How the Elder
Lost His Bet
By CHARLES C. WADDLE
; CoiiurighU 1901, bu S. S. XcClurc Co.
WWTVTVWTVWvTVWWWV
"You':" scornfully. "Them fellers is
too sharp fcr you. my Inddybuck.
Thieves 't can fcol old Simon Unger
that a-way ain't goin' to wait fur no
Methotly Dimicrat to put salt on their
tails."
A twinkle of amusement flashed into
the sheriff's pray eyes as lie took a
quick determination. Then, with ap
parent uncoucern. he said: "Oh. well, if
that's the way you feel about it there's
no use wasthf any more time. Come
on, Mabel. If we don't be gcttin'to the
nieetin'. we'll be kite."
The girl looked up at him in quick
surprise. Did he really intend to de
sert her father in so grievous a plight?
His eyes were answering and question
ing her at the same time. Would she
trust him? they said. Would she share
a risk which promised success, but
which might result in failure? With
out a word she picked up her hat, and
together they started for the door.
Old Simon stood fairly aghast at this
abandonment. He had never for a mo
ment supposed that the sheriff would
take his words literally. Yet here he
was, deserting him, and not only that,
but taking off the old man's daughter
with him. "Mabel." roared Unger.
"You eome back here. 1 forbid you to
go with that scalawag."
Dehus was assisting the girl into his
buggy. lie felt her falter, "ray no
attention to him." he whispered. "It's
fur his sake t I'm takin' you along."
Turning her head, she smiled trust
ingly up at htm and clambered into the
vehicle. A second later Dehus had
leaped in beside her. A sharp cut of
the whip, a shake of the reins and his
fleet footed mare was speeding down
the roadway, out under the trees which
now stood dim and ghostlike in the
dusky grove, while fainter and fainter
behind them came the storm of ob
jurgation and abuse that the old man
was pouring out from the doorstep.
It Is a good eight miles from Simon
Unger's to the grove where the camp
meeting was in progress, but as they
came in sight of the place, with its
flaring kerosene lamps casting vivid
shadows among the trees and its rows
of Chinese lanterns lending a festival
aspect. Dehus snapped open his watch.
"Forty minutes," he said nonchalantly.
"Not so bad for the old mare with a
heavy buggy an' two people."
Only once had they stopped, and that
was for just a minute at a wayside
hostelry known as the Shriver's inn.
about half a miles before they reached
the grove. Here Dehus had sprung
out. hurried up to the desk and after
glancing at the register held a brief
whispered colloquy with the clerk.
Then he came out. resumed his seat in
the buggy and without any explana
tion had driven on.
As they approached the camp meet
ing he allowed his foaming horse to
drop Into a walk. The scene was plain
ly visible to them now the people
walking about under the trees in cou
ples or in groups, the big platform up
at the other end in a blaze of light,
where the oxhorters and the choir
were in full swing: the rows of audi
tors extending back from this, the
squeaky notes of a melodeon. the
hoarse cries of the refreshment vend
ers at the gate, and around all. like
the stockade around a laager, was a
line of velm-les and horses hitched to
the encircling fence.
VDon't take off your veil, an' stick
close to me." muttered Dehus to Ma
bel after he had picketed and blanket
ed the mare. Then he led her a long
and weary chase about the grounds,
but nowhere did he strike pay gravel
for his pains.
He and Mabel found themselves at
last standing on the outskirts of the
worshiping assemblage. The exhorter
was in the full tide of his eloquence
". :.l ah. my brethren ah." he was
vociferating, "I say unto you ah, that
you must ah. become as one of these
little ones ah"
Mabel suddenly clutched Dehus by
the sleeve. "Jim," she whispered
breathlessly, "there's the man that
robbed paw, the one up on the mourn
ers' bench with his face in his hands.
I know him by his blue suit with the
white stripes in it"
The sheriff pushed hastily forward
through the throng, the girl following
close behind him. Just then two peo
ple rose from the bench directly back
of his quarry, and he could not afford
to overlook the opportunity. Barring
the rush for the vacant places with
his strong right arm, he thrust Mabel
Into one of the seats and touk the other
himself.
When the stir caused by their intru
lion had subsided Dehus leaned for
ward until his lips were on a love,
with the ear of the man in the blm
suit.
"Mr. Story?" he murmured inquiringly-
There was no change in the attitude
of the mourner, but the sheriff's glance
Intercepted a quick tremor as it ran
along the jaw. The little man sitting
next to .Story healthily ul in hand
tow.ml his hip.
Dehus touched him on the arm. "I
wouldn't," he said sternly. "I have
you both entered from my coat pock
et Hands up:"
The men were old at their trade, and
they recognized that the game was up.
but the taller was not without an ele
ment of grim humor. Besides, time
might help. them. To create a turmoil
In that crowded assemblage would be
fatal. 'Tray," he muttered to his com
panion, "pray for your soul, you mis
erable sinner:" At the same time he
clasped his hands above his head in an
attitude of-supplicati n. Quick to seize
the cue, his associate immediately fol
lowed suit.
The exhorter observed their action.
"Glorv. glory:" he shouted. "You are ;
coming through, brothers: Tray, pray! '
The grace of the Lord will prevail j
even though your sins be as scarlet"
The sheriff chuckled with satisfac
tion. It was worth while playing a
hand with clever rogues like these.
Consequently there was something al
ueierence In his tone as he
repeated his question, "Mr. Story x"
The thief still sparred for wind. His
expectations oi escape were of the
slightest, but nevertheless delay was
one of the rules of the game. His face
wore an expression of Christian for
bearance as he turned toward this
questioner who so persistently dis
turbed his devotions.
"You are mistaken, brother." he
whispered sweetly. "My name is Hen
derson." "Henderson tonight maybe," rejoined
Dehus stoutly, "but Story this after
noon down at old Simon Unger's."
"Who are you?" whispered the other
SUIKUJ.
Dehus jerked back his coat and re
vealed his baijge. "The sheriff of tlui
county." Then in quick, businesslike
accents: "Now, if you'll kindly tell me
where old man Unger's money is I'll
relieve you of the bother of lookin
after It."
"I haven't got it."
Dehus face became ad-i mailt. "You
lie. If you wanr. to keep out of tr uble
you'll tell mo, an' you'll tell me q'l'.ck."
The man studied him a niouent
through half closed eyes. "I pass," he
said sullenly. "Uight inside coat i ock
et." "Mabel." said Dehus in eotnmiserat
ing tones, "oxj hands are otherwisi en
gaged. Will you give this poor sinner
a hymn book an'," he added, "at the
same time take that bundle out of his
pocket? Don't you move a hair, you
dog." he hissed, "or I'll blow the top
of your head off:"
The girl tremblingly but skillfully
complied, and a minute later the trans
fer was effected.
"Count it" commanded Dehus. still
keeping a watchful eye upon the men.
The exhorter had passed them by for
the present and was talking to a group
upon the other side of the st ige. The
nuditors. even those direct y in the
neighborhood, wore ignorant of the !ii
tie interlude enacted before Aw'.r c cs.
so Interested were they in ti e proceed
ings upon the platform and so quietly
had It been carried through
Under the cover of her fan Mabel
was rustling the bills. Tvie she
made the count: then she anuotui el
the result in a tense whis'ier. "Se eu
thousand dollars."
"Good enough." responded Dehus.
taking the roll from her an.! pl-u lug it
In his bosom. "Xow. genilcvien. when
ever you get through pray in", you can
go; but." he warned, "see tlnst u are
well out of this country before sunup
tomorrow morniif."
Almost incredulous of their good for
tune in getting off so easily, the two
scrambled to their feet and rushed tu
multuously from the scene. The ex
horter gazed after them in stupefied
amazement. He had thought himself
secure in those two conversions.
Fifteen minutes later old Simon ar
rived at the grove. He strode up to a
group where Dehus and his daughter
were gayly jesting and. seizing the girl
by the arm, started to drag her away
"You come along with me. miss." he
said wrathfully. "I'll show you that
you can't disobey your parents what
raised you in God fearin' fashion an
go teariu off to monkey shows with
every worthless whelp that comes
along!"
Dehus hurried after them. "Oh. Mr.
Unger." he panted, "don't you think
you had better take your money along
with you?" lie drew forth the pack
age of greenbacks and handed It to the
old man.
For the second time that night Si
mon was dunifounded. He stood there
shaking and trembling, unable to real
ize this sudden reversal of fortune's
wheel.
"Why what" he stammered.
Dehus laughed. He was proud of his
achievement, and he showed it. "When
I seen that letter from the thieves." he
began exultantly. "I recognized right
away that the paper It was wrote on
come from Shriver's inn. so I knowed
tlwit they had been puttin' up there. It
-1 minute Inter the tninxjcr was ejected.
stood to reason that they'd left ome
traps there behind 'em an' that they'd
go baek there fur 'em, but likewise it
cinoii to reason Unit they wouldn't star
long, tur they must a' knowed they
wouldn't trust you not to open that box
not fur very long, anyway.
"Now, where was the safest place fur
'em to "o"' ''" " w aware that a
couple of strangers iracuu au.6 lu
the evenin' would be spotted on the
road inside of half an hour an' that
all the little towns fur thirty miles
mound would be on the lookout fur
'em.
"Hut here was this camp meetin
close at hand, where nobody would
li.ink of searchin' fur 'em an' where
they could hide in the crowd until after
midnight, when they'd have a clear
road an' could get away without trou
ble. At least I flggured It out that
way. an' I brought Mabel along to
pick the fellers out, 'cause I seon you
was so crazy you wouldn't be as much
use as nobody.
"As you see, my calculation was all
right I only missed it on one point.
If it hadn't been fur Mabel, I'd nover
'a thought o' lookin' fur 'em on the
mourners' bench. That was Jest one
place where they was sharper n I
was."
Hut where art the rascals?" luuulmi
tile out man. "Course you arrested
em?"
"No, Mr. Unger." confessed Dehus.
"I s'pose I done wrong, but I didn't
You see I got to thinkln' how if they
was arrested it would till come out in
the trial an' in the newspapers that
you was so graspin' fur money" the
old man winced" 't you allowed your
self to do tradin' on Sunday, tin 't you
justly got took in, an' then 't instid o
regardin' it as a jedgment on you fur
your sin, an' a thankin the Lord fur
the lesson, how you cussed an' raved
an' swore an' all them things would
not look well, you know. Not fur the
senior elder of Mount Sinai church an'
the chairman of the Republican com
mittee nor, furder 'n that, fur my
father-in-law." added Dehus mischie
vously. "You see I've got a little fam
ily pride, if you hain't"
Old Simon glanced up quickly from
under his heavy eyebrows. Then a
wintry smile broke over his stern old
countenance. "Well," he said runiina
tivcly, "p'raps it was the wisest thing
to let 'em go all things considered.
Mebbe this Ml be a lesson to 'em;. let us
hope so anyway."
"Haw," put in Mabel dutifully, "shall
I go home Willi you?"
"No," responded the old man. "You
can come witli Jim. I 'low he can
manage you better n I can."
The Telllnle Water.
Hanks, the milkman, one morning
forgot to water his milk. In the back
hallway of his best customer he re
meinbered this omission. A huge tub
of tine clear water stood on the floor
by his side. There was no one to spy
on him. and thrice before the maid
brought up the jugs Hanks diluted his
milk with a large measure tilled from
the tub. Then he served the young
woman calmly and went on.
As he was bellowing down the next
area the first customers footman beck
oned to him. He returned and was
ushered into the presence of the cus
tomer himself, a millionaire.
"Hanks." said the gentleman. "I pre
fer hereafter to water my own milk."
"Well, sir," said Hanks, "it's useless
to deny the thing, for I suppose you
were watching me while"
"No." said the millionaire: "no one
was watching you. Hut the fact is,
Hanks, the children are taking medic
inal baths, and the tub in the rear hall
way was full of sea water." New
Vork Tribune.
The Clock Stuttered.
A droll sort of fellow is a certain
Reading business man whose witti
cisms are heightened by his stuttering.
He met some old acquaintances from
out of town recently, and numerous
notations were essential to the renew
al of their friendship. As. on reaching
home, he stealthily ascended the stairs
to his room out of the darkness came
'lis wife's voice:
"What time is it?"
"It Is j-j-jjust 1 o'clock," he stam
mered. Just then an old fashioned clock near
by gave four laborious strokes.
"Do you hear that?" she asked sharp
ly. "It Is now 1 o'clock."
"Hut. my d-d-dear." he rejoined pleas-
antlv. "you mustn't mind that c-c-clock.
It's like me." Philadelphia Ledger.
The Hutiij- I)aj-.
A well known artist recently received
a letter from a chap who has regularly
made it a practice to borrow money
of him. In this letter the chap who is
always In financial dltliculties surpris
ed his correspondent by saying:
"This time I have decided to reverse
the usual order of things, and, Instead
of borrowing from von. I Inclose here
with $."(. which I am going to ask that
you will lay aside for me for a rainy
day."
Hut the artist couldn't find any re
mittance in the letter. He searched for
It on the floor, under the table In fact,
everywhere he thought he might have
dropped It. Then quite accidentally ho
turned over the sheet on which the let
ter was written and discovered this
p istscript :
"I've just looked out of the window
and And it's raining like the very
deuce '"-Collier's.
A Story of Sir Holier! nnlt
Sir Robert Hall, the noted British ns
tronoiner, on one occasion went to a
remote town in Ireland to lecture on
his favorite topic. Arriving at the .sta
tion, he looked for the expected convey
ance, but found none. After all the
other passengers had disappeared a
man stepped up and said, "Maybe
you're Sir Robert Ball?" On receiving
an aflirmatlve reply the man hastily
apologized, saying. "Sure, your honor,
I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but I was
tould to look for an intellectual glutle
inan." Sir Robert thought that under
the circumstances it would be better
not to Inquire what was the man's idea
of Intellectuality.
Old Time Hallway Travel.
Third class lassenger coaches In
England used to be coupled or. next to
the engine. The travelers came In for
terrible treatment when any accident
occurred. At times the engine was
driven tender flrst, in which case
frozen hands could be warmed at Its
smokestack. The passengers were
packed, seventy of them, into a truck
eighteen feet in length by seven and
a half in width. There was no roof
and not, as a rule, proper protection
at the sides.
Marital Per I II age.
"I must confess," remarked Mrs.
Crabbe. "I don't believe there ever was
a really perfect man." "Well," replied
Mr. Crabbe, "Adam would have been
perfect, I suppose, if Eve had only
been made flrst." "How do you
moan?" "Well, she would have bossed
the job of milking Adam." Philadel
phia Press.
The Thing to Do.
Johnson lie said I was an addle pnt
ed Jackass. What do you advise me to
do about It? JacksonSee a good vet
erinary . Leslie's Week 1 v.
Ttvo nicuxed Fnctorn.
Beautiful Is the activity which works
for good, and beautiful the stillness
which waits for good; blessed the self
sacrifice of the one. blessed the self for
getfulness of the other. Robert Coll
yer. The readiest and surest way to got
rid of censure Is to correct ourselves.
Demosthenes.
Stories Told
In the
Greenroom
m m ISS ADA REIIAN, who Is star
fJw ring this season In "The
j Taming of the Shrew" and
"School Fo Scandal," Is a
great admirer of the role of Katherlne
which she takes In the former play
But she says that though It has brought
her much satisfaction it has given her
b reputation for bad temper, because
people nre apt to Identify the actress
herself with the part "Often." says
Miss Rehan, "I have been amused over
seeing the effect that a flrst perform-
-. (!li,.nn.
In a strange place
produced on the
employees of the
stage. They shun
ned me as some
thing actually tq be
feared. 'During a
very long run I
have often heard It
said that I hated
my Petruchlo and
that our stage life
only reproduced our
private Intercourse.
ADA KEHA.V.
I looked upon this
as tho greatest compliment that could
be paid me."
Quite early in her stage career Miss
Rehan played the part of Ophelia to
Edwin Booth's Hamlet, and she recalls
with delight her flrst experience with
tho great tragedian. After a week of
silence a characteristic reserve that
chilled her to the marrow every mo
ment she was upon the stage with him
Booth came off the scene on the final
night and, walking up to her, said
briefly: "Miss Rehan, you have done
splendidly, and, In my opinion, you
have a great career before j-ou. I shall
talk with you soon again."
Jefferson Do Angelis, who Is starring
In "Fantnna." has a friend noted for
his extreme parsimony. Some days ago
this friend was horror struck at receiv
ing an invitation to bo present at the
wedding of a young woman In his cir
cle of acquaintances. To him that in
vitation was a draft for a present
nothing more or less.
The young fellow thought over the
matter for twenty-four hours, and
then he was confronted suddenly with
a happy solution of
the vexed problem.
At a secondhand
shop he saw what
had been a beauti
ful vase, now un
happily broken into
three pieces. He
would have that
vase shipped to the
bridal couple, and
they would natu
rally arrive at the
conclusion that It
JEKKEKSOX PE
ANGEI.IS.
had been smashed
In transit Thus he would receive
credit for a thirty dollar Investment
when, as a matter of fact, the three
pieces were to bo had for-l)0 cents.
Mr. De Angelis' friend made his pur
chase quickly and left the address to
which It was to be sent Three days
later he got a letter from the objects
of his generosity. The parsimonious
one smiled as he held the unopened en
velope and fancied the phrases of re
gret and gratitude therein. What he
found when he tore off the covering
was a curt, frigid note. The second
hand dealer had wrapped the three
pieces separately.
Edward Terry, the English actor now
playing in New York, is fond of .sports
and was formerly noted as an athlete.
He once made a bet that he could run
from the Strand theater, London, to
the Victoria theater in live minutes.
His friends thought It an impossible
feat. Six in the morning was the hour
set for the run. for the streets were
then comparatively free from traflie.
He set off at a good
clip and soon was
speeding down the
Strand like a
streak. Luck was
with blm, and it
looked for n few
moments as though
he could not fail to
be victorious. Pres
ently, however, he
reached the toll
house on the bridge.
EDWAItD TKKKY.
where every foot passenger Is required
to pay a halfpenny before being allow
ed to pass.
To his consternation, Terry realized
that he had not any kind of money
with him, and as he approached the
toll keeper on a dead run he shouted,
"I'll pay you when I come back!" "No,
you won't!" that functionary shouted
back, knowing nothing of the race
against time and believing that Terry
was trying to avoid payment. En
treaties, cries of protest and prayers
from Terry were in vain. The toll
keeper barred the way and demanded
the money.
Finally, seeing that argument was
futile, the angry actor suddenly dodged
under the arm of the Cerberus of the
bridge, darted nast him. and was asm in
on nis way. He tried to make up tne
seconds that had been lost at the gate,
sou making the bequest. Medical
Record.
A I,n nd ff Mymtery.
The Great American desert, once so
called, the wild solitudes of the west
ern mountain ranges and the snow
wastes of the Yukon have yielded up
their Inmost secrets, but the Ever
glades. In the southernmost Interior of
our southernmost states, are today al
most as little known of white men as
when the early navigators flrst charted
the contour of the Cape of the End of
April. Century Magazine.
Sort.
"Don't yui think the custom of
throwing rice at a newly married
couple is Idiotic?" asked the fluffy hair
ed maid.
"Sure." answered the savage old bach
elor. "Mush would be a great deal
more appropriate." -Chicago News.
ticiicnlogy.
Small Boy (Just home from school)
Mamma, Miss Simpson says I'm de
scended from a monkey. Ills Mother
r 1 . T . - n ... .....I , a, 4- tint. 1 I ,, tl 11 11 ll
IgiailClI.K hUVUU-ij u .11:1 UUOWtimi
Not on my side, darling. Harper's
jjjjj
I
MR. MONNETT'S FIGHT.
liirmer Attorney General of Ohio
Heady For HI Old Enemy.
Frank S. Monnettf Ohio has been
putting on his armor and furbishing
nls weapons preparatory to another
contest with his old opponent, the
Standard Oil company. When the bat
tie against the big oil trust was started
In Kansas and taken up by opponents
of the Institution In other states those
who were active In the conflict recalled
the nnticorporatlon record made by
Mr. Monnett when he was attorney
general of the state of Ohio. On ac
count of this record he was engaged
by the Kansas Oil Producers' assocla
tlou as counsel In the campaign against
the Standard. He is in the full vigor of
manhood, though It is about eight years
since he reached the period of "com
parative uselessness," according to the
Osier theory of the three ages of man
He Avas born In Kenton, O., In 1837 and
was an ambitious boy. Though he did
not have a rich father to provide him
with plenty of money, he determined to
obtain a liberal education. He entered
the Bucyrus High school, from which
he graduated In lS7f, nnd after an In
terval, during which he taught school,
he was admitted to the Ohio Wesleyan
university at Delaware. During vaca
tions he worked on farms nnd In other
ways earned the money to enable him
to prosecute his studies. After gradua
tion from the Wesleyan university he
went to Washington and studied at the
National Law school, graduating in
FItANK S. MONNETT.
1SS2. He began practice at Bucyrus
and had to borrow the money which he
spent for his law books. In time he be
came an attorney for railway corpora
tions and their representative In legis
lative matters.
But Mr. Monnett soon saw that the
laws of the state were being set at
naught by the corporations, nud It be
came his ambition to make them ob
serve the statutes. In 1S93 he was
elected attorney general of Ohio and at
once began the prosecution of corpora
tions which were alleged to be violat
ing the laws. He secured the enact
ment of the antitrust law of Ohio. HI
conduct of his otlice brought him' Into
conflict with the Standard Oil compa
ny, and his battle with that corporation
made him famous. It is said that he
rejected an offer of $400,000, made on
condition that he would modify the
policy of the attorney general's office
In respect to corporations. He was re
elected attorney general In 1S97 and
accomplished much during his two
terms, but his campaign against law
breaking corporations did not produce
the results expected on account of the
unsympathetic attitude of the state
legislature on the subject Mr. Mon
nett anticipates success In the tight
upon which he has now entered.
ORIENTAL COURTESY.
An Incident In Which MIkh
Anna
DIcUliiHOii Figured.
Miss Anna Dickinson traveled every -here
independently and saw human
mure in all of its lairs. Writing to a
woman friend once, she described a re
ception given by wealthy Chinamen In
restaurant kept by Chi Lung in ban
raneisco. and she was the guest of
honor. She said that she saw a serv
ant coming toward her. with a box di-
Ided Into many compartments, with
different kinds of nuts and candies in
the smaller trays. She picked out half
dozen or more and laid them on the
in of the chair, which served as a tu
e. As the attendant passed on to
others she saw that each took only one
bonbon, and she was much embar
rassed. But when the servant approached the
chief Chiuaman. the one who had orig
inated the reception, he took a large
handful, and those after him did the
same, and then Miss Dickinson felt re
lieved. She wrote:
"After I learned that I must have
shocked all of those educated, cultured
Chinamen as much as you or I should
have been shocked if we had invited a
Chinaman whom we respected to dine
ttli us and he had taken a wnoie trieti
chicken nnd torn it limb from limb at
our table. In such an event would you
or
I have had the tact ami courtesy to
i.:.-i . .....1 4l,i.
ha)
ve taken ouier ciuckch unu um.i
dismembered them?"
Charity of Former KirtRn.
Henry II. sought peace for his soul
fter the murder of Becket by feeding
nnd sustaining 10.000 people dally, a
proceeding that must have made many
man rejoice In the fall of the "proud
relate." Oualntest of all, though, was
the charity of Henry III., who com
manded that "in the great hall at Win
sore, at a good Arc, all the poor and
needy children that could be found
ere to be fed. according to the weight
and measure of the king's children," a
queer variant of tho more modern sys
tem of distributing the Maundy money.
Is to be feared that nowadays, says
the London Chronicle, the amount of
food equivalent to "the weight and
measure of the king's children" would
not go far In relieving "all the poor and
needy children that could be found."
Her Mental Exerclne.
"Why does your wife belong to so
many clubs nnd debating societies?"
"Well," answered Mr. Meckton, "I
think Henrietta feels the need of men
tal exercise. She likes to get awny
from home and be among people where
she can't have her own way without
n argument." Washington Star.
CHOICE MISCELLANY
Art of Plckllnj? Steel.
The pickling of structural steel was
probably flrst done In this country in
connection with the steel flooring of the
Williamsburg bridge in New York city.
The specifications for the twelve inch
channels on which the paving blocks
are carried required them to be cleaned
nnd painted with pure linseed oil while
still hot from the rolls.
When it came time to execute the
work these specifications were changed
so as to permit the metal to be cleaned
In pickling baths, which has long been
done to a considerable extent in Eu
rope. In the case of the channels foi
the Williamsburg bridge the shape:
were first boiled In a 10 per cent solu
tion of caustic soda to take off grease
and were then rinsed in boiling water
Afterward thej' were dipped into a boil
ing 10 per cent solution of sulphuric
acid until all the oxide was removed.
After being rinsed in boiling water
they were dipped Into a boiling 10 per
cent solution of carbonate of soda tc
free them from any trace of acid. Fi
nally they were rinsed in boiling water,
dried over steam pipes and then treat
ed by the Sabin process of enameling.
Engineering Record.
What Mnken the Sky Illnef
The sky has long been a puzzle tc
physicists. There are two mysteries tc
explain about it its reflection of light
and its color. The old view was that
the blue of the sky was due simply tc
atmospheric oxygen. Oxygen has a
faint blue tint, and the idea was that
several miles of the gas, even when di
luted as It is in the air, would have a
bright blue color. But this did not ac
count for the Intense illumination ol
the sky. and of recent years Tyndall's
"dust theory" or some modification ol
It hits been generally accepted. Recent
calculations by Professor Spring ol
Liege, Belgium, however. Indicate that
the dust in the air Is not sufficient in
amount nor finely enough divided tc
support this explanation, and he re
jects It for tills and other reasons. He
has gone back to the old oxygen the
ory and accounts for the general illu
mination of the sky on the hypothesis
flrst advanced by Hagenbach, that in
ternilnglcd layers of different density
in the atmosphere give it the power ol
reflecting light Success Magazine.
The CoMtlleMt Hook.
In one of the London salesrooms the
other day a book was sold for $1!0.000.
It wsis a Latin psalter of l l.VJ, and the
price was the second highest ever given
in auction for a printed book. The rec
ord price for st book printed with mov
able types is ?2I.7.")0. given in the same
rooms Dec. 0. l.HS-1, at the Sir John
Hay ford Thorold sale for another and
slightly tlner copy of the same work,
the second book printed with a date at
the world's first printing press.
The last mentioned copy remained in
the possession of its purchaser, the late
Bernard Quarltch. for a long period
and was Anally sold after his death to
J. Plerpont Morgan. Twelve copies,
perfect and imperfect, are now known
of the psalter of Moti. of which an edi
tion of twenty copies was printed by
Faust and Schoeffer at the expense ol
the Carthusian monastery of St. James
near Meutz.
Lurtrent Store.
The honor of possessing the greatest
store in the world belongs to Russia.
It is situated in Moscow, covers twen
ty acres and embraces a thousand dif
ferent establishments, each of which
has Its own proprietor. The place Is.
in fact, a sort of bazaar, consisting not
only of shops on the ground floor, but
also on three floors above it.
The merchandise offered for sale ia
described as of fabulous value. It
amounts, In fact, to millions of dollars.
The prices of the wares are not mnrk-
ed. The Russians are much given to
bargaining for nnd cheapening the
goods they buy, and in buying at the
bazaar most of them "negotiate" with
the tradesman much in the oriental
fashion.
The Kler'n tv Uniform.
The Berliner Tageblatt in comment
ing on the fact that the German em
peror has been made field marshal gen
eral of the Spanish army adds an In
teresting item to the kaiser's military
wardrobe, which already contains 150
uniforms. It remarks solemnly:
"The uniform of a Spanish general is
'zlemllch elnfnch (rather simple). It
consists of a dark blue cloth coat with
gold embroidered collar and cuffs, red
trousers with wide blue stripes. On
gala occasions dark trousers are worn.
Tho sash Is magenta and gold. For
ordinary service a small gold braided
cap is worn, on other occasions a gold
embossed helmet with white plumes."
"Come spend the night In my apart
ment." said a friend to Frank Daniels
one night when both had been detained
n the city late. "We can put you up
all night and give you a little flat
breakfast In the morning."
"A little flat brenkfast." replied Mr.
Daniels. "What's that a grlddlecake?"
Chivalry at a Dlnconnt.
He There was a run on the bank.
was there? You were fortunate to
get yonr money out. She Yes; but I
never saw such discourtesy. There
asn't n man offered me his place on
the line. New York Times.
VilllnK to Exchange.
Aunt Ilettv The doctor's goln to
take your temperature. Uncle Josh
Well, I hope he'll leave me a more
healthy one In Its place.
The Mortality I Ant.
Manager (of great exposition) What
alarms me Is our mortality list. Assist
ant Mortality list? Why. it's next to
"tilling at "H! "I know better than
that. More than one-third of the people
that come through the turnstiles nre
deadheads."
Truth Didn't Save Him.
Father Did you break this vase?
Johnny Yes, father; I cannot He. Fa
therNo, and you won't be able to sit
either when I've done with you. Go
and fetch the strap New Yorker.
Avoid popularity; it has many snare3
and no real benefit Penn.
The small courtesies sweeten life;
the greater ennoble It. Uovee.
THE BELTED PLAID.
tffhJx Wan the Original IJrenn of tke
Scottish Highlander.
The original dress of the hlghlander
was the belted plaid. This was a
piece of tartan cloth, two yards broad
ami four long, which was drawn
around the waist in nicely adjusted
folds and tightly buckled with a belt
The lower part came down to the
knees in much the same manner as
the modern kilt, while the upper part
was drawn up and adjusted to the left
shoulder, so that the right arm might
be perfectly free. This upper part was
the plaid, which was used as a covering
for the shoulders and body in wet
weather, ami when the use of both
arms was required it was fastened
across the breast witli a brooch, often
curiously enriched. A brooch was aho
used to fasten the plaid on the left
shoulder. To attire himself in the belt
ed plaid required on the part of the
highbinder no small amount of dexteri
ty. The usual way was to lay it on
the floor anil after carefully arranging
the folds to lie down upon It and then
buckle it on. The lower end was fas
tened at the right hip. The utility of
such a dress in the highlands Is ob
vious, for the plaid rendered the man
indifferent to storms and prepared to
pass a night in the open air in the
most inclement weather, while the loose
undergarment enabled him to wade
rivers or ascend mountains with equal
ease. It was thus peculiarly adapted
to the warrior, the hunter and the
shepherd.-r-London Mail.
PRAIRIE DOGS.
Choked Up a IUver While Traveling
From Oklahoma to Tcxbn.
"The prairie dog migration from
Oklahoma to southwestern Texas dur
ing July, 1S74. eclipsed anything of
that sort witnessed by white men in
this country." said a veteran who saw-
It "Millions of the frisky little bark
ers must have been in quest of new
pastures or perhaps feared the ap
proaching legions of home seekers
would surelv exterminate the dogs and
plow up the dog towns. The prairie
dog migration from the north to the
southwest lasted six days during th
month of July. 1S71. The traveling
dogs wnile crossing the Red river in
terfered to a great extent witli the
cattle that came to that stream to
quench their thirst Some cowboys
that were on the banks of Red river
during the time when the prairie dogs
swam across sny that the stream was
chock full of the little rascals for
many miles up and down the river.
The thirsty cattle were either unable
or unwilling to stick their mouths into
the water through the moving mass of
living prairie dogs. The cowboys were
getting ready to drive the famishing
stock to a distant stream, but the Red
river became clear of the repelling
swimmers after blocking the useful
drinking place for about a week. It
was generally supposed that the dogs
halted when they had reached the
staked plains of Texas." Kansas City
Times.
The Tin In England.
The date of the first manufacture of
pins In England is shrouded in uncer
tainty, but It Is authentically recorded
that as early as 14G4. when money was
"tight," extensive cloth workers com
pelled their laborers to accept In pay
ment for their work "pins, girdles and
other unprofitable wares Instead of
money." The march of improvement
had begun and kept on steadily until
toward the middle of the sixteenth
century pins began to win appreciation
so high that statutes were enacted pro
tecting their manufacture, and rigid
laws were passed prohibiting the im
portation of numerous minor articles,
including pins, gloves, knives, tailors'
shears, scissors and irons. Up to this
period female dress was fastened with
ribbons, laces, clasps, hooks and eyes
and skewers of brass, silver and gold.
The latter were. In fact, pins without
heads. London Globe.
Wild Flower of Alatka.
Up in "green Alaska." as John Bur
roughs found it. the predominating col
or of the wild flowers is blue. The wild
geranium Is blue and tinges the slopes
as daisies ami buttercups do with us.
He speaks of "patches of a most ex
quisite forgetmeuot of pure, delicate
blue with yellow center that grew to
the height of about a foot A handful
of it looked like something Just caught
out of the sky above." In another par
agraph he speaks of the forgetmenot
growing round nn Eskimo encampment
at Plover bay. within sight of the Sibe
rian coast that was scarcely an inch
lUgh. of deep ultramarine blue, "the
deepest, most intense blue I ever saw
In a wihl flower."
Fih Out of Water.
Many people think tjfiat ti.-h when
taken out of water die -because air has
a fatal effect on them. The real rea
son, however. Is that their delicate gill
filaments or membranes become dry
nnd stick together, so that no air can
can pass between them. Thus they los
the power to Imbibe necessary oxygen,
and the circulation of their blood stops.
The painful gasping of a fish out of wa
ter is nature's effort to free the pas
s?ige through the filaments.
The Hornemhoe Legend.
Here Is an explanation of the old
horseshoe superstition: St. Duustan
was a skilled farrier. One day while
at work In his forge the devil entered
;n disguise ami requested Dunstan to
shoe his "single hoof." The saint, al
though he recognized his malign cus-
turner, acceded, but caused him so
much pain during the operation that
Satan begged him to desist. This St.
Dunstan did, but only after he had
made the evil one promise that neither
he nor any of the lesser evil spirits, his
servants, " would ever molest the In
mates of a house where tho horseshoe
was displayed.
TUll and Doarda.
Bill had a Wllboard. Bill also had a
board bill. The board bill bored Bill so
that Bill sold the billboard to pay his
board bill. So after Bill sold his bill
board to pay his board bill the board
bill no longer bored Bill. Yale Ex
positor. The eyeball Is white because the
blood vessels that feed its substance
are so small that they do not admit the
red corpuscles.