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 JV.'PIt)" fO^( ktching in £ J •^cu8 yean. TkJ y«. of feh J ^^- The J •and. ";^* ^nspotti "'-th them as J orestry on a la[ feet on James La ^10 became delirii ttackofit, niA Iter running Oil ^aen exposure cj committee mm to Stanley in iJ Wack spot, shal i"hite line across! from the nwutif :« get the Brit| ght, the orig-, avoi- of the ope'iii orig ago. ThesaL the same tinij 3 still to be can ..iverpool court lar.ges of systen!^ 1 documents pa; put on the revel going on for niJ he Clerk have iJ g English -workij iniug, put oii Few days ago. a J, fell insensiUj ime. B.'t it is a sparring was I •nt to a fancy ' i; of a prince, i the spiiit of 'le mcrj-uigbe drg at tliednorl lulling admiltai while lie rec'V ;)C'l at Mandiesl and consists i girls lying in i workmen o: atiug, a.id kici â- t-ts. It has pi ates have innicf ?everal girls lose of breakiiij out an AntanI (irdenskjold. in t!ie siimnierj ill be undertaij roll Oscar PickJ irctic Explo'"4 locietv of Victol hical SocKt.v| meeting of was reportctltl only brought J [orkmen, but r less efficient, liired to do ' The increasej .=t half over [lundrt-d ihous [rgh cotirt hasj [iment for absti Lhe court, p»a If a century 09 â-  among wtiql It hasbwnf idocuinentso'l nd it is ^m icers. It that the H Lll everg«*"l fgrows^nl'l*! ling«^0 wines in i-" 1887 the i»'P 'ance alone t*i loo ha«nS' tS 5,000 r 100^ nit 10S FOLKS. I WAS A BOY. lit Old schoollioase. :: j.rerestin:? thing about its ""'â- 1 -t to '.:ie, was its distance -••a^^ 1-e -ha" three quarters of a ""ti^h Vhenthe drifts of snow 'â- 'â- â€¢ fen-'^^ Oil either side of the •â- *' fthe 'heriiDraeter took a race •JO- the mercury tried to see if t^"lKl^itselfiu the bulb. --"â- '"" lid pretty well going to come "..\,i wind as Pole, Witii home about dark, it came fresh from the 110 flannel wrapper or .f.'i"' n-a^nor ail fun, nor very suggest- â- ' ur»h i:i -Jti'-^' pi^i'i'=- .Vlittle tV.l )w I did pretty well, '" " :v) oti-.er boys, I had my '(oliind a kind and skirts, defended too sharp a .:;e;" civuice â- ii!U\vho:-B amp^ii "os.js fi'pm jjen t a j.:J-it advantage in hav- f'.oLi homo tliat we could I, â- " !i)'ne to dinner. That 'Zi'm h'nn- for- play. Very J ,.j;;;):ed in disposing of ,:c:i:l a';!" batter, and two or :;d ;in apple or two. IS I remumber it, was sut. Eoononiy v^'as con- a necessity. In upon land, or r^'ir.H, for the stones and the soil ',Vout in tlie pri^pf^rtion of brick and -/in an ordinary e'linmey. "'i, ',jt Luuld "row little more than bush- v's these had been cut, the site could ••ii'tlo. Tiieii it was not thought ,., 'iiiit iiiucii underpinning to the house n,;.;il interfere .;ii:i.ii.T the floor IV-D-iut lui :-p.cted :.:::c;!i'-;t .â- â- â- â- t.;i Wt,"' -t'vjof' ,:._;;/:,n:t5. a:; ,,ivlho!;S'-, â-  -I: for ornam: Jliitii a virtue and^ â- 'â- St i;'.afe. it v.-as Iniilt witli the circulation of 1 ever been wasted upon the ..isidc of the old schoolhouse. The ...ra;i;:ieiits vicie a l)ig lx)X stove located •i- !:e:»r the cejittr of the room as one â- ;"ne5.s. and a ibiy 'pile of wood piled ';;aii.li!ry"in t!ie '-entry." ',-x were what I most admired, for they â-  il'Utid :ri"st to my comfort. I suppose rs'.ini-iti' is upo;i tfie principle of "Hand- ,it!;it liaiuls'^me does." ;:a-e not ihawn a very pleasing picture ;,;v scii! of leiirning. the name is appro- for there was hard earnest studying ilit:\., ami good foundations of educa- 'â- â- .â- :v there hii'l in many minds. ;. ;i..t say that :! n-it !i:'.ve â- "x t •â- lU r-uil tlie time we had were made ;•;;â- â€¢. if. I know of one boy at least '.i:ts i)i'i-.u r.]) hy four ft'clock on many [dyiiiL; "by the dim liglit of a tal- rliy flrelight. ' ;:"t '!1 iltill work and hard I- '::' ' fun, and a great deal of more and better work loen ib)iie with better helps, same eyes, speudng of the .__ heart and I was so glad to know I had a place in it yet. Now what do yoa snj^mse melted those eyes the ^quickest and most It was not the review of any part of the histwy of either of ua it was not the me- mory of any sorrow, but the fact that his old pupil was a Christian, and a minister of the Gospel. It was a short visit that we had, but if he remembers it with half the pleasure I do, both of us will treasure it among our sweet- est memories. He will never know how much his char- acter helped to mould mine. -♦ The Jeanne of Arc HytL The reproduction, with Sarah Bernhardt 11} the leading role, of the play of " Jeanne d'Arc," in Paris, has given occasion for a re- newal of the old controversy as to whether Jeanne was ever really burned at the stake, or whether her place was not taken by some one else and she set free. One M. Lesigne has brought togcAer in a book all the facts tending to show that Jeanne never was burned, I'and that she actually married a coimtry gentleman in Lorraine and raised a large feniily, of whom therj were direct de- scendants as late as a century ago. The stories were first put into general circulation in 1683 in a publication called Mercure. Galaiit, and were then based upon discov- eries made by a certain Father Vignier among some old manuscripts in Metz. The first docmnent was a record of the visit of Jeanne, the Maid of Orleans, to her relatives in that city, and subsequently there was dis- covered a marriage contract of Robert des Armoises with " Jeanne of Arc, the Maid of Orleans," the marriage having taken place at Arlon, where the Duchesse Elizabeth of Luxembourg made a splendid fete on the oc- casion. A deed in which the "Maid" and her husband conveyed certain land was also found, and subsequently at Orleans in the public archives there were discovered various entries in the public accounts that went to show that moneys had been paid to her, or for her, to her relatives at various times after she was supposed to have been buâ„¢el at the stake. These documents h«.ve made it absolutely certam that somebody who was known as " Jeanne d'Arc " and "The Maid of Orleans" was living and some- what of a public chai-acter for many years after the original Jeanne had presumably been reduced to ashes. The advocates of the original Jeanne, however, insist that the woman to v/hoia the documents refer must have been a different one, either an impos- ter or a woman whom some connection in the army had caused the people of her ac- I BOWir H AMAS7S DM. Krldences *t an MrfHt- CI ' Imw VifeMtttked AmAA â- errlUe Sarmmdtass. No country in the world is mote prolific in the roniance of crime than that portion of this nation known as the TnHian Territory. Set apart as it is by the peculiar laws of the United States Grovemment as an independ- ent empire, placed beyond the reach of the common criminal law save in closely restrict- ed cases, it has been for years the natural refuge of the law breakers in all that vast territory adjacent to it. Early in the year 1882 the ranchers in the vicinity of Ar- buekle's Mountain, Chickasaw nation, were raided time and again by a particularly bold band of horse-thieves, who evidently made their headquarters in some of the fastnesses of that mountain, where they found a ready and safe retreat from pursuit. These de- predations ceased as suddenly and mysteri- ously as they had commenced, and, after wondering over it for some time, the whole matter passed out of the mind only to be re- called in a startling manner. As was afterward learned- the band had consisted of a white man known as Walt Stevens and two negroes bearing the euphoni- ous titles of Bully July and Friday Monday. Stevens was the possessor of a charming LABGEST OF THE REPTILES that EumI MSTBMn^attraciedii^m the 'snS- rending rocks by the.]ucbt of, liis torch. After afinr.haidl been l^edtlw remainder of the ioal^nikts of this dismal den seamed to be a iiiiuca|ri^ea,Kiulexhibited as mnch hftste in retreat as they had shown in re- senting this intrusion from the outside. In a few moments after hearing the last shot the ex}ectant crowd about the mouth of the cavern could feel the rope twitching a notice to hoist away, ahd in obedience to this command they Lifted with great care what all suj^tosed was the object of their search. When the latter end of the rapa was reached and disclosed an immense ser- pent still sqninning, but with the ac- curacy of the Marshal's aim, they felt that they had been sold again, but realized, as they had not before, something of the nerve it had required to reach the Iwttom of that cave and dispossess its owners. After this somewhat grim joke, considering the time and the subject, the Marshal was himself brought to the surface, carrying with him the remains of the two unfortunate people who had been consigned to this frightful tomb. Stevens's remains wei-e identified by means of a peculiar buckle worn upon his pistol belt, by the unusual formation of his teeth and rr„ ».,-7 iT W ""'"""K by some peculiarities about the heels of his ^^'fATiu' **'T^*'°* ^f "^. ^•^'^ily?!- boot. The remainsof Mrs. Stevens were not tached, who so thoroughly reciprocated his affection that she had given up everything to follow him into that wilderness there to share his most uncertain fortunes. His two COMPANIO'S IN CKIME. soon began casting eager eyes toward his Avife, and as their advances were coldly re- ceived they began to plot to put the hus- band out of the way, imsigining him to be their only obstacle. With such men the plot and its execution are never far separ- ated, and these two fiends were not long in finding an opportunity to consummate their devilish purpose. As they were returning late one night in May from an unusually long trip, and while they were following the ' trail where its windings about Arbuckle Mountain compelled the three to ride in single file, July, who was purposely in the rear shot Stevens in the back. The injured man fell from his horse to the ground, where he was set upon by the two conspir- ators and disarmed. Then, deaf to the prayers of their helpless victim, they carried him to a well-like cavern in the side of the mountain, which was known to be a verit- able den of rattlesnakes, and thrust him in to a horrible death. Having disposed of the husband, the next move on the part of* the plotters was to get the wife within their power, and they set so readily identified, but enough was shown to bring_the murderer July within the reach of an outraged law, and in the January fol- lowing he paid the penalty upon the scaffold at Fort Smith, where so many of his kind have gone to their last account. The case was a wonderful one, both for the atrocity of the crimes committed and for the wond- erful manner in which justice sought out the criminal in spit of his murderous precautions for safety, and his execution had, perhaps a greater influence upon the superstitious criminals of that wretched country than any other in its history. quaintance to designate by the title of the ^^o" ^}^^ performance of this ta^k with an :,ii.. :i:n; v..,i;;0!e â- '-.t it w V. \^ dead herome. .iiir.'V. s;K':-.k for tlie girls. I think iir,!-! have h-vl d.uU limes. The boys .:.ii: remain in the liouse at " intermis- ;,." t'l see what they did. •:.: sjr.vts were of the kind th.at hearty, â- 'â- v.'iiki!y li.iy.s enjoy after sitting upon â- ;l*nc-hes for three hours. "lie v.;is a greiit deal of running and â- Jir.g, and jn;i.]ing and snowballing, viueiinie.s, wouhl you l)8lieve if? we -;-ecl .i;ir liuig-. and made a little noise. :..r. Isn't it i[ueerV One if he had only jr. aliout it, could have picked out the ::. vdi'i wero to grow from these lx)ys. .: one mi^^ht have judged pretty well kiiiil lit men the bf)ys would make. .11! ti'.iiiyed the sjKirts, but all did not en- •j»Ht. liniest aiHiIication to study. The ;â-  v,l!'i w .luld che;'.t in his recitation â€" -well, duunly was UDt cultivating conscience :;. li afterward.s, as a business man, he •:."i»s;, h: practice of cheating in school â-  v. iiake it easier to do just right in his L Ji-rst'i;-,' -•â- -'It-s; tii!ie .-.!^; t;-i;:ik is ir a tree to secure a good w lien it is small and grow- I.: HIV â- ;a. â- !t!ie and ill my memory see â- h'.s.smate, the doctor to i^d i;])idicatiim and manly Iter to lie, and the promise ;i! iu till- characters of others, arid .â- "V of ii;trnv vulture and queenli- • ;_"--i.L!e. liiligent modest sister. 1 told, cftiite as much is a difference in u-irls Ves. v!;, i;-.;l-.:i-i- v.ere not many nor v^-ere they ^-:. ^K wis,;. .,r -skilled, and I fear that ' 'â- . iri..-!ly conscientious, but this •i'vr. there v.as no teacher of the rir.Vii v.honi the student could not fVj-l^ ithe !unis..lf was faithful. '"" u!;i_- to till you of some of them. !)r.:cHi!)tr, wa.s a Jargc man of the ni;y,,r niur.-. I tliink he was born • H-a-.-hi-i-. fur while he had not great -:;i,eliail g,,„l learning, so far as it Ii'jW "'^ukeil " '"' '"' ' '•'-• grown, but none so large â- i')r iii,l any student bring so large a ^â- â- ^^y"*, or en joy it more. r;. f ""'"to id hoys; knew just how to '"I 1 V'" " them in school hours, 'â- ; '--'1) t'lieni to have a good time at "nen,;i.si„r. " eigiit average boys could put him «:.,\v,hift duiTng the play hour, but ^;J'J"" 'wt I'.ave inulartaken it in the -.r 'J"" '" '"ythingelse which would " â- """ "'--^ ligiit to command. Yet I do recall any jjunishing of even the ij-lf" ""'I'-non in the country schools. â- istp " i"'""' "'""^st lovedhini, and great- ..;.,}T'"' l'i"i- -\fter all, there was but P"aT-' '"'"'^er wiio really captured my '!â- ""' '"' ^H'.s the only one whom I ever ' pray. •' â- ' tV r t^'" " freely in our sports, and ^nc-i" ^*'*-' of the'number but there ' 1. T'S '" his eye. which was, after Wif, '-^" "' look of authority, with .r'at "' ' '"'" P'J"'ver. It seemed to look into .Si.V' '"'" '^y- "I am your friend Hove S'iifj '"' uiin, as a matter of course, " for ' ""**^ '"'"• Yes, we often for- *-'iidn* ^^"' ^thoughtless and careless, r'l' re° """^^ understand how to tell him '"=^ilJ*5V '"" ®°'"® ^^'*y ^® could seem r "t^tok ^^^" '•^' "' ^^ imderstand what I*'«iier5,.v-^^'^^ ^^^ only one of my old Early Use of Soap. More than two thousand years ago the Gauls were combining the ashes â-  of the beech tree vi'ith goat's fat and making soap. ^Vheu Mariiis Claudius Marcellus was has- tenhig southward over the Flamiuian way, laden with spoils wrested from the hands of Viridomar, and Gallic king lying dead by the banks of the Po, his followers were bringing with them a knowledge 'of the method of making soap. The awful rain of burning ashes which fell upon Pompeii in 79, buried (with palaces and statues) the humble shop of a soapmaker, and in several other cities of Italy the business had even then a footing. In the eighth century there M^ere many soap manufactories in Italy and Spain, and fifty years la,ter the Phoei.icians carried the business into France, and established the first factories in Mar- seilles. Prior to the invention of soap, fuller's earth was largely used for cleansing purposes, and the juice of certain plants served a similar purpose. The earth was spread upon cloth, stamped in with the feet, and subsequently removed by pouring. It was also used in baths, and as late even as the eighteonth century was employed by the Romans in that Avay. o The Queen's Autograph. The Queen's signature to state documents is still a model of finuness and legibility, no sign of Her Majesty's advanced age being discernible in the boldly written " Victoria K. " which she attaches to such papers as have to bear the royal autograph, says the London Fiijoro. There are vet ci-an states- men living who will remember that the qxtcstion of the signing of state locuments by the sovereign became one oi considerable importance in the last months of (.jeorge I\"s reign. During this period His Majesty was in such a debilitated state that tlic writing; of numerous autographs was practically im- possible for him, and under these circum- stances a short bill was hurriedly passed through Parliament authorizing the King to affix a fac-simile of his autograph by means of an inked-stamp. It was also provnded, however, in the bill that George should, before stamping each document, give his verbal assent to it in a specified form. The Duke of Wellington was in office at the time, and it was often his duty to hvy cer- tain documents before the Kmg for his approval. One day the "Iron Duke," noticmg that his Majesty was stamping the papers before him without repeating the prescribed verbal formulary, ventured to enter a respectful but firm protest. The King, much irritat- ed, exclaimed. "D n it, what can it signify?" "Only this, sir, "replied the Duke; "that the law requires it." George IV. said no more, but at once began to repeat the requisite formulary as he stamped each of the remaining documents. ingenuity that was truly devilish. July rode up to the cabin, evidently in' hot haste and greatly agitated, and told Mrs. Stevens that her husband had fallen from his horse some distance up the mountain and had broke-: his thigh. A suspicion of the truth of thi .; story never crossed the mind of that faithfid little woman, and filled with anxiof-, but with all a true woman's i str '.t when a loved one is in danger, she gat. ed up what would aid her in caring for h.im and mounting behind the murderous wretch, who was even then nursing a black- er crime in his heart, started for the side of her injured husband. AiTiving at the scene of the first tragedy she first began to realize HEK AWFUL SITCATIO' when she saw her husband's belongings -scattered about a hastily constructed camp. She than began to read the looks the two vile wretches were casting upon her, and it needed not the confession of their former crime to tell her of her husband's fate or of the fate that awaited her. With gloating satisfaction they detailed the death that had been the portion of their friend â-  and com- rade, and then gave her the fearful alter- native between such a death or submission to them. During four long days and nights this imfortunate woman, already heart- broken by her cruel loss, was obliged to sub- mit to her husband's murderers. In all that tinie she never ate nor drank, and the fright- ful anguish she suffered finally brought compassion to the hearts of the demons in human disguise. Then came the fear of dis- covery through her, and July overruled his companion in the determination that she, too, must die. He solemnly promised her that if she w-oitld eat a little she would be allowed to go home, and while she -was try- ing to force down a few morsels he shot her through the back of the head. Her body was then consigned to the same grave as the husband's, and the murderers rode away feeling perfectly safe from discovery. About eight months later Monday, while on a drunken spree, told the story of this double murder to a woman with whom he had become infatuated, and at the same time confessed that he lived in constant fear of death at the hands of July, who would never' feel safe so long as he lived. His fears prov- ed prophetic, as he was found the next day shot in the back and dead. This act of pre- caution on the part of July CAME OXE D.\Y TOO LAT£, however, as the woman, enraged over the killing of her lover, told his story to a deputy United States Marshal, who at once started out to verify it. The first place visited was the cavern on Arbuckle's mountain, where the bodies were supposed to be, and where it was thought the proof would be found necessary for bringing this now three times a murderer to punishment. The only way to enter the cavern was found to be by means of a rope, and one of the boldest of the party was lowered iuto it. Before he had made fully half of the descent the signal for raising him out came with an emphasis that could not be mistaken. Upon reaching again the sunlight the thoroughly frightened man was 'only able to gasp out"sriakes" when he sank upon the ground in a fainting condition. When The Quickest Trip Across Africa. Tfie twelfth journey across Africa from sea to sea has been made by Capt. Trivier. He has apparently added nothing to geo- graphical discovery, for his route from coast- to coast had been traversed by earlier ex- plorers. He did not leave the beaten path, as he had promised, to, settle the interesting questions whether Lake Landji is the gathering place where all the upper waters of the Congo meet to issue from the lake as the Congo proper, and whether the Lukuga River, the supposed outlet of Lake Tanganyika, empties into Landji. His jour- ney is noteworthy, however, as the quickest trip yet made across Africa* Starting from the west coast above the Congo Ije struck the river at Stanley Pool, and by means of steamers to Stanley Falls and on Lake Nyassa and the Shire River he shortened his land march by about fourteen hundred miles. Reaching Quillimane in the last days of November he completed his trans- continental journey in a few days, less than a year, which included stops of some length at Stanley Falls and Kassongp, The earliest travellers in equatorial Africa occupied about the same time in making the distance from Zanzibar to Tanganyika, which is not half-'vv'ay across the continent. The explorers who most nearly approach Trivier in the celerity of their journey are Capello and Iveiis, who in 1884-85 crossed from Mossamedes to Quillimane, along the water parting between the Congo and the Zambesi, in fourteen months. Dr. Lenz, who in 1885-86 made practically the same jour- ney that Trivier has just completed; was seventeen months on the way. Livingstone was twenty-two months on his journey from Loanda to Quillimane, and all the other transcontinental travellers, Stanlej'jCameron, Manteucci, Arnot, Wissmann, Gleerup, and Sei-pa Pinto were from sixteen months to more than three years. Trivier's journey demonstrates not only the improved facilities for travelling in inner Africa but also the fact that a man may now cross the contient without losing touch with civilization. From every important- point along the French traveller's route he was able to send letters home, and his progress for more than two-thirds of the journey was known ui Europe before he himself emerged on the shores of the Indian Ocean.. This is a great advance on the conditions of African travel only ten years ago, when explorers who ventured no further inland than Lake Tanganyika were lost entirely to view for more than a year. r'\wli.: ';to^„ 'fl I '«'as able to find on my late ^slacp li^v "°""^- I â- w'ent to see him in l^-'^Sce '^^f ^ess, for he fills an import- l^tol',; Y""'" ' skill as a penman is â- ^ othe ^^^^^ge. and to the comfort of Into Sahara's Desert. Undaunted by the fate of CamiUe Douls, the young explorer who was murdered inthe Sahara about a year ago. a M. Femand iou- reau has nowplunged boldly into the country he had sufSciently recovered to tell the of the Touaiegs He was dissuaded trom story of his brief trip he assured his deep- hiseuterprisebyhisfriendsandtheGovem-*' --^ â€" j:,.â„¢ ,^u„* *u„ i„** ment of Algeria, but all to no purpose. The Geographical Society, as weU as the Govern- ment gives him nothing but sympathy, and no one beUeves that he will come aUve out of the mysterious desert where several of his intrepid fellow-country men have akeady perished. Gennany's Hew Bifie- Next week the Garde du Corps will be equipped with the new smaJl-bore repeatmg rike, i^ by the 1st of Apnl the whole peace efifective of the German Army wiU be armed with the weapon. Tt«»f " ^T^ ,^° made in a German mannf artorj so th^the whole supply made by the factcor at Stever 1 1 ' c*n be used for the reserves. Germany lias h«^"^^^"°t passed without lear- thusoncemoreanticipatedaU other anmes I «i their tracks, but there were the in adopting a new armament. ly interested auditors that the bottom of that dark hole was absolutely fiUed^with the biggest snakes ever seen oiit of dpeams. His appearance and well-knoMm nerve bore ample evidence to the truth of his story, and for a time there was a decided lack of volunteers to take his place. Seeing that unless he came foward he was in danger of loosing the evidence o necessary to his case, but which was so weT guarded the marshal' announcied his determination to make the next visit to the regions below himself. In preparing 'for this Tint he stripped himself of all superfluous clothing, and taking a sack in which to gather what was left of tiie two 'victims and arm- ed with a revolver, fae ^a;y« the sisnal to lower away. When nearly to tite bottom he sent bock the signal for.a^alt, and then calmly b^an shooting the THE THOUSAin) ISLASD8 BSIIIQS^ StepplBs Stones AcM«Ltte C«iremt •r ttOb A dispatch from Ottawa in the N. Y. Herald says â€" While our masters and yours are busily erecting custom houses along the borders between Canada and the United States, with a view of lessening the inter« course between two commonwealths, the perverse inhabitants thereof are busily ea." gaged in overcmmng whatever obstacles nature presents to that intercourse. It is with that object in view that the Thousand Islands bridge project has been submitted to the Canadian Pariiament, and its projectors will in due course ask incorporation from the United States Congress. The proposed bridge will extend from some point between Kockport and Ganan*. oque on the Canadian side of the river, and between Alexandria Bay and Clayton on the American side. The river at. that point is thickly studded with little rocky pineclad outcroppings of the Laurentian formation. "On these stepping stones," said Mr. R. C. Carter, one of the projectors, "our bridge will walk over to the American side of the river. The double island known as Welles- ley Islsmd will be used as much as possible and whenever there are 'navigable channels there will be a swirging span in the bridge. The height above high â- w'ater mark will be fifteen feet or more. Of course our plana will have to be approved by the engineers of both governments. Our railway and bridge will be the favorite means of reaching the hundreds of summer resorts that are scatter- ed up and down the Thousand Islands. Of course, our plans are not complete yet, as we can do nothing until we are sure of incorpor- ation by the governments of both countries. "The longest span is the part that swings," added Mr. Carter. " Will there not be enormous engineering^ difficulties to overcome " I asked. " Our engineers assure us there will be nothing but the ordinary difficulties encount- ered in bridging a great river. " " But there is the great width. Isn't the river about two miles wide at that point " " The river is very wide," said Mr. Carter, with a smile, " but if you look at the map you will, find that just at the spot where we intend to construct our bridge the large island known as WeUesley Island almost fills up the bed of old St. Lawrence. Then there are smaller islands iii the channels that can also be utilized." " Well, does this large island that you speak of dam up the river and cause the water to run very rapidly there V " We are informed that the water flow there does not exceed four miles an hour. There will be a great many sections of the bridge, but we do not anticipate any pro- hibitory engineering difficulties." Abuses in The Chinese Army. A recent Pekin Gazette contains a curi- ous decree from the Emperor respecting the condition of the army. It begins by refer- ring to the immense expenditure incurred yearly in establishing aiinies for defensive purposes in the Various provinces, and says that to create a proper feeling of spirit and enthusiasm in the army it is essential that every detail connected with the pay and numbers of the troops should be carefully checked. Of late, however, it has come to the Emperor's knowledge "that abuses are of frequent occurrence; that false feturns are made of the number and payment of the soldiers; that the General in command leads a' life of dignified ease and comfort tliat reviews are held very irregularly, and that, in fact, the whole inilitary organization has faJlen into a state of disorder and effeteness very little short of what formerly prevailed in the ormy of the Green Standard." Hence the Emperor, "being deeply pained at this state, of things," commands all Manchoo Generals in Chief, Viceroys, and Grovemors to exercise a constant and strict surveillance over the troops in their respective jurisdic- tions, and to denounce in the strongest term any abuses they may discover. The Board of War, by imperial orders, has, time after time, called for returns of the various mili- tary stations, but these instructions liave been wholly disregarded, and no xeporl of the kind has been received. We command that within two months from the date of -the receipt of this decree, full lists of the above particulars be forwarded to us, and we further order that all changes be reported from time to time for the infor- mation of the '1-1 Despondent. " What do yon suppose he drowned him- seUfor?" " Somebody told him his day-old baby vas the image of him." â-² QiftedJntolifirB^ " Who put those eggs on the mat " the (;9«^«WBiBg tli%door. ' " rjBfitWd mm there," batcher boy. said til* The Black Mountain- Climbing is much the same all the world over, and the only noteworthy feature, in our ascent was the atrocious heat reflected from the bare gray slabs of rock on every side. Long before reaching the sunmiit I had added my shirt to my coat, and when after two hours' very stiff woik, we stood at length on the crest of Kerstaz we felt we had well earned the refreshing breeze which greet- ed us from the other side, but which never blows in the fearful natural oven from which we had just emerged. The view from the top is magnificent, embracing not only the whole length of the Bocche, but stretching over the further mountains, on to the Adria- tic horizon beyond. The ascent is one of the steepest known, and Lady Strangford aptly describes the impression produced in saying that one "has the feeling of ascend- ing the highest tower in the world and look- ing do-ft'n from the top into the perpendicular depths below." On our way up we overtook a Montenegrin, who, as being the first speci- men of the race I had met in his native wilds, interested me considerably. In spite of the heat he was dressed in a thick double- breasted waistcoat and felt-cloth jacket with the inevitable gtriika over his should- ers. This integral part of every Montene- grin's costume is a course black rug of raw goat's hair six feet long by two wide. No inducements are adequate to persuade the women to spin a broader pattern, conse- quently it is of little use except to sit upon. It is worn thrown over the shoulders with the two long-fringed ends draggling in the dust, and thus certainly forms some protec- tion for the back against the rain, but leaves the chest and throat exposed. It is too narrow to wrap round as a blanket, and, speaking from experience, I failed to get as â- much warmth and comfort out of three stnikas as would have been giv^en by a com- mon Ulster coat or ScoV:h plaid. Our friend was very communicative, and insisted on accompanying us into Cettinje, whither he was himself bound. Whenever we stopped for a moment he spread his rug for my use, and was particularly anxious for me to wear it when we reached the higher and colder atmosphere. I was Surprised to see that both he and the Dalmatian drank copiously from every running stream we came across. As he grew more at home with us he produc- ed a letter from a brother of his dated "John- sonville, CaL," where he had been mining for many years, and I frequently heard later of others who had emigrated to the fields. Our companion had a general recollection of all the British Consuls and well-known travelers who had visited Montenegro, and seemed astonished that I was not personally and intimately CM^uainted with aU of them. On the airhole, however, he was an intel- ligent, quick-witted fellow, full oi stories and questions, and his company helped not a little to shorten the long walk. â€" [The Fortnightly Review. some hav'n P.- F.â€" Fitted for the Ohoir. " â€" ' Your daughter 'is very liand- hlr. Smith," ' r â€" "Yes, she is. I'm thinking of her join your church choir. " 'That's good. Is she a fine vocalist ' No but she's got an awful temper." The Old, Old Strife. ".That baby's always meddling with things. I never saw such a girl " said lbs, Younghnsband. " Takes after your motl^er, I guess," qnotb Mr. Y. And t^en the fun began. Snnken T^eeasme. " What have yon been dmng since I sir yoa last?" "Been {ailing in love." " Ah ffot m wtmdam V (Sadly) "Two hundred dollan.' l:^ i ?1^ •'â- ; â- ; â- V:" .;*.JS!-»-- :.,.^- H iiji^i .iismsiMatiiUisimmiM