8 THE OKAITA DAILY BEE : SAJITniDAY , .TAXtTAIlV 0 , 1897. Wool Growing In tlio Island Oontinont of Australia. GROWTH AND EXTENT OF THE BUSINESS A llliilorj- Sliot lluiilintiilrr I'/irnl- lelltitf Mio fit Hlo InilHHlry on I.nrn- in I o IMn In * I'lochniniUiTN tlic KooUlrpn ' Hs It la now nearly n quarter ot n century elnce Anthony Troltopo namea Australia In general anil New South Wales In particular "Tho I/ind ot the Golden Fleece , " ami tlio propriety ot the title lias only bccorao more manlfcat by the lapse of time. Year by year , says a writer In Harper's Weekly , the wool production ot the Island continent has In creased and still Increases , and there Is no reason why It should not BO on Indefinitely , except the doubt how long tlio world's de mand will continue to equal Australia's oup ply. Up to this time It Is doubtful whether most Americana know much more ot Aus tralia than of Central Africa. The general position and shape of this last of the con tinents way Indeed be familiar as a sort of geographical lesson. The fact that It con tains colonies or our own race Is also gen erally known , but beyond this a vague Idea of KCUBons upside down and creatures strange and unfamiliar comprises all that most people ple * have known or cared ) to know about the Australian land and Its people. It Is certainly worth while to know more than this about It from a business as well ra an educational point of view , If It were only because the United States lie several thousand miles nearer Australia than nny other country occupied by Europeans , except ing our Canadian neighbors. Separated from It only by tin ocean , which Is the calmest and mwt easily navigated ot all the world's great waterways , It would eecm that our commer cial Intercourse should be extensive. It hart not been BO , and the f.iult has been our own. No country In the world docs so large a foreign commerce In proportion to tlio number of Us Inhabitants aa Australia. This commerce amounts to a total export and Import value of upward of $150 per head for every man , woman and child of Ita 4,000,000 Inhabitants. WOOL AND C10LD. So far the great southern continent Is chiefly known to the world at large as a land of wool and gold. It Is true that many other things are produced besides wool , and many valuable minerals arc obtained besides gold , but aa yet the value ot these two has ex ceeded that of all others. There is now no colony of Australia In which gold hna not been found In greater or less abundance , but hitherto the wool production has been chiefly centered In one. New South Wales has always been headquarters of wool produc tion In Australia , and about one-half of the exports from that colony at present consist of that product. Not lesa than two-thirds of all the sheep on the continent are found within Its limits , and ot all the wool grown there moro than two-thirds Is the product of that colony. This probably arises partly from the circumstances of Australian his tory , and partly from the character of the country and climate. New South Wales Is not only very much the oldest ot the Aus- tiallan group of colonies , but with the slnglo exception of a part of Wcat Australia it Is the .best adapted for pastoral pursuits. Queensland , occupying the northeastern part ot the continent , Is for the most 'part too tropical in climate ; Victoria , situated on the southeast , comprises only about one-fourth part the area of New South Wales , and Is besides better adapted for agriculture ; South Australia , on the south , has special capa bllltlM for wheat growing , and West Aus tralia , while It embraces within its area of moro than 1,000,000 square miles many va u rieties of soil and climate , is but just enter. ing upon a pastoral career which may here n after bo Indefinitely extended. New South Wales , on the other hand , lying as It does In the warmer temperate zone of the east ern side of the continent , is peculiarly suited , both by soli and climate , for the production ot wool of special quality , while the natural features and character of most of thecoun try render It comparatively unfitted for any thing else. CENTER OP THE WOOL TRADE. Sydney , the capital city of Now South Wales , Is at once the greatest port of Australia and the chief center of the wool trade. A stranger visiting Its noble harbor at any time between November and the end of February notices with surprise the num ber ot vessels , both etcam and sailing ships , which crowd thu wlmrves and quays that line the shore , apparently EO greatly In excess of the requirements of a city of 350- 000 Inhabitants. These constitute the wool fleet of thu ficacon , and , while they arc chiefly British , they embrace also many representatives of Germany , Franco and even Italy , engaged In loading from the great wool Btorcs that everywhere line the horbor. These ships arc usually 'ballasted with copper , tin and lead ore , and then filled 'up with balca ot hard-pressed wool , which are etonod as tightly as the chesta In a tea ship. Circular Quay Is the loading place for the great lines of passenger steamships , which take many thousand bales during each season. They are not , however , part of the regular fleet , which only appears in Port Jackson ( the harbor of Sydney ) during the wool season , each vessel making usually two voyages one at the beginning and the other at the close of the summer. The only other consldeinble shipping port for wool In New South Wales la that of Newcastle , which Is alto the scat of the principal coal trade of Australia , It Is situated about 100 miles north of Sydney , at the mouth of the river Hunter , which forms a safa and commodious barber. The wool trade of Newcastle , while It la incon- Mcrnblo compared with that of Syilney , Is probably as large na th t of any other Australian port , excepting Melbourne and 1'ort Adelaide. The wuol whipped at New castle Is produced In the northeastern coast district of the colony lying within about 100 miles of the ocean. Newcastle Itself Is a consldcrablo town , containing , with Its im mediate suburbs , -population - , of about 75- 000 Inhabitants. The trade of the port , al though embracing wool and other products , is mainly coal , which Is raised In the neighborhood and shipped for export , at present , to the extent of about 3,000,000 tons per annum. > O1UGIN OK THE INDUSTRY. The development of wool production has been so Intimately bound up with that of the colony of New South Wales that It Is impossible to separate their history , Originally founded as a convict establish ment in the year 17S7 , the colony owed Us first impulse toward a free and prosperous career to the discovery W Its suitability for pastoral pursuits. This It owed chiefly to Captain McArthur. an olllcer ot the regiment which was specially enrolled In England for service in the new settlement of Dotany bay. Tills officer retired from the force In 1803 , and , having obtained a grant ot land , Awarded Highest Honors World's Fair , DR ; CREAM BAKING MOST PERFECT MADE. A pure Grape Cream of Tartar Powder. Free from Ammonia , Alum or any other adultetar.t 40 Years the Standard , devoted himself to the task ot establishing n breed ot Australian sheep of special value for wool growing. Ho was banished from the colony for the part he took In the deposition of Governor Bllgh In 1808 , but on his re turn , four years later , brought' back with him choice sheep ot the Hoyal Spanish and Saxony merino breeds for the purpose of carrying on his experiments. The result was that within n. few years the earliest shipments of Australian wools were sold In London at a price equivalent to nearly $3 a pound. It was only the discovery of the great central plains of the colony , however , which finally determined its destiny aa a great pastoral country. This took place in the year 1815 , when the great coastal range known as the llluo mountains was finally surmounted , and It was found that the coun try on the Inland water-shod consisted of vast grassy plains , Intersected at long dis tances by largo rivers , nil apparently flowing toward the Interior. Two years later , a con- vlct-mado road having been laboriously con structed fora distance of fifty miles over the rugged mountain range , which rises D.OOO fort above the wi level , the first flock of KHcep wns driven Into the unknown wlldor- nosa of grass country , and the history of pastoral Australia began. FI.OCKMASTKIIS FOLLOW EXPLORERS. For years that history reads llko a romance. Iror half a century the story of Australian exploration and discovery , second only In Interest and nut even second in danger and heroism , to that of central Africa , was also the etory of the development of the pastoral Industry ot the contlntuital Island. Year after year the pioneers of discovery pushed onward Into the Unknown wilderness , crossing ila vast , lonely plains , navigating Its strange rivers , which at one time flooded the coun try for miles on cither slds their channels , cmd at another dwindled Into pclty streams or wholly sank Into their sandy beds , disap pearing often , too , never to return , Into Ho trackless wastes and forests. And each stop of ths explorer's discovery was dogged by the Indomitable enterprise of the pastoral settlers , Each new district as discovered was occupied by men ready to make the wilderness their home , and the very same districts In which In one year the first ex- ploreni had perished of hunger and thirst were the next year occupied by the flocks of the run-holder following on their tracks. In this way the country which is now Vic toria was opened to settlement ; In this way the Interior ot Queensland became occupied. In the meantime the Interior of New South Wales became mapped out Into sheep runs , and It remains In that same condition to day. The great plains which were originally occupied "by the first selectors , who were willing to pay a license fee of 10 a year for the right to occupy a run of ten square miles , are now held under pastoral leases of fifteen years' duration at rentals usually amouutlng to about a 'penny ' an acr . WASTE OV MUTTON. The Interior districts of New South Wales are thuc for the most part given up exclu- blvely to wool growing. Excepting for ltd wool , an Australian flock Is ot little value. The population Is too scanty In the Inland districts to eupply a local 'market for meat , and the cost ot transit Is too great to allow of sheep being profitably .brought to dis tricts where there Is a large population. Thus it Is upon his wool and his wool nlono that tlio pastorallst depends for profit. This , when packed In bales and pressed as closely as possible In the local press , can 'be ' carted profitably long distances to the nearest rail road or water carriage that communicates with a tmarkct. To meet the needs ot the settlers the government has constructed several long lines O't ' railroad through the Interior In various directions , and by these the wool is conveyed to Sydney for ship ment. One of these railroads penetrates westward as far as the town of liourko , on the river Darling , a distance of about 520 miles inland from. Sydney. Another line ot about the same length extends to the batiks of the river Murray , where It con nects 'With tne railroads of Victoria ; while still a third line extends northward nearly COO miles to the borders of Queensland. Hero and there upon these lines of railroad townships are beginning to rise into some Importance , Biich as the town cf Balhurst , near which the first Aus- rallan gold was found , about 130 miles from Sydney upon the western line ; that of Qoul- burn , about 140 miles from the capital on the southwestern line ; and Maltland , Tam- worlh , and others on the northern rp.llroad. These country towns are generally the cen ters of agricultural districts of more or lesa extent and Importance , and the nelghborhooJ is beautified , 'by extensive vineyards and orange groves , which flourish luxuriantl } In. all parts ot the colory. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. The climate ot New South Wales has no doubt had much to do with Its wool pro duction , as well as with the peculiar charac ter ot the product Itself. The Interior of the colony Is dry , and for eight months of the year It Is also hot , with an average temperature - turo ranging from (10 ( degrees to 120 degrees in the slit'dc. This and the not uncommon occurrence of lengthened drouths have so far discouraged all attempts at agriculture on any extentivo scale , while they have cer tainly tended to produce the distinctive characteristics of the wool. There have been fiovernl occasions , Indeed , when the length ened drouths has caused great less of stock , mainly owing to the scarcity ot water. . On ono such occasion that ot the drorth ot ISSS-fi It was calculated that at least 3,000- 000 sheep died In New South AVales from this cause. Such a calamity is not now likely to occur , at any rate to ao alarming an extent , owing to the great Inducements offered by the government to runholders to conserve the water by means of tanks of great extent , and also to the largo number of artesian wells , which In some of the driest districts now provide abundant un failing supplies of excellent water. The very large and extensive supply of under ground water that has already been obtained In this way in eomo ot the very driest dis tricts oi the colony has led to the Idea that before long much of the land may bo rescued from the pastoral occupant and tlcvoted to other purnos.es which may give employment to a much larger population. Even should the most sanguine of such anticipations bo realized , however , there will always remain very largo areas of the continent of Aus tralia fitted for the pastorallst alone , on which the characteristic wool of the coun try may bo grown , and from which enough may bo exported to supply the demand of all other parts of the civilized world. There U no belter proof of the excellence of Dr. Hull's Cough Syrup than that it fa recommended by leading physicians. TIII3 III3AL TIIIXO. How n St. IOIINVoiiiim | ItcHeiiteil n Duilf'M Altt'iilloiiN. A young nnd good looking married woman , who lives near Grnnd nvenuo and North Market street , relnteH the St. Louis Post , wns detained down town In making her purchases , rind Htnrted homo after 7 o'clock ono day lust week on the Franklin nvenuo lino. She ix an observant llttlo body and detests ; x muaher woiau than she does a scorpion. Previous to gottlnpr on the cnr she hnd noticed a callow. Uudlsh , grown-up , 23- year-old Infant , blessed wjtu the downiest ot down upper Up oimuncntatloii , following her. She hurried IUT Htcp.s to get away from him , but to no purpose , for when she got on the oar lie followed. Slio sat down much annoyed , nnd ho seated lilniFPlC directly opposite her. nnd lioBiiu to shower killing smiles on her. They were suuh Binlles ns are calculated to make the sensible observer wish for u Kood , sharp Cuban machete for ubout four minutes , The masher , seeing no open response to his attentions , concluded that the laily hnd not Been Mm , so ha changed his scut to the cno directly behind hrr. Then ho leaned forwrird , his arms on the back of the Bent , and coughed. This action wus observed by all of tlio passengcra on the car , nnd the newspaper man was not the only one who longed for an axe. Then he attempted to open up u conversation , "AhemI Out rnwthcr late , aren't you. eh , my llttlo girl ? " . in'If bcF , ? ; ° S'r ' , , iwdon , sir ; I'm not your llttlo girl/ ' icily repllul tlio little woman , as she half rosp to escape his attentions "Ah , say. no\v , llttlo Klrl ; thut'tt u huwd slap , don't you know.1 ' said the callow masher In hla most dulcet tones. "lo you think so ? Wen. there's ono that's harder , " said the llttlo lady , nnd Flm turntil on him and gave him A resounding - sounding whuck on the face Hint brought every man In the car to hln feet n If he had Just made , an inadvertent connection with the trollejpole. . And the conductor carne in and led the masher by the ear out the backdoor Into tlui cold , blenk night nnd aroppcd him on tlio hard granite blocks , whcro ho must have heard the laughter floating-back from thn car until It was at icust three blocks uwoy , ' CHINESE COURTING CUSTOMS Celestial Weddings at Which There An Often Sad Surprise , THE SYSTEM OF CHILD BETROTHAL ! llrlileKfonm' * Kirn ) Look nt III llrlilf Wlicit Snlulilu IN ( lie Dutj- of < ho Widow Tlioiiy - . tlul "When I get married , " Is a phrase tha slnglo men. as well as single women , an fond of using. Crusty old bachelors an occasionally taken unawares with It on thel lips , and even they dwell on the word softly , flometlmes regretfully. The young people of China do not know this pleasure , And while many women approaching th borderland of splnsterhood in this country and many men who have been disappointed In some affair of the heart may be Inclined to think that marriage customs and lo.ws hero are all wrong , it Is doubtful If any ono could be found in the United States who would not most seriously object to substltut ing the Chinese customs of courtship ani marriage. The fact Is that In China the persons most Interested have nothing what ever to do with the matter. Ilev. S. G. Miner , a missionary in China , says in a pamphlet Issued for the Information of his Amerlcar friends , and abridged by the New York Sun , that the young people there are usually ba- trothod at a very early age , sometimes when nicro babes. This Is the way they go about It. Fre quently a man having a friend In a similar station In life , proposes to give his daughter in marriage to his friend's son. They have matchmakers and gobetwecns In China Just as here , but they work In an entirely dif ferent way. It is at this stage ot the game that the matchmaker is called in. Tlio children's horoscopes are cast , and for some days the matter is weighed by both families. The fate of the unsconsclous young people hinges on trifles during this period. If any accident happens In cither family , such as breaking a piece of china or glassware , or losing a trifling article , It Is regarded as a bad omen , and the match Is declared off then and there. Hut If all goes smoothly the parents decide that the betrothal Is de sirable , and Immediately presents are ex changed , the parents of the girl coming In for ths greater share. Among the gifts two cards are exchanged by the families. One Is ornamented with a gilt dragon , and has written upon it Information relating to the good points and shortcomings ot the boy. Ot course the shortcomings arc few and far between , since Chinese boys are considered nearly perfect beings by tnelr parents. The other card Is decorated with the picture of a phoenix , and gives similar Information about the girl. A thread of red silk with si needle at each end Is passed through each of these cards , which are preserved with the betrothal papers in the two families. The red silk signifies that the feet ot people destined to bo married arc tied together with Invisible cords. Lovers in this country gener ally think that their showing for a great degree of happiness In marirage is a poor ono unless their hearts are tied together in this way. These Chinese engagements are as binding as marriage , although the contracting parties may bo In absolute Igno rance of the arrangement. SUKPIIISES AT WEDDINGS. Very sad surprises constantly occur at Chinese weddings. So do they at American weddings , or rather , after them , for that matter. But they aren't the same kind of surprises. Frequently In China no com munication takes place between the two families from the time of the betrothal until the wedding. Sometimes one of the families becomes very poor , or maybe ono of thu be trothed couple becomes a helpless cripple , era a victim to leprosy or some Incurable disease. Mr. Miner says that ho knows of one In stance where the prospective bridegroom was an Idiot ; but nothing could prevent the mar riage. Frequently the betrothed girl is taken at once to the home of the boy's parents. There she is .made . to be a servant for the family until the marriage ceremony Is performed. Poor thing ! In addition to hearing about "My mother's pies , " If they have pics In China , she lies to see her mother-ln-law-elcct prepare them day In and day out , sometimes for several years. More frequently , however , the two who are to go through life together never see each other's faces until after they are man and wife. In this event tbo bride Is brought to her new homo on the wedding day In a hired bridal chair , a grand aftair of flaming scarlet , elabo rately decorated , and carried by four coolies preceded by a band of music. Two of her near relatives accompany her until they meet two of the bridegroom's nearest of kin , when they hand her over to the care of her new protectors. All her other relatives re main at homo and bewail her loss as If she were going to her burial Instead of her bridal , which. In .most . countries , Is believed to be the happiest event of woman's life. Not one of her kin or friends ever attends the wedding. Upon her arrival at the bridegroom's homo two women attendants stand ready to re ceive the bride and servo her during the days ot ceremony and festivity. The chair Is set down , and as they open It a child and an old woman , who has many sons and grand sons , como forward and formally Invite the bride to accompany them to the bridegroom's chamber. They find- , him sitting -here , nt- tired in official cap , gown and boots. The bride wears parti-colored garments , with a scarlet robe thrown over all. A scarlet silk or cloth veil covera her face and head. With the assistance of her attendants she trips across the scarlet carpet laid for the occa sion , because her llttlo foot must touch noth ing else , and takes her scat on the bride groom's right. Ho then removes her veil and crown , the curtain Is drann , and ths two are supposed , without so much as glanc ing at each other , to sit and think , without speaking , until preparations for the service are completed. Ten to ono they got a pretly fair Idea of what each other looks llko out of the tall of their obilquo eyes , If they are anything like lovers the world over , during the period of waiting. When everything is ready the bridegroom recrowns his brldo nnd they walk to the reception room. THE UECEI'TION KOOM. A Chinese reception room would make the average New Yorker , with his Idea of wha * a reception room should be , open his eyes. The whole end of It opens and looks out upon an open court. Hither the couple make their way , and by bowing their faces to the ground four times worship heaven and earth. They then face right about and worship the bride groom's ancestors In llko manner. Next they worship each other , or pretend to , and rotlro again to the chamber , whcro the bride's crown and veil are taken 'off for the last time , her hair Is elaborately dressed , and the bridegroom beholds her In all'her beauty , or ugliness , for the first time. Then .the wed ding breakfast Is served. Nobody Is al lowed to partake of It except the couple , and oven the brldo Isn't allowed to do any eating. She Just has to sit there motionless and watch the bridegroom enjoy himself , During the meal the mistress of ceremonies chants a song written for the occasion , In which she predicts that every known nuptial blessing shall como to the young pair. Next they re turn to the reception room and worship In the same manner as before all the groom's senior relatives , and are worshipped in turn by all his Junior relatives. The climax of the day's festivities is a grand marriage feast , after which the guests of both sexes are permitted to Inspect tha brldo and make any personal remarks they plcaso about her appearance or her dress , livery Chinese brldo has to pass through this ordeal , and , furthermore , she must appear perfectly unconcerned of blame or praise , of harsh criticism or friendly Judgment. U has always been said that the Chinese women have most amiable disposition * , and they must stand this trial. If possible , on the following day the wedded couple visit tlio bride's parents. If sbo has a lot of big brothers , woo to the bridegroom unless ho hands them out a good deal of cold cash ; he Is liable to have something ot a serenade otherwise. After a month of married life the brldo may visit her parents and relatives. Often this visit Is a very sad one , for the young wife has to tell of a very cruel husband or mother-in-law , who makca life a burden to her. Life U so lightly valued In China that the taking of It seems to many only a very llttlo thing. And. too frequently , unfortu nate young wives take advantage of these first visits hgniw to put au cud to their ex istence. A man hnsibccn known to drew himself because a nolfthbor pressed a claln for $10. Again , only a few months ago man was caught stealinR'church property I Foochow. Ills son-lmlaw became sccurlt for him and promised to h vo the old inan ap pear at the consulate the next morning , About daylight the son-in-law aroused Mr , Miner and told him 'that Ma fathcr-ln-law had taken opium durlng-thc night and Ron to the other world , find tasked him to hcl pay the funeral expenses. No wonder a : unhappy wife feels that' she has a right t take her lite when raon kill themselves fo : such trifles. Considering the strange way In which the ; are brought about , ( horc'Crc many compara' ' lively happy marriages In China , and man. people who put a full and proper valuation on life. On the other hand , should a girl In China lose her betrothed or a young wit her husband , she Is highly commended I she takes opium or contrives In some othci way to follow him into the great beyond Dutsldo the walls of many cities , notably Foochow , and along public roads , hundred ! of monumental arches are erected to perpetuate petuato the memory of young women wh have killed themselves rather than outllv their betrothed. Cases of this kind are al reported to the emperor , and the arches erected at his command. You cannot deny facts , and It Is a fact tha Salvation Oil Is the greatest paln'cure. 25c , "TinOrirlniiil Mmttcil. " To Utah In 20 % hours. California In C hours via the UNION PACIFIC. This Is the fastest and finest train in the west , Tickets can be obtained at city ticket offlce , 1302 Farnam street. A PAI.ATIAI > 1MUVATI3 CAll. Tlinl OIVIUM ! liy lli ; jRrorii'H Son the UniiilxoiitcNt tit K.xIndMice. What is undoubtedly the finest private car nt the disposal of a railroad magnate In this or nny other country was recently built for E. H. II. Green , president of the Texas Midland railroad. In direct con trast to the economical practices of his mil llonalro mother , Mrs. Hetty Green , he shows a decided disposition to enjoy the good things of life , and to make his way In ns easy nnd comfortable a manner as Is com patible with the duties of an energetic busi ness man. This Is proved by the manner In which ho travels over tbo big state o Texas In his rolling palace , the "Lono Star. ' Palatial Is the only word which is applica ble to this car , says the New York Herald. Even the private cars of British royalty pale Into comparative Insignificance beside the possession of the son of the richest woman In America. The exterior of the car resembles the or dinary Pullman coach. It Is sixty feet long. It was the aim In construction to utilize every foot of space in the interior , and It might bo aptly termed a rolling flat , as there Is every convenience lhat could bo found In ono of the most modern of apartments. It has a reception room , a private sleeping apartment , a dining room and a kitchen The principal and largest apartment Is the observation or reception room at ono end of the car. This occupies an area ot moro than eighteen feet In length. It includes two sleeping sections on either side , which are nearly nlno f.eet long , but during the day they can bo changed Into comfortably cushioned lounging seats. The room Is handsomely carpeted and furnished with wicker easy chairs , a rolltop desk and richly covered tables. There are also a speed recorder , air pressure gauge , thermometer , clock and electric fans. At night , If the occasion requires , the room can bo divided into three separate compart ments by partitions which fold against the upper paneling. Two of these can bo turned Into sleeping apartments. The car throughout Is furnished In dark wood , while numerous mirrors set In the panel'lng light up the interior during the day. At night light Is obtained cither by oil lamps or an auxiliary electric system fur nished by storage batteries carried beneath the floor of the car. < The passageway runs to the side of the car and opens Into a sullo ot fhnndaomely ap pointed staterooms , eo.eh . more than seven feet long. In ono Is a ( Stationary hcd , while the other contains 'a folding bod. Between these two rooms , and connecting with each. Is a bathroom about four and a half feet square , with a shower attached. Next comes the kitchen , to which eight ; and one-half feet of the- length of the car Is de voted. It Is as completely furnished as the domain of any hotel cbcf. A good slze.l range , a heater , coal box and table' are among the articles of kitchen furniture , and there are closets for china nnd silverware , besides a refrigerator for the storage of meats and delicacies. i Beyond the kitchen Is the dlnlnpt room , provided with a larger table , at which eight persons can bo eeatcd. The room is ten feet long and comfortably furnished with the usual d'lnlng room paraphernalia. The windows dews of the car are n trlflo larger than thosa of the ordinary drawing room car , and are fitted with heavy plate glass. The Interior is hung with heavy portieres and window cur tains. The best of nil Pills are Beecham's. "Tlic NortliiroHtoru Line. " 1401 Farnam street. , The "Overland Limited" leaves at 4:45 : p. m. The "Omaha Chlcago Special" leaves C:30pm. : Fifteen hours to Chicago , nates low , Standard of equipment high. IV1112X HI2 MAHUIEI ) AGAIX. VotliliiK- Too Rood fur HlH AVlfc Until lli Hi-aril the I'rlc'i- . "I had rather a queer experience In Decem ber last , " remarked the drummer for a Boston fur house to the Washington Star man , "with a customer of a friend of mine in West Virginia. I dijn't go to small towns is a rule , and , as for country stores , I have lothlng whatever to do with them of course , " The drummer for a shoe house , who struck n'erythlng that had a sign up , showed a Imposition to want to Jump on the superior ilrs of the Bcston potentate In furs , but re- Iralned. "I was In Charleston , which Is the capital if the state , " continued the drummer , "and i friend ot mine In the grocery line had to ; o In a wagon about forty miles on a circuit : o visit four or flvo of his customers , and le took me along for company. At the meat emote point we reached an old chap had n ; enoral store. Ho had only recently married igaln and his wife was quite a showy girl. \fter my friend had finished with the old 'ellow and we had taken dinner with him 10 called me to ono side for a private talk. " 'I reckon , ' he tald , 'that you air in the lido and pelt business , ain't you ? ' " 'I'm In furs , ' said I , a little Htlff , " 'It's purty much the same thing , I cckon. Leastways we won't quarrel. What : want to git Is a ueaUkln shawl fer my ivifo. She's a good-Jookor , ain't sheT " 'Quite a handsome lady , ' I responded , sln- croly , for she was , for a mountain woman , a ; oed deal better looking : than the average. " 'In course she Is and I want her to wear ; oed do's nccordln' . I never seen a sealskin bawl , but I reckon frum what I've heerd hat they ain't anything * ' flttlu'er fer a good- ookln1 woman to wear. ' " 'A sealskin eacquo 1s really a beautiful ; armcnt , ' I admitted , ' 'and ' I'd be glad to sell rou one for your wife. ' " 'An1 I'm mighty i anxious to buy one. 'rice ain't nothln' in a ciso ilka this. What's me wuth1 " 'Well , I can sell you something that vould make a fine wedding present for $150. ' "He Jumped away from mo as If I had lulled a gun on him. " 'Qecrooshyr ho ejaculated ; 'not a hun- Ired and fifty dollars ; you don't mean1 " 'Exactly , and there are some worth three ir four times as much , ' "For a minute he stood rubbing his chin , is If making a profound mental calculation , hen ho drew up close and almost whispered o me ; I " 'Say,1 he wld , 'don't say anything about ny wantln' that shawl , will you ? You sec , nrco yoke of steers ain't ' , wuth as much as hat dern sealskin shawl , and I'll be dob- jobbed ef I kin afford to have my wlfo vearin' ' three yoke uv steers around hero , { lon't kecr how purty eho Is.1 "I agreed to ( Hence , " concluded the drum- ner , "but I itold my traveling companion ibout U OH teen aa we got out of sight uf be old fellow and his new wife. " SIx-TI.IH > 1' . M , Trnln , of the CHICAGO MILWAUKEE & BT. PAUL HY. Llest eervlce , ELECTIUO LIGHTS. Dining car. City offlce : IDOi Farnam , SOUTH AFRICAN MARVELS Topped with a Snake Story and Tailed with Thrco-Oard Monte , MULHATTON'S ' GLORY UNDER A CLOUD A llnn'n Title nn n Corker 1'rnctlce Slioln nt It I lord of Ilimn The Iociint 1'cNt _ Inno- . concc Alironil. \ The latest snake story comes from South Africa. The New York Times declares It la recorded In the Transvaal , published in Capo Town , as cold fact , that In Sckukinl- jand a native ran across a boa constrictor , measuring about forty-seven feet , which liAd just -swallowed a young Koodoo buck , all except the horns. The torus stuck out 0:1 : each side of the reptile's mouth. The ua- tlvo recognized the horns ns those of n buck ho owned , and ho ran and got sticks and pinned the serpent , which was dormant , to the ground. Then ho got hold of the horns and pulled and twisted. Ho got the buck out Inch by Inch , until halt Its body showed , and then it canto with a jerk and the boy fell over on his back. i Before ho had time to think twice the snake , relieved ot his load of mutton , was upon him , nnd it seized his head In its mouth and In thrco minutes the native had taken the place of the buck , only ho was all inside ; there was nothing left out to pull on , even If a rescuer had come alone. Hav ing swallowed the boy the boa deliberately swung Its bead around and grabbing Its tall swallowed eight feet of It , thUii closing the mouth and throat , jlown which the native had disappeared , and making escape abso lutely Impossible. The Transvaal vouches for the truth of the story. LIONS A PLENTY. Dcaldcii Bnokcs of thU ferocious and In genious character , they have lions a-plenty In South Africa , as the following from the Capo Times of Cape Town shows : "The following Is an extract from the let ter of a young colonist In Mashonaland , sent to the Queen's Town Frco Press. Th letter Is written from Belengwa , a place 11 miles southeast of Bulawayo : "Writing to B last week , I gave a account of a rather exciting experience hnd with lions , but Eiuco then I have bee : within two yards of them , hearing the brute roar , and seeing them devouring cows , went down to Fynn's ( a son of Mrs. Fyn _ of Krell fame ; ho Is a native commlralone of the district and a very smart young fe low Indeed ) , to dinner. I was walking , as . Is only three miles from hero. I forgo to take my rifle with mo. I stayed a Fynn's until 9 o'clock , and then walked eve to the local store to post my letters , leav Ing there shortly after 10 to return to in. , camp. We had been spinning yarns ot differ , ent lion experiences all the evening. Cense qucntly when I left I was full of lions ant their daring habits. However , I would no show the store people that I did not quit llko the walk home alone without a gun and so I started , with my terror as a com panlon. BeingIn good fettle I did the threi and a half miles In forty minutes , and go home safely. Very early next morning I go a note from Fynn , saying that within hal an hour of my leaving the store the lloni had como down and taken four donkeys be longing to a prospector , and three calveL out of the store kraal , all within , fifteen yards of the store. A hunt wcs organized and we scoured the neighborhood without result , returning at 3 o'clock In the afternoon when we found out that the brutes had alsi taken the partly eaten two cows and a cal. belonging to Fynn. Fynn , myself , and Orpen ( nephew of the treasurer ) , decided tc build a echerm ( a small hut made of polei and tied with green hldeo ) and sit up al night to fice If they returned. Well , as 11 luck would have It , the night turned up bit tcrly cold , with a drizzling rain , and as dark as pitch. Wo decided to do relief for two hours , and keep watch. The cows' carcases were only within two yards of the schcrm SHOOTING IN THE DARK. "During my watch , from 2 to 3 o'clock , the lions turned up , and announced their pres ence with a roar. I do not think I shall for got It. They appeared to bo very hungry as they promptly started to eat the dear cows. Fynn got first shot , and hit his llor. badly ; In fact , we thought It was going to ittack the scherm. However , It thought better of It and cleared off. By this time it -as eo dark that wo could not sec the lions , ind could only shoot by guess work. I got i shot at the next ono and missed ; In fact , it simply went on eating. I fired again and tilt. By Jove ! Ho roared and growled , gnashed his teeth , and tried to make for the jcherm. Fynn fired and hit him again , and ivo felt sure of having secured one at last. "Presently another came up , and Fynn Ired again but missed. This one cleared. iXnother came up , Fynn flred , and this ono : leared also. All this time we could hear ny lion moaning -and growling , and fnlt mro wo could find 'him ' thcro In the raoru- ng , but. to our disappointment , when wo ; ot pu the brute had gone. Although great lools of blood could bo traced where he had ested , wo could not follow his spoor for nore than n mile , the rain having washed nit oil trace of him. Wo spent two days n trying to find the bodies without success. : am eorry , as I made so sure of having hit ind killed my one. I darcay eomo ono vlll bo fortunate enough to find his ckin ) efore destroyed by birds. The whole cx- icrlcnco was novel and exciting. Orpen lid not get a shot , as the lions came up rom the lee side and wo did not dare nove. Two were killed some time ago vltli spring guns. This district Is fairly emnilng with them , and It is dangerous to novo about at night , whether you have a 'Illo ' or not , " ) THE LOCUST PLAGUE. Still another abundant product of South Vfrlca is the locust. Just look at these clegrama from a South African paper : "QUEEN'S TOWN , Jan , 2. Mr. Colin Vlilto of Richmond sent In eomo locusts oday that ho mot near there , traveling cast , hey are a new kind and have largo bodies , nd long prickles on their legs. They cat eaves peach , quince , apple , flg and wll- ow. , "POUT ELIZABETH , Jan. 4. The up- ountry train this , morning passed through warms of locusts of greater or lew lenslty for 1EO miles. It has also been , as- ertalncd that ulmllar swarms are on farms n the Ultcnhago district. They are reported 0 bo a new species , "DUHHAN , Dec. 31. The locust prst Is tow appearing , the swarm of hoppers hav- ng hatched in Durban and Victoria coun- le , where the ecreen system will bo irought Into operation , " i JUST A LITTLE GAME. Last , but not least , they have in South kfr'lea the world-famous three-card monte ; ame. But the Judges down there don't eem to bo very familiar with It yet , or aii't see that there is any cheating In It , a their story shows. "Ilecently at Port Elizabeth Joseph Stew- rt wns charged before the magistrate with rnud by means of n certain three-card game , ohn Hendrlk Hugo gave the following ovl- cnce ; I am a farmer and live at Hliodcu , car Barkly. I left homo on the 1'Ut Inst , 3 como to Port Elizabeth , I was accom- anlcd by Johannes Hendrlk Van Heerden , nd we traveled second class. Prisoner and notlier man , whoso name I do not know , lined the train at Mlddleburg Head on Bun- ay morning , After the train left Middle- urg Itoad the prisoner said ho should llko talk with us , and he Introduced a subject 1 connection with a game of cards In which nly three cards were required. He said o had been playing a game of cards with man. Prisoner's friend said : 'Show us how 3 play that game. ' He agreed to do so , and 3ok three cards out of an ordinary visiting ard case. Ho showed the other man how 3 play with three rards. Tlio prisoner and U companion , after the latter hud the game xplalned to him , started to play for money , 'ho companion or confederate flist won , hen lost. Both of them then asked inn to lay. I said : 'No. It U Sunday , and we hould not play cards on Sunday. ' They lien naked Mr. Van Heerden to play. At rst he would not , but buing pressed very luch ho agreed to stake half n sovereign , nd Van Heerden won. Prisoner suggested hat the stakes be for 5. He drew out a 15 oto , ana seeing that , prlsonvr said ; 'Ob , lice , Saturday Special Sale of Soft S flirts/ We aren't selling enough Soft Shirts , Rather we aren't selling enough of the right kind. People are buy ing 45-cent and 6j-cent shirts where they used to buy shirts for $1.00 and $1.50 , but it isn't profitable economy if they only knew , To show the difference between buy ing cheap shirts and buying good shirts cheap we will put on sale Saturday morning a hundred dozen of men's fine cassimere shirts such shirts as arc always sold at $1.75 to $2.00 and to put them on poor people's backs we will make them at a uniform price of one dollar each. These shirts are full length , full width and full finished , by which we mean that the shoulders are reinforced , the neckbands interlined and the wristbands doubled and stitched , and for good looks , good wear and good value they are equal to anything that ever went out of "The Nebraska" in a special sale , All sizes from i4.to 17 To go with'these splendid shirt values we will also sell- - Saturday 2 pairs of homespun heavy all wool sox for 250 which at regular value are worth 250 a pair. These two items ought to make Saturday an exceptionally busy day < ' 100 Couchce In the special sale at $ S. $10 , the 70 sale different at $5 , $ styles G , ? 8 , ? of 12 , dining $14 , $15 tables , $20 , $23 In , ? 12. ? 15 , $18 ; | 20 , $25 , $30 , $40 and $50 all a ' $30 and $10 all at greatly reduced prices. about half price. I _ * _ $ CHAS. SHIVERICK 6c CO. , Largest Stock and Lowest Prices. 12th and Douglas. make It 10. ' Van Heerden did so ; he put down another 5 note. Ho lost that 10. Prisoner asked him to continue playing , so ho put down another 5. Well , I thought I would try to get my friend's money back for him , so I put in 10 , making our Joint put In 15. Wo lost it all. Prisoner's fv-lend urged me to play again. He said : 'Try and regain your money. ' I did so after much persuasion , and the result was I lost 10 moro. I would not play any moro , although they begged mo to continue. I spoke to tlif ciinrd about my loss , and asked him his opinion. ' "Tho farmers lost between them 35 , an then told the guard. Stewart offered to com promise the affair by Riving them 22 10 ] 10 tell the guard that the affair was settled The guard gave Stewart In charge for gam bling on the line , but found llttlo monej upon him. The confederate had disappeared by that time. "The magistrate held that no fraud hail been proved and prisoner was discharged , South Africa , It will ho seen , Is a grca place. Others have fauna health , vigor and vitality In Hood's Sarsaparllla. and It sursly has power to help you also. Why not try If oxre iiuximu ? ) YUAHS AGO. What AViiH OolnK On in ilie AVorlrt In the Year 17 T. As ono opens the new year tlio memories ot a tremendous century are awakened , says the Rochester Democrat. Yes , It will be 100 years on the 4th of March since Washington retired from public life , while Napoleon ( then General Bonaparte ) was beginning his second campaign In that bloody and ambitious ca reer which "shut the gates of mercy on mankind. " Albany waa that year made the permanent capital of the state and Wash- Inglon the capital of the nation , but the lat ter was then only a rude settlement where workmen were erecting the government buildings. Civilization was limited on the west by the Ohio Indians and Now Orleans ivas a French city. New York contained a population of 25,000 , and the only buildings if that city Which aurvlvo are the Hall of llecorda and St. Paul's church , both of which , vcro then In the suburbs. The collect pond , iVhlch covers twenty acres , was thtMi n promt- lent feature , nnd on ono of its inlands stood : ho magazine which contained the1 national ; unpowder. On the banks of that once 'ninous pond thcro lay the ruliia of John /Itch's steamboat which ho hod abandoned n dr.spatr for lack of public support , and ret It proved the possibility of what Fullou : en years later rendered n great success. Aillon himself was studying mechanics , hav- ng abandoned portrait painting , and had In- rented a torpedo. AVash'lnglon Irving was a irlght scholar of 14 In Homnlno's school on [ ohn street. Do Witt Clinton , tlii'n u yount ; awyer. had Just been elected to the state cglslaturc. Alexander Hamilton , In 1797 , had given Ifo to American credit , but having retired rom public life -was practicing law , and ind jusfi built his country atat ( the GraiiKfO 'iBht ' miles out ot town. Bryant , VanderblU md lid ward Uvorett were In prattling child- lood (3 ( years old ) , and Moreo of telegraph amo was a lad of 6. Wlnllehl Scott wna 1 , and Daniel Webster , at 15 , wns In 1737 ireparlng to unter Dartmouth college. Henry 3Iay , at 20 , having gene through many trugglcu for education , had opened n law illlco in Lexington , Ky. , and Andrew Jack- on ( ten years alder ) took his atat In the Jnlted States eaiittte the Fame day Washing- on retired , representing the new state nf rcnncssco , John Jacob Astor was a email lealer In furs , but owned his utore , while ils brother Henrlck < was tbo leading butcher n New York. Charles lirockdcti Blown , hefather of American fiction , was 20 , and mil published his first novel. John Quint , kdams , ut 30 , was married In 1797 , and np > olntcd by his father minister to Berlin. Aaron Burr's term as "United States sen ior closed on the 4tt ! of March , 1707 , and o was soon afterward elected to the state legislature , being then 32 , and tbo most romlnenC politician In New York , Ho had Iso just llxed liU residence at Richmond illl , where Theodosla at It was ( he ruling plrlt , whoso power over her father was ho only sway ho ever acknowledged. Fenl- lore Cooper , a lad of 8 , waa living with Is father In Coopcrstown , then the center f an Immense wlldernecs , where he formed bat acquaintance with frontier life that endered him n successful novelist , while 'etcr ' Cooper , two years younger , waa at- ending school In this city , Noah Webster t SO was editing the"Minerva , " Ho had ar many years , however , been Interested 11 philological xtudles , and his dictionary von then 'Wiit ? the great purpoxo of his life , t anay be added that the "Minerva" was hanged to the "Commercial Advertiser , " , 'tilcli has passed Us centennial , and Is now he oldest newspaper In this city , Lyinan Icecber , eon of a New Haven blacksmith , raduated at Yale In I'i07 , and tbo next ear , havlug become a preacher , married Your mouth opens you show people the condition ot your teoth. Lot thorn sco tliutyou nro , particular about your tcoth. Set Teeth , $5.00. Best Teeth , $7.SO. Gold Crown , 2'2ls , $5.00 Lady iiUoiuiant.'ad Hoof , " Vaxton bll : ( ho gifted Itoxanna Footo , but how llttlo did this young couple imagine the future greatnesy of their children. Turning to foreign genius , Walter Scott at 2C was practicing law in Edinburgh , but had already shown his poetical tosto by translating German ballads. Burns had Just passed away and Scotland was beginning to realize Its loss. Edmund Burke also died In 1797 , but ho Is still remembered as the great friend of America during tlio Revolu tion. Thomas Crmpbell at 18 was In 1737 doing literary work for a publisher and the next year his "Pleasures of Hope" was an nounced by the same house. Charles Lamb at 22 was n commtrcial clerk with a literary taste , and In 1797 ventured to print some poetry , llttlo dreaming of the coining fame of "Kllu. " Tom Moore also made his debut In print In 1707 , being only 19 , but ho was even- then versifying "Anncrcon , " Coleridge wrote the "Ancient Mariner" In 1797 , and ths same year ho and Wordsworth planned their joint volume ot poems. It was a failure , which Wordsworth ascribed to this "Ancient Mariner , " which , as ho said , "No ono could understand. " Welling ton at 2C was Colonel Wellesley and had been ordered with his regiment lo India , while Neleon had just been knighted for hid naval gallantry. Goethe and Schiller were the literary lights of Europe , and the former In 1797 produced tha most perfect of lila minor works , whllo the latter the same year ivns finishing his "Wallcnslein. " Franco liad guillotined most of Its Iltcrateurs aa well as scientists , but Mine , dc Staol , ban- Itihed from Paris by Napoleon , was Improv ing her retirement by producing tlioso ivorks which rendered her the most popular I'rench author of that day , SIn.ro thcso : haractors center to a greater or lessdc - rco about 1797 , ono Is naturally led to a centennial review , which Indeed has other points of Interest , MORKM'iY ' Sunday morning , Jnnunry 21 , Ih97 , any D. MoHclcy , elili'Ht HOII of Wil liam W. and Alice f3. Moseley , Into of fhlcnffo , III. , nifed 2.T yenrs and 7 montlm. Funeral from 'JVcnty-"lxth and High streets Tuesday , January iU ! , at " P. m. " .VIMV llNiMirliM Daily. " Now gold fields , New towns spring up In he Black Hills mining districts. The Northwestern line In the best , and the iloncer road to the hllln. J. H. BUCHANAN , General Pacsenger Agent , Omaha , Neb , U.Yctir loiiH Sinilli Via tliu U'lilnixli. On Tuesday , February 'i and 16 , the > Vnbash will neil tlukotu to all points south it half faro , with $2 added. For tickets and urther Information call at Wabanh oillco , 415 Funiam street ( Pnxlon Hotel block ) , or vrlto 0. N. CLAYTON , Agent , , Dc-iilcN Hull Ho IlnnTVH.V. . ' BAN FKANCISCO , Jan. 2W. ! > . B , Fisher , ho real estate agent who left town a few ; ays ago , has returned , Hn pays ho did not ii- eo from his creditor , ! , but went to Stockton ecaiiko ho was ill. Ho denim ho has dona nythlng wrong , and uays ho linn been uni artunato In bunlnecs. owing to dull times , lo declined to dUeuts his suit for divorce. f * fa ( * > aW PP ° % R Bl. CAST OR IA For Infants and Children , Ittv A Handsome Complexion la ono of the jjroutest charms u woman can poieeaft , I'ozzowi'8 CoMruisiou gives it.