T A m mt - '
A natter of t
By TOM MASSON
Cupjright, IPO. y pJW .Voakm
ITE turned her sweet face upon
the president of the hank. It
j was an earnest face, too, not
one In which sorrow had left Its
mark, but demure, intelligent, yet tine
and aristocratic in its almost severely
classical lines.
The president of the bank was used
to dealing with women. Only just the
moment before one reputed to be the
richest of her sex had left him. tall.
matronly, severe, almost shabbily cloth
ed. And he had enjoyed talking with
her, for she always gave him ideas.
Once he had made $5,000 by her ad
vice.
Hut here was a different proposition
lie glanced rapidly at the young wom
an before him. at her hat. at the tips
of her lingers, and then covertly down
at her shoes, and mentally decided that
she was a lady.
Hut ladies, he knew by experience,
sometimes expected very foolish things
to be done for them, so he braced him
self for almost any degree of polite
refusal as he said:
"What can I do for you?"
In answer he took a man's card out
of her cardcase and laid it on his desk.
"I want you to tell me." she said
"what you know about that youug
. man."
The president of the bank glanced at
the name on the card "Mr. John Seo
Held Granger."
Granger was one of the bank's depos
itors.
"I should like to oblige you. madam
he said, "but our relations with our
depositors are strictly confidential."
In answer to tins the young woman
again opened her cardcase and. taking
from It a larger card than the one she
had first presented, laid it by the other.
"This is my name." she said. "I be
lieve you know papa."
The president of the bank read the
. name on the card. Yes. he knew papa,
l'apa was a well known member of
the Stock Exchange named Meredith.
So this was his daughter.
".Surely, Miss Meredith." he said;
"but why did you not ask your father
to procure this information for you?"
"Papa Is so busy." she replied; "be
sides, this is a matter that concerns
myself alone. Now. can't you break
your rule if I assure you everything
will be in the strictest confidence and
tell me what you know about Mr.
Granger?"
The bank president smiled.
"You seem somewhat interested In
this young man." he observed.
His visitor blushed slightly.
"I am." she said. "The fact is I am
thinking of marrying him. but I want
to be sure. You see. I am somewhat
used to looking out for myself, and
this is an important matter.
nd so I
am looking up Jack."
The bank president bowed. "You
are quite right." he observed, "and I
qJ"1' !rtv. viii rhr sini nn5ilnr;i ttnti
that I would accord to the largest
trust In the world. Excuse me a mo
ment" lie disappeared into the cashier's of
fice, and when he returned he bore In
his hand a penciled memorandum.
"I find." he said, "that Mr. Jack
Granger has held an account with us
for five years, during which time it has
never once been overdrawn. He Is
connected with a large importing
"I came," the naU1, "to tcc about Mr.
Jack Grawicr."
house, as you probably know, and we
have every reason to believe he is
worthy of your confidence."
She "held out her hand. "Thank you."
she said. "That Is precisely what I
wished to know."
In flfte'.H minutes more Miss Mere
dith had eent in another card, her own.
to the vice president of a large dry
gooda house on Worth street. lie came
running out to meet her.
"Ilello, Maud!" he said. "What can I
do for you? What are you doing down
town? This is no place for you."
"I came on a matter of business.
Uncle Hilly." she said. "Do you keep
those books in your office that give the
standing of business people?"
"Why, yes. of course; both of 'em."
"Then tell me what you can find out
about Mr. Jack Granger."
-"Wiio's he?"
"Here's Ilia business card."
Uncle Billy looked at the pasteboard.
"I can tell you now." he said, "that
the firm is all right. As for the boy
himself. I'll get a special report on
him and send it up to you tonight.
What do you want to know for?"
"I'm thinking of marrying him."
Uncle Hilly burst into loud laughter.
"Good for you!" he exclaimed. "That's
the way to do. If all girls were like
that, there would be fewer divorces.
Why don't you go down and see the
head of Ida firm? He'll tell you about
the young man."
That's where I'm going now." she
said. "Hut ynii .viiow I made an ap
pointment with him by telephone
while .lack will be at luncheon."
The head of the linn was sitting at
his desk when she came in. obedient to
her appointment, and wondering what
in the deuce Miss Meredith wanted to
see him about.
Her business was soon stated.
"I came," she said, "to see about Mr.
Jack Granger. Is he honest, sober and
Industrious? I low is his everyday
temper? Can you trust him? Does he
get a good salary and will he ever get
any more? I want to know all vou can
tell me."
The head of the firm looked at her in
blank amazement.
"IMease don't think me impertinent."
she said, "but this vounir man 1ms risk
ed me to marry iiiin. You know. I
really think a great deal of him. in
deed 1"
She paused and then went on more
slowlv:
I cannot afford to take the risks
that I have seen other girls take. 1
want to know the worst about him
now that is. if there is anv wnrl"
The head of the linn walked to the
door and closed It. while his kindly old
eyes beamed affectionately upon his
earnest questioner.
"My dear young lady," he said,
'you're the kind that It does me good
to look at. I'll tell you all I know."
It was nearly half past S that even
ing when she came down to greet him. J
You mustn't mind my keeping you!
waiting," she said. "I have had so
much to do."
"I like that," he replied. "So much
to do! Now. If you had the things to
do that I am doing"
"Hut really I have been busy. I've
been looking you up. I hope you don't
mind."
"Looking me up! Is that why you
haven't given me my answer?"
"Yes. that's the reason. I've been to
your bank and your firm and some
other places. You see. as you want me
to marry you I wanted to know the
truth."
1 1 is face tlushed.
"Then you couldn't trust inc?" he
said.
"It wasn't a question of trusting
you. It was a case of finding out what
others thought of you and comparing
It with your private opinion. Jack. It
was business. Do you mind?"
lie caught her hand in his.
"No." he replied; "why should
r
What's the answer?"
She put her head on his shoulder.
"You'll do." she said.
MAN'S LOVE OF THE DOG.
r All Antnmln. Only the I)or
.Hade Alliance AVIth I .
Man loves the dog, but how much
uore ought he to love it if he consid-
?red in the inflexible harmony of the
aws of nature the sole exception, which
that love of a being that succeeds in
dercing iu order to draw closer to us
the partitions everywhere else Imper
meable that separate Ihe species: We
ire alone, absolutely alone, on this
thnnce planet, and amid ail the forms
5f life that surround us not one. e.-
eptlng the dog, has made an alliance
with us. A few creatures fear us. most
ire unaware of us. and not one loves
us. in the world or plants we nave
lumb and motionless slaves, dut they
?erve Iks in pite of themselves. They
imply endure our laws and our yoke.
They are impotent prisoners, victims
Incapable of escaping, but silently re
bellious, and so soon as we lose siih;
f them they hasten to betray us and
return to their former wild and mis-bi-'vous
liberty. The rose and the corn,
had they wings, would fly at our ap
proach like the birds.
Among the animals we number a few
-ervants who have submitted only
through indifference, cowardice or stu
pidity the uncertain and craven horse,
who responds only to pain and is at
tached to nothing; the passive and de
jected ass. who stays with us only be
muse he knows not what to do nor
where to go. but who nevertheless tin
ier the cudgel and the pack saddle re
tains the Idea that lurks behind his
ars; the cow and the o.". happy so Ions
as they are eating and docile because
for centuries they have not had a
thought of tlulr own; the affright-d
sheep, who knows no other master than
terror: the hen. who is faithful to the
poultry yard because she finds more
maize and wheat there than in the
neighboring forest. I do not speak of
the ca-t. to whom we are nothing more
than a too large and uneatable prey.
le ferocious cat. whose sidelong eon
t nipt tolerates us only as incumbering
parasites iu our own homes. She. at
Ii ast. curses us in her mysterious
he.-i-t, but all the others live beside us
is they might live beside a rock or a
I tree. They do not love us. do not know
us, scarcely notice us. They are un
aware of our life, our death, our depar
ture, our return, our sadness, our joy.
our smile. They do not even hear the
sound of our voice as soon as It no lon
ger threatens them, and when they
look at us It Is with the distrustful be
wilderment of the horse, in whose eye
still hovers the Infill uationt,of the elk
or gazel that sees us for the first time,
or with the dull stupor of the rumi
nants, who look upon us as a momen
tary and useless accident of the pas
ture. Maurice Maeterlinck In Century.
Sure of n Fine Funornl.
"Larry," said a merchant to a sturdy
Irishman iu ids employ, "are you sav
ing any of your money?"
"Indade I am. sor," replied Larry.
"I've got $-100 hid away In a safe
place."
"Hut it isn't a public spirited policy
to hoard money away." remarked the
merchant, thinking to quiz him. "You
ought to deposit it in a good bank, so
as to keep It in circulation."
"Sure it'll all go into cirkylation the
second day aft her I'm dead, sor," said
Larry proudly.- Youth's Companion.
CJIi'In Kept In Cairo.
It Is said that the people of New
Hritain have a peculiar custom of con-!
fining their girls in cages until thev
reach marriageable age. These cages
ire built of wood cut from the palm
tree and are inside the rude houses.
Outside each house is a fence of wick-
erwork made of reeds. The girls are j
caged at the age of two or three and
are never allowed to go out of the
house, yet the seem strong and
healthy.
STORY OK AN OYSTER
T OLD BY HIMSELF ABOUT HIMSELF
AND HIS TRIBE.
The Trial anil Trihulutlon of the
sin .-Hit-in iiitnivo From the Timo
of I'liiutinir I it t i I IHh Apnciirnnee
on the FKhilioiiir.er Counter.
" '
Then- were about 1)00.000 of us when,
MS tillV llllU-l'-i flf JIM Wll "uttllf " fill
i "iM
.lie oyster spawn is called we floated
Din into the water one day on "the
finis."
At first we were white and apparent-
ly lifeless. Then we turned gray and
filially black. At this stage we became
visibly alive. For several days we
Hoatcd, the sport of waves and tides,
Some of my brothers were carried out
to sea and so vanished: others wore
swallowed by fish. At last we all be-
gan instinctively to sink toward the
bottom.
Then began again terrible destrue-
tlon. Many fell on mud the most fa-
tal thing a young oyster can da These
perished at once. Others attached
themselves to plants and weeds which
grow at the bottom of the sea. They
lived for a time-so long at least as the
plant remained alive. Then, when the
plant died, they perished as well.
Fortunately for myself, I drifted on
to a bit of "cultch" that is to saw ono
of the old shells which the dredgers
and oyster men so carefully scatter all
over the sea Moor of nn nvstcr brl T
St'Ull'(1 ,vMlh m-v ll,?P sho11 uppermost
and my fiat or right shell nearer the
ground. At the time I did not know
why I did this. I have since realized
that It Was because In that position I
should be i lore easily able to eject the
sand and n-it which a rough sea some-
fines stir- up in shallow water. I at-
tached n:.e2f firmly to my anchorage
of "cultcY" and felt invself at last fair-
ly started iu life.
Soon I noticed that every single mor-
sel .f s':ell or stone around me was
tenanted by tiny ojsters. all lying In
tne sani" position as myself and all
tiruilv ai. 'bored.
Tl.ll-. 1 l.H- 1llllr1-lnrr V...
year. Food, in the shape of tiny an!
maleuhe. which an oyster loves best,
was plentiful. When the water was
thick with it. we all opened our shells
wide. and. making currents In the wa
ter by means of the tliry hairs which
fringe our gills and which men call our
!eards. we washed the dainties into
our mouths. Our choicest delicacies
were the minute green alga;, which
give to full grown oysters that greenish
tinge that is the mark of the arlsto
era tic native.
When I first anchored myself, I was
but the twentieth of an inch In diameter-
so small, indeed, that a microscope
would have been necessary to examine
me. At that stage my shell was per
fectly transparent.
At the end of ten months I had In
cr ased In diameter to fully the size
of a dime and become what Is called
"biMd."
Paring nil this time 1 had been learn
ing many things. I found out that It
was necessary to close my shell tight
when dangers of various kinds i .eat
ened. when the tide was low or, in win
ter, when frost was severe. You may
perhaps Imagine that an oyster Is a
creature of such low organism that it
cannot see or feel much of what Is go
ing on round about It. Hut you are
wrong. The mantle fringe of an oyster
is ery sensitive, if you watched us
from a boat In calm water, you would
see that the mere shadow of the boat
cru.ssftftr an oyster bed will cause those
of n upon whom It fails to close our
shells hunted lately.
It was ne .! ry to be most careful.
Hangers were many and terrible. Sea
urchins prowled among us and de
voured many. Hut of all our foes the
worsj is the five lingered starfish. One
of my sisters, anchored not a yard
away, fell a victim to this terror of
the oyster beds. It clutched her with
its loin: finiei-s. She closed her shell.
Hut the creature was not to be shak
i n off. Hour after hour it clung there
until tin the second day after its first
grip she. poor thing, opened her shell
to et a moutluul of food. At once the
-taiiish injected into her a fluid which
stupefied her so that she could not
dose again. Then the monster turned
itself inside out. shot Itself Into the
open shell and devoured her.
Then, one day a year after I had
floated as "spat." came a startling
change in my existence. Something
huge and heavy came out of the shall
ow of a boat above and approached,
rasping and grating along the bottom.
It was a great triangular dredge of
wrought iron. At the bottom was a
flat bar with a blunt edge, known to
the dredgers as the "bit."
As the "bit" approached It scraped
the bottom of the sea clean, and next
Instant 1. loo. found myself lifted and
dropped Into the net. together with
hundreds like myself and a miscel
laneous collection of small soles and
other things.
One of the men sorted over the catch
and, hacving selected all the oysters
and spaft. 'shaded" the rest back Into
the seathrough a porthole.
I, iu company xvlth enormous quan
tities of other brood, was put Into a
"wash" a measure holding live and a
quarter gallons -and relald. Here life
was less eventful and food most plen
tiful. To fatten well nn oyster must
have a certain amount of fresh water.
In this snug retreat I passed from
brood to half ware and from half ware
to ware, or full grown oyster. Hut I
still went on growing and developing,
until one day the dredge swept me up
igain, and I was raised once more Into
the upper air and rapidly brought In.
I was then dropped into a large bag
j and suspended in a tank of fresh sea
water, which is constantly renewed.
There I await my final fate, which
ill. I fear, be a fishmonger's counter.
New York Newa.
He ICnnv u ThlnK or Two.
Anaxagoras. the Athenian philoso
pher, who flourished iu the fifth cen-
lu,-v Christ, taught his scholars
that wind was air set in motion by
rarefaction; that the moon owed her
light giving properties to the sun; that
the rainbow was the resulting phenom
enon of reflection; that comets were wan
dering stars, and that the fixed stars
were at an immeasurable distance be
yond the sun, besides giving them manj
other ideas thought to beloug to more
modern times.
COINS OF THE PAST.
Cold I'iece Thai Were Once Com-
i...t ,r.. .,w Unrelv Seen.
Recent mention of the disappearance
of the $2.50 gold piece from circulation
u,c pruilliuin mi cum euinmaiius
I . . i f .i.r i r.
as a curio has act many to rummaging
HI Old pucKCiwoous uuu uuiiuuis ui casu
I t - - . ....,1 l..LU. fi ......1.
DOXCS llllll (Il.lWUrS Ml SeaiCIl Ol OUU Or
I . . I. .!
nut of date coins. Some have found a
$2.50 niece, but not many. The S3
I . ... t...t ..1
"'ini i mice mint cuiiiiiiuu. uiil iiiu ji vs ii
Bort 0f curiosity, is oftener found, and
many have specimens of the little gold
coins representing 25 cents and HO
cents which were not minted by the
government and probably have not so
much gold in them as they represent
They used to pass as coin, but were
never in general circulation, being so
easily lost that they soon became
Bcarce. One of the handsomest coin
relics seen is a $10 gold piece bearin
the mint stamp of 1799. It is larger
than the present $10 piece. The owner
1ms It hung in n hand and wears it as
a charm on his watch chain. The own-
or says he refused an offer of $15) lot
this relic. The old octagonal $50 pieces
were uuite common in California in
early days,, when gold dust was largely
used as a circulating medium. 1 hey
were made of pure gold, and. while
they had not the elegant finish of t:
gold coins minted by the government
in these days, many still remember
them as the handsomest coins they ever
saw. Many people now would consider
them handsome on account of the .."(
Iu them.-Xew York Tribune.
BURNING THE YULE LOG.
The Cuntom One of Ancient Orluln.
'r,,t v,,,t t'aiuite.
The custom of burning a large log
of wood which Is known as the Yule
log is very ancient In its origin. All
through the middle ages every fami
house, cottage and castle in Kngland
burned its Yule log upon the hearth,
the log being dragged in with much
ceremony
At Yul. tide when ih reat Iok flamed
In chimne piece ami laiSKh and jest
WCUt riHIluf.
The word "Yule" itself seems to be
derived from the Anglo Saxon "Geol,"
meaning Iecember. Earlier still the
Yule, or midwinter, feast is seen In Its
most flourishing state among the Norse
nun, who commemorated the fiery sun
wheel with a mighty feast. They be
lieved tiiat during the twelve nights
from I ice '." to Jan. ( they could trace
the
;ual movement of their great
'din. or thlhinn. the god ot storms.
and other deified beings on the earth.
The Yuie log. with Its cheery blaze,
comes to us across the centuries as a
dim memorv of the tires lit to celebrate
the setting out of the sun on his north
ward Journey toward the light and
warmth of summer.
A large candle known as the Yule
canine useu aiso 10 iigiu me v in tamma
eve festivities. It was a bad omen If
the candle burned out before the even
ing was at an end.Detroit Free Press.
A Ilaln of Commas.
The Countess Henrlette do Witt, the
daughter of Gulzot, the historian, was
a charming lady, but she had a culpa
ble indifference to the art of punctua
tion. Her father wrote her two pretty
little essays on the subject Whether
she was able to take the "middle
course," after her second lecture, we
are not told, but at least she had not
found It before.
'My dear Henrlette." wrote Gulzot,
'I am afraid I shall still have to take
you to task with regard to your punc
tuation. There is little or none of it in
your letters. All punctuation marks a
period of repose for the mind, a stage
more or less long, an Idea which Is
done with or momentarily suspended
and which is divided by such a sign
from the text
'You, Henrlette, suppress those pe
riods, those intervnls. You write as
the stream flows, as the arrow tUes.
That will not do at nil. because the
ideas one expresses are not at all Inti
mately connected, like drops of water."
Either Mile. Gulzot was taking a
clever revenge or she was past all re
demption, for this is her father's next
letter:
i dare say you will find me very
provoking, but let me beg of you not to
fling so ma 113 commas at my head.
You are absolutel3 pelting me wish i
them as the Sablnes pelted poor T.i
peia with their bucklers."
The Vcmntilc Amcrlvnu.
The Englishman has none of that ad
around mental activity which distin
guishes the American. He knows only
one tiling that by which he earns his
living and he doe3 not desire to kuow
anything else. Far less Is he ashamed
of not knowing It A London police
man, If you ask him about some dis
tant street or building of Importance,
will reply civilly, but unabashed. "I
can't tell you, sir; that Is not In my
beat." An American policeman would
know the fact, and If ho did not kuow
It he would feel called upon to apolo
gize for hla Ignorance.
Many a New England farmer can
build or repair his bnrn, paint and
plaster his house, "tinker" his mowing
machine, shoe his horse, doctor his
cow, break his colt row or. sail his
boat, "butcher" his pig, shear his
sheep, skin a fox, track a deer. hlv
bees, serve as guide or lumberman
play the fiddle, solve a problem In
arithmetic, make a good speech In
town meeting and do a hundred other
things besides. There Is probably not
a man in all England who can do half
so many things. The American is
quick witted, has far more general ln-
telligence and information and isthere-
fore by fnr a better workman. II. O.
Merwln In Harper's Magazine.
Where Three In n Crowd.
Tom I suppose you spent a pleasant
evening with your best girl.
Dick Pleasant? Huh! A fellow can't
make love to his girl in a crowd.
Tom Oh, was there a crowd there?
Dick Yes, and the chump didn't have
sense enough to realize that he wasn't
wa n ted . Ch i ca go Tri b u n e.
Where It Should HckIii.
"Hut why do you have your hero
marry in the first chapter?" they asked
"Hecause," replied the author, "it ha
always seemed absurd to me to end ;
novel just where a man's troubles real
ly begin. That's where you should be
gin the story ."-Chicago Post.
tVOMAN AND FASHION
A Drex.s Frock.
The illustration shows a dress frock
3f I'ompeiian red satin for a little girl
from five to eleven years old. The skirt
Is made with box plaits in front, two of
which are ornamented with straps of
FOI: A LITTLE GIKL.
cashmere embroidery. The bottom ol
the skirt Is finished with rows of stitch
ing.
The blouse, with tucked plastron of
the same satin. Is trimmed with bands
of the embroidery, forming standing
collar, turnover collar with cravat
ends, half bretelles and shoulder
straps. The sleeves are box plaited on
the outside and finished with cuffs or
namented with stitching, formiiif
points. The belt is of the satin.
The Chiffon Illonse.
Every tailor made gown of the pres
ent moment has as a bodice one of
those charming blouses of chiffon and
lace, the chiffon being in the same col
or as the costume ami all carrying out
the new Idea which we seem to be ex
ploiting I. e.. the skirt and waist to
niMtcli These chiffon bodices ire re;illv
; thu pnttk,st fml Wt. lmvo imhllml ,
for a long time. They are made always
In a tone of chiffon to match exactly
the ens tunic with which they are worn
and are generally made up in the style
of a full bodice of accordion plaited
chiffon, fitting somewhat loosely over a
tight fitting lining of satin or silk. Then
a bolero or stole of lace with half
sleeves and collar Is added. Often
stripes of old lace form the only orna
mentation. Very often the bodice Is
pouched all round over a swathed
waistband of silk cut rather high.
Again It is sometimes made tight fit
ting at the back and sides and very
loose only in front, with a narrow belt
of the same colored ribbon, the distinc
tive note In these bodices 'ing that
everything must be the exact coior of
Hi: fklri. The '.cv5 arc very full,
with a cap of lace and a loose bishop
undersleeve of chiffon confined at the
wrist with a lace cuff. For afternoon
wear there is nothing so populnr as
these little bodices.
Hat For Yonnfi Women.
All very young women are affecting
large black hats, and largo hats are al
ways exceedingly becoming to jotith
ful beauties. They are either built on
very severe lines or tlnw are a mass of
flowing plumes or their outlines are
softened b.v bunches of tips. An ex
tremely attractive hat has a straight
brim In the front and on one side, and
at the left side It Is turned up abruptly
and caught with a rosette of black vel
vet. Another model of rough black felt
is turned up on the left side and held
there with a parrot's breast and head.
Kmhrolilcrctl Shhrt Waist.
The illustration pictures a pale blue
broadcloth shirt waist with brilliant
FOU MOUSING WEAH.
toned cmbroideiy. A band of oriental
work Is down the front and at the
wrists, while the stock Is all over hand
work.
Many New RuchliiffM.
A revival In the way of dress acces
sories Is the many new ruchlngs for
the neck and sleeves. These are seen iu
crepe do chine, inousseline de sole, chif
fon, liberty, French mull and all kinds
of fancy nets.
The3 come in the narrow widths foi
collars and will take the place to a cer
tain extent of the turnover collars and
cuffs which havc been, worn so long.
A tittle Off.
"Really," said Mrs. Oldcastle,
little dinner last night was
'your
quite
recherche."
"Oh, dear." her hostess groaned, "I
Just knew that new cook would mnke
a botch of It some way!" Chicago llec-ord-Herald.
Flattery was formerly eonsineieu a
vice, but It Is now grown into a cus
tom. Syrus.
We rarely confess that we deserve
what we suffer. Quesnel.
I a grasshopper race.
BlacUaj Won It ltccinine Ihe Pro
fi-Moir Got the U riniK Il.itlle.
John W. Mackay wa.i an early riser.
a hard worker and. although exceed
ingly hospitable, was himself abstemi
ous and could seldom be induced tc
play cards for money, and then for
only nominal stakes. The only game
that seemed to attract him was tin
grasshopper races" with which the
mining superintendents on the Com
stock beguiled a portion of the noon
hour while waiting for luncheon at tin
Savage company hoisting house. Hoys
caught grasshoppers and sold them tc
the players at J3 to 50 cents each. Each
player paid a fixed stake, ranging from
$1 to $L'u, Into-tyhe pool, and the man
whose hopper made the longest Jump
captured the pool. On the day before
Christmas it was agreed to celebrate,
that holiday with a pool the stakes In
which were to be $100 for each player,
The terms were "play or pay," and at
the Instance of a German professor
who was a superintendent of a leading
mine each man was allowed to use any
mean's that he might devise to stimu
late his grasshopper. The professor
was so full of his scheme to scien
tifically capture the $1,000 pool for
there were ten entries that he commu
nicated It to a young nssaj'er who was
not a grasshopper plunger. The pro
fessor had experimented and ascertain
ed that a grasshopper that was touch
ed by a feather dipped in a weak solu
tion of aqua ammonia would jump for
his life. The young man also experi
mented, and as a result he filled a bot
tle of the same size and appearance
with cyanide of potassium and man
aged to substitute It for the other in
the professor's laboratorj'. The next
day, when tin professor after much
boasting about his scientific attain
ments dipped a feather In the substi
tuted bottle and touched his Insect with
It, the grasshopper rolled over as dead
as a salt mackerel, amid the roars of
the crowd. Mackay's hopper won the
big pool, and two widows, whose hus
bands had been killed In the Yellow
Jacket mine, received a gift of $500
each from an unknown source. San
Francisco Call.
VERBATIM REPORTING.
It Involved Five Distinct Simultane
ous .Mental Operations.
Psychologists may find an interesting
field for Investigation In the Intellec
tual processes that are involved In rap
id shorthand writing. There nre at
least live distinct mental operations
carried on continuously during verba
tim reporting. First, there Is the sensa
tion of sound received by the ear; sec
ondl.v. there Is the perception by the
brain of the word uttered, practical
simultaneous with the sensation in the
case of a distinct speaker, but often
delayed a large fraction of a second
when a preacher "drops his voice" or
a witness In court has' a foreign accent
In the third place, the stenographer
must analyze the consonantal structure
of nil the less common words In the
sentence, nil except the stock words
and phrases, which he writes by word
nigus by a practically automatic habit
Fourth. thc relatively uncommon
words must be put on paper according
,fl the.princjples of the system employ-
evi. i nis one operation involves many
subordinate and inuiiltelj swift efforts
'of recollection, association and decision.
Fifth, all these mental operations are
carried on while the pen or pencil is
from two or three words to nn entire
sentence behind the speaker this, of
course, in rapid speaking thereby com
plicating the situation by compelling
memory to keep pace with attention.
In other words, while the scribe is
writing the predicate of one sentence
and analyzing an unfamiliar word In
the subject of the next, he Is at the
same time giving his auditor attention
to the predicate of the second sentence
then being uttered b3 the speaker.
This Is Impossible to an untrained mind.
The average educated person cannot re
tain more than perhaps six or eight
words of the exact phraseology of a
speaker at one time. The competent
stenographer can hold up ten, fifteen,
twent.v words or even more In his mem
or.v. while at the same time taxing his
mind by the act off writing the words
that preceded. The World Today.
COSTLY LANTERNS.
The Fnney Lanipn Thnt Pnnnenffer
Conductor!! fweil to Carry.
Modern railroading has driven the
passenger conductor's lantern almost
out of use. Years ago the pride of a
passenger conductor was his lantern.
Then the cars were not so brilliantly
illuminated as the are now, and the
ticket taker was obliged to cany his
light on his left arm In order to see the
pasteboards as he passed through the
dimly lighted car.
At one time the conductors Indulged
In considerable extravagance In the
matter of lanterns. Some of them were
gold and silver plated. The upper part
of the glass globe was colored blue, and
the name of the owner was cut In old
English letters. At the meetings of the
Conductors' association manufacturers
would arrange a great display of costly
lights at one of the hotels In the city In
which the meeting would be held.
Some of the conceits in the lights were
unique, and the prices ranged from $25
to ten times that figure. The glass nnd
plating were kept In a highly polished
state, and none dared to meddle with
this part of the ticket puncher's equip
ment. Conductors still cany their own lan
terns thnt Is. they are on the train
ready for use- but there Is nothing like
the need of them that formerly existed.
Chicago Tribune.
The Kind Hearted Elephant.
A New York minister Is responsible
for this storv. though he does not
vouch for the truth of It, useful as It
ma3 be to point a moral:
"A nest full of 3oung linnets were In
the corner of a field In India. Having
lost their mother, they were cold and
hungry. They fiapped their little feath
erless wings, thereby attracting the at
tention of a huge elephant, which
stood near by.
" Ah,' said the elephant, 'you poor
little things! You have lost your moth
er and have nobody to nestle .vou. I
am a mother and have a mother's
heart. I will nestle you and keep you
warm.' And thereupon the elephant
sat upon the nest containing the poor
little linnets."
WHY WINE FIRST TO HOST.
In America u Mere Formality, but Ib
Itulj a Ueul Xecenalty.
The wine was opened dextrously by
the waiter, who before serving the
guests poured a few drops Into the
host's glass.
"Why did this waiter give you a lit
tle wine before helping the rest of us?"
asked a man of curious mind.
"Oh." said the host "that's always
done."
"I know It's alwa3s done. That does
not answer my question, though. Here,
waiter," the man persisted, "you tell
me why when you open a hnttle of
wine you pour a few drops into the
host's glass before serving the guests."
The waiter smiled and answered:
"It's a matter of form, sir; an old
custom, a politeness. Its origin lies in
the fact that after the removal of the
cork there might be left in the heck of
the bottle a little dust or a few specks
of cork. The first drops poured out
would in that event contain the dust or
the cork, and thus the guet were he
s :ved first might get this refuse; hence
the host Is given the first drops.
"As a matter of fact. If you know
how to open wine you have no difficulty
in keeping the bottle's neck clean. The
custom, therefore. Is a formality in
America. In Italy, though, It Is a real
necessit for over there they pour a
little oil in the necks of their bottles of
native wine before corking on the
ground that this makes the wine air ,
tight No doubt it does, but it also In
some cases gives to the first glass from
the bottle a decidedly oily flavor. There
fore the first glass the host gallantly
takes." Philadelphia Record.
HE WON THE AUDIENCE.
The Way Fred DouKlnaa Got the Best
of Captain Ilynder.
The Inexhaustible sense of humor In
Frederick Douglass kept him clear of
anj sense of gloom, as was never bet
ter seen than on the once famous oc
casion when, the notorious Isaiah Ryn
dcrs of New York, at the head of a
mob, had Interrupted an antlslavery
meeting, captured the platform, placed
himself in the chair and bidden the
meeting proceed. Douglass was speak
ing and, nothing loath, made his speech
only keener and keener for the inter
ference, weaving around the would be
chairman's head a wreath of delicate
sarcasm which carried the audience
with it. while the duller wits of the
burly despot could hardly follow him.
Knowing onl.v in a general way that he
was being dissected, Kynders at last
exclaimed, "What 3ou abolitionists
want to do Is to cut all our throats'"
"Oh. no." replied Douglass in his most
dulcet tones; "we would only cut your
hair." And, bending over the shaggy
and frowzy head of the Rowery tyrant.
he gave a suggestive motion as of scis
sors to his thumb nnd forefinger with
a professional politeness that Instantly
brought down the house, friend and
foe, while Rynders quitted the chair In
wrath and the meeting dissolved Itself
amid general lnughter. It was a more
cheerful conclusion perhaps than thnt
stormier one not unknown in reforma
tory conventions with which Shake- .
speare so often ends his scenes, "Ex- '
cunt fighting." Thomas Wentworth
Wlifrh In the Lamer Income f
Here Is an interesting problem in
mathematics: Two clerks are engaged,
one at a salary which begins at the rate
of $100 a year, with a 3earlj rise or
$20, and the other at a salary com
mencing at the same rate, but with ai
half yearly rise of $.". In each case
payments are made half yearl3. Which
of them has the larger Income?
Who is not tempted to 'say the for-
mer?
Yet the latter is the correct answer,
for in the first 3ear the first clerk re
ceives $100, but the second clerk re
ceives $."o and $53, which amounts to
$105 in the year. The first clerk In
the second year gets, to be sure. $120,
but No. 2 gets $C0 for the first half year
and $J." for the second, or $125 In all.
Gin In England In the Old Days.
Refore intoxicating liquor was made
dear b3 taxes and its sale was regulat
ed bj licenses the use of it in England
was astonishing common. Not only
were there in London 0.000 or 7,000
regular dramshops, but cheap gin was
given by masters to their work people
instead of wages, sold b barbers and
tobacconists, hawked about the streets
on barrows b3 men and women, openly
exposed for sale on every market stall,
forced on the maidservants and other
purchasers at the chandler's shop, un
til, as one contemporary writer puts It,
"one-half of the town seems set up to
furnish poison to the other half."
In the Xumery.
"Mamma, why do landladies object
to children?"
Mother I'm sure I don't know. Rut
go and see what baby is crying about
and tell Johnny to stop throwing things
at people in the street and make George
and Kate cease fighting and tell Dick
If he doesn't stop blowing that tin trum
pet 111 taki-' it away from him. Tit
Hits. Their Celehratlonx.
Hicks Going to celebrate your wood
en wedding, are ou?
Wicks-Yes.
Hicks-Well. I guess I'll celebrate
my wouldn't wedding. It was just five
years ago that that girl from Chicago
said she wouldn't marry me. Somcr
ville (Mass.) Journal.
I'rnperly Illasnoweil.
Lushman I'm troubled with head
aches In the morning. It 111113 be on
account of my eyes. 1'erhaps I need
stronger glasses.
Dr. Sh rude No; I think 3011 merely1
need weaker glasses nnd fewer it
night Exchange.
The Orlulnal Onf. 4
Hutler Rut do you remember all 3011
read?
Raker I hope not. if I did I shouldn't
enjoy the original writings of some of
1113 friends. ou know. Roston Tran
script. The ENMentlalN.
"Which would 3011 rather marry,
Ethel, brains or money?"
"M01103. of course. I can get along,
without the luxuries, but I must have
the necessities." Hrooklyn Life.
r