tm
fir jmu. il !
HUMOR OF THE WEEK
II A N DLESS BUT 1 IA N D Y
STORIES TOLO BY FUNNY MEN
OF THE PRESS.
THE OTHER MAN.
He
i.
E stood on the brink of the preel'
ee and looked over. Three nun
died feet below him the tea broke
on the somber rock.
The man's muscles tentloned and ht
drew a deep breath. What an easy
way to end It all! Just one little step
those rocks below were no bunglers;
they would make no mistake over their
work, and the tea would tell no tales
and then then he would be away from
It all, aud would never have to bear the
agony of hearing that she was married
to Kverett.
Married to Everett married to Ever
ett! The words clanged In hla ears.
He groaned aloud aud bent hastily
over the edge.
A mist came before his eyes and his
breath rose In a choking heave to his
throat; the (round rocked sickeningly
beneath him, and for one diy second
he thought be was falling-falling
down that ititerm':iabie space. '
Then the ml,: passed, the ground
stopped rocklusr and he easped with
relief to find himself still standing safe
and sound on firm earth.
He turned away with a scornful
laugh at his own weakness.
Home again, he flung himself Into an
easy-chair and lit his pipe, resolved to
give way no longer to' morbid imag
inings. He picked np a magazine, but his
thoughts flew off at a tangent to the
dance which was to take place that
very evening, to which be had been
Invited.
He had vowed not to see her again
till he could settle once for all the dem
on of unrest within hlui. and a crowded
ballroom was the last place for impas
sioned avowals.
He thought how cool and beautiful
abe would look In her white muslin,
with her fluffy golden hair framing ber
weet little flower-like face. Perhaps
he would go, after alL Then a second
flgure rose op to spoil the picture
handsome, happy-go-lucky Everett,
With a merry word for everyone,
dancing untiring attendance on the fas
cinating hostess and never leaving her
aide for a moment.
How dared he take possession of her
In that way! And how could she put
up with It, unless
His pipe mankind's universal baby
bottle for once failed utterly in its
mission of soothing. He tossed It an
grily across the table and buried his
face In bis hands, lost In a whirl of mis
erable conjectures.
His thoughts flew back to that dance
one week ago one week so crowded
with hopes and fears that It seemed a
lifetime.
He remembered those two dances,
the music, the scent of flowers In the
conservatory, and, more distinctly than
all, the laughing face of Dolly.
Then those few overheard words
rushed through his brain. He clinched
his Ssts and bis face flushed at the rec
ollection. He bad drifted from the ball
room to the conservatory. Would she
consent? That was the ques.lon that
throbbed In hla brain. Should he aay
the words that would decide his future
life and hers? He had puffed at a ci
garette, and stared at the thin wisps
of blue smoke. Would his hopes fade
Into nothingness as that fragrant
smoke faded and vanished Into air?
And then he beard people talking. He
recognized the voice of Everett, and
then Dolly's. They were seated on the
opposite aide of the conservatory, and
had not seen him as he sat almost mn
cealcd behind a tangle of palin leaves.
"Doily," Everett waa saying, "you
must say 'Yes.' My whole life depends
npon it W e have been chums so ion?
Bay you will and make me the happiest
man in England not to apeak of Scot
land, Ireland and Wales. Bar 'Yes!'
know what you want to say that we
ought to fie getting back again. And
there are all those loathsome people
who want dances. Confound 'em. Yon
will? I knew you would- "
Fraser bad sat there, almost unable
to move. He did not know how inn
The music from the ballroom floated
out Into the conservatory, mingling
with the laughter and chatter of the
guests. All hope, al! Interest in life
was gone snatched from him by those
lew overheard words. People were
asking for him. What did it matter;
nothing mattered now. A voice aroused
him. He looked up, and saw Everett
before hira Everett, who was his
friend; who was now his rival his
eeninyl
"Hallo, Fraser, old man, you seem to
oe teu ta thorns deep In the blue dumps!
What's the matter now? Come and
have a smoke with me. I've been look
ing for you half the evening."
And that all happened a week ago! A
week-the most miserable In bis life.
And now he was trying to forget her.
What a fool he was I
" II.
The thought of that steep drop down
to the sea kept recurring to his mind
again and again with a fatal fascina
tion put it away from his as he would.
Through all bis broodings its somber
Invitation stood out clear and distinct.
He could see even now the Jagged
rocks lurking below, dripping with
pray, looking for their prey.
At last he got np. It was no good
staying in. Inaction was torture to
him In bis present frame of mind. He
would try and walk It off.
He started off rapidly, without any
definite aim or intention, but uncon
sciously his steps turned toward the
Coast, and presently be fqund himself
oce mors ascending the ateep little
ftth Its bad traversed that morning.
As he neared the summit he per
ceived that there was a man s flgure
before him, stooping perilously over the
dangerous edge, evidently gathering
some plant from the cliff below.
It was a foolhardy thing to do, and
evidently bespoke a stroug brain.
A little nearer, and he stotmed short
abruptly. The stooping figure was
Everett.
All his love and hate sinned un with
in hliu. Everett, the man who had
stolen his love from htm the man who
nad made his life a blank and barren
waste. A thousand devils seemed let
loose within him. How very near that
stoopiug figure was to death-so near
that one touch Just one little motion
of the foot and he would lose his bal
ance and go speeding, speeding down
those smiling cliffs and be hurled to
pieces on those cruel rocks beneath!
His breath came quickly.
Suppose It had happened accidental
ly? Even as he thought he knew he
was a coward. Even then he was
thinking of his own skin. S utmost a
sudden noise made the man start? Al
most unconsciously he opened his Una.
and a harsh "Hallo!" hmtu rmm htm
Everett's nerves were steel. He
turned bis sunny face and smiled over
his shoulder.
"Hallo, old man
bly.
Fraser came and stood dumblv hes'ile
htm, holding his bands tbrhtlv together
behind him to hide their shaking; ' He
bad forgotten Everett was a sailor.
He watched him furtively leanins
down further and further, till It seemed
Impossible be could retain his balance;
and the waves below reached uo him.
gry white arms to catch him, and fell
oaca again with a murmurlm thunder
of anger at their failure.
A little further. Fraser caueht his
breath. -'
'You'U be over In a minute!" he said
gruffly.
Everett laughed easily.
"Not I!" be said conttdentlv. "But i
say, old chap, yon might just bang on
to my legs for a minute, will you? I
want to reach that jtreat bit lust there
and It's Just beyond me."
The waving piuk bloom nodded lm-
pudently up at them Just out of reach.
Fraser stood motionless, mofstenin his
dry lips.
Everett looked around.
"D'you mind, old tuanT he said.
And mechanically the other stretched
. out ms nana and obeyed.
Now now! one movement of his An-
gers just the opening of his hand
( He fought the thought back, gasping
i or oreatn.
Everett leaned still farther,
glanced back.
"They're for Dolly, you know," he
said, "to wear this evening."
The fingers opened as If by some sud
denly pressed spring. There was a sud
den cry, and then thea something
went rolling, rolling, striking and
bounding slckeningly down that steep
side.
For an Instant the white face waa up
turned. "All right, old chap 1 know-.!.
dent!" floated up brokenly, and then
there was a last hideous thud, and the
waves clutched greedily at their unrec
ognizable prey and drew It under. And
the swooping seagulls shrieked wildly
ana circled upward.
Fraser stood as If turned to stone,
gazing with distended eyeballs at the
gurgling eddies where that that thing
had disappeared.
Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!
The waves lashed it at tim, the sea
gulls shrieked It, the whole living and
inanimate world flung the awful word
at him.
He stood paralyzed. Had be done It
-be? What had he done? He held his
hands vaguely and plteously out before
him, asking them mutely. Murderer!
Murderer! Murderer! Yes. it was trne
true! His hands told him his hnd
that he had opened.' God! Thev were
blood-red stained with blood! The
grass was red the sky the very sea
was blood!
He flung up his bands with an awful
cry and sprang blindly over that fatal
edge. . .
I say, old fellow, do wake up and
stop having the horrors! Yon dnn't
know bow beastly awful you look!"
rraser opened bis eves sinwiv an.t
stared In blank terror at the handsome
tanned face looking down at him. He
wondered vaguely whether he vm
dreaming now or bad Just awoke from
rea nightmare. The voice went on:
"I only looked In to say ta-ta. I've'
bad a telegram calllnsr me back to ir.
land immediately. Old Chris Murdoch
has relented and consented to our he-
Ing publicly engaged. And all through
Dolly, too bless her little heart! She's
Meg's dearest friend, you know, and
she's been moving heaven and earth
to soften the old chap's heart." He
waived an airy good-by. "Ta-ta!" he
said merrily
Odd, Certoaa sad Laatfhabl rkim
at Meaiaa Nature Uraitaiially for
trayttt by kaataeat Word Artlata if
r aa Day-A Budget of ran.
Mr. Cr'pps Can you luduoe the cook
to have one of her friends come and
take dinner with her to-night?
Mrs. Crtpps-Tbe Idea! What for?
Mr, Crlpps-I expert to brlug Jones
and Smith bom- with me, and I'd like
to have a nice dinuer for theui.-Philu-
delphla Itecord.
! Theatric rarla-u-e.
Amateur What thes It mean lu
theatric circles when they say the
"ghost walks?"
Veteran Actor It means that the rest
or us don't have to.-Detroit Free
Press.
For Stnnone.
'Here's a girl" remarked the Ouerv
Editor, "w ho writes to know 'what Is '
ton."' aKMLWS PlOPLl HAVl ACWM'
"Evidently," replied the Snake EdJ. PUSHED DIFFICULT FEATS. '
tor, "she a never had any beaux." .
"Why?"
Because If she had she'd know that
the most popular oue la the parlor
sofa."-Phlladelphla Free.
II MM w InKl.l.nl.l.
She Is the wrlttug of poetry very lu
crative?
He-Well, It would be If one dldu't
have to lay out 00 eeut or so every
week on paper and stamps! Puck.
V tmirr.
Husband (angrily) IWt forget.
madam, that you are my wife.
Wife Oh. never fear. There are
some things oue cau't forget. Detroit
tree t'res.
Inherent Talent.
Ji (Tie tact II r ei MUM.
He i am afraid you don't like tuv
daucluir.
She-Ou the contrary, I think It Is
very amusing.
VitMilHtttatt.
"What line Mildred mean when she
says that she Is wrttln her letter of
acceptance to Theodore," Deuver
New.
Bugglna i hear Siultklua la learning
golf. Does be eujoy It?
Mucirlua Save It'a irreat. He has al
ready put three raddles la the bospt-tul.-Phlladelpbla
Kecord.
Deacon Shanghal-Dat boy certainly
la run oo music, Mrs. Jackson.
Mrs. Jackson-Yes, Deacon; hit
comes naeheJ toe dat chile; bis pap war
run ovan uy one ' dem street plau
ueTB.
Taking- the 8tln Vit of It,
Hare I mt a hri.h r... ....
he responded amla- lously Inquired the sweet youug gradu
ate, woo was chock-full of ambltlou.
",JVeIL u 8U"1 Mght as It might
be, answered the antique clairvoyant.
wa taking a long look luto It;
"but." she added with a girlish titter.
pernapa Ibe gas is turned dowu.
Puck.
ItuilWldaale MUu I'pixr Math Have
become Femoua ArtieU, Ltrou
Peaatea, l.sp.rt Multaas aad Ar
tteaaa.
That success lu art la not the tuouop
oly of such as are dowered with the
normal number or limbs is couclustve
ly proved by tu iklll of Mile. Haplu, a
Swiss artist, who, though without
anus, has made a name for bersUf
with her portraits aud bas reliefs, aud
of the lMk'tuu painter, rwenilv deceas
ed, w hom many of us uav doultlve
seeu at work lu the Autwerp picture
gallery copying th woks of the old
musters there ou view.
Other armless artists, too. have ac.
quired fame, amoug whom may bo
uieuuoueu tu celebrated Miss Uiffeu,
who earned a living a a miniature
paluter. Orlglually ou exhlbltiou at
Uartholotuew fair, she was seen by the
Earl of Mortou, who took her under his
patronage and paid for her artistic ed
ucation. She was a favorite of George
IV. and William IV., the latter of
whom allowed her a small pension.
TuVuittg to earlier armlet celebrities,
meutlou must be made of Jobu Vale
rius, boru lu tlermaiiy lu WOT,, who
was capable of performlug many sur
prising feats. lie eon 1,1 aliav hlumelf.
play ou the drum, fouce with much
skill, and, lu abort, use his toes with
as much adroitness as most men au
their bands, lie tnssHHfd. however.
a modern rival In the persou of Herr
I'uthan, whom manv will ituietiii.r
exhibiting himself a few years ago In
1.011011, wiiere he surprised large audi
ences with bis marvelous feats.
Matthew Httcklmrer. who on u.m
at Nuremberg seven years utter than
Valerius, was but a tii.n fnmW i
sesslng neither arms uor legs. Despite '
tils litttunil ilUn.tvi, i. ............. .... I
iu,,iT,rr, hit
' Proved Mia Point.
..rft .
wpiKjnuuny comes once to every
man.
"That's right; and any man la bound
to become famous If he only lives loug
enougn.
"Oh; I don't quite believe that.'
iou don't? Suppose a man Uvea to
be 150 years old; wouldn't that make
mm raniousr Philadelphia Record.
Trjrtnt to Follow the Injunction.
ado now,- continued his angry
spouse, thoroughly aroused. "I am go
ing to give you another piece of my
mtna wnat are yon doing?"
I am turning the other ear," patient
ly responded Mr. Meeker.-Cblcago
inoune.
Terrible.
Sceue: A railway car. First Artist
Children dou't seem to ute to sell
now as they used.
Second Artist (In a hoarse whtaoer)
Well, I was at Stodste'a yesterday: he
had Just kuocked off three little girls'
heads, horrid raw things, when a deal
er came in. sir; he bouttht 'em directly.
took 'em away, wet as they were, on a
stretcher, and wanted Stodge to let him
have some more next week.
Old Lady (putting her head out of
w!tll1ltV n ...I athetlitL- lt.tY .tti. tit, ...
uitu n ta Ilia mil lt-lktUl VVIIUUl. IV't , 1 . r-- t
stop the tralu aud let me out. or I'll be al'' ,0 ,mVe lH'a ' excellent pei-
murdered! former on the flute, bagiile and trum
pet, wuile his sketehet--laik!(ienie. tin-
Intervals In riclttataiO. urea aiul eruita nf ......... ... 1.1.1. ....
. . . - v ai hip n wen werw
Ma when I get big I m golu' 'way executed with a pen, were equal to the
most anisneU engravings. Hi. (.
sraphy, of whleh example are still ex
tant, would have done credit to the
most expert writing mast., and. in
deed, he was able to make no tmon.
slderable Income by the ssle of the
eeimens of hla skill.
He figured likewise In the not verv
Invidious role of wife beater, for on
one occasion when one of bis wives
be was married four tttiies-lnsultwl
him, he sprang unon her. ant her d,,n
snd buffeted her so severely with hla
DEVIL DANCERS Of CEYLON.
riynioitth the government retains from
a aemiineutal motive a nee, or it.. . m K -
..!..(. 11,..., ..I. .ld..irl..n l..tii avi limit . ', lie
.,,.-., . . j wiiii irnHi me rtuk,
warfare oo the water Impossible. The real Singhalese devil dancers t0
'IVrbaps the most striking feature Ceylon are most ferocious and isvaka
of modern clvilUnflon la that there are fellows, Thetr dances sTt retulu. t
Bo ugly women, The Improved comli atta horrible. Hut fhelr pn.fe.siun hi
tlous of life, the place which legitimate ; popular and affords a royal llvlug fuf
enjoyment has In the modern scheme of Uf uu wuo u,a ,
exlsten.'e. the extirpation of many Ttl.r u , iuler.tltlou among Vm
forms of disease, and the rational aitl-; Singhalese that when a man falls skk
tude of mind of the average woman nt gU1,llol,eil ,0 u .ou wllb
have worked wonders. No modern;. ,.,. , orJ,,r ((J r(J bJJ gf
play writer would tbluk of elalM.ratlng ut,v, ttallecr. M .
tu nmi-o umruru imp nm riv 0 pftH ( ( f fllif tU tilt ill
seuted as having a dark side, for the
woman of today Is a Joy In her owu
house, and not only In the hone of
oilier, as there Is reason to Mleve
was the eae a hundred years ago. Ev
erywhere we aee peace, prosperity,
progreaa. aud It Is therefore with find
ings of the utmoat gratitude that we
watch the departing hours of the twen
tieth century."
lr, Stubbs, the Itlabop of Oxford, was
off to be a pirate.
"Are you. Bobby r
'Yes, but don't you lie scared: I
come home at night to sleep." Chicago
Itecord.
Plain Kvtlence of Art.
?)!
The Mjetery of MotWr.
"Why," asked the young wife, naive
ly, "do you always whistle when you
get my millinery bills?"
"To raise the wind!" replied the man.
uetroit Journal.
- -vwV N. IV it,
once Importuned by a woman who.
kuowlng hla expert e of Ihe Holy
Laud, kept ou unking him what places
she ought to visit, aa she was sunliu
ou a trip to l'n lent 1 ue. After snmer
lug topographical qiicatlou, wiihoui
Miimlier, he was aguln anked, ' Hut.
really, what place would you advlne ute
to go tor "lo Jericho, madaiii.
the blxhop, sweetly.
A London newsluty, who Is accus
tomed to shout "Extras" every even
lug. recently had a very had cold and
became hoarse. Feeling himself at a
disadvantage, he carried a large card til
front of hi in. uu which he had roughly
written: "Hush! Noise is a nuisance!
I can't shout my extras, but I have
them all the same!" It Idld not take
the boy long to sell out bis stock of pa
pers to the grateful passers by,
In her book ou "Home I'layera," Amy
IslW says that Edwin Booth a dele.ta
tlon of "lllchard 111." was frank and
lueurnhle. Oue night, when lu the
most magiiltlcent distant of Hlcbard, a
super fell lu a wrltblug, squirming at
tack, which set the eotiutrv audience
laughing. Booth said, quietly, arter the
fall of the curtalu, amid shouts of mis
guided laughs, "What waa the matter,
capialu?" The trembling captaiu
owned reluctantly that oue of hla twen-ty-ave-ceut
men had been seised in a
lit. "I'lease pay thirty cents next time.
ami employ one whose Ills may not In
.m,,,.,, ,hat . , ,', " employ oue wtio
rurthW chastlcme 7 ZS?
tmemlment In the future-.' rom Z ' T "" ' WH,,m"
. , 01 ruieo uia.
He half
In 'Upntabl-.
Mamma un, tthel. you never saw
me behave like that.
Ethel (aged -ij-Well, I haven't know-
ed you so very long.-TIt-Blts.
ComDUlaore I'm , ! n .
"Tou're not half so stout as yon were
uuiy."
Jo; we ve moved Into a flat, and I
Just had to get thin." Indianapolis
journal.
SheI came to study art
Artist I knew you could nalnt the
moment 1 looked Into your faee.
Thev All Came Rack.
"Half a dozen of us fellows." said the
struggling young author, "held a com
petition in abort story wrltlnir. Mv
story won the prize."
'Conceded to be the best, eh?"
"Well, we sent them all to the sann
magazine, and the editor kenl mln.
longer than any of the others." I'iiila
ueiphia rresa.
She Waa Willlna to Help,
1
Beggar-Flase. yer honor, do hin a
poor old body.
Irritable Old Chap-Don't bother me,
woman. Can't you see that I couldn't
possibly get a hand into my pockets?
Beggar-Ah. but Derhana I m..M
honor.
Hie Oraavlns Diepotitlon.
"They say," remarked the mother
thoughtfully, referring to the young
man who bad called the previous even
ing, "that be Is of a grasping disposi
tion." . ' '
"Well, I should say be was!" ex
claimed the small boy.
"Willie!" cautioned his sister, but It
was too late.
"You Just ought to have seen the way
be grasped Ixu when she said she'd
marry bim," persisted the youngster.
Chlcago Evening Post.
Moat I nf.ith.un ,M.
"My gracious!" suddenly exclaimed
iime Jiaiei mugore, who bad been
day-dreaming, "I suppose there's no
help for It."
"What are you thinking of, dear?"
asued ber mamma.
"Why, I was Just thinking when we
cue wen have to wear ready-made
neavenly robes for a few days till we
can oe ntted. "-Philadelphia Tress.
The Only I .!MHt.
He-Nothing could ever come between
us, could It. dear?
8he-I can't think of a single thing,
unless I should happen to become en.
gaged to some other man. Harper's
uazar.
that she faithfully kent
hqually marvelous were the feata f
William Kingston, who at the com
mencement of the present century re
sided at Dltcheat, near Bristol, where
he cultivated a small farm. He could
without other aid than that of hla toea
laauie ana nrhlle his horse, milk hla
own cows, cut his own hay, bind It up
in tmiKHes. and carry It bout the field
for his rattle. He was an excellent
carpenter, too, and had acquired no
time renown aa a hammer thrower.
being able with his feet to cast a heavy
sieage nanutier as far aa most men
could with their hands.
Very expert, too. Is Caleb Orton. an
American, though In hU rase hla aklll
has brought him within the clutch
of the law, for though without bands
he contrived to forge a postal monev
order. For that nefarious niirnose ha
employed his mouth, and although the
authorities were at first Incredulous
and doubted the truth of his confea.
ilon, he soon nut the matter beyond
doubt by ocular demonstration.
Gripping the pen between hla teeth.
ne. ty means or a ser es of ran d mova.
menta of his bend, executed one of
those elaborate designs of birds, beasts
and scroll work In which wrltlnir ex
perts delight, and proved to the satis
faction of everybody present his un
doubted culpability.
AT THE END OF 2OO0 A. D.
What One Writer I'rellcta iVIII Hap
nen a Centnrr Heniv.
The twentieth centurv la to be the
century of change; science, which la
going at the trot, will then go at the
ganop, says a writer in i-omion Truth,
we ttiinK we Know much; those who
will live 100 years hence will wouder
we knew so little
The folowlng Is prematurely quoted
Crowded Out
"Have yon called on Penelope since
she got back?" ,
"i'es, but I'll have to go again."
"Why?" ;
"film ovif ort.J A .,. i a ...
Fraser eased sneechlea.w m ..."l..6" 'cu . " B
. .. ' Buwojcr ei;eriuuces ana 1 dldn t irpt a
ars still Ktnnil no- th Mf n hi. .in. , . . . uu 1 8
liaed to It
Mr. Lurker Ex CUse Uie. Miaa Hnnn
p?r, but I have long sought this oppor
tunlty -
Miss Snnpper-Never mind the tire
amble, Mr. Lurker. Kun alona- In and
ask pa He a bc-n exiting this would from the Duy Cinematograph of Dec
come for th lt two nnn ti m... I 0 K
- - -' .v-wiiB. 31 asm:
'On the eve of the twenty-flrst cen
tury It will tw In the minds of manv to
contrast the present with the past. All
are aware that gigantic strides have
been made recently In the direction of
progress, but few realize that only a
nunurea years ago men traveled In
trains over the laud and In shlna over
the water; that they communicated
with each other by telegraph: that their
streets and houses were lit with gna or
with an early adaptation of electricity;
A Courteous I iff..
Couldn't I be squeezed In there anme.
bow?" asked the pretty girl, as she
vainly sought entrance to the crowded
car.
"If you can get In. I hav one arm
free," exclaimed a younir man In th
center of the car. Baltimore American.
" No Birita.
"I am told that Miss Frocks Is a
tarlan," said Mrs. Fosdlck.
"She is," replied Mrs. Keedlck. "even .!,., .t--,.. La
, , .... , ' 1 niai iwhi nun unu ill milium every
In her 111 11 ner." I . ...
tears still standing thick on bis white
race.
Everett turned back, half-laughing.
"I wish you wouldn't look at me aa
though I were a ghost!" he protested
"So long!"
Archbishop'e Apt Retort.
The archbishop of Dublin
performed a marriage In the family of
a wealthy Irish distiller. After the new pupil,
.... UV J LTt I i
arcnoisnop effusively for bis share of
the proceedings and said to him as h
100a uis leave, "The Lord be with
you." "And with thr spirit." is rennet.
ed to bare been the rejoinder.
word in edgewise about what I'd been
doing all summer. "-Chicago Itecord.
lloura'nir.
"You are the first girl I ever loved,"
said Mr. Simper to Miss Kittlsb.
"In that case you may cease loving
me. I do not care to be practiced on."
'Johnny," queried the teacher of the
uo you know your alpha-
"Yes'm," answered Johnny,
"Well, then," continued the teacher
"what letter comes after A?" '
"All the rest of them!" was the tri
umphant reply.
Pepper In Olden Tlmea.
Dr. Adolph Miller, of Philadelphia.
President of the Pennsylvania Mv.
cological Club, In a dissertation on the
pepper plant, says that during the
Middle Ages In Europe pepper was the
most esteemed and most Important of
ail the spices. Genoa. Venice and oth
er commercial cities of central Europe of ,. exquisitely desired world I
were indebted to their traffic In nenner i.nt . ...i..L..
for a large part of their wealth.. Its ...petition still bound our predeces
importance as a means of nromotlnir i,.,. ,. ..... .
commercial activity and civilization , ... a. . . :.
,1,...l wi.i.,i. . . - ------- iwum uviu on. xa we Willi in 1110
Uu,.,I(s luc ,u Ag, can naraiy tie ailent streets and look upon the smoke.
vJ... XIIIMII.V H IUV1IMI in L.a. ubn ttrltnnn Ihnn.nn.l. ,,
household; that hundred of millions
were spent in tuking Instead of In an v.
Ing life; that the soldier was more
fiouorea man tne surgeon; that well
dressed women wore furs in th dn
while the sun was shining and half
stripped themselves In the evening and
that It was not generally acknowledged
that one of the most Important of du
ties Is to enjoy the legitimate pleasures
pepper, and donations were trmdn in
this spice, which was frequently also
useu as a medium of exchange In place
of money. When the Imperial city of
uome was. besieged by Alarlc, the
King of the Goths, in 408 A. D., the
ransom demanded included B.onn
pounds of gold, 30,000 pouuda of silver
and 3,000 pounds of pepper, Illustrating
the Importance of this spied at that
time.
Fifty miles from the tow where a
man dies, the papers, If they mention
his death at all, tell the truth about
him. '
carts, cabs and carriages hurry hither
and thlthet, we wouder how man can
have lived without flying. Even yet we
are surrounded by a decaying past.
Underground London Is said to be
honeycombed with tunnels In which
trains ran up to fifty years ago! In
many parts of the country telegraph
and telephone poles still stand with
dangling wires, though wireless tele
phony has long since superseded those
older methods of communication.
Builders occasionally come upon leaden
piping through which gas was conduct
ed when gas was an lllutnlnant' At
Two or more of them co lr u'u-bt t
the sick man's house, lu front of which
small, square Iticliwure, shout alt
feet high, has been made of grae
and palm leaves. This answers the
'purpose of the green room at a the.
ter. The men appear at first wlihout
masks ami with long yellow grass
tremers hanging from their bends
ml waists. The only light cast uu
the scene Is by torches made of sticks,
( srouud which pieces of cloth sre wrap
ped, dipped In oil. To the uiulc of
torn torn, kept up on one uotw, the
I dancers sing peculiar, wild, funeral
! dirge, lu which the spectators often
Join.
The dancers begin by slowly moving
about, stretching the right foot and
bringing the left up lo It. and appear
: as If they were searching for some-
thing, during which the singing sounds
like crying. They are li eu asking the
devil to appear. There are twenty-four
different soils of devils. Rod after the
first part, the dancers are eonstiiuily
..changing their clothes lo represent the
entire species; some wear masks, mine
loll Jaws and terrible teeth reai-hbor
said !1" "1" """ t Jsws open ami close
; In s very realistic maimer.
A dsuee lasts over two nights, as IheV
whole twenty four devils have all to twf
personated licfore the particular de
mon who Is ailllcting the sick man Is
pitched ou, When he gives signs of
his presence the dancers go Into a sort
5f frensy, which Increases as he takes
poeuu of them; the torn tout beat
faster am) faster, the chanting grows
Into yells, the men whirl and stamp,
the bells fastened by bracelets on lo
their ankles jingle aud clash.
At this stage the dancers appear to
be looking for some object to give the
devil In sacrifice, ami Into which he
may pass. A chicken Is usually offered
by the friend of the sick man, and this
unfortunate bird Is seised upon, twist-
ed ami tormented and bliteit hcUcn
the false teeth, until the dancers, worn
out. move slower and slower, and the
chicken sinks into a sort of trance,
which Is a slgu that the devil has ac
cepted the sacrifice, aud is willing to
pass from Ihe man Into the bird. Now
and then the bird Is revived by some,
charmed water Mas" thrown on Its
head, and then the torture of It brgjiia
Ugaln. After this the men dn sheep
skin petticoats and capes, ami In the
torchlight look more and more diabol
ical and frensled In their thanks to
the devil for co use tit I it g to leave Ihe
The desire of the Inhabitants of Sing
Slug to change the name of tl0 towu
recalls a somewhat almllar desire m
the part of the Inhnbttanta of the i..u i. ! .
dent of i 4w Vork SaT"' I Wb" Mrt U '
isjffii tariff iehVr r ? v? r- ra " m
torlous by an atrocious , IZ, and ft " blrd,U,,,", "mmn
l.'puail of the Inhabitants wait" d . "! "T TM "? "
the h .me secretary with a petition for T . ' 9f'"r ',y'
!,,. ... i, f. .. .. " . " lng. AUitit an hour of this sort of
... ....... Maine, i ne II1IU- 1,1.1..-, . ........ ... ...
'""'I i Mime wimiiHu; II IS reBIIjr nop.
Ister hesitated, and asked what name
they proposed to substitute, They re
plied that they had not decided. "What
do you say," said ho. "to taking my
name?" They expressed their umitiall
tied delight, ami obtained the home sec
retary's consent to thi method of oh
llteratlng the memory of the oIlftovt.iilH
Palmer. The home svcreiary In ques
tion was lird Palinerston. The tow u Is
still known aa liugcley.
When George Sand, the famous
French novelist, waa llvlug at Nahaiit,
near the close of ber life, she w r,.i. iu
caught on her own grounds by a do-
lermineu HntisB Journalist, of her own
sex, who opened a formidable n,.t...
book and demanded: "At what hour
do you work, madame?" "I uever
work," replied George Hand, gavly
Ho! But your Imoks? When .1,. .....
make them?" "They make tlietuaelves,
morning, evening, and night." This
was ballilng, but the British l,n it- .1.
though deficient In araco. t 1,1 til, I tM,.b
grit, and snld: "What la your own fa
vorite, may I ask, amonir your noviv
"Olympta,"' returned George Hand
with a beaming smile. " OlymnlaV t
do not know that one." IVrhnps-l
have not yet written It!" and the vie
tlmhcd author beat a hasty retreat,
much amused as she looked hneb
saw that her nonsense was being duly
Jotted down In the formidable nolo.
book,
rlble and revolting, and one Is thank
ful when the men leave off to go to
drink the toddy prepared for them,
and make night of it -New York
Journal. 4
Itr. Johnson's lU-garil for Truth
It was said of Dr. Johnson tlmt 1,..
always talked as thouuh he wen, il
lug an oath. He detested the Imblt of
iying or prevaricating m the sllghieHt
degree, and would not allow his
vunts to say he was not at homo If ho
was. "A servant's strict regard for
the truth," said he, "must b weakem.,1
oy sucn a practice. 1 accustomed
my servnut to ten a Ho for m i..va
I not reason to apprehend thm h ..,m
tell them for himself?" A strict !it.-
ence to the truth the doctor considered
as a sacred obligation, and In relating
the smallest anecdote be wnni.t n... .1
low himself the tnluutest addition to
embellish his story,
Mistaken Identity.
Attorney You sav von hni nuit.i
see Miss Billings and was at the house
at the time the burglary was commit-
Witness Yes, sir,
"Then how did It barmen tlmt ,,i,
the prisoner dashed Into the room and
assaulted you you leaped through tbo
window and went homo, mn I; 1 1 , IT ,,,,
attempt to defend the lady or give the
ninrra 1
"I thought It was her fiitlo.r n..,
-- .... -,,,111-
ford Times.
Bootblacks In Ilnrlln,
Bootblacks are seldom seen ,.,
streets of Berlin, owing to Ihe fact
tnat it is one of tbo duties or iini-,..
servant girls to shine shoes in .1..,
household, and of porters to attend to
It In hotels. There are bootblacks at
the principal railway depots, hm n...
find more patrons among women thiiu
among men.
What a failure tQOtit Of 111 rnnlr a a
ure. Ul
"April's Sowing" Is Mlsa Gertrude
Hall's first long story. The title Is
lakeo from Browning's "Ilppa
Passes."
Two weeks after Its nuldiestion. su.
000 copies of "Alice lu Old Inceiiues"
were sold. It Is
life by Maurice Thouipsoit.
Win. Iean Howells. the foremost n.,.
ore In American letters today. Is to
tie oue of the literary advisers to the
reorganised house of Harper & Bros.
Annie Dussell MarbU
book with a suirtrcailvn mi "11,1,.
That Nourish Us," published by T, J.
iroweu & u. It Is certain that year
ly come from the press Imoks that w
us neither teni)orary nor lasting nmir-
isument, ami the necessity arises for
a wise choice.
Here Is a story told In "Notes ami
Queries": A lady asked the novelist
what her duly was lu certain difficult
circumstances, and received a clear re
ply. "But," she objected, "If I aid flint
I should die." "Surely that has noth
ing to do with yott doing -0nr duty,"
answered George Eliot.
"Tbo Biography of a Hnhv" is n,
title of an unusual volume by Miss
niiiucent vv. Hhinn. Mh. Shinn Is a
wiiirorninn and sill re th..r hi..
tuts always been nterested in hni,i...
and hns tiinde a cnrefnl mmiy 0f them
both as teacher and friend. i'oi.ii-i.,..i
by the Century Company.
Apropos of prefaces- -Homelhtnr, 111 .1
few care to praise Mr. Kipling gives
the following good advice, given when
be was iiKkfii to wrtta
Home rather Inlerestliiu
have Iniight me that the leUt ...
making a man bnte me for llf u to
meddle In any way with hla work.
If the book Is enml It
and If not. nothing will make It stir!
All the men who want to stick
a knife Into mo would stick it intn
you ns soon as they saw my name pro-
iiiciiigynnr hook. Hitter experience lias
Innghl that that kind of thlntr doesn't
pay. If a book stands bv Itself. It
will stand by Itself; but If von iiuo nn.
other chap's mi mo to help It to a stmt,
you will get all the whacks that the
other chap would have got If he had
written the book, In addition to
whacks ou your own merits."
'1
fow
It Is folly to attempt to plmiso every
body. It matters not In which direc
tion a man faces he must of necessity
turn his back on half the world.
Women either love or hate; there Is
no happy medium In their affections,