Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1906)
48 THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND, NOVEMBER, 18, 1906. wnrcrr tt -o V S 1 J t I t I t i t m-m m "3S I tiff PEAKING o" money," said the ffa night-watchman thoughtfully, as he selected an empty soap-box on the -wharf for a seat, ''the whole world would be different If we all 'ad more of It. It would be a brighter and a 'appler dace for everybody." He broke on to open a small brass tobacco-box and place a little quid of to bacco tenderly into a pouch in his left cheek, critically observing at the same time the efforts of a somewhat large steamer to get alongside the next wharf without blocking up more than three parts of the river. He watched it as though the entire operation depended upon his attention, and, the steamer fast, he turned his eyes back again and re sumed his theme. "Of course, it s the being short that sharpens people," lie admitted, thought fully; "the sharpest man I ever knew never 'ad a ha'penny In 'is pocket, and the ways 'e had o' getting other chaps to pay for 'is beer would ha' made Ms lortin at the law if 'e'd only 'ad the eddi cation. Playful little chap 'e was. I've 'seen men wot didn't know 'im stand 'im e, pot o" beer and then foller "lm up the road to see 'lm knock down a policeman as "e'd promised. They'd foller 'Ira to the fust policeman 'e met, an' then 'e'd point them out and say they were goln' .to half kill 'lm. an' the policeman 'ud Just stroll up an" ask 'em wot they were 'anging about for, but I never 'eard of a chap telling "lm. They used to go away struck all of a 'eap.' He died in the acci dent ward of the London Horsepittle, poor chap." ' He shook his head thoughtfully, and Ignoring the statement of a watchman at the next wharf that It was a fine evening, shifted his quid and laughed rumbllngly. "The funniest way o' raising the wind I've ever 'eard of," he said, in explana tion, "was one that 'appened about 15 years ago. I'd just taken my discharge as A. B. from the North Star, trading between here and the Australian ports, and the men wot the thing 'appened to was shipmates o' mine, although on'y f firemen. "I knows It's a true story, becos I was in it a little bit myself, and the other .part I 'ad from all of 'em, and besides, they didn't see anything funny in It at all, or anything out of the way. It seemed to them quite a easy way o' making money, and I dessay if It 'ad come off all right I should have thought so. too. . "In about a week after we was paid oft .at the Albert Docks these chaps was all cleaned out, and they was all in despair, with a thirst wot wasn't half quenched and a spree wot was on'y in a manner o' speaking just begun, and at the end of that time they came round to a room wot I ad, to see wot could be done. There was four of 'em in all old Sam Small Ginger Dick. Peter Russet and a orphan nevy of Sam's whose father and mother was dead. The mother 'ad been 'alf nig ger an' 'alf Malay when she was living, and Sam was always pertickler careful to point out that his nevy took arter 'er It was enough to make the pore woman turn in 'er grave to say so, but Sam used to say that 'e owed it to 'is brother to explain. " 'Wot s to be done?' ses Peter Russet, arter they'd all said wot miserable chaps they was. an' 'ow badly sailor-men was paid. 'We're all going to sign on in the Land's End, but she doesn't sail for a fortnight; wot's to be done In the mean time for to live?' " 'There's your watch, Peter,' ses old Sam. dreamy-like, 'and there's Ginger's ring. It s a good job you kep' that ring, Ginger. We're all in the same boat, mates, an' I on'y wish as I'd got some thing for the general good. It's 'aving an orphan nevy wot's kep' me pore.' " 'Stow it," ses the nevy, short-like. .Ju Everythlng s aKin U8'' se3 old Sa"1 There's them four green parrots I brought from Brazil, all dead.' " 'So are my two monkeys,' ses Peter Russet, shaking 'is 'ed; 'they used to sleep with me, too.' "They all shook their 'eads then, and Russet took Sam up very sharp for say ing that p'r'aps if he 'adn't slep' wfth the monkeys they wouldn't ha' died. ' He said if Sam knew more about monkeys than wot 'e did, why didn't 'e put 'is money In them Instead o' green parrots wot pulled their feathers out and died of cold. " 'Talking about monkeys.' ses Ginger X!ck, Interrupting old Sam suddenly, 'wot about young Beauty here?' " 'Well, wot about him?' ses the nevy, in a nasty sort o' way. " 'W'y, 'e' worth forty monkeys an' millions o' green parrots," ses Ginger, starting up: -an' here 'e is a-wasting of is opportunities, going about dressed like a Christian. Open your mouth, Beauty, and stick your tongue out and roll your eyes a bit.' " "Wy not leave well alone, Ginger?" I ses Russet; and I thought so, too. Young Beauty was quite enough for me without that. " 'Ter 'bilge me," ses Ginger, anxiously, - 'just make yourself as ugly as wot "you can. Beauty." " 'Leave Mm alone." ses old Sam, as his nevy snarled at 'em. "You ain't every body's money yourself. Ginger.' " 'I tell you. mates,' ses Ginger, speak ing very slow and solemn, "there's a Jortfn in Mm. I was loolrtn' at Mm Just now, trying to think who 'e reminded me of. At fust I thought it was that big etuffed monkey we saw at Melbourne. then I suddenly remembered it was a w ild man of Borneo I see when I was a kid up In Sunderland. When I say 'e was 'handsome', good-'arted looking gentle man alongside o' you. Beauty, do you be gin to get my meaning?" . " 'Wot's the Idea. Ginger?" ses Sam, get-' ting up to lend me and Russet a 'and with Ms nevy. " 'My idea is this," ses Ginger; "take "is cloes off Mm and dress Mm up in that there winder-blind, or something o' the kind; tie Mm up with a bit o' line, and take "im round to Ted Reddish in the 'Ighway and sell Mm for a 'undered quid as a wild man of Borneo." " 'Wot?' screams Beauty. In an awful voice. "Let go, Peter; let go, d'ye hear?" " ' 'Old your noise. Beauty, while your elders Is speaking.' ses Ms uncle, and I could see 'e was struck with the idea. " "You jest try dreslng me up in a winder-blind," ses his nevy, half-crying with rage. " 'Listen to reason. Beauty," ses Gin ger; 'you'll 'ave your share of the tin; it'll only be for a day or two,, and then when we've cleared out you can make .your escape, and there'll be twenty-five pounds for each of us." '" ' 'Ow do you make that out, Ginger?" ses Sam, In a cold voice. " 'Fours into a "undered." ses Ginger. " 'Ho,' ses Sam. "Ho. indeed. I wasn't aweer that 'e was your nevy. Ginger.' " 'Share and share alike," ses Russet. It's a very good plan o' yours. Ginger." "Ginger holds Ms 'ead up and looks at im 'ard. " 'I thought o' the plan," "ejses, speak ing very slow and deliberate. 'Sam's 'la l w i " "ITM 1M." y "RETfL'RN OF THE uncle, and 'e's the wild man. Threes Into a 'undered go ' " 'You needn't bother your fat 'ead add ing up sums. Ginger." ses Russet, very polite. 'I'm going to 'ave my hareelse I'll split to Ted Reddish." "None of 'em said a word about me; two of 'em was sitting on my bed; Ginger was using a 'andkerchief o' mine wot 'e found In the fireplace, and Peter Russet 'ad 'ad a drink out o' the jug on my washstand, and yet they never even men tioned me. That's lirepien all over, and that's 'ow it is they get themselves so disliked. "It took 'em best part of an "our to talk round younj Beauty, an' the langwidge they see tit to use made me thankful to think that the parrots didn't live to lam it. "You never saw anything like vBeauty when they 'ad finished with Mm. If 'e was bad in Ms cloes. 'e was a perfeck hor ror without 'em. Ginger Dick faked Mm up beautiful, but there was no pleasing 'im. Fust he found fault with the winder-blind, which 'e said didn't fit; then 'e grumbled about going barefoot, then 'e wanted somethink to Mde Ma legs, which was natural considering the shape of 'em. Ginger Dick nearly lost Ms temper with 'im, and it was all old Sam could do to stop himself fjrom easting 'im off forever. He was finished at last, and arter Peter Russet 'ad slipped downstairs and found a bit o' broken clothes-prop In the yard, and 'e'd been shown 'ow to lean on It and make a noise. Ginger said as 'ow If Ted Reddish got Mm for a 'undered pounds 'e'd get 'im a bargain. " "We must 'ave a cab," ses old Sam. " "Cab?" ses Ginger, 'What for?' v ' 'We should 'ave half Wapplng follow ing us," ses Sam. "Go out and put your ring up, Ginger, and fetch a cab. "dinger started grumbling, but he went, and presently came back with the cab and the money, and they all went down stairs leading the wild man by a bit o" line. Thay only met one party coming up, and "e seemed to remember somethink 'e'd forgotten wot ought to be fetched at once. "Ginger went out fust and opened the cab-door, and then stood there waiting becos at the last moment the wild man said the winder-blind was slipping down. They got Mm out at last, but before 'e could get in the cab was going up the road,, at ten miles an hour, with Ginger 'anging on to the door calling to it to stop. "It came back at about a mile an' a "alf an hour, an' the remarks of the cab man was eggstrordinary. Even when he got back 'e wouldn't start till 'e'd got double fare paid in advance; but they got in at last and drove off. - "There was a fine scene at Ted Red dish's door. Ginger said that if there was a bit of a struggle it would be a good advertisement for Ted Reddish, and they might p'r'aps get more than a 'undered, and all the three of 'em could do, they couldn't get the wild man out o' that cab, and the cabman was hopping about 'art crazy. Every now and then they'd get the wild man 'art out, and then he'd get in agin and snarl. 'B didn't seem to know when to leave off,, and Ginger and the others got almost as sick of it as the cab man. It must ha' taken two years' wear out o' that cab. but they got Mm out at last, and Reddlsh's door being open to see what the row was about, they went straight in. " 'Wot's all this?' ses Reddish, who was a tall, thin man, with a dark mustache. " 'It's a wild man o' Borneo." ses Gin ger, panting: 'we caught -Mm in a forest in Brazil, an" we've come 'ere to give you the fust offer." "Ted Reddish was so surprised 'e couldn't speak .at fust. The wild man seemed to take Ms breath away, and 'e looked in a 'elpless, kind o' way at 'is wife, who'd just come down. She was a nice-lookin' woman, fat, with a lot o' yaller hair, and she smiled at 'em as though she'd known 'em all their lives. " 'Come into the parlor.: she ses, kindly, just as Ted was beginning to get 'is breath. "Tbav lullowed, "em in, and the wild WILD MAN." man was just going to make hisself com fortable in a easy-chair, when Ginger give Mm a look, an' 'e curled up on the 'earth rug instead. " 'E ain't a very finef specimen," ses Ted Reddish, at last. " 'It's the red side-whiskers I don't like,' ses his wife. 'Besides, who ever 'eard of a wild man in a collar an' neck tie?" " 'You've got hold o' the wrong one," ses Ted Reddish, afore Ginger Dick could speak up for hisself. ' 'Oh, I beg your pardln," ses Mrs. Red dish to Ginger, very polite. "I thought it was funny a wild man should be wearing a collar. It's my mistake. That's the wild man, I s'pose, on the 'earthrug?' " 'That's Mm, mum," ses old Sam, very Short. " . " 'He don't look wild enough,' ses Red dish. " 'No: 'e's much too tame," ses "Is wife, shaking her yalVsr curls. , "The chaps all looked at each other then, and the wild man began to think it was time he did somethink: and the near est thing 'andy being Ginger's leg, 'e put 'Is teeth into it. . Anybody might ha' thought Ginger was the wild man then, the way 'e went on, and Mrs. Reddish said that even if lie so far forgot hisself as to use sich langwidge afore 'er, 'e oughtn't to before a poor 'eathen animal. " 'How much do you want for Mm?' ses Ted Reddish, arter Ginger 'ad got 'is leg away, and taken it to the winder to look at it. " "One 'undered pounds,' ses old Sam. "Ted Reddish looked at Ms wife, and they both larfed as though they'd never leave orf. " 'Why, the market price o' the best wild men is only thirty shillings,' ses Reddish, wiping Ms eyes. 'I'll give you a pound for Mm.' "Old Sam looked at Russet, and Russet looked at Ginger, and then theyall larfed. " 'Well, there's no getting over you, I can see that,' ses Reddish, at last. 'Is he strong?' " 'Strong? Strong ain't the word for it," ses Sam. " 'BrinHMjm to the back and let Mm 'ave a wrestleTvith one o' the brown bears, Ted,' ses Ms wife. " 'E'd kill it,' ses old 'Sam. hastily. " 'Never "mind," ses Reddish, getting up; 'brown bears is cheap enough." "They all got up then, none of 'em knowing wot to do, except the wild man, that is, and he got Ms arms tight round the leg o' the table. " Well," ses Ginger, "we'll be pleased for 'im to wrestle with the bear, but we must ave the 'undered quid fust, in case 'e injures Msself a little." "Ted Reddish looked 'ard at 'im, and tKen he looked at Ms wife agin. " "I'll just go outside and talk it over with the missus," he ses, at last, and they both got up and went out. " 'It's all right," ses old Sam, winking at Ginger. " 'Fair cop," ses Ginger, who was still rubbing his leg. 'I told you it would be, but there's no need for Beauty to overdo iL He nearly 'ad a bit out o' my leg." " 'A'right,' ses the wild man, shifting along the 'earthrug to where Peter was sitting; 'but it don't do for me to be too tame. You 'eard wot she said." " 'How are you feeling, old man?1 ses Peter, in a kind voice, as 'e tucked Ms legs away under "is chair. " 'Our,' ses the wild man, going on all fours to the back of the chair, 'gur wug wug ' " 'Don't play the fool. Beauty, ses Pe ter, with a uneasy smile, as he twisted Ms 'ead round. "Call Mm oft, Sam.' " 'Gur,' ses the wild man, sniffing at 'is legs; 'gurr.' " "Easy on, Beauty, it's no good biting Mm till they come back," ses old Sam. " 'I won't be bit at all," ses Russet, very sharp, 'mind that Sam. It's my belief Beauty's gone mad." " 'Hush,"- ses Ginger, and they 'eard Ted Reddish and Ms wife coming back. They came in. sat down agin, and after Ted 'ad 'ad another good look at the wild man and prodded Mm all over an' looked at Ms teeth, he spoke up and said .they'd decided to give a 'undered pun for 'im at the end o' three days if 'e suited. , " 'I s'pose,' ses Sam, looking at Ahe others, 'that we could 'ave a bit of it now to go on with?' " 'It's agin our way of doing business,' ses Ted Reddish. 'If it had been a Hon or a tiger we could, but wild men we never do.' " 'The thing is," ses Mrs. Reddish, as the wild man started on Russet's leg and was pulled off by Sam and Ginger, 'where to put Mm.' " 'Why not put Mm in with the black leopard?" ses her 'usband. "'There's plenty o' room in his -cage,' says Ms wife thoughtfully, 'and it ud be company for Mm, too." " 'I don't think the wild man 'ud like that," ses Ginger. " 'I'm sartin sure 'e wouldn't,1 says old Sam, shaking Ms 'ead. " 'Well, we must put im in a cage by hisself, I s'pose,' ses Reddish, ;,'but we can't be put to much expense.' I'm sure the money we spent in cat's meat for the last wild man we 'ad was awful.' " 'Don't you spend too much money on cat's meat for Mm,' ses Sam; "'e'd very likely leave it. Bringing Mm 'ome, we used to give Mm the same as we 'ad our selves, and he got on all right." "'It's a wonder you didn't kill Mm,' ses Reddish, severely. 'He'll be fed very dif ferent 'ere, I can tell you. 'You won't know Mm at the end o' three days.' " 'Don't change Mm too sudden," ses Ginger, keeping 'is' ead turned away from the wild man, wot wos trying to catch Ms eye. 'Cook Ms food at fust, 'cos 'e's been used to it." ' " 'I know wot to give Mm," ses Reddish, offhandedly. 'I ain't been in the line 27 years for nothink. Bring Mm out to the back, an' I'll put 'im in 'is new 'ome.' "They all got up and, taking no notice of the wild man's whispers, follered Ted Reddish and Ms wife out to the back, where all the wild beasts in the world seemed to 'ave collected to roar out to each other what a beastly place it was. " 'I'm going to put Mm in " 'Appy Cot tage" for a time," ses Reddish; 'lend a Plants Made IT HAS been said that civilization pre cedes all forms of gardening and this is specially the case in respect to or namental or decofative gardening as dis tinguished from the culture of plants for economic purposes. Decorative gardening is one of the last hobbies to be taken up ln a newly civil ized country, but after this stage has been reached the hobby continues to be progressive as long as the civilization it self advances. Thus it is that in the twentieth century men are no longer content to cultivate plants, in their natural season of growth and gather the flowers in Summer time, but attempt their cultivation in every season of the year and expect the sun plies of flowers to be as certain at Christmas as rose blooms in. June. Great er success is possible in this way than has been the case previously and this suc cess is due to the employment of means such as were never dreamed of even a few years ago. The desire to have the garden bloom in Winter first found expression in the building of glass houses for the cultiva tion of exotic plants and the means taken to heat such houses by flues. Little pro gress was made, however, until after the middle of the last century, when the flue system was superseded by the employ ment of an apparatus consisting of hot water pipes. Forcing Process Used. Having got thus far, it was possible to flower some few plants in Winter and many species in Spring that previously were perfectly unknown at such seasons. This was due to the practice known as "forcing," being the subjection of plants to the influence of .considerable artificial heat in order to force them into bloom. By the continued repetition of the process and 'consequent increased knowledge of the effect of forcing upon different plants a greater number of species was successfully brought under the treatment and the early forcing of flowers, fruits and vegetables became part of the ordi nary duties of the gardener. But there was a limit beyond which such forcing could not be pushed, owing to the fact that plants insist upon hav ing a certain amount of sleep or rest after the completion of growth. For this reason many bulbous plants, including lily of the valley, also deciduous shrubs such as lilacs and azaleas, were still im possible flowers in November and early in December. The lily of the valley being one of the most popular white flowers in this coun try, it occurred to the market growers that it would be a lucrative business if by any means It were possible to have it hand "ere, William," he ses, beckoning to one of 'Is men. "'Is that "' 'Appy Cottage"?' ses old Sam, sniffing, as they got up to-a nasty, empty cage with a chain and staple in the wall. - "Ted Reddish said it was. " 'Wot makes you call it that?' ses Sam. "Reddish didn't seem to 'ear Mm, and it took all Ginger's coaxing to get Beauty to go in. " 'It's on'y for a day or two,' he whis pers. " 'But 'ow am I to es.cape when you've got the brass?' ses the wild man. " 'We'll look arter that," ses Ginger, who 'adn't got .the least Idea. . "The wild man 'ad a little show for the last time, jlst to impress Ted Reddish, an' it was pretty to see the way William 'andled 'im. The look on the wild man's face showed as 'ow it was a revelashun to Mm. Then Ms three mates took a last look at "lm and went off. "For the fust day Sam felt uneasy about Mm, and used to tell us tales about Ms dead brother which made us think Beauty was lucky to take arter 'is mother; but it wore off. and the next night, in the Admiral Cochrane, 'e put 'is 'ead on Gin ger shoulder, and wep' for 'appiness as spoke of Ms nevy's home at ' 'Appy Cottage." "On the third day Sam was for goinj round in the morning for the money, but Ginger said ot wasn't advisable to show any 'aste; so they left it to the evening, and Peter Russet wrote Sam a letter signed 'Barnum' offering Mm two 'undered for the wild man, in case Ted Reddish should want to beat 'em down. They all 'ad a drink before they went in, and was smiling with good temper to slch an ex tent that they 'ad to wait a minute to get their faces straight afore going in. " 'Come in," ses Reddish, and they fol lered Mm into the parler, where Mrs. Reddish was sitting in a armchair shakin' 'er 'ead and looking at the carpet very sorrowful. , " 'I was afraid you'd come,' she ses, in a low voice. " 'So was I.' ses Reddish. to Bloom at Will In flower in October, or even earlier. The means of doing this was eventually found In the employment of cold storage. Give the Plants Rest. . If plants of the present season's growth refused to be forced again until they had had a 'month or two of sleep, why not retard those of the previous year? Such was the reasoning that led to the discovery in the dying hours of the nineteenth century that lily of the valley crowns, Japanese and other lily bulbs, also lilacs, dfciduous azaleas, hy drangeas and some other deciduous flowering shrubs might be lifted early in Spring, before commencing growth and If placed in cold storage rooms similar to those used for the preservation of fresh meat might be rctarted until It was thought fit to introduce them to heat and force them into flower at any date the cultivator desired. This discovery alone had the effect of enabling the market grower to place lily of the valley flow ers on the market on every day in the year. Retarding Is now practiced in all gar dening communities and its commercial value is beyond estimation. It must be pointed out, however, that toward the end of the Autumn the plants that have been in cold storage so long begin to lose their vital power, for the sleep cannot be indefinitely prolonged with impunity and by the time the forcingof the succeeding season's products can be undertaken with success the old retarded specimens have lost their commercial value alto gether. Three Periods of Sleep. The next discovery In relation to the forcing of plants was made In Denmark by Professor Johannsen, of Copenhagen. This Danish botanist after making a prolonged study of the resting period of plants came to the conclusion that their period of inactivity or sleep might be di vided into three stages, as follows: First, the period immediately following the fall of the leaf or a stage in which the plant is going to sleep; secondly, a sim ilar length of time during which rest is absolute, and thirdly, the period in Spring when, the sleeping stage having passed, the tree continues to remain dor mant only because the weather is un suitable for growth. It was thought that it might be possible to hurry the plants through the first two stages of rest into the third, and it was obvious that if this could be done they would at once be in a suitable condition for introducing to the forcing house. Pro fessor Johannsen, by repeated experi ments, found that in plants, as In ani mals, the effect of ether and chloroform is to cause every indication of sleep, and during the last three years the system of " "What for?" ses old Sam. It didn't look like money, and 'e felt cross. '" 'We've 'ad a loss," ses Mrs. Reddish. She touched 'erself. and then they see she was all in black, and that Ted Red dish was wearing a black tie and a bit o' crape round Ms arm. "" 'Sorry to 'ear it. mum," ses old Sam. " 'It was very sudden, too," ses Mrs. Reddish, wiping 'er eyes. " 'That's better than laying long,' ses Peter Russet, comforting like. "Ginger Dick gives a cough. 'Twenty five pounds was wot 'e'd come for; not to 'ear this sort o' talk.' "'We've been in the wild-beast line seven-an' -twenty years," ses Mrs. Red dish, 'and it's the fust time anythink of this sort 'as 'appened.! ; '" 'Ealthy family. I- s'pose,' ses - Sam, staring. " Tell Mm, Ted," ses Mrs. Reddish, in a usky whisper. " 'No, you," ses Ted. " 'It's your place,' ses Mrs. Reddish. " 'A woman can break it better,' ses 'er 'usband. " 'Tell us wot?' ses Ginger, very snap pish. "Ted Reddish cleared his throat. " 'It wa'n't our fault," he ses, slowly, while Mrs. Reddish began to cry agin: 'gln'raily speakin", animals is- afraid o' wild men, and night before last, as the wild man wot you left on approval didn't seem to like " 'Appy Cottage," he took 'im out an' put Mm In with the tiger.' " 'Put him in with the WOT?' ses the unfort nit man's uncle, jumping off Ms chair. " "The tiger,' ses Reddish. 'We 'eard something in the night, but we thought they was only 'aving a little bit of a tiff, like. In the morning I went down with a bit o' cold meat for the wild man, and I thought at first he'd (escaped; but looking a little bit 'closer " " 'Don't, Ted," ses 'is wife. 'I can't bear it." " 'Do you mean to tell me that the tiger 'as eat "Ira?" screams old Sam. JL nil, oca Adv. .i . . . . . . .. 'e couldn't ha' been much of a wild man ' Artificial Heat and Cold Desired Results etherizing plants to bring them quickly through the resting periods has been adopted commercially with extraordinary success. Flower Twice a Year. A lilac bush may be lifted from the ground at the end of the Summer while the leaves are still upon It and removed to a house where it is treated for a few hours to the influence of the fumes of ether, and by this simple means such an effect is produced in the tissues as would not have taken place for several months to come if left to Nature. It is now easily possible to flower lilacs twice In the same year, once naturally in the open ground in June and again in October or November by subjecting the plant to etherization at the end of August and subsequently forc ing It in the hot-house. When plants are to be etherized they are brought first into a dry condition at top and root before re moval to a structure that can be made practically air tight. WMien the door has been sealed the eth er is applied through a small hole in the roof into a vessel in the house and the fumes being heavier than the atmosphere, they hang about near to the floor, where the plants are arranged. The exact length of time it Is necessary to keep the plants under the Influence of these fumes varies according to the species, and some are subjected to two doses. Professor Craig, of Cornell University, in making some re cent experiments, found that lilacs and spiraeas yielded the best results after etherization and that bulbs of lilium Har rlsli bloomed from one to three weeks in advance of nonetherized bulbs. Dries Up the T4ssn.es. The only explanation that science can yet offer of this extraordinary influence of ether is that it has the effect of drying up the moisture in the tissues and it is believed that in the natural rest or sleep which plants undergo there Is also a grad ual drying process at work which, for want of better knowledge, the cultivator describes as the ripening of the tissues. At this present date In some of the up-to-date horticultural nurseries etherized plants of the present season's growth are already subjected to the forcing influence of the hot-house. Experiments with the electric light were continued by Deherain and subsequently by L. H. Bailey at the Cornell experiment station. The conclusions reached at Cor nell were that electric light promoted as similation, hastened growth and ma turity; that periods of darkness are not necessary to plant growth and that it might sometimes be used with profit in certain branches of forcing-house work. What Acetylene Gas Does. In the electric light it was found that the chemical ultraviolet rays were in jurious factors as regards plant growth to let a tiger get the better of Mm. I must say I was surprised.' " 'We both was," ses Mrs. Reddish, wiping "er eyes. "You might ha' 'eard a pin drop: old Sam's eyes was large and staring, Peter Russet was sucking Ms teeth, an' Ginger was wondering wot the law would say to it if it 'eard of it. . ': " 'It's an unfortunit thing for all par ties," ses Ted Reddish at last, getting up and standing on the 'earthrug. "' ' 'Orrible.' ses Sam, "uskily. "You ought to ha' known better than to put Mm in with a tiger. Wot could' you ex pect? W'y, It was a mad thing to do." " 'Crool thing." ses Peter Russet. " 'You don't know the bisness properly,' ses Ginger, 'that's about wot it is. W'y, 1 should ha' known better than that." "' 'Well, it's no good making a fuss about it.' ses Reddish. 'It was only a wild man. arter all. and he'd ha' died anyway, cos "e wouldn't eat the raw meat we gave Mm. and Ms pan o' water was scarcely touched. He'd ha' starved him self anyhow. I'm sorry, as I said before, but I must be off; I've an appointment down at the docks.' "He moved towards the door; Ginger Dick gave Russet a nudge and whispered something, and Russet passed it on to Sam. " 'What about the "undered quid? sea pore Beauty's unole, catching 'old o' Red. dish as 'e passed 'im. "' 'Eh?' ses Reddish, surprised Oh, that's off.' " 'Ho!' says Sam. "Ho! is it? We want a 'undered quid off of you; an' wot'a more, we mean to 'ave lt" i "2'But the tiger's ate Mm,' says Mrs. Reddish, explaining. " "I know that," ses Sam, sharply. 'But 'e was our wild man. and we want to be paid for Mm. You should ha' been more careful. We'll give you five minutes; and if the money ain't paid by that time we'll go straight off to the police station.' " 'Well, go.' ses Ted Reddish. "Sam got up, very stern, and looked at Ginger. " 'You'll be ruined if we do,' ses Ginger. " 'All right," ses Ted Reddish, comfort ably. ' 'I'm not sure they can't 'ang you,' ses Russet. " 'I ain't sure, either.' ses Reddish; 'and I'd like to know 'ow the law stands, in case it 'appens agin." " 'Come on, Sam," ses Ginger; 'come straight to the police station." "He got up and moved towards the door. Ted Reddish didn't move a muscle, but Mrs. Reddish flopped on her knees and caught old Sam round the legs, and 'eld him so's 'e couldn't move. " 'Spare Mm,' she ses, crying. " 'Lea' go o' my legs, mum,' ses Sam. " 'Come on, Sam," ses Ginger; 'come to the police." "Old Sam made a desperit effort, and Mrs. Reddish called Mm a crool monster, and let go and 'id 'er face on 'er hus band's shoulder as they all moved out of the parlor, larling like a mad thing with hysterics. "They moved off slowly, not knowing wot to do. as, of course, they knew they daren't go to the police about it. Ginger Dick's temper was awful: but Peter Rus set said they mustn't give up all 'ope he'd write to Ted Reddish and tell Mm as a friend wot a danger 'e was in. Old Sam didn't say anything, the loss of his nevy and twenty-five pounds at the same time being almost more than 'Is 'art could bear, and in a slow, melancholy fashion they walked back to old Sam's lodgings. " 'Well, what the blazes Is up now?" ses Ginger Dick, as they turned the corner. "There was three or four 'undered peo ple standing in front of the 'ouse, and women's 'eads out of all the winders screaming their 'ardest for the police, and as they got closer they 'eard a in cessant knocking. It took 'em nearly five minutes to force their way through the crowd, and then ,they nearly went crazy as they saw the wild man with 'alf the winder-blind missing, but otherwise well and 'arty, standing on the step and giv ing rat-a-tat-tats at the door for all 'e was worth. "They never got to know the rights of it, Beauty getting so excited every time they asked 'im 'ow he got on that they 'ad to give it up. But they began to 'ave a sort of idea at last that Ted Reddish 'ad been 'aving a game with 'em, and that Mrs. Reddish was -worse than wot 'e was." Storage Used to Get the in Aiding Nature. and Professor John Craig, of Cornell Uni versity, therefore turned his attention to acetylene gas and conducted many experi ments in respect to its influence on the growth of various plants. The conclusions obtained from these experiments were re lated by Professor Craig in a recent paper he read before the International Acety lene Association. He declared that, according to Munster berg, acetylene more nearly approximates sunlight In its makeup than any other artificial llluminant used. Strawberries were brought into bearing 16 days earlier as a result of acetylene added to sunlight. In the case of ge ranium and lilium blooms these were three weeks ahead. Radishes, the favorite salad plants, increased much in weight owing to acetylene, and their maturing period was shortened by 20 per cent. Pro fessor Craig's experiments have left many chasing such flowers. as lillits, spiraeas, azalemollls, lilac! narcissus, roses, tulips, on dark days, when the sunlight Is de ficient? If it may be used at night, is it best to run a weak light all night or a strong light in order to give a period of rest part of the time? How many people, when they are pur chasing such flowers as lilies, spiraes, azaleamolis. lilac, narcissus, roses, tulips, viburnum and hyacinths for their Christ mas decorations have any Idea of the arti fices it is necessary to resort to in order to make the garden bloom In Winter? The Candidate's Daughter, Woman' Home Companion. Her father was a candidate. His daughter was my love; Her face was morning light to me. Her eyes the Bt&rs above Her father waa a candidate; Thie much la worthy note 6he came to me, all smiles to atate; "Pa needs the floating vote." "My dear.'" I said, "you cannot set This floating votera vote Without you give something drat To make this voter float; Something- to lift him up from earth And spread hl Joyous wing In a flight of sunny ecstacy ' Where larks and linnets sing." The rogue political, she aw Clean through my anecdote. And blushed a bit, and archly lghei: "So you would eell your voter' Her father waa a candidate; He needed floaters bad The sweetest lips I ever Huah! I voted for her dad! ' Fooled Her. "Tea, I crawled up staira on my hands and knees laat night." "Fooled your wife, eh?"" "Yea. aha was away at the seashore and I had forgotten." Houston PoC