Nebraska Newspapers

    MUST FACE DANGERS.
THUS OUR SOULS GROW AND OUR
MIS8IONS ARE FULFILLED.
■•flection* on the Uceleune** of Shallow
Water Explorer*—Where Should the
Blume Beat For Kray Failure*?—The Re
sponsibility of Paternity.
What would be thoughbof a ship that
was launched from its docks with flour
ish of music and flowing wine, built to
sail the roughest and deepest sea, yet
manned for an nnending cruise along
shore? Never lesving harbor for dread
of storm. Never swinging out of the
land girt bay because, over the bar, the
waters were deep and rongh. You
would say of snch a ship that its captain
was a coward and the company that
built it werft tools.
And yet these souls of oars were
fashioned for bottomless soundings.
There is no created thing that draws
as deep as the soul of man; our life lies
straight across the ocean and not along
shore, but we are afraid to venture; we
bang npon the coast and explore shal
low lagoons or swing at anchor in idle
bays. Some of us strike the keel into
riches and cruise about therein, like
men-of-war in a narrow river. Some of
ns are contented all oar days to ride at
anchor tn the becalmed waters of self
ish ease. There are guns at every port
hole of the ship we sail, but we use
them for pegs to bang clothes upon or
pigeonholes to stack full of idle hours.
We shall never smell powder, although
the magazine is stocked with holy wrath
wherewith to fight the devil and his
deeds. When 1 see a man strolling along
at bis ease, while under his very nose
some brute is maltreating a horse, or
some coward venting his ignoble wrath
npon a creature more helpless than he,
whether it be a child or a dog, 1 involun
tarily think of a double decked whaler
content to fish for minnows. Tbeir
uselessness in the world is more appar
ent than the nselessness of a Cunarder
in a pars pona.
What did God give you muscle and
girth and brain for if not to launch you
on the high seas? Up and away with
yon then into the deep soundings where
you belong, O belittled soul! Find
the work to do for which you were fit
ted and do it, or else run yourself cn
the first convenient snag and founder.
Some great writer has said that we
ought to begin life as at the source of a
river, growing deeper every league to
the sea, whereas, in fact, thousands
enter the river at its month and sail
inland, finding less and less water ev
ery day, until in old age they lie shrunk
and gasping upon dry ground.
But there are more who do not sail
at all than there are of those who make
the mistake of sailing up stream. There
are the women who devote their lives
to the petty business of pleasing worth
less men. What progress do they make
even inland? With sails set and brassy
stanchions pclished to the similitude of
gold, they hover a lifetime chained to
a dock and decay of their own useless
ness at last, like keels that are mud
slugged. It is not the most profitable
thing in the world to please. Suppose it
shall please the inmates of a bedlam
house to see yon set fire to your clothing
and burn to death, or break your bones
one by one upon a rack, or otherwise
destroy your bodily parts that the poor
lunatics might be entertained. Would
it pay to be pleasing to such an audi
ence at such a sacrifice? We were put
into this world with a clean way bill
for another port than this. Across the
ocean of life our way lies, straight to
the harbor of the city of gold. We are
freighted with a consignment from
roomage hold to keep which is bonnd
to be delivered sooner or later at the
great Master’s wharf. Let us be alert,
then, to recognize the seriousness of our
own destinies and content ourselves no
longer with shallow soundings. Spread
the sails, weigh the anchor and point
the prow for the country that lies the
other, side of a deep and restless sea.
Sooner or later the voyage must be made;
let us make it, then, while the timber
is stanch and the rudder true.
w nen you iook at a picture ana nna
it good or bad, as the case may be, whom
do you praise or blame, the owner of
the picture or the artist who painted it?
When you hear a strain of music and
are either lifted to heaven or cast into
the other place by its harmonies or its
discord, whom do you thank or curse
for' the benefaction or the infliction,
whichever it may have proved to be,
the man who wrote the score or the mu
sic dealer who sold it? Yon go to a
restaurant and order spring chicken
which tnrns out to be the primeval fowl.
Who is to blame, the waiter who serves
it or the business man of the concern
who does the marketing? And so when
you encounter the bad boy, whom do
you hold responsible for his badness,
the boy himself or the ‘mother who
trained him? I declare, as 1 look about
me from day to day and see the men
and women who play so poor a part in
life, it is not the poverty of their per
formance that astonishes me so much
as the fact that it is as good as it is.
With the parents that many boys and
girls have and the training they receive
I am perfectly amazed that they ever
attain to even half way respectability.
Did you ever stop to think, I wonder,
what an awfnl responsibility is laid
upon yon with every child given to
your home? If you appreciate the risk
and take the responsibility 1 shouldn’t
think you would find much time for
other callings. A man who is drawing
np the plans for a new house attends to
his business closely and doesn’t go o1
on many picnics or sail over seas in
pursuit of pleasure while his plans are
pending. A man who has entered a
young horse for the Derby spends most
of his time training the colt He doesn’t
loaf about town or read novels or lie
afrpd late; he is alert and on hand if he
expects to win Hie race. Carelessness
and indiSerenca. never brought a win
ning horse under the wire yet.—Amber
in Chicago Herald.
CURIOUS CHINESE CUSTOM8.
A Brldo’a Salutation to Bar Hnihaad Klaot
and HU BMponw.
A Chinese paper describes some amns
iog marriage customs. In a small
monntain village between Kaga and
Etcba the bride coniee to the bride
groom’s gate and bawls ont to him,
“Hello, brother! I’ve come.”
To which the other replies, “Glad
you’ve come.”
The bride then appeals to him,
“You'll never forsake me?”
And the bridegroom answers her,
“We’ll earn our living together.”
With these assurances the bride comes
into the bouse, followed by a long pro
cession of well wishers, old and young.
Cheap, muddy sake is distributed to
them, and they commence dancing and
are not content nntil the floor gives way,
when they clap their hands, crying,
“How auspicious!” and take their
leave.
At Kurita, in Echizen, the betrothal
takes place when the parties are 8 or 9.
The boy’s parents and a deputation,
numbering from five to fifteen, proceed
to the girl’s family, who, anticipating
tbeir coming, spread mats before tbe
bouses and await them. After the usual
salutation the deputation present as a
betrothal present pieces of band woven
cloth for cushions and at the same time
praises the girl’s family, who return
the compliment with interest. Here
the ceremony ends, and the deputation
take their departure.
When the boy is 15 or thereabouts,
be goes to stay with his betrothed’s
family and works like a menial at tbe
bouse for a year, after which he is sent
home in fine apparel. Soon after the
girl comes to her lover’s house, accom
panied with rustic music and songs.
The noise and bustle are as great as on
the festival day of the tutelary god.
When the girl comes to the house,
enshions made ot the cloth given by her
parents are piled one upon another for
her to sit upon. On these cushions the
thrice repeated exchange of the triple
wine cups, the most important cere
mony at a wedding, takes place.
Stringing Pictures.
The one tning that is unforgivable in
picture hanging is to string them along
tbe walls in a line. Their loneliness is
pitiable. Next to that crime is the one
of arranging exactly symmetrical
groups, suggestive of nothing so much
as a lesson in geometry. Group pic
tures, group them gracefully, but don’t,
when one has succeeded in making a
graceful bunch on one side of the fire
place, reproduce it exactly on the other
Bide.
According to one who speaks with
the emphasis of authority, delicately
framed water^olors are the only proper
things for the drawing room, magnifi
cent oils for the library and hail, and
etchings and engravings for the dining
room. Meantime those who do as they
please will continue to hang their etch
ings, water colors and oils exactly where
they will gain most pleasure from them,
taking care only not to place side by
side ridiculously inharmonious things.
The smaller the picture, or the more
full of detail,- the nearer the level of
the eye it should hang. Sometimes two
parallel wires are brought straight up
to separate hooks on the picture mold
ing, but generally the old fashioned an
gle of wire is made. Gold and silver
wires are generally used, but it is said
that small steel and iron chains are to
be used this winter for hanging dark
framed engravings and etchings. Some
of the daintier pictures, instead of be
ing bung from the moldings, have wires
stretched tightly across the back and
are caught invisibly on small screws.—
New York Journal.
A Servant’s Instructions.
The following rules of conduct for
servants are said to be found in a Liv
srpool household:
Servants who have tbe good fortune
to reside in my house must co-operate
with tbe following rules:
They must be up punctually at 6.
Have all meals punctually to time.
Must be clean and tidy in their per
sons, and at their work must not be
spoken to.
Must not speak at tbe doors to any
af the tradespeople.
Must not sing.
Must not wear heavy boots.
Must close doors quietly.
Must stand meekly while being re
proved.
Must not answer back.
Must be obliging and cheerful.
Must be willing to stay in any Sun
Say or day out when required, and when
asked to do anything to do it quickly
and well and show no impatience or ill
temper, as Mr.-hates that.
Must put up with fault finding and
complaining whenever Mr.-wishes
to fault find or complain.
Mr.-likes to be called at 7.
Takes tea at 20 past 7, towel at 20 to 8
and breakfast at 8 prompt, and will not
wait a minute, and no nonsense.
By order, Mr.-.
—London Million.
Fact and Fiction.
Burglars recently broke into a jewel
ry store iq New York and stole among
jther things a gold snuffbox that once
aelonged to Queen Isabella of Spain.
The newspapers seriously announced
hat the snuffbox was given to Qneen
Isabella by King Ferdinand in 1462.
The longer we live the more we unlearn.
We imagined that tobacco had some
thing to do with snuff, and, as school
ooys were taught, that tobacco was not
mown in Europe till many years after
Ferdinand presented this snuffbox to
ais queen.—Jewelers’Circular. ^
A Pleasant Position.
Gazzam—What made you lend Bilker
* dollar? You’ll never get it back.
Harduppe—No, but it puts me in a
position I’ve been trying for years to
xsmpy.
“ Wbat’s that?”
“I’m somebody's creditor now!”—
Boston Traveller.
*
A MOUTH CURVED UR VT CORNERS.
The world is not so bad a place
As the growling cynic paints it.
And life in the main is fair and sweet
Till selfishness mars and taints it.
So don't belong to the pessimist crew
And don't be one of the scornere.
Don’t go about with a clouded brow
And a month drawn down at the corners.
Though fortnne seemeth to frown on you.
Be never you disconcerted.
If yon pot your mouth Into rainbow shape.
Pray let the bow be Inverted.
Though you be slighted by fortune's pets.
Though you be scorned by the scornera.
Still keep a heart that is brave and strong
And a month carved up at the corners.
Don’t look on life through a smoky glass.
The world U much as you take it.
Twill yield you, back a gleam of light
Or a glow of warmth if you make it.
However fortune may seem to frown.
However may scorn the scornera.
Still face yoar fate with a fearless eye
And a month curved up at the corners.
—Martha S. White in Good Housekeeping.
The Way They Do It.
A little man with a sad face, a thin
Bait of clothes, a skullcap and a weak
voice stood near the east end of the
Madison street bridge holding out a
bundle of shoestrings toward the pass
ersby. A policeman came along—one
of the large, two breasted kind.
“Got a license?” he asked.
The man with the shoestrings unbut
toned his coat with the left hand and
showed the badge, which was attached
to his vest. In the meantime he looked
up at the policeman. His expression was
one of mingled awe, fear and apprehen
sion.
“Give me a pair,” said the police
man, pulling out two strings from the
handle.
“Yes, sir,” said the peddler.
“Better mako it two,” said the man
who represented the dignity and maj
esty of the law.
“All right, sir,” said the shoestring
man, his voice weaker than ever.
The policeman relied up the four
strings, buried them in his pocket and
went on.
“Did he pay you?” asked a man who
was standing in a doorway.
“Him fay?” said the man with the
shoestrings. “Dat copper pay for his
shoestrings? 1 guess not. What makes
me sore i3 that he don’t belong on this
beat at all. I never saw him before.”
"Why didn’t you make him pay
you?”
“What’s the use? He would have
tipped me off to some other cep, and I’d
got the run. If they want anything,
you've got to give it to them, that’s all
there is about it. ”—Chicago Record.
Sounds Like Boston.
“Hortensia,” said her father, “will
you have some taters?”
“If you refer to the farinaceous tu
bers which pertain of the Solanniu tu
berosum and which are commonly
known as potatoes, ” replied the sweet
girl, “I should bo pleased to be helped
to a modicum of the same. But taters,
taters! I’m quite sure,papa, that they
are something of which I never before
had the pleasure of hearing."
The old man pounded on the table mi
til the pepper caster lay down fora red
and then remarked in a voice of icy
coldness, "Hortensia, will you haw
some taters?”
“Yes, dad, I will.”
Is our boasted high school system a
failure, or is it not:—London Tit-Bits.
The First Phenix.
Legend tells us that the first jilienix
was born in the garden of Eden and
had its nest in a great red rose—the
first rose that ever bloomed. When the
angel drove Adam and Eve out of para
dise, a spark of fire fell from the an
gel’s fiery sword and burned up the
phenix and his nest. Out of the ashes
sprang a glorious bird, which also lived
500 years before mysteriously burning
itself, at every recurrence of which a
new phenix is said to arise.—New York
Journal.
Stopped the Weddings.
Saxon gills 1,000 years ago always
wore a gold crown during the marriage
ceremony, this article being kept in the
church and a fee being paid the priest
for its use by the brides of the parish.
In the year 927 the Danes raided the
south of England and stole 100 church
crowns, and there was no marrying in
the afflicted villages tor nearly sis
months until new crown could be made.
—Yankee Blade.
A Reminder.
New Father-in-law—Well, sir, the
ceremony is over, and now that you are
the husband of my daughter I want to
give you a little advice. What would
you do if you should wake up some
night and find burglars in the house?
Bridegroom—I should tell them that
my father-in-law forgot to give my wife
a wedding dowry, and they’d go away.
—London Punch.
The kings of Sardinia formerly de
scribed themselves as “By the grace of
God, king of Sardinia, of France, Spain
and England, of Italy and Jerusalem,
of Greece and Alexandria, of Hamburg
and Sicily, ruler of the Midway sea,
master of the deep, king of the earth,
protector of the Holy Land.”
Court life in Stockholm is reduced to
the simplest proportions. Each of the
young princes is devoted to some spe
cial study, and both the king and qneen
have always striven to he their chil
dren's chief friends and confidants.
Old authorities taught that a peer, if
he wasted his property so as to be un
able to support the dignity, conld be
degraded by the king. It is now held
that degradation can be effected only
by vote of his peers.
The oldest ruins in the world arc
probably the rockcnt temples of Ipsam
bnl, or Abon Samboul, in Nnbia. on
the left hank of the Nile. They ar
>ver 4,000 years old.
All Catholic princes give the pope tbc
title of holy father or venerable fath
In replying he calls them “my dearest. "
JESSIE OF LUCKNOW.
A FAMOUS CASE OF CLAIRVOYANCE
GRAPHICALLY RELATED.
When the Besieged Had Beet All Hope,
the Scotchwoman Heard the Slogan
Which Announced That the Highlanders
Were Coming to the Rescue.
In conversation between a distinguish
ed judge of this state and an editor the
article of Mark Twain’s on telepathy cas
ually came into talk. Many cases were
cited, and the judge alluded to the re
markable story of Jessie Brown. It will
be new to many, and it is given here
with as it appeared in a letter to the
London Times, the letter being written
by a lady who was the wife of an officer
at Lucknow:
“On every side death stared us in the
face. No human skill could avert it any
longer. We saw the moment approach
when we must bid farewell to earth, yet
without feeling that unutterable horror
which must have been experienced by
the unhappy victims at Cawnpur. We
were resolved rather to die than to yield
and were fully persuaded that in 24 hours
all would be over. The engineer had
said so, and all knew the worst. We
women strove to encourage each other
and to perform the light duties which
were assigned to us, such as conveying
orders to the batteries, supplying the
men with provisions, especially cups of
coffee, which we prepared day and night.
“I had gone out to try to make myself
useful in company with Jessie Brown,
the wife of a corporal in my husband’s
regiment. Poor Jessie had been in a
state of restless excitement all through
tne siege ana naa ialien away visiDiy
during the last few days. A constant
fever consumed her, and her mind wan
dered occasionally, especially that day,
when the recollections of home seemed
powerfully present to her. At last, over
come with fatigue, she lay down on the
ground, wrapped in her plaid. I sat be
side her, promising to awake her when,
as she said, her ‘father should return
from the plowing.’
“She fell at length into a profound
slumber, motionless and apparently
breathless, her head resting in my lap.
“I myself could no longer resist the in
clination to sleep, in spite of the con
tinual roar of the cannon. Suddenly I
was aroused by a wild, unearthly scream
close to my ear. My companion stood
upright beside me, her arms raised and
her head bent forward in the attitude of
listening.
“A look of intense delight broke over
her countenance. She grasped my hand,
drew me toward her and exclaimed:
‘Dinna ye hear it? Dinna ye hear it?
Aye, I’m no dreaming! It’s the slogan
o’ the highlanders! We’re saved! We’re
saved!’ Then flinging herself on her
knees she thanked God with passionate
fervor. I felt utterly bewildered.
“My English ears heard only the roar
of artillery, and I thought my poor Jes
sie was still raving, bnt she darted to
the batteries, and I heard her cry inces
santly to the men: ‘Courage! Courage!
Hark to the slogan—the Macgregor, the
grandest of them all! Here’s help at
last!’
“To describe the effect of these words
upon the soldiers would be impossible.
For a moment they ceased firing, and
every soul listened with intense anxiety.
Gradually, however, there arose a mur
mur of bitter disappointment, and the
wailing of women who had flocked to
the spot burst out anew as the colonel
shook his head. Our dull lowland ears
heard only the roar of the musketry.
“A few moments more of this death
like suspense, of this agonizing hope, and
Jessie, who had again sunk on the ground,
sprang to her feet and cried in a voice so
clear and piercing that it was heard
along the whole line: ‘Will ye no believe
it noo? The slogan has ceased indeed,
but the Campbells are coming. D’ye
hear? D ye hear?
“At that moment all seemed, indeed,
to hear the voice of God in the distance,
when the pibroch of the highlanders
brought us tidings of deliverance, for
now there was no longer any doubt of
the fact. That shrill, penetrating, cease
less sound, which rose above all other
sounds, could come neither from the ad
vance of the enemy nor from the work
of the sappers. No, it was indeed the blast
of the Scottish bagpipes, now shrill and
harsh, as threatening vengeance on the
foe, then in softer tones seeming to prom
ise succor to their friends in need.
“Never, surely, was there such a scene
as that which followed. Not a heart in
the residency of Lucknow but bowed it
self before God. All by one simultaneous
impulse fell upon their knees, and noth
ing was heard but bursting sobs and
murmured voice of prayer. Then all
arose, and there rang out from a thou
sand lips a great shout of joy, which re
sounded far and wide and lent new vigor
to that blessed pibroch.
“To our cheer of ‘God Save the Queen'
they replied by the well known strain
that moves every Scot to tears, ‘Should
Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?' After
that nothing else made any impression
on me. I scarcely remember what fol
lowed. Jessie was presented to the gen
eral on his entrance to the fort, and at
the officers' banquet her health was
drunk by all present, while the pipers
marched around the table playing once
more the familiar air of ‘Auld Lang
Syne.’”
Whittier's poem, “The Pipes at Luck
now,” and Robert T. S. Lowell’s “The
Relief of Lucknow” are descriptive of
this same incident.—Baltimore Ameri
can.
Matrimonial Item.
Chnmly—How the mischief did you
come to marry that old widow? Why
didn’t you marry the daughter?
Benedict—I thought over the matter
carefulA If I had married the daugh
ter, Pd nave had the mother on my
hands anyhow. Then Td have had both
on my hands, but as it is, now that her
mother is provided for, very likely some
body else will marry the daughter, and
then I’ll only have one of them to pro
vide for.—Texas Siftings.
SANG FOR H» LIFE.
The Disagreeable Alternative Iwiirldi
Aagnatai Prepeated to Huitlts AbelL
John Abell, a celebrated singer and
mtuician who lived in the reign of
Charles n, had a very great notion of
himself and would not perform unless
he pleased. There is a funny story told
of how he was once made to sing against
his will.
While traveling abroad for pleasure
he came into the town of Warsaw. News
was brought to the palace of the famous
English singer’s arrival, and Frederick
Augustus, the king of Poland, immedi
ately sent word that he desired Abell to
appear before him.
“Tell his majesty,” replied John curt
ly, “that it suits me not.”
Back went the conrt messenger with a
wry face. He knew his master’s temper
too well.
“Tell Master Abel,” thondered the
king, “that 1 will have him come! And
take you, boy, three stout fellows with
you.”
The messenger and the three stout fel
lows between them managed to carry
out the royal wish and presently march
ed triumphantly np to the palace with
their unwilling captive.
The king was awaiting them in the
great hall, where he had seated himself
in a balcony that ran all round the sides.
Above him an immense chair hong from
the roof by a rope.
“Now, then, into the chair and up with
him,” cried Frederick Augustus, with a
chuckle. “We’ll soon see if our song
bird won’t sing in his cage. Up with
him, my merry men all!”
And np in the air swung Abell, who
still refused to open his month. When he
gave a glance downward, however, he
changed his mind. Into the hall beneath
him a number of wild hears had been
turned loose.
“Sing, sirrah!” the king shouted, “or
down yon go to play with my brown ba
bies.”
One look at those “brown babies,”
growling and snarling below in a very
unbaby like manner, was sufficient to con
vince the stubborn John. Sing he did,
and he often used to declare in after
days that he never sang so well in hia
life as when he was hanging there, a hun
dred feet high above the fierce beasts.—
New York Journal.
Don’t Try to Cheat a Lawyer.
A young lawyer, just starting in hia
profession, bung out his sign in a town
where there was only one other lawyer,
an aged judge.
A close fisted old fellow, thinking to get
legal advice for nothing, called upon the
young man and contrived in a sort of
neighborly way to get some legal ques
tions answered. Then, thanking the
young man, he was about to leave, when
the young man asked for a $5 fee. The
old fellow went into a violent passion
and swore he never would pay. The
young lawyer told him he would sue him.
So the old fellow went down to seethe
judge and said:
“That young scamp that's just come
into town! I dropped in to make a neigh
borly call on him, and he charges me $5
for legal advice.”
“Served you right,” said the judge.
“But have I got to pay it, judge?'
“Of course you have.”
“Well, then,”8aid the man, “Isuppose
I must,” and he started off.
“Hold on,” said the judge, “aren’t you
going to pay me?”
“Pay yon? What for?”
“For legal advice.”
“What do yon charge?”
“Ten dollars.”
The result was that the old fellow had
to pay $5 to the young lawyer and $10 to
the old one.—Toronto Globe.
The Gallery Gods’ Applause.
Lawrence Barrett once told me of a
conversation he had with Edwin Booth,
The latter had been congratulated upon
an ovation given him by a crowded
honse on the opening night of an engage
ment. “The sweetest music to my ears,”
said the great tragedian, “is the shout
ing of the boys in the gallery. I know
they are not applauding because I have a
reputation or because they wish to make
a display. They simply give vent to
their natural enthusiasm. When they
shout, I khow that I am giving a good
performance. As for the parquet, it
may clap its hands out of politeness. A
dramatic critic who had certain notions
as to how a line should be read will ap
plaud if I read it his way; otherwise he
will remain quiet. I can never analyze
the applause of the front rows, but the
gallery is sincere in its likes or dislikes.”
—Chicago Record.
Disappointing.
She was ;v very cultured and fashion
able young lady, albeit she was only G
years old, and she was a resident of New
York. A gentleman calling on her par
ents had an opportunity to have a brief
tete-a-tete with her.
“I presume,” he said, “that when yon
grow up yon will marry, as all little girls
dor
“No,” she replied languidly. “No. I
hardly think I shall.”
“Indeed! That will be so disappoint
ing.”
“Possibly it may be to mamma and to
the young gentleman, but not to me, I
fancy.” and she lolled back in her chair
quite tired to death, don't you know.—
Detroit Free Press.
Unappreciated.
A single word sometimes reveals a
man’s inmost thought.
“Who are those girls playing a duet on
the pianor asked one man of another at
an evening party.
“One of them is the daughter of the
, hostess,” was the answer.
“And who is her accomplice?”—Lon
i don Tit-Bits.
Excusable.
Customer—Waiter, this bullock’s heart
| is very badly cooked.
Waiter—Well, sir, the fact is, the
cook’s been crossed in love, and when
ever he has anything to do with a ’eart
it so upsets him that he doesn’t know
what he’s a-doin of.—London Million
FLEET FOOTED ZEBRAS.
Thair Daahof tipsed When Alarmed by the
Whlx of a Bille Ball.
The rapidity with which the different
zebras have been extomnnuted, owing
to tbo advance of civilization in South
Africa, is shown by reference to such
works as that of Sir Cornwallis Harris,
written in 1840, in which the author
tells ns that the qnagga was at the time
found in '‘interminable herds,” bands
of many hundreds being frequently
soon, while be describes Burchett's ze
bra os congregating in herds of 80 or
100, and abounding to o great extent,
but now, after the expiration of but 50
years, the one species is extinct or
practically so, while tho other has been
driven much farther afield and its num
bers are yearly boing reduced.
This author's description of the com -
mon zebra is well worth repeating. He
says: “Seeking the wildest and most
sequestered spots, haughty troops are
exceedingly difficult to approach, us
well on account of their extreme agility
and fieetneas of foot as from tbo abrupt
and inaccessible nature of their high
land abode. Under the special charge
of a sentinel, so posted on some adja
cent crag as to command a view of ev
ery avenue of approach, the checkered
herd whom ‘painted skins adorn’ is to
be viewed perambulating some rocky
ledge, on which the rifle ball alone can
reach them. No sooner hns the note of
alarm been soundedby the vedette, than,
pricking their long ears, the wholo
flock hurry forward to ascertain the na
ture of the approaching danger, and
having gazed a moment at the advanc
ing hunter, whisking their brindled
tails aloft, belter skelter away they
thunder, down craggy precipices and
over yawning ravines, where no less
agile foot could dare to follow them.”
Of Burchell’s zebra ho says, “Fierce,
strong, fleet and surpassingly beautiful,
there is perhaps no quadruped in tho
creation, not even excepting the moan
tain zebra, more splendidly attired or
presenting a picture of more singularly
attractive beauty.” Zebras are by no
means amiable animals, and though
many of the stories told of their feroc
ity are doubtless much exaggerated they
have so far not proved themselves
amenable to domestication.—Saturday
Review.
Dumb Luck.
I saw a case of luck awhile ago that
nearly made me crazy. I was in a pool
room down in Baltimore, and I was
playing close to the cushion. Nothing
came my way, and I had hut. a few dol
lars between mo and the touching of
some friend for a stake. I saw a little
fellow corno in there with a $2 bill and
get out with $1,402 in cash. I wasn’t
next, and I didn’t get a cent of it. After
it was all over he told ns his system,
and it almost made me daffy to think
that any such fool scheme would go
through.
“Thero were five races that after
noon, and he played them all. He par
leyed his money, and $1,402 is what he
pulled out. If he’d had a good sized
roll when ho started, he’d have broken
the room sure, and every other room in
the city. And what do you think his
system was? You couldn’t gness in a
thousand years. He placed the seventh
horse in every race. He started at the
top and counted down to the seventh,
and she won. Then in the next race
there were but four horses, and he count -
ed one, two, three, four and then start
ed at tho top again and counted five,
six, seven. He played that horso and
won. That was his scheme. His pick
won every race. And what do you think
made him do it? His girl told him to.
Luck? Why, some people have it to
bum, and he was one of that kind. Not
again in 67,000,000 years would that
scheme work. I tried it for a week,
and I know.”—Buffalo Express.
Coart Martial Witnesses.
All court martial witnesses who are
Protestants are sworn by laying their
right hand, ungloved, on the Bible,
closed or open, while the oath is re
cited. Kissing the book is frequently
required in addition to the laying on of
the hand. Raising the right hand and
keeping it raised during tho recital of
tho oath is also a form adopted by a
number. There are many who prefer to
affirm rather than to swear, and those
are accommodated by saying: “You do
solemnly affirm,” instead of “solemnly
8wear, ” tho right hand being raised
or placed on the Bible as before. Form
erly it was required to place the right
hand on tha open Evangelists.
In swearing Roman Catholics, the
Bible is closed and has marked on the
outer cover a cross, generally cut out of
white paper aud pasted on. Sometimes
a crucifix is placed upon it, which the
witness, after tho oath is recited, kisses
when there is any suspicion in the mind
of the president of the court martial, or
in that of any of its members. The
witness, if a Roman Catholic, after
kissing the cross, is frequently directed
to cross himself.—New York Times.
The Last “Lion Sermon."
\ The last annual “lion sermon” has
! been preached in the city, and the leg
acy, left for the purpose 2 yi centuries
ago, will in future be devoted to other
uses. Sir Richard Guyer, who subse^
quently became lord mayor, so the story
runs, while traveling in Arabia was at
tacked by a lion. He fell upon his
knees and vowed to devote his life to
charity if spared from the lion’s jaws.
Tho lion thereupon walked quietly
away.—London Tit-Bits.
A Missing “VM Discovered.
The Buffalo Express says, '' Pack my
box with four dozen liquor jugs” is the
shortest sentence which contains every
letter of the alphabet. Says the Roches
ter Post-Express, “Where’s the letter'
v in that sentence?”
To which the Rochester Herald re-;
plied, ” Probably they went to the man -
who sold the jugs. ’ ’
None seems to have seen that it was
probably originally “five dozen,” etc.
—Journal of Education.