satisfied claims against the government for six months' pay, and entertain scant hopes of ever receiving it.

Throughout the whole peninsula and in every branch of trade and manufacture the same dismal story is told. In Cadiz the population is face to face with blank ruin. Ships laden with Spanish cargoes for the colonies are obliged to deposit them in that city, where trade and commerce are already dead. Barcelona, whose rapid growth and comparative wealth were dependent upon the markets of Cuba and the Philippines, is suffering incalculable losses. Works and factories. there have been closed, thousands thrown out of employment, to whom forced idleness is equivalent to starvation, and beggardom is assuming proportions which dismay and baffle the police. To make matters worse, other occupations which seemed independent of the war are suffering at the hands of nature, and everything seems hostile to Spain. In Xerez, for instance, the ravages of the redoubtable phylloxera are such that in a couple of years more the native vintages will have entirely disappeared, and sherry wine, in the good old sense of the term, will have become a thing of the past.

No wonder if under such appalling conditions of existence the people should exhibit no enthusiasm for the hollow phrases of glory, honor, patriotism, etc., which are being trumpeted abroad by eloquent young men whose heads are filled with names from Greek and Roman history and whose ambition yearns for a place in the Cortes. I could give many startling instances of the realistic current among the people, especially in those who have to bear the brunt of the war. But I have said enough to make it clear that Spanish politicians who have ruined their country are not the Spanish people, who only ask to be let live in peace.

"Thou Callest Me Friend."

THERE are a good many incidents reported from the war that encourage, in the midst of discouragement, the hope that after all "man's inhumanity to man is on the decline. Here is an incident reported in a letter from the American camp at Santiago, a few days after the hard fighting there, at the beginning of the siege. The correspondent says:

While all these wounded were being cared for at Siboney the Spanish wounded were not being neglected. It is impossible to say that the Spaniards are not brave fighters, after once seeing the bearing of their wounded as they fell into the hands of our men. Every man of them fully expected to be massacred on the spot. Here is one instance:

On Sunday morning, near General Shafter's headquarters, a dozen wounded Spaniards were having their wounds dressed. One young fellow, who was shot through both legs, lay on the ground. The surgeon was trying to ask him to move his leg so that his boot could be unlaced, when Mr. Charles Pepper, the Washington correspondent, volunteered to act as interpreter. Stooping down to the Spaniard he gave the message, and, as is the Spanish custom, he prefaced his remark with 'Amigo.' Instantly the young Spaniard's face lightened with amazement and delight. He grasped Mr. Pepper by the hand and exclaimed incredulously :

It Begins at Home.

THE Outlook exhorts the United States to "share with other nations the responsibility for the world's well-being." If the United States will begin this charitable and excellent work at home it will have as much as it can attend to for some years. to come. When the responsibility for the well-being of the United States of America shall be fairly and fully discharged it will be ample time to consider the sharing of responsibility for some of the rest of the world. In the mean time it would be a bumptious officiousness that would be negligent of our own and meddlesome and hypocritical towards others.— Doylestown (Pa.) Intelligencer.

A Great Buttonwood Tree.

A corresponDENT of the Hartford Times gives some facts about the great button-ball tree in front of the old Barnard House, in Hartford, which has been recently cut down. Many pounds of honey were taken from the hollow trunk, from which a swarm of bees issued and attacked those felling the tree. It was stated to be 9 feet in diameter, and a rough measurement shows it to have been at least 23 or 24 feet in circumference, and from the following notice, copied from the "Hartford Directory'' of 1883, its age may have been 300 years: The oldest tree now alive in this city, is a few rods south of and near the foot of Ferry street. It is assumed to be over 300 years old—a button-ball, or sycamore, 24 feet in circumference at the base, and, like the Charter Oak, is hollow, and has been submitted to a fiery ordeal.”

Death of Parker Pillsbury.

PARKER PILLSBURY, who would have been 89 years old next September, passed away Seventh month 7th, at his home in Concord, N. H,, where he had lived for about fifty years. His wife died in Second month last, and of late he had been prostrated with the weakness of old age. He awaited the end with truly philosophic contentment and cheerfulness. He grew old gracefully and kept his interest in public affairs to the end. For years he had kept up correspondence with the narrowing circle of those who had shared with him in the trials and triumphs of the abolition period. Only two of those co-workers with him are still living, Samuel May of Leicester, Mass., and Charles K. Whipple of Newburyport, both nearly as old as Parker Pillsbury.

His career was very nctable-from a farmer's boy in New Hampshire, coming to "the shore'' seeking work at nineteen ; working there for several years, then to the farm again; then to school; then to Andover; then an orthodox minister; then joining Garrison and the abolitionists. He abandoned the Congregational ministry to become an anti-slavery agitator. He used to be called by the public the "sledge-hammer" of the abolitionists, because he dealt the hard blows and used hard words, and, indeed, his rhetoric was very strong. It has been said that Emerson remarked that he considered Pillsbury was the strongest, intellectually, of all the famous anti-slavery workers. They all had different gifts; Garrison had the fiery strength of denunciation and demand; Phillips had grace and eloquence and what is called position; Foster applied the severity of logic; Pillsbury the severity of rhetoric ; while Lucrettia Mott and Lucy Stone had sweetness in their stern and earnest testimony; and Douglass and Redmond poured out torrents of eloquence on behalf of their enslaved brethern. Other helpers and workers each had their pronounced individuality, and all had the intense earnestness which comes from strong convictions.

In 1853 Pillsbury went abroad for two years, spending most of the time in England, among philanthropists who extended to him most cordial hospitality. He conducted the Herald of Freedom at Concord, N. H., from 1840 to 1846, and the National Standard in New York in 1866. In 1868-70 he was the editor of the Revolution, a paper published in New York City and devoted to the cause of woman suffrage. Afterward he was a preacher for free religion societies in Salem and Toledo, O., Battle Creek, Mich., and other western towns. Besides pamphlets on reform subjects, he published "Acts of the AntiSlavery Apostles."

Corn for Bread in Europe. YEAR by year, says the Indianapolis News, Indian corn, which is so large a proportion of the entire product on our farms, is coming into more favor abroad, and the exports of it are increasing. Statistics issued from Washington, show that with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1898, the exports of American corn will amount to more than 200,000,000 bushels, for which the American farmer will have received upward of $60,000,000. Sixty per cent. of this grain has been bought by England and Germany. Germany has bought this year 30,000,000 bushels of corn, as against 1,000,000 in 1888. There is every reason to believe that, as corn and its products, corncake, cornbread, and other well known American delicacies, become better known in Europe, the market for this grain will increase, to the great profit of the American farmer.

The Great Oak at Drayton Manor. WHAT, so far as we can judge from our observations, says Garden and Forest, is the most massive, symmetrical, and imposing tree in eastern North America, is a live oak, Quercus virens, standing on one side of the entrance to Drayton manorhouse, on Ashley river, near Charleston. The home of the Drayton family, a handsome red brick Elizabethan mansion, was built while South Carolina was a British colony, and it is said that the site of the house was selected on account of this tree, although, as the live oak grows very rapidly, it is not impossible that it was planted with its mate on the other side of the drive when the house was first built.

At the present time the short trunk girths 23 feet 4 inches at the smallest place between the ground and the branches, which spread 123 feet in one direction and 119 feet in the other. The tree is growing over a bed of phosphate, and the demands of trade will therefore probably cause its destruction before its time. More than once we have visited this tree, and each visit has increased our reverence for nature as we stood in the presence of this wonderful expression of her power. No one who has not seen the Drayton oak can form a true idea of the majestic beauty of the live oak, the most beautiful of the 50 species of oaks which grow within the borders of the United States, or of all that nature in a supreme effort at tree growing can produce.

Boiling Water Without Fire.

It is possible to make a pail of water boil without putting it on the fire, and without applying external heat to it in any way. In fact, you can make a pail of water boil by simply stirring it with a wooden paddle. This feat was recently performed in the physical laboratory of Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, and any one may do it with a little trouble and perseverance. All you have to do is to place your water in a pail—it may be ice water if necessary—and stir it with a wooden paddle. If you keep at it long enough it will certainly boil. Five hours of constant and rapid stirring are sufficient to perform the feat successfully. The water will, after a time, grow hot-so hot, in fact, that you cannot hold your hand in it, and, finally, it will boil. Professor Ames, of Johns Hopkins, annually illustrates some of the phenomena of heat by having one of his students perform the trick in front of his class. It is a tiresome job, but it is perfectly feasible.

It re

The point which Professor Ames wishes to illustrate is what is known as the mechanical equivalent of heat. quires just so many foot pounds of work to develop a given quantity of heat. By turning the paddle in the water at a regular speed it is possible to find out just how much work is required to raise the temperature of water one degree.

Heat is developed in almost any substance which is subjected to continuous or very violent action. It is an old trick for a blacksmith to forge without fire. Long continued or violent hammering on two pieces of wire will heat them to such an extent that they can be welded together. A lead bullet, if shot directly at a stone wall, will develop heat enough by the contact to melt and fall to the ground a molten

mass.

CURRENT EVENTS.

THE movement of troops, under the command of General Miles, for the capture of the island of Porto Rico, began last week, and on the 25th inst., a dispatch from St. Thomas, (an island near Porto Rico, belonging to Denmark), announced that the troops were landing near Ponce, on the south coast of Porto Rico, across the island from the city of San Juan, the capital. It is said that a total of 35,000 troops will be sent on this expedition, and that no immediate collision with the Spanish forces is expected, as it will take some time" to get the force landed, and in condition for action.

It now appears that all the Spanish troops in the district commanded by General Toral, and included by him in his act of surrender at Santiago, have given themselves up to General Shafter, or will do so. He estimates the total about as originally stated, 22,000 to 23,000. A dispatch from Santiago on the 25th says: "The 7,000 Spanish soldiers at Guantanamo laid down their arms to-day. The 3,350 from Palma Sorriano, San Luis, and Longo surrendered yesterday to Lieutenant Miley, and to-day pack trains with provisions were sent them. The only others included in the capitulation are 2,000 troops at Baracoa, and 1,000 at Sagua. They have not yet been turned over, but they are nowhere in General Garcia's vicinity."

GENERAL SHAFTER's troops remain at Santiago, and will do so, it is stated, until the Spanish prisoners are sent away. The Spanish ships, with which the contract was made for the deportation, are expected to begin to arrive at Santiago soon. Many cases of fever continue among the American troops, but most of them are malarial, and the death rate from these is said to be under two per cent. of the cases. General Shafter reported about 500 new cases of fever on the 24th, a few of these being genuine yellow fever. About 450 who had recovered returned to duty the same day. There are many cases of typhoid fever among the troops at Camp Alger, Va., and it is now stated that the camp is not to be removed.

THE reading public is likely to be ensnared many times. by false dispatches in the daily papers. A very precise and circumstantial news dispatch was printed one day near the close of last week, saying that Garcia, the Cuban commander, had attacked a column of Spanish troops on the way to give up their arms at Santiago to Shafter, and that they (the Cubans) had been severely defeated. On the 25th inst., a General Shafter authorizes an dispatch from Santiago said: absolute contradiction of the report that Garcia encountered a force of Spaniards, who were returning to Santiago to surrender and was defeated by them."

THERE is no further news of importance, at this writing, from Manila. Anxiety over possible international trouble there continues. Four Russian warships have left Port Arthur, and it is supposed their destination is the Philippine Islands. Japan has sent four warships to Saiseho to reinforce the Japanese squadron there. The squadron has been ordered to coöperate with the British and American admirals, in the event of international complications. Bodies of American troops continue to sail from San Francisco to Manila.

CONTRADICTORY reports continue to come from Spain as to the disposition of those in control there to "sue for peace. There is apparently no idea entertained at Washington that any intention or suggestion of peace should be made by the United States. On the 25th inst., a dispatch from Madrid by way of London, said that the Spanish Government had drawn up a message, addressed to the Government at Washington, proposing an armistice for the purpose of discussing terms of peace. Some interest has been aroused in the announcement that a young American woman, of Milwaukee, Wis., Miss Jessie Schley, had gone from Paris to Madrid to influence the Government there to make peace. She is, it is stated, the daughter of a cousin of Commodore Schley, and her father is said to have written to her forbidding her from persisting in her effort.

A CALL, signed by over one thousand persons, representing every State in the Union, has been sent out by the Civic Federation of Chicago for a National Conference at Saratoga, New York, on the 19th and 20th of next month, to discuss the future policy of the United States, as to the acquisition of territory as a result of the war with Spain. The consideration of the subject is to be open to all shades of opinion, but the movement is prompted by persons opposed to "imperial” schemes.

In the midst of the war which we are conducting it seems that international arbitration makes headway. It was announced on the 25th instant that Admiral Canavaro, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Argentine Minister to Italy, Senor Enrique Mereno, have signed a general arbitration treaty between Italy and Argentina.

A DISPATCH from London announces that a new GovernorGeneral of Canada has been appointed in succession to the present incumbent, the Earl of Aberdeen. The new official

is the Earl of Mints. His name is Gilbert John Elliott, he was born in 1845, has served in the army; but resigned in 1870, and is described as a Liberal in politics.

Ar Wilmington, Del., on the 25th instant, in the United States district court, the trial of R. R. Kenney, of Dover, one of the two United States Senators from the State of Delaware, who was charged with aiding and abetting William N. Boggs, formerly a clerk in the First National Bank of Dover, in a misuse of the bank's funds, came to an end, the jury, after nearly three days' deliberation, being unable to agree. It is said they stood 7 to 5 for acquittal. Boggs and two others had already been tried at previous terms of the court, for looting the bank, and convicted. It appeared that Senator Kenney had been associated with Boggs in business operations, and had been his counsel; the question on the trial was whether he had knowledge of Boggs's peculations. It is supposed there will be another trial of the case.

NINETEEN Austrian sailors who were on the wrecked steamship Bourgogne were, on the 25th inst., charged before a magistrate in Havre with cruelty and brutality at the time of the collision, by four second-class passengers. Six of the accused were held on remand. The others were discharged.

NEWS AND OTHER GLEANINGS. NUMEROUS cases of the destruction of barns by fire have been reported in the region about Philadelphia. Among these was the large barn of Israel L. Bartram in Willistown township, Chester county, burned on the 14th inst., with the new crops of wheat and hay. The stock and a part of the machinery were saved. At Westfield, N. J.,.on the 17th inst., the barn

NOTICES.

***Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting will be held on Third-day, Eighth month 9, at 10 o'clock a m., at Valley meeting-house.

Special arrangements have been made to convey Friends to and from Maple Station, on Chester Valley railroad, a short distance from the meeting-house.

Members of the Select Meeting can take the 1.36 p. m. train from 12th and Market streets, on Second-day (the 8th) for Maple Station (without changing cars at Bridgeport), where

Friends will meet them.

Friends residing at Germantown can take the 12.55 p m. train from Main Street Station, making connection with the 1.36 train from 12th and Market streets at Columbia Avenue Station. Tickets good to those desiring to return to the city on Second-day evening, who will take the 7.32 train from Port Kennedy.

On Third day, train will leave Chelten Station, Germantown, at 7.25 a. m., making connection at Columbia Avenue with the train leaving 12th and Market streets at 7.36 a. m.

Tickets good going on Second- and Thirddays, can be purchased at 12th and Market

of Dr. Joshua D. Janney was destroyed, with contents. The horses were saved.

-Governor Hastings has appointed Dr. J. T. Rothrock, of West Chester; Isaac B. Brown, of Corry; Dr. George G. Groff, of Lewisburg, and Albert Lewis, of Wilkesbarre, members of the State Forestry Reservation Commission, of Pennsylvania, to take charge of the State forest reservations. Another member is to be appointed.

-Letters received from managers of Canadian mines at Dawson say the gold commissioner estimates the production of gold in that region, the last year, at $7,000,000. It would have been more but for the number of men having to leave last winter on account of the anticipated scarcity of provisions and the consequent scarcity of labor at the mines.

-A New York newspaper, the Sun, is responsible for the statement that there is in that city an old clothes dealer who. has just entered upon a new branch in his line of business, that of furnishing old, worn, army uniforms to "beats" and professional beggars, who represent themselves as sick and wounded soldiers on their way home.

-Miss Margaret Richardson, of Norristown, Pa., has passed an examination for admission to the Montgomery county bar, and will be the first woman lawyer in that county. Stocks of Manila hemp are becoming very small in this country because of the war and blockade in the Philippines, and this hemp is the chief raw material reliance of the rope and cordage factories. Prices are already about three times as high as they were at the beginning of the year.

-President E. Benjamin Andrews, of Brown University, has been elected superintendent of the Public Schools of Chicago, and has resigned the presidency of Brown. The election at Chicago was not without some friction. His successor at Brown is not yet chosen.

-The town of Pugwash, Nova Scotia, was destroyed by fire on the 25th inst. Two hundred dwellings, five churches, twenty stores, three hotels, and several mills were burned. The buildings were of wood, and there was no fire apparatus. The inhabitants encamped in the fields and woods.

Because of religious scruples," says a news item, "the Germania Band, of Quakertown, Pa., has refused to give Sunday evening sacred concerts in the trolley pavilion between Quakertown and Richlandtown." Glad to hear of it.

-It has been decided that the ships taken in Santiago harbor by the surrender of that city become United States property, not as prizes of either army or navy. This is in accordance with a former Supreme Court decision.

-The Council of the city of New York have adopted an ordinance against swearing and vile language in the streets or in public conveyances, and there is some suggestion that it is to be enforced.

Committee.