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The Brussels Post, 1909-6-24, Page 7"THEN COIETIITIIE .&.re We. Being Watched Over and Guarded From the Unseen World, Tn the last two chapters rof Ile - volution we are assured that the materialwoad will, when the time is ripe, be absorbed anal tr•arsetcir'nt• ea by the spiritual, The primitive Christian expected this • eonsual- oration too soon, but they wore at ways thinking about it, and bt.s lieved' that the dead were alae welting for it in a state of probe. tion, or a sleep, as St, Paul Bail; et, and that all the redeemed would enter upon it together. Surely they sire right, element ity is progressing towards some great.end, au end higher than the perfecting of .separate individuali• •ties. One generation goes on whe'•e another loaves off, and unfolds the divine ideas a little• more fully, Some day, we may hope, this idea will be realized in a human soca ety as nearly perfect as the lime tations of earth permit. We may reasonably hold that those genera. tions which have passed on hove not stbod still either, and are still •ooneerned with the work of ev,tly- ing humanity, a mighty Vl'hele, one with and in the glorified Christ' "Then eometh the end," ell il- lusions, all sense of separateness, will 'disappear ; the material wilt Make. way for the spiritual, tbe phenomenal for the real, and the universe of universes, visible and invisible, attain to perfect cons :i ons, oneness in the eternal lite of God. This is' the New Testament view of the matter seen in the large perspective of our present .day knowledge of the vastness of THEUNIVERSALORDER. When we come to the question of the survival of .inclividual consci- ousness after death we. can say no more than that the evidence which would eatisfy the ordinary religi- ous mind might fail with the unin- formed by the religious tempera- ' merit, Nevertheless the lack may be in the latter rather than the former. The plane of spiritual ex- perience is real and is felt by most •to be higher than the purely intel- lectual, and it is in• the plane of spiritual experience that certitude regarding the immortality of the soul has hitherto generally been at- tained. Evidence that would carry convic- tion by the methods acceptable to the scientific mind would, of course, have as be on the lower plane. 1 quite admit that such evidence might be of great value as a rein- forcement to spirituality, but it could never be a substitute for it, or take precedence of it. Still I thiiik it not improbable that scien- tific psychic investigation will be- fore long manage to prove to the •satisfaction cd the average man the existence of discarnate oonsoious- nese. If so, I shall rejoice, because I believe the general effect of such a demonstration would be good. But even so, I would rather rely •nn • the instinctive perceptions :of the highest order of SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. The other day a miner wrote to tell me that from time to time when he had been in special need of guid- ance in some particular subject he has found that subject preached upon from the City Temple pulpit. Sc often has he had his need met in the discussion of questions. from the City Temple pulpit which he had neither time nor opportunity to think out for himself that he be- lieves the result Hurst be due to something .mere than mere coinci- dence, and I have no doubt he is quite right. His theory of the matter is that minds spiritually en rapport may influence each other oven uncon- sciously, like the separate reaeiv- ing stations of Marconi's wireless telegraph, apparatus. Quitetrue, but there is more in it even than that: there is the mind behind all, and the divine love that vibrates between soul and soul in • response to the call of human need, like the ether that carries the elec- tric force from point to point in tlio visible universe. I,, see from the list of injured in connection frith the terrible mining disaster. of a few days 'ago that there is a possibility that my interesting cor- respondent has been killed, If so, perhaps he knows more now of the ways of God with limon than I could ever tell him, DEATH IS NO CALAMITY to those whom it calls higher, but only to those who mourn their loss. And even that would be turned into joy if we could but know how things. really are in the great beyond. I have received a cropof testi- monials illustrative of the operatiori <.i the' same kind of force.. Ono is from a poor cripple; This fact: throws the sufferer back upon Prayer. Often the prayer has been like that of the Derham miner, rich much the sense result, l have been finding out lncreas- ingly of late that the City 'Temple has an invisible eongregation, a congregation that never enters its walls and has never kinked upon our fares' but which like the crr - ale T have mentioned, r d, courts it- self as belonging to us and joining in our p ayere, It is a helpful fact, and if my voice could reach to ell these scattered sympathizers 1: would like to tell them that we know it and that the spiritual com- munion is a fact independent of place and ciroumetance, Ifwe help Ulm it is equally true that they help us, REV. R. J. CAMPBELL. as a • COUNTERFEIT COINS. Verged Coins Which are Worth as Mucic as the Genuine. The unusual occurrence .of a counterfeit coin bringing far more than the value it was originally in- tended to represent by its makers took place recently, when a curious Spanish doubloon of Charles 1V. of Spain, dated 1801, was sold for $60 at. a sale of old coins at the Collec- tors' Club in New York. The can was of excellent work-. mauship, and there was really no striking difference between it and the genuine. But instead of be- ing struck in gold it was composed of platinum of the purest quality, which had been gilded.• The intrinsic value of the Spanish doubloon in gold is just over $15. The platinum counterfeit weighs 420. gr., which, at the prevailing mar- ket rate, would' give this piece an intrinsic value of about $17,50. Platinum was :a favorite metal with counterfeiters some years ago, when its intrinsic value :was about $6.25 or $7.60 an ounce.. Many spurious ten -dollar and twenty -clot - lar United States gold pieces were turned out, chiefly composed of this metal. The coins of Great Britain were also tampered with in the same manner. Spanish coins have been much counterfeited, perhaps more than the coins of any other country. Even at the present time Spain'is redeeming counterfeit • five -peseta pieces, These coins were made by private persons and were equal to the regular Government coins in point of fineness and weight, the manufacturers being satisfied with the soigniorage or difference be- tween the face value of:the coin and its value in bullion silver. So difficult are these illegal coins to distinguish from the genuine that the Government has authorized their redemption at bullion value. It is said that but little distinction has been made in Spain between the regular issues and: the counter- feits, the, two issues being 'accept - co freely everywhere, and itis de- clared that it is not at all unlikely that a fair proportion of the 600,- 000,000 five -peseta pieces hea.c in re- serve by the Bank of Spain is made up of the counterfeit coin. Some years ago• when silver had a much higher value than at pre- sent a counterfeit Mexican dollar came into the possession- of the United States assayers at the Phila- delphia mint. They assayed the coin and found it to be worth in- trinsically about $1.50. It seems that the mine from which the counter- feiters got their metal produced silver that was very strong in gold. Thus the forgers lost money by making counterfeits. e•- "11LATUSHKA VOLGA." Melody of Sorrow and 'Unrest Heard in Prison and Palace. There is an .air so popular in Rus- sia that it is oven more familiar than their national anthem to the people of that great mysterious empire. I have heard it in all parts of the Czar's dominions, from the Baltic Sea to Bering Strait and from Archangel to the Caspian; in the glittering palaces of Petersburg and in foul prison dens of Siberia, says the Travel. It is a simple melody in the minor key, suggestive, like most Slav music, of .sorrow and unrest,) and it is called ` Matnahka, or Mo- ther Volga," as for some cryptic rea- son every Russian, be ha noble or Nihilist, is taught from childhood to regard this great river in .the light of a maternal relative. Yet the river is full of sad 'associations, dor couviots formerly travelled a portion of the journey to Siberia along its broad, sluggish stream. I can never forget the haunting sweetness of tMatushka Volga' as I heard it sung on a prison barge one quiet summer evening by a party of fettered politicals banished to the great lone land of exile, For "Mother Volga" was their lest ]ink with home and the lovedones they, night never meet again. Fortunately ;the condemned are now $enc into. Asia by. the Trans- Siberian Railway and the unhappy exile is'spared sit least one bitter parting --that from his well beloved "Monier Volga," Ile: "But, really, are you going to marry rte, or ;are you going to snake a fool of me 7 She . Both, my dear boy,•;' c IviaTlIJI •G41sl1SI:l , Do gook Titles 'T'hrow Over Trees to"y Chiruneys, Beyond waking the entire neigh- borhood, and blocking the railway line for several hours; the lame chimney, three hundred• feet high, whieh fell so uneeaountebly near. Glasgow; recently, .did no particles lar damage, Such, however, bas not always boon the ease with other similar oda currencies in the past. These tall ,structures have a knack of col lapsing without a moment's warn- ing, and frequently with the most frightful rosette to life and limb, 11'or example, et Cleekheatan, Yorkshire, in 1892, a mill chimney, that was deemed to bo as solid and eafe as any in • Eugland, suddenly toppled over and killed fifteen pea - Pie, A similar mishap near Lyons, L'ranee, lately, equally inexplicable, resulted in a score of deaths. In the Pennsylvania anthracite region, not long,aince, a colliery chimney, that had been examined and pro- nouneed perfectly stable only a short while previously, fell across the mouth of a shaft, with the re- sult that thirty-three miners -work- ing below were imprisoned and suf- focated. Even more dreadful results fol- lowed the mysterious collapse of the New Lands Mills chimney at Brad- ford, England, during Christmas week, 1882. No expense had been spared in its construction. The materials used were admittedly the best that •money could. buy. Yet it came clown like a child's house of cards; falling, a thousand tons of.:dead weight, right athwart the crowded factory buildings. More than. 260 wounded. were ex- tricated from the ruins, together with 54 dead bodies. It was the worst catastrophe Bradford had ever known, and no pains ,were capered to 'elucidate the cause of it. But in vain, Now, however, in view of the re- cent discovery of earth tides, en- gineers are beginning to see a light. Investigations, carried out with scientific intsruments of an extreme. delicacy, have shown that the earth's crust, so far from being im- mobile, as had always been sup- posed, rises and falls :over eight inches once daily. May not this movement, it is asked, be respon- sible for the collapse of these slen- der, hollow shafts 7 TIER ADMIRAL AND TILE•BEY. Diplomatic Story in Which a Lion and a Pair of Pistols Figure. A show of force is often the best kind of diplomacy. A writer in a Faris newspaper tells a story of the French Admiral Dupetit-Thouars, who had been entrusted with the mission of exacting reparation from au African bey who hacl in- sulted a French Consul. As Du- petit-Thousars's demands were sup- ported by the forceful argument of loaded cannon the bey acknow- ledged that he had. been too hasty and proffered profuse apologies. He even invited the Admiral to his table and had a sumptuous repast porpared for his guest. The Con- sul warned the Admiral to be on his guard. •"The bey is inclined to bo mali- cious," .said he, "and when he strokes his beard and smiles you may be sure ' that he is concocting some mischief." "We shall see," was Dupetit- Thousars's reply. He reached the key's palace in good time. Profuse, complements and salutations were exchanged. All at once the Admiral's foot met 'some soft, hairy substance lying on the carpet under the , table. He bent down and saw a huge lion showing his formidable teeth. The bey smiled and stroked his beard. Dupetit-Thouars did not wince, but called his dragoman. "My pistols," was all he said. The servant saluted retired and brought back a pair of pistols' on a silver tray. 'The Admiral took them and placed them on the table' before him, but the bey,still smil- ing, continued to stroke his patriar- chal beard. '".Cell the commander," he said to the dragoman, "that if those pistols are for the purpose•of blowing out my lion's brains they are quite insufficient and perfectly useless," Then, like a skilled fencer coun- tering his opponent's thrust after the bey's ironical advice had been translated, Dupetit-Thouars re- plied : "Toll his Highness that my pistols are not there to kill his lion but to blow his own brains out at the first movement of this objectionable carpet." Gravely but a little pale the man interpreted, The senile died away on the bey's lips and he no longer stroked his beard, "b1y lion," he said, "is too well trained 00eo to scratch ono of my guests, but since he is not waited he shall be sent away," At a word from the bey the lion slowly and heavily left the room, like an obedient dog. POPULAR BELI.EF, Many people believe that street cats are run for the benefit of the public, instead; of for the bewail, tat the stookhalders, Woollen cloth was first made in England in 1330. it Home DELICIOUS OAKES, Boiled leing,—Put one cupful of graulated sugar zeta igranite sauce pan, add a pinch o .cream o tartar and one-half eup£ul of boil- ing water. Cools without stirring until it threads, then stir the sirup into the beaten whitee of two eggs. Beat' until it is thick je'nough to spread without running.. Use any tiayoring. Hoosier Chocolate- Chocolate Cake. -Two cupfuls of brown sugar', two eggs, one-half .oupful of butter,. one -hall oupful of sour cream (or milk), one teaspoonful of soda dissolved . in milk, .one-half oupful of grated chocolate (bitter), dissolved in one- half cupful bailing.water, three cup fids flour, Mix whites of Daggs in thoroughly last thing,do not beat them separately. This makes the cake more moist. Bake in loaf or two large layers in •slow oven. Caramel filling—Two cupfuls of dark brown sugar, 'one-half cupful butter, one-half •cupful of cream; boil until thick; spread ab once, Hazel Nut Cream Cake.—Beat one cupful of sugar and four eggs until light, add one cupful of flour sifted:with one teaspoonful baking powder, and one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one-half tea- spoonful of ground allspice and cloves;' bake in two layers. Cream' ---Three-fourths of a pint of milk, ono tablespoonfulof eornstafleh, two eggs, half a teacupful of sugar. Peal and chop one cupful of hazel- nuts fine; adcl a teaspoonful of vanilla. Boil all together fintil thick and when cool spread be- tween layers. Use whipped cream or a boiled frosting for top of cake. Chocloate Layer Cake. -Take' one-half cupful of butter, one cup- ful of sugar, cream well, then add yolks of two eggs, and one and one- half cupfuls flour, and two tea- spoonfuls of baking powder, and three-quarters of •a cupful of milk. Then add enough cocoa to make cake as dark as desired, and lastly add beaten whites of eggs and bake in two layers, and put jelly be- tween. Chocolate frosting—one and one-half cupfuls powdered sugar put through strainer, three teaspoonfuls cocoa, small piece of butter (size of egg); and two table- spoonfuls of strong, hot coffeie.. Mix well and spread on cake, White Hickory Nut Cake.—One and' a half cupfuls of granulated sugar, two-thirds cupful of butter, one cupful of milk, two-thirds cup- ful of water, whites of fibre eggs, four level cupfuls of;flour, one cup of hickory nuts or English walnuts broken fine, not cut, three level: teaspoonsfuls of baking powder. Sift sugar and flour separately three times, cream sugar and but- ter until white, add milk and water slowly. Beat in the flour one cupful at a time. Dredge the nuts in one oupful of. flour. Add the baking powder to the last cupful of flour. Stir with the back of the spoon. Fold in the whites of the eggs last. Flavor to taste. The butter and sugar can be creamed quickly with the hand. Use a boil- ed icing. TASTY DESERTS, Banbury Tarts.—Measure all tbe raisins that will pile on a cup and stone and chop, add two rounding tablespoons of finely chopped cit- ron. Add the juice of one lemon and the grated yellow rind, erre cup of white sugar and one egg Beaten light. Roli rich pie crust as thin as possible and cut in rounds tbe size of a saucer. Put a tablespoon of the.mixture on one-half fold, wet the edges slightly with cold water, fold ever and . press together. Crimp the edge with a fork dipped in flour, and .prick the top several times ito preltent bursting while baking. Bake a light brown color. Parisian Charlotte,—Soak one- fonrth of a box of gelatin in one- fourth of a cupful of cold water. Scald one cupful of rich milk, or better sti 1, one cupful of thin cream in a double boiler and pour it over four eggs beaten well with one-half a cupful of sugar. Stir over the fire until it thickens, acid the gelatin, stir until it , has dis- solved, then strain, and set aside until chilled. When it begins to thicken, andel potted one-fourth of a pon each of stale macaroons and lady fingers broken or cut in pieces, one teaspoonful of vanilla, two table- spoonfuls of sherry, one cupful of grated cocoanut, and one armful of thick cream; which has been whip- ped to a solid roth. Fold and mix lightly, turn into a wetted ,hold, and set aside where it will stiffen. '.Cure out carefully and garnish with a. little whipped create; which has been tinted pule pink, anti one- half a deice quartered candled cherries. SOME PRESERVING ' l)(lN 1"5." 1)on'I make n tnistelcr and wait ental the special fruit in seoann is nearly aver and then pia the high - Ott prices for it. 1)nia't think overripe, soft fruit retakes good lmesen:es or jellies. 'Don't ever use anything but the bolt materials for used restli:s. Don't•uee what rseealiets ,f4,' - or..T. ("; ,('y LESSON g�sanulated white ite sugar roe all'pr � • serves or jellies. Don't use granulated sugar for INTERNATIONAL LESSO s spiced fruit; usa Baht brown only, Iter t make spiced fruit too JULY 18, sweet; four pounds of light brown eager to seven pounds of fruit is a good proportion. Don't use an over abundance of spices ---too much makes it taste bitter, Don't cover preserves or jellies. weile cooking. They are apt to boil over, Don't use cold sugar for jellies; measured the strained fruit juice; to each pint allow one pound of the best granulated sugar, Out it on a platter in a warm oven-toheat, an. add it to boiling liquid. Don't put het'pieservos in cold glasses or jars and not expect ac- cidents; have the glasses or jars in scalding water, rinse well, then fill as quickly as possible. Don't allow preserves to stand about after they aro cold; put melt- ed paraffin an cover with lids, wash off every trace of stickiness, and put in cool, dark place for future use. Don't allow preserves to cook over a hot fire and not expect them to stick and scorch. . Don't Iet them cook without stir- ring, even when the fire is slow. Don't cook preserves on a gas range without an asbestos mat. Don't use a steel knife to pare fruit with; use a silver knife. HOUSEHOLD HINTS. When cooking mushrooms, if you are at all doubtful of their being good, while stewing them leave a silver spoon in the stew -pan, If it keeps its color they are all right, but if it turns black they are -not fit to use. Choking is a form of danger that requires prompt action. If baby has swallowed a fishbone and is in danger of choking, use your fore, finger in the form of a hook, and even at the risk of considerable pain relieve the little sufferer, ' Here is an easy and capital method of softening butter when it has become bard with frosty weather. Rinse a bowl with boil- ing water and cover tee butter with it. Don't dry the 'bowl, as the steam softens the butter. This method has no waste, as in melting butter before the fire. A Baby should double its weight in six months and treble it in a year, provided it is a healthy child and its nutrition is in every way satisfactory. If a child does not in- crease at the rate of lib. a month during the first year of life, and 12oz.' a month during the second year, its nutrition ,s not satisfac- tory, When a meatpie becomes scorch- ed on the top the cook is usually filled with dismay, but here is a happy way nut of the difficulty. Carefully serape off as much of the charred surface as possible, keeping it as level as you can. New sover the top of the pie with the beaten whites of two eggs. Brown slightly in the oven. and when thepie is placed on the table rio one will have any idea that the top had bees burnt. ROYAL WAR COLLECTION. Future historic, Treasure Lockett in. Marlborough Stroiig Roose. The plate -room at Marlborough n.ouse contains one of the most valuable collections of treasures, got together by Ring Edward, in all England. It is an underground room, lighted with electricity. The walls are lined with bookcases 611 - ed with rare volumes of incalculable value. In the centre are large iron safes packed with magnificent gold' and silver plate. Here are two giant silver pilgrim bottles present- ed by Alexander III. of Russia to King Edward, and a priceless solid gold embossed shield which he re- ceived from a number of Indian princes. Another most interesting collection of the Ring's consists of relics gathered together from every war 1n which British soldiers have taken part since the accession of Queen Victoria, One of the mem- entoes of the South African war, and one which the late Queen great- ly appreciate, is a cushion worked by a hospital nurse with scraps of the khaki clothes of Ladysmith's wounded heroes. It is a wonder- ful bit of work, beautifully Put to- gether, with worked portraits of Lord Roberts. General Baden- Powell, Sir Redeem Buller, General ,French and others. The colonies are represented by mounted men in their various uniforms. This col- lection of tvna• relies will in time be of great historic value: It is very highly prized by hia Majesty. CCT. Ili iES REPRESENTED, Canada, llemnai'k, France, Ger. muiry, i:ngland, ]lussia, Sweden 1'nited States were in 1908. represented aeon;: the :twelve ex - editions st ba•h score struggling to ward the neigh 1,010, Eight leacl- ers tiVIP t-rlcrnns . Peary and Crook of the tarried atete.; dernier, of Canada. Eris hs,•n and Rasmussen "f ?k'nu:ark, t'harcot of France, Shackleton of l'sgland and Geer of Sweden. Lesson W. Paul's Second Mis- sionary ilour'ney.—(Oontinued),', Golden 'Text, Psa, 114; 11. I, Teaching the Scriptures ab Tlressalonioa,—Vs, 1.0, , 1, Now when they, Paul, Silas, and Timo- thy. Driven from Philippi the mis- sionaries traveled evuthivest along th-e, great military road which lett towards Rome; at the end of 33 miles they passed through Ampiri- polie, near the shores; thea travel- ing 30 miles more, they came to .iIpollonia, As these were cities of little importance, and did nut con- tain a synagogue as a basis of pro- pagating the gospel, Pand did not spend any time in them, but hast- ened on 37 miles farther to Thes- salonioa on the gulf of Salonica in Macedonia about one hundred miles from Philippi. Paul's Four Methods of Teaching the Bible.- 1, Discussion. Ile reasoned with them out of the scriptures (v. 2), Ile based his res• Boning on the true facts which they accepted, and then discussed with them the question whether the,pro- pheoiea were not fulfilled in Jesus as the Messiah, The Greek word is almost letter for letter our word "dialogue." The method was more like that of our Bible classes than of our preaching. Discussion for the sake of seeing the truth from all sides is one of the best means of learning the truth. Often the dis- cussion must be in our own minds as the arena. 2. Opening' the Scriptures (v. 3). Unfolding the Scripture truths, pointing out to them the things they had nob noticed, or applications which they had not understood. Paul was to them like an expert who points out to the poor owner of a rocky farm the rirli mines of gold and silver beneath the sur- face; or opens to the possessor of a common pasture the oil wells which are of more value than mines of silver. Science is continually opening the common things of life and finding in them greater treasure than the "Open, Sesame" in the Arabian Nights. 3. Comparing Scripture, with Scripture and with facts. 3. Al- leging. The Greek word does not imply "assertion," es in cu0 mod - .ern use of "allege" (thought not in the older English usage), but means "setting beside" "setting out arguments," Paul set beside the promises in the Old Testament the facts of Jesus' life and teach- ings, as we place a person beside his photograph, or his description, and showed that Jesus fulfilled every promise on.which they based their .ideas and their hopes of a Messiah deliverer. Especially did he show that the Christ, i.e.the Messiah, must needs have suffered, for so was the Messiah described in their Scriptures. This description was one of the great difficulties in the Jewish mind. tt seemed impos- sible that the victorious king, who was to reign forever, the Wonder - ail, the Counsellor, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, whose g kingdom was an everlastingkin- g dom, including all nations, could be an humble teacher who died on the cross. But Paul showed them chat only by suffering could the ylessiah save from sin, and that by his having risen again frons the dead, Jesus is a living and glori- ous king. Therefore this Jesus, whom 1 preached unto you is (the) Christ, 4. Living the gospel, so that they could interpret its meaning by what he was and did. 1T, Studying the Scriptures at Berea.—Vs, 10-15. 10. Berea was inland about fifty miles southwest of Thessalonica. Cicero, in his oration against Piso, says that un- able to face the chorus of complaint at Tlressalonioa, Piso fled to the out of the way town of Berea. So Paul niay have gone to Berea on account of its seclusion, As usual they went to the synagogue, where they were doubtless introduced by their es- cort of Christian Jews who left them at this point. They went away (aa the Greek implies) from their escort into the synagogue. These were more noble in moral character, in mental and spiritual qualities, This nobility expressed itself (1) in that they received the word with all readiness of mind. Their minds were open to all truth from every source. They were not afraid of it because it was new, (9) In that they , , searched, a thorough examination, up from bot- tom to top through a series of objects or particulars; to investi- gate, as a judge in a court sifts the evidence, the scriptures, where the evidence of the Mossiahship of Jesus was to be found, by comparing the Scriptures with the facts Paul presented. Tiley did not take things by beorsay, but sought the truth for themselves. • The result was that many of them (the Jews) beliesr`d, Of the. Greeks, many hermit table women, )vires of the chief citizens, and of men, not a fe•s' Then fclluwocl smother popular riirstt tbanoo, stirred na by their ThessaIoiirar enemies, Pall Was seseatlr' and hastily sent to Athens, Willie Silas and Timothy were to fol- low later. RUINED BY DISSIPATION I"A»YORITE DUOS Olt' FAMOUS AUTHORS. Great Getiitises Who gulled 'Their ]gives Through Fondness for Drugs and Drink. Erratic indeed are the ways of genius—ways which have often re- sulted in pitiful endings, particu- larly in the case of men whose works are to be found amongst the world's standard literature. Take the ease of Edgar Allan Poe, for instance. - Poe was the son of a man of loose habits, anti diose habits seem to have descended from father to. son, Before he reached the age of thirty the intemperance of the famous poet, critic, and romancer had cost him several lucrative ap- pointments; and to his fondness for brandy—for that was the intoxicant for which he had the greatest weak- ness --he added a passion for opium. In fairness to Poe's memory, how- ever, it should be added that he was intemperate only at intervals. He strove hard to break himself of the drink and drug habit, .but periods of sobriety were interspers- ed with fits of reckless indulgence and months of poverty. , • ';ilei I ars so unworthy, darlin ' he murmured, as he bolsi the dear girl's hand in his, `;Olt, George," she sighed, "if you and papa agreed S p p g on .every point aa you do on that, how lumpy we atonld, be," TEN GLASSES OF LAUDANUM. Poe reminds one very much' of Thomas de Quincey, whose devotion to opium contributed in no small, degree to his notorious eccentricity and dreaminess. He had acquired. the habit first in 1804, when he re- sorted to laudanum to cure an at- tack of neuralgia, and to such an. extent did it grow upon bim that he was known to take at times as much as 12,000 drops, or about ten wine -glasses, a day. He was con- stantly struggling to reduce this appalling quantity, and managed after a while to keep himself .with in moderate bounds, with occasion- al opium debauches. Amongst De Quinoey's eccentricities, by the way, it might be mentioned that he was haunted by an idea that he was being pursued by his various and no doubt meoh-tried landladies. Another man whose works are to be found amongst the classics, and who contracted the habit of eating opium, was Samuel Taylor Cole- ridge, the poet and philosopher, who tried so many avocations be- fore he discovered his forte. In his early youth he apprenticed himself to a cobbler ; then he tried to be- come a surgeon; and about eigh- teen years before his death, even after his writings had secured for him world-wide fame, he actually conceived the idea of becoming a Unitarian minister. Afterwards he worked as a journalist for the `Morning Post,' and ultimately re- turned to his old love, poetry arid philosophy. THE "KENDAL BLACK DROP." It was when Coleridge was about thirty that he came under the in- fluence of what was henceforward to be the curse of his life. His health had never been robust; rheuma- tism and neuralgia had tottered him; and, by becoming his own doc- tor, he had recourse to the ano- dyne of opium. Little by little the habit grew, and the "Kendal black drop" at length enslaved him. 1t injured his constitution and dulled his imagination; it enfeebled his will and went far to destroy his sense of truth and honor. Few things are so pathetic as his own lament over the deterioration of his nature, in his "Dejection, an Ode." Thomas Shadwell, a dramatic) writer of some note in the seven- teenth century, died through an overdose of laudanum, while Wal- ter Savage Landor was said to be addicted to the use of cocaine. Lord Byron's extreme restlessness led him at times to seek relief for shat- tered nerves in doses of morphia, and Sheridan indulged in the same habit. KILLED BY COFFEE DRINKING Richard Savage, who claimed to be the illegitimate child of Laird Rivers and Countess Macclesfield, ruined himself by dissipaticii, after producing works whicn have placed him amongst minor Eiglisit poets, while Dryden's eccentricity teekt•he form of having himself bled at fre- quent intervals and eating raw meat. The latter, he said, streng- thened his imagination, Both Dumas and Balzac showe no inclination to pass the wine bet- tie, On the other hand, Voltaire drank huge quantities of coffee when engaged in writing. As a matter of feet, over -indulgence In that beverage during a protracted literary effort was the real cause of bis death. Schiller also drank erste fee ''to thaw the frost out of his wits," but he fancied imbibing the infusion while seated with hi a Meet in hot •water, This, Le'a:aticv„d. stimulated his imagination in sla • Fish moods, and ho refre,hed it dui•• ing work by copious d"aughts.frorn a flask of Rbenish wise, -London Tit -Bits,