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{Mm daily round of duties is not var- led. The Japanese house, with its pol- ished mood-work and soft matted floor, must be kept sompulousl dean. Every morning and evening 1‘ ey must be wiped or swept. for the open paper and marriage. which can hardly be so propitious as the first one. Divorces :are easily gained and for several causes but in every case the breaking of the marriage tie. is, for the woman. mqre 0!; less a disgrace, and must be avaldâ€" edmby gvgry meazns_pgssi.blei a. possibility, for ohh‘erwise a young girl of 16 or 17 could not make into her [Hands the whole management of a (household, nor serve the husband as she is ex ected to do. As it is. the 011113 wi e has her hands full in at- ending to the wants of those around (bier, for she takes a. subordinate place. and her own desires and personality must be sunk in those of others. No longer a. child. a woman’s duties are de- manded of her and she must endeavor Ito fulfill them,‘for on her ability to 7,“, fl. ........... J W Elma depends her future happiness. ailing in this means disgrace and di- vorce. and a return to the paternal roof. 3. dependent for life on farmer or broth- er. the on‘y altqr'nptive heingra.’ see- -_A __, ~ a. few days after. the wedding, and. then finally a. grand entertainment is given to relatives and friends by the newly-wedded couple. After that life settles down to its usual routine, and We new wife fits herself as best she may into her new surroundings. The newlyâ€"married pair do not make a. sep- arate home, but it is expected that they will remain with the parents of the husband under the same roof and form apart of the household. in this way it is often trying to the new wife, especially if there be many members of tlhle family, for it will be her duty as tar as possible to bend her will to theirs and to please them in every way. Her lhlusband and his parents stand first, lhlowever. and she must see to their com- fort, wait upon them, and iorestall tlhleir wishes in many little ways. During fihe life-time of the mother- in-lsw, or at least until she has grown too old to desire to hold the actual reins of gavernment, the young wife does not have full authority to manage the mbusehold. but is entirely under the rule of the elder woman. She is thus initiated into the ways of the house and trained to follow in the footsteps of her predecessors. It is this. custom which makes early. marriage Ln Jilth .. -A-..:L:|:L__ l, , Presents are sent from friends and relatives. who have heard of the nup- tials. a. feast is held in the bride’s home and a grand ceremonial in some large church. The Japanese ceremony, as well as the feast which is held after it, and given to parents and relatives of bride and groom, is carried out under many strict rules of etiquette, which entail much thought and care. On the part of the bride there is a very el- aborate toilet. The underdress, of pure white silk, long and flowing. is worn under a, gayly-figured overgar~ ment, with the broad sash tied behind. the costume being changed several times in the evening. There is the coitfure. most carefully arranged and adorned with tortoiseshell comb and hairpin. the fixing of which has taken an hour or two of the skillful hairdressers time. Presents to each member of the famâ€" ily of the groom are given by the bride. The rooms are decorated with appropriate scroll pictures and orna~ meets. all symbolic of good luck and happiness, among the emblems being the stark and tortoise. the pine, plum and bamboo. The house and the salu- tations and order of the ceremony and the service of the dinner are all ar- ranged by rules too complicated and numerOus to be detailed hlere. The bride is accompanied by the go- between and his wife, and the wed- ding ceremony takes place quietly at the home of the groom. with no one present but the contracting parties, the go~between and the little maid who pours out this symbolic wine taken from the twoâ€"mouthed cup. each side of which is given to groom and bride al- ternately. This drinking of this wine is B token that life's joys and sorrows are to be shared together hereafter. it is taken by them nine times in all. [After this formal ceremony between the bride and groom. the bride also takes wine with her husband's relatives. the parents, brothers and sisters, as a symbol of the union between herself and 'them. Although such a ceremony would seem very simple, it is in truth! most complicated. It is not gay and bril- liant as a. wedding would be among Europeans and Americans, with crowds of invited guests, showy decorations. the engagement. ceremony and mat- riage. and on an auspicious day. the trousseau of the bride. consisting of furniture. bureaus, and lacquer boxes filled with many beautiful dresses and rich girdles. silk quilts and bedding. and all the necessary appurtenances of 5 Japanese lady. are sent with due ceremony a few hours before the ar- rival of the bride at her future home. Childhood left behind, a. Japanese wo- man finds life not without many cares and responsibilities. Marriage takes place eary and with it a new life be- gins. With her parents the young girl has grown up innocent, modest and unâ€" assuming. She is obedient to the wishes of her superiors, helpful in the household. and handy with her needle. The outer world she knows but little of, and the husband, who is chosen for her by her parents, is accepted usual- ly without doubts or misgivings, there being no question of love between the young people before marriage. though sometimes there may be a. little social intercourse. The friend who serves as go-between arranges all the details of \Vereu’t you 2' volver missed f No; my wife I; a hat pin while As soon as the steam had cleared afway men were sent below in the stoke-hole. Eleven Lascar firemen lay about the floor before the ruined boiler, dead or writhing at the last gasp, with their flesh parhoiled by the terrific balh of superheated steam in which the exâ€" plosion had plunged them. Ten other firemen who were in the stokeâ€"hole were badly burned. Four of them died during the night following the explo- Sion. The officers of the vessel who were on the decks rushed to their places at the lifeboats ,and from the cablns came screaming women and sihoulLing men. It was some fime before order could be restored and the extent, of the disaster ascertained. The steamer Rio d5 Jameiro. which arrived recently at San Francisco, brings news that; one of the boilers of the French steamer Sacha-lien exâ€" ploded while the vessel was off the Chinese coast on December 2, bound from Singapore for Hung Kong. Elevâ€" en of the Makers in the fireâ€"room and one engineer were killed instantly by the explesion or by the steam. The chief stoker was so badly injured that he died a few hours afterward, and ‘four other firemen died the next day as a result of their burns. The veSse'l was crowded with pasSenâ€" gers, and there was the wildest con- fusion on board. the passengers had just assembled in the saloon for dinner when there came a laud report like that of a cannon from the direction of the engine-room. The deuk-hoxrds were torn up, gratings were sent flay- ing in the air and the steamer trembli- ed from stem to stern. A dense aloud of steam and smoke issued from the matches with a. deafening roar of es- caping steam. Horrible beth Much respect, and honor is paid to the old mother or to the older grand- mother in Japan. Her own children and her son‘s daughters vie in doing things for her, and in trying to please her. She is free to come and go as she likes among them, and they will enâ€" tertain her and make much of her, so that her old age is full of freedom and Dleasure. No wonder children are longed for by Japanese women, for it is onlyfihrough them that this happy penod IS reached, and so many bless- lngs are obtained . But above everything. a women's llfe Ln Ja n has its best opportunities for ‘usefu ness as well as its greatest reâ€" sponsibilities in its duties as mother; for a Japanese mother has almost un- ‘bounded influence over [her children The father is often too busy to inter- est himself in the minor details conâ€" earning his children. and from infancy until school days are over a. mother Is all in all to her littlo one. Even the sons are taught to show every mark of respect for her. and she is their guar- dian and helper, even when they are oing to school. or receive instruction rorn tutors. The little girls of course are under the mother entirely, and in many cases receive only home training after a few years at a primary school. It is she wh oplms for their pleasure, arranges the little festivals in the dif- ferent season as they come for both boys and girls. takes them with her on her occasional outings and visits to her relatives; or if they are left at heme who never forgets the " omiagi.” or present for them on her return, be it only a ball, a. toy or a little candy. out some necessity-that they may buy some cheap toy for them. In the homes of the higher classes the mother and children are brought together less often. and nearly every- thing is done for children by servants and attendants. But the children know few cares and anxieties and lead a'hap- Milli?- It must not be thought, however, that a wife has little responsibility. or that her life is without important duties. In all the affairs of the house, in_ _the arrangements of accounts. the hiring of servants. the buying and sending out of resentsâ€"this, in itself no slight. task ;â€"' wife has virtually, if not nom- Lnally, full power, and there, is no doubt that the prosperity or the poverty .of the house depends as much on the w1fe as on the husband. for a. capable manâ€" ager, a good housewife and help‘mgte can do as much in Japan as in America for 'her husband’s welfare and honor. . It Is touching to see how women.eve_n Ln_t'he lowest classes, take care of their ahuldren. They seem always loving and klnd. wearing old and common clothes, so'that their little ones may have some bright. .8313 garment. or going lwi‘tl’r partitions let in much dust from the gardens and streets. The flowers in the raised alcove must be arranged in the vase, the one hanging scroll in the room‘ changed accordin to season or common. The women 0% the household must see that all is made neat and tidy. The young wife assists her hus- band in his preparations as he starts off on his daily round of business, sees that everything is conveniently on hand. and _is ready to receive him and tend to his comfort when he returns home in the evening. In case of unexpected guestsâ€"and these are of almost daily occurrence~everybhing must he at- tended to promptly and without the least show of the inconvenience which must necessarily occur when dinner for several visitors is called for on short notice. But Japanese 'h‘ospitality is genuine; sucih! things are considered to be a. matter of course, and no one thinks how much anxiety it entails on the wife of the. household. Cooking, how- ever, is a simple matter. and in Tokio there are so many establishments in every part‘ of the city where dinner for a number or a few dishes may be ordered on short notice and brought b? a special messenger that this part 0‘ the entertainment is made much lighter than might be thought possi- ble. Moreover the constant coming in and out of guests makes almost the on- ly variety in the life of the women. who. though the acquaintances are friends of t‘he husband. get their al- most only experience of the outside world and learn something beyond the narrow life in the home and the petty details Which ‘fiilnup each day. 1,; THE BOILER BLEW UP. TIMELY AID frightened when your re fire 2 of Firemen on a Frem-h Steamer. Rio de Janeiro, which he burglar off wit eloaded. . in which the ex- , them. Ten other 11 the stokeâ€"hole Eon; of them died “to make [or the soberm. "During my watch, from 2 to 3 o'olock. the lions turned up. and an- nounced their presence with a roa.r.1 do not think I shall forgot it. They appeared to be very hungry, as they promptly started to eal. the dead cows. lf‘ynrn got first shot, and hit his lion badly; in fact, we thought it was‘ goâ€" ing L0 attack the scherm. However,. it thought better of it and cleared off. By this time it was so dark that we could not see the lions, and could only shoom by guess work. I got a shot. at the next one and missed; in fact, it simply want on eating. I fired again and hit. By Jove! He roared and growled. gnashred his teeth, and tried Fynu fired and hid. him again, and we felzt sure of having secured one at last. "Presently another came up. and Fynn fired again, but, missed. This one cleared. Another came up, Fynn fired. and this one cleared also. At this time we could beau- my lion moaning and growling, and felt sure we could find him there in the morning. but, to our disappom‘tmenlt, when we got out the brute had gone. Although great pools of blood could be traced where he had rested, we could not follow his spoor [or more than a. mile, the rain having washed out all trace of him. \Ve spent two days in trying to find the bodies without success. I am sorry, as I made so sure of having hit and killed my one. I daresay someone would be forâ€" tunate enough to find his skin before destroyed by birds. The whole exper- ience was novel and exciting. Orpen did not get a shot as the lions came up from the ‘lee side and we dare not move. sqme_ time distract is and it 15 t ‘ belonging to Fynn. I'ynn, myself. and Orpen, ne hew of the Treasurer. de- cided to uiid aschuerm, asmall but. made of poles and tied with green hide, and sit up alH night and see if they returned. Well. as ill luck would have in. the night turned up bitterly cold, with a drizzling rain. and as dark as pitch. “'6 decided to do relief for two hours. and kepp watch. The cuws’ carcasses were onfy within two yards of the scherm, “quing my watch, from 2 to 3 ‘ "Writing to Bâ€"â€" last week. I gave an arr/aunt of a. rather exciting exper- ience I had with lions, but since then I have been within two yards of them, hearing the brutes roar. and seeing them devouring cows. I went down to Fynn's. ason of Mr. Fynn of Kreli fame; he is a Native Commissioner of the district and a very smart fellow in- deed, to dinner. I was walking, as it is only three miles from here. I forgot to take my rifle with me. I stayed at Fynn’s until 9 o‘clock, and then walked over to the local store to post my let- ters. leaving there shortly after 10 to return to my camp. We had been spin- ning yarns of different lion experiences all the evening. Consequently when I left I was full of lions and their dar- ing habits. However, I would not show the store people I did not quite like the walk home alone without a gun. and so started, with my terrier as a. companion. Being in good fettle I did the three and a. half miles in forty minutes, and got home safely. Very early next morning I got a. note from Fynn, saying that within half an hour of my leaving the store the lions had come down and taken four donkeys lie- longing to a. prospector, and three calves out of the store krael. all withâ€" in fifteen yards of the store. A hunt was organized and We scoured the neighborhood without result, returnâ€" mg at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. when we found out that the brutes had also taken and partly eaten TWO COWS AND A CALF "The followimg is an extract from the letter of a young Colonist now in Mashonafland, sent to the Queen's Town Free Press. The letter is written from Belemg'wa. a place 110 miles southeast: of Bulawayo: ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. T'he Transvaal vouches for the truth of the story. Besides snakes of this ferocious and Before he had 'time to 'think twice the snake, relieved of its load of mut- ton, was upon him. and it seized his head in its mouth and in three minutes the native had taken the place of the buck. only he was all inside; there was nothing left out to pull on, even if a. rescuer'had come along. Having swal- lowed the boy the boa. deliberately swung its head around and grabbing its tail swallowed eight feet of it, then closing the mouth and throat. down which the native had disappeared, and making escape Besides snakes of this ferocious and ingenious character. they have lions aâ€" nlenty in South Africa, as the follow- img from the Cape T imes of Cape Town shows: Robbed of a Half-swallowed Buck It Gulpcd Down a Native and (‘m on Ills Escape 1-, Swallowing Its Tail. The latest snake story comes from South Africa. It is recorded in the Transvaal, published in Cape Town, as cold fact, that im Sekukiniland, a. naâ€" tive ran across a boa constrictor, meaâ€" surimg about forty-seven feet, which had just swafllowed a young Koodoo buck, 331 except the horns. The horns stuck out on each side of the reptile’s mouth. The native recognized the thm as those of a. buck he owned, and he ram and got sticks and pinned the serpent, whdnh was dormant. to the ground Then he got hold of the horns and pulled and twisted. He got the buck out inch by inch, until} half its body showed. and then it came with a, jerk. and the 'boy fell over on his back. AN INTELLIGENT BOA CONSTRICTOR AND ITS PREY. SOUTH AFRICAN MARVELS '1‘.\VO \VERE KILLED .ngerous tc with spring 5M1 m This If the 1imepiece be faster than the indlcation of the 1 iL Ems gamed or lost the ind] fe‘renct 1f sevaral- cloudy a low the first observation of it is only necessary to~luulti minutes fifly~six seronds by her of days that have elapsed observation, and the product from the hour of the clock the first. nighL clear enough f( 0nd observatim} and gives the gm‘d to the other st since the fixed star: {ajn the same rel‘ati regard to each other clock or watch ought to show. The same star can only be observed during an few weeks, for as it gains mearly an hour in a, fortnight, it will in a. short time come to U118 meridian in 'broad da light and become invisible. n marking the observation care must be taken that a. planet is not chosen in- stead of a star. Additional to the fact that the light of fixed stars twinkles, while that of planets is' steady because reflected, a sure means of distinguish- ing between them is to first wawh a. watched, and the instant it vanishes behind the fixed point, the observer mus]. note the exaut time it disappears. The following might, the same star will vanish behind lhe same object. three minutes and fifty-six seconds sooner. If a timepiece marl; 90'clock when the star vanished one nighL the following night. it. will indicate three minutes and [lilyâ€"six :ei'unds less Izhlan 9. were required. He said he had been playing a game of cards with a-man. Prisoner's friend said: "Show us how to play that game." He agreed to do so. and took three cards out of an ordinary visiting card case. He showâ€" ed the other man how to play with three bards. The prisoner and his companion, after the latter had the game explained to him. started to play for money. The companionâ€"or conâ€" federateâ€"first won, then iost. Both of them then asked me 'to play. I said: No. It is Sunday, and washon not piaz cards on Sunday. They then asked Mr. Van Heerden to play. At first he woqld not. but being pyegged hole t object, The L watche behind As the motion of the earth with re- gard to the- fixed stars (those that twinkle) is uniform, timepieces can in a. most simple manner be correctly regâ€" ulated by the stars with greater facil- ity than by the sum. Choose asouih window, from which any fixed point, such as a. chimney side of a. building, etc., may be seen. To the side of: the window attach a piece of cardboard having a snail hole in it in such a manner that by IU'tAki-[lg through the hole toward the edge of the Hevated object, slime fixed star may be seen. Qué/ White A Slmplv Way of Tolllng When 3 Tune Piece nuns Accurately. Some very 01d paintings that was brought to light the other day con- tains curious suggestions for making certain calculations that will interest many people An easy method of correctly regulat- ing a timepiece by the stem; is as fol- lows: "The farmers lost between them £35. and then told the guard. Stewart of- fered to compromise the affair by giving them £22 109. to tell the guard- that the aifa'u- was settled. The guard gave Stewart in charge for gambling on the line, but found little money upâ€" on him. The confederate had disap- peared by that time. "The Magistrate held that no fraud had been proved and prisoner was dis- ch9rg9d.”_ ' Sofith Africa, it will be seen, is great place. very much he agreed to stake half a. sovereign. and Van Heerden won. Prisoner suggested that the stakes be for £5. He drew out a. £5 note. and seeing that, prisoner said, "Oh, make it £10.” Van Heerden did so; he put down another £5 note. He [oat that £10.‘ Prisoner asked him to continue E‘llayinfi, so he put down another £5. ell, thought I would try and get my friend’s Dione; back for him. so I put in £10, ma. ing our oint put in1£15. \Ve lost it all. risoner’s {mend urged me to play again. He said. "Fry and regain your mouey.’ I dxd so after much persuasion. and the re- sult was I lost £10 more. I would ndb‘ play arm; more, although they begged me to continue. I spoke to the guard about my loss, and asked hdmhis opin- mu. "Recently at an‘t Elizabeth Jose h Stewart was charged before the a- g'wtrate with fraud 'by means of a. cer- tain three-card game. John Hendrik van Heerden, and we travelled second class. I’d-isomer and another man. whose name I do not know, joined the train n.1, Middedurg Road on Sunday morning. After the train left Middle- burg the prisoner said he should like 3. “wk thh us and he introduced a. subject in cpn'nection with a. game of cards in winch} night South 3.12 Lb iig’ht and become invisible. marking the observation care must Lken that a. planet is not chosen in- :l of a star. Additional to the fact the light of fixed stars twinkles, e that of planets is' steady because Ioted, A sure means of distinguish- between them is to first watch a fin sTar attentively for a few its. If it changes its place with re~ L to the other stars, it is a planet, 5 the fixed stars appear to main« the same relative nositions with REGULATED BY A STAR. Africa is lbs locust. se telegrams from a aper: :m’s Town. Jam. 2: ONLY THREE CARDS her you have a. rifle ther abundant pro< he iply three the num- 1 since the L deducted indicates Mr. Colin Just look South Af- ‘ the sec- time the AV. The [1 during .eafly an must BI uct then 5d dif- s fol- : star \Vith women, as with men, whatev- er must develop their talent, honor, conscience, energies, and skill, what- ever gives him or her a higher aim and assists its realization, is of inestiâ€" mahle value throughout life. The ef- forts made by an honorable employer, to raise the character and the work of his agents. conduce alike to his pros- perity and to the individual. The spir- it is too often manifest to make gain of each at the other’s expense. This is a short-sighted policy. The interests of each are in a measure identical, and the more this is realized in all busi- ness relations, the' ‘more harmonious and valuable becomes each integral of a. business success. We wonder whethâ€" er the unselfishness of woman. gener- ally, has not had a. great deal to do with their success? Muwmn. it flour barrel. Women are forced by various exigezn- cies in life to take a very decided stand in the ranks of the great army of work- ers who battle for bread and butter. For a long time, selfish man was bit- terly \opposed to the supplanting of male labor by feminine help. But in the eternal fitness of things the situa- tion is now more or less accepted, with the philosophic expreSSion that the "survival of the fittest” has proved it to be a correct condition of affairs. It is noticeable, that women not only sur- vive, when they take up occupations erstwhile monopolized by man, but they go to the front in science, literature, art, business. .He is an iron king as well as an oil king. He practically owns all the Lake Superior mines, as well as the principal deposits in Cuba. During the fianncial depression a few years ago he bought all the iron mining property in who at once ordered me to be taken to sightâ€"and at a bargain. His parents were Scotéh folks, who settled on a small farm near Moravia. N.Y. They moved to Oswego. and later to Cleveland. John D. Rockefeller mar- ried a Cleveland school teacher, Miss Lucy Spellman. They have four chil- dren. The two daughters are married. Just now L'Lr. Rockefeller is having a deal of trouble with his parson, the Rev. Daniel C. Potter. pastor of the Taberâ€" nacle Baptist Church. of New York. Mr. Rockefeller some ‘t-ime ago ave to the church $50,000. The Rev. - . Potter asserts that Mr. Rockefeller has wreck- ed the church because his conduct has not been such as to please the Standard Oil Immate. The case is now being tried Some very ugly stories are told about the methods employed by the Standard Oil Company to acquire the plants of rivals or else to drive them out of busi- ness. Even arson has been mentioned. it has been said that John D. Rocke- feller gives millions to charities to atone for someâ€"well. never mind what. How- ever, the ruin of more than one busi- ness rival has, coincidentally, been fol- lowed by the gifts of thousands to some institution. ‘ He has a number of residencesâ€"one at No. 4 \Vest Fiftyâ€"fourth street, New York City; one in Cleveland, another in Greenwich, Conn; and a very hand- some place near Tarrytown. Connected “fit; this house is a. very good skating rin . Once safely esmblished the Rockefelâ€" lers_ stagted out to acquire the giants of then" rlvals. Some were acqmred by purchase, others byâ€"other means. Then he and M. B. Clark went into the commission business in St. Louis, and in eight years had saved $5,000. With this capital he started a. little oil refinery, out of which grew the Standard Oil Company and his vast wealth. So successfully was this plan of busi- ness campaign carried out that toâ€"day there is scarcely a rival plantâ€"prac- tically all the oil industries are in the control of the Rockefellers. of being lazy. His colossal fortune was made of oilâ€". Standard Oil. He gives away $500,000 in charities every year, it is said. I He can play the violin very well, and has a. fondness for pictures. His income is a. trifle more than $20.- 000 a dayâ€"nearly $17 a. minute. In a short time the Rockefellers were near unto failure, and were rescued by. Henry M. b'iagier's father-in-Iaw, M. V. Haxkuess. He looks like apreacher. He has sloping shoulders and a. melancholy face. His highest ambition when a young- ster was to be a. trapeze performer in a. circus. He founded the Chicago University. and has given to that institution about 810,000,000. He pays $10,000 a year to the person who looks after the distribution of his charities. He saved money from the time he first. began to earn it. in two years he had put away $500. Said to Be Worth More Than $200,000,000 â€"(.‘.Ives Large Sums In ('harllyâ€"$IO.- 000,000 to Chicago Universityâ€"flow He Acquired Ills Wealthâ€"Means Employed to trunk Opposition. John D. Rockefeller. He is America’s richest man. His wealth is more than $200,000,000. When a. boy he had the reputation He can play the violin very well, and has a. fondness for pictures. His income is a. trifle more than $20,- 000 a dayâ€"nearly $17 a. anute. He gets less real enjoyment out at life. probably. than most. $12-a-week clerks. He never attends the theater or opera. but occasionally goes to a concert. AMERI SOME FACTS ABOUT JOHN D. ROCKE- FELLER AND HIS WEALTH. EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYED GA’S OF MONEY RIUHEST MAN itl 3.803 oney 11mg he exâ€" safes ‘PJ‘B Art: