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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1892-10-14, Page 7Oct 14, 189 T$ BRUSSELS POST. JOSON patches," Johnson maid to the two met HN 'S FORTUN k q'Gor they had alighted from their buggy. "Now toll nno.if you ever Sawa saner linin oatton of nil?" The expert gave a glance over the field, took a quick survey of the eonftrmation of the country, and a enol his lips to speak : but before he 00ulrl art 0111510 a word, Mr, Hobbs broke into the eonvorsutioi with a rentetrk that mint Lite gold chills down John• son's opine, "And is it them blue patches that Sn,li• can ile?" he asked, with a glade half pitying, half contemptuous, " That's a fact, for I used morn two gallon on my ole mowin'-machine, a-tryin' to gin through the newton without buyin it new cue. " Got this be a lesson to you , sir," said Johnson's partner. " All the lesion I gib out of it," again put in Mr. Hobbs, " ie that when you are a•cuttin' hay use plenty of Ile." " It's a—swindle 1" Johnson broke out, lurid with rage. "And I'll land you in the pen before this is over," "Don't talk tome about swindling," Mr. Hobbs began, advancing upon Johnson, who retreated to his buggy. " Who was it swindled the Widow Robinsonout of her property and drove her to commit oticide? Who was it that swindled the people out of their taxes and barely missed the pen 2 Who was it that swindled—" Johnson gave his horse a lash with the whip and drove rapidly away. "I didn't know nothin' about this ile business until this inornin'," Mr. 'Tebbe explained to the people present.. " I know - ed they was, somethin up, butI had no idy what it was, for I supposed every blamed fool in the country would know mnaohine- ile on a medder after a rain."— iVaverly. "I'vo done my beet, mother," Farmer Hobbs said, coming in hot and tired from the hayfield, " That there dratted machine won't work, and ef I am to save my hay, I'll have to take that intrust n o ley and buy a new machine," " I think you'd butter not, father," Mrs. Hobbs answered, in mild alarm. "I don't know where you're gain' to got any more, and Johnson le powerful clot about gettin' the money on time. I'd be afeard to lot it run over a minute." " Well, but, Luoindy, the hay's wuth more'n the intrust, and you know they's no Lakin' the stook through the winter with- out it, Tho cattle might kinder rub along, but the horses is fiat plum ebleeged to have their timothy, and my timothy is au tine a piece us you ever sot eyes on." "Suppose you try again,' Mrs. Hobbs suggested, helping her husband to a las- thous quarter of raspberry pie. " 1'11 go out with you and help unchoke he:, and we'll use plenty of ilo, and mebbe you can rub through lest 'hie ones," "Well, I'll try, Lucindy, I hain'b no hopes, bat I world like to save that intrust money." Mrs. Hobbs stayed in the field till five o'clock, and the hay was cut with few de- lays. Tho girls brought out the supper, which was oaten with much relish in the hayfield. The horses being watered and fed, the work went on by the big harvest moon, and at 10 o'clock the hay from the " big n odder" was in the stacks. A few days after, Jim Johnson came out to see if the interest money was ready. He tied his horse under a tree and started through the meadow to see Mr. Hoots, who was footling his ricks at the other side. " Moses and the bullruehes 1 What's that?" he asked, gazing at glinty blue re- flections floating on pools of water standing everywhere, for it had rained heavily rho night before. " Oil, and no mistake 1" he went on, after dipping his finger into a pud- dle and testing it carefully with hie nose. It was only the day before that the papers had contained an account of some now oil- fields found not above twenty utiles away ; an old partner of Jim had been the first to invest and was consequently fabulously rich, Johnson carefully rubbed his finger on his pocket handkerchief, stowed the latter in a deep pocket and hastened across the field, his face pale and his ayes glittering very unpleasantly, He tried to greet the farmer with his accustomed familiarity, but his words same by jerks and in gusts, and his throat became so dry that he could scarcely articulate. " W hat's the matter? Hain'byou well?" Mr. Hobbs asked suspending his work to gaze curiously at his visitor. " You look taller -colored its the dead, an' your eyes is like burnt holes in a blanket." "No, thank you, not at all," Johnson re. plied at random. " I'ni quite well, except husky sore throat --are you well? And the family ?" "Pretty fair—we've got a good deal of health mixed up amongst us—you know they's twelve all told." " Yes, a large, interesting family—want to sell tiro farm ?" He tried to make the question less eager, but he oould not quiet the trainer in hia • voice, and he was in mortal dread last Mr, Hobbs should have sone reason to cross the field and see the oil, when his "cake would be dough," as be mentally expressed it. "No," Mr, Hobbs replied shortly, and went on with hie work. "I'11 give yon a good price for it—I want it for a combination shoe factory. Soba fig- ger." g- ge," " Well, twelve thousand—a thousand apiece," said Mr. Hobbs, jokingly ; the farm Was nob worth more than a third of that sum. " I'll take it," with a gasp. " Hero's fifty to bind the bargain, and ['ll fill out a check for the balance right here." He did so, and handed the paper to Mr. Hobbs, who kept his countenance and re- ceived it with perfect gravity. Privately he was convinced that Johneot was crazy. " Come to the house and sign the contract for the deed," "All right." Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs accompanied John - Son to town, and were thunderstruck when they learned that the sale was real, and that they had twelve thousand dollars hi the bank. Sense that Johnson Itain't crazy," Hobbs began as he was clear of the town, "why, they's somethin' in the wind. It may be a shoo faobry, bub I don't believe it. I wonder ef they've found gold?" "It don't make no sort o' defference to us, father," Mra. Hobbs answered. She was afraid that her husband would take alarm and want to "rue back," as she ex- pressed it. " No, it don't make no sort o' defference to us, an' we've got enough for the plane ef they find dimints. I never did like it, an' I don't koor how soon we git away. Let's buy back our six acres on the edge of Cloverdale. Wo Dan git it for throe thonsand, an' then you'll have nine thou- sand to put out at intrust." " Yes, mother." "And we kin gib little Jim his cornet and send him off to bo learnt to play." " You can do list as you please, mother. I'm rich enough now, 1 reckin, to do as I like, and I hope T won't want to do nothin' very bad." " That's somethin' you never did clo, father," dutifully replied his wife, " and I don't believe bels' rtoh is a-goin' to change yon much. If it would I'd want somethin' to costo along and take the money away from us, because rb Dant never pay to give up dohs' good." As soon as the aranster was made and the deed recorded, Johnson sent the following telegram to his whiloin partner : " Come on—bring all your loose oash—oil in abundance." The cash was sent with instructions to buy adjoining farms on option of thirty days ; the oil roan would conte later and bring an expert. The farms wore bargained for at ridicu- lously low figures, and then Johnson invited bis friends out to see hia " find." " I tell you, boys," he said, as he rode pp and tied his horse to the meadow fence, the whole earth is fiat a-soakin' with it, and Wet ist buratto' out of the grounds You see this country has never had any oil taken out of it," he went on glibly, " and as it fa constantly generating it has become bo chock full that the ground can't hold it and it's compelled to come out. You'd be astonished to see how it is actually boiling u nap," It must be wasting if it isin that condi- tion" some one remarked, "'What's a waste of a fele million o' bar - role?" scornfully retorted ,rohnnson. There's enough Soft for Ina and any family and all my poor relations," 13y this lion others, having hoard rho news, had arrived at the farts, and quite a crowd had gathered when the partner with the expert drove up, followed by hie. Butterfly Migration. A famous entomologist discusses in a re- cent number of the Atlantic Monthly the interesting and comparatively novel clues• tion whether butterflies regularly migrate from north to south, and back again, after the manner of birds. That they are capable of prolonged flights cannot bo disputed. They have been taken repeatedly hundreds of miles from land. " In many parts of the world vast swarms of single spews have been seen moving steadily in a specific direction, not always with the wind." The writer mentions es- pecially the great swarms of the thistle but. tartly which invaded Europe in 1870. They pushed as fur north as Finland, and were believed to have come frown Africa. At present there is no positive proof of a regular semiannual migration north and south on the part of any species of butterfly, but the " Atlantic" writer mentions the splendid and familiar milkweed butterfly Panels Arehip us), one of the largest and handsomest of Norbh American insects, as one of the apeoies which are most likely to be found addicted to such a habit. " Within our knowledge it has spread fres this continent over the Pacific Ocean to Australia and Java, and eastwardly to the Ablantic borders of Europe, from Eng• land to Portugal and the Azores." As to the probability that it moves northward and southward with the season, the argument may be summarized thus : The milkweed butterfly is a distinctively. tropical insect, but is found every season in Canada, and has been credibly reported from Hudson Bay and beyond. It is cer- tain that if it reinaine with us through the winter it must be in its butterfly stage—in other words, it mush hibernate. But most if not all of our hibernating butterflies have been found in their winter quarters, while tine milkweed butterfly, larger and far more conspicuous, has never been detected. Our ordinary hibernating butterflies in New England come oub in March, April, and early May, while the Arehippus is never seen till June, and is then in fine livery, in• stead of being dull -colored and battered, as a butterfly that has hibernated almost in- variably is. Butterflies of this species are known to go south in the autumn. Thee are numerous records of enormous flocks "containing myri- ads upon myriads of individuals, clustering at nightfall upon trees to such an extent as to change their color and bend the weaker twigs." in short, our Atlantic contributor quotes with full approval the words of another na- turalist "There is a southward migration late in the season in congregated masses, and a northward dispersion early in the season through isolated individuals." CURIOUS WEDDING INCIDENTS. 1Seel eh 111Whiter Tots or Stemma : nen lugs tem unl:nenlugo 11L Mlle I••xiiiirlan(•r', I have observed that marriage, ospouially among the working ()lessee le greatly atl'oot- od by the state of trade. 1Vhen Wada la good marriages bio•oaso, and are less fre- quent in tines of commercial depression, 'Phis fact indicates that the romance of life among a ease who are generally regarded as reckless in the matter of marriage Is after all restrained by dictates of common prudence, During the Lancashire cotton famine, early in the sixties, I had a ohuroh in Dundee. The failure of cotton oeeasion- ed en abnormal boom in the jute trade, and Dundee was the principal emporium for the import and manufacture of the flexible fibre. It was then that the town laid the founds• tion of its wealth and greatness, In those prosperous times marriages were frequent, and in the ooures of a few years I united in the snared bonds of matrimony a greater number of yotulg couples than in any Mint lar period during my ministerial career. A favorite fanoy of the millworkers was to bo married at the manse, and I was often amused at their lavish expenditure and love of display. One evening I had arranged to marry a ootple at the manse, and at the time an elderly friend, recently retired from a suc- cessful business was staying with mo, and wished to sse the ceremony. Three cabs drove up to the entrance gate, and my roost was immediately filled with half a dozen nouples, who constituted tine bridal party. The men were to full dress black suits, white kid gloves, buttonhole flowers, with ample display of linen and jewollry. The ladies were dressed in white muslin trimmed with lace and glittering beads. It was in- deed a gay and showy scene. My (riond leaned buck in an armchair in the corner of the room, with his 1,ig fingers dovetailed into cash other lying across his capacities waistcoat, and transfixed with simple as- tonishment, gazed through his spectacles, that seemed t0 surround his eyes with pilos- phorescent circles. When the ceremony was over and the party had retired my guest pushed his spectacles on to his fore- head, and slapping his hand on his knees exclaimed: "Well, that beats all 1 What are the working classes coming to? I had to be content with ahnmblerwedding in my day, and I reckon I oould now buy up the whole mill where these people work. Mark my words, these daft youngsters are begin- uingat the wrong end of the tether, and that they will find out some day. You can't stake a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I could only smile at this bit of philosophy, and say : " That is the order of tits day in Bonnie Dunnio." On another occasion I was asked bo marry a couple in a curious ont•of-the-way plane in another part of the country, about three miles distant from the town where I then resided. I found the house full of wedding guests, and there were evident preparations for a night of festivity. The bride was a modest, shy -looking damsel, with dark drooping eyes and graceful pose of figure. I was utterly taken back by what followed. As soon as the marriage ceremony was corn. pleted, the bride asked me in a soft, timid voice : "Please, sir, will you baptize the baby?" and at the same moment one of the women lifted the child from the cradle. In my innocence I asked : "Whose baby is it?" and the bride, with a face scarlet with blushes, meekly answered, "It's mine, sir." 1\ -hat could I do? Why should the inno- cent child be denied the Christian sacra. men' ? The infant was placed in the arms of the bridegroom father, and, with an ex- tra touch of potties that I sincerely felt, I solemnly commended the babe to the care of him who said "Suffer little children to come unto Me." I have had some experience of marriages south of the Tweed. Here there are no home marriages. The ceremony takes place in church, and is often witnessed by a large congregation. It is the etiquette for the bridegroom to be first on the spot to welcome the arrival of the bride. I once officiated at a marriage in the north of England in whioh a bride was placed in a moat trying position. She was led down the aisle of the church by her father, a venerable, handsome looking gentleman, followed by a bevy of bridesmaids, and they book their places in front of the communion rail. But the bride- groom was nowhere to be seen, and no one could account for his absence. The church was full of eager, interested spectators, and I observed the rustle and flutter of a grow. ing excitement ms the whisper went round, where is the bridegroom?' I suggested that the ladies should retire into the vestry, but the bride declined with a gentle firmness, as much as to say, "I have come here to be married and I am not going to run away. Besides, I am sure my beloved will be here immediately." Bub minutes that seemed drewn out into unusual length passed away, and he did not come. It was a time of intense and painful suspense. The father and mother fidgeted and fleshed, the bridesmaids were in the nervous borderland between laughing and crying, and the congregation talked in buzzing whispers. I engaged the bride in conversation, and indulged m alitble divert. ing pleasantry. "Bo brave," said I ; "keep up your heart ; don't faint on any account ; but if you wish to indulge in that innocent luxury do it gracefully. Lean your head gently on your father's shoulder, and take care not to disarrange that lovely wreath I" She bore up splendidly, and was the most self-possessed of the whole patty. The crisis was passed as the congregebion rose to watnh the entrance of the bridegroom ; and ho and the best man beaming with satisfaction, walked down the aisle utterly unconscious that they bad boon the cause of any awk- ward waiting, and they were both astonish- ed to find the bride had &beady arrived, The ceremony proceeded in the usual way, and all ended happily. The blunder arose by the driver meddling his orders. Instead of going first for the bridegrooin, according to his instructions, he went to a different part of the town for the bride. The putting on 0f the wedding ring is an important part of the ceremony in the Tang. lisli service. The ring is placed on the book out of whioh the service is read i and the minister, handing the ring to the bride. groom, instructs him to plane it half way on the third finger of the left band of the bride, earl, holding it there, to repeat audibly the followingformula : " With this ring, a tulten ad pledge of the vow and covetoant now trade betwixt) me and thee, Ithee wed, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." It is a curious fact that though this formula is uaoaily broken op into eight fragments for the sake of easy repetition, it ieiaroly repeated with erect accuracy. Tho groat stumbling intoe)' is the phrase, "Now made betwixt me and thee." Though the words are put immediately into the month of the bride- groom, it is invariably rendered ".Betwixt thee and me," This is the mile In my ex. perinnce, It is an Gumption when it is re- eated aeouratei. —" No and thee." The bridegroom is then asked to place the ring fully on the fin er : end this la nob always easily rteconpeeloed, nave seen it done With ouch frohty and neatness 08 indicated 0UUs Ilea Head •awes Df the Lubon Medical Company Is now M! 1Toronto, Canada, and may be consulted ieither in person or by letter on all ohronis 'diseases peculiar to man. Min, young, old, 'or middle-aged, who find themselves nerv. pus, weak and exhausted, who are broken down from excess or overwork, resulting in many of the following symptoms : Mental depression, premature old age, foss of vital - 4y, loss of memory, bad dreams, dimness of 'sight, palpitation of the heart, emissions, lack of energy, pain in the kindeys, head- ache, pimples on the face or body, itching 'or peculiar sensation about the scrotum, wasting of the organs, dizziness, specks before the eyes, twitohing of the muscles, eye lids and elsewhere,bashfuinessrdoposibs in the urine, loss of willpower, tenderness of the scalp and spine,weak andlabby muscles, desire to sleep, failure to be rested by sleep, constipation, dullness of, hearing, lossof voice, desire for solitude, excitability of temper, sunken eyes surrounded with LIIAD16N mom,, oily looking skin, etc., are all symptoms of nervous debility that lead to insanity and death unless cured. The spring or vital force having lost its tension ovary function wanes in consequence. Those who through abuse committed in ignorance may be per. manently cured. Send you, address for book on all diseases peculiar to man. /looks sent free sealed. Hoardisease, the symptoms of which are fainispella, purple lie numbness, palpitation, . skip hats,'hot'flushes, rush of blood to the head, dull pain in the heart with beats strong, rapid and irregular, the wend heart beat quicker than the first, pain about the breast' kono, oto., can positivelybeoured. No caro, •a pay. lend for book. Address M. V. ?31yhi, 24 Macdonoll Ave. Toronto. On A Kingly Study. The King of Greene hes a magnificent study, whioh oonsiota of a vast apartment pierced with broad high -bowed windows. A wide corridor bywhieh it is reached is lin. oil or tithe side by elegant cabinets, in which aro displayed in pleasing pall.111011 fashion splendid Greek vases of the richest periods, bronzes, photographs of Oho Danish and other Royal families, 2c, Though the study is simply furnished, good taste is soon un ivory detail, Among the maty photographs which form quite a feature of the roots are Ma savored of the late Prin. nose Alexandra. They show her at Whips, ab every opooh of loot lite, It theme as if the King had boon unwilling to raise his eyes or take astep without seeing before "and Wait until you examineblotto blue iron the imago of Ins dead slaughter, that thorn meet have bean some previous rt r o f ti nor the sties ofhe art. But m ' 1 pa at no ring is very obstinate and dtflouit of ma- ntpulatlon, and 1 have seen the flurried pair get Into an excited pucker in their desperate efforts to push the refractory symbol over the second joint, I remember a ease of this kind once occurred in Lancashire, where I was marrying a couple of still work. ere. The ring seemed wedged with little tvrfr,ltles at the second joint, and the com- bined abets of bridegroom and bride to slip it down the finger were unavailing, The man grew red in the face with hie exertions and I was really afraid he would dielocate the finger. I whispered, "Leave it where it is and let us proceed." No, he was not going to be beaten with a bit of a ring. Baffled at all points he at last said, "Wcrib it, wee' it l" The bride at once stuffed the finger into her mouth as if it were a do Mous sweetmeat, and thus lubricated t stubborn ring was at length satisfactorily adjusted. Hortioultura in Schools. At the recent meeting of the society of American thrusts at Washington, Mr. Rob. erb Farquhar of llosto , read a paper to show how and why children should be trained to love and cultivate flowers. We can either stifle or strengthen the love of nature which isimplauted in every young heart. 11 we en- courage and cultivate this love the mind of bho growing chid will he opened to the beauties of nature. Children should have gardens of their own to oars for, and they should be instructed in garden praotioe. They should be allowed to sow the seeds and oars for the plants themselves. The claims of children should never be forgotten in making up the lists of premiums for hor- ticultural and agricultural fairs. Prizes should be given for plants grown by them and for bouquets and collections of wild flowers made by the r. Village improvement soolebies are doing excellent work in many sections. Some have distributed seeds and plants to the school children with most satisfactory re- sults ; florists should profit by this example. The merchants, lawyers and ministers who usually make up our school committees rare ly seek to influence education in the inter- ests of horticulture or agriculture. It is book -learning from beginning to end. As a consequence, we have a large surplus of middle -'nen, and men who live by their wits. Small wonder, then, thata large proportion of our best all-round gardeners originally came from abroad. In most European countries school -life fosters a practical ac- quaintance with nature. Our children here love the beauties of nature as dearly as any, and our schools should foster such love in- stead of cheekiug it. As an agricultural country America stands in the front rank, and the prosperity and wealth of the whole country depend upon the prosperity of those who till the soil ; but these facts are entire. ly lost sight of in our schools • at least, no training is provided which bears directly upon them. On this side of the Atlantic we justly pride ourselves upon being in advance of European countries in most at. tainments. We are very far behind many of them in the important matter of horti- cultural education of children. Ie. France there are over twenty-six thousand primary and elementary schools where gardening is practically taught in gardens surrounding the school -houses. Our country is young, but it is rich and progressive. The plain old school buildings are going, and elegant buildings, with cost• ly appliances, are taking their places. But we should not be content with fine buildings, large playgrounds and good teachers. In ')tis country more then any we need the proper setting of ample grounds, filled with shrubs and flowers to bloom from earliest spring till winter. Instead of books alone, we should see to it that our children have ample opportunities for enjoying a lesson from the book of nature. 'IOW QUEEN VICTORIA TRAVELS. Whe Accompany Irer—TNe TrainI"rorlded for Mier -The Routes 'yokel.. Some years ago Queen Victoria, making aoknowledgment of the care that watches over her railway journeys, c0mmar"led that a 0i1'0111U' letter should be written to the managers of the railways she is accustomed to use, expresslug her will and pleasure that the railway movements of " the meanest of her subjects "'night be oaradfor with equal diligence. Precisely what answer was made by the railway managers to this kindly suggestion I do not know. But talking it over, even at this day, they loyally but iaoffootnally attempt to repress a senile. It was an of ervaticu of which, like some of Captain Bunsby's, " the bearing lays in the application of." When the reader has mastered the following ;lobelia surrounding the Quest's journeys by rail, he will be in a position to decide how far the o'd'u ary third•alass passenger might be dealt with in similar eirceinstances. The Queen's journeys within the United Kingdom run in pretty meneto tons lines. She either travels to and from Windsor to Ballater, for Balmoral, or between Windsor and Gosport, for Osborne. There are two Saloon carriages in ordinary use ; one, for day journeys, bolonge to the Groat Western Railway, and is perhaps the most beautiful poach on the English lines ; the other, used for night journeys to Scotland, belongs to the North Western Company. I have before me, as I write, a plan of the royal train on its last journey froni Ballater to Windsor, and it may be interesting and convesienb to show how it was made ftp and occupied. The first after the brake -van is a sleeping• carriage apportioned for menservants. Be- hind them as a day saloon for pages and upper servants; then corse dressers and ladies' maids. After these human buffers the come abruptly upon duchesses and the like, There aro the Dowager Duchess of Roxburgho, the Hon. Frances Drummopd, Mies MacNeill and Miss Cochrane, ladies•in- waiting to the Queen. These have a double saloon to themselves. The adjoining carriage, also a double saloon, is allotted to the use of the Queeu's grand- children, the already numerous Babtenberg family, and their attendants. Next the very centre of the train are the royal saloons. The centre portion converti- ble into a sleeping apartment was, on the occasion of which I write, occupied by her Majesty and the Princess Beatrice. A smaller compartment on one side was allot- ted to the Queen's dressers, and on the other to her maidservants. In a saloon in the rear of the royal carriage the Princess Frederica, of Hanover, travelled. Then, in another double saloon, came the officers of the household, Sir Henry Ponsonby, Lord Burleigh, Major Bigge, Doctor Reid and Mr. Muther. In the next saloon rode the Indian ser- vants, who of late years are partially, ab least, filling the place in her majesty's es- teem formerly occupied by that faithful old servant, John Brown. A double saloon and first class caringe, immediately in the rear of this, the directors have jurlioiously set apart for themselves. There has always been on the part of the public a desire, in making a railway jonrney, that one of the front carriages should contain a director or two, in case of accident. Here, as we see, the directors place themselves in a Eyler quarter at the rear of the train, Behind the directors' carriages comes a truck containing what is known as the Queen's "fourgon," being a vehicle contain• lug much portable property. Another brake -van completes the making -up of the train. One detail in connection with its arrange• meat will shown what infinite care is be- stowed upon the Queen's comfort. At each of the termini of the railway journeys the companies have provided a special entrance and waiting -room for the Queen's pleasure. At Paddington, as at Windsor, on the Groan Western line, there is acbarming room, occupying valuable space, sumptuously fur- nished, fired and illumined by the electric light. Tho problem of the management is to get the royal train drawn op at a siding, so that the door of the royal saloon may open immediately opposite the door of the welt. ing-room. How is it to be done 2 A skill- ed engine driver can make a guess at the precise spot where he must pull up in order that a particular carriage may be halted somewhere near a specified spot. That would be near enough for distinguished travellers like Mr. Gladstone, Lord Salis. bury or others whom a popular reception awaits. But it would not do to have the Queen landed a foot this way or that way out of the precise line of the doorway. The ingenuity of man has, however, been equal to this as to other emergencies, and this is the way in which itis met : The space between the door of the royal saloon and the rear of the engine is measured to an inch. The length of this part of the train in the Queen's lash journey is sot down at two hundred and sixtybwo feet six inches. The space forward, from the door to the waiting -room, is measured with equal minuteness, and at the other spot to which the two hundred and sixtytwo feet six inches run, a porter with a flag is stationed. There he stands, bolt -upright ; and ,when the rear of the engineis precusoly level with the bridge of his nose, it follows, as the light follows the day, that the door of the royal saloon carriage is immediately oppo. site rho door of the royal waiting -room. I wonder if, amid her cares of state, the Queen has ever noticed the precision and regularity with which site, on her various bjourneys, is always brought to a halo right efore the door ofthe waiting -room, and if ahs sometimes marvels how 11 is done Curious Trees. Trees. There are many vegetable wonders in this world of ours. Certain tropical trees fur- nish clothes as well as food, and the inner bark of others is sn000bh and fiexibleenough to serve as writing paper. The bread tree has a solid fruit, a little larger than a cocoa- nut, which, when out in slioes and cooked, can scarcely be distinguished from excellent bread. The weeping tree of the Canary Isl- ands is wet, even in a drought constantly distilling water from its leaves ; and the wine treesof Mauritiusleland furnishes good wine instead of water. A kind of ash in Sicily has a sap which hardens into crude sugar, and is used as such by the natives, without any refining. The product of bho wax tree of the Andes resembles beeswax very closely. Then there is the butter tree of Africa, which produces as much as a hun- dred pounds at once, only to be renewed in a few months. This secretion, when hard- ened and salted, is difficult to distinguish from fresh, sweet butter. Closely rivaling this is the milk tree of South America, the sap of which resembles rich cow's milk, and iaused as such by the natives. China can boast of a soap tree, the seeds of whioh, when used as soap, produce strong suds, and remove dirt and grease readily. In direct opposition to these useful trees is the man-eating plant of the tropics, which re. sembles Venus's fly -trap in its nature. It has a short, thick trunk armed with narrow flexible barbed spines. Aoross the Field. Across the dewy fields she goes .Alone upon her summer's -clay And ''ward her bends the sweet wild roso, As 11 to hold her on her way, In neighboring lands the tillers rake The wheat to many a shining sheaf, And flcklo morning breezes shape Tim windward poplar's silver loaf. Oh, pith and pilo wild roses blow Amid the morning's diamond light, And gold and orintson poppies glow Against the daisy's greenling white. put down the winding path she slips, Whore slender grasses sway end swing, Trilling from careless, onrving lips Asong to cheer her wayfaring, f aars from the oi'nulat letter quoted, o d , t o be treated on equal terms with her su>GDots pays the ordnary charge for a special rain , neither more nor lase. Sometimes when all the arrangements are 'node for a royal journey .on a day at au hour specified, there opines a telegram sr note to soy that the Queen will travel on seine other day, But when itis meant that the journey shell eotually takeplane at the specified time, the Queen is there to the moment, In talking over the matter with high offi- ciate I noticed that at this point there is visible on their faces and in their manger the only gleam of enthusiasm evoked by consideration of the business. Punctuality is the politeness of monarchs, and the Queen, is certainly punctual, Her Majesty, unlike some of her sabtecte, objects to travelling at high speed. About thirtyfive miles an hour, a low speed for hrat-class trains in England, is the average pace of the royal train. On a recent journey taken to the north of Wales the Queen travelled at night, and de- sired that the accomplishment of the journey should correspond with her usual hours of Weeping. This was a fresh and difficult task for the harassed railway managers, since the journey would in the ordinary way be trade in five hours. They could not, like the ingenious cabman desirous of deluding a foreign fare, make a detour so as to give an illusive appearance of length to the journey. The only thing to be done was to drive slowly ; and so the journey was strategically accomplished, being concluded at the usual hour of Her Majesty's leaving her bedroom to commence. the day, HENRY W, LVOT. .. THE INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE. A month has passed since public atten- tion was directed to the extraordinary statement of 7,1r. Secretary Foster, of the United States Government, in relation to Canada's privileges in the American. State canals. Mi'. Foster was lecturing the Do- minion, by way of the Btitish embassy, on - the subject of the observance of the Wash- ington treaty. Iii the course of his deliver- ance he declared that we, who have built and mamtatned costly waterways, to the great benefit of the shipping of the United States, are mean and niggardly in our deal- ings ; whereas the United States has al ways been liberal and large hearted towards us. " Immediately after the conclusion of the Treaty of 1871,' says Mr. Foster, "tbe United Status took steps to parry out the stipulations of article 27, and without un- reasonable delay both the canals of the Na- tional and State Governments, representing a vast system, constrnotod at very great expense, were thrown open to the use of Canadian commerce without any charge whatever." It might be pointed out that Canada did nottake similar treasures " immediately" after the conclusion of the treaty "of 1871" —for the very good reason that our canals were already open to our neighbors. The use of our canals was one of the considera- tions of the Reciprocity treaty of 1854. When that treaty was abrogated in 1866 the canal clauses fell through. But Ameri- can shipping was treated from 1866 to 1871, a period during which there was no treaty, exactly as if a treaty were in force. It was not possible, therefore, for Canada to take such " immediate steps " as those of which Mr. Foster speaks with excusable pride. But the Secretary of State, as has already.. been pointed out, has been entirely misled touching the " immediate steps " which the United States took. General Grant certainly asked the Government of the State of New York to open the State canals to Canadian vessels, and the State at once responded. But President Grant's cabinet officers took immediate steps to find a Cus- toms regulation under whioh the Federal Government was able to render nugatory the privilege which the President had urg- ed the State of New York to grant. From that day to this the Americans who use the Canadian canals deny the Canadians the use of the New York State canals. Mr. Foster clearly was not aware that such was the case. He had been misinformed by the Oswego and Ogdensburg ship- ping and elevator interests, the repre- sentatives of which originated the unwar- ranted statement. But Mr. Foster palpa- bly admits that under the treaty "the canals of the national and State Govern- ments, representing a vast system con- structed at very great expense,' ought to be " thrown open to the use of Canadian commerce without any charge whatever," or he would not have cited the throwing open of such canals as the observance of a treaty obligation. This being the case our Government, during the past month, should have made the suggestion to Mr. Foster that he carry out the bargain of whioh he speaks. It is an easy matter for the United States to legislate itself right on this ques- tion. When it does so the Canadian lumber barge will be able to pass as freely between Albany to Ottawaas the American barge. does. The reason why this equal right promised by treaty has not been accorded is because our Governments, Liberal and Conservative, have nob hithertoressed for it. Unole Sam has a habit ofp receiving every possible favour and giving in return; 110 more than he is requested to do. A curious parallel to the canal ease was furnished in the early history of the North- West. In the seventies, before there was railway communication with Winnipeg, traffic entered the Canadian territories by way of steamers on the Red River. Tor eight, years the Canadians allowed the American steamers to navigate the Cana. dim ornurthere half of the river, and during all that time the Americans refused Cana- dian vessels the right to use the American or southern portion of the river. The American steamers aould proceed direct to Winnipeg, but the Canadian steamers could not cross the boundary into United States territory, In 1870 the order went forth from Ottawa that henceforth the Amori- can vessels would have to unload and turn back at the Canadian frontier, just as the Canadian vessels bad to tin, load and turn back at the United States frontier. The matter was reported to Mr. Secretary Everts, wino at once taxed the Canadians with the offence of refusing. Americans reciprocal advantages. Sir Edward Thornton, In reply, informed Mr. Everts that in 1876, or four years before, the Canarlien Government had "called the. attention of the United States to the fact that although the Canadian Governmental- lowed Amorioan vessels to go up to Muni. peg, Comedian steamers Ware prohibited from navigating below the boundary lihs," The Britis sl ambessadoradded arequest that the treatment demanded by tiro United Stelae be a000rdod to Canada. In response the United States authorities 'asserted that the matter had been overlooked, and pro- posed an understanding slider wbielo'all oom feints might bo removed, The canal casoris prooisely a repetition of diel Rod River case, t)ur (overnment, after lir. Secretary lfoster's admission, ought to ems demesne to bring 11 to a like conclusion. And swift her foot go twinkling by, And fall tbofar notes low with her, Then in the hapless distance die— And all my Bumblers go with her. --(Bowan Stevens in Hato Niold's Washington Lord Lorne's New Office. Lord Lorne was recently epppoiutcd by the Queen to bo Governor Conetableof Windsor Castle, in succession to the lath Prince Vic. tor of Holoonlolre-Langenburg, 'This is a potent place and the salary is 41200 a year. Tho Governor Constable formerly had a set of apartments in the castle, but that ar• rengomeu b was abolished when Prince) Albert encooeded the Duke of Sussex in the office, as of course he did not require an official residence. The Queen contemplates giving Lord Lorne apartments in ono of the towers, if a suitable sat can bo discovered, and loo Weald keep them as long as he holds the office There was formerly a lieutenant. governor of Windsor Castle with a salary of L700 a yeaybnt Prince Albert abolishod that office about 50 yore ego. It is 00011' in con- templation to revive It for tine betroth of a popular member of the household. Railways had boon in ordinary use for years before the Queen would venture to use them. Long after her marriage, she always 'vent by road from Windsor to London. It was the Prince Consort who, of the royal household, first braved the novel dangers of the railroad. When he had travelled up and down once or twice, and no harm had come of it, the Quoin, greatly daring, ventured; and having once experienced the convenience and advantages of this mode of locomotion, she became a pretty constant traveller. Whenever she sets fortis she must have a special train, surrounded by all the precau- tions hereafter set forth. In this site dif- fers from the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family, who only on taro 00. nasions and in cirounostanoos of urgency have a ;modal train. Their nsago is to taste an ordinary train, of amuse having a carriage reserved for thea'. That, it may be observed, is regarded as a personal transaction much more satisfactory to railway directors and shareholdeos tit"u are the movements of Icor Majesty. Every one of her journeys, appropriating as it does for a certain time a largo part of the re- sources of the railway °empaty, must cost an enormous sun, mot to speak dem inter- ruption of pnblio traffic and the ineouveni' once caused to hapless passengers who hap- pen to moss the Queen's path. ilor Majesty, however, aixious, as ap.