d I:
' '
GORVA
'i
.i
SEMIAVEEKLY.
COKVAIililS, BENTON GQtJ2 TT ; OREGON", TXJESD AY, SEPTEMBER ' 30, 1902.
VOL. -III. NO. 23.
UNION Eitab. July, 1807.
GAZETTE K.tb. Dec. 1868.
(Consolidated Feb., 1899.
: 1 f
1 A STUDY IN SCARLET j
Jl BY A. CONAN DOYLE.
4 1 : : r
PART II Chapter I Continued.
"Cocks and hens," cried the little
girl, gleefully, pointing at their ill
omened forma, and clapping her hands
to make them rise. "Say, did God
make this country?"
"In course he did," said her com
panion, ratner startled by this unex
pected Question.
"He made the country down in Illi
nois, and He made the Missouri," the
little girl continued. "I guess some
body else made the country in these
parts. It's net nearly so well done.
They forgot the water and the trees."
"What would ye think of offering up
prayer?" the man asked diffidently.
"It ain't night yet," she answered.
"It don't matter. It ain't quite regu
lar, but He won't mind that, yoir bet!
You say over them ones that you used
to say every night in the wagon when
we was on the plains."
"Why don't you say some yourself?"
the child asked, with wondering eyes.
"I disremember them," he answered,
"I hain't said none since I was half the
height o' that gun. I guess it's never
too late. You say them out, and I'll
stand by and come in on the choruses."
"Then you'll need to kneel down, and
me, too," she said, laing the shawl out
for that purpose. "You've got to put
your hands up like this. It makes you
feel kind of good."
It was a strange sight, had there
been anything but the buzzards to see
it. Side by side on the narrow shawl
knelt the two wanderers the little,
prattling child and the reckless, hard
ened adventurer.
Her chubby face and his haggard,
angular visage were both turned up to
the cloudless heaven in heartfelt en
treaty to that dread being with whom
they were face to face, while the two
voices the one thin and clear, the
other deep and harsh united in the
entreaty for mercy and forgiveness.
The prayer finished, they resumed
their seat in the shadow of the bowl
der until the child fell asleep, nestling
upon the broad breast of her protect
or. He watched over her slumber for
some time, but Nature proved to be
too strong for him.
For three days and three night he
had allowed himself neither rest nor
repose.
Slowly the eyelids drooped over the
tired eyes, and the head sunk lower
and lower upon the breast, until - the
man's grizzled beard was mixed with
the golden tresses of his companian.
and both slept the same deep ' and
dreamless "slumber." -r- ;- ...
Had the wanderer remained awake
for another half hour a strange sight
would have met hia eyes.
Far away on the extreme verge of
the alkali plain, there rose up a little
spray of dust, very slight at first, and
hardly to be distinguished from the
mists of the distance, but gradually
growing higher and broader until it
formed a solid, well-defined cloud.
This cloud continued to increase in
size until it became evident that it
could only be raised by a great multi
tude of moving creatures.
In more fertile spots the observer
would have came to the conclusion
that one of those great herds of bisons
which graze upon the prairie land was
approaching him.
This was obviously impossible in
these arid wilds. As the whirl of dust
drew nearer to the solitary bluff upon
which the two castaways were repos
ing the canvas-covered tilts of wagons
and the figures of armed horsemen be
gan to show up through the haze, and
the apparition revealed itself as being
a great caravan upon its journey for
the West.
But what a caravan! When the head
of it had reached the base of the moun
tains the rear was not yet visible on
the horizon.
Right across the enormous plain
stretched the straggling array, wagons
and carts, men on horseback, and men
rn foot. Innumerable women who
staeeered along under burdens, and
children who toddled beside the wag
ons or peeped out from under the white
coverings.
This was evidently no ordinary party
rf immierants. but rather some nomad
people who had been compelled
thrnnirh stress of circumstances to
Reek a new country.
There rose through the clear air a
confused clattering and rumbling from
this great mass of humanity, with the
creaking of wheels and the neighing
horses.
Loud as It was. it was not sufficient
to rouse the two tired wayfarers above
thorn
At the head of the column there rode
score or more of grave, iron-faced
men clad in sombre homespun gar
ments and armed with rifles.
On reaching the base of the bluff
thev halted and held a short council
among themselves.
"The wells are to the right, my
brothers," said one a hard-lipped
clean-shaven man with grizzly hair.
"To the right of the Sierra Blanco
so we shall reach the Kio urande,
said another.
"Fear not for water." cried a third.
"He who could draw it from the rocks
will not now abandon His own chosen
riAnnle "
"Amen! Amen!" responded the
whole party.
They were about to resume their
Journey when one of the youngest and
keenest-eyed uttered an exclamation
and pointed up at the rugged crag
above the.m.
From its summit there fluttered a lit
tle wisp of pink, showing up hard and
brieht against the gray rocks behind
At the sight there was a general
reining up of horses and unslinging
of euns. while fresh horsemen came
galloping up to reinforce the vanguard
The word "Redskins" was on every
11d.
"There can't be any number of In
dians here." said the elderly man, who
anpeared to be in command. "We have
passed the Pawnees, and there are no
other tribes until we cross the great
mountains."
"Shall I go forward and see. Brother
Stangerson?" asked one of the band.
I." "and I." cried a dozen
voices.
"Leave your horses below' and we
will wait you here," the elder an
swered. In a moment the young fellows had
dismounted, fastened their horses, and
were ascending the precipitous slope
which led up to the object which had
excited their curiosity.
They advanced rapidly and noiseless
ly, with the confidence and dexterit7 of
practiced scouts.
The watchers from the plain below
could see them flit from rock to rock
until their figures stood out against
the sky-line. The young man who had
first given the alarm was leading
them.
Suddenlv his followers saw him
throw up his hands, as though over
come with astonishment, and on join
ine him thev were affected in the same
wav bv the sight which met their
eves.
On the little plateau which crowned
the barren hill there stood a single
eiant bowlder, and against this bowl
der there lay a tall man, long bearded
and hard featured, but of an excessive
thinness.
His placid face and regular breath-
ins showed that he was fast asleep.
Beside him lay a little child, with
her white arms encircling his brown
Kinewv neck, and her golden-haired
hpart rpsti-ne- uiion the breast of his
velveteen tunic.
Her rosy lips were parted, showing
the regular line of snow white teeth
within and a playful smile piayea over
her Infantile features.-
Her nlumo little white legs, ter.mi
nating in white socks and neat shoes
with shining buckles, offered a strange
contrast to the long, shriveled mem
hers nf her companion.
On the ledee of rock above tnis
strange couple there stood three sol
emn buzzards, who, at the sight of the
newcomers, uttered raucous screams
of disappointment and flapped sullenly
awav
The cries ol tne.ioui oiras hwu&b
tho twn sleepers, who stared about
thAm In bewilderment.
Tha man staggered to his leet ana
looked down upon the plain which had
been so desolate when sleep had over
taken him. and which was now trav
ersed by this enormous body or. men
on A haast.M.
Hia face assumed an expression or.
incridulity a he gazed, and he passed
his bony hand over his eyes. n
"This is what they caUfaeiinum,
ffiiess " h mutterea. : r
The child stood beside- him holding
on tn the skirt of his coftt, ana saia
nnrhinsr. hut looked all around ner witn
tha wnnderine. Questioning gaze of
fhi 11 hood.
The rescuing party were speeany
able to convince the two castaways
that their appearance was no delusion
rn of them seized the little gin
and hoisted her upon his shoulder
while two others supported her gaunt
onmnanion and assisted him towara
thA wagons.
My name Is John Ferrier, ine wan
derer explained; "ine and that luue
'nn are all that's left o' twenty-tnree
npnnle. The rest is all dead o' thirst
and hunger away down in the south.'
is she vour child " asKea some one
she is now!" the other
pried defiantly, "she s mine cause
saved her. No man will take her
a wav from me. She's Lucy Ferrier
from this dav on. Who are you
though?" he continued, glancing with
nnrinsitv at his stalwart, sunburned
rescuers: "there seems to be a power
ful lot of ye.
Nigh unon ten thousana, saia one
of the young men; "we are tne perse
cuted children of uod tne cnosen 01
the angel Merona
I never heard tell on him,' said tne
wanderer. "He appears to nave
chosen a fair crowd of ye."
'Do not iest at that which is
cred," said the other, sternly. "We are
of those who believe in those sacred
writings, drawn in Egyptian letters
on plates of beaten gold, which were
handed unto the holy Joseph Smith, at
Pnlmvra. We have come from Nau-
voo, in the State of Illinois, where we
have founded our temple. We have
come to seek refuge from the violent
man and from the godless, even
though it be in the heart of the des
ert."
The name Nauvoo evidently re
called recollections to John Ferrier.
I see," he said, "you are the Mor
mons.
We are the Mormons, answered
his companions, with one voice.
"And where are you going:
"We do not know. The hand of God
is leading us under the person of our
nrophet. You must come before him
He shall say what is to be done with
vou.
Thev hart reacnect me Dase 01 m
hill by this time, and were surrounded
hv crowds of the ni'snms paie-tacea
meek-looking women, strong, laugh
ing children, and anxious, earnest-
eyed men.
Many were the cries or asionisn-
ment and or commiseration wnicn
arose from them when they perceived
the youth of one of the strangers and
the destitution of the other.
Their escort did not halt, however,
but pushed on. followed by a great
crowd of Mormons, until they reached
a wagon which was conspicuous for its
great size and for the gaudiness ana
smartness of its appearance.
Six horses were yoked to it. where
as the others were furnished with two
or. at most, four apiece.
Beside the -driver there sat a man
who could not have been more than
thirty years of age, but whose massive
head and resolute expression marked
him as a leader.
He was reading a brown backed vol
ume, but as the crowd approached he
laid it aside, and listened attentively to
an account of the episode.
Then he turned to the two casta
ways. "If we take you wun us." he said in
solemn words, "it can only be as be
lievers in our solemn creed. We shall
have no wolves in our fold. Better far
that your bones should bleach In this
"And
wilderness than that you should prove,
to be that little speck of decay which
ia time corrupts the whole Iruit "Will
you come with us on these terms?
Guess I'll come with you on any .
terms," said Ferrier, with sucn em
phasis that the grave elders could not
restrain a smile.. The leader alone re
tained his stern, impressive expres--
sion.
Take him. Brother Stangerson, he
said; give him food and drink, and
the child likewise. Let it be your
task also to teach him our holy creed.
We have delayed long enough, for
ward! On ontoZion."
'On on to Zion!" cried the crowd
of Mormons, and the words rippled
down the long caravan,, passing irom
mouth to mouth until they died away
in a dull murmur in the far distance.
With a cracking of whips and a
creaking of wheels the great wagon
got Into motion, and soon tne wnoie
caravan was winding along once
more.
The elder to whose care the two
waifs had been committed led them to
his wagon, where a meal was already
awaiting them.
"Yon shall remain here," he saia.
In a few days you will have recover
ed from your fatigue. In the mean
time remember that now and forever
you are of our religion. Brigham
Young has said it and he has spoken
with the voice of Joseph Smith, which
ia the voice of God."
CHAPTER IL
This is not the place to commemor
ate the trials and privations endured
by the Immigrant Mormons before they
came to their final haven.
From the shores of the Mississippi
to the western slopes of the Rocky
mountains they had struggled on with
a constancy almost unparalleled in his
tory.
The savage man and the savage
beast, hunger, thirst, fatigue and dis
ease every impediment which Nature
could place in the way had all been
overcame with Anglo-Saxon tenacity.
Yet the long journey and the accum--
ulated terrors had shaken the hearts
of the stoutest among them.
There was not one who did not sink
upon his knees in nearueii prayer
when they saw the broaa vaiiey or
Utah bathed in the sunlight beneath
them, and learned from the lips of
their leader, that this was the promised
land, and that these virgin acres were
to be theirs for evermore.
Young speedily proved himself to
be a skillful administrator as well as
a resolute chief.
Maps were drawn and charts pre
pared, in which the future city was
sketched out.
All around farms were apportioned
and allotted in proportion to the stand
ing of each individual. ; ,
The tradesman was put to his trade
and the artisan to his calling. In the
town streetgand squares sprang up as
if by magic. -
In the country there .was arammg
and ; hedging; 'platMgndeIaruig
until the next Summer saw the whole
country golden with the wheat crop.
Everything prospered in the strange
settlement.
Above all. the great temple which
they had erected in the center of the
city grew ever taller and larger.
From the first blush of dawn until
the closing of the twilight, the clatter
of the hammer and the rasp of the
saw was never absent from the monu
ment which the immigrants erected to
Him who had led them safe through
many dangers.
The two castaways, John Ferrier
and the little girl who had shared his
fortunes and had been adopted as his
daughter, accompanied the Mormons
to the end of their great pilgrimage.
Little Lucy Ferrier was borne along
pleasantly enough in Elder Stanger
son's wagon, a retreat which she
shared with the Mormon's three wives
and with his son, a headstrong, for
ward boy of twelve.
Having rallied, with the elasticity of
childhood, from the shock caused by
her mother's death,- she soon became
a pet with the women, and reconciled
herself to this new life in her moving
canvas-covered home.
(To be Continued.)
CONTENDING FOR A PRINCIPLE.
Qood Example of the Quibbles That Pre.
vail in Legal Practice.
An English writer gives a good ex
ample of those quibbles in legal prac
tice that have a sort of fascination ior
certain minds. Some years ago, while
traveling on the continent, he met the
principal lawyer for the government of
one of the principalities, who told him
of a curious legal question. It had ref
erence to a railway station at the boun
dary between two principalities.
Someone standing outside the window
of the ticket office had put his hand
through and robbed the till inside.
The boundary line lay between where
fie thief stood and the till, so that he
was actually in one territory while the
crime was committed in another. Here
was a nice nut for the ntlemen
learned in the law to crack. Which of
the principalities should undertake the
prosecution of the criminal?
A t it they went in good earnest, and
the arguments on either side were long
and vehement, till the whole case was
embalmed in many volumes. At last
one side yielded so far as to say :
"We will permit you, as an act of
ourtesy, to prosecute, while at the
same time reserving all our sovereign
rights."
At this point of the recital I asked:
"And how did the prosecution end?"
11.1 Ti,,t ; nnitn mnihr mattor
said my friend. "There was no prose-
wrt lv orranainor what
w should do when we caught the rob-
ber; but .we never caught him."
Youths' Companion.
The Trapplsts.
Many letters come to the monastery
announcing the death of relatives of the
monks; these are seen by the abbot
only, and at chapter he may simply an
nounce: "The mother of one of our
number is dead; let us pray for her
soul."
Never to his dying day does the be
reaved Trappist learn that he was pray
ing for his -own mother.
New Trick with Scissors.
Can you fasten a pair of scissors to
a wall with a piece of cord and then
remove them without breaking or cut
ting the cord? It seems impossible,
yet it can easily be done.
First, the cord is to be fastened in
a loop to the left handle of the scis
sors and then the double cord to to be
HOW IT IS PONE.
drawn through -the;: right : handle and
secured to a nail at some distance.
Next the noose at the left handle must
be drawn through the other handle and
so onward until it Is between the two
blades. '
As soon as this is done the cord can
easily be loosened and removed from
the scissors. ;
Big Chief and the Chicken.
"How! Swap?" "How" was the Big
Chiefs way of saying "How do you
do?" ana "swap" was his way of in
viting a trade. -r-i
Jennie was 7 years old, and uvea
with her parents In a tiny rough-built
stone house one mile north of the line
which separates- Kansas from the In
dian Territory... The Kaw Indians, wno
ocupied ; the reservation nearest J en-
nie's home, often came to the state to
trade with the settlers, to whom they
would off er pieces of gaudy calico, moc
casins and necklaces made of rows ;or
bright-colored beaos .strung ami mBi
ened together "in a"?kiuf ar way known
only to the Indians. -
Ever since she could remember, Jen
nie had longed for one of these neck
laces. Every, one, of her little girl
friends had one; but Jennie's parents
had been "seeing hard times", for sev
eral years, and Jennie's mother was
far too careful to trade her chickens
(for the Indians would insist on having
chickens) for anything so useless as a
necklace. Once in a great while she
would exchange a chicken for a few
yards of calico out of which to make
Jennie a dress.
This afternoon Jennie's parents had
gone to the near-by village and had left
Jennie alone, as they often did; for she
was a sturdy child and not at all afraid.
Indeed, there was nothing to fear. All
dangerous wild animals had been hunt
ed out, and the Kaws were a peaceable.
well behaved tribe.
.Tonnie was drawing on her slate
when she heard the Big Chiefs call,
As she opened the door and peeped out,
he leaned over In his saddle and dan
gled a gorgeous necklace almost in her
fa pp. Jennie easned for breath. The
neeklace was so beautiful, flaming red.
blue, pink, yellow,, green far prettier
than any the other girls had.
"Oh!" said Jennie at last.
"Swap?" said the Big Chief, sugges
tively.
"I can't," said Jennie. "My mother
ft
Just then her mother's favorite roos
ter ran across the yard. He was a big
fellow, and had a lovely long green
feather in his tail.
"Chicken!" demanded the Big Chief.
Jennie was half afraid and very un
certain. But suddenly the Big Chief,
after a quick glance at her face, sprang
from his saddle, swooped down upon
the rooster, gathered him in his arms.
and was back in the saddle quicker
than it takes to tell it
"Now." he said, "swap?" And he
held out the necklace.
"Y-e-s," said Jennie, slowly.
The very next morning her mother
asked
"Have yon seen the big rooster this
morning, Jennie?"
"No." answered Jennie.
A few days later her mother remark
ed:
"I suppose a coyote must have caught
the big rooster."
To this Jennie answered nothing.
Jennie hid her necklace In her own
private box with her other treasures.
No one but Jennie ever touched that
box. Monday morning she tucked her
necklace under her apron front but
; was half way to school before she
dared fasten it about her neck. She
' was duly envied by all the girls, but
' on her way home she hid the necklaoe
under a rock. This with a strange kind
of fear she did every evening. She
srrew to dread having visitors. She
was afraid some of them might men
tion the' necklace before her-mother.
In truth, the little girl was very mis
erable, for her tender heart was touch
' ed by her mother's evident regret over
the loss of the rooster.
I On a Saturday afternoon, almost two
months after the. trade, the Big Chief
again rode up to the door of Jennie's
I home. Jennie's eyes opened wide with
wonder and fear for there, was. the big
rooster's long green feathers stuck jp.
the Big Chiefs hat The Big Chief
had supposed that no one would recog
nize that feather. f-":.vi--:
"W-h-y-y, you bad man!", said lea-:
Die's mother, pointing to the feather. .
"Ugh!" said the Big Chiefs pointing
to Jennie as he gathered up his reins
and' spurred his pony into a gallop,
"Ugh! Bad girl!" -
Of course Jennie was punished for
her fault, but I believe she felt glad
that what she dreaded had at last oc
curred, and her; suspense wasended
She no longer hides her necklace, for
having paid the penalty of her sin, she
can wear it with a clear consclehce.
Waverly Magazine.
Three Little Kittens.
Three little- kittens, so downy and soft,
Were cuddled up by the fire, : - "
And : two little children were sleeping
aloft , ..
As coxy as heart could desire; .
Dreaming of something ever so nice, -Dons'1
and sugar-plums, rats and mice.
The night wore on, and the mistress said,-
I m sleepy, I must confess,
Vnd as kitties and babies are safe in bed,
I'll go to bed, too, I guess."
She went upstairs, just a story higher.
While the kittens slept by the' kitchen
' fire. - , .
What noise can that be?" the mistress
said. - . . .
"!Wnw! mMirr' "T'm Afraid
A poor little kitty-cat's fallen out of ed!
The nice little nest I made" - -
Meow! meow!" "Dear me! dear-nte! '
I wonder what can the matter be?".
The mistress paused, on an upper stair.
Dor what did she see-below? i
But three little kittens with frightened
air,
Standing up in a row!
With six little paws on the step above,
And no mother cat to caress or love!
Through the kitchen door came a cloud of
- smoke! ' ; ;
The mistress, in great alarm.
To a sense of danger straightway awoke:
Her babies might come to harm. -
On the -kitchen hearth, to her great
amaze,
Was a basket of shavings beginning to.
blaze.
The three little kittens were hugged arid.
kissed,
And promised many a monse;
While their names were put upon honor's
list
For hadn't they saved a house? '
And two little children were gathered
tight
To n mother's heart ere she slept that
night "
Good Little Girl.
The story is told of a little girl In
England who, when rain- water was
crecsajgd .opa..moch aa,.lt ash4
could and then sold' it for a cent a
bucket says the Detroit Free. Press.
In this way she earned nearly $5,
which she brought to the missionary
society. She was a modest little girl,
an(J when the secretary of the mis
sionary society asked for her name
she hesitated and failed to answer.
"But I must put down where the mon
ey came from," said the secretary,
Call it rain from heaven," replied the
little girl.
Litfe Jack Hornet.
No more I'll prod' a hornet's nest
I really do not think it best
The creatures don't know how to play,
Though sharp in ev'ry other way.
I merely took a little goad
And merely tickled their abode,
When out they came like anything.
And made me feel like one large sting.
And though I truly am not sloy,
They showed me points I did not know.
I really do not think it best
To meddle with a hornet's nest.
Strange Meat Dishes;
A globe trotter says that in Antwerp
and Rome, with lordly meat markets
at their disposal, the natives and not
f:he poverty stricken natives, at that
dine off broiled cat and pick poor
pussy s Dones wirn a reiisn. in va
rious South Americacn cities, stewed
mule is a familiar dish on a : table
d'hote menu.
An Electric Rat-Trap.
Electric rat traps are in use in Am
sterdam. They are connected by: a
wire with a supply of electricity. .The
place where the bait rests, is the only..
part of the trap which is a conductor,
and the moment. Mr., Rat touches this a
shock" closes his career.
Too Much Attention.
A little sermon which will be appre
ciated by nurses and doctors was inno
cently preached by a small girl who
little knew the bearing of her tale. Her
aunt had been ill for a long time, and
some one asked Dorothy how the in
valid was progressing. The Washing
ton Post thus reports the answer:
"She's sick,!' answered Dorothy,
"She has the worst headaches, and she
has to stay in a dark room. But she s
got lots of friends, and they try to
make her feel better. They come to
see her every day, to see if there is
anything they caii do. They Bend- her
jelly and things to make her want to
at: but she doesn't eat a bit Then
they're always coming to cheer her up,
It. doesn't seem to do much good, but
she added, with an effort to speak the
sneech of her elders, "she bears inflic
tions nobly!" . .
Too Soon.
A story is told of a politician who in
social life Is possessed by a fear of
being thought older than he is.
The story that at an afternoon tea,
which for private reasons he had at
tended, he was crcss-questioneu by a
young woman who wished to know
bis views on a certain point
"I'm not sure," said she. laughingly,
"whether I'm realiy finding out what
von think or not. You ought to be
frank, for your eyes are gray and"
"Prematurely so. 1 assure you, my
dear madam," he Interpol i, hastily.
mm
2f
: How to Roll Barbed Wire.
The illustration shows a home-made.
device for rolling barbed wire which
will work well and enable one to han
dle the wire -without- trouble. Use any
sort of a small barrel and nail the
ends in tight and see that all hoops
are securely fastened on. , On the cen
ter of each end or head nail a block of
wood thick enough to be above the
evel of the edges of chimes. Through
this bore a hole Into the barrel. Maker
handles of material an Inch thick, two
Jnches wide and five feet long.:,. Take
an iron rod,, pass It through the ends
of the handles and through the bar
rel, as shown in the cut fastening at
the ends with a nut Nail a piece of
board across the handles, or nse Iron
bars, If possible, to stiffen the handles,
and the machine is complete. Stretch
the wire out onthe ground, fasten one
end to the barrel and then simply roll
the barrel over the wire until the lat
ter is wound around the barrel,
Hay in Round Bales.
The cylindrical bale has become very
popular for bay and cotton, and many
shippers are discarding their old
presses to get'one- that will press it In
this form. The standard bale Is eight
een inches in diameter and thirty-six
inches long. The pressure used . In
packing for home use puts about two
hundred-Dounds in such a bale, but
when Intended,, for export tkey use
higher-pressure and get In abooV275
pounds. A bale put.up for army -use
is but half "as long, or eighteen Inches,
and "tfeiga about; 340 pounds. It is cal
culated that aygoOd pack -horse or mule
wUf "tfavel vIth one of these' on each
side, and they.can go where the army
wagons vcould not Thousands of tons
of these round bales have been shipped
to our army in the Philippines, and a
large amount to the British army In
South Africa. In this form a given
weight of hay is compressed into about
one-half the space that it occupied In
the square bale, and the fact that it
does not pack as closely In car or ves
sel, there being spaces between the
bales, which prevents moulding, pre-'
serves the sweetness of the hay, and
the close pressure In the bale reduces
the combustibility. For cotton many of
the same advantages are claimed for
the round, bale, that Is, getting more In
small space and reducing the danger
from fire. American Cultivator.
Cutting Potatoes for Seed.
TToro urn some .outline drawings
showing how to cut potatoes for seed.
In the first case the potato is cut in
two pieces; In the second and third. In
three and four respectively. By cut
ting potatoes as indicated about ten
bushels of seed are required per acre,
A FOB BOIXJNO BARBED WIRE.
Much of the success with the crop de-' pounds of moisture from the soil dur
pends on starting right . With a good ing the. period of ordinary drought, or
strong growth at the start the battle "more or less according to its duration
POTATOES COT FOB SEED.
la half won. The other half of the
battle may be won by proper spraying
and tillage.
Alfalfa on Sandy Soil.
The claim, that alfalfa will not thrive
on sandy soil Is not .borne out by. ex
periment Col. B. Wl Richards, secre
tary of the Laurel Hill Cemetery Com
pany, who has a farm at Hammonton,
Nj. J., has grown alfalfa for several
years, and on a plot consisting of white
sand. . ThepJiwa' seeded Jn August,
189$, and another later. As many:, as
four' or five cuttings are secured every
season,' and from two to three tons of
hay per acre are cured. " Manure " is
spread -over the land every fall and
lime (mostly from burnt oyster shells)
Is broadcasted. .The land has become
very productive, and more animals
were necessary In order to consume the
hay produced. The experiment s a
valuable one, as it demonstrates what
can be done with alfalfa on the lightest
kind of sand. Philadelphia Record.
To Secure Broody Hens.
We often hear people complain of the
scarcity of sitting hens. When we are
short of sitters we place four or five
' extra nest eggs In several nests, and In
' a very few days usually find them cov
of nest eggs, he can nse a few eggs
that are under size or off In shape and
worthless for hatching purposes, mark
ing them, so the fresh laid eggs may be
readily distinguished from them . and
gathered as usual. We find this is a
very simple and effective method to in
duce the hens to become broody early
in the season. Milton A. Brown, In
Poultry Keeper. -
Our Farmer Aristocrats.
Tales of sudden wealth are quite com
mon in the faniolis Kansas and Okla
homa wheat belt; fine houses, modern
ini. every . appointment, are the rule;
rubber-tired buggies and automobiles
are nothing to attract attention. In cer
tain communities even the farmer has
grown metropolitan to the extent -of
building an opera house on a school lot
and securing some of the best attrac
tions In the theatrical line. It was not
until the present winter that Wichita
could afford a guarantee for certain
notable singers. Among those occupy
ing front seats were well-known wheat
groovers. Farmers" daughters and
farmers! sons form a goodly part of the
Kansas society element, while piano
salesmen look to them for their quick
deals. It is nothing uncommon for a
farmer to come to town and buy two
or three rubber-tired buggies, or even
to place an order for an automobile.
Mr. D. W. Blaine, a rich farmer of
Pratt County, superintends all his har
vesting in an automobile. Many oth
ers are equally plutocratic.
. One of the richest farmers in the Kan
sas wheat belt is John T. Stewart, who
came to the State five years ago. He
borrowed $50 from a friend, rented a
quarter section of land In Sumner
County and began work. To-day he Is
worth $2,000,000, and his income from
wheat In 1901 was $04,000. He is known
as the wheat king of Kansas. There
are twenty-three millionaires in Kan
sas, fifteen of wliom are farmers living
on farms and running them as an in
vestment Perhaps they ha ye. not all
of their fortune1 invested in land, but a
goodly portion of it Is. Solomon Bes
ley, of Wellington, placed $31,000 In
wheat land last year and realized SO
per cent on his investment, or ten times
as much as. he receives from money
loaned in Illinois. Ainslee's Magazine.
Snowshoes for Horses.
Over the . light crust, that form on
the -snow In . the .dense - forests, a ad.
deep gulches of Northern Idaho the
horses f the win
ter mail carriers
make their way
on snow shoes,
and wooden snow
shoes at that.
These shoes are
made with a dou
ble thickness of
Inch boards, the
whole about 20
Inches long and
14 wide. An in
snowsuoes.
dention to fit the horse's foot is brand
ed In with a hot horse shoe, and an
iron clamp, secured by a screw bolt,
holds It over the hoof.
Robbery of Moisture by Weeds.
One who is inexperienced, and who
has made no experiments in that direc-
' tion, can form no estimate of the quan
tity of water taken from the soil by
weeds, .which is really robbery of the
crop occupying the land. A single weed
may -seemingly do but little in jury,' but
one pound' of weeds will fehiove 500
ana -tne growtn or tne weeas. as mucn
soO.OOO pounds of moisture per acre
Is an ordinary-'quantity for a heavy
mass -of iwjeeds to take. In addition to
the moisture the weeds draw. on the fer
tility, and deprive the crop of plant
food," which is so necessary In order to
secure large yields. It is work to keep
down weeds after they get a good start,
but it Is not difficult to destroy them
when they are very young. Many crops
fail during dry seasons more because of
robbery of the moisture by weeds tljan
because of lack of rain; ' .. .
The Daily Waste. '
There Is one item that is often over
looked in the keeping of cows, and es
pecially so Of dairy cows, and that is
daily wastes ; " There is practically ' the
same whether the animal Is a good
milker or a poor one. . In all cases the
food. necessary for the support of ani
mal life and to make up the daily
waste" must come first, and then the
milk or beef comes next after this is
taken out. If the animal gives a sni?ill
amount of milk, the cost of food as
waste in proportion to the amount of
milk secured is greater than with a
large amouht of milk. and . of course
this profit is decreased accordingly.
Feedjhg poor cow's in the dairy is prac
tically a waste, of feeL Agricola.
In Favor of Sheep. : .
It " is sometimes asserted that cattle
and sheep;;require the same amount
of feed per 1,000 pounds of live weight
according to Prof. Curtiss. This state
ment seems not to be well founded,
In some experiments at the Iowa sta
tion the cattle consumed 19.0 pounds
of dry matter per 1,000 poun -s of live
weight against an average of 29.7 by
the sheep. Both cattle and sheep were
on full feed. The sheep made a daily
gain of 3.73 pounds per 1,000 pounds
of live weight and the cattle 2.14. In
summing up this comparison we find
that while the sheep ate 4S per cent
more than the cattle they gained, near-
- ; ly 75 per cent more.
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