152 



TUK AMERICAN BEE KEEPER. 



May 



Dut always i;;r euougn to mae rrom mau 

 the defects iu their proportions. They 

 now not only conceal their proportions 

 to a large extent, he says, but they al- 

 ways seek to alter them, moving their 

 waist np or clown with stays, squeezing 

 in their natural figures here and build- 

 ing them out there, and not scorning 

 hoopskirts, bustles and crinoline iu or 

 der to make themselves look as little as 

 possible as nature made them. 



The ballet girl would seem to con- 

 found part of the baron's argument, but 

 he does not yield to this apparent defi- 

 ance of his logic. He contends that 

 woman dares to expose her defects in 

 tights "only when she summons to her 

 aid the most effective means of benumb- 

 ing the intellect of man." The baron 

 seems to feel, however, that he is in a 

 losing fight, for he adds: "But most of 

 the men of our times have ceased to 

 perceive the defects of female beauty. 

 Woman has deceived and misled her ad- 

 mirers so many generations with her 

 smooth, long gowiis that only a few, 

 educated by research and by constant 

 practice iu measuring the proportions of 

 the female form, fully clothed, have 

 gained that clear, unbiased view which 

 enables them to appreciate how skillful- 

 ly woman has carried out the delusion 

 as to her figure. " — San Francisco Argo- 

 naut. 



Walking to Health. 



When there is uo organic weakness 

 which is aggravated by the exertion, it 

 is the easic -t and pleasantest thing to 

 walk right into health. Of course, there 

 is no virtue iu a dawdling walk. The 

 slow and languid dragging of one foot 

 after the other, which some people call 

 walking, would tire an athlete; it ut- 

 terly exhausts a weak person, and that 

 is the reason why many delicate people 

 think they carinot walk. To derive any 

 benefit from the exercise it is necessary 

 to walk with a light, elastic step, which 

 swings the Aveight of the body so easily 

 from one leg to the other that its weight 

 is not felt, and which produces a healthy 

 glow, showing that the sluggish blood 

 is stirred to action in the most remot 3 

 veins. This sort of walking exhilarates 

 the whole bod\-, gives tone to the nerves 

 and produces .iust that sort of healthfn^ 

 fatigue whicla encourages sound, restful 

 sleep. — Buffalo Express. 



The Eskimo's Kayak. 



Some queer craft are described by 

 Gustav Kobbe in St. Nicholas, and he 

 says of the native Greenlander's boat: 



While the tropical and semitropical 

 sailor clings to his lateen rig, the ex- 

 . treme northern race, the Eskimo, clings 

 perforce to his kayak and paddle. The 

 kayak suggests our racing shell, but 

 without the sliding seat, and so covered 

 over that only a hole remains to admit 

 the body. Even if the Eskimo of the 

 extreme north wished to adopt a sail, 

 he could not do so for lack of wood for 

 the mast. The light frame of his kayak 

 is made of bone skillfully thonged with 



to America on the clipper ship Eliza, 

 which he had chartered with the hope? 

 of aiding Najjoleon to escape to this 

 country. These trees, when brought 

 here, had their native earth still cling- 

 ing to their roots. They were planted 

 as described above, where they flourish- 

 ed and grew to a large size, spreading 

 out their peculiar branches wide over 

 their adopted soil — a mute reminder of 

 Aie decay of empires as well as people. — 

 New York Times. 



A King and His Crown. 



The sovereign who makes use of his 

 crown most frequently is that most 

 simple, unaffected and democratic of all 

 monarchs of Europe, King Oscar of 

 Sweden, who dons it each time that he 

 opens parliament at Stockholm or at, 

 Christiania. 



It scarcely adds to his appearance, 

 for it comes down too far over his nose, 

 and somewhat gives one the impression 

 of a derby hat worn on the back of the 

 head and .pulled down over the ears. 

 Indeed it is only the king's majestic 

 stature and dignified bearing that pre- 

 serve him from looking ridiculous when 

 he has got it upon his head. — London 

 Letter. 



Torn by Horges. 



During the middle ages great crimi- 

 nals, such as parricides and persons who 

 con.spired against the king, were torn 

 to pieces by horses, one or two powerful 

 steeds being fastened to each limb and 

 driven in different directions. Ravaillac, 

 the assassin of Henry IV, and Damiens, 

 who conspired against Louis XV, were 

 put to death iu this manner. 



