my first Valentine. .. k many 1ot-. lonjf ymri. nrjo Who-' ltij go I II not deflnc, Vnon llfo uj in Its morning glow, ' f.'amc my Urst Volentlnc. The breath of flow'rs, tlio son? of b'rds, Framed In nnd out with loving word. Agitn. oh yes. nnd yet again I mused upon thfi lino A "pucr" to my young heart then "O, tic my Vrtlcntlne." liut girt around with mystery's sheen, I quoded not what It might moan. Nor was I with tho problem tasked, For scorning mystic sign A lmndsomo school boy next day asked: "Where Is your Valentino!" With cheeks aglow and oves nshlno, I nnswored : "What's a Valentino ?" "A Valentino. Why," stammerod ho, "You half confuse a feller: "'TIs when ono loves h girl, you see, "And takes this way to tell her. "Uut look In 'Webster.' he will say. "It means more yet: 'All lover's day." O. little maid, your thirteen years Suggested not a cover To hide your faco of smiles and tears From such a knowing lover. Who could nsert with boyish gloe: "Ho I'll love you and you'll lovo mo I'll single out from mom'rles dim This, scaled with goldon sign : Thenceforth I ha-1 no nano to him Save this: "My Valentino." And I, with thrill or guileless shame, Under my breath, called him the sama. I dwell not on tho years that passed, When wM HfQ's fuller knowledge, Thol'nurcls at his feot were cast, Hard won from school and collcgo. And faith and hopobesldo him stood, Knch promising all futuro good. Anon the war cry thrilled nnln, Its dark cloud dimmed our day: And slnco the nation c.ill'd for men How could a hero stay Stay: with hoart grand, stainless, true- Wo bado godspeed "Tho boy In blue." Too soon from out tho deadly frav. They brought him, dono with strlfo; Tho brown curls on his forehead lay, Tho Hps smllod as in llfo. Hut touched as with a s -al divine. Thoy breathed no moro "My Valentino." 1 can not sav I lovod tho boy For llfo was free and young But it will bo with rapturous Joy If I but Unci among Tho ransomud hosts, in glory's lino, My own, my long-lost Valentino. Detroit Trtbunt. TERRIBLE PENANCE. Monks Hcource Their Hum Hanks Until lilood flows I' r om tint Wniimls, In tlio old days all nuns and monks in Mexico wore compelled by tho rigid rides of tlio owlor to uso tho discipline oimhoir own nakod persons ovory night mid morning before retiring to and ris ing from thu iron bedsteads that wort purposely mado too short and supplied only with a block of wood for a pillow. Mine. Caldoron do In Duron, in hor bok on Mexico, written forty yuars ago, tolls ns all about it. Says "sho. Tho discourse appeared liko a prona tion for tho oxeoution of a multitude" of condeinnud criminals. After It thoy nil joined in prayor with much fervor and enthusiasm, boating thoir breasts and falling upon their faces. Then n monk stood up, and in a very distinct voieo road several passages of Scripture descriptive of Christ's sufferings. The organ then struck up tho "Misororo," and all of a sudden tho church was plunged into profound darkness. Sud denly a terrible voice orled out in the dark: "My brothers, whon Jesus wn. fastened to the pillar by tho .Jews lie was scourged!" At those words we hoard the sounds of hundreds of scourges descending on tho bare llesb. lean noteoneoive any thing more hor . V('"le. lleforo ton minutes had -passed tno sounds booame splashing from blood that was Mowing. Wo could not leave the ehuroh, but it was perfectly sickening, and had 1 not been able to hold Senora s hand, and thus fool something human be Hide tno in the darknoss, I eouli liave fancied myself transported into Dante's inferno. Now and thou a sup- pressed groan was hoard, and occasion, ally tho voice of the monk oneouraginj Ilium by ejaculations or by short pus Hugos from tlio Hiblo. Somot linos tie organ struck uj), and tho poor wretches tried in faint voices to join in the "Miserere." Tho sound of tho scourg ing was indescribable. At tho end of half an hour a little bell was rung, and tho voice of tho monk was hoard call ing upon them to desist; but such was thoir enthusiasm that the horrible lash ing continued louder and fiercer than over. In vain ho entreated them not to kill themselves, that heaven would be satisfied, and that human nature could not endure beyond a cortaiu point. No answer but tho loud sound ot the scourges as thoir sharp iron points entered tho Mesh. At length, as if they woro xirfoolly exhausted, tho sound f row fainter, and llttlo by little roused altogether. Wo then got up in the dui'k. mill u'ltli irpiiiiO 1 1 1 111 1 irivMiiul our way through tho gallorios and down I tho stali-s till wo reached tho door and had tho ploasuro of again fflollng tho fresh air. Thoy toll us that tho church floor is frequently covered with bood after one of those penances, nnd that a man died tho other day in consequence of his wounds. This awful penance was known as (ho dosagruvlos, and it must bo remembered thntoaoh man scourged only himself; if they hud seourged each other tho ter rible energy displayed would seem less astonishing. The season of desugruvios used to continue thirty-llvoduys of every year. The women attended church in tho morning, no men having bqon per mitted to outer, and tho mou in the evening, when women wore not iuU mitted. Tho penance of tho women was much loss severe, and consisted chiefly in kneeling for half an hour, with arms extended in tho form of a cross, a very painful position after the llrsl live minutes. .Wife;. Want, in Philadelphia Jlevord. AMONG THE SiAw.oi. 1 1- Hoclal Condition') of U in of tlif "W'Ml turoitliig Oriental Countries. It is said that bl biam the i o ijilo in an slaves. liut It is no' inn .-invert wo goncrally undorstnnd. bulnspch of slavish feudalism. Prisoners f war and thoir children for nil time itr absolute slaves. Of liieso thoro are largo number, uui trio remainder an bonded lo somo master. A parent S 'V.B Ms child, or a limn sells himself, or rather mortgages himself. Ho bor rows n sum of money at a very lienvi rate of interest fifteen per cent, being tho legal rate, but a liighor rate per missible and pays tho interest through life. Tho debt also binds his children. Overy ono in this way first bolongs lo some uobloman, being mnrked by a tattoo, generally on tho wrist, to in dicalc his master. He owos to tho no bleman fifteen days' work each yoar. In addition to this is tho mortga.ro or sale to somo other must or. perhaps rs than a uohtemau. P lygamy is universal, and one soos at (ho (healer a man in tho dress circle of mou, while Ins wifo or wives and slaves (female) aro in I ho womou's Irclc. All classes chew tho hotel nut. and at the llionler each family lias tho botal pot and spittoon. Tho latter is carried by a slave, who hands it to tho ladies when I hoy wish to spit. J lie bolel uut is astringent nnd some what intoxicant. It is ohowed in con nexion with a panto mado of lime, to- bare and popper loaf. It iot only blackens tho lootli, but orneks the lips. and so in j ires the gunn that tho teo h aro caused to proiiudo and look snaggv The King. Princes and common peo plo aro alike slaves to tho nastv habit, and half of tho womon havo thoir mouths inj ired if not absolutely dis torted by it. Otherwise, tlio women aro decidedly comely, having line forms and good gaits. Womon and men dress so near ly alike that I could hardly distinguish ono from the other for sovoral days, for all woar short hair. j no oress is a cio'h, eatlod "pa noong." about two foot wide, wrapped around the waist, with ono corner drawn botweon the logs and caught in a girdle at Iho waist. This makes a sort, of Mowing Irousor, falling to the knees. A gonlloman wears a closely-but toned coat (sneque) buttonod to tlio nock, with long stockings and low shoo. Tho common man disponsos with tho coat, stockings and shoos. Tlio woman generally allows tho "panoong" to hang like a petticoat, and wraps about her breast a girdle, leaving tho upper part of tho bosom and shouldors on tlrely buro, and nono woar shoes. Many of tho working women dispouso with tho glrdlo entirely. Tlio groat mass of people, even in tho city, go baro-loggcd and bare-footed. This is universal in tho country. The women appear lo bo industri ous, and perform much moro than half the work. Tho men aro lazv and. witli tho exception of fishing, appear will ing to leave tlio womon lo earn Iho bread. All are in vet oral o gambiors, and ono rarely soos a gainbling-house. of which there aro a great many, otiier wlso than full. Thoy aro ontiroly open to tho street, canal or river, and at night aro distinguished by their many lights. Carter 11. Harrison, in Chi cago Mail. THE TRUE SEA-URCHIN. ( A Now Delicacy From tlio Hon A ti .ill t.i Hi Guneral y Introduced. A now edible delicacy of murine origin, nnd suronssing. in tho opi- -ion of ninny S iiithorn gourmands, the finest oystors, is about to Lo in troduced into this country. A supply of tho true M dltorranoan son-urchins in good condition is to bo co l slgiied to our market, and English epicures will bo asked to try tho eggs of tho oehlnid inn afler tho fashion of Marseilles that is, by oating them i'M' tho shells, raw and uncooked. The son-urchin, which sciontiflc mon, with the plavful simplicity characteristic of Iho kind, hnvo agreed to designnto tho "strongylo icenrotus," is an nrti-clt-offood in ninny pnrts of tho world as most pooplo nro probably aware. Honco olio of tho common names it bears anions fish-folk who hnvo MONEY WORSHIPERS. no roputatlon kcop up, nnd tho "soa-ogg. " tho shoros of tho fivo-colled rosette for lonrning to who called it But nil nlong Mediterranean tlio forming the i side of tlio prickly croaturo is ostconiod ono of Iho tastiest morsels yielded bv tlio sen. Strangers visiting tho Marseilles fi-di market will soo baskot afler baskot there filled with these hrowny-green and violet-colorod "hedge-hogs i.f tho docp." They aro deftly openod by tlio fishwives, tho left hand being pre lected against tho sluirp prickles bv a stout clo.li wrapped around it, t ho stomach-sack is cut out, nnd the lino orange-colored eggs in tho contor ex posed and handed upon tho shell to tho customers over ready for tho dainty. Thoso eggs aro only to bo found in the "urchin" bolwoen tho months of October and May. that is, about tho samo time tho oyster is in season. At other limes tlio eggs aro missing, and many worthy pcoi lo havo pronounced tho croaturo good for nothing hecauso thoy happenod to capture and open it at the wrong senson of tho yoar. The urchin fishery, owing to tlio great de mand for tho crustacean in Southorn Europe, is ono of Iho most important in tho Mediterranean. The croutnro3 fro quo it rocky ground, and in tlio form of round, prickly balls, thoy aro found, hundreds togolhor. a fow foot below high water mark in tho shoals of tlio Spanish, Fronch and Italian coast. Thoy are c.ipturod by means of a cloft stick, with which tho fishor pokes about in their haunts, and often, too. by divers. In the bay of Narlos nothing is more amusing than to wal eh tho urchin fishers at work in search of thoir prey. Howing to tho spot whero thoy aro carrying on opora tions, one may soo somo scores of hoads bobbing about in tho water, and probably an equal nuinbor of pairs of legs, all belonging to bodies that aro Invisible. Suddonly a head will go down and a pair of logs como up; then, ns unexpected I', ono of thopnir of logs will go down and a head bob up. "A puzzling spuctnele," says Mr. H. Jones, who has well describ ed tho fishery, "and a constant vicis situde from licols to hoads and from heads to heels." London Morning Post. NEW YEAR IN SIAM. A COSTLY TROUSSEAU. of "I can iiilio spirits," said along haired medium. "Thash's alt riirhtl" exclaimed a drunken fellow In thu tin. dieuee. "You 'em down." raidli 'urn uti' I'll put anrKooUM Preparation for tliu Wedding i union's doling Kmiurir. . I . i . , .1 It. . Aiiiiougn i no weaning ot tlio young Emperor of China "ill probably not lake place before 188'J, thousands hands are already busv with the ladv' irousseau and wedding prosonts, which havo probably novor boon equalod in wealth at any other court Iho following aro Iho prosonts tho young K nporor Is presenting to his linnee before their ninrringo, after tho actual engagoinont present, which eon slsts of a gold seal, rlohly Inlaid with jewels, Iho handle being formed by two gold dragons. Up to a month provious to the wedding, the lady Is presented wilh 10 piebald liorsos with complete trappings, 10 gilt hel mets and cuirasses, 100 pieces of satin and 200 pieces of cotton material as wedding prosonts. Jhe bride receives 200 ouncos of gold. 10.000 ouncos of silver, ono gold tea service, consisting of teapot and ono cup with a lid; ono silver sorvico, twosllvor wash basins, 1,000 pieced of satin, 20 liorsos with? complete ... i trappings -'0 liorsos without trappings. .v saddles tor paok-horsos and mules, and costly gifts aro also made to tho paronts and brothers and sisters of thu bride. Iho brldo s hats are tho most remarkable among tho rich trousseau. Tho winter court hat has a rim of satin; tho crown is mado of rod velvet, from tho contor of which rises a button composed of throo parts, each of which is ornamented with three small oblong pearls of particu lar beauty and seventeen ordinary pearls, whilo In tho center otuach part another splendid pearl Is set in gold and surmounted by a gold phoenix. A handkerchief worn on thu breast is green, richly embroidered, trimmed with tassels of jjwols and red ribbon. A gala apron of red and blue satin, trimmed with otter skin nud em l.roldored iu gold, dragon fans and skirls of many dlM'orent kinds aro also part of this gorgeous outfit, and the furniture for the futuro E.upross is in koopl ig. Shanyhai Herald, At tho recent annual Hoar's Head dinner at Queen's College, Oxiotd, the head, a magnificent specimen, weighing oyer eighty pounds, was borne in on tho shouldors of four servants. Peculiar Oriental Kilns, Cimtoms, Cera moultm unit Knstlvitien. All Slnnieso birthdays aro colobralod al Now Year's, and at this time tho curious custom of "hair-cutting" is observod. Whon a boy reaches tho ago of olovon or fifteon, and a girl that of nine or thirteen, thoy are consid ered no longor childron. Up to this ti mo a tuft of hair is allowed to grow just above I ho forohoad, and is always .dressed wilh groat care. It is twistod Into a graceful knot and hold together with a long go'.d or jowolod pin. At tho baso of tills knot is worn a wroath of fragrant white flowors. Tho coro monlcs of hair-outting often last five or six days. It is tho "coming-out party ot tho boy or girl, and there after thoy nro not permitted to minglo with tho olhor sox as childron, but are considered to havo arrived at a mar riageable age. At Iho timo the youngest Mow tho Average Xtttlrn America'! Hun gers Altr Million. It must bo said, howover, that tin Americans nro more opon man nuv olhcr nation on tlio globo to th chnrgo of worshiping money. That is adiseaso that vast numbers of them would liko to catch, and not having a chanco at it thoy merely moldor away in country towns and in city suburbs ami iu laborous walks whore the remaining freshness of our llfo is to be found; but our middle class a soon as it rccolvos education bogins to asplro not lo tho exoelonco of per fection in somo se'e cu or art or morals, but to rapid money, and with it a complete ehnnffo of friends and surroundings. After tho Amer ican has mado his fortuuo Ihoro is not much more to expect irom lit in. He finds no joy in his llfo liko that, thlrstful gain, a id Indeod thu methods of woalth hereabout partake of tho gamester's arts and groed. Tho gambler has two sins upon his soul the first tho sin of unniercifulness and tho second tho sin of unrest. II) will not only plunder whoever will sit with him and bo engaged, but ho will not bo able to apply his ill-gottou gains lo any ,u ot or happv utility. Tho gamo ho has learned forces him on and on in quest of another man who will play. nnd. there fore, our society, which is made up of tho stiecossf.il men, h,as most ol the qualifications of gambling socioty. The y ung man who has got nearly his million no longor stays at homo of nights, or if ho has a fino houso ho wonders how ho can turn it Into his business as an instrumentality, so as to make moro money. Ho notifies his wifo to visit whore thoro aro rich cus tomers. Sho receives hor portion of tho gamingstakos in an unusual allow ance, carriages and horses, and tho op portunity to purchase hither and thith er. Sho fools now and thou that things aro not going right; that t ho man is giving hi' soul instead of his real facullios to Iho route for wealth, and sho wonders if ho will ever, unless he becomes very sick, bo at homo again liko the bridegroom of her youth, who! sought her out above all o'hers and gavo hor his attontions unasked. Still sho thinks that ho has olevated his condition immensely, and it must go on. And, therefore, all day long he schemes, and smllos, and :akos in money, and tho cards go against him now and then, anil ho feels that some thing must be dono to recover that stake, and he attends clubs, not as a club man, but as a gambling man, looking for to-morrow's respondent and customor. Even tho chtirehos aro filled with those gamblers and their familios, looking across- at oach othor from pew to pow. and making them selves boliovo that a valuablo hour ex tracted from business will surely bo considered by Iho Lord in what Ho in tends to lot Hi servant mako on the board or at tho shop during tho com- ing woek. Oath, in Cincinnati Enquirer. RICH MEN'S FKEAKS. Eccentric Action twnl Will nt Otherwise Snimlble MUlloiiHlrci. A French millionaire named Henri Meynard. who died in tlio South of Franco about two years ago, was dur ing his llfo esteemed a man of extra ordinary common sense. Ho amassed a large fortuuo in cotton -spinning and was one of iho most noted i Micor.s of tho French Government in his part of tho country. Still his will was con tested by. his heirs on tlio ground of insanity, and it certainly contained sonic curious provision. It directed that his a flin should bo deposited in a tomb cut iu a solid block of stono and that comont should bo run into Iho interstices and over tho top so that tho whole should form one solid mass. Upon tlio top of tho wholo a slono was then to bo c mooted and tho solid block con taming the body was then to bo put up In tho cupola of his house. Tho will directed that his homo containing art collodions to the amount oi ssiu uuu sliould remain un inhabited except by tho scores of dogs, chickens, j igeons and oilier pets which I lie testator was so fond of dm ing his lifetime, and that the house should romnin un'ouched except for repairs. Another rivnehninn provid od that a new cooking recipe should bo pasted on his loin I) each day, and another millionaire provided lhat an opitapli to his dog should bo put be sido his own upon his monument. Ihero is a millionaire iu Connecticut who has now passed his throo score and Ion who has made his and who has arranged all of his funeral. His sou, and ho is said namo to bo own co flin. tho details is Richard tho richest Ho is n good bu has increased h.s father left .ra"k on tho n an in Connecticut inoss man, and a fortune which him. Ho is a subject of elm timber for coflins and it is now forty years since ho sent to England for an olm saplin While it was growing ho told his friends that ho intended to bo finally buried within it, ami that ho hoped to havo enough wood from it to furnish collins for all his friends. A few years ago tho tree, thon over thirty years old, was cut down and enough material got out of it to mako three coflins. Ho packed ono of these away in his garret for himself, burning his namo into tho top and sides wilh iron. He said that an engraved plate would bo too exponsivo and his directions for his funeral provido that tho sim plest ceremony shall bo used. Enough of the wood for another coffin ho sent to Dr. Dix, iho rector of Trinity Church, New York, and tho othor planks he prosontod to his only brothor. Dr. Dix is said to havo had n coMin made from tho wood, but tho brothor. though he has sent his thanks for iho present, has not cared to do so. Albany Y. ) Argus. TO GERRYMANDER. Us ml lo DEADLY CIGARETTES. Hoards of llmilth .Should Take Moasuros Against Thulr Consumption. While the war has raged wilh vary ing fortnno over tho question of to bacco from tho issuance of King James' counterblast to tho present time, no defondor of tho Indian weed has boon found who would vonturo to assort that it is innoxious lo youths anil childron. On tho contrary, nil writers who havo tion agroo that the and especially of studied tno quos effect of tobacco, cigarottos, is uni- 11 ll rv of tho hnlr-cutting of daughter of tho Into the entire country nssomblod at die capital to witness the services. Plays and pantomines, operas and balls were given tho pooplo for a weok; Iho country was in a state of oxcossivo exhileratlou. O.i tho last dav a pro- osslon of Siamese, Malays, Chinese, Peguans, Burmese. Laos, Karens and Japanese filed past tho King and his lovely daughter, soatod upon a throne of gold. Groups of pretty womon danced at the foot of tho throno with Miiall silvor troos in thoir hands tho symbol of maiden purity. Soft music issued from unseon bauds and intoxi cating perfumes woro wafted from real and artitioial banks of Mowers. Tho nlr was charged with greetings to the happy maid that was that day tho re- clplont of no loss than thirty-live of fors of marrlago from neighboring princes. Iho hair-cutting was dono in tho King's chapel by the family priest. after which tho little lady was bathed In holy water, and, clad in moro gorgeous raiment than over boforo. proclaimed a woman. Many olhor rilos and ceremonies aro observed Now Year's, such as tho bath. Ing of tho prlosls by tho King and the bathing of his Majesty by the Prinoos of tho minor principalities, tho offer- Ing of special obligations lo Huddha by tho King for the welfare of his poo plo during the nowyear, and the build. lug of new temples to his honor. hntovor can bo dono to propitiate thoir deity is attempted, and overv ilensuro of which tho people can con ceive Is Indulgod Iu by thorn during this, tho greatest festival of the yoar. A'. 1. Comtnereial Advertiser, formly injurious to tho young, and that undor no concoivablo conditions! can it be harmless to thoin. It has boon demonstrated that tobacco j chocks tho physical growth of chil dron, clouds thoir minds and impairs thoir intellects, and dovolops a kind . 11 (1 M. oi noun trouuio wnicn oiton re sults tatally. So well is this known and understood that can didates for admission to the United Statos military or naval acad emy aro now examined with special roferonco to disorders produced by cigarotio-smoKing, and a largo pro portion of those who aro rejected owe thoir fail nro to pass tho physical ex animation to tho injurious and nine tioual disorders ouusod by cigarottos, It is no uncommon thing nowadays lo seo children scarcely out of drosses pulling at a cigarette -with all tho non chalauco imaginable; and such cigar ottos, too, as thoj generally are. The hablos' means aro so limited that thoy can buy nothing out tho cheapest am! vuosi kiiuis oi cigarettes, sucli as no man who knows any thing about to bncoo would look at, much loss smoko and fWltli these indescribably nasty concoctions thoso youngsters procood to poison thomsolvos San Francisco Chronicle. Plantation Philosophy. n may iuko or smart man tor no or raskll, y it nrtor all, widout good sonso dar ain t no honesty. 1IM I. on u comos lor do test, it 'ponr liko do smooth an' smilin' man doan hoi' out oz well ez do man dnt ain't got sloh or bright face. Do crab applo makes bettor cider don do sweet apple da I 'splzo tor soo er little man dat is proud. Ho puts mo in initio o' do fiece dog dat doan look up tor soo how high do co'n stalks is orbovo him, but looks, down tor soo how fur do grass is below hi in. Wo sometimes finds fault wid pns- hous ouzo da's changeable, an' say dat da ain't do right sorter folks, but we may bo wrong. Do grcon brior nubor changes, winter nur summon but stead o' b'arin' fruit it Is alius reudv tar t'aryo' cloze. .drkansaw Travt'er. Origin of a Word Fri-quent'y Political Discussions. This word originated, according to good authority, undor the following interesting circumstances: In 1811 tlio nnti-Fodoralists, or Rspuhlicuns, i as thoy woro then called, of Massn ' ehusotls, after a bitter contest, sue cecdod in electing their candidate for 1 ii ivornor, r.iur.ugo ii Try, and a ma- j jorily in both houses of the Legisla Hire, in order to maintain this ma jority in tlio future, thoy proceeded to roorganizo Iho senatorial districts of the State, which had hitherto been formed without any division of coun- lios by dividing counties so as to secure a iJomocrauo niaioritj-, ovon though the counties wore, in roality. strongly Federal in sontimofiU Tho Federalists protested, but in vain; tho uivisions woro mauo without ovon n ! consideration of tho proprioty of the act; tho work was sanctioned by I Governor and became a law , his signature, whoroforo i political opponents soundly iigaioit nun iirougu tno nowspapors and at public mootings. In E sox County the nrrangemont of tho dis- Iricls iu relation lo tho towns was singular and absurd. Itussoll, the veteran editor of tho Boston Sintinel, took a map of that county nnd, color ing tho soloctod towns, hung it on the wall of his editorial room. Ono day Gilbort Stuart, tho omlnont painter, was in Iho room, and looking at tho map. roniarked that tho colored town ships resombled somo monstrous ani mal. Ho took a pencil, nnd with a fow touches drew a head, wings, claws and tail. "There." said Stuart, "that will do for a Salamander." Ktissull, look ing at tho hidoous figure, exclaimed: "Sa'amandorl Cull it jcrry-mandor." An engraved copy of this map wa? widely circulated by Hussoll, and tho word was immediately adopted into tho national political vocabulary as a term of reproach for thoso who chango boundaries of districts for a partisan purpose. at. J.oins U lobe-Democrat. the by his cas- POOL-PLAYING BOYS. How Tlioy Are Taught to llrcomo Gam blers anil Eventually Tliievei. The young idoa of this city is lonrn ing to sltoot very rapidly at present. That is, tho male portion is spending lunch timo and considerable cash in initiating Itself into tho mysteries of fiftccn-bull pool and tho art of gam bling. Instead of amusing thomsolvos after school or business hours in a manner of which their parents would approvo, .tho bojs of tho city hie llioiusclvcs to tho nearest pool-room or, making up a party, proceed to somo secluded spot lo enjoy tho ex citement of Iho scductivo game of "penny ante" or a "little gamo of draw." with a ton cent limit. This is particularly truo iu tho upper wards of Brooklyn. Ono soldom pnssos a knot, of boys on Iho street but such phrases as "Did yor git on to dor sucker I outtght last night?" or "I scooped do pot with a pair of trays," are heard. It is only recontly that cigar store keepers havo realized how profitable a pool table is. Formerly, to piny a gamo of pool or billiards it was neces sary lo r sort to a liquor saloon, but now cigar stores with pool-rooms at tached aro tho rule, and the number is steadily increasing. According to law. boys undor eight eon yours of ago aro not allowed to frequent I'ool-rooius. In Brooklyn, howivct, this Jaw is practically dead, for all hough a placard in tho store an nounces that "boys undor eighteen years of ago will not bo allowed in this pool-room," i ho proprietor would soon bo compolcd to shut up shop sliould he enforce tho rule. Tho boys who patron zo these places aro not more than fifteon years of age, and aro usually employed as ofilco boys or iu some other minor capacity in this city. Instead of buying thoir lunch thoy savo tho money to gamble with. Five cents for each player in every game is what it costs to play pool. Tho player scoring tho lowest nuinbor of points pays for tho game. Tho proprietor of tho place gives oach player a "chock" on oach game. A "cheek" passes in tlio store for two and a half cents. It is necessary to hold two chocks to get a package of cigarottos, a cigar or a bottle of soda water or ginger ale, so that to realizo on iho "chocks" it is cssoutial that moro than ono gamo bo played. This system of "chock" giving is moro demoralizing than tho gamo itsolf. Tho boys dosirous of emulat ing Iho "young bloods" who figure is heroes in tlio cheap literature ol tho day, add o tho excitement of tho gamo by using tho "cheeks' as cap ital and wagering thorn on tho result. This small stako soon becomes tamo and the precocious boys add to thoir "glory" by betting monoy. Iho amount of these wagers steadily mcreasos and tho result is soon ap parent. Tho boy who was iu tho habit of appearing neatly attired bo gins to look shabby. Whon ho first wont to work ho promised himself that ho would alwtvys havo good clothing and that ho would lay asido a small amount each week to enable him lo carry out his intention. Ho didn't foreseo that ho would bocomo in fatuated with pool. But ho did bo como infatuated, and tho 11101103' with which ho wns to purehaso clothing has gone to swell the profi.s of tho pro prietor of l lie table he played on. But ovon by spending all his monoy at pool ho is not satisfied. He must havo more. But how shall ho got it? Somo boys who work for small waged and spend as much as ho does novor seom to ba "broke." How do thoy manago it? Surely their parents don't supply thoin with so much. Many of (hose young prodigals maka a practice of selling postago stamps to grocers and cigar doalors at a consid erable discoun from their faco value. Tho Government allows no profit to bo made on postago stamps. How then can tho boys afford to sell thorn so choap? But 0110 inferonco can bo drawn. Tlio boy who frequents pool-rooms and gambles will almost surely, 6oouer or later, yiold to tomptaliou. X. Y. Press. HIS SUNDAY SUIT. A Fair Understanding. When tho owner of a factory down tho River road hired a watchman tho othor day, ho said: Now, Jamos, lot us havo a fair un derstanding." "Yes. sir. that's what I want. Thu wages aro ten dollars a woolc." "Yes." "And no raiso if I discover sus- piclous characters about, or report attempts at incendiarism or rob. berv?" ' No raiso, James, undor any circum stances." "Very woll. sir, yon'n not hour of any thing happening while I am in charge. Good-day, sir, wo under- stand oach other." Detroit 'ru PrtiU Ita Ex-Owner Tells How It Came ta Chuuce Wearers. "Tho other day," ho said, as ho was talking to a knot of mon in a tobacco store, "whon that sharper wont around and got hold of two or throo ladies' sealskin sacques bv falso representations, I wont homo and said to my wif : " 'Martha, if a fellow should como hero and say that ho had boon sont by Mr. Blank to got your sealskin sacquo for a pattern would you lot it go.' " 'Most assuredly not,' was hor prompt roply. "But why?' 11c cause inai is an oui gamo on which I am postod. I should liko to seo a sharpor try any such game 011 me!' "Two or throo nights later I wont homo and sho ask mo what I wanted of my Sunday suit. " 'Why, nothing.' " -Why did you sond for it, then?' " 'Bui I didn't.' " You surely did! A follow came Hero and said you wanted it, and I sont it by him.' " 'You did! Ho was a swindlor! I thought you said no sharpors could boat you?' " 'Yes, but I thought sharpers always inquired for soaUkui siicquos, and never for men's clothing.' "Yo, sir, sho gavo him a suit of clothos which cost mo sixty-five dol lars, and 1 shall never soo hido nor hair of it agalu." Detroit Fret Freu.