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THE HONORS OF ABSINTHE ITS TIPPLING A VAST NATIONAL EVIL IN FKANC2. The < nlr Idcredleal I* W*rsw*sl and II >!.* Ike ll..rt i and Km Awsv Ike Kralp. *r Us VUUs- Tke Preark Army Breagkl Ike Cnrte > Aider*. During the Algerian war, which lasted from 1S44 to H47, the French army were more m danger from African feven than from Algerian enemies. Several thing were tried a* antidotes or preventives by tne skilful aimy physicians. Finally absin- the was hit on an the frost effective febri fnge. The soldiers were ordered to mix it in small quantities three time* a day wit*, the ordinary French wine. The luckless happy-go-lucky private* grew to like their medicip*, which at first they swore at bitterly for spoiling with it* bitterness that beautiful purple vinegar they fondly fancy is wine. But when absinthe aioue began to usurp the time-honored place of claret in the affections of the French army, the evil became an unmixed one. Absinthe straight as a beverage U a . direly different thing from absinthe mixed as a medicine or an occasional tonic. The victorious army on their triumphal return to Paris Drought the habit with them. It is now so wide-spread through all citssee of Parisian society and Paris give* the cue to France that French men of science and publicist* regaid the custom of absin- the tippling as a vast national eviL The consequence of theuse and use of this drug ripen* to abuse, even with men of unusual will power ha* been in France disastrous to a dreadful degree. Many men of nmarkable brilliancy have offered up their brains and their lives on the livid altar of absinthe. Baudelaire, who trans- lated all Poe'i work* into French, had a terribly grotesque passion for the pleasant green poison. In one ol his mad freaks thi* minor French poet actually painted hi* hair the *am tint a* the beverage that corroded hi* brain, possibly from an odd fancy to nave the outside of his head correspond with or match the inside. Alfred de Mussst, who was the French Byron plu* a tendenr, naiver touch, alto fell a victim to th* drag after George Sand gave the final smash to his fragmentary heart. A frightlul historic pun occurred in this connection. Towards the end, when the great poet, growing more moroae every day, hid from his old companions and was mining from hi* favorite haunt*, one man, not aware o: hi* infirmity, exclaimed : 'Vhy is it that our dear L>e Musset ib- tentt himself from u* nowadays ? ' And a grim wit lupingly answered : " Fur a woman'th reathon, my friend ; he abthinth himthelf jutut bscautbe he abthinth him- tfae.f." Paul Verlaine, a French iiterateur and criminal, still living, who had a poem in tne May number of Mr. Aster's Engl:h maga/.ioe, is another absinthe fiend, and (.uy de Maupassant is reported to have burned h s brains away with the tame e.n- enldine flame*. The bnin diieass- caused by this drug is considered almost incurable. Far wore than" alcohol or opium, it can only Iw compared to cocaine for the felliiens of its clutch on poor humanity. What, then, i* this dreadful drink com- posed of, and how is it made? Th* answer is easy enough, though the process, to in- sure perfection in the evil, it not so. Abeinthe may be technically described as a redistillation of alcbolic spirits (made originally from various things, potatoes, for instance), in which, to give it the final character, absinthium with other aromatic herb* and bitter roots an ground up, or macerated, in chemist lingo. The chief ingredient is the top* and leave* of th* herb artemisia absinthium, or worm- wood, which grows from two to four feet u great profusion under cultivation, and which contain* a volatile oil, absinthol, and a yellow, crystaline, resinous compound, called absinthin, which is the bitter prin- ciple. The alcohol with which this and the essentials of other aromatic plants are mixed holds these volatile oils in solution. It is the precipitation of tne** oils in water that causes the ri?h clouding of your glass when the absinthe is pound on tie cracked ice ; doable emblem* or warnings of the clouding and the cracking of your brain if you take to it steadily. Thus every drink of the opaline liquid is an object lesion in chemistry that carries its o*n moral. The continued use of absinthe give* rite to epileptic symptoms as an external express- ion of th* profound inturbance of the brain and nerve*. One large dote of the e**ence of the wormwood, indeed, has been noted a> causing almost instantly epileptiform convulsions in animal*. But the drug is not without it* use* from a broad point of view. A* the name implies, it i* an anthslmmtic, or a pntty sare cun for certain kinds of animal life that sometime* infect the intestine* of men causing pain and death. Thi* peculiar pro- perty was well known to the Greeks who had a wine infused with wormwood called abiinthue*. In some parts of Germany wormwood is used in lieu of hop* for th* brewing of cer- tain brand* of be*r,and it unquestionably has valuable tonic properties. Abeinthe it made almost everywhere, except in the extreme tropics. The tint effects of it an a profound seren'ty of temper and a slight heightening of the mental powers, coupled with bodly inertia. This i* to* general rule, but, ss 'amouspiiysician once remarked of a dreadful disorder in his lecture-room ( .entle.nen. the chief glory of the beauti- ful disease I am now explaining i* the nmarkable variety of its manifestation*." French Surgery. It i* of interest to note th* results of re- cent experiment* mad* by surgeons in the curing of idiocy in children. Like many other thing* new in lurgsry and medicine, these experiment* originated in Pan*. The idea wa* conceived that idiocy frequently was caused, when no congenital can*** were apparent, by tbs premature union of tne boast of tbe skull in infant*. Acting on this assumption, the French surgeons removed a portion of the bony covering of the skull on several patient*, the idea being that the brain had not had room to expand commensurate with the growth of the child. The results in many instance? provsd the correctness of the theory. In some cases tne results were remarkable. In one cage an idiot girl of H years began to show signs of recovering inteliigenoe the very day alter the operation was performed. AN OCEAN TELEGRAPH POST. A Bleak K*rk In Ihe l-:i. ia. (ran May kr e ml Ikr *lrt>plHc ! Between <a*>*4a ami Annlralla. A small island in ths Pacific wa* up- posed to be the goal and the prize for which two steamers had begun a race from Honolulu when the last American mail to hand wa* leaving there. Ai there U no Pacific cable, the issue of that race will not be known on the mainland till the newt of it comet by tteamer. The vessels engaged in it were the British cruUer Champion and a Hawaiian steamer. Whichever of them first touches Johnson or Neckar Island will plant there the flag of its Government. This islaad wa* never coveted before. It U a small rock, out of the way of naviga- tion, lyirg about four hundred miles north- west of Honolulu. Physically it may be regarded as part of the Hawaiian group, but practically it is not subject to Hawaii or any otaer country. But this bleak rock, so long shunned and neglected, may be one of the stepping-stones ol daily inter- course between CANADA AMD AUSTRALIA. It would serve, as well a* an island richer in natural resource*, lor a pier on which to AN UNEXPECTED LESSON, " I didn't enjoy the sermon at all thu morning," said Mrs. FUk. " It seemed to me Dr. Prescott went out of iiis ay to say odd -.hings, and I am lorry to notice he is beginning to put on pulpit airs, sometrung I especially detest in any minUbtr. " " What do you mean by little pulpit airs, wife V " Why, didn't you notice how every little while he shrugged a shoulder : ' and Mrs. Fisk drew up one hou!4er in exact imita- tion of the minuter'* movement. " Then there was in affected way of glancing with great rapidity from right to left, as if startled by his own i lea*. ' Again, Mrs. FUk mimicked the pastor, turning her eye* from side to tide in so ludicrout a manner that her husband laagh- ed outright, and little Dot burst into a loud peal of laughter, too. " It'* such queer little mannerisms as those," she added, "that I call pulpit airs, and, a* 1 taid before, I detest them ! I only wish some one would tell Dr. Prescott how he spoils the effect of what he ia saying By assuming such look* and attitude*." Mrs. FUk and her husband hail just re- turned from church, and little Dot, seated on the floor was paying sujhfi d attention to wliat her mother was say:ug that her father asked, laughingly, " And what do yon think of pulpit am, little Dot T" " I v-tet* 'em '.'' laid Dot, e nphalically. This closed a merry laugh at Dot's ex- pense, for the little four-year-old wa* par- ticularly fond of getting hold ot word* alto- rivsronVenToVa^ecUon oT'the" projected 8' her * '"^ for her Uttle P uck " of cable between Sydney and Vancouver. A ' mouth. The dinner bell ringing just then more suitable station could of coon* be ; effected a change oa the subject. found in Hawaii, but the promoter* of the Pacific cable aim to havn it unier exclusi- vely BritUh control. That in fact, i* the condition on which they ground their hopes of a guarantee by the British I Government of fourteen yean' interest on the coat of construction. To attract Imperial aid the line must have strategic value, snd that it would not have u it restml at any point on foreign soil. One joint in the cable would undoubtedly be made at some place on the Hawaiian coast near Honolulu if Britain had a foothold there. It wa* the appre- pointa, in the discourse. There wa* entire absence of any superfluous mannerisms, FROM MANY LANDS. but only a very earnest, impressive, air. as _ the goc d man admomsned Christian parents ; *" '" - *- *" to beware lest their style of conversation prove anything but benetijial to the younger members of the family. He reminded his hearers, thar let a preacher be ever so faithful and ever so sincere, hU teaching would lose all power and his precept all value in tact, hi* in- fluence for good would .je totally lost upon the youax people of the household if he was criticized unfavorably in their hearing. A single remark, be argued, of a detrimental character was sufficient to destroy the most earnest effort* ou th pastor part. And the sermon wa* one that could have been listened to with mamel Brunt by many a well mem.. ng but thoughtless parent. PROGRESS IN AFRICA. irj Iran United State* to attack Presi.ientCleveland for hi* course in the Hawaiian embreglio. Though Hawaii is still indepentlant, it* Provisional Government is known to cherish the moat It was only Monday afternoon, however, that Dr. Prescott called on Mrs. FUk, and the servant chinking her mUlrss wa* at home, admitted him. On discovering that Mrs. FUk was away, the girl returned to the parlor, and wa* surprised to find Dot carrying on what appeared an animated conversation with the minister When Mrs. Fisk returned the saw her pastor'* card in the salver on tne hall table and later in the afternoon as she sat sewing, " ~ " " " -rr-~ , w nh Dot seated, as uiual. on the floor, heu.ion that .he might take the opportunity 8urroun , W by her beloved dollie*. the wait tosecure one after the deposition of the m look , a ^ the nom and Queen that alarmed the Jingoist* of the , 'I suppose you saw Dr. Prcscott's card, ma'am ?" Mrs. risk replied that she iad teen it, ' } and wa* sorry not to have keen the geiitie- ! man himself. SPASIEL UKC AFTX-NO* As the girl passsd on. Dot looked up and for the United States, whose Executive remarked, m a tons of great satisfaction : repulsed its overtures for annexation and took step* looking to the restoration ol the Queen. The dread that thit slighting treat- ment misfit estrange the adventuren who had eized on Government in Hawaii and drive them into some bargian with (!reat Britain was wiiat was operating on the minds of the anti-A Imtniatration Ltomo- crat* and of the Republicans when they were denouncing Cleveland'* policy of infamy." The same teiror.Ied them to imagine the most absurd designs on the part of Britain. But the Provisional < Gov- ernment remained steadfast, and expects ouuu u.i uiov, ., ..., .** im-ii utmost ex- yet torender allegiance to the United State*, tent and wriggled her little body about in U appean to look upon itself at the keeper her desire to loos: as wild as possible, of the interest* of the United States in that j "What else did he say, and what did you part of the world, for 11* Minister of the say?" asked Mrs. Fcsk. her voice fairly Interior wa* on board the boat which hur- trembling with excitement and anxiety. ried oft to take possession 01 Johnson Is- "tie say, 'Who .elied you that, little land as toon as the errand of the Champion girl?' And I say, 'Mis* M. taken* '.' " and wa* inspected That (Government is not a 1'ot threw back her head and laughed mer- ' neutral one, as u would be if it* policy were ; rily. determine! by Hawaiian interests alone, j "Wai that all he said?' asked mamma. If it it beaten in the race, either it or ill I "No ; hs tay, 'Who it Mis* Mittikens'' principal will be likely to put forwnrd ' And I lay, 'O!e Mother Hubbard :' And claims to the island based on soms suppou- i he laugh and say, 'Who ole Mather Hub- bard is?' And I (ay, 'Little ule .Marm Step- ' and fetch it ! and tne unconsciou* Dot laugh- ed harder. Mrs. Fisk despite her trepidation, had to laugh, too, bat sn* asked again : "And what did Dr. 1'res :ott *ay then ? 1 Tell mamma truly. Dot," "He never say nother word, only pinch ' my cheek and say, 'Oh, you little michief, i you !' " Mr*. FUk felt a little relieved. She had shown such a predilection fi>r silk mittens all winter that her husband had sportively called her Mrs. Mittikens, and, of course, Dot had learned the name by heart in a very short time. Then because <>f her fondness for a rather shapeless house dntss, he had occasionally dubbed her old Mother Hub- bard. The appellation, "Little Marm Step- Asperl* r Ikr < ( As* .ind A I ierman named Martin, who recently made a seven months' trip up the Congo river, tells some interesting things about the present condition of the settlement* and enterprises along that great stream, and has thus furnished a text for the well- known African traveler. Dr. Baumann, who contrasts the present aspects of the Congo country wi'.h what he saw nine y< ago, when he went over the very ground. At that time there were only a few squa- lid grass huts on the side of Matadi, 90 miles from the mouth of the river. The place is now a small city with about li.'O" population, forty or fifty European build- ings, a hotel, store*, and mission houses. ThU transformation hat been wrought by the Congo railroad, of which Matadi U the kward terminus. In 1SS5 Baumun toiled Ik* Werltf. India ha* 1.TJ.09O lepers. Turkey has had but two strikes. Venice is built on eighty islands. There are thirty varieties of bambeo. Chinese botanists can grow oaks in thiuibies. The average life of a ship is about twenty- six yean. The tea plant need* a moist heat for growth. Tramp* an practically unknown in New Zealand. Hones succumb to cold quicker than any other animal. The average life of American-built ships) is eighteen years. The war material of France U valued at *"' ",'Mi.OOO. The Czar of Rostia lake* 3>X) trunks with him when he travel*. The magnesium light was tint appl.e 1 to art photography in I*ti4. There are estimated to be 1,000,000 Ger- man* in the United States. Most worken in Switzerland labor about eleven hours a day. Diamonds to small tha-. 1,.><>0 go to the cant have been cat in Holland. Only 10 psr cent, of < !erm%n school boys an said to go in for athletics. In law* than 3DO yean Great Britain alone has spent l,35U,000,OOit m war. Ia 1HH7 France had H5.545 schools, 136,- 800 teachers, and ti,.10N,UOU scholars. The largest ape* have only sixteen ounces of brain ; the lowest men have thirty-nine. The otter excel* every ani-nal in iw-.m- ming. Its ipesd is superior to that of many fishes. Newfoundland is without reptiles. No snake, frog, toad or li/ard ha* ever been teen there. painfully over the Palahalla hill, finding I A mosquito has twsnty-two teeth m himself only a few mile* Iwyond Matadi ' d ?' " D ' !I lu above and the the "1 seed him, and I tailed him 1 .lid a-'-s/ pulpit airs." What!' 1 Mrs. Fuk started -o and spoke I with such energy that Do started, too. . Then sheadied, more quietly, "Dot, tell mamma just what you said" I'r. Piescott." The cniid began ag%'i. "' satisfied air, as if sure of commendation for having worthily performed a needs i duty. "I telled him I did a-' pulpit airs. And he said, ' What > nean, huta girl '.'' And 1 say, ' You - .. up your shnnl'er. tv1 wi goe* this ,' ''and Dot after a hard day's work. Xow the steam can daily wnisk their passengers, in leas th.in an hour, around and above thi* hill to the plateau overlooking the Congo. In three days after Martin reached Leopold- ville he wa* able to take a steam boat lor the upper river, and if he had missed the boat ho would not have been compelled to wait long for another ; while m l>.v~> those who wished to go to the furthest reaches of navigation had an opportunity to embark only once in flve or six months In 1V> there wa* a great scarcity of carrier* on the road leading round the cataract*, while Martin compares this road to an ant-path, so numerous were the caravans of heavy- laden porter* trudging in single tile. lu Bangala Banmanu lived m a miserable clay hut and had nothing but manioc to eat, while Martin sojourned in a comfort- able brick house, and enjoyed the fruit* and vegetables of a tine garden. A well-kept station ot the State now stands there, where nothing but wilderuee* existed in l<45. Baumann scarcely heard rubber mentioned on the Congo, though u is now one of the chief articles of trade. ilr. Martin'* poisoned arrow did not hit the mark. What he meant 'u do wa* to give a very unfavorable impression of the Congo State. What iie succeeded in doing wai to furnish material for one of the most careful and sclent iric or African explorer* to prove that, considering all the disadvan- tages, the State i* moving along the path of progres* at t, highly commendable pace. tiloui prior title. AN ATHLETIC ADMIRAL Mr Wlckael Culm- *<, m..r are al a F**l Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour is one of the most popular as well a* mo*t distinguished of Great Britain's naval offi- cer*. Accordingly everyone w-s highly pleased at the Mediterranean fleet athletic sports held recenty a'. Malta, when he won m fine style the veterans' handicap race for officer* above thirty-five years of ag.. Com manJer Birney, of the Hawk, ran a good kecond from scratch. The Admiral who succeeded the late Admiral Tyron in the command at the Mediterranean squad- ron, joined the service a* far bact as I S49, and i* fifty-eight yean old quite a respect- able age at which to win a foot race. He served with distinction in the Baltic during the Crimean war and commanded the naval operations againtt the Chinese in IS.Mj and in 1858. He it of Irith descent and comet of a stock distinguished in naval history. Large numbers of spectators gathered to witnees the proceedings, which were en- livened by the mans band* of the fleet, and the prize* wen afterward distributed by Lady Culme-Seymour, who teemed to take eepecial pleasure in handling the meed of victory to her gallant husband. (N. Y. derald. Women Gamblers In England. Theevil habits of betting and gambling are increasing most of all among women, tays an Knglith paper. Mothers of families bet away their husbands' wages and pawn clothe* and furniture to obtain fund* for gambling purpose*. Hundreds of young women engaged in factories bet regularly. Some see the bookmakers personally, others end their monev through middlemen. Betting among ladies i* on the increase, and the drawing-room sweepstake* are becoming popular. This is a tremendous indictment, yet. I do not protose to refute it. It is a deplorable state of things, but even if the "half has not been told," it U within the pale of credibility. "Gambling it on the increase among women." Betting is largely practised and with disastrous effect* on the f airily life by the mothers of England, who an constantly and proudly enough proclaimed the social saviours of our and-fetch-it," Mr. Fisk had applied to Dot herself, because of her alacrity in running little errands, and knowing, a* he did, that the longer a name he could rind the better she would like it . Mr*. FUk 'ook Dot nn her lap, and, look- ing at her steadily, said, gently, but with some decision : "My little Dot, I want yu to tell me truly, Did you say anything at all to Dr. Prescott about papa or mamma ?" Dot (hook her head with decision in her turn, a* stie replied : "No '. truly rooly, I didn't say mamm t nor papa one single time." Then Mrs. Fisk added, lightly, not wish- ng to impress the matter further on the childish mind : "You must never speak to any one of that again. Now remember. Dot !" And the innocent Dot reassured her, pro mising "truly rooly" never to tell it to Dr. Prescott again, nor to any one else, " ever anymore." In talking the matter over with her husband that night, Mrs. Fisk concluded with the remarks : "I did not realize for n instant that the little midget would understand in the least what I was saying, much le*s treasure up and remember it. But it show* that parent* cannot be two careful what they lay before children, and especially about others. As to my mimicry, I am simply ashamed of it, and I acknowledge frankly my criticisms were unnecessarily uncharitable and severe. I can only say I have learned a lesson not soon to be forgotten." Not very long afterward Or. Pretcott preached an admirable sermon to which Mrs. Fuk listened with a forced air of placid attention, although her heart flut- tered in little uneven bounds, at **veral number below. One of the moat cacred spots in the Holy Land i* being disfigured by advertisement* of Dublin stoat ! A watch U said to tick 1ST,(0,(XIO timee in a year, and the wheel* travel 3,7>o*i miles per annum. There i* one Chinese, one Portuguese. and one i 'rterokee newspaper printed in the United State*. The Chinew, Japaaew, Malay*, Siame**. New Xealandert, and North American Indian* are beard!***. In Corfu sheets of paper pa** for money: one sheet buy* one quart of not or twenty sheets a piece of hemp cloth. A new cigarette machine ha* been invent- ed that will feed, roll, paste, and make 10,- '' perfect cigarette* iz ten hour*. Dew haj a preference for some colon. While a yellow board attract* dew, \ red or black on* beside it will be perfectly dry. The world'* oyster fisheries produce .inn- ually 4. 4T.!,0>,iMXi oysters, one halt r m *j consumed within three slays after tn-y am taken. The Victoria Railway bridge over the) wren -e at Montreal, contains 3. >!,- "Oil cubic feet of masonry work and i"..jUO ton* of iron. In on* auction room in Lonion during a single *eaon over half a million birdskin* from the \Vest Indie* and Bra/il were) sold. Most of the numerous temples throughout China are painted red : everything lucky and |ilea*ant among the Cninete is of ver- milion color. The dollar in P*rak, Straits Settlement* which ten year* ago wa* equal to 4s. Eng- lish money is now only worth It. lid. owing to the over cheapness of silver. The tint notice of the u*e of coal u in The Great Coal Striite A* the coal strike continues in the United State* from day to day the em- ployment of great numbers of factory hands becomes precarious, and a* a destructive agency the strike is having far naching results. It is estimate! that the strikers ' the records of the Abbey of Peterborough, are losing *-!.">< >,mx I a day in wage*, and in ' Kngland. m the year HoO, which mention an the course of a very few weeks wags-earn- er* ia hundred* of factories, which must either have coal or close, may be deprived of their mean* of subsistence. Many manu - factnnrs, viewing the over-crowded con- dition of the labor market, and reflecting that after a summer's idleness they could command their own rates of wages, do not care whether they close or not. Thu* if the strike continues, wages msy be forced down in many or all of the highly organis- ed industries. Although small quantities of fuel have been imported from Nova Scotia and Wales, the supply from these source*, upon which a duty of 7"> cent* a ton is imposed, cannot bring much relief. According to the American Consul at Cape Breton, the miner* of Nova Scotia receive batter pay than do those of Pen nsy Ivan a, Maryland, and Welt Virginia, and in the opinion of at least one Pennsylvania paper the present McKinley tariff duty is insuf- ficient. Unquestionably the demand of the striken is mon reasonable than U that of the protectionist paper. It Frightened Him. Binks wa* calling on the apple of hi* eye. He picked up a volume of "Lucille," and ran across an inscription on a Hy-l*af. "Ah ' a present?" h remarked. "Yes, from a dear friend, oh, ever to long ago nine or ten yean. ' "So long as that*" 'Oh, ye*. I wa* quite a little girl." When three weeks had gone by, without the regular nightly appearance* of Binks, and it began to look as though he meant it, he looked up the book and found the ex- planation in the inscription. It read : "To Mis* Clara, on her twenty. fifth birthday." The fly-leaf i* torn out now. item of twelve cartload* of "fossil fuel. The tiger make* short work of the buffalo in Sumatra. Therefore, to avoid its enemy the buffalo rest* at night in ths river, with only its nose and horn* above the surface. The principal wheat-exporting countries of the world an in the order named : The United State*, British India, Austria- Hungary, Russia, Australasia, and Argen- tina. A new torpedo-boat ia now being built at Havre for the French Government which is lobe the fastest in the world. The speed, if nothing U wrong in the calculation, will be iron. '-II to 30 knots per hour. According to a report by the French MmiSter of Finance, U-..SIIN families in France have claimed exemption from In France a woman may become a doc- tor, a lawyer, it member of the Board of Education, and may even be decorated with the cross of the Legion of Hcnor : but sh* may not witness a legal document. She occupies an important place in art, 'msiness and commerce, but she cannot possess her own earnings if she is married. More women are employed in (iovern- mer.t position! in England than anywhere sis* in t he world. Medical msn die off men rapidly than other professional men. Between the age* of -*;> and 68, two doctor* die to on* clergy- men. tain taxes recently voted by the Parliament, on account of having seven or more child- ren. A project U on foot to introduce into the United Kingdom theedible lichen of Japan. It is gathered off the granite rocks in the Japanese mountain* and contains large quantities of starch and other gelatinous substances. Ths Sultan of Turkey not only has a rigid cectonhip of ths Press, but he ha* ordered that no newspapers be published until the afternoon, so the censon will not have to forego then morning nap in ordsr to supervise them. When a settler in the North- West Territory want* to go back to Ontario to be married, the Canadian Pacific Railway sell* him a matrimonial ticket a: the usual rate, and, on presenting the nturn coupon and a marriage certificate, he is entitled to fret) transport for hit bride. There it one peculiarity about New Orleans it U a city of rats. New Orleans is below the river bed, anc" it i* all times low and damp. The city is not clean, and large wharf rat*, multiplying in the busi- ness portion of the city, swarm in droves. Mrs. Margaret M'Dowal.a Scotchwoman, wh" died in ITiiS. aged lOti yean, married anil sir vived thirteen husbands. But even this old lady wa* eclipsed by one Gay. a Frenchman, who was courageous enough to marry sixteen wives, and yet he died child- lew. KdUon, the inventor, prefer* women machinist* for the delicate detail* of his electrical machine*. He says that they have more fine sense about machinery in on* minute than most men in their whole) ex- istence. Hs hacks up bit statement by having 200 female employes in his works.