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The Third Basch Khadeen, knowing well that the Sultan never could dream that. she could prefer a subject to the sovereign him- self, often profited by this martial confidence to deceive her husband and satisfy her love for adventure. These adventures took such proportions that in the months of February and March they became known to Hussein Avni Pacha, the then Grand Vizier. who de- termined to profit by them and thus acquire a sort of secret influence in the palace by which he might maintain his power and increase his favor near the Sultan. The advances, the passions and the promises of Hussein Avni Bash-a were favorably received by the Third Basch Khadeen. Bringing their influence to bear the Grand Vizier was able at the Sub- lime Porte to counterbalance the power of the Sultana Valide and the other wives of the Sultan. Hussein Avni Pacha and the faith,- less wife of the Sultan were, in apparent secu- rity, enjoying the fruits of their intrigue. when an incident occurred which thwarted their plans, broke off their relations, and led to the denouement. Hassan Bey, aide-deâ€" camp to the Sultan and protege of his sister the Fourth Basch Khadeen, had also another sister married to the then Minister of Marine, Atech Mohammed Pacha. Hassan Bey owed his place, as his sisters owed their marriage, to the favor of the Sultan’s mother (the Sultana Valide), who belonged to the same Circassian tribe as their common mother. The father of these three children was 8. Cir- cassian emigre, who took refuge in Silistria, where he died. His name was Ali. ’IHE THIRD SULTANA’E MISCONDUCT. Hassan Bey was desperately in love with the third Sultana. His passion and advances were. however, rejectedfibecause he was the brother of a rival. Moreover, his violent character and habits of drunkennessirendered him still less desirable. In order to revenge himself Hassan Bey, without mentioning .the name of Hussein Avni Pacha, announced to his sister, the Fourth Basch Khadeen, that the Third Basch Khadeen was guilty of con- duct which compromised the honor of the imperial family. “Give me the proof,” his sister asked. “ As to the proof,” replied Hassan, “all the ofiicers of the palace will furnish it to the Sultan. As for me I accom- plish my duty in warning you that it is for you in your turn to warn Effendina” (the title given to the Sultan by all the employes of the palace). The Fourth Basch Khadeen delayed for several days, for she’did not dare to announce this bad news to the Sultan. But on the last Friday of the month of April in the afternoon, after the ceremony of the Salamlik (every Friday the Sultan goes to the mosque in great pomp to pray ; the return of the ceremony is called the “Silamlik”), urged by the renewed instance of her brother, the Fourth Basch Khadeen‘threw herself at the feet of the Sultan and after having begged his Majesty’s pardon for causing him pain, she told him with tears in her eyes of the in- fidelity oi the mother of Djelal Eddeen. “Show your clemency," said she, “by bringâ€" ing her back to her duty, but do not punish her,because she is the mother of your favorite son.” The Sultan did not deign to utter a single word in reply. With his dark eyes fixed on the ground he passed rapidly to the most tragic manner. These three Women, by a. coincidence too remarkable to be purely accidental, all died in the same year, and each of the three occupied in turn the place of Third Basch Khadeen. The mother of Mahmoud Dj elal Eddeen, the favorite son of Abdul Aziz, was soon to perish by the hand of her imperial husbandâ€"an event which. re- sulting in the deposition and death of the Sultan, caused the revolutions which precipi- tated the Turcoâ€"Russian war ; for had Abdul Aziz remained on the throne the war would in all probability have been postponed. " Des- tiny,” as the Turks say, willed otherwise and the mother of Djelal Eddeen the cause of a. change of Emperors and of the assassination of Hassan Bey, of the Ministers in the Canak (city palace) of Midhat Pacha. The excessive pride of Abdul Aziz prevented him from ever suspecting the possibility of one of his legiti- mate Wives deceiving him. KISMET IN THE HAREM. In. 1876 the Sultan Abdul Aziz had five le- gitimate wives, known by the name of Beach Kha-deen. The order of precedence of these ladies is determined by the date of marriage. The first Basch Khadeen is the one first mar- ried, 620. At the commencement of the year the third Basch Khadeen died. The fourth then became the third and gave up her former place to a fifth, the name of whose brother (Hassah Bey)"ha;s sine’e'lle’eh celébrfitedfinthb‘a (New York Herald.) CAIRO, Jan. 3, 1880. The result of long and patient investigation n many directions enables me to lay before you in the most complete manner the real mass which led to the deposition and death if the late Sultan Abdul Aziz Khan. His Eall. was the direct result of an imperial crime, which took place in the palace itself and was committed by the sovereign’s own hand. The facts about to be set forth have never before been made known to any one outside of the immediate entourage of the late Sultan. They are taken directly from the lips of eye wit- nesses, and no pains have been spared to avoid falling into any exaggeration. They will enable the reader to form an opinion of the customs of the Oriental harem â€"~still sealed against all ideas of modern civilization. To better appreciate the events of this startling drama it is necessary to briefly sketch the ap- pearance and character of the late Sultan. ABDUL AZIZ. Abdul Aziz was a stout, heavily built man. possessing herculean strength. His eyes were large and deeply shaded by long dark eyebrows and eyelashes. His complexion was swarthy. The sole mark of recognition with which he deigned to acknowledge the most humble salutation was a short, expres- sionless, fixed gaze, unaccompanied by the slightest inclination of the head or other ges- ture. His bearing was not without dignity, and at times did not lack grandeur. General Ignatiet'f. when comparing the dead Sultan to his two successors, remarked that Abdul Aziz was the “last of the Mohicans." The women of the harem called him their “Aslan” (Lion), and he often gave. way to violent passion and ferocity which would do credit to the king of beasts. One day in 1872 with his own hands he threw Nevres Pasha. his Grand Chamber- lain, from the top of the grand staircase in the Palace of Dolma Bagtche. A TURKXSH NERO. His daily pastime was cock fighting and making his slaves fight with each other. Gom- bats were often arranged between lions and tigers. He had an enormous iron cage parti- tioned into three separate compartments. In each compartment a huge Bengal tiger would be kept for dayswithout receiving food. When the tiger had attained the requisite degree of ferocity a young live lamb would be given to the tiger in the middle compartment. As soon as this tiger was busily absorbed in devouring the lamb the two partitions would be sudden- . 1y raised, and a most terrific combat ensued‘ between the infuriated wild beasts before the . Sultan comfortably reclining upon a divan. 1 He once remarked that nothing caused him such exquisite pleasure as the sight of blood. A celebrated French lawyer was in the habit of telling his agents that to discover the source of a crime you must “seek for the woman.” In the case of the fall of Abdul Aziz the same principle applies..â€"“ Gherchez la femme.” Dethronement the Denouement of Love Story. HUSSEIN’S REVENGE. SEGRETS OF THE HAREM. Murder of a Guilty Sultana. in Her Toilet Chamber. S'I'AR’I‘L ING RE VELA'I‘IONS. A LOVE STORY. gag? Ody malt} filaced in a corridor, and in see"? an two hours afterward was quietly buried. FATIMA’ s GBIEF. The above details are set forth with the most scrupulous exactitude, and direct evi- dence enables us to reproduce the final scene of this imperial and domestic drama. Fatima was overcome by what she had seen, by what she had heard, and above all by the commis- sion bequeathed to her by her dying mistress. The day after the crime Fatima sent a faith- ful servant of her former master, Whom she had found, to Hussein Avni Pacha. The Pacha had Just left his yale (country resi- dence used in contradistinction to “ conak,” which means a city residence,) of Couscound- jouk, which is situated on the European side, north of Scutari and opposite to the Sultan’s palace. He had gone to the Ministry of War and it was there that he first learned of this terrible news. At this periodâ€"end of May, 1876 â€"Hassan Khairollah Efiendi was Sheik ul Islam, and the other most important Ministers were Ahmed Kaiserle, Midhat Pacha and Mohammed Rouchdy. Hussein Avni was Grand Vizier and Minister of War. Efiectually concealing all traces of his emo- tion, Hussein Avni went to Ahmed Khairollah and Midhat Pacha to see if any rumors of what had happened at the palace hadreached their ears. Judging from the manner and conversation of these ministers, Hussein Anvi felt convinced that they knew nothing about or womenâ€"hustled the female slaves from the room and tried to force the Sultana. to rise to her feet. This was. however, impos- sible. The Third Busch Khadeen was at the time suffering from a. disease of the kidneys. Some of the blows which the Sultan had in- flicted on this part of her body caused a hem- orrhage, which resulted in her death. She did not live long enough to reach the csique which was to convey her to the old harem. it. In order to obtain fuller information the Grand Vizier charged Midhat Pacha to go to the palace and submit some reports to his Majesty. The Sultan received Midhat Pacha pleasantly and made no allusion to what had taken place the day before. PREPARING TO TAKE REVENGE. Hussein Avni knew well the Sultan’s char- acter, and feared it accordingly, He had made‘up his mind that the vengeance of blul Aziz was not yet satisfied. With the most prudence and caution he at once took steps to assure his own personal safety. On the 27th of May, 1876, one of the principal banking houses of Galata received on deposit a large mass of bonds and jewels ofgreat value This case was left there by the Intendant and the Colonel aide<de- -camp of Hussein Avni There is also evidence that a. small steamer was stationed in the Black Sea at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Two aides-deâ€"camp of Hussein Avni were on board of this steamer. These oflieass had received instructions to make an appearance of inspecting the forts which guard the entrance to the Straits. In case of need Hussein Avni hoped by means of this small steamer to be able to embark in some French, Russian or Austrian steamship and reach Odessa. After having prepared for his flight, the Grand Vizier was ready either to escape from the Sultan’s vengeance or to crush the Sultan so as never to have cause to fear him again. PLOTTING T0 DEPOSE THE scum. His line of retreat bemg secured Hussein Avni now made up his mind to depose the Sultan. Politics had nothing Whatever to do with this. ‘ His attempt was instigated solely by the consequences of a crime which had taken place. A single man, perfect master of Oriental stratagem and palace intrigue, acting solely to assure his individa‘l safety and gratify his personal revenge, was about to attempt the overthrow of the Sultan in the midst of his friends and 1n a palace defended on one side by the Bosphorus and on the other by high and double walls. The eunuohs charged to carry away the Sultana then entered the chamber, and without evincing the shghtest compassxon for their dying mistressâ€"for these creatures are incapable of any gogd quality of either man apartments of his faithless wife. When she saw him enter, the unfortunate woman felt that her and had come. She attempted to throw herself upon her knees before him whom she had so grievously wrongedâ€"she was his favorite wife. The Sultan restrained her and pointed to the door of the room, called at the palace a “toilet,” in which the women keep their dresses and jewelery, “Fol- low me,” said Abdul Aziz ; “your slaves and attendants are not to over-hear me." In the chamber there happened to be at the moment four slaves and one eunuch. , THE soLTAN’s RAGE. In the “toilet” room itself no one was ,present. Several large wardrobes in this room lcontained ladies’ dresses, and costumes were also arranged upon hooks and frames fastened to the walls. A magnificent carpet covered the floor, and various caskets of jewels rested upon two tables placed in the middle of the apartment about a yard apart. The two win- dows of this room faced the courtyard, and at the moment of the commission of the crime these windows were half open. Upon enter- ing this room the Sultan turned savagely upon his wife, who, nearly paralyzed with terror, retreated trembling before him. She implored mercy and forgiveness, crying, “Amanl Amanl Efiendiness.” (Pardon, par- don, our Sultan.) He seized her in his powerâ€" ful grasp and threw her violently to the ground before his feet. “Wretch i” said he, “you have betrayed me and must perish.” “Par- don," she entreated. “I am the mother of your dearest son. Our son is of your own flesh and blood. For his sake spare me i” “To save his honor," replied the Sultan, “I now punish you.” Detaohing his sabre from its belt, but without unsheathing it, Abdul Aziz dealt the unfortunate woman the most furious blows upon the head body and loins. At this moment one of the young female slaves, named Fatima. darted to the door and witnessed the scene which we have just de- scribed. The Sultan seeing his wife lying ap- parently lifeles upon the floor, gave her the most violent and brutal kick in the loins. and turned to leave the room. Before he reached the door Fatima escaped, rejoined her oom- panions and said :â€"-“The Effendina has killed her and is coming here." Abdul Aziz, entering the apartment into which the "toilette" chamber opened, said :â€"“Let that woman he carried to the old harem.” To ex- ecute this order the female slaves hastened to their unfortunate mistress. They found her lying senseless and bathed in her blood. In a few moments she was restored to con sciousness, and said :â€"“He has killed me.” Then she made a sign to Fatimalto bend over, and whispered into the ear of this,her favorite slave :â€" “Tell Hussein, so that he may avenge death." Hussein Avni was a little man, about five feet high; over fat, complexion fresh and rosy, little fat hands, small feet, always most carefully dressed, scrupulously neat and “ smart” in personal appearance. The days of May 28 and 29 passed without the occur- rence of any important event. Midhat and Ahmed Kaiserle alone hnd on the 28th some slight suspicion of Hussein Avni’s intention. 0n the evening of the 29th the Grand Vizier had everything in readiness for the success of his plot, and not until then, when withdrawal would be impossible, did he begin to execute his plans. 011 that evening he invited his Highness the SheikulIslam (Khairolla Pacha) to dine at his house. This invitation was ac- cepted without the slightest suspicion. The Grand Vizier received his guest in a. salon on :he second floor. After the usual salutation VOL. THE YORK HERALI 1N rsvos or MURAD. Midhat Pacha awaited at his residence the result of the plot. Suleiman Pacha was ordered to arm the pupils of the Military School, who were well disposed toward Murad. The Grand Vizier himself, in his capacity of Minister of War, ordered two infantry battal- ions to be under arms at halflpast ten in the evening. These troops had no idea why they received the orderywhich was only communi- cated to them at the last moment. These two battalions were quartered at the Serasker- at (Ministry of War) itself. Not till they had taken up their march did Hussein Avni as- sume command of them himself. He was accompanied by two of his aidesâ€"de-camp and six chaonish (stafi sergeants at- tached to the Ministry of War). He knew he might trust to the devotion of these men. He made them believe that the Council of Ministers and the Sheik 111 Islam haddecided to dethrone the Sultan ; as to Hussein Avni himself, he told them that he was merely the instrument selected by the Sublime Porte and the grand chiefs of the Mohammedan religion to carry out their orders. These troops occupied without diffi- culty the approaches to the palace. Hussein Avni announced himself as Minister of War. He quietly ordered the soldiers on guard duty about the palace to stack their arms and leave the courtyard by passing through the main gateway. As these soldiers came out of the gateway they were at once confined in the empty guardhouses. Hussein Avni, accom- panied by Redif and his aides~de-oamp, and followed at an interval of a few paces by his chaonish, proceeded to a small door at the end of a culdesac, formed on one side by a kiosk, or rather a wing of the palace itself, and on the other side by a wall of the garden. This small door led to the Sultan’s apart- ments, and was only made use of by some of the Ministers and a- few persons who had constant access to the Sultan. It was by this door that Hussein Avni had been in the habit of visiting the Sultan. - - IN-JEEEJQUMAN’S. 3mm. All thus far had been conducted so regularly and quietly that none of the inmates of the palace had any suspicion that anything was wrong. The Grand Vizier knocked at his door and said :â€""His majesty awaits me upon most urgent business.” The door was at once opened. The attendants saluted Hus- sein Avni and opened a passage for him and his aide-de-camp. The chaonish appearing Hussein Avni said to him :â€"“Follow me. me, and in the Sultan’s name take possession of this entrance.” One chaonish and ten soldiers were stationed at this door, the for- mer attendants were arrested and Hussein Avni, in advance of his aide-de-camp, went to the Sultan’s apartment. The Sultan was alone in his chamber. Hussein Avni sta- tioned his chaonish at the two doors and or- dered them to fire upon Abdul Aziz should he attempt to escape. Hussein Avni then sent Redif to find Djeder Aga, the chief of the eunuohs. Djeder Age. was in a room near at hand, lying upon a sofa, awaiting his master’s orders. Bedif said to him 3â€"“Get up, Djeder Aga, and tell Abdul Aziz that the Ottoman nation has deprived him of the supreme power-what the Sultan Murad Khan is now Emperor. His Majesty’s orders are that Abdul Aziz be conducted to Top Capou, where he shall henceforth reside l ” Djeder Aga hearing this language thought that deif had gone crazy. He would not pay any attention to him, and broke into a long burst of laugh ter. Hussein Avni becoming impatient at the delay entered the room and said to Redif, “If he will not obey you kill him.” Djeder Aga then understood the gravity of the affair and entered the Sultan’s chamber. Upon hearing the eunuch’s message Abdul Aziz made a bound toward the door. The chaonish covered him with their carbines. Hussein Avni entered the second door and said :â€" “Abdul Aziz, it is too late. Resistance is impossible. Your palace is surrounded, the fleet is with us, and you are no longer Sultan l ” Then turning to the Khaonish Hussein Avni commanded, “By order of Sultan Murad arrest Abdul Aziz l” Abdul Aziz being unarmed this order was the more easily executed. Hussein Avni descended with his prisoner to the quai of the palace, where a boat sent thither by Kaiserle was already in waiting. EUMBLED TO THE GROUND. Abdul Aziz, believing himself to be the personification of a terrible and unassailable power, had always felt like a kind of demi- god. When he realized that he had been deposed, all that had once been his greatest pride and strength seemed to forsake him. He was utterly prostrated and crushed by the magnitude of his sudden ill fortune. The deceased Sultan, who had applied to Na- poleon III. for not finding his death at Sedan the epithet “leche,” was overthrewn by one man almost single- handed. But that man was the avenging hand of a dastardly crime. Without a word being uttered by any one the ex-Sultan sul- lenly assumed the place in the boat indicated to him, and was swiftly and noiselessly con- veyed on this rainy and chilly night to the payillion of Top Capou. The next morning (May 30th) a salute of 101 guns announced the fall of Abdul Aziz and proclaimed Murad Sultan. Hussein Avni took Khairolla aside, read to him rapidly the text of a “fetva” and ear- nestly demanded his signature to it. This fetva was worded thus :â€"“ When a cah'f by his own acts proves himself unworthy to reign, is it necessary to maintain him 7” The answer was “ Olmas”â€"no. THE sHEIK UL ISLAM sums. Khairolla refused to sign this document, and sought to deter Hussein Avni from such a project. The Sheik ul Islam said :â€"â€"“ You have been already banished once by the Sul- tan. By attempting this you will rush to your ruin in the most certain manner.” “ Enough,” replied the Grand Vizier, “ i leave this document with you, and if at the expiration of half an hour it is unsigned you will not be alive.” Hussein Avni then went to Kaiserle, who was on board of the Osmanieh, a splendid ironclad, riding at anchor between the palace of the Sultan and the residence of Hussein Avni. The Grand Vizier was not five minutes with the minister before acaique brought to him the fetva of the Sheik ul Islam. declaring Abdul Aziz unworthy to reign. In the presence of such a document Kaiserle promised his absolute concurrence, Hussein Avni then explained in a. few words his plan, which was put at once into execu- tion. The following is an accurate account of the events of that night, in which the reign of Abdul Aziz ended and the reign of Murad begun. It must be admitted that the yoke of Abdul Aziz had weighed heavily upon all, but no one had dared hope to remove it. In his face no political idea had been in play. There had not even been the association of persons acting for the attainment of a common end. There was simply one manâ€"Hussein Avni~ resolved if necessary to sacrifice everything for his own interests, wishing to escape from the just anger of his master,and dn'ven to an act of brilliant courage and formidable rash- ness, solely because his individual fear and personal revenge were immense. POLITICS AND mmreum. People seem scarcely yet able to realize that in Turkey all government and all politi- cal parties are thoroughly corrupt. Govern- ment is crumbling to pieces and political parties are mere catch words. The practical administration of the country may soon be in the hands of the various foreign ambas- sadors. RICHMOND HILL, THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 1880‘ of diflerent nations. They are reproduced with slight differences of circumstances and place to suit the different localities. Dr. Mackenâ€" zie who seems to have given considerable time to ferretting out the origin of “ Legen- dery Lore," has a very interesting chapter on the subject in his “ Bits of Blarney.” Wash-4 ington Irving has localized several legends as American, but his “ Rip Van Winkle" has long since been traced to German origin. Some years ago a supplement to the “ Thou- sand and One Nights,” containing an Arabian tale called the Sage Hegcaw, was published at Paris. The translator noted the curious fact that this Oriental story contained many inci- dents exactly similar to passages in the life of Alsop. Sixteen pages of de'tztils of a. visit -made.by Rayner am Ma v 03231 for word, with the accounts cf alike visit ’ade by Esop. “ The Arabian Nights Entertainments” (which have charmed us all in youth, and rarely fail to delight us when we return to them in ma- ture years) is full of such stories, illustrating the sanguinary character of eastern belief and practice. Who among us cannot RECALL THE SCENES 0F YOUTH, when, gathered around the blazing hearth. we have listened to some weird story or watched with bated breath the result of some “ Hallow Eve” charm? These were the days of happiness, and, of course, every rural maiden had a sure, infallible charm for tell- ing the future husband. On the eve of the New Year the anxious damsel prepared for sleep by pinning .to her pillow five long leaves, one at each corner and one in the mid- dle. If she dreamed of her sweetheart she was sure to marry him before the end of the year, but to make it a dead sure thing the candidate for matrimony must boil an egg hard, take out the yoke and fill up its place with salt. Just before going to bed, she must eat egg, salt, shell and all, and neither speak nor drink after it. If that wouldn’t insure her a vivid dream there surely can be no virtue in charms. And in this connection it may be proper to remark, the more we in- vestigate the subject and ponder over the thousand and one charms by which girls may peep into the future and solve (to them) the most interesting questions of their lives, the more deeply are we impressed with the con- viction' that great injustice is done to women by denying her privilege which For the women is to be pitied who has a hes- itating lover, who haggles about “popping the question. ” He is worse than a bold one How perfectly satisfactory was the conduct of that brave old Puritan who rode up to the door of the girl of his choice, and, having desired her to be called out to him, said zâ€"“Rachael, the Lord has sent me to marry thee l ” When the girl answered with equal frankness, “The Lord’s will be done.” What a blessing to the household is such a woman, one whose spirits are not affected by wet days or little disappointments. As women have not any great extent availed themselves of their pri v11- ages in popping the question,we are unable to say how they could scarcely do worse than many men have done, as the following will prove : An Irish girl, who was very anxious that her scatterbrained brother should not be refused by a young English women with whom he was desperately in love, implored him to propose with the seriousness becoming the occasion. He avowed he would behave as if he was acting as chief mourner at his father’s fun- eral, and actually took his lady-love after church to see the family vault, and there in a sepulchral voice, asked her. if she “would like to lay her bones beside his bones.” It is enough to say she agreed. SOME VERY NEAT METHODS FOR ENTRAPPING VA- CILLATING BACHELORS. The advent of the leap-year season has had the effect of again starting enquiry as to the origin of the custom which allows women during leap year to assume a privilege, which during the other three years, is the sole pre- rogative of men. The privilege of ladies choosing their husbands 1s thus explained in a work entitled, “Love, Courtship and Matri- mony,” London, 1806 zâ€"“Albeit it has now become a part of the common laws in regard to social relations of life that as often as every besextile year do the return,: the ladies have the soleprivilege during the time it continueth of making love unto the men which they either by words or looks as to them it seemeth proper ; and, moreover, no man will be en- titled to the benefit of clergy who doeth in any way treat her proposal with slight and contumely.” The above seems to establish beyond cavil their right to reverse the accept- ed order of things, atsieast once in four years. From time immemorial there has existed a legend to the effect that' in leap-year the customary regulations of courtship may pro- perly be reversed, and OFFERS 0F MARRIAGE PROCEED FROM THE FAIR SEX to the male object of their affection. We do not read that this privilege has ever been taken advantage of any great extent by the ladies ;, but the tradition is as strong in the mind of the people as ever, and it bids fair to be transmitted in unimpaired freshness and force to the latest generation. This being the case, it logically follows that there is a peculiar idea of the inherent fitness of the right, otherwise it would have died out years ago, if there were not deep down in the the human heart a conviction that the ladies have some natural rights in regard to the choosing and wooing of a partner for life. Whether they think best to exercise the privi- lege is altogether foreign to the question of right. Were it not for this feeling this leap- year tradition had long since been forgotten. All nations have their folk lore ; persons and and places are invested with powers which in- spire the ignorant peasantry with dread, and cause them to shun these places. There is a striking similauty all the world over between the popular A VERY NEAT WA! is for the gentleman, after dancing a number of times with a young lady, to say :â€"“If ever he became a benedict he would like his wife to look exactly like and dress precisely as she does.” This may be a proposal or not. When, however, a shy man, having his mother to plead his cause, says to the beloved one with a. tremulous gasp, “Won’t you do the thing my mother asked?” there is doubt about his asking her to be his wife. More than one proposal has been made by underscoring the lines in the marriage service, “Wilt thou have this man for your wedded husband?” and passing the book and pencil during the ser- mon to the favored one ; and it sometimes, oftener than not, comes back with a faint but visible stroke under the “I will.” A young man of a poetical turn sends the following to a coquettish maid : "Oh! lovelvmajdfihqgart the fairest slave in It may be interesting to the young ladies, who are not already aware of the fact, to know that leap year empowers them to do some thing more than all God’s:mart{m Those charms to win, with all my Empire I would gladly part, One kiss I send, to pierce like fire the too reluc- tant heart.” The Origin of the Custom of the Mem- bers of the Gentler Sex Making Love to Men. TBADICTION GIVES BER DURING LEAR YEAR. THE LAW FOR. LADIES. LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS “P0? was cannon.” WHOSE BEAUTY WAS 80 STRIKING that it caused Henry 11., King of France, to tremble when first he beheld her. From a. careful consideration of the various dangers arising from this “leap year piivilege,” we are inclined to think Mr. Meagle’ s advice to the beadle 18 Worthy of imitation, and that when- ever we see a young lady in full “fig” with a scarlet petticoat coming down the street, we shall show our best discretion by turning, and running away. â€"London World :â€"“The behaviour of Frenchmen, Italians or Germans to ladies is not only not better thanthat of Englishmen, it is infinitely worse. If it is somejzimes more polished outwardly it is quitefis often openly offensive and odious.” â€"â€"-The number of suicides at Venice and its suburbs, last year, attained the considerable figure of 297, of which 46 were of women. In most cases reverse of fortune, misery, or want of work was the disposing cause, and the majority of the unfortunates belonged to the poorer classes; â€" â€"â€"The Cologne Gazette, in a. recent article, deemed “inspired,” observes that “Nobody can be on good terms with the German em- pire who culfiivates a, political intimacy with Russia.” ~A letter from Tokio furnishes some inter- esting details concerning the number of for- eigners resident in J apan. In 1879 there were 12,475 Europeans and Americans in the whole empire. Of these 1,067 were English, 479 Americans, 300 Germans, 105 Hollanders, 95 Portugese and the remainder was divided among other nationalities, principally French and Italians. â€"â€"Seventy-four streets were added to Lon- don last year. â€"â€"Boots and shoes for dolls are turned out by one London house at the rate of 1,000 pairs at week. â€"A report presented to the Edinbugh Established Presbytery recommepds the abolition of Fast-days. â€"The Provincial Council of Vienna will shortly sanction the engineer Buffo’s scheme for a bridge, three miles long, from Venice to the mainland, to serve for a tramway, as well as for pedestrians and vehicles. â€"The Pall Mall Gazette says that “women, if really anxious, as they profess to be, to make the world better than it is, might, with advantage, give upfiwhat they term their ‘beck jacket poekets,’ it being almost impossible for a thief to resist making a grab at a purse car- ried in a pocket so fashioned that it can be emptied without difficulty or danger, unless a, detective happens to witness the operation.” Notes and Queries for 1856 contains the following : “If a young lady should so far forget herself as to suggest a union between herself and a bachelor acquaintance, who should be uncivil enough to decline her pro- posal, she could thereupon demand from him the gift of a new silk dress. But to claim this dress with propriety, she must at the same time be the wearer of a scarlet petti- eoat, which, or the lower part of which, she must exhibit to the gentleman, who by the law of leap year is bound to present to the lady a silk dress to cover the scarlet pettieoat and assuage her displeasure at â€"A toast drunk with Highland honors in« volves throwing the Wine glasses over the left shoulder. the idea. being that the glasses should never be degraded by use for any other purpgee. ,. _ ' THE REJECTION OF HER PROPOSAL” This item of feminine folk-lore may prove ex- ceedingly useful to the male reader in putting him on his guard during the year. For it is not probably without a determined significance that the wearing of red petticoats is made of the chief novelties of ladies dress during the Winter season. In fact, it may reasonably be inferred that the ladies’ law of leap year is about to be inflicted upon the gentlemen in the most expensive silk dress form. From the above it can readily be seen that those who have managed for years to steer clear of hymen7s toils will be made to play or pay. It is indeed wonderful how so many have so long managed to ’bid defiance to the many charming women who have, year after year, shone with dazzling brilliancy in the magni- ficent entertainments 'of the “Winter Port” ; some of them rivalling the famous Agnes Sorel, â€"-From the calculations of M. Paul Leroy Beaulieu in the Economists Francais, it ap. pears that the public debt of France exceeds 26, « 000,000,000 of francs, on which 1,265‘000000 are paid annually as interest. Divided among 37.000,000 Frenchmen, this debt, the most colossal in history, gives an average of 700i, as principal, for each inhabitant, and 34f. in- terest per annum. â€"A servant girl at Jersey, England, has been fined 103. for playing a foolish trick with a. train. She stood between the rails while the train was approaching at a rapid rate,and calmly watched it draw near. The driver whistled, shut off'steam, and reversed the en- gine, and thus succeeded in stopping the locomotive within two yards of the girl, who merely laughed in his face and ran away. â€"Pall Mall Gazette :â€"“Just as in amateur oratory the dullest and dreariest, the most flatulent, pompous and prolix spouter is in- variably the one who is readiest to get on his legs on all occasions to propose unnecessary toasts or offer a. few entirely uncalled-for re- marks, so the amateur pianist who has least music in his soul and most noise at his fin- gers’ ends is always the fondest of hearing himself and the most regardless of the effect of his performance on his neighbors.” â€"A strange murder and suicide occurred a few weeks ago at Rossau, in Zurich. A man, whose wife had had left him owing to his vio- lent conduct, followed her to her father’s house, fired right and left at the inmates, killing the father, discharged the remaining7 barrels of his revolver at the people who tried to arrest him, then defended himself with a pitchfork,‘ and at the moment the po- lice had succeeded in depriving him of this ,weapon, which was not done before he had severely wounded several of his assailants. he drew a knife, cut his throat from ear to ear, and fell dead on the spot. â€"â€"â€"London Truth :â€"“In the present day girls are not maidens so much as bachelors ; and the one sex has pretty much the same amount of liberty asthe other. Twenty years ago it was thought hazardous and almost in~ delicate for an unmarried girl to wander about the streets alone; now it is the rule; and our pretty young bachelors in petticoats and frizzy heads would scout the idea of a. protector as in any way necessary to their sal- vation.” â€"â€"At Njatka, Russia, an actress, by name Mme. Barbara Parmenovna Kossiakovskaja, owed a butcher eighty-four roubles for meat, which she was temporarily unable to pay. One evening the butcher went to the theatre where she was playing a leading role in the Russian drama, “The Actress of Venice.” He was so overcome by her acting that, in the midst of one of her impassioned speeches, he exclaimed in a stentbrian voice : “Barbara Parmenovna, I consider myself paid for all the meat I have sold you 1” The audience burst into uproarious laughter. The actress sued her creditor for defamation of character. â€"’l‘he man who hires a. plumber always pays the piper. AROUND THE WORLD VACILLATING BACHELORS From Indianapolis J ournal’s Report of 9. Lecture by “Eli Perkins": Now, my friends, there has been a good deal said about lying in this country lately. I confess that I have been called a great liar myself. In fact thelyre has been struck a great many times. (Laughter). You re member that Henry Watterson, of the Louisâ€" ville Courierâ€"Journal, said publicly on the steps of the hotel at Saratoga, last summer, that he was personally acquainted with three of the biggest liarswthe biggest liv~ ing liars in the world;~ and when they asked him who . they were he said : “George. Alfred Townsend is one and Eli Perkins is the other two. (Great laughter.) Now, , my friends, speaking of lying, I maintain that all great humorists are great liars, and that the funniest men have always been the biggest liars. But I do not say vice verse that all great liars are great humorists. If this were the case then the lawyers would be the funniest men in the world. (Laughter) The lie to be funny must be purely innocent, it must be told to make our fellowmen happy, and to harm no man, or it must be told to make man ridicul- , ous, as did. “Don Quixote,” “Ginx’s Baby,” and the satires of J uvenal and Dean Swift. In fact, the he told must be an innocent Baron Munchausen lie. If the old humorists were not great liars, then Dean Swift’s “Tale of a Tub” was a true story, Gulliver’s travels were as true as Moody’s sermons, Thackeray’s “Yellow Plush Papers” were Sunday school tracts, and Baron Munchau. sen’s four hundred gigantic lies were as true as Macaulay’s “ History of England.’ Almost all fun is exaggeration, all exaggera- tion is lying. Mark Twain is a fearful liar. Show me a single truth in Max Adeler‘s “El- bow Room.” Artemus Ward‘s works are pure fictions, pure lies. with no satire, but told simply to produce innocent laughter. Laugh- ter cannot be produced without acting, paint- ing, or writing and exaggerationâ€"in plain English, without acting, painting, an innocent lie. The humorous artist, the caricaturist like John Leech and Cruikshank, had no other element but the lie to draw upon to pro" duce laughter. They had to make a long nose, a big ear, a crooked leg, or a cock~eyc. No one ever laughed at a true picture. 1i a live man really looked as Cruikshank or John Leech painted him, we would shed tears at his mournful condition. .If a real man acted like Don Quixote, we would weep at his misfor- tunes. bfometimes people laugh at a great truth, for truth is often stranger (sounds like a bigger lie) than fiction. This has always been my great trouble. (Laughter). I have generally told such great, strange truths that the people would laugh because they thought it was alie. So I have got the reputation of being a worldly~minded humorist, when, in fact, I am a great truthâ€"teller. To illustrate: One night I was telling about the big trees in California. I said I rode into a big tree, a big hollow tree, on horseback, and then walked out at the knot-holes. (Laughter). The people laughed because they thought it was a lie, when, in fact, it was the truth. The trees are thirty-five feet in diameter,and the hole through them is twelve feet in diameterâ€"as wide through as a barn door. To illustrate what I mean by an innocent Baron Munchausen story : I had an uncle William once, who got caught in a fearful rain-storm once one night when he was on the way to attend a prayer meeting at New- London, Conn. He started for New-London on horseback, but when half way there, there arose a dreadful storm. The wind blew a hurricane, the rain poured in torrents, the lightning gleamed through the sky, and my uncle got in behind a large barn. But in a moment the lightning struck that barn and knocked it into a thousand splinters, and sent his horse whirling over into a neighbor. ing cornpatch. “What did you do then, Uncle William ? ” I asked. “Well,” said he, By an Expertâ€"They All Do Ilâ€"llumor ism, Caricaturisls, and Others. “I didn’t know hardly what to do. I was very much discouraged, but to tell you the honest. truthmâ€"the honest Connecticut tr,uth E11, [Went right out into the cornfield, took off my coat, bumped up my bare back, and took eleven strokes of lightning right on my bare back bone, drew the lightning all out of the sky, and then got on to my horse and got into New-London in time to lead at the prayer-meeting.” (Uproarious laughter). It was distinctly stipulated that the £25,- 000 should be the amount payable during his celibacy, and that from the day of his marri‘ age, if ever be contracted a marriage, the sum should be doubledâ€"that is to say, it should be increased to £50,000 a year. Naturally the fortunate heir had a decided de- sire to obtain the full amount to which he was entitled by wedlock, although he enter- tained the strongest objections to compromis- ing his freedom by marriage. The ingenious youth fully and anxiously considered the situation, and at last determined upon the course which he would pursue. Proceeding to the Haymarket on a particular evening, he met a young female whose acquaintance he had only made a short time previously, and whose position was far removed in a down- Ward direction from him. To this woman he made overtures of marriage, promising her an annuity of {$2,000 in consideration of her considering the marriage tie dissolved a week after the performance of the ceremony. The offer seems to have been rejected and an alternative advanced. The woman, it appe ars signified her willingness to consent to an ar- rangement by which the estate of her suitor was conferred absolutely upon her for six months, at the end of which period it would revert to the assignee, and she would then be entitled to her annual allowance of $2,000. Finding that she would not res11e from this proposal, the youthful millionaire reluctantly agreed to it,and in the course of time the marriage ceremony was performed. At the end of the succeeding week the fickle youth, as determined upon, left his spouse and he- took him self to his estate, and there he de- veloped an illness from which he never re- covered. His death having occurred within the six months after his marriage, his Whole estate has passed to his wife. and his relaâ€" tives have had resort to the machinery of. ,the law to avert the absolute succession. The case, I understand, is likely to come before the Probate Division of the Divorce Court early next session, and a cause cclebre equal to the famous Tichborne trial in point of public interest may be expected. A Youthlul English Hail-’5 Provisional Dial-tinge. [London Cor. Aberdeen. Scotland, Journal] One of the most romantic stories outside the regions of fiction will engage the attention of the London Probate Court early next ses- sion. The circumstances of the case, stated in a brief form, appear to be these : Some time ago a. young gentleman, in accordance with the provisions of a will in his favor. in~ herited an annual income of £25,000, and a large estate situated in a by no means unimâ€" portant county in England. â€"â€"A Really Lively Neighbmhoodâ€"Land- lord (to prospective tenant)â€"â€" “ Lonely I Yer wife feel kinder lonesome here so fayr from neighbors? Why, man, this is right on the road to the cemetery! There’s funerals passin’ here every day of yer life.” WHOLE N0. 1,118.--NO. 35; A ROLYIANCE IN HIGII LIFE. M Teefy AN ESSAY 0N LYING" The Views bt an Experimentor on fly- gieuic Dielâ€"Uneeaionerl Foodâ€"7N0 Drink and Two Meals a Day. Some physiologists have given utterance to the idea “that by eating a. little of several things the variety thereby obtained would ob- viate the difficulty of being tempted to eat too much.” The converse of the quoted sentiment is the real truth. It has been proven by much experience that the eating of so many varie- ties of victuals- as our tables generally offer is productive of mischief to the health. The first thing which hygienic educators do to pa- tients. under their charge for experiment, is to reduce the variety of victuals at meals to three kinds at most; Thus, first of grainsâ€"â€" bread, prepared meal or both; second, of fruits, one variety or two at most, but of homogeneous kinds ; third, of vegetables, one kind. The variation is as follows : If vege- tables be omitted, more fruits; and if fruit is omitted, more vegetables. No drink of any kind whatever is allowed at meals by hygien- ists or in ~iess than two hours after meals. Masticate well and long enough to insure proper flow of the saliva. This constitutes, according to hygienic authority, “ proper eat- ing.” One may eat plentifully of the grains and vegetables or grain and fruits. If meat be eaten. it is allowed but once per day and then sparingly, and only as a relish. The eat- ing of a great variety of victuals at meals is the cause of dyspepsia in its myriad headed forms and consequences. In eating slowly there isEnot felt the need of drinking tea or coffee, or milk, or ice-water at meals. The desire for drink is caused by hurriedly bolting a variety of food. It is manifest that nature has some promi- nent and important work for the saliva. It is situated in position for direct and im- mediate admixture with the food. The final consideration is that of eating at improper times. The digestive system needs a rest of three or four hours where the mind is in action or at work ; when the mind is at rest, that is to say, in sleep, the digestive system should have about double the amount of rest. To eat five times a day is too often ; three times a day is surely enough, and the writer is experimentally convinced is once too often. He knows of a case of three months’ absor- bing devotion to study by an individualfiin which much was achieved, but during that time but two meals a day was taken, viz :â€" At 7 a. m. and 2.30 p. m. For the period mentioned no craving for drink was felt and no Edrink‘ was taken. Health and strength were good; natural and increasing. not stim- ulated. For a purely health diet the best au- thorities recommend that all condiments (seasonings, pepper, salt, spices, sugar, etc.,) should be rejected. Let cream in the“granula” and bread mixing take the place of butter as far as possible and let sufficient mastication take the place of salt, seasoning and drink, to wash away the seasonings. The writer thought the first week of his experiment that nothing was quite so disagreeable as saltless, pepperless, butterless and drinkless meals,but he persevered in a faithful trial. In the end the result was great pleasure derived from proper assimilation and digestion of the food and a delicious sense of taste and appreciation of, everything consumed. Here are the direc- tions for preparing a hygienic meal : Bread is the staple food and it should be made as follows : Mix with the best, fresh Graham flour cream, milk or water, enough to make dough. Form it into cakes 01‘ biscuits abont the diameter of a coffee cup and one to two inches thick and bake in ‘a quick oven from twenty to thirty minutes ; or the dough may be rolled out to one-eighth of an inch in thickness and baked, though not until very brown. No salt is used. If bread is desired, adopt the same manner of mixing. Allow it to stand in loaf form four or five hours, then bake until done. In addition to this apples baked, boiled or raw oranges, grapes, or what- ever fruit is obtainable, may be eaten. Vegan tables. including potatoes or turnips, must be cooked and eaten without salt. lBaked potaâ€" toes. with cream or boiled turnips, form most palatable and delicious dishes. If meat be eaten let it be procured fresh and cooked without salt or butter, and also without grease; hogs’ lard, etc. Of meats there may be used beef, mutton or poultry. Restrict the variety of food at one meal to three kinds, or at most four kinds, and eat plentifully of those. Eat lightlyat evening, and never eat between meals, and drink nothing at meals Whatever. Masticate thoroughly and. slowly, and be sure before you stop you have eaten enough at the meal to nourish and sustain you for the work you have till the next meal, and not too much, so that you will be overtaxed. Before eating a rest of five or fifteen minutes is de- sirable. It is detrimental to health and di- gestion to at once begin a, meal after ceasing to labor. Applying chemical tests to the leaves other chemists have found nicotia, tobacco, cam- phor, 01' nicotianine (about which not much is known),a hitter extractive matter,gum ch10“ rophyl, malate of lime, sundry albuminoids, malic acid, woody fibre, and various salts. The feathery White ash. which in its cohe- sion and whiteness is indicative of the good cigar, yields potash, soda, magnesia, lime, phospheric acid, silica, and chlorine. The ingredients extractable from apoor and cheap cigar would be fearful and' wonderful to contemplate. Here is a list from aparliamen- tary report on adulteration in tobacco 2 Sugar, alum lime flour or meal, rhubarb leaves saltpetrc, Fuller s earth starch, malt commings chromate of lead, peat moss, mo. lasses burdock leaves, common salt, endive leaves, lampblack, gum, red dye, a black dye composed of vegetable red and licorice, scraps of newspaper, cinnamon stick, cabbageleaves, and straw brown’paper. EIEE [PAY BRIDGE DISASTER. Three Londoners Among the Viclims: The London Advertiser says: In all the published accounts of the Toy bridge disaster no mention has been made of the fact that three persons from this city perished on the sad occasion. These were Robert Watson and his two sons. Mr. Watson was well known in London East, where he for a long time worked in the Ontario Car Wheel Works as a moulder. Some time ago, finding work slack, he returned to the Old Country, and in the account of the finding of the bodies he is given as a resident of. Dundee. From the acâ€" count in the London Times we learn that Watson was returning from a visit to some friends in Fifeshire. He was travelling with his two childrenâ€"David, aged 8, and Robert, aged 5â€"and his widow is left childless. There is nothing in the appearance of the bodies to indicate that they met their death through a a violent shock ; they bear evidence of that of drowning only. There is a gash in the face of one,but it looks as if it had been done with a- grapplingâ€"iron. Watson’s face has an ex- pression of pain or alarm upon 1t, but the faces of the others are placid. (London Caterer.) _ To the world in general a cigar is merely a tightly rolled packet having brittle fragments of dried leaves within, and a smooth silky leaf for its outer wrapper.- When it is burnt, and the pleasantly flavored. smoke is inhaled, the habitual smoker claims for it a soothing luxury that quiets the irritable nervous organ- ism, relieves weariness, and entices repose. Science scouting so superficial a description, examines first the smoke, second the leaf, third the ash. In the smoke is discovered water in a. vaporous stdte, soot (free carbon) carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide, and a. veporous substance condensable inlo oily nicotine. These are the general divisions, which chemists have still further spilt up, and in so doing have found acetic, formic, buteric, valeric, and propionic ecids,prussic acid, creo- sote, and carbolic acid, ammonia, sulphur- eted hydrogen, pyridine, viridine picoline, lutidine, collidine, parvoline, corodine, and rubidene. These last area series of oily bases belonging to the homologs of aniline, first discovered in coaLtar. â€"â€"An exchange thinks that curryhossity takes farmers to the stable before breakfast. HEALTH TALKS. C l GAB St.