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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1908)
THE SUNDAY OREGONTAN. PORTLAND, SEPTE3IBER 20, 1908. nop QUEEN ALEXANDRA HAS CONFINED HEP MEADGEAP TO TOQUES EVER SINGE PRI!vIF20SE: FAI?Pr EPISODE INVOLVING ABOY AND TWO FJARENTS WHO FOTJMD EACH OTHER OUT 5TIEYYAS A PEQDE 4 flO MERRY YYID rvVFCsaDe ana X 11 fill .iliMMUli. B.v ,.v. .-v mi .., k Vl'5 9."tJ)i ) -t -I SAT, I don't know whether I'll ever Bet to be a regular week-ender or not. but I've" been making another stab at It. - What's the use ownln property In the country house belt If you don't use It now and then? So last Saturday, after I shuts up the stu dio, I scoots out to my place in Prim rose Park. Well, I puts In the afternoon .with Dennis Whaley, who's head gardener and farm superintendent, and every thing else a three-acre plot will stand for. Then, about supper time, as I'm Just settlin' myself on the front porch, with my heels on the stoop rail, won derln" how folks can ever live all the time where nothin ever happens, I hears a chug-chuggln', and up the drive rolls a cute little one-seater Hub ble, with, nobody aboard -but a Boston terrier and a boy. "Chee." thinks I. "they'll be glvtn' them gasolene carts to babies next. Wonder what fetches the kid in here?" Maybe he was a big ten or a small twelve; anyway, he wan't more. He's one of the fine haired, light complected youngsters; that a few years ago would have had yellow Fauntleroy curls, and been rigged out in a lace collar and a "black velvet suit, and had a nurse to lead him around by the hand. But the new crop of young , Astergould Thlckwads is beln' trained on different lines. This kid was a good sample. His tow-colored hair is Just long enough to tousle nice, and he's bare-headed at that. Then he's got on corduroy knickers, a khaki Jacket, black leather leggln's, and gauntlet gloves, and he looks almost as healthy as if he was poor. "Hello, youngster!" says I. "Did you lose the shuffer overboard?" "Beg pardon." says he; "but I drive my own machine." "Oh." says I. "I might have known by the costume." By this time he's standln' up with his hand to his ear, squintin' back out through the trees to the main road, like he was llstenin' for somethin'. " In a second he hears one of them big six-cylinder cars go hummln" past, and it seems to be what he was waitin' for. J "Goin to stop, are you? says i. "Thank you." says he. "I will stay a little while, if you don't mind." and he proceeds to shut off the gasolene and climb out. The dog follows him. "Glvln' some one the slip? says "Oh, no," says he. real prompt. I. "I I've been in a race, that's all." "Ye-e-es?" says I." "Had a start, didn't you?" "A little." says he. With that he sits down on the steps, snuggles the terrier up alongside of him. and begins to look me and the place over careful, without sayln' any more. Course, that ain't the way boys usually act, unless they've got stage fright, and this one didn't seem at all shy. As near as I could guess, he was thinkin' hard, so I let him take his time. I figures out from his looks. and his showin' up in a runabout, that he's come from some of them big coun try places near by, and that when he gets ready he'll let out what he s alter, enoneh. nrettv soon he opens up. "Wouldn't you like to buy the machine. air?" says he. "Selling out. are your' says I. "Well, what's your askin' price for a rig of that kind?" He sizes me up for a minute, and then sends out a feeler. "Would v be too much?" "No." says I. I shouldn't call that saueeze. providin" you threw in the dog. He looks real worried then, and hugs the terrier iid closer than ever. "I could not sell Togo," says he. "you you wouldn't want him too." would you?' When I sees that it wouldn't take much more to get them big blue eyes of his to leakin', I puts him easy on the aog ques tion. "But what's your idea of selliu' the bubble?" says I. "Why." says he. "I won't need It any longer. I'm going to be a motorman on a trolley car. "That's a real swell Job." says I. "But how will the folks at home take It?" "The folks at home?" sajs he, lookin' me straight In the eye. "Why, there aren't any. I haven't any home, you know." Honest, the way he passed out that whopper was worth watchin". It was done as cool and scientific as a real estate man takin' oath there wa'n't a mosquito In the whole county. 'Then you're Just travelin around loose, eh?" says I. "Whore d you strike from today?" "Chicago," says he. To tell!" says I. "That's quite a day's run. You must have left before break fast." "I had breakfast early." says he. "Dinner in Buffalo?' says I. "I didn't stop for dinner." says he. "In that case er what's the name?' ays I. "Mister Smith," says he. "Kasy name to remember." says I. "Ye-e-es. I'd rather you called me Ger ald, though." says he. "Good." says I. "Well. Gerald, seein" as you've made a long Jump since break fast, what do you say to grubbin' up a Utile with me, eh?" That strikes him favorable, and as Mother Whaley is Just brlngin in the platter, we goes Inside and sits down, Togo and alL Hs sure didn't fall to like a half starved kid: but maybe that was because he was so busy lookin" at Mrs. Whaley. She aint much on the French maid type, that's a fact. Her uniform Is a checked apron over a faded red wrap per, and she has a way of puggin' her hair up in a little knob that makes her face look like one of the kind they cut out of a cocoanut. Gerald eyea her for awhile: then he leans over to me and whispers. "Is this the butler" night off?" Yes," says I. "Ho has seven a week. This Is one of "em." After he's thought that over he grins. 1 see," says he. "You mean you Jiaven't a butler? Why. I thought everyone did." "There's a few of us struggles along without." says L "We don't brag about tt. though. But where do you keep your butler now. Mr. Gerald T' That catches him with his guard down, and he begins to look mighty puzzled. "Oh. come." says I. "you might's well own up. You're brought the runaway act right down to the minute, son; but, bar rin' the details, it's the same old game. I done the same when I was your age. only instead of runnin' off in a thousand dollar bubble, I . sneaked into an empty freight car." "Did your' says he, his eyes openin' wide. "Was It nice, riding in the freight carr "Never had so much fun out of a car ride since," says I. "But I was on the war path then. My outfit was a blank cartridge pistol, a scajpin knife hooked from ihe kitchen, and a couple of nickel Ub'rlcs' that told all about Injun klllin". Don't lay out to slaughter any redskins, do you?" He looks kind of weary, and shakes his head. "Well, runnin' a trolley car has its good points. I s'pose." says I; "but I wouldn't tackle it for a year or so if I was you. You'd better give me your phone number, and I'll ring up the folks, so they won't be worryin' about you." But say. this Gerald boy, alias Mr. Smith, don't fall for any smooth talk like that. He Just sets his Jaw hard and re marks, quiet like, "I guess I'd better be going." "Where to?" says I. "New Haven ought to be a good place to Bell the machine," sayshe. "I can get a Job there,- too." At that I goes to pumpin' him some more, and he starts in to hand out the weirdest line of yarns I ever listened to. Maybe he wa'n't a very skilful liar, but he was a willin' one. Quick as I'd tangle him up on one story, he'd lie himself out and into another. He accounts for his not havin' any home In half a dozen differ ent ways, sometimes kiilin' off his rela tions one by one, and then bunchin' 'em in a railroad wreck or an earthquake. But he 'sticks to Chicago as the place where he lived last, although the nearest St?..' ti? ' 'V a i f. J ". ,-JL. V.'".'.. Ah I dashes ont they make he own get to the street number is by sayin' it was somewhere near Central Park. "That happens to be in New York," says I. "There are two in Chicago." says he. "All right, Gerald." says I. "I give up. We'll let it go that you're playin" a lone hand; but before you start out again you'd better get a good- night's rest here. What do you say?" He didn't need much urgin"; so we runs the bubble around Into me stable, and I tucks him and Togo away together in the spare bed. "Who's the little Iadr' says Dennis to me. "For one thing." says I, "'he's an hon orary member of the Ananias club. If I can dig up any more information be tween now and mornin", Dennis, I'll let you know." First I calls up two or three village police stations along the line; but they hadn't had word of any stray kid. "That's funny." thinks I. "If he'd lived down in Hester street there'd be 40H0 cops huntin' him up by this time." But it wa'n't my cue to do the frettin"; so I lets things rest as they are, only takln' a look at the kid before I turns In. to see that he is safe. And say, that one look gets me all broke up; for when I tiptoes in with the candle I finds that pink and white face of his all streaked up with cryln", and one arm around Togo, like he thought that terrier was all the friend he had left. Gee! btit that makes me feel mean! Why, if I'd known he was goin' to blub ber himself to sleep that way, I'd hung around and cheered him up. He'd been so brash about this runaway business, though, that I never suspicioned he'd go to pieces the minute he was left alone. And they look different when they're asleep, don't they? I guess I must have put in the next two hours wonderln' how Ik was that a nice, bright youngster like that should come to quit home. If he'd come from some tenement house, where It was a case of pop heln on the island, and maw rushln' the can and usin' the poker on him, you wouldn't think any thing of It. But here he has his bubble, and his high-priced terrier, and things like that, and yet he does the skip. Well, there wa'n't any answer. Not hearin'-him stirrin' when I gets up in the mornin' I makes up my mind to let him snooze as long as he likes. So I has breakfast and goes out front with the mornin' papers. It got to be after 9 o'clock, and I was Just thinkin' of goin'. up to see how he was gettin' on, when I sees a big green tourin' car come dashin' down into the park and turn into my front drive. ' There was a crowd in it; but before I can get up out flips a stun ntn' lookin' bunch of dry goods, all veils and silk dust-coat, and wants to know if I'm Shorty McCabe; which I says I am. "Then you have my boy here, have you?" she shoots out. And say. by the suspicious way she looks at me you'd thought I'd been breakln' Into some nursery. I'll admit she was a beaut, all right: but the hard look I gets from them big black eyes didn't win me for a cent. "Maybe if I knew who you was. ma am, says I. "we a get along taster." That don't soothe her a bit. She gives me one glare, and then whirls around and shouts at a couple of tough lookin' bruis ers that was In the car. Quick!" she sings out. "'Watch the rear and side doors. I'm sure he's here. And the mugs pile out and proceed to plant themselves around the house. "Sa-a-ay. " says 1. "tins begins to lootc excitin'. Is it a raid, or what? Who are the husky boys?" Those men are in my employ, says she. Private sleut'sr says I. They are." says she. "and If you'll give up the boy without any trouble I will pay you Just twice as much as you're getting to hide him. I'm going to have him. anyway." "Well, well!" says I. And say, maybe you can guess by that time I was feelin' like it was a warm day. If I'd had on a celluloid collar, lt'd blown up. Inside of 10 seconds I've shucked my coat and am mixln' it with the plug that's guardin' the side door. The doln's was i short and sweet. He's no sooner slumped down . to feel what's happened to his Jaw than No. 2 come up. He acts like he was ambitious to do damage, but the third punch leaves him on the grass. Then I takes each of 'em by the ear, leads 'em out to the road, and gives 'em a little leather farewell to help 'em get un der way. "Sorry to muss your hired help, ma'am," says I, comin back to the front stoop: "but this is one place in the coun try where .private detectives aint wanted. And another thing, let s not have any more talk about me bein' paid. If there's anyone here belongtn' to you. you can have him and welcome: but cut out the hold-up business and the graft con versation. Now again, what's the name?" She was so mad she was white around the lips; but she's one of the kind that knows when she's up against it too. "I am Mrs. Rutgers Greene." says she. "Oil. yes," says I. "From down on the point?" "Mr. Greene lives at Orienta Point, I believe," says she. Now. that was plain enough, wa'n't it? You wouldnt think I'd need postin" on what they was sayin" at the clubs after that. But thesehigh life break aways are so common you can't keep track of all of x At f -ft . "O., --v.. t J'W, x a cleaa breakaway. 'em, and she sprung it so offhand that I didn't more'n half tumble to what she meant. "I suppose I may have Gerald now?' she goes on. "Sure," says I. "I'll bring htm down." And as I skips up the stairs I sings out, "Hey, Mr. Smith! Y'our maw's come for you!" There was nothin' doln', though. I knocks on the door and calls again. Next I goes in. And say, it wa'n't until I'd pawed over all the clothes and looked under the bed and into the closet that I could believe it. He must have got up at daylight, slipped down the back way in his stockin' feet and skipped. The note on the washstand clinches it. It was wrote kind of wob bly, and the spellin 'was some streaked, but there wa'n't any mlstakin' what he meant. He was sorry he had to tell so many whoppers, but he wa'n't ever goin' home any more, and he was much oblig'ed for my tip about the freight car. Maybe my Jaw didn't drop. Thick head! says I, catchin . sight of myself in the bureau glass. "You would get humorous." When I goes back downstairs I find9 Mrs. Greene pacin" the porch. "Well?" says she. I throws up my hands. "Skipped," says I. "Do you mean to say he has gone?" she snaps. "That's the size of It," says I. "Then this is Rutger's work. Oh, the beast!" and she begins stampin' her foot and bitin' her lips. "That's where you're off," says I; "this is a case of " But Just then another big bubble comes dashin' up with four men in it, and the one that Jumps out and Joins us Is the main stem of the fam'ly. I could see that by the way the lady turns her back on him. He's a clean cut, square-Jawed young feller, and by the narrow set of his eyes and the sandy color of his hair you could guess he might be some obstinate when It came to an argument. But he begins calm enough. "I'm Rutgers Greene." eays he, "and at the .police station they told me Ger ald was here. I'll take charge of him, if you please." "Have you brought a bunch of sleut's too?" says I. He admits that he has. "Then chase 'em off the grounds be fore I has another mental typhoon," says I. "Shoo 'em!" "If they're not needed," says he, "and you object to1" "I do," says I. So he has his machine run out to the road again. "I beg pardon," puts in Greene; "but you hardly understand the situation. Mrs. Greene need not be consulted at all." "I've as much right to Gerald as you" have!"says she. her eyes snappin' like a trolley wheel on a wet night. "We will allowthe courts to decide that point," says he, real frosty. "I don't want to butt in on any tend er little domestic scene," says I: "but if I was you two I'd find the kid first. He's been gone since daylight." "Gone!" says Greene. "Where r' "There's no tellin' that," says I. "All I know Is that when he left here he was headed for ' the railroad track, meanin" to Jump a freight train and " "The railroad!" squeals Mrs. Greene. "Oh, he'll be killed! Oh, Gerald! Ger ald!" Greene don't say a word, but he turns the color of a slice of Swiss cheese. "Oh, what can we do?' says the lady, wringln' her hands. "Any of them detectives of yours know the kid by sight?" says X. They didn't. . Neither did Greene's bunch. They was both fresh lots. "Well," says I, "I'll own up that part of this is up to me. and I won't feel right until I've made a try to find hltn. I'm goin' to start right now, and I don't know how long I'll he gone. From what I've seen I can guess that this cottage will be a little small for you two; but, if you're anxious to hear the first returns I'd advise you to stay right here. So long." And with that I grabs my hat and makes a dasli out the back way, leavin' 'em standln' there back to back, r never tracked a runaway kid along a railroad, and I hadn't much notion how to start; but I makes for the rock bal last Just as though I had the plan all 'mapped out. The first place I came across was a switch tower, apd I hadn't chinned the operators three minutes before I gets on to the fact that that an east-bound freight usually passed there about 6 in the mornin, and generally stopped to drill on the siding Just below. That was enough to send me down the track but there wa'n't any traces of the kid. "New Haven for me, then," says I, and by good luck I catches a locaL Maybe that was a comfortable ride, watchin' out of the rear window for somethin' I was hopin I wouldn't see! And when it was over I hunts up the yard master and finds the freight I was lookin' for was Just about due. "Kxpectin' a consignment?' says he. "Yes," says I. "I'm a committee of one to receive a stray kid." "Oh, that's it, eh?" says he. "We get 'em most every week. I'll see that you have a pass to overhaul the emp ties." After I'd peeked into about a dozen box cars and dug up nothin' more en couraging than -a couple of boozy 'boes, I begun to think my calculations was all wrong. I was Just slidin' another door shut when I notices a bundle of somethin' over in the far corner. I had half a mind not to climb in; for it didn't look like anything aljve, but I takes a chance at it for luck, and the first thing I hears is a growl. The next minute I has Togo by the collar and the. kid up on my arm. It was Gerald, all right, though he was that dirty and rumpled I hardly knew him. He Just groans and grabs hold of me like he was afraid I was goin' to get away. Why, the poor little cuss was so beat out and scared I couldn't get a word from him for half- an hour. But after awhile I coaxed him to sit up on a stool and have a bite to eat, and when I'ye -washed off some of the griine, and pulled out a few splinters from his hands, we gets a train back. First off I thought I'd phone Mr. and Mrs. Greene, but then I changes my mind. "Maybe it'll do 'em good to wait," thinks I. We was half way back when Gerald looks up and says: "You won't take me home will you?" "What's the matter with home, kid? says I. "Well, says he, and I could see by the struggle he was havin' with his upper lip that it was comin' out hard, "mother says father isn't a nice man, and father says I mustn't believe what she says at all, and and I don't think I like either of them well enough to be their little boy any more. I don't like being stolen so 'often, either." "Stolen?" says L "Yes," says he. ''You see, when I'm with father, mother is always sending men to grab me up and take met off where she is. Then father sends men to get me back, and and I don't be lieve I've got any real home any more. That's why I ran away. Wouldn't you?" "Kid," says I, "I ain't got a word to say." He was too tired and down in the mouth to do much conversing either. All he wants to do is curl up with his head against my shoulder and go to sleep. After he wakes up from his nap he feels better, and when he finds we're going back to my place, he gets quite chipper. All the way walkin' up from the station I tries to think of how it would be best to break the news to him about the grand house hold scrap that was due to be pulled off the minute we shows up. 1 couldn't do it, though, until we'd got clear to the house. "Now, youngster," says I, "there's a little surprise on tap for you here, I guess. You walk up soft and peek through the door." For a minute I thought maybe they'd cleared out, he was so still about it, so. I steps up to rubber, too. And there's Mr. and Mrs. Greene, sittin' on the sofa about as close as they could get, her weepln' damp streaks down ltis shirt front and him pattin her back hair gentle and lovin'. "Turn off the sprayer!" says I. "Here's the kid!" Well, we was all mixed up for the next few minutes. They hugs Gerald both to once, and then they hugs each other, and if I hadn't ducked Just as I did I ain't sure what would have hap pened to me. When I comes back, half an hour later, all I needs is one glance to see that a lot of private sleut's and court lawyers is out of a Job. "Shorty," says Greene, givin' me the hearty grip, "I don't know how I'm ever goin' to " "Ah, lose it!" says I. "It was Just by a fluke I got on the Job, anyway. That's a great kid of yours, eh?' Did I say anything about Primrose Parity bein' a place where nothin' ever happened? Well, you can scratch that. Raw Cotton Stock at Kobe. Denver Republican. The present stock of raw cotton In store at Kobe is estimated at 100.000 bales, about 10,000 of this being American. Un less the price of yarn rises sufficiently to allow this surplus to be worked off, the importation of raw cotton into this con sular district will no doubt show a still further decrease. It has fallen $271,542 for the first three months of this year as compared with same period of last year. The Rose Still Grows Beyond the Wall By A. L. Frlnk. Near shady wall, a rose once jrew. Budded and blossomed at God's free light. Watered and fed by morning dew. Shedding its sweetness day and night. And it grew and blossomed, fair and tall. Slowly rising to loftier height. It came to a crevice in the wall. Through which there shone a beam of light. Onward it crept, with added strength. With never a fear or thought of pride; It followed the light through the crevice length. And unfolded itself on the other side. Onward, the light, the dew, the broadening view Were found the same as they were before; And it lost itself In beauties new. Breathing its fragrance more and more. Shall claim of death cause os to grieve And make our courage faint or fall? Kay; let us faith and bone receive. The rqse still grows beyond the wall. Scattering fragrance far and wide, Just as it did in days of yore. Juet as It did on the other shore. Just as It will torevermore. r Mi r '1 Y fit JSE 8 -.- IT-ETcST FIXTURE, OP" JVDAcJETSTY' ERESEjMXIN"3 the msxRAnrtfOFT TROPtrr TO HfflES, THE fJUEEMS -TOQUE IS LtJ EVIDENCE OT among Kngland's royalty has the Merry. Widow hat been able to claim a conquest. The mountainous creation, which In every other country of the world has had the effect of completely, winning the millinery affections of the gentler eex, fell flat in King Edward's realm. It never had a chance, in fact, for Just as King Kdward sets the fashion men's clothes, so it is mainly to Queen Alexandra that loyal ladies of the realm look for suggestions as to that which shall bo called style. If there is one thing more than an other which the keen-witted and clear willed Queen detests it is great dimen sions in a hat. Since the time when she became the young girl sweetheart of the . then Prince of Wales, and came to Great Britain from Denmark to be his bride, Alexandra has always contended that excessive breadth and width in a hat was a sign that the wearer lacked the well-shaped face and the kind of hair that would stand close inspection. A big hat was donned to hide defects. But for the woman with good out lines and an ample allowance of a woman's crowning glory, the hat could not be too small. It was too big Just when it attracted attention Instead of permitting that to be centered on the charms of nature rather than on the confections of the milliner. Alexandra made the vogue of what is known as the toque. This was 40 years ago, and though many varia tions of hats have come to be wor shiped in the Interval, she was stead fastly remained loyal to her favorite style. Others might follow strange gods and worship at unsightly milli nery pedestals, but England's Queen never wavered. . It is a surprising loyalty that Alex andra has shown to her whim during all these years. Of all women In the world she is the one who could go furthest in directing the fashions in headgear. In dresses she has permit ted herself much latitude and the no bility had delighted to follow her ex ample, but in the matter of headwear all the photographs taken in public in four decades show virtually no varia tion. It is the toque always and perpetu ally for' the consort of King Edward. This toque, to deal somewhat flip pantly with the royal article of wearing apparel, resembles a sort of little sugar scoop, worn upside down, the shovel portion fitting closely to the head- In r ) f . "-7" U iff t . torn " if t,' ' :a AW m- II if 1 "V I w 'T S4 v rTA TT71PF: CW SE C01AJMEX) VJT w us .- : 'l WITH-HTEK . I I TN".TJfJE X-nE GFirJEf? MATT, its front tulle and flowers are inserted. From Queen Alexandra's partiality has developed what can be termed a distinctive type. When a customer goes to the shops of one of the milliners who are lucky to have the patronage of the elect, and says, "I want a royal toque," there is never any need of any further speci fications in placing the order. The commission is as completely understood as though a diagram had been drawn, and the hat fs duly delivered in a short time. Usually lace and flowers have been the Queen's preferred decorations for her favorite kind of bonnet. The shape makes any great amount of decoration unnecessary. Once in a while in the past she has departed from her custom in this respect, and indulged in the lux ury of birds' wings. But that will not be in the future, for Alexandra has become ardently in sympathy with those who are trying to prevent the wanton slaughter of birds, merely for the purpose of using the wings as decorations for hats. In the future no bird's wing will ever be seen on a hat worn by England's Queen. She has announced this herself, and has moreover been taking an active part in the enactment of measures designed to prevent the practice. The Queen is said to have suggested some of the provisions of the bill to pro tect birds, introduced by Lord Avebury, formerly Sir John Lubbock, the famous naturalist. This bill was based on similar legisla tion adopted in the United States, India and Australia, As part of the arguments during the discussion of the bill, those in favor of it quoted liberally from a census recently made of the bird islands on the Louisiana coast. The islands are 19 in number, and were given to the Audubon Society as a bird reservation at a time when the sea blrs on the coast were nearly extinct. Millinery pot hunters had gradually wiped out most of the varieties that once existed in almost limitless numbers along the islands of the gulf. Many of these birds had beautiful aigrettes and when the passion for that kind of decoration first manifested itself in the mind of the gentler sex, such a rush was made that the resulting slaughter took away by thousands the most admired varieties. Then it was the Audubon Society got active, and petitioned the government for a chance to make an experiment designed to protect what few flyers had evaded the slaughter. Uncle 6am was promptly willing to co operate, and the Islands were granted to the society, and placed under the super vision of a warden. . A census just taken shows that in spite of a series of violent storms which did away with many of the eggs that an in crease of 62,000 has been made, and that the number is constantly growing. Most of the gain in feathered popula tion has been made among the laughing gulls, next in order coming the Louisiana herons, the royal cabots' and Forster's terns and black swimmers. Some of the species have been reduced to a painfully meager total. There are only 25 snowy herons left, 22 crowned night black herons and 25 Caspian terns, all of which were once abundant on the gulf, but were killed off for their plu mage. . In fact, the Islands did not escape the hand of the poacher, and in spite of the vigilance of officials there were some depredations by millinery pot hunters, but , '.1. S BUT c3XIL3. , a better system of guarding the islands is expected to much lessen such encroach ments from now on and give the birds a chance. This explanation of the effort that Is being made by the United States Govern ment to aid the humanitarian societies of the country to prevent the extermina tion of the bird population of the new world was found very interesting by Queen Alexandra, and she immediately inquired if similar islands could not be set apart by the BritLsh government. In the great range of the colonial pos sessions of the British crown are included some of the most beautiful birds known to the world,, and If the influence of the wife of the ruler he enlisted in their pro tection a gain will have been made for the cause of their protection. Alexandra denies that any especial beauty Inheres in bird feathers for deco ration anyway. She insists that from the imitation of flowers can be obtained ef fects far more delicate and beautiful, and less suggestive of the barbarity of the savage, who, having nothing of the mod ern methods of civilization by which to add to her charms, was forced to put on anything obtainable from her primitive surroundings, and naturally sought the brilliant things, like the feathers of the birds of the forest. There Is a great deal of affection in England for the Queen's toque. Th populace have come to know It and love it. and they regard It as an essential part of the costume of their beautiful Queen. It has dealt kindly with Her Majesty In another respect, for it seems to veil care fully the flight of time. To see Alexandra In public now is to get an impression of a well-preserved woman, not within 15 years of her actual age, for no one would ever tiiink of classing her as In the 60s. Some garish hats, when worn by women past the Summer of life, have the effect in their garish colors and shapes of hav ing the wearer appear old and ghastly, the painful effort of an elderly person to look young. But the Queen's dainty toque enhances her beauty and makes her look younger. Perhaps this explains her loyalty to It. Picnic of a Boston Pup. Worcester, Mass., Telegram. A Boston bulldog, owned by George H. Clapp, was so determined to capture a woodchuck which he had chased into its den that he followed after and stayed In the hole all night. When the dog had got his jaws about the enemy he found that he could not get out, owing to the small size of the animal's hole. Rather than lose his prey, the dog retained his hold on the woodchuck over night, and was helped out by his master in the morning. The dog was nearly exhausted, and revived after feeding and drinking in a curious man ner. ' He consumed about two quarts of un guarded ice cream, which had been set aside for a party. After this the dog seemed still somewhat dazed, and capped the climax by falling into a bucket of lemonade. I Wonder. By Nellie Porter. Mother, are you watching o'er me; Waiting as I wait for you? Do you come at dawn of morning When kind Nature's fats adorning, . Touched by sunlight and the dew? Then I wonder as I ponder Of the elements beyond Wonder what g waiting yonder Wheu I'm placed beneath the sod. . ,
