Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909 | View Entire Issue (July 31, 1900)
"it O, CORVALLIS SEMI-WEEKLY. WRttt&'&Z&m. I Consolidated Feb., 1899. CORVALLIS, BENTOX COUNTY, OREGON, TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1900. VOL. I. NO. 14. VOCATION. If T might choose mj simple lot Far from town and quite forgot. All in a sheltered nook and warm, Tis T would have a violet farm. No daffodils should me entice, Nor hyacinths with their breath of spice. The tulip with her painted hood For me should wither where she stood. Instead of sheep upon the sward, The modest violet I should herd; Instead of golden heads a-row. Should see my violet harvest blow. Under an arch of wild, wild cloud. Below an opal mountain bowed. All in a humid world and cool, With winds and waters beautiful. What airs across my farm should fare! "Tis sweet where pinks and roses are. But pinks and roses hide the face Before a violet-peopled place. No shortest day of all the year Should fade without a violet's cheer. Invisible sweetness hid within And folded up in swathes of green. Though white and purple babes be born When Daffodil his naming horn O'er quiet hills and vales shall sound And stir the sleepers underground; What country bliss can equal mine, With violets for my flock and kine. With violets for my crn and store? What could a mortal wish for more? Under a mountain pansy-dark, Loved of the eagle and the lark, And set too low for fear or harm, 'Tis I would have a violet farm. Spectator. 8 The Behavior of Cassy. So 08 BT was plain that thought lay very heavy upon the Impressionable Cassy. He lounged in the long chair which was his by ancient right. His eyes had dreams in them ; he nursed his right leg affectionately in the way I knew so well. And presently: "I'm a nice sort of a fool, taking things all around," he burst out of a sudden. And he sat upright and looked as though he had thrown a challenge to me and to the world. "You shouldn't say that," said L "Self-depreciation is the worst thing possible in these conceited days." "I didn't come here to listen to your tinpot epigrams," said Cassy, fiercely. I was not offended I flatter myself that I have come to know Cassy a lit tle. "Very well, then. Who is she?" I asked him. Cassy's lips moved, and I caught the word before he spoke it aloud. "Grace," be said slowly. "It's a fine name for a girl, isn't it?" The last assertively; the challenge was in his tone again. "It certainly wouldn't be much of a name for a boy," I suggested. He flared out anew at this, and I forced myself into my old sympathetic mood. And Cassy, growing calmer: "Did you ever read do you ever read children's fairy tales, where everything Is right, and fits so easily into its place; where the poor student comes always to the princess, with arms held out to ward her and a smile on his face. Aad. If there be any wicked people they go away, or die, or get out of the thing somehow, so that they can work no mischief. And everything ends just as the poor student (and the princess) de sire, and they are happy ever after?" "I do read them sometimes." "I sometimes think," he said, "that it Is a great pity that we cannot live in that pleasant land of fairy tales. When I call now (he was applying his thought to his own particular trouble) I am never able to see her. The old man's all right, rather a jolly sort of chap altogether. But the mater hates me like poison. She comes into the room all smiling, and says that Grace Is out, or laid up with a slight attack of whatever illness happens to be fashion able at the time. (I give her credit for being a clever woman; she varies the complaint so neatly.) And then we talk about the weather ,and the last novel, and so on, and when I go, 'So glad you called, Mr. Cassy,' and I get out onto the street. When I turn the corner I ask myself why it is not fairyland, and why I can't go back with my faithful followers and carry her in triumph from the house." "Yet always," I reminded him, "the poor student had many difficulties to conquer." "He did not have a Mrs. Hepworth Smith to encounter," said Cassy. "But she may be won over in time," I suggested. "Not by me," said Cassy. "I'm no body. You don't know Grace, do you?" he added suddenly. "It is my misfortune," I returned. "Well, of course, then, you don't un derstand. You can't possibly under stand. She's " "That'll do. I'll take Grace for grant ed. The point now is Mrs. Hepworth Smith, and the utter indifference of the once kind gods. You can't see her; you want to to let her know something?" "Yes," said Cassy with deliberation. "I think I do." "Why don't you write, then?" Cassy was aghast at my brilliant thought. He uncurled his knee and threw himself back in the chair as a man who has cast a burden from his shoulders. He said: "It's great. I never thought about that for a' min ute." "I'm awfully sorry, coming round and worrying you like this. But " "I'm always glad to be of service," I responded feebly, marveling at my masterstroke of cleverness. "But what?" "Oh, nothing. Only, if you knew her Wm sure you would understand," And before he left that night we drank very solemnly to the rout of Mrs, Hepworth-Smith and the complete suc cess of the Knight Cassy. "How long is it since I saw you last?" questioned Cassy. "Just over a week." "A week? It seems like a month." "Why," I said, a little amazed "what's the new development?" "I wrote," said Cassy. He glared at me. "Don't you hear me? I wrote "Yes," I said. "And " "I wrote," he repeated for the third time. He leaned forward. He stared at me as if to read a riddle. Then he receded into the chair again, disgusted with life. A long pause. "I've had no answer," he finished rather theatrically "My dear fellow," I said, "do you think the lady had her mind ready made up for you? I suppose am I right? it was not a letter to be an swered offhand?" "Offhand," said Cassy with great scorn. "A week. One two three five six seven days." "Sometimes letters go wrong in the post," I said. It was only a straw, but Cassy jump ed at It. I said (it was the only thing which occurred to me, and U was not good): "Write again." He replied: "Yes, I suppose so," indifferently. "I wrote again," said Cassy, desolate and mournful. "It's just the same. No answer." This time I could say nothing. "I've had enough of this," said Cassy with emphasis. "I'm going to see a steamship Johnny I know. Big pot in a shipping office somewhere. There must be lots of places where a fellow can go and enjoy himself a bit; and why don't you say something?" he ask ed fiercely. "I'll wait just a little longer," said Cassy, later. "And If Then I'll take a ticket for the Gold Coast, or Timbuctoo. One of those places where it's not over-healthy unless you're used to it." "I'm done," said Cassy. "I was com ing through Stafford road the others afternoon, and I met Mrs. Hepworth Smith. I inquired after Miss Hepworth-Smith, also Mr. Hepworth Smith. She thanked me. She said that Mr. Hepworth-Smith was in very good health, but that Miss Hepworth-Smith was rather unwell. She said: " 'The doctors have advised me to take Grace abroad somewhere.' "I blurted out, 'Where?' like a fool. I felt her look across at me (you know what I mean), and she said: " 'Oh, we haven't quite decided that yet, Mr. Cassy.' "I don't know what else I said, but I know that as I said good-by to her I hesitated for a minute. I must have looked rather silly. She guessed what was in my mind. ' 'Grace is quite too 111 to see anyone, Mr. Cassy,' was her parting shot." Cassy finished. There was a mourn ful silence. "Well," I said at last. "It's as plain as anything to me," said Cassy. "It's just her kind way of letting me know that it's no game. And I wrote two letters one after the oth er. What a supreme fool I must have looked." "It's not so plain to me," I said. "I can't help it if you're so thick headed," retorted Cassy. I was not in request as a comforter that night. Everything was wrong. Things would never be the same again. So the curtain of the last act but one comes down (with slow sympathy) on the Hero Sad. The hero in the long chair, sad and depressed beyond words. And finally he said: "I'm goin' away. Next week, I think. This isn't like the others. You think it is. I tell you it isn't." But a week later the curtain rose again. "Oh, it was great," said Cassy. "I went down to that shipping office I told you about to get catalogues and dates and that sort of thing." (Cassy was al ways a little vague when he was ex cited.) "It was' a funny kind of a show, a long counter around three sides and wire railing facing you everywhere. And you can't guess there was a lady there, with her back toward me, argu ing with a clerk. I heard her say some thing about Madeira as I pushed the door open, and I seemed to know the voice. There was another lady with her. It was Mrs. Hepworth-Smith and Grace. I had a good mind to bolt when I saw her naturally but the swing door creaked, and Grace looked across at me. And somehow (I don't know how I did it) I whispered, 'You got my letter?' and she said, 'Your letter? No.' Her mater was ragging the fellow be hind the wire netting with her back to ward us still. And I don't know what else I said, or what she said, but it's all right, anyhow. Mrs. Hepworth Smith turned round sullenly. Dick, her face was a study. 'Now, who would have thought of seeing you here, Mr. Cassy?' 'I should like my letter now, mother,' said Grace, 'if you please.' Then we went outside, and left her mater to fight it out with the poor chap behind the wire. "He looked a bit surprised, too. And afterward we all went home to Mr. Hepworth-Smith, but he was all right at the finish." Cassy wound up breathlessly. I con gratulated him. "And I've got to thank you," said Cassy, "for listening to me and letting me tell you things, and all that " I said I was not aware that I bad done anything, which in truth I had not He flung himself In the long chair. He remained there for perhaps ten seconds. He got up; he stood with bis back to the fire, his hands in his pock ets, for perhaps another ten seconds. He faced round suddenly and stared Into the fire. Then he jerked his hands out of his pockets. He walked to the window and pulled the blind aside with a huge noise. Outside it was raining hard. The lamplight gleamed yeflow pools in the pavement. "Let's go for a walk," said Cassy. "It's grand." "Why, it's raining," I remonstrated feebly. "What's the matter with it?" he said, staring hard through the window. "You can't possibly stop indoors a night like this." That night he nearly dragged me oft my legs. So that evidently Cassy's fairy tale had ended in the old approved fashion. Penny Pictorial Magazine. WOULD NOT BUILD A CHURCH. Asa Consequence He Was Compelled tc (skip the Country. "Twenty-five years ago," said a min lng man, "1 was In a Colorado town and one day a sheep herder came in with a report of a gold find and collect ed eleven of us to go -with him to it to organize it into a district and stake oft our claims. We got through with it too late in the day to start home again, so we camped in our blankets. We were stretched around the fire when some one proposed that we devote the time before going to sleep to telling who we were and what brought us to that re mote country. Scarcely a man in the party was known by his name, 'Judge' and 'Doc' and 'Parson' and 'Shorty' and 'Cockeye' and such characteristic sobri quets designing each of us. Most of the men were simply floaters and drift ers, and they were there because it happened so and there was a chance to get rich quick and easy. When it came to 'Shorty's' turn to respond he star tled us by the story of a tragedy in which he uad killed two men in Ver mont and escaped because the sym pathy of the community was with him, although not sufficiently so to permit him to remain at home. The wild West was his best opening and he had come there to end his days In whatever way he might. The story cast a gloom over the assemblage, so to speak, which was lightened somewhat by the spokesman calling on the 'Parson.' " 'Well, Parson,' he said, 'what brought you out here?' " 'You've called me right,' laughed that member, 'for I was a parson. I had a place in a small town in Penn sylvania, a wife and five children and $400 a year, with mighty dern few do nation parties. I struggled along the very best I could, trying, to be a Cbri tian under the circumstances and will ing to lessen my chances to enter the kingdom of heaven by 25 per cent, for a 25 per cent, increase of pay, when the end came by my refusing to build a church.' "The Idea of a preacher in that fix building a church seemed to be so fun ny that everybody laughed, and 'How was that, Parson?' came from half a dozen questioners. " 'Oh,' he replied, hesitatingly, 'the congregation raised $7,314.60 to build a church and I skipped out with it.' " Washington Star. FARM THAT FLOATS IN A RIVER. Arsenal Island. In the Mississippi, Constantly C hanging Its Position. Many of the islands in the Mississippi River are known to be constantly changing their positions, but the most restless of them, and perhaps the most remarkable Island in the world, is Ar senal Island, now of Illinois, but some times of Missouri. Besides its jour neys up and down the river, the Island occasionally takes a trip across the deep-water channel, consequently shift ing from the Missouri to the Illinois shore. Major Thomas H. Handbury, of the corps of United States engineers, be lieves that Arsenal island will eventu ally become a part of Missouri terri tory, and says its constant movement is easily explained. The dirt on its upper end washes away under the force of the river current and accretions form at the lower end. Arsenal Island has also been known as Quarantine Island. Both names in dicate the use to which it was put be tween 1850 and 1867, when a quaran tine station and the United States ar senal were maintained there. But Ar senal Island Is the official name and is used in all land grants and deeds that have been made with reference to it. The island Is the property of J. S. Plttsfield, of Illinois, but is leased by Joseph R. Jobln, who lives upon it. His house is in the midst of a pretty grove of willows, elms, sycamores and cottonwoods at the upper end of the island. It is a modest little one-story ; building with five rooms, which are very clean and comfortable. It is sur rounded by storage-houses and poultry yards. Stretching away from the grove j are many acres of fertile land, which Is in an excellent state of cultivation. The ; proprietor told a reporter of the Post- j Dispatch that his hope is to convert the place into a stock ranch. Since he landed there in 1893 he says that more j than fifty acres have been washed from its upper end and fully as many acres have been added to Its lower end. Since 1853 Arsenal Island has moved southward 8,000 feet. St. Louis Post- Dispatch. A Feminine Trait. Mrs. Hoon "They say that Mrs. Swif tsmith is greatly troubled with in somnia." Mr. Hoon "Yes; I understand that she discovered the fact a week or so ago that her husband talks in his sleep, and she hasn't slept a wink since for fear of missing something." Harper's Bazar. Some DeoDle are chronic liars, but the dumb man always keeps his word, CHILDREN'S COLUMN. A DEPARTMENT FOR LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. Bomethine that Will Interest the Ju venile Members of Kvery Household Quaint Actions and Bright Sayines Many Cute and Cunning Children, "Little G-Dropper" that was what Aunt Professor called Natalie. It was quite a grief to Aunt Professor. Of course you couldn't be the wife of a professor in a great college and enjoy hearing your only little niece that ever was drop g's! "I'm sorry, auntie, and I'm goin' to stop droppin' 'em right straight off," Natalie w-ould say, penitently; and then Aunt Professor would squeeze her and laugh and say: - "There must be two somewhere un der your feet this minute, Little G-Dropper S" It grew worse. If anything. There were so many "ing" words in Natalie's language, and they always ended in "in'," without any g's at all. Aunt Professor corrected the little girl, in her gentle way, a dozen times a day, and a dozen times a day Natalie said, "Oh, dear, there goes another one, auntie! I keep droppin' 'em!" When mamma and Natalie and Baby Boy went away to the seashore there was no one to correct Natalie, for it took all mamma's time to pick up other things besides g's that Baby Boy kept dropping. In August was Natalfe's birthday, and of course there came an express bundle from Aunt Professor. Natalie had had nine birthdays and nine ex presses from Aunt Professor. This one. made the tenth, and it was such a beautiful fat one! "Oh, what do you suppose there's goin' to be in it. Baby Boy?" cried Na talie, dancing round mamma while she untied the strings. "Let's guess. A new jumpin'-rope, a box of writin'-pa-per, a doll, a oh!" For the bundle was open. It was full of birthday treasures ten of them, to match Natalie's years. The tenth one was a little square box wrapped in dainty pink tissue and tied with silver tinsel. Natalie felt of it and smelled of it and shook it "e-a3y." "What can it be?" she cried. "Can you guess, mamma, ever in your world ?" "Never in my world!" laughed mam ma. And no wonder, for in the dainty little box were oi all the blrtfcriay presents a little pile of gingerbread g's! Brown and crisp and spicy, good enough to eat! "Oh! Why!" cried Natalie. Then she spied a little white label on the Inside of the box cover, written in the form of i. doctor's prescription. Mamma read It over Natalie's shoulder. "Take one every time you feel an 'ing word' coming on. Repeat dose, if not relieved." Natalie laughed and mamma laughed and Baby Boy laughed. "Isn't she just the darlin'est aun tie " began N'atalie; then she looked it mamma with a queer little grimace. 'I guess I'd better 'take one'!" she said. Youth's Companion. The Humming Ball. Here is a copy of a picture in an old, old English book on games. The game that It illustrates is so ancient, in fact, that I doubt if auy of you ever heard of it, but your grandfathers may tell you how they played it in childhood. It consists in keeping the "humming ball" spinning as long as possible by rolling it on the cord connecting the two sticks held in the hands. You can make one of the humming balls by winding each end of a very large spool tightly with twine, leaving a clear space in the cen ter for the cord to work In. Then take two sticks, each about eight inches long and connect them by a narrow ribbon or piece of hemp cold two and one-half feet long. Taking the sticks one in each hand, so that the cord forms a loop, place the humming ball in the loop and raise first one and then the other hand repeatedly, thus making the ball spin. Keep this up and gradually increase the speed until the ball is go ing at a "humming" rate, when you may toss it in the air with the cord, catch it when it comes down and do a number of Interesting tricks with It. A real "humming ball" has holes bored through the two lobes which, as the dumb-bell like instrument whirls, gives out curious humming sounds. A toy of this sort may be made by joining two small croquet balls on a piece of broomstick. Have the balls not more than an inch apart and bore a "hum ming" hole through each of them. Set your wits to work and make one of these new old toys. Then tell the other boys and girls of your success. Chi cago Record. Find the Sunshine. Georgie came home from school the other day with a big tear in his jacket. Mamma sat down to mend it at once, but the jacket had faded a Utiia. and PLATING "HUMMING BALL." the new p!ee did not look just like the old. Georgie's quick eye saw it, too, and said a little sadly: "There are two colors, mamma." "I know It, but I can't help it, dear. The jacket has faded, you see." "It will be all right by-and-by," said the little boy, with a happy smile, and turned away to his play. "Dear little fellow," thought mam ma, while the tears came to her eyes; "he always sees the sunny side." A Tragedy in Five Acta. L As Ben Zine and Mag A. Zine went walk ing out one day, It chanced that Mr. Parlor Match along the road did stray. II. They met him with disdainful look, and coolly passed him by; Poor Parlor Match was struck with rage lire flashed from out his eye. III. He burned with scorn and jealous rage, who once ws Maggie's lover In hot pursuit he catches them, igniting Maggie's cover. rv. And Ben, in anger, launching dire threats and cruel names, Explodes, and only helps the more to feed the angry flames. V. And nanght was left but wreck and ruin in their smoking trail Not even Mr. Parlor Match remained to tell the tale. Harper's Round Table. THE JUDGE FINED HIMSELF. How a Kentucky Magistrate Broke Up a Friendly Game of Poker. "Judge Walker, of Maysville, was very strict on the bench, but not always so in his private life," said John L. Scott, of Frankfort, Ky. "It had be come the custom of the lawyers trav eling the circuit to indulge in a friendly game of poker after court adjourned at night, and Judge Walker frequently joined in the game. One night at Brookville, in Bracken County, the court and the attorneys joined in a game on the evening that they arrived, and the next morning, when court opened, the Judge, in giving the usual charge- to the grand jury, addressed himself to the attorneys: " 'Gentlemen, you are officers of the court, and as such are sworn to uphold the laws and the constitution of the State. You have been playing poker, contrary to the statutes in such cases made and provided. Each of you will be fined $10 upon the return of Indict ments the bringing of which I have in structed.' "Turning to the prosecuting attorney, he said: 'Wadsworth, you are not only a lawyer but the prosecuting attorney, sworn to bring offenders to. justice. You will pay $25. " 'Walker,' laying his hand upon his own breast, 'you are not only a lawyer but a judge. You have violated the taw, and must pay $50.' "He paid the fine, as did each of the lawyers, and It broke up the game on that circuit." St. Louis Globe-Democrat. A Millionaire In a Moment. It falls to the lot of few men to make the discovery that they are stdnding on a mine of gems of fabulous value. This good fortune has recently befallen T. C. Bassett, a mining expert, whose keen eye and a stroke of luck convert ed him in a moment from a poor man to be master of millions, says Titbits. Mr. Bassett, who is attached as expert to a mining corporation in South Amer ica, was on a short visit to relatives in California, when it occurred to him that he might utilize some of his time prospecting for gold. His wanderings took him in the direction of the famous Death Valley, where one day he mount ed a small cone-shaped hill in order to get a better view of the surrounding country. He was about to descend the hill, to continue his tramp, when a patch of blue at his feet arrested his attention. Bassett's trained eye recog nized in the blue patch the "blue float," which is a sure indication of the pres ence of turquoises In the soil. He lost no time in locating a claim, and was soon hard at work with pick and shov el. His most sanguine expectations were more than realized, for at the depth of six feet he found the "boxite vein," which was thickly studded with beautiful stones. The deeper he dug the more magnificent were the gems, and within a fortnight he was able to return to San Francisco with no less than seventy pounds of the most bril liant and flawless turquoises that have ever been discovered. Postmen's Work in ' Central Africa. The postmaster general for the Brit ish Central Africa Protectorate gives one or two interesting items of uews in his latest report. The mails are still conveyed for the most part upon the heads and backs of native postmen. The men are recruited chiefly from the Yao and Atonga tribes, and wear a uni form. Fully 300 bags of malls are made up each Wonth at the different postoflices in the Protectorate for con veyance by these men, the total dis tance traveled being close upon 10,000 miles per month, the cost of transit be ing less than d. per mile per bag. The system of forwarding mails at night by relays of carriers has been greatly ex tended; the night mail services now represent a total distance traveled of some 3,000 miles per month. The post men travel in pairs, and are armed with rifles, as Hons are not infrequently encountered. Intuition Is something that tells a woman her husband is lying when he comes home at 2 a m. and begins to explain the whys and wherefores. Occasionally a man gets married be cause he wants some one around to blame things on. Sometimes a man has no confidence In other men. because he has none la himself. Sheep Grub in Summer. In midsummer the sheep grub causes much suffering to sheep. The animals huddle together, with their noses to the ground for protection against the gad fly, the parent of the grub. The fly aims to deposit her eggs in the nostrils of the sheep. If she succeeds in so doing the eggs soon hatch, the worms attach ing themselves to the sinuses of the nose by means of hooks, and live upon mucus secretions of the Irritated sur faces to which they cling. When fully grown they work their way down through the narrow openings by which they entered and cause pain to the ani mals. The grubs fall to the ground, where they burrow, become chrysal ides, and develop into gadflies in about two months. The difliculty of handling sheep is an obstacle, but the usual pre ventive is to daub wood tar on the noses of the sheep. Plow a furrow in the pasture, and repeat by loosening it after every rain, as the sheep will keep their noses in the soft earth as a pro tection. A teaspoonful of coal tar and twenty drops of carbolic acid, well mixed with a pint of wood tar (to give the odor, will be an improvement on the remedy. Kaising Clover Seed. To grow good clover seed it should not be left until all the seed his ripen ed before cutting, as thus much of the best seed, that from the earliest and largest blossoms, will rattle out and be lost. Much of that which seems to be only partially ripened will germi nate quite as well and bring as vigor ous plants as the ripest seed. Handle and cure the clover just as if it was to be made into hay excepting cutting it later, and the straw will be a good hay after it is threshed, not quite as good as the early cut hay, but quite as good as any late-cut hay for horses or cat tle. It is thought the best method of growing clover seed, to cut the first crop of clover for hay, as early as it is tit, and let the second crop grow and ripen seed. Some go so far as to say that the seed from the first crop is not as good as that from the second crop or rowen, but we think the real advant age Is getting the crops of hay, and perhaps there may be better weather for. curing the seed at the late mowing than In June. Skim Milk as an Insect Destroyer. It may not be generally known that skimmilk or buttermilk readily mix with kerosene, forming an emulsion which destroy insects without the dan ger of injury to animals or plants on which they might be that might result from the use of the pure oil or of oil and water. We first learned of this from using this mixture for the scale insect or mite which causes scaly legs on fowl. We found that one or two dip pings or washings with It would cure the worst case of scaly leg, and leave the skin as smooth as when first hatch ed. We never had occasion to try it for lousy animals, for we never had one, but we do not hesitate to recommend it, and we have lately seen its use ad vised for ticks on sheep, using a gill of kerosene to one gallon of milk. We did not make our mixture as strong of kerosene as that, but perhaps the larger tick may need a stronger appli cation than an insect so small as to be scarcely visible to the naked eye. American Cultivator. A New Garden Insect. A new Injurious garden Insect is de scribed by the Agricultural Depart ment as a lima-bean borer. The grub enters the stalk of the lima bean, form ing a gall of an inch or more in length, and causing considerable damage in some sections. The remedy suggested where this pest proves troublesome is, after the crop is gathered, to harrow the ground, thus exposing the larvae to the elements, and then plowing deeply in the spring, which treatment has been found very effective against the squash-vine borer. The treatment, however, is more preventive than reme dial, but in small patches or garden rows of limas the insect can be kept in check by trimming the terminal vines where Infected, and the larvae in the lower portions of the stems can be re moved by cutting longitudinally, with out serious injury to the stem Itself. The presence of the borer is Indicated by an exudation of excrement Material for the Du.t Bath. Whatever the material used may be it should always be dry and fine, says American Gardening. Dirt is excel lent, but the habit of placing dirt In a box for the hens without sifting it, or removing the small stones and gravel, is not a good one. The dirt should be so fine that it will fly in every direc tion. When the hen dusts herself it is not for the purpose of wallowing in it, but to throw the dust over her body; hence if the material used is not dry and fine it will be of but little service to the hens. Ashes are often used, but there is a difference between those pro duced from wood and those from coal. They should be sifted fine, and either kind may be used in dry weather. Should a wet spell come on, however, avoid those from wood, as the contact with water renders them injurious to the skin, owing to their caustic, alka line properties. Don't Buy Old Stock. Never buy old stock, especially horses, even for a song. They are usually worthless. One out of ten, perhaps, is worth his feed, but not more. There is no sale for htm and you must let him die on your bands. If you make him pull through one cropping season yon are none the better off, as you must buy another and be out his price and feed. A young horse, if he does not increase in value, holds his own and may be sold at cost or a few dollars advance, and the year's work is free. Old cows are just as poor property if you are not prepared to feed them cotton-seed hulls, meal and chops to fat ten and sell to the butcher. But you must buy them for a song, because it takes more time and feed for an old than a young cow to fatten. W. F. Adams, De Witt County, Texas, in Farmer's Voice. Raising Geese. It will require but little capital to emhark in the geese business, says Iowa Homestead. Brooder houses are not needed, and incubator cellars and a whole lot of capital-destroying equip ment are not required to keep geese. They should have plenty of permanent water to do well. They have been known to do well where large tanks are set into the ground, and the waste water from the supply tanks turned into it. They do well in the meadows after the hay has been removed. Vege tables which are usually thrown away will make good winter feed for them. Should vermin be kept away from them there will be little trouble with them. Harness Blacking. The great English harness blacking is made as follows: Three ounces of turpentine and two ounces of white wax are dissolved together over a slow fire. Then add one ounce of ivory black and one drachm of indigo, well pulver ized and mixed together. When the wax and the turpentine are dissolved, add the ivory black and indigo, and stir till cold. Apply very thin. Wash after ward, and you will have a beautiful polish. This blacking keeps the leather soft. It is excellent for buggy tops and harness. Old harness, when hard, will be benefited by washing it in warm water, and, when nearly dry, greasing it with neats-foot oil. Flowering: Plants. The fruit stalks of flowering plants should be cut as soon as the flowers fall. It Is an exhaustive process to the plants to bear fruit or seeds. Some plants that flower the first year, such as Chinese pinks, snap-dragons, etc., can be made to flower the second year if not allowed to go beyond the flower ing stage. The pansy, which is famil iar to all, will continue to produce flow ers provided the flowers are cut as often as they appear. If allowed to produce seed the plant ceases to pro duce flowers. The plant has accom plished its work when it has produeed seed. Depth of Cultivation. Whether cultivation should be deep or shallow Is a matter that has been discussed for many years. . It is claim ed that deep cultivation destroys the surface roots of plants, and if the top soil is loosened and the weeds destroy- . ed it Is sufficient. The advocates of deep cultivation believe that if the ground is loosened to the depth of 4 inches it in creases the porosity of the soil and al lows the air and water to penetrate more freely. It is probably well, how ever, to stir the ground to a greater depth before a rain and shallow after a rain. Horseradish Profitable. Horseradish is a profitable crop, and can be grown on almost any soil. Plant the little roots, and they will be large enough for market in one season. Plant the root small end down, so that the top will be two Inches under the soil. Horseradish when matured may re main in the ground until spring, or may be stored in pits in the falL It con stantly increases in the ground, but when grown for market never becomes troublesome by spreading. It requires liberal manuring, and a large supply can be grown on a small plot Cauliflower. Although the cauliflower must have plenty of light, yet it will be an advan tage if planted where shielded from the midday sun, such as on the north side of some tall growing crops like corn, lima beans, etc. The late varie ties like Algiers may be sown; also a succession of Erfurt, and again in the beginning of July selected Erfurt and Eclipse varieties ranking among the best of the early kinds. Two Crops on Same Land. An excellent plan to get two crops on the same laud, and at the same time, is to drop seed of sweet corn In the same rows with peas, placing the seeds of corn several inches apart, thin ning to a foot apart after the plants are up. The corn will finish its main growth after the peas have ceased growing, though for taller kinds the corn serves as supports. Cow Peas. A crop of cow peas may be allowed to grow until the pods are turning yel low. They then contain the peas in the pods along with the vines, making a combination of food which can not be excelled, and cattle and sheep will consume every portion. A crop of the dry peas would be valuable but for the labor of picking them by band. A Bee's Weight. Careful weighing shows that an or dinary bee, not loaded, weighs the five thousandth part of a pound, so that it takes 5,000 bees to make a pound. But the loaded bee, when he comes In fresh from the fields and flowers, freighted with honey or bee bread, weighs nearly three times more. Remember It is a great deal better to be a sensible fellow known by a few than a freak In the eyes of an entire nation. There are three positions open to the politician offense, defense and on the fence. - - -