Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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t; " • — f*mFm 1 m*. The Dftseoter? of the Mammoth. Forelffn Trade In Breadetnfini. Fir- I . The banks of that great Northern Si berian Biver, the Lena, are quite pecu liar. Those on the western side are generally low and marshy, while those on the eastern are often from 60 to 100 feet in hight In the extreme north, this high elevation is cut into numerous pyramidal-shaped mounds, which are formed of layers of earth and ice—some times a clear stratum of the latter many feet in thickness. It was before snoh a mound that a fisherman stopped, dumb with astonish ment, one Spring morning, many years ago. About 80 feet above him, half-way np the face ot the mpnnd, appeared the section of a great ice-layer, from which the water was flowing in numberless streams; while protruding from it, and partly hanging over, was an animal of such large proportions that the simple fisher man could hardly believe his eyes. Two gigantic horns or tusks were visible, and a great woolly body was faintly out line in the blue, ioy mass. In the Fall, he related tire story to his comrades npthe river, and the coming Spring, with a party of his fellow fishermen, he again visited the spot. A year had worked wonders. The great mass had thawed out sufficiently to show the nature, and on closer inspection proved to be a well preserved rpecimen of one of those gi gantic exunot hairy elephants that roamed over the northern parts of Eu rope aud America in the earn jt ages of the world. Ihe body wasstill toolirmly frozen to peimit of removal. For four successive years the fishermen visited it, uutil finally, in Marcli, IttOi, five rears alter Us original discovery, it jroke away Irom its ioy bed aud came thundering down upon the sands below. The discovereis first detached the tusks that were nine feet six inches in length, and together weighed 300 pounds., The hide, covered with wool aud half? was more than 20 men could lift. Part of this, with the tusks, were taken to Ja- kutsk aud sold for 50 roubles, while tue rest of the animal was left where it fell, aud cut up at various times by the Ja- koutes, w ho led their dogs with its flesh. A strange feast, this truiy—meat that had be^n irozen solid in fhe ice bout-e of Nature perhaps 50,000 years, more or less; but so well was it preserved that, when the brain was alter ward compared with a recently killed animal, no differ ence in the tissues could be detected. Two years alter the animal had fallen from the chff, the news reached St, Petersburg, and the Museum of Natural History sent a scientist to secure the speciineu aud purchase it for the Em peror. He found the massive skeleton entire, with the exception of one fore leg. The tusks were repurchased at Jakutsk, and the great frame was taken to bt. Petersburg aud there mounted. Brother'* Wile'* Side. 1. He wandered into the Mayor’s office, ano, walking slowly up to a desk, asked timidly if his Honor was engaged, “What is your business, asked the clerk. “Well, you tee, I’d iike to speak pri vately to the Mayor. It’s a family af fair.” “Relative to his Honor’s?” “Noo. It’s about my family. A per sonal matter—you unuerstanu?” “Well, he is engaged just at present. You are sure X will not do as well?” “You might. That is, now; but I must see his Honor inter. I—I want to get married,” said the visitor, blushing to the roots of his hair, and intently studying his boots. “Veiy well. Bring around the uu- fortirnate female,” said the clerk, “You don't expect to get married without having the bride on deck do you?” “Oh, no,” said the visitor, “but I want to settle a question that's bother ing me, first, 1 thought the Mayor might give me a little advice about it, aud then if everything is all right a’il see him later.” “Well, suppose you make me your advisor, ai u see the Mayor when you have the gill along,” said tlie chrk. ‘ ‘But ttie Mayor is so good at giving advice, ’ said the visitor, hesitating. “Well, I guess you cau tell me what to do. Ycu teu the gnl 1 want to marry is a relative uf mine.” “Vtry bad practice to marry rela tives,’ said tbe clerk. “Apt to get left with a Highly brood of kids.” "Tnai s wnat I’ve been told,” said the visitor. “But 1 think a heap of that giu. She s just my style d»»wn to her boots.” “I don’t doubt it,” said the clerk. “But 1 should strongly advise you to break oil the engagement at once. I’ve heaid terrible results toliowing inter marriages in famines You may have a lot ol children only fit to line out to the dime mustum, or worse still, out and out lunatics. ” • lea, I’ve hi aid so,” said the visitor. But it’s awlul hard to gne that gul up. You see 1 only met her a month age, and we have been engaged three weeks at that.” "Only met her a month ago’” asked the clerk, “i thought you said she was a relative.” “So she is,” said the visih c, backiug towards the door, “bhe’s my cousin on my brother’s wile’s side,” hut ne dodged the inkstand successfully aud escaped. Fall Yoa TbrouKh. The man with the patent Ore eecope,pat ent applied lor, is to be cncoumered on every corner, borne of them have a mol ted rope, others a canvas tube, and others yet a rope ladder worked by a crane or a pulley end hleck. E^ch one is warrant* d to save everybody tiom the tilth story in time of fire with tbe unmet piomptness and despatch, and without even a bruise ou tbe 6biD,fend the coat is a mere nothing On Brush street there is a carpenter shop ou tbe first floor of &u old house. The cardtnter occupies only the first floor, while tbe garret is empty, A tire escape man dropped around there the other day ■ nd pointed out the dangers of a holocaust in such graphic language thrt the carpenter could aimo«t feel blis ters rising up on the back of his bands. He realized tbe need of a fire escape, and he laid down his saw and paid a call on the owner of the place and asked him to have a hole cut through the floor aud roof and a rope ladder put in. “Let’s see,” mused tbe owner, “How large is tbe room you occupy?’' “About 14 feet square.” “And you work '.here alone?” •Yes.” “How many windows?” “Three ” “And double doors? 4 “Yea.” “Well, of course, I don’t want you to born up iu there,” obeerveed the owner, “bat I wish you would do me a favor. In case of a lire 1 wish you would'open the 8 windows and the double doers and aee it you can’t possibly sxueeze yourself out far enough for some outsider to catch hold of jour hair and pull you through.” The report of the foreign trade in breadatuffs for December tends to strengthen the opinion that an import ant change <s in provr-sa in tbe method of marketing the wheat crop. We nsed to export more of the natural grain, bnt lately the exports of flour have grown astonishingly and promise to soon take first place. Thus, b.st month the exports of wheat show a decrease (170,000 bushel*) compared withMhe same month of the previons year. Bnt the exports of flour show the notable increase, comparing the same periods, of 627,520 barrels, or the equivalent of nearly 8,000.000 bushels. The total was 1,081,875 barrels, and tbo value $8,378,163, being an increase of about $4,000,000. For the fiscal year 1867-8 the exports were a little over 2,000,000 barrels. In eight years the trade dou bled, and in five years more it doubled again, being nearly 8,000,000 barrels for the fiscal year 1880-81. For the first five months of the current year the average per month was over 700,- 000 barrels, For the year a total of 10,000,000 barrels is a safe estimate, or over $60,000,000 in value. Much of this increase is due to the excellence of the p- oduot, which in turn is traceable to the superiority of the grain. Very | little of the Spring wheat of the North west goes abroad. The Minneapolis millers monopolize it, and, with power as cheap as unfailing water, they grind flour as high in quality as, compara tively, low in price. The processes, too, have improved. Electricity is used to purify the meal, and the grain is crushed between rollers instead of ground between the old-fashioned stones. So, while wheat sells for lees than it brought two or three years ago, our flour is worth nearly 50 cents more per barrel on the average. The growth of a direct trade between the iuterior and foreign countries is another ele ment in this list. Flour now goes direct from Minneapolis to Liverpool or London. The English dealers buy from American millers. Thus, there is a saving of two or three commissions. And, though it is strange, it is true that it costs very little more to send such freight across the ocean and half across the Continent than it does to place it at the seaport Other items of breadatuffs show little change. The. total value was $17,086,041, again*. $13,806,400, showiug that but for the increase in flour there would havo been an unfavorable comparison with 1882. The Kainou* Tiee of Burtrilia, A few steps brought us to the chief temple. Before it stood, turrounded by a railing, the tree concerning which Abbe Hue tells us that its leaves bear the natural impress oi Buddha’s like ness and of the Tibethan alphabet. We sought in vain for tuch phenomen i. Neither image nor letters, but » frn K - gtsn smile playing around the corner of the mouth of Ihe elderly priest es corting us. In answer to onr inquiries he informed us that, a long time ago, the tree really produced leaves with Buddha’s image, but that at present the miracle was of rare occurrence. A few God favored men alone were privileged to discover such leaves. The last so favored was a pious Mandarin, who visited the monastery seven or eight years ago. Next day Count Szecheuyi succeeded in finding a leaf on which a rude likeness of Buddha had been etched, probably with some acid. The Hamas allow no one to pluck leaves or blossoms from the tree, aud the leaves that fall are carefully collected aud sold to the pilgrims as a specific against affections of the larynx. The tree belongs to the Oleac®, and I believe it to be Syring* L (white lilac), which iu all probability reached Europe originally from China, \ BUns Slow. “Conductor!” exclaimed an elderly gentlemau, looking up from the Bible he had been anxiously pouring over for some minutes, “Conductor, I can’t find anything about this train in the Scriptures. Where is it? show it to me!” “What did yon expect to find about it?” growled the conductor. “Isn’t ’here something about it here somewhere?” asked the old man, looking up innocently. “Isn’t your time table here eithei?" and ho fumbled over the leaves, and appeared puzzled abont the thing. “Of course it isn’t,” responded the conductor, “That Bible all happened eighteen hundred years ago.” “Aud we must have started juat be fore it was out?’’ mused the old gentle man, putting the book back in the lack. “Perhaps there’s something about it in the revised edition; got a revised edi tion. TUs Lareeat Cathedrals. Some patient German has collected statistics of the capacity of the world’s largest houses of worship. First on his list, of course, appears St. Peter’s at Rome, which is capable of containing 54,000 people. Next comes Milan cathedral, with 37,000; then St. Paul’s, in Rome, with 82,000 ; Cologne, with 80,000; St. Panl’s, in London, and the Church of St Petronius, iu Bologna, with 25,000 each; tbe Sophia mosque, in 0 ous tantiuople, with 23,000; St.John’s Lateran, at Rome, with 23,000; St Stephen’s, in Vienna, and the cathedral in Pisa, 12,000 each ; St Dominic, in Bologna, 11,400 ; the Franeukenklrche, in Mamob, 11,000 and San Marco, in Venice, 7,000. St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York city is given a capacity of 18.000. —A Bridgeport, Conn., man set trap for oats and caught a pole oa& AGRICULTURE, Tttkkips as a Fabm Cb r.—Very few o’ the farmers of this country appreciate the value of turnips as a farm crop. Some chemists estimate them to contain ninety- five per ten., of water, leaving only five percent of flesh ferming material; and out of thra small portion they deduct a por tion as woody fibre, only good to help fill up the stomach of an animal. 1 am not prepared to dispute the correctness of this analysis, but I do take issue with the con clusions that turnips have no greater value as food than may be indicated by the chemists' figures. Turnips have possibly a mechanical value, as they may .aid id the digestion of more concentrated food, such as corn meal, when fed with it. Per haps the fault is to be found in the fact that the 85 per cent, ot water is put down as worthless. In tbe economy of nature this very water may prove of more impor tance than has been ascribed to it. I have found that raw turnips will not only sus tain life, but cause hogs to thrive wb-jn fed nothing else. I do not mean when fed a large quantity, but an amount,which according to the chemists’ tables, would be such a small per cent of the actual food that starvation would be expected. Sheep and cattle will fatten on them, with very little hay. The credit cannot be put dgwn to the bay, but must be earned o^er to the turnips. If I understand the British sys tem of Baking mutton, it is mainly, and sometimes entirely, by the use of turnips. The sheep are confined by hurdles on the turnips, where they help themselves, until the crop within the inciosure is exhausted, when they are moved to a fresh lot. Know ing the real value of turnips, and bow ea- eiljr they ill ay uc COQVcft£u Into luCat, W ii} should not the American farmer avail him self of the opportunity, and not rely so "T clustvely upon com? Every farmer should have a turnip patch, the larger the better. The crop can always be made supplemen tary to another on the farm, and Is so much clear gam. Wz have made the projecting wood work of his stall distasteful to a mostly idle gnawing horse by painting it over twice wttb coal tttr. A correspondent of the Farmer’s Advocate says one thorough saturation with kerosene “produced a permanent cure,” and the same saved hie baiter irom the destructive teeth of the restless animal. This is less costly and troublesome than the cover of sheet iron, or use ot the muzzle, usually recommen ded tor such cases. sore very child- Faemkks, for self improvement, need to awake to their responsibility as men; they need cultivation, interests, care, order aud zeal for tbe welfare of their fellow beings. Tbe intellectual tacuitice, the emotions, affections, and desires, the will, that con stitute immortality, must be honored as the broadcast and highest of man as m^p. A farmer must not be a machine. The close housing of sheep is about in order, and many shepherds, who are care ful not to expose their flocks to tbe rains ana snow are doing something which is perhaps worse, by letting the manure ac cumulate iu the houses. Cleanliness is an essential element in the management of any kind of live stock, but the filth and the heat arising from manure are certainly injurious to sheep, they being naturally a cleanly class ot stock. The Baldwin among apples, the Bartlett and Duchess among pears and tbe Wilson among strawberries have lor twenty years or more held first place In the fruit lists of the North for profit Their hardiness a* d uniform productiveness give them ibis pre eminence. 'I here are better tnnis in their several classes than either of these, hut n remains to be sesu whether they possess the other qualifications for popularity. The peachjbiow potato, in the limited proportion ihat this hind is now planted, nas been unusually successful this season. The weather id New York Slate, particu larly bad for nearly every other kind, has bten suited to the peachblow. While other potatoes dried up and died in "be summer dtontb, the peachblow I eld on and was ready to make a growth of tubers alter fall rains came. The average of analyses that we have seen, does not show milk from Jersey cows 10 be poorer in cheesy matter (cof- eiue) than the average of other milk, it is simply richer in cream. Only 8 pounds of it are required to make & pound ot cheese, when it requires teu pounds from other cows—so much does the excess ot cream count in tbe weight of cheese. This lias been proved at the factories. Vegetables, like grain, seem to pass through a sweating process winn placed iu a heap, which guides those storing them in laige quantities to he careful of the tem perature ot the cellars and storehouses iu which they are kept. Thro need not only a tempers! vre suitable, but also more or less ventilation in the heap. In manuring fruit tries the cherry shou'd receive a lighter application than mo-t other kinds. It is not bene fitted by much stable manure, hut can be top drei-sed with ashes or anything containing potash, almost without stmt. All atone fruits, especially those that are acid, need liberal doses of potash. Obakgk county, N. Y-, farmers say that tbe cow nas Lieu more profitable with them than tbe fast horse. A very few fast trot, ters have brought much money into the county, but has usually gone to second hand buyers rather than growers of the stock. The good dairy cow biought her income into the pocket of the farmer. The Richmond, X&,, Southern Planter says; * There ra no mean, no proci uslean, iltedard that can be dtolsivd off baud applicable to a special soil btrictly speak ing, each particular case demand a new anal} sis. One field may pioduce a forage five limes more nutritive than another.’’ A new white potato called Duke of Al bany is becoming very popular in England but the rule does not work both ways, as Americans who have planted imported seed have found to their cost, Fowxs need gravel, oyster shells and some green food. When in confinement these substances should not be overlooked. A head of cabbage, or an onion or two will always be highly relished. Bobghcm seed ot tbe amber cane varie ty is cold readily at 68 cents per bushel, and at this price U will pty all expenses ot tbe crop, it weighs nearly or quite sixty pounds per bushel. Eon shells are caused by a deficiency of lime. Oyster shells are composed of car bonate of lime, and serve as “grit” in grinding tbe food as well as lor material tor forming the shell. DOMESTIC. Worth Knowing —Ooldsi and throats are now prevailing to a w'de extent, partieulary among oi res, Diptheria is also quite oommon in many places, aud physicians report cocsklerah e general sickness. In the face of these facts too much precaution cannot be exercised at the beginning of winter to avoid what may easily become a dangerous and protracted illness. In regard tc that fatal disease, diphtheria, the Philadelphia Record contained the following editorially. We can fully en dorse this remedy, because we know of its virtue: “A gentleman residing iu the northern part of the city, whose two little daughters were dying of diphther ia, saw rn the Record of that day a com munication commending the use of sulphur iu cases of diphtheria. As a last resort he made a trial of it, usrug washed flowers of sulphur and applying it directly to the membraneous growths in throats of the children by means of a common clay pipe. The effect was al most magical. Within two hours there was complete relief, and in two days the children, who had been given up by then' physician, had completely recover- ed. While it is not reasonable to rely entirely upon sulphur in the ills that beset childhood, it is doubtful if there has ever been a proper recognition of ib value as a destroyer of morbid or fungus membraneous growths iu oases of a diphtheric type. Distilled or sub limed sulphur, known as flowers of sul phur, should be use*?, not the powdered crude sulphur.” EuBiiomEitv in gold and silver is not very satisfactory, as it soon tarnishes; still, it is often used in fashionable work for table-borders, chair-strips and lam brequins. To work well in such mater ial the foundation, which should be ol velvet, is stretched on a frame, and the design is draw* upon it iu white chalk. Little pieces of parchment are needed to till up the raised portions, and axe basted into the required positions. A stiletto is needed to make small holes in the material through which the gold and silver thread can be passed, and a large-eyed needle is neotssary for con veying it, and the stitches are passed over the padding which has been already arranged in position. It is extremely difficult to work in bullion; the least moisture in the hands of the worker tarnishes the gold, and the work must be perfectly smooth and even or the effect will be spoiled. Fruit Fuddino for Winter.—Take sour cream and saieratus enough to sweeten it, add a pinch of salt, and mix thick enough for biscuit. Roll out thin, and ppread any kind of fruit that has been canned, omitting the juice, or preserves, or marmalade, or dned fruit that has been soaked, aud stewed and cooled before. Roll the crust up care fully so that the fruit will not drop out, close up the ends, and lay it on a white towel teat has been wrung out of scald ing-hot water and floured. Pin the towel loose y around the pudding, leav ing plenty of space for it to swell, then put it in a kettle of boiling water, with a plate at the bottom. Keep boiling constantly until done. Embroidery on Velvet.—Th# finest embioiuery upon velvet is applique work. The pattern is cut out in the ni iterial, which has first been backed with coarse linen aud stretched on a frame. The designs or patterns thus cat out are pasted upon a silk founda tion, and are outline*’, by laying two lines of gold thread or purse silk round the edges, and securing them as in couching, while such steins end tendrils as may be included in them are worked iu gold bullion, the centre of the flow ers and buds being in French knot made in silks or filoselle, wldle the veins of the leaves and other portions ot tue design are a long satin-stitch in fil oselle er floss silks. Rebel Corn Bread.—Take two cups of hommy, boiled soft; while hot, hut iu a large spoontul of butter. Beat four eggs very light and stir into the hominy, then add, gradually, one pint of milk. Lastly add half a pint of com meal. The batter should be aoout the consis tenoy of a rich boiled custard. Bake with a strong heat at the bottom of tue oven aud hot too much at the top, in order to accelerate rising, The pan should be deep enough to give space lor rising. J* making com breid much depends upon the kind of meal used. If it is stale the bread will necessarily be mus ty and unfit for use. The meal used at tne South is always ireshiy ground, irom “riint com,” which corn is planted expressly lor the purpose of being ground into hominy and meal. It is very white and sweet, aud a great im provement on the “Indian mefd,” which most coo as use for corn-bread. * Velvet Cream.—Two taolespoonfuls of gelatine, dissolved in half a tumbler of water; one pint of rich cream; four tablespooululs of sugar, flavor with sherry, vanilla extract or rose-water, Put in moulds and set on the ice. This is a delicious dessert, and can be made in a lew minutes. It may be served with or without cream. Milk Bread.—This may be made in this manner. The milk should be scalded aud then cooled, as this keeps the bread sweet. The more bread io kneaded tbe better, but always until it is smooth. U-e no more than a dust of flour on the board, as much flour worked in that has not been impregnated with the yeast makes the bread dry and tough. Breakfast Waffles,—After break fast stir into tbe hominy that is left one teaspoonful of butter aud a little salt. Uet it aside. The next morning thin it with milk and add two eggs, beaten well. Stir in floor enough to make the right consistency, and bake in waffle- irons. A new frame for small mirrors and pictures has the top and left aide about ouo-half the width of the bottom and right side. It is covered with plush, aud a small owl plmieu uu m perch, or naments the upper right-hand corner. • Southern Biscuit.—Two cups of self rising flour, one spoonful of lard; mix with warm milk; knead into soft dough, and roll; out with biscuit-cutter and prick each with a straw. Cook in a hot oven ten minutes. Palmetto Flannel Cakes.—One pint cf buttermilk; two well-beaten eggs, flour enough to make a stiff batter—the flour to be mixed, half wheat and half corn flour. Put a spoonful of sea-foam into the flour and cook on a griddle. HUMOROUS. Peddlers F. am Every Land. Stop the cracks and bole* in the stables. Lustra painting is a new art, and can whether made of boards or straw, and save be applied to every labrio form velvet p«m to your animals and money for your- to linen and also to wood and the var- aeif. 1 ions articles made of terra-ootta. Thebe is quite a good joke bow going the rounds down at Vallejo. A young lady visitir" there Is quite sweet on a certain young journalist. One morning the pair started out for a long ramble over in the Contra Costa hills. Being gone all day they returned in the even ing completely worn cut auu fatigued. The young lady and gentlemen were met by a party of their friends soon after their return, aud were asked as to what kind of a time they had. Now, the young lady has a very unhandy hab it of proving an/ assertion she may make by appe ding to any trieud that she happens to have with her at the timv. bo, aa usual, away she went, and answered the inquiry as follows: “Oh, we had a fine time. But climbing over recks and bushes has made me black and blue all over, hasn’t it, George?” (appealing to the youug man who had goue out with her). George said em phatically that he’d be iiaugrd if be knew anythiug about it, and now that young couple get no rest from the chaf fing of their friends. Mb. Isaacs aud Mr. Blumenthal kept rival clothing stores on the Bowery, within a few doors of each other, Mr. Isaacs was always to be found with his bead out of the door, soliciting custom from the verdant passer-by. Mr Blum- enthal objected to this shoddy manner of doing business, having found that the watchful Isaacs had captured several oi his customers, and one day he went up to Isaacs and said: “Look here, Mr. Is^bcs, vy don’t you keep your ngly face inside? You might petter get a jackass to stand py te doOr. He vould pe a pig improvement.” “Vy,” said Isaacs, “I did try dot vonoe, und all de people as dey pass py say to him: “Good day, Mr Blumenthal; I see you’ve moved.” A matter of selection: Charles Lever tells of an Irishman who, while a wheel of a stage coach was passing over him, cried out, ‘ What’s tins for?” We know of an Arkansaw man who was equally self-possessed. While standing in a sa loon, where a party of convivialists hau gathered, a pistol belonging to one of the party was accidentally discharged. The Arkansaw man fell, shot through the body. “Blamed If I understand this!” he exclaimed. “Why the devil that pistol should select me when cider men are present is beyond my mental research.” Botanical: “Oh, Mr. Jones,” ex claimed Miss Linnaeus, “I heard you talking to pa about plants, and I do so want to talk to you; for, you know, I dote on botany. I like all kinds of plants and flowers, as of course you do, too, Mr. Jones; but what varieties of plants are you particularly interested in?” “The plants which I am most in terested in,” replied Mr. Jones, with a smile, “are railroad and factory plants.” Miss Linnaeus looked mystified for a moment, but soon brightened up, re- maiking: “I guess we haven't got so far as that yet You know we only took up botany this term. What a lot there is to learn I” Some important statistics: At the last meeting of the Lime-Kiln Club the com mittee on fisheries reported the close of the season and were discharged. The chairman submitted the following sta tistics: Number of person- who went fishing on Sunday during the last fiscal year, 896.451; number of fish caught by said wicked sinners, 2511; number of fish lies told iu the past year, 6,000,000- 000; greatest State in the Union for fish lies, Georgia. The committee further reported that it was their solemn belief, founded upon the result of a series of experiments, that there is twice as much fun hooking harvest apples on a moon light night as there is sitting on a wet log on Sunday alternoon. Acknowledged the soft impeachment: “You musn’t touch the top of the baby s head,” said a mother to her little four- year-old, “she has a soft spot there that is very tender.” Tne youngster gazed at it curiously for a moment, and then asked: “Do all babies have soft spots ou their heads?” “Yes.” “Did papa have a soft spot on the top of his head when he was a baby?” “Yes,”-replied the mother, with a sigh, “and he has got it yet.' Aud the old man. who had overheard the con versa* ion from au ad joining room, sang out: “Yes, indeed Be has, my dear bey, or he would be a single man to-day.” Scientific: Mr. J, J. H. Gregory says that an acre of land may contain six tons of worms. So it may; but if Mr. Gregory ever tried to dig a box of bait on ten minutes’ notice of an invita tion to go fishing in a dry time he knows it don’t. A man in Oregon has invented a way io easily remove sand out of a river. Be removed 22,000 cubic yards at a cost of $1,000, while by dredging the cost would have been 10,000. The process is to load a steamer by the stern, anchor her head up stream, and then Jet her turn her pro peller. This loosens the sand, which is carried away by the current. A rteamer in that wav deepened tbe channel of the Columbia River eighteen feet, by a width ot seventy-five leet in twenty minutes. Shop Windowe.—A prominent German paper recommends a remedy for an evil which thopkeepers and housekeepers have Img experienced—namely, the fading or bleachitgof many kinds of colored arti cles when exposed io the light through windows Tre authority quoted savs that this fading or bleaching is Irought about only by the wbi e lays of the sun's light, and, when it occurs, it s' ows that the glass Is more or less peifeciiy colorless. It is found, that if, instead of such colorless glass, the window panes consist of gla-s which is 8.ightly yeilow, the bleaching or fading process is prevented. Where the glass is culorUss and cannot be replaced by slightly yellowish tinted glass, the desired effect may.it is said, be producsd by simply giving the panes a coat of copal varnish. TYmfter.—Timber, imder certain couui- tions, is perhaps as incombustible as any building material that could be named. It is only when wood is soft and cut up into slices that it ea-Hy ignites; the harder kinds obdurately resist the action of heat or flame, and, when used in considerable thickness, the only effect produced by fire is the charring of the surface. Alum and Pire.—h has been found that water saturated with alum is remark ably efferent in extinguishing fires. This property is supposed to be due to the coat ing it gives to tbe objects wet with it, which prevents contact with the oxygen of tbe air. and thuaretaros combustion. It is reported that, as an experiment, French firemen are to be quite extensively sup plied with instrameuts for throwing such •olutionsof alum. Rustic visitors to New Yoik and cor respondents of buoolio newspapers won der, among oilier things, how so many peddlers and street merchants make a living in the metropolL. The peddlers are scattered throngn the city, bnt they have favorite localities, where travel is heaviest. Ftrlton street is lined with venders o! every imaginable device for oatolling a few pennies. Sixth avenue at times is enlivened by the presence of scores of small tradesmen. Daring the holiday- season Grand street was a fa- forite rendezvous for these enterprising dealers, bnt this year the authorities in terfered, and there was a general exodus from that thoroughfare. “Where do yon people bny your goods?” asked a reporter a few days ago of au alfresco tradesman on Fulton street. “/ deals in several blaoes,” he said, “/get my knifes in vnn blace und sus penders in auoder, und so on.” “Are there not men who make a busi ness of supplying peddlers with stock?'’ “Yah. I knows vun in Orchard streed, a leetle above Ganal. After ascertaining the name of the Orchard street man, the reporter called upon him. He occupies an old-fashion ed, two-story wooden house. Upon the snelvos of the store was a varied assort- m< nt of goods most of them iu paste board boxes. Yes, 1 supply peddlers,” replied a courteous, pleasant-faced man, in reply to the inquirer’s question. “How long have you been in the busi ness?'’ “This stand has been established for fifteen yeais. 1 nave had it for about five years.” “What do jou sell to peddlers?” “Oh,” replied the merchant, slowly, leaning upon the well-worn counter and looking around him. ‘'no end of things.' My specialties are jewelry, combs, col lar-buttons and tni igs of that class; what are commonly known as fancy no tions. Just before Christmas I have ornaments for Cnristmas trees. I have quite a stock of .them still on hand, for tne city officials drove away a great many of my customers from Grand street. That used to be a fine neign- boyhood for street peddlers.” “Wnat are those things that look like garters?” asked the reporter. “They are sleeve-holders. I sell mirrors, suspenders, shoulder-braces, button-hooks, fancy soaps, blacking, brushes, paper collars, aud at this time of year, a few toys.” Is your custom mostly in New York?” “A fair proportion of it; but not all by any means. Dozens of men wno travel through the State buy from me. They do a great aeal of advertising by recom mending othef peddlers to come to me.” “How much stock do the country' peddlers carry?” “Some of them as much as $500 worth.” “That is a great deal for a man to carry on his back?” “Well, you see, much of their stock is jewelry, which Goes uot take up much room.” “Do the country men come here every time they wish their stock replen ished?” “Oh, no, I send the goods wherever the customers direct.” “Do you sell for cash?” “Mostly. Although I have' accounts with a lew men.” “What percentage do peddlers make on their in vestments?” “It varies irom lU to 25 per cent.” “Some of the city peddlers have stands of considerable extent. They must pos sess a respectable capital?” “It is common for a man to have $1,000 or $2,000 in his trade. Bnt pedaling is not what it used to be in this country,” “Why not?” “Well, so many greenhorns have gone into it. They are Polish, Russian aud Hungarian Jews mostly. They have no families to support, as a rule, and-live so cheaply that they can save money on a very small in vet tmeut. They can af ford, to undersell other men who have families depending on them, and cannot live as they do.” , “Are there many Americans in the business?'’ “Yes; a number. Now and then you’ll find an Irishman or a German, but most of the peddlers are Jews.” “They are very poor when they come to America, are they not?” ‘ 'Poor as the proverbial church mouse. They strike their Inenus for money for the first instalment of goods.” “This money is regarded as a loan?” “Not necessarily; sometimes it is a charity.” * Are the Poles and Hungarians sharp at a bargain?” ‘ Sharp as razors, and close as a Blue Point oyster. Why, one of those fel lows will haggle for an hour to save ten cents. Their competition drives the other men out of the business. ” ‘ Yon must find it difficult to conduct trade with people who speak no Eng lish.” “No, not very; I speak German and Hebrew. These suffice for the needs of my busmiss.” “Where do these Israelites friends of yours hve?” “Around in this neighltorhood.” “is it a fact that some ptople who supply peddlers loan the men present able clothes when the customers have none of their own?” “On, no; that is done only in the case of men who are advertising a special ar ticle.” “Are peddlers honest, as a rule?” “When thej* find it to be the best policy, they are, just like other men. Of CuUise tuere are rogues among them just us in Ollier classes. You are going? Well, if you should fail to make a for tune wriung (or the papers, just call on me, and I’d be happy to set you up as a peduler—lor cash, of course.” Th* Brakai The hrakeman Is a man who Is employe by a railroad company to stand upon tin top of a freight car and work both hind, at the engineer and to help stop the tnd Q when it is necessary. Next to being a barebacke rider man, to he cxn sit on tha wheel man, so he can sit on the wheel and chew tobacco while the train is run. ntng at full speed. The fact that a brake- man is often seen pegging broadcast over the land on a wooden leg or minus one arm, often causes people to believe that he is an old soldier or has served a term base ball club. There are two kinds of brakemen passenger and freight The pi brakeman is a gentleman of considerable Insure, and by the nonchalant way i a which he comes through a car and trampi on the passenger’* feet is often mistakes for the conductor. He docs not have much else to do but Siam doors, growl at the porter, aud when the train arrives at a station yell ••p 0 , nooyah when he should say, “Ponth. toula.” The freight orakeman is an entireitojif- ferent man. He is grim, silent and (Ifia' fled. He seldom speaks except to cl tbe green hands on tbe rear end tram, whom he affection refers “pudding.’’ Despite bis faults, ho 1 he works hard and very often arises position of importauce, unless some __ he tries to ute Ids body as a ccupjnug pig and fails. S At night when a freight tram is tracked at a meeting point and hl$ cm. paoious are squatted on a pile of crosalla, the brakeman is in iaa glory. He it* dbcusses ad libitum the affairs of the roi* i and criticises every one from the Presulew down to the humblest official. He dga uot hesitate to say If the president cut run a road any better than be does ht should go off some where aud drive i After he has said this and other th] concerning the asininity of official in a ral, he (urns to one of his companions says: “Jimmie, did you ever know that low, Bill McGinty, who has just been »p. pointed suporiuteudant of the J. K, A 0.1’ “What M'Ginty f Of course I’Ve seen him; und you bet he’s a fine old plum to be superintendent.’' “Weil, I should think he was, I wui brakeman on the southern division of tbe 1. C. A N., when he got his llrat Job -t>!d Matt Johnson was pulling us—aud Mc Ginty was so green he didn’t know a draw 6 head from a switch frog. No matter tov slow old Matt Johnson backed up, that fallow couldn’t couple a car, and some times for half au hour we wire backing up, and going ahead, until you could heir Matt Johnson curse for two miles off. Ill he blamed if 1 don’t think he tried to kill McGinty. He used to come back and jam the draw-heaos under the cars, but when he pulled ahead again McGinty would step out without a scratch on him. A road, 1 tell you, is mighty hard up whea they take such a thing as McGinity.” At the conclusion of such a speech whole crowd ot brakemen will review fiil history of McGinty, and finally, without» dissenting voice, will arrive at the coa- clusion that he is a "•me old plum. ” The brakeman is to be admired for the remark able manner in which he gets wind of various and sundry plans which the mana gement intend to place iu operation aqd wish to keep quiet. Tbe brakeman will set on the end of* i cross-tie, swap opinions concerning the' 1 wisdom of the president in coucuctig*i such a plan long before the la de-da cleA.S in the general office obtain the mireif\ inkling of it. If an appointment is to b« made be will tell you the name of the mss and tne time the appointment is to go into effect. What a Deer See* and Hear*, % When a deer is much hunted his esn become exceedingly acute. Mr. Van Dyks has seen one spi ing from his bed and rud^ away at a race horse speed before he was within 200 yards of the animal, although he had touched not a single bush or in approaching the game, and although he was positive that a man could not at twenty yards’ distance have beard the soft tread of m ocean us on the liaht scow. Deer, too, are able to measure with intBF- tive correctness the distance and characrck of sounds. They will otten lie all flay within bearing of the normal sounds of tbe woodman’s ax and the shouts of the teafa- ster. As a rule, too, the crash of a squir rel’s jump, the roir of thunder, tbe snap ping of »rees with fro-L their creaking br falling in the wind, does not alarm them in the least. Yet the faintest pressing of tbe leaves beneath tne hunter's moccasin may ineum ly send them flying. A deer can also see a long way. On one occasion Mr. Van Dyke ssw one watching a brother sportsman nearly a mile a mile away, whose motions he could hardly himsell make out. It is true that lor recogonizing an object at rest tbe eye* of a deer are abont aa dull as those of a dog. It un alarmed he will not distinguish a w>*n from a stump on open ground, if the man is seated and periccily“ motionless. On the other hand, to catch a motion, a deer’s eyes are marvelously quick, acd the fact that he Is gen-rally at rest while the hunjer u moving gives him an immense advan tage. Even the slow lilting of your head over a ridge, or the slow dragging of your limbs over toe trunks of trees, or the slow advance of your creeping body along tbe ground, is almost instantly detected, un less the moiion happens to be made while ihe deer have their heads down, feeding or walking. A M«jric»n Fyramlct, Two Quart* 1 Oueix, It is related that Buffalo man, who had been in the coffee business tor several year was led to believe that he was a sinner! and to come out on tbe side of religions Tne morning after he had taken this step he reached his factory to find business sus pended. and upon demanding an explana tion, his sou replied: “ W ell, father, I didn’t know what to do I did not suppose after what you said last night that you would mix any more beans with the coffee.1 presumed it would make a difference.” “Ye% it will make just a little differ- ence, ” calmly observed tne old man “ We have heretofore been mixing one barrel of beans to four of coffee, haven’t we?’ “Yes.’ “Well, take out two of the beans—two quarts abont, I gue>s.” The pyramid which is the most memor able relic to antiquaries on the American continent lies a tew miles to the west of Pueb i. Old Mexico, and has been visited and described by every traveler of nets who has Interested himself in the anti quities ot the country. It rises sodden and unasaociated from the midst of the plain, built In pyramids 1 form, of adobes, or large unburned bricks, and though mu tilated and overgrowu with trees, the ma4 sive base and four stonrs of the moanment are nearly eutire. Humboldt deeorib** it *9 • imrbr of *» **#4 «**,>o«ufr4g “ vtvs v wo save * m as, next to the P> ramids of EgyptKv* proaches nearest the mighty creations ol nature. Its hu^ht is 172 feet, and tbe sides of its bass 1,355, being 278 feel lower than the great • Pyramid of Cheeps and 627 longer. The brick material is i»- t*repeiied with lavere of stone and plasteff, and tne four stories connected with each other by terra'•ea. These again are ascend ed from bench to bench by regular and oblique flights of steps, cut by the old Spaniard*, as a way to a little chapel on the platform, dedicated to the Vugin ol Remedies. In straightening the road from Mexico to Puebla, it became necessary to traverse a portion of the base, when the section laid open an interior chamber, built of stone and roofed with beams oi cj press, in It were found skeletons, idoll of basalt and a number of vases curiously varnished and pdnted.