i f THE BED CLOUD CHIEF. ut 'tiS f NOTES OP THE WHEEL. MATTERS OF INTEREST TO DEV OTEES OF THE BICYCLE. flio Latent Noelty on Inhibition In New Vork City It In it Wlirul Driven .by 1'lttnn Itodn Mlclmol'it Hold Ucll ViUal Tom Cooper Say. The Lntcat Novelty. "CHAINLESS" bi cycle, the product of one or the larg est manufacturing concerns in th o 'West, of a stylo not yet exploited, and built to sell for $100, was plac ed on view recent ly at n salesroom near the "Circle," Fifty-ninth street and Eighth avenue, New York. Its debut was more modest than that of the bevel-geared wheel that preceded It, but It may yet give its earlier rival a hard race for public favor. The power of the new machine la transmitted by means of two mould fcprockct wheels nnd two levers, or piston rods, connecting the crank axle with the rear wheel. The sprocket wheels arc- connected by a short band chain nnd one entirely enclosed. The rear sprocket turns a shuft that drives the levers, one on cither side of the rear wheel, and ho adjusted that It Is claimed they cannot come to ti dead center. This arrangement is very simple, and as every point of contact In the driving mechanism runs on ball bearings the motion Is easy and reg ular. One advantago claimed over bevel-geared machines Is the fact that the gear may bo quickly adjusted to any size, from CO to 100. The new wheel Is not absolutely "chalnless," but the band chain, which Is entirely enclosed In a metallic box between the crank hangers, being entirely hidden from view, gives the machine a chain less appearance. The new model was THE PISTON DIKE, taken from Its stand und ridden on the Western Boulevard. Like the bevel gear wheel It responded at once to foot pressure, and there was the comfort able feeling beneath ono that not the least power was lost. Absolutely no back action could bo felt, and the wheels seemed to turn with scarcely any effort on the rider's part. And at this tho bicycle was geared to 84. The questions naturally suggest themselves whether the levers will break, tho In closed chain stretch, or the connec tions work loose. If not, tho new wheel will compare favorably with nny of the chalnless types so far placed bc foro the public. It has one advantage claimed over tho bevel-gear in that It has no cogs to break, and it has an other advantago over some of tho now wheels advertised In that its cost will bo less. At any rate, it is an interest ing addition to the new class of bl jycles now being experimented with. Exchange. Michael Hold Dell. Jimmy Michael makes the startling announcement that he stands ready to race against tho combined abilities of any two American riders, cither at 25 or 30 miles, for any amount up to 5-, 000. He will allow the riders to change against him as often as they desire. There is only one other condi tion which ho names, and that Is that the challenge, If answered, must come before January 1, for on that dato he will retire from the track until the opening of the summer season. In the meantime he will hold himself In read Iness to race either tho Frenchman, Taylore, or Chase, the Englishman. He will accommodate either of these men at anf place, time or distance. Within fttt weeks he stands ready to race Cgalnst any threo men in tho world a series of five match races, three out of five successes to scoro a win. The men pitted against him can alternate In , competing in any of tho matches. Ex. Drake Coming Hark. Nearly all of tho '98 models so far icen, says "Bicycling World," havo either been equipped with a brake or a brake attachment provided for, and this fabt is significant of tho increased interest manifested in tho uso of brakes. For several years past a brako on a wheel has been tho exception rather than the rule, und many makers bavo built' their wheels without a thought of a brake, providing no means for Its attachment. There have been many riders, however, among them some of the oldest In tho sport, who have "always contended that the brake was a necessity. The number of accidents constantly happening, many'pf Jhera being fatal ones, and nfany ofwhlch could havo teen easily avoided had the luckless rider had a brake' Which he could control, havo served uj'connrin this opinion to such an'ei)nt that' the brako quc&'tlon Is once inae of paramount Interest to tho blcy'clo makers. Tho Improvement In brakCB of late Iiqb been as marked as thai of tho bicycle itself, arid tho brakCB beg offered for tho '08' trade iniliutn Hnveral nutamatlo nmni... ...WW. --.--- - .MlftU- mments of more than ordlnnry prac tical value. The ndvautage of a bruko that can bo instantly controlled Is ob vious, and in tho new stylo of brakes the objections to tho old typo havo ben overcome. There Is little to ob vvf ' U ?- ject to In tho way of unslg1illlnt ar weight, as tho new brakes nrn practi cally invisible and weigh utmost noth ing. From present Indications a largo proportion of tho wheels built the com ing year are to bp fitted with a con. trolling apparatus of some kind. Surtorlnl 1'ltnfKt. How slightly developed even yet Is tho average feminine rider's sense of the eternal fitness of sartorial things awheel Is amusingly illustrated by some of the costumes that can be seen almost nny day. Stepping from tho warmth of her home, the unimagina tive woman cyclist docs not hecm to realize that her swift passage through the air will result In n physical dis comfiture that will hardly be counter acted by tho glow Induced by rapid pedaling. Prom it string or thirty wo men riders been on the cyclo path In Brooklyn and selected at random not less thnn flvo were too scantily or oth erwise Inappropriately attired. There were riding skirts and blouses made of every conceivable material, from flimsy lawn to Klondlko furs, nnd hats or varying shapes, rrom the saucy Tarn O'Shanter to beplumed elephan tine monstrosities. It must have mado wheeling n matter or misery to their wearers. The prettiest women were tho most sensibly dressed. Tito I.Htmt Scheme. A W'C3tcrn manufacturer has perfect ed a bchcmc which ho calls a "winter bargain," says the "Wheel," and which promises to keep him busily cm ployed during tho winter months. For a payment of 15 cents per day from Oct. 15 to April 15 he promises to fur nish n wheel which Is made of the best cold-drawn seamless tubing, with elec trically welded fittings, and equipped with two-piece crank, detachable sprockets, chain, tires, adjustable han dle bar, etc. Or for 25 cents per day ho furnishes a wheel constructed from the highebt grade material obtainable. As a special inducement he will allow anyone bringing In a bona fide order 10 per cent, commission when paid up or guaranteed paid, so that by bring ing In ten such orders it wheel is ob tained free. Hack payments to bo mado up from date of filling order, which makes practically the usual first installment. Slmplo Formula. Any cycle rider in the least Inquisi tive about the number of miles per hour ho Is making can ascertain In a very simple manner by noting tho number of revolutions the pedal cranks mnko In a given number of seconds. The gear of the bicycle must alto bo taken into consideration. For exam ple, a rider on a wheel of GO gear goes as many miles an hour as his pedal ernnks make evolutions in 11.78 sec onds. A table of seconds and gears for computing speed is as follows: Geur r,l CO CO 72 VS SI IK) St Seconds y.CI 10.72 11.7S 12.SI 13.02 15.00 10 OS 17.H An easy way to approximate the ex act number or seconds Is to place a drop or Ink on tho crystal1 or tho watch, ir the cranks revolve 11 times In 11.78 seconds with GO gear tho rider Is trav cling at a rate or 11 miles an hour. Cooper Kxruie. Tom Cooper has arrived home, in Detroit, ror the winter. In an interview ho said: 'I am satisfied with my work during tho year. I was not in first class racing trim except for a few days during tho season. I have met with considerable hard luck and havo re ceived moro than my share of tumbles. I reel tiptop and expect to raco next year, and hope to give a better uccount of myself. Bald has raced in splendid form all yenr, and deserves the hon ors ho huB got. Had I been in proper shape at tho opening of the season' I think that I would have led the bunch in points, but you cannot always be on top. Out my day is coming again TOM COOPER, soon, and then the public wants to look 'out for me." Cooper said that tho yel low fever scare had much to do with breaking up tho southern cxtonsIon"ot tho National circuit. Under favorable conditions the riders would have raced until Bpring, finishing In Mexico. Cobb er is lpoklng as flno as silk and wjll take light exercise during tho winter. Ho will pay, a good deal or attention to skating and other winter outdoor sports. The Trl-Color. A cloud had appeared In tho Bky ot their connubial bliss, a cloud no big ger than a man's hand. Theso dimen sions, though Email, wero exact. Sho had Just discovered somo red, whlto and blue chips In his coat nocket. ( Judge. wHi THEATRICAL TOPICS. CURRENT NEWS AND OOSS1P OF THE STAGE. the I'oputiir Actrem of Todity ."Mint of Nerelly llu Quirt; Ladylike mid Well hred Aniiln IltiMrll. Vlolu Ailitlim, Miiude Ailitiim.nnd frfnio Slimiuoii. OWADAYS it Is the quiet, ladylike, wcll-bicd young woman who is tho popular actress for tho Amerlcui au diences. Tliero is nothing about her to make anybody uncomfortable. She never makes sud den outbreaks of .'motion that conjuro matinee assem blages, nor will her feelings ever bo expressed In objectionable ways. She will not do anything moro Incompre hensible than represent to the women In the audience Just tho typo that all of them nre likeliest to resemble, or want very much to resemble. So this Is tho type of the populnr American actress today, it all comes back to tho ono really governing power In American theatricals. This Is the patronage of women. Plays which they do not en Joy will never bo mado popular, and to gain their favor Is ono of tho most certain guarantees or an actor's suc cess. They like women on the stngo of the kind represented by Annie Rus sell, Viola Allen, Maudo Adams, Efllo Shannon, Georgia C.iyvnn, Florcnco Rockwell and Isabel Irving. Julio Kopacsy, the comic opera star, who made her debut at tho Irving Placo theater, New York, under the management of Helnrlch Conrlcd Nov. 4, In, the title rolo of "Die Lachtaubc," was born In Hungary, Austria, Feb. 13, 1871. She graduated from the Buda pest Conservatory, and nt the age or 18 made her first appearanco at Dc brcczyn, with aspirations ror grand opera. Comic opera, however, pre sented a better field ror her talent, and her career was thus determined. Sub sequently to her engagements In Hun garian cities she toured Austria and Germany. During her engagement nt the Carl theater, Vienna, which was extended at the conclusion ot her orig inal fifteen nights to tho entire sea son, she became widely known nnd ad mired. In tho other largo cities of Austria and Germany where she has since appeared her fame rapidly spread and last season Manager Conreld se cured her for tho Now York "Gats spiel" of one hundred nights. Her success at tho Irving Placo wub Imme diate and remarkable, "Dlo Lachtnube" having afforded her a suttablo rolo in which to display her charming stylo. Miss Kopacsy is married to Mr. Karc zag, whom Bho met in Debraczyn. A heretoforo unkon opera, "Dlo Kreuzrahrer" (Tho Crusader), by Lud wlg Spohr, which was composed In tho beginning of tho forties, that is, beforo the principles or Richard Wagner had been published broadcast, has recently been accidentally discovered In tho archives ot tho court theater nt Cnnitni and will soon bo performed there, after being revised and rearranged by Con ductor Dr. Franz Ileyor at that thea ter. It appears, according to the Phil adelphia Record, that tho entire char acter ot the opera covers tho IdeaB later Introduced by Warner and his school, that music nnd words must havo cor relative Importance, and that one must always be subservient to tho other, without particular preference for eith er. The Idea of tho "lolt-motlvo" finds its first practical application In this work, although not as yet known or recognized by this name. The Elizabethan Society is continu ing its meetings In London. Among tho papers to bo read this winter aro "Tho Shakespearian Drama Abroad," by 8ldney Loo; "The Scottish and En glish Macbeth," by Mrs. Charlotte Car- JULIE KOPACSY. mlcjincl nttfn, "The Seven Deadly Sins," by Frederick Hogers: "Eliza bethan Household Life," by .Miss Uraco Latham; ".Hliukcspr.iro as a Punster," by F. A. Il.ither, M. A.. F. O. S.: "Shakeipcuro and Montaigne," by Frank Payne; "Nodes Ellzubethanno," by William (I. Hutchinson; "Tho Eliz abethan Pamphleteers," by .lames Er nest Bakei. When E. J. Henley produces "Tho Haven," one of the accessories will bu it coal-black bird of evil omen to perch iibovo the "lullld bust of Pallas." Tim bird Is In aetic lehoarsal and tho stage hands havo christened him Hlch nrd, says the Tribune, because he Is tho Boss Croaker. La to coiners uro to be treated with scant coin tosy hereafter at the Vienna Opera. By a new rule of the Intetidant, no one Is to be permitted to take his scat while the overture Is being play ed, nnd in the case of Wagner's opeiiiH, where there Is no break between the overture and tho llr.it net, late coiners cannot get Into their scats until after tho llrst act Is out. Somo remarks concerning tho sup posed duty of a "professing" Christian to avoid theaters and shun actors, "ex cept to lift them up," made from his pulpit in Indianapolis by tho llev. C. L. Hare, havo Induced that estlmablo nnd ambitious actor, Otis Skinner, to reply eloquently In defense of the stage, which does not now and never did need defending from such assaults. M. Sardou Is preparing "Pamela" for Mine. Hcjane. This will not be the first time, that Uichardson's novel has been adnpted to tho French stage in ono rorm or another. Two such pieces wero produced In Paris about a century and a hair ngo, one by Ilolssy tit the The ater Itallcn, tho other by l.auchausec nt tho Theater Francals. Eugene Wellington was born Nov. 27, 1858, at Springfield, III., and started his theatrical career In 1877 as a lith ographer In Chicago, 111. In 1879 ho made his debut as an actor, playing Ju venile lends for Ada Gray, Dan Sully, "Alone in London" and In other com panies. In 1S83 ho gave up acting arid began his career as it manager, and he has slnco then handled such well known stars us Chas. A. Gardner, Rob ert Fltzsimmons, Lester and Allen, Mark Murphy und Barney Fagan. Ho Ib at posent managlnrg tho second yearB tour of Gllmoro nnd Leonard, In their siiccessrul comedy, "Hogan'8 Al loy." Mr. Wellington Is an energetic business man as well as a genial com- DUOENE WELLINGTON, panlon, arid 1b well llkod'by tho pro fession, "Jalouse," by MM. Blsnon and Lec lcrcq, ridicules tlio conception of mar rluife which Is held by the regular mld dlo clues Frenchman, and ntlacks tho present system of educating girls. James O'Neill, who talked of a Wg revival of "Tho Dead Heart," Btlll hangs to "Monte Crlsto," which Bret Hnrto thinks is tho best novo evor written. SClENTIEICiTOPICS. CUttnENT NOTES OF DISCOV ERY AND INVENTION. A derey City Mitu II Imputed n Ten Tliut Nnior lle Out -llenutlriil Work In llronro Keeping Blent Change In Win or l'tMvar. Keeping Mrut. SCIENTIST given a bit of information for housekccpeiH that may be found useful. Ho says mentH ought never to bo wrapped In paper even while coming from tho buteher's.inuch lc..s rhould they bo left Iti paper over night or when put away In the ice box. A largo sized piece of paper will absorb hair or the juice of rt good steak If It has the opportunity, and tluiH destroy the most dellcato nnd rellshnblo por tion of It. One housekeeper hns n covered china dish that sho sends to tho market, and In thin the meats uro placed. When sho requites a largo amount she often sends tho porcelain lined preserving kettle with n rnck in tho bottom nnd n plcco of Ice under neath. Of course this is not necessary In veiy cold weather, but during fall and spring people do not rcallzo that mentB deterlornto very rapidly upon exposure to tho air. Tho temperature Is so much cooler for them that they forget that chemical changes tnke place rapidly oven In moderately cool weath er. A mnrkct basket fitted with nn ngato tray or basin Is excellent for moats. An ordinary cover mny bo used nnd in tills wny tho stenks and Joints will coino to tho table. In u much better stnto than ns though they had been allowed to give up their Rubstunce to n bit or manllla. Tho custom or sending homo butter In wooden trnys Is severely criticised. Tho wood Is almost certain to Impart a dlsagrec nblo flavor to the butter. It may not develop Immediately, but tho butter will not keep as long, nnd Is quite sure to becomo objectlonablo bcrore It Is used. Paper Is qulto as bad, and when ono reflects on tho material of which ordinary paper l mado tho sug gestion Is scarcely calculated to prove nn nppetlzer. Of totirHe a very high degree of heat nnd powerful chemicals nre great cleansers, but nil tho samo a fnstldlous taste prefers tho purity that comes of contact with nothing but stii faces known to be perfectly clean. The Teteaerlptor. A new device for registering mes sages received over tho telephono rrom any dlstnnco was shown In Berlin re cently. It is nn electrical writing ma chlno cnlled "telescrlptciir," tho Inven tion or nn Austrinn engineer named Hoffman, and it hns aroused a great deal of Interest in electrical circles. In its genernl appearance tho telescrlp tciir Is llko a typewriter. The machine Ib connected with the telephono In Borno manner not yet .revealed, but without the uso of n special wire. The letters or tho message are printed upon the fnmlllnr narrow tapo In clenr typo by tho writer using tho Instrument, and tho wonderful part or tho Invention is tho fact that If a similar machino is attached to tho receiving end ot tho telephone, It Immediately prints tho messago simultaneously with its com position on tho sender's mnchlne. As soon as tho ccntrnl telephone office makes the connection tho machines be gin to work, nnd the receiver continues to grind out messages as long ns they nre sent. Theoretically, the machine is cxpocted to work perfectly at any dis tance, and for officials, institutions, fac tories, offices, newspapers and all places whero a largo number of tele grams nro received, tho machino Is bound to bo a great boon, as by means of It messages can be sent directly In to tho ofllco or home for which they aro destined. At tho tost tho two machines, which wero placed in different corners of a room, worked admirably. Itenutlful Work In Bronx. This Is a photograph ot ono of the most remarkable and bcautltul thing3 on tho Chlncso wall. As long ago ns tho time ot Marco Polo It is mentioned In literature. It is an astronomical Instrument and Is mado with the most exquisite skill and care. It Is a bronze globo about fifteen feet In dlamoter, cut and intersected maryelously, bo that It seems a balanced group of cir cles. It is supported by brbnzV drag ons of the moat exquisite workman ship and of mammoth size. These are chained to tho globe by boautiful links of bronzo. ' Change In Water Power. In the early history of tho country the natural fall of water furnished Al most tho only available power, except human muscle. Gradually water pow er was superseded by steam. It was a great day when tho boiler furnished the motive power for turning tho great wheels ot tho mill. Tho people fancied that they had achieved tho summit of success, but after a time steam was too slow; then came electricity, which it first was a doubtful experiment, and something so fugitive thai It waa not t all easy to pel the. handling of it. It nppinm! to bo iniidcqu.U'j and un containable, and thero wero mnny doubters as to Its practical utility. Tho pioblom of handling It at long dis tances Hcemeil liiHolvablc, and tho evo lution progressed but slowly. Then mime brilliant mind suggested tho uao of ciiormous water power to generate tho electric current. Millions of horiu power nro created by the turning or a great river into the immenso turbines nt thcBo electric centers. From tho grent power Iioubcs tho electric cur rent travels with Inconceivable rapid ity over miles ot spnee, and rurnlslies motive power whero It would bu Im possible to oblnln It otherwise. Nc. mntter how high tho nltltudo or bow Inhospltnblo the faco of tho country, wherever tho branching arniH of the electric wlro poles rencli out, they ox tend a welcomo to tho pioneer nnd toll hint flint he is not only not shut out from civilization, but that ho Is In touch with the grent world, and Iioh at his commnnd that which will Insure him profitable occupation at a frac tion of tho cost or obtaining It rrom other sources. Machine to Itrrord Thought. Savory d'Odlardl, a Frenchman, liv ing In England, is tho inventor or a machino that, ho claims, will record thought and emotion. Tho mnchtno consists or n motnl disk, lying flnt, nnd mnrked off, on Its edge, with degrees. Abovo It n needle, which lookB some thing llko n hatchet, Is delicately sus pended. Tho wholo Ib under a glnss bell. Tho experimenter wIIIb tho need le to move, nnd It moves whothcr a a result or tho will power, or rrom caus es best known to M. Odlnrdl. Var ious emotions nfTect tho needle in dif ferent woys. Love, hatred, Joy and sorrow nre registered on tho llttlo In strument, which swings nround tho disk. These things happen, and many distinguished scientists havo observed tho phenomena without being able to detect any trickery. Write with III Plnger Null. It makes no difference to Waller Lowery of Jersey City that steel pens rust and gold pens break, that stubs blot and flno pens scratch. For Mr. Lowry proceeds on the prlnclplo that every man should bo his own pen, so to speak. Ho allows tho nail of IiIb right fore finger to grow to a prldlgious length. Then ho trims It to a flno point and writes nwny, cheerfully dipping It into tho Ink well. A Maehlnn Tlmf I'rlnt Phonetically. An Instrument weighing only ono nnd one-half pounds, nnd occupying n space of only bIx Inches square, has been Invented to tnko tho placo of or dlnnry Bhort-hnnd writing. There nro sixteen keys, which lie next to ono nnothcr, within tho four outer keys. On theso aro all tho letters and char acters that are to bo printed. Tho vow els and consonants aro marked, and can bo brought forward as desired. Tho sixteen keys are bo arranged that they can bo operated In pairs, so that ono finger can press down cither ono or both keys of each pair. Those operat ing tho machino have written at tho rate of ono hundred words a mlnuto, and tho writing can bo read easier than short-hand. Klectrlrlty Intead of Ste.im. The Prussian railway minister, Herr von Thirlen, has decided next year ;o substitute electricity for steam on tho railway between Berlin and Potsdam In order to test the adaptability ot tho electrical locomotive for general rail way traffic. Tho engineers maintain that traffic conducted by electricity will bo both cheaper and faster than tho present system. The lno between between Berlin nnd Potsdam on ac count of Its many suburban stations, Is one of the busiest In the wholo of Germany. New York Tribune. Internal Heat and Cllinule. s Lord Kelvin holds that tho internal heat of the earth has nothing to do with tho climates. Tho earth, ho says, might bo of tho temperature of whito hot iron two thousand feet below tho " surface, or at the freezing point fifty feet below, without ut all affecting a climate. Toad-Lore. Many legends have been connected with these weird, unsightly llttlo crea tures, nnd their habits nnd manners aro curiously Interesting. Tho Thib etans, according to Abbo Hue, tell of a toad that dwells' In tho midst ot n mountain range, and unless ho is pro pitiated by trayelers, flings Ice and avalanches down on thoso'who pass in tho valleys. Toads have' no teeth nnd aro disfigured by ugly warts, which glvo out an acrid but not poisonous juice. The motions of their tdrigtien In catching Unwary insects are as' quick ns lightning, und they eat nothing that is not in motion except their own skins, which, when they past off, they roll up and swa)low. The olt magi cians used them freejy In various ways and German peasants otlll have a way or "crucifying" toada which' must bo caught on Enstcr before sunrise; they then bury them until Whit Sunday, und wear the bones In a small bag about tho neck an a charm which makes tho possessor always win in g?.r:c3 ot chance. A U fl I II ir . mu HAS 1 i n ! 1 M . . .-A ILfyj swriwc-arr'r' t. zpawenasss;? 11 "itt "