K' THE DESERTED POSTOFFICE. ife -$&3k. t&r
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-V BKtmUHIl MM II H M Tl... tf'ti hn nlmnil.'niBil fnp a-iuir-iitvli rural rmit. L
idMlMm"ul lV I That', when it used to keen, you know, down to Joneses store. the habit of carrying eggs in a basket ' J
jmnw'
Now, I'm no reminisceneer an' folks ain't chargin' me
With bein versed lu rhetoric, or gnb, or repartee,
But I've got my opinions an' I'm not afeerd to say
I wliih our old postofflce vtill kep' open here to-day.
For when it kep', un fpllers had a heap more fun, no doubt,
Than since it's been abonditned for a -new-style rural route.
That's when it used to keep, you know, down to Joneses store,
But them old times Is gone, 1 guess, to not come back no more.
-You rickollect, I reckon, how we'd set around th stove
An' gas, an' talk, an' tell our tales, an ever'body strove
To see which one could lie th' worst an all of you'll agree
Tlint Annanias never had no great big edge on me.
An' we'd chaw an' cuss an conjure schemes to reg'larly regala
Ourselves on Joneses apples while he passeled out th' mail.
An we'd sometimes git to hummin' on some old camp meetln' tu
Till Jones 'ud laugh an' tell us we'd be singin' purty soon.
An when the evenln' nhadders come a-stealin' cross th' land '
We'd spy th' schnolmarm trippln' in an' holdin' out her hand
To git her ree'lur letter seemed she got one ever day Poor Jones declares he s bankrupt an tne uover ment to
An' never was contented 'less she answered right away. . . blame,
So she'd borry pen an' paper an' we'd tease her till she'd sigh For when he kep' th office there th' folks would never fail
An say that 'fore she'd marry us she'd go lay down and die. To do a little trudln' while they waited for th mail.
Oh, we nover was respecters of no persons, sex or kin So I've thought th whole thing over an' I've Just about agreed
An when th' folks got mad by gum! we'd tease as worse" That while th' rural route itself has filled a long-felt need,
ag'lu I believe that I'd be willin' to go git my mail once more
Just to live, an' luugh, an' lie ag'in at 'Lljah Joneses store.
But th old days has departed an' th store ain't quite the ..... .. ,
Bame( W. M. Herschell, In Indianapolis News.
Box for Carrying Eg-ap.
Most poultrymen are familiar with
the egg carriers used on the market
and those who have a considerable
quantity of eggs to handle use these
carriers; the farmer, however, is in
the habit of carrying eggs in a basket
and often many of them become bro
ken rcsultis in corff'.dor.b' The
illustration shows one of the boxes
which may be made from cheap mate
rial and which will answer aa well as
the boxes sold for the purpose. Any
grocer who handles quantities of
shipped eggs will give a customer
some of the cardboard filler such as
are up in the crates; then buy some
cracker boxes and fashion a neat box
like the one shown, cutting the paste
board fillers with a sharp knife so
that they will fit the wooden box.
Boxes made to hold one dozen eggs
and others to hold two dozen will be
large enough. These boxes ought to
have covers with a hasp coming down
over a staple so that the box may be
Repairing; Harness.
Most premises have old leather
traces about, and a number of parts
of harness, such as breast, pole und
holdback straps, can be made of these.
by one handy at such work. Select a
piece long enough for a breast strap,
fasten a snap at one end; 18 or 20
Inches from this snap cut away all but
the best outside ply, rivet a buckle,
punch a number of holes, and there
you are. The pole and holdbacks
may be made from old light traces.
A belly-band for chain harness would
J (0
GOOD HARNESS HORSE.
L"
M-H-
WO o'clock p. m. on a biasing
of stalwart mowers, each keep
ing time with scythe and step across
the ten-acre lot on the Howland farm.
A , line of piebald cattle, black and
whitetred and white, dun and gray,
cream color and dun, coming slowly
down the slope of the woodland pas
ture to drink from the brook beneath
, the spring. A great, old-fashioned,
cream-colored farm house, with green
blinds and a piazza, a side porch and
a grapevine colonnade, standing on a
"level lawn, beneath tall maple trees
that were only tiny saplings In the
, days when Great-grandfather How-
land-, moved up into Vermont from
Connecticut "to settle," some eighty
years ago.
The doors and windows of thia fine
old mansion were standing wide open,
face, .with large, bewitching gray eyea,
and a quantity of soft, short curling
hair of the true golden color, sucn as
la seldom seen except upon the sunny
bead of a very young child.
"The hired girl, of course. How live
ly she isl I should like to paint her,"
thought Mr. Parry, as she dusted some
flour from the prettiest hands ana
arms ln the world, and apologized to
him ln 1i very sweet voice for keeping
him waiting.
"I had Just begun to make biscuits
for tea, and I could not come till now,"
she said.
The artist, lost in admiration, gazed
at her so nerslstently that a sudden
warm blush ran over her pretty face,
"Do you wish to see Mr. Howland,
sir?" she asked.
"No no J you If I might have a
glass of water," stammered the unfor
tunate artist
"Certainly, sir. Won't you step in
side while I get it?"
Like one in a dream, he followed her
into a cool and pleasant parlor, ana
stood waiting till ahe returned from
the kitchen with a goblet of water on
a tray.
"It is from the coolest corner of the
and a brown retriever stationed at the
fmn mt amlablv watched the de
parture of two double-seated carryalls, 1 well, for I drew it myself," she said,
each drawn by a pair or nne norses,
and laden with a merry cargo of laugh
ing girls; And from one of the upper
windows another girl, apparently some
twenty years of age, looked out, dress
ed in a blue striped calico, witn a pina
fore apron pinned to her sloping shoul
ders, and a cook book in her band.
This was the aspect of the oia tiow-
wlth a bewildering smile.
John Parry drank it, and thought It
nectar. His mind was In a whirl, but
out' of the confusion a settled purpose
very gradually developed itself. And
when he set the glass down upon the
tray on the table, he proceeded to car
ry out that purpose by taking the girl's
band and asking her point blank if she
land farm and homestead when John would marry him.
Parry, artist, first beheld them.
During- the three weeks of his stay
ln -the mountain village of Bradley he
had heard much of the Howland place,
and the "Howland girls." Being a shy
and retiring student, he inwardly con
gratulated himself this afternoon on
the absence of "those gins," as ne, too,
looked after the cloud of dust that fol
lowed the retreating carryall wheels.
"Sir'" she exclaimed, drawing her
band away, and turning pale with
fright, for she thought him a maniac.
"Don't be alarmed," he said, more
calmly. "I am in earnest. And I am
a gentleman. There la my card,
will give you any references as to my
respectability you may desire."
"But sir," she began. Then she
glanced at his card, and was silent
"Yes, I know it seems strange and
i nn sret my picture done before
they come laughing and gabbling home perhaps rude to you," he said; "but on
Again," muttered Mr. Parry, as he fix- my honor I don't mean it so. All my
i iiia nmo stool and umbrella near life long I have had an ideal, and you
vanin rate, and prepared to I realize it for the first time. I am rich,
vfii in the aroundwork of the finest and 1 think I may say good-tempered,
Tlew In Clayford County, as his host If you marry me, you will have but
at the village tavern had called It one person to please hereafter instead
while directing him to it that day. of many, as you have here. This
The ungallant artist painted as fast menial position is not suited to you.
v " ,!. in order to finish Be "y wife, and no young ladies will
ti. work beore the daughter, of the ever .iTZl
going among my friends, and if you
like to follow me there " She paus
ed. -
"I'll go to the end of the world!
Where is it?" asked Mr. Parry.'
"Only to Saratoga, sir."
"Very well. One week from to-day
will be there. You'll marry me,
then?"
She laughed, showing ber little
gleaming white teeth, made him a rus
tic courtesy, and fairly ran away.
John Parry packed up his things,
went to the inn, paid his bill, and
started that very night for Saratoga.
H.e had nearly reached that place
when he remembered, ln utter conster
nation, that he did not even know his
l erolne's name.
"However, I'll soon find her. There
Is but one such face ln the world," he
thought -
And after a week had passed, he
sought for the girl diligently, every
where through Saratoga, but ln vain.
One night be looked in disconsolate
ly at the gayest ball of the season, and
beheld her!
She sat the center of an obsequious
group, magnificently dressed, and
beautiful as a dream.
Poor John stared at her open-mouth
She saw him, smiled slightly, and she
beckoned him to ber with a wave of
her Jeweled fan.
"Give me your arm, my cousin," she
said, negligently, as she rose from her
chair.
And then John Parry saw it all. This
was his heiress cousin, Kate, whom he
had never seen before since their child
hood. This was the bride his mother
had begged him to seek, and from
which very thought he had turned dis
gusted, lest he should be reckoned by
the world an heiress hunter.' And
there, among the group of matrons o
the sofa, was his mother's pjeasant
face smiling after them as they walk
ed away together. He had met Kate
at the house of one of her country
friends, and, without knowing It, had
given his mother the very desire of
her heart
Thus it was that the great heiress
was wooea ana marnea lor nerseir
alone, as every heiress truly desires to
be.
But John Parry persists ln saying
that he married no one ln the world
but "Squire Howland's hired girl!"
New York Weekly.
house returned. But the sun pourea
town his most scorching beams upon
lis heod, and not a leaf was stirred in
etir direction by a welcome Dreeze.
The haymakers halted now and then
to allow of the passage or stout com
and leave you to perform tasks like
these.
"Like these!" repeated the girl, smll
lng,
Why, yes. You said you were mak
ins biscuits for their supper, dldn
fortable looking brown Jugs along the you? Surely you cannot prefer the
line, and the sight made Mr. Parry place of a servant to being the beloved
thirstier till at last In his desperation, wife of a rich man, who will study to
r nnintched the garden gate behind make you happy ln every way be
Mm anl went up to the house,
The brown retriever did not oppose
Ms advance, but lay on the clean mar
tle-palnted wooden floor of the ball,
anl lastly flapped bis tall in welcome.
Mr. Parry knocked.
After some delay a light, graceful
f rare ln blue calico appeared at the
lower end of the ball.
Mr.' Parry looked at the girl as she
came nearer.
Che bad a frank, happy, childlike
make you happy ln every
knows?"
The hired girl looked down upon her
brown and dimpled bands a moment
"Would you really marry me, sir,
poor servant girl?" she asked, ln an
altered and softened tone.
"Indeed I would. To-morrow. Here
ln your own Tillage, and among your
own friends," cried the artist "You
are the sweetest, loveliest dearest "
nush!" she answered gravely. "I
tell yen. sir. In a week from now I'm
0 ,
"
CONVENIENT EGO BOX.
locked if need be. These boxes will
cost but little If made at home as sug
gested, and If one has strictly fresh
eggs of good size as well as uniform in
size they can be marketed in these
boxes at a higher price thon if market
ed ln a basket; try it and see If it is
not so. As an extra Inducement to the
consumer wrap each egg in white
tissue paper and twist the ends of the
paper as they are twisted around
oranges and lemons. Have the eggs
strictly fresh of good size and clean,
and you'll find that the "tissue paper
conceit will sell them readily and at
good prices. Indianapolis News.
have a large loop at one end instead
of a buckle.
A back band for plow harness may
be made from old leather or rubber
belting. The leather belting, If pretty
fair, will make good traces.
These hints are not for repairing
valuable new harness. One should be
very careful about riveting on these.
The illustration shows how I made a
clamp for sewing harness from two
kerosene barrel staves fitted in block
so the bolts will draw at least Inch.
This makes it clamp the work at top.
Use two -lnch bolts. This clamp, if
properly made, will hold any part of
the harness while being sewed. W.
A. Clearwaters, in Iowa Homestead.
To Move Wire Fence.
It often becomes necessary to move
a fence from one part or uie larm to
another. It is a simple matter to move
posts, but the wire presents a more
difficult problem. The most common
method Is to slowly and laboriously
roll It up on a barrel, haul It to the
place where it is wanted and as slowly
unroll It again. A much better and
quicker way Is to take a couple of old
wheels, the larger the better, and fas
ten them together by nailing pieces of
board to the spokes next the axle.
The wheels when fastened together
should be about two feet apart Now
take two planks and fasten firmly to
No Breed of Black Sheep.
A black sheep belongs to no particu
lar breed, though at times he appears
in the flocks of nearly all the pure
breeds. In England he Is more com
monly seen ln the Suffolk flocks, and
It is a noteworthy fact that the Suffolk
breeders have all they can do to keep
the blackish and gray-black tendency
from asserting itself both ln the skin
and fleece. Black sheep frequently
appear in pure-bred Leicester flocks,
and to some extent ln Lincoln and
Devon Longwools, and the tendency
Is noted in the black spots on the skin;
more frequently seen on the ears of
even the best-bred sheep of these long
wool families, thus fortifying the be
lief expressed by Dr. Henry Stewart
that the tendency to black in the talc-ester
owes its origin to the black
ram known to have been used by
BakewelL ln the perfection of the
breed 150 years ago. And it Is not un
reasonable to suppose that the black
sheep which now and then appear In
the Down and long-wool breeds, near
ly all of which have been more or less
improved through the use of Bakewell
blood, are traceable to that great
sheep builder's handiwork. Sheep
Breeder.
FOB MOVING WIRE FENCES.
the sides of the wagon box so they
will extend backward about four feet
Mount the wheels on these planks' so
they will turn easily. Fasten on end
of the wire to one of the boards that
connect the wheels and drive astride
of the wire. One man turns the wheel
while the other drives, and the wire
can be rolled up as fast as the team
can walk. To unroll fasten wire to
one of the corner posts, drive ahead
and the wire will unroll Itse'.f. C. V.
Gregory, ln St Louis Republic.
Unexpected.
The story of a young man who found
something better than the solitude of
melancholy thoughts by the sad sea
waves is given as a fact While enjoy
ing merry Margate be made the ac
quaintance of a young lady to whom
he paid some attentions. Matters
progressed with such seriousness and
rapidity that the young man, when be
came back to town, immediately made
bold to present himself to the young
lady's father to ask his consent and
blessing on their marriage. It was
then that he found himself face to face
with bis tailor, to whom be owed
long arrears of unpaid bills.
Soldiers Kept Lonjr Abroad.
After twenty years' service abroad
th First North Staffordshire regiment
of England lately arrived at Sonthamp
ton.
Apple Trees 70 Years Old.
On the farm of John Carson, near
Russellville, Howard county, Missouri,
is an apple orchard which was planted
seventy years ago. The land was pre
empted at that time, and the original
"sheepskin" deed was signed by An
drew Jackson. The orchard bore a
good crop this year. Many of Its trees
are three feet ln diameter.
Big Demand for Frozen Rabbits.
The rabbit pest of Australia is fast
becoming an important source of In
come. Exports show considerable
expansion. The figures are as fol
lows: 2.830,112 pairs In 1000, 2,002,-
727 pairs ln 1901, 3,274,210 pairs in
1002, 8,660,000 pairs in 1003. This in
dustry, has become an important one
In Victoria. Over twenty million rab
bits were utilized during the year for
export purposes. Of these, 7,300.000
were exported frozen ln the fur, and
from ten million to twelve million
skins were shipped and a large number
of these animals canned and disposed
of ln Europe.
Pecan Crop Increasing;.
The Southwest Is the most promi
nent producer of pecans. Last season
the output was possibly 1,800 cars. It
l.i claimed by some that the yield this
season will approach two thousand
cars. The nuts are suitable for all
purposes, and are relatively cheaper
than almost any other sort on the mar
ket
The Prolific Scale.
The total number of descendants
from one Individual of the San Jose
scale during the time between the mid
die of June and the last of November
has been calculated at 8,216,080,400.
Profit In Medicinal Plants.
Many native plants, like bloodroot
podophyllum, solomon's-seal, vera-
trum, etc., are collected extensively
for medicinal purposes. In these
cases it Is the root that is taken, nee-
As all these millions obtain their food warily, destroying the plant All of
by sucking the sap from the plant they these plants are easily cultivated tnd
are on. It is not to be wondered at that TT li fact
a tree which in the spring was appar- r v 7 vn
. . . " ... almtlav nlanta are now grown In BU-
ontiv in irooa condition idbt oa nearir i " r -
or entirely dead by fall. rope for this demand.
Of the population of European Rus
sia 86 per cent are farmers.
The wool clip of Argentina U on-
tourth of the world's supply.
f