The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 11, March 17, 1898 | Page 3

World
And What Is Going On In It
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Vol. II., No. 11. MARCH 17, 1898 Whole No. 70
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[Sidenote: =With the Editor=]
Spain and the Cuban situation continue to form the great centres of
interest in this week's news. With the continuation of active
preparations on the part of the United States and Spain, the crisis seems

to be rapidly approaching. It is to be hoped that each will succeed in
making itself so strong that war may be averted because of its probable
magnitude. The presence of two strong fleets, opposed to each other, on
the high seas could not but prove a menace to the interests of other
nations; the prospect of this may of itself lead to a peaceful conclusion
through the intervention of some one of the great powers. War seems a
glorious thing to those who have not known its horrors; to experience it
is quite another thing. In any event it would mean to many loss of
fathers or brothers, destruction of property, paralysis of business--and
all for what? That some point might be attained, some pride gratified,
some enemy humbled--results as easily accomplished by arbitration the
great blessing of the century. We may not ourselves be able to do
anything to avert war. Each of us, however, can do his share toward
creating a sentiment in favor of peace, and thus overcome the effect of
the mischief-makers who, crying war at the top of their lungs now, will
be the first to shirk duty if we have to fight.
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We take pleasure in announcing that the publication of "The Great
Round World, and the People Who Lived on It," by Mme. Z. A.
Ragozin, the first numbers of which appeared in THE GREAT
ROUND WORLD some months ago, will be continued shortly. Serious
illness of the author has until this time interfered with its continuation.
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Our new premium catalogue which was announced several weeks ago
will be mailed with No. 73 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, for
March 31st. Every subscriber will get a copy. Others can have it on
application.
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=Answers to Correspondents=
We have received the following very interesting letter from the City of
Mexico:

DEAR EDITOR:
I read in one of last July's numbers of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD
a request for further information about the Empress Carlotta or the
Emperor Maximilian.
We have a little summer home in the same town of Cuernavaca where
they had their residence.
I don't wonder that they chose it for a summer home, it is such a
beautiful spot and the climate perfection. It is fifty miles in air-line
from the City of Mexico.
Their residence in Cuernavaca was an old place called "Jardin de la
Borda." The house is of no importance, but the garden is one of the
beautiful sights of Mexico; though now in a state of ruin, it is all
fountains, terraces, lakes, flowers, and trees.
The Emperor also had his shooting-lodge about three miles out, with a
small house on the grounds. Madame D---- (who was maid of honor to
the Empress) told my mother that it was used simply as a resting-place
for the huntsmen and a place of picnicking by the court. It is called
"Casa del Campo." It is also in a ruinous state, is rented for $100 per
year silver, and is used as a kind of beer-garden.
About ten miles from the town of Cuernavaca there is the magnificent
hacienda of Atlascomulco, originally owned by Hernan Cortez. The
greater portion of the building stands as Cortez left it, the walls being in
many places five feet thick.
In the orchard attached is a small one-story house where Maximilian
spent many hours of his stay at Cuernavaca; and there in a small room
he signed the famous "Banda Negra" (Black Decree) which caused him
to be so hated and which hastened his fall.
There are still to be seen the table, chair, and pen said to have been
used by Maximilian when he signed the Black Decree. JOHN R. D.,
JR.

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=New Books=
From Germany we have received a most interesting little publication
for our girls, and also a most valuable chart which will interest their
elders.
"Fuer fleissige Kinderhaende. Anleitung und Muster fuer Bekleidung
einer Puppe. Von Julie Lutz, Lehrerin der Frauenarbeitsschule,
Heilbronn," is the title of the former. We hope to see an English edition
of this some time soon, for many of our readers may not find German
so easy to understand. However, even though this has the directions in
German, it will be very much appreciated by all.
It consists of a