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nczianmtMsaw.T JAPANESE PLAYING CARDS. Forty-SNlD Mnk 'Deck" and They Ar 4uerljr Marked The iAistory of playing: cards, tlieir introducUioa into Europe from the cast by the xfypsies or by the home-return-ing crusaders, the change jind develop nien,'t they underwent while beiug adaipted from tho cards of the orient arV.il altered into those that are familiar b our eves, nave beeu dwelt upon by uuruoers 01 writers savs cciencc. uuc the cards used in Japan have not beeu menuoueu in nay or. me uosi-unown histories, aiiiiougu tney are in ore dis tinctly original thau any others, and they show no marks of the common origin which the Italian, Spanish. Ger man, French, Hindoo, aud Chinese cards display. Tho Japanese cards, we learn from a paper by Mrs. J. King van Rensse laer, in the Proceeding of tho Na tional Museum" (vol. 13. No. 836). are oblong and are made of pasteboard. The backs are painted black, with none of the checkered, dotted marks which usually decorate European cards. The designs seem to be stenciled, and are brightly and appropriately colored, aud then covered witu an enamel or varnish which makes them quite as slippery as our own. They are very much smaller thau our curds, being a little more thau two inches long by one broad. Forty-nine in uumber, they are di vided into twelve suits of four cards in each suit. One card is a tvillo smaller than the rest of the pack, and has a plain white face not embellished with any distinctive emblem, and this one is used as a "joker." Tho other cards are covered with designs that repre sent twelve flowers or other things ap propriate to the week of the year. Each card is distinct and different from its fellows, even if bearing the same emblem, and they can be easily distinguished and classified, not only by the symbolic flowers they bear, but also by a character or letter that marks nearly every card, and which seems to denote tho vegetable that represents the month. The only month that has has no floral emblem is Au gust, and that suit is marked by moun tains and warm-looking skies. January is represented by piue trees, which, on two of the cards, are shown against a lurid sky; tho third one has a grayish background, that throws the trees into strong relief, and the fourth has a setting sun flecked with light clouds, the pines barely indicated in fint of it, and tho greater part of the card covered with tho ligure of a hugo white-bodied, red-eyed stork. February displays as its emblem a plum-blossom, the four cards devoted to this month bearing its flower in various positious. March has a red-cherry blossom, and April the hanging tendrils of the wistaria vine. On one of the cards of this suit is a wee yellow bird, which is living across its surface under a crim son cloud. For May there are beautiful blue birds springing from long spiky leaves. One card shows in oue of its corners part of a dock or pie'r. and also tho water out of which the flower is lifting its lovely head. June is represented by blood-red peonies, over one of which two yellow butterflies are hovering. On July's cards Star-shaped leaves, sonio yellow, some red, and somo black, are scattered over their sur faces. These leaves resemble those of our gum or liquid amber trees, but they bear the Japanese name of hagi. On'oneofthe cards belonging to this suit a deer is represented standing un der the branches of this strangely hued tree. This is the only ligure which re calls in any way the emblems used on cards belonging to other nations, as on one of the Chineso cards is found either a deer or else Chinese characters which have been translated to mean: 'This is a deer." 'August is represented by four pict ures of grass-covered mountaius, in three of which they are sharply de fined against a clouded bluo sky, and in the fourth the sun, looking hot and sultry, beams down on a treeless hill. Three birds fly across the sky ou one of these cards" September bears the Mikado's flow er, a yellow aud red chrysanthemum; October a maple tree with red or yel low leaves, and on one card is a yel low boar trotting off toward tho symbolic tree. November shows on one of its cards a willow sharply outlined against a leaden sky. The willows on a fellow card look wind-tossed, and a long tailed bird skims across the sky. A third card is covered with inky clouds, torrents of rain, and strango zigzags resembling forked lighting. "The fourth card of this suit bears a quaint figure of a man running through the storm under tho willow trees and drop ping his sandals in his haste, his head covered with a hugo yellow umbrella. Streaks of lightning surround the lit tlo figure, and tho storm of rain is well depicted in the picture. December bears the imperial Japan ese plant kiri, and over one of theso flowers hovers a beautiful red-crested silver-winged pheasaut. An infinite variety of games are played with these cards, as there is a shade of difference in each one of each set, and in some games each has a peparato value. Tho favorite game in Japan at present is very liko casino, in which any card of a set may tako any other, but all have their own values in tho final count. JIo Instep Fad. An instep pad is a new fad of those fair women who are so unforlunato as to be possessed of a "low bred" foot. It is simply a little linen pad fitted in place directly over where tho instep should bo but very often isn't. If such a fashion becomes general it will com pel shoemakers to keep a stock of shoes with high insteps, and the mod erately low heels now demanded alike by good sense and fashion. It is uext to impossible now to get a shoo with a high instep, except one mado on what is known as the "Spanish last" and a ridiculously exaggerated heel is a part of the make up of these shoes. Y. Tribune. THE LABORER VERSUS THE LOAFER. Plain Statement of the Characterlatlea That Distinguish the Two. Man has been defined as an intelli gence served by organs. It would be more exact to say that he ij a persou ality served by intelligence and using organs. The will, the power of self direction, that which individualizes a person who can sav "1" aud "my" this is his essential" characteristic, and this makes him a laborer. The in doleut self-surrender of the person to the impulse or caprice of the moment, the lack of intelligent object in life, tho slow fading away of strength at tho heart of his being, and his conse quent disposition to drift with tho stream of things rather than to guide their course this is what dehumanizes a man and makes him a loafer. It is ouly hard to be a laborer because it is hard to bo a man. Effort, in ward energy, power of will, being thus tho distinguishing attribute of mauhood, or. rather, selfhood, tho fatigue which comes from overwork is not so intolerable to bear as the list- lessness which torments the wretch who is sunk iu the '"sleepy drench" of laziness; and, in our present style, the practical fall of man is his fall from a worker into an idler. However much our desire may bo for ease, our real happiness is iu activity; yet the difficulty of urging body and mind in to effort is so great that the ideal of mauy working people is still inactive enjoyment an ideal which their very nature makes impossible of realization. How many men there are, farmers, mechauics, merchants, lawyers, who labor vigorously, looking forward hopefully to the time when the results of their labor will enable them to be loafers! The thought, indeed, is car ried beyond the present life. Miss Marsh, iu one of her novels, tells us of a British "navvy" saying to his mate: "I wonder, Bill, whether it be true what they say of heaven being so happy whether it can be happier than sitting here in the public over a jug of ale with the fiddle going? I don't kuow a pleasure as comes up to that!" And by how many persons higher in tho mental and moral scale than this navvy is paradise conceived of as a state in which there is nn ever lasting continuance of pious laziness as if the worst impiety in heaven, as on earth, was not slothful inanition! E. 2'. U'kipplc in North American lie vieiv. The Honeymoon Cheek Dook. A young man of fashion who got married not long ago did a unique thing. A short time before the wed ding he bought a new check book, and had lithographed obliquely across tho face of each check his own name and his bride's maiden name in small let ters, and under them the word "mar ried," in bold characters, followed by tho day and date. The young man has used this check book solely for tho payment of his wedding expenses his new clothes, his gifts to the bride and the wed ding party, the ante-nuptial suppers, lunches and river parties, the par son's perquisite, aud all of the bills'rin curred during tho honeymoon, be sides getting the checks cashed for his pocket money. At the end of four weeks from the wedding day ho means to stop using these checks, col lect all the vouchers, tie them up all together, mark tho parcel "Honey moon Vouchers," and Jock it up iu a strong box. which is not to be opened until tho silver wedding anniversary twenty-tivo years hence. Boston Courier. Wonderful Spring. The largest and most wonderful spring of fresh water in the world is on tho gulf coast of Florida, iu Her nando county. Tho Wekochco river, a stream large enough to float a small steamer, is made entirely of water spouted from this gigantic natural well, which is 90 feet in diameter, and about 70 or 80 feet deep. Tho water is said to be remarkably pure. lied iu the Presidential Chamber. Tho old mahogany bed that stood for mauy years in the presidential chamber of tho white house has given way to two small brass bedsteads, which have been put there during Pres ident Harrison's occupancy of the house. FORGETS HIS POCKET. One of the Experience Which Come to Went Tolnters. One of the graduates at West Point I am now trying to relearn the use of pockets. For livo years I have been without that pleasaut domestic feature in my trousers, and I am glad to find that they are still in vogue. Very few pcoplo are familiar with tho binding nature of tho routine at the Govern ment school. In my course there I have been away from the Point once on a two or three days' leave. Yet I have not found the restraint irksome, The work is hard but pleasant, aud one must be hard to please' who can not find a congenial set of friends there. Before taking my leavo of absence, Granted for six weeks after graduation, select a certain number of posts of thoso submitted to me and run my chances on getting the ono of the three I most caro for. Tho Government always sends tho now men West, but does not summa rily dismiss them to sqmo wilderness without consulting their preferences in tho matter. For instance, nut of tho available posts submitted to mo I chooso one on tho coast, one in Colo rado and one in Kansas. Accordingto the vacancies which may exist, I am scut to tho ono of thoso three. Natur ally, the posts with the best reputation for life aro pitched on by the vast majority. There may bo but a vacau cy or two to fill. A man's standing at the completion of his courso has a great deal to do with his getting tho best. Iu tho meantime, I shall have six weeks of unlincturcd bliss. It is glorious to get back into tho uncon etraint of civilian attiru after years of uninterrupted straightlaciug in tho cadet garb. MISSING LINKS. Australia is tho largest tea consum ing country iu proportion to its population. At n newspaper exhibitiou in Paris there are 0,000 specimens or journalism from all parts of the world. W. J. llainey. of Butler County, Pa., was picked up by a vicious horse and shaken till oue arm was broken. It is said that the wine product of uaiirornia this year will reach 10.000. 000 or 20.000,000 gallons tho largest lor years. Girls aro no longer to be flogged iu the industrial schools of Kirkdalo in Lancashire. Such is tho order of the local government board. Tho runaways on the Brooklyu unci go average two a montu in sum mer and oue a mouth in winter. Ar rests average four a week. The causalty record for tho English football season just over shows twelve cases of death "directly attributable to injuries received In matches." Theodore Tilton is prepariug a new volume of poems. Ho still lives on the Isle St. Louis, iu Paris, and mani fests no desire to return to this country. There is but little demand for yachts in Eugland just now and uu unprece dently large number are iu tho market. A boat which cost 4.500 to build was sold lately for ouly 640. There is a spring in Bear Valley, uear Chambersburg, Pa., from the sur face of which bubbles of air and sand ascend about ten inches aud burst. Tho spring is ten feet in diameter. The water is pure aud refreshing. A full-grown wild boy, aged about 16 years, has been captured at Euoch's Point, Australia. His body is said to bo covered with hair four inches long, the hair on his head being four feet long and his nails live inches. Tho ashes of Mine. Blavatsky aro to bo placed in a magnificent urn of gold and guarded by tho British section of tho Thoosophical Society. An effort will bo made by the Washington Theo sophists to have the urn stored in the national capital. A jeweler at Pleasanton, Cal., has a livo tarantula in a glass jar, whore ho has kept it for more than a year with out food. About two inches of dirt is all there is iu tho jar, and how the creature lives is a mystery. He seems as frisky as ever. Following upon tho Duke of Port land's agitation in favor of doing away with the bearing or check rein from carriage horses, the Queen has direct ed him, as her Master of Horse, to take off the bearing reins from the horses that draw the royal carriages. An action has been brought by a Boston woman against another iu Saco, Me., to recover $400 for "chap eronage." This suit has probably been brought as a test case, that tho powers and limitations and true value of a chaperon may be determined. Iu a suit in which it was claimed that a lot of tobacco was damaged, brought at Douglasville, Ga., the judge took somo of the weed and chewed it. Ho decided that it was damaged to the amount of 13 cents per pound, and gave judgment accordingly. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes believes that body and miud aro both affected by the character of food consumed. ""Au exclusively pork diet gives a bristly character to tho beard aud hair," and too much food from tlie sea gives tho shine aud motions of a fish. The oldest living boy preacher" is probably Rev. J. II. Jones, of Ohio, who is now 78. and went before the people with that title when 15 years of age. He still tills an occasional pul pit, but. unlike some of his class, ceased to bo a "boy" preacher when tlio grey hair appeared. Au American dubutaute is said to have disturbed the equanimity of the English royal circlo this seasou by seiziug the queen's hand and giving it a hearty but unceremonious shake, ufter which sho floated by tho other royalties without paying tho least at tention to them. The American archaeologists who are at work at Platca. Greece, have come upon tho remains of an ancient temple, parts of which apparently go back to the sixth century B. C, or within a hundred years of tho authentic begin ning of Greek history. Developments of great interest aro expected. Following the suggestion of Dr. Varincourt. of the department of agri culture in Russia, a largo number of farmers have put their cattle . iu blue spectacles to protect their eyes against the terrible light of tho snowy steppes. About four thousand pairs of tho blue spectacles aro thus actually iu use. An Englishman has invented an ap paratus through which, he de clares, he can see tho soul leave the body. He arranges lenses that so magnify the particles of dust in the air that their disturbance by anything Kassing upward can bo detected." How c is to seo those souls that pass down ward is not explained. A uew safety match has been patent ed in England by a Belgian, who places on different parts of the same match two compositions, which in ordinary safety matches, nro generally placed respectively on the box and on the end of the match. Iu obtaining a light the match is broken across the middle and tho ends rubbed together. "Hot water for cows" is tho maxim of the French dairy farmers in tho de partment of Fiuistcrre. They claim to havo proved by experiments that when cows drink hot water they yield one-third more milk than when they nro refreshed with cold water ouly. Tho proportions aro said to be a half a pail of boiling water to half a pail of cold. A Doctor In Contempt. A doctor in Trenton, N. J., who re fused to tell how many ribs there were iu tho human body unless he should be paid to answer as an expert, is to havo a heariug on the cliarjro of coutemnt of court. PERILS OF CALIFORNIA EMICRANTS. From "Art-out the l'Ulim In the Donuer Vttf,t In The Century. We were uow encamped in a valley called "lweuty Nells. Iho water in theso wells was pure and cold, wticome enough after the alkaline pools from which wo had been forced to drink. We prepared for the long drive across the desert aud laid iu, as we supposed, an ample supply of water and grass. This desert had been represented to us as ouly forty miles wide but wo found it nearer eighty. It was a dreary. desolate, alkali waste; not a living thing could bo seen; it seemed as though the hand of death had been laid upon the country. Wo started in the evening, traveled. all that night, and the following day aud night two niglits and one day of suffering from thirst and heat by day and piercing cold by night. Wheu tho third night fell anil we saw the barren was to stretching awav apparently as boundless as when we started, my father determined to go ahead iu search of water. Before starting he instructed the drivers, if the cattle showed signs of giving out to tako them from tire wagons and follow him. He had not been gone loug before the oxeu began to fall to tho ground from thirst and exhaustion. They wero un hitched at once and driven ahead. My father coming back met tho drivers with tho cattle within ten miles of water and instructed them to return as soon as tho animals had satisfied their thirst. Ho reached us about day light. We waited all that day iu the desert looking for tho return of our drivers, the other wagons going ou out of sight. Towards night the situa tion became desperate and wo had only a few drops of water left; another night thero meant death. Wo must set out on foot aud try to reach somo of the wagons. Can I ever forget that night in tho desert, wheu we walked mile and mile iu the darkness, every step seeming to be the very last we could take! Sud denly all fatigue was bauishcd by fear; through tho night came a swift rush ing sound of one of the young steers crazed by thirst aud apparently bent upon our destruction. My father. hold ing his youugest child in his arms and keeping us all close behind him, drew his pistol, but finally tho maddened beast turned and dashed off iuto tho darkness. Dragging ourselves along about teu miles, wo reached the wagou of Jacob Donuer. The family were all asleep, so we children lay down on tho ground. A bitter wind swept over the desert, chilling us through aud through. We crept closer together, and, when we complained of the cold, papa placed all rive of our dogs around us, and only for the warmth of these faithful creatures we should doubtless have perished. A Brooklyn Mother's Device. A handsomely dressed woman and a curiy-ncadcd boy of o summers wero among the passengers on a New York bridge train, lhey attracted the at tention of all the other passengers on account ot a new aud novel arrange ment, evidently tho inventiou of the motner, to prevent Jimmio from get tiug lost in the crowd. Around the bov's chest and shoulders was a neat-litting harness of red mo rocco leather, ornamented with tiuy brass bells. Two reius, also of red leather, wero attached to the harness at tho shoulders. Tho mother held tho reins firmly in her left baud, while with her right she held a book in which she seemed deeply interested. When the boy wanted to" go out on the plat form or cross over to a window there was no sharp command of "Come back, Jiuimic, dou't go there." Jimmie would walk the length of the reins and then ho stopped. Tho mother would not even look up from her book, but her grip on tho reins never relaxed. So long as sho held them firmly there was no chance for Jimmie to get lost in tho crowd or fall off the platform. ihe harness wa3 similar to that worn by pug dogs in fashionable so ciety, but two reins wero used for tho boy instead of one for Ihe doir. Jim mie is probably more difficult to guide along a crowded thoroughfare than a well-trained and obedient pug. Talk's cheap, but when it's backed up by a pledge of the hard cash of a financially re sponsible firm, or company, of world-wide reputation for fair and honorable dealing, it means business . Now, there are scores of sarsaparillas and other blood purifiers, all cracked up to be the best, purest, most peculiar and wonderful, but bear in mind (for your own sake), there's only one guaranteed blood-purifier and remedy for torpid liver and all diseases that come from bad blood. That one standing solitary and alone sold o;i trials is Dr. Pierce's Golden Med ical Discovery. If it don't do good in skin, scalp and scrofulous diseases and pulmonary consumption is only lung-scrofula just let its makers know and get your money back. Talk's cheap, but to back" a poor medicine, or a common one, by selling ic cn trials as "Golden Medical Discovery" is sold, would bankrupt the largest fortune. Talk's cheap, but only " Dis covery " is guaranteed. TFk CHICHESTER'S EHGUSH, RED CROSS 3S DIAMOND BRAND TMC ORIGINAL ANO GENUINE. Th. only lfe, ud rtttabU Pill for ul. I.hiIIm, uk Drug lor CkichntTi XnglUk iKamtmd Hrand in Hr4 m1 Void mums All pill lu (.iMU'boivrU doom, luk wrapper!, r danrrrout eountertVlta. At UruuUu.or rnd 4. In .lamp, for mirtiaulara. tMllmonUU. n1 ItrlTrr ru I.u.li.. ,.. k-u Willi iuii ribbon. J Bke ttwltl k mil t,utl IfrwrsUU. J 1 I I I "V i -v ii 1 k AirA u Lr-Cs U LrS TS TS ITU Y W I THE POSITIVE CURE. ELY BROTHERS, 68 Wunn PU Hew York. Prico 60 cU. A PGSmvTfi CyE FOR ALL r E A L E DISEASES. YM PTflUK A tIl'0:1 is-wltf fihur, l"w nrirJtod and riespondont, with noappar UHiu OIHII IUi.JOio..t ciuic. ludUr.-eition, t-.cu.lacuc, LucVacho, boarintrdown pains, pain wnim loxrvv part of bowels, with jjmatorM.3?v it r. ion of ovaries. Tn mors, Bladder dlfflcul :y, Frequent urlpatiua, Lyucorrhujii. Co.Tsrit.a'-'nii ol .Vv.wh, pilos. With all theso symptoms D;,UonttK'rvou3antlirrlUiblo. TIIK OIlA'.sGlJ JL.l.-:. .?:. TKJJATjIISJiT removes all theao by a thorough process of absorption. A SnfiM APPMfiATIfiM Perfectly t.rivr..!of,;i.lvi :,-li every la.1y cn.n uao, hcrsolf. Med H HUMrii. n It UM lUtl iclaes taken latum any vAd uover rollovo tho many forma of friualo weakness. '1 . a romodymust bo tippled to tnop.'irig to obtain permanent relief. A Pi AIM TAI 5f Tfi I AniCQin-oarcIrou,OT Asls y,ur firuerfflat for on, or send two rt l unin IHI.iV iu UM U ! L,w cent ttamp to homo oulco for samplo box uud circular. EVERY UDY CAN TREAT HERSELF, S' 2 E11 Remedy. $1.00 FCR CMS MDNTN'S TRIATKENT. O. B. Stomach Powdero. O. B. Catarrh Cure. ri:ElAltEi BY- O. B. Kidney Cones. nim A. McCILL, N. P., & CO., 2 &4 PANORAMA PLACE. CHICAGO J LL. FOR SALE DY ALL DRUCCISTS. ALOASO O. FISIISCU, IVlioiciule Agent, JT IVatlttcffton St.. Chicago, III, s fu "V rror Made c MXJfowBiMc & Go. Chicago. a! A5K YOUR GROCER FOR IT A SHOE WITH "TTT7K ,Klv0 ,)cen muMn shoes in Detroit for tho past twenty-live years, warranting every pair V V produced, and have never used an ounce of shoddy leather or made a shoe that did not give proper service, or money "efundedto wearer. 1 V Kl E havo spent years of time and thousands of dollars to pet our lasts and patterns correct, VV so that we could send out shoes irivinir comfort and service and make tho foot look nesit nn,l shapely. ' V A I K have introduced the styles of the west Vv Others flatter us bv imitatinir our styles ahead of them. "TTTT"HYbuy a shoe that you know nothing about and take chances of spoiling your feet and V V having little service for your investment, because somo dealer makes a larger profit and tries to push Inferior goods? Whenyou buy our shoes you get value received for your money e very time, and can unow you are wearing a shok with a mccoim. Pingree & Smith, Detroit, MANUFACTURERS OF LADIES', GENTS', BOYS' AN GIRLS' RELIABLE FOOTWEAR. Our goods are for Sale 1y STRUBER. Owosso. every WATERPROOF THAT QE UP TO THE MARK Hit . HEEDS NO LAUNDERING. CAN BE WIPED OLE AN IN A MOMENT. THE ONLY LINEN-LINED WATERPROOF COLLAR IN THE MARKET. Big Bargains ENVELOPES at Times Office. THRESHESR, ATTENTION ! W o have m of our celebrated uH-four-wlnel driliiK TACTION ENttlUES Thut we will dispose of direct to threshers, thus sav UiKtlHTu the utfem'H cominishlou. lue hem uud HtroiiKest fraction Khtfne made. We ulso umnu faetiire iMiKincs, UoihTH. Saw uud ticket MllU ur.d the funiou Maud H. l'ump. Send von Cataiokuk and Phice Lists. Lansing Iron & Engine Works. LANSING, MICH. other kind. Xtfut4 Subuitutiont and lmitHom. chichcstcn Chemical Co., MadUnn Moaarte milAIXlUlA. i'A. ' laden wity Freight lands across il$ Sea. carry sweel l?o&2 WitfefATA (LAUS SOAP, As a cargo clear as can be. only by A RECOHD. for years and still keep abreast of the times. and methods, but we keen two or three seasons COLLAR or CUFF CAN BE RELIED ON V JSTot to Split! JXTOt to 3PJLQ0OlOlI BEARS THIS MARK. TRADE Mark. in