BANPON 11ECOKPEH.
PIANO TUNERS.
They Are .MukItr of Harmony, bnt
Few Knmv Written MunIc.
The piano tuner was jangling the
keys with one hand as he twisted ami
swung liis little hanuuer at tlie pins
with the other. Now mid then lie
would strike a chord nonchalantly, but
he never pretended to produce nnv
succession of sounds that resembled a
theme or phrase of music. He wound
up with a final jangle (if chords that
were narinomc. but not m :wv manner
related to one another. Then la
screwed on the front of the case and
announced that the tuning was fin
ished.
"Won't you play something for me?
asked the mistress of the household
expectantly.
"I am afraid I can't gratify you.
madam, was the response. "I can t
play."
"Not play? I should think any per
son with such knowledge of harmony
would be a master of music." said the
woman.
"The tuner is a master of harniony.
or his ear is," said the man, "but few
of us know written music. We don't
need it in our business. All a tuner
has to have is an acute ear for notes
and their harmony. With the pitch of
a fork set at a certain point lie has a
basrs to start from, and all he does is
to give each string on the instrument
its proper grade in the scale. It takes
a mighty fine ear and much training of
the sense of hearing, but that Is all
there is to it."
A JAPANESE LEGEND.
Origin of n Strnne lnnect Found
On It In IHnieJi.
Lufcadio 1 1 earn gives a curious tra
dition about a strange insect which is
found only in llimeji. a pretty little
town near the center of Japan. It
seems there once lived a rich noble in
a castle on the outskirts of the town
who was famous for the magnificence
of his dishes, anions which were ten
priceless bowls of solid field. In his
employ was a maidservant of good
family, whose name was O-Kiku, to
whom was intrusted the care of the
precious plate, but to her great despair
one day one of the gold dishes was
missing. Shu searched diligently in
vain, and. not knowing how to prove
her Innocence, in her despair drowned
herself in a well, but her ghost returned
nightly to the spot and could be heard
counting the dishes slowly, with sobs.
"Ichl-mai, ni-mai, san-mai. yo mai. go
nial, roku-mai, shichi-mai. hachi-mai.
ku-mal." up to nine, when there would
follow a loud, wailing cry. and the un
canny count began over again. At last
the uneasy spirit passed into the body
of aa insect whose head somewhat re
sembles a ghost with long, tousled
hair, and in that part of Japan it is
considered unlucky to cultivate the
chrysanthemum, as the girl's name.
O-Kiku, ineans chrysanthemum.
The Dieting of let Dojcs.
l'et dogs require to be put on a star
vation diet occasionally, as well as
men and women." said a fancier who
makes a specialty of doctoring pets.
"Nine times out of ten. when a
woman rushes In here and tells me
that her dog Is poisoned, I can see at
u glance that It's nothing but a case
of overfeeding. I put the dog on a
milk and water diet for two weeks,
make up a simple prescription for the
owner to take home with her per when
I am through with It and collect $'J..
Do I tell her so? Certainly not. She
wouldn't believe me if I did. Women
rich enough to stuff their pets with
candy and such things like to think
that they know more about the all
ments 'of their Fidos and their Prince
than I do." -New v. ork Press.
The I'erfcct "Walter.
The complete waiter, like the angler
and the poet. Is born, not made. For
tunately, however, for the comfort of
the world, a great waiter Is born a
good deal more frequently than a great
poet. I loth must have a remarkable
combination of faculties. The perfect
waiter must handle the knife like a
Bkllled surgeon; plates, dishes, forks
and spoons like n conjurer: know as
much of the dishes he serves as anv
epicure; be as quick on his feet as a
ballet girl . ml as sweet in his temper
as an angel. It Is a tribute to the pos
nihilities of human nature to sav that
such Admirable Crlchtons can 1m
found. London Telegraph.
I'nijtT and l'rnetlrc.
"Did the deacon prav at the meet
ing?"
"Yep. Wound up his prayer with a
plea to help us overlook the faults o'
others."
"Well, he alius does that."
"I know, but as soon as he got up
from his knees he turned around an'
scowled at F.easley's baby because it
squawked once or twice while he was
prayln'." Indianapolis Sun.
A Ilntllcal.
"He poses as a reformer, doesn't he?"
"Oh, he's worse than a reformer.
Ills ideas would upset the whole so
clal and business world. He says if
he had his way he'd put in Jail every
body who ought to be there." - Phila
delphia Press.
liven That Illdn't Work.
"Did you do nothing to resuscitate
the body-;" was asked of a witness at
a coroner's inquest.
"Yes. sir; we searched the pockets."
was the reply.
IJxnct.
Mrs. Knicker Was your new gown
a good fit? Mrs. P.ocker Lovely. Jack's
bank account shows Just 7.'. cents left.
Smart Set.
A well known oculist states that for
ty men and three women to every
thousand persons an; color blind
Jle Knew It.
"Ah, Mr. Frankly," exclaimed Miss
Gusher, "your secrets are so beautiful!
You are surely "the great poet.' "
"Thjs what." replied Frankly, who
disliked argument. "You can't get un
u debate with me on that noint."
The belle of ancient India wore her
Lair tied by a Jeweled band two r
tn.ree Inches back of her head and then
braided Into an enormous ball.
I POLLY li t
All winter long the anglers who
have -at before glowing; fires dreaming
of the "good old days" to come when
tliev might wander along the banks o
the various trout streams that, thanks
to the California Northwestern Fish
Hatcherv, has been replenished from
season to season with myriads of lively
little trout, have at last been rewarde
and their dreams of big catches of the
speckled beauties have been realized
Days before the trout lawexpired foum
them getting ready their poll's am
lines and lih-haskets besides laying in
a supply of beverages of various kinds to
accompany appetizing lunches, hvery
angler who could get away from husi
i less found it convenient to leave town
aUiut that time. The trains on th
California Northwestern Kail way car
ried hosts of thce expectant fishermen
and they were not disappointed jmlg
iitg from the big string- ami fern-ela
baskets lined with trout. .None re
turned empty handed, and their happy,
contented faces told of the pleasun
tliev had in their outing.
"It was simplv glorious," said one
enthusiastic angler. "Of all the sports
give me trout fishing. I have gone
every season for the past eight years
somewhere along the line of the Cali
fornia Northwestern Kailway and
have never returned empty-handed
vet. I look forward to mv annual
trout-fishing trips as much a- a loy
docs to the possession of his first gun.
I come back from these trips through
the sweet-scented woods and pure
mountain air feeling as though I had a
new lea-c on life and ready to get down
to real hard work. I wish I could pre
vail upon every business man that they
owe it to themselves to take the annual
outing that 1 do owrv vear. A man
who puts otf taking these little jaunts
into the country at this season of the
year ju-t when all nature is awaken
ing, the lives putting forth their new
foliage and the valley.- and hillsides
covered with countlc-'- wild Mowers, is
mi-sing one of the greatest treats that
can come into the me of a iiusincss
man. He -diotild take advantage of it,
too. and go during the trout season,
for after that the rush of summer so
journer- begin- and extend-; far into
the fall. The man who say- he cannot
leave bu-inc.-s and waits for a more
convenient -ca-on, never goes. He puts
otf taking hi.- rest from year to year, he
Iwcomes ero. and crabbed, gets into a
rut ainl'simply ru-t.-away in the tread
mill of busine-s, which has steadily
grown, but by the time he realizes it
his health i- broken and he must get
away front the care and worry, ami he
ell- out and prepares to take thing.'
easy. lie finds he h:u- waited too
long and hi tired body and wornout
brain refuse to give him the rest he
craves until death summons him to
appearand give an account of the poor
stewardship of the life that had been
given him to enjoy. It doesn't pay to
wear yourself out, and I oi any other
man who realizes what a rest in the
sweet, wholesome pure mountain air
mean-a- he wander.- with hi- fishing:
I
pole up and down the creeks and the
rivers along the California Northwest-
ern Kailway, will live longer ami be I
healthier, happier and more agreeable
in III- nature.
(d . l. :.. l l . . j i;
i uimicci io ei oi angling owes
the California Northwestern Kailwav
Company a vote of thanks, for it i ow
ing entirely to its cnterpri-e that th
stream- m that part oi l he count rv
have not been long ago entirely lishe
out. Tiie California Northwestern Fi.-h
Hatchery is the pride of President A
W. Fo.-ter, and you wouldn't think it
strange if you cuiild ju-t take a peel
into tiie hatchery and siv the million
oi little trout in the various stages o
growth swarming in the tanks of the
hatcherv, which i.- located in one of
the most beautiful canyons in th
Mate. II you have never been there
don't fail to take advantage of the
next excursion given bv the Californi:
Northwe-tern Kailway to Fkiah. The
company gives them every little while,
and one of the places of interest in your
trip along this grandly picturesque
road will be the Fish Hatchov. Don't
you fail to visit it. Here, I'm getting
generous in talking over my good for
tune in going out into the woods, and
it makes me .-orrv for vou folks who
claim vou are too bu-v to take an out
ing, so you ju.-t take a mess of these
speckled beauties home to your wife
with my compliments, ami when your
mouth waters for more pick up your
fishing tackle, or borrow mine if you
haven't got any, and hie you r.-elf away
to the trout -t reams on the line of the
California Northwestern Kailway. It
,win made you voting again and keep
you from getting stoop-shouldered."
fhela-t Polly saw of the sunburned on-
thu-ia-lic angler was the pleasant pic
ture he made a-he took out a number
of beatitifulspeekled trout, and arranged
them temptingly on the fern leaves, a
lainty and no doubt acceptable gift.
Ilanc'uig up into the streets of China-
own theothcr ilay ashimuiar of yellow
met mvgaze that for the instant made
me think that there might he an epi
demic of smallpox or yellow fever in
that locality. On inquiry I learned
that a real live prince was expected
from Pekin. Prince Pu Lun arrived
in all his splendor ami was wined ard
dined and entertained in a way befit
ting his royal blood. (Jreat prepara
tions had Ih'cii made for his entertain
ment by the wealthy Chinese and a
vast sum was expended in decorating
the streets, temples, theaters and busi-
ness houses. Cay banners of orange (sovereign
and lemon-eolored bunting with fierce
looking dragons painted thereon Mutini
ed their golden lights in the breeze and
were intermixed in nrtistic fashion
with miniature Hags of our own star
spangled banner. Two royal arches
were erected on Dupout street ami they
were artistic and dainty in coloring
and must have been very lovely in the
glare of the many electric lights that
ornamented them. All the shades of
the rainbow were used in the arches
and in the same order that you would
see them in some beautiful 1mw of prom
ise. A good deal of filagree work or
namented the top of the arches and the
same coloring was carried out in this
arrangement, which was topped oil'
with the yellow Hags and dragons. The
electric lights were used profusely and
created n pleasing picture. I he stores
all had their decorations, mostly of
lanterns and yellow Hags intermixed
with the American Hag, yet some were
artistically draped in pale pink, green,
lemon and orange cheese cloth, cover
ing the entire front of thebuildings Of
course, all the finest art work in Chi
natown was displayed, and one window
was a dream in the arrangement of
beautiful embroidered screens in gor
geous colorings and exquisite needle
work. Prince Pit l.iiu, for whom all
this grandeur in Chinatown was ar
ranged, has gone on to .St. Louis to at
tend the exposition. It is the first
time China has sent a prince of .the
royal blue blood to attend one of our
ex j nisi t ions.
BRIEF REVIEW.
Scot In Russia.
Verily, the Scot abroad is a history
maker. Admiral Stark, of Port Arthur
'fame, was probably of Scottish descent.
Hvery man of that name in the Dic
tionary of .Natural Kiography has Scots
blood, although, curiously enough, all
have attained fame in Kngland, with
the exception herein alnive noted. The
Kussian navy has practically been made
by Scots. 'One of the least known of
these was Admiral Sir Thomas ( 'ordon,
Oovernorof Kronstadt. The Jacobites
of 171") tried to induce him to advise the
Czar to send a Kussian licet down the
cotch coast. Far more famous was
John Klphiiison, who rose to bearcat
admiral in the Kussian navy. His eld
erly son became a captain in the same
navv and the second in that of the
I'nited States. 1'nder F.lphin.-oii, an
other famous Kusso-Scot served in the
person of Sir Samuel O'reig, son of a
hipownerhi Fifeshire. ( 'reig entered
the Kiis.-iaii navv in lTtsi, under Ad
miral Klphinson's command, and did
wonders in remodeling the dicipline
and educatmg the ollicers. When he
died, in 17ss, he was given a stale fu
neral. His son, Alexis Simuilvich, bi-
came an admiral in the Kussian licet.
It was a Scot named Mackenzie who
litst called attention to the strategic
possibilities of Sebastopol. The hand
the Scots. took in the Crimean war has
been immortalized in poetry.
Lottery Clothes.
The girl-employed in the pottcriesof
Kngland are good-looking and well-
lics.-cd. They have taste, which is
cultivated bv the art work of the fac
tories. Manv of them are more stvlish
erhaps, than their position seems to
warrant, but this is easily explained.
fhey buy their clothes by a system
nownas "Maxims." This means that
twelve girls subscribe one shilling a
week. The money is held by a fore
woman, and when there is sullicieiit
cash to buy a hat or dress, the girls
draw lots, and the winner has the new
dress, while the other subscribers have
to wait their turn. Then, in all the
glory of riblHius and finery, the lucky
girl appears on Sunday.
Celery For Beauty.
London greengrocers have been sur
prised at the increasing demand for
celery, 'fhe explanation is that a large
coterie of smart and pretty women, to
gether with an equally large section
not so conspicuous for their pulchri
tude, have created a celery beauty club.
Those expert in matters of food values
opine that celery has more potency
than any drug in the world for produc
ing bright eyes and a elearcomplexion.
It must be eaten raw. It is not only a
beautilier, but promotes health in vari
ous ways and inspires energy,
temper and nerve-poise.
g( M M I
A Unique Military Memorial.
Among the many monuments erected
in .lapan to commemorate her signal
defeat of the Chinese army some six
years ago wa one that is perhaps the
most unique on earth. It is in l)w
form of a huge bayonet standing up
right on a column of granite, which is
itself mounted upon a large pedestal,
and the whole inclosed by a spiked iron
fence. - The blade is suitably inscribed
in Japanese characters extolling the
bravery of the soldiers who fell in bat
tle. Thismonumeut i.-one of thesights
of Seoul, Korea.
It is a strange fact that, the right
land, which is more sensitive to the
touch than the left, is less sensitive
than the latter totheelfect of heat of
old.
The remarkable echo at Kajle's Nest,
on the banks of Killarny, Ireland, n-
eats a bugle call 10!) times, each clear
ind distinct.
Manhattan Island, on which New
York now stands, was originally bought
from an Indian chief for about ?ii.r of
our money.
Only one-third of the world's popu-
ation use bread as a daily article of
i jd. Nearly one-half of the people of
the world subsist chielly on ricv.
(Jut of every 1000 of the world's popu-
ation li(4 own King Kdward as their
THROWN UPON THE STAGE.
The Way EukIIhIi Audience Kcwnrd
ropul.tr I'lajerM With Glftn.
There have lately in the provinces
been several sensational nights at
prominent theaters when to mark the
last per forma nee of a local pantomime
all manner of gifts have been thrown
upon the stage for the benefit of popu
lar performers.
All those acquainted for long with
the inner life of the theatrical profes
sion can tell some remarkable stories
of these gifts cast upon the stage. The
most celebrated and universal of these
relates to a lady who once held the
main portion of the lease of a promi
nent London theater. While this lady
was still an actress only and not a
manageress, an actress of great talent
and beauty, there was one night on the
fvst production of the piece a small
bouquet cast upon the stage at her
feet. Attached to the bouquet was a
small Russia leather card case, and in
side this were bank notes to the value
of 1,000 exactly. On no fewer than
seven different occasions, with a toler
ably long Interval between, did the
same thing occur, and the lady, as al-
leged, has never from that day to this
discovered who her admirer was.
mougn an manner ot romantic conjee-
tures were made at the time.
Even within the last few weeks an
unknown elderly gentleman threw an
envelope weighted with pennies and
containing a five pound note to a tiny
child performing in a Loudon subur
ban pantomime. Some theaters have
been celebrated for their gift nights,
all manner of presents, from frying
pans to green vegetables, having been
gently deposited on the stage for the
popular actors: yet, on the other hand,
both writs and summonses have been
handed to actors who could not be ap
proached through the stage door, but
who consented to receive presents over
the footlights on their benefit nights.
The most curious sight the writer
ever saw in connection with these gift
throwing nights was in relation to a
favorite actor who, at a great provin
cial theater, played during a long pan
tomimic run the part of a parasite
named Cadgi. who carried a pipe
that had a huge bowl and whose oft
repeated cry was. "Can any one oblige
me with a bit o'-'bacca?" On the last
night of the performance the familiar
request for a "bit o' baeea" had no
sooner been spoken than literally scores
of packets and "screws" of tobacco of
every imaginable kind were thrown
upon the stage, more than 120 of these
falling about the actor.- London Tit
Bits. TICKLING TROUT.
How Irlnh Tonehern Ciiteh the FImIi
With the Ilure Hand.
In Europe trout poachers have the
reputation of catching trout with their
bare hands. The process in Ireland is
called "tickling." 1 could scarcely be
lieve that this thing was done that
the most timid and wary of fish could
be caught by the naked hands. Head
ing of one fellow sent to jail for tic
kling" trout. I was curious enough to
try the process myself In the presence
of an angler as witness. I found it the
simplest thing in the world, as far as
the "tickling" was concerned. The dif
ficulty appeared to lie in approaching
the trout. P.ut I found that this could
be done almost every time by quiet,
adroit maneuvering, and 1 shall never
forget the astonished face of my friend
when I lifted from a pool a plump
trout and held him in the palm of my
hand Just on the surface of the water.
Half a dozen times I lifted the same
trout, tickling him gently on the belly
and sides. lie appeared to like it. lying
oer against my hand like a cat that
courts rubbing. 1 found that I could
do almost anything with the trout, car
rying them in my hand for a few mo
ments before returning them to the
water. Harper's Weekly.
IN THE LAND OF FIRE.
How the ntIvrof Tlerrn del Kuejro
.IliutuMR to Hxint.
In Tierra del Fuego the Yaghan In
dian leads a remarkable existence. He
braves the seas of Cape Horn naked In
u frnil bark canoe. He owns no faith,
religion or tribal tie other than that of
the family, which huddles together for
feed and sustenance. His only house
held goods are the smoldering fire
brands which he carries on a slab of
turf in his canoe to each fresh halting
place. The women, usually two, pad
ule the canoe from the stern. The man
crouches in the bow on the lookout for
prey. On the shore runs one or two
dogs to sniff out and turn any lurking
otter or sea bird. I he long kelp that
fringes the coast serves as a break
water for the frail craft, whose crew
only venture out Into the open chan
nels when their foresight, tells them
that a calm will be of sullicieiit dura
tion to enable them to pass from one
inhospitable beach to another. They
are unduly developed in the torso at
the expense of the lower limbs, for
they pass their lives thus circling the
coasts. I- ishing without hooks, living
on mussels and fungus, this tribe
marks the limit to which man may
strip himself of all aid or comfort and
yet survive.
How Anthracite Conl Wn Formed.
Geologists are of the opinion that
hitumiffous and anthracite coals were
forinedbiring the same period and un
der like conditions. Originally they
were all bituminous, but during the
violent contortions and upheavals of
the earth's crust at the close of the
carboniferous age the bituminous coals
Involved In that disturbance were
changed b' heat and pressure and the
consequent, expulsion of volatile matter
from bituminous to anthracite.
JM'itneiie Fletion.
Japan Is a novel writer's elysium.
There Is one very celebrated work,
entitled "The Story of the Eight
Dogs," that runs to 10(5 volumes, print
ed or written on only a single side of
the page. Then, again, Japanese writ
ers introduce into their stories a num
ber of characters so confusing ns to
bewilder even the authors. No self
respecting novelist leaves a single per
sonage alive at the end of the book.
The Two KindN.
"The great art of conversation is to
tempt other people to talk."
"Yes, but some people need to ho
headed off. "--Cincinnati Tribune.
NEW SHORT STORIES
I'repnrlnj? For nn Exam.
At a dinner in Philadelphia of the
Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of
the Revolution George F. Baer, the
president of the Heading railroad,
said:
"There is an old man up the state
whom I can't help admiring. This old
man in a recent letter to our main of
fice asked for rates, distances, time
and so forth for many Important kinds
of freight over our principal lines.
The letter probed deep Into our traffic
business. It was indicative of a keen
mind. Plainly its writer, provided he
got fair treatment, would become a
valuable patron of the line.
"So we sent posthaste one of our
brightest young trallic agents to see
him. The agent got off at his station
and had to walk five miles through the
c0-(1 to reacll uiii i,ouse Arriving with
some disappointment at a small farm,
the agent took from his pocket the
long list of rates that three clerks had
spent half the night In compiling, and
he said to the old man:
" 'I have come, sir, from the Heading
offices to answer your recent letter in
,K.,.SOIK Ucrt! on tilcse p.lI)ers vou will
flmI t,.K.h of vour ,lUostions treated in
(let!l1 May wo 1opu to (lo some busI
ness with you?'
"The farmer looked over the list of
answers with a grunt of satisfaction.
"'You're from the railroad, eh?' he
said. 'Well, you can't hope for no busi-
nc.-.s from me. but I'm obliged to you
just the same for all this information.
It's for my son. You see. he's got to
take an examination next mouth, and a
lot of It will be about railroads, so I
thought I'd get hlin some railroad facts
first hand.' "
Where He Drew It.
Professor E. G. Dexter of the Uni
versity of Illinois, whose Interesting
Investigations have proved football to
be a harmless game. Is popular on ac
count of his geniality.
After a certain football victory Pro
fessor Dexter entertained one night :i
group of students at his residence.
A magnificent sword hung over tin
fireplace of the library, and during :
"nuvkk wihh i i-'oiaiKT "
space of silence Professor Dexter took
down this sword and brandished It
impressively.
"Never will I forget." he exclaimed,
"the day I drew this blade for the first
time."
"Where did ou draw it. sir?" a
freshman asked respectfully.
"At a rallle," said Professor Dexter.
Sir ThomnN nnd Ten.
Shortly before Sir Thomas Lipton
sailed for home he said to a caller who
mentioned the regard in which he war.
held in this country.
"Yes, and it really means more to
me than winning the cup would have
meant. I suspect that I can say with
all modesty that it's really remarkable
the way the American people have
taken me Into their hearts. They seem
almost to consider me one of them
selves. One man in a moment of ab
straction asked me how I was going to
vote at the New York municipal elec
tion. "I had to draw the line on one thing
in Itoston. however. A lady who was
soliciting funds to erect a monument
commemorating a certain event which
took place in the harbor in 177." asked
me to contribute. I thought it was go
ing too far to expect me to help to
keep alive the memories of men who
destroyed 'Mil chests of good tea."
Philadelphia Post.
Seottl.sh Thrift.
As an Illustration of thrift and fore
sight Andrew Carnegie likes to tell n
humorous storv about an old Scots
woman whom he used to know in Dun
fermline. To this poor old woman the minis
ter's wife said one day:
"Janet, I mean to make you a pres
ent of a bonnet."
"I thank ye, ma'am," Janet an
swered, with a courtesy.
"Tell me what kind of a bonnet you
would like, a felt or a straw one." the
minister's wife went on.
Janet thought a moment. Then she
said:
"Weel, ma'am. I think I'll tak a
straw one. It'll maybe be a mouthfu'
to the coo when I'm done wi' It."
LntcliMtrliiK In Out.
A commercial traveler who had been
much Impressed with the genial man
tier of George D. Mackay said to him:
"The next time I come within ten
n,n0s of that Afterglow farm of yours
I'm going to stop and stay all night."
"pon't do that." said Mr. Mackay.
"Keep right on up to the farm." New
York Times.
Jolinny'M Prentnnlt Ion.
"Come, Johnny." coaxed his mother.
"You may us well confess that you ate
the jam."
"No, I won't," blubbered Johnny.
"PI! be switched If I do!" Chicago
Tribune.
Some people seem always sure they
are right and then do the other thing.
Philadelphia Uecord.
Ignorance Js bold and knowledge reserved.-
-Thucydldes.
OYST1ER FARMS.
The :. .jrnl and Artificial Bed In
Eastern VlrKinln.
In eastern Virginia there are several
thousand acres of oyster farms where
oysters are raised by artificial methods
on artificial beds. The natural oyster
bed Is where the oyster breeds and
matures naturally. There are thou
sands of acres of such beds In the
Chesnpeake bay system of salt water.
In such beds tlie oysters breed by the
millions, and as they are too close to
gether there tljey cannot all reach a
satisfactory growth. If taken when
small from these natural beds and
strewn along in the bottoms where
there are no oysters naturally, at the
rate of GOO to 1,000 bushels per acre,
such young oy ters mature and ripen
off for the inn ket, some In one and
the rest In two years.
There Is a profit In such work when
intelligently miunaged of 25 to 33-j per
cent. Probably more than 100.000 acres
of artificial oyster beds are made to
grow an oyster
crop In addition to the
ncrenge embracpd In the natural beds.
The area of artificial beds Is Increas
ing rapidly eacl year.
One singular feature about the ojs
ter Is this: They all look exactly alike,
there being no Vlifference between the
male and the female externally or In
ternally. In fact, the art of man Is not
sufficient to distinguish one sex from
another. Another unique feature is
this: The male oyster "lays" as many
eggs as the fern lie "equal rights." we
perceive. The Uggs of the male are
called milt, ana the eggs of the fe
male are called
spawn. An ordinary
full grown oyster Is supposed to lay a
million eggs a y
ear. in spawning sea
Is full of these eggs,
milt and the spawn
son the water
and when the
come in contact land the water Is at the
right temperature life Is imparted to
the microscopic egg, and It drops to
the bottom, wliere, if It succeeds in
grasping hold of something, such as
another oyster cr shell or rock or any
thing to hang o i to. the tiny creature
begins to form ts shell and In a few
weeks becomes visible to the ej-e.
Country Gentleman.
AN ELERHANT TRAIT.
The Animal While Huy AVII1 Xever
Injure u I'emoii.
"An elephant jiever injures a person
when it is busy,7 says an animal train
er with a big c reus. "It may sound
strange, but there is not a case on rec
ord of one gett
performing or w
think, is that tin
ng ugly when it was
orking. The reason, 1
elephant is an animal
ot one idea that Is, it can
think of
only one thing at a time.
"When you put an elephant at work
it gives it.-f who! . attention to its task.
Great power ot
concentration? No.
just inability to
think of two things at
once. When it gets busy It takes a lot
to distract its attention, and it never
stops to think :
a nee. If we sta
lliout a private gnev
I t a horse or a dog do
ing a trick we can't leave it for a min
ute or it will Idaf or stop work alto-
gether. but it is
pliant. Once get
different with an ele-
it started, either alone
or with others. And it will go through
with its turn without another word.
It is absorbed in its work
"That same trait, I take it. is what
makes an elephant such a vicious aui
mal when it gets ugly. It can think of
nothing but what has made it angry
and it will not stop until it has torn
something to pieces. Oh, yes, an ele
phant can carry ji grudge. It never for
gets an injury, and it waits its chance
to get e en. but wiicn it is busy it for
gets the tricks tjhat have been played
on it. It is only when it has nothing
to do that it get
troubles. Hum;!
s to brooding over its
ii. eh? Well. I havi
known folk witb that sort of disposi
tion."
MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
Keep Them Out of the Home nnd
Awny From FriciidxIiliiK.
If love Is to
people they mus
offense and not
to pardon at the
flourish between two
. each be slow to take
nly willing, but glad,
first and faintest sign
of penitence: still more, to overlook
entirely the sin which has been a blun-
d el-
and an acc
dent. Life and love
are in great part the art of bearing
with other people's shortcomings.
Every offender,
whatever the offense,
the law entitled to a
Is in the eyes of
fair trial, and no one should be con
demned unheard- The exercise of a
modicum of com non sense and justice
would nip most ijuarrels, whether be
tween lovers or others. In the bud.
Some one has wisely said that scarcely
a novel was ever written which could
have run to the! end if the hero and
heroine had beeiJ fully frank with one
another. Most dissensions are founded
upon misui'deistandings.
Much may be ljorgiven to those who
love much by those who return such
affection. Nor Is It sullicieiit to for
give without foigettlng the offense.
The slate should
the transgression
never been. Phil
be wiped clean and
be as though It had
idelphia Ledger.
A Un! iij Day tottiute.
The Japanese woman has oicd th
question of the rainy day. She tucks
her robes up to her knees, puts on
wooden clogs five or six inches high,
and as her stockings are mereiv sl.oii
socks the wet and the splashing only j
rail on hare ankles and legs. There
Is In consequence very little difficulty
about the after cleaning, and the kimo
no is not marred by mud colored stains
that will not come out. This custom
may seem a trille queer, but as no one
in Japan notices it or een thinks
about it and the little ladies do it quite
naturally it is really not more queer
than the custom which our ladies have
of wearing decollete dresses in the
evening, which the Japanese in turn
think most queer. If not actually un
civilized. It is the old question ol
east and west. London Taller.
Hnrd to Ivlll.
Cats, according to the old tradition,
have nine lives, but they are not the
only creatures that enjoy such a plu
rality. Infusoria have been dried and
restored to life by moistening after re
maining Inert dust for twenty-seven
years, and the drying resuscitation has
been successfullj tried eleven times on
one lot of rotifers. Frogs and manv
fishes suffer no injury from freezing
solid, while In a few cases even warm
blooded animals have been restored to
life after apparent death from freezing.
FACTS IN FEW LINES
There are more than 100,000 widows
In Berlin.
At Rome twins were recently born
to a couple both of whom are over sev
en ty.
Bovine typhus killed 2,234 bead of
cattle In Egypt during the week ending
Dec. 20 hist.
Byproducts of oil refineries are ex
pected to make excellent fuel for
greenhouses.
In 1SS1 the London birth rate aver
aged :$2.2 a thousand. It has steadily
declined to 28.5.
Income tax has been Introduced for
the first time in Montenegro and Is
causing much discontent.
A Canadian egg merchant proposes
to ship his wares to Great Britain
Iiacked in barrels and frozen solid.
Athens has a weekl periodical, the
Bulletin d'Orient, which Is concerned
with the affairs of the Greeks In Mace
donia.
Of the 12,703 newspapers and period
icals published in Germany more than
27 per cent are In other languages than
German, 0 per cent being in English
alone.
In lSSo there were only 10,000 to
17.000 Jews in Jerusalem. Last year
in the city they numbered at least
41.000. In all about 150,000 are actual-
lj- living in Palestine.
An attache of the Japanese legation
in London says that he knows person
ally of five women who committed sui
cide because their husbands disgraced
themselves in the army.
A movement has been started by Jap
anese residents of New York to erect
a Buddhist temple In that city, to serve
not only as a house of worship, but as
a central gathering place for all na
tives of Japan.
Plans have been filed in Chicago for
an Iroquois Memorial Emergency hos
pital, to be erected in that city, and to
irovidc and maintain an institution in
memory of tiie victims of the Iroquois
theater fire on Dec. 30.
St. Paul and Minneapolis are the lar
gest frog markets In the world. The
total receipts for the last year from
the frog catchers of the state exceeded
500.000 dozen, requiring the slaughter
of no less than 5.U00.000 frogs.
One of the most curious facts in re
gard to snakes is that their eyes are
never closed. Sleeping or waking,
alive or dead, they are always wide
open. This is because they have no
eyelids. The eye is protected only by
a strong scale, which is cast off every
time the reptile changes its skin.
The Swedish Mission society of
America is trying to secure a share in
the $l,."00.oun of profits that have re
sulted from a gold mine discovered in
Alaska by P. II. Andson. a missionary
sent there by the society. The point is
whether a mission board is entitled to
profits which its missionaries make
outside of their calling.
As the increased trallic which new
railways will bring to Triest will ne
cessitate larger harbor facilities than
the present contracts call for, the gov
ernment has decided to change Its
plans and to construct at once a new
harbor in the bay of Muggla of a ca
pacity at least equal to that of the old
one to the northwest of the city
While the general expenditures of
the government are steadily Increas
ing from year to year, the per capita
expenditures in proportion to popula
tion do not depart far from a constant
average. In 1S70, owing to war debts,
etc., the per capita taxation for the
government was $10, In 1SS0 $;.07. in
1890 $15.40, and in l'JOO $7.4. This year
it is about $7.
It Is said that the younger element
of the Mormon church In Salt Lake
City is rebelling against the intolerable
tyranny of the Mormon elders. Ten
young men. all officials of the church,
have been expelled because they re
fused to promise obedience In business
and political affairs, and many others
have been given seven days In which
to submit or be expelled.
Vmong the reasons given by Dr.
James M. Whllon of New York, a life
long religious writer and journalist.
for the decline of the denominational
newspapers is that "the daily press
now supplies a great amount of reli
gious news and prints many sermons,"
Thus giving to a greater number of
caders all the religious news they
iave time to read in the rush of life.
The United States government has
recently granted a suitable site for a
union church building In the grounds
of the United States legation at Pe-
king. The Roman Catholic church has
site in the French legation and is
building a fine cathedral. The Greek
Catholic church has a church building
in the grounds of the Russian legation.
fhe Established Church of England
has for years had a church in the
grounds of the British legation.
The ship subsidy law of Austria pro
vides bounties and premiums. Iron and
steel steamships receive an annual
bounty of $2.44 per ton. while the
bounty of Iron and steel sailing ships
s $LS:; and that of wooden and part
ron sailing ships $1.23 a ton. Iron and
steel sailing ships have their bounties
ncreascd by 10 per cent If built in
ustrian shipyards and by i!5 per cent
if at least half thy raw material used
lu their construction Is of Austrian
origin.
A Jury In the Washington county
court at Montpelier, Vt.. has awarded
Claude R. George, a student at Mont
pelier seminary. $1,000 for the discom
fort and Injury to his person which re
sulted from a coat of tar and feathers.
The evidence showed that George had
been hazed by half a dozen students
on the night of Jan. 12. 1)03. Tliey
broke Into Ids room and after treating
him roughly administered a light coat
of tar and feathers. As an outcome
George left the seminary, and several
of the students were dismissed.
a Caution Youth.
"Bobby, your father wants to see
you."
The boy looked dubious.
"Do I want to see him?" he asked.
"How should I know?"
"You ought to be able to tell by the
look In his eye." Chicago Post.
"So you were at Mrs. Marrable's din
ner yesterday. Flossie. What was the
menu like?"
"I really can't tell you, for I didn't
take any. It's a thing I very seldom
touch "