The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Juan Aminte, a Mexican telegraph opera.- tor, was in his coflin and about to be buried when an outside operator heard taps inside which said in the telegraph language, “ I am alive." '11: appears that presence of Irin is sometimes a. good thing to have even at one’s own funeral.â€"[Chicago J our- nal. What wonderful luck it was that one of the parties at the funeral happened to be & telegraph- operator. If the corpse had only been rapping to a. lot of gomuses that; didn’t know the alphabet. who would have suspected that it was alive 2â€"[Bowell Cour- ier. Finzny the strap that holds the basket breaks, down comes poor baby, thump, to the ground, face down, and the pony, after running a. few more rods, is caught by a. boy, while the distracted mother picks up her unfortunate infant, and immediately un. lacing the deerskin cover, takes it out to as- sure herself it is sound in body after its rather risky ried and fall. No one seems sorry for the poor baby, whose yells are drowned in the general burst of longihter Fhat goes uAp. > _ There is an astonishing amount of difl'er- ence in the endurance shown by savage and civilized folk. Among us babies are treat- ed “a.s if they might break,” as the saying goes; but with the Indians their conditions of life are less finely balanced. Baby life among the Apaches is thus described in the Overland 111 0115th : Some squahvs hang their baskets to the saddle-horn, because, if they are left stand- ing on the ground. the dogs go round and lick the babies’ faces, much to the little ones’ discomfort. One rather frisky pony, with a. baby on the horn of his saddle, wan- ders from the bunch and is immediately eur- rounded.by_a._ crowd of dogs. in the line to catch him. But the imny doesn’t want to be caught, and from a. trot turns to a run, and away they flyâ€"the bas- ket flapping on his side only making him run the harder. -The marriage, curiously enough, usually takes place on the very day on which the bride has emphatically protested that she will never have the bridegroom. Their birking starts bin: to trot, and with a. shriek Ithe mothgrl rpghes fiom her place Y‘ \Vell, my daughter," he observes, “ it is time you should think of marriage.” “ I never mean to marry,” is her invariable and conventional answer. “ That is s pity,” says the minister, “ because I have a good husband for thee." “ \Vho is he ‘3" she asks. The missionary then tells her his nameâ€"although she knows it as well as he doesâ€"and launches out into the lover’s praise. He is strong, good looking, kindly ; he caught two fine whales when his compan- ions took none, or whatever else can be said to his repute. After the catalogue of his merits has been recited, the girl replies, “ But I think him a. good-for-nothing.” “ Ah, well,” says the missionary, “ thou art not wise. There is no led can fling e harpoon as he can. I shall soon find him a wife.” He then wishes the girl a good day, afi'ecting to believe that the interview is over. But she is sure to linger, and after a. blush and sigh she whispers, “ So it is par- ticularly your Wish, Herr Pastor? I do not quite like him,” with a. deep sigh, “ but if you ” At this point the virtually hands over the business to the minister, who has to tell her that she knows she loves the lad ; that she would not have come if she had not thought of accepting him, and that nothin is wanting but to ask the blessing of Go upon their union. Leaning against wagons and buildings are dozens of little baskets with baby Apaches sucking their fists therein. The baskets are of the regular Indian style, and the poor babies are strapped and laced into them tight and snug, nothing showing but the rognd, chubby face and two tiny fists. A mother writes : “ Once a. week invaria- bly, and it was generally when we had cold meat minced, I gave the children a. dinner which was hailed with delight and looked forward to ; this was adish of boiled unions. The little things knew not that they were taking the best medicines for expelling what most children sufl'er fromâ€"worms. Mine were kept free by this remedy alone. Not only boiled onions for dinner, but chives also were they encouraged to eat With their bread and butter, and for this purpose they had tufts of chives in their lit- tle ardens. It was a. medical man who tang t me to eat boiled onions as a specific for a cold in the chest. He did not know at the time, till I told him, that they were good for anything else. u, , r ,_AA_LA,, Iv, “ The above (light to be published in let- ters of gold and hung up beside the table, so that the children could read it and re- mind their parents that no family ought to be without onions the whole year around. Plant old onions in the fall, and they will come up at least three weeks earlier in the 3 ring than by spring planting. Give c ildren of all ages a few of them raw, as soon as they are fit to be eaten ; do not miss treating them with a mess of raw onions three or four times a week. \Vhen they get too large, or too strong to be eaten raw, then boil or roast them. During unhealthy seasons, when diphtheria and like contagi- ous diseases prevail, onions ought to be eaten in the spring of the year at least once a. weeK. Onions are invigorating and pro- phylactic beyond description. Further, I challenge the medical fraternity, or any mother to point out a place where children have died from diphtheria or scarlatina anginosa, etc., where onions were freely used. The preacher is invariably resorted to, both by young men and maidens, as the matrimonial agent. A young man comes to the missionary house and says to him, “ I want to marry.” “ \Vhom '1” asks the mis- sionary. “ Have you any one in mind ‘3" “ Yes," answers the lover, “ but she will not have me, I want you to speak to her.” “ Have you not: spoken for yourself ?” “ Many times, but she always snys ‘ No.’ " “ That is nothing,” says the pastor : “ you know>the ways of maidens. Does she like you ‘2” “ It is difficult to find out. She will tell you." The pastor accordingly sends for the girl, who comes willingly enough, know- ing wellth the message meann. a The above appeared in the Lancaster New Era, and having fallen under the eye of an experienced physician of that county, he writes as follows : MEDICAL VIRTst or ONIoss. Matches in Greenland. Apache Baby Life. HEALTH. > “ The method you have pursued, my dear Pliny, in the ' pro‘ééedings’ dgaiust those Christians who were brought before vou, is extremely proper ; as It is not pnssible to lay doWiJ any fixed rule by which to acts in all ca.ses of this nature. But I would not “ In feet, this contagious "superstition is not confined to the eities.on1y,' Btlms spread its infep blade! ng phej‘ ’ bring villages andngqglntfiyg“ Neve'rthl’e'ss, it still seems possible to restrain its progress. The temples,» 3.}; least, which were once almost deserted; begin now to be frequented : and the sa'cré’d‘solemnities, alffer a. long inter- mission, are revived ; to which I must add, there is again slso a_ general demand for the victims, which for Sometime past had met with few purchz’msers. From the circum- stances Ihave mentioned,- it; is easy to con- Jecture what numbers might ‘be reclaimed, If a. general pdrdon were1 granted to those who shall repent of their qwn error. .Now read [11' l-""‘~ ' “ Some among those who were accused by a witness in person, at first confessed them- selves Christians, but immediately after de- nied it; the rest owned, indeed, they had been of that number formerly, but had now (some above three, others more, and a few above twenty years ago) renounced that er- ror. They all worshipped your statue and the images of the gods, uttering impreca- tions at the same time against the name of Christ. They affirmed that the whole of their guilt, or their error was, that they met on a certain stated day before it was light, and addressed themselves in a form of prayer to Christ, as a god, binding them- selves by a solemn oath; not for any wicked purpose. but never toffcommit any fraud, theft, or adultery ; never to break their word, nor deny a trust when called upon to deliver it up; after which, it was their custom to separate, and then re-assemble, to eat in a. common harmless meal. From this custom, however, they desist after the publication of my edict, by which, accord- ing to your own commands, I forbade the meeting of any assemblies. In consequence of this their declaration, I judged it the more necessary to endeavour tb extort the real truth, by putting two female slaves to the torture, who were said to ofliciate in their religious functions but all I could dis- cover was, that thesepeople were actuated by an absurd and excessive superstition. I deemed it expedient, therefore? to adjourn all further proceedings in order to consult you. For it appears to be a matter highly deserving your consideration ; moreespecial- 1y as great numbers must be involved in the danger of these prosecutions, which have already extended, and are still likely to extend, to persons of all ranks and ages, and even of both sexes. An intelligent and thoughtful Christian woman recently said Do me, “ l have some- times been puzzled by the question asked me by skeptics, “lberist1a.nity, as set forth in the New Testament, be true, why have we no evidence coming down to us from the classical Latln writers of that period ‘3' " Not long ago, a. famous Baptist editor in a. large Northern city said to me, “ I have seen it stated recently, in a religious paper published in this city, that there are no ref- erences to Christ in any of the ancient clas- sical authors. Is this true 2" I replied that it was not true, as I could prove; and as it may be worth while to do this publicly, I have taken the trouble to investigate the question with some care, and shell now proceed to set forth the results of that in- vestigation. . . .. v .- .v V “ 1:; the meanwhile, the method I have )bserved towards those who have been brought before me as Christians is this : I interrogated them whether they were Chris- tians ; if they confessed, I repeated the ques tion twice, adding threats at the same time; and if they still persevered, I ordered them to be immediately punished. For I was persuaded, Whatever the nature of their opinions might be, a contumacioua and in- flexible obstinacy certainly deserved correc- tion. There were others also brought be- fore me possessed with the same infatuation; but being citizens of Rome. I directed that they should be conveyed thither. But this crime spreading (as is usually the case) while it was actually under prosecution, several instances of the same nature occurred. An information was presented to me without any name subscribed, ,containinga charge against several persons ; these upon exam- ination, denied that they were, or had ever been, Christians. They repeated after me an invocation to the gods, and ofl‘ered re- ligious rites with wine and frankincense be- fore your statue (which for that purpose I had ordered to be brought, together with those of the gods), and even reviled the name of Christ ; whereas there is no forcing it is said, those who are really Christians in- to any of these compliances. I thought it proper to discharge them. That none of the earlier Latin authors havea word to say about Christianity is true. They all died before there was any Christianity. Julius Czesar died 44 B. C. ; Cicero, 43 ; Sallust, 34 ; Virgil, 19 ; Horace, 8; Ovid. A. I). 18; Livy, A. 1). [7. They were all dead years before Christ began to preach. Seneca. was born B. C. ‘2; Tacitus and Pliny the Younger, A. D. 61; and Suetonius, A. D. 70. These, then, are the authors whom we must consult; and it is a striking fact that three out of the four do mention the existence of Christianity, and that Pliny and Tacitus both give very im- portant statements about its progress and power. l’liny was governor of the province of Bithynia in the reign of the Emperor Trajan, 98-117. Now here is PLINY’S LETTER TO THE EMPEROR TKAJAN. “ It is a. rule, sir, which I inviolsbly ob- serve, to refer myself to you in all my doubts; for, who is more capable of remov- ing my scruples, or informing my ignorance? Having never been present at any trials concerning those persons who are Christians I am unscquainted, not only with the na- ture of their crimes, or the measure of their punishment, but how far it is proper to en- ter into an examination concerning them. Whether, therefore, any difference is usual- ly made with respect to the ages of the guilty, or no distinction is to be observed between the young and ‘the adult : whether repentance entitles them to a pardon ; or, if a. man has been once a Christian, it avails nothing to desist from his error: whether the very profession of Christianity, unat- tended with sny criminal act. or only the crimes themselves inherent in the profession are punishable ; in all these points I am greatly doubtful. ANCIENT CLASSICAL TESTI- MONY T0 CHRISTIANITY. THE EMPEROR‘S REPLY BY J. C. HIDEN. D. D. The London Gas and Wath Review says that a. further advance has just been made‘ in utilizing hydrocarbons for steam-raising on board ship. A legitimate objection to the adoption of liquid fuel at sea, under cer- tain circumstances, has been that the use of steam for the difi‘usion of the oil in the boiler furnaces, entails a. considerable loss of fresh Water from the boilers. As this loss has to be made good by salt Water on long’ ocean voyages, the density of the water is rapidly raised to a. dangerous point. This is, however, entirely overcome by the system adopted. ' A great physician once said that if every one knew the value of buttermilk as a drink it would be more freely partaken of by per- sons who drink so excessively of other bev- erages, and further compared its effects on the system to the cleaning out of a cook stove that has been clogged up with ashes that haVe been sifted through, filling every crevice and crack, saying that the human system is like the stove, and collects and gathers refuse matter that can in no way be exterminated from the system so eflectually as by drinking buttermilk. It is also a remedy for indigestion, soothes and quiets the nerves, and is very somnolent to those who are troubled with sleeplessness. Its medicinal properties cannot be overrated, and it should be freely used by all who can get it. Every one who values good health should drink buttermilk every day in warm weather, and let tea, coffee, and water alone. For che benefit of those who are not already aware of it, I may add that in the churning of it the first process of digestion is gone through, making it one of the easiest and quickest of all things to digest. It makes gastric juice and contains properties that readily assimilate with it, with very little wear upon the digestive organs. The Picture Was Recognized. Two children 5 and 7 years old were look- ing at the pictures in a book of humorous cartoons 3. day or two ago and enjoyed the pastime exceedingly. Finally they turned to the representation of an intoxicated in dividuel whose better-half was enforcing more temperate principles with the end of a. broom-handle. As this picture came to view the mother, who was looking on, asked the elder child if he knew what it portrayed, and the response was prompt : “ It's pa. a. turning home from the tlub, and you beatin’ him like you did udder night.” The mother was greatly abeshed ; the father, whose ex- perience had been cited. dropped his paper and left the room, while a. 0011 he of callers who were present at the time aughed im- moderately at the child’s innocentrevelation. 5W6! mad politeness may lge lanade essenu tial to our nature. Reggher {3 1:13:13 tfiroyvp. away in attending to ‘such thmgs’)’1nsng{nfi- cant as they may seemvto those who engage in weightier matters. w. ~ vNow here is not‘only & very distinct refer ence to the existence and rapid spread of Christianity at this period. but a. solid proof of the fact that the Christians of that early age held the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, whom they worshipped “as a. god.” So far as I amvaware. no critic has ever questioned the genuineness and authenticity of Plinv’s letter toTrajan, quoted above. It is the 97th of Pliny’s letters. as published in William Melnoth'a edition, Boston, 1899. u: a: Engaging Manners. There are .a, thousand pretty, engaging littleways which every personrmay ut on without running the risk of being eemed affected or foppish, the sweehsmile, the quiet, cdrdialuvbow, the earnest‘njiovement in addressing b, friend, or more especially a stranger virhoni one may recommend to om- good regardsl the inquiring glance, the gracefpl qtttentionmwhich is sorcaptivating whenâ€"unit" with self-possessionâ€"that will insure uskne good regards of even a child. Above all, there is a. certain softness of monnefi‘which' should be cultivated, and which, in either man or woman, adds 9. charm that almost entirely compensates for lack of beauty. The voice can be moduf lated so to intonate that it will speak direct- ly to the heart, and from that elicit an an- have you officiously enter into any inquiries concerning them. If indeed they should be brought before you, and the crime should be proved, they must be punished, with the re striction, however, that where the party de- nies l e is a. Christian, and shall make it evident that he is not, by invoking our gods, let him (notwithstanding any former sus- picion) e pardoned upon his repentance. Informat :1 without the accuser’s name sub- scribed, ought not to be received in prosecu- tions of any sort, as it is introducing a. very dangerous precedent, and by no means agreeable to the equity of my government.” Some odd dinner customs still prevail. The Romans used to recline at their ban- quets, and the habit of lying at public din- ners still prevails. The latest craze among New York ladies is a. “ llair‘album"â€"gentlemen’s hair. Young men are besought for a lock of hair, and the request is such a. flattering one that they are only too happy to comply when the right damsels apply. The contribution is tied with a blue ribbon and goes into the “ hair- album” along with the hair off a crowd of other fellows. Over it will be written the name, age. color of eyes, date of receiving the memento, and general remarks as toper- sonal appearance, etc., which may or may not be complimentary. as the album is never to be seen by any other than feminine eyes. The young ladies are as proud of their trophies as an Indian warrior is of the scalps he takes. A travelling doctor who holds forth in Indiana. has his bills read 2â€"“ If not hung by a. mob I shall reach this place aboutâ€"” A writer on pnlitical economy says :â€"“ It's the little leaks that. tell." Yes, indeed, a. little leek will give you away as fast as an overgrown onion. A real estate agent in Southern California recently posted the following notice on a. iece of land :â€"“For Sale Cheap. The est Climate on the Pacific Coast. The Land Thrown In.” Old Jacob Hobbs, of Mississippi, buried $22,000 in gold during the war, was killed before he told anybody of the spot, and his 0 VI: son Obadiah has been hunting for the yellow boys ever since without any luck. Recently he hung himself to a. tree, and in digging his grave the long-lost fortune was turned up. Luck comes to some men after death. New Redford, Mass. Buttermilk for Hot Weather. VARIETY. “ Misser Chairman, I move dat de Com- ‘mitteer on Finance be instructed to pur- ‘dchase a. chiny toilet set an’ plate-glass mir- for fur de blue aunty-room. I, fur one, hhas got tired of washin’ in a tin basin an’ wipin’ on a. piece of coffee sack.” “ VVâ€"what’s dab?” exclaimed Brother } Gardner as soon as he could get his voice, “ youâ€"you want a. chiny setfan’ a Iookin'- glass, an’ some towels wid a. red bo’der ! Brudder Hawker, sot down 1 You ar’ fust- ly fiued twenty-six thousand dollars an’ costs, an’ secondly, I declar’ you suspended from de clun fur a. period of three months ! 1 hev had an eye on you fur de past month, ssh, nn’ hev hbin anticipatin’ some sich break; You are a man who can’t stan’ pros. perity, sah. \Vhen you hev got three biled shirts an’ two yaller vests together you feel dat you own all de co’ner lots in Detroit. I ,knowed yer fadder well. He was a. much better man dan you, an’ yit he went b’arfut fll‘ summer, washed his face in a. trough of water, an’ be was lucky to find a. piece of straw tick fur a. towel. De Seckretnry will record de sentences in full, an’ I shall see dat it ar’ properly carried out.” On motion of Judge Cahoots the report was accepted and adopted. A BAD MOVE. Whalebone Hawker has lately been on the jury in the Recorder’s Court, and has also held a. successful birthday party, and the two events have served to make him very pompous. He occupied a front seat at the meeting, crossed his legs like a. banker, and glared around him with thegreatest com- placency. After the report of the Com- mittee on Astronomy had been made he arose and said : “ One fing dat convinces me dat de Lewd am a good Lewd,” said Brother Gardner as themeecing opened, “ur’ de way He puts up wid human natur'. One has only to put on his but an’ take a walk eroun’ de block to convince hisself dat if we had any odder Lawd ’cept de one we’ve got dar’would be a. powerful bhakin' up of dis uirth ebery day in de week an’fltche on Sunday. “ Las‘ week Pickles Smith wént ofi‘ fishin. He had no bizness to reason dat he'd eben git a. bite, but he just sot down an’ figgered dat he’d bring home six tons of bass an’ pickerel. He chi an’ he fished, an’ he bobbed an' be spit on his bait, an’ he catch- ed one leedle sun buss about as big as a. two- cent piece. He cum home mad as u. wet hen, an’ de way he took on an’ skipped Thursday evenin’ pmy’r meetifi’ was awful to h‘ar. De fuck dat he hasn’t been jerked outer his butes an' tied up info’ hard knots proves how willin de szd 31" to gin human na- tur anoder chance, ” A few days ago Trustee Fullback draw- ed 325 outer de backâ€"his savings fur ae ldst ten y'arsâ€"an’ purchased him a mule. He calkerlabed that mule was worf $75, an’ dat he had made de biggest kind of a bar- gain. He slapped hisself on de leg an’ chuckled, an’ he went to pray’r meetin’ an’ sung till he could be heard a mile, but artcr fo‘ days he went out to de ba’n an‘ found dat mule scone dead. Den what happened? He sulked, an‘ ri ped, an’ cussed, an‘ he de- clar’d data de awd was agin him. De Lawd was all right as long as Pickle was makin’ $50, but all Wrong when he was losing $25. He am heah to-night an’ still alive an’ in good health, which are proof agin dab de Laud forgives ninety an‘ nine times, an’ realizes the weakness of human natur’ ! Some time since Judge Chewsogave a. gar- den party. In order to have the affair as recherche as possible he borrowed a. bust of Plato from the club muSeum and fastened it in a. crotch of a. plum tree. It added greatly to the picturesqueness of the affair, and the Judge’s heart was beginning to swell with pride, when some unknown assassin in the street flung a. rock at the bust and shivered it into a. hundred fragments. The Judge was notified that he must replace the bust if it cost him a. million dollars, and for the past four weeks he has been in aterrible state of mind. At this meeting he announced that he had utterly failed to secure a bust, but he had a. proposition to offer. In place of the bust of Plato he would furnish one of Columbus and another of Goethe, and he would sign a. pledge never to give another garden party as long as he lived. “ SirIsziac Vâ€"ValpolerGivedam Jones, VVhale- bone Hawker, Colonel Cabifi‘ and others made brief speeches favoring the acceptance of the proposition, and the President finally said : ' “If I should “sot out to be an infidel I should stop short as I looked at the sun an' moonâ€"at de mountains sn’ valleysâ€"at de brooks an’ forestâ€"each one a. proof of de power of an infinite bein’. If I should sot out to deny de std, I wouldn’t: hev to go a. block to find plenty of proofs (lat He not only exists an’ rules an' am present wid us, but dat His gentleness an‘ forgiving dispo- sishun ar' all dat stands between us an’ sich a. rsttlin' of dry bones as would keep de h’ur on eand from Sunday mawnin’ to Saturday night.” ‘°’\Ve will accept it. but let dis be a. sad warnin’ to yodznll. My eye will be kept on de jedge fur de next few months, 311’ in case he ar’ found layin’ wires fur anodder ga'den party, suuth'm’ will transpire to ripple a. lurrow of sadness across his classick brow.” The quaterly report of the Committee on Astronomy asserted that no radical changes had taken place in the heavens during the last three months. As to whether the spots on the sun had any influence on the weather the committee were divided, but each faction stood ready to be convinced. The estimated distance of the sun from the earth, as care- fully revised by the committee, was only 600 miles. This is knocking of? a. heap of miles, but the four men figured it all out on a. barn floor and are ready to stand by the chalk-marks. The remarkably hot weather for the past month is attributed to the in- creased motion of the earth as it revolves on its axis. This motion will begin to de- crease about the middle of August, and one paper collar will then last a. man from ten days to two weeks. . “ I war’ passin’ a saloon de odder day in which war’ seben or eight drunken men. Drink war’ makin’ beasts of 'em. Dxink war’ takin’ bread from de moufs of diet chil- ’en. Drink war’ soakin‘ up their brains, bluntin‘ (leir manhood, an‘ dullin’ ebery sen- timent of goodness in deir hearts. If I had been de Lawd I should hev brung about an exploshun to lift dan hull biziness sky-high, an’ to hev sent de saloon-keeper about a. mile higher dan anybody else, but dat sa- loon am dar' yit, an de same crowd kin be found dar any day, and dab’s proof of sich forbearance an‘ liberality as We kin skeerce- 1y comprehend. THE LlJlE-KILN CLUB. A PROPOSITION ACCEPTED. ASTRONOMXCAL. Dr. Mackenzie reports that the growth in the Crown Prince’s throat is now so slight that he expects the trouble will cease alto gether. The Electric Review sayszâ€"Many will be surprised by the stetement that more than 3,500,000 passengers are carried annually in this country by street-cars moved by elec- tric motors. In Montgomery, Ala.., elec- tricity is used on eleven miles of road, and the cost is reported by the general manager to be only one half the cost of horse-power. Roads on which e‘ectricity takes the place of horses are found in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Port Huron, Detroit. Scranton, Appleton, Wis., and Denver. Electric rail- ways are either in course of construction or under contract in twelve other cities, and in thirty-seven companies have been formed or other steps taken for the building of such roads. Upon none of the tea is now in operation in this country, however, is force supplied by storage batteries attached to the cars. In most cases power is communi- cated by an over-head conductor. Attention has been often called to the loss of life every season by boating accidents, and though the means of avoiding them have been frequently published, they continue. The principal cause of such tragedies may be attributed to the ignorance 01 those who attempt to manage boats. A young man who has been down the harbor a few times and has escape l accident, too often con- siders himself qtulified to sail a boat under all circumstances, and when beset by a squall, loses his head and while he is trying to collect his thoughts 8. capsize takes place, and loss of life ensues. Besides, sailboats are generally ballasted with stones or iron which sink them when filled with water. “No, aah! A moshun which inclooda chiny sets an' red~bo'dered towels kin neber be withdrawn when once presented to dis club ! De culprit will be removed by de bwk stairway, an’ de meetin’ will close itself up fur one week.” 'he boats of ships of war, which our sails, are ballasted w ith water in small casks or breakers, so that when overturned and filled with water, the ballast helps to keep them afloat. A boat free from stones or iron ballast, even if filled with water has sufficient buoyancy to float, and to bear up those who may be in her, until rescued. Boats, too, ought to have life preservers in them, but above all khould ncvur be entrust- ed to the care of those who are not accus- tomed to manage t som. \Vhen you can run yourself ashore with ease and certainty you will probably have discovered that most of the passage is made at or near the surface of the water, and pos- sibly you will have learned after a fashion to keep your balance and pull yourself ashore with your nose above water. \Vhen you can do this you can breathe through your nose during the passage, and as soon as you can breathe co nfortably while haul- ing yourself ashore you are ready for the next step, namely, try to pull yourself ashore using one hand for the rope and pad- dling with the other hand. This is not a very easy thing to do, and in all probabili- tv before you accomplish it you will find yourself paddling with both hands and kicking with both feetâ€"that is to say, swimming. As soon as you find that you can keep yourself right-side up, and your eyes and nose above water, you‘lmve learned the great secretyand swimming with the most approved and scientific stroke will follow according to your opportunities and ambition. “ Kâ€"kin I withdraw de moshun, ssh 2’ asked the humbled Howker as his pulse in creased to 180 a minute. The first thing to he done is to learn to duck without nnuding it. Hold you breath and put your head under water, several times whenever you bathe. You may pro- bably strengle a. bit M first, but the ducking will become less and less disagreeable, until the disinclination to go under water nearly or quite disappears. Of course the bather need not make a. martyr of himself by spend- ing his whole time in the practice of duck- ing. He may splash about as much as he likes. Some acquire the necessary indiffer- ence to being under water almost at once. When it is acquired, let: the bother select a place where the water is just deep enough for him to sit upon the bottom with head and shoulders out of water. Then let him take a. full breath, distending the lungs, and placing his arms by his sides, lie down on his back on the bottom. If unsuccessful, partially exprl the lil‘ from the lungs and try again. After having found out by act- ual experiment how easy it is to lie down on your back under water, go out to the full length of your rope and, holding your breath, pull yourself in toward the shore, hand over hand, not letting your feet touch bottom 'on any account until your breath runs out or you run aground. No matter whether you go under or not, no matter whether you keep yourself right side up or not. go right on hauling yourself toward the shore, hand over hand, till you reach shoal water. It is estimated that some 50 lives are lost annually in Boston bay and harbor by boat, accidents, most of which could have been avoided by common prudence. \Vhy not‘ have sailboats which carry passengers num» bered, and those who have charge of them licensed? Our steamers which carry pas- sengers are inspected at certain periods every year before they receive certificates of safety ; why not sailboats? The recent. terrible loss‘of life by the capsizing of the yacht Mystery shoEvs the necessity of licensâ€" ing sailboats as well as steamers. Spritsails are dangerous In equally weather, because_ it is difficult to unsprit them and dangerous at the same time. If a boat has two masts, two men must stand up, and if by the wind, their weight against the masts increases the ham rage and tends to overturn the boat. Lixgsails are much safer, but neither the sheets nor the hal- yards should be made fast ; they should be kept in hand ready to be let go in an in- stant. Shipmasters generally are indiffer- ent bnat managers, for lack of experience, and this is also true of seamen generally. Unless trained in the use of boats before they go to gee. they will have hit little op- portunity afterwards ; hence the great pas- senger steamers have their men exercised in the use of boats every time they are in port. Whalers and ships of war are exceptions to this general rule. Blundcrheads in Boats. flow to Learn to Swim. IN VAIN. 9n