EUGENE CITY GUARD.
la 1 VAHFJIKLIj. . lrprleUr,
EUGENE CITY. OREGON.
4frii-.MII I'uliM Oil.
An interesting rt'K)i-l conn from
the governor of tlm irold coust on the
palm oil industry of the went coast of
Africa, says The Kew Bulletin. In
cultivating the palm ripe nuts fare
scattered over tho ground, well ruked,
and are then lightly covered with
earth. The plunting take place in the
ruioy settsoii. When Hie young shoots
have prown ahout a foot they are
carefully removed in the cvoving and
transplanted nt least fifteen feet apurt
The tree grow luxuriantly and hours
most abundantly ut a height of from
ten to twelve feci in damp, semi
marshy soil. Tlio supply of uuts fit
for use in biennial, und tlio most
abundant lupply of commercial oil it
obtained from the nuts during the
rainy season. Tho bunches of nuts are
cut down and pluccd in a heap in tho
air, where they remain for a week or
ten days. Tho joints of the nuts are
thus weakened by dcconixsitioii and
they can be detached by nimply beat
ing them against any suWaiice.
When the mil urn collected those
with a hard, unyielding pulp are
pluccd in u hole about four feet deep,
which is lined with plantain leaves
and with pulm leaven and earth. They
are allowed to remain for periods vury
ing between three weeks and three
months, until a certain decomposition
has taken place, so that when removed
the pulp is soft, and appears as if it
Jiud been boiled. Hie nuts are now
ut in a trough mailo by digging a
nlnin the crouiid and paving it with
rouirh stones. Hero they are pounded
with wooden pestles until the pulp is
quite removed from the surfuco of the
hard nut. Tho whole is then removed
from the trough, put in a heap, and
the stones taken out, leaving Die oily
fibrous pulp, which is nut into a pot
with a small quantity of water, under
good (ire, and well stirred until the
oil begins to melt out. Tho pulp is
then put into a rough net, opened at
both ends, to which are utuichcd two
or three short sticks, by turning which
in opposite directions tho oil is squeez
ed out. The longer tho nuts are under
ground the thicker tho oil and the
worso the quality. This alouo accounts
for the dilfcrnnt qualities of oil ex
ported from different places along the
coast. Other methods are employed
to produce tho oil for homo consump
tion, but that hero described is the
mode usual in tho production of the
palm oil of commerce.
A Iloyal llunapart.
In an interesting paper on Friuco
Jerome, in Tho Westminster Review,
Frank T. Luwrcnco directs attention
to a curious point, which, if ever the
question of a Bonupurtist restoration
should be seriously entertained
which, to be sure, does not seem very
probable would not Ihi without sig
nificance it is this: If tho princo, or
even his descendants, should ever at
tain power, Boiinpurtism would ap
pear in un entirely new guiso, for
through his mother ho belongs to the
royal caste, a distinction which neither
the Hint Napoleon nor Napoleon III
could claim, llu it as "wellborn" (us
those who take delight in this kind of
dynuKlic law are wont to express) us
auy sovereign in Europe, and there is
Erobubly no reigning family to which
e Is not related.
As his great grandmother was a
lister of Uoorgolll, lie is second cousin
once removed to tjuccn Victoria, and
shares all her ancestry save that
through Queen Charlotte and tho
duchess of Kent. Ho has, says Mr.
Lawrence, "as much of tho blood of
Plantagcuet, Tudor and Stuurt in
his viens as tho queen has in hers,"
and in respect of tho lust heiscxcclled
by his children, who, through their
mother, are uesccnueu ironi i.nurica 1,
through his daughter Henrietta, duch
ess of Orleans, whilo our reigning
house can claim descent only through
a daughter or James 1. 1 mice Napo
leon is descended from George 1 in
three distinct lines, one of them being
through Georgo 11 and Frederic,
Prince of Wak.
Ntw Fm fur th Phonograph.
An interesting physiological experi
ment was uinilo at the Edison house,
the headquarters of tho Edison Phono
graph company in Europe, last week.
i)r. L. White, of Hurley street, bus a
patient who has a defect in his speech
of a most singular character. Tho pa
tiont, a lud of 10, and English by birth,
is unable to scak his tiulivo language
but a jargon which cannot be under
stood: many doctors liavo examiuod
him, but could not exactly diugnoso
the causo of tho phenomenon, und it
was questionable whether tho lud
poke thesnmo thing twice in tho same
way, and tho only way to discover
whether ho did so or not was to get him
to speak to tho phonograph. '1 lie lad,
in the presence of several gentlemen,
was asked tostieuk tho Lord's prayer
and the alphabet. Several cylinders
wore made iu this way, and when a
comparison was instituted between tho
various phonograms, it was found
thut there was no variation in tho spo
keu words and that it was quito possi
ble for tho lungungo which tho boy
speaks to be understood by simply
learning tho various sounds. Tho pho
nograms will bo exhibited before vari
ous societies in this country, and it is
Just possible a now disease bus been
liscovercd. Pull Mull Gazette.
John Chinaman' Comfortable Attlra.
"A Cliinuman is not pretty to look
at, and his clothes do not lit him like
the traditional paper on tho wall, but
I think his attiro tlio most comfortable
in tlio world," savs a dross reformer.
"To begin with,1' ho resumed, "tho
Chinamuu wears a soft, low crowned
folt hat, with a wide brim to protect
his eyes. Ho wears but a single- baud
round the neck, or two at the most.
Have you ever counted up what we
wearf No I Well, tlgure it now. The
undershirt bund one, a possible chost
protector is two, a shirt bund is three,
a collar is four, a necktie is five, a vest
collar is six. acont collar is seven, an
overcoat collar is eight and a neck
scarf sometimes makes the total nine
nine bands around the neck. What a.
chance for perspiration I Yrs, the
Chinaman's rig is more comfortable."
Th "Hnulin boost a."
Tht "KreuUer Sonata" wm Introduced
to tht general publio by ToUtoi'i little I
book of that Dame. Joseph Maiuart, who
baa been professor of the rloliu in the
Paris conservatory sine 1W3, waa a pupil
of KreuUer, who conipoaed the touata.
Afaaaart died a abort time ago. Ills moat
distinguished pnpU perhaps was Wienl
awakt 1
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY.
Million That llt Never liimn lUdeemed.
taut About Counterfeit,
"Say, uro these any good?" inquired
a timid looking young man of Voor
keeper Braly ut tho sub-treasury the
other day, as he exposed to view a half
dozen pieces of rugged, dirty paper. A
clow inspection revealed that they
were fractional paper currency or
"shin plasters," such us played so im
portant a partus a circulating medium
before the resumption of specio pay
ment Tho young man was directed
to the smull change room, where It.
U. Half took the soiled and crumpled
bits iu his hands, smoothed them out
with tho hasty touch of an expert,
singled out one of tho pieces and
turned oround to a bit of wood that
looked like a small butcher's block, and
struck on it the selected piece of paper
a whack with a steel instrument. Then
turning to tho young inun, ho replied:
"Theso five are good, but that one
is counterfeit."
As ho sjwke ho handed back tho
spurious noU) paiier, and across the
face was the word "counterfeit," cut
clean and cleur. The steel instrument
with which ho hud struck the paper
was a sharp stencil die thut cut the
tell talu word so clearly that it could
never bo effaced, uud tho veriest fool
could see that it was worthless.
"Do you want theso redeemed?" con
tinued Mr. Half, us he pointed to the
live grinfy slips on tho marble coun
ter. "Yes, sir, if you please," stammered
the youth, as he eyed with surprise
and fear tho mutilated piece returned
to him. Mr. Half put twobriglit sil
ver dollars und a silver quarter on tho
counter, which tho boy picked up in a
hurry us though he was afraid they
would be taken back ugaiu.
"Do you get much of that old frac
tional currency now?" was asked of
Mr. Half us the boy went out.
"No," ho replied, "wo get very lit
tle now, not more than $2,500 a year.
Tho amount coming in for redemption
is growing less and less every year.
It used to come in hero by the bushel
busketful. But for many years now
it has only coiuo in in driblets. We
seldom get as much ut a timo as that
young man just brought in."
"Then it lias most ull been redeem
ed, has it?"
"No, indeed, and what is more, a
very lurgo amount will never bo re
deemed. There is now outstanding of
tho old fractional pupcr currcucy
something like $15,000,000. And of
this it is estimated thut not more than
$3,000,000 to $5,000,000 will ever come
iu now."
"But where is the rest and why will
it not come iu for redemption?"
"A great deal of it has been worn
out by the wear and tcur of twonty
odd years of usago. Any quantity of
it has been burned up in tho many Ores
that have occurred sinco tho timo it
was issued, und in numerous other
ways it has been lost and destroyed.
Then there are some other people who
hold ull they can get to use in sending
smull amounts by mail, (hiding it very
handy for that purpose. Then, too,
tho old currency w now so scare that
peoplo keep tho occasional pieces thut
como to hand as curiosities or pocket
pieces. A greut inuny coin collectors
liavo crisp, unworn specimens of it in
their collections. Ouo wealthy gen
tlcuuin iu this city I know curries in
his pocketbook, wrapped up with tho
greatest euro, four cleur. bright speci
mens, a lifty, a twenty five, a ten and
a live cent piece Ho says it was tho
llrst money he over earned. . It wus
mi ill to him in theso identicul nieces.
brand now from tho press, and ho bus
preserved them ever sinco for luck. I
iln not lielinra roil could buv them
from him for $1,000 each. Ho calls
them his reserve capital, und if ho
ever loses tho million or more ho is
now reputed to bo worth ho will havo
his mnoty conu reserve to tall pack
on." A good deal of tho fractional cur
rency that comes into tho sub treasury
for redemption turns out to bo counter
feit, aud tho moment it comes into the
bunds of tho money changers of that
institution, no mutter who hands it in.
it is hurried to tho block uud branded
with tho stencil cutting die. T hoy ask
no permission, but just go aud doit
Tho sumo rulo is followed, too, in the
rotunda where tho bills of larger de
nominations como in. Sometimes men
got very nngry when their hud bills
dro bunded buck to them mutilated in
such a mnnncr thut they cunuot bo
used.
A fow dnys ago the South Ferry
company sent up to the sub-treasury a
bundle of tho fructionul currency, re-
Jircsouling about $100. It had been
liseovored buck of a partition in the
old ferry house, where it had either
been stowed awuv or misplaced and
was found when tlio old building was
torn down to muko room for tho new
structure Mr. Hull shuttled through
tho pile, and not only pronouncedit
ull counterfeit but discovered that
soma of it had been brought to tho
sub-treusury at least twenty years ago,
us the marks of the old stamps used us
long ago as that to mark counterfeit
paper money wus still plainly visible
on them. Each piece was subjected to
tho cutting process, and will probably
not bo presented uguiu for redemption.
All tho fractional piqr currency
that is redeemed ut tho sub-treasury is
sent to tho treasury ut Washington,
where it is placed in tho crenmtory
and burned up, uud ull that is left is u
sediment of slug, a single. jMiund of
which may represent $100,000; tho
balunee lloats olf us smoko and gas.
Now York Commercial Advertiser.
An Aulmatetl flutter.
One of tho most enthusiastic collect
ors of rare books 1 ever knew was a
young until now dead who was for
a good ninny years employed us a
clerk in one of the local railroad of
Hoes. Ho was a frequent visitor at my
store, and would spend hours ut u
time rummaging around iu odd cor
ners iu the hope of (hiding some liter
ary curiosity hid away, and whenever
he chanced upon some volume of more
than ordinary interest his enthusiasm
knew no bounds. His salary was
small, and would not permit of his in
dulging his tastes to uny great extent,
but 1 wus always glad to see him come
ill. it iiiuuu no uiucrviice iu me
whether he made a purchase or not
for he was of great benetit to me in a
very peculiar way. You see, books
especially old ones, will get covered
. I, ...... I.. . .1 . II . ... .... '
wnn uust, ana nceu moving urouuu
to prevent the accumulated dust from i
injuring them seriously. The const 1
quence was that so long as he fre- ;
queuted my store he helped, by hand-'
ling the books and moving them
about, to keep them clean. This may
seem a little strange at llrst thought
but you can readily see the logic of it
Iuterriew in St Louis Globe Demo-!
erst
MULES FIND A MINI
FRACTIOUS QUADRUPEDS KICK A
TOWN INTO EXISTENCE.
The Strange History and Situation et
Creede, Colorado's New Mining Camp.
A Place on Which the Inn Shine Only
at Noon.
ICoiiyrlg-ut, 1KB, by American Prow Aaaorla.
Won.)
MONO the moat
vivid recollections
of (hose who have
roughed It on the
frontier are those
connected with
tnules. Patient,
sagacious, crotch
ety, they some
times assert their
characteristics In
a startling man
ner, but It Is aufe
In ear that none
of these animals ever deserved to be re
membered more than tbe two which, kick
ing up their heels on a Colorado hillside
not very long ago, suddenly displaced a
uumber of small bowlders and revealed a
tnuHs of mineral wealth that Is already a
marvel la discovery.
For years prospectors had delved with
tilflr find ahnvid. hollKvlnir that to the rug-
ged mountains of the region nature had
concealed some or ber rlcnest treasures.
Among them were two old miners, named
X. C. Creede and O. L. Smith. The mules
In question having performed their day's
work bud been turned out to browse, but
when morning came, with exasperating
obstlnncr, they refused to return to camp.
Coaxing being of no avail, the owners began
to pelt them with rocks, and the mules re
taliated In kind, oneof the bowlders kicked
up by them accidentally striking Creeds
on tbe bead. His first and natural exclama
tion waa a word whose synonym Is sheol,
but his companion at tbe same Instant
wildly ejaculated, "Holy Moaesl" Ills ex
tw.rli.nr.,! fvn hiiil rernirnlzed the character
of the precious ammunition which tbe
mules were hurling uses', it was want
both men had been hungrily searching for
years. As the story Is told, Creede forgot
his pain in the exquisite enjoyment of the
discovery. "Whatshall It bef'criod Smith,
"Sheol or Holy Mosesf "Holy Moses!"
responded Creede enthusiastically. "There
Is no sheol about this." And there tbe fa
mous mine was christened and the equally
famous camp of Creede received Its name.
This Incident occurred In May, IKK). A
shaft was sunk, a fine vein of ore assay
ing about eighty dollars to the ton was
uncovered, a company or capitalists organ-
'Hi
A MININO CAMP 8ALOOX.
ised the "Holy Moses" company and as th
news spread men rushed in from all parts.
Mine after mine bus developed tu the
nelghl)orhood since that time, aud the es
timated product for IW Is upward of
$3,0U0,0U0. A railroad now opens Into tha
canyon and tho camp Is lighted by elec
tricity. Uuriug the winter the mercury
frequently fulls from 30 to 40 degs. below
sero, and until high noon a ray of sunlight
never enters the gulch, which is 1,'AK) feet
deep, the towering walls being scant sixty
feet apart. Under such conditions build
ings nro crowded together In the wildest
possible fashion. They hang on the moun
tain sides and are dumped anywhere that
may suit the whim of the speculator or
squntter.
Of course in such a community the Indi
vidual is a law unto himself, nud the only
title to whut be may own is that of posses
sion. There is a population of 10,000 fever
ish people, sixty-five saloons do business
night and day, every man is a walking
arsenal and ready to "shoot at the drop of
a bat" and reckless adventurers, regard
less of human life, await tha opportunity
to better themselves.
Ouly a few Sundays ago a missionary,
Rev. Mr. Gaston, of Ouray, Colo., hoping to
Influence tbe spiritual life of the settlers,
dropped into one of the principal saloons of
Creede aud asked permission to talk to the
crowd for fifteen minutes. It waa the
largest barroom In tbe place and always
crowded, but the faro dealers promptly va
cated their chairs and the preacher niount-
lu'l,
ofmck or tub noi.r uosks mink.
ed an Improvised platform. Turning th
leaves of the Uible, he took for his text,
"If a man dies, (hall he live agalnr" Th
300 men within the sound of his vole
promptly answered, "Not in Creede." Th
incident is homely, but It Illustrates fron
tier life.
A description of one pf these mining
ramp saloons answers for all. It is about
fifty feet lung and say twenty feet wide,
on story high, built of rough plank aud
run by two or three men, either one of ;
whom la ready with Winchester or revolver .
to preserve p"ace, Uy day It Is utilized for j
gambling purposes; by night, If there are '
enough woiri-n in the camp who ran sing
aud dance, they are corralled and the place ,
Is turned into a show. The improvised
stage will arcommodnte six or eight per-1
formers, the curtain is of cambric, the foot
lights are kenuwne lamps, and the orches-1
tra cousins of any convenient instrument, '
from a couple of violins and banjos to an
accordion and cornet. The "boxes" on
each sldrof tbe singe arethe resting places
of the female performers between the acta.
where they dnuk with whoever chooses to
"treat" The audience oonxista of men,
nearly every one of whom wears a belt that
bold a gun.
ftirre or four years ago the writer vis
ited a new mining camp with a number of
Knglish tourists, who attracted general
attention. After awhile a rough looking
man approached and remarked: "Stran
grrs, I reck'o you'd better git; 'taint no
place for a tenderfoot. I'll go to th keers
with you, and you must stay tharl" And
rifle In hand, with characteristic frontier
courtesy, be accompanied ns to our quar
ters for the night. Later, w learned that
a movement waa on foot to pick a quarrel
with th party and to "clean as out."
Census taking la the new localities r
auin serve wba EaertAwta wm lit
ml
L
.:: ii it.
'jjr
ifUl
tle mora tnau a oihm of teuia, mud buts
and plauk sbantles, an officlul entered a
gambling booth occupied by perhaps fifty
miners. The flrt to whom he applied met
blin with an oath and jun-ping to bis feet,
revolver In band, refused to answer and
ordered bitn from the place. The official,
a nervy young western man, as quickly
bad bis own weapon ready, and as be stood
breast to breast with the red shlrted out
law, covering blm with bis pistol, quickly
said, "I know you One Eyed Dick, but I've
got th drop; sit down and don't be a fool;
It's my business to get answers from every
man In this tent, and I'm going to do It."
Dick looked at him, dropped his revolver,
and seizing the census taker by the hand,
exclaimed, "Well, you're a good on. I
'A.'PS ''V'i-' ill!-'
te 7. i 1.- ' 1
S" .'1 il"-.
mm
A CLlMPSK OF CHKEDE CANYOS.
cave; git on with your writin." From
that moment the two men were fast friends
and Dick proved cue of tha most efficient
agents of the government.
When In January, 1H4", James W.
Marshall found a few grains of gold in the
sluiceway of a mill near Captain Sutter's
fort In California, be was practically the
first person to set In motion the mlglrty
forces that have since made slates snd
changed the face of America from the
Hocky mountains to the Pacific slope.
Tbe discoveries of other gold mid silver
deposits have been equally arcldetitul, mid
they bave been followed by similar results.
Tbe mine has given place to the camp,
then the railroad, then the town and furnu
The pioueer now takes with him the loco
motive, telegraph, electric light, steam
press and all tbe swift appliances of civil
ization. In a little while a city stamps the
country, luws are made, public opinion is
created, social usages established and the
character of the locality is substantially
determined. This Is what Is going on In
the new Colorado camp.
After the wonderful tale from Sutter's
mill was made public, thousands of per
sons were delving on tbe river banks and
among tbe hollows and caverns of tho val
ley of the Sacramento. Tbe sails of all
nntionswere spread toward the coasts of
California. lawyers, clergymen, physi
cians, merchants, mechanics, clerks and
farmers left their occupations and hurried
with basket and spade to the land tbat
glittered. Whole towns of tents sprung
up as if by magic, and the modern Kl Do
rado was every night Illumined by the
flames of thousands of fresh bivouacs.
Ships were deserted In the harbor of San
Francisco, the soldiers in the garrison of
Monterey abandoned their muskets for the
pickax and shovel and the necessaries of
life commanded famine prices.
Meh of all nations, from half naked
Indians to sharp visaged Yankees, worked
side by side; some In water, knee or waist
deep, washing the soil in tin pans or the
common cradle rocker and others grubbing
under banks and among the roots of trees.
Outrages were perpetrated, blood was shed,
anil until tho vigilantes laid the founda
tions of order anarchy prevailed.
Tho whole story of the early settlement
of California will never be told, but more
or less in detail, it Is that of every mining
camp. Vet, out of this struggle has grown
a great state, great in Its agricultural, In
dustrial and commercial resources and
great as an example of what has been
achieved by tbe bardy pioneer.
F. G. pk Fontaine.
Journalist, Reporter, Editor,
At the recent annual dinner of the
Pittsburg Press club, Georgo S. Wei
Ebons (St. Geo.), one of the best known
and wittiest newspaper men of tho
Btato, got olf tho following in response
to the toast "Tho Reporter:"
"There nre three grand divisions,"
Mr. eislions said, 111 newspa)er
wori journalists, reporters and edi
tors, bjieaking more ueurately, there
are three stages of development A
journalist is a culf reporter, llo is a
reporter in the miuiuturo tadpole
stage, when his bead is so big that it
takes all the rest of his person to shove
it around. If lie is lucky, by nud by
he becomes a reporter. A f ter a report
er's legs wear out they muko an editor
out of linn. Tlio Until staeof a frog,
you know theextremo removal from
tho Uul polo is the bullfrog, toostitT
to jump, too old and tough to eat
who just sits on tho bank und bellows.
That is an editor.
"In tho old days the editor called a
man a chicken thief; nowadays the re
porter 11 nds the feathers in his back
yard. The weapon of the old time edi
tor was the epithet; that of the modern
reporter is tho evidence. What the
editor used to assert the reporter now
proves. ,
. "If the pooplo who complain of
what tho reporter writes about them
would only consider whut he does not
writo about them, they would shrino
him in the friendliest comer of their
hearts. Tho waste baskets in a daily
newspaper olllce of any town do more
to keep its citizens in good repute than
any other ajreuey, excepting the fear
of tho law and tho hereafter. Not all
that tho reporter writes is truth, llo
is not infallible himself, and those
who are the sources of his information
are much loss so. There are very
many men who cannot toll a straight
story. There are others who do not
try to. The man who tells tho story
to the reporter is usually an interested
party. llo has a purpose to servo in
metamorphosing this or suppressing
that Tho reporter bus no desire ex
cept to get tlio truth accurately and
completely, and to writo it quickly and
eutertainingly.
"All men do not love the reporter,
and 1 am glad of it Tho fear and ha
tred of bad men is ns a chaplet above
his brow. It is tho assurance of his
honesty to his badge of honor us a ser
vunt of truth. If tho timo ever comes
when all men love the reporter, it will
be time to bury him. llo will have
forgotten his mission, betrnved his trust
and shamed tho noble fellowship of
men who have mndo the white cross of
the Pittsburg reporter the decoration
01 a legion of honor. Exchange.
No ball catcher, no matter how export
has been able to catch a ball thrown from
the Washington monument. The monu
mrnt is V5 feet In height, and a ball drop
ped from Its summit acquires a velocity of
S00 feet second just before It reaches the
ground.
The most enjoyable feature of th parrct
Is Iu grotesque mimicry, utterly incapable
of being explained. A fine pat rol will go
on Imitating to the end of Its days. Id a
few years It will be able to repeat so arton
Miiug amount of chaff.
. tallest tree tn the world are said to
"i- 1 ue funi trees of Victoria. Anstralia.
In iine districts they average 300 feet
hL'h. Tbe longest prostrated one men
ured 470 feet and eighty feat la girth near
lb root.
mm
MltlTARY SUICIDES.
ItatUtlM Keganllug tlie Snleldal Munle
lilflrivnt Arniiea.
One of the most unique of the mauy
branches of the government service is
the compilation of mortality statistics
for the wur department llumun life,
which the poet are wont to character
ize as a brief "span of woe, or a
"dreum of dicopiiointmeiit," or by
aomo other term which gives it a char
acter of intangible sadness, is taken as
a cold fact; u basis of mathematical
calculation. People nre born and dieuc
cording to fixed numericul luws which
can be determined by calculation. It
Isn't a particularly ugreeable thought,
but it is true, nevertheless, that wheu
statisticians have perfected their calcu
lations iu this line, und there is reason
to expect that they will be perfected,
a man will bo obliged to die by rule.
Even if he commits suicide, bis de
mise is UibuluUid among other cuses
which show under whut circumstuncea
self destruction is most likely to occur,
and whut conditions are most condu
cive to the suicidul epidemic that so
frequently sweeps the country.
During the fiscal year which ended
in Juno, 1SS8, there were nineteen
suicides in tho army, twelve in the in
fantry service, six in tho cavalry and
ouo 111 the artillery. This (fives a ra
tio of only 72 lOOths in 1,000. Only
one case wus that of un ollicer a lieu
tenant of the infantry.
The suicide ratio for various armies
whoso reports were accessible wus as
follows: Austria, 1.4'J; Prussia and
Wurtemberg, .79; Great Britain, .43;
Italv, 43; t rance, .31; Belgium, .38.
This illustrates the fact often com
mented on, that tho phlegmatic Ger
man, with his ponderous philosophic
intellect, is remarkubly prone to end
his own existence. On the other hand
tho mercurial Frenchman bears up un
der the ills wo havo, and presents next
to the best record iu tho lot
Of the cases referred to iu tho United
Slates army, one man selected drown
ing us his mode of exit two preferred
poison, one cut his throat, one severed
the radial arteries, and fourteen shot
themselves. Morbid desx)iulency was
the cause in two cases, suicidul mania
in one, jealousy iu two, losses by gam
bling in two, excessive drinking in
ten, und 110 cause could bo unsigned in
two.
Tho statistician does not stop hero.
IIo goes on to show that tho nges were
25 yours in one case, 27 in two, 2$ in
one, 30 in one, 31 in three, 35 111 two,
38 iu two, 40 in two, 41 in one, 41 in
one, and hi three cases the uges were
not stated.
Tho month showing tho greatest
number of suicides (six) was Novem
ber. Three occurred in February, two
each in January, March, April, Au
gust and September, and none 111 the
remaining months of the year.
In addition to the foregoing there
were two attempted suicides without
fatal results.
From theso facts the suicidal ton
dencv is strongest during tho winter.
On tfio other band homicides nro most
frequent during warm weather, the
cuses being far more numerous during
summer than ut uny other timo of tho
year.
The record referred to ubove is but
for ono year, of courso, selected at ran
dom, but tho vuriiition from year to
yeur is not especially marked. It has
been a pet idea of American lovers of
statistical research to tabulate tho facts
relating to mortality for the whole
United States, but tho scheme presents
mauy obstacles owing to the difficulty
in getting accurate information. It bus
been demonstrated that the highest
death rate is for children under 10
years of ago. Tho causes of death vary
from year to year.
The great difficulty in making cor
reel calculations of this kind arises
from the inaccuracy, unavoidable to a
great extent in taking tho census. In
stead of there being a natural sequence
of conditions from year to year, there
are enormous jumps iu figures. The
census, for instance, will show thut
there are 7,000 people alive at 19 years
of nge, 12,000 at 20 and then drops to
8,000 ut 21, when in the natural course
of things there should bo a gradual in
crease. This, it is said, results from
tho carelessness of people iu giving
their uges.
Tho tendency in this country is to
count the nge by decades only. Peo
ple often ignorant of their exact ages
will, when asked, now old they are,
reply indilTercntly in round numbers.
If a man has passed 30 years he will
give his ago ut 30 without troubling
himself to remember the odd years.
Forty-live years will be tho next stop
ping place. Of courso these facts hold
rood nminlr anion? neonloof limited
education, out there are enough of
these to very seriously disturb the cal
culations of mortality experts.
A life tiblo is a hereulunean mathe
matical elfort, und its practical valuo
after it has been prepared is limited,
except with insurance companies.
Statisticians are desirous of preparing
a table of this kind for the city of
Washington. It would be an inter
esting study, but probably of little
practical nso, except to show just
when children are most likely to die,
and therefore require the greatest caro.
Sufficient duta could bo obtained from
the health office for a complete work
of this kind. Washington Post
A Famous Collection.
In Professor Edward S. Morse's fa
mous collection of Jannneso pottery,
which has been shipped from Salem to
the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston,
there are more than 4,000 different
specimcus, embracing many of rare
beauty, aud the collection comprises
the largest and flnest ceramic art 111 Ja
panas far as it can be shown in fai
ence und hard pottery believed to ex
ist in tho world. Tho accumulation is
the result of years of patient search,
and fifty-two provinces in Japan are
represented in the various departments
of the collection. In many cases the
development in the manufacture of
pottery in each trovince is shown
chronologically. This grand collec
tion is a monument to that indefaUga
bio industry of Professor Morse with
which hundreds of his friends in Maine
i so well acquainted. Lewiston
Journal.
Th Locomotive or the Future.
The fast, run of a train on the New York
Central railroad between Xew York and
Buffalo, when tbe distance of 400 miles
wo made In X minutes, has excited much
attention, and practical men have given
time to speculations as to how much this
would be exceeded In the near future. Mr.
A. N. Forney, after an examination of the j
problem, does not think that with steam
power 100 miles an hour will ever he muin-1
tained for any great distance. Theodore '
V Lly, on the other hand, takes a mora I
hopeful view, and believes tbat by com-1
pounding the use of steam such an end
may scm tlm be reached. It is likely,
however, that with tbe roadbeds of the '
present onr locomotive of today go quit
a fart a it I aaf for them to do. 1
It It fctui ""n' M,",t,
ArliMlly MMI.
On a bright morning in May, 1887,
I left Angers for Nantes, the metpo
lis of Brittuny, writes Louis Frechette
in "yhe Arena. As I wus ubout to lake
the train, u friend, who had come to
Kto mo oir. said with a parting hand
shake; "By the by, before you get to Ancenis
there is a station culled Chumptoco.
As tho cars pull up look to the right
and you will sco theruiusof an old
chuteau. Take them in well they are
the reiniiius of Bluebeard's castle."
"Bluebeard's castlef What Blue
beurd do you mean f"
Surelv there is onlv one Per
reault's Bluebeard, Offenbach's Blue
beard." "Did he ever live?"
"Certainly, in flesh and bones, as
you and I, with this difference thut
he was a hard cose to begin with, and
a murshul of Franco, into the bur
gain."
"Rcully? Whut was his name?"
"Gilles de Rett, a descendant of one
of the oldest families in Europe. Ilia
enreer was most extraordinary."
The name was not unknown to me.
I hud read of it in the chronicles iu
which is bunded down to us the mar
vclous story of tho Maid of Orleans.
But what could be the connection bo
tween it and the bloodthirsty hero of
Perreault's celebrated tule?
Tlits question suggested itself to my
mind us the train loire meat full speed
over the waving hills that border the
Loire, and from one thought to an
other 1 found mvself unconsciously
rehearsing the different scenes, phases
and catastrophes of the childish drama
which grandmothers tako such do
light in presenting to their little gap
ing and shuddering audiences.
I could see tho youthful bride, led on
by curiosity, creep tremblingly,
clutching tho little gold key, to the fa
tal door, open it noiselessly, utter a
cry of horror, and drop fainting at the
sight of the bloody bodies hung in a
row.
Then the sudden return of the an
gry husband to the castle, his fury on
seeing the little gold key soiled with
blood, his brandishing of the deadly
sword, with the infuriated cries of
"Prepare to die, madame!"
I could hear the pitiful tones of the
poor victim, during the short respite
granted her. as she called to her sister
perched on the tower: "Ann, sister Ann,
seest thou 110 one come?" And tbe la
mentable reply. "No, I sco nothing
but the shining sun on the dusty road I
And at last came the sigh of relief
of yore, as I fancied I could hear from
afar off the sounding upproach of the
galloping rescuers.
Tho vision haunted me till we
reached Champtoce, where, sure
enough, I saw on tho right, as my
friend directed, about a quurter of a
mile off, the jagged form of a lofty
mediieval tower which roso about a
heap of ruins and a clump of stunted
oaks, casting against the heavens its
vast and somber outline.
This was Gilesde Ketz's castle, Blue
beard's home. Or rather it was one
of his castles, for he had many, the
wholo surrounding country which
bears his name (Pays do lictz) having
once been his.
Modern Hub) ion.
It is usual for travelers to dwell on
the utter desolation of Babylon, and to
paint its site as u strip of dosert espe
cially woebegone and unfertile. But
the eloquent gentlemen who dwell
upon this aspect of the place could not
have seen it in early spring. The
date groves and gardens along the
Euphrates are then things of beauty
in their fresh spring verdure, and the
iiluin itself is laid down with crops,
rrigatiou canals cross it here and
there, and give trouble to the horse
men. No grass grows upon the
mounds, and there uro patches of tho
level white with the niter which is to
be found here us in other parts of
Mesopotamia; but the surface of the
soil is on the whole green and pleasant
to the eye. The glad waters of the
river flow in the bright morning sun
shine with palm and mulberry hang
ing over its banks, drinking in sap
and lifo.
Tbe great city which counted its
population by millions and tilled the
world with a renown not yet forgot
ten, has disappeared under the dust of
twenty centuries; but nature is as
fresh and loctind as when Babylon
was still unbuilt Birds sing overhead
in the pleasant spring air; butterflies
flutter about in search, of flowers;
balmy odors regale the sense. It is
therefore difficult to feel as one per
haps ought for the great capital which
once cumbered this ground. Nature
does not mourn for it, and it is hard to
be sad at the bidding of sentiment
when bright spring hides its graves.
Noah's Su inlay Times.
Underground Voyage Near lloaton.
Many parties have voyaged in the
tunnel, underground, from Newton to
the reservoir at Chestnut Hill, a dis
tance of four miles, and the journey is
an exciting and novel one. The water
is about two feet deep, and the current
runs about two miles an hour. Twenty
millions of gallons in twenty-four
hours is the usual supply. Manholes
are placed nt intervals along the main
and a descent into one of them was
mado by the writer. A ladder leads
down to a temporary landing of boards
placed across the tunnel, through
which the water glides noiselessly.
The place was like a dungeon, and the
light which the manhole admitted
from above was speedily lost in the
pitchy darkness which pervades the
conduit
The boats which are used in the rum
mer time to convey parties of explor
ers from point to point are provided
with torches fixed in the stern and bow
of the bout to light the way. The cur
rent carries the boat along, and poles
are used to guide the progresst There
is also a remarkable echo here, and a
stamp of the foot upon the boards
evokes thunderousexplosionsof sound
that boom and boom like distant can
non, as the sound rebounds from the
manhole along the main. One of the
party sang a few notes and the sound
was multiplied into a choir of mysteri
ous voices, the effect being indescrib
ably weird. Albany Express.
River Lights.
There are some 750 lik'hta on the coast of
the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, 130
on the Pacific coast and some 280 00 onr!
treat lakes. The 1,600 inexpensive ligbuj
on our western rivers have revolutionized
steamboat navigation, making it as aafe to '
ran by night as by day. These river light
consist simply of a lantern fixed to a post,
and costing about ten dollars each, whihv '
It coats on the average not more tbao tlM
a year each to maintain them. Harper's
Young Popl. I
Bom Georg Moor, In Engll,, D
Br, Hon a Uet of Mi, Ponad,,
Muny are the stories still tj ,
commercial travelers about Geor
Moore, the celebrated EuglUI,
mer's determination to get order, p
would not be denied, sayi Rum,.f
Smiles. If refused at first, ne
to all sorts of expedients until he Z
teeded. uo
On one occasion he sold his cloth.
nS his back to get an order. A ten
cious draper iu a Lnncuahire town r!
fused to deal with him. Tliedranw
was quite satisfied with tho Brm. tC
supplied him, aud he would make no
change. Thisbcoumo known anions
the commercial travelers ut the hotel
and ono of them mude a bet of flv
pounds with George Moore that h
would not obtain an order.
Georgo set out aguin. The dranr
saw him entering the shop and erLi
out, "All full I ull full, fir. Moor
I told you so before I"
"Never mind," said Georgo, "you
won't object to a crack."
"Oh, nol" said the draper.
Thcv cracked about munv things,
and then Georgo Moore, culling tlij
draper's uttention to a new coat which
ho wore, asked whut he thought of it
"It's a capital coat," said the draper,
"Yes, first rate; mude iu the besj
style by a llrst rate London tailor."
The draper looked at it aguin, and
again udmired it
"Why," said Georgo, "you are ex.
actly my size; it's quito new; I'll Ki
it you."
"What's the price?"
"Twenty-live shillings."
"Whut? That's very cheap."
"Yes, it's a greut bargain."
"Then I'll buy it," said tho draper.
Georgo went back to his hotel,
donned another suit and sent the
"greut bargain" to tho drajier. Georga
calling uguin, the draper offered to par
him.
"No, no," said George, "I'll book it;
you've opened an account" '
Mr. Moore had sold the coat at a loss,
but he was recouped by the live pound
bet which he won, and ho obtained an
order beside. The draper afterwardi
became ono of his best customers.
On another occasion a draper at
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was called upon
mauy tunes without any result. U
wus ulwuys "full." In fact, he had no
intention of opening an uccount with
the new firm. Mr. Moore got to know
that he was fond of a particular kind
of snuff Rappee, with a touch of Beg
gar's Brown in it
lie provided himself with a box in
Loudon, aud had it filled with the
snuff. When at Newcastle ho called
upon tho draper, but was met as usual
with tho remark:
"Quito full; quite full, sir."
"Well," said Mr. Moore, "I scarcely
expected an order, but I called upon
you for a reference:"
"Oh, by all means."
In the courso of conversation Georw
pulled out his snuff box, took a pinch,
and returned it to his pocket After a
short interval ho took it out again,
took another pinch, and said, "I sup
pose rou are not guilty of this bad
habit?"
"Sometimes." said the draper.
Georgo handed him the box. He
took a pinch with zest aud said,
through tho snuff, "Well, that's very
finel"
George had him now. Ho said,
"Let me present you with the box; 1
have plenty more."
The draper accepted tho box. No
order was asked; but the ucxt time
George called upon him he got his
first oi-dor. aud the draper long con
tinued to be one of his customers.
Yankee Blado.
Lucky and Unlucky Duyi.
It was deemed highly important
among the old Anglo-baxous that s
child should bo born on a lucky day,
upon which his wbolonfterlifowas sup
posed to denond, for, iu their opinion,
each day had its peculiar influence
upon the destiny of tho youngster.
Thus tho first day of tho new moon
was preferred to all others for the ar
rival of the little stranger.
A child born when tbe moon b new
Will surely live past eighty-two,
they would chant to themselves, and
be happy with tho thought Tho sec
ond day was not so lucky as tho first
The child born on that day would
grow fast, but not live long. If bom
on the fourth day of tho moon, it
would be a great politician; if on tli
tenth, a great traveler; if on the twenty-first,
the chances were that it would
boa thief or a highwayman. But of
all tho days of the week or mouth tha
most lucky by far was Sunday, and
should such day happen to be a new
moon day, tho child's prosperity was
destined to be unbounded. Iriday
was a most unlucky birthday, notoiily
because it was tho day of the cruci
fixion of Christ, but because, accord
ing to old time calculations, it was be
lieved by the Anglo-Saxons to have
been the day upon which Adam ate
the forbidden fruit Iu this connec
tion it may be interesting to mention
that the Khurds and the Armenians be
lieve that Adam was expelled from
Paradise on Friday, and that the be
ginning of the flood was tho same day.
St Louis Republic.
Th Electrle Candle Care.
A subscriber at Bryan, 0., sends the
following dialogue that ho overheard
in the street:
"Howdy do, howdy do?"
"Oh, fairtomiddlin'; folks ali well,
but I have got a touch of rheumatii.
"Oh. you can get rid of thut; I had
it so bad I couldn't raise my hand to
tike a chaw terbaccer, but it's gone
now."
"Whut did you take for it?"
"Waal, when thcv put up them
'lectric lights, 1 got one of their cau
dles they had dropped aud carry it w
my pocket You know 'lectricity j
good for medicine. Waal, there
'iiourU 'lectricity left in tho candle
wheu they put them out will soak
inter you, and that knocks it out every
time. Jest try it"
"I will; where can I get onej"
"I've got a couple; takeone,"
"Much obliged: I'll cive 1
chance." Electrical World.
As Elegoiit Opportunity.
Th late Dra. Gage and Burton, of Hart
ford, were both genial and fun loving clergy
men, and when the two met there wai
wavi a delightful paasaK of wit, as the 1
lowing anecdote illustrates: One of
Gage lecture had proved to be less attrac
tive than tbe other, and on it mnii?ey
tition Ithad become a "chestnut" vA
not "draw;" many left. When Dr. Gag V
relating to Dr. Burton his experience "lt
burglar be aaid: "Whv, doctor. 1 bad a
own flat on his back-1 held him &er, ,
touldnt moT.au inch r "What a Ple
opportunity," retorted Dr. Burton,
was Oag, to hare delivered to htm T0"
lecture oa Palectta." BosSe Journal.