C'mirtlng; In Mexico.
It is not until a Mexican girl has
attracted the attention of a suitor that
6he realizes that she is a person of
some importance. The young man is
not bound by the conventionalities
that surround his brother in the
states. Without the formality of an
introduction lie dispatches letters
glowing with words of admiration and
devotion and nervously awaits a re
ply. In the meantime he visits the
locality of her home, hoping to catch
eight of the object of his admiration
at the balcony or as she emerges from
the house to attend church. He pa
tiently hut persistently promenades
backward and forward in the street,
for custom forbids his entrance to the
house, and is happy if favored with a
glance from her lustrous eyes. No
ridicule is strong enough to dampen
his ardor and no objections of irate
parents sufficiently powerful to sub
due his passion.
Mexican lovers rarely meet, for even
If the young man is related to the
family of the young lady and has bean
a caller at the home the mere fact of
his paying attention to her puts a se
vere restraint on his intercourse with
the family. After a time, if things
have progressed favorably, he is ad
mitted as an accepted suitor and is re
ceived by the girl, always accompanied
by her mother, who usually does all
the converastion. But love finds many
forms of expression, and stolen
glances, never suspected, speak voU
unies for the lovers. As the suit pro
gresses many an evening passes with
the girl at the window or balcony and
her lover in the street below, wholly
oblivious at the passerby or his naive
or caustic remark. The duration of
the courtship depends upon the for
mality employed, the means at com
mand of the parties and their age.
Consent for marriage is demanded
from the parents of the girl by the
suitor’s father, who is accompanied by
a priest, that the pledge may be made
the more binding.
KotaI Women on Admiring Ugly Men,
One of the fads of the bright and
beautiful queen of Portugal is a "con
fession book," ip which she persuades
her friends to record their answers to
certain questions which she propounds
therein. 0,.ie of the questions is, "Do
women admire ugly men?” To this
the empress of Russia answers: "Yes,
I believe that some women admire ugly
men—when handsome ones are out of
their reach.” Queen Margherita of
Italy says: ‘‘From 15 to 30 a woman
loves a handsome man; from 30 to 50
she admires a handsome man, and
after 50 she worships a man in any
shape or form.” Princess Henry of
Battenberg wrote: "Many ugly men
are lovable, undoubtedly, but, then, so
are many handsome men. However,
handsome is as handsome does,’ and
a good-looking man with only his
good looks to fall back on would have
a poor chance of winning any right
minded girl’s affections.”
In answer to another question in the
book, "What quality does a woman
most admire in a man?” the queen of
Portugal wrote: “Purity in a man is
surely as grand and ennobling as pur
ity in a woman. The most contempti
ble of all things is a man with a ’rick
ety reputation’ sneering at the woman
who is not exactly ‘comme il taut.’ ”—
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
A SCIIOOI. DRESS.
Of navy blue cloth, checked with
golden yellow. The wide collar, belt
and neckband are of plain blue, trim
med with gold braid; finished with gilt
buttons.
Creine An Citron.
Blanch and chop two dozen almonds;
put them in a jug with a pint of
cream; in a second jug put three
wineglassfuls of sherry, the rind and
juice of a lemon and pounded sugar
to taste. Pour rapidly from one jug
to the other till the mixture is well
frothed, then pour into jelly glasses,
leaving out the lemon rind.
Fortune is ofttlmes kindest to those
on whom she frowns.
I.*>\(; COAT OF TAM KROAUCLOT1I.
TRIMMED WITH STITCHING AND SABLE FUR. HAT OF TAN FELT,
WITH CQU>RED SCARF AND BLACK POMPONS.
E
^olfnr® and Flower*.
Can people dip at all deeply Into the
real science of botany, and yet en
joy flowers because of their beaaty,
because of the delight of finding tuem
in lovely spots on lovely summer days,
and because of their dear associa
tions? Must the scientific sense blunt
the aesthetic one? Often without
doubt, and even though the botanists
may themselves demur, this will be
the cast. Pistils and stamens, necta
ries and receptacles—these things will
not always go well with artless talk
about sweet blooms and bright berries,
or even with the simple, very English
names given by the unlearned to flow
ers.
But on the other hand, there are
many lovers of nature and field natu
ralists whose affection for the flowere
and plants is so great and fixed that
from time to time they may safely visit
this new wondrous world, to present
ly emerge from it as much in love as
ever with the old; they will still care
for the flower because of its beauty,
because it grows in the best places at
the best time of year, because it vivid
ly recalls to them the glad, sorrowful
days of childhood or the tender pass
age of true love.
Flowers indeed, apart altogether from
the science of botany, are inextricably
woven about human life. When will
the artist be tired of painting the
children in the meadows with their
laps full of cowslip or celandine?
Let the botanist classify and name
for his own purposes in his own way,
but let him be careful not to do any
thing to bring into contempt the love
of flowers apart altogether from
science, lost we rightly call him dry
as-dtist and blincl to beauty. Finally
let him help to keep up the old names
as well as the new. We must always
have our sweet william, kingseup,
sweet cicely, loosestrife, heartsease
codlins and cream, and feverfew,
names writh stories and meanings
whose loss would be a loss to the
language; their very mention turns
our thoughts to the garden and the
pasture lands of summer gone but
coming again.—London Saturday Re
view.
SKATES DETACHED UV THE TOE.
A genius of Red Bank, N. J., has
patented a very handy and simple ar
rangement for adjusting the skates on
the feet and removing them automati
cally. As will be seen by a glance
at the accompanying picture, the foot
plate is pivoted to the toe of the
skate, with a locking spring catch at
the heel. The skate is also provided
with the usual clamps, which are in
this case operated by the movement of
the foot plate in conjunction with the
runner, the operating lever being at
tached to the runner in proximity to
the pivot pin of the foot plate, in
order that the action of tilting the
plate in either direction will open or
close the clamps. To place the skates
on the feet when the clamps are once
properly adjusted the foot plate is
fitted to the shoe and the skater then
rests his weight on the runner, which
causes the spring catch to engage the
plate and lock it securely. To de
tach the skate the toe of the shoe is
AUTOMATIC DETACHING DEVICE,
pressed against the catch and the foot
is lifted, which tilts the foot plate and
loosense the clamps.
The Tennessee Klver's Great Change.
Several years ago, members of tha
Geological survey suggested that in
former times the Tennessee river, in
stead of joining the Ohio, as at pres
ent, flowed into the Gulf of Mexico
through the channels of the Coosa and
Alabama rivers. This conclusion has
recently been corroborated in a singu
lar manner by Mr. Charles T. Simpson
of the Smithsonian institute. The orig
inal suggestion was based on the ap
pearances of the land, but Mr. Simp
son's confirmation depends upon the
distribution of a particular form of
fresh-water mussel which, although it
is peculiar to the Tennessee river, is
also found in the Coosa and the Ala
bama. As these creatures cannot
traverse the land, the inference is that
formerly the waters of the Tennessee
flowed southward into tha streams
above named.
The Flight of a (treat Nebula.
One of the most striking spectacles
revealsd by telescopes is that of the
Great Nebula in Orion. In the com
plexity of its glowing streams, spirals
and strangely shaped masses, inter
cepted by yawning black gaps and
sprinkled over with stars arranged in
suggestive groups and lines, it has
few rivals in the heavens. The im
pression of astonishment made by the
sight of this nebula is heightened by
knowledge of its enormous size. The
entire solar system would appear as a
tiny speck beside it. Yet this tre
mendous aggregation of nebulous
clouds and starry swarms has been
proved by the researches of the late
Professor Keeler of the Lick observa
tory to be flying away from the earth
and the sun at the rate of 11 miles in
every second! But so vast is its dis
tance that 100 years reveal no visual
effects of the great nebula’s swift re
treat. If it were near by it would
seem to become rapidly smaller.
R*g»t««rlnje Million* of » Second.
In a recent lecture at the Royal in
stitute, London, Sir Andrew Noble
mentioned that in experiments with
high power explosives used in guns
a chronoscope had been employed
which registered the velocity of the
projectile at 16 successive points be
fore it left the bore. It was pos
sible with this apparatus to register
time to the millionth of a second. In
the older experiments, where the ve
locity did not exceed 1,500 or 1,600 feet
per second, the projectile recorded its
time by knocking down a series of
steel triggers projecting into the
bore. But with velocities of 2,500 feet
and more per second, the trigger, in
stead of dropping, frequently plowed
a groove in the projectile, and another
device was necessary.
IMPRmKD COAT HANOI-:R
The numerous coat-hangers already
on the market would lead one to think
that no room for improvement was
left, but the contrary is true, as we
show in our illustration. The great
majority of hangers are made of wire
forms, which fit the garments only in
outline, tending to stretch the coat
and crease it along the line of the
wire. This fault is remedied in the
hanger here shown, which has recent
ly been patented, it is formed of me
tallic sheets, preferably of aluminum,
although any light sheet metal will
answer the purpose, it is intended to
manufacture the hangers in a sufficient
SHAPED HANGER FOR CLOTHING,
number of 6izes and shapes to con
form to nearly every pair of shoulders.
When the coat is placed on the hanger
it will fit smoothly from the collar
down to the lower edge of the form,
thus aiding greatly in maintaining the
shape of the shoulders, which general
ly show a need of pressing to remove
the traces of the old-style hanger. In
addition to supporting the coat and
vest, hooks are provided by which the
trousers may be attached.
New Form of Phonograph.
Among the exhibits at the Paris ex
position was a phonograph, invented
by Valdemar Poulsen, a Danish en
gineer, which uses a wire-wound in
stead of a wax-covered cylinder. The
wire is of steel and over it, in place of
the usual stylus, passes a small elec
tromagnet connected with a telephone
transmitter and battery. The sound
waves cause a variation in the inten
sity of the electromagnet, and the mag
net. acting upon the wirt passing be
neath it, leaves a permanent impres
sion upon the latter. Upon reversing
the action, the wire reac ts on the mag
net and corresponding sounds are
transmitted by the telephone. In or
der to obliterate the magnetic trace
on the cylinder, it is only necessary
to revolve it under the magnet while
this is subjected to a continuous cur
rent.
Antiquity of Anntomiral Study.
91r Norman Lockyer points out that
the statues and plaques carved in stone
and wood to be seen in the Gizeh mu
seum prove that th" prlest-mummiflers
of Memphis, 6,000 years ago, had a
profound knowledge of anatomy.
Science, he therefore thinks, is as old
as art, and they have advanced to
gether. Another remarkable fact is
that the excavations in Italy have
brought to light scores of finely fin
ished surgical instruments for certain
operations, which are, in almost every
particular of form, precisely like those
reinvented in modern times and used
by the most advanced surgeons gf to
day.
Ma*toclnnn In I>eatli Valley.
The bones of three mastodons have
been discovered In Death Valley, Cali
fornia, and their discoverer, a miner,
has taken out a claim for the purpose
of excavating them. Another Indica
tion of the popular appreciation of the
money value of the remains of pre
historic animals is the fact that a
mining claim has been filed In South
ern California to cover the excavation
of a fossil whale of the Pliocene epoch.
Why lie Follows.
"If Todd whistles any dog will fol
low him.”
“And if Waller sings any dog will
follow him.”
“How far?”
“Oh, until it gets a good grip on
him.”—Philadelphia Record.
r /•
I
A FUU Story.
From the Washington Star: "The
yiggest 1 ever taught," began the
1 story-teller, a scholarly looking party,
vho evidently knew more about
ichoolbooks than liybooks
"Got away,” interrupted a thin-faced
tittle man with a nose like a shingle.
"I'm uo liar,” the story-teller flared
up. "This is a true story, and I'm pre
pared to swear to it. It was in tho
year '89, when we hud the hottest sum
mer—”
"I didn't know the summer of '89
was so very hot," said a man in a
weatherbeaten straw hat.
"If all you didn't know,” said the
story-teller, "was piled on top of you
you'd be flatter than a flounder and
deader than a mackerel. As I was
saying, in the summer of '89 a party
of us went to upper Canada on a fish
ing expedition. It wasu’t hot up there
a little bit. On the contrary, it was
so cold that the ice froze the first night
we got there."
“Gosh:” exclaimed the little man
with a shingle nose.
“As I was saying.” said the story
teller, showing genuine gamoness, “it
froze the first night we got to our
fishing ground, but we went out the
next morning just the same, and I
hadn't been fishing more than fifteen
minutes when I got a bite that i
thought was going to pull the boat
under. Let go of my rod and it went
scooting through the water, but I soon
got it again, and the fight over the
water and under it began in earnest.
I hadn't been fishing for a long time
and was nervous as the dickens, but
I had some sense left, and I didn’t
intend to let that fish get away if 1
could help it. I was so excited that I
never did know how long I tussled
with it, but in time I landed him in
the boat, and he was the biggest one
I ever caught in my life. I was so
ex-”
"How much did he weigh?” eagerly
inquired the man in the straw hat as
he drew up close to the story-teller.
"Exactly half a pound.” said the
story-teller, as serious as a sermon.
"You think you arc dern smart,
don’t you?” sniffed the little man with
the shingle nose, as he got up and
walked outside where ho could get
more breathing room.
He Struck Them.
O. Ormandizer struggling to carve
the first turkey his wife has ever
cooked)—Say, Mary, the hones in this
bird are thicker than a shad's—just
hear the knife grit.
Mrs. G. Ormanidzer (almost crying
with anxiety)—You must be against
the shells, John.
'■Shells?'’
"Yes, John; don't you remember that
you asked me to stuff the turkey with
oysters?''—Brooklyn Life.
Kind of lliiu
Her mother (sternly)—Mary com
plains that you won't help her at all;
that you never even hold the baby.
Her husband—That's not so. Why,
I held him last night for a while.
Her mother—Oh! you did! How
long, pray?
Her husband — Well — er — long
enough for Mary to bring up a scuttle
of coal.—Philadelphia Press
(JuIIp Cornfortalvle.
Dwelley—I say, Dombey, why don’t
you join our club? You'll find all the
comforts of homo there.
Dombey—Homo’s good enough for
me—at my house I enjoy all the com
forts of a club.—Boston Transcript.
With Alteration..
They hunted low, they hunted high
To find his peculations;
Some say that figures do not lie—
They do with alterations.
—Cleveland Plain Dealer.
rAK.YOOXIC.1U
“You have had nearly a week to
think of Jack’s proposal.’’
“Yes, and the more I think of It the
less I think of It."
Horrors!
She (after reading of the shipwreck)
—Oh, my! They say it was the most
awful disaster of recent years. Only
one man survived to tell the story.
Isn’t that terrible?
Frightful! What a horrible
bore that man will be.—Philadelphia
Press.
Relaxation.
Business men are said to find much
relaxation in putting a golf ball In the
the hole after working hard all day
putting each other in the hole.—De
troit Journal
I
Story of n Now Coplietua.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
The heir of the gilded household had
just proposed to the pretty kitchen
maid. She regarded him with a steady
glance as she polished off her rounded
arms with a coarse towel.
“I must have every Thursday out,”
she said.
"Yes,” he murmured.
"And every Sunday afternoon.”
"Yes.”
"And every night as soon as the
dinner things are done up.”
"Ye-es.”
"How many in the family?”
“Only you and I.”
“Any children?”
“N-n-no.“
"Much company?”
“Very little.”
“Any furnace to tend?”
“No.”
“Hired man to do all the outside
work?”
“Yes.”
“What make? of piano do you use?”
“The Bangaway.”
“Bet me think. Ah. yes, I shall in
sist upon having the breakfast room
to receive my beaux in.”
"Well, by thunder, you don't got it!”
cried the gilded heir as he turned and
stalked away.
So the maid haughtily rolled up her
sleeves and went back to her work.
ISeguliir Tiling.
Orogan—I suppose you know it is
the proper caper now not to serve but
ter at dinner.
Hogan—That’s always been the rule
at our boarding house. They serve
oleo instead, you know.—Boston
Transcript.
AMONGST THE ICK.
' \\\\»"
“Was there anything cool about th«
place where you were this summer?”
"Yes; they had in the parlor a pic
ture of Washington Crossing the Dela
ware.’ ”
Let Her Wait.
Jeames—Did you ring, mem?
Madam—Yes. If .Mrs. De Smytht
calls ask her to wait.
Jeamts—I thought you wasn’t com
ing back till late, mem.
Madam—Of course I’m not. Bui
Mrs. De Smythe can wait till she geti
tired. It'll do her good. She wasn’l
at home to me last week and I’ll gel
even that way.—Pick Me Up.
Hold on to It*
In Brooklyn. "Do you want a trans
fer?" asked the conductor.
"What for?" asked the man with th*
alligator bag.
' So that you can take another car."
"No, sir; I have waited twenty min
utes for this one and I propose to
hang on to it.”—Washington Star.
Level Hedded.
“The lady missionary declines to g«
to Kentucky.”
“Why?”
“She says she’d feel just as safe i|
China and get more bric-a-brac.”—In
dianapolis Journal.
No Good tit All.
“Well, Daisy, shall we pay the houss
rent or give a dinner?”
"Why, give the dinner, of course!
What good will paid-up house rent do
us if we lose our social position?"—
Life.
Thoroughbred.
“Mamma, I’ve found out my dog’i
pedigree."
“What is it, dear?”
“Uncle Jim's hired man says he’s a
fullblooded mongrel!”—Harper’s Ba
zar.
Mich I Do Thera.
“Maude thinks of applying for a
position as soprano in a church choir."
“Well, there’s a church for the deaf
up on Seventh street.’’—Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin.
Climatic Extremes.
These autumn days are days of woe
Of which man must be* wary;
It’s August for an hour or so
And then it’s January.
—Washington Star.
Not. Alone.
Miss Withers—I believe Arthur la
afraid to propose to me.
Belle—Of course he is, and there are
thousands of others Just like him.—
Smart Set.
Might Try It.
Young lady patient—Doctor, what do
you do when you burn your mouth
with hot cofree?
Doctor—Swear! —Pick Me Up.
