A ROMAN MODEL'S TROUBLES. The Thin Man and His Disastrous Ambition to Pose for Hercules.

The Piazza di Spagna, one of the finest square in Rome, is the capital of the English speaking colony. Some of its older members grumble a good deal at the manner in which the forestieri have taken possession of this beautiful piazza, forgetting that they themselves were the pioneers of the peaceful conquest. A broad magnificent double stairway leads from this place to the terrace of the Trinita de Monti above. Here the models congregate, and here the artist comes to find his Mary, or his Circe, his Pan or his St. John. They are all here. The gods and the demigods of Greece, the saints and martyrs of Christianity personated by whole families of models. A greybeard who once served the painter for Narcissus is now accounted the best patriarchal model in Rome, while his wife, in her youth the original of a famous Psyche, is now being painted as the oldest of the Fates. Children and grandchildren have followed the same calling, and the babies of this family are in great demand, because they can pose almost as soon as their eyes are open. The story of Pietro, the hopelessly fat model of many pictures of bulky monks, has a certain moral. He began life as the very thin man. He posed for emaciated hermits and dying saints, but he was such a living skeleton that he was only available in rare cases, the modern taste being more for brawn and muscle than for skin and bone. Pietro finally made a heroic resolve. He left Rome and went up into his own little native town in the hills, where he spent many months in transforming himself from the very thin man into the very strong man. He often describes his training, which, if original, was at least effectual. There being no gymnasium at hand, he used two chairs for parallel bars, and having no trainer invented many curious and useful exercises, by the aid of which he, who had left Rome a Tithonius, returned to it a Hercules. Now, alas, he has all unwillingly developed into another stage and become so enormously fat that he is hardly more often available to the artist than he was in the first stage of his career.--Rome Co. Boston Transcript.

The Emperor and the Artist. Carpeaux lived in close intimacy with the imperial family at the Tuileries, at Compiegne and at Fontainebleau. He clung to his old patrons after their fall and came over to Chiselhurst to give les-

sons to Lulu. One of the most striking specimens of his skill is a portrait of the dead emperor in his coffin. Another and more cheerful example will be found in

the original clay group in which the prince imperial is playing with Nero, his father's favorite dog. The latter could only be induced to sit to the sculptor by the bribe of a plentiful sup-

ply of cherries, while the boy was re-

warded for his patience by permission to dabble with the lumps of clay in the studio. Making little men of mud was the child's great delight, and several bits of his workmanship included in the forthcoming show at Paris display re-

markable aptitude.

At a ball given in the Tuileries Car-

peaux met a charming young lady, Mlle. de Montfort, whose rank, as he thought, precluded his making an offer. Next

morning he presented himself very early at the emperor's door and begged for an immediate audience. "Sire," he cried

on gaining admission, "please to create me a baron." Napoleon III, much amused, got him to tell his story, and explained to him that a title would in no way enhance the value of his name.

A marriage was arranged, but it did not turn out very happily. Mme. Carpeaux still lives.--Pall Mall Gazette.

Dressing to Look Young. The tendency of the present fashions is to make women look young. Mothers are not put into shabby black gowns as a background for their pretty daughters, but it is sometimes hard to tell which is which. The girl may wince when some one just introduced says, "Your mother--impossible?" but she must consider it is not because she looks old, but because her mother looks so young. Coiffure, bonnet and gown have all contributed to this end. Age is not speci- [?] any of the beautiful brocades, made in the most picturesque fashion and trimmed with quantities of cream lace. Like Cinderella's slipper, they are meant for the woman they fit best. There may be a slight distinction in the brocade meant for the younger women, but this is not very noticeable. The older woman is entitled to wear more diamonds, and she is privileged to wear

her choice of roses. Her slipper is the same little pointed affair, with the same little rosette of lace, which is the latest fad. Her fan is just as delicate, her

jabot just as fluffy and her lace pins no less numerous. Her bonnet is just as tiny and her parasol quite as orna-

mental. Who can tell a woman's age these days?--Brooklyn Eagle.

Largest Lighthouse In the World.

The distinction of owning the most powerful flashlight and the largest lighthouse in the world belongs to

France. This monster light has been set up at Cap de la Heve, near Havre, in

the center of the most dangerous section of the French coast. For the past year the French lighthouse board has been making some curious experiments at the Cap de la Herve tower. First they used oil lamps, with fixed lenticular apparatus, which yielded 19,000 candle power and could be seen 49½ miles. The next trial was that of the fixed lenticular in connection with powerful electric arc lamps, and the light in this case being equal to 24,000 candle power and capable of being seen 57 miles. The next trial was that of electric arc and flashnig machinery yielding 24,000,000 candle power, which could be seen no less than 150 miles on a clear night. The light now in use at this Titan of the lighthouses has power equal to 40,000,000 candles, and its reflection can be seen 243 miles.--St. Louis Republic.

A Russian cavalry colonel has been executed at Odessa for betraying military secrets to a general on the staff of a foreign power. He had received an annual payment of 24,000 francs for two years as an informer.

The Prince of Wales is the owner of one of the worst slum districts in London. He refuses to purify it. There are 16 other slums, and the city council estimates that to renovate and purify them would cost $10,000,000.

IRVING ON INDIVIDUALITY. Substance of the Actor's Address Before the Harvard Students. There is usually, if not always, a general as well as a special truth or excellence in every great and spontaneous effort, and the result which sprang from the power and genius of Daniel Webster or Patrick Henry or Abraham Lincoln is to be won by others in greater or less degree by similar means. But it must always be borne in mind that merely to imitate is not to apply a similar method. If any one of you have great thoughts or burning passion, you will need to copy no style or to limit yourself to no method. Your thoughts will find their way to the hearts of oth-

ers as surely as the upland waters burst their way to the sea. In fine, the gravest of all the lessons that art can teach is this: That truth is supreme and eternal. No phase of art can achieve much on a false basis. Sincerity, which is the very touchstone of art, is instinctively

recognized by all. There were never truer and wiser words spoken than those of old Polonius: To thine own self be true, And it must follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man.

But how can a man be true to himself if he does not know himself? "Know thyself" was a wisdom of the ancients. But how can a man know himself if he mistrusts his own identity and if he puts aside his special gifts in order to render himself an imperfect similitude of some one else? Do not try to wrest from the future the birthright of some other by the trick of Esau's hairy hands. The blindness of Isaac was a type as well as a reality, for the world may be blind to one sense, as that father was, but to it, as to him, there remain other senses which blindness cannot mar. The voice will betray, though the touch may deceive. Therefore I ask you to weigh well the advantages which may present themselves to you before you try to part with, to minimize or to forego in any way your own individuality. Study it without being egotistic, and understanding the weak places shun their temptations and try to protect yourself by added strength. Knowing yourself, you may learn to know others, and so in process of time you will both consciously and unconsciously learn those abiding principles of human nature and of human character which add to the knowledge and the progress of the world.--New York Advertiser.

A Joke on Congressman Blair.

Some wicked persons played a joke

upon the Hon. Henry W. Blair of New Hampshire the other day by inducing a

member of the "Old Homestead" com-

pany to dress up in his stage clothes and go to the capitol. He carried an old fashioned genuine carpetsack in his hand and a gingham umbrella. The doorkeeper was much amused when he

took in his card, and Mr. Blair was astonished when he saw the garments of his visitor. The latter represented himself to be from the town of Nashua, N. H., and said that when Mr. Blair was there last he invited him to come down to Washington and make him a visit. Of course Mr. Blair had been in Nashua many times and realized that he might have invited some of his constituents in that place to pay him a visit at Washington, but he could not identify this particular constituent and began to ask questions. The actor endured the ordeal perfectly well, as he was familiar with the locality, and the congressman, who did not suspect anything, might have been entertaining an actor unawares but for the tittering of some newspaper men who had been let into the secret and were watching the interview. The good natured congressman admitted that it was an excellent makeup and a very good joke.--Chicago Record.

Europe's Indebtedness. The statistics relative to the expenditure of the chief European countries upon their armies and navies become more significant when it is remembered that the money thus spent is borrowed money. Of all the European governments that of England is the only one which, so to speak, is paying its way. The remainder are living on loans. As a consequence they are all augmenting their national debt. Between 1870 and 1887 the national debt of France was increased by 12,000,000 francs, that of Russia by 11,000,000, that of Italy by 3,132,000,000, that of Austria-Hungary by 4,019,000,000, that of Germany by something like the same sum, that of Spain by 1,300,000,000 and so on. Even the smallest states are heavy borrowers, Belgium having added almost as much to her obligations as Spain, while the Roumanian debt has been augmented to the extent of 701,000,000, that of Servia to the extent of 244,000,000 and that of Greece to the extent of 270,000,000.--St. James Gazette.

Hard Times In Lapland. The existing distress in Swedish Lapland, caused by the heavy snows of last winter, is described as being exceedingly severe. Generally the reindeer easily finds nourishment beneath the snow, but this winter that has been impossi-

ble. The snow was so deep and hard that the animals could not pierce it.

On the Finland side there was plenty of food for them, and they went by thousands across the frontier, where they were confiscated by Finland. These creatures are the whole riches of the Laplanders, who are stated to be now quite beggared.--London News.

Two Questions. Old McGrumpus--Do you suppose that I am going to allow my daughter to marry a man as poor as you are? Young McGall--Do you suppose that any rich man would marry a girl as homely as she is?--New York Weekly.

Too Late.

"Miss Smallheart, don't you think you could learn to love me?" Miss Smallheart--Mr. Slimcash, I wish you had spoken yesterday before I bought Fido.--Chicago Inter Ocean.

The English cottagers believe that Robin Hood died on May day. Pascal often copied composition six or eight times before allowing it to be printed.

Subterranean graves of great antiq-

uity have been discovered at Sin Tal near Fuchan, China.

There is only one rule to observe if you want to live long, and that is to let the other fellow do the worrying.

A MODEST PARSON. He Could Not Be Induced to Live In a Fine and Roomy House. A recent item in reference to the Rev. John Brown, who has been a pastor of a Presbyterian church in Fall River, Mass., for 25 years, and who will resign June 1, sell his library, buy a tent

and preach the gospel when and how he pleases, renders timely a statement of the reasons leading to this resignation. The congregation of the Rev. John

Brown are deeply grieved at his departure. The trouble arose through their devotion to him and their desire to pro-

mote his comfort.

The parsonage had long been an eyesore to the stylish and well to do people of the church. It was a tiny house, and the pastor's possessions had so far outgrown it that his bookshelves lined even the halls and stairways. Still the pastor would not move nor permit his people to enlarge his house. Finally a wealthy member of the church, who had built a large and beautiful home and then wearied of it, presented his home to the parish, and now the parishioners insisted that their loved pastor should live there. The result was that he resigned. He gave his explanation on the day he presented his resignation. "From my youth up I have had an aversion to large houses. I like to be within touching distance of my family. I like a sense of fullness, of satiety, in a house. Nothing gives me such pleasure as that my books must wander for a resting place through all the rooms, and that the plants must crowd each other from the conservatory and bloom

in every window."

Then he related a part of his life be-

fore unmentioned.

While he was still in his teens his father died. Reverses overtook the family, and finally the children decided to divide the family property and responsibilities. Two things came to him, his mother and his mother's bedstead. The care of his mother, even though she was old and feeble, seemed no tax on his youthful strength, but the bedstead had been the trial of his early years. It had been purchased in the days of greatest prosperity. It was extra width and length, and the headboard possessed an adjustable ornamental extension which demanded a very high ceiling. Often in his early struggles, when his income was very limited, he had longed to live in some small, comfortable cottage. But his mother refused. She had only one

argument.

"Think of the bedstead, my son. You know I could never put the top piece on the headboard in that tiny house." The mother's whims must be humored. So all thought of comfort was abandoned and some rambling, spacious house was chosen, suited to the bedstead, of course, but the family must shiver in its cold halls and half furnished rooms. One time the family effects were destroyed by fire, with them the bedstead. Since then he had always lived in a cot-

tage.

"So," he concluded, "since it is your wish that once more I must yield to your preferences and live in that large house which in your mistaken kindness you have provided, I must cheerfully resign my parish."--Chicago Record.

Live Pigeon Shooting. Live pigeon shooting from traps will never become generally popular in this country, because it is doubtful if there is any form of so called "sport" which offers so little amusement for so large a price. It is cheaper to keep a saddle

horse and a pair of trotters the year round than to indulge in pigeon shoot-

ing to any great extent. The well known pigeon clubs in the vicinity of New York sell birds to their members for 35 cents apiece, and besides this cost the sportsmen must pay for his cartridges, fee the men who manipulate the traps and provide himself with refreshments.

If bets are made--and there are many who seek to recoup themselves in this way--the expense is likely to be much greater. In England and on the conti-

nent there are a great many men who are said to make a good living out of pigeon shooting by means of bets made on the matches in which they take part themselves, but here such a means of exist-

ence would be looked upon as preca-

rious to say the least.

The birds are supplied to the club members at about their original cost, but a certain profit is made through their natural increase as well as by the sale of the dead birds at $4.20 a dozen and by the returning of those piegons which escape unhurt to the barn from which they came. The number of pigeons killed during a brisk season at the different clubs in the vicinity of New York is very large.--New York Sun.

Eating Alligator. There is reason to believe that the flesh of a young boiled alligator is barely distinguishable from veal. It is prob-

ably cleaner and more tender than much of the meat of the animals that are usually consumed as food on the conti-

nent or in the east end of London. I have never desired to taste the flesh of alligators, cooked or uncooked. But in

India I have seen the Sontals and other casteless natives greedily devour the flesh of an alligator without waiting to cook it. The flesh was very pale in color, and probably was much superior to the flesh of snakes and rats and such like creatures which form the ordinary food of the predatory Sontal when hunting in his native woods. It does not fall to his lot very often to be able to circumvent and slay and eat a large alligator. He more frequently comes upon small alli-

gators, and they go to swell the contents of his cooking pots. If, however, he is so lucky as to meet a sahib who has shot a large alligator, say about 6 feet long, he eagerly falls upon the unwonted delicacy without waiting to cook it--very much as we read in books of African adventure that the natives devour the carcasses of the large game animals that the English sportsmen do not want for their own followers.--Longman's Magazine.

The hoe is a universal cultivating tool among all nations of central Africa. Artificial ice was first manufactured by the use of chemical mixtures in the year 1783. The spade used by the Roman peasant during the empire was a wooden instrument tipped with iron. The college young man naturally feels that he should have some latitude after taking a degree.--Indianapolis News.

MILITARY BRUTALITY. The Poet Heigel and an Old Man Cut Down by Austrian Offenses. In Germany and Austria every week brings with it instances of military brutality toward civilians. Most of these

instances are forgotten after the publica-

tion of a few indignant paragraphs in the Radical journals and a Radical or So-

cial Democratic interpretation in parlia-

ment. One that occurred at Riva, on Lago di Garda, two weeks ago, however,

was so remarkable for such exceptional brutality that it has had more serious consequences.

Carl Heigel, the German poet, was sit-

ting with a friend at a table in the great concert garden in Riva. His friend was 65 years old and somewhat decrepit. At the next table sat several officers of the imperial class [?] who are garrisoned at Riva. Heigel's friend, who had been wearied by a rather long walk, fell asleep, and the officers began to poke fun at him. They were so loud that they woke the old man up. When he heard them cracking jokes at his expense, he remarked to Heigel: "Persons who make fun of an old man can hardly be gentlemen, even if they do wear uniforms." Heigel nodded assent. All the officers heard the remark and saw the nod. One of them sprang up, faced Heigel and ordered him and the old man to leave the garden. Heigel's answer was a stunning open hand blow which sent the officer reeling back on the table.

Then followed a scene with features painfully familiar to persons who have

lived in Germany or Austria. The officers drew their swords and started forward to run through the two unarmed

men. The old man fell at the first onset, but Heigel stood his ground, dealing blows right and left until cut down. Blood was flowing from three wounds in his head and he lay half unconscious. A young lieutenant aimed a sword blow at him, but the bandmaster, Brunelli, who had hastened from the platform, caught the sword with his baton and pushed the lieutenant back. Several other men gathered in front of Heigel and his companion and threatened to make short work of the officers in case another blow should be struck. A crowd invaded the garden, began jostling the officers and demanded that they be disarmed and punished then and there. The police were obliged to interfere to save the officers from violence, although no policeman had found time to interfere when Heigel and his companion

were beaten down.

Heigel has received calls daily in his sickroom from all the most conspicuous persons in Riva, excepting, of course, the military. The city officials have called upon him to apologize for the attack in the garden. Throughout the whole district round Riva there was a unanimous demand for the punishment of the officers concerned in the fight. A high railway official who was with them in the garden was discharged. A lieutenant colonel, who struck down Heigel's companion, was called a coward by a captain in his own regiment. In the duel which followed both officers were wounded. The rest of the officers will be tried

by court martial.

Heigel and his friend are recovering slowly.--New York Sun.

To Cross the Ocean In a Cockleshell. A novel experiment in ocean navigation is to be attempted by a Nottingham enthusiast who has been occupying himself for a year past with the construction of a boat in which he proposes to cross the Atlantic during the summer. The vessel, which is built of iron and is entirely of his own design and make, is only 10 feet 6 inches long, with 3 feet beam and 2 feet 6 inches depth, and is thus the smallest craft that has ever attempted such an adventurous voyage. It is what is known as a "whaleback" deck, and the cabin, lighted by glass windows at the side, will be completely

water tight when closed, fresh air being obtained by pipes.

Should the tiny craft be overturned the inventor claims that it will automatically right itself. She will be fitted with a 10 foot mast from the foredeck with jib and mainsail, and additional motive power will be supplied by a geared hand screw. The navigator intends to start from Nottingham, sailing down the Trent to Hull, and making for the At-

lantic by way of the English channel.

He expects that the trip will occupy him something over a month.--London Tele-

graph.

Empress Nurses a Doll as Her Baby. The empress of Austria is the subject of a queer and pathetic delusion. She believes that her unhappy son, the Crown Prince Rudolph, is still a baby, and that she is being prevented from seeing him. For a long time the doctors sought in vain to quiet her, but finally it was only by the happy thought of one of her maids of honor that any remedy could be found. A large doll was procured

and put into her arms in a darkened room, where she occupied herself in nursing it, with many kisses and tears

of joy. Every day she fondles the toy and quite frequently refuses to be separated from it at night.--Chicago Tribune.

All Iceland Sneezing.

According to the latest advices received from Iceland, a violet epidemic of influenza is raging at Reykjavik. No papers have been published for a week, and about 90 per cent of the inhabitants are said to be suffering from the complaint. The high school has been forced to close, all the masters, with one ex-

ception, and almost all the pupils being attacked.--St. James Gazette.

A Peculiar Industry.

The craze for old furniture is a stimulant to a questionable industry. In the courts lately a witness gave as his oc-

cupation that of a "wormhole borer." Inquiry disclosed that he was an expert at his peculiar trade and made a good living by the skillful way in which he imitated wormholes in oak furniture to give it an antique effect.--New York Times. The governor of New Zealand was recently compelled to pay a fine of 5 shillings at Christchurch because his coachman drove too fast while going through the streets.

The reported discovery of a wonderful deserted city in a remote and almost inaccessible section of Sierre Madre mountains, Mexico, has been verified by Maurice Lentow and a party of explorers.

TRAGEDY AND COMEDY. What a New York Reported Found Out on His Strange Assignment. It was Sunday evening, about 9 by the clock, and the usual calm of that one night in the week brooded over The Press office. A stranger entered. Hesitatingly he thrust forth a little pack of grimy cards written on with ink and rapidly said: "Gentlemen, I'm a writer of jokes. I've got some here I want to sell. I'm desperately hard up. It's a horrible"--The little man stopped short. "Are you a professional jo--ah--hu-morist?" asked a reporter. "Yes, sir," said the stranger. "At any rate, I was a month ago. Now I don't know what I am." He spoke the last sentence with a half groan. Then the visitor continued: "Seven years ago I was employed as a railway clerk. I had a little turn for writing 'funny' paragraphs. So I left railroading. I've written jokes and paragraphs

and verses for nearly every paper there is in town. Sometimes I made $50 a week and sometimes double that amount.

But since the new year began I haven't earned a $10 bill. I have a wife. Well, we've been pretty nigh starvation, and the landlady wanted to put us out for not paying our rent only yesterday. Oh, Lord, this is what I've come to! Yes, yes; I saw that you gentlemen looked at my shirt. I know my degradation, and you needn't be afraid of hurting my feelings. There aren't enough left to be hurt." The reported sent him to the night city editor. That gentleman dived into his pocket and produced a shining half dol-

lar. The entire staff contributed, and a small amount of money was realized. The reported who had first talked to the stranger was assigned to go up to the little man's home and do what was best with the money. As if dazed, the man

in the flannel shirt followed him.

A short walk brought them to his home. Strewn over the sidewalk lay the scant household goods of the family of two. The reported interviewed the landlady, while the little man sat down in one of his own chairs outside with a blank look on his face.

"That couple," the burly landlady was meanwhile saying. "Why, they're the most worthless lot around. They haven't paid for a month, and tonight I just put their things out in the street. The wife? Oh, she was taken sick or something, and they carried her to the hospital in an ambulance." To the hospital the reported rushed, leaving the husband still sitting in a chair on the walk. The house surgeon came to the door. "This case from 35 D---- street?" he asked. "Dead; died 10 minutes ago. Cause--malnutrition and lack of care, together with exposure. In plain English," cheerfully explained the doctor, "that is starvation. Look at the book if you like." Then the reporter broke the news to the bereaved husband and returned to the office.--New York Press. A Cure For Rheumatism. A well known member of the beekeeping fraternity has been lecturing in Northumberland on that particular form of small industry to which he has devoted himself, and in the course of his address he dwelt not merely on the financial but the hygienic advantages of bee culture. He informed his audience that he was the father of twelve children, all living, and ascribed this fact to the liberal use of honey as an article of diet, adding that he gets a good deal more money from the local doctor for honey than the doctor gets from him for medicine. More than that, he has derived another personal advantage from keeping bees in his complete freedom from rheumatism, from which he previously suffered, and has no doubt that this pleasing immunity is entirely due to the beneficial influence of bee stings. We have heard of people flagellating themselves with nettles, but the beauty of the bee cure is that there is no necessity for any exercise on the part of the patient.--West-ern (England) Gazette. Princess and Shoemaker. On one occasion at Bournemouth Princess Maud went into a shoe store and purchased a pair of rubbers, or, as the English call them, "galoches." The storekeeper was a little abrupt, and as the rubbers were inexpensive he declined to send them home. The princess accordingly carried the parcel herself, but within a few minutes she was met by one of her suit in search of her, and the dismay of the churlish tradesman when

he heard who his customer had been can well be imagined. He had, however, the cool impertinence to place the royal arms with the crest of the Prince of Wales' feathers above the shop window and inscribed in large letters on the plate glass, "Patronized by Her Royal Highness the Princess Maud." This so disgusted her little highness that she had a special injunction served on the man, which resulted in his taking the arms, etc., down. --London Letter.

A New Fad.

Certain society girls have carried with them constantly this season pretty little ivory covered notebooks with gold pencils attached by means of fine gold chains.

At any of the fashionable gatherings of the winter they would be occasionally discovered in all sorts of out of the way places hurriedly jotting down items that excited much curiosity as to their na-

ture. Such secrecy was observed, however, that only recently have the true facts leaked out. Each book contains 365 pages--one for every day in the year--and under the proper date is neatly recorded every complimentary speech from the opposite sex received by the owner.

If the girls compare notes, they will undoubtedly discover many duplicates, and many gallants will be at a loss to account for a sudden coolness on the part of some of their lady friends.--New York Times.

Done to Death.

Amateur Piano Player--What is your opinion of that piece I just executed?

Musical Critic--I think it was executed.--New York Journal.

Columella says that Roman peasants leveled their grounds with a roller made of the trunk of a tree.

The report of the Michigan state board of health shows that more people die from consumption in that state than from any other disease.

A milkman's mule in Louisville returned to duty after a vacation of 12 months recently and remembered the door of every customer.

A PRINCE WITH PLUCK.

He Gave Up Rank and Titles for Love of His Wife.

Prince Rudolph of Thurn and Taxis has, according to a recent announcement in The Imperial Gazette at Vienna, abandoned his rights to the style and dignity of a prince of Thurn and Taxis and will henceforth be known by the name of Baron von Broskow, a title which has been conferred upon him by Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria.

The prince has consented to this surrender for the purpose of assuring to his plebeian born wife and children annuities in perpetuity from the family property. The prince, or the baron, as I should call him now, is quite poor, therefore glad to provide for his wife's future. At the same time it must be confessed that he is a very remarkable man. He was the first Austrian prince

to go through the university course and to graduate as a doctor of law, and for a time distinguished himself in politics, taking the part of the Czechs against the Germans, much to the disgust of his family, who belong to the opposite camp.

In 1857, being at the time a young fellow of about 30, he fell in love with a beautiful actress of the name of Jen-

nie Standler, whom he made his wife, to the intense disgust of his relatives. The result was that he was immediate-

ly disowned by them and his allowance stopped.

Realizing that life under these circumstances would be impossible in Austrian Bavaria, he determined to leave the country and to settle abroad, where he would be able to earn his livelihood without being subjected to any persecution or annoyance on the part of his relatives or their friends. He migrated to Philippopolis, and availing himself of

the degree of doctor of law he commenced practicing at the bar under the name of Dr. Taxis, but observed strict secrecy concerning his real name and

rank. After a time he became the district attorney of the city and is now the

chief judge of eastern Roumelia, which is the southern portion of the Hungarian principality.

Dr. Taxis lived happily and undis-

turbed until last year, when one of the princes of Schwartzenberg, who has been on a visit to Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria at Sofia, happened to make the acquaintance of Dr. Taxis and fell in love with his eldest daughter, the affection developing into one of a mutual character. The interest thus originating led Prince Schwartzenberg to make in-

quiries concerning the families of his ladylove, and on discovering the iden-

tity of the Bulgarian judge he at once urged upon him to take steps toward the recovery of his rank as well as the share in the fortune of the family to which he was entitled under the statutes of his house. After considerable hesitation Dr. Taxis, perceiving that his daughter's happiness depended in a great measure upon her marriage to Prince Schwartzenberg, and that the realization of the union was contingent to a certain extent upon his coming to an understanding with his own family, put forward his claim to his share of the Thurn and Taxis en-

tailed property.

This claim was contested by the chief of the family, who is married to an Austrian archduchess, whose mother was the elder sister of the empress, jilt-

ed by the emperor for her sake, and who is perhaps in consequence of all this the favorite nephew--almost like a son, indeed--to the imperial couple. The young prince pointed out that his cous-

in, Dr. Taxis, had forfeited his rights to any participation in the property of the family, owing to his having violated its statutes by marrying in defiance of the prohibition of the head of the house a woman of plebeian birth who had been on the stage. The intervention of the emperor was thereupon invoked, and inasmuch as Dr. Taxis cares but little for his princely title and aims principally at making a suitable financial provision for his wife and children he has agreed to a compromise suggested by the emperor, whereby he surrenders both for himself, his wife and his children the title of Prince and Princess of Thurn and Taxis, receiving in lieu thereof from the em-

peror the title and name of Baron von Broskow, and from the head of the house a large annuity in perpetuity for himself and his descendants.--Marquis de Fontenay in New York Recorder.

Invention of the Fan.

The poets of the Celestial empire attribute the invention of the fan to one of their emperors--Wu Wang--who reigned 11 centuries before the Christian era. The first fans were made of bamboo only, but in time feathers and silk were used with good effect, and old writers pompously describe the imperial chariots decorated with these emblems of power on all state occasions. It was only at the beginning of our era, however, that a Chinese fanmaker beat plates of gold "until they were as thin as locust wings" and applied them on both surfaces of screen fans, which he further decorated with paintings of birds, beasts and fabulous monsters, wherein he set glittering bits of mica.

The folded fan, long unknown in China, is said to have been imported from Japan in the tenth century, when it began to replace screen fans.--New York Post.

Novel Tests.

Experiments at the Yale psychological laboratory on 1,200 boys and girls from the public schools between the ages of 6 and 17 show that, averaging the various tests, the boys surpass the girls. In color discrimination the girls are ahead, in weight discrimination the boys, though each sex is equal in the two at the age of 11 years. In quickness of motor ability the boys surpass the girls, though the latter are stronger in endurance--Exchange.

Willing to Change. He--Do you know, I think you are a most singular girl? She (coyly)--I assure you it isn't from choice.--New York World.

It sometimes costs more to keep up a big reputation than it is worth. The flail mentioned in the Old Testament is still in use in Syria, Arabia and Egypt. Buckets of plantain leaves are made by the natives of almost every tropical country. So far as quantity is concerned, coal stands for 85 per cent of all the minerals extracted. ODDS AND ENDS. There are less than 500 pure blooded Greenlanders. Dr. Warton says that most of the English poets were notably handsome men. Christian Indians of the Dakota tribe raised nearly $2,000 last year to Christianize their pagan Sioux brethren. The town of New Hope, Pa., with a population of about 1,200, appears to be having an epidemic of twins, no less than 15 pairs being born there lately. Massachusetts has a new law which forbids the exhibiton of wild animals in the streets and which authorizes officials to kill all such animals and fine the exhibitor $20. Miss Arbetta Echols, a pupil at the seminary at Holly Springs, Tenn., dreamed that she would die on May 4. Unfortunately her dream came true, and on that day she died. Since his recent attack of the grip the czar has betrayed symptoms of a permanent affection of the lungs. He will probably make his imperial residence at Kiev, where the climate is more favorable than at St. Petersburg. The Duchess of Marlborough has entered into possession of the Deepdene, Lord Francis Hope's estate near Dorking. Its noble owner calls it a "beastly hole," but is willing to accept £3,000 a year for it from the American duchess. A Chicago jury brought in a verdict the other day that did not please the presiding magistrate, Judge Abner Smith. He dismissed the panel by saying, "I don't say you are all scoundrels, but it is evident that there are scoundrels among you." It is suggested in France that "the beautiful and patriotic features" of Joan of Arc, the new patron saint of the nation, whose memory is being honored in various prominent ways all over the country just now, be put on the next edition of French postage stamps. What is supposed to be a relic of voodooism has just been unearthed at Ellston, Cecil county, Md. It is a bottle containing coal oil, needles, hair and a quantity of roots. It was dug up in a garden, where it had been buried doubtless by the advice of a negro conjurer. Mrs. Jennie P. Lane of Smithport, Pa., has a big Newfoundland dog which is a first class substitute for a nurse. It takes the baby riding in the carriage every day. The dog holds the handle with its teeth and wheels the coach as carefully as the infant's mother could. An auctioneer at Middletown, Del. talked without rest for eight hours the other day and sold in that time 640 articles. A man of leisure in attendance upon the sale estimates that the auctioneer talked 82,000 words, or enough to make in print the bulk of a fair sized novel. Slow progress is being made on the statue of General John A. Logan, which is to be erected in Jackson park, Chicago. The design has been adopted, but the figure will not be in place in less than 1½ years. Mrs. Logan, John A. Logan, Jr., and Judge Tuthill of Chicago have inspected the design and are very much pleased with it. Disguised Misers. "I have a friend," said an out of town coal operator, "who is worth nearly $500,000, and yet is the most penurious man I ever saw. The other night we were going on to Chicago on business. We went into the sleeper together, and as I was quite tired I suggested going to bed. 'Where's your berth?' I asked. 'Berth?' repeated my friend. 'Why, I'm not going to take a berth. I shall sit up in the day coach.' When I told him there was nothing but sleepers on the train, his face fell, and he seemed worried. I knew what the trouble was. He was thinking of the few dollars he would have to spent for a bed, so I said, 'I guess you'll have to hand over tonight.' He appeared much distressed and suggested that we double up and both sleep in one berth, 'for,' he said, 'it will be cheaper for both.' I laughed

at the idea and informed him that I did not care to make myself uncomfortable for the sake of a few dollars. Well, he resigned himself to his fate, and I noticed when a berth was assigned him he was without a handbag of any sort. As he was going to stay in Chicago but a day, I said; 'Where's your bag. Surely you didn't bring a trunk for one day?' He then sat closer to me, and crossing his legs began in a most earnest manner: 'That's just where you fellows make a mistake. You carry a bag with you as a sign that you are a good subject to beat. Now, I carry nothing--not even so much as a package for my nightshirt, for I have that on now under my other shirt--and you see that I dress shabbily. Why, if I carried a bag, hotels, hackmen, porters and everybody would charge me double what they do now. I've got too much common sense to lay myself open to high prices.' He seemed satisfied with himself after he had given me this oration. As I crawled into my berth I wondered for what object some people with $500,000 lived anyhow."--Pittsburg Dispatch. A Curious Letter of Introduction. When Professor Garner planned his expedition to Africa in search of the language of the great apes, he hoped to take with him a curious letter of introduction to a savage negro chieftain. The letter was in the form of a phonograph message in the chief's own language from E. J. Glave, Stanley's young lieutenant. Glave commends Garner to the

good offices of the savage warrior, and as Glave's voice is well known to the

chieftain the message would doubtless have been effective, but Garner by ill luck failed to receive the phonograph

before leaving England.--Chicago Herald.

Suited. Lesser--I am writing a new tank play and shall play the leading part myself. Dasher--Ah, you will certainly play the part of a tank admirably.--Brook-lyn Eagle. There's a veteran of the late war in Nevada, Mo., who wants a pension, but has forgotten what regiment he served in. Thee four hotels of Ayer, Mass., pay a license of $2,500 a year each, which is believed to be the highest license ever paid in Massachusetts. Cardinal Richelieu was a dramatic writer of much ability. Several of his plays are included in the collections of literary works of his time.