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A strong argument employed in favor of the expedition is that if France retreats from Madagascar England may install her- self there. On the other hand, it is sus- pected tl at the British Government will only be too glad to see France in possession of the Island of Madagascar, so that an excuse may he made for the annexation of Egypt- The historical right of France to a. pro- tectorate over Madagascar is claimed by two centuries and a half of successive treaties. In 1816, when the French ceded the Island of Mauritius to England, they were careful to retain the Island of Re- union, which is opprmite Madagascar, in order to assert the right of the Government of France to interfere in the alfairs of that great island, which stands very much in the same relation to Africa that Great Britain does to Europe and Japan do~s to Asia. TAMATAVE. The city of Tamatave, which is now occupied by the French, is built on a long, narrow peninsula of sand, having an east- ern direction, with very deep bays on either side, that on the north forming the harbor in which ships of the largest size can find a secure anchorage. On the peninsula. are the houses of the British,Freuch, American, German and Italian residents, with their consulates. The street in which they reside is known as Royal street. The rest of the city is largely made up of little houses and stalls covered with thatch,hud<iled together in utter disregard of allsauital‘y precautions and in a way to give every facility for the whole place being consumed by fire. Close About one hundred kilometers. of the journey will be through A MALARIO US DISTRICT, and the troops will certainly be attacked by adeadly tever. while the invading army will be constantly harassed before it reaches Antananarivo. But here the difficulties of the French invaders do not end. Antan- anarivo is strongly fortified. It is situated in a naturally strong position, and is alâ€" ready defended by one hundred guns of the most recent manufacture. It is at this point that the Malagasy Government will concentrate all its efl'orts, and it is estimat- ed that at least twenty thousand French troops will be necessary to make an effec- tive assault upon the capital of Madagas- 081'. Military experts have already reported upon the difficulties which will beset the expedition. A french officer who has just returned from Madagascar and who has studied the ground says that the invading trmy can only start from Majunga, situated on the west coast and about four hundred and fifty ‘kilometers from the capital. The troops must be supplied with provisions for the Whole march, as none can be pro- curod on the way. There is no good milit’ ary road to Antananarivo, so that one will have to be made. Stations must be estab- lished at intervals for hospitals and stores, and upward of three thousand men will be required to keep up communication and escort convoys. There are no means of transport, and is is calculated that the army will not be able to advance at a rate of more than four kilometers 3. day, so that from three to four months will pass before an invading army can reach the capital. It is definitely settled that the entire force shall consist of THIRTEEN BATTALIONS or INFANTRY, seven batteries of artillery, one squadron of cavalry, four companies of engineers, one squadron of military train, and the usual proportion of other troops of the non-combatant order. Out of the chir- teen line battalions three will consist of native soldiers, one being composei of Sakalaves, another volunteers from the Island of Reunion, and the third of Housses, or Senegales. The transport ship The Shamrock sailed from Toulon a week ago with 800 marines for Tamntave. The vessel will be used asahospital during the expedition. M. Melchoir de Vague, the well known Academician, though not, unfavorable to the policy of colonial expansion, asks if the situation in Madagascar called for warlike action. Mr. Henry Boucher made a pro- position bhet the military expedition be limited to the occupation of ports and strategic points on the island. But it, is evident that the Government of France is urged on to this war with Madagascar 'by the fear that if nothing is done England will step in and annex the island. A brief despatch from Port; Louis, Mau- ritius, says that, the French bombarded Forn Farafatra, four miles disrant from Tamabeve. The fort was defended bravely by the warlike Hovas, but, they were at lengbh forced to yield and the French are now in possession of the fort as well as the port, 0f Tamatave and the adjacent country. From Paris it is learned that the troops that are to be sent: to Madagas- car will be completely organiZed by the let of February and that it; is hofed that they will be able to start; early in March. It is definitely settled that: the entire the Scene of nu Important and Inner- esllng Expednlon. France’s attitude toward Madagascar has committed France to an expedition, the result of which is by no means a foregone conclusion. It is very evident from the recent. debates that the members of the French Parliament regard the matter as a. verv serious undertaking. M. Ribob, President of the committee and formerly President of the Council, pleaded in faVor of the campaign and spoke of “ the bold man who governs the Cape of Good Hope,” referring to Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the vigorous Prime Minister of Cape Colony. In is said that. loud cheers burst from the Moderate Republicans as M. Ribot returned to his seat. THE FRENCH INVADERS WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT CAMPAIGN. The Natives iANGE AND MADAGASGAR and Government a! an Island That Is Are Well Armedâ€"Resources Important and Inter Until the reign of the “ good King Rad- nma,” about sixty years ago, horses were unknown in the country, but, the King introduced them and established breeding pmidOcke with considerable suc- cess. The crocodile is regarded by the Malagasy wiLh superstitious reverence and is called the “King of the VVaLers." Herds of horned cattle constitute the principal wealth of the nobility, and the grazing grounds in the country are ex- tensive. There is no reason why, under efficient management, Madagascar should not compete with New Zealand in the meat markets of Europe. The sheep at the country appear to be aboriginal, and their flesh is to be considered to be somewhat inferior tn the mutton of Europe. A Prescription The waiter was awkward, and in taking the nickels from the hand of the guess, he mul‘fed them. and two dropped into the soup. “I beg your pardon, sir. Really, lâ€"I â€"” he began profuser to apologize. “Oh, that’s all right,” interrupted the good-natured guest. “The doctor told me I needed some change in my diet." Mrs. McBrideâ€"“John, dear, why are some grocers called green grocers? Mr. McBrideâ€"To distinguish them from cash grocers, darling.” The valleys of the island are exceedingly fertile. They are clothed with a rich and luxuriant verdure and abound with rice,t,he staple food of the natives. The rivers of Madagascar are numerous and many of them are of considerable width. Thegloomy and unbroken solitude of some parts of the sublime mountain scenery of Madagascar is enlivened by cataracts of various size, from an elevation. Mineral waters have also been found and the natives tell wonderful stories of the cures effected at the medicin- al springs. The hot springs near the >mall and charming village of Ambohizunehary, “the village of God,” have a great reputa- tion. Tommy ?” “ Yes ; she stood up for you at: dinner.” “ Stood up for me ! Was anybody say- ing anything against me '2” “ No, nothing much. Father said he thought you were rather a. donkey, but sis got up and said you weren’t. sud told fath- er he ought to know better than to judge a. mauby his looks.” exist in certain portions of the island, and specimens of gold sand have been brought, from the central provinces. The interior disbriccs abound with iron, and iron ore is so abundant in the mountain of Ambohi- mangivo that it, is called by the natives the “iron mountain." The productions of tho country are such as may well excite the cupidity of a foreign conqueror. The cultivation of the silkworm is an oc- cupation particularly suitable to the women and children of Madagascar. And very beautiful silk is manufactured on the island. This branch ot trade is capable of very great development, as silk cocoons can be pro- duced to meet almost any demand. RANAVALONA, MADAGASCAR}! DUSKY QUEEN The history of Mndngnscnr for the last fifty years has been very largely bound up with the work of the ProLestani, missionaries of the Congregationalisb body in England. It was under the reign of a good King named Radama, at the commencement, of this cen- tury, that. Protestant Christianity was in- troduced into the island. But in 1828 Redame. died and was succeeded by his Widow, Rennvaionn. This cruel Queen persecuted the ChriSLlauS for nearly quart;- er of a. century, and the persecution did not cease until the death of the Queen in 1862. The Christians are now es=inmtcd to number one-fourth of the entire popnlnion. The monarchy of Madagascar is eletive,a and on April 1, 1868, the choice of the Hove. Government fell upon a cousin of the cruel Queen, who assxfmed the name of Ranavalona H. The new reign began with the inauguration of a. liberal constitution, and Christianity was recognized as the na- tional creed. The idols of the people were destroyed. of Madagnscar are open to the whole world, and in one year the importations of cotton sheetings consisted of 3,000 bales of a. value of $300,000. It is a great mistake to suppose that the Malagasy are a. people basking in n burning heat, with a few shreds of muslin upon them for the sake of decency. When the cold east wind of the dry season is blowing many of them find even stout sheetings too thin for comfort. Printed calicoes sell in all parts of Madagascar, but it is not easy to hit the native taste in patterns. The Malagasy is reluctant to be guided by the fashions of Europe. The whole foreign trade of Madagascar, both import and export, does not fall far short of $7,000,000 annually. and the wants of the country are daily increasing. Among the articles of export are crocodile skins, indie rubber. wax and coffee. to the bazaar stands the chapel of the Lon- don Missionary Society zmd the church of the Bishop of the Church of England. At, the northwest of these buildings is the Hova fort, now occupied by the French. Her Defence of film. Do you think your sister likes THE TRADE AND COMMERCE SILVER AN D COPPER A Deflnltio n. Rice Pudding.â€"There is bu: one sort of rice pudding that can be made perfectly, and if these directions are followed you . will have a creamy, delicious pudding as a. result. : Put one quart of milk into a pud- ; ding pan, add about. 9. quarter teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, quarter a cupful of layer liaising. unstoned, two tablespoonfuls of Recipes. Cocoanut Pie.â€"For one pie use a quart of milk. Let it come to the boiling point; then add half a teacupful of sugar, the yolks of two well‘beaten eggs, and a dessertspoonful of cornstarch dissolved in a little milk. Cook. Then add a teaspoonful of grated cocoanut. Bake with only one crust. Beat the whites of the eggs to s froth, and mix in two teaspoonfuls of sugar. Spread this over the pie when baked, sprin- kle with cocoanut, and place in the oven to brown slightly. Chocolate Candyâ€"Three cups of granu- lated sugar, one cup of grated Baker’s chocolate, 8. piece of butter the size of a Walnut, 3. cup of hot water, a teaspoouful of vanilla and a. pinch of salt. After it be- gins to boil allow it to be on the fire for ten minutes only. Stir constantly. The candy should become of the consistency of thick- ened molasses. Butter some tins and pour the candy in, and stir back and forth with a silver knife until it begins to sugar. Then make 03‘ into squares and put away to cool. Sugar Taffy.â€"Three cups of brown sugar light brown), one-half cup of Vinegar, but- ter the size of a. walnut, one cup of boiling water. Boil together Without stirring until it hardens when dropped in water. Pour into buttered pans, in which any kind of nut may be spread if desired. Molasses l‘afi'y.â€"-One cup of bubter, one cup of granulated sugar, one cup of molasses?! Boil together bill it spins a. thread. Stir in peanuts and pour into nine, which need not be buttered. For cocoanut pudding I use about a. pint of bread or cracker crumbs to one quart of rich, sweet milk, two beaten eggs, 9. cup of sugar, 8 cup ofdesiccated cocounut, a. pinch of salt orn bit of butter. This is baked and then frozen. It is not allowed to thaw in the least until wanted, when it is placed in the steamer. It tastes fully as good as when freshly baked. One of these pud- dings was passed to a neighbor who was just home from a long journey when unex- pected company arrived. She afterward gave the pudding due praise, adding that she covered it with a. meringue mode by beating the white of an egg to a stilf froth, sweetening, flavoring and browning in the oven. Thin gs That Will'Keep. I have a. recipe for spice or fruit. cake which I have used for years and can recom- mend for iLs keeping qualities as well as goodness, says a valued correspondents. One cup of molasses, 1 cup sugar, 1?; cup of butter or meat fryings, 1 cup sour milk, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoonnt soda, 1 teaspooniul each nutmeg and cloves, 1:} teaspoonfuls cinnamon, 3 heaping cups of flour. To convert this into a fruit: cake add currents, raisins, chopped citron or whatever one wishes. I usually Add a heaping cup of seeded raisins which have been well sprinkled with flour. Crumpets can be made in the same way, only they call for two cups of tepid water and a. large spoonful of white sugar. Mix them into a butter with a half cup of yeast and a. quart: of flour. adding sweet. milk to thin it sufficiently. Let; them rise all night in a warm place, melt. at half tea. cup of butter in the morning, add soda the size of a pen dissolved in a little boiling water, work this into the batter and pour it into mufiiu rings, and set to rise a. second time. Bake in a quick oven and they Wlll be found very nice for breakfast. The proper way of making this popuiar bread is as follows : One quart of flour and one teaspoon of salt in a boWl or bread pan. Make a. hole in the middle, stir in 4} cup of yeast, 2 cups of lukewarm waterl table- spooniul of melted butter. The mixture should be about half as stifl'as bread dough. Beat for five minutes and set aside to rise. If this is done at nigh t, stir in more butter or’sweet lard in the morning, beat hard again, fill well-greased muffin rings halfway to the top and set them in a. pan in a. warm place. When the batter has risen to the top put them in a warm oven and bake quickly. These muflins must be broken open, not out, while they are hot. English people are fond of them split and buttered while cold and toasted like bread. may be out. The drawer above is to hold the bread and cake knives and the knives that. are used for cutting meat and fiah. A carving knife file or a. Whetstone will also be found a very convenient; adjunct. Lo the drawer. The full merit, of thia arrange- ment can only be appreciabed by a. pracLicnl enjoyment, of the use of it. The accompanying illustration shows a cabinet having three plain boards that can be drawn out, when desiredâ€"one for cut, ting bread and cake upon. one for cutting and prepu‘ing fish, and one on which men A Cutting Board Cabinet. The Candyâ€"Maker. Househoid‘ English Muffins lcounties. Most of this territory was once covered with pine, but the timber has been l stripped away and farmers have moved in to take possession of real estate that can be had almost for the asking. The land ‘runs a good deal to sand, especially near the lake shore, and under the best of cir- x with a. bill-hook. Mr. Crawford, the City Solicitor, acted as woodcutter, the Queen’s Remembrancor ofliciated as referee, and the interesting ceremony took place at the Law Courts in the presence of at number of ladies and gentlemen. For 600 years and more the rent has neither been raised nor lowered, but has always consisted of the same number of horSeshoes, the same num- ber of nulls and the same number of cut faggots. The Queen’s Remembrancer, Master Pollock, explained to the company that though now the idea. of rent was something paid in hard cash, originally it was some service or thing rendered; and in former days when lands were granted by great lords and knigHs to tenants, it was on the promise to furnish horses, men, and so on. In process of time these services came to be exceedingly irksomo and troublesome. and were commuted into a money payment. An ancestor of Sir Walter Scott held cer- tain lands by payment of one red rose per snnum. The rent paid by the city in the reign of King Henry III. for the proper- ties mentioned bad nchr been committed. Skepticâ€"" You have given me many messages from departed friends, but not one of them has told me anything I didn’t know.” Medium (Wit/h dignibv)-â€"â€"“I would hava you understand, sir, than the spirits of the dead have something better to do than to come back to earth and teach school.” llorsenhoes, Nails, 3 Red Rose and Other Payments in lieu of Cash. Suit and service for the desirable prop- erties known as "The Forge,” in St. Clement; Danes, and “ The Moors,” in the County of Salop, were duly paid by the City oi London to the Crown, the rent consisting of six horseshoes, sixty-one nails and LWO bundles of faggots, one of which has to be cut with an axe and. the other with a bill-hook. Mr. Crawford, the City Solicitor, acted as woodcutter, the Queen’s Remembrancer officiated as referee, and cumstances does not richly reward the efforts of the agriculturists. Near the lake shore fruit has proved profitable and farther inland potatoes have yielded immensely. Last summer a prolonged drought wrecked the fruit crop, reducing it to a minimum, and the potatoes fairly dried in the hills through the lack of rain. The loss of the potato crop was especially severe, as many of the farmers, encouraged by the success of the crop in former years, put their entire capital into potatoes, especially those farmers who Were just starting in to make a home for themselves. Now that winter has come in earnest the farmers are finding it diflicult to keep their heads above water. They can have all the wood they want by gomg to get it to the neighboring forests, and no questions asked, but when it comes to food and clothing and other supplies which require money to buy, it is different. The failure of the crops left them without resources, and many of the small farmers see starvation staring them in the face. with asking for charity as an alternative. No general appeal for aid has been made, and It is probable that none will be, as the several counties are able to take care of such cases as need assistance, at least through the winter,but the suffering nevertheles‘ exists, and in some quarters will be of the acute type, where the unfortunates are too proud to ask for assistance. Fallnre of Frult and Potatoes the Cause ol’ the nestltullon. According to reports that have come into Grand Rapids, the farmers in western and northern Michigan are, many of them, hav- ing a. hard time of it to get through the winter. The zone of suffering extends from Ottawa. County northward along the lake shore 3nd inland two or three tiers of counties. Most of this territory was once Water until soft, being careful that, it dues not burn. Then press through a colander, pun it back into the kettle with some mol- asses or sugar and spice, and let it mull away until ibis a rich red amber marmalade. This must be done a day or two before the pics are made, for it is a work of time. One cupful of such pumpkin is ample for a deep pie, and real pumpkin pie is never baked in a shallow plate. A good proportion for a pie is a cup of pumpkin, an egg, three or four cups of milk, a. half cupful of sugar, 2. little salt, a. half a teaspoonful of ginger, a fourth teaspoonful of cinnamon,md a little nut-meg. Bake rather slowly. The crust should be papery. and light in color. When the milk begins to thicken, and the rice seems to come to the surface stop stirring and allow a. thin brown crust to form. Stand away in a. cool place, to quickly chill. Now. if this is too thick, you have cooked it too slowly and too long If it is thin and mi‘ky, you have not, cook- ed it: long enough. Genuine Pumpkin Pies.â€"These are to be really pumgkin, and neither squash 1101‘ custard, The pumpkin should be of dark yellow skin and heavy in proportion to its sizeâ€"the flesh thick and fine grained. Pare and cut, in inch cubes and cook it. in a little and the rice stop stirring to form. Sb: quickly chill rice, and two tablespooufuls of sugar. 1 not heap the spoons. Stir until the sug is dissolved, and then stand the pan in moderate oven. As soon as the milk is h( and a little scum forms over the top, stir down, and stir the rice from the bottom the pan. Do this as fast as a. crust form The crust should be papery. and light color. When the milk begins to thicke MICHIGAN FARMERS IN WANT. A Knock-dowu Argument. A Society Introduction. ODD KINDS OF RENT‘ 1h aButheru and central Sweden there are some twenty factories for preparing peat~ litter and mould, each factory turning out ‘ from 15,000 to 30,000 bales a. year, fetching Hdmub 2:1. as piege. >The mould is Eaed for “briquettes” with tar ind resin, teased into litter, or woven into fabrics. which are used in the army, its barracks and hospitals, as blankets, mattresses, and saddle clothe. or for stuffing cofi‘erdnms and certain parts of machinery. The Discovery of Coffee. Towards the middle of the fifteenth century a poor Arab was travelling in AbySSiniu. Finding himself weak and Weary, he stopped near a grove. Being in want of fuel to cook his rice, he cut down a. tree, which happened to be covered with nlried berries. His meal being cooked and eaten the traveller discovered that these half-burned berries were fragrant. He collected a number. and on crushing them with a stone he found the aroma increased to a. great extent. While wondering at. agreeable, am ler so far reco as to be able lucky Arab g could, and, Arabia, he i] gardening in Sweden, while stuffing for mantresses or furniture, and surgical band- ages are made from the white moss of the moors. In France the peat is moulded into to a. great, extent. While wondering at this, he accidentally let the substance fall into a can which contained his scanty sup- ply of water. Lo, what, a miracle ! The almost putrid liquid was partially purified. He raised it to his lips. It was fresh and agreeable, and after ashort rest the travel- ler so far recovered his strength and energy as to be able to resume his journey. The luckv Arab gubhered us many berries as he In Denmark. where there is no great sup. ply of peat, it is chiefly used by the peas- ants as fuel, or as bedding in the dairy farms. In Sweden, on the contrary, there are bogs extending for hundreds of square miles, and of late years over 600,000 acres of the moorland have been brought under the plow. The peat is prepared as fuel, and largely consumed in making iron, glass, or brick, either alone or mixed with coal and fir-cones. In southern Sweden there vre factories solely engaged in manufactur- ing peat-fuel for sale, as its use is steadily increasing, and some 30,000 tons a year are employed in metallurgicnlfiopemtions. lucky Arab gathered as many be could, and, having arrived a. Arabia, he informed the mufti covery. That worthy was an opium-smoker, who had been sx years from the influence of the drug. He tried an infusion of t It Is largely Used in Some I'm-In of Eu- rope. In Friesland and other parts of Holland the “black turf” is made into fuel for brick-kilns, litter for atables, and mould for mixing with sewnge. Some of it is ex~ ported to Bremen, Brunswick, and Belgium, and it is stated that 280,000 tons of the fuel, worth £133,000,are annually consumed throughout the Netherlands. The Dutch canals facilitate the transport of the peat, and, as the subsoil of the moors is always cultivated after the peat is lifted, the barges that take away the peat bring back manure for the ground, At Groningen, for instance, all the sewage of the city is applied to the reclamation of the surrounding turf-moors. Aral Them-when my commotion had entirely passed away, I managed to crawl up, in a. cat-like fashion, to a position of safet . Slowly, as my back was slightly resting on the almost perpendicular slope, I tried to get a. footing ; when this was done, the great difficulty was to turn round. After several anxious minutes, which seemed ages long, the feat was accomplished, and there I stood, half-lying. with my body on the ground. clutching the rock that had saved my life. I opened my eyes, but I did ,{nob dare move, for my position, though finuch im- proved, waa far from l‘eing safe. My coat and a strong leather strap, slung under my arm. had just caught on a projecting stone; but. a. single false movement on my part might still place me in great. danger. The Narrow Escape ora 'l‘rnveller on a Sacred )lounlaln In China. A traveller in China tells how he ascend- ed the sacred mountain, Siao-outaiflan, and how he made the descent also, 8A) a moment when he least expectai it. He had reached an altitude of over nine thou: and feet, and havingloet the trail,branche¢ 03“, and climbed a lower peak, to see if he could discover the right track. He manag- ed to crawl to the top, and there opened his paint box to make a sketch. the says As I was sorting out my brushes the stone on which I was sitting gave way, and I started sliding down the almost perpen- dicular slope. I tried to clutch the ground with my nails. Iseized every projecting stone, in the hope of stopping my precipit- ous descent, but an the speed at which I was going, it was no easy matter to hold on to anything which I managed to clutch. body in two, made me think I ad gone over ; but no, as luck would havejt, I had suddenly stopped. <, -A violent: shock, which nearly Ifore my I shall never forget the hollow sound of it, banging from boulder to boulder, echoe and magnified a. thousand times, from on mountain to another. Then there was a. final bang far, far below ; the echo wea 1y repeated it, and all was silence once ore, Another half minute, and the echo w uld repeats. hollower sound still. I a 1: my eyes. l There I had death staring me in the face for another hundred yards would bring me to the edge of a. precipice, over which I must, inevitably go, taking a leap of several hundred feet. My hair stood on end as I approached the dreaded spot, and I well remember the ghastly sound of my heavy painmbox, which had preceded me in my descent. his f tree A PERILOUS POSITION lit )I‘I‘ PEAT AS FUEL. force. 0111‘ amuh n suti‘ermg for the poisonous of the roasted d at the recov- gratitude which in ht-E