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the destructive whits ant the scientific american has an interesting article on the noted termits improperly call ed white ant which works such fearful havoj with woodwork of all kinds in many warm countries rendering necessary we be lieve in many districts the use of metal jor xsilroad ties and similar purposes the writer speaks in large part from personal observation which gives bis remarks special value we copy the bulk of the article condensing somewhat the ravages of the socalled white ant can hardly be comprehended by those who have not seen the results these are so dispropor tionate to the size and apparent powers of the insect that no one can be blamed for doubting except on the most positive evi dence i remember once in the south of china havinc occasion to move a huge hard wood cheat filled with books i called two men to lift the chest tbey took it by its iron han and with one accord bent to it and lifted it was like a signal for dissolu tion it seemed as if force of habit alone could have held the handles in their places for the instant they were tugged at they came away and the chest crumbled and fell to the floor a heap of dust and irregular thread like shreds of wood the uooks proved to have suffered in the same fashion some of them crumbled on being taken up and others remained so thoroughly riddled with holes as to be nothing better than a fra gile lacework of paper if the insect be destroyed only at time3 dnrint its varied existence it might it pos sible to guard against it bettsr but when it is considered that as larva pupa and per fect insect it is equally destructive it will be understood what a pest it must be cam phor is a shield against it and camphor- wood ohests are therefore used for keeping valuable articles in bnt even the genuine camphor wood is not always strong enough to keep away the ravenous thing and it has to be reinforced by plentiful supplies of the gum my first acquaintance with the insect wab made one night in the fall of tht year at canton while dining with a merchant there it was still warm enough to need the windows to be wide open and to have the fan or punka swinging steadily over the table we were about halt through with the soup when there came in through the winclws such a swarm of the termites as soon filled every glass they fell upon the table like hail their wings which they seemed to be losing floating through the room and finding their way to our most un willing mouths in spite of every effort to avoid them the windows were shut and the table cleared and we went on with our meal sweltering in ordor that we might eat these termites which so bothered us were the males an females out on their court ing tour and well it is that they were so easily destroyed for if more than the very smallest percentage of the females were to live the whole world would hardly be large enough to contain their progeny one female will lay in the neighborhood of thir ty- one millions of eggs in the course of a year of these eggs the smallest proportion are males the others bein workers and soldiers and the workers being in an exces sive majority e there are several species of the termite some of which make those groat tentshaped mounds of which travelers tell so much and others building high up in trees the sort which is so destructive to wood and books makesits home underground and approaches the objeot it intends to convert into food by tunneling to it by this means it renders any attempt to watch for its coming null usually it follows the grainof the wood in its progress but this is not always the case the direction being determined by expediency a cheat whioh has not been totally destroyed will show that the inseot has gone back and forth and ip and down just as the nature of the wood or its thickness renders tho most ex pedient frequently the termite will per form a most singular work in the effort to make tht best use of any wooaen etraoture into whioh it has made its way if for ex ample it has bored through the ledgth of a pillar supporting a house and finds at tho top that tnere is wood which it would like for food it first uses up the wood of the pillar and then fills the hollow shell thus created with mud packed until it is as hard as concrete the pillars cf one house taken down for rebuilding in sjf helena were found to be mere shells of wood compactly filled except for a tunnel through the length with a pillar of hard mortar the skill with which the termite conceals its ravages and the manner in which it guards against the premature destruction of its means of ap proach to its food supplies indicate a high degree of intelligence sound advice never under any circumstances read a bad boo and never spend a serious hoar in reading a seconarate book no words can overstate the mischief of bad reading a bad book will often haunt a man his whole life long it is often remembered when much better is forgotten it intrudes itself at the most solemn moments and contamin ates the best feelings and emotions raid ing trashy secondrate books is a grievous waste of time also in the first place there are a great many more firstrate books than you can ever master and in the second place you cannot re id an inferior book with out giving up an opportunity of reading a firstrate book books remember arof riends books affeot oharacter and you can as little neglect any other moral duty that is upon you same thing in bostonese i have no time to write a reply bald the haughty boston maiden tell mr cahokia i am prevented from accepting his invitation for this evening by obstacles that are insuperable miss howjames says reported tho messenger boy to the young man some hours later that sho cant go wid ye this evenxn and she says ye neednt git obstropalous fur yore in de soup an appropriate heading reporter heres a man with an ac count of the fiht shall i put a slug head over it managing editor does it amount to much reporter yes one of them was killed this man says thoy fit to the death managing editor then head it the survivatof the fitttest dr- b- w bichaidion on alchol- in 1sg3 and for a year or two before i had been making some original researches into the properties of a rare chemical sub stance named nitrite of amy i then i went on to inquire into the methyl series and so step by step continued reporting every year until in 1886 i began with the alcohol it was at one of these but there are now known to be several now the first seat fact that startled me when examining to the alcohols was that they unquestion able lowered the temperature of the body i did not then know that anyone elso had noticed this before me but i know now that two or three others dr john davy brother of sir humphrey dr rae the arctic explorer and dr lees of leeds had all severally suspected this fact bat they had not proved it by experimental research my great point was a demonstra tion by scientific trumnts by the per fect thermometers now made that was the first step the startling fact that alcohol lowers temperature now for the second this came from the study of aesthetics in watshing the action of alcohol i found there were just the same four degrees or stages in the action of anaes thetics viz simple excitement without in sensibility excitement with commencing insensibility insensibility absolute and lastly deathliko insensibility i came therefore to the conclusion that alcohol does not act after the manner of a food but of a chemical substance like an anmrthetic this then was the second step this was fol lowed up by tracing the changes and the modifications which take place in the body from the continued use of alcohol i reach ed thus the third step or third conclusion viz that alcohol is a prolific cause of death and of great harm to the internalorgansof the body it is in fact in its ordinary use a slow poison i can no more accept the alcohols sb foods than i can chloroform or ether or meth- vial that they produce a temporary ex citement is true but as their general action is quickly to reduce animal heat i cannot see how they can supply animal force i see clearly how they reduce animal power and can show a reason for using them in order to stop physical or to stupefy mental pain but that they give strength e that they supply material for the construction of fine tissue or throw force into tiseuss supplied by other material must be an error as solemn as it is widespread the true character oe the alcohols is that they are agveeabe temporary shrouds the bvage with the mansions of his roul unfurnished bruies his restless energy under their shad ow the civilized man overburdenel with mental labor or engrossing care seeks the same shade but it is shade after all in which in exact preportion as he seeks it the seeker retirea from perfect natural life the thistle for scotland there is much obscurity as to the circum stances under which the the toistle was adopted asits emblem by the scottish nation but the tollrwing is a tradition queen scotia had led her troops in a well fuoght field and when the day was won retired to the rear to rest from her toils she threw herself upon the ground when as ill luck would have it an envious thistle had elected to grow at the very spot selected for her repose whether the fair amazon fought in the national costume i know i ot but the spines of the offending herb were eufficienly powerful to penetrate the skin in a very pain ful manner a proverbial philosopher not mr tapper i think has declared that he that sitteth on nettles riseth up quickly and the same remark holds good of thistles queen scotia sprang up and tore the thistle up by the roots she was about to cast it from her with a military bat unladylike ex pression when it etruok her that the prick ly plant wculd henceforth be ever associated in her mind with the glorious victory which she had just gained her intention was changed she placed the thistle in her casque and it became the badge of her dy- nasiy she was professional she where did you say dr winter met hia wife i he at the springs saratoga springs a highly accomplished young lady she she must have been was she also professional l he oh ye8 guess now she was a she yes i understand a met-a-phy- sician mastodons in alaska that the mastodon was once common in alaska is certain from the great number of their skeletons found in the marshes and clay banks of the yukon and northern plains but that this huge pachyderm still exists there in the living state has never been deemed likely or even conjectured till re cently this conjecture rests on reports by way of the stick indians on the white river a tributary of the yukon the account is that while hunting on a wooded bottom a few miles from this river two indians came upon a trail consisting of enormoub tracks fully two feet across and deeply imprinted in the moss and earth strewn along near which were broken branches of the trees following cautiously on these signs they at length heard the noise of the creature feeding and presently espied a prodigioub animal as large they assert as a white mans house meaning the traders onestory store its teeth they declared were as long as a mans leg and carved outward while its ears were likened to a sealskin in color it was represented to be dark brown it lean ed against a dead treestub and scratched its side and its body seemed to be oovered with patches of coafso brown haj terri fied at the sight cf such enornous game the two hunters promptly retreated ooher native hunters corroborate this story wish similar accounts of their exper iences accounts which they are reluctant to relate for fear of ridicule or for some super- stitiouu feelings regarding the matter the uncharitable attribute the apparition of the strange beast to the visiondisturbing effeots of hoochinoo a particularly villain ous kind of whiskey distilled from molasses others rejoin that these indians never take lioochinoo while on a hunt or in other words that they never go on a hunt as long as there is any aoocainoo left in the ranch- trie this may be subjecting the narrative of the natives to a somewhat harsh criticism the more so when it is considered that one of the two who evtt the supposed mastodon is an indian of known probity and good character he with three others of his tribe having brought down to the trading post the body of the late murdered bishop let us hope that these indians have really seen a mastodon and that it may in due course figure in the place of thu lamented jumbo and not only substantiate the theor ies of the savants but delight the eyes of every boy and girl in the oivilizsd world her bit of advice john she said softly have you been saying anj thing about me to mother late ly no replied john why do you ask because she said this morning bhe believed you were on the eve of proposing to me now i do not wish you to speak to mother when you have anything of that kind to bay speak to me and 1 11 manage the business with mother and jthn said he would his aimy contract a hurculean scots grey passing along princes street edinburgh one day stopped at the tost oilice md cailed on a boy to shine his boots the feet o the dragoon were in proportion to his height and look ing at the tremendous bcots before him the arab knelt down on the pavement and called on his chum near by jamie come owre and gies a hand ive got an army contract guessed shed try it applicant for place well i dont know mum you have a very large fam ily and im afraid i couldnt do the work i suppose you have great trouble keeping girls dont you sharp housekeeper yes indeed there is a big factory full of handsome young men near here and every one of my bervant girls goes off and getb married oh i well i guess ill try it bather vague the pacific utterances of emperor wil liam while very creditable to him and satis factory to his people are rather too vague and conditional to be much relied upon they are counterbalanced by huge national armaments everywhere and the natural con clusion is that sooner or later these will be put to use even if only in order to give them a reason for existence these arma ments aro also continually increased and in to morrows reassembling of the reichstag a new naval loan and other budget matters have the rirjht of way possibly there may be some specific assurance ot a less warlike feeling in russias recent declara tion that she has determined to wash her hands of bulgaria being convinced that she could not have germanys support in a posi tive polioy there this seems to accord with tho statement that the porte is willing to give its consent to tho adminis trative nnion of bulgaria and eastern rou- mclia provided no attempt is made to enroach on macedonia in that case young prince ferdinand whoso boasts have been so much ridiculed would come out at tho top after all indeed ho has now reigned so long by sufferanco that a foreign attempt to dislodge him might bo justly called an attack on the peace of europe why they did not bespond- president debating clul well we have had some stirring speeches on the negative side of the question of the evening is mar riage a failure but none of the gentlemen appointed to speak on hte affirmative side have responded secretary whispering their wives are here the president loudly owingto the late ness of the hour further debate is postponed adjourned cuffys generosity uocle cuffy which ib de cheapest do fly blister or de poorhouse paster j druggist j ust the same twentyfive cents apiece uncle c well doctor you better give me all two my old ooman is berry low wid de remonia an i want um fur hab ebry comfort a private still an englishman bad managed to pass the civil service fximination and obtained the important office of ganger in one of the western islands of scotland tbe locality was noted for smuegling and as new besoms sweep clean he was desirous of making a seizure he met tonal 1 in the principal or rather the only hotel on tho island they had several wets and were becoming quite confidential said the englishman look here old fallow 1 i understand there are a number of private stills about here i would like to lay my hands on one now if you can put me in the way tonalt i wouldnt mind giving vou a five for yourself ooh ay 1 said tonalt maybe yell be needin yer fiver tae yer nainsel staun a hauf mutchkin my laddie an ill show ye what yo want the drink was ordered paid for and drunk noosaid tonalt heres my eon pointing to a strapping fellow who was at home on fnrlough and was standing beside them he listed in the 931 sax years ago and hes a private still 1 a parrot story one time deacon staples wife was put ting up cucumber pickles in the kitchen and the parrot ho was a very knowing bird and had been piously brought up in the deacons family was sitting on the baok of a chair watching the operation present ly when the deacons wifes baok was turned the parrot slipped up and stole one of the pioklks out of the dish she turned aronnd in time however to catch him at it and threw her knife at him with suoh force it took all tho feathers smoothly off tho top of the birds head the parrot flew around for two days in sore distress at tho loss of his top knot but recovered it in the course of time one day somo little timo after this incident a min ister came to spend the sabbath at deacon staples tho parrot was in the diningroom when tho family and the minister came in to breakfast the clergyman was vory bald his head fairly shone he had not more than got seated at tho table before tho par rot fixing his gazo on the minister scream ed out ha i ye old scamp i been atealin pickles i miscelldnequs the washington correspondent of the buffelo courier prophesies that president harrison will try to force the fisheries treaty through tbe senate but though discomfited the democrats are numerous enough to be able to prevent the ratification of the treaty why they should be expecteo to do so is hewever a mystery they are fully committed to the assertion that it is fair just and honorable to the united states senator mclnnes writes to a british col umbia paper denying the report sent out from ottawa that leprosy has been introduc ed into that province by the chinese be says he never either saw or beard of a case of leprosy in british colombia he adds however that the indian population now placed at 46000 is likely to succumb before many years to whiskey measles scrofula and other diseases contracted from whites and chinese it has been calculated in the united states and is not disputed that the presidential election cost directly and indirectly not less than 500000000 that is at the rate of 125000000 a year for tho presidential period thus the mere cost of choosing their ruler is not only far greater than what the grits sometimes call the large salary and ex penses of our governorgeneral but is even several times the amount of oar whole public expenditure a rebtrictionist contemporary derides richard cobden and his works in one column and lauds mr foster in another what it asks is left of cobden what lives after him j to this it may be replied in the words of a poem written at the time of cobdens death in 1s65 if one poor cup of water shall have due recognition in the day of dread angels may welcome this one lor ho gave a nation bread 1 a very interesting commercial case has just been decided in new york last ses sion the state legislature passed a bill pro hibiting storekeepers offering gifis to induce the public to make purchases the court of appeals of the state has now decided that the luw is unconstitutional on the ground that ic interferes with tho free sale of food for the condition is imposed that no one shall sell food and at the same time and as part of the transaction give away any other thing it will be interesting to note what recep tion the bill for the suppression of combines which mr n c wallace mp has an nounced he intends to reintroduce at the coming sossion of the dominion parliament will get a similar bill introduced into the new york state legislature was defeated or rather it was made practically useless by amendments which were brought about by the influence of the trustb affected will the canadian bill meet a similar fate to ronto mail there would be a sudden stoppage to the influx of pauper immigrants so much com plained of both by canada and the united states if the plan suggested by signor ua- garo of the italian chamber of deputies wore adopted it is simply that do emi grants should be given passports unless they can prove they have enough money to py for their passage and to keep them decently for a few months after their arrival in amer ica canadians will hope that not only the italian government but all the european government may adopt the proposal the representative jewish journals of am erica are discussing the expediency of hom- the sabbath on sunday the new yoik hebrew standard very forcibly says the business interests tbe inexorable ne cessity which compels hundreds to labour on the jewish sabbath in order to support thair families have made the observance of the sabbath the exception instead of the rule those you cannot preach to they do not come to listen to yon you cannot argue with them because your words will not pro vide the bread whioh they and their families must have the rochester jewish tid ings boldly says the change must come no doubt one day of worship for both jew and gentile would bo to the advantage of both christians and jfws and as there is no jaw- ish law forbidding worship on suuday there should be no great difficulty in transferring the sabbath to sunday a strong illustration ot the viciousness of the game of beggarmy neighbor that the european natives are playing is afforded by the commotion upon germany increasing ber naval estimates she baa appropriated about 30000000 for the construction of new ironclads with this addition to the german navy russia will feci herself insig nificant fiance must make a corresponding addition and that will necessitate englands adding to her navy as much as that of france and germany together european taxpayers will look upon the dynamite gun vessel os a greot blessing should it abolish tho floating castles of iron which now swallow up each year the value of a tairsized city in connection with lord salisburys advo cacy of woman suffrage it may be asked why women should not be considered intelligent enough tobave votoa when they are admitted to positions of trust both iu england and the united states tne records of the post- office department of the utter couary show that there aro 3000 women in the various states holding commissions as postmasters the complaints against tho women post masters are comparatively faw and in the fourthclass offices their records are better than those of the men because they are more conscientious and pay closer attention to their duties there are thousands of women moreover both in england and america who are employed in responsible positions as bookkeepers clerks and tele graph operators some stronger objeotion to women voters than that they would not exercise the franchise intelligently will have to be advanced if the movement for the womens suffrage is to be resisted success fully consumption surely cared- to the editor please inform your readers that i have a positive remedy for the above named disease by its timely use thousands of hopeless cases have b en permanently cared i shall be glad to send two bottles of my remedy free to any of your readers who have con sumption if they will send me their express and p o address rwpy ta slocum 164 west adelaide st toronto a writer in the london spectator strongly recommends a large drink of hot water before each meal and en retiring as a sure cure for persistent insomnia care for braakesusets the oplom habit opsomania the morphine nervous prostration earned by the an of to aooo wakerttlneementaideprlon softening o the brain etc 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