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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1886-5-20, Page 6Hs�ar Setiehed, 9 little, with conteut, is mune To hide who'll not teeese it Who taxes it as the Lord bee sent Aute then does rightly use it e`er ostmen, with tion. ng, have a thought That life would be a p ensure lit they moult share, in stateliest part, With those who have the treasure But is th"a true Experience chows That, in, this world ofson ow, "The man who 1l bte for bread to dee Will neht'for pie t l -morrow. Ile vows be does not want theearth; i His thoughta are far above t; '3`hegold ot Ivies and of O^, Hee aim vie tastes dcu'c covet. A vera little meets Ws manse; .ifuongh to furnish living, Ile says, is cella nwei abauld ask, And.tbank the Lord for giving. But, ie it "rue? Weil. if it ba, The truth you'll have to borrow. The man who tights for bream today Will fight for pie toe:ileu iw. Of wealth. fraction's all he asks, with smallest numerator Set out in unit bold, above A, lace denominator. That makes the cum of all his joys, Of ail his hopes mid bused ; 'Tie all he needs, 'tis all he prays ; Tia bread and cheese and kieses. But, is it trot You bet it ain't, For in this world of sorrow, Ube man who fights for bread 'o -day will fight for pie to -morrow. Three French Marriages I was present recently at a wedding -mass in the church of St. Thomas d'Aqulu In the Faubourg St, Germain, Paris, In the square before the church ladies in elegant costume were descending from their carriages and mounting the eteps, where a rloh carpet was laid for them, as one would see in New York on a similar occasion, At the door stood `two vergers in white hose and scarlet 'breeches, with blue coat, gold -embroidered baldrie, and the pictureegoe three -cornered hat trimmed with light gray oatrioh feathers, While awaiting the arrival of the bridal cortege I took a survey of the church, which was built by the Dominicans near the close of the seventeenth century, and daring the Revolution was ocaupied by the Theophil- enthropieta, It was rlahly decorated, like nroet Roman Catholic churches, where art Seems to levi'h all its resources. Some one ,.has palled Art the handmaid of Religion, but she some often to torget this aubordin- ate position, and to arrogate for hrraelf a temple in the home of Gad. I noticed par- ticularly a marble group of Saint Vincent de Paul with an infant in his arme and an older child at his feet, and a Descent from the =Cross,. length the bridal party entered, pre- oaded by the vergers with their glittering halberds, The bride was leaning on the arm of her father, while the bridegroom °enduc- ted her mother. They were attended by •several bridesmaids and groomsmen, and followed by a long train of relatives and friends. Passing np the main aisle, they took their seats in the enclosedspace before the high altar, the bride and bridegroom in the centre, apart from the rest, in chairs of tarimson velvet and geld, rich enough for thrones. There was a profusion of white do were around the altar, but they were all artificial, ae seems to be always the case in France on such occiaioue. Though they ars wxquisito imitations, one would perfer to have real flowers at one's wedding, More chow than sweetness is a bad omen. The officiating priest and his assistants wore white robes, with laoe which would have made the despair of e. duchess. The bride looked very graceful in a white gown perfectly plain, with the tulle veil floating to her feet and orange blossoms gleaming out trom her dark ringlets. The ceremony orae long and impressive. In one part of it the priest presented to the bride and bride• groom the " pieces de marriage"—that is, eiIver meda{e about the size of a dollar bear- ing the names of the young couple, with the date of their marriage and appropriate emblems, A little later they advanced to- ward the altar, where the priest presented to them two golden paters;, which they reverently kilned, and, returning to their seats, two of the groomsmen held ab ve their heads a long white mantle of cloth of silver with fringes of gold, while the priest want on with the service, Daring the cffartory the vergers passed through the assembly with their monotonous chant, " Pour les pauvrea. e'i{ vous platt" (" For the poor, if you please"), emelt fol- lowed by a groomsman and a bridesmaid, who held eat the small crimaon velvet bag to receive the offerings. I would rather bane taken past in the charge at Gettysburg than do this myself, but the perfect ease and grace of these young French girls made it charming, At the close of the mans the bridal party paned around the altar into the sacristy, when they received the congratulations of their friende, afterward returning through the grand aisle of the church in the same order as they had entered, except that the 'bride now leaned on the arm of her hnaband, iwhile the organ pealed forth exaltingly the 't' Wedding March" of Mendelesohn, As we came out of the church my friend, Madame Lefort, said to me, " You bane iaeen what is very rare in France, a marriage i of love and inclination, a l• Americana, It ma the only one I have ever anown." " And your own, madame ?' said I. " Mine has been a happy marriage, but 'T was not acquainted with M. Lefort when I was married to him. The first time I wirer saw him was on the day of rejoicing at the birth of the prince imperial, He was iresented to me in the Champy -Elysees, but T was engrossed with the scene around me and did not much observe hire. ' How did you like M. Lefort ?' asked my mother on the way home. ' I do not know ; I scarcely 1.eoked at him,' ' Bat, my daughter, your lather has selected him for your husband. He will dine with us to -morrow, and unless he is very disagreeable to yon—' M. Lefort was a handaome man ; he is eo stili, you know, and he was much handsomer then, He pleased me, but I never speke ten worth to him till after we wero married, whiot was just a month from the day I first saw him; and all the time we were so buoy, my another and I, with preparations for the wedding that I had not a moment to think, He seat into the most beautiful flowere every •day, and far my corbeille hie me riage he gave me diamonds and an India shawl which eclat five thousand francs. He was in a atate to commit follies than," Bald madame with a little sigh, " I was bewildered with ► all tide new splendor, for French girls aro e,lways dressed in the simplest way—not at all as in your country, where miss has everything ea handsome as mamma—and they never go into the street without a haperone, 1 was fall of life and longed sfor excitement ; my mother was an invalid rand went out very eoldom, eo that marriage ovas Iike an open door to freedom," " But I do not see how you dared," " Oh, lit to thsat, I was thoughtless enough, and besides I hover expected any. -tiling different Begone was very good by and bye we had our little Clar- %nae With each other by do' groes, and, we fiat a been very happy. I think marriages areea hippy in France as anywhere else, 1: helped to make three tarot, winter, and they have all boo happpet" " Do tall me about thein," said I. ac With the greatest pleasure, this evening after dinner," " The girls will like to hear the story too," eafd I. ('The girls were four ()harm- ing (specimens of Amerioan young woman- hood who were under my cine temporarily,) A000rdingly, when the lamps werefighted (for there le no gas {n French parlors) we drew our chairs around the table tehear the. dory Yon the three marriages. " on remember, "" began madame, the fat :olouol who dined with us last Sunday His wife is my cousin, and a year ago she was not M %dame de Courcallesd' " But the little boy ?" said Aloe with a naive surprise in her blue eyes. " Oh, the colonel was a widower," eaid madame, laughing. " My cousin lived with her father hi a country town. She was the youngest child. Her mother had been dead mauy years; her brothers and slaters were married ; she bad been asked In marriage, but she did not like to leave her father, and he would have been so deso- late withcut her that he had not the heart to urge it. My uncle died about two years ago ; hie property was divided among hie ohlldren, Pauline had a moderate income, which would not permit her to live in the style to which she wee aocuatom- ed. She wrote me a very sad letter, lamenting her father's death and her oien loneliness and desolation. She asked me to find her a room and hoard In P.erie, in a convent or in some quiet family. I wrote Chet I would do all I could for her, ' Bat, my dear oouain,' I added, ' why do you not think of marriage? It will be very disagreeable to you, who have so long been the mistress of a handsome establishment, to live is the way you propose, Seriously, marriage is the only solution of all your perplexities.' I had not long to wait for a reply. Pauline wrote that she would will- ingly marry, but she was now thirty six years old, her dowry was net excessive, and she feared it would be imposs'ble to; make an advantageous marriage. ' D•fault,' I wrote in reply, ' but not impossible. Come to Paris, make me a little visit, and we will eee,' Now I hag in mind my friend Colonel de Courcelles, whore wife had been dead about a year and a half. He often came to see me, and always bewailed his loneliness and the unhappy condition of his oriildren (he had but two, a girl and boy) without a mother. It occurred to me that two sorrows rightly mingled might make one joy ; and the next time be called and entered on his usual monologue 1 interpolated the question, ' Why don't you marry again, colonel ? It is the only thing that can make you forget your sorrows,' ' I know it,' said he, ' but there is no lady.' `Pardon me, colonel. I have a eouein who is j est my age. She has recently Poet her father; she has a dowry of fifty thousand francs, and the is coming to upend a few weeks with me.' " I eha11 bo delighted to meet your charming cousin, madame.' "In due time Pauline arrived. After the first greeting and condolanoea were over, I said, ' Pauline, I think I have found a hus- band for you —C tlonel de Courcelies. I have been acquainted with him many years ; be has a fins petition, and he was very in - diligent to his wife ; she war very happy with him. He will dine with ns on Sanday, and you will have an opportunity to see him, I have said nothing to him about it ; you may feel completely at your ease.' " (My Canadian readers, who have been brought up, I hepe, with a strict regard for truth, will doubtless be ,hooked at madame's want of veracity. I was not sorry to see my young friends exchange a glance of surfeit -a, which madame did not cbterve, ana would not have understood if aha had observed it. Frenchmen appear to regard a lie as a thing innocent in itself—one which may be even highly meritorious, and which becomes criminal only under certain circum - dances, deriving its moral character entire- Iy from the motives that prompt it) - " O.i Sunday the colonel came. Clarice was at school then, and there were only four of us—M. Lefort and I, my cou>in and the colonel, who sat opposite her. They looked at each other furtively from time to time, and when their eyes met dropped them in. atantly on their plates in the most comical manner. Dinner over, I took my cousin aside : ' What do you think of him 7' " He is too fat,' s9id Pauline. ' Fat ? You think eo ? Tae idea 1' " Oh, madame, how could you ? He is immense 1' geld my innocent Pauline, with a look of distress. ' Only consider what a fine position he has,' said I, ' and such an excellent man 1 if you could only see how well he looks on horseback at the head of his regiment 1' " Litter in the evening I had an opportu- nity to speak to the colonel, 'Well ? Bald I, interrogatively. ' Madame, your cousin is charming, but she is rather too tall' The huge oolcnel had a giant'a penchant for lit- tle women. ' There is no occasion for you to go any further,' said I, ' I have not mentioned it to my consin, of course,' " I should like to call to morrow,' Bald he. " In six weeka Pauline was Madame de Courcellos, but np to the wedding -day she continued to say piteously, ' If hs were only not so fat 1 i " " That la not romantic at all," said E ally, " But they are very happy," said mad- ams, " Doesn't she think he is too fat now ?•' asked Belle. " I dare say abe would be vary Indignant if you were to say so," laughed madame. " Now for marriage Number 2," said Helen. "A short time before my cousins mar• ria&e," continued madame, " my friend, M, Auber, called on me, ' That {e a strange idea of vous, to marry your cousin to that great fat colonel,' said he ; ' I bent a friend who would suit her muoh better, I am sure. ' It is rather late for that now ; she is to be married in ton days.' ' How vexatious !' said M. Auber. ' P3•et, monsieur, I have a aieter•in•law, a young widow, several yearn younger and far handsomer than my cousin. Your friend might be pleased with her.' ' d wieh I could see her,' Nothing easier, Dine with us the day after to -morrow, you and madame Auber, and I will invite Julie to meet you.' My slater is really very beauti- ful, and M, Aubor could not retain his ad- miration : ' Oh, madame, she le adorable 1 If my friend can pieane her, he it man to be envied, Let me Bee; to -day le £ueeday. Well, Thursday, if you and your sister and M. Lefort will dine with us, my friend will be there,' "Thureday.. came, the dinner and the guests, I had told my sister what was in contemplation, and we were naturally a lit- tle ourious to see M. 'Vernon. He was a good-looking man, about fifty years of ago, " Oh, madame, wasn't he bald 2" asked I Alice, " Well, he was a little, on the top of hie head." "I hate bald men. How old was the 2" " A little under thirty," " I should not think she would have mar- rlod him if she Wee so beautiful." " Well, ray dear he hada fine natal peti- tion and a ,,large fortune, hotel in Pads, house in the country, elegant carriage, and servants in livery. It ,was a great tempts. tion, and thenshe was not very young, you know, Well, dinner was over and we pad. returned to the parlor, M, Auber seemed reaGiese and fiigety, for he is of a very im- patient temperament, ' Madame is ifort,' maw tie, teeing, I would litre to show you a paintlne by Paul Dederoohe in the next room.' I had seen the painting hum dreds of timee. but I followed with. out a word. ' Vernon, wouldn't ycu like to eoe It too ?' sold M. Auber, No sooner was the doer closed than he asked in hie eager way, ' Well, madame, what does your sister think of my friend ?' ' But, monsieur, how should I know; I have not had an op- portunity to speak to her: Besides, it would be more suitable to know M, Vernon's im• pression first.' ' Oh, I saw that in an in- stant,' said M Arbor. 'Thera is no need of asking him. He ie enchanted,' ' Truly, she ii the most beautiful creature I ever saw,' *aid M. Vernon. ' Far too young end, lovely for mo, I am afraid,' ' That remains to be seen,' said hie friend. ' Ask her, ma• dame—j est as well now as any time,' ' But M. Vernon must go away.' ' Certainly, madame ;' and he opened the door into the parlor, ' Come, then, Julie, don't you wish to see thio beautiful palating ? Have you no taste for the arta it She came. ' N. Auber wishes to know bow you are pleased with 'oh friend.' ' He is very well,' said she cooly —'rather old.' ' Oh, madame, le that alt you can say for one of the beat matahos in Franca ?' ' I do not know that 1 have any obj sotlon,' she added. ' Then, madame, we will consider the affair settled.' " Early the next morning M. Vernon called to ask my husband to accompany him to the hcuse of Julie's mother, and after the usual compliments of presentation he imme- diately asked the hand of her deughta;, In three weeks I had the pleasure of being pre- sent at the wedding." " Oh, how dreadful 1" cried the girls in a chorus. " No lovemaking 1" " No walks by moonlight 1' "Se preset's!" "Everything hurried up so, just like a parcel of geode bought and delivered." " Why, how long are betrothals in your country ? ' asked madame, " Two or three years generally. Seldom 1ese than one year when the parties are young." " 1 should have changed my mind three or four times in a year," said M. Lefort, looking up from the book which he had been reading all the time, apparently. " And I mine five times," said madame. " How, then ? Are not such long engage- ments eften broken ?" she inquired. " Oh, never 1" sold Belle wtth fervor, " Bat, my dear child," interrupted I, " am afraid you are mistaken there : I have known a great many broken in my time." " And do these young lovers see each other often during this long interval 7' " Very often, madam, if they happen to live near each others" " But always in the presence of the young lady's mother, I suppose 7" " No ; it is very common for a young lady to receive her betrothed alone," " 0n, chocking !" and madams looked rigid with astonishment, " But if the en- gagement were broken, she would never find a husband after suoh au intimacy?" " That would make no difference," I re. joined, " unities a girl were engaged six or seven years, and the man broke his engage- ment then, as sometimes happens, She would have lost her fresh young boauty, and her heart might be so set on the faithless lover that no other could ever take his place." " Ah," said macama, " our young girls are at least saved from all pains of the heart," " And they are kept from indecorous flirting and mar coevres to attract attention too," said I, with a glance at my young Canadians—not that they needed the hint particular'y, however, " They flirt enough afterward," said Baffle spiritedly, "Don't you remember that odious Madame T-, with her yellow curls. and the young dieter at the Grand Hotel ? I never saw any sure flfcting in America." " Don't talk, girls," said Emily. " I want to bear about the third marriage." " Well," resumed madame, " I felt a good deal of complacency in my sucoeas, and it formed a subj -ot of oonveraatlon at my next reception, ' I am dlegueted,' said Madame Belval, ' I have been trying all winter to bring about a marriage between two of my friends, and it has failed at last. I will never try again if I live a thousand years.' ' I am ready to try again to -mor- row.' " Pray be eo kind as to give me some aseistanca, then,' eald Madame C.; wi`e of the minister of marine. ' I am looking for a suitable wife for E nile, ae I sm very de- sirous that he should marry. Young men are exposed to so many temptations in Paris —actresses and grisettes, and all that kind of thing—enough to drive a mother direr to- ted. Emile will be twenty•five next month.' ' " I should think he was old enough to find a wife far himself," whispered Alice. " His salary is twelve thousand francs, which is not bad for a young man, and hie father will do something more for him when he marries,' ' I know a girl that will suit him exactly,' cried Madame Belval eagerly, forgetting, like Rip Van Winkle, that she had 'sworn off,' ' (This Isom interpolation. I am afraid the French ladies had not the pleasure of being acquainted with Monsieur Van Winkle,) "'The administrator of the Lyons Railway has a daughter almost nine- teen, the most amiable, the moat lovely, and her father will give her a hundred thousand francs.' ' That is very reasonable,' said Madame 0, ' I shall be under everlasting obligations to gnu if you will speak to him of oar son,' ' With the greatest pleasure £n the world,' • " Madame Belval had an interview with the administrator of railways, He would make inquiries about the young man, Tho reault was satisfactory, and in a week the friends of both families, concluding M. Le - fort and myself, received an luv£tetion to a soiree at Madame Belval'e, where the two young people would meet for the firat time. It was very embarrassing for them in the presence of so many curious observers, Mademoiselle Therese was lovely, with long fair purls and that delicate blonde beauty which in so rare in France, I pitied the poor child, she was so distressed at the thought of being on exhibitien, at it were, and looked pale and then flushed alternate- ly," "I am glad I am not -a French girl," Bald lelen, "And the young man was scarcely less agitated, They hardly darod to look at each other, and wero as Wont as deaf•mutes the whole evening. The next day his father made a formal demand of M. Thouvel 'for the band of his daughter," "His father 1 and the young man had nothing to do with it ?" exclaimed Belle, amazed. " Marriegoe are altstaye arranged by the parents with ua," said madame, "M. Thee -eel gave an affirmative answer, and the marriage took plaob shortly after, as is usual in Franco," "And shall you bo married in that way, Clarice?" asked Alice compassionately of madamo'n pretty young daughter, ".How else f I ate not going to America, HEALTH. Diroeaied Money, A writer givoe some very pert nent advloe outhls eubject : In the numerous speoulations aa to the variety of ways and channels through wh oh the germs of oonteeloue disease may be disseminated, there ii one to which but little or no ituportanoo has tbua far been attached, but which, nevertheless, prob.ebiy playa an important role. We refer to that meteoroid oirouiatieg medium—money. It pastes impartially front the hand of the millionaire into that of the bagger, con• stantly circulating through every plass and condition of soolety. The person of fas- tidious teethe, who will taro from hie path rather than risk coming Into so',ual cone tact with others of unoleanly dress or per. son will rcoclve, handle and carry in hie pocket without the slightest symptosis of disguet, or perhaps without giving it a thought, money that hat thousands of times passed through hande or reposed In pockets whose contact he would. deem to be pol laden. In respect to the dangers that may arise from this oause, paper money is undoubtedly more to be feared than coin, and the in doacribably filthy e.ppsaranoe of much of that which is seen in clroulation Is fem• filar to all who read tete. Tag the handl- Ing of Kroh "amity stuff is often fraught with serious danger, no sensible person oan doubt. It would be well if the system 'aid to be in vomit) is certain countries of Earopo, of destroying every note that Domes into the beetle and keening new ones to their stead were practiced with uo, though even dela would only to some extent lessen and not do away with the danger. Bat though paper currently is the meat to he feared on the score of commudieating disease, coin is by no means free from dan- ger of the seine kind, It hat been shown that the blackieh coating, which may be seen in the reverses and in the millad edges of coins that have been In circulation for a short tine, consists of organic) filth which when introduced into distilled water and examined under the microscope was found to be swarming with bacteria and fungi. We are not sanguine enough to expect that our readers shall deoliee to touch or handle the stuff, for tho reasons here point- ed out, but we can not refrain from utter- ing our protest against the unutterable nastiness, of which many persons are guilty who would feel themselves deeply insulted at any insinuation of a lack of re- &nement or good breeding, of plata/lig paper ourrenoy or coin in the mouth for tempor- ary convenience, while making change or the like, This most disgusting habit {e singularly enough, confined almost exoiu• sively to womankind, and is an act of thoughtlessness which, if any who reade this ever practiced, we feel auto they will never do again, A SIBERIANN B 4ILROAD• The Completion of the Canadian Pacific Alarms Russia. A Se Paten') erei, despatch says:—The completion of the Canadian Pacific railway has given a fresh incitement to the discus- sion among Rassiana of their oten long talk- ed of llne to the Paoi&c across 5:beria to Vladivoatock, If Raesia ham stolen a march over England in railway progress towarda Herat, it will be a long time before the Rra- sian locomotives oampote with those of Eng- land and America in reaching the shores of the Pacific.' Tne branch to Tiamen has not yet been made, and the Ufa Ziatoust suction to Eaeterinburg has only lately been decided upon, after years of dispute over the con- flicting claims of different towns, Yet the almost chimerical idea ef Rass£an Pacific railroad is already talked of one written about as an undertaking of early and easy accomplishment. The ether day a meeting of the society for furthering Raraian trade and commerce. under the presidency of Count Ignatioff, was enlightened on the sub- ject by a discussion of several projects for the great work, among them being a curious ene tendered by an enterprising exile living in Siberian banishment, All difficulties were very satisfactorily disposed of except one, which was quite left out of calculation. and that was the source of the 150,000 000 roubles and more that would be required for the enterp-iee, The addition of the Cana- dian Pacific railway to that of the United States naturally makes the Ruasians feel more keenly than ever the disadvantages of tbeir isolated position on the Amoor and the Pacific coast, Two Mining Hermits. Leet November two men took a lease of a mine belonging to C. W. Sickler. located on the west aide of Little Cottonwood canyon, on Bald mountain, near Alta. They took up a good supply of provisions and went to work with the in'ention of staying in that elevated place till spring. A few days ago some citizens of Alta missed a familiar tree which stood near the mouth' of the mine tunnel, and beside the cabin, and supposing the tree, cabin and men had been swept away by a elide organized a party and went np to prospect for them, The trip was a diffrmit one, requiring moat of the day, and when within 150 feet of the cabin their progress was stopped by an immense bar- rier of snow which they could not pass. Tney saw smoke coming out far abovethem and calling to the men were able to a onveroe with them, They could not time to greet their visitoro because they dare not trust themselves upon the snow bank hanging on to the tile of the mountain, and which wan ready to rush to the bottom of the canyon thousands of feet below, They said they were well, had plenty of grub and fuel, lots of ore and did not Wend to come out till Mty. This is one phase of silver mining which the world knows nothing et, Two hardy men imprisoned 9000 feet above eea level, delving in a mine six long winter month; with no other ooiriponiona, no news to read or talk about, virtually out of the world so far air its doings are concerned, is an experience few men would like to go through. And this, too, within sight et this busy, bustling city,—Salt Lake Tri- bune, • The Angelus. IVY rruxcas 0, MACE. Ring soft across the dying day, Angulus ! Across the ember -tinted bay, The meadow flushed withsunsot ray; Iain g out, and float, and molt away" Angelus. The day of toil eeems long ago, Angolan ; While through the deepening vesper glow; Par up whore holy lilies blow, Why beckoning bell -notes rise and flow, Angelus. Through dazzling matting of the west" Angelic' We sea a eiarine in twee dressed, And liftted high in vision blest, Our every heart-throb is confessed, Angelus. Oh has1ingelue i ang angel touched the WI, For now upon Its parting swell A!I sorrow scone to sing farcical, There falls a peace no words can toll Angelus 1 FOREWN ;OHQES, Madame Albini will sang the odo by Ten' nleoa at the opening o! the Iudlau and. Qo1o.• Dial ext:ibitton in London. It is reported that King Louis of Bavaria, has become bankrupt, and a regency will be declared, The oldeet merchant' vessel afloat is said to be the 'auk True Love, which was built in Philadelphia in 176'l, and is, therefore, 122 years old, She is still in aocive service, and is owned by J, S Ward of Landon, A Boptiet missionary in Calna writes home that what an American family throws away in a year would keep a dozen Chinese fami,iee ; and what a Chinese.famiiy throwe away la the same time would not feed a moue. Aa an ex maple of the eccentricities of British elections, the London Globe gives thie as a reault of the minted at 1pswioh : "An English borough r j eta two Pagliah- men and elects two Sootonmen on a gaeation of Irish policy." Rouse rent is so high in the oily of Mix• loo that many houses are vacant in the older quarters of the city, newcomers nearly all awaking the suburbs, especially toward the west. Landlords do not come down, how- ever, preferring to welt, since their pro- perty is not taxed when un000upiod. The plan of throwing a bridge over the Straits of Messina, that separate Stony from Italy, will when consummated, -be one of the moat striking feats of modern engineer- ing, The place selected ie where the chan- nel it two and oae-half miles wide and 361 feet deep, and two piers will euppnrt a via• duct of alae{ rails to a height of 328 feet shove the water. The Egyptian Sphinx le soon to get a thorough overhauling, A company has been formed in Paris to aid M, Maapero iu carrying on his excavations. It is thought that the Sphinx is a tomb, and that under it or inaide of it some valuable and interest ing m aterial may be dlsoover:ed that will add a few years more to the length of his- tory. The work will los carried on with care, so that the great Sphinx may not be disfigured by the somewhat tardy antcpay, A life insurance company in England bears the amazing title of "The Royal Liver Friendly Society." { Its mission is not, as might naturally be supposed, the insuring of persona afflicted with or liable to hepatin diaordera, bur general, like all other life in- surance companies. Indeed, it would seem that It rather seeks to ignore, if it does not actually contemn, the functional service of that important organ after which it is nam- ed, Blume in a recent manifesto its carers assure the paella that "no longer there will be a s:ecrotive atmosphere in the affairs of the society." Various trials of the new French horse- shoe, which is made entirely of sheep's horn, are raid to show its partioular adapteduess for horses employed in towns, and known nit to have a ateady foot on the pavement. Tho results of the expo►Iments are therefore regarded as very eat:,factory, [horses thua shod having been driven at a repf3 pace on such pavement without slipping. Battles this advantage, the new shoo is spoken of as more durable, and, though a little more expeualve than the ordinary kind, seems destined Boner or later, to replace the iron shoe. Tae unnamed severity of the pant winter gave Englishmen an opportunity of indulg• ing in many sports comm an to colde countries, but rarely enj eyed there. Skat- ing line been general, and during the week that followed the new year many toboggans and sleighs were seen in and about the vi• einity of Leaden; but all these amusements wer., eclipsed by a man who built an ice yacht and was able to sail in it for two weeks in January on the frozen surface of the Reading resorvo;r, to tho delight of the whole nelghborhooct, The will of Kite Rowland, the little dwarf that was known all over Earopo as "Ma- dame la Mame-the," contains a novel feature. After she had dispoeed of all her p-onerty, there remained her wardrobe. •' Well," said she, "my dree es and linen and every thing that I wore must be far too small for the littlest child ; but, in order that some poor little girl may be happy, I desire that the sum of ten pounds sterling may be ap• plied to the purchase of twenty dolls of my a7zi, which shalt all be dressed from my wardrobe and given to orphans." The German ship Auguste, belonging to Bremerhaven, and bound for 11 nig Kong, narrowly escaped falling a prey to some 150 pirates. When not far item her destination she was hailed by a junk, all of whose crew seemed to be unarmed, and were persistent in their efforts to trade with the ship, which bad slack sned her pace by the wind falling. Presently a number of armed junks ewarm- ed up and began to attack the Auguste. -The Garman crow had to defend themselves vig- orously. Five of the pirates were killed and several wounded. A smart breezy sprang up and the German vessel got away without lose, It is M. Girard, Chief of the municlpal laboratory of Paris, who gays a " From 1510 to 1850 about 25,000,000 gallons of brandy were made yearly in France, and fatly seven -eighths came from grapes. At prevent more than 50,000,000 galione are yearly turned out, but not one per Dent. of it is made from the grape; grain, cider, beet, potatoes,'eto., forming its principal sources. Tho spirits thus obtained would be fairly wholesome 11 they were properly reetlfi yd But they are not. Invariably when put upon the market they are charged with acids, ethers, and essentials of elle of the most deadly nature." The startling increase of violent insanity and other maladies in Franco, in late years, is by 111, Girard attri- buted to consumption of that deadly brandy. We import large quantities of it into this country. • A gentleman who travelled on the Yel- low or Hoarngho River in January last tells how great a source of trouble that river is to the millions who inhabit the central plain of China. Much the same story was told nearly a century ago by Lord Macart- nay about this moat disorderly river, Nine instances are on record of lie making a com- plete change of oourse. It has moved ita mouth from south to north over four de. grecs of latitude, leaving only sandy wastes and ahallow lakes where populous plains had existed. Western engineers have been much interested in the (potion whether thee, digestroum overflown and changes of the riverbed can be checked, They have been convinced, for tome years of the feaei• bility of koopleg the river's erratic tenden- otos within limits, and in the eouree of hu- man progress "China's sorrow" may some day be robbed of its terrors, A somewhat weather-beaten tramp being asked what was the matter with his coat, replied, " Insomnia ; it hasn't had a nap in ten years," When the fashionable youug lady makes A dive and grab at her dregs ekirt, a fellow feels very muoh like dodging, for she acts for all the world like oho was going for a brink. IMPORTAN'QE 0r HALIFAX., Alone Pertinent Iiemarlcs Respectful Calle olio's Atlantic "'art. The Pail 11 Tall (Daze;te &aye :—A oorree- poudent who had ooeupfed an influential positiuu at Halifax, Nova Sootia, sends us tee following recount of what to to be done to improve the dooke there :--North of the rgaater there are two naval dock yards -- Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Sootia—but they are very far from being kept up to the high standard of el&oietey they ought to` bo. Bermuda as•an outpost and as a repair- ing station ie doubtless of valve, but culy eo long as the store of coal lasts or eau be renewed ; In fact, so long as the fleet can keep open communication, After that, in those days of steam, it is practically useless. IIelifax,1Nova Soda, is, Ito wover,'differently oirounistanced, Planed in one of the fiueet harbors of the world, free of ion all times of the year, facing the Atlantic ocean, yet sheltered from Its adverse story ac), it is sit- uated within eight to a hundred iffies of the regular route of the steamers, O rr inviting the Atlantic, The extraordinary benefits of its position oan be appreciated at a glance, Bat as a coaling station either ,fere the navy or for mercantile ships it is ipiijiue. The coal fields of Nora Scotia are brought into oammu ei:ation with it by the Inter - colonial railway, while there is a non- tinuous supply of coal from Cape Breton carried by ooastiag &ohooners. Tao coal of Nova S retie and CipsBreton is used by the mail and other steamers, and the supply ie praotioalIy inexhaustible. Halifax, though the headquarters of the North American and West Indian egnadron, and possoseing a dockyard, hat not had, up to the present time, any taoilitioe for the repair or for the rapid coaling of vowaols, Thie is, however, to be altered. Already work has been ordered ou what will be, taken alt over, the largest graving dock in the world, and in two years it will be complete. This dook will take in her Maj ,sty's ship Inflexible, the largest ironclad afloat, The fo iowing d{monelons may be of interest—length 580 feet; width 102 feet ; width at entrance, See feet ; depth ot water over the eill, 30 feet. Arij lining this dock will be a large ;o ,ling wharf with all the appliances for the rapid coaling of vessels, with atorehousea for supplies of coal, with every arrangement for the repair• ing and fitting out of ships, Both the dock and the coaling wharf are to be in commun- ication with the Interoolonial railway, and through that system with the whole of Canada. Halif.ix is to be the winter port of the Caned{ in Pacific railway, and as au tb, with the facilities which these new works now in ountemplation will afford, must be the grand and central depot of the navy in the Atlantic, and as the alternative route to China, Auatralia, and India meet he always kept open and maintained. The defences of H ilifax are strong, but not so strong as they should be, and no attention has brei given to the land defences, CANNIBALISM IN HAYTI• Fearful Practices Among the People of the /thick Republic. The foil swing is a tr•,nslati+m—m La Peuple of January 53, a journal published at Portau-Prince, Hayti :—"General Al- fred Milerd, commanding the arrondisse- ment of Grand Goave, accompanied by the police, proceodededlent week to arrest ten ot twelve pencil r of both sexes who were carrying on a trade of killing people in order to sell their flesh in the market -place at Grand Goave, The citizen who has report- ed this fact to us le in every way worthy of belief. When these people were being con- ducted to the town, a woman who had taken tae communion but a few weeks before, overcome by remorse, died on the Way, and her body was buried by the aacort,- other, named Sophia (corrected Francoieee arrived' at the town tied on a donkey, was recog- nized by the neighbors and by the wife of our informant, who spoke to her thus; ` H iw is it, Sister S ,phla (Franeoise,) you who have been nook to Padre Frehel, you who have taken the Communion scarcely fifteen days ago, you feast on human fieeh? You should have committed auicide rather than have permitted yuureeif to be brought here in this state, Arriving at the police office, situated about twenty paces from the house of this lady, the said Sophia (Fran- coiee) was taken from the donkey quite dead, and immediately the prisoners had to dig a grave is which she was buried. The other anthropophagl have deblared that for some time they have sold human flab for pork in the market of Grand Goave, They have made revel:ationa of great importance, but incredible if it were not certain of tee facts, seeing them praoticed or executed be- fore us." The correspondent who forwards the above to the Daily News says :—" It is an important corroboration of the atatemente contained in Sir Spencer St, John's, Hayti, or the BlacktRopublIc,' as well as ef Cap- tain Kennedy'e notices of his eoj turn in the West Indies, The euthoritiea at Port•an- Prince were very angry at this publication, and threatened to prosecute the editor, Mr. J. J. Audis, for having had the courage to bring before his countryman what is pass- ing daily in their midat, The women who are supposed to have died of remorse no doubt fell victims to the clubs of the po- lice, who never spare a prisoner, whether innocent or guilty. I trust none of your readers will confound Hayti with its progres- sing neignbar, San Domingo. He Intenciei to Keep the Day. The following incidents are believed to have occurred in a prominent railroad town in Texas :— It was late oa Saturday afternoon when a travel stained stranger dropped into the ofGca and asked where the superintendent wits, The clerk responded that the gent Ye - man sought after had gone hone and could not be seen on liminess before Monday. " Yea, but I must see him to -morrow. I've travelled several hundred miles to see him, and have get to loose town early Mon- day morning," • " Can't help it. IIs can't be seen on business until Monday morning." "Do you mean to say tbat he is so infer. natty religious that he can't come down to bio office and transact a Iittle business on 5undY' "Thatay's just about the size of It. It wan only yesterday I heard him say he would be hanged if he worked any more en Sun- day." The Sobbing Wren. There Is a bird in southwestern Texas known an the sobbing wren, Its note begins in a high silvery key, descending from one sweet note to another, each more delightful- ly clear titan the others until it bursts into a sobbing cry, ending in a gasp like that of a suffering child, The effect of this strange song is startling and distressing as it is borne on;the early morning air, or at twilight, The bird is email, with a plump brown breast, Bpookled with elands of black. .4-s.w..P-4+,oie,-- --'— iood will like a good name is got by ace done and lost by one, ,ese