FACTS IN FEW LINES
Seventy-fire years ago Yucatan de
:lared itself Independent.
A Northampton firm has made a pair
of boots for the Russian giant. The size
Is J42.
The Japanese parliament has passed
a bill denying the right of mining in
Japan to foreigners.
The constabulary force in the west
&f Ireland Is being rapidly reduced and
leveral stations have been closed.
In St. Louis a servant broke $12
worth of dishes to obtain satisfaction
for $o width of wages, and the judge
fined her $2.1.
.le.ise James, only son of the noted
Missouri bandit, is reading law and
taking the three years' course in a Kan
sas City school of law.
A Dublin man sentenced Jo six
mounts' hard labor for neglecting hi-
children had done only three ami one
half days' work since July. JPOO.
The Siamese navy now has 71 ships,
and these vessels mount S2 guns. The
largest ship in the licet is a cruiser of
S.UOO tons, and the second ship of the
flrst line Is a gunboat of TOO tons.
There are now 2,-hil newspapers pub
lished In Great P.ritain. including 184
dallies in England, is each In Scotland
and Ireland and 7 In Wales, while in
lSlt' then? were only r.M Journals of
all sons published, including MS dai
lies. At a ri-Iigious revival at Luther. I. T..
a young man and a young woman
walked to the m turners' bench and
surprisedy e ;. !.dy by asking the
prau'hex-Jjj marrv them. The groom
eaid l is asmfur heaven as he ever
hoped to be.
A wealthy French manufacturer ha
placed at the disposal of President
Loubet a tine steam yacht. The owner
Is understood to have done s. in order
that M. Loubet sh uild no longer be the
only European "ruler" without such a
pleasure craft.
A iHlice report front Ilerschcll is
land, in the Arctic ocean, which has
been received at the Canadian mount
ed police headquarters at Ottawa, was
conveyed 1.000 miles by dog sleigh.
1,000 miles by water aud ;.oo0 mile
by rail. Its journey took over two
months.
Tiie Swiss government has granted
permission for the building of electric
tramways on the following lines: Cas
tagiiuki to Lugano. Menzikon to Km
nienbrucke. Minister to Rothonhurg. An
to itorneck, Altorf to Fluelen. and a ca
ble railroad from luterlaken to Ileim
lehiluh. Dr. Ami of the Canadian geological
survey believes that diamonds are hid
den In that part of Canada between the
great lakes and Hudson bay. and he
warns surveying parties ami explorer
to be on the lookout for anything that
will show traces of diamonds in that
territory.
Although the present French repub
lic has been in existence for thirty-five
years, yet only a single one of its pres
idents lias completed his term of olhYo.
Thiers. Marshal MacMahon and Casi-mlr-Perlcr
resigned more or less vol
untarily before the expiration of their
terms, finding the position untenable.
William Standifer. a soldier of the
Confederacy and seventy years old, is
a pupil in the Agricultural and Me
chanical college of Starkville. Mass.
He never went to school In his youth,
and now that his ten children have all
married and set up for themselves he
thinks it is time for him to get an
education.
A Norwegian inventor ha di.-covor-ed
a way to sound deep places in the
sen without the use of a lead. It is
done by electrical waves, and a mes
sage is sent down through the water
and relNHtiids from the bottom in some
way. the depth being found from the
time it takes the waves to travel down
to the bottom and back.
The regulations for grazing lands in
Manitoba are published in the Canada
Gazette. The leases are for twenty-one
years, and no single lease shall cover
an area greater than lmi.ooO acres.
The lessee shall pay an annual rental
of 2 cents an acre; the lessee can pur
chase a reasonable acreage within his
leasehold for a house, farm and corral.
Captain ITarry Leonard of the I "nited
States marine corps has been ordered
by Presldeut Itoosevelt to the Chinese
capital as military attai'ie of the Amer
lean legation. I Miring the Tientsin
campaign he risked hi ! fe by going to
the rescue of a wounded comrade, car
rying him to safety on li s hade across
a lire swept field and lolng his arm as
a penalty for his achievement.
General von Budde. Prussian minis
ter of state and public works. In a
comparison between railway accidents
in the Unibil States and Prussia show-
fiLJlmt ilr:it1tneiits Jiro three times
monr$Vtrit.iU the United States and
cullislo'Shfee and a half times, while
the number of persons killed Is thirty
six times greater. Accidents are grow
lug less frequent on the Prussian roads.
Japan's oflielal control of the use of
opium In Formosa is a success. Its
Irnjwrt into that Island fell from .?7(i;.
110 in 1902 to $.r0 1.00.1 In 1003. a do
crease of $17.1,000. The price Is fixed
by the government, and selling agents
are only allowed a profit of l'j per
cent. Since late in 1000 the number of
opium smokers in Formosa has de
creased by about 1,000 a month. Each
opium smoker has to be registered.
Public opinion as well as the law Is
against Its use.
A Singular Iletrothnl.
The way the Slngalese and Tartar
tribes have of popping the question
Is singular. The man sends ami pur
chases the lady's wearing apparel. Of
course If she does not like the gentle
man she need not part with the con
tents of her wardrobe, but If he Is the
favored one she readily does so, know
ing that when the evening comes they
will be returned to her by the suitor
In person. He spends the night be
neath the same roof with her, and the
next day, after a certain amount of
feasting Is gone through, the couple's
thumbs are tied together, and thence
forward they are man and wife.
A Present.
Klfter-That's a nice umbrella you've
got. Lifter-Yes; It was a present.
Kifter Indeed! Who gave It to you?
Lifter-Nobody gave It to me, but It
has an inscription on It showing, that
it was "presented to John F. Jones,"
whoever he is.
WOMAN AND FASHION
Smnrl Sprint; Cunt.
.otning suits young girls more per
fectly than just such a blouse coat as
th.s one. As liiustratcd it is made of
blue cheviot with bandings of crean
broadcloth and vest of the cloth em
broldered with tinv dots, but the model
1U.OUSK COAT.
is one that can be utilized for all sea
sonable m iterials. At the moment noth
ing is better than the cheviot, but a lit
tie later shepherd's checks ami mate
rials of lighter weight will be In de
mand, with the vest In anv effective
material or omitted entirely, the coat
being left open at the front. For a girl
of fourteen the coat will require .1at
yards of material 21. .1:ls yards 27 or
2T yards -M inches wide, with 2:,t
yards of silk for lining and live-eighths
of a yard of any width for vest.
Ft mini ne I-'nil.
You can't have too many organdies.
Roth narrow and wide belts art
worn.
The black patent leather sailor is
nobby.
There are separate black and whit
check skirts for runabout.
Net insertions make a silk blouse Uvk
wonderfully smart.
Very taking is the new envelope ham
bag in scarlet or green.
Turn your last year's shirt waU
sleeves upside down to cut them ove
by this year's pattern, since the full
Hess which was at the bottom is now a"
the top. '
Fasten a bandeau in the back :'
your last summer's hat to make it tq
over the noe In this summer's fashion.
Fitftli ion lu' (;lnvcs.
There never was a year when a cor
roetly gowned woman, needed mi many
pairs of gloves as sh; will during the
warm months of lint,!. Dame Fashion
has sent forth a positive decree that
gloves must ma tcli the frock, and this
is a- true of elbow irnd shoulder kids
as it I of ordinary wulking gloves. As
a consequence, in.uminh looking glove
have given place to sjft kids of every
imaginable shade wUh markings on
the back In self tonM ilk or in the
same shade of leather applique with
tine stitching. - Y ashuigtoii Mar.
Full Skirts.
Skirts continue full! but are mostly
either stitched In liar plaits over the
hips or the seams goijed heavily to do
an ay with the extra material at the
waist. The circular skirt, made with
a seam do n the front ami another
down the back, rejoices the heart, for
it Is one of the most, graceful as also
the most comfortable of style. It h i
no waist fullness. th? volume of ma
terial that llows around the feet being
obtained by the goring and the curve
of the cloth round the hem. The same
effect is secured iu narrow width ma
terial by the umbrella skirt.
Shephenl'N I'lll Itl .
The popular xhephepd's plaid has nut
met with the violent death that was
predict! for it last year after the ter
rible epidemic of it. had swept over the
world. It ha.- reappeared in doth and
silk simply for the useful short gown
with coat to match or in the silk shirt
waist gown.
t'inhrella jSklrt.
This skirt is one of tiie newest among
the many styles of skirts and promises
to be popular during th" spring, sum
mer aud .autumn. The model, which Is
shaped by eleven gores, display- gra-e-
EIiUYKX (JOKED SKIUC
ful and admirable lines. The adjust
ment over the hips Is perfectly smooth,
and the lower jwrtion falls In soft,
flutelike folds to give the umbrella or
ripple effect. The design Is suitable to
cloth, woolen and heavy washable ma
terials, but Is here shown In linen, with
n foot decoration of stitching. Quanti
ty of material required furs' medium
size Is seven and a half yards of goods
forty-two Inches wide.
Cruel.
Mabel (not In her first youth) First
of all he held my hands and told my
fortune, and then. Evie, he gazed Into
my face ever so long and said he could
read my thought! Wasn't that clevei
of him. dear? Kvle Oh. I suppose h.
read between the lines, darling. Punch
Enjoy What Ton Hnve.
Don't worry about your health
Keep In good condition ami got as
much fresh air as you can. People
who are always puttering over them
selves are like misers- they don't e:i
joy what they have. Boston Traveler.
DOROTHY
By
LAFAYETTE McLAWS
CojijritfM, by Lafaucttc HcLaies
It was two hours past midnight
when we reached the capital, but
President Lincoln was expecting the
dispatches that Jack bore and sat up
waiting. Colonel Kellogg insisted on
taking his prisoners of war to the
president without delay. It was
bold deed, but I had come to know
that Colonel Kellogg was accustomed
to doing bold deeds. We found with
th president his secretary of war, and
1 saw a frown of displeasure succeed
the Hash of surprise that shone on
Stanton's face when we appeared.
Jack stated the situation just as It
was, keeping back nothing, and at the
mention of his own and George's grad
uation and the hitter's subsequent Join
lug the Confederacy the frown on the
brow of the secretary of war deepened.
Not so with Mr. Lincoln. When Jack
finished his statement, the president
turned toward Dorothy, a quizzical
pmile lighting his kind, homely face.
"It appears to me. Miss Fletcher,
he said, "that your brother stands to
the United States government about as
Colonel Kellogg does In your esteem.
We love him and have told him so. but
Ue persists In fighting under the wrong
flag. Now I have a proposition to male'
If the Fnitcd States government grants
your brother's exchange"
"Mr. President. I must remonstrate!"
the secretary of war exclaimed, turn
lng his chair so as to face the presi
dent.
"If the United States government
grants your brother's exchange, gives
him this one chance of life." the presi
dent continued, disregarding Stanton's
The president turned tnird Jinrnthij.
interruption, "will you at the end of
the war of course all wars must end
will you promise, as return of cour
tesies, to give Colonel Kellogg his one
chance of life'.'"
Dorothy's cheeks named scarlet, and
her ees sought the floor. I saw Jack's
face flush, ami he held out his hand
nppcaiiugty. i lien sue raised ucr eyes
ami looked Mr. Lincoln squarely in the
face.
"I will promise. I give you my word
of honor. Mr. President." she answered.
We got George home, one foot gono
and on' arm off above the elbow. Ills
fight for life was long and desperate.
Sherman was marching to the s?a and
a rumor came of troops approaching.
Just across the river. Then wc heard
of skirmishes with the handful of
Confederates commanded by 11111 and
stationed at Augusta.
It was an uncomfortably warn: night,
and. leaving tin- other members of the
family. 1 strolled out to the seat under
the magnolia at the side of the house.
There was s.wue commotion up the
street, pistol hots. loud shouts ami
calls, and more pistol shot. Then
down the street came rapid footfalls,
and 1 saw a man running. I knew, for
his life. He dashed under the street
lamp at the corner, a Yankee olllcer In
full uniform. His pursuers were hard
on his tracks, and I saw the blaze of
more than one weapon as he passed
through the circle of lamplight On he
came, straining every muscle. My
heart bounded to my mouth. He
cleared the fence and was running
through our front yard.
"Halt!" I cried, springing from the
shadow of the magnolia.
"Dick, they shall not capture me."
There was no time for words. I
seized his arm and together we ran up
the steps and Into the front door. I
shot the bolts behind us. From the
east parlor we ran into Aunt Cather
ine's room, and I pushed him into a
closet and locked the door.
When I passed down the hall, closely
followed by Dorothy. Aunt Catherine
and some half dozen of the servants,
I wore my dressing gown and slippers.
I opened the door and faced Colonel,
Hall, Captain .lenklns and a handful
of soldiers. Colonel Hall stepped iu
and saluted the ladies with a deep bow.
"I come to demand the surrender of
the Federal oflicer who has taken ref
uge in your house." he said, speaking
to me, though he kept his eyes fastened
on Dorothy.
"Federal olllcer iu this house!" Aunt
Catherine cried.
"Yes, ma'am. He was taken by a
nariv of skirmishers across the river
and sent over here for safe keeping.
Hut on the way he attacked his guards,
killed one and Injured the other two.
He was pursued and seen (o run up
your front steps and into this very
door."
"Impossible!" Dorothy cried. "I boil
ed this door at sunset, and no one has
opened It since. You must have heard
my brother draw the bolts iu answer
to your knocks."
"Oh; the dob was bolted fast enough
.when we knocked. Miss Fletcher."
Jenkins answered without giving his
superior an opoortuuitv to sneak, "Ttnr
i saw trie scoundrel come in. so i Know
mighty well the doo has been opened
since sunset'
"Captain Jenkins!" I exclaimed. "I
demand that"
"It's all right. Richard," Colonel Hall
said. "I hope, ma'am," turning back to
Aunt Catherine, "that you realize w
have come as friends, but we must do
our duty. Our loyalty to the cause de
mauds that we search the house."
"It would seem, sir," was Aunt
Catherine's dignified reply, "that our
loyalty to the cause should render such
an act unnecessary. What reason have
you for proposing such an outrage?"
The two officers exchanged glances;
then Captain Jenkins replied:
"The man we are searching for Is
Colonel Kellogg of the United States
army."
Dorothy turned so white that I
thought she would faint. In an In
stant she recovered herself. "Invite
them in. Aunt Cattle. Gentlemen, we
are only sorry your suspicions will not
be verified; otherwise we might have
had an opportunity of assisting ono
who has always proved n stanch and
faithful friend of my brother, Colonel
Fletcher of the Confederate army. The
house is open to you, and I beg that
you search It thoroughly."
Aunt Catherine's bedchamber was
the last to be examined. As I led the
searchers In I noticed the dainty order
liness of the high bed, with its great
feather mattresses, the polished dress
ing table and easy chairs, and was
struck by the general fitness of It all
for the one who had occupied It fot
more than fifty years and who still
gave abundant evidence of having been
what her friends claimed for her "the
reigning beauty of her day." I think
even .lenklns might have left the room
satisfied by a casual Inspection had not
Dorothy spoken.
You are neglecting the closets, gen
tlemen, one on each side the chimney.
One may prove especially interesting,
since it opens on the stairs leading to
our secret chamber."
Dorothy!" I cried, horrified.
Never mind. Dick. It is a secret
presumably sacred to the family, but I
am sure there are outsiders who have
heard of It, and since these friends are
kind enough to search for proof of ou:
loyalty to the Confederacy 1 wish then
to examine the secret chamber. Yon
hae only to push the wall at the end.
Captain Jenkins." she explained as she
opened the door of the left hand closet
I gae a great gasp of relief. 1 had
locked .lack in the other closet.
Jenkins went in and was followed by
two men he named. We could hear
their footfalls as they descended the
steps within the wall. Dorothy turned
to 'olonel Hall.
"Perhaps yon would like to econo
mize time, colonel, by examining this
other closet while Captain Jenkins is
engaged." And she walked over to th2
other closet.
My hair began to rise on end. M.v
heart stood still, and I was dumb. 1
knew that closet to be scarcely two
feet deep, nothing behind which ever,
a motive might hide. Dorothy turned
the key and opened the door. My eyet
started In their sockets, and my heart
scorned in my mouth. She closed th(
door, dropped the key in her pocket ami
turned, her Hps smiling, her eyes uk
stare.
"Colonel Hall, you will excuse me, 1
am sure. Aunt Cat tie would never for
give me for showing you the mysteriei
of her toilet, her stays and hoopskirts.
When we saw them out, Jeuklni
muttered something about "settln' i
watch aroun the house." I closed and
bolted the front door. Dorothy threw
her arms around my neck and gave mc
a regular "bear's hug."
"Oh. Kichard. my brother, you ar
the smartest boy lu the world! 1 slm
ply can't tell how much I love you!"
The town clock began to strike.
"Heaven.!" Dorothy exclaimed.
"Dick. Aunt Cattle is stepping intc
bed."
She ran down the hall and burst In
to Aunt Catherine's room. It had
been years since I had seen my aunt
without her stays. The figure whicl
met my startled eyes was unusual. The
two portions had apparently melted
and run together, the head bristled
with little knots and tails, and the
half yard of ankles that appeared froir
the bottom of the short skirt were noi
slender.
"Aunt Cattle, you" Dorothy be
gan.
"My dear, those thievish soldiers car
ried off the key to my closet, ami that
lazy minx of a Sukey slipped off with
out laying out my nightdress. For
tunately I had a second key, but 1
will be late to bed, the first time ir.
twenty years that I have lost oik
second of mv 'beauty sleep.' Yot
should be more careful of yourself
my dear. If you wish to preserve
"Hut, Aunt Cattie, you can't go tc
bed now. There may be a Yankee It
the house. Those men swore he cnnit
In and they did not- You surely"-
"Don't be foolish, my dear, lot
hould learn to control your nerves
Nothing injures the complexion sc
much or produces wrinkles as soon. 1
am not the least concerned about out
iifetv." Here she slipped the koj
Into the lock, aud Dorothy ran forward
lior Initiiltt ehisned.
your silly fears. How can you appeal
so cowardly? Why, I would not for
get my dignity If ten, a hundred. Yan
ies were to walk Into this very room
I certainly would not be made nervoui
over - Mie turned t lie key, and tm
oor opened.
"O-oo pee."
Aunt Catherine's shriek was as wilt
and ear .splitting as an Indian's wai
whojp. She lied from the closet dooi
rind, with the agility of a trained mon
kev. ran up the step of her high bed
took a flying leap, landed In the mid
die of the feather mattress and drag
ged the bedclothes up over her head
'and ears as Colonel Kellogg stepped
through the closet door.
The next day tidings of Lee's stir
render at Appomattox reached us. Sli
months later Dorothy fulfilled tin
promise she had made President Lin
coin.
Donineil.
IUgstar's manager has promised to
give a presentation of that comedy o!
mine" said Do HIter, "but I 'don't
I now when it's to come off."
"Probably the night after It's put
on." suggested Crittlck. Catholic
Standard and Times.
NEW SHORT STORIES
IM'i 1'rlcfc Didn't Work.
G otge Mod. !er once believed in signs
He doesn't any more. He tells this
story: "In Kansas City when younger
and gayer I found myself one morning
broke, homeless, hungry and a thou
sand miles from a friend. I read the
newspapers in an effort to find an aN
vertisement seeking a man possessing
my manifold virtues and accomplish
ments A want ad. struck me after
awhile, an I I sallied forth In quest of
a job.
"before I arrived at the house I In
quired into the private character of the
manager. It was told me that he was
a liberal, generous man, but he Insisted
on every employee using every endear-
.- -. v.- .
"JIT OLASSlUS l'KLTi I'KOM MY N'OSK."
or to save. If he saw a clerk save a
piece of twine It wasn't long before
that clerk was advanced, and so on.
"Now. 1 figured it out that while I
was making my speech for the job I
would have a pin convenient, drop it
and let htm see me pick It up. That
would show him I believed in taking
can of the little things. In time I
stood before the mighty personage. At
the proper moment I let go the pin.
At the exact period I stooped to gather
it in. In doing so my eyeglasses fell
from my nose, and I was as a blind
person. hue stooping to find the
glasses the manager sized me up as a
crazy man and promptly had me es
corted from his presence.
"I got to the corner and stood as If
hi a trance. py and by a man walked
up and said: 'Come nlong. It's my
treat. I've Just got a good job the one
yon fell down on.' And. looking at
him, I saw that he had one eye only.
Wouldn't that Jar you?" New York
American.
Itepnrtce 1'nlntn ScIiooIIioump.
The late Uev. Mr. Wakefield was an
ellident member of the prudential
school committee of the town of Marl
boro. At an annual town meeting the
appropriations for the coming year
were the cause of some heated discus
sions.
Mr. Wakefield advocate! an appro
priation for painting one of the school
houses. The watchdog of the town
treasury strenuously objected.
This opposition aroused Mr. Wake
field, and he exclaimed:
"Mr. Moderator, wo can paint that
building for less money than It costs
my friend each year to paint his nose."
It was a home thrust. The appropri
ation went through with a shout, and
in due time the schoolhouse was paint
ed red. Roston Herald.
Sivclled llriid.
Senator Dopew was stretched on a
sofa iu his New York home the other
evening nursing a sprained shoulder
caused by a bad fall while running for
a train. An enthusiast of Christian
Science who had called suggested that
he try that treatment to stop the
pain. The visitor was describing
some remarkable "demonstrations" up
on friends of his.
"Were you ever healed through it?"
inquired the senator.
"No." was the reply, "but a dear rela
tive of mine was. He had an acute
cae of of dear me, I can't remember
the disease. What is it that causes a
man to have a swelled head?"
"Flattery sometimes," was the sena
tor's quick reply. New York Times.
I.ncUy For Doth of Them.
The late Baron de Hirsch was din
ing at a German nobleman's house In
company with a certain prince who
made no secret of his venomous antip
athy to the Jews. Remarking upon a
tour he had made In Turkey, he said he
had been favorably Impressed by two
of its customs:
"All Jews and dogs that are caught
arc immediately killed."
The baron, with smiling sang frold.
Immediately relieved the scandalized
consternation of the other guests with
the bland rejoinder:
"How fortunate you and I don't live
there!" Chicago Tribune.
Applying thp Onlpr Theorr.
Not long ago a group of men gather
ed in the anteroom of the secretary of
war. waiting to see Secretary Taft
Finally Chairman Payno of the ways
and means committee made some re
mark which showed that he was sit
ting there and that he also knew sev
eral senators were present Among
those senators was Julius Caesar Hur
rows, who said:
"Hello, Payne: Is that 3ou? I
thought Osier had got you."
"Oh, no," said Payne. "Don't you
know that Osier's theory iras applica
ble only to United States senators?"
Washington Post.
111m I'roud Moment.
Mike 01 hear yez wor' folned folve
dollars for assaultln' McDooIey. Pat
Ol wor', an it wor' a proud mouiint
whin Ol hur-rd th' Rlntiiice, b'gorry!
Mike-Pfwhai's th' raysou av tiiot?
I'jit-Falth, an' It show'd which av us
had th' best av th' contlst Chicago
News.
Not Ilellnble.
DaughterJack promised .that If I
accepted him he would mend his ways.
Hor'Mottier-Mlumphl '4iaVen't much
faith In this repairing dono. while ypu
wait.
Lji it I
THE POSTAttE STAJ1I
HOW IT 15 MADE BY UNCLE SM,M
EXPERT WORKMEN.
The lliinufiietiirinjr Prix-ess From
tlip IJlttcra ins .i i lie -n-t'i mt. to
the I-'inisheil Cnsomcil. l'r-s.-ij iwol
I'crfornte! I'rintPil Sheet.
The first mechanical p: -. (; in thi
manufacture of a iHistago stamp is tin
cutting, or engraving, of the die. This
is a piece of steel of the finest quality,
on the polished surface of which a man
slowly and 'patiently cuts, line by line,
the portrait or other emblem which
has been adopted for this particular
stamp. A steel engraving is what is
called an incised plate -that is. every
line which Is to show in tiie finished
print is cut into the surface instead of
being left in relief, as in wood engrav
ing. The die which the engraver cuts is a
"negative;" wi other words, a reversal
of the design which the stamp will
show. The reason for this soon be
comes apparent.
When the die is finished and proofs
show it to be satisfactory it is hard
ened and fixed iu thoyhed of a powerful
press. Over it is then pass-l a steel
roller, the circumference of which is
several times, perhaps four tinier, thr
diameter of the die. Immense pressure
is applied, so that every line on the
surface of the die is impressed upon
the surface of the roller as many time
as the circumference of the roller U
larger than the area of the die. In thi-s
way four perfect copies of the die are
reproduced on the roller, but reversed.
Fach of these impressions is a "posi
tive."
This roller is now hardened in turn
in order that It may transmit the im
pressions once more, this time to the
plate from which the actual printing
is to be made. This plate is also of
steel. The size is sufficient to print a
whole sheet of stamps from UU0 to ."!
at a single impression.
Into the surface of this plate the Im
pression on the roller Is forced by gre.it
pressure, once for each stamp in t! e
subsequent sheet, and then the plate
Is hardened. These impressions are
negatives, so that the prints fro o them
the stamps themselves will be p si
tlves. The reason for all this prelimiiriry
work is most interesting. In the first
place, printing could not be done from
a single die because of the vast quan
tities of stamps required. In !: w
ond place, it could not be d me fr;n
the roller, because on that the lines are
iu relief instead of being incised, and
iu the third place, it would not be
feasible to have several dies or a large
number of them engrave 1. b t'n be
cause the expense would be prohibi
tive and because no two would then be
absolutely alike. The present system
makes It certain that every stamp of
a certain lot is exactly like every oth
er of the same lot a great safeguard
against counterfeiting.
When three printing plates have been
made they are all fastened to the bed
of a special printing press. When the
machinery is started the first plate Is
Inked, then automatically wiped until
It Is like a mirror. The wiping removes
all the Ink except what clings in the
lines of the 200 duplicate engravings
which dot the surface.
Over the plate Is laid a sheet of
dampened paper, the plate Is slightly
warmed In order to permit the Ink to
swell, and heavy pressure Is applied.
Meanwhile the second plate Is receiv
ing its Ink, and then the third comes
Into piny, so that, although all three
are on the same press.- each Is at a
given moment undergoing a different
process from either of the other two.
This has wrought a great saving of
time over the old process of printing
by hand. When the printed sheets are
dry they go to the gumming machine.
In which they pass between a dry
roller on one side and one moistened
with mucilage on the other. From
these rollers they are cast out. wet
side up, upon an endless web. which
carries them through a steam heated
box.
They come out dry, ready for the
perforations, which permit them to be
torn apart easily. These are very easi
ly made by passing the sheets between
one cylinder studded with steel pins
nnd another perforated with holes to
match the pins. The two together act
like the jaws of a conductor's punch.
The last process is pressing the sheets
by hydraulic power to counteract the
tendency to curl, which Is imparted by
the mucilage.
The printing of stamps, like the print
ing of gold and silver certificates and
bank notes. Is subject to the most care
ful and constant Inspection.
Every sheet of paper is counted be
fore It Is delivered to the printer, and
before he goes home at night he must
return exactly the snme number of
sheet, either of perfect stamps or
spoiled paper, and no "seconds" or
samples are given away to visitors.
Edward Williston Frentz In Youth's
Companion.
Plain Clothe Men.
In a small South American state
which had recently undergone a change
of administration the new potentate
summoned an artist and ordered new
designs for all the official uniforms.
"I wish showy costumes very
showy." he said, "for the people are im
pressed by them. I have here some
sketches that I myself have made.
Look them over and be guided by these
Ideas as far as possible."
The artist examined the sketches
carefuily.
"This," he said, turning the pages, "Is
evidently for the navy and this for the
army, but. If you please, what Is this
a long plume on a three cornered hat.
yellow dress coat trimmed with purple,
and"-
"That," replied the chief of state
o-raveir. "Is for the secret police."
Chinese Deltlvn.
The Chinaman has a deity who opens
the eyes of his worshipers iu the morn
ing and another who closes them ii
night He has gods of rising, standing,
walking, running, crawling, swim
mlng; gods of spitting, chewing, swal
lowing, sneezing, coughing, choking.
There are gods who preside at the
birth of a Chjjiese baby and gods who
lionor the occasion when a Chinaman
dies, or. In his own Idiom, "stick., up
his pigtail."
HUMOR OF ThS iiOUli
A 3. osteal Infant.
Little two-year .dd William lived iu
a city fiat. Great was his desire to
join iu the play -with the other children
on the ..earby terrace. His mother,
fearful he should stray from home,
forbade his leaving the steps of the
house, telling him if he did the bears;
would get him. One day the minister
chanced by when the children were at
play and said,
"William, why don't j'ou come down
and play?"
"Mamma said the bears would get
me," said the boy.
"No. William; there are no bear
here. Go tell mamma 1 said the bears
would not get you."
William went
"Well, William, mamma is sorry she
told you a story. Let us get down ami
ask God to forgive mamma for telihtg
a lie."
"No, mamma," replied the boy. "You
had better let me ask him. He might
not believe yoni." Lippincott's Maga
zine. In a Hiti! "Vaj--
"Does he owe you anything?"
"Yes."
"Ever expect to get It?"
"Yes. He said he'd pay me as soon-1
as his ship came in."
"But. goodness gracious, man. don't
you know he hasn't enough money to
pay the duty or the dock rent even if
he had a ship that was likely to comu
in!" CIe eland Plain Dealer.
A Turnins .Movement.
"What Is your age. madam?"
asks
the judge.
"My age?" says the woman In the
witness box. "Judge, I've just turned
twenty-four."
"Just turned twenty-four, have you?"
says his honor. "I'm glad to see that
you are truthful about your age. Twenty-four
turned is forty-two. Proceed,
Mr. Prosecutor." Judge.
What Caused the Quarrel.
"The wretch has been pruposing to
both of us. I wish we could think of
some horrible way to punish htm."
"Well, why don't you marry him?"
The .Tin n ICnow.
Mrs. Crltnsonbeak A woman never
knows what a man is doing when he's
out of her sight, but a man generally
knows what a woman Is doing.
Mr. Crimsonbeak That's right. A
man is always pretty sure that a wom
an Is talking. Yonkers Statesman.
Ilclplns 1 1 1 iti On.
"Really." said Mr. Timmid. "I've
never dreamed of kissing a girl against
her will. I never"
"How fortunate!" exclaimed Miss
Patience. "Dreams go by contraries,"
you know." Philadelphia Press.
1'nefnl SpceeheM.
"A man In public life should learn
to say 'no.' "
"Yes," answered the beef magnate.
"And when there Is an investigation on
he should learn to say I don't know.' "
Washington Star.
Another Horror.
Farren Hasn't our trouble with
Venezuela something to do with an as
phalt company?
Kooler Certainly. It's a get pitch
quick scheme that's at the bottom of it
Chicago Tribune.
Her Opinion.
Mr. Bashful (after years of steady
calling) If If I should pro-propose
to to any one. what would you think?
Miss Longwalt I'd think the world
was coming to an end. " -
Splenilid Idea.
Rodrick What use will the Russian
soldIersbe when the war is over?
Van Albert -Why. they will be so
used to receiving lickings they would
make good baseball umpires. Chicago
News.
Dlnenurntclnar.
Mr. Slowboy I never feel as bright
In the morning as I do at night
Miss Sharp Mercy! Don't you? De
troit Free Press.
The Kiephuivt'fl Eye.
"To my mind two things strike the
observer vividly when standing close
to wild elephants in their native
haunts," writes a traveler. "The one
Is the gigantic size and his own com
parative suiallness. The other Is the
expression of the eye. This organ,
which Is surprisingly small In propor
tion to the size of the animal and set
far back in the head, Is of a pale blue
color much resembling that of a wall
eye In a horse. Even when an ele
phant Is at rest his eye has an uncom
fortably cold and sinister look."
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