A Mongolian Legend

Those nterested in folk-lore may perhaps bo glad to read the following legend as to the origin of the Kussians fouud by Col. Prjevalsk}7 to bo curront among the Mongol inhabitants of Zaidan, and pubfished in the Iiusski Invalide: "In fornier times there lived in a cave, far away from all people, a good hermit lama, or priest, who passed nis life in praying. A pair of nouiads, consisting of an agod mother and her daughter, happened to go that way, and the daughter, while tending cattle, carne upou the cave of the lioly lama, who was at that timo ill. Tho compassionato maiden oüered hiiu souio sour milk, but lio did not like to taste it. At last he gave way to her entreaties, and took the sour milk everv day until he got well. Eventually, out of gratituue for the cure, the lama married the inaiden. "As soon as the czar of thatcountry heard of this he sent his troops to kill the priest who had so Üagrantly broken his vows and committed the sin of marriage. When the troops approachéd the lama gathered a bunch of reeds and stuck f hem in tho ground round his tent, and then by force of prayer caused thern to be all turned ïnlo soldiers, who defeated the troops of the czar. Tho latter sent a second and a th!rd arniy, but both were beateu, as the lama continued to pray and turn into more fighting men the reeds brokeu oft" by his lirst created defenders, so that the holy lama soon had a great number of troops. Afterthe defeat of his third army the czar left the lama iilone in peace, but the latter did not wish to live any longer on the oarth. The lama left his wife to rulè the people created from the reeds, and from those arose the Russians. They havo white bodies and thoir hair is often fair, because the sterns of the reeds were of a yeliowish color, and the tops somewhat darker."- London Times Si. Petersburg C'orrespondence. "[ have slxteen cbildren," said an old Kentucuia Qiournfully; '-and stlll I do not Bit with my legs cro8"d vvatchlng my cabtage grow."- Louiiville Courier Journal. "Yes, sir," said the entomologist, "I can tame flics so that when 1 whistle they wiil como and alight 011 my hand. "Psliaw!" said thobald-headed man, "that's notbing. They come and alight 011 my huad without ray whistling. " The nctomologist sat down. A oitizen of Boston, in looking over the genealogical records of his farnily, noticed tho follovving: "Abiah - died 1799, nged 17. Tradition says sho went to a ball dressed in the manner of later days, 'beauifully but not warmlv;' caught cold, and died four days after. Tiie dress was an heirloom inthe family of Ira." A man at Union City, Pa., puzzlod hls neighbors by frequoutly carrying a papev bag, ovidently containins; somcthing hfiávy, to his room. What ho could do with so much flour was i mystery, bnt tho other night the matter was explained when -the man slippcd apon tho ice and burst the b;xr, disclosiug a tin pail tillod with beej The kirmess which oponed recently n New York is a festival which originated in the Netherlands many years ago. It is supposod that tho word is derived from kerk, the Dutch foi church, and messe.feast and was origi nally a church festival. Tenier and other Flemish artists have illusti'ttted the old-tinie scones of the "kermesse," as it was then callee!. The many Americans who hare viowed with wonder and admiration tho remains of Heidelberg castle, splendid even in decay, will boglad to learn that the reported injury to the foundations by the railway tunnel beneath them existed only in imagination. A commission tippointed to make an examiuation says it tinds tho foundations in porfect condition. Capt. John Ayres, of Santa Fo, New Mexico, who went toNew Mexico with the California volunteers in early days, and for a time was in conmiand of Fort Marcy, publishes a two-column article revio w,.stating that ho has discovered tho original warm mineral springs which the Aztecs lilled up and hid at the timeof the Spanish invasión. Tho spring is about four miles east oi Santa Fe. Mr. D. C. Robbins, in his "Aimual Review of the Drug Trado oí New York," States that in 183i wo imported 1,263,732 ounces of quiniue and 2,588,307 pounds of cinchona bark. We aro iaiporting more quinino and manufacturing less every year. ín 1884 wo ímported twiofi as much quinine and half as ir.iich bark a's in 1882. In 1883 more opium was imported for smoking (298,153 pouuds) than for all other purposes put together. The largo duty pluced upon this form of opium redneed the import for 1884 very considerably. A letter was received at the postoflïce in Portland, Orogon. the other day, addrossed to "Olympift, Oregon, State of California." Tho laughtei caused among the employés by this funny address had not died away when another letter -,va disoovered addressed to some postofiice in Oi'egon which lookcd much like "SowBellie." After everyono had wondered for somo timo the expert of tho establishment discovored that the address was "Sow Piellie," which was quickly nterpreted to be the Chincso for ''South Prairie," and thither thu lettor was sent.