HELEN LAKEMAN;
on,
The- Story of a Youngr Girl's Strug
gle With Advorslty.
BY JOICf R. MUSIOK,
Author or "The Uankkh or Bed ford,"
"Waltku BKOwyrisU)," Etc
Copyright, isse, by A. X. Kdlflgg Xeat paper Co.
Helen paused a momem, while a look
of pain overspread lilr face, then,
struggling to keep back tiw tears, she
said:
"No! no! I havo been very wicked to
think so much about him it has caused
this trouble already."
Turning about she started down the
road, accompanied by the little cripple.
Iloae stood and watched them as they
passed over the hill moving very
slowly, for little Amos was unable to
go fast, and then she sobbed: "Oh,
Jod ! will rather and mother over be
forgiven for this wrung?"
Duruting into a fresh flood of weep
ing, the kind-hearted Roso threw her
self down in a fence corner, to bo
aroused a moment later by a thunder
peal which seemed to shake the earth
to its very center.
chapter virr. ,
BUKI.TKU WITH AN ENEMY.
Helen Lnkcman watched with pnnc
iiii.iet. ti.osc great llack clouda rapidly
spreading over the horizon. Little
Amos hurried along as fast as lie cottlil ;
the terror of being out in a thunder
storm made him tax his strength to the
utmost. Struggling and panting up
the hill, lie looked his sister in the face
with an anxious look, and said :
"Sister, do you reckon it will catch
us?"
"I hope not, brother. Let me carry
you on my back, will you not ? "
No! no! no!" said the cripple; "you
have that big carpet-bag with all our
vlothcs in it that's enough for you
without carrying me."
"But you can carry the carpet-bag
and I carry you."
"That won't make it any better,"
go-spud the boy, panting from his exer
tion. The sun, which had shown
through a rift In tho cloud, was soon
obscured, nnd a heavy peal of thunder
rolled along tho western horizon, mak
ing the earth tremble.
"Oh, sister," cried tho despairing
child, "it will catch ua it's coinin'."
"Wa will as fast as wo can." said
ITelen, her face white with terror aa
she beheld the black cloud.
"Sister," little Amos panted, "don't
jou think tho Day of Judgment is
omin'?"
"No, brother dear, only a heavy
thunder-storm."
Wild and angry darts of lightning
shot athwart the sky in almost every
direction and the thunder became in
cessant. Great drops of rain began to
fall, striking the road "spat-spat," and
sending the dust in little clouds with
ouch fall.
"Wo can't get nowhere, sister,"
pleaded little Amos, in despair.
"That large oak at tho sido of tho
lane will shelter us," cried Helen, seiz
ing her brother in her arms.
The rain hail now Umin to fall in
torrents' while tho heavens were lurid
with lightning Hashes followed by deaf
ening thunder peals.
Helen, bearing tho boy, his crutches
and tho heavy carpet-bag, ran tho
gauntlet of tire-darting lightning to tho
tree, where they wcro only partially
sheltered from the rain and in constant
peril from the lightniug. A tree not a
lozen rods away was shivered from its
branches to its roots, and both Helen
and the child so shocked they fell to
the ground.
"Oh! sister, wo will be killed, we
will bo killed," cried Amos.
"Then we will go to Hoaven, brother
dear," said the brave girl, smiling in
tho midst of the storm, "you want to
go there, don't you ? "
"But I don't want to go this way."
"Don't bo alarmed, little brother.
God is near. He rides on tho tempest
and can shield ns from harm."
"Oh ! sister, pray fpr us."
Helen prayed fervently for God to
spare thum not only from the dangers
of this tempest, but from greater storms
of sin and temptation. Tho tree
afforded them but a poor shelter, and
I hey were soon soaking wet. The
storm abated. Tho rain still fell,
though not in such torrents, and it had
grown considerably cooler after tho
storm. Both Helen and tho little crip
ple were shivering with cold.
"It has almost stopped now, let us go
on," said Helen.
"Whcro will wo go?" asked tho
trembling boy.
"I do not know; we must not stay
licro at tho roadside, we must find a
shelter somo where"
"I am ready, sister, to go anywhero
with you."
"Let mo carry you."
"No! no! I can walk."
"But see tho road is muddy now fron
tho rain, and you can. not go fast on
your crutches. Flense let sister carry
you."
At this moment a merry voice was
heard singing:
"Come all you darllnR ladle,
Remember what my trada is
To please you I will try,
I have ribbons and I've laces
V To adorn your pretty faces,
Soot Peto, tho peddler, buy,
Although I come nearer,
You see I'm no dearer
Than the man who keeps the store.
I can Mil a dress and tnmmin'
With a costly Ublo linen
Cheaper than ever before."
The song and voice were both fnmll
iar to Helen. Tho song was Fete the
peddler 'sown composition, whether it
was original or moroly a parody fixed
up to fit Pete, no ono knew, but it
suited bh business, and he sans it
PETK, H1K PEDDLER.
Sho knew it was Pete beforo he enmo
in sight around the bine with his largo
pack on his back, and an oil cloth
spread over it to keep it dry. Ho
paused a moment when ho saw Helen
and her littlo brother and gazed at
them in wonder.
"Well, say, now, what in the name o'
common sense are ye doin' out hero in
tho rain?" he stammered, removing his
pipe from his mouth.
"We are going somewhere," Helen
answered.
"Ye are, well where are you coin' ?"
oming from the muddy lane to the
tree where they were standing.
"I don't know," Helen said, sadly.
"we are hunting a new situation."
"A new situation," and Peto
knocked the ashes from his pipe
" wan't tho old one good enough ?"
"Yes, good enough for me, but 1 was
not good enough for it," said Helen,
sadly.
"Oh yes, I understand now," said
Pete, removing his cap and scratching
his iron gray head, " I can sco through
it just like it were five-cent calico. Umph
Umph ! They didn't tell ye back to the
farm house why ye were discharged r
"No except they did not want a
girl."
"Well, perhaps they didn't ; and so
ye don t know where yer goiu ?
"No sir."
"Well, if ye'll come with mo I'll seo
that vc hev a night's lodgin'. I'm a
goin' to Mr. Arnold's to stay all night,
an1 it's the n euros t place for ye."
"Bnt Peto, 1 do not want to go there.
He. is the man who ruined us and
and took away our home. Oh, I iioyoi
want to get in his power again."
"I know ho's shoddy, he's a lazy
piece o' goods at best, filled up with
stareh an' colors not fast by any means.
but then, when he's paid for a night's
lodgin' I don't know any other house
yo could reach afore dark."
"Would it bo right for me to go
there ?"
t'Sartinly, this child would die aforo
morning out o' doors, an' yo must
either go there or back to Mr. Stu
arts."
Helen had determined not to go back
to Mr. Stuarts, be tho consequences as
they might, and was forced to seek
lodging under the roof of an enemy.
Better, perhaps, would it havo been to
havo died in the woods, than for that
poor girl to have gone near, the house
of James Arnold.
"Well, boy, mount up hero on my
pack an' I'll carry ye," said Pete, in a
voice so cheerful that little Amos
laughed in spite of his suffering.
Helen helped him on the pack, which
tho peddler had not unslung, and then
gave him his crutches while she took up
the heavy carpet-bag.
MTTLE AMOS ON THE PEDDLlt'S PACK.
"They'll think I'm tho organ-grinder
man, little boy, and yer my monkey,"
said Pete, with a laugh so hearty that
Amos joined him, and a smile flitted
over the sad face of Helen.
The road was very muddy, and trav
eling difficulty It was fully three
fourths of a mile to the house of Mr.
Arnold, and tho roads were in such a ter
rible condition that Helen Lakcman,
with the largo carpet-bag, was almost
exhausted when she reached it.
Pete, the peddler, never seemed to
tire, but sung snatches of comic songs
as he plodded along, for tho amuse
ment of tho boy. Helen was very
much afraid that ho was tiring Pete
out, and begged tho peddler to let him
walk, but tho good-hearted fellow de
clared ho was "as fresh as tho colors on
his new bit calico, and clear through
without fadin1 or ravelin'."
Tho houso was reached at last, and
Mrs. Arnold, with her glasses on and
nose high in tho air, met them at tho
door.
chapter rx.
6!ir IS THK TIMET.
"Why, who aro these, anyway?" the
portly Mrs. Arnold asked, giving her
head a supercilious toss. Helen,
muddy and bedraggled, was hardly
recognizable, while tho misorablo
child on tho peddler's pack scarcely
looked liko a human.
"Don't yo know me, Missos Arnold?"
Potu asked.
"Yos, this is Pote. tho peddlor, an'
lemnio see; why, ain't this Holuu Lako
man?" "It lu." said Helen, with all the
spirit she hid at command, for some
how sho regarded Mrs. Arnold in somo
way as the author of her present mis
erable condition.
"Why, yea, it is. Poor child! what
in the world brought you out in the
rain?" saitl Mrs. Arnold, looking first
down and then tossing her head high
in the air.
"I started out to find a new situation,
and we were caught in the rain. Pete
came along and kindly offered to assist
us this far."
"Well, now, Helen, I just need a girl
the worst kind for a few weeks, and if
you will stay here I will give you good
wages," said the artful woman, who,
even then, was revolving n plan in her
mind by which Helen could be "shipped
out of the country." She knew it would
not do to let her go to Jonathan
Evans', across Sandy Fork creek, for
they wanted gtrl the worst kind. By
some means she mus, be detained a few
days until a situation could be found
for her where Warren would never dis
cover her again.
"Why, bless mo ! child, you aro just
as wet as you can bev .nnd all bedrag
gled, too. Won't you go in to the fire ?
1 here a a good one in the kitchen, and
this poor, little, half-frozen child with
vou," said Mrs. Arnold, in her assumed
sympathetic manner, while sho kept
her head well elevated in the air, to
peep under her spectacles.
"By your leave, Mrs. Arnold," said
Pete, " I'll put down my pack in the
hall and go in the kitchen, too."
"Of course, Pete, tlo so ; you know
enough to make yourself at homo
here."
"Yes, an' a most anvwhero clso,"
placing his pack of goods in the hall.
Helen sat by tho kitchen stove hold
ing her shivering brother on her lap.
There was a struggle going on in her
breast. Ought she to stay at the house
of Mrs. Arnold ? Her pride revolted at
tho idea, for she knew sho would be
subjected to every humiliation. The
proud Hallie despised her as she did
the worm that crawled beneath her
feet. But then, where else would she
get employment by which to sustain
herself and brother ? This feeble little
fellow could not go far, and ho was not
capable of enduring any hardships.
Already ho had a dry, hard cough, and
his checks burned with an unnatural
heat. Still he shivered, until his clothes
were dried through. Then Maggie, a
cross servant girl, gavo him somo sap
per and showed Helen a misorablo room
over tho kitchen with a miserable bed
in it.
She went to bed supperless, for she
was almost ovcrcomo by her anxieties
nnd humiliations. She slept that dream
less, yet unhoalthful sleep which some
times come to disturbed minds, and
seems to leave them at morning in a
worse condition than they were the night
before. She found her brother somowhat
refreshed by his slumbers, though his
little cheeks looked palo and wan. His
bright blue eyes had lost somothing of
their luster. It was with considerable
anxiety that she noticed tho chango in
her brother. Poor littlo cripple, al
though a clojr to hold her down to
slavery and drudgery, she loved him,
oh, how dearly sho loved him! Sho
would enslave herself, suffer all man
ner of insults for that deformed boy
who had been a cripple from infancy.
"Aro you going to stay hero?" Pete
asked her after breakfast, as ho was
getting his pack ready.
"Yes, Pete, I can do no better," the
girl said.
"You've got a hard row to hoe now,
or I don't kuow picayuno calico when
lsee it."
"I know it," answered Helen, her
head bowed in her hands; "but God
will give mo strength to onduro it, and
poor little brother is not able to travel."
"Well, gal, when I was in Chicago, I
met Warren Stuart and promised him
to kind a look after yo. Ho didn't
imagine it would conio to this, I know.
Now, of yo over need a friend I'm tho
man for yo to call on."
"I will not hesitate to inform you
when it is necessary for ono to befriend
me," said Helen, sadly. "No one,
however, can help mo now. I must
earn my own way."
"Oh yes, I know. I know," said Pete.
Then, in an undertone, ho added :
"Don't let 'cm get any advantago o'ye,
or thoy'll givo cotton for woolen fillin'
evory time, an' ye watch that gal, Miss
Hallie. She's a tiger cat, and mad as
get out because ye stole her beau."
Helen hardly blushed at this for sho
felt too sad. Sho had mado no effort to
capture tho man on whom Miss Hallie
had set her heart, and regarded her
victory as a calamity.
When Pete was gono and she alone,
sho said: "Oh, why was I not born
hideous? Why am I so unfortunate."
Maggie was allowed a week's vaca
tion to visit her friomls in Newton, and
Helen allowed to take her place.
"At the end of that time I'll havo
you a good permanent place," said
Mrs. Arnold.
Helen was soon busy in tho kitchen,
and her mind so engrossed that she al
most forgot n part of her misery. Lit
tle Amos sat in a largo chair near the
kitchen stove, his littlo cheeks red,
whilo ho coughed adry, bucking cough.
Helen had wrapped her faded shawl
about his shoulders, and talked as
cheerfully to him as she could.
"I don't like this as good as I did at
Mr. Stuart's," said tho littlo fellow,
"there's no angels here, sister."
"You will come to like, this better
whon you are hero longer, littlo
bnther."
"I don't think I will; there's no
angels hero."
"There are no angels anywjioro savo
in Heavon," said Helen, cheerfully, iui
she pinched tho pie dough around tho
edge of a fresh-mado pie.
GIVING UP DESERTERS.
rtrprrcnlitlvp of Two Xntinn Demon
olrutp 1 1 inr Not to th It.
"A few years ago tho flagship of tho
European squadron put into Malta for
repairs, llio Mediterranean is a do
lightful sea in ordinary weather, tho
cities are attractive, their authorities
are hospitable, and ships on that sta
tion ftaud in need of a good dual of
repairing. Our stay at Malta was not
as agreeable as usual' this time. Half
a dozen of our men deserted. They
were seen on tho streets, their hiding
places ascertained, and tho Admiral
wrote a polite request to tho Governor
that they be arrested and returned to
tne ship. In duo time a reply was re
ceived. The Governor regretted that
his interpretation of treaties and inter
national law would not justify him In
making the arrests. He found no men
t ion in the treaties botwepn Great
Brit am and the United States of any
return of deserters from tho public
service of either, anil therefore was
unable to lend any assistance to tho re
capture of the men, nor to arrest, nor
consent to their arrest in Malta. We-
sailed in a huff. No sooner had wo
got into blno water than commo
tion was observed in the forecastle.
This commotion extended to the
quarter-deck, whon eight British
soldiers in undress uniform marched
aft. making their way through tho
staring erew, halted before the officer
of the deck, saluted, ami stood at atten
tion in the regular Tommy Atkins style
The astonished olllcer asked who they
were and what they wanted. With the
utino-t coolness the loader replied:
" 'Deserters, if you please, sir; from
Malta, sir; want to go to tho States, sir,
to settle there."
"Do vou know that wo do not enlist
deserters?'
" 'Yes, sir; but we hoard that thoro
was "no treaty provision for the return
of deserters from the public service of
either." '
This was an exact quotation from
the Governor's letter, and an audible
smile tan round the group of otlieers.
Nobody knew exactly what to do with
the desortors. Ihey were sent forward
and shifted for themselves. Tho sailors
somehow providod them with naval
clothing. After a short passago undor
sail wo reached Alexandria, whoro we
found a dispatcli from tho Governor of
Malta, sent by a swift steamer, request
ing tho roturn of tho dosortors. The
Admiral at onco replied that, there
being no treaty provision for tho return
of deserters from tho public service of
either country, ho must decline to com
ply. The deserters wore sent out of
the ship, but wo enlisted eight men at
Alexandria who boro a striking resem
blance to tho English soldiers. They
proved excellent men, and wore lost
sight of in tho rest." Boston 'Iran
script.
EFFECT OF COLORS.
A Theory That They Affect the Ilutnao
jiiinu as tven nil me iiuimtn Hichl.
There aro somo curious thinm in re
o
criml to tho wav in whioh tho Immun
C7 -
mind is atl'eetcd by colors as woll as the
Human signt. we are all lamiliar with
what is termed color-blindness, nnd
the unexpected results that sometime:
attend it; but color-sound is some
thing which has received much less in
vestigation.
How much, or in what wav. animnls
' '
nro allected by colors, is not very well
understood; but the subject has been
investigated enough to know that they
aro Influenced by them, and tho future
win proimuiy nnng out some surpiis
ing results to the one who shall thor
oughly cultivate this compariitively un
explored field or- resoarch. Some peo
nle can select and appreciate thn color'
of sounds; and to them tho speaking of
a name presents, mentally, a well
defined color, or combination ot colors
different names having ditlorout shades
or combinations.
The samo iiamo should, of course, al
ways present tho samo color, or combi-
i .i ...
nation, wnen sookcii, aitnougii, to dif
ferent people, possessing tho faenltv. a
given name or sound does not present
the same characteristics. Toprovothe
first of theso two facts, u list of immnx
was prepared, and tho shade or color
given ny a nuiy wno nas tins power,
marked nirainst each ono of thn Hkl
After several weeks tho names were
again road to her, and tho colors desig
nated by her marked. This course was
pursued several times during a year or
more, tho lady not being allowed to see
the results at that time. Dtirlnn- tln.n
sovorul experiments tho only variations
in tho answers given were such as
wouiu no natural wiicro tliere was somo
uncertainty in rocrard to terms: for ex
ample, tho answer to a given namo at
one time mlrht be "bluish." ami m
another "lead-color;" so, what was
called "straw-color" might bo after
ward called "buff." Tho nniirnimh in
bi mi larky in tho shade shows that tho
same mental picture was present ami
only languago was at fault
Willi ono or two exceptions thn
were the only chanires noted in tho hhv.
oral trials, and the extent to which the
experiments were carried warrants
the belief that there was a well defined
Idea of tho color of words. Ponular
Science Monthly.
An English physician who has in
vestigated tho characteristic and sur
roundings of centenarians says that ho
finds that the average qualities were a
good family history, a well-made framo
of average stature, spare rallier than
stout robust, with good health, uppo
tile ami digestion, capable oi exertion,
good sleepers, of plaWd temperament
and good Intelligence, very lit'ln need
for and littlo consumption of idcliohol
and animal food. The man who aspires
to lie u centenarian should therefore fit
himself out with these quullflcatlous.
FISH OUT OF WATER.
member of the Finny Tribe Who Cllmh
Trees and Walk on I.nnil.
Many kinds of fish build nests in tho
water for tho protection of their eggs,
hut the dorns m.iko theirs upon the
beach. This thoy do at tho beginning
of tho rainy season. Tho nest is
formed very nearly liko that of a bird
and is built of dry leaves, which the
littlo creature goes inland to fetch.
hen it is finished tho eggs aro de
posited within, and theso small fish
parents cover up their embryo offspring
most carefully and watch over them
with great solKtude. The common
eel Is known to havo a similar habit of
moving about on tho land, and will
even live several days out of water.
When an col is drawn from tho water
and laid upon tho earth it at once puffs
out its cheeks In a very noticeable
manner. Theso cheeks aro formed of
distensible pouches or sacs covering
tho gills, which tho eel fills with wnter
in order that tho gill-tibors ma be
kept moist, by which means ho is
enabled to romain upon the dry land
for a considerable tlmo without coming
to serious harm. So, when the pond
where tho col makes his homo begins
to get dry, ho takes in a good supply
of water and starts oft' to find another;
moving liko a snako in an apparently
sinuous course, but really in a surpris
ingly straight line, for tho piece of
water ho wishes to reach, wln.xo direc
tion ho seems, by some curious instinct,
to know.
Tho Annbas Scandons, or climbing
porch of India, is, perhaps, tho most
celebrated of any fish which voluntarily
conies on shore, as ho certainly is the
most accomplished in terrestrial feats.
He is a little fellow, very liko a porch
In tho general form, with largo scales
and spiny dorsal fin, and is to bo found
in rivers and ponds in most parts of
tho East Indies. Whon the waters
which ho inhabits seom in danger ol
being dried up, ho loaves thom nnd
travels oft' In search of othors. Though
ho prefers to inaRo theso journeys al
night, or in tho early morning, while
the dew still lies upon tho grass, he
ofton travels by da nnd ltas even
boon met tolling along a hot, dusty
gravel-road, undor tho full glare of an
Indian mid-day sun. It is, however,
for his climbing powers that this ex
traordinary fish is famed abovo all
others that frequont the land. By the
aid of his spiny gill-covers and tail fin,
whiei he pushes into tho crevices in
the bark, ho manages to climb tree.11
and even tall palm-trees. That he
does it awkwardly is truo, moving
somewhat after tho manner of a
measuring or looping caterpiller; but
tho fact that he can accomplish it nt all
is as marvelous as his object in at
tempting tho feat is inexplicable Boat
men upon the Ganges and other rivers
where those climbing porch abound
catch thorn and put thom in earthen
pois, keep thorn alive without any
water often for as many as six days,
killing them as they wish to use them,
and find them during tho whole time
as lively as whon newly caught
The common porch of our own wators,
while unablo to climb trees or even to
walk about tho (iolds, Is possessed ol
groat tenacity of lifo after bcjng taken
from tho water. When given a blanket
of wet moss it can bo carried in ap
parent comfort for long distances, and
in some parts of Europe the iishermon
will offer these perch for sale during
the day, and if not successful in dis
posing of thom will replace thom at
night in tho ponds from which thoy
were taken in tho morning, seemingly
nono the worse for their outing.
Swiss Cross.
WOOD AS A FUEL.
The Value of Different Kinds as Coinparsc!
to Ordinary Soft Coal.
in comparing wooa with coal ns u
fuel it is sitfo to assumo that 2 pounds
of dry wood aro equal to one pound ol
average quality soft coal, and that the
fuel value of different woods is vory
nearly the samo. That is to say, a pound
of hickory is worth no more as a fuel
than a pound of pine, assuming both
to bo dry. If the valuo be measured by
weight, it is important that the wood
bo thoroughly dry, as each ton per
cont of water or moisture will extract
about twelve per cont from its valuo
as fuel.
It may bo interesting in this connec
tion to give the weight of ono cord of
different woods which aro thoroughly
dry. Theso weights aro about as fol
lows: Hickory, or hard maple, 4,500;
white oak, 3,850; beenh, rod oak and
black oak, 2,250; poplar, chestnut
and elm, 2,350; nvcrugo of pine, 2,000
pounds.
Tho fuel valuo of theso different kinds
of wood, as compared with coal, is
about as follows: One cord of hickory,
or hard maple, is equal to 2,000 pounds
of coal; one cord of white oak, to 1,715
pounds of coal; one cord beech, red
ink or black oak, to 1, 110 pounds; one
cord poplar, chestnut or elm, to 1,050
pounds; and one cord average pino Id
equal to 025 pounds of coal. It is sup
posed, of course, in both tables, that
all the wood has been alr-drled. Tho
comparative values of woods not men
tioned may readily bo approximated
by tho reader. Cincinnati Commercial
Oazette.
It is estimated that3G.G75.000 vards
of silk ribbon, equivalent to about 22,
700 mllos, have boon mado in Paterson,
N, J., during the past -yeiw.Uoston
uuugct.
Tho axiom that "heat expands nnd
cold contracts" does not nnnlv to enui
deulers bills. Philadelphia Inquirer,
A new undertaking In tho fruit linn
.
Is the shipment of Florida oranges to
Kuroua.
CANADIAN POLITICS
The Alm, Principles anit traders of th
Dominion' Two Great Parties.
Canada is a British possession, bnt
yet it possesses almost complete politi
cal independence. Tho tie between
Canada and the mother country mainly
appears in tho fact that Canada is pre
sided over by n Governor-General, wba
is appointed by the homo Government,
and who represents the Queen In tho
Dominion. Tho Canadian Government
U formed on tho model of that of En
gland. It has its Farllamont, compris
ing an uppr and lower House, nnd its
ministry, at tho bond of which is ths
Prime Minister, which is dependent on
tho support of Parliament for its power
and existence
The upper house, or Son ate, consists
of members nominated for life by tho
Governor-Gonoral, but In reality by tht
government of tho day. Tho lower
house, or Houso of Commons, is chosen
by tho people, tho right of suffrage,
however, being restricted by a property
qualification. Tho Canadian Parliament
has tho full right to mako all laws for
the Dominion, ami practically has com
plete control of tho govornmont, whilo
tho Governor-General, sont ovor by En
gland, has tho nominal right to veto
bills. Tho Governor-Gonoral, however,
novor does veto bills on his own judg
ment Ifdn doubt, ho sonds a copy of
tho proposed law to tho Colonial De
partment in Loudon, and the bill is oc
casionally, though very rarely, disal
lowed. Of courso, the Canadian foreign rela
tions aro under tho undivided authority
of tho British Government.
There aro two great political parties
in Canada, corresponding in namo, and
in somo respects in principles, to the
two great English parties. They aro
tho Conservatives and tho Liberals, or,
as thoy aro sometimes palled, the "Ite
formers." For many years tho Consorvatlvo
party In Canada has been in the as
cendant and tho goneral elections,
which took place last February, re
turned a new Farllamont with a do
elded Conservative majority. At the
nuiul of tho party is the prcsont Prirao
Minister, Sir John Mncdoualtl, who has
been for a quarter of a oontury tho
most prominent, popular and poworful
Canadian statesman. Tho leader of
the Liberals is Mr. Edward Blake.
Tho main Issuo between tho two Can
adian parties has long boon tho tariff.
The Conservatives havo advocated, and.
havo imposed, high protectivo duties
upon articles that compute with the
products of Canadian industry. This
policy has proved vory popular In Can
ada, and has boon tho chief strength of
tho ruling party. Tho Liberals havo
hithorto favored a lowor tariff; but in
tho election of February declared that,
if thoy came Into powor, they would
not disturb the tariff as established by
thoir opponents.
Tho next most important diffcronca
between the two parties has boon la
regard to tho railroad policy, tor in tho
building of tho great Canadian lines
tho largest part of tho debt of tho Do
minion was incurred. Tho partios dif
fer also In detail, but not in principle,
on tho fishery question.
Thoro Is no doubt that in some of tho
provincos of Canada thoro is a desire,,
mora or less strong, that tho Dominion
should sunder altogothor tho tio with.
Great Britain, and bo nnnoxod to tho
United States. Those who favor this
belong, almost exclusively, to the ox
tremo wing of tho Liberals. Tho Con
servatives aro firmly set upon main
taining tho connection with tho old,
country.
In twonty yoars, the dobt of Canada,
has increased from ninoty-threo million
dollars to nearly three times that sum;
and is Inrger, compared to tho popula
tion, than was that of tho United States,
at its highest point, nt tho close of th
civil, war.
Perhaps outsldo observers sco mora
causes of disintegration in tho Domin
ion than Canadians thomsolvos can dis
cern. It is moro than possible that tho
union may last in spite of a burdensome:
nnd growing dobt, the Jealousies be
tween citizens of English and those ot
French descent, and other difficulties
that might be montionod. On tho other
hand, it may fly into pieces; or it may
gain strength nnd unity by becoming;
wholly independent; or, In tho courso
of yenrs, Canada may think Its surest
way to prosperity to bo a union with,
this country. Youth's Companion.
Roman Catholic Missions.
Somo of tho Protestant papers aro
calling attention to tho fact that, while
Protestants are appealing and coaxing;
men to go to the heathen as mission
aries, the Iloman Catholic Church is
hard at work and her missionaries ara
abroad in all lands. In China there
are 483,403 baptized convorts, 47 Euro
pean missionaries, 281 native priests,
2,429 churches and chnpols, 1,779 col
leges and schools with 25,219 scholars,
and 33 seminaries with G51 seminarists.
In Corea. Japan, Mnnchoorla and
Thibet, the church has 130 European
and 15 native priests, 227 churches anl
chnpols, and 77,254 baptized Christians
In tho'Indo-Chlna peninsula, there ara
reported 69 1, 286 Catholics, and in India,
1,185,538 Catholics. The grand total
of tho working forces in theso countries
is 2,440,481 baptized Catholics, 2.630
missionaries and native priests, 7,293
churches and ehapels, 4.4G9 colleges
and schools with 112,359 scholars, and
7G seminaries with 2,740 stfininarisU.
N. V. Sun.
TIvj man who absconded with a
red-hot stove has been eclipsed by a
Denver IndivhluiU who jumped a
cemetery. I ho citizens are talking nt
compromising with him by giving hiw
a burial (flat ami planting him iu IL -Sun
Jr'ranciseo Alia.
aVMTlXVZD.