The man put the garments into the machine, turned the crank, and in a minute the black and dirt were all out of the aprons. The girls were highly pleased. They signified their approval as the man wrung out the suds with his machine, and watched him with great interest as he carefully folded each apron, and then put them through a couple of rollers which were attached to the machine and intended to act as a mangle. Clean, smooth, and neatly pressed, he handed each apron back to its owner and waited for their thanks. The whole business had not taken more than five minutes, and he expected to do a thriving trade in washing-machines on the spot. He was disappointed. No sooner did the girls get back their aprons than the trouble began. In their ignorance they had expected that the garments would be returned to them dry as well as clean, and when they found that they were wringing wet and could not be used again for several hours, their rage knew no bounds. They beat the man, tore his clothes, broke his machine, and ill-treated him until the men and boys from the mill, who had been watching the riot with laughter, thought it was time to interfere, and rescued the agent from the angry women. There is nothing gentle or feminine about the English factory girl. * * * * * The Sultan of Turkey has sent a demand to the powers that the ten thousand rifles seized on board a Greek ship shall be turned over to him. These arms were taken during the early part of the blockade of Crete, and have been held by the powers. Abdul Hamid has also issued a protest against the trial of a number of his subjects in the courts of Crete. He demands that they shall be sent over to Turkish courts and tried by Turkish judges instead of by the representatives of the powers. He seems to be beginning his interference in Cretan matters. * * * * * A telegram from Christiania, Norway, states that news of Professor Andree has just been brought from Spitzbergen. The nature of the news is not given, but it has been brought by the crew of a ship which was wrecked in the Arctic Seas, and who have just made their way to Spitzbergen. Spitzbergen is one of a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean to the north of Sweden, and east of Greenland. We may probably soon learn the fate of Andree and his brave followers. G.H. ROSENFELD. PRIZE CONTEST. There were so many competitors in the prize contest recently closed that it was impossible to decide who were the winners in time to announce their names in last week's paper. The quotation was, "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword," and Miss H.K. Peck, Crown Street, Meriden, Conn., won the first prize, and Miss E. DuBois, Greenwich, Conn., the second. Watch for the new contest, which will begin in an early number. LETTERS FROM OUR YOUNG FRIENDS. DEAR MR. HARISON: