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BEDLAM BRUTALITIES. Fresh Cases of Inhuman Treatment of the Insane. MEN AND WOMEN BEATEN. Additional Facts Abcut Mrs. Norton's Nurse-Fiend. There were those, In ancient times, who looked npon the demented as those who had been touched by the finders ol thogous. 'lbey were, consequently, treated with tenderness and reverouco. There are to-day among tho Hindoos, those who treat tu a similarly 1 Mm mo fashion people In whom reason lias become unseated. Even making an abstraction ol civilization, tho world has. In savago tribes, suificlent evidence of the touder care bestowed upon those in whom tho real vital spars hns been dimmed. Iternardln de St. Pierre, in nn essay which places bint oy the sido or the illus trious llulton, adverts to tho nppareutly general law, in accordance with which members ol nearly every species live and lucd upon the weaker scions or tho family. He cites the lion, the tiger, tho shark, the pike, and even tho good-humored, bhibbory whale Hut it does not leem to have (alien under Ins pro digious mductive powers, or to have occurred to hts powerful imagination, that tho sane could niako u liv ing out ol the insane, or that men could form joint stock companies in order to swoll their rovcuues by the greatest misfortune that can fall to tho lot of man. Hull lens does he seem to bavo supposed that what the French tenderly term let aliinet could bo hundoil over .o tho care of men und women who behave toward them liko wild beasts. NKW CASKS OF ILL-TRKATMK.Vr. From tho evidence in tho Norton caso, rocontly iitIo public, it would really seem as though humanity ntd fled from those places In which she ought to reign tupreme. The disclosures made by Mrs. Norton of her ill-treatment at ono of tbc great lunatic asylums of this Stato wero of a character to elicit a good deal of comment. That comment took ono sliapo in privato communications to the Hkrald touching two of tho most renowned and conspicuous establishments for the treatment of tho demented In this und ono ol tho lister States. In rcsponso to one of these communica tions coo of tliofiKiiAi.il corps called the other even ing at the house of wealthy and cultured gentleman on Filth avenue. "I should not have troubled the Hkrald upon this matter." obscrvod tho gentloman, "unloss 1 felt two things:?First, that the insane nro subject to mon ttrous 111 treatment; ami secondly, that tho shortest tnd surest way to remedy this outrageous stato of Ihings is to have on exposd of thorn published in tho columnaot tho Herald. It hns sometimes surprised me that you do not, in some conspicuous portion oj the paper, advertise for tbo communications of nil who feel aggrieved at tho treatment received by their Insnuo relatives or friomls in institutions lounded ostensibly for their gooa keeping and tender treat ment. ?The Hbrai.o Is always open.'g replied I he writer "lo the just com pin in is of those who think they are wronged. II you have anything to say against tho eomlurt ol any or the lunatic asylums, oltiier munici pal, Mate or private, the Ukuai.ii will willingly inako llieso grievances public," "What 1 have to s iv," replied the gentleman, fers to one ol I lie grout lunatic asylums of this state. I liavo names and dales, and my wile can verily thetn. Indeed, 1 think it better that she herself should givo you the story, inasmuch as she is evou more iuti lnatoiy acquainted with the people interested than 1 am myself." The gentloman then Introduced his wife, and, with lit) le prelaco, tlio lady gave tho Hkkald man the iol lowing story:? A STAKTMXG STORY. "I have, uufortunntely," she said, "some experience In tho matter ol those who have been sent to the Ulomu Ingdalo Asylum. And 1 thiuk It quite time tbat the ex cesses there perpetrated by tbc so called nurses should be put an end to. The first person to whom 1 would reler is a gentloman, a friend ol our family, who was Bci/ed with sudden mama on the enrs. He belonged to New Jersey and was on his way to this city. Hu dis appeared und was subsequently found by his friends at one of tho uptown hotels. His malady arose, according to the account of tbo beat medical authorities, from excessive study and overwork. He was taken to tbe Hlouuiiuguale Asylum. W lieu his Iriends llrsi visited hint he complained that he had been frequently and severely beateu The good naluroJ relatives supposed that this statement arose irom bis hallucinations. It turned out, how ever, bis triends allege, that the Insano man wits per fectly truihlul in Ins siatcmouts, and that be bad been both frequently aud severely beaten by the nurse in attendance upon hitu." "What became of him subsequently?" said tbe Hkrai.i> man. ?Tnlortunntely for the authorities ol tho asylum," said the lady "he became perfectly sane lie was removed from llloomingilulo to l?r. Kirkliride s asy lum, near l'lnladclphia, audtliere recovered his reason, riio methods adopted with him by the nurses at Hloontlngdule were strongly condemned by the Phila delphia pliyslciuu. Ho said tbat. had the patient not been treated In (he severe nud unnatural manner uuoptcd toward him. ho would probably have re covered within the second week alter Ins alienation." IIKATKX WITHOl'T PROVOCATION. "What, specifically," said the IIkhald man, "was the ill treatment ol which me patient complained?" "lie Slated that without the least provocatiou, even nl times win n he himself vas pcrlecliy conscious of being suuc, they placed him in a strait Jacket, and, H hu made the slightest resistance, they beat him cruelly. Farther, lliey e ndued linn in a padded room upon the slightest pretext, and, as lie himself now lays, probably lo be t ld of the trouble ol attending and watching over hint." ??Was tin ro anything else of which ho complained after his recovery ?" '? Vos. lie staled that one ol tho thlugs that an noyed hint worse than anything elao was that, although his iriends paid liberally for his board, ho was obliged every day to sit down and take his meals with the keepers, who were an ordinary, common lot ol men, and who made no dilllcuuy about cursing, swearing, nod botinvln goucrally in such a manner as lo disgust any gentleman, even supposing him to he Ins a ue." "Hid ho mention anything further as to tho way ho was treated while at table ?" "Tnere was ono tblDg which struck him particu larly. 1 ho nurses helped themselves first to the bost of everything provided aud then doled out tho re mainder to the patients as though they had been gal ley slaves." as iskakk olivkk twist. "l>td he, outside himself personally, speak of any Ill-treat incut ol othor patients at table?" "Vvi 1 remember one instance particularly, In which l.e stales that an elderly gcutlemau asked for Somolhiug more lo < at. Tho answer given the vener able man was a blow upon the head with a soup ladlo which happened to be near at hand." "Heemg tins slalo ol things, how was it that ho did not induce his friends to remove mm ?" "Ho did attempt to do so. Ho told them what had Xcurrod, and begged litem to toko bl.u away and lo ?ciiiovc It tut to some other place. Asa matter ol course .hey consulted the uurso, who Is always smooth and lines to visitors. Tho answer was, of course, that tho roor gcntlemau's lie agination was playing hint lalsr. no Iriends wore satisfied for the time, f hay tried to pacify tbo gentleman with promises, and lolt him to the care ol the man who bad him in charge, and who had so brulullv ill used blni." THUS WfTltorT BFFSC'T. "Ho you know whether in cases ot litis description, whero patients aro liberally paid for, it is usual to too tbe nurses in order to secure their good treatment?" "I do know it; and 1 am sure that In iho case of which I speak, although they aro lorhidden to tako anything, the nurses wore largely and Irequeotly feed." "And still this effected no amelioration in the treat ment of the pauoni?" ??Not tho least." "Now, madatne," said the Hrkai.d man. "it is im portant that such matters as these should be very accurately verified. Can you give me the name of ilia gentleman in question, bis address, und all particulars concerning blur at present." "1 fan. " (llore tne lady gave full particulars, wbtch arc In the possession ol tho Hkkald.) A B'SMALK PATIENT IIKATKK. "You were saying thui there were other cases of tho same kind within your knowledge. Would you kindly give tne another?' "1 will, although it goes to my heart to talk about any oue whom 1 have known so lutimaieljr as tho lady aoohl whom I speak now. Shu wja removed to Hioomiugdale from another asylu D> She wr* at littles Violent, but not frequently. Her mania was a relig i< u- oue. She bud, also, the notion that people were going to pr ison her. You will therelorc see that ber ens.- was one tor very considerate aud delicate treat ment. Instead of rocotving such gbo was drcadlully II ii' iitcd. Her nurses heat her ujwjn the slightest pi ov cation, and Ircquoutly kept her without food. Iruritig ihu eight or nine months she war at fllooming nul'j .-be was never otico permitted to leave the bouse In order to tako excielse in the onen air. She was frequently placed iu a strati-Jacket lor the iii-re-t mile. VVlicn her sister visited her tne p? liem's terror ol the nurses was so great that sno would beckon to her to bo sileut, and take her aside so mat tne nurses might not hear what she said. The list-r who visited her avers that during her visits, in tbe hottest part of summer, there was a delicate lady In (lie asylum whom the nurses placed in the padded room, and lull her there lor tw-niy-iour hours without even ?o much as a glass ol water. "Is that lady still in the blooming dale Asylum ?" "To the best of my knowledge she Is stilt tliero, and 1 wish indeed that your paper may be the means ol effecting nor release. You will, perhaps, consider these swtcmenu strange; but for the substantial ae curacy of tbem I, and thoae or my people who Know the laets, are prepared, If noceaaary, lo make affida vits, and, further, II uecaasary, lo (five onr namea lo tbo public." MRS. SOKTOX'S 8TORT. Mrs. J. T. Norlou, whoso icatltuouy relative to bar treatment while in Bloomingdaie Aaylum, baa been be lore the public, baa made a sworn slalemenl prel acod by tho lollowiug remarks:? An examination of my case look placa onlorn Dfc Oruronuux, Commissioner In Lunacy, ai tba New 1 nrk Ho.-pnal, in Sixteenth stroet, on iba 13th ol October. Four of ibe ten governors wara present wiib the doctors and nurses ol tbo asylum. A stenographer w as preaaul. and I bava just learned that be wan h'rod by the Bloomuigdalo otllciala, instead or by Df. Ordronaux a a supposed. Dr,..0r" drotiaux tells uio Ibis and also another tblng. Wbeu be dlamisaed us at tbe close or ibo Invesilga Hon he to.d us that be should assemble na again at the same place to hoar his decision alter ba bad read tba stenographer's report; be wrote niy husband, Mr. Jonathan T. Norton, two letters to the same efleet, one of them stating that he should demund that all the ten j eovernore should be present. This meeting wae never called, although 1 had written him meanwhile that, owing lo ibo lateness of the hour. Ae., 1 did not con tradict Jane Katun's testimony iu ono particular as X wished to do. Wheu Dr. oruronuux w? questioned on the failure ot the meeting no said IIb cause wae the relasal ol the use of the hospital by tbe Ulooin In 'dale officials. In the light of tbe evidence there are some surprising statements in Dr. Ordronaux s re port whether caused by delinquency In tho stenogra pher or bow caused, has not yet been made apparent Dr. I rowr, Medical Superintendent of Bloomingdaie, testified, under oath, that patients, other than tnyselt, bud complained lo him of tho cruelty ol Jane Kuton. Tho report would lead ono to suppose thai no complaint of her but my own had eT"r reached tnem. Another flagrant dcviatiou irom the facts is this, vi*.The report speaks of Jane Gordon, as boiiig equally employed with Jane Kalon in attend ing upon aud leeding mo. A greater mistake could scarcoly bo mttdo. To tbo best of my knowledge and belief Jane Gordon was in my ward not more than two months ol tho time that 1 was there, and durlug that tune ?ho onlv occasionally assisted Jane Eatou in leed ing me. During the eight months that 1 was under the care ol Jauo Kalon I was almoEt always led by her alone. Her bemg assisted by any one was an ex ceptional thing. Sbo and 1 Wire alone together: At the tune 1 loll the asvlnm many months had passed sinco I had seen Juno Gordon. l>r. Ordrouaux tsoems to talc? no note In his report ol i how olten the Bloomingdaie officials corroborated my statemeut of facts, showing my memory lo be per fect oven in tho very words used iu muny cases; also that Mr Norton testified, unuer oath, that he never knew uiv memory at lault in relating any particular ol his or my son's visits. He Is reported by a uewspapor correspondent to huvo said this:?"Mrs. Norton a memory was remarkably good In relation to persons mid thing* about her, but nil in repaid to herself. II such n state of memory is recognized by psycholo gists 1 did not know It, and I Know that I remember that most terrible things happened to ine at Bloomuigdalo and all the details ol them. He says that I gave lew details ol the Injury done to my throat. If 1 did not give enough, I can give as many as may be desired. Drs. Burrell and Brown both told mo bolore the examination that they were con vinced that 1 remembered correctly all that happened to me wmle in their asylum. Dr. Ordronaux is also reported by a newspaper correspondent to huvo said, '?Mrs. Norton, being a powerlnl woman, prob ably resisted the nurse," until such and such effects were produced. This "powerful woman ? myself?was so extremoly emaciated that my husband has olten said thut ho did not believo that I could have weighed ninety pounds. Mauy who saw mo in tlio asvluic did not know me after I hud recovered and gained Hosh. Bealdes this, I wns bound bund and loot, also so Hgbtlv across the ohest that 1 could not breathe naturally. 1 was much ol tbe timo so weak that I wus expected lo die at any lime, ulgtu or day. This, by tbe doctor's testimony, was the "powerful woman. 1 nsked Dr. Ordronaux mrseif whether or not I should have been put Into a strait-jacket, consider ing that the doctors testified that I never attempted anv violence toothers or mysell? Ho answered:?"Ob, mil is pari ol the discipline ol the usylum, and 1 oun uot do uny thing about il." It Is well that it should be Known what the discipline ol the asylum i& Owing to inv being locked up for much ol tne lime alone, 1 cannot testily, to any extent, ol other inmates of the building, bui ii was tho commonest of things to see people in strait-jackets. 1 have seen a partly grown girl tied, In a standing posture, to a post iu the dining room, for hours at a time, on many occasions. She appeared 10 bo on imbecile child. This cruelly was In flicted by the nurses, as wore all the cruelties which 1 witnessed In tbe asylum. The nurses seemed to uianugo the institution. 1 havo lately visited Dr. KiiKbride's Pennsylvania Hospltul lor tho Insane. l>r Hess, one ol tno physicians thero, told me that they never trusted a nurse to feed mechanically in their institution. Tbcy(tho doctors) alwayB did such leeding themselves. There never had been in ono In stance an exception lo this rule. THK DKLAY 1* HCBL1CITY. Dr. Ordronaux remarked in his report tbnt I did not ronko kuown uiy Injuries to the publio until months had elapsed alter my return home. This is true. The reasons for It wore these:? _ Kirst, my lrlenus had great objections to the (act or my insanity belu? made known at alL They, particu larly my sous, boys in their teens, bad takon great paius to conceal it. My huaband objected to a dis closure ol the indignities to which 1 had been sub jected. He thought it hard that he, "among all hut baiida in Brooklyn, should bo singled out to bear such a thing." In consequence of bis being much abooked and grieved on account ol tbo minor sullerings, btowe, Ac which 1 had undorgone, 1 concealed from him the injuries to my throat, notwithstanding advice to the contrary Irom my siater, to whom I bad revealed the exient ol nsy affliction within a lew days alter my arrival home, he?my husband?reproached himself inucii lor put ting mo in tbo asylum. I thought that he should not reproach bimsult at all, lor be opposed it to tbegesi, and vieldcd only whon overborne by the representa tions ol my physician, Dr. Ortnlston, who oseured hiin that at Bloomingdaie there wers appliances lor leeding patients wno, irom fear or otherwise, did not cat readily. I would say, Just here, that those ap pliances were never used in my case, and that the doc tors were not. In one Instance, present when 1 was led. furthermore, 1 rnpiuly became worse alter my removul to the institution. I attribute this to two causes. The principal oue was, doubtless, the contrast between tbe tenderness with whicb I was treated at homo and tno cruelly experienced there. Tho other was the loss of the treatment ol Dr. Orm istou, who bus a peculiar comprehension ol the organ Ism of the tinmen mind, aud is more than ordinarily capable ol understanding nervous diseases. To return to the reasons for my concealment ol my injorles. My sister ullhough anxious that 1 should tell my husband ol tho injuries lo my throat, did not wish me to make kuown to tho outside world nny or tho abuses wbicb 1 had suffered until n consider able period had olapsed from the Mine or iiiv return Irom tlie Asylum, on accouut of the preju dice usualiv euieriainod lor recently recovered insane patients. 1 promised her to delay It. It was a trial to me to make it public nl nil on account ol the dif ferent members or my lamily, who were doing eyery thing to make n.c happy by tbcir sympathy and kind uess? show n to a greater degree. If possiole, than ever beiore But I was surprised nnd indignant at first upon my recovery that so little bad been made known respecliug tho treatment in asylums by recovered pa tients, ana I thought 1 should be as guilty as they it I remained silent. I.KT THKBK BK Lion*. If my iricnds hud knowu tho true nature of asylums I should have been kept at home, saved the most am.oy i init physical torture,and, 1 have no doubt, bad my mental disease sUorlcued by mouths. Although exceedingly i melancholy aud having delusions I was, in comparison with whai was lo cotoo, oul ol niitwry oil tt\y Incar : ceratlon in Bloom.nguale. My babe was born ou IM I l 'th ol March. I did not go thero till the ?ld of the following January. A word more as to tho sensitive I ness ol mv Iricnds In regard to my Injuries, one of my sous lias Dtver seen my throat Injuries to this day?ho does not feel as If be could look at It. With mention ol one instanoe oi Jane Eaton's falsity in testimony I will close tdls part ol uiy paper. !>be said ihat 1 was driven to the bain room without clothing, apparently wishing It un derstood mat 1 wus not driveu irom It In the same tnuuner, whereas the fact was that |w*"*lr'T?n U'u* miiiu a* olien, il not oflener, from It then lo it. M) remomhrsnces of suffering at tne indignity are more connected with tunes when I was driven from it than an v other way. Notwithstanding that Mr. Brow n has heard ol the cruelty of this Jane Kalon to others, as well as to inysell, alio is still, or wns at latest accounts, in the Institution. NfcWS IN THE CITY. The Rev. 1. D. Kullon. ol tho Horean Baptist church, corner ol Bedford and Downing streets, will dolirer a lecture this evening, in the church, on "lhe Preacher In Brier Wood Parish." Tbo lecture, which Mr. Ful ton delivered some time ago in Boston, is said to "sunrkle with brilliant illustrations," novel, witty and sparkling. A grand vocal and instrumental concert will be given, uuclcr the auspicoa of Miss Kobecca Cohen, at tlio Beekmau Hill church. East Fiftieth street, near Sec ond avenue, on Thursday evening iu aid ol alio *?"? er* bv ihe Brooklyn calamity. Miss Cohen will oe as sisted by the following artisls, wlio have volunteered lor the occasion:?Miss Mocrau and Messrs. Charles Torriani, .lo?eph Loowermerg, tredcrick itcrgner Brandies and Sherek The proceeds of the concert will be s?nl lo Mayor tfchroodrr, ol lJrooKiyn. Miss Gibbons has placed some ol her finest plciuros in tbo parlor connected with the fllbbona Art Gallery In Finn avenue, andpurpo.es to charge an admission fee or twenty -live oenis, the proceods to bo devoted lo tho fund lor tho reliel of tbu sufterers Irom the Brooklyn lire. Among tbo pictures to be exhibited Is what is believed ? to bo a genuine Murlllo representing the M' donna and inl.nl Christ. The owner of this picture wish"* It to he soon by ell the art lovers ol our eltj, In order Unit he may have their ..pinions upon D. This exhibition ol paintings will open this morning tud con tinue open during the entire week. hkooklyn. The residence ol Mr. John Koop, No. 80A Clinton street, w as entered by a sneak tnlel on Saturday even ing and several coma and a revolver were stolen. Rev. Albert Erlcson reports that his residenco, No. bW Pacific etreet, was burglariously entered on Satur day and jewelry valued at was carried off. The dwelling bouse ol Mr. Josoph I.oeder, No. 401 McDonuugh street, was < nterod through a second siorv window by some unknown thiol, who stole a gold watch and chain and several dresses, amounting iu tho aggregate to tho valuo ol t'JfiO. A valuable package ol toys was stolen on Saturday evening from the express wagon of Jmm while the vulilclo was standing in front of Na OJ Court street. THE ICE SKIMMERS. The Ball to Fly at Central Park To-Day. SKATING IN THE OLDEN TIME. The cold weather furnishes a theme for Sunday meditation which the paators of the city churches strangely overlooked In their sermons yesterday. Skating Is a subject especially associated with the nps and downs of poor humanity. Graceful and satu factory as the sport in lleell may be. serious falls and backsltdlngs are sure to occur to its devotees. The moral of a fall upon the ice la, to get up. The les son taught in the act of rising above the embarrass ments of one's situation Is lull of comfort lor the sad minded and sorrowful. It suggests the triumph or the anlmato over the Inanimate?of soul over solidity. This figure admits of much amplication, and as skat ing begins to-day in these two great cities, it is to bo hoped that much use will be mndo of tbo oppor tunities ofTcred during the coming week. With the Intense cold ol the last few days, skating In the Central l'ark will soon become ao general that many ot our young people may sing the glories of tbia amusement with its mufch fervor as they were sung by ivlopstock In his msturer years. The snthor of tbo "Mossiah"?a poem which in Its time was thongbt equal to the wrttiugs of Tusso and Dante?was the poet of i ho lee and its sports. Eveu Girt he, who novc skated in his boyhood, was Inspired with a love of the exercise by tho lyrics ol Klopstock, and be too became a persevering and enthusiastic student of the art whose praises Klopstock sang. "It with good reason," Gootbo says, ''that Klop stock has praised this employment of our physical powers, which brings ns in contact with the happy activity ol childhood, which urges youth to exert all Its suppleness and agility, and which tends to drive away the inaction ol age. We give ourselves up to this pleasure witn liapny abandonment. A whole day passed npon tbo ice does not satisfy us. and wo prolong tbo amuscmont lar into the night. Whilo other exercises Indn'ged In for an unusual length of lime woary the body, this one only seems to increase its suppleness and vigor. The morn coming forth from the bosom of the clouds end shining with mild radiance over the enow-covered fields, tho night wind that sighs as wo quickly cut through It, tho cracklog of the ico beneath our feet, our Hying movements? all suggest tho savage majesty ol the scenes ot Osstan. Wc declaim after such other one of Klop stock'sodcs, and when wo meet together at night we maxe the air resound with our praises ot the poet whose genius bos lent a grace to tho pleasures of tho Ice. I.Ike the young who, in spito of the development ol their intellectual faculties, lorget everything for tho simplo games of youth, as soon us they hav? once re covered the taste lor them, we soem when skating to lose entirely any consciousness of tbo most serions ob jects that claim our attention. It was while abandon ing myself to those aimless movements that the most noble aspirations, wbtoh had too long lain dormant within me, were reawakened, and 1 owo to these hoars whtoh seemed lost tho most rapid and kuccess tul development o! my poetical projects." HISTORY OF SKATIMU. This testimony to the sport which so many yonng men and women are about to onjoy on the ponds and lakes of Central and Prospect parks though It may not make poets ol them will give ihotn a keener relish for the sport II they will only tako the trouble to recall it. Skaung, like everything else in which mankind indul ges, has not only its pools, but Its history and litera ture. Its origin is lost in tbo myths ol the early ages, but the first ohamplon of the sport seems to have been the god Uller, who Is distinguished In the Edda for bis beauty, arrows and skates. Where tho god ob tained his skates Is ono ot tboso mysteries which per haps some antiquarian may be able to solve, but it is not improbable that the bandsomo pair which gavo In in so much distinction was made out of the Jawbones of an animal, leshlonod and polished with a nicety tolled to the teste of the dandy among the heroes of theWalhalla. A pair of these primitive skates Is pre served in tbo British Museum, and others havo been dug up at Moorttelda and Finsbury, whore tbo youth of old London used to do their skating. "When," says Fttzslepbeu, in his description of that metropolis, "the groat leuue or rlvor (which watercth tho walls of tho citie on tho north side) is Irozeu, many young uion play upou tbo yce. Some, striding as wide as they tnay, doe slide swiftly; some tye bones to their feet and under Ihelr bootes, and shoving them selves by a little picked stafle, doe slldo as swiftly as a bird flyeih In tbo air or an arrow out ol a cross bow." The Icelanders in forraor times used for skates the shankbone of a doer or sheep, shout a foot long, which they "greased, because they should not be stopped by drops of waior upon them. " lu Germany skating has long been u favorite pasitine, and in Hol land tbe taste for It is even more Inlly developed. In Kngluud and Scotland, too, from a period beyond wbtch tho memory of man runneth not, thero has always been, in the language of Mr. Wnilcr, a "liuo time lor them as is well wrapped up, ns the Polar said to himsoll ven ho was practising his skating." Dick ens gavo us a capital description of "an hour on tho Ice" in bis "Pickwick Papers." There is something exquisite in his ac count of Winkle's skating. "You skate, ol curse, Winkle?" said Wendle; and Winkle could only reply, "Ye?yes; oh? yes." But to his excuse, "I? 1?am rather out ot practice," It was only natural that Aruoella, the young lady with the lur round her boots, sbouln lmploro him, "oh, do skate, Mr. Winkle; I like to Bee It so much." It was only natural, too, ttiai another young lady should say, "Oh, It is so graceful;'* that a third should declare it to be "elegant," and a fourth oxpreaf the opinion that it was "swunlike." Under ell the circumstances Mr. Winkle could only consont and make a fool of bimseir, as many a young fellow Is likely to do In the Park to-day. SKILL IX BKATI.NU. The rcoord of feats ot skill In skating is unusually full The famous Chevaltor de St. George, who was marvellously expert tu all exercises of tho body, was able to sign his namo upon the ico with the blade of his skate. A oertain young Indy. It Is said, accepted a challenge to a correspondence on the 'ice, and In a few minutes a question and nuswer were written down with an elegance unsurpassed by handwriting upon glass with a diamond. Tborc was a Swodo w-lio was able with ono fool to design portraits ou tho ice. Sirutt, In bis "Sports and Pastimes of tho l'oople or England" speaks ol (our skaters who were able to dance a miuucl upon tbo Ico with as much elegance as If they had been walking on the floor of a ballroom and Williutn Aonc, In his "Kvory Day Book," speak ing of the skating on tho Serpentine Itivor, says:? "1 he cleganco of sknlera on that sheet or water Is chiefly exhibited in quadrilles, which some parties go through with a beauty scarcely imaginable by tboso who nave not seen gracelul skating." Mr. Sam Wei- I ler, as we learn iruui tbo veracious history in which Mr. Pickwick figures so prominently, was an adept at Ibc beautiful leal ol laucy sliding kuoWn as "knocking at tho cobbler's ooor," winch is achieved by skimming over lite ice ou uuo loot and occasionally glviuguduublu kuock with the other. Tracing the letters u! the al phabet oil tbo ice has long been a lavorile exercise, but with u*. id these degenerate days, the execution ot the figure 8 is about tbe severest lest ot skill, lu Ger many. particularly, there are many gracelul skaters, ilarou ile Hrincken, who was pagu to tfio King ot West phalia, waa able while moving over the ico al a gn at paue to leap a diaianco ol two yards aud clear two or three bats placed ono above the other, or even sumo of Ibe littlM sledges which the ladies|use. Klopstock not only wrote licry lyrics in praise ol skating, hut be was an export at the exercise even m his eld age. "What!" the less active among his countrymen would exclaim, "tbo author ol Messiah' linger over pleasures do louger suited to his age I" When he aud Ooelho mot Ibe conversation tor tno most part was upon skating, and tbo latter is said to have found In the exercise a reliel front the (oriures ot mind lie suf fered lu consequence ol the breaking ol the love link which had existed between him and Frederics of sos eenheitn With ua It is witlnu a comparatively recent period that ladies begau to skate, but in tbo countries ol. Northern Kurope both sexes practise trie art. In Frieeland most people skate more than they walk, and skating races, especially lor women, arc Ire queut in all ol tbe towns, the course is always care fully laid out, long strips ol wood being ranged lu lluo to keep I ho competitors separate, and as it is some times more favorable to swill progress ou tbe ono aide of this demarcation than on tue other, tbe skaters are required to change sides every limo they turn. Tho lists are enclosed by ropes winch run around by the sides of tbe canal, along wnicli there is always a multitude of excited spectators. The prizes are valu able, hut to obtain theiu it la necessary lo win (rout sixty to eighty races, am a matter of course, the races lu which women nlouo engage aro more inter esting than those open only to men. First, there la the honor ot atteohlng the skaiee to the feet ol the lair contestants, and second tho reward of a kiss to tho ortunato swain, lb these countries, if the women nro i uoi M 8T u lh* m,n "iey tr* ?t least more expe. and exeol ibew in lightness and in beauty of stylt. I . .J r"CB* ?? lbe ice," says Paiatl, "arc tbe carnivals ol tbe l>uicb; tbey are their tela, their operas, their dissipations. At this .season, during which many fash ionable people in different parts ol tno world are ruin ing themselves by their extravaganoe, the only expense I to which the Hollanders are put Is tho cost ol a pair of skates and the outlay Is called lor only once or twico [ during their lives." 8"aviso is its practical aspects. I It is not," says Utaine, in his "History or Field oports, "in Holland, Germany, Russia and America only that skating is used as a great agent both of per sonal communication between distant localities and of transmitting the necessaries or life from pluce to place On the contrary, in tbe fenny districts of I.incoln, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, 4c., when tbe vast flooding* have become frozen and left only a [ broad expanse o( loe far as the eye can reach, it Is equally available and almost as uselully employed aa In the northern clitnea. At such times, when not only all means ol conveying tho products of llle Irorn one locality to another, but also those of personal transit, are extremely difficult to command, then it is that tuo skate is called into re quisition and tbe wearer* set off at railway speed from one town to another, either on business or lot pleasure. ' It is probsblo, however, that In this ac count Mr. Ulaiue arew upon hut Imagina tion somewhat for his facts or else he jum bled bis Isots too Indiscriminately together, !k . i "PP*1"0111'*. !>? would have us believe that n England skaters not only accomplish as many as Ofty or sixty miles without fatigue uud in a short i me, but push boforc them small sledges or boot shaped lockers lined with wares. This is frequently dine in Holland; but then that Is a country where peo ple smoke, or evon knit, while they glide over the ice. in that country, too, the urmy goes through all the military evolutions on the Ice; but In this the Dutch aro surpassed by the Norwegians, who have consid ored It necessary to lorm a regiment of skaters. It is seldom that skating would be found useful in m iliary movements, bat It Is related that sn officer charged with hoaring an order from Napoleon to Marshal Morier in ISOd, commsndiug h.m to rnako himself master of the Hanseatlc towns. Vi*. Dr8 .by sk?tln* across tho mouth ol the Elbe, a distance of seven mile.-, on the stage leata of dexterity In skating aro very common, but iu this country these performances are con lined to the r l,,B?tru8. although when tne opsrs ol tho I ropbot was produced in Paris it Included a ballet ol skaters, which attracted much attentiou, RVPKCTg OK HKATI.NO UPON 11KALTH Evorybody will recall tbo wonderful efTeets of Dr .V* * IIMUPO? people of the Flemish town of Quiquendoue, in Jules \ erne's story, when an opera which previously required lour hours in Its rendering was sung in exactly eighteen minutes. Tho efleets of skating upon the Dutch are not less wonderful. In Holland winter, which in other countries benumbs the limbs soil makes men sluggish, has exactly the opposite effect, and enlivens the people and puis idem dornl0 ,{jun,#r' , "Heavy, massive stiff creatures, during the rest ol tno year," said Palati in his "Letters From Holland," published nearly' loo years ago, ''become suddenly active, ready and aelie as soon as foe canals are lrozen." In Hammer mo Dutch move with the celerity of suails. in winter tbcyrun, leap and dance upon tho lee. Tho trudging peasant shakes off his heaviness and awkwardness in an instant and puts on elasticity and graoc with his skates. Health and onjoymentbotb come with tho ice and the sports of winter, and this Is true not only of Holland but of every country wbero skating S practised. In bringing health and enjoyment the ice is Indeed a great blessing, and with words al most as fiery as Klopstock's, wlih a sincoritv as Simploand unaffected as Goethe's, wo may welconi! the boginuing ol a season already too long delayed The ice has lis dangers it Is true, but Its pleasures are too enticing, Its enjoyment too'health giving not to t^mpt even the most Mmld to run the risks of ilia ? 8Jko of excitement and health which ibe sport affords. THE GAME OF POLO. To thk Editor or thk II skald: Tbe crowd at Gllmore's Garden on Thursday night was so large and their interest in the polo playing so great that the game, a splendid one if well played, may lalrly be considered to have established llsplaoe among American sports. Dut in spite of their interest it was pretty evident that tbe spectators had very little idea what tho players were doing, and, within the limits of a necessarily circumscribed ring, the players, though some of them rode very well and were mounted on ex cellent ponies, were quite unablo to cnllghton them, the scrimmages being endless and the free hits few and far betweon. I have seen somothing of tbe game else where and might be able to say something about it that would interest tho uninitiated. Its chief law I believe to be this:?That a good rider with a good pony must be an utter idiot If he cannot learn to play polo. Even it he wears spectacles bis eyes will soon be able to measure tbe distance of the ball from his saddle. The body speedily disoovers tho proper angle of inclination and h.s arm the right mo ment to strike. If his wrist Is weak he can wear an elastie band or play with a light stick. He then has to acquire a few tricks, such as hitting backwards when running on the right side, and hitting both backward and forward wheu running on the wrong side. Thereat is merely a question of good horsemanship j tho stirrup being, as a rule, taken rather shorter than usual. And as good horsemen are by no means rare especially In Amenoa, it follows that the great difficulty in the game Is not to find tho man that can play, but tbe pony. That Is the rub. For polo not only demands ol the animal an extraor^ dinary agility on Its legs and great speod over a sbort distance, but a sort of genius lor tbe game and a quite human Interest in its proceedings. Odd as this Bounds, overy practised player knows it to be a lacf You will see ponios following the ball like kittens, swerving with overy swerve it raakos, stopping dead II their rider misses it and carrying him back to the scrimmage at once, and gradually shutting off steam when ho is propanng to make a backhanded stroke; and all this without tbo slightest pressors of (he bridle. That Is why It Is surely very bad advice to recora mend the gamo as a substitute for tho riding school. Put a lout of a boy on an untrained pony aud ho will never get near tne bail; put him on a trained pony ami bo will spoil Us mouth to a certainty, and then you might os woll play with a mule, a hard mouthed brute is the btit noire ol the polo player, worse evon thanono that kicks or rears, and the ohoico of bit and bridle requires the groatest nlcoty of judgment. I notice that the American players ride onto ordinary snafllo, which Is wise. Cavalry officers In England preler the light lVlhanl u lady's bndlo, but that ifohi??. ' India use the lightest of all possiblo reins, a piece of twisted hemp. They aro really wonaeriul playors, these natives of India, They luivo not only an astonishing quickness of eye shd hand, u snakelike suppleness or body and a very llrni seat, but their ponies bsvo much of the sacreu dro In iliem. Heaven only knows where thoy gel it. Somo scraggy sturvsllng ol au auimal that brings the banker's presents ol vegetables to ilio col lector's bungalow or tiansports tbo wnrca or the box wallah or carries a fat Badrl Singh Into the bosom or his laiuily at nightfall will be detected by a sagacious eye, bought for twenty or thirty rupees, sent down to tho mautdn and trained lor a weok, and then sold to an Englishman lor 300 rupees, and turns out io be a prodigiously line player The bettor sort ol ponies, as a rule, won't piay | Arabs, lor example, are almost useless. They have | plenty of speed but no strength. Hut on their own beasts ibe natives ol India are unrivalled. Some of the Manipuri fellows will never miss a stroke in a week. So it is easy to eonceivs what short work a good straight player like Captain Mowry makes of tho ring at Gllmore's Garden. The requirements of polo, then, are as simple as tbe alphabet. First catch your pony and then train him I ut a good rider on his back, give tliera an open plain" field or park, and you have one or the most delightful games in tho world. Tue rusk of a dozen horsemen alter one who has the ball well under conirol, is riding with it si full gallop straight toward the goal, and whin It In s at the distance of a yard rrom the flags sloops aims and iniSMt it. is worth a year ol ordinary exist! Mice. Moreover, when properly managed, it is one of the safest ol ttuld sports. In England it is governed hv au unwritten hut quite ellectivo code of laws, coutuin ing such Items as these: ?rhsr no more than ai* , players t>o allowed on each side, that uo ponies bo ad inissiblcovor thirteen hands in height, thai no sticks be raised In a scrimmage, and that any such foul nlav ns riding into a pony at right angles be severely die. countenanced. H nen the American clubs have agreed to recognize a common body ol rules ihey will he able to get rid of llixt extraordinary Innovation an nmpire. who innsi bo ubiquitous if lie la to bo unarm \ our obedient servant, ^ SUICIDE OF AN EX-MILLIONNAIKE. When the rerryboat Hudson City loft Jorsoy City yestorday morning at twenty minutes past eight a man was noticed on the forward deck pacing up und I down In an excited manner. Just bofore the boat I resched the slip ho stepped over tho chain and leaped into tbo stream. Tho aation was so sadden that the pilot had no time to give tho alarm ond slop tho boat until it hail passed over the suicide. Tho cry of -Man overboard!" brought tho passengers ond omployds swarming to either deck, and tbo body was seen In the wake of tho boat, buoyed lip and buffetted about by tho swell of tbe paddles Some ol the deck hands Immediately lowered a launch and succeeded In recovering It. At the Twenty-seventh precinct station house, to whither it was (removed, It was identified ns the body of Daniel Howley, of No. ?0 Academy street, Jervuy City. Six months' ugo this Daniel Bowloy was a man of means, with un immense income. 11a was supposed to lie worth a couple of millions, bwl it was difficult to ostimaie his actual financial coDdiuoa, as he was in ten atod id so many and so varied enterprises, fu spue of the siagnation of trade Howlcy's busi ness venturss seemed to prosper until recently when the bubble burst and ho became com paratively a poor man. Since that his busl ; ue?s troubles preyed on hla nnnd. Ho became | moody, subject to Ills ol melancholy, and Mioko dcspondingly of lite and its prospects. On Saturday evening ho went to hla office In Broad stroot, where he remained all night. In the morning he took the ferry boat lor Jcrsev City, staying on board till it maq0 |g^e return trip, when he oommilted ibe lata! act. NEWTON'S CHANNEL The Work in Progress at Hell Gate? Honeycombing Flood Rock. MORE MONEY WANTED. Condition of the Broken Gneiss at Hallett's Point. The Hell Gate explosion u a thing of the put, and the memory of it is almost crowded out of the public mind by the thousand and one occurrence* which hare happened since that notable Sunday when little Mary Newton, with her tiny linger, fired tbo mine and blasted the great rock at Hallett's i'olnL Tbe approaches to the Point are not materially cnangod. The old, straggling, low-storied structure known as Miller's saloon present* tbo same character istics that it did before New York trembled for its safety and tbe sound of General Newton's signal gna was taken u a warning that there wu prospective damage to window panes and ceilings, and when op town people were more nervous than usual at the chances of a mtro-glyoerlne earthquake. Tbe curious looking shooting gallery has disappeared; tbe crippled Toaton, with the Santa Clans twinkle to his eye, and tbe gray beard Is no more heard crying out, "Tree shots lor five cents, gentlemen I" and tbe fenoe whtch shut out tbe curious eyes of tbe multitude?the lesoe which wu tbe barrier to ell news gatherers, even of the press?lies broken, neglected and scattered over the dreary marsh. At tbe Ictt band of the visitor u he passu the dis torted outline of the fence is the landing place lor ths workmen now employed on Flood Rock, and n rough looking spot It is. There Is no elaborate staging, no carefully prepared awning to shield passengers while wailing in wet weather. A few pieces of board nailed tc a couple of upright posts are tba menus of ascent and descent from tbo little steam launch or the row boats plying between the point and the rock where the operations are in progress. J?o ckskatiox or labor. Although the public may have lost sight of tbo werk at Hell Gale, active oporations have not stopped. The work of dredging is still going on, with a view of com pletely clearing the.channei or ell loose rook. Aa ler as can be ascertained tbe blasting at Hell Gate was well dono, and tbe rock is coming oat, much as was expected, though there may be some larger rocks which will necessitate surraco blasting. About 600 tons ol rock hav^ already been hoistod. When tbe contractors commenco worli with new dredges, new grapnels, and their maohinory is In good working order it will be possiblo to determine how much Urge rock remains and now much sur/ace blasting will be neces sary. blastixo flood hock. Tho work to which ospoclal attention Is directed Is tho destruction of Flood Rock. Tbero are now about eighty men omployed, including driUors, blasters, hoistcrs, clerks, ovorseers, carpenters, blaoksmiths, engineeis, firemen, pumpmen, helpers, surveyors, draughtsmen and laborers. When the works are lully organized, there will bo at least 300 men employed, but the uuraber st any timo must depend entirely on the amount of the appropriation at the disposal of tho engineers. They are a rough looking set of men. tbeso workmen, who do the drilling, the cutting and tne blasting, all unuer the water and under the ground 1 heir luces are rough irom exposure, and their bands are browu and bnrd, while ibeirrostam* consists of store woollen clothes, sod plenty of them, with Ursa heavy waterproof boots, and they look Ilk* wanderers In a New fcnginnd seaport town, or wreckers upon the Jersey beach alter a storm. The work in progress is under tbe control of Captain llercur, general superintendent, and Harney Boyle ol "Explosion Day" fame, is.too omnipresent factotum to the Captain and foreman of tbe workman. Ths Cap tain in pleasant laoed, genial and communicative and be strokes hie well trimmed blonde mustache with army regulation complacency, even while being Inter viewed. * A Herald reporter visited tbe works npon a cold day. when mo wind was howling about tbe point and Hull Gate's waters looked angry but tbe Captain was snugly eoscoused in nis "office" beside a roaring fire und, iti reply to the question of giving a story to tho reporter, quietly remarked:? "You gentlemen ol tbe press have nearly pumped me 7.'. f 1 e n'ay 1,0 8omo tx-w facts, and the public will look lor them In the Hkrald. You see," continued the Captain, "wdat we are doing now, tUough certainly very cileclive work, could bo rendered more elTectlvo it we bad more money. If Congress next June makes a sufficient appropriation we can make rapid progress bat H any parsimonious spirit Is shown It will retard the work considerably. Wo ure now using tbe appro, priation lor tbo present fiscal year wbicb ends next June. Wo ure doing good work with our prosont means and certainly if those moans were larger could do bet! tor. Tliorc are at present five headings In the rock. Two of these headings ars, respectively. 160 and 100 lest long; tbo other ttiree are about 100 feet In the ag gregate Those latter headings have been only Just coBnniunced." J "Hut the extent of tbe rock. Captain," queried our reporter, "seems much larger than it was a lew months ago. How do you account lor .this!"' "Easily enough," said tbo Captain. "All the rock that id blasted is hoisted Irom tne bottom ol the shafts to the surlace und dumped on the eastern extremity This serves a double purpose. The sharp pointed roeki known us the "Gridiron" wore a serious dauger und the debria and largo pieces taken ftom the headings and the work generally are tbrowu directly on tile Gridiron, which is on ihe easterly point ot Flood Rock and, as youi oan see, these -he ids' as they are oallcd are covered to a groat oxtent. So a valuable piece of work is etlcctcd. But tbero Is anoibor reison. we shall have to build engine shops, boiler sbeds macbino shops and carpenters' and blacksmiths* shops, with Btoro sheds and offices, upon tbe rock itself, and wo're making ground lor this purpose. The blasting operations do not interfere with tbe surface work, and wo must hurry up the improvements' wo want, as the dislanco Irom the Astoria and New York shores to tho rock is not a short span, nnd there's a fearful curri ui on the Artoria side "Wo are 600 feet irom Astoria, and 2,600 feet or nearly, from New York, whon wo aro on Flood Rock and when we cover up tho gridiron heads and dump tbo broken stoueapou tbeeastorn point of Flood Rock wo are doing away wiib one oanger and making good ground to build the shops upon." W1IKN TIIK WoKK HKGAN. Relerrlog to the present condition of tbe rock and whut It was when tho operations bogan. Captain Mer cur said:?"When we started work upon the rock there was a surlace at nigh tide of about 250 square feel above the water; but, as you may see, recent addi tlous have largely increased this." Tho rumor current that tbe rock upon which the mou arc now working Is solt enough to be readily re moved by the pick wns moultoned to the captain and tho opinions also exprossed by some of the engineers that tlio work could bo completed in two years. "Why" replied the captain, "that story is ridicu lous. i he rook at k lood Rock Is of tho same character as that at H.iJiett's Reef; it is ol a gneiss formation and that la put. as you ure aware yourself, noted for its soilness. Wo aro compelled to uso steam drilling machines to bore the holes inio the rock and then alter these have done their duty, to use Vulcan powder aud various nltro-glyceriue compounds tp blast tho rock Into pieces suitable for hoisting. Occasionally wo u?o other explosives, experimentally; but their force must be equal to the first two compounds, or tbsv wodld be useless. Regarding tne second point there are at least, seven acres or rock to be mined here, and Ha lieu s Reef, that look years to complete, was not one-ball the uxtent; and, wltb full appropriations by Congress, it will tuko moro than two years of hard work to honeycomb Flood Rock, with us seven acres bias""'1, b*r<1 *l0"e' Bnd "ol 11 "'Or 'or ths fioal T?* Ft'TIRS OF T1IF. WORK. We are doing the best wo can at present, and are making rapid progress, loo, but our future will ml do pond upon the action ol Congress next June. We need inuoey, men aua matonuls. If wo got the first, the lat ter w ol follow. -, ...? .?? Kli.ee I have had charge ol tbe operations at Flood Rock there has beou about 2,1)00 yards ol rock re moved, put this is not all that bus beou lakeu Irom tho mines. A largo qoautity was taken out belore I took charge. Ihe actual amount I cannot at present say We aro now removing tbe rock at tlio rate ot 7oO vMrus {VamnTh tVcalc"lau' i*?nty-slx working days to the month, The men employed at Masting work ThTho!H.r. 11 -i alu,ru,,on "" m* next morning. ?? i? \ J10 ren,ove stone by 'buckets' from the bottom o th. shaits to ths surface and -dump' it tno end of tbe rock work, then follow and work from 'OUr Th0 <lr,"or,< work ell ?!>? time in nl houra" **"**' Blr",gl" throu?* tho twenty-lour . SLIGHT IMI'klUMKXTS. I presume," said tbo reporter, "that you have not mot with any impediment* tu the prosecution of ihts work that are likely to retard you On'rNahiim V.'if./08'""'1 W" havo T#ry fortunate. our shaits (there are two sunk In the rook one lor hoisting and the other .'or working purposes) nav* wo h??7 i JI" ,ro"1 Haler- ""d altogether "ir/J . ,,cky'rc,jr u,cky'10,1 '-?"i ir? ? ? ! a 8"glil mishap occasioned by the era nrU?i . Irt,ll, *"'er P'P? l&st supplies ths boil ers or the steam eugine. The Long Island Oily water works shut ofi tho supply, ii being Sunday, and tbe cold snap Iroze the water remaining In ibe pipes. Be yond this temporary inconvenience we have had nothing io complain of." operations going on et Hal lftt i 1 owt? ankod lUo reporter. , positively arifiwer that queation lr. Tlia UfArk Al ?!.. ? A . .? * i f?%k/ ' . Hiiswer i elk. . wark ?* dredging tbe river bed of the late great "Mow up" has been giv st tbo scene given out by con . . ? *? -v w? giveu out oy con tract to a firm named Hswerd h Co., of Albeny, I believe. I understand thai they have Just commenced oporu tious, but have not so int besn very successful. As to their ultimate luce ess or failure, however, of ooorae t oanoot say.? tuk upkrion or a ok it. The t roe at economy would be studied by the grant of a sufficient appropriation to cover the expenses of a lull staff of men aed the one of the beet inachinsry To carry on the work efficiently it is important thai trained and truitwortby men be employed, and tbf undertaking suffers in oonaeqnanoe, aud not only doei It nulTer In tbe working department, but tbo engineer! are proveuted Irom making contracts ahead, while tbeir skill is wasted, inasmuch as they fear to maxs calculations on a broad and liberal scale. Just now contracts lor machinery, labor and necessaries could be entered Into with advantage, and the general work planned and carried out with greater success If tbers was any oertalnty as to the lands. An it is tbo engin eers are doing the best they can with tbe limited means in hand. Since October about 1,600 cubic yards of atone have been drilled, blasted, hoisted and cleared away. Thla Is not as mueh as might bava been done bad there been a larger loree of men. THB WOBK TOT TO Bl BOMB. There Is much n^gded work ready for the engineers; The immediate task bolore them is that ol blasting and completely removing Flood Hoc*, but while this work Is in progress the engineers will also gire their atlcn tlon to clearing away Sheldrake Kock, Pot Kock and the debris at Hallett's Point When all thia is dono, aud not before, vessels will have a wide channel oi 1,200 feet and an almost straight course, and uuless during the winter tbe ice lloes In tho river are large and prevent the use of the boats between tbe govern ment works an 1 Flood Bock active operations will not be suspended. SPREAD THE WORD. The Rev. William J. Tucker gave a lecture last eight In the Madison Square Presbyterlsn church on the Bible, tho occasion being the regular meeting ot tbe Now York Bible Society. Ho confined his remarks to tho power tor good m tho Bible and now this power should be used. Tho lecturer tlrst quoted the words of St. Paul to the Romans, L, 14?14 It was tho honor ol Paul that through blm God furnished tho world with more truth and In a higher degree than through uny other inspired writer. It is not so much now the question of estab lishing this truth as It la of diffusing it that should oc cupy us. It Is a peculiarity of the present ago that God Is making use ot the great centres ol thought? the large cities?to diffuse His word, iu this regard the New York Bible Society is doing a good work. It has distributed 66tf copies or tbe Biblo in public luBiitutious; 67,000 families have been visited during tbe past eighteen months and 10,000 Bibles distributed among them. Their statistics show that 33,7'J2 volumes have been placed on board 2,7:?5 out-going vessels. These things were only mentioned to show what a field there is for tbe society. The great question Is, whether thero is a spirit in man ready to take the Bible and carry it on its work, to ?else this great power and carry It to where It will do tho most good. Too truths of the Bible should be upheld, and spread with that living, glowing enthusiasm that comes out ot conviction. Take the spirit of the men of scienoe as an example of this enthusiasm. I know of no men. said the lecturer, who have such an enthusiasm as the men who believe that tbey have unlocked the secrets of the universo. We should endeavor to propagate tbe truth, we need not wait; man is our opportunity. If we are to hold tbe Bible In the spirit in which It was given woaro to hold It In the spirit of indebted ness. We are to estimate this Indebtedness by the worth to other men of what we possess ourselves. It there Is any niau to whom tho Bible Is ol no use we are not indebted to him. The great argument for tbe Biblo is that no man can take it to himself with out leeling that It has an inwaro worth to all the world. Another law of indebtedness is that If you touch a man to his barm you should make recom pense for it. IIow many ttrangera are there wno enter this city and are led to their ruin ! Let us strive to counteract this infiiionce. A consequence of this Indebtedness is that wherever there Is a mac te be reached he should ba roaohed. A HEAVENLY FLOATER. " 'Floating on the clouds ot paradise' will be the subjeet of my discourse this evening," said Dr. ?. st. Jjrndls, formerly of Philadelphia, and now, unfor ? tunately, of this city, at tbe Cooper Institute last evening. "Oxygon, tho vivifying principle of lite," ho continued, "is ol medium wolght, end, therefore, is found In the centre ot the room. Other gases sre lighter or heavier. Wo should, load such natural, physiological lives that we could hold the same position that the beautiful clouds, with silver linings do, undulating ncd glorious in every particular. Whatever way wo float upon these beauti ful clouds we find joy and bliss. If we float where saints are, we are intuitively happy; if wo float where bigots are, we rejoice that wo are there to teaeb them; if we float where criminals are, we are glut to be there to roform them ; and so throughout th< multitudinous conditions of society. Paradise Is evei the happy condition, and not necessarily a place. Foi our authorities we will tuko Blackstoos, the king of scientific lawyers, and Jesus Christ tho klDg of scientific naturalists. Blackstone teachei that all laws inado by men must uo founded upon ibe law ot nature, first; and. second upon tbo law of revelation. The law ol nature is the multiplication table, or key to tho law of revela Hon, and by referring to tbe second chapter ol Genesis, sixteenth and seventeenth verses, we find that the Lord God commanded tbe man, saying "Ol every tree ol the garden tbou msy'st Ireolv eat, but ol tbe tree?of the knowledge of good anil evil, than shall not eat or it. For in tbe day that thou eatosl tberool thou sbait surely die." This passage isstrictlj lu harmony with tbe laws of our own natures, which I would cniulo a sound physiology, and which makes ua fruglverous beings. Physiology, likewise teaches that in oily, mealy and acid fruits we flud all the component parts to mako nerve, llcsh and bone In proper proportion, besides furnishing us with the greater proportion of pure water. Two-thirds of a healthy human person are pure water. This river ol water is colored bright rod by air and nourishment, making arterial blood, and tinted bluish bv taking up tho water made by breathing and locomotion called veinuus blood. By relerring to the first Sermon on the Muuot, by Christ, you will read "Let your light shioo before men that thoy may set 2 our good works an J glorify your lather, who U io cuven." Now, tbe question Is, What aro good works? Tho man that manufactures rum, tobacco gross and medicated food docs bad works, while good works only consist iu learning to comprehend the siaenco ol bumau lllo, which is as t?. fallabie as the multiplication table, living it out himself and touching it to tbo world II we wish to float upon tbo beautiful clouds or l'arai dlso we must learn to minister to a body and mind diseased. We must remodel, regeiierute iind rebuild tbe human temple, as houses are robuilt. How is ihn lobe done? By going back to truih and pristiue nature and learning to comprehend that the law ol cure and the luw of growth are ouo and the same thing, by learning to lust practically, by living mor< upon the fruits ol tho earth auu less upon flesh aud medicated dlot. THE BROOKLYN FIRE RELIEF AS SOCIATION. Tho Executive Commitleo of the Clttzons' Organiza tlon have adopted tbe title of "The Brooklyn Theatre Fire Belief Association." The Finance Committee will consist of tho Sheriff of Kings county, the Mayor oI Brooklyn, aud the chairman of tho assorts tlon, who is to be elected annually. Then will also be three volunteers or tbo associates olectod each yoar?one to be chosen from the dramatic profession. The Flnanco Committee will baV* power to fill vacancies occurring during tho Interven ing meetings of the association. The committee will elect ita own officers, and shall have full con trol over the managomont of tbe money col lected. All moneys not immediately re quired are to bo invented In (he "honde of ihe United States or the Stato of New York " or mny be loaned for short periods on collateral se curity. Tbe mouey colluded is io be applied and dis bursed for the benefit of tho sufforurs by tho Uro "in such manner and in such amouuis as tho Fiuanco Conimiiiae shall deem host." Reports will bo regu larly published on tho condition of tbo rund No per son will receive any salary, all work to bo done by volunteers, or by such assistance as the Mayor or bhoriff shall bo willing to lurnlsh." All meetings aro to be called by tne Mayor cpon requisition ol five mem bers of tbe association. It was originally intended to bold a mass meeting at the Brookivu Acadeinv of Music in aid of the sufferers oo next Tuesday night, hut, as ibu Academy is engaged other wise for that evening, the meeting will not be held till Thursday December 21. Rev. ilenry Ward Beoclier will thon ho present and address the audieneo uimn the subject or tho lute calamity, other prominent speakers aro also expected to participate iu tbo meet Ing. Collections were taken up In many of tho churches ol various denominations in Brooklyn visterday fore noon in aid ol tlio theatre suilercrs, and it is believed that a generous response was made bv tbe congrcea tjons^appoaled to. At the Gorman Catholic Church of the Holy Trlaliy, Montrose avenue, upward ol 6200 was collected. At St. Leonard's church Rev J J Raber, pastor, Bushwiek, the receipts were $40." ' ONH OF THE INJURED KECOYEBINO. A reporter saw Charles Vine at tbe City Hospital yesterday afternoon and learned Irom tbo physician In attendance thai be was improving slowly and in a recovory. Mr. Vino, who Is f j .i ^ ^ Englishman, will bo remembered as the n?7he!Jrr.^ Ihllwped'r,,m lhe Ol the bnm rierimhBr?i . p*rquet' 00 tbc ??dbt ot Tuesday, December 6, and, though terribly Injurou, was rescued. A BARROOM ENCOUNTER. Yesterday aftornoon John Chappel, of Na 126 Henry/ street, playod a game of billiards in the saloon at No. 11H Centre street with the bartender, William Mangln, alias Bill tho Bruiser. A dispute arose between them, when Mangln struck Chappel across tbo bead with the cue, knocking hint down, and continuing tho Diows till he bocame senseless. Mangin lied and chap pel was taken to (be Franklin Street Police Htatioo. ami thence to Chambers Street Hospital, wnero he now lies in s very critical condition. Ward detectives havo been sent Is quest of the sesstlaak