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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1880)
THE LOST LETTEB. Jacob Carter ft nil Albert Harrison were merchants living in adjoining towns, The strong friendship existing between (hem in boyhood had tot declined in manhood. Each possessed sterling traits of character, though the two men were unlike jlr. Carter was much beloved for his rentle nature and kindly qualities. The .imrt comings of his fellow-men were always viewed by him with a charitable eje, wr. uarrison, on mo contrary, though an honest, true man, was harsh and inflexible, and quick to condemn any deviation in others from the code of rectitude lam uuwu lur iiiwseu, One bright morning he said to his son, s he sealed a lotter he bad just written: "Paul, I want you to carry this letter to the Post i Oilico. Don't stop on the nay. It must go out in the next mail Paul took it, put on his hat, and went whistling down the street. On his way he hod to pass tne nome oi Caleb Parker, liia most intimate friend. "Halloo!" called Caleb from the niazza. "I've just had a streak of luck. t'uele Roger has given me a splendid Newfoundland dog. "Oh, that's jolly I" returned Paul, eagerly. "Corao in and see him," nrged Caleb, Paul glanced at tho clock on the church-steeple. It lacked a full half honrto mail-time. Thoughtless of the disobedience he was committing, he Tickled to the temptation before him. A few minutes could be easily spared He hurried with Culeb to iho shed where Hover was tied, and spent five minutes admiring and praising the "splendid puppy. then he continued his walk. Hut on reaching the Post Oilico, he found, to his great dismay, that tho letter missing! He was sure he had carefully put it in his pocket. What should he do? He remembered pulling out hishandker chief while talking to Caleb, and think ing it probably fell out then, he quickly retracod his steps to Air. x'arkor s House He told Calob his trouble, and the two made a thorough search. But tho lotter could not bo found. Paul was in great agony. "I'd about as soon be killed as to g home and toll father. Ho told mo not to stop by the way, and he'll whip mo Hn lull J "I)o you know what was in the letter?" inquired Caleb, after thinking a little. "X'es. Father wrote to Mr. Carter to send him twenty barrels of flour, to last till he gets a supply from the West.' "Then save yourself a whipping by holding your tonguy. Don t say a word to your father about it. Come to my room and write another letter, and sign your father's name to it. 'Twout do any harm and 'twill bring the flour all the same. Only keep whist. Paul hesitated. He knew Caleb was a wrong counsellor ; that a frank and sraightfoi irard course was the only right ono. Put he had been twice severely pun ished for small acts of thoughtless diso bedience, and the pain of the blows was fresh in his memory. "Well, on the whole, Caleb, I guess I will follow your advice. I can't see what hurt it can do. They went into the hvuse. Paul took the offered pen and ink, and quickly wrote thus : Mef.ritown, May 9 . Mr. Carter Dear Sir: I wish to pur chose of you twenty barrels of good flour, to be sent immediately. A. Harrison, per P. H Paul had seen his father's clerk write lotters on business, and sign them that wav. Ten minutes later he deposited the lot ter in tho postoflice and went home. "Did you get my letter in before the mail wont?" asked Mr. Harrison, as Paul entered the parlor. "The letter was there in time,' was the evasive reply. A growing uneasiness now took pos- session of the boy's heart, and ho really felt sorry he hod not braved his father's displeasure, and owned the truth. He had been guilty of crooked dealing, and his act (as such acts always do) left something to dread. It was too late now, he reasoned, to retrieve tho mistake; but what might come of it, ho could not tell. Three days afterwards. Mr. Harrison re ceived twenty barrels of flour from the wholesale house of Mr. Carter. It was a trreat relief to Paul's mind. The letter substituted had apparently sued its purpose as well as if it had been the original. A week went by. One morning Ms. Harrison said to his wife at the breakfast tablo "I sent a check of one hundred ond fifty dollars to Mr. Carter. Don't sc( why it hasn't been acknowledged." Terror ond dismay instantly over spread Paul's face, and be quickly left the table. It had not before occurred to him that the lost letter held achsck, which was lost too. The thought ap palled him, and terrible forebodings tor tured his soul. Late in the afternoon of that day, as 1 aul sat alone in the library, the door bell mnr and a mompnt after, he heard his father cordially greet Mr. Carter and Mr rai-tur and invite him into the parlor, They' had a low, earnest conversation together. Mr. Carter seemed to be giv ing some important information which astonished Mr. Harrison. The door was closed, but occasionally part of a sentence camo distinctly to Pauls ears. He heard the words, "check;", "stolen from a letter;" "State prison - offense;" "young for such a crime." He looked out of the widow into the street, and a strong impulse seized him to flee from the house, but his limbs ere powerless to act. Suddenly Mr. Harrison opened the door. 1'ani, come here, ce sam. -ur. Carter wishes to talk with you." The boy went into the parlor, nervous and trembling. One glance at the weary, serious expression of Mr. Carter's face seemed to assure him of his coming doom. Faintly, and with a palpitating heart, he returned the good man's saluta tion. "I want to ask yon a few questions," began Mr. Carter. "Can you tell me hy, how you shake! What's the matter?" "Nothing yes I I don't know," stammered Paul. "I want you to tell me all you know I about' t - interrupted Paul, quickly, I never told you a lie! nerer, kkih ..it V 1 'ou u believe me now!" Believe vhal. niT mn?" "That -that I didn't steal the chock! I I lost your letter butbut-I didn't &uuw u iiem teeth. check!" with chattering "Lost my letter! what lotter? with the truth!" commanded Mr Out Har rison. lhe ono rou wrnt tn t, r. You gave it to me to curry to the Post Ulhco. 1 here was i)lontv nf ti IDA lwtfnM wm uiiui closed, and I stopped a few min I ' 1 I . " v mes to look at Caleb'i uew dog. The letter was dropped somewhere, and I couldn't find it and and I thought it was only an ordor for flour, flllil T wrnta another and signed your name to it. I know 'twould bring the flour all the some, and it did." Paul began to crv. "I received that L the Hour at once," put in Mr. Carter uo on, Paul. So you have forged a lor me. what olse havo you done.' askod Mr. Harrison, in tone. severe "Ihats all I have to tnll nnllnnir else' sobbed the boy. jour lathers letter, with a check of ono hundred aud fifty dollars, eauie to mo. I had two lotters. one a fow dnvs after the other," said Mr. Carter. "The lost letter had been picked up and for warded according to its written direc tion. A look of mingled relief and sur prise suddenly came over Paul s face "Why did you susiiect me of Btonlinir the check, then?" he asked, drying his tears. "Don't see what led you to think I did suspect you. What did?" questioned Mr. cartor "Bocause I heard father and you talk ing about a check that was stolen from a letter, and just after that you mentioned my name. Mr. Carter burst into a hearty laugh. and even the knitting brows of Mr. Har rison relaxed. Paul's faced flushed crimson. You wero more frightened than hurt, my boy, said Mr. Carter, laying his hand on Paul's aliouldor. "Your conrso was not right, and guilt is a loud accu our, and is easily alarmed, inn no one had suspected you of stealing, Paul. I was only telling your father that Abbo rimlips, the son of one of our friends, has lately forged ou a stolen check, and is likely to go to prison "But something was certainly said about me." "les, i asked to see you to inquire about your schoolmate, Ned Leo, w ho wants a place in my store. 1'aul gave Air. carter all the lnforma tion he wanted about his schoolmate, while Mr. Harrison sat thinking. He was not quite ready to change the subject. "Paul," said he, sternly, "how comes it you are so late in owning that you lost my letter? Paul hung his head " Twasn't right. I know, father. I hated to hide it, but I thought 'twould twould save mo from a beating Paul left the room, and the merchants were again alone. "Albert, said Mr. Carter, earnestly, ''we have been friends from boyhood. and I hope you won't take offense at my plain speaking. Don't you see you are helping your son to make a rogue r "A roaue I W hat do you mean ? "That's what the end will be. Paul is a little thoughtless and impetuous, but a good boy in the main. It was dread of punishment, you sec, that forced him to act underhanded in this thing. Encour age frankness in him by keeping him less under fear. He has taken his first les son in ortiilce. God grant it may bo his last Half an hour later, Mr. Carter went away, and Mr. Harrison sat long absorbed in thought A revelation had boen made to film, and he arose and went to Paul s room Well. Paul," said he, "you have paid a heavier penalty for concealment than if the truth had been told at first. "Indeed I have, father; I never had anything worry mo half so much in my life." "Always be true rud onen, Paul, and von need have no fear of mo. - . . ...... . l ather and son had both learned on important lesson. Youth's Companion An Actor Hero. Tony Denier, man ager of the "Original Humpty-Dunipty Combination," has been distinguishing himself as a hero. Sunday noon a fire occurred in tho hotel at Y inona, where he and his company wero. One of the ladies of tho company has a young baby. She started out of her room in terror, and fell. Mr. Denier, who stepped from his room into the hall, saw her, and car ried her down stairs. She revived from the swoon on reaching the outer air, and began screaming for her child. Mr. Denier turnod back into the building, through dense smoke, and explored his . .i . . . IT. 1..L if- way to tne lady s room, ne took me child and started down stairs, but was driven back by tho flames. He ran to the window, shouted to those below to "look out." and turned a forward sum mersault from the window ledge. Hap- pily he landod on his feet and escaped iniurv. his experience as a clown prov- 1 . mi 1 M 1 A 'A- ing valuable, ine cmiu was given 10 us mother, and then the people swarmed about Tony, several men lifting him upon flieir shoulders, and he was Iwrne to a saloon, where wine was liberally poured out in his honor. The company lost nothing, and modest louey gainea con siderable. Saviso bt the Svez Canal. That if wheat can be carried by steam through the Suez canal from Calcutta to Liver pool for 7s. Gd., or even at 10s. per ton, and if rice, why not wheat, and East In dians, who have now more acreage in wheat than the United States, take it into their sagacious heads to work for the Knronean market, then good-bye to all our prosperity that comes from wheat ' i 1 i i i. growing. our juriucro biiuuiu iuv miv this canal business more than they have, and let their representatives in Congress know their views. A father gave onto his son (1.000, and the latter went to Chicago to enter busi ness. In six days he returned without a cent. "You found the Chicago people pretty smart, didn't you, Peter?' said the old gentleman. "Yes," replied the son, Dui wnat you can tmin m m cago, we call mighty mean here." Cold Bedrooms, It is always a matter of great moment to maintain an equable temperature in the bedroom. A bedroom the air of which is subject to great and frequent cnanges of temperature is always a trap for danger. To persons who are in the prime of lifo, and who are in robust health, this dangor is loss pronounced out to the young and the feeble it is most serious danger. It is specially uangerous to agon people to sloop in room that is easily lowered in warmth Whon the great w aves of cold come in the winter season, old people begin to drop off with a rapidity that is perfectly startling. Wo take up tho list of deaths during these seasons, and the most mark ed of facts is the numberof deceased aged persons, it is like an cpidomio of death by old ago. Tho public mind accepts this record as iiulicativo of a goneral chango of external couditious, aud of a mortality, therefore, that is necessary as a result of that change. I would not myself disputo that thero is a line of truth and sound common sense aud com mon observation in this view, but when we descond from tho general to the par tirular we find that much of tho mortal ity seen in such excess amongst the aged is induced by mistakes on tho Bubject of warmth in tho bedroom. The fatal event comes about somewhat in this way : Tho room in which tho en feebled person has been sitting beforo going to bod has boen warmed probably up to summer heat; a light moal has been taken before retiring to rest, and then tho bedroom is entered. The bedroom wrohance has no lire in it, or if a tire be lighted, provision is not made to keep it alight for more than an hour ortwo. Tho result is that iu the early part of tho morning, from 3 to 4 o'clock, when tho tempcraturo of the air in all parts is lowest, the glow from the fire or stovo which should warm the room has ceased, and tho room is cold to an extreme do gree. In country houses the water will often bo found frozen in tho hand-basins or ewers under these conditions, Meamvhilo the sleeper lies unconscious of the great change which is taking place in the air around him. alowly and surely there is a decline of temperature to tho extent, it may bo, of thirty or forty degrees on tho Fahrenheit scale; and though ho may be fairly covered with bed-clothes, ho is receiving into his lungs this cold air, by which the circula tion through tho lungs is materially modified. The condition of tho body itself is at this very time unfavorable for mooting any emergency. In tho period botwoen midnight and six in the morning the am mal vital processes are at their lowest ebb. It is in these times that those who ore enfeebled from any cause most fro quently die. Physicians often consider those hours as critical, aud forewarn anxious friends iu respect to them. From time immemorial those who have beon accustomed to wait and attend on the sick havo noted these hours most anxiously, so that they have been called by one of our old writers "tho hours of fate." In this space of time the influence of the life-giving sun has boen longest withdrawn from man, and the hearts that are even tho strongest beat then with subdued tone, bleep is heaviest, ond death is nearest to us all, in "the hours of fate." Tho safest method is to have the air of the room, a short timo before it is occu pied, brought up to a uniform temper ature of from OU to 05 degrees Fahr. It should never fall five degrees below GU, and never riso above 05 degrees under ordinary circumstances. In cases where tho occupant of tho room is extromely enfeebled, it may be necessary to raise the temperature to a highor point, but I am thinking this moment of sleepers who ar6 in fair health, and for whom no special provision is required. A mistuke ib sometimes miulo in ob serving) tho temperature. The reading of the thermometer .is taken in one part of tho room only, perhaps in the warmost part, that is to say, over the fireplace or from tho mantol-sholf. This is not a fair observation, for a room at that part may be very warm, while it is very cold in "other parts. The tempera ture should, properly, be taken at tho bed's head, about two feet above the pil low, and that is tho best position in which to keep the thermometer, with which every bedroom ought to be fur nished. An ordinary thermometer suf fices as a goneral index, but a registering instrument is most advantageous when particular care is demanded in observa tion. . The Whistling Tree. In Nubia and tho Soudan groves a species of acacia are described as exist ing, whose scientific appellation, as well as their popular name, is derived from a peculiar sound emitted by the branches when swayed by the wind. Tho Arabic name is the "soflar," or pipe; and the specifio nome of fMuta, also meaning a pipe, has been given to it for the same mason which nromnted the natives to give it its local designation. The tree is infected with insects whose eggs are de posited in the young shoots and extremi ties of tho branches. A sort of gall-like excrescence about an inch in diameter is produced at the base of these shoots and when the larva has emerged from this nidus, it leaves a small circular hole, the action of the wind in which causes it to produce a whistling sound like that produced by a flute or by blowing into any hollow pipe. When the wind is violent, the noise caused by thousands of theso natural flutes in a grove of acacias is most re markable. The description given by Dr. Schweinfurth of these bladder-like galls leaves it uncertain whether they are truo gall-nuts or whether they are the secretion of a species of lao insects. The valuable Indian loo insect thrives on two or three species of acacia, while one variety (the A. Arabica) also pro duces a pod or gall-nut, which is use ful for tanning. In either case, these natural "whistles" of the whistling tree would form a valuable article of com merce if they could be easily and reg ularly collected and exported. A genuine incident: Dr. L called npon a lady acquaintance the other day and was met at the door by the lady's lit tle girl. He asked her to tell her mamma that Dr. L had called. The child went up stairs and presently returned. "Did you tell your mamma 7 asked the doctor. "Yes." "And what did she say?" "She said, 'Opshawf" rctriQed nolle Alive. "One of tho most heart-rending cases that ever came under my notice," said well-known Lonisvillo physician, "was that of a man whona death could not affect bis relations, bocauso ho had none; but the niuuncr of bin dying was so awful that it was a call upon common humanity for sorrow. He was a young fellow who at the breaking out of the war, w hen be was 20 vears old. enlisted and fought with courage under confed erate banners. In tho terrible warfare about Nashville he was exposed to tho rains aud colds, ami contracted in flammatory rheumatism from which he never recovered, and which caused bis resignation. He returned to his homo a mis erable creuture, anil never was af terward alio to walk. For fifteen long years lio was dying us slowly and suro Jy, and with as much torturo, as the most refined cruelties of human inven tion might have produced. Opiates? Of Courso oniates were administered. but what of the moments when tho in fluence had waned, and when, rushing upon mm liko wolves of torture, made ravonous by hunger, tbo pains broke through tho veil of insensibility and tugged at his frame with teeth of cru elty? The very immunity which opium gave added another horror when it was withdrawn. He was kept under its in fluence as much as possible Iu nino years bo bad lost every power of mus cular effort, and sat iu his chair a liv ing corpse, only to bo moved to his bed, where ho became a mummy with the spark of lifo still glowing. Tho time shortly camo when ho no lougor lay in bis bed, but sitting in his in valid chair becamo tho enthronod em bodimont of a soul too miserable for lifo, too sacred to bo feared by othor hands. Bo ho sat, year after year, with his muscles fixed in iron, his eyes looking upon a world as dreary as misery could paint it; bis voice sinking in his throat, only to bo expelled by hunted nature in w ild and piteous cnos whon tho pain rockod into hopeless cowardice the strong heart that had led his men up to tho dreadful caverns of cannons' months without a flinch. Fixed aud rigid, tho poor boy was a sphinx, en dowod with lifo and deprived of movo meut. Evory joint iu liis body became ossified by the chalky deposits, and not even a movement that provoked death less agony became possible. Even tho joints of tho neck becamo rigid, tho fin gors stiff, and tho limbs potrillod. Ho was a stono frame, with a covering of flesh and tho soul of a living man. The mnsoloB of tho eyo even failed, and the lids falling upon the weary balls shut in forovor the darkness that was about him liko the gloom of the gravo. Then came, with tho BOine stop of measured eternity, the ossification of tiie joints of tho law, and ho was fed hotwoou the rigid teeth. How slowly death movod cannot be described, but when tho lnllanimation ad seized tho heart iu that last pro longed spasm, nature no longor could give warning oi its ngoncy. what tortures took place Under the drawn cur tain of that human mystory can no nioro bo told than the secrets of thoso horrors in tho lowest dungeons of the inquisi tion. Death came, but it was liko the fading of the mist-line into tho clouds, and as we stood about that chair no one dared to utter his thought no one could tell whothor the soul still lurked in the prison, or whether death was life or life was death. When ho was buried his fixed limbs wero broken with hammers, in order that ho might bo placed in coffin." Baseball. Tho town that cannot support rival baseball clubs is too small to fie named on the map, white tho pluco with no club at all is beneath tho notice of any spirited youth who has hvod more than ten years. ouio games are of the nature of diseases that become epidemic, but baseball is on annual complaint that breaks out every spring with tho first daisy, succumbs ltb reluctance to tho first heavy snow storm and has countless gorms which are tenderly nursed through every winter, Why it should have becomo the national game nobody knows; it is not the best development of ball playing; it does not afford every willing man a chance; it cannot bo played without a crowd, and one or two mon falling ill may ruin tho anticipations of a day or a season; it gives very littlo exercise to the hour: it is productive oi nioro physical accidents than all othor field sports com bined, and yot ball clubs outnumber clubs of boating mon, archers, bicy clists ond athletes gonorally a hundred to ono. stranger sun, me very poopio who grumble most at the game give it their hearty support; deacons who pronounce demoralizing will snnscribo to tho traveling expenses of their town club, which goes a hundred milos away to take tho conceit out of some othor club; physicians who say it is a fruitful source of physical disabilities will put off a patient in order to attend a game; tbo mothers who protest against their darling boys taking part in anything that insures black eyes, flat tened noses and broken fingers will neg lect a Uunday dinner to see that their sons' club uniforms fit to a nicety, and the preachers who think the game dis tracts youthful thoughts from hotter things will be careful to so order their pastoral visits that they will pass the club grounds while a gamo is in progress. Against such a muss of pnblio opinion it is useless to protest ; indeed, it would be shameful, for a host of manly quali ties are aroused and strengthened by the game that has become national in its range. A few physical casnalitis are a small price to par for the benefits de rived from a sport that coaxes almost all of Young America out of doors and keeps them there. Womam'b Strknoth. Woman's true strength lies in her quietness. The noisy, blustering, arrogant, self -asserting of the sex make the air hot with their voices, and trouble the world with their superabnndent activities. But this is not real strength it is more generally just a sham and a show, w hich breaks down under the pressure of personal and private trial; while the true power of those who, as wives, Influence the pres ent, and as mothers, mold the future, lies hidden from the public, all the more valuable because of its reserve. A ton of gold makes ft half-million of dollars. fraction over a Feeding to Live and Living to Feed. The notion that Appetite is a low de gree of hunger, and hunger an intensfled form of apiwtite, does not seem to bo borne out by facts. The two desires or longings aro different in thoir nature Apetite is the craving of the apparatus of taste, and sometimes of the digostivo organs; while hunger is tho demand of the organism as a whole or somo of its parts of food. Use the word appetite and hunger how we may, there are actu ally two needs to bo oxprossod, and much mischief arises from confounding tlieui The one cry for food which wo call ap petite is an aihair of habit or caprice, and may, for a time at least, be stimu lated by appealing to tho sense of taste, or promoted by eor- tain cordials and stimulant : but looking at tho matter from a physiological- point of view, it is diffi cult to see what wo gain by exciting the organs of digestion to toko food unless the system is in a condition to roccive it, Tho rat ion id mode of proceduro would socm to bo to wait the expression of 'a need in tho system in short, to look to hunger rather than appotito as an in centive to tho act of feeding, instead of exciting the palate and sense organs to tuke tood when wo have no organic reason to suppose that there is an inner uced of it. There aro cortain evil consoqnoneos of tuo civilized mode of feeding by appotito on tho basis of habit, which it may bo useful to point out. First, separating appetite from hunger, and developing it as on independent sonse or function, there naturally springs up a fashion of life which maybe described as "living to lood. lhe purveyor of food trades on the tastes and cultivated longings of the consumer, and the con sideration what to eat and what to drink comes to oconpy a place in tho self-oonsciousness which it was probably not intended to fill, and in so far as this is the caso man is nioro animal, and less spiritual and intellectual, than ho ought to bo; although it may be conceded that tho refined taste of cultivated naturo is less offensive than tho simple voracity of tho savage. 'Ihere aro some who con tend that man 'is tho trainer by tho de velopment of his appetite. If this be so, the gain is a good not unmixed with evil. Another drawback is that by sever ing appetite from hunger wo lose tho in dication of quantity which naturo givos with her orders for food. The man who cats a regulated numbor of mealB daily, with a duly stimulated and organizod habit, probably eats much moro in the twenty four hours than his system ro quires, or tho organism as a whole is con stituted to deal with. f Lancet. A Drunken Man's Safety. A man sent out to repair telegraph wiros on tho 17th began by gotting drunk. Ho had on his climbing hooks, and catching sight of the procession at a point near the crossing of tho Boston and Albany Kailway and Columbia avonue ho forth with shinnod up a telogranh uolo. From this porch ho beheld the sight, and got ting both legs over one of tho cross-burs and both arms around the polo, he foil asleep, meditating, vory likely, upon the forward strides made by our city within the last half century. While thus1 roclining, twenty-flvo foot from tho ground, ho was ospiod by a kind-hearted individual, who pointed out the porilous situation of the man to a Polico Sorgoant of the Fifth Division, romarkiug that ho (the Sergeant) must get him down or ho would fall and kill himself. "How am I to get up there?" askod tho Sorgoant. "Can't say," replied tho kind-hoorted mon; "but something ought to be done. "The feller hoint in no dangor," breaks in a man with a rod nose and a squeak in his voice, who has lust oome up aud ta ken a critical, sidelong squint at tho man on the polo. "Why isn't he?" sharply domands tho kind-hearted man. "Don't ye soo." roturns the squeaky voico, "tho follor s up there so tight that he in't full no how. 'Boston Journal. A Good One rou Hayes. Thore is a good story told of tho President, says the Washington Star, in connection with tho recent appointments in ado to fill vacancies in the United States army. A gontloman who is distinguished in social lifo was extromely anxious to havo the son of a warm friend designated for ono of tho vacancies. He callod upon the Presidont and mado known Ins reouost. "You see, Mr. President," said he, in advocating the young man's claim, "his father is a distinguished ox-army oOlcor. His great-grandfather was a gallant sol dier of tho army, and his great great grandfather was an officer in the navy during the Revolutionary war," Theso points were pressed with force upon the attention of the President. All of a sud den the Presidont said: "And this young mans lather, great-grandfather, and even a more remote grandfather have all been officers of tho United States?" "Yes," came the reply. "Woll." ropliod the President with a merry chucklo, "don't you think it about time that some one In that family earnod a living for himself? Stars and Xenuut. Prof. E. C. Picker ing, Director of the Harvard Observatory, lately made a discovery which is re garded, says The Hcientilio American, as one or the most important of tho century in stellar pnysics. in the ordinary tele Vina a ofur a rtnao rat ma a tntinf rf ttrkf brighter, but not larger than when looked at with the naked eve. 1'rofessrr Pick ering finds that on placing a prism be tween the object glass and the eye-piece of his telescope, the light of a star is drawn out into a continuous band. When however the telescope with the prism is directed to the planetary nebulae, the lltflit is collected into a star-like point, without any band, enabling the astrono mer to distinguish 'immediately between a star ana a planetary nebula. This prin ciple has already enabled Professor Pick ering to discover several planetary nefiu lae. On Thursday evening-, August 20th, an object was observed which presented the appearance of two star-like points within the band in the modified tele scope. It is different from anything beretomre observed in the telescope, and is regarded as an important subject for investigation. Bather too Hard on Him. (Overheard at the ourang-outang cage at the Boyal Aquarium). Tom (who is not overbur dened with brains) : "I say, Liz, what do they mean by the 'musing una? Lai: "Well, I should define it as an animal i half-way between the ape and myself." The Soup-StoiielB Old Trick. A lady on the outskirts of Donvor was the victim the other day of a tramp's practical ioke. Even in those vagabonds there is an occasional vein of humor whioh is worth preserving. The inci dent happened in this wise : About the middle of tho afternoon the tramp nut in an appearance aud askod politely if ha could be permitted to cook for himself ft plate of soup. "1 have the ingredients with mo" he said, displaying a cobblestone about the size of an applo. Iho lady very naturally looked at him in surprise. ' lou can t niako soup out of that rock. can yon ?" she inquired, in surprise. "Oh, yos, niadauio. This is what we call a soup-stone." "Well. I should liko to see yon do it;" and she forthwith mode up a firo in tho stovo, and tho tramn commenced opera tions. He illlod tho stove-pan with wa ter, and, after it commouced to boil, very carefully deposited the stuio in a pan of water. "I shall havo to trouble vou for ft lit tle seasoning," ho said, and the lady has tened to get him an ouion, a pieco of meat, and a tomato. Theso wore carefully cut up and put in to boil, along with tho stone. In ft short time a delicious plate of soup was prepared. The lady tasted it and was delighted with tho flavor. The fel low sot down and ate, and his hostess immediately added what was necessary to niako a substantial moal. When he left he said that he could got plenty of soup-stones on his way, and thai ho would leave that ono with hor as an evi dence of how sincorely ho appreciated hor kindnoss. She was firmly convinced that she hud como into possession of treasure That night she told hor hus band of tho circumstance He listenod to the recitid and then inquirod inno- contly: 'Don t you think the moat and the onion and the tomato would have made a very good plate of soup without tho rock?" Gradually tho trick began ' to dawn upon hor, and if you want to make that ludv mud vou have only to ask her for the loan of hor soup-stone. A House or Hold Bricks. Thore is a cortain honno in Choyonno, not a thousand miles from the Lviuior office, which is almost worth its weight in gold. The bricks in its walls are at least impregnated with the precious metal to a valuablo extent. Tho discov ery was made accidentally by gentle man who has an oilico near by. lie fre quently noticed shining yellow particles in the bricks, aud imagining that the colors wore gold, he took out a brick from the wall for the purpose of ascer taining tho fact. This brick he first pul verized and thou "panned out" the col ors. He could not get rid of all the dirt, and coucludod to send the residuum to an assayor in Donvor. In a fow days the assay certificate arrived, and showed that thoro woro 1)8 cents' worth of go'.a ' in the brick. The igentlomar; '. u- wok out two other brioks in different ports of tho building, and pulverized, ond panned them as he did the first. The sauio assoycr gavo his cortmcate aa fol lows: Sample No. 1, gold, 47 cents; samplo No. 2, gold, 24 cents. With re markablo secrecy the gontloman pro ceeded to learn whonce came these bricks. After considerable inquiry it was loomed that the bricks wore matte in a yard that was iormoriy situated on Crow creek, near Choyonno, but whioh is now obliterated. Further investiga tion among old residents, divulgod the fact that placor mining was at one time carried on along Crow creek, but the minors thought that the pay wasn't big enough, and they therefore abandoned their claims. It was near those claims that tho brick-yard meutionod above was started, and that explains now gold dust got into the brioks. f Cheyonne Leader. How Water Enters Drains. Whon wet land is drainod. the wator enters through the joints of tho drain-tiles all along thoir course; It is not necessary to provide inlets for tho water. It must l)e romemborod that if drain -tiles were laid three feet bolow the surface the pressure of the water above them is con siderable, and will force a large quantity through a vory small spaco. The tiles may bo laid so close that a knife-blade cannot be inserted botwoen them, and yet the entering water will be sufficient to keep an inch and a half tile (30 rods long full in wot woather. The cost of drain ing laud depends on soveral conditions, such as the character of the soil, tho dis tanoe of the drains apart, the depth of the drains; the size of tile depending upon the wetness of tho land; all those may vary the oost from about $30 to $50 ' an acre. rtANEon k Toultrt Houhb. Small houses and large runs aro most in favor. The Wentern Rural gives the dimensions of one to accommodate a dozen fowls; if a larger one is required the same general features may be retainod to its construc tion: Ground dimensions five feet by so von feet; three and one-half foet from ground to peak of roof; door at ono side of one end, two feet wide; nests on ground at the other side, running length wise of the house; platform just above nests; roosts four inches above platform; holes for ventilation in front and rear peaks; roof of dried boards pressed tightly together, and cracks battened; sides same. Covor the whole with water lime paint. Brackets con be placed on the four corners, and poles passed through so that the house can be moved to now ground. It was Alfonso. A well dressed younir man entered a Madrid lnn n fw jy9 ago, and after walking uneasily about for a time, asked: "Have you any watches with india-rubber cases?" The aston ished shop-keeper answered in the nega tive. The youth shambled np and down the floor a few times and again said: "You haven't any rattle boxes with dia mond handles, I suppose?" "No sir," said the shop-keeper. "How young doea a child begin to use a velocipede ?" asked the youth. "It depends ft good deal on the Kid," was the answer; "some begin young, some don't." Would you sell me a two wheel one and change it for a three wheeled one if it was a girl ?" "Couldat do It," came the curt response. The youth went out and the shop-keeper re poses in the lowest dungeon of the castle. It was the King of Spain.