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She ^Vfcfclg '£ajrital MITCHELL. SOUTH DAKOTA. •eiTCHELL PKIKTING CO- 7 ?7BA 5£?~* MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. OCCURRENCES AMONG FOOT LIGHT FAVORITES. S0UJT Pnstor Tells of tlio Origin or Many Mare Cags—Konilntscciiscs »r Harrctt— Jlfr rson mill His lloyul Caller At Homo and Abroad. A S," so called in the vernacular of the stage, are trials of the come an ii writes Tony l'astnr, 1h favorite 'com-1 ciiian, in tin: m: fi ,11^ Wf York Journal. They are dillicultof a 11 ainment, short-1 veil, I and of all property most dillicult protect. Tlie experience of 1 a reporter in search of sensations can lie likened unto the search for origi nal "gags.1" The diilicalty of putting them into shape that the public may rojiclily iiinlr"tlie nw.e take them is like tlioelTort of a space r|-[)e~ writer who must make a column ar tide out ol a four-line incident. n'lf)tin,in twisted and turned in one mind fori da vs. Then comes revision, addition, or reduction. Sometimes a "gag" is t-poiled in the telling. Time, lace, and circumstance alleet it. The personnel ol the audience is a great factoi in the success or failure sof a "gag." Ofttiincs one is a success with a certain comedian and a failure js with another. Are "gags" spontaneous? Most assuredly, to a large extent. Some «f sthe best are the inspiration of the moment, and many incidents might ^l^OIUpsor|. Abe related whciej"gags" have had "their origin from accideutal causes dunug performances. It is a singular circumstance that ».fcw stage "gags'- of value have origi nated from the c.iniic papers, and it liiav be noted that very few news paper "gags" taken from the stage shave furnished even fair reading. ma} be noticed in the illustrated ear-i glish woman whom lie met &t dinner over oil the other side some venrsago. "I suppose," says Mr. Jefferson, "there must have been a homesnun fla\oi in my American manner that amused her, for she made a doatiset at qui/.zimg me. 1 did not detect it first, and answend some ol her ab surd questions about America (uite innocently. "She kept her facc so weli that I might never have discovered this but. for the idiotic grin upon the smooth face of one of her boyish admir rs and then I felt for the honor of my country that if she ever made an other thrust at ine I would parry it if 1 could. 1 had not long to wait, for, emboldened by her late success, she turned upon me, and said: T.y-the-bve, have you met the queen lately?' 'No, madam,' 1 replied with per fect seriousness: '1 was out when her majesty called upon me.' '•She colored slightly, and then turned away, and never spoke to me again. but 1 was re vended." ,1Von His Own ir/o. The advance agent of the French Folly Company tells of the unexpected outcome of an oiler made by Sam Hernanl to whatever member ol' the company should net the most applause on April 1. The winner, if a woman, was io reccivc a necklace: if a man, a watch. While Mr. Bernard oil the evening of April 1 stood in the wings waiting for his own turn, lie was astonished to observe that his immediate predecessor in the bill, a woman, was telling all his own stories, and thus gaining much applause and diminishing his own chances of win offered by himself, proper means of retaliation promptly occurred to his mind, and .. hurrying to her vacant dressing-room, 'l'c a. the door of which was open, he. pos- lliul I used it a song at the time of a I ^political contest in iss4, the chorus! Fmma." Then again, "Are vou uo-! "I Complaint is oftiines made thai performers repeat "gags" uo often: they wear them out. This is A Hitfli Tribute to Hurrott. T'llwin Hooth lield, says i'hila delpnia ]\Iusic and Drama, that Law rence Barrett's Hamlet was better than his own. Probably this idea :ame in part from the fact that llar -ett knew Sliakspcare the more ac juratelv and profoundly of the two. Harrett was primarily intellectual, a I student who was forever digging Into the mentality ot things, so to n"t itijon. heatcroft. finding things becoming Of stage "gags" I know none that-i11 tpcak, and was always evolving new Jdeas and business. Harrett, lor in- A and lus mother, introduced the busi-j The public ajipetite r,,r ^j.. .Jell'erson Was licvi'iipod. Comedian Joseph JolTersmi tolls Low he gut even with a satirical 1-n- 4 rA-Ute'V&v. 1 I sessed himself of one of her dresses, put it on, and when his time came, went on the stage mimicking her walk, sang her sonars, danced her dances, and was recalled until he was tired out. He declared himself the winnei of the prize. This story is as good as most stories told by advance agents, and, after all, who knows but true? An Kmer(*eiicj'. In the play, "Her Release/'" W.''*11. had to shoot Kelson Wheatcroft. The pistol would not go otT, so Thompson dropped the pistol and sprang at the throat ol the astonished Wheatcroft, dragging him to the ground and strangling him fiercely. All the rest of the cast looked on in bewilderment, wonder ing what would happen next. Thomp son, who was playing the part of a positive demon, felt that in such a his The reason for this is readily ascer tained. ThestageelTect, thesurround- character he ought to^ hold on to nigs, the concord between artist and ^auditor, all lend elVect. The same 1 prey uiyal some one should drag him off. I nfortunately, the some one conceived the same idea, and tril!c shave become mme popular than one!01"-' J'Let up, old man! I'm dead." oi my own. "What's the matter with And Thompson promptly let up.^ unpleasant, feebly wheezed 1-Vs I)r- -'upid ing to the ball this evening'-" 1 try hotel-keeper who, to improve the The "gags" which tak.-"bet ami I':lt rnnage of his hotel, joins every wear longest aie those which refer keep-it-dark society he can discover. to the most commonplace affairs. 'i :1 lis Foot light iossip. I ,1 rr.iA Wilson, who was so popular being, hat's the matter with at one time as a member of the coin Hewitt.- .md my orchestra would ie- pany playing ".iosiiua Whitcomb," ph in^ concert, "He's all right." married several years ago and retired "Whats the mat'.er w.tli 1 lenry from tlie stage. Sara Jewett, after a (iioige.-" by he all right. 1 his protracted illness, is now in compara "g..g' bei.unr popular, and in tively good health in New York City, became the war-cry oi the K' publi- with the expectation of returning to cans. hat the matter with I lar- tile stage next season. •jrisoti.-"' "He's all right." Another very successful one was. '•Whoa! Tmk l) lrt which Frank Daniels is that of a coun- 'ri"-' character, as he plays it, will be The references to a feliow's Ivm-girl, recogni/.ed as an entirely new stage his mother-in-law. the eld nuin's "owifn. This adds one more to the boots, a scolding wife, last lor-, ever, and are susceptible, ol many changes. Local "gags" die quickly. long list, ol clever characterizations which Iianiels has b.ought to the comedy stage. KI-. I \TI.Y a fellow who had killed his man. climbed Pike's Peak, ran a faro bank in Nevada, and done many other equally adventurous things, went to see a certain New England play, lie sat through the lirst act unmoved. 1 !e even yawned. Put as the play progressed an alTectingscene occurred on tiie stage. The veteran straightened up in bis chair, stiff as a ramrod. The muscles of his face twitched, and a big tear stole out troin undr his spectacles and ran down lws cheek. He did not take out his handkerchief and thereby be tray amiable weakness. "When the shower had passed over, and while bis eves were yet humid, a ]op-! ular error. A good "gag" will always be new to some porti of an audi snce. and, like an old shoe, it al-| ways Ills the artist best, (fttiaies they are used to save a possible lail-s are- New "gags" are an unknown •juantity, and we. dread to take tin Iirst plunge with them. As an in-1 ?tauce, 1 myself venture a new song svery Monday night in the year, lifty-two new songs, yet 1 shudder at the trial of a new "gag." Irieud turned to him and said: "My dear fellow. 1 never suspected that there was a tear in your cynical car ca-s." The veteran winked quickly I like a toad in a rain storm, and re plied: "When j,..t thoroughly baidened to natural, human emotion 1 s.iall go into the dry goud-busi ties-. wuitki: Stance, the scene between Hamlet of the acri.!iat favee ,,,.s ness that as the mother makes her thing sesms tn ,• insatiai Tiiere is. after «ili, 1 ih'ns 'it I'cnuinp human nature in u|, it"is exit, she turns and puts her hands imploringly toward her son. who. as by filial inspiration, rushes toward bis mother and clasps her to his heart as the curtain falls. This piece of business was severely and adversely sriticised as presenting an impossible during a good part of the nineteenth change of mental attitude on the' part of Hainlet toward the mother he had just denounced. Barrett ex plained his reason for the introduc tion of this business, by saying that the filial instinct towards the mother would always abide, especially in such a refined and sensitive nature as that of Hamlet, and that when his mother made that mute appeal to him, his impetuosity would lead him to the very act criticised. snvsv -Thf. popularity 1|fll 1 batJ 0 Wu done and perhaps tin- iaek century—accounts in -onic measure for the vogue of the sn-calkd '!anv comedy, which combines elemental simplicity of characterization with the bustle of the comic paiitoiniui'e and the song of negro ininstrel-v However, it is sad to thinki-that the stage is so largely gi\en over to the sheerest frivolity, that the humor of the bar-room and the lace-track, n,ji bined with the everlasting stock jests of the comic press and famished with the clowning of tlie variety halls, is all that a large portion of the theater public seems to care for. t'.ut a lac- is a fact. ft::®?' BOB TUB LADIES. A FIVE THOUSAND DOT.T.All KISS. At% a recent, charity bazaar, given nt Hie I'rmcus.s d'Areinberg's residence iu Vienna. Austria, one of'the most benuti itil stallholders was tlie Marchioness P.illav H.cmi. Ail English gentlemnn wiio was present offered to pay !jij,000 to tlie charity if the marchioness would give him only one kiss. This she did to tlie great joy of the oulookers. The kiss was paid for on the spot with n. lmnU of England note.—[Chicago Herald. THE NEWEST JEWEI/HY 1 he latest fads in jewelry are little green frogs and tortoises made entirely of emeralds. Besides these there are lizards and serpents. A wild fowl an tlie wing is the newest design for a dia mond brooch. The daintiest little brooches consist of three tiny birds carved in colored stones aud perched on a gold or enamelled twig. Diamond or naments for the corsage are made to represent bows aud strands of ribbons I he bow is usually worn on the shoulder uid t.ic ubbons lollow the curve of the low bodice —[Detroit Free Press. 0 U'ES OK i,ACE. Lace capes, fashioned much like the winter models, with velvet or jetted yokes and collars, have made their ap pearance, like many other of the season's fashions, long before they are required. 1 hese capes lire very handsome, indeed, especially those which are otilv garni tured with expensive cut jet ornaments and fringes.. Some costly French capes have yokes and collars of gold aud jet net, dotted with cabochons, and a few models are lined throughout with rows of jetted galloon in stripes failing over the cape from the voice.—[NewT York World........ 4 HVOMAN IS .ni'lx. Every fold of the dress, everv turn of tlie sash, has its meaning in ,Tapau. You can tell the sex of the tiniest, baby bv its garments, for the little girls have the brightest, gayest colors. Every woman is a walking biography of herself. ou know by the dress, the coiffure, the sash her rank, her age, lier position. The wife's dress differs from the maiden's and womanhood has its insignia of honor which other women may not wear. You might object to the dress eti quette which betrays years in the ar rangement of the costume, but in Japan it is considered quite as much of a com pliment to ask a woman her age as it would here be considered an impertin ence. She will always answer vou at first by saying: "How old do you think?"—rOak land (,Cal.) Echo. femininity's limtrs Women who meddle with the affairs of the world are beginning to wear as many badges to represent their orders as did the knights of old." The college woman has her class colors in ring or pin, and if in addition she be a colonial dame, silo will probably wear a badge of blue, buff, and white in enamel and gold that testifies to lier ancestry. It is "said that more women are proud to wear this badge than to display the modest little silver cross with the purple ribbon that belongs to the Daughters of tlie King. The women of the Federated Clubs have an order of pink aud blue, and the mem bers of the Isabella Society aud the Women's Relief Corps still another. A woman of great energy may also find time to wear on occasions the white ribbon of the AVomeu's Christian Tem perance Union and the yellow of the female suffragists, and mourn that there are no more societies to demand her time.—[New York Post. A DItESS THIRTEEN nUNDKED YEARS 0I.D. The oldest dress in the world is prob ably that described by a French traveler in Japan. It belonged to an Empress of Japan who lived in tue Thirteenth Cen tury, and it has been kept all these cen turies in atemple near Yokohama, where the priests sometimes exhibit it for a sufficient reward. It is kept in an old coffer, and it is shrouded in white silk. The robe or robes, for there are seven of them, are described as a diaphanous mass, crumbling at the edges with de cay. The material is crepe or some filmy stuff, and the effect must be like that worn by the serpentine dancers. It is made with a long train, pagoda sleeves and a high collar like a Medicis cuff. The upper layer was once white, and is now the color of ivory, embroidered with flying birds the size of crows, with dragon's heads, greon, blue and violet. Then come seven layers of the silk mus lin, yellow, blue, violet, old gold and green, on which seem scattered strange animals, all in flight. Tlie seventh, which touches the body of the long dead empress, is violet embroidered with figures like phantoms. The embroidery on this wonderful robe is said to he as transparent as the gauze. The effect of the whole is smoke colored.—[Washing 'on Post. THE NKW BODICBS. ii tl lhul jn estimable (jualitv in the artiiieial play the drama of fals" s«»niiinent wiijcij has Hooded the Knglisli sp.-aking stage The new bodices of taffeta silks are generally quite full. They are made with bretelles or wide collars and cuffs of Venetian guipu or Russian em broidery or wherj the skirt is trimmed with ruffles, edgi'd with point d'esprit or Valenciennes laoe, there is a deep ruffle of silk summoning the shoulders in berthalike fashion, similarly edged with lace. Where this extreme sloping effect is not becoming, the bertha is caught up by a sujsII pleat on the shoulder to give slight bouffancy to the top of the Ueeve. This is more be coming to most women than the full, sloping effect of the fashionable bertha. Combinations of color are seen on some of the handsomest French dresses. Tkus anew gown of satin de Lyons, a fabric which is revived with stiffer silks,_ is made of turquoise blue, combined with Havana brown. The upper part of this g"wn was fitted with perfect smoothness uround the waist, and was of the tur iuoise blue but the deep Spanish flounce tnat ieil from the knee was made of the brown satin, with two narrow ruffles w.th rolled edges around the bottom and I twi. sim'.ii.r ruliies at the knee, where J"!' tiounte joined on the skirt. Tho l-u..' of this gown was finished with a faU of guipure laco, in which the pattern wan run with threads of gold. Swiss muslins and organdies are more suitable trimmed with ruffles than any thing else. The line dotted Swisses .'ire especially pretty when finished with point d'esprit. ruffles, while tho sheer or gandie is made in genuine old-time l.ishion with ruffles edged with Valen ciennes aud full waists and lace-edged berthas and trimmings of satin ribbon, —[New York Tribune. FASHION NOTES. Serpents of silver coil around umbrella handles. Moonstone flowers with gold aud jeweled centers are shown. Hair ornaments that appear to be pop ular are large rings of gold through which ptiss arrows of shell. I he latest liair-pins are of shell with two long curved lines in diamonds fold ing back and terminating in whirls. A new hair-pin is tipped with a row of gold feathers. They form a curved ornament aud are drawn aud modeled with great perfection. The chrysoprase is green and in high fashion abroad, the Prince of Wales having recently bestowed it as a bangle set in diamonds as a wedding present. ellow is said to be a favorite shade for children's dresses this summer, and is especially becoming to those who have dark hair and eyes. Galloons and ribbons are amoug the most stylish of skirt-trimmings, both being frequently applied to the same skirt. When used together they should agree in color. Pale violet stockings are embroidered with black fieur dc lis, and black ones with tiny violets or miniature rosebuds. The street gown should not measure over four and a half or five yards at the bottom. It is close at the waist. Baby ribbon is much used for trim ming children's dresses. The tiny loops are ruched up so closely that actually miles of the ribbon are used ou a gown. A child's party gown of cream colored bengaline is bordered with a ruche of this ribbon, over which falls a frill of fine blonde, headed by another ruche of the baby ribbon. Grass linen and linen canvas are used with all materials except those of very light weight, for which crinoline or tar latan is preferred. \oung ladies abroad are wearing in the hair with evening dress a. flat bow of velvet corresponding in color either with the gown or the trimmings. This bow is put on wire covered with velvet and curved to fit round the coiis of hair at the back. Sometimes the velvet is very finely wrought with gold, silver, jet or jewels, and it often serves as a back ground for some sparkling diamond or naments. A new capote is tlie Charlotte Corday cap. It i3 a full crowned cap like that which bears the name of the famous French woman. A twist of black satin ribbon, with standing ends iu front and perhaps a rose or jeweled aigrette, com pletes an arrangement that does duty this summer for an elaborate bonnet. The daintiest new trimmings are com posed of arabesques of suede leather on a background of tine guipure lace or of bands of gold canvas set thickly with spangles of vario-colored metals. The favorite shoe for travelers to the World's Fair will be a laced boot of rus set Russia leather or one of line kid foxed with patent leather. The cape which covers the waist line or a picturesque empire coat of tan cloth with miroir velvet trimmings, is the favo rite wrap. Embroidery on footwear is more general and more elaborate than ever before. A stylish cottage Oxford tie is shown of French kid, with close jet embroidery on toe aud each side the instep. Some of the new bodices are finished with deep collars, which cover the shoul der-seams and give the sloping effect to the shoulders now esteemed elegant." Pluck of an Opera Singer. Fifty years ago European audieuces listened with rapt admiration to Rubini, a tenor of whom it was said that, though he himself could not act, he made his voice act for him, says a writer in the Philadelphia Press. The intensity of expression he gave to his voice, the ju dicious use of the tremolo and the management of light and shade produced a thrilling effect. But his best vocal feat consisted of taking the bass of the upper stave without preparation, thus retaining it for a long time, and then let it imperceptibly die away. The listeners could haidly believe their ears. The adventurous are always on the edge of danger. On one occasion Rubini, after repeating this vocal feat, and being a second time encored, found himself un able to produce the expected note. De termined not to fail, he gathered up his vocal strength and made a supremo effort. The note came with its wonted power, and brillancy and duration, but at the cost of a broken collar bone. A surgeon examined the singer and found that the tension of the lnngs had been too powerful for the strength of his collar bone. Two months rest would be required to reunite the clavicle, and this the singer claimed to be impossible, as he had only finishe^Tseveral days of a long engagement. "Can I sing at all with a broken collar bone he asked. "Yesj it will make no difference in vour voice," answered the surgeon. '"But you must avoid lifting heavy weights and any undue exertion—above all, you must leave the flat alone." Rubini continued to sing with a broken clavicle until the termination of the engagement. COLONEL Jesse E. Peyton, of Phila delphia, "the Father of Centennials," lias'started a movement for a great inter national celebration to commemorate the twentieth century of Christianity, and lo bo held in Jerusalem, six years hence. Tbev say that the Colonel cau think up 4o:e centennials in an hour than most recnle can in a day and though he is Ski* enough to be venerable, he is not too old to be vigorous. Onrlous Trutios. French cconomy is proverbial. In. deed, the saying that a Frenchman will live on what an American will throw away, is almost too weli known for repetition here. Nevertheless, it is a fact that rigid economy is not only inbred but inborn in the French nation. Fro in this arises the number of curious trades to be found among them. Every one founded upon the principle of saving what others throw away. "ChifTonnicr," which originally meant "ragpicker," has grown to have another meaning, and now the chif fonnier collects many things besides rags. Bits of tin, lead, cigar stumps, leather, and even bits of broken glass, are all "grist to their mill." The last seems the most curious article to collect but when gathered and de| livered to the proper party, it is broken and fused, becoming through its mingling of colors, a certain kind of artificial marble. Cigar stumps are converted, of course, into a va riety of smoking materials. The tin, lead and solder, melted together, are turned into window weights, aud so on through tho gamut. This brings to mind two prosper ous industries which arc the result of the discarded tin can. In some places these are gathered and placed under great heat, whereupon the tin and solder fall to the bottom through a screen. Here they are gathered up again for use, as good as new. Another industry is the converting of these same tin cans into toys. Bv heat they are opened, and pressed out flat. Down comes a die, and presto! before you lies a dozen tin soldiers, only awaiting their gorgeous suits of paint. There is just one thing for which, when discarded, the world never had any second hand use. Even as' food "for goats they haye not been a suc cess. It is said that' the goat who delights to browse in posters and tin cans, refuses—the hoop skirt. And again the problem seems likely to loom up before the public,—what is to be done with discarded crinoline, for eveh the French with all their ingenuity and economy, have seemed unable to find a use for it Changed His Mind. "I tell you, Jessop," said the Fourth street lawyer to the Elm street real estate man as they passed the banana stand on the corner, "there's a fruit that is not properly appreciated." "What fruit'?" "The banana," said he positively. "Why not'/" asked the other du biously. '•Why? Why? Man alive, don't you know that the banana is one of the greatest blessings a divine Cre ator ever showered down on human ity?" "Cannot say that I did." •'Why, man, there is as much nu triment in one banana as there is in three .j-cent loaves of bread—it has been'proved by analysis. The fruit can be eaten as it is, raw or sliced with cream or made into delicious ices or fried or baked. There is a line flour for breadstuffs made from it when dried sausage and beer can be made from the pulp properly pre pared, the juice of the peel contains a substance that makes a really in delible ink and another acid that makes better vinegar than the best apple cider. "And that isn't all—out of the tenacious fibers of the peel a textile fabric is now being made which pos sesses remarkable Btrength and flexi bility and is of unusual beauty. And that isn't all, either—when I was in New York touad 0,000 men em ployed in makUig" Just then hi* feet struck something long, slim, slick, and slipiiery lying upon the side walk. His" umbrella tiew out of his hand, and he kicked an ash barrel over into the gutter as he fell. And when he leaped furi ously to his feet the only thing the bystanders heard him say was: "Dod gast a banana anyway!"— Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. Hooks Make of Metal. Books were originally metal plates and boards, or the inuer bark of trees. In many cabinets may be found the discharges of soldieis, written on copper plates. Whilst an agricultur ist at Benares, the sacred city of the Hindus in Northern India, was re cently tilling his ground, he came upon a copper plate. A search brought to light several others. Twenty-four of the plates are about eighteen inches long by twelve inches broad, and three twelve inches by eight inches. The former have huge copper seals with rings attached to the plates, while the three, which appear to constitute one book, were linked together. The plates bear incriptions relating to dealings in land in the time of Govind Chandra Deva, ?ambat 1196-11 -ID B. C. Ilesiod's books were written on leaden tables lead was used for writ ing, ro'tjfd up like a cylinder. Mont faucon nbtices a very ancient book of eight leaden leaves, which, on the back, had rings fastened by a small leaden rod to keep them together. They were afterwards engraved on bronze. The laws of the Cretans were on bronze tablets the Romans etched their public records on brass. The speech of Claudius, engraved ou plates of bronze, is preserved at Ly oss. Several bronze tablets have been dug up in Tuscany. Treaties between the Romans, Spartans, and the Jews were written on brass and estates, for better security, were made over on this enduring metal. Restoring a Withered Arm. The story comes from London of a wonderful surgical operation that promises to be successful. Five years ago a workman injured his right arm and a careless surgeon so treated it that it withered and became useless. Recently it was dec'ided to examine the arm. and it WH,S accordingly opened and explored. The nerve was I' 11 I., found to bs partially divided. Two1 fresh ends were made and a section of the sciatic nerve from a live rabbit was stitched in. The patient has' now recovered the power in his arm which is regaining its original size! and he is following his employment.'. —PTiilad^phia Record. i- f.: One's Age. The unwillingness of women who ha\e passed certain age—and of men, too, for that matter—t,o vow' frankly the number of birthdays tfoey'J have had is proverbial the world ovei. In France, which is reputed the most courteous country in the world, the^J sensitiveness of persons who are no'' longer young is almost universally respected. Even in tho courts of justice a way is sometimes round to escape the necessity of a frank avowal. A lady whose appearance indicated that she had left her fortieth year behind her, was not long ago ordered a by the president or judge ol' the court I where she was a witness, to tell how old she was. ''Ty-two years, monsieur le presi dent," she murmured. The judge merely smiled at this very indefinite reply, and pressed her no further. Another lady of more than uncer tain age, evaded a reply most cleverly. She was a woman who did not care a fig who knew how old she was, but: deemed the question impertinent, I considering the source. I "And may 1 ask how old you arc?" inquired a man of her acquaintance. I "Certainly," she replied, iwith a I bland smile, and at once related an anecdote in connection wiih the cir cumstance of her having had this question put to her at some previous period. And until the next day the si questioner never realized that she S had entirely avoided answering his querry. "Certainly," he might ask, I she might have replied, but it rested I with her to say whether she would I give him any satisfaction. 5 An Uncanny Tree. Here is a story, which may or may not be true, of a vegetable wonder, A traveler was recently in Mexico on a botanical expedition. One day he saw a dark object on one of the out- 5 lying spurs of the Sierra Madre Moun tains. He saw it had long, slender limbs, drooping like a weeping wil-I low. They had a slimy, snaky ap-} pearance, and at times the whole tree seemed to writhe. One day he saw a bird circle around it for some time, and then alight on the top. Then the branches began to move and curl1 upward. They turned around the bird, which began to cry, and drew it down until he lost sight of it. The botanist tried, as he had several S times before, to climb ihe eminence. S The rock on which he stepped loosened and fell, himself with it. 5 lie was not injured, and he found tlirtt the rock left quite a cavity. He I looked in, and saw quite a cavern, and felt a current ot fresh air blow-» ing on his facc. With his trowel he enlarged the hole so to admit of his I ascent, lie saw the flattened body? of the bird fall to the ground, which was covered with bones and leathers, The tree was not above twenty feet! in fieieht, but covered a great area. Its trunk was of prodigious thick ness, knotted and scaly. From the top of this trunk, a few feet fro in the ground, its slimy branches curved upward and downwards, nearly' touching the ground with their tips. On his venturing to touch lightly one of the limbs it closed upon his hand with such force that it tore the skin when he wrenched it away. There was no foliage on the tree. Only a Spool of Thread* "To make a spool of thread," says a manufacturer, "is a complicated process. Only the very best Sea Island cotton can be used for this purpose. The cotton is taken in a raw state, and torn all to pieces by a machine called a 'breaker.' "It then goes through several other machines, by which it is carefully combed and freed from impurities. A machine called a 'slubber' then ,• takes it up, and twists it out into soft white yarn. "This is carefully combed again, and it is then taken into another de partment, where several small stands of this yarn are twisted together, and you then have six-cord thread,which, after it is bleached, is ready for the market. "Another interesting thing is the numbering of the thread. Every lady knows the size of the thread that she requires for doing a certain piece of work, but very few of them know how it came to be to numbered, •'You see, when cotton thread was flrst made S40 yards of it weighed just one pound. This was called No. 1, and if a pound contained just, twice this number of yards it was called No. 2, and so on." "We Knows •Cm." It was at a banquet in Washington, given to a large body ot Congressmen, mostly from the rural districts. The tables were elegant, and it was a scene of fairy splendor, so to speak. On one table only were the decora tions of palm leaves. "Here," said a Congressman to the: colored head waiter, "why don't you put them things on our tables, too'r" pointing to the plants. The head waiter didn't know he was a Congressman. "We can't do it, boss," he whis pered confidentially. "Dey's mostly Congressmen at allde tables|'cepting dat one an' if we put pa'nis on dere tables they take 'um for celery an' eat 'um all up, sho. 'Deed dey would, boss. We knows'um." LOOK out for something disagreea ble when a man prefaces his remarks by saying that he wouldn't say any thing about it if it as his duty. ft! he didn't regard i*'" -Ki