mra and hom;
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
APARTMENTS IN THE HOUSE.
Oar of the Conk Stove Tim Winn Unit
I est Kmersnn and III Clilldrnn I'oUott
IvyAthletic Children's Dress I.nlmi
Saving llliit Jtenn.
Ono of tho most imporUnt apartment In
me houo Is the cellor. nml withal one mat
Iftcn receive Ini.ufllclent attention. ''Out ot
light, out of in It ul In exemplified here, ami
the result may frequently to traced In the
Impaired health of those who Jive nbovo th
underground lumber room.
Old pnekin; toxes, nowspaitors, broken
utensils, rottl&g fruit and vegetnblos, anil In
some cases such gurbago ns potato parings,
lemon and omngo' skins, bones, etc., that
should of 1 lht bit consigned to tliu swill pall,
are sufTcredjto accumulate from ono mouth's
end td'thci other. Tliu uiiwholcsomo and mi
ploa'sant odor I lint rise liko n cloud when
ever tho Dollar door Is 0ened Is hnsllly at
tributed tho iiiustluoss jiopulorly suposod
to lo an iinscparnblo adjunct to tho under
ground rt-glons. Slight but jterslstent un
healthluiHs In the family Is disregarded, and
a slwrp s.ttnek of diphtheria or typhoid fovor
is erlmi,w needed to arouse tho household to
tho don;er In which they dwell.
Tho collar Is morn readily kept clean if It Is
cut upi into sovoral small rooms, instead of
being left in ono groat, undivided chamber.
"Whir it Is not thus nrruuged it should at
least bo partitioned olf on ono side by bins to
hold (ho various stores, in place, of lotting
them Ho In hears In cornel. When bins are
out nt tho iptestioii, barrels or lurgu packing
bozoii form tolurahlo substitutes. Tho coal Is
usually kept In tho vaults provided for that
puriKxto.
It Is a great aid in tho endeavor to obtain
proper neutuess in tho cellar If tho room is
vroll lighted anil ventilated. Tho windows
nmy be kept shut in tho daytime, but should
always bo left ocu at night to allow tho
fresh air to outer, except when tho weather
Li so cold that there is danger of' freezing tliu
fiupplies of food kept there. Even thou tho
hashes ishould Iks unclosed night and morning
long enough to penult n sluice of air to gain
admittance, lly carefully following this plan
much of tho musty and earthy odor common
to cellar may bo banished. Wiro nutting
should 1") nailod over tho outside of tho win
dows in u way that may excludo tho flies
without hindering tho ,ocning of tho sash.
There should be a spring attached to tho door
that wilt prevent its toing left ujar und a free
passage to (lies furnished by carolcwi servants.
If there nro no separato vuults provided for
tho coal, and it must to kept In tho common
cellar, largo bins for this are Indispensable.
Tho coal should uuver Ixi dumped into ono
corner of tho cellar, whence its grimy dust
will bo trucked to tho upper Moor by every
one coming up from tolow. Nor should tho
wood, large and small, to thrown Into an in
discriminate stack, but neatly piled, tho
kindling in ono place, tho logs intended for
the often tiros in another, and chips, tan dust,
and shavings swept together and emptied
Into a baskot or box. Vegetables, abovo all,
should never be heaied on tho floor. They
ro: more easily the re, toslde tolng unsightly,
and invariably leaving dirt for some one to
swoop up. Barrels or boxes may hold them,
as muII as apples or pears. Both vegetable
and fruit should ho picked over often, and tho
rotten ones thrown away. Tho good ones
will keep twice as long if this Is done. Tho
work may seem tedious, but It is almost essen
tial, especially toward spring, when vege
tables begin to decay rapidly. Health do
inntidn this as well as economy. Many n eoso
of spring illness has I teen traced i a harmless
looking barrel in tho cellar, where disease
germs are fiwtered in muss of putrid vege
table matter,
idea that the cellar Is nu omnium cntli
irum tor useless articles of ad sorts should to
diligently combated. Whatever is not worth
keeping in the certain hope of putting to
service at some future time should to thrown '
away without hesitation. The cellar cannot j
look neat with a heap of luintor and old iron
disfiguring it. Broken packing cases und j
itavclcss linrrvls may to sent hero to be split
up and converted into l.iudllugH nss)ccllly '
invisible, while any boxes that may possibly
to put to use are iinwh totter kept in the attic
out of the damp.
A cellar lloor hhould always be la'd In ce
ment. Ail earth flooring holds the dampness .
lid Is, moreover, verv hind to keep clean. ,
The cement can to swept, and even sorubltod, '
without trouble. Th- walls and ceilings 1
should to whitewashed, not only to make the
room lighter, but as a means of disinfection. 1
'I'll whitewashing should Iki repeated at least
once a year. The flour should twelve Its i
weekly In ushlug with the rest of the house,
and at. the same time the cobwebs should lie 1
dislodged and all collections of rubbish ro
moved. Tho cellar mut be (.implied with shelves.
Swing shelves lire preferable to those set in ,
tho wall, as there Is less danger with tho J
former of rats and mice having n chance to
attack the provisions. One shelf should bo !
kept for the milk, and wiped clean every day
after the cream Is skimmed. Dcjtosits of ,
tour milk miv always unsavory. Tho meat.s,
vegetables, cakes, etc, stored on tho other
thrive should always to protected by covers
of wire netting. With all tho care ono may
take, a fly or two will sometimes unwed in ;
effecting on entronee, nnd tho mischief they
rati do even inn short time renders thepreeau.
lion worth while. A ptecoof gnurooriuus
qulto netting stretched over each pan of milk '
limy ali savo a lly from involuntary suicide 1
Mitl tho mill: from waste, l'oultry and meat
that arc hung up for h day or two should bo
tucavxl In stout brown (Niper, or, heller still,
aub'eai-hcd muslin. All shelves should bo '
scrubbed oir every week with a mixture of
washing soda ami water, then wipe dry.
It is u great convenience to the housewife
it she can have a closet nt tltioned off and
well stocked with shelves, where she can keep
her pickles, preserves, jellies and Jains, Up-
itnlrs cupboards are seldom and enough, ex
cept when they him In so exposed u HVitioa
that there Is i isk of their contents freeiing in 1
the Uitlercst winter weather. Hew, too, can
to placed tho choice fruit, tho box of oranges
or lemons, the barrel of pineapples and oilier
delicacies, that keep better In a cold place ,
than In an ordinary pantry. The semi-gloom i
ali-o helps ptw 1 vo canned goods. I
Drain plis frequently travcrso tho cellar,
nd are likely, from tho obscurity of tho
plaoe, to receive less attention than Is their
due. They should often le examined for
leaks, and any such promptly cheeked. If
thero are Often 1 1 rains, they should bo, washed
down with n strong solution of copperas and
water Should the odor from tho drains re
fuse to yield to this and to chloride of lima
or potaii, they must bo inspoeted by a prac
tical plumber, and tho matter rectified with
out delay Curutlan Terhunn Herrick In
Ilsrpor's Baxar.
Cure of the Cook Stave.
"Why Is it that I burn out to many sets of
stove linings!'' soma ono asks, Iet ni tell
you. Us little more cam than you hsvo
beeti nunc, watch and sea that a clinker U
no; nl.xwed to form on tho linings, and it ono
does form, removo it caitfully with tho
pater. At uigbl tho lira bo should U va
r
full of coal "after raking out oil the" dead cliv
ders nnd ashes in tho range; never fill your
stovo with coal above the top of the linings.
Never uso a shaker when It Is possible to
avoid It: Instead, use the poker freely and you
will have a better lire and uso less coal. Shak
ing the lira brnks It down Into a solid mass
and tho air cannot circulate through. When
tho fire from any causo Ijecomes dull, do not
stir It over tho top or put In wood, but rako
out tho cinders and open the drafts. At
night do not close, tho draft as soon as tho
coal for tho night is put on, but let it bum a
short time, or, as ono man expresses it, "until
you think tho coal Is warm all through."
Thero Is then very little danger of gas, even
If tho stovo is n oor ono. Tho ashes should
Hover accumulate in tho ash pan until they
reach tho grate. If this hapin-ns evon once,
tho grato wlil usually bo burned out.
Always run tho range so that you can get
(ill tho heat needed without having the top
red hot, as this will wurp the covers and
centers, and if a Httlo water" should happen
to fall on tho stovo whllo so hot, tho top of
tho t ango is very apt to crack. Keep tho
tovo well blacked; If tho lids get covered
with grease turn them over und let tho top
of the lid como next tho Are until tho grease Is
all burned olT. If tho covers aro red and
tho blackening does not adhere, let them
get wet, so that they will rust a little, and
thou black them. When buying a rnngo,
buy ono that Is moderately heavy and made
of tho best quality of iron. All tho joint of
a heating stovo or range should fit well; bo
causo if they do not, when tho rnngo has
been usod a short tlmo you will notico goj
escaping, and will not bo ablo to toll where it
comes from. Nellio Wllley In Good House
keeping. Labor Saving Hints,
I write to thank thoso who kindly sent
directions for removing a teacup that had bo
como wedged in a pitcher. I'erhaps it would
bo well to state that bsf;ro any nnswer
reached mo, I experimented iiiccessfully by
holding tho pitcher bottom side up over a
teaming teakettle; by topping smartly on
tho bottom of tho pitcher the cut) fell out. I
think that thero Is such a thing as "honest
dirt," and that thero should never be such
sn amount of trimming of children's clothing
as to keep ono nl ays busy making, washing
snd ironing them. I havo two children, and
I find time, to toll mid read stories, take
walks, and even play with them out of doors
and swing them sometimes.
I must tell the reoders my method of wash
ing dishes. A tubf ul of clean water is kept
in tho kitchen, into which all of the "sticky"
dishes are dmnN-d bodily and loft until their
turn to Iw washed arrives. Tho tub is usod
oitly for this purtioso. This saves timo and
labor. In washing "stuck up" kettles I uso an
old knife, kept for tho purpose, to scrape
them with, and never uso my finger nails, as
many eoplo do. Where this is prncticed tho
linger nails aro usually unythlng hut "a thing
of beauty," and nro a plague instead of "n
joy forever." I havo seen linger nails from
this practico broken, worn oft square nnd
hlunt enough to "sot ono's teeth on edge." To
clean bottles easily and quickly, turn ft cup
ful of fluo shot into them; fill nearly full of
hot lyo and shako well. To havo jteas look
green after cooking them, put in cold water
and let them como gradually to n toil. This
Is to be dono when they aro llrst put on tho
itovo to cook. It Is convenient to havo four
holders to uso around tho stove. Two of
them can then be spured for tho wash every
week. Detroit Kris) Press.
The Wise Hostess.
A hostess should, of courso, exercise a wise
exclusiveness, such as Lady Polmerston' do
icribod when she said she "iwissed Iird Pnlm
erston's acquaintances through a coarse
iove." No woman who entertains should in
vito her guests carelessly. Tho very respect
which she owes to herself and her guests
ihould prevent this. As a clever woman in
Tjoudou once said, "I am never Haltered nt
being asked to Mrs. J 'scamp." No wo
man should allow her house to to degraded
to a cump. Ono should winnow tho chalf
from tho wheat.
A lady in entertaining has to remomtor
always to Invito those who nro congenial.
No one in this country can aiTord to mnko
her parties either political, musical or liter
ary exclusively; but ono should haven gen
eral idea of sets and of their tastes, and of
who would liko to meet whom. Especially is
this important nt a breakfast or a dinner,
where the guests must sit and talk for two or
three, hours together; there is no such onlenl
of ogtveobility. To invite n volutins, airy,
foolish woman to sit next an Oxford profes
sor, who has n specialty on which ho wishes
to talk and which sho would not understand,
Is to mnko them both miserable. To ask ft
young (Kiet to sit next an old campaigner,
who has nothing to talk of but tho dissection
of character, who is given to social parboil
ing, is to mnko both miserable and will ruin
one dinner at least. To ask a busy politician
to sit next an abstract philosopher would not
to half as bad. Therefore a woman has
much to consider before sho begin to enter
tain. Hunter's Harar.
lleiurily for l'olson Ivy.
People who have sought relief during the
heated term at tho various seaside resorts
which dot the const of New Jersey havo suf
fered at intervals from ft plague of musqui
toes nnd black gnats. Others, who preferred
tho mountains nnd inland attractions, have
HifTored greatly fixun contact with ioison ivy.
Tho former found ft remedy in tennyroyol
and brush fires, but many of tho toisoned
ones got no relief. They havo not responded
to treatment. As a rule, lime water, butter
milk and oxide ot tiuo ointment, into which
a little white preclpitato has boon rubbed,
will cIToct a cure. This year it seems as
though the poison has had to run Itself out,
A gentleman, however, who after suffering
for ten days more torture than usually falls
to tho lot of man, tlnally got relief in the fol
lowing manner: Ho saturated a slice of
bread with water, and then spread over it a
goodly amount of soda. This plaster ho ap
plied to tho eruption and kept tho application
moist by dropping water upon tho bread as
fast as the moisture was absorbed or evapor
ated. This dissolved tho soda crystals on tho
kin, and gave almost Immediate and pemift.
iieut relief. So badly was he poisoned that at
one lime he had on his tody twenty kido of
these poultices, representing three Vtavos of
broad. Now York Mail and Express.
The Dress of Children.
At a rule, the higher tho position of tlx
parents, tho more simply tho children are
dressed this mlo holding good as regards the
royal and noble families of England. Unfor
tunately, our country people have acquired
abroad tho unenviable reputation of loving
vulgar display, but Anglomania has had the
desirable result ot inculcating a love of sim
plicity. Teachers In Krench and Herman
schools have itoen known to complain bitterly
of tho iletnornlUing effect produesd by Amer
ican girls Uwn tho other pupils. Tho de
moiselle or l-Vauleln, as tho case may be,
having been iiceustomctl to the plainest style
of dreJ and coilTui-e deemed suitable to hr
tender years, it inderd envious and discon
tented by oMViaticwi with such free oud Inde
pendent youug women clad in silk attire, as a
school continue, with diamond earrings flash
Ins in their car and their fingers loaded
with. rlnc. Whil then will always bo, tu
every" cTntmum'ty, s seTecr fb'w who "will
know how to dress simply on all occasion!
where rich garments would make them con
spicuous, the masses are not happy union
they aro testifying to their wealth with the
gorgeousncss of their robes nnd tho profu
sion of their Jowels. New Orleans Times
Democrat. Kmerson and Ills Children.
Emerson was playful and winning in his
ways with bis children, but he did not often
romp with them, and tie discouraged their do
voting tho early hours, even of a holiday, to
nmuscmeut. "Ho taught us that at breakfast
nil must to calm and sweet, nothing must jar;
wo must not begin the day with light rending
or games; our first and best hours should bo
occupied In n way to match the sweet nnd
serious morning."
From the nge of 13 or 14 ho thought they
should to encouraged as much as poeslblo to
regulato their own conduct. Ho would put
the case, and leave tliem to think nnd act for
themselves; nnd ho did not fear to inculcnte,
even at this age, tho whole of his own doc
trlno of sch reliance. To ono of his daugh
ters who was nway from homo at school, ho
writes:
"Finish every day and to dono with it.
For manners nnd for wise living It Is n vice
to rememtor. You hnvo dono what you
could; somo blunders mid absurdities no
doubt crept In; forget them as soon as you
can. To-morrow is n now day; you shall be
gin it well and serenely, and with too high a
spirit to to cumbered with your old nonsense.
This day for all that is good and fair. It Is
too dear, with Its hopes and invitations, to
waste a moment on tho rotten yesterdays."
Cabot's "Memoir of Emerson."
Girlish Figures Spoiled by Athletics.
It is tho athletic girl, tho new typo of girl
who goes in for pretty nearly nil the sports
her brother takes up, who is, if sho has pre
viously cultivated her flguro, tho worst de
formed girl of all. There is nothing liko
athletics nnd corsets, mixed or In altcrnnto
doses, to bring out the jtosslbilltles of curves,
twists and abnormal developments in a mod
ern girl. All British femininity is nt present
engaged In screaming contradictions nt Iji
bouchere becouso he had the hardihood to do
dare that tennis plnying girls were crooked.
In a half (Uzcu groups at Central park the
other day I picked out four players whoso
right shoulders were noticeably of different
diapo from the left, nnd six or seven in whom
the mine thing, though less obvious, hnd
begun to manifest itselt. tho summer exertion
enlarging tho muscles and light clothing
'.hrusting them out of placo and accentuating
tho uuoveii duvolopment of tho body. Girls
who row in corsets aro n curious sight, tho
rxtrn musculnr development all taking placo
high up, wliero tho blood has n chauco to cir
culate, nnd making tho shoulders tower abovo
tho rest of tho body. Chicago Herald.
A Troublesome Form of llenuty.
Mrs. Hoformcr Jonness-Miller's latest ob
jective jtoiut is tho bustle. In her magazine,
Dress, slrt) comments on tho amusing nlacnty
with which women lly to tho defense of tho
hustle wbenovor that highly ornamental nnd
pestiferously obtrusive nrticlo of dress is
assailed. Sho quite overlooks tho most gro
tesquo phoso of tho bustlo question; tlint is
tho constant solicitude of tho average wearer
when on tho street. Single, out any well
dressed woman you hopen to meet on
promenade, and ton to one, if you follow her,
you will obscrvo that about once in every
block of her walk sho will givo her bustlo a
flip, furtivo or told, nccording to her dis
position. No woman is ovor certain ten
minutes nt n stretch that her bustlo is in tho
regulation state of discipline, henco her mind
is forever on tho rack. Detroit Kreo Press.
Prevention of Wrinkles.
Evidently'quito a number of us nro grow
ing old because wo nro interested in knowing
what will provent wrinkles. Tho tost remedy
is, of course, lnck of enro and absolute hanl
henrtodness, for tho emotions cnuso wrinkles.
When they nro just toginniug to to little
wrinkles, sort of baby wrinkles, tho old
Crcolo recijio is really of some use. This is
to take u small quantity of fine olivo oil on
ono's lingers and rub tho wrinkled placo five
or ton times twice n day, continuing this
until tho wrinkles disappear. Hut with this,
all tho other things that keep women beauti
ful aro necessary, most of all tho uso of plenty
of soap und water. "Bab" in Now York
Btar.
To Kill Crarks In Floors.
Crocks in lloors may to neatly but perma
nently tilled by thoroughly soaking uows
paitors in paste mndo of a half pound of flour,
three quarts of water and half n pound of
alum mixed and toiled. Tho mixture will to
about us thick as putty, nml may to forced
into tho crevico with a case knife. It will
harden liko pnpior macho. Boston Budget.
Tho tost remedy for burns is claimed to to
essence of peppermint and whisky mixed.
Wet ft sott cloth or raw cotton and apply. It
(tops tho pain instantly nnd draws out tho
lire,
Tho women of Now York hnvo toon granted
tnoro patents than their sisters in any other
itato. Tho women of Massachusetts, Ohio,
Indiana and Wisconsin rank next in order.
Thero is a prejudice against peacocks'
toother for household ornamentation, be
muse old women say death comes to tho house
where they aro displayed.
For ingrowing too nails uso equal parts of
mutton tallow, castilo soap and white sugar
made into o salve. Apply until tho swelling
ts down, then trim tho nail in tho center.
Raid Lucretta Mott, when asked how she
managed never to havo nny trouble with
k'l vnuU: "1 never ask them to do anything
I know they won't do,"
The tosto of fish may to removed very ef
fectually from knives and forks by rubbing
them with fresh orange or lemon peel.
If soot b dropped on tho carpet, cover
thickly with salt and it may to swept up
without Injury to tho carpel.
Mrs. Grundy says that the conspicuously
fashionable woman who is "charitable and
kiud" is a real curiosity.
Fleas, one who has tried it asserts, may to
driven away by scattering tlour of sulphur
liberally about,
A teacup of lyo in ft pail of wster will Im
prove tho cohir of black good-
At the Queen's Fountain,
Near Invermark, on Iird Dalhousie's es
tate, a fountain was somo years ago erected i
to commemorate a visit paid to the placo by
the queen. It bears thU inscription, in gold
letters: "Rest, stranger, on this lovely scene,
and drink and pray for 8cotlana' queen
Victoria." A Highlander was shocked one
morning to rend iho following addenda,
traced in a hoVt hand, suggestive ot I ho Lon
don touri't, immediately underneath the
original: "We'll pray for Queen Victoria
h'lv, hut g and drink her Let Mi iu beei."
BUILDING PIANOS.
SOME CURIOUS FACTS REGARDING
THEIR MANUFACTURE AND SALE.
Comparatively Few I'lann Factories Can
Justly Claim to Mnkn Their Own In
struments Fnnclf nl Nnmes Harrowing
a Good Scale Various Hncreufut Tricks.
Pianofortes aro no longer manufactured,
but nro built. Only two or tlireo of tho hun
dreds of piano factories in this country can
justly claim to mnko tholr instruments from
beginning to finish. Large establishments
devoted to tho mnnufacturo of somo particu
lar portions of tho instrument hnvo sprung
up of late, and havo so revolutionized tho art
of piano making that in somo shops not a sin
gle, part of tho completed instrument Is mndo
in tho factory.
Thero aro probably ft dozen plncos In New
York and vicinity dovoted exclusively to tho
making of coses. A liko number mnko tho
beautiful and delicate, pioco of mechanism
known as tho nction, nnd as mnnj- foundries
cast the heavy iron plates which sustain tho
enormous strain of tho strings. Thoro aro
also manufneturors of sounding toards, nnd
of wrost planks, Into which tho timing pins
aro set; carvers of logs, lyres aud trusses; im
porters of felts and cloths, winders of wTnppod
strings for tho lower notes, nnd drawers of
thinner wires for tho upper note.
Sovernl largo houses mnko a specialty of
pianoforte hardware, and a half dozen cut
tors of Ivory supply completo keytoards with
black keys of otony and white koys of n me
dium quality of Ivory. Other establishments
mnko keys of various compositions, princi
pally of celluloid, nnd ovon tho stencil plates
for tho linmo nro often furnished by tho var
nish dealer. Thus, nothing remains to to
mndo nt tho factory but tho name, and that
is some times of tho most adroit workman
ship. Ono of tho largest buildings on the west
sido of this city, with n cnncity of turning
out tho enormous numtor of sixty to sovonty
flvo completed instruments a week, makes no
part of tho piano but tho namo, and quite
frequently oven that is furnished to thorn by
tho denier who buys largely enough to jus
tify hnving his own nnmo put on as tho
maker. Sometimes a nnmo is manufactured
luiviug so close n rcsomblanco to that of somo
ono of tho best knovn makors as to mislead
tho unwary.
UNDER FANCIFUL NAMES.
Besides theso, dozens of names, purely
fanciful, nro used by makers whoso reputa
tion will not justify demanding a high prieo
for pianos ltcaring their own namo. It is
not, howover, to ho inferred that all instru
ments built and put together liko blocks in a
puzzlo aro necessarily inferior.
Tho qunlity of a planoirto deixmds upon
two essontiuls tho scnV ind tho caro with
which it is constructeifi-j(id finished. Tho
scnlo is a matter of scientific nceurncy iu
form, balnnco nnd proportions of tho iron
framo over which the strings arc stretched,
niM its adjustment to tho sounding board.
This is generally most readily arrived nt by
borrowing from somo loading maker. A first
class piano is secured nnd taken to pieces, tho
framo or scnlo is copied, often by making a
casting from tho original plate, and the now
mnnufacturo is equipped with n successful
scale, without experiencing imy of tho delay
and disappointment incident to experiments
in search of tho now and tho beautiful.
Tho ensemakor is noxt visited, and it is
found that a moderate price will buy a enso
suitable for a high closs instrument, nnd oiu
loss elaborate, mndo of lighter mntoriol, can
to had for a surprisingly small sum. While
tho case, which is mndo of white, wood nnd
nsh, veneered with something more expen
sive, is getting its first coat of tho stain
which is to turn it into rosewood, ebony or
cherry, tho skilled workmen nro putting tho
framo and sounding itoard together. The
stringing is then done, tto pins being driven
into plnco with a hammer instead of being
carefully screwed in as iu the old fashioned
days of conscientious work and high prices.
While this is in hand tho case is glued to
gether, having received its several coats of
varnish.
More rosowood pinnos nro mndo than of all
tho other sorts combined; yet few aro really
veneered with rosowood nowadays. This is
because it is seldom that varnish will not
wxiii show small chinks and cracks on this
veneer, nnd, as a very clo.so imitation can to
produced by staining, it is usual to veneer
tho cas with mnhogany or buywood or
sometimes with cherry, and then transform
it into rot-owood or ebouy us preferred. No
real ebony is ever used for similar reasons,
nnd also because largo pieces of ebony veneer
caunot to had.
TIIK FINISHING TOUCITES.
After tho stain comes tho varnishing. This
is frequently dono by contract, tho varnish
foreman receiving n stated prieo for oach in
strument finished, hiring his own assistants
and buying the varnish himself. After tho
ouso has joined company with tho iron framo
and sounding board, tho action is placed in
.position nnd tho wires get tho first rough
tuning. If tho piano is to hnvo nny soul, tho
tone regulator now- proceeds to develop it by
his skill. But if tho prieo ut which it is to to
sold docs not justify such luxuries ns a pure,
round nnd even tone, nnd n crisp, responsive
touch, the soul maker's responsibilities nro
not exacting. Fly finishing is dono last.
This Includes putting on lock and hinges,
and the instrument is then ready for sale.
It is popularly believed that no plain piano,
however tine, can to made to cost the manu
facturer more than $0i, and the fact that
some of tho cheapest nro wholesaled ot lets
than f 150 seems to justify that impression.
It is thus a matter of comment that in nearly
all catalogues the old extravagant prices nro
quoted, although it is well known that in al
most every case tho list price is utterly dis
regarded iu making a sale.
Only one house of any repute has hnd tho
courage to do nwny with the long prieo sys
tem, and to face tho inference that reduction
indicates a cheapening of quality. Ono groat
establishment vigorously holds to tho high
list throughout, giviug only a moderate dis
count even at wholesale, but Its patrons seem
willing to jvy tho prices, and a reduction or
modification would probably result in n loss
of caste
All tho piano makers, however, do not
frow rich. Ixmg credits and enormous bills,
money borrowed, and notei discounted at
ruinous rates work havoc among theso as
with other classes of business men. And
without copious advertising a piano maker
might as well oloso his doors. A piano can
not to sold at a fair price unless it U already
favorably known. It requires n Ions head as
well as a deep pocket to make, a good piano,
snd to soil it after It is made, Now York
Bun.
The Oar's race,
Tho faco of the car is neither hard nor
mean, yet there is a firmness always visiblj
behind tho ItautUomouess and the IndilTer-
tiico which would to culled a line of cruelty
' by his onemies, Imt on bouost determination
to ruio or iikt uy taoso woo Know turn best.
I like his face, and, in spite of my republican
principles, admire tho man. Copcohasen
Cor Co uri ex-Journal
DAUGHTERS OF EVE.
A gTanddoughter of Charles Dickens does m
flourishing business with a typo writer.
Tho Empress Eugenie has recovered her
health and now talks about a tour in the
Holy Land.
Miss Anna Dickinson, who has been 111 for
nearly a year, is slowly improving and will
shortly go south.
Mrs. Mackay presented tho new Countess
Cairns, who fa a Jewess by birth, a diamond j
and ruby aigrette brooch. '
Queen Victoria, having boon requested to
write her namo in a Bible specially printed I
tor ino colonics, and to odd a verso from
Scripture, selected tho following: "On earth
peace, good will toward men."
It is remembered of Jenny Lind that sho
disliked flattery. When tho sculptor Durhnm
made n bust of her sho was greatly displeased
with it, "I am," sho said to him, "an ugly
Swodo and you havo mado mo a beautiful
Englishwoman.
A young woman of culturo In London has
set tho fashion of wearing a black Portia
gown, lined with crimson, to tho theatres,
and has gainod several followers. Sho is
now trying to load off with a studded shirt
front and white cravnt.
Rose Elizabeth Cleveland has proved a
most acceptable teacher of history. Sho is
popular with her pupils at Mrs. Reed's board
ing school in New York, -and under her guid
ance they havo tocomo proficient in the his
torical studies undertaken.
In n Spanish newspaper, printed at Matnn
zas, Cuba, appears tho following advertise
ment: "Photographs of tho most beautiful
woman in tho world Sra. Frances Folsom
do Cleveland, tho lady of tho White House,
tho idol of 0,UOO,000 of people, the wife of
tho president of tho United States. Call for
tho 'El Rayo Vordo' cigarettes."
Tho wife of Don M. Dickinson, tho now
postmaster general, is a handsome woman
tall, with auburn hair, clear complexion and
largo dark eyes. Sho has always been very
popular in Detroit, and lias been a prominent
figure in tho social lifo of that city. She is
extremely affablo, and has both tact and dig-
nity. Sho is considerably younger than hor
husband.
CREATION'S LOWER ORDERS.
Tho largest cow in Dakota fa reported from
Cass county. Sho stands (1 foot high at tho
shoulders, and, though thin in flesh, weighs
1,600 pounds.
The weatherwiso of Maine say that tho re
cent capture of an immense Arctic owl near
Fish Point presages an early winter. Tho
bird measured 0 feet from tip to tip.
A htndsomo buck was recently shot near
Rock Springs, Ky., which for tho past ten
years had been a target for tho rifles of tho
hunters of tho neighborhood. Ho weighed
175 pounds and his antlers were of unusual
size.
In many portions of Idaho, Novada and
Wyoming tho rabbits aro so numerous that
thoy aro becoming almost as great a plaguo
as in Australia. Tho proprietors of a largo
ranch aro giving boys five cents apieco for
tlUWg tlicm, and somo of tho toy
earn as
much as 5 each per day. Tho dead rabbits
iro fed to hogs to fatten them.
Levi Campbell, of Kingsbury, Me., set a
bear trap and a bear got into it. He dragged
tho trap a good distance, until it was caught
in a log. Then Levi camo up and struck the
bear with an axo. Tho animal turned sud
denly, wrenched the trap loose, grabbed Levi,
ind was in a fair way to mako an end of him
when his dog pitched in nnd attracted tho
boar's attention until Lovl could drag him
self away.
Justico Jaunasch, of Kalamazoo, Mich.,
has a parrot that ho wouldn't sell for its
weight in silver. On five different occasions
bas this intelligent bird saved tho houso from
being burglarized. Tho last time was on a
rocont night. Tho burglar got tho door un
fastened, but when he opened it the parrot
iskcd, in a stern and harsh voice: "Hello,
thero! What's tho matter'' Tho burglar
didn't answer, but fell over himself in his
desperate effort to get nwny.
BRIGHT SAYINGS OF CHILDREN.
Boston Mamma You mustn't speak of your
legs, Flossie, when wo hnvo company. It isn't
polite, Flossio What should I say, mamma,
drumsticks!"' New York Sun.
Father Come, Bobby, you aro nil tired
out ; so hurry off to bed. Bobby, with a slow
and reluctant movement) Pa, you oughtn't
to tell a toy to hurry up when he's nil tired
out Philadelphia Iorth American.
"When little Meg sawn picture of Christian,
witii tho burden on his back, sho looked at it
curiously for a minute and then asked:
"Mamma, what makes the manny wear his
bustlo so high up on his back." Bostou
Transcript.
A tiny nephew onco heard his dearly Ixv
loved maiden aunt called an "old maid."
Tho child's elder brothers and sisters were
telling "w hat they were going to bo" ono day
soon afterward, aud little precocity aston
ished everybody in tho room by saying
earnestly that ho was going to to an "old
maid liko auntie, 'enuse sho mado everybody
dood." Kingston Freeman.
A sturdy little chap, somo 7 years old, had
a tantrum one day last week, nnd his mother,
in order to mark her displeasure nnd impress
it upon him, left him by himself nnd went to
her own room. He followed her as far as tho
door, and, after sho lvul passed in, closed it
somowhnt emphatically. Then no went to his
play. Half nn hour later he returned, opened
tho door softly nml looked in. His mother
caught his oyo nnd could not repress a smile.
"There," ho said, "I know you'd get over it
Now you nro my own dear mamma again."
Boston Herald.
Little Nellie, of West End, was in an ave
nue store yesterday with hor mother, and sho
was greatly pleased with tho Christinas array
of dolls. "Mamma," sho said, "I wont a
toby." "Very well, Nellie," replied tho
mother, "you shall have one," and Nellio
soon lind ono in her arms, but sh wns not
satisfied nnd still huug about the doll displav. i
Finally, half in fear nnd half in hope, she
whispered; "Mamma, I'd liko to havo twins."
"Washington Critic 1
SENATORS AND EX-SENATORS.
John Sherman is said to to worth $1,500 -000.
'
Senators Stanford, of California, nnd
Stockbridgo, of Michigan, turn over all their
salaries to tho clerks of their committees.
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, when in tho
senate before, was ono of tho most liberal
entertainers in Washington. His fortuno was
much larger then than it is now, yet ho
spends money with tho samo freedom that
charactermxi him then.
Ex-Sonator Dorsoy, Senator Windom and
Jesse R, Grant are at the head of a groat
syndicate which has purchased ho Moore
Benjamin iron mines in tho vVogebie rane,
In Wisconsin. The priixi jvaid for tio mines
iiid surrounding lands was tnoro than tn .
ae.oea
GAMES' OF THE FAKIRS 1
SMALL SCHEMES THAT LOOK HON
EST BUT ARE DECEPTIVE.
How the Itlnp Trick tTlns Tho Tripod
nnd Gripsack Man Smuggled Shawls
TClilch Kntrap the Unwary The Sailor
nnd Ills Clears.
Thero aro n thousand and one ways In
which tho unsuspecting resident or tho bu
colic visitor in New York may to roliovod
of his money without In tho lenst suspecting
that ho is being defrauded until tho opera
tion has boon performed. Thero nro innu
merable schemes dally in operation in tlii
, city by wuicli a great and greedy army of
, social harpies manages to take in quite a con
J siderablo revenue from their practice.
Perhaps tho most successful of theso littlp
, games is that ono generally described as "tho
kid glove racket" Tho method adopted in
this gamo is very simple, but is nearly always
I successful because it works so strongly on tho
imagination nnd nppenls with such peculiar
fotno to tho gullibility which reiwses in tho
i mind of thonvcrago man. Tho gentleman
. who plies this interesting gamo may to met
frequently on Broadway, between Four
! toenth and Twenty-third streets, and along
, tho Bowery. Ho selects n pedestrian who
1 from his appearance may tocomo n likely
I victim. Ho walks close Itesido tho man for a
I fow paces when suddenly ho stoops to tho
ground nnd picks up n dark object
" a niNO IN IT."
Naturally tho curiosity of tho prospective
victim is nrousod, and ho wants to know
what tho young man has found. "Pshnw,
' it's only a kid glove, d it!" oxelaims that
i individual, as ho makes a motion as if to
j throw it away. Ho restrains himself with a
start and cries: "There's a ring in it, by
gosh I Just feel it," and tho man addressed
fools, while, surely enough, there it fa. Then
tbo young man draws out tho ring, and,
holding it nt arm's length, exclaims with a
satisfied smile, "Ain't sho n toanty, thoughf
and "sho"' is, if glitter nnd size count for any
thing. To prove that tho ring is n valunblo
! ono ho oilers tho glovo for inspection, aud
this being always of tho best description, nnt-
urnlly oxcitos tho tollef that a person wcar
I ing such nn excellent glovo would naturally
j wear a valuable ring. By this timo tho vic
' tim is in good shajx?, and tho young man of
fers to sell tho ring for $5. It is too much,
tho man says.
"Oh, well, I'm dead broko nnd you can
1 hnvo it for 82." At this prieo tho victim
buys, and ho walks away with tho pleasant:
impression that ho carries a bargain with
him in his pocket which cost tho young mau
1 who sold it just throo cents. Ho soon learns his
mistake, but seldom tells others of how neat
I )y ho has Itoen scooped, and consequently tho
i young man who works "tho kid glovo rackot"
1 goes along serenely on tho road to woaltli.
I Any iersoii who passes along the Bowory
J during tho afternoon will probably notico n,
i man who, in and out of season, wears n high
1 white battered hat, n kind of linen duster, a
, woolen mufller around his neck and n ro
i markably red noso. Ho carries with him a
portablo trqxxl or stand and a weather beaten
gripsack which ho unfold nnd erects nt a
spot near Canal street, whoro thero is alwavs
a great throng of passcrsby. Ho glances
around to sco that no hated "copper" is in
sight, and then ho is ready for gudgeons.
His gamo is a modification " tho throo card
trick, or a still further illustration of tho do
greo to which tho now you soo it, now you
don't net, may to carried. He has a holo
about two inches square cut in tho partition
dividing in two comitartments of tho grip
sack, and in tho outer partition are four or
flvo small pasteboard boxes, something liko
thoso mado to hold cigarettes.
Ho picks up ono of the toxes, and, pulling
out its drawer, shows therein a five dollar
bill. Then ho announces to tho crowd which
gnthers so ojusilj- on the Bowery that ho will
allow anybody to draw that box who can do
so by paying ?1 for the privilege. The crowd
is not desirous to try, when suddenly n tough
young man wearing a jioa jacket ornamented
with great mock pearl buttons, says ho will
try. Ho puts down a dollar, draws a box,
and lo! it is tho ono containing tho bilL
nE TRIES IT AGAIN.
no invests another dollar, draws ngain, and
again ho is successful. Tho red nosed man
expresses his disapproval of his ill luck, but
announces that somebody must win. Tho
young man with tho ioa jacket says ho will
not try ngain, as ho is ?S in jockct and is
bnppy, and ho disnpionrs from tho sceno. By
this timo several men want to try their hands
ut tho drawing it looks so simple! Tho first
ono draws nnd finds his box contains a cako
of soap. Ho trios again, with a liko result
Nothing daunted ho shqw down another dol
lar for a chance, but fails to get tho box with
tho bill.
Of courso that particular box is nlways
dropped skillfully through tho Httlo slot in
tho partition. Then other observers try their
luck, but tho result is always tho samo they
como out losers. "When tho crowd is pretty
well worked tho rod nosed man gazes down
tho street nnd cries with a start, "Here's a
cop," and suddenly bundling up his traps ho
disappears down Canal street. Of courso
there is no "cop" in sight, and if any person
should follow tho ml nosed man ho will find
him in company with tho young man with
tho pea jacket in a saloon a block away,
drinking milk punches whilo chuckling over
their luck.
Tho most enterprising and elaborate of all
petty swindles is tho "smuggled shawl" busi
ness. This is really nn artistic little idea,
and tho man who practices it deserves to bo
called a Napoleon of finance in his way. Ho
drosses in a uniform similar to that worn by
stewards on llrst class ocean steamships. His
story never fails to mako tho desired impres
sion on his victims.
Ho goes nround in tenement houses during
tho day whilo tho lords of creation nro at
work and ho carries a parcel which ho de
clares contains n shawl of rare value which
has toon smuggled from Franco or Timbuc
tio or somo place far away. Sometimes it
is silk ho offers, but his makeup and tho
plausible story ho tells usually get him n pur
chaser. In this wny the guileless housowifo
buys u shawl for S20 which tho rascal gots
wholesalo on Catharine street for f 10 a
dozan. To this class of swindlers belongs tho
alleged sailor one moots so frequently along
tho river front who sells "smuggled" cigars
at $5 per box of 100 which bo purchased on
Tark row nt a cent apieco or loss. Now
York Press.
I SlmiiKr nnd Mysterious Fnet.
A day or two ngo n lady In tho West End
called my attention to n strange nnd mys
terious fact iu reference to the prevalence of
diphtheria throughout tho city. Sho liail no-
, ticed that in nine cases out of ten tho diseaso
was found in tho homes of families living on
tho south sido of tho streets running oust anil
vest, and on tho oast sido of tho streets run-
: ning north nnd south. Sbo wonted to know
my opinion ns to tho causo, but I must con
fess I was unablo to give hor any infimia
U mi I hnvo looked tho matter up, however,
ud I find she was right atout the location of
, th diseis- ou the south and east sidos of the
nrewv-- L". Warren Q, Priost In Qloto-Dom-
ocfat.