♦ ♦ Topics of the Times ♦ ♦ All tlie testimony pus to show that the American lieu acquitted herself nobly. Tt Is probably Just ns «ell that con- <re«8 never adjourns out of respect to s dead bill. The hatchet-'aeed man Is generally • nsiieeted of treachery If one of hla friends gets it in the neck. An insane man has made a cent into • screwdriver, Demonstration of how a lunatic can get tilings twisted. A royal wedding has been held in Russia without any dynamiting. Even Nihilists like a change once in a while. A Montana man has inherited a coun try home from a dog. lie will be both fashionable and grateful If he calls his placa- “The Kennels.” As for us. give us the kind of man who. notwithstanding It may be cloudy to-day, believes that to-morrow will be a sun-kissi'd dream. It cost a man $4.750 to kiss an un willing woman. The price seems high, considering how many girls are only waiting for a chance. Ixive is the name of the Chicago woman who was recently granted her Sixth divorce. Site should retain the name and use It for halt. The philosopher of the Atlanta Con- etitution says that “men like widows because they pretend not to know a lot of what they really do know.” Madame Paderewski paid $7.500 for four chickens. Tills seems like reckless extravagance until we reflect how easily her husband makes that amount. In celebrating Easter the Czar of Russia released 20,000 political prison ers. Tlie Russian reactionaries will not be likely to regard this as a cheer ful spring opening. Every kind of religion is permitted, to flourish in America so long as It keeps the peace. The first Hindu temple In the Western world was recently dedi cated in San Francisco. “Tlie excessive talker,” declared a London clergyman, “is a human vam pire who saps the vitality of those about him." But he meant “her” but didn't dare say It because his wife w-as *n the room. We are delighted to see that Miss Jean Held's fiance “attends the king and queen at all state and social af fairs.” Any man with a vigorous ag gressive life work like that ought to be a great and constant Joy to any Ameri can girl. ashes will be discovered to have been ■ flretrap. The discovery would be made too late to save the lives of unfortun ate occupants. Cities and towns which wish to do their full duty by the strung er within their gates should be s.irn-d to action by what 1ms happened at Fort Wayne. The authorities of each place should have Its hotels Investi gated to And out whether there Is a flretrap among them. Where one Is found tbe changes that will make it safe should be ordered. Tills Is what should be done generally. Common hu manity und regard for the lives of home people and strangers demand It Business considerations require It. In some places the lesson of the Fort Wayne hotel tire will tie heeded. In others the authorities will trust to luck. They will assume that the good fortun« which has protected Insecure hotels hitherto will stand by them. They will not hunt for flretraps, but will wait until a fire shall have revealed their ex istence. OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. It Is frequently said that a famllv can live for much less In England than in America, although tbe details are seldom given In support of the state ment. A committee of representative English working men, which visited America not long ago, has reported that there Is practically no difference In the price of food in the two countries, and that in some parts of England provis ions are more expensive than in New York. Rent Is higher here than In Great Britain. But even with the I greater rent the American working man Is better off. for his wages are hoi much higher than those paid on the other side that, as the committee has ■ reported, the American can save two dollars as easily as the Englishman fifty cents. The contented workman is the one who saves fifty cents or two dollars, rather than the one who complains that his wages are so small that he can save nothing. The news papers noted the death the other day of a man In Scotland who had never earned more than eight dollars a week, yet had educated two of Ills five chil dren well enough for them to enter the learned professions, and had a surplus of movable property worth two thou sand dollars. There Is In a New Eng land town a sh.te worker who, when he was a young man, resolved that he would save enough out of bls wages to tie able to retire and live on his Inter est at the age of sixty. He retired at the age of fifty-eight, with a home and a competency; yet he never received more than fifteen dollars a week. It Is men of this type the world over who are the bone and sinew of their respec tive countries. In democracies such as England and America they control In a real sense the national policies. The cost of living does not trouble them very much, for they have schooled themselves to adjusting tlielr imme diate wants to the necessity of provid ing for a future when they may rest from their labors. “Cuba llbre” has long been a war cry and watchword. A new kind of “Cuba llbre” is reported by Governor Magnon, who declares, after a careful Investigation, that the island has not a single case of yellow fever. That Is a better kind of “free Cuba” than even Its liberators dreamed of. “The flag of tlie American frigate Chesapeake, taken by II. M. S. Shannon June 1, 1813. which was recently sold at auction In this city, has been pre sented to the Royal United Service Mu seum by William Waldorf Astor.”—Lon don dispatch. It is an unpleasant lit tle episode that one of the few Ameri can battle flags ever captured by Great EMI’EKOR FRANCIS JOSEPH. Britain should be thus prevented by an Francis Joseph, of Austria-Hungary, American from returning to America. Even an expatriate might wish to pre who recently celebrated the ttotli an vent its permanent exhibition In an niversary of bis ascension of tlie throne, is not as old as one would suspect, con English museum. sidering thnt the Imperial robes have Appeal to authority may be so slavish been worn for three score years. His or so trivial as to dishonor the author investment as emperor took place at 18 ity and make the appellant ridiculous. and this makes him 78. From the beginning of Ills rule his Did Lincoln approve of redncing the tariff on wool, and If wood pulp had gentleness and love for his subjects been in use In his day, what would he have ever been conspicuous. Though have thought of the tariff on that? the central figure lu the most aristo What was Paul Jones' view of the need cratic court in Europe, be is one of the of an American naval station In the most democratic of men. His humility Yappl Yappl Islands? Would Thomas In washing the feet of twelve poor men Jefferson have sanctioned a course in on Good Friday, a performance the Celtic In an American university? world looks upon as menial, gives the What would Jackson have thought of key to Ills fondness for others and the the Aldrich currency bill? These ques jioorest can lay their troubles before tions are no more absurd than many the head of 00,000,<K)0 people. Hun which are seriously discussed In Jour gary long ago would have broken the nals and assembly halls. Great men dual relation only for Francis Joseph. are great precisely because they act in Ills strong sense of Justice and his lov obedience to principles which are too able nature have kept the hyphenated deep and broad to bind the answers to empire from dissolution, and ft may be siNs'lflc questions which arise in after that be 1ms gone so far in conserving the Interests of Hungary thnt she will ♦Imes. continue the dnion after the death of Now that a hotel at Fort Wayne, the sovereign. In the world-wide felicitations which Ind., has burned down with much loss of life the discovery is made that it are being extended to the oldest em was a firetrap. There Is no reason why peror, in the world, tbe United States the discovery should not have been tenders her good will and hopes many made before the fire and the bulkting more years of usefulness is In stor-f for have been made less of a firetrap. It this model monarch. was erected over fifty years ago and The Fall Ong. naturally did not measure up to mod “I dropped four stories this morn ern standards of safe construction. To ing without being Injured.” have made it reasonably safe would “Wh-what!” have cost considerable. The owners of “Fact. They’d just been returned the property did not care to spend the with thanks, and I dropped ’em in money The city officials whose duty It the fireplace."—Kansas City Times. was to see that flretrap hotels were not permitted to run did not Interest them A man does his own love-making, but selves in the matter. Consequently a he hires a lawyer when It comes to try number of people were burned to death. ing to get it undone. Fort Wayne is far from being the only Instead of waiting for things to turn town with an old hotel building which as soon as it has gone Into smoke and I qp, turn them up while you wait By Sir Oliver Lodxe. On this planet we are the highest of the forms of life that we hoc Y ou are apt to think that you are the highest thnt exists. whereas there la no reason tor thinking so at all. We are sometimes asked whether other planets are inhabited. I think we may say we know- that the moon is not; any life there may once have been on it appears now to be extinct; its whole surface looks dead and Inert. We sometimes think that tlie planet Mars Is inhabited. Perhaps it is; but 1 venture to think that on the whole it is most probable that we are at the present time the only intelligently inhabited planet In the solar system. The solar system is but a fragment of the universe. Every star Is a sun with a solar system It is possible thnt there may lie million of planets Inhabited by beings higher or lower than ourselves. What we see going on is what we call the process of evolution from broken fragments to coherent masses, and to Inhabited worlds— from chaos to cosmos; a struggle upward of tlie uni verse; from something lower and disorganized to some thing higher and organized. What we have to realize in regard to our place In the universe is that we are intelligent, helpful and active parts of the cosmic scheme. We are among the agents of the creator. One of the most helpful ideas is co- operation—helping one another. Co-operation this In a new and stimulating sense—co-operation with the Divini ty Illmself. EXERCISE NOT FOR THE YOUNG ALONE. By Prof. A. Hoffa. We have too little athletics. The people at large are not yet aware of the wonderful In fluence which exercise, regular and systematic, lias m>on tlie constitution. Athletics in the general sense of tlie word Is the best remedy for a harmonious development of the body, and should be recommended and encouraged everywhere. The field of athletics has been so widened as to make possible all kinds and forms of exercises for men ami women, young and old. There is a form of athletics which will exercise every portion of a man's body, and this should be taken ad vantage of. One of the most erroneous views which people and even partisans of athletics entertalfi is that athletics must be begun by the young; that older people should let it alone. Nothing is more illogical. Older people should 1* encouraged to go through certain exor cises which will benefit their systems as much If not more than young people. Horseback riding and automobillng are two forms of sports which, though designed to bring about the same results, differ widely in the range of their accomplish ments. Horseback riding sets every muscle of the rider Into motion, and consequently is a forcible and health ful form of exercise. Automobillng sets the muscles of the chauffeur in motion. He sometimes strains every BALLADE OF AFFIRMATIVES. I told her that the rose was fair. But she was fairer than the rose; I told her that her rippling hair—■ The sport of every breeze that blows— Was brighter than the golden glows Of dawn, and that for one small tress I'd give my blood that bounding goes; And all she said to me was—“Yes?” I said her blue eyes wore a pair Of brilliant sapphires sot in snows Unmelting and as pure and rare As e'er on mountain tops re;>ose ; And such a dainty, scornful nose! I told her all that 1 ;>ossess I'd gives to kiss her lips' sweet bows; And all she said to me was—“Yea?" 1 said she drove mo to des;>air. I urged her to assuage my woes; Her dimples darted here and there; I looked so foolish, I suppose! "Your mortgage on my heart foreclose," 1 said: "Rid me of doubt's distress! You could reward me if you chose !”— And all she said to me was—“Yes?” l ’ envoi . Accepted, prince? Jove only knows! Rejected? That I'm left to guess! I know not. though I did propose. For all she said to me was—“Yes?” —Buffalo Express. | VERA’S NOTE J “Good-bye, I have gone," wrote Vera. It was short and comprehensive, and the man to whom the note was ad dressed, laughing grimly, read, re-read and pondered it as though Its writing covered pages, and the small sheet with those few words on It was a state docu ment ou which depended tbe fate of empires. . t In this pogresslve era of searchlight and unwholesome curiosity, when ev eryone's comings and goings, doings und Intentions, are chronicled, it stood to reason that no mystery could sur round the whereabouts of that charm Ing society luminary; that conspicuous figure In the pageantry of certain ex clusive circles, Vera. 8o Pendleton had arrogantly believed six months ago. But time had disabused him of his error, for tbe date at the foot of the i lines he held and ruminated upon thia soft, bright afternoon had Iteen written six months before. This was early in June. A.very pleasant evening, with a light breeze sweeping over the city from tbe river, and light clouds drifting across the setting sun, produced the effect of a fitful smile on Nature's unsympathetic face, while the air was saturated with the i>erfume of flowers and the bloom of early summer. And yet Pendleton considered It a dull, gloomy day. “That must be a deuced unpleasant nerve in an effort to make the machine go a certain pace or stop it with a jerk. But It Is the chauffeur who Is getting the exercise, and not those who look for It. Still, automobillng has considerable shaking and Jostling, and this acts upon the muscles and body at large. ARE THE BLOND RACES DECAYING ? By E. G. Minnick. In every country where scientific observa- tions have been made the »fair complexion proves to la* dying out. It will vanish alto- f / gather unless the decline be cheeked Every- where the conclusion Is the same a dark type supersedes the fair. A few years ago the JL British Medical Journal raised objections to some of the arguments advanced, but at the close it mournfully admitted that "the fair hair so much beloved by poets and artists seems to be encroached upon and even replaced by that of the darker hue.” It Is a melancholy prospect for the esthetic. Where the conditions are favorable, "such ns suburbs in which are large dwellings, with plenty of often space around, tin- blot des seem nearly to hold their own.” The conclusion is that the fair type must die out If deprived of fresh air. while the dark suffers comparatively little. It is a striking example of natural selection and the sur vival of the fittest under an unnatural state of things. I’rof. Ripley asserts thnt hl the country near London the average stature of the people Is even lower than in the metropolis, ami they are darker mostly. This he at tributes to the constant migration of the taller Individ uals. who seek to "better themstlves" In town. But the tall, as a class, are the fair; moreover, tney are the more enterprising. Ami tills rule applies to emigrants general ly; the fair go. the dark, less inclined for adventure, remain to propagate their like in the mother -country. U 11 IJ g BEWARE OF THE DEMAGOGUE! By Gov. Guild of Massachussetts. We are passing through a quiet, a fairly peaceful, but a very real social revolution. Equal rights were won by the generations that have gone before us. Equal opportunities are to be our gift to posterity. As always at a time of acute social excitement, the dema gogue Is a most conspicuous figure. The dem agogue. by catering to extremists, seeks first'“ his own advantage, and finds it in turning rational revolution into irrational anarchy. Lincoln was neither mawkish nor sensational. He frankly sought public office, lie never sought It by un worthy means. Ills sustaining trust was In the honesty of the ordinary citizen, whose life is neither the comfort able Indolence that shrinks from all change nor the broken career that leaps to embrace a gospel of despair. His weapons were endless patience, cheerful good na ture, abounding common sensee, and an abiding faith In his cause. He despised claptrap. He embodied a cause, not a candidacy. He did not fight fire with fire. He faced hot excitement with cold reasoning and mad vftu- ]>eratlon with clear truth. bill. Chuck it In the fire, old man. No use running over the items. Never does any good. Life Is short, and all is van ity,” yawned Perry Folsom, with care less sympathy, from a comfortable arm chair. «here he was reading the after noon pai>er. They were alone in the reading room of the club. Dick Pendleton laughed grimly «'bile slowly folding atsl putting away In his inner pocket the note containing five words words conned and dreamed over —which meant «ell, pretty much ev erything to him. lie had come to realize How bitterly lie’ regretted having let slip the golden-hued opportunities when they lay at hand. "Did you ever know of anybody dis appearing—vanishing utterly?” te asked. Perry Folsom looked nt him reflect ively. "If I were a good-looking mill ionaire------ ” “Oil, shut up" interjected Pendle ton. “I’d be hanged if any woman could lose mo, or throw me off the scent until J agreed to let her go." continued Folsom calmly. "No doubt you'd do wonders. Perry.” “No. not wonders. Only I'd have a little common sense, and I would marry her if I cared for her.” Pendleton blew a ring of smoke Into the pleasant June air. and remarked after a pause: “Scotch Irish, which accounts for your overweening assur ance and Impudence.” “Shall I tell you something you ought to know?" resumed Perry placid ly. "You never would I h - in your pres ent predicament If you hail a little of that same blood in your veins. Ami. what's more, you ought to go out and find her." By the time they sauntered to the front door of the club. Pendleton bad made up his mind to go for a month's wandering In the Blue Ridge ranges. It was an Intense relief to get away from the city and to speed away toward the mountains, ami to find himself final ly among the peaks and crags ami for ests of the vast rolling ranges, where the majestic mountains smile at the fret and heartbreak of humanity. The days slipped by for Pendleton In his rural retreat, where life was un eventful. But it Is a mistake to suppose that the specter of recollection and tlie torment of unfulfilled desires can be as suaged by aloofness from others. Pendleton found that Vera, with her changing moods, mellow laughter nml Infinite fascinations, was much more ills companion when he sauntered through the forests, sat on the porch of the pret ty cottage he had rented, at dusk or uhen he went at dawn to fish in some dark lake In the lieart of the mount ains, than when they were together In gay meetings and In crowded drawing- rooms. Pendleton saw Vera always any everywhere, nt dawn mid nt lilghfall. That explained why he watched with startled pleasure and a strange thrill a tall, graceful young woman who oc cupied with an elderly relative a cot tage a short distance away, iis she passed leisurely down her little gar den path mid out hi the winding public road, going evidently for a trnmp, a Issik in oik * hand, her face completely hidden by a sunshade. "Who rents the cottage over the «ay, Sam?" Pendleton asked at break fast the next day, "A Miss Cullom, I hear, sir. Very wealthy [teople, I'm told, sir. No, sir; I can't find out wlmre they are from. Big establishment, but they live very retired, sir," Sam supplemented. “Just been here ten days.” 'Cullom? Pendleton knew no one of that mime. Since he bail taken posses sion of the pleasant bungalow on tlie side of tlie cliff he had seen no one In the gray stone cottage hut the graceful girl, so wonderfully like Vera In her supple movements. The elderly lady must I k * a recluse. The days slid one Into the other, ami Pendleton grew to watch for the girl who so reminded him of a beautiful ab sent woman. She and her companion had handsome traps ami horses, nml they often went out driving, but Pen dleton could never catch sight of the young girl's face. Through Sam he learm-d that Ills all but Invisible neigh bors were going to prolong tlielr stay In the mountains. "Go mid sis* the owner mid renew the rent for another mouth. Sum," Pendle ton directed, as he strolled from the house down into tbe valley. “Queer folks across the way,’* Sam said to the hostler. "House full of sil ver mid handsome things, mid the Indies Just go out driving and won’t sis* no callers, I hear.” "Something wrong. I guess," the bos tier answered. throwing a bucket of wa ter on the wheel of the trap he was cleaning nml spinning It around. Sntn acquitted himself without enthu siasm of the commission to renew the rent for another month Why stay up In these solitary mountains, tbe near I est town being a small place a mils away? Why not go to Bar Harbor or some civilized place? But Pendleton lingered, and the charm of the mountains grew on him, and the girl across the way became in extricably mixed up in bis thoughts of Vera, until lie grew amazed and Irri tably anxious to see her fact* to fact, and get rid of the absurd Illusion. It was in vain be scanned Ills volumi nous mail each morning. No letter ad dressed in the firm, delicate handwrit ing be knew so well ever came, and he still carried In Ills Inner pocket that lit tle note. “Good-bye, I am gone." Yes, the days seem to vanish like a dream In the fastness of the Blue Ridge. The time drew near when he would go back to life's tumultuous cares and pleasures, and Pemlleton was no nearer an acquaintance with his neighbors. Ho could not for<x* himself upon them, nml sh<* was as elusive as some water sprite or wots! nymph. The world hail done Its day's work, the sun bad set ls*hln<t the summits of the ranges In .ill Its accustomed pomp ami glory, and faint mists «’ere veiling the peaks ami valleys. Pemlleton sat, absorbed In distracting thought, by the side of a still lake shadowed by tower ing hemhs*ks, «lien somelusly came slowly toward him through the forest path. Hers was a beautiful face, laughing and proud and tender, and the only word Pendleton could say ns she paused before him while he sat motion less, was: "Vera!” "Why. I've been your neighbor nil summer! Ilo«- did you happen to come to this wild ami beautiful place?” she asked a little while later, as she sat by his side, when some very broken and breathless words had been spoken. Pendleton took out Ills letter and un folded It. “How could you be so cruel? So in humanly cruel? To write good-bye to me! Why, child, through all eter nity ------ ” "You don't mean to say — you thought I meant It?" Vera asked In amazement.—New Orleans Tlmes-Dem- ocrat. — ■ w■ ■ - H® Wan Still Counting. A doctor, now eminent, was at on» time seeving as an interne In one of the Philadelphia hospitals as well as holding Ids own with a coterie of rather gay friends. On a certain morning the physician awoke to find that he had sadly overslept. Sleepily donning ills attire he hastened to the hospital, and soon a stalwart young Irishman claimed Ills attention. "Well, my num, what seems to la, your trouble this morning?" Inquired the doctor, concealing a yawn and tak ing the patient by the hand to exam ine bls pulse. “Faith, Bor, It’s all In me breathin’, doctor. I can’t get me breath nt all, at all.” “The pulse Is normal, Pat, but let me examine the lung action a mo ment,” replied the doctor, kneeling be side the cot and laying his head on th» Irishman's chest. “Now Jet me hear you talk." lie continued, closing hla eyes and listening attentively for sounds of pulmonary congestion. A moment of silence. “Wluit will I I k * sayin’, doctor/'* finally asked the patient. "Oh. s.i.v anything. Count. Count one, two, three and up, that way,” murmured the physician, drowsily. "Wan, two, three, fure, five, six.” When the young doctor, with a start, opened his eyes, Pat was continuing weakly, “tin hundred an' slxty-nlne, tin hundred an' sivlnt.v, tin hundred an' slvlnty-wan • » •”—Success Magazine. America'« Art PoMKiblJitlew, With such a broad basis to work on, ft is not impossible that flu» artists In America are going to keep us pretty well Interested in tlielr future work. No other band of men has workwl so hard to overcome obstacles. The art ist feels Ids triumphs when ho la young when a men» bov. In fact— Just as Funk felt them w hen be drew littio sketches on his mother’s table cloths. 'fids burning desire to some day swing some ndgldy thought on canvas cannot be kept down. It be comes the embryo painter's master, and In Its power he Is a slave. I do not Include here the vast army of daubers who persist In calling them selves artists and who ought to be hujh pressed by a kindly hut firm law. ft la of num of Ideas and ideals and origin ality that I speak. Funk Is one of that new American school that Is exemplifying this Indi viduality. He shows It in the force and originality of his work. Success Magazine. Only W'ft rated it < li mice. She I see where a fellow married a girl on Ids deathbed Just so sin* could have Ids millions when he w’as gone. Could you love a girl like that? He—Sure I • could love a girl « like that. Where does she live? Puck. «lulte So. “New thought will beautify the plain« (•st girl.” “That may be, but very few girls are going to give up lotions for notions.”—« Pittsburg Post. < on 1 i n noil«». “I notice that Captain Carter says ha Is another Breyfus.” “Strange how the persecution of that unhappy Fromhimm continues to g<> on.”—Cleveland Plain healer. Some way, we always distrust th* man with a Jaunty air. He looks though be were bluffing-