-iuus, . :m. ,i" i , a gain over the previous year of fW, N51..HH; to home missieus, $220.007. 4 a gain of MW6M The Catholic missions in Bengal are especially prosperous. When they were established in their present form in 1V)!, there were then ,000 Catho lics among tho Mhi.iMD inhabitants of Calcutta. Now there are o0,ooa An Arcade pastor created a sensa tion the other duy during a sermon, by giving out a hymn to be sung by the choir U) a lively tune, with the re mark: "Perhaps it may serve to wake the congregation up." an 1 it did. The pupils of the Norwich publh schools were asked to bring to school mi the Wednesday before Thanksgiv ing each an apple or a p.dato. Ten barrels were thus filled and then dis tributod among the needy of the place Armstrong Hall, at the Tuskegec, Ala.. Normal School has recently beta completed It was built by the Tuskegec students, who are negroes, they sawing the lumber, making tho brick, and doing all the work of erec tion and finish except putting on tho tin roof. "The Catholic parochial schools of the Untied States number .'1,000 with an enrollment of ,1 1,000 pupils. Since lXVi the per cent, of growth in this enrollment has been four, while the per cent, of grow th in the enrollment Of the public schools has been eight. The Advance. The Methodists of Lumpkin. Ga., have a new chinch bell, the old one being cracked and worn out. It's time the old bell bad a rest, for it was east in 1000, and has in its time summoned to worship men of varying creeds in tho Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and America. Few persons have any idea of tho changes which are going on in the older portions of what used to lie called "the West." We have heard of one church in Illinois which was almost entirely trunsp'auted from the central part of the State to Kansas, minister and people going along to the new neighborhood. Chicago Standard. "The Mary J, Drexel Home and Philadelphia Mother-House of Deacon esses," which has been in course of construction dm ing the past two years, was lately dedicated. For the present only that part of the home will lie oc cupied which is to h- devoted to the training of the ileacone-ses, and is in tended to form their permanent homo or mother-houio." THE POOR OLD BABY. How it Llttli Toddler fseli Whan U pTota i out or .loini. What a curious thing it is to think that that wonderful new baby will turn into a commonplace eld baby in a year or two -that w ith the advent of num ber two his reign is over. A little girl, although she is only two years old, Utkoi an interest in that new baby, feels that she must help taku care of It, goes about maternally airing its garments nnd holding tho pin-cushion for nurse, delights In Its baths, and boasts about her baby brother before the can talk plain. But the boy that is another matter. He scowls when that wrinkled piece of hu manity is presented to him, and ho re fuses to kiss it. He wants none of it. Why should it huvo his place on mamma's shoulder? Why should he be told to go away? 1 Iu thinks as 111 of it as his limited know ledge of mun dane affairs will permit him to think of any thing. He has been know n Ui request that it might be " frowed awuy," and to call it "missy sing," and indeed his trials are very great. Life has altered signally for htm. He feels It to his heart's core. If ho is made of sensitive stuff. It is all very w ell for Bridget to take him into tho kitchen and tell him to "be a nice lad an' she'll mako him a cake." Ho wants his inothor. He was never turned out of mother's room be fore. Hit heart is full. Well for him at this timo if ho has a grandmother ready to make him her idol, a little jealous for him us the first born. Then, indood, his ways shortly become tho wuys of pleasantness and life assumes a holiday, cake, candy, gingerbread and toy aspect. But in any event that old baby has a very unhappy day or two before It, a season when knowlodgo of the bitterness of life comes to him prematurely, and ho understands the feelings of a deposed Fimperor. Ifuw an't World. Remarkable Longevity. According to Grelg the Instances of longevity in Great Britain aro re markable, (iolour M'Crain, of the Isle of Jura, one of the Hebrides, it said to have kept I so Chrlstmassos in bis own house, and died In the reign of Charles I., being tho oldest man, on any thing approaching to au thentic record, for upwards of 3,000 years. Thomas Parr, a laboring man of Shropshire, was brought to London by the Earl of Arundel, In 10:1,0, and considered the wonder of his time, being then in his l&3d year, and in perfect health; but the journey and change of air and diet killed him November 15. the samo year. Henry Jenkins, of Shropshire, dlod in 1670. and was buried in Bolton church-yard December C In that year, aged 167 years. Christian at Work. ELECTIONS IN JAPAN. A rolltli iaii af Thfct oualry Tell. Horn They Are fomlueteil. An enthusiastic observer of the r c i.i pplitioal campaign work in thla city win. Hon. Y. Honda, a resident of Hiroaatti. a city Of .li.OOO inhubltanta iu Northern Japan. Mr Honda is now on his w ay around the world. He in ju-t out of a M)liti cal office, having served two terms, or four years, as a momlicr of the Kon Aomoi i, or Assembly, and wits elected by the people of his gun, or county. In conversation with the writer Mr. Honda said: "1 was here a week be fore election, and greatly eajoftd at tending the meetings held by the va rious Mlitieal Mntle ami beholding the great street parades; also the de corum that HTVades the precincts nf your polling-places, nnd likewise thn subsequent interest manifested during the count and the reception of tho election news With us in Japan there is not so much demonstration, but withal, a very great interest is taken In our prefecture or ken elections for mem Deri pi the gun, or county as tembllee. Our country now has a population of over 8H.iMm.iiHI. Wo have a count made every year, and there are forty-three provinces, , ailed prefectures, or kens, in Japan. Each ken has a kwal, or an assembly, liko your State Legislature, composed of membera elected by the people resid ing iu the guns or c unities into which the kens are divided. "These several guns are entitled to from eight to forty assembly guns, or rap osoutatlvea the number depend ing en the population, no gun having Ie-- than 80,000 people. The kwal, or assembly, holds an annual session, limited to thirty days, nnd the bttalMM dleoUlted relates only to the assembly districts. This, you see, smacks very much of a republican form of govern ment very like your own. This sys tem has been ours now for about ten year-. The earlier mode was for tho General (iovernnieiit to appoinla Gov ernor and Secretary to rule over each ken. There are three prominent po litical parties in Japan the Lilicral, Progressive and the Conservative. I belong to the Progressive, which ban liecn in the ascendancy for some time. The Liberal, which is not far behind, is considered too radical. In our coun try voters are obliged to have a prop erty qualification amounting to a land tax of $10. "In my gun there are 70,(HH) people, but not more than 10,000 aro voters. This does not menu that the other 60, tHHt are poor men by any means, for many of them are rich merchants and traile-people, but they can't vote be cause they happen not to be laud-owners, and, therefore, do not pay the $10 land tax. Probably one-half ol the OO.oiil are too poor to bo voters. At our elections Hie voting and counting nre done Iu the largest hall in each gun and in the presence of every body interested. "About eight yean ago the Mikado promised the people that In the year lH'.lll he would accede to a largely ex pressed w I h on the part of the peo ple und call for tho election of a Na tional Assembly, which, I presume, will hereafter meet once a year. Prep arations for this National Assembly and the building therefor aro now being made. The Itadicals think that I his move will result in placing great er power in the bunds of the people, but I very much doubt It. Last sum mer the Mikado appointed a privy council to prepare n national constitu tion for the coming assembly, and this act, I must confess, occasioned considerable talk among the people, many of whom think that this consti tution ought not to be pi pared by the Mikado himself, but that he ought to have called together a repre sentative general assembly for so im portant a W0rk. AM Francisco Es-umincr. Wator Curtains for Tbealors. And now comes another hha for a fire-proof curtain for theaters thla time from Sweden. It Is interesting, as being suited for olii theaters whose OOnttTUOtion will not sustain tho weight of iron curtains. The chief of the fire brigade In the city of Malmo, llerr (. Herggren. has constructed a fire-proof curtain for a theater, which he calls a "water curtain." It con sists of two sheets of canvas, stooped iu a lire-proof compound, joined to gether at the bottom and sides In such a manner as to leave a fair spaeo be tween, with water mains running to tbu top, and when lire breaks out, and the water being turned on. the Inter vening spaeo becomes filled with water, forming a solid wall of water between tho audience and the scene. Lately, experiments woro carried out with the curtain in an Improised structure In Malmo, In tho presence of the olllclals of tho town, architects and others, when a pile of faggot-wood was lumped up against the curtain and set Are to, but tho flames made uo Im pression on it, even whon petroleum was poured upou tho fire. Albany (N. Y.) Argus. m Vandyke Camel-hair (artist) "I charge fifty dollars more for the Idealistic portrait than for tho re alistic portrait It is tuch a strain upon the nervos to idealize, and er the er tho I ah, It It so difficult U catch tho Innormost expression of tho soul, as It wore, that I er " Mrt. Nowrich "Oh, that's all right, young man. I guess I'll let you idolize me fifteen dollars' worth." Harper'a Bazar. . a Single or semi-double flowers bear seed, freely, while doublo ones are lest fertile. For this reason the best Bower seeds mutt always be expensive.