THE SUNDAY OEEGONIAH, PORTLAND, JANUARY 21, 1900.
21
j35-ismH mmma
- -- Ny7BHS fftCASTOW4
"cfizrj:r's1
Gray "With Gray of Asres."
They are gray with the gray of ages,
Borrowed, and begged, and sold;
Thumb-marked of saints and sages
In the echolarly days of old.
Base leaves jwest for a lover
Best la the pages dim.
Though silent centuries cover
All that is left of him.
And I feel. In the library's shadows,
Viltfc. this ghostly company.
The breath of forgotten meadows
And the centuries o er me!
And when twilight bells are calling
"When the day with Its strifes is o'er
There are ghostly footsteps falling
Faint on the library floor.
Singers, and saints, and sages
In the fame of a name we trust.
But time will cover our pages.
As even our tombs, with dust.
Tor here, in the library's fadows,
"Where the famed and fameless "be,
I roam in the forgotten meadows,
"With the centuries over me J
Atlanta Constitution.
BOOKS ON SOUTH AFRICA
Sirs. Lionel Phillips Presents Great
Britain's Side Her Picture
of. Eraser.
A "book of great interest just now Is
Mrs. Lionel Phillips' "Some BecoHectlons
In South Africa." She tells the English
sde of the South African question in
an impartial, straightforward" manner
that carries conviction. Lionel Phillips
was president of the Johannesburg Cham
ber of Mines and was imprisoned with
other reformers after the Jameson fiasco.
Mrs. Phillips' picture of President ICruger
is far from -flattering- She describes him
as a man of clumsy features and small.
cuunlng eyes, set high in his face, with
great puffy rings beneath them. She
adds:
'Manners none and customs beastly'
m.ght has been a lifelike description of
Kruger. He is an autocrat in all his wajs,
and has a habit of almost throwing short,
jerky sentences at you, generally alle
gorical in form, or partaking largely of
Scriptural quotations or misquotations
quijte as often. Like most of the Boers,
the Bible is his only literature; that book
he certainly studies a. good deal and his
religion is a very large part of his heing,
but somehow he misses the true spirit of
Christianity, in that he leaves out the
crLnary qualities of charity and truth."
Mrs. Phillips reviews at groat length
the overtaxation of the TJitlanders, Boer
corruption, the dynamite monopoly and
the Jameson raid and while there is much
interesting detail, there Is nothing espe
cially new. The English, Mrs. Phillips
gas. have never jjaken the trouhlcio
ccnciliate the Boers. The Dutch and the
Germans have mastered the language of
the Boers, but the English alwas pro
ceeded on the same rule -which Max Mul
ler represents as prevailing in the East.
"Speak to a. native in English. If "he
doesn t understand you, .shout at him. If
he doesn't know what you say, knock "him
ndcwn. '
A woman cannot, w.th safety, walk out
jf sight of her house in the suburbs of
Johannesburg. The Kaffirs, who, in other
iris ot South Africa, treat a white
roman "with almost servile respect, there
aake it an unpleasant ordeal to pass
tiiai, and In a lonely part absolutely dan
croas. Even little girls of the tenderest
are not safe from, these monsters,
his is, of course, owing to the utterly
ladequate police protect'on afforded by
he government, the ridiculously lenient
sentences passed for hoible crimes and
to the adulterated drink sold to the Kaf
Mira by licensed publicans. This state
ment gives a vivid picture of a grievance
Vfthlch appeals strongly to the civilized
tanrld. (.Longmans, Green &. Co., New
Cork.)
! A Son tli African Symposium.
J Both sides of the South African ques
tion arc discussed in "Briton and Boer,"
which consists of nine papers reprinted
xom the North American Review. The
:ontnbutors are Hon. James Bryce, Syd
ney Brooks, "A Diplomat," Dr. F. V.
Cr.gcltrburg, Karl Blind, Andrew Car
j nege, Francis Charmes, Demetrius C.
Boidger and Max Nordau. The books con
tains a recent map of the Boer country,
portraits of prominent men on both sides,
Snd many other illustrations. It is a valu
ob.e handbook on the South African situ
ation. (Harper & Bros., New York.)
South. Africa In History.
"William Harding, a New York news
paper man and traveler who spent two
years in Africa, has undertaken in "War
in South Africa and the Dark Continent
From Savagery to Civilization," thetcom--prwhensive
task of reviewing the history
of Africa from the earliest ages. He
touches briefly upon the ancient-historical
features, the discoveries of Livingstone
and Stanley, the Dutch settlement, their
treks and the formation of the South
Afr-can states. Mr. Harding then deals
minutely and carefully with the Jameson
ra d, the tension between Great Britain
ard Germany, the troubles of the Johan
na bu'-g reformers, and the trial of the
ra dcis in London. The history is brought
down to the outbreak of the war be
tween the Boers and Great Britain. (The
Dominion Company, Chicago.)
JAMES BWIGH.T DAXA.
President Daniel C. Gilman's BIos
ranliy of the Famous Scientist.
An Important addition to American bi
ography is the volume on James D wight
Dana, ".scientific explorer, mineralogist,
geologist, zoologist, professor In Yale uni
verse," from the pen of President Daniel
C. Oilman, of Johns Hopkins university.
The book contains more than the setting
fcth of the important events in a long
ard well-filled life, and the recountal of
Professor Dana's contributions to scientific
kr.o w ledge. It gives an idea of Professor
Daras personalrvj. such as can, be gained
frcm a 'pupil, neighbor and friend." It is
a memoir written In the spirit of affection
ce remembrance.
Mineralogy, geology, zoology, were the
f elds of Professor Dana's labor. He was
an esploror, an investigator, an editor and
a teacher He had rare opportunities or
travel separated by long periods of quiet
study and reflection. His vast corresponc
cc Tilth men of learning all over the
wrr'd quickened his 'spirit of research.
Teaching was not irksome to him, but kept
him young by contact with the young. He
was ab.e to work until the very last hours
of his long life. Death came to him with
a. gentle summons after he had. been
crowned with abundant honors and after
his contributions to 'science had" given him
too loremost rasis among ms scjenunc
countrymen and an honSrable place among
. illustrious naturalists, of the century.
President Gllman divides his. book into
two parts. The first contains the biog
raphy of Professor Dana, and the second
scientific correspondence. The first part
is based to a great extent on Dana's writ
ings, correspondence and hooks. President
Gilman's study of his character leads him
to the conclusion that it is apparent that
Dana "might have been a mathematician,
an anatomist, an ethnologist, or an inde
pendent explorer, as: well as the sort of
naturalist that he was, and that he had
those qualities which, under other circum
stances, might possibly have made him an
artist, a musician, or a poet; but, as its
life unfolded, he became the accurate ob-
f server and patient recorder of facts, and
JAMES D-WIGHT DANA.
V '
IS HIS S3D YEAH. FB.05I A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IS FEBRUARY, 1SOS,
A FEW 3IONTHS BEFORE THE DEATH, OF THE SCIENTIST.
the careful reasoner with respect to the
laws of system of natuie. He was a phi
losopher as w ell as an observer, ""capable
of sound generalizations, and of keen at
tention to minute details. If ally one in
our day can he called a cosmographer,
Dana may have that title." President Gil
man considers that Dana, as a teacher,
belonged to the greatest class the class
that can awaken in then followers a love
of knowledge, and show them how this
knowledge can be obtained, or verified.
(Harper & Bros., New York.)
"MONOPOLIES AND THE PEOPLE.'
Revised Edition, of Editor BaXcer'M
- WorlE Other Publications.
"Monopolies and the People," by Charles
"Whiting Baker, C. E.. editor of Engineer
ing News, has been revised and enlarged
for its third edition. It is one of the best
treatises of the question, in scope, thor
oughness and Illustration. Though the
work has a value quite separate from the
author's conclusions, they are worth stat
ing. They are that "the -death of compe
tition in a great proportion of industries
is likewise inevitable, and that govern
ment regulation is likewise inevitable as
the only possible protection of the people
against Industrial bondage." He holds,
however, that "this regulation can best
be applied, not from the outside, as i3
the universal practice at the present time,
but from the inside, througn the repre
sentation of the public in the governing
bodies of the corporations which own and
manage all the great monopolies of the
present day. While regulation in this
manner may seem at first a revolutionary
proposition, it involves no greater inter
ference Of tho miwrnmnnt tJtVi InJiirtftnl
-affairs than is always authorized by law
ana precedent, wnat it does promise Is
to make effectual such measures of gov
ernment control as may be found neces
sary, wbereas the rresent method of con
trolling corporations by legislative enact
ments, even when aided by commissions
empowered to secure enforcement of the
Jaws, haa too often proved ineffective."
(G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.)
Advice to Americans.
H. H. Lusk, formerly a member of the
New Zealand parliament, gives the United
States any quantity of inexpensive advice
in "Our Foes at Home." He says the
American peopje have fallen away from
the high ideals of the great men "who
founded the nation. Instead of valuing
lofty and disinterested patriotism, they
have learned to admire successful trick
cry in politics; and instead of setting the
good of the people and the country before
them as the highest object of an Ameri
can citizen's ambition, they have fallen
down and worshiped the almighty dollar.
The author shows what has been done in
the way of good government in New Zea
land .and contrasts tho situation there with
American conditions. (Doublcday & Mc
Clure Co.. New York.)
Essays by Join Flake.
The range and variety of John Fiske'e
intellectual Interests are aptly Illustrated
in "A Century of Science and Other Es
says." The volume Includes science, evo
lution, biography, political science, ' folk
lore and the freak side of human nature
The three personal papers concerning-
friends are models of brief biography,
showing admirable discrimination, gener
ous appreciation and noble svrnpathy.
The other papers, notably "A Century of
Science," "The Doctrine of Evolution "
"The Origins of Liberal Thought in Amei
ica" and "The Arbitration Treaty," are
masterpieces of broad survey, skill m
grouping facts and tendencies, and con
densing into brief space the results of wide
study and "well - marshaled thoughts.
(Houghton, Mifflin - Co.. Boston.)
Eminent Painters.
The volume devoted to "Eminent Paint
ers" forms the fifth Issue in Elbert Hub
bard's Interesting series of "Little Jour
neys." These pleasant fireside iournevs
introduce the reader to Michael Ancrio.
Rembrandt, RubenB, Molssonier, Titian,
van uycK, Fortuny, Ary Scheffer, Millet,
Joshua "Reynolds. Lanfiseer' and Dore. Tn
addition to beins extremely, readable, the
volume gives an insight into the life and
work of the masters, and is thus valuable
for reference. The book is embellished
by portraits of the artists and reproduc
tions of some of their more noteworthy
paintings. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New
York.)
From Kinerdom to Colony.
That the men of. Marblehead, landsmen
and seafarers, who played a part In our
Revolution, have been accorded recogni
tion in fiction and history In no way de
tracts from the interest of Miss Mary
Devereux's story, "Prom Kingdom to
Colony," though, to be sure, she con
cerns herself less with the men than
with the women of that quaint old port.
This Revolutionary story, Its scene In Mar
blehead and Cambridge, has a charming
patriot heroine, and tae British officer
who runs away with her and compels her
to marry him would be the hero were "it
not that "Washington Is one of the charac
ters and so usurps his place In American
eyes, The prologue introduces certain
ancestors of the Devereux family, and
the heroine's father, its head In Revolu-
tionary days, is a memorable figure of a
colonial patriot. (Little, Brown & Co.,
Boston.)
Princess Xenla.
"The Princess Xenla," by H. B. .Mar
riott "Watson, which has been for some
time running through Harper's Magazine,
has just been Issued In book form. Three
imaginary states, under German suze
rainty, become the prey of a newly made
j millionaire, afflicted with a fancy for
1 playing Providence. He has no very
definite plan, makes great mischief in a
war, and in the end triumphantly" "carries''
off the princess of "the'duchy, leaving the
prince and margrave of the other coun
tries to console themselves with her
realm. It Is an amusing fancy, and well
Illustrated. (Harper & Bros., New York.)
Trasredy of Dreyfus.
G. W. Steevens has published a volume
on the Dreyfus case, entitled "The Trag
edy of Dreyfus." The volume is a dra
matic narration of the proceedings of the
court-martial at Rennes, prefaced by a
summary of the entire case. Of General
Mercier the author says:
On his face and neck the bronzed skin hangs
loosely. Ttyere Is neither depth of cranium nor
height of forehead to hold a brain In. The ees
are slits, with heavy sustained lids and bags
beneath them that turn the drooping cheeks into
caverns. A little mustache and beard frame
the lips that might be evil, sensuous, humor
ous, but could neier be human. If jou look at
his head, jou think him a vulture; if at his
face, jou call him a, mummy.
Tho volume concludes with a thoughful
consideration of the effect of the Dreyfus
case upon tho French nation. (Haiper &
Bros., New York.)
My Books.
Sadly as some old medle al knight
Gazed at the arms he could no longer wield,
The sword two-handed and the shining shield,
Suspended In the hall, and lull In sight,
While secret lorj-lngs for the lost delfght
Of tourney or adventure In the field
Come oer him, and. tears but half-concealed
Trembled and fell upon his beard Of white;
So I behold these books upon their ehelf,
My ornaments and anr.s of other daja;
Not w holly useless, though no longer used;
For they remind me of my otiier self,
Tounjer and stronger, and the pleasant ways
In which I walked, now clouded and confused.
Longfellow.
Literary Notei.
"Three Men on Four Wheels" Is Jerome
K. Jerome's rather eccentric title for the
series ofliumorous stories which he has
just completed for the Saturday Evening
Post, of Philadelphia. The first story ap
peared January 0.
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly for
January start3 the new year in great
form, with the following: "America at
the Paris exposition," a comprehensive
article by the Hon. Ferdinand W. Peck,
commlss oner-general for the United
States, thoroughly illustrated from the of
ficial plan, with views, portraits, maps,
etc.; "England's Free Hand on the
Nile," by G. W. S eevens. au hor of
"With Kitchener to Khartoum." "Wayside
1 Views of Life in Persia," by Robert E.
Speer, who brings from the ancient, his
toric land many up-to-date pictures,
photographic as well as mental.
A humorous incident of Captain SIo
cum's "single-handed" circumnavigation
of the globe, as described in the January
Century, was President Kruger's flat de
nial of the navigator's statement that lie
was sailing "around" the world; the
Transvaal theory as to the form of the
earth being a survival from earlier ages."
Governcor Roosevelt's essay on "Fellow
Feeling. a3 a Political Factor" Is a char
acteristically vigorous and optimistic plea
for the avoidance of horizontal social
cleavages In American politics, and the
cultivation of vertical cleavages instead.
If the republic is to endure, he argues, we
must divide on political questions, not
by classes, but as individuals. The open
ing of the' civil war, and the battle of
Marston Moor, are John Morley's special
themes in the current installment of hla
"Cromwell."
How Much Did Tliey Have.
A man and his wife agi eed to purchase a
house with their joint money, but when It
came to taking the propertj', which was to
cost ,$1200, the wife insisted that the title
should be made In her name, whereupon
the husband got angry and said:
"If you will loan me twc-thlrd3 of your
money, I will have just enough to buy the
property myself."
"I will do no such thing." replied the
good wife. "It was agreed that the house
was to be mine, but if you will contribute
three-quarters of whaUmoney you have,
I will furnisfh the rest."
Just how much did each of them have?
fke WBY$gwim$a
What Grandma Tells.
Grandmother'face Is wrinkled.
But It wears a kindly smile;
She sits in the great brown rocker,
And tells us talts by the pile. '
Sometimes they are legends of goblins, (
Sometimes thy are legends of elves,"
And sometimes Tie get so ekeerd
"We think we'see 'em ourselv es.
But that's when we've been naughty,
And not done as she has said.
And then we hear strange nolsesi ir 1 r i
As off we creep to bed.
Hazel Harris, 10 jears old, in New York
Herald.
AFTER CUSTER MASSACRE
Nigrlii of Dread Expectancy, in Fear
of Sitting Bull'3 Prowling: Sioux,
on a Western Montana Ranch.
"Really, I'm most sure the Indians are
coming; 'cause I heard papa tell mamma
it wasn't any use to get us children ex
cited." "You shouldn't be around listening to
mamma and papa talk," was Bessie
Cooper's reply to her sister May's remark.
Then she added: "MIda, go into the house
and ask mamma if we can catch the
horses and go after wild flowers."
The small Mida trotted away obediently,
and Bessie produced a cvocal sound In
tended to tepresent a whinny, and which
brought a couple of ponies to the brow
of a near-by hill. She needn't have called
them, however, for, when Mida returned,
it was with the words: "Mamma says
we're not to go out of sight of the house
today."
Tne message strengthened May's fears.
She hadn't pored for hours at a stretch
over a certain green-covered book that
formed part of the ranch's limited supply
of reading matter, and contained blood
curdling accounts of Indian .massacres,
without gaining some unpleasantly realis
tic conceptions of what a coming of the
redskins might mean.
And, in cruth, the little valley of West
ern Montana, which embraced the Cooper
among its other cattle ranches, was in
danger of such a surprise during June of
1876. A few weeks before to be exact, on
May 15 in Southern Montana and on the
Little Bighorn river, General Custer and
his command had been slaughtered by
9C00 Sioux. A stiaggling band of Sitting
Bull's warriors bad moved westward from
the scene of the battle, murdering and
pillaging wherever opportunity offered,
and it was now known to be nofp'very
many miles away.
Conceited Bessie.
Tho childi en" wandered down to the cor
ral, or enclosure for tho stock. It was
1G loss high, with a chink between every
two logs. The little ones climbed it by
slippingv their toes in the chinks, and then
they perched upon the top log. Even Bes-'
she proved willing to talk things cer
when they were well settled. Usually,
P.essle Cooper felt it beneath her dignity
to converse on terms of equality with the
titlier children. It was her horseback rid
ing that made her so conceited. Even. In
that country, a little girl 9 yeais old, who
could ride a pony which had been trained
by a "cowboy," into the midst of a band
of unbroken horses, and "cut out" a par
ticular one of the band, without scattering
the remainder, was looked upon as some
thing of a wonder, and it had been, and
was, Bessie's delight to do this clever
thing.
May was listened to, while she gave an
explanation of a certain event, unimpor
tant in itself, which had taken place in
the Cooper household. "We've "been think
ing Tom Strong is off hunting," she com
menced. "Well, 1 don't believe he is; 1
think he's gone, with lots of other men,
to meet the Indians and fight them."
"Tom" Strong was the "hired man,"
and the best-liked fellow in the country
around. Winter evenings, when the blasts
shrieked and moaned without, the chil
dren had especial reason to be glad he
worked for their father. How his drollery
and good-nature livened up the hours be-
I
"LOOK PLEASANT, PLEASE!'
Farmer I wonder what makes
:csh A- H -&rs v Sty
l n 1 T ,ii ri i - i inr1) mi i ii'mi ,, ,,., If)-, f M..,,MJ
"Oh, they're beins photographed!" Lusyge Blaetter.
fore bedtime! Then, too, Ifora, the girl,
always seemed better-natured when Tom
Strong was around.
May had an even more important com
munication than the one concerning Tom
Stxong's whereabouts, to rnake. "Nor3
lold me she was going home right after
milking, and that her folks andjjthe Shel
tons are going to hide in a big hole her
brother dug," she said. , .
"Did she say anything about the In
dians," Bessie asked. ' ? ,
"No; but she might as well lidvef' May
replied.
A horseman galloping toward the house,
appeared in the road. When he arrived
he did not d'smount, 'but, speaking some
words to the person who met him, went
straight ahead. He was out warnieg'the
people who lived along the road 'which
ran through the Cooper ranch that It wag.
the one the Indians, who had been sight
ed, would most likely take.
Baby Frank and the Snakes.
The children climbed down from the cor
ral and reached the house in time to see
Aunt May, Baby, Frank's mother, hai:
carrying, half, dragging Frank In the di
rection of "the rocks." (A near-by hill,
which was such a solid mass of. crags and
bowlders that the, pine trees could scarce
ly find room to grow upon It, and was al
ways spoken of as "the rocks.") Uncle
Fred was close behind, telling her to came
,back that the ""rattlesnakes were thick
up there. But so determined she was that
she might have carried out her intention
of hiding among the crags and bowlders
had not Baby Frank thrown himself upon
the ground, screaming: 'Oh, I dossn't
TWO TINY "SWELLS" OF DOGDOM.
v"Qfg
MR. PIXGOR AND MISS PEIL-HI.
Among the canine elite of Peking, China, are two lap-dogs, by name Pingor and Pell-hi.
male and female, respectively. They are of a breed highly prized' In China, according to the
New York Herald, from which the aboe pictures are talven, and speclmers of which are
usually to be found only In the Imperial palace at Peking, and In the hemes of a few high Chi
nese officials. Tnete two dogs are the property of one Herr Brandt, who lrtes In Peking, and
who has refused an offer of $2000 for them from Germany. Plngor is 2 years old, Is nine
Indies long, ne high, and weighs about tw pounds, and Pell-hl Is of the same sise and
weight.
want to go where the yattelsnakes ii; I
doesn't want the Indians to tatch me."
Of course, Aunt May wouldn't go with
out him, and "so, soon, the whole family
was gathered In the house. Thouqh the
Sioux weren't expected until midnight,
preparations for their coming were made,
without delay. In a hope that the house
might be passed unobserved, heavy dark
blanketa were hung at the windows' and
eveiy keyhole and chink through which a
ray of light might gleam stuffed with
paper.
Bob Allen, a bachelor neighbor, came
over and biousht two guns. There were
more weapons than there were men to
use them, but Aunt May, Mamma Cooper
and Nora, the girl, who had decided to
remain, were all anxious to ba shown how
to hold the guns and take aim, and after
a lessor which lasted about a half-hour,
each felt certain she could lessen the num
ber of redskins by at least one.
After dark, the children went to bed,
though wthout undressing. The grown
people remained up all night. Baby
Frank, who was noted for lung power and
hopelessly spoiled, yelled lustily untiL a
late hour, when he fell asleep, and then
tbe only sounds heard were the walling of
winds, the howling of. cojotes, and sub-
my cows look so funny today?.
dued whispers, until a clatter of hoofs
fell upon the listening ears.
The Attack.
The subdued whispering ceased. Bob
Allen tiptoed up to the guns, which had
been stacked in a corner, and handed cne
to each person. Just as he' did so. there
was a report of rifles and a frightful yell
the Indian war whoop. It awakened
the children instantly, but a hand was
held over each pair of lips, and a warn
ing "hush" spoken. Frank stirred un
easily, but his mother succeeded In sooth
ing him back to sleep.
Again that yell sounded but was it so
dreadful this time? A thlru time and a i
fourth it was repeated, each time bringing
relief, until Bessie was brave enouch to
say: "I hear Tom Strong's voice." To
be sure, it was Tom Strong and the men
who had gone with him to meet the
Sioux. The Indians, upqn finding the road
forked, had chosen the branch that led
through an uninhabited region and were
momentarily traveling further away from
Madison valley.
So blankets were taken down fr.om win
dows, lamps were lit and fires were built
one of the discomforts of the watch
had been enduring the cold, for the June
night was exceedingly chilly.
But there was another reason for build
ing the fire. Although it was only 3
o'cloek in the morning, Tom and his com
panions were ready far breakfast. "Norn
was perfectly willing to get It, and to let
, Tom sit around the kitchen while she set
t the table and waited for the coffee k
j boil. In fact, there is reason to believe
ho found the chance then toa3k her to be
I his wife. Anyway, they were married"
soon after, and Nora was feeling very
kindly toward Tom that -fearsome night,
and was glad enough again to have him
oy ner side, when no one was sure that
the Indians might not return, to the fork
in the road and find their way to the lone
ly ranch. '
"BIRD FANCIER."
Amnslngr Parlor Game for Gwwn
and Little Children.
Hostesses of house parties, and moth
ers expecting their boys and girls home
for the vacations are often glad- to hear of
a new game, or of -an old one revived.
This game, known as the "Bird Fancier,
and at which old and young may play,
is thus described by the Philadelphia In
quirer: i 1
A cage of chairs must be made and ar
ranged In the middle of the room; then
a number of pieces of paper are cut, as
many pieces as there are players. On
half the number, the name of a bird is
written canary, thrush, robin and so on.
These pieces are then folded and put on
a plate and passed around to the players.
Those who draw a bird must walk Into
the cage and those who draw blanks re
main in their seats.
A merchant is then chosen, or bird fan
cier, who stands in the center of the cage,
and the birds, from that moment, must
never take their eyes from him. If a
bird Is discovered to be looking away ne
is instantly commanded to pay a forfeit.
The other players walk round and round
the cage, doing all In their power to
divert the attention of the birds by talk
ing to them, calling them by name. Then
the merchant cries out, "I have a good
many fine birds here a plump partridge,
a flighty canary, a sulky bullfinch," and
so on. "Who will buy?
A player standing outside of the cage
cries, "I will; describe your birds." The
bird fancier then calls the birds by name,
and tells of their good qualities. rlhe
fun Is In the witty and amusing descrip
tions given by the merchant. When the
purchaser chooses a bird, he or she Is at
once released .from the cage. "All the birds
not chosen pay forfeit to the merchant,
but the merchant is forced to pay the
birds who have been sold a forfeit.
CLUMSIEST OF BIRDS.
Guillemots While Nearly L"irig:ht and
Very Atvlcwurdly, Indeed.
The guillemot Is a sa bird of the genus
alca, or auk. Its legs are set very far
back on the body, eo that Its usual atti
tude Is a nearly upright sitting posture.
Its three--toed feet are strongly webbed,
and their, structure sives it gieat facility
in swimming and diving. In these opera
tions It is greatly aided by ite short wings,
which are of more use for these purposes
than forfl!ght, a modp of progression of
which it is, however, capable, though In
a somewhat clumsy fashion.
From the position of its legs and the flat
surfaces of. its webbed feet the guillemot'3
walk is very awkward, but in the water its
nun omenta are livery and graceful. Tne
mala bird measures from 15 to IS Inches
in length, and the female from 12 to lo
Inches.
Guillemots are found in high latitudes on
both sides of the Atlantic, in America
breeding as far south as the bay of Fundy.
On the British coact they exist In countless
mUlIpns, the Scottish cliffs and the rocky
Islands to the north and northwest being
their chief resorts. They also extend far to
the north of these points. Like many com-
,mon birds, fishes and other animal, the
guillemot is known by many names, these
varying in different dljtricts and not al
ways being limited to the guillemot alone,
but including its allies, the penguins, razor
hills and. puffins. "Thus," writes "E. E.
T." in Teachers' Magazine, "it is variously
known as the frowl, kiddaw. langy, Iavy,
marrock, murre, scout, sea p'geon, skid
daw, strany, tinker, tlrikershlre and wil
lock." 3IOSKEYS AS PETS.
Become Members of the Household
In South Africa and Australia.
A favorite pet wjth children in South
America, Afflca, and even Australia, is a
monkey. A boy whr owns a monkey is
proud of him, just as the American boy
Is proud of his dog. The monkejs, when
kept for a time In a well-regulated house
hold, become very Intelligent; or, perhaps,
one might better say, very "knowing."
A monkey that has lived in an African
hut or wigwam learns the ways of the
family and falls in with them in a most
surprising manner.
A little Australian boy who had bought
one of a native took it home and cared
for it as children care for their pets. One
day the little boy was surprised and deep
ly hurt to have the monkey fly at his
face and cuff him vigorously on both ears.
Of course, the monkey was punished, for
the act. But It was not until next day
that the little boy remembered that, onry
a few hours previous to the chastisement
Inflicted by his pet, his mother bat! given
him txfa or three cuffs upon the head. The
monkey had seen the punishment and im
itated the example- set by the mother of
his little master.
So very imitative do the monkeys be
come that a Mttle Australian or South
American boy would feel very raaeh
aggrieved if he were called upon, to ex
change his pet for so, unaccomplished an
animal as a" dog..
LAZIEST OF ANIMALS.
Too Tired to Let Co Mr. Sloth Hangs
Head Down All Day.
Thsre is an animal whfch is so Jasy
that his name has become a synonym
for Inaction and stupidity. He te ealid
I the sloth. Ha hangs on by all four tegs
to a tree from morning until night. And
he hangs on wth his head down, too
whi$h one would think would b wry un
comfortable and-apjt to make him diazy.
But Mr. Sloth does 'not appear to mind It.
He makes his food of the Taaves of the
tree, and just moves about enough to sus
pend himself near some fresh leaves, when
ha has eaten all within his reach. And
he never changes his tree while user is
one leaf left of the crop he began upon.
He is a most clumsy animal. Perhaps
that is one reason for his lazlneee. Hts
legs are short and thick, the forelegs be
ing shorter than the hind ones. Then the
shape of his toes and feet isauch that he
cannot run or leap Ill's other creatures.
lAnd perhaps If he is made jcat to "hang
on." and if he does it to perfection, he ful
fills the purpose in life foe whieh a sloth
was horn.
The sloth lives in very hot countries.
principally in South America. He te a lit
tle larger than a large eat, ad has a
conrse, shaggy, long-haired coat. Alto
gether he, cannot be. called a beauty. Nor
is bJ disposition or nature one to ha ree-
fommeaded for an example.
P1.AGBK OF RATS.
Dcnniarlc AstliorlilcH Offer Bounty
for Their Destruction.
A campaign against rate Is being proee-
cutsd with vfsor in Denmark. It waa
originally started in Copenhagen, where
the alarming multiplication of rats Induced
the municipal authertles to resort to a
mediaeval method of freeing the com
munity from beasta of prey. As a prtco
was once ottered for every head of a wolf
so the conscript fathers of the Danish
capital engaged to pay a certain, sum foe
each dead rat. .
An official report of, the statistics of rat
slaughter has been issued every week ainco
the opening of the campaign. In the first
week the ratcatchers, professionals and
amateurs, gave in the heads of 8060 rats,
in the second week 5618, in the third week
"We are told." sahl the Philadelphia
Inquirer, "that the average weekly bill of
mortality among tho rat population of
Copenhagen has now risen to about HMX.
Other towns and communes followed tho
example of the eaoital, and the Danes are
making a patriotic attempt to extermtetbie
'the petty wolf,' as Hendrlk not Imwrtry
named the rat.
For Small Tots.
In the lively game of "Handkerehlef
Bear," the "bear" selects a spot on tho
carpet or rug, and In no case Is ho allowed
to get out of the "cage." The children
of all ages approach him and flirt their
handkerechiete at him just beyond his
reach. Ho tries with all Ms might and
main to catch some one. and in his eager
ness sometimes he gets beyond the limit
of. hi cage. In that case he must catch
two children or mere one for each offense.
When he succeeds in catching his pcey he
roars and pretends to chew voraciously
and swallow. Then the prey what Is left
cf him becomes "bear." and so tho game
Pgoes on. The game pleases parwKxiy
the younger children.
Sometimes they make a cage for the bear
by setting four eha ra around him. Then
they feed him. through the openings ta the
chair backs. They offer him mee humps
of sugar, nuts and other sweetmeats. At
first be is 3low abut seizing thehr aweets,
yet all the while he Is waiting not oaftf t
catch the sweetc. but also to capture their
hands. Then bear manr devour 1 prey,
and growl to his heart's content over his
meal, and prey become bear, and the
fun goes on.
Child Prcnchinjc at Rome
In Rome, at the Church ot Am Cool.
there is a vary beautiful and tratfiu eeic
rcony on the feaat of the Epiphany. A
rostrum Is erected near tbe entrance in
frorjt of the chapei, whieh holds th pre
seplo (erib) with the Santo Dumotao.
From this rostrum, during tho thwo of
vespers little children preach.
"The church Is vary large." says a writer
in the New York Herald, in describing
this ceremony, "and on entering w found
ourselves in a dense crowd. Semkm were
out of the question. We were thankful
to have got inside the door. Far away
In the distance we saw the altar ttuhts
and the moving forms of tihe of&etafttoe
priests. The Wnes of the organ came to
us mellowed by distance, 'vhen suddenly
in the midst of the crowd which hemmed.
us about, arose the clear accents of a.
child's voice. It might have been, an
angel's, so sweet it seemed, and e Im
pressive. The sermon finished, the ealhl
was caught rapturously in its raotioor'a
arms and Its place filled by another.
"Them X.Ile lirre Feet."
Little bare feet, surburned and brown.
;Patter!n patterln' up ami down,
Dnncln' over the Jtltchen floor.
Light as tn foam-flakes on the shew,
Rlgnt on the ko from morn tilt late.
From the garden path ter the oht iwnt ae;
Thre hain't no nwele ter me so swmH
Aa the patterln' oound ot them Htti bar ieet.
"When I mend my nets by the foamm smx.
Them little bare feet trot there with me.
And a shrill Httte voice 1 love n say.
TJran'pa. spin me a yarn ter-day."-
And I know when my dory ccram ter teadl .
There's a pry Mttle form somewhere on hend;
And tho very fast sound my ears"!! meet
lo the welcomin' run ot them Mttle here .
Oh. little bare feet' how deep you've erased
Yer prints of love in my worn old breast!1
And I sometimes think, w Hen I some ter dte,
'Twill be lonesome-Hke in the by ad t
That up In-heaven I'll long- ter hear
That Httle child's vote so sweet ami elearr
That even tlwre. on the jjolden street.
I'll miss the pat of them lltt'e bare feet.
Joe Lincoln in Ycuth's Comeanten.
Good Enemies; Bittl Friends.
All ants tftmt are not from the same
nest seem to be deadly enemies, but whtle
an ant will do what he can to pt to death
a stranger, he does not seem to take- a
corresponding , delight in. aidtar hfc
friends.
A scientist, in order to test the aeetkn
of ants belonging to the same near, took
six of them and imprisoned them. In a
small bottle, covering it with a ptece ot
coarse mesh mualln. Their feltowa paid
no particular attention to the prisoners,
but when the experiment was repeated,
substituting, however, six ants of a rival
tribe, therr enemies swarmed aroaud the
bottle, and after something like a week.
through persistent effort, they sneeeoded
in eating their way through the mualln.
Two ants were found dead, evidently
proving that they had been put to death,
while the- others probably escaped.
Eeheadin?;.
The letters removed spell one o the
West InGia lsand.
1. Behead jelly and leave pert of a verb.
2. Behead a preposition and leasvo
cranky.
2. Behead a female horse and leav part
of a verb.
4. Behead a nut and leave a vegetable.
5. Behead Imaginary and leave to trade.
6. Behead a domestic animal and leave
a preposition.
7. Behead once inore and leave to win.
1