The Bryan Daily Eagle

About Vladivostok.

The New York Interesting Russian Outpost.

Vladivostok has the aspect of an inferior Hongkong, of about a quarter the size, says the Fortnightly Review. Hills crowned with forts rise round it up to a height of 500 feet. It lies on the south side of a peninsula twenty miles long, called Muravief Amuraky, in 43 degrees 6 minutes 51 seconds north latitude, and 131 degrees 54 minutes 21 seconds east longitude. The town is between four and five miles long, but is straggling and unconnected and of no breadth. Some streets are very steep and all are horribly dusty in dry weather, being never watered and being continually crossed in all directions by droshkas driven at a smart pace. Instead of pavements the side streets have "sidewalks" of planks, as commonly seen in new American cities. You take stout planks, some twenty-five feet long, and lay them side by side, and you continue the process for the required number of versts or miles (three versts are two miles) and the "sidewalk" is complete save for a few props and nails where the ground is too soft, or the foundation degenerated into holes.

The droshkas are driven by red-headed, snub-nosed Russian izvozchiks in low, glazed, stovepipe hats with very curly brims; red sleeves, plaited black skirts and high boots. In them one often sees, lolling as passengers, a couple of frowsy Chinese or a still frowzier Corean. The fare is only 80 kopeks, or 1 shilling and 1 pence, an hour or over half an hour, and from point to point there are 10-penny and 5-penny fares, according to distance. The regulations forbid charging more, but, with fine irony, allow the driver "to take less, if he likes." He may not leave his cab to take care of itself, may not "sing, make a noise or cause a disturbance;" he must temper his pace to a "town trot," and "keep to the right-hand side of the road."

The troika has a dashing look: the horse in the middle trots under the arched dung, whose object and effect, when properly put on, is to keep the shafts at the same distance apart. The small horses right and left are cantering and their bodies incline a little outward from the car. In Vladivostok are few complete triple teams; generally there are only the "middle horse" trotting, and one other cantering on its near side.

The water-barrel on wheels, drawn by horse or bull, and often driven by a soldier, is a frequent sight, carrying water up to the forts and to the upper town. A funnier horse vehicle is the sit-astride, cushioned beam, on which izvozchik and cloaked and spurred officer sit, with dangling legs, one behind the other.

Women and Their Lovers.

It is easy enough to tell a man by his friends but it is impossible to tell a woman by her lovers. One reason for this is that a man usually shows himself to his fellows as he is but it is impossible for his fellows to know how he shows himself to a woman, so long as he is in love with her. In that blissful condition the rude, off-hand man of business becomes to his mistress a picture of clumsy courtesy: the coward is capable of feats of valor from which a French cuirassier would shrink: the mean tradesmanly fellow will stop before the shops of jewelers, hesitate, and at last enter: the rake will honestly regret the hearts he believes that he has broken, and, for the moment, steadfastly purpose to lead a new life. But if these men find favor in the eyes of their respective women it is not for their pretty manners, nor their courage, nor their generosity, nor their pure-mindedness. The women are not repelled by their vices; that is all. They are not attracted by their lately assumed virtues. Why should they be? They are not courageous, nor generous, nor especially pure-minded themselves, and as for their pretty manners—perhaps their maids or their children could tell you something about those that would astonish you not a little.—London Realm.

Had a Vacant Look.

Joseph H. Choate seldom meets a successful antagonist in repartee, but he met his match while trying a case in the surrogate's court not long ago. An old woman was being questioned about how a certain testator had looked when a certain incident had occurred. "Now how can I remember? He's been dead two years," she replied, testily. "Is your memory so poor you can't remember two years back?" continued Choate. The old woman was silent, and Choate asked: "Did he look anything like me!" "Seems to me he did have the same sort of a vacant look!" snapped the witness. The questioning was suspended.—New York Sun.

How to Clean Kid Gloves.

Clean kid gloves with naphtha: put them on the hands, rub with flannel dipped in naphtha, and then wipe dry with a clean piece of white flannel. Remove the gloves and hang them up in the air. The first steps in renovating are uninteresting, but must be done well or the after results will be far from satisfactory. Silk embroidery may be cleaned with a camel's-hair brush and spirits of wine. Prepare to do the task well or do not commence it. Be careful of explosive cleaning fluids, like benzine, naphtha, or alcohol. Always air goods after cleaning them in a fluid of strong odor.

Louisiana Mounds.

The United States government has taken possession of several mounds recently found near Charleston, La., which some seem to think were built by De Soto. Recently a farmhand plowing near the mounds turned up Spanish coins bearing dates of 1500, 1507 and 1508.