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| Great Gift of | I New Plants to s | | Americai) Farmers | i A most remarkable collection of rare economic plants and seeds is now being worked up by the Department of Agriculture. Barbour Lathrop. of Chicago, with David G. Faircbild, as assistant, recently completed a tour of the world, covering a period of two years, and embracing travels which amounted to explorations, and Mr. Lathrop has given the results of the expedition, undertaken at his own expense, to the farmers of the United States through the medium of the section of seed and plant introduction of the Department of Agriculture. The expedition left New York on December 31. 189S, and returned last fall, having visited in order the following countries and sent in from each living economic plants and seeds for cultivation by American farmers and horticulturists: Jamaica. Grenada, Barbadoes, Trinidad in the West Indies; ,Venezuela, Colombia. Ecuador, Peru, .Chile, Argentine. Brazil, in South America; Portugal. Tyrol and Bohemia in Austro-Hungary; Italy. Egypt. Amboina, Banda, Lombok, Bali, Moluccas, Aru and Koi Islands, Tenim!ber archipelago and New Guinea in ,the Dutch East Indies; Hong Kong. Canton in South China; the Philippine Islands. Bankok. Siam; Sweden and Finland, in Northern Europe. Although it is premature to predict Ithe fate of these introduced plauts, it .will be of interest to point out some of their prospects and the reasons for their trial. A spineless succulent cactus of the 'Argentine suitable for fodder purposes in the desert regions of Arizona. A series of West Indian yams, of /which at least one is superior in flavor to the Irish potato, suitable for culture in Florida and Louisiana, but de- i manding special care and a special | market. The Alexandrian clover from Egypt ?a late fodder crop for irrigated lands In Southern California and Arizona. This is the principal fodder crop of Egypt. Varieties of "pedigreed" barleys originated in Sweden, and of superior value for brewing purposes. Varieties which took twenty out of twentyeight prizes at the Swedish brewers' exposition. Fine West Indian mangoes and su Iz3 u h theml^l i j| igj Bohemian v/e:st inpial oran< r?ducal cut run A'CYXS) .SSEDLEJJ* ? SULTAH IMA fT^'# Grape M yTsrw k, *? rwiac SOME OF THE NEW THINGS BR EXPEDITION AND PRESENT I perior sorts of East Indian bananas for culture in Porto Rico, f An evergreen poplar from Chile for the Pacific slope. A frost-hardy alligator pear for the corning industry of this fruit growing in Florida and California. The Lapland six-rowed barley and ,thc early-ripening Finnish black oat for experiments in Alaska and such short-seasoned regions. Chilean alfalfa varieties, for breeding experiments on this most remarka ble of all fodder plants. A Bohemian horse-radish, superior In size and flavor to any American sort. Several novel Swedish leguminous (clover-like) fodder plants lately brought to the uotice of the agricultural public of Sweden. The "Jannovitch" Egyptian cotton, . which is now being tested by over 1000 experimenters in the upland cotton regions of the South, and regarding which many encouraging reports have been received. The "Algarobillo." a tannin-producing shrub from the Chilean deserts, with most remarkable desert-resisting (characteristics and large tannin-producing capacity, for Arizona conditions. A fodder bamboo for the arid regions of the Southwest, which form* ,in South Chile one of the principal Bources of fodder for large herds of cattle. A variety of onion from the islands or tne iNiie, ivniru is piuuuuuwu iour expert onion-growers the best pickle-onion ever grown. | "Zuccini,"' from Northern Italy. One tof the most important vegetables of Ithe Venetians, and worthy serious ((consideration by our truck growers. The seedless Sultanina grape from [Padua, Italy, for the seedless raisin Industry of the Colorado desert region. jf The greater portion of our foreign (Immigration cornea through the port 'fif New York. I r "SLED SPURS." A New Winter Sport of Which the Gar uoann Are Growing: Fond. "Racing Wolf" is the name of a sled now used extensively in Germany. On ?.? '??^ ONE OK THE "SLED SPURS." each of the runners in the rear of the sled as shown in the picture is a vertical bar with a horizontal bar connecting them, which acts as a support for the apparatus. By fastening the "sled spurs" in one of the slides and holding with the hands the bar in front the sled, can be propelled at a great speed by pushing with the other foot. Tourists use this sled extensively, as it is portable and t I THE "RACING WOLF." can be conveniently taken into a railroad car. The sled has been often called the "winter velocipede." A Fairy in Disguise. The waiter girl was undeniably pretty, and she did not seem to know it. Modest, ladylike in demeanor, mindful only of her duties, she moved swiftly to and fro through the crowded resaturant, heedless of the admiring glances darted at her by susceptible young men, filling the orders of exacting guests with exemplary patience and good nature, and tactfully repell ing all attempts to engage her in airy bandlage or ia any conversation not ALEXANPRIA.H CLQVEPh _ I OUGHT BACK BY THE LATHROP ED TO THE UNITED STATES. I pertaining to the business of feeding hungry men. "What is your order?" she asked the grave, silent man who had just taken a seat at one of the tables. "Bring me," he said, ''a Swiss cheese sandwich with rye bread, a couple of < doughnuts and some coffee." "Slab o' Switzerlan' on rye!" she piped shrilly. "Sinkers! Draw one in Java!"?Chicago Tribune. Largest Hat in the World. i Here is a picture of the largest hat in the world, so far as can be ascer' tained, and it was made by an ambitious hatter of a small place in the Philippines, who used 230 yards of "jumbo" straw pleat an inch in width in the manufacture of this monster head covering. As a means of comparison, what aro said to be the smallest lady's sailor j A PHILIPPINE HAT. hat and the smallest man's straw are held up for comparison with this, giant, which measures seven aud onehalf feet across the brim and three , feet around the crown. . \ OOOOO00090000000000000000 ? A Rhode Island j ? purchaii|/||heelsi Soooooooocoooooooooooooocl IN Narragansett Bay, and form in} part of Rhode Island, is a grou] called the Narragansett Isles The largest of the group is Conau icut Island, which is so named fron Conanicus, a chief of the Narragan setts, a once powerful aboriginal tribe Conanicut Island is opposite to and nea Newport, and is on one of the route: between those two fashionable sum mer resorts. Newport and Narragau sett Pier. Conanicut Island is nine miles ir length, and its principal village i: Jamestown?an active, bustling littli place, which possesses the only liote THE 'INTERIOR IS COMFORT;' that was ever moved across an arn of the sea. Now, while there is an abundance oi churches and parsons in the inort populous part of the State of Rhodt Island, the western half, in which Co nanicut Island is situated, is thinlj peopled, and has few places of wor ship. In order to provide the summei residents and dwellers in the outlying district with religious opportunities the Mission of the Transfiguratior was organized in 1893 at Conanicul Park, five miles from Jamestown This Is a summer mission. sUDnortec and attended by people staying in th< hotel and adjacent cottages, and th< services are held in a "Union Cbaf>el.' The summer visitors, among -whoir are a good mauy officers of the Unitec States Navy with their families. com< chiefly during July and August, but in the winter only seven families liv< at the Park end of the island. It was, therefore, proposed to buile ieSI 'chapel of the transfiguration" a: it appears from the outside cross and belfrv are removabli a movable chapol or church on wheels which might be at Connnicut Part during the summer season, while foi the remainder of the year it might bt taken elsewhere to minister to the needs of a farming community. The Chapel of the Transfiguratior is a real, practical church, light, cheerful and roomy, having fourteen pews space for twenty chairs, and an nislc three feet wide. While the chapel ii in transit the running gear is exposed to view, but whim it is at rest, cur tainboard underpinning is "pur up ol lilt* I our Sliu^a. illiU ? in.- iuu.^ui; iv ic placed by a wide flight of steps. The pews, prayer desk, altar, bishop's chair, etc., are of oak. On one side ol the chancel is the organ, which if fitted together with brass, and ou tlu other is a robing room, with closer wardrobe, toilet case and mirror. Tlu building is carpeted, the clianccl ir red and the body of the chapel it straw color. The Rev. Charles E. PrestoD. rectoi of St. Matthew's Church, Jamestown, was the originator of the plan of tht * I -5_ * ?& & f "EN ROUTE"?THE CHURCH ON OTHER CO> chapel, aim superintended its construc tlon. The chapel is. of course, a; lightly built as is consistent witl strength, so as to be easily drawi along country roads. But, at the sami g time. It is well proportioned, and all ? the details are in keeping with its size B and purpose. It is eighteen feet wide ? (the wheels being nineteen feet three ? inches from centre to centre) and twenty-seven feet long, with a little l>av window two feet deep, to give 3 more rr.om for the al nr. From the b floor (which is on a level with the plat? form) to the ridgepole is eighteen :) feet, but the cross and belfry add sev. - ^ . i... t.oH/li. i erai reer ro me ui-i^ui, im tions. however, mny be removed when j the chapd ts being conveyed along the . road. so. that it may pass under telegraph and telephone win m. The outt. side is gray and of somewhat plain g appearance.-but inside the decoration . is quite handsome and (he arrange. meat excellent. The designer, too. h:m contrived to \ give an appearance of .spaciousness 3 by leaviug the interior open to the ? ridge pole. The pews are comforta1 ble. and will seat a hundred persons. B- C5tS I i-BLE AND WELL APPOINTED. 1 , i The stained glass In the windows is nf <<vnri pnlnr and all anDearanee of I crowding has been avoided. The chan? cel. without reckoning the little bay ? window, is only five feet by eight feet, but the space has been so well arr ranged that there is plenty of room. - To the left of the chancel is the or: gan, a small, fine-toned instrument, f which was presenced by the makers. > Between the organ ajid the chancel i is a brass lectern, and oppaslte this a t reading desk for morning prayers. The . value of the entire portable church I from belfry to wheels with its fittings ; is $3000, but-the money actually ex; pended in constructing and fittting It ' was less than half this sum, because i the manufacturers of church furoish1 ings gave nearly all that was required. ? The pulpit and lactern. th? safe, and t many other articles were given in this ? way; while the robes, the cross on the . roof and many other things were pre1 o.*rw1 Ktt ln/1iw!/1nnla Tho nnlfpn fll 1 OCULtU VJJ lUUil muuio? VM.V? ?. tar was given by the Rhode Island branch of the Women's Auxiliary, in memory of the Rev. Walter Gardnar Webster, who perished on the Illfated steamer Bourgogno. In February. 1899. the chapel was ready to be moved, and It was deI cided to take it to its first station over the frozen ground. But a blizzard set in, and the work of incving tois postponed. On April 17 open-air services were held on the church grounds, and the flag presented by Elisha Dyer, the Governor cf Rhode Island, was raised. Next day oxen wero brought from Middletown and the northern part of the island, and twenty of them harnessed to the chapel-wagon. The rear wheels being slightly elevated on planks, as soon as the brakes wero off the building moved almost before tlio oxen had pulled the chain taut. Twice the chapel fell into pitfalls, but was successfully extricated. After a step 51 for luncheon the sacred edifice was j drawn up on a plot of ground whence ' j jc was visiDie lor awes itiuuuu uuu I Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island. , j Tlio first service in the Chapel of the ; i Transfiguration was held on April 23, j the Sunday after the moving, and the ! consecration took place on June 3, the s I Right Rev. Dr. McYickar*. Condjutorj Bishop of Rhode Island, officiating.? l The Wide World Magazine. Tit Escape Conscription In Franc*. Tlio Magistrates of Moissac are en> gaged in investigating cases of voiunl tary mutilation practiced by a band of j sharpers in the district of Quercy on 1 | young conscripts. By means of a bandage these sharpers produced an chvlosis of the toes, causing infirmi' ties that necessitated the discharge of the young men. or at any rate their i transfer to the auxiliary services. : j Each cue of these operations brought . ' the operator a fee of from 1000 to I loOOf.?Notes and Queries. I 1 > A New Fruit. , A now fruit was recently exhibited to the Fellows of tbe Royal Eorticul, j rural Society, in London. The plant ( bearing it is a hybrid between tbe --'=": L \ - *v """ H?.rtV WHEELS MOVES ON INTO AN1 G NEGATION. - raspberry and the commoi blackberry s The taste of the fruit combines tht i flavors of the dewberry with that ol 1 the raspberry, and it comes into bear ! e ing as the raspberries are failing. . | THE GREAT DESTROYER SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOU1 THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. Grandfather'* Telearope ? How Alwbn Doe* It* Deadly Work In JTti Vlcttin'i Kody?First It Darken* the Klood Then It Irritate* Erery Organ. '"He is laying up for the poorhouse now, I can sec it plain as day. If the jail don't catch him before he's old/ My grandfather used to say When he saw a boy with a short cigar And an air.lvke a circus clown Stand oft before the swinging door Of the best saloon in town. You're laying up for the poorhouse now If you never care to try To do your work in a mainly wav; When you let your evenings fly In mischief mean, when you oft are seen With the roughest chaps there are. Who won't take proof that the poorhouse roof Grows out of the licensed bar. There's many a way to the poorhouse. h boys. But the surest, straightest road Is the idler's path thro' the near saloon Where the wild-oat fields are sowed. These grow, a harvest of pain and woe, Of poverty, sin and shame In spite of fun and the free lunch bun And the spirit they sport as game. TInvo n f?|pnn /tanicrn fnr vnnr liffi-nlan. boys; Live out in the light of day And thank the Lord for the honest toil That in nilcd along your way. It is grand to pledge yourself to Right, Go hind yourself to tread With the sturdy few who are always true, Who supply the poorhouse bread. Are you laying up on the noorhouse plan. In gravel instead of gold? Each oath a wound in a conscience seared And paralyzed with cold? Each drink a receipt for a pauper's bed! Each year a thousand miles On a hurrying car from the luring bar To the Dlace where the poorhouse smiles? ?Jessie MacGregor Shaw, in the Temperance Banner. now Aicoiioi act*. Physicians tell us precisely how alcohol acts on the system. Almost the moment it is swallowed it makes its way through the veins of the stomach into the blood, which it darkens. Its action is immediate, for it has undergone no transformation. It passes away very slowly through the skin, lungs and kidneys, which are irritated by its passage. Once it has-been introduced into the body it performs its deathly work. The digestive apparatus is the first point of attack. The stomach, whether bloated bv beer drinking or shrunk by brandy drinking, soon becomes ulcerated, causing hemorrhages. Digestion becomes more difficult, for the gastric juices are diminished in quantity by the paralyzing of the glands. The liver becomes congested and swollen, heavy and painful. This is fatty degeneration of the liver. Then sometimes the liver Bhrivels up and is covered with a hard, stony tissue. This is cirrhosis. The taste changes very early, leading to all kinds of aberrations. When an old absinthe drinker was put on,a milk diet in the hospital he complained that the milk burned 'his throat. He managed to get some pure absinthe, whichjhe swallowed, claiming that it refreshed and cooled his throat wonderfully. The ciroolatory system is no less affected. The arteries become hard and brittle. Accidents which would normally affect only the aged seriously, strike down young alcoholized persons. The irritation of the lungs produces a dry cough, tendfng directly toward tuberculosis. The kidneys, worn out by the accumulation of alcohol, become inflamed, leading to Bright's disease or other kidney affection. The worst troubles resulting from alcohol's abuse are those of the nervous system, weakening of memory, nightmares, visions of impossible animals, hallucinations, general paralysis, insanity. Delirium trements threatens every alcoholic patient. The finest intelligence is soon destroyed by this poison. Superior talents are 1 drowned in the bottle.?New York HeraldLaboring Men Waking Up. It is especially gratifying to see how '< fgenerally the laboring classes ""Of our fel- i ow citizens are appreciating the truth that ? the burdens of the liquor traffic are borne < principally by them, even thoueli they- i may never enter a saloon; that the terri- i ble waste made by the liquor traffic can be repaired only by production; that the i landlord who pays increased taxes for the i Bupport of paupers, prisons and police, in- | evitably adds that cost to the rent charged to the laboring man, and that the manu- ( facturer reimburses himself for his in- j nroouo^ fnvofinn hv Af WAffPS his employes. * Intelligent mechanics and operatives are learning that increased liquor sales mean reduction of house and furniture building; reduced demand for shoes, hats, coats, calicoes, silks and flannels, and therefore his employment in building machinery used in such production. The farmer will have less sales of flour, pork, potatoes and other products of his toil in proportion as the saloon thrives. No department of honest industry can escape the devastating influence of the success of the liquor traffic, except possibly that of the undertaker. Tradesmen are learning that thoir bad debts are made chiefly because the money that really belongs to them is raked into the coffers of the saloon keeper. But the alliance of the slums with mushroom aristocracy in defense of rum-selling shows as yet no signs ot weanness.?uur j Paper. ( Tlio 9To*t Daoeerom Drink of All. Yet another fallacy on which -we need * to concentrate the light until it becomes a , burning glass tp destroy it is the idea that , lager beer, if not harmless, is the least harmful of alcoholic drinks. It is, in fact, j the most dangerous of all, partly because ' this fallacy has made it seem one of the c "little sins" that so many are willing to do. I once examined the inmates of the 1 Christian Home for Intemperate Men, in 1 New York City, as to the way they reached ' the last ditch of drunkenness, and 80 per r cent, told me that they began with beer. 1 Yonder is the dark land of intemperance reached by two bridges, wine and beer. ; Over the wine bridge go 20 per cent.; over j the beer bridee 80 per cent. The most im- r portant temperance work is to stand at the j entrance of the seemingly harmless beer ] bridge and warn those who are thought- t lessly entering upon it.?The Presbyterian. ^ The Crusade In Hrlef. ^ By wholesome food and drink the appetite is satisfied; by alcohol it is excited. i There are few instances of sunstroke among those who do not use alcoholic stimulants. Nervous Britons are worrying again . about the quantity of liquor they drink. ' "If drink is doing me harm I will take r none of it for my own sake; if it is doing g me no harm, I will take none of it for the r the sake of others," should be the motto t of every one. ? A recent investigation showed that nine- t t.v-three per cent, of the inmates of the i New York House of Industry were sent { there for crimes resulting from the use of o intoxicating drinks. s A novel scheme has been adopted by the f Sharon (Penn.) liquor dealers. Each week * they secure from the local magistrates a <? list of persons arrested for drunkenness, ? and tnen retusc sucn ones annus at tne ? bar. Miss fTattie Bumgarten, of New Milford, Conn., lias a novel plan for reforming saloons. The scheme is to have the best citizens frequent the saloons, not to drink, ti but to form a social surrounding of a high h order. K While the political power of the saloon ?j is increasing in Great Britain there are signs that a storm is rising that may ?i break with terrific force and may over- ^ throw the traffic in Great Britain and c< other lands as well. Drink dulls the moral i\ense and is hostile to all that is best in man, and for that reason every wise minister regards chil- 1? dren's temperance societies as one of the T most valuable agencies of his church, when b its object is to get every one to say "No" S to atroDS drink. ft c I ' " \ r' - . ~ v TIE SABBATH.,SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS FOR MARCH 10. Subject: Je*u? anil CalapJinc, Matt. x*vl. 57-68?Golden Text, xvl., 16?> eiiiorj Verses. 62-64 ? Comuieutary on the . Day's Lesson. , 57. "They?led Him away." The band of soldiers, led on by Judas. John IS: 3. "To the house of Caiaphas" (R. V.) In John 18: 13, we are told that He was taken to Annas first. It is supposed that Annas and Caiapha3 occupied different apartments in the same palace, which was Erobably situated on Mount Zion, near lavid's tomb, in the southwesterly part of the city. It was Annas and Caiaphas who sent the band to arrest Jesus, and the leaders wanted the sanction of Annas before they proceeded against Jesus. "The scribes," etc. Scribes, that is, rabbis learned in the literature of the church; and elders, who were chosen from among the most influential of the laity; and chief priests (v. 59), that is, the heads of the twenty-four priestly classes. "Were assembled." Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas (John 18: 24), and Caiaphas with all haste summoned the Sanhedrin, some time between 2 and 4 o clock on * riday morning, but this was irregular and informal, because it \vas contrary to their law to carry on the trial by night. This trial is probably the one recorded by Matthew and Mark. The usual place for the great Sanhedrin was at the council room in the temple precincts, but this being; an irregular meeting is held in the palace; of the high priest. 58. "Peter followed Him." Peter loved Jesus; he could not help but follow Him; he was anxious "to see the end"?to know what, they did with his Lord. But alas! Peter followed from "afar off." This was the cause of his downfall. "And went in." John also went with Peter, and, in fact, it was John who succeeded in getting Petei admitted in to the court of the palace. John 18: 15, 10. "Sat with the servants." This was another great mistake. If he had stayed by the side of John he would not have denied his Master, for John seems to have had no such temptation 59. "All the council." The great San hedrin^ the highest in the Jewish nation; composed of seventy-two members, and founded, it is supposed, by M08ea (Nuih. 21), and was continued a long time aStei the days .of our Lord on earth. "Sought false witness." They have a criminal without a crime. They dared not sen tence Jesus to death without some satisfactory charge, and thus they were obliged to search for witnesses. 60. "They found it not." (R. V.) They had great difficulty in making up a case against Jesus. According to their law (Deut. 19: 15) there must be two witnesses, and, out of the many false wit nesses who came before the council it was impossible to find two who agreed. Mark 14:56. "At tiie last came two." From Mark 14: 57-59 we see that the testimony of these witnesses did not agree i;i all points, and this accusation if agreed upon would not be sufficient for a death sentence. Falsehoods seldom agree; only the truth is harmonious. "False witnesses." Their testimony was false because the facta were not correctly stated (see Mark 14: 58), and because Christ's words had been misapplied. This is still a very common way of injuring others. 61. "This fellow said." Here they were obliged to go back to the beginning of Christ's public ministry and pervert a statement that He had made after He first cleansed the temple. John 2: 19. "I am able," etc. Jesus had never said this. What He did say was that if they would destroy this temple in three days He would raise it up, but He had" reference to the temple of His body. 62. "Said unto Him." Their case had failed, and now the high priest arose and tried to force Jesus to criminate Himself. "Answerest Thou nothing?" There was nothing to say. The witnesses had contradicted themselves. Give the enemy time and opportunity and he will destroy his awn cause. 63. "Held His peace." Thus fulfilling tne propnecy m laa. 5J: 7. Jesus Knew they were determined to put Him to death and a reply would have been useless. ,"I adjure Thee." The high priest puts a solemn oath to Him. The difficulty of this question consisted in this: if He confessed that He was the Son of God, they stood ready to condemn Him for blasphemy; if He denied it, they were prepared to condemn Him for being an imposter, and for deluding the people under pretense of being the Messiah. 01. "Thou hast said." A common form of expression for "Yes, it is so." See Mark 14: 62. Christ felt no disposition to remain silent when questioned concerning i truth for which He came into the world to shed His blood. "On the right hand of power." This is a reference to Dan.-7: 13, 14. The prophet is describing Christ's :oming into the presence of His Father to be invested with all power. Its true fulfillment took place at the resurrection (Mutt. 28: 18), but the same Lord will :ome at the judgment day in the same jlory. What a contrast will that be with Eiis present position! "The clouds of leaven." This evidently has reference (1) to the judgment executed on the wicked Jewish nation (Matt. 10 : 27, 28 ; 24; 30); f2) to the final judgment; (3) to the final :riumph of His kingdom. 65. "Rent his clothes." An expression )f violent grief (Gen. 37: 29, 34; Job 1: 20) ind horror at what was considered to be )lasphemous or impious. The act was enoined by the rabbinical rules. When the charge of blasphemy was proved, the iudges rend their garments and do not tew them up again. "Blasphemy." They :onsidered it blasphemy for Jesus to say Ele waa the Christ. Mark 14: 61, 62. 'Witnesses.'* Their witnesses had proved i failure to them, and they had no more o bring. Jesus was condemned on His )wn testimony. 66. "What think ye?" The high priest lad urged the ease.against Him, and now le puts it to .vote. ."Guilty of death." 'Worthy of death." 'R. V. The punishnent for blasphemy was death. Lev. 24: 6. The irregular court now adjourned. 67. "Spit in His face," etc. There is an nterval now of at least two hours before he regular session of the Sanhedrin could onvene. During this time the judges deivered Him into the hands of the mob. ["hey spat in His face as a 'mark of conempt. "Buffeted." Smote with their ists. 68. "Who?9mote Thee." They had tlindfolded Him. Mark 14: 65. They made port with Hia as the Philistines did with iamson. Increasing: Mineral Product. The annual report of the Director of the T_:i 1 Ol-l / < 1 or?n<-nin,t jiiilcu Utai/Ca uvuiugaai uui WI?VU?...J iome startling figures in regard to the nineral production of this country. It hows that in 1899 the nation produced 1 netallic and non-metallic products to the i otal value of $976,008,946. Twenty years i go our country could boast but about a | hird of this sum as a total cf the year's | >roduction. Ten years ago a little over 619,000,000 was the value of the produit if our mines and quarries. Thus ten years hows the production doubled, and twenty I ears trebled in value. As usual pig iron i leads the list, with the value of over 245,000,000. Copper continues its won- j lerful rise, with a total production of , ver $585,000,000. BAsaton Loyal to Kdnanl YII-. Chief Lerothodi and chiefs of other naons assembled at Maseru, Basutoland, to | ear the proclamation of the accession of | ^ing Edward VII. Lerothodi and others ( :ioke in praise of the late Queen, saying ley considered that they had lost their | reatc9t triena. rne msuios accepteu | Ling Edward as the great chief oi Basu- j jland. I Swim Railway*. I Tiie five principal railways of Switzer- I md are to be purchased by the State. 1 "neir combined length is only 1778 miles, ut the capital invested amounts to about 200,000.000. The Gotthard line has only length of 175 miles, but its capital id lore than $C3,000,000. m _* SOD'S MESSAGE TO MAE < PRECNANT THOUGHTS FROM "IjHE WORLD'S CREATEST PROPHETS. In Sorrow'* >lRlit ? Peaceful Ainf<l*t tft? fetonn ? Lire'* Two Supreme I)?te? ? Stereotyped Aspiration* ? Word* >nll of Cheer ? Uoil'i Way of Showing TJ?. r. So much of brightness drew into the west, ' So many lives I loved had vailed to fate, I thought to follow, past the sunset gate. And Ijp with theau,wherever they were blest! . But no; as on their .pointless path I pressed, A Voice detained me: "Thou, thyself, must wait; Behold, their term of life is not thy date: Reverse thy steps, to other paths addressed." Thereforth. at twilight, loath I set my . feet Towards the wistful, haunted, violet east, whore yet, in reflex dim, their glories burned. What wonder. if I seem, to all I meet, A. moving darknesH?features undiscerned? An evening wraith that wanders till released ! II. O Unseen Shepherd of those vanished ones. Peace ooraeth, now that Thou hast sent away ? The wistful remnants of departed day. And splendors shot from unreturning suns. It is full night: I am as one who shuns (Grown used to shadow) noontide's burning ray. It is full night; hilt even as I stray, From out the east a tender herald runs! O Unseen Shepherd of my unseen loves! Thy moonlight and Thy starlight Thou, dost send That not alone my path I henceforth tread; Bui comfort, as from brooding wings of doves. Shall from Thy nightly, orbs on me descend, Siuce every ray is as a,.message sped! ?Editii M. Thomas, ?in The Congregationalist. ' ?'j Peaceful Ainidat the Storm. Trouble we must have. It is a covenant blessing. By this we live. But it is an environment only. All may be quiet in the deep dark centre of our be- . ing, and there, peace may abide. A day in foreigu travel is often recalled. On the island of Malta the sun shone, among the trees the birds sang, and tbi gardens along the way, spread out on their rocky beds, were as fragrant aa they were fair. Yet there was a storm on the sea. In the harbor of Valetta the ocean vessels were rocked by it as the cedars on Lebanon by the passing tempest. Great waves smote the rockbound coast, and " tiie-.sound of the breakers was heard all along the outer edge of the ancient Mplita. What mattered that so long as it w;as cairn and bright on the island itself, and on it rested the smile of heaveu? So the Christian often lives in the environment of trouble. Storms are abroad. Temptations crowd upon him. Enemies are j thundering at the gates. But all may be all ought to be, peaceful within. , Why not, when Jesus says, "Let not your heart he troubled, neither let it be afraid?"?Ilev. Robert F. Sample, D. IX, in "Christ's Valedictory." llfe'i Two h'npreine l)atM. Every human life h.'/s its two supreme dates, but within their narraw limits lies, for the most part*, only harmless. useless, futile living. To the great world, praying and wofctapg and fighting its way into eternij^ft matters very little whether, for most of us, those % dates are close together, or seventy years apart! Only once in a while a single life lifts itself up between its two dates and towers against eternity like a * mountain against the sky. We, on the plains, look up and wonder and gape at , fKfl m<\nnfnSn fha lifa iu UA ^iill of detail that to paint it we must either take a bit here and there?a fall of sparkling water over a precipice, the gash of a black ravine, a shining, snowcapped peak?or else we must go far enough back to see it as a whole in large and simple Hues, and so !ose the marvelous detail of it all.?Margaret Deland, in Harper's Bazar. * Stereotyped Aspiration*. Brother minister, got a new public prayer! That is a good one which yon are using every Sunday, but your people have become so familiar with it that it no longer evokes sympathetic espouse. You are unconscious of it, but you have fallen into the habit of stereotyped peti tions ami aspirations, .lesus warned His disciples against tho use of "vain repetitions," and you need to be thus warned. Get a new prayer. A uew religious experience would briny it. A study of the Bible hhtl devout meditation will inspire it. A heart-to-heart association with your people in their temptations, sins, defenfs and victories, in their sorrows and the.i joys, will help yon to it. Lead your eager and aspiring people in a new public prayer! Word* Full of Cheer. Keep me, O God, from every evil word; from all unkindness, iille levity, hasty temper and useless complaint; from llattery and falsehood. Make my \ heart pure and my lips clean. Give me to share thy joy and let all my looks and words be full of cheer, lest I should boar false wituess to thy perfect grace of forgiveness and. thy loving care. Keep me from insincerity. from impatient speech and querulous tones in petty trials and misunderstandings. So tame thou that tongue which uo man can tame ami make it harmless in this world of strife and ready in thy service. And to thee will I give praise and glory I'veruiore. Amen. <?od does not show us the whole plan of our life at a hurst, Imt unfolds it to lis, hit by bit. Each day lie gives us the opportunity of weaving a curtain, arvitig a peg, fashioning the metal. We know !: >? what we do. But at the end >f oi:r i. the disjointed pieces will suddenly come together, and we shall see lhe symmetry and beauty of the Divine thought.?K. R. Meyer. Tli?? best thing we can do?infinitely the best; indeed, the only thing, that men may receive thy truth?is to he ourselves true. Beyond all doing of good is the being good; for lie that is good lot only does good filings, but all that ?< does is good.?George .Macdouald. New Moth Tent in JlaRMchuiettii. After giving up the task of dispossessing :he gypsy motli, the agriculturists ana t'ark Commissioners in Massachusetts find low that they must fight the brown-tail noth as well. As the Legislature has re^ fused to appropriate any more money to kill the gyps.v motn, personal appeals are being made to householders and farmers to assist in the new work of destruction. Unless steps of a most radical sort are taken it is said that the State will be overrun within a short time with the brown-tailed pest. 19,000 Roera Xn the Field. It is estimated that there are 19,000 Boers still m the field. f '