r feet, and on her head a
crown of twelve stars._

It must, indeed, have been an inspiration, or a prophetic foresight of
the great advance soon to be made in the domain of science, that, a few
years ago, caused the venerable founder of Notre Dame to conceive the
grand idea which to-day we see so perfectly realized. In 1879, when the
new Notre Dame was being raised upon the ruins of the old, comparatively
little progress had as yet been made in electric lighting. In
particular, the great problem of the minute subdivision of the light
remained unsolved. Edison had not then begun his experiments, and the
incandescent light was not even dreamed of. To employ the arc light
around the statue was out of the question, not only because the
necessary appliances would detract from the beauty of the figure, but
also on account of the daily attention which the lamps would require.

But the idea had taken possession of the mind of Very Rev. Father Sorin,
and was tenaciously clung to, in spite of discouraging report through
the years that followed, until, at length, the success of subsequent
experiments, and the invention of incandescent electric lighting,
revealed the complete practicability of carrying out the grand design of
the venerable founder.

Now, twelve of the Edison incandescent lamps encircle the head of the
statue, while at the base are three semi-circles of nine lamps in each,
which form the crescent moon. These, together with the lights in the
halls of the college, are fed with the electric current by a powerful
dynamo, situated in the rear of the building. Thus the visitor to Notre
Dame, as he comes up the avenue at night, or the wayfarer for miles
around, can realize and revere that glorious tribute to the Queen of
Heaven, the Protectress of Notre Dame, as he sees her figure surrounded
with its halo of light, typifying the watchful care she constantly
exercises, by night as well as by day, over the inmates of this home of
religion and science, which has been specially dedicated to her honor.

_Notre Dame_ (Ia.) _Scholastic_.

Four Thousand Years.

Four thousand years earth waited,
Four thousand years men prayed,
Four thousand years the nations sighed,
That their King delayed.

The prophets told His coming,
The saintly for Him sighed,
And the Star of the Babe of Bethlehem
Shone o'er them when they died.

Their faces t