Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Sioux County journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1888-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1894)
af . . ' .-. . . , t " 6 TOPICS 0? THE TIMES. A CHOICE SELECTION OF INTER EST INO ITEMS. King Loukkocla ha eighty queens. No wonder be isn't much of a warrior. Thb servant girl problem may prop erly be referred to as the hire educa tion of women. Ir takes all the poetry and romance out of the chrysanthemum to learn that it can be cooked and eaten like greens. Why is it that they always lay Covers" at banquets which you read about' At the banquets one attends, plates eem to serve the purpose. Thb Ohio man who invented 'the switchboard" has switched off the line of patience with those corpora tions that have been using the pro duct of his genius gratis, and will sue offenders for $0,000,000. He pro poses to cut a b'u figure for ju-tice while he is about it After years of having considered herself divorced from ex-King Milan, ex-Queen Natalie is informed that the tie binding t'.em is as strong as ever. There is still ample accommo dation in South I akota, an l an ex Queen could get into the best set there right from the jump. Concbkning the Pall Mall Gazette the New ork Sun remarks: -The paper had grown dull and cranky when Mr. Astor gave hismindto it." 2t hie mind bad been all that Mr. Astor gave to it the paper might still remain dull and cranky. But his money which he gave it hired other minds. Somebody has left Dr. Parkhurst a cool $1,000,000 to cairy on his war against vice and the Gotham police. It Is now in order for somebody bav ins Parkhurst's welfare and reputa tion at heart to get a censervato - ap pointed for him lest his wily enemies take both the doctor and the $1,000,. 000 into camp. Liixian Russell made an import ant concession to public opinion and the law by marrying Perugini in New Jersey instead of in New York. In New Yorir. the marriage would have been bigamous. In New Jersey it is just a plain stage wedding. It dif fers from a good many stage weddings in being legal anywhere It appears that the man whom Chicago officials hanged twice was dead at the time of the second Oper ation. It was considered necessary to have the fact of dissolution an nounced while the body still swung. It is a fair presumption that a corpse not declared a corpse would have walked away and thus vindicated the grandeur of the technicality. As Eastern paper published the story of a man who says he was hanged by a mob in Denver fifteen years ago, but escaped after having been drawn up twice. Possibly the man was in Denver at that time, probably he deserved all he got, ex cept the experience of escaping, but in the interest of truth the fact must be recorded that he is just a plain liar. A paper published in the interest of a big Insurance company says that the current talk of an "unprecedented season for accidents in consequence ol the World's Fair" is all rubbish, and adds that the experience of its company snows that there has been no large Increase in the gross volume of accidents this year. This is inter esting, because there is just enough business in it, to make it probable that it is true. AN Anarchist of Tacoraa, while re turning from a meeting held to con elder the best method of blowing so ciety into a sati factory state of dis integration, was whacked on the bead by another reformer, and is likely to go hence with bis own de vice for bettering the universe in complete. However melancholy the circumstances may appear, it must be conceded that a measure of reform baa been effected. ' Thb day undoubtedly is not far way when all superfluous' fruits and berries will be preserved by the use evaporators, rather than left to spoil or to be fed as waste. There is a aleidily increasing demand for dried trait, and If dried berries have no Siarket it I because they are prac tiemUr unkDSjsn. Once put u. on the Biarket, and the demand for tfcn will grow, for though demand reroute Mpplr, It to qoaily true ttat mpftf creates demaod Id many Ta tarsi Csr who tad cbars t d Mm Kmiwc ft4alii wem tlil ts made his calculations oa observations taken by a aaral cadet. He bad not seen any tea terries for seven year before being aaslcued lo datr a com manding officer of tbls ship. Thua the system of favortism, which gives long shore duty to favored officers, la doubles resjonslble for the low of a vessel valuable itself and still richer in historical associations. Boston is suffering with an epl dem'c of profanity. Emerson's soul ful proverbs are displaced by strange oaths and Thoreau's moral morsels by aw ul imprecations. So serious and widespreading has the epidemic become that an appeal for a moral quarantine has been made. Pastors of churches of all denominations have been requestel to take the third t onituanduient as a text for lectures and homilies; the school board has beerf importuned to instruct teachers to give talks to pupils on the purity of speech, and editors of daily papers have Leeo asked to admonish their readers not to supplant English with profane language. Although the great Hungarian patriot had outlived two generat oos of men who adored him as the incarnate conscience of a nation, be was still a vital figure in toi.tem-porar.- thought when the reaper Death took phy on his ninety years and called h.m away. His lotty and noble character had won for him in this count y, when he was here on the mission of 1 bertv, profound re spect, and b i brilliant qualities a man and orator, gained him admira tion. Almost all who Btood beside him here have passed away. One of the last of the giants of '4W, he car ried his head unbowed to the end, and goes down to history with a spotless record. Yocno ladies who Income famous through their connection with breach of promise suits must naturally ex pect the attentions of the purveyors for human curiosity. It is not strange, therefore, that Miss Pollard should already have received an o!Ter of 1500 a week for twenty weeks, to travel with a theatrical company presumably as one of its bright par ticular stars. It certainly would have leen thought passing strange a generation ago. But In an age when prize fighters play first walking gentlemen, reformed burg lars are cast for virtuous black smiths, and bridge jumpers for ben eficent heroes, we may expect all things even the sudden blossom ing of breach of promise heroines into tragedienne upon the mimic scene The use of small sizes of coal has greatly increased of late years. Form erly the sizes below stove coal were regarded as almost worthless and were left at the mines to accumulate there. It was soon found that chest nut coal was extremely desirable for house use, and it came a dollar a ton cheaper than stove coal for a time Now, j ea coal is coming into use, and this can be got at the mines for "5 cents per ton. Still smaller par ticles, called barley coal, are now used for generating steam at the col lieries. Even the fine coal dust U now mixed with something to cause it to stick together, and is thus jiade into a valuable and practically cost less fuel, as there are immense piles of it left from times when it was re garded as good for nothing. if -T-'-irSfC. t Chicago Hebald: At the dedica tion of a Presbyterian Church among the subscribers to jay off its debt was a liquor firm which gave fr'tO. Dr. Willis i. Craig, of McCormlck University, Chicago, commended th firm for its liberality, but noticing a smile in the congregation be learned the cause and merely said: "That's ail right." And why not? Why should not the money of sin. as the prohibitionists regard it, be made to serve the cause of Christianity? In all works of charity who asks a certi flcate of chaiacter from a dollar? It may in its career have been stolen, it may have been won or lost in gam bimg, it may have been a factor in a horse race or a prize fight It may have aided and abetted many wicked things, but it will help as well to pay a church debt or the minister's salary, will buy food and clothing for hungry and naked children as well as a dollar fresh from the mint. There is no taint on a dollar to jrevent its doing good. Hare Book. Among the rare and valuable books in the late Duke of Devonshire's library, says a contemporary, there are few of which there jre no dupli cates anywhere, and, what Is still more extraordinary, no one bas ever read them. The following are some of tbem "Percy Vere." in forty volumes; "Tadpoles, or Tales Out of Mr Own Head;" 'The Life of Zim merman," by himself; "Boyle oa Ktttm;" "Volterle, Volney, Volt, tars volumes; "Barrow oa tb Com boo Weal" aod "Beooilectlons of Banalstar," by Lord Stair. Tbee ewtowa title wrt supplied to tb Dwteto TbMM Boot tor Wttsrles wi a GILDED APitOM STrtlNOS. Boys object to being- 'tied to their miner's a proa strings," aod wise motaers gild theirs, says an ex change, v A woman near me bason bar bands the problem of bringing up three fatherless boys. This winter she counted out $3 and gate her sons, little fellows, a Christ mas present of a ready-made tobog gan slide. V itb this present she gave tbem two rules only two. L No boy was to start down the slide until the way was clear. That to prevent pbysicial injury. 2. No boy was to use an oath, any bad word, or slang. This to prevent moral Injury. The boy worked liked troopers. banking up the track and flooding it all, and part of the time the mother j was out there, shovel and hose in band, working with them aod di recting. The flooding was conducted almost daily from the upper bath-room win dow, aod leaning out of the same window I have seen the mother aga n and again, watching if all went welL I have seen her come out among the boys, to wipe away tears, and to en hearten some little fellow ho didn't get his turn or was pitched off into the snow. Once in a while she dashed down the slide her self, steered by some proud little lad. Hut whether she 1 coasting with them, com.'oiting, directing them, or lean.ng out of the up-stairs window, she is there all the same In spirit and m.iuence. There is a great crowd of boys on that si de out of school hours, and another matron on the street a d the other day that Mrs. Freeman had managed to gather the riff-raff of the neighborhood. But Mrs. Freeman had her boys around her and she s a power with the 'Tiff-raff.'' Little girls are en couraged to come to the slide and every boy is put on his mettle by this devoted mother to treat the small ladies with courtesy. That slide, in connection with oc casional candy-pulls aod pop. oro ngs in the kitchen, is an educator, a good Investment Snow and ice wll soon slip away, hut she intends to have a low, flat car constructed, so that the boys can have a summer coast safe one, for the slide is not very steep. A Piano-Tuner' I'ntlmclr Appear ance. The story in one of the papers about a lady calling down the speak ing tube to Bridget and being an swered by that person, "there's no one here, mum,' brings to the Lis tener's mind an' incident related to him by a friend of his, a piano tuner, who frequently has occasion to tune pianos in Back iiay apart ments. It should be said that some flat dwellers depend a good deal more completely on their street doors and the bell and tube arra gemeots to be found there than other flat dwellers da Well, the piano tuner wrrtone day to an apartment bouse where be bad been sent for and, finding the street door open, he went up with out ringing, tie also found the door of the apartment up-stairs ajar, and walked into the front room, bis bag in hand. There be was astonished to find a man, apparently a Frenchman, on his knees on the floor, making a dec aratlon of love to a lady. The man sprung up: the tuner a;ologized aod announced his business; but the Frenchman was furious wth rage, and bellowed: " y don't you ring te tube?" His anger was not reduced when the lady actually laughed at th.s question. Boston Transcript Struck the Wrong Family. , -- - wJ - ; - The weary wanderer's eyes gleamed with confidence as be stepped up to th$ back door aod knocked. "1 see there's borsesFioes over this door and the barn door, mum," be said to tbe bardfeatured woman who came to Ibe door. "Well," she said, with a strong 6tare. s "I've noticed that where there's horseshoes nailed up you always, rind warm hearts and a generous welcome, " said tbe traveler with a winning smiie. 'You don't say?" "Yes mum; you people may be a little superstitious, but you are k nd to the poor." "Well, we didn't put them boss shoes up," eald the woman, dryly. The folks that did lives about ten miles from here now. It's a straight road you can't m js it," and bang went tbe door. The weary wanderer felt an elec tric chill down bis spine as be started up tbe road. " ay, you!" be beard ber calL ife turned to go back she must have re lented. "You might rip tbem shoes d iwa mo take 'em along with yer if you think tbem fulk'll want 'em," and bang went tbe door again. iktston Journal. Great Luck. Monsieur Call no was greatly dls t'iriied because tbe city authorities changed the numbers of tbe houses In his street, and roundly denounced tbe functionaries who bad forced him by this simple change of figures, to live at No 43 instead of 'No. 216. Hut one morning, as be came down to breakfast and took up bis pa per, he exclaimed: Coodoess! i was s all wrong! What a fortuoate thing that our number was cbangef!'' "How is tnatri asked Madame Cailno. I Why, bar I an account of tb to tal destruetro Dr Are of 9a 218! if tbe number hadn't been chanced, we soon d bay bea bomeless wanderers teal Blast!" . " AHEAD IN ALL RESPECTS, Says the Hartford Courant: It Is, only by wide experience and travel that oe comes to a true appreciation of the mosquito. After a long and Intimate acquaintance with the fly ing pests of such varied aod various countries as t-outh America. Au stralia, India aud Africa, the world wanderer returns with the firm con viction that the Yankee mosqu to is easily first in bis particular line of worn. For refinement of method, quality of torture and deceptive in nocence of appearance this animal exhibits a unique character to the student of depravity. The popular definition of the mo qulto would de scribe it as an insect that stings: per haps it would be letter to say, a sting that insects, for the lnsectatlon of the little creature is merely a fringe around the solid central fact of its stingabillty. A mosquito without its sting would be the play with ilamiet left out One can even Imagine ! making a household pet of it under f such conditions. I'.ut the mosquito : isn't built that wav: where he is, ' there shall his sting be also. Een the snake, the most loathsome of to get rid of its poison and so be comes harmless. Not so the mo squito; it can bite you red, white, i and blue all night and in the morn- ing by the bright light cry out " et , 'em up again " without losing the key 1 or flinching an inch. 1 ery little better than the King Is ! the buzz accompaniment The mad dening iteration of the mosquito'i war song need not he dwelt ujon. It were possible to sleep a little if the attacks went on noiselessly, and the temporary oblivion would be sweet ! indeed, even at the price of blotches I innumerable and itches that call for I the hand of a Prlarius. On the con. I trary, this enemy of man trumpets j along night and day, w th never a ! fall from the pitch, with no soften ing of the tone, always that shrill, self-assertive ehrlek of rage and hatred. So awful Is it that if a sen sitive person and about six m squitoet were shut up for a week together, we believe one of the two things would happen cither tbe person would kill the mosquitoes or go mad, and it would be long chances on tbe mo squitoes. There is only one way ot handling this animal It is foolish to bit at him in the air, and not much use to aim blows at him when he first alights. No, let him get a good grip and let him drink away until his body grows al ermanic and ; assumes a delicate pink, then you cay i wipe him out and up with tittle dif I fl ulty, for he won't 1 so fly as he j was, in fact perhaps, be ause be ' feels the tie of blood relationship, be seems to want to stay there and suck and inflate foi ever. Thu the enemy is rendered captive Into your bands through his own ffioodtblrstiness. If you are full blooded and can stand the drain on tbe system this is a slow but i sure revenge on tbe mosquito; not an adequate one. of course, but tbe best 1 his v dim. man, can do under tbe circumstances. t'flllty of Filter Beds. The utility of filter beds in purify ing water ha- been demonstrated con clusively of late years, an i tbe ua-4 of evidence to corroitorate the claims ought to have made a much greater impiesslon on tbe people than is yet apparent Tbe work done at Ham burg, for instance, unquestionably converted a very dangerous water Into one with which little fault can be found. The record of cholera cases for &ut and IM.) is sufficient evidence on this point, with ut wait ing for confirmation from microscopic an 1 chemical examination of the water. Su'b examination, boweve ', proves trial whereas the water1 Cefure filtering Is largely impregnated with bactejia, the filtered water is almost wnony iree ironi mem. similar tests, with like results, have been made at several places in Luiope and Shis country; one, for instance, at rovidence, H. L, ad another at Lawrence, Mass. Theexpeilment at Providence has alreadv been described in these columns That at Lawrence bas been In operation since 8cpU 20, and the results up to date are worth notice. First, as to tbe prevention of typhoid fever. The time Is too short to give final results, but it appears that whereas for tbe past five vears tne average number of deaths in Law rence from this disease bas been live for October and five for November, there bas been only one such death In each of these months this year. The special importance of this lies In tbe fact that the water for tbe city is taken from tbe Merrlmac iilver, which Is contaminated by sewage, and bas for years been held responsi ble for tbe most of tbe typhoid fever In Lawrence Turning to tbe physical properties of tbe Altered water, It Is found that n nety-elght i er cent of the bacteria In tbe river water disap pear during tbe process of filtration. What Is quite as important is that this same filtration removes so much of tbe o gaolc matter which contrib-1 utes to tbe propagation of bacteria that tbe few which pass through the filter find themselves at i great dis advantage In the struggle fur exist ence. Fire and Water. One Advantage. People who have found ' sleeping, car berths "stuffy" will appreciate tb following, borrowed from the New York Weekly: Two tramps were preparing to spend tbe night In two pie es of drain pip which had been left tor some reason by tb roadside. "I say, Mlk," said tb flrst one, as be erawled Id, "tola ain't quit to warn as palac ear." "No," Mid Mlk; but there's mart TVOULmm THE WAYSIDE PUMP. 1 Still tlllll II II II Ijllll J nii a mas turn i inmt y, I AaS nMMt talfcar vaaw kaaw. rwm ms ate MM la mnlm war lamp! I mtm ate am at oak wS, a jvm 4nm t-olfb ! . U an at, staaha. fa bow f um out, m aBjoota w amok, AsaaaVar a1ir taan rou eouid buy . Waat I So yoa SouM llr mly ITT I lata Ifcat oua tram iaa raat? naU, Bead it itnAut thv gurgilaf apouL WaS. haw bm it, tali sSaiu ate Pimw aamr ; too caat ramp blm oat I BaarM ttaa hi waraot mad to (alL Tbra full sap ? Ata I yoo DaM nut tall WbellM Jim Ilka bun Ul or U. Bo ha ataoda br tba dualy way OoS on laiuflorS au4 arami to aay: lrluk your nil , tbare 1 naught to pay I" Tau-aty boiaao, with mxtrllj wtda, Floatia Umit baa4 Into hit owut trough, Lirmk, uxi crop from the ooul wall-aide A bunch of graaa ai.d then ambta XL Aod now tba deep-cheated oxri come, And drain tbe trams at a Uncle draugnt. Their great eyea gllaven. though they are domh, Aud thank the piuup fur the nectar quailed. 1 be auoking team 'naaih tba load of hay Lortnglv turn their ryea that wer Tney too hull drtnk for the atie iwingr. And the ouuilretebd noaea klaa tba 00..I, Sweet iireara from tbe ipout that aprtngf like a u untan uruok Id a moaay ioL The fenuer'i dug with hla loUIng tongue Iapa and paiita. till he Uj.t hit fill Tbea lue creakliw wbeefa from tbe rut ata wttng. ana the fregrut load iwayi up tha hllL Dear old waraide friend I tolas good In thy time and place, Full of cheer aa a good mac a face, Ororflov Ing with ilaiple graoa Ot glviug trlitu er thou beat to apend, Would that 1 were aa true a man Aa tboa art pump, on thy huinbler plan I Out of my handa kind dt-edi moald go; Out of my heart awret love would diw ; bound me all nourUbod life would grow ; And er'ry pilgrim with thlrei oppret, Would etop 10 bleat me and to be bleat. i'outh't ooiu teuton. A PRAIRIE DUEL. In the tepee sat Pretty Hair and the scout whose capture had cost three Indian lives, lie lay on a bearskin, placidly puffing the thin tobacco leaf which pretty Hair had rolled for him. Pretty Hair bent her great, glorious brown eyes on his pale, handsome face, but tbe young lellow was th nking of his comrades at Fo t William, little dreaming of tbe compassi n he bad awakened In bis companion's dusky breast. Three weeks ltefore the Arapahoes bad attacked a wagon train under an escort of 1 nlted States cavalry, blue Jem, th advance scout, bad scented danger ahead, but reported that tbe force of hostile Indians was not large enoogh to attack tbem. When the escort reached a bend In the ravine tbe valley suddenly swarmed with shrieking, ferocious red men. The troops were In a trap from which there was no escape. Only one white man came out alive this was n ue Jem There was a long score against bim which even his scalp would notwl eouU Weed ing from a dozen wounds he was lashed to h s horse and led by White Feather Into tbe camp. He wanted to ale, but Pretty Hair, fascinated by bis white skin and his biue eyes, dragged him back from the verge of eternity. he was the da ga te r of Hole-In the-Head, who, next to tbe chief, was tbe most powerful man in the tribe. Mie wrestled with death for bis life. But Kjue Jem did not thank ber, be knew that the days of torture were not far off. He little thought, however, of the plan Pretty Hair was weaving for his sake That very day Hold-in-tbe-Head bad promised the white man's life If ho would marry bis daughter and become one of the tribe. "White man stay with Pretty 11 air" the maiden was saving, as the swept her beautiful hair on one side and looked earnestly into bis face. blue Jem hesitated. Then he shut h s eyes and nodded his bead. After all. It wouid be preferable to the stake Pretty Hair crept towards him and rubbed her soft, brown face on h s cheeic. As she did so a stream of sun shjne burst into tbe tepee, and they sTw White Feather standing before tbem. a. - w . a. Xj. .t That night White Feather sat out- side his wigwam thinking deeply. There was jealousy .in his beart. malignant hatred In his eyes. In fancy he saw Pretty Hair the maiden for whom be had braved the sabres of bis enemies rubbing ber beautiful check on the face of tbe man he despised. An hour later White Feather crossed to the scout's tent The Indian sentry was sleeping. White Feather crept In tbe tepee and awak ened I'.luo Jem from bis heavy sleep. "White man, escape:" he muttered excitedly. Escape: Blue Jem opened wide his eyes. Did he hear aright? Ya, there was White Feather urging him to tly. He must make up his mind at once. In another hour daylight would be here. He j eered Into the darkness. His old horse was tethered to a tree out side He hesitated a moment He taw Pretty Hair's smiling face, and felt ber smooth cheek against his own. She loved bim and bad saved bis life. "Bah!" aod he pushed his som brero firmly on his head and threw himself into the saddle "Break faith witb an Indian girl. lxsb! Treachery funs In their blood. Wby think of myown?" And the darkness jp. swallowed bim A walling cry awoke the oamp. Braves scrambled out of their tepees and surrounded Pretty ' Hair, who was torn with grief. The cause was soon expla'.oed. Blue Jem bad gone. Holo-io-the Head strodo Into their midst White Feather pointed In th direction tbe fugitive bad gone Hole-ln the-Head, bis eyes burning with a fury bis Hps could not ex frees, slgolOcaotly pointed In th same direction. Tb brave darted off Ilk an arrow from a bow. He tnrned to different points of tb compass, and at his bidding fit otb r bfavs ewet across the pla n. t HSnNiSvtin Eay-b face was Irmly set each rta4 band grasped a deadly .weaposv Pretty Hair's tears bad roused a Bend lo each heart that only blood could allay. When tbe sun rose over tb Sierras Blue Jesa was twenty uil s from tbe camp. He lay down at tbe foot of a hill while bis borse cropped tb sweet, bet bage of tbe plain. Over tbe crest of the bill came a solitary horseman. He started up as be saw tbe figure outlined against tbe bright morning sky. "An Indian, too," salt Biue Jem; and be gave a low whistle which brought his horse to bis s de. The figure diew nearer Tbe snout grew u easy. He was do match for bis pursuer if be should turn out to be one. He had a tomahawk White Feather bad given him. but that was of little use in bis unskilled hands. He was only a m le away, blue Jem almost held bis breath. Tbe Indian paused at the top of tbe hill below which the stvmt was lying. He swept the plain with bis eye, saw tbe object of bis gaze, gave a whcop, and rushed like a whirlwind down tbe slope. lilue Jem leaped on bis borse and dasbed across the plain. The Indian, yelling furiously and brandishing bis tomahawk, came in hot pursu.L The scout turned his bead. Was be mistaken':1 No: it was Whit Feather! What could be t he mean ing of tbls strange pursuit? The nun who had helped him to escape was now seeking his life. He drew in bis horse, prepared for explanation or attack. As tbe Indian approa bed lilue Jem saw that his eyes were full of excitement and the desire to kill. He grasped his weapon, determined to sell bis life dearly. The Arapahoe cleaved the wind with his tomahawk, and aimed a deadly blow at the scout's head, lilue Jem too much astonished to ask the meaning of tbls strange con duct caught tbe blow on his toma- j hawk, and staggered under its fear 1 ful force. Tbe steel blades clashed 1 In tbe morning sunlight as the two men, alone on the yralrie, battled for their lives, lilue Jem's blood was ! op, but he felt bis strength giving way. He was no match lor tbu In dian, who was tbe strongest ana i most dextrous lighter of bis tribe, but as White feather aimed a crashing j blow at his head tbe scout caught it 1 on the blade of bis aie. Tbe force ' sent both tomahawks Hying into tbe ! air. ! lilue Jem touched bis borse and ; the faithful animal sprang across tbe plain. White Featber waited not to recover bis weapon. He darted in pursuit of his foe. For over a mile I they ran side by side, tbe wily scout ; evading every attempt of tbe Indian : to drag bim from bis horse, j in the distance culed up the smoke of a settler's homestead If he could j reach it he would be safe i The supreme moment bad arrived. The Indian freed himself from tbe hide stirrups, put his tare feet on his horse's back, and, with a splendid I bound, alighud on tbe horse of his j rlvaL Jlis arms like lightning twisted around Ulue Jem's neck, and, 1 with a hhort of devllsh glee, he bore bim on his back. Then his elastic j fingers clasped around bis throat, ' and a lilue Jem returned to the camp, and when Pretiy Ha: saw his life less body she flung herself upon It in a paroxysm of despair. White Feather stood watching her, a grim smile on his face, Her tears, to him, were like the raindrops on tbe parched prairie, El mira budget. Bnooinioir Linnet. Although the dugong Is undoubt edly the orig nal of the merma d, her name is noj so supple on the Ilp a the soTt ifttbes given to the frens Of myUioJogy. TEe dugong forms the rnnctlng link between Ujenwhalnd be Sfials JKd waJ. roses. Like tbe whale the animal bas no hind feet, but a powerful hor izontal tail. Its interiirr exirtml ties are more flexibly Jointed than thosf the whale, and this Is a dis tinguished characteristic between he two an! mats. The u ilgong'is said to have attained a length of twenty feet, but the usual length Is from i eight to twelve feet In appearance the animal resembles the sea cow. Its upper lip is largo, thick, and fleshy, and Its snout Is like tbe trunk of an elephant cut short across. Tbe rude approach to the human outline observable In tbe shaie of tbe bead of tbls creature, and the attitude of the mother while suckling her young, holding It to her breast with one Hipper and, while swimming with the other, holding the beads of both ab ve water, and, when alsturbed, suddenly diving and displaying her fish-Htte tail these, together w;th her habitual demon strations of strong maieroal affec tion, probably gave rise to tbe fable of the mermaid. Tbe dugong is be coming rapidly extinct. Writing- to tbe Queen. The paper on which letters to Queen Victoria are written must not be folded. No Co in m uo cation which bears evidence of having Iteen creased will ever fall into her Majesty's own hands. The proper methods Is to write on thick, glossy white paper, and tod patch the missive In an en velope which flu It. Any folded communication never leaches tbe Queen, Tor tbe simple reason that she won't look at IU All such letters are opened by tbe mistress of tb robes, and aa a rule tbelr content never get beyond ber, or, If the letter Is of Importance, It Is returned to tbe writer with directions bow to forward It Pbrtt girls ate having tbelr pic ture taken oo cards just lars; enough to Ot man's vest pocket r i i aw" v If" fty ' vyj ,