Morning journal and courier., 1884-05-22

girls, to the detriment of all other classes of readers. ''Any story" he says, 'is good enough provided it be sentimental enough. Neither poetry of language nor observation of life and manners is asked for. The work is, hear, done chiefly by women who pro duce their two or three books year. Ahl how do admire their facility. Here am l, just come back from Azin, where have been for the last two months compiling notes, and can barely complete three pages day This book deals with the life of the miners.
 One of the most interesting things in the New Orleans exposition will be the exhibit made by the colored people. At g recent meeting of prominent colored citizens in Washington, presided over by the Lberian consul at New Orleans. Major Burke, director general of the exposition, announced that it's managers had appropriated fifty thousand dollars toward the colored exhibit. He stat ed that forty per cent. of the mechanics en- ployed in New Orleans were coiored men and predicted splendid display on the part of this class of the people. Resolutions favor ing the plan of exhibits by colored people were adopted by the meeting, with the re- quest that the President would appoint two colored commissioners general stto receive the exhibits of six million colored citizens of the United States, that they may be properly placed on exhibition at the Worlds Centen- nial Cotton Exposition"
 Land along the Reviere. that pleasant stretch of the Mediterranean coast which at- tracts such throng of European and Am erican pleasure seekers. is now in great de- mand for speculation. Lots are sold like stocks, purchasers paying deposit or mar gin which is forfeited if the price declines below certain limits. The demand has been such as to force the price from three or four francs e metre up to twenty four and twenty five. and though there has been decline to fifteen, this is supposed to be basis for 8 reaction. A great card for the spectators is the purchase of property by some prince whoss interest is certain to attract the but terdiss of fashion. Great expectations had been excited by the purchase of land by the Duke of Albany, whose sudden death has disappointed many operators for an advance. The syndicate who disposed of property at Antibes to him now insist that his agreement shall be carried out by his relatives. They are bold enough to demand that the Duchess of Albany, his widow, should build and oc- cupy house there.
 The Masons of Philadelphia are rejoicing because they have been enabled to make good their claim that theirs was the mother city of Freemasonry in America. The ledger book of St. Johns lodge, kept by Benjamin Franklin and giving list of mem bers from June 24, 1731, to June "A. 173s, a stiff vellum volume, all in Franklin's own handwriting, is now in the library of the Philadelphia Historical society, having been presented to it by George T. Ingham, of Salem New Jersey, who received it from descen- dant of David Hall, who was Franklin's part ner in the printing business. It is well pre- served and bears on it's face it's evidence as an original record. It is the oldest Masonic lodge book by far in America. The oldest existing lodge record book previously known in Pennsylvania dates back only to 1767. and the oldest lodge record book in Massachu- sstts, that of St. John's lodge, Boston, was compiled and written in 1733, when Masonry was established in Massachusetts. The dis. covered record antedates it two years.