12 Conservative *
The crucifix
TIIK OUKUN-S ith hioh Qneon
ouucinx. , T- , .
Victoria s natno is
associated has its place in the convent of
the Grande Chartreuse. This may seem
strange to the uninitiated , but it is true.
It is a beautiful silver crucifix , and has
its place among the convent's treasures.
It was given by the queen to a humble
Carthusian monk of English nationality
when her majesty visited the Grande
Chartreuse some years ago. She con
versed with this monk in his cell , the
conversation turning upon serious mat-
tors. The royal visit at an end , the
monk saluted his sovereign , and the
queen of England left the cell. Shortly
afterwards the general of the Carthu
sians called to him , the religious in ques
tion , and handed to him a beautiful
silver crucifix. It was Queen Victoria's
gift to the English monk in remem
brance of her visit to his cell. "Our
rule forbids us to possess such things , "
said the superior , "but keep this beauti
ful crucifix by you for a time at any
rate. " The monk withdrew and re
turned almost immediately , handing his
superior the crucifix with a piece of
paper having the following words written -
ton upon it : "Regina dedit , regula
abstulit sit nomen Domini benedictum. "
"The queen gave it , the rule withdraws
it , may the name of the Lord be
praised. ' ' Catholic Times.
A CUIUOUS SUI'KKSTITION.
Iii a former article I mentioned some
curious superstitions which are still to
be found among the people ; but here is
one of the most curious , which I hap
pened to hear the other day. A clergy
man was walking , through the outskirts
of his parish one evening , when he saw
one of his parishoners veiy busy white
washing his cottage. The parson ,
pleased at these somewhat novel signs
of cleanliness , called out , "Well , Jones ,
I see you're making your house nice
and smart. " "With a mysterious air ,
Jones , who had recently taken the cot
if" tage , descended from the ladder , and
slowly walked to the hedge which sepa
rated the garden from the road. "That's
not 'xactly the reason why I'm a doing
of this hero job , " he whispered , "but
the last two couples as lived in this 'ere
cottage 'ad twins ; so I says to my
missus , I'll take an' whitewash the
place , so as there mayn't be no infec
tion. Yo see , sir , as "ow we got ten of
'em already. ' ' "Whether the whitewash
ing was effectual or not , I have not boon
able to ascertain. Cornhill Magazine.
1CAT.S AND UNSKAWOKTIIY SIIIl'.S.
The old superstition , which has grown
into an adage , that rats desert a ship
which is no longer seaworthy , is still an
article of faith with the fresh-water
sailors of the great lakes. Sundry well-
authenticated instances seem to justify
this belief. The Vernon was a three-
ir
master , which did a tramp business.
Built in Buffalo in 1850 , she was
for many years regarded as one of the
best craft on the lakes. Late in the
fall , about fifteen years ago , she un
loaded a cargo of grain in Buffalo
and reloaded with package freight
for Chicago. She was about to sail one
rough November night. Just before the
lines were let off , one of the seamen saw
a rat run over the hawsers to the wharf.
In a moment another was seen. The
seaman called others of the crew to see
the unusual sight. Between fifty and
seventy-five rats poured out of the ship
and took refuge along the wharf. The
crew refused to pail , but the captain was
obstinate , shipped a fresh crew , and
sailed forthwith. The ship was lost
with all hands. The Idaho , a fine pas
senger steamer , foundered in Lake Erie
in November , 1897. Out of her crow of
twenty-one men nineteen were drowned.
Just before the vessel left her moorings
a swarm of rats crawled over the haw
sers to the wharf. This was known to
part of the crew , and four men deserted
at the last moment. Similar stories are
told of other wrecked vessels , and an
old lake man says : ' 'It has been proved
a hundred times. There are x whole
lot of things in this world that we don't
know anything about. Rats live in the
very fibres of a ship. They see what we
can't see. When the timbers are hol
lowed and the seams open , these little
animals know that the ship is unsafe ,
and they desert it. " Household Words.
The January
, . . .
'
Scribner's opens
with an article which gives one insight
into one of the most interesting personal
ities now before the public. This is
Theodore Roosevelt's story of his Rough
Riders. Mr. Roosevelt's every move
ment seems to bo distinguished by
energy ; he comes against a subject with
a distinct jar ; "shock tactics" was what
he most exercised his command in. His
story is very pleasant reading , though it
is apt to make one wish for out-door
life. His catalog of cow-boys is good
enough for an American Homer.
By way of an odd contrast , a story by
Richard Harding Davis comes next ,
after a page or two of which you turn
back to the other man for a breath of
real air. It contains one or two of those
peculiar expressions in the French lan
guage to which Mr. Davis now and then
treats himself. It is always gratifying
to know that your author has been
abroad , but one could wish that , if the
alternative cannot bo arranged , the
Academicians would learn Mr. Davis'
kind of French , so that uniformity
would at least bo secured.
Mr. Robert Grant follows with one of
his Philosopher papers. Mr , Grant is
harder reading than ho once was , but ho
does himself proud by quoting Dauto in
the original. We understand that Bos
ton can go no further than that.
NON-AI'l'KOI'KIATION FOK STATH
HOARD.
Iii the Omaha Daily Herald of Thurs
day morning , February 25 , 1875 , will be
found the following from its Lincoln
correspondent at the legislature :
"A letter from J. Sterling Morton ,
president of the state board , was read in
the house last night asking that not a
cent be appropriated to the State Board
ot Agriculture this year , that they had
not asked and did not need any [ appro
priation. "
That was true then. It is true now
after twenty-four years. The state board
ought not to have one cent. If a state
fair can not pay its own expenses it
should not be held.
There is no good reason for bestowing
tax-raised revenues tipon either state or
county fail's. All laws permitting such
misuse of public funds ought to bo re
pealed.
HOOK NOTICK. . '
instructor m na
ture study in the public schools of St.
Paul , Minnesota , has prepared a text
book entitled , "The Handbook of Nature
Study , " published by the MacMillan
company , in Now York and London.
The plan of the book suggests that
children of the common school course
.should receive instruction about and bo
taught to observe the birds , insects ,
trees , shrubs , and flowers to be found in
the region in which they live ; learning
so far as possible from lessons received
either during out-of-door rambles or
from material brought into the school
room. There can be no question as to
the desirability of having such a course
of instruction introduced into our
schools that interest in the study of
nature may be awakened and knowledge
gained and prized.
The book contains illustrations and
helpful suggestions to teachers , with
numerous references to works that will
furnish needful and best information
upon subjects to be brought before the
children.
The book is admirably adapted for the
purpose for which it is designed.
February 11 , 1875 , was a very exciting
date in the chronology of republicanism
in Nebraska when a joint resolution was
introduced by Senator Spauu of Omaha to
expunge from the journals the impeach
ment record in the case of David Butler ,
deposed executive of the state.
A resolution requiring a per capita as
sessment of all the members of the repub
lican party who helped nominate and
elect Bartley and Moore to office to reim
burse the state for their defalcations ,
would now be exciting "as works meet
for repentance" can be. As soon as the
legislature has been organized it is
thought that remorseful republicans will
provide in some way for returning to the
people all the money which has been lost
through republican officials. Such an
act of conscience would bo very proper
and perfectly just.