T
TOPICS OP THE DAT.
;Ir. G. L. Beardsby reiterates the
belief of many scientific men that
death is usually quite painless, so far
as physical sensation is concerned, and
he is also of the opinion that mental
numbness, or a feeling of sinking into
rest, frees the mind from fear.
A very unpleasant sect to disagree
with is a new religious body whose
existence has within a few months
come to light in the Crimea. Mem
bers deem it their duty to kill, on the
earliest opportunity, those who differ
. with them.
A sign of the progressiveness of the
times is the fact that recently some
journeymen artisans, a class of work
men who, from time immemorial, have
trudged on foot the highways and by
ways of the Fatherland, as well as of
the neighboring countries, weie seen
riding on bicycles, their slim bundles
strapped behind them.
Some campers on Lake "NVinnepesau
kee got the mastery over the mosqui
toes by burning camphor gum. After
trying every other drug they had ever
heard of they tried the camphor gum
with gratifying success. "In two min
utes," says the one who describes the
scene, "the multitudinous hum had
ceased; in five minutes not one of our
winged persecutors remained within
the walls of our tent."
In cosmopolitanism New York takes
the lead. In clubs, club-rooms, and
club houses the following countries
are represented: Japan, China, Cochin
China, Turkey, Russia, Norway, Swe
den, Malacca, Hungary, England, Ire
land, "Wales, Scotland, Prussia, Aus
tria, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy,
Switzerland, Greece, Holland, Belgi
um, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, and Cuba.
No other metropolis approaches this
record.
Father Hyacinthe says the condition
in which the American and French
republics were founded and developed
are absolutely unlike each other. For
the United States these were excep
tionably favorable. "Without neigh
bors, as without a history, this vast
country seems reserved for a new
experiment, of human things." To
found a republic, the Frenchmen were
forced to break, not only from the
past of France, but from the present
of Europe.
"Walton, a lockmaker, of Birming
ham, England, has a master key which
he claims is capable of opening 22,600
patent lever locks, all the locks to be
different that is to say, each of the
22,000 locks may be different in their
wards and combinations. The key
weighs three ounces and is nickel
plated. It has taken the ' inventor
three years to complete the drawings
f the different wards and combina
tions which enable this extraordinary
product of human ingenuity to be
made.
For the last thirty-four years the
Bible societies of England and Ameri
ca have printed over 10,000 copies for
each business day. And at an outlay
of about $65,000,000 over 145,000,000
copies of the Scriptures have been
published by these two societies since
the formation in 1804 and 1816, the
dates of their respective organizations.
If, as has also been estimated, the
numerous Bible societies and private
publishers have issued as many copies,
the number of copies of Scriptures
printed would about equal a copy for
every family now living on the globe.
Passenger elevators came into gen
eral use about eighteen years ago,
and the American invention is now a
feature in all the civilized countries of
Europe, as well as in Australia and
Mexico. ' The largest elevators in New
York, those of the Manhattan Storage
Company, measure ten feet in width
by twenty in length; the most expen
sive, are those of the Produce Ex
change system, the nine cars costing
$69,800. The elevators in the great
Mills Building have carried 25,000
persons in a single day, the daily
average being 12,000.
Unlike most other great rivers, the
Congo has no delta. It discharges
into the sea by a single, unbroken
estuary, seven and a half miles across,
in which a sounding line of two hun
dred fathoms does not everywhere
touch bottom, and a current runs of
five to seven knots an hour. This
enormous volume exceeds that of every
other known stream except the Ama
zon. A conservative estimate of the
amount of water discharged by it is
2,000,000 cubic feet per second. The
Mississippi, when at flood height, car
ries down no more than 1,500,000 cubic
feet and sinks in the dry season to
zzo.vw. .Moreover the Congo never
runs low. It swells and sinks, a3 the
rainy and . dry seasons succeed each
other, but within a relatively narrow
range of oscillation.
The Chinese, like the chief product
of their own country, appear to be
always in hot water, and but for their
vast population they would have been
annihilated by earthquakes, war, ty
phoons and famine long ago. In 1877
it was estimated that the inhabitants
of the CelestiaJ Empire numbered
4133,500,000, having Increased in 100
years more than 220,000,000. Of
course at the latter date more reliance
could be placed on the census; but
that China is like a burrow of human
rabbits is undoubted.' Two earth
quakes in 1662 and 1731 destroyed
400,000 persons in Pekin alone, while
during the famine in the northern
provinces in 1877 upward of a quarter
of a million of natives are supposed
to have perished from want. "With
such enormous loss of life as they
suffer and have suffered for centuries
from natural causes, it is little to be
wondered at that the prospect of los
ing a few more thousands by fighting
with European powers has but little
terror for them.
It seems that the proposed Jordan
canal, the plans for which have ap
peared in the foreign scientific jour
nals, is not to be, in any proper sense,
a canal, but rather a large inland sea,'
some 3,000 miles long, with an average
of ten to fifteen miles in breadth. The
waters of the Dead sea would be rais
ed from the present level about 1,300
feet, and its area, of course, be largely
increased. The river Jordan, the Dead
sea and Lake Tiberias would all dis
appear with some square miles of land,
principally on the western side of the
Jordan valley as now existing, and in
their place would be a vast inland
sheet of water, fertilizing the neigh
boring desert with the rainfall produc
ed by the evaporation from its surface.
According to this plan, therefore,
there would be, instead of a simple
canal, a wide open channel, traversing
Palestine from north to south, naviga
ble in every sense of the term, with
safe harbors here and there on either
side.
Commissioner Loring, the head of
the Agricultural Departments in
"Washington, has issued a circular to
those desiring to engage in raising silk
worms in the United States. The cir
cular is a practical encouragement of
this new national industry, and looks
to the distribution of the $15,000 de
voted by Congress for this purpose.
The next step and the one which
Miss Rositer, the pioneer silk culturist
of Philadelphia, says is .most needed
as the connecting link between the one
who raises the cocoons and the manu
facturerwill be, it is hoped, the
erection of a silk reel. There is little
or no market for cocoons, in this
country, the prices brought averaging
less than $1 a pound, which contains
from three hundred to five hundred
cocoons. If the government would
erect a reel where these could be sent
direct and find a sure market, with a
certainty of quick and certain pay, it
would be the best way of reaching
those now engaged in the industry and
encourage others to enter it. Between
express charges and commissions to
middlemen but little profit is now left
for the grower. The una nimous cry
is, "Give us a reel."
Most hare Patience,
I know my dear," said the young
doctor to his wife, "that we are not
rich; but after a while our luck will
change and we will have everything
we want. You must learn to have pa
tience." "Don't preach what you don't prac
tice. . If you'd learn to have patients
we would soon be out of trouble," and
she whisked oui of the room so full of
feeling that she slopped over at the
eyes. Merchant Traveller.
A Fatal Deception.
One season," Keahat-haneh-Keoy, a
cozy little village in the valley of the
Sweet-Waters, where the Golden Horn
begins, was chosen by -our family, for
our summer home.
"We children were delighted with the
place; but especially when we discover
ed that two storks had built their nest
on the flat top of the kitchen chimney.
One day when they were away, we
got a ladder, and raised it on the top
of the small house which served for
the kitchen. There we rested it against
the chimney, and I ascended to the
nest.
"We found their bed, or nest, made of
the coarsest twigs, and pieces of sticks.
It contained four eggs, about the size
of goose-eggs, but they were of a buff
color, while goose-eggs are white.
"When we came down, and as we
wer6 talking about the nest, the idea
struck me that it would be very funny
to play a trick on the storks, by taking
away their eggs and replacing them
with goose-eggs. , '
My brother suggested that we should
paint the goose-eggs x exactly the color
of the stork-eggs, with some water
colors we had, to make the deception
complete.
"We prepared four fresh goose-eggs,
and when both of the birds were away,
I remounted the ladder and carefully
changed the eggs, and came down as
rapidly as I could, before the birds re
turned.
The poor creatures, not perceiving
the deception, went on sitting on the
new eggs; for we noticed they took
turns in their sittings the male,
which was the larger of the two, sit
ting by day and the female by night
After four weeks' close watching,
we knew, one day, that the eggs were
hatched; for there was a great trouble
in the stork family. Both the birds
were standing and clanking their bills
at each other as if they would talk each
other down. At last, they both flew
away and soon returned with many
others of their tribe.
They all perched around the nest (or
as many as could do so), the rest hover
ing over it and waiting for their turn
to have a close look at the goslings
After due inspection and careful exam
ination, they set up a clanking of bills
that could be heard a great way off.
They clanked and rattled, rattled and
clanked, until their jaws got tired;
then they suddenly ceased, and began
pecking at something, after which they
all took to flight.
"We were curious to know what had
happened. "We made haste to ascend
the ladder and find out the state of
affairs before the birds came back. I
was the first to explore, and I was
both amazed and grieved to find the
mother stork lying dead on top of the
young goslings which had been hatch
ed, and which were also dead.
I came down the laddei at once, and
after the others had had their turn,
the dead birds were removed by a ser
vant. "We learned many years afterward
that no stork had ever, after that day,
perched upon that chimney. St. Nich
olas. Enthanasia.
The Royal Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals may, in common
with all humane persons, feel gratifi
cation that the long-continued experi
ments by Dr. Richardson for the pain
less extinction of animal life have
been brought to a successful termina
tion. The electric shock, which at one
time found favor for this purpose, did
not prove sufficiently safe to allow of
its adoption, and Dr. Richardson felt
that an anaesthetic agent must be
sought for by which death should' be
rapid as well as painless. He succes
sively experimented with nitrous and
carbonic oxides, ether, chloroform,
methylene, carbonic acid, bisulphide
of carbon, coal-gas combined with
choloroform, all of which more or less
fulfilled their end. The results have
been very satisfactory, as carried out
at the Home for Lost Dogs, where a
chamber was charged with carbonic
oxide, the gas having been previously
passed over a porous surface, from
which it took up vapor containing
chloroform. Into this chamber was
introduced a cage containing so many
dogs, who in a very short time passed
from life to death in a profound sleep
without evincing the slightest pain or
consciousness. Dr. Richardson has al
so administered . the same narcotizing
agent to sheep, so as to allow of their
being killed in a perfectly harmless
manner, and it is to be hoped that be
fore long there will not be an abattoir
in the whole country without facilities
for employing the system. London
THE FAMILY PHTSlClAJT.
For the Sting of a Bee. Rub the
place with ammonia or saleratus wa
ter immediately after it" is stung, to
prevent it from swelling; bruised
peach leaves bound on are also good,
and laudanum where it is very pain
ful. If it swells much apply a poul
tice of onions and cream. To make
an cnion poultice, slice the onions and
boil them in water till very soft; then
mash and boil them with milk or
cream and some crumbs of bread. A
hops poultice is better for a toothache
or swelled face. To make it, boil a
handful of hops in a pint of water till
very soft; then thicken it with coin
meal. Ateacup of flaxseed boiled till
soit, requires no addition to make a
good poultice.
The person who first pointed out
the usefulness of the matter in ques
tion is dust long since, no doubt, and
his name forgotetn. But this is really
not very strange, seeing that our
knowledge of mustard extends back
over twcrthousand years.and that, as
the world goes, homely remedies, like
homely people, are often slighted.
Some readers probably know all and
others nothing about mustard plasters.
For the edification of the last it will
now be told what these are good for
how they should be used and how
they may be made, taking occasion to
say just here that a first-class mustard
plaster can be bought ready made in
any good drug store for a quarter.
One tablespoonful of ground brown
mustard seed, mixed with two table
spoonsfuls of lukewarm water, will
make a very efficient plaster. Lay
this between well-worn muslin and
fold the edges, that the linen of the
bed or person may not be soiled.
For a delicate person use half mus
tard and flour; for a child, use four of
flour and one of mustard. It is said
that a mustard plaster that has been
mixed with molasses will not blister.
These plasters should never be left
on an unconscious person more than
ten minutes, otherwise a blister, ex
ceedingly painful and difficult to heal,
may be formed. No person should go
to sleep with one of these plasters on
any part of tha body, for the reason
just named. An ordinary mortal will
quickly tell how long a mustard plas
ter may remain on; on a child it should
be shifted as soon as the skin reddens
a trifle.
For the relief of pain, for sick
stomach, for acute general weakness,
for hysterical manifestations and for
unconsciousness these plasters are a
great service. Pain in the head often
is relieved by a mustard plaster to the
back of the neck or temples. Pain in
other locations generally calls for the
application of the plaster to the pain
ful part. In sick stomach apply the
plaster to the region of that organ.
Shifting the plaster from place to
place adds to its usefulness. For the
relief of acute general weakness, as
when a person may swoon, apply the
plaster to the region of the heart,
stomach or spine. If it is attempted
to rouse an unconscious person by the
use of this remedy move the plaster
from place to place, paying special
attention to the region of the kidneys,
stomach, spine and to the arms and
legs, always keeping in mind to shift
the plaster on an adult every ten
minutes and on a child as soon as the
skin may be reddened.
Great Libraries.
Germany has more books in its libra
ries than any other nation. There are
over ,1000 libraries in Austria, Ger
many and Switzerland, twenty of
which contain over 100,000 volumes.
France has six libraries of over 100,000
books, besides the National Library,
which is the largest in the world.
Great Britain has only nine libraries of
over 100,000 volumes, and the British
Museum pays out $10,000 annually
adding to its collections. Spain has
thirty public libraries, containing
700,000 volumes. The library in "Wash
ington contains 518,000 volumes and
170,000 pamphlets, and there are but
but five larger in the world tho
French National, with 2,500,000; tho
British Museum, 500,000; St. Peters
burg, 1,000,000; Munich, 900,000 ; and
Berlin, with 750,000.
It is believed that artificial tails
may be grown on animals, since the
Chinese have succeeded in raising
goldfish with exceedingly long append
ages. Darwinianism in reality.
In thirty years' successful experience in the
manufacture of 150,000 instruments, the
Mason & Hamlin company have accumulated
facilities for manufacture without which they
could neither produce as good organs as they
now make, nor with as great economy. Said
an experienced manufacturer in witnessing;
the operation of a single machine in their fac
tory recently: "One boy with that machine
does as much work as ten skilled workmen
could do without it, and does it better at
that."
These accumulated facilities, including ex
perienced and skilled workmen, are the secret
of their producing organs which are unques
tionably the best, yet can be sold at prices
which are little more than those of the poor
est. Boston Traveller.
Bismarck is a zealeus pisciculturist, and
every stream and lake near his estate is well
stocked.
Composed of genuine French Grape
Brandy, Extract of Smart Weed and Ja
maica Ginger, with Camphor Water, Dr.
Pierce's Compound Extract of Smart-Weed
excels as a remedy for colic, cholera morbus,
diarrhoea, dysentery or bloody-flux, or to
break up colds, fevers or inflammatory at
tacks. The anciont city of Nuremberg is to
have next year an exhibition of goldsmiths'
work.
LydiaE. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound
Is highly praised by those who are obliged to
stand all day in stores, and is a genuine bless
ing in every such case, as well as to the tired
out housekeeper who must be on her feet all
day.
Forty thousand persons in Switzerland are
fnipioyed in the watch making industry.
Delicate diseases of either sex,
however induced, speedily and permanently
cured. Book of particulars 9 cents, in stamps.
Consultation free. Address, World's Dispen
sary Medical Association, Buffalo, N. Y.
El Mahdi, the false prophet, sleeps during
the day and transacts business at night.
"Isn't that Mrs. Holmes? I thought the
doctors gave her up. She looks well now."
" She is well. After the doctors gave up
her case she tried Dr. Pierce's ' Favorite Pre
scription ' and began to get better right away.
I heard her say not long ago that she hadn't
felt so well in twenty years. She does her
own work and says that life seems worth liv
ing, at last. 4 Why,' said she, I feel as if I
had been raised from the dead, almost'"
Thus do thousands attest the marvelous effi
cacy of this God-given remedy for fomale
weakness, prolapsus, ulceration, leucorrhcea,
morning sickness, weakness of stomach, ten
dency to cancerous disease, nervous prostra
tion, general debility and kindred allections.
It is estimated that one voter in seven can
not write.
"Rouch on Pain" Plaster.
Porous and strenzthenine, improved, the
best for backache, pains in chest or side,rheu
matism, neuralgia. 25c. Druggists or mail.
Meksman's Peptonized beep tonic, the only
preparation ofbeef containingits entire nutri
tious properties. . It contains . blood-making
force generating and life-sustaining properties;
invaluable for indigestion, dyspepsia, nervous
prostration, and all forms of general debility;
also, ia all enfeebled conditions, whether ths
result of exhaustion, nervous prostration, over
work or acute disease, particularly if resulting
from pulmonary complaints. CaswelL Hazard Jc
Co., Proprietors. New York. Sold by druggists.
Catarrh of the Bladder.
Stinging.ii ritation.innamination.all Kidney
and Urinary Complaints, cured by "Buchu
Paiba." $1.
Young Men! Head This.
The Voltaic Belt Co.. of Marshall.
Mich., offer to send their celebrated Electro
Voltaic Belt and other Electric Appli
ances on trial for thirty days, to men (vounz
or old) afflicted with nervous debility, loss of
vitality and manhood.and all kindred troubles.
Also for rheumatism, neuralgia .paralysis, and
many other diseases. Complete restoration
to health, vigor and manhood guaranteed. No
risk is incurred as thirty days trial is allowed.
Write them at once for illustrated pamphlet
free.
The Hope ofthe Nation.
and delicate, use "Wells' Health Kenewer."
Petroleum is a natural production, and as
nature never makes a mistake Carboline, made
from pure petroleum, is a certain invigorator
for diseased and sickly hair, and where once
used will never be substituted by any other.
44 Rouch on Concha."
Ask for 44 Rough on Coughs." for Couzhs.
Colds, Sore Throat, Hoarseness. Troches, 15c
Ljquid, zoc.
Seaweed tea is an anti-fat.
Sufferers From Scrofula
Too can be cured if you will take Hood's 8arsapa
rills, the great blood purifier. Whether the disease is
hereditary or acquired, this medicine expels, ever? trace)
of impurity, and vitalizes and enriches ths blood, while
it also tones and strengthens the system.
"I had four scrofulous sores come on ray feet, which
grew so bad that I could not wear a shoe. Nothing
which I took did me sny good till one day I saw Hood's
Barsaparilla advertised in a paper and decided to try it.
I have taken two bottles and the sores are almost en-'
tirely healed." Mrs. Addii Pitts, South Potsdam.
N. Y.
Clarence Johnson, Erie, Pa., had scrofulous sores oa
his face and head. He was entirely cured by Hood's
Sarsaparilla.
"I have been troubled with scrofula a great deal, and
was advised to use Hood's Sarsaparilla. I have now
taken three bottles and have nearly eradicated the '
scrofula from my system." W. A. Pzbt. Bourne.
Mass. i
Hood's Sarsaparilla
Sold by all druggists. $1; six for $5. Made only by
C. I. HOOD & CO., Apothecaries. Lowell. Mass. .
I Op Doses One Dollar
This Plaster
Acts directly upon ths
muscles and the nerves of
the bark, the sest of all
pain. syKo medicine to.
throav your system out of
order.
Por all lang Troubles,
whether loal or deeply
seated, this plaster will be
rund to give lustant re
lief. S- For Kidney Trouble.
Rheumatism. Neuralgia.
Palu In the Side and Back
Ache, they are a certain
untl speedy cure. .
Sold by DmiHttnti for Ti
cents, or five for SU
Mailed ca receipt o'
price by Smith, Jioolit
tle &, aaHI. Ueneial
Agents, Boston.
WE WANT 1000 BOOlTACiENTS
forthenewbookTUIKTV-TUItEE YEAKs AHOJitt
OUR WILD INDIANS
By Gen. DODOE mnd Gen. bUERMaN. Tilt tartest wiling
book out Indorsed by Pre t Arthur, Gen's Grant, Sherman,
6heridan, and thousand oi Emin-nt Judires, Clergymen,
Editors, etc.. as ' The lint and Finn Illustrated 2ndtm
Hook Ever Published." It takes like wildfire, and Agents seil
lO to 20 a day. M-T&.OOO sold. Its Great AvtAorstop
and Solid Merit make it rA bnnming bookfor jittuts.
(7"SendforCirenlni, Specimen Plate, Extra Terms, etc to
A. . WOUTIILNUTON J CO.. Uaord,CeJtaI
Agents Wanted for the Best and Fastest-selling
Pictorial books and Bibles. Prices reduced 33 par
cent. National Publishing Co., Philadelphia. Pa.
NT N TJ-44
PIASTER!
O