MOST FAMOUS HEADS OF CHRIST.
DDETdDMALS
OPINIONS OF GREAT PAPERS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
UUNKACSY'S " CHRIST BEFORE PII.ATE.
TITIAN'S " THE TRIBUTE MONEY.
HOFFMANN'S "CHRIST AT THE DOOR."
CUIDO RENl'S "F.CCE HOMO.
AMONG the many beautiful conceptions of the
divine face of Christ that art lata have en
deavored to portray on canvas are five that
are so surprisingly beautiful and no wonderfully la
harmony with the Ideal of the God-man that sug
gesta Itself to most people that they have been uni
versally declared to be masterpieces of sacred art. These
five famoiiH "Heads of Christ" are here reproduced.
The picture of the Savior of mankind, shown with the
face in profile, straight hair falling down to the shoulders,
and a look of Intense earnestness In Ills eyes, Is taken
from the world-famous painting of "Christ Before I'llate,
by Muukacsy. This painting has been exhibited all over
the world, and copies of It bang on the walls of count
less homes. It represents Christ at one of the most trying
periods of Ills troubled life, when brought Into the pres
ence of Pontius I'llate for declaring himself to be the Hon
of God.
The picture differs from almost all other famous pic
tures of Christ In that It depicts Him with features that
are stern and set and with little trace of the compassion
ate sweetness that so many artists have given to the face
of Christ. With the rabble howling around Him, Christ
faces I'llate, and were It not for the position of the two,
I'llate on his throne, Christ standing liefore him, It would
seem that the relations were reversed, and that I'llate was
the accused, Christ the accuser.
The masterly hand of the artist has thrown Into the
upturned face of Christ a latent suggestlveness of super
natural power that lifts It up from those surrounding It,
and marks clearly the distinction between the divine and
the human In the throng.
For a picture of the beautiful, the divine, the compas
sionate, for all that Christians love to look for In the face
of Christ, the masterpiece of the modern artist, Hoffmann,
Is the one to turn to. The head of Christ Is taken from
Hoffmann's "Christ at the Door,"' the familiar picture rep
resenting Christ with a shepherd's crook in hand, knocking
at the portals of a home. The tender sweetness of the
face, which Is turned full toward the spectator, Is won
derfully shown. It Is a face In which gentleness is em
phasized by the settled melancholy of a "man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief." It Is pleading, pathetic, but
RAPHAEL'S " CARRYING OF THE CROSS.,,
not weak. The artist has ennobled the features of Chris1
so that the womanly attributes of gentleness and sympa
thy are made majestic by the strong, mauly attributes
that save the face from any suggestion of effeminacy. Th
attitude is dignified and expectant, the face calmly, seri
ously, solemnly Impressive.
Raphael has given us the beautiful head of Christ shown
with the crown of thorns ou the brow. It Is taken from
the picture entitled "Carrying of the Cross." It is one ol
the most pathetic of the entire gallery, and the face Is on
of the most Interesting studies of all pictures of Christ
In the original Raphael depicts Christ bending beneath
the weight of the heavy wooden cross. The suffering eyei
look patiently out from the shadow of the plaited crowq
of thorns, whose sharp points pierce the forehead. Th
genius of the artist was never more strikingly shown than
In the expression of this face of Christ. Even with thi
suffering and pain depleted on the countenance there li
plainly seen the sympathy of the divine nature that prompt
ed the utterance, "Forgive them. Father, for they know
not what they do."
There Is no resentment, no trace of Indignation. Th
artist has made the face one of heavenly beauty and
tenderness, even In the dreadful hour of the cross.
Among the liest known of the biblical paintings is Guide
Rent's "Kcce Homo." showing Christ In the agonies of Hli
last hours, with the crown of thorns on Ills head, and
dying eyes turned heavenward. It Is one of the mos!
pathetic of all the "Heads of Christ," and Is a great favor
Ite with church people. It Is doubtful whether any artlsi
has given us a more beautiful conception of Christ thai
has Guldo Reul In his "Ecce Homo."
A picture that Is unique among the conceptions of Chris:
Is that of Titian, called "The Tribute Money." Christ li
here shown with a calmly Judicial face, with a tinge ol
the sadness that all artists Impart to the Savior's features
It Is the face of one who reasons convincingly, but without
a shade of triumph over the successful turning of the tablei
on one who has laid a trap. It Is a strong face, godlike Ir
the wisdom that It reveals, and conveying with great sklli
the expression of solemn, pitying rebuke that befits th
subject. Chicago Record-Herald.
A CENTURY OF EA8TER HAT8.
The Wblma of Dame Faablon la
Hundred Year.
The periods of a century are punctu
n ti ll by Its hsts, and woman's headgear
for the past 100 yeara Illustrates with
striking effect the varying whims of time,
says the New York Mall and Express,
Beginning with the first year of the taut
century, Diune Fashion was modest .mil
Inexpensive, fur then, aa now, the mode
tame frmn France, and simplicity ws
previilliiiK in Paris it that time, in strik
ing ronl rust to the extravagance of the
aristocratic Indies who lost not only tlielr
lints hut their hcnils In the Revolution.
Ten yenrs Inter the fashionable lint re
milled on elbow of atovepipo more close
ly than anything else, and women of the
prewc-nt ilny have at lenst one thing to he
thankful for that such styles no longer
prevail. The bonnets of 181T and 1H.'!0
were pleasantly picturesque, the one with
lis high crown, the other with deep poke
brim, no becoming to a pretty face and
offering mirh charming background fur
ringlets bobbing around the ears. Flow
er and ribbons galore were used on these
old time 1 1 11 ( m, which ten yesrs later were
modified into s simplicity slmost Quaker
like, a n K0 IIIiinT rnt Ion will evidence.
Reni'liiiig the turning point of the cen
tury, the In In suddenly been me flat and
hapi'lms no crown, no brim, simply a
piece of silk shaped to the head In hood
fashion nml really milking most fnscl
nuiiiK bit of headgear, an unobtrusive
fr.iuie for the pretty face below.
With the nest type all art familiar,
for hoiv mother has not worn hat In
(lie styles of the sixties? How old fash
ioned it looks now, yet with certain
-n -t in i rh nrm of Its own, far preferable
1 1 lie fashionable lint hideous ah a pes of
l ie next twenty yearsl Varied and outre
vi r.i t ie style of this period, the last
1 1 .1 offering a welcoea relief . The
hats of to-day are the prettiest of the.
century in point of materials and mak
ing. There Is more art in the designing
of millinery to-dny than at any time dur
ing the past hundred years, more tnste
and skill in the manipulation of materials
and more elegance and expense In their
make-up.
Easter Gin.
Each year find the custom of ex
changing gifts at Easier more wide
spread. 1'nlike Christmas presents, in
which wide latitude Is allowed, the East
er gift should be both dainty and seiiHon
able. The seeut snrhets, so popular fur
Christmas enrds, have reappenred in
charming guire for Faster. They are
decorated with all the flower that bloom
In the spring and tied with ribbons to
match. There are, too, unique tit t lu
sachets of mi tin in the shape of a lily or
pansy. A novelty which will find favor
is a basket of colored tissue paper re
sembling a big chryaniitheinum. IU long
leave are meant to conceal Easter eggs
or bonbons. Tiny potted ferns set In
cups of crimped and (minted paper are
Just the thing for an Easter greeting.
Home of the cups represent Enntrr lilie". I
Decorated china violet holders are an-I
other pretty suggestion. Seasonable gifts
wnicn niny ne nsea lor r.nster win he
found among the art linen, traveling
esse, steamer pillows, fancy silk bug
Biid the new washable cam- for turnover
collars. New and beautiful designs in
decorated china are ailnpfnble both for
Easter and wedding presents.
Decorating (tin Church,
The superintendent of a flower com
mittee ought to possess some knowledge
of architecture well as an artistic
imm of form and color In order to use
floral decorations with good effect. In
the adornment of a church It la necessary
to consider it geaeral architectural
style and Its prevailing tone of color.
For twining around pillars natural
trails of Ivy or any climbing plants are
prefersble to made-up garlands of uni
form breadth. Large vases or Jugs fill
ed with flowers and foliage are used
wherever good taste msy suggest.
The Introduction of colored drapery
adds greatly to the general picturesqtio
ness. These hangings may be of soft
silken material or of velvet brocade or
piusn. in some village churches In
England It is customary to lay warm
hued draperies over the window sills and
pluce upon these brown earthenware
pitchers filled with and half hidden in
green houghs and flowers. ,
l'aluis mid growing plants are Inrnlnn.
ble, as thev are certain not to fade
and droop before the decoration season
ends, and for corner of churches noth
ing could be more suitable than the ole
ander, with it glossy leaves and coral
tinted blosfoms.
Rich colored flowers lose much of their
beauty when placed against dark wood
panels. When a good effect is desired,
the wood may lie concealed by soft col
ored material fastened with Invisible
nails. Only pale gray or creamy brown
or greenish tinted scnil-transparcnt stuffs
should he used. Each bud and leaf and
flower will then stand out In strong relief.
The Easier Kiss.
It Is the Russlnn usage thnt no lady,
however lofty of birth, may refuse to
kiss the humblest petitioner If the re
quest Is preceded by a profTer of an
Eusler egg. This 1 commonly compro
mised, however, by the payment of I
small coin on the lady'a part.
A human being Is Dot, In any prop
er aeuse, a buo so being til! bo la edu
cated. H. Mann.
A Universal Language.
n COMMITTEE which was appointed by a congress
of scholars at I'aris some time ago to consider the
n question of an auxiliary International language has
made a report ami begun an active propaganda. The
members have decided to work upon the principle
:hat all civilized nations should agree upon one particular
language to "ise in writtou and oral communications be
tween persons of different mother tongues.
The project of a universal language Is uo new thing. It
bus haunted the minds of scholars for centuries. Once
Latin was practically such a Ianguuge. For diplomatic
jses, French long nerved the purpose. But Latin is now
jut of the question, and neither French nor any other
modern tongue could bo agreed upon. International jeal
jusles and antipathies would innko that impossible. There
ire few attachments stronger tlnin the attachment to one's
aative tongue; few feuds so lusting; as language feuds.
The alternative, of course, Ih the creation of a new lan
?iinge. Hut It is hard to see what the promoters of the
jew movement can do that was not done by the originators
if "Voliipuk" a score of years ago. There were optimists
who thought that the dream of a universal language was
realized In "Vohipuk." It was beautifully constructed.
S'otblng could be more simple or regular. It drew its vo-
?a biliary from both the Teuton and Romance languages
There were Voliipuk grammars, lexicons, text books, and
'.he movement seemed likely to carry everything before it
And then, all at once, It halted. Who has heard of Volapuk
for a dozen years?
The new experiments, like the old, are sure to furnish
fresh proof of the great fact that languages are not to be
made offhand. They are the product of growth, and of
slow growth, and the process can rarely be even assisted,
nuch less supplanted. Boston Journal.
Changes in English Pronunciation.
N a recent number of the Nineteenth Century it is shown
by Mr. C. L. Eastlake that important changes are tak
ing place In the pronunciation of English by the En
glish, and not always for the better. The clipping ot
the final "g" was formerly regarded in England, as In
Maryland, as an Inexpiable siu, but It has now become the
mode, it Is stated, to say "mornln'," "puddin'," "huntlu' "
and the like. In London father, we are told, has become
"fathah," mother "mothah," and a good fellow Is debased
Into a "fellah." A London paper disputes this, but has to
confess that "awf'ly jolly" Is of universal application, like
our "ail right." Various pronunciations once in vogue
among "the best circles" are now barbarous.
For example, It was not over 100 years ago, according
to Mr. Eastlake, when an educated Englishman of the best
society could say "(look" for duke, and "Toosday" for Tues
day, Captain MacMurdo, of tiie Life Guards, a crack corps,
called Rawdon Crawley "Old Ktoopid." Earl Russell was
always "ablceged," never obliged. Pope, who prided him
self on his correct use of words, rhymed Rome with doom,
Join with line, obey with tea and rnead with shade. "Axe,"
we are assured, was the original form of ask, and is not
so ridiculous In the mouth of the uneducated as some per
sons think, being a survival. A disli of "tay," instead of
tea, Is similarly of respectable ancestry. As for Mr. Weller's
use of w for v "wlttles," for example, for victuals it, too,
according to Mr. Eastlake, has a history, being traced to
the French silk weavers who settled In London after the
Edict of Nantes. They could not negotiate the w, and all
cockneydom was affected by their misuse of the letter. In
excuse for the g which Thackeray found so very ridiculous
when added to French words ending In n, the writer cites
the fact that French dictionaries, published not long ago,
print angfang and malntenong as the phonetic equivalent
of enfln and malntenant. He suggests that the g here used
Is a survival which such words as loin (Latin longus) makes
Intelligible. It Is evidently dangerous to laugh at the sup
posed error of speech of the uneducated poor, since they
often represent the good usage of an older, If not a better,
day. Baltimore Sun.
Passing of the Steam Engine.
IS the steam engine to follow the mastodon into extinc
tion? It Is still less than a century since "Puffing Billy"
made that amazing journey from Stockton to Darling
ton, and Judging by the life of things we might have
assumed that the progeny of "Pulling Billy" had centu
ries of triumph before them. But even now the doom ap
proaches. Electricity, whose essence still defies analysis,
but which we treat with a familiarity that Is In proportion
to our ignorance of Its nature, has come to claim the field.
The deposition of the steam engine, the supreme triumph
and the truest symbol of the nineteenth century, Is only
the most striking of many evidences of how soon things
become obsolete In these breathless days. A century ago
the stage coach still rumbled leisurely over the King's
highway, and "post haste" was the word that conveyed the
maximum of human motion. For centuries the uace of a
horse and the condition of the roads had been the measure
of the means of communication on land, and the breadth of
sail and the rate of the wind had been the measure of
speed at sea. "There was a sense of finality about these
things. Our forefathers doubtless looked forward to aa
endless vista of winter evenings lit by a rushlight, and
saw In the stage coach and the sailing boat the last word
on the subject of motion. They lived in a world fixed and
unchangeable. We, on the other hand, live in a world that
Is full of surprises. We literally do not know what a day
may bring forth. The new becomes old before the bulk of
the people have sampled its virtues, and one is In danger
of being ever In the rearward of the fashions.
When most of us were young the ordinary bicycle was
still the wonder of the countryside the latest and last
utterance -of modern mechanism. What a succession of
safeties and cushion tires and pneumatic tires and other
miraculous Inventions fills the Intervening space, and now
behold the bicycle Itself is almost supplanted by the motor
car and the motor-bicycle. And so we move from change
to change, and the whole outward appearance and equip
ment of life alters yearly.
The passing of the steam engine but falls in with the
spirit of a time when, In a very literal sense, "change and
decay in all around we see." When it is finally delivered
over to the scrap heap there will be no tears of sentiment
shed over It, and yet there is a certain pathos and tragedy
In Its fall. For, as we have said, the steam engine Is a
symbol as well as a practical achievement, and Its disap
pearance will symbolize the passing of much besides itself.
London Daily News.
A Coalless Age.
WE suppose there can bo little doubt that all the
coal and coal oil in the earth will be exhausted
in two hundreds years at the present rate of
per capita consumption. Natural gas will go
much sooner than that. Wood will not do for
a dependency because of its ill adaptation to many purposes
for which other fuel products are employed and for the
further reason that the destruction of the forests would
produce unendurable calamities. But all that does not
necessarily mean that a coalless age, and the absence of
natural gas and kerosene will be destitute of heating faclIV
ties; that there will be no heat for domestic uses, for manu-'-facturlng,
and for transportation.
Nature has made no such blunder as that Nothing In
the story of this earth furnishes ground for such an indict
ment of Its Creator. The means of developing heat would
be ample if all existing fuels were swept off the globe. Th
winds, waves and tides produce force enough to warm a
thousand worlds if their motion were so controlled as to
tax Its heat-developing capacity. And there is exhaustless
heat in the sun. Invention Is not dead. Neither abstract "
nor physical science is going ou the retired list. What has
been accomplished even in the last few decades ought to
banish any doubt of the capacity of man to overcome such
an obstacle to progress as the exhaustion of fuel. Why-
may not stored heat from the sun take the place of coal?
And who, in view of what we have before us in electrical
science, has reason to doubt the feasibility of employing the
force of the waves and tides to do all that the coal minei
are now performing. Washington Post.
Dawn of the Farmer's Day.
THE prices of agricultural products will never again
fall to a low level. Capitalists, aware of the situa
tion, are now reaching out to buy farm lands. They
know there is no safer or better investment. Land
cannot burn down. There is no element of risk In
holding It. This Investment has taken money by the mil
lions away from New Tork. It will not return In the samo
volume as heretofore. The era of whilom cheap. grain will
never return. The Eastern fellows, for many years fa
vored by class legislation, no longer have the advantage.
In time an Intense feeling between the urban and tha
rural population may develop. The ruralist will be held1
responsible for prices that will be fixed by natural causes,
and not by combinations, as will probably be charged.
Washington Times. t
i
Health and Longevity. I
WE regret to record the death of the Hon. Charles
Kreck, of Alientown, Pa., at the age of 80. Sixty-one
years ago Mr. Kreck applied for mem-!
bership In an Odd Fellows' lodge and was re-'
jected on account of his supposed bad health.
Afterward he was accepted, and he survived all the mem-'
bers but one. A little dose of bad health In early life la
often a help to long life. Rejected men live long some
times, as any life insurance doctor will tell you. Indeed,
the life Insurance companies often do good to men whom
they are compelled to reject. A man so rejected often
changes his habits and takes better care of himself, and
perhaps becomes a good risk. Besides, his obstinacy la
awakened, and he tries to live to "spite" the company,
which, after all, was right. New York Sun.
REVENGE AFTER TWO YEARS.
Then the Drummer Got Even with a
Falthleee Competitor.
Drummers' stories are not so plenti
ful as they were years ago, In the days
of slow trains, Inefficient telegrams,
and fierce rivalries between merchants,
who under the present Industrial sys
tem would probably be acting together
In some sort of a combination. Here Is
a yarn from the .South, however, which
has Home of the old flavor about It. Two
drummers, Benson and Moore, became
acquainted on the road, mid though
they were strong competitors " they
came to lie the best of friends. They
nut at a hotel In Raleigh, N. C, one
night, and conversation developed the
fact that they Intended to work the
same-towim on one of the roads lending
out of Rnlelgh the next day. Both
counted on working four towns before
sunset.
It wns In the summer time, and
neither iiini) was anxious for a contest
of wils, so when Moore proposed a com
munity of I n I crests Benson eagerly ac
cepted his proposition. There were
seven towns, and they each took three,
agreeing to meet at the seven! li after
the diiy's work was over. When they
reached the scveulh town they put up
together In the same room at Hie lead
lug hold. Each had done a good day's
business, but In order to keep In prac
tice I hey decided to fight It out over
Hie business In this town the next
illuming.
They went to sleep Joking each other
about the fight of the next day. Benson
wjh n very heavy sleeper, but Moore
! i mixed to wake him at an early hour,
ile lld nol keep hi promkte. Bonaon
awoke at 10 o'clock, to And Moore gone
and the room locked tight. By the time
he was able to get out and down town
Moore hud sold to every merchant In
the place and caught the limited for
Raleigh. It took Benson more than
two years to get even. At last his op
portunity came. Yellow fever was
raging on the Gulf coast, and a shotgun
quarantine had been established In
southern Alabama. Benson landed In
one of the best towns and learned
Moore was to arrive next day. Without
hesitation Benson Informed the excited
authorities of the town that n man who
hiii been exposed to fever In a Missis
sippi town had declared his Intention to
defy the quarantine. He gave an accu
rate description of Moore, and the of
ficials began to watch every up train.
When Moore readied the town the next
morning he was nabbed by the local
authorities, placed In the pest house,
and kept there for three days. In the
meantime Benson secured all the busi
ness In every town In the surrounding
seel Ion. Before leaving he wired Moore
his congratulations, with a reference to
"old times." New York Evening Post.
RETORT TO THEATER TALKER.
Hiowlnu How n Little Wit Hupproncil
an Intolerable Nuisance.
They had been rending n RoVe an
notated edition of the play, and there
was nothing In "Julius Caesar" that
they were not perfectly familiar with.
Before the performance whs half
through there was nothing that they
knew which everybody within half a
doxen rows did not hear about; for
among the three of them a man and
two women-there wera auch rapaci
ties for conversation as are met wltaj
nowhere except in a theater.
In tones that alternately hissed and
brayed and rasped till spinal column;
all around them ached they told one)
another that Anthony was much bet-
tor done than Brutus; that Portia,
would come on In a minute In the gscv.
den scene; that Cnsca was supposed
to be a gruff old Roman; that Caesar
actually did have fits-think of it! that'
It wns u pity (this In a whisper that
shivered far down the aisle and splln
tcred nt least a score of vertebrae)
Roman Indies didn't wear corsets. So
on, ml nausea in.
At last the ghost and the distraught
Brutus met and there was a thrilled!
silence In nil the crowded house save
In row Q, where a strident voice com-,
plained;
"I can't hear a word the ghost snya,1
Why doesn't he speak louder?"
A man behind the querulous dis
turber, quite beside himself with rage
leaned forward and said, In tones aa
courteously sweet ns the sting of a
honey bee:
"Perhaps the ghost Is a gentleman,
and does not like to annoy people."
Which, of course, was very rude,
says this New York Mall and Express,
though It did fill many hearts with an
unholy joy.
We have noticed that In a book or
magazine article entitled "The ConfM.
slons of a Wife," or "The Confession
of a I Victor," or "The Confessions of a
Lawyer," that not much la copftanad.
Society seems to get along pretty,
wall, considering that It la aJwayi ('
ting shocked.
