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About The Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1896)
Around the Hearthstone. THE STRANGE GUEST. He brought a branch of olive This stranger guest of mine; Could I deny him entrance. Who bore the peaceful sign? ' Ah, no! I bade him welcome, I set him meat and wine; But while he drank and feasted, How laughed his eyes divine! I took the branch of olive (The soothest plant that grows). And from the carven ceiling I hung it with the rose. "But why to me this token, Who never lacked repose? Why this to me," I questioned. "Who know no feud nor foes?" He smiled beneath the olive This strangest stranger guest. A branch from off the thorn-tree Uad told his errand best; For since my house he entered There's ne'er a heart at rest. To mock me with the olive! But Love doth love his jest. UNEXPECTED 10,000. S i Willie Smith was 19 pretty, viva clous, ambitious, but just now the very much discouraged owner of the Smith plantation and Its encumbrances, l wo weeks before she had been summoned from her school at Staunton by the death of her grandfather, and, as there was no other relative, had entered at once into possession of the property. A few days after the funeral the own er of the mortgage had made kn osten sible visit of condolence, but had so Interpolated his expressions of sym pathy with matters of practical signifi cance that when he left Willie was for the first time aware that she was only the nominal owner of her plantation. At first she was stunned, for she had , already begun to make plans for the improvement and extension of the an cestral acres. The poor cabins of the negro tenants were to be replaced by new ones, neglected fields -were to be again fenced and brought into cultiva tion, and better methods and better machinery were to be used. Her grand father had been easy-going and im practicable, but she had supposed that her schooling and the house expenses "had been met by the rents paid him by negro tenants. Now she. knew that the mortgage had been gradually increased to meet the deficits. This morning she was in the kitchen helping Aunt Chloe with the ironing, Knf K - thniirrVifa nraia Ttiieir TXTltll tilt formidable problems of the future. There were the expenses and the in terest to be met, and, worst of all, there was $100 still due her school at Staun ton. She could not see any possible way to pay it, for the season had been . bad, and" the renters, instead of paying what they owed, were beginning to clamor for advances on the next year's crops; and the creditor had delicately hinted that her grandfather had al ready raised the mortgage out of all proportion to its security. In anxious succession her mind went over her own accomplishments in search of some- ' thing that would be money-producing. She was fond of scribbling, and was fairly good at drawing and music, and Lad won a school reputation as a lin guist. " But she was too honest and practical to overrate these accomplish ments. They were good things to know,, but would not help her at this crisis. No, she must struggle as best she could until the creditor foreclosed; then she would go put and seek a place among the wage earners. "Jdeyer s yo man, mis' wiuie, canea window, and a black hand was thrust In with a package of letters. She took 'them and glanced over the postmarks carelessly. ' Most of them were from school friends at Staunton. Several were circulars, and one was one from Leadville, Col She selected this and examined it curiously. She had no correspondents in any part of the West. .Inside was a check and a short letter, with the printed address of a Leadville banking house. The letter read: "Willie Smith, Talbottom, Ga.: We are requested to forward you the in closed check for ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Please acknowledge receipt, 'and oblige, yours truly, "WALDRON & CO." ' . She stared at it for a moment, then hurriedly examined the check. Yes, it was for $10,000, made in favor of Willie Smith. Bat, of course, It was a mis take. If she had any relatives in the world, they were so far removed as to have been overlooked, and certain! v none of them was rich enough to send her $10,000. Talbottom was a small, unprogres- fiiirji tntkrn nrtivea 'at ro frtrTrr ni-Tvia reached out drowsily to the line fence . O ... T .V. nl.nt.Unn . TX7I11 ! ' - - ed two fields and went down a short lane, and". 'was then In the print pal street," "There was but one bank, and its cashier was an old friend of her " grandfather's. She went directly to him and explained her errand. "I reckon it's all right, Willie," said " the old man, after he had carefully 'ex amined the envelope and its contents, "It's directed to Willie Smith, Talbot tom, and you're the only Willie Smith I know. And Waldron & Co. are all right. Our house has dealt with them. And I'm bound. to say, my dear," put ting down the papers and looking at her beamingly, "I'm plumb glad for this windfall. I can almost hear yo' grand father chuckle in his -grave." "But it can't be mine," insisted Wil lie. "I don't even know that I have a relative in all the world." "Somebody yo family has lost sight of," said the cashier genially. "Now, there's a man over in Jasper County . got a fortune from a cousin he hasn't heard from in thirty years. I reckon this is something that way. It's likely yo' mother's cousin or somebody else. Anyhow, it's all right, and I'm willing to take the check. Will you have the money, or leave It on deposit?" "I wish I felt more sure," hesitated .Willie. "Well, suppose I telegraph to Wal dron & Co. Can you come in again this afternoon ?" "Yes." When she returned in the afternoon the cashier handed her a slip of paper. It read: " . ' " "Merchants' Bank, Talbottom, Ga. Gentlemen: Nothing to explain. We forwarded check to Willie Smith, Tal bottom, as requested. If the party pre senting it can be identified you may cash same with perfect safety. Yours, "WALDRON & CO." "So you see it is all right," said the cashier. ."Now, you will please indorse the check." . , - . " Willie did so with a sudden feeling of exultation. - ' . "How will yon have it?" briskly, , "Suppose yon give nie $0,000. That Fill pay off the mortgage and make some necessary repairs. The rest I will deposit with you. And and suppose you let me have a check book; it will bfe more convenient." ' 1 . The next few hours were momentous j ones in the young girl's life. ,The mort gage was paid, and visits were made to grocery and harwware and seed stores, and to painters and carpenters and stone masons; and before she went home a check was on its way to the principal of her school at Staunton. In the morning men came out and made estimates, and they were follow ed by painters and carpenters and la borers, who began to repair the old family mansion, and to surround the neglected fields with substantial fences, and to build new cabins under the mag nificent live oaks that grew along one side of the plantation. , Willie spent most of her time out doors watching the work and making occasional suggestions. The new "cabins were surrounded by generous truck patches, and when they were finished she was careful to rent them .only to industrious, reliable negroes. In this she was greatly assisted by the cashier, who came out frequently to watch the progress of the work and whose advice was always valuable. One day a brisk, prepossessing young man stepped into the Talbottom post office. "Any letters here for Willie Smith?" he asked. "No. she called after them not an hour ago." "She?" curiously. f "Yes. Generally her man Tobe gets them, but she happened to be in town this morning. You're one of the men wording out there, I suppose?" .. "No, not exactly." He left the postoffice and walked across the street to the bank. "Has Willie Smith presented a check here for $10,000 recently?" he asked. "Miss Willie Smith has," replied the cashier. "I beg your pardon,. meant Miss Willie Smith. You see, out West, we get in the habit of dropping ceremony." The old cashier looked . at . him thoughtfully. ' "So you are a Westerner, are you?" he asked. "I was, but expect to be a Southerner now," said the young man frankly. "My mother left this country nearly thirty years ago, but I have often heard her; describe her old home. When I made my pile I concluded to come down here and look around; and If I liked the place to stay permanently." The cashier's face cleared instantly. "Good!" he exclaimed. "You can't help liking such a grand country. All it lacks is money and energy. But what part of the West are you from?" "Leadville, Col." "Ah, I began to suspect it You have been connected with the house of Wal dron & Co., and called In to see if the check reached its destination all right." He came from behind the coun ter and took the young man's "hand warmly. "I am right glad to see you, suh. Yo' house never sent out a better check than that in all its life. Miss Willie has paid off a mortgage on her plantation, and is making wonderful improvements, suh wonderful! And do you know," lowering his voice-, "If It hadn't been for. that check I achally believe she'd been forced to go off and look for work achally forced, suh." "Indeed! That would have been too bad." said the young man, "but " "There's no .but now," Interrupted the cashier cheerfully." 'Tier future's as clear as a June sky. If I'd received the check myself I wouldn't have been half as much pleased. Miss .WilHe's a fine girl a gem in a land that is full of jewels. You must excuse my enthu siasm, suh," apologetically, "but in a sort of way yo' house seems to have had a hand in the good fortune. But come into my private room and we'll talk over the country. You're to be one of us now, and maybe I can give you some points on buying a place. And I'll tell you about Miss Willie and her plans." Here a new thought seemed to strikehiin. "How'd you like to go out and see her yo'self ?" he-asked abruptly. "We close early, and I generally go that way for a walk. She'll be glad to see anyone from Waldron & Co." "Nothing would please me better.'' "Very welL You'll take dinner with me, and if I can be of any assistance in you' plans do not hesitate to use me. Now, there's the Calhqun plantation. Joins Miss Willie and just now can be had for a song. And, really, it's the best thing you can do in the whole country. But you haven't told me yo' name yet, suh!" "Smith er. Call me Hamilton Smith." "A good name, suh a good name. We have Smiths in every county In the South, but I tell them a good thing can not be too common." My mother was a Smith." He led the. way into his private room and motioned the young man to an easy chair by an open window. Then he settled himself in an easy chair and gave a glowing picture of the Calhoun plantation. The young man said little, but on his face was an expression' of mingled amusement and indecision. And this amused indecision remained with him and even appeared in bis voice until they went out to the Calhoun planta tion. But when they returned, late in the evening. It had wholly disappeared. "Miss Willie is an' exceptionally fine girl," he said, with suppressed enthusi asm, "and if I am not mistaken the community will yet be proud of her plantation. - She seems to have the fac ulty of knowing just what she wants and just how to go about doing it. I could not have planned the Improve ments better myself. Miss Willie told me she wanted to plant trees along her bank of the river, which runs between the two plantations, and that it would be nice if the owner on the other side could be induced to do the same. Are you sure the place can be bought?" abruptly. "The Calhoun place? Certainly, and for a song." "Well, I want It. .. I suppose it's: too late to get it to-night," regretfully; "but if you'll arrange for its purchase early in the morning, so that the papers can be made out before noon, I'll be infin itely obliged. And I'll make it worth your while." ' "But you haven't seen the place yet?" expostulated the cashier in amazement. "Yes, I have across the river, you know. Besides, I'm willing to take your word for it. If you can have ev erything settled before noon I will go over after dinner, and talk with Miss Willie about the shade trees. And, do you know," with animation, "I've been thinking that those bluffs above" the live oak grove will be' a fine place to throw a bridge across the river. I won der if Miss Willie will like the idea." The next day the good people of Tal bottom were stirred to unwonted excite ment by the- news that an energetic stranger had bought the bid Judge Cal houn plantation, and that unlimited improvements -'. Ttere contemplated. And, even while- this report was being frin1ntpfl from mnnth to month. It wna followed by rumors of lavish contracts ana engagements made with the towns people of the town. Decidedly .v- thf stranger was no ordinary man. . And evidently Willie thought so.'too. for she would flash covert, inquiring glances at him from under her long, dark eyelashes, and sometimes would listen with almost bated breath, won dering what daring scheme would b proposed next. He was so different from any man she had ever met sc energetic and impulsive and chivalrous. She could not help liking him, and she could not withstand liis impetuosity any more than the reeds of the rivei could withstand the current in spring time. She, offered objections to the building of the' bridge and he overruled them in a single impetuous speech. She did not like the idea of assuming all the expenses of improving the river, but did not dare expostulate for fear oi the quizzical look which she knew would come into his merry eyes. In side of a month she began to feel that he was as much at home on her planta tion as be was on his own. but she could see no way to prevent it. And, indeed, she did not want to. In the fall their engagement was definite ly announced, and all Talbottom said It was the most suitable match of the year. - A' few weeks before the marriage he carefully overhauled his papers. There were many letters addressed simply to Willie Smith; some were to Willie H. Smith, and a few to William Hamilton Smith. All of them were destroyed. "It isn't well to keep papers," he soliloquized, as the last one was re duced to ashes. "Some folks see them.' New York Ledger. CHECKING AN EPIDEMIC. A Stade Manaser Puts an End to trie . Playei-Out Call for a Doctor. "Your story about calling for a doctor in the circus," said a retired showman, "reminds me of the way we broke up a. nuisance in a good-sized Pennsylvania town. 1 was on the road with a farce comedy company, and we put in two weeks at the town in question, there being a big military encampment? there and a county fair to boot. We drew good houses all through the engage ment, and were booked for an early return. I don't think we had been there more than one night before the doctor nuisance began. There would come a hurried messenger from the box office to the stage manager with a re quest that he ask if Dr. Bolus, or what ever his name happened to be, was in the house, and if he was, to send him to the office at once. Of course, the stage manager couldn't very well re fuse, and general attention was direct ed to the medical man, much to his satisfaction. We soon found out that the doctors who were so much in de mand were very small medical fry, and there wasn't a doubt that -they had had themselves called for in order-to secure the consequent notoriety. Well, we stood it for a few nights, and then an idea occurred to me. I took a walk up the main street until I came to a cer tain sign hanging over the stairway." I went up to the office indicated and had a brief conversation with its inmate, ending It by handing him reserved seat tickets. . "That evening, immediately after the first act and before any messenger from the box office had a chance to arrive. I stepped out In front of the curtain and held up my hand. Then in my gravest tones I asked: " 'Is Dr. Chizziold in the house? "Immediately a very tall colored man, with a.busby white head and huge silver-mounted spectacles, arose in the audience and said: " - " 'Heah I is, sah.' "The audience tittered, but I kept my gravity, . . " 'You are wanted at the box office at once, doctor, in a case which requires your immediate professional attention.' "As the aged darkey ducked to me and hobbled from the room, the audi ence broke into a wild roar. "Perhaps you will understand. ' the cause of 'their merriment when I add that the old man was a corn doctor, and probably the best-known eccentric cuar acter In town. "Well, there were no more doctors called from that stage during our en gagement." Cleveland Pla n Dealer. Tbe Man and the Snake. The reputed fascination of the ser pent's eye is the motive of a story in Mr. Ambrose Bieree's volume of tales entitled "In the Midst of Life." - Mr. Brayton was the guest-of a friend, an eminent zoologist, whose specialty, of which he had a fine collection, was snakes. Stretched upon a sofa in his own room, Mr. Brayton glanced from the book he was carelessly scanning while awaiting the summons tt dinner, and sawi in the shadow under his bed, two small points of light about an inch apart. He gave them no. special thought and resumed his reading. In a few minutes he gave an involun tary start, and stared into the obscurity under the bed. His gaze disclosed the coils of a large serpent; the., points of light were its eyes, but were no longer merely luminous points; they looked in to his own with a malign significance. Brayton was a brave man, but this seemed. an occasion when discretion was the better part of valor. . He would beat a retreat and backward, so as not to disturb the reptile; but instead of the movement his will had shaped, his right foot was placed la advance of his left. The snake did not move, but Its eyes seemed to become larger and more lum inous. There were strange noises in Brayton's ears as,, with reluctant steps, he could not refrain from drawing nearer the bed. Suddenly something struck him a hard blow upon the face. He had fallen to the floor. The zoologist, startled by a terrific scream from above, rushed to his friend's room. There lay "Brayton, senseless. As he bent .over him he glanced under the bed. "How did this thing get here?" he exclaimed, and pulling out the snake, flung It to the center of the room, where it lay without motion. ; It was a stuffed snake; Its -eyes were two shoebuttons. Tbe Season. "To be sure," assented the wolf, "cor dially, "I am glad of the cool weather. I never could do much In a crash' suit. There Is nothing like the conventional sheep's clothing, after all." Petrol! Tribune. , Didn't Need It. "Help! Help!" cried the man whe was being robbed. "Calm yourself," said the' highway man. "I don't need any assistance."-' Tid-Bits. - - The Particular Thing. She Was there any particular thing about the town which struck you? He-rYes; a bicycle. Yonkcra States man. -" -:. .- " - The Lord " probably forgives every thing else sooner than the discontent of a woman whose husband Is good tc her.. -...-.' MUSIC OF ST. PETER'S. The Choir Sinsa It at 8iht Without Hehearaal. Opposite the Chapel of the Sacrament is the Chapel of the Choir. St. Peter1 a a cathedral,-and Is managed by a ebapter of canons, each of whom hat his seat in the choir, and his vote in the disposal of the cathedral's income, which is considerable. The chapter maintains the choir of St. Peter's, a body of musicians quite independent of the so-called "Pope's choir," which ia properly termed the "choir of the Sis tine Chapel," and which is paid by th Pope. , ,. . -. No musical Instruments are ever used In the Sistlne. In the choir, on the con trary, there are two large organs. The one on the west side is employed on all ordinary occasions: it is over two hun dred years old. and Is tuned about two whole tones below the modern pitch. It Is so worn out that an organ-builder is In attendance during every service to make repairs at a moment's notice. The bellows leak, the stops stick,, some notes have a chronic tendency to "cy pher," and the pedal "trackers" un hook themselves unexpectedly. But the canons would certainly not think of building a new organ. Should they ever do so, and tune the Instrument to the modern pitch, the consternation of the singers would be great; for the music Is all written for the existing organ, and could not be performed two notes higher, not to men tiou the confusion that would arise where all the music is sung at sight This is a fact not generally known, but worthy of notice. The music sung in St. Peter's, and. Indeed, In most Roman churches. Is' never rehearsed or. prac ticed. The music itself is entirely In manuscript, and is the property of the choirmaster, or, as is the case in St. Pe ter's, of the chapter, and there is no copyright in it beyond this fact of ac tual possession, protected by the simple plan of never allowing any musician to have his part In his hands except while he is actually performing it. In the course of a year the same piece may be sung several times, and the old choristers may become acquainted with a good deal of the music in this way, but never otherwise. Mozart is reported to have learned Allegri's Mis erere by ear,' and fb'have written it down from memory. The other fanioua Misereres, which are now published, were pirated in a similar way. The choirmaster'of that day was very un popular. Some of the leading singers who had sung the Misereres during many years in succession, and bad thus learned their several parts, met and put together what they kuew Into a whole, which was at once published, to the no small annoy.-, ee and discomfi ture of their enemy. But much good music Is quite beyond the reach of tbe public; Palestrlna's best motets, airs by Alessandro Stradella, tbe famous hymn of Raimondi, in short, a great musical library an archivlo, as the Romans call such a collection, all of which is practi cally lost to the world. It Is wonderful that under such cir cumstances the chlr of St. Peter's should obtain even such creditable re sults. At a motnent's notice an organ ist and about a hundred singers are called upon to execute a florid piece of mnsic which many of them have never seen or heard; the accompaniment Is played at sight from a mere figured bass, on a tumble-down Instrument two hundred years old, and the singers, both the soloists and the chorus, sing from thumbed bits of manuscript parts writ ten In old-fashioned characters on pa per often green with age. No one has ever denied the extraordinary musical facility of Italians; but if the general musical world knew how Italian church music Is performed It would be very much astonished. It is no wonder that such music is sometimes bad. But sometimes it is very good; for there are splendid voices among the singers and the Maestro Renzi, the chief organist, is a man oi real talent as well as of amazing facil ity. His modernizing influence is coun terbalanced by that of the old choir master. Maestro Meluzzi, a first-rate musician, who "would not for his life change a hair of the old-fashioned tra ditions. Yet there are moments, on certain days, when the effect of ,the great old organ, with the ' rick voices blending in some good harmony, is very solemn and stirring. The outward per suasive force of religion lies largely In its music, and the religions that havt no songs make few proselytes. Cen tury t - ; . : Former Slave Market. On benches so placed as to command a good view were the buyers, coarse looking Turks,-whose calm, searching gaze seemed to take - In every detail The .merchant -conducting the sale stood before them,-talking and gesticu lating with great vehemence. He turn ed to one of the pens, which was filled with young Circassian women, most of whom were very handsome. They Vere seated 'close together on " the ground, in an attitude, of listless de spondency, their white garments flow ing around them, and as they gazed up at me with their sad, dark eyes, I felt painfully how they must envythe free and happy stranger whoxcame to look on them in their infamy and misery. The slave trader came forward, fol lowed by a phlegmatic-looking Turk, and, seizing one of the women by the arm forced her to stand up before this man, who, it appeared, wished to buy her. He proceeded to. Inspect her, very much in the same manner as he might have examined a horse or a dog, and his decision was unfavorable; he turn ed with a contemptuous movement of the head, and the slave merchant, in a rage, thrust back the ifhfortunate girl, who sank down trembling among her companions in activity. This scene was as much as we could stand, and we left the pltfce hurriedly at once; It Is well, Indeed, that such sights can be wit nessed no more, at least in Europe. - Lion-Hunting an Ancient Sport. To "hunt the lion was kingly sport from the earliest times, and the Egyp tian monuments show that all kinds of hunting, as well as fowling, was followed for pleasure. Pawning Idols in China. It Is quite a common thing in Shang hai for needy natives to paws their idols in order to buy food. . Married Men and Rings. , The latest suggestion made In the col umns of a London paper Is that mai ried men should wear wedding rings. Your grocer 'will sell you Schillings Best tea, and re turn your money in full if you don't like it . He is our agent to this extent; and - we want ' no better business. A SrMlImg & Company . -r- I . Francis. UBS I AGRICULTURAL NEWS THINGS PERTAINING TO THE ,-" , FARM AND HOME. " Beat Method of Preserving: -Fodder Corn How to Relieve Choked Cattle Late Matnrinss Potatoea Are Most Productive. - Preserving Corn Fodder. A report from the Vermont Agricul tural Experiment Station says for two years past experiments were conduct ed to determine the best method of pre serving the corn plant for winter use. Four methods were tried. First, whole ensilage was made by running the new ly cut corn through a cutter, reducing it to one-half inch lengths, then putting into the silo. Second, the ears were husked, cribbed, dried, ground, cob and all, and fed In connection with the stalks, which had been previously cut and made into ensilage; this was called stover ensilage and meal. Third, the fodder was preserved in large shocks, and before feeding was run through a cutter, ears and all. and cut into one half inch lengths. Fourththe corn was husked from the fodder, ground with the cob and fed with the stover, after it had been run through the cut ter as needed from time to time. Samples from the material preserved by the different methods were carefully analyzed, and the fodder was fed to a herd of fourteen milch cows. It was found that each of the methods pre served about four-fifths of tbe dry mat ter harvested, the loss from each being practically the same in quality and in character. The fodders kept in the shock lost more and more dry dry mat ter as the winter progressed. The ears iu the silo during the last test lost more of their food value than those preserved in any other way, this being the reserve of a previous test. The relative cost of placing the same amount of dry matter in the manger was greatly in favor of whole ensilage. Time and money spent in husking and grinding the ears were wasted, as bet ter results were obtained when the ears were left on the stalk. The en silages were relished much better by the cows and they do better upon them. Farm News. Relieving Choked Cattle. 'I have never known my method of relieving choked cattle," says a writer in an English farm paper, "to fail in giving instant relief. 1 cut a stick about four feet long and -one-half an Inch through at the large end, with prongs like fork tines about one inch long at the small end. The stick wants to be straight and smooth. I generally cut a 6mall gray birch. Then wind the prongs with yarn until well covered and sew over and through this a piec. of cotton cloth, making a ball some inches In di ameter securely fastened to the small end of the stiek. Grease tbe ball well with lard, insert in the animal's throat, and push it down the length of the stick If need be. or until the substance Is forced into the stomach. Then with draw the stick and the creature will be relieved. I have been called in the night to go four miles to relieve an ani mal that had choked for hours. I re lieved - her In two . minutes "after the stick was ready, 60 that she commenced eating immediately. Two or three men had tried every , way they knew for hours without success. The creature was choked with a potato." ". Late Moturinjr Potatoes. Moat of the'very large growers of po tatoes plant mainly of the late-maturing varieties. There is a good deal of loss in marketing early varieties, espe cially those dug while their skin is stiil tender, and is broken by being rubbed against. In hot weather such potatoes rot easily, and though the price is high er there is not so great profit as for the more productive later crop that can usually "be marketed without Injury. Early potatoes do not generally pro duce heavily. Hot, dry weather short ens the crop, while with late potatoes planted late much of the growth of the tubers Is made after the- heated term has passed. .- Keep Flour from Taint. Flour should be kept with the great est care, (as it takes on the odor of things about it, and becomes tainted al most as easily as do milk and butter. As it also becomes heavy and moldy In a damp place, it should be' kept where weather changes will not affect it. The i lightness and dryness of 'the flour, of course, has a great deal to do with the superior quality'of the bread and cake made from it When flour is bought by the barrel, a patented convenience that consists of a swinging shelf that raises the barrel a few inches from the floor, so that the air may circulate free ly about It, is liked by housekeepers who" have space for It. . v Fa't Ietroj8 Setiis. Wherever salt is sown so tljat It comes in contact with germinating seeds It will rot and-destroy them; The first germ of seeds is very tender, and as it starts out the seed gives out some mois ture which dissolves tbe salt. The ef fect of very small quantities of salt is to decompose vegetation of all kinds. A large amount might pickle It and prevent decomposition. But either small or large, it Is destructive of the germs of vegetable life. But if there lsa great deal of. rainfall the salt Is dis sipated, and .so mixed With surround ing soil that little injury to the seed is produced. An Impromptu Filter. An Impromptu filter will be found convenient. Buy 5 cents' worth of powdered charcoal;, put it in a piece of flannel, together with some small stones fine pebbles are best and tie It to' the spigot.' The . water running through this will be quite clear. Be sure you have coarse flannel, as the charcoal sifts through muslin. If it runs too slowly put something under the spigot and let it run while you are doing something else and dip it out af terward. The increased clearness of the water will repay you. The Strawberry Patch. The family strawberry natch Is not Usually large, and - can therefore be given the best of attention. Rake the beds and clear off all the refuse, or burn, the beds over. " Then sprinkle fine bonemeal and.muiiate of potash over the rows, or use well-rotted manure that is free from litter, covering the beds with straw or salt ha, and plac ing cornstalks or brush on tbe bay. Early in spring remove the mulch and sprinkle nitrate of soda over the rows before the plants begin to grow. . Trees in Tilled Fields. A few years ago we wrote on the ex pensiveness of keeping scattered trees left for shade in pastures in fields that every few years had to tei broken up and" used for tilled crops. The grass may or may not be Injured under the tree, according to its variety and habit of growth. But wherever the field was planted -with either; corn, or potatoes the blighting effects of the tree sapping the soil of moisture were to be seen as far either way as its roots extended. At the time our views met much severe criticism from those who regarded the trees as objects of beauty, and to . " spared, whatever they cost to the fai-m-er. But the loss from plowing, wasting seed, and labor in cultlvat'ng crops under Jrees and getting nothing In re turn has convinced most who a few years ago were critical that they were backing a luxury that not one farmer in ten can afford." Keep the trees If you wish in land that is to be always In grass, but if it is to be plowed and cul tivated, clear them out so that all the labor applied may have Its fullest ef fectAmerican Cultivator. . Plowing and Beseedintc. Within the past few years there have been more than usual complaints of grass arid clover seeds not "catching" well, and of "running out" after an apparently good seeding had been se cured. Drought, or hard freezing in winter, are commonly given as reasons for these grass failures. But in many cases we suspect that this does not ex plain the whole difficulty. As vegetable matter In the soil decreases It 1 much more injured by drought than it Is while the soil retained its virgin fertility. Our climate is not a moist one, like that of England, and our winter cold Is much more severe. We cannot expect per manent grass either for pasture or meadow. To plow and reseed every second or third year seems to be a ne cessity of good farming in our Northern States. Nor Is this necessity any real hardship. The first year or two after seeding the crop is always better than after, and then, too, there Is the best sward to plow under. English turf may keep thickening as the years pass by. but our grass lands are sure to grow thin. The longer the replo wing is de layed, the more difficult it is likely to be to get a good catch with the new seeding. Ex. Keep Live Stock in Goo'I Condition. It Is the best and.safest plan to put all the live stock on winter rations in good time and before they become really hungry and lose flesh by the want of nutriment In the food gathered from the fields. As soon as a frost has taken the starch out of the herbage and les sened its ability to nourish an animal the main supply of food should be given from the winter stores. To fall off now is to keep out of condition all the winter. It is quite possible to stall feed an animal with success in the win ter, but th consumption of food will be considerably increased over and above what would be required at any other season. It is an old saying that an animal well summered Is half wintered. It Is perfectly true; for once the system is in a thrifty condition it Is more easily kept so than it can be recovered from a lowered state of health and vigor. Thus just now it should be the effort to pre vent any falling off in the condition and put all the stock into winter quarters in as fine a state of health as is possh ble. Orange Judd Farmer. Odda and Ends. An easy way to remove spots of paint from glass is to make a strong solution of soda In , hot water and wash the glass with a flannel dipped In this. Tumblers that have been used for milk should never be put into hot water until they have first been rinsed in cold water. The heat drives the milk in and gives a cloudy appearance to the glass, which cannot be removed. Clothing that has become spotted and whose co"or has been destroy; d by acids may have the color restored by applying ammonia and afterward chloroform. Occasionally your pet canary bird should be fed with a hard-boiled egg, chopped fine and mixed with cracker crumbs, giving it not more than a thim bleful of the mixture at a' time. Farm Notes. There is no charm in slipshod farm ing, none in weedy fields, fences, fence corners or barns, or with buildings in a general state of disorder. Low-grade fertilizers cost'tess by tbe ton, but cost a great deal more if meas ured by the benefit derived. If com pelled to buy fertilizers at all buy good ones. If you are not- posted you can find neighbors who are. The fall Is the time to ditch and till the land for drainage, as' the work- can be then done at less cost than at any other period of the year. Lands in the West that have been tilled have gained sufficiently in one year, by the In creased yield per acre, to more than pay. the cost of drainage. Every year that wet land is left undrained is a loss or just so much time that could be gained by drainage. An orchardist says: Peach trees will not bear choice fruit when growing in sod. in fact, there are few fruit trees that will not produce better fruit and more of it -if . the grass is prevented from "growing near them. - Fruit trees in poultry yards, where the ground is kept constantly bare of all vegetation, usually bear excellent fruit. Of course, some allowance must be made for the fertilizing benefits received from the droppings of the fowls. In harvesting, as well as in storage, potatoes should be exposed to light as little as possible, says Farmers' Bulle tin No. 35 of the United States Depart ment of Agriculture. In storing pota toes a low temperature is required. The potato tuber is uninjured by a tempera ture of 33 degrees F and one authority gives'the freezing temperature of po tatoes 30.2 degrees F. Warmth favors sprouting, which injures potatoes, both for planting and eating. Untold Lies. The art of telling a lie by telling the truth, but less than tbe whole of it, is cultivated by some people; and when their trick of concealment is by some chance found out, they are never quite believed afterward. . A person of this type was once re lating certain circumstances to an ac quaintance, who appeared, perhaps, a trifle Incredulous. - "What!", exclaimed the narrator; "do you suspect what I tell you?" - "Oh, no," answered the other; "but I suspect what you don't tell me!" ! The remark was an apt one, and ought to have been a warning to the speaker. - But inasmuch as this person was grown to years of discretion, and still kept back a part of the truth, it is doubtful If any experience could teach him to be really truthful. There is a great deal of untruthfulness latent somewhere in human nature, and un less one is "brought up to tell the truth," and taught in childhood to ab hor a lie In any shape, there is very little hope that such a person will be come outspoken and" candid. ' The gas engine, which in Europe has now supplanted the steam engine for moderate power. Is being " used v In Frail ee for ships." A new gasboat on the Havre-Rouen-Paris linets 100 feet long, with seven feet draught,' and at tains a speed of seven knots. The gas ia stored in steel tubes under a pressure of ninety-five atmospheres. ; The en gine is a two-cylinder one anri u of forty-home power. ' Hot TJssd. to UiuIm, The peculiar sorrows of a Pennsyl vania colored man are thus set forth by the Record of Philadelphia: A tall and heavy-footed colored roan limped painfully into a large shoe store in Phoenixrille one 'day recently, and began to complain to the proprie tor that he had been swindled. "Dese hyar shoes," he said, "suhtinly is de wu'st I ebab see. Dey jes' natchelly got me all tied up in knots." . " "What seems to be the trouble?" in quired the proprietor. The colored man scratched his pate for a minute, and said, "Fo de Lawd, I doan' know.- Hit sho'ly seem. Iaik somebody done cast a spell on dem. Fust dey feels all right, an' den de nex' day dey hu'ts mos' drefful." The dealer took a look at one of tbe shoes; then he began laughing. "You're not used to wearing shoes, are you?" he asked. "Well, boss," was the reply. "I doan' weah dem much, da's a fack." "Well, the trouble is, you've got them on the wrong feet." "No, sah! No, Bah!" cried the negro, "dey ain' nuffin wrong wlf mah feet." The dealer explained the difference between right and left, and the custo mer went away happy. ,- ' Progressive Civilization. A lady recently took into her gerrlct a Chinaman, and began to Christiaanize him. Shortly afterward some silver spoons were missing. Then she taught him the Apostles' Creed, and it was discovered that a valuable piece of plate had been stolen. His benefac tress, loath to suspect her new convert, started in to teach him the Ten Com mandments. By the time he was able to repeat the First Commandment, the scamp stole her watch. Then the phi lanthropic lady's son rebelled. "Moth er," he exclaimed, "for heaven's sake, don't teach that plg-talled scalawag any more, or by the time you've got him to the Tenth Commandment he will have stolen the house and taken tbe cellar along with It!" The human race ia but a contest of dollars. The highest claim for other tobaccos is "Just as good as Durham." Every old smoker knows there as good lOallEI r You will find one each two ounce -pons insiae . y n, . bagoi xuacawcu buuiumu Buy a bag of. this cele brated tobacco and read the mmn mhirh PlveS a list of valuable presents and how to get "Contains Mdit Flesh Form ing Matter Than Beef." That is whatan eminent physician says of good cocoa. The Cocoa made by Walter Baker & Co., Ltd., Dorchester, Mass., is the best. See that Imitations are ""not palmed off on you. Cheapest Power..... Rebuilt Gas and IN GUARANTEED ORDER.. i-i H. P. Hercules, Gas or Gasoline. 1-2 H. P. Hercules. Gas or Gasoline. 1-2 H. P. Regan, Gas or Gasoline. 1-3. H. P. Oriental, Gas or Gasoline. 1-4 H. P. Otto, Gas or Gasoline. 1-4 H. P. Pacific, Gas or Gasoline. 1-6 H. P. Hercules, Gas or Gasoline. 1-10 H. P. Hercules, Gas or Gasoline. State Your Wants and Write for Prices.....,. (05-7 Sansome Street San Francisco, Cat... Gas, Gasoline and Oil LACE CURTAINS. THE LOWERING Ob PRICES. Which we have effected in these hAS been even greater than in other goods. They are 110 longer expensive. If you have not purchased recently .we have a surprise in store for you. It is a Special Offering to Mail Order Purchasers at $1.00, $1.35 $1.55 and $1.85 a pair for S yard length white or cream lace curtains . thoroughly to-date styles. Expreseage or postage paid by us. They are such goods and values as we are certain will be friend makers for us. ,- - As a holiday gift to a housekeeper they will be among the most welcome selections. We will send our new Fall Catalogue Free for the asking. Send your order at once. ; OLDS KlftJC, 702 Washi-gtcn St PCR LAM", PR WHEAT. Make money by suc cessful speculation in Chicago. We buy and sell wheat there on margins. Fortunes have been made on a small beginning by trading in futures. Write for full particulars. Best of reference given. Sev eral years' experience on the Chicago Board of Trade, and a thorough knowledge of the busi ness. Downing, Hopkins & Co., Chicago Board of Trade Brokers. Offices In Portland, Oregon, and Spokane, Wash, . FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK er "Just Don't Feel Well," PILLS artbOnThtnftonM. ; . - Only On. for a Dots, - ' Sold by Smaglsts at 860. box " r "-1 rune. Adoraa Dr. Bounkt IM. Co. Phil. Pa. RUPTURE and PILKS cured ; no pay until 1 cured: send for book. Dns. Manspield Jk PosTsaruoo, 838 Market St., San Francisco, . CLIHATI AND : COXFOBT. Either way, whether we are to have a prolonged winter of extreme cold or a mild one, through the dampness and chill neu ralgia will find its victims, and a great many imprudent people will find neuralgia. In either case, when it does come, with its racking torture, let's look about for the best that can be done. We need not go far. The reputation of St. Jacobs Oil as a cer tain cure for neuralgia has gone before it, and it is an established fact that it cures surely, soothes and restores the troubled nerves. To enjoy, therefore, a comfortable winter, whether it is cold or mild, bear in mind that for this complaint one should have the great remedy for pain ready for nse. It is by putting off that the ailment grows worse, and the worst cases grow less as soon as it is used. . - Brioks of glass are now manufac tured in Silesia, They are cheap and mora durable than mud brioks. FALSE WITNESSES. There ate knnves now and then met with who represent certain local bitters and poisonous stimuli as identical with or possessing proper ties akin to those of Hostetter's Stomach Bit ters. TheReRCjLmnnniilvHiicrapd In fnistimrtholr trashy compounds upon people unacquainted with the genuine article, which is as much their opposite ns day is to night. Ask and take no substitute for the grand remedy for ma'aria, dyspepsia, constipation, rheumatism and kid ney trouble. Chicago university has just received a gift of property worth $500,000 to be used for a new biological station. State or Ohio, Orrr of Toledo, ( Lucas County, ) ss- Frank J. Cheney makes oath that he is the senior partner of the Arm of F.J. Cheney S Co., doing business in the city of Toledo, County and State aforesaid, and that said Arm will pay the sum of ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS for each and every case of Catarrh that cannot be cured by the use of Hall's Catarrh Cure. FRANK J. CHENEY. Sworn to before me and subscribed in my presence, this 6th day of December, A. D. 18M. SEAL I A. W. GLEASON, Notary Public. Hall's Catarrh Cure is taken internally, and acts directly on the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. Send for testimonials, free. F. J. CHENEY fc CO., Toledo, O. Sold by druggists. 73c. Hall's Family Pills are the best. Piso's Cure for Consumption is the best of all cough cures. Goorge W. Loti, Fabucher, La., August 21, 1895. A scheme iaon foot to have a geneial census of the whole world taken to mark the end of the century. is none just as coupon inside bag, and two con eacn iour ounce 1, I T" 1. Liieiu. S mm' J A TT" a- 2. wmi .....Gasoline Engines. FOR SALE CHEAI Hercules Gas ....Engine Works Engines, 1 to 200 'H. F. Webster International; IM-tionary Invaluable in Office, School, end Home. A thorough revision of the Unabridged, tho pi rpose of which has boeu not ilinplay nor the provision cf WEBSTER'S boasUnl and showy f lyertle-) Lim Dii)is;on c.t ii::.ii-rini tnr I IOTERNOTONAL I I meat, br.t tho dr.e. ir-tUdori, echol'irly, thororch rerfeet inff of a work -r. Mch in cU the stages cf its fSTor.-ti Iips ob tained in an ennpl detfrw the fnver rnd conildencc of schnl- . DICTIONARY . Tlie Choicest of Gilts for Christmas. Is- Various Styles of Brsorso. O. Si C. MBRRIAM CO., IUhllshexa, .."III, J' .X--1.-,., Mill Til TDrC To ny address, our .... lilAILtU rtltt .... Special Price List of HOUSEHOLD COOPS. ETC. This circular Is issued for the benefit of our country customers who cannot avail themselves of our Daily Special Sales. Send us your ad dress.. You will find both goods and prices' right. WILL & FI.VCK CO., 818-820 Market Street, San Francisco, Cal. DOLLS Fancy dressed and Jointed, 25e; seven-inch drums, 25e; hair nets, oc; package XrriRS Tat ss. ."c: hohhv $1.45; dozen embroidery silk, 1 c; tinpel tails, ny color, 2c; photograph iill-um, ouc; men's socks, 4c a pair; embroidered eiik handker- chiefs, 7J.e; children's rings, lc; linen thread. 3c a spool; choice boys heavy shoes, 11.25. Mail orders promptly attended to. CL4KV' THK FA1B, 812 Washington street, Portland, Or. SURE CURE for PILES Uotlu ud Blind, BlMdtns r Pnwndlai Film TtoM mm PR; BQ-8AN-ICO'8 PILB REMEDY. SMp-iufc. ta(,tmV umora. A padtiTe ur. Cirnlan rr. Trim Wo. Unauunatf. DR.B08ANKU. PhUaw Pa. QPIUralDRUNKENNESS WE WIlMre4tl.toCOT. NoPatlll Caraa. DR. J.L.STEPHENS, UU&aNON,oUo, ft, 880. 8. F. N. TJ. No. 767