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THE ST0B7 OF GHUMBLE TOffJl There was a boy namod Grumble Tone, who ran away to sea; "I'm sick of things on land," ho said, "as sick as I can be I A life upon ;h ? bounding wave will BUit a lad like me I" The seething ocean billows failed to stimulate his mirth. For ho did not like the vessel, or the dizzy rolling berth, And he thought the soa was almost as unpleasant as the earth He wandered into foreign lands, he saw each wondrous sight, But nothing that be beard or saw seemed just exactly right, And so h"> journeyed on and on, still seeking for delight. He talked -with kings and ladie3 fair, he dined in courts, they say, But always found the people dull, and longed to get away, To search for that mysterious land wher he should like to stay. He wandered orer all the world, his hair grow white as snow, Be reached that final bourne at last, where all of us must go; But never found the laud be sought. The reason would you know? The reason was that, north or south, where'er his steps were bent, On land or 6ea, in court or hall, he found but discontent; For tte took his disposition with him everywhere he went. Wheeler XVilcax. T . _ j_ T J ? ^ . LlOSI llllid, -OR," THE BITTER AND THE SWEET. A Tale of Two Continents. BY MRS. NINA LAWSON. CHAPTER II.?[CONTINUED.] That poor, ignorant wife littTe suspected the cause of his delay. "Not commin' yet. Hum. Yes, I know just what I will do, and then I can he more than even. He's got thai money from the butcher this morning, what he owed him for the old cow, and aow he feels rich, and he's met Lina, and they have just gone and bought a dinner." "Yes, I'll be even with them, for HI have one much better than theirs, and I'll be all by myself, too." And she was as good as her word, foi she went bustling about the old airy JLltuixeii, liianillg a lcanui uuaoc, i*4XLvsi-ig the tin-ware and dishes. U The old puncheon floor made a loud squealing noise at every step she took. In a very short time, a steaming, delicious dinner was placed upon tho table, rw) Auntie Jane's great satisfaction. "There, now, them folks at the tavern can't beat that, and I know it; and you, old man, may go to Guinea with your old dinner." She then drew her chair up to the table end poured out a cup of very strong, boiling coffee, and proceeded with her dinner. But, scarcely had she the first bite of hot biscut ir her mouth, when a horse darted up to the -ide gate, and a male voice called: ; "Hello, there, Mrs. Rice !"loud enough to be heard all over the whole farm. ??. "Good Heavens! My God!" But she could say no more, for in her hurry and fright, a pieoe of hot bisouit seemed to lodge in the wrong place. "Hello! I say, come out here quick," Mrs. Rice, with her apron up to her mouth, eyes swimming in tears, and coughing desperately, emerged from the kitchen door. "Laws sakeson me! Good heavens, what ails you, Johnny Jones? Why, your hoss i3 all a foamin', and a pantin', and?my?boy?you are?as white as a ghost!" "Madam, I am not the bearer of very good news; as you know, farmer Rice went to the town with my father, this moraine, and same back bx the path through" the thicket. George walked to town, because father would not allow him to ride with him " "Lord of mercy, Johnny, hurry and t3ll me where my old man is, and my little Lina." "Well, madam, as George was coming home through the thicket just before he got to the oreek he heard such fearful moaning; of course, as he is but ? child, he was much frightened, but venti^ed to look round, when he saw your husband, bound hand and foot, while his face was covered with blood. He told George to run for help, and that some one had run off with your * ? * * .1 * L . pretty little gin, ne supposeu, xor na had not seen her since the man who had tried to kill him had carried her into the thicket." The poor, ill-fated woman, now pale as death, threw up her arms, uttered a faint moan of anguish, and fell back as if dead. Johnny Jones' presence of mind favored him, for he lightly sprang from the horse's back and ran to the kitchen for some cold water, which he applied to the pale face of the poor woman. In a few moments the eyes were slowly opened. I "Oh, Johnny, Johnny, my boy, this will kill me! My pretty little sunnyhaired Lina and my good old man, Cristo. God of heaven, have mercy upon Thy children!" The poor woman was a picture of despair, and had forgotten all about her dinner. As she raised herself upon her elbow she saw she was aione, for Johnny, as quick as a flash, had mounted his beautiful little pony, that went flyInrv nn fVin lona ahfofMrvrvi'nft flm win/1 fri-lg lug IGkXXUj IflL^ )T JLUU| %nd appearing like a vision as be passed. ?In but an instant, it seemed, he had "Willed the bank of the creek, and. leaping to the ground, he quickly threw Nie reins over the saddle-horn. ^Kim, my brave, stay here until I return." And then with flying but firm step he crossed the foot-log and was lost in th(. thicket. Johnny was a brave hunter, and knew those woods as well as he did his own fathers farm, or at least he thought so. On he went toward the spot where little George had said farmer IUce had been bound. Heedless of danger he <3 a3hed through the bushes, piercing with hia keen black eyes through the haavy foilago. Before the brave young man could realize what had happened two men, :.V" muscular and rough in appearance, sprang from behind a tree and stopped him. "Hi, my young brave, you are a fine fellow, also; come after the girl, I suppose ? But, by the eternal, you don't get her! Surrender!" "Never!" rang clear and loud through the forest. Johnnv Jones was not so easily caught. * . Each of the two villains before him was well armed, but neither was at that instant prepared to use his weapons. Johnny's quick eye saw this, and quick r'" as a Hash the little revolver that was ' . : ... t hid in tlio sleeve of his coat lay cocked in his hand. "You blacklegs, you thieves, you villains, you don't catch me." Before the words had left his lips one of them had fallen to the earth in a death struggle, and before the othei had time to escape a bullet passed through his body just below his heart. He threw up his hands and fell backwards. "Now, you hideous monster, you thief, tell me all about this affair, who you are and what you want, or I will, 'this instant, stamp your unworthy body to fine pieces, and erind those pieoes with my heel in the earth. Speak, you dog! Do you hear?" Young Jones was quick, thoughtful, young, active; small of stature, but very strong. His eyes were mild and gentle when not angry, but now they resembled balls of fire set in their deep sockets. The wounded man saw no chance of escape, and not pity, but hatred in Johnny's eyes. Then, with a half-pitying, half-fierce look in his dull, death-like eyes, he motioned for Johuny to listen. "Listen! I know I am powerless, and that it is but a short time I can live, and vou are in danger. I am?in --great pain?now?ana?am?almost ?gone. The?blood?runs?so?fast 1 i ? i i.1. - U UL Liiu??U1U. ? UIil.ll ? jliiuu? vuuv you?-want?is bourn!?and gagged now ?but not?much?hurt?lialf?a mile ?down?the?creek. I?know?you? John Jones?and?have?laid?for? you. Your?father?13?nearly?dead. Swarthy Jim ? my ? pard?did?it? and your brother George?is?with? your?father?and old?Rice?down? the?creek." Then, in almost inaudible whispers: "Hurry*?they?are?comin'; kill? you; the?girl?is?in?a " And before the words of the dying man could tell where the beautiful little Lina was, the breath of life had left him. A slight sigh escaped the ashen lips of Johnny as he failed to catch the last words of the dying man. "Ah 1 gracious heaven, tell me where that beautiful angel girl is. My heart sinks within my soul, oh, God, as 1 think I shall lose her." The breaking of a slight twig near by was heard by Johnny's quick ear. He quickly turned his head, when to his great surprise, a man stood at las DaeB with a drawn dagger. CHAPTER in. Quick as a flash, Johnny sprang forward and eluded the blow that was in* tended to make him powerless, if not to kill him. The slight glance that he cast at the man was sufficient for him to recognize "Swarthy Jim," the hump-backed rag peddler, a man who was suspected of being dishonest. Before this -wiry old Jew, for such he surely looked to be, could recover from the surprise ol his failure, Johnny could not be seen, for he immediately darted through the thicket, crossed the c^eek, and sprang ^upon Kim's back. "Now, Kim,- my brave pony, to T am ? r\ i- AA T?An Ann flw I" o uuusuuiuuyu, ua xaov m juu tan uj It seemed as if Kim understood his master's command, for in a moment they had cleared the woods and flow along the road to town in search of help. The horse and rider made at pretty picture, dashing along ur.der the green trees, over the hills, ai^d across the brooks that lay in their fray. The pony was a flossy jet-black, and Johnny's flowing, curly hair was no lighter. His face was as pale as if his heart had ceased beating, while in his lovely dark eyes was that fierce, dark look. "Ah! ha!" thought he, "yet I did not gain the greatest point; that beautiful little girl, where is she? Fly, Kim, fly! I shall be revenged, for those infernal rascals shall be caught and shot down for dogs, that tliey are! But who and what are they ? How many are there of them ? They must be possessed of the evil one, or are hi3 own brothers. I never knew such monsters were hiding in that thicket, or, most assuredly, I should have scattered them. You old rag peddler, I see yOu are playing more than one part. I surmised it before this, but, now, you must play quit." Almost before the anxious young man realized it the fleet Kim had carrib3 him to the center of the town. He wheeled the pony round and in a few moments was at the Sheriff's office. In as few words as possible the Sheriff was told of the horrible affair that had just occurred, and in less than half an hour a party of five brave men had started for the thicket in search of the prisoners. "Now, Kim, for home, as fast a3 you. can go. Fly, for 'tis life or death. She must be found before night, or all is lost. Is there no power to save that innocent, angel-like girl? You were too beautiful, too good, my pretty little Lina, for you stole my heart and I have not yours in return. Oh! I would give the world, if it were mine, to know that she loved me, or even ever thought of me. Can you not, will you not come back to ub all who love you so much? yes, we do, but you never knew that I would give my life to serve you. No, you never did; how could you, you who are so far above me, even to stoop to smile upon me. I ought not to expect more than a glance from those beautiful eyes." His head had fallen upon the curved glossy neck of his pony, while the tears trickled down his pale cheeks as he thought of the girl he haJ loved in' vain. "Go, Kim, go! I must know where she is, and where the rest are!" So swift had the little pony traveled that Johnny was in frout of the Rice farm house before he knew it. "Stay, Kim, stay!" and in tho house ne ran, to see Aunt jane. ?ne was not there; the house was emptv. "Ah! she got uneasy, aud has gone to see mother about the matter. I'll catch her." "Mother, where is Mrs. Rice?" "Why, Johnny, my boy, I do not know; she has not been here to-day." Mrs. Jones was somewhat excited and nervous over the affair that had happened; but, a3 yet, she did not know of the perilous position in which her husband was jdaced. She had been afraid that her hnsbaud would cet hurt, and now Johnny's pale, anxious face only doubled her fears. "Mother, this is a serious affair; don't you know where Mrs. Rico is? "No, Johnny, of course I do not; but what makes you look so pale and worried?" "Oh, mother, it is jvll so terrible I hate to tell you!" "Speak, Johnny, my boy; I must, I will know all. Is your father hurt? Is he killed?" "Yes?no, no, mother: I guess not, I nope not. Uut 1 am a muruerer; yes, a murderer, for I have just killed two men." ''Two men!" shrieked the horrified mother. "Yes, and they all ought to have been killed." "What for; what has happened, Johnny?" "Three men tried to kill my father, little George and neighbor Rice; thej have also stolen little Lina, and I am afraid she can't be found. Isn't that enough, mother? Wasn't it right for me to save my own life also, when they tried to kill me ? Oh! mother, as true as there is a God in heaven I will slay every one ot them if 1 once get a chance." "Say no mere, my boy; and your father dead; nc, no, it cannot be. Heaven spare me, spare " Her weak, shattered nerves could bear no more, and, before she could finish her sentence she had fallen to the floor in a dead faint. Johnny and a servant girl applied restoratives, and in a short time Mrs. Jones began to show signs of recovery. As soon as the brave, kind boy could leave his mother he quietly stole from the house and hurried down the road toward the Rice farm-houseJust as he came in glglit of the front gate he saw a man slipping along the fcnce, and recognized him as "Swarthy Jim, the rag peddler." Like a flash the angry flush lighted Johnny's pale, handsomo face at the sight of this man. A fire of the bitterest hatred burned 111 his breast, and then and there he swore to have revenge upon this man. "Ah! old Jim, I seo you are out of place here just now. and I know you are here for no good purpose, but I intend to watch you," hissed Johnny, in deep, low tones of awful hatred. "Yes, there he gees, stealing his way into the gate* just like the thief that he is; but, by the power of Him who made me, I will be even with him this time, and he will not leave that house a live man if I do not gain my purpose."" Had not Johnny quickly hid himself behind some bushes that grew near the gate, these two men would have met face to face, but, fortunately for the wiry boy, he had again escaped this desperate man. With 6tealthy, quiet steps, Jim advanced up (he long gravel walk toward the front door of that doomsd, saddened home, little suspecting that he was watched. "Ha! old Jim, you think the coast clear; wonder where Mrs. Rice can be; crvo I lio ctrn?<rlif. in flio linnsn n<j if he was ' Lord of the Manor,' but ho will not come out in quite so brave a manner! "Why! now I know what he is after, and why did I not think of it before ? The papers?those papers that belong to the stolen beauty, to my heart's idol. I remember, and see through it all now; last winter Farmer Kice told me of those papers, and that they were not to bo given to Lina until her eighteenth birthday. "Yes, they must be valuable papers, and this desperate man ha3 stolen the girl, and now has come for those papers ; but he shall not liav6 them; I will die first." A3 soon as Jim had disapfe^ed into the house Johnny quietly glided from his hiding place, and, jumping from bush to bush, he soon reached the house, without being discovered by Rwarthr .Tim To the front of the house was a long veranda, and the west and part of the side was entirely inclosed by littice work, up which trailed the creeping rose vine, now in its richest bloom. Behind this close net-work Johnny could easily hide himself, and yet see Swarthy Jim, as he came out of the door. "Ah! you old rascal, I have you how; this little pistol of mine has done well to-day; two villains less, and, unless you drop those at the first shot, you will drop at the second." Scarcely had these muttered threats escaped Johnny's lips when Swarthy Jim appeared at the door, with a small wooden box under his right arm. At sight of the box Johnny's eyes flashed tire; he aimed at the right arm, and as Jim stepped to the ground fired. - The shot had the desired effect, for the box dropped to the ground, as Jim uttered a leariui siirxeK ana aarteu aown tlie long grayel walk out of sight. As Jim disappeared, Johnny sprang from his hiding place, seized the hoi and ran to his home. After a hasty explanation of its contents to lii3 mother, he ag ain started for the thicket. LXO BE CO-KXEOJEDJ. A Hnjje and Uncanny lilrd. ''' Where could be found anything of the sort prettier than the square before the great white cathedral of San Jose, Costa Rica? They call it Central Psrk. It is enclosed by a high iron fence, with gates at each corner. Huge old trees afford sufficient shade at midday. Near the centre of the park stands a dainty kiosk, decorated artistically with the blue, white and red of the nation's colors. Here the Government band plays twice a week, of an afternoon, while all the world comes to parade in silk attire. The soldiers, also, drill every morning at eight, in the broad path at the eastern end. Here, too, they come for review at six of the afternoon, the officers passing down the line while the band plays "La Oracion," a sweetly solemn hymn. This little picture of vivid coloring is one which can never be forgotten. The scarlet of the baud's uniform is like a flame against the emerald and deeper green of foliage. And 011 every side the rarest flowers, carefully tended and always in full bloom, are seen. Birds of all kinds sing or chatter in the tree-tops. Seven gorgeous macaws ?huge creatures of splendid scarlet plumage?wander, unhindered by cord or cage, about the park. Half a dozen wonderful green parrots, ot similar freedom, carry on intelligent conversations with each other and with the people who approach them. A huge king of zopilotes, an uncanny-looking bird, occupies a spacious cage not far from the central fountain.?New York Journal. - At rVr LIFE-SAVING MEN. THEY HAVE SAVED 7903 PEOPLE FROM THE SEA. The Method of Their OperationsFighting the Waves With Boats, Buoys, Life Lines, Kockets and the Line Guns. "The amount of good iu the way of saving'life that the service does is almost incalculable," said ? Captain S. I. Kimball, Geueral Superintendent of the United States Life Saving Service, to a Mail mid Erprm reporter. The Superintendent is a dark-haired, well-preseiVed and non-seafaring-looking man. He thoroughly uncapt. s. I. kimball.derstands his business, and has a very interesting way of relating facts about the service. He continued: "The present system was introduced in 1871, since which period just 505 lives have been lost, and 7903 j n - .cifin nnn nnn persons auwcuiuu. uivi vwv) worth of property has been saved and $21,000,000 lost. The cost of maintain| ing the service wa3 a little over $9,000,000. It can be easily secu that the service is more than self-sustaining in the way of saving property. The United States has a vast sea coast of more than 10,000 miles, not including Alaska, and j it requires a large number of life-saving stations to guard it. "We have 225 lifesaving stations for the entire coast, 185 of which are on the shores of the Atlantic, eight on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, eight on the shores of the Pacific and forty-five on the shores of the great lakes. "Great care is taken in selecting keepers for each station, becausc it is a position of great responsibility. The indispensable qualifications for appointment are that he shall be of good character and habits, not less than twenty-one nor more than forty-five years old, have sufficient education to be able to transact the station business, be able bodied, physically sound and a master of boatcraft aujl surfing. A keeper's office is far from beintr a sinecure, and he is re sponsible for a great many things. He lias to reside constantly at bis station, is intrusted with the care and custody of BREECHES BUOT. the station property, for which he is responsible, and governs the station premises. He is Captain of his crew, exer cises absolute control over them (of J course, subject to the regulations of the service), leads them and shares their peril on all occasions of rescue, taking always the steering oar when the boats are used, and directing all operations with the apparatus. He is also ex officio inspector of customs, and as such takes care of the Government interests in relation to dutiable goods on wrecked vessels until the arrival of other customs officers. By law he is made guardian of all wrecked property until relieved by the owners or their agents, or until instructed by superior authority as to its disposition. Every week the keeper sends a report of his daily log-book to the district superintendent, and he transmits it to the general superintendent. ' Whenever a wreck occurs the keeper has to furnish an account of it to the District Superintendent. If a false statemeat is made it subjects the keeper to instant dismissal. The maximum annual salary of a keeper is $800,' but the average salary paid is $700." ,-rt .t i ii ,1 0)> nuw kuuuc uie crcws uuu tuu uuuia* "Crews, of course, are not selected haphazard, but with great carff from ablebodied, and experienced surfmer. residing iu the vicinity of tlie respective stations. Keepers select their own crews, because they are supposed to have experience, ROCKET-LIKE BOX. and as a matter of safety would not select men upon whom they could not rely. It is a life and death affair, going out in a storm to rescue seamen from vessels about to go to pieces. A keeper never wishes a coward or incompetent man to belong to his crew, because it would be not only dangerous to the other members )f the crew, but injure the reputation liul -tanding of the station. . 4'Upon original entry into the service a surfman must be not over forty-five years old and sound in body, being subjected to a rigid physical examination by 1 surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service. Afterward he is examined as to expert* 'icss in the management of boats and natters of that eharaetei by the Inspector nf the District. Hi? compensation is $50 per month during tlu active season, and *>." for each occasion of service at other :imes. They also receive fuel and quarters at the station, but fuod and clothing -hey supply themselves. No person belonging to the service is permitted to hold an interest in any wrecking apparatus >r to be connected with any wrecking company; nor is lie entitled to salvage upon what lie may save or assist to save. \ surftnan cauuot be discharged without jood and sufficient reason. Neglect, Jisobedience or insubordination at a tvrec * are sufficient grounds for instant dismissal. "When the active season opens the nen assemble at their respective stations md prepare to remain eight months. They usually form a mess, taking turns \ ~ s . ... - ; z:'. a ix: . xi jy weeks in catering and cooking. How- I ever, at some of the stations they engage joard of the keeper at a rate approved by -,he General Superintendent. After these arelimiuaries the keeper proceeds to organize h is crew by arranging and uum)ering them in their supposed order of lierit, the most trustworthy and compe;ent being designated"as No. I, the next No. 2, and so on. These numbers are .hanged by -promotion as vacancies occur >r by such rearrangement from time to ;ime as proficiency in drill aud performing of duty may dictate. If the keeper s ever absent No. 1 assumes command. After the rank of the men has been ixed the keeper assigns each to his quart* ;rs and prepares station bills for the day vatcli, night patrol, boat aud apparatus Irill aud care of the premises. r.OCKET AND STAXD. "Patrol limits are established by the iistrict officers. The day watch is kept 'rom sunrise to sunset by a surfman daily issigned to this dutj, who is generally Rationed in the lookout, and who, if the patrol limits cannot be seen from th"rc, joes at least three times a day far ?V. fV?eVinrn ff\ tliom ?11UU??U tf IUU? tuo OlAvyi kv into view. Necessarily, during thick ?ud stormy weather, a complete patrol like that at night is maintained. A recod is kept of all vessels seen passing. The night patrol is divided into four watches?one from sunset to 8 o'clock, Dne from 8 to 12, one from 12 to 4 and Dne from 4 to sunrise. Two surfmen arc designated for each watch. When the hour for patrol arrives they each start iu opposite directions along the coast, keeping as near as possible to the shore, as far as the ends of their respective boats. Each patrolman is equipped with a beach lanteru and several reel Coston haud lights. When a wreck is discovered he ignites by percussion his hand light, which emits a brilliant red flame, thus notifying the people on the vessel that succor is at hand and gathering the life saving crew for work. There arc no dull, inactive days at the stations, and every week day a regular routine of practice is required. On Monday it is drill and practice with the beach apparatus, and overhauling and examining the boats and all apparatus and gear; Tuesday, practice with the boats; "Wednesday, practice with the international code of signals; Thursday, practice with the beach apparatus; Friday, practice in the method adopted for restoring the apparently drowned, and Saturday, cleaning house. "Practice makes perfect, or nearly so, anyway. Discipline and practice can perform wonders. For practice with the beach apparatus a suitable drill ground is provided near each station, prepared by erecting a spar, called a wreck-pole, to represent the mast of a stranded vessel, seventy-five yards distant (over the SIIOULDER GUS. water if possible) from the place where the men operate, which represents the shore. "When drill time is announced, the crew is mustered in the boat room, and cach man upon his number being called, salutes the commanding officei and recites in proper sequence every act he is to perform in the exercise, as prescribed in the service manual. At the words of command they all fall into their alloted placcs at the drag ropes of the apparatus cart and draw it to the drill ground, where they perform the remaiudei of the exercise, which consists in effecting a mimic rescue by rigging the gear and taking a man ashore from the wrcck-pole in the breeches buoy. As soon as the command 'Action' is given the officer notes the time until the rescuo is accomplished. At the expiration of a month of the active season, if a crew cannot rescue a man in five minutes, it is considered that they have been remiss in drilling or that some stupid men arc among mem. lUey are cautioned that i upon the next visit of the inspector i marked improvement is not shown somi steps will be taken to insure quick aetion as a rule, trus produces me aesirea er feet. "A spirit of rivalry exists in many oi the districts between the stations for excellence in this drill, and it has been executed without error by several crews in two minutes and thirty seconds. 1 have witnessed these drills, or else I am afraid I would be a little incredulous about the short time. But this is not more surprising than the night drills, when, without lights other than the moou READT TO LAUNCH. and stars, the shot has been fired, the apparatus sot up and a man brought j ashore from the wreckpole iu three minutes. Such wonderful celerity, of course, cannot be cxpected in eflcctiug rescues at actual shipwrecks, when storms, currents, surfs, the motion of the vessel, the lack of skillful co-operation on the vessel and many other unfavorable elements conspire to obstruct progress. "In the memorable storm of February 3, 1880, which wrought geueral ruin and devastation upon the coast of New Jersey, and lined her shores with wrecks, the efficient working of the crews at the life-saving stations was tuorougmy tested. In the midst of the terrible tempest, at the dead of night, the crews of thrt.'c separate stations rescued without mishap the people iu foav different ves1 LIKE THROWING GUN. S B . | -.ry sels by means of the apparatus, set up and worked in almost utter darkness,the lanterns of the surfmen being so thickly coated with sleet that they emitted only glimmers of light, so feeble that the lines and implements could not be seen. "All the boats in the service, although life-boats, are known a3 surf boats. They are made of white cedar with white-oak frames, and their dimensions are from 25 to 27 feet in length, 6? to 7 feet beam, 2 feet 3 inches to 2 feet G inches depth amidships and 1 foot 7 inche3 to 2 feet 1 inch sheer of gunwale. These have flat bottoms, with little or no keel, and have a camper of an inch and a half or two inches in eight feet in each side of the midship section. They draw six or seveu inches of water, light, and weigh from 700 to 1000 pounds. They are propelled with six oars, without sails, and will carry besides their crews from ten to twelve persons, although ns many as fifteen have been landed at a time in a bad sea. They | cost from $210 to $275. During the J eighteen years these boats have been in service they have been launched 6730 time3 in actual service and have landed* 6735 persons from wrecked vessels. "During all this service they have capsized fourteen times, and only six . of these instances were attended with loss of lite, the number of persons perishing , being forty-one, of whom twenty-seven belong to the service and fourteen were I mhaaIva/1 waamIa Wi n fVin noof DLLIVV lUUItCll pCUyit. ITlbUlU l/UV jscmv fourteen years there have been put into the United States service thirty-seven selfrighting and self-bailing lifeboats of the model of a boat received from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. They arc twenty-nine feet three inches in length, seven feet seven inches beam, three feet one and one-half deep amidships, one foot ten inches sheer of gunwales,straightbottomed, puil eight oars and weigh 4000 pounds each. Tbe great weight is made necessary by the device of an iron keel to aid in securing the self-righting quality. Out of some 471 trips made in service they saved 584 persons, and capsized four times; once with fatal results, five lives, all shipwrecked people, being lost. "The Lyle gun is employed for effecting line communication with stranded vessels. Recently the Hunt gun, devised by Mr. Edmund S. Hunt, of Massachusetts, and the Cunningham rocket have been furnished to a few stations where the outlying bare are so far off shore that vessels may possibly strand beyond the range of the Lyle gun. It is not for a moment supposed that the beach apparatus can be worked at such a loDg distance, but the passage of a boat or life car, or some improved method might be adopted. The Lyle gun is of bronze, with a smooth 2i-inch bore, -weighs, with its carriage, 185 pounds, and carries a shot weighing 17 pounds. This projectile is a solid elongated cylinder 14+ inches in length, into the base of which is screwed an eyebolt for receiving the shot line, the bolt projecting sufficiently beyond the muzzle of the gun to protect the line from being burned off in firing. When the gun is fired the weight and inertia of the line cause the projectile to reverse. The longest ransre with this crun under favorable circumstances is 605 yards. The guns arc preferable to rockets in casting lines for several reasons. A Lyle gun only c*oif oo -r CUSU> '^O/.OO, U1 fUUIbC lUUUUm^ ttpuiUtenances, excepting the projectiles, and a rocket, with its appurtenances, is not much less iu price. "The only expense attending the use of the gun is the cost of the cartridge, say half a dime, except occasionally when a shot is lost, which can be replaced for $2. Several dollars are expended when a rocket is fired. The gun is easily handled, readily prepared for firing, and can be worked almost as well in the dark as in the light. These rockets I have seeu and experimented with are cot so .simple and easy to manipulate." A "Tale ef Woe.'' "I can't see what makes poor kitfy cry so."?Harper's Younq People. Of course the cause and origin of red snow, so called, is well known. It is pretty generally agreed among botanists that the plant which supplies this pollen does not pass into a higher stage of development than a single coll. It is occasionally associated with lichens and mosses, but it is not supposed to be related to them in any way. A Sufficient Reason. ''?' [ Judge?'-Prisoner, you're charged with I having stolen two dollars in small silver coin from the complainant." Prisoner?"But, your honor, suppose your honor hadn't had anything to eat in two days?" Judge?"What are you talking about? Didn't the officer find a twenty dollar bill on you?" Prisoner?"Yes, your honor, but you see I didn't like to change it."?Judge. White pitch is being introduced as a substitute for black in the calking of vessels, being melted and run into ships' deck seams in the same way as ordinary pitch, and doing away with the laborious and expensive method of forming white | seams with putty. ' - .J " SABBATH SCHOOL fl INTERNATIONAL LESSON FO^H^B APRIL 13. JIPIH ( Lesson Text: "The Widow of Nain," Luke vii., 11-18?Golden Text: Luke vii., 10?Com- ^9 mcntary. ' ,~~r~ 11. "And it came to pass the day after, that He went into a city called Naiu." "He H had been at Capernaum, where His soul had l>een greatly refreshed by the faith of a Geo- Ml tile, a Roman ceuturion, leading Him to say, Mj "I have not found so great faitn, no, not in Israel," and to look forward to the time of rthe kingdom when many* who were far off shall be found there, and many who thought themselves entitled to the kingdom shall be cast out (see Matt, viii., 10-13). B "Aud many of His disciples went with Him, and much psople." Tabor, Little Her* fl mon and Gilboa are three mountains rising H from the plaiu of Esdraelon, sonth of C&na H and southwest of the sea of Galilee. N'air, is S on the northwest of Llttlo Hermon, the middle hill of the three, while Endor is on the north and Shunem on the west. Jesus left Capernaum and journeyed some twenty miles southwesterly to Nain. He would not' be very far from Cana or Nazareth, and a M little farther on He would have come to H Shunem, where Elisha raised a little boy to ...H life and restored him to his mother V (It Ki., iv.), but His steps are by the Spirit H directed to Nain. H 12. "Now when He came nigh to the gate H of the city, behold, there was a dead man H carried out." Only here, in all Scripture, is H this city mentioned, but it is forever made memorable by this meeting of the Prince of H Life and Light and the Frinco of Darkness ; B who has the power of death. The Son of God H was manifested that He might destroy the 'fl works of the devil (I John iii., 8), aud when He has gathered from this present world His /jB elect company of associate rulers He will there reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet; the last enemy that shall be stroyed is death (I Cor. xv., 25, 26). 'The only son of bis mother, and she was a widow; and much people of the city was with her." The little girl whom Jesus raised to life was an only daughter (Luke viii., 42), and Lazarus seems to have been an only brother. Thouehtful readers will stop a moment to remember that Solomon's master workman in brass, etc., was a widow's son; ' so also was Jeroboam, son of Nebat;apoor ~ widow sustained Elijah, and another was commended by Christ for her offering ([ Hi. viiM 14; xi., 20; xvii., 9; Luke xn., 2, 8). Special words of comfort for widows are )' found in Ex. xxii., 22; Ps. lxviiL, 5; cxlvi., i Zeeb. vii., 10; and some day wo shall se? V more clearly into all these things. .. / n 13. "And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said unto h<?r: Weep not. Iu one company the canter of attraction was the Lord of Life and Glory; in the other, this poor, desolate, broken hearted ; widow. The two now meet, and from the Fountain of Life into the hoart of thi> desolate flow the all powerful words: "Weep not." So He also said in the house of Jairug (Luke ix., 52); and to Mary after the resurrection He said: "Why weepest thou?" (John rx., 15.) Yet He Himself wept at the grave of Lazarus anil on the mount of olives and in the garden of Gethsemane (John xi., 35; Luke xix., 41; Heb. v., 7). When He weeps it is because of siu either in its present or i future results: when He says "Weep not" it ' is because of what He is as the Resurrection "5 and the Life, and what He is willing and a Die to ao. 14. "And He camo and touched the bier; and they that bare him stood still" To wear the words and see the power of God we must stop and be still. It was when God klw that Moses turned aside to see that Ho called onto him out of the bush. Israel at tho RtSd Sea had to stand still in order to see the salvation of Jehovah. Saul had to stand still that Samuel might shew him the word of God. < Israel had to stand still that Samuel might t reason with them of the righteous acta of the 3 Lord. And again did they stand still to sea ;,L . the salvation of Johovah in the tho days of "A Jehoshaphat (Ex. iii., 4; xiv., 13; I Sam. ix.,'" 27; xii., 7; II Chroa. xi., 17). In the busy, everyday lifo, following the dead things of this world, we are not apt to hear or see tha words or works of the Lord; although even there He is ready to meet, us, and it is there we do need Him so much; but how thankful we should be for the day which kindly compels us to stand still, and for the week night evenings when we may stand still and turn aside to the prayer meeting or tho Bible study to hear what He will say uuto us. "And Ho said: Young mau, I say unto thee, Arise." Now when all is still aud all eyes are upon Him He utters just four words (in the Greek), but what powlr and meaning there is in them; and all bacause of Him wao uttered them. They aro tho words of Him 1 who spake ana it was aone, who wm ium.icu and it stood fast (l's. xxxiii., G-'J), by whose, word the Heavens were mado and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. Observe the "I say uuto theo" which He useo so often, and in the sermon on tho mount jusfc fourteen times. Com par.; it with the many hundred times repeated "Thus saith tha Lord"- of the prophet*, ami nut? its si^uificauce. Tho word "arise" signifies io awake as from sleep (soe Matt. viii., 2t>; xvii., 7), and is used In reference to thosowho rose fro:u the dead after His resurrection (Matt, xxvii., 52). 15. "And He that was dead s >t up an I began to speak." Life and health an.I speech l'rom the Prince of Life, all unmeriteJ, all of grace, and all by His word in the power of tTie Spirit. The words which He speaks are Spirit and Life, and ho that hears and belie-vos hath everlasting life, and is passed from death unto life. "Aud lie delivered him to his mother." Is there not here a hint, as in the resurrection ;-f the 1'ttlc girl and Lazarus, of the reunion bl families III the resurrection? And while tliarc shall tben be neither marrying nor (firing in marriage, are .wo not by these facte," and by I Thess. l'J taught to expect in some measure a reunion of those who in families or in service have been united on earth? It sjems so to mo. 10. 'And there came a fear on all: and ^ they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God * \ natli visited His people."' They may have thought of the resurrections through Elijah aud Elislia, and possibly havo remembered these words: "X will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mai. iv., 5), or some of the promises of visitation for deliverance and restoration, aslsa. xxiv., 22, 23; Ezek. xxxviii., 8; Zepli. ii., 7, etc. The two ^ companies have now a common centre; < the woman aud her son and all their friends lmve joined tho disciples and much people who followed Jesus, and together they glorify God as seen in Him. This was the great object of Jesus in all He said and did, and In His last prayer He is able to say triumphantly. "I Liavo glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to flo. (ji)un xvh, ii. 17. "And this rumor of Him went forth throughout all Juda?a, and throughout all the region round about." That is about equal to saying '"irom Dan aiul lie3i\sheba," >r throughout the length and breadth of the land. W hat joy in Nam! What excitement! Something unhear.I of since the days of Elijih ami Eiisha. How the people did talk! ltow they spread it abroad through the whole laud! One who can not only cure the siok but actually raise tho dead lias visited fsrac1. The ineu talked, the women talked, tho children talked, and it was all about Jesus and His wondrous works. IS. "And the disciples of John shewed him (if all thes.' things." And John wasn't a bit j jainus but only desired that all might follow Je:;u*, for he hud before said: "Ho must increiso, but I must decrease; the friend of I he Bridegroom which standech and hearetb Him rejoic^th greatly because of tho Bride ?.v, tUi* mv inv t.limvfnro. is fill filled'' (Jo'"' i'i . A striking characteristic of John Jacob Astor, who has passed away, is laid to have been the entire absence >f egotism. The pronoun I seldom passed his lips, he even using evasive axpressions in order to avoid making ase of it. The widow and children of the late Conrad Seipp, the Chicago brewer, has sent to each of seventeen different charitable institutions in Chicago a sum not less than $5,000 nor exceed- j ' ing $15,000. The total was $135,000. J J