Various

“ Yet there most certainly was a time when men had not yet learned to produce and to handle this marvellous force of nature, their most helpful friend and most destructive foe. Can we picture to ourselves how miserable and degraded, how distressingly like that of other forest animals must have then been the condition of those who yet were the fathers of the coming human race? ”

“ The better class of Armenians in Constantinople denounce the shameful deeds, and are enraged at the men who have once more turned the wrath of the Turks against the unhappy Christians in the Sultan's domains.
There is a feeling of great uneasiness throughout the city, the Turks fearing that more dynamite bombs will be thrown, and the Armenians that the mob will take a hideous vengeance for the outrage.
In the midst of all this danger and confusion, the foreign ambassadors are endeavoring to arrange for the treaty of peace between Greece and Turkey. ”

“ Putting away the dead in mound-graves, besides being a universal custom, was one which endured through a long series of centuries, since their contents illustrate for us the Age of Bronze through all its gradations and a goodly portion of the Age of Iron—i.e., the beginnings of the age in which we live ourselves. ”

“ Not without due state and seemly retinue shall the hero enter on the new life which awaits him; his own best-loved companion shall minister to him; his own tried servants shall follow him as of yore; the steed which bore him safely out of many a battle, the hound which shared with him the joys of many a glorious chase, shall bear him into the fray with new and unknown foes, shall hunt down with him the game that roams the forests of the Unknown Land. As the way thither may be very long, the travellers shall not go unprovided. ”

“ The public buildings were all draped in black, all business was suspended in Madrid during the ceremonies, and all honor was paid to his memory, the Queen Regent sending personal messages of sympathy to his widow, and ordering the court to go into mourning for him for three days.
Kings and princes cannot give expression to their feelings as private individuals do; they have their public duties to perform, and therefore no matter how sincere their grief they are not at liberty to shut themselves away from the world and mourn their loss. ”

“ The Armenians in Turkey are becoming restless once more.
They say they have waited long enough for the promised reforms, and as the Sultan has made none of the proposed changes, they have once again shown their hatred for him and his rule by resorting to that most cowardly of weapons, a dynamite bomb. ”

“ The "mound-builders" have been busy all over the world. There is no flat country on any part of the earth where these strange monuments have not been found, singly or in groups, and it taxes at times a sharp eye to know them from the natural grass-grown knolls or hillocks on a so-called rolling plain, for which, indeed, they were taken until some accident made known what they really were. ”

“ She said that the war indemnity demanded by Turkey was so large that Greece could never pay it, and that the Turkish occupation of Thessaly until the debt was settled really meant that Thessaly was to be ceded to Turkey.
As we have said, the English were very pleased over the stand Lord Salisbury had taken. It seemed to have been done just at the right moment, when the Powers, weary of the delay and anxious to have the Turkish army disbanded, would be ready to threaten Turkey with war if she did not immediately obey them.
This Turkish army is felt to be a very serious menace to Europe. ”

“ The miners are preparing to prevent these men from going into the mines.
There has been great excitement during the past few days over the sudden rise of the wheat market.
Nearly all of the great countries of the world, with the exception of the United States, have had poor wheat crops this year. Our crop has been considerably larger than any we have had for several years past. People cannot do without bread, and in consequence of this failure of their crops, other countries have had to come to us and buy. ”

“ The Pass once taken, they had the temerity to offer to treat with the British for peace, and promise to go peaceably back to their homes if the soldiers should be withdrawn from all the forts on the frontier.
The British Government is incensed that the tribesmen should be so little afraid of the power of the English arms, and has determined to conquer this rebellious tribe, and give it a lesson in obedience that will not soon be forgotten.
Now that the outbreak has assumed such a serious form, every one is trying to discover a reason for the rebellion. ”

“ And yet, when we speak of "historic" and "prehistoric" times, we never think of all these races; they do not count among the so-called "culture-races," because they have produced no civilization of their own, have done nothing to advance the work of the world, added nothing to its treasury; in short, they have not helped to make history. ”

“ Some think that the Sultan of Turkey is at the root of the matter, and that he has caused the news of his victory over the Greeks to be spread broadcast throughout the whole Mohammedan race, thereby creating the impression that the power of Europe has been shaken, and in this way has given the natives of Hindustan an idea that it is an excellent opportunity for them to try to throw off the hated European sovereignty.
Another rumor is that the Ameer of Afghanistan has incited the tribes to rebel, and that he is secretly giving them his support and assistance. ”

“ The Sultan has an enormous number of soldiers now under arms, and moreover this army of his is a victorious army, proud of its strength, and anxious to have fresh opportunity to show its mettle and courage. ”

“ He is to go the round of the consulates in the island with Consul-General Lee, and obtain an idea of the true conditions in Cuba, and report the result of his observations to the President.
The new tariff law has now been in effect for some weeks, and every day there are fresh accounts of the woes of the incoming travellers from Europe.
The zeal of the Custom-House officers in performing their duty is only equalled by the efforts of the passengers in avoiding theirs. Every ship-load that arrives affords infinite sport for the unconcerned onlooker. ”

“ No matter how various the stages of human culture which these latter betray, one feature is common to all, back to the most primitive feasting-places of the cave-dwellers; it is—the knowledge and use of fire. ”

“ During this time the whole court is dressed in black or the color that is used as mourning in that special country. In France, purple used to be the color of the court mourning; in China they use white. The servants as well as the ladies and gentlemen of the sovereign's household all wear the mourning color, and during the period set apart for the days of mourning no dinners or festivities of any sort are given, no persons are received or presented at the court, and the king and court retire into private life. ”

“ In making the selection of important events, remember that wars and political events are not necessarily the most important. If, for instance, the air-ship had turned out to be a genuine and successful thing, it would have been most important as affecting the history of the world. Or if by chance the telephone or telegraph had been invented in this period, these inventions would have been important events.
Prizes will be awarded to those who make the best selection and who mention the events in the best order of their importance. Answers may be sent in any time before September 1st. ”

“ The situation in Cuba continues to improve for the insurgents. They are strong, hopeful, and victorious. They have not as yet risked any great battle, but in their raids and forays against the enemy are constantly successful. ”

“ Though a little flurry in the price of wheat cannot of itself make prosperity, the demands on our carrying trade for the shipment of the grain to foreign countries has brought a great deal of business to our shores. ”

“ More than that: there are plenty of peoples now living in—for them—prehistoric times. Take all the savage tribes still scattered over land and sea in many parts of the world. Just as there are enough South Sea Islanders for whom the Age of Stone is not over yet, since they still use flint, bone, and fishbone for their tools and weapons, and what metal they have comes to them through barter from Europeans or Americans. ”

“ It is easy to see that the choicest pieces of fine and artistically ornamented pottery have been selected from the household stores. In mounds of the later periods some of the dishes and bowls are of bronze, even of gold and silver, and show considerable beauty of form and workmanship ”

“ It is, however, stated that the British, French, and Russian ambassadors have all sent word to their governments that it is quite impossible for Greece to pay the sum demanded by Turkey.
Steps are therefore being taken to induce the Sultan to accept a smaller sum, but the chances are that his success in securing Thessaly will make Abdul Hamid refuse to take a piaster less. He will be sure to think that if he only holds out long enough he will get everything he asks for. ”

“ All the revolting tribes dwell on the borders of Afghanistan, and it is known for a fact that the Ameer distributed among the native Indian regiments a book of treasonable character, telling them all about the Jehad or Holy War. ”

“ Not infrequently a horse is found in a corner—the chief's own charger; and even sometimes a dog at the master's feet. Every skull, of man, woman, or animal, shows the heavy single blow which severed life. ”

“ Don Carlos, however, persists in awaiting the result of the Cuban war before he attempts to seize the throne. He declares that he loves his country too well to plunge it into a civil war at the moment when it is harassed by outside enemies. ”

“ At the first glance it looks like the ordinary hangers we have been using for so many years, but this invention obviates the one objection which attaches to all the other hangers we have come across—it adapts itself to the size of the place in which it is to be used. ”

“ We are not carpenters! Open them yourselves!"
There and then these well-dressed, well-mannered young men had to set to work to pry open their own packing-cases.
By this time their suavity had so exasperated the officials, who are not accustomed to politeness and pleasant words from incoming passengers, that they decided that the young Frenchmen must have a reason for their good manners, and be in fact dangerous smugglers. ”

“ Not only are there fewer mother seals than formerly, but the killing of the young pups has made such a difference in the herd that there are very few young braves growing up. This year there seems to be only old men and mother seals, and hardly any young families at all. ”

“ He said that his soldiers should never be used to fight against the British, and that if any of the tribes under his rule are guilty of joining in a rebellion against his friend the Queen, it is without his knowledge or consent. ”

“ Nature-study will continue to be a prominent feature. The best talent will be employed to prepare programmes and exercises for the proper observance of the birthdays of noted men, and all school holidays. ”

“ If this is done, her Majesty will probably require the young people to spend a good deal of their time in Ireland.
The Irish themselves have not been very friendly to the young Prince. They have indeed rather resented this attempt to gain their friendship.
The entertainments that have been given have been by the government officials, the Irish themselves carefully abstaining from any signs of satisfaction at the visit. ”

“ They found, as they had suspected, that his great size was due to a huge dynamite bomb, which he was trying to conceal under his robes. In Turkey many of the people have not adopted the European dress of coat and trousers, but still cling to their long loose robes.
As soon as the bomb was discovered it was carefully put into water, the man was arrested, and the bank closed its doors, an extra guard of soldiers being sent for to protect it. ”

“ Since the Armenian attack, therefore, there has not only been a special guard on duty to protect the bank, but men stationed at the doors to inspect every person who entered, and prevent any suspicious-looking characters from gaining access to the main building. ”

“ It was not every one could afford the luxury of a wholesale slaughter in his household. The chambers, too, are very different in size and construction, and the furnishings vary quite as much in richness and beauty. ”

“ We must not forget that, among the countless mounds which have been opened, only a very few are like that we just looked into. The general run are much plainer, and the majority contain only one silent inmate. ”