The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

 ^^^ww 'T^ sssas 11 WlllUIl i;uiixv,w±vii *-'«-j .. concur. â€"[Arthur Palmen enty-ninth Highlanders,' etterto Laugh. des are the fairest, hours are best, â-  ilessings the rarest of pleasure and rest, our wishes denying, â- his part like a man, world with our aghing- laugh when we can. its burden of sorrow, its shadows profonnd; 're yearning to borrow ho may gather around. faues of pleasure 11 be happy to scan, one a treasure- laugh when we can. ^g^EBSTlTIOUS PEOPLE. ttlers of the Bay of Quinte nf Tin accused of entertaining t " °^ treasonable superstitious *f r urtake as much of the ndicu- "fJievout. When the circnm- • T-T lives are taken into conaider- '"'/lUhe influences that helped to '»• u rsoiritual and temporal charact- â-º^^ik weighed, good reason can be «»•" I,ph that to us would appear the J'SS?ra«- and credulity. They ;;:?adernesswith 1 CH£EE AND ENLIGHTEN For many years their the family circles that A SAILOB'8 DAn.7 WOBK. Jmat What He Day am Mlp- uirLE TO ' .j^Htaryhour^. jchools -were fire-sides when the re*!**^^!* L^T,t over the land and stories told by Jr books were the •"^^ ' dsitors of by-gone times and Lffliti *?f is easy to conceive how a people ' Jnscribell by limited opportunities -ffrerein to their imagination, and ^^1 sort of philosophy out of irra- f il impossible fangies. The Yery tlfJbeirsarrouiulings was an mcen. •; irn.tural beliefs. The sighmg â- Jinl through the tall tree tops, the y' ,__'.,., jjj the evening zephyr, brook I. :,„„of theleaVO^ •^itl^ippliug sound frojnrvinnmg ;ja=hing wave, were all " VOICES FKOM AN UNSEEX SOURCE, â-  beirat reverence for nature's laws, dlM -eif a faith in the mysterious agencies With the mind thus influenced, Lrcoalil fiu(^ "sermons in stones,, books '•[he running brooks, and good in -;.ilhint'" It may be questioned, tnver. ° if tbey always succeeded extracting the good when the sub- • under consideration was disposed of. •no frequently happened that some scene ^ijimd, easily accounted for under a ration- t rendition of tlie mind, was magnifi,ed iavstified by excitement and fear until sumed a monstrous form and meaning. Fiv were disposed to form conclusions 'tilv, anil consult only their own feelings en rendering a verdict of what they had or heard. In this way they became believers in the existence of ghosts, [oblinsand spiritual apiaritions gener- They could conjure up the most un- ay objects w'henever the opportunity i offered, and see SIOXS IN' "tni HfiAVENS hear voicra about them that portended aing joy or sorrow. This was not the Isilt "of physical or mental Weakness. It i^apart of their education, and had be- mean article of their faith in the matii- r.ations of Divine favor or disajpproval. e may smile at such an exhibition of riulitv, but we should judge charitably, 1 by "all means try to account for the .4ence of the faith.. Merence has been made to the fireside :ses that got their lessons from the tales ibv venerable teachers in these domestic ools, and where no particular rule was Ker\ed in imparting information. The injects discussed were generally of a weird â- acter, and full vent was given to the filiation in limning the pictures. The Mger members of the listening group ddbeso forcibly impressed with what they arJthatcbjetfts imperfectly seen assumed •tever slujid Rnd asp3ct the fancy sug- ;eJ. The ni'ije^k appearance of the 'VAVINi; GIANTj OF A rt-'^tWBYAL FOREsT, I the solenin stillness thai l^c/oded over 'â- ire's rep we, all tended to st*«igithen the .:efthat supernatural forms flitted sbbut, i voices sounded in the midnigh't hAt, â- sterious lights danced upon the earth' or loned towards some secluded spot, and^ stly figures marched past with sepul- â- ii mien. Strong men and nervous wo- â- 1 were equally affected, and nocturnal ::neys were made short or left unfinished. !-- lot:alities where graveyards showed -rWe slabs or painted boards were given le berths ' " " " .- low Kadi bMWd. The mate of asqaaro-rigged merchantman khas describes the life of an able-bodied sea- man on a long voyage A sailor may be said to begin his ^y's work with the " morning watch " at 4 o'clock, when he most torn ont of his narrow bnnk in the " fo'castle " and tumble up on deck prepared to scrub and wash down decks, which are always more or less badly stained with salt water and iron rost. Plenty of water for cleaning purposes is always near at hand, and with the aid of buckets and ordinary brooms, brashes, or " squegees " Jack osnally succeeds in mak- ing things tolerably clean. But if the ship is coming into port and the captain wishes the decks to look particular- ly white. Jack must go down on his hands And knees and scour the decks with all the vigor of a charwoman with certain articles called "holystones." Now, holystones are not treasured fragments of some classical shrine, but common-looking pieces of sand- stone about the si^e of a brick, and it is not lop much to say that peotry abandons the nautical mind when the holystoning process bedottles necessary. The operation is always long and laborious j and the only respite Jack has from this odidils task is in polishing tarnished brasswork or beltlg ordered aloft to attend to some troublesome Sft4! W bit ef nuining gear. Oonsequsntly, by 8 o'clocif,- *rh«d he is relieved by the the "forenoon VrSfcb," Iia has had sufficient exercise to get up ay S|»petite for breakfast such as is rarely ecj['JdJ(«(i or surpassed by anything human. This meal, y'dHt' M Siid out, eontisis -of a liberal supply of H fco* Mack beverage called coffee, which is ste1'etf to distraction, and sweetened, if at all, Wifl* .mblasses. Then there is ship's bread, porrSstge^ ot "burgoo," and a species of hash called,, "lobsoouse," which nobody but a hungry saild^ -^sfe ever known to successfully digest. Jack, hjo^S'ver, is providentially no epicure, but a gS^r6" nomic genius who dispatches everything ro' satisfy an organic craving with goatlike facil- ity and relish. He then fills his pipe, spins yarns, or returns to his unambrosial bunk for a nap, while his shipmates, the "forenoon watch," are busy • making things snug on deck and aloft. Indeed, it would be difficult to say what the "forenoon watch" will not find to do, for much depends upon the state of the weather. But yards must be constantly trimmed, ac- cording to the direction of the wind, sails furled, and running gear looked after, and in addition to a seaman's regular duties of set- ting and shortening sail, there is always plenty ot sail- mending, rope-splicing, spar- scraping, oiling, varnishing and painting to do, to say nothing of the dirty work of tar- ring the standing rigging and ropes occasion- ally. Then every man must take his turn or "trick" at the wheel, which is always a monotonous and extremely dangerous duty in bad weather. Well, at 1 1 :30 the men who composed the "morning watch" are called to a dinner of hot pea soup, boiled pork, and a baneful piece of meat that no argument will ever convmce Jack is anything but army mule or horse which has died a natural death. ' ' Salt horse" is, therefore, the name bestowed by him on this torUgh -pickled Substance, and he thinks himself lucky when it is followed by plumduff or "stickjaw pliddinj." This sumptuous repast is then walshecl down .^th ' copious draughts of coffee^ aiftl after filling and smoking the inevitable" p5pte o6e. mto-e Jack feels invigorated and happjr, and go'es. on deck as one of the " afternoph wafchV" ifhich relieves the " forenoon watch" at 1^ 6'cioek, • ,, TPlifef' afternoon Watcli," we will siipppse/ fof b^eyiiy's sake, is employed on deck with dutie^'of _th«, mtme nature as engaged the " foren66h #at?{»," and at 4 o'clock this GAPTUBED B?^LA.7EB8. â- â€¢w • little AStUmM CIrl was Curled Awmy Fr»as Her â- â€¢Â«Â« «â- Â« â- â€¢Owr. Following is an extract from an article entitled "Jamaica, New and Old" by Howard Pyle in Harper' a Magaziiie. Once, in the opening of the jungle that ovwgrew the banks of one of the streams that ranpty into the harbor, we came upon astray dnft-piece of humani^ that had floated down the stream of time to the present from those old by- gone slave days. The rowboat was being pushed up a crooked little creek that meandered through thickly growing weeds where great mudfish scturried in and ont, and between banks of dense vegetation pierced by alligator wallows, and arched overhead with trailing vines and branches into a roof of quivering leaves. By-and-by an Often space was reacmed, where, upon the marshy bank and La the midst of the brush, one could just see the outlines of a low straw hut, such as one might expect TO DISCOVEE IN THE JUNGLES of Africa. An old negress made her appear- ance at the sound of the thud of oars in the rowlocks, and, coming down to the bank, squatted on a log, and talked in a sad, mel- ancholy manner. Her history was that of thousands, but it sounded strange coming from her own lips. It was like a voice of the past speaking of dead things. She had been brought, as a girl of ten or twelve years old, to JagiaicEi aboard of a captured slave ship. Eei* Affieaii mother had 5e»t ber t9 the spring to df aW water, and there, bi the thickets, the slave-dealers had caught her. They had thrust something into her mouth so that she could not speak, and had tied her hands behiivl her back and her fe,et to- f ether. Her. mammy came and looked for ef everywhere, but could not find her. She had stood ^^ close to her as from here to yonder tree, and cil^ed and called, but the little girl could not answer, and her mother did not see her because the siaye-stealers had HIDD^::? H£ AMONG THE L£AVES ha the thicfc*l8. So by-and-bye her mammy #e?it away.- and then the elave-stealers c^Sfiftr] tfni' 4t)6k her down into a boat and atKiWoiflihe'Ship- There they put her in a dark place With a great many more black people. Every morning they used to come and take out those who died and throw them overboard. She could not remember the name of the ship, but the white people burned her in Kingston Harbor. It was very difficult to understand the old crea- ture's dialect, but she patiently repeated her words until her meaning was clear. She took the shilling that was offered to her and gave her thanks in the same sad voice, and as the boat drifted down the current and around the dense foliage at the end of the stream, she still sat motionless, with the shilling in her hand, looking at it. QUEEN OF mSWAZIES. It-. And Ser Lotd ffigb Exeoutioner. A FINE HOTEL IN MEXIOO. jmet watch is agaj)l fiY^ttiOsA. So you see that, generally spk,iilg,'t) l»en have four hours 't!is when tlie sable curtain of night on duty and f6ut'3i)iiUi"S^pfl'.- But if this took ered upon the earth. The writer ' place with undfevi$i,tiii^. ]?6grf»rity, it is peisuns who were willing to testify evident that one set ofiii^i^'T^bU'M always be Lie most orthodox manner that they have •iiessed what could not be reconciled with -â- My agency, and they were fully con- pteil that pre for »â- â€¢ Tlw Ae siir.' f-ii awe, a 'â- i! pirits visited this mundane •urposes that were revealed to ga\e very graphic descriptions and wonders that filled them I made them less desirous of â- aiging â- |tV I'AssiilNS AND WORLDLY PLEASURES. •'lere wurc not a few who had an equal â- ^d of witchcraft, and who attributed -noftlieir ill health or bad luck to the ^^i- intiuence manifested by some unfor- â- atevvight jjossessed of an evil spirit. The â- 'e-shoe was an emblem of protection from -laterterence of such diabolical agencies in "" every home, and few doubted its effi- ?incountLTacting impious designs. When necessary to break a charm or discov *geut of at^me supposed injury arising this cause, a ceremony was observed, " which consisted of heating the horse- fed hot and plunging it into a churn vessel contamiug cream ready for "'{ng- This act was sufficient to bring "Jtch to terms, and soon after, so we ' f^" gravely assured, some aged speci- ill-favored humanity would come to "ouae where the act was performed PLEADING FOR MERCY, exhibiting a painful bum inflicted by ^wse-shoe. The person or persons pre- under the wicked influence would ^Mjerience immediate relief from the or charm, and be in full possession their faculties, mental and physical. "wse-shoe, as a shield from evil spirits, pmen of good luck, always occupied on duty during the' best'p^i^Vof ' Wight â€" an arrangement that Wpiild' b^' manifestly unfair. In order, thereforci t^t' plleA^atcm should not have the long night's ^dtily- tberfS; A Big Vndcrtakiiig That Will be Backed by the M?\ican Ciovernm^nt, The City of Mexico is to have tne finest hotel on the American contment. It is to be erected by a syndicate of Mexican cap- italists and its cost at the lowest estimate will exceed |2,000,000. Of this sum the Diaz Government wiU provide $1,000,000 in the form of a subsidy in addition to grant- ing the free importation of material to be used in the construction. The hotel when completed will be five stories in height and will coilf ain 400 guest chambers built about a court, the dimensions of which will be 100 by 225 fee*. It will be cpnstructed of stone (^married se|Venty hiiles from the City of MeidJcp abd its interior finish will be ar- rahjged oh a scale of Oriental magnificence. Jhe floors \*ill be of mosaic marble and the w'fttis inlaid with Mexican onyx which takes a remdjrksblie polish, while the woodwork will be of tlife' f arest woods of the Republic, including ced«ir mahogahy^ and rosewood. The entt I*! strij.crf«r«,tfill be absolutely fire- proof, and the outS-wfe dnMensionS irill be 450 by 420 feet, Aa^.iit '^^itoilple of the msig- nificence of the designs it Mtiy bje" srtaited that it is the intention to exp'eifd .f85, in fitting up the Turkish iJ*th apartirteht,' liJnd the bar and fixtures will r^pquire an cftftfeijyf of,$SO,«W. The rotunda of the hotel vri are what we sailors ^11 '« doi Vatchfes.' «i,*8y,vw. iue rotunoa oi wie no^ei wu. These watches are the hours b^tMeA 4 betaken HI Charge by the Federal Govern o'clock in the afternoon and 8 o'clock m Ithe 1 ^l^*' and ifew the intention to decorate it with, precious-stones representing historical subjeotfl. Isaac Taylor, the architect, left re5'ently. for .the City of Mexico with the plaii' wlii'ch- have Iteen accepted and work will be b^^n in the near future. l*«iBedr {Other â-  evening. The " afternoon watch" according;: I ly go below at 4 o'clock and comeion dfck ' at 6, when they have two hours' dog wf^jcli, I At 8 they go below again, and thins by ' ' means of these dog watches the crew of a ship get alternate nights of duty on deck. .;. Jack lives on a floating house of business, which is continually carrying him into unex- pected labors. However, in moderate weather everything is usually made snug aloft between 6 and 8 o'clock in the evening, when Jack's work is finished for the day. He may then smoke his pipe and sing his favorite song or " shanty " to his heart's con- tent. But if during the next few hours, or in the course of the night, the barometer goes down and the weather looks ominous of a gale to windward, he has to turn out of his snug comer in the forcastle at a m^nent's notice, when he hears the boatswain shout " All hands shorten sail " Now, this is one of the worst features of Jack's life, for nine chances out of ten it is blowing great guns when he gropes his way up on deck and crawls up the shrouds, and you can form no idea of the perilous momentum of a vessel's pitch until you have been on her upper yards of jibboom trying to reef or turl sails in a heairy sea. The situation is anything but pleasant, I can assure you, and is never relished by the toughest and most venturesome old salt, for 'cnons place over the door, where it j uo man knows how or when he will come secarely. fastened with nails of the *â- ' length and shape. The devil and his "1 whatever form they appeared, un- yy entered a habitation thus protect- if- they did venture beyond the "e, and attempt to exercise their evil "tl • °*^®'" ceremory never failed to their practices, ana force them to 8nfr ^^^ humiliation. In a future wiRrTS a story 61 'The Haunted r^yard," WiU betoW. J. B. Ashley. N Appropriate Seleotim "â- ^^Vetike up the collection this /^narked the good pasttv, as he Idly over tiiewjngp8g«tion, "I wish â- w we have-in the chorch tieasnry ^o quarts of nickels that appear to » punched through and afterward W}th lead; These coins, I am in- fill not buy stunps, groceries or tu/J^oductors on street-CM« refuse to The choir win please sing '0, 'Rwt.for^eelSigh.'" ' below again. That accidents are not frequent is probably owing to a sailor's blind luck or the efibrts of the good little cherub that is perched up aloft. So, when a sailor has performed his task aloft on a "dirty night," it is small wonder that the first thing he thinks of is ardent spirits, and it is a treat to hear the crew sing the whisky "shanty." One man usually starts the song as they come down the slmtnds, and the rest smack their lips by way of a hint to the captain, and the line "I Drink Whislnr When I Can" is sure to be given with snch an emphasia as to soften ^e heart of the gruffest old sea captain., There are down- east captain^jbsrttS â- """' who allow ^^^9 low 9B a dbat'^mgn* comfort and it icitictf retJizesmore ocean wave" is face of the globe. Efl^iUror's Saperstitioiis. ' The ,i!^ejinsylvhia Railroad Company will be.cpnip^l|ed to! abandon engine No 1313, now.;in use qn th^ road. It is regarded by the road.men SiS.iinlacky. There is not an engineejB qr^fi^eman oii the 'road that has not a supersti^^iis. dread of the huge monster that during ^hstpasjt year has figured in more disasters than «iiy other. ,^ In the first place, it plunged over the., bridge-'at Latrobe last summer, wrecking ^hevchole train and killing the engineer, fireman- and tep others, and seriously injuring about a;dd^ti persons. About a month afterward it\ collided with a train near Manor, seriously injuribg the fire- man and -wrecking a number of cars. Again in a few weeks, while ascending the moun- tains, its boiler burst, and the firenuu^ was blown through the cab window and '.badfy hurt. It was repaired and once more put on the road, and all went well until aboul.°,Bik weeks ago, when it again ran into a frei^t at Manor Station, smashing ten or twely4 ' cars and slightly injuring the fireman. Last-, ly, while running near Sang Hollow Tuesday, it got into another scrape. This time its oil can explodedand severely burned both engin- eer and fireman. It is said that the employes of the road intend to ask the company- to discontinue its use. Some men do not live by their Mtates, bat for their fl«t«t«t.â€" {JuvomL With a Mounted Foliee in Sonth Africa. Mr. Percy J. Newman, who was educated at the Military College, Kingston, writes frcon Cape Town that he has joined the Mounted Police of the British South African Company, and tiiat they are marching to Matabeleland to protect the men of the B. S. A. Company, now making a staoe road to the Zainbea. Hie intention of tne company is to opoi up that oonnby and J«9k Mashonaland, whicn acQoiiw Watabtiie- ^JP'ybd. It-is wnaeted tbe^^ijten fr^to/ I f|lent)r of «%1^ la l«ibei^^, 'tlS^ of MatfAmiad^as fifteoi thonsand good fighting wmmoa. -^^.pt^aat Jk SL.A. Company has oldy enluceS'mteen'lhiuMlTed men, bat thcfy are aU fine men, and none of them over tmrty years of age. ^ey are enlisted fw one ae two years, and reoetva i pay at the rate of ffi per montli, with bone ' I aad aU dnfthig, efee., fMind, A «*ad-Ilataredl7 mimotHMlntr toverelsn, Wk* â- â- HIen Her iMnaeemt Snftjeels Frens KHnci e M a w Tk»j vnke Itâ€" â- rtttsh knle WIU pnt am Bn« t* fhe Pvsetlee. Surrounded by Ptwtnguese territoiy, Britishtertitory and the Transvaal, there is in South-east AMca a small niece of hitherto independent country called Swazi- land. The Boers claim part of the country and the British the whole of it. A commis- sion, composed of British officers and Boer statesmen, are examining the country and trying to come to a peaceable agreement in regard to the claims of each Government. As there is some sea-coast territory. Great Britain will do iis l^t to secure al^ at least of the shore. ^The chief British commissioner is Sir Francia De Winton, who is well-known in Canada, having been w officer in attendance upon the Marquis of Lome and the' Prin- cess Louise during their stay in Canada. Sir Francis has since then proven one of the most successful of that class of officers who are used by the Grovemment for mis- sions involving both political and military service of a high character. During his stay in Swaziland he has had the difficult task of impressing upon the queen and chiefs of the Swaziesthat hereafter Jfe and property, of high and low alike, must b§ held inyig-, late. Like the King c Ashantee, the Ki African potentates cannot conceive of a great state ceremony of any kind -without the accompaniment of bloodshed. It is not that her disposition is a naturally cruel one, it is just that she and her forbears have been accustomed to shed- ding blopd for ftin, jii?t as certain half -civil- ized people find delight in mutilating doves by shooting them from traps, or in setting game cooks to mutilate and kill one another. The artist of the London Graphic has made a picture of the Queen of the Swazies, who, is fat and forty, if not very fair. She is far too fat and comfortable and good natured in appearance to be a naturally cruel woman. Yet the artist remarks This lady, in spite of her comfortable pro- portions (sufficient in themselves to make the fortune of any travelling show) and of her good natured face, has a character that is not inaptly described as that of "a blood- thirsty vampire," and her love for the old Swazi custom of "killing oS" is proverbial. Consequently, SirF. Die Win ton, as spokes- man of the Commission, expressed to her their hope that this barbarism would now be done away -with, and that no one in the future would be killed without fair trial biit, in defence of her hobby, the Queen spoke up and became quite eloquent. "KILLINQOFF," she expiaiiiedj was always practised after the diuilii ef akin^j when the nation was mourn- ing for" hiiti, anS for this reason; â€" it was not right that thd jj^dpils should in any way pretend to mourn, and yet there were many who had perhaps never seen the king, and who, at any rate, were not on sumcently intimate terms really to weep at his death, consequently, it was usual to kill off one or two of the relations of such people, and then at once their weeping became sincere. As for fair trial, the people got that, for when- ever it was considered desirable that a man or two should be killed, the whole village is turned out and made to sit round in a circle, the witch doctor then goes round and points out those that are to die. What, she would like to know, could be fairer than that And, she added, at any rate she hoped that Sir Francis would allow the custom to be followed for" this once, as she had a few Individuals "on her list, who never would be missed." And the pleading smile with which she made the request would have melted a heart of stone. A little incident occurretl Irt i^t dtim6 ot the d^te which showed that the ^utjfrri was qitite a domesticated sort of persoii "hd fe regJ^fded by her family as a friend in need. T^is,;\|a)s the interruption of the proceedings by •,,y6\ing scion of the Royal House, who came to' his grandmother, the Queen, with an aching mck tooth, and thus, in the midst of the consideration of the " killing off" question, part of her attention became de- voted to the skilful use- of her ivory hair- pins, -with which she extracted it. Usibati, the Queen Regent, is enormously stout, but her face shows force and intelli- gence. Her dress consists of a collection of the dirtiest of old buck's skins, and at her side was slung an ivory snuff-box -to which she had incessant recourse during the con- ference. In accordance with the custom of the Swazi Royalty, and as a sign of exemption from any kind of labor, tiie Queen grows her nails, both of the hands and of the feet, to an extreme length the finger nails, in fa«t, come in useful as snuff spoons. THE QUEEX'S EXECnnONEB. Not least among the public functionaries of the S-wazi nation is one whom we might call the Lord High Executioner, and the office is by no means the sinecure that many Gcmrt appointments are. Jokilibovo (the " Red Warrior" the official'in question, is a fine, strongly-built warrior of a light cop- per color, splendid limbs and muscle, and cheerful face there is nothing in his appear- ailce to provide any feeling of loathing â€" on Ltl^ contrary, be appears to be a mostpopu- lar 'inAn among the people, in spite of the fabt)that he has probably been the means of brihjging mouminc upon most of their fami- lies., Sldll, they Dear him no grudge, or if they d.cr,'they guard against any display of it, whicK -periiapB is natural when they re- flect it naey be their own turn any day to be handed over to his tender mercies, when they may have amore unpleasant time of it if they happen not- to be on good terms -with him. The crime n^^ not be » very great one to brinK a man within Jokilibov^s dntchei. The King has deputed the power of sentenc- ing to deatli to war of hi* dnefk Should an^ man o£Emd one of theae^ or torf of the Inwa of tiie ooontty, he iajmrng^ymAai to gofoitawalk with ^okilnioTQ. TlBb walk exdtei very littfe notioe beyond tte eabnrit'a owi| friuKls. The directicmo^, iwi same, it ends "Hk^ a blow fr«n Jddlibovo's "kndbkeny, clnh. JoklliboiTD stated, inoenvenatian withoar artia(,thattlieoasetfamani«aistmait al â- jaaaatfiaaaaâ€" â€"â€" ^ia^â€" ^B^iM^ will try to escape bymnning away, bat it is alwajrs a vain attempt. Tb«teiaagrea(]anM in delivoin^ the death-blow ari^t, as the nno's cranium is not given to being affiset- ed Dy the ordinaty knocks unless w^ plant- ed at the base of the skull. The victim stands to receive the blow, and in tins way a man who at the last moment shrinks frooa his fate causes the blow to fall indirectly, and ccmMqnenthr suffen knocking down onoe or twice before he is actually put out of hia misery. Sad Condition of Women in Aftioo. Herbert Ward, the explorer-lecturer, says that "throughout Central Africa the wmnen outnumber the men three or four to one, the men being killed off in the wars and forays -that are constantly being made by one tribe on another and by Arab slave, traders on 'all. The women are almost in- variably slaves. Usually there are not more than three x four free women in a village. The price of women is less than the price of pigs or goats. There -was un- til recently one district ruled by a woman and there that sex was supreme. Within the lut few years, however, that tribe was exterminated, and now the degradation of women all over Central Africa is imiversal," $750anHotiT. The annual income of Johp Q,Eockefeller, the founder and head fvf ^e Standard Oil Company, is said tq be about $6,000,000, which is an equivalent to an accumulation of nearly $750 an hour. He giv^s away kuTgc sums for charitable and religious objects, but years old, and so thoroughly unpretending^ in his living and manners that no one meet- ing him in his^aily routine would find an intimation of his tremendous business suc- cess. He -was borii in Cleveland, O., and was modestly embarked in the produce business itt that city before he literally " struck ile." m "fhe Inflnenoe of a Woman's Club. Yellowly â€" "What! Are you going home already " Brownlyâ€" "Yes I must go. Wife is waiting up for me." Y. â€" "My wife belongs to a woman's club, and when she goes out to it in an aftemotm. I never say a word if she stays away six hours, so she never says anything to me if I am out a little later than usutu. Doesn't your wife belong to a club " B. â€" "No but there's a club that belongs to her, and it is the knowledge of that fact that is hurrying me home. " Enterprise in the £itchen. A book agent in Detroit who prefers the back door of the house to the front is doing a lively business selling cook books. He does not inquire for the mistress, but for the ttiatd. Quce inside the kitchen door he opens the book, tVirns tl;§ iea,veg briskly and talka rapidly at tke saihS "^^i "You want this book for yourself," he says in persuasive tones to the girl. "You'll be in your own house soon. A pretty girl like you doesn't go a-begging for a husband. Here are seventeen different ways of cookg ing eggs and twenty-one ways of cookiu- potatoes. The girl staresopen-eyed. Sometimes the agent meets a snag when all seems plain sailing. The girl may say to him "I cannot the English read at all." He is ready for her. "Here you are, then just the book to learn from. Every word as plain as the nose on your face all the rest in pictures, see " fes, she sees. There is a handsome girt with tucked-up skirts baking bread and another cooking eggs, while a jaunty miss with round, wMte arms Is rolling pie-crust in a mPdel kitchen. As the pictures flash past the girl asks "How mooch you ask that book for " "Only $2.50. The pictures OQst you noth- ing at aU." ^at "only" decides her. She buys the haaki wraps it up in tissue paper, puts her fti»iÂ¥l around it and hides it in her trunk. Tb^ *e goes on riiining bread and scorch- ing pb'irtktesf to the eird of the chapter. â€" [Detroii lite* Press.' BtifthfnlL She glided softly Into the insidiously approached tbe With a sympathetic sigh, she saiid • ' 'The world is full of poetryâ€"" "So is my waste basket," gruffly interifiipt- ed the editor. "Chuck it in there, please." He Was Willing to Bet. "Parson Jinglejaw, I think you take a wrong view of the situation. Religion should never be made a matter of conveni- ence. Now, for instance, you never omitted holding church service merely because it wasn't convenient .for you to do so, did you " " Suttinly, sah Suttinly." " It must have been a very unusual occa- sion, surely." " I hain't 'nyin' dat, but it's a bottom fac' all de same. Yes, sah jes' fo'teen mont ergo a harrycane came erlong an' lifted de chu'ch ober inter Rabbleshack Valley, erbout sebenteen mile ercross country, an* as it wam't convenient fo' de congregation ter git rapid transum 'commerdations ter dat p'int, an' needer war it convenient fo' de lambs ob de faif â€" eben ef dey vras Baptists â€" ter Stan' in de em'ty wackyum an' sop np de ekernockshal juice dat -wuz acomin' do-wn, why, hence an' darfo' de sarbice laid aside 'cordin' ter de convenience, an' I's -willin' ter lay de chu'ch egschecker ergin a las' year's cowcumbei dat de Lord hain't tuk no eiw fense needer." â€" [Yonkers Gazette. sanctum and editor's desk. If Ton Have Bnilt Yonll See the Point. "How are you getting on with your new house?" "I have had to tear it all down. " "What was the matter f ' 'It wasn't bnilt the -way my friends want- ed it" I moitBiikiMnra, tlioD{^«ti Another Loagulelt Want. Chstomerâ€" "My wife baa been pestering tiw lite mit of me to getneasy-dwir. She's idwaya'BHgiiur abeot atmc^hfaig,. and if it isn't sahair'itll be iH»aetiiing tim, and it'a thoi^t I'd dim in so aa to see what yon had. She'Ubesaratoask." Fnmitnre Dealero-'^ere, sir. Is a dudr a» petfecdyeaay and comfortable that ahe'B- .^ Im aauep the mnrate the toodNa it." '"•Vl C«toaMr~-"Ot»dy I FUtake il ' m iM I 1 â-  » I