TWO BIRDS.
Two birds flew out of the South one day,
And over the joyous world
Each flung a melody loud and sweet
And gladly its tired wings furled.
And one bird high on the tallest tree
A place for its nesting found,
While humbly the other built its home
Low down on the common ground.
A Shrike flew by and it saw the nest
That swayed in the branches high,
But the low built uest of the humble
bird
He saw not and passed it by.
Which points the moral I wish to show;
. Though fortune has cast your lot
Low down in the world with the humble
ones,
The ills that strike at the mansion oft
pass over the humble cot.
San FrnnciHco Bulletin.
I
t AN IMPORTANT DISPATCH $
era HE Embassy Ball at Carlshren
1 1 was a very brilliant affair. Cecil
Ackerson, who hated balls and
that sort of foolery, and only attend
ed them because he was obliged to do
so by the office -which he held, had
come to night for a purpose. Cecil
Ackerson was a strong man.
It was not till late In the festivities
that he was able to approach Helena
(Jorrlnge, acknowledged beauty of the
English colony at Carlshren. She was
engaged to young Vincent Kenyon
Curstalrs, who had been only six
months appointed to a post at the
embassy. Ackerson was aware of
the engagement, but the knowledge
did not trouble him.
"If you don't mind, Miss Gorringe,
I would rather not dance," said he.
Through the curtains that shaded
their retreat five minutes afterward"
8he could catch a glimpse of the light
ed ballroom. Then Cecil Ackerson
was telling her that he loved her. His
woi'dii came quickly, but his voice
was very Arm, and she was unable to
stop him. He said that he had never
been a woman's man, and he had
never met a woman like her. His
vehemence frightened her, but she
rose and turned on him with blazing
eyes, telling him of her engagement to
Carstairs.
Cecil Ackerson laughed and took her
back to the ballroom. On the morning
lng after his astonishing behavior to
Miss Gorringe Ackerson walked sav
agely to and fro In bis private room
at the embassy. He thought of in
numerable schemes, but at length only
came to the conclusion that Kenyon
Carstairs was In his way.
The next day or so Cecil Ackerson
had to leave such thoughts alone, for
relations were a little strained with
the home country. The country of
which Carlshren was the capital was
small, but Important. The question
of war even hinged on the proper con
duct of these negotiations. And then
the Idea came to him by which he
might put his young rival right out of
the miming. He sent for Carstairs.
The latter come at once, wondering for
what purpose his chief wanted him.
"I have an Important dispatch here
for homeland I have selected you to
carry It. You "will take the dispatch
with you when you leave this evening.
You will start to-morrow morning,
and you should reach the coast by
night. I find there Is no night boat
from Halzund, so you will have to stay
there the night. I need hardly coun
sel you to take great care of the dis
patch, Carstairs."
"Yes."
"Very well. Come to me this even
lug for the dispatch.
Vincent Carstairs went to tell Miss
Gorringe he was going away for a day
or so. He was full of his news.
"You look happy," said she.
"I am," Carstairs replied. "The chief
bad me up this morning and gave me
Instructions. I've got to carry," he
paused for effect, "an Important dls
patch. Why, what's the matter? You
seemed surprised."
. "Oh, nothing." said Miss Gorringe,
"Did you siiy that Mr. Ackerson gave
you the dispatch?'
"Of course; who else would?"
"I wonder what a dispatch Is like?"
naked Miss Gorringe, Innocently.
"Just an ordinary paper folded." said
Carstairs. "Would you like to look at
It?" He had been longing to show It
nil the time. He took the shallow tin
case from his pocket and unlocked It,
and handed the case to her.
She took It to the window to see It
better, and for a minute her back was
toward Iilm.
"Let me lock It," she said, and there
was a little click. As she gave the
case back she shuddered n little.
But when,' later on. Carstairs watted
downstairs to say good -by, she came
suddenly luto the dim hall.
"Walt n minute here's something
for you," and she put a tiny envelope
Into his hand. "It's n note from me,
but you're not to read It till you're on
tne lioat."
"What's all this mystery?" said Car
stairs, lftugmng.
"Never mind. Iion't open It till you
re on me ooat. uood-by."
INCLE SAM'S
"What's all this fuss about? Seems to me you've given a pretty good ac
count of yourself whenever called on."
"Good-by," said Carstairs, and was
gone.
At the Grand Hotel, nalzund, Car
stairs ordered dinner in a private
room. Half an hour later the land
lord came to him with a long face. His
house was crowded, he had no room
whatever, and a gentleman had Just
arrived after traveling all day; would
Mr. Carstairs be so good as to let the
stranger dine with him? He was ex
tremely sorry to Inconvenience Mr.
Carstairs.
"Not at all!" said Carstairs. and he
sat down to dinner with a black-beard
ed man who had small, keen eyes.
Carstairs congratulated himself on
having such a brilliant companion. The
stranger seemed able to talk on any
subject whatever.
After the meal they rang for coffee,
and Carstairs got up from his chair
and went to his overcoat pocket for
his cigarette" case; "As quick as light
ning the stranger leaned over the table
and a little dark powder slid Into the
glass.
An hour had passed before Carstairs
came to nimseir. lie experienced a
sickening sensation of weariness as
he opened his eyes. Where was he?
The litter of the dinner things still lay
upon the table; two of the red-shaded
candles had fluttered out. There were
unpleasant shadows now In the corners
of the room, and knowledge crept
steadily back to him. The queer tast
ing coffee he remembered, aud there
had been a stranger. Could It be pos
slble? He sprang to his feet, with a
white face, frantically unbuttoning his
coat. Great heavens! the dispatch was
gone.
His thoughts went back to Nell Gor-
rings, nnd then suddenly he remem
bered the strange manner of her good
by to him. He felt for the note In his
pocket, and his face changed from
night to morning as he read:
"Dear Old Ken I had a curious Idea
when you told me of your mission that
you were rather too confident, and that
something might happen to your dls
patch. So I took a great liberty. Ken
When you put the tin case Into my
hands I took the paper; there was
nothing Inside It. And I have sewn
the dispatch Inside the lining of your
overcoat pocket. NELL."
Carstairs darted to his overcoat, and
his Augers tore at the lining of the
pocket. Through the gap he made
showed something white. The next
minute he was waving the dispatch
above his head In his excitement.
So the dispatch was carried safely
to Its destination, and Kenyon Car
stairs and Nell Gorrlngs were married
In the spring.
The black-bearded man was well on
his way to Carlshren before Carstairs
woke to consciousness.
Cecil Ackerson sat quietly In his
chair, waiting the arrival of his nies
senger. lie turned slightly ns the door
opened.
The man with the black beard and
the keen eyes placed something care
fully on the table. He was smiling In
a satlstled kind of way.
Ackerson took It from the table, nnd
a key clicked In the lock of the case
The next minute he sprang to his feet
ion nave nrougnt ine an empty
case, you fool!" he cried, and flung It.
rattling, open and empty, to the lloor.
New lork News.
QUERY.
HE HOLDS THE RECORD AS
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
E. B. Neeley has been public school
superintendent of St Joseph, Mo., for
thirty-nine years and Is still alive. Any
man who is
able to stand
the criticism
and backbiting
of school teach
ers and the
veiled hostility
of conflicting
Interests in
connection with
the public
schools for
thirty nine
years and retain
his popularity
E. B. NEELEY.
must have the patience of Job, the di
plomacy of Talleyrand and the ability
of a Gladstone.
Mr. Neeley took hold of the public
schools shortly after the war, and..his..
first pupils were lodged la buildings
that had been used as stables by both
Union aud Confederate soldiers. Now
St. Joseph has thirty-three, modern
schoolhouses, with 280 teachers.
In spite of what he has cone
through, Mr. Neeley Is hale nnd heartv
and seems gifted with perennial youth.
lie Holds the United States record for
long service in the position with which
the citizens of St. Joseph have honored
him.
JAPANESE WORK BACKWARD.
Cnrlon Habits of the Laborers In the
flowery Kingdom.
According to the Ideas of the new
world the Japanese do nearly every
thing back-handed, or just the reverse
from what we work. Tbe contrasts
between our civilization and that of
Japan may be Illustrated by civiuir
a list of some of their everyday cus
toms nnd Ideas. For example, savs
the Detroit Tribune, a person who Is
very fat Is admired In Japan. Wed
dings are celebrated at night: the
husband and wife do not eat togeth
er, as a rule; kissing and shaking
hands are practically unknown. A
anese carpenters pull the plane toward
ward, Is their mode of flirtation. Jap
anese carpenters pull the plant toward
tl.n... . At 1 . ...
im-iii, ius tureuus ot rneir screws
turn to the left; their keys turn In-
ward, bniall children are strapped
on the backs of larger ones, and so
carried about; the Japanese sit down
before distinguished men. In token of
respect; they remove their shoes when
they enter a house; their books be
gin at the right and their footnotes
are placed at the top of the page; they
write vertically uown a sheet of im
per; their color for mourning Is white;
the best rooms In their house are In
the rear; they back a horse In
stall and hitch him In the front and
so these opposite ways of doing things
might be continued. Auother detail of
difference lies in the fact that Japan
ese artists shade downward, while
we shade upward.
Cranberries.
Cranberries are used Internally and
externally In enses of erysipelas.
Only those who go to medical springs
annually, nnd stop nt hotels where an
orchestra plays during meals, have a
right to call the springs "spa."
Scrofula
Has come down to us through the ages,
like tbe pyramids and the sphinxes.
It makes its presence known by
many signs glandular tumors, bunches
in the neek, cutaneous eruptions, in
flamed eyelids, sore ears, rickets, ca
tarrh, wasting and general debility.
Sufferers should take
Hood's Sarsaparilia
The great specific for scrofula, effecting
the naost wonderful, radical and per
manent cures. Be sure to get Hood s.
Oddities of Love.
He I don't know how It is, but
I've noticed it is the girl wno puzzles
all the other girls "what he could have
seen in her" who is the first to get mar
ried. She And it is the man that the girls
eay they wouldn't have if he were the
last man on earth who has his pick of
all the pretty girls in town.
Following a Prescription.
Larry How did Murphy break hia
arm?
Denny Following the doctor's pre
scription. Larry Fhwat?
Denny Yis; it blew out a? th win
dow, and Murphy wint afther it.
The Production of Silk.
Silk is known to be the secretion of
two glands of the silk worm alongside
of tbe digestive canal. These glands,
which consist of tubes in numerous
coils, terminate in the spinning wart
and open in a common orifice from
which the secretion of the consistency
of honoy, issues forth, promptly harden
ing into a thread on exposure to air.
One of the Staying Sort.
Subbubs We've got a new
our house.
girl at
Backlotc Hah! It's easy enough to
get a new girl, but can you keep her?
Subbube The doctor thinks so. He
declares she weighs nine pounds at
least. Philadelphia Press.
Trolleys Beat Steam Roads.
The statement is made that in Mas
sachusetts last year fcur times ts many
passengers were carried by electric cars
as on the steam roads, says the Iron
Age. Of course that was due chiefly to
the dense city traffic, bat etill tbe city
street car systems were pretty complete
seven years ago. The trolley passenger
business, however, has doubled since
that time, while the steajo passenger
business has actually declined.
A Slander.
"See here!" said the city editor
"You speak of the bride as being led
to tbe altar.' "
"Yes, sir. What of It?" replied the
reporter.
"What of it? Why, it's nonsense
There was never a bride yet who
couldn't find her way there, no matter
what were the obstacles." London
Tid-Biti.
Placing Them.
The Busy Man Pleasant and Bore
son are coming to viiat me next week.
What shall I do with them? I have so
little time.
The WiseUn Introduce Pleasants at
a club and Boreson to a club.
Natural Deduction.
Edyth Yes, Jack is inclined to flirt
a little, bat his heart is in the right
piacei
i Mayme How long has it been in
your possession?
Anxious Inquiry.
Miss Gotrox I wouldn't give much
for a propoeal that wasn't straight
irom tne Heart.
Mr. Poorman How much would you
L - . . . . .
uo wiumg 10 give lor one that was?
Experimenting.
Mrs. Dearborn Which do you think
the luckiest month to be married in?
Mrs. Wabash I don't know. I've
tried April, May, June and July, but
I think I'll try some other month next
time.
Trusted.
Physician I can't diagnose your
wife's case at all. She seems to bate
a sprained neck, lumbago in the back
rheumatic knees and gout in both feet.
Waggles I know what it is. She
was reading in the cozy corner and
happened to fall asleep. Smart Set.
The Ultra-Canine.
"How provoking! I wanted to take
our bull dog out riding and now I have
to wait until the maid cleans his teeth!
"What is the trouble, Mabel?"
"Why, he bit a tramp." Chicago
Frequent Occurrence.
"A woman has been arrested
disfiguring her children."
for
"Why, thousands do
never molested."
that and are
"Disfigure their children?'
"Yes; cut their hair."
World's Finest Dry Dock.
The Pan Francicco dock company has
Just completed at Hunters Toint one of
the fineBt drydocka in the world. It is
lage enough for two battleships at one
time and can be pumped dry in two
hours.
Natural Sequence.
"Yes," concluded the medical raenn
teur, "she became insane through ex.
cessive dancing."
"One might say she was honn.v-
mad, I Bupposel" gurgled the cheerful
idiot.
Valuable House.
Tlggs Suggs go $3,000 for his house
Wiggs-So? I didn't know hi
owned any real estate.
"Oh, he didn't. This was in a nokn.
game whun he held a full house against
Advice to the Widow.
Widow (tearfully) Yes, my daueht.
erB are now my only resources.
Friend Take my advice and hum
band your resources well.
Over one million dollars In pensions ......
by us (or our clieirta during the six years last
past. Over 20 years successful exoerlenos. per.
gonal and prompt attention to all claims en.
trusted to us. If your attorney has been dis
barred you can appoint us to act in your claims
Fees fixed by law and contingent upon success!
Tuber. & Whitman Co., 88-40 Wardsr Bid?
vt ashlngton, L. v.
Drilling machinery. Over forty different atvlaa
of machines for Wator, Gas and Mineral Prospeot
lug. Steam or horse power. We handle the Kelly
ifcTanneylilll Co. 'a machinery, and full lines of re
pairs carried In Btock. We also Ornish easollne
engines to run this machinery. Our machines art
faster, stronger and easier to operate than any other
machine on the market. Thousands are In suc
cessful operation. KEIKHSON MACHINERY
CO., General Agents, foot of Morrison Street,
i'oruanu, ore. bena tor ree iiiustratea catolog.
"I have been nsliix CASCAHliTS Tor
Insomnia, with which I have been afflicted (or
over twen ty years, and I can say that Cuscareti
bave siven me more relief than any other reme
dy I have ever tried. I shall certainly recom.
mend them to my friends as being all they art
represented." Taos. Oillard, Elgin, HU
Pleasant. Palatable. Potent. Taste Good. Ds
flood, Never Sicken. Weaken, or Gripe. 10c. 250, Ho.
... CURE CONSTIPATION. ...
r 'riit a.sr feapaay, cmmm, a..tmi, s. i.ri. sit
Kfl.Tfl.P. Aft Bold and anaranteert by all dru
NU'IU'DAI aisuto SJUUR Tobacco liaML
n
Washington Farmers
and Stockmen Indorse
Prussian Stock Food!
READ THE FOLLOWING LETTERS.
THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
I have used Prussian Stock Food for the put
three years for Hordes, Cattle. Sheep and Hours.
ie years
sU
AS
AT PRODUCINO FOOD
HAS NO EQUAL. 1 And it a thorouuli ren
ovator i It tone up tbe system In general ana
Sute new lire ana vlaor In tne animal, in wj
airy business I And in every Instance when fen
according to directions It will INCREASE
the How of milk to a marked degree. Also with
young animals, calves In particular that are
subject to 6COUR8 Prussian Stork Food will
cbck the malady as If by magic. I have tried
many Kinus oi iuoub iu.
consider Prussian BtockKond
the BEST on the market
.fraussiAH
to-oay. I'.aiL uur, uaw
port, wash.
STOCK-MOD
IT DOUBLED
Increase in Milk. ,
Since uplng the Prussian
Stock Food with my milch
cow I And her supply of milk
has Increased from ONE to
TWO quarts each milk 1115.
D. C. Fabhsworth. Rookfoid
Wash.
AM tf
'JV Sold by Ihe leadlnInilstl
PORTLAND KRKII CO., Portland. Or..
Coast Agents.
Interested in Bufjlcj? J
Something Comfortable ud Durable?
MITCHELL & BEE t
LINE BUGGIES
Are at the head ot their clans for
Comfort Easy Riding
X Appearance Durability
WANT TO KNOW WHY?
Ask for our lllustratrd pamphlets. T
Mailed free. I
I MITCHELL, LEWIS & STAYER CO. j
: 200-206 First St., PORTLAND, OR.
N Also Spokane, Boise. J
tUHtS WHtHt
ill IVt 111 R.
Bast Cough Byrup. Tastes Good. VCO (VI
Hold bv rirnnlsta.
candy
f I CATHARTIC
,rSfc. thaoi mark ftioamnco
1S
$ smrMimtOUM nji
aitAniJ"
T