"mm w i 1 nil'; pcyy -iiy.i to. , y '-y .yj riJtj IX. (Copyright, 1912, by The North American Company) ISUAN-WEI'S SPIRIT GARDEN ANY, many bun- dred year ago ' there lived in China a wlso ' mam, whose name - was JUuan-weL This learned man lived, for two . .things alone - books and flow era, fie neglected " every other thing for, thee ' two passions, and ; every moment ot J the day and night when he was not asleep he was ab- , sorted In them. No friends came to visit him In his , solitary dwelling, and bis gardens j .... 1) were Jealously., protected from visitor and strangers." The servants who at tended to his wants dwelt apart from liim, and only approached -when their , services were absolutely necessary Hsuah-wet dwelt outside the city, but the perfume of his flower stole out . 'rem between ' the high green hedges. ,. and the people of the crowded cjty could catch alluring glimpses of a beau tiful - house- surrounded on every side hy : a rioting wilderness of the most beautiful flowers, of long, cool alleys . and' graceful trees. . - For thirty years Hsuan-wel had led this quiet life unmolested until an, un usual event! broke In upon the even tenor of We existence... t Night had come upon the world, and the scholar was wandering In his gar den, unwilling to ; leave the radiant beauty of the place, which gleamed In the moonlight as he Imagined the gar dens gleam la the Land of the Depart t d.-y No" reer sUn-ed the branches of the treesVand yet the spirits of the flow ers seemed to Hsuan-wei to be com muning. As his glance wandered to a distant flowering : hush, It suddenly seemed to take on the form of a most beautlf ul maiden, clothed In celestial light, who glided softly, stealthily to ward hlra. ' . Hsuan-wel : remembered - to be polite even In the midst of bis astonishment, and as the maid glided toward him he managed, to murmur, "Who1 are your The Lady In Blue threw out " her lender hands in a graceful gesture and bowed. "J anj , Neighbor of yours," ' said': she,'' ;"whp dwells not" far away. 1 ga to visit friend., and my servants are without :: We are aweary. Will your most high, honorableijess permit that we rest a while in your so lovely gar-.. Hsuan-wel was delighted with th pentls wordland gracious meln of ,tho Lady In Blue, and gave a willing assent, whereupon a laughing group of beau tiful beings floated into the garden and circled about him. Each introduced her self. rr "I am the Aspen," said one fair maid, whose green robe floated about her like . elusive ,4 mit.- "I -am the Plum," eaid another. "I the Peach," "I the AprlcoL'-i "I the Pomegranate!" cried the others, "We are all sisters," said -... the . Aspen, ''who dwell together, and who are now on our Journey to Visit our aunt, the Lady Wind, who has long failed to keep her promise to visit ; ua,-' We want you to become our friend in passing, for it Is known that you love flowers and protect them as well." i Just here broke in the Lady In Blue, who crlftd that the Lady Wind had ar rived. With low laUghfer all the maia rns fluttered to greet her. begging her to stay with them a while, which she promised to do. They crowded dope up to the pavilion . in which Hsuan-wel had taken refuge t the orrival.of - the Idy Wind, and ! the scholar . found himself once mbre 1 f Burrounded. . He watched the Lady Wind gliding aldrrg upon outspread wings. ; which looked a though they weTe made ;of fairy- eobWeba, but her breath was cold and chill, and her words made him shiver, why he scarcely knew. . i Recovering: his politeness, however, he gave the' Lady .Wind the seat of honor at his table, and all the others glided and gathered round her. in a second's time the table wa tilled with th costliest and moat delicious foods, . w hile rare wines sparkled m the gob lets 60 pasred the night away in all ood-fellowshtp until came the whisper cf approaching dawn. But the Lady Wind was a fickle dame, ; and, becoming angered at Pomegranate, r-higed the poor little maid's dress wttn ine, completely spoiling It. Where iton she rose and left the pavilion, and tue Lady Wind likewise gathered up .t belongings and flew off toward the -it nl.' Boon the remSlMer stood up, t-stiked their -klnd host" and iew off 1 1'vird that 'part' of the garden where towr wre- utwaest.-oM.4tii priiiglng? up. " Hsuan-wel pursued 1 "' in, hut stumbled over his gown and 1. W hen tie had regained his feet, he kid about him. Not only was there . n to be eefii; but- the pavilion was ; ty and guiltless of any' sign what' I .'iMVxV'-jJI , if 1 ' jVer of a banquet. The food and, wine had vanished. ' Hsuan-wel rubbed Ms eyes. "Was it hut a dream?"' he asked himself,: and wandered thoughtfully to ward the house. "',':' ';, :W:;S's5,"..;' Next night found him expectant In his garden' Would they return? He was not left long In doubt. Again the happy, laughing group crowded : about him; but this time they heeded not his pres ence. Each seemed to be intent on try-, ing :to make Pomegranate apologize to -the Lady Wind, t ;'' "Never Jw cried iPomegranate, tossing her pretty head.; "Ask pardon of that fold, stiff old person? Never! Come, she can do us no mischief. Have wo not here in Hsuan-wel a friend who will protect us from her wrath?" ; . At these words a murmur of approval ran among the company. "Hauan-wal," said the Aspen, bowing low, "we are all flowers of r your garden.: Wo are all sisters, and every year the gale strong and ugly come to chill us, so that we live In constant fear. ,' Often before the Lady Wind has protected us, but now she is angry , at Pomegranate and will .J:,:S:jS!:S:il;J:i 1 1 , - -v f have naught to do with us. If you will help us, Hsuan-wel, we will be deeply grateful." "Gladly would I be of help,", said the shikar, "If I knew of some way In which I might help you." "The way is easy," said Pomegran ate. "You have but to make a red banner which Is embroidered with the .sun, moon and stars. This flag you must spread to the east every time there is the faintest breath of a gale from that direction. Then shall we be perfectly safe." "I am overjoyed to be able to help you all," said Hsuan-wel, bowing low politely. Immediately Hsuan-wel hurried into --the- iiouso -and-tet about -Staking - the fiag as he had been requested to do, and, having finished It. set it up at once, as the wind was from the east. Scarcely had ha' done so, however, when a wild hurricane broke forth. The rain beat down In torrents, dust danced and whirled through the air, trees bent, gave and broke under the force of the storm, and all was desolation. But not In his own garden. There all was peace and sunshine. Not a leaf stirred, and the flowers lifted their heads -and smiled. ' Then did the truth enter th soul of Hsuan-wel, and he knew the elfin spirits were the souls of his beautiful flowers. - . When moonlight had come again they . danced forth garlanded to render him thanks. ''No reward would be sufficient tor so bountiful a benefactor," said . they; "but take these blossoms, Hsuan wei, eat of them and you shall have the gift of eternal youth." a Bo gentle Hsuan-wel took and ate of the elfin flowers. And, behold! his face was covered with fair and delicate skin like that of a handsome youth, and his blood coursed through his veins as It had done when he was a child. And jo he. came to Knowledge and shared the immortality of the Blessed. Friends of Field and Forest LONGFELLOW calls this tree Tam arack, and tells how Hiawatha used its long, tough roots to build hli canoe. It Is a tall, graceful tree, with long, drooping branches, and, like the ever greens, beara its seeds in Cones; these are clusters of pieces of wood called scales, and a seed is fastened to each n HI 1 ' t LARIX, LARCH TREi 1 scale, which acts as a little, wing when the seeds are scattered bv the wind ".B!:,.Jt'Wt orgrw; the iaroh " sheds its leaves in November, and then we notice the light-brown bark and the red winter buds. Near the north pole, where there is winter most of the year, it becomes a very small tree. KATHARINE 8. NICHOLSOrf. The Woman Who Saved Rome HE streets of Home were - a" a xnedjey of queer '-'tjrhts and ounds, for the Plebeians, . the "common peo- pie," were march ing toward 'tho city ; gates with their household goods and their wives and chil dren. These were the hewer - of . wood In Borne, the drawers of water, the builders of houses, tho peo ple who tilled the toll. "", " . "We leave' Rome forever," aaid voice a little sadly. , . ' i ' ' "Why - remain?" rang out another. "Air and water are to be found in other parts of Italy. Ay, and the" ground for gravea Is Just as good elsewhere.. Down with the Patricians! Forward march from Rome!":,;;-' ';''"; ';''!-,''.". ''.' '"":. -, Tho old men ot the senate, who be- . tonged to the Patrician., or richer class, were talking; together excitedly. ' "There Is ; no living without these working men," they aaliL- VIf they ara not brought back at once, they will go off and found another city a city of their own." , So several of the most fluent orators were chosen from among the Roman senators to follow the Plebeians and persuade them to go back. Chief among them stood Agrlppa, who spoke most earnestly to the marching throng. . "Friends, Romans, countrymen," he began, "the senate promises that if you will return you shall e justly treated. One of your number shall you elect to sit In the senate. Go not from Rome fair Rome. We have need of you, Ple beians, and you have need of us!" ' "We are not so certain of that." murmured the people. '.Well, listen to my ' fable' said Agrlppa, "Onca on a tlmo4br was a ; man whose arms, fingers, legs; feet and mouth rebelled against his stomach. They rebelled because they said tho stomach did nothing while they all worked hard. Of course, the body of the man faded away until he had be come "a skeleton. Rqmans, learn from this that all parts of the body need one another. The Patricians need you, but you also have need of them to ad vise you In peace and to lead you In war. Return to Rome and you shall choose five Plebeian men as tribunes to sit with the senate and help In the ruling of the city." So the people went back to Rome and the five Plebeian men who were called tribunes were given seats at the door of the senate halt Whenever the sen ate Introduced a measure that was un just to the people, the tribunes rose and cried, "Veto!" Now, at this time there was among the Patricians a nobleman named Mar clue. So brave In war was he, so often did he dash covered with blood and sweat into the thick of every battle, that when he took the city of Corloll the soldiers gave him a new name, after the town he had captured, and thereafter he was called Corlolanus. When the great pile, of spoils- taken from the captured city was piled up, Corlolanus would accept naught but a horse, and asked that the spoils be divided among the men. "But, sir," he said to the consul at Rome, "one favor have I to ask." "Anything you ask," promised the consul. "Among the prisoners taken there Is a friend of mine who In the usual course of. events would be sold as a slave. Grant me his freedom, for he is a vir tuous man." Then all the army praised Corlolanus more than ever, and the consul.granted him what-h asked. - For seventeen v(ifk CVtrthlannn rvrt Rome in war and peace, until at last he was made consul; but then came trou ble thick and fast. Corlolanus had never approved of the tribunes, and he thought that too much power had been given the Roman people. He was an aristocrat, you see, and thought that the superior class of men tfhould rule the more ignorant class. But, of course, the Plebeians would not -admit that they were less 'Worthy br more Ignorant. When, therefore, a great present of c6rn .arrived in Rome from . the king of Syracuse the people hoped that they might all receive free shares , of it. "Now is the time to draw the line." said the consul to the senate. "We must not yield to the people all the time and flatter them a heretofore, if we do, we will breed disorder." - Hearing this, the tribunes rushed Into the streets, declaring that the Plebeians wore being cheated, and the senate broke up in confusion. Next day the dismayed senators met In the forum and talked of how best to dispose of the corm -Many-wiho4 eHli? m lew 1 1 - price to the people, but Corlolanus re- rusea to ao mis, ana aened .the com mons to do their worst. "He jlrall pay for this with his life!" cried the tribunes. They were on the point of carrying him to the Tarpeian -Bock to hurl him down the precipice '- ' when his friends rallied to' his aid, and - at last it was decided to sentence htm at a great assembly of the Romans on ' the following day." A great number of 1 votes were cast against, him, and ho was banishedsentenced never to set foot in ' Borne ag'a4fcy;j'.: Unmoved by the sorrow of hte friends, jie. bade goodby td his family, and, dls. ; guised, crept out of one of the ; city . gates. He was dressed as a laborer, and had made up his mind to Join tho Yolsclans, the- very: foo against;: whom he had fought so valiantly for Rome: . Finally be came to the town of An tium and stopped at the door of a no bleman named Tullusi. Going in, ho aat down by the fireside, whero he was sur rounded by the -lite household goda ot , the house of Tullus. Whoever sat thus under the protection ot the household ; gods was secure from harm at the bands of tho people, Of the house. Tullua, who , -:sat at supper, was Immediately told' of his Strang, guest, and, going out to 'him, he'said: , "What do-you hero,-stranger?" ,. ,.. The Roman drew the protecting tolda of hit cloak away from his face. . "Know ypu not me, Tullus?" he asked. s HI am he who was tho foe' of tho Vol-;, dans. The city which I captured from them gave me my " iiame-Coriolanus. .: But Rome has paid mo poorly for that service. The rabble in her streets have hooted me; my. so-called friends, the Patricians, were too cowardly to avengo the insult. I am hero to have revenge on Rome. 1 have com to Join the Vol sciana, ajod I warrant you I will fight better for you than ever I fought against you.'V ', '..';. . "You are welcome Indeed!" cried tho astonished Tullus, "and we thankfully accept your aid against Rome." Next day Corolanus appeared before . the Volsclans' ranka, who Immediately welcomed and vowed to follow him. With his, former -foes the general . marched toward Rome,' wast and de struction and Are following .In hla wake, feeaUng back : the j&ggaa the Romans had sent out to check his ad vance. The whole city was In tumult. Old and feeble people bowed in prayer before the statues of the gods, and women ran about the streets in terror. Borne. Of the senators at last cam out and offered to confer with Coriolanua in his tent 1 will make peace upon one consid eration," said Corlolanus to the mes sengers, "If the Romans will give back all the lands that they have taken , from the Volsclans. I give you thirty days to consider It" In thirty days they came back and said they would agree to give back part of the land if the Volsclans would lay down their arms. "No," said Coriolanua. "Now you have but three more days In jwhlch to consider It. before I resume the war." A third party came out and Corio lanua returned the same answer. Then a clever woman of Rome, Valeria, thought of a plan. She took a number of the Roman matrons with her and called at the house of Volumnla, the old mother of Corlolanus. They found her with her daughter-in-law, Corlo- tanas' wife. . :.:v;.,-. :l "We are not sent by the senate;" said Valeria, "but we come to beg your help for Rome. Go with us to Corlolanus, tell him that, though you are his moth er, you have been well treated by the Romans; that no harm has come to you since he left the city." Volumnla agreed to this, and took Corlolanus' wife and his children and a number of other Roman matrons THE ROCK - A ROCK-A-BYE boat When the Jong Arid heavy it sails From the Land fi:5j3g: ww as ju R A silver fleef floats out of the west The dream-craft of fairies bright' And tn Its wake trail the Hours of Rest,, That fold'you till morning light The'fleecy clouds are small sails to keep The Rock-a-tye fcoaf And bring it safe through the dreamland deep , To harbor on mother's arm. with her. The general,-who had been , z sitting in his' chair of state, rose when . . he recognised hla family -(and ran t kiss his wife and little ones,, tears, of . Joy falling1 from his eyes. ; "Corlolanus, my son," said his moth er, "we women ot Rome are most un- ' happy.' Why should we not be when a noble Roman fights against Rome? If ; a battle ia fought the outcome wilt be misery your wife will see either Rome or you beaten. v If you win, you will march triumphant into Rome over ther dead body of your mother, for I will : not live to see my son conquer Rome. ; Make peace, I .pray you. ' The Vol- . sclans are powerful, and it will be to their honor to make peace. r Your moth er has done much for you. Can you do . this for herr The old matron sank upon her knees at his feet, and round her knelt hla wife and children. "Mother," said Corlolanus," raising her up, his face full of keenest anguish, . "what have you done? You have saved Rome, .ut ruined me!" He sent the" women back to Rome, and next morn-. Ing marched back to the Volsclan coun try. , - . All was rejoicing with the Romans, jtnd citizens crowded the temples,, plac ing thank offerings on the altars of the . gods. All the men praised the women who had with 'So much courage gone to the camp of the -enemy to plead for Rome. Th elders of the senate made a decree that the women should hava whatsoever they chose as reward. "There is but one thing we desire," said the Roman ladies;, "erect a new temple to the Good Fortune of Women. We will give the money for the building." But the senate said that the build ing should be - erected at-tho public ex pense; and when the temple was built some four years later on the very spot where the natrons of Rome pleaded for her safety, the first priestess to take charge of it waji the mother of Corlolanus, whose words had saved Rome. Not so long after this Corlolanus was killed by the angry Volsclans, who were furious because he had spared Rome. - BYE BOAT sails over the sea1 day's play is done, with dreams for theer of the Setting Sun. f rohfhanhT - - THE CUP WATER AR AWA7 In' ran- -ny Spain there ia a little ' church " called 'tho Church .of tho , ' Ctf'p of Cold Water. " . An old story relates that one day a poor Cure, " living in one of the many little ; m 0 u ft tain - vil- lages, was star tled - to , see a wounded brigand ' being - marched , up to his home ' by some gen- " darmes. . Without la. tha least resenting the presence lot . the "brigand, tho good Cure set at once about the task of binding up the fellow's broken t arm. -The-gendarmes, looking on coldly, took small interest In the proceedings 1 It mat-' tered not at all to them whether tha : outlaw lived or died; they had accom plished their end of the matter whe- ,they took him prisoner, without a mur- mur, tho brigand bore the pain, but at length asked for a drink of water. As the Cure supported- his drooping head that the drinking might be more easily accomplished, the man whispered: , "My little children are alono on tho hillsides!" The words were followed by a look of entreaty. Without a word, the Cure bowed his head In a gesture of assent and trader standing, and tho brigand sank back satisfied. When at length the cavalcade bad de parted, tho good priest set -out on his . quest for the children. His search was long one, butmfter a time he oamo upon aIlttlebrdlher&nd slsterr crouching low In a crevasse and afraid of capture. Alone, hungry and badly frightened, they were truly in a sorry plight, and the good priest's heart was moved, with pity as he looked down at them unseen, and listened to their heartbreaking sobs. - Gently be led them to his own home, , where, in the years that followed, by . the-practlce of the most rigid self-denial, he supported and educated them for ' many years. The. boy went to school, while tho little maid was placed In a nearby convent to bo educated. Years passed swiftly, one upon an other, and tho care of his wards was becoming a great, burden to ho Cure, Si! lr SOME STONE AGE PLAYTHINGS DOCTOR MARTIN, returned from a week's camping, sat back In his chair and prepared to give an account of himself the, boys always . seemed to demand this of him, and he was not at all averse to satisfying their curiosity. , "And yesterday. said Joe, "what did you do yesterday, father,?"... . r "First of all, I read your letters," said Mr. Martin, "and then, the day being warm, I decided to go for a stroll. I sat down beside a rivulet that flowed through the pretty, narrow valley I told you of. It was no doubt the thought of you fellows at home , that brought to my mind those little red skinned children of the long ago, who doubtless found the banks of this very stream as Interesting as you would have, had you been there. "Everywhere I gazed were the faint footprints of that oldes time, when the little brook I looked at had been a noble stream, the home of big, strong fish, as now It is the home of minnows without number. I poked about at tho brookside and presently picked up an arrow point, and. than another, and then another, until I had a score or so of . the toys, of boys long ilnce dead, whose tribes have vanished from the face of the earth. There they are, on the table. You see that they are one and an made of stone." "Is that why the Indians are called a Stone Age people?" asked Roland, "Yes," said his father. "You sea the,. Indians had no knowledge of iron as, a metal, and so made all their Imple ments of stone or bone. Researchers have found that the little folk of tho . 'Stone Age were quite as fond ot play ' x as ..the .Jlttiejrolkm of today, and con trived many toys, wMch reflected their" elders' needs Just ss boys have play .things today which reflect the spirit and Inventions" of .the times. Their play, - to be sure, A was -only an Imitation of . what their parents did In earnest, and their principal ' toys miniatures of tho stone axes and larger spear points ot . their warrior fathers." "Did they really hunt with their play axes and spears?" asked Joe. ' "Without a doubt," answered Doctor Martin, with a smile." "We know for a fact that one of the ways in which tho Stone Age children played was to shoot the smaller fish which lived in the shal- low brooks with tiny bows and arrows, "The play hatchets they made ,. and played with- were very small Indeed compared to those used by their elders; but they were quite large enough to. knock over a rabbit, for Instance. . - "They were athletes, those little fellows of the. long ago, for they learned to run -and climb and shoot almost as soon as 4hwriM4 wiltai4 4ho.iMiaotloU and practiced and practiced these things that proved so useful to them in after life, until by tho time they were grown they were" killed hunters. -' , .. "There 1s one particular In- which the OF COLD whose hair had silvered and who beat under the heavy hand of old Father Time. The children had nearly attained ; to manhood and womanhood, and would, he realised, soon have to be taken from . school and . assume that place . In tho world for which their careful education had fitted them. How was he to man ' age this? One day a splendid equipage drew up before the door of . the Cure's littio house. A prosperous looking gentleman, whoso breast was covered with medals and - decorations, jumped '.out and knocked at the door .of the Cure's poor little house. He was no other than tho ' "brigand of-lesrf ortonate daysr-who, -despite his wounds, had succeeded In eluding his captors, and afterward bad fought In revolution on the winning side. Now the position ho held was a reeponslblo one; he was well-to-do and had come to claim his children. His heart was full when he had seen and talked with them, and he asked tho Cure to grant him yet one more favor. "Gladly," said the good Cure, gently, his eyes full of wonder, at the trans formation in the former outlaw. "Then, good father, I entreat yoa to let me build a new church where now stands your little chapel. I ask only that It shall be called. The Church ot tho Cup of Cold Water.' " little lads of those days were different from the youngsters of today; they were largely masters of their own time. When a boy had practiced a certain length Ot time at the arts of warfare -and the chase, his way was clear tor all sorts of play and games. - "Rivalry was keen among the Stono' . Age children. Just as their fathers worked to be the beat hunters In the ' tribe," so did these children strive to ex cel . one . another in their games and pastimes. Their lives were full of perils and dangers that ,can scarcely be com prehended by you modern, children; but; this 'fact seems not to have, kept them, from enjoying their playtime to the full est extent. Rather they squeezed all tha sport and excitement possible from tho moment,- knowing -net-what tho next - would bring forth; knowing not whether .' an arrow swiftly sent from ambush would preclude tha possibility of thero ' being a 'next' " ' ' "Didn't the kids In those days havo any pets?.", asked Roland, eying fondly the big shepherd dog, his" own special chum and companion, snooslng; by the - ; Are. , 1 "They had ponies," answered 'Doctor , Martin. "Pony races were their favor ite ep6rt, and I am sure were enjoyed by the little redskins fully as much as -' you enjoy watching an exciting horse or automobile race today." . Doctor Martin . rose. "Coma alon: J3f1 - feJJws,'.kldJ.'It' j4swUimo.iLr nnlv TtAnj vnn ' arlil Va. m j. . ""rv . v ewrf v w ii nvv Q wci qualified by your boyhood training for your after lives as were those little Btone Age fellows who played by tho brook so long ago." , v'''''v r;:"v''KV "" '4...;' ... . i ' . . '-. V