SMALL INVENTIONS.
Trifles Whlrlt Knrlcheil Thine Who Flrnt
U, Itecojrnliteil Their Utility.
Tho Now Jersey man who hit upon
the idea of attaching n, rubbor ornslng
tip to tho ond of loud pencils is wortn
1200,000.
Tho minor who Invented a motnl
rivot or eyelet nt each ond of tho mouth
of coat and trousers pocket to roslst
tho strain caused by tho carriage of
pieces of ore and heavy tools, hns mnda
moro money from his lettors patont
than he would have made had ha
struck a good vein of gold-bearing
quartz.
Every one has soon tho metal plntos
that arc used to protect tho heels and
soles of rough shoos, but every one
doesn't know that within ten years tho
man who hit upon tho idea has made
$250,000.
Am largo a sum as was ever obtained
for any Invention was enjoyed by tho
Yankee who Invented tho inverted
glass boll to hang over gas jots to pro
tect ceilings from being blackened by
Btnoko.
Tho inventor of tho rollor skate hna
made $1,000,000, notwithstanding tho
fact tlint his patent had nearly expired
before tho valuo of It was ascertained
in tho craze for roller skating that
spread over tho country a fow years
ago. '
Tho glmlet-polntcd screw has pro
duced more wealth than most all vor
mines, and tho Connecticut man who
first thought of putting copper tips on
tho toos of children's shoes is as well
off as if ho had inherited $1,000,000,
for that's tho amount his idea has
realized for him In cold, clammy coin.
Tho common noedlo threader, which
every one has seen for sale, mid which
every woman owns, was a boon to
noedlo users. Tho man who Incited
it has an income of $10,000 a you.oin
his invention.
A minister in England made $50,000
by Inventing an odd toy that danced
by winding It with a string.
Tho man who invented tho return
ball, an ordinary wooden ball, with n
rubber string attached to pull It back,
mado $1,000,000 from It.
Tho person who Invented tho most
recent popular toy, "Pigs in Clover."
will bo rich boforo tho leaves turn this
nut num. Ho was poor last Novum bur.
Pittsburgh Press.
m m
THE HOME BROKEN UP.
A Story Thut May lt Duplicated In Kvi-rj
Great City of tlin I.iiml.
If you want to got an Idea of the
number of people- who aro at work
down-town- men, womon, boys and
girls taku your stand any evening al
tho intersection of Washington and
State streets, from which point more
strocL cars pull out than any other in
tho city. Tho stream of humanity
seoins endless. Each hurrying home,
and each apparently happy that the
day's work Is done. I stood thero the
other evening watching tho hurrying
throng, when a boy about lifteen year
old, with his tin lutioh-box. was pass
ing. I thought 1 know him, and spoke
his name, lio turned back and looked
at mo under tho gas-light.
"You don't know mo?'' I inked. He
said he didn't, but when I told him my
numo he said, "O. yes," in his boyish
way, and offered his hand. I had no!
booh him for six years. When I lasl
knew him he was one of a family ol
throe children; his father was a pros
perous merchant, and his mother wim
a woman of culture and devoted to hoi
home, which was us pretty as a picture
"Where Is your father?" 1 askod.
"He' living out In tho country; ho is
not doing any thing now."
"And your mother?"
"She's at her mother's in ."
mentioning another State.
"And your brother?"
"At school, with my aunt."
"nil your llttlo sister?"
"She is with mamniii."
"And you aro at work?"
"Yes, sir; tu 's retail Rtore. J
live with some very kind people on the
North Side, and am just out of the shop
on my way home."
Then he turned away in tho crowd,
mid was soon lost. I put the unsworn
which lie had given together, and J
made out a story which loft a lonely
sort of feeling upon mo a feeling ol
regret. I thought of tho homo us I
had seen It and known it, and won
dered what combination of eireum
Btauces could have possibly broken it.
Hut I know it is broken. And that la
what 1 learned in watching tho crowd
in the evening at that corner. I hope
it was tho only story of that kind In the
thousands who wont by. -Chicago lutoi
Ocean.
Tho Strength of Wheats.
Tho strongest wheats aro of spring
growth: Duluth ami other spring
wheats of the United States and Can
ada, with Saxonka, Kubanka and
Ghirka from Russia. Those grow in
latitudes where winter is long and
severe, and spring and summer almost
together, and whore the seasons aro
rogular in theso characteristics pre
cisely tho opposite of those obtaining
in England, where spring wheats rarely
do well, it might bo supposed that
winter wheats, which aro bo much
longer on the ground, would make tho
"strongest" Hours, but they do not,
and this fact has attracted tho atten
tion of (iorinuu chemists, who have
shown fr(n a largo number of analyses
that tho highest percentage of gluten
is found In small-grained wheats which
aro on the ground lot-s than liiO days.
So that tho moro rapidly the wheat
plant Is matured tho larger the pro
portion of gluten, while tho longer it
Is on tho ground tlto moro starch tho
wheats contain, I saw somo
very beautiful Hungarian wheats on
tho market lasl week, and If tho gen
eral character of those grown in that
country Is any thing like equal to what
T miw, 1 don't wonder at tho quality ot
Hungarian Hour. Hut am told that our
millers can not make Hungarian Hour
out of Hungarian wheats. London
Agricultural Uuzetto.
HUMOROUS.
About this tlmo of year tho ramlly
woodpile becomes bo distasio'ul to tho
small boy that ho thinks seriously of
shipping as a pirato preferring tho
Bea to tlio saw. Torro Ilauto Express.
Mrs. D. Lano (calling) "Is your
servant girl a good laundress?" Mrs.
P. Kay "Well, no. sho doesn't wash
and iron very woll. But, oh, sho
hangs hor clothes out so artistically!"
Boston Herald.
An editor in reply to a young
writer who wished to know which
magazlno would give him tho highest
position qulckost, advised "a powder
magazlno. especially If you contribute
a (lory article."
A messongor "boy," aged sovon
ty. is in tho employ of tho Western
Union Company at Bradford, Conn.
A messongor boy of that ago has prob
ably gono on at least a dozon errands
in his eareor. Pittsburgh Chronicle
Telegraph. Tho "good old times." Goorgy,
wore tho days when your groat-gmnd-fnlhor
was working fourteen hours a
day to got a cornod-bocf dinner and
pay tho mortgage on tho farm you
havo cut up into city lots. Clncin
nntus was a bettor man than Nero;
but ho didn't havo so much fun.
Puck.
Mr. Younglovo "Why. my dear,
what makes you look so miserable?
Is there any bad news in tho paper?"
Mrs. Younglovo "N-no, not exactly
bad news; but oh, (loorgo, don't you
know of any of our relatives who aro
in poor health? I novor saw such
bargains In crapoin all my born days."
America.
Hrown "Whore's that fiver I laid
on tho tablo a moment ago?" Mrs.
Brown "You never expected to see
that again, did you?" Brown "And
why not?" Mrs. Brown "I supposed
you understood onough of parliament
ary practlco to know that when a bill
was laid on tho tablo It was seldom
hoard of again." Harpor's Weokly.
Thoy had boon engaged to be
married fifteen years, and still ho had
not mustered up courngo enough to
namo tho happy day. Ono evening
ho called, in a peculiar framo of mind,
and asked her to sing something ten
der and touching, something that
would "move him." Sho sat down at
tho piano and sang, "Darling. I am
growing old."
Sermons at II ome. Real good man
(to hU minister) "It scorns to mo that
I take cold when in church used to
warm, dry, sunny rooms, you know,
and If you don't object I should like
tho privilege of having a telephone
atlnchinont mado to your desk so that
when I fear to venture to church I can
at loast hoar tho sorinon. " Minister
(delighted) 'Cortainly, certainly.
Havo it lixod at any time." Real good
man (tho following Sunday) "Jason,
what Is that talk?" Jason (a valot)
"Tho sorinon In your hounding
telephone, sir." "Oh, I forgot. Put
a blanket over It." Philadelphia
Record.
ON THE RIGHT TRACK.'
How n Chicago Klmitli Ohtitlued it (!lof
to it Myxturlo u Crluiu.
"I'll follow him to tho ends of tho
earth! Ho shall not escape mo!"
Tho tall, poworfully-bullt man,
attired In a suit of dark blue, who
hissed thoso words through his hot
teeth stood in tho shadow of a ono
story coal house In a dark, noisome,
Pliiliidotphln-liico alloy, and watched
with widely-staring eyos a figure
moving slowly along down the Hong
Kong district of Clark street.
Tho watcher was wldo awake, and
tho saloons had not yot closed for the
night.
It was evident ho was not a police
man. Emerging from tho alloy ho fol
lowed stoalthlly tho object of his pur
suit, like a sleuth-hound on track ol
its prey. Moving along In tho shadow
of the buildings and halting now and
then, but never relaxing for ono In
stant his eager watchfulness, ho kept
his man in sight for nearly an hour.
Down Clark to Harrison, west on
Harrison to the rlvor, across the
bridge to Canal, up Canal to Monroe,
and westward on that stroot for many
and mnuy a weary block moved this
singular or rather plural proces
sion. "Ho llttlo thinks ho is followed."
muttered tho rolontloss pursuer. "I'll
shadow him to his lair now if it takes
till tho next centennial!"
At last the man whom ho was fol
lowing halted at a modest dwelling,
opened tho gate that afforded entrance
to tho llttlo yard in front, ami as ho
turned to close It his face, plainly vis
ible in tho glare of a street lamp close
by, was for ono brief moinout exposed
to tho hawk-llko ga.o of tho mysteri
ous pursuer in tho dark blue suit, who
had crouched In tho shadow of a friend
ly Indian cigar sign across tho way.
Tho next instant ho had disappeared
within tho house.
With a smothered cry of exultation
tho eager watcher took out a note
book and pencil and jotted down a
memorandum. His lingers trembled
with excitement.
"I saw his faro!" ho said, in a hys
terical whisper. "I was not mistaken.
And now I have his street and numler.
At last 1 am on tho trail. If h'o finds
out any thing about that mysterious
disappearance I'll know just where ho
goes to got it Hu! Atlast! At last!"
Ho was u high-priced detective
nhndowlng a fifteen-dollar a week
newspaper reporter to boo If ho could
II ml ttoiuo clew to tho latest mystery
that was bafiling the wutlro force.
Culeugo Trlbuu.
DRAMATIC INSTINCT.
S Dedre Thut Influence Man In Kn
lieltlalilne Ordinary Morten.
Thero aro many pcoplo who art
nolthcr dramatists nor novolUta by
profession, but who yot have such
a keou eyo for "olTcct" that thoy
may bo said to bo both. Like
farco-wrltcrs, such pooplo aro quick
to soo a "situation," and, if neces
sary, to raako ono, in order to indulgo
in a llttlo cheap theatrical display. It
would not bo difficult to show that al
most ovory man of gonlus or pootio
temperament has indulged moro or
loss in this propensity; in many cases,
doubtless, without intending any harm
by tho simulation or untruthfulness.
Somo ono ventured to remind Aloxan
dro Dumas that an anecdote he had
just rolatcd was not strictly in accord
ance with tho truth. "No," he said
frankly, "it was not, I know; but tho
story was over bo much better as 1 told
it." Tho same dcslro has influenced,
and will influence, thousands of per
sons in embellishing a story. Boing a
novelist, Dumas may perhaps bo ex
cused for giving play to Ills imagination
for tho sako of heightening "effect;"
and tho samo excuse could be urged In
favor of thoso novolists who, in record
ing their "personal experiences,"
hardly over allow ono to lose sight of
tho fact that they aro story-tellors by
profession. So much of tholr timo
Is spent in contriving situations that
it is not nt all surprising that thoy aro
often tempted to stray from tho paths of
absolute truthfulnoss. Tho genoral
public, howovor, has no such oxcuso.
Yot so keen is tho dramatic instinct
with many people that they contrive
'situations" with a fertility of ro
source that would make many novelists
wild with envy. But. tho dramatic
instinct is mostly displayed in tho toll
ing of stories, in connection with which
"truth is," no doubt, "a sad hampercr
of genius," becauso it is comparatively
raro in real lifo that experiences fit in
wltfi preconceived notions. Theso
whether owing to innato ideas or from
a loving study of fiction is moro than
need bo determined aro frequently ro
mantic in tho extreme. Fitz Boodle
confessed that in all tho comedies and
romancos ho had read tho hero had al
ways a go-between a valot or humble
follower who performed tho intrigue
of tho pieco; antf consequently ho so
lectod some subordinate to carry hia
lottors to Minna Lowe, notwithstand
ing that ho might easily havogivon her
them himself. Thero may bo a good
deal underlying this littlo bit ol
Biitire. In privuto lifo tho lovo of ef
fect" is generally pernicious. Evory
body remembors that tho immortal
Pecksniff always contrived to inform his
daughters of tho coming of any visitor
in order that thoy might be found suit
ably employed; and everybody remom
bors, moreovor, that those charming
girls wore greatly surprised and
blushed furiously when tho visitors ar
rived. Chamber's Journal.
DANIEL BOONE'S COMRADE.
Denth of n Man Who Fought Indium
with the Kentucky 1'lonrcr.
John L. P. McCuno, who was tha
oldest man in Clark County Intl., died
recently at tho homo of his daughter,
Mrs. C. C. White, at Charlcstown. He
was a nativo of Jessamine County, in
this State, and was born March A, 17911.
Ho served in tho warof 1812. Ho par
ticipated in tho battle of Tippecanoe,
and was in tho fight at Thames, Octo
ber 15, 1818, whoro ho saw Tccumsoh
fall.
With Daniel Boono ho was on the
most intimate terms of acquaintance,
and made many Indian raids with him.
After settling at Charlcstown he
learned tho t ratio of Hhoomaking and
followed it for a living, making foot
wear for many of tho most famous
lawyers, judges, doctors and other pro
fessional men of tho early history ol
Indiana. When General William Henry
Harrison visited Charlostown Mr. Mc
Cuno, who had heard of his coming in
advance, made an exceedingly lino pair
of boots for him, which wore presented
to the old warrior.
In his day Mr. McCuno was a great
fiddler, and upon n still evening the
notes from his violin could bo hoard all
over tho town, as ho sat in his front
door playing upon his favorlto instru
ment. Ho was a familiar figure at the
annual mooting of tho old settlers, and
was always down on tho programme
for an exhibition of his skill on the
violin. At theso gatherings he in
variably played two piocos, which
wore his favorites. "Washington's
Wedding March" and "Martha Wash
ington's Lamentations." At tho meet
ing last fall ho attempted to carry out
his part, but his strength had bo
failed him that only the faintest sound
could be hoard oh his stiffened arm
drew tho bow across tho strings of his
fiddlo.
A fow yoars slneohls wife died. This
was a groat shock to him, and bo sura
was ho that ho would soon follow that
ho mado nil preparations for his death,
ovon to buying and having sot up his
tombstone, with all tho engraving
done upon it but tho date of his death.
It is looated in tho oxtromo western
portion of tho Charlostown cemotory
and attracts tho oyo of every stranger
who enters the ground. The peculiar
part of it is a small typo of Mr. Mc
Cuno, which Is surrounded by a glnss.
covered framo and Hot in tho marblo.
Ho is dressed in hia shop garb, and on
his knee is a partially mended shoo,
while in his hand is n hammer. Tho
pocullar attitudo and the fact that n
live man had his picture adorning tho
tombstone which was to mark his
grave was frequently commented on.
Louisville (Ky.) Letter.
Tho los head a tuiui has tho moro
(requoittly ho loses iU
THE GREEK ACTORS.
taxr They Drewed anil How They Wer
I'hIiI In Old Athen.
It. was customary to incrcaso the
taturo of tho actors by tho hbo of
;othurnus or buskin a kind of high
toot, ornamented in front, and having
I layer of sole some three inches thick.
Ihe' cothurnus was painted tho samo
olor as tho robo worn. In addition
0 this, masks covering tho wholo head
ind faco were used. On tho top, over
the forehead, was a lofty frontlet of
onlcal form, which must havo added
onsidornbly to the stature and dignity
jf tho actor; inside tho mask thero
teems to havo been some contrlvanco
lr strengthening the power of tho
loico to enable it to fill tho Immense
tpneo of tho auditorium. Bell-shaped
rossels of bronze aro said to have been
iiiaced in various parts of tho theater
1 reflect the sound, and tho actors
tvoro subjected to a severe course of
(raining both as to power and modu
lation ol voice. Many of tho actors
woro men of position and in-
ueneo in Attic society, and
moro than ono had been intrusted
with diplomatic and other missions.
.metimes tho poet himself played in
Is own compositions, as Aeschylus is
laid to have done. It may interest
tome of tho craft of tho present day to
I inrn that as truch as a talont (nearly
L50 pounds) Inn been paid to an actor
nf note for two performances. Thoro
wo- o only three performers in speak
ing parts, tho othors were silent; in
deed, they could not have spoken had
thoy tried, for their masks had tho
iiriflco of tho mouth closed, while
Ihoso worn by tho principal actor and
ii:: two subordinates were constructed
with tho mouth open in tho shapo of
an O. No womon were allowed to act,
ho female parts being taken, as in
Shakespearean timos with us. by boys
n young men, not only on tho stage
itself, but in tho chorus. Sophocles,
when a youth, was selected for his
grace and beauty to load tho choral
ilauco at tho festival given in honor of
the victors at Salamis. The dresses
worn on tho stago boro no resemblance
to the ordinary Athenian costume, but
woro probabiy a modification of tho
festal robes worn in the old Dionysiac
procession, and consisted of llowing
robes of purp.o and yellow antl other
brilliant hues, crowns or chaplets, and
embroidered girdles. Theso robes woro
w lengthy as to cover tho feet, and
wore common to nil characters, male
as well as fomalo. Chambers' Journal.
The Future of Russia.
Not only is Russia tho greatest
military power in tho world, but sho
js tho European power with the
largest homogeneous population and
tho greatest expansive force. Ter
ritorially sho has tho largest empire,
possessing a vast sharo of tho old
world, and Iters is a pooplo full of
patriotic and roligious spirit and so
woll disciplined that all except an in
finitesimal minority oboy choorfully
and without question under all circum
stances, whether good or evil, tho will
of a single man. Yot, although sub
ject to what, with our parliamentary
ideas, wo arc disposed to stylo despot
ism, tho Russian people aro full of
spirit and of thoso qualities which wo
consider specially Anglo-Saxon
"pluck" and "go." Russia lias ab
sorbed with rapidity, but with com
pleteness, tho greater part of central
Asia, has drawn steadily nearer and
nearer to our frontier and has made
herself extremely popular with the
people she has conquered. Hor policy
throughout tho century has been ap
paronly fixed in object, but pursued
with patience; and while thoro seems
to bo no reason to suppose any prob
ability of it speedy collision, which
Kngland will do nothing to provoke,
it Is impossible for thoso who aro
eha ged with tho defense of India to
shut thoir eyos to tho possibilities or
ovon tho probabilities of tho future
Fo. tnightly Review.
Electric Mountain Railway.
Ono of tho most interesting achieve
ments in modern engineering is tho
electric mountain railway recently
opened to tho public at tho Burgen
stock, near Lucerne. Tho rails de
scribe ono grand curvo formed upon
an angle of 112 degrees, and tho sys
tem is such that tho jonrnoy Is mado
as steadily and smoothly as upon any
of tho straight funicular linos. Tho
Burgonstook is almost porpcndiculnr;
from tho shore of Lako Lucorno to tho
Burgonstock is 1,.'!!S0 foot, and it is
2,8t0 foot above tho lovol of tho Boa.
Tho total length of tho lino is 9 38 mo
tors, audit uimmoncos with a gradient
of 112 per cent., which Is increasod 58
per cont. aftor tho first 400 motors,
this boing maintained for tho rest of
tho journey. A singlo pair of rails is
used throughout, and tho motive pow
er, oloctrh it , is generated by two
dynamos, rn . of twonty-flvo horse
power, . aro worked by a water
wheel o . uilnnlly 125 horse-power,
t rooted tijion tho river Aar at its
mouth at Buoehs, throe miles away,
tho electric current being conducted
by moans of insulated copper wires.
The loss in transmission is estimated
at twonty-llvo por cent. N. Y. Sun.
Tho president of Michigan Uni
versity remarks in his annual report
that "a larger proportion of womon
than of men are taking by choice tho
full classical course," for tho practical
reason that thero is a demand for tholr
sorvlcos in teaching Crook in prepara
tory schools.
--Tho girl who can't play on tho
piano, and wont play on tho piano,
donorvus ti brass modal, anyway, for
not trying. Somorvlllo Journul.
THE WOMEN OF CUBA.
Graphic Picture ftr a Unique Type of
Feminine I.ovcllneM.
The women of a country aro always
objects of great interost and curiosity
to strangers. Thoso of Cuba havo a
reputation for boing beautiful. It Is
even said that no other civilized coun
try produces so many generally
comely. In ono way this is true, in
another it is not, for tho average
Cuban bonuty, outsldo of Cuba, would
bo considered any thing but beauti
ful. As tho background is skilfully
contrived to bring out tho picture, so
tho tropical cllmo seems to have been
especially designed to show to tho best
possible advantage tho tropical beauty.
Sho appears to have boon created to
lio in a rocking-chair and lazily wield
a fan to and fro with a graceful
charm positively bewitching. Hor
thin, gauzy garmonts reveal to the
best possible advantage her exquisitely-molded
form, her loose, tangled
black hair, tho Oriental splendor of
hor big, dark, almond-shaped eyes,
which blaze, and sparkle, and glow,
and soften, and Bond forth wonderful
lights, and never, novor fade until tho
end. Her faco Is oval, if not rounded
by a superabundance of nosh; hor
mouth small, full, red; her teeth little,
and white, and oven.
Hor hands and feet aro tiny.and well
shaped, but In her zeal to whiten her
skin that it
may afford a propor con
nogress or mulatto who
sho daubs it over with a
trast to tho
attends her
quantity of rico powdor until tho effect
in many cases is positively ghastly.
She has another weakness which is ap
parent, and that is jewels of all kinds
and descriptions. With these sho lit
erally bedecks herself, winding long
chains about her nock and arms, stick
ing brooches, and pins, and pearls in
tho meshes of her long hair, and filling
hor slender fingers with rings which
weigh thorn down and her cars with
big stonos which almost hide thorn
from viow. Tho graceful mantilla of
Spain is in univorsal use. It is fast
ened also by jowols and hold in place
by it comb placed high on the top of the
head. Tho Cubana. in hor rocking
,'halr and loose-flowing, flimsy gown,
would bo eonsidoroi nothing moro or
ess than a shiftless sloven in an
American Northern home, whoro
thrift and energy and neatness provail.
But in Cuba, beneath tho silvery
branches of tho spreading palm, whore
clustering orange treos glisten in the
sunlight and where tho orioles flit like
flashes of gold among tho olivo trees,
thoro sho finds her natural surround
ings r.nd makes perfect a tropical pict
ure which would be incomplete with
out hor. Havana hotter.
BE OF GOOD CHEER.
Tho Stonily, Provident Farmer Never
Comes to Actual Want.
"A farmer novor crossed tho thresh
old of our almshouse." So said Mr.
Ivlng, tho suporintondont of a Masa
shusotts almshouse, in the farmers'
mooting at lioston recently. Tho
statement is significant, full of mean
ing. It can not bo Baid of all tho alms
houses of tho country, perhaps, but
tho exceptions aro not numorous
enough to dlsprovo tho rulo. If a
farmor goes to tho poor-houso it is be
cause ho has beon improvident, lazy,
intemperate, or (in ono caso in a
thousand) peculiarly unfortunate. Tho
steady, industrious, provident farmer
novor comos to actual want. This is
a fact, and it is ono that ought to givo
comfort and comparative content to
thousands of husbandmon who to-day
aro disheartened and almost ready to
givo up tho v,cary struggle of years.
You may havo a heavy load to carry;
boar it bravely. It will lighten. Tho
energy born of determination and
sustained by manly pluck will alono
make it oasior to carry, and in good
time will onablo you to throw it off.
It is tho final charge that wins tho
battle. No ono ever yot succeeded by
losing heart in tho conflict. Tho
weak succumb at tho first appearance
of trouble, and all is then lost; what
worse could possibly rosult if you
struggle bravely until overcome? You
may bo apparently hemmed in by
towering difficulties, but thero is a
way out, and it is your duty to find it
Do not sit down in despair and unre
sistingly lot your burdons crush you.
Such a course is weak, unmanly and
surely disastrous. Stand up liko a
man, made in tho imago of God. and
bravely faco your troubles. Attack
them with all tho forco and will of
your boing. It is tho only way to suc
ceed, and tho only ono worthy of man
hood. Ohio Farmor.
The World and Chance.
How often might a man aftor ho had
jumbled a set of lottors Into a bag
fling thorn out upon tho ground boforo
thoy would fall into an exact poom.
yea, or so much as mako a good dis
course in prose. And may not a liUlo
book bo as easily mado by chance as
this groat volume of tho world? How
long might a man bo sprinkling colors
upon canvas with n caroloss hand bo
foro thoy could hnppon to mako tho
exact picture of n man? And is
man caster mado by chance than
his picture? How long might twenty
thousand blind men, who should
bo sent out from sovoral remote
places In our country, wandor up and
down boforo thoy would moot upon
tho Rappahannock and fall into rank
and lilo In tho exact order of an army?
And yet this Is moro easy bo imag
ined than how tho innumorablo blind
parts of matter should rendezvous
themselves into a world. N. Y.
Iodgor.
Tho First Church of Christ in
Mil ford. Conn., will colobrnto its two
hundred and fiftieth unnlvorsury this
year.
THE AUSTRIAN FORCES.
nrnlihed with Improved Small Arnii aa4
Drilled Incemtantly.
It is characteristic of Austria that,
whilo every body is convinced that war
is coming, the Emperor is holding
daily councils with the chiefs of the
army nnd navy and tho delegations are
convened to pass war loans. Austria Is
making herculean efforts to furnish her
troops with now repeating rifles. Tho
factory at Steyr. where tho operatives
have beon raised from 4,000 to 7,000, is
now employed twonty-four hours a day
i on the Mnnlicher rifle. Everywhere
extra drills aro being imposed; troop
aro being moved to frontier stations;
tho linos are crowded with munitions
of war. In Hungary grand popular on
thuoiasm prevails; tho volunteers for
tho landsturm arc already tripling tho
number required by law and tho women
are forming hospital societies. Austria
is reported to have summoned hor land
wchr outsldo of the country to return
immediately and join tholr colors. Sho
has mado during tho last few years
greater sacrifices than any other nation
in Europe. Hor military educational es
tablishments and systems of training,
both elomontary and professional, for
officers and men are of a very high
order. Austria, liko Germany and Rus
sia, talks peace but acts war. Tho
military council at Vienna has decided
in favor of sponding 52,000,000 of
florins on the defenses of Galicia
which Is threatened by Russia, and
Germany approves tho move. The
Austrian Cabinet expresses tho belief
that good relations with Prussia will
bo maintained, but all the samo the
rival powers hold tho dogs of war in
looso leash. Count Kalnoky is a pcaeo
minister, but even ho felt that a cate
gorical answer must bo mado to tho de
mand regarding Russian intentions on
tho frontier of Galicia. With regard to
Russia, Austria and Germany aro act
ing as ono nation. Austria will take no
steps without Germany's approval.
While not daring to lessen hor military
preparation sho will chooso to faco tho
fortunes of war "atlier than faco con
tinuously Magyar discontent and Mus
covite hatred.
Austria has beon termed tho "com
posite" empire. She has had three dis
astrous campaigns, yet Francis Joseph
is as completely tho sovereign as Will
iam II. is in Prussia. No minister lives
for a day under his displeasure; evory
order of importance is referred to his
will, and when ho has decided discus
sion ends. Tho strength of tho I laps
burgs was laid centuries ago in it mili
tary autocracy. Of tho five great
states of Europe Austria is supposed
by some to be the ono most loosely
knit, but of the flvo it is tho ono which
it would bo tho hardest to sever. Tho
animal instinct of extreme danger
binds tho units of Austria togethor, and
induco them, with a political wisdom
for which they got insufficient credit,
to leave their executive, liko thoir
army, one and undivided. Tho Em
poror is tho pivot. Unquestioning
obedience is paid to his orders. Chi
cago Times.
RED TAPE METHODS.
The Kldlculom Way In Wlilrh Some flov
eminent lltnlnem I Traimacted,
"Thero is ono thing tho Administra
tion at Washington ought to do," said
Congressman Crain of Texas, at the
Astor Houso tho other day. "It ought
to make a clean sweep of tho ridiculous,
expensive and slow red-tape methods.
For half a century tho methods havo
beon growing complicated until at last
tho head of a department is at tho com
ploto mercy of clerks who havo boon
trained in thoso complications. Re
cently a case was reported to mo which
indicates tho absurdity of tho system
that wasto tho time of employes nnd
delay public business. A man wrote
to tho Postofllco Department, inclosing
a two-cent stamp. He said ho had
used a stamp that had not beon effect
ively canceled and his conselonco
troubled him, and thoroforo ho sont
this stamp in payment. Then, hero is
what happened:
"Tho letter with tho two-cent stamp
was entered of record in tho book of
'letters received' in tho Postmnstor
Gonoral's office. Tho chief clerk put
his Indorsement on it, and a messongor
carried it to the Third Assistant Post-mastor-Gonoral.
Thero tho notlco of
its arrival wont into another book of
letters recoived.' and . thou tho Third
Assistant referred it to tho finnnco di
vision. Tho chief of tho division
took tho two-cent stamp, pasted it
upon tho lotter, drew his pen twice
across tho stamp, wroto under it 'can
colod,1 and Bignod his namo. A clork
slgnod "bolow as witness to tho transac
tion. Then tho lotter went Into tho
filos to bo preserved for futuro genera
tions of officeholders to marvol ovor.
Now, what do you think of such busi
ness as that?"
"Woll. that Isn't anything," said ono
of tho Signal Sorvlco ofllcors employed
near New York, who happened to ba
present. "Just look nt ub. Tho fivo
huudrod mon in tho Signal Service
corps aro paid monthly tholr army pay
proper, commutation of rations and
commutation of quarters and fuel. Tho
Paymaster General sends each man a
chock for his pay propor, for which ho
signs duplicate vouchors; tho Commis
sary Gonoral Bends each man a check
for his commutation of rations, for
which ho signs duplicate vouchers, and
tlo bureau sends each man a chock for
hia commutation of quartors and fuol,
for which ho signs duplicate vouchors.
Horo aro thrco accounts whoro ono ii
onough; three lottors inclosing three
checks, and tho employment of a num.
bor of unnecessary clorka, simply ti
pay us our littlo monthly dues. Red
tapo? Woll. yes; and it is exponalva
to tho Government and troublosomo tc
us as ivoll." N. Y. Star.
t