TRONG AND STEADY
By HORATIO
CHAPTER VIII.
The picnic cam off on Saturday af
ternoon. The weather, which often
throws a wet blanket upon the festivi
ties of such occasions, was highly pio
pitlous, and several hundred persons,
young and middle-aged, turned out. The
place selected for the picnic was a field
of several acres, bordering upon a pond.
This had been fitted up by the proprietor
with swings, and a roofed building, with
out sides, under which were placed rough
board tables for the reception of provis
ions. A number of oak trees with their
broad branches furniiihed shelter.
Besides these arrangements for enjoy
ment, there were two . boats confined by
iron chains, which were thrown around
trees near the brink of the water. After
enjoying the swing for a time, there was
a proposition to go out In the boats. The
boats could comfortably accommodate
"eight persons each. This number had
been obtained, when Joshua came up.
"I'm going," he said, unceremoniously.
"You will have to wait till next time,"
said Ralph Morse. "We've got the full
number."
"No, I'm going this time," said Joshua,
rudely, and clambered In and took his
plnce as steersman.
The other boat had already set cfT,
Cud, 3 !t fcnpCE?3, tlTT t!tt gMMwnno
of Walter Conrad, who had long been ac
customed to managing a boat, having had
one of his own at home. , ,
-"They've Kot a great steerer on the
other boat," aid Joshua, sneering.
"Where are you steering, Joshun7"
asked Ralph, suddenly-, for the boat near
ly half turned round. The fact was that
Joshua himself knew very little about
steering. In speaking of Walter's want
of skill, he had precisely described him
self. '"I understand what I'm about," an
swered Joshua, suddenly reversing the
direction, and overdoing the matter, so
as to turn the boat halfway round the
other way.
"I hope you do," said Ralph, "but it
don't look much like it."
"I was looking at the other boat,"
Joehua condescended to explain, "and the
rudder slipped.
Walter's boat kept the lead. His per
fect steering made the task easier fori
the rowers, who got the full advantage
of their efforts. Joshua, however, by
his uncertain steering, hindered the pro
gress of his boat.
"Can't we beat the other boat?" ask
ed Joseph Wheeler, who was rowing. "I
can row as well as either of those fol
lows." "So can I," said Tom Barry j "let's
try."
The boats were about five lengths
apart, the rowers in the foremost boat
not having worked very hard, when Tom
and Joe began to exert themselves. The
Intention was soon manifest, and the
spirit of rivalry was excited.
"Do your best, boys I" said Walter.
"They're trying to catch us. Don't let
them do it." ,
The rowers of the two boats were about
venly matched. If anything, however,
Tout and Joe were superior, and, other
things being equal, would sooner or later
have won the race. But Joshua, by Ins
original style of steering, which became
under the influence of excitement even
more unreliable, caused them to lose per
ceptibly. - . "
"Can't you steer straight by accident,
Joshua?" asked Tom, in a tone of vexa
tion. "I know more about steering than you
do, Tom Barry," growled Joshua, Ret
ting red in the face, for he could not
ht-lp seeing that he was not appearing to
advantage.
"Show it, then, if you do," was the re
ply. "If we had your cousin to steer us,
we could soon get ahead."
This was very mortifying to Joshua. He
Aid not care to be outdone by any one, but
to be outdone by W'alter was particular
ly disagreeable.
- "It isn't the steering, It's the rowing,"
tie said. "1"ou don't row even."
"Won't you try-it, then," said Joe,
"and show us what you can do?"
"No; I'd rather steer."
Joshua considered that the steersman's
place was the place of honor, and he was
not disposed to yield it. Meanwhile Wal
ter, from bis place in the first boat,
watched the efforts of his rivals. He was
determined to keep the lead which he
bad secured, and bad little fear of los
ing it.
"Give way, boys I" he cried ; "we'll dis
tance them, never fearl"
After making the turn, the Arrow met
the Pioneer after a little distance. There
was abundant room for the boats to pass
och other, If they had been properly
managed. There was no fault in Wal
ter's steering, but, by an awkward blun
der of Joshua's, the Pioneer veered In
her course so that the Arrow struck her,
to use a nautical term, amidships. - As
the was being impelled rapidly at. the
time, the Bhock was- considerable, and the
fright still greater. The girls jumped to
their feet screaming, and Joshua himself
turned pale with fright, but recovered
himself sufficiently to call out angrily,
"What made you run Into us?"
"It's your own fault, Joshua," said
Tom Barry, angrily. "You're the most
tupld steerer I ever saw. What made
rou turn the' boat?"
"It's his fault," said Joshua.
"Let somebody else steer," said Joe
Wheeler, "A baby could steer better than
ALGER, JR.
So a younger boy was put In Joshua's
plnce, much to his mortification, and he
was degraded, as he considered It, to the
rank of a passenger.
"I'm going ashore," he said, sourly.
"Iet me out here."
"All right," said Tom Barry. "I guess
we can get along without you. Here, you
follows on the Arrow, just -wait a min
ute, till we've landed Joshua, and we'll
race you back." v,
True to his determination, Joshua
jumped off at the head of the inlet, and
the Pioneer was turned by her new pilot.
The Arrow and the Pioneer took their
places side by side, and the race com
menced. The boats were similar, and thus
neither had the advantage on this score.
But the rowers on the Pioneer" were, on
the whole, stronger, and more skillful
than those on the Arrow. On the other
hand, Walter steered perfectly, while
Joshua's successor, though he mad no
bad blunder, was a novice.
The result was that the race was a
clear one-. Finally the Arrow came in a
length ahead,, and Walter felt with quiet
satisfaction that the victory had been
gained by bis efforts'.
lie hoped that he would be as success
ful through life in paddling his own canoe.
Joshua went home sulkily, and was not
icn ejnln on the picnic rronnris.
CHAPTER IX.
One morning, a few days later, Joshua
was walking moodily up the village road
with his hands in his pockets. He was
reflecting, in a spirit of great discontent,
on the hardships of bis situation.
"Here am I," he said to himself, "eigh
teen years old, and father treats me like
a boy of ten. I'm most a man, and ell
he gives me for pocket money is twenty
five cents a week. There's Dick Storrs,
whose father isn't a quarter as rich rs
mine, gets a dollar a week. He's only
sixteen, too."
One Important difference between him
self and Dick Storrs did not occur to
Joshua. Dick worked in a shoeshop, end
it was out of his own wages that bis fath
er allowed him a dollar a week. Joshua
earned nothing at all.
"It's mean !" reflected Joshua. "Ther
ain't a boy of my age In Stapleton that's
so meanly treated, and yet my father's
the richest man in town. I wish I knew
what to do to get a little money."
At this moment be saw Sam Crawford
approaching him. Sam was perhaps a
year younger than Joshua, he had for
merly lived In the village, but was now
in a situation in New York, and was
only In Stapleton for a few days.
"How are you, Joshua?'' said Sam.
"I'm going round to the ice cream saloon.
Won't you come with me?"
"Yes, if you'll treat. I haven't got any
money."
"You ought to bave. The old man's
got plenty."
"That's so. But he's getting meaner
every day."
"Look here!" said Sam, suddenly; "I
have an Idea. Did you ever buy a lottery
ticket?"
"So," answered Joshua.
"There's a fellow I know In New York
that drew a prize of a thousand dollars,
and how much do you think he paid for
a ticket?"
"I don't know."
"Five dollars. How's that for high?"
"How long ago is that?" asked Joshua,
becoming interested.
"Only two months ago."
"Do you know him?"
"Yes, I know him as well as I know
ycu. He is clerk in a store just opposite
oi'rs. When he get the money he gave
half a dozen of us a big dinner. We had
a jolly time."
"A thousand dollars for five !" repeat
ed Joshua. "He was awfully lucky.".
"The fellow I was speaking of gets
lottery papers regularly. I'll ask him
fo) one, and send it to you as soon as I
get back to the city."
"I wish you would," said Joshua.
"Wouldn't It be something great-if I
could draw a prize of a thousand dol
lars?" "I'll bet It would. It would make you
independent of the old man. You wouldn't
care much for his twenty-five cents a
week then."
Joshua and Sam went Into the Ice
cream saloon, which was kept open dur
ing the summer only, In a small candy
store, by a maiden lady who made ' a
scanty Income from such limited patron
age as the village could afford. Joshua
plied his companion with further ques
tions, to all of which he readily replied,
though it is doubtful if all the answers
were quite correct. But Sam, having
been in the city a few months, wished
to be thought to have a very extensive
acquaintance with it, and was unwilling
to admit Ignorance on any point.
Early the next week Sam returned to
his duties In the city, and Joshua await
ed impatiently the promised lottery pa
pers. Sara did not forget bis promise.
On the third day after his departure a
paper came to the village postoflice, di
rected :
""Joshua Druramopd, Esq.,
"Stapleton."
This was promptly taken from the of
flc by Joshua, who had called on an av
erage twice a day for this very paper. It
pioved to be printed on yellow paper,
and fairly bristled with figures,' indicat
ing the largo sums which were weekly
distributed all over th country by the
benevolent managers of the lottery. Hr
was a scheme In wnlcb the principal prist
was but a thousand dollars. However,
the tickets were but a dollar each, und
a thousand dollars for one was certainly
a handsome return for a small outlay.
There were others, however, in which th
principal prize was five thousand dollars,
and the tickets were, in due proportion,
five dollars each.
The aiore Joshua thought It over, the
more convinced be was that a large sum
of money was likely to come to him
through the lottery if he could only man
ege to raise money enough to buy a
ticket. But the problem of how to get
the necessary five dollars he was as far
as ever from solving.
While in this state of mind he hap
pened one day to be in the store at noon,
and alone. Nichols, the head clerk, wish
ed to go to dinner, and was only waiting
for Walter to get back from an errand.
"I wish Walter would hurry up," h
grumbled. "My dinner will get cold."
"I'll take your place till he gets back,
Mr. Nichols," said Joshua, with extra
ordinary kindness for him.
"Much obliged, Joshua," said the sales
man. "I'll do as much for you another
time. I don't think you'll have long to
wait."
No sooner had be gone than- Joshua,
after following him to the door, and pok
ing carefully Ui and down the streot,
walked behind the counter with a hasty
step and opened the money drawer.
There was a small pile of bills in one
compartment, and in the other a collection
of currency. He took the bills into bis
hand, and looked over them. His bands
trembled a little, for he contemplated a
dishonest act. Unable to obtain the
money in any other way, he meant to. bor
row that was what he called it five
dollars from the money drawer and ex
pend it in a lottery ticket.
Kinelln out a five-dollar bill from the
pile, he thrust it' into his vest pocket.
Ho had scarcely done so when he was
startled by hearing the door open. He
ni&de a guilty jump, but perceived, to his
relief, that it was a woman not living in
the village, but probably in some adjoin
ing town.
"What can I show you, ma'am?" he
asked, in a Hurried manner, for he could
not help thinking of what he had in' his
vest pocket.
"I should like to look at some of your
shawls," said the woman
Joshua knew very little about -his fath
er's stock. He did know, however, where
the shawls were kept, and going to that
portion of the shelves, pulled down half
a dozen and showed them to his cue
tomer.
"Are they all wool?" she asked, .crit
ically, examining one of them.
"Yes," answered Joshua, confidently,
though he had not the slightest knowl
edge on the subject.
"What is the price of this one?" asked
the customer, Indicating the one she had
in her hand.
"Five dollars," answered Joshua, with
some hesitation. He knew nothing of
the price, but guessed that this would b
about right.
"And you say It l all wool?"
"Certainly, ma'am."
"I guess I'll take it. Will you wrap
It np for me?"
This Joshua did awkwardly enough,
and the customer departed, much pleased
with her bargain, as she had a right to
b-, for the real price of the shawl was
nine dollars, but, thanks to Joshua's ig
norance, she had been able to save four.
Joshua looked at the five-dollar hill
he had just received, and a new idea oc
curred to him. He replaced in the draw
er the bill he bad originally taken from
it and substituted that just received.
"I won't say anything about having
sold a shawl," he said, "and father's
never know that one has been sold. At
any rate, till I get money enough to re
place the bill I bave tnken."
Just then' a little girl came in and in
quired for a spool of cotton. Joshua
found the spools, and let her select one.
Then he hurriedly folded up the shawls
and replaced them on the shelves. He
had just finished the task when Walter
entered. . . .
"Are you tending store?" be said, in
surprise.
"Yes," said Joshua. "Nichols got tired
waiting for you, so I told him I'd stay
till you got back."
"I had some distance to go and that
detained me. Did you have any custom
ers?" "Yes, I just sold a spool of cotton to
little girl."
"I met her a little way pp the road,
holding the spool in her hand."
"Well," said Joshua, "I guess I'll go
now you've got back."
He went across the street to his fath
er's house, and, going up into his room,
locked the door, not wishing to be inter
rupted. Then, opening bis desk, he -took
out a sheet of paper, and wrote a note
to the address given In his lottery cir
cular, requesting the parties to send him
by return of mail a lottery ticket. He
added, shrewdly, as he thought, "If this
ticket draws a prize, I will keep on buy
ing; but if It don't I shall get discour
aged and stop."
"I guess that'll fetch 'em," thought
Joshua.
He folded np the paper, and, Inclosing
the bill, directed it. The next thing to
do was to mall It. He decided, thouxb
unwillingly, on account of the trouble,
to walk 'to the next postoflice, a distance
of three miles, to post his letter there.
Joshua returned home, feeling tired
and provoked, but congratulating himself
that be had taken the first step toward
the grand prize which loomed In dazzling
prospect before bis eyes. -
(To b continued.)
A Pair of Viewpoint.
"A man," said the elderly suitoi;
"Isn't worth listening to until ha la
60."
"True," rejoined the fair maid, "nor
worth looking at after be la 40."
Fine Cora Cake.
For a delicate corn cake try on
caked In a short-bandied frylngpan and
mixed in a rather unusual manner. Put
one and two-thirds cups of corn meal,
one-third cup of flour, one-quarter cup
of sugar, one level teaspoon each of salt
and soda Into a sifter and sift, then
turn back and sift a second time. Beat
two eggs In a bowl, add one cup of sour
milk and one cup of sweet milk, beat,
add the 'dry materials and bent again.
Hare two rounding tablespoons of but
ter melted In a frying pan, turn In the
batter and pour one cupof sweet milk
over the top, but do not stir It In. Set
In the oven to bake half an hour. The
cake will have a custard-like streak all
through It
The Perfect Baked Apple.
Wbeu the skins are thin and of a
deep red color I frequently do not pnre
the apples, but at all times I am care
ful to remove all the core, especially
every bit of the lining of the seed cells,
and to bake them In granite or earthen,
never in tin, as tin gives them au
unpleasant flavor and n dingy color.
Fill the core cavities with sugar,
heaped or scant, acconlinng to the tart
ness of . the apples ; ndd nlso a few
grains of salt, and sulliclent water to
cover the apples. Bake lu a quick oven
and baste frequently. The Delineator
Egg Snbatitotea.
Many egg substitutes are made, som
from sklin milk, some from mixture of
animal or vegetable fats, albumen,
starch or flour, coloring, mntter and a
leavening powder, in addition to tlio
mineral waters similar to those found
In tho egg. Other egg substitutes are
little more than starch, colored with
some yellow substance. Of course, such
products can not be made to replace
fresh eggs, In tliat they do not contain
much nitrogenous matter, or fat. Pro
ducts made from tbem may be very
harmful.
Dumpling (or Veal Stew.
One cupful of flour, sifted twice, with
1 teaspoonful of baking powder. Half
a teaspoonul of salt, half a cupful of
milk, one teaspoonful of butter. Rub
or chop the butter Into the prepared
flour, wet up with the milk Into a soft
dough, flour your bands well and, han
dling as lightly as possible, form the
dough Into balls and drop Into boiling
water. Cook for ten minutes. They
should be ready at the Banie time with
gravy, as they get clammy with wait
ing. To Slake Tough Steak Tender.
When meat Is high priced It is not
always possible to buy the most ex
pensive cuts. The steak that Is' not
porterhouse can be Improved by trent
lng It as the French chefs prepare their
steaks to make them tender. Put three
tablespoons of olive oil and one and
one-bulf tablespoons of vinegar on a
plate and lay the' steak: in, then set
in the Icebox for four hours. Turn
half a dozen times at intervals, tbeu
the meat is ready to broil.
Chop Sney of Beef.
Break Into a kettle half a package
of spaghetti, cover with salt water and
boll. When almost tender add half a
can of tomatoes. Put butter In frying
pan and fry in it three large onions,
sliced, till brown. Add two pounds of
beef run through the machine. When
all is nicely browned add the spaghetti
and tomatoes, stir, boll for a few min
utes and serve bot
Browned Potatoes.
Select potatoes of rather small size,
peel and cut Into quarters. Throw Into
salted cold water and leave them for
half an hour. Take them out and dry
them on a clean towel. Have ready In
a deep frying pan or a shallow sauce
pan clean bot fat, boiling hot, and drop
the potatoes Into this. Fry to a light
brown and drain In a "colander before
serving.
Attractive Service of Tomatoes,
Take a large sized plate, garnish
Around edges with lettuce leaves or
parsley, place slices of deep red to
matoes, peeled, around edge of plate
on the leaves, and heap sliced cucum
bers In center of dish. Thj effect la
pretty,
Graham Gem.
To one teaspoon soda add three pint
of sour milk, two eggs, one teaspoon
salt, one tablespoon fryings, one-half
pint of wheat flour, and enough gra
ham flour to make it thick enough to
drop from spoon. Sugar to sweeten if
desired.
Baked Ham.
Wash and scrub bam and put In a
baking pan two cups water. Bake twen
ty minutes to the pound. Take it up
and remove the skin. Stick Into the
fat cloves and cover with grated bread
crumbs. Brown lightly In the oven,
"What! Divorced already! Why, I
thought they'd be linked for life." "No;
Jack got time oft for bad behavior."
Puck.
"Don't you believe In love at flrsr
light?" "At first sight yes; but some
times you take another look!" Lon
don Opinion.
She (at the church bazaar) Won't
you take a chance on this cake? He
Not on your life. My wife baked It
Washington Star.
Chappie Have a cigarette, old man?
Sapielgh No; I don't smoke foolklll-
ers. Chappie Well. I don't blame you
for refusing to take chanees.-MJhicago
Dally News.
Mr. Llngcrlong I had a queer ad-
fenture this nfternoon Miss de
Muir (with a swift glunce at the clock
You mean yesterday afternoon, I pre
sume. Chicago Tribune.
Do you think they ever will find
the North Pole?" he asked. "Find It?"
she responded. "Goodness! What a
question to ask me. I didn't know it
was lost." Philadelphia Ledger.
Doctor I diagnose all sickness from
the patient's eyes. Now, your right eye
tells me that your kidneys are affected.
Patient Excuse me, doctor, but my
right is a glass eye. Moody's Maga
tlne. "Did your ancestors have a family
tree, Mr. Magulre?" "Family tree Is
It, ma'am! - One of me ancestors con
trolled th' lntire timber privilege of the
Garden of Eden." Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
"I have been taking some moving pic
tures of life on your farm." "Did you
ketch the hired man In motion?" "I
think so." "Ah, science kin do any
thing these days." Louisville Courier-
Journal. ,
Wtgwag I believe there's a tinge of
Insanity in all religious enthusiasts.
Henpeckke Yes, take the Mormons,
for Instance ; any man that wants more
than one wife Is plumb craz. Phila
delphia Record.
Blox A scientist claims that men
tal labor is one of the chief causes of
a sallow complexion and wrinkles.
Knox That may explain why our con
gressmen preserve their goods looks.
Chicago Daily News. ,
Teacher Who gets the wicked little
boys that stay away from Sunday
ichool. (No answer.) Teacher Come,
you can tell us, Casey. Casey De
White Sox gits some, an' de Cubs de
rest. The Bohemian.
"Suppose you had a dime," said the
teacher, "and lost 3 cents. How much
would " 'Turdon me," Interrupted
the precise Boston youth, "but if it was
a dime, I should bave to get It changed
first." Philadelphia Press.
The Mistress What, Suzanne, going
to leave me? Going to get married?
This Is most unexpected. The French
Maid Oul, madam, but eet ees not my
fault. Eet was only last night zat your
son proposed to me. Harper's Bazar.
"Yes," said the eminent physician,
"we are doing much to prolong human
life." "I'm glad to hear It," answered
Mr. Slrlus Burker. "By prolonging life
you give a man more time and oppor
tunity to get together the amount of
your bill." Washington Star.
"Yes," said the old man, "my daugh
ter is still studying French." "But she
can't speak the language at ail, can
she?" remarked the friend. "She
couldn't at first, but now she can speak
It just enough to make herself unlntel
Mglble." Philadelphia Tress.
. "Norab, didn't I tell you that I want
ed n pitcher of Ice water the first thing
In the morning?" asked Mrs. Gunson.
"YIs, mum, ye did," replied the new
maid, "an to make sure thot ye'd get It
th' first thing I left It in front of th'
uure ihbi nigni. urooxiyn Liire.
"Well, thore's one thing nbout our
boarding house," suid the optimist, "you
cau eat as much as you like there."
"Of course; same as ours," replied the
pessimist. "You can cut as much as
you like, but there's never anything
you could possibly like." Philadelphia
Press.
Jane After looking at me for a min
ute or two, Harry said, "Do you know,
Jane, that a veil Improves you great
ly?" Carrie Not very complimentary!
Jane No; but what pleased me was
tho fine tnct he employed In Imparting
an unpleasant thought. Boston Tran
script. "Excuse mo, madam," said the book
canvasser as a spinster who was be
ginning to carry weight for age opened
the front door, "but are you Interested
In the study of pre-ulstoric man?" "I
should say not," replied the giddy old
girl. "I am too busy trying to get a.
man of to-day Interested In me." Mo
bile Register.