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The PLANTERS LOAN and SAYINGS BANK, AUGUSTA, GA., Organized 1870. Oldest Savings^ Bank In Eastern Georgia. Lnrfcst Savings Capital In Cltr. Pays Interest and Compounds every 6 months. THOS. J. ADAMS PROPRIETOR. EDGEFIELD, S. C.. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1898. VOL. LXKI. NO. 36 , ". iv, ! HEROES OF WA Ly, tliat is a story that takes ono's breath, iow tho men rowel out ia tho faco of death. Rowod ns calmly as fishermen may Who haul their nets at break of day. 3ut nover was fish net hauled in tho weather That rifle and cannon and sholl together Rained oa those- sailors who drow from its bcd Thc wiso soa serpent and crushed Its head. flerocs or war -ire thcyl Song and story -Shall add their name3 to tho list of glory. But where is tho story and whero is tho song. For the heroos of peace and tho martyrs of wrong? They fight their battles in shop and raine; They dio at their post and make no 3ign. r' . ~_ HEBMi tho barracks that day, and from tho deserted grounds, where only a solitary sentry or two paced up and down, none of the usual bar rack-room talk, laughter, or singing could bo beard. For every soldier, band-man, and officer had been called to the officers'*polico quar ters, whero a fellow-soldier was being tried for his lifo by court-martial. It was daring tho revolutionary days, when power was vested in the hand3 of the military. They had tho right to say whether or not Privato Santi ago Moreno was guilty of manslaugh ter, and whether, in payment thereof, ho should die. No women were present in the grim, fortress-like quarters; only the sol diers who stood in silent, stern rows around the room. On tho dais sat the colonel, the major, and soino lesser officers; fronting them, straight and erect, with shoulders thrown back, stood the prisoner, Santiago Moreno. He was a good-looking fel low, and tho star ou his uniform lapel showed that ho had received credit "for valor in tho field." Not a flicker of an eyelid, not a movement, showed what ho felt; there was not even a tremor when the colonel, after long and grave discussion-, at the last stood ap, with the other officers grouped about him, nod- prouoivno?cl-tho .MU : tence of death-"that on tho moruiug of tho following day, Private Santiago Moreno would be escorted to the plains of San Geronimo, and there be pdt by the ley do fuga to d^ath." That was all. The prisoner drew him self up, aud saluted, his face rio moro concerned than that of tho men about him, and was taken to his cell. P Tho soldiers melted away, group by group, some of them displaying sor row, somo unconcern, and others an ger. For tho slaying o? his compan ion-in-arms by Private Moreno had. been a very cold-blooded and more than usually wicked deed, even in a country whero wicked deeds aro com mon. For with deliberate intention Moreno had waited for tho other, af ter parting with his sweetheart, Pan cha.and coolly and methodically bored a dagger straight to his heart. For it ho had offered uo excuse cr defense! stating merely that tho murdered sol dier had "annoyed Pauchita; that a cavalier caa not allow juch a thing as the molesting of his sweetheart." <f In his small stone cell Privato Mo reno walked about, whistling a gay Spanish danza, hunting the while for writing materials, lie wanted to write adios to his sweetheart, he stated lightly to tho warder, who was eyeing him warily, ono hand 'on his pistol. Though Moreno might not bo armed, ho was a mau to bo watched. But at the prisoner's wish to write a note to Panchita, tho warder's faco relaxed, and ho offered to find pencil and paper. For Pauchita was his own cousin, and every one loved tho gay, pretty girl, with her artless, innoceut ways that had lured two mon on to death. Poor little Panchita! Five minutes after tho death sentence had been pronounced, she knew of it, and, her door locked, was lying face downward on tho cold stone floor, moaning and cryiug for help. It had all bcea her fault, as she kuew. ? On tho shrine before her, decked ont in blue and white, Panchita, weak aud faint from longfastiug and crying, was pouring out heart aud soul. Only that Sautiago-her Santiago-might be saved somehow-in some way. Take he.- life-only let Santiago es cape! Too weak to pray aloud, she had crawled beforo the shrine, and with burning, tear-covered face was faintly whispering her petitions. . Tho girl drew herself numbly on her knees, sobs that came from her very soul still shaking her slender body. A sopnd onrsido startled her, until she remembered that Santiago's mother had como to weop and lament with her own mother. Out there, in the patio, they were lamenting and wailing with loud crie3. How could they do it like that-wailing and shrieking so that the neighbors could hear? How angry Santiago would be if ho could hear them making such a noise over him! No, there was no help. Sho stood up, tottering, and moved over to the window. There was no one in sight; the hot sunshine poured down on the yellow sand street and the gray adobe walls. Out in the middle of the callej?n some dogs and small children rolled and tumbled in tho dust together in high glee. A burro, with melancholy face and long, drooping ears, munched.alfalfa, while his owner drank pulque in tho pulque shop near by. It was all so ordinary, so every-day; and yet Santiago was to bo shot to-morrow! That is, uuless she could think of a plan to save him. There was a sudden clatter, and thc children scattered rapidly, with many duckings and bobbings of their small, R AND PEACE. And tho living envy tho fortunato (load As they fight for tho pittanco of tmttcrlcss broad. . They herd Uko beasts in a slaughter pen; They livo liko cattle and suffer Uko moa. Why, set by tho horrors of such a lifo, Liko a rhorry-go-round seems tho batSo's strife; And tho opon sea and tho opon boat, And tho deadly cannon with hollowing throat, Oh, what arc they all, with death thrown in, To tho lifo that hus nothing to lose or win Tho Uro that has nothing to hopo or gain Put ill-paid labor and bods of pain? Fame, where Is your story, and where Is your song For tho martyrs of peaco and tho victims of wrong? Wheeler Wilcox, in Baltimore Amorionn. s Tragedy. - -* ? L?? FELIX. , - S*\ fat bodies, as Padro Francisco, cn his pacing mare, turned rho corner and wont rapidly down tho street. Behind him rode a mozo on a hacien da horse. Panchita thought dully that somo one at the pulque hacienda of San Juan must be very ill and wanted the padre for confession. It would be a long rido for the good) old mau, because San Juau was many miles away. Ho would bo absent from the town for over a day. Pulling at the strings of his sou tane, Padre Francisco rode on, his old black coat flapping in the breeze. It was so old aud shabby that even Pauchita's dark eyes could not but remark it. Poor Padre Francisco, with no ono lo look after his clothes -he really deserved a better cloak than that shabby thing! Perhaps, if she asked her father, he would allow her to take tho cloak that had be longed to her uucle, a priest of tho same order a3 Padre Francisco, to give to thc latter. And the hood that the padro wore, covering his head and nearly all his face-was over anything seen like it? Ono could, of a surety, wear it to a masquerade; perhaps she might borrow it for tho next "Bailo do Mascaros." At the thought she laughed and choked-it would be a good disguise. The next moment she was weeping her heart out. For now she knew what to do, and Santiago should bo saved. There was a plan. Now to oarry it out. At six o'clock that evening the sol dier on guard before Santiago's door admitted Without rmpgtinn t.h? thlu^-1 ?stuupuu KU'hT. ?fPadrc Francisco, cloaked and hooded in his usual man ner, and carrying prayer-books.. The father was silently telling his. beads, and the soldier bowed humbly as he oi en ed the door, spanking no word. For no Catholic is privileged to ad dress a priest who is counting his rosary-beads-it is a sigh that silence 'is desired. The cell door opened and closed silently after tho padre, amt tho watches outside heard a omotherod, impatient ejaculation from Private Moreno, who was smoking a cigarette and tryiug hard to write that adios to Panchita. Then the door was locked, for the padre was going to confess tho prisoner, aud the guards retired, laugh ing at the idea of confession for San tiago-the wickedest dog in tho army. Lounging in tho doorway, the sol diers speculated lazily as to what was going on in the condemned cell, it was so quiet Not even a murmur could bo heard, and finally tho men agreed that tho padre was praying silently, with Santiago railing in the other cor ner of the room. It was dark-quito dark-when Padre Francisco came out, with hoad bowed lower than ever, cloak wrapped disconsolately about him, and fingors still telling his beads. Ho had been the^e for an hour, and surely Santiago was either talked down or dead by this time. "Shall wo go and see?" a3kod a guard. . MNo, hombre; let tho poor bruto alono," said another. To tho men who watched aty night for fear that the prisonor might escape, it seemed a century before midnight gavo way to the darkness that comes beforo dawn, thonghto the prisoner quien sabe! Such waiting is hard oven on tho men who ero not to die, and there was a sound of relief when at last tho first bugle souudev.; it was time to get tho prisoner aud march. Because a soldier is allowed two privi leges-to be executed beforo dawn, and to be shot in his r.uiform. There was no need to change the clothes of Private Santiago Moreno; so far as costume was concerncu, he was ready. In front of tho prison, stiffly drawn up into line, in tho darkness, stood the squad of the Twenty-Third (Private Moreno's own regiment), who wero to attend to the "law of fire," and in tho corridor waited impatiently. tho two guards who were detailed to walk on either side of him. The prisoner, however,' was not ready; id deep dis gust and scorn was shown on every face when tho warden appeared and stated grimly that tho prisoner was weeping, and had begged one moment's grace. Weeping, indeed! A pretty way for a soldier of tho Twenty-Third to die! And men who had thought privately that they would aim low in the ley do fuga, hardened their hearts -a coward did not deserve such treat ment. That the prisoner, barely visible in the gray dawn, was perfectly calm and composed when he did appear made no difference to them: perhaps ho had mustered up some courage, af ter his weeping, but ho had played the coward for all that, and a coward's death was no loss. Out on the bare, swampy plains of San Geronimo, just where Mt. Ajusco rises up, bleak and rock-covered, was the place of execution. The walk was not long for the men, to the sound of the muffled marcha, but very dreary. There was hardly light enough to seo each other's faces, and the trees and cactus-shrubs loomed up gray and ghostly along the side of tho rooky trail. As for tho condemned mai though ho might have played the pai of a coward in the prison, there wa UP sign of fear now. With quick, ligh steps, almost out-distancing tho regu lar pace of the othors, he walked on bravely, as though going to auothe decoration instead of tho death of murderer, at the hands of tho ver men with whom he had fought at Mr tanzas, and Huelle, and other places arni to arm, back to back. He was the spot. A jd, with hi back to Ajusco, his feet sinking int the dauip ground, and tho gray mir of the morning resting like a pa1 about him, tho prisoner was allowe to stand for a moment, while tho cap tain made a brief address, concludin with the statement that only becaus the prisoner was a, soldier the "Jaw o fire" would be put into effect; whc; the word "uno" was pronounced, h was to run for his hie. On the cragg side of Ajusco, he might find shelter perhaps. "Uno-dos-tres" woul be counted; at "tres," the squa< would fire. Therefore he would havi to hasten-othcr^ '^e, God havo mere; on his soul. "Atention!" The soldiers stood 01 guard. "Uno!" was counted slowly. Th< prisoner stood stock still, and the mar nearest swore that there was a smih on his face. "Dos!"-Was he pt-ra lyzed, that he could not run, even tc save his lifo?-and at last, slowly "Tres! Firel" Motionless, horrified, the men had watched. Still the prisoner stood there, head up aud shoulders back. At the sound of tho "tres," however, muskets were lowered, and everj hammer pulled. Out thundered thc salute of bullets, a veritablo hail ol them, and the solitary, pathetic figure tottered, thou reeled over, face down ward, in the damp grass. Dead, oi course-how could it be otherwise? Tho captain should have looked to make sure, but he wanted his break fast; merely glancing casually at the body, he gave tho order to march, aud with tho marcha once moro ringing out, tho men tramped back through the light of the coming day to bar racks and breakfast, leaving the dead man alone on the plain. Tho next day, Private Santiago Mo reno himself, whom we have seen shot and left dead on tho San Geronimo plains, was thoro at sunset, pale, crazed with grief, aud holding in his arms a dead body in the uniform of a soldier, but with the sweet, peaceful face of a woman who had offered up her life for a friend. When thc suu went down, his lifeless form remained, still clasping-even in death-the oilier body that had been thought his. -San Francisco Argonaut-. Glad She Uofrlondod tho Tramp. Through a simple act of charity the other day Mi's. Frank Kennedy, of West Philadelphia, Penn., solved a I mystery of long standing. I Last August Mrs. Kennedy broke a gold locket which she prized highly, -nn if nnniniruiA. a. .yl/itpvn flrwl-1 "" 1.' nf hair of her dead mother. She, oi course, desired to havo the repairs niado by a first-class jeweler, so she intrusted tho locket to tho care of hoi brother, who' was acquainted iu the jewelry trade. The brother was aboul io go on a trip through Now York State, but ho promised to leave the locket with a Philadelphia jeweler on his way to the train and return thc re ceipt by mail. Two days later Mrs. Kennedy received a letter from kel brother, who said he would bring tho locket with him when he returned, but did not mention where it was be ing repaired. Early in September n despatch came stating that thc brother had died suddenly in Utica and that the body and effects would bo sent on at once. Some time later Mrs. Ken nedy remembered her locket, but, al though she made a thorough search of her brother's papers and clothes, she could fiud no trace of it. Inquiries wcro made of all the large jewelers, and advertisements wore inserted :'n the newspapers, but tho locket Wis never found. Eecently a forlorn tramp came to the Kennedy residence and was given something to oat. In return he did some work, and Mrs. Kennedy de cided to give him a suit of hei brother's clothes, which sho hadkopt. The "hobo" seemed very grateful, and jiter donniug tho suit left. Tho day after he returned and gave Mrs. Ken nedy a piece of paper he had found in the vest lining. It proved to bo a re ceipt for the long-lost locket, which had been loft with a well-known firm of New York jewelers. To avoid any risk Mrs. Kennedy went to New York in person and recovered her locket. Philadelphia Record. Smith, "Tho Sweep.*' Smith, a gunner in tho service ol tho East ludia Company, was known as "the sweep,"a derisivenamo given to mark some eccentricity, for tho mau was a character. Ho had charge of the boats belonging to tho military station, and one day wrote thc brigado major, asking, "When shall I havo the boto ready?" Tho major replied, "Have tho boat ready at such an hour." When the major went down to the river with a party of ladies, ho asked Smith how he spelled "boat." Un abashed by the presence of ladies, Smith, without a symptom of nervous ness, answered tho officer, "Some people spells it b-o-a-t, but I spells it b-o-t-2." But Smith, notwithstanding his mocking nickname, was not a mau to bo laughed at. One day tho roof of the buildiug which hold t'h9 ammuni tion caught fire. There was a pauic; . even tho best disciplined soldiers lost their heads. But "tho sweep" mounted tho roof, pulled off the thatch, poured buckets of water over the flames and saved the magazine. It was as plucky a thing as it was pps- ' sible for a mau to do; fox there was powder enough in tho building to wreck tho station.-Youth's Compan ion. A Itemarkablo Tramp. A remarkable tramp called at au Elm street (Biddeford) residence and offered to saw some wood for his breakfast. He sawed awhile until his breakfast was ready, and, after eating that, he went to work again and sawed so much that tho lady of the house felt it her duty to go out and tell him that ho was doing too much. And after all the newspaper jokes to tho contrary! "Probably the poor fellow j was insane.--Konncbeo (Me,) Journal, OBS m m THE LADRON AND Value and Beauty of The* in the Paci A QUEER PEOPLE WIT Far out in tho Pacific, whero tho map looks as if a charge of bird shot had poppered a spot no larger than your thumb, the American flag is flying over the Ladrones. They are but species on the face of tho deep. Yot there is au empire of island wealth amid the rarest scenery in the world. An earthly paradise it is called. The capture of the Ladrones by the United States with a seizure of the Carolines just to tho south of,' tho group makes them of new interest to Americans. Tho Ladrones aro a chain of vol canic islands extending north and south from latitude thirteen degrees twclvo minutes north to latitude twenty degrees, thirty-two minutes south and in longitude about 146 east. They wero discovered by Magellan, March 0, 1521, and named Ladrones from thc supposed stealing propensi ties of the natives, Later, in 1668, the islands were named Mariaua, in honor of Maria Anne, of Austria, the widow of Phillip IV., King of Spain. The inhabited islauds are Agr-jan, Saipan, Tiniau, Pota and Guam. On ' the. other islands are volcanoes spouting fire and steam. Tho mountains range from 1000 to 3000 feet high, about the altitude of tho biggest of the Catskills. Tho Spaniards have controlled the islaud6 without interference or seri ous trouble from tho natives. Thero A LADBONE BELLE. is a small garrison at Agana, the cap ital^ where tho Govornor-General has resided. Many natives of tho Coro lino Islauds have been imported iuto tho Lndranes and tho races aro inter estingly mixed. Tho blending of tho' tall, copper-colored, curly-haired, long-bearded and mustached Carolin ians with tho Philippian-looking La drones, with their dark Malay skin, has given a new tint to a large num ber of ycung men and women. Thc chief products for sustaining lifo aro cocoauuts aud bread fruit. They grow spontaneously every whoro. It is said that one cocoanut tree will feed a mau. A grove of the fruit treos to the islander ls what a herd of cows is to tho Pennsylvania farmer. Theso, with the tons of fish in tho lagoons, which arc natural fish ponds, aro responsible for tho profound in dolence of the natives. They can suppoi' life without laboring. Some of tho bread fruit trees are ten or twelve feet in dir.meter. A single tree ?3 considered equal in life-Sup porting capacity to two acres of wheat. Then thero aro other pro ducts-guava, corn, ordiuary wheat, bananas, figs and arrowroot. Tho islands forming tho Ladrones, beginning at tho northernmost, aro Farall?n de Tajaras, au active volcano 1000 feet in height; a group of three rocky islets kuown as tho Urracas; Assumption, a partially active vol canic peak 2818 foot in height; Agri gan, sevon miles in length, mountain ous, and the northernmost inhabited island; Pagan, having three active cones, and peopled by a fow natives; the uninhabited islands of Alamagan, Guguan, Sariguau, Anataxan and Farall?n dc Mediuilla; Saipau, fifteen miles long, fertile, and having about 1000 inhabitants; Tinian, originally possessing 30,000 inhabitants, and now a place of segregation for lepers, THE BUSINESS SECTION OF ACANA, with a population of 300; Aguijan, of no importance; Bota, with 500 inhab itants, and Guam. Guam, or Guajan, the southernmost and largest of the islands, is thirty two miles long and has a population of about 9000, two-thirds of whom are in Agana, and nearly all tho rest upon the seaboard, the country inland he ir - almost without inhabitant. Agana, tae capital, is also a convict settle ment. It is beautifully clean, and possesses good government officials, a hospital, schools and a church, Tho CAROLINES, t?j?$uch-Discussed Islands ?fie Ocean. H ?'QUEERER CUSTOMS. inish residents havo usually num ?d about twenty, and the-regular iery about 200, all quartered hero, lilitia, comprising about all tho population, is commanded by officers. The civii government is j^inilar to that of the Philippines. Postal communication has been quar |??on first discovered the Ladrones h?a^a' population of about 60,000. Nomone of the original raco survives, andfho islands are peopled chiefly by Tagifs and Bisayaus from tho Philip mixed "descendants of South can Indians, a colony of Caro ilanders who foundod Garapan land of. Saipau, and numerous brrb-Spanish half-breeds. Tho pine Am line in t Cha consuVof 1SSS rcpor:s a" population ot Agana, and a total of 10,172 the islands, 5034 being males t?males.- There aro eighteen in.the Island of Guam. Only cent, of tho Ladrono Islanders ible to read and write. Spanish recognized language; but many ?batives speak a littlo English. Tho fflinato is good and equable; sev enty ^'degrees " to eighty' degrees Fahrenheit is tho range of tho ther : -ch. " t??^jMw! _ '>-?? .. v I ...Mwy.-:-..:. inhabitants of tho Ladrones. Spain-has derived ho revenue from these islands, and has done little to civilize tho' people At one time a fow email schools woro started, but they were soon abandoned. In 1856 an epidemic destroyed one third of tho population. August and Soptembcr aro tho hot test months, and tho rain-fall in the summer months is very heavy. Agauo, the capital, is well built of timber, and many of tho houses have tiled roofs. There are tweuty small villages on the islands. So little has been done to civilize NATIVES AND HUT IN THE LADRONES. the peoplG that they live in about the same primitive fashion as character ized them when Europeans first visited them. In ono thing tho people of tho La drones excel all tho natives of thc Polynesian islands-this is their faculty for building and sailing a won derful water craft with a lateen sail. Sailors of all nations for over 300 years have admired their skill with these * ossels. They aro built cntiruly without metal, and tho largest of them wil> carry about seven men. The boat has an outrigger which is carried on tho leo sido to provont up setting. It is said that these boats PRINCIPA!. TOWN OF THE LAD HONES, make wonderful speed, and that they can lie closer to the wind than any other sailing craft known. Customs, superstitions, dress, re ligion, etc., provo that the people of the Ladrones have a common origin with the other races of Polynesia, but they have lived so long by themselves that they have a distinct language. Some writers have argued that the race is of American origin, while others hold that they aro au offshoot of the Japanese. Gobien, the French writer, who studies tko people on tlio spot, says of them: "The natives aro not so dark as those of the Philippines, andareiarger of body tban the average European. They lived on roots, Uah and fruits, and -were extremely active and quick. Many of them lived over 100 years. " Another French writer says that ho saw them dive and swim so well that they caught fish in their hands under water. In character the Ladrones aro gay and amiable, loving pleasure, and spending much of their time in out door amusements. The women aro usually lighter in color than the men?, and many of them are extremely beautiful, with luxuriant hair reaching almost to the ground. The Carolines are like the Ladrones, only more extensive in number and area, and densely populated. The islands are widely scattered into three great groups, the eastern, western and central. Spain originally claimed all the groups, but Germany recently took the Marshall Islands. The cen tral or main group, now belonging to Spain, comprises forty-eight smaller 'OWN IN THE CAROLINES, groups, making a total of four or five hundrod i ?lands. Among tho products of the country are rice, corn, wheat, sugar, cotton, tobacco, indigo, bread fruit, castor oil and kindred necessaries of life. Among tho curious natural featwres are the palm trees, that produce vege table ivory; banyan trees that grow downward, tho eeeds being planted by birds high up in other trees, de posited in bark and'crevices, sonding A CAUOLIXE WAWUOn. down rootlets to gather sustenance and moisture from the soil. Another tree bears a fruit so offen sive in odor that no mau not in pi ao tico can enduro it, but once in a mouth tho fruit tastes so deliciously that ho cannot stop eating until it is devoured. Tho women bf tho Carolines aro neat and attractive at homo or among their cocoanut trees. Tho men are indus trious-everywhere displaying ingen uity and gentle thrift. The Caroline Archipelago consists of thirty-six minor groups, of which the nine following aro the principal: Tho Palaos or Pclows, Yap,. TJluthi, Uloai, Namonuito, Hogolcu or Ruk, tho East and Wost Mortlocks, Bouabe or Ponape, and Kusaie, otherwise called Ualau or Strong's Island. Thc Pelcw group contains some 200 islands and islets. Tho principal isl and ls Bad-el-Thaob, which in area is equal to all tho rest put together. The most important of tho othor3 are Kor ror, Uruk, Tapcl, Malk, Pel6leu and Angaur. The population of the Pe lews is estimated ai some 3000, but is probably much more. Tho language is a very peculiar and bizarre Malayan dialect, somewhat akin to that of Sulu Archipelago. The priucipal produc-s aro turtle shell, copra and beebo de mer (Holothuria), which in the Chin ese markets brings as much as ?100 gold per ton. There is always civil war going on in tho group between the various tribes, and a firm hand is needed to keep things in order thore. Captain Butrau, of the Vclasco (lately sunk at Manila),who visited the group in 1885, gives these natives a good name. Cap tain O'Koefe, however, a wealth} trader of Yap, gives them a doubtful reputation, putting them down as a folk of piratical and turbulent charac ter. The enormous quartz wheels, the famous and curious stone inon?y of Yap inthi8 group, were quarried in the Island of Kokial. In olden time there was great commercial activity here, and the Yap and Pelew folks went on extended voyages of trading and con quest. Bab-el-Thaob is rich in good timber. Great quantities of yams, bread-fruits and cocoanuts are grown. Alligators aro found in some of the creeks, and a peculiar kind of a horned frog, There are two kinds of snakes, which the natives called Bersoiok and Nguus, both somewhat venomous. There is abundance of good pasture for horses and cattle. Goats aro plen tiful, probably introduced by the early Malayan settlers. The Spanish have done next io noth ing to show their occupation, and everything goes on much a3 before. There is no Spanish garrison, The country is well worth opening up to honest and energetic trade. S&More people over 100 years old are found in mild climates than in tho higher latitudes. Prior to the war tho annual net rev? enuo of Cuba was 880,000,000. POPULAft SCIENCE. Fish, a3 a rule, increase in weight anil length every year up to their death. From tho cochineal insects are ob tained tho gorgeous carmines, the crimson, scarlet aud purple lakes. - In thc great volcanic district of Ice land there is a whole mouutain com posed of eruptive clays and pure white 3ulphur. A beautiful grotto pene trates tho western slope to an unknown depth. Polar bears have been known to live in captivity for a great number of year.?. Two aro"said to have been hi the Zoological Gardens for twenty three years aud thirty-four years, re spectively. Tho normal pumping capacity of the heart is seventy strokes a minute, that is, 100,800 strokes iu twenty-four hours, by which it sends about forty thousand pounds of blood through the lungs aud body. The situ has throe motions-a rota tion about its axis; a motion about tho centre of gravity of tho whole solar system, which point is always within the sun's volume; a motion toward tho constellation 'Hercules. Tho hieroglyphic writings from which porno persons suppose an al phabet was derived wero in use at least three thousand years B. C., but tho recently discovered inscriptions at tho City of Nipur, in Assyria, carry back the origin of writing to a point 30ven thousand years B. C. A Description of Madrid. What James Russell Lowell thought of Spain and the Spaniards when ho was Minister at Madrid (1877 to 1880) eau be better understood byhis cor respondence than by any of his set speeches. Here is a description of Madrid taken from ono of his letters: "Madrid is the noisiest city I ever dwelt in. The street cries are end less and given with a will, and with such distortions of face as must be 3ccu to bo believed. None are musi cal. One always stirs my fancy by its associations with Aladdin-the lamparero. Shall I try my luck? I think not; for ia his cry I have the material for rows of palaces, whereas if I bought a lamp I might rub in vain. Tho first sound in tho morning is the tinkle ot bells on tho neck3 of the she-asses that come in to be milked at the customer's door for surety. I know not who the custom ers are, but there must be many if there be any truth in the vulgar be lter that .children take after their nurses. Then there is a succession ->f blind players on the guitar, on the - xvliat T onrmnnfl to uauica uuu on emu ai. ?M?? i? wrong in saying a.ithe street cries ai e harsh. There is a girl who passes avery day crying radishes who really cnakes a bit of melody with her "R? banos!" It is seldom that one doc3 not hear, night or day, a thrumming or a snatch of nasal song, and I am pretty well persuaded that it was the Spanish dominion which planted the seeds of tho Neapolitan street music." Tho C-.ino and tho Sparrow. Court Square has a new denizen, and now tho peacocks and the squirrels stop every now and then to look in wonder at the spindle-legged crane which stalks in solemn dignity to and fro. This crane, however, is not at tracting merely tho attention of the other dwellers of the park, for every day or two a large human andiene? watches tho performance. Tho orano catches sparrows, and it is the efforts hs. makes to swallow his prey which cause spectators to gather by the scoro. Thu crane stauds quietly like a statue and waits. The sparrows fly about fearlessly, not even startled by the strange bird. They have seen rags on a stick before and they are not afroid; oh, no! Then ouo of tho sparrows lights very near the craue. The rag becomes lively and his beak is shot out with lightning quickness and the sparrow caught right by the neck. Then comes tho fun. The sparrow is a little large to swallow. Tho crane kills him, thinking the small bird's lively capers mnt'c be the cause of the difficulty. Death makes tho task no easier. The sparrow still chokes the craue. The crane trys the sparrow head on. The small bird's wings stick out and prevent tho sparrow from goin? down. Tho crane starts at the feet; but the feathers on the prospec tive dinner are ruffled tho wrong way and tho second attempt fails. Au idea strikes his cranoship. He walks to a small tub of water and soaks the sparrow so that the feathers cling closely. It is still an impossible task to swallow tho bird. The crane works aud works, and finally, by pounding ' the sparrow almost to a pulp, at last makes a meal. Then the audience disperses wondering at the crane's marvelous digestion. - Memphis (Tenn.) Scimitar. ? II. c An Odd Coincidence. In 1884, jusl after Commodore Sehl ey returned from rescuing the survivors of the Greely Arctic expedi tion, the Massachusetts Humane So ciety presented him with a handsome medal for his achievement, and Ben jamin W. Orowninshield, one of the Bay State's great orators, was sent to Washington to mako the presentation speech.- On the way to the capital Mr. Crowninshield fell in with an old and prominent resident of Boston,who took the privilege of asking the orator what his mission in Washington was. In reply the old gentleman was shown the medal and told what was to be done with it. "Strange coincidence," mused the vonorable gentleman from the Hub. "Forty-four years ago, in 1840, I rode over this same line and met General Winfield Scott. I was as inquisitivo then as now, and asked him where he was going. He said that a son of his friend Mr. Schley had been named for him, and that he was going to Maryland to see tho baby.-De troit Free Press. _ ._i .' THE LADIES OF OLD CADIZ, j I'd like to goto Cadiz, .last to soe those witching ladies, Those witching, witching ladles, whew tho orange blossoms blow; With their dainty cigarillos. And their quito too sweet mantillas Oh, to Cadiz, with its Indies, I will go. And when oar guns were booming, With a pity quite consuming I wouldaay,"Oh, charming ladies, picoso to hustle now aboard; For although we humble Cadiz We don't war against the ladles, And the ladles of old Cadiz need not fear the Yankee sword." And with their cigarillos, ind their all to cute mantillas, I would load up every cruiser with this fascinating crow; ; - And so by easy stages ? * I would bring these fair hostages, " All theso ladles of old Cadiz, fur across the ocean blue. -Cleveland Viola Dealer. I PITH AND POINT. - " . "Did bis warm love melt her?" "No. I think it was his cold cash." -Puck. She-"When you married me you /said you Were well off." He-"I was, but I didn't know it. "-Tit-Bits. "Spain discovered us." "Yes, and she made a mistake in not keeping posted about us after our discovery," i -Chicago Becord. I ''Gobang says his boy has a meehan - ; jeal turn of mind." "That's natural. 'Gobang has wheels in his head." 8au Franoisoo Examiner. Beggar-"Kind gentleman, I beg your pardon-" Gentleman (prompt ly)-"Granted. I thought you were begging for money. "-Tit-Bits. "Banks has four unmarried daugh ters." "Well, it might be worse, you know." "It is worse. He has fifth ofie married to a count."-Truth. The Youthful One-"I wonder why women so like to kiss a baby?" The Elderly One-"Because - the baby doesn't liku it.'*-Indianapolis Joui nal. Snobrey-"Time gets the 'best of every one, doesn't it?" Poplow "Every one except the orchestra con daotor; he 'beats it."-Boxbury Ga zette. She-"What makes you think yon ?nderstand women so weil?" He- ; "I've been ongagcd to four different girls, and never failed to got baok the ring."-Life. * She-"You remind mo of Iago, Mr. Slimmer. I prefer fleshy men." Ho -"You remind me of the cannibals. They have the same preference*" Detroit Free Press. Mrs. Joggins--"Willy, has your mother been buying a new rag?" Willy-"Yes. You wouldn't know thero was a hole in tho carpet now, would you?"-Tit-Bits. ..*":, f : V A1,e while wnrvVinor a, ?a*.. U5 ft ni?; 'J ""i. . t?i:;.- .s?.'?. : , 'iir- rita r / v-r?.? V. .-iii, ^ -? -'.'The idea! Don't be ridiculous." He-"Yes,' I know it sounds ridicu lous; but then you know I'm not so particular as some men are."-Boston Transcript. Browne-"How surpri ed we would bo if we oculd see ourselves as others see us!" Towne-"Yes; but think how surprised the others would be if they could seo as wo seo ourselves." -Brooklyn Lifo. "I don't believe that he was ever at Klondike." "Why? . He told a straight story." "Yes. But he tried to borrow a dollar from me and did not offer any miuing stock as secur ity."-Town Topics. Customer-"I want a watch that will withstand the usage of a healthy twelve-year-old boy." Jeweler "Sorry, but tho armor milta are no:v all busy with government contracts." -Jeweler's Weekly. ???a When London Mast Cilantro. '. - The best statisticians estimate that in the year 1941 London will contain over ll, OOO, OOO of inhabitants. People say, How appalling! To me the prospect seems full of hope. What an agreeable life one might live iu such a city, if a fair proportion of its popula tion were even moderately civilized! There would b? a public for every kind of art. Every sort of theatre might flourish, every kind of concert might be daily given. There would be practically no limit to tho variety of opportunities that dach individual might enjoy in the midst of such a vast assemblage. But it would take long for them to settle down. To begin with, London would have to be rebuilt. Its streets are not wide enough for the traffic of any such multitude; they would have to bo widened. For every line of rails com ing into London there Would have to be three lines. The number of steam ers coming to our ports would need to be more than trebled. Practically none of our present arrangements ' would suffice. Everything would have to be organized afresh. I need not enlarge upon such considerations; they are obvious.-Nineteenth Cen tury. _ ,/ G ci Lover Understood. A Lancashire lady has been relat ing a rather pretty story about a fao tory girl's way of answering a mar riage proposal made to her. "The young woman could not write or read writing, and one day she brought a lotter to me to read for her. It contained aa offer of marriage. "I happened to know that the writer was a deserving young, artisan, so I said to her: 'Now, yon must consider this matter very seriously, and if you like to oome to me when you have made up your mind I will write a re ply for you.' "A day or two afterward I met tho girl again and asked her if she wanted me to answer the letter for her. 'Ob, that is all right,' said she, looking ra diant and pleased. Tve settled it. I answered it myself/ ".Why, how did you do it?' I asked. "And then she told me that she lould make a capital T and that she stuck on the papera piece'of wool af ter it for 'wnll'-'I wool.1 Pearson's