The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-12-02
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

DIR. Peters, the German explorer of
Africa, who is visiting the United
States, has written a letter home, a bit
of which has got into print. He says
that he has enjoyed greatly what he
has seen in America, and adds: 'Still
it is not Europe. America keeps in
culture and civilization about the mid
die of Africa and Europe"
DIR. Robert Battey, an elderly ply
stefan residing in Rome, Ca. has pre-
sented to the state about one Thousand
valuable medical works from his pri-
vate library, asking that they be made
the nucleus of a medical reference Ii
brary in the state capital in Atlanta,
the states need of which he has often
realized during his professional career.
Prince komatu, n near relative of
the imperial family of Japan, with his
wife, is about to begin n journey to Eu-
rope to pay his respects to the various
crowned heads there. In all probabili-
ty he will also visit this country. The
prince is a young man, not more than
thirty years old, and an officer in the
japanese navy. He was formerly at
tached to the Japanese embassy in Ber-
lin.
Queen Wilhelmine of Holland, aged
thirteen, has a large collection of dolls,
many of which are presents from SOW
ereigns. Among them are twenty dolls
representing officers in full uniform-a
kindergarten method of teaching the
young queen to distinguish the various
military grades. The other day she
expressed Il desire for twenty female
dolls Ito keep these officers company,
as they were dreadfully bored"
There is 4 constantly increasing
demand in this country for the oriental
sacred books. The Koran in cheap
form is one of the best selling books,
and a volume of extracts from Buddha
is extremely popular. The sale of the
Zend Avcsta is restricted. because it
can not be obtained in cheap form.
The purchasers of these works are not
only clergymen, but laymen, and there
seems to be an intense curiosity to
compare the sacred books of other re-
ligions with the Bible.
News was brought to Seattle n few
days ago of the birth of the first white
child in the wilderness of the Yukon
river. 1t was born last spring to Mrs.
i. beaumont, wife of the keeper of n
trading post at the outlet of the Porcu-
pine river, within the Arctic circle and
almost on the eastern border of the ter
ritory. Mrs. beaumont is the only
white woman hat ever crossed the
mountains and descended the
Yukon. The first unmarried white
TO penetrate any considerable
distance up the Yukon was Miss Mel
len. a missionary, who took charge of
an Indian school at Forty Mile Creek
last spring.
Princess Christian is deeply inter-
ested in all good works. One of her
prctticst charities is possible to her
through her Conservatives, where she
has grown the flowers of all nations,
and she delights in sending to the for
eigners in her employ the blossoms Pc
to their native land. The
princess is always ready to assist girls
in finding employment, but her pet
hobby is nursing. She is honorary
president of the Royal British Nurses
association, whose design is to protect
the public from unqualified nurses of
the Sairy Camp and Betsy Prig stamp,
and attends their meetings at least once
n week, besides aids them with her in
in every possible way.-lIar-
per's Bazaar.
The Mystery of the Man in the
Iron Mask seems to he solved at last.
a long letter in cipher, addressed by
Louis NV. to his minister of war, the
Marquis dc Louvois, which is kept in
The archives of the ministry at Paris,
has, after repeated futile efforts, been
and proves to be an order
20 convey Gen. de Bulonde to the
of Pignerol, for having raised
he siege of Cont contrary to the kings
This happened in 1863. The
king directs that the generals face
shall be concealed under Il 'loup," or
black velvet mask. The revelation of
The identity is somewhat disappoint-
ing. If il was Gen. Bulonde who was
the Man of the Iron Mask, how dis
proportionatc his CffcnSc seems to the
punishment which secluded him for
Yeas from all communica-
ion with his kind save with his jailcr.
Republican.