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THE RUSSIAN PEASAllT AWFUL IGNORANCE OF THESE POOR PEOPLE. â€"â€" Always Poor and Generally in Debt -â€"Is the Land of the Czar Doomed. The population of Russia toâ€"dayl is estimated in round figures at 147,000,000 persons. Of this num- ber 100,000,000 are peasants, and they lag so far behind the times in regard to education, manners, cus- toms, and general enlightenment that they have been compared to the medieval German peasant of the fourteenth century. Indeed, so ignorant are they that a young man .who can read is regarded by them as a wonder. They believe in witches, demons, and wood-devils. and live under such conditions that in ordinary times in the Russian villages 50 per cent. of the children from birth to five years die, and . 350 to 400 per 1,000 of those from birth to one year. Truly an awful rate of infant mortality! Is is surprising that people ask, Is Russia doomed? or that the coun~ try should have been so soundly beaten in warfare by the enterpris- ing Japs? As a matter of fact, the Russian peasant does not live â€"â€" he merely exists. “Nitchevo” (“It is noth- ing”), he merely says, when any- thing happens to him. Nothing matters, nothing could be worse, and “Nitchevo” is HIS PANACEA FOR ALL EVILS. And yet the Russian moujik is real- ly a fine fellow. Ordinarily, Mr. H. P. Kennard tells us in his book, “The Russian Peasant,” he is a splendid, well-built man, large limb- ed, largeâ€"headed and healthy. He is equally unaffected by 20 degrees of frost 'or twenty glasses of vodka. He is clothed in uncured sheepâ€" ski.:s, and carries in winter more clothes than the average English- man could stand up in. ‘ ' He is unspeakany stupid, how- ever, and his dream of happiness is to gorge, to sleep as much as pos- Sible through the winter, and dance and sing in the summer. But the stranger’s first objection to the moujik is that he smellsâ€"not be- cause he does not wash himself. As a matter of fact, in every village there are public bathsâ€"baazaâ€"and the peasants wash themselves there unfailingly every Saturday in order to be allowed to go to church on Sunday; for the Orthodox Church enjoins cleanliness. HOW HE LIVES. The moujik, however, apparently thinks that he has done all that is required of him by the church if he washes himself; for, according to Mr. Kennard, you can smell his iz- ba, or but, long before you reach it. As’a rule, there are two rooms to an izba, a living-room and an outhouse, and, while the former is usually clean and whitewashed, the latter is fearfully dirty. Moreover, his uncured sheepskins do not give off the most pleasant of odors, and when, as during the Russian fam- ine of 1906-7, three or four families combine, and live in the best hut, pulling down the others in order to use the timber for fuel and the thatch as forage for horses and cat- tle, it will be readily understood that the odor of that particular iz~ ba was not generally improved. The Russian peasant is always poor, and generally in debt. He , ploughs the land in the same way that his father ploughed it, and gets as little for his labor. His main worry in life is how to pay the Governor’s taxes. If he says he cannot pay he is flogged; or per- haps he will sell part of his next year’s power of work (i.e.. work for nothing for several months) to raise a loan; and, of course. he is worse off than ever the following year. The moujik’s festivalstoâ€"day are the same as those of a century or so ago. Here is a description of one. It will show the extraordin- ary mummery practised in cognec-. tion with marriage, although. at the same time. the description contains a very good hint to bold and daring spinsters in this leap year of 1908. ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT at dusk the marriageable village girls go out into the streets and meet their young men, and one says, “\I hat is your name 2” The young man answers. “Foma,” and she replies, “My husband‘s name is Foma.” Some days later. at the girl’s home. relations are gathered to- gether: there comes a knock at the door, the starosta and the young man enter carrying loaves of bread. I The starocta says this :â€" “We are. German from Turkey. good fellows. something like hunters. was a. time We are There once in our country when we saw iand be able to talk like that to people. come my friend the prince hcre saw them, and we thought they might be fox’s or marten’s footprints, or it might be those of a beautiful girl. We hunters, we good follows are determined not to rest till we have found the animal. We have been in all cities from Germany to Turkey and have sought for this fox. this marten, or this princess, and at last we have seen the same strange footprints in the snow again. here by our Court. And we have come in. Como let us take her. the bean- tiful princess. for we see her in front of us~â€"or can it be you would keep her till she grows a little oldâ€" er?” Thus does the moujik ask for a. wifeâ€"London Titâ€"Bits. _‘â€"â€".â€"â€"§¢â€"_‘ DANGEROUS OPIATES. Most of the liquid medicines ad- vertised to cure stomach and bowel troubles and â€"summer complaints contain opiates and are dangerous. When the mother gives Baby’s Own Tablets to her little ones she has the guarantee of a government ana- lyst that this medicine contains no opiate or narcotic. And she has the assurance that no other mediâ€" cine will so spe’edily cure stomach and bowel troubles, if they Come. unexpectedly. Give the well child an occasional dose of these tablets and they will prevent sickness by clearing the stomach and bowels of offending matter. Mrs. Wilbert Bone, Carrville, Ont., says zâ€"- “I have used Baby’s Own Tablets for stomach and bowel troubles and know of no other medicine so satis- factory.” Sold by medicine dealers or by mail at 250 a box from The Dr. Williams’ Medicine Co., Brock- ville, Ont. _______»p__ USES OF VANITY. A Personal Blessing Vouchsai‘ed to Man, Thinks Mr. MacBlink. “The longer I live.” said Mr. MacBlink, “the more I think that the, greatest personal blessing vouchsafed to man is personal van- ity. “Do the mighty snub us? We smile and think that we are better than they. Are seine men richer than we? Why, we know for some we could have made twice their money with half their chance. “Are we homely? We think we are handsome. Why, the men we see, old and young, looking in the mirrors are proud of their hair, proud of their neekties, proud of their clothes, proud of themselves from their heads to their toes. “They may live narrow lives, and if they only knew it, with no hope of ever getting out on the broad road; but they are satisfied with, more than that, they are vain of themselves. And what a blessing! “Are we not content to wear cheap clothes because in our fond vanity we think that we ourselves give to them an air of distinction? So in many instances. “And does not the same hold true as well to our views of all our be- longings? Don’t we think that our lumbering old clumsy minute horse could go in we dared to give him his head? Don’t we think that our yacht. or our power boat could make any- thing else in the water look like thirty, yes, like twenty or even fif- teen cents if we were once disposed to show what it could really do? “Do we not think that our chickâ€" ens are really the very best speciâ€" mens of their breed, and do we not think that ours is the finest lawn? And our children! Do we not all think that our children, whatever they may be, are the finest children that ever were born? “It is so of many things, and all these are cheerful, happy. helpful notions that even the most timid and shrinking of men may cherish. Our vanity is not only a protector and a shield, it is for us a castle within whose walls we can dwell in [serenity and security, in sweet satâ€" isfaction with ourselves; and in a world so full of things that other- wise would jar us. is not this a great. ,blessing? Many a man’s lot in life filias been softened. has been made o 901/ if -.--/.3 happy, by his harmless personal vanity.” â€"â€"-_+â€"â€"â€" Traveller â€" “Here, landlord. 'what's the matter with your dog! I‘ve driven him away a score of times. but he always comes backi gaited six _ again, and sits close up to my armâ€" .chair watching every mouthful I take. Do turn him out. and let me {have my dinner in peace." Land: flordâ€"“Plcasc. sir. my L‘arlo is suchl 1a knowing brute. I expect you have .eol the plate be generally eats off.” ! “Riches, my friend.” said the iplutocrat. “do not bring happiâ€"i ness." “Maybe not." said the so-I c satisfaction to have a lot of money mild. .iu .. , n a strange. footprints in the snow, and lehap that hasn't got any.” iron this this isus NEWS BY MAIL FROM IRE- LAND’E SHORES. Happenings in the limcrald Isle of Interest to Irish- men. A North chford Farmer’s Soci- ety has recently been formed. A movement is on foot for the establishment of a boot factory in Arklow. At the last pig fair in Tralce, the remarkable number of 1,050 pigs was on view. Over one thousand pigs were killâ€" ed by local bacon factories of Kerry during a recent week. The Mcrchants’ Hall, where the (.161 Dublin Guild of Merchants for- merly met, has just been sold by auction. A domestic named Jane McCush : was asphyxiath by blowing out the gas at the home of her employer in Belfast. A huge fish. said to be a sunfish or “thrasher,” pounds, was recently taken in the harbor at Dunmore. The Lord Chancellor has appoint- eo James P. Hughes, Castlcganny Mills, Borris, to the commission of the peace for the county of Carlow. The death took place recently at, ‘ AJ. PATTISON & CO, 33-35 $COTT ST., TORONTO. Garvagh, of James Febridge Johnâ€" stone, late chief draughtsman in the Belfast Queen’s Island shipbuildâ€" ing yards. , Michael O’Callaghan, the driver of a mail train, was knocked off his engine when going at sixty miles an ; hour, and sustained but trifling ln-l juries. The commissioners of National Education have awarded the Carâ€" lisle and Blake Premium to Mrs. Mary K. Dick, Cornahilta school, Belleek, for the year 1907. and weighing 1,500 :' A- ._.. u}, '1“. Here’s a. Real Nt‘ll {ISHING F 50 CENTS. ALL LYMAN BROS. 8; (10., Toronto CLARKSON, Toronto; A constable at Cappagh, near Mohill, County Leitrim, found a parcel containing some sixtyâ€"three letters concealed in a hole at the back of a ditch alongside the road. The fine and historic old seat of’ the late Geo. Davys, J.P.. at Clonâ€" bcnny, consisting of of $7,500. Messrs. Workman and Clark, shipbuilders of Belfast, have receiv- .i ed an order from the Boston United Fruit Company, United States, for four newvsteamers aggregating over 5,000 tons for West Indies’ fruit g. trade. The Dublin and Southâ€"Eastern Railway Company have increased the facilities which they had already provided for tourists desirous of visiting on Sundays the various spots of interest in picturesque Wicklow. Two brothers, William and Matâ€" thew Pelan, of Tullynacross, near Lisburn. died within a few hours of each other, both having been in ill health for some time past. Their double funeral was very largely at- 4.". tended. recently, it was decided in conseâ€" quence of the high prices at pre- sent being paid for sheep and cat- tle, which renders prices unremunâ€" erative. to raise the price of beef and mutton 1d. and 2d. per pound. A train on the G. N. R. near Belâ€" turbct was delayed an hour and forty minutes owing to the failure of the electric train staff instruâ€" ment. On investigation it was found the failure was caused by a spider gctt'ng between the contact point 1,; and the key lever in the instrument at Belturbet, causing a disconnec- tion. v A THE ONLY WAY.- Not long ago a farmer sued a cattle-dealer for damages in the local county court. “When I bought the bull.” said complainant. “he told me it was gentle and perfectly harmless â€"a. child could play with it, in fact. Half an hour after I got the aniâ€" mal home. be disabled a couple of my farm hands, and then turned on me ” “Perhaps the beast was excited by his strange surroundings,” gested his honor. “Is enough now?" “Wellâ€"yes: but you see “Ah,” remarked the defendant. “then my description was correct, after all. I said if he did get ex- cited at first he would quicten down.” “Yes” responded the plaintiff grimly. “but you didn’t- tell me I should have to shoot the beggar to quictcn him down! That’s what I had to do!” he quiet )} How can a man love for a woman have undying who dyes her ‘but it must be a heap othairz The hard part about an easy job is the getting thereof. about 500 ‘. - --' acres, has been purchased by John "~ Rhatigan, of Kilcrowe, for the sum At a meeting of Belfast butchers sug-' Correspondents â€"- Chas. iv elilt SHREDED WHEAT With milk or cream and fresh fruits. heavy foods and try this natural diet for a time and note how your energies will increase and vour spirits revive, “'ITIEEDU'I‘ BEING HEATING 50].!) BY A“. GRI'N‘I-Zilrl . .g-“u: .-..- or Neuralgia, Headache, Rheumatism, Pain, Etc. The Pango Company, WHOLESALE and NATIONAL DRUG (10., London. Bonds and Steaks Bought and Sold on all all Exchanges New York and Boston \Stock Exchanges. H. .. Discard 1036 'D-.u,r;, we: 3" .:.. ' - r 1.." DRUOGISTS, OR Toronto Montreal; LYMAN KNOX & Head 6: Co., nenlbers Authorized Capital, Larder City. Auditorâ€"Henry Barber, share. ticulars apply to HENRY F. D ARRELL (No Personal Liability) Directorsâ€"President, Arthur Viceâ€"President, A. S. Wiginore, Protection Co., Toronto; Secretaryâ€"Treasurer, Fred Armstrong, contractor, Toronto; F. H. Herbert, architect and engineer, Toronto; J. C. Holtby, contractor, manager Roofers’ Supply Co., Toronto; Bankersâ€"The Crown Bank, Toronto. The property consists of 98 40â€"acre claims immediately ad- joining the now famous Harris Maxwell-and upon the same amount of development should prove equally as good. 100,000 shares are now offered to the public at 15 cents per Do not lose this golden opportunity of investing in one of the most promising properties in the district. No. 8 Colbornc Street, Toronto. LIMITED. $4,000,000.00 contractor, Electric Toronto ; d3 Dinnis, Manager Holmes Toronto; George Duthie, J. H. Tighe, miner, Toronto. For full parâ€" FISCAL AGENT. SENTENCE SERMONS. Honesty is being better than you have to. He who does not doubt at all is doubtless damned. It is always safe to be sorry for the self~satisfied. If you Would find folks you must first be yourself. It’s not the things laid on it that make the life larger. A crooked path is the straightest road to the .traps of sin. Helping always brings happiness, and happiness always helps. It is following the stars we have that will lead to the day to be. Any man can talk religion, but only those who have it can teach it. There always is some character being determined by our conduct. The field of this world is not to 1be worked by digging at our ne1ghâ€" hors. It‘s the daily dull grinding that produces the ken edge for some crisis. You have no right to sigh except when you are alone. and then you won’t. _ It’s the man who forever IS run- ning away from pain who gets most bruises. ' The man who has much starch in his neck is likely to have none in his backbone. . If you cannot be saved by work it is certain you will not be saved by whining. The man who can carry all his religion in his head never lets it bother his hands. It is simple ignorance of ourselves that makes us harsh in our judg-~ ments of others. A Theological student was sent one Sunday to supply a vacant pulâ€" pit in a country town. A few (lays after he received a copy of the weekly paper of the place with the following item marked: HRev. â€"â€" supplied ihe pulpit at the Congreâ€" gational Church last Sunday, and the church will now be closed three weeks for repairs.” We can (lie only onceâ€"much to the regret of the undertaker. When you are going shopping don‘t simply say “A pound of tea, ’ b< cause you can secure better tea, more delicious tea, if you only ask for “Salada.”