Bandon recorder., July 18, 1901, Image 2

BA.XDON RECORDER.
' Did You ktver Drann n Fly I
Whatever other fate might befall ft,
naturalists agree that the common
house fly cannot be drowned and many
experiments have been made In rela­
tion thereto.
Included In such tests was the Im­
mersion of a fly In a tumbler of clear
cold water, with u piece of cardboard
to tit the glass and floated so as to
keep the insect beneath the surface.
So little did the fly trouble about
such nn obstacle that it kept near the
bottom of the glass, and there for a
quarter of an hour ran about as freely
ns in the fresh air. while It at times
crawled across the underside of the
pasteboard as on the ceiling of a room.
After being immersed for 20 minutes
the fly’s movements were less active,
and at 25 minutes it turned over on Its
side, apparently dead. It liung sus­
pended in tiie water Just under the
pasteboard', which kept It from rising
to the surface, and there it remained
for another 25 minutes.
It was then taken out and placed on
a sheet of paper, looking to all appear­
ance dead. Its next fate was to be
burled by being covered with about
half a teaspoonful of tine salt.
At the end of 15 minutes the saline
was shaken off, the fly having thus
been completely covered cither by
water or by salt for G5 minutes.
Immediately upon its release the In­
sect trlminou its wings and legs active­
ly tor awhile and then flew away.—
Pearson's Weekly.
Why Monarch* Were Insane.
Pathologists have often pointed out
the fact that physical and mental en­
ervation nre apt to go hand in hand,
nnd the Intellectual degeneracy of eti­
quette monarchs may have a good deal
to do with the Sybaritism of their pal­
ace life.
The plebeian functions which media*-
val sovereigns were obliged to perform
by proxy Included the adjustment of
their gala gloves. They had flunkies
to remove their cravats nnd warm tlieir
nightshirts, unplait tlieir pigtails and
tuck up tlieir bedclothes around their
shoulders. In tiie morning courtiers
competed for the honor of holding
their washbasin. Peers of tiie realm
waited on bended knees to buckle tlieir
slioes. If the Inheritor of a legitimate
throne lifted a spoon to break nn egg,
lynx eyed lackeys anticipated bis needs
with the agility of trained conjurers.
Like ills food, his Information on cur­
rent topics was served ready dressed
nud cooked, till lie turned into a mnstl-
eating machine and repeater of con-
ventional twaddle.—Lippincott's.
Saved Knell Other.
A short time ago a guard on one of
the Northern expresses while at a big
station in the midlands hail been talk­
ing to the engine driver, Presently he
stepped aside and gave bls "Right
away!” when a gentleman who was
late sprang on to the footboard while
the train was in motion and tried to
obtain admission to one of the compart­
ments.
As the carriage came along the guard
seized him by tiie coat and pulled him
off, remarking that lie must think him­
self lucky, for be bad practically saved
bis life.
As tills conversation was going on
the guard's van came by, nnd the
guard, with that gracefulness acquired
by constant practice, sailed majestical­
ly on to bis van.
The gentleman, w ho had taken in the
situation, thereupon seized him by the
coat and pulled him off, saying as the
train sped away:
“One good turn deserves another.
You saved my life; 1 have saved yours.
Now we are quits.”—London Telegraph.
Know When They ilnve Knonah.
.................................................................................. !♦!
î
■
POLLY LARKIN :w: i:|
......... h .........a,
The members of the Police Commis­
sion will make a record for themselves
if they only carry out their present
good intent ions. They have refused to
grant licenses for sahsms in the vicinity
of the Presidio, and those now in full
sway, throwing out temptations galore
to the soldier boys, will have to close.
The saloon-keeiters will make a hard
struggle to carry on their dangerous
business, for they are coining money
from the soldiers. Home of the boys in
blue have- entered these places with the
full intention of taking just one drink
and then proceeding on their way to
purchase their tickets for their Eastern
homes. Tlieir good intentions came to
naught, for that one drink, “doped” in
all probability, had driven all idea of
home and friends from tlieir minds.
They went from one den to another,
providing the saloon-keeper in the first
place did not get all the money they
had. When they came bi their senses
every dime they possessed was gone,
and the chances are that many of these
stranded boys would never see home
and friends again. Many felt dis­
grace 1 and would not let the people in
tile old home know that they were pen­
niless and how they had lost their
funds. They hud not made the money
half so easily as the saloon-keepers
made it oil' them. Home of these
stranded soldiers managed to find work,
others resorted to crime, waylaying
some pedestrian and appropriating al)
the money he had, possibly reasoning
that he had been robbed in the city of
all he had, and no protest was made,
and why shouldn't he do the same?
To his mind both thefts were of the
same color and one was as justifiable as
the other, and more than one penniless
soldier committed suicide. Many a lad
can date his learning to drink to the
time lie landed on “’Frisco’s” shores.
Previous to that time they did not
know the taste of liquor. Many a
mother will be heartbroken when her
boy comes home to her with the appe­
tite for liquor firmly iixed upon him.
This is no child's play, and the Police
Commissioners are not moving any too
soon. One of the Commissioners stated
that he would oppose the granting of
licenses until such time as the volun­
teer soldiers, now so numerous at the
Presidio, were all mustered out and re­
moved from tiie scene of temptation.
The majority of the soldiers, both
waiting for transportât ion to the Philip­
pines and to lie mustered out, are only
mere boys in appearance. But few of
them look as though they had reached
the voting age, and none of those going
out on the transports realize for a mo­
ment what they are going into. Pos­
sibly it is just as well that they don't,
for if they took into account the looks
of the boys who are just returning from
the Philippines their courage might
fail them. Pale,’ sickl.v-looking boys,
and many of them cripples, who appear
daily on thestreet; but the latter might
have enthused some hero-worshippers
among tiie new recruits, for wounds to
them would lie “glory scars.” Those
who were not hero-worshippers, how­
ever, would turn faint if they went into
tiie Presidio hospitals and saw the liv­
ing, suffering skeletons of those who
but a short time ago were strong,
healthy boys. Then let them glance in
tiie direction of the hospital “morgue.”
There floats tiie stars and stripes mourn­
fully at halfmast and within the build­
ing lie hundreds of coflins waiting to
lie identified, and if no one claims them
in a certain length of time they are
buried in the Presidio cemetery, which
has had to lie enlarged for the army of
the silent majority. These are the boys
who have come home to die in the hos­
pitals, or else have been among the
many silent passengers on the dead
transports. Koon the last narrow home
in the Presidio cemetery will receive
them, “ taps” will sound and the story
of a short life will be ended. The boys
march to the transports so buoyant, so
happy, with never a foreboding or
shadow of doubt as to whether they
will come back all right, It is a pitiful
sight to those who have seen the return
of so many companies since the begin­
ning of the war. It is not so bad, how­
ever, ns it was at first, although it is
still bad enough.
all his nonsense. But bis manner of
dress was so grotesque as to put them
in good humor. And this was only one
of his many eccentricities. He was a
tall, rawlioned, angular sort of a fellow,
wore a dark blue llannel shirt, brown
overalls, a gray or mottled vest with a
flour-sack back, and to make the whole
uttire more striking wore a tall and
thoroughly out-of-date silk hat that
looked ancient enough to have done
service in George Washington's time,
and which w'as so large for his head
that it nearly fell over his ears. A
quainter looking object would be hard
to find. Rain or shine lie was always
so attired, and he attracted the atten­
tion of everyone on the road, and no
matter how morose ami gloomy they
might api>ear, there was always a smile
on their faces, and for the time being
pleasanter thoughts for having passed
this |>eculiar old vegetable vender.
Do you know we miss much of the
pleasure in life by insisting on living in
and going over and over the past that
has gone and cannot be resurrected or
made any Is-tter by constantly going
over its musty pages? In justice to our
friends and to ourselves, we should for­
get the past ami live for the present and
the future. Regret is like the constant
moaning of the wind, it is mournful
and tiresome and it does not serve to
bring you new friends or hold tlie old
ones. Well, what are you going to do
about it if your whole past life is out
long season of regret? you ask. Bury
it, and bury it deep, my friend, never
to be resurrected in this world. Let a
new song fill your heart, joyful and
hofieful, instead of the worn out dirge.
BRIEF REVIEW.
Siberia’s Great River.
The Amur is one of the few greatest
rivers in the world. In length it is
equaled by no river in Europe, and sur­
passed only by the Yang-tse and Yini-
sel in Asia, by the Nile and Congo in
Africa and by the Amazon and Maken-
zie in America, though if we reckon the
Mississippi and Missouri as one river, it
is longer than any of them except the
Nile. Its water is somewhat muddy at
Vladivostok, but nothing like the con­
sistency of the Mississippi at St. Louis.
It cannot be said to be “ both food and
drink.” As one ascends its swift cur­
rent it constantly grows clearer, until,
a thousand miles farther up, it is about
the color of white wine, and is sweet
and wholesome to the taste)
The Real Cause.
The real causes of America’s success
may be summed up in the words—a
tariff, securing the home market and
enabling foreign countries to be used as
a dumping ground for American sur­
plus productions, and great alertness of
mind. Americans have the insight to
scrap tlieir machinery when it goes out
of date, and to use every labor-saving
contrivance. The trade unions do not
limit output and frown on the machine
tool. But with us, methods, machin­
ery and organization, which are so con­
servative that they are ten years behind
the times—a fact which England is
slowly discovering.
The King and His Dog Tax.
Ancient Greek law is to the effect
that every owner of a dog shall pay a
yearly tax of 12 drachmas. Those who
do not pay in time are condemned by
the new law to pay double the tax.
King George sent recently to tiie police
in order to register his four dogs ami to
pay their taxes. But the official found
that his majesty owed for tiie taxes a
sum of 48 drachmas, and had been
lined another 48 drachmas for having
delayed payment. His majesty lias
paid 06 dracemas for his dogs.
The llama, that docile animal wblch
was the beast of burden In Peru In
prehistoric times nnd played the part
that was assigned to his cousin, the
camel. In Egypt and Arabia, Is still
Been In large numbers In the mountain
districts, but he cannot live In the
warmer latitudes along the coast. He
Is docile, enduring and sure footed. lie
can go a long time without water and
The Banana Trade.
food and chews the cud of contentment
when other anlmnls are in distress be
The United Htatee is now patronizing
cause of the temperature of the rare-
tiie banana plantations of the West In­
fled atmosphere found in the Andean
dies and of Central America to the
plateaus.
sum of about $8,000,000 a year, This is
A llama will carry 100 pounils and
the exporting, not the retail value.
no more, and if you add nn ounce to
The
island of Jamaica alone is sending
his load he will lie down and wait un­
to this country over 4,000,1X10 bunches a
til It Is taken off. He knows w-ben he
year. This is the exporting, not the re­
has enough, and there Is no use In try­
ing to argue with him. The native In­
tail value, which means $1,500,000 to
dians have learned this by the experi­
the producers and shippers of the col­
ence of generations, nnd when a llama
ony.
lies down they Immediately unstrap
and diminish his burden without mak­
It Is shown that more than 1,250,000
ing any fuss about it. Then, when lie
miles of Canadion territory is yet unex­
Is satisfied that be has been given no
plored. This includes the inhospitable
more than Ills share, lie climbs on to
detached /Artic portions, but aside from
his hoofs again and follows the moun­
these fully 954,000 square miles are, for
tain trail for days and weeks at a time
all practical purposes, entirely un­
without murmuring or slipping or for­
All
honor
to
Kansas,
for
it
has
passed
getting his good manners. — Chicago
known. The easterly area contains the
a new statute providing that no wife,
Record.
greatest extent of unexplored territory.
widow or child of a soldier shall lie sent
It comprises almost the entire interior
lie Got off.
to the poorhouse, and it is made the
The wife of a German farmhand In
of the Labrador peninsula.
duty
of
the
County
p<s>r
Commissioner
Ohio was taken sick nud Anally died,
tiie husband, of course, leaving his to supply the necessaries of life and a
Co-operative bakeries have been es­
work for several days In consequence. house for any such who may be in need. tablished in Belgiun and conducted so
Two weeks later lie appeared at the Every Htate in the nation should adopt economically that the price of bread
house of Ids employer and asked to be tins law. It is a good and a humane has been reduced to that ponit where
relieved from work for a couple of one as well. It would relieve many a other bakeries are being crowded out
days, when the following conversation heartache if this were only the case, of business. In Brussels, Ghent, Ant­
took place:
and make the soldier find that Ills sacri­ werp and Liege the co-operative bak­
“I vould like to get off for apout two fice had not been in vain.
eries now regulate the bread market.
tays.”
“I can't spare you unless It Is nbso-
All the rare birds and animals pre­
lately necessary. You know you lost
I saw a queer looking character In
several days two weeks ago, and we one of our country towns lately. He sented to Queen Victoria and kept at
are behind In the work. What is the traveled all over the country selling veg­ Windsor, have iteen given by King
necessity for your getting off?” Inquir­ etables from a little wagon of which he Edward to the London Zoo. The gift
ed the farmer.
was the proud possessor. “Everything has thus relieved the drain on the royal
“Veil, I vas to be married.”
"Why, Fritz, your wife died only two in its season,” he was wont to say. purse and enriched the collection of
weeks ago, and now you are about to “All kinds of vegetables, from parsley, the Zoological Gardens.
get married again? I do not under- jx - ils and radishes, up to watermilyons,
potatoes, bananas and oranges. If it’s
stand that."
Hnails are not only regarded as a
“Veil,” replied the German, "I don't 1 in tiie market you’ll And it in my great delicacy in Paris, but are reck­
| wagon and nt prices to suit the poor
hold spite long.”
The fanner dismissed the case with­ | and the rich. Bev those turnips. Just oned as very nutritous. Hygienists
say that they contain 17 per cent of
out prejudice.
as fresli asa daisy, and naturally turned- nitrogenous matter, and thev are equal
I up of their own accord. Hee those po-
A Ileavywrluht.
to oysters in nutritive projierties.
“And then,” she said In telling of the ’ tatoea, plain anil sweet, both kinds.
romantic episode, "she sprang to bls ' Hee that cauliflower—now ain’t she a
Every royal palace in Europe has its
arms.”
j beauty? Any lady in the land ought special private police, who, in one guise
"She did 7’
to be proud to get her. Hhe’s fair and or another, are alway* on the lookout
“Of course. Do you doubt It?”
sweet
as any flower in this region,” for suspicious p< rsons.
“Oh, no.” be replied, “but nfter see-
Ing her 1 can’t help thinking that It 1 and so on as he displayed each article,
More than HMM) kinds of rubtier shoes
must have jarred him quite a bit.”— i It was Hol »son's choice, and the house­
wives had to patronize him and take * are made in the United States.
Chicago Post.
FEATHERED FREAKS. HUMOR CF
BIRDS WITHOUT WINGS AND BIRDS
WITHOUT SONG.
The I'eiiKuiu I m u Bird That Walks
mid Swim«, hut Doe» Mot Fly—A
Bird That Can Hun I'amter Than the
Swlfteat Horae—The Tailor Bird.
Birds without wings are found In
New Zealand and Australia. Kiwi is
the mime of one species. Beautiful
mats are made of the feathers of the
white variety, but It takes ten years
and more to collect enough feathers to
make even a small mat which would
sell for aboiM $150.
Birds without sottg belong to Ha­
waii. Ill Honolulu one sees a bird
(bout the size of the robin, an Inde­
pendent sort of fellow, that walks
about like a chicken. Instead of hop­
ping like a well trained bird of the
United States, and it has no song.
A bird that walks and swims, but
does not fly. is tiie penguin. No nests
are made by penguins, but the one egg
laid at a time by the mother is carried
about under her absurd little wing or
under her leg.
The largest of flight birds Is tiie Cali­
fornia vulture or condor, measuring
fromtipto tip !)'<. to 10 feet and exceed­
ing considerably in size the true condor
of South America. The bird lays but
one egg each season—large, oval, ashy
green In color and deeply pitted, so
distinctive in appearance that it can­
not be confounded with any other.
The California condor Is rapidly ap­
proaching extinction and museums all
over the world are eager to secure
living specimens. It Is believed that
there is only one in captivity.
Another large bird Is the rhinoceros,
bird, which is about tiie size of a tur­
key. One recently shot on the island
of Java had in Its crop a rim from a
small telescope ami three brass but­
tons, evidently belonging to a British
soldier's uniform.
A bird which Is swifter than a horse
Is tiie road runner of tiie southwest.
Its aliases are tiie ground cuckoo, the
lizard bird and tiie snake killer, snakes
being a favorite diet. In northern
Mexico, western Texas and southern
Colorado ami California it Is found.
Tiie bird measures about two feet
from tip to tip ami is n dull brown in
color. Its two legs are only about ten
Indies long, but neither horses with
tlieir four legs nor hounds nor electric
pacing machines are in it for swiftness
when it comes to running.
Most curious are tiie sewing or tailor
birds of India—little yellow things not
much larger than one's tlnim. To
escape falling a prey to snakes and
monkeys tiie tailor bird picks up a
dead leaf and flies up Into a high tree,
and with a liber for a thread and its
bill for a needle sews the leaf on to a
green one hanging from the tree. The
sides are sewed up. an opening being
left at the top. That a nest Is swing­
ing in tiie tree no snake or monkey or
even man would suspect.
Many a regiment cannot compare in
pel lection of movement with tiie flight
of the curlews of Florida winging their
way to their feeding grounds miles
away, all in uniform lines In unbrokeu
perfection. Tiie curlews are dainty
and charming birds to see. some pink,
some white.
Birds In flight often lose tlieir bear­
ings. being blown aside from their
course by tiie wind. In tills ease they
are as badly off as a mariner without
u compass In a strange sea on a star­
less night.
All very young birds, by a wise pro­
vision of nature, nre entirely without
fear until they nre able to fly. The
reason of tiie delayed development of
fear is that, being unable to fly. the
birds would struggle and fall from
tlieir nests at every noise and be killed.
Suddenly, almost In a day. the birds
develop tiie sense of fear, when tlieir
feathers are enough grown so that
they can fly.
It Is always a source of wonder to
arctic explorers to And such quantities
of singing birds within the arctic cir­
cle. They are nbundant beyond belief.
But tiie Immense crop of cranberries,
crowberries and cloudberries that
ripen In tiie northern swamps accounts
for tiie presence of the birds.
A stick of wood seven Inches long
and a quarter of an inch in diameter
was once taken from a wren's nest. It
Is very singular tliat so small and deli­
cate a bird should use such rough ma­
terial with which to construct Its nest,
if an eagle should use material pro­
portioned to its size, its nest would be
made up of fence rails and small saw
logs.
The extraordinary situations In
which nests nre found occasionally nl-
most give one the Impression that birds
must be endowed wltli a sense of hu­
mor. For Instance, a wren built Its
nest upon a scnrecrow, a dead sparrow­
hawk. wblch a farmer had liung up to
frighten away winged ravagers of Ills
crop. In the pocket of an old jacket
hanging In a barn a bird, also a wren,
made Its nest, which when discovered
contained five eggs. It was a robin
that raised z young family in a church
pew ami a robin that built Its nest In
tiie organ pipes of a church. Places of
worship have always been favorite
building places for Idrds.
LOUR FACTS IN FEW FINES
r !>l< 1; rd.
"Yes. Henry. 1 knew I’m a silly girl
and don't go in tor politics and all that
kind of tj.ug i.-. you do, but I will do
my best to make you a good wife, aud
you can teach me all about them, you
know.”
“So I can, my darling,” he cried
rapturously, "and you will be an apt
pupil, 1 am sure. Of course It won’t
come all at once, but you will soon be
able to play the hostess to my friends
ns well as any of their wives. Suppose
we were to begin now?”
“Oh, yes, Jo! Now, there’s one thing
1 never could understand. What do
they mean by 'reciprocity?' You must
explain It tn a simple manner, Henry,
or 1 shall uot comprehend.”
"1 will," said he fondly. "It amounts
to this: You receive something and
give something In return. Suppose
you give me a kiss (like this), then I
should return it (like tills). That’s
reciprocity. Do you understand?”
“Oil, yes! Isn't it nice!" exclaimed
the unsophisticated damsel. “Now I
know why women are so anxious to get
into parliament.”—Loudon Spare Mo­
ments.
Makins Sure of It.
Host i hate to send you out In such
a blustering night as this is, old fellow.
Guest It Is raining pretty hard. I
say, couldn't you lend me your urn-
lirella?
Host—Certainly, and—er—1 think I’ll
walk home witli you myself. I really
need tile exercise.—Stray Stories.
A Social Heretic.
"Don’t you kinder banker after re­
spectability now an den?” asked Plod­
ding Pete.
"Db, I dunno,” answered Meandering
Mike. “Sometimes I fink dat respecta­
bility ain't much more dan permission
to work liard for what us people gits
for nothin."—Washington Star.
Ill* InlcreHt In Smith.
Brown (from above)—For heaven’s
sake, be more careful, Smith! Remem­
ber. you've got the whisky!
EnrouragiiiK a Young One.
"You are wanted in a hurry at Mr.
Gnzzirm’s,” cried the messenger breath­
lessly.
"Are you sure they sent for me?”
asked young Dr. Killiam.
“Yes. They said you couldn’t do any
barm, as Mr. Gazzam’s dying now.”—
Philadelphia Press.
Wise In Ilia Location.
"Lived here all your life, Uncle
Dave?”
"Yes, sub."
"Never tried to lynch you?”
“No. sub. De neighborhood what I
live In ain’t rich enough fer rope.”—At­
lanta Constitution.
A Great Preface.
Publisher—I fear your book Is too
short. It consists of only 40 pages.
Author—Ob, I explain all that in the
preface.
Publisher—W'bat length Is it?
Author— Five hundred pages, sir.—
Ohio State Journal.
Peace at Any Price.
"She said I was to return all her let­
ters."
“Did you?”
"I coaxed her to make up with me.
How could I let her know 1 hadn’t kept
them?*'—Chicago Record-Herald.
Definition.
“Father,” said the little boy, “what
does 'credulous dupe’ mean?”
"My sun. it means a man who leaves
bls umbrella at home because the
weather prediction Is ‘fair.’"—Wash­
ington Star.
Cause nnd Effect.
“What a sour look young Bucking­
ham seems to have lately!”
"Well, you can’t blame him. He's
Cons I deration.
“My wife Is very considerate.” said been Jilted by that rich pickle man's
the newly married man. “She Is nl daughter, you know.”—Chicago Rec­
ways buying me neckties and colored ord-Herald.
shirts."
The U.nnI Way.
“And 1 suppose you nre considerate
Ethel—I think that vase is awful
nnd generous In your turn.”
homely, don't you?
"Yes. I wouldn't hurt her feelings
Maud—Yes. I have dropped it on
for tiie world. I wear 'em.”—Washing­ the floor three times, but It won’t
ton Star.
break.-Somerville Journal.
The manuscripts of the fifteenth nnd
He Knew From Experience.
sixteenth centuries are In many cases
Miss Wilkins—Ah, what a change one
Almost Illegible on account of the fad little woman can make In a man's life!
Ing of the Ink. At that time the lamp-
Mr. Smithers—Exactly! And wbat a
black Inks passed out of use and chem­ heap of change she requires while do­
ical Inks became popular.
ing It!— f -v Stories
A startler.
A gentleman whose hearing Is de
fectlve Is tiie owner of a dog that Is the
terror of the neighborhood In which he
Ilves.
The other day he was accosted by a
friend, who said:
“Good morning. Mr. H. Your wife
made a very pleasant cal) on us last
evening.”
"I'm very sorry." came the startling
reply. "I'll see Hint It don't occur
again, for I'm going to chain her up In
future.”—Txjndon Telegraph.
The trans portion of letters in the
same word sometimes produces the
most ludicrous results. In "The Still
Hour," which was written by Profess­
or Phelps. Is tiie fine line. "Tiie still­
ness of the hour Is the stillness of a
dead calm nt sen.” A large number
was printed nnd disposed of before It
was disco» ereil Hint "clam” had been
printed for “»-'m "________
Hamburg's navnl observatory will be
removed to tiie village of Bergersdorf,
as the smoke nnd Jarring of the city In­
terfere with tlie observations.
Vermont Is to have an “old home
week” in A ugust.
The value of the pictures In the Na­
tional gallery. London, is about £1.250,-
600.
Mexico buys all of Its shears and
sharp edged tools from the United
States.
Maps and globe covers are articles
of Import into this country from Edin­
burgh.
Two hundred and fifty thousand mil­
lions of locusts were killed In Cyprus In
two years.
The largest Inclosure for deer Is said
to be tiie Ltoyal park tn Copenhagen.
4,200 acres.
Australia’s first measured wool clip
was 20,000 tons in 1821. This has now
risen to 2.700,000.
Germany lias colonies and posses­
sions whose area is equal to nearly five
times her own size.
Russian authorities begin to think
there are too many students In the em­
pire nnd may take steps to reduce the
number.
Timber experts tell us that California
alone lias a capacity of lumber in her
standing forests of over 100,000,000,000
cubic feet.
Up to Jan. 1 last the Massachusetts
highway commission bad Improved 316
miles of road at a cost of more than
$3.000,000.
Nearly 1,200 boys and girls are licens­
ed by the city council of Liverpool to
sell newspapers, matches, shoe laces,
etc., upon the streets.
Roughly speaking, Britain produces
for export a little less than twice as
much per head of her population as the
United States, France or Germany.
Chicago has a mounted policeman,
Arthur J. Stiles, who claims to have
stopped 140 runaway horses, and in
this respect be bolds the national rec­
ord.
Recent census statistics In Italy
show that the proportion of population
not able to read or write has decreased
to 39 per cent. In 1881 it was 55 per
cent.
The sugar cane was Introduced into
America soon after the discovery, and
Its cultivation rapidly spread over nil
those parts of the new world adapted
to Its growth.
Candy makers calculate that the
price of their products should be put at
double the cost of the material, which
will allow them a fair return for rent,
labor and interest.
According to an apparently authentic
article in a French periodical, not less
than 20,000 aristocrats are at present
confined In the prisons of Europe. Rus­
sia stands first, with 12,000 blue blood­
ed lawbreakers.
An effort is being made to establish
iu one of the Scotch universities a
chair for the study of the Scotch lan­
guage and literature. The old Scottish
tongue as written by James V Is al­
most unintelligible to the modern
Scotchman.
The public printer of Minnesota beat
all records l:y issuing the laws passed
by the recent legislature within two
days after adjournment. They consist
of 4.81 general laws, 14 special laws and
2 constitutional amendments. They
comprise 140 columns of type set In
nonpareil and agate. When “made up,”
they make 20 pages of an ordinary dal­
ly newspaper.
A correspondent writing to a London
paper points out that among the heredi­
tary duties which on the death of
George IV Were temporarily surrender­
ed to the nation, but of which the king
may resume possession If he will, is the
duty on beer. When King William IV
died, these duties were revived until
the passage of the civil list act six
months later.
Ocean steamships nowadays are as
regular as railroads in carrying the
malls. They have their habitual rates
of speed and are expected to make the
voyage of 3.000 miles over a trackless
ocean through wind and storm in the
same number of hours and minutes,
winter and summer, never slowing
down or heaving to except on the very
rarest occasions.
At a meeting of the Paris Academy
of Medicine Dr. Jarre announced the
discovery of a remedy for the foot and
mouth disease, which Is so fatal to
sheep. He says be has successfully
used the remedy in 1,500 cases in two
years. It consists of a concentrated
solution of chromic acid chemically
pure at 33 per cent; this applied as a
caustic to the sore. The cure Is rapid
and certain.
It Is expected In the near future or­
anges will be grown in Washington as
palatable as those of Florida. The trees
are now bearing, but the fruit will not
be ripe until fall, so the real flavor can­
not be determined. The experiment lias
been carried on by II. J. Weber, an ex­
pert In plant breeding, who obtained
hybrid from 12 of the hardiest oranges
known In tiie world, and the prospects
are promising.
A solid silver cross was recently re­
ceived In Montreal from Michael Clt
Col. an Indian, who had found it while
digging In the Lake Lemargarnlngue
district. A Jesuit has recognized the
cross, which has two bars, as one of
the 50 silver crosses presented to the
Huron Indians in the early part of the
sixteenth century to bribe them to
fight for France against the Iroquois
Indians, who were then friendly to
England.
At various times the municipal cor­
poration of Liverpool has obtained
powers from parliament to borrow
sums amounting to $2.000.000 for the
dcmolltiou and Improvement of prop­
erty found to be unsanitary. This
large amount has already been expend­
ed with the exception of nbout $35,-
000. The number of houses which have
already been demolished by the mu­
nicipal council ns unfit for habitation
Is 6,500. Liverpool has now in course
of erect lou 183 bouses for the poo-
Steeple Claydon, in North Bucks.
England, claims the distinction of be
Ing the first paHsh to adopt the publlt
libraries act In the reign of King E»'
ward VII.
During *he year 1900 the Berlin el
trie trams caused 2.652 accidents, ii
voicing the ioss of 26 live.,, while 1 '
persons were severely and 1,302 «ygl»’
ly Injured.
The biggest nnd most costly hotel In
Boston is to go up this season on the
site of the Brunswick. It Is to be in
elegance n rival of New York's Wnl
dorf-Astoria.
LULLABY.
We’v* windered all «bout the upland fallow^
We've watched the rabbits at their play,
But now good night, goodby to soaring awallowi,
Now good night, goodby, dear day.
Poppy heads are closing fast, pigeone circle home
at last;
Sleep, liebchen, sleep, the bats are callingj
Pansies never miss the light, but sweet babel
must sleep at night;
Sleep, liebchen. sleep, the dew is falling.
Even wind among the quiet willows
Rests, anti the sea is silent too.
Bee soft white linen, cool, such cool white pillows
\\ ait in the darkling room for you.
All the little chicks are still; now the moon peepe
down the hill;
Sleep, liebchen, sleep, the owls are hooting.
Ships have hung their lanthorna out; little mice
dare creep about;
Sleep, liebchen, sleep, the stars are shooting.
—Ford M. liuefer in Littell’s Living Age.
THE OCEAN SCORCHER.
He
Who Draa* About How Many
Time* He Ha* “Cro*,nl.”
The ocean scorcher, the woman or
man who was forever bragging about
how many times be had “crossed,” is,
thank lien ven, on the decrease. Fash­
ion lias at last set the seal of her dis­
approval on him, and he is rapidly be­
coming obsolete. The fashion is now
never to mention the number of times
one lias been to Europe. "The last time
1 was over” is tiie way to refer to nn
over the water experience if you wish
to be in the vogue. Of course you may,
If you truthfully can, say "the time be­
fore last 1 was over” or “the tenth time
I crossed” or "during my seventh trip
through Europe,” but a great majority,
you will find, say “the last time I was
over.” It is safer—when one has been
over but once.
Pin ninny of these travelers so fond
of relating tlieir European experiences
down to the figures, and you will find
tliat “tiie last time I was over” bears a
close relation to the little boy who said
he was next to the head of bls class,
to have it transpire later that the class
consisted of hlntself and a little girl.
“The last time I was over” may, like
ns not, have been the first. Still any­
thing Is better than the ocean scorcher
ami Ills bragging. To him it didn’t
matter where lie hadn't been or wliat
he hadn’t seen or anything, but simply
bow many times lie had crossed.
The one time on record that any one
was known to get ahead of these
scorchers was when a lot of them were
sitting swapping lies on a certain
steamship deck ami a nonscorcber, hav­
ing learned that the star scorcher’s rec­
ord was 188 runs, remarked, “There’s a
man on board who has crossed 566
times.” Then, ns the excitement caused
by tiie news somewhat subsided: "He's
never been anywhere except to the two
ports Liverpool and New York. He’s
never seen anything, he’s never doue
anything, but just cross the ocean 566
times-he's the ship's barber.”—New
York 1Sun.
He Hacked Off Ills Leg;.
Caught in a bear trap on the banks
of the Athabasca, near Milford, Me.,
John McLeod, a lumber scaler, was
obliged to take out his jackknife and
cut off ids leg. Tiie trap was too heavy
to move and wits sprung in such a way
that be could not reach over and re­
lease it. He was far from any human
being, and the only way out of it seem­
ed to be to cut off the leg.
Tliat was done easily, because the leg
upon which lie operated was of wood.
But wlien lie stumped back to camp .t
made him mad to hear tiie Jeers of tiie
French-Canadian cook of the lumber
crew.
"Why you no take off you whole
wood lalg, ah? You get out um tlirap
and no spile you wood laig ’tall, ah?”
Such a way out of his difficulty bad
not occurred to McLeod before.
»kill In Throwing Off Mall DaK*.
The busiest clerk in any crew or car
Is the one who is detailed to receive
nnd throw off the sacks and pouches.
To lift a heavy mall sack and throw It
from a car moving at the rate of a mile
a minute Is a matter of good target
shooting. “Looks easy enough,” com­
mented one of the veteran clerks at tiie
letter case, "nnd It does seem as If a
man should be able to hit a station
platform without much difficulty, but
you see that station Is passed and gone
In about one second. Then, tiie suction
of a train running at tills speed Is some­
thing terrific, nnd until the knack of
throwing a pouch is learned a mau is
liable to feed the wheels with a few
letters.”—Saturday Evening Post.
Orlaln of the Word Sterling.
The origin of the word "sterling" is
very curious. Among the early mint-
ers of coin In northern Europe were the
dwellers of eastern Germany. They
were so skillful in their calling that
numbers of them were invited to Eng­
land to manufacture the metal money
of tiie kingdom. Tiie strangers were
known as "easterllngs.” After a time
tiie word became “sterling.” and In
this abbreviated form It lias come to
imply what is genuine in money, plate
or character.
Quit*.
He—You women have such a ridicu­
lous linl.lt of screaming “Oh!” on every
occasion.
She—And you men have such n ridic­
ulous habit of saying “I” on every oc­
casion.—Indianapolis Press.
Other Allurement*.
Mr. Goodman—Why don't you take
the pledge, my good fellow?
Jaggsby—Because there are too many
other things to take.-Denver Times.
The worst mosquito Infested neigh­
borhood In tiie world is the coast ol
Borneo. The streams of that region
are at certain seasons unnavlgablc be­
cause of tiie clouds of mosquitoes.
The horseshoe It. China as well ns In
other countries is looked upon as a har­
binger of good luck. For that reason
Chinese mandarins when burled have
horseshoe graves.
The Coffee He Wanted.
Lady, said tiie beggar, "won't yer
flinme a nickel to git some coffee?”
1 lie woman did so. and be started In­
to the neighboring saloon.
“Here.” she cried, "you don't get cof­
fee in there!”
Lady, he replied, "flat’s where yer
way off. Dey keeps It on de bar wld
de cloves an orange peel”
Since 1880 140.000 British farm la­
borers have been displaced by ma­
chinery. This machinery could be
made by 4,500 men in one year.
. s-ïi