ler
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAr POBTLAND; JUNE J, 1903.
THE SONG OF THE BI"RD
AN IDYL OF SCOW-DWELLERS
ON THE WILLAMETTE .
BLJ ALMA A. -ROGERS
THE news bad been celebrated In
Bcowtovm -with all the ceremonial
befitting Its Importance. Lights
bad burned late in the long gray-painted
houseboat of the Flinnegans. The noise
of the revels, dipping across the -watery
dooryards, had checkered the slumbers of
that portion of the community not In
cluded in the rejoicings.
When Turilla Dale stood before her ironing-board
at -the usual hour, two or three
solitary twl6ts of smoke -were rising sleep
ily from as many chimneys.
"Guess they must 'a spread theirselves
last night,' said Turilla as she put her
finger to her Hps and .tested the sizzling
Iron by its moist surface. "I s'pose
Crypty Mullet'll bo makln her weddln
clothes in a hurry, an as for Nora Flln
negan, Scott town won't be big enough to
hold her. The plazzy and the lace cur
tains 'most turned her head before Tim
went away, an' now I s'pose she'll be out
In her sealskin. "Well, .1 don't want to be
repining at Providence, but it do eeem's
If you can't see any reason for them as
has luck an' them as has none."
Turilla pushed her. Iron in swift silence.
Soon her feelings stirred beyond repres
sion. "My old gran'pop used to say that them
as has gits," she burst forth, "An I guess
it's so. .
"Now, there's Xiphalet Harklns. Didn't
he work like a slave at the flshin', an'
scrimp hlsself so'a he sca'cely had enough
to. eat, tryln to git money to buy him a
outfit? An when he'd jugged it all the way
what does he do but lose It in them "White
Horse Rapids, an the rest of the crowd
never loses as much as a tin pail. An
there's Tim Fllnnegan ownln' the biggest
house in the place, an they do eay with
money snug in the bank, an along comes
a man an offers to grubstake him for
half an pay all expenses, an no resk to
him! An' the first lick he strikes It rich,
but 'Llphalet comes back poorer an older
by ten years than when he started."
As Turilla turned to change irons she
almost Jumped at the face which looked
back at her from the tiny mirror on the
wall.
"Why," she said apologetically, "I guess
UNCLE
WASHINGTON, June L Special
Correspondence) The genial Sec
retary of Agriculture, or "Farm
er" Wilson, as he is familiarly known to
his large constituency, has determined
that every "rustic" in the United States
who cares to do so can indulge in silk
culture at the expense of Uncle Samuel,
who each year furnishes to his nephews
and nieces throughout this broad land
seeds a-plenty and in great variety for
planting their gardens with flowers and
vegetables.
Through Dr. L. O. Howard, chief of the
division of entomology of the Agricul
tural Department; Secretary Wilson has
conducted a thorough investigation of
the silk industry of the world, and the
result has proved very clearly to him
that silk can be raised to advantage on
the farms of the United States, and he
Is. determined to try the experiment on a
large scale.
To this end the breeding of silk worms
lor distribution to those w"ho cared to ask
for them and who promised to engage
in the industry, on a small or even a
large scale, was begun sometime ago
under Dr. Howard's direction, in a spe
cial building, at the Agricultural De
partment in this city. The breeding ex
periment has been found to be a great
success, and there are now thousands of
the wriggling worms almost in condition
lor propagating purposes. No worms will
MIRAGES OF THE OREGON DESERT
Deceptive and Beautiful Effects Observed in Crossing Inland Empire Plains.
MANY people are under the impres
sion that mirages are only seen on
the great Desert of Sahara. People
of Oregon do not generally know these
phenomena ara seen on the Oregon "des
ert," says a correspondent of the Lake
vJew Examiner. It Is a fact, however, and
some of the most deceptive and most
beautiful effects are seen while crossing
the plains of the great Inland Empire.
They may be seen on many points on the
desert, but they are only known to be
mirages in many Instances by those who
are acquainted with the particular local
ity. The most common form of mirage
on the Oregon desert is the change in tho
appearance of landmarks, both as to
shape and distance. The stranger mis
takes them for actual conditions, while
the citizen has long known the landmarks,
and when tho atmospheric conditions
change them he is quick to detect it and
call attention to it. There are also cases
in which extraordinary mirages have ap
peared, and in which the old-time trapper
and stockman have been deceived, but
they are rare.
In Harney " 'Valley.
Some of the most beautiful effects are
teen in Harney Valley, in Harney County.
Harney Lake, one of the prettiest bodies
of water in tho state, will appear one day
to be only a few miles distant, when in
fact it is 20 or more miles away. Moun
tains change, their appearance, and while
one day they look to be only a few miles
away, on another they appear to be many
miles distant. Then they change their
appearance In shape. A range of moun
tains lying off to the east of Burns fur
nishes a diversion In the way of sight
seeing to the citizens. Although the
range stretches across the entire eastern
portion of the valbsy, yet on some occa- t
tions it does not seem to be half so long
as usuaL and at times they appear to be -cut
in two in, the middle or at some other
point In the range.
Dlntuut Mountains.
"Do you see that wide opening through
that range of mountains?" Inquired Will
lam Handley. a prominent stockman, near
Burns, one morning.
"Yes, what of it?" was the answer, for
a breach at least a quarter of a mile wide
appears in the range. The mountains are
several hundred feet in altitude at this
point, and the breach appears to bo as
distinct as if it had been chiseled out.
The walls at either end of the breach
were as straight as a die. and they ap
peared to be one of Nature's prettiest
demonstrations of her work.
"There is no opening at all through tho
mountains .there." said Mr. Handley.
"They are just as solid there as they are
to the right and left of the place where
there appears to be a breach."
"You are not serious, Mr. Handley?"
was suggested.
"Sure!" was the reply.
"Well, how do you account for It?"
"It's a mirage," replied the stockman.
It was early in the morning, and the
Btrangcr was requested to look over that
way in the afternoon and he would bo
-convinced
Sure enough, by the middle of the day
I must be croe3 this mornln. I ain't enr
vyin any of 'em. but I Jest can't under
stand how 'tis sometimes. Now, if I had
a mite o' Tim's luck I'd git them gold
teeth I've wanted so many year." She
laughed plaintively at the reflection of
three spaces in her upper Jaw, which,
alternating with the remaining teeth, gave
a curious resemblance to a checkerboard.
The fog wreaths lying low above- the
river misted out before the winking rays
of the sun. A group of women, slatternly
as to hair and gown, gathered on the
sandy shore which rimmed the water
limit. Fringes of tousled children wa
vered upon its. edge, briskly shying- peb
bles at the white-winged gulls, or per
forming feats of. skill on the narrow
planks which connected the floating
houses with the .solid earth. Occasion
aly a. child, more prying than the rest,
would hang open-mouthed at its moth
er's skirts, while Nora Fllnnegan re
counted the story of her husband's luck
In the Klondike.
Laden with her basket of fresh-smelling
linen, Turilla Dale approached the shore.
The quick eyes of Mrs. Fllnnegan sight
ed her.
"An why wasn't ye over last night, I'd
like, to know! ills' Dale?" hailed Nora.
"Sure, 'twas a Joyful wake we made of
it!" '
"Indeed, Mis' Fllnnegan, I was that
beat out at the tubs that I couldn't do no
more than roll Into bed an lay there. But
I'm glad your man got through safe an'
come back with a fortin." With which
excuse Turilla carefully picked her way
among the stones and pieces of drift
wood which covered the bank.
The Mullet scow might properly be
termed suburban in the proportions of
this watery settlement. It was painted
a vivid yellow, with marvelous blue trim
mings, a combination so vigorously sug
gestive of sun and sky that It made the
eyes ache. Through the open window as
she passed Turilla could see Crypty at
work at the sewing machine. Closely op
posite, loaning an arm on the leaf, sat
young Ned Guscom, watching the white
breadths under tho whizzing needle take
the shape of the wedding gown.
Ned had been Fllnnegan's partner.
Though grubstaked on less favorable
terms, he had returned with enough to
set up housekeeping in good style. At
the moment, he was telling Crypty of a
certain fish-wheel which he had his eye i
SAM WILL
be sent out until the first of September,
when it Is expected that at tho rate of
Increase now shown there will be millions
for distribution to such as care to ask
for them and who" demonstrate satisfac
torily to the department that the worms
will receive proper care and attention.
Secretary Wilson in speaking of his pro
posed plan said that "silk culture re
quires a smaller outlay of capital than
almost any other industry. The net gain
the first year may pay for an outfit which
will last for many years. The follow
ing articles are indispensable in going into
the industry properly:
Some very light movable shelves, open
to air, for the first ages; and for tho
following ages, latticed shelves about 3
feet wide, and stands to support them.
Unsized ordinary wrapping ' paper, or
newspaper to cover the shelves.
A small ladder. If necessary, to reach
high shelves.
Small trays to remove worms.
Knives to cut leaves and baskets to dis
tribute them.
i Coarse tulle and nets or perforated pa
per for changing beds and equalizing the
worms.
A supply of brush, straw, or shavings to
construct the spinning place.
A thermometer.
Wire, twine, laths, or canes are suit
able for the lattice work of the shelves.
Make the space between the shelves about
14 Inches. If possible, do not arrange
the shelves along the wall and allow a
good passage between the tiers of
shelves." Secretary Wilson wishes the farmers
the breach had disappeared, and the range
was once more solid clear across the east
em border of the valley. At another time
the breach will appear at another point In
the range, but the effects are so real that
none except those who are familiar with
the country would know that it was only
a.jnlrage.
The most beautiful effects are visible ct
sunrise. At this time one may see many
effects which, if one will watch, will be
seen to disappear In regular order as the
win rises and throws on a different light.
Then they appear again often with a dif
ferent effect at sunset and some most re
markable spectacles have been seen on a
clear night. Animals on the desert have
appeared to those familiar with them to
bo of more than ten times their size and
the most experienced have been dumb
founded by this phenomenon.
"Winter on the Desert. "
In company with a Lake County trapper
I experienced a most remarkable case of
the latter kind. Wo were traveling in a
tuckboard on the Winter range in the
mid-desert. The surrounding mountains
were all covered with snow and this as a
background gave a peculiar brightness to
the light both by day and night. The sec
tion we were In was void of Inhabitants.
Cos'Otes, sage hens and antelope were
plentiful, and I kept up a constant war
fare on the sage hens and antelope that
is, when we came close enough to the lat
ter to get a shot.
In making a roundabout trip on the des
ert in mid-Winter we- often bad to make
long drives to reach sheep camps or sup
ply points. On the Oregon desert, where
the sheepmen spend the Winter, they have
established .supply houses mere cabins
or shacks, at a day's travel apart which
are for common "use. The trapper and I
had spent several days at the -foot of
Mount Juniper, nearly 100 miles from the
nearest human habitation, in company
with two men who had a vast herd of
iheep. The trapper had been busy in the
canyons and gulches and had a number
of coyote, wildcat and marten hides as a
result, while I had been busy supplying
the camp with sage hens, and had brought
down one antelope.
From Camp Juniper we started, early one
morning for Windy Hollow, a distance of.
B0 miles. The roads were rough. At one
point the trail lay through a wide stretch
of lava beds and we were several hours
making the distance of five miles. It was
known that we were In a great antelope
country, but luck had been against us
during- the day, and we had not seen one
of these much coveted animals, though
"sign" was abundant. Night came on
while we were still several miles from
our destination but we were compelled to
drive on in order to obtain water for our-,
selves and the horses.
It must have been at least 10 o'clock. The
stars were shining brightly and the clear,
crispy, cold evening gave everything an
exaggerated appearance and made the
slightest noise much louder than under
ordinary circumstances. The myriad of
coyotes that were following and howling
in the distance sounded like a thousand
demons.
Antelope.
We had driven some distance in silence,
each buttoning his coat to keep out the
chill night air, end sack carrying' a re- k
on. and in 'which he meant to invest the
bulk of his capital.
"I declare, Crypty. X used to see that
flsh-wheel In "my dreams when I lay
swathed up in my sleeping-bag on the
Pelly River, and the cold so bad that my
breath froze in big icicles on the fur. It
was turning faster than you'll ever see
on the Columbia, and, by ginger. If every
one of them troughs wasn't full of chl
nooks none of your steelheads or silver
sides, like I'd seen sometimes, but 60 and
TO-pounders, and every one pf them
a-plunglng like six!"
"Did that bring you luck?" Crypty
was basting now.
"No: I ain't one to believe in dreams,
and I'd hankered after that thing so long
no wonder rd got wheels in my head. It
was more than three months after that
when the diggings on Kolootsch Creek
was struck, and you bet we didn't let
no grass grow under our feet getting
there. I put by the first "nugget I found
for a ring and ear-bobs for you." The
young man took from his vest pocket an
Irregular yellow mass and laid it in the
girl's hand.
"Say, Crypty." he continued, "I don't
believe I ever rightly knew your full
name, and I must be looking after the li
cense soon."
Crypty was in the act of biting off ' her
thread, but she -stopped and laughed.
"Ma. Ned wants to know about -my
name." she called through the open door
way. A stout woman with a lump of dough in.
her hands came to the threshold.
"Why." she began, molding the loaf as
sho spoke, "I never was any hand for
old-fashioned names. My name's Jemima
Ann, an I always hated It like pi'son. So
when my baby come along I made up my
mind they wasn't golu' to fasten any old
wore-out tags on her. One day I was
passin a second-hand bookstore, an I
stopped to look In. I ain't any hand for
readln' books, but I do love to see the
covers of 'em, an' that's why you see
them yonder." She pointed to a long
row of Imitation volumes in red and black
pasteboard, and ornamented with spread
ing gilt titles, which hung on a swinging
shelf against the wall. "So I picked up
one with queer marks all over it, gem
metric riggers, the man called 'em. an' It
spelt, out C-r-y-p-t-o-g-r-a-m. Somehow
them figgers just 'minded me of Crypty,
for she was the squarest baby I ever
see, though she's spun out considerable
sinco. Now, thinks L here's a name that
GIVE AWACj
HODSE AXD APPARATUS FOR
peatlng rifle across his lap from force of
habit, while In that country. Suddenly the
horses shied, and the trapper, who was
driving, threw the brake and drew the
reins. At the same time he nudged mo
in the side and said in a low breath:
"Antelope!"
We had been watching for them all day
and I Immediately scanned the country
about us. But I was kept searching for
them but an instant To the left, and on
my side of the vehicle, a great band of
animals stood, not over 40 yards away,
and they were moving restlessly about
and nodding their heads up or down, just
as antelopes do. I raised my rifle, a
Marlin, loaded with powder and steel
Jacketed cartridges, and took aim at the
nearest one. Just as I was about to pull
tho trigger the trapper stopped me.
"Don't shoot yet!" he said In a whisper
"there may be a mistake. It might be
sheep. Step down to the ground and walk
toward them until you get closer they
won't run at night."
I eased down out of the seat greatly dis
appointed, for I was positive that they
were antelope,- and walked a few steps
toward them and again raised my gun to
my shoulder. Just as I was ready to pull
the trigger, again came the warning from
the trapper:
"Don't shoot unless you are certain!"
"I am sure," I replied.
"Then let 'em have it," he consented
in a louder tone than before.
I raised my gun to my shoulder again.
Hi
II U
" THE GREAT REFORMER.
- T I -------- '
none o' the neighbors or relations can
ever dream of xnatchln'. an' so I Just up
an' named her on the spot."
Mrs. Mullet joined good-naturedly in
the young man's laughter, while Crypty's
dimples chased her blushes In a way as
difficult to match as her name.
Meanwhile Turilla had delivered her
parcel. Otf her way back she took a
cross-path which cut the numerous va
cant blocks in the suburb of Irylngton.
Wild ferns brushed her knees, the Oregoa
grape thrust up stiff clusters of Its glossy
spikes, the sallal and brake and huckle
berry made a dense carpet for the fertile
earth. At Intervals the coral sprays of
the wild currant glowed like a June sun
rise. Patches of pussy-willow and the
graceful tosseiwood were vibrant with
whining wings. Occasionally a majestic
fir rose straight as an arrow for a hun
dred or two hundred feet, a solitary re
minder of the dense forest which clothed
this tract before the city's invasion:
Clouds soft as thistledown floated tran
quilly in the deep blue zenith. Beaded
grasses nodded to waxen trlllium and
flaunting dandelion. Tiny blooms of white
and pink and yellow starred Turilla's
feet on either side. As if to add the full
perfection of scent and color, great
clumps of sweetbrler spiced the air with
the aroma of leaf and flower.
The path led near a small church, where
the sweetbrler grew in profusion to the
very doors. Turilla threw herself down
in the shade of tho largest clump. She
was little and sallow and wizened, and
the toll that had seamed her face and
streaked her hair had not tended to keep
her heartbeats In rhythm with nature.
But even a clod would have wakened on
such a morning, and Turilla was no clod.
A liquid not rose blithely Into the clear
heavens. Again it bubbled forth, pure,
fresh and sparkling as sunlit dew, a
sound so riotous with tne mere joy of ex-,
istence that It fell like a benediction on
Turilla's tired, soul. She turned eagerly
to the sound; the lines of care loosened
and her face took on the peaceful look of
a satisfied child.
The bird stood upon the topmost bough
of a young fir tree. His color was a
speckled brown, and his shape was not
beautiful. His beak was. long, and he was
lacking in tall. But the song! Ho sang
It over and over again, not one whit
afraid that he should fall in his vocaliz
ing. Always he " seemed to say: "Oh,
hear me! Life is joy life is Joy!" Some,
times he sang it in common meter as a
SILKWORMS
rc3f . jfex- 4 mm -as
THE CULTURE OF SILKWORMS.
and as I did so the lomr line of animals
disappeared as suddenly as though the
earth had swallowed them up. I looked
at the trapper and I saw from his silence
and steadfast gaze in the direction where
the animals had first appeared, that he.
too, was surprised.
But in a, minute the animals appeared
again, though a little farther away this
time, just as large and numerous as ever.
"Now, shoot!" hissed the trapper.
I again raised my gun to -my shoulder
and the objects disappeared as completely
as before. Two or three times they did
this In succession.
"Go nearer to them," said the trapper.
Holding the gun ready for action I
started in a cautious walk toward the
point where the animals were last seen.
I walked for 1W yards and there was
nothing in view except the level plain
which lay out in front of me for miles. I
was about to turn back when I stumbled
Into a large bunch of sage grass. As I
did this a sage hen rose and sailed away,
and another and another followed until
a great flock had taken its flight.
Trapper Solves It.
t It was a puzzler to the trapper, who had
spent his life on the plains, but we were
compelled to admit that our antelope were
no more nor no los3 than a flock of the
plains birds. And the horses had been as
badly fooled as we. for we had driven
through large flocks of tho sage hens dur
ing the day they had never noticed
them until they appeared In the specter
like form of an antelope that night.
"It was only a mlr-lr-age," said the
trapper after we had driven some distance
In silence.
hyaan and again be trill edthg last, notes,
like a high soprano.
At last Turilla hecame conscious of an
other sound. This time it was a human
voice, and it proceeded from the little, old.
plaster-covered church. She caught the
words ad they floated out on simple mel
ody through the open window:
"If I were a voice, a persuasive voice.
I would travel the whole- world through,
I would, rise on the beam of the morning
gleam.
And tell men to be true."
Long before the singer had ended tears
were trickling down Turilla's sallow
cheeks; not sad tears, but cleansing,
washing clear the disappointments and
pains of her hard life, and softening her
soul to the subtle touch of hope.
The strains floated on. Then, by some
strange subjective alchemy, tho song of
the singer and the carol of the bird be
came transfused In her half-conscious
mind, never after to be separated. "Q, be
true." sang the voice "For life Is joy!"
caroled the bird. "Life is Joy!"
The singer had gone, the bird preened
hia wing and soared, aloft, but still TurlU
la's thoughts heat in rhythmic dreaming
to the message, and still she sat within
her bower.
II.
Turilla took great sprays of sweetbrler
from her basket and disposed them about
her tiny house. As sho stepped to the
back porch to renew her supply of. water
from the cask, she saw Eliphalet Har-;
kins sitting at his door, looking aimlessly
over the river. The sleeves of his worn
flannel shirt were rolled up to the elbows
of his muscular arms. The buttons were
missing from the:" neckband, exposing- a
brawny chest. His trousers were hitched
up by a broken suspender knotted, to
gether, and a nail took the. place of a
button. He looked inexpressibly forlorn
and desolate.
Turilla's heart was still thrilling with
the song of the bird. She grasped a
bunch of sweetbrler and held it out to
him over the rail of the porch.
'Seems to me I never smelt wild roses,
as sweet as this. I thought you might"
like to have some, Mr. Harklns; you seem
kind o lonely like," she said as he waded
across the intervening space in his high
fisherman's boots.
That's mighty purty, Miss Dale, 'an
I'm much obleeged," he responded.
"I s'pose you come near beln' homesick
up in that freezln' country sometimes,"
who desire to take advantage of the
offer of the department to supply the basis
for silk culture to become familiar with
the work of propagating before the re
ceipt of the worms. For this purpose ho
says:
"The place chosen for a rearing should
be relatively high, and not exposed to ma
laria or bad odors, and mulberry trees
should grow around It. Any room that
cap be properly heated and ventilated will
answer the purpose. An open fireplace Is
the best means of heating, but Is expen
sive, as much of the heat Is lost- Hot
water pipes, such as are used to heat
a greenhouse, are good for a building
specially built for silkworm rearing. Iron
stoves should not be used, unless placed in
an adjoining room with communicating
pipes. Never employ charcoal as fuel.
"The domesticated worm should be sur
rounded continually by pure air. Hence.
It is evident that the quantity of vitiated
air which should be expelled from the
room requires the Introduction of a large
quantity of fresh air. For this, a -double
system of ventilation Is necessary, which
may be obtained by double openings In the
windows, to allow the heated bad air
to. pass out above and the cool,'
fresh air to come In below. To renew the
afr in every part of the room, and to
avoid a single and often violent current,
there, should be more than one window.
An open fireplace is the best means of
ventilation.
"Eighty or ten . days before introducing
the worms Into their quarters all the
shelves and implements should ba washed
in a solution of chloride of lime, or m a
solution of sulphate of copper. When
UNSEEN HELPERS OF THE DAIRYMAN
Bacteria That Spoil Hiifc and Others That Help to Make Butter and Cheese.
OSTON, June L (Special Correspond
ence..) How to keep milk sweet for
the longest possible period is a prob
lem that has Interested housewives on a
small and dairymen on a large scale ever
since milk became a household necessity
Only within very recent years, however,
has there been any visible hope that a
way may yet be found to postpone sour
ing for an indefinite period, without even
the necessity of cold-storage. During
these recent years the modern science of
bacteriology has discovered the secret of
this inconvenient phenomenon; the dairy
man no longer blames the cow for produc
ing a substance that will inevitably curdle,
but curses a goodly number of bacteria
that get into the milk afterward and sour
it by the production of certain chemical
changes.
These bacteria are so numerous that
they-have not yet been completely investi
gated, although the subject has been
under careful investigation la. many con
tinental laboratories, and, on this side of
the water, much has been already accom
plished in the laboratories of Wealeyan
University, the University of Wisconsin,
and the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology. The bacteriologist and the dairy
man really work hand in hand In the Im
provement of modem dairy products., "for
the bacteriologist is. gradually finding the
scientific why and wherefore of various
methods that the dairyman have evolved '
through centuries of practical experience.
But practical experience In the dairy has
always given uneven results and the
direct value of the new partnership lies
In the gradual elimination of everything
except the particular bacteria that are
most- kindly disposed toward the' milk
producer. A series of investigations of
milk bacteria, for example, is- to be car
ried on this Summer at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology that may or may
not enable the dairyman to offset the un
friendly efforts of the little micro-organisms
that sour his milk, but will unques
tionably add much to his knowledge of
these same micro-organisms and therefore
considerably advance the dairy business
toward this much desired achievement.
Even with the general knowledge now
adays of the universal presence of these
bacteria, many of them injurious to
mankind but a greater number doing
their work for his direct or Indirect bene
fit,, probably few persons outside the
ranks of dairymen and bacteriologists
realize how Important they are In the
marketing of milk and especially In its
evolution lnta butter or cheese. There are.
Indeed, comparatively few bacteria In
the milk until it reaches, the air on Its
way from the cow to the milk pan. This
little journey is long enough to admit
a large number of micro-organisms and
the milk ltself.ii so. excellent a. place Xor
their growth that they increase with mar
velous rapidity. The dairyman finds in
them a two-fold character: roughly
speaking, they are a curse to the mllk
seller and a blessing to the makers of
cheese, aaa butter- If no bacteria got
said Turilla, by way of conversation.
"Wall, neow. ye're about right. Miss
Dale. I reckon I ben't jest over it ylt. I
s'pose you've heerd as how I didn't hev no
luck, an it makes a feller feel kind o
down ia the mouth to set an"- think on't,"
The first exchange of courtesies aver, it
was easier for Eliphalet to forego h!a J
tear or woman Kina. uen in inc warm
twilights ho and his neighbor talked
across the waterway, but he never ven
tured to approach nearer..
A week after the return of the argo
nauts. Ned Guscom and Crypty Mullet
were married. Ned fitted up a brand-new
houseboat, which he anchored beneath a
beetling cliff of the mighty Columbia; and
here, beside the fishwheeL the young
couple set up their family altars.
The Flinnegans shook the drippings of
Scow town, from their feet, and became
domiciled In a two-story house with an
attlc which, as Mrs. Fllnnegan said,
was "fine for dryin clothes in the" rainy
season,"
The house was decorated from peak to
foundation with gewgaws which were the
delight of the owners. Rising from the
hall was a tower or observatory which
looked like nothing so much as an In
verted turnip. Whether the original
builder affected Byzantine architecture or
was possessed, so to speak, of a vegetable
fancy, would be Impossible to say. At any
rate, the place was slyly styled "The Tur
njp House" by less fortunate friends.
As Mrs, Timothy Fllnnegan, arrayed in
an electric seal Jacket ornamented with
voluminous heads and tails swept her
tailored skirts over the filthy pavement
after the manner of certain fashionable
folk, her capacious bosom swelled with
pride and satisfaction. But when she
alighted from the trolley car at her own
gate and surveyed the gewgaws, the fresh'
paint and the shrubbery of the tiny lawn
cut into marvelous shapes of bird and
beast, her cup of Joy knew no dregs.
Eliphalet Harklns turned back to his
old trade, and for 'some months his scow
was vacant t the beginning of the close
season he brought his fishing-gear into
Winter quarters, and employed himself
cruising in his stout xowboat for drift
logs, which supplied the Winter fuel of
Scowtown.
"Seems 'ike ye're lookhV peart as a gal,
Turilly," he said one Sunday shortly after
his return, as the two started out for a
stroll. "I djdn't sense it at fust, for I
never see sech a change."
It was quite .true. Turilla's faded brown
ANY ONE WHO WISHES TO EXPERIMENT "WITH
THEM ft AS THE OPPORTUNITY NOW
everything Is in order tools, perforated
paper, material for the worms to spin
their cocoons on, etc, each In Its own
room close the doors and windows as
tightly as possible and fumigate the rooms
with sulphur. Twenty-four hours after
the fumigation the floors should be washed
with a solution of chloride of lime or sul
phate of copper, and the walls should be
whitewashed with lime.
"The worms from one ounce of eggs
should cover at birth one square yard.
Doubling this space on the fourth day.
they would require, two yards square, and
at their, change of beds after molting,
four square yards. The more space that
Is. accorded to the worms in their first
stages the more robust they will be, and If
the space can be tripled instead of dou
bled, so much the better.
"Having adopted hours for feeding,
these should be adhered to throughout
the rearing- When four meals are given,
the best hours are 5 to 6 A. M., 10 to noon,
3 to 6 P. M. and 3 to 11 P. M.
"A considerable loss may occur In the
spinning place, even when the rearing has
been most successful. To avoid such loss
observe the. following precautions: Pre
pare the spinning place 1n time; arrange
it so that the worms may regularly mount
and have abundant room; have It well
made, yet economical; and- regulate the
heat, and ventilate the room.
"Any convenient dry, bushy brush, odor
less and free from gum, will serve to con
struct the spinning place; or If such is
not available,' bundles of straw, or shav
ings, or flnely-spllt-up wood may be sub
stituted. The' best and most economical
arrangement is small bundles of brush or
Into the milk It would probably remain
sweet indefinitely, while, on the other
hand, except for some of these same bac
teria, humanity would probably never
have acquired its taste for bread and
butter or its fondness for cheese sand
wiches. The relation, therefore, between the
bacteriological laboratory and the modern
dairyman has been of Increasing impor
tance ever since science discovered these
wonderful little organisms and began to
devise means of separating one kind from
another and so studying their individual
operations. Apd in no other Industry has
this partnership of scientific study and
practical experience been of more im
portance than In the big modern dairies.
Souring of milk, which had been long
considered a normal property of the milk
itself, has been proved to result from tha
action of many different kinds of bacteria,
all of which convert the milk sugar In a
pan of milk Into lactic acid, which In turn
Imparts a sour taste to the milk and
eventually makes it curdle. It was found
that tha more bacteria removed from
milk by the careful processes of lab
oratory Experiment the Tees likely was
the milk to curdle. Other bacteria
have been discovered that spoil the "milk
in various ways which had always been
attributed by the jdairyman to circum
stances beyond their personal control.
And the net result of the discoveries so
far made have been practically to elimi
nate many of these bacteria by greater
carefulness in the conditions under which
the milk is produced.
It is a curious fact that whereas modern
bacteriology Is constantly busied with the
problem of keeping the "bad" bacteria
out of the milk that is Intended to fill the
world's milk pitchers, it Is equally busy
m studying and supplying the "good"
bacteria that are absolutely necessary
to perfect our butter and produce our
after-dinner cheeses. Although butter
can be made from cream without bacterial
assistance, cheese would be an impossi
blllty; and the butter that is not partly
made by their action is very much like
cream in taste and not at all like butter
to the average palate.
Anybody who has had any acquaintance
with a butter churn knows that cream, in
order to produce the .best tasting butter,
must bo "ripened" In other words, long
before bacteria had been discovered, the
butter-ma'ker used to set his cream aside
and allow his unsuspected helpers to pro
duce certain chemical changes in the
cream before it was churned. These
changes if carried too far spoil the cream
but If stopped at the right hour vastly
Improve it for butter-making.
Scientific examination of this phenome
non discovered that it was bacterial ac
tion that produced these changes and dis
covered also a reason for the perplexing
fact that the changes were not uniform.
There are bacteria and bacteria and by
a further examination of them tha bac
teriologists have found the best bacteria
for the butter-maker, have found means
to cultivate these particular dairyman's
assistants In what are called "pure cul
tures." and these "pure cultures" are. now
used In butter-making in much the 'same
fashion as prepared yeast, which is an
other result of bacterial assistance, is
used In the bakery- Their wo has devel
oped during the last six years ta such aa
eyes shone with a look of peace. Her
wiry little body seemed to have rounded
out Us angles. Somehow, since that
morning under the sweetbrler. It had all
been different.
"La. 'Uphalet, I guess it's because I've
got my new teeth!"
Turilla laughed happily. The little
mirror on her wall reflected many beam
ing glances cast upon those three beautiful
gold teeth. A dentist had broken the law
of his cult, and begun to advertise. She
bad heard of it. and hod taken advantage
of a special offer at almost nominal rates.
Now her checkerboard smile, was no
more; or. If the fancy still held. It was a
checkerboard In White and gold.
Turilla guided Ellphalet's steps to the
path of happy memory. Many times her
feet had trodden it alone, even stopping"
for service In the little church, where tha
young minister had given her cqrdlal
greeting. The rose petals had long since
fallen, and in their places were great clus
ters of scarlet hips. The ferns and
grasses were brown and dusty, and on Its
green stem the goldenrod was preparing a
requiem to Summer. The larks, too, were
busy with their broods and no note was
heard. But In Turilla's heart the bird
sang on as ever.
IH.
Eliphalet and Turilla sat hand ia hand
on the stoop of the Jlttle scow.
It was all settled now. They had de
cided that it was not too late.
"Ye see. Turilly." he was saying. "I
done fust-rate with the flshin' this season,
though I was late gittln started. An now
Ned GusQom's gone an "offered me a Job
steady helpin' him with his flshwheel. I'll
jest-build a new boat this Winter, an' next
Spring we'll move her up to the flshin'
grounds. An I vum. Turilly," he added,
suddenly bringing his free hand down
upon his knee, "sence you're so set on
them birds, we'll name her the Lark's
Nest, an' I'll paint It on In big letters."
He rubbed his shaggy head in gleeful as
tonishment at the brilliance of his idea.
"There's no end o medder larks an all
kinds o' birds an bresh up thar. an I
guess ye kin take it easy fer a spell, little
woman!"
Turilla's toll-marked fingers rested in
Ellphalet's horny palm for a long time
Then she broke the silence.
"It's a real Thanksgiving day, 'Lipha
Iet" The period with which Eliphalet closed
this sentence could be heard over the quiet
water to the fourth scow. The Munsey
for June.
straw placed upright between the feeding
selves. In rows, about 15 inches apart. If
the worms are equally developed. In 30 or
40 hours they will be shut up In their co
coons. The few that remain behind should
be placed elsewhere; fed with Iresh leaf
on clean beds, they will soon catch up
with the others.
"The department will send out full and
complete directions, before the shipment
of the worms, in order that those who
will handle them may make the best of
the proposition and the department may
get the benefit of the experiments-"
Crane To it a in Indiana.
Indianapolis News.
In a large grove of elm and sycamore
trees, at the head of English Lake, in
Starke County, thousands of blue cranes
have for years made their nests and
reared their young. There is much clam
or and contention among the birds in
choosing nesting places, and they give
little attention to people who come into
the woods. They build their nests after
the manner of a stork, sitting astride of
them with their legs hanging down.
The cranes seem to have a rule of ac
tion and a code of signals. Only about
one-fourth of the birds are away from
the woods at a time, those remaining in
the trees keeping close watch for hawks,
crows and eagles. The approach of any
of these enemies Is announced by a
"hawk" which causes the entire flock of
cranes to sally forth in an attack. Al-
though awkward and slow to fight, if they
once surround an enemy they make short
work of him.
extent that June butter, formerly ob
tained only In Spring and early Summer,
Is now produced by many dairymen
straight through the season. The June
butter of a decade ago, that is was due to
the presence of particular bacteria not
present earlier In the year, which have
been captured and are now widely culti
vated by expert bacteriologists.
What has been accomplished in the way
of furnishing the proper bacteria for butter-making
points naturally to the hope
that tho same thing may be accomplished
In the processes of cheese manufacture.
So far, however, although some advance
has been made in the right direction this
ideal condition has not been established,
although the fact has been proven that
the cheesemaker3' bacterial allies are of
even greater Importance than those triat
assist the butter-makers. Just as differ
ent kinds of bacteria are the important
factors In producing butter of various
degrees of excellence, so are different bac-
teria undoubtedly responsible for the wide
variety of cheeses. If it were possible to
select and cultivate these different bac
teria, it would follow that the produc
tion of each kind of cheese could be re
duced to an almost mathematical science.
Tic Dago."
Fred Emerson Brooks.
I am-a one Ital-i-an
People call-a me Da-co-man;
I lik-a. lhr U-nt-tcd. State- -llak-a
heap o' mon-a. any rat;
Smok-a vera cheap-a clj?a-reC -Eat-a.
macaroni an tpaget;.
I am-a descended from -
Chrfatoph' Colomb'i '
I bring-a dls-a. leetal monk
Ovalr in dls-a leetal trunk;
Though-a vara homely one. "
He help-a me mak-a da mon. "
Irish, man he call-a me.
Da leetal monkey pedigree;
Call-a da monk ancestor from
Christoph Colons!
I drag- plana through de town;
People throw me da. nickel, dows;
I mak-a vera iweet-a bow
To servant gal. she mak-a row;
Call-a me da olano horse!
Say plan so old, a" course
It W&S-& descended from
Christoph Colomb!-
Beeg-a fool com avalr day.
Ask-a. where I learn to jlay;
Tell-a nve I muat-a be
Great-a lik-a Fad-a-ru-si-keef
Small boy mak-a Uad-a face; --Call-a
mo dat-a stumpy race
Mis-flt-a descended from
Chrlstoph' Colomb'i
Cable car he bump-a. me,
Police-a-man he thamn-a-me.
Truckle-man upset-a. me.
- . SprinkTe-a-man he' wet-a" me.
Flre-a-engine come-a dash.
Break da organ all-a smash!
Kill da monk descended from
Chrlstoph Colomb'!
"So you are a reformer; said the man wht
thinks before he votes; "I am." "TVould. yo
continue ta be a reformer after you got
fleer Wasfelngtoa Star.
"Railroad took off his leg. "Tee, and s
providential I" "Providential?" "That's what.
It was the ler wtt& the T&MBBatim ia itT"
Atlanta Ceastltuilos.