ARABS IN AFRICA.
tfirss Classes Kouml Hi t'o.i
The M Itllod
"Arabs"
mny be
the true
,,....1.-1 illll) three CiilOS
jrl,b, the Mswuhili, ()!urul Was-
wuhill.) una. lusny. mi) "u ujrww
...... i, iiihv Imvo wiilim-U or
trv nuiii1 " p 1 v
iriwitlintfly joined tho Moslem caravan,
Lrticulariy if he MO "port a gurmunt
and tie dirty pi-' of
his hHA h) wy of turban. The tirst
j. jij,, M,v hi. mkI. d Anil) of Arabia; lie
.rally comes tltm Muscat, The
Ziin.il'ar roast has been connected
aith Southern Arabia from the earliest
historic times. Two immigrations of
fori HI arc recorded, the last about
j i. !). TLc Arabs and l'ursians
intermarrieil wuu uie nanves. anu
(heir deseendant is the Mnwahlll of
" .. .. . m. Of km
the ZanzMiiir ramu iiiu mi-muuii
are useful, in that mov are wining 10
undertake long journeys. Consider
ng themselves vastly superior to the
Waslionzi. or wild men, who nre the
hast porters from Zanzibar, they an
to a certain extent capable of leading, J
and nre valuable as headmen over n
Ak. a.I 1 1 .1
caravan, un l"u vtumr uuuu, mey
have inherited the worst features of
the Arab race, treachery and cunning,
while they are as lazy as the aborigi
nal African, and delight in cruelty to
man anil beast An Arab curavan
leaving for the interior would usually
consist of one or two whito Arabs,
accompanied by half a dozen rela
tives of darker blood; a number ol
Wii-wnhili of the better class to act as
guards, headmen, artisans, etc., and a
nibble of porters, consisting of the
lower Waswahili. often personal slaves
of the Arabs; and frequently a contin
gent of up-country natives returning
home, preferably Wanyamwczi, who
are excellent carriers. They take
with them the usual barter goods,
with a large proportion of guns and
powder; but the success of the expedi
tion depends too often on their savage
warriors. Arrived up-country, thoy
Han to have several methods of pro
cedure. Should ivory offer in the
tt ,1 I. ..1 . I' i l.llillf t I I 1.1' I, , 1 ..
perforce to purchase tn the ordinary
way; hut it pays them much better to
go further atield amongsmallertribes,
where lire-arms are unknown. Here,
-1 1.1 llt.it. r...i, i.l.n. I liiiiii -iil
. .!. 1 ........ i.iv vi.u.:
..., ,!, nanal ...1.. o
mill- upon peaceful villages, the hor
rors of which have been so often des-
Criueu. " . in- 111 ' . t.iiumu mii u
tones seem lusuiueieiii mo euu is as
certain, but tho destruction is delayed.
There is generally some discontented
brother or cousin of the chief ready to
welcome any opportunity ot ouialning
...I 1.1.. f., It. ...... U',,,,,11.,,1 ..-ill,
th.i iirnw ami it ill ill 1 1 11 1 1 Inn mil. -lit fin
i s i n i i ii isi ' iriini i ur ei isi an. civi
war nogins. .Hurray s .Magazine.
HABITS OF RAVENS.
Omened ItlnU.
Most persons have faint ideas on the
UlllllS ,11 I II I till.. ..HI lb 11-11 111' I'
know them as the sable birds which
I the prophet in tho wilderness, and
L -1 1 I ..I 1 I
1 ! . I . I . . 1 .(111 t ...It
Wniidcrliiial." "Why is n raven like
writing desk?" The poets deem
mens itni-ntii, 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 ' i . int t tun
i kr , -. .
Bid ravens are, it must be confessed.
a u ,T . . ,
oiind them. Perhaps tho farmer
ould hardly hold the bird in equal es
HO, as he connects it . with the
l I. r I I' tin i i ii rt- ,1 tti it t. .u tlttil llin
.,. . ,111,1 lilt
" t ft. lit, 1eillU III I I 1 t tl 111 11.111-
fron its lionise croak, a root krtv
dob underlies the word raven
n all modem languages; nnd
et the verb well expresses
ho niaraiulinir nulmt.i of tin. mm A
I'kdaw or a crow is thievish; a raven
thievish with tint tnltltttnn rtfi-m.
'III1,! It ,-. .,(. ....... I. . . ..
ostler is derived from oat stealer?
ive to keep it as a pet,) where it
peedily becomes tame, bold and de
ant. It takes what it chooses from
i i i i t i m ' ' i 1.111 rt,D,
omineers over the stable cats, and
..- nci .. ,i - mm nnuno i. lim
all ltM(l-k Jklmm T.
ii nit it i.t.. 1 . I . ii i
"nui"v ut'j;?'. lit Mil llin an I'A
"i ii :i . ii- in. (.,,. !,
11.' I ' l ' 1 ' ' j I I Will (i
'lurk, and retiring for the next
"Ur to sulk behind the old coach
"n lurms an exee Unit, roost imr
1 in the hen house. Considering
e i !iiLr ..I... i. .1. i k
t.ininiL-ier niurii u iiitn ui
11 iiui -.ii l'I i.j unit in'-
titiuiiiiniiiii in nunii't is
, ittit. in vireui iiriuun. iise.-
is incompatible with regular
inn ran ii near uhhvihi
Population upon its old haunts. It
the largest fowl that in many places
"young farmer armed with a gun
win -.nil.. i nt- sprenu oi ruiiie
' ning. too, has proved very fatal
lllo i -.v .... 1. I . .1 a . ...
i, ti is me nrsi viciiui 10
mv nt-eper, nnu wniii is lur
ie for the race of ravens than mere
ng is the tearing down of their
Wking babies at balls is ah
I "unmoroial. At h ball triven In
city, recently, a woman became
Iwr arras. She took the child to th
- I I IIIC Ud Illy D IMIU
.,H niiU UUl II It. t '"'. A 11 w
tU .1 ;
mother paying ten cents for th
m nuv.t Jio """J "
it wakes ud. but mm munt com
Pet it when it bejrlns to cry," win
m:in in ..)...-. ..t .1. . 1. . ....t
u i imrjjt; ui iuo uut'i
'"ght. replied the mother, ani
y she went to the ball-room. wheiM
enjoyed two-hours' recreation. At
end of that time, the mother was
1 out of a tot to take care of the
AN AERIAL TORPEDO. '
A x.w r...ti.....i ii.u,OB n,,nt.d
A RMMM i'liy.lrlBiu
For orer Db ft w. tmm.
of Wameo, K:is.. liilt beon y
upon a machine called an "aerial tor
pedo. for which ho has obtained a
patent in this country. The War De
partment officials have written favora
bly of the new invention, andJthns
awakened a lively interest war
officials in Kuropean kingdom.
Briefly doetribod, the "aerial torpe
do is a cylinder conUinlng numerous
barrels or recesses from w hich dyna
mite cartridge,, are dropped, the cylin
der being susiended from a balloon
and tho explosives released by a simple
mechanism controlled by electricity
The model, it U mud. works to the en
tiro satisfaction of all who have seen it
tested
M hilo a balloon that ran bo directed
or guided in Its eourse may be used
against an ordinary atmosphere, and
steered and controlled by tho operator,
who also discharges the bombs, yet Dr.
Parsons holds that he can accomplish
witti a captive balloon all that is needed
to display thu extraordinary features of
ids invention. The location ol the
OtUoOfl could then be regulated by the
reeling or unreeling of the cable which
holds it captive, just as a boy changes
he position of his kite by winding or
unwinding his kite-string. It is not the
inventor's idea that this machine can
bo aimed at a man and kill him as with a
gun. nor that it will do away with cav
alry, artillery or Infantry, but that an
ithor corps of, say. .100 men mauning
U)0 machines, and drilled to handle
ihem, will accompany every brigade,
and being mpported by the infantry,
cavalry and arttllo y will, when
iceasion favors their uso. do more ef
fectual service than tho whole brigade
could H)ssibly do. so that the (Jeneral in
command would maneuver his troops in
oK'ha manner as to bring his corps into
action and allow them to do their work,
the infantry, artillery nnd cavalry thus
forming but auxiliaries to the band of
300. Now, watch thoir work. It is es
timated that MOO siege balloon will
contain from WO to 1,0)0 lull-pound
cartridges of explosive 60 per cent.
dynamite, arranged in such n manner
that thoy are under tho control of an
operator, who is stationo.1 on tho ground
ind can discharge one bomb at a time.
One hundred machines will give this
corps 10,000 bombs at one charge, after
which thoy may be reeled back and
charged again ovory two hours or less,
imlfhlg six voyages in twolve hours
and carrying the enormous load of ISO,-
000 cartridges, or throwing tho aston
ishing amount of sixty tons of explo
sive into a fortification in a single day.
Dr. Pursons believes that by using
this apparatus modern military tactics
will be revolutionized, and that be
tween nations having such powerful
resources at command arbitration will
peedily usurp the place of war. Chi
cago Journal
' -
SOME SHARP TRUTHS.
Vrn FMlfl of w York-, ".Vrl,lnoritl-
Ic" KiK'iety I . ui. 1 -
Some of these (lavs sharp pens will
tell facts about New Ifork society peo
ple. They are vapid, they arc iguoriuit,
they arc conceited, they are thick-hided,
they are selfish, they are small, thoy
arc narrow gauged.
Many of them are freaks in physical
development
If I were n girl and wero built as
some of tho occupants of tho boxes In
the Metropolitan Opera-house on opera
nights are, with bones prominent, with
Bgttree utterly undeveloped, with
knuckly lingers, with conspicuous ears,
lacking in every element of physical at
traction, so help 1110 heaven I would go
into a convent and spend my days on
bended knees imploring an early de
parture to some land where physical
conditions were not a necessity. And,
as tho women nre awkward and bony
and angular and impertinent and dis
regardful of thu comforts of others, so
some of the men arc the very people of
all (iod s creatures wno should be la
beled and stuck on the plat
forms of our dime museums. Their
heads nre little, their oyes arc
weak, thoir mustaches are moro or
loss developed, their necks are long,
their chests are nnrrow, their legs are
knock-kneed, their expressions are va
cant, they loll and lio and suck canes
and giggle and simper, nnd seek to
convey the impression that trey are
w omen in disguise. Si mo of them
strike you exnetly as female ltnK,rson
ntors do in the negro minstrel show.
Put worse than this.
Worse than that?
Certainly; and very much worse.
When you come into the parlor of a
bank, into the parlor office of a great in
surance company, into the sanctum of a
man in charge of a daily newspaper,
into tho innor recesses of potency and
influence, and find grave m. n discuss
ing the flap doodloisms of social dis
tinction and social etiquette, what are
we to think? Tho descendants of a
peddler lead New York society to-day.
The descendants of a flalboatman stand
side by side with them. Fishmongers,
beef sellers, onion dealers, old clothes
men. tiillors. butchers, wagon makers,
brewers, storekeepers, rich, after years
of self-denial, stnnd like golden statues
at the gateway of society, barring en
trance against men of mental worth, of
moral excellence, with unfilled pocket.
I don t think the American eoplo be
gin to appreciate the hitherost verge of
nonsense, of silliness, of the fat-witt-d-ness
of New York society. -Howard, in
Boston Globe.
intended Vor onions, and have the bed
ST2-pOMe before putung out
he seed or sot.
-Our flreilde conversations, our
thoughts as we pass along the street.
...irii in the transaction 01 ou.
n il have some amount
small
it be, of moral value, -tioul-
though
bourn.
-Hello. Jones! I hear that
Charley has married Miss Smith.
Who soleraniied the marriage. Mr.
Textual or Parson Creed?" '-Neither,
my dear boy. It was Mis. Smith i
mother. She's living with them. -boston
Transcript
THE LIMEJOLN CLUB.
Jor JiitM I, Arrurl ol l.rxvr OITrtl,,
lilt la Allowed tu l,tx,.
I The apeahej ' the meeting was de
layed about a quarter of an hour by
Die eccentric conduct of Judge Keho.
who took a drink of water on entering
'.he hall without having tirst InspecU-d
IM dipper. In cleaning up the room
luring the afternoon the janitor had
found an overcoat button, a bradawl, a
, pocket-comb, a knife blade and six
I shirt buttons, and had carelessly tossed
them Into the diper and forgotten tho
:lreumstnnce.
When father Keho had gurgled
down a pint of water he paused in as
tonishment. Then he began to kick
ind claw and cough and dance, and it
was not until he had run over Pickles
Smith and trampled upon Giveadiun
Jones that any one susiectod the cause
of his hilurity. He was then seized
and held against tho wall while the
pocket-comb and bradawl were ex
tracted from his teeth, and with the
aid of a number of thumps ou the hack
from various sources he managed to
cough up most of the other missing
articles, although in so doing he broke
down a bench and upset Klder Toots.
As soon as the meeting was opened he
was lined 117,000 for disturbing the
petWOi and was ordered to make all re
pairs at his own cost.
On the opening of the mooting the
secretary announced a communication
from Kufaula, Ala., making charges
against Major Drawbar Jones, an hon
orary member of tho club. He was
charged with:
1. (iiiing on a rabbit hunt while his
wife lay at the point of death.
2. Pulling burrs under the saddle of
his old mule to get up an Utllolal en
thusiasm. Brother Gardner eaid that it was a
iiiestion for debate, and (iiveadam
Jones arose and observed that he could
never vote to convict a brother on tho
first charge. While there might be no
question that Major Jones went out to
hunt rabbits while his wife lay dying,
what was his object? Was it for
amusement, or was it to provide her
with rabbit soup? The accused should
be given the benefit of the doubt. As
to charge No. 2, that was a different
matter. A man who would put burrs
under his saddle, whether the saddle
was on a horse or a mule, deserved the
severest condemnation.
Ifnj'down He-boo couldn't excuse
the Major for going on that rab
bit hunt. A dying wife does not care
for soup of any sort. As to the burrs
under the saddle, they might have got
there by accident Bren if they were
put there by design there was no evi
dence that the mule objected. Ho
owned a mule whose demeanor could
nut be changed one iota by ail tho
burrs in (he State of Michigan.
Shindig Walkins, Klder Toots, Sam
uel Shin and others argued pro or con,
und the question of whether the Major
should be bounced was put to a vote.
The vote stood 4.1 for and 44 against,
and he thus escaped by the skin of bis
teeth. Detroit Free Press.
RINGS IN HISTORY.
Iiitrriallnc Infoi-nntllou Furnlshril by it
n-w York Aatloaeriant
"Is there any thing of interest ro
gnrding old rings? Why, yes. the sub
ject is full of interest. Finger rings
have not only for many centuries been
used as articles of adornment, but they
have also boon associated with im
portant affairs of life. The King's ring
formed part of his insignia of office.
Kternity is represented in the form of
the ring -no beginning, no end -and
who will not recognize it as the lover's
token?
"The very earliest Biblical writings
mention linger rings; settings of rubies,
emeralds and chrysolite were particu
larly valued by th ladies of Palestine.
Homer makes no reference to rings
anil they were probably introduced into
OieeOO at a later period; but in the
time of Solon a freeman of Greece
always wore a signet ring of gold, silver
or bronze. Greeks at a later period
wore several at a time and frequently
set with precious stones, which would
indicate from that time down they
were considered as ornaments.
Plain gold rings were the pride of
the Spartans. Iron rings were worn
by the ancient Romans; only those of
distinguished rank could wear gold,
and they were of so large a size that it
was necessary to discard them in sum
mer, and different kinds were used for
different se isoas. Sumo were of great
value, that of the K npress Faustina
oostiog 1300,030 and that of Domitla
1800.003.
Tho m iking of rings was an Im
portant part of the goldsmith's art in
tin- Middle Ages. For a time the place
of gems was usurped by rich enamel,
anil the workmanship was often of the
highest character, Cellini being fore
most in producing artistic results.
" The importance of rings as insignia
has diminished, but they are still used
bflloiaUy. A newly made Bishop of the
Unman Catholic Churoh is at the pres
ent day invested with a ring, by which
he is married to the Church. The
PoR''sring of steel is in the keeping
of tho Cardinal Chamberlain, and is
broken with a irolden hammer on the
Pope's death and a new one made for
the new Pope.
"Every letgeant atlaei of the F,n-
glish courts, on being sworn in, pre
sents rings of gold, inscribed with mot
toes, to such persons as attend the in
auguration feast The value of the
rings is proportioned to the rank of
each recipient and one of large dimen
sions is presented to the (Juoen."
Jewelers' Weekly.
The eoui.ttfes between Texas and
Cape Horn contain about 66.000.0OJ
people, and their territory u aoout
twice as large as ours.
- A Haysvllle (Ga.) horse which lost
its teoth in a recent accident haa
been fitted with a set ot false ones.
The following advertisement lately
appeared in a Parisian newspaper: "A
ladjy having a pet dog whose hair is a
rich mahogany color, desires to engage
a footman with whiskers to match."
Widows have the call in the East
With all the superfluity of women in
New England it is said that seven out
of every ten widows under thirty-five
re-marry withio twoyean after widowhood.
UNCLE SAM'S SPECIE.
How silvrr 4'oln I Transput i -I
ttUaeetpMa to wutiiniion,
Through the Adams V;.xpress Compa
ny the I'lilted State Governm -ut is en-
gnged In transferring f7.0a,(nh in !..
etefrom thelt,76UOJOtntheblgraulti
in the p ist-offieo building tothe I'nlted
j States Treasury in Washington. One
million dollars' worth of the precious
I r.it tal molded Into I'nitod States coins
Is b lug tally carried out of the post-
office building, loaded on Adams ex
DTOaeoan and shipped to Washington.
The removal of coin is made under thu
supervision of Major James Mullane,
assistant cashier of the National Treas
ury, lie is accompanied ny two as
sistants from Washington. Twenty
laborers from the Philadelphia mint,
under the direction of Superintendent
Fox. complete tho working force. The
workers are guarded by aivrot service
detectives attached to the Treasury
Department, who are unknown to all
but the officials from Washington, and
their glances never wander from the
mountain of silver dollars in the vaults
of the post-office.
The specie is tied up in heavy canvas
bags, each containing l,0oti, which
weigh sixty pounds. These bags are
sealed with the Government seal, and
before passing from tho vault they are
carefully scrutinized. After being
satistied as to the correctness in w eight
and the perfect state of the bag. the
express company's inspector seals it
with the company's seal. The slight
est ImporfeottOa is sufficient cause for
rejection by the express company's
officials. A thousand-dollar bag with
a small hole was recently rejected, and
had to be recounted and verilied lio
foro it was allowed to pass tho In
spectors. Fifty bags, each containing 1,000 sli
ver dollars, and weighing in tho ag
gregate H.IHHl pounds, are loaded upon
a carriage or truck. Guarded by two
uniformed officers and the eyes of the
secret-service detectives, the carriages
are w heeled to the elevator and taken
down-stairs and through the passage
way to Chant street. At the roar en
trance stands a heavy wagon of the
Adams Express Company. The con
tents of the carriage are transferred to
the wagon, and, manned by four detec
tives, the load is conveyed to tho main
office of the company at Sixteenth und
Market streets. These fAO.iXK) install
ments are conveyed to the depot until
the million dollars are stored at the
depot. Fjioh detective carries two
loaded pistols ready for instant action.
Two pairs of the finest automatic hand
cuffs and a blackjack complete his de
fensive outfit. Any attempt to molest
the precious load would invite a volley
of pistol balls from every detective, as
their orders are to shoot upon the
slightest attempt at robbery.
When the sixty-pound bags of silver
arrive at the main office they disap
pear as completely as if tho earth had
opened and swallowed thorn up. The
money is never seen again until its ar
rival in Washington. Each bag of
silver is placed in a heavy oaken keg
bound witli iron and sealed with the
Government and express company's
seals. These kegs are loaded upon an
express-car built expressly for this
service and lined with wrought-lron.
Each car will carry $1,000,000 in silver
or $lo,0(ii),000 in gold specie. About
the movement of tho car tho closest
secrecy is observed. But one person
knows when it will sturt on its journey
or to what train it will be attached.
Awaiting his orders is a corps of
armed detectives.
A few moment! before the starting of
tho train selected to boar the money
the oar is attached' The detectives
are informed, and one detachment is
planed in tho car. Other detectives
distributed through the train closely
watch the movements of the passen
gers. This system of surveillance is
continued until tho train reaches
Wasbinglon, when the same method of
transfer is employed as occurs at tho
Ittb treatury vaults in this city. Phila
delphia Record.
THE MOLLUSK WORLD.
What a WateralM taw on a 8hpll-strwn
MfU f - .ii.i.
Hut how shall we describe tho wealth
of the molliisk world which meets us
in our researches in the treasury of a
coral reef at low tide? Let us land on
this shell-strewn spit of sand. Why,
the w hole place is alive! Can it lie
that the mollusks we have just been
visiting in their quiet homes among the
sen-weeds have taken to walks abroad,
and on dry land, too, in their leisure
moments? F'or as wo jump ashore
numberless shells of all shapes and
sizes start suddenly Into life on the
beaoh and run aside to give us place.
Legs they must have to go that puce
over the uneven shore. There goes a
turritella! Wo shall be safe in hand
ling him by reason of the spiral pyra
mid which those legs- legs they must
be carry upon their back. Moreover,
he makes comparatively bad time in
getting out of our way, for a turritella
is an nnwieldly thing for legs to carry
over an uneven shore. We lift him up
gingerly with thumb and furelinger to
look for those legs, and the secret Is
out. Of legs we can see nothing, but
closely fitted into the opening of the
shell, as if originally made for the
place, we discover the brilliant scarlet
and whito mandibles of thu hermit
crab. These, then, were crabs that
wore in such a hurry to get out of our
way crabs, certainly, and of consider
able size, too, some of them; some
babies among them only big enough to
tit the smallest whelk; others largo
enough to till with their mandibles the
opening in a marbled turbo, largest of
in -p.-ei. -. Hut whj call these gentle
mi ii hermits? So far as we can judge
they are the most gregarious of their
kind. Of their battles to secure a
OOfOted tenement we could teil tome
stoiicj. Hlackweli'r MuL'aziue.
Inventor Edison, together with
lion. 'Thomas Lowry, of Minneapolis
has p iteated a steam "lingaiigraph.''
Tliis lingaiigraph" is designed to be
used on locomotives in place of the
sb ara whistle. The machine talks in
sU ad of shrieks. Instead of whistling
wee for down brak-s, it bellows the
word brakes." It is all a question of
pipes, valves and keyboard, and when
the thing is finally perfected it will
toot the names of all the stations along
t ift
PLANS FOR CRIME.
rowanlle aud Pr uf llnrglan anil nthsr
I j,MT.IIrrnkr.
The public hardly realizes how very
much f th -safety of thoordlnury citizen
depends on the carefulness, tho sordid-
ness, the calculatingiiess of crime. Of
course that Is a characteristic of crime
which renders It rarer and more ex
ceptional, if the whole criminal class
is willing to take what wo call "pot
shots" at plunder and violence, w hen
over it occurs to them that they have a
chance of plunder, or a 0OM00 of pre
venting detection by violence, no po
lice that we oOttld o.-g.iuize would la
in any degree e pint to their work. The
reason why they are at all equal to
their work is that we can generally
count ou thu criminal class concentra
ting their effort! in roaooanbioohaaoos'
of sin s If th -y one:' get, as a class,
as Pebkloei in attempting crime as the
Muswell Hill burglars, wo cannot con
ceive how th. p.ilie.' could engagd suc
cessfully skirmish -rs sboCO tactics
would then be so incalculable. Hith
erto the repres -ntatives of order
have justly counted on the timid
ity, the cowardice, the general dis
couragement of their foes. Hut if
they should ever be unable to count on
that, if the fear of society once disaii
P Oared or greatly dwindled in the un
social class, worst of all if ever IhM
fear should be replaced by contempt
for society, the nuni'iier of points of at
tach would bo multiplied so enor
mously that not all the rashness with
which the attacks might bo made would
iu any degree compensate for the
enormous Increase of their number and
range. Suppose that all the cheats
who are, of course, criminals at heart
OOUld divest thethl Ives of the fear
of the law. and, in consequence, bo
lami robbers, where would society lio?
And yet the cheats are nothing but
robbers at heart restrained by tho fear
of consequences. If the levity which
was shown by the Muswell Hill burg
lars ever took possession of the great
urmy of Impostors a-ul rogues so that
they suddenly swelled the ranks of the
more violent criminals, no machinery
of justice of which we know any thing
would be equal to tho emergency. It
I would break down as completely as th.
j ordinary machinery for feeding a
I country would break down In a time
j of regular famine, and we should seo
tho meaning ot moral anarchy. I hat
is why we do not think any sign of
genuine levity In the criminal class
trivial matter. If it extended, as we
hope und trust it w ill not, it would be
one of the most serious of social symp
toms. It would mean a collapo as
fatal of tho proper means of over
powering crime as there would boot
the proper means of conquering dis
ease, in case the number of sick people
wore suddenly multiplied by ten. and
in case the great majority of them
should be disposed to pay not the
smallest attention to tho orders and
prescriptions of the bravo little army
of desperate doctors. London Spec
tutor.
OVERWORK ON RAILROADS.
Piestlss which MeeM i ftefcleltee
hjr st it,- LsaMnsteai
If we are to accept in ovldence the
llguros of a content pornt y, tho minds of
railway directors do not soera to fee
severely their responsibility for the
overwork of their employes. A state
nient lately published by this authority
informs us thai during last month al
most all the signal-men, cngino-d rivers
firemen and goods guards on one line
wore at Home time or other on duty for
longor than the usual period, l'rol
ably as much might be said of the men
employed by many other companies
On tho line In question thirteen or
fourteen hours appears to have been
quite a common term, fifteen and oven
eighteen by no means unusual. Il Is al
tho least very doubtful whether the
practice of working overtime should In
permitted in the case of railway offi
cials. The conditions of thoir calling
are very different from those of other
workmen. The responsibilities, the
need of alortiKHS and vigilance, and the
perplexities of their position are much
greater, while at the same time the c 1 i 111
"iiltles and risks Interposed by changing
weather, fogiind darkness are increased
also. In these circumstances most un
prejudiced persons will admit that a
vorklng day of twelve hours, with lit
tle or no interruption of duty, must
try materially the senses and energies
of any ordinary man. If the teaching
of repeated and disastrous mistakes
hitherto attributed to fatigue is of any
value, Uiorc is danger to public safety
when this limit is much exceeded. We
tiro well a a an that pressure of busi
ness, weather and the like may occa
sionally necessitate overtime work, but
such apparently systematic excess as
that above mentioned is not to be ex
plained by merely accidental circum
stances. 'Tho very prevalence of such
u condition is proof that a departne ut
Is doing its work short-handed. What
is really needed Is a larger staff of em
plices. 'The lack of these may, in
deed, effect a present gain to the divi
dends, but this might prove too dear a
saving if it were secured at the cost of
a railway disaster, and experience
teaches that this contingency is not an
Improbable one. -Ixmdoii bineei.
'The Venus do Medici's head meas
ures around the temples 'JOJ Hlche,;
allow for the wavy hair a half n, u
and call it inches. I make the wa'at
27 lie le s. but as the ligure Is beading
slightly forward it may vary, accord
ing as the measure is applied. T.ie
neck is l.'l inches. A lady friend was
so kind as u inewuro several other
young battel for my benefit, and I do
not find s en a marked diff'-renio.
The heads -tie generally larger V'd
the waists l nailer. It is true, but ti.lie'
one Instant-' . Head -lj inches: wWt,
24 inches; waist, 24 inches; neck, ii
inches. Thu measures wen- taken owr
the waist of the tunic. O.io won d
suppose the measures would be loss If
taken after IKe classical manner, but
ley some mysterious dispensation V
Providence, the waist of the modern
woman is m-Kiiowledged to mcasur
more when untrammeled, N. Y. An
Student
a
in opinion to tne K,pulstio
there are more Massachusetts peopl.
In the State ol luwa than in Massa
cb.uje.tU.
POPULAR SCIENCE.
RMrrl,i Into lha Vvlticlljr of l.tm,
tUi'trlrllj ami Souml.
From an observation of the eclipses
of Jupiter's first satellite, In Hl.'.'i. Ho
mer, a Danish astronomer, deducted
the velocity of light, his calculations
establishing for it a velocity of IMKOOO
miles per second.
M. Foucaiilt succeeded In determin
ing the velocity of light experimentally
by means of an apparatus based upon
thu use of thu rotating mirror, and
calculated It to he 1W, 157 miles per
second.
In 1X411 M. Flzeuu measured the ve
locity of light directly, by ascertaining
the tin)" it took to travel from Suresnes
to Moutmarlro (a distance of 2M .'1.11
feet) and back again, making a total
travel of live aud lhn-e-qiiarter miles,
nearly. He made use of a toothed
wheel revolving at certain known ve
' loeities; a pencil of rays being trans
! nutted through an Interval between
two teeth of th-J wheel, which wn
placed at S iresiios, was retleetod by a
minor placed at Moatmai'tre, through
I series of tubes ami louses, directly
back to the wheel. He found thi
velocity of light to Iki 19C000 miles per
second.
The mean of the three values above
I given is 190,188 miles, and the value
generally taken as the velocity of light
very nearly agrees with It, Ik-lug ISO,
iHUl miles per sOOOOjd,
Wh-atstone, by tb- employment of a
rotating mirror and an interrupted coil
to give sparks, asc -i-talueil the velocity
I of electricity to lie 2SH.IM) miles per
' second.
Kirchoff estimated this velocity In a
j wire where it met with no resistance to
la- I'.l'.'.ll.'l miles per second. Hut ac
cording to MM. Flaeau and Qounetle,
its velocity with an iron wire is 89,100
, miles, and with a Copper wire 111,71
j miles p -r second. These measure
j meats, however, were made with tele
, graph wires, which induce opposite
electricities in the surrounding media,
thus producing a resistance which re
duces the volo -lty. The nature of the
conductor has some Influence on the
l velocity; but not tho thickness of tho
wire, nor the tension of the electricity.
Hired measurements toaseertian the
1 velocity of sound wore made by Moll
d Van Bteh in 1888, 'Two hills near
Amsterdam. .'i7,H7l feet apart, were
taken as stit'lons, and cannon were II rod
at stated Intervals simultaneously at
both stations, and the elapsed time be
tween seeing the Hash and bearing the
-oiind was noted by chronometers.
From those experiments the velocity of
sound was estimated to bo l,tHI2. 7H feet
per second in dry air. Hut it has been
, found that the velocity varies with tin
temperature I. e., at 88 Fahr., the
velocity of sound Is l.OKOfeot porsecond
and that for every degree of tempera
ture above this 1 1 feet must be added
to the velocity. Fogs or rains unac
companied by winds, do not Interfere
with the velocity of sound, bu'
wind alone will Interfere with
its velocity materially. 'There Is sum
reason to believe that loud sound
travel somewhat faster than low ones,
which was llrst remarked by Prof.
Mullet while carrying on blasting ilea
Holyhead.
In water the Velocity Is about 4,70
feet per second, nearly four times m
much as in air; in wood, from 12,1)00 ti
lfi.000 feet; In Iron, 17,800 feet; and In
upper, 10,i)00 feet per second. -Safety
Valve.
A PLEASANT VOICE.
it I, tn ths earl Waal i.ifht is to tie
linn1 tn i -'.
There Is no power of love so hard ti
get and keep as a kind voice. A km.
. hand Is deaf and dumb. It may be
! rough In flesh ami blood, yet do tin
work of a soft heart, and do It with a
: soft touch. Hut there Is no one thing
that love so much needs as a sweet
j voice to Udl what It means and feels.
aud it Is hard to get ami keep It in the
! right tone. One must start In youth
and bo on the watch night and day, lit
i work, at play, lo get and keep a voice
that shall speak at all times the
thought of a k iml heart. Hut this Is
1 the time when a sharp voice is most
apt to be got. Von often hoar boys and
girls say words at play with a quick,
sharp (one, as If it were thu snap of u
whip. When one of them gets vexed
you will hear a voice that sounds us II
it were made up of a snarl, a whim
aud a bark. Such a voice often speaks
worse than the heart feels, it shows
moro ill-will In the tone than In the
words. It Is often in mirth that otu
gets a voice or a tone that Is sharp and
sticks to him through life, and stirs up
ill-will nnd griel, and falls like a drop
of gall ou thu .we. i joys at home. Such
as these get a sharp home voice for
use, and keep their best voice for those
they meet elsewhere. I would say to
all the boys and girls: "Use your guest
voice at home.'' Watch It day by day
as a pearl of great price, for it will be
worth lo you In days to come more
than the best pearls hid In tho sea. A
kind voice is a lark's song to a hearth
and home. It is to tho heart what light
is to 'he eye. Farm and Fireside.
He Didn't Finish the Job.
Winks -I didn't see you around yes
terday. Minks No. I had a room that need
ed papering nnd painting, and I thought
I'd stay home and do it myself. Hut
can't stop to talk -I'm in a hurry.
"What's up?"
"Well, I've got to take my business
suit to the dyer's and cleaner's, my
wife's best dress along with it, and I
must stop at a sUire for a new carpet,
and the hunt up some painters and
paper-hangers to to put tho tiiiishlng
t inches ou that room, you know." H.
If. Weekly.
- -
Philip Volkert, a slit oat manu
facturer of Cincinnati, was working
away quietly one day laisly when a
ci-iLiie r i-iitertsl and I. a' .e'lOilm bi
hat to be ironed. Somet.itng besides
he evident antiquity of I he tile at
tracted Mr Volkort's attention, and
upon turning down the lMther he re-
I -ngnizi-d his private itark, placed
there when lie make tne bat as a
j "Jour" hatter, over thirty yoars ago.
The customer dpartod with a new
hat. and Mr. Volkert possesses the
1 other as a precious relic of the way
i they did things when he was a boy.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A dry humorist One who It
"pumped out." Puck.
In 1MU4) the ladles of the country
wore 9,404,000 worth of wire in their
hoop skirts.
Ice was artificially manufactured
by the use of chemical mixtures as
early as 17HM.
A silver pipe, on which Is the In
scription: "Presented by Major Gen
eraJ Harrison, U. S. A., on behalf uf
the 1'nlted Slates, to thu ShawaOMM
tribe of Indian-, 1 M 1 1," has Ix-cn pre
sented to President Harrison by a gen
tleman who secured the relic in the
Indian Territory.
Coughing and sneezing can tie
stopped by pressing on the lips iu the
neighborhood of the nose. Pressing
iu the neighborhood of the ear, or
pressing very hard on the top of the
mouth, inside, is also a means of slop
ping coughing. The will has Immense
power also.
A farmer In Fast Corinth, Maine,
wouldn't give a copper for a bounty on
crows. He is able to take care of his
own pnj- --. 7, ben ho gets his corn
planted he carries out I wo coops, each
holding a nioster, anil sets them on tho
tw o ends of Ills Held. As soon as It
Is-glns to grow light the roosters lie.
gin to challenge each other and their
music scares nil thu crows away.
Here Is a remedy for crump, sug
g. -t.-d by lr. K. W. St. Clair, of lin
don: I ..-I the patient provide himself
with a good, strong cord and keep it
always by him. When the spasm comes
on let him wind Ibis cord around the
affected part, lake an end in each hand
and give them a good sharp pull. It
will hurt you a little -it Is useless if il
dues nut but the . ramp will vanish lit
once.
A inechaiiical scarecrow has la-en
Invented which represents a man stand
ing with gun in hand, ready to fire at
the first !::iruder. The arm that Is
holding the gun Is made to move by
clockwork, which Is inclosed in a strong
iron box at his feet, nnd at a proper
"levation it tires a shot louder than an
irdlnnry gun. After the r,-irt tho arm
lowers. 'The mechanism can be regu
lated at the owner's pleasure by a reg
ulator like a clock, and only requires
to be wound up once a day.
A man at Allegheny recently
sawed a slit two Inches wide and five
led long In his parlor floor, rigged an
Iron grating so that tt would shoot up
through the slit on a spring being
touched, and then invited Alice llliss, a
medium from Ho. ton, to give a seance
at his house. When he supposed t In
spirit of "Mule Palsy" had crossed the
line, he touched the spring. Hut it
turned out that the spirit was only half
ni across and she received a tremend
ous thump.
INVASIONJpF CATS.
A Menu lok r. 1 1" i nit i-.l on th IV. a. i..
of n MlaaUll,il Town,
"When I was living in a steamboat
town ou the Mississippi," remarked an
old man iu a barber's shop a few days
ago, "there was a fellow who put up a
very neat job on tho Inhabitants,
against whom tit- must have had some
terrible grudge. He came Into the
town one day and distributed handbills
right and left, taking special pains to
uut as many of them us possible Into
tne hands of farmers who had come in
to sell their grain.
"Tbkt was before the railroads came
to lake business away from the river
towns, some of which had an Immense
trade. 'The place I was In had A.000
or Ii.iuhi Inlialiltants, and was Un
shipping port for all tho grain raised
fur miles around, as well as the place
where the farmers obtained all their
supplies. Tho last time I was there It
ha. I .! win. lie, I down to a village of 9,000,
and perhaps by this time it has no
existence at all, oven on tht mnp.
These bills that wero so freely
scattered about stated that the adver
tiser had a contract with a certain
steamboat company for furnishing a
large iiumlier of cats to destroy the ruts
and mice that wore verv numerous
about the warehouses at different land
ings along the river. He, therefore.
offered 8,'l for each full-grown Turn cut,
I'.' for each female puss, and .'ill cents
a head for kittens old enough to get
their own living. All the cats wen- to
be delivered at a certain place In the
town on a Thursday evening the
night that a particular bout was due.
" ell, that Thursday afternoon came
nnd the streets of tho town were just
crowded with people. They came In
wagons, on foot, and on horseback, nnd
every person carried a sack, somo of
them several.
"By evening botwoon 3,000 and 4,000
cats had been brought Into that de
fenseless city. They were left in and
about a vacant building near the land
ing. 'The man who was to purchase
thu cats was nowhere tu sight. The
country people were making Inquiries
for him everywhere. A crowd of boys
attracted by the caterwauling went to
the old building and began to amuse
themselves by untying the bags and
letting out tho cats. Of course tho
cats began fighting and raised a noise
like 10,(100 demons. Suddenly a stam
pede occurred and the animals rushed
pellmell into the crowd, crawling over
people, jumping and fighting, and
climbing walls and roofs In a mad
race for liberty. The boys took after
tin- eats, and the men joined in, de
termined to rid tho town of the feliue
Invaders. The next morning there
were u good many stray cats seen about
in buck yards, and a good m any dead
ones lying ','i the streets and alleys.
One boatman said he counted over 400
dead cats in the river. The man who
pi rpctrntcd the joke was never seen In
the place, luckily for him." Pittsburgh
Dispatch.
A young exquisite who thought
that an eyeglass would Improve his
appearance, went into an optician's
and was a long time trying to And one
to suit him. None of them would do;
they wero either too strong or to weak
for his sighL At length he found one
that was just right, and inquired the
price Surprised at the selection he
had made, the optician, after looking
at him la blank astonishment, vent
ured to ask what number of glass he
would like for the empty frame be had
nick! out N. Y. Ledger.