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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1888)
THE FUNNY MAN. Who Is that man who nits and bites II n pen with nspect solemn? Ho I tlio Fun y Man who writes The weekly Comic Column. IJy dny ho circe enn keep nwnko; At night he enn not rest. Ills mciils ho hardly dares to tatio Ho Jests, ho can't digest His hair, though not with yoars, Is whlto, Ills cheek is wan and pale, And nil with seeking day and night For Jokes Unit aro not stale. His Joys nro few: the chlofost ono Is when liy luck a word Suggests to him n novol pun His renders haven't heard. And when a Ynnkco Joko ho sees In soma old book woll, thon Perhaps ho sains n moment's easo, And ninkos It do ngaln. The thought that chlelly makes him sigh Is thnt u tlmo must como When Jokes extinct llko mammoths Ho, And Jokers must bo dumb. When every quip to death Is done. And ovcry crank Is told: When men have printed ovcry pun, And ever' Joko Is old: When naught In Ileavon, or earth, or sea Has not been turned to chad, And not n clnglo oddity Is left to maku us I an h, V. A'. Ilmhitn. In llarvr't Maqizlnt. MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. Strnngo Nuptial Coromonlos Various Lands. in How Sinn Hrlil" jVro C'iiitnrvl Cimrt- h I t nf Mm if I ill licks -I'.inlltliM lur M irrliix" lrmtt In Ilia United gtiitt. So mo inlPi-uptlni; survivals aro to Ijo found of what is considered the most ancient of all innrringe coroino nics ihnlof securing a wifo by capt ure. Tlio K ilinuok young niaii, for in stance, has not only to pay a good round .sum to tlio tolntlves of tlio dam sel lio fancies, Init ho mini prove bin vight lo her in a teat of t ho skill of ?joth on horseback. Tlio two aro mounted for what wo would call a handicap race, the girt got ting a I lino alio wit nut. Sho riilos off at full spocd. Tho lover 'follows. Should ho over take hor thon sho is his "for better or worse;" hut should ho fall ho must go away fooling it disappointed and re jected man. Tho ciuirso of truo love, howovor, prevails ovon among tlio Kalmucks. nml if tho girl havo a pariialily for hor pursuor she takes enro not lo got beyond his reach. It is stated at tlio name time that uuloss she doos fancy tho ma'i who Is after her she will not allow herself to bo overtaken. Tho primitive custom of capture in marriage Is clearly typilled in such a ceremony. It inserts itself also In tho fact that even after tho hrldo issoizrd hIio Is not permitted to leave until aftor a sham resistance by her own people. In the sanio way. among tho Klrghoso nomads tho capture of tho brldo remains to this day a necessary finding lo a successful courtship. Th i oonsoqiioneo is that the suitor, on on- ' luring tho ennip of the damsel whoso hand ho seek", comes attendod by a body guard of companions prepared to help him in his mission. When he gets to tho "ask papa" stage ho is politely tidd to calch the young lndv if ho can. II turns out that she has boon spirited away bv hor friends. When hor hlding-plaeo is discovered, It is found jealously guarded by all tho young men of tho settlement; and as they aro determined to prevent her capture there is no alternative but a contest between Iho parlies to show which is t lie stronger. Should victory rest with tho defenders, they carrv back the girl in triumph to her fa ther's tent, and tho suitor can not now claim hor until he has handed over gifts and payments to the young men who havo so far so successfully utood in his way. Tho same custom of inarriago by capture was known In Scandinavia. In an old church in Gothland, in Swe den, a pile of lances is preserved. Each of the lances is lit (o 1 to hold a torch, and It is said tho weapons wore used at ono time to Jfgivo light and protection lo marriage parties on tlio wav to church, tlio ceremony taking place at. night as a precaution against the Ir.'.'.'o being taken a way by some Luehiijvur who claimed a bo tor right to her than tho duly recognized sul'or, A recent writer, describing a niar j age in Khurdistan, says ho saw a y-ung man carrying oil' his bride, ".' 'undi d by a body guard of somo y or thirty num. These inon supposed to be protecting the happy couple from a parly of young women, who hurled pieces of earth and bamboos at tho procession, and made show of rescuing the bride. As Minn, however, as the bridegroom reached Ills own village with hi charge tlio assailants ran homo screaming and laughing. Among ourselves the term "best man" is said to bo a survival of Iho time when tho bridegroom had to got strong hands to aid him In scouring tlio object of Ids affections. There Is probably also a survival of the assaults that wore thou made on marriage panics in the showers of rice and old slippers be stowed so frooly on the nowly podded, Marriago by purchase, which is an. olhor vory old ous-om, prevails amongst many modern peoples. Tho Babyloni ans and Assyrians rcduoed'tt to a sys tem. At cortaln limes every year the innrrlagenbla women were brought Inip the market place, ami eventually put up atjiuulion. Tlio good-looking br. tt ;ht a high price. The plain featured, although they may havo boon worth their weight In gold, found few bidder.. The ill-favored, on Iho other hand, wcio given away with dowers 1 mado up from tho monoy paid ovu'fot ineir uamisomcr swers. Manv African tribos follow out th- rriiici) It of this anciout practice; and that it is not wholly obsolete In Europe was shown rceonlly in a traveler's no- con it of a curious marriage ctttor.i among the Roumanians in tho West. erlv Carcpathlaus. Tho statement wit' mado that every yoar, at the foast ol the Apostles Peter and Paul, a marko t I 1 . 1 A t 1 is iieid on mo crest oi too wainn, iroiii live thousand lo six thousand feel aim v. iho level of tho son, and here the mar riageable girls nssomblc, with limit parents, in order to bo viewod ami claimed. All tho rolatives on the fe male sido contribute to the dower thoyouiir woman, and this goes with the damsel to tho ninrkot. Jin young moil also bring the besi thoy possess, and appear on tlio i ccaslon gayly appareled. There if n good deal of bargaining at times, and, as c.tttlo aro included among tlio irifts. tho V'nco resembles u groat fair. When tho betrothal is offjeted tho pledge of altaclimoiit is not a ting, but an em broidered handkerchief. In Syria certain recognized articles aro handed over to tho bride's father as a symbol of purchase. Tho articles aro usually a carpot, a noso-ring, a nock-c'iain, bracelets and a camel bag. Thoy must bo passed oyortotho father for form's sake, as thoy beconio event ually tho property of tho young who. The choapost and simplest transac- t ion of the kind appears to prevail in Lapland. Ills said that if one in that (btinlry asks tho father of a marriage- able girl to tako a drink and tlio offer is accepted tlio understanding is that Iho person giving the treat is accepted as the girl's suitor. Vt ero a custom like this prevalent in England it might seriously nffet a certain branch of the revenue. We shoul I probibly also havo fowor marriages in Britain were anollicr custom appertaining to the wedded state introduced there. It seoms that in Mexico there is a largo percentage of bacholors, but a very small percentage of unprotected ft mtiles. Iho anomaly is explained bv tiie met. thai iiio Mexican on his mar riago chivalrously undertakes tho can of the female rolatives and dependents of ids wife. J hero is a sort of lioredi- tary right and privilogo in tho matter O.i tho doatli of a husband a family council is called, and tho male rela lives of the widow and those of her husband pledge themselves to care for and protect tho bereaved family This is done ovon though tho children aro grown up and tho widow woalthy. J hero would appoar to bo no ehoie. on the woman's part, custom, !f not law. proscribing that hor male kindred shall administer hor affairs, and look aftor tho Interests of hor children. Even if tlio willow bo poor thoro is no apparent shirking on the part of the male relatives of tlio obligation rcs'ing upon tlioin, and it Is said t hat whou a Mexican inarrlos lie virtually contracts to protect and honor all the female relatives of his wife, and to provide for them if need lie. some exceedingly Denutllul riles aro Introduced In tho marriage of a woll- lo-do Chinese couple, and are copied to some ex'.ont by the poorer classes, The bride is conducted by a nuniberof foniale atlendauts to hor husband s house; but before she crosses the threshold a handkerchief Is thrown over hor head and ovcry thing is shut out from hor sight. Tills is to toaoh her that on entering tho marriago state sho is groping in the dark future, but that If sho will trust in tier husband and rely on him to guide her she need not fear to go forwar I, for it will be Ids duly ami pleasure to guide her stops. When sho Is ushered into tho presence of her intended husband the handkerchief is romovod from her oyo and she is led to a oouoli. Here she takes a soal, and the bride groom sits beside her, taking care to rest on a ortion of tho robo sho woars. Should sho seek to romovo tho robo out of the man's way tho niigury Is not a pleasant one; but should she al low him to sit upon it she tells him plainly by that token that sho Is his captive, and willing to bo led by him. Certain devotional ceremonies follow upon this intro ductory ritual, and then refreshment are served. Tea Is made in cups aftor tho fashion of the country. The bride and bridegroom take a sip and then the contents of tho cups Ihov havo been using are mixed together, to sig nify tho blondlng of the two lives. O hor and more olaburato o uemouies tako place, and several days elapse be fore thoy come to an end; but those preliminary proceedings aro tho most interesting, and to tlio parties con cerned tho most trying of nil. Tho day of that particular form of Iho romance of courtship which hud its culmination at Gretna Green has passod away. Scotland, still, how tver, presents facilities for marriago which are not onjoyed in England The ceremony may bo lojrallv nor formed thoro at any hour and at any place. There aro similar formalities to those wo havj horo in tho way o" banns and registration, if tho parties bo so minded, as thoy mostly are; but a couple may become legnlly man and wife across tho border by a very slender form of publicity. Per haps that is ono reason why actions for broach-of-promlso of marriago are so seldom brought in Scotch courts: but suits for dlvorco aro equally rare among our Ken Horn neighbors. In tho United States, where facilities for marriago aro greater than thoy aro any where else auio ig E igllsh-.s peak ing people, cases of broaeh-of-prumiso nro also few in number; but, unlike Scotland, divorces in America aro by no moans uncommon. in the old Uroolau and Roman Status tlio way to married life was Just j .is easy as in tho Slates of the now A-orld; but tho ro certain phy.s cal re iiiilrouicnts woro at ono timo insisted upon. A Spartan law forbade mar riago until men and women arrived at their full strength, and there was an Athenian regulation that in, mi should not marry until tuey were tliirlv-llvc. Tho Athenians at tlio sanio time favored married mri, giv ing thorn tho preference when vacan- o cs occurred in ofllcial life. Tho Romans did tho same. Thev would help a married man so far thai f he had not reached the ago limit n .signed for a position, as many of the years were dispensed witli as he had children). Thcso favors did not alto gether succeed as a marriage bait. Tlio young men of tho empire hail at one timo, in fact, to bo forced as well as brlbod into marriago, tho censors going 'o fnr as to insist on a 1 the bachelors pledging themselves on oath lo niairy within a given time. Penal ties woro in addition laid on eclibacv. and these and other disabilities of tho single men were not removed until the timo of Constantino. Taxes on bachelors have boon im posed bv many nalio'is, i'leludlng o ir own; but no more remarkable law on Iho subject was ever passed than thai by tho local authorities of Eastliatn. in Massachusetts, in 1683 In that yoar those funo ionarios passed a law to tlio effect that evorv unmarried man in llio township should kill six black birds or three crows vearlv while lie remained single, and that as a penal v for disobeying Iheorler ho should not get married, and no one should marry hlin until ho had destroyed the num br of birds ho wns in arreaiv. Leeds Eng.) Mercury. POMEROY'S PHILOSOPHY. I'riirllnil I,-i.iim for -I'lnno In Simroli or II.IiIiiimh nml Goutmit. Destroy ignorance and lot progres sion progress. Ihegreatost fool of all is ho who fools himself. Every uttcranco creates somo kind of an impression. Drop your bad habits and thoy cf.n not lower you. Ihoso who go for borrios should not retreat from briars. The man who doos not provide for his family is not its head. Every timo you liolp a lazy person yon rob yoursolf and your family. Less argumont and more work will make any person bettor off. Genius bockons a man, and if ho at- templs to climb, will help him. How few aro thoso who really under stand what tho mind is good for. Ho who doos not ongago in tlio quarrels of others will have few of his own Prayors without work and a nolo without a signaturo aro alikoin value. Tlio sonnor you cut loose from ono who deceives you tlio bettor off you will bo. Tho world was never so full of op portunities for young inon of good thoughts as now, Tlio moro willing you nro to lot at liars enjoy their own think tlio cloaror will be yours. 1 ho sooner you begin training your own mind, the soonor you will have a mind to tram. Those who can not readily under stand souse aro generally tho moatop- posed to nonsense. ou will loarn moro from roading good books ami papers than by talk ing about your neighbors. loung man, cultivate vour gifts. rather limn tho mouth of a bottle, and you will suocood bettor. Happiness has no time to stay long with thoso who nitcrtero with tho pri vate affairs of others. Taking intorost from tlio poor, and taking interest in tlio poor aro invest ing for difforont results. Pomerou's Advance Thought. A Romarkable Disease. In no physiological phononiona is tho iutluonco of tlio norvos upon tho body shown so forciblv as m tho case of homesickness, which, when pro- mi . 1 1 . 1 longeii ami intonsiiicu. uoconios a moital disease, uho molancholy of tho nature which loves homo and de spairs of again seeing it proys upon Iho norvous system until it is wrought Into a state of abnormal excitement which presonts distinct physical symp toms. Respiration presently becomes labored, and is moro like sighing than breathing; tlio faco woars the pallor of a corpse alroady: tho heart boats with tlio swiftness of groat dobllltv: there is no appetite, thoro is no sleep; secre tions bocomo irregular, and congestion a matter ol course; tho sight be comes dim, fever sets in, and oither sudden death closes tho scone, or tho exhaustion of tho fever carries off the putlont after prolonged suffering. Thoro is no euro for this terriblo ill ness, aftor it is strongly established, but return to tho native country, and sometimes that euro is undertaken too lMc. It attacks mnutainers, singular ly enough, moro frequently than any other class of people, and tho only preventive against it is tho prosenco of sumo other eoually strong emotion with the love of home, or somo ab sorbing occupation which leaves ono no timo to think, and hardly to fool. Perfectly sane thouirh tho patient be. ho has all the impedimenta of insan ity in an effort for recovory, and is as pitiable as any victim In tho records of suffering. Harper's llatnr. Second Husband (to wifo) was nt tlio couiotery to-day, my dear, and found your former husband's grave in very bad condition." Wife l suppose it Is. Second H.isbaud "os, tho inscription "Gone, but not forgotlon is noarly ovorgrowu with grass." A". J. Suit. COURTS IN FRANCE. Inn trench Jndfje Frequently llrotvtmat nd Anger Prisoners. A jttdgo presiding over one of tho "aris courts wa3 recently removed 'roni his ofllco for two very curious of fenses. It appoars that after exainin ng a witness for several hours in his ourt, ho invited that witness to dino vlth him at a neighboring restaurant, .'lying him thero with wine, the judge mt a nuniberof questions to his guest, ind, having drawn out of him certain laniaging facts, forthwith caused him o be arrested. His other offense was still moro lagrant. Ho talked through a tele ihono with a witness, protending that 10 (tho judgo) was ono of the persons iccuscd in court, and so led the wit less to betray himself and his accused friend. It is no wonder that, after ionduct so unbecoming a judge, ho A'as doomed unfit any longer to hold he oven scales of justice. Although this judgo was thus right fully punished, his conduct suggests to is tlio wide contrast which exists bc- 'ween the French courts of justice and nothod of legal procedure, and those if the United States and England. The .vholo system, indeed, is different in die two cases. Our judges have a distinct ami digni- ied duty to perform, and, as a rule, liev maintain, as do tlio English judges, a lofty and impartial attitude u presiding over trials. Thev remain, for the most part, silent until they litvc to decide points of law, or until me of the counsel requires correction. After tlio arguments have closed, it is their duty to address tiio jury, explain the points at issue, call for the verdict. mil deliver tin: judgment or sentence. Iho trench judge, on the other hnnd, takes constant and active part in tlio trial itself. He questions not only wit nesses, but tho prisoner himself, ami iften subjects the prisoner to a severe md searching cross-examination, t ly ing to trap him into damaging confes sions, contradicting him, and even sometimes cracking jokos at the pris oner's expense. When a witness has mado a certain statement, the French judgo will turn to tho prisoner, and tartly ask him wiiat ho lias to sav to that? A prisoner on trial in a French court, in short, is nadgercd and worried from the begin ning to tlio end of tho case, by both judgo and procureur. Tho procurcur is an oflicial who acts in Franco as public prosecutor, grand jury and ad viser of judge in one. Tho fact that in the French courts tlio judge is one of the activo partici pants in the trials, gives a dramatic color to the proceedings which is usually absent from our own courts. The dialogues betweon judge and pris oner nro watched with keen interest. md often with laughter or applause, by the crowd of spectators; for some times judgo and prisoner engage In a duel of wit and banter. But, from the American point of view, this method of seeking to find out the truth, and to dispense justic., seems far loss effectual to say nothing of its surprising lack of dignity than that which prevails in our own courts. Tlio French judge often browbeats or angers tho prisoner into making rash answers, which increase tiio chance of his conviction, even though he may be really innocent. Witli us, tiio prisoner is amply protected in every right of defense. He is sup posed to lio innocent until ho is fully proved by proper and legal evidence, which lie is unable to overthrow, to be guilty; whereas in France, tho judgo often seems to set out with his ques tioning of tlio prisoner as if the pris oner were presumed to bo guilty, and as if tlio burden of proof wero on him to provo himself innocent. youth's Companion. GENOA'S CAMPO SANTO. A Welril City of the Oemt Described by (lonrce It. Sims. linagino a garden surrounded with noble open gallorios lined witli mag nificent white marble monuments, and all shut in by great sunny green hills, which stand around it like sentinels guarding tlio silent and sacred camp of the dead. Imagino all this, then put above tlio roses and tho blossoms and tho fragrant trees, and tho yellow immortelles and the groon wreaths and the glorious marblo statuary, a bluo sky and a bright sun, and you have a faint idea of Genoa's "Holy Field." Rut you can' not imagine tlio monu ments and tho memorial statuary. Vott must see thoni. because thev aro so utterly unlike any thing wo havo in our cold, prosaic land. I long mar ble galleries, open to tlio air and tho sun, the monuments nt first givo tho cemetery tho appearance, of an art exhibition. You imariue you havo wandered into a sculpture gallery by mistake; but tlio wreaths of (.lowers, with broad silk sashes attached, tho swinging lamps, and tho memorial tab lets undeceive von. Each monumont has, as it woro, an arch of the gallery to itself, and is placed against tho back wall. Tho iigures aro rarely alle gorical. A man in his habit as ho lived stands llfc-sizo in white marblo above his own tomb. A little girl in a short frock, with hor lap full of flowers, seems dancing on tho column that records her death. Over another beautiful tomb is a family group, life-size. The father is dving. He lies on his death bod and tho sculptor has realized evorv detail of drapery. The wife kneels by the bedside, somo of her daughters supporting hor. J ho old mother sits in an casy-chalr, hor eyos raised to leaven, hor lips scorning almost to move in prayer. On tho other sido of Ilia bed tho eldest son stands up and lupports ono of the daughters, who has utterly broken down. It is marvelous picco of work. It is the "Last Adieu" realized in marble. It is naturalism and it is art It is realistic, and so perfect in detail that you would recognize any of that group of mourn crs if you mot them in tho street. Over nnothor tomb, whore a husband and wifo lie buried together, this old couple sit in two arm chairs, holdin each other's hand. On another a man lies dead on his bed, and his young wifo reverently raises tho sheet and gazes for tho last time upon his face Over another tomb is the statuo of man who lies within. On the steps of the tomb stands his wife, and sho holds their little girl in her arms and lifts her up as though to kiss tho dead papa. Iho door of another vault is repre sented as half open. Tho husband lies dead inside. The wife knocks at tho door and listens for hor dear ono voice to call her in. There aro hundreds and hundreds of thcso beautiful groups in tlio Campo Santo. What makes them tho more extraordinary to the English traveler is that tho living and tho dead are all habited in modern everyday costume, and no detail is spared to make the groups and single Iigures triumphs of realism. Ono remarkable piece of sculpture I havo omitted to mention It is over the tomb of a beautiful Italian lady who died a short timo ago Her bod is represented with a perfee tion of detail. The laco on the pillow is perfect. Tlio lady is dead, but the angel has come to fetch her. The angel takes the dead lady's hand and the lady gets out of bed to go with the angel to Heaven. This is the momont depicted by the sculptor. Tho lady sits on the edge of tho bed and the angel points upwards in tho direction they aro to travel together. All this is very beautiful, but its in tenso realism may jar on some. It did on mo after a time. I felt that some thing of the sublinntv of death was taken away in the process, and turned with a little sigli of relief to somo of tlio humbler graves which dotted the sunny garden of fragrant roses that lav so bright and beautiful under the. blue Italian sky. Oenoa Cor. London Referee. CLEVER COUNTERFEITS. Something About tho Mast Cleverly Ki ecuteil ItHlseil Xnlt. Ever Si ml p. The United States Secret-Service sleuth-hounds have captured and "run in" a raised silver certificate that has been inaccurately described in tho pa per. At tho headqn-irters of the so cret service in tho Treasury building tiio correspondent was shown tho spu rious curiositv and the true inwardness was told by an oflicial, who said: "Thus, which, by the way, is the most cleverly executed raised note over seen in tiio department, was seized in tlio South. The head of Dexter, who was once Secretary of tho Treasury, has been cut from a fractional 50-eent piece and pasted over tho vignette of Martha Washington. Tlio descriptions hitherto published stato that George Washington s vignette was substituted for Martha's, but you see that is it mis take. The figures 'oO' and tho word 'fifty' woro also cut from the fractional currency. The figures '50' in the back were taken from canceled revenue stamps." The oflicial thon displayed a counterfeit $20 silver certificate which had boon raised from a $2 cor- tuicatc. J. ms was not as good a sam ple of work as the other, but it passes all tho same. Iho liguros woro cut from a cigar stamp. General Han cock's vignette adorns this elevated currency. Tho fact is tho $20 silver certificate has not boon issued, and it will bear Secretary Manning's vignetto wlion it does como before the public, It is barely ready. Tho colored people of the South ara generally tho victims of tho most wretched counterfeits. Tho bills used by tho students in commercial colleges aro frequently passed upon tho "man and brother" of the rico and cotton ro gions, so tho servico relates. Wash ington Letter. Modern Definitions. An Innovation A Hotel Sorenado. Tho Social Whirled A Hop. A Fowl Tip A Rooster's Comb. Tho Last Thing in Shoes Th Wearer's Heel. Cold Daze A Frigid Stare. A Still Hunt An Internal Rovcntu Raid. A Full Hand A Drunken Employe. A Hard Lot A Marblo Quarry. ' A Dark Secret A Colored Woman'i Age. lour Rumble Servant Thunder. Out of Timo Tho Average Tenor. Gait Receipts Horse-Race Winnings. A Clothes Friend Tho Tailor. Lo Lands Indian Reservations. A Bridal Reign Henry VIII. 's. A Speaking Silenco Conversation botweon Deaf-Mutes. A Cheap Garment A Coat of White wash. Much Adieu About Nothing A Wo man's Farewell. A Shady Sot A Group of Trees. Hr. . Siviter, in Puck m Mabel "Lovely day, girls. Where haw you boon?'' Clara and Maud "Wo'vo just como from tho matinee. Been to soo tlio now society actress." Mabel "Was sho good? "What did she play?" Clara "O.sho played in the worst lot of old dresses you ovor saw. And, do you know, sho actually wore the samo dross through a wholo act." Mabel "Why, how positively scandal, ous! What was tho play?" Maude "O, 1 didn't notice. 'Repertoire,' i thiuk tho bill said." lioston Beacon. When eloctrioity becomes the ngont of punishment for crime, the judgo'i "charge" will havo more siguifieaucl than it docs now. HORRIBLE TORTURE. The Cruel liinlsliiuriit Inflicted Upon rw rleldes In Clilim. The Pckin Commercial Gazette gives the details of tho horrible murder of a man by his own son in n fit of insanity. Tlio young man was known to bo sub ject to temporary derangement; but as he had, ever been a dutiful son. his father persuaded the neighbors not to report the matter to tho authorities, lest he should bo removed and placed in confinement. The punishment for such connivance is ono hundred blows, which in tlio present instance have been duly administered to all con cerned. The unhappy son, having suddenly attacked and killed his father, rushed into tlio street proclaiming that he had done so. Ho was apprchouded, but when brought up for examination a vacant stare and incoherent answers were all that could be obtained; and medical examination proved him to bo really mad. According to tlio law of China, a parricide is doomed to bo done to death by the appalling process known as tho ling-chee, or slow death; and the execution of tliisdrcad sentence is nowise affected by tho sanity of tho criminal. This punishment is inflicted on tho murderers of father, mother, brother, husband, undo or tutor, and also on traitors. Tlio miscrablo culprit is sen tenced to be cut into twenty-four, thirty-six, seventy-two or ono hundred and twenty pieces, a large proportion of which must be accomplished ere tlio executioner (hires to touch a vital spot and end the torture of the victim. Only in certain cases does the imperial clemency grant death after the eighth division. The commonest form of this penalty is that of twenty-four cuts; and the executioner prides himself on the anatomical skill with which they are administered. Ihe victim being hound to a cross, the butcher by tlio first two cuts removes tho eyebrows, by the third and fourth tho shoulders, the fifth and sixtli tho breasts, the sov- entli and eighth tho parts between each hand and elbow, the ninth and tenth the parts between eaeli elbow and shoulder, tho eleventh and twolfth the tlesh of each thigh ; but wo will pro ceed no further in this dread descrip tion. Far beyond the physical torture of such a death is the disgrace which, ac cording to the national creed, attaches in tho spirit world to any luckless now arrival whoso spirit-body betokens hav ing been put to death in any disgrace ful way. Decapitation is bad enough, but to have been subject to tlio ling- chee is prima facie evidence that tho deceased is quite unfit company for respectable spirits in the other world, consequently the new-comer is fore doomed to a very troubled future. Doubly hard, therefore, on the poor lu natic is tlio sentence of which Ids sad estate can procure no mitigation. London Letter. THEATRICAL TEARS. Their l'liyslolocy l)i ugs,-(l by a Fitmoua Jlcillral l'lti-ltHllml. Tho question of theatrical tears, .ind whether thoy be produced by tho actor independently of real emotion. 1ms lately been discussed. The question is not without interest, and has been answered in various ways by difl'cront actors, some contending that tho high est art in this direction is onlv scoit- when the artist "feels" his nart: whilo others stato that emotional conditions in tho actor are fatal to tho highest form of theatrical art. To how larmi n an extent our omotions aro under con trol is patent to everybody, for much of our early education is devoted en tirely to the formation of habits of control in this direction. Emotions aro mailllv reflex nhenomenn. nml -ir - I -i " produced as the result of thoughts, sounus or sights, it is very doubtful whether an actor can stir up in his aud- lonco tho higher emotions unless ho abandon himself to the situation of tho plaj-, and himself feels to some extent tho sorrows or terrors of the scone. An actor who can only manage to stir the emotions of tlio most easilv mnvml of his audience, whother to laughter or tears, litis gone a good way toward success; for emotional states are so in fectious that tho sound or sight of tear or laughter is sure to cause tho nre- vailing emotion to spread. Tho really great actor, howovor. must bo canabln of doing something moro than merely touch the biggest fool of tho audience lie must make his audience abso lutely forgetful of itself, and bo himsolf tho direct, and not tho indi rect, cause of tho emotional stato into which it is thrown. To do this tho actor must bo hjnisolf a porson of in tenso feeling, nml must for tho tim experience the emotion ho is seoking to portray, itoaiiy great acting is a matter of fooling rather than of rea soning intelligence, and wo doubt whothor an nctor who studios and puz zles too much author is not in danger of checking tho inaniiosiaiions oi his histrionic genius. It is a well known fact that Master Betty, tho "infant Roscitis " ennbl. hs a boy, .tir tho higher emotions of tho audience by his portrayal of Shake spearo's masterpieces ftho subtleties of which ho most certainly could not un- .1 IV . . .. iierstami;, tint mat his power was, so to say, knocked out of him by a uni versity education, which probably brought home to him the shni ti'mnlncT of his performances, and. bv teachiiu? him to reason about his character, pro- vented tho fooling portrayal of tho pre- raiiing emotions. Two of tho greatost sctors of the present aro Salvlni and Uistori both belong to the emotional Italian race, and it is Imnosslhlo to bn- lievo that during the portrayal of their inosi biiccessiut parts thoy aro not en tirely forgetful of themsolves and no- grossed by Iho emotions of tho scona. 1 'iiwiftc4'"r-ai